or that he maye aske of them that be learned and so teache his wyfe least peraduenture if women shoulde haue resorte vnto learned men to reason matters or to aske questions for their learnynge by ouermuche familyarity some further inconuenience might mischaunce to bothe parties She muste not playe the reader she must not kepe the scooles but rather Mulier in silencio discat cum omni subiectione docere autē mulieri nō permitto i. Tim. ii Let a woman learne in silence without many words without clattering with al obediēce subiection For I will not suffer a woman to be a teacher least peraduēture taking vpō her to be a maistres she may wexe proude and malaperte She must consider her creation that a woman was last made and first in faulte and in sinne Wherfore it besemeth women to knowe their cōdicion to be subiect and not to refourme and teache menne Once she taught and marred all therfore Paule woulde haue her teache no more But here you must vnderstād as wel for the philosophers minde of the hearers of moral philosophy as for s. Pauls minde of the students in holy scriptures that although nether children in age neither in cōdicions all geuen to take their pleasures and to folowe their lustes be appropriate and most conuenient hearers of philosophye because they lacke experience of vertuous workes and by childishe plaiyng the boyes and plaiynge the wantons be customed in lewdenes yet thys notwithstandyng if they be vnder awe and feare of their parentes or of maisters or of officers they maye take profite by hearynge Philosophy in as much as if they be straightly holde to such learning they may be disposed to vertue and restraint from vice by the same And muche like it is of the studie of scriptures if such voluptuous persons be compelled to haunt sermons lessons and exhortations by suche meanes the folishnes and ignorance that is knitte in the hearte of the wanton and childishe persone maye be driuen away by the rodde of discipline And I reade of many blessed women that haue bene vertuously brought vp in youth and well exercised in holye scriptures as they that saint Hierome wrote to and many others whiche we worshyp for blessed saintes in heauen to whiche God gaue grace to subdue their affections and lustes and by that they were the more mete to receiue the gifte of science and cunnyng by the scriptures But I rede not that they were readers preachers or disputers of scriptures Manye wise questions they vsed to aske and were without countresaiyng satisfied with such answers as were giuen them by them that were learned I doubt not but they vsed to teache their maydes at home such lessons as might make them chaste and deuout For women may be exercised in teaching after that maner as appeareth by Saint Paul Tit. ii saying that aged womē among other vertues must be bene docentes vt ad castitatem erudiant adolescentulas well teaching that they may enforme their yonge women to chastitie and to loue their husbands and to loue their children to be cleane in countenaunce in woordes and in bodie to be good huswiues benignas et subditas viris suis boner boughsome to their husbands So farre blessed Saint Paule giueth women libertie to teache but not to teache men All beit saint Ierome in the preamble of his expositiō of the psalme Eructauit cor meū verbū bonū noteth that Ruth Iudith and Hester haue bookes intyteled to their names and that they taught men wit and so did the wyse woman of Techua conclude king Dauid with her wyse questions that she asked hym and taughte him by the subtyle riddles that she proposed to hym and mitigate hys anger wyth the pretye example that shee brought in .ii. Reg. xiiii but in dede muche of her wysedome in her so doing came of the wytte of Ioab that sent her to the kynge to intreate for Absalon that he myghte be restored agayne into hys countrey The blessed manne Aquila and hys wyfe Pryscilla when they hadde hearde Apollo preache Christe they called him asyde and better taughte hym in the faythe of Christe in some pointes then he was taught afore Act. xviii But here the scripture expresseth not whether the man Aquila or the wyfe Priscilla taughte Apollo And it maye well be that they bothe instructed hym For the holye spirite of God breatheth and inspireth his giftes where it pleaseth hym and by theym that it pleaseth hym whether it be men or women Therefore it maye so be that it pleased GOD to illuminate the soules of women and by theym for the tyme to teache menne Sometyme for the reproch and confusion of menne to make theym ashamed of their dulnesse and sleweth As it is wrytten Iudicum iiii that Delbora the Prophetesse iudged the people of Israell and aduaunced theym to warre agaynst Sisara captayne of the warres of Iabin kyng of Canaan in so muche that Barach a noble manne amonge the people durst not go to the battayle agaynste Sisara except thys good woman Delbora woulde go wyth hym And sometyme women haue instructed men for other secrete causes such as GOD onelye knoweth But thys is not to be taken for an argument because it is rare and syldome but of a common course it becommeth women to be subiecte and to learne in sylence and if they will teache then to doe it wyth modestye and secretlye and not openlye to dyspute and teache men and that is Saynte Paules mynde as I sayde afore Scripture is in worsse case then anye other facultye for where other faculties take vppon theym no more then pertayneth to theyr owne science as the Phisicion treateth of thynges partaynynge to the healthe of mans bodye and the Carpenter or the Smith medleth with theyr owne tooles and woorkemanshyppe Sola scripturarum ars est quam sibi omnes passim vendicant hanc garrula anus hanc delirus senex hanc sophista verbosus hanc vniuersi presumunt lacerant docent antequam discant as Saynte Hierome saythe in hys epistle ad Paulinum The facultie of Scripture onely is the knowledge that all menne and womē chalengeth and claymeth to them selfe and for theyr owne here and there the chatterynge olde wyfe the dotynge olde manne the bablynge Sophister and all other presumeth vppon thys facultye and teareth it and teacheth it afore they learn it Of all suche greene Diuines as I haue spoken of it appeareth full wel what learnynge they haue by thys that when they teache anye of their Disciples and when they gyue anye of theyr bookes to other menne to reade the fyrste suggestion why he shoulde laboure suche bookes is because by this say they thou shalt be able to oppose the best priest in the parish and to tel him he lieth Lo the charitie Suppose thou haue science or cunnyng by thy studie in scriptures yet thou hast not this gift of the holy gost of whych we nowe speake for it is not without charitie Scientia
was sayd in his name to synne and to hell Osee. xiii â–ª O death I will be thy death O hell I wyll bite the. He that eateth occupieth all that he eateth he that byteth taketh part and leaueth part so dyd the soule of Christ take that part of the prisoners in hell whiche dyed in charitie lefte behind him in tormentes and paynes with the deuylles â–ª all them that besyde oryginall synne hadde committed mortall synne and dyed without satisfaction for the same SAynt Thomas put the syxt article of our fayth sayinge The thyrde daye he rose agayne from death For on Sondaye earlye in the breakynge of the daye while it was somewhat darke he ioyned his soule vnto hys body and rose from death to lyfe and came forth of his chest or graue and oute of the monument or caue in the whiche the graue was beynge fast shutte with a greate stone rouled to it for a dore â–ª and surelye sealed And forthwith came the Aungell from heauen and remoued the stone that was rouled to the doore of the sayde caue and satte vpon it to declare that Chryste was rysen and gonne and anone came the thre Maries and they sawe and hearde the Aungels appearynge to theim lyke men whiche tolde theim that Chryste was rysen but they scarselye beleued the Aungelles rather thinkynge that his precyouse bodye was stolen and caryed awaye oute of the graue Notwithstandynge as they were bydde they wente to geue knoweledge to the Disciples whiche then kepte them selues together in greate pensifenes for the losse of theyr mayster and as close as they coulde for feare of shrewes Marye Magdalene made beste spede and tolde Peter and Iohn what she hadde sene and hearde and consequentlye the same day and other dayes folowinge as well the sayde holye women as the Apostles and other Disciples were by euidente and sensible signes well assured that he was bodelye rysen in dede and not fantasticallye nor faynedlye He was the fyrste that euer ryse to lyfe immortall neuer to die againe Other there were that were reised frome death to lyfe by the power of God but after certaine yeares they died againe Christe rose by his owne power and neuer died againe therefore the Apostles called him the beginninge and fyrste begotten amonge dead men Col. i. The beginner and cause of his owne resurrection whiche was by his owne power and also of oure resurrection that lyke as he died for oure sinnes and rose againe to iustifie vs so we shoulde mortifie oure selfe to sinne that we may rise againe with him and liue to God walkinge in a newe life whyle we be here that finallye we maye rise with oure bodies and soules glorified to immortall lyfe Oure olde manne was crucyfied with Christe that the bodye of synne myghte be destroyed that we shoulde no more doe seruice to sinne Oure olde man signifieth oure olde lyuinge in synne lyke Adam the fyrste manne that synned of whose offence descended to all his posteritie the nourishinge and feadinge of sinne the darte and pricke of death whiche the Apostle manye times calleth by the name of sinne this we must mortifie and kyll that so the bodye of synne maye be destroyed We lyue to synne when we lyue after the inclination of the sayde nurse and breder of synne so that synne reigne in our mortall bodies to obeye the desires of sinne And contrary we die to sinne when we do not the desires of sinne neither folowe the inclinations of sinne that so the body of sinne may be destroyed in vs the bodye of sinne is the whole rable and multitude of sinnes together like limmes of one body as fornication vncleanes auarice contention wrath gyle brauling dissension heresies enuye ryot or surfet and suche other when these be mortified in vs then we dye with Christ. And this mortification we must buselye and continually beare vpon vs and then we shal be sure to liue with him by renewinge of our liuinge contrarie to vice vsing iustice and vertue that so we may giue light of good example to all others that they may glorifie and laude God in vs that finally we and they with vs may ryse to immortall glorye THen foloweth the seuenth article whiche S. Barthelomew put to this gathering and it is this He ascended into heauen and sitâ—eth on the righte hande of GOD the father almightie That is to saye the condition of our nature whiche he toke of the virgin his mother he toke vp with him and set it on the ryght hand of his father aboue the skye and aboue all the orders of aungels and aboue al thinge that is named not only in this world but also in the world to come Therefore let vs ascende vp in deuoute heart with Christ while we be in this presente lyfe that when the daye of the generall resurrection shall come we may folowe him ascendyng in body thither as he is gone afore vs bodelye openinge the waye for vs. Mich. ii For lyke as he rose from death to life to make vs lykewise to ryse so he ascended to make vs to ascende For whiche purpose we must well knowe and remeÌ„ber that with Christ ascendeth not pryde nether couetousenes lechery or any other synne he was our phisition he cured vs and made vs once hole but he toke with him none of our malaÌ„ders therfore yf we come after him we must leaue all these and cast them of least they presse vs downe that we may not ascend to that glorious place wher Christ sitteth on the ryght hande of his father that is to saye equal with the father by his godhead and in the inheritaunce and highest wealth and glory of God by his humanitie to entreate for vs as our attourney towarde the father To sitte belongeth to a iudge because oure sauioure nowe beinge in heauen considereth and iudgeth all mens actes and at the laste shall manifestlye and openly come to iudge them and to geue sentence therefore it is sayd that he sytteth Saynt Steuen sawe him standing on the fathers right hande as one redy to fyght for hym and to helpe him constantlye to suffer the persecution of the Iewes where ye must not ymagine any materiall body or ryght hand or lyfte hande in the godhead or any material stoles to sit on in heauen it is a maner of speakinge of the scripture by a similitude rather then that there be any such partes there in dede And likewise to sitte or stande in heauen signifieth no more but there to be at his pleasure and to shewe hym selfe as it please his maiestie THe eyght article saint Mathew the Apostle and Euangelist sayd From thence he shall come to iudge the quicke and the deade In the same body he wyl come to the iudgemeÌ„t in whiche he ascended into heauen to iudge all christen and hethen for all we that be hath be shall be shall stande afore Christes seat of iudgement that euery man maye receaue the duetie of his bodye as he hath
and wee haue receiued by the preaching of the woorde of God in vertuous liuing agreinge to the same He beginneth his processe with laudes and thankes to God the father of heauen for his aboundant and great mercy in this that he hath regenerate and begotten vs againe to lyfe by our sauiour Christ. Where we afore by our carnall parentes were generate and gotten to dye Therefore he saythe blessed be God and father of oure Lorde Iesu Christ that is to saye God that is the father of our Lord Iesu Christ the first person in trinitie fountain wel and original beginning of the whole trinitie to which saynt Peter geueth his laudes and thankes not excluding any person in trinitie for the father and the sonne and the holy Gost haue all one Godhead equall glory and coeternall maiestie For this you must vnderstande that thys word blessed hath diuers significations according to the thinge that it is ioyned withall When we say blesse God or saye blessed be GOD it is a woorde of thankes and is as muche to saye as laude prayse and thankes be to GOD. For by oure blessynge GOD wee cannot increase hys glorye neyther make hym anye thinge the better by oure thankes although so doyng we accomplish do our boundē dutie to him but when God blesseth vs hys willing well to vs or saying wel by vs is his dede Therefore when hee blesseth vs hee gyueth vs some gyfte of grace or temporall subsidye and healpe by his mere liberalitye and gentlenesse and not of dutie nor of our deseruinge Thyrde when the father or a frende blesseth the chyld he giueth him temporall goodes or wysheth hym well and prayeth for him well to doe as Isaac blessed hys sonnes Iacob and Esau and lykewyse Iacob and other holye Fathers blessed theyr children as I sayde of Sainte Peters blessynge in the later ende of the salutacion of this Epistle Saynte Peter as I sayde begynneth wyth thankes offeringe to GOD at the beginninge a sacrifice of laude remembryng the sayinge of the Prophet Sacrificium laudis honorificabit me The sacrifice of laude and praysinge shall doe me honour saithe almighty God And like as hee that will doe bodely sacrifice to God muste doe it by the handes of a Priest or of a Byshoppe So this sacrifice of laude Saint Peter offereth to GOD the father by the handes of the great Priest and Byshoppe oure Sauiour Iesus Christe makynge mention of hym sayinge pater domini nostri Iesu Christi The Father of oure Lorde Iesus Christe And by thys Sainte Peter gyueth vs good example to begynne all our woorkes wyth thankes and praise to hym for hys owne glorye and with desyringe and praying for his grace to preuent vs to set vs forwarde at the beginning of our workes and to be concurrent and workynge wyth vs in all our affayres and proceadynges in oure businesse Qui secundum misericordiam suam magnam regenerauit nos in spem viuā per resurrectionē Iesu christi ex mortuis Whiche accordynge to hys great mercye by the resurrection of Iesu Christ from amonge the deade hathe begotten vs againe into a liuelye hope Accordynge to the rate of mannes offence almighty GOD multiplieth his mercye And thoughe all synnes compared to almightye God againste whom they be committed be infinite yet considerynge the frowardenes of the hart and wyll of the sinner some sinnes be more greuous then other be and require proporcionablye greater abundance of mercy in the forgeuynge of them then other dothe Therefore saynt Paule thoughe he were a blasphemer and a persecutour of christen people yet because he did it ignorantlye for lacke of fayth he found mercye and was forgeuen his sinnes i. Timo. i. But kinge Dauid coulde not pretend ignorance in his takynge of an other mannes wife neither in causyng Urye the same womannes husbande that neuer offended hym to be slayne vniustly These synnes were greate and horrible therefore he cryed and called for great mercye Miserere mei deus secundū magnam miam tuam And for manifolde mercye accordynge to his manifolde sinnes Then let vs accordyng to this consider the miserable case that mankinde was in afore we were regenerate by Christe and we shal perceyue that our regeneration by baptisme takyng his strength at Christes passion came of mercy yea of great mercy and of manifold mercy Our firste father Adam at his firste creation had the supernatural gifte of originall iustice geuen him for him selfe and for all his posteritie and issue This gift of originall iustice in him made a perfect tranquillitie and quietnes in al the powers of his soule so that his will by this originall iustice shuld obediētly do after the pleasure of god and all the inferiour sensible powers should likewise obeye the wyll so directed and ruled by originall iustice the will should haue preuented the sensible powers so that vnlawefull appetites should neuer haue bene in them As for to synne in adulterye with an other mans wyfe or for to steale or take away an other mans goodes Men shoulde haue hadde none such vnlawfull lustes And by the same gyft the wyll should haue commaunded the sensible powers at tyme and place conuenient to exercise their appetites accordyng to iustice As to vse naturall generatiō at tymes conuenient with a mans owne wife to eate and drinke as reason and iustice would There shuld haue bene no discention stryfe or debate betwixte man and man but continual rest peace And in thys case all mankinde should haue bene if Adam hadde kepte his obedience to almighty GOD but as a punishemente for his disobedience to God all hys inferiour powers disobeyed their superiours And this gyfte of originall Iustyce was geuen hym for hym selfe and for all hys posteritie And therefore lyke as God woulde hym to haue kepte it so he woulde all hys posteritye to haue dooen and requireth it of all menne and women that euer came of Adam by carnall propagacion for wee all ought to haue it And therefore almightye GOD iustelye requireth of euerye persone hauynge in hym the nature of manne that gyfte of originall Iustyce whyche hee gaue to the whole nature of manne And nowe the lacke of that originall Iustyce wyth the debte or duetye to haue it is called originall synne whyche maketh all the Issue and children of Adam the chyldrene of Goddes indignation and anger And so wee by that bee lefte free from Iustice and bonde to synne and to dampnation A myserable case that wee be in synne and be made the chyldrene of anger and of dampnation afore wee haue the vse of Reason and afore wee can dooe anye synne And beside that wee be made subiecte to all miserie vexation syckenesse and trouble whyle wee be here For if Adam hadde kepte hys obedience to GOD there shoulde nothynge haue disobeyed vs nother wynde nor rayne heate nor colde to distemper vs. And then to consider howe for thee lacke of the sayde gyfte of originall Iustyce wee
dwelleth dawes and crowes the vawtes and rouffes be so ruinous that no man dare well come vnder them Where is Troye where be the olde Emperies and monarchies of the Assirians of the Caldeis Medes Persies and of Rome whose Emperours had vnder them in maner all the worlde for theyr tyme Where is the deuotion that noble men and ryche marchauntes hath had to magnifie and encrease Goddes seruice to his honoure If God had not preserued our mooste gratious Soueraigne Kinge Henry the eyght whiche by his princelie zele loue and deuotion to God hath erecte this Cathedrall Churche of Bristowe and manye other suche within this Realme God knoweth what case diuine seruice should haue bene in All thinge waxeth olde and decayeth in processe of time so that corruption and decayeth in processe of time so that corruption and deathe is the ende Seconde how frequēt and many infirmities raigneth we see dayly infections of pestilence pockes great and small these new burninge agues and innumerable others more then the Phisicions haue written of in their bookes These contaminate and defowleth mens bodies by infections aches and paines euen to death And what corruption and infection of maners commeth to the soule by euill examples ill wordes and suche other occasions it were to long to be spoken of nowe Thirde the comon sterilitie and barennes of the grounde the great scarsitie of all maner of vitall and of fruites of the earth we feele it so many times to our great paine and discomfort that it nede not to be declared But the inheritance that as saint Peter saith here is kept for vs in heauen hath thre proprieties cōtrarie to these thre rehersed ther is no rotting ruine corruptiō or decay but immortalitie cōtrarie to all feare of death There is no feablenes of sicknes ther is none infection of body by corrupt ayre nor of soule by temptacion or by euill example for into that glorious citie and dwelling place can no vncleane thynge enter or come Thirde there shall nothing welow or wyther away but shall euer be kept freshe and floorishing by that well of life almighty God Ther shall be no lothesomnes or werynes by long vse and continuaunce as there is in all worldly plea pleasures there shall all good men and women shine like the sonne Math. xiii Oh good Lorde what beutie and brightnes shal our soules haue when our bodies shall be as bright as the sunne There shal be no heauines no labour no payne no sorowe no feare no death but euer still shall continue health of bodye and minde There shall neuer rise discentiō or debate betwixt neighbour and neighbour no miserie no nede or necessitye no hunger no thurst no cold to hurt the ne heate to enflame thee no faintnes for fasting no sluggardie for much eating no temptacion of oure gostly enemies The fleshe shal not resist against the spirite ther shal be no wil to sinne nor possibilitie to offēd But our sauiour Christ wil giue vs suche pleasure with the companye and felowship of the glorious angels as no hart can think nor any tonge expresse This ioyfull inheritaunce is conserued and kept in store in heauen saith sainte Peter for you that by vertue and power of god be kept by faith vnto saluation whiche is readye to be shewed in the last time at the generall iudgement Here he saithe that this inheritaunce is kepte in store not for all men that be regenerate by baptisme but onely for suche as perseuer and continue in goodnes to the ende by Gods speciall preseruation For perseuerance commeth principallye of God and of our selfe but secundarelye and is necessary for all them that will be saued Nam in cassum bonum agitur si ante terminum vite deseratur saith saint Gregory Good workes be done but all in vayne if they be left and giuen ouer afore the ende of a mans life For he that gyueth ouer and ceasseth to do wel afore he haue proued the vttermost of it or be come to the ende is lyke an Ape whose condition is when he tasteth the vtter hull or huske of an nutte and perceiueth it sowre and bitter casteth awaye the nutte afore he hathe tasted the swetenes of the curnell And cur Sauiour Christ saith in the parable of hym that woulde borowe breade of hys neyghbour Luke xi Si perseuerauerit pulsans c. If he continue still knockyng if hys frende wyll not giue it hym because he is his frende yet for hys importunitie continuall crauynge he wyll ryse and gyue him as manye as he hath neede of And he telleth vs what is the instrument or meane by which God dothe preserue vs and make vs to perseuer and continue in grace and good liuynge It is faithe and suche lyke faithe as I spoke of hope euen nowe sayinge that God hath regenerate vs by hys greate mercye into a lyuelye hope and so the faythe by whyche GOD keepeth vs is a lyuelye faithe adorned with Charitie and with good woorkes accordinglye By faithe Christe abydeth in oure hartes by whose presence wee ouercome all assaultes of oure gostlye enemyes Fayth maketh vs to vnderstande the fylthe and vncleanenesse of synne that so wee maye abhorre synne and flee from it Hec est victoria que vincit mundum fides nostra i. Iohn v. Thys is the victorye that ouercommeth the worlde oure faythe saythe Saynte Iohn it ouercommeth the pleasures of the fleshe tellynge vs that the fleshe is lyke a fellon giltye and most worthly condempned to mortalitie and death and euer still resisting and feighting against y e spirite wherfore it deserueth rather tortures paine and punishment then delicates or plesures Faith also maketh vs to know that the Apostle saith Si secundum carnem vixeritis moriemini if ye liue after the pleasures of the fleshe ye shall die wherefore if ye haue folowed your carnall pleasures eating and drinking reuealing and rioting in this holye time of Christmas lately past which ye should haue spent in deuotion and holynes ye muste repent your faulte and do penaunce therefore Faith maketh vs to contemne and dispise worldly wealth and riches as the dyuels mowse snatch and snare that maketh a man to catche hold others mens goodes so long till the diuell hath caught them and hold them in his danger Saint Paule saith i. Tim. vi Qui volunt diuites fieri incidunt in tentationes et in laqueum diaboli c. They that wil be made riche falleth into temptacions and snare of the dyuell and into many desires vnprofitable and noysom which drowneth men into death and destructiō therefore he biddeth the sayde Timothe to commaunde the riche men of the worlde not to be to highe in their own conceite nor to trust in the vncerteintie of their riches but in the liuinge God which giueth vs all thinges abundantly aswell to bring vs to the eternall fruition of the glorious Godhed as to liue by in this worlde Fayth contempneth despiseth honours
wey and runne because we must folowe the foundation and leyne on the foundation The earthlye buildynge beginneth at the grounde for there lieth the foundation but the spirituall foundation on is on high in heauē Therfore thither toward him our spirituall buildynge must ascende that we maye be suche spiritual houses as saint Peter exhorteth vs to be in the wordes of his epistle which I read now vnto you And that we all may be so he graunt vs that for vs dyed Amen ¶ The seuenth treatise or sermon THe blessed Apostle Saint Peter prosecuteth this spiritual buylding that I spoke of in thend of my last sermon saying that we muste be buylded on this stone our sauiour Christ as an holy priesthoode offering spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ. Occasion of this saying saint Peter toke of the saying of al mighty God by Moyses to the people of Israel Exod. xix If you will heare my voice and wil kepe my commaundement you shall be my peculier and speciall people of all people all the world is myne et vos eritis mihi in rengnū sacerd otale et gens sancta ta And I wyll haue you a priestly kingdome and an holy nation Alluding to this Saint Peter wryteth here Vos autem genus electum regale sacerdo cium gens sancta populus acquisitionis You be a chosen kinred a princely or a kingly priesthod an holy nacion a people that are wonne Thys text cannot be negligentlye passed ouer but muste be earnestly loked on speciallye because that at this text manye men stumble and hurt them selues takinge occasion of heresie Of this saying of almighty God in Exodo and the rehersall of saynt Peter of the same text here in this place thei wil proue if they maye that all men and women be priestes as well as they that be ordered by a byshops hands because that saint Peter writ these wordes to all them that he had preached vnto by thē to vs and to all other that shal come after till the worldes ende as wel to women as to mē of all degres and of all ages that were baptised and had taken vpon them Christes lyuerye All such saint Peter calleth regale sacerdotium kings and priestes and to confirme theyr opinion they alledge the saying of saint Iohn in the first chapter of the Apocalips wher he speaketh of Christ saying Qui dilexit nos lauit nosa peccatis nostris in sāguine suo et fecit nos regnum et sacerdotes deo et parrisuo He loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes in his bloode and made vs a kingdome priests to God and to his father Of these authorities the Lutherians take an argument and occasion to confounde and deface all good order of diuine and humane thinges allowing the womē to serue the altar and to say masse while the men tary at home and keepe the children and washe theyr ragges and clothes and aswell they might allow the women to be captains of their warres and to leade and gide an army of men in battell while theyr husbandes tary at home to mylk the Cowe and to serue the Sow and to spynne and carde To exchewe suche horrible confusion and misordring of the worlde that would offende honest eares to heare it and to declare that if they well vnderstoode the textes alledged they should finde none occasion of such errour We must returne to the sayd texts and waigh the sayings of almighty God by Moyses to the people of Israel and the sayinges of S. Peter and saint Iohn so that we may conserue and keepe that ordinate I herarchie and good order amonge people that God would haue vs to kepe and that al the gospels and the Apostles letters be full of Saynt Ambrose in his first booke de vocatione gentium cap. iii. giueth vs a very notable rule to expounde scriptures and it is the same rule in effecte that Tichonius putteth for the thirde rule whiche he called de specie et genere as S. Austine writeth iii. de doctrina Christiana Saint Ambrose rule is this In scripture many times that thing is said and spoken vniuersally of the whole which is verified and true onely of the part He putteth ther many examples of whiche some I will reherse leauing the other for to auoyde prolixitie and tediousnes The prophet saith in the psalme Alleuat dominus omnes qui corruunt et erigit omnes eli sos Our Lord God taketh vp all them that fall and setteth vp al them that be broken or brused By this texte it seemeth that who soeuer falleth to sinne God setteth him vp agayne or if he be broken against the stone that I spoke of afore by sinne God setteth hym on his feete agayne whiche if it myght be so vnderstande and founde true then shoulde neuer manne nor woman be dampned and then it myghte seeme true that I sayde of the mockers of Gods woorde that they hadde made a leege with death and a couenaunt with hell that neyther death nor hell should hurt theym And oure Sauiour saythe in the Gospell Si exaltatus fuero a terra omnia traham ad me ipsum As thoughe he promysed that when he was crucifyed he woulde conuert and drawe to him all men and women of the world whiche is not yet performed but many persist and continue in infidelitie And likewise in the negatiues it is written in the psalme Dominus de celo prospexit super filios hominum vt videat si est intelligēs aut requirens deum omnes declinauerunt simul inutiles facti sunt nō est qui faciat bonū non est vsque ad vnū Psa. xiii Our lord loked down frō heauē vpō the children of mē to se whither ther wer euer a wyse one or one that sought for god al be wried away they be al together vnprofitable without fruite of good workes There is none that doth any good no not so much as one Likewise saith the Apostle Phil. ii omnes que sua sunt querunt non que Iesu Christi All men seeke for theyr own profite and not those thynges that be for Christes pleasure Here be hard sayinges if they be not helped bi the rule that saint Ambrose teacheth vs to remēber when we expound scriptures The rule is this The scripture speaketh manye tymes of the whole meaninge but the part of the same as speaking of the whole world meaneth but parte of the same and speaking of al men meaneth but part of thē Or as the Logicion speaketh in such sayinges of the scriptures there maye be vnderstand distributio pro generibus singulorum nō pro singulis generum vel econuerso As when the prophet sayde that God taketh vp to him all that fall downe For of all them that falleth he taketh vp some and leaueth the other in their filth myre And when Christ said that when he should be exalted on the crosse he would drawe all the men women of the
chapter s. Paule biddeth wiues be subiecte to theyr husbandes as vnto our Lord master Christ for it is our lorde Gods ordinance that the man should be the head of the woman as Christ is the head of his spouse and wife the church or multitude of Christen people therefore like as the churche is subiect obedient and doth reuerence to Christ as the body to her head so ought the wyues to theyr husbands as to theyr head in all thinges that be good and according to Gods pleasure Of the contempt of due subiection and obedience of the wyfe to the husband I rede a notable story Hester .i. wher it is written that the great kynge and conquerour Assuerus king of the Medes and Persies ouer cxxvii prouinces and realmes made an exceding sumptuous feast to all the nobilitie and head officers of his Empery and dominions the preparation and prouision for the same with the inuitacion and accesse of his gests continued .ix. score daies the solempnitie of the feast continued .vii. daies There was such prouision such seruice of al officers and such delicates of meates drinks that wonder it is to heare of it And like as that king kept his feast in the solemne place prouided for the same so dyd Vasthi his Quene keepe her feast to all the quenes Ladies and noble women of the Emperye and that in the palace where Assuerus was wont to dwell for the kynges feaste was kepte in Haalys or tentes wonderouslye wroughte with costlye stuffe and stronglye staied by pyllers of fyne Marble after a gorgeous fashyon all of pleasure there the kynge kepte hys solempne banckettes and lefte hys palace for the Quene Vasthi wyth the other Ladyes On the .vii. daye of this feast when Assuerus the king had well dronke was well warmed with wyne he sent his Chamberlaynes to call Vasthi the quene to him willing her to put on her head her diademe or crowne and to come forthe after her goodliest maner because he would shewe to his kynges and lordes the beautie of his quene for she was very fayre and beautyfull but she refused to come at him and contempned the kinges commaundemēt sent to her by his chamberleins for this cause the king was sore dismaid waxed wondrous angrye and in a rage called all the great wisemen of his priuye counsayle that were euer at hande as the maner of kinges is to haue suche counsayle euer redy and by theyr counsayl he did al weighty matters because they knew the lawes of God and man he asked theyr counsayle what sentence shoulde be gyuen againste Vasthi the quene for her pride and obstinacie They aunswered all by the mouthe of Manucha one of the chiefe of the counsayle whiche after thys maner spoke to the king afore the princes of the coūsail Non solum regē lesit regina Vasthi c. The quene hath hurt not onely the kinges highnes but also all the people and princes and noble men that be wythin the dominion of kynge Assuerus for the woordes of the quene will go abrode amonge all women and make them to contempne theyr husbandes saying The noble and mighty king Assuerus bade Vasthi his quene come into his presence and she would not and no more will I but when me list And by this example gyuen of her all the wyues of the Princes of the Persies and of the Medes will sette little by the commaundement of their husbandes Wherefore the indignation and displeasure that your highnesse hathe conceiued againste her is iuste and not without a cause And therefore if it be your pleasure let a proclamation be sende frome your persone that quene Vasthi shall neuer more come in your presence but that an other better then she shall take her raigne that she hathe as one with you And let the same commaundemente be diuulled and proclaymed in all Prouinces and Realmes of your Emperie euen to the furthest parte therof that so all wiues as well of the great men as of the common and lower people maye geue honor and obedience to their husbandes This counsell pleased the Kinge and the princes that were present with him and the kinge according to the same sent furth his letters into all countreys of his emperye written in diuers languages and diuers letters that euerye man might reade and vnderstande them conteininge this argumente that the men be princes and greatest in their owne houses wherfore it foloweth that the wyues be subiecte and vnder obedience to them By this storie all good wiues may note and marke what commeth of contempte and disobedience of the wyues to their Husbandes She was deposed from her high estate and put away from her husbande because she list not to obey nor to be subiect to his commaundement Almighty GOD made the first woman for two vses or purposes one for to multiplye mankinde by generation an other cause for domesticall cohabitation and to dwell wyth the manne for his comforte And in bothe these two the woman was soore punished because shee tempted her husbande to eate of the forbidden fruite Firste where she shoulde haue borne chylde wythout payne she was deputed to exceadynge payne wyth manye throwes and panges while shee is wyth chylde and wyth muche more payne when shee is traueylynge to be deliuered Seconde to our purpose nowe where there shoulde haue bene none inequalitie betwixte the manne and the wyfe nowe for a punishement for her faulte shee muste be content to heare Sub viri potestate eris ipse dominabitur tui Thou shalte be vnder the power of thy husband and he shall be thy ruler And yet let vs consider the goodnes of god how he vseth mercy with the rod of correction in this soore beatyng of woman kinde with these two strokes of pain with childe and of subiectiō to the husband God hath prouided that the first is eased by the byrth of the childe into the world which so comforteth the mother that anone she hath forgotten all the former paine that she toke with her childe And the second is notably releued by this that by the dominion and rule of the husbande the wyfe is much eased of solicitude thought for outward prouisiō of necessaries for defence of her right and for aunswerynge to vniuste vexation and suche others And also specially by this that by the goodnesse and gentle behauiour of the wyfe husbande is manye tymes made much better thē he woulde els be And this saint Peter teacheth in this place saiynge Vt si qui non credunt verbo per mulierum conuersationem sine verbo lucrifiant He woulde specially that they should remember their subiection and gentlenes toward their husbandes that if there be anye of their husbandes that peraduenture beleueth not the woorde of God preached amonge theim whiche the wyues dothe beleue they maye be wonne and conuerted to Christes faithe by the holye conuersation of the women without preachinge When they consider your holye conuersation
and doinges such a soule saith S. Peter est in conspectu dei locuples is ryche in the sight of God for the true riches is the riches of vertues they wyll stycke by vs where other be fluxe and fadinge and wyll awaye Suche is the riches that we ought to be glad of for these we ought to laboure and with suche riches S. Peter biddeth all wyues to adorne them selues to be cleane in soule and as for outwarde dressynge to kepe an honeste measure as besemeth women shewinge sadnes and honestie in huswyfery and in good dedes Sic enim aliquando et sanctae mulieres sperantes in deo ornabant se subiecte propriis viris For so sayth he holye women that hoped and trusted in God arayed theym selues here afore in olde time whiche were subiect and obedient to theyr owne husbandes Example he taketh of Sara that was wyfe to the blessed Patriarch Abraham I thinke that yf we sawe nowe in oure time the tiringe of her the dressing of her head and the whomelines of her raiment it woulde make vs laughe and yet it was good and huswyfely for that time I doubte not But the rayment that S. Peter commendeth in her was the raymente of her soule her prompte and ready subiection and obedience to her husbande she forsoke her countrey and her kinred and acquaintaunce to accompanye him and do as he woulde haue her to do And in processe when the thre aungels appeared like men to Abraham sitting at his dore and he inuited thē to his house he badde Sara his wyfe make spede to take floure and knede it to make them a cake baken vnder a panne for theyr dinner she ful obediently did as she was bid while he runne to his herde of catell and toke a fat yonge calfe and gaue it to his seruaunte to dresse it and to seeth it and so with mylke and butter and that sodde veale he made them good chere I trowe theyr drynke was water for it was in the feruent heat of the daye and in a hote countreye woulde God men coulde be content with suche hospitalitie now a dayes there should many more be fedde then be and the hospitalitie should be more acceptable to God then it is nowe with diuersitie of exquisite disshes dasshed with spices and delicate wynes and vsed for kynredde and freindes and suche as can requyte lyke agayne If poore people haue anye thinge it is those scrappes that be nexte the dogges meate And yet more when Abraham her husband badde her that she should not saye that she was his wyfe but that she was his sister and he her brother she dydde so as the time serued And more ouer Sainte Peter noteth her obedience and subiection to her husbande by that she called him her Lorde and that was whan the Aungell told Abraham that Sara his wife shoulde beare him a chylde she stode behynde the bowre doore and smiled sayinge What shall I playe the wanton nowe in mine olde age Dominus meus vetulus est and my Lorde is an olde man It was her husband that she called Lorde in that gyuinge to all wiues example of subiection and obedience to their husbandes And Saynte Peter sayeth to all wyues you be all her doughters as longe as you doo well and lyke sobre matrones as shee dydde and so doynge you shall not nede to feare any trouble or displeasure of youre husbandes but shall liue quietelye and louingely together Viri similiter cohabitantes secundum scientiam quasi infirmiori vasculo muliebri impartientes honorem Nowe you haue hearde the fatherlye and holsome counsaile that Sainte Peter hath geuen to all wiues teachynge theim howe they shoulde order theim selues to their husbandes and to the worlde because the husbandes shall not be to sore nor cruell to theyr wiues nor to hie and lordelye ouer theim he geueth also to the husbandes a holesome lesson as it were sayinge Similiter Euen like as I haue exhorted the wyues to do their dueties to their husbandes so I muste exhorte and counsayle you to do your duties to theim althoughe I haue tolde you that Sara called Abraham her Lorde by her humble and lowlye hearte yet you muste not so take youre selues as lordes ouer your wyues nor vse theim as your seruauntes nor as your drudges but as your makes and as youre felowes specially in domesticall cohabitation and dwelling in one house with theim and in youre coniugall acte to gether accordynge to science and to the iudgemente of ryghte reason and by wysedome Saynt Ambrose Epist. lxxxii sayth the wyfe muste do reuerence to the husbande as to her heade and ruler but no seruice as his seruaunt drudge or bondwoman She muste be contente to be ruled by her husbande but not to be compelled by correction no not so muche as by chydynge For indigna est coniugio quae digna est iurgio she is not worthye to be a wyfe that is worthye to be chydde Then you maye be sure she is muche moore vnworthye to be a wyfe that wyll not doo her owne woorke withoute strokes her husbandes woorke is her owne woorke Strokes be mete for youre leude seruauntes and bondewomen and not for youre makes Therefore all wyues when they wyll deserue beatinge they reneige and refuse the honestie of a wyfe retourning to seruantes state agayne They shoulde not be taken furth with the graue and sadde matrones and with honest wyues but let them come behynde with the seruauntes because they haue not lefte theyr seruyle conditions And then good men as you woulde your wyues should honoure you so must you parte honoure with theym honourynge the woman as the weaker vessell sayth S. Peter And yf she be crabbed and shrewshaken yet you must beare with her as ye woulde she should forbeare you when you be oute of the waye in your fume or in your rage Socrates that noble Philosopher had two wyues as S. Hierome wryteth primo contra Iouinianum with whiche he hadde muche sorowe and specially with Xantippe as Aulus Gelius wryteth and also Saint Hierome there On a tyme after she had bytterly scolled and rayled at hym he went from her and let her alone and as he wente forth of the dore she bestowed the purtinence of a chaumber vessell vpon his head for his fare well he dyd no more but with his handekercheife wiped his heade and sayde I knewe it woulde be thus that after thunder clappes woulde come a showre And when hys scholers and freendes woulde aske hym howe he coulde forbeare her and why he dryue her not oute of his doores No sayeth he not so I haue a iewell of her for she doeth so exercyse my patience that when I come abroade I care not what anye man sayeth or doeth to me it greueth me not I am so vsed to suffer her that none other can greue me For true it is that trouble worketh patience Manye suche examples of Gentyles hystoryes I coulde rehearse in whiche appeareth howe manye