within the territory of Sidon he found a woman gatheringe a few stickes to make her a fire he desiered her to geue him a little water to drinke and a morsel of bread She answered and said she had no bread I haue no more said she but a handfull of meale in a steen and a litle oyle in a gearre I gather nowe saide she duo ligna two stickes as a man woulde saie a fewe stickes to bake it and make breade for my sonne and me and when we haue eaten that we haue no more we will dye No saide Helye be not afraied Thus saith the God of Israel Thy steen of meal shal not faile or lack nor thy gearre of oyle shall be any thing lesse tyll the time when GOD shall sende rayne vpon the earth For in dede this fortuned in the time of the lōg famine that was in y t coūtrey for lack of rayne by the space of three yeres an halfe accordynge to the prayer and peticion of the same Prophete Helye for the correction and punishement of Achab the kyng and Iesabel his quene and of their false prophetes and of their people And as the Prophete promised so it proued in dede By this example you se howe the pore hospitalitie of the saide good woman exhibited and bestowed on Helye was recompensed with plentie sufficiente where all the countrey els was in greate penurye and neade And here you shall note that this meale in the Steen that was so longe reserued and continued by the word of the Lorde God of Israell was a figure and signified the most reuerende and blessed Sacrament of the Aultare The wydowe that was so longe susteined with this meal signified Christes holy church the whole congregation of faythful men and womenne whiche by that that Christe her spouse and husband was slayne and buried and then rose again and departed from her into heauen and hath left her viduate and without hys visible presence althoughe he hath left her hys blessed bodye and bloude in this blessed Sacrament whiche this wydowe all faiethfull folkes muste bake and digest with the sayde two trees signifiynge the remembraunce of his paynefull passion that he suffered on the crosse for a crosse is made commonlye of two trees acccordynge to Sainte Paules saiynge As oft as you shall eate this breade or drinke of this cuppe you shal shewe the death of our Lorde vntill he come and shall shewe him selfe in his glorious maiestie at the generall iudgemente which tyme thoughe it shall be a terible and an horrible time to sinners and to all damnable persons yet it shal be a time of grace of solace and comfort to al his true louyng seruauntes This was signified by y e raine that came from Heauen vppon the earth when Helye sayde that the Steen of meale should not fayle nor the gearre of oyle shoulde not be diminished tyll GOD sende rayne from heauen for the comforte of the countrey as his grace shall come for the comfort of vs all at that daye This meale and Oyle were continued so longe to sustaine .iii. persons not by any natural power but by the supernatural power of God And so is his bodye made of breade and wine by the worde of Christe and by his Godlye and infinite power aboue nature Therefore let not naturall reason cumber it selfe in the examination or triyng how it maye be but stedfastlye beleue that thus it is for so God saith And although it be called bread and the cuppe of wine as well in the Gospell as of S. Paule yet there is nother bread nor wine after the consecration but very fleshe and bloud Tell me how a handful of meale and a little oyle coulde continue so longe ▪ and to feade so manye persons and I shall tell thee howe of a little breade and wyne shall be made a perfect body of a manne and hys bloude Thou canst saye no more to the firste question but Hec dicit dominus Deus Israell As Helye sayde Thus sayth the GOD of Israell and thus it was in dede And euen so I saye vnto thee Thus sayeth the God of Israell our Sauiour Christe Thys is my bodye This is my bloude And therefore so it is and muste neades be so in dede And so shall continue Donec veniat vntyll he come to the generall Iudgemente in his visible maiesty amonge vs. And then shall cease this blessed Sacramente in whyche for the tyme wee see Christes bodye enigmatically and in a straūge similitude by our fayeth whiche maner of seinge hym shall then cease when we shall see him face to face in hys owne likenesse when he shall cast downe and treade vnder his feete all theim that nowe so despitefullye rayle and geste and mock his blessed bodye that he hath left vs in this blessed Sacramente for our comfort And nowe to returne to the storie In processe of tyme it chaūced that the sayde good wydowes childe dyed to her great discomforte And she desired the Prophet Helye to praye for hym that he mighte reuyue and lyue agayne And so the Prophete did the chylde reuiued the Prophete gaue him to his mother aliue agayne Loe here was another notable recompence for hospitalitie exhibited to this good man Firste the sauegarde of all their liues seconde the raysynge of the chylde from death to life agayne Likewise it is writ iiii Reg. iiii of the blessed Prophete Helise that he vsed to resorte to an honest house in the towne of Suna where a worshipfull woman maistresse of the house perceyuynge hym to be a holy man exhorted her husbande to make for the sayde Helise a Parloure wyth a bedde in it and a table and a cheare and a place to set hys candle on And so thei did The said prophet resorted thither diuers tymes and lodged in the same parlour and hadde good cheare on a time when he was minded to pay for his cheare he bade Giezi his seruaunt to aske of her whether she had anye matters to do with the kinge or with any of the counsaile or with anye great man in the courte or with the Capitayne in the Warres that hee might be suter for her and speake for her She aunswered that shee dwelled amonge her owne frendes and kinred and neaded none of his helpe in any such matters Then saide Giezi to his master you must vnderstande that she hath neuer a childe and her husbande is an aged man as who should saie it shuld be most comfort for thē both if they might haue issue by your praier wherupō the Prophete promised her that she shoulde conceiue a sonne by a certayne daie that he appoynted and so she did to the great comfort of the husbande and of the wife This was a notable reward for their hospitalitie bestowed vpon their gest that holye Prophet In processe of tyme the same childe fell sicke on a certayne disease that begōne with a feruent ache in his heade and died vpon the same Then
womans sacrifices that wyll shewe them selues to be of Christes faith and beliefe and these be made acceptable to God by the merites of our sauiour Iesus Christe on whom we beleue By this you may iudge how far wide from this generall laye presthoode and from the sinceritie of theyr Christendome they be that wil neither sacrifice to God iustice or rightuous dealing but vseth al oppression extorcion theft and bribery neither will giue to God the sacrifice of laude praise and thankes but rather blasphemy to Gods reproche and to his dispite and wil not vse prayers in the church nor in other places but rather with their babling in the church and mocking of diuine seruice letteth and hindreth other men from theyr praiers and from attending and hearing gods seruice They giue not theyr bodies as a holy sacrifice to God but rather as a stincking sacrifice to the fleshe to the diuel not liuely but sinfull and deadly not pleasant but as an instrument of mischiefe displeasant to God and man There is an other priesthode whiche is one of the seuen sacrameÌ„tes called the order of presthode farre aboue the foresayd lay priesthoode in dignitie and in authoritie This order and dignitie of priesthode our sauiour Christe gaue to hys disciples after his last supper wheÌ„ he toke breade in his handes and conuerted it into his bodye by these words saying This is my body And taking the cuppe with wine in his handes he sayd This is my blood And consequently he sayd to his disciples Hoc facite in meam comme morationem do you this that I haue done and so doing remember me where he gaue theim authoritie to consecrate bread and wine into his blessed bodye and bloode as he had done And in this he gaue them power on him selfe and on his owne verye bodye and bloode in which consisteth the chief office of a prieste and giuing theym power to consecrate that most reuerend sacrameÌ„t of the alter he made them priestes and wyth all in so doinge he instâ—tuted and ordeyned the sacrament of order And after hys gloryous resurrection 〈◊〉 gaue vnto the sayde Apostles power and iurisdiction vpon hys misticall body that is the churche or multitude of Christen people When he came in amonge the Apostles the doores of the chaumber beyng fast shutâ—â— and sayde vnto them Pax vobiâ— peace be amonge you and then he breathed vpon them and sayde Take you the holye Gost whose synnes you forgiue shall bee forgiuen and whose synnes you retayne and not forgiue shall be retayned and not forgyuen And as the Apostles tooke theyr order of priesthoode at Christes handes giuing them the holy gost by which they had authoritie on his own body and also on his misticall body which is the church and the multitude of Christen people so the Apostles by imposicion and layinge their handes on suche as they chose for to be priestes or bishops made theym priests geuing theÌ„ authoritie to consecrate Christes bodye and bloode and to minister the sacrament of penaunce forgiuyng sinnes and retayâ—ing sinnes as they see it necessary and likewise to minister all other duties of a priest The holye Goste spoke to the ministers of the churche that were in Antiochia Segregate mihi Saulum et Barâ—â—â—am in opus ad quod assumpsi eos Act. xiii And it foloweth tunt ieiunantes orantes imponentes â–ª que eis manus dimiserunt eos With fasting praying and leyng theyr holy hands on Saule afterward called Paule and on Barnabas they ordred theym priestes and sent them furthe to execute priestes offices Saint Paule writeth vnto his scoler Timothe Noli negligere gratiam que in te est que data est tibi per propheciam cum impositione manuum presbiterij i Timo. iiii Be not neglygent in the grace that is gyuen thee by prophecye wyth leynge the Priestes handes vpon thee Prophecye he called here after Saynt Ambrose the election by whyche he was chosen as one that shoulde bee a meete Minister and teacher in Christes Churche And suche prophecye is vsed or shoulde bee vsed to thys daye in makynge of Pryestes where the Byshoppe or his sufficient depute sitteth vpon opposicions of them that shall be made priests wher he ought to haue mature and discrete examinacion aswell of his maners and conuersation as of his leaâ—ning oportet autem illum testimonium habere bonum ab hijs qui foris sunt i. Timo. iii. He ought to haue good report of the infidels saythe Saynte Paule then much more he ought to haue good reporte of the layfe that be neither priestes nor ministers of the church vpon which examinaâ—ion if the bishop and his officeâ—s thinke him meete to be a priest they set him furth to the bishops handes to take orders This allowing of his lyuing and of his learning with hope that he will so continue and increace in goodnes is it that S. Paul in this place calleth prophecie Imposition of the bishops handes hath with it concurring certeine holy wordes by which wordes he as I sayde afore is confirmed made strong and able to exercise that he was chosen to takinge authoritie by which he may be bolde to offer sacrifices to God in Christes steede And because of the perill that is in making vnworthy priestes S. Paule warneth Timothe .i. Tim. v. Manus cito nemini imposueris neque coÌ„municaueris peccatis alienis Wher s. Paule with a contestacion as Timothe shuld answer afore God and our sauiour Christ and hys elect Angels of heauen coÌ„maundeth him that he be not to easy and light to set his holy handes on any man to promote him to that ecclesiastical dignitie of priesthode because he will nothing to be done in giuing orders without a foresight and a fore iudgement lest peraduenture if he be found reproueable and vicious the bishop that promoted him may repent his dede and also least he be contaminate partaker of the vices of hym that he hath ordered because he hath suffered hym so lightly to passe his handes without sufficieÌ„t trial of his liuing Manye other authorities of scripture and specially of S. Paule I could reherse in which it doth euidently appeare howe prescise he is in the sayd order of priesthoode and howe it doth surmount the other common anointing by which all they be anoynted that be christened as I sayde for thoughe all they that be anoynted at theyr baptisme be enbrued with the holye goste yet by imposition of the bishops handes on hym that is ordered with the holy wordes concurrent with the same the holy goste is giuen to a prieste for to giue him authoritie an higher office that euery maÌ„ may not attain to As for to consecrate the body and bloud of our sauiour Christe in the most reuerend sacrament of the aulter to minister other sacramentes and specially the sacrament of penance which in this holy time all well disposed good christen people run to as to the necessary remedy to saue
theim because they be partakers of lyke glorye as you be And all this muste you do sayth Saint Peter Vt non impediantur orationes vestrae that youre prayers be not lette and hindered frome their effecte by the contrarie for if there be rancoure malice and stryfe betwixte you GOD will not heare your prayers for he is the GOD of peace and not of discention and debate Therefore he that wyl be hearde muste be peaceable and no brawler If you be not cleane of conuersation absteininge for causes aboue mencioned but folowe youre luste lyke beastes you shall hindre youre prayers that they shall not be hearde There be dayes appointed for fastinge and holye dayes appointed for prayer and holines if you will not at such times abstaine but please the flesshe your prayers will be let and hindred by fleshlye luste that God will not heare them And therfore S. Paul i. Corin. vii biddeth the man and the wife by one assent to abstaine that they may attende to their prayers You maye see howe both the Apostles Saint Peter and Saint Paule agreith in this hauinge good occasion by the aucthoritie of the olde testamente for there was commaundement geuen to the people of Israell two daies before they shoulde haue the lawe geuen theim in the mount of Sinai amonge other pointes of cleanes Et ne appropinquetis vxoribus vestris Exo. xix that they should not come nigh their wiues For though the acte of matrimonie be lawfull yet it hath some vncleannes annexed and concurrente with it and speciallie it depresseth and pulleth downe the witte frome contemplation of heauenly thinges because of the vehement carnall pleasure in the acte Nowe both these muste be remoued when you shall geue your selues to god in fastinge keping holy daies and suche holines ▪ and likewise receauinge the Sacramente of the aulter and that was signified i. Reg. xxi Si mundi sunt pueri maxime a mulieribus manducēt where kinge Dauid and his companie were sore a hungred they came to Achimelech the highe preiste then dwellinge in Nobe where the tabernacle and the Arche of GOD was he desired meate this preiste Achimelech had none but the twelue holy loues of breade that stode afore the Arche by a certaine ceremonie of their lawe whiche Achimelech was contēt to geue them so that they were cleane from women And then you may be sure that suche cleanes and muche more is required to them that shall worthelye receiue that holy and gratious breade that came downe from heauen oure Sauioure Christ vnder the fourme of breade and his precious bloude vnder the fourme of wine To whiche moste reuerende body and bloude be all honour and worshippe for euer Amen The twelfth treatise or sermon IN fide autem omnes vnanimes compatientes fraternitatis amatores These wordes be redde in Christes churche for the epistle in the masse the fifte Sonday after Trinitie Sondaye and be wrytten in this thyrd Chapiter of Saint Peters fyrste Epistle where after he had afore geuen fruitefull and holesome exhortations and lessons to speciall estates of men and women as to them that be in bondage and to all prentises and seruauntes and to all seruinge mē and women and afterwarde to wyues and to maryed men of whiche I entreated in my laste sermon Nowe the blessed Apostle retourneth to generall lessons to all men and women vsing vs as good scholemasters and gouernours of noble mens children ordreth them that be vnder theyr gouernaunce fyrst exercisinge them in the thinges that shal beseme their byrth and consequently howe they shall exchewe and auoyde the contraries and such thinges as do not beseme a gentilman so doth S. Peter first exercise vs in weldoynge and seconde in auoidinge ill doing that so we may be conformable to oure byrth of God by baptisme and maye vse oure selues according to that gentle noble and gratious new natiuitie and byrth In fide autem omnes vnanimes He byddeth vs be all of one mynde in oure fayth and in all matters concernynge our fayth The new translation hath In summa omnes vnanimes In conclusion to be short be al of one minde and in the epistle of the said fift sundaye after the trinitie it is read Omnes vnamines in oratione estote Be you all of one minde in your praiers whyche might seme to haue some coherence to that went immediatlye afore where he bade the man and wife to agree lest by the contrary by theyr dissension and variaunce theyr prayers mighte be lette and hindred And then accordinge to the same he willeth all men and women to be of one minde in theyr praiers for if there be discord among them theyr prayers wil not be heard But let vs take this text of Saint Peters epistle as it is writ in the common translation In fide omnes vnanimes Be all of one minde in your faithe as they were that be spokē of Act. iiii Multitudinis credentium erat corvnum et anima vna The multitude of thē that beleued in the primitiue churche hadde one hart and one soule one will and one minde And therfore it foloweth Et gratia magna erat in omnibus illis there was greate grace in them all For where is concord and vnitie there the holye gost spreadeth his grace aboundantly and contrarye where be scismes and diuersitie of errours and opinions God withdraweth grace and then mē runne without brydell from one opinion to an other from one heresie to an other tyll men be set all on a rore and out of quietnes as it appeareth euidently in Germany wher be almost as manie heresies and diuers waies in theyr faith as be cities or townes euery citie taking his own wai his own fashiō in their sacramēts ceremonies This confusion S. Paule greatly feared to com among his disciples the Corinthers whē he praied them for gods sake for the name of our lord Iesu Christ vt idipsum dicatis omnes et non sint in vobis scismata .i. Cor. i. That they should say al one way so that there should be no scisme or diuision among them but that thei shuld be parfite in one minde as wel in theyr doinges as in theyr knowledge or learning He would not they shuld varye so much as in thought or minde Here amōg you in this citie som wil heare masse some will heare none by theyr good wils som wil be shriuen som wil not but for feare or els for shame some wyll pay tithes offeringes som wil not in that wors then the Iewes which paid them truly and fyrst frutes many other duties beside Som wil prai for the dead som wil not I heare of muche suche discension among you I will not descende to the specialties but with s. Paule with s. Peter I pray you accord you good maisters frends for feare least the anger of God fall vpon this citye which God forbidde it should Compatientes we must one suffer with an
angell of heauen or all the diuels in Hell should neuer haue peruerted you from the sure affiaunce and fast faith that you had towarde the blessed Sacramentes of the churche But after that there came amonge you a great multitude of pleasaunt preachers preaching libertie and so pleasures folowing of such lewde libertie how soone you haue ben ouerthrowne turned another way iudge you and all for lacke of strength in faythe Therfore I shal most hartlie pray you that wilbe saued by your faith adorned and decked with charitie that you wyll be stronge in fayth and not to folowe euerie puffe or blaste of new doctrine that so you maye receyue finem fidei vestrae salutem animarum vestrarum Cap. i. The ende and rewarde of your fayth that is the health of your soules that shal neuer fade nor fayle as he sayde afore in the fyrst chapter of this epistle And like as in the beginninge of this present chapter he parswaded by exāple of him self the pastors prelates priestes euen so now he exhorteth them that he write to by example of the brotherhed or other faithful people to the sufferance perseueraunce in persecutiō saying Scientes eandem passionem ei que in mūdo est vestre fraternitati fieri Knowing that you haue the same passion and suffering in you that hath be layde on your brotherhed Here S. Peter induceth a strōge parswasion to this purpose that we should stronglie resist all temptacion knowinge that the same payne and passion that you haue also haue your brotherhead that is abrode in the worlde your brothers in Christ faythful people men and women suffer like tempation by the Diuell our goostly enemie as you doo they suffer like persecution of infidelles and Heretikes as you do yet they persist and stande stronglie in the fast fayth in which they haue been instructe by true faythful people and by trew preachers Therfore consideringe that they stande stedfastly it were shame for you that you should lyghtlie be ouerthrowen And because that euen from the beginninge of the worlde good men haue ben sauted persecuted and tempted and yet haue not ben ouerthrowen Therefore you should be ashamed yf you onely should be worse then al men and the very refuse and dogboltes of all your brothers not able to suffer anie thinge And because such sufferaunce with perseueraunce in the same hath neede of helpe to succor mans weakenes Therefore the blessed Apostle Saynt Peter hath recurse and runneth to Goddes helpe and assistaunce sayinge Deus autem omnis gratie qui vocauit nos in eternam gloriam suam in Christo Iesu modicum passos ipse perficiet confirmabit solidabitque Almyghtie GOD the gyuer of all grace which hath called vs by our Sauiour CHRIST into hys eternall glorie whiche he would vs to receyue finally after thys present lyfe Modicum passos althoughe we haue suffred but litle for all that we canne suffer is verye lytell and almost nothing in comparison of the euerlasting glorie that is prepared for vs. He shall make you perfecte in that you be vnhable of your selfe addinge and puttinge to more vertues to them that ye haue alredy he shall confirme and make sure your weaknes for of our selues we be but weake and redy to be ouerthrowē by euery suggestion or temptacion Of him and by him we be stronge and able to suffre tribulacion and trouble Solidabit And where we haue now but as loose limmes or members shaken with feare and with errours and scarce agreinge euery man within our selues in our opiniōs and in matters of our fayth but as it were one while of one mynde and a none of a nother mynde and verie waueringe and vnsure And this is the verie property of Heresies thei be euer vnstedfast and not agreinge amonge theim selues but some take one waie and some an other and that pleaseth at one time displeaseth at an other tyme for example how manie manners and dyuerse wayes of ministringe the Communion haue we had amonge vs I haue knowen one whyle the Priest to take the breade vpon the patten of the Chales and turned his backe to the Aulter and his face downe to the people and sayd the wordes of consecration ouer the breade then layde it vpon the Aulter and afterwarde donne lyke wise with the Chales the wine Then because there seemed to muche reuerence to be giuen to the Sacrament by this waie the people were al driuen out of the chauncell except the ministers that the Communion should not be commonlye sene nor worshipped And anone that way semed not best and therfore there was veils or curtens drawen yea and in some churches the very Lent cloth or veile hāged vp though it were with Alleluya in the Easter time to hide it that no man should see what the prieste did nor heare what he saide Then this waye pleased not and the aulters were pulled downe and the tables set vp all the obseruaunce saide in Englyshe and that openlye that all men might heare and see what was done and the breade commaunded to bee common vsed breade leuende with salte barme and such other And then sone after were all corporaces taken awaye to extenuate the honoure of the sacrament it laied down on y e prophane borde clothe And at the saide tables the Prieste one while turned his face Eastwarde an other while turned his backe eastwarde and his face towarde the West as the Iewes vseth to worshippe And anone by commaundement tourned his back Southward and his face to the north and finally after the last boke that was set forth he turned his face to the South And this boke made swepestake of the blessed sacrament declaring there to be nothing els but bare bread and wine This pulling downe of aulters settynge vp of bords was vsed by the heritikes that were of Arrius sect as saint Basil rehearseth in diuers places speciallye Epistola lxxii speaking of one Eustathius a disciple of Arrius which was made Bishoppe in minor Armenia As he came through Paphlagonia a countrey in maigne Asia Basilidis Paphlagonici altaria cū Paphlagoniā transiret subuertit Eustathius propriis mensis liturgiā obiuit This Basilides not y e heritike but Basilides y e better bishop of Paphlagonia a familier acquaintance of Basilius vsed aulters as they had bene vsed euer stil sith y e beginnyng of Christes church The said Eustathius cōming through his countrey or dioces pulled downe the alters said his masses after his fashion vpō bordes or tables as we did lately And after in y e next epistle he saith Quāobrē cū Dardania redirēt heretici altaria Basilidis in agro Gāgrenorū subuerterūt mēsasque suas substituerūt When certain heritiks came back again frō the coūtrey called Dardania they ouerthrew the aulters of Basilides the bishop in y e coūtrey of the Gangrens and set vp in steede of thē their owne bordes or tables All such wauerynge and incōstancy
to saue them selues that they should not lose their place and the people Ioh. xi Lest if the Romaines should heare of such a man to be in their couÌ„trey that had so great a retinew of disciples as Christ had they might peraduenture surmise a conspiracie consequently some coÌ„mocion rebellion against the Emperours power which might be occasioÌ„ that he should send an army into the couÌ„trey destroy the countrey and take them all 〈…〉 captiuitie This was a far cast 〈…〉 was not the gift of counseâ—â— coÌ„ming of the holy gost therefore it proued not with theÌ„ but went all against theym for the feare that they feared fortuned to theÌ„ cleane coÌ„trary to their miscoÌ„triued counsell For in deede the Romaiâ—s came at length and destroyed the couÌ„trey toke the â—ople into miserable captiuitie because none that had to do in thys matter should scape vnpunished the vengeaunce began at the great men that were taken for chief Iudges in the condempnation of Christ. For Herodâ— was depriued of his kyngdome by Caius the emperour and was banished perpetually to Lions in Fraunce and with him Herodias his incestious concubine by whose meanes blessed S. Iohn baptist was beheaded As Iosephus antiquitatum lib. xviii ca. xiiii writeth And Pilate after he had ruled in Iewrye ten yeares was dryuen home to Rome by Vittellius general gouernour of Siria to answer to such iniuries and tirannye as he had done in the countrey As Iosephus writeth Antiquitatum lib. eodem cap. vii And at Rome because he was an vniust Iudge against Christ he was vexed and put to so much trouble sorowe and mischiefe that desperatlye he beat hym selfe to death with his owne handes as Eusebius wryteth in the ecclesiasticall storye the second boke and .vii. chapter And the citie of Ierusalem and the people of the Iewes for their iniquitie against Christ were by the Emperour Vespasian and Titus hys sonne subdued and destroyed euen in the time of theyr Pâ—schâ—l feast at which time they had done their malice â—gainst Christe because the tyme of vengeaunce might answer agree to the time of the muse of the same At the paschal time they sâ—ed the most innocent blood of Christ euen then the vengeance for his bloud fel vpoÌ„ them vpoÌ„ their childreÌ„ and issue according to their own desire saying Sanguis eius super nos super filios nostros Let the vengeaunce for his bloud sayd they lye vpon vs and vpon our children And so it did for euen at the same time of the yere .xlii. yeres after the Emperoure Vespasian and his sonne Titus after they had destroyed the chiefe Townes and strongest fortalicies and holdes of the Realme came to besiege that citie and in the whole tyme of that battaile toke prisoners lxxxxvii thousaÌ„d And at the same siege were slaine and that dyed by famine and moreyne commyng chiefely of the stinche of the dead corpses liyng vnburied to the number of a .xi. C. thousand as Iosephus writeth in the seuenth boke of the Iewes battayle and .xvii. Chapter Therfore it foloweth in the psalme rehersed Qui habitat in coelis irridebit eos Almightye God that dwelleth in heauen wyll laugh theÌ„ to scorne as he did in dede wheÌ„ he rose froÌ„ death to life againe notwithstandyng y â— they thought him sure inough being once dead notwithstandyng al the kepers that were set to kepe his body froÌ„ stealyng Et duÌ„s subsannabit eos Our Lorde will wring the nose at theÌ„ which wordes importeth a greater indignation anger then derision dothe and was put in execution at thys moste horrible strage and destruction of that citie and at the takyng away of the saide prisoners whiche they feared when they said that if they let Christ scape their handes the Romayns would come and take their citie and carye away the people Here you may see what it is to take couÌ„saile against god The wise maÌ„ saith Pro. xxi Non est sapientia non est prudentia non est consiliuÌ„ contra dominum There is no sapieÌ„ce there is no wittines there is no counsayle against our lord God Sapience is the cognition and iudgement of diuine and high causes which is not amonge heretiks that soweth cocle yl sedes among the corne settyng forth sectes and diuisions Suche wisdome how well learned so euer it semeth to be is not the true sapience because it is againste our lord God which is the god of peace and not of dissention Also be thy capacite neuer so quicke to perceiue and vnderstande the lessons of holye scripture Yet if thou haue amaruÌ„ zelum a bitter affectioÌ„ trustyng by thy learning to checke rebuke other men or to allure other to thy sect factioÌ„ or opinion as some meÌ„ haue done reasoning agaynst Purgatory because they would by that destroye prayers for the dead and so coÌ„sequently put downe abbeys chauntries whiche were founded for such praiers or if thou glory to much in thy learnyng al this maketh contra dominum against God and is not the true vnderstandyng or wittines that is the gifte of the holye goste And likewise of the thirde gyfte of whiche wee nowe entreate Donum cosilii As longe as thy caste leaneth ouer muche to mannes imagination and setteth not God afore but rather worketh agaynste God as ye hearde of these that compassed and counsayled for the deathe of Christe so to saue theim selues it is not the counsaile that is the gyfte of the holye Gooste for it is agaynste our Lorde GOD. It leaueth to muche to worldlinesse and to mannes caste grounded on malyce and euyll will therefore it coulde not holde Accordynge the faiynge of Gamaliell that honourable learned manne among the Iewes wheÌ„ the chiefe rulers among theÌ„ laied their heads together toke theyr counsayle how to put y e apostles to death for preching the fayth of Christ Up stode this Gamaliell and gaue theÌ„ better counsayle aduertisyng theÌ„ to beware how they ordred these men meanyng the apostles of Christe not sodainly to precipitate their iudgmeÌ„t against theÌ„ for this precipitacion of sentence sodaynelye wythout mature deliberation or aduisement is the contrary to the gyft of counsayle that we now speake of that is the thirde gyfte of the holye gost Thys he persuaded by two examples firste of one Theudas whyche after Iosephus vsynge superstitious craftes toke vpon hym to be a great Prophet and so deluded the people that he made manye of theim to sell their goodes and care for nothynge but to folowe hym And so brought a greate multitude after hym to the water side of Iordane to the noumber of foure hundred disciples where he promised them wythin thre dayes nexte folowynge to deuide the water and to go ouer with them drye shodde as Iosue did wyth hys companye But whyle they were tariynge for thys myracle came on them the Capitayne of the countrey wyth hys Armye and strooke of Theudas heade and destroyed and
carnalitie nor bringeth any man to carnall liberty As in very dede this opinion of no Purgatorye dothe Here I will not contende aboute this vocable Purgatory I meane the middle or meane place betwixt heauen and hell in whiche some soules be stayd afore they can come to that most pure and cleane citye into which nothing can enter excepte it be of the cleanest sorte For whiche place if I coulde imagine a more accommodate and conuenient vocable or terme I woulde be glad to vse it bicause the scriptures hath not the sayd word Purgatory Albeit I knowe ryght well that in all Scripture wee reade not this worde Trinitas or thys woorde Consubstancialis yet God forbid that we should denye the blessed Trinitie in the Godhed the sonne to be consubstanciall and of one substance with the father or the holye gost to be of one substance with the father and the sonne Arrius that pernicious heretike when he was conuinced and compelled by aucthorities and reasonynge to graunte that all three persons in trinitie were of one and equall substance had none other refuge but to sticke in the vocable or terme homousion that we call in latine consubstantialis or vnius substantiae and in Englyshe of one substance because that word is not vsed in scripture he would none therof althoughe he could not denye the thinge a poore cloke of defence God knoweth to graunte the thinge and to varye in the name Therfore so that I might agree with this audience and they with me that there is suche a staye and a meane place of punishment after this life I would not care thoughe I neuer called it Purgatorye but let A. be his name To denye the sayde A. and to say y t there is no such thing bringeth a man to a carnall libertye and geueth man occasion boldly to continue in sinne to hys liues ende trusting then to crye God mercye for his misliuynge and then to go through as they speake I trow they meane to go by and by to heauen as well as he or she that hath liued in vertue prayers paine and penance all the dayes of their liues And so shoulde they be in beste case that be lechers aduouterers couetous brybers and oppressioners and extorcioners vserers periurers dicers and carders hunters and haukers and all suche of the worst sort where contrarye the true beleue that he that hath not done condigne and conuenient penaunce here shall be punished greuously accordynge to the grauitie of his misliuynge afore he enter into that most clere and pure city though god may of his absolute power forgeue such alonge misliuer for one woorde of repentaunce at his laste ende Yet this will make a manne beware of him self and to amende his liuynge surely thinkyng as the truth is that for his vicious pleasures in whiche he hath delited in his lyfe tyme and hath not sufficiently satisfied for hys faulte he shall haue afore he come to heauen suche punishement and payne as the lest parte therof shall greue hym more then all his vnlawefull pleasures haue done hym solace or comforte Thys counsayle and conformitie of good and faythfull people wythdraweth menne from sinne where contrarye Consilia impiorum fraudulenta the disceiptful counsayles and conuenticles of wycked menne rather prouoketh and geueth menne comforte to continue in sinne I was once in a soleme audience where I hearde a famous preacher laboure sore to impugne the sayde meane place saiynge that if it there were anye such place at all it is a place of ease quietnesse and rest alledgyng for his purpose the woordes of the Canon of the Masse after the seconde memento Qui nos precesserunt cum signo fidei dormiunt in somno pacis Where we praye for them that begone afore vs wyth the caracter printe and signe of christes faythe and sleapeth in the sleape of peace These menne lyke as they take the wordes of the Masse and of the seruyce of the churche when they semeth to make for theyr purpose woulde GOD they coulde be so contente to alowe and admit the same in other tymes and places It foloweth there right Ipsis domine omnibus in Christo quiescentibus locum refrigeri◠Iucis pacis vt indulgeas deprecamur Where we pray our Lord God fauourably and with cheryshing to giue them a place of cooling and refreshing contrarie to heate a place of light contrarye to darkenes a place of peace contrary to trouble and vnquietnes either by perplexitie and confusion of minde or by terrible visiōs or otherwise Now if their new purgatory be a place of tranquillitie a place of lyght and a place of rest and peace it should be but all labour lost for vs so besyly to pray that they may come to suche a place seyng that they haue it alredy Then to theyr allegacion Dormiunt in somno pacis you must vnderstand these wordes by a like saying of our sauiour Christ Ioh. xi After that he had a messager sent to him from Martha and Mary that Lazar their brother was sore sicke he taried in the place where he was then beyonde Iordaine for the space of two dayes and then sayd to his dysciples Lazarus amicus noster dormit Lazar oure frende sleepeth I will go into Ieurye where he dwelleth and wake him of his slepe Then sayde his disciples Sir if he sleepe he will be safe anone when he hath slept inoughe They were as wyse then as oure newe purgatorye menne be nowe They thoughte Christe had spoken of that rest that man and beast must nedes haue after theyr labours or els shall fayle and dye whyche wee call commonlye sleepe But Christe meaned of the sleape of deathe Dixerat autem Iesus de morte eius As he expressed by and by playnely saiynge Lazarus mortuus est Lazarus is deade And thys is it that holye churche in that place of the masse calleth sleapynge in the sleape of peace as Christe spoke in like case And as the Prophete speaketh in hys persone Psal. xv Caro mea requiescet in spe My bodye shal rest in hope to ryse againe Then consideryng that holy church after the maner of holye scripture vseth to call death by the name of sleape wee muste be wise and well ware to what thinges what wordes may agree and by reason wherof they do agre or els by our words we maye deceiue our audience as well as oure selues If we thinke that this slepe or death cōmeth to man by reason of the soule we erre very sore for the soule neuer dyeth but is immortall as well by the consent of the paynym Philosophers as by the auctoritie of holy scripture Deus Abraham deus Isaac deus Iacob Exod. iii. Non est autē deus mortuorū sed viuentium Mat. xxii Abraham slepeth and Abraham is wakyng Abraham is dead and Abraham is aliue The one parte you wyll graunte for it is true the other is the saiynge of Christe whiche can not be false The firste is
sonne of God is gotten aske not the maner how for the angels cannot tel The Prophetes were ignorant thereof Esay saith his generation who can declare as who should say no creature We muste beleue it and reason no farther in it Not that the father is elder then the sonne neyther of greater power but that like as the fyre is not without heate neither the sunne in the fyrmament without brightnes so was the father neuer without the sonne neither had any power to do any thing but y t the sōne had y e same power to do the same like him and so hath the holy gost the third person in trinitie product and brought forth by the will of the father and of the sonne coeternally with the father with the sonne Almightynes of power is here applyed to the person of the father by appropriation although it agre to the almighty sonne to the almighty holy gost not three almighties but one God almyghtie And by this that we beleue him to be almightie we haue a great comfort and lighte to beleue all the articles that folowe in our creede for if he be almighty he may make heauen and earthe of nought he may make a man to be borne of a virgin he may forgiue synnes and giue life euerlasting Maker of heauen and earth maker by creation that is to say without any matter or stuffe to make it of That a man maketh he maketh of somewhat or of some stuffe therefore he can be no creatour but almighty god made heauen and earth of nothing therefore he is iustly called the creator of heauen and earth What is here to be vnderstande by thys woorde Heauen there be two opinions for which ye shall first vnderstand that heauen is called one maner of wise the empiriall heauen aboue the starrye skye and aboue all the orbes that moueth there in which is neyther place nor vacuitie neyther time but onelye thinges leading a most blessed life Thys farre Aristotle dreamed and discussed primo de celo mundo and it agreeth with holy scriptures and with holy doctours there putting the felicitye of Aungels and men that shall be saued in the fruition that is to say in the clere sighte and loue of God ther most aboundantly shewing his glory This the prophet in the psalme calleth the kyngdome of GOD saying to God of the same Thy kingdome is the kingdome of all worldes as who should say whatsoeuer nomber of yeares can be thoughte or spoken of thys kingdome passeth it for this king almighty God was neuer wythout a kingdome by which it semeth to be eternal and euerlasting for it is the very clerenes of God coeternal with him and not created with other visible creatures and to thys were admitted and receiued the holy angels after their creation for so long space and such durance as God knoweth best afore that he made heauen and earthe that Moyses spoke of And of this minde is Saynte Basile as appeareth in the first homilye of hys exameron Heauen is taken an other waye for the bodies aboue as Sunne Moone Sterres with the orbes and circles there Heauē is called also the thirde maner all that is aboue the earth and so the sayde bodies aboue with the speires of the fyre and of the ayre be compriseed vnder one name of heauen so it is taken in the psalme when we say the birdes of the heauen for the birdes of the ayre And after this opinion so taketh Moyses this word Heauen when he saythe that in the begynning God made heauē earth And by the Earth there is to be vnderstande the water and earth together whiche as then were not dysseuered and diuided tyll the thirde daye when the earth first appeared drye The seconde opinion which is more comon taketh this worde Heauen for the empiriall heauen replenished and fulfilled with the glorious companye of Angels whiche was made together with the earthe vnderstandynge by the Earthe the firste vnfacioned matter or stuffe of which almighty God made disposed and garnyshed al other kindes of creatures that may be sene or feled as wel in the firmament aboue as vnder it to his owne glorye to do seruice vnto man Therfore we haue great nede to take hede that vsing Gods creatures for our profite or pleasure we in no case dyshonoure God vsing thē contrary to his honour contrary to his pleasure intent that he made them for THe seconde article saynte Iohn Euangelist layd to this shotte or gathering which is this And in Iesu Christe his onelye sonne our Lorde euer repeting this word And I beleue so that this is the sentence And I beleue on Iesus Christ his onely sonne our Lord. The second persone in trinitie the coeternall sonne of the father knowing afore the worlde beganne the syn of Adā of the miserable case that mā shuld com to was determined to saue mākinde frō the danger of the same therfore he was euer worthi to be called a sauiour Iesus is as much to sai as a sauior thē this name was his for euer it is y e name that y e father gaue him by productiō in his godhed was newly diuulged published bi the angell to our blessed Lady his mother afterward to his foster father Ioseph with y e interpretacion of y t name saying Ipse eni saluū faci po s. a pec eorū For he shall saue the people from their synnes which onely God can do and none other ▪ Gods pleasure was that the same name that he had in his Godhed should also be his name in his humanite for his humanitie was the instrument and mean by which he wrought and perfourmed our saluation and redemption Iesus and Christ signifieth one person that was borne of the virgine Mary yet there is some difference betwixte the names Iesus is his proper name as we say Hēry Thomas Roger or suche like Christ is the name of a sacrament as sainte Austine speaketh or of an office super epist. Io. tract iii. as we say a king a prophet a priest Christ is as much to saye as anoynted and he was anoynted before all other men by the chiefest oyntment which is the holye gost one God with him and with his father of which oyntment the anointyng with oyle is the sacrament and signe It foloweth his onely sonne which as saint Peter writeth was not declared by any fables But by that that he with Iohn Iames sawe and hearde on the holye hill where Christ shewed them the maiestie of his glorious body as it shuld be after hys resurrectiō because they shuld not fear nor wauer when they saw the miserable processe of his painful passiō Therfore sayth he ii Pet. i. Christ toke of God the father honour and glory by a voyce comming downe to him from the great doynge glorye after thys maner this is my welbeloued sonne in whom I haue pleasure gyue eare vnto hym And Christ in manye
places of the gospels calleth God hys father and hym him selfe the sonne of God he is true and verye truthe and cannot lye he is the onelye begotten sonne in the fathers bosome euerlasting as the father is He was afore Abraham was made afore all other creatures not made but begottē of the substaunce of the father very God of God the father Not two Gods but one God and one light and of one substaunce with the father By whom as by his wysedome and craft the father made all creatures as saint Iohn saith al things were made by him he is our Lorde which ye must here vnderstand bi his humanitie manhod for by reason of the Godhed we may sai so of the father and of the holy gost although it be not so expressed in the Apostles Creede For God is oure Lord so we should cal him by reason of his vniuersal dominiō ouer al mankind ouer al other creatures The Lorde importeth a vage dominiō and vncertain power but there is no power dominiō or authoritie so certain as the power that God hath ouer vs wherefore it semeth we may not conueniently call him the Lorde And moreouer we vse to saye the Lorde speaking of suche Lordes as haue nothing to doe with vs as the lorde of Dale the lord of Kilmayn and such like whereas if we were theyr tenauntes or otherwise held of thē we woulde say my lord of Dale or our Lord of Dale and so of others Wherfore professing our due subiection to almightye God we shoulde in common speeche cal him our Lord not dimissing our selues from our allegeaunce to his highnes And I haue knowen verye honest mē that in cōmunicatiō long afore the new translations of the bible came abrode vsed sometimes to sweare by the Lord no more intending or meaning to sweare by God then by any Lorde in the isles of Orchadie so thynking to sweare by they could not tell what or by nothing albeit lest thei should offend them that be addict to the new gise I haue aduertised them to leaue suche sayinges tyll men may be better informed But to my purpose now because all power in heauen and earth was giuen to Christ and all thyng was subiecte vnder his fete and he in his manhood taught his Apostles and all vs by them and in his manhode redemed vs and in the same shall iudge vs therfore we maye iustlye by that reason call hym our lord and maister as it is expressed in this article THe third article was added by S. Iames brother to saint Iohn the Euangelist son of zebedi called Iames the more That was conceiued by the holy gost and borne of the virgine Marie the authoure and doer of this conception was the whole trinitie the father the sonne the holy gost for the workes of the trinitie outwarde amonge creatures be vndyuided so that what so euer one persō doth the same thing doth all three persons But in asmuch as thys blessed incarnation of Christ came of the mere goodnes grace mercy and loue of God whiche is appropriate to the holy gost as power to the father wisedome to the sonne Though all these agreeth to all three persons therefore the scripture sayth as very true it is that the holy gost was the deer thereof but how it was performed done we can better beleue thē declare it faith may do very muche in this article and in all other articles of our faith speche can do very litle Saint Austine faith that lyke as by the heate and influence of the sunne a worme is gēdred of the moyst earth so by the inspiration of the holy goste santifyinge the hart of the virgin the flesh of Christ was cōceiued formed facioned of the flesh of y e virgin without the worke of any sede of man workyng to the same and therefore Christ sayd of himself by the mouth of his prophet that he was a worme and not a man because he was not conceyued as other men be In this marueilous conception the profite and whole nature of man soule and bodi together was vnite and ioyned in one person vnto the sonne of God and neither to the father nor to the holy gost because there should be no confusion but that he that was the sonne of god shuld also be the sonne of man Borne of Mary the virgin he that came to renew the nature of man cankered with sinne chose a new maner to be borne of a mayde and not of a corrupt woman And whē the God of maiestie tooke hys bodye and was borne of a vyrgine hee was no more polluted nor defowled then when he made manne of the earthe as when the Sunne or fyre woorketh on the claye he amendeth and hardeneth that he toucheth and fyleth not it selfe And it is as possyble credyble and lykelye that hee was borne of a virgine as that he made Adam of earth and Eue the first woman of the rybbe of Adams side all is the woorke of God to whom nothing is impossible Great was the prerogatiue of that virgine Mary and the loue that god had to her in that that his onely begottē son by whom he made all the worlde he gaue vnto her to be the fruite of her wombe and her naturall sonne God that made all thyng was made man of her purest bloud to renewe mankinde that by synne was brought to nought While the sonne of God was in his fathers glory not descending to our infirmitie he was vnknowen but when that worde of God was made man and dwelled amongest vs he was seene and knowen on earthe and was conuersaunt with menne for whose sakes he that is Lorde of all the world is made our brother comming forth being borne of the blessed virgine euer close and cleane with out any aperture or diuision of her blessed body euen like as after his resurrection he came into the chambre among the disciples the doores beyng shut and like as the sunne beames commeth through the glasse and breaketh it not SAint Andrewe layde his portion to thys shotte or gathering by these woordes of the fourthe article That suffered vnder Ponce Pilate was crucified dead and buried Thys Ponce Pilate was president and ruler of the countrey and highest iudge there set in his authority by Tiberius the Emperoure of Rome to whom the most part of the world was then subiecte he is here named not for any honestie to his parson but for to declare the time when Christ suffred The death on the crosse he those and neyther to haue his necke broken nor his bones burst as being cast downe from a hyll as his neighbours were aboute to serue him in Nazereth Luke .iiii. where he was brought vp in youthe neyther to be stoned to death as the Iewes would haue killed him when he hid him self and went out of the temple Iohn .viii. And al was for our health and for to saue vs for as saint Austine saith we can not
faythfull people as well Iewes as Gentyles dispersed as straungers here and there in the saide countreis S. Peter wrytte his epistle and he calleth them electe and chosen by the knowledge of God the father not excludynge the sonne or the holye Gooste for the prescience foreknowledge and knowledge is all one in all three personnes in trinitie Whom the father doth predestinate or choose to grace or to saluation the same doth the sonne and also the holye Gooste predestinate and chuse to be saued Theyr workes amonge creatures be all one but in as muche as Saynte Peter calleth theym that he writeth vnto electe and chosen by the knoweledge of GOD the father We muste not thynke that all they that were conuerted to CHRISTES fayth in the sayde countreis to whiche Sainte Peter wrote were electe by suche election as Christe speaketh of in the parable Math. xxii Multi sunt vocati pauci vero electi Manye be called and but fewe chosen for here it is meaned that fewe be chosen fynallye to be saued and to be sure of lyfe euerlastynge It is not to be thoughte that Saynte Peter would make to all them that he wrote vnto anye suche assuraunce but he taketh election more largelye as Christe speaketh of it Nonne ego vos duodecim elegi vnus ex vobis Diabolus est Ioh. vi Dydde not I chose you twelue and one of you is the Deuylles birde And also Ioh. xv Non vos me elegistis sed ego elegi vos You haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you Where we muste vnderstande by this election the vocation and callinge to the faith and to beleue on Christe for neyther they that this was spoken to nor any other were chosen because they beleued on CHRISTE but because CHRISTE chose theym therefore they beleued on hym so that GODDES eternall election was the cause of oure vocation to fayth And therefore Sainte Paule sayth Ephes. i. Elegit nos in ipso ante mundi constitutionem GOD the father chose vs in CHRISTE afore the worlde was made he chose vs to be saued by the fayth of CHRISTE whiche is the onelye and verye necessarye waye to saluation Nowe to my purpose all these people of these countreis to whiche Saynt Peter wrytte were electe and chosen by the prescience and foreknowledge of GOD to be called and to come to Christes fayth and to continue in the same as GOD knew GOD knewe who were his that woulde finallye continue in CHRISTES fayth and be saued and who woulde fall frome the same to infidelitie agayne or by sinne and misliuinge deface and defoule theyr fayth and be dampned But here yet riseth a doubte for Saynte Paule sayth Roman vii Quos presciuit predestinauit hos vocauit c. Theim that he afore knewe and dydde predestinate he called and them that he called he iustified and them that he iustified he magnified and glorified and appointed finallye to glorie euerlasting Therefore it shuld seme that if they were called they were iustified and if they were iustified then muste it nedes folowe that they were gloryfyed Here you muste vnderstande that there is two maners of calling or chosinge one is secundum presentem iustitiam accordinge to a certayne iust maner of liuinge that men be of for the tyme of theyr callinge and as they appeare in the face of the worlde as the scripture speaketh of Saule i. Reg. ix Erat Saul electus bonus non erat viâ— de filiis Israel melior illo Saul was chosen and good and of all the issue of Israell there was not one better then he Then he was good after he was noughte So Iudas when he was chosen was good ynough although he afterwarde betrayed his mayster and ours For this kinde of callinge doth not so confirme men in goodnes but that they may fall and be noughte so was Saul and so was Iudas and so were manye of them that S. Peter writte vnto although thei were called and chosen to Christes faith by the ministery and labour of S. Peter S. Paule or of others of the Apostles There is another election chosinge or callinge whiche is secundum dei propositum accordinge to Goddes determinate purpose Of this S. Paule speaketh Rom. viii Scimus autem quoniam diligentibus deum omnia cooperantur in bonum his qui secundum proposituÌ„ vocati sunt sancti To them that by Goddes determinate purpose be called all thinges worketh for the best yea sinnes that they do maketh theÌ„ to repent theyr doyng and to arise by penaunce and to be better ware of suche sinnes thereafter and to do no more so Therefore I say to the letter of S. Peters epistle they were elect and chosen as God knewe that all shoulde come to the faith of Christe In sanctificationem spiritus to be saÌ„ctified in spirite by baptisme and to haue their soules in the way of saluation in sanctificationem spiritus saith the vulgate and comon text per sanctificationem spiritus in obedientiam c. saythe the newe translation and they come all to one purpose For by that that we haue our spirit sanctified and made holy by Gods holy spirite the holy gost we come to obedience and be made obedient to the faith of Christe and be redy to fulfyll perfourme and do the workes of the spirite and to bring furth the fruites of the spirite which be charitas gaudium pax patientia c. Gala. v. And S. Paule prayed almighty GOD for his disciples and by them for vs all .i. Thessa. v. Ipse autem deus pacis sanctificet vos per omnia vt integer spiritus vester et anima corpus fine querela in aduentu domini nostri Ieâ—u Christi conseruetur The God of peace make you all holy in euery point that your spirite your soule and your bodye maye be kepte without complaint in the comming of our Lord Iesu Christ. In which wordes he diuideth man into three partes the spirite the soule and the body where you shall note that the spirite sometyme signifieth the whole soule of man and so it is taken in the prophetes words in the psalme In manus tuas commendo spiritum meum which Christ spoke vpon the crosse And it foloweth there Inclinato capite tradidit spiritum he bowed his head and yelded bp his spirite that is hys soule But when we finde in the scriptures such a distinctioÌ„ of the partes of man as the Apostle putteth in the place aboue rehersed then we muste take the spirite more preseisely for that parte of the soule by whiche we vnderstande and reason a matter And that same parte Saynte Paule calleth in an other place the minde Mente seruio legi dei carne autem legi peccati Roman vii Wyth my mynde I serue the lawe of GOD but by my fleshe I serue and incline to sinne And lykewyse Galathians v. Caro concupiscit aduersus spiritum spiritus autem aduersus carnem so that he called afore
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
their soules Here I shuld more largely demore and tarie on this sacrameÌ„t of penance but that I remember that here afore declaring those wordes of S. Peter in the fyrste chapter secundum misericordiam suam magnam regenerauit nos in spem viuaÌ„ I touched that matter sufficiently ¶ The .viii. treatise or sermon CHarissimi obsecro vos ranquam aduenas et peregrinos abstinere vos a carnalibus desiderijs que militant aduersus anâ—mam c. These wordes which immediately foloweth the processe that I preached of in my last sermon on Sainte Peters epistle be red in the church this present Sunday for the epistle in the Masse where in contemplation of that he had sayde immediately afore that they were sometyme not the people of God but rather Idolaters and the people of the dyuell and that nowe they were the people of God conuerted to the beliefe on one God and on our Sauiour Christ by hearyng the preachinge of Christes gospell and that sometyme they were without Gods mercye and that now they had obtayned his mercy By reason of this he calleth them very welbeloued and as his welbeloued children and friendes he entreateth theym to vse vertue and to giue to all them among whom they shuld be conuersant example of holy conuersation and liuing And afterwarde he exhorteth them to due subiection towarde theyr heades and rulers I beseche you sayth he as Straungers and Pylgrimes to kepe your selues from carnall desyres which fight against the soule This obsecration or beseching signifieth a certayne vehemencie in desiring as it wer for Gods sake or for the loue of our Lady or of al the sayntes of heauen or for their faithes sake by which thei trusted to be saued of which he had spoken much afore So he praieth them and not after the imperious commaunding of Bishops theyr officers which yet haue not al layd away the lowrynge browes of the phariseis Not that I deny but that bishops and theyr discrete officers may commaund them that be of theyr iurisdiction to do the thing that is conformable to Gods commaundement and if the contumacie sturdines of the partie proceede so far that they will not be reformed by reason by fayremeanes then to compel them by the sensures of the church to amend theyr liues as saynt Paule did by the notorious adulterer that kepte his own mother in law to paramour in Corinth And he bid Titus .ii. Hec loquere exhortare et argue cum omni imperio that he shuld rebuke them that be sturdy and fauty with al authority to coÌ„maund albeit when desiring or besechinge maye serue it doth best beseme a prelate or a curate therefore S. Paule writing to his scoler and louing friend Philemon saith Multam fiduciam habens imperandi tibi quod ad rem pertinet propter charitateÌ„ magis obsecro I may be bold to coÌ„manÌ„d the to do the thing that shalbe for the profit of thâ— soule but yet for the loue that I haue to thee I had leauer pray thee to be good to Onesimus thy seruant And euen so S. Peter might haue bene bold to coÌ„maund them that he wrot vnto but he had leauer desyre theÌ„ as straungers pylgrimes We call them straungers that dwell not in theyr owne countrey but in a straunge place So saint Peter wylleth vs to count our selues as not at home in our owne countrey because that by the faute of our fyrst parentes we be banished from Paradise which God gaue vs to dwel in and be come into this vale of misery and sorowe not to liue delicatelye and to take oure pleasure but to take paine and sorow and to do penance and not to settle our selues on worldly wealth and pleasures here but to go furth like pilgrimes or wai faring men considering that we haue no steddye and permanent citie here but that we seke for an other the citie of heauen aboue Like as Saynt Paule speaketh of Abraham Isaac and Iacob and others Heb. xi which abiding in the lande of CanaaÌ„ and had not receiued the promyses made vnto them confessinge that they wer Pilgrimes and straungers vpon earthe signifieth that they seke for a better habitacion and dwellinge place that is to say the countrey of heauen aboue An old vse hath peruerted the name of a Pilgryme because folke were woÌ„t to go from place to place to honour saintes in places dedicate for theyr honour and to kysse theyr images and they onelye in times past were callled Pilgrimes therefore nowe men thinke the proper signification of this worde Pilgrime to be none other but such as goeth about such deuocions but his significacion is more generall it signifieth a wayfaringe man or woman that abideth not still in one place but remoueth from place to place tyll at the laste he may come to his iourneys ende where he woulde be and in suche case we be neuer at rest but euer laboring through the troublous stormes of thys world to come to our inheritance and dwelling place that God hath made for vs and that our sauiour Christe by his blessed bloud is entred in afore vs to make vs roume And therfore let vs do as wise pilgrimes dooe when they intende to take a great iourney vppon theim They dispose such goodes as they haue and set theim in safe custodye and prouideth for their family or housholde We knowe not when we shal be called to take this farre iourney out of thys worlde into an other worlde as longe as we be here wee be euer onward and entred on this iourney Therfore it is necessary that we bestow our goodes on charitable workes so settyng them in safe custodye and that we order our family that is to say all the powers of our bodyes and of our soules prouidyng for them accordingly as the man did that toke his iourney into a farre couÌ„trey Mat. v. He called his seruauntes and deliuered theÌ„ his goods So muste we geue to some of our familye .v. talentes to be well occupied against our lordes returne when he shall come to the iudgemente to sitte on oure audite our bodye muste be charged with .v. senses which we cal our fiue bodely wits They must be well employed well spent well ordered So that we close theim vp agaynst all thinges that shall be contrary to Gods pleasure That our eare heare no yll wordes that our eye se no vnhonest thing â–ª that our mouth delight not in thinges that be to swete delicate nor speake any filthines neithâ—r any lyes And that we open the same our senses to all thinges perteynynge to Goddes pleasure that our eare do gladly hear the worde of God and diuine seruice and all coÌ„munication of honestye And that we conforme our eyes and our mouth likewise to such honesty â–ª To the seconde Seruaunt that is Reason wee muste geue science and knowledge in whiche he maye exercise it selfe and haue delection in that is good and maye detest and eschewe that is
do vengeance punishemente and correction on malefactours and euyll doers and to the laude and prayse of theim that be good Sainte Peter knewe no precellencye or excellencye ouer a whole realme bearinge the sworde of Iustice and hauynge the execution of Iustice ouer all his subiectes but in the kynge whom he calleth Precellent which I take for a more magnificente and noble terme then Excellent Example In an vniuersitie many be excelleÌ„t clerkes as it were out of the coÌ„mon sort passyng a great meyny of theÌ„ that be learned but none may well be called precelleÌ„t but he that passeth theÌ„ all in learnyng So in auctoritie he is Precellent that passeth all other power and aucthoritye whiche in his owne realme and in the administration of Iustice ouer his owne subiectes is onely the king therfore froÌ„ him is deriued the ministratioÌ„ of iustice to all inferiour Iusticiers iudges iustices The auctoritie of a king ouer his subiecâ—s is wel set furth .iii. Esd. iiii O viri nuÌ„ precellunt hoies qui terraÌ„ mare obtineÌ„t O sirs be not those men Precellente highest of all in might power that kepeth both the land sea and all that is in them Rex auteÌ„ super omnia precellit Such is the Kynge for he is hyghest ouer al and is lord of theÌ„ Here he vseth the word PrecelleÌ„t which s Peter vseth Et oia quecuÌ„que dix erit illis faciuÌ„t Al y â— the king biddeth theÌ„ do thei do And if he send them to his army in his wars thei go and there they pull downe hylles and make playne grounde castelles and towres they slaye and be slaine and passeth not the kinges commaundement when they haue ouercome theyr enemies they bring to the king al theyr prayes and they that goo not to warre but ploweth the ground when they haue reaped bringe the king his parte And if he alone bydde them kill they kyll yf he bidde them forgeue they forgeue yf he bidde them strike they strike yf he bydde banishe they banyshe if he bidde men builde they buylde if he bid cutte downe they hew downe if he bidde them set they sette and all the people what power soeuer they be of obeyeth him And for all this he taketh his ease his meat drinke and his slepe and others watcheth and kepeth his body from harme and they may not go euerye man his waye to do what he wyll but at a worde they obey him Nowe syrs howe say you is not the kinge worthie to be called precellent whose fame and royall name is set furth after this maner Of the duety of dukes Captaines or great officers vnder kinges you heare They haue aucthoritie to edifie not to destroye to do good and not to do ill to punishe vice and to auaunce and set forth vertue to correct theÌ„ that be badde and to laude praise and cherishe them that be good yf they do otherwise their dampnation is iuste they well deserue it And for them and vs this is goddes will and pleasure that with well doinge we shoulde stoppe mennes mouthes that folyshly will raile and ignorantly knowing nothinge of the matter that they rayle against with our well doinge we shoulde make theim holde theyr peace or to say the best and not with scolding brawlinge or chidinge agayne nor by actions on the case nor by citations or by suche litigious processe If thou be sclaundered a purgation is not the thinge that S. Peter biddeth the runne to but he biddeth the do well and so thou shalt stoppe mennes mouthes Auoyde the occasion on whiche the rumoure and sclaunder rose and the rumoure wyll sone cease where as by contentious and litigious processe manye meÌ„ wyll speake of the matter that neuer heard of it afore and wyl be more ready to speake the worst then the best Quasi liberi non quasi velamen habentes malicie libertatem sed sicut serui Dei You must geue good example and occasion to men to say well and to leaue theyr rayling or missaying against you not for anye bondage or for seruyle feare but like fre meÌ„ set at the libertie at whiche Christ hath set vs doinge it with heart and all And we must beware that we vse not our libertie as a cloke or coueringe of malice and of mischeife Remembre what Iudas of Galiley did that is spoken of Actu v. and Iosephus antiquitatuÌ„ li. xviii Cap. i. he calleth him Iudas Gaulonites homo ex ciuitate cui nomeÌ„ erat Gamala He seduced a great multitude and made them to rebell vnder the pretence of a Godly libertie in as much as they were the elect people of God paid to him fyrst fruites tithes and other dueties Wherfore he sayd they ought not to pay tribute to any man nor to recognize any other lord but onelye God This heresie grew so sore y t it peruerted a great multitude of the people to consente vnto it but anone the auctor of it as many of his secte as could be found were slaine with him albeit the smoke of this heresy smelled longe after for this Iudas the heresiarch set forth this heresie tempore professionis when by the coÌ„maundement of the emperour Octauianus Augustus ibant singuli vt profiterentur in ciuitates suas euery man went to the place where he was borne there to haue his name takeÌ„ to pay his head peny or tribute professinge their subiection to the Romaines at which time Ioseph Mary went to Bethleem where they were borne they being there came the time that Mary shuld be deliuered of child there Christe was borne And afterwarde more then .xxx. yeres they moued a questioÌ„ to Christe touching this heresie An licet ceÌ„suÌ„ dare Caesari an non Mar. xxii Whether it were lawful to pay tribute to the emperor or not Christ sayd ye declaring the same by the coine of y e mony which was the emperors image It is but temporall why shuld not a teÌ„poral lord haue temporal subsedy aide it is his duetye so to haue therefore pay it saith christ you must nedes do so The said Iudas pretended a liberty by y t they were of the holy line of Abraham Isaac Iacob Gods electe people but this libertie he shoulde haue vnderstand goostly and not carnally but he turned it to carnalitie as Iosephus expresselye sayth Obtentu quideÌ„ vtilitatis defeÌ„sionis communis reuera auteÌ„ propriuÌ„ lucroruÌ„ gratia tota seditio gerebatur All the commotion and fraye was made vnder the pretence and coloure of a common profytte and common defence but in very dede it was for theyr owne priuate and proper lucre What mischeif hath come in Saxony by a pretensed libertie is not vnknowen Euangelicall libertie setteth no man at large to liue as he list but this it setteth vs at libertie from the bondage of sinne and also makinge vs subiecte to god and to our kinge and to all our rulers constitute and
noble men haue borne with theyr wyues and forborne them though theyr conditions were leude and noughtye ledde thereto by the verye lyghte and iudgemente of reason withoute preachinge of the holye worde of GOD. Christen men be taughte by oure Sauioure Chryste that howe soeuer the conditions of the man or the woman be they must euerye one suffer the other for better for worse tyll death theym departe Adultery maye departe bedde and boorde but the indiuisible knotte of wedlocke can not be dissolued Saynt Hierome reciteth the sayinge of Theophrastus that noble morall philosopher sayinge Vxoris nulla est electio sed qualiscunque obuenerit habenda est He thinketh there is no choyse of a wyfe but what maner so euer she be of men muste take her men shall neuer learne her conditions sayth he till after they be marryed A horse an oxe a cowe fyrste be proued afore they be boughte and so is cloth wollen and lynnen so is the potte the panne cheyres stooles cuppes and suche other ornamentes and implementes onelye a wyfe sayth he is not shewed what she is leaste peraduenture she shoulde displease and be reiecte and refused afore she be taken or maryed He sayeth this onelye of the women but we haue knowen as muche vncertayntye when women haue chosen theyr husbandes and as muche yll proofe of theim But howe so euer that be mutuall loue and mutuall sufferaunce shall ease muche of this ambiguitie by turninge necessitie into vertue and speciallye the man whiche is naturallye more stronge and shoulde be more wyse and discrete muste remember the infyrmitie of the woman and must beare with her and muste studye for the quietnes of his house Saynte Ambrose Exameron libro v. cap. vii reciteth a notable example to moue all maried folkes as well men as women to concorde and to agree together The example is of the lamprey and a serpente called Vipera nequissimum genus bestie a serpent mooste mischeuous and venemous If there be anye of theim with vs it is the adder The propertie of this serpent is this when he lyste to gendre specially where he breadeth nighe the Sea coaste he commeth to the water syde and there hisseth after his maner callynge to him his make the Lampreye with his continuall hyssynge The Lampreye as soone as she perceaueth hym there draweth to the shoore and shalowe water and when the adder spyeth her commynge he vommiteth and braketh awaye oute of him selfe all hys poysonne and venome and so commeth to her cleane and holesome and then companieth with her and then they gendre together Here maye the manne and the womanne learne to beare and suffer euerye one the manners of the other Here maye the manne learne to ordre his wife with sobrenes and the wyfe to be gentle and obediente What thynge is worse then venomme of a Serpente And yet the Lampreye feareth not that in her make the adder she commeth gentillye at his callinge and louingelye embraseth hym Therefore good wyues yf youre husbandes be venomous crabbed and cumberous or as you call it shrewe shaken you muste come at his callynge doo as he byddeth you be gentle vnto him and so thoughe his venome hurte others it shall not hurte you And you marryed men be you prudente as the Serpente worke wyselye and laye awaye youre venomme when you shall companye with youre makes that is alwaye and euer for you muste euer dwell with her as Saynte Peter sayeth here therefore you muste alwaye laye awaye youre poysonne so that you vse none towarde her You muste alwaye laye downe as well all your churlysshe swellynge as all youre Lordelye and proude fasshion lette her perceaue none suche in you remember you be not her Lorde as I sayde ye be but her husbande and her make The Adder layeth awaye his poysonne for his make the Lampreyes sake and so must you do away all pryde malice and crabbednes for your wiues sake and so doinge you shall dwell with your wyfe secundum scientiam accordinge to science and wisedome as Saynt Peter sayth here considerynge that she is the weaker vessell the weaker creature for all we be Goddes vesselles eyther the vessels of Goddes yre or the vesselles of his mercye The woman for the mooste parte is weaker then the man in mynde and also in bodye and dysposed to more infyrmities therefore you muste do her honoure accordyngelye This worde honoure in Scripture hath a large signification sometyme it signifieth reuerence and obedience and so it is not taken here for the man oweth none suche to the wyfe Sometime it signifieth prouision of necessaryes and so is it taken in the commaundemente of GOD of the honoure that euerye man oweth to his parentes for whome he muste not onelye bowe with cappe and knee but also is bounde to prouyde for theim necessaryes if they nede Thyrde in this place of Saynte Peter it maye signifie honeste intreatynge of her in youre coniugall acte in whiche you muste vse science and wysedome knowinge that the sayde acte for the entent to gette chyldren to be broughte vppe in Chrystes fayth and in vertue is good and commendable if it be to releiue the infyrmitie of the fleshe and to kepe you from others it is tollerable otherwyse to do lyke brute beastes for prolongynge of thy luste is vycious and sinnefull you muste geue honoure and spare her and not mysvse her in this manner And when you perceiue that she hath conceyued you must abstayne for feare leaste you destroye that GOD hath made you muste consydre also that she is disposed to dyuers infyrmities and when you perceaue her in suche case you muste geue honoure and spare her cherysshe and comforte her you muste also honoure her with solicitude and prouision that she lacke nothinge necessarye Remember that she is coinheritoure and copartener of the gracious gyfte of lyfe euerlastynge in heauen as well as you therefore vse her thereafter not as a fylthie wretche woulde vse a calotte or a strumpette the vesselles of Goddes indignation and wrath apte for destruction and dampnation The wyfe is the vessell of grace and apte to come to the glorye in heauen as well as the man for in Christe there is noo dyfference betwyxte man and woman Galath iii. Non est seruus neque liber non est masculus neque femina omnes enim vos vnum estis in Christo Iesu. There is no difference betwixte the bondeman and the freeman betwixte the man and the woman all is one in the grace of fayth on Christe and in glory to be obteined and gotten by Christe Then to conclude with Sainte Peter you must vse youre selues towarde youre wyues dwellinge and kepinge house with them after science and wisedome withoute crokednes rygoure and malyce honouringe them bearinge with theim and forbearinge them as the weaker vessell and disposed to manye infyrmities and therefore vsinge them honestly prouidinge for theim after youre habilitie and power that they lacke not that is necessarye for
lacke of glorye which doubtlesse was a greuous payne for theim that daylie and hourely loked for it as the wisemanne saithe Pro. xiii Spes que differtur affligit animam The hoope that is prolonged and put of vexeth and punisheth the minde Amonge these were manye of them that were swalowed vp in the water at Noes floude Yet diynge penitent as I sayd of which saint Peter here maketh special mencion vnderstandynge by them all the rest of the holye fathers that were in the same pryson and in the paine of lacke of glory To these spirites or souls of theim thus beinge in that painefull Prison where they were payned with the hōger thirst of eiger and gredy desire to see the glorie of God Christe came in spirite in his soule while his bodye laye stil in the sepulchre and preached declared and reueiled vnto them that the high misterie of his painful passion was exhibited and perfourmed and mans raunsome payed by the price of his precious bloude and there he was conuersaunt with them to their greate consolation and comfort and to the confusion of all the deuyls in hell tyll the time when it pleased him to vnite and ioyne his soule to his body againe agaynst the time of his glorious resurrection and then toke away with him suche as were to his pleasure as he sayde afore that he woulde do Ego si exaltatus fuero à terra omnia traham ad meipsum If I be lyft vp from the grounde I shall drawe all thinges to me as well in hell as in earth for of both he drewe a great part to him According to this speaketh the increate wysedome of God the seconde person in Trinite Eccle. xxiiii Penetrabo omnes inferiores partes terre inspiciam omnes dormientes illuminabo omnes sperantes in domino I shall pearce and entre into all the lower partes of the earth and I wyll loke on all theim that be a slepe whose bodies rest in their graues in the slepe of peace and I wyll geue light to all them that hope in theyr Lord God And Saint Augustine in the .cxxvii. sermon sayth Omnia ab stulit vtique electa electi quamuis in tranquillitatis sinu tamē apud inferni claustra tenebantur Non enim infideles quosque pro suis criminibus aeternis suppliciis dedicos ad veniam dominus resurgendo reparauit sed illos ex inferni claustris rapuit quos suos fide actibus recognouit Christ toke awaye with him all that were electe and chosen for suche althoughe they were in the bay or bosome of tranquillitie ease and reste yet they were kepte and holden within the clausures of hell For our lord Christ when he rose did not repaire or restore to pardon and forgiuenes all infideles and such as for theyr crimes or mortall sinnes were deputed to euerlastinge paynes and punishmentes but them he plucked out of the cloysters and clausures of hell whiche he knew for his owne by their fayth and by their dedes For the soule of Christe ioyned to the Godhead from whiche it was neuer separate descended into the said darke place gaue light to thē that were ther kept in prison By occasion of that he spoke of Noes shyppe in whiche a fewe lyues were saued by the water that is to saye the liues of Noe and of his wife and the liues of theyr three sonnes and of theyr thre wiues .viii. personnes in all the blessed apostle Sainte Peter declareth the allegorye of the same fygure sayinge that like as the sayde .viii. personnes or liues were saued from drowninge beynge lifte vppe in the shippe a flote aboue the grounde euen so sayth he In like fourme and maner you be saued by baptisme from dampnation euerlastinge Non carnis depositio sordium sed conscientiae bone interrogatio in Deum The water alone is not the thinge that doth it althoughe his propertie be to washe away the filth and vncleanes of the body but it is the examination and discussion of a good cōscience toward God saith S. Peter because that in the water the worde doth make cleane the soule as S. Augustin speaketh tract .lxxx. in euangel Iohan. Uppon these wordes Iam vos mundi estis propter verbum quod locutus sum vobis Ioh. vx Take away the holy sacramentall wordes from the water and what is the water but bare water Accedit verbum ad elementum fit sacramentum The worde ioyned to the element of water maketh the sacramente For the water can nor of it selfe haue suche strengthe as to touche the body and withall to clense the soule but onely by the worde And by the worde not because it is soūded or said by him or her that doth christe but because it is beleued According to that S. Peter had said Act. xv Fide purificans corda eorum God clensith theyr hartes by fayth the water and the worde concurringe with the same fayth Then this clensing of the soule must not be attribute to the water excepte we put to the worde and then ioyne theim both together and they shall be of suche strength that they may purge and make cleane the least chylde that euer was borne whiche as I haue sayde in tymes past beleueth in the fayth of the churche lyke as he or she that is of discretiō beleueth by his own faith Al these circumstances S. Peter speaketh in few wordes Conscientie bone interrogatio in deum the examination or discussion of a good wel beleuing conscience toward God comprehending as wel the cathechisation or instruction going afore the baptisme where y e party may haue such oportunitie as the Sacramentall wordes with the water with faith and all together According to this saith S. Paul Eph. v. Christus dilexit ecclesiam et seipsū tradidit pro ea vt illā sancti ficaret mūdans eā lauachro aque in verbo vite Christ loued his churche deliuered him self to sinfull mennes handes that he mighte make her holye clensynge her with the lauer of water in the worde of lyfe This blessed Sacramente of baptisme by whiche we be regenerate and gotten agayne to God was signified by the water that drowned the earth and earthly carnall people and saued the eyght liues that then were saued And that the water of the sayde flud saued none that were out of the shippe signifieth that all heretikes that be out of the common receaued fayth of the churche althoughe they were in the water although they be christened and glorieth to be called christen men yet by the same water they shall be drouned into hell by which the ship the catholike churche was lifte and borne vp into heauen and saued as the materiall shippe of Noe was lifte vp into the ayre aboue grounde and saued by water And lyke as they that were drowned in Noes floude had theyr corpsis wasshed from exterior fylth of theyr bodies whiche preuayled them not against drowninge so there was
good man or woman and to make them to leaue theyr vertue and to faule to angre braulynge or suche other inconuenience A remedye and a succoure agaynste this peryll Saynte Peter geueth vs in these wordes CHRISTO passo in carne vos eadem cogitatione armamini In as muche as Chryste hath suffered in his flesshe be you armed in the same remembraunce They that were newelye conuerted to CHRISTE in the prymityue Churche hadde muche vexation by infydeles and also by some false Chrysten men and euen so be we manye tymes vexte and euer shall be vnto the worldes ende wyth shrewes and noughtye lyuers that euer goethe aboute to disturbe and trouble good men and to woorke displeasures to them that woulde serue GOD and the worlde in vertue and with quietnes Saynt Peter gaue to them that he wrytte vnto the same defence that he woulde all vs to vse agaynste all persecution trouble and vniuste vexation that is the remembraunce of Christes passion the thinkinge on CHRISTES passion Remembraunce of CHRISTES passyon muste be oure harnes and oure weaponne to putte awaye all extreme trouble and vexation and by the â—ame we shall lykewyse and yde and putte of all insultes and assaultes of temptation to synne for suche remembraunce of CHRISTES passion whiche he toke for oure sake moueth a manne to macerate and punysshe his fleshe to conforme hym selfe to CHRISTES paynes beynge contente to take payne in oure bodyes as Christe dydde in his and not makynge oure selues moore precyous and delycate then Chryste made hym selfe for the loue that he hadde to vs. CHRISTE fasted fortye dayes and nother eate nor dronke I saye not that we muste faste lykewyse withoute meate and drynke it passeth oure power but yet as the wyse Poete Horace sayth Est quodam prodire tenus si non datur vltra We muste goo somewhat onwarde thoughe we canne not come to the vttermooste we muste do the beste we canne to come toward his faste takinge suche meate and at such times as by the vniuersall counsell of Christes churche be alowed to be eaten in the fortye dayes of Lente then howe farre wyde from hys fast they be that contemptuousely taketh flesshe or other dyattes prohibited iudge you After he hadde eaten of the paschall lambe at his last supper on the thursdaye in the eueninge with his disciples he wente forth with theim into the place called Gethsemani where he toke him selfe to prayer and was in a marueylous agonye for consideration of the paynes that he shoulde to and anone came Iudas with his companye to take hym and then they haled him foorth frome Iudge to Iudge from poste to pyller vt dicitur so that he neuer eate nor dronke after saue that in the extreme fayntnes afore hys death when he would haue dronke they gaue hym suche drynke as he woulde not drynke of after he hadde a lytell tasted it so that from the thursdaye in the euenynge vntyll the frydaye at three a clocke at afternone when he expyred and dyed he neuer eate nor dronke notwithstanding the great laboure and vntollerable paynes that he suffred in that meane tyme. Nowe good louinge freindes howe we that wyll not take paynes to faste nor abstayne at tymes appoynted but onelye whan it please vs that is as muche to saye as neuer at all as it prouith in effecte do con forme oure selues to Chrystes paynes that he tooke iudge you eyther we muste denye Chryst or els count hym a foole whiche is a verye denyall of hym or els sette lyttle by his example to whiche Saynte Peter in his wordes rehearsed referreth vs wyllynge vs to arme oure selues by remembraunce of the vntollerable paynes that he suffred in his mooste tendre bodye When he was rayled agaynste and called heretike and traytoure a benchewhystler a blowboll a felowe with ribaldes knaues whores and drabbes all this wynde shoke no corne all this moued hym not but euer styll he proceded in his godlye purpose and for yl wordes gaue to them agayn blessed wordes of godlye exhortation and good couÌ„sayle If we woulde take to hearte this good example of his wondrous patience and sufferauÌ„ce â–ª there shoulde neuer anye backebitinge or sclaunderinge any rayling or missaying once moue vs to angre or impatience This remembraunce of Christes passion was signified by the shield that Iosue lyft vp agaynst the kinge of Haye of whiche it is wrytten Iosu. viii Hai by interpretation is as much to say as confusion The king of Hai is our aduersarye the deuyll and he hath a capitaine of his warres called fomes peccati y e nurse or the breader of synne because manye doeth obey him and he is the captayne of confusion because he inclineth his subiectes to woorke agaynste the iudgemente and sentence of ryghte reasonne and there as reason ruleth not is nothynge but confusion and all oute of course and good order GOD badde him Pone insideas vrbi post eam laye a stale behynde the citie on the backeside because we must euer watche and laboure agaynste the armye of confusion the multitude of mortall sinnes as well in age as in youth because that he ouercame the greate wyse man Salomon when he was an olde man notwithstandinge all his wysedome as he hathe done manye a one moore as well in age as in youth When Iosue lyfte vppe his shylde on hie on a speare that it myghte be sene a farre of that parte of Iosue his host that laye in the stale and also the companye that were with the capitayne ioyned together and enuironed and closed in the whole multytude of the towne of Haye and kylled them euery mothers sonne manne womanne and chylde sauynge the kinge aliue whom they broughte to Iosue the captayne Iosue by interpretation signifieth health or saluation and signifieth in manye of his actes oure Sauyoure Christe Iosue his sheilde thus lyfte vppe in the syghte of all Iosue his companye whiche gaue them courage to fyghte manfullye sygnyfyeth the armes of Chrystes passion whiche lykewise lyfte vppe in the remembraunce of good Chrysten people shall make theim to fyghte agaynste all the synnes that maye aryse or come of the temptation of the Deuyll or of his cheyfe captayne the breader of synne whiche by the offence of Adam remayneth in oure flesshe We muste spare none of Goddes enemyes mortall sinnes for yf we do it wyll be layed to oure charge and to oure condempnation Example we haue of Saule whiche when he shoulde fyght agaynste the Amalachites was commaunded to kyll all that he toke man and beaste contrarye to the commaundemente he saued Agag the kynge of the countrey i. reg xv for the whiche he was reproued and caste oute of Goddes fauoure and sone after depryued of his kyngedome and all his issue after hym and the kyngedome transferred to the trybe of Iuda by kynge Dauid whiche was of that tribe or familye in signe and token that when we shall fyghte agaynste vyces we muste not leaue anye litell sinne
alyue but kyll theim all for els as longe as one remaineth in vs we can not be counted iuste and good men afore God SaÌ„ctificate belluÌ„ et pugnate pugnaÌ„ domini Ioel. iii. Then we sanctifie a batayle and make an holye batayle when we kyll all the enemies of the soule that is to saye all sinnes and when we mortifie oure fleshe and cutte away al ill concupiscence of the same that we may be holye in bodye and spyrite and thus playinge the victours and conquerours we maye saye wyth the Apostle Gala. vi Mihi absit gloriari nisi in cruce Domini nostri Iesu Christi per quem mihi mundus crucifixus est ego mundo Where the pseud apostles agaynste whiche Saynt Paule speaketh there reputed trouble and payne suffred for Christes sake to be nothinge profytable as many pseudapostles and false gospellars sayeth nowe a dayes or yf they saye if not with theyr tounges yet they shewe it in theyr workes Saynte Paule contrary gloryed in nothyng â—o muche knowynge the greate rewarde that he shoulde obteyne for the same euen lyke as other of the apostles when they were conuented afore the counsell of the Iewes and there rebuked and sore beaten for speakynge in Christes name Ibant Apostoli gaudentes a conspectu consilii quo niaÌ„ digni habiti sunt pro nomine Iesu coÌ„tumeliaÌ„ pati Actu v. they wente awaye with myrthe and gladnes that God hadde estemed them and taken them as worthye to suffer for Christes sake paynes and despytes So dydde Saynt Paule glorye communicatynge and takinge parte of Chrystes paynes on the Crosse knowynge as Saynte Ambrose sayeth that the loue of the Crosse causeth lyfe and the loue of the worlde bryngeth death and destruction Inuicem sibi mortui sunt dum nihil concupiscit Apostolus mundi dum nihil habet mundus suum quod agnoscat in Apostolo sicut Dominus â—it ecce venit princeps mundi huius in me inuenit nihil Ioh. xiiii The Apostle and the worlde were one crucified to another sayeth Saynte Ambrose whyle the Apostle hadde no concupiscence or desyre of worldelye pleasures and whyle the worlde hadde nothynge that he coulde knowe for his owne in that blessed Apostle Euen as oure Sauioure Christe speaketh loo the Prynce of the worlde commeth and findeth nothinge in me that he maye claime for his owne And who so euer hathe soo doone by remembraunce of Christes paines and passion so maceratinge his fleshe so punysshing subduyng quenchinge his carnall concupiscence he shall so doynge conforme him selfe to Christes paynes and shall be mortified and made deade to synne and shall lyue to Chryste Nam qui passus est in carne desiit a peccatis In whyche wordes Saynte Peter geueth vs an excellente lesson and a general rule that he that suffreth and taketh paynes in the fleshe ceaseth from synne and leaueth synne as it maye be declared discurrynge generally thoroughe all synnes When a manne or woman is tempted to lechery by ouermuche farcinge or fyllinge the bellye with meates and whote wines lette him take paine to punysshe the bellye with abstinence and anone the pange wyll swage And if it be by wantonne company or communication then sequestre thy selfe from that occasion thoughe it be paynefull to the soo to do and with all occupie thy minde aboute thy occupation or in some honest and vertuous meditation and soo thou shalte not be ouercome with temptation but shall scape it and leaue it and conuerte thy selfe to vertue Likewise in anger whiche is a certaine kindelinge or inflamynge of the bloude aboute thy harte suffer in thy bodye take paine in thy bodie lette not the occasion of that heate comme to thy harte stoppe thy mouth geue faire words thoughe it greue thee and anone thy anger wyll swage and so thou shalt make a frende of hym that thou were moued agaynste afore and shalt make a matter of vertue of that whyche if thou had folowed woulde haue turned to murther or mischiefe and to thy dampnation Likewyse of enuy of which it least semeth when thou seest an other man prospere and go forwarde in honestie in substaunce in reputation and estimation amonge the people If peraduenture thy carnall mynde woulde thinke thy sayde neighbours preferment and thrift to be derogatioÌ„ and hinderaunce to thy state and to thy estimation and woldest be sorye to se hym so to prospere but wouldest rather be glad to saye or do that might pull hym backe This is playne enuy cleane contrary to charitie and most odious to God What remedye Paâ—iaris in carne desines etiam ab hoc peccato Suffer in thy fleshe and in thy carnall fancye striue with thy passion be not so folishe as to thinke that his thrifte hyndereth thee but rather take thou payne in thy bodye to thriue and to go forwarde in honestye and in riches as well as he compell thy minde to consider that thou shouldest loue thy neighbour and consequentlye that thou shouldest be glad of hys auancemente and reioyce in it as one louer should do in an other And so thou shalte cease from that synne of enuye And euen so you shall leaue all other vyces if you wyll by imitation and example of Christe take payne in youre bodyes punysshe your bodyes and stryue wyth your carnall affection accordynge to Sainte Peters saiynge Qui passus est in carne defiit a peccatis He that hath suffered in hys bodye hath done wyth carnall vyces and synnes that so for the reste of hys life tyme while he shall lyue in the flesshe in his bodye here in this worlde hee maye liue not after the flesshe of carnall manne whyche hathe pleasure communely in voluptuous pleasures of the flesh but accordynge to the wyll of GOD in sinceritie and cleannesse of lyfe Sufficit enim preteritum tempus ad voluptatem gentium consummandam his qui ambulauerunt in luxuriis For the tyme paste is inoughe for to fulfill the wyll of Paynyms and Gentyles that haue walked that is to saye haue ledde their liues in all maner of Lecherye and pleasures of the fleshe You knowe that as I haue ofte saide Saint Peter writte to the newe christened people newely conuerted some from the Gentility and some frome the Iewes ceremonyes also nowe he speaketh speciallye to theim that afore were Gentyles whiche were moste blinde and lest knewe GOD. To theim he sayeth be you contente nowe no more you haue inoughe and to muche of that voluptuousnesse that you haue vsed like Paynyms that knewe not God And liued in all kynde of Lecherye outwarde by exteriour filthye exercise of your bodyes Desideriis and in vncleanly and wanton appetites in minde inwardlye and as it were runnynge in Reprobumsensum as Sainte Paule speaketh Rom. i. desierynge nothyng that is good for their soules in dede but rather contrarye desierynge that thinge for good whiche is naught in dede Euen as it were one that in a feruente Feauer hadde his mouthe infecte wyth
geueth good comforte sayinge if you be vmbrayded and missaied for vsynge vertue and iustice that is for Christes sake you be blessed for euerlastinge blessing is promised you And that perteineth to honoure to glorye and to the vertue of GOD and also his holye spirite resteth vpon you In this present lyfe you shall be worthye to haue honoure in youre good workes and for well doynge and vertuous lyuinge Nam honor est praemium virtutis Honor is the rewarde for vertue and in time to come you shall be partakers of Christes honour And nowe you shall haue the glorye of a pure cleare conscience whiche is the glory of a Christen man and the very waye to come to glorye of body and soule Gloria nostra haec est testimonium conscientie nostrae ii Cor. i. This is my glory saith S. Paul the witnes of mine owne conscience without remorse or grudge for my conuersation hath be in simplicitie amonge you without carnall or crafty subteltie or deceipt saith S. Paule Euen like glorye of your owne consciences shall reste vpon you whiche shall comfort you agaynst the insulties and sclauderous raylinge of all your aduersaries Let them say what they wyll you can not let them you know your selues cleare and fautles and the vertue and strength of God ouer the deuyll and all his membres shall also reste vpon you and no marueyle for his holy spirite the holy goost the causer of these benefites and of all other goodnes resteth vpon you and therefore as muche as in them is almightie God that resteth in you is missaid and rayled at in you but as in you and for your part and as you muste take it he is glorified and that is said redoundeth to his glorye by you Nemo autem vestrum patiatur vt homicida aut fur aut maledicus aut alienorum appetitor When you take paine and be rayled on for iustices sake you maye be gladde But I woulde not sayth S. Peter here that any of you shoulde suffer for manslaughter as a murtherer or as a thefe or as a sclaunderer or backbiter or blasphemer or as one that goeth about to take awaye other mens goodes to spoile and robbe them The theues suffer imprisonmēt and death for theyr offences this paine they suffer for theyr iniquitie Heretikes be likewise put to shame and many times to death for theyr misbeleife and heresies and for blaspheminge and missayinge Gods holy scriptures to the yl example and peruerting of many a christen soule bringing them also to like damnation There be none such to be reputed blessed for theyr paines sufferyng because it is not for Christe nor for iustice sake but for theyr owne faultes yll doinges and ill sayinges but yet some suche men and women that haue so suffred for theyr faultes be so obstinate in theyr malice and so glory in theyr errors and iniquitie that they be not ashamed to saye they beare theyr crosse with Christe when they beare theyr fagottes in open penaunce to escape theyr burninge They beare theyr crosse in dede as the thefe dydde that was hanged on Christes lefte syde not to theyr saluation but to theyr cōdempnation which they here beginne and in hell shall consummate perfourme and continue the same for euer Si autem vt Christianus non erubescat sayth S. Peter If you suffer as a Christen man or woman eyther displeasures in body and goodes or by wordes for that thou arte a good Christen man or liueste like a good christen man or woman be not ashamed what so euer be sayd or done against the but rather glorify God giue laude and prayse and thankes to God that hath geuen the grace to be thought worthye to suffer contumely or despites for Christes name Glorificet autem deum in isto nomine quoniam tempus est vt incipiat iudicium a domo dei For nowe is the time for the iudgement of God to beginne at the house of God The iudgement beginneth in our lyfe time for whiche you muste note that the iudgement of God is of two maners one is priuie and secrete the other shall be manifest and openly knowen to all men and women The fyrste is in this life the other shalbe at the day of dome and the generall iudgement For almighty God will leaue no ill vnpunished therfore in as much as he sharpely wyll punishe sinfull persons with the intollerable paynes of hell with the deuylles after this lyfe he suffreth them to take their pleasure while they be here a while and to leade a mery life in welth in prosperitie but at a trise sodenly they be plucked awaye and descendeth downe into hell to that vntollerable and eternall iudgement And when God sendeth to such malefactours any paynes or trouble they fret and chafe rayle and grudge agaynste GOD and in theyr rage dyeth and beginneth theyr hell with paynes and sorowe here that hereafter in hell shall continue for euermore no tounge can expresse the sorowe and paynes that there shall be But others that by suche strokes and correction as God sendeth them be exercised for theyr purgation and be made better and better taketh them for a warning to conuert and amend their liues such correction doth thē much good Therfore it is written Iob. v. Beatus homo qui corripitur a domino Blessed is the man or woman that is correct and punished of our lord God And the reason is this for if mannes correction maye be good and holesome then Gods correction muste nedes be much more holesome for man knoweth not parfitly the maner and measure of holsome correction neither is omnipotent to take awaye the punishment when it is ynoughe or when he lyste ▪ nor to do good and to ease a man in tyme conuenient but God by his omnipotency by that he is almightie and knoweth all thinges he knoweth how much or how litle he maye punishe his childe and seruaunt and he euer punisheth hym to do him good either to trie him and to proue his constauncy or to make him amende his lyfe For there is no man liuinge that can say he is all cleare but that he hath sinned or done amisse and many things that in our iudgement semeth to be iust and well done yet in the iudgemente of God they may be nought For man seith and iudgeth after the exterior apparaunce but God seith the secretes of the heart and al other circūstaunces And in as much as all mankinde was at the beginning iustly condempned for the offences of Adam God will not easely deliuer vs from that malandre neither from so greate a disease which also maketh that sinnes be euer ready and we euer running headlong to them but iustice good liuing is full of labour and payne and is hard to come to but that loue and charitie maketh that easy to them that loueth God whiche to other is very painefull And this is the occasiō of this priuie iudgement of God by which he sendeth
gaue hym this counsayle Si hodie obedieris populo huic seruieris peticioni eorum censeris locutusque fueris ad eos verba leuia erant tibi serui cunctis diebus If you do after the pleasures of these people this daye and do geue place to their peticion and if you will speake to them soft and gentle words they will be your louing seruants at all times But he reiected this sage and wise counsaile that these graue menne gaue him and called to him the lustye bloudes and yonge ruffians that were noursed from youth and brought vp with him and were at hande euery daye with him for his solace and pastime and saide vnto them what counsaile will you geue to aunswere this people that haue sayde to me make lyghte this yoke and ease vs of it that your father hath laied vppon vs Then they saide accordynge to their wilfull wittes lackynge experience Thus shall you saie vnto theim Minimus digitus meus grossior est derso patris mei My least finger is greater and stronger then my fathers backe or then his whole bodye My father layed on you a heauie yoke and I will laye on more peyse vppon your yooke My father did beate you wyth scourges but I will beate you with scorpions These scorpions be scourges hauyng knottes of wire or leadde on the coardes and speciallye on the endes And they be so called after a certayne venemous Worme whiche when he stingeth turneth vp his tayle ouer his heade and so styngeth and so perelouslye that withoute there bee hadde by and by a certaine Oyle of scorpions in whiche Oyle suche scorpions haue beaten theim selues to death there is no healpe nor remedye but present death Of this compasse stroke that the Scorpion maketh when he stingeth the said scourges haue their name because they winde about the bodye and breake or teare sorest at the endes of the coardes with the saide knottes of wires or leadde His aunswere was as he should saie loke what payne of oppression or exactions or other griefes my father did put you to and I will put you to more and sorer handle you then euer did he Here was an aunswere euen like the wittes of his cocbrained counseilours A folishe rashe and noughty aunswere and so came of it The people were so galled exasperate and greued with this answer that of y e .xii. tribes of Israell .x. tribes shronke frō him and refused hym and were neuer after subiect to him nor to any of his issue So that of the .xii. parts of hys realme he lost .x. onely .ii. tribes Iuda and Beniamin sticked to him and folowed him And all thys came so to passe because he folowed yonge counsaile And you muste not thinke that these coūseilours were children or younge in age for as the Scripture saieth they were noursed and brought vppe wyth the younge kynge Roboam And when he begonne hys raigne he was one and fortye yeares of age and then of lyke age muste hys mates bee And that is the tyme when menne shoulde haue mooste preignaunt wittes to geue good counsayle And he that hath not learned some experience or practice and trade of the world by that age will neuer be wise Yet it were good they had a creanser somewhat to stay thē that they runne not to eternall damnation And though it will be hard to make an olde dog to stoupe yet stoupe he must y t wil be saued And therfore ▪ s. Peter saieth here Omnes inuicē humilitatem insinuate All men stop shew humilitie one to another euery man be lowly one to another euen as that you wolde one crepe into an others bosome by lowlinesse Insinuate by which he meaneth an inward harty lowlinesse that we must vse amonge vs. If thou wilt not god will make thee to come alow for god loueth no pride but euer resisteth thē y t be proude And sheweth grace to thē that be lowly in hart saith s. Peter Iames. Iac. iiii saith the same how God hath euer resisted the proud you maie know how Lucifer the most excellent aungell for his pride was pulled downe and made the fowlest deuill in hell he said he would ascende and get vp to be equal and like the highest Nay not so saith god but thou shalt be cast downe to the bottom of the lake or dungeon of hell Eue our first mother she wold haue ben a Goddesse like to god in knowlege but God stopped her of her enterprise cast her into such blinde darknes ignorance as we al be in by occasion geuen by her And then what humilitie and lowlines hath done yea and in thē which at other times were very proude out of Gods fauour appereth by Pharao the kinge of Egipt which after the great stroke of vengeance horrible plage of hail stones with whirle windes thunder and lightenynge suche as was neuer sene sithe Egipte was firste made The said kinge begonne to take remorse for his obstinacye and begonne to relente and saide vnto Moyses and Aaron Peccaui etiam nunc dominus iustus est ego populus meus impii orate Dominum c. I haue offended nowe agayne oure Lorde is iuste and righteous I and my people be nought and wycked praye you to your lorde that these Thunders and Haylestormes maye cease that I maye dimisse you and let you go so that you tarye not here anye lenger Exod. ix Like wise when that wicked kyng Achab hearde the terrible comminations of God for the deathe of Naboth for other his and his wiues noughty liuinge Scidit vestimenta sua operuit silicio carnem suam ieiunauitque dormiuit in sacco ambulauit demisso capite factus est autem sermo domini ad Heliam Thesbitem dicens Nonne vidisti humiliatum Achab coram me quia igitur humiliatus est mei causa non inducam malum in diebus eius He toore hys cloothes and couered his bodye wyth cloothe of Heere And he fasted and laye and slepte in sackeclothe and wente loutynge and holdynge downe the heade And then the worde of our Lorde God came to Helie saiynge Doest thou not see howe Achab the kinge is become lowlye afore me Therefore because he is humiliate for because of mee I wyll not brynge in thys mischiefe of punishemente in his tyme. And Nabuchodonosor king of the Caldeis after his great pride that he had cōceiued by his great and prosperous successe and spede that he had in his great conquestes and in his great glorye and pride that he had of his noble large citie which he had amplified exceadingly four square so that euery side of the square as it is writtē of it was xvi mile long when he said Nonne hec est Babilon ciuitas magna quam edisicaui in domū regni in robore fortitudinis mee in gloria decoris mei cūque sermo adhuc esset in ore regis vox de celo ruit Tibi
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
done whether it be good or yll .ii. Cor. v. And so Christ sayde that when he shoulde come in his glory with his aungels then he shall pay euery one accordinge to his dedes These wordes are greatlye to be feared for he sayth not that then he wyll geue after his mercy to euery one but after theyr owne dedes here he is mercifull there he wyll be all rightuous therfore the longer that he loketh for oure amendemente here so muche more greuouselye he wyll do vengeaunce yf we wyll not amende This iudgemente is greatelye to be feared for the hyghe wysedome of the iudge and for the cleare knowledge that he hath for al thinges be naked bare and opened to his eyes as well the secrete thoughtes of mynde as open deedes there shall nede no wytnes to accuse the synners for theyr owne consciences and theyr thoughtes shall be the accusers and wytnesses of theyr owne iniquitie accusinge or excusynge in that terrible daye Roma ii His fyrste comminge to take oure nature vpon him was in infyrmitie weakenes and pouertie but his seconde cōmynge that shall be to this merueilous iudgemente shall be in myghtye power and maiestie His power is almightye in it selfe and besyde that all the worlde wyll take his parte and fyghte wyth hym agaynste lewde synners there shall be no man to speake or to entreate for them and then he wyll be verye terrible and angrye to reproued synners in so muche that they shall wysshe the mountaynes and hylles to fall vpon them and to hyde them from the angre of the Lambe Oh merueylous agonye and furye of mynde that they shall be cumbred wyth to be so afrayde of a Lambe He wyll shewe him selfe very amiable pleasaunte and comfortable to his electe people and therefore to theym he wyll be as a Lambe and to the others wonderous sore and greuous THe nynth article of oure fayth is of the thyrde personne in Trinitie the holye Gooste expressed by Saynte Iames the sonne of Alphey called Iames the lesse because he came later to be CHRISTES scholer then the other Iames the Sonne of Zebede of whome I spoke in the thyrde Article This is the article I beleue in the holy Gost. Like as we must beleue on the father on the sonne so must we beleue on the holy Goost for he that beleueth not on all three persons taketh no profite beleuinge on one or twayne of them for this is the catholike and common fayth to beleue one God in Trinitie and a Trinitie of persons that is to saye thre persons in one Godhead The holy Goost the thyrde person is brought forth by the fruitefull will of the father and of the sonne as the equall wyll and loue of them both of equall mighte and power and maiestie with the father and with the sonne on whome we muste beleue After the article of beleuinge on the holy Goost conuenientlye foloweth two other articles concerninge the workes of grace of the holy Goost One is of the worke of grace in gettinge that thinge that is good the other in amouing and auoydinge that is yll OF the fyrst grace Symon the Apostle called Chananeus and Zelotes putteth the tenth article of oure crede saying The holy catholike Churche the communion of sainctes After the myndes of some holy doctors we may not saye properlye that we beleue in the holye Churche or on the holy Churche for the Church is not God on whom we beleue as is aforesayd it is the house of God Albeit if we say so it may be allowed as S. Paule praysed the Collossen i. for the fayth and charitie that they had in Deo in omnes sanctos on God and on all holy persons because that by theyr fayth and charitie they extended theim selues to God and all good men So in as much as we extende and set forth oure selues to conforme our selues to the vnitie of all holy churche and to the communion and company of all holy folkes by our fayth adourned with charitie mouinge our selues to suche conformitie in perfection of life we may by that reason saye that we beleue on the holye Churche and on the communion of sainctes This Churche is called holy as for a distinction and difference from the Churche that the prophete speaketh of saying I hate the churche of imaginers of mischiefe dissention and debate For suche Churches be not holy but rather yll and very noughte It is also called holy because the people and company of the same be washed from the vncleanes of sinne by the holy Sacramentes of the church takinge their efficacitie and strength at the bloude of our Sauiour Christ. It is called catholike that is to say vniuersall or whole ouer all the world not mutteringe in sundry corners or countreys as heretikes haue imagined theyr Churches There can be no greater treasure no greater honour gottē then to haue the grace of the lyuely fayth of this vniuersall churche This fayth saueth sinners worketh miracles ministreth Sacramentes who so euer he be or in what state or condition so euer he be yf he be not in this fayth of the catholyke churche he is no true christen man neyther can be saued lyke as there was no man nor woman saued aliue in the great floude that was in the tyme of Noe but onelye they that were within his great shippe The communion of sainctes or of holy persons that is to saye like as I beleue the holy churche to be one and holye and that yf I will be saued I muste conforme my selfe to that vnitie not swaruinge from it by heresies or dissention so I muste in perfection of lyfe conforme my selfe to the felowship and companye of holy persons as well of them that be nowe aliue as of them that be departed to God afore vs. For if we wyll haue communion or felowship with the sainctes or holye men in euerlastinge life we muste studye to folowe them in liuinge for they muste perceaue in vs somwhat of theyr vertues that so they may vouchesafe to pray for vs to almightie God And although we can not suffre martirdome as some of them did yet at the lest wise we must by example of them repugne and resist yll and vnlawfull concupiscence and the rather by their prayers that so we may obteyne forgeuenes of oure sinnes hauinge a merueylous good helpe thereto by the holy Sacramentes of this catholike churche whiche sacramentes all holye men and women commoneth and vseth felowlike pore and riche all together And by the vnitie and communion in the fayth and Sacramentes of this holye churche we receaue as well the merite of Christes passion and of his holy lyfe as of the good liuinge and good dedes of all holye people beynge all one knitte together by the liuelye fayth of the sayde catholike Churche according to the prophetes sayinge I am partaker of al them that feare the O Lorde And therefore euerye true lymme of the sayde Churche is partaker of all the good