might haue doen but calleth himself a Fellowe Elder and also a witnesse of the suffrynges of Christe As if he had saied I doe not onely preache but I am also emong those Confessours of Christ that are exercised in daiely afflictions And withall he also sheweth that so many as bee Christians must bee persecuted and suffer affliction And this is a true Apostle of Christe vnto whom if the Pope and his Bishoppes were any thing like as thei are shamelesse enough to chalenge to themselues the same title we would not greatly stick willingly to kisse their feete And also a partaker of the glory that shalbe reueiled THis parte of the Apostles Style and Title is of farre more excellencie then any that our Popishe Bishopps dare pretende to vse For thereby doeth Sainct Peter take and recken hymself holie and a blessed Manne And alhouâ—gh he perfectly knewe that he should be a partaker of the glorie to come yet taketh he no pride therein he lifteth not hymself vp in any swellyng glorie but modestly conteineth hymself within the boundes of temperate softnes and curtesie Feede the flocke of God whiche dependeth vpon you caryng for it not by constraint but willingly not for filthie lucre but of a readie minde CHrist is the first and chiefest Pastour who hath many Pastours vnder hym as he also hath many Flockes whom beeyng dispersed in sundrie quarters of the worlde he committeth to the charge and ouersight of their Shéepheardes and Pastours as in this Epistle of S. Peter written into diuers Countreis and Regions appeareth But what is the charge of these Pastors to do Forsooth to feede the Flocke of Christ This worde Feede the Pope hath raked and haled vnto hym self whereby he goeth aboute to prooue hymself Lorde and Prince of all and that it is in his owne choise and aucthoritie to deale with the Sheepe as he listeth hymself But alas who is so ignoraunte that knoweth not what this woorde Feede meaneth To witte that the Pastours and Sheepheardes ought to prouide Pasture for their Sheepe and to see theim haue their meate in conueniente and due season whereby thei maie growe to bee fruitfull And moreouer to watche that deuouryng Wolues rushe not in emong theim and teare the Flocke in peeces This word Feede signifieth nothyng lesse then to kill and spoile Furthermore S. Peter calleth it peculierlie the Flocke of Christ as though he should saie Thinke not that the Flocke is any of your owne ye are but onely Seruauntes and Minister to looke vnto it ye are no Lordes nor Maisters ouer it Contrarie to the bold practise and customable dealyng of many Bishops whiche accoumpt and call euery one within their Diocesse and iurisdiction their Sheepe We are the Sheepe of Christe for he saied afore Ye are now retourned vnto the Sheepheard and Bishoppe of your Soules Bishopps are the Ministers of Christe to keepe his Sheepe and to giue them meate and pasture And therefore to feede is nothyng els then to preache the Gospel wherwith their Soules maie be fedde fatted and fructified that so the Shepe maie be nourished with the Gospell This is the onely and proper office of a Bishopp So saied Christ vnto Peter Feede my Sheepe Ioh. xxj that is the Sheepe whiche I committe vnto thee to feede are not thyne but myne Howbeeit these woordes haue been so canuassed and wrested by my Lorde the Pope that he thereby vsurpeth and exerciseth an externall domination and Lordship ouer the Churche of Christe whereas neither he nor any of his sacrilegious Chapleins preacheth so muche as one worde of the Gospell Thei bragge that thei haue their succession froÌ„ S. Peter If it were so yet feare I that it could scarcely bée prooued that any Pope euer preached the Gospell For none of them hath left any thyng behynde hym that is written and extant wherein a man maie read the Gospell Sainct Gregorie the Pope was surely an holie man and yet the thynges which he preached are not to bee esteemed worth a strawe whei eâ—y it maie appeare that the same See of Rome is peculiarly and specially accursed of God I deny not but sundrie of the Popes suffred Martiredome vnder cruel Tyrauntes for the Gospels sake but yet there is nothyng extant that was written by any of them whiche is Euangelicall And yet thei still bragge and crake that it is their charge to feede whereas in deede thei doe nothing els but entangle and clogge mennes consciences with Lawes of their owne and make hauocke and sale of mennes Soules neuer troublyng theimselues with preachyng one woorde of Christe his sacred Gospell True it is that there are many to bee founde aswell women as men whiche are able to preache and that with no lesse dexteritie and sufficiencie then he vnto whom that charge and office is peculiarly committed But because the greatest number in the flocke alwaies is of weakelynges therefore it is expedient that some bee appoincted to strengthen and confirme suche and to keepe backe the Wolfe from russhyng in emong them and deuouryng them For a Preachers office and duetie is not onely to feede that is to teache his Sheepe how thei ought to frame theimselues to become true and sincere Christians but he hath the charge also to looke that the Wolfe bee kept out and that none of the Sheepe be deuoured or seduced by false doctrine and so drawen into errour whiche is the continuall drifte and practise of the Deuill Now there bee many that can well enough abide to haue the Gospell preached so that there might bee no exclaimyng and speakyng againste Wolues I meane so that Preachers in their Sermons would forbeare railyng and tauntyng against Prelates But although I preache sounde doctrine and that whiche is true and although I feede and teach my charge the Sheepe well and rightly yet is not that sufficient for it is further required at my handes to keepe the Sheepe from daunger and to haue a carefull regarde vnto theim that Wolues come not emong theim to driue theim awaie out of their fertile and wholesome pastures For to what purpose is my building if when I haue couched and orderly laied my Stones an other straightwaies come hurle them doune as fast againe and I seyng him forbidde him not The Wolfe is well enough contented that the Sheepe bee well fedde and fatted in good pasture because the fatter thei bee thei pleasaunter and daintier praie thinketh he to make of them But that Dogges should incessauntly barke and baule at hym that can he not abide And therefore it is a matter of no small waight and charge to feede well accordyng as GOD hath giuen in commaundement to doe and it behooueth eche one in that function carefully to consider his charge in this behalfe The Flocke saieth he whiche dependeth vpon you that is ouer whiche ye haue charge or whiche is among you and not whiche is subiect and liyng at your Feete Care for it and that not by coÌ„straint because ye can none
neither cursed when he giltleslie was brought before the Iudge and therfore thou must also not here looke alwaies to bee iustlie dealt withall but as it were whollie to neglecte and not to care how indifferentlie and rightlie Iustice in this respect is ministred vnto thee but when thou haste wrong offred thee saie rather to thy wrong I thanke GOD herevnto am I called that I should suffer wrong For why should I complaine sithe Christe my Lorde and Sauiour who was guiltlesse and innocent euery waie complained not And here hath Saincte Peter alledged certaine woordes out of the liij Chapter of Esaie the Prophete where it is thus saied that He had committed no wickednesse neither was any guile founde in his mouthe And these woordes By whose stripes ye were healed mentioned also in the same Chapter vers v. Christe was so pure that there was not so muche as one euill woorde in his tongue he was worthie to haue had all honoure at their handes he deserued to bee kneeled vnto and as it were to bee caried in the armes of all menne Finallie he had power and aucthoritie enough to haue reuenged hymself if it had so pleased hym but he suffered hymself rather to bee reuiled mocked blasphemed and laste of all put to death and yet not once opened he his mouthe Why therefore shouldest thou bee any whitte vnwillyng to suffer persecution and wrong sith thou art nothyng but Synne Thou shouldest rather hartilie thanke God and highlie extoll his gracious goodnesse who hath accoumpted thee worthie to bee like to his Christe and not to repine and mutter nor to bee vnpacient when thou art wronged seeyng that the Lorde hymself neither reuiled nor threatened againe but earnestly praied for his Enemies But thou wilte peraduenture saie Sall I allowe and thinke well of them that deale Iniuriously with me and saie that therein thei doe well I aunswere No. But saie rather thus in thine harte although I haue not deserued this hard dealing nor to bee thus wrongfully entreated yet will I willyngly suffer these thynges for my Lorde God his sake who beeyng moste innocente was for my sake euill entreated and moste wrongfully dealte withall Commit thy cause to God who is a righteous Iudge and he will abundauntly recompence all thy sufferynges euen as Christ committed his cause vnto his Father in heauen Who his owne self saieth Saincte Peter offered vp our Synnes in his bodie on the Tree that is he suffered death not for any cause of his owne but for our sake and for our Saluation whom wee through our Synnes crucified and nailed on the Crosse But alas wee are yet verie farre from suche kinde of sufferyng wrong And therefore if thou be a sincere and a true Christian thou muste imitate Christe in this poincte and bee hartily sorie for them that hurte thee praiyng earnestly for thē vnto almightie God that it maie please hym to forgiue theim and not to punishe theim for the same For alas thei doe more hurte thereby to them selues in their Soule then thei doe harme to thee in thy Bodie This if thou throughly consider and in harte rightly waigh thou canst not choose but be presently eased of all inward grief and willyngly suffer all thynges with pacience And finallie wee are to remember that wee our selues aswell as thei a little afore ledde a wicked life but are now at length tourned vnto Christe as sainct Peter in the knittyng vp of this Chapter saieth For ye were as sheepe goyng astraye but are now returned vnto the sheepherde and bishop of your soules AND this place also hath hee taken out of Esay Chapter liij Where he saieth thus All wee like sheepe haue gone astraie wee haue tourned euery one to his owne waie But now saieth sainct Peter wee haue gotten a Sheepeheard The Sonne of God is come doune for our sakes to bee our Sheepeheard and our Bishoppe hee by giuyng vnto vs his Spirite feedeth vs and so guideth leadeth vs by his Word that wee are now certaine and sure of our Saluation Therefore if thou acknowledge and confesse that thy Sinnes are cleane washed and taken awaie by him thou art his Sheepe and hee is thy Sheepeheard and thy Bishoppe This is the greatest comfort that all Christians haue Thus haue wee fullie finished two Chapters of this Epistle wherein Sainct Peter hath firste laied doune and plainlie taught the sinceritie of Faith and secondarily the sincere workes of Loue and herein also hath hee treated of twoo sortes of Workes namely aswell of those woorkes whiche wee are all bounde in generalitie to shewe vnto the Magistrate as also those dueties that Seruauntes owe vnto their Maisters And what sainct Peter here speaketh of Seruaunts thesame also appertaineth vnto certaine other sortes of men namely Artificers Hirelinges and all sortes of mercenarie seruantes whatsoeuer Now next he laieth downe lessons how man and wife shoulde Christianly liue together The third Chapter LIkewise let the wiues be subiect to their housbandes that euen thei which obey not the worde may without the worde bee wonne by the conuersation of the wiues While thei behold your pure conuersation whiche is with feare Whose apparailyng let it not be outwarde with broyded haire and golde put about or in puttyng on of apparell But let the hid man of the harte bee vncorrupt with a meeke and quiet spirite which is before God a thyng much set by For euen after this maner in time past did the holy women whiche trusted in GOD tier themselues and were subiect to their husbandes As Sara obeyed Abraham and called hym Sir whose daughters ye are whiles ye doe well not beyng afraide of any terrour Likewise ye housbandes dwell with them as men of knowledge giuyng honour vnto the woman as vnto the weaker vessell euen as thei which are heires together of the grace of life that your praiers bee not interrupted Finally be ye al of one minde one suffer with an other loue as brethren be pitifull be courteous Not rendring euill for euill neither rebuke for rebuke but contrariwise blesse knowyng that ye are thereunto called that ye should be heires of blessing For if any man long after life and to see good dayes let him refraine his tongue from euill and his lippes that thei speake no guile Let him eschewe euill and doe good let hym seeke peace and followe after it For the eyes of the Lorde are ouer the righteous and his eares are open vnto their praiers the face of the Lorde is vpon them that doe euill And who is it that will harme you if ye followe that whiche is good Notwithstanding blessed are ye if ye suffer for righteousnesse sake Yea feare not their feare neither be troubled But sanctifie the Lorde God in your heartes and bee readie alwaies to giue an answere to euery man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you and that with meekenesse and reuerence Hauyng a good conscience that when they speake euill of you as
assailed and shaken that it euen trembleth and quaketh how can he stande that is voide of Faithe And therefore he concludeth Wherefore lett theim that suffer accordyng to the will of God committe their soules to hym in well doyng as vnto a faithfull Creator THei vnto whom God sendeth affliction beyng vnsought for vndesired and vnprocured by themselues lette them committe their Soules vnto hym that is their Creatour Thei still continue in well dooyng thei perseuere and goe forwarde in good Woorkes thei shrinke not backe for afflictions but committe and commende their Soules to hym that created them and is faithefull In whiche Woorde is contained moste plentifull store of heauenly consolation For seeyng that God hath created thy Soule without any care labour or helpe of thee when as thou was not as yet any thyng shall not be also easily preserue and saue it And therefore committe it onely to hym but yet so that thou muste not thinke thy self exempted and priuiledged from good Woorkes for thou must not thinke that thou must bye idle thou must striue and endeuour thy self to accomplish and be eche waie aunswerable to the name of a Christian witnessyng thy Faithe by thy good Workes But if thou liue here carelesly and rechlessely thou shalt in the ende doubtlesse finde that thou haste foulie deceiued thy self This is the laste admonition of saincte Peter vnto them that must suffer affliction for the will of GOD. ¶ The fifth Chapter THe Elders which are emong you I beseeche whiche am also an Elder and a witnesse of the suffrynges of Christe and also a partaker of the glorie that shalbe reueiled Feede the flocke of GOD whiche dependeth vpon you caryng for it not by constraint but willingly not for filthie lucre but of a readie mynde Not as though ye were Lordes ouer Gods heritage but that ye maie bee ensamples to the flocke And when the chief shephearde shall appeare ye shall receiue an incorruptible croune of glorie Likewise ye yonger submit your selues vnto the Elders and submitte your selues euery man one to an other decke your selues inwardly in lowlinesse of mynde for GOD resisteth the proude and giueth grace to the humble Humble your selues therefore vnder the mightie hande of God that he maie exalt you in due tyme. Cast all your care on hym for he careth for you Bee sober and watche for your aduersarie the Deuill as a roaryng Lion walketh aboute seekyng whom he maie denoure Whom resist stedfast in the Faithe knowyng that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren whiche are in the worlde And the GOD of all grace whiche hath called vs vnto his eternall glorie by Christe Iesus after that ye haue suffred a little make you perfect confirme strengthen and stablishe you To hym bee glorie and dominion for euer and euer Amen By Syluanus a faithfull brother vnto you as I suppose haâ—e I written briefly exhortyng testifiyng how that this is the true grace of God wherein ye stande The Churche that is at Babylon elected together with you saluteth you and Marcus my sonne Greete ye one an other with the kisse of Loue. Peace be with you all whiche are in Christ Iesus Amen The Elders which are among you I beseech which am also an Elder and a witnesse of the suffringes of Christ HEre sainct Peter teacheth those that haue any charge of feedyng the Flocke of Christe how thei ought to behaue theÌ„selues In the Chapiter afore he tolde that none should presume to teache or preache any thing vnlesse he were certeine and assured that the same was the syncere and pure Worde of GOD vppon whiche as vpon a firme and strong Rocke our Consciences maie boldly staie For this in dutie is required of vs Christians that wee should bee certaine and knowe throughly what thing is allowed of Christe and what is not for thei that wauer in vncertaintie of this knowledge are not to bee taken as Christians He addeth also thus much that whosoeuer entreth into any office or functioÌ„ should so behaue himself therein in eche respect as that he should not doubt but that God was the Authour therof But what he here saith peculierly belongeth to Bisshops and Ecclesiasticall Pastors wherein he teacheth them how they are to demeâ—ne themselues in the administration of their dueties and charges and what maner of persons thei ought to bee Wee must here further be acquainted with the phraze and proprietie of the tongue wherein this Epistle was written that wee bee not deceiued through ignoraunce of the signification and force of the Woorde For this Greeke name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which S. Peter here vseth doeth signifie An Elder by whiche worde thei also are called that bee Senatours that is Meuiexcellyng in age grauitie vertue wisedome and experience After the same sorce doeth Christ call his Disciples Ministers and Senate to whose office it belongeth to ouersee and gouerne his Spirituall Empire that is to preache and to take care of the Christian Congregation by the name of Elders And therfore meruaile not awhit neither let it any thing moue thee though thei which bee Elders â—e nowadaies called by other Titles or names whereof the Scripture maketh no mention at all But not respectyng the order wherein thinges presently stande weigh and conceiue the mater thus When S. Peter or any other of the Apostles came into any Citie wherein Christians were thei ordeined some one or other of theim suche as liued honestly and vnblameably and had wife and children and also skilfull in the Scriptures of GOD to haue the superintendencie and charge ouer the rest And them thei called Seniors or Elders whom afterward bothe sainct Peter and also Saincte Paule called Bishopps whereby wee maie note that Bishoppes were none others then the verie same that were Elders Touchyng this purpose wee reade in the historie of sainct Martine how a ceirtaine man came vnto a place in Apbrica and there in a poore Cotage found an elderly man whom thei thought to haue been some plaine Countrieman Within a while thei sawe many people come flockyng to hym to whoÌ„ he preached and expounded the Woorde of God whereby thei perceiued that he was their Pastour or Bishopp For in those daies there was no difference either in apparaile or maners betweene the Bishoppes and the residue of Christians The Elders saieth S. Peter vppon whom the charge lieth to feede the flocke of Christ with the Worde of GOD and to haue care ouer them in the Lorde I exhort whiche am also an Elder Whereby it manifestly appeareth that thei whom he here nameth Elders were suche as laboured in the ministerie of the Woorde and diligently preached the glad tidynges of the Gospell For suche as he was that calleth hymself their fellowe Elder suche also appeareth it that thei were And here we see how farre he humbleth and abaseth hymself in that he taketh not vpon hym the name of a Prelate which in respecte that he was an Apostle of the Lorde he
behaue your selues as newe borne Babes are wont to doe that is thei desire and couet after nothyng but Milke As thei therefore desire the Dugge and Milke euen so ought ye to desire the Woorde and to haue your whole delight in the same accoumpting that all delicacies and dainties are therein readie for you so loÌ„g as you may sucke that Milke whiche is sincere and without deceipt Againe these wordes bee figuratiue For he speaketh neither of bodily Milke neither of any corporal kinde of sucking nor yet of any naturall birthe and natiuitie But hee speaketh here of an other kinde of Milke whiche is Spirituall whiche is drawen by the Soule sucked with the Hart. This Milke ought to bee without deceipte and not guilefull as it many tymes nowadaies happeneth y t much paltring and deceiptfull wares are retailed and vttered in sale Truly it is moste necessarie that Christians beyng new Borne and yet Infantes should be nourished with sincere pure and perfect good milke Now this Milke is nothyng els then the Gospell whiche is the Seede whereof we be conceiued and newe borne as afore we declared thesame also is our meate wherwith after we be come to growth we are fedde it is also our Armor wherwith we bee fenced cladde and armed and to speake all at once the self same Gospell is all thynges vnto vs. Now whatsoeuer is thereunto myngled or corrupteth and infecteth the sinceritie thereof is the doctrine of men Therefore doth the holie Ghost here warne vs that euery one of them whiche bee regenerate and newe borne in Christ should carefullie looke about hym and take heede what Milke he sucketh and learne to bee able to iudge of euery doctrine The Dugges or Teates distilling and draynyng out this milke and out of whom Infantes doe sucke are thei whiche preache and teache the pure Worde in the Churche of Christ So speaketh the Bridegroome to his Spouse in the Cantic Chapter 4. Thy two Breastes are like two twinnes of yong Roes Betwene these ought there to hang a buÌ„dell of Myrrhe as the Spouse there saieth Canti 1. A bundell of Myrrhe is thy Louer vnto mee whiche lyeth betweene my breastes The meanyng whereof is that Christ onely is alwaies to be preached This Bridegrome alwaies ought to lye in the middle betweene our breastes Otherwise if Christ be not purely preached the Milke is corrupted and al thinges are preposterous noysome and contagious Purely preached I call that when it is first taught how that Christe hath dyed for vs and by his death hath rescued and deliuered vs from Synne Death and Hell this doctrine is in hearyng very pleasant and like as it were sweete Milke But withall anone after must the Crosse also bee preached to wit that wee must euen so suffer as he hymself hath suffred this is a vehement strong drinke and mightie Wine Therefore to suche as are but newly wonne and begotten in Christe gentle meate that is to saie Milke must bee first giuen whiche can no waie be so conueniently doen as first and formost by preachyng and shewyng vnto them Christe who is nothyng at all sharpe and bitter but rather euen sweetenesse it self both pleasaunt in relishe and toothsome in taste without any maner of harshnesse or harme And this is that very sincere and Spirituall Milke without all deceiptfulnesse And here againe hath sainct Peter by Milke comprehended and glaunced at other places of Scripture as his order and custome is often and very plenteously to doe namely that in the 23. of Exod. and Deut. 14 The Lorde gaue this commaundement saiyng See that thou seeth not a Kidde in his mothers Milke For what purpose I praie you willed God this to be written what matter is there in it that a Kidd must not bee killed so long as it sucketh Doubtlesse for none other cause but to signifie the same thyng whiche sainct Peter here teacheth For it is nothyng els then if hee should saie Looke that ye preache gently and softlie to those Christians that bee as yet Infantes and Weakelinges let them be well fedd and fatted in the knowledge of Christe ouercharge them not with strong learnyng for their weakenesse and age can not awaie with it nor yet digest it But after that thei bee growen and waxen strong then see them to bee killed and sacrificed with the Crosse The same sense and meanyng hath that Lawe whiche we reade Deuter. 24. That a man takyng a newe wife shall not be compelled to goe a warfare the first yeare least he should be slaine but shall be free at home and reioyce with his new wife whiche he hath taken Whereby assuredly there is none othâ—â— thyng ment but that wee are to allowe and graunt vnto those that as yet be children in the Schole and faith of Christ their conuenient tyme and space to grow vp and in the meane season that we ought to deale with them and handle them geÌ„tlie and curteously whom afterwarde being waxed strong and of sufficient growth the Lorde will bryng to the Crosse and make to be slaine as he doth other Christians And then is the Kidde killed Whereby ye maie growe if so bee ye haue tasted how bountifull the Lorde is IT sufficeth not once onely to haue heard the Gospell It must continually bee inculked that we may daiely thereby grow accordyngly as we see one endued with strongnesse of faithe so ought he to be prouided for and so to bee fedde Now do not thinke that this is spoken or ment to such as yet haue not heard of the Gospel for thei neither know what Milk is nor what Wine meaneth Therefore added he these woordes If so bee you haue tasted how bountifull and gracious the Lorde is As though he should saie He that hath not tasted this geare to hym is it neither perceiued with the harte neither hath it any pleasaunt or sweete sauour But thei that haue tasted it doe long after it and are euer desirous of this meate to theim the Woorde relisheth and sauoureth euen as it is in deede and of theim is it with wonderfull sweetenesse receiued and taken And this I call Tastyng when I dooe with my very harte beleeue that Christe hath giuen hymself vnto me and that I haue my full interest in hym that he beareth and aunswereth for all my Sinnes trangressions and harmes and that his life is my life When this perswasion is throughly settled in my hearte it yeeldeth wonderfull and incredible good taste For how should not I herewith bee euen rauished with ioye and pleasure seeyng I am so glad and so ioyfull of a small temporall commoditie as if a freende should giue vnto me but onely an hundreth peeces of gold But he that feeleth no tast of this thing in his harte can not hereof conceiue and take any ioye or pleasure Furthermore thei beste taste these thynges that are drawyng neere to the agonies of Death or are any waie disquieted with remorse of conscience In those cases
otherwise choose but willingly not for filthie lucre sake but of a readie mynd Here he comprehendeth in one worde all that whiche the Prophete Ezechiell in the xxxiiij Chapter of his Prophesie writeth concerning Pastors or Bisshoppes The meaning of this place is thus Not onely feede ye but take ye care also and prouide for them that thei want nothing and where any standeth in necessitie or neede there see that ye relieue them and in eche respect doe the partes and dueties of right 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is good Watchmen and faithfull Espialles Looke out least daunger appeare stande alwaies preste and readie on your guarde and diligently beholde and espie out of your Watch-tower what it is that is wantyng or what it is that is befallen vnto euery one within your charges Hereby wee maie well perceiue and knowe that a Bisshoppe is euen the same that is here meant by an Elder And therefore it is not true whiche some saie that a Bisshopricke is a dignitie and a Bisshop onely he that weareth a forked Mitre Episcopacie is not a name of Dignitie but of Office for he that is inuested with that name and tytle ought to looke to his Flocke to be carefull for it and to serue as a good Watchman to see abroade learne what thinges be amisse any where within his charge As if there be any that is weake hauing his conscience wounded hym ought he to confirme comforte and heale if any fall him ought he to lift vp againe and so as other defectes arise to bee readie to helpe whereby Christian people maie bee sufficiently looked vnto and prouided for bothe in Soule and in Bodie This is the reason that hath moued mee heretofore oftentymes to saie that if wee would institute a right Christian Common wealth it were necessarie that in euery Citie there should bee three or fower Superintendentes to take care and regarde ouer the Churche and Congregation and to reforme and restore whatsoeuer therein is amisse or wantyng And here he toucheth two speciall poyntes ynough almost to terrifie and discourage any man from bearyng authoritie ouer the people or to take this greate charge and burden vpon hym For first there bee some vertuous and honest men who half vnwillynglie are drawen into the Ministerie and function of Preachyng for that thei see it to be a painfull and laborious office to skoute aboute euery where to see how the Sheepe liue to succour and helpe them that bee in want to strengthen and raise vp them that bee waueryng and readie to fall and finallie to haue suche diligent care and continuall watche ouer them that the Wolfe finde no entraunce to inuade and come russhyng in among them yea in that he must not sticke to laie downe his life for their preseruation and safegarde And also for that it is suche an harde matter of so great difficultie trulie to discharge the office of a godly Pastor yea of so greate daunger also because it must be throughly executed that not vnwillingly or as though it were by constraint True it is that no man ought to intrude himself into that Office but if he â—â—â—hereunto called and required he ought willingly to take it vpon hym and to discharge and perfourme as muche as to his function and office appertaineth For thei that take this matter vpon theÌ„ vpon necessitie and constraint and haue neither courage nor pleasure in the same shall neuer with any profite fruitfully discharge or execute their office Againe there bee others worse then these which take this Office vpon them for none other ende but for filthie Lucre to scrape and rake together wealth and to pamper and cramme their bellies These fellowes seeke onely for the Wooll and the Mylke of the Sheepe but as for good pastures for them thei care not and with this scabbe is the Popishe Clergie horriblie infected And this is a moste hurtfull daungerous noysome and filthie Vice then whiche there can not bee any so dishonorable or shamefull for him that taketh on him the name and charge of a Christian Bisshoppe or Pastor Whiche was the thing that caused both the Apostles Peter and Paule and also the Prophetes so oft to recorde and inculke it This caused Moses to saie Num. xvj I haue not taken so muche as an Asle from them neither haue I hurt any of them And Samuell also Ye know that I haue not taken any mans Oxe or Asse from hym nor doen wrong to any c. j. Sam. xij For if he that hath this charge and function of feeding the Flocke be gréedily giuen to scraping together of richesse and wealth and to gape after filthie Lucre suche a one I saie is hymself easilie and soone chaunged from a Pastor into a Wolfe But of a readie mynde THat is euen with pleasure Let the Pastor or Bisshoppe applie his Office and vocatioÌ„ and that with a readie willingnes Thei that thus cherefully proÌ„ptly and zealously discharge their function are those which as thei dooe their dueties willingly so dooe thei not greedily pull the fleeze from the Sheepe There bee therefore twoo sortes of false Pastors The one sorte occupie their roume grudginglie and vnwillingly the other willingly and gladlie but yet for gaine and filthie lucre Not as though ye were Lords ouer Gods heritage SVche are thei that are willing to take the office vpon them for dignitie sake because thei would liue pompouslie and beare greate swaie and authoritie in the Worlde He therefore exhorteth Bisshoppes Elders Pastors that thei practise not any Lordly tyrannie ouer the Flocke as though the people were their Slaues and Vnderlings or as though they had suche authoritie and Lordshippe ouer them to commaund what thei list For wee haue but one Lorde whiche is Christe and he it is whiche gouerneth our Soules Elders and Pastors haue no further charge theÌ„ to féede And here in one word Saincte Peter vtterly ouerthroweth all the kingdome of the Pope and concludeth that no Bisshoppe hath any authoritie somuche as in one worde to clogge and tye the consciences of the faithfull to the obseruation of their preceptes For they themselues ought to bee Seruauntes and Ministers and to saie Thus saieth the Lord and these be the Words of Christ it is not wee the woordes are none of ours and therefore ye ought to doe that whiche is here commaunded Accordyng to that whiche Christe saieth Luc. xxij The Kynges of the Gentiles reigne ouer them and they that beare rule ouer them are called gracious Lordes but ye shall not bee so Contrary wherevnto the Pope boasteth and braggeth saiyng Wee ought to bee Lordes and to vs onely it belongeth to exercise chief rule and supreme authoritie But that ye maie bee ensamples to the Flocke And when the chiefe Shepeheard shall appeare ye shall receiue an incorruptible croune of glorie SEE that ye bee the formost in the battaile vsyng suche honest conuersation that your life maie bee a Lanterne to giue light
therefore looke diligently and warely to hymself and he shall finde all this to be most true as thei that haue been tempted can not bee ignoraunt And therefore wee are more then twise miserable that liue here so carelesly and retchlesly For if we would enter into coÌ„sideration with our selues of this our life present we should see good cause for vs to crye out and call for help none otherwise then if wee were beset with a nuÌ„ber of murtherous Theeues This caused Iob to saie that the life of man on Earth is a mere Warfare and a continuall temptation or fight But why then will ye saie doth God place vs in this life beeyng so full of miseries Truely for this cause that our Faith maie be exercised and encreased and that we should be the gladder and willinger to departe hence and further that Death might become more sauoueie vnto vs and bee the earnestlier of vs desired Whom resist stedfast in the Faithe WEE must bee sober and watche but yet to this ende that our bodies maie bee fit and readie for the conflict and battaile and yet this is not sufficient to ouercome the Deuill withall These weapons are onely auaileable for this respect that the bodie maie bee the lesse occasioned to sinne But the true weapon wherewith wee must giue the ouerthrowe and foyle to our Eenemie is Faithe For if wee take sure holde of GOD in his Worde and in harte constantly cleaue therevnto by Faithe the Deuill shall neuer bee able to vanquishe vs but like a daunced Cowarde straight waies runne out of the fielde If thou canst saie This hath my Lord my God spoken this I do stedfastly beleue hereupon I staie my self hereunto doe I leane thou shalt see the Deuill quickly like a Micher sneake awaie and departe with whom all beautinesse all ill concupiscence and iuste all wrath all couetousnesse all faint-hartednesse and desperation vanishe and packe awaie also But suche is the â—uctletie and craft of the Deuill that he will hardlie suffer thee to come to that poynct but will vse all the meanes that hee can to plucke this weapon out of thy hande Whiche he easily bryngeth to passe when he hath once ensnared thee in a drowsie slothfulnesse and made thy bodie vtterly vnapt for the battaile and giuen to nothyng els but to lasciuious wantonnes For by that meanes with little adoe he wringeth out of thy hande the Sworde of the Spirite which is the Worde of God as he did by our firste Graundmother Eue. She had the Word of God wherevnto if she had firmely and stedfastly adhered shee had not fallen But when the Deuill sawe her negligently and carelesly to regarde the Worde he easilie pulled it out of her harte and so obteined that whiche he would haue Sainct Peter therefore hath here sufficiently warned vs that wee should striue and fight against the Deuill To which battaile and encountrie it nothyng auaileth to runne vp and doune hither and thither for any good Worke whiche thou of thy self canst doe but this onely must thou haue care vnto that thou constantlie sticke and stedfastly by faithe embrace the Worde of God If the Deuill then approache thee and goe about to hurle thee into pensiuenesse of minde and desperation by reason of thy manifolde sinnes and transgressions before committed betake thou thy self straightwaies to the Word of God wherein remission of all thy Synnes is promised commit thy self wholly thereunto and thou shalt see that he will quickly packe awaie and be gonne from thee Knowyng that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren whiche are in the worlde MEruaile ye not that ye must suffer temptatioÌ„s of the Deuill let this rather comforte you that you suffer not the same alone For there bee a greate many of you and ye are all Brethren and ye must all suffer and endure the same All they take your partes and in this conflict are aiders and helpers vnto you Thus hast thou this former Epistle of S. Peter somwhat largelie expounded In the whiche thou art taught euen fullie and abundauntly the whole summe of Christian doctrine and wherein also thou maiest see Faithe Loue and the Crosse right aptly and copiouslie described and maiest also read many godlie instructions and necessarie premonitions how to wage battaile and continue fight with that greate Dragon the Deuill Whiche Epistle who so euer hath rightly and throughlie learned hath no doubte a riche Storehouse of all suche thynges as any waie concerne sincere and true Christianitie In somuche that he shall not neede any other doctrine or helpe beside this as in deede there is none other Sauyng that God of the aboundaunte store of his mercie and bountie teacheth the same doctrine in sundrie and many other places of the Scriptures For other then this that is here sett doune by sainct Peter there is nothyng that can be taught or that needeth to bee displaied sith he herein hath omitted nothyng of all those thinges whiche are expediente and behoouefull for a Christian to knowe Finallie he here deliuereth the partes of a faithfull Preacher and good Pastour to witte that he should accoumpt it his bounden duetie not onely to feede the Sheepe but also to bee carefull for them and to praie for theim that God maie graciouslie encrease theim in goodnesse and strengthen theim in Faithe whereby thei maie bothe receiue and heare the Word and also digest vnderstande and bryng forthe the fruites therof And thus with a praier in the ende he concludeth saiyng And the GOD of all grace whiche hath called vs vnto his eternall glorie by Christe Iesus after that ye haue suffred a little make you perfect confirme strengthen and stablishe you IN this Praier he commendeth them to God The God saieth he who aâ—â—de is the giuer of all Grace and that not pinchyngly or in parte but who moste liberally and aboundauntly as it were by full heapes powreth all his Graces vpon you who hath called you through Christe that ye should enioy and be partakers of eternal glorie that not for any merite of your own but by through Christ Whom if ye haue ye also haue through Faithe in him not for any merite of your owne eternall life and felicitie He it is that shall make you perfecte that you beeyng by hym strengthened maie growe and stande faste readie to woorke all good woorkes He also shall confirme and stablishe you that you shalbee able to suffer and abide all thynges To hym bee glorie and Dominion for euer and euer Amen THis praise is that Sacrifice whiche the duetie of all vs which bee Christians is to offer He addeth yet a fewe woordes moe By Syluanus a faithfull brother vnto you as I suppose haue I written brieflie exhortyng and testifiyng how that this is the true grace of God wherein ye stande ALthough I am not ignoraunte that ye haue heard and learned these thynges afore so that ye greatlie neede not to bee taught the same againe at my
expectation reserued sorthe last daie and commyng of the Lorde whether the same come and approche with speede or staie yet somewhat longer And of all their cruell speakynges whiche wicked synners haue spoken against hym IN these wordes he both reprooueth their life and reprehendeth their saiynges and it is as much as if he should saie Thei speake presumptuously and malapertly against the Lord and against his commyng they bee impudent and tooto arrogant thei deryde and blaspheme hym as S. Peter also in his Epistle writeth of them He speaketh not here of their life as it is defiled and deformed with sinnes and iniquities but as it is giuen ouer and entierly addicted to woorke all impietie I call that Impietie when the life is led without Faith although the outwarde conuersation bee not altogether flagitious and damnable Euill works be in deede the fruictes of Impietie but Impietie it self is properly called that life whiche glittereth outwardly with a gaie shew of hypocriticall workes whereas the harte is vtterly voyde of Faithe Suche impious persons saieth he the Lord will reproue because the presumptuous doctrine whiche thei boldly teache thei stiflie defende and obstinately maintaine leanyng alwaies to their owne brainsicke glosses and constructions and not sufferyng themselues to bee conuerted and turned to the truthe but are harder then the Flint and will neuer desist from condemnyng and blasphemyng the doctrine of true godlinesse Here we see how liuely these wordes of Enoch paint out and describe these kinde of persons that are and should foyst themselues into the Churche towarde the latter ende of the Worlde whiche vndoubtly are y e Papistes as to euery man euidently appeareth These are murmurers complainers walkyng after their owne lustes whose mouthes speake proude thynges IF a man finde fault with their dealynges and reproue them as vnlawful and dissonaunt to the Worde of God he shalbee sure to bryng himself thereby into a pecke of troubles they will murmure repine and gnashe their teeth at him As for example if a man should but leaue out or omit any peece or parte of the Bishoppes ordinarie style and wonted tytle they straightwaies with open throates crye out Contempt and Disobedience There is no waie left to withstand their lawlesse lustes and selfwilled dealinges for thei bragge that they haue power bothe ouer our bodies ouer our soules thei haue gotten into their handes bothe the Swordes so that they can not bee compelled by Lawe to dooe that is iust and right and that any man should preache against them that can thei not at any hand abide They haue exempted thēselues and all theirs from all maner of taxe tribute and imposition so that no man dare once touche any thing that belongeth vnto them finallie thei are growen to that degree of tyrannie that no man dare presume to preache a worde contrarie to the order of their peeuish Proceedings To alledge any Scriptures against them it is altogether bootelesse for they saie that none maie expoūd or enterprete the same sauing thei themselues By which meanes it is come to passe that in all places and in all thinges they liue as licentiously as thei list For these saiynges can not bee wrested or applied against vs professours of the true Gospell for that wee reuerently and dutifully submitt our selues and yeeld our obedience aswell to the Scriptures as to the ciuile Power from bothe whiche thei wilbe free and not compellable by any Last of al their Decrees and Cannons be pestered and thwacked full of proude arrogant and swellyng wordes vtterly voyde of all good and godlinesse Hauing mens persones in admiration because of a vantage THis hitteth their natures and dispositions very iumpe for thei iudge all thinges accordyng to the person In all the whole Popes Canons ye shall not once finde it commaunded that the Bisshoppe should humble himself beneath the poore Parishe Priest nor any of the fruictes of a Christian life whatsoeuer But al thinges rather sounde thus Let the Curate bee vnder the Priest the Priest vnder the Bisshoppe the Bisshoppe vnder the Archbishoppe the Archbishoppe vnder the Patriarch and the Patriarch vnder the Pope Finallie how euery one should weare his Habite his Amyse his Weede and Cowle after what fashion he should clippe his hayre shaue his crowne and beard and make his apparaile how many Benifices and how many Prebendes he might keepe c. Thus thei brought all thinges to certaine externall Ceremonies and traditions of their own makyng and wholly occupied themselues in mere childishe foolish and friuolous trifles which thei had in greate accoūpt and estimation yea thei iudged it no lesse then deadly sinne if any man should refuse to adore reuerence these their boyishe toyes And therefore very well saieth Iude in this place Thei haue mens persons in admiratiō for thei lappe vp their lewd and loude lyes in vizardes of hypocrisie and only admire those gaie shewes that are visiblie obiect to the eye All this while thei neuer speake woorde neither knowe any thyng as they should knowe of Faith of Charitie or of the Crosse And yet the poore vulgare people suffer themselues still to be beesotted with these Popishe Bugges and thinke themselues to doe very acceptable seruice to God in giuing all their Goods Substaunce and Patrimonie to feede these filthie Swine in the Stye of this their lewd sensualitie But ye beloued remember the woordes whiche were spoken before of the Apostles of our Lorde Iesus Christ How that thei told you that there should be mockers in the laste tyme whiche should walke after their owne vngodlie lustes THis place also giueth some occasion to thinke that this Epistle was not written by Saincte Iude the Apostle because the Aucthour hereof reckeneth not hymself among the other Apostles but speaketh so of theim as though thei had preached long before his tyme whereby it maie well bee thought that this was rather written by some other godlie man that had read Sainct Peters Epistle and out of it culled and gathered these woordes and Sentences Who these mockers bee wee haue afore declared and who thei also bee that walke after their owne lustes not onely carnall and fleshely lustes but those rather that sauour of horrible impietie wherin thei liue in eche respect accordyng to their owne inordinate desires neither reuerencyng the Ciuile Magistrate nor obeiyng the Worde of God but liue so loosely and contemptuously that thei neither obediently acknowledge any externall nor yet internal Gouernement Al Lawes aswell Diuine as Humaine thei flatly despise and sette at naught and so flye in the Aire in the middle betweene Heauen and Earth euen as thei are hoised vp and caried aloft by their Maister the Deuill These are makers of sectes Fleshely hauyng not the Spirite HEre he alludeth to that whiche sainct Peter in his Epistle saied That there should come false Teachers whiche priuilie should bryng in damnable heresies These are thei that disobediently breake asunder the vnitie of Faithe and beyng not