and thinges vaine and fonde Gods power must bee present to woorke in vs as Sainct Paule writeth Ephes 1.17 God giue vnto you the Spirite of wisedome that yee maie knowe what is the exceadyng greatnesse of his power to vs warde whiche beleeue accordyng to the woorkyng of his mightie power c. For it is not onely by the will of God but also by a certaine Power of his that we doe beleue wherby wee are to learne that it is no lesse matter to make faithe in one then it is to create againe heauen and earth Wee maie euidently perceiue therefore that thei little knowe what thei saie whiche vse suche woordes as these how can onely faithe doe all seeyng many beleeue whiche doe no good woorkes at all For thei thinke their owne imagination to bee faithe and that faithe also maie bee without good woorkes But wee saie with saincte Peter that faithe is the power of GOD In whom soeuer God woorketh thus the same is a regenerate and a new borne creature so that then of faith there can not but naturally followe good woorkes Wherefore it shalbe needelesse to saie to a ChristiaÌ„ doe this or doe that good woorke forasmuche as of his owne accorde vnbidden he worketh nothyng but good woorkes Howbeit he is to bee hereof admonished that he dooe not deceiue hym self with any false counterfaite and supposed faithe Doe not therefore take any regarde to those vaine talkers that can prattle muche of these thynges whose woordes notwithstandyng are but as winde meâ—e trifles Of such Paule speaketh 1. Cor. 4. I will come vnto you and will knowe not the wordes of them that are puffed vp but spirituall power For the kyngdome of GOD consisteth not in woordes but in power Where this power of GOD is not there is neither true faithe nor good woorkes Wherefore thei vndoubtedly are liers whiche boaste themselues of the name and faith of Christ and doe notwithstanding leade a leude and wicked life For assuredly if the power of God bee present thei can not but become other maner of men then suche But what meaneth that whereas S. Peter saith By the power of God ye are kepte vnto saluation surely euen this Faithe whiche the power of God beeyng in vs and wherewith wee are replenished doeth woorke in vs is a thing so noble and excellente that by it wee haue certaine and manifeste knowledge of all thynges that pertaine to saluation beeyng now able to iudge and freely pronounce of all thinges whiche are in the yearth as for example This doctrine is sincere and sounde that is corrupt and false this life is good that is euill this was well dooen that otherwise And what soeuer suche a man doeth define and determine is so in deede For hee can not bee deceiued but is preserued and kepte by the power of God remaineth iudge of all doctrines Contrariwise where faithe and the power of God is not there is nothyng but error and blindnesse there reason is caried away hither and thither from one woorke to an other in asmuche as it striueth by her owne woorkes to come vnto heauen and therefore alwaies thinketh Behold this will bryng me to heauen let me worke this and I shall bee partaker of eternall felicitie and blessednesse Hereupon haue ouerspread the worlde suche rabbles and swarmes of Monasteries Altars sacrificyng Priestes Monkes Friers and Votaries Into suche greate blindnesse doth God suffer them to fall whiche doe not beleeue but to vs that beleeue hee preserueth and affordeth a right vnderstandyng in all thynges that wee maie not bee condemned through this blindnesse but through his mercie attaine saluation Which is prepared to be shewed in the laste tyme. THat is the inheritaunce whereunto ye are appoincted is alreadie purchased and from the beginnyng of the worlde prepared but now it is hid it is as yet couered and as it were closed and sealed vp but after a while it shall in a moment be opened and reueiled that we maie plainly sée it Wherein ye reioyce though now for a season if neede require ye are in heauinesse through manifolde tentations IF thou bee a Christian and lookest for this inheritaunce or saluation thou must needes wholy depende vppon it and vtterly conteinne all earthly thynges thou must also confesse and openly affirme that all the vnderstandyng wisedome holinesse of this worlde is altogether nothing Wherfore thou must looke for no other but that the worlde will condemne and persecute thee And therefore hath Sainct Peter rightlie ioyned together these three Faithe Hope and the crosse or affliction for asmuche as one of these proceedeth out of an other Howbeit he giueth no small comfort to them that suffer persecution for his woordes dooe sounde thus This heauinesse shall endure but a little while afterward ye shall for euer reioyce For saluation is alreadie prepared for you wherfore bee in the meane season pacient in afflictions whiche ye suffer This is a right and Christian consolation not as the doctrines of men doe comfort whiche haue relation no further but to bee ridde and deliuered from outward discommodities The Apostle speaketh not here of any suche corporall comfort It is no discommoditie if outward troubles come with a good courage sustaine suffer ye theÌ„ thinke not how ye maie shake theim of and bee deliuerd from theim but rather thinke thus with your selues Mine inheritance is alreadie prepared these afflictions shall shortly cease So shall that temporall comfort bée taken awaie and that eternall consolation whiche wee haue in God supplie the place thereof Moreouer these words are diligently to be noted whiche the Apostle addeth when he saieth If neede require whiche in effect he vttereth also afterward Chapter 3. in these woordes If the will of God bee so There be many men which as it were with a certaine force striue to come vnto heauen and euen by and by to chruste in and therefore laye vpon them selues a crosse and an affliction accordyng to their owne opinion and iudgement so fondlie is reason giuen to extoll her owne woorkes But God vtterlie disalloweth all suche dealyng For our owne woorkes whiche wee make choise of are not of any force before hym we must looke what he will laie vppon vs and what he will sende vnto vs that we maie walke and followe whither he doeth lead and guide vs. Wherefore there is no neede why thou shouldest seeke or procure to thy self affliction If neede so require that is if it bee the will of God that thou shalte suffer then chearefullie take the Crosse vppon thee and comforte thy self with hope and expectation of that saluation whiche is not temporall but eternall That the triall of your faith being much more precious then golde that perisheth though it be tried with fire might be founde c. THis is the effect of the crosse and of those manifolde affictions whiche wee suffer in this life that syncere faith maie bee knowne from that whiche is false and counterfait And
Worde of God that he maie feele what a good taste and sauour it hath because hee knoweth full well what great power and mightie efficacie is in it to subdue and beate downe all naughtie desires and euill thoughtes Therefore that whiche sainct Peter here speaketh is as though he should thus saie If you bee desirous to remaine and continue chast it standeth you in hande to embrace and shewe your obedience to the truthe through the Spirite that is to saie It necessarily behooueth you not onely to reade and heare the Worde of God but to embrace the same in your hartes And therefore it is not enough that the Gospell bee once preached or once heard but thou must continuallie cleaue vnto it and followe it For this grace hath the Worde that the oftner a man tasteth it the sweeter it still wareth and the pleasaunter it relisheth For albeit it alwaies teacheth one and the same doctrine concernyng Faithe yet can it neuer bee to the godlie and well disposed mindes sufficiently and enough heard Now addeth the Apostle further To loue brotherly without fainyng TO what ende now must wee leade a chast life to the ende thereby to attaine Saluation No forsooth But to the ende and purpose that wee maie serue and doe good to our neighbors What shall I doe that I maie restraine and keepe vnder my Sinnes I must dutifullie obeye the truthe in the Spirite that is to saie the Faithe of the Woorde of God And why doe I bridle and keepe vnder subiection my Sinnes Forsoothe that I maie dooe good to others For I must first bridle and ouermaister my bodie and fleshe through the Spirite and then shall I bee able to profite and doe good to others Loue one an other with a pure harte feruently THe holie Apostles Peter and Paule doe separate and make a difference betwene brotherly Loue and commō Loue a brotherhood is y t bond wherein all Christians ought to be among themselues euen as brothers without any respect or difference for why we haue all in common one Christe one Baptisme one Faithe and one Treasure I can not bee more worthie then thou that whiche thou haste I also haue finallie I am euen as riche as thou Wee haue one and the same treasure sauyng that I peraduenture receiue it more worthily then thou doest as if I should laie it vpp in Gold thou shouldest kepe it in some filthy rag or vise cloute Therefore as wee haue the grace of Christe and all spirituall blessynges common together so also ought we to haue our bodies liues wealth and dignities common one to an other that one maie serue an others turne and necessitie in all thinges Now hee verie significantlie saieth To loue brotherly without fainyng that is without any glosing hypocrisie or dissimulation whiche terme and phraze the Apostles gladlie vse for that vndoubtedlie thei foresawe that wee would not sticke to call one an other Christian or Brother and yet would falsly feinedly dissemblyngly and altogether hypocritically vndermine one an other We haue erected in the world many Fraternities and Brotherhoodes whiche in very deede are nothing els then starke vanities and mere deceiptes altogether deuised inuented brought into the world by the Deuill himself All whiche are wholy and altogether repugnaunt and contrarie to the Faithe and sincere loue of Brethren Christe is aswell myne as hee is sainct Barnardes thine no lesse then he is S. Francis When thou hearest any therefore saie I shall come to heauen if I be one of the Brotherhood of this or that order answere thou thus It is mere paltrie and counterfaited hypocrisie that thou speakest Christe can not abide any suche trumperie he can brooke none other then a common Brotherhood whiche we haue altogether and wilt thou plaie the notorious foole by breakyng of that to erecte and make to thy self any newe vpstart and peculier Brotherhood This truely could I well abide that thou shouldest erecte one but how not whereby to make any peculier helpe to thy Soule but for a certaine number to come together to contribute and gather some treasure for the reliefe of them that bee in necessitie Therefore all we Christiās haue one Brotherhood which we tooke vpon vs in our Baptisme of the whiche brotherhood there is no Saincte that hath any more then thou or I. For looke with how greate a price he was redeemed with so great am I also bought and redeemed GOD bestowed no lesse for my sake then for the greatest Saincte that is sauyng that he peraduenture embraced this treasure better then I doe That is to saie hath a stedfaster and stronger Faithe then I. Furthermore this woorde Loue hath a larger signification then Brotherlinesse because it reacheth also vnto our enemies and those especiallie whiche are not worthie of Loue. For as Faithe sheweth forthe her woorkyng where she seeth nothyng so also ought Loue to see nothing and there especially to exercise her operation where there is in apparaunce nothyng worthy to bee loued but rather all thynges odious and suche as maie breede and procure loathsomnesse Where there is nothyng that can well be liked of euen there ought the effectes of Loue to shewe forthe yea this ought also to be doen feruently saieth Peter and with the whole harte euen as God loued vs at suche time when wee were in euery respect moste vnworthie of his loue Beeyng borne anewe THirdlie al these thinges are therefore of you to be performed and doen because ye are not now as you were before but you are saieth he borne anewe and therefore newe Men. This was not brought to passe through any your owne workes but you needed a newe Birthe For a new man can not be brought forthe by any power of his owne into the worlde but he must first be begotten and borne What Carpenter is able by his owne Arte to make a Tree but the same must needes of it self first grow out of the groūd Therfore euer as we are not made but borne the Sonnes and children of Adam and haue naturally sucked synne from our Parentes so neither shall wee by our owne industrie and labour euer become the children of God but it behoueth vs by a kinde of newe Birth and regeneration so to be This therefore is the meanyng of the Apostle in this place Seeyng therefore that you are a newe Creature it is verie meete and conueniente withall that you demeane your selues after an other order and practise a newe kinde of life As heretofore ye liued in hatred so now vse your conuersation in Loue and let all thinges be transposed and tourned after an other sorte But how came this new Birthe to passe Not of mortall and corruptible seede but of immortall and incorruptible by the woorde of God whiche liueth and endureth for euer OF a kinde of Seede wee are regenerated and newe borne no otherwise then as we see all other thynges to bee borne and generated of Seede in their kinde If therefore
and selflikyng of theimselues trustyng in their owne Merites Woorkes and rotten Ceremonies Thei beleeue that Christ the Sonne of God in his humanitie suffred death and rose againe the third daie that he is the Sauiour of the worlde c. but thei doe not firmely and onely trust in hym for if thei did thei would not so scrupulously bee tied to their owne Lowsie trashe and beggerly Traditions After the same maner did thei beare the Laitie in hande that they could not attaine to saluation except they did after their directions Ye are Christians saie thei we confesse but this is not enough ye must doe suche and suche good workes ye must build Churches in the honor of this and that Sainct ye must erect and founde Monasteries and Abbayes ye must buie certaine Trentalles of Masses to be saied or song for you ye must pyue awaie your selues with fastyng and suche like Thus haue the séely poore people been beguiled and thus haue thei been perswaded and brought to shew themselues as well likers of these trumperies thinkyng it to be the Kynges high waie to heauen and these rotten workes of blinde deuotion to be of all workes the best because they sawe them which caried the tytle of the Church to allowe and followe the same so that in processe of tyme there grewe to bee as many Factions Sectes and Religions as there were Cities yea almoste as there were Men. Whereas they should rather haue taught them thus Ye are Christians aswell as thei that bee an hundred myles distant from you ye haue all one Christ one Baptisme one Faith one Spirite one Worde one God there is no worke that ye of your selues are able to doe towarde your saluation or able to bring you to the perfection of a right Christian If this Doctrine might generally bee preached men should be kept in the fellowshippe and vnitie of one Common Faith neither would there bee any difference at all in thinges appertainyng to God but all would be alike and one the same that an other is This Communion and vnitie thei haue broken and disioynted in that thei seduce and misleade vs in teachyng vs that wee must merite heauen by our Workes drawyng vs thereby from Faith to our own Pharisâ—icall deedes S. Peters wordes therefore if he bee well marked caâ—ie this meanyng There shall arise among you Sophisticall Scholemen Doctors Teachers Priestes Munkes and suche like beyng the very offall and Skumme of the Worlde who shall bryng in pernicious sectes odible orders damnable heresies and seduce the Worlde with their lying and false Doctrines These these doubtlesse are thei of whom the Apostle here speaketh For thei are all thus perswaded and verely beleeue that their willfully Professed Orders are meritorious to theÌ„ and shall bryng them to saluation and perswade others also to put confidence and trust in them If this were not their opinion who would thinke but thei would rather liue free abroade then as thei do cage and empound themselues in their Cloysters as it were in Prisons Euen denying the Lorde that hath bought them THei are readie to saie that thei doe not denye the Lord but if this question be demaunded of them what thei meane or what they seeke to get through these their vowed ProfessioÌ„s if thei beleeue as thei saie thei doe that they are redéemed by Christ and that their sinnes are washed awaie by his bloud Thei will quickly aunswere that forsooth Faith alone is not sufficient and therefore they must haue the helpe of good Workes Thus with mouth they confesse God and in harte flatly renounce hym Consider also what pithie and vehement words S. Peter here vseth They denye saieth he the Lord that hath bought them Thei ought to bee subiect vnto hym as vnto their supreme Souereigne Lord whose inheritaunce thei are Now they dooe beleeue that he is the Lorde and that he redeemed the worlde by the sheadyng of his precious bloud but that he redeemed them thei cannot nor doe not beleeus neither dooe thei acknowledge and take hym for their Lorde for thei saye and confesse that he hath bought and redeemed them but yet thei are not perswaded that that is enough and sufficient because thei must thei saie discharge and satisfie for their sinnes by their Works To whom this answere maie wel be made If thou canst doe any worke to take awaie thy Synnes what good hath Christe by his death doen vnto thee For there can not bee twoo Christes to take awaie Synnes Hee as good right it is must bee acknowledged to be the onely Redeemer and taker awaie of Sinnes Whiche beeyng graunted to bee true as it is moste true thou thy self canst dooe no maner of worke to take away thy sinnes If thou do goe about or think any whit by thy works to merite Heauen thou canst not truly saie thou beleeuest that he taketh awaie thy Sinnes And this is flatly to denye Christe For although these fellowes doe acknowledge Christe to bee the Lorde yet doe they denye that he bought them Thei beleeue that he sitteth in heauen and is Lorde but the takyng awaie of Sinnes whiche is his proper and peculier office thei nippe and take quite from hym and attribute it vnto their owne woorkes and by that meanes leaue nothyng to hym but the bare name and tytle ascribyng his power woorke vertue and office vnto themselues And therefore Christ moste truely foretolde that there should come many in his name and saie I am Christ and shal deceiue many Math. xxiiij Mar. xiij For these Iusticiaries and Meritemongers thus tying Saluation to Woorkes shewe foorth in their so doyng as though they should saie not I am called Christe but I am Christ Whereby thei snatch and applye vnto themselues that office whiche is onely proper and peculier vnto Christ and so thrust Christ out of his seate and place themselues therein This is so euidently knowen that no man can truely denye it And therefore worthily doeth S. Peter tearme them damnable pernicious Heresies for thei leade a man straight to Hell insomuche that I greatly feare least in a thousande of them there is scarcely one saued For whosoeuer of them wilbee saued must quight abandon himself and all that of himself he hath or can doe yea he must franckly confesse and from the harte pronounce these wordes The rules of my vowed Obedience are nothyng worth my Chastitie can not saue me my workes can not take awaie any parte of my Sinnes c. And bryng vpon themselues swift damnation THeir damnation shall come vppon them sooner then thei thinke although God seeme to deferre his commyng and to tarie long yet will he hasten his iudgment and come tyme enough to their cost But this shall not bee corporallie and visiblie to the eye but so and in suche sorte as it is sett downe in the l.v. Psalme They shall not liue out halfe their dayes that is Death shall catch holde of them sooner then thei think so that thei
as sainct Paule testifieth This worde Holie signifieth that whiche is onely proper vnto God himself and to hym onely doeth it appertaine the which we commonly doe call consecrated And therefore doth sainct Peter now saie You haue consecrated your selues vnto God and therefore it standeth you vppon so to looke to it that ye suffer not your selues to bee caried awaie againe into the vaine lustes and desires of this worlde but giue you place vnto God that hee maie raigne liue and woorke in you and so shall ye bee holie euen as hee is holie Thus hath he hitherto described the Grace that is offered vnto vs by the Gospell and preachyng of Christe and hath taught vs how againe we ought to behaue our selues toward the same namely to persist and continue in a pure and sincere perswasion of Faithe being well assured that no worke whatsoeuer that we either can doe or deuise can any thing auaile vs toward our saluatiō But where this doctrine is preached then straightwaies reason commeth in and inferreth thus If the case so stande what neede haue I to doe any good worke Then doe these grosseheads enter into this fonde opinion or rather mere madnesse makyng of a right Christian life a carnall licentiousnesse deemyng it lawfull for euery man to dooe what him listeth With suche maner of persones doeth sainct Peter here in this place meete withall and by preuention taketh aforehande from them that their foolishe imagination teachyng vs that Christian libertie without dependyng vpon any good workes is to bee vsed towardes GOD because on hym we are onely to build our Faithe without any Workes for hereby wee attribute vnto hym his due due honour and acknowledge hym for our good God who is bothe iust true and mercifull Suche a Faithe as this deliuereth and offereth vs frō our sinnes and all other mischéeues whatsoeuer Now after that we haue attributed this vnto God al the residue of our liues that we haue to liue we are to bestowe to the benefite of our neighbor to serue and doe good vnto hym The very cheefest principallest worke of all others proceeding and issuyng out of Faith is with our mouthes be readie to confesse Christ and with our bloud also to beare witnesse vnto hym and if the case so require to bestowe our very liues also for his sake And yet hath not God any neede of this or any such worke of ours but therefore must wee doe it that our Faithe beyng thereby throughly tried and manifested maie also drawe and allure others to the like Furthermore there bee other Woorkes which dooe generallie also serue to this ende that wee maye thereby doe good vnto our neighbors all whiche notwithstandyng not wee our selues but God is hee that must worke and bryng the same to passe in vs. Thus haue wee nothyng at all in the worlde of our owne that wee can ascribe in any respecte vnto our selues Hereby now it euidently appeareth how farre of it is that this preaching of the Gospell doeth open any yea neuer so little a windowe to liue carnallie or that euery man maie lawfullie doe what he listeth And therefore saieth Sainct Peter furthermore And if ye call him Father whiche without respect of persone iudgeth according to euery mans woorke passe the tyme of your dwellyng here in feare Knowyng that yee were not redeemed with corruptible thinges as siluer and golde from your vaine conuersation receiued by the traditions of the fathers But with the precious bloud of Christ as of a Lambe vndefiled and without spot Whiche was ordeined before the foundation of the worlde but was declared in the laste tymes for your sakes Whiche by his meanes dooe beleeue in God that raised him from the dead and gaue him glorie that your faithe and hope might be in God THE meanyng of sainct Peter in this place is this Ye are now by Faithe come to this poinct that ye are the Sonnes of God and he your Father Ye haue attained an incorruptible inheritaunce whereof hath beene spoken afore now therefore there remaineth nothing behind but that the veile being taken awaie that may bee openly shewed which earst was hidden This must ye yet expect and looke for till the tyme come that it bee giuen you to see it You therefore are come to this good poinct that you maie with boldnesse and trust inuocate and call vppon God your Father because he is neuerthelesse iust as he that will render vnto euery one without respect of persones accordyng to their workes Let no man perswade hym self for that he is dignified and entitled with this worthie name to bee called a Christian or the Sonne of God that therefore God will spare hym if hee liue without his feare and accoumpt it enough because hee hath suche an excellent name The worlde in deede iudgeth accordyng to respectes of persones not iudgyng all persones equallie and indifferently but spareth suche as bee their Freendes wealthie riche fayre learned wise mightie and in high authoritie But God respecteth none of all these hee dealeth in all thynges with indefferencie bee the persones neuer so high of callyng So did hee in Egipt slea the Childe aswell of the kyng as of the poorest Sheepeheard Exod. 10. And therefore the Apostle here warneth vs that wee lookyng for the like iudgement should stand in feare and not so to vasit our tytle because wee are called Christians that therefore wée should presume that God will any whitt more spare vs then hee wil others For this vaine perswasion long agoe deceiued the Iewes who bragged them selues to bee the Seede of Abraham and the people of GOD. The Scripture maketh no difference accordyng to the fleshe but according to the Spirit Very true it is that God promised that Christ should be borne of the seede of Abraham and that out of hym should come an holie people but it followeth not therevpon that all they bee the children of God whiche descended from the ligne of Abraham Hee also promised saluation to the Gentiles but he saied not that hee would saue all the Gentiles But here now ariseth a question When we say that God doeth saue vs onely by faithe without respect of good workes how happeneth it that Sainct Peter doeth here saie that hee will not iudge accordyng to the person but according to euery mans worke I answere Whatsoeuer wee haue taught concernyng faithe how that it alone doeth iustifie vs before God is without al doubt very true forasmuch as the Scripture declareth and witnesseth the same more plainly then that it can bee denyed Now whereas sainct Peter doeth here saie that God iudgeth accordyng to workes that also is as true But this by the waie muste vndoubtedly bee beleeued that where Faithe is not there neither can any good woorke bee and againe that there is no Faithe where there bee no good workes Therefore thou muste bryng bothe thy Faithe and thy good woorkes into one as in the which being bothe together is comprehended and
how we ought to behaue our selues in our workes and dealinges towards our Neighbor The seconde Chapter WHerefore laiyng aside al maliciousnesse and all guile and dissimulation and enuie and all euill speakyng As newe borne babes desire that sincere milke of the worde that ye may growe thereby If so bee that ye haue tasted how bountifull the Lorde is To whom commyng as vnto a liuing stone disalowed of men but chosen of God and precious Ye also as liuely stones bee made a spirituall house an holy Priesthood to offer vp spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ Wherefore also it is contained in the Scripture Behold I put in Sion a chiefe corner stone elect and precious and he that beleeueth therein shall not be ashamed Vnto you therefore whiche beleeue it is precious but vnto them whiche be disobedient the stone which the builders disalowed the same is made the head of the corner And a stone to stumble at and a rocke of offence euen to them whiche stumble at the worde beeyng disobedient vnto the whiche thyng they were euen ordeined But ye are a chosen generation a royall Priesthood an holy nation a people set at libertie that ye shoulde shewe forthe the vertues of hym that hath called you out of darkenesse into his merueilous light Whiche in tyme past wore not a people yet are now the people of God which in tyme past were not vnder mercie but now haue obtained mercie Dearely beloued I beseche you as strāgers pilgrims absteine from fleshly lustes whiche fight against the soule And haue your conuersation honest among the Gentiles that they whiche speake euill of you as of euill doers maie by your good woorkes whiche they shall see glorifie God in the day of visitation Therefore submitte your selues vnto all maner ordinance of man for the Lordes sake whether it bee vnto the King as vnto the superiour Or vnto gouernours as vnto thē that are sent of him for the punishment of euill doers and for the praise of them that doe well For so is the will of God that by well doyng ye maie put to silence the ignorance of the foolishe men As free and not as hauyng the libertie for a cloake of maliciousnesse but as the seruantes of God Honor al men loue brotherly fellowship feare God honour the Kyng Seruants bee subiect to your maisters with all feare not onely to the good courteous but also to the froward For this is thankeworthie if a man for conscience towarde God endure griefe sufferyng wrongfully For what praise is it if when ye bee buffeted for your faultes ye take it paciently but and if when ye doe well ye suffer wrong and take it paciently this is acceptable to God For hereunto ye are called for Christe also suffered for you leauyng you an ensample that ye should follow his steppes Who did no sinne neither was there guile founde in his mouth Who when he was reuiled reuiled not againe when he suffred he threatened not but committed it to hym that iudgeth righteously Who his owne self bare our sinnes in his bodie on the tree that wee beyng dead to sinne should liue in righteousnesse by whose stripes ye were healed For ye were as sheepe goyng astraye but are now returned vnto the sheepherde and bishoppe of your soules HEre beginneth he to teache vs the right works of a Christiā life the true fruites of the same Wee haue oftentymes afore shewed that in these two thinges Faithe towardes God and Loue towarde our neighbour doeth consist and is contained the whole life of a Christian Also that this Faith of Christe is not giuen to any but that there remaine neuerthelesse in our fleshe so long as wee here liue many naughtie concupiscences lustes and desires sithins that none here in this worlde can be so holie but that he liueth in the fleshe and whatsoeuer is in the flesh the same can not be perfectly cleane Therefore saieth sainct Peter be ye so instructed that ye may abstaine frō the Sinnes which as yet adhere and cleaue vnto you and against them see that ye continually fight for those be the most daūgerous and most pernicious enemies that we haue which lye within our owne bosomes and in the middest of our fleshe and bloud dooe watche sleepe and liue with vs as it were some troublesome Guest of whom when a man hath once harboured and taken hym into his house he can not againe be ridde Wherefore seeing that Christ through Faith is all and wholly yours and that you bee now possessed of his sauyng healthe and all other his benefites and graces knowe ye now that this charge and duetie lyeth vppon you that you laie aside all maliciousnesse or whatsoeuer is euill all guile that is that none deale with an other vnfaithfullie and dissemblinglie let there not bee seene any falshood in fellowshippe amōg you as the prouerbe is neither any craft and treacherie whiche God hee knoweth is now adaies too rise But as it becommeth vs that bee Christians in all poinctes towarde God to deale not feinedly and crookedly but directly sincerely and with a pure harte so also towardes men it is our partes to deale plainly simply and iustly that no man ouerreache or vndermyne an other in buying selling or suche like So saieth sainct Paule Ephes 4. Put awaie liyng and let euery man speake truthe vnto his neighbour The truthe is this that your speeche bee yea yea and naye naye Dissembling is when one sheweth him self an other maner of man outwardly then he is inwardly in minde affected It behoueth therefore and is required of euery man that he beare and shew hym self suche outwardlie as hee is in deede and in harte inwardlie A Christian ought so to liue that he maie not care though all men see and knowe what he thinketh in his harte as he that in all his conuersation and life seeketh nothyng els but to glorifie God and to be seruiceable vnto his neighbour not fearing any man at all For euery one ought to shewe hymself suche an one in the verie secretes of his minde as he is outwardly accoumpted and not vnder the visor of honestie to deceiue and bleare the eyes of the people Sainct Peter further saieth that wee must also laye aside Enuie and euill speakinges Wherein hee doeth very aptlie and well reproue those vices that among men are vsuall and common in their mutuall traffiques and dealinges This vice of euill speakyng is a sinne now adaies very common and rife quickly slipped into and sooner committed then a man would weene Therefore take heede to your selues saieth he of this fault yea although ye haue the Spirite to the intent that ye maie by proofe know what be the fruictes of the Spirite As newe borne Babes desire the sincere milke of the worde that ye maie growe thereby HEre hee bryngeth in a similitude and his meaning thereby is this ye now are newe borne by the worde of God and therefore so
agreeable and consonant to his wil but y t I am desirous and most willing both to allowe and doe the same And why ought we to abene the Magistrate for Gods sake Forsooth because it is the good wil of God by him to punish the wicked and euill doers to defende protect and maintaine the good and vertuous that therby Concorde may bee established in the worlde whiche publicke peace and concorde wee for our partes and abilities are bounde too further as muche as we maie For sithens we doe not yet all beleeue but the greater moitie of the worlde still waÌ„teth Faithe therfore hath God ordeined and appointed the Magistrate to beare the Sworde thereby to curbe and restraine the wicked compellyng them euen maugre their willes to keepe peace least otherwise men should deuoure consume and spoyle one an other This office I saie of Magistracie he executeth to the entent the worlde maie in eche parte bee well and quietlie gouerned Heere wee see that if there were none euill men wee should haue no neede of the Magistrate for hee is saieth sainct Peter for the punishment of euill doers and for the praise of them that doe well Thei therefore that doe well and liue orderlie and honestlie ought at the Magistrates handes to receiue praise and them ought the Magistrate to commende preferre and gracifie that others by their example maie bee prouoked draweÌ„ and allured to the like vertue and integritie not that thou shouldest thinke to reape vnto thy self any merde at Gods handes for the same For so saieth S Paule Rom. xiij Power is not to bee feared for good woorkes but for euill and therefore if thou wilt bee without feare of the Power doe well For so is the will of GOD that by well doyng ye may put to silence the ignoraunce of foolish men IN these wordes sainct Peter schooleth and reprehendeth those vaine talkatiue persons that bragge and thinke themselues sufficiently furnished euen with the bare name and title of Christianitie and also herein he preneÌ„teth and answereth aforehande to an obiection which perchaunce thei might alledge saiyng If Faith onely bee sufficient to a Christian and Workes do not iustifie why then and for what purpose should we neede to be subiect vnto the Magistrate paie Tribute To this he saieth thus muche Although wee should receiue from theÌ„ no good or commoditie at all yet neuerthelesse wee are bounde euen for Gods sake freely to performe and willingly to yeeld our obedience vnto them that the mouthes of the Enemies of God whiche diffame and slaunder vs maie be stopped that thei maie not be able to speake against it But bee compelled to confesse that wee are persones harmelesse dutifull and obedient After this sort we reade that many holie men warrefared vnder Heathen Princes vaÌ„quished and subdued their Enemies and in all thinges were subiect and seruiceable vnto theim no lesse then wee now are bounde to yeeld obedience vnto Christian Magistrates Howbeit it is now thought of some that we could not bee Christians if we liued in Turkie in subiection to the Turke Here now againe maie arise an other doubt or allegation thus Christ hath commaunded that wee should not resist euill but to hym that striketh vs on the one Cheeke wee should turne the other and how then will thei saie can it bee lawfull for vs to strike and kill other men I answere This was an old obiection which the Ethnickes in tymes past alledged against the Christians saiyng that if thei should liue in suche order their Countries and Commonweales would soone bee brought to ruine and bee quickly ouerrunne But wee now vnto these thinges aunswere thus It is true that Christians ought not to resist euil neither to reuenge them selues but rather to suffer violence and wrong which also is a cause why thei maie not be chargeable burdenous and troublesome to Ethnikes But by this the Magistrate is not inhibited the Sworde nor iudiciall tryalles for although thei liue so orderly that no maÌ„ hath any iust cause to complaine vppon them because thei offer wrong to no man but deserue well of all men and paciently beare whatsoeuer is doen to them by others yet because of false and connterfaite Christians and them that knowe not Christe these thinges the Sworde and Iudgement muste bee in vse that thei whiche doe hurte and wrong to others maie be punished whereby publicke tranquillitie maie bee maintained and the Godly maie liue in peace and safetie God therefore ouer and beside his worde hath instituted and appoincted this prophane or ciuile power to represse them which of their owne accorde will not refraine from doyng and offryng harme and iniurie to others It plainly therefore appeareth that God hath appoincted and instituted the Magistrate because of them that doe not beleeue And that therefore Christians whiche administer that function not onely maie but also ought to vse the Sworde namely thereby to releeue their neighbours in repellyng and punishyng malefactours and in defendyng and mainteinyng the peace tranquillitie and safetie of theim that bee good and vertuous and yet neuerthelesse the saiyng of Christe standeth sure of not resistyng euill For although a Christian man beare the Sworde whether he be a Prince or any other Magistrate yet should he neuer vse it for hymself neither should he therewith reuenge hymself for any priuate quarell of his owne But must execute his place and office for the behoofe of others and this is the woorke of Christian loue with the Sworde to defende the whole Commonwealthe and not to suffer good men vniustlie to be molested and trodendoune Christ gaue and bequeathed his doctrine to theim onely that beleeue and haue Loue And suche dooe shewe forth and expresse the same in their workes But seyng that the greater parte of the worlde beleeueth not neither obserueth this precepte and Commaundement therefore it is moste expedient to ouerrule and gouerne theim not as ChristiaÌ„s for suche thei are not but as Ethnikes and Panims and to staie and represse their sensuall and wilfull outrages For otherwise if thei should bee suffered to runne hedlong at their owne pleasures in their disordred loosenesse and lawlesse violence no man should bee able to liue in quietnesse and safetie Therefore there bee twoo sortes of Rule and Dominion in the worlde as there bee also menne of twoo sortes to witte Christians and not Christians Christians are gouerned by the Worde of GOD and those neede not in respecte of them selues any prophane Magistrate But thei that be not Christians haue neede to bee vnder an other power and rule namelie the Sworde because thei can not abide to be obedient vnto the Worde of God But if wee were all Christians and obedient to the Gospell wee should not haue any neede at all of the Sworde or any Ciuile power For where there are no misseliâ—ers and malefactours what vse can there be of punishment Sithe therefore it can not be that we should all bee godlie and vertuous
thei lye in awaite to ensnare and drawe into errour Whom thei ought rather to teache the principles and groundes of Faithe and Charitie and how to beare the Crosse of Christ but alas thei instill nothyng into their tender myndes but praises of their Hypocriticall Woorkes whereby it commeth to passe that thei seelie younglynges are caried backe againe into errour although afore thei had escape out thence But how doe thei thus beguile men with wantonnesse to the lustes of the Fleshe and what baites dooe thei vse for the accomplishyng thereof Forsooth these holie Priestes Monkes Freers NuÌ„nes and the reste of those marked mates dooe saie and teache theim that thei ought not to Marie but to liue in single life vnto the whiche thei binde theim faste by Vowes and preceptes In whiche dooyng thei clogge and beguile menne incensyng and incityng theim to the lustes of the Fleshe wherein thei suffer theim miserably to burne without allowyng vnto theim that lawfull remedie whiche God hath ordeined Here wee sée that S. Peter speaketh of none other but of those false Teachers and Bussardly guides whiche are aflote and raigne like Princes in the Churche of God ouer poore Baptized and beleeuyng Christians Promisyng vnto them libertie and are themselues the seruauntes of corruption for of whom soeuer a manne is ouercome euen vnto the same is hee in bondage THei extoll praise and vaunte their holie Orders their religious Sectes and sinnelesse professions into the whiche who soeuer doeth enter shall bee saued as that moste Swinish and impudent Dominicane Thomas writeth affirming that who soeuer professeth hymself a MoÌ„ke is in that state of perfection wherein he was at the tyme wheÌ„ he was newlie Baptized and that thereby he shall assuredlie merite the ioyes of heauen and haue full remission of his Sinnes through his owne Workes These and suche like blasphemies of them must wee listen and giue eare vnto beeyng nothyng at all ashamed to compare their owne dirtie dreames and triflyng toyes vnto Faithe and Baptisme whiche bee Gods owne proper Woorkes and institution Who hauyng the Spirite of GOD in hym and hearyng these horrible blasphemies can suffer them and holde his peace Now these and suche like madde conclusions and impious Sentences our Monkes doe traine vp Youth withall Finallie whiche is not the least poinct to be meruailed at theim that be the aucthours of these detestable errours thei haue canonized and Saincted whereas theim that bee the true Sainctes in deede thei haue murthered and burnt to ashes For if they after they haue escaped from the filthinesse of the worlde through the knowledge of the Lorde and of the Sauiour Iesus Christe are yet entangled againe therein and ouercome the latter ende is worse with them then the beginnyng SAinct Peter heere proueth and sheweth reasons why thei be the Seruauntes of corruption For to knowe Christe throughly and truely is to knowe what he is to wit our onely Sauiour and Redeemer who of his owne mere goodnesse and grace hath freelie pardoned and forgiuen vs our Sinnes Through this knowledge wee escape iniquitie and are deliuered from the filthinesse of the Worlde Whiche corruption and filth they hauing in their baptisme renounced and put of are againe myered and throwne hedlong into the same whensoeuer they departe and start from Faith to trust in their owne vile Works For where Faith faileth and is absent there is not the Spirit present and where the Spirite is wantyng there is nothing but fleshe and there can no cleannesse bee And after this sort hath it fallen out hitherto in the Churche Rome at the first hearkened vnto embraced the pure Gospell but afterward it declined and turned aside into bypathes of maÌ„s deuised doctrines so that now it swarmeth with al maner of abhominations and is become the common Synke of all blasphemous impietie The latter ende thereof is therefore farre worse then the beginnyng because they are now become farre more desperate and forlorne Ethnikes then euer they were before they heard the Worde of God For it had been better for them not to haue knowen the waye of righteousnesse then after they haue knowen it to turne from the holy Commaundement giuen vnto them But it is come vnto them accordyng to the true prouerbe The dogge is returned to his owne vomit and The sowe that was washed to the wallowyng in the myer THis Prouerbe hath S. Peter taken out of the Booke of the Prouerbes where SolomoÌ„ hath these words As the dogge turneth againe to his owne vomite so a foole turneth to his foolishnesse Prou. xxvj And so also by the mâ—â—â— when as in Baptisme thei haue forsaken all wickednesse are washed cleane from their filthie life and haue be taken themselues coâ—â—â—re conuersation of Faithe and Charitie and afterwarde fall backe and infidelitie and a trust in their owne Workes they â—â—myere and deraye themselues againe in the filthinesse of their formed 〈◊〉 This place therefore ought not in any wise to bee applyed to Workes as these Papistes vse was to doe who after auriculer confession and shrift were wont thus to enioyne theÌ„ whose confession thei heard Take heede that from hencefoorth thou bee chast milde gentle pacient c. But thei ought rather thus to enstruct and teache them If thou haue a desire to become vertuous and godlie humbly praie vnto GOD by hartie and earnest praier that it would please hym to graunt vnto thee a true and sincere Faith and thence beginne to liue godlie and to departe from wickednesse and impietie For when thou art possessed of a true sincere Faith good Works will straightwaies followe and issue from it then shalt thou liue chast and pure other remedie is there none to ridde thee from the daunger of synne For although for a whyle thou mayest hide and restraine wickednesse and impietie in thyne harte yet will it burst out in open flames at length This is now the seconde Chapter of this his seconde Epistle wherein the Apostle hath forewarned and foretolde vs what maner of Teachers false Seducers should afterward come among vs and miserablie misleade vs. We can pretend no excuse but that we haue had sufficient warnyng aforehand howbeit wee haue little regarded it and therefore our fault is the greater in that wee haue thus sleightly esteemed the Gospell and swerued from the sweete doctrine comprized in the same whereby wee haue through our lewde liues prouoked the heauier wrath of God against vs. Wee are all not vnwillyng to heare the Pope with his lubberly Drones to bee inueighed againste and for their monstruous marchandize of Christian Soules to bee condignely taunted and reproued but few of vs taketh any occasion thereby to amende his owne life or to refourme his former conuersation For it is no tryfling matter or laughyng toye but a serious case and of greate importaunce suche whereat our hartes ought to treÌ„ble and quake for feare These thinges therefore are most earnestly and diligeÌ„tly to be bothe spoken and
the Christian Congregation whereas in deede thei be but the Spotts and Wennes of the Common wealth the Skumme and Filthe of the people and the detestable vizardes of hypocriticall holinesse thei keepe iolie cheare and fare moste deliciously accordyng to the old Adage or Prouerbe whiche calleth delicate and daintie cates morselles for a Priest Finallie thei are without feare and care verily thinkyng that Sathan hymself is not able to ouerthrowe them The flocke thei feede nothyng at all but are rather themselues the rauenous Wolues that deuoure and eate vp the Sheepe Thei are Cloudes that are caried on high and swaied alofte in the Aire For thei haue enstalled themselues in the chiefest places and beste roumes and carie all the credite and countenance in the Churche thei ought to teache others but thei care nothing at al for that suffryng them to bee caried hither and thither into the Foggie miste of errour and ignoraunce by the Deuill the professed enemie of mankinde Thei are also fruitlesse and naked Trees such as are in the beginning of Winter bearing neither fruite nor leaues yet thei occupie a roume as other Trees doe Thei beare a shewe of the Bishopps of Christ but thei haue in them no peece nor parte neither of hym nor yet of his Woordes or Workes but are dead at the rootes They are also ragyng waues of the Sea that is euen as the windes in the Sea do tosse and stirre the waues this waie and that waie so are thei also caried whither soeuer Sathan driueth them They foame out their owne shame euen as a pot that hath a greate heate vnder it thei are so full of malice that it runneth ouer at the brim thei are so nozzeled in spightfulnesse and crueltie that their swellyng and cankered stomackes can not holde it but must needes cast vp and vomite out all their beastly filthinesse and therwith also defile and pollute others They are wandryng Starres such as they call planetes retrograde hauyng their motion backwarde in like maner these fellowes whose life and doctrine is nothyng but errour seduce and beguile bothe themselues and all those that followe them And therefore there is reserued for them the mist of darkenesse for euer In these wordes and examples Iude hath depaincted and set out our Massyng mates and pollshorne Prelates who vnder the name of Christ and of the Churche doe bring in a Sea of moste lewde and execrable maners and yet neuerthelesse vnder pretence thereof dooe catche and rake vnto themselues all the wealth of the Worlde and bryng all mens heades vnder their girdles And Enoch also the seuenth from Adam prophecyed of suche saiyng Behold the Lorde commeth with thousandes of his Sainctes to giue iudgment against all men THis place is not any where read in the Scripture which is an other reason why some of the auncient Fathers would not admitt receiue this Epistle as canonicall howbeit this is no sufficient cause whereby to disallowe or reiect any Booke for S. Paule also ij Timot. iij. nameth Iannes and Iambres two aduersaries of Moses whose names notwithstandyng are not read in the whole Byble beside Howsoeuer mens iudgements haue béen or bee we will not presently stande vpon that poinct But this is true that God from the beginnyng of the Worlde hath euer reueiled his Woorde to some wherein to the beleeuers grace and saluation is promised but to the vnbeleeuers iudgement and damnation is threatened and so it still continued euen till the Ascension of Christ from whiche tyme the Word of God hath been openly and generally preached ouer all the Worlde But before the natiuitie of Christ GOD still chose some to himself whom he vsed as it were a certaine threede from hande to hande to deliuer the manifestation and publication of his Word first from Adam to AbrahaÌ„ then from him to Dauid and so to the Virgin Marie the mother of Christe and others moe to whom he reueiled and deliuered his truth The Gospell therfore was alwaies preached in the world but neuer so openly as now in these latter daies After this sorte did this Patriarch Enoch preache and publish the Word of the Lorde whiche vndoubtedly he had learned of his Father Adam by influence from the holy Ghost For it is recorded of hym in the Scriptures Gen. v. that he led an vpright and godly life and therefore was taken vp of God and was no more seen Wherevppon sprong that fable that hee should come againe before the daye of Iudgement whiche thing is not to bee looked for vnlesse wee will vnderstand it in this sense that he shall come againe in spirite namelie for that his preachyng dooeth fitly iumpe and agree to the tyme next afore the generall Iudgement as here this present place very truely agreeth thereto wherein he speaketh so certainly of the laste Daie as if he had presently seene it with his eyes The Lorde saieth he commeth with thousandes of his Sainctes that is with an infinite multitude For these words must needes be vnderstood onely of the last Daie wherein the Lorde will come to Iudgement with all his Saintes For when he first came into the Worlde he came not with many thousandes of his Sainctes but alone and that not to iudge but to giue Grace And to rebuke all the vngodlie among them of all their wicked deedes whiche they haue vngodlie committed THis place doth Iude not vnaptly here inferre directly sounding against false Guides and counterfaite Teachers whiche he knewe in greate swarmes should come a little afore the last Daie but it seemeth also very aptly to beare this interpretation and signification that the Lorde at his comming will first destroye and quight ouerthrowe the Pope with al his imperious PoÌ„tificalitie For to such a great mischieuous euill there is none other helpe or remedie for the vtter abolishyng and quite takyng of hym awaie For so long as the Worlde endureth there will neither bee ende of hym neither can there any reformation and amendment in hym be hoped for And truely this place can not bee vnderstoode of any other then of our Papistes who so miserably and lamentablie seduce the Worlde For a more forlorne desperate and wicked life then that of the Papistes can not possiblie be imagined wherein as thei impiously alreadie wallowe so wil thei still continue worse and worse pretending notwithstanding greate sanctimonie and holinesse vnder the name of Christe whom thei vse as a cloke to contriue and hide all their villaynous treacherie Vnder the name of Papistes wee may vnderstande both them and all the rable of seducyng Imposters and deceiuers beside which shal come a little before the last Daie and all suche as embrace and followâ— their godlesse impietie This place therfore that he here alleâ—geth is to be vnderstood of the last daie of Iudgement Wee see of whom he speciallie meaneth that the saied Iudgement is to be looked for Whervpon wee conclude that our tyrannous Shauelinges and shauen Tyrauntes are with tremblyng