our selues and also for our neighbors Furthermore our Loue can not be feruent vnlesse wee so chastice our bodies that thei maie be apt to receiue and ledge Loue within vs. This sentence sainct Peter boroweth out of the x. Chapter of the Prouerbs Hatred stirreth vp contentions but Loue couereth the multitude of sinnes This therefore is his meanyng Chasties your fleshe and quenche ye the lustes thereof for if ye dooe not diligently endeuour to doe soâ— ye shall easilie offende one an other and not be easie and willyng to forgiue one an others offences And therfore striue to represse and subdue the affections and lustes of your fleshe for so shal ye bothe loue one another and willingly forgiue one an other For loue couereth Sinnes This place is by some so wrested as though it did seeme to make against Faith For this is their saiyng Thou affirmest that man is iustified onely by Faithe and that no man can bee deliuered from the guilt of his Sinnes by his workes How chaunceth it then that bothe Solomon and S. Peter affirme and saie that Sinnes are couered by Loue Solomons meanyng and wordes are in effect these he that swelleth with any hatred against an other teasseth not to practise and stirre vp contentions and braulinges But where sincere loue is it couereth Sinnes and gently pardoneth any offences Where â—naer and wrathe haue taken holde there is a man waiward stubborne harde to yeeld to any reconciliation remaineth still full of indignation and spight but when a manne is endued with Loue he will not be incensed and moued to any garboile and vnquietnesse though he bee greatly prouoked therevnto he curteously couereth hideth and winketh at all thinges as though he sawe them not So that this worde Couer wherof both Solomon and sainct Peter speake when thei saie that Loue couereth the multitude of Synnes must haue relation to our Neighbour and not vnto God For as it is Faithe onely whiche couereth my Sinnes before God so is it Loue that couereth the sinnes and faultes of my Neighbour For as the mere loue of God to me warde couereth my Sinnes when as I faithfully and stedfastly beleeue that God will not looke vppon them nor punishe them so ought I also with my Loue towarde my Neighbour to couer his sinnes towarde mee that I bee not therewith offended And therfore saieth he Aboue all thinges haue feruent loue one to an other that ye maie couer and hide one an others faultes And this is further to be noted that this Loue couereth not one or two Sinnes onely but the multitude of Sinnie it cannot be drawen by any prouocation to bee so angrie but that it couereth all The same also hath saincte Paule j. Cor xiij Where he doeth as it were expounde this place Loue suffreth all thinges beleeueth all thinges it hopeth all thinges it endureth all thinges that is it thinketh the beste of euery thyng it can paciently beare all thinges and take well in worth whatsoeuer it bee Bee ye harborous one to an other without grudgyng Let euery man as he hath receiued the gift minister the same one to an other HE is barborous whiche cherefully and hartilie receiueth and entertaineth Straungers As when the Apostles trauailed through diuers Countries and preached where thei went sendyng their disciples abroade to sundrie places it was requisite that thei should mutuallie bee harborous one to an other Whiche example were good to be more put in vre nowadaies then it is that wee hauyng the gift of preachyng should likewise trauaile from place to place from Citie to Citie from house to house and not to sitte still in one place to see where any were weake that wee might comforte him if any were fallen that wee might raise him vp and likewise to doe suche other dueties as to an Apostolicall function belongeth Now all this must bee doen without grudgyng saieth sainct Peter not as though we were loath to doe it And this is one office or duetie of Loue as this is likewise whiche next followeth namely that wee should with the giftes wherewith God hath endued vs minister one to an other The Gospell requireth that euery man should bee as an others Seruaunt and to minister and serue to the necessitie of an other in that vocation and function whereunto he is called to the best of his abilitie according to the measure of that Talent that is committed vnto hym and accordyng to that stace and condition of life wherein euery one is placed For it is not hereby meant neither is it the will and commaundement of GOD that the Maister should minister and bee at becke to his Seruaunt nor that the Handmaide should haue the rule ouer her Mistresse or that the Kyng should bee corporallie seruiceable to a Begger for he can not abide that that authoritie and high degree of superioritie wherein thei are placed should either bee disquieted or diminished But hee requireth that euery one in harte and Spirite should serue an other that although thou bee of high callyng and authoritie yet maiest thou none otherwise vse thy authoritie but to the commoditie and benefite of thy Neighbour And in this sorte is it requisite and conuenient for the Maister to further and helpe his Seruaunt with al the seruice he can wherein he yet remaineth a Maister still and lawfullie maie repute and accoumpt himself in higher degree of calling then his Seruaunt but a man maie not lift vp himself in the pride of his harte for the same but to thinke of himself as of a Seruaunt insomuche that he could finde in his harte if it so seemed good to the Lorde euen to bee a Seruaunt This inwarde perswasion ought also to be in the godlie in euery state and degree As good disposers of the manifolde grace of God GOD hath not giuen a like measure of grace and giftes to euery one of vs. And therefore euery one must looke aboute hym and consider with hymself whereto he is made fitte of the Lorde and what gift it hath pleased God in mercy specially to endue him withall Whiche when he hath throughly skanned and exactly noted in hymself his duetie is therewith to serue his neighbour and that in suche sorte as here is more at large particularly set doune by sainct Peter saiyng If any manne speake let him talke as the woordes of God THat is if any manne haue the gift of preachyng and teachyng sette hym preache and teache as Saincte Paule Roma xij willeth hym That no manne bee wise in his owne conceipt nor presume to know more then is meete for hym to vnderstande but that euery one vnderstande accordyng to sobrietie as God hath dealte to euery manne the measure of Faithe For as wee haue many members in one bodie and all members haue not one office so wee beeyng many are but one in Christ and euery one one an others members hauyng giftes that are diuers accordyng to the grace that is giuen vnto vs. And immediatly after in
The same is this in effect whiche Sainct Peter saieth in this place for it is asmuche as if he had saied we certeinly looke for eternall life although wee liue here on the earth yet no otherwise then by the resurrection of Christe that is to saie euen therefore because he is risen againe ascended into heauen and sitteth on the right hande of his Father For this cause did hee ascende that he might giue vnto vs his spirit whereby beyng regenerate we might bee bolde to goe to the Father and saie Behold I come before thee O mercifull father and praie vnto thee not that I putte any trust or confidence in any praier of myne owne but for that my Lorde Christ doeth make intercession for me and is myne Aduocate All these wordes carie an ardent efficacie and fierie force where there is a harte that beleeueth where the harte beleeueth not there all suche words are colde neither doeth the conscience feele any comfort thereby Wee maie here also iudge and knowe whiche is syncere doctrine and true Christian preaching and which is not For hee that is a Preacher of the Gospell must moste zelously and diligently preache forthe the resurrection of Christ whiche he that doeth not is no Apostle For this is the Summe of our faithe And those Bookes of all other are the best and the excellentest whiche teache and treate vpon this poincte principally and chiefly as before hath beene declared This article of our Faith is of most waightie importaunce For if Christ had not risen againe all our comforte and hope were in vaine and all whatsoeuer Christ hath either done or suffred should be to vs in no steede And therefore this maner of teaching is moste requisite Beholde Christ hath dyed for vs and taken vpon him to satisfie for vs to the iustice of his Father against Sinne Death and Hell with whom he had a moste sharpe and bitter encountrie yet could none of them ouercome hym but were by hym all conquered and subdued for that he was the stronger He rose again mawgre the forces of them all brought them in subiection to himself and that for none other cause but to set vs free and at libertie out of the daunger and thraldome of them This if wee stedfastlie beleeue wee haue a perfect assuraunce and full possession of all these benefites whiche beyng eche waie impossible to bee brought to passe by our selues or any strength that is in vs it behoued that Christ should performe the same Otherwise there had been no cause why he should haue descended from heauen hither among vs vile wretched and sinfull men And therefore when men in preachyng attribute any of these thinges to our woorkes thei doe nothyng els but cause that these so necessarie pointes of doctrine cannot afterwards take any place in the hartes of the hearers nor be rightly vnderstood of them O how well ought these thinges to be knowen to vs Christians how throughly ought this Epistle to be vnderstoode of vs To an inheritaunce immortall and vndefiled and that fadeth not awaie WEE hope not for suche a substaunce and inheritaunce as is not present but wee liue in hope of an inheritaunce whiche is present in deede and is immortall is also vndefiled and fadeth not awaie This inheritaunce wee haue perpetually and without ende howbeit wee doe not as yet â—ee the same These are wordes forcible and of wonderfull efficacie and he in whose minde thei are firmely fixed will be as I thinke little mooued with desire of riches and pleasures of this worlde For how can it bee that one should so set his minde vpon these transitorie riches and delightes if he beleeue those thynges whiche bee here spoken For when worldlie wealthe and terrene treasures bee compared to these thinges it appeareth straight how those thinges of the worlde endure but a small tyme and doe sone passe awaie but these thinges continue for euer and doe neuer faile nor fade Moreouer all the thynges of the worlde are vnpure and doe defile vs for there is no man here so godly but in one respect or other he is caried away and defiled with the vanities and pleasaunt thinges of this life but this inheritaunce is vndefiled and pure and he that possesseth the same remaineth for euer immaculate Finally this inheritance doeth not fade doeth not decaie neither is euer subiect to any corruption but euery yearthly thyng although it bée as hard as Iron and Stones is neuerthelesse chaunged and continueth not still As soone as man also becommeth old his beautie is gone and he becommeth lothsome and vnamiable Howbeit this inheritance is farre from mutation or chaunge it alwaies remaineth it is alwaies freshe and floorishyng There is no pleasure so greate on the yearth whiche will not by continuance become lothsome and tedious as we see there is at the laste a tediousnesse in all thynges but our good thynges here spoken of are otherwise whereof there is not sacietie for euer All whiche we obtaine in Christ through the mercie of GOD when we firmely beleeue that thei are freely giuen vnto vs. For how should we miserable men by our owne workes merite those so greate good thynges whiche no reason or vnderstandyng of man is able so muche as to comprehende or by imagination of harte once to conceiue Reserued in heauen for you THis inheritaunce immortall vndefiled and that fadeth not awaie is vndoubtedly ours it is onely for a little while remoued and kepte from our sight vntill these eyes bee closed vpp and this mortall life ended Then shall we certainly finde and see the same vnlesse wee bee vnbeleeuyng And because wee should not doubte of the certaintie thereof the Apostle here addeth that this inheritaunce whereunto no corruption can cleaue is reserued for vs in heauen Whiche are kepte by the power of God through faithe vnto saluation WE in hope saieth the Apostle looke for this excellent inheritance whereunto wee come by faithe For these doe in this sorte followe one an other By the Woorde is wrought in vs Faithe by faithe that newe birth and by this newe birthe wee come vnto hope so that wee certainly looke for these thynges and are throughlie assured thereof Wherefore sainct Peter fitly here saieth that these thynges must be doen by faithe and not by our workes The Apostle here expressely saieth Ye are by the power of God kepte vnto saluation There are many who hauyng heard the Gospell how that faithe onely doeth iustifie without woorkes doe by and by burst forthe and saie Wee also doe beleeue thinkyng that that bare opinion whiche thei feine vnto theim selues is right faithe Wee haue alreadie taught and that out of the Scriptures that it is not in our power to dooe euen the least good woorke that is without the especiall assistaunce of Gods Spirite how then shall wee by our owne strength arrogate that whiche of all other is moste excellent namely to beleeue These cogitations therefore are a mere dreame
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
spightfull enuie and cancarde hatred am I not a greate deale the fitter to deale louingly and gentlie with my neighbour I haue oftentymes afore saied that although by Faith we bee fullie iustified and haue Christe with all his merites fullie our owne yet ought wee to applye our selues to good Workes and to seeke all that wee can the benefite and commoditie of our Neighbour For we are neuer perfectly purged and cleane so long as we dwell in this worlde there is no man but feeleth and findeth in his Bodie a Storehouse of many euill lustes and filthie desires For Faithe beginneth to mortifie Sinnes and to bryng with it an heauenly life but it is not as yet here perfect and strong enough to doe that which it would Euen as Christe reasoned of the Samaritan which was not yet wholly restored to health although his woundes were bounde vp and charge enough giuen for his curyng and looking to so fareth it with vs. For wheÌ„ we beleue our woundes are bound vp that is to saie the infection and disease which by propagation is deriued into vs from Adam is begonne to bee healed whiche is brought to passe as wee see in some remisselie and slowly in other some speedily and quickly accordingly as euery one chastiseth himself and represseth his flesh and hath a fuller measure of Faithe giuen vnto hym And therefore when we haue attained these two Faithe and Charitie our next studie and care ought to be euen vntill wee dye to skowre and pourge these reliques of Synne yet harboroughyng within vs. And therefore saieth sainct Peter Arme ye your selues likewise with the same mynde that is confirme your myndes and strengthen your hartes in this cogitation to dooe as Christ hath dooen afore you For if wee be right Christians wee ought thus to thinke with our selues My Lorde GOD hath suffred for me hath shew his precious blood for me and hath suffred Death on the Crosse for me why should I bee suche a bastarde to bee vnwillyng to suffer any kinde of affliction For if our Lorde hymself issue out into the brunte and breaste of the Battaile how muche more meete is it for vs beyng his poore Seruauntes ioyfully to abide and vndertake any daunger These cogitations would animate vs to pearce into and boldely to aduenture to giue the â—nsect vpon any daungerous assaies what soeuer This woorde Fleshe signifieth not onely the Bodie consistyng of Fleshe and Blood Skinne and Bones but all what soeuer commeth from Adam So saieth God Genes vj. My Spirite shall not alwaies striue with manne because he is but Fleshe And Esaie likewise Chap. xl All Fleshe shall see the sauyng health of God That is it shalbee manifest before all menne in the worlde So also saie wee in our Creed I beleeue the resurrection of the Fleshe that is that all mennesh all arise againe Fleshe therefore signifieth the whole and entire Manne euen as he liueth in this life Now the wâ—â—rkes of the Fleshe are in an excellent order reckoned vp and recoumpted by sainct Paule Gala. v. And not those grosse actions and workes of the Fleshe onely as Fornication but the chiefest and greatest vices that bee as Idolacrie and Heresies whiche bée resiauÌ„t not in the Bodie onely but rather in the Reason Note therefore that Manne together with his Reason Will and all inward motions Soule and Bodie is called Fleshe and that because with al his powers bothe inwardly and outwardly he pursueth and himteth onely for those thynges that are carnall and delightfull to the Fleshe Euen so saieth Saincte Peter in this place that Christ suffred in the Fleshe whereas it is certaine that his Passion was not onely in the Fleshe but in his Soule also whiche adode that moste extreme agoine whereof Esaie speaketh And after the same sorte must we also take this that followeth He whiche suffreth in the Fleshe ceaseth from Synne For this is not the meaning of it that he whiche hath his head chopped of or his bodie onely dismembred ceasseth from synnes but this suffryng in the Fleshe comprehendeth in it what soeuer it bee that aggreeueth and vtterly discontenteth Man or that whiche shalbee his happe willinglie to suffer and beare what Miserie Calamitie Vexation or necessitie so euer it bee For there are a greate sorte that beeyng sounde in bodie are notwithstandyng inwardly in mynde greatly perplexed and disquieted and in harte greeuously tormented Now if these grieues be laied vpon them for Christes cause it is good and commobious for them for he that is afflicted in the Fleshe saith he ceasseth from Synne For this purpose is the Crosse very profitable because thereby Synnes are qualified and greatly alaied For when a Manne once beginneth earnestly and from the verie bottome of his harte to repente it is wonderfull to see how soone and how quickely Luste Enuie hatred and other synnes doe vanishe awaie and ceasse Wherefore GOD hath laied the Crosse on vs thereby as it were to compell and pushe vs forwarde as well to beleeue in hym and to put our thirst in hym as also that wee should reache our helpyng hande one to an other through Loue. That he henceforthe should liue as muche tyme as remaineth in the Fleshe not after the lustes of menne but after the will of God OVr partes and dueties are as in the whole course of our life so by the Crosse and daiely chastifyng of our selues to conquere and subdue our Fleshe and to bryng it in subiection not with intent therby to merite any thyng toward our Saluation but to shewe our selues gratefull and duetifull vnto God Not after the lustes of menne saieth he that is We must not doe it to please either our selues or others thereby For wee must not fashion our selues like vnto this worlde as Saincte Paule writeth in the xij Chapter to the Romaines Whatsoeuer the worlde requireth of vs that must we refraine and forbeare For it is sufficiente for vs that wee haue spent the time paste of the life after the luste of the Gentiles walkyng in wantonnesse lustes drunkennesse in gluttonie drinkynges and in abhominable Idolatries WEE haue alreadie too muche cockered our selues and been too muche giuen to our owne waÌ„ton delites for before wee receiued the Faithe wee spente our tyme and bestowed our liues accordyng to our owne sensuall appetites in no better sorte then very Gentiles And therefore we must striue and endeuour our selues to consecrate and direct the residue of our life according to the will of God and to doe that whiche maie bee acceptable vnto him For we haue our Enemie within our owne bosome wee foster and nourishe hym within our owne fleshe there and from thence the craftie and moste Pestilent enemie as it were out of an ambushe priuily and secretly setteth vpon vs and that not with any grosse and apparaunt vices but rather with the credite iolitie and estimation of the Fleshe which is called by Sainct Paule The wisedome of the Fleshe j. Cor. j. This beeyng now
handes yet thought I it good to write the same againe vnto you to thintent I might bee as a Remembrauncer to you as it is the duetie of al true Apostles to bee to perseuere and continue in that doctrine which ye haue learned to practise and exercise it and to liue accordyng to the preceptes rules and directions thereof not thinkyng that I doe preache any other thyng vnto you now then ye haue afore bothe heard and learned The Churche that is at Babylon elected together with you saluteth you SAlutations were wont in this sorte to bee sent by letters The Churche saieth he that is at Babylon saluteth you There were twoo greate Cities of this name the one in Chaldaea the other in Aegypt whiche is now called Alkair Rome also by an Allegorie is called Babylon because of the greate confusion of villainous vices beeyng gathered thither as into the common Sinke of the worlde And some would faine haue it to be here so taken But I can not bée brought to that opinion The woorde by interpretation signifieth Confusion It is moste like to bee that Babylon in Assyria or Chaldaea where Saincte Peter was the Apostle of the Circumcision And Marcus my Sonne SOme saie this was Marke the Euangelist whom he calleth his Sonne not after the Flesh but after the Spirit As sainct Paule likewise calleth Timotheus and Titus his Soonnes and writeth to the Corinthians that he had begotten them in Christ Greete ye one an other with the kisse of Loue. THis custome of Kissyng is now growen out of vse Wee reade in the Gospell that Christ kissed his Disciples whiche was a custome then in those Countreis Of this Kisse Sainct Paule also maketh often mention Act. xx.j. Cor. xvj ij Cor. xiij Rom. xvj Peace bee with you all whiche are in Christe Iesus Amen THat is whiche faithfullie beleeue in Christe And this is the ende of this his former Epistle wherein he commendeth theim vnto the protection and tuition of Almightie God who mercifullie graunt that wee maie throughlie vnderstande and effectuallie keepe and practise the doctrine comprised in the same Amen ⧠An Induction or Preface of D. Martine Luther into the seconde Epistle generall of Sainct Peter SAinct Peter perceiuyng and foreseyng that the true pure doctrine of Faithe should after his daies be corrupted obscured and dimmed writeth this Epistle wherein â—e meetetâ— with two errors at once arisyng out of the false vnderstandyng of this doctrine of Faithe and giueth moste profitable lessons of either parte to witte first that no man ascribe any suche strength or force to VVoorkes as that thei should be any waie able to iustifie vs before God for that is the effect of Faithe onelie Againe that no man should thinke that Faithe can bee without Good woorkes For wee can no soner preach of Faith how that it alone without the helpe of any our Good woorkes maketh vs iuste and acceptable before GOD but straightwaies some are readie to barke against vs saiyng that then it is needelesse and bootelesse for any manne to doe any Good deedes and this wee knowe by daiely experience is the common speech and saiyng On the other side when we vrge and teache Good woorkes praise them then Faithe falleth and looseth muche of her dignitie So that wee see it to bee a verie hard matter in this behalfe to kepe a right meane speciallie where there is want of painfull and faithfull Preachers Now the Lorde teacheth vs that we should attribute all our Iustification before God vnto a sincere Faithe in Christe Iesus But when wee haue thus soundly preached inculked this infallible doctrine of Faithe we must also teache that Good woorkes muste needes ensue Because wee maie not at any hande so long as wee be in this life bee idle without dooyng some woorke All this doeth Sainct Peter in this Epistle pursue and discourse vppon at large meetyng with those who peradueÌ„ture out of his former Epistle had foded themselues with a false opinion and mistaken his meanyng in thinking Faithe to bee sufficient although there be no good VVorkes at all And vpon this poinct is the firste Chapter of this Epistle specially written wherin he teacheth and willeth the godlie to approue and declare the certaintie of their Faithe by their Good workes The seconde Chapter is against them whiche extoll VVorkes onelie and throwe doune Faithe And therfore he warneth vs aforehande of false teachers and seducers whiche by newe doctrines of their owne deuise should darken and abolishe this assuraunce whiche eche one ought firmely to haue of Faithe for he sawe what detestable iugglyng Apostacie add departyng awaie from the Faithe would bee in the worlde whiche euen then beganne as Saincte Paule saieth ij Thess ij The Mysterie of Iniquitie doeth alreadie woorke Jn the third hee plainlie describeth and setteth out the impietie of those that make a mockage and ieste of the woorde of God and sheweth that in the latter daies the people through vnbebeleef and lacke of feare of the Iudgement of the laste daie shalbee euen as Epicures whollie giuen to the fleshe This Epistle therfore is written to forewarne vs to shewe our Faithe by our VVorkes but yet not so that we should haue any confideÌ„ce or trust in our VVorkes or thinke them any whitte or in any respecte meritorious or auaileable towarde our saluation The second Epistle Generall of Sainct Peter ¶ The first Chapter SImon Peter a seruant and an Apostle of Iesus Christe to you whiche haue obteined like precious faith with vs by the righteousnesse of our GOD and Sauiour Iesus Christe Grace and peace bee multiplied to you by the knowledge of God and of Iesus our Lorde Accordyng as his godly power hath giuen vnto vs all thinges that perteine vnto life and godlinesse through the knowledge of hym that hath called vs vnto glorie vertue Wherby most greate precious promises are giueÌ„ vnto vs that by theÌ„ ye should be partakers of the godly nature in that ye flee the corruptioÌ„ which is in the world through lust Therefore giue euen al diligence thereunto ioyne moreouer vertue with your faithe and with vertue knowledge And with knowledge temperance and with temperance patience and with patience godlinesse And with godlinesse brotherly kindnesse with brotherly kindnesse loue For if these thinges bee among you and abounde they will make you that ye neither shalbe ydle nor vnfruitfull in the knowledge of our Lorde Iesus Christe For he that hath not these thinges is blind and can not see farre of and hath forgotten that he was purged from his olde sinnes Wherefore brethren giue rather diligence to make your callyng and election sure for if ye doe these thinges ye shall neuer fall For by this meanes an entring shalbe ministred vnto you abundantly into the euerlasting kingdome of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christe Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you alwaies in remembraunce of these thynges though that ye haue knowledge and be
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
for thei haue followed the waie of Cain and are caste awaie by the deceipt of Balaams wages and perisheilâ— the gainsaiyng of Core These are spottes in your feastes of Charitie when thei feast with you without all feare feedyng themselues cloudes thei are without water caried about of windes corrupâ—trees and without fruit â—wise dead and plucked vp by the rootes The late the ragyng waues of the Sea fomyng out their owne shame Thei are wandâ—yng Staires to whom it reserued the blacknesse of darkenesse for euer And Enoch a so the seuenth from Adam prophesied of suche saiyng Behold the Lorde commeth with thousandes of his Sainctes To giue Iudgement against all men and to rebuke all the vngodlie emong them of all their wicked deedes whiche thei haue vngodlie committed and of all their cruell speakynges whiche wicked synners haue spoken against hym These are murmurerâ— complainers walkyng after their owne lustes whose mouthes speake proude thynges hauing mennes persones in admiration because of avantage 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 bee mockers in the laste tyme whiche should walke after their owne vngodlie lustes These are makers of sectes Fleshely hauyng not the Spirite But ye beloued edifie your selues in your moste holie Faithe praiyng in the holie Ghoste And keepe your selues in the loue of God lookyng for the mercie of our Lorde Iesus Christ vnto eternall life And haue compassion of some in puttyng difference And other saue with feare pullyng them out of the fier and hate euen the Garment spotted by the fleshe Now vnto him that is able to keepe you that ye fal not and to presente you faultlesse before the presence of his glorie with ioye That is to God onely wise our Sauiour bee glorie and Maiestie and Dominion and Power bothe now and for euer Amen IVDE a seruaunt of Iesus Christ and brother of Iames to them whiche are called and sanctified of God the Father and reserued to Iesus Christ Mercie vnto you and peace loue be multiplied THis Epistle is attributed vnto S. Iude the Apostle brother of Iames the lesse and Symon Mark vj. Luk. vj. Whose mother was Marie the wife of Cleopas and Sister of the blessed Virgin Marie the mother of Christ Ioh. xvj But it appeareth not expressely to bee written by that Iude who was the Apostle because heerein hee speaketh and maketh mention of the Apostles as though hee were but one of their Disciples and had written certaine yeares after them Neither conteineth it any speciall or peculiar matter in it other then that maie well and fullie bee gathered out of the afore going second Epistle of S. Peter vnto the which it hath entier reference and out of which al his reasons and saiynges are in a maner taken To conclude this is nothing els but an Epistle directly painetyng and poinctyng out the abuses fleightes and treacheries of our Papisticall Clergie Beloued when I gaue all diligence to write vnto you of the common saluation it was needefull for mee to write vnto you to exhorte you that ye should earnestly contend for the maintenaunce of the faith which was once giuen vnto the Sainctes THE effect of his meanyng is this I could not choose but write vnto you to admonishe and exhorte you to persist and manfully gooe forwarde in that Faithe whiche hath now once been preached vnto you As if he should saie It is needefull and necessarie that I should put you in remembraunce to striue and with al your endeuour to continue and perseuere in the right waie The cause why it is so needefull and necessarie here followeth For there are certaine men crept in whiche were before of olde ordained to this condemnation THis is the cause why I haue taken in hande to admonish you to perseuere and continue in that Faith whiche ye haue heard because euen now there are creepyng in and alreadie are entred certaine false seducers and deceiptfull Preachers whiche goe about to teache and sowe among you other counterfaite Doctrines contrarie to those rules of Faith whiche ye haue soundly learned take ye heede therfore for they be suche a mischieuous and flye generation that thei will suttlie and sodainly steale a waye mens consciences and with their erroneous tromperie seduce and eatie them out of the right waie of truthe before they can perceiue it or bee a ware of their fetchyng collusions So saied S. Peter afore There shalbee among you false teachers c. And S. Iude here saieth they were long agoe foreordained to this coÌ„demnation iudgement Which thing is easie for vs to vnderstande which knowe that no man is iustified by any of his owne Woorkes but by Faithe onely in Christe in whom who so assuredly and faithfully beleeueth and staieth as vpon his chief buttresse and onely piller of safetie is made partaker of al his benefites all Christes Workes by Faith are become his After this sure groundworke of Faith once layed all our workes that wee are able to doe ought to tende to the benefite and commoditie of our Neighbour What workes so euer are wrought to any other ende then this are Deuilishe and damnable Let a man therefore diligentlie take heede how he dealeth and lette hym direct his woorkes as fruictes of his liuely Faith to the helpe and benefite of his Neighbour for al other be odious and abhominable in the sight of God of which sorte are these vowed Professions and meriting Woorkes of Massyng Priestes and mumbling Munkes He therfore that carieth men from the ankerholde of faithe to the â—â—â—she bables and lowsie Ceremonies of these greasie Votaries and their woorkes is a deceiuer and a seducer and draweth men with them into the like daunger of condemnation Vngodlymen they are whiche turne the grace of our God into wantonnesse THE preachyng whiche is opened vnto vs of the grace of God and wherein Christ is set foorth and commended vnto vs and how hee with all his good benefites is exhibited and freely giuen vnto vs so that wee are now cleerely freed and deliuered from Sinne Death Hell and all miserie This free grace and gift I saie thus offred vnto vs in the Gospell these seducyng and false deceiptfull Hypocrites dooe abuse to the maintenaunce of themselues in all lasciuious wantonnesse That is they beare themselues bolde vnder the name of Christians and they bâ—ast and prate muche of the Gospell but they liue so dissolutelie and disorderlie that they dooe all thynges accordyng to the pitche of their owne wilfull affections and lawlesse lustes spendyng the tyme in ryâ—t banquettyng carowsing and Gluttonie They vaunt and bragge saiyng that thei haue taken vpon them in a spirituall kinde of life and vtterly renouÌ„ed the delightes of the seculer state and worldly dealynges whereas vnder the vizarde of this pretended simplicitie thei haue inuaded and raked into their handes in a maner all the wealthe delites and dignities in the
is to bee esteemed and also how to attaine to the certaine knowledge thereof FIrst of all is to bee noted that all the Apostles doe handle one and the self same doctrine and therfore is it not well done of some in that they say there bee onely fower Euangelistes and fower Gospels whereas all is one Gospell what so euer the Apostles haue left in writyng Now the Gospel signifieth nothing els then the preaching and publishing of the grace and mercie of God through Christ our Lorde purchased for vs by his death And to take it properly it is not that whiche is contained in bookes and comprehended in letters but rather the vocall preachyng and the liuely worde and voyce whiche soundeth in the whole worlde and is so openly vttered that it maie euery where bee heard Neither is it a booke that containeth the Lawe wherein are many points of good doctrine as it hath bin hitherto commōly beleeued For it draweth vs from all confidence and hope of any woorke of our owne whereby to become righteous and declareth vnto vs the riche graces of God freely and without any our owne merite giuen vnto vs teachyng vs also Christ who hauing by his intercession appeased y e wrath of God and satisfied for our sinnes hath quite abolished and blotted out our iniquities and by his works iustified and made vs righteous Now whosoeuer either preacheth or writeth these thynges he teacheth the true Gospell in deede whiche all the Apostles but especially S Paule and S. Peter haue done in their Epistles Whatsoeuer then is preached or published concerning Christe is one Gospell although one handle it after one sorce and in one kinde of wordes an other after an other sorce and in an other kinde For a thing may be handled either in many wordes or in fewe and may be described either briefly or at large Howbeit seeyng all tendeth vnto no other ende but to teache vs that Christ is our Sauiour and that we through faith in hym without any our owne workes are iustified and saued it is al one Word and one Gospell as there is one onely faith and one Baptisme in the whole Churche of Christ Thou readest then nothing written by any of the Apostles whiche is not also contained in the writynges of others that were as it were penners of the Scripture but thei that haue handled this poynt especially and with greater endeuour and studie then the rest namely that onely faithe in Christe doeth iustifie euen thei are the best Euangelistes of all Hereupon thou maiest more rightly call the Epistles of Paule the Gospell then those thinges whiche Matthewe Marke and Luke haue written For thei describe not muche beside the Historie concernyng the doinges and miracles of Christe as for the grace whiche Christe hath purchased for vs none doeth more fully and fitly entreate therof then S. Paule especially in his Epistle to the Romans Now seing the Word is of more importance then the actions and doynges of Christe and that if we should want the one of them it were farre better to be with out the deedes and Historie then the Wordes and Doctrine it followeth that those bookes are most highly to be esteemed whiche entreate especially of the doctrine and wordes of our Lorde Iesus Christe For asmuche as if there were no miracles of Christ and that we were altogether ignoraūt of them yet were his wordes sufficient for vs and without which wee can not so muche as liue Hereupon therefore it followeth that this Epistle of S. Peter is to bee accompted among the moste excellent bookes of the newe Testament and is the true and pure Gospell in asmuche as the Apostle herein teacheth nothyng els then that whiche Paule and the rest of the Euangelistes doe namely sincere faith and that Christe is freely giuen vnto vs who hauyng taken awaie our sinnes is our onely Sauiour as in the processe of this Epistle we shall see By this that is here saied wee maie likewise iudge of all bookes and doctrines what is the Gospell what is not For whatsoeuer is not either preached or written after this sorte and to this ende that maie wée boldly iudge not to bee the Gospell haue it neuer so faire and goodly a shewe This power to iudge haue al Christians and not the Pope or Councels alone whiche face and crake that thei and none but thei haue authoritie to iudge of doctrines And thus muche maie suffize for the argument let vs now heare the Epistle The first Epistle generall of Sainct Peter The first Chapter PEter an Apostle of Iesus Christe to the straungers that dwell here and there throughout Pōtus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bithynia Elect accordyng to the foreknowledge of GOD the Father vnto sanctification of the Spirit through obedience and sprinckling of the bloud of Iesus Christ Grace and peace be multiplied vnto you Blessed be GOD euen the Father of our Lorde Iesus Christ whiche according to his aboundant mercie hath begotten vs againe vnto a liuely hope by the resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead To an inheritaunce immortall and vndefiled and that fadeth not awaie reserued in heauen for you Whiche are kept by the power of God through faithe vnto saluation whiche is prepared to bee shewed in the last tyme. Wherein ye reioyce though now for a season if neede require ye are in heauinesse through manifolde tentations That the triall of your faith beyng much more precious then gold that perisheth though it be tried with fire might be founde vnto your praise and honour and glorie at the appearyng of Iesus Christ Whom ye haue not seene and yet loue him in whom now though ye see hym not yet do you beleue and reioyce with ioye vnspeakeable and glorious Receiuyng the ende of your faith euen the saluation of your soules Of the whiche saluation the Prophets haue inquired and searched whiche prophesied of the grace that should come vnto you Searchyng when or what tyme the Spirit whiche testified before of Christ whiche was in them should declare the suffrynges that should come vnto Christ and the glorie that should followe Vnto whom it was reueiled that not vnto themselues but vnto vs thei should minister the thinges which are now shewed vnto you by them whiche haue preached vnto you the Gospell by the holy Ghost sent doune from heauen the whiche thinges the Angels desire to beholde Wherefore girde vp the loynes of your minde bee sober trust perfectly on the grace that is brought vnto you by the reuelation of Iesus Christ As obedient children not fashioning your selues vnto the former lustes of your ignorance But as he whiche hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all maner of conuersation Because it is written Be ye holy for I am holy 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 Knowing that ye were not redemed with corruptible thinges
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
to require Hee appointeth no certen tyme as the Pope hath doen how long wee must faste but leaueth it to euery ones iudgement so to fast that hee bee alwaies sober that hee doe not so surcharge his bodie with ouermuche eatyng and drinking but that he maie haue the perfect vse of reason and knowe how to vse his senses aright and how to liue profitably and beneficially to others in his vocation For it is a very preposterous absurde and vnprofitable thyng to giue a generall precept hereof vnto the whole people or to the Churche for asmuche as wee are vnlike among our selues one hath a strong bodie another a weake so that it is needefull for one to absteine muche for an other to absteine little that the bodie maie neuerthelesse remaine in health and bee fit to doe good workes Againe there bee some that deale cleane contrarily and thinke thei doe very well in fastyng nothyng at all supposyng that thei maie without respecte of tyme eate what thei will But herein thei doe not well for albeit thei haue somewhat tasted of the Gospell yet haue thei profited little or nothyng like vnto the former For thei haue profited no further but onely to contemne the Lawes of the Pope Thei will not girde vp their mynde and senses as Peter here biddeth neither do thei bridle the desires of their bodie that the sluggishnesse and lasciuiousnesse thereof maie bee repressed It is good to faste howbeit the right Faste in deede is to giue the bodie no more nourishmente then is needefull to preserue it in healthe also to exercise it with labours and watchynges least this old Asse of ours become more wanton and lasciuious then is meete Let hym bee restrained and bridled and obedient to the Spirite whiche Saincte Peter calleth here to bee sober Not as some are wont to faste who so excessiuely engorge and pamper them selues with fishe and the beste sortes of wine at one diner that thei make their beallies like a Taber or Drumme with stuffyng and crammyng them so full Truste perfectly on the grace that is brought vnto you SVche is Christian Faithe that with all affiaunce it wholie trusteth to the woorde of God quietly committeth it self vnto it and confidently attempteth whatsoeuer it teacheth Whereupon S. Peter saith then are the loynes of the mynde girded vp then is your faith sincere and sounde when ye doe quietly and confidently commit your selues to the Worde of God and be bolde vpon trust therein hauyng no regarde whatsoeuer thyng of yours commeth into perill whether it bee riches or good name bodie or euen the life it self Excellently therefore hath he in these wordes described a sincere and vnfeined Faithe For Faithe must not be sluggishe and sleepie whiche is rather a dreame then a Faithe but it must bee liuely and effectuall so that one would with all confidence offer him self to all afflictions and troubles whatsoeuer and depende wholy on the Woorde esteemyng indifferently whatsoeuer state God sendeth that wee maie patiently susteine aduersitie as well as enioye prosperitie As for examples sake when I must dye I must confidently commit my self to Christe I muste quietly offer my life for his sake and trustyng to the Woorde whiche can not deceiue I muste boldly and couragiously triumpht ouer myne aduersaries It is needfull moreouer that Faith should passe through without declinyng any waie and that it suffer it self to be hindered and terrified by no meanes that it remoue frō the eyes whatsoeuer it seeth heareth or feeleth Suche a faithe doeth Sainct Peter require whiche consisteth not in thinkyng and woordes but in mightie power and effectuall vertue Further saieth sainct Peter Trust perfectlie on the grace that is brought vnto you that is to saie You haue not deserued this exceadyng greate grace but it is euen freelie offered and brought vnto you For the Gospell whiche declareth and publisheth this grace vnto vs wée our selues haue neither deuised nor found out but the holie Ghost hath sent it frō heauen into the worlde And what thyng is it that is brought vnto vs Forsooth euen the thinges whiche wee haue afore mentioned Namelie that whosoeuer beleeueth in Christe and cleaueth faste vnto his woorde hath together with hym all the benefites and blessynges whiche bee his in so muche that he is thereby euen a Lorde ouer Synne Death Deuill and Helle and is moste certainly assured of euerlastyng life This so greate a treasure is brought home to vs as it were to our owne doores and laied vp in our bosomes without any our owne helpe merite or deseruyng yea euen vnhoped and vnlooked for when we neither knewe of it nor so muche as once thought of any suche matter And therefore the Apostle exhorteth vs that wee should boldlie and vndoubtedlie looke for this Grace because that God whiche offereth and bestoweth the same vpon vs can not in any wise lye By the reuelation of Iesu Christe GOD offereth his Grace to none but by Christ and therefore without this Mediatour lette no mā presume to come into his sight as we haue afore admonished For he will heare no manne but hym that bryngeth with hym Christe his moste deare Sonne to bee his Aduocate and Spokesman as one whom he onely hath respecte vnto and for his sake to all those that by Faithe cleaue faste vnto hym And therefore he requireth at our handes that we acknowledge his Sonne as the persone by whose blood wée are at one with hym and now dare to present our selues before hym For to this ende came our Lord Christ who taking flesh and blood vnto him ioyned hymself with vs that hee might obtaine pardon and purchase Grace for vs at y t hādes of his Father By this faith in Christ were all the Prophetes and Patriarches saued For it behooued all menne generally to beleeue this promise made vnto Abraham In thy seede shall all Nations bee blessed And therefore the Iewes Turkes and all thei that repose any truste in their owne workes hopyng thereby to winne heauen haue no Faithe at all in them And therefore dooeth Peter saie Grace is brought to you but yet by the reuelation of Iesu Christe or to speake it more plainly by this that Iesus Christe is reuealed vnto you In the Gospell it is shewed vnto vs what Christe is that we maie throughly knowe hym namely that he is our Sauiour that he taketh awaie our Sinnes that he deliuereth vs out of all miseries that he reconcileth vs vnto his Father and that without any our workes he doeth iustifie and saue vs. Who soeuer doeth not thus acknowledge Christ is altogether deceiued For albeit thou knowe hym to bee the Sonne of GOD who died rose againe and sitteth now at the right hande of his Father yet hast thou not thereby throughly knowne Christ neither shall this knowyng of hym any whitt auaile thee vnlesse thou proceede a steppe further and bothe knowe and also beleeue that he did all these thynges for thee to helpe relieue and comfort
contained the summe of a true Christian life As thou liuest therefore so shalt thou receiue and so will God iudge thee And therfore although God iudge vs accordyng to our woorkes yet neuerthelesse this remaineth also alike true that good workes are onely the fruictes of Faithe whereby it shalbe easie to finde and trie where Faithe is and where is Infidelitie And therefore will God iudge thée accordyng to thy workes and will thereby laie it face to face to thy charge whether thou haue Faithe or no. As no man can better confute a Lyer then by his owne woordes And yet neuerthelesse it is plaine that by those words he is not made a Lior but he was a Lyer afore that he vttered any lye because that a lye must needes proceede from the harte into the mouth Take therefore these same woordes of Sainct Peter in a moste simple sense and in such sorte that you vnderstande workes to be the fruictes and seales of Faithe and that God doth iudge men according to these fruictes whiche can not but ensue and followe a true and sounde Faithe to the intent it maye manifestly appeare where Faithe remaineth in the harte and also where Infidelitie lodgeth God will not iudge accordyng to these interrogatories and questions whether thou be called a Christian or no or whether thou bee baptized or not but hee will thus question with thee Sirrha if thou bee a Christian where bee thy fruictes whereby thou art able to confirme and approue thy faithe And therefore saieth sainct Peter forasmuche as you haue suche a father which iudgeth not accordyng to any mans person see that yee haue your conuersation in the tyme of your dwelling here in feare that is to saie Feare ye this Father not in the feare of punishment and reuenge for so the wicked reprobates and Deuilles dooe feare hym but feare ye hym least he should forsake you or withdrawe his holie hande from you Euen as an honest and good childe standeth in feare least hee should offende his father or commit any thyng that should not bee well liked of hym Suche a feare doeth God require at our handes whereby wee maye loathe and abhorre sinne and diligently studie to helpe out neighbour so long as we haue to liue in this worlde That Christian that beleeueth well is possessed of all the goodes and benefites of God and is the childe of God as wee haue heard afore declared but the tyme that hee here hath to liue is nothyng els then a kinde of Sequestration or Pilgrimage For his Spirite by faithe is alreadie in heauen by the whiche hee is euen a Lorde of all thynges But God therefore suffreth hym yet for a tyme to liue in the fleshe and to bee conuersant in bodie vpon the earth purposelie that he should help others and bryng them with him to heauen And therefore wee ought no otherwise to vse this worlde nor to make any other accompt thereof but as Straungers or wayfaring men are wont to doe who commyng into their Lodgyng or Inne make no further reckoning but to haue at their Hostes handes meate drincke and lodging for one night and no longer thei doe not chalenge and laie claime vnto their Hostes whole substaunce After the same sorte ought euery one to accoumpt of his wealth and richesse euen as though thei were none of his to take therof onely so much as is sufficient for the maintenance and nourishment of his bodie and with the rest to relieue and helpe his needie neighbours Therefore the life of a Christian man is no otherwise but as a mansion for one night For wee haue here no permanent dwellyng place wee must haue our desire thither where our Father is namely heauen And therfore wee ought to abandon and laie aside all lasciuiousnesse and dissolute life and to passe as sainct Peter saieth the time of our dwellyng here in feare Knowyng that ye 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 THis saieth he ought to prouoke and stirre you to employe your conuersation in the feare of God consideryng how greate a price your redemption coste Heretofore ye were Citezins of the worlde liuyng vnder the tyrannous rule of the Deuill now hath God deliuered you from suche lamentable and desperate conuersation and hath brought you into an other place so that now you are Citezens in heauen and but Straungers and Pilgrims on earth But marke ye wel how muche God hath bestowed on you and how vnvaluable and exceedyng greate that treasure is wherewith you are redeemed and brought into that happie case to become the children of God Therefore passe your time and conuersation in feare and take ye good heede least if ye should contemne and neglect these thynges ye loose this so excellent and precious a treasure And what treasure is that whiche is so excellent and precious wherewith wee are redeemed Not these corruptible thinges Golde or Siluer but the moste precious bloud of Christe the Sonne of God This treasure is so excellent and of price so inescimable that no sense or reason of man is able to comprehende it insomuche that one small droppe of this most innocent Bloud had been fullie sufficient for the sinnes of the whole worlde But it pleased the eternall Father so aboundantly to poure out his Grace vpon vs and with suche a price to procure and worke our Saluation that he would haue his moste deare Sonne Christ to shed all his bloud and to bestow and giue vnto vs all his treasures at once And therefore he requireth vs that we doe not as it were cast awaie into the ayre or make small accoumpt of suche a greate Grace but rather so to esteeme of it that wee maie bee stirred and mooued vnto feare that liuyng therein wee maie not deserue est sones to be depriued of this so surpassing a treasure And this withall must diligently be noted and considered how that sainct Peter here doeth saie that ye were redeemed from your vaine conuersation which ye receiued by the traditions of the fathers For by this hee vtterlie throweth downe that perswasion that wee are wont moste commonly to leane vnto thinkyng that all our dooinges ought to bee allowed and well liked of because the same of an olde custome haue had lonâ— continuaunce and because our Auncestours and predecessors aâ—â—â—ng whom there haue been many wise and good men haue so obserued them For thus hee saieth Whatsoeuer our fathers haue either enacted or doen all was ill and consequently those thinges that you haue learned of theim concernyng the worshippe of God are so corrupt and naught that God muste bestowe the blond of his owne Sonne to redeeme and free men from the same Whatsoeuer now therefore is not washed awaie by his bloud is altogether by the fleshe infected and accused Wherevpon it followeth that the more earnestly that any man striueth to attaine to
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
hunger is as the Prouerbe saieth the beste sauce those pinches maketh this meate meruailous sauorie For the harte and conscience when thei once beginne to haue feelyng of their miserie and wretched state can heare nothyng that is so pleasaunte as the Gospell thei whollie rely vnto it thei smell afarre of the delicacie and toothsomnesse thereof and can not bee fullie satisfied therewith So was the song of the blessed virgine Marie He hath filled the hongrie with good thinges In the meane season those stiffe mynded persones that trust to their owne holinesse and leaue to their owne woorkes and righteousnesse haue neither any feelyng of their Synnes and wickednesse neither enioye any tast of these thynges here spoken of As for example when any that is hungrie sitteth at a table eche kinde of meate sauoureth well and hath a good relishe in his mouth whereas to hym that is full stomacked nothing sauoreth well but all meates yea the beste and daintiest dishes seeme loathsome Therefore vseth the Apostle these woordes If so be that you haue tasted how bountifull the Lorde is as though he should saie If you haue not as yet tasted this my preachyng to you is but in vaine To whom comyng as vnto a liuyng stone HEre againe taketh he holde of Scriptures afore tyme written and bryngeth in the xxviii of Esaie saiyng thus Heare the woorde of the Lorde ye mockers because ye haue saied wee haue made a couenant with Death and with Hell are wee at an agreement and haue made falshood your refuge Therefore thus saieth the Lorde Beholde I will laie in Zion a Stone a tried Stone a precious corner Stone a sure foundation c. This place doeth saincte Paule also alledge and it is one of the principallest places of the Scripture For Christe is that precious Stone whom God hath laied for the foundation and vppon whom wee are to bee builded And here beholde how S. Peter taketh these wordes and interpreteth them of Christ Again that which Esaie calleth Trustyng in hym that saieth S. Peter to be the same that to bee builded vpon hym is And this is truely and aptly to expounde the Scriptures Thei that builde laie their foundation in suche a place where it maie continue faste and remaine firme so that it may beare vp the whole house and frame that is builded vpō it And euen so doth this liuyng Stone which is Christ vphold and beare all this spirituall buildyng And to be builded vpon hym is nothyng els but that we all together repose our trust confidence and hope whiche wee haue in our selues whollie vpon hym Disalowed of men but chosen of God precious HEre againe he alledgeth a place out of the Cxviij Psalme of the Prophete Dauid The same Stone whiche the builders refused is become the hedde Stone of the corner and it is merueilous in our eyes Whiche place Christ hymself also citeth in the xxj of Matthewes Gospell and is repeted in the fourth of the Actes The Stone whiche you builders reiected and set nought by You saieth he are the builders For thei taught the people preached many thynges enacted sondrie ordinaunces and Lawes but thei made men nothyng thereby but Meritemangers Hypocrites Wherevpon Christe pronouncyng sentence vppon them calleth them plaine Hypocrites and the generation of Vipers and pronounceth many terrible sentences vpon theim reckonyng theim among Synners and not for suche greate holie men as thei would faine haue semed This can thei not abide but reiect hym and saie Hereticke forbiddest thou to doe good woorkes Thou shalte dye the death for thy so saiyng And therefore saieth saincte Peter here This same corner Stone vpon whiche you must be builded is euen likewise refused and set at naught This as the Prophet saieth appeareth merueilous in our eyes and seemeth verie straunge and so wonderfull that vnlesse the Spirite did teache it vs no man by reason could conceiue in Therefore saith he before God this Stone is chosen and precious and of so high price and value that it taketh awaie Death recompenseth for Synnes deliuereth from Hell and laste of all giueth also vnto vs the Kyngdome of Heauen Ye also as liuelie Stones be made a spirituall house HOw and by what meanes are wee builded Euen by the Gospell and preaching of the Woorde The Builders are thei that preache Thei that are builded are suche Christians which heare the Gospell thei are the Stones whiche must be laied and couched vpon this corner Stone so that wee repose our whole truste vppon hym and that out harte leane onely vpon hym and so bee at reste Now it followeth that wee must so directe and frame our selues that wee maie expresse shewe forthe and imitate that course of life that he ledd For it is verie meete that I who am builded and laied vpon hym by faithe should freme my self to the same workes that he did and shewe forth the same conuersation Which order all menne generally and ioyntly ought and are bounde to resemble And this issueth forth and proceedeth frō Faithe and is the woorke of Loue that we should mutuallie bee morteised and ioyned out into an other that we all together maie make one buildyng The same reason hath sainct Paule also j. Cor. iij. Howbeeit not altogether after the same maner that this is You are saieth he the Temple of God It is not the materiall house made of woodd and stone which is his House a Spirituall house is that whiche he requireth whiche is the Churche of Christe in whiche wee are all through one Faithe equall That whiche one is an other is all builded together within our selues mutuallie and emong our selues cemented couched framed and knitte together by Loue without al maliciousnesse guile hypocrisie enuie and euill speakyng as afore hath been declared An holie Priesthood HEere taketh he awaie that outwarde and corporall Priesthood whiche was in the old Testament as also that outward Temple all whiche he quite remooueth and saieth thus That outwarde and externall pampe of Priesthoode is now cleane ceassed now therefore beginne yea newe Priesthood and offer other Sacrifices but so that all thynges be Spirituall Here haue we had somewhat adoe for that wee haue mainteined and affirmed that these persones whiche commonlie of late yeres haue been called and tearmed by y e name of Priestes are not Priestes before God at all and that assertion prooued we cheeflie out of this place And therefore vnderstande it aright and beare it well in mynde That if any should bee so wilfull in suche sorte to wreste and teare in peeces for I will not call it expounde this place as that the same were to be meant of a double Priesthoode whiche some blusteryngly and boldly haue auouched that is to witte bothe of a Spirituall and also of a Corporall Priesthoode will hym to cleare his eyesight and a little better to awake his senses For sainct Peter saieth thus Be ye builded into a Spirituall or holie Priesthood Now demaunde of
obiect and preach to vs Christians the doctrines of men they ought rather to preache vnto vs this Vertue whiche ouercometh both Deuill Synne and Death And here againe alludeth sainct Peter to sundrie places of the sacred Scripture as in all the rest of his Epistle almoste he still conioyneth and knitteth one place of Scripture to confirme and proue an other For of this doe all the Prophetes foretell and prophesie that it should come to passe that all men euery where should worship preache forth the name and glorie of God and the power of his mightie arme and that he should worke suche a worke whereof the whole world should both speake and make reporte Of this the Prophetes are euerywhere very plentifull and to these places doeth S. Peter here allude Thei haue also spoken muche of Light and of Darkenesse and that it is necessarie for vs to bee illumined with the Light of God wherby vndoubtedly thei shewed and signified that all humaine Reason is nothyng els then very Darkenesse it self Whiche in tyme past were not a people yet are now the people of God whiche in tyme past were not vnder mercie but now haue obtained mercie THis place worde for word is taken out of the Prophet Osee in his ij Chap. and is cited also by sainct Paule in the ix to the Romanes I will call them my people whiche were not my people Al which saiyngs belong to this place God peculierly choose the people of Israell and bestowed on them greate honour he gaue vnto them many Prophetes and did for theim many merueilous things because he had decreed that out of this people the man Christ should be borne For this Childes sake were all these thinges doen for thē and for this cause are thei in the Scriptures called the people of God Whiche the Prophetes more at large expounded and foretolde that this promise of Christe should stretche further and reache also vnto the Gentiles Therefore saieth S. Peter in this place You are now the people of God which in time past were not a people And by this it euidentlie appeareth that he wrate this Epistle vnto the Gentiles and not vnto the Iewes And hereby his meanyng is to proue and shewe that the saiyng of the Prophete is now fulfilled sith thei whiche once were Idolatrous Nations and blasphemous Gentiles and thereby no People are now made and become an holie nation a peculier people a royall Priesthood and a Kyngdome and haue all thynges that Christe hath so that in the meane tyme thei haue onely a stedfast beliefe Dearely beloued I beseche you as straungers and pilgrimes abstaine from fleshly lustes which 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 which thei shall see glorifie God in the day of visitation SAinct Peter here vseth a Style somewhat differyng from the phraze of Sainct Paule For Sainct Paules methode is not after this sorte as anone wee shall heare but euery man hath a seuerall and peculier kinde of speakyng as also in the Prophetes wee maie easily perceiue and see Hitherto hath hee very aptlie and orderlie planted the foundation of the Christian Faith whiche is his chiefest drift Now proceedeth he to teache vs how we ought to demeane and behaue our selues generallie towardes all Men. And this is truely the verie right course and order of true preachyng Namely first to set out the dignitie excellencie and effect of Faith how it is to be knowen how and what it worketh what vertue strength efficacie and nature it hath how it yeeldeth and bringeth vnto vs all thinges euen aboundantlie whiche are appertinent and needful to Godlinesse or Saluation how that no good Work can bee doen by any man but onely by Faithe and finally how that by this faithe all that whiche God hath is made ours If God now haue thus dealt with vs and hath giuen and bestowed all his riche gifes vpon vs it followeth that he himself also is ours insomuche that by Faithe we are possessed of all his goodnesse whereby wee can lacke nothyng What a greate charge therefore lyeth there now vpon vs to doe in lieu of this so surpassyng bountie Shall wee giue our selues to idlenesse God forbid It were best in deede euen straight waies to dye that we might presently haue the fruition and possession of all these his gracious goodnesse But so long as wee liue here it is our partes and dueties so to deale and so to shew our selues in euery respect towardes our neighbours as God hath dealt and shewed himself towardes vs. Therefore it is Faithe onely that saueth vs Loue requireth of vs that we should serue our neighbours and bee carefull ouer them For that whiche Faithe receiueth from God Loue bestoweth vpon our neighbour That which was spoken in one word maie now largely be expounded and declared in many as S. Peter doeth in this place The meanyng therefore of the Apostle where he saieth Dearely beloued I beseche you as Straungers and Pilgrims is this You that are now one with Christe are growen as it were into one masse or lumpe with him insomuche that his goodnesse is yours and your hurtes be his hurtes who as he is carefull bothe for you and for all suche thinges as maie happā vnto you so also ought you to imitate herein this your so louing a Sauiour and so to frame and direct your liues that you maie seeme nothing lesse then to bee Citizens of this World sith you bee adopted and enfraunchised Citizens in heauen where al good thinges are laied vp for you That if you should once loose all these transitorie and momentanie goodes of the worlde yet hauing still Christe who is infinitely more worth then all these brittle and temporall trash you shall receiue and sustaine no damage no losse no hinderaunce at all The Deuill is Prince of this Worlde and gouerneth the same and his Citezens are the men of the World Therefore seyng that you are not of this Worlde so vse and behaue your selues as Straungers and Passingers dooe in their Inne who hauing not there their full wealth and Substaunce make shifte to buye for their money onely suche thinges as be needefull and necessarie and straightwaies addresse themselues forward to the dispatch of their iourney So also we vnto whom this life is nothyng then a certaine passage to an other place for here wee haue no abidyng place but muste passe to an other ought not to rake vnto our selues nor vsurpe more of these worldlie pelfe and gooddes then maie competentlie supplie our wantes for meate drincke and raimente All other thynges muste bee so rekoned and accoumpted of as that thei maie not bee any hindrance or impechement vnto that speedie iourney whiche wee make into an other Countrey In Heauen wee are Citezens on Earth wee are but Pilgrimes and Straungers Absteine from fleshly lustes whiche fight againste the Soule I
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
externall and outwarde Policies as the maintenaunce defence and fortification of Cities building and making of Bridges appointyng and assessyng of Tributes Receite of Reuenues mainteinyng and continuyng of peace defendyng their Territories Landes and Dominions and settyng order for punishement of Malefactours and Offendours Therfore eche Christian maie without daunger naie willingly and of his owne accord not compulsiuely and forciblie ought to yeelde his obedience vnto suche a Prince sithens he chalengeth no authoritie ouer his Conscience Therefore now if either Emperour Kyng or Prince should aske mee what my Faithe is I ought plainly to confesse and protest the same vnto him not for any his commaundement but for that I otherwise am bounde to confesse my Faithe openly before all men as often as occasion is offered Now if he should proceede further with me commaundyng me to beleeue this waie or that waie then muste I saie after this sorte vnto hym Noble Prince your charge is in respect of an externall Principalitie and Empire looke well to that your authoritie reacheth not to encermeddle with the Kyngdome of God it is not lawfull for you to eueroache vppon the sanie nor to vsurpe vnto your self that which belongeth to him alone and therefore herein I maie not obeye you You can not well abide that any other should chalenge any right vnto him self within any of your Dominions yea if he should but onely passe through the rankes of your Watchmen setting them at naught as though thei had not to deale with hym you would I saie I am sure pursue such a one with Gūnes Glaues and other store of Partiall prouision And how then can you think that GOD will suffer you to attempt to pull him out of his Seate and to set your self in his place Sainct Peter calleth here the ciuile Magistrate onely the Ordinaunce of man and therfore their authoritie stretcheth not as of themselues to enact and commaunde any thing vppon the Statutes of God and poinctes of our Faithe Seruants be subiect to your maisters with al 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 SAinct Peter hitherto hath taught vs how wee should be subiect vnto the ciuil Magistrate and what honour wee ought to giue vnto the same In the discourse whereof wee haue declared how farre it extendeth and how the same Magistrates are not to stretche their authoritie further then their limited Commission neither to ouerrule matters of Faithe All whiche is spoken of Magistrates in generall and therfore this doctrine appertaineth vnto all Now he speaketh of suche Magistracie as appertaineth not to the whole Cōmonwealth but to certaine priuate persones And first of all how a Familie ought to bee gouerned and how Seruauntes in an householde ought to demeane and behaue themselues towarde their Maisters The meanyng of all whiche his wordes in effect is this Seruauntes both men and women are Christians aswell as others hauyng one and the same Worde one Faithe one Baptisme all other benefites besides aswell as any others and therefore in the sight of God are nothyng inferiour to any other Onely here in this worlde in this externall and tēporall life there is some difference for in that respecte thei are of lesse accoumpt and estimation and therein beeyng inferiours and vnderlinges they are bounde to waite and obeye Therefore seeyng that God hath called them to that estate thei ought so to frame and enure themselues in their dueties that thei shew their subiection and testifie their submission vnto their Maisters honour them reuerence them be seruiceable vnto them and carefullie looke to their dealinges and businesse Wherevppon the Prophete Dauid Psalm Cxxiij borowyng from them a very apt and proper similitude signifieth thereby how diligently thei ought to attende vnto their Maisters and Maistresses As the eyes of the Seruauntes looke vnto the handes of their Maisters and as the eyes of a Maiden vnto the handes of her Maistresse so do our eyes waite vpō the Lord our God whiche is as muche to saie as Seruauntes and waiting Maidens ought with submission and feare to doe whatsoeuer maie please their Maister and Maistresse God requireth it and therefore thei ought with cherefull and willyng myndes to doe it That which thou thus doest accordyng to the Word of God and Faithe bee assured is acceptable and allowed of God And therefore these are the best workes of al others that a man can woorke so that a man maie here perceiue that hee needeth not to got farre to dooe other Woorkes What thy Maister commaundeth his Seruaunt or the Maistresse her Maide that hath God commaunded to be doen of thee Think it not to bee the bare commaundement of man although it be vttered and doen by man And therefore thou oughtest not to consider and respect what maner a Maister he is whom thou seruest whether he be good or badd gentle and curteous waiwarde and churlish but thinke this rather what maner a Maister soeuer he bee yet is it my duetie truely and faithfullie to serue hym and diligently to applie my self in his businesse and that for Gods sake who requireth the same at my handes remembryng also that my Lorde Iesus Christe for the redemption and freedome of me became a Seruaunt This is the true doctrine of life whiche ought continually to bee inculked and beaten into the heades of all men but alas the blindnesse of our age is so greate that it is nowadaies almoste quight abolished and vtterlie extincte And this doctrine is of suche sorte that none can well embrace and like of it sauyng onely true Christians who haue their lesson for the same out of the Gospell And therefore if thou wilt be the true child of God frame thy mynde so to serue thy maister as if Christe hymself were present and commaunded thee euery particuler charge to doe For so writeth saincte Paule Ephe. vj. Seruauntes bee obediente vnto theim that are your Maisters accordyng to the fleshe with feare and tremblyng in singlenesse of your hartes as vnto Christe not with seruice to the eye as men pleasers but as the seruauntes of Christ doyng the will of GOD from the harte with good will seruyng the Lorde and not men And againe Coloss iij. For ye serue the Lorde Christe Oh that our Monkes and Nunnes now adaies were in that state that these poore Seruaūtes are what ioye might thei haue in their consciences and to giue God thankes for his benefites There is neuer a one of theim that can truely saie God hath commaunded me to heare a Masse to sing Mattins to mumble vp the Seuen houres or suche like Trumperies For there is not so muche as one woorde thereof spoken in all the
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
iudgeth accordyng to the hearte and faithe and not accordyng to the persones or outwarde workes And therefore we ought so to iudge as God himself iudgeth that is that we must haue all one mynde and one iudgement that vnitie and concorde maie flourishe and remaine in the world that our hartes may continue vndisseuered and not bee drawen asunder for these outwarde by matters so that we are to deeme allow and think well of the worke that any other doeth so long as the same is not of it self Sinne. Of this Concorde speaketh sainct Paule ij Cor. xj where hee saieth thus I feare least as the Serpent beguiled Eue through his subtiltie so your myndes should bee corrupt frō the simplicitie that is in Christ whiche is as muche to saie as I feare least the Deuill likewise deceiue you and drawe your simple heartes and agreing myndes into diuision and discord Likewise Phil. iiij The peace of God whiche passeth all vnderstandyng preserue your hartes and myndes in Christ Iesus And why is the Apostle so carefull for our hartes and mindes Truely because therevpon al other thinges doe depende For if I once fall into a reprobate sense and bee possessed with a peruerse vnderstandyng I make a general shipwrack of all together As if I bee a Monke and therein fullie perswade my self that my woorkes are more regarded and esteemed before God then other mens and should saie I thanke thee O GOD that I am become a Monke my profession is farre better then the vulgare state of maried life therevppon straightwaies necessarilie ariseth a swelling arrogancie of the minde and a vaine puffyng vp of the hart can not but be there where I seeme in myne owne eyes to bee more iust and righteous then others be and in respect of my self contenme other men By whiche meanes I wilfullie beguile my self for there is no maried woman liuyng in the true and sincere Faithe of Christ but is muche more esteemed before God then I with my lowsie Profession and witlesse Vowe Therfore when we acknowledge assuredly knowe that Faithe bringeth with it all thinges that be expedient and needefull for a Christian man to haue then are wee all of one mynde heart and iudgement without makyng any difference of workes or preferryng one before an other Thinke therefore that this place of S. Peter is not to bee vnderstoode of any externall mynde but of a spirituall and internall iudgement in thinges and suche as before GOD are highly set by that life and doctrine maie vniformallie agree together and that the same thing that séemeth good to an other maie seeme also good to vs and also that that maie bee likyng and pleasaunt to an other that is liked and pleasaunt vnto vs as afore hath been declared This hearte and this mynde haue thei that be right Christians and this ought thei with all care and diligence to looke vnto that by no meanes it quaile accordyng to sainct Paules exhortation For assoone as the Deuill by his malice ouerthroweth this hart and this minde straightwaies is the bonde of true vnitie broken asunder and all thinges at once come to an vtter confusion One suffer with an other LET one haue a care for an other lett the necessitie of thy Neighbour no lesse moue thy hearte then if the case were thine owne yea thinke it to appertaine vnto thee And when hee hath sustained any hindraunce losse or mischaunce doe not thou reioyce thereat neither thus thinke with thy selfe It is well enough if some worse thing had happened vnto him he hath well deserued it For where charitie is there is so muche and so greate care for the state of our Neighbour that if any mishappe befall vnto hym it should no lesse pearce our heartes then if it had chaunced vnto our selues Loue as Brethren LEt euery one accoumpte an other as his owne Brother the whiche how to bee vnderstood is very easie for euen Nature her self teacheth vs. Wee see that thei whiche bee naturall borne brethren liue in a more neerer bonde of loue and are more carefull zealous willing and readie one to assist an other then any other freends be The same must wee now dooe beeyng all Brethren together by Baptisme insomuche that our verie Parentes after our baptisme are to vs in the place and steede of Brethren for that wee haue the same giftes graces and benefites at Christes hande by Faithe whiche thei haue Be pitifull one to an other THE Greekes in this one word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comprehende all this sentence whiche to expresse againe in one worde in Latine wee must bee driuen to call it Viscerosi And I knowe not how better to interprete and explaine it then by a comparison or similitude Behold marke how a Father or Mother is affected towarde their Childe that if a mother see her Infant to suffer any extremity or wāt her harte and bowelles earne within her And thence is this forme or phraze of speakyng borowed whiche is very vsuall and often in the Scriptures One Historie thereof we haue in the first Booke of Kynges Cap. iij. Where it is declared how two women contended before Kyng Solomon for a young Infant whose it should be for either of them laied claime vnto it The Kyng therefore purposing to trie out whether of them was the right mother of the Childe could deuise no better waie to bolt out the truth then by nature it self by whiche pollicie he tryed out the matter For hee saied to the women Thou saiest that the liuyng Childe is thine and she saieth it is hers Bryng mee therefore hither a Sworde and diuide the Infant in twaine and giue the one halfe to the one and the other halfe to the other By whiche wise pollicie hee founde out which was the true mother of the Childe For the Scripture in the self same place recordeth that straightwaies the bowelles of her compassion were mooued in loue towarde her Childe and that she cried out and saied Oh my Lord not so but let her rather haue the whole Childe and staye hym not Wherevpon the King presentlie gaue iudgment saied This is the true mother of the Childe deliuer him vnto her Herehence maie wee gather the very true sense of this worde here deliuered vnto vs by saincte Peter to signifie an entyer compassion and most hartie affection And that we should be none otherwise mutuallie affected one towarde an other then they that are naturall Brethren by bloud that euery ones whole harte marowe veines and all the powers of our mynde and bodie be totallie moued with compassion at the mishappes of an other and that we ought to beare suche a zealous mutuall hartie and motherly affection one toward an other that if any thing with thē miscarie it should euen pearce vs as it were to the death Suche a mynde ought one Christian to beare towardes an other But I feare there are but a very fewe to bee founde whiche so entierly with their harte loue
lye naked to the sight of GOD and are as now present vnto his eyes and he in one moment or minute of tyme ouerlooketh and surueigheth all that is was or shalbee A thousande yeeres with hym are but as one daie as saincte Peter in his seconde Epistle declareth And therefore the first man is as present vnto him as the man that shalbe last borne for with one glaunce he beholdeth at once the whole Worlde Let this therfore be the meanyng of this place that Christ now preacheth not any more corporallie but is present in his Woorde and thereby preacheth to the Spirites in their hartes And here wee must note that Saincte Peter vseth a Figure named Synecdoche which is when the whole is taken for a parte and contrariwise when the parte is taken for the whole For hee preached not altogether vnto them alone but vnto all that are like vnto them and of semblable disposition to theirs As if a mā for example sake should now saie This man preached among the Heluetians who sometymes were vnder the gouernement of the Dukes of Austria It herevppon by and by followeth not that hee preached to theim that sometymes were Vassalles to the Dukes of Austria and are now long since dead but it sufficeth to saie that he preached to the people dwellyng now in that Countrie which afore liued in suche subiection And thus vnder the name of the parte the whole is many tymes vnderstoode and the whole againe oftentymes is put to signifie the Parte And after this sorte must we by this life haue respect and consideration of the other life This is the beste interpretation in my Iudgemente that can bee for this place howbeit if any manne bryng a better I will bee glad as meete it is to allowe of it But to be plaine I can not at any hande bee perswaded to beleeue that Christe beeyng quickened in Spirite that is hauyng now taken vnto hym a Spirituall life did descende into Helle and preache to the Soules there speciallie seeyng the Scripture is flatte againste any suche matter affirmyng that when thynges are brought to that poinct euery one shall receiue accordyngly as he hath dooen and beleeued Againe it is not certaine in what state the dead remaine To conclude the woordes themselues are against any suche meanyng for the deade Now this is vndoubtedly true that Christe is presente and preacheth in the harte when as the faithfull Minister or vocall Preacher with fruite vttereth and instilleth the Woorde of God into the Eares and therefore wee maie boldly and without daunger admit and embrace this interpretation of this place He to whom God hath reueiled and opened a better exposition I wishe to be followed The verie summe therefore of this our Interpretation is this Christe beyng now quickened in Spirite that is after he was ascended into Heauen preached afterwarde vnto the Soules of menne who afore vsed to preache to their bodies emong whiche Soules there were many Vnbeleuers in the daies of Noah When once the long suffring of God abode in the daies of Noah while the Arke was preparyng where in fewe that is eight Soules were saued in the water HEre againe persisteth Sainct Peter in alledging and insertyng the Scriptures in whiche his purpose is to drawe vs to enure and exercise our selues And out of theim he bryngeth the figure of Noah his Arke whiche be also explaneth It is verie cōfortable and proper to fetche Similitudes from suche maner of Examples as this whiche order Saincte Paule also followed Gala. iiij where he recordeth the mysterie of the twoo Sonnes of Abraham and also his twoo Wiues and afterward expounded the same And Christe also Ihon. iij. speaketh of the Brasen Serpent whiche Moses lifte vp in the wildernesse Num. xxj Suche pithie Similitudes are easily learned and willyngly hearkened vnto and menne commonly take greate delight in the hearyng of theim And therefore Saincte Peter here bryngeth in by waie of comparison the Similitude of the Arke of Noah whereby he briefly and in fewe woordes and yet with a certaine pleasure setteth doune a sure lesson to confirme Faithe And that whiche he here setteth doune to haue come to passe when Noah made the Arke after the same sort standeth the case now that as he and his euen eight Soules were saued in the Arke whiche was caried vpon the Waters so must wee also bee saued through Baptisme that Water did then once saue bothe menne and all Creatures beside and so Baptisme beyng receiued in Faithe drouneth in vs whatsoeuer is carnall and naturall and maketh vs Spirituall And this commeth to passe when wee betake our selues into the Arke whiche signifieth and figureth our Lorde Christ or the Churche of Christ or the Gospell whiche Christe preached or the Bodie of Christe in whiche wee all hange together by Faithe and are deliuered from all euilles euen as Noah by the Arke was saued from beeyng drenched in the Waters Gene. vij Thus we see how this example by hym here brought comprehendeth as it were compendiously and briefly bothe what Faithe is and what the Crosse is what is Life and what is Death Now where soeuer there bee men that whollie depende vpon Christ there certainly is the Churche of Christ and there is vtterly drouned and killed what soeuer is in vs that is euill and that issueth and commeth from our old Adam To the whiche also the figure that now saueth vs euen Baptisme agreeth not the puttyng awaie of the filthe of the fleshe but in that a good conscience maketh request to God YE are not hereby satted in that the filth of your bodies is cleane washed awaie and nothyng els cleansed but the Bodie as the Iewes precisely obserued and vsed to doe for suche kinde of purifiyng is of no moment nor force but it is a good Conscience makyng request to God that saueth you When as ye feele within you a good Conscience chearfullie and confidently daryng to shewe it self and to appeare before God as though there were a couenaunt or bargain betwéene theim and therevppon dare boldly saie This hath my Lorde God promised me and I am sure he will performe it for he is suche a one as can not deceiue If ye thus stedfastly cleaue vnto his Woorde and whollie depende vppon hym you can not misse but bee saued And the Meane whereby we thus obtaine Saluation is Faithe and not any outward Worke that we our selues are able any waies to doe By the resurrection of Iesus Christe THis small portion of woordes hath Saincte Peter purposely added to that whiche went before to shewe a reason of the Faithe that is grounded herevpon because that after Christe died and descended into the lower partes he staied not still there but anone arose againe from the deade For if he had continued still in Death we had remained still in our miserable estate forlorne as wee were afore But because he is risen againe from the deade and now sitteth on the right hande of his
Father and hath caused the same to bee published and preached vnto vs to the intente wee should beleeue on hym we haue therefore a certaine couenaunt or promise with GOD vnto the whiche wee certainly and vnfeignedly dooe truste and by the whiche wee are saued and preserued euen as Noah was by the Arke Thus therefore hath Saincte Peter laied before our eyes and made the whole Arke spirituall vnto vs in whiche is neither Fleshe nor Blood but a good Conscience to Godward and that is Faith Whiche is at the right hande of GOD gone into heauen to whom the Angelles and Powers and Mightes are subiecte ALL this he speaketh to make our Faithe the perfecter and stronger For it behooued that Christe should ascende into Heauen and bee made Lorde of all Creatures and that all Power what soeuer and where soeuer should bee subiected vnto hym to the ende he might aduaunce and bryng vs thither and make vs also Lordes of all thynges All whiche be of singuler force and efficacie to comfort and confirme our hartes and mindes For hereby are we assuredly perswaded that all thinges through Christ and by Christ are made to serue vs That whatsoeuer power there is in Heauē or in Earth yea Death Deuill all are hereby enioyned and cōpelled to serue vs and for our vses euen as thei are bound to serue Christ and to lye in all subiection vnder his feete The fourth Chapter FOrasmuche then as Christ hath suffred for vs in the flesh arme your selues like wise with the same mynd which is that he which hath suffred in the flesh hath ceassed from sinne That he henceforward should liue as muche tyme as remaineth in the fleshe not after the lustes of men but after the will of God For it is sufficient for vs that wee haue spent the tyme past of the life after the lust of the Gentiles walkyng in wātonnesse lustes drunkennesse in gluttonie drinkinges and in abominable idolatries Wherein it seemeth to them strange that ye runne not with them vnto the same excesse of ryote therefore speake thei euill of you Whiche shall giue accounts to hym that is readie to iudge quicke and deade For vnto this purpose was the Gospell preached also vnto the dead that thei might be condemned according to men in the fleshe but might liue accordyng to God in the spirite Now the ende of all thinges is at hande Be ye therefore sober and watchyng in praier But aboue all thinges haue feruent loue among you for loue couereth the multitude of sinnes Be ye harberous one to an other without grudgyng Let euery man as he hath receiued the gift minister the same one to an other as good disposers of the manifold grace of God If any man speake lett him talke as the woordes of GOD. If any man minister let him doe it as of the abilite which God ministreth that God in all thinges maie bee glorified through Iesus Christe to whom is praise and dominion for euer and euer Amen Dearely beloued thinke it not straunge concernyng the firie triall whiche is among you to proue you as though some straunge thing were come vnto you But reioyce in asmuch as ye are partakers of Christes suffringes that when his glorie shall appeare ye maie bee glad and reioyce If ye be rayled vpon for the Name of Christe blessed are ye for the spirite of glorie and of God resteth vpon you whiche on their parte is euill spoken of but on your parte is glorified But let none of you suffer as a murtherer or as a thiefe or an euill doer or as a busie bodie in other mens matters But if any manne suffer as a Christian let hym not bee ashamed but let hym glorifie God in this behalfe For the tyme is come that iudgment must beginne at the house of God If it first begin at vs what shall the ende be of them whiche obeye not the Gospell of God And if the righteous scarsely be saued where shall the vngodly and the sinner appeare Wherefore let them that suffer accordyng to the will of God commit their soules to him in well doyng as vnto a faithfull Creator Forasmuche then as Christe hath suffred for vs in the flesh arme your selues likewise with the same mynd which is that he whiche hath suffred in the fleshe hath ceased from sinne SAinct Peter still continueth in the same Argument that he had in hande in the other Chapter afore For as he there generallie exhorted vs to suffer affliction and persecution if so the will of God bee and for the same sett Christ for an example vnto vs so doeth hee here more largely handle and confirme the same makyng thereof as it were a repetition saiyng Forasmuch as Christ our Graund Captaine and head suffred in the fleshe for vs and also by his bitter passion redeemed vs and in his suffryng became an Example vnto vs it is most meete and our bounded duties are to imitate him and to bee likewise armed and furnished For the life of Christe and especially his passion is set doune vnto vs in the Scriptures after two sortes First as a free Gift giuen vnto vs as sainct Peter in the third Chapter afore hath worthilie described and set him doune vnto vs moste chiefly labouring to builde vs on him by Faithe and teaching vs that by the Bloud of Christ all our sinnes are expiated and clearely done awaie and we freed from the thraldome of our transgressions and restored to the participation of eternall life seeyng that Christe was freely giuen vnto vs all whiche benefites can of vs bee none otherwise conceiued and apprehended then by Faith onely And of this hee spake afore where he saied that Christe once suffred for our Sinnes This is the principall and the chiefest poinct of all and in the holie Scriptures set doune as most excellent And secondlie Christe was giuen and set forthe vnto vs as an Example or patterne for vs to imitate For when as wee haue once apprehended and taken holde of Christ as a free Gift by Faithe wee must nexte endeuour our selues and bende all our studies to imitate and resemble him in the whole course of his life vnto passion After this sorte doeth sainct Peter here commende vnto vs Christes passion He purposelie speaketh not hereof the workes of Loue wherin wee serue our Neighbour which bee properly called Good workes for of them hath he alreadie spoken very sufficiently but of suche workes as concerne our owne bodies as namely when wee serue our selues and bee so carefull of our owne estates that our Faithe while wee mortifie our Sinnes may be the strōger and we our selues the fitter to serue our Neighbour For when as I doe tame and bridle myne owne bodie and keepe it vnder that it waxe not wanton and proue to lasciuiousnes I shall not haue any delight to enueigle my neighbours wife or his daughter to satisfie my inordinate lustes So likewise if I my self kill and quench in mine owne mynd the flames of
that wee Christians haue in that wee maie saie the worde whiche I preache is none of myne owne neither is my Faithe myne owneâ— thei are all the workes and the giftes of God He that reuileth and raileth on me reuileth and raileth on God accordyng to Christes owne saiyng Math. x. He that receiueth you receiueth mee and he that despiseth you despiseth mee Sainct Peters woordes therefore are in effect as though hee should saie Knowe ye that the Spirite whiche ye haue is of that power and might that he can easelie auenge himself of his enemies as the Lord himself Exod. xxiij promiseth saiyng If thou wilt has Led vnto my voyce and do all that I speake I will bee an Enemie vnto thyne Enemies And the Scripture in many places calleth the Enemies of Gods people the Enemies of GOD himself And therefore when wee are rayled on for none other cause but for that wee bee Christians and truely honour Christe let vs bee assured that so long as wee stedfastlie beleeue it is not wee that are railed on but the spight and railyng properly reboundeth vnto God And therefore saieth he paciently abide it and reioyce in your mynde is for that which is doen vnto you is doen vnto the Spirite whiche is the Spirite of God And now be proceedeth and giueth good fruiteful 〈◊〉 that we should take heede and not suffer for 〈◊〉 But lette none of you suffer as a Murtherer or as a thiefe or an euill doer or as a busie bodie in other mens matters But if any man suffer as a Christian let hym not be ashamed but let hym glorifie God in this behalfe HIs meaning is this Ye haue heard both how ye must needes suffer affliction and also in your affliction how you must behaue your selues alwaies forseen that ye suffer not for your owne ill desertes but for Christe Ye haue heard also how in this our Age the case so standeth that wee are coÌ„pelled to suffer persecution vnder wicked bloudsuckers who notwithstanding beare the name of ChristiaÌ„s So that now a true follower and embracer of the truth of Christe suffering for the sincere profession of Christ is not thought to suffer persecution as a Christian but is rather reputed and taken as an Enemie of Christe for that thei whiche bee the persecutours chalenge to themselues the name and tytle of the true Christians affirmyng aswell as wee that he is blessed and happie which dieth for Christ In this case none but the Spirite is able to discerne who be the true and who be the dissemblyng and counterfaite Christians And therefore thou must be firmely settled in Faithe throughly perswaded in soundnesse of CoÌ„science that thou art before God a right Christian and that thy heauenly Father doeth so accept and take thee whatsoeuer otherwise the Worlde iudgeth of thee When ye are therefore afflicted as Christians let none of you saieth sainct Peter bee ashamed but rather let hym glorifie God for the same Wherein he sheweth that tribulations afflictions and tormentes are thynges so precious that wee ought to giue God hartie thankes therefore and to glorifie his holie name for so greate a domitie in that of his especiall fauour towardes vs of vnworthie he maketh vs worthie to suffer for the profession of his name But alas this bearyng of the Crosse nowadaies in many places is thought in a maner whollie to consist in a garishe carryng aboute of a materiall Crosse after a ioâ—ie ceremonious solempnitie whiche doeth a man as muche good as Saite cast into his eyes It is not the Crosse of Christ that shall faue mee I ought to beleeue it but to beare myne owne If thou in thine harte conceiue and think vppon his affliction thou haste obtained and arte possessed of a right true treasure The Boanes of S. Peter bee holie but what good gette I by that Thou must so striue that thou thy self and thy boanes maie attaine to bee holie which thing thou art sure of when thou art afflicted and suffrest persecution for Christ For the time is come that iudgment must beginne at the house of God If it first begin at vs what shall the ende be of them whiche obey not the Gospell of God HEre he bringeth in two places of the Prophets at once tendyng both to this purpose The first is in the xxv of Ieremie saiyng thus Beholde I beginne to plague the citie where my name is called vpon I will first chastise and punishe my best beloued and dearest children thei must first haue some tryall and experience of this fier of tribulation wherein the iust are proued tried And shall ye that are myne enemies saith Ieremie goe free Ye shall not goe free And againe Cap. xlix Behold thei whose iudgment was not to drinke of the Cuppe haue assuredly drunken and art thou he that shalt goe free Thou shalt not goe free but thou shalt surely drink of it that is to saie I strike and punish those whom I dearely loue to the intent thou shouldest see what I meane to dooe to them that be myne enemies The meaning of whiche wordes are worthie of diligent consideration The holier and godlier children that God hath in this worlde the more ignominiously and cruellie he suffreth them to be dealt withall and massacred in the worlde What then maie the rest looke for The other place is out of the ix of Ezechiel The Prophet there sawe certaine armed men cariyng tooles and weapons of destruction in their hands who were commaunded to smite all that were in the Citie young and olde men women and children that were not marked in their forheades with TAV And vnto them GOD there further saied Beginne ye at my Sanctuarie Assoone as euer the Gospell is preached God beginneth to punishe Sinne that he maie bothe kill and quicken again but he vseth to beate the godly to their no harme but as it were with a Foxetayle as the common Prouerbe soundeth and with a fewe twigges after a motherly affection What shall wee thinke then will he dooe to those that doe not beleeue As though he should saie if he deale so roughly and so seuerely with his welbeloued children wee maie easily gesse what the tormentes shall bee that tarie for the vnbeleeuers And if the righteous scarsely be saued where shall the vngodly and the sinner appeare THis place is taken out of the xj of the Prouerbes Behold the righteous shall receiue punishment in the earth how muche more then the wicked and the synner If the godlie bee beaten where shall the wicked remaine The verie same here reporteth Sainct Peter saiyng The iuste shall scarce bee saued He is iuste whiche stedfastly beleeueth but no manne persisteth and perseuereth in Faithe without greate labour trouble and sweate he must passe many Pikes taste of many a sharpe brunte and calamitie and go through the fire of many tribulations Where then shall there bee any place for hym that beleeueth not When as Faithe is so violently and forcibly
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
stabished in the present truth For I think it meete as long as I am in this tabernacle to stirre you vp by puttyng you in remembraunce Seyng I knowe that the tyme is at hande that I must laie doune this my tabernacle euen as our Lord Iesus Christ hath shewed me I will endeuour therefore alwaies that ye also maye be able to haue remembraunce of these thinges after my departyng For wee followed not deceiuable fables when wee opened vnto you the power and commyng of our Lorde Iesus Christ but with our eyes wee sawe his maiestie For he receiued of God the Father honor and glorie when there came suche a voyce to hym from the excellent glorie This is my beloued Sonne in whō I am well pleased And this voyce we heard when it came from heauen beyng with hym in the holy mount Wee haue also a moste sure worde of the Prophetes to the whiche ye doe well that ye take heede as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place vntill the daie dawne and the daie starre arise in your hartes So that ye first knowe this that no prophesie in the Scripture is of any priuate interpretation For the prophesie came not in olde tyme by the will of man but holiemen of God spake as they were moued by the holy Ghost Simon Peter a Seruaunt and an Apostle of Iesus Christ to you whiche haue obteined like precious Faithe with vs by the righteousnesse of our GOD and Sauiour Iesus Christ AS in the former Epistle so in this wee haue bothe a Subscription and an Inscription That wee maie knowe bothe who writeth it and to whom it is written namelie to them that zealously heare the Woorde of GOD and constantly stande by Faithe in the sincere profession of the same But what Faithe meaneth he Euē that saith he whiche is by the righteousnesse of God In whiche woordes he ascribeth Iustification to Faithe onely euen as S. Paule Roma j. saieth In the Gospell the righteousnesse of GOD is reueiled from Faithe to Faithe as it is written The iuste shall liue by Faithe Sainct Peter therefore warneth them to stand readie not to be beguiled nor to suffer the doctrine of Faithe whiche thei had receiued and learned to slippe awaie from thē And whereas he here peculierly speaketh of the Righteousnesse of God he thereby excludeth and putteth backe all humaine Iustice For it is Faithe onely that iustifieth vs before GOD and therefore Faithe is called the Righteousnesse of God For before the worlde it is nothyng accoumpted of nay it is rather persecuted and flatly condemned Grace and peace bee multiplied to you by the knowledge of God and of Iesus our Lorde THis is an vsuall Salutation wont to bee prefixed at the beginnyng of Letters and Epistles The meanyng whereof is thus I wishe vnto you the encrease of Grace and peace and that ye maie bee therewith enriched euery daie more and more Whiche grace issueth and floweth from the knowledge of GOD and of our Lorde Iesu Christ as if he should saie This Grace no manne can haue vnlesse he haue withall the knowledge of God and of our Lorde Iesus Christ Of this knowledge of GOD aswell the Apostles as the Prophetes dooe verie often and almoste continually make mention in the holie Scriptures as Esaie the xj In all my holie hill thei shall not hurte nor destroye for the Earth shalbe full of the knowledge of the Lorde as the waters that couer the Sea That is The knowledge of God shall bee as plentifull and abundaunt as the waters of the swellyng Sea when it breaketh out and surroundeth some whole Countrey And here hence shall suche peace and tranquillitie presently ensue that no man shal seeke to molest or damnifie an other But this is not to knowe God if thou dooe but onely beleeue that God is Almightie and that he hath created and made all thynges and that Christ was borne of the virgine Marie suffred death and rose againe for thus muche doe the Turkes Iewes and Deuilles beleeue But the true knowledge of GOD is this That thou haue a feelyng of hym in thyne harte conscience and that thou be certainly perswaded that God and his Christ is thy God and thy Christ whiche belief the Deuilles and false counterfaite Christians haue not neither can haue Therefore the knowledge of God is nothing els then a sounde and entire Faithe in Christ For when thou thus fullie knowest GOD and Christe thou wilte moste gladlie resigne and committe thy self vnto hym and firmely beleeue and trust in hym aswell in aduersitie as in prosperitie in death aswell as in life This settled confidence and sure trust can not bee in theim that haue euill consciences that is in theim that want true and sincere Faithe For thei knowe GOD none otherwise but that he is the God of S. Peter and of all the Sainctes in Heauen But for their God thei dooe not knowe hym neitheir haue any feelyng of hym but haue hym and take hym rather as their heauie tormentour and angrie Iudge To haue GOD is to haue all Grace all Mercie and all goodnesse that can bee named To haue Christe is to haue a Sauiour and a Mediatour who hath brought vs vnto God and made hym now all ours and at whose handes he hath obtained for vs all Grace and Blessyng All these thynges thou muste drawe and applie to thy self and not doubte but that Christ is thyne and thou Christes And this is the true knowledge of Christ An vmnaried woman seyng a man maie saie this is a Manne but she can not saie this is my Manne or my Housebande In like sort all of vs can saie This is God But all of vs can not saie that he is our God because wee dooe not all of vs beleeue and trust in hym and comfort our selues onely in hym and by hym This true knowledge of GOD the Scripture tearmeth the face and Countenaunce of the Lorde whereof the Prophetes speake verie copiouslie For thei that see not his face and knowe hym not doe see but onely his hinder partes that is doe see hym as their angrie and displeased God whereas if thei sawe his face that is if thei had the true knowledge of hym by Faith thei should behold and see nothing but Grace and Mercie Wee see here how sainct Peter in this his seconde Epistle purposely entreateth not of Faithe for he largelie discoursed therevppon in his former Epistle but his purpose is in this to write an Exhortation to them whiche beleeue that thei should shewe forthe their Faithe by Good workes For he would not haue Faithe to bee without Good woorkes nor Good woorkes without Faithe But firste he requireth in vs Faithe and Faithe beeyng once surely grounded to shewe foorthe Good woorkes And therefore he addeth According as his godlie power hath giuen vnto vs all thynges that pertaine vnto life and godlinesse WHen wee throughlie knowe God by Faithe wee are possessed of the franke gift of all
Faithe And therefore he saieth All these thynges shall ye bee sure to haue if ye so liue that ye shewe foorth your faithe Flee and the corruption whiche is in the worlde through lust Therefore giue euen all diligence thereunto ioyne moreouer vertue with your faith HEre sainct Peter exhorteth them to declare and shewe foorth their Faith by their good Woorkes as though he should saie Seeyng that ye haue obtained so many and so greate benefites by Faithe that what God himself hath ye also haue endeuour your selues and geeue all diligence hereunto be not slouthful and sluggish but shewe forth the effectes and fruictes of your faith that is let your Faithe appeare openly before Men let it bee dutifull charitable seruiceable diligent effectuall and workyng euer occupied in well doing not ydle neither vnfruitfull Ye haue a good Farme and a fertile Field to worke in be ye diligent husbandes therfore and take heede leaste through your slouth and securitie there growe vp in it Brambles Weedes Darnell and Cockle And with vertue knowledge THis is that Knowledge by the which ye maie chiefly know how by reason to qualifie and leade your liues and how to direct theffectes vertues of your Faith that ye neither ouermuche pamper and cocker your bodies neither denie vnto it that whiche is needefull For thus farre is the flesh to bee brideled and kept vnder and no further that it maie bee sober watchfull and apt to good Workes and not as some Hypocrites wider the vizard of feined holinesse doe to hurt or destroye your bodies For although GOD hate the Sinne that is in the fleshe yet his will is not that you should therefore destroye your bodies Ye ought to suppresse and restraine the lustes and concupiscences thereof but not to destroye or hurt it but rather to minister vnto it sufficient allowance and maintenaunce that it maie continue sounde healthfull and liuyng Knowledge also is ioigned and linked with vertue wheÌ„as good respect and regard of honestie and modestie is had in all our conuersation and dealinges and when a conuenient measure is obserued and kept in our Meates Drinckes Apparaile Wordes and all other our actions so that wee neither swerue from the rule of reason nor giue any occasion of offence to our Neighbour And with knowledge temperaunce TEmperaunce consisteth not onely in eatyng and drinckyng but in obseruyng that due meane whiche knowledge whereof wee spake afore doeth prescribe to bee vsed in all our life and conuersation aswell in woordes and woorkes as in maners and dealinges that no man frame hymself to liue after a more sumptuous and nice sorte then is conuenient that all superfinitie of Apparaile and brauerie be auoided and that no man goe more pompouslie and gorgeouslie then is meete or standeth with Christian modestie But saincte Peter in these cases inescribeth no certein rule nither limiteth any boundes for the same whiche thyng our Papisticall munckishe Votaries presumed to doe comprizyng these matters within the compasse of certein Canons and rules deuised out of their owne braines tiyng men to a straicte obseruation of these thynges after one and the selfsame maner Whiche thing to bee vsed among Christians is vnpossible to wit that a certaine sett order and precise anotation in these externall thynges should bee comprehended within the compasse of certein preceptes and generall rules of euery particular person to bee particularlie obserued For men bee of vnlike disposition one is of a strong and sounde nature an other weake and faint and no man is at all tymes and in all respectes so affected and giuen as an other is And therefore euery one oughâ— to haue a speciall regarde to the constitution and disposition of his owne bodie what he is able to beare sustaine and endure and what he is not And with temperaunce pacience SAinct Peters meanyng 〈◊〉 these words is this Although ye liue accordyng to knowledge modestie and temperaunce without giuyng offence to any in your conuersation and behauiour yet thinke ye not that ye shall liue quietly without temptation and persecution For when yée beleeue and leade an honest and Christian life agreeable to your profession the Worlde will not ceasse to hate and persecute you Here then must Pacience bee shewed foorth whiche is one of the fruictes of Faith And with pacience godlinesse WHat soeuer wee dooe or what soeuer wee suffer in this lâ—fe let vs be thankfull to GOD for thesame not seekyng our owne glorie praise or commoditie but onely that thereby God maie be glorified and that we so behaue our selues in all thynges that it maie appeare that wee doe all thynges for the loue whiche we beare vnto God And with godlinesse brotherly kindnesse HEreby Sainct Peter bindeth vs one to serue an others turne and to bee helpyng one to an other as Brethren one to be carefull of an others welfare one not to hate despise or hurte an other And this is an other triall or fruicte of our Faithe whereby we testifie to the worlde that we haue that Godlinesse whiche is spoken of afore And with brotherlie kindnesse Loue. BY Loue be meaneth that common and generall Loue with the whiche wee are bounde to Loue as well our Enemies and those which doe not accoÌ„pt of vs as Bretheren nor vouchsafe to liue together with vs freendlie and Brotherlie as theâ—â— that are our verie freendes in deede In whiche fewe woordes Saincte Peter hath comprehended all that appertaineth to a Christian life and what be the woorkes and fruletes of true Faithe in deede namely knowledge to liue well Temperaunce Patience Godlinesse Brotherlie kindnesse and a generall Loue to all And therefore he addeth further For if these thynges bee among you and abound thei will make you that ye neither shalbe idle not vnfruictfull in the knowledge of our Lorde Iesus Christe WHen ye giue your selues to these exercises and woorkes ye tread the right pathe ye goe the right waie and haue in you the true and sincere Faithe and further the knowledge of Christ is effectuall and fruitfull in you Take heede therefore to your selues that ye make not light accoumpte of these thynges Keepe your bodies in subiection and so deale with your neighbours as you knowe that Christ hath dealt with you For he that hath not these thynges is blinde and can not see farre of and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old synnes HE that hath not in hymself these fruictes of his Faithe dooeth but as it were grope for his waie like a blinde man in the darke not knowyng whereto sette his foote yea suche is his life that he resteth doubtfull and vncertaine in what case he standeth towardes GOD He neither hath true Faithe nor any further knowledge of Christ sauyng that he can talke of hym as he hath heard others reporte And therefore doeth but bluster blindly and at randoÌ„ in the whole course of his life like a blinde manne that seeketh his waie with his hande and hath forgotten that euer he
shalbe driuen to saie as Ezechias did Esay xxxviij I saied in the middest of my daies I shall goe to the gates of the graue As if he should saie O Lorde God is Death come vppon mee so sodainly For thei that liue without faithe are loath to dye the longer they liue the more they desire to liue and the more of this painted holinesse that hath appeared in them the terribler and dreadfuller is Death vnto them namely to those that haue such tender spiced consciences exercise and afflict themselues in these woorkes of their owne whiche they take to be meritorious For it is vnpossible that any man should ouercome Death by any humaine strength Wheresoeuer Faithe is not there must the conscience needes tremble and dispaire But where Faith is there Death seemeth many times to tary too long ere he come whereas to the Faithlesse and vnbeleeuyng it alwaies commeth sooner then thei would haue it Sainct Peters meanyng therefore is that thei whiche set abroache suche Sectes and Heresies and consequently denye Christ dye moste vnwillingly and that with horrour and desperation For it can not otherwise bee seyng thei stand doubtfull of their saluation vsing these or suche like tearmes Who can tell whether God wilbee mercifull vnto mee and forgiue me my Sinnes or no And thus while thei stande in doubte with these wordes Who can tell and who knoweth their consciences can neuer be merie nor quiet And the longer that thei continue plunged in this waueryng doubte the more terribler still will Death bee vnto them whiche can neuer bee ouercome vnlesse synne and guiltinesse of conscience be first taken awaie Sodaine Death therfore destruction and damnation shall come vppon them so that thei shall alwaies remaine in perpetuall death And many shall followe their damnable waies THat this hath come to passe accordyng to Peters prediction all men well knowe For there were almoste no Parents but thei desired and were willyng to make some one of their Children either a Priest or a Munke a Nunne or some like ydle Votarie Therefore foolishe Fathers made foolisher Children while they mislikyng and beeyng wearie of the troubles disquietnes and discommodities of Matrimonie meant hereby to ease and ridde their children from the same by tying them thus to a vowed Profession thinkyng thereby to make them liue both quietly ydlie and delicately Wherein thei shewed themselues merely ignoraunt what an holy thing Mariage is and how blessed the troubles and greeues thereof are Sainct Peter therfore in these wordes foretolde how the worlde should bee pestered with Priestes Munkes Nunnes and Votaries To whiche Profession most of the Youth of the worlde betooke themselues euen as if it had bin into the clutches and clawes of the Deuill so that alas too truely hath S. Peter foreshewed that these damnable waies should bee followed of many By whom the waie of truth shalbe euill spoken of AND this also wee both haue seen and at this daie in many places of the Worlde dooe see to come to passe For he that feareth GOD and studieth to leade a Christian life is sure to bee euill reported of rahated and detested and the true syncere profession of the Gospell shal not escape the rancorous note of spightfull reprehension but hee spurned against and ill thought of as though it were Heresie and Errour If any man in zeale of truthe should preache and tell them that their Sectes bee contrarie to the doctrine laied downe in the Gospell for that thei carie men awaie from Faithe to Workes thei straightwaies with open mouth crye out against him and saie Accursed art thou for thou seducest the worlde They heinouslie also blaspheme God tossyng and turnyng the wordes of Christe which waie thei list to serue their owne turnes of expresse Commaundementes makyng Consultations Counsailes deliberations and dispensations forbiddyng that whiche Christe plainly allowed and did and makyng that to bee as Sinne which is no Sinne yea whosoeuer he bee that speaketh against these their blasphemous treacheries and enormious prankes shalbe sure to bee condemned and burned to ashes For the waie of truthe is a right vertuous life and syncere conuersation without any halting or hypocrisie This truth beeyng onely sett downe in the Worde of God and by faith firmely beleeued is that waie wherein all true Christians ought to walke Which waie and truth these fellowes can not in any wise abide but blaspheme reuile slaunder and condemne it to the ende they maie establishe extoll magnifie and mainteine the peeuishe pedlarie of their owne shamelesse Sectes And through couetousnesse shall they with fained wordes make marchandise of you COuetousnesse for the moste parte is the companion of Heresie These sowers of faâ—â—e doctrine generally haue chiefest respect vnto their bellie as in our daies hath been manifestly seen For none of them would either patter up a Masse of mumble vp their Vigiles as thei called them without money Among them no peine no Paâ—er â—oster No 〈◊〉 nor Colledge no Monasterie nor Freerie was erected and peopled till order was taken for their maintenaunce and that euen riotously and abundantly neither was there any of these Houses that for Gods sake onely would doe any thyng for any man Money must be had without it there was no dealing if purse were penilesse there was nothyng to bee gotten at the handes of these pitifull Lurdaines and holie Maisters But where true Faith beginneth to be preached there is very little money stirryng it bryngeth no stoare of pence at all for then downe goe Pilgrimages Bulles and Pardons will not bee bought of any man Abbayes and Nunneries are not esteemed vpon all whiche notwithstandyng more then halfe the wealth of Christendome was bestowed and no profite at all redoundyng or commyng thereof to any man sauyng onely to these greasie Priests Munkes Freers and Nunnes But by what waies and meanes doe thei thus scrape together and rake to themselues so muche money With fained woordes saieth S. Peter shall they make marchandise of you For they haue coigned certaine smooth speeches to serue their turnes whereby to cozen men of their money as when thei saie If thou wilt bestowe so many hundreth Crounes vppon our blessed Ladie or vpon this or that Sainct thou shalt therein doe a merueilous meritorious woorke thou shalt buye therewith so many Pardons and for so many thousande yeres thou shalt haue cleare remission of all thy Sinnes and finally thou shalt deliuer so many of thy Freendes Soules out of Purgatorie c. These and suche like wordes are deuised and feigned for none other purpose but to picke mens purses and gleane their money from them For in all these triflyng trashe which thei sell so deare and where withall thei scratch together suche huige Summes of money there is not a mite of merite grace or remission of Sinnes how muche soeuer they boast wrest the holie and precious Worde of God to bleare the eyes of the Worlde and to serue their auaritious appetites So also of
to giue exhibition and maintenaunce for Masses c. By these meanes they drawe men from Faith to Workes of their owne appoynctment no maner of way auaileable or profitable to our Neighbour Following the waie of Balaam the sonne of Bosor whiche loued the wages of vnrighteousnesse But he was rebuked for his iniquitie for the duÌ„me Asse speakyng with mannes voyce forbadde the foolishnesse of the Prophete THis storie is taken out of the xxij xxiij xxiiij Chapters of the Booke of Nombers Wherein is mentioned how the children of Israell commyng out of Egypt into the lande of the Moabites Balak the King thereof sent messengers into Syria to Balaam to request hym to come and curse the people of Israell whereby hee might bee able to smite theim with the Sword and driue them out of his lande Then came GOD vnto Balaam and commaunded hym not to curse the people wherevppon Balaam sent awaie the Kynges messengers and denied to goe with theim But when the kyng sente to hym the seconde tyme and promised to giue hym greate wealthe and to promote hym to greate honour God permitted the Prophete to goe with them but withall he commaunded hym to speake nothyng but what he should direct and appoinct him to speake Then saddled he his Asse and went And in the waie the Angell of the Lorde stoode against hym with a naked Sworde in his hande whiche when the Asse espied she turned out of the waie so that Balaam smote her to turne her into the waie againe Then the Angell of the Lorde wente further and stoode in a narrowe place where was no waie to turne either to the right hande or to the lefte where the Asse seeyng the Angell with his Sworde still drawen thruste her self vnto the wall and dasshed Balaams foote against it whervpon he smote her again· And at last she laie doune vnder Balaam Wherefore Balaam was verie wrothe and in a greate rage cudgelled his Asse with his staffe Then God opened the mouthe of the Asse that she spake in the voice of a manne and saied what haue I dooen vnto thee that thou thus beatest and bounsest me To whom Balaam answered If I had a sword in myne hande I would surely kill thee The Asse saied again to her Maister am not I thyne Asse whiche thou haste ridden vpon since the firste tyme vntill this daie Was I euer wont to doe thus vnto thee before Then the Lorde opened the eyes of Balaam that he sawe the Angell of GOD standyng afore hym in the waie with a naked Sworde in his hande Wherewith he beeyng greatly agast would haue gone backe againe but the Angell commaunded hym to goe foreward but withall he gaue hym in charge that hee should saie nothyng but that whiche he should appoincte and tell hym So when Balaam was come to Kyng Balak the Kyng brought hym into an high place from whence he might descrie and take a full viewe and sight of the whole people of Israel In which place Balaam commaunded seuen Altars to bee made and Sacrifice for euery Altar Then wente he to aske counsell of the Lorde what he should speake to whom the Lorde deliuered his woordes so that he in excellente Parables and Sentences in steede of cursyng did blesse the people of Israell and that thrée tymes one after an other Then the Kyng beeyng exceedyngly angrie saied I sent for thee to curse myne enemies and behold thou haste blessed them now three tymes I thought to haue promoted thee vnto honour but loe the Lorde hath kept thee backe from honor To whom Balaam answering saied Tolde I thee not by thy messengers which thou sentest vnto mee that if thou wouldest giue me thy house full of siluer gold I could speake none other thyng theÌ„ what God should put in my mouth Notwithstandyng afterward Balaam gaue counsell to Balak how hee should deale with the people of Israell to make them to synne against their God because he hymself was neither able to curse theim neither the Kyng by force able to vanquishe and subdue theim Then the Kyng erected and sett vp an Idoll whiche had to name Baal Peor and caused the chiefest of the Madianitishe women and the daughters of the Princes and Nobles to drawe and allure the people of Israell to the sacrifice of their Gods who anone with them beganne to commit Idolatrie to banquet to feaste yea to commit whoredome with them Wherefore the Lorde beyng angrie commaunded that all the chief heades of the people should be hanged vp in the Sunne that the indignation of the Lordes wrathe might bee tourned from Israell and there died in one daie of the people xxiiij thousande persones All this mischief was brought in among theim by Balaam for the couetousnesse of money Of this matter doeth sainct Peter now here speake meanyng that our greased Popelynges and Romishe route with all their Disciples Fauourers Abetters and Sectaries are the verie children of this Balaam For as hee gaue Pestilente counsell to erecte and set vp an Idoll to be worshipped whereby the Israelites beeyng drawen to synne prouoked the vengeaunce and wrathe of God against them and were greeuously punished for thesame with the death of so many thousandes euen so in like maner our Bisshoply Balaamites haue erected an Idoll vnder the name of God to witte their owne peeuishe Traditions and lowsie Inuentions Doctrines of Merites and Iustifiyng Woorkes excludyng and banishyng Fatther and thus thei steale awaie mennes consciences and cause them to leaue the true and liuyng God and to goe a whoryng vnto straunge Idolles Whiche rebellion and disobedience hath so prouoked Gods wrathe and indignation that he hath long punished the worlde with suche greate blindnesse and obstinacie wherein many a Soule hath perished For al whiche miseries and mischiefes wee maie thanke none but these our graunde Spirituall Lordynges Saincte Peter therefore peculiarly and properly resembleth and likeneth these false Teachers vnto Balaam the Prophete because like as he so dooe thei for money sake bryng in moste abhominable Idâ—latrie and destroie infinite numbers of Soules The verie interpretation of the name of this Prophete maketh somewhat to the better openyng of this matter For Bileam or Balaam in the Hebrue tongue signifieth a Deuourer or a Sweepestake or a Supper vp who with open mouthe deuoureth and gulleth vp all that coÌ„meth to hand He had this beastly and odious name therfore giueÌ„ vnto hym because he allured and was the cause that so many men sinned whereby thei were brought to their deathes and destruction Suche maner of fellowes be our Balaamites the Clergie of the Romishe Sinagogue now a daies who with their wide opeÌ„ throates are verie Deuilles dououryng and swallowyng vp innumerable Soules The Sirname of this Prophete is the Sonne of Bosor whiche signifith Fleshe or as Moses calleth hym Beor whiche signifieth Foolishe So likewise are our Polleshorne Doltes blinde blockish and foolishe who seekyng to beare rule ouer others haue moste neede themselues to be ruled
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
Prophete emong theim as Moses was Wherevpon thei gather that this contention here mentioned by S. Iude arose because the Deuill would gladly haue had the bodie of Moses to bee manifestly knowen where it was to the intent the people might haue had occasion to committe Idolatrie thereby ministred vnto them Now albeit Michael were an Archangell yet durst be not saieth S. Iude rebuke hym with cursed speakyng and railyng Sentence But these blasphemous mouthes and peruerse persones are not ashamed to despise treade vnder foote and speake euill of the Powers whiche are ordained by God and to curse theim to the eight and ninth generation And whereas thei themselues are nothyng els then wretched Caitifes and seelie fraile Creatures yet see thei here that Michael one of the chiefest Angelles was afraied to curse and raile vpon the Deuill beyng a moste wicken Spirite Not daryng to saie any farther then The Lorde rebuke thee But these speake euill of those thinges whiche thei knowe not and what soeuer thynges thei knowe naturallie as beastes whiche are without reason in those thynges thei corrupt themselues THese kinde of persones be cursed speakers and blasphemous railers because thei haue skill of nothing but of Excommunicatyng Accurâ—ng deliuering ouer to SathaÌ„ not onely Kinges Princes Potentates and Powers but euen GOD hymself and his blessed Sainctes as in the Bull of the Supper of the Lorde is to be seen Thei knowe not that their Saluation consisteth in Faithe and Charitie Thei can not abide to haue their Woorkes dispraised reiected and condemned Neither will thei suffer any to preache to the people that wee muste onely looke for our Saluation by the Merites Death and Workes of Christ And therfore thei condemne Accurse Reuile and Blaspheme all true Christian doctrine wherein thei plainly discouer themselues how vtterly blinde and ignoraunt thei bee But those thynges whiche thei knowe by their owne naturall vnderstanding as Trentalles Masses and suche like Legierdemaine whiche filleth bothe their pouches and their paunches and bryngeth in store of pelfe mâ—nâ—y and wealth thereto thei whollie emploie themselues and therby carie bothe themselues and others into perdition Woe bee vnto them for the haue followed the waie of Cain CAin killed his brother for none other cause but for that his brother was iuster and godlier then hymself and for that God had more respect and greater delight in his brothers Sacrifice then he had in his Therefore the waie of Cain is to trust in our owne Workes and to renounce and reiecte those Workes that bee true and good Workes in deede Finallie to murther and slaie all those that walke in the truthe and in the tight waie Whiche nature and practise wee see the Papistes most earnestly with tooth and naile daiely to put in vre And are cast awaie by the deceit of Balaams wages THei should bee inwardly hidden with Christ in an assured trust and confidence of Gods diuine grace but thei licentiously breake out and actually dispose themselues into sundrie sortes of externall and outward Workes and doe all thinges for greedinesse of gaine and pecuniarie reward to fill their beallies after the example of the Prophete Balaam as was declared in the seconde Chapter of the second Epistle of S. Peter aforegoyng And perishe in the gainsaiyng of Core OF the sedicious rebellion of Core and how he with his wicked confederates was swallowed into the Earth wee reade in the fourth Booke of Moses Chapt. xvj Moses was appoincted and called of God to this ende that he should bryng and conducte the people of Israell out of Egypt and his brother Aaron to bee the high Priest This Core beyng also of the same Tribe and Familie and ambielously aspiryng to cary some high aucthoritie adioyned vnto hym twoo hundred and fiftie Captaines of the beste and moste renoumed emong all the people with whom he raised vp suche a mutinous faction and seditious Tumulte that brought all the companie into an vprore and welnere caused Moses and Aaron to flee and giue place to their furie But Moses fallyng doune vppon his face praied vnto the Lorde that hee should not looke vnto their offryng and Sacrifice and when he had spoken to the people that thei should separate themselues and departe from the companie of those wicked conspiratours he saied Hereby ye shal knowe whether the Lord hath sent me or no. If these men dye the common death of all men or if they bee visited after the visitation of all men the Lorde hath not sent me But if the Lorde make a newe thyng and the Earth open her mouthe and swallowe downe these men quicke into the pitte then ye shall vnderstande that these men haue blasphemed and prouoked the Lorde And assoone as he had made an ende of speakyng all these woordes euen the grounde claue asunder thas was vnder them and the Earth opened her mouthe and swallowed them vp with their families and all the men that were with Core and all their goodes So thei and al that thei had went doune aliue into the pitte and the Earth couered them And there came out a Fier froÌ„ the Lorde whiche consumed the twoo hundred and fiftie men that had adioyned themselues to Core and offred Incense This Example doeth sainct Iude bryng against these our horrible and blasphemous Popelynges who charge vs to bee the Aucthours of Sedicion and mutinie when wee preache against theim whereas in deede it is thei that are the causers of all garboile and trouble For Christ is our Aaron and high Priest whom onely we ought to heare and acknowledge for the Bishoppe of our Soules But that can not the Pope and his greazed Bishoppes abide for thei aduaunce themselues alofte and chalenge to theim all domination and power and flatly oppose themselues against Christe These beeyng altogether drouned and buried in Earthly conuersation and pleasure and beeyng the verie worlde it self doeth S. Iude compare and resemble to Core and his companions whom God straungely punished so that the grounde opened and swallowed them vp aliue These are Spottes in your feastes of Charitie wheÌ„ thei feast with you without all feare feedyng them selues Clouds thei are without water caried about of windes corrupt Trees and without fruite twise dead and plucked vp by the rootes Thei are the ragyng waues of the Sea fomyng out their owne shame Thei are wandâ—yng Staires to whom is reserued the blackenesse of darkenesse for euer ALL this wee haue alreadie heard largelie discoursed in the Epistle of S. Peter The greater parte of Christendome hath trained and brought vp their children to the order of Priesthoode and for none other cause but to liue idlie and delicately without any labour of their owne handes or trouble of preachyng Voluptuouslie enioiyng and spendyng at their owne ease and pleasure those goodes whiche poore men painfullie gotte in the sweate of their browes Thei are among the common people reputed and taken for the worthiest Pillers as it were the Iewelles and ornamentes of
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
contented with the common profession and generall appellation of Christians wherein eche one is to serue and doe good to his neighbour thei deuise and inuent certaine newe vpstart Sectes of their owne wherby thei feigne a false counterfaite seruice to Almightie God Furthermore thei are Naturall and fleshly as brute Beastes hauyng no more Spirite and vnderstandyng then hath an Horse or an Asse thei followe the iudgement of Nature and are caried awaie with the concupiscence and luste of the Fleshe Finallie thei haue not the Worde of GOD to direct and leade them how to frame their liues and conuersations But ye beloued edifie your selues in your moste holie Faithe praiyng in the holie Ghoste And keepe your selues in the loue of God IN these fewe woordes he hath briefly comprehended the whole summe effect of all true Christianitie Faith is the grounde worke and foundation wherevpon wee muste builde and this buildyng or edifiyng is daiely and howrely to profite and goe foreward in the knowledge of God and of our Lorde Iesus Christ whiche is not doen but by the operation of the holie Ghost Beeyng in this sort builded wee are not to dooe any Worke whereby to purchase and winne to our selues any Merite or Saluation but onely to profite and doe good to our neighbours And herein must wee haue a moste diligent care that wee continue and perseuere in true and sincere Loue without any intermission not as dooe these foolishe people whiche staie themselues vpon their owne rotten Workes and deuise certaine peculiar Sectes wherewith they drawe awaie and seduce men from brotherly Loue and Charitie Lookyng forthe mercie of our Lorde Iesus Christ vnto eternall life HEre is Hope taught and the Crosse commended For our life ought so to bee framed and ledde that it should bee nothyng els then a seruent sighyng and a longyng desire for the life to come But yet so that this our desire and longyng muste bee whollie staied vppon the onely mercie of Christe vnto whom wee muste ardently praie that it maie please hym euen of his owne mercie and not for any Merite that is in vs to take and traÌ„slate vs hence into the life to come where endlesse ioyes for euer abounde And haue coÌ„passion of some in puttyng difference And other saue with feare pullyng theim out of the fier THis place is somewhat darke and obscure to bee vnderstanded but yet this is the true meanyng thereof Haue ye compassion of some and saue some That is so leade your liues that it maie euen greeue you at the hart to see some so miserablie blinded and wilfully obstinate Reioyce ye not at their miserie neither take ye any pleasure or delite in their lamentable miscreauncie But meddle ye not with their Atheisme separate your selues from theim and haue no dealyng or companie with them Other some whom ye maie pull out of so greate a daunger saue and deliuer by fearyng theim and holding them backe with godlie seueritie deale with them courteously and gentlie euen as God hath dealt with you not roughly not ragyngly and sharpely but mieldely and Charitablie Dooe not with churlishe sternesse terrifie and so spoile theim but deale with theim as ye would with those that lye in the Fier whom ye ought with carefull diligence wisely to pul out and saue If thei bee not contented to be pulled out and deliuered thei are with gentle meanes and tender mercie to bee borne withall not as the Pope and his hereticall Rabbines vse is to bee burned and spoyled And hate euen the Garment spotted by the fleshe WE haue receiued the holie Ghost by Faith and thereby are wee purified but yet neuerthelesse so long as wee here â—â—tie this rotten sacke of Fleshe and Bloud still hangeth vpon vs which is neuer without whose swarmes of euill lustes And this is that spotted Garment which while wee here liue wee ought to laie aside and put of Now vnto him that is able to keepe you that ye fal not and to presente you faultlesse before the presence of his glorie with ioye That is to God onely wise our Sauiour be glorie and Maiestie and Dominion and Power bothe now and for euer Amen THis is the conclusion and end of this Epistle And thus are the Apostles wont in the ende of their Writynges Preachynges Exhortations Prophecies to praie to wishe and to giue thankes Wee see therefore in these two Epistles aswell this of Iude as that seconde of S. Peter what a true Christian life is and how wee maye discerne the sinceritie of that Doctrine which is pure Catholike and Christian from that whiche is corrupt counterfaite and altogether Antichristian FINIS
the old birth proceeded and came of Seede the newe Birth also must needes be of some Seede But what Seede is this Truely not fleshe and blood What then Nothing that is corruptible and mortall but euen the eternall and liuyng worde This is all that whereby we liue whereby we are nourished and haue our beyng and whereby specially as he here saieth we are regenerated But how and by what meanes is this wont to bee dooen and brought to passe God sendeth out this his Worde to 〈◊〉 the Gospell whiche casteth seede into the hartes of menne â—f this Seede abide and sticke Fast in the harte then is there presently readie the holie Ghoste who fashioneth a newe manne whiche becomneth altogether of an other fort their he was afore hath other deuises thoughtes and cogitations other wordes and other woorkes And thus is he whollie and altogether altered Whatsoeuer thou aforetyme diddest est huc and auoide now thou pursuest and seekest what soeuer thou â—aâ—ste sought thou now fleest The state of Corporall generation is suche that the Seede whiche is in manne hath his alteration and remaineth not still Seede But the Seede of the Spirite can not bee chaunged but remaineth one for euer so entirely alteryng chaungyng me that I am transmitted and altered into it and the corruption and euill whiche naturally dwelleth in me is quite abolished And therefore this is a wonderfull kinde of Birthe and of a merueilous Seede For all fleshe is as grasse and all the glorie of man is as the flower of grasse The grasse withereth and the flower falleth awaie But the word of the Lord endureth for euer THis place is takeÌ„ out of the xl Chap. of Esaiâ— Where a voice saied vnto the Prophete Crie And he saied what shall I crie To whom the voice saied Crie thus All fleshe is grasse and al the glorie thereof as the flower of the feeld The grasse withereth and the flower fadeth a waie but the word of the Lorde standeth for euer These wordes hath S. Peter here brought in and alledged For this Epistle is as I saied bothe riche and grounded vpon the aucthoritie of sondrie Scriptures Now the meanyng of the Scripture here alledged is this The woorde of the Lorde endureth for euer But whatsoeuer is fleshe and blood the same is as corruptible grasse Bee a manne of neuer so flourishyng and gallant age bee he neuer so riche and mightie neuer so wise and iuste neuer so braue freshe and beautifull all whiche appertaine to the flower yet doeth the flower in the ende wither awaie and that whiche in gallante age and beautie lately excelled is waxed olde and become ilfauoured that whiche earst was riche is growne to be poore and so forthe also all other thinges fade awaie sauyng onely the Woorde of God Whiche Seede can neuer perishe nor decaye And this is the Worde whiche is preached among you AS though he should saie you neede not to seeke farre how to come to this Woorde for behold you haue it euen before your eyes It is that Worde whiche wee preache vnto you by this you maie qualifie and restraine all wicked desires Thou needest not to seeke farre for it onely looke to this that thou gladly embrace it when it is preached vnto thee For it is so neere vnto thee that it maie bee heard As Moses also saieth in the xxx of Deuter. The worde which I commaunde thee this daie is not farre of from thee that thou shouldest neede to goe farre to seeke it as either to goe vp to heauen or to goe ouer the Sea to fetche it but it is verie neere vnto thee euen in thy mouthe and in thy harte It was straightwaies preached and heard but when it hath feased and takeâ— full possession of thy harte it can not any more dye and vanishe awaie neither dooeth it suffer thee to dye but saueth thee so long as thou stickest and cleauest faste vnto it As when I heare how that Iesus Christ died for me and bore all my synnes and purchased heauen for me and also how he hath giuen all that he hath vnto me now dooe I heare the Gospell and glad thynges I meane the Worde of God beyng preached whiche peraduenture quickly passeth awaie and is forgottenâ— but if it bee effectually receiued with the harte and that thou throughlie embrace hym in faithe then can not he any more slippe from thee nor be forgotten This truthe no Creature whatsouer is able to ouerthrowe the Gates of hell shall neuer preuaile againste it Yea although I sticke faste in the Iawes of the Deuill yet if I be able to take holde vpon and to apprehende this Woorde I muste needes bee bailed and deliuered thence and shall remaine where the Woorde remaineth And therefore it is not without good cause that the Apostle here in effect saieth that there is none other Worde to bee looked for then this whiche we haue preached vnto you To this purpose tendeth that whiche Paule in the firste to the Romaines saieth I am not ashamed of the Gospell of Christe for it is the power of God vnto saluation to all that beleeue The Woorde is the Diuine and eternall power of God For although the voice sounde or speeche dooe quicklie vanishe and passe awaie yet the kernell that is to saie the knowledge and truthe contained in that voice remaineth stil As when I putt a Goblet or Iugge of wine to my mouthe I drinke vp the Wine the Goblet or Iugge remaining still vnspent So also y e Word which being brought vnto vs by voice descendeth into the harte and there beginneth to haue life the voice remainyng still without and vanishyng awaie And therefore it is well tearmed the power of GOD yea rather God hymself For so he saied vnto Moses Exod. iiij I will be in thy mouthe And in the lxxxj Psalme Open thy mouthe wide that is shewe forthe boldlie speake out bee an hungred and I will fill it I my self beyng present with thee will speake enough So also Christe in the xiiij of Ihon saieth I am the waie the truthe and the life he that cleaueth therevnto the same is borne of God Therefore this Seede is the Lorde our God hymself All which thinges serue to this end to instruct and teache vs that wee can not possibly bee relieued and holpen by woorkes and the Woorde be it neuer so small a thyng in shewe when it is vttered out of the mouth and in apparaunce seeme nothyng glorious and honorable yet is there in it a kinde of suche incomparable vertue and force as maketh so many the children of God as faithfully cleaue thereunto Iohn 1. VpoÌ„ suche an excellent staie and goodnesse leaneth our saluation This is the first Chapter of this Epistle wherein thou seest with what singuler Arte and cunnyng sainct Peter handleth and preacheth Faithe Whereby it manifestly appeareth that is Epistle is the very Gospell or glad Tydynges it self Now followeth next the seconde Chapter wherein he teacheth vs
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