w t loue cxciiii d The Wiues by their faith and good conuersation may conuert the husbande folio cccvii d Wyfe must be first taken and afterward proued otherwise then any other marchaundise fol cc b Wicliffes heresies when they troubled this realme xix a Vix saluabitur iustus is expounded fol. cclxxviii a Women when they woulde be sene to care leaste for their heare or lockes then they care moost fol. ccxviii d Womens heare is many times disgised fol. cxcix a Women whose honesty is light chepe be moste curiouse in disgisinge them selues Eodem c Woman is the weaker vessel is declared fol. ccvi b. Women of Rome in olde time knew not the vse of wine folio ccxxxiiii b. Worme of riches is pryde fo cccv b Women be no meet hearers of moral philosophy xxxiii a Women how they shuld lerne for their soul helth xxxiiii a Woman was last made and first in faute Eodem b. Women haue taught men witte fo xxxv b Worme and not a man why Christ was so called lxxviii b Worldly inheritaunce hath .iii. noughtye properties cxx c Wronges when we ought to remitte them and when we may redresse them fol. xcvi a Wronge there is none when the thinge commeth of mere grace fol. lxxv d Wyues deseruinge to be beaten reneige their wiues state and tourne to the seruauntes state againe fo cciiii b X. XAntippa Socrates wyfe cast a chamber vessell on his heade and what he sayd then fol. cciiii c. d Y. YOnge men be no mete hearers of morall philosophye folio xxxiii a. b. Yonge in age and yonge in maners Eodem clviii b Yonge men must gentilly do after their elders fo ▪ clvii d Finis ¶ The first sermon containing an introduction to the whole matter of the vii giftes of the holy goste And treatyng of the two first giftes called the spirite of sapience and the spirite of intelligence THe blessed euangelist sanct Iohn in the first chapiter of hys gospel after he had somewhat touched the ineffable coeternitie of the second person in trinitie the sonne of God with God the father cōsequently he descendeth to his temporall generacion in fewe woordes comprising the same verbum caro factum est et habitauit in nobis That worde of God the second person in trinitie was cōtent to come alowe and to take our mortal nature vpon him and to dwel among vs not with any diminutiō or decay of the godhead for the infinite glorye of God suffereth neither augmentacion or increase neither decreasyng or decay It is euer one after one maner though it pleased him to hyde the glory of his godhead for a season as condescending to the infirmitie of them that he should be conuersaunt withall and to teache vs the waye of humilitie and that is it that saint Paule sayth semetipsum exinaniuit formam seruiaccipiens He withdrewe his mightie power frō his operacion for if he had shewed it in his owne lykenes all the worlde had not been able to haue receiued him He kept a lower port euer vsing humilitie and lowlynes sufferyng the paynes of our mortalitie with all the despites that the Iewes did to him tyll in conclusion he came to his paynes on the crosse in his painefull passion And that he withdrewe his power from his operacion in the tyme of his bodily presence heare on yerth appeareth euidently by this that if it had pleased him he might aswel haue indued his disciples with the cōforte of the holy ghost whyle he bodily taried among them as to haue differred it tyll the commyng of the holy ghost by sensible signes at this holy tyme of whytsontide In a long sermon that he made to his disciples afore his passion among other holesome lessons he sayd thus vnto thē Expedit vobis vt ego vadā c. It is for your profite that I go from you for if I go not from you the holy ghost wyll not come to cōfort you I haue yet many thynges to teache you but as yet ye can not bear them away but when the spirit of truth the holy ghost cōmeth he shall teache you all truthes necessarye for you to knowe But good lorde what sayst thou Nowe we can not vnderstande suche thinges as we be to be taught than we shal vnderstand How may this be Is he greater of power then thou art Can he do more in teching vs then thou canst do thy selfe good maister Christ to auoyde this scruple doubt āswereth saying No syrs I do not say this for any impotencie in me or for any inequalitie betwixt the holy ghost and me for the thinges that he shall teache you shewe you he shall not speake them of him selfe but of me The cause why I say so is this Omnia quae habet pater mea sunt propterea dixi de meo accipiet annunciabit vobis All thinges that my father hath be myne all power all knowledge all connyng be equally and aswel in the sonne as in the father and in the sonne frō the father like as he hath his generacion production beyng of the father therfore sayth Christ the holy gost shall take of myne and shall shewe it you teach it you for when he shal sensibly come among you he shall shewe you my fathers pleasure which is all one with my pleasure All that he shal teache you he shall take and learne of my father and of me Like as he hath his beyng of my father and of me and as he is the infinite and ineffable loue of my father and of me Thus sayd Christ vnto his disciples for in very deede all the workes of the whole trinitie be al one vndiuidid outfurth among creatures Loke what one person doth the same thyng doth all thre persones likewise Therfore there was nothing that the holy gost taught y e Apostles but Christ could haue taught it them if it had pleased him But he reserued left this power of instructing and cōfortyng the Apostles and others by them vnto the holy gost the third person in trinitie lest if Christ had done all himselfe they would peraduenture haue thought there had be no holy ghost at all or els that the holy spirit had not been of equal power with Christ and with the father of heauen In very dede afterward there risse a pernicious sect of heretikes as Arrius and his faction whiche merueilously troubled al the world in their time saiyng that the seconde person in trinitie was but a creature and lesse of nature power then the father And that the holy ghost was also a creature and a minister and messager of the father and of the sonne and lesse of power then either of them both Because Christ would not haue his disciples to erre in this point he reserued the best porcion of learnyng of godly comfort from them that the holy spirit might teache it them for their comforte that so they might knowe the dignitie of the
And euen like the gift of counsayle without fortitude or manlinesse is of no price Nother manlines without counsell or good aduisement No more is science without pietie or pietie without the discretion of science And fear muste haue some of the saide giftes concurrent with it or els no good will come of it Then to our purpose Because that our knowlege naturally beginneth at some of our fiue exteriour or outward senses which we call the .v. wits if our knowledge shall be eleuate aboue that his common course to heauenly matters as be thinges parteyning to our fayth it hath nede of some supernaturall light by whiche it may ascende and pearce into the knowledge of such thinges as by his natural power he caÌ„ not attayne to As that there be three persons in one substaunce of the Godhead And that the father by his fecund and fruteful memory produceth and getteth his onely begotten sonne the second person in trinitie And that the father and the sonne by their fecunde and frutefull will bringeth forth the holye gost coeternall and of equall might and power with theÌ„ both And y â— that one God thus distinct in thre persons by his endles and mighty power at his pleasure and wheÌ„ he thought good made all the world of nought And that by his onelye goodnes he mainteneth and preserueth the same so that if he would once withdrawe his hande of maintenaunce but one little moment from hys creatures they should sodainely fall to nought as they came fro And that all the glorious company of aungels he made to honour him like as all other creatures after their kindes and maners doth And where as some of the aungelles swarued from the grace that they were creat in and were damned to be the horriblest creatures and in most payne of all creatures of the world the others persistyng standinge in their goodnesse were confirmed in grace so that now they can not fall but continuallye remayneth in the glorious fruition sighte and loue of God euer ready to do his commaundemeÌ„t in heauen and at his pleasure here in earth toward vs mortall men Hebr. i. These and such high misteries of heauenly matters to perceiue and as it were by the sharpenes of mans witte to pearce into theÌ„ as man may here in this grose and corruptible bodye perteyneth properly to the gifte of vnderstandynge Ad donum intellectus And the more perfectly that this gifte is inspired into man by the holy gost the more distinctly and plainely he shal perceiue such hie secrets though perceue theÌ„ as he shall do hereafter in glory we can not yet And by mature and wise iudgement to discerne these verities from their contraries perteyneth properly to the gifte of Sapience or godly wisdome Ad donum sapientiae As to discerne one God from the false Gods To know that the .iii persons in Trinitie be equall in power and not one of them minister or seruaunt to the other as Arrius saide To know that there is but one maker of all thinges no more and not to put two creatours one of good thinges an other of euyl thinges as Manicheus saide And to iudge when the angels of God doth trulye Gods message And to discerne them from the aungels of darknes which many times disguise them selues into the fashion of the angels of light These and such other hye iudgementes in heauenly causes ê‘teineth properly to the gift of sapience or godly wisdome For this supernaturall gift of Sapience the wise man prayed Sapi. ix Da mihi sedium tuarum assistricem sapientiam Geue me the wisdome from aboue that is euer assistent bi thy seat of glory and from thence is deriued and infused or send downe to menne Because that Si quis erit consummatus inter filios hominuÌ„ si ab illo fugerit sapientia tua in nihilum computabitur If a man be neuer so profound and excellent in mans wisdome if he lacke this godlye wisdome good Lord he shall not be estemed wise but rather a fole in as much as worldly wisdome is counted but folishnes afore God .i. Corin. iii. And the prophet Dauid prayed that he might obtayne thys supernaturall gift called Donum intellectus the gift of intelligence wittinesse or fine and cleare vnderstandyng saying Psal. cxviii Da mihi intellectum vt discam mandata tua Geue me intelligeÌ„ce that I may learne thy coÌ„mandementes Where it is highly to be noted that this noble king and prophet whiche so well knew Gods lawes and that saide he had kept Gods eloquent sayinges yet nowe he prayed for finer and clearer vnderstandyng by whiche he might yet better ascende and pearce into the same And we haue nede so to pray as the prophet did that this gift of Intelligence may be geuen vs to helpe our fayeth like as in many cases our faith helpeth our intelligence or vnderstandyng accordyng to the saying of Esay vii Nisi credideritis non intelligetis As saint Augustine and others redeth that letter Excepte ye beleue ye shall not vnderstande For many thinges there be whiche except ye beleue ye can not vnderstande as the articles of our fayeth with other like And many truthes there be that we can not beleue except we haue vnderstandyng either by hearyng the preacher by instruction or by study as Paule sayth Ro. x Fides ex auditu auditus autem per verbum Christi And this is acquisite fayth gotten by laboure studie or hearyng and so is vnderstandyng proporcionablye to the same whiche bothe be made more firme fast and certaine by fayth infused and by Intelligence or vnderstandynge infused and geuen from aboue of the holy gost And this gift of Intelligence is neuer withdrawen from good men specially about such thinges as be necessary for mannes saluation to be knowen although some men haue it in a higher degree theÌ„ some other haue but about other thinges not necessary to be knowen it is withdrawen to pul men downe that the matter occasion of pride and curiositie may be taken away and lest men should be to proud of gods gifts and accordyng to this speaketh saint Iohn i. Ioh. ii Vnctio eius docebit vos de omnibus The oyntment infusion or inspiration of the holy goste will teach you in all thinges necessary to be learned although very good men hauyng the grace that maketh theÌ„ acceptable and in the fauour of God may be dul and little or nought perceiue of other truthes without whose knowledge a man maye come to heauen wel inough Chrisostome in a sermon De spiritu sctoÌ„ vseth a more familier playner distinction of these two giftes Sapience and Intelligence saiyng When it besemeth a doctour or a teacher to speake plainely his gifte is called the spirite of Sapience And where nede is that the hearer do wittily perceiue that is spoken the gifte that he muste haue is named the spirite of vnderstanding which also is called the spirite of reuelation wheÌ„ nede is to learne
swadeth that we oughte to be of cleane life and in all oure conuersation to liue in feare while we be dwelling as tenauntes at wil here in this worlde This he perswadeth by consideration of the price that was paid for oure redemption or raunsom out of the deuils dauÌ„ger out of our former conuersation noughtye liuing which price was neither gold nor siluer nor any such corruptible substauÌ„ce as is vsed amoÌ„ge men to redeme mens offeÌ„ces or to make ameÌ„ds for faultes or harmes done amoÌ„ge men but you were bought deliuered froÌ„ your noughty liuiÌ„g from your vaine and folish conuersation by the precious blud of Christ offred for vs on y e crosse like a moste pure and cleane lambe without spot or blemishe and neither groned nor grudged so sufferinge no more then the lambe doth when he is ledde to the slaughter house We must no more nowe thinke oure selues vile or little worth for once we pleased oure Lorde God so well that he chose rather to die for vs then he would lose vs it can be no smal thinge of valure that God was content to pay his owne bloude for By his precious bloud you were deliuered from your vaine and folysh conuersatioÌ„ that you learned by your fathers traditions by your fathers teachinge They that S. Peter writte to some were of the Iewes and some were of the Gentiles as I declared in the beginninge of this Epistle They that were of the Iewes had learned of their fathers to leaue the true vnderstandinge of the lawes of God and to folowe certaine precepts and rules of theyr traditions and teachinge as to let theyr owne parentes die for hunger to bestow theyr goodes in offeringe at the Church â–ª Mat xv not that Christe forbiddeth to helpe the ministers of the Churche but that when thou mayste helpe both thou shouldest so do but yf thou be not able to do both se that thou fayle not to do thy dutye to thy parentes cherysshinge and helpinge them for this is thy bounden duetie And also the curious and prescise obseruaunce of the Iewes ceremonies may be vnderstand by these fathers traditions whiche were but vayne and lytle good did to the soule for they gaue no grace to the soule but specially after the publyshing of Christes Gospell they seassed and did no good but muche hurte to the soule They that were of the Gentilles were brought vp as their fathers were in Idolatrye and taught to worshippe Idolles false Goddes whiche in dede be thinges of naught and verye nothinge as sainte Paule saieth .i. Cor. viij .x. Nowe to our purpose they were taught by their fathers and bringers vp to worshippe that for a god and to geue it diuine honour that was no God were brought vp in a folishe trade and in vayne conuersation by their fathers lore tradicions and teachynge froÌ„ such vayne conuersation wee were redemed not by money but by the precious blud of the lambe our Sauiour Christe most immaculate and vndefowled froÌ„ all sinne original actuall He was knowen sayeth saint Peter and appointed of God afore the worlde was made that he shold redeme vs And he was declared and knowen plainly now in the latter dayes And towarde the ende of the worlde for our sakes and to saue vs that by hys instruction published and spredde abrode among vs by the preachers of hys Gospell be made faithfull beleuers on almightye God whiche raised oure saide sauiour Christe from death to life againe and gaue him glorie at his resurrection and also at his glorious ascention because you shoulde truste to to haue like glorye by him And al this was not for anye indigence or neade that he hadde to be so exalted but for oure sake that so sayeth Sainte Peter your fayeth myght be on God and your whole hope and truste in GOD that you maye receiue like glorye of GOD. Because saint Peter sayeth that the misterye of Christes incarnation of his passion by whiche we shold be redemed was knowen afore and appointed afore the worlde was made You must vnderstaÌ„d that this that saint Peter saieth of the eternall predestinacion and foreknowledge of the second person in Trinitie the sonne of God to be incarnate was not onely for the redemption of man from the preuarication and offence of Adam but althoughe Adam hadde neuer offended yet notwithstandinge the sonne of GOD woulde haue be incarnate takynge the nature of man vppon him to beautifye in hym selfe the whole man aswell the outwarde man as the inwarde man that so mankinde Siue ingrederetur siue egre deretur pascua inueneret Whether he should come in by his wit or did go furth by exteriour senses he shoulde euerye waye finde pasture feadynge and refresshynge pasture within by knowledge and contemplation of the Godheade to the comforte of the reason pasture outwarde in the flesshe and bodye of our Sauioure to the comforte of the exteriour senses For if Adam hadde not sinned but hadde stande stedfast in the state of innocencye he shoulde at the laste haue bene translated from Paradyse into the glorye of Heauen and so shoulde all his posteritie wythout anye deathe by the onely wyll or desyre of mynde where his glorye shoulde haue bene verye leane and bare yf no exterioure sense shoulde haue hys owne delectation in the thing that he is exercised in as the syghte in seinge or the touchyng in felyng the eare is in hearing Therefore to satisâ—ye bothe the reason and the sensible powers it was necessarye that GOD shoulde haue a bodye and shoulde be made man that he myghte be perceyued by the senses as wel as by the wyt And to such beatitude ioye wee were appoynted and chosen in Christe afore the makinge of the worlde as the Apostle sayth Ephe. i. Benedixit nos in Christo Iesu sicut elegit nos in ipso ante mundi constitutionem God the father hath blessed vs in Christe as his lymmes or membres like as he hath choseÌ„ vs in him afore the makyng of the worlde so that the chosynge of Christe GOD and man in one persone was presupposed and went afore the chosing of vs hys membres to be incorporate vnite and ioyned to him by faith grace as one body with hym Like as the builder first intendeth a house of thys fashion or that fashion then intendeth to prouide tymber lyme and stone and workemenne to make his house Therefore sayeth the Apostle that GOD chose vs in Christe Firste chosynge Christe to glorye inestimable and then consequentlye and secundarily hee chose vs in him as hys membres to be glorified in hym and with him and by hym And therfore saieth our Sauiour vnto hys Father speakynge of his disciples Dilexisti eos sicur me dilexisti Ioh. xvii Thou haste loued them as thou haste loued me Aug. Because that he loued vs in hym lyke as he chose vs in him afore the making of the world for he y t loued his onely begotten sonne surelye
holy ghost and might haue cause to glorifie and honoure him likewise as they honoured the sonne and the father by the doctrine of Christ whiche euer attributed and imputed all his lore instruction preaching miracles doyng vnto the father as it is plaine in many places in the gospels Therfore in as muche as they had heard muche of the power of the father and had heard many holesome exhortacions of their maister Christ had seen many merueilous woorkes miracles done by Christ the very soÌ„ne of God the father and knewe very litle manifestly plainely of the holy spirit third person in trinitie therfore as at this tyme by the high wisedome and counsell of the godhead the holye ghost shewed himselfe lighting vpon the Apostles in firie tongues geuing them suche instruction and knowledge suche comfort boldnes as they neuer had before And againe because they should not thinke the holy ghost greater of power then the father or the sonne he warned them afore saiyng Quaecun ê™ audiet â—â—quetur All that he shall heare he shall speake to you As who should say tho the giftes that he shal inspire you withall shall be wonderous yet like as he hath his beyng of my father and of me so al cunning knowledge and other giftes he hath of vs and equally with vs like as he is equal and one in substaunce with vs. And in signe and token of his godhead and godly power it foloweth there Et quae veÌ„tura sunt annunciabit vobis In this he shall specially shewe his godhead because it accordeth most cheifly to God â–ª to knowe secretes to come after and of his godhead it coÌ„meth that men haue suche knowledge reueled vnto them therfore Esaie sayth .xli. Annunciate quae ventura sunt in futuruÌ„ sciemus quia dij estis vos Tell vs what thinges shall come after and so wee shall surely knowe that you bee goddes This quickned their spirites that our sauiour Christ tolde them that the holy ghost should instruct them of thynges to come after for there is nothing that mans mynde desireth more then to knowe what world shalbe hereafter and what shall fall after our daies And the Apostles were verye inquisitiue in suche thinges therfore many tymes they asked of Christ whether he went and which was the way and when he would come to the iudgement and when Ierusalem should be destroyed and not one stone left on another And when he would come to take his kyngdome vpon him and what signe therof they shuld haue with many suche other questions concernyng thinges to come Of this thought carke of mynde our sauiour Christ dispatched them when he tolde theÌ„ that the holy ghost should teache them instruct them of all thynges to come that were mete and conuenient for them to knowe Nowe this presupposed of the godly power of our sauior Christ by whiche he might haue made his disciples as parfite in all giftes of grace as y e holy ghost did and the cause why he did not so descending to my principal purpose I will speake according to this holy tyme and solemne feast of the aboundance plentie of grace with whiche his manhode was indued aboue al other men and wemen that euer had grace And which he deriueth distributeth to all his faythfull people that receiueth grace Of him the Prophet sayth Psalmo .xliiii. Vnxit te deus deus tuus oleo letitiae prae consortibus tuis Kynges and preistes whiche bore the figure of Christe were annoynted with material and corruptible oyle but Christ was annoynted of god the father w t the oyle of gladnes that is to say with the holy ghost which was figured and signified by the sayd material oyle With this oyle of gladnes he was enbrued aboue al his felowes more excellently then any man whiche he is content to take and vse as his felowes coinheritors and copartners of the ioyes of heaueÌ„ They haue graces distributed to them seuerally by partes and the graces that one man hath another man lacketh and men hath them after a remisse and slacke maner not fully nor perfitely And they that haue graces of one kynde yet some hath theÌ„ more fully and perfitely then some other hath But Christes manhode had all graces after the highest maner that could bee geuen to any creature He was full of grace not by measure but aboue measure Saint Stephan was full of grace Stephanus plenus gratia Act. vi But howe He had as much grace as was sufficient for him to preache Christ and to suffre persecution and martyrdome paciently for Christes sake And so is euery good maÌ„ and woman full of grace after a certaine sufficiencie according to their nede and as it is profitable for them The blessed virgin Marye was called in Gabriels salutation plena gratia full of grace by a special prerogatiue or afore others in asmuche as it pleased him of whoÌ„ commeth all grace and goodnes to take her in so gracious fauoure as to take his fleshe and bloud of her most pure virginal body But the maÌ„hode of Christ had all the giftes of grace after a certaine excellencie and superaboundance by which he might deriue and distribute grace to all faithfull people euen like as the head in vs geueth influence to al partes of the body in the vse and exercise of all sensible mouinges as appeareth for when the head is a slepe or mortified with Palseies or suche diseases all other partes of the body be astonied and can do litle or nothing And contrary when the head is of good temperature and well at ease al the body is the better more apt in euery membre to do his office by reason of suche influence as is deriued from the head vnto them Suche influence of grace doth our sauior Christ geue to all christen people for he is oure head and we his lymmes or membres and that godly liuelynes of grace that we haue we haue it of his store and plentie of grace Of this store and plentie of Christes grace the blessed prophet Esay maketh mencion speaking of the misterie of Christes incarnation saiyng capi .xi. There shal a slyppe or rodde spryng out of the rote of Iesse and a floure shall ascende out of his rote and on him shall rest the spirit of God the spirite of sapience and of vnderstanding the spirite of counsell and of fortitude the spirite of science and of pietie and the spirite of the drede of God shall replenishe him By this slyppe or rodde is vnderstaÌ„d the humble virgin Mary very flexible and plyant by humilitie The floure ascending out of that rote signifieth the swete floure of our redemption our sauiour Iesus Christ whiche rose and sprong out of the stocke and roote of Iesse otherwise called Isai kyng Dauids father by the sayd slyppe or rodde Mary disceÌ„ding lyneally of Iesse by Dauid and by other holy patriarkes And on this floure shal the holy ghost rest with
among themselues one perceiueth the voyce of an other and by suche voyces as they haue they come together or runne a sonder Rauens and other fowles knowing theyr owne voyces flyeth to theyr feedynge together and change their places together But man a reasonable creature little vnder the angelles in the excellencie of his nature yet perceyueth not what another reasonable creature saith except he be of his owne countrey An Englyshe dogge perceyueth a walshe dogge and yet the Englishe man vnderstandeth not a walshe man The lacke of the feare of GOD in this vsurper and verye tyraunte and extorcioner Nemroth brought vs to this calamitie wretchednes If I woulde runne throughe the holye scriptures declaryng what mischiefe hath fallen to men for lacke of the feare of GOD I should soner lacke time than matter And yet good and worshipfull audience let vs consider the maner of oure neighbours here in this citye And I fear me we shall finde this gyfte of the holye Gooste that is to saye the feare of GOD farre awaye from a great meynye of vs. Wee haue knowen some Marchauntes and other occupiers that in their prentishippe and while they were iourneymen or seruauntes haue serued God deuoutlye and the worlde busilye And when they haue set vp and occupied for theim selues haue growen to muche riches in a little space In so muche that within seuen or eight yeres they haue bene able to be shyriffes of the Citye but when they were fatte that their prouender pricked theim they haue begon to kycke agaynste GOD and to do noughtelye nother doynge their dutye in their tythes and offerynges to God of whom they had their thrift nother to their owne soules kepyng them selues in the feare and awe of God nother towarde their neighbours liuynge charitablye They haue take their pleasures moste voluptuouslie and haue contemned all others dispitefullye whiche is a signe that the feare of GOD was cleane gone for as the wise manne sayth Qui timet deum faciet bona He that feareth God will do good dedes and will eschue the contraries and his thrifte shall come accordinglye for exāple hereof I reade a narration of two crafts menne But yet because I heare that some yonge menne be daungerous and will peraduenture contemne or dispise such narrations as wel as some other thinges whiche they canne not aamende somewhat to comforte theim that woulde heare examples for theyr learnynge you shall note what the Apostle saith Ephe. iiii Omnis sermo malus ex ore vestro non procedat sed si quis bonus ad edificationem fidei vt det gratiam audientibus Let no yll speache or talkinge passe out of your mouthe but if you haue anye good talkynge to edifie and healpe our fayeth that it maye geue a grace to the audience Sainte Ambrose expoundinge the same wordes saieth Bonae enim sobriae fabulae dant gratum exemplum audientibus Good sober tales geueth pleasant examples to the hearers Sober tales he saith suche as be neither wilde nother wanton But suche as a manne maye take good and pleasant examples of as Esopes fables and suche other Quid est enim aliud scira fabula quam amena veritatis inuolucio ad hominum vsum atque oblectationem comparata A feete or proper tale is no more but a mery wrappyng in or coueryng of some truth inuented and sette foorthe for mennes profite and for their plesure to allure them better to remēber the matter that is spoken of And for this purpose harkē you vnto mynarration These ii craftes men that I speake of came to the towne to be prentises about one season they came forth to libertie together and set vp their occupatiōs aboute one time the one was more experte in his occupation then the other more quycke more liuelye and more pregnant of witte and he laboured as soore bothe earlye and late as the other did and yet he coulde not come forwarde but euer almoste in beggers estate The other althoughe he were not so lyuelye nor quicke of naturall wytte and in practise of the worlde as the other hys frende was yet he prospered and grewe to greate richesse and to good estimation amonge hys neyghbours I woulde euerye manne shoulde imagyn thee two men to be of their owne occupacion if thou be a marchaunte thinke they were two marchaunt menne if thou be a Grocer or a Draper Tayler or Shomaker thinke they were of thy occupation In processe of tyme this manne that was so farre behinde fell in familiar communication with his olde acquaintaunce and made hys complaynte vnto hym marueylynge of the chaunce of theim boothe considerynge sayth he that when we were yong I was more likely to come forwarde then thou And that I labour and studie saith he as many waies to haue the world and to come to welthines and more then euer diddest thou yet it wil not be the more I laboure yet neuer the nere I trowe thou haste founde some bagges or treasure trouy some hid riches that bringeth thee alofte Well saith the other man I do remember our bringyng vp very well I know thy witte I I knowe thy cunnynge thy feete in thy facultie and occupation and I do lament thy penury and that thou commest no better forwarde And where thou imputest to me layest to my charge that I haue founde some hydde ryches It is verye true And for our olde frendshippe I am contente to brynge thee there as thou mayeste finde like riches And appointed to mete together on the morowe at a certayne houre to go to seke the sayde treasure When they mette at the time appointed this riche manne brought his frende to the churche and there he fell on hys knees and saide his prayers deuoutly as he was wonte to do The other man called busilye on him to shewe him this treasure Tarye a while sayde he we shall anone haue a Masse or some diuine seruyce compiled or gathered of the word of God or some sermon or exhortation that may do vs good Anone a prieste was readye wente to masse After masse this poore mannes minde was on the money and called vppon his frende whiche at the laste aunswered after this maner Frende thou haste hearde and sene parte of the treasure that I haue founde Here in this place haue learned to loue GOD heare I haue learned to feare God Heare I haue learned to serue GOD. And when I haue done my duetye to God home I go to my woorke about suche businesse as I haue and all thinge goeth forward and so I am come to this honeste Almes that GOD hathe lende me wyth whiche I am well contented and do thanke God for it it commeth of God and not of my deseruynge I see thy fashion thou little regardest God or his seruice and lesse regardest his ministers Thou haddest leuer goe to the market then to Masse And on the holye daye to idle pastimes then to heare a Sermon if euer thou thriue it
done whether it be good or yll .ii. Cor. v. And so Christ sayde that when he shoulde come in his glory with his aungels then he shall pay euery one accordinge to his dedes These wordes are greatlye to be feared for he sayth not that then he wyll geue after his mercy to euery one but after theyr owne dedes here he is mercifull there he wyll be all rightuous therfore the longer that he loketh for oure amendemente here so muche more greuouselye he wyll do vengeaunce yf we wyll not amende This iudgemente is greatelye to be feared for the hyghe wysedome of the iudge and for the cleare knowledge that he hath for al thinges be naked bare and opened to his eyes as well the secrete thoughtes of mynde as open deedes there shall nede no wytnes to accuse the synners for theyr owne consciences and theyr thoughtes shall be the accusers and wytnesses of theyr owne iniquitie accusinge or excusynge in that terrible daye Roma ii His fyrste comminge to take oure nature vpon him was in infyrmitie weakenes and pouertie but his seconde cōmynge that shall be to this merueilous iudgemente shall be in myghtye power and maiestie His power is almightye in it selfe and besyde that all the worlde wyll take his parte and fyghte wyth hym agaynste lewde synners there shall be no man to speake or to entreate for them and then he wyll be verye terrible and angrye to reproued synners in so muche that they shall wysshe the mountaynes and hylles to fall vpon them and to hyde them from the angre of the Lambe Oh merueylous agonye and furye of mynde that they shall be cumbred wyth to be so afrayde of a Lambe He wyll shewe him selfe very amiable pleasaunte and comfortable to his electe people and therefore to theym he wyll be as a Lambe and to the others wonderous sore and greuous THe nynth article of oure fayth is of the thyrde personne in Trinitie the holye Gooste expressed by Saynte Iames the sonne of Alphey called Iames the lesse because he came later to be CHRISTES scholer then the other Iames the Sonne of Zebede of whome I spoke in the thyrde Article This is the article I beleue in the holy Gost. Like as we must beleue on the father on the sonne so must we beleue on the holy Goost for he that beleueth not on all three persons taketh no profite beleuinge on one or twayne of them for this is the catholike and common fayth to beleue one God in Trinitie and a Trinitie of persons that is to saye thre persons in one Godhead The holy Goost the thyrde person is brought forth by the fruitefull will of the father and of the sonne as the equall wyll and loue of them both of equall mighte and power and maiestie with the father and with the sonne on whome we muste beleue After the article of beleuinge on the holy Goost conuenientlye foloweth two other articles concerninge the workes of grace of the holy Goost One is of the worke of grace in gettinge that thinge that is good the other in amouing and auoydinge that is yll OF the fyrst grace Symon the Apostle called Chananeus and Zelotes putteth the tenth article of oure crede saying The holy catholike Churche the communion of sainctes After the myndes of some holy doctors we may not saye properlye that we beleue in the holye Churche or on the holy Churche for the Church is not God on whom we beleue as is aforesayd it is the house of God Albeit if we say so it may be allowed as S. Paule praysed the Collossen i. for the fayth and charitie that they had in Deo in omnes sanctos on God and on all holy persons because that by theyr fayth and charitie they extended theim selues to God and all good men So in as much as we extende and set forth oure selues to conforme our selues to the vnitie of all holy churche and to the communion and company of all holy folkes by our fayth adourned with charitie mouinge our selues to suche conformitie in perfection of life we may by that reason saye that we beleue on the holye Churche and on the communion of sainctes This Churche is called holy as for a distinction and difference from the Churche that the prophete speaketh of saying I hate the churche of imaginers of mischiefe dissention and debate For suche Churches be not holy but rather yll and very noughte It is also called holy because the people and company of the same be washed from the vncleanes of sinne by the holy Sacramentes of the church takinge their efficacitie and strength at the bloude of our Sauiour Christ. It is called catholike that is to say vniuersall or whole ouer all the world not mutteringe in sundry corners or countreys as heretikes haue imagined theyr Churches There can be no greater treasure no greater honour gottē then to haue the grace of the lyuely fayth of this vniuersall churche This fayth saueth sinners worketh miracles ministreth Sacramentes who so euer he be or in what state or condition so euer he be yf he be not in this fayth of the catholyke churche he is no true christen man neyther can be saued lyke as there was no man nor woman saued aliue in the great floude that was in the tyme of Noe but onelye they that were within his great shippe The communion of sainctes or of holy persons that is to saye like as I beleue the holy churche to be one and holye and that yf I will be saued I muste conforme my selfe to that vnitie not swaruinge from it by heresies or dissention so I muste in perfection of lyfe conforme my selfe to the felowship and companye of holy persons as well of them that be nowe aliue as of them that be departed to God afore vs. For if we wyll haue communion or felowship with the sainctes or holye men in euerlastinge life we muste studye to folowe them in liuinge for they muste perceaue in vs somwhat of theyr vertues that so they may vouchesafe to pray for vs to almightie God And although we can not suffre martirdome as some of them did yet at the lest wise we must by example of them repugne and resist yll and vnlawfull concupiscence and the rather by their prayers that so we may obteyne forgeuenes of oure sinnes hauinge a merueylous good helpe thereto by the holy Sacramentes of this catholike churche whiche sacramentes all holye men and women commoneth and vseth felowlike pore and riche all together And by the vnitie and communion in the fayth and Sacramentes of this holye churche we receaue as well the merite of Christes passion and of his holy lyfe as of the good liuinge and good dedes of all holye people beynge all one knitte together by the liuelye fayth of the sayde catholike Churche according to the prophetes sayinge I am partaker of al them that feare the O Lorde And therefore euerye true lymme of the sayde Churche is partaker of all the good
conuey out of the citie were caried in a wayne and there receiued had in very greate veneration And thereof it was ordeyned that thinges perteyninge to the seruyce of their Goddes shoulde be called Ceremonies because the Ceretanes worshipped them in that decaye and destruction of the citie of Rome as wel as when it floryshed in prosperitie And the translatours of holy scripture vseth the same latin worde to signifie the rites maners and vsages accustomed in the seruice of the true and onelye lyuinge God almighty maker of all creatures and about thinges dedicate applyed and belonginge to the same seruice callinge them Ceremonies They be externall or outwarde protestations and declarations of the inwarde worshippinge of GOD whiche is by fayth hope and charitie and hath ben vsed in the time when the law of nature had his course and afterwarde in the time of the law written vnto Christes time and finallye in the time of grace from the firste publique and open preachinge of Christes Gospell and so shal continue vnto the worldes ende Almightye God alowed and commended the holy patriarch Abraham vnto Isaac saiyng I will geue to thee and to thy posteritie all these countreys hereaboute and all nacions of the worlde shall be blessed in thy seede for Abrahams sake because he obeyed my voice and kepte my commaundementes my ceremonies and my lawes ▪ Gene. xxvi What ceremonies kept Abraham for which he was worthy thus to be commended Uerely some speciall deuout fashions or behauiour that he vsed about the sacrifices or seruices of God as he had learned of his anceters which I thinke verely were euen the same or muche like to them that afterwarde were expresly commaunded by God and written by Moyses Abel Adams sonne learned of his father to honoure God wyth the fruites that God sende him and to make oblations to him of the same Enos that was sonne vnto Seth begonne to call vpon the name of God inuentinge deuout wordes by the waye of prayer to honour him Enoch the fourth generation after him of whose goodnesse scripture speaketh saiynge that he walked with God and appeared no more amonge the sinnefull people for God toke him away doubtlesse he was no lesse ceremonious in sacrifices oblatiōs and prayers ▪ then his progenitours were And of Noe the holye Patriarch it is expressely written y t when he came out of his ship after y e great flode with his sonnes his wife and his sonnes wiues and all the beasts that were saued bi that shippe Forthwith he erected and made vp an aultare for almighty god and offered sacrifices of part of the beastes and birdes that were clene burnyng thē vpon the same aultare and our Lord God smelled the swetenesse of his oblation acceptynge it graciously for the faith and deuocion of the offerer and not for the things self that were offred Here you haue manifest ceremonies the aultare was Ceremoniall so was the distinction of the clene beastes from the vnclene And of the cleane fowles from he vnclene the burnynge vp of the whole carkasses head fete bowels and al except the skinne was ceremoniall But afore that wee entreate of these ceremoniall lawes I thinke it necessary somewhat to speake of morall lawes and also of Iudiciall lawes which knowen the ceremonies may be more euident The morall lawes cōmaunded by God be they that be of the iudgement of right reason or much consonant agreing to the same that shal moue a mā to fulfil do thē although there wer no law writtē to cōpell a mā to fulfil thē as this Thou shalt honor thy father mother for reasō wil that thou shalt do the best thou canst for thē that brought thee into this worlde and nourished thee and cherished thee when thou were not able to helpe thy self Of this kinde be the .x. cōmaundements of God sonderly expressed to his elect people of Israel and bi them to vs to reduce them and vs to the lyght of naturall reason whiche by euyll exercyse was blinded in thē as it was throughout all the worlde in that tyme and as I feare me it is in manye of vs nowe for malyce was neuer so abundaunte For this purpose it is verye necessarye that they shoulde be declared in the churches on sondayes and holy dayes to put men in remembraunce of their duetie to GOD and to their neighbors other morall rules there be whyche bynde as monicions by the waye of honestie as this Afore a white heade thou shalte rise vp and do thy dutye And this Honod◠the person of an olde man with manye others like And of the saide morall commaundementes dependeth bothe the Iudiciall preceptes and the ceremoniall The Iudiciall lawes be as it were yokes or bondes to binde the people to kepe and do that reason woulde to be done in an order to God and to their neighboure determinynge the paynes and punyshemente for transgressours quietynge and endynge strife plees and controuersies hauynge their strengthe to binde not of the necessary iudgement of right reason but only by institution or of that that they be made by theim that haue auctoritie to make lawes example of thys A morall lawe this is Thou shalt not kyll auye man woman or childe Then if a man breake this lawe by prepensed malyce killynge a manne the Iudiciall lawe sayeth the he shall dye for it where as if he did it by chaunce medley wythout anye suche intended mischiefe he myghte saue hym selfe by some sanctuarye Thou shalte honour thy father and mother is a morall commaundemente To punishe them that do contrarye the iudiciall lawe saith whosoeuer hurteth father or mother shal die for it And whosoeuer rayleth vpō thē geuing thē opprobrious words shal also dye for it ¶ Ceremonies vsed afore Christes tyme were of foure diuers maners Some consisted in sacrifices Some in sacraments Some in halowed thinges or thinges dedicate or applied to Gods seruice Some in obseruaunces Sacrifices they hadde of whiche some were offered for the sinnes of the people or of particuler persons Some of deuotion to pacify Gods displeasure and to obtein his grace and fauour or for to obteine some speciall benefite of almighty GOD. Some were all burned some were part burned part rosted or sodde and parte appointed for the priestes part part for the owner that offred it to make merye with all And they were commonly of rudder beastes of sheepe or goates And amonge birdes of doues or turtles and seldome of sparrowes as in the purgation of Lepris which as S. Paule saith can not purge the cōscience of them that serueth in them for it is not possible sinne to be taken away by the bloude of bullockes or goates Hebr. x. ¶ Sacramentes they had among them as circumcisiō and the paschal lambe and order of the priestes ministring in the tabernacle or temple and the water of expiation made of the asshen of the redde Hefer running water to clense folke frō their irregularitie bi touchīg of a
dead corps or of any other vncleane thinge Saint Paule calleth them neady and pore principles for they nother geue grace to the vsers nother geueth to the ministers any spiritual power to remit sinne The priest bi his order had power to kil the cow and to burne her and to mingle the asshen with running water to sprinkle it vpon the vnclene and so to purge him from an externall irregularitie of his flesh that so he might lawfully come into the courts of the tabernacle staÌ„d amongst honest meÌ„ where as afore he ought not so to do And for this thapostle saith they sanctify folkes for the clensyng of the flesh â–ª Heb. ix Euen like as when a prelate dispeÌ„seth with a bastard or with a maÌ„ that hath but one eye that he may be made priest bi this dispensation he geueth him not any grace but only taketh away the irregularitie maketh hym able to be ordered where afore he was not so ¶ Of the thirde maner of ceremonies were sacred or halowed things to gods seruice As y e tabernacle teÌ„ple y e parts of theÌ„ the courts about them the implementes and vtensils as cruets cuppes morters caudrons and kettles And so were certayne dayes and solemne feastes as the vii day of the weke the seuenth yere the Iubily yere with a great multitude more which should be to long here to be rehearsed ¶ The obseruances were certain religious maners of liuinges that the people of Israell and the holy fathers their progenitours as the electe and chosen people of GOD vsed to shewe them selues distincte and differente from all Idolaters of which the world was then full In Moses time almighty God expressely commaunded theÌ„ by Moyses and Aaron to obserue keepe a prescise maner in their diet They should eat no fleshe of any four foted beastes but onely of such as were both clouen foted and did also ruminat his meat or chew quyd All other they should repute vnclene and not eat of theÌ„ They should nother eat porke pigge hare nor conyes with many others They were forbidden all fish that had not both finnes and skales tench eles congres loches culles with manye others were not for for them of birdes all raueners liuynge by prey as haukes grifes kites and all kinde of rauens or crowes and such like and swanne flesh with many others they were forbidden as things vnclene to be eaten to be touched And they sholde not drinke nor occupie the water or other liquor that any such or any part of them had falleÌ„ into the vessell conteynynge such liquor should be couÌ„ted vnclene and if it were an earthen vessell it should be broken and cast away Albeit brokes welles mayrs pondes and cesternes made to gather water and to kepe them mighte be occupied for drinke and to dresse meat although such filthy forbidden thinges had fallen into them How they shold punysh theÌ„ selues with fastyng In the feast of expiation or clensynge many other seasons and how the wiues vowe to offer or to fast or to do any such like thing of deuotion should be approued by her husbande as sone as he knew of it or els not to binde her And in case he wold say coÌ„trary on the first day that he knew of his wiues vow she was discharged he with out fault but if he deferred it til the morow theÌ„ next folowing she was bound to perfourme her vow And if theÌ„ he wold coÌ„pel her to do coÌ„trary he should beare the perill of her iniquitie transgressing breaking her vow The vowes promises of y e maids dwelling within their fathers houses did likewise binde if the father saide not coÌ„trary on the first day that he knew therof if afterward he wold say nay on his perill the synne was his As coÌ„cerning their raiment thei should wear no cloth woueÌ„ of wollen linneÌ„ threde together as be our carpets tapstry works They shold also haue in the skirts of their gownes certain ribands in color reseÌ„bling the skie on a clere day No man shold wear a womans garmeÌ„t nother any womaÌ„ a mans garmeÌ„t for that was abhominable afore god Of yokinge their cattell in their plowes of sowyng their vyneyards their feldes And of the very birdes neasts thei had ceremonial obseruances appointed theÌ„ In al these this is to be taken for a generall rule that suche ceremonies as semeth to be without ani sad reason without any necessitie or profite in kepyng of theÌ„ or eschuyng theÌ„ Almighty God intended to remoue his people farre of froÌ„ the â—ites of Idolatry in which such thinges as be here forbidden were vsed The payn for not obseruing these ceremonies in manye cases was death whereby thei were very daÌ„gerous painful vntollerable as s Pet. saith thei wer so heuy y t nother Iewes in his tyme beynge nother their forefathers coulde bear theÌ„ Act. xv They were very many to the number of .vi. hundred or aboue of whiche some were verye chargeable what payne and charge was it for euerye manne to appeare in Ierusalem three times in the yere how farre of so euer he dwelled Likewise to kepe holy day all the .vii. th yere in deuotioÌ„ nother to plow nor to sow nor to gather corne so in the space of two yeres together they had but small sustenaunce ¶ Nowe wee haue hearde howe these Lawes bounde the Iewes to obserue and keepe theim vnder the paynes expressed for transgressours of the same it is necessarye to knowe howe they binde vs christen people in the tyme of grace exhibited and geuen vs by oure Sauioure Iesus Christe For this you shall vnderstande that the morall preceptes because they be consonant and agreing to the light and iudgement of right reason whiche is one in all men naturally printed in their Soules at their creation they must nedes binde vs christian people as well as they bounde the Iewes Al be it the Iewes as verye ignare rude vnperfitly and grosely vnderstode the saide morall coÌ„maundements as thinking it sufficient to kepe this coÌ„maundemeÌ„t Thou shalt not kill if they held their handes they thought it none offence to be angry w t their neighbour To imagine mischefe against him This imperfectioÌ„ of their grosse vnderstanding our sauiour Christ clerely taketh away forbiddyng vs to be angry with our neighbour inwardly in our harte or by exteriour signes in word hand or in couÌ„tenauÌ„ce Mat. v. takynge away the very rote of homicide The iudicialles of Moises law as giuen by him hath this imperfection annexed that they make a man to doe well for feare of punyshment more then for loue And feare hath euer payn annexed and therfore Moyses law was called the law of feare and by that is a painefull law It woulde abhorre a mans hart to heare how many tymes the payne of deathe is inculcated and repeted among the sayd iudiciall lawes specially but they as giuen by Moyses bindeth not vs ChristeÌ„ people notwithstandinge because
requite il words then il dedes for meÌ„ dare not at al tunes strike wheÌ„ they be strikeÌ„ nor rob when thei be robbed yet words be sone paied home many times worst then they be giuen of which coÌ„meth much dissentioÌ„ anger breach of charity Therfore the apostle specially biddeth theÌ„ that he wrot to vs by them beware of that faut endeuour our selues to say wel when we be ill said by for cursings to pai hom blessings again for which he bringeth a vehement persâ—oasioÌ„ by that that we be called to Christes faith to haue Gods blessing by enheritaunce whiche shall be giuen vs at oure iudgment Therfore s. Peter meaneth that what soeuer we desire to haue in the world to com in y e same thing we should exercise our selues in thys world blessing our Lord maker by laud praising him blessing our brothers sisters our eueÌ„ christeÌ„ saying wel by theÌ„ wishing praying theÌ„ good in this world so preparing our selfes for the heauenly blessing that shal neuer fail vs. S. Peter alledged the prophet Dauid in the psal xxxiii whosoeuer wil loue life euerlasting in heaueÌ„ in whiche no maÌ„ dieth and will loue to se good daies that shal neuer be darkened nor discoÌ„tinued by ani night let him refraine his tong froÌ„ il saiynges not blaspheming y e name of god nor murmuring agaiÌ„st him And let him refrain his lips that they speake no gile nor deceit against his neighbour but be true in thy words in keping thi honest promises for vnlawful vnhonest ê“mises thou shuldest make none but if thou haue made any such thou shouldest repent thy foly breake thy promis Christ saith Mat. xii Ex verbis tuis iustificaberis et exveâ—bis tuis condemnaberis by thy woordes thou shalt be iustified approued as a good man afore god and by thy words thou shalt be dampned the children of Adders being noughtye theÌ„ selfe can not say wel ex abundantia enim cordis loquitur os for y e mouth speaketh of the stuffe of the hart Il wordes declareth an ill hart good words declareth a good hart And therfore when the prophet also s. Peter forbiddeth the tong from il he forbiddeth the hart from il thoughts aswel as y e tonge from il wordes S. Iames saith Iac. iii. Be a horse neuer so strong feirce yet with a good bit in his mouth with the bridle a man may turne him winde him as he list and likewise a ship though it be very great and vnweldi be set furth in his way with a right boistous strong forwinde yet with a litle sterne it may be turned wynded as the maister y t holdeth the helme list So the toÌ„ge is but a litle lim of a mans body et magna exaltat it setteth forth many great matters mors et vitam manibus lingue it bringeth life temporal and much quietnes if it be well bestowed and causeth life euerlasting to him that well vseth hys tonge in godlye doctrine and gostlye exhortation vttered in season wher contrary a wicked tonge maketh muche trouble in thys worlde and manye times death temporal and eternal foloweth of it A little fire burneth a whole groue or a greate wodde An yll tongue is a fire that marreth all and burneth vp coÌ„sumeth and wasteth al goodnes specially when the fire of hell hath set it on a flame when the deuyll hath blowen the coale It is an vnquiet mischiefe full of deadly poyson Prohibe linguam tuam a malo When the Deuyll moueth thee to saye yll then play the controller playe the commaunder bidde thy tongue kepe it selfe wythin hys bondes and saye none euyll thoughe thy courage woulde contrarye And then Declinet a malo faciat bonum Where the blessed apostle Saint Peter by the words of the Prophet biddeth vs vse Iustice in our woorkes and dedes as he hath willed vs to vse iustice in our thoughtes and in our wordes And because there be two principall partes of Iustice one to decline from euill and the other to do good hee that will see good dayes must decline from euil so perfourmynge the preceptes negatiue Thou shalt not take the name of God in vayne Thou shalt not kyll any man woman or childe Thou shalt not steale nor robbe Thou shalt do no lechery nor such other The seconde precept concerninge the other parte of Iustice is to dooe good fulfillyng the precepts affirmatiue Beleuyng on one God louyng him and fearyng him Kepyng thy holy daye holilye worshippynge thy father and mother and generallye so doynge to an other as thou wouldest an other should do to thee Inquirat pacem prosequatur eam Let him seke peace with God and man and earnestly folowe it The worlde can geue no peace but will rather driue away peace and make disseÌ„sion and debate betwixt god and man and betwixt man and man Therfore the Prophete saith not onelye thou must seke for peace but also thou muste pursue it runne after it laboure and finde all meanes possible to catche it and to holde it els it will be gone the worlde and carnalitie wil haue it awaye from thee And because he that declineth and auoydeth from euill and doth well and also laboureth and taketh paine to obtaine Iustice taketh great labour and pains in so doing The blessed apostle sainte Peter forth with comforteth vs telling what is the reward of iustice and of good men that kepe iustice Oculi domini super iustos This shall be their rewarde Firste our Lorde Gods eyes wyll fauourablie beholde them and louinglye loke vppon theim as on his frendes as a mans eyes runneth muche on the thinge that a man loueth Seconde his eares will be open mercifully inclined to heare their prayers where contrary he will make a face and loke with a terrible countenance vpon them that do yll and kepe not these partes of Iustice afore rehersed nor careth for peace nor will not labour for to obtaine it Where the prophet applieth corporal limmes or meÌ„bres to almighty god coÌ„descending to our infirmitie of our wittes whiche must be led vp bi corporal similitudes to the coÌ„sideration of heuenly thinges of the maner vsed among men by his amiable casting his eyes vpon vs his louing fauour and by his frowning terrible countenance his anger and displeasure Et quis est qui vobis noceat si boni emulatores fueritis â— Here the apostle excludeth a certaine doubt that might moue mens mindes saiyng that if we shal thus do as you saye not requite euil for euil nor checke for checke but contrary waies do good for yll blesse or saye well for yll wordes and euer to labour for peace and quietnes then euery maÌ„ would treade vs vnder fote and would hurt vs and rob vs and do vs displeasures one after another so we shold be in worse case then all other men be To this s. Peter answereth comfortyng
in the noughty sorte of christen people deposirio sordium carnis a clensinge and wasshinge away of the filth of the flesh by the water of baptisme when they were christened but it preuayled not to eternall saluation because they lacked a faythfull conscience well instructed examined and tried towarde GOD by the resurrection of Christ from the dead that like as he rose from the dead so our consciences should ryse frome deade workes of synne to liuelye workes of grace and vertue no more to dye or synne agayne whiche is in the right hande of God swalowynge vp consuminge and destroyinge death that so we might be made inheritours of euerlastinge life That a man swaloweth he consumeth so that it shall no more appeare in the fourme and fashion that it was of afore so Christe made by his death that death shuld be consumed in as much as by his death the deuyl that is the auctor causer of death was ouercome his heart was burst He begilinge and deceiuyng oure fyrste parentes kylled them â–ª and made them and all theyr posteritie subiect to death but kylling the latter man the latter Adam our Sauioure Christe he loste the fyrste man oute of his snares whiche kylled his hearte and was verye death to him He had power to bringe all them to death that descended of Adam whome he hadde kylled yf they came of hym by carnall propagation takinge of him the spotte of sinne but abusinge his libertie and procuringe the death of our moost innocent Sauioure Christe that came not of the sede of Adam by generation betwixt two parentes nor had any spotte of sinne by Adam he was worthy to lose his libertie and so he loste an infinite numbre of them that he thought him self sure of and dayly loseth his expectation and none can gette but suche as wylfully wyll runne into his daunger After this victorye ouer the deuyll Christ went vp into heauen as S. Peter sayth here and had subiect vnto him Aungels potestates and vertues where S. Peter expresseth three orders of Aungels of heauen to be subdued and subiecte vnto Christ by them vnderstandinge al the residue of the Aungels which as S. Dionise in his boke de celesti Hierarchia writeth according to that he had learned of his maister S. Paule by whome he was baptised and also taughte in the catholyke fayth be diuided into .iii. Hierarchies Euery Hierarchie conteyninge .iii. orders of Aungels and so they make nine ordres in the whole Saint Dionise that wrytte his booke of these heauenly creatures was S. Paules disciple and scoler and learned of him that could best declare the truthes of theim in as muche as he was rapte into heauen and there sawe suche secretes as a man might not speake Notwithstandinge as muche as semed to agree to mortall mans capacitie for to knowe as was mete and profitable for men to learne he declared to this blessed S. Dionise and to others of his disciples that had theyr wittes illuminate aboue others whiche the sayde S. Dionise committed to writing in his boke rehearsed that the posteritie that shoulde come after him in Christes churche mighte be instructe by the same In the sayde boke he rehearsed the names of euerye order of aungels in euery one of the saide Hierarchies The fyrste and highest Hierarchie conteyninge the .iii. orders Seraphin Cherubin and Thronos The seconde conteyneth Dominationes virtutes potestares The thirde Hierarchie and lowest hath in it these thre orders Principatus Archangelos et Angelos As appereth by s. Dionise in the sayde boke Cap vi vii.viii .ix. And by S. Gregory Homil .xxxiiii. super Euangelia All these were subiecte and subdued to Christes manhod when he came to heauen by his marueilous ascension Of all these orders Saint Peter in this place rehearseth thre orders one of the loweste Hierarchie Angelis and two of the middle Hierarchie potestates et virtutes by them vnderstandinge all the other Aungels which though they were euer sith theyr fyrst creation subiecte and subdued to Christes Godheade yet here in this place he maketh speciall mention of theyr subiection to Christ that he might shewe that the humanitie of Christ was so exalted and set alofte by his ascension whiche Saint Peter here speaketh of that it was preferred and set aboue the excellencie of all the Aungels of heauen Accordinge to the sayinge of the Prophet Omnia subiecisti sub pedibus eius And Saint Paul phil Dedit illi no men quod est super omne nomen vt in nomine Iesu omne genu flectatur celestium terrestrium infernorum GOD the father hath geuen hym a name aboue all names that to his name all creatures in heauen in earth and of hel shall bowe the knee and be subdued and obediente vnto him To whome be all honour and glorye for euer Amen The .xiiii. treatise or sermon The fourth Chapiter CHristo igitur passo in carne vos eadem cogitatione armamini quia qui passus est in carne de siit a peccatis c. The blessed Apostle Saynt Peter in diuers places of this epistle that we haue in hande vehemently extolleth and coÌ„mendeth the most aboundant mercy of God by whiche he hath regenerate and gotten vs agayne to lyfe where we were afore by oure carnall parentes gotten to death And we see by experience that one that hath a greate affection or vehement loue to any thinge wyll be euer busie as it were one that coulde neuer haue done or that woulde be euer gladde to speake of it So Saint Peter coulde neuer geue thankes ynoughe he euer inculcateth bringeth in the remembrauÌ„ce of the benefyt of oure redemption because we shoulde euer haue it in minde And because it is not ynough to remember it but we must also in our liuinge conforme oure selues to the same holynes he geueth vs manye holesome morall lessons and fatherly exhortations teachinge vs to lyue vertuousely and holyly contrarye to vices and vicious liuinge And because our regeneration and sanctification coÌ„meth by baptisme whiche taketh his efficacitie and strength of Christes bloude shedde in his payneful passion therfore euer amonge he speaketh of the excellente mysterye of the sayde passion of Christe and of his gloryous resurrection by whiche as he sayd in the ende of the thyrde Chapiter whiche I declared in my laste sermon vpon the same he swalowed vp drowned and consumed death of the soule to make vs heyres of lyfe euerlastynge And in as muche as the worlde and the spyryte be aduersaries and euer at variaunce euen so be worldlye and carnall personnes enemyes to spirituall personnes Spirituall I call good lyuers that worketh accordynge to the inclination and styringe of the holye spyryte the holye gooste Then considerynge that the carnall people be the more sorte and the greater number and the good lyuers be fewer in number it is no maâ—ueyle that good people suffereth muche wo vexation and trouble in this worlde that were able to ouerthrowe a
oyntment it giueth a fragraunt and swete sauour And like as God seÌ„deth welth and wo indifferently to good men and to yl men for causes best knowen vnto his wisedome euen so he sendeth our end and death sometime to euil meÌ„ easy and worshipful in the sight of the world and to good men shameful and vilenous as men taketh it Many men desireth a good death and a fayre death and feareth and abhorreth a fowle deathe And yet to saye the truthe all maner of death is a good death to them that be good and to sinneful persons almaner of deathe is a fowle death as Saint Austine declareth in his booke de disciplina Christiana Therfore if thou be afraid of a fowle death thou muste feare a fowle and a sinneful life for if thou loue a fowle and a sinnefull life and wouldest haue a fair end thou louest better thy death then thy life which I declare after this maner All things that a man loueth he would fayne haue them fayre and good as in example If thou loue thy coate or thy gown thou wouldest fayne haue it fayre and good Thou louest thy friende thou wouldest fayne haue hym good Thou louest thy sonne or thy childe thou wouldest be glad he were good Thou louest thy house or thy chamber thou wouldest fayne haue it fayre and good Then how is it that thou woldest fayn haue a fayre and a good death at thine ending Is it not for like causes that thou hast a speciall loue to it And therfore thou praiest God consideringe that thou must once dye that God woulde sende thee a fayre deathe and that God would saue thee from a fowle deathe Thou art afrayd to dye yll but thou art not afrayde to liue yl therfore thou louest thy death better theÌ„ thy life Amende thy yll lyfe and neuer feare an yll death For noÌ„ potest male mori qui bene vixerit he can not die ill that hath liued well But agaynste this you will peraduenture obiect thus hath not mani good meÌ„ ben drowned by tempest or by ship wraâ—k in y e seas lost theyr liues w t their goodes al Hath not many good men ben slain amoÌ„gest theyr enemies in battell Hath not theues kylled mani good men in theyr own houses or els bi the hie way side â–ª Hath not some good meÌ„ bene killed with wilde beastes yea many al to torne in peces with such wild beasts and haue you not herd of som innoceÌ„ts y t haue ben hanged on y e galowes as felons murderers or like malefactours Be not al these yl deathes be thei not fowl deathes Aske the eyes of the carnal and fleshly maÌ„ they will say they be fowle deathes ill deathes But examine aske the eyes of our faithe they wyll iudge theÌ„ and cal theÌ„ fayre deathes because that God saith by the prophet preciosa est in conspectu domini mors sanctoruÌ„ eius The death of the holye good men is precious of great price estimacion in the sight of our lord Be not such deathes as I haue spoken of the veri deathes that blessed Martyrs whose martirdomes we kepe highe holy in Christes churche haue suffered for Christes sake Therfore let vs endeuour our selues to haue a good life while we be here then whatsoeuer occasioÌ„ we haue to die we shal go out of this world to rest quietnes that shall be without al feare of trouble shal neuer haue end The riche glotoÌ„ y t is spoke of in the gospel y t went eueri day in purple soft silkes fared euery dai delicately it is to be thought that he died in a soft bed in fine shetes costly couÌ„terpoints or couerlets but streight out of theÌ„ he was cast into hell where he begged one drop of water to cole his tong to refresh him could not get it Pore Lazar the begger died in his maÌ„gie cloutes ful of matter of his sores amoÌ„g the dogs that licked his scabs w tout meate or drink in huÌ„ger thurst he could not get the cruÌ„mes scraps that fel froÌ„ y e rich maÌ„s bord yet out of al this miseri he weÌ„t streight into Abrahams bosom a place of rest quietnes without any disteÌ„perance to trouble him or to disease hym Take hede of theyr ende and by that consideracion iudge whiche was the better death eyther the ryche gloton which died into hel or the deathe of poore Lazar which dyed into health rest quietnes I dout not but your minde giueth you that poore Lazar dyed the better deathe excepte you would wyshe to dye in riche clothes to be powdred with costly spices and your soules to stynke in hell and to begge water and none to haue gyuen you What profeit got the riche gloton by his gaye tumbe of fyne marble or of touche stone or els of some costly mettal more then the pore man by his homely buryal litle or none Therefore to conclude thou shalt learne to dye well and to dye a fayre death if thou wilt learne to liue wel Our sauiour Christ led the most blessed and vertuous life that euer any man liued and therfore though his death semed to his enemies the cruell Iewes moste vile and vilanous yet it was the marueylous death that killed deathe and killed also the auctour and causer of all death Therefore finallye consideringe that the ende of vs all is come at hande as saint Peter saithe here let vs take example of Christ and of his holy word and also of holy men and women that hath taken paynes to folow his steps and let vs conforme our lyuinge vnto their liues and let vs arme our selues with the coÌ„sideracion and busie remembrance of Christes life and of his passion his death as I sayd at the beginning of this exhortacion then there is no doubte but whether we dye by lande or by water we shall dye a precious and a good death that shalbe the meane and high way to quietnes rest and ioyes in euerlastinge life with Christe Estote itaque prudentes et vigilate in orationibus therfore be you prudent and watch in praiers These wordes of sainte Peter with certaine that foloweth be red in Christes churche for the epistle of the day on the sunday within the octaues of the ascension which is the sunday next afore Whit suÌ„day Saint Peter considering the manifold troubles of this world that vertuous faithful people be euer cumbred with al and also considering the shortnes of our abode here that it wil away and is come to an ende therefore he saithe be you prudeÌ„t and watch in praiers Be you prudeÌ„t he saith there be diuers maners of prudence The Philosopher saithe that omnia naturaliter bonum apperunt Al things naturally desyreth the thing that is good for theym and so doth the thinges that lacketh theyr senses after theyr maner for they naturally desireth to come to theyr natural quaÌ„titie
y e martirs haue suffred innumerable displeasures vntollerable paines for Christes sake here in this world how muche more sorow paines groneth loketh for their tormentors that put theÌ„ to those paines And if holy Iob the old patriarchs prophetes in Christes time the apostles martirs such other receiued much pain suffred sorow displesurs to please almightie God how much more sorow may they loke for in another world y t here liueth at pleasure be mery laugheth at other mens harmes taketh more paines to hurt theÌ„ then to do them good The good liuers taketh paines on earth here in this world the sinners malicious persoÌ„s bribers oppressioners extorcioners shal suffer their paines w tout end in the horrible paines of hell And this is it y t s. Peter meaned by the sayd text y t if the good maÌ„ shal with much a do be saued that is vix scarsely where shal the vicious wicked sinner apeare he can not so come to saluatioÌ„ then no remedy but he must come to dampnation with the deuyll and all his dampned companye in hel Then for the finall conclusion of this matter of sufferynge aduersitie paynes and trouble for Christe and for iustice sake S. Peter concludeth saying Itaque hi qui paciuntur secundum voluntatem dei c. Therfore they that suffereth of ill folkes by the wil permission of God this is called Voluntas signi â–ª it is a signe that he is content it should so be â–ª because he suffreth it for the time and it semeth that he wyl so because he suffreth it Thei that so suffreth let them commit their liues their soules to almighty God their faithful maker in good workes let them liue well and do well nothinge presuming on theyr owne power then let him alone withal when you do the best and you can do no more let him alone with y e rest for he is faithfull saith S. Peter he is trustie and â—aythful and wyl not fayle to acquite aboundauntlye the paines that you take yea and much aboue anye mans deseruing And here you must not forget how S. Peter biddeth vs commende once selues to God in good dedes then onely fayth is not ynough you must worke charitably withall to declare youre selues to haue a liuely fayth vivificate made alyue and adourned with charitie and good workes whiche shalbe acquited surelye and faythfully with glory in heauen euerlastingly whiche he graunt vs. c. The xviii treatise or sermon The fyfte Chapiter GOod and worshipfull audience considerynge my bounden duetie and due obedience that I owe to the superiour powers I haue absteined now from preachinge these .v. or .vi. yeares but nowe that it hath pleased them more fauourably to loke vpon me and to lycence me I shalbe glad to retourne to that my old exercise and to come among you to do my duety in that behalfe at such times as I may coÌ„uenientlye Furthermore I trust you remember and I doubt not but many here present doth remember that about .viii. or .ix. yeares agone I toke vpon me to preache vnto you here in this citie the first epistle of S. Peter in whiche in manye sermons I came ouer foure chapters of the same epistle afore I was prohibited for to preache And now beginning where I lefte I purpose GOD helpinge to prosecute the residue of the said epistle The .v. chapter beginneth thus Seniores ergo qui in vobis sunt obsecro consenior testis Christi passionum qui eius quae in futuro reuelanda est glorie communicator pascite c. i. Pet. v. Because the blessed Apostle Saynt Peter woulde leaue none estate of people destitute of learninge and withoute gostlye exhortation therefore after his holesome lessons geuen afore generally to all maner of people as well riche as poore as to bondmen and seruauntes then to wiues and maried men then retourning to generall lessons indiffereÌ„t for al men Nowe consequently in these wordes rehearsed he infourmeth preistes which God hath apointed to be among the people as launterns of lyghte to leade and guyde his people towarde the saluation of theyr soules whiche is the ende and perfection of our fayth as he sayde afore Capi. i. In all maner of doctrine the auctoritie of the mayster hath great efficacitie and doth verye muche in makinge the scholer to applie his mind to that is taught him to learne it and beare it away Therefore Saint Peter because he would here teache preistes he professeth him selfe to be a preist as they be and therefore they shoulde be gladder to heare hym and to folowe his doctrine As yf there should be a matter of the trade of marchaundise to be intreated of among the marchauntes of this citie if there came in a marchaunt of graue and longe experience all the others woulde geue eare and lysten to his talke and woulde be gladde to folowe his counsell Lykewise amonge carpenters or masons if the kinges cheife carpenter or maister mason of his graces workes came in place beynge knowen for most excellent of the realme in theyr faculties all the carpenters all the masons in the citie would anone resorte vnto them to heare some learninge of them Euen so it is in matters of hygher learnynge pertaininge to our soule health And for suche considerations S. Peter here professeth him selfe to be a preiste and a preiste not made at all aduentures as these leude ministers be made nowe a dayes of shoemakers smithes coblers and clouters as well maryed as single but one taught brought vp vnder the prynce of preistes oure Sauyoure Christe therefore they shoulde assure theim selues that he woulde teache them nothinge but that shoulde beseme a preiste And yet furthermore to amplifie his auctoritie he calleth hym selfe a wytnes of Christes passions and paynes that he suffred for vs. Testis Christi passionum Thoughe all Christes lyfe were a verye passyon and a time full of trouble paine and persecution yet chiefly his passion begonne when he prayed on the banke besyde Gethsemani in the mounte Oliuete when he was in a marueilous agony that made him swete so sore that the droppes fel from him like water mixt with bloude Then came Iudas and a traine with him of the presidents souldiers also of the bishops men set hand vpon him led him ful boistuously first to Annas then to Caiphas that was pontifexan ni illius then to Pilate then to Herode because al the world should wonder on him as condemned by so many iudges and none of theÌ„ all speaking one word for his dispatching or acquiting Then they brought him backe againe to Pilate which condemned him to death partlye to stoppe the Iewes mouthes and their clamoure partlye for fear lest he should haue bene accused to the emperoure for lettinge one scape that toke vpon him to be a kinge as the Iewes bore him on hande that Christ did as preparing or intending a
fruites of y e earth proueth largely when God maketh the sonne to shine vpon good bad men indifferently and sendeth rayne to the iust men as to the vniust these and such other pertaine to temporal lyfe prosperitie he that wil not loue god laud him for thē is very vnkind By this almighty god sheweth what he reserueth and kepeth in stoore for them that be good whyle he geuethe all suche pleasures to theym that be noughte Then yf thou haue plentye thanke GOD that gaue it thee or yf thou lacke yet thanke God for he is not taken from the that geueth all thinges thoughe his gyftes be withdrawen for a time Remember what holy Iob sayde when he was spoyled of al that he had Dominus dedit dominus abstulit sicut domino placuit ita factum est sit nomen domini benedictum This is verye true charitie towarde God that so laudeth God in prosperitie that yet it kepeth a man vp that he be not broken nor ouerthrowen in aduersitie And here is hyghlye to be considered the true sentence and mynde of holy Iob concerninge prouidence cure or prouision about thinges longinge to man whiche many of the paignim philosophers imputed to desteny or to fortune or to influence of the sterres or suche other causes For Iob sayth Dominus dedit GOD hath geuen it to me Where he confesseth that worldly prosperitie commeth to man not by chaunce nor by desteny nor by influence of the sterres nor onely by mans studye and laboure but of Gods dispensation disposinge And in that he sayth Dominus abstulit God hath taken it away he confesseth that aduersitie commeth to man also by Goddes prouidence meaninge by this that man hath no iust cause to cōplaine or grudge against God if he be spoyled of al temporal goodes gifts For the things that God geueth gratis without any deseruing of vs he may geue them for a time or els to a mās last ende as it pleaseth him Therefore when he taketh them away afore our end or when we haue most nede of thē there is no cause why we shuld complaine And when holy Iob sayth Si cut domino placuit ita factum est sit nomen domini benedictum He declareth that considering that if a mā be spoyled of all that euer he hath yet if he loue God he shuld conforme his wil to Gods wyll so not to be supped vp or ouercome with sorow but rather to be glad to geue thankes to God y t it hath pleased him to fulfil his will vpon hym as the apostles did Ibant gaudentes a conspectu consilii quoniam digni habiti sunt pro nomine Iesu contumeliam pati they went from afore the coūsell nother wepynge nor grudginge but with a mery heart that it had pleased GOD to repute thē worthy to suffre despites for Christes name and for his sake As if a sicke man take a bytter potion he should be glad so to do in hope of helth that he trusteth to receiue by the medicine And so if God visit his louer with aduersitie doubtles it is for some better purpose that he knoweth better then we Therfore although the flesh woulde grudge yet reason shoulde be contente glad of it Thyrd like as a garment couereth a mans secretes and vncleanly partes that a man would not haue sene so doth charitie couer the vnclenlines of the soule so that withoute it the soule goeth naked Therfore it is sayd Apo. xvi Beatus qui vigilat custodit vestimēta sua ne nudus ambulet videāt turpitudinem eius Blessed is he that walketh as one regarding caring for his owne saluation sauegard and that kepeth his raiment of vertues lest he walke naked at y e day of the generall iudgement that all the aungelles holy cōpany cōming w t Christ may se his filthines Fourth Charitie is the wedding liuery or garment without which no man can be alowed to sit at Christes feast but if he presume to come without it he shall be taken vp and bound hand and fote and cast into the darke dongeon of hel It is written Hester iiii that it was not lawfull for any man to entre into the court of kinge Assuerus beynge clothed in sackclothe or such vile rayment Assuerus by interpretation is as muche to saye as beatitude so it maye not be that anye man withoute charitie beynge as one wrapt in a sacke or vyle ragges of vices to come into the courte of euerlastinge beatitude in heauen This is the heauenlye vertue by whiche mortall men yet here liuinge be made lyke the inhabitauntes of heauen Of this vertue it is written Can viii Valida sicut mors dilectio Loue or Charitie is mightie and stronge as death The strength of Charitie coulde not haue ben more nobly expressed For who can resist or withstande death Fyre may be withstanden weapons may be withstanden kynges and men of greate power maye be withstanden but when death commeth it selfe alone who resisteth or withstandeth it There is nothing stronger then it and therefore charitie is compared vnto the strength of it And because that Charitie kylleth in vs that we were afore kylleth synne with whiche we were infect afore and maketh vs as we were not afore therfore it causeth in vs a certayne death suche as he was deade with that sayde Mihi mundus crucifixus est ego mundo The worlde is crucified kylled and deade to me and I to the worlde This is the vertue that neuer falleth nor faileth but in the highe and heauenly citie aboue is consummate and made parfit and set in highest perfection that here is feable and weake and abideth much trouble and hath many interruptiōs It foloweth in the text of this epistle Hospitales inuicem sine murmuratione You shall kepe hospitalitie and open householdes or your houses open one to another without yl wil or grudginge Saynt Paule commendinge the constancie and stedfast fayth of the holye patriarchs Abraham Isaac and Iacob and others amonge other vertues specially commendeth them Quod confessi sunt se hospites aduenas super terram declarantes se patriam inquirere Heb. xi because they confessed and toke them selues as gestes straungers or waifaring men in y e land whiche was promised thē as a peculier inheritaunce yet they setled not theyr mindes on it but euer had an eye to thinheritaunce that should neuer fayle which is heauen aboue signified by the sayd lāde that they were in then by this geuing vs exāple that while we be here how greate so euer welth and ryches patrimonie landes or reuenues God geueth vs yet we shoulde not setle our mindes to fast on them as in them to prefixe our ende our felicitie as men thinking none other heauē but that we should euer by example of such holy fathers set forwarde our selues to wyn the sure habitatiō of heauen y t neuer decaieth nor faileth taking our selues while we
be here as strauÌ„gers pilgremes and wayfaringe men in a straunge countrey For in verye dede we were caste into this payneful and troubelous worlde by occasion of the sinne of our old Adam out of the quiet and pleasauÌ„t seat of paradise and sent away into exile banishment And so here we haue not our owne countrey Dum enim domi sumus in corpore peregrinamur a domino .ii. Cor. v. Whyle we be at home in our mortall bodies we be pilgremes and straungers from our Lord God Therfore let vs not loke for that thinge in the way in our banishment that is kepte for vs at home in our countrey For rest and ease of oure soules in grace and vertue we should trauaile and labour lyke straungers and wayfaringe men euery one doing good one to another while we haue tyme here and specially by liberall comonication and distribution of that we haue one to another for of suche helpe and releife pylgrems haue mooste nede And though among moral vertues Iustice is moste excellent yet as the Philosopher sayth liberales maxime amantur they that be liberall be moste beloued because they helpe many others many others fareth the better for theÌ„ One kinde of liberalitie is hospitalitie that S. Peter speaketh of here It is the bouÌ„teousnes largenes in geuing meat drinke lodginge one to another euery one releuing an others nede accordinge to the power that God hath lent them this shall releue the nede of pore wayfaring meÌ„ very greatly There be .ii. maners of hospitalitie one is bodely hospitalitie y e other is spiritual hospitalitie the first is lauded in the Gospel by the wordes y t Christ shall say to them y t shall be set on the right hand of the Iudge at y e daie of iudgement Venite benedicti pâ—is mei c. Come to me you the blessed of my father take the kyngdome that is prepared for you from the beginning of the world For I was an hongred and you gaue me meate I was a thriste and you gaue me drinke I was a straunger and lacked harborow or lodgyng and you toke me in and gaue me lodgynge And saint Paule counseleth the Hebrewes that he wrot to among other thinges saiyng Hospitalitatem nolite obliuâ—sci per hanc enim placueruut quidam angelis hospicio receptis Heb. xiii Forget not hospitalitie for by hospitalitie some men haue pleased angels that they receiued into their houses whiche they thought first to haue bene men but afterwarde they perceiued that they were angels appearyng to theim in the likenes of men Such were they that appered to Abraham in Mambre when they tolde him that Sara his wife shoulde beare him a childe to be his heyre And such were they that appered to Loth in Sodom and bade him auoide out of that towne for it should forthwith be destroyed Uppon which saith Origene Loth dwelled in Sodome we reade not manye good dedes of his hospitalitie onely is praysed in him he scapeth the flames he scapeth the fires for that onely that he opened his house to gestes and straungers The angels entred the house where hospitalitie was kept The fire entred into the houses that were shut vp againste gestes But all men be not like disposed to hospitalitie for some men Hospitem velut hostem vitant excludunt They shun shut out a gest as thei wold an enemy Let them beware of the fire with the Sodomites Some other be liberall and kepeth good houses but it is for some corrupt intente either because thei can not be mery without companions and good companye and so they do it to please them selues which commeth of carnalitie Some other doth it of pride and vaine glorye or for some temporall profite or aduauntage As Tully the noble oratour commeÌ„deth hospitality but his motiue and consideration is nought it is to worldly He saith .ii. offi Est enim valde decoruÌ„ patere domos hominum illustrium illustribus hospitibus It is verye semely for noble mens houses to be open for noble gestes but his cause why he saith so is carnal For it foloweth there Reipublice est ornamento homines externos hoc liberalitatis genere in vrbe nostra non egere c. It adourneth and doth honour to our common wealthe that menne of straunge countreys lack not thys kinde of libertye in oure Citye speakynge of Rome where he dwelled Est etiam vehementer vtile c. It is also wonderous profitable for them that woulde be able to do muche or manye great thinges amonge straungers to be in good credence of riches of loue and fauoure amonge people of straunge countreys by the meanes of their geastes whiche they haue receyued in hospitalitie So that Tullies minde was to get coÌ„moditie by his hospitalite either to him self or to his citie and countrey men This is a worldly policy coÌ„ming of the worldly prudence that I spoke of afore And as S. Ambrose saith super Luk. xiiii Hospitalem remuneraturis esse est affectus auariciae To be a great housholder or viander lokinge for acquitall or for to be recompenced with as good or better againe is the affect or desire of auarice rather then of liberalitie And therfore our Sauiour Christe declaryng to vs the verye true liberall hospitalitie of the Gospel in the said .xiiii. chapter of Luke Cum facis prandium aut coenam noli vocare amicos tuos neque fratres neque cognatos neque vicinos diuites nequando ipsi te vicissim inuitentac c. When thou makest a dyner or a supper do not call thy frendes nor thy brethren nor thy kinsfolkes nor thy riche neighbours lest an other tyme they bidde thee againe as thou hast done them and so thy benefite be redobbed or quit thee home But rather when thou makest a feast call pore people weake folkes halte and lame and blinde and thou shalbe blessed because they can not quitte thee with as good agayne For thou shalt be quit at the resurrectioÌ„ of good men Marke that he saieth Lest they bidde thee againe and so thy benefite be redobbed or quitte As who shoulde saye If thou wylte doe this meritoriouslye to be rewarded of GOD therfore thou muste be well ware that thou doe it so that thou looke for no temporall rewarde to come thereof but as willynge fullye to eschue auoyde all expectation of rewarde or recoÌ„pensation in this world that thou maiest be rewarded in the resurrection of the iuste For though of hospitalitie come great rewarde temporall and increase yet that is not the thing that we muste loke for nor intende to haue least when we haue that we lose all the other Of the reward for hospitalitie there be in scriptures many gaye examples whiche seming temporall yet signifieth the spirituall impinguation and feading and profite of the soule I read .iii. Reg. xvii â–ª of the blessed prophet Helye that on a time as he came towarde a towne called Sarepta sidoniorum