The seconde thyng that I note in
thys people, is their adulation and flatterie,
the whiche the most and best interpreters
do hereof gather, that the
people by asking Christe this question,
doe insinuate, that they maruayle at this
straunge manner of comming thither:
the whiche they doe to this ende, that
they might seme to be commenders and
praysers of hys vertues and miracles,
and maruellers at hys doings, and yet
their ende was nothing lesse. In thys
manner dyd the Disciples of the Pharisies
assault him, when they came vnto
him with the Herodians to demaunde
whether it were lawfull to giue tribute
to Cæsar, or no: they called him Master,
they sayd that he was true, and taught the
way of God truely, and had no respect of persons:
in words they pretended that whych
they thought not in hart, and that is the
nature and propertie of all flatterers.
For it is truly sayd that
Adulator omnis est
virtutis inimicus, & quasi clauum figit in oculo
eius cum quo sermones confert.
&c. A flatterer
is an enimie to vertue, and dothe as it were
fasten a nayle in his eyes with whome he talketh,
and stoppeth his eares with waxe, least
he shoulde eyther see, or heare the truth. It
is most certaine that flatterie hathe always
these companions wayting on it:
Subtiltie and deceit: the blinding of him
that is flattered: a note of seruitude: and
the banishment of all honestie. S. Augustine
sayth that
Adulator est crudelis & fallax:
a flatterer is cruell and deceitful: a flatterer
is a present frend, & an abse~t enimie:
which vndoubtedly is founde to be moste
true in diuers of the people: for howsoeuer
in presence they seeme to commende
or reuerence, especially those that be in
authoritie, yet in their absence they are
delighted to heare and to speake all euill
of them. It is most certaine that Andronicus
the Emperoure was wont to saye.
Vulgi aures insectatione aliorum quam collaudatione
magis delectari, & iniurias quam recte facta
libentius legere, quamuis illas prolixa mendacia
venditent, hæc vero lux veritatis antecedat:
The eares of the common people are more
delighted with the dispraise and discommendation
of other, than with their praise and
commendation, and had rather heare of their
euill, than of their good deedes, although the
one be vttered neuer so falsly, the other neuer
so truly verefied. Hereof we haue too great
experience in these our daies: for if a man
in some congregations commend the magistrates
and suche as be in authoritie, if
he exhort to obedience, if he moue vnto
peace, if he confirme the rites and orders
by publike authoritie established though
he doe it neuer so truly, neuer so learnedly
he shall scarcely be heard with pacience:
nay, he shall be sente away with all
kind of opprobries and reproches: but if
he nip at superiours, and reproue those
that be in authoritie though they be absent
and not in place to heare if he shall
inueigh against lawes and orders established,
and talke of matters that tend to
contention rather than edificatio~ though
it be done neuer so vntruly, neuer so vnlearnedly,
as commonly it is they flocke
vnto him like bees, they esteeme him as a
God, they extoll him vp into heauen, euen
as the Corinthia~s and Galathians sometime
did their false prophets and contentious
teachers: and yet notwithstanding
do they colour and cloke this peuish and
sinister affection with dissembled gesture,
countenance, and words, when they be in
the presence of those that may hurt them,
or do them good: and I would to God they
did not deceiue some, whose office and dutie
it were, rather to suppresse this fonde
affection, than to nourish it, especially seeing
that it tendeth to two principall euils:
disobedience towardes the magistrate,
and flat Anarchie. But I may not
stande vpon this poynte, onely I note it
being therevnto moued by the writings
of such learned interpreters as expounde
this place.
The thirde vice that I note in thys
people, is theyr curiositie, whyche
appeareth in that they propounde so
vayne and friuolous a question vnto
Chryste. The vanitie of the whyche
question Cyrill setteth foorthe in these
wordes: Althoughe thys question saythe
he signifyeth some affection of loue, yet is
it but vnprofitable and childishe: neither
oughte they to haue demaunded so vayne
and vnprofitable a question of him, whose
diuine power and vertue they had experience
of: and what profite could come vnto
them by asking this question? Therefore wise
men are to be asked wise questions, and silence
is better than vnskilfull talke. Wherefore
the wise man saythe, if thou be asked any
wise question, answere, if not, lay thyne
hand to thy mouth, that is, keepe silence:
thus farre Cyrill. Whereby he vtterly
condemneth the vayne curiositie of thys
people in demaunding so friuolous a question.
The Apostle Sainct Paule, speaking
of the like curiositie, commaundeth
his scholer Timothie that he warne those
that be preachers, ne aliter doceant, that they
teach no otherwise, than the Apostle before
had taught: that is, that they broach
no new or vayne opinions: and to the
people he willeth him to gyue warning,
ne attendant fabulis. &c. that they giue no eare
to fables and genealogies that neuer haue
ende, but ingender questions rather than the
edifying of God, which is in fayth: that is:
that they giue no eare to vayne and contentious
teachers and doctrines, whyche

B.

tend not to edification but to contention.
And in his. 2. Epist. 2. chap. he sayth, stultas
& ineruditas quæstiones respue. &c. auoide foolish
and vnlearned questions, knowing that
they ingender strife,porro seruum Dei non oportet
esse pugnatem,
the seruant of God must not
be contentious: In which place the Apostle
speaketh against such teachers as sought
to win credite vnto themselues by broaching
newe opinions. And in the. 1. epist. to
Timo. and. 6. chap. he sheweth the fruites
that come of such questions. ex quibus saith
he nascitur inuidia, contentio. &c. of the which
there commeth enuie, contention, cursed speaking,
vaine conflicts, euill suspitions. &c. And
therefore well sayth Tertullian in his booke
De præscript. aduersus hæret.
Nobis curiositate opus
non est post Christum Iesum, nec inquisitione
post euangelium: cum credimus, nihil desyderamus
vltra credere, hoc enim prius credimus, non esse
quod vltra credere debeamus. We neede not
to be curious after we haue receyued Chryste
Iesus, nor inquisitiue, after that we haue receyued
the Gospell: when we beleeue, we desire
not to beleeue any more, for this we first
beleeue, that there is nothing more that wee
ought to beleeue. And in the same booke,
shewing what discretion is to be vsed in
mouing of questions, speaking of these
words, Quærite & inuenietis, seeke and ye shal
find, he saith: ratio dicti huius in tribus articulis
consistit, in re, in tempore, in modo: in re, vt quid
sit quærendum consideres: In tempore, vt quando:
in modo, vt quousq~ igitur quærendum est quod
Christus instituit, vtiq~ quandiu non inuenis, & vtiq~
donec inuenias: The reason of this saying
doth consist in three poynts: in the matter: in
the time: and in the manner: in the matter, that
thou consider what it is that must be inquired
of: in the tyme, that thou consider when it is
to be inquired of: in the manner, as how farre
it is to be inquired of: we must inquire of
those thinges that Chryste hathe appoynted:
so long as thou hast not found them: and
vntill thou hast founde them. Therefore
sayth Chrisostome, Vbi fides, nulla quæstionum
vtilitas est, quæstio namque fidem tollit:
where fayth is, there is no neede of questions,
for questions destroye fayth. And all
this do the auncient fathers speake of
suche questions as are moued to stirre

B.ij.

vp strife and contention in the Churche
of Christ where the Gospel is truly preached,
and the sacraments rightly administred.
Here therefore is first condemned
the vayne curiositie of the scholemen, who
haue pestered their volumes, & troubled
the Church, partly with vaine and friuolous,
partly with wicked and impious
questions: with vayne and friuolous questions,
as these and such lyke: Whether
the Pope be God or man, or a meane betwixt
both? whether the Pope may be sayde to be
more mercifull than Christ, bicause we reade
not that Christ euer deliuered any soules out
of Purgatorie, as it is saide the Pope to haue
done? whether God can make of an Harlote,
a virgin? whether such a number of Angelles
may be conteyned within the compasse of a
mans nayle? with infinite other of the same
sorte, wyth wicked and impious questions,
as these: whether God in the beginning
could haue made the world better tha~ he did
or no? whether he could haue created ma~ so,
that he shoulde not haue sinned, and why he
did not? whether God coulde beget a sonne,
and after what sort? with such like. Of the
which, & of al other like vnto them, Chrisostome
giueth this censure & determination.
Quod si periculosum est de his quæ ille mandauit
curiosius indagare, extremumq~ supplicium
curiosis est propositum, quamnam tandem defensionem
habituri sunt, qui ea curiose perscruta~tur:
quæ sunt his multo & secretiora, & honorabiliora,
verbi gratia, quomodo Deus filium generauit?
&c. If it be dangerous to inquire curiously of
those things which God hath commaunded,
and extreme punishme~t is prepared for those
that be curious: what defense can they haue,
which curiously search those things, that are
much more secret and honorable than these
be, as; how God could beget a sonne? &c. And
I would to God this vaine curiositie had
only occupied the scholeme~, and conteined
it selfe within the Popish church, I would
to God it had not inuaded this Church also:
nay, I would to God it did not muche
more troubled the church of Christ now,
than it did in that time, for as much as the~
it was only among those that were learned:
now it hath inuaded the commo~ people,
most vnapt persons to deale in suche
causes. For nowe it is a question among

B.iij.

them, whether, if a man be certeinely perswaded
yt he is moued with ye spirit, it be
lawfull for him to do any thing that is co~trary
to the expresse co~mandeme~t & worde
of God, as to kill? which once to imagin, is
extreme wickednesse, & it is a meere Anabaptisticall
fansie, neither is it the spirit of
God, but the spirit of the deuil that moueth
such cogitations: for the spirit of God moueth
a man to nothing that is contrary to
the worde and commaundement of God.
Likewise, it is now disputed at euery table,
whether the magistrate be of necessitie
bound to the Iudicialles of Moses, so that
he may not punish otherwise, tha~ it is ther
prescribed, nor pardon any offence that is
there punished: which is most absurd, and
contrary to al those places of scripture that
teach vs the abrogatio~ of the law: besides,
it is contrary to the opinion of all learned
men: and some of them as namely M. Caluine
do cal it a seditious opinio~, as indeede
it is: for it tendeth to the ouerthrow of all,
or at the least of the best co~mon wealthes
that are now in Christendome. Moreouer
it is doubted whether the magistrate is to
be obeyed for co~science sake, or no: though
the Apostle S. Paule hath flatly determined
the matter in the. 13. to the Romaines
where he sayth
Oportet esse subditos, non solum
propter iram, sed etiam propter conscientiam: we
must be subiect, not only for feare of punishment,
but also for conscience. And the co~trary
doctrine must needes roote out of the
heart of the subiect, true obedie~ce. It is also
doubted, Whether the magistrate may prescribe
any kinde of apparell to the Minister,
without doing vnto him some iniurie: which
is too too much to strengthen the authoritie
of the magistrate. To conclude, it is nowe
called into controuersie, Whether the children
of Papists and excommunicated persons
notwithstanding their parents be Christians,
and cannot amittere baptismum, lose their baptisme,
as it is determined by S. Augustine
against ye Donatists ought to be baptised.
And whether the minister be of the essence &
being of baptisme, & none to be counted ministers
but such as be preachers, so that whosoeuer
hath not bin baptised of a minister, of a precher,
is not baptised? the which questio~s & other
such like, spring out of ye scholes of the

B.iiij.

Anabaptises, and tend to the rebaptization
of all, or the most parte of those that at
this day are liuing. With these and such
like questions, partly impious, partly
vaine and friuolous, is the Churche of
Christe at this day maruellously troubled:
and men so occupie themselues about
them, that they neglect those thinges
that perteine to their saluation, and forget
due obedience. Yea, it is come to suche
extremitie, that if any doe withstande
them in these questions as they must be
withstanded, for the wise man sayth, answer
a foole according to his foolishnesse,
least he seeme to himselfe wise: and Basill
sayth, that we must answer cauilles, least
we by silence seeme to confesse them to be
true he shalbe compted a worldling, a flatterer,
a Papist: neither shal any thing be
omitted, that may sound to his reproche.
But on the other side, if any man consent
vnto the~ in such opinio~s , though he be an
vsurer, an whoremo~ger, an extorcioner, a
royster, a swearer. &c. yet shal he be co~pted
zelous, & godly. I haue therfore to exhort
all that be godly in deede, to take heede
of thys curiositie, knowing that it hath
alwayes bene counted of all learned men
a manyfest note and token of a contentious
nature, to make such stirres, and to
moue suche controuersie about externall
things, in that Church where the gospel is
truly preached, and the Sacrame~ts rightly
administred. And thus much of ye first part
of this text, that is, of ye questio~ of ye people.
The seconde parte is the answere of
Christ, wherein as I sayd is contained a
reprehension, and an exhortation. In the
reprehension there are two things to be
co~sidered, the maner, and the matter. The
manner of reprehending is noted of Chrysostome
in these words: Modestius coarguit.
&c. He doth modestly reprehend them, for
he doth not cal them bellie Gods, or epicures,
he doth not vpbrayde them with so many miracles
which they neither followed nor maruelled
at: but only he sayth, Amen Amen dico
vobis, verely verely I say vnto you. &c. This
modest kynde of reprehending the Apostle
teacheth his scholer Timothie, when he
sayth, Argue, increpa, exhortare cum omni lenitate
& doctrina: improue, rebuke, exhort with

B.v.

13

al lenitie and doctrine. And in
ye first to Timothy
the. 5. chap. teaching him how to vse
himselfe in reprouing all sortes of men, he
saith, Seniore~ ne aspere obiurges, do not bitterly
rebuke an elder. &c. and yet there is a time &
place, where and when the preacher of the
word of God may vse sharp and seuere reprehe~sions:
but this is no place to speak of
this thing: we haue rather now to consider
ye matter, than the maner, the matter that
is reproued, than the maner of reprouing.
First therefore he doth couertly reproue
their flatterie whereof I spake before as
it is noted by ye best learned interpreters,
for he answereth not directly to their question:
they asked him when he came thither,
and he answered them, that they rather
sought his meat than himself: so that
he reprehendeth their adulation and flattering
kind of questioning with him, wherby
he declared that he nothing at all esteemed
of the commendation of the people, or
regarded their opinion of him: A worthy &
necessarie lesson for al men to learne, especially
such as be in authoritie to wit yt
they open not their ears to flatterers, nor
hunt after popular fame & co~mendation.
Well saith Ambrose: Prospiciendum est ne
adulantibus aperiamus aurem, emolliri enim adulatione,
non solum fortitudinis non est, sed etiam ignauiæ
esse videtur: We must take heede that
we giue no eare to flatterers, for to be moued
with flatterie is not only no pointe of valiantnesse,
but an euident signe of a cowardly and
dastardly minde. Chrysostome speaking of
this sinister affection, saith that it is an vntolerable
drunkennesse, and that whomsoeuer
it hathe subdued, it maketh him almost incurable.
In the same place he compareth it to
certaine Images, which are gorgeous and
beautifull without, but emptie and vayne
within, and therfore he saith that such flattering
commendation may aptly be called
vayne glory, quia nihil in se habet aut clarum
aut gloriosum: bicause it hath in it no substa~ce
nor pith. In the same place he earnestly dehorteth
both ecclesiastical and secular persons
from this vice: ecclesiastical persons,
bicause it driueth the~ from the truth, & casteth
the~ into errour, it ingendreth in them
pryde and arrogancie, the roote and mother
of all sectes, schismes, contentions,
and heresies. For while the people commende
their life and doctrine: whilest
they call hypocrisie, holynesse: arrogancie,
simplicitie: wrath, zeale: disobedience, conscience:
schisme, vnitie: wordes, matter:
ignorance, learning: darkenesse, lyght:
it so puffeth vp the myndes of their teachers
with an opinion of themselues, that
they dare be bolde to propound any thing,
so that it tast of noueltie, & please the people,
though it tende to the disturbance of
the Church, the contempt of Magistrates,
and the breache of good lawes and orders.
Therefore by the olde Canons it was decreed
that those Clearks, which either flattered
themselues, or gaue eare vnto flatterers,
shoulde be deposed without hope of
restitution.
And as it worketh this effect in men of
the clergie in matters Ecclesiasticall, so
doth it worke the like effecte in ciuill persons
in matters ciuill. For it breedeth in
them Ambition, the roote of rebellion and
treason. It moueth them, not to be content
with their state and calling, but to aspire
to greter dignitie, and to take those things
in hande which commonly turne to theyr
ruine and destruction. And in whome hath
not popularitie wrought these effectes? or
who euer fell into these inconueniences,
but such as first were prouoked thervnto
by the flattering of the people? But my
meaning was not to speake much of this
matter: this only I thought good to note,
and to admonishe all but especially those
that be in authoritie by the example of
Christe, not to giue eare to flatterers, nor
to be delighted with the commendation of
the multitude.
An other thing that he reproueth in the
people which is in deed the chief and principal
is, that they sought him not with that
mynde, nor to that end, that they ought to
haue done: and therefore he sayth, verely
verely I say vnto you, ye seeke me, not bicause
you haue seene the miracles, but bicause you
haue eaten of the breade and are filled: as
though he shoulde say, ye seeke me not aright,
ye seeke me not to learn of me those
things that pertaine to eternall life: but
you seeke me to haue your bellies filled:
an euident argument hereof is this, that
you are more moued with yesterdayes saturitie,
with yesterdayes bread and meat,
than with all the miracles that I haue
wrought among you, and all the exhortations
that I haue made vnto you: and therfore
you seeke not me but your selues. In
the person of this people, Christ reproueth
all those that seeke him not aright, yt seeke
him not with a sincere affection, but for
some worldly respect and co~moditie. Such
was Simon Magus, who ioyned himselfe
to the Apostles, was baptized and pretended
great zeale, onely that he might gaine
some thing therby, as it is euident in the. 8
of the Actes. Suche was Demas also, of
whom the Apostle speaketh. 2. Tim. 4. Demas
hath forsaken me, imbracing this present
world. Such are they whose religion consisteth
in words, not in workes: in contention,
not in peace: in contempt, not in obedience:
who vnder the pretence of zeale,
seeke their own libertie: vnder the colour
of religion, seeke confusion: and with the
shadowe of reformation, cloake and couer
their vsurie, their ambition, theyr myndes
desirous to spoyle the Churche. All
which Chryst in the. xiij. of Mathew, compareth
to the stonie grounde, wherein the
seede being sowne prospereth for a time, so
long as there is any moisture, but when
the Sun waxeth hote, and the moysture is
dryed vp, then doth the seede wither away,
and becommeth vnprofitable: eue~ so they
while there is any moisture left, that is,
as long as they can hope for any commoditie
to come vnto them by the professing
of the Gospell seeme to passe all other in
zeale, but when the sunne waxeth hote, &
ye moisture is dried vp, so that they ca~ suck
out no more gaine, but must now suffer &
indure persecution for the Gospell sake,
and leese that they haue, they waxe maruellous
cold, and suffer the seede vtterly to
decay. It is most truly said of Saynct Augustine,
Boni ad hoc vtuntur mundo, vt fruantur
Deo: Good men vse this world, that they
may enjoy God: that is, Good men may enioye
& vse the commodities of this world
so, that therby they may be more able to do
their duetie towards God.
Mali autem contra saith he
vt fruantur mu~do vti volunt Deo:
contrariwise euill men will vse God, that they
may enioy the world: that is, they will pretende
religion & godlynesse, that they may
gaine thereby some worldly commoditie.
Suche there haue bene in this Church of
England euen within our memorie, who
whilest there was some commoditie to be
looked for by the dissolution of Monasteries
and such like places, were bitter enimies
to the Pope, and pretended to be earnest
professors of the Gospel: but the same
men afterward whe~ this hope was past,
and the time nowe come when they must
suffer for the Gospell, and leaue that whiche
before they had gotte~ did not only not
professe it, but persecuted those that were
professors. And may there not be suche
thinke you at this time, who woulde not
seeme only to fauour the Gospell, but very
earnestly to seeke reformation, onely
bicause they see the newe platforme tende
to the spoyle of Colledges, Churches, Byshoprickes.
&c. whereby they suppose that
they might procure vnto themselues no
small aduantage? Surely it is to be thought
that if they were once frustrate of this
hope, the waywarde and contentious zeale
of many would soon decrease. And how shuld
we otherwise iudge of diuers, who being
scarsly as yet deliuered fro~ ye suspition of Papistrie
in matters of substance, woulde now
seeme to condemne this church of imperfection,
bicause it retaineth some accidentes vsed
in Papisme? or those, who when as
they could neuer abide such as haue hitherto
faithfully planted and preached the Gospel
in this kingdom, would now seeme fautors
and patrones of those that are wholly
occupied in disturbing and disquieting the
peace of ye Church? or of those, who hauing
in them no sparkle of godlinesse, being dru~kards,
swearers. &c. being I say of so large
a conscience towards themselues, yet are so
precise in other mens doings, that they can
not abide to haue the~ wear, no not a square
cap? we may say vnto them as Christ sayd
vnto the Pharisies: Ye hypocrites, ye stumble
at a strawe and leape ouer a blocke: ye straine at
a Gnat, & swallow vp a Camell. I feare it may
be truly verefied of this time that Augustin
spake of his time:Quam-multi hodie non quærunt
Iesum, nisi vt illis benefaciat secundum te~pus:
vix quæritur Iesus propter Iesum: propter carnem

C.j.

21

quæritur, non propter spiritum. Many in these
dayes seeke not Iesus, but onely that they may
gaine some thing by him for a time: Iesus is not
sought for Iesus sake, he is sought for the flesh,
not for the spirit: That which Chrysostome
spake of this people, which then onely confessed
Christe to be a Prophet, when he had
filled their bellies with breade and meate,
O gulæ incredibilem auiditatem, maiora his miracula,
& quidem innumera operatus est Iesus, neq~ vnquam
confessi sunt, nisi nunc exaturati: O incredible
greedinesse and gluttonie, Iesus did greater
miracles than this, and that a great number,
and yet did they neuer confesse thus muche of
him, but euen now when their bellies are filled.
Euen so may we say to suche like kinde of
men: O ye couetous persons, and desirous
of the spoyle, we haue taught you more necessarie
pointes of doctrine, than these that
are now preached vnto you: we haue exhorted
you to repentance, and to amendment
of life: we haue taught you the true doctrin
of iustification, the true and right vse of the
sacraments: we haue confuted the erroneous
and damnable pointes of Papisticall
doctrine, as transubstantiation, the sacrifice
of the Masse, Purgatorie, worshipping of
Images, praying to Saincts, the Popes supremacie,
and such like: and you haue not
beleued vs, nor harkned vnto vs. But now
that we begin to teach you these things that
tende to your own commoditie, and to conte~tion,
you magnifie vs, you commend vs,
you make vs Gods, nay, you make vs Deuils,
for you so puffe vs vp wt vaine glorie,
that we know not our selues. O gulæ incredibilem
auiditate~, O vnsatiable desire to spoile,
O couetousnesse: non quæritis Iesum propter
Iesum. &c. you seeke not Iesus for Iesus sake, ye
seeke him for the fleshe and not for the spirite:
non quæritis iustitiam propter iustitiam, sed propter
crapula~: yee seeke not rightuousnes for rightuousnesse
sake, but for the bellies sake. Therfore
seeke Christ, not for any temporal commoditie,
but for himself: least it be as truly
said of vs as it was of the Iewes, yee seeke
me, not bicause ye haue seene the miracles, but
bicause ye haue eaten of the bread and are filled
And thus much concerning the reprehension
that Christ heere vseth.
Now foloweth his exhortation: Labor not
for the meat that perisheth, but that remaineth
to eternall life. By the meat that perisheth, our
sauior Christ vnderstandeth al those things

C.ij.

which pertaine to this life temporall: by the
meat that endureth to eternall life, he comprehendeth
all those things that be spirituall, &
wherwith the soule is nourished to eternall
life. He doth not here forbid men to labour
for those things that pertaine to this life te~poral,
but he admonisheth them to preferre
those things that belong to the life eternall.
It is a negatiue by comparison, which doth
not simply denie, but in the way of comparison.
So when he sayd to Martha, Martha
thou troublest and busiest thy selfe about many
things, but ther is but one thing necessarie. &c.
he dothe not condemne in Martha hir diligence
in receiuing of him, or the office of ciuilitie
whiche is to be exhibited towarde
straungers for it was commented in Abraham
Genesis. xviij. and is prescribed vnto
vs Heb. 13. but he teacheth hir that she
ought not so to be occupied about these externall
offices of ciuilitie, that in the meane
time she neglect those wholesome exhortations
that hir sister Marie attended vnto.
In like manner, when Christ sayth, If any
man come vnto me and hate not his father and
mother. &c. he ca~not be my disciple: His meaning
is not that we shuld hate our Pare~ts,
whome we are commaunded to reuerence
and to loue, but he only speaketh in the way
of comparison: that is, that we be so affected
towards our Parents, that we preferre the
loue of God before them: and that if the case
so stand we rather forsake them for Christes
sake, than Christ for their sake. Wherfore
Chrisostome iustly reprehendeth those
yt abuse these words of Christ in this place
to the defense of their idlenesse and slouthfulnesse,
and sayth that in so doing they doe
but peruert the scripture: wher also he proueth
by sundry places of the scripture as 1.
Thes. 4. 2. The. 3. Eph. 4. Act. 20. all whiche
for breuities sake I passe ouer yt it is lawful
to labour for external things: and in the
end he concludeth that the true meaning of
Christ in this place is nothing else but this,
that we prefer heaue~ly things before earthly
things, according to that which is writte~
Math. 6. Firste seeke the kingdome of heauen
and the rightuousnesse therof, and then al these
things shall be ministred vnto you.
Many reasons may be alledged, why we
should prefer heaue~ly things before worldly
things. First worldy things are but momentanie,
they haue no continuance, Magna
momento ruunt, though they be neuer so precious

C.iij.

yet are they soone decayed: to daye, as a
beawtiful floure, to morrow, as the withered
grasse: now, as the burning fire, and by
and by, as the dead and quenched ashes. Voluptas
& honor finem habebunt: pleasure and honour
haue their end: but heauenly thinges remaine
and continue for euer. Therefore saith
Sainct Paule, Gal. 6. Qui seminat in carnem,
de carne metet corruptionem. &c. he that soweth in
the flesh, shall reape corruption of the flesh: but
he that soweth in the spirit, shall reape eternall
life of the spirit. That is, those that laboure
for such things as perteine to the flesh, shall
reape only that which is mortall and tarieth
not: but those that labor for things perteining
to the spirit, reape that, that continueth
for euer.
Secondly, worldly things how pleasant
soeuer they are and delectable, yet in the end
they waxe lothsome: Omnia mundana quantumuis
dulcia, amarescant: All worldly things howe
pleasant soeuer they be, in the end waxe bitter.
Yea the perfectest pleasure that can be in
worldly thinges, is mixed with sorow. Riches
are gotte~ with labour, kept with carefulnesse,
& lost with griefe. Therefore saith
S. Augustine. Si vana seculi huius inexperta co~cupisti,
experta contemne: fallax est enim in eis suauitas,

26

& infructuosus labor, & perpetuus timor,
& periculosa sublimitas: initium sine prudentia, &
finis cu~ pœnitentia. Ita se habent omnia quæ in ista
mortalitatis ærumna cupidius quam prudentius appetuntur:
If thou hast desired the vaine things of
this world before thou hadst experience of the~,
nowe hauing experience, contemne them: for
there is in them deceitfull pleasure, vnprofitable
labour, perpetuall feare, daungerous dignitie, or
promotio~: the beginning is without wisedome,
and the end with repentance. This is the condition
of all these thinges that in this miserable
mortalitie are more greedily, tha~ wisely desired.
But heauenly things are void of all suche
greefe and sorow.
Thirdly, what will it profite a man to win
the whole world, and to lose his owne soule? or
what shall he gaine, if he feede and pamper
his body with delicates, and suffer his soule
to perish for hunger?
To conclude, we are but straungers in
this world, and therfore we must so behaue
our selues as those that are in a straunge
cou~trie, who though they prouide for things
necessary for a time, yet their desire & inte~t
is to retourne home to their owne naturall
countrie againe: euen so we, though we inioy
those things that are needefull for thys
presente life, yet must we not so fixe oure
minds vpon them, that we be withdrawen
from that earnest desire that we haue to returne
to our own countrie. These & a great
number reasons moe may be giuen, why
we shoulde prefer heauenly thinges before
earthly things. But how few are there that
consider them? It is reported of Pambo, that
when he sawe a woman decking hir selfe
with costly aray, he wept bitterly: and being
demaunded the cause of his weeping, he
said that one cause was, for that he himselfe
was not so desirous to please Christ his sauior,
as this woman was to please mortall
men: nor he so careful for eternal things, as
she was for earthly and corruptible things.
But what would he say if he liued in these
dayes, when not one or two women, but almost
all mankind do only labour for thys,
that they may please men, and prouide for
those things that perteine to the bellie? Necessary
therfore is this exhortatio~ of Christ
laboure not for the meate that perisheth, but
that remaineth to eternall life, the whiche the
sonne of man will giue vnto you: to whome
with the father & the holy Ghost three persons
and one God, be all honor and glorie,
now and for euer. Amen.
FINIS.