the conscience of the sinner wee exhorte him to repaire to the Minister of the Church confessing with an humble and lowlie mind his sinnes to desire of him sincerely and from his heart with grones weeping sobbing teares and with sighes absolution as our men tearme it and the comforte of the Gospell We shewe what keyes of the kingdome of heauen Christ hath left vnto his Churche that the Churche hath committed those to the Ministers of Gods worde that it so commeth to passe that Christ himselfe by the Minister of the Church doeth restore man to Gods mercie and fauour by the Minister doeth comfort with the word of God the afflicted conscience doeth raise it being fallen and cast downe doeth strengthen it staggering finally by the Minister doeth now after absolution send him away with a pacified and quiet minde For hitherto tendeth that which our Sauiour Christ saith in S. Iohns Gospell Whosoeuers sinnes ye remit they are remitted For we must not thinke that absolution is any other thing but the voyce of the Gospell sounding by the Minister of the Church by which that forgiuenesse of sinnes promised in the Gospell to the penitent is particularly applied to euerie seuerall man Therefore wee ought to heare the voyce of the Minister absoluing vs and to rest with our whole mindes contented with it no lesse than to hearken either to the voyce of Christ present who is truely our Bishop and high Priest as the authour of the Epistle to the Hebrues saith or to the voyce of God himselfe speaking from heauen For Christ in Saint Markes Gospell commaundeth vs not onely to repent but also to beleeue the Gospell that is the preaching of remission of sinnes Now to the ende that this confidence of obteining pardon of sinnes may be increased with a certeine heape as it were and that in this weakenesse of our mindes pronenesse to distrust it may be by all meanes on euerie side bolstered vp vnderpropped and strengthened we will the partie to be present at the Lordes Supper and to eate so as Christ instituted and ordeined it the bodie of Christ which was a sacrifice on the altar of the Crosse for the sinnes of men and to drinke his bloud which was shead for the purgation and satisfaction of sinnâ—â— For as faith is first conceiued by the worde of the Gospell concerning the promise of grace remission of sinnes so the same is stirred vp erected and confirmed by the Sacrament as Saint Augustine testifieth verie well Sacramentum est quasi verbum visibile A Sacrament is as it were a visible worde because that as faith is conceiued and bredde in vs by the hearing of the worde so the same faith is confirmed and ratified by this externall and visible signe By which thing it appeareth how great the loue of the eternall father towardes vs is which doeth not onely by his worde raise vp those that are afflicted and lie downe but also hath added to his worde certeine externall signes and visible tokens of grace which may stirre vs vp to the remembrance of the promise concerning pardon of sinnes and which might teache vs and put vs in minde of the fauourable and friendlie good will of God towardes vs. Now after that the penitent is mindfull of the Lords death which death was a satisfaction for the sinnes of the whole worlde we bidde him both to giue thankes from his heart to Iesus Christ for his exceeding great benefites towardes vs for that hee offering vp himselfe for vs hath appeased Gods displeasure and for that he hath suffered the punishmentes in his owne bloud which wee by the iustice of God shoulde haue felte of which thing this mysticall Supper is extant in the Churche as a perpetuall signe and monument and also wee will him to sing merily and ioyfully hymnes or songs of praise vnto the same Iesus Christ with a gratefull minde both with himselfe at home priuately and also in the Churche with the assemblie of the faithfull publikely and to giue him that worshippe and honour which worthily he oweth vnto him finally to liue godly and holily and in a certeine endeuour and labour to change as it were and to vndoe that which hath bene done which is a sure token of a minde truly repentant to amend his vices with vertues to put away after a sort by doing well the memorie of his naughtie deedes before God as it were to blot them out to be briefe to walke worthie of the Lord as the Apostle saith For to them which are iustified by faith in Christ after a true and earnest repentance for their sinnes which now verely bringeth with it another kinde of life which requireth other manners the obedience of Gods law is then necessarie to the end they may now glorifie God with honest actions and godlie workes that they may adorne the doctrine of the Gospell and that they may offer vp spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God through Iesus Christ For that is not the onely office and proper function of the lawe which thing we haue spoken of elsewhere to bring men to the acknowledging of their sinne and to the feeling of the wrath of God to shewe vnto the regenerate their wicked affections but also that it should bee vnto the iustified by faith as it were a certeine glasse wherein they may daily view and beholde themselues and by which they may knowe how farre now they haue proceeded and profited in godlines how farre they are off from that perfect righteousnesse and that it should be vnto them as a certeine candle shining in the darknes of this life and as it were a guide to tell them the nexte way to saluation in which way they ought to finishe the course of this life and to trauell streight to God least they at any time offend in any thing or least they straying from the godlie way of liuing fall and rush headlong into sinne that so at the length they perseuering constantly in the true worshippe of God may come to blessed immortalitie and may finally obteine the rewardes prepared in heauen for them And surely wicked actions doe not well agree with a true faith neither can they which liue wickedly filthily and which endeuour not as much as in them lieth to keepe the commaundements of God promise vnto themselues that God will be fauourable vnto them for Christes sake For hitherto perteineth that notable saying of S. Augustine Fides tua inquit iustitia tua quia vtique sicredis caues si autem caues conaris conatum tuum nouit Deus voluÌ„tatem tuam inspicit luctam cum carne considerat hortatur vt pugnes adiuuat vt vincas certantem spectat deficientem sublenat vincentem coronat that is Thy faith saith he is thy righteousnesse for verely if thou doest beleeue thou doest beware if
Popish satisfaction For that punishment which Iesus Christ suffered for vs and which brought saluation to vs is the onely satisfaction for all the sinnes of the whole worlde And truely they which are of opinion that sinne may bee recompensed with fastinges with Pilgrimages with indulgencies and such like toyes or that Gods wrathe may any other way bee pacified rather than by the death of the Sonne of God doe not sufficiently ponder either the weight of sinne it selfe or the wrathe of GOD against our sinne Notwithstanding in Penance wee doe not disallow the auncient rites and ceremonies instituted either for example sake and for discipline or perteining to some amendement of life which smell not of gaine or couetousnesse And wee doe thinke that they which confesse their faultes ought againe and againe to bee exhorted to bring foorth those fruites which become true repentance Yea wee bid euen them which haue falne againe into sinne to satisfie as it were to pacifie God through the sorowe of repentance through the sighes of humilitie through the sacrifice of contrite heart as Dauid saith also wee bid them now chaunge their olde yll manners for better to reconcile God vnto them by almes deedes and by liberalitie towardes the poore which is principally to vse Tertullians wordes Dei misericordiae illex that is to say A verie prouoker of Gods mercie finally wee will them to bee warie heedie and diligent to auoyd those sinnes into which they haue once fallen wee bid them take heede by all meanes and beware that they offend not either in woorde or deede yea that they commit not any thing in thought which is either euill to bee done or wicked to be saide Now wee neither can nor ought to allow that necessitie of certeine woorkes which was woont to bee put vpon those which had confessed their sinnes and that way of satisfying for their sinnes and of deseruing deliuerance from the punishments of Purgatorie fire prescribed to the people by the sacrificing Priestes As concerning the sacrifice of the Masse thus wee thinke that the true Masse in the Church of God is that common Supper of the Lorde in which the bodie and bloud of our Lorde is distributed to renew the memorie of the most wholesome death of Christ and of his torments which hee suffered for the redemption of mankinde For the Fathers and Doctours of the Church in old time vsed to call the Supper of the Lord A sacrifice for that it was instituted and ordained to this end to wit that the same might stirre vs vp to the remembrance of that sacrifice of Christ who offered vp himselfe to his father vpon the crosse a sacrifice for the sinnes of the world according to that saying of Christ Doe this in remembrance of mee For least wee should forgett Christes death Christ now readie to passe out of this worlde vnto his father left vnto vs a memoriall of himselfe namely his body in the Eucharist and mysticall banket Wherefore we in our Churches haue restored the true right vse of the Eucharist according to the institution of Christ and according to the obseruation of the primitiue Church to wit that it might be the communion of Christian people to the receiuing and participation of the bodie and bloud of our Lorde Iesus Christ that it might also be a thankesgeuing whence it taketh his name of the Greeke worde Eucharistia and finally that it might be a godly recordation and remembrance of that one onely sacrifice of Christ and of that immolation done vppon on the altar of the Crosse We doe condemne and take away the abuses of those men which with this sacrifice worship Saintes which by it deliuer the dead from the fire of Purgatorie which thinke they doe obteine for others either pardon of their sinnes or an happie successe in their affaires And we denie not that to be true which that instaurer of auncient Diuinitie complaineth of namely that heretofore the Masse hath bene either a gaine for filthie Massemonging Priestes or else a trustie staffe and staie for all men that haue ledde an euill life For we must needes confesse that which by no meanes can be denied But also as concerning the taking away of the cup frō the Laie people which is contrarie to Gods institution wee doe not thinke it to bee in any wise allowable as likewise neither that reseruation of the Lordes bread nor that ostentation and open shewe of it in publike Processions and Ecclesiasticall pompes Wee haue wholy taken away those ceremonies which helpe nothing at all to promote and further godlinesse yea which rather hurt and hinder it as the consecration and hallowing of salte and of herbes the aspersion or sprinkling of holie water the circumgestation or carrying about of images and pictures the fuming and burning of Franckincense before the altars of Saintes the baptising of belles the yeerely exequies and solemnities for the dead the obseruation and keeping of the houres of our Ladie other innumerable like to these which are ioyned with a certeine impietie and superstition But hitherto of these matters wee haue spoken sufficiently The thirde parte of this discourse wherein the obiections of the Aduersarie are plainely refuted NOwe let Vs fall to the third part of this book wherein as muche as in vs lieth we will labour to confute those things which in this cause are woont to be brought against vs First of all many men are offended at this that our Preachers teach of onely faith in Christ but truely if we will iudge aright they are offended without any weightie or probable cause at the least much more without any iust and necessarie cause For when as wee say that wee are iustified by faith alone wee doe not take away good deedes or honest actions but wee exclude confidence and trust in woorkes and wee shut out mens merites which ought to haue no place in the matter of iustification But all men almost were heeretofore fully persuaded that these merites of men were of abilitie and power to remit sinnes and to satisfie for them in so much that the Monkes would not freely communicate to others their woorkes of supererogation which they had lesse neede of themselues to their owne saluation but would set them to sale at a price if any man would redeeme them with monie Therefore we excluding mens merites doe teache that all the trust and assurance of our saluation ought to bee put and placed in the onely free mercie and reconciliation of God for Christ who gaue himselfe an expiatorie sacrifice for mankinde And that which the Apostle saith Gratis freely excluding verely the condition of dignitie and merite the same we doe say with the Ecclesiasticall fathers Sola fide by faith alone least you should thinke the mutation of the wordes to change the thing it selfe These things as I suppose are both so cleare and
offered vp himselfe a sacrifice and an oblation vpon the altar of the Crosse for the sinnes of the world whose bodie was betrayed and deliuered to death for vs whose bloud was shedde for the remission of our sinnes lastly whose death it selfe was the true sacrifice for the saluation of mankinde Furthermore when as Christ had alone satisfied for the sinnes of all men these fellowes shewed vs other meanes and wayes whereby we might satisfie God more fully and amply as amongest other thinges Pilgrimages appointed for deuotion sake in which verie many consumed and spent all the time of their life whilest they ranne a gadding and madding almost from the vtmost endes of the earth sometime to Rome or Hierusalem sometime to Treuirs or Compostella whilest they goe to see and visite Saint Michaels Cathedrall Churche and caue in Gargan and that most royall and magnificent Temple of Saint Lauretan namely all to this end to satisfie and appease Gods wrath for their sinnes by this means to obteine saluation Hitherto also tend the Popes indulgencies pardons either full absolute for euer or els but for a thousand yeeres an hundred yeeres or fourtie yeeres Hitherto tendes the fraternitie or fellowship of Friers which some men forsooth at this day call the Communion of Saintes and this shewe of godlinesse they pretend to cloake that superstition withall and they labour to paint out a foolishe and feigned thing wittily with such false deceipts and as it were to adorne and beautifie it with some counterfeit colours Finally hitherto tend those egregious suffrages succours of Monkes which certeinely were wont to be more esteemed then Christes propitiatorie sacrifice for the sinnes of the world yea the greatest part of men reiecting in the meane while our Sauiour Christ nothing doubted to redeeme and purchase with a great summe of monie the communitie of Monasticall workes as though the saluation of their soules did consist onely in these For Monkes commonly were accustomed to powre vppon others the superfluitie of good workes wherewith they themselues abounded ouerflowed if there were any that would laie downe redie monie for them leauing alwayes enough for the obteining of their owne saluation they were wont to obtrude set to sale those their workes which were superfluous That these thinges are thus truely reported of them those obligations or quittances which are extant at this day made for that matter are sufficient testimonies proofes Thus are they made Concedimus inquiunt praesentium tenore omnium Missarum diuinorum officiorum orationū praedicationū studiorum ieiuniorum abstinentiarum vigiliarum laborum caeterorumque bonorum omnium quae per fratres sorores ordinis fiunt communionem participationem Et iterum Statuimus vt iniungantur pro animabus vestris sacra Missarum solennia vigiliae ac caetera suffragiorum praesidia vt multiplici sacrarum orationum ac piorum suffragiorum adiuti praesidio hic diuinae gratiae augmentum in futuro vitae aeternae praemium faciliùs ac copiosiùs mereamini adipisci We doe graunt say they by the tenour of these presentes the communion and participation of all Masses of all diuine duties of all prayers preachings studies fastes abstinencies watchings labours all other good things which are done by the Friers Nonnes of this order And againe We ordeine that for your soules there be inioyned the holy rites solemnities of Masses vigils the other helpes of suffrages that you being holpen with the manifold aide of holy prayers may deserue to obteine both here in this life the increase of Gods grace and in the life to come more easily and plentifully the rewarde of eternall life Hitherto wee haue recorded and related faithfully and truely the verie woordes of the Monasticall obligation and caution least that there should be found some froward fellowe which might gainesay vs Now the Monks commanded other men so to leane and trust to these trifles which are of no value to the obteining of saluation that amongst other thinges they would cause men that lay at the point of death to remember how many and how great good woorkes they had done by whose abundance and greatnesse the offences which they in their life time had committed might be ouerwhelmed how much merites they had to which Heauen was due Now as concerning the Popes pardons many men hertofore ascribed so much vnto them that they would not sticke to say that by them a man might obteine forgiuenesse of sinnes free releasement from all villanie and wickednesse yea although a man had lien with our Ladie the virgin Christes mother an abhominable thing to speake of and although he had slaine killed Christ himselfe For with such salt was the speach of the Papistes seasoned and poudered if at any time they ment to extrude and set out to sale their pedlarie packe of pardons as they had commission and commandement from the Pope Some of them also were not afraid to auouche that the soule which was tormented in the fire of Purgatorie did flee vp into heauen at the verie same instant and moment in which a peece of monie cast into the boxe for it did gingle To these may be added this their assertion that the red crosse with the Popes armes which heretofore was wont to be erected in the midst of the Churche had no lesse force might in it to abolishe put away sinne than the crosse of our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ Moreouer that if any man had purchased the Popes pardons he needed not greatly any repentance for his sinnes onely these saide they were without all doubt sufficient to saluation Nay there haue bene men euen in our dayes which would say that they had saued more soules by the Popes pardons than euer did S. Peter by his sermons What neede many wordes All of them stoutly confidently affirmed that indulgencies pardons were of power to forgiue most fully aswell the fault as the punishment and that the superfluous merites of Saintes together with these might be cōmunicated imparted to those which would pay well and truely for them For euery man knoweth this how that the Popes bull was woont to be recited and read to those which were at the point of death in which bull there was promised both a full and absolute abolition of all crimes and also that the feare of Purgatorie should be wholy taken away These thinges verely are such that our posteritie may thinke them to be but forged fables which wee notwithstanding know very well not to be feigned but to haue bene done indeed Well seeing that there are euen now extant sundrie letters seales and monumentes of these matters there will remaine if they bee kept still and reserued an euerlasting testimonie of Popish impietie which without all doubt will be propagated and continued to all posteritie Hitherto perteines the Iubile
against the prescripts of men was verie hardly forgiuen and that not by euerie man So the neglect of singing vpon an holie day in the Church what a sinne was it reckoned But forgetfulnes of God in prosperitie ingratitude towards God other such like sinnes how were they nothing accompted of I could bring forth well nigh sixe hundred such but that I thinke that this which I haue rehearsed is inough for example sake Notwithstanding I will yet relate one or two more that thereby the whole matter may the better appeare If the sacrificing Priest had by chaunce any day omitted his houres of prayer how great a sinne was that thought to bee how scarse pardonable That the same man did keepe a concubine that the same man did wholy abandon him selfe to bankettes to wine to lecherie in that there was no man which was greatly offended So if a Monke had not orderly inough finished his ceremonies good God what trembling quaking was there what anguish of minde finally what feare lest hee should fall into hell But for the same man to beare priuie grudges against his brethren for to detract from other mens fame and good name that was accompted no offence If any man vpon an holy day had done any woorke in the fielde the businesse requisite to bee done what an heinous offence what an inexpiable crime was it iudged But hee that neglecting the Sermon had spent the same day wholy in feastes riottous and reueling bankets in wine in surfeting in dansing in dicing in pastimes and sometime in bralles and fightinges he verely was thought to haue made a faire dayes woorke and to haue kept holy day verie well and deuoutly So if the Bishop shoulde haue made a married man Minister though hee were a godly and a learned man he accompted it a wicked act because it is against the canons and rules of their order though it be permitted by Gods lawes But the same man is nothing at all affraid to choose into the number of Bishops and Prelates much more into the number of Parish Priestes I doe not say now dronkardes couetous caytifes and angrie wretches but besides their extreme ignorance incestuous persons homicides parricides Church robbers dicers sorcerers that I may adde no woorse although the holie Ghoste by the mouth of Paule had flatly forbidden it So greatly doe they swallowe vp a Camel which straine at a gnatte So verely the Iewes thought it a cursed and damnable deed to pull an Oxe out of a dich vpon the Sabboth day but that Christ by speaking the woorde did heale men vpon that day that verely they obiected vnto him as the greatest crime that coulde bee And they that made a religion of it to enter the Iudgement hall namely to the end they might eate the Passeouer pure and cleane without spotte the same men were nothing affraide to crucifie an innocent and guiltlesse man to witte our Sauiour Christ Iesus But let vs returne againe to our purpose Now after that the man hath truely acknowledged his sinnes being moued thereto by repentance hath sorrowed greatly in mind for them hath trembled at the anger iudgment of God against them sighing from the bottome of his hearte hath aspired desired the grace of Christ wee will him to hope well and to be of good cheere we comfort him being sad sorrowfull by proposing setting before him the clemencie greate goodnesse of God who is woont easily to graunt pardon to the penitent to haue respect to the contrite in spirit and to him that trembleth at his sayinges We teach declare that the saluation of all men whosoeuer repent truely from their heart dependeth on the only mercie of God through Christ that Christ hath satisfied GOD by his death for the sinnes of all men and that hee by his punishment hath suffered that punishment which wee did owe to the iustice of God that Christ came into the worlde to saue sinners that Christ gaue him selfe the price of redemption for all that Christ was wounded for our iniquities and broken for our wickednesse that by Christ we were reconciled when wee were Gods enimies that by Christ wee are deliuered from the wrath of GOD that by Christes bloude we are all cleansed from our sinnes that Christ doth daily make intercession for vs at the right hande of God his father that by Christ wee are both sanctified and are the sonnes of God and haue life euerlasting Hitherto tendeth that which our Sauiour saith in Iohn So GOD loued the worlde saith hee that hee gaue his onely begotten Sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him shoulde not perish but haue euerlasting life For GOD sent not his sonne into the worlde that he shoulde condemne the worlde but that the worlde through him might bee saued Hitherto also perteineth that of S. Iohn Herein the loue of GOD appeared towardes vs because GOD sent his onely begotten sonne into this worlde that wee might liue through him Herein is that loue manifest not that wee loued GOD but that hee loued vs and sent his sonne to bee a reconciliation for our sinnes Hitherto also belongeth that which S. Paule writeth to the Ephesians and to the Colossians By whome saith hee wee haue redemption through his bloude euen the forgiuenesse of sinnes according to the riches of his grace And to the Corinthians For also our Passeouer saith hee is offered vp for vs euen Christ And againe For he which was without sinne made hee sinne that is the price of sinne for vs that wee might bee made the righteousnesse of God by him I will not stande any longer in these testimonies of Scripture For the summe of all is this That GOD through Christ is reconciled vnto vs and that Christ hath satisfied the iustice of God for the sinnes of mankinde This faith therefore is conceiued by the preaching of the Gospell For the Gospell setting downe the reconciliation of God through Christ and the satisfaction of Christ for the sinnes of men doth shew forth hope of saluation and an assured confidence to them that repent After this sorte which you haue hearde doe wee comforte him which is greeued for his offences and sorrowfull for his sinnes For wee speake not a woorde to him of Romish indulgencies of Pilgrimages of Monkes suffragies and other such like trifles We doe againe and againe inculcate and beate into his braine which is repentant for his sinnes Christ onely so as the Scripture teacheth We declare that it is Christ alone whome wee ought to vse as our Spoakesman Attourneie and Sollicitour in appeasing God that Christ is hee alone who both by the sacrifice of his bodie hath satisfied for the sinnes of mankind and in whose onely bloud and merites all mortall men ought to repose the whole trust of their saluation And that there may not remaine any little scruple in
mouing him to mischiefe that he alwayes beware most diligently of the snares and trappes which the diuell hath laide for him that he yeelde not to him that setteth pleasure as an obiect before him or to him which is desirous to ensnare and allure him with the inticementes of vices finally that he shunne all occasions and cut off as it were the handles to sinne Neither if he once happily obteine the victorie ouer his enimie let him not by by hope for truce peace as though he were past all perill but let him remember that he must alwayes stande in the forefront of the battell neither if he bee vanquished and ouercome let him despaire nor if he bee victor let him swell with any secrete pride And let him verily enterprise al these things not trusting to his owne strength and power but hauing his hope and his whole assurance placed in Gods ayde and assistance and calling vppon the sonne of God in godlie prayers for helpe In the meane space in our Ecclesiasticall meeting wee warne him to repaire very often to the Lordes table to the end that hee by receiuing Christes body may both be stirred vp to the remembrance of the promise concerning forgiuenesse of sinnes and also confirmed concerning Gods good will and celestiall fauour towardes him For the holy Ghost doeth vse this Supper as a meane and as it were an instrument to raise vp in vs assured confidence in Christ and loue towardes our neighbour Now as Baptisme is a perpetuall signe of that free remission of sinnes and of that reconciliation for Christes sake so the Supper of the Lord doeth testifie and witnesse vnto vs that those benefits last and dure for euer at all times in the Church of Christ and that they are not voyde and of none effect streightway no not in very great and greeuous falles if so be wee being touched with repentance doe flee vnto the exceeding great mercie of God for Christ if we desire forgiuenesse of our sinnes and that not without a feruent desire and studie to returne againe into fauour and friendship with God nor without a most firme purpose to amende our liues and to keepe and obserue hereafter Gods Pawe And truely Christ would that this Sacrament of his bodie and bloude should be a perpetuall monument and pledge of his loue towards vs namely that wee repenting from our hearte may after we haue receiued this pledge stirre vp our faith and be persuaded that wee haue our sinnes forgiuen vs for Christes sake who offered vp him selfe for vs vpon the altar of his Crosse a lambe immaculate and vnspotted that wee by this assurance might comfort our selues and might raise vp and holde vp our afflicted conscience that wee might giue thankes to God for so greate a benefite that wee might declare this our thankfullnesse towardes God in our whole life in all our actions and that wee might as the Apostle saith shew foorth the Lordes death perpetually finally that wee being put in minde by this pledge may euery way boldely trust that wee are now the members of Christ and that Christes benefites belong vnto vs For this Sacrament was chiefly instituted for this cause as I saide before but must say it oftener that wee vsing it might both exercise and confirme our faith and also that wee our selues might bee comforted with the remembrance and memoriall of the Lordes death which brought saluation to vs that so at the length wee might giue that thankes to God and to the sonne of God which wee doe woorthily owe vnto them Very few in the former age knew this vse of the sacrament called the Eucharist If perhaps any calamitie fall vpon him or if our heauenly father mercifully chastise him for some deserued offence wee bid him suffer it stoutly and with a chearefull minde and to remember that by that meanes hee is called to repentance that so God hath giuen him an occasion to exercise his faith that so hee is pricked forward to prayer that so that slouthfullnesse and deade sleepe which in prosperitie possesseth mens minds is shaken off finally that so our mindes are stirred vp and awakened to acknowledge our sinnes to amend our life to despise all humane and earthlie thinges Now verely in publike sermons in which heretofore there hath bene almost no other thing woont to be intreated of than of mens traditions of forged fables lying tales and feigned miracles of Saintes of vaine visions and apparitions of shadowes of vowes of Pilgrimages of indulgencies and pardons of offering vp a reward to the Stationarie souldiers of the caue or Purgatorie of S. Patrike and of such like trifles here our Preachers at this day in their Sermons doe teache and tell vs of faith in Christ of charitie towardes our neighbour of true inuocation of the crosse or affliction of repentance and of the fruites of repentance of iustification of those woorkes which may bee truely tearmed good woorkes of the Supper of the Lorde of bringing vp children in the feare of the Lorde of liberalitie towardes the poore and of such like pointes necessarie to saluation to bee briefe they preach those thinges verie much or rather those thinges onely which become wholesome doctrine as S. Paule warneth Titus Also in the same Sermous as likewise priuately and in secret confessions both the rude and ignorant are taught and instructed and the vnwarie are admonished and the slouthfull are rebuked the forward are incited the weaklinges are strengthened the afflicted are raised vp those that straie and wander out of the way are brought in againe they which are wholy displeased with them selues for the guilte of their sinne are comforted they which sleepe secure in sinne are terrified and made affraide with threates and not to vse many woordes all men alike are pricked forward to leade their life after the will and imitation of God all men are willed to thinke vpon death hanging daily ouer our heades by reason of vncerteine chaunces and to prepare them selues for that day wherein they must departe this life neither to loose the time of repentance giuen vnto them by the benefite of God. Lastly in those Sermons of our men there are not nowe woont to bee alleadged and cited I can not tell what solemne Doctours there are quoted none of these subtile none of these Seraphicall finally none of these irrefragable Doctours as Albert Thomas Aquinas Petrus Lombardus Rabbanus Nicolaus de Lira Dunse Dorbell Occam and other such like which heretofore were rife in the Papistes mouthes but now Moses the Prophets Christ the Apostles and the Euangelistes are cited to proue and confirme the matter which they doe there entreate of Thus you haue our minde and meaning namely what kinde of man wee at this day woulde haue him to bee who professeth him selfe to bee a Christian not more in woorde than in deede You haue also a summe of Christian
are ordeined to eternall life for her fellowes and companions In this Church thou shalt finde Adam Noah Melchisedech Abraham Isaac Iacob Moses Samuel Dauid Esaie Daniel to bee short all the Patriarches Prophets Apostles Martyres virgins confessours and the holy Angels of God mixed among all these Who would not exclame and cry out with the Prophet O howe amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lorde of hostes My soule fainteth and consumeth away through the desire of thine house Blessed are they whiche dwell in thine house O Lord whiche extoll thee with perpetuall praises Blessed is hee O Lorde whiche putteth his trust in thee Howe greately I pray you doe I thinke that other men are moued with these thinges Doe I doate and am I rauished out of measure with the mention of these thinges Or are other men also throughly touched with the like feeling that I am Surely I my selfe as often as I am conuersant in the cogitation and remembraunce of these thinges conceiue in my minde an incredible pleasure and as the Poet saith Secreat ioyes doe creepe into my silent breast And truely both many other thinges doe recreate and refresh mee as that communion of Saintes and that one and the same faith euen from the last originall of the worlde of all Patriarches Prophets and of the people of Israel and of ours at this day in Christ promised indeed to them but now alreadie exhibited and giuen to vs and that most blessed companie hereafter with all the Saintes in the celestiall kingdome vnto whiche I aspire with a feruent desire whiche nowe also mee thinkes I enioy and receiue well nigh a certeine tast of the future felicitie and happinesse in Heauen and also the Capteine him selfe and heade of this Church our Lorde and Redeemer Iesus Christ doeth after a maruellous manner moue mee delight me and well nigh bring mee into a traunce besides my selfe when I thinke vppon him For streightway it comes into my mind that this specified Christ is hee in whome to come all the Saintes from the beginning haue fixed and placed all their trust and confidence that this is hee to whome all the Prophetes giue witnesse that through his name all that beleeue in him and put the hope of their saluation in him shall receiue remission of sinnes that this is hee who came into the worlde to saue sinners to seeke and to saue that whiche was lost and like to perish to giue his soule for the redemption and raunsome of manie that this is hee who was sent to preach the Gospell to the poore to heale the broken hearted to preache deliueraunce to the captiues to comforte them that mourne to sette at libertie them that are oppressed that this is he whome therefore the Father sent not that hee might condemne the worlde but that the worlde might bee saued by him that this is hee for whome the heauenlie father hath forgiuen vs all our trespasses putting out the obligation or hand writing which was against vs yea taking it quite out away and fastening it vpon his crosse that this is he who commaundeth all that labour and are heauie laden to come vnto him and which promiseth to ease and refresh them that this is he which died for our saluation who by his bloud satisfied God for the sinnes of mankind and who hath by his passion suffered the punishment which we did owe vnto the iustice of God who being persuaded therevnto through exceeding loue towardes vs gaue himselfe for vs an oblation and sacrifice to God of a sweete smelling fauour that this is he which hath deliuered vs from the Diuell from sinne and from eternall death Who by his death hath abolished and destroyed him which had the rule and imperie ouer death to witte the Diuell who hath redeemed vs from the curse of the lawe hee him selfe beeing made a curse for vs that this is hee who hath ouercome Satan by his crosse and hath triumphed ouer the conquered who hath beseeged and battered downe hell and hath made an entrie and passage into heauen who ascending vp on high hath led captiuitie captiue that this is hee who sitting at the right hande of GOD the father doeth perpetually make intercession for vs who being our Proctour and Aduocate we may easily obteine at our heauenlie fathers hands pardon forgiuenesse of sinnes that this is he in whome onely wee haue recouered that whiche wee had lost in our first father Adam namely to bee created according to the image and similitude of GOD that is as Saint Paule interpreteth it after righteousnesse and true holinesse by whome we are adopted of the heauenlie father into the number of the sonnes of God to become partakers as of his name so also of his kingdome and to become heires of eternall blessednesse Finally that he is the Mediatour Interpreter and Pacificatour betwixt God and men that he is the throne of grace our Bishop and high Priest to entreate daily for vs the propitiation for the sinnes of the world the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the worlde the Pastour sheepheard of our soules our hope our life our resurrection moreouer our wisedome our righteousnesse and our sanctification and our redemption that this is he in Esaie vpon whom the Lorde hath laid the iniquities of vs all and by whose woundes we are healed that he is that victour and conquerour of death and of hell in Oseas that he is that Lorde our iustifier in Ieremie to be short and not tedious that he is that Emmanuel father of eternall life Prince of peace that sonne of righteousnesse that light and lampe of the Gentiles in summe that this is he whom the old auncient rites and Leuiticall ceremonies shadowed prefigured to whom the whole lawe of Moses had respect and regarde whom the Prophetes and the vniuersall scripture haue proponed vnto them as the onely marke to shoote at Wherefore the remembrance of all these things being such and so great as they are doth as I said before incredibly moue me and doeth maruellously delight me yea by thinking vppon these thinges I doe tast as it were a certeine sense and feeling of the future felicitie and happinesse in heauen And certeinly seeing that these thinges are at this day inculcated and beaten continually into the eares minds of all men surely all men ought to be merrie and glad at the mention of these thinges and all men ought to giue thankes to God for this doctrine instaured and to declare the thankefulnesse of their mindes not onely by singing of Psalmes Hymnes and spirituall songes but also by leading a life after the will and imitation of God and chiefly they must endeuoure and trauell to growe in grace in the knowledge of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ as S. Peter warneth vs and that daily they profite more more in it