that geue and render good for euyll and be alwayes ready to profyte suche as hurte them The fyrste kynde of menne keepe peace the seconde maynteyne peace and the thyrde make peace and wynne the soules of other and therefore are compted happy and worthy to be called the chyldren of God that do the worke of Gods sonne that after they be recōciled them selues labour with all their power to reconcyle other to their heauenly father Many kyndes of almes there be and workes of mercy both corporall also spiritual But amōg thē al there is neuer one greater than freely euen frō the hart to remit that an other mā hath offended against vs. It is nothynge in a maner to loue hym that loueth vs and doth vs no harme for Infideles and all other men of nature wyll so dooe but to loue our enemies and to will to do good to thē that wyshe and do euyll to vs as muche as they can is the greatest perfection of a christen man And although the number of men for the moste part doth not come to that degree of perfection to loue and do good to their enemies whereunto euery Christen man ought with prayer and diligence to laboure and wrestle with hymselfe to come yet he can not be a good man that will not freely and hartely forgeue his enemy that ceaseth to be his enemy and is sory for that he hath done and humbly asketh hym forgeuenes For his synnes be holden styll and not remytted of God that will not forgeue his penitent neyghbour that he hath done against hym Therfore seyng in many thinges we offend al and the Angels of God be not yet commed that shall take away al offences out of the worlde it is not possible for peace to be kept euerywher in this world and God to bee pleased except hee that in anye thing doeth offend his neyghbour lay away his pride and submit himselfe and he that is offended laye awaye his obstinacie and be content to bee intreated for by these twoo meanes Gods peace shalbe kept without the whiche gods mercye can not be gotten and our offringes can not be accepted But hauing and vsing them rightwisnes peace and ioy in the holy Ghost shall remayne with vs and the kyngdome of God shall be within vs and we daylye in grace and feare shall woorke our owne saluation through Christ our Lorde to whom with the father and the holy ghost be all glory for euermore Amen ⸫ ¶ Of Satisfaction Serm. xxiii HAuynge declared vnto you heretofore good people the first two partes of penaunce whiche be Contrition Cōfession Nowe order requyreth that I shoulde declare at this tyme the thyrd part whiche is Satisfaction And firste of all it is to be knowen that when a Christen man or woman hath by consent of mynde or by worde or deede done any thyng that is deadly sinne thā hath he set him selfe in the state of dampnation is boūden to suffer euerlasting payne in hell because the rewarde or hyer of synne is eternall deathe vnder whiche payne God in the beginnyng and alwayes dydde forbidde sinne Likewise when a synner chaungeth his mynde forsakynge hys synne and taketh true repentaunce for the same and commeth to confession to a Priest if he may confesse and haue a Priest after that sorte and intent as is declared before than almighty God doth mercyfully forgeue him al the paines punishment that he had deserued and shoulde haue had in hell for his offences and setteth the synner agayne in the state of saluation And this doth almyghtye God euermore after the penitentes confession ordinarylye although he take not so muche and so great repentaunce for hys synne as he had pleasure in it nor althoughe he be not so long sory as he lay continued in sinne before For God hath not cōmaunded that synners shall take as muche repentaunce and be as longe sorye for their synnes as they tooke pleasure and continued in theyr synne For if he had done so ▪ the penitent synner could not haue been sure that he had had mercy and forgiuenes after his confession but shoulde rather haue been alwaies in doubt and feare of forgeuenes because he coulde not alwayes certaynly knowe that he had taken so muche and so long repentaunce as he had pleasure and taryed in his synne whiche feare and doubte of forgeuenes no synner commyng vnfeynedly to this sacrament maye haue at any tyme but when so euer a synner dooeth forsake his synnes and taketh repentaunce for it be it litle or muche and so cōmeth to confessiō than he knoweth is in suretie that he hath forgeuenes and is set againe in the state of saluation And although it be true that any quantitie of Contrition is sufficient to haue forgeuenesse of the paynes of hell due for synne yet the more he taketh the better he doeth And this forgeuenes of synne and eternall payne due for synne commeth by the vertue of Christes passion who hath made satisfaction vpon the crosse and redemed vs by his death from all iniquitie and is the sacrifice propiciatorye for the synnes of the holle worlde and hathe borne our synnes in his body vpon the tree by whose woundes we are made safe Therefore this is to bee surelye beleued that onely our Sauiour Christe by his painfull passion vpon the crosse is that satisfaction whiche deserueth remission of our sinnes and the abolyshyng of eternal death and dampnation whiche remission and deliuery no man is able to deserue by any thyng that he can do but onely the goodnes and humanitie of GOD our Sauioure in Christ not by the workes of rightwisnes which we haue done but by his own mercy hath wroughte brought to passe God of his greate mercie to all true penitentes forgeueth synne and yet of his iustice and truthe he leaueth not the sinnes of them whom he forgeueth vnpunished But all synnes of all men and women he punisheth either eternally in hell or temporally for a tyme that as in forgeuing appeareth his mercie so in correcting or auenging myght appeare his iustice For whiche cause consyderynge that God by the merites of Christe forgeueth to all that be truelye penitent and confessed all their synnes and also the paynes of hell due for the same and yet leaueth no synne vnpunyshed although it be remitted we may thereby certeinly know that euery synner although he hath receiued absolution and remission eyther hath suffered or remayneth yet styll bounden to suffer certein temporall payne accordynge to the nature and quantitie of his former faulte for that hee presumed to doe against Gods lawe and brake his promyse and professiō in baptisme And this temporall payne is oure debte whyche we are bounden to paye to God For as we are debters to almyghtie God for his manifolde benefytes bestowed vpon vs and so are bounden alwayes to thanke him to honoure hym and to offer to him the sacrifice of
without the which no man can doo the woorke of God woorthelye and there besyde the Sacramental confession which he hath made before if his conscience did reproue him of any deadlye sinne he maketh also a generall confession of al hys synnes not excusing hys fault or laying the blame vpon God or anye other thyng but knocking vpon his brest accuseth and iudgeth hym selfe And because our deadly offences be done agaynste God and hys hole churche therefore he maketh his confession to God and to the holle churche bothe triumphant in heauen and militant here in earth requyring of God pardon and remission and requyring of the Churche ayde to ioyne with hym in prayer and as they that doo ther assist him do pray for him in his hearing so is he sure that the blessed Angels and Sayntes in heauen are of theyr aboundaunt charitie glad of hys penaunce and praye for hys pardone and amendement In the meane tyme the quere and the Priest also at the Aultar do begin the office of this ministration wyth an Hymne or Psalme or some part of a Psalme as the churche doth in al other seruice and with it he vseth an other inward sacrifice whiche is the inuocation of Gods helpe and mercie which for feruent desyre to haue his petition graunted of almightye God by the merites of Christ he repeteth it diuers times And for suche certeyne and sure confidence which he hath of Gods mercy for Christes sake he beginneth by and by after that the Sacrifice of prayse and vseth the same woordes that the Angelles praysed GOD wyth all when they brought the glad tidinges of Christes natiuitie to the world which the Priest and the quere do prosecute and continue for ioye that God hathe wrought mercyfully amonges men And then the Priest saluting and wyshyng wel to the people to styrre theyr hartes to deuotion and to ioyne with him in the common praier sayth the collect which is a Sacrifice of praier for all such thinges as the people hathe neede vpon and is called a Collecte for that the common petitions of the people be collected and gathered together in one praier and is offered and vttered onelye by the mouthe of the Priest in al theyr names whereunto the people answeryng Amen geueth theyr consent praying GOD to graunt that for all theyr saluation whych is requyred in all theyr names After these Sacrifices of Confession inuocation prayse and petitions the Priest conuerteth hys woordes to the doctrine of the people and fyrst begynneth wyth some part of the law and Prophetes or of Saynt Paules epistles wherin is shewed the true meanyng of the lawe and Prophetes preparing theyr hartes to the moste perfite and most holsome doctrine of the Gospel of Christ the spirituall foode of mens soules to thintent that suche as be not partakers of Christes body and bloode corporallye in the Sacrament maye yet by the instruction of the holye woorde of God be fedde spiritually in theyr soules by faith that like as the holye Masse is the exercise and practise of good lyuing so it might also bee the schoole and teacher of true faythe And betwene these two doctrines of the Lawe and the Gospell are sayd or song certeyne Canticles or songes of Gods prayse accordynge to the condition nature of the tyme as the Grale and Tract for the tyme of penaunce when men lament theyr synnes and myserye of thys lyfe and the prolonging of the life to come or els the Alleluya whiche is a song of Gods praise for the time of ioye and gladnesse when menne reioyce consideryng the state of theyr eternall felicity to come vsing still the olde straunge woorde wythout interpretation declaring therby that as yet they be ignorant of such ioyes as God hath prepared for them that loue him At the rehersyng of the Gospell the priest saluteth the people preparyng theyr hartes to the hearing of Gods woorde wishinge grace to be gâ—uen to them of God to receiue his word with humilitie and meekenes whiche is able to saue theyr soules And the people rysing vp and standing reuerently bareheaded declare them selues to be attent and readye to heare the Gospell of Christ and doo glorifie God that hathe vouchesafed to make theym partakers of his Gospell which is the vertue of God for the saluation of all them that beleue And the priest making a crosse vpon the boke and his forheade declareth that this doctrine is not inuented by man but reueled by God and perteyneth to the mistery of Christes crosse and oure redemption and also protesteth wyth the people that their dutie is not to bee ashamed of the Gospell of Christes crosse but to beleue in theyr hart and to confesse it wyth theyr mouth And for proofe of the same that fayth commeth by hearyng of the woorde of God by and by after the readyng and preachyng of the Gospell the Priest beginneth to professe and offer the sacrifice of faythe whiche the quere or people also professe with greate gladnesse in suche forme of words as the auncient holy fathers assembled in the first generall councell at Nyce dyd vtter theyr faythe to the confusion of all heretikes that were before them declaring that they haue the foundation of their faythe no where els but of Christes mouthe and the preachynge of hys holye woorde Here endeth the Masse of theym that be but onely learners of our faith and be not yet Christened which in olde time were not admit to be present among Christen men in the tyme of the Sacrifice of Christes bodie and blood but after the prayers and doctrine ended were secluded from the Churche but thys maner is not vsed now in the Churche because euery one is Christened beyng a childe and learneth our fayth afterward And the Priest proceeding forwarde exhorting all the people to praye dothe offer to God the matter of the consecration whyche is breade of wheate and wyne myxed with water whych be not yet consecrate but prepared to be consecrate and directinge his eye and intention to the body and blood of Christ that afterward be made present by the consecration as Christe prayed before his passion for all them for whom he suffered so the Priest before the mistical oblation saith that he offereth it to God in the honor of God and all his Sayntes for hys synnes and offences for the saluation of all that be lyuing and for the rest of all them that be departed and praieth that God would so accept it For to this ende euery Sacrifice that we make and euerye good dede that we do is intended and directed whiche they be not able to bring to passe but by the merites of Christes bloodye Sacrifice vpon the crosse And here beginning this moste holye and sacred misterie for reuerence to the holy sacrament the priest washeth his handes that no outward filthynes should seclude hym from the communion and therwithal prayeth to be
rewarde for it sayinge as I sayde before Tell thou thy sinnes firste that thou mayest be iustified And who shall bee ashamed to doo that deede whereby he is made ryghtwyse seing GOD commaundeth vs to confesse oure synnes not to punyshe vs but to pardone vs. For whiche cause leaste a man shoulde feare to bee punished after confessing of hys faulte Dauid saythe Make confession to god because he is good and his mercie is for euermore What profyte shoulde a manne haue if hee shoulde not confesse hys synne Can he keepe it from the knoweledge of God who knoweth the secretes of mannes harte and all thynges before they bee done No no. It is woorse not to confesse the synne than too transgresse the lawe it is woorse too refuse oure conuersion than to contempne Goddes admonition It is woorse not to mitigate Goddes dyspleasure by oure satisfaction than to deserue hys displeasure by oure transgression The Niniuites confessed theyr synnes and lyued The Sodomites neglected confession and perished The Israelites when they synned they were delyuered too theyr enemyes when they confessed theyr sinnes they were deliuered from theyr enemies For lyke as no manne escaped Goddes plague when he synned so euerie manne hadde Goddes pardone when he confessed hys synne Through hope of thys holye Dauid prayeth to GOD that he might be washed more and more because he knewe hys iniquitie and hys synne was alwayes in hys syghte not by delectation to frequent and continue it but by hatred to auoyde and abhorre it The Publicane in the Gospell confessed hys synne and went home iustifyed the proude Pharisie boastynge hys good deedes went home in woorse case Confession is the fruite of humilitie whyche is also the mother of grace for the atteynynge whereof the holye Ghost teacheth vs alwayes to be occupyed in thys kynde of Confession sayinge by the Prophet that the ryghteous man is euer first of all the accuser of hym selfe in the begynnynge of hys woordes Wherefore good people let vs be as diligent in preseruing and encreasyng our treasure in heauen as these worldly Marchauntes be in preseruyng theyr treasure in earthe For it is a common trade of these ryche men least the charges of housholde doo exceede theyr gaynes ▪ ayrelye in the morning as soone as they ryse before they go aboute theyr busynesse to call theyr seruaunt and to aske an accoumpte of theyr expences that they myghte knowe what is euyll spent what well and if they see theyr stocke decaye than to seeke an occasion howe to restorre it agayne Euen so let vs doo in our busynesse let vs call our seruaunt which is our conscience to an accoumpte for oure thoughtes woordes and deedes and searche what is spent for oure profite what for our destruction What woorde is euyll spent in brawlyng raylyng iestyng and slaunder What thoughte hathe prouoked the eye to fornication the harte to malyce the hand to iniurye and myschiefe of oure neyghboure And when oure seruaunt hathe tolde vs euerye thynge then lette vs cease from wastynge anye more of oure heauenlye treasure And seeke by gayne too restore that whyche by neglygence was loste For ydle and noughtie woordes lette vs bringe home and store vp holye prayers for iniurye done to oure neyghbour mercye and almesse for intemperate lyuinge fastinge and abstinencye For yf wee spende oure good treasure styll in waste and restore nothinge that is good againe when we shal be brought to extreme miserye and the time of our marchaundise is paste and gone than shall we seke and finde no helpe no not so muche as one drop of water to quenche the heate of our tonges end The marchātes vse to call their seruauntes to accompte ayrelye in the mornynge but our best time is to call our conscience to accompte in the eueninge When thou goest to bedde and haste no body to trouble the than bringe forth thy accompt booke and serche diligently if any thinge all the day before be done amisse either in worde thought or dede For so the prophet geueth counsell saiynge Be angrie and sinne no more those thinges ye speake in youre hartes be sorye and contrite for them in youre beddes In the day time a man hath many lettes his labours hys offices the care of hys housholde children and familye and other affaires both priuate and publike whiche diuerselye doe greue or occupye a man on the daye time But when he goeth to bedde and no man calleth vppon him nor troubleth hym than let him common with his owne soule and sytte as it were vppon iudgemente vppon him selfe examininge what good he hathe doone all the daye before or what euyll and yf he fynde that he hathe doone good let him humblye geue God thankes whose grace did moue him to it assist him and brought it to that good end But if he fynde that he hath doone euyll lette him cease from the euill deede blame and accuse him selfe with sorowe and compunction beate his owne hearte washe hys bedde wyth teares as Dauid did confesse hys synne to almyghtye God againste him selfe and humblye praye hym of pardone and remission and than vsynge this nightlye lette him peerce and smyte throughe hys soule wyth the feare of God and bee ashamed to come with one faulte twysse before him who by an vnpenitent harte is prouoked to vengeance as by a contryte harte he is bowed to mercye and seeketh occasion by all meanes to shewe mercye to all men This maner of daylye confession watered wyth teares of a mannes owne eyes is throughe the merytes of our Sauiour Christe a sponge to wype awaye the fylthynesse of oure sinnes and a medicyne preseruinge vs from fallinge to synne againe Thus preuentinge hys face in confession wee maye be sure of forgeuenesse For as Salomon sayeth He that hydeth his sinnes shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh them shall obteyne mercye Feare of hell with hope of mercye woorketh the sorowe of penaunce oute of whyche commeth forth vnfeined confession whiche is a vehement voice in the eares of GOD and perswadeth muche to mercy and remission of sinne to increase in grace and by continuaunce in the same to eternall glorye Whereof God make vs all partakers throughe the merytes of our Lorde Iesus Christ to whom with the Father and the holye ghost be glory and honour now and euer more Amen ¶ Of Confession to a Prieste Ser. xix IN thys Sermon good people I intende by Goddes grace to declare vnto you wherein the Sacrament of penaunce consysteth and what is the matter of it It consisteth in the absolution whiche by a Catholyke Priest is geuen to a penitent synner in the name of God who is the principall iudge and remytter of all sinne And the matter of it is that humble and true confession whiche a penitent sinner maketh to God before a Prieste Gods minister institute for that purpose to remitte or reteyne sinne This Sacrament
to saye to shewe reuerence to our superiours to shew conformitie to our equalies and to shew reliefe in word and dede to our inferiours Out of this roote of pitie springeth the Godlye vertue of mekenes for he that is wel affected towardes the seruice and honour of God and studious to do his duetie towardes all degrees of men shall shew him selfe to be not heady styffenecked enuious but meke gentle and tractable not resisting euyll but with good ouercomming euil therfore this meke man may wel be called happy which by gods promise shal inherit possesse the land of y e liuing And if this gift of pitie or the vertue of mekenes chauÌ„ce to decay or be lost by the enuy of the deuyl than let him pray the effect of the second petition which is O father let thy kingdome come either to vs that we may be as thou art and teacheth vs to be humble and meke in oure owne hartes so haue the who is eternal rest dwelling in our soules or els let thy kingdome come froÌ„ heauen to earth in the clerenes of the glorious comming of our lorde Iesus Christ wheÌ„ the meke men shal heare him cal the blessed people of his father to his kingdome and therfore shal reioice be glad for euermore The third bolt that the deuil shooteth against a man is yre for of enuy groweth yre when he enuyeth his equall or superiour vpon a small occasion eyther geuen or taken he is stirred to indignation malice swelling of mind and euil lookes or els to chyding and brauling and so in processe to iniury vengeaunce or murder Wherin appeareth hys greate folye For noughtye anger resteth no where but in the bosome of a foole because it is great folye to thrust a sworde through his owne hart to thintent he mighte hurt the coate of hys enemy which thing euery angry man doth that vsurping the office of God seketh to reuenge his own quarel thus the deuil as he by pryde robbed him of his loue to god by enuy of hys loue to his neighbour so now by yre he robbeth hym of the loue of him selfe Against this fyery darte of the deuyll the holye Ghoste hath armed vs with the gift of knowledge whereby we knowe howe to walke vprightlye and without offence in the middes of this wicked generacion also that we should behaue our selues to theym that haue by wrong done vs iniury as we would do to sicke folkes children or mad men of whome both their parentes and other frendes and phisicions often tymes wyll suffer dyuerse iniuries tyl their youth or infirmitie be gone away Out of this gifte of knowledge springeth the vertue of mourning For when we know in what miseries we be wrapped in what a greate heape of euyls be round about vs which we of ignorauÌ„ce desyred as good thynges and profitable for vs than we fall to mourninge and lament the lack or prolonginge of the verye true and eternall goodes and ryches that bee stored vp for vs in heauen and begynne to sette lytle by those vaine and transitorye thinges whyche we estemed as good in earth For which cause our Sauioure Christe estemeth vs happye that so doe mourne and hath promysed vs the comforte of the holye ghoste that for contemninge these temporall thynges here we shoulde enioye eternall gladnesse in heauen And for restitucion of this gifte and vertue when it decayeth or is lost by vs we maye praye the third peticion that Gods wyll myght be done in earth as it is in heauen that when oure fleshe as earth and the desyres of it dooe in all thinges without rebellion obeye oure spirite the lacke of whiche obedience is the cause of oure mourninge as the hauinge of it is the perfourmaunce â—f Gods wyll in earth than we myghte haue this promysed comforte presently in our hartes as a pledge of that gladnes which is to come The fourth darte of the deuil is ydlenes and slouthfulnes when he tempteth a maÌ„ to esteme the fulfyllinge of Gods commaundementes eyther vnpossible or very harde and paineful and so to forbeare the doing of his duty or to be werye in the beginning and sadde euer after Agaynste this darte the holye ghoste hathe armed vs with the gifte of fortitude and strength and thereby perswadeth vs to thynke Gods commaundementes not to be heauy or greuous but to be a light burden and swete yoke and encourageth vs to set vpon that worke whiche is excellent and worthye praise and for auoyding of fayntnes or werynes he kyndleth oure hartes wyth hys loue to continue stedfaste and immoâ—uable from the hope of the Gospell increasing in good workes and knowinge that oure labour is not in vayne in Christe Oute of thys gyfte commeth the vertue whiche is called the hungre and thrist of rightwysnes whyche consisteth in true fayth and perfyte obedience to Gods lawe the earnest and vehement desyre whereof causeth a man to be moued neither wyth the flatterie nor aduersitie of this worlde nor to be sadde when he dothe well but to hope as a Lyon and not to geue place to hys aduersarye Therfore seinge that fortitude is the gift of the holy Ghost wherby they be happy that be hungry and thristy that is to say greedy and desirous of ryghtwysnes because they shall be made ful with the meate of Christ whiche is to do the wyll of hys father and also with that drinke which causeth a fountayne of water to be in theym springinge vp to euerlastinge lyfe if at anye tyme we lacke these vertues or be slacke in vsynge of theym than lette vs praye that oure daylye breade may be geuen vnto vs thys daye by vertue whereof we beyng susteyned and made stronge myghte come to that perfyt fulnesse and satietie whyche shall admitte no hunger or thyrst any more euer after The fyft darte of the deuyll is couetousnesse for when he perceyueth a man encouraged to do good and serue God by the gift of fortitude and strength he laboureth al he canne to turne that his constancie and strengthe to a wronge ende that is to saye from the fulfillinge of Gods law and mainteyninge of his truthe to the greedye and vnsatiable appetyte of fulfilling the desyres of the worlde and to the mayntenaunce of vyce and errour and tempteth him further to be obdurate and stony harted in vnmercyfulnes and so in processe for hope of gayne not to regarde crafte deceipte violence or treason Againste this darte of Couetousnesse the holye Ghoste armeth vs with the gift of counsell that oure courage and strengthe maye be stayed and dyrected to the right ende that is to saye to the contempte and despisinge of the vanitye of thys worlde and not to truste in the vncertayntye of riches but to trust in the liuing God and to do good to all we can and to be riche in good woorkes beinge readye to geue parte of that God hathe sent and to
lambe is sprinckled vpon both the postes of our doore when it is receiued not onelye wyth the mouth of the body for redemption but also with the mouth of the hearte for imitation Whyche bloude is not nowe shedde vpon the handes and coates of the souldiours that crucifyed him but is powred into the mouthes of the faithfull that receyue hym And this newe doctryne was not knowen to the worlde tyll our Sauiour Christe taught it hymselfe in his ghospell For the olde lawe dyd forbydde the eatinge and drinkinge of bloude with theyr mouthes and the newe law dothe commaunde it so to be dronken for which cause we that pertayne to the newe lawe do vse often tymes to drinke of this bloud knowynge that except we eate his flesh and drink his bloud we shall not haue lyfe in vs. Wherein wee are called to more dignitye than any of the prophetes of the olde testamente was For Dauid dyd neuer eate of thys bodye nor neuer dranke of this bloude although he beleued in Chryste as well as we or rather better and so was onelye pertaker of them spirituallye by fayth and not corporally by the sacrament as we be See with what great dignity almighty God doth honour our mouthes by which as by certeine gates and doores our sauiour Christ entreth into vs when we communicate and receiue his bodye and so hauing Christ within vs by his fleshe in hym corporally vnited by the sacrament of perfit and natural vnitie we shal likewise be partakers of his propretie which is life euerlasting I wil no more at this time good people occupy you with any longer processe concerninge this most true euidente matter but shall speake of it at other times besechinge you in our lordes name not to wauer in your faythe lyke reedes blowen a syde with euery wind but to stand stedfast in the certein belief of this most holy sacrament whiche is set forth to vs by the mouth of our sauior Christ himself and the sacred bookes of al his holye Euangelistes and is confirmed with the bloud of his martirs with the miracles of God and hys faintes shewed for that purpose with the testymony of all catholyke wryters in euery age and with the aucthoritie and consente of the holle church of Christ throughout the worlde as well in general couÌ„sels assembled in the name of oure Lord Iesus Christ as in euery perticulare prouince and realme which is the piller of trueth the surest staffe to leane vnto for a christen man to holde himselfe stedfaste in trueth so that the mooste manyfeste woorde whyche was spoken by Chrâ—ste oure Lorde vpon this holye Sacrament and the true meaninge of the same woord declared from tyme to tyme by his holye Catholike church deliuereth vs from all ignoraunce what it is and assureth vs that in this most holy sacrament is present by the omnipotent power of god the real and true body and bloude of our sauiour Christ god and man vnder the sensyble formes of bread and wine and is there receyued of the faithfull people not onelye spirituallye by faithe but also corporallye with their mouthes for the attayninge of immortalitie and euerlastinge life both of body and soule the which GOD of his infinite goodnes graunt vs through the merytes of his sonne Iesus Christ and the sanctification of hys holye spirite to whom bee all prayse honour and glorye world without ende Amen ¶ Of the chaunge of the breade and wyne that is to say of Transubstantiation Serm. viii WHat is the substance of thys blessed Sacrament we haue learned good people of oure sauiour Christes owne wordes who the nighte before he suffered at hys laste supper with his disciples toke breade and blessed it and brake it and gaue it to hys dysciples and sayd take and eate this is my body and takinge the chalice he gaue thankes gaue it to them saying drinke al you of this for this is my bloude of the new testament whiche shall bee shed for many for remission of sinnes Upon these wordes of Christe all true christen men ground their fayth concerning this blessed Sacrament and beleue verelye that the inwarde substaunce of this sacrament is the fleshe of oure Sauiour Iesus Christe whyche suffered for oure synnes and that in the chalyce consecrate is the same bloude that dyd runne foorth of Chrystes syde when it was opened with the speere And furthermore vpon the same woordes of Christ the holy churche and all true christen men her members doe grounde their faithe concerninge the chaunge whiche the holye ghoste by his vnspeakable power worketh in this sacrament where tâ—e inwarde substaunce of breade and wyne is chaunged into the substaunce of the bodye and bloude of Chryste the outwarde formes of the saied breade and wyne with the quantitie and qualities of the same still remayninge vnchaunged Whiche maner of chaunge because it is singuler and hathe none like it eyther in nature or otherwise therefore the holy Churche dothe call it by the name of TransubstantiatioÌ„ the whiche woorde was inuented by the holy churche in the greatest generall counsell that euer was which was called the counsell of Lateranense where there were present seuenty Archbyshoppes and foure hundred Bishops and they spake of thys chaunge by that name to thintent that lyke as the holie church of Christ in euery age dyd agree and was of one minde concerninge this chaunge of the bread and wyne euen so they should agre and be of one tong in the vtteringe and speaking of that chaunge that the diuersitie of manye wordes vttereth diuersly in the bokes of learned men should not impayre and bring in doubt the olde knowen trueth reueled to the Churche by the holye ghoste This olde trueth the Churche learneth of Christes owne woordes For where as it was but one thinge or substance which our Sauiour Christ gaue out of his hand to his disciples to eate whiche one thinge he saied plainly was his body which shoulde be geuen for them and in saying so made it so to be by hys almightie word for that cause the holy church beleueth that it is not breade but his very bodye in dede And also where as it appeareth to al a mans senses to be very bread which seÌ„ses be not deceiued so farre as they can skyll of reache vnto which is onely to the outwarde apparaunce and qualities or qualitie not to the inwarde substaunce therefore the holye Churche beleueth that the chaunge which is in the sacramente is made in the inward substauÌ„ce of the bread and not in the outward forme of the breade whiche remayneth as it was for whiche cause the Churche calleth that chaunge Transubstantiation For that bread which our lord reached to his disciples being chaunged in nature and not in forme by the omnipotency of his worde was made flesh And as in the person of Christe hys humanitie was sene and his diuinitie was secret vnsene
death of a man is in the soule the occasion wherof commeth by the corrupt affection of the flesh so this spirituall medicine of Christes body and bloud in the sacrament worketh his effectes not onely in the soule of man but also in the body of man by healynge it by defendinge sanctifyinge strengthning and reducing it to immortalitye Fyrst seyng that we mortall and synful men be fleshe and bloude we can not be reformed in the corrupt and weake nature of our bodies and soules nor come agayne to the lykenes and symilitude of God in puritie and life except a conuenient playster be layde to our olde disease and in the healing of our desperate infirmitie one coÌ„trarye be remoued by an other like thinges be applyed and made agree vnto lyke as Christes lyuelye and sanctified bodye to our mortall and synnefull fleshe which thing is done in the receiuing of this most blessed Sacrament where the vertue of so great and holsome a medicine doth perse al partes both of body and soule and doth renew and make holl whatsoeuer sycknesse the corruption of old noughty liuing had before caused and engendred in the fleshe or in the spirite For the body of Christ our lord receiued into vs by the misticall benediction which is the sacrament and remayning in vs driueth awaye not onely death but also al sickenes and the poyson that was brought in by original sinne and it pacifieth and kepeth vnder the raging law of oure members it strengthneth deuotion it quencheth the froward and synful affections of the minde and those smal sinnes we be in it regardeth not but healeth the sycke restoreth the brused and from falling it lifteth vs vp In baptisme we were washed from all synne and the writing of our damnation was cancelled and grace was geuen vnto vs that the conâ—cupiscence and carnall desyre of our flesh shoulde not hurt vs if we abstein from consenting to it and so the corrupte and putrified matter of oure old sore was remoued and taken away But who is able to ouercome the violent motions of hys flesh and to quench the heat and itch of suche a sore â— surely no man of his own strength but we maye be bold for grace helpeth vs wherewyth we be indued by receiuing Christes blessed body and bloud in thys sacrament which hath in vs two effectes the one to take away our smal sins that we fele them not the other to take away or refraine our consent from great and mortal sins that we doo them not So that if any of you all do fele and perceiue in himselfe not so great motions or so violent prouocations to anger to enuye to lecherie or to other vyces or not so often times as he did before let him geue most humble and hye thanks to the body and blood of our lord for the vertue of the sacrament doth worke in him and he maye be glad that the rotten sore and old disease of his sensuall concupiscence is better amended and well nygh brought to helth and that the commotion and rebellion of his sodayne passions and carnall affections be so wel ceased and pacifyed Furthermore besyde the healing of our sinful flesh it sanctifieth and strengthneth it in vertue and godly liuing for like as material bread doth comfort and make strong a mans body euen so the bread of life that came from heauen which is Christes body one person with the godhed doth lykewyse make strong our bodyes in grace and more then that it sanctifieth both body soule And like as wyne maketh glad a mans hart euen so the bloode of Christ dothe fulfill a mans hart wyth spirituall gladnes and beside that is made a great stay and a sure defeÌ„ce for it which to a godly man is as it were a shield against his enemy and therefore in all daungerous and perillous times in remeÌ„braunce of Christes passion by which al grace and strength was purchased for vs we receyue Christes body and bloode for the defence preseruation of our bodies and soules wherby the power of the deuil is resisted his fiery dartes of tentations be driuen away So the churche of Christe vseth to doo with her faythfull soldiours in all persecutions eyther of furious tirantes or deceitful heretikes for wheÌ„ it prouoketh and exhorteth theÌ„ to fight agaynst their enemies it doth not leaue them naked and vnarmed but doth harnes and defend theÌ„ wyth the protection of Christes body and blood For seing this sacrameÌ„t is ordeined for this purpose to be a defence to the receyuers therefore it armeth al them with the harnes and shield of our Lordes meate whoÌ„ it would haue to be safe froÌ„ the hurt of theyr enemies For after a man hath receyued woorthely the heauenlye meate of our Lordes body and blood the deuil forsaketh him and flyeth away swifter then the wynde dare not approch nere When the angel that destroied the first begotten in Egipt saw the dore postes sprinkled with the blood of the paschal Lambe he passed by and durst not enter in to kyll How much more wil the wicked angel the deuil runne away when he shal see not the blood of the figuratiue lambe sprinkled vpon the postes but the body and bloud of the true lambe of God in the mouth of a Christen maÌ„ If the angel gaue place to the shadow or fygure howe muche more wyl the enemye be afrayde when he seeth the truth When he shall see the house of the soule occupied with the brightnes of Christes heauenly preseÌ„ce and al entraunce for his temptatioÌ„s shut away Thus are we made stronge agaynst our enemies by the vertue of this heaueÌ„ly foode wherby also our bodies being purified and refreshed be set at liberty and doth freely folow the soule and the motions of our spirite beyng deliuered from the heauye burden and weakenes whyche our carnall natiuitie dyd cause and finally they be made no more corruptible hauing thys heauenly meate for theyr hope and pledge of theyr resurrection to life euerlasting whereby they be preserued and prepared to the atteynyng of the same life For how can our flesh come to corruption and peryshe for euermore and not receyue eternall lyfe which is fed with the body blood of our Lord as our sauiour himselfe taught vs saying He that eateth my fleshe and drynketh my blood hath life euerlasting and I shall rayse him vp at the last day that is to say my bodye whyche is eaten being the body of life shall rayse vp hys body to eternall life in the last day For the very cause of our life is that we haue Christe by hys flesh remayning and abidyng in our fleshe And it wer not possible for this corruptible nature of our flesh being subiect to corruption and death to be brought to incorruption and immortalitie in the kingdome of heauen except an immortall nature such as is the body of Christ beyng
receiued by it life Iudas death to Peter it was an increase of goodnes to Iudas it was a testimonye of hys noughtynesse Peter beyng good and clene toke it for his saluation Iudas beyng a traytour and vncleane tooke it to hys dampnation The thyng that was geuen was not euil but a good thing was noughtely receiued of an euil man to his dampnation For after the receipt of our Lordes body the deuil entered into Iudas not that the deuil did despise or contemne our Lordes body but the impudent wyckednes of Iudas made entrye for the deuil to dwel there wherby we be taught that the deuil lyeth in wayte and preuayleth ouer theym that vse these secret misteries with a corrupt mynde So that Iudas as soone as he with his trayterous mynde touched the heauenly foode and the sanctified bread entred into hys cursed mouthe hys myscheuous mynde not able to beare the strength of so great a Sacrament was blowen forth like chaffe out of a barne and so headlings hee ranne to hys treason and money and so to desperation and hangynge Marke the greate mercye of oure Sauioure Christe and the madnesse of Iudas for Iudas bargained for thyrty pence to sell his mayster and Christ did minister to hym the same bloode whych he solde to thintent he shoulde haue had remission of synnes if he woulde haue forsaken his wickednes O cruell hart of thys traytour wyth what eyes could he looke vpon hym whom he had in hys mouthe to eate beyng bothe at once to Christ a murderer and a gest sellyng his maister for a litle money and loosyng God and hym selfe for euermore Euen so at this day there be in the church of God good men as Saynte Peter was and noughtye men as Iudas was The good receyue the blessed Sacrament to theyr saluation the euyll men beyng lyke dogges and swine to theyr dampnation They be dogges that vnreuerentlye come vnto it and therefore they departe in Gods hye dyspleasure For they that lyue after the fleshe and be fettered in the cheynes of synne and vyce they receyue with Iudas the traytour poyson and runne to the halter of spiritual hanging in hel beyng condemned both for theyr other manyfolde synnes and also for the contempt of Christes most precious bodye whyche in verye deede they receyue but in substaunce onelye and not in any profitable or holsome effect Osa the priest in the old testament put to his hand to the Arke of God to stay it when it was like to fall of the cart and God being displeased for his rash eÌ„terprise did smite him by by with sodayn death Where we may euidently se vnderstand how much he offeÌ„deth that rashly with a gilty coÌ„science coÌ„meth to the body of our Lord when the deuout priest was punished by death that wyth lesse reuerence then he ought to haue done did touch the Arke which was but the fygure of our Lordes body In the olde lawe it is said that if a man do eate of the sanctified meat of the sacrifice by ignoraunce his synne and iniquitie shalbe imputed vnto him for which cause S. Paul doth warne vs to come vnto this most holy sacrifice of the new testament wyth muche caution and warenes least we take it to our daÌ„nation For if ignoraunce in the old law be condemned how muche is a giltye conscience in the gospel condempned Looke howe much Christe himself passeth and excelleth the materiall temple of God whyche Salomon buylded euen so much more greuous and terrible is it to receiue Christes body in deadly synne theÌ„ to eate rashly of the sacrifices of the old lawe Therefore let no false and couetous man as Iudas let no maÌ„ that vseth simonie or vsury as SymoÌ„ Magus let no maÌ„ bearing a malitious hart to his neighbour as king Herode come to this boord of our sauiour Christ this sacrifice is spirituall meate For lyke as common meate when it fyndeth a mannes stomake full of euyll humours it doth hym no good but great hurt euen so thys heauenly and spirituall meate if it fynde a mannes hart full of iniquitie it maketh him worsse not for any faulte of the meate but by the faulte of the receyuer If he be woorthy punishment that kysseth the kynges hande wyth a foule mouthe what paine is he worthy that kisseth the mouth of the kynge of heauen with a stynkynge soule And leste men shoulde thinke that these were but vayne threatninges of Saynt Paule and other holye men and that God woulde not enter in to iudgement with theim that so villanouslye and contemptuouslye abuse Chrystes bodye Sainte Paule dothe further shewe as it were an image of Gods iudgement to come agaynste suche vnworthy receyuers declaringe how that for that same heynous fault many nowe in thys worlde are punished with sicknesse with infirmytyes with mischaunces wyth great aduersitye and also with sodaine death of the body to thyntent that the multitude should be affrayd and learne by the example of a few knowyng that god wyll not leaue the contempt of his body vnpunished and although manye escape free here yet they may be sure to be more extremely handled there bothe for abusynge Chrystes bodye and also for contempninge the example of other And these plagues of sicknesse and deathe chaunce to many because they wyll not iudge them selues nor wyll not vnderstande what it is to communycate wyth the Churche and to come to so hye and so heauenlye Sacramentes and so they suffer that whyche men that bee in a feuer bee wonte to suffer when they kyll them selues by presuâ—â—â—g to eate of holle mens meate And also these plagues chaunce because they wyll not iudge Christes body that is to saye they wyll not discerne and consider the greatnes and maiestye of this present misterye but negligentlye and contemptuously take Christes body as other common meate For if they did coÌ„sider and esteme of what excellency maiesty he were that is preseÌ„t there before them and geuen them to eate they should nede no other perswasion to make cleane their hartes and to receiue him with his most honoure and reuerence but he alone woulde cause them to take hede and to purge them selues For they would consyder that they receyue and taste vpon his body and bloud that sitteth in heauen that is honoured of Aungels that is of infynite power that made both heauen and earthe that redemed gouerneth the holle worlde that shall iudge both quicke and deade And on the othersyde they woulde consider that if God dyd geue vnto vs the heauen the sea the earth and al the riches and treasures that bee in these and yf he did send vnto vs his patriarches his prophetes his Aungels he should neither geue nor sende to vs anye thinge equall wyth thys whiche is the head of all goodnesse who spared not his onelye begotten sonne to saue vs that were hys fugytiue slaues And
for them that bee present and communicate wyth the Priest in true faythe and deuoute affection And also the Churche offereth Chrisâ—e for the soules of theym that be departed hauynge at theyr departing the sygnes of faythe whyche be the holy Sacramentes and good woorkes and sleepynge in the sleepe of peace whyche is the peace of conscience towardes God wyth sure hope and truste of remission by Christe that is to saye for suche as in theyr lyues obteyned so muche grace of God that oure charitie and Sacrifices myghte helpe and relieue theym after theyr deathe For seeyng the soules of suche be not seperate from the Churche whyche is the kyngdome of Christe amonge the members of whyche kyngdome there is a mutuall communion of all good deedes and godlye woorkes or Sacrifices therefore the Church commendeth them to the mercie of GOD and the intercession of Christes oblation verelye beleuyng that the precious bloude of Christe as it is profytable for the saluation of the lyuinge so it is also auaylable for the absolution and perfection of them that be deade that they being for a tyme deteyned in the temporall afflictions and purgacions might the sooner by the vertue of thys blessed sacrifice be deliuered and brought to the place of light and eternall peace where nothyng entreth that is spotted and vnperfite Thyrdlye because the blessed virgin Marye the mother of God and the holye Martirs and Sayntes in heauen be also oure brethren and members of Christes Churche for the whyche Christ suffered his passion and beyng knyt to vs in one communion by the bande of perfite charitie and being careful for vs and they be sure for them selues cease not to communicate with vs in prayer and to requyre of Christ the perfection of his bodye whiche is the churche therefore in our oblation of Christes body and bloode we ioyne wyth theym and wyth honour and reuerence we remember them at oure Lordes table not to pray for them as we do for other that rest in peace but rather that they should pray for vs â–ª that we maye folowe theyr footesteppes and in all oure affayres be defended by Gods protection and that by the merytes of Christ whom we praye not to weye oure merites but to pardone our offences And laste of all in the Canon is expressed for what ende we offer Christe that is to saye in remembraunce of hys passion hys resurrection and glorious ascension most humblye beseching that God of his mercye woulde accepte him for vs and oure saluation and where as hee is for hym selfe most acceptable in his sight that likewyse he woulde accepte vs that bee hys bodye in earthe for hym that by participation of hys moste precious bodye and bloode wee myghte be fulfylled wyth all grace and heauenlye benediction Thus doth the churche offer Christ her head to GOD the father as a woorthye Sacrifice of prayse and thankes for her redemption for the hope of healthe and saluation and for all his other benefites and also it offereth him as a Sacrifice propitiatorye by the vertue of hys passion for all her synnes and offences that we in this world might lyue in peace wyth GOD and afterward be deliuered from eternal dampnation and with his elecâ—es be rewarded in the kingdome of heauen â–ª And to conclude thys Canonicall prayer the Prieste hauynge Christe Gods Sonne in hys handes before hym who is the onelye Mediatour betwene GOD and manne trustyng to obtayne what so euer hee asketh in hys name and beyng instructed by hym howe to praye to the father saythe boldlye the Pater noster in whyche prayer is conteyned all that is good and needefull for the lyfe of manne bothe temporall and eternall And so maketh an ende of the Canon And because thys is the mysterye of vnitye and peace whyche canne not be hadde but by the mercye of Christe therefore the priest turnyng hym to the Lambe of God who onelye taketh awaye the synnes of the worlde prayeth deuoutly for the peace of conscience whyche commeth by remissyon of synne and for the peace of hys affections whyche commeth by the mortification of the flesh and also for the peace of brotherlye charitye whyche is poured into oure hartes by the holye Ghoste and so taketh and geueth to the people the kysse of peace the token and testimonye of vnitye and Christen charitye The other prayers that folowe in the Masse perteyne to the deuotion of hym or theym that receyue the blessed Sacrament that they maye receyue it worthely to the profite and saluation both of body and soule and that it myght be acceptable to God for al them for whom it is offered therefore good people seyng that I haue now by Gods helpe declared vnto you as shortlye as I coulde the holle summe of all that is sayde and done in the Masse whych is all moste godlye and most comfortable perteyning al to thys ende to set foorthe the benefite of Christe and the vertue of his passion and conteynynge in it almoste all the spirituall Sacrifices of the newe lawe and the exercisies of true fayth as confession of synne inuocation of God prayer doctrine gyuing of thankes and suche other as I haue rehersed I shal most hartely require you as you are moste bounden to haue thys worke of God in such estimation as becommeth Christen men that bee members of Christes Churche redemed wyth bys precious bloude and that by vsing of this Sacrifice of the churche which is a commemoration of Christes passion moste acceptable in the syght of God and commaunded by Christe to be done of vs ye myght thereby receyue plentuous and aboundant grace and mercye bothe for you that be alyue and also for them that be departed in the faithe of Christe and in all your necessities and distresses reliefe and succour And when the consecration of the verye bodye and bloude of oure Sauiour is made by the power of his omnipotent woorde and the price of our redemption is lifted vp for you to see by faithe vnder the seuerall fourmes of breade and wyne to be adoured and woorshipped with godlye honour then call to your remembraunce howe that Christe for your saluation was lifted vp alofte in the ayre vpon the crosse to be seene of all the worlde and howe his precious bloode ranne foorthe aboundantly out of all the woundes of his bodye and then pray that God the father would looke vpon him for vs and accepte him for a full satisfaction of all our sinnes ouer and beside al that we can do and suffer and for a perfite supplieng of all our negligences and vnperfitenes and for a woorthy Sacrifice of thankes for all his benefites geuen vnto vs. And to thintent ye myghte bee more intirelye ioyned to Christe and be more replenished with his giftes and grace I woulde wyshe and exhorte you the oftener to prepare your selues to receyue corporally the blessed sacrament which is euer readye prepared for you to receyue and wheÌ„ as of reuerence you forbeare
entent and feruent desire to be saued yet the same desperation shal let his purpose and stoppe the wayes and passages to the saluation of his soule Yf the waye penaunce bee be once stopped then is the doore that leadeth to saluation shut also And how can he that is oute of the way and to whom the dore is shut do any good worke when as he can finde no entrye to goodnesse beyng let by desperation For thys cause the deuyll by all meanes he canne goeth aboute to plant suche thoughtes in our hartes For when desperation hath caried vs farre from the waye of truthe then hath the deuill no more contention against vs Against whom should he fighte when no man wythstandeth But if the man can loose this band by and by his strength commeth agayne and taketh delyte to renewe his battayle a freshe For he shall perceyue howe he chaseth awaye the deuill whom he fledde before and shall haue a pleasure to pursue his olde persecutour And if perchaunce hys foote slyppe and he fall as oftentymes the coÌ„dicion of warre is he maye not by and by dispayre for shame of a fall but hee muste remember that thys is the lawe of fyghting not neuer to fall but neuer to yeelde for men do not cal him ouercommed that oft falleth but hym that at last yeeldeth Lykewyse he that is ouercommed by the thoughtes of desperation how can he recouer hys streÌ„gth or withstand his enemy seing he runneth awaye and wil not turne backe to fight againe I wold not ye should think that I speake onely of those that were a litle blotted with a fewe smal spots of synne but I speake of hym that hath geuen place to all kynde of synne that for the outragiousnes of his wicked lyuing hath excluded hym selfe from the kyngdome of heauen and not of infidels but of Christen men and suche as haue before times pleased God highly but afterwardes haue fallen to adulterye and other fylthye liuyng suche as the Apostle saythe is shame to speake of These men I saye oughte not to dyspayre of saluation although they had lyen walteryng in suche lyke filthynesse euen to their extreme age what the reason of this sayeng is ye shal heare If Gods anger were a passible affection wee myght well saye that the flambe of it could not be quenched which was kyndled with so many and great offences But wheÌ„ the truth of Gods woorde doth define the nature of God to be vnpassible we must vnderstand that nowe although God doth punish and afflict vs yet he doth it not with passible anger but wyth moste vnspeakeable clemencie with thaffection of him that healeth and not of him that punisheth and for that cause he verye gladlye receyueth the penitent seyng that God doth not punish for hym selfe sake as I sayde before as it were auenging hys owne quarell and iniurye agaynst the synner for Gods nature receyueth no such passion into it self but he doth al for our profit For our profytte and correction he doth punishe not to reuenge hymselfe but to amende vs. He that abydeth styll in the hardnesse of his hart is lyke to a man that turneth hys eyes from the lyghte whyche dothe no harme to the lyghte but bryngeth hym selfe into darkenesse Euen so he that throughe an vnpatient harte thynketh to contemne the power of God hurteth in God nothynge but secludeth hymselfe from all healthe and saluation If a Phisician suffer a lytle iniurye of his pacient vexed wyth a phrensye or distempered in hys brayne yet is he not greued wyth the same nor yet angrye but dothe all thynges that his arte of Phisicke requyreth althoughe hys pacient seemeth too bee greeued wyth hys medicines whyche greefe is not auengynge of the Phisitians iniurye but a curynge of the patientes maladye And if the sycke man begynne a lytle to amende in hys health ye shall see by and by the Phisitian reioyce and wyth more gladnesse doo the rest of hys cure not remembrynge the iniurye he suffered before but procuring the patientes healthe more and more Howe muche more almyghtye GOD when we fall into extreme madnesse of the soule is not moued wyth the affection of vengeaunce for the offences we haue done agaynste hym but is desyrous too heale the olde rotten sores of synne that are corrupted wythin vs for the whyche he saythe and dothe all thynges as onelye tenderynge oure health not delited wyth our payne Such is the goodnes of God towardes man he neuer refuseth penaunce if it be symplye and purelye offered vnto hym Althoughe a man were come to the heyght of synne and yet from thence would returne agayne to the waye of vertue he receyueth hym hee moste fatherlye embraceth hym and dothe all thynges to reuoke hym to his first state agayne and also whyche is greater and more excellent than all thys althoughe a man coulde not fulfyll all the order of satisfaction yet he refuseth not hys penaunce howe small howe shorte so euer it bee done but accepteth the same and suffereth hym not to loose the rewarde of hys conuersion be it neuer so lytle This seemeth Esaias to shewe where he speaketh suche lyke of the people of the Iewes For his sinne I haue a litle made him sadde and haue smytten hym and haue turned my face from him and he is sadde and walketh an heauy manne and I haue healed him and haue comforted him But the wicked kyng Achab geueth vs a more euidente testimony which through his wiues wickednes obteyned the pray of his owne couetousnes but afterward being troubled with the great enormitie of his owne sinne did repent and putting on heare and sacke cloth wepte for his offence prouoked so the mercye of God towardes hym that he pardoned hym of al his sinnes For thus sayde God And God saied to helias Haste thou not seene the contrition of Achab before me And because he hath wepte in my sight I will not bring in these plagues in his dayes Manasses also that passed all other tyrauntes in crueltye of wyckednesse that fylled Goddes temples wyth Idolles that ouerthrewe the seruice of God in true religion and the obseruation of the lawe this man I say excedinge all men in abhomination of sinne yet because he repented he was afterward numbred 〈◊〉 the friendes of god And therefore if eyther thys man or the other we spake of before consideringe the greatnesse of their sinnes had dispaired to come to Gods fauour again by conuersion and penaunce they had lost al these benefites that chaunced to them by their amendement But they castyng their eyes vpon gods vnspeakable mercye the depenesse of his infinite goodnes losed the deuelishe â—heynes of desperation from theyr neckes and lifting vp themselues were coÌ„uerted to the way of vertue Thus much haue we spoken of the examples of holy men Heare now how we are prouoked of god to conuersion by the wordes of the prophetes Euen thys daye sayth Dauid yf ye heare his voyce do
not harden your hartes as in the daye of prouocation in the wildernes In that he sayeth this daye he meaneth all the time of our lyfe tyll we come if it so chaunce euen to the extreme age for penaunce is not weyed by length of time but by purenes of affection Haue we not red how the Leuites washed away their moste greuous sinne in the wildernesse not in a great longe continuaunce of tyme but in a lytle short houre of one day The thefe also that hong vpoÌ„ the crosse neded no longe space to enter into Paradise but so muche space suffysed hym as would serue for the speaking of a few woordes so that in a litle moment of tyme obteininge remissioÌ„ of the sinnes of his hole life did enter into Paradise before any of Christes holy Apostles What shall we say of martirs haue we not sene them often tymes in one daye yea some tymes within the space of an houre receiue the crownes of eternall rewarde wee muste therefore begyn onely and set vpon it with a manly courage and firste let vs be moued and angry with that harlot our owne luste that deceiued vs and than let vs turne our holle affection and loue to the exercise of vertue For that is it that God wylleth and requireth of vs. He seketh not that length of time but specially loketh to this if our conuersion be true and pure For whiche cause we often see that manye whiche began laste are by their faithful endeuour made formest It is not so euil to take a fal as it is to lye styl after the fall and not to rise againe and with a certeine pleasure determination of mind to walter styl in sinne at last to cloke and couer his noughty purpose of sinning still vnder the wordes of desperation Againste whom the prophet crieth out with a certeine indignatioÌ„ saying doth not he that falleth aryse againe Or is not he that is turned backeward conuerted againe If thou saye the state of our questioÌ„ is whether any faithful and Christen man if he fal may be restored again To this question I aunswer In this same that we say he fel we graunt that once he stode before he fel. No man saieth that he is fallen that euer did lye and neuer stode Yet let vs bring forth holy scripture concerning this matter if any thing be spoken eyther in parables or in playne sentences What other thinge thinke you is ment by the shepe which going astray from the other nynetie and nyne was afterwarde sought and brought home to the flock vpoÌ„ the shoulders of the shepeherde doth it not plainelye declare bothe the fall and the restitution of a Christen man For that shepe and the other nynetie and nyne were al of one flocke and vnder one pastor It fedde vpon the same pasture dranke the same water was lodged within the same fold that the other wer but it wandred a great way it strayed farre throughe the hylles and harde rockes and many croked wayes of errour yet the good shepeheard dydde not leaue it nor suffred it to perish but seketh it bringeth it home againe Not compellinge it by prickes and beating but bearing it vppon hys owne shoulders And not onelye this parable dothe shewe vnto vs the commoditie of returninge but also that other of the prodigall and ryottous sonne and that was a sonne not a straunger and brother germayn to hym that neuer went from hys father He was a sonne which is reported to haue gone to the furtheste borders of all sinne for he went into a farre countrey farre from god that was the riche man and beyng a noble maÌ„ borne was made worse than a bonde manne or slaue But yet returning home and repentinge hym was receyued into hys former state and restored to his former glory But if he had despayred and consideringe those miseries that chaunced vnto hym had bene ashamed to returne to hys father and had bidden styll in the farre strauÌ„ge countrey he shoulde neuer haue attayned these thinges that he hath but by penury and famine should haue suffred moste miserable and vnhappy death You see nowe howe great profit there is of penaunce and how greate hope there is of conuersion by penaunce The prodygall sonne receiued his former state of glorye by penaunce which his elder brother kept stil by peâ—seuerauÌ„ce Therefore derely beloued hauinge these exaumples of penaunce lette vs not continue in euyll nor dyspayre to bee reconcyled but let vs come agayne to oure Father and drawe nere to almightie GOD. Beleue me he wyll neuer turne his face from hym that turneth to hym yf wee doe not make oure selues straungers to GOD. For GOD hym selfe sayeth I am God that is nere hande and not God a farre of And agayne by an other Prophete Your sinnes sayeth he make distaunce betwene me and you If we therefore take away this wall that is to saye our sinnes that seperate vs from GOD there is nothinge that can let vs to be ioyned to god Wil you that I shewe these thinges not onelye spoken in parables but fulfilled in dedes There was a certaine man amonge the Corinthians as it semed of no small estimation Thys man had committed suche a synne as is not wont to bee done among the heathen And he was one of the number of the faythfull and familiars wyth Christe what than Did Sainte Paule cutte him from the number of them that be in hope of saluation Naye rather when he hadde suffycientlye rebuked the Corynthians for hym wyllynge agayne to declare that there is no wounde no disease whyche geueth not place and is not healed by the playster of penaunce He commaundeth hym to bee delyuered to Sathan to the destructyon of the fleshe that hys spyryte maye bee saued in the daye of our Lorde Iesu Chryste Yet he commaunded thys before he knewe anye thynge of hys penaunce but when he hadde done penaunce he sayeth let this correction and rebuke suffyse which was geuen to him of manye And he addeth more I beseche you confirme your charitie towardes hym leste Sathan haue him in full possession for wee be not ignorant of his craftie subtlenesse Also the holle Church of the Galathians after that it beleued in Christ and had receiued the holy ghost so that in spirite it did many vertues and miracles and hadde suffered muche persecution for the faythe of Chryste after all thys I saye it fell from the fayth and was restored agayne by the good exhortations of the Apostle And that thou maiest knowe that by the holye ghost they did miracles heare howe the Apostle sayeth who than gaue you the spirite and wroughte these miracles amonge you was it of the workes of the lawe or of the hearinge of fayth And agayne that they did suffer muche after they hadde receyued the fayth he declareth in this where he sayeth Haue ye suffred so greate affliction in vaine if it be in vaine
doer for suche sorowe is not true contrition because it proceadeth not from faith which is the foundation of penaunce whyche no man can do except GOD with hys grace preuent hym and freelye by hys mercye conuerte him nor yet onely procedeth from feare of punishement eyther temporall or eternall for that declareth that the sinner dothe not nor woulde not forsake his sinne if he knewe that he myghte continue in the same styll wythoute anye payne or punishemente but it proceadeth from the loue of GOD whose maiestye wee haue offended and therefore are angry with our selues and hate that oure noughtye sinne wherwith we did offend had rather suffer any paine be it neuer so greate than to offende him againe This is the true sorow of Contrition whiche is taken for our sinnes principally for this respect that we haue offended our most merciful father whiche contrition he wyll neuer despise but receiue to mercye all those that with so pure an harte doe turne to him Blessed Saincte Peter in the repentaunce that hee tooke for hys synne left an example howe we might haue true Contrition whiche is to dooe as he dydde For hee was verye sorye and wepte bytterlye for hys offence alone by him selfe And yet he did not so for any bodely hurt that he had for denyinge of hys master our sauior Christ nor for any losse that he had of worldlye goodes nor for any rebuke that was geuen hym for hys denyall nor yet for anye feare that the Iewes woulde haue put hym to shame because he had denyed his maister for he knewe they woulde neyther hurte hym nor blame him but rather fauoure him for it But these thynges caused him to be sory and to wepe for his sinne First he did remember and consider the great perfection holynes and goodnes of his maister and howe he was the verye sonne of almighty God and also he remembred how he had taken him and made him his disciple and howe great fauour singuler kindnesse he had shewed him for the which he considered how feruentlye he loued Christe and how greatly he was bounden so to doe And than he remembred the promyse he hadde made vnto him and how vnfaithful he was in breaking that promise and vnkind in denyinge and forsakinge his mayster And thus the remembringe and consideringe of these thynges caused Sayncte Peter to bee contryte and to wepe for hys synne and to wyshe that he had not denied Christ and further to wyll that he woulde neuer offende agayne nor breake hys promyse anye more but euer keepe and fulfyll iustelye all that euer his maister our Sauyoure Chryste didde commaunde hym to do And so Sainte Peter dyd After this maner shoulde we consider our sinnes and be sory contrite for them Surely if we sinners did call diligently to our remēbraunce the gret goodnes of our sauior Christ euer shewed vnto vs as how he redemed vs with his moste precious bloud and painefull deathe and hathe chosen vs to his disciples and made vs inherytours vnto heauen and howe mercyfull and gratious he is alwayes vnto vs and howe holye iust reasonable laudable and howe easye a lawe he hath geuen vs and than consider further particularly and more in specyall hys goodnesse and that he hathe done and doth dayly for vs we shoulde than see that wee ought to loue laude and honour him aboue all creatures and fulfyll hys commaundementes whyche wee haue vowed and promysed to dooe And than yf we did consyder the vylenesse and noughtinesse of our sinnes and howe muche we did againste naturall reason and honestie in doynge of them and howe greatlye we dyd offende God in presuminge to doe so euill in his presence and fighte againste his lawe and in breakinge our solemne promisse of kepinge his commaundementes and than if wee dyd consider that in doinge of our sinnes we did not regarde his gracious goodnes and fauour nor feare his power and most dreadfull punishement if we did well consider these thinges were fullye perswaded of Goddes mercye whiche he is readye to shewe to all that vnfeynedlye wyll forsake theyr former noughtye wayes and turne to hym wee shoulde than take this contrition and see that wee oughte to be more sorye for oure synnes than Saynt Peter ought to haue bene for hys For oure Sauioure Chryste hadde shewed vs more kyndenesse and hadde doone more for vs than he hadde done for Saincte Peter at that tyme. For he dyed afterwarde for oure sakes and redemed vs and delyuered vs oute of the handes of the Deuyll And againe our sinnes bee moo and wee haue oftener broken oure promyse than Sayncte Peter didde for hee brake it but once and that was for feare and wee haue synned often tymes wythoute anye feare or compulsion but rather wyllynglye yea and dyuers tymes wee haue desyred to synne and studyed howe and where wee myghte fullfyll our vngracious lustes and desyres And thus ye maye see that we oughte to be more contryte and sorye for oure offences than Sayncte Peter oughte to haue bene for his By thys example ye maye knowe for what cause and by what meane ye maye haue contrition And surelye the synner that dothe well weye and consyder this that I haue spoken shall be sorye that euer he synned and didde againste the wyll and commaundemente of oure Sauioure Chryste whiche is so good and gratious and he shal wil that hee hadde neuer offended and hee shall hate synne and purpose and atende to lyue well and to make amendes and restytutyon of that he hathe wrongfullye taken or done and shall humble hymselfe by knowledginge and confessynge hys faultes and submytte hymselfe hollye to the correctyon and dyscyplyne of GOD and hys holye Churche not doubtynge but that hee shalbe receyued to grace and mercy and remission of all his sinnes Furthermore it is to be noted that the sorow and repentaunce whiche a theefe taketh for hys thefte whan hee shall suffer deathe for it and the repentaunce that a myslyuynge manne or woman taketh for their mislyuinge when they shal bee brought to any open shame or shal gette anye painefull dysease thereby is not that true Contrition that wee speake of nor yet any other lyke sorowe that men maye haue and take for theyr offences in other lyke cases Because such synners and offendours bee not sorye for that they didde againste Gods lawe and offende him but they bee sorye for the deathe or shame or other pain which they shal suffer for their noughtye liuinge Yet notwithstandinge these other paynes whereunto they come by order of lawe they maye also bee sorye for their synnes specyallye and mooste principallye because they didde offende GOD in despysinge him in doynge their synnes more thanne for anye shame or payne that they shall suffer here for theym and yf they so dooe hauynge the mynde and wyll to synne no more but to make restitutyon and to confesse and make satisfactyon for the same than they haue
true contrition and maye bee sure of mercye and bee saued yf they dye in that minde And althoughe a manne is not truelye contryte whan he is sorye onelye for the feare of payne be it corporall paine or euerlastinge paine yet the feare of paine is an introduction prepairinge the waye for true contrition For charitie withoute the whiche no man lyueth in soule by grace is builded vpon feare of Goddes iudgement when a man is glad to be loued of GOD whom he feareth and dare be bolde to loue hym agayne and is afrayde to displease hym whome he loueth althoughe he mighte dooe it withoute punishement For no man commeth to GOD that is not smytten with some feare For whiche cause Saint Iohn Baptiste preparing the way for Chryste and remission of sinne bette into the peoples heades the horrour of their sinnes and the feare of Goddes iudgement And S. Peter in his firste Sermon after that he had broughte the Iewes in feare of Gods anger by declaringe vnto theim howe they had crucifyed and kylled Iesus whom god had made Christ their Lorde and so had smitten their hartes with feare than he taught theim to do penaunce and to take true contricion for their sinnes Thus when a sinner loking vppon gods lawe eyther wrytten in the booke or written in his owne harte whereby he seeth as in a glasse what pleaseth or dyspleaseth almighty God and seeth also by faith that God threatneth damnation and euerlastinge deathe to all synners and than is accused secretlye by his owne conscience that he hath broken that eternal lawe of god not onely in thought but also in dede and perceiueth the vylenesse and greatenesse of his owne synne how often he hath offended and into what misery he hath brought himself and of what great graces and ioyes he hath depriued him selfe thereby beyng than separate from the spiritual communion of Christes churche and giltie of eternall dampnation than yf there be any sparkle of grace left in that man if he be not obdurate and cleane forsaken of God he will begin to feare and tremble which feare wyll breake the hardnesse of his harte and prepare the waye for wisedome and grace to enter in Without the which feare no man can receyue remission of synnes and bee made ryghtewyse Which feare of hell is not in charitie but prepareth a place for charitie and as charitie encreaseth in a mans harte so it decreaseth tyl perfyte charitie possesse the holle After this feare a synner begynneth to hate and abhorre hys synne whereby he was brought into so great daunger and miserye and so procedeth to lament and be sory for his offences And as in the doyng of hys sinnes there were twoo thinges the noughtye dede and the carnall pleasure that was ioyned with the same so in the forsaking of his sinnes there must be two thinges ceasing froÌ„ the dede and sorow for the sinne past For so the Prophet cryeth Quiescite peruerse agere Cease to do euil He that continueth styll in his noughtye doyng is farre from al kinde of true penaunce For how can he turne to God that is not turned from his synne nor he can not be sorye that stil is doing the thing for the which he is sorye And it is to be vnderstand that this sorow of Contrition is inwarde in the harte and not fained onelye pretended in the outward behauiour Which the verye woorde Contrition dothe signifye For that is called contrite that is brused and beaten into small peeces or powder euen so when the hardnesse of a mans harte is mollified wyth sorowe and teares for that he hath by sinne displeased God than is his hart contrite An hard harte is that whiche is not cutte with compunction nor made softe with pitie nor moued with prayers nor yeldeth to threatninges but is vnkynde after benefites wythoute shame of dishonestie without feare of perill geuyng no place to any good motion but withstandyng by continuaunce in will to sinne Euen so on the other syde a mans harte is contrite when it is cutte with compunction mollified with pitie and deuotion moued with prayers and exhortation is affraide by threatninges allured by kindnes ashamed of dishonesty geuing place to Gods inspiration puttinge awaye the wyll and loue to sinne abhorring his former filthye liuing dyspleasing hymselfe and lamentyng for the same and with sure trust of Gods mercy submytting himselfe hollye in all poyntes to obeye hys wyll and commaundement An harte after thys sorte contrite and humbled GOD wyll neuer dispise nor reiecte but accepte it as a sweete Sacrifice of the whyche the Prophet sayde Be ye turned vnto me in all your harte in fasting in weeping and lamentynge cutte your hartes and not your garmentes And our Sauiour saith Blessed be they that mourne for they shall receyue comforte Whyche mourning is not from the lyppes outwarde to say or pretende them selues to be sorye but to declare it outwardlye in deede as muche as they can by weeping and lamenting And thys Contrition is the Crosse of Christ which euerie Christen man and woman that foloweth Christe in this worlde beareth voluntarilye vpon his owne backe and so sheweth the vertue of Christes crosse in his owne flesh euer carying about the mortification of Iesus Christ in his body that the life of Iesus may be shewed in his body And because we must turne to God with oure holle harte the quantitie and greatnes of this sorow is to be measured by the quantitie of our crimes so that he which hath synned muche doo lament muche that his penaunce be found no lesse than his crime And the more that he dothe humble hymselfe by sorowe the more shall he be exalted to grace the more abiecte he is in hys owne syghte the more accepte in the sight of God Therefore oure Sauiour Christe forgaue Sainte Peter his sinne by and by because he wept bitterly and dyd not increase hys fault by driuing of his amendement For a true penitent looseth not tyme. For the tyme paste he redeemeth agayne whyles that he calleth to remembraunce all his yeares past in the bitternesse of his soule The present tyme he dothe fullye possesse by sorowe and exercise of that vertue whyche is contrarye â—o that he offended in The tyme to come he looseth not by constantlye endeuouring himself to performe that good purpose of sinning no more which he hath godly begonne Remembring the sayinges of the Apostle while we haue time let vs do good And he that continueth to the laste ende shall be saued For except a sinner determine surely wyth hymselfe in his minde to leaue and forsake all synne and intende neuer to do any agayne but to kepe Gods commaundementes iustly from that time forwarde he shall not obtayne forgiuenesse of his sinnes at Gods hande nor his contrition is not perfite and profitable vnto him Wherefore it is to be feared that manye yea and all those
of penaunce for synnes committed after Baptisme is necessary to saluation whyche is ful remission of the same sinnes And it is institute and ordeyned by our sauioure Christe when after hys gloryous resurrection and before he ascended gaue to hys Apostles Pryestes and so to other power to absolue and forgeue synners theyr synnes sayinge to hys Apostles thus Receyue the holy ghoste The synnes of those that you forgeue bee forgeuen and the synnes of those that you reteyne be reteyned that is to saye bee not forgeuen In which wordes our Sauiour Christ gaue power and authority to al priestes both to remitte sinne and also to reteyne synne and ordeyned them to bâ— iudges in his kingdome the Churche to heare and determyne all crymes and offences whyche shall be committed againste hym and his lawes Thys power our Sauiour neuer gaue to Aungelles nor Archaungelles nor to no worldlye Prince but onelye to hys Apostelles and those that haue in hys Churche the order of Pryesthode whyche power is verye greate and excellent as perteyninge to the soule of man and reachinge to heauen where almightye God ratyfyeth aboue what so euer sentence Pryestes shall geue in earthe Thys power no Priest can exercyse worthelye withoute the confession of the synner him selfe whiche is the onelye waye for the prieste to knowe and vnderstand what he oughte to forgeue and what to reteyne and not forgeue except he shoulde blyndelye and rashelye behaue him selfe in so greate an offyce forgeuinge that he knoweth not what For neyther oughte hee to bynde those that be innocente nor to loâ—se those that bee obstinate but accordinge to his office and commission to exercyse the same in bindinge and loosing after that he hath heard the varietie of the sinnes confessed For GOD doth pardon theim onelye that be truelye penitent for their offences and beginne and further purpose to amende theyr lyuinge And because the power of the Priestes is two wayes to forgeue the sinnes of some and to reteyne the synnes of other therefore our sauiour Christe gaue to them the holye ghoste that they might effectuallye execute bothe the functions and also the better discerne the one from the other and also consideringe that Christe in plaine woordeâ— affirmeth that no sinne is remitted before God in heauen whiche is reteyned and not remitted by his ministers the priestes in earth Therfore the holye catholyke Churche of Christ euen from the beginninge thereof vnderstandeth by the sayde woordes of Christe that it is necessarye by Goddes law that euery man and woman whan they haue sinned deadlye shoulde confesse theyr sinnes to a Priest if they may haue one because they can not otherwise obteyne pardone of their sinnes but by a Pryestes absolution sacramenâ—all excepte it be vnpossible for them to haue the same as when the synner woulde confesse and can not speake or can not gette a ghostly father for in suche cases God accepteth a mans good wyll and vnfeyned contrition in steede of the sacramentall confession where the Sacrament is excluded by vrgent necessitie and not by contempte of religion So that the execution of this heauenlye authoritie requireth iudgemente and discretion in the Priest to discerne what is to bee remitted what not seinge euerye sinne in euery man is not to be remytted whereunto is necessarye the knowledge of the faulte whiche can not be had of a man that seeth not the secrettes of an others harte excepte the partye being giltie declare his owne conscience and reuele plainlye hys secret offences for whiche cause the holy Churche teacheth that the same woordes that geue authoritie to Priestes to forgeue or reteine sinne the same also do inioyne and bynde al sinners to confesse their sinnes to Pryestes for the atteyninge of the saied remission Therfore it is to be beleued of all men and women that confession of deadly sinnes is to be made to a prieste by Goddes law as necessary to saluation without the whiche the necessarye Sacrament of penance can not be ministred seinge that it is the matter of the same Sacrament wherby the offendour is both accuser of himself and also witnes against him self and yet may not be his own iudge pardoning him selfe but ought to confesse his faulte not onely priuily to God to whom nothinge is secret but also wythout shame or dysdayne to him whom for that purpose God hathe vouchsafed to make his vicare delegate iudge and to vndergoo hys iudgement and sentence to the intent hys conscience maye be quieted and he fully reconciled to almighty God For men are bounden necessarylye to open their sinnes to theym to whome the dyspensation of Gods mysteries is committed for so we see that our fathers did in their penaunce seinge it is also written in the Gospell that the Iewes confessed their sinnes to Saint Iohn Baptiste and the people of Ephesus to the Apostles of whom they were Baptized Wherefore good people I exhorte you in the name of oure Lorde Iesus Chryste that thys necessary and holesome medycyne of your soules be not lightlye regarded of you but whosoeuer hath his conscience loden with the heauy burden of sinne or wounded with the darte of the Deuils tentation or infected with the poysoned coÌ„tagion of deadly sinne lette him runne without delaye to this present remedy whiche oure Sauiour Chryst hath ordeined offereth to al men lette hym go to the Phisiciane whom god hathe appointed for his soule and hath fully authorysed and instructed what to do to the healynge of the same and lette him humble and submyt him selfe not onely vnder the mightye hande of God but also to a mortall man beinge Goddes vicare and stewarde of hys mysteryes not regardinge the man for the worthynesse of hym selfe but for the dignitie of his place and administration neuer accomptinge him to be vyle whome GOD hathe vouchesafed to make hys vycare And to hym or rather to GOD before hym lette hym open hys wounde shewe hys lepre and humblye confesse hys sinne wherewith he hathe offended almyghtye GOD and wyth an humble and contryte harte require remyssyon of hys synne geuinge full confidence to the wordes of Christe and beleuynge that to be remytted wyth God in heauen whatsoeuer the Priest of what state so euer he be by exercysing of gods commission remitteth to him in earthe knoweinge that God is faythfull and neyther can deceyue nor be deceyued but alwayes assisteth the due ministration of hys Sacrament woorking the same effecte inwardelye in the soule of the true penitent that the woordes of the Pryeste dooe outwardelye to hys eare sygnyfye whiche is remyssion of all hys synnes Lette not shame stoppe this humble confession but let euery man rather bee ashamed to sinne than to confesse hys synne For as the wyse man sayeth there bee two maner of shames one that bringeth to synne an other that bringeth to grace and glorye The good shame is when a man is ashamed that hee dothe or
hathe synned and althoughe no other creature were pryuye to it yet he wyth reuerence feareth the sighte of GOD that alwaies seeth hym This kinde of shame dryueth away confusion and reproche and woorketh grace and glorye in that eyther he dothe forbeare to synne or elles by penaunce punysheth and by confession banisheth his sinne committed where as his glory is the witnesse of his owne conscience The noughtye shame is whan a man is ashamed to confesse hys faulte this kynde of shame dryueth awaye grace and glorye and woorketh eternall confusion whiche lyke a locke or barre stoppeth the doore of hys mouthe and wyll not lette the poyson of the harte to be caste oute tyll the soule be deade and drowned in the botome of sinne Wherefore this is certeyne and sure he that for shame contemneth and refuseth to confesse hys synnes here where remedye may easely and presentlye be had He shall be compelled to confesse theym there where greatest shame shall be in the presence of Chryste hys Aungels and the hoole world â–ª and endlesse paine shall insue Thys is the subtyl crafte of oure ghostly enemye the deuyll Who vseth this noughty shame as an instrument of all myschiefe in that he perswadeth a man to caste awaye shame and to bee impudent and carelesse of hys lyuinge and so to feare neyther GOD nor man but boldeye to synne and impudentlye to boaste and defend the same And on the other syde whan the same synner is smytten with the feare of hell and is compuncte in harte and by Goddes grace moued to holesome penaunce and confessyon than the deuyll vseth the same instrument agayne restoringe that he toke away before that is to say shame not to sinne but to confesse his sinne and so kepeth hym styll faste bounden and locked in the cheines of mortal sinne that the keyes of heauen committed by Christe in Saynte Peter to the Churche of God can not open that locke and loose the prysoner because shame kepeth hym from confession without the which the keyes caÌ„ not be vsed to the deliuerye of the prysoner By thys we maye vnderstande that the confessyon of synnes is the wytnes of a conscience that feareth GOD for he that feareth the iudgement of God is not ashamed to confesse his synne and he that is ashamed feareth not For perfyt feare looseth all shame the sufferinge and auoydinge whereof is a certaine paine and punishement for the sinne bycause by thys meanes the pryde of a sinners harte which God resisteth is broken and pulled downe and by humilitie is made mete to receiue the grace of God And also that perniciouse securitie whiche a sinner regardeth not so longe as he hath glorye in him selfe and pleasure in his carnall lyuinge is by knelinge downe and submittinge him selfe to Goddes minister taken awaye whyles that he layinge hys owne lyfe wyth all the abhomination thereof before hys owne eyes learneth to know him selfe and howe vyle he hath made him selfe in the sighte of God and is so affected as he woulde wyshe to bee yf he were euen than at poynte to departe oute of thys worlde whiche is a brydle and a great stay for hym to refreyne from synne and to auoyde the same in time to come â–ª For whiche cause let euery man confesse hys owne sinne whyles he is yette lyuynge and remayninge in thys worlde whyles his confession maye be admitted and satysfaction and remission whyche is geuen here by the Prieste is accepted before God If any infection of deadly sinne or infidelitie hath entred into his hart let hym not bee ashamed to confesse it to hym that hath cure and charge of his soule to the intenâ—e it might be cured by the woorde of GOD and holsome counsell so that by perfit faith and good woorkes he mighte escape the paines of eternall fyre and come to the reward of eternal life But yf he that is stynged with the serpent the Deuil holde hys peace and wyll not do penaunce and confesse his wounde to hys brother and mayster that hathe cure vpon him than can his mayster that hath a tonge to heale him profitte hym nothinge for how can the surgion minister an apte and holesome medycine yf the sicke man wyll not open and shewe hys wounde vnto him For the same waye is obserued in the confession of synnes which is vsed in the woundes of a mans bodye Lyke as the soores of the bodye bee not opened to euerye one but to suche as can skyll to heale theim euen so ought the confession of synnes to bee made to theym that can heale theym whiche after what sorte it is done ye haue heard it declared from the mouthe of oure Sauyoure Chryste who promised to allow and accepte as forgeuen what so euer hys minister in hys name shall forgeue and also denyeth it to bee remitted whiche by hys minister is reteyned and not remitted Dooe what a man can and serche as muche as he wyll and he shall fynde after Baptisme no other table or boorde to saue hym selfe from shyppewracke of sinne and drowninge in damnation and to bee broughte vnto the sure grounde of grace and the state of saluation but onelye by this Sacrament of penaunce whiche is ministred by a Pryeste to him that is truelye penitente and faythfullye confesseth hys synne and humblye requireth absolution for the same And although the contrition of an humble harte may be so greate that the sentence of GOD in heauen maye goe before the sentence of Goddes minister in earth yet that true coÌ„trition alwaies includeth a ful purpose and determination to obteine remission at the priestes hand by confessing his sinnes as soone as he may haue oportunitie For els he can not haue true contrition before God that proudly contemneth gods ordinauÌ„ce and neuer intendeth to require the same of gods minister Thus whaÌ„ a sinner forsaketh his sinne and coÌ„meth to confession vnfeynedly as he ought to do than doth almighty God mercifully blotte out his sinne and forgeueth all the punishement whiche he deserued to suffer in hell for breakinge of gods eternall lawe and setteth him againe in the state of saluatioÌ„ and than the synner fealeth his conscience discharged of the heauy burden of sinne and may be glad and quyete in his conscyence knowing surely by the moste sure and mercyfull promise of almighty god that he hathe of his goodnesse pardoned and forgeuen him al his sinnes and doth beare him againe his gracyous fauour and loueth him as much as he did before and that he hath geuen him also newe grace and spirituall strength and made him able to receiue hys owne sonne oure Sauioure God and man in the blessed Sacrament of the Altare helpeth him continuallye in this life to passe throughe the daungers of the same toward the kingdome of heauen to the whiche God bring vs that made vs to whom be all glorye Amen ¶ what sinner ought to do in making his Confession Ser. xx AFter
that ye haue learned good people the necessitie of Confession howe euerye sinner is bounden to confesse his sinnes to a Prieste by goddes lawe for the atteininge of absolution and remission of sinne nowe it followeth to be declared what a sinner oughte to do in makinge his confession Firste a sinner ought before he come to coÌ„fession to make an accompte wyth himselfe of his lyfe and to call to his remembraunce how many deadly sinnes he hath committed since the time of his laste confession wherin suche diligence muste be vsed as the necessytye and dygnitie of the woorke of GOD whiche is absolution doth require beinge willinge and readye to doe all thinges that be necessary for the recouery of grace and health of his soule whiche a sicke man woulde dooe for auoydinge the death of his bodye And this the sinner ought to doe for two causes the one that he mighte thereby take speciall repentaunce for euerye offence that he dydde for as muche as he did disobeye and offend almightye God and had some specyall pleasure in euery one and therfore he ought to call his sinnes to hys minde and for remedye of the same to take some dyspleasure and repentaunce for euerye one of theym The other cause is that he mighte haue hys sinnes readye and the better in his mynde for to shewe them vnto his ghostly father when he commeth to confession The whiche kinge Dauid did well perceiue that sinners bee bounden to dooe and therfore whan he had sinned he saied thus I wyl studye to remember my sinne because I wyll confesse it And the example of the prodigal sonne in the Gospell teacheth vs also so to doe who returninge to his father considered howe euyll hee had lyued and he called than to his mynde what he woulde confesse and saye to hys father when he shoulde come to hym Thus whan a sinnes hath diligentlye examined his owne conscyence and called to his remembraunce howe often and wherein he hathe offended hys Lorde God takinge speciall repentaunce and contrition for euery offence than he ought to come to hys ghostlye father with great desire and humilitie not as to a manne to heare some worldlye and profitable counsell but as to the messenger or vycare of oure Sauiour Christe representinge his persone whose embassage hee vseth for makynge peace and reconciliation betwene the synner and GOD to the intente he myghte heare of hym the woorde of GOD whiche is the woorde of absolution for hys synnes by paste and also bee instructed by the woorde of GOD howe to lyue wel hereafter and auoide sinne And where as the effect of Gods Sacramentes doo not depend vpon the vertue or worthines of the priest the minister but vpon the commaundement and ordinaunce of GOD who by hys spirite dothe assiste the due ministration of the same therfore a penitent synner oughte rather to regarde the vertue and power of GOD that woorketh by hys mynyster than the state of the persone be he hye or lowe a iuste or an vniuste man so longe as he is a member of Gods vniuersall Churche and by toleration suffred to minister in the same and he oughte to geue full credyte to the woordes of absolution that than his sinnes be clerelye remytted yf hys harte be than disposed and mete to receyue the same remissyon and yf hee put no stoppe to Goddes grace as they doe that lacke fayth and true contrityon And so the penitent sinner comming to a Pryeste and humbly submytting him selfe to him as representing the persone of Chryste ought to reherse hollye symplye and faythfully al the deadly synnes which than after diligent serchinge of his lyfe doe burden and vexe hys conscience For althoughe the holye Churche dothe not burden a sinner to confesse euery veniall synne whiche is vnpossyble or very harde to doe for who dothe knowe all hys faultes and also seinge that veniall synnes doe not take away charity nor do not exclude a man from the kyngedome of heauen wythoute the whyche thys frayle and mortall lyfe can not be passed ouer yet yf a man fall oftentymes into suche smal sinnes they ought not to be neglected but auoyded betymes because contempt in all thynges aggrauateth the cryme and speciallye in procurynge the remedye and also a manne shall geue an accompte in the daye of iudgement of euery idle woorde which he shal speake But all mortall sinnes such as be transgressions of gods commaundements and bringe a man in state of damnation so many as come to his remembraunce after diligent serche and inquisition the synner ought to confesse And not onely suche as he knoweth certeinly to be mortall sinnes but also suche as he doubteth of knoweth not certeinely whether they be mortall sinnes or no because what so euer thing is not of fayth is sinne and he that dothe or alloweth to be doone any thinge whereof his conscience reprehendeth or condemneth him doth therin against his conscience and sinneth deadly and ought to confesse it and learne of his ghostly father to whom iudgement is geuen to discerne betwene lepre and not lepre sinne not sinne how to know and auoide the same afterward Furthermore it is to be coÌ„sidered that god doth not forgeue one mortall sinne reteineth an other vnforgeuen but alwayes whan he forgeueth he forgeueth all together the which he shewed in expellinge al and the holle legion of deuils out of the man of Geâ—rasen And he shewed the same agayne whan he pardoned Marye Magdalene for he forgaue her all her synnes and the scrypture calleth that man happye whose sinne God hath not imputed but couered if there were any sinne remaining imputed vnto hym and not forgeuen he should not be compted as happye but as an eâ—emye to god Now seing the father â—ath geuen al power to the sonne and the sonne hathe geuen the same power to the Priestes of his churche whose iudgement both in byndinge and losinge in earth is confirmed and ratifyed by God in heauen therfore the remission whiche the priestes geue to penitent sinners oughte to be lyke and agreable to the remission whiche is geuen by God that is to say a full remission not forgeuinge one mortall sinne without an other but eyther forgeuing al at once or none at all And because as ye were taught before the priest can not worthelye exercyse this authoritie of forgeuinge or reteyninge sinne excepte the sinner open hys conscience and confesse his sinnes hym selfe both because he can not otherwyse knowe what is to bee remytted what is not and also because he may not rashely remit that he knoweth not and is not confessed vnto him therfore the sinner is bounden plainelye and fullye to confesse all his sinnes and euery pertyculare sinne whiche by diligente serchynge of hys conscyence commeth than to hys remembraunce For the conceyling or hyding of any one mortall sinne which he remembreth is the cause why all the
remedy of penaunce wherby euery sinner may be deliuered alwaies frō y e paines of hel be set againe in gods fauour state of saluatiō for the which euery mā is most boūden to render thankes to the vttermoste of hys power And on the other side he is likewise boūden to acknowledge and with sorow to confesse his manifolde vnkindnes in that behalfe for as muche as he hath diuers times after his shrifte and reconciliation turned from God and greuously synned againe and so hath greatly offended by breakinge his promyse whiche hee made when he was shriuen for the whiche he ought to be sory and to beseche almighty God of his mercifull pardon and forgeuenes Fourthlye a man oughte to thanke God for his great kindenes shewed vnto him in preseruing him from many synnes whiche he myghte haue done and also in letting him from doynge of dyuers which he was in mynde to haue done and would haue done them For euery man may consider and remember with hym selfe that he might oftentimes haue synned whē he did not which I thinke he should haue done if he hadde not bene preserued and kept from doing of them by Gods speciall goodnes Also seldome it chaūceth but that a mā may vnderstād how he hath bene in minde and wyll to haue synned dyuers tymes and yet he hathe been let and coulde not fulfill his euill purpose and desire as sometime he hath been lette by shame sometime by feare and sometime otherwyse whiche lets no doubt of it God did cause him to haue for he is so mercifull that he will not suffer sinners alwaies to synne so greatlye nor to runne so deepelye into the handes of the deuill and damnation as they should do if they might euermore without stop or let do so muche euill and sinne in dede as thei be willing to do in their hartes And here a synner maye graunt and confesse that he hathe not considered this great kyndenes of God shewed vnto hym in these twoo rehersed poyntes but hath shewed great vnkyndnes agayne because that when he hath remembred the oportunitie and the meete time and occasion that hee had to synne in tyme past and myght haue done diuers synnes without let or stop yet he hath not geuen to God due prayse and thankes for his preseruation from synne but rather he hathe repented hym been sory that he had not doen suche euyl deedes as he might haue doen. Likewyse when he hath remembred howe he hath been let and could not do suche euill as he was in mynde and wyllynge to dooe he hathe not than geuen God thankes because he was let but rather he hathe been discontent and sory that he was let for the whiche thinges he ought nowe to bee sorye and humbly beseche GOD of his mercyfull forgeuenes Fiftly a synner ought to geue God moste hie thankes for his syngulare kindnes shewed vnto hym many tymes when he hath been and lyen in deadly sinne for that almighty God notwithstanding this maner of rebellion and obstinacie of the synner in remayning in sinne and not repenting him yet dyd of his great goodnes and mercye come vnto the synners soule and there dyd stande and knocke that the synner shoulde haue letten him in that is to say God gaue him remorse of conscience the whiche did grudge against the sinne that he hath doone and was in and by that grudge of conscience he perceiued or myght haue perceyued that if hee woulde not leaue and forsake his sinne he shoulde be dampned And if he didde forsake and turne to God and intende to lyue well and iustlye and to kepe his commaundementes that than God woulde pardone him and enter into his soule and there continue and take it at his departynge hence into a better lyfe in heauen This mercifull offer God did alwaies make to the synner vppon the foresayde condition if hee woulde forsake hys synnes and keepe hys lawe And to the intent he shoulde so dooe God gaue hym grudge in his conscience agaynste his synne that he shoulde leaue it and hate it and take his moste mercifull offer And if he did not or woulde not heare GOD by this knockynge that is to saye if he dyd not forsake his synne by the remorse of his conscience yet God would not vtterly departe and go his waye but stande styll and knocke agayne that is to witte GOD caused him to haue good counsell sometyme of learned men and sometyme of his other neighbours and familiare friendes and sometyme in hearynge of Godlye Sermons by the whiche he was exhorted to forsake vyce and synne and so to lette God come into his soule And if hee dydde not or woulde not heare hym at this second knockyng that is if he woulde not doo after and followe suche good counsel as God caused hym to haue yet he would not leaue him so but did knocke yet once agayne that is to saye God didde suffer hym to fall in some worldlye trouble or aduersitie or into some bodely disease that he should then remēbre hym and his offences forsake them and to cal to God for mercy and so to open the dore of his soule let him in Thus God in his comming and knockyng hath shewed to man great and mercifull kindenesse and yet man hath bene very vnkinde and greatly offended againe For often times he woulde not heare God nor let him come in but rather with pleasure and desire whiche he had in sinne he stopped his eares and woulde not suffer hys conscience to grudge nor shewe him his offences nor he would not do after good counsell and exhortacions nor woulde not esteme the aduersitie that came vnto him as a messenger and the knocking of Gods hande but rather fast barred the dore of his soule with frowarde and obstinate purpose to continue and tary styll in synne and so did keepe God out But when the deuyll came and knocked and did moue him but outwardly to let in pryde enuy and malice he was then contented to open the doore of his soule and to let them and many moo other vices come in And when the worlde came and knocked and moued him to get and gather goodes not regarding how and to kepe them couetously then he opened the doore whiche is the consent of hys free wyll and consented to let couetousnes come in Also when the sensuall appetite and inordinate desyre of his bodie came and moued hym to fulfil his pleasure as to refuse labour and to geue him ease and rest to nourish him in sloth and idlenes and to feede him dilicately and to put away chastitie and to folow lechery and all vnclennes to these he set the doore wyde open ▪ and at the first motion consented to fulfyll their desyres And finally a sinner hath done all thys in Gods sight and presence without regarde of his goodnes without reuerence of his maiestie without feare of his iustice and hath refused his mercifull offers and woulde not suffer hym to
come in but kepte hym oute of his soule for the which he ought nowe to bee sory and to beseche God being a most merciful Lord of pardō and forgeuenes and not onelye that but also to renounce and forsake in his hart all maner of vice and sinne and to bee in wyll and mynde to confesse these and al other his offences and to serue God faithfully from hence forward in kepynge his commaundementes and to beseche hym to geue him grace that he neuer forsake nor fall frō this good purpose that he is nowe in but euermore during his life to loue laude honor god according to his profession promise habilitie Here good people I might haue spokē more largely in the rehersing of Gods mercifull kindnes to vs and of our noughty vnkindnes again to him but for this short time I iudged this to be metest for the most part of men seing that after this sorte we haue commonly all offended some more so me lesse and that euerye man here remembring t hese pointes that I haue declared now vnto you as by the examinacion of his cōscience he shal finde himselfe culpable so he may frame his confession adding or diminishinge as he seeth cause not that I intende hereby to prescribe a forme of confession but onelye to geue certein admonitions how a man myght the better make his confessiō exhorting euery man beside these admonitions diligentlye to learne the cōmaundementes of God and to serch to know euery thing that is thereby commaunded or forbidden and that by comparinge his actes and deedes with Gods law which is the rule of his lyfe as his conscience well examined will bryng his doynges and sayinges to his remembraūce and so commynge in knowledge of his offences he may make his confession perfitelye firste inwardly to almyghty God and than Sacramētally to Gods ministre and therby receyue pardon and absolution of all his sinnes and grace to abstayne from the same afterwarde and that all we may do so let vs praye diligentlye to almighty God the father to whom with the sonne the holy ghost be all glory and prayse Amen ¶ Of confession to a mans neyghbour whome he hath offended Serm. xxii YE haue learned good people what remedye oure Sauioure Christ hath ordeyned and lefte in his holye Churche agaynst the poyson infection of synne and how that the Sacrament of Penaunce is that onelye remedy whereby remission is gotten ordinarylye for euery deadly synne that is done of a Christē man after baptisme whiche Sacrament of Penaunce consisteth in the absolution that is geuen by a Catholike Priest to a synner beynge truelye and vnfeynedly contryte in his harte playnly and holly confessynge his synnes with his mouthe submyttynge hymselfe to the iudgement and disciplyne of the churche by holsome satisfaction whiche in an other Sermon shal be declared vnto you by Gods helpe He that is thus affected and vseth this Sacrament after this maner lyke as hee oughte stedfastlye withoute anye doubtynge to beleue the effecte of euery Sacrament whiche by the vertue of Christes passion and the operation of the holy Ghoste dooeth euermore woorke in the woorthy receyuour that grace it signyfieth so hee maye bee assured that hee hathe receyued remyssyon of all his synnes euen as the woordes of absolution dooe purporte and that he is reconciled and restored agayne to the fauour of almyghtie God if there be no impediment and stoppe remayninge in his harte wherby the grace of GOD can take no place there so longe as that stoppe is not remoued And where as the lacke of true contricion and the hydynge or excusynge of a mans synnes bee the speciall stoppes of this grace of remission yet there be other stoppes whiche although they be generally conteyned within these yet it shall bee very profitable for your edyfienge that they bee particularelye opened and declared to thintent you may the better knowe them and the soner auoyde them And principally because God is charitie and the God of peace and not of discension and doth not vouchsafe to poure his grace into that hart where hatred enmitie and breache of peace remayneth therefore no man can be reconciled to God whome he hath by his synne offended that is not reconciled to his brother or neyghboure whome by some iniurye eyther in woorde or deede he hath lykewyse offended And as a synner is bounden to confesse his synne to GOD for absolution So a synner if he haue offended hys neyghboure is likewyse bounden to confesse his faulte to his neyghboure to the intent all displeasure and variaunce myght bee taken awaye betwene theim and they by brotherlye loue made apte vessels to receyue the grace of God and remission of synne And althoughe this brotherly confession bee not Sacramentall ▪ that is to saye the proper matter of thys Sacramente of Penaunce as the other confession whiche is made to a Prieste is yet it is expedient and very necessarye to the atteyning of the effecte of the other confession whiche is remission of sinnne and doeth prepare a mans harte and maketh it the more meete to receyue the same So longe as we lyue in thys frayle body as in earthen vessels we can not alwayes be free but some tyme wee shall offende and bee offended and as the offendour ought humbly to aske forgeuenes so the other party that is offended ought easely and gentelye to remit and forgeue the wronges or iniuries that be done vnto him that the members of Christe bee alwayes in peace and moste readye to keepe humilitie and charitye the one in askynge forgeuenesse the other in freely forgeuynge Of the firste speaketh oure Sauioure Christe in the Gospell sayinge Yf thou offer thy offeringe before the Aultare and there shalte remember that thy brother hathe somethinge againste thee leaue thyne offeringe there before the Aultare and firste goe and be reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer thyne offeryng In these woordes wee maye perceyue the great mercy and vnspeakeable loue of almyghtye GOD towardes man who letteth gooe his owne honoure for the zeale he hath to nouryshe charitie betwene neyghboure and neyghboure What can bee more louynglye spoken than to saye let my seruice be left vndone that thy charitie be kept and fulfilled The recōciliation of one brother to another is a sweete sacrifice to me and therfore he sayde not after thou hast offered but before thou doest offer not commaundinge him altogether to make no Sacrifice or offerynge but to preferre the reconcilynge of his brother before his offerynge declaryng by this that he honoureth charitie aboue all thynges and accompteth it to be the moste acceptable Sacrifice of all other inward Sacrifices without the whiche he accepteth no other Sacrifice and also declarynge the necessitie of this reconciliation whiche in no wyse may be omitted and left vndone seinge no other Sacrifice neither outward nor inwarde in the harte of man canne bee perfite so longe as the
that God most loueth and not to be ashamed to do wel to oure brother lest Gods sonne be ashamed of vs before his father And this ought we to doo without delay as Saynte Paule teacheth saying Lette not the Sunne set vpon your anger nor geue not place to the deuyll who is moste busye in the nyghte tyme takynge occasion whan a man is alone to kyndle his anger more and to moue the man to abuse that headye affection whiche is voyde of all counsell to furder mischiefe as to false accusacions murder and suche other enormities as procede from anger Thus briefly ye see what he that anye waye hathe offended hys neyghboure is bounden to dooe whiche is to gooe to hym and to confesse his fault and to do that lieth in him to reconcile his neighbour No harte is so harde and stiffe but with humble submission it will bee mollyfied and made softe as the wyse man sayeth A soft speache breaketh bones and an humble answer dissolâ—eth anger so that it lyeth in our power to queÌ„ch or to kindle thâ—â—â—ger of hym that is offeÌ„ded On the other syâ—e he that is offeÌ„ded hath taken and suffered iniury at his neyghbours hand ought not onely to forgeue him hartely freely that did the wrong but also to praye for him as Saint Iames saieth Confesse your selues one to an other and pray eche for other that ye may be saued And this is also an other lette and stoppe that the grace which is ordinarily geuen by the sacrament of penaunce can take no place in the hart of him that wil not be reconciled and forgeue his neighbour as he wold God should forgeue him Therefore good people if any of you haue suffered wrong at your neighbours hand think and consider with him selfe how often he hathe offended other men and God also the Lord of al men and so shall he be more ready and disposed to forgeue againe Lette him labour to imitate our sauiour Christ whose seruant he professeth to be who taught all his disciples in their prayers to forgeue suche as were debters and offenders to them if they would haue god to forgeue vnto them their offences lykewyse Willing vs to shewe our selues to our neyghbours euen in suche sorte as we would God should be towardes vs. For the man of whom our sauiour speaketh in the parable that would not forgeue his fellowe seruant his small debte of one hundreth pence did in that vnmercifull behauiour muche hurt him selfe and brought himselfe in debt and daunger of ten thousande talentes whiche his Lorde had forgeuen him before Whereby wee be taught that when we doo not forgeue other than we stande in our owne lyght and procure that God shall not forgeue vs. It lyeth in oure power to prescribe as it were a lawe to God of forgeuing or not forgeuynge synne If we reuenge or forgeue the wronges that bee dooen against vs euen so will God reuenge or forgeue that we haue done against him For as the wise man sayeth He that will reuenge him selfe shall finde vengeaunce at Gods hand againe and shal retayne his owne synnes Forgeue thy neyghbour that hurteth thee and thaÌ„ thy sinnes at thy praier shall be loosed The man that kepeth his anger against his neighboure can he aske a medicine of God Therefore let euerye man forgeue one another if he haue any quarell against him like as our Lorde hathe forgeuen vs and let no rancour or malice nor no footesteppe of hatred remayn The greater the iniurie is that is done the greater merite and the more prayse is to â—ontemne it It is more glorious for a Christen man to ouercome himselfe and his furious passion of anger than to ouercome his enemy and so to do himselfe more harme than his enemy Against this wylde beast of Ire we ought to vse as a sharpe brydle the feare of Gods iudgement to come and when we be prouoked thereto to aske of oure selues whether it were better to be ouercommed of anger thaÌ„ to ouercome it and to consider that when we bee ouercommed of it we blame our selues and be ashamed although no man accuse vs and be greatlye sorye for it But when we haue ouercommed it like a conquerour we are glad and much reioyce For the greatest victorie against anger is when wee paciently beare our iniuries and do not cruellye reuenge them If they be worthy muche blame that doe iniury to vs why doo we make our selues as euill as they be in doyng the like to them agayne rather let vs studie to be like God who commaundeth vs to loue our enemies and to do good to them that hate vs and to pray for them that sclaunder and persecute vs that we myght be the children of oure father that is in heauen that causeth the sunne his creature to shyne ouer good and euyll and rayneth bothe ouer iust men and vniust God oure moste mercifull father hathe soo hollye pardoned vs and so liberallye forgeuen vs all iniuries done against him that he neither condempneth vs nor putteth vs to shame nor imputeth them to vs whom he hath once receyued to mercy But contrary some men there be that forgeue their iniuryes that although they wyll not reuenge them yet they wyll vpbrayde them withall and cast theim in their teeth Other some there bee that although they speake nothing of them yet they keepe rancour in their mynde readye to breake out when occasion shal be geuen againe These men haue not fully forgeuen their neyghbours offences and in so doynge bee not the children of God like to their father in heauen who fully and freelye forgeueth al iniuries and neither vpbraydeth nor remembreth theim any more agayn so that where sinne in synners did abounde there grace in penitentes doeth more abounde Therefore when we forgeue let vs do it frely and holly and from the harte withoute pretended simulation whiche we may knowe whether we haue done so or no when wee perceyue oure selues to be verelye and hartelye sory when our neighbour whom we haue forgeuen falleth into any mysfortune or is hurt or harmed by any occasion and also when we perceyue our selues to be hartely glad for his commoditie and preferment and to laboure and procure the same as muche as lieth in vs. This is that mutual compassion that all Christen men beynge members of one bodye oughte to haue one to an other in such thinges as be godly and proceede from charitie alwaies followinge peace and holynes of lyfe without the whiche no man shall see God For they shall be called the sonnes of God that be makers of peace Some men be peaceable that geue and render good for good and studye to hurte no bodye so muche as lyeth in them Other some be pacieÌ„t that dooe not render euyll for euyll and yet bee able to beare with them that doe them wronge Other some be peace makers
carefulnes hath it wroughte in you that ye dooe not offend agayne hereafter And also it hathe wrought suche a confession of your faulie as ye offer to make satisfaction and amendes for the same and it hath wrought in you anger and indignation agaynst your faulte and feare of the terrible iudgement of God for your faulte and desyre to be reconcyled agayne to God and the churche and zeale to bee diligent in doinge good hereafter and punishement wherby ye do afflict and punysh your selues for your offence by past to the intent ye myghte escape the correction of God that hangeth ouer your heades All these bee the effectes of true Contrition which ceaseth not to wash the woundes of sinne more and more after forgeuenes as Dauid did and as naturall thynges be healed by their contraries so it laboureth to haue the woundes of synne fully and perfitely healed by doyng cōtrarye good workes to the former synnes that by them the roote of sinne might be cleane grubbed out and the rust that remaineth be clerely scoured and the pryde of mans harte pulled downe and humbled and the pronitie and disposition to synne brydled and refrayned whiche thinges be done when we do as Saynte Paule counselleth vs saying Like as ye haue geuen the partes and members of your bodye and soule to serue vnclennesse and iniquitie to further iniquitie so geue and applie the same partes a and members of your body and soule to serue rightwysnes for your sāctification That is to saye take as muche payne to purge and washe away the dregges and fylthynes of your synnes gathered by your noughtye lyuinge as ye toke pleasure before to defile and infect your soules by your sayd noughty lyuing And as ye be nowe iust and sanctified by remission of your sinnes the presence of Gods grace and his holy spirite in your soules so laboure also to be yet iuste and sanctified by purgynge the sequel the scarres and the deformitie which remayne in your soules after your synnes be remitted the paynfull affliction of your selues and by doyng the woorthy fruites of penaunce esteming and pondering the measure of your correction according to the quātitie of your fault And where as penaunce is two waies taken the one to be inward standing in the contrition of the hart the other outwarde standyng in the affliction of the flesh when thou doest cōdemne and reproue thy synne than thou hast penaunce and when thou doest by satisfaction folowynge punishe and correct thy sinne than thou hast the fruite of penaunce and when thy affliction and payne is no lesse incorrectynge of thy sinne then thy pleasure was in doyng of the same thā thou haste done the woorthy fruytes of penaunce as thus If thou haste stollen other mens goodes besyde the ceasing from the sinne and restitutiō of the same goodes nowe beginne to geue thine owne if thou hast vsed fornication a long time forbeare the lawfull vse of thy mariage so long tyme if thou haste doone iniurye to any man in woorde or deede make amendes with humble and good woordes agayne and theim that hurt thee laboure to reconcile them with kyndenesse and benefites It is not sufficient for a mans health to pull onely the darte oute of his wounde but also to laye some playster and medicine to the wounde Recompence thy delitious fare and dronkennesse with fastynge and drynkynge of water if thou hast sene a woman with an vnchast eye forbeare to see a woman agayne and learne after a wounde to take more heede Thus a synners lyfe ought not onelye to bee chaunged into the better but also God must be intreated and made mercyfull by almes and other peynefull woorkes for his sinnes by past The principal workes of satisfaction be fasting prayer and almes whiche be specially commended in the gospell of Christe Under fastinge bee conteyned all bodelye peynes and labours as watching lyeng vpon the ground wearynge of heyr or sackclothe and other suche lyke Under almes be conteyned al the other workes of mercie as well corporall as spirituall wherof some other time God wyllynge ye shall be instructed And vnder prayer bee conteyned the prayers of other as of Priestes poore men and poore scholers such as by our almes and liberalitie be procured to praye for vs as it is said in the old law that the Prieste shall praye for hym and for hys synne and it shall be forgeuen him So that fasting is a medicine to heale perfitly those sinnes which we haue done by concupiscence and desire of the fleshe against our selues and our own bodies And almes is likewyse a medicine to heale perfitely those synnes whiche we committed by cōcupiscence of the eyes whiche is couetousnes deceyte oppression and vniuste dealyng againe our neyghbours And last of al the pryde of life the contempte of godlynes and presumption of mynde whiche be sinnes immediatelye agaynst God be healed perfitely by instant humble and deuoute prayers And the holye scriptures doo playnly shew how that synners may here in this lyfe satisfie and content almighty God for temporall payne with these three woorkes as the booke of Danyell sheweth where the Prophet Daniel exhorteth the king Nabuchodonosor to redeme his sinnes with almes that is to say the seuen yeares of paine which he shoulde suffer for his sinnes And old Toby taught his sonne that almes deliuereth from sinne in which two places by the word sinne is vnderstanded the temporall paine due for sinne For by the merites of our sauiour Christ which be applied to vs in the Sacramentes of Baptisme and Penaunce the giltynes of our sinne and the eternall paynes of hell be taken away and our afflictions whereby we suffer with Christe and are made lyke to the Image of Christe taking their vertue of Christes passion and wrought in vs by his grace and holy spirite not of their owne worthynes but by Gods mercyfull acceptation are meanes ordeined of God to satisfie hym and to turne awaye his anger and displeasure for our sinnes and to purchase hys further grace And that fastynge and prayer be of the same effect for this purpose that almes is is plaine by the exaumple of the Niniuites who after the preaching and threatning of Ionas the Prophet beyng contrite and sorye for their offences did satisfie and redeeme the payne and punishment whiche they shoulde haue had with fasting in asshes and sackeclothe and feruent prayer and by that meane reuoked the sentence of God whiche was spoken by the mouth of Ionas But the scripture alwaies for the moste parte ioyneth these three together because fasting without mercye to a mans neyghbour and the lifting vp of his minde to God by prayer is vnfruitful and litle regarded of God And almes ioyned with surfeting and the gredy cares of the world and lacking the felowship of fasting and prayer is not meritorious And the prayer of him that will not bridle the desires of his fleshe by
an other man then do they commit adulterye and lyue in deadly synne so long as they be with those whom they haue maried And that is because they made them selues maÌ„ and wyfe before in the syght of God who sawe theyr willes and hartes and what they intended dyd then before him and therefore that maryage whiche they made than they maye neuer breake after And in case the man shall forsake that mariage whyche hee made before God and shall openlye ioyne himselfe in mariage with an other woman afterward then shall he synne deadlye and continue in the same so long as he is with that woman whom he last openly married because they be not married before god Yet dothe not the latter woman synne to vse the carnall companye of that man because shee beleueth he is her lawful husbande nor she is not bounde to beleue the contrary though he tell her the contrarye and so she may alwaies vse him as her husbande yf he vse her as his wife And the lyke case is if the woman breake from the first ensuring marry an other man then dothe not he sinne to knowe her as his wife but she sinneth because she knoweth that he is not her husbande But nowe what remedye for a man whyche hath insured and married him selfe to a woman before God with a full minde and consent in his hart and yet forsaketh her afterward and wyll not solemnize that mariage but marrieth an other openlye howe maye he saue him selfe from deadly synne and dampnation seynge hys Prelate by the iudgement of the churche wyl compel him to continue with the second woman whoÌ„ he married openlye and will not suffer hym to forsake her Surely the remedy is very paynfull daungerous worldlye howe be it it is better to fall into the handes of man than into the handes of God And for so muche as I can learne the remedye which that man maye haue is thys he muste leaue and forsake the seconde woman and go if he can and so thynke it good where he maye escape the paynes of the lawe And if he be excommunicate because hee wyll not bee wyth her and for goyng from her then he muste suffer it and so he muste suffer anye other punyshment that he shall chaunce to haue therefore rather then to vse carnall companye with that woman agayne so longe as the other woman is a lyue for he knoweth she is not hys wyfe before God and therefore he shoulde doo against Gods law if he shoulde kepe her companye as her husband and rather than to doo so and offende almyghty God he muste suffer anye maner of payne that the lawe of man maye cause him to haue And so muste a woman doo if she fall into the lyke case for thys is the remedye and there is none other that I knowe And for so muche as I haue spoken some parte of the Prelates doynge herein ye shal further knowe that if a Prelate dooe by the iudgement and censure of the Church excommunicate or curse a man or woman for leauinge or forsakynge the seconde maryage he doth it iustly and lawefullye because the Churche oughte to suppose the best and the most likeliest that is to say that he whiche marryeth openlye beyng a Chrysten man would not so haue done if he had married him selfe to an other woman before god nor haue done so greatlye againste his owne conscyence and Gods lawe And also the Church ought to suppose thys seconde marryage good because it canne not haue a due prooffe of the fyrste Marryage which the man saythe hee made before God but ought to iudge and determine the seconde maryage to be lawful may iustly excoÌ„municate him that doth forsake it And moreouer the Churche may not beleue the maÌ„ which saith that hee was maryed before that this second woman is not his wyfe For besyde that bee graunteth that he hath broken the promise and mariage whiche he made before almighty God he also confesseth openly before the church that he is vntrue in hys â—eedes and woordes and not worthye to be trusted and beleued and therfore the churche ought not to allow his saying nor to beleue it as true concerning the first mariage but rather to iudge it to be false and that he sayeth so nowe because he loueth not this woman but hateth her or els so he sayth for some other euyll purpose Wherefore I shall exhorte in the name of our sauiour Christ euery maÌ„ or woman diligently to loke vpon them selues their own consciences and discretly to consider what they wyll and intende in theyr hartes when they make anye contract and promise of maryage openly or secretly For by their owne consciences and intentes they shall be iudged before God and be condempned if they do the contrary althoughe they may with wordes and excuses doo agaynst it and defend theyr so doyng here in the face of the worlde before man The surest waye that euerye man and woman may take in making of these coÌ„tractes is to marry alwaies in dede here before man as they dyd wyll to do in theyr hartes at the tyme of their ensuring what wordes so euer they said than for so maye they alwaies discharge theyr conscience and put awaye all doubtes and lyue iustly together husbande and wyfe in the seruice of almightye God Moreouer the like doubte or ambyguitie maye chaunce vpon the other syde that is if a man and woman come together to insure them selues and do saye the very formall wordes of the Sacrament before sufficiente recorde and yet the man doth not consent in hys harte to take that woman to his wyfe but saieth the wordes for feare of displeasing his parentes or frendes or els for some other noughtye purpose and likewise of the woman Nowe these two persones be husbande and wyfe by the iudgement of the Churche and before man and yf any of them would forsake the other and be maried againe they maye not so doo thoughe they both graunt that they did neuer coÌ„sent to be man and wife when they were insured no nor though they do both agree to forsake other and yet they be not husband and wyfe nor maried before god and that is because they did not wyll and consent in their hartes so to be when they sayde the wordes of matrymonie And therefore yf these two persones do vse carnal companye together then the partie which did not consent doth commyt fornication and sinneth deadly in so doynge the duetie of mariage as longe as he continueth in the same wyll and mynd that he had when he was insured be it the man or the woman Therfore let euerye man and woman take good hede when they be insured and speake the wordes of this sacrament that they thinke and will then in their hartes the same thinge whiche they doe expresse in their wordes or els lette them neuer speake those wordes neyther for father or freÌ„de or for any other cause Nowe the