hath ouerthrowen death that we beleuing in him myght lyue for euer and not dye Ought not this to engender extreme hatred of sinne in vs to consyder that it did violently as it were plucke God out of heauen to make him feele the horrours and paynes of death O that we would sometimes consyder this in the middest of our pompes pleasures it would bridle the outragiousnesse of the fleshe it would abate and asswage our carnall affectes it woulde restraine our fleshly appetites that we shoulde not run at randon as we commonly do To commit sinne wylfully desperatly without feare of god is nothing els but to crucifie Christ a new as we are expressly taught in the 〈◊〉 to the Hebrues Which thing if it were dencâ—â— printed in all mens heartes then shoulde not sinne raigne euery where so much as it doth to the great griefe and torment of Christe nowe sittyng in heauen Let vs therefore remember and alwaies beare in minde Christe crucified that therby we may be inwardly moued both to abhorre sinne throughly and also with an earnest and zelous heart to loue god For this is another fruite which the memoriall of Christes death ought to worke in vs an earnest and vnfayned loue towardes god So God loued the worlde sayth saint John that he gaue his only begotten soÌ„ne that whosoeuer beleued in hym shoulde not perishe but haue life euerlasting If god declared so great loue towardes vs his seely creatures how can we of ryght but loue him agayne Was not this a sure pledge of his loue to geue vs his own sonne from heauen He myght haue geuen vs an angel if he would or some other creature and yet should his loue haue ben farre aboue our desartes Nowe he gaue vs not an angell but his sonne And what sonne His only sonne his naturall sonne his welbeloued sonne euen that sonne whom he had made Lorde and ruler of al thinges Was not this a singuler token of great loue But to whom did he geue him He gaue him to the whole worlde that is to say to Adam and all that should come after him O lord what had Adam or anye other man deserued at Gods handes that he should geue vs his owne sonne We are all miserable persons sinfull persons dampnable persoÌ„s iustly driuen out of paradice iustly excluded from heauen iustly condempned to hell fyre And yet see a wonderfull token of Gods loue he gaue vs his only be gotten sonne vs I say that were his extreme and deadly enemies that we by vertue of his blood shed vppon the crosse might be cleane purged from our sinnes and made righteous agayne in his sight Who can chose but maruaile to heare that god should she we such vnspeakable loue towardes vs that were his deadly enemies Indeede O mortall man thou oughtest of ryght to marueyle at it to acknowledge therein Gods great goodnesse and mercie towards mankind which is so wonderful that no fleshe be it neuer so worldly wyse may wel conceaue it or expresse it For as Saint Paul testifieth God greatly commendeth and setteth out his loue towardes vs in that he sent his sonne Christ to die for vs when we were yet sinners and open enemies of his name If we had in any maner of wyse deserued it at his handes then had it ben no marueile at all but there was no desert on our part wherefore he shoulde do it Therefore thou sinful creature when thou hearest that GOD gaue his sonne to dye for the sinnes of the worlde thinke not he dyd it for any desert or goodnes that was in thee for thou wast then the bondslaue of the deuill But fall downe vpon thy knees and crye with the prophete Dauid O Lorde what is man that thou art so mindefull of him or the sonne of man that thou so regardest him And seeing he hath so greatlye loued thee endeuour thy self to loue him againe with all thy heart with all thy soule and with all thy strength that therin thou mayst appeare not to be vnworthy of his loue I report me to thyne owne conscience whether thou wouldest not thinke thy loue ill bestowed vpon him that could not finde in his heart to loue thee agayne If this be true as it is most true then thinke howe greatly it behoueth to thy duetie to loue God whiche hath so greatly loued thee that he hath noâ— spared his owne onlye sonne from so cruell and shamefull a death for thy sake And hitherto concerning the cause of Christes death passion which as yet was on our part most horrible and greeuous sinne so on the other side it was the free gift of God proceeding of his meere and tender loue towards mankind without any merite or desert of our part The Lorde for his mercies sake graunt that we neuer forget this great benefite of our saluation in Christe Jesu but that we alwayes shewe our selues thankefull for it abhorring all kinde of wickednesse and sinne and applying our myndes wholy to the seruice of God and the diligent keeping of his commaundementes Now resteth to shewe vnto you howe to applie Christes death and passion to our comfort as a medicine to our woundes so that it maye worke the same effect in vs wherefore it was geuen namely the health saluatioÌ„ of our soules For as it profiteth a man nothing to haue salue vnlesse it be well applied to the part affected So the death of Christ shall stand vs in no force vnlesse we applie it to our selues in suche sorte as God hath appoynted Almightie God commonly worketh by meanes and in this thing he hath also ordained a certaine meane wherby we may take fruite and profite to our soules health What meane is that forsooth it is fayth Not an vnconstant or wauering fayth but a sure stedfast grounded and vnfaigned fayth GOD sent his sonne into the worlde sayth Saint John. To what end that whosoeuer beleueth in hym shoulde not perishe but haue lyfe euerlasting Marke these wordes that whosoeuer beleueth in him Here is the meane whereby we must apply the fruites of Christes death vnto our deadly wounde Here is the meane whereby we must obtaine eternall lyfe namely fayth For as saint Paul teacheth in his Epistle to the Romanes With the heart man beleueth vnto ryghteousnes and with the mouth confessioÌ„ is made vnto saluation Paul beyng demaunded of the keeper of that prison what he should do to be saued made this aunswere Beleue in the Lorde Jesus so shalt thou and thyne house both be saued After the Euangelist had described and set foorth vnto vs at large the life and the death of the Lorde Jesus in the end he concludeth with these wordes These thinges are written that we may beleue Jesus Christe to be the sonne of God a through sayth obtayne eternall lyfe To conclude with the wordes of saint Paul which are these Christ is the ende of the lawe vnto saluation for euery
dyd all alone So dyd the Gentiles teache that there was one cheefe power workyng by other as meanes and so they made all gods subiect to fate or destenye as Lucian in his dialogues fayneth that Neptune made suite to Mercurie that he myght speake with Iupiter And therefore in this also it is moste euident that our image mainteiners be al one in opinion with the Gentiles idolaters Nowe remayneth the thirde parte that theyr rites and ceremonies in honouryng worshipping of the images or saintes be all one with the rites whiche the Gentiles idolaters vsed in honouryng theyr idols First what meaneth it that Christians after the example of the Gentiles idolaters go on pylgrimage to visite images where they haue the lyke at home but that they haue a more opinion of holynesse and vertue in some images then other some lyke as the Gentiles idolaters had whiche is the redyest way to bryng them to idolatrie by worshypping of them and directly against Gods worde who sayth Seeke me and ye shall lyue and do not seeke Bethel neyther enter not into Gilgal neyther go to Bersaba And agaynst suche as had any superstition in the holynesse of the place as though they shoulde be hearde for the places sake saying Our fathers worshypped in this mountayne and ye saye that at Hierusalem is the place where men shoulde worshyp our sauiour Christe pronounceth Beleue me the houre commeth when you shall worshyppe the father neyther in this mountayne nor at Hierusalem but true worshippers shall worshyp the father in spirite and trueth But it is to well knowen that by suche pilgrimage goyng Lady Venus and her sonne Cupide were rather worshipped wantonly in the fleshe then God the father and our sauiour Christe his sonne truely worshipped in the spirite And it was verye agreeable as saint Paul teacheth that they which fell to idolatrie which is spirituall fornication shoulde also fall into carnall fornication and all vncleannesse by the iust iudgementes of God deliuering them ouer â—o abominable concupiscences What meaneth it that Christian men after the vse of the Gentiles idolaters cap and kneele before images whiche if they had any sense and gratitude woulde kneele before men Carpenters Masons Plasterers Founders and Goldsmithes theyr makers and framers by whose meanes they haue attayned this honour which els shoulde haue ben euyll fauoured and rude lumpes of claye or plaster peeces of tymber stone or mettall without shape or fashion and so without all estimation and honour as that idol in the Pagane poete confesseth saying I was once a vyle blocke but nowe I am become a god c. What a fonde thyng is it for man who hath lyfe and reason to bowe him selfe to a dead and vnsensible image the worke of his owne hande is not this stouping and kneeling before them adoration of them whiche is forbidden so earnestly by Gods worde Let suche as so fall downe before images of saintes knowe and confesse that they exhibite that honour to dead stockes and stones whiche the saintes them selues Peter Paul and Barnabas would not to be geuen them beyng alyue which the angel of GOD forbiddeth to be geuen to hym And yf they say they exhibite suche honour not to the image but to the saint whom it representeth they are conuicted of follye to beleue that they please saintes with that honour whiche they abhorre as a spoyle of Gods honour For they be no chaungelynges but nowe both hauyng greater vnderstanding and more feruent loue of God do more abhorre to depriue him of his due honour and beyng nowe lyke vnto the angels of God do with angels flee to take vnto them by sacrilege the honour due to god And herewithall is confuted theyr lewde distinction of Latria and Dulia where it is euident that the saintes of God can not abyde that as muche as any outwarde worshippyng be done or exhibited to them But satan Gods enemie desyryng to robbe God of his honour desyreth exceedynglye that such honour might be geuen to him Wherfore those whiche geue the honour due to the creatour to any creature do seruice acceptable to no saintes who be the freendes of God but vnto satan Gods and mans mortall and sworne enemie And to attribute suche desyre of diuine honour to saintes is to blot them with a moste odious and deuilyshe ignominie and villanie and in deede of saintes to make them satans and very deuils whose propertie is to chalenge to them selues the honour which is due to God onelye And furthermore in that they say that they do not worshyp the images as the Gentiles dyd theyr idols but God and the saintes whom the images do represent and therefore that theyr doynges before images be not lyke the idolatrie of the Gentiles before theyr idols saint Augustine Lactantius and Clemens do proue euidently that by this theyr aunswere they be all one with the Gentiles idolaters The Gentiles sayth saint Augustine whiche seeme to be of the purer religion say We worship not the images but by the corporall image we do beholde the signes of the thynges which we ought to worshyp And Lactantius sayth The Gentiles saye we feare not the images but them after whose lykenesse the images be made and to whose names they he consecrate Thus farre Lactantius And Clemens sayth That serpent the deuyll vttereth these wordes by the mouth of certayne men We to the honour of the inuisible God worship visible images whiche surelye is moste false See howe in vsyng the same excuses whiche the Gentiles idolaters pretended they shewe them selues to be all one with them in idolatrie For notwithstandyng this excuse saint Augustine Clemens and Lactantius prooue them idolaters And Clemens sayeth that the serpent the deuyll putteth suche excuses in the mouth of idolaters And the Scriptures sayth they worshyppe the stockes and stones notwithstandyng this excuse euen as our image maynteyners do And Ezechiel therefore calleth the gods of the Assyrians stockes and stones although they were but images of theyr gods So are our images of God and the saintes named by the names of god and his saintes after the vse of the Gentiles And the same Clemens sayeth thus in the same booke They dare not geue the name of the Emperour to anye other for he punysheth his offendour and traytour by and by but they dare geue the name of god to other because he for repentaunce suffereth his offendours And euen so do our image worshyppers geue both names of god and the saintes and also the honour due to God to theyr images euen as dyd the Gentiles idolaters to theyr idols What shoulde it meane that they accordyng as dyd she Gentiles idolaters lyght candelles at noone time or at mydnyght before them but therwith to honour them for other vse is there none in so doyng For in the day it needeth not but was euer a prouerbe of foolishnesse to lyght a candle at noone tyme And in the
defendeth the innocencie of his disciples agaynst the malice of the arrogant Pharisees and prooueth that his disciples are not gyltie of transgressyng any iot of Gods lawe although as then they tasted not and in his aunswere reproueth the Pharisees of superstition and ignoraunce Superstition because they put a religion in theyr doyngs and ascribed holynesse to the outward worke wrought not regardyng to what ende fastyng is ordayned Of ignoraunce for that they coulde not discerne betweene tyme and tyme They knewe not that there is a tyme of reioycyng and myrth and a tyme agayne of lamentation and mournyng whiche both he teacheth in his aunswere as shal be touched more largely hereafter when we shall shewe what tyme is moste fit to fast in But here beloued let vs note that our sauiour Christe in makyng his aunswere to theyr question denyed not but confessed that his disciples fasted not and therefore agreeth to the pharisees in this as vnto a manifest trueth that who so eateth and drynketh fasteth not Fastyng then euen by Christes assent is a with holdyng of meate drinke and all naturall foode from the body for the determined tyme of fastyng And that it was vsed in the primatiue Churche appeareth most euidently by the Chalcedon counsell one of the foure first generall counselles The fathers assembled there to the number of 630. consydering with them selues howe acceptable a thing fasting is to God when it is vsed accordyng to his worde Agayne hauing before theyr eyes also the great abuses of the same crept into the Churche at those dayes through the negligence of them whiche shoulde haue taught the people the right vse thereof and by vaine gloses deuised of men To refourme the sayde abuses and to restore this so good and godly a worke to the true vse therof decreed in that counsell that euery person aswell in his priuate as publique fast shoulde continue all the day without meate and drinke till after the Euenyng prayer And whosoeuer did eate or drinke before the Euening prayer was ended shoulde be accompted and reputed not to consyder the puritie of his fast This cannon teacheth so euidently howe fastyng was vsed in the primatiue Churche as by wordes it can not be more plainely expressed Fasting then by the decree of those sixe hundreth and thirtie fathers groundyng their determination in this matter vppon the sacred scriptures and long continued vsage or practise both of the prophetes and other godly persons before the comming of Christe and also of the apostles and other deuoute men in the newe Testament is a with holdyng of meate drinke and all naturall fodde from the body for the determined time of fastyng Thus muche is spoken hytherto to make playne vnto you what fastyng is Nowe hereafter shal be shewed the true and ryght vse of fastyng Good workes are not all of one sorte For some are of them selues and of their owne proper nature alwayes good as to loue God aboue all thinges to loue my neighbour as my selfe to honour father and mother to honour the higher powers to geue to euery man that which is his due and suche like Other workes there be whiche consydered in themselues without further respect are of their owne nature mere indifferent that is neither good nor euill but take their denomination of the vse or ende whereunto they serue Whiche workes hauing a good ende are called good workes and are so in deede but yet that commeth not of them selues but of the good ende wherevnto they are referred On the other side if the ende that they serue vnto be euill it can not then otherwyse be but that they must needes be euill also Of this sort of workes is fasting which of it selfe is a thing meerely indifferent But is made better or worse by the ende that it serueth vnto For when it respecteth a good ende it is a good worke but the ende beyng euill the worke it selfe is also euill To fast then with this perswasion of minde that our fasting and our good workes can make vs perfect and iust men and finally bring vs to heauen this is a deuelish perswasion and that fast so farre of from pleasing god that it refuseth his mercie and is altogether derogatorie to the merites of Christes death and his pretious blood shedding This doth the parable of the Pharisee and the Publicane teache Two men sayth Christe went vp together into the Temple to pray the one a Pharisee the other a Publicane The Pharisee stoode prayed thus within hym selfe I thanke thee O God that I am not as other men are extortioners vniust adulterers as this Publicane is I fast twise in the weeke I geue tithes of all that I possesse The Publicane stoode a farre of and woulde not lift vp his eyes to heauen but smote his brest and sayde God be mercifull to me a sinner In the person of this Pharisee our Sauiour Christ setteth out to the eye and to the iudgement of the worlde a perfect iust and righteous man suche one as is not spotted with those vices that men commonlye are infected with extortion briberie polling and pilling their neighbour robbers and spoylers of common weales craftie and subtile in chopping chaunging vsing false waightes and detestable periurie in their buying and selling fornicatours adulterers vicious liuers The Pharisee was no such man neyther faultie in any suche like notorious crime But where other transgressed by leauing thinges vndone whiche yet the lawe required this man dyd more then was requisite by lawe For he fasted twyse in the weeke and gaue tythes of all that he had What could the worlde then iustly blame in this man yea what outwarde thing more could be desired to be in him to make him a more perfect and a more iust man Truelye nothyng by mans iudgement And yet our Sauiour Christe preferreth the poore Puplicane without fasting before him with his fast The cause why he doth so is manifest For that Publicane hauing no good works at al to trust vnto yelded vp him selfe vnto God confessing his sinnes and hoped certainely to be saued by Gods free mercie only The Pharisee gloried trusted so much to his workes that he thought him selfe sure enough without mercie and that he should come to heauen by his fasting and other deedes To this ende serueth that parable For it is spoken to them that trusted in them selues that they were ryghteous and despised other Nowe because the Pharisee directed his worke to an euill ende seeking by them iustification whiche in deede is the proper worke of God without our merites his fasting twise in the weeke and all his other workes though they were neuer so many and seemed to the worlde neuer so good and holy yet in very deede before god they are altogether euil and abominable The marke also that the Hypocrites shoote at with their fast is to appeare holy in the eye of the worlde and so to winne commendation and prayse of men But our
moste worthyly repelled and rebuked at the Lordes hande In lyke maner we reade in the Actes of one Simon Magus a Sorcerer howe that he perceauyng that through laying on of the Apostles handes the holy ghost was geuen offered them money saying Geue me also this power that on whom soeuer I lay my handes he may receaue the holy ghost In makyng this request he sought not the honour and glorye of GOD but his owne priuate gayne and lucre thinking to get great store of money by this feate and therefore it was iustly sayde vnto him Thy money perishe with thee because thou thinkest that the gifte of God maye be obtayned with money By these and suche other examples we are taught whensoeuer we make our prayers vnto God chiefely to respect the honour and glorye of his name Whereof we haue this generall precept in the Apostle Paul Whether ye eate or drinke or whatsoeuer you do looke that you do it to the glory of god Which thing we shal best of all do if we folowe the example of our sauiour Christe who praying that the bitter cuppe of death myght passe from him woulde not therein haue his owne wyll fulfilled but referred the whole matter to the good wyll and pleasure of his father And hytherto concernyng those thinges that we may lawfully and boldly aske of God. Nowe it foloweth that we declare what kinde of persons we are bounde in conscience to praye for Saint Paul wryting to Timothie exhorteth him to make prayers and supplications for all men exempting none of what degree or state soeuer they be In which place he maketh mention by name of Kynges and Rulers whiche are in aucthoritie putting vs thereby to knowledge howe greatlye it concerneth the profite of the common wealth to praye diligentlye for the higher powers Neyther is it without good cause that he doth so often in all his Epistles craue the prayers of Gods people for hym selfe For in so doyng he declareth to the worlde howe expedient and needefull it is dayly to call vppon GOD for the ministers of his holy worde and sacramentes that they may haue the doore of vtteraunce opened vnto them that they may truely vnderstand the scriptures that they may effectually preache the same vnto the people and bring foorth the true fruites thereof to the example of all other After this sorte dyd the congregation continually pray for Peter at Hierusalem and for Paul among the Gentiles to the great encrease and furtherance of Christes Gospell And if we folowyng theyr good example herein wyll studie to do the lyke doubtlesse it can not be expressed howe greatly we shall both helpe our selues and also please God. To discourse and runne through all degrees of persons it were to long Therefore ye shall briefely take this one conclusion for all Whomsoeuer we are bounde by expresse commaundement to loue for those also are we bound in conscience to pray But we are bounde by expresse commaundement to loue all men as our selues therefore we are also bound to pray for all men euen as well as if it were for our selues notwithstandyng we knowe them to be our extreme and deadly enemies For so doth our sauiour Christe plainely teache vs in his Gospell saying Loue your enemies blesse them that curse you do good to them that hate you praye for them that persecute you that ye may be the children of your father whiche is in heauen And as he taught his disciples so dyd he practise him selfe in his life time praying for his enemies vpon the crosse and desyring his father to forgeue them because they knewe not what they dyd As did also that holy and blessed martyr Stephen when he was cruelly stoned to death of the stubberne and stifnecked Jewes to the example of all them that wyll truely and vnfaignedly folowe their Lorde maister Christe in this miserable mortal life Nowe to entreate of that question whether we ought to pray for them that are departed out of this world or no. Wherein yf we wyll cleaue only vnto the word of God then must we nedes graunt that we haue no commaundement so to do For the scripture doth acknowledge but two places after this life The one proper to the elect and blessed of god the other to the reprobate and dampned soules as may be well gathered by the parable of Lazarus and the riche man whiche place saint Augustine expoundyng sayth in this wyse That which Abraham speaketh vnto the riche man in Lukes Gospel namely that the iust can not go into those places where the wicked are tormented What other thinges doth it signifie but only this that the iust by reason of gods iudgement which may not be reuoked can shewe no deede of mercie in helping them which after this lyfe are cast into prison vntill they pay the vttermost farthyng These wordes as they confounde the opinion of helping the dead by prayer so they do cleane confute and take away the vaine errour of purgatorie which is grounded vpon this saying of the gospell Thou shalt not depart thence vntill thou hast payde the vttermoste farthing Nowe doth saint Augustine say that those men which are cast into prison after this life on that condition may in no wyse be holpen though we woulde helpe them neuer so much And why Because the sentence of God is vnchaungeable can not be reuoked agayne Therfore let vs not deceaue our selues thinking that eyther we maye helpe other or other maye helpe vs by their good and charitable prayers in time to come For as the preacher saith When the tree falleth whether it be toward the South or towarde the North in what place soeuer the tree falleth there it lyeth meanyng thereby that euery mortall man dyeth eyther in the state of saluation or dampnation accordyng as the words of the Euangelist John do also plainely impart saying He that beleueth on the sonne of God hath eternall lyfe But he that beleueth not on the sonne shall neuer see lyfe but the wrath of God abideth vpon him Where is then the thirde place whiche they call purgatorie or where shall our prayers helpe and profite the dead Saint Augustine doth onlye acknowledge two places after this life heauen and hell As for the thirde place he doth plainely denie that there is anye suche to be founde in all scripture Chrisostome likewyse is of this minde that vnlesse we washe away our sinnes in this present worlde we shall finde no comfort afterwarde And saint Ciprian sayth that after death repentaunce and sorowe of paine shal be without fruite weping also shal be in vayne and prayer shal be to no purpose Therefore he counselleth all men to make prouision for them selues whyle they maye because when they are once departed out of this lyfe there is no place for repentaunce nor yet for satisfaction Let these and such other places be sufficient to take away the grosse
this a full perfect and blessed estate Coulde any thing els be well added hereunto or greater felicitie desyred in this worlde But as the common nature of all men is in tyme of prosperitie and wealth to forget not only them selues but also God Euen so did this first man Adam who hauing but one commaundement at Gods hande namely that he shoulde not eate of the fruite of knowledge of good ill dyd not withstanding most vnmindefully or rather moste wylfully breake it in forgetting the straight charge of his maker and geuing eare to the craftie suggestion of that wicked serpent the deuill Whereby it came to passe that as before he was blessed so nowe he was accursed as before he was loued so now he was abhorred as before he was most beautifull and pretious so nowe he was moste vyle and wretched in the sight of his Lorde and maker Insteade of the image of God he was nowe become the image of the deuill Insteade of the citezin of heauen he was become the bondslaue of hell hauing in hym selfe no one part of his former puritie cleannesse but being altogether spotted defiled insomuch that nowe he seemed to be nothing els but a lumpe of sinne and therfore by the iust iudgement of god was condempned to euerlasting death This so great and miserable a plague if it had only rested on Adam who first offended it had ben so muche the easyer and myght the better haue ben borne But it fell not only on hym but also on his posteritie children for euer so that the whole broode of Adams flesh should sustaine the selfe same fall punishment which their forefather by his offence most iustly had deserued Saint Paul in the fifth Chapter to the Romanes sayth By the offence of onlye Adam the fault came vpon all men to condempnation by one mans disobedience many were made sinners By which words we are taught that as in Adam al men vniuersally sinned so in Adam all men vniuersally receaued the reward of sinne that is to say became mortall subiect vnto death hauing in them selues nothyng but euerlasting dampnation both of body and soule They became as Dauid sayth corrupt abominable they went all out of the way there was none that dyd good no not one O what a miserable wofull state was this that the synne of one man should destroy and condempne al men that nothyng in all the worlde might be looked for but only pangues of death paynes of hell Had it ben any maruaile if mankinde had ben vtterlie driuen to desperation beyng thus fallen from life to death from saluation to destruction from heauen to hell But beholde the great goodnes tender mercie of god in this behalf Albeit mans wickednes sinfull behauiour was such that it deserued not in any part to be forgeuē yet to the intent he might not be cleane destitute of al hope and comfort in tyme to come he ordeyned a new couenaunt made a sure promise thereof namely that he would send a Messias or mediatour into the world which shoulde make intercession put him selfe as a stay betweene both parties to pacifie the wrath indignation conceaued against sinne to deliuer man out of the miserable curse and cursed miserie wherinto he was fallen headlong by disobeying the wyll commaundement of the only Lord maker This couenaunt and promise was first made vnto Adam him selfe immediatly after his fall as we reade in the thirde of Genesis where God sayd to the serpent on this wyse I wyll put enmitie betweene thee and the woman betweene thy seede her seede He shall breake thyne head thou shalt bruse his heele After warde the selfe same couenaunt was also more amplie plainely renued vnto Abraham where God promised him that in his seede all nations families of the earth should be blessed Agayne it was continued and confirmed vnto Isahac in the same fourme of wordes as it was before vnto his father And to the intent that mankinde myght not dispaire but alwayes lyue in hope almightie god neuer ceassed to publishe repeate confirme continue the same by diuers and sundrye testimonies of his prophetes who for the better perswasion of the thing prophesied the tyme the place the maner and circumstaunce of his birth the affliction of his life the kinde of his death the glory of his resurrection the receauing of his kingdome the deliueraunce of his people with all other circumstaunces belonging thereunto Esaias prophesied that he should be borne of a virgin and called Emanuel Micheas prophesied that he shoulde be borne in Bethlehem a place of Jurie Ezechiel prophesied that he shoulde come of the stocke and lynage of Dauid Daniel prophesied that all nations and languages shoulde serue him Zacharie prophesied that he should come in pouertie riding vpon an Asse Malachie prophesied that he shoulde sende Elias before him whiche was John the Baptist. Hieremie prophesied that he should be solde for thirtie peeces of siluer c. And all this was done that the promise couenaunt of God made vnto Abraham his posteritie concerning the redemption of the worlde myght be credited and fully beleued Nowe as the Apostle Paul sayth when the fulnesse of time was come that is the perfection and course of yeres appoynted from the beginning then God accordyng to his former couenaunt and promise sent a Messias otherwyse called a mediatour vnto the worlde not such a one as Moyses was not such a one as Josua Saul or Dauid was but suche a one as shoulde deliuer mankinde from the bitter curse of the lawe and make perfect satisfaction by his death for the sinnes of all people namely he sent his deare and only sonne Jesus Christ made as the Apostle sayth of a woman and made vnder the lawe that he might redeeme them that were in bondage of the lawe make thē the chyldren of God by adoption Was not this a wonderfull great loue towardes vs that were his professed and open enemies towardes vs that were by nature the children of wrath and fyrebrandes of hell fyre In this sayth Saint John appeared the great loue of God that he sent his onlye begotten sonne into the worlde to saue vs when we were his extreme enemies Herein is loue not that we loued him but that he loued vs and sent his sonne to be a reconciliation for our sinnes Saint Paul also sayth Christ when we were yet of no strength dyed for vs being vngodlye Doubtlesse a man wyll scarse dye for a ryghteous man Peraduenture some one durst dye for him of whom they haue receaued good But god setteth out his loue towardes vs in that he sent Christe to dye for vs when we were yet voyde of all goodnesse This and such other comparisons doth the Apostle vse to amplifie and set forth the tender mercie great goodnes of God declared towardes mankinde in sendyng downe a sauiour from heauen euen Christe
the expresse and liuelye image of God he woulde notwithstanding humble him selfe and take vppon him the fourme of a seruant and that onely to saue and redeeme vs O how much are we bounde to the goodnesse of God in this behalfe Howe manye thankes and prayses do we owe vnto him for this our saluatiō wrought by his deare and onely sonne Christe who became a pilgrime in earth to make vs citizens in heauen who became the sonne of man to make vs the sonnes of God who became obedient to the lawe to deliuer vs from the cursse of the lawe who became poore to make vs rich vyle to make vs precious subiect to death to make vs liue for euer What greater loue coulde we seelye creatures desire or wishe to haue at Gods handes Therefore dearelye beloued let vs not forget this exceeding loue of our Lorde and sauiour let vs not shew our selues vnmyndful or vnthankefull towardes him but let vs loue him feare him obey him and serue him Let vs confesse him with our mouthes praise him with our tongues beleue on him with our heartes and glorifie him with our good workes Christe is the light let vs receaue the light Christe is the trueth let vs beleue the trueth Christ is the way let vs folowe the way And because he is our onely maister our onely teacher our onely shepheard and cheefe captayne therfore let vs become his seruantes his schollers his sheepe and his souldiers As for sinne the flesh the worlde and the deuill whose seruantes and bondslaues we were before Christes comming let vs vtterly cast them of and defie them as the cheefe onely enemies of our soule And seing we are once deliuered from their cruel tyrannie by Christ let vs neuer fal into their hands againe lest we chance to be in a worse case then euer we were before Happy are they saith the scripture that continue to the ende Be faythful sayth God vntil death and I wil geue thee a crowne of lyfe Agayne he sayth in another place He that putteth his hand vnto the plough and looketh backe is not meete for the kyngdome of god Therefore let vs be strong stedfast and vnmoueable abounding alwayes in the workes of the lord Let vs receaue Christ not for a tyme but for euer let vs beleue his worde not for a tyme but for euer let vs become his seruaunts not for a tyme but for euer in consyderation that he hath redeemed saued vs not for a time but for euer and will receaue vs into his heauenly kingdome there to raygne with him not for a tyme but foreuer To him therfore with the father and the holy ghost be all honour prayse glory foreuer and euer Amen ¶ An homilee for good Friday concerning the death and passion of our sauiour Iesu Christ. IT shuld not become vs welbeloued in christ being that people whiche he redeemed frō the deuil from sinne and death and from euerlasting damnation by Christ to suffer this time to passe foorth without any meditation and remembraunce of that excellent worke of our redemption wrought as about this time through the great mercy and charitie of our sauiour Jesus Christ for vs wretched sinners and his mortall enemies For if a mortal mans deede done to the behofe of the common wealth be had in remembrance of vs with thankes for the benefite and profite whiche we receaue thereby How much more redily shoulde we haue in memorie this excellent act and benefite of Christes death whereby he hath purchased for vs the vndoubted pardon and forgeuenes of our sinnes whereby he made at one the father of heauen with vs in suche wyse that he taketh vs now for his louing children and for the true inheritours with Christe his naturall sonne of the kyngdome of heauen And verily so muche more doth Christes kindnes appeare vnto vs in that it pleased him to deliuer him selfe of all his godly honour which he was equally in with his father in heauen and to come downe into this vale of miserye to be made mortall man and to be in the state of a most lowe seruaunt seruing vs for our wealth and profite vs I saye whiche were his sworne enemies whiche had renounced his holy law and commaundements and folowed the lustes and sinfull pleasures of our corrupt nature And yet I say did Christe put him selfe betwene Gods deserued wrath our sinne and rente that obligation wherein we were in daunger to God and payde our dette Our dette was a great deale to great for vs to haue payde And without payment God the father coulde neuer be at one with vs Neyther was it possible to be losed from this dette by our owne habilitie It pleased him therefore to be the payer thereof and to discharge vs quite Who can now consyder the greuous det of sinne whiche coulde none otherwyse be payde but by the death of an innocent and will not hate sinne in his heart If God hateth sinne so much that he would allowe neither man nor Angell for the redemption thereof but onely the death of his onelye and welbeloued sonne who will not stande in feare thereof If we my freendes consyder this that for our sinnes this most innocent lambe was driuen to death we shall haue much more cause to bewayle our selues that we were the cause of his death then to crye out of the mallice and crueltie of the Jewes whiche pursued him to his death We did the deedes wherefore he was thus stricken and wounded they were onely the ministers of our wickednes It is meete then we shoulde step lowe downe into our heartes and bewayle our owne wretchednes and sinful liuing Let vs know for a certainetie that if the most dearly beloued sonne of God was thus punished and stricken for the sinne which he had not done him self how muche more ought we sore to be stricken for our dayly and manifolde sinnes whiche we commit agaynst God if we earnestlye repent vs not and be not sorye for them No man can loue sinne which God hateth so much and be in his fauour No man can saye that he loueth Christe truely and haue his great enemie sinne I meane the aucthour of his death familiar and in frendship with him So much do we loue God and Christe as we hate sinne We ought therefore to take great heede that we be not fauourers thereof least we be founde ennemies to God and traytours to Christe For not onelye they whiche nayled Christe vppon the crosse are his tormentours and crucifiers but all they sayth saint Paule crucifie agayne the sonne of God as muche as is in them whiche do commit vice and sinne which brought him to his death If the wages of sinne be death and death euerlasting Surely it is no small daunger to be in seruice thereof If we liue after the fleshe and after the sinfull lustes thereof saint Paule threatneth yea almightie God in saint Paule threatneth that we shal surely dye
if we suffer to be euill spoken of for the loue of Christe this is thankfull afore God for so did Christ suffer He neuer did sinne neyther was there any guyle found in his mouth Yea when he was reuyled with tauntes he reuyled not agayne When he was wrongfullye dealt with he threatned not againe nor reuenged his quarrel but deliuered his cause to him that iudgeth rightlye Perfect pacience careth not what nor howe much it suffereth nor of whom it suffereth whether offrende or foe but studyeth to suffer innocently and without deseruing Yea he in whom perfect charitie is careth so litle to reuenge that he rather studieth to do good for euill to blesse say well of them that curse him to pray for them that pursue him according to the example of our sauiour Christe who is the most perfect example paterne of all meekenes sufferaunce whiche hanging vpoÌ„ his crosse in most seruent anguish bleeding in euery part of his blessed body being set in the middes of his enemies crucifiers hee notwithstanding the intollerable paynes which they saw in him being of them mocked scorned despitefully without all fauour and compassion had yet towardes them such compassion in heart that he prayed to his father of heauen for them said O father forgeue them for they wote not what they doe What pacience was it also which he shewed when one of his own apostles seruaunts which was put in trust of him came to betray him vnto his enemies to the death He said nothing worse to him but Frend wherfore art thou come Thus good people shoulde we call to minde the great examples of charitie which Christe shewed in his passion if we will fruitfully remember his passion Suche charitie and loue shoulde we beare one to another if we will be the true seruauntes of Christe For if we loue but them which loue say wel by vs what great thing is it that we do saith Christ Do not the Panims open sinners so We must be more perfect in our charitie then thus euen as our father in heauen is perfect whiche maketh the light of his sunne to rise vpon the good the bad and sendeth his rayne vpon the kind vnkind After this maner should we shewe our charitie indiffereÌ„tly as wel to one as to another as wel to frende as foe lyke obedient children after the example of our good father in heauen For if Christe was obedient to his father euen to the death and that the most shameful death as the Jewes esteemed it the death of the crosse Why should we not be obedient to God in lower pointes of charitie and patience Let vs forgeue then our neighbours their small faultes as God for Christes sake hath forgeuen vs our great It is not meete that we should craue forgeuenes of our great offences at Gods handes and yet will not forgeue the small trespasses of our neighbours agaynst vs We do call for mercy in vayne if we will not shew mercy to our neighbours For if we will not put wrath and displeasure forth of our hearts to our christian brother no more wil God forgeue the displeasure and wrath that our sinnes haue deserued afore him For vnder this condition doth God forgeue vs if we forgeue other It becommeth not Christian men to be harde one to another nor yet to thinke their neighbour vnworthye to be forgeuen For howsoeuer vnworthy he is yet is Christ worthy to haue thee do thus much for his sake he hath deserued it of thee that thou shouldest forgeue thy neighbour And God is also to be obeyed which commaundeth vs to forgeue if we will haue any part of the pardon which our sauiour Christ purchased once of God the father by shedding of his precious blood Nothing becommeth Christes seruantes so much as mercy and compassion Let vs then be fauourable one to another and praye we one for another that we maye be healed from all frailties of our lyfe the lesse to offende one the other and that we maye be of one mynde and one spirite agreeing together in brotherly loue and concord euen like the deare children of god By these meanes shal we moue God to be mercifull to our sinnes yea and we shall be hereby the more redy to receaue our sauiour and maker in his blessed sacrament to our euerlasting comfort and health of soule Christ delighteth to enter and dwell in that soule where loue and charitie ruleth and where peace concord is seene For thus wryteth saint John God is charitie he that abydeth in charitie abydeth in God and God in him And by this sayth he we shall know that we be of God if we loue our brethren Yea and by this shall we knowe that we be shifted from death to lyfe if we loue one another But he whiche hateth his brother sayth the same Apostle abydeth in death euen in the daunger of euerlasting death is moreouer the childe of damnation of the deuil cursed of God and hated so long as he so remayneth of God and all his heauenly company For as peace and charitie make vs the blessed children of almightie God so doth hatred and enuie make vs the cursed children of the deuill God geue vs all grace to folow Christes example in peace and in charitie in pacience sufferaunce that we now may haue him our ghest to enter and dwel within vs so as we may be in ful suretie hauing such a pledge of our saluation If we haue him and his fauour we may be sure that we haue the fauour of God by his meanes For he sitteth on the right hand of his father as our proctour atturney pleading and suing for vs in all our needes and necessities Wherfore if we want anye gyft of godlye wisdome we maye aske it of God for Christes sake we shall haue it Let vs consyder and examine our selfe in what want we be concerning this vertue of charitie and patience If we see that our hearts be nothing inclined thervnto in forgeuing them that haue offended against vs then let vs knowledge our want and wishe to God to haue it But if we want it and see in our selfe no desyre thereunto veryly we be in a daungerous case before God and haue nede to make muche earnest prayer to God that we may haue such an heart changed to the graâ—â—ing in of a newe For vnlesse we forgeue other we shall neuer be forgeuen of god No not all the praiers and merites of other can pacifie God vnto vs vnlesse we be at peace and at one with our neighbour Nor all our deedes and good workes can moue God to forgeue vs our dettes to him except we forgeue to other He setteth more by mercy then by sacrifice Mercye moued our sauiour Christ to suffer for his enemies it becommeth vs then to follow his example For it shall litle