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
which will seeme to be repentaunt sinners and yet will not forsake their Idolatrie and superstition Secondlye we muste see vnto whom we ought to returne Reuertimini vsque ad me sayeth the Lord that is Returne as farre as vnto me We muste then returne vnto the Lord yea we must returne vnto hym alone for he alone is the trueth and the fountayne of all goodnesse But we muste labour that we do returne as farre as vnto hym and that we do neuer cease nor reste till we haue apprehended and taken holde vpon him But this must be done by fayth For syth that God is a spirite he can by no other meane be apprehended and taken hold vppon Therefore first they do greatly erre which do not turne vnto God but vnto the creatures or vnto the inuentions of men or vnto their owne merites Secondly they that do begin to returne vnto the Lord do faynt in the myd way afore they come to the marke that is appoynted vnto them Thirdly because we haue of our owne selues nothing to present vs to God and do no lesse flee from him after our fall then our fyrst parent Adam did which when he had sinned did seeke to hyde hym selfe from the syght of God we haue nede of a mediatour for to bring and reconcile vs vnto him who for our sinnes is angry with vs The same is Jesus Christe who being true and naturall God equall and of one substaunce with the father did at the tyme appoynted take vpon hym our frayle nature in the blessed virgins wombe that of her vndefyled substaunce that so he myght be a mediatour betwixt God and vs and pacifie his wrath Of hym doeth the father hym selfe speake from heauen saying This is my welbeloued sonne in whom I am wel pleased And he him selfe in his Gospell doth crye out and saye I am the waye the truth and the life no man commeth vnto the father but by me For he alone did with the sacrifice of his body and bloode make satisfaction vnto the iustice of God for our sinnes The Apostles do testifie that he was exalted for to geue repentaunce and remission of sinnes vnto Israel Both whiche thinges he hym selfe did commaunde to be preached in his name Therefore they are greatlye deceaued that preache repentaunce without Christ and teach the simple and ignoraunt that it consisteth onely in the workes of men They may in deede speake many things of good workes and of amendement of lyfe and maners but without Christe they be all vayne and vnprofitable They that thynke that they haue done much of them selues towardes repentaunce are so much more the farther from God because that they do seeke those thinges in their owne workes and merites which ought only to be sought in our sauiour Jesus Christ and in the merites of his death passion and bloodshedding Fourthly this holy prophete Joel doth lyuelye expresse the maner of this our returning or repētaunce comprehendyng all the inward and outwarde thinges that may be here obserued First he will haue vs to returne vnto God with our whole heart whereby he doth remoue and put away all hypocrisie lest the same myght iustly be sayde vnto vs This people draweth neare vnto me with their mouth and worshippeth me with their lippes but their heart is farre of from me Secondlye he requyreth a sincere pure loue of godlynes of the true worshipping and seruice of God that is to say that forsakyng al maner of thinges that are repugnaunt and contrary vnto Gods wil we do geue our heartes vnto him and all the whole strength of our bodyes and soules according to that which is written in the lawe Thou shalt loue the Lorde thy God with all thy heart with all thy soule with all thy strength Here therefore nothing is left vnto vs that we may geue vnto the worlde and vnto the lustes of the flesh For sith that the heart is the fountayne of al our works as many as do with their whole heart turne vnto the Lord do liue vnto him onelye Neyther do they yet repent truelye that haltyng on both sydes do otherwhiles obey god but by by do thynk that laying him aside it is lawfull for them to serue the worlde the fleshe And because that we are letted by the natural corruption of our owne fleshe the wycked affections of the same he doeth bid vs also to returne with fasting not thereby vnderstanding a superstitious abstinence and chosing of meates but a true discipline or tamyng of the fleshe whereby the norishmentes of filthy lustes and of stubborne contumacie and pryde may be withdrawen and pluckt awaye from it Whereunto he doth adde weeping and mourning whiche do conteine an outwarde profession of repentaunce which is very needefull necessary that so we may partly set foorth the ryghteousnes of God when by such meanes we do testifye that we deserued punishmentes at his handes and partly stoppe the offence that was openlye geuen vnto the weake This did Dauid see who beyng not content to haue be wept and be wailed his sinnes priuately would publiquelye in his Psalmes declare and set forth the ryghteousnes of God in punishing sinne and also stay them that mought haue abused his example to sinne the more boldely Therfore they are farthest from true repentaunce that wyll not confesse and acknowledge their sinnes nor yet bewaile them but rather do most vngodly glory and reioyce in them Now least any man shoulde thinke that repentaunce doeth consist in outward weeping and mourning onely he doth rehearse that wherein the cheefe of the whole matter doth lye when he sayth Rent your heartes and not your garmentes and turne vnto the Lord your god For the people of the East part of the worlde were wont to rent theyr garmentes if anye thing had happened vnto them that seemed intollerable This thing did hypocrites sometyme counterfaite and followe as though the whole repentaunce did stande in suche outwarde gesture He teacheth then that an other maner of thing is requyred that is that they be contrite in their heartes that they must vtterlye detest and abhorre sinnes and being at defyaunce with them returne vnto the Lorde theyr God from whom they went awaye before For God hath no pleasure in the outwarde ceremonie but requyreth a contrite and humble heart which he will neuer dispyse as Dauid doth testifie There is therefore none other vse to these outwarde ceremonies but as farre foorth as we are stirred vp by them and do serue to the glorie of God and to the edifying of other Now doth he adde vnto this doctrine or exhortation certayne godlye reasons whiche he doeth grounde vpon the nature and propertie of God and whereby he doth teach that true repentaūce can neuer be vnprofitable or vnfruitfull For as in all other thinges mens heartes do quaile and faynt if they once perceaue that they trauayle in
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
to be coÌ„dempned vnto death to take vpon him the rewarde of our sinnes and to geue his body to be broken on the crosse for our offences He sayth the prophete Esai meaning Christe hath borne our infirmities hath caried our sorowes the chastisement of our peace was vpoÌ„ him by his stripes are we made whole Saint Paul like wyse sayth God made him a sacrifice for our sinnes whiche knewe not sinne that we should be made the righteousnesse of God by him And saint Peter most agreeably wryting in this behalfe sayth Christe hath once died suffered for our sinnes the iust for the vniust c. To these myght be added an infinite number of other places to the same effect but these fewe shal be sufficient for this tyme Now then as it was said at the beginning let vs ponder weigh the cause of his death that therby we may be the more moued to glorifie him in our whole lyfe Whiche yf you wyll haue comprehended briefelye in one worde it was nothyng els in our parte but onlye the transgression and sinne of mankinde When the angell came to warne Joseph that he should not feare to take Mary to his wife Did he not therefore will the childes name to he called Jesus because he should saue his people from their sinnes When John the Baptist preached Christ and she wed hym to the people with his finger Dyd he not playnely say vnto them Behold the lambe of God whiche taketh away the sinnes of the worlde When the woman of Canaan besought Christ to helpe her daughter which was possest with a deuil did he not openly confesse that he was sent to saue the lost sheepe of the house of Israel by geuing his life for theyr sinnes It was sinne then O man eueÌ„ thy sinne that caused Christe the onlye sonne of God to be crucified in the fleshe and to suffer the most vyle slaunderous death of the crosse If thou haddest kept thy selfe vyryght if thou haddest obserued the commaundementes yf thou haddest not presumed to transgresse the wyll of God in thy fyrst father Adam then Christe being in fourme of God needed not to haue taken vppon him the shape of a seruaunt being immortall in heauen he needed not to become mortal on earth beyng the true bread of the soule he needed not to hunger being the healthfull water of lyfe he needed not to thirst being life it selfe he needed not to haue suffred death But to these and many other suche extremities was he dryuen by thy sinne which was so manifolde great that god could be onlye pleased in hym and none other Canst thou thinke of this O sinful man and not tremble within thy selfe Canst thou heare it quietlye without remorse of conscience and sorowe of heart Did Christ suffer his passion for thee and wylt thou shewe no compassion towardes hym Whyle Christe was yet hangyng on the Crosse and yelding vp the ghost the Scripture witnesseth that the vale of the temple did rent in twaine and the earth dyd quake that the stones claue asunder that the graues dyd open the dead bodyes rise And shall the heart of man be nothyng moued to remember how greeuously and cruelly he was handled of the Jewes for our sinnes Shall man shew himselfe to be more hard hearted then stones to haue lesse compassion theÌ„ dead bodies Call to minde O sinful creature and set before thyne eyes Christe crucified Thinke thou seest his body stretched out in length vppon the crosse his head crowned with sharpe thorne his handes his feete pearsed with nailes his heart opened with a long speare his fleshe rente and torne with whippes his browes sweating water and blood Thinke thou hearest hym nowe crying in an intollerable agonie to his father saying My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Couldest thou behold this wofull sight or heare this mournefull voyce without teares consydering that he suffered all this not for any desart of his owne but only for the greeuousnes of thy sinnes O that mankinde shoulde put the euerlasting sonne of God to such paines O that we should be the occasion of his death the only cause of his condempnation May we not iustly crye wo worth the time that euer we sinned O my brethren let this image of Christe crucified be alwayes printed in our heartes let it stirre vs vp to the hatred of sinne prouoke our mindes to the earnest loue of almightie god For why Is not sinne thinke you a greuous thing in his sight seing for the transgressing of Gods precept in eating of one apple he condempned all the world to perpetuall death and would not be pacified but only with the blood of his own sonne True yea moste true is that saying of Dauid Thou O Lorde hatest all them that worke iniquitie neyther shall the wicked and euill man dwell with thee By the mouth of his prophete Esai he cryeth mainely out agaynst sinners and sayth â—o be vnto you that draw iniquitie with cordes of vanitie and sinne as it were with cart ropes Dyd not God geue a plaine token howe greatly he hated abhored sinne wheÌ„ he drowned all the world saue only eyght persons when he destroyed Sodome Gomorra with fire and brimstone when in three dayes space he killed with pestilence threescore and ten thousande for Dauids offence when he drowned Pharao and al his hoast in the red sea when he turned Nabuchodonozor the kyng into the fourme of a bruite beast creeping vppon all foure when he suffered Achitophel Iudas to hang them selues vpoÌ„ the remorse of sinne whiche was so terrible to theyr eyes A thousand such examples are to be found in scripture yf a man would stand to seeke them out But what neede we This one example which we haue now in hande is of more force ought more to moue vs then all the rest Christe being the sonne of god and perfect God him self who neuer committed sinne was compelled to come downe from heauen to geue his body to be bruised broken on the crosse for our sinnes Was not this a manifest token of Gods great wrath and displeasure towardes sinne that he could be pacified by no other meanes but onlye by the sweete precious blood of his deare sonne O sinne sinne that euer thou shouldest dryue Christe to suche extremitie Wo worth the tyme that euer thou camest into the world But what booteth it now to bewayle Sinne is come and so come that it can not be auoyded There is no man liuing no not the iustest man on the earth but he falleth seuen times a day as Salomon sayth And our Sauiour Christe although he hath deliuered vs from sinne yet not so that we shal be free from committing sinne But so that it shal not be imputed to our condempnation He hath taken vpon him the iust rewarde of sinne which was death by death
resteth al wysdome al habilitie to know God and to please hym For he writeth thus Be know that it is not in mans power to guide his goinges No man can know thy pleasure except thou geuest wysdome sendest thy holy spirite frō aboue Send him downe therefore prayeth he to God from thy holy heauens from the trone of thy maiestie that he may be with me and labour with me that so I may knowe what is acceptable before thee Let vs with so good heart pray as he dyd we shall not faile but to haue his assistance For he is sone seene of them that loue him he wyll be founde of them that seeke him For very liberall and gentle is the spirite of wisdome In his power shall we haue sufficient abilitie to knowe our duetie to God in him shall we be comforted and couraged to walke in our duetie in hym shall we be meete vessels to receaue the grace of almightie God for it is he that purgeth and purifieth the minde by his secrete working And he onlye is present euery where by his inuisible power and conteineth all thinges in his dominion He lyghtneth the heart to conceaue worthy thoughtes to almyghtie God he sitteth in the tongue of man to stirre him to speake his honour no language is hyd from him for he hath the knowledge of al speache he only ministreth spiritual strength to the powers of our soule body To hold the way whiche God had prepared for vs to walke ryghtly in our iourney we must acknowledge that it is in the power of his spirite which helpeth our infirmitie That we may boldly come in prayer and call vpon almyghtie God as our father it is by this holy spirite whiche maketh intercession for vs with continuall sighes If any gyft we haue wherewith we may worke to the glory of God profite of our neyghbour all is wrought by his owne selfe same spirite whiche maketh his distributions peculierly to euerye man as he wyl If any wysdome we haue it is not of our selues we can not glory therein as begun of our selues but we ought to glory in God from whō it came to vs as the prophete Jeremie wryteth Let him that reioyceth reioyce in this that he vnderstandeth knoweth me for I am the lord which sheweth mercie iudgement and righteousnes in the earth for in these thinges I delight saith the Lorde This wysdome can not be attayned but by the direction of the spirite of God therefore it is called spiritual wysdome And no where can we more certainely searche for the knowledge of this wyll of God by the which we must direct al our workes deedes but in the holy scriptures for they be they that testifie of hym sayth our sauiour Christe It maye be called knowledge and learnyng that is other where gotten out of the worde but the wyse man plainely testifieth that they al be but vaine which haue not in them the wisdome of god We see to what vanitie the olde Philosophers came which were destitute of this science gotten searched for in his worde We see what vanitie the schole doctrine is mixed with for that in this world they sought not the wyll of God but rather the wyll of reason the trade of custome the path of the fathers the practise of the Churche Let vs therfore reade reuolue the holy scripture both day nyght for blessed is he that hath his whole meditatiō therin It is that that geueth light to our feete to walke by It is that whiche geueth wysdome to the simple and ignoraunt In it may we finde eternall lyfe In the holy scriptures find we Christ in Christ find we God for he it is that is the expresse image of the father He that seeth Christ seeth the father And contrary wyse as Saint Hierome sayth the ignorance of scripture is the ignorance of christ Not to knowe Christ is to be in darknesse in the middes of our worldly and carnal light of reason and philosophie To be without Christe is to be in foolishnes For he is the only wysdome of the father in whom it pleased hym that all fulnesse perfection shoulde dwel With whō whosoeuer is indued in heart by faith rooted fast in charitie hath layde a sure foundation to buylde on whereby he may be able to comprehende with al saintes what is the breadth length deapth to know the loue of Christe This vniuersal and absolute knowledge is that wysdome which S. Paul wisheth these Ephesians to haue as vnder heauen the greatest treasure that can be obteyned For of this wysdome the wyse man wryteth thus of his experience All good thinges came to me together with her and innumerable ryches through her handes And addeth moreouer in that same place She is the mother of all these things For she is an infinite treasure vnto men which who so vse become partakers of the loue of god I might with many wordes moue some of this audience to searche for this wysdome to sequester their reason to folowe gods commaundemēt to cast frō them the wittes of their braines to fauour this wysdome to renounce the wysedome pollicie of this fonde worlde to taste and sauour that whereunto the fauour wyll of god hath called them and willeth vs finally to enioy by his fauour if we would geue eare But I wil haste to the thirde part of my text wherein is expressed further in sapience how God geueth his electe an vnderstandyng of the motions of the heauens of the alterations and circumstaunces of time Whiche as it foloweth in wordes more plentifull in the text which I haue last cited vnto you So it must needes folow in them that be indued with this spiritual wysdome For as they can searche where to finde this wysdome and know of whom to aske it So know they againe that in time it is found and can therefore attemper them selues to the occasion of the time to suffer no time to passe away wherein they maye labour for this wysdome And to encrease therein they knowe how God of his infinite mercie and lenitie geueth all men here tyme and place of repentance And they see howe the wicked as Job wryteth abuse the same to their pride therfore do the godly take the better holde of the time to redeeme it out of suche vse as it is spoyled in by the wicked They which haue this wisdome of God can gather by the diligent and earnest studye of the worldlinges of this present lyfe howe they wayte theyr times and apply them selues to euery occasion of time to get riches to encrease their landes patrimonie They see the tyme passe away and therefore take holde on it in such wise that otherwhyles they wyll with losse of theyr sleepe ease with suffering many paynes catche the offer of their time knowyng that that which is once past
their examples or that we ought to thynke that God dyd alow euery of these thyngs in those men But we ought rather to beleue and to iudge that Noe in his drunkennesse offended God highly Lot lying with his daughters committed horrible incest We ought then to learne by them this profitable lesson that if so godlye men as they were which otherwise felt inwardly Gods holy spitite inflamyng in their heartes with she feare and loue of God coulde not by their owne strength kepe them selues from committyng horrible sinne but dyd so greeuousâ—y fal that without Gods great mercie they had perished euerlastinglye Howe much more ought we then miserable wretches which haue no feeling of God within vs at al continually to feare not onely that we may fall as they did but also be ouercome and drowned in sinne which they were not And so by consydering their fal take the better occasion to acknowledge our owne infirmitie and weaknesse and therefore more earnestlye to call vnto almightie God with heartye prayer incessauntlye for his grace to strengthen vs and to defende vs from all euill And though through infirmitie we chaunce at any tyme to fall yet we may by harty repentaunce and true fayth speedily rise againe and not slepe and continue in sinne as the wicked doth Thus good people shoulde we vnderstande such matters expressed in the diuine scriptures that this holye table of Gods worde be not turned to vs to be a snare a trappe and a stumbling stone to take hurt by the abuse of our vnderstanding But let vs esteeme them in suche a reuerent humilitie that we may fynde our necessary foode therein to strengthen vs to comfort vs to instruct vs as God of his great mercye hath appoynted them in all necessarye workes so that we may be perfect before him in the whole course of our lyfe Whiche he graunt vs who hath redeemed vs our Lorde and Sauiour Jesus Christe to whom with the father and the holy ghost be all honour and glory for euermore Amen ¶ The seconde part of the information for them which take offence at certayne places of the holy scripture YE haue heard good people in the Homilee last read vnto you the great commoditie of holye Scriptures ye haue heard how ignoraunt men voyde of godlye vnderstanding seeke quarrelles to discredite them Some of their reasons haue ye heard aunswered Nowe we will proceede and speake of suche politique wyse men whiche be offended for that Christes preceptes should seeme to destroy all order in gouernaunce as they do alleage for example such as these be If any man strike thee on the right cheeke turne the other vnto him also If anye man will contende to take thy coate from thee let him haue cloke and all Let not thy left hand knowe what thy ryght hand doth If thine eye thine hande or thy foote offende thee pull out thine eye cut of thine hand thy foote and cast it from thee If thine enemie sayeth saint Paul be an hungred geue him meate if he be thirstie geue him drinke so doing thou shalt heape hotte burning coales vpon his head These sentences good people vnto a naturall man seeme mere absurdities contrary to all reason For a naturall man as saint Paule sayeth vnderstandeth not the thinges that belong to God neyther can he so long as olde Adam dwelleth in him Christ therfore meaneth that he would haue his faithfull seruaunts so farre from vengeaunce and resisting wrong that he woulde rather haue him redy to suffer an other wrong then by resisting to breake charitie and to be out of pacience He would haue our good deedes so farre from al carnall respectes that he would not haue our nyest freendes know of our wel doing to win a vaine glorye And though our freendes and kynsfolkes be as deare as our right eyes and our right handes yet if they woulde plucke vs from God we ought to renounce them and forsake them Thus if ye wil be profitable hearers and readers of the holye scriptures ye must firste denye your selues and keepe vnder your carnall senses taken by the outward wordes and searche the inward meaning reason must geue place to Gods holye spirite you must submit your worldly wisedome and iudgement vnto his diuine wysdome and iudgement Consyder that the scripture in what straunge fourme soeuer it be pronounced is the word of the lyuing god Let that alwayes come to your remembraunce which is so oft repeated of the prophete Esaias The mouth of the Lorde sayth he hath spoken it the almighty and euerlasting God who with his onely worde created heauen and earth hath decreed it the Lorde of hoastes whose wayes are in the Seas whose pathes are in the deepe waters that Lorde and God by whose worde all thynges in heauen and in earth are created gouerned and preserued hath so prouided it The God of Goddes and Lorde of all Lordes yea God that is God alone incomprehensible almyghty and euerlasting he hath spoken it it is his worde It can not therefore be but trueth whiche proceedeth from the God of all trueth it can not be but wisely and prudently commaunded what almightie God hath deuysed how vaynely soeuer through want of grace we miserable wretches do imagine and iudge of his most holy worde The prophete Dauid describing an happye man sayeth Blessed is the man that hath not walked after the counsayle of the vngodlye nor stande in the waye of sinners nor sit in the seate of the scornefull There are three sortes of people whose companye the prophete would haue him to flee and auoyde which shall be an happy man and partakers of Gods blessing First he may not walke after the counsayle of the vngodlye Secondlye he may not stand in the waye of sinners Thirdlye he muste not sit in the seat of the scornefull By these three sortes of people vngodly men sinners and scorners all impietie is signified and fully expressed By the vngodly he vnderstaÌ„deth those which haue no regarde of almightye God being voyde of all faith whose heartes mindes are so set vpon the worlde that they studie onely howe to accomplishe their worldlye practises their carnall imaginations their filthy lust and desyre without anye feare of god The seconde sort he calleth sinners not such as do fal through ignoraunce or of frailenesse for then who should be found free What man euer liued vpon earth Christe onely excepted but he hath sinned The iust man falleth seuen times and ryseth agayne Though the godly do fall yet they walke not on purposely in sinne they stande not still to contynue and tarye in sinne they syt not downe like carelesse men without all feare of Gods iust punishment for sinne but defying sinne through Gods great grace and infinite mercye they ryse agayne and fight agaynste sinne The Prophete then calleth them sinners whose heartes are cleane turned from God and whose whole conuersation of lyfe is nothing but sinne they delight so much in
assure them selues of his loue and fauour towardes them and nothing doubte but that as his lawe and ordinaunces wherein he commaunded them that they shoulde open their hande vnto their brethren that were poore and needye in the lande were accepted of them and willingly perfourmed So he woulde on his part louyngly accept them and truely perfourme his promises that he had made vnto them The holy Apostles and disciples of Christ who by reason of his dayly conuersation saw by his deedes and heard in his doctrine how much he tendered the poore the godly fathers also that were both before and since Christ indued without doubt with the holy ghost and most certaynly certified of Gods holy wil they both do most earnestly exhort vs and in all their wrytinges almost continually admonishe vs that we woulde remember the poore and bestowe our charitable aimes vppon them Saint Paul cryeth vnto vs after this sort Comfort the feeble mynded lift vp the weake and be charitable toward all men And agayne To do good to the poore and to distribute aimes gladly see that thou do not forget for with such sacrifices God is pleased Esai the Prophete teacheth on this wyse Deale thy bread to the hungrye and bring the poore wandering home to thy house When thou seest the naked see thou cloth him and hyde not thy face from thy poore neighbour neyther despise thou thyne owne fleshe And the holy father Tobi geueth this councell Geue almes sayeth he of thine owne goodes and turne neuer thy face from the poore eate thy bread with the hungry and couer the naked with thy clothes And the learned and godly doctour Chrisostome geueth this admonition Let mercifull almes be alwayes with vs as a garment that is as mindefull as we will be to put our garmentes vpon vs to couer our nakednes to defende vs from the colde and to shewe our selues comely So mindfull let vs be at al times and seasons that we geue almes to the poore shewe our selues mercifull towardes them But what meane these often admonitions ernest exhortations of the prophetes apostles fathers holy doctours Surely as they were faythful to Godwarde and therefore discharged their dutie truely in telling vs what was Gods wyl so of a singuler loue to vs ward they laboured not only to infourme vs but also to perswade with vs that to geue almes and to succour the poore and needie was a very acceptable thing and an high sacrifice to god wherin he greatly delighted and had a singuler pleasure For so doeth the wyse man the sonne of Syrach teach vs saying Who so is mercifull and geueth almes he offereth the right thanke offring And he addeth thereunto The ryght thanke offering maketh the aulter fat and a sweete smell it is before the hyghest it is acceptable before God and shall neuer be forgotten And the trueth of this doctrine is veryfied by the examples of those holy and charitable fathers of whom we reade in the scriptures that they were geuen to mercifull compassion towardes the poore charitable releeuing of their necessities Such a one was Abraham in whom God had so great pleasure that he vouchsafed to come vnto him in fourme of an Angell and to be intertayned of him at his house Such was his kinseman Lot whom God so fauoured for receauing his messengers into his house whiche otherwyse should haue layne in the streete that he saued him with his whole familie from the destruction of Sodome and Gomorra Suche were the holy fathers Job and Toby with many others who felte most sensible profes of Gods especiall loue towardes them And as all these by their mercifulnes and tender compassion which they shewed to the miserable afflicted membres of Christe in the releeuing helpyng and succouring them with their temporall goodes in this life obteyned gods fauour were deare acceptable and pleasaunt in his sight so now they them selues take pleasure in the fruition of God in the pleasaunt ioyes of heauen and are also in Gods eternall worde set before vs as perfect examples euer before our eyes both howe we shall please God in this mortall lyfe and also howe we may come to lyue in ioy with them in euerlastyng pleasure felicitie For moste true is that saying whiche S. Augustine hath that the geuing of almes and releuing of the poore is the right way to heauen Via coeli pauper est The poore man sayth he is the way to heauen They vsed in tymes past to set in hye wayes sides the picture of Mercury poyntyng with his fynger whiche was the ryght way to the towne And we vse in crosse wayes to set vp a wodden or stone crosse to admonishe the trauailing man whiche way he muste turne when he commeth thither to direct his iourney aright But Gods worde as S. Augustine sayth hath set in the way to heauen the poore man his house so that who so wyl go aryght thyther and not turne out of the way muste go by the poore The poore man is that Mercury that shall set vs the redy way and if we loke well to this marke we shal not wāder much out of the ryght path The maner of wise worldly men amongst vs is that if they knowe a man of meaner estate then thē selues to be in fauour with the prince or any other noble man whom they eyther feare or loue suche a one they wyl be glad to benefite pleasure that when they haue neede they may become their spokes man either to obteyne a commoditie or to escape a displeasure Nowe surely it ought to be a shame to vs that worldly men for temporall thinges that last but for a season should be more wise prouident in procuring them then we in heauenly Our sauiour Christ testifieth of poore men that they are deare vnto him that he loueth them especially For he calleth them his litle ones by a name of tender loue he sayth they be his brethren And saint James sayth that god hath chosen them to be the heires of his kyngdome Hath not God sayth he chosen the poore of this worlde to hym selfe to make thē hereafter the rich heires of that kyngdome which he hath promised to them that loue hym And we knowe that the prayer which they make for vs shal be acceptable and regarded of God their complaynt shal be hearde also Thereof doth Jesus the sonne of Sirach certaynely assure vs saying If the poore complayne of thee in the bitternesse of his soule his prayer shal be heard euen he that made hym shall heare hym Be curteous therfore vnto the poore We knowe also that he who acknowledgeth him selfe to be their maister and patrone and refuseth not to take them for his seruantes is both able to pleasure and displeasure vs and that we stande euery houre in neede of his helpe Why shoulde we then be eyther negligent or vnwylling to procure their frendship and fauour by the whiche
But yet I woulde not haue you carelesse without watching For the deuill will assaye to attempt all thinges to interrupte and hynder your heartes and godly purpose if ye will geue him anye entrye For he will eyther labour to breake this godly knot once begun betwixt you or els at the leaste he will labour to encumber it with diuers greefes and displeasures And this is his principall craft to worke dissention of heartes of the one from the other That whereas nowe there is pleasaunte and sweete loue betwixt you he wyll in the steede thereof bryng in moste bitter and vnpleasaunt dyscorde And surelye that same aduersarye of ours doth as it were from aboue assault mans nature and condition For this folly is euer from our tender age growen vp with vs to haue a desyre to rule to thynke hyghlye by our selfe so that none thynketh it meete to geue place to another That wicked vyce of stubburne will selfe loue is more meete to breake and to disseuer the loue of heart then to preserue concorde Wherefore maryed persons must apply their myndes in moste earnest wyse to concorde and must craue continually of God the helpe of his holy spirite so to rule their heartes and to knit their myndes together that they be not disseuered by any diuision of discorde This necessitie of prayer must be oft in the occupying and vsing of maryed persons that oft tymes the one shoulde pray for the other lest hate and debate do arise betwixt them And because fewe do consyder this thing but more fewe do perfourme it I saye to praye diligently we see howe wonderfull the deuill deludeth and scorneth this state howe fewe matrimonies there be without chydinges brawlings tauntinges repentinges bitter cursinges and fyghtinges Which thinges whosoeuer do commit they do not consyder that it is the instigation of the ghostly enemie who taketh great delyght therein For els they woulde with all earnest endeuour stryue agaynst these mischeefes not onely with prayer but also with all possible diligence Yea they woulde not geue place to the prouocation of wrath which stirreth them either to such rowgh sharpe words or stripes which is surely compassed by the deuill whose temptation if it be folowed must needes begin weaue the web of all miseries and sorrowes For this is moste certaynly true that of suche beginninges must needes ensue the breache of true concorde in heart whereby all loue must needes shortly be banished Then can it not be but a miserable thing to beholde that yet they are of necessitie compelled to lyue together which yet cannot be in quyet together And this is most customably euery where to be seene But what is the cause thereof Forsoth because they will not consyder the craftie traynes of the deuill and therefore geueth not them selues to praye to God that he woulde vouchsafe to represse his power Moreouer they do not consyder how they promote the purpose of the deuill in that they followe the wrath of their heartes whyle they threate one another whyle they in their follye turne all vpsyde downe whyle they will neuer geue ouer their ryght as they esteeme it yea whyle manye tymes they will not geue ouer the wrong parte in deede Learne thou therefore if thou desyrest to be voyde of all these miseries if thou desyrest to lyue peaceably and comfortablye in wedlocke howe to make thy earnest prayer to God that he would gouerne both your heartes by his holy spirite to restrayne the deuils power whereby your concorde may remayne perpetuallye But to this prayer muste be ioyned a singuler diligence whereof saint Peter geueth this precept saying You husbandes deale with your wyues accordyng to knowledge geuing honour to the wyfe as vnto the weaker vessell as vnto them that are heyres also of the grace of lyfe that your prayers be not hyndered This precept doth particulerly parteyne to the husband For he ought to be the leader aucthour of loue in cherishing and increasing concorde whiche then shall take place if he will vse measurablenesse and not tirannie if he yelde some thinges to the woman For the woman is a weake creature not endued with like strength and constancie of mynd therefore they be the sooner disquieted and they be the more prone to all weake affections dispositions of mynde more then men be and lighter they be and more vaine in their fantasies and opinions These thinges muste be consydered of the man that he be not to stiffe so that he ought to winke at some thinges and must gentlye expounde all thynges and to forbeare Howbeit the common sorte of men doth iudge that suche moderation should not become a man For they say that it is a token of womanishe cowardnesse and therfore they thynke that it is a mans parte to fume in anger to fyght with fiste and staffe Howbeit howsoeuer they imagine vndoubtedlye Saint Peter doth better iudge what should be seeming to a man and what he should most reasonablye perfourme For he sayth reasoning should be vsed and not fyghting Yea he sayth more that the woman ought to haue a certayne honour attributed to her that is to say she muste be spared and borne with the rather for that she is the weaker vessel of a frayle heart inconstant and with a worde soone stirred to wrath And therefore consydering these her frayleties she is to be the rather spared By this meanes thou shalt not onlye norishe concorde but shalt haue her heart in thy power and wyll For honest natures wyl sooner be retayned to do their duetie rather by gentle wordes then by stripes But he which wyl do al thynges with extremitie and seueritie and doth vse alwaies rigour in wordes stripes what wyll that auayle in the conclusion Ueryly nothyng but that he therby setteth forwarde the deuilles worke he banisheth away concorde charitie and sweete amitie and bryngeth in discention hatred and yrkesomnes the greatest greefes that can be in the mutuall loue and felowship of mans lyfe Beyonde al this it bryngeth another euil therewith For it is the destruction and interruption of prayer For in the tyme that the mynde is occupyed with discention and discord there can be no true prayer vsed For the Lordes prayer hath not only a respect to particuler persons but to the whole vniuersall In the whiche we openly pronounce that we wyll forgeue them which hath offended against vs euen as we aske forgeuenes of our synnes of god Which thyng how can it be done ryghtly when their heartes be at discention Howe can they pray each for other when they be at hate betwixt them selues Now if the ayde of prayer be taken away by what meanes can they sustayne them selues in any comfort For they can not otherwyse eyther resist the deuill or yet haue their heartes stayed in stable comfort in al perilles and necessities but by prayer Thus all discommodities aswell worldly as ghostly folowe this frowarde testinesse and cumbrous fiercenes in maners
the bottome of our heartes detest and abhorre with all earnestnesse flee from it syth that it dyd cost the deare heart blood of the onlye begotten sonne of God our sauiour redeemer to purge vs from it Plato doth in a certayne place wryte that if vertue coulde be seene with bodily eyes all men woulde wonderfully be enflamed and kyndeled with the loue of it Euen so on the contrary if we myght with our bodily eyes beholde the filthynesse of synne and the vncleannes therof we coulde in no wyse abyde it but as most present and deadly poyson hate and eschewe it We haue a common experience of the same in them which when they haue committed any heynous offence or some filthy and abhominable synne if it once come to lyght or if they chaunce to haue a through feelyng of it they be so ashamed their owne conscience puttyng before their eyes the filthynes of their acte that they dare looke no man in the face muche lesse that they shoulde be able to stande in the syght of God. Fourthly the vncertayntie and brittlenesse of our owne lyues whiche is such that we can not assure our selues that we shall lyue one houre or one halfe quarter of it Whiche by experience we do fynde daily to be true in them that beyng nowe mery and lustye and sometymes feastyng and banquettyng with their freendes do fall sodenly dead in the streetes and otherwhyles vnder the boarde when they are yet at meate These daily examples as they are moste terrible and dreadfull so ought they to moue vs to seeke for to be at one with our heauenlye iudge that we may with a good conscience appeare before hym whensoeuer it shal please him for to cal vs whether it be sodaynly or otherwyse for we haue no more charter of our lyfe then they haue But as we are moste certayne that we shall dye so are we most vncertayne when we shal dye For our lyfe doth lye in the hande of God who wyll take it away when it pleaseth hym And veryly when the hyghest somner of all which is death shall come he wyll not be sayde nay but we must foorth with be packyng to be present before the iudgement seate of God as he doth fynde vs accordyng as it is wrytten Wheras the tree falleth whether it be towarde the South or towarde the North there it shall lye Whereunto agreeth the saying of the holy martyr of God S. Ciprian saying As God doth fynde thee when he doth call so doth he iudge thee Let vs therefore folowe the counsayle of the wyse man where he sayth Make no tarrying to turne vnto the Lorde and put not of from day to day For sodenly shall the wrath of the Lorde breake foorth and in thy securitie shalt thou be destroyed and shalt perishe in tyme of vengeaunce Whiche wordes I desyre you to marke diligently because they do most lyuely put before our eyes the fondnesse of manye men whiche abusyng the long sufferyng and goodnes of God do neuer thynke on repentaunce or amendement of lyfe Folowe not sayth he thyne owne mynde and thy strength to walke in the wayes of thy heart neyther say thou who wyll bryng me vnder for my workes For God the reuenger wyll reuenge the wrong done by thee And saye not I haue synned and what euyll hath come vnto me For the almyghtie is a patient rewarder but he wyll not leaue thee vnpunished Because thy synnes are forgeuen thee be not without feare to heape sin vpon synne Say not neyther The mercie of god is great he wil forgeue my manifold sinnes For mercy and wrath come from him and his indignation commeth vpon vnrepentant synners As if he should say Art thou strong and myghtie Art thou lustye and young Haste thou the wealth and ryches of the worlde Or when thou hast synned hast thou receaued no punishment for it Let none of all these thynges make thee to be the slower to repent and to returne with speede vnto the Lorde For in the day of punishment and of his sodayne vengeaunce they shall not be able to helpe thee And speciallye when thou art eyther by the preaching of Gods worde or by some inwarde motion of his holy spirite or els by some other meanes called vnto repentaunce neglect not the good occasion that is ministred vnto thee least when thou wouldest repent thou hast not the grace for to do it For to repent is a good gyft of God which he wyll neuer graunt vnto them whiche lyuyng in carnal securitie do make a mocke of his threatnynges or seeke to rule his spirites as they list as though his workyng gyftes were tyed vnto their wyll Fifthly the auoydyng of the plagues of God and the vtter destructiō that by his ryghteous iudgement doth hang ouer the heades of them all that will in no wyse returne vnto the Lorde I wyll saith the Lorde geue them for a terrible plague to all the kyngdomes of the earth and for a reproche and for aprouerbe and for a curse in all places where I shall cast them and wyll send the sworde of famine the pestilence among them tyll they be consumed out of the land And wherfore is this Because they hardned their heartes and woulde in no wyse returne from their euyll wayes nor yet forsake the wyckednesse that was in their owne handes that the fiercenesse of the Lordes furie myght departe from them But yet this is nothing in comparison of the intollerable and endlesse tormentes of hell fyre whiche they shal be fayne to suffer who after their hardnesse of heart that can not repent do heape vnto them selues wrath against the day of anger and of the declaration of the iust iudgement of God Wheras if we wyll repent and be earnestly sory for our synnes and with a full purpose of amendement of lyfe flee vnto the mercie of our god and taking sure holde thereuppon through fayth in our sauiour Jesus Christe do bring foorth fruites worthy of repentaunce he wyll not onlye powre his manifold blessynges vpon vs here in this world but also at the last after the paynefull trauayles of this lyfe rewarde vs with the inheritaunce of his chyldren whiche is the kyngdome of heauen purchased vnto vs with the death of his sonne Jesu Christe our Lorde to whom with the father and the holy ghoste be all prayse glory and honour worlde without ende Amen ⧠An Homilee agaynst disobedience and wylful rebellion The fyrst parte AS GOD the creatour and Lord of al thynges appoynted his angels and heauenly creatures in all obedience to serue and to honour his maiestie so was it his wyl that man his cheefe creature vpon the earth shoulde lyue vnder the obedience of his creator and Lord and for that cause God assoone as he had created man gaue vnto him a certayne precept and law whiche he beyng yet in the state of innocencie remaynyng in paradise shoulde obserue as a pledge and