dyd delyght the before in thy body doth trouble the in thy herte than doste thou repent well saye to God to the alone haue I synned euell haue I done before the. So that the whole summe of repentaunce is this to dye vnto synne to lyue vnto righteousnes which is signified by our plonginge in y â— font when we are baptised by â—ure â—aâ—yng out agayne as S. Paule sayeth we are buryed togyther w t hym by baptisme iÌ„to death y t as Christ is raised vp from the dead by the glory of his Father so we in lyke maner shoulde walke in a newe lyfe THEO If we repent be sory for our sinnes coÌ„fesse our wickedness amende oure lyfe is this ynough PHIL. This is much certes but not all For repent is not only contayned in your dysh but also Beleue the Gospell Thys pour repentance must be ioyned w t sayth lyncked with a sure perswasion that God the father according to his promyse wyll vndoutedly for gyue you your synnes for his sonne Iesus Christes sake For Caym Esau Pharao Saul Antiochus Iudas many other repented grauÌ„ted theyr offeÌ„ces yet were they not forgyuen Many also among the very Neithen gentiles glystered out wardely with a meruaylous godly conuersacion sorowed very greatly yf at any tyme tâ—ey dydde defyle theyr innocencye with ony spotte â—â— vncleanes yet were they not made heyâ—es of eternall glorye And why Uerely they tasted after a certayne maner of y e fyrst parte of your dysh bâ—â— not of the laste They repented but they beleued not y e gospell that is they sought for no helpe of theyr wickednes at gods exceadyng mercy thorowe Iesus Christ. They had not the christen fayth in theÌ„ whâ—che commynge from a repentaunt sorowfull herte maketh haste to God and approcheth boldly to the throne of his grace that it maye obtayne â—â—uour and remission of synnes RepeÌ„taunce without fayth bryngeth desperacion but repentaunce accompanieth fayth bryngeth remissioÌ„ of sinnes tranquilite of conscience euer lastinge lyfe as we maye easely perceyue by two of Christes Disciples Iudas sold Christ Peter denied forswore Christ. Here bothe synned both repented both confessed theyr offence One by manifest it wordes the other by teares Yet was Peter saued and Iudas damned Now so Because that the repentance of Peter was ioyned with faith hope of forgyuenes the repentance of Iudas was not so Mary Magdalene dyd not only repent of her synfullyuynge but also beleued to haue remission of her synnes And therfore dyd not Christ only saye of her vnto Simon the Pharise many synnes are forgyuen her because she loued muche but he also sayd vnto her w t a lyuely voyce thy fayth hath saueâ— the goâ— thy waye in peace Heare what Chrisostowe sayth If thou be wythered worne away of synne renewe thy selfe by repeÌ„taunce Why may he that repenteth be saued yea vndoutedly Wherof of commeth it to passe of y â— LORDES fauourable mercye Truste not to thy repentaunce For thy repentaunce can neuer put away so great sinnes If it were thy repentaunce alone thou myghteste well feare but seyng that the mercy of God is accompanied with repentaunce be on a good conforte for it ouercommeth thy wickednes god is exceadynge mercyfull so full of gentlenes that he dyd not spare his owne soÌ„ne for to redeme the vnkind seruauntes Saye not vnto me I haue synned to much howe can I be saued Thou canste not in dede saue thy selfe but thy LORDE can And he so putteth awaye thy synnes y t therneth no prynte syghe or toâ—eÌ„ of theÌ„ Here ye se also by Chrisostome that repentaunce w tout an earnest fayth had reposed in the mercye of God can by no meanes put away synne This your dyshe therfore teacheth you both to repent also to beleue For what so euer is not of faythe is synne sayeth S. Paule The worde of the LORDE is right sayth Dauid and all his workes are in fayth A worke without fayth sayeth Chrisostome is nothyng Agayne he sayeth we must haue fayth euery wher I meane that fayth which is the mother of all good thynges y e medicine of helth without the which a man caÌ„not perceyue the doctrine of great excellent thynges but is lyke vnto them which takynge in hande for to swymme ouer y e see wythout a shyp whan they are a lytle forward theyâ— haÌ„des theyr fete beying once â—ery are vtterlye ouerwhelmed wyth the waues of y e see Also in another place All oure elders are reported y t they pleased God by fayth therfore with out that all thiÌ„ges come to nought Hereto agreeth S. Austen sayenge The medicyne of the soule and of all woundes the alone sacrifyce to appeaâ—e Gods wrath for the synnes of all men is to beleue in Christe Neyther canne anye man at all be made cleane eyther from originall synne whiche he hath drawne of Adam in whom all haue synned be made naturally the chyldren of wrath or froÌ„ the synnes which they by not resistynge the carnall concupiâ—ceÌ„ce but by followynge it seruyng it by vngraciousnes wycked lyuyng haue added put therto excepte by fayth they be enunied ioyned togyther iÌ„ the body of him which without ony carnall entysemente mortiferous delectacion was conceyued Thus se you that repentaunce wythoute fayth anayleth nothyng but enunâ—ed ioyned with fayth is a singuler and hyghe treasure For by fayth doth God heare vs. By fayth are we blessed By faythe dothe God appere vnto vs. By fayth do we vnderstond the trueth By fayth do we kepe the commaundemeÌ„tes of God By fayth are we maryed to God By fayth haue we eternall lyfe By fayth are we purifyed By fayth are our hertes made cleane By faythe are we made the sonnes of God By fayth are we iustifyed By fayth we please God By fayth we be borne of God By fayth we subdue Satan By fayth do we ouercome the world To conclude by fayth all goodnesse chauÌ„se vnto vs and without fayth all euell thynges fall vpon vs. No meruiale for as Chrisostome sayth Fayth is the foundacioÌ„ of the moost holy religioÌ„ the bonde of charite the subsidie of loue This fayth confyrmeth holynes corrobâ—ratethe maketh stroÌ„g pure lyuyng garnissheth digâ—ities In chyldreÌ„ it shyneth in yonge men it storyssheth in olde meÌ„ it is a godly spectacle it confirmeth al kyndnes it exalteth degrees it kepeth all offices in the poore man it is pleasaunt in the meane man mery in the rytch honest Fayth preserueth frendeshyypes gathereth togyther assemblies reporteth euer wel it despyseth no man it contenmeth no man it fayle the no man excepte perchauÌ„se he fyrst fayleth her Faith vnderstandeth the commaundementes kepeth the preceptes fulfylleth promises Faith maketh vs acquainted with God constituteth vs freÌ„des with Christ. Thus haue I declared vnto you in
the vnto you Beholde here it is I wyll sette ennemytâ— betwene the an womaÌ„ betwene thy seed her seed that selfe seed shall tread downe thy heade Nowe dothe this fauour in your mouth THEO Very pleasauÌ„tly forsoth but we do not perceyue what it meneth PHIL. Heare therfore These were the wordes of God the father to the serpent whan by his craft sutâ—elty he had made AdaÌ„ to offende in theÌ„ is comprehended an whole See of treasures For they declare both oure free delyueraunce from captiuite also the victory ouer Satan and all his army When Satan had thought y t he had gotteÌ„ the ouerhand of man and brought him into the same case wherinto he was throwen for his to much arrogancy pryde thynking by this menes to deceiue God of his purpose which had made man for to supply y e noÌ„ber of Aungelles which perysshed when Lucifer fel from heuen God wyllyng to shewe himselfe of no lesse puissaunce to saue maÌ„ thorowe his mercy than SataÌ„ was to condeÌ„ne hym thorowe his crafte pytied streyght way the miserable fall of maÌ„ afterwarde spake these confortable wordes to the great coÌ„fusion of Satan the excedyng consolacion of man I wyl set enimite betwene the an womaÌ„ betwene thy seed and her seed that selfe seed shall treade downe thy head Thys woman is the mooste blessed and pure virgyn Mary which was here promysed to brynge forth y t seed whiche should tread downe Satans heade This seed is Iesus christ which toke sâ—eâ—sh vnfaynedly of that moost pure virgyn became man for our sake And he it is which was promised of God the father to treade downe the heade of the Serpent THEO I perâ—eyue that by the serpente ye meane Satan But what is mente by the treadyng downe of his head PHIL. The destruccion of his power For y e these streÌ„gth power of a serpent coÌ„systeth iÌ„ his head Though his tayle or body be stryken or wouÌ„ded he forceth not much For he wyl put them both in perrel for the safegard of his head but yf his head be once striken or wosided thaÌ„ loseth he his power than dyeth he shortelye Therfore is Christe promysed here not to tread downe the tayle or bodye of the serpent but his head wherby is sygnified the destruccion of his whole power So that nowe Satan shall neuer more triuÌ„ph agaynst Gods electe Do ye nowe perceyue this matter EVSE Yea forsoth CHRI I neuer hearde so muche before PHIL. Well nowe beholde the great excedynge mercye of God toward you that ye maye learne that to be true whiche God speaketh by his Prophet Ose Thy destruccion oh Israell coÌ„meth of it selfe but thy saluacion coÌ„meth only of me Ye haue heard that AdaÌ„ synned that thorowe his synne all we were daÌ„â—ed THEO I remeÌ„ber it well PHIL. The scripture testifieth y â— so sone as Adam had offeÌ„ded he hyd hymselfe fled from the face of god he was so gretly ashamed of y â— synne that he had coÌ„mytted For after his offence he came not to GOD as he ought to haue done neyther sought he grace remission of his synne at the goodnes of God by coÌ„fessing his synne with a faythfull repentaunto herte but streyghtway after y â— traÌ„â—gressioÌ„ of y e precept he fled from God hyd himselfe froÌ„ y â— face of god as they vse to saye putte his head in a busshe lyke a cowarde for feare Oh where are the powers of free wyl yâ— man be once withoute the spirite of God Man hath nowe no power to seke for saluacion but rather continueth styll in his olde wickednes seketh to be far from the face of god couetynge rather to be damned thaÌ„ he would once approch vnto y â— sighte of God synne hath so slayne his courage SataÌ„ in him hath so great dominion yea whan he coÌ„sidereth his wickednesse he is angrye w t GOD hateth God and wyssheth that ther were no God that he myghte escape vnpunysshed euen as an enemy of y â— publigue weale wyssheth that there were no kynge no Emperour no ruler no gouernor no magistrate but all lyke himselfe that freely w tout punysshement he myght deforme renâ—e teare despoyle y â— publigue weâ—e at his owne pleasure Nowe beholde the vnspeakable benygnite of God When Adam had fled from him and hyd himselfe so that he had no hoope of helth but vtterly despayred of all consolacioÌ„ lokyng for extreme tyraÌ„ny to be exercysed vpon him at euery houre accordyng to his desertes God lyke a mercyfull father sought hiÌ„ vp spake before hiÌ„ y e swete wordes heretofore rehersed to Satan y t by this meanes he might receyue coÌ„solacioÌ„ so be saued by geuyng earnest fayth to that moost confortable promyse O the vnmesurable goodnes of this celestial father he is that shepe herde whiche neuer leaueth sekyng vntyll he hath found the shepe that was loste He is y t father which ioyefully receiueth agayne into his house that sonne whiche prodigally had spente all his substance He is y â— Samaritane which healeth y â— wouÌ„ded man He is that LORDE whiche maketh of a blasphemer an Apostle of a ê“secutor a preacher And wheÌ„ce commeth this his goodnes of vs of our good dedes of our merites Naverely but of his bounteous mercy and great goodness Frely and with out deserte worketh he this thynge We are saued by grace thorow faith that not of our selues for it is the gyfte of God commeth not of workes bycause no maÌ„ should bost himselfe We beiÌ„g iustified by his grace are made heyres accordyng to hope of euerlastyng lyfe Not for the workes of ryghteousnes which we haue done but accordynge to his mercye hathe he saued vs. We are iustyfyed frely by his grace By grace are we saued not by workes Yf by grace theÌ„ not of workes or els grace were not grace He dyd chose vs by hys grace not we hym by our workes as christ wytnesseth ye haue not choseÌ„ me but I haue choseÌ„ you Paule also sayth God did chose vs in Christ before the foundacions of the world were layd Hereto pertayneth y t sayeng of the Psalmograph Blessed is he o Lord whome thou haste chosen and taken vnto the for he shal dwel in thy inner courtes That God of his free mercy did chose vs without our desertes whan we were synfull poore w toute onye goodnes or godlynes he hymselfe testifyeth by hys Prophet sayeng I haue chosen the in the fyre of pouertie EVSE So far as I can perceyue nowe God alone is y â— author of our saluacion he of his free mercy and abouÌ„dant grace dyd chose vs to be his heyres before the foundacions of the worlde were layde CHRI Yea and that before we wrought ony goodnes or shewed ony poynte of kyndnes toward hym PHIL. Ye saye trueth And
And in dede synne may well be compared to a thorne or bramble For as the thorne breÌ„ble prycketh the body wouÌ„deth it greuouslye yea and bryngeth many tymes destruccion vpoÌ„ it except other wyse it be holpen so lykewyse synne moost greuously prycketh wouÌ„deth and vtterly destroyeth the soule excepte it be redemed by Gods mercye thorow Iesus Christ. THEO I thiÌ„ke this to be true PHIL. It therfore foloweth y t iÌ„ asmuch as all we are dead in Adam we are not able of oure selues to ryse agayne from death vnto lyfe And seyng that we are synners all that euer we do muste nedes be synne yea it is synne in dede deserueth euerlastynge death For as the scripture sayth The disposicioÌ„ and thought of maÌ„nes herte is prone to euel from his yonge age We are wicked chyldren a wicked seed We are that seed whiche was cursed froÌ„ the begynnyng We are lyke bruyte beastes We are carnall flesshely sould vnder synne We are vnprofitable seruauÌ„tes We all haue gone astray lyke shepe We all are Hypocrites wycked We are all lyers We all are vncleane all our ryghteousnesses as a cloth polluted with mensture All haue synned There is not one y â— dothe good no not one There is no man cleane from fylthynes no not the yonge chylde Ther is no man able to say my hert is cleane I am pure from sinne For our hartes are wicked and inâ—crutable We are not able to thynke a good thoughte All that euer we bryng forth is thornes braÌ„bles that is to saye synne vngodlines all abhominacion What are we nowe of oure selues I praye you tell me CHRI Very synners EVSE Yea and al that euer we do in AdaÌ„ of our own streÌ„gth is plaine synne and wickedness PHIL. I am glad that we haue learned what ye are of your selues by Adam I pray you what are ye able nowe to do for to saue your selues from this perel wherunto ye are fallen by Adam THEO Verely I can not tell EVSE Forsoth I thynke very lytle PHIL. Ye might right well haue sayde nothinge at all For I ensure you that ye beyng lefte vnto your selues can do none otherwise but synne faull headlyng into all kynde of mischefe Your wytte strength polecy imaginacion reason free wyll auayleth here nothynge to delyuer you from the captiuite of Satan He leadeth you as the mayster dothe his bonde slaue whyther soeuer it pleseth him as Christ witnesseth euery one that doth synne is the seruauÌ„t of synne Ye remember I am sure the storye of the wounded man in the Gospell of Luke which beyng dispoyled and robbed of all his clothes greuously wouÌ„ded laye styll halfe dead THEO I remeÌ„ber it very well PHIL. This wouÌ„ded maÌ„ signiâ—ieth euerye chylde of Adam The clothes signify fayth charïte iustice mercy such other vertues The theues are SataÌ„ and his aungels The woundes are synnes Haulfe deade is to be alyue in the flesshe slayne in the soule thorowe synne All this are we by AdaÌ„ And as this wouÌ„ded man could not be holpen of the Preste nor Leuyte vntyll the Samarytane came no more can we be holpen by ony creature or worke tyll christ coÌ„meth the true Samaritane We can not certes we can not helpe our seues but euen lye styll the stynkynge puddle of synne Loke in what case Satan leaueth vs in the verye same do we remayne excepte God of his mercy thorowe Christe helpeth vs. Neyther canfre e wyll nor all the wytte polecye that we haue profyte here any thynge tyll God indueth vs w t streÌ„gth from aboue For as S. Austen sayeth The nature of man all though it dyd remayne coÌ„tinue in that integryte purenes wherin it was made yet could it kepe it selfe by no meanes if the creator maker of it dyd not helpe Therfore seynge that w tout the grace of god it could not kepe the health that it receiued howe is it able to repare and get agayne that which it hath lost without y e grace of God Againe he saith free wyll sufficethe vnto euell but vnto good it auayleth lytle excepte it be holpen of that almyghty God Therfore is it well sayde of the Apostle God worketh in vs â—oth the wil the dede Hereto agreeth the sayeÌ„g of â—hrist As the vyne braunche can not beare fruyte excepte it abyde in the vine no more can ye except ye abyde in me I am the vyne ye are y â— braunches He that abideth in me I in him the same bryngethe for the much fruyte For without me ye caÌ„ do noâ—hyng If any maÌ„ abydeth not in me he is cast out as a braunche is wythered men gather theÌ„ cast theÌ„ into y â— fyre there burne Thus se ye what â—e are of youre selues by Adam that no strengthe ye haue ones to aspyre or breath towarde ony goodnes much lesse to do or work any good thynge excepte ye be holpen of God Ye se also howe full of sinnes diseases woundes sores botches canckers al y â— euer nought is ye are Ye se agayne how ye are not able of your selues to recouer youre innoceÌ„cy that ye lost by AdaÌ„ CHRI Alas what is now to be done THEO The rehersyng of these thynges maketh me very sadde PHIL. It shoulde rather make you very glad For as S. Hierome sayeth This is y â— true wysdome of a man to knowe hym selfe to be inperfecte as I maye so speake the perfeccioÌ„ of all righteous men in the flesshe is imperfecte Agayne he sayeth Than are ye righteous when we confesse oure selues synners our righteousnesse consisteth not of our owne merite but of the mercye of God as the holy scripture sayth the righteous maÌ„ is the accuser of himselfe in y â— begynnynge of his spech Therfore must ye coÌ„fesse your selues to be that in dede which ye are y â— is very synners yf ye wyll be set free from this miserable captiuite wher w t ye are nowe to muche wrapped and ouerwhemled EVSE We confesse y e same THEO We nowe knowledge y t of oureselues by AdaÌ„ we are nothynge but synners all that euer we do without the spirytâ— of god is playne sinne as S. Paule sayeth What soeuer is not of fayth is synne PHIL. Well seynge that ye haue so fruytfully digested the fyrst dysshe of your Banket nowe haue I a fyt place a conuenient tyme a good occasion to brynge vnto you the seconde dysshe as it followeth in order CHRI I praye you let vs tast of it THEO That thynge also do I desyre ¶ The seconde dysshe YOur second dysshe is coÌ„tayned in that same chap. wher in the fyrst is recited Therfore deuoure this w t no lesse gredy appetyte than ye haue done y â— other For this dysshe is much delicious very wholsome forthe vertuous preseruacioÌ„ of the soule I now brynge it for