doer for suche sorowe is not true contrition because it proceadeth not from faith which is the foundation of penaunce whyche no man can do except GOD with hys grace preuent hym and freelye by hys mercye conuerte him nor yet onely procedeth from feare of punishement eyther temporall or eternall for that declareth that the sinner dothe not nor woulde not forsake his sinne if he knewe that he myghte continue in the same styll wythoute anye payne or punishemente but it proceadeth from the loue of GOD whose maiestye wee haue offended and therefore are angry with our selues and hate that oure noughtye sinne wherwith we did offend had rather suffer any paine be it neuer so greate than to offende him againe This is the true sorow of Contrition whiche is taken for our sinnes principally for this respect that we haue offended our most merciful father whiche contrition he wyll neuer despise but receiue to mercye all those that with so pure an harte doe turne to him Blessed Saincte Peter in the repentaunce that hee tooke for hys synne left an example howe we might haue true Contrition whiche is to dooe as he dydde For hee was verye sorye and wepte bytterlye for hys offence alone by him selfe And yet he did not so for any bodely hurt that he had for denyinge of hys master our sauior Christ nor for any losse that he had of worldlye goodes nor for any rebuke that was geuen hym for hys denyall nor yet for anye feare that the Iewes woulde haue put hym to shame because he had denyed his maister for he knewe they woulde neyther hurte hym nor blame him but rather fauoure him for it But these thynges caused him to be sory and to wepe for his sinne First he did remember and consider the great perfection holynes and goodnes of his maister and howe he was the verye sonne of almighty God and also he remembred how he had taken him and made him his disciple and howe great fauour singuler kindnesse he had shewed him for the which he considered how feruentlye he loued Christe and how greatly he was bounden so to doe And than he remembred the promyse he hadde made vnto him and how vnfaithful he was in breaking that promise and vnkind in denyinge and forsakinge his mayster And thus the remembringe and consideringe of these thynges caused Sayncte Peter to bee contryte and to wepe for hys synne and to wyshe that he had not denied Christ and further to wyll that he woulde neuer offende agayne nor breake hys promyse anye more but euer keepe and fulfyll iustelye all that euer his maister our Sauyoure Chryste didde commaunde hym to do And so Sainte Peter dyd After this maner shoulde we consider our sinnes and be sory contrite for them Surely if we sinners did call diligently to our remēbraunce the gret goodnes of our sauior Christ euer shewed vnto vs as how he redemed vs with his moste precious bloud and painefull deathe and hathe chosen vs to his disciples and made vs inherytours vnto heauen and howe mercyfull and gratious he is alwayes vnto vs and howe holye iust reasonable laudable and howe easye a lawe he hath geuen vs and than consider further particularly and more in specyall hys goodnesse and that he hathe done and doth dayly for vs we shoulde than see that wee ought to loue laude and honour him aboue all creatures and fulfyll hys commaundementes whyche wee haue vowed and promysed to dooe And than yf we did consyder the vylenesse and noughtinesse of our sinnes and howe muche we did againste naturall reason and honestie in doynge of them and howe greatlye we dyd offende God in presuminge to doe so euill in his presence and fighte againste his lawe and in breakinge our solemne promisse of kepinge his commaundementes and than if wee dyd consider that in doinge of our sinnes we did not regarde his gracious goodnes and fauour nor feare his power and most dreadfull punishement if we did well consider these thinges were fullye perswaded of Goddes mercye whiche he is readye to shewe to all that vnfeynedlye wyll forsake theyr former noughtye wayes and turne to hym wee shoulde than take this contrition and see that wee oughte to be more sorye for oure synnes than Saynt Peter ought to haue bene for hys For oure Sauioure Chryste hadde shewed vs more kyndenesse and hadde doone more for vs than he hadde done for Saincte Peter at that tyme. For he dyed afterwarde for oure sakes and redemed vs and delyuered vs oute of the handes of the Deuyll And againe our sinnes bee moo and wee haue oftener broken oure promyse than Sayncte Peter didde for hee brake it but once and that was for feare and wee haue synned often tymes wythoute anye feare or compulsion but rather wyllynglye yea and dyuers tymes wee haue desyred to synne and studyed howe and where wee myghte fullfyll our vngracious lustes and desyres And thus ye maye see that we oughte to be more contryte and sorye for oure offences than Sayncte Peter oughte to haue bene for his By thys example ye maye knowe for what cause and by what meane ye maye haue contrition And surelye the synner that dothe well weye and consyder this that I haue spoken shall be sorye that euer he synned and didde againste the wyll and commaundemente of oure Sauioure Chryste whiche is so good and gratious and he shal wil that hee hadde neuer offended and hee shall hate synne and purpose and atende to lyue well and to make amendes and restytutyon of that he hathe wrongfullye taken or done and shall humble hymselfe by knowledginge and confessynge hys faultes and submytte hymselfe hollye to the correctyon and dyscyplyne of GOD and hys holye Churche not doubtynge but that hee shalbe receyued to grace and mercy and remission of all his sinnes Furthermore it is to be noted that the sorow and repentaunce whiche a theefe taketh for hys thefte whan hee shall suffer deathe for it and the repentaunce that a myslyuynge manne or woman taketh for their mislyuinge when they shal bee brought to any open shame or shal gette anye painefull dysease thereby is not that true Contrition that wee speake of nor yet any other lyke sorowe that men maye haue and take for theyr offences in other lyke cases Because such synners and offendours bee not sorye for that they didde againste Gods lawe and offende him but they bee sorye for the deathe or shame or other pain which they shal suffer for their noughtye liuinge Yet notwithstandinge these other paynes whereunto they come by order of lawe they maye also bee sorye for their synnes specyallye and mooste principallye because they didde offende GOD in despysinge him in doynge their synnes more thanne for anye shame or payne that they shall suffer here for theym and yf they so dooe hauynge the mynde and wyll to synne no more but to make restitutyon and to confesse and make satisfactyon for the same than they haue
whiche God promysed to all his faythfull soldiours and knowinge that our enemye the deuyll is moost busye and fearce than craftelye to assault his soldiour in his laste conflicte when he is lest able to resiste because the body that corrupteth and dieth dothe make heauye the soule than I saye our sauiour Christ by the sacrament of extreme Unction dothe inwardlye anoynte the sycke soldiour whereby he doth replenishe him with grace comforte and strength of the holy Ghoste againste the manyfolde and violent tentations of the deuyll and doth releue his hart with spirituall ioy agaynste the horrour of death and if he hath lightly offended in any venyall synne he pardoneth him and if he thinke it so expedient to his soule health he doth also sometime releue his corporall dissease and if not yet he sheweth him that honour that he doth and woulde the holle church shoulde accompt him as a faythful soldiour and if he hath not refused the benefite of his other Sacramentes to haue departed this transitorye life in hys moste gracious fauoure and to haue chaunged the short and light afflictions of thys tyme with the weighty and euerlasting glorye in the kyngdome of heauen The seuenth and laste thinge that a worldlye prince doth is if the tyme of hys warre be prolōged and further continued and many of his soldiours be slaine or departed thā to prouide that his armye be fullye restored agayne wyth some new and fresh souldiours and to vse them as he did the other before Euen so doth our Sauiour Christ because all the tyme of this worlde is the time of our battayle and conflicte of oure ghostly enemies in which tyme a great numbre of the souldiours of Christ departe out of thys transitorie life some in the fauour of their prince and so be rewarded and some in his displeasure such as haue fled traiterously to the deuyll their enemy haue turned their face against Christ their prince therfore he hath ordeyned the sacrament of Matrimonie speciallye for thys cause to restore his army agayne that newe men and women may be borne by generation in lawful coniunction and chaste Matrimonye of whom by Baptisme and spirituall regeneration he myght choose and appoynt out newe soldiours to furnishe his armye agayne and to fyght in the place of them that be departed during the time of his warre which is al the time of this present world By thys example similitude of warre I haue declared vnto you good people bothe the numbre of the Sacramentes of Christes Catholyke church which be seuen and also generally the effectes and vertues of them all and what fruit and benefite we take thereby Furthermore ye shall vnderstand that like as in a man there be two thinges a body a soule so in euery Sacrament there be twoo thynges one that is outwardly seene an other that is inwardly perceyued and beleued The outwarde visible thing is the element or matter of the sacrament the inwarde inuisyble and spyrituall thynge is the grace and vertue of the Sacrament The inwarde grace is signified conteined and geuen by the outwarde part of the Sacrament The graces of the Sacramentes be spirituall and ordeyned of God to heale the sinnes of the soule of man and because man principally dyd synne by the consent of hys reason and yet tooke occasion to sinne of the sensualitie and desyre of his fleshe therefore hath God tempered the medicine of hys Sacramentes accordynge to mans disease that the chiefe parte whyche is the inwarde grace being spiritual might be ministred to man in a sensible and visible sygne of a Sacrament as it were a secret medicyne deliuered to a sycke man in a visible glasse or vessell and suche a vessell as dothe teache the receyuer what is conteyned within it and is also geuen by it As for example the spirituall grace of regeneration is geuen to a man by the vse of baptisme whereby he vnderstandeth by the propertie of the water whiche is to washe awaye the fylthe of the bodye the nature of the inwarde grace whych is the washynge and purgynge of the soule from all spottes of synne and iniquitie so that nowe the bodye by the receyuynge of the sensible sacrament is made an occasion for the soule to rise from synne by receyuing of the spirituall grace as in the begynninge it was an occasion for the soule to fall to synne For whyche cause nowe the fleshe is washed that the soule myghte be purged the fleshe is anoynted that the soule might be consecrate and halowed the fleshe is marked crossed that the soule myght be armed and defended the fleshe is couered by imposition of handes that the soule myghte be lyghtned wyth the spyrite of God the fleshe is fedde with the bodye and bloode of Christ that the soule myghte be nourished and made fatte wyth God and as these twoo be nowe ioyned in theyr woorkes so shall they be afterward ioyned in rewardes And althoughe these marueilous graces and spirituall medicines bee geuen vnto vs by the Sacramentes yet God is onelye the Authour and geuer of theym who healeth the soule of man nowe ioyned wyth the body with hys spirituall grace ministred in corporall sygnes and Sacramentes and it is not the outwarde visible thinges that geue that whyche is geuen by them but God doth geue grace by theym that commaundeth vs to seeke grace in theym And this is the very difference betwene the Sacramentes of the olde testament and of the newe that the old Sacramentes did signifye and promise Christ the Sauiour and the newe Sacramentes doo geue the saluation and the Sacramentes of the olde testament did profite the fathers then not by anye vertue that was in the sacramentes but onely by the vertue efficacye of their fayth in Christ to come whiche was signified and promised by those sacramentes But the Sacramentes of the newe testament do profite the receiuers not by the fayth and deuotion eyther of the receiuers or of the minysters although faith and repentaunce and conuersyon to God the preparation of the harte the aptnes of the persone be necessarily required in the receiuers being of age discretion but they profite by y e vertue whiche they haue of the merites of Christes passion alreadye suffered vpon the crosse who vseth them as instrumentes of hys grace and mercy and hath decreed to worke infalliblye by them suche effectes of grace as they signifye And it is not the goodnesse or noughtynesse of the minister that canne further or hinder the vertue of the Sacramentes in working of theyr effectes for neyther he that planteth nor he that watereth is anye thynge but God that geueth the encrease Euen as it maketh no matter whether the Phisicyan be sycke or holle or whether the boxe bee of syluer or of woodde so the medicine be apt and good For yf theffect of the Sacrament did depend vpon the goodnes of the Minister whyche to men is vnknowen
all our Temples and Aultars be builded erected and dedicate onely to God ther to doo Sacrifice to God and to no Saynte although in our Sacrifice we name and haue remembraunce of the holy Martirs and sayntes both to thanke God for theyr vicâ—ories and also to prouoke oure selues to imitate them in the ouercomming of our ghostly enemies By thys good people that I haue declared vnto you ye ought truly to vnderstand and beleue that Christes naturall bodye in the blessed Sacrament is the proper sacrifice of Christes churche and that Christe himselfe both by hys owne deede and also by his expresse woorde and commaundement did institute and ordeyne that the church his spouse shoulde by her publike ministers beyng Priestes offer to almyghtye God the father wyth the sonne and the holy Ghost in sacrifice the same his naturall bodye in remembraunce of his passion which passion the churche now dayly to the worldes ende dothe renewe in misterye and dothe represent before God in the holy Masse for the atteynynge of all the graces and benefites purchased by the same passion before after the measure of hys goodnesse and as our faythe and deuotion is knowen vnto hym and in all her needes and troubles it resorteth to GOD trustyng to haue reliefe and mercy onelye for the merites of that passion whych it representeth to GOD as a full satisfaction for all her offences and as a full perâ—ection of thankes for all his former benefites and gyftes And finally by this Sacrifice of Christes bodye and blood in the Masse we certenly declare and professe that nothing doth exercise our faythe in the knowledge of God and of oure selues more then this Sacrifice of the Masse doth and that nothing dothe more increase oure charitie and hope in the mercye of God and it declareth that we beleue that there is no Sauiour but onelye Christe our Lorde and that we haue no refuge but to him ascribing altogether to the merites of his passion and so by it we most of al set forth our humilitie and the glorye of Christe and hys true honour Which sacrifice if we dayly and deuoutly exercise and come vnto and behaue our selues as becommeth Christen men and in suche affection and intent as I haue declared nowe howe the church doth no doubt of it but we shall perceiue great comfort in our hartes great amendement in our lyues and great furtheraunce to the atteyning of euerlasting lyfe to the which he bring vs that by his passion redemed vs to whom with the father and the holy ghost be all honour glory and prayse for euermore Amen ⸫ ¶ Of the godly prayers and ceremonies vsed in the sacrifice of the Masse Serm. xiii YF in that Sacrifice whiche is Christe no man is to be followed but Christ it is meete for vs to bee obedient and to doo that thing whyche Christe did and commaunded to be done And therefore good people considering that this our sacrifice of the Masse is accordynge to Christes commaundement the commemoration of Christes passion the holye Churche of Christ euer since the time of hys passion hath obedientlye vsed to doo as he dyd He didde consecrate the breade and wyne wyth hys omnipotent blessinge and made there present his very bodye and bloude and also he offered that hys bodye and bloude after the order and maner of Melchisedech to his father and thirdlye receiued it him selfe and gaue it to hys disciples Euen so the holy Churche in Christe and Christe by the holye Churche doth the same in all poyntes at this daye for the speciall and substantiall part of the Masse consisteth in these three poyntes in consecratinge the breade and wyne into the bodye and bloode of Christe in offering of the same body and bloude of Christe to God the father and in receyuing of the same by the deuout and faythfull people Christe also afâ—er his supper and before hys passion dyd say an hymne before he went foorth to the mouÌ„t Oliuet and he taught hys disciples many necessarie thinges and promysed to send vnto them his holy spirite which shoulde teache them all truth which then they could not beare and afterwarde prayed longe and feruentlie for his faythfull disciples and for the holle Church that shoulde by theyr woorde beleue in him and speciallye for theyr peace and vnitie in God and among them selues In these thinges also the holye churche dothe followe the example of Christ her heade whyche in the ministration of this Sacrifice vseth to ioyne almoste all the other in warde Sacrifices of a Christen man as confession of synnes inuocation of Gods mercie the prayse of God petitions for thinges needefull the doctrine of the people the profession of our common faythe the geuing of thankes to God prayers for all states of Gods churche the honouryng of Christe the asking of Gods peace the exhorting to the same with diuers other godlye exercises whyche I shall God wylling at this tyme shortelye and particularlye shewe vnto you to the intent you may knowe howe there is nothing conteyned in the Masse but a heape of all godlynes and spirituall Sacrifices and thereby to be the more prouoked and disposed to the often vsynge and frequenting of the sayd Masse First of all the holye vestementes wherewith the priest goeth to the Aultare beside other misteries which they teache and signifye they renew the memory of Christes passion in our hartes For as the Iewes did firste couer Christes face and did mocke hym and buffet hym so hath the Priest in memorye of that an Amise put vpon his head and also the whyte Albe put ouer al hys body doth bryng vs in remembraunce how Christ was contempned of kynge Herode who in mocking of him put vpon him a white apparell and sent him backe againe to Pilate And the Maniple vpon the priestes arme and hys gyrdle about his white Albe and the stole about his necke doo shewe to a man howe Christ was bounden fast to a pillar when he was whypped and scourged And as Christ was crowned with thorne and had his handes and feete nayled to the crosse so in the Amysse and Albe of the priest there be tokens of these fiue woundes And the the vpper vestement of the priest putteth vs in memorye of the purple robe that Pilates soldiours put vpon Christe after they had scourged him And vpon the backe of this vestement commonly there is made the signe of the crosse teaching vs how Christ was compelled to beare his own crosse vpon his backe throughe the citye so that when so euer we see the priest thus appareled go vp to the Aultare to celebrate the commemoration of Christes passion we may remeÌ„ber how cruelly Christe was handled of the Iewes and after what sorte he went vppe to the mount of Caluerye to suffer his passion for the redemption of man The priest comming to the Aultar beginneth first of all with the sacrifice of a contrite harte
to receyue him as â—he Centurio said that he was not woorthye that Christ shoulde enter into his house yet at lest resort to this Sacrifice and with fayth and deuotion receyue Christ spiritually and geuyng thankes for all hys gyftes commit your selues hollye to the custodye and tuition of almyghtye god who is alwaies ready to shew vs mercy for Christes sake to whoÌ„ with the father and the holye ghost be all honour prayse and glory worlde wythout end Amen ⸫ ¶ Of the necessitie and commoditie of Penaunce in general Serm. xiiii OUr Lorde and Sauioure Iesus Christe whyche came into thys worlde too call and saue synners dealynge patientlye with them not wyllyng anye man to peryshe but all men to bee conuerted and turned too hym by Penaunce after that Iohn Baptiste whom God sent before his face to prepare hys way by preaching of Penaunce was apprehended and cast into prison than I say our Sauioure Christe began to preache the gospell of hys grace and glorye after thys forme sayinge Do penaunce for the kyngdome of heauen draweth nere teaching vs bothe by hys woorde and deede and lyke as Iohn Baptiste goeth before whose ministery was to preach Penaunce and Iesus commeth after by whose death we haue redemption and remission of synne euen so in the harte of euerye synner the effecte of Iohns preachynge whyche is true and vnfayned Penaunce must go before that theffect of Christes passion which is grace mercie and remission of synnes maye come after And as this doctrine of penaunce was first of all other taught by our Sauiour hymselfe and by Iohn hys moste holye Prophet as a thynge most necessarye for the instruction and saluation of all men euen so hys holye Apostles in the beginning of theyr preachynge obserued the same matter and forme of doctrine as Sainte Peter in his first Sermon made at Hierusalem in the day of Pentecost when he had opened the worke of the holye Ghoste in the gifte of tounges and thereby tooke occasion to sette foorthe the mysterye of Iesus Christe at the last ende his doctrine to the people whyche were smitten wyth compunction of hart by his woordes was thys Doo penaunce and be euerye one of you baptised in the name of Iesus Christe for the remission of your sinnes and ye shall receiue the gift of the holye Ghoste And in hys next Sermon wrytten in the thyrde chapter of the Actes hee taughte the same doctrine in these woordes Doo you therefore penaunce and bee conuerted that your sinnes maye bee taken awaye Saynte Paule also calleth the doctrine of Penaunce the foundation of all other doctrines in the harte of a godlye man out of whych doo spryng suche other vertues as brynge a man to the perfection of a Christen lyfe Lykewyse Saynt Iohn Euangelist began wyth the same doctrine of Penaunce writynge in hys Reuelation to the seuen Churches that were in Asia sayinge thus to the church of Ephesus in the person of Christ Remember from whence thou haste fallen and doo penaâ—nce and do the first woorkes or els I shal câ—me to thee soone and shall remoue thy candlesticke from his place excepte thou doo penaunce And thys doctrine also dydde all the other Apostles fyrst and principallye set foorth to all them that receyued the fayth of Christe as most necessary for theyr saluation beyng taught and commaunded so to do by our Sauiour Christe hym selfe when before hys Ascencion hee opened to them theyr wyttes and vnderstandinges to vnderstande the Scriptures saying to them that it was so written that Christe so shoulde suffer and ryse from deathe the thyrde daye and that penaunce shoulde bee preached in hys name and remission of synne throughout al people beginning at Hierusalem For which cause and consideration I as a minister of our sauiour Christ to whom he hath committed the woord and ministerie of reconciliation vsynge as it were hys embassage to exhort you to be reconciled to him intendynge to teache you at thys tyme what thynges to doo for the sauynge of your soules and the atteynynge of euerlastynge lyfe haue thought it most expedient for satisfyeng of my dutie in folowynge the example and commaundement of our mayster Christ and his Apostles and for your erudition to be taught the streight pathe and hye beaten waye for our Christen religion to speake of penaunce and fyrste to declare the necessitie and commoditie of the same and than in order the partes of it and how to do it in suche maner as it maye be acceptable to almightye God and a meane to atteyne hys mercye and remission of synne Fyrst of al consider you good people that penaunce is a gift of God as the scripture saythe God hath geuen and graunted penaunce to the Gentiles for lyfe and saluation And it is God that standeth at the doore of our hart and knocketh by whose inspiration wee haue the begynnyng of our conuersion wythoute whom we be not able and sufficient of oure selues as of oure selues to thinke any good thought Thys gyfte of penaunce is a perfite and merueylous greate gift beyng as Saynte Chrisostome saythe the mother of mercy wherby as the wisemaÌ„ sayth God dothe dyssimule the synnes of men for penaunce that is to saye God of hys mere mercye and fatherly affection doth beare with the syns of men and differreth to auenge and punysh theÌ„ iustly according to theyr desertes patiently looking for their conuersion and penaunce by meanes wherof he might remit theyr offences delyuer them from manye daungers geue vnto theÌ„ plenty of grace and conduct them to the fruitioÌ„ of his glory For if God should by and by punish al offâ—dours neither Zacheus should haue had space to haue done penaunce nor yet s. Mathew nor many other beyng taken awaye to eternall deathe before the tyme of theyr penaunce But our most mecke father calling euerys one to penaunce dothe abyde and tarye for vs which pacience who so euer abuseth and contemneth by remayning still in his former synnes according to the hardnesse and obstinacie of his own hart dothe store vp to himselfe Gods indignation in the daye of Gods anger and iuste iudgement when he shall render to euerye one according to his woorkes And as he saith himselfe except in very deede we do penaunce we shall all peryshe and bee condempned whereby we vnderstande howe profitable and necessarye a medicine penaunce is without the whiche sinnes be not remitted to them that haue the vse of theyr vnderstanding and reason The Serpent in Paradise moued Eue to sinne penaunce loosed her again and from thence came good and euyll to manne Our father Adam was expulsed oute of Paradise for synne and we and all other that be hys children be called thyther agayne by penaunce For penaunce openeth that sinne hath shut and the mercyfull goodnes of God doth call vs thyther agayne from whence his anger hathe cast vs out What a great power
that geue and render good for euyll and be alwayes ready to profyte suche as hurte them The fyrste kynde of menne keepe peace the seconde maynteyne peace and the thyrde make peace and wynne the soules of other and therefore are compted happy and worthy to be called the chyldren of God that do the worke of Gods sonne that after they be recōciled them selues labour with all their power to reconcyle other to their heauenly father Many kyndes of almes there be and workes of mercy both corporall also spiritual But amōg thē al there is neuer one greater than freely euen frō the hart to remit that an other mā hath offended against vs. It is nothynge in a maner to loue hym that loueth vs and doth vs no harme for Infideles and all other men of nature wyll so dooe but to loue our enemies and to will to do good to thē that wyshe and do euyll to vs as muche as they can is the greatest perfection of a christen man And although the number of men for the moste part doth not come to that degree of perfection to loue and do good to their enemies whereunto euery Christen man ought with prayer and diligence to laboure and wrestle with hymselfe to come yet he can not be a good man that will not freely and hartely forgeue his enemy that ceaseth to be his enemy and is sory for that he hath done and humbly asketh hym forgeuenes For his synnes be holden styll and not remytted of God that will not forgeue his penitent neyghbour that he hath done against hym Therfore seyng in many thinges we offend al and the Angels of God be not yet commed that shall take away al offences out of the worlde it is not possible for peace to be kept euerywher in this world and God to bee pleased except hee that in anye thing doeth offend his neyghbour lay away his pride and submit himselfe and he that is offended laye awaye his obstinacie and be content to bee intreated for by these twoo meanes Gods peace shalbe kept without the whiche gods mercye can not be gotten and our offringes can not be accepted But hauing and vsing them rightwisnes peace and ioy in the holy Ghost shall remayne with vs and the kyngdome of God shall be within vs and we daylye in grace and feare shall woorke our owne saluation through Christ our Lorde to whom with the father and the holy ghost be all glory for euermore Amen ⸫ ¶ Of Satisfaction Serm. xxiii HAuynge declared vnto you heretofore good people the first two partes of penaunce whiche be Contrition Cōfession Nowe order requyreth that I shoulde declare at this tyme the thyrd part whiche is Satisfaction And firste of all it is to be knowen that when a Christen man or woman hath by consent of mynde or by worde or deede done any thyng that is deadly sinne thā hath he set him selfe in the state of dampnation is boūden to suffer euerlasting payne in hell because the rewarde or hyer of synne is eternall deathe vnder whiche payne God in the beginnyng and alwayes dydde forbidde sinne Likewise when a synner chaungeth his mynde forsakynge hys synne and taketh true repentaunce for the same and commeth to confession to a Priest if he may confesse and haue a Priest after that sorte and intent as is declared before than almighty God doth mercyfully forgeue him al the paines punishment that he had deserued and shoulde haue had in hell for his offences and setteth the synner agayne in the state of saluation And this doth almyghtye God euermore after the penitentes confession ordinarylye although he take not so muche and so great repentaunce for hys synne as he had pleasure in it nor althoughe he be not so long sory as he lay continued in sinne before For God hath not cōmaunded that synners shall take as muche repentaunce and be as longe sorye for their synnes as they tooke pleasure and continued in theyr synne For if he had done so ▪ the penitent synner could not haue been sure that he had had mercy and forgiuenes after his confession but shoulde rather haue been alwaies in doubt and feare of forgeuenes because he coulde not alwayes certaynly knowe that he had taken so muche and so long repentaunce as he had pleasure and taryed in his synne whiche feare and doubte of forgeuenes no synner commyng vnfeynedly to this sacrament maye haue at any tyme but when so euer a synner dooeth forsake his synnes and taketh repentaunce for it be it litle or muche and so cōmeth to confessiō than he knoweth is in suretie that he hath forgeuenes and is set againe in the state of saluation And although it be true that any quantitie of Contrition is sufficient to haue forgeuenesse of the paynes of hell due for synne yet the more he taketh the better he doeth And this forgeuenes of synne and eternall payne due for synne commeth by the vertue of Christes passion who hath made satisfaction vpon the crosse and redemed vs by his death from all iniquitie and is the sacrifice propiciatorye for the synnes of the holle worlde and hathe borne our synnes in his body vpon the tree by whose woundes we are made safe Therefore this is to bee surelye beleued that onely our Sauiour Christe by his painfull passion vpon the crosse is that satisfaction whiche deserueth remission of our sinnes and the abolyshyng of eternal death and dampnation whiche remission and deliuery no man is able to deserue by any thyng that he can do but onely the goodnes and humanitie of GOD our Sauioure in Christ not by the workes of rightwisnes which we haue done but by his own mercy hath wroughte brought to passe God of his greate mercie to all true penitentes forgeueth synne and yet of his iustice and truthe he leaueth not the sinnes of them whom he forgeueth vnpunished But all synnes of all men and women he punisheth either eternally in hell or temporally for a tyme that as in forgeuing appeareth his mercie so in correcting or auenging myght appeare his iustice For whiche cause consyderynge that God by the merites of Christe forgeueth to all that be truelye penitent and confessed all their synnes and also the paynes of hell due for the same and yet leaueth no synne vnpunyshed although it be remitted we may thereby certeinly know that euery synner although he hath receiued absolution and remission eyther hath suffered or remayneth yet styll bounden to suffer certein temporall payne accordynge to the nature and quantitie of his former faulte for that hee presumed to doe against Gods lawe and brake his promyse and professiō in baptisme And this temporall payne is oure debte whyche we are bounden to paye to God For as we are debters to almyghtie God for his manifolde benefytes bestowed vpon vs and so are bounden alwayes to thanke him to honoure hym and to offer to him the sacrifice of