against the prescripts of men was verie hardly forgiuen and that not by euerie man So the neglect of singing vpon an holie day in the Church what a sinne was it reckoned But forgetfulnes of God in prosperitie ingratitude towards God other such like sinnes how were they nothing accompted of I could bring forth well nigh sixe hundred such but that I thinke that this which I haue rehearsed is inough for example sake Notwithstanding I will yet relate one or two more that thereby the whole matter may the better appeare If the sacrificing Priest had by chaunce any day omitted his houres of prayer how great a sinne was that thought to bee how scarse pardonable That the same man did keepe a concubine that the same man did wholy abandon him selfe to bankettes to wine to lecherie in that there was no man which was greatly offended So if a Monke had not orderly inough finished his ceremonies good God what trembling quaking was there what anguish of minde finally what feare lest hee should fall into hell But for the same man to beare priuie grudges against his brethren for to detract from other mens fame and good name that was accompted no offence If any man vpon an holy day had done any woorke in the fielde the businesse requisite to bee done what an heinous offence what an inexpiable crime was it iudged But hee that neglecting the Sermon had spent the same day wholy in feastes riottous and reueling bankets in wine in surfeting in dansing in dicing in pastimes and sometime in bralles and fightinges he verely was thought to haue made a faire dayes woorke and to haue kept holy day verie well and deuoutly So if the Bishop shoulde haue made a married man Minister though hee were a godly and a learned man he accompted it a wicked act because it is against the canons and rules of their order though it be permitted by Gods lawes But the same man is nothing at all affraid to choose into the number of Bishops and Prelates much more into the number of Parish Priestes I doe not say now dronkardes couetous caytifes and angrie wretches but besides their extreme ignorance incestuous persons homicides parricides Church robbers dicers sorcerers that I may adde no woorse although the holie Ghoste by the mouth of Paule had flatly forbidden it So greatly doe they swallowe vp a Camel which straine at a gnatte So verely the Iewes thought it a cursed and damnable deed to pull an Oxe out of a dich vpon the Sabboth day but that Christ by speaking the woorde did heale men vpon that day that verely they obiected vnto him as the greatest crime that coulde bee And they that made a religion of it to enter the Iudgement hall namely to the end they might eate the Passeouer pure and cleane without spotte the same men were nothing affraide to crucifie an innocent and guiltlesse man to witte our Sauiour Christ Iesus But let vs returne againe to our purpose Now after that the man hath truely acknowledged his sinnes being moued thereto by repentance hath sorrowed greatly in mind for them hath trembled at the anger iudgment of God against them sighing from the bottome of his hearte hath aspired desired the grace of Christ wee will him to hope well and to be of good cheere we comfort him being sad sorrowfull by proposing setting before him the clemencie greate goodnesse of God who is woont easily to graunt pardon to the penitent to haue respect to the contrite in spirit and to him that trembleth at his sayinges We teach declare that the saluation of all men whosoeuer repent truely from their heart dependeth on the only mercie of God through Christ that Christ hath satisfied GOD by his death for the sinnes of all men and that hee by his punishment hath suffered that punishment which wee did owe to the iustice of God that Christ came into the worlde to saue sinners that Christ gaue him selfe the price of redemption for all that Christ was wounded for our iniquities and broken for our wickednesse that by Christ we were reconciled when wee were Gods enimies that by Christ wee are deliuered from the wrath of GOD that by Christes bloude we are all cleansed from our sinnes that Christ doth daily make intercession for vs at the right hande of God his father that by Christ wee are both sanctified and are the sonnes of God and haue life euerlasting Hitherto tendeth that which our Sauiour saith in Iohn So GOD loued the worlde saith hee that hee gaue his onely begotten Sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him shoulde not perish but haue euerlasting life For GOD sent not his sonne into the worlde that he shoulde condemne the worlde but that the worlde through him might bee saued Hitherto also perteineth that of S. Iohn Herein the loue of GOD appeared towardes vs because GOD sent his onely begotten sonne into this worlde that wee might liue through him Herein is that loue manifest not that wee loued GOD but that hee loued vs and sent his sonne to bee a reconciliation for our sinnes Hitherto also belongeth that which S. Paule writeth to the Ephesians and to the Colossians By whome saith hee wee haue redemption through his bloude euen the forgiuenesse of sinnes according to the riches of his grace And to the Corinthians For also our Passeouer saith hee is offered vp for vs euen Christ And againe For he which was without sinne made hee sinne that is the price of sinne for vs that wee might bee made the righteousnesse of God by him I will not stande any longer in these testimonies of Scripture For the summe of all is this That GOD through Christ is reconciled vnto vs and that Christ hath satisfied the iustice of God for the sinnes of mankinde This faith therefore is conceiued by the preaching of the Gospell For the Gospell setting downe the reconciliation of God through Christ and the satisfaction of Christ for the sinnes of men doth shew forth hope of saluation and an assured confidence to them that repent After this sorte which you haue hearde doe wee comforte him which is greeued for his offences and sorrowfull for his sinnes For wee speake not a woorde to him of Romish indulgencies of Pilgrimages of Monkes suffragies and other such like trifles We doe againe and againe inculcate and beate into his braine which is repentant for his sinnes Christ onely so as the Scripture teacheth We declare that it is Christ alone whome wee ought to vse as our Spoakesman Attourneie and Sollicitour in appeasing God that Christ is hee alone who both by the sacrifice of his bodie hath satisfied for the sinnes of mankind and in whose onely bloud and merites all mortall men ought to repose the whole trust of their saluation And that there may not remaine any little scruple in
for the increase of true Religion for the fall and destruction of superstition for the concorde and amitie of Princes also for the peace of the Common weale and for publike tranquillitie wee teache him that vnto prayer hee ought to ioyne both fasting and almes bountie and liberalitie towardes the poore and all kind of dueties towardes his neighbours whiche thinges verelie are a certeine signe and token of a minde which gladly desireth to please God and to approue himselfe to God onely which ought to be the summe of all our prayers And we tell him that so it will come to passe that God will sooner heare the prayers of the supplicant according to that of Esai Breake thy bread vnto the hungrie and bring the needie and the straunger into thine house when thou seest the naked see that thou couer him and despise not thine owne flesh Then thou shalt call vppon him and the Lorde shall heare thee thou shalt crie and he shall say Here I am Yea and the Angel in Tobie saieth Prayer is good with fasting and almes deedes Hitherto perteineth the example of Cornelius the Centurion who as S. Luke writeth in the Actes of the Apostles was woont to giue much almes to the people and to pray vnto God continually Therefore he heard of the Angel Thy prayer is heard and thine almes are come vp into remembrance before God. But if this our penitent person offend in any thing and fall againe into sinne as we are all of vs prone to vice and the Diuell doth alwayes set before vs some prouocations and allurementes to sinne we doe with all diligence exhort him by and by to acknowledge his errour and humblie to aske forgiuenesse of his most mercifull father not to suffer sinne to reigne and rule in him nor to goe on in heaping one sinne vpon another finally we exhort him to salue by Gods helpe and assistance the fault committed with greater good deedes and becomming an honest man againe to amend and refourme his life Also we bid him to remember as S. Iohn saith in the Reuelation from whence he is fallen and to repent and to doe woorkes worthie of a man that is repentant finally to endeuour in a certeine studie and desire to reconcile Gods will vnto him to doe those thinges which are well pleasing and acceptable to God last of all acknowledging mans imbecillitie and procliuitie to offend and chiefly that inward stubbornnesse and contumacie of the heart against the lawe of God moreouer setting before his eyes those thinges wherein he hath often offended either of ignorance or negligence we bid him perseuere in a continuall repentance yea and to cast himselfe downe perpetually as it were at the feete of Iesu with the sinnefull woman in the Gospell not doubting but that grace doth abound aboue sinne as the Apostle saieth We bid him being now wholy displeased with himselfe to request the mercie of God with an humble voyce and knocking of his breast with the Publicane in the Gospell Finally to purge continually the old leuen and to mortifie that I may vse Paules worde by the Spirit the reliques of sinne which as yet sticke fast in his fleshe and to chasten his bodie and to bring it into bondage and to tame and represse his vicious nature both with daily prayer and with daily repentance and with the acknowledging of Gods anger against sinne and with patience in miseries and tribulations and with the memorie and remembrance of the last iudgement but chiefly with a certeine Christian courage of the minde and with the inuincible strength of faith and of the Euangelicall spirit Whatsoeuer there are in the Propheticall and Apostolicall writinges either testimonies of Gods wrath against sinne or examples of punishmentes against the wicked wee doe excite and stirre vp this our penitent person to the remembrance of them we shew him both that God did not spare the Angels which had sinned and also that by a deluge or generall floud of waters he extinguished almost all mankinde for impietie and vngodlinesse and that he ouerthrewe quite from the foundation the cities of the Sodomites and Gomorrheans burning them into ashes and that he made them an ensample vnto them that afterwardes should liue vngodly as Saint Peter saith in his second Epistle Wee doe set before him not onely the punishmentes wherewith God plagued Pharao and the Aegyptians but also the great calamities of the people of Israel and their often captiuities vnder barbarous nations neither doe we omitted either the destruction of the citie of Hierusalem or other innumerable such like desolations Yea we doe not dissemble and hide from him those punishmentes which God hath taken oftentimes vppon seuerall persons for their sinnes as vppon his dearest darling Dauid vppon Osias vpon Manasses and all this wee doe to this ende and purpose that he being terrified with suche examples may both temper himselfe from sinne and wickednesse and also loue and embrace vertue and godlinesse Moreouer wee set downe before him certeine places out of the holy Scriptures worthie to be remembred which are fitte for this purpose and amongest other sayinges that chiefly whiche is in the Epistle to the Hebrewes He that despiseth Moses lawe dieth without mercie vnder two or three witnesses Of howe much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be worthie which treadeth vnder foote the Sonne of God and counteth the bloud of the Testament as an vnholie thing wherewith he was sanctified and doeth despite the spirit of grace And that saying out of the second Epistle of Saint Peter For if they after they haue fledde backe from the filthinesse of the worlde through the acknowledging of the Lord and of the Sauiour Iesus Christ are notwithstanding yet againe entangled therein and ouercome their latter end is worse with them thā their beginning For it had ben better so them not to haue knowen the way of righteousnesse than after they haue knowen it to turne from the holy commaundement geuen vnto them Saint Peter speaketh these wordes of those men who like as the dogge returneth to his owne vomite as it is saied in the common Prouerbe or as the Sow that was washed returneth to her wallowing in the mire so they slide backe againe afreshe into their sinnes and wickednesse Wherefore by these and such like both examples and threates of the Scripture we goe about to terrifie and call backe the repentant person from sinne Before all thinges we exhort him to see well to this that not onely he himselfe doe not willingly against his owne conscience rush headlong into sinne for so he might loose both faith and the holy spirit neither could he be in fauour with God or that he doe not pamper too much as the common sorte of men is woont to doe the tendernesse of his minde but also that with all might and maine he resist and withstand Sathan
Preachers doe daily perpetually beate into the eares and mindes of all men these other innumerable sentences of holie Scripture seeing that they preach the word diligently seeing that they are instant and vrge men in season and out of season seeing that they improue rebuke and exhorte as S. Paule warneth Timothie they are falsly accused to haue hitherto pampered and fostered to much the licentious liuing of the common people And yet notwithstanding that which our aduersaries doe obiect of vice and wickednesse which beareth such a sway in this age is as I saide before truer than I would it were Now albeit there haue bene men alwayes euen from the beginning of the Church which did professe Christianitie rather in name and title than in verie deede of which sorte Hilarie saith thus They pray because they feare they sinne because it is their will pleasure they call them selues Christians because they haue a good hope of eternitie they doe heathenish thinges because present thinges are flattering thinges they remaine not altogether impious because they haue the name of God in some honour they are not godlie because they followe such thinges as are farre from godlinesse notwithstanding I doe beleeue that all vices did scarse at any time beare such a sway in any age as in this our age Wee doe all of vs bragge and boast of our faith but wee doe not declare and shewe forth this our faith by godlie woorkes and by charitie towardes our neighbour Wee all glorie of the Gospell of Christ but wee studie not to liue worthie of the Gospell of Christ Wee teach and preach that wee haue receiued the pure religion of Christ but wee doe not perfourme in deede those thinges which are agreeable to it Wee will forsooth both bee and also bee accounted Christians which name verely ought to make vs somewhat ashamed to breake Gods commaundementes but wee doe not endeuour with all our mind and labour to leade a life after the imitatiō of Christ To be briefe we confesse God in woordes as the Apostle saith but in our deedes wee denie him So it comes to passe that for our sakes and for our sinnes and wickednesse the name of God is dispraised amongst the heathen that Christian doctrine is euill spoken of that religion it selfe is contemned despised For what goodnesse will the Turkes beleeue to bee in that religion whose woorshippers and Professours they see to be contaminated and defiled with all heinous wickednesse O ingratitude woorthie of eternall destruction Howe greatly am I affraid least for this one thing that happen to vs which our Sauiour Christ doth threaten to those cities which after so wholsome doctrine repented not of their horrible sinnes It shal be saith hee more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon and Sodome in the day of iudgement than for you The aduersaries of the Gospell which will not acknowledge their manifest errours and receiue the true doctrine ought not so much to feare this so greeuous and horrible a commination as those which euerie where glorie of the Gospell whome God hath called out of darkenesse into his maruellous light that I may vse the words of S. Peter At the least let those moste sweete admonitions and exhortations of S. Paule moue vs to godlinesse of life I beseech you brethren saith hee by the mercies of God that yee giue vp your bodies a liuing sacrifice holie acceptable vnto God which is your reasonable seruing of god And againe They that are Christes haue crucified the flesh with the affections and lustes thereof And againe That grace of God that bringeth saluation vnto all men hath appeared teaching vs that denying vngodlinesse and worldlie lustes wee shoulde liue soberly and righteously and godly in this present worlde Item Bee yee saith hee followers of God as deare children that ye may walke in loue euen as Christ hath loued vs and hath geuen himselfe for vs to bee an offering and a sacrifice of a sweete smelling sauour to God. And againe Wee are his woorkemanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good woorkes which God hath prepared and ordeined that we should walke in them Hitherto perteineth that saying of Christ in Saint Matthaewes Gospell Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good woorkes and glorifie your father which is in heauen I doe omitte almost sixe hundred such like places in the Gospell Those places of Scripture ought verely to moue vs chiefly and before all other which haue the mention of Christes death and punishment ioyned with them Such an one is that saying of Saint Peter Christ saith he his owne selfe bare our sinnes in his bodie on the tree For what doeth he adde That we being dead to sinne should liue to righteousnesse The like place is that to Titus Christ saith he gaue himselfe for vs What doth he adde That he might redeeme vs from all iniquitie and purge vs to be a peculiar people vnto himselfe zealous of good woorkes And to the Galathians Which gaue himselfe for our sinnes But he addeth That he might deliuer and take vs out of this present euill worlde And to the Corinthians Christ died for all He addeth That they which liue should not liue hereafter to themselues but vnto him which died and rose againe for them And to the Colossians Christ hath reconciled you in the bodie of his fleshe through death He addeth To make you holie and vnblameable and without fault in his sight Now whom the diuell who as Iohn saith in the Reuelation seduceth the whole worlde feedeth with an hope of Gods mercie and goodnesse and whom he by that meanes reteineth still in their sinnes and forbiddeth them to feare Gods iustice let those men againe and againe see well what they doe The Lorde is mercifull and gentle saith Dauid in the Psalme But the same man saith The face of the Lorde is against them that doe euill I am the Lorde thy God shewing mercie vpon thousandes saith God in Exodus What is added To them which loue mee and keepe my commaundements I will not the death of a sinner saith God in Ezechiel What followeth But that he turne from his wayes and liue Hee that beleeueth in the sonne hath life euerlasting saith the forerunner of the Lorde in Iohn But Christ in the same S. Iohns Gospell saith They which haue done good shall come foorth into the resurrection of life but they that haue done euill into the resurrection of condemnation Iohn Baptist testifieth of Christ saying Behold that lambe of God which taketh away the sinne of the world But the same Iohn saith Repent yee of your former life and bring foorth fruite worthie amendment of life Peter in the Actes saith We beleeue that wee shall bee saued through the grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ But the same Peter saith Amend your liues therefore
be suffered of vs They doe beleeue that by this meanes they are prouoked vnto repentance that they are pricked forward to prayer to request Gods ayde and assistance Therefore they studie to exercise both ther faith in prayer and inuocation and also their patience in tolerating and suffering aduersitie and ill happes For they are persuaded that calamities come not vpon men by chance but that they are sent of god And truely it is not to bee doubted but that these are punishmentes for the sinnes of mankinde And our men haue learned out of this renewed doctrine that both priuate miseries and afflictions and also publike calamities are after a sorte the voyce of the Lawe whiche stirreth men vp to the remembraunce of GODS wrath against sinners and whiche exhorteth them vnto repentance For because the Sermons whiche are preached in the Church concerning GODS iudgement doe not greately moue the obstinate and stifnecked persons therefore GOD would that both publike and priuate calamities shoulde preache vnto vs of repentaunce that so wee might studie to acknowledge our sinnes and lament and bee sorie for them For looke what Iohn Baptist in Saint Matthaewes Gospell and our Sauiour Christ in Saint Markes Gospell saith Repent and amend the very same doe all kinde of calamities seeme to cry foorth openly to witte that wee should repent to the end wee may not onely shunne and escape the temporall punishmentes of this life but also bee deliuered from eternall punishment in hell So that looke what the Lawe of GOD coulde not doe in woordes that doeth God labour to obteine by sending calamities And the greatenesse of GODS wrath against sinne which no man can expresse as it is woorthie by any force of speeche that calamities are woont to shadowe out after a sorte vnto vs how greate it is Seeing therefore as I haue shewed alreadie what ill soeuer doeth happen priuately or publikely as warre famine plague that is a signe and testimonie of Gods greate wrath against our sinnes and seeing that no man doeth easily feele the greatnesse of his wrath such is mans dulnesse and blockishnesse vnlesse GOD by this meanes stirre vs vp and admonish vs the godlie doe not onely suffer patiently and with a ioyfull minde what aduersities soeuer happen vnto them but also they giue thankes to their most gratious father so inuiting them to the amendement of their life they acknowledge and confesse their sinnes they flee vnto Gods clemencie as humble oratours and in their oraisons or prayers they first aske forgiuenesse and pardon of their sinnes secondly they craue begge of God that those euilles may bee mitigated and lenefied In the one they bequeath and committe them selues vnto Gods goodnesse in the other they permit and suffer him to deale with them according to his good will and pleasure being namely readie prepared both to doe and to suffer whatsoeuer shall seeme good vnto god They cry out in the sense and feeling of Gods wrath with Dauid Lord in thine indignation rebuke vs not neither chastise vs in thy heauie displeasure with Esaie O Lord bee not sore an angred with vs neither remember our iniquities perpetually with Ieremie Chastise vs O Lord in thy iudgement â–ª not in thy furie lest thou bring vs to nothing with Abaccuch Lorde in thine anger remember thy mercie But let vs returne to our purpose The manifold calamities whiche befall doe not hinder as I saide before why that this our age may not be passing happie Yea the godlie whome this instaured doctrine of the Church hath excited and stirred vp to the true and sincere woorshippe of GOD whome it hath brought vnto the acknowledging of the sonne of GOD our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ driuing away all darkenesse of former times and vnto whome it hath shewed the right way not onely of leading a life heere with ioy but also of departing hence out of this life with good hope the godlie I say doe set so much by this benefite giuen of God that the sorrowe and griefe whiche calamities doe cause is easily ouerwhelmed with that ioy and pleasure which they in their minde receiue and reape thence And as commonly all thinges woorke together for the best to them whiche loue God as S. Paule testifieth so afflictions miseries and calamities doe after a sorte profite the godlie to their saluation and doe fall out for the best to witte whilest they being stirred vp to the remembrance of their sinnes and feeling the wrath of God doe repent doe humbly aske forgiuenesse doe request Gods helpe and assistance doe exercise their faith by prayer and their patience by suffering aduersities whilest by that meanes that greeuous dead sleepe that faintenesse and that too much securitie which in prosperitie possesseth mens mindes is shaken off whilest so the sluggish and slouthfull minde of man is awakened and quickened with the feare of God and whilest by that meanes it is inflamed with the loue and desire of celestiall thinges So then the godlie are not onely not grieued to see them selues afflicted with many miseries but also they account it a greate benefite because they are chastened of God wholesomely and after a fatherlie fashion and what casualtie soeuer GOD bringeth vpon them they suffer it manfully and with a ioyfull minde I will not heere adde how that at all times and in all ages there were certeine fatall as it were calamities of mankinde and certeine punishmentes of the world left that any man should thinke that some new thing had happened to this our age or least that any man should defame these present times that I may vse the woordes of Orosius as more infested and annoyed with mischances and ill happes than other times were woont to haue bene because of this heauenlie doctrine renewed because we beleeue in Christ acknowledge him to be the author of mans saluation because now God is most truely woorshipped in spirit trueth For as in our time so there haue ben in all ages past many times which haue bene either greeuous by reason of warres or corrupt with diseases or sorowfull for famine or terrible for erthquakes or strange times for innundations greate floudes of waters or fearefull for breaking out of fire or cruell for blastinges thunderboltes lightninges for boysterous blowes of hailestones or else as the same Orosius saith miserable times for murders of father and mother and for all heinous villanies wickednesse that can bee which thing the Chronicles Histories and monumentes of antiquitie doe testifie God the eternall father of our Lorde deliuerer Iesus Christ who is to bee praised for euer graunt for his vnmesurable infinite mercie and for his maruellous bountie and benignitie towardes mankinde that wee may both acknowledge the felicitie and happinesse of this age and also that wee may bee most thankfully minded for that celestiall benefite in restoring to vs the doctrine of the Gospell than
mans prescriptes Eating of flesh in the Lent. Papistes punish more grieuously the transgressours of mens traditions than the breakers of Gods lawes so doe they vse to correct sinne and wickednesse The neglect of singing in the Church The neglect of mumbling vp Mattins The superstition of Monkes in neglecting their Ceremonies The superstitious obseruing of an holie day amongst the Papistes VVhom the Papistes woulde admitte to take holie orders as they call them 1. Tim. Cap. 3. How superstitiously the Iewes obserued their Sabboth day Iohn 18. 28. They which acknowledge their owne sinnes how they are to be comforted The saluation of all men is onely of 〈…〉 mercie through Christ Christes benefites how they are to be applied to penitent sinners Iohn 3. 16. 1. Iohn 4. 9. 10. Ephes 1. 7. Coloss 1. 14. 1. Cor. 5. 7. 2. Cor. 5. 21. The summe of the former doctrine How faith is conceiued by the preaching of the Gospell Christ onely hath done the deeds for vs. The vse of the Euangelicall absolution The keyes committed to the Church Iohn 20. 23. Absolution what it is Mark. 1. 15. The penitent person must come often to the Lordes supper Faith is conceiued by the preaching of the Gospell Augustine Faith is confirmed by the Sacrament The great loue of God towardes vs declared by giuing a visible signe of his inuisible grace VVhat is to be done after the receiuing of the Lordes supper The signes of a penitent minde 1. The. 2. 12. Obedience of Gods lawe is necessarie to the true penitent The office of the lawe The lawe doeth serue as a looking glasse to the faithfull Naughtie deedes cannot agree with a true faith Augustinus How God doeth helpe him that striueth against sinne The good woorkes of the godlie are neuer perfect but euer polluted and defiled The rewarde which God promised to good woorkes he payeth for Christes sake Honest deedes are Gods gifts in vs. Augustine Fulgentiâ—â— Our righteousnesse what it is Esai 64. 6. Augustine The righteousnesse of woorkes how farre foorth it hath his reward Galat. 3. 13. Rom. 8. 1. VVhatsoeuer is wanting to the perfection of our woorkes is pardoned for Christes sake Augustine How Gods commaundementes are fulfilled Idem Our want supplied by Christ VVhat kinde of obedience of Gods lawe is necessarie to a true penitent person VVoorkes meete for the regenerat to walke in Titus 2. 12. Eph. 4. 32. 2. Thes 5. 17. 1. Cor. 10. 31 1. Pet. 2. 11. 1. Pet. 3. 8. 9. 1. Pet. 5. 6. 7. 8. 1. Pet. 4. 9. 1. Pet. 5. 6. 7. 8. 1. Iohn 2. 15. 1. Iohn 3. 18. 1. Iohn 4. 9. 20. Iam. 1. 27. Iam. 4. 7. 10. Matth. 5. 16. 39. 42. 44. Luke 6. 35. Matt. 7. 12. Matt. 25. 35. The repentant fighting with the flesh the worlde and the Diuell must call vpon GOD for his ayde and assistance Cyprian VVe must pray to God the father for his holie spirit who may woorke in vs all vertues beseeming a Christian man. No man can obserue Gods commaundementes without the helpe of the holie Ghost A Caueat for Christians not to greeue the holie spirite of god Ephe. 4. 30. VVhom the holie Ghost doeth helpe Cyprian Fasting Prayer Almes must be ioyned to prayer and fasting Esai 58. 7. 9. Tob. 12. 8. Act. 10. 2. 4. The relapse of the regenerate into sinne how it must be cured Apoc. 2. 5. Luke 7. 37. Rom. 5. 20. Luke 18. 13. 1. Cor. 5. 7. Rom. 1. 13. How a man may mortifie his flesh 2. Pet. 2. 45. Examples of Gods wrath against sinne 2. Pet. 2. 6. The sabuersion of Hierusalem Particular punishmentes Heb. 10. 28. 2. Pet. 2. 20. VVe must not sinne voluntarily vve must resist Sathan who goeth about to deuoure vs. vve can neuer haue anie truce with the Diuell VVe must often receiue the Lordes supper by which our faith in Christ and charitie towardes our neighbour is increased The supper of the Lorde is a pledge of Christes loue towardes vs. vvhy the supper of the Lorde was instituted A preparation or comfort in calamities The fruites of aduersitie and tribulation vvhat manner of sermons the Popish sermons were VVhat manner of Sermons ours are at this day Tit. 2. 1. The manner of our priuate confession at this day VVhat kinde of doctors the Papistes doe cite in their sermons VVhat Doctors our Preachers doe alledge Of the Bishop of Rome Eph. 1. 22. Coloss 1. 18. How farre foorth the godlie may tolerate the authoritie of the Bishop of Rome How those thinges are to be taken which hitherto have bene either saide or written against the Pope The intollerable arrogancie of the Pope descried in manie of his sayinges and doings 2. Thes 2. 4. Antichrist doeth sitte in the Churche of GOD and doeth defende himselfe and his doinges by the name of the Churche whereby i Ì„t appeareth that the Turke cannot be Antichrist vvhy we haue changed diuerse thinges of the Papistes in ecclesiasticall Ceremonies VVherefore in baptising we ought rather to vse our vulgare tongue than a strange tongue Iustinian alloweth the vulgare tongue in Baptisme A wicked custome of baptising belles The true vse of repentannce and of confession The abuse of confession Christes death is the onelie satisfaction for sinne and no other thing vvhat rites in penance are noâ— to be disallowed Psal. 51. Tertullian wicked satisfactionâ— The supper of the Lorde is the true Masse in the Church of God. vvhy the Fathers called the Eucharist a sacrifice Luke 22. 19. The Eucharist is a memoriall of Christes sacrifice The true vse of the Eucharist vvhy it is called the Eucharist The abuse of the Eucharist Erasmus or Luther is here meant The taking away of the cup from the people is against Christes institution vvhat kinde of ceremonies haue our men taken away They which teach that we are iustified by faith onelie doe not take away good woorkes but onelie confidence in workes vvorkes of supererogation sold for siluer The assurance of our saluation is in Christ onelie Freely By faith alone All mens saluation consisteth in the onelie merite of Christ vve are iustified freelie and by faith alone Rom. 3. 24. Act. 15. 11. vvhat it is to be iustified by faith alone Faith is as it were a hande A slaunder of the aduersarie vve onely take away confidence in merites Saint Ambrose Psal. 32. 1. Saint Augustine Idem contra Pelagianos Idem ad Bonifacium An obiection of the Papistes The answeare How and to what end our Preachers exhort vs to good woorkes vvhy we must doe good woorkes Faith vnperfect without woorkes of loue Ambrose Augustine Chrysostome Galat. 5. 6. There can be no true faith in those which goe on still in a wicked life A purpose to sinne cannot stande with a true faith 1. Iohn 5. 5. A distinction of woorkes The first sorte of woorkes are the superstitious woorkes of the Papistes Ephe. 2. 10. The seconde sorte of good woorkes consisting in bodilie exercise Manie are moued with the hypocrisie and outward
of which by the way I haue saied somewhat before concerning the impure single life of Priestes concerning the superstition hypocrisie and tyrannie of the mendicant or begging Friers to be briefe of Pharasaisme in the Frieries and Monasteries of Epicurisme in the Collegies of Canons of Iudaisme in Ecclesiasticall rites of Paganisme in the life and manners of the Christians of the former age of so many snares of mens consciences of the feigned miracles of Saintes almost sixe hundred such like deuises But I hope that euerie man will by these few which we haue spoken of easily coniecture the rest which remaine which are very many For as I suppose I haue shewed sufficiently what hath bene the state of Christianitie now of late yeares and many ages past and I haue declared what superstitions what faultes what abuses haue crept into the Church I beseech God the father of our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ that as he hath restored the light of his Gospell to those which heretofore were compassed with the thicke cloudes of errours so he woulde open the eyes of the aduersaries of the Gospell that they may be conuerted from darkenesse to light from the power of Sathan to God finally from the vaine superstition of their auncestours and forefathers to the worshippe of true godlinesse Amen The second parte of this Discourse Wherein is declared what hath bene amended and corrected by our men in Ecclesiasticall doctrine NOW will we come to the second part of this booke and we will briefly declare what hath bene nowe at length amended and reformed in the doctrine of the Church First therefore it is plaine and euident to all men at this day that from the beginning of the worlde till now there hath alwayes beene one and the same way to obteine saluation by namely by the sole and onely trust and confidence in Christ whome the godly did beleeue should come as the Sauiour promised to Adam and to the old fathers euen from the originall of the worlde whom we now beleeue to be come alreadie at a determinate time and to haue brought saluation vnto mankinde For our faith also at this day is the very same with the faith of the Patriarchs Prophetes and finally of the whole people of Israel in times past because they expected and wayted for that to come which we doe beleeue to be alreadie done Now though we conceiue in our mindes that the holinesse of the Patriarches was exceeding greate whiche without all doubte was singular and most notable notwithstanding they were saued by no other meanes but by faith in the Redeemer of mankinde then promised to them now exhibited to vs who is the sonne of God our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ So that the holy fathers were not as yet Christians in woorde but in deede they were Christians by reason of our common faith and beliefe in Christ whome they did hope would come whome wee doe beleeue to be come long agoe Therefore all men must looke for saluation from this one and onely Christ neither is there among men any other name giuen as S. Peter saith whereby we must be saued For to this Christ giue all the Prophetes witnesse that through his name all that beleeue in him shall receiue remission of sinnes Seeing these things are so who would not maruell much at the blindnesse of the Christians both in our memorie and in former ages which did attribute that to mans merites which is due vnto Christ alone For that can not bee denied which we haue before declared more at large to witte that mortall men did not heretofore trust so much to the goodnesse clemencie bountie mercie and grace of GOD alone nor so much to the satisfaction of Christ onely for our sinnes as they did to the dignitie and woorthinesse of their owne woorkes For whitherto tend so many rites and formes of woorshipping GOD found out and ordeined by men so many will woorshippes so many fraternities so manifold varietie of Masses moreouer Pilgrimages Pardons a Monasticall life voluntarie beatings and also whippinges of our owne bodie hungers watchinges lyinges vppon the bare ground and who can rehearse all Whereto say I doe wee beleeue that all these thinges did tend but to the obteining of forgiuenesse of sinnes to the satisfaction for offences to the deliuerance from eternall death briefly to the obteining of saluation and blessednesse So now men ascribed their saluation not to the sonne of God our Lord Redeemer Iesus Christ who by his owne bloudshed satisfied for the sinnes of the worlde and pacified the wrath of God but to the worthinesse of their owne woorkes and to their owne merites and vertues Now as the people of the Iewes in olde time were of that minde that they thought the Leuiticall ceremonies and the sacrifices of the lawe were auayleable to the remission of their sinnes the Prophets in the meane time shewing them a farre other vse of the lawe and warning them of that future sacrifice of the Messias which the Leuiticall sacrifices did shadowe so the men of the former age obserued and kept superstitious rites for that they were thoroughly persuaded that God by them was reconciled that he by them was satisfied for our sinnes our men at this day condemning this so impious a persuasion and testifying that all men obteine peace with God and pardon of their sinnes and that all receiue saluation only by faith in Christ For not mans ceremonies but that seede of the woman promised to Adam doeth breake and bruse the heade of that olde Serpent which as Iohn saith in the Reuelation is called the Diuell and Sathan that is the sonne of God our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ is he alone which doeth destroy the workes of the Diuell to witte sinne and death Not the Leuiticall sacrifices but that lambe of God whom Iohn Baptist pointeth to with his finger is he that taketh away the sinnes of the world Not by our merites and desertes but through Christ is remission of sinnes preached vnto vs as the Apostle saith Not mans satisfaction but the sonne of God him selfe as S. Iohn testifieth is the reconciliation for our sinnes We haue obteined reconciliation not by the intercession of Saintes but by our Lord Iesus Christ as S. Paule doeth witnesse For this is he alone which may reconcile vs to God being the onely Mediatour betwixt God and men as the same S. Paule saith Not he that buyeth and redeemeth the Popes bulles but he that beleeueth in the sonne as our Sauiour saith in the Gospell of S. Iohn hath eternall life Man is not iustified by his owne woorkes but by the grace of God freely through the redemption which is in Christ Iesus as saith the Apostle No man is saued by his owne good deedes but by the grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ are wee saued as saith S. Peter in the Actes I suppose that I
haue declared sufficiently how that we ought to repose all our hope and confidence of obteining saluation in the free mercie of God and reconciliation with vs for Christes sake who by his owne bloud satisfied God for the sinnes of all not in our merites and good workes and how that the whole Church hath alwayes from the beginning of the world bene iustified and saued by this faith Now as God in Paradise did first rebuke and reproue our first father Adam for sinne when as he being circumuented by the craft and subtiltie of the Serpent had neglected Gods cōmandement then afterwardes did raise him vp being afflicted with the promise of the deliuerer to come as Moses sheweth in Genesis and as Christ in Lukes Gospell teacheth his Apostles first to detect reproue sinners afterwards to comfort them by the Gospell when as he commaundeth them to preach repentance and remission of sinnes in his name wherevpon S. Paule in the Actes saith that he had preached both to the Iewes and to the Graecians the repentance towardes God and the faith towards our Lorde Iesus And Christ in Marke saith Repent by and by putting no wordes betweene hee saith And beleeue the Gospell so wee also at this day doe and see that it be done in our Churches For first we endeuour and goe aboute to bring men to the acknowledging of their sinne which thing is brought to passe by preaching the Lawe and the ten Commaundements Then we bidde them seeke for saluation by faith in Christ which thing is done by teaching the Gospell Now as hee seeketh not after the Physician who knoweth not him self to be sicke for it is truely saide Initium sanitatis esse morbi sensum That the beginning of our health is the sense and feeling of our disease so he which neither feeleth his owne sinnes nor the wrath of God against his sinnes that man hath no greate care and regarde of his owne saluation For as a certeine Ethnike writer saith Initium salutis notitia peccati that is to say The beginning of saluation is the knowledge of sinne Neither doe wee onely reprehend and condemne as they did in former times those manifest sinnes and grosse wickednesses as periurie theft rapine sacrilege whoredome adulterie incest manslaughter witchcraft and such like but also yea and much rather wee labour to vnfold and to set before the eyes of our mind that inward vncleannesse acknowledged of fewe and that impuritie of the hearte defiled with manifold affections of all sortes that prauitie and wickednesse of the minde and that pronenesse to sinne sticking fast in the verie bowelles entrailes of vs that inbred vitiousnesse from whence as from a stocke and roote all sinne and wickednesse whatsoeuer doth budde and spring Neither doe we that onely but also wee declare that euen our verie good deedes if there be any are not pure sound and sincere but that they are alwayes polluted with a certeine mixture of vice that they are not true and solide but as it were shadowed and coloured that finally they are not perfect or absolute in euerie point but vnperfect and scarse begonne and we doe make it plaine how farre off we are from the excellencie of that righteousnesse which God requireth of vs of which our righteousnesse may seeme to bee scarse a certeine image or a printe lightly stamped that I may not say a picture or shadowe of it and so at the length wee sette before sinners both the wrath and iudgement of God and the torments of Hell wee terrifie the guiltie wee accuse them wee conuince them we condemne them now they being thus brought almost to desperation and in an inward trembling for the conscience of their sinnes fearing seriously that punishment which they haue deserued and being amazed beaten downe with the feare of hell fire which thing to doe is the chiefe office of the Lawe by by we comforte them with a godlie consolation and in these distresses and anguishes of minde in this feeling of the wrath of God in this tast as it were of eternall torments wee bidde those men which are so terrified and which haue bewayled their sinnes to flee as humble suppliantes vnto the exceeding greate mercie of God through Christ to aske pardon for their offences to pray that GOD woulde forgiue them that thing is done by preaching the Gospell It is truely maruellous harde though verie necessarie which thing in former ages hath bene neglected so to lay open those hidden and inwarde sinnes so to disclose that wickednesse of mans minde and stubbornnesse of mans hearte which Hypocrites doe not see at all being couered as it were with certeine vailes of pride and selfe loue so to bring to light that malice throughly fastened in our corrupt nature that the sinner acknowledging his disease may bee carefull to seeke for a remedie may labour to flee vnto Christ in feruent desire to reconcile Gods will and may beleeue that this Christ onely hath by his death satisfied for the sinnes of all men Neither doe I make so many woordes of this matter rashly and vnaduisedly for naught For hitherto there haue bene fewe in the Popes kingdome which could either vnderstand them selues or teach others truely what was sinne Which thing the matter it selfe doth plainly shewe to be true For as they accompted those heinous and manifest offences which the lawes did publikely punish to be sinnes so they made nothing of that homebred vitiositie and of that natiue spot and corruption of ours neither did they acknowlege their owne deceitfull dealinges and to vse S. Paules woordes the counsels of their owne heartes by searching diligently all the inmost turninges secreat corners of their owne minde neither did they see sufficiently their owne vaine hypocrisie or their vices which deceiued them with a certeine shewe of a feigned vertue Yea often times they which woulde soone neglect the commaundements of God did carefully keepe and obserue the prescripts of men and they which were not greatly greeued with the neglect of them sorrowed sundrie times verie much for the violation and breach of these For what an heinous offence was it accompted yea almost a matter of life and death if a man in the Lent as they call it had bene so bold as to eate egges and flesh On the contrarie parte what a light trifle and what a small sinne was enuie debate hatred spitefulnesse auarice riot dronkennesse whoredome and such like thought to bee Which thing thou maist easily coniecture by this for that these were streight way remitted to him that confessed his faulte by any sacrificing Priest and for that there were verie light punishments appointed for them but the other were not forgiuen but by the Bishoppes or by those onely which bare the greatest sway in the Church So that which was committed against the Lawe of God was easily pardoned but that which was done