A New Pathway Unto Prayer, Part 8
¶ Of thankes gyuynge.
¶ The. xlii. Chapter.
NOwe begynne the oure worke to draw vntounto an ende. I hauehave declared sufficiently heretofore, as I trust, all thynges that moost principally pertayne vntounto prayer, that is to say, vntounto asking ony thynge of God. It remaynethe nowe therfore that I intreate somewhat of thanckes gyuynge to God. For it is conuenient ye we also gyue thanckes vntounto God for the gyftes & benefytes that we receyue of hym, or els we maye iustely seme to be vnworthy ony parte of Gods kyndnes For what hauehave we, ye we hauehave not receyued? The wyfe mā oughte not to …oyse in his wisdome, nor the strōg … his strength, nor yet ye rytch … spiches, but only in our LORDE God, from whom eueryevery good & perfecte gyfte descendeth and commeth downe.Iacob. i. What haste thou that yu haste not receyued, sayeth Paule? If thou haste receyued it,i. Cor. iiii. wherfore doste thou reioyse, as though yu haddest not receyued it? Let not ye wyse man,Iere. ix. sayth God by his Prophet, reioyse in his wisdome, nor let not the strong man reioyse in his strength, nor let not the rytch man reioyse in his rytches. But let him that reioyceth, reioyse in this, yf he vnderstōd & knowe me. For I am the LORDE, which doth mercye, iudgement and righteousnes in ye earth, & these are those thynges that I desyre, saythe the LORDE.
Seynge than yu all our glory and reioycyng ought to be in our LORDE God alone,Phil. iiii. as S. Paule sayeth, reioyse in the LORDE al way, & agayne I saye reioyse feynge also ye what so euer goodnes is in vsus, … ly of him, …e…ely me oug… at all houres to reioyse in hym, as the … blessed virgin Marye dyd, sayenge… my soule magnifyethe the LORDE; & my spiryte hath reioysed in God my sauiour,Luke. ii & to gyue to him thankes, & to synge to his name, so long as our lyfe lasteth, perpetuall encomies, laudes cōmendacion and prayses.
How we maye be moued to gyue God thanckes.If we wyll be moued to gyue god thanckes at any tyme, as we ought to do alwaye, it shall be fyrste conuenient to perpende, weye, & consyder his manifolde goodnes towarde vsus. Fyrste howe at the begynnynge he made vsus not lyke vntounto brute bestes,Of oure creacion. Note. but lyke vntounto his owne symilytude & Image. And he made vsus not to be fyre brondes of hel, but inheritours of euerlastyng glory. For he gaue vsus a body muche more beautyfull and pleasaūt in aspecte, than any other lynynge creature hath. He gaue vsus a mynd …rendued with wytte, reason, discre…, wisdom, vertu, knowledge, cunnynge, immortalite, godlines. &c He set vsus in Paradyse,Gen. i. and gaue vsus rule, power, & dominiō ouerall the fysshes of the see, & the byrdes of the ayre, & ouer all lyuynge creatures that moue vponupon the earth.
Agayne whan we in our parētes had trāsgressed his moost godly precepte,Gen. iii. & therby deserued eternall dā nacion,ii. Pet. ii. he dydde not streyghtwaye with the same rigoure & fearcenesse, wherwith he condēned the Aungels for theyr disobedient arrogācy,Esa. xiiii. caste vsus awaye into the fyre of Hell, but full gentely sent vsus into this vale of misery for to repēt,Gen. iii. Psal. viii. that afterward he myght saue vsus, yet constitutyng & appoyntynge vsus styll Lordes & rulers oueral lyuyng creatures.
¶ The. xliii. Chapter.
MOreouer whā it was not possible bycause of the great enormite of our synne,Of our fro saluacion by grace & the mercy of God thorow Iesus Christ. that we coulde of our owne power, strength, merytes, deseruynges & good workes saue & wynne our selues agayne into ye fauour of God, howe louyngly wtoute ony desertes of our parte euē of hys owne mere goodnes and free mercy did he promise to saue vsus by his derely beloued sonne oure LORDE Iesus Christ,Rom. i. & at his tyme predefined and appoynted from euerlastynge sente him downe in … …his worlde? Which for our sake vnfaynedly by the wonderfull operacion of the holy Ghoste toke flessh of the moost blessed,Luke. i. Math. i. Heb. iiii moost pure, & vndefyled virgyn Marye, & became very man lyke vntounto vsus in althynges, sinne alone excepte. Which also after he had lyued here certayne yeares, euē of his owne free wyll wt out any compulsion for the feruent & vnspekable louelove that he euer bare towarde vsus, gaue hymselfe vntounto the very … yea euen the moost spite full & … deathe of the Crosse. He offered … …oost blessed bodye a swete smellynge Sacrifyce to God the father for oure wyckednesse.Esa. liii. Phil. ii. Ephe. v. He suffred his moost precious bloude to be shed vpō the Altare of the Crosse to paye the raūsome for our synnes.Mat. xxvi. i. Timo. ii. He refused no kynd of paynful grefe & greuous payne to apease Goddes wrath, & to reconcyle vsus vntounto his celestiall father.Colo. i. O good Iesu, sayethe S. Bernard,Sermone quidam. howe greatly were we endetted to the, & yet dost thou paye oure dette? We hauehave synned, & thou arte punysshed. This is a worke wt out exāple, a grace without meryte a charite without measure.
Uerely verely not the prodiciō & betrayenge of Iudas,Note who dyd pure …hrist to death. not the furye & cruell malyce of the Pharises and Bysshops, not the wycked and false witnesses, not the vnryghteous accusers, not the cruell & vnmercyfull iudges dyd put Christ to death, but we our selues, our synne, our iniquite, our vngodlynes, our abhominacion, our corrupte māners dyd slaye hym, & put hym to that moost cruell deth. We are they that dyd kyl him. We soughte his deathe.Mat. xxvi. We dyd betray hym. We dyd falsely accuse him We nayled him vponupon the Crosse.Mat. xiiii We scourged his moost blessed body.Luk. xxii. We shed his moost precious bloude. We dyd cleue asunder his moost blessed herte with a speare,Ioan. xxii oute of yt which rāne both water & bloude.Esa. liii. We gaue hym Eysell & Gaull to dryncke. We scorned him, we mocked him, we dyd spit on his moost swete face. We buffetted hym, we brused hym, we were the Authors of all yt tyranny, which was wrought agaynst hym. Yet for y• louelove that he bare towarde vsus, dyd not he disdayne to suffer all these in tollerable paynes,i. Pet. ii. by whose passiōs & suffrynges we are perfectly made whose, by whose moost blessed bloud all oure synnes are wasshed awaye,i. Ioan. i. by whose deth, euerlasting lyfe chaū seth abundantly vntounto vsus.Rom.viii. O vnmesurable kyndnes. What a louelove hath God to vsus, that he spared not his only sonne,Ioan. iii. but gaue hym for vsus all, yt so many as beleue in hym, maye not peryshe, but hauehave euerlastynge lyfe.
And as God the father gaue hys sonne Christ vntounto death for our synnes,Rom. iiii. Eph. ii. Math. i. Luk. ii. Ioan. xiiii. Ioan. xi. Math. ix. Ioan. vii. Ioan. v. Psel. xxvi. i. Cor. i. so dyd he rayse hym vp agayne by his moost puissaunt power from death for our iustificaciō. He is oure peace, howe than can we be sadde & heuy? He is our Sauiour, howe thē can we despayre? He is oure waye, howe than can we erre? He is oure trueth, howe than can we be deceyued? He is our lyfe, howe thā can we dye? He is oure Resurreccion, howe thā can we slepe in synne? He is our Phisicion, how thā cā we be sycke & diseased? He is our lyght, howe than cā we walke in darkenes? He is our bread, howe thā can we be hungrye? He is oure defender, howe than can we be afearde? He is oure wisdome, howe than can we be ignorante? He is our righteousnes, howe than can we be vnrighteous?Rom. x. Psal. xliiii i. Tim. ii. i. Ioan. ii. Col. i. He. iiii. vii i. Pet. ii. Ioan. x. Rom. viii. He is our sanctificacion, howe than can we be prophane & vnholy? He is our redēcion howe than can we be damned? He is our rytches, howe than can we be pore? He is oure beautye, howe than can we be deformed & yll fauoured? He is our mediatour and aduocate, howe than can oure matters be vnhearde? He is oure head, howe than can we his members perysh? He is our Bysshop & Curate of our soules howe than can we wante spirituall doctryne? He is our dore, how than can we but enter into the kyngdom of heauen? To conclude, he is altogither oures, & all that euer he hathe, how than can we but sayle in a safe & quiette hauen? Howe than can we but hauehave all thynges prosperous & fortunate? Thus se we what an hye treasure Christ is to vsus. Yf any mā desyreth to knowe more of Christ, & what benefites we hauehave receiued by let hym read my worke of ye Newes out of heauē,Searche ye Newes out of heauē where he shall se Christ truly & lyuyshly paynted as alone & perfecte redemer, & a plenteous and an omnisufficient sauiour for al thē that faythfullye repente and lede a newe lyfe.
Would not all these so great commodities & large benefytes, whiche we receyue of God yt father thorowe Iesus Christ, moue ony christē hert in the worlde to be thankful, and to syng perpetuall prayses vntounto God? For we hauehave lerned here, that al our saluacion cōmeth only from God ye father thorow Iesus Christ,Tit. iii. & that he saued vsus mercifully whē we were loste miserablye. But let vsus beholde more of Goddes kyndnesse, that we maye learne that thankes ought to be gyuen vntounto hym seriously.
¶ The. xliiii. Chapter.
ALthough by Christ we be sette agayne at lybertye, & receyue our manumissiō & fredome frō that captiuitie, wherunto we were made honde by the synne of Adam, so sone as we are regenerate & borne a new by ye honorable Sacrament of Bap… tisme,Ioan. iii. and the holy Ghost, yet in as much as afterward thorow our fragilite & weakenes we fall agayne in to synne, & deserue therby also to be… cast from the fauour of God, & to be dampned perpetuallye, yf God dyd not also healpe vsus in this behalfe, O… LORDE God, in how miserable a cas… are we?Nota. What should it profytte vsus, by Christ to be delyuered from that wretchednes, into the whiche Adam dyd caste vsus, yf there were not also a remedy to expulse that daunger, into the which we cast our selues thorowe synne after Baptisme? Therfore here also dothe the goodnesse of God appere very large & bountious toward vsus. For though we synne after baptisms neuer so greuously, ye… doth not he streyght wayes take vengeaunce on vsus,ii. Pet. ii. & caste vsus headlonge …nto he… fyre, as he dyd ye aūgels, but he paciētly abydeth our cōuersiō,Iob. iiii. & loketh dayly whan we wyll repent, and amend, as the Prophet sayth, y• LORDE longe abydeth vsus,Esa. xxx. ye he maye hauehave mercy on vsus. Also the Psalmogra\`ph,Psa. …. liiii. The LORDE is gentle & mercifull, pacient, & of great pitie. The LORDE is good & gentle to all men, & his rēder mercies are stretched forth vponupon all his workes.Lamēt. iii. Ieremy also saieth, It are the mercies of the LORDE that we are not consumed. Yea he exciteth & storeth vsus vp by his holy spiryte, and gyueth vsus grace to repent, turne, & amende, as he sayeth by his Prophet, I wyl gyue them an herte & a new spiryte wyl I gyue in theyr in warde partes,Ezech. xi. & I wyll take away the stony herte from theyr flesh, and giuegive them a fleshly herte, ye they may walke in my preceptes, and kepe my iudgementes, & do them. And they shall be my people, & I sh…ll be theyr God.Eze. xxxvi. Agayne, I wyll powre out vpō you cleane water, & ye shall be made cleane from all youre vncleannes, & from all youre Idolles wyll I make you cleane, & I wyll gyue you a new herte & a newe spiryte wyll I putte in the myddes of you, & I wyll take awaye the stony herte from the flesh, & gyue you a fleshly hert, and I wyl putte my Spiryte in the myddes of you, & I wyll make you to walke in my preceptes, & kepe and worke my iudgemētes, & ye shal dwel in ye lād ye I gaue to your fathers, & ye shall be my people, & I shalbe your God, and I shall saue you from all youre vnclennes.
Moreouer he styll calleth vpō v… to come vntounto him, sayenge: Turne & repente you of all youre iniquities.Eze. xviii. And youre iniquite shall worke you …spleasure.: Caste awaye from you …l your wickednesses, in the whiche …e hauehave offended, & make you a new …erte & a new spirite. Wherfore wy… …e dye O ye house of Israell? For I …yll not that any shoulde dye, sayth …he LORDE GOD.Iere. iii. Retourne and …ue. Agayne, it is commonlye sayde …f a man leaue his wyfe, and she going away marieth another husbod, …hal he returne any more agayne vn …o her? Shall not the woman be pol…ted & defyled? But thou hast play…d the whore with many louers, yet …eturne agayne vntounto me, sayeth the …ORD, & I wyll receyue the. O moost …were & cōfortable sayenge.i. Tim. i. O moost …entle Sauyour, worthy all prayse …lory and honoure.
Here maye ye se howe greatly we …re bounde to God, and howe great …hanckes we ought to gyue hym, se…ng that he so greatly desyreth oure …elth, lyfe & saluacion, & wyllethe by no meanes our decaye, death & damnacion. He is ye gentle father, which ioyefully receyueth agayne his loste sonne,Luke. xv. & moost louyuglye enbrase the… hym. He is that shepehearde, whiche bryngeth home agayne on his shoul… ders, that shepe that was wandered awaye.Mat. ix. He is that Phisicion, ye healeth the sycke & diseased. He is ye Sauiour, which came not to call y• righteous but synners vntounto repentaūce He is that helper,Mat. xi. whiche dayly cryeth, come vntounto me all ye that labour & are laden, and I shall refresh you. Seke therfore the LORDE, Esa. lv.whyle he maye be founde. Call on hym, whyle he is nygh. Let the vngodly forsake his waye, and the wycked man his thoughtes, & let hym returne to the LORDE, & he shall hauehave mercy on him yea but let hym not fayle to turne vntounto our God. For he is bounteous & very redy to forgyue.
¶ The. xlv. Chapter.
FUrthermore who is able to expresse howe greatly we are boūd vntounto God for his diligent conseruacion & kepynge vsus?By god are we preserued from guyl. If we were not preserued & kepte of hym, into howe many euels shoulde we faull? Howe were it possible for vsus to be fre from the captiuitie of Satan, to be pure from the fylthynesse of the flesshe, to be kepte harmeles from the tyranny of the world, yf God dyd not defend vsus? Howe many kynde of euelles do we se dayely perpetrated & done before our eyes, as theft, murder, treason, adultrye, fornicacion, couetousnes, glotony, drōckenshyp. &c. which all vndoubtedly we should lykewyse do,Nota: yf we were not preserued frō thē by the goodnes of God. For the fragilite of nature & the pronyte vntounto euell is all one in them & in vsus, yf we be lefte vntounto our selues. Our perdicion commeth of our selues but our saluacion commeth only of God,Oze. xiii. as the Prophet sayth. Excepte y• LORD, sayeth Esaie,Esa. i. Rom. ix. had lefte vntounto vsus seed, we had ben as Sodome, & we might well hauehave ben lykened vntounto Gomorre. Therfore seyng that God kepeth vsus from theyse great enormities, we are very much bounde to gyue hym right herty thanckes.
The benefites of God toward vsus.Agayne with howe many gyftes doth he endu…e vsus dayly? What hauehave we, yt is not his gyftes, yf it be good & godlye? He engraffeth in vsus by hys moost holy spiryte, Fayth, hope, charite, peace, ioye, pacience, longe sufferynge, mekenes, leuite, softenes, modesty, honest behauour. &c. He giueth vsus helth for our body. He gyueth vsus spirituall gladnes for our soule. He prepareth all thynges necessarye for this our nede lyfe. He getteth frendes for vsus. He defēdeth vsus from our enemies. He preserueth vsus ī all goodnes. To conclude, loke what a moost naturall father is vntounto his moost entierlye beloued sonne, the verye same is he vntounto vsus. So ye what soeuer we hauehave beyng good eyther pertayning to the soule or to the body, we altogither receyue it of this oure celestiall father. What great thanckes therfore he is worthi to hauehave, who perceiueth not? S. Bernarde sayth, let vsus gyue thāckes to our God for ye good thīges ye we do, & let vsus hūbly say to hī wt Esay the Prophet.Esa. xxvi. All our workes haste yu wrought in vsus O LORDE our God. Herto pertayneth the sayenge of S. Gregory: It is cōueniēt yt we gyue thanckes alway to God, which neuer ceseth to do wel, except he be letted & hyndred thorowe the noughtines of men. Therfore what soeuer worke yu shalte begynne, fyrst call on God, & cease not to gyue thā kes, whan thou hait fynysshed it.
¶ The. xlvi. Chapter.
ALthough it be so, yt all nacions of ye world, euen from the Easte to the West,P…. …xii. ought to prayse y• name of the LORDE for his īnumerable benefytes, that they without desertes receyue of him dayly,We Englysh men aboue all naciōs are most boūd to gyue God thankes. yet I thyncke ther is no Realme thorowe out Christendome, that hath so many vrgent weyghty & necessary causes to gyue God thanckes, as we Englyshe men hauehave at this present. To whome is it vnknowen with howe miserable captiuitie we hauehave ben detayned & suppressed theyse many hundred yeares thorowe the vsurped power and greuous tyrany of yc Bysshop of Rome? Who knoweth not howe greatly the consciences of Christen menne were snarled, yea & almoost slayne thorow the decrees of that Bysshop? Howe greatly was the Christian lybertye enclosed & stopped vp, so that no mā could enioye ye vse of those thynges, which the word of God determined free, withoute his lycense & dispensacion? Howe were the singulare merites of Christes death, & the inestimable price of his moost precious bloud adnihilated & set at nought, and the Bysshop of Roomes pardōs trusted vntounto, & perfecte affiaunce reposed in thē for remission of synnes & eternall saluacion? What a sorte of Hypocritical & supersticious workes creptin thorowe oute Christēstome almoost, which only were beleued to be thealone good workes, and the true good workes, whiche are commaunded of God in his holy scriptures, vtterly neglected, despysed & set at nought? Who thought it not a more meritorious acte to gylde an Image, than to cloth a poore naked manne? Who thought it not a better dede to rūne gaddynge a pylgrimage into diuers countrees for to seke dead Images, than to tary at home, & to visyte the poore members of Christ, which laye bedrede, sycke, lame, feble & impotēt. O extreme blyndnes.
Agayne what an infinite mon… res, Monckes I woulde hauehave sayd, & other religious parsons, and God wyll as they desyre to be called, dyd there aryse in his kyngedome? Who thoughte it not a better dede to put his chylde into an Abbay, & there to lyue ydlely, swinyshly & irreligiously pampred vp with all delicious fare, that should prouoke vntounto Iewdnes, than to lette him lyue abroad in the worlde, & there to practyse some honest arte & occupacion, that myghte turne to the commodite & mayntaynance of the common weale? What blyndenes hadde inuaded this Realme? Dyd not we thynck it rather our duty to obey y• proude Bishop of Rome than our owne natyue kynge? Dyd not we esteme his fātastica… decrees, aboue the edictes, lawes, and actes of our own kyng? were we not more redy to followe his sensuall lustes & beastlyke pleasures, than to obeye y• cōma…dementes of our owne kynge & ruler? Into what perels woulde not we caste our selues to do yt rammysh Byshop pleasure? Yea woulde God that certayne of this Realme in tymes paste had not rather had a mynde to dye for the mayntenaunce of the false vsurped power of yt Bysshop, than to lyue with obedient and faythfull hertes to our moost Christen kynge. O LORDE God, what a blyndnes was this? where was this doctryne of Christe & his Apostle become, that all men should be subiecte & obediēt to the hygh powers? This sentence of S. Paule laye buryed:Rom. xiii. Let eueryevery soule be subiecte to y• high powers. For there is no power, but of God. All powers are ordayned of God He therfore yt resisteth,Sap. … resisteth the ordinaunce of God. And they yt resist, shall take to thē selues damnacion. Also S. Peter:i. Pet. ii. Be subiecte to to euerye humayne creature for the LORDES sake,The kyng supreme heade whither it be vntounto the kynge as supreme head, or to the rulers that are sent by hym to the punyshment of the euell doers, but vntounto the prayse of them that do well. The Christen prynces were not had in reuerēce & honour as they ought. o miserable case, & detestable abusiō.
¶ The. xlvii. Chapter.
Behold in what …lid … we Englysh men were when the Bishop of Rome ruled in th…e RealmeFUrthermore what ygnorancy & blyndenes was in this Realme, concerninge the true & christē knowledge? Howe many sauoured Christ aryght? Howe many walked in the streyght pathe wayes of Gods ordinaūces? Howe many beleued Christ to be the alone Sauiour? Howe many trusted to be saued only by y• merites of Christes death, & ye effusion & sheddynge of his moost precious & blessed bloude? How many ranne to God alone eyther in theyr prosperite or aduersite? Howe many amplered Christe for theyr sufficient medsa to…r & aduocate vntounto God ye father? Howe many felte the efficacye & power of the true & christē fayth wherby a christē mā is frelyiustified? How many could discerne the fayned and the true workes asunder? Howe many dyd know what they professed at Baptisme? Howe many had knoweledge what theyr Pater noster mēt, & wherfore they prayed? Howe many dyd perfectly vnderstand the articles of the Christen faythe? Howe many dyd knowe what the ceremonies of the chyrche mente, as holye bread & holy water and suche other? Howe many hearde the Euangicall doctryne euer preached purely and syncerly? O good Iesu, be mercyful vntounto vsus. If I shoulde go forth to reherse all the abuses & all the ygnorā cy & blyndenes, wherwith this now moost free and florysshynge Realme hath ben oppressed thys many hundred yeares thorowe the tyranny of that Babilonicall strōpet,Apoc. xvii. it woulde vndoubtedly make a worke much lō ger then the Iliades of Homere.
Englond is purged and made clene of her deformytyes.But nowe are theise enormities yea & deformities of this Realme of Englond vtterly exiled & banyshed. All false Religion is exterped & plucked vp by the rootes. The miserable captiuite, wherwith we were oppressed in the Popes kyngdome, is turned into delectable liberte. Dur conconsciēces are restored to theyr olde fredome. Christes deth is beleued to be a sufficient Sacrifyce for them ye are sanctified.Heb. x. All supersticious fantasies inuented of ydle braynes are full godly put downe. The famous Images, wherwith the symple people cōmytted sornicacion, I meane, Idolatry, are iustly plucked downe, & conueyed oute of the waye. All the monasticall sectes hauehave put of theyr cowles & monstruous garmentes. Our moost Christian kynge is now accordyng to ye verite of Gods word & his iust & right title, recognised to be supreme head of ye chyrch of Englonde nexte vntounto Christ immediately here in earth. He is honored of vsus his subiectes, as we ought by ye lawe of God & had in reuerence aboue all creatures mortall. Not onlye his moost noble grace, but also so many as he appoyntethe to rule ouer vsus, we obey wt all submissiō & humilite of mynd.
¶ The. xlviii. Chapter.
MOreouer ygnorancy & blyndenes are exiled and banysshed. Gods lawes are manifestly declared vntounto vsus. So that we maye, yf we wyll, kepe his moost godlye commaundementes. The moost sacred Byble is freely permytted to be red of eueryevery man in the Englysh tonge. Many sauour Christ aright, & dayly the nōber encreaseth, thanckes be to GOD. Christ is beleued to be the alone Sauiour.…. Ioan. i. We nowe faythfully truste to be saued by the deathe of Christ, & that the bloud of Christ maketh vsus cleane from all synne. Christ is beleued to be our sufficient mediatoure & aduocate.…alv. Rom. v. The true & christen fayth, whiche worketh by charite & is plenteous in good workes, is nowe receyued to iustify. The good workes that are appoynted in ye holy scriptures, are nowe only vsed, & put in exercyse among the faythful. What we professed, when we were baptised, many nowe knowe ryghte wel. The twelue Articles of the christē fayth, the LORDES prayer, called ye Pater noster, & the tē cōmaūdementes are nowe rehearsed in ye Englyshe tonge both of yonge & olde, so that nowe all vnderstonde thē. Many of the Ec…asticall ceremonies are nowe ryg… well taught & knowen. To cōclude, all olde thynges are paste, & newe thynges entred into y• game place in stead of them. And all these thynges hath God brought to passe by his derely beloued seruaūte Hēry our kynge. If his grace goeth forth, as he hath begun, he shal make such a florynshynge Realme both in spirituall & corporall goodes, bothe for the glory of God, & for the mayntenaunce of hys Graces publyque meale, as none shall maye be able to compare with this Realme of Englonde, thorowe oute Christendome. And as his moost excellent maiestye shall easely ouercome & excell in the exercyse of true godlynes all his …re decessoures & leaue a memorable act vntounto his successoures, moost worthy to be followed, so lykewyse maye his Grace be sure, that there is reposed & layde vp ī store for hī in Gods treasure house the imma…cessible crowne of glory, which, whan his Grace shal giuegive ouer to nature, that moost gloryous kyng of all kynges shall gyue to hym vndoutedly for his faythfull walkynge in the diuyne preceptes, & settynge forth of Goddes glory.
The golden worldThis thyng brought to passe by his Graces diligence, ye all abuses plucked awaye, the true godlynes maye reygne, who shall not than iustelye thynke, yt the golden worlde is come agayne,Duid M… …a. i. wherof the aūciente learned mē disputed so much in theyr moost eloquent monumentes. Merely we shall than maye well saye, as the Poet wryteth.Eglo. iiii.
Magnus al integro seclorū nascitur ordo. I am redit eg uirgo, redeunt Saturnia regna. God mought assiste his moost excellent maieste in all his godly & vertuous enterprises. Amen.
¶ The. xlix. Chapter.
THus se we howe greatlye we of the Englysh nacion are bounde vntounto God for the restitucion & bringynge agayne of the knoweledge of his moost diuyne wyll, which so lōge hath ben hydde vnderunder the busshell of mennes tradicions. What cōdigue thanckes are we able to gyue vntounto him for this his īestimable goodnes? Werelye yf eueryevery one of vsus, as Wergyle sayeth, had an hundred tōges, & an hundred mouthes, yet were we not able sufficientelye to decantate, singe, & set forth his prayses. GOD graūt vsus once to be truly thākefull.
Nowe where are theise parsons,The aburtsaryes of Gods wor… which hauehave so lytle pleasure in this regeneraciō & newe byrth, as I may so speke, of Gods moost blessed word & in this settynge forth agayne of ye Euangelicall berite, oure only lyfe, helthe & saluacion? Where are these Dwles, which despisynge the moost confortable lyght of Goddes worde, chose rather continually to walke in the darkenes of mennes tradicions, than once to approche vntounto this celestiall lyghte? Where are these Antechristes, which wyll neyther them selues read the Scriptures, nor yet suffer other, that woulde rede them, but to ye vttermoost of theyr power plucke men from redynge the moost sacred Byble, the worde of lyfe, of all ioye, and spirituall consolacion?
Agaynst these wicked Papistes thō d…eth Christ in the Gospell, sayeng: Do be to you ye Scribes & Pharises Hypocrites,Mat. xxiii. for ye speare vp the kyngedome of heauen before men, ye do neyther enter in your selues, nor yet suffer them that come to enter. Gerely yf we do not shortely repent amende, & enhalse with enbrasynge armes this moost swete word of god we maye be sure shortely to feale the moost greuous plages of Gods wrathe faull vponupon vsus for our vnthancke fulnes. And as Christe sayde to certayne Cities for theyr ingratitude & vnthanckefulnes. Do be to the Corazin, wo be to the Bethsadā, for yf ye vertues ye hauehave bene done in you,Math xi. Luke. x. had bene done in ye citye of Cyrus & Sydō, verely they would hauehave repē ted them of theyr synnes in tymes paste, yea & that euen in sackeclothe & asshes. Notwithstandynge it shall be more tollerable & more easye at ye daye of iudgement to Cyrus & Sydon, than to you. And thou Capernaum, whiche arte exalted vntounto heauen, thou shalte be plucked downe euen to ye veryhel. For yf ye myracles whiche hauehave bene shewed in the, had ben shewed in Sodome, it hadde remayned vntounto this day. Notwithstā dynge I saye to you, it shall be more tollerable to Sodome at the day of iudgement than to the: So maye it be sayde to Englonde: Do be to the Englonde, for yf the lyghte of Gods worde, had come into other nacions so plenteously as it hath done in the verelye they woulde hauehave repented & receiued it ioyfully. But thou dost neyther repent nor amende thy lyse, nor take ony pleasure in the cōming of it. uerely it shalbe more easy at ye daye of iudgement to Sodome and Gomorre than to the.
Let vsus not therfore doubte, but yf we do not shortely repent, amend our corrupte manners, & moost ioye fully enhalse with enbrasyng armes this moost swete & confortable Gospell of our sauiour Iesus Christ, vndoubtedly the fears plages of Gods wrathe wyll shortely faull vponupon vsus.Math … take …. The Scriptures shewe manifestlye that the vengeaunce of God is not farre from vsus. These benefytes, that are shewed vntounto vsus, declare euidently ye ye plages of god are at hād. This lyght of Gods trueth, whiche nowe shyneth to al mē, yf they wyl receyue it, proueth openly ye Goddes wrathe is redy to faull vponupon vsus, yf we shortely do not repent & amende. For this is the property of God, euen to send before his moost holy word,Note y• properte of go… in sendyng forth his word. as a messanger & Embassadour to them that walke in darknes & lyue dissolutely. If they receyue it, repent, & amende theyr lyues, thā doth his grace and fauoure faull vponupon them, & they are Gods welbeloued dearelynges, and shall wante no good thynge, as we reade of the Diniuites. But yf they obstinately resyst it,Ionas. iii. laugh the word of God to scorne,Beware … …corners of Gods word vetymes …sal, vi… remayne in theyr olde infidilite & wickednes, thā doth God …yse v…e lyke a fearce …yon, whette his swearde, bende his bow, & make redy his shaftes, which shall pearse, the bodyes of the wycked, as dartes of yron fyre whotte.
¶ The. L. Chapter.
BUt come of I praye you hertely … tell me, dyd not God,Gen. vii. … …x…. ii. whan he sawe the worlde replenysshed so abū dantly we synne, that it could be no more, send None to preach vntounto thē, & to exhorte them vntounto repētasies & amendement of lyfe, or els synal destruccion should chaūse vntounto them… yet for all thys gentlenesse of God, whiche desyred rather theyr saluaciō than damnaciō, yf they would hauehave conuerted, they despysed the mooste louynge admonicion of Gods messā ger. They had the worde of God in derisiō. They cōtinued styll in theyr brutall & beastelyke lyuynge. They gaue them selues to eatynge, drynckynge, banckettynge, & all kynde of carnall & volupteous lyuyng. They oppressed ye poore people, for ye mayntenaunce of theyr fleshly & insaciable lustes. To be shorte, they walked as persons full of carnall securyte, and cleane withoute all feare of GOD. But what followed this theyr wycked & dissolute lyuynge,Beholde ye end of the …at hate Gods worde. & cōtempte of gods word▪ Uerely utter destrucciō. For God sawe that they woulde by no meanes amende, but styll persyste in theyr abhominacion, he repē ted hym,Gen. vi. that euer he made mā, and shortely after sent such a floude vpō the earth,Gen. vii. ii. Pet. ii. that it ouerflowed & drowned all the worlde, Nohe wt certayne other only reserued thorowe ye great goodnes of god. D terrible Hystory. Whose harte quakethe not for feare at the hearynge of this Historys' Certes it is a terrible Hystory for the aduersaries of Gods worde, and for all wicked lyuers.
Whā the Sodomites lyued so ab hominablye,Gen. xix. ii. Pet. ii. that the uery uoyce of theyr synne came vp vntounto heauen, & pearsed the diuynerares, & cryed for uengeaunce to faull vponupon them, not only Abraham increaced for thē, but also Lothe preached vntounto thē, exhortynge them to leaue theyr to muche detestable & abhominable vnclēnes, & to take the feare of God vntounto thē, & the study of a pure & innocent life. But they woulde not.D abbo… nacion. For the more that Loth rebuked thē sor theyr wickednes the more pleasure had they in it.P…. i. Psa. xiii. They delighted in theyr nough tynes, & reioysed whā they had done euell. They had no feare of God before theyr eies. Yea they so lyued, as though there were no God at all. Therfore God ye ryghteous LORDE, seynge theyr detestable purpose styll to remayne in theyr abhominable lyuynge, & no repentaunce, was of uery iustyce compelled to destroye thē by sendynge fyre & brymstone from heauen, so that both Sodome & Gomorre with all the inhabitātes ther o… & all that euer pertayned to thē, were vtterly cōslimed with fyre and brymstone from heauē. O dolorous spectacle, & h…y fight. This is an example, as S Peter sayth, for all thē that do vngodly.ii. Pet. ii. Nota. Oh what it is to contemne the worde of God and the true preachers therof.
¶ The. Li. Chapter.
AGayne whan Moses & Aaron at the cōmaundement of God, preached to the Egipcians, & myssed them to lette the people of Israel…go oute of captiuite,Exo. iii. that they myghte come & do Sacrifyce to theyr LORD God, how lytle was theyr preaching regarded▪ god plaged thē, yet would they not amende. At the laste whan he sawe none amendement in them,Gen. xiiii. dyd not he by strōg hand delyuer thē out of captiuitie, & drowned al theyr aduersaryes▪ This came to passe vndoutedly yf they would hauehave ben or bediēts to his voyce by ye mouthe of his Prophetes, they had neuer bene plaged nor yet so finallye destroyed▪ Beware be tymes beware.Let all …y…sers & kickers therfore ye spurne agaynste the trueth, learne here what it is to despyse the worde of God and the faythefull preachers therof.
Moreouer as ofte as the chyldrē of Israel dyd forsake theyr true god, which brought them oute of ye lorde of Egypt, & ra…ne an whore hūtyng after straung gods, & followed theyr owne fantasies contrary to the prescripte of Gods worde, God sent his Prophetes vntounto them, for to admonysh them of theyr duty & to reduce & brynge them agayne into the true waye.D cruell murtherers. ii. pa. xxiiii mat. v. xxiii ii. Re. xxv. But they woulde not heare them, but persecuted them, entreated them vngently, prisoned them, & neuer ceased frō theyr crudelite, vntyll they had slayne them. God therfore seynge howe stysseuecked & hard harted they were, sent in theyr enemies on eueryevery syde, which destroyed theyr Cyties, spoyled theyr goodes, slewe innumerable, & led the residue awaye captyue for theyr disobediēce and ingratitude.
Christ vngentylly entreated.At the laste God sent vntounto ye Jewes his owne sōne, that they might repent, cōuerte & amend. But hewe thanckefully they receyued his commynge, the Scriptures shewe more euidently than it nede here to be rehersed. What followed? Uerely the vtter destruccion almoost of thē all, as the Histories make mēcion.Behold the ende. The ende of them was so lamētable, yea & miserable, that no man can reade the History withoute teares and we pynge eyes. Are not all theyse terryble Histories for the despisers of goddes worde? Let vsus not flatter oure selues nor make to much of our painted …ethe, as they saye. For surely y• God, which in times paste sent vengeaunce vponupon the earth for disobeyenge & contēnynge of his word, wyll nowe also poure oute his fearce plages vponupon vsus, yf we repent not shortely & amende. For after so great light of Gods worde, yf it be not thanckefully receyued, obeyed & followed, cō meth vndoubtedly alwaye a great & greuous plage, whiche is ineuitable and can not be exchewed, excepte the amende. Let us therfore with fo…efull hertes receyue the doctryne of God, fe…eah meanes possible to pro… … thereafter, practyse it in … wyn other me to it by out godly conuersacion. Let vsus not onlye say… … we are fauourers of Gods wor… crake much of fayth, but let vsus … soberly,Tit. ii. righteously, & godly in this present world. For to read the Scriptures, to talke of thē to best our selues of fayth is not…ig to the purpose,Mark this well. excepte we indicate oure lyfe dayly accordynge to Gods worde.Ioan. xiiii He tha… hath my cōmaundementes, sayth Christ, & …epeth them he it is that louelove the me.Math. vii Not e…erye one that sayth to me, LORDE, LORDE shall enter into the kyngēdome of heuen, but he that doth the wyll of my father, which is in heauen.
These thynges hauehave I spoken to admonyshe men of theyr dutye, that they maye not abuse this singulare benefyte of Gods word, that is now come amonge vsus, but lyue worthy ye kyndenes of God, gyue hym righte herty thanckes, & to be hauehave them selues, that God maye not take awaye this his inestimable benefyte frō vsus, but rather encrease it vntounto the glory of his name, & the helth of our soules. But it wyll returne to our matter, and make an ende.
¶ The. Lii. Chapter.
THus se we what greate causes …e …aue to gyue thanckes vntounto God,A brefere hearfall of Gods benefites toward be: yf foe consyder hys many solde benefytes, wher with he garnyssheth vsus dayly. He made vsus fyrst of all not only lyke vntounto his owne ymage, but also, when thorowe the synne of Adā we were loste and damned, he saued vsus ag…yne freely of his great mercy by Iesus Christe. And thoughe we synne sometyme thorowe the fragelite of humayne nature contrary to oure promyse at Baptisme, yette ir… hath mercy for vsus, layd vp in store, if we faythfully repent, & amende our lyues. He preserueth vsus from many greuous enormities, into the which we shoulde vndoubtedly faul… headlonge, yf we were not preserued by his goodnes. He lyke a moost gentle father sedeth vsus, & sendeth vsus al thiges necessary for this indygent and poore lyfe. He appoyntethe his holy Jungell to wayte vponupon vsus, that we maye be oppressed with no euell. He gyuethe vsus fauoure in the syghte of mē. He sēdeth to vsus helth both of hody & soule.Ioan. xvi. He graūtethe vsus what so euer we aske in the name of his sōne Iesus Christ. What would we hauehave more? Yea & that, whiche to a christē man would be moost acceptable and thanckefull, he hath prepared for vsus an euerlastynge kyngedome. full of all ioye,Esa. lxiiii. pleasure, glory & selicite. Do herte can thyncke, no tunge can expresse, no eye hath sene those treasures, that God hathe prepared for so many as louelove hym.i. Cor. iii. Who hathe euer had so bounteous a LORDE, & so gentle and louinge a father?Rom. v. He loueth, where he was not loued. He enrycheth, where he was hated. He dothe good to thē, that despysed his moost holy wyll. D burnyng charite. D in cōparable louelove. D kyndenes vnspekable. Do we wyll we nowe recōpēse this excedyng bentgnite of this our bounteous & celestiall father? What doth he requyre of vsus agayne? Byldynge of monasteries? Gaddyng on pylgrimage? Offringe vp of cādels? Payntynge of Tabernacles? Gyldynge of Images? Prayeng of long Prayers wythoute the affecte of the mynde? May verely. For he hath no nede of oure goodes,Psal. iv. as the Psalmographe sayth. What than? Forsothe thanckes gyuynge. He ye gyueth hartye thanckes to God for the benefytes receyued, maketh God amendes largely.Thankes …yuyng. Note. He only desireth of his faith full people, laudes, prayses & thākes gyuynge. Only he desyreth that we be not vnthanckefull, nor walke vn worthye his benignitie & kyndenes. For as S. Bernarde sayth,In cātica Ser: … there is nothynge ye displeaseth God so much chefely in the Chyldren of grace, as ingratitude and vnthanckefulnes. That he delyghteth so much in prayses & thankes gyuynge it is euidēt, seynge that he distayneth not in his holy Scrypture to call at a S…cry…e, as though he should say, prayse & thāckes gyuynge is that, that pleseth me, & gyueth the swete fauoure before my presence. But let vsus heare the Scriptures. The Sacrifyce of prayse, saythe he, shall honoure me. And a lytle before.Psal. xlix. Offer to God the sacrifyce of prayse, & paye to ye moost hygheste thy nowes. Caull on me in the daye of thy trouble, & I wyll delyuer the, & thou shalte honoure me. Do not all these fayēges declare manifestly that the moost acceptable sacryfyce to God is the Sacryfyce of prayse & thanckes gyuynge? Canue therbe a greater glory gyuē to god, than to cōfesse that all goodnes and vertu commeth only of him, & ye ther fore al honour, laude, encomy, praise & glorye oughte to be gyuen to hym alone? Vndoubtedly the Sacrifyce of thanckes gyuynge please the God hyghly. Neyther is theyr any worke that we can do, that so hyghly exalteth the name of God, as this Sacrifyce of thankes gyuynge, or wherin God delyghteth more. If there had, vndoubtedly it had bene prescribed & set forth in the moost sacred Byble Dyd not all the holy Patriarches & so many as were before Christes cō mynge offer this Sacrifyce of thāckes gyuynge to God, as a thynge to to him moost welcome & acceptable? And although they also at diuers tymes offered externall sacrifyces, yet were these none other thynge than a testimony & witnesse of theyr īward Sacrifice, which they offred in their herte, praysynge the name of oure LORDE God.Mat. xi. Luke. x. Dyd not Christe also & his Apostles, as we reade in the holy Scriptures, offer this kind of sacrifyces to our heauēly father? And as they dyd thus, so in lyke manner do they exhorte vsus euer to be thākefull to God & to syng cōtynuall prayses to his moost blessed name.Colo. iii. S. Paule sayth, what so euer ye do in worde & dede, do all thynges in the name of ye LORDE Iesu, gyuynge thanckes to God & the father by him. Agayn: Be ye thankefull. Also in another place, gyue thanckes alwaye for all thynges in the name of oure LORDE Iesu Christe to God & the father.Ephe. v. To the Hebrues also be wryteth on this mā ner. By hym,Heb. xiii. he meaneth Christe, do we offer the Sacryfyce of prayse all waye to God, that is to say, ye fruite of the lyppes, that gyue glory to his name. Thus se we how diligent the holy scripture is, for to moue vsus vntounto this sacrifyce of thankes gyuing, as a thynge very pleasaunt, & much acceptable to the diuyne maieste. But lette vsus heare, what S. Austē sayth, ye we beynge instructed both with the holy scriptures, & also with authoryties of the aunciente Doctors, maye the soner be moued for to gyue god herty thākes at all times.
¶ The. Liii. Chapter.
OFfer to God,In Pl. xlix sayth he, the sacrifyce of prayse. I maye come to myselfe, where I shall fynde that I maye offer. I maye come to my selfe, for in my selfe shall I fynde the immolaciō & offerynge of prayse. Thy Altare is thy cōsciēce. Offer therfore to God the Sacrifyce of prayse.Mark … We nede not take ony thought, there is no cause why we shoulde go vntounto Arabia, to seke trākenfence, or to fetche the packes of ye couetous occupyer. For god seketh of vsus the sacrifyce of prayse.Luke. xix. This sacrifyce of prayse had Zacheus in his patrimony, had the widowe in her closet, had a certayne poore hostes. I knewe not what she was,…ii. Re. xiii. ī her tune. Offer thou therfore to God the sacrifyce of prayse. This is the offring,Psa. xlix. this is the sacrifyce to gyue thanckes vntounto hym, of whome thou hast, what so euer good is, and thorowe whose mercye is forgyuen, what soeuer euell is thyne. Offer to God the sacrifyce of prayse, and pay to the moost hyghest thy prayers. For we this sauour is god delighted
Behold how this moost holy Doctor inculketh & bete…h in styll the sacrifyce of prayse & thanckes gyuyng we sayth, yt we nede seke none other gyfte or present to brynge vntounto god but only y• sacrifyce of prayse of thāckes gyuynge. For in that aboue al other hath God pleasure. The Psalmograph sayth,Psal. lvi. thy vowes, O God, are within me, whiche I shall pay vntounto the, I meane prayses & thankes gyuynge vntounto the. For yu hast delyuered my soule from death, & my fete from slydynge.Psa. cxv. Agayne, I shall offer vntounto the, the Sacrifyce of prayse, and caull on the name of the LORDE. Psa. xxxiii.Also in another place, I wyl magnifye the LORDE at all tymes, & his prayse shal euer be in my mouth as though he should saye, there shall no tyme passe awaye, whyther it be troublous or merye, wherin I shall not prayse ye LORD. Both my youthe & my age shal be bent to ye prayse of hym. Hereof may we lerne to prayse our LORDE God at eueryevery momente.
¶ The. Liiii. Chapter.
THere oughte no vyce to be further from the brest of a Christē man, then ingratitude & vnthanckefulnes. For as S. Bernarde fayth,In Cant… Ser. …. ingratitude is the enemy of ye soule the vtter puttynge awaye of merytes, the dispersion of vertues, the perdicion & losse of benefites, the fyre ye burneth & drieth vp the fountayne of godlynes, the dewe of mercye, and the sloudes of grace.
If we gyue oure seruauntes ony thynge, they render vntounto vsus ryghte herty thanckes for it. Is it not therfore convenient, that we be thanckefull to hym,Nota. that giueth all thinges & without whome we hauehave nothing yt good is? With what forheade dare we beholde to aske and receyue ony thynge of God, and afterwarde not once to thanke hym for it? O barbarous inhumanite. O ingratitude to much vnkynde. They that are of suche churlysh nature, are of ye kynd of them,Psa. lxxvii which, as the Psalmograph say•the, dyd forgette the benefytes of God, & the meruay…ous tokens that he shewed. They were filled, yea the… were stuffed euen full, sayth God by his Prophet, & they than lyfted vp theyr herte, waxed proude, & forgat me.Oze. xiii. And therfore I am become vntounto them as a Lyon, & as the Catte of ye mountayne, that runneth so swyftely. I wyll mete with thē as a Beare that hathe loste her yonge ones, & I wyll breake asunder theyr obstinate harte. Yea I wyll deuour them as a Lyon, and the beast of the felde shall teare them on peces. O terible thretenynge for the ingrate & vnthāckefull persons. This wyll surely come to passe, yf we put not awaye our in gratitude & vnthanckefulnes.Psal. cxliiii… Titus. i. For y• LORDE is faythfull in all his wordes, & can not lye, in asmuch as he is the selfe trueth.
¶ The. Lv. Chapter.
THerfore yf we entende to hauehave God the father a beneficiall fat…r to vsus, & his sonne Iesus Christ …rcifull Sauiour, lette vsus in all thynges gyue thanckes to God at all tymes, yea and that not only in prosperitie but also in aduersitie,Iob. i. as the holy man Iob dyd, sayenge: The LORDE gaue it, & the LORDE hath taken it awaye, as it pleased ye LORDE so is it come to passe, blessed be the name of the LORDE. Let vsus watch & praye that we faull not into tentacion. Let vsus flye to God at all tymes with precordiall obsecracions & herty requestes.Mat. xxvi Let our prayers be continuall. Let thē procede frō a faythfull & charitable harte.In exhortacion to prayer & thankes geuynge. Let vsus aske all thynges accordyng to the wyl of GOD, yea and that in the name of Christe. Lette vsus in all our prayers seke the glorye of God, the auauncement of his moost blessed worde, and ye helth of our owne soules. Let vsus pray for ye preseruacion of y• kynges moost excellent maieste, & for the prosperous successe of his intierly beloued sonne Edward our Prynce. … moost angelyke Impe. Let vsus pray for all the Lordes spirytuall & temporall, speciallye those that hauehave the regiment of the publyque weale vnderunder the Kynges graces highnes.Col. iiii… Let vsus pray for the ministers of Goddes worde, that they maye freely speake the trueth of Christes Gospell, as it becōmeth them. Let vsus praye for all mē vniuersally, chefely for the inhabitātes of this Realme of Englond, that they maye all beare a faythfull harte hothe towarde God and oure kynge. To cōclude, let vsus praye that the wyll of God maye be fulfylled in all thynges.
Whan we hauehave thus prayed, lette vsus all tymes gyue thanckes to God for his benefytes. So shall it come to passe, ye he shall not only not turne awaye his kyndenes from vsus, but also encrease it dayely vntounto the great consolacion and conforte of vsus all.
Yf this thynge shall come to passe that we both praye feruently, and a… so gyue thanckes to God her…ye, … shall not a lytle reioyse that I hauehave taken the labour & payne in compylynge this pathewaye vntounto Prayer, yea it shall encourage me hereafter to attempte other enterpryses of no lesse importaunce and vtilite.
Which thynge (moost gentle Reader) that it maye come to passe, pray for me vntounto oure LORD God, that he maye syng…e that thynge in me, whiche he hath begunne, vntounto the glory of his moost blessed name, … promocion of his moost godly word, and the profyt & edificacion of his moost holy & catholyke Chyrche. Amē.
¶ Gyue the glory to GOD alone.
End of the text · Thomas Becon, A New Pathway Unto Prayer (1542)