A New Years Gift More Precious than Gold — Thomas Becon

A New Years Gift More Precious than Gold · Thomas Becon

The newe yeres gyfte.

¶ Philemon, the gyuer of the newe yeares gyfte, Theophile, Eusebius, & Christopher, his frendes.

Philemon.

CHrist our Lord and master dothe not wyth out a cause cōpare & resemble y^e cares, rytches, & pleasures of thys lyfe to thornes in his moost holy gospel. For as thornes prycketh the flesh, & suffer him not to be in quiet,Math. xiii. Mar…. i…ii. Luke. viii. that is greued & hurte w^t them, so lykewise the cares, rytches, and pleasures of this world wyl not suffer by ony menes that man to enioye tranquilite rest & peace that is turmoyled with them. Happy is he, that appoynteth him selfe such kynde of lyuyng, that he maye be fre from these great waues & rockes wherwythe the lyfe of mortall mē is so miserably assayled, & so ofte put in daūger. The ritches & pleasures of this world, seme to y^e flesh to be thinges of much pleasaūs & great delectacion, but they be nothyng els thā entysyng and flatteryng mooremaydes, which syngyng songes pleasaunt to the eare, bryng destruccion to so many as be herers of thē Blessed is hetherfore, which after the example of Ulisses, can stop his eares with waxe, & so passe by, beynge nothynge moued withe theyr vayne & flatterynge entisementes. For as S. Paule saythe:i. Timo. vi. They that hauehave a pleasure to waxe rytche, fall into temptaciō & snares, & into many folysh and noysome lustes, which drowne men into destruccion & damnaciō. For couetousnes is the roote of all euell, which whyle some lusted after, they erred from the fayth and entangled them selues wythe many sorowes. Hereto pertayneth the sayeng of S. Iohn̄,i. Ioan. ii LoueLove not y^e world, nor those thīges that are in y^e world If ony mā loueth the worlde, y^e louelove of the father is not in hym. For all that is in the worlde (as the lust of y^e flesh, & the concupiscence of the eis, & the pryde of the lyfe) is not of y^e father, but of the worlde, & the worlde passeth away,Psal. lxxxix …. Cor. vii Esa…. xl. Ioan. vi. & the lust therof. But he that fulfyllethe the wyll of God, abydeth for euer.

I hauehave not spoken these thynges w^t out a cause, I thanke my lord God of his gyfte, I hauehave bene from my yought studious of y^e holy Scripture, and very glad, whan I might eyther reade it my self, & common of it wyth my neyghbours, or els hear other preache and talke of it, that I myght be edifyed therby, recoūtyng that daye but a lytle fortunate vntounto me, that was transacted and passed ouer without some repast of goddes worde, seyng that man lyueth not w^t bread alone,Deut. viii. Math iiii. Marc. i. Luke. iiii. but wyth eueryevery worde that cometh out of y^e mouthe of God. But lo, no mā in this world is so happy, that he canne hauehave hys mynde satisfyed in all poyntes.Nemo exom ni parte beatus. For I desyrynge nothyng more than to be quiet, that I myghte frely gyue my mynde to the studye of the holye scriptures, & sometyme comō of thē wythe my neyghbours, hauehave ben so turmoyled & vexed wythe the cares & troubles of this worlde for y^e space of syxe or seuen monethes, y^t I hauehave had no lesure almoost ones to thīke of the holy scripture. O Lord what is it to liue in this wretched world?What it is to lyue ī this worlde. ony other thyng than dayly more & more to be plucked awaye & estraunged from the, & to heape synne vponupon synne, & prouoke thyne anger more feruently agaynst vsus? But now seyng it hath pleased God partely to deliuer me out of the troublous waues of this occean, and to bryng me into an hauē of some quietnes, I entend to repare vntounto myne olde studies, & to participate them with my neyghbours, as I was wonte to do heretofore. For I feare much vnlesse that dissolucion & slackenes maye also be found in them, that these certē monethes hathe not wanted in me, so prone & redy are we to faull from goodnes vntounto lewdnesse, if we hauehave not y^e spurre of gods grace to pricke vsus forwarde. Syns I gaue them a nosegaye, I neuer spake vntounto them, but good euen & good morow. Therfore hauehave I nowe sent for thē by my seruaunte to come vntounto me, that I maye imparte and gyue them some spirituall treasure for theyr new yeres gyfte this holye tyme of Christmas. I trust they wyl not tary lōg. What do I saye, tary long? Me thī ke I heare theyr voyces euen nowe at y^e dore. It are they. Neyghbours euen with one worde, welcome vntounto you all.

Theo.

Brother Philemō right hartely we thancke you.

Phil.

Wyl it please you to take the payne, for to come wythe me into my parloure?

Euse.

We follow you gladly.

Phil.

Neybours yet once agayne welcome. I praye you take eueryevery man a chayre & syt downe quietly. For I entende to talke w^t you.

Chri.

We are all set, speake what it shall please you.

Phil.

Neyghbours and brothers it is not vnknowen vntounto you, how desyrous I hauehave euer ben syns oure fyrst acquayntaunce to seake no lesse youre soules healthe than myne owne.

Euse.

we are not ignorant of this brother Philemon, and we all giuegive you ryghte hartye thanckes for it.

Phil.

I hauehave done nothyng but my duty, & I confesse my selfe to be an vnprofitable seruaunt.Luke. xvii. Notwithstandynge neyghbours thys greuethe me very muche, that I hauehave ben so negligēt these certayne monethes in doynge my duty toward you.

Theo.

No duty brother Philemon. It commethe of your mere goodnes, what so euer ye do toward vsus. But it is not vnknowen vntounto vsus, howe greatly ye hauehave ben disquieted w^t diuers businesses for a great space.

Phil.

Ye say trueth, but nowe heare the cause of my sendynge for you. Twelue monethes passed, if ye do remēber neyghbours at this tyme of the yere I made you a Christmas banckette, which, as I hauehave syns perceaued, ye hauehave ryght well digested. The Lent ensewyng, I called you all to a Potaciō, wherat I trust ye tasted of y^e wyne, which maketh the spirite mery. The May followyng at myne instaūce full gē tylly ye resorted vntounto myne house, & accordynge to season of the yeare, I gaue you a Nosegay. All these were not for the bodye, but for the soule, yea rather both for body and soule.

Euse.

We remember all these thynges wel, nether hauehave we forgottē, what you taught vsus in them.

Phil.

It maketh me greatly to reioyse for to heare these thynges of you. For nowe I perceaue full well,Iacob. …. that ye are no forgetfull hearers, but diligent fulfyllers of such thīges, as are taught you, & therfore are ye blissed in your acte. Well neyghbours, my louelove toward you is nothyng abated. I desyre your furtherauns in the knowledge of Gods worde euen nowe, so muche as I hauehave done heretofore. In consideracion wherof, I entend at thys present to gyue you a newe yeares gyfte.

Theo.

Can ony thyng… be more welcome to vsus than suche a gyfte, cōmyng from so dere a frend and so in tyme & place? It is now a newe yeare, and men vse customably to gyue gyftes one to another wherby they declare theyr good wy… & wysshe that all good & prosperous thynges maye chaunse to theyr frē des all the whole yeare longe. Therfore in gyuyng vsus this gyfte, we do not only acknowledge your accusto…med gentylnes toward vsus, but also confesse our selues to be more ende…ted toward you, thā we may at any tyme be able to recōpēce your kynd…nes.

Chri.

Neighbour Philemon, th… daye passethe awaye, let vsus therfo… I pray you, se our New yeres gifte. For there is nothyng that can offer it selfe more welcome to these our e…es.

Euse.

Trueth is this, & nothynge more true.

Phil.

Youre Newe yeares gyfte is red in the chyrche on Christmasse day in the mornyng at y^e fyrst masse for the Epistle, & it is wrytten of S. Paule in the second Chapter of his Epistle to Bisshoppe Titus.

Theo.

I pray you let vsus heare it.

Phil.

Behold take your new yeres gyfte.

The gyft of God that brigeth saluacion vntounto all men / hath appeared / and teacheth vsus… that we shoulde deny vngodlynes and worldly lustes & that we shoulde lyue sober…y / ryghteously / and godly in …his present worlde / lookyng …or that blyssed hope and appearynge of the glorye of the greate GOD / and of …ure Sauiour Iesus Christ / whych gaue hymselfe for vsus maner:Esa ix. A yonge chylde is … for our sake, and a sonne is gyuen …to vsus.Rom. viii. Also S. Paul, God hath … … red his own son, but hath gyu… … for vsus all, how is it thā possibl… …ut that he must gyue vsus all thynge … hym?

Euse.

Is Christ frely gyuen … to vsus?

Phil.

Yea verely neyghbour… Eusebiꝰ Neuer was ther any thing so frely gyuē vntounto you, as Christ is.

Theo.

The goodnes than of God the father appearethe here towarde vsus great & vnmesurable.

Phil.

It muste nedes be great & vnmesurable, seing y^t he loued vsus, whan we were siners Beholde,Rom. v. i. Ioan. iii. sayth s. Iohn̄, what a louelove the father hath giuen vntounto vsus, that we should be called y^e sonnes of god. And that ye maye well knowe that Christ is the fre gyfte of God, giuen vsus wythoute ony desertes, caull, I praye you, to remembraunce y^e faull of Adam, in whome all we hauehave synned, and deserued lyke damnacion. What had he done to pacify y^e wrath of God & to recouer his fauour, whē God made hym this moost confortable promyse, I wyll sette emnite betwene the & an womā, betwene thy seed and hyr seed.Gen. iii. And that selfe seed shal tread downe thy head?

Chri.

For sothe I thyncke very lytle.

Phil.

Ye myghte hauehave sayde, nothynge at all ryght well, excepte ye thyncke thys somewhat, whan he had once offended, to put his head in a bush, & not to knowledge his fault, nor once to dare to come in syghte.

Euse.

Ye saye trueth.

Phil.

What had Abraham deserued, whā God made him this promyse of Christ,Gen. xxii. Gen. iii. Gen. xv. Roma iiii. Gala. iii. Iaco. ii. Ephe. i. sayēge: in thy seed all nacions of the earth shal be blyssed? Uerely nothyng at all, only he beleued the promyse of God, & it was rekened vntounto him vntounto righteousnes. He chosed vsus, sayth saynt Paule, in Christ, before the foundacions of the world were layd, y^t we should be holy & fautles before hī. Agē, we were by nature, the chyldren of wrath, euen as other were. But God, whiche is ritche in mercye,Ephe. ii. for his greate louelove wherwith he loued vsus, euē thē, whē we were dead thorowe synne, quickened vsus with Christ (for by grace are ye sauid) & hathe raysed vsus vp with him in heauenly thynges, thorowe Christ Iesus, that in tymes to come he myghte shewe the excedynge ritches of his grace ī kyndnes toward vsus in Christ Iesu. For by grace are ye saued thorow fayth & that not of your selues. For it is y^e gyfte of god & commeth not of workes, least an… man shoulde boast hymselfe.Tit. iii… Also in another place, after y^t the goodnesse & louelove y^e God our sauioure hath towarde men, dyd appeare, not of the workes of righteousnes, whiche we hauehave done, but according to his mercy hath he saued vsus by y^e fountayne of the newe byrth,Ioan. iii Ephe. v & renewynge of y^e holy Ghost, which he shed on vsus abū dantly thorow Iesus Christ our sauiour,Act. xv. Ephe. i… that we beynge made righteous by his grace, shulde be heyres of eternall lyfe accordynge to hoope. This is a sayenge not to be doubted of.Ioan. iii Rom. v Christ himselfe also sayth, God loued the worlde so intierly, y^t he gaue his only begotten sonne, that eueryevery one that beleueth in him, shulde not peryshe, but hauehave euerlastynge lyfe. For God sent not his sonne into the worlde, to condemne the world, but that the worlde shoulde be saued by him.

Of these scriptures heretofore rehearsed, is it euident, that Christ is frely giuen vntounto vsus of God y^e father yea & that without oure merites or desertes. For whan we were vtterly damned, & knewe not howe to recouer ony parte of our helpe, God the father of his own gracious goodnes gaue vsus his sonne Christ to be oure Sauioure. So that as the beginnynge of youre Newe yeares gyfte is, Christ is vnfaynedly the gyft of God▪ frely giuen vsus for our great cō forte & saluacion.

Chri.

It can not be expressed howe much we are bounde to God the father for this his gyfte seynge that he gaue vsus not an Aungell or ony other celestiall creature, but his onlye begotten sonne, euen the higheste and mooste precious treasure that he hadde.

Philemon.

Y wyl say so whan ye hauehave once hear… what a treasure this youre gyfte … vntounto you, & howe many pleasures & commodities ye receaue by hym.

Euse.

I pray you let vsus heare.

Phil.

It followeth: That bryngeth saluacion vntounto all men. Beholde, youre newe yeares gyfte, that God the father hath giuen you, bryngeth saluacion vntounto all mē. It is no idle & vnprofitable gifte, but commodious & necessary. For it worke the vsus health & saluacion.

The giftes of the world bring many times perdicion, destrucciō & damnacion, but this gyft of God bringeth lyfe, health, ioye, pleasure, saluacion & an whole sea of good thynges. It bringeth saluacion, sayth the scripture. Note this worde bringeth. As though it shoulde be sayd, whā ther was no hope of health, but all thynges yoked in the bond of desperaciō, synne bare rule, & Satan triūphed ouer mankynd as his bond captiue, than came the gifte of God, whiche droue synne out of place, vāquished Satan, destroyed the powers of hel brought saluacion to man, which loked only for damnacion, yea & that frely, & without ony desertes, euen of mere grace & pure mercye. O the inestimable excellency of this gifte, which both wyllyngly & frely bryngeth saluacion to mankynde. Howe can it otherwyse be? Is not y^e name of this our gyfte, IESVS, gyuen hym of God the father,what Iesus signifieth. & published by his Aungell & Embassadoure Gabriel? And what other thyng, I pray you, soundethe IESVS, than a sauioure? This our gyfte Christ,Math. i. is a sauiour. For he saueth his people from theyr synnes. Feare ye not, sayth the aungell. For beholde,Luke. ii. I shewe vntounto you a great ioye, which shall chaunse to all people. For this day is borne vntounto you a sauiour, whiche is Christ y^e Lorde of the cytye of Dauid. Thus sewe, that Christ is a sauiour. Therfore maye he righte well brynge saluacion, & saue so many as beleue in hym.All saluaciō muste be loked for of Christ

Theo.

Is there no saluacion to be loked for, but only at the hand of Christ?

Phil.

No verely, ye heard, that the gyfte of God, which is Christ brī geth saluacion. It is Christes office alone to saue, & besydes hym is ther no sauiour neither in heauen nor in earth. Who so euer seaketh saluaciō at y^e hande of ony other,Marke wel. but at Christes alone, he doth not only deceaue hym selfe, but also robbe christ of his office, depriue him of hys glory, blaspheme his blissed name, tread vnderunder foote his moost precious bloud, & vtterly maketh of none effecte y^e whole misterye of Christes incarnacion.

Euse.

It were pite that ony mā shuld be of this mind.

Phil.

You say trueth Notwithstandyng there hauehave bene, that hauehave sought health at other besydes Christ, would God there were none at this day. S. Paule feareth not to saye, if righteousnes cometh by y^e lawe,Gala. ii. Gala. …. thā dyed Christ in vayne. Agayn, ye are gone quyte frō Christ so many of you as wyl be made righteous by the lawe, & are fallen from grace.

Chri.

Let vsus hear it proued by the scriptures, that ther is no saluacion, but by this gifte of God Christ alone.

Phil.

The matter is more euident, than it neadeth ony probacion to the faythful, & as for thē that are obstinately blynd, all the scriptures in the worlde can profit nothyng at al. Notwithstōdyng to satisfy your godly desyre, of many, I wyl reherse a fewe, yea and those, that shall seme moost fyt for y^e purpose.Christalone saueth.

Theo.

I pra… you let it so be.

Phil.

Whense shall I take my begynnyng, but of the Pr…phet Esaye, whome Christ our sau…oure had so ofte in his mouthe? By hym Christ speaketh on this maner, I am, I am the Lorde, & there is no sauiour besides me.Esa. xliii. Agayne in tha… same chapter, I am, I am he, which putteth away thyne iniquities, yea & that for myne owne sake, & wyll remember thē no more. Put me in remembraunce, & let vsus be iudged togyther. Tell me if thou haste anye thynge, whereby thou mayeste be iustified Thy fyrst father synned and thy Prophettes hauehave trespassed agenst me. Also in another place, Am not I the Lord?Esa. x…v. Is there any other God besydes me? A righteous God, & such one as saueth, there is none but I alone. Tourne vntounto me, and ye shall be safe, o all ye coastes of the earth, for I am God, & there is none other. Once agayne by y^e same Prophet he saythe,Esa. lxiii. I alone hauehave troden downe the wyne presse, & there was none at all that dyd healpe me. Are not al these scriptures playn inugh to declare that Christ is the sauiour & that there is no saluacion, but by easeth, refreshethe & conforteth the conforteles. Christ the sonne of man came to seke & saue that, which was lost. Ergo what so euer is lost & saued agen,Luke. xix. is saued by Christ. Christ is that true light, which lighteneth eueryevery man, that commeth into this worlde. Ergo they that are not lightened by Christ,Ioan. i. remayne styl in darkenes. Christ gaue to so many as receaued hym, power to be made the sonnes of God because they beleued in his name. Ergo they that receiue not him to be theyr sauiour, and beleue that theyr synnes are only put awaye by his name, are not the sonnes of God. Christ is that lambe … God, that taketh away the fynne … the world. Ergo there is none othe… sacrifyce for synne, but Christ alone No man goeth vp into heauen,Ioan. iii. but he that came downe from heauen, y^e sonne of man, whiche is in heauen. Ergo so many as go vp into heuen, go vp onelyonly by Christ. He that beleueth in the sonne, hath euerlastyng life. But he that beleueth not in the sonne, shall not se lyfe, but y^e wrathe of GOD abydeth vponupon hym. Ergo they alone shall be saued, whiche w^t a stronge faythe beleue Christ to be theyr Sauioure. EueryEvery one, saythe Christ, that drynketh of the water, that I gyue hym, shall neuermore thyrst.Ioan. iiii Ergo Christ is a sufficient sauiour for so many as repent and beleue. Christ is that lyuynge bread, which came downe from heauen, yf ony mā eateth of that bread, he shal lyue for euermore. Ergo he that tasteth Christ aryght,Ioan. vi. nede the none other sauiour to gyue hī euerlastyng lyfe. Christ is that good shepeherde, whiche gyueth his lyfe for his shepe.Ioan. x. Ergo so many as are saued, are saued by Christes death. Christ is the resurreccion & lyfe.Ioan. xi. Ergo by him w… ryse out of syn, & obtayne lyf… eternall. Christ is the waye, trueth and lyfe. No man commeth to the father but by him.Ioan. xiiii. Ergo by christ alone we ascende & go vp vntounto the presence of the father. Without christ we cā do nothing. Ergo w^tout him we cā not be saued. Christ is the vine. He y^t abideth in him,Ioan. xv. bryngeth forthe muche frute. Ergo he y^t casteth away christ, & seketh ony other sauyour, is y^e tre, which brīgeth forth no frute,Math. iii. & therfore shall he be hewē downe & cast in to y^e fyre. Christ dyed for our synnes & rose agen for our iustificacion. … go by christes deth are we … frō our sinnes,Rom. iiii. & by his resurre…cio… iustified & made righteous. We beyng iustified,Rom. v. by fayth hauehave peace toward god thorowe our Lord …us christ Ergo christ it is which m…keth y^e attonemēt betwene god y^e … & vsus. By the synne of Adā alone came dānaciō on all mē, euē so by y^e righteousnes of christ alone came y^e iustificaciō of lyfe vpō all mē. Ergo as we were dāned by the syn of Adā alone, so are we saued, iustified & preserued vntounto euerlastyng life by y^e righteousnes of christ alone. Euerlasting lyfe is the gyft of god thorowe christ Iesus our Lord.Rom. vi. Ergo so many as obtayne euerlasting lyfe cometh vntounto it by y^e fre gyft of god, yea & y^t for our Lord Iesus Christes sake. Christ is appoynted of god to be our wysdom righteousnes,i. Cor. …. sāctificaciō & redēciō. Ergo by Christ are we made wyse, ryghteous, holy, & the chyldrē of redēciō. We are washed,i. Cor. vi. we are sāctifyed, yea we are made ryghteous thorow the name of y^e Lord Iesus & the spirite of our God. Ergo by christes name and the spirite of God are we made, pure, holy & righteous. Christ whiche knowe no synne,ii. Cor. v. became syn for oure sake, that is to saye, a sacrifyce for our synnes. Ergo those synnes that are putte awaye, are putte awaye by y^e sacrifyce of christ. Christ whan he was ritche,ii. Cor. viii. became pooore for our sake, that by his pouertie he should make vsus ritch. Ergo so many as be made ritche, are enrytched by christ.Gala. ii. If righteousnes cometh by y^e lawe, than dyed christ in vayne. Ergo they that are made rygheteous, are made righteous by the death of christ. And who so euer seketh to be iustified by ony other meanes than by the deth of christ, he goeth about to make christes deth of none effect, and so is he a playne Antechrist. By christ we hauehave redempcion,Ephe. i. & by his bloude remission of synnes. Ergo by christ is our raunsome payd, and by his bloud are oure synnes forgyuen vsus.Ephe. ii. Christ is our peace. Ergo by him hauehave we tranquilite, quietnes and rest in our cōsciēces. By christ hauehave we free entraunce vntounto the father.Ephe. ii.iii. Ergo so many as come vntounto the father, come by Christ. Christ is gone vp on high,Ephe. iiii. and hath led away captiuite captiue, and hath giuen gyftes vntounto men.Psa. lxvii. Ergo he it is that giueth remission of synnes. Christ loued vsus, and gaue hymselfe for vsus to God an offeryng & swete smellynge sacrifyce.Ephe. v. Ergo for this swete & odoriferous sacrifice of christ, God the father pardoneth our sīnes. Christ is the head of the body of the congregaciō. Ergo he it is,Colos. i. that saueth his members. It hath plesed the father, that in christ al fulnes shuld dwel, & that by him all thynges should be reconcyled vntounto hīselfe, whyther they be thynges vponupon earth or in heauē, y^t thorowe the bloud of his crosse, he myght make peace euen thorow his owne selfe. Ergo all they y^t are reconcyled & set at one w^t God the father, hauehave obtayned thys by y^e bloude of christ.i. Tim. i. This is a true sayeng, & by al means, worthy y^t we should embrace it, y^t Christ Iesus came into y^e world to saue synners. Ergo Christe it is, y^t saueth sinners.i. Tim. ii. Ther is one God & one attonemēt maker betwene god & men euen the man Christ Iesus, whyche gaue hym selfe a raunsome for all mē. Ergo as there is but one God, so is there but one attonemēt maker, and this is Iesus Christ, by whōe alone we are redemed. We are sāctifyed by y^e oblaciō of y^e bodye o… Iesꝰ christ,Heb. x. done once for al. Wyt one oblacion hath christ made ther perfecte for euermore that are sanctifyed. Ergo so many as are made holye, hauehave obtayned that holynes only by the sacrifyce of christ, which he once for all offered on the A…tare of the crosse, so cōsumate & perfecte that ther remayneth none other sacrifyce for syn.i. Pet. i. We are not redemed from our vayne cōuersacion (whiche we receaued thorow the tradiciō of the fathers (with corruptible syluer & golde, but with the precious bloud of christ, as of an innocent & vndefyled lābe. Ergo by christes bloud are we redemed from all vayne thinges wherwith before we were entāgled. The bloude of Iesus christ makethe vsus clene from all syn.i. Ioan. i. Ergo by christes bloud are we made clene & purified frō al our sinnes. If ony mā sinneth, we hauehave an aduocate w^t the father, Iesꝰ christe y^e righteous one,i. Ioan. ii. & …e it is, that obtaineth merci for our synnes not for our synnes only, but also for al y^e worldes. Ergo so oft as we sinne, by our aduocate christ are our synnes put awaye. There is saluacion in none other but in Christ. Nether is there ony other name giuen vntounto men vnderunder heuen, wherin they must be saued,Act. iiii. but only y^e name of christ Iesus. Ergo who so euer is saued, receaueth his saluacion onelyonly by the name of christ our Lorde. As I maye tary no longer aboute this matter, al y^e Prophettes, saith saint Peter,Act. …. beare wytnes of christ, that thorowe his name, eueryevery one y^t beleueth in hym, shall receaue the remission of synnes. If all the Prophetes beare wytnesse of this thynge, who dare be bolde once to opē his mouth to speake agaynst it, except he be at defyaunce & open warre wyth God & his sonne Iesus Christ our Lorde & sauioure. But withe suche I louelove not to meddle. God blysse me from them.

Do ye not perceaue nowe y^t thys gyfte of God the father, whiche he hath frely gyuē you, I meane christ is thalone sauiour, and that ther is no helth, saluacion, conforte, and remission of sīnes to be looked for, but onelyonly at his hande?

Euse.

We were to much blynd, yf we dyd not perceaue it, ye hauehave made the matter so open w^t playne & euident scriptures.

Chri.

O Lord, what blyndnes was ther ī the world, whan some dyd put theyr hope of saluaciō in stockes & stones, & olde rotten bones, in gaddynge of pylgrymage, in gyldyng of Images in sayntes reliques, & hallowed stickes, & popysh pardons, in other mennes workes, in fansyes inuented of men. &c. Yea there hauehave not wanted whiche sought saluacion in a Graye …ryers cowle, trustynge assuredly, y^t yf they were buryed in y^t, they could by no meās be damned.

Phil.

Al these were greatly deceaued. But that ye maye knowe, that there can be no sauiour, but this gyfte of God Christ alone, marke a fewe wordes, that I shall nowe saye vntounto you. Fyrst he y^t shall be a sauioure, & saue men from theyr synnes, muste be withoute all synne hym selfe. Secondly he must be both God & mā. Thyrdly he must by his innocency delyuer vsus from y^e cursse of the law, yea and fulfyll the lawe for vsus, that the aduersary may laye nothyng agaynst vsus. Fourthly he must by his puyssaunce & power, vanquysh & subdue all the power of Satan. Fyftly he must slaye death, y^t it may hauehave no more power ouer y^e faythfull. Syxtly, it must be in his power to gyue vntounto hys people the holy Ghost, to gouern & kepe them ī a ryght trade of lyuyng. To cōclud… he must be suche one, that whā they that beleue in hym, do offende & prouoke the heauenly father vntounto anger, he maye at all tymes he both redy & able to make an attonement betwene God and the offenders.

If ye can fynde ony suche, as I hauehave here described, besydes Christ, wel, I wil thā also graūt y^t he is a sauiour. Untyll that tyme wyll I say with all the Prophettes, Apostles & our Doctor Paule, that this gyfte of God christ Iesus is thalone sauiour, bryngeth helth, & that there is no saluacion to be gotten, but only thorow hī.

Theo.

This thyng is now more manifest, then it may be doubted of, or called into questiō.

Phil.

It followeth in your new yeares gyft, To all men. Note that he saythe not,To whome Christ is a Sauyour to the wycked & damned spirites, which shall neuer recouer theyr health & saluacion, what so euer the Origenistes tryfle in thys behalfe but to al men, yea and that those only, which repent, beleue, and leade a good lyfe. For to wycked mē and vngodly persons is christ no sauioure, excepte they repēt, beleue & amend. It is not to be passed ouer lyghtly, y^t the scriptures spekethe generally and vniuersally w^tout ony excepciō To all men. Christ bryngeth saluacion to all menne.As christe is a sauiour so are al mē synners. These wordes proue manifestly, that as christ is a sauiour, so are all men synners, and agayne, that there is no man but y^e receaueth saluacion of christ, if he be saued. Where are they nowe y^t wyll iustify them selues, and sel theyr merites and good dedes to other? The scriptures sayth, we be all synners. There is no differēce,Rom. iii. sayth s. Paule All hauehave synned & wante the glory… of God.Hyponost. Lib. iii. What is this, sayth S. Austen, and want the glory of God, but the grace of God the father by Iesus christ, which is the glory of God the father? And what meaneth this they wante or hauehave nede, sayth he? but that no mā of himselfe, because he is borne carnally, is able to recouer the lyfe lost, no though he bryngeth the workes of merites, excepte he be spiritually borne a new by our Lorde Iesus christ, whiche came w^t the vndetted mercy of the father, & of his owne,Luke. x…x. and of the holy ghost to saue & seake that whiche was loste? What was lost? Unreasonable beastes? Hathe God also care for oxen?i. Cor. ix. Uerely mankynde was lost thorow synne, in consideraciō wherof christ beynge wythout spotte euen of hys owne fre wyll gyuyng hym selfe to the death & rysyng agayne, hath redemed man from synne & death euē ly the largenes of fre grace. These are the wordes of S. Austen, which …hewe euidently what we are of our selues, and what by Christ▪ But let vsus heare mo scriptures.Psal. cxv. Rom. iii. EueryEvery mā is a lyare, God alone is true. The scripture hath cōcluded all thinges vnderunder sin,Gala. iii. y^t y^e promyse by y^e faithe of Iesꝰ christ shuld be gyuē to y^e faythful. God hath comprehended all mē vnderunder incredulite & vnfaythfulnes that he myght hauehave mercy on al mē Here se we that all men were found synners & vnfaythfull, & that they are saued only by the great mercies of God.Rom. xi. All our righteousnesses are as a cloth polluted wyth menstrue. We were conceaued & borne in syn. The imaginaciōs and thoughtes of mannes harte are prone vntounto euell euen from his yonge age.Esa. liiii. Esay. l. Gen. viii. Ex xxxiiii. lii. Ro. viii. Eccle. vii. There is no man innocent before God, there is no man but that synneth. There is not a righteous man on y^e earth that doth good, and synneth not. EueryEvery one is an hypocrite & wicke… and the mouthes of thē all hauehave spokē folyshnes.Esay. ix. All we hauehave erred and gone astraye lyke shepe, eueryevery one hath followed his owne fansye. The harte of man is wicked & in…crutable. No man is pure from synne,Esa. liii. Hiere. xv…i no the starres are not clene in his sight howe much more is man fylthy and vnclene, which is nothyng but corrupcion & a very worme in comparison of God?Iob. xxv. Prou xx Math. xix. Mar. x. Luke. xvii. psa. xiii.lii Who is able to say, my harte is clene, and I am pure from syn? No mā is good but God alone. We are al vnprofitable seruauntes. The Lorde looked downe from heauen vponupon the chyldren of men, to se yf there were ony one, y^t had vnderstandyng or saught after God. But all are swarued & clene gone oute of the waye, they are become all togyther vnprofitable, there is▪ none that dothe good, no not one. They are corrupt, & become abhominable ī theyr studies: Theyr throte is lyke a wyde mouthed graue,Psa. v. Psa. cxxxix they worke de…eate with theyr tonges, the poyson of adders is vnderunder theyr lyppes Theyr mouthe is full of cursynge & bytternes,Psal. ix. Prouer. i. Esa. …i… theyr feete are swyfte to shed bloude. Destruccion and werynes are in theyr wayes, the waye of peace hauehave they not knowne. Ther is no feare of god before theyr eyes. Howe lyke ye these scriptures?Psa. xxxv. i. Cor. iii. Do they not paynte oute man in his natiue colours? What hauehave we of oure selues to reioyse & boste of.

Chri.

We maye perceaue now right wel, that we be all wretched & miserable synners.

Theo.

If god had not gyuen vsus his sonne christ to be our sauioure, we hadde bene in a damnable case.

Euse.

We were so pocky & full of diseases, that yf christ had not bene our… Phisicion to heale our woundes … his moost precious woūdes, we had continued styl disesed for euermore.

Phil.

I am glad ye hauehave learned that all men are synners, & that therfore they hauehave nede of christ the gyfte of God, whiche bryngeth saluacion to all men. For this is the fyrst poynte to knowe christ aryght. Nether can ony man to muche deiecte and cas…e downe hym selfe. For the more man humbleth hym selfe, the more dothe he exalte y^e glorious maieste of god. But that ye maye be without dout in this matter, I wyll rehearse certen vntounto you, out of both the Testamentes, which shall declare that we be all synners.Gen. iii. Adam, as ye knowe, transgressed the commaundement of God in Paradise, & by his transgression made vsus all bonde to eternall damnacion.Gen. ixi Nohe fell into the synne of dronkēnes. Lothe was not only dronken, but also lay with hys owne doughters,Gen. xix. Gen. xx. Exod. ii. ii. Re. xi. and .xii. & so commytted y^e greuous synne of inceste. Abraham denyed hys wyfe. Moses cōmytted man …aughter. Dauid commytted bothe manslaughter & whoredome. Salomon was an Idolater. Mathew was a tolle gatherer. The Apostles dyd stryue amonge them, who shoulde be hyghest & of greatest aucthorite.iii. Reg. xi. Math. ix. Math. xx. Luke. vii. Ioan. xviii. Act. ix. Mary Magdalene was a greuous synner. Peter denyed and forsoke Christ thryse. Paule persecuted the cōgregacion of christ. …hat shoulde I make many wordes? So many as euer were clad wythe this flesh (Iesus christ alone excepte whiche was both God and man & conceued & borne without the seed of mā, by the operacion of the holy Ghoste of the moost blyssed & vndefyled virgin Mary) were synners, and so many as are in the same at this day, … shal be vntounto the worldes ende, are … shall be synners, saued onelyonly by the fre mercy of god thorow Iesꝰ christ. We all offende in many thynges, sayth S. Iames.Iacob. iii. Here are none excerted. If we saye,i. Ioan. i saythe S. Iohn, that we hauehave no synne, we deceyue ourselues, and the trueth is not in vsus. Here S. Iohn̄, which was so holy, vertuous & dearly beloued of god nombreth him selfe among synners neyther is he ashamed so to do, that al glory maye be gyuen to God, and the prayse of oure saluaciō to Iesus Christ our Lorde & sauiour.

Chri.

If all be synners with oute excepcion, what is than to be sayde of y^e moost glorious & blyssed virgyn Mary? Is she also to be rekened in the nomber of synners?

Phil.

I answere with S. Austē, whan so euer there is disputacion of synne,Libro de natura & grati a cap. xxxvi. all must nedes cō fesse them selues synners, excepte y^e holy virgyn Mary, of whom for the honour of the Lorde, I wyl hauehave no question at all whan we entreate of synne. For we know that there was giuen to her more grace than to ony other creature for to ouercome …yn on eueryevery parte, for as muche as she deserued to conceaue & bryng …orth hym, whom it is euidēt to hauehave had no synne. Therfore this virgyn excepte, if we coulde gather all y^e sayntes both men and women, wh… they lyued here, & demaund of them, whyther they were w^tout synne. What do we thyncke that they would aunswere, as this Pelagian sayth, or as Iohn̄ the Apostle affyrmeth? Uerely ware theyr excellency of holynes neuer so great in this bodye, if they myghte be asked thys thynge, they woulde surely crye with one voyce, yf we shoulde saye, that we hauehave no synne, we deceaue oure selues … the truethe is not in vsus.

Hytherto hauehave I rehearsed the wordes of S. Austen, which as they excepte the moost blyssed virgyn Mary from the spot of synne, so do they proue all other wythoute excepcion to be sinners. Yet this dare I boldly affyrme & say, that this moost holy pure and glorious virgyn disdayned not to confesse Christ to be also her Lorde and sauiour. Her wordes are these:Luke. i. My soule magnifyeth the Lorde, & my spirite hath reioysed in god my sauiour. Behold she bosteth not her good dedes, she crakethe not of her merites, she swelleth not with her owne dignite, but humbly graū tyng herselfe to be the handemayde of the lord, redy to do his moost godly pleasure and wyll in all thynges, she confesseth God to be her sauiour and not her selfe, nor her owne good dedes. If so holye and pure a virgyne, which was replenyshed wythe all grace, vertue and goodnes, dyd not bost of her own dignite, worthynes, merites, dedes & good wor…kes, but cleued to God alone and sought for saluacion at his hande, howe wicked and go…les are they, which se…e health at ony other, sauyng a… thys gyfte of God Iesus christ, which brī …geth saluacion to all mē?

Euse.

This is godly spoken. Dothe christ therfore bryng saluacion to all menne?

Phil.

To all men that repent, beleue, and labour to … a good lyfe▪ were they neuer so greuous synners before.Math. ix. For christ came not to call the righteous, that is, such as wyt iustify them selues by theyr owne good dedes & merites, but synne…s vntounto repentaunce.Luke. xxiiii. He commaunded hys Apostles after his Resurreccion to preache repentaunce and remissio… of synnes in his name vntounto all …. For he is that sauioure,i. Tim. ii. y^t … hauehave almē to be saued & to cōe vnt… y^e knolege of y^e trueth. In y^e old lawe he was onelyonly knowen & preached t… be the sauiour of the iewes for God was knowen but in Iewrye▪ and in Israel was his name great.Psa. lxxv. He shewed his worde to Iacob, his righteousnes & iudgementes to Israel▪ He dyd not so to eueryevery nacion,Psa. cxlviii neyther dyd he open vntounto them hys ordinaū ce… ▪ but nowe he is a sauyour to all kynde of people. Christ before hys death, sayd to hys disciples, whā he sene them forthe to preache.Math. x. Go no… among y^e Gentiles nor Sain… …, but go rather to y^e lost shepe of … of Israel, but after his resurre…ion he sayd▪ Go thorowe out all the worlde,Mat. xxviii Marc. xvi. and preache the gospell to eueryevery creature. For there is now no differēce betwene the Iewe and …he Gentyle.Roma. x. Iohel. ii. Actum. ii. For one is Lorde of al, … ynoughe for so many as call …. For eueryevery one that callethe on the name of the Lorde, will be saued▪ Esay. ix Math. iiii.And this is it that the Prophet sayth … people y^t walked in darknes, … lygh…, & to thē which s…t in the region and shadow of deathe, lyght is spronge & risen vntounto them. This is greate consolacion and conforte for vsus, that this gyfte of God, Christ, bryngeth saluaciō to all mē, so well Gentile as Iewe, or els had we, which were Gentiles, bene damned for euer and euer.

Theo.

Blyssed be God for the rytches of his grace, wherwyth he hath frely called, iustifyed, saued and glorifyed vsus thorow Iesus Christ our Lord▪ Rom. viiiWell neyghbours, seynge that Christ is a sauiour & bryngeth saluacion to all mē, so endeuoure your selues, y^t ye maye be found worthy to be of that nomber, which shal receaue saluaciō & … saued. Repēt ye of your old wycke… lyuyng. Beleue to hauehave remission o… all your synnes thorowe the name of Christ. HaueHave no more to do with the worlde, the dyuell and the flesh▪ but euermore garnysh youre lyfe & conuersacion with the frutes of the spirite, that ye maye be fyt vessels, into whome God maye powre hys grace.

Chri.

I beseche God gyue vsus grace to do this.

Phil.

Nowe marke, what this gyfte of God hath done. It hathe appeared. The gyfte of God / sayth the scripture that bryngethe saluacion vntounto all menne / hathe appeared.

Christ hath appeared, saythe youre newe yeares gyfte. In the olde law he appeared by figures, types, cloudes, & shadowes, as by Manna, the Rocke, the Paschall lambe, the brasen serpent, &c. which all prefigured Christ, and by them dyd he appeare to the faythfull, which beleued and looked for his commynge, but nowe he hath appered personally, euen in his owne flesh. He that hath bene so longe looked for, is nowe come very God and very man. He hathe appered; he hath ben sene and hearde. He hath preached. He hath wrought miracles. He hathe suffered & dyed for vsus. He is rysen agen, and ascended vp into heuē, where he sytteth now on the ryght hand of god his father. All this was not fantastically done but truely and vnfaynedly. He appered very man in the fleshe, whiche he receaued of y^e blyssed virgine Mary, hauyng his godhed conioyned w^t hys humanite, so that he was, and is, very God & very man.

Euse.

Ther wante not nowe a dayes,Of them y^t denye the humanite of Christ. as I hauehave hearde, whiche playnely deny, that Christ toke ony fleshe of the virgine Mary, and as for that body that he had, he broughte downe wythe hym from heauen.

Phil.

Thys is no newe heresy, althogh it be lately renewed by the wycked and pernicious … of the vngodlye Anabaptistes, … spronge vp among the olde Heretykes, shortely after the ascencion of Christ. Would God I had sufficient tyme and conuenient leasure to vtter my mynde fullye concernynge this matter. But for asmuche as I knowe and am perfectly perswaded that none of you are addicte nether to thys, nor none other opiniō that they mayntayne & holde cōtrary to the rule of the catholyke fayth, and y^e determinacion of christes church. I wyll not laboure muche in the confutacion of thys theyr dānable heresy, but onelyonly rehearse certayne Scriptures vntounto you, that ye may in fewe wordes perceaue how greatly they swarue frō the verite of goddes worde. Fyrst I wyll reherse vntounto you the wordes of god the father spoken to the serpent shortely after the fall of man. I wyll set emnite betwene the and an woman, betwene thy seed and her seed. And that selfe seed shall …read downe thy head. This seed to be Christ no man doubteth, that is faythfull. Marke now that he calleth christ the seed of a woman, he meneth the moost glorious virgine Mary. If christ be the seed of this woman Marye, than dyd he take hys flesshe & humanite of her. So doth it than folowe ryght well, that they erre, whiche affyrme that christ brought his body wythe hym from heauen, and toke no flesshe of this moost blyssed and vndefiled virgin…. For howe can he be named to be the seed of a woman, if he had no parte of her? Canne a woman truly saye, thys is myne owne and naturall sonne, whan she neuer broughte hym forth.Gen. xxii. … Abraham also God the father sayd▪ In thy seed all nacions of the earth shall be blyssed▪ This seed is christ,Gala. iii. as S. Paule declareth to the Galathians, whiche beynge borne of the virgine Mary, came of the seed of Abraham. Nowe i… christ had taken no flesh of Mary, howe could he hauehave come of the seed of Abrahā. The Prophet Esaye also sayth,Esa vii. Math. i. Luke. i. Beholde a mayden shall cō ceaue & bryng forth a sonne, and his name shall be called Emanuel. Are not these wordes playne ynoughe? Coulde this glorious virgine bothe hauehave conceaued and brought forthe Christ, and yet Christ hauehave takē no parte of her? This had bene a merualous cōcepcion, and a wonderfull …yrth, seyng that all the scriptures …yghte agaynst it. But let vsus come … the newe Testament.Ioan. i. S. Iohn̄ in his Gospell sayth: The worde, mea…yng Christ, became fleshe, & dwelte among vsus. As though he shuld say, The worde, whyche is the sonne of God and the seconde parson in Trinite, toke flesh of the virgine Mary and became by that means very mā for our sake, and lyued here amonge vsus on the earth, and wrought suche thynges as was the wyll of his heauenly father. Marke that he sayth, the worde became flesshe, that is, the sonne of God became very mā. How came thys to passe, that he was not only God, but also very man. Uerely in asmuch as he toke fleshe of that moost pure virgine Mary, thorowe the wonderfull operacion of the holy Ghoste. Saynt Paule also sayth, Christ also sayth, Christ was begottē of the seed of Dauid after y^e fles… ▪ Here S. Paule confessethe y^t Chri… had fleshe,Roma. i. and was very man and he toke thys flesh of y^e seed of Dauid which was Mary the most pure vi…gine. These wordes are open …nough for them that wyll…e. A lyke thyng he wryteth to Timothe,ii. Timo. ii. remember that Iesus Christ is rysen agen frō death, of the seed of Dauid. Behold howe he styl maketh mencion of the seed of Dauid, because he wold hauehave vsus earnestly imprynte the humanite of Christ in our brestes, whych he receaued of the virgine Mary. For he dyd afore se in y^e spirite, that ther shulde aryse certen false Prophetes which should labour to wreste oute of our hartes thys necessary article of Christes humanite.Gala iiii. To the Galathians also he wryteth on this manner, whan the tyme was fulfylled, God sente hys sonne borne of a woman, or rather as the Greke worde …enomenon …oūdeth, begottē or made Christe by the wounderfull and supernaturall operacion of the holye Ghoste, was begotten & made man of the virgine Mary, yea and that wythoute the seed of ony man. He only receaued hys flesh and man he… of Mary, whiche God so workynge by his holy spirite was so pure, clene and vndefyled, that there was no spot of vnclennes in her at all. And as Christ was begotten of God the father goddes owne sonne and very God from euerlasting, yea and that wythoute the cōpany of ony womā, so was he begottē, conceaued, made, & borne very man of the moost pure virgine Mary wythout the seed of ony mā,Luke. i. the holy Ghoste dyd so come vponupon her, and the power of the hyest ouershadowed her. And as Christ receaued hys godhed only of God the father, …o receaued he hys manhed… onelyonly of the virgine Mary hys mother. Wherof we may cōclude the as Christ is very God of God the …ther without a mother, so is he very man of Mary his mother wythout ony father. Therfore maye h… god…hed be as iustly denyed, as his … and fleshe takynge of the blyssed virgine Mary. But Christ abydeth very God and very man, what so euer the wycked Heretykes bable in thys behalfe.Heb. iiii. I wyll rehearse another text of S. Paule to the Hebrues and make an end of thys matter, He was tempted & made lyke to vsus in all thynges, synne alone excepte. If he were lyke vntounto vsus in all thynges, synne alone excepte, than followeth it that he had a body of flesh as we hauehave, and that there was no differēce, but that hys moost blyssed body was wythout all synne, and our bodyes are synful. For he was borne wrapped in cloutes, layd in a maunger, fedde, circumcised, embrased in armes, grewe, was made stronge in y^e spirite, profited in wisdome & age, hongred, thyrsted, wepte, was wery reioysed, was moued w^t wrathe and indignaciō, sorowed, was heuy, sad, & at the last suffered the moost spyteful death of the crosse. Are not these very signes & manifest tokēs of mā? Coulde he hauehave done these thynges, if he had had eyther a fantastical body, or elles a body from heauen? Na verely, for what fantasticall or heauenly thynge hongreth, thyrstethe, wepeth slepeth, reioyseth. &c. which all Christ dyd. A lytle before hys passhon was he not in such an agony, y^t his sweat was lyke droppes of bloud tryckelynge downe to the ground?Luke. xxii. Dyd he not so greatly feare deathe, that he desyred his father to wythdrawe the cuppe of hys pashon from hym? Are not all these euident tokens of a verye man, seynge hys flesshe so greatly feared deathe▪ Seyng than that he was very mā, whense had he thys body, but of the moost holy virgine Mary, thorowe the meruelous operaciō of Goddes spirite? Cōfounded therfore be Manicheus, whiche deny the humani…e of Christ. Confoūded be Ualentius which affirmed that Christ brought hys bodye withe hym from heauen, & toke no flesh of the virgine Mary. Confounded be the Anabaptistes, & so many as holde & mayntayne this wycked doctrine contrary to Gods trueth.i. Timo. iii Ioan. i. Luke ii. Ephe. iii. Phi…. iii. For God was shewed in the flesh, iustifyed in the spirite, sene of Angels, preched vntounto the Gentiles, beleued on in the earthe, and receaued vp into glory.

Thus se you neyghboures, that Christ the gyfte of God, which bryngeth saluacion to all men, hathe appered yea & that in the flesh, whiche he receaued of the moost blyssed and pure virgine Mary He appered, say one S. Iohn̄,i. Ioan. iii. that he myghte … awaye our synnes, & yet was there … in hym. Agayne, for thys cause appered the sōne of God, that he myghte loosen the workes of the dyuell, but of all theyse thynges ye hauehave heard abundātly before, therfore wyll I go forthe wythe youre newe yeares gyfte. It followeth.

And teacheth vsus, that we shulde deny vngodlynes and worldely lustes.

We hearde before, that christ beynge borne of the virginne Mary, brought health and saluacion to all men bothe Iewe and Gentile. Here agayne S. Paule teachethe, what pleasure he hathe done vsus more. He hath not only brought saluacion to vsus, & by that meanes delyuered vsus out of the miserable state, where w^t we were deteined before but he hath also taught vsus what we shoulde do, that thorowe oure owne faul… we loose not agen y^e dignite whi… we hauehave gotten thorowe the fre mercy of God. And in this behalfe also are we much bound to thys oure gyfte. For what doth it profytte to hauehave a treasure gyuen vsus, & to loose it agen streyght wayes? Are we not muche bound to them, which both gyue vsus treasures, and shewe vsus also, howe we maye safelye kepe them to oure great pleasure and conforte? Howe muche than are we endetted to our sauyour Christ, whyche hath not only gyuen vsus the treasure of saluaciō which of all treasures is moost excellent, but also taughte vsus, howe we shall behaue our selues, that we lose it not hereafter. But let vsus heare, what he hath taught vsus

Euse.

I pray you speake on, for we desyre greatly to heare it.

Phil.

His doctrine is this That we shulde deny vngodlynes and worldely lustes. We heare here none vnwrytten verites, nor the fansys of men, nor yet olde wyues fables and suche thynges as edify not, but those thynges that hauehave ben taught of Moses and the Prophettes many yeres before hys commyng, as we maye se in the holy scriptures, therfore maye they not be reiecte and cast a waye. The olde Ethnyckes harkened not more to the Oracles and answers of Apollo, than we oughte to harken & gyue eare to the doctrine of this gyfte of God Christ our sauyoure.Deut. xviii. For he is that Prophet, which God promised that he would rayse vp, and put his wordes into hys mouth,Ioan. iii. so y^t who so euer wyll not heare hym, God wyl… be reuenged of hym. He is a master sent from God. He hath the wordes of euerlastyng lyfe.Ioan. vi. Ioan. viii. He is the lyghte of the world. Who so euer followeth hym, walkethe not in darkenes, but shal hauehave the lyght of lyfe▪ ix.xii. Ioan. xiiii. Titum. i. Psa. xiiii. Math. xvii. Mar. ix. Luki. ix. ii. Pt. ii. Esa. lxi.He is the waye, trueth, and lyfe. He is y^e God that can not lye. He is faythefull in all hys wordes, and holye in all hys workes. We are cōmaunded of god the father to heare him. The spirite of GOD is vponupon hym, he is sent to preach mery tydynges to the poore, that he myghte heale the broken in harte, preache delyueraunce to prysoners, and syghte to the blynde.Luke. iiii. Ioan. x. Ioan. viii. Esa. xlviii. He is that good shepeherd, whose voyce hys shepe heare. And eueryevery one that is of the trueth, hearethe hys voyce. He is that Lord God, which techeth vsus profitable thynges, and gouerneth vsus in y^e way, wherin we ought to walke. Seynge than that he is a Lorde of suche and so great authorite, excellency & puyssaunce, seyng also he teacheth nothyng but trueth, agayne seyng he hath done so much for vsus, and tēdereth nothynge more than our healthe and saluacion, we were not only to much ingrate and vnkynde towarde hym, but also very enemies vntounto oure selues, yf we should not wyth all diligence apply our selues both to heare hym, and also to followe & accōplysh suche thynges as he teacheth vsus. Let vsus therfore hear, what he wylleth vsus to do.

And teachethe vsus / that we shoulde denye vngodlynesse and worldely lustes.

Where as our Englyshe translacion hath, teacheth, the Greke worde is Paideuousa.

Chri.

What signifyeth that I praye you?

Phil.

It signifyeth not only to teache, but so to instructe, enforme, fashon▪ & teache, as scolemasters are wonte to do theyr chyldrē, whome they found & receaued rude, grosse, ignoraunt, and wythoute all good knowledge both of learnyng & manners.Christ is our Scole master. Euen suche dyd our scolemaster and teacher Christ fynde vsus, all grosse, all rude, all barbarous, al blynde, all ignorant, all vnlearned, all vnmannered and clene out of fashon. Howe coulde it otherwyse be? We were darkenesse. We walked in the vanite of our mynde, blynded in our vnderstandynge, beyng straungers from the lyfe,Ephe. v. Ephe. iiii. which is in God thorow the ignorauns, that was in vsus, and the blyndenes of our hartes so that we gaue ouer our selues vntounto wantonnes, to worke all manner of vnclennes wythe gredynes. For Satan the God of this worlde,ii. Cor. iiii. Esa. vi. Iohan. xii. had blynded our mindes, that we should not beleue, vnlesse the lyghte of the glorious gospell of Christ, whiche is the Image of God,Colos. i. should shyne vntounto vsus. But yet for all thys our rudenes, ignorauncy & blyndnes, Christ that heauenly Doctor doth not disdayne vsus. He is contented to receaue vsus into hys scole, & to become oure scole master, so y^t we wyll leaue our wyckednes and be contented to be reformed Oh what a gētle poynt is thys of our sauyour Iesus christ not to disdayne vsus for al our rudenes & ignorācy but ioyfully to accepte vsus, if we wyl follow y^e trade of his scole. The comō sayeng is, an honest master loueth to hauehave honest seruā tes. Nowe who is more honest, pure godly, innocent and …autelesse, than this master Christ? It becometh thē his seruauntes to practyse & follow so nyghe as they can, his manners. Therfore the fyrst lessō that his scollers learne in his schole, is to denye vngodlynes & wordly lustes. They that entende not to do thys, they are no fyt scholers for such a scholemaster, thoughe they bragge neuer so muche of hys name, and call them selues Christiās.Mat. vii For not eueryevery one, sayth vntounto me, Lorde, Lorde, sayth Christ, shall enter into heauen, but he that dothe the wyll of my father, which is in heauen. And I pray you marke, howe pretely and handsomely the Scripture speakethe.

That we should deny vngodlynes and worldely lustes. As though it should saye, although in tymes paste we hauehave both followed and mayntened vngodlynes, ydolatry, false worshyppynges of God, supersticion, confidence in our owne selues and workes, and hauehave lyued after the lustes of the world and the flesh, yet now for asmuch as we are come into a newe schole, and hauehave another schole master & techer, which teacheth hys scholers nothyng but vertue, godlynes, and all that euer is contrary to vice, it becomethe vsus to deny, forsake, yea & vtterly to forsweare all vngodlynes and worldly lustes, and what so euer is cōtrary to the teachynge of thys oure newe scholemaster, and neuer to hauehave to do w^t them here after, but studiously and wythe all applicacion of mynde to followe the doctrine of thys oure techer.

Theo.

What is it to deny vngodlynes?

Phil.

What it is to deny vngodlynesTo deny vngodlynes is vttterly to forsake & to cast away all thynges, that should obscure, deface, or in ony poynte hynder the honour and glorye of God. For who so euer wyl be Christes scoler, he must fyrst seke the glory of God aboue all thynges, as it is writen. Thou shalt worshyp the Lorde thy God,Deut. vi. Math. iiii. & hym only shalt thou serue.

Euse.

which are they, that hynder the glory of God?

Phil.

i. Ioan. v.Aske ye which neyghbour Eusebius, whan the world is altogither set on wickednes, as s. Iohn̄ sayth: They louelove the glory of menne,Ioan. xii. more than the glory of GOD, as Christ sayth. All seake theyr owne, and not that, which is Iesus Christes, sayth S. Paule.Phili. ii. What a sorte of Idolaters are there in the worlde, whyche steale the honour from God & gyue it to creatures? What a nomber are fallen from Christ, some puttynge theyr trust in popysh pardons, some in y^e merites of other, some in theyr owne workes, some in the obseruaū ces of mens tradicions &c? What a company also is there, y^t louelove worldly thynges,Math. xix. Marc. x. Luke. xviii. more then God? Howe doth the couetous man embrase and louelove hys rytches, so that it is not w^t out a cause sayd of Christ, It is more easy for a cable rope to go thorow the eye of a nedle, than for a rytche man to enter into the kyngdome of God? How doth the glotonne make of his belly, and enfarse it wythe all kynde of deynties? Howe dothe the prowde parsonne garnysh▪ hymselfe and delight in precious ornamētes? Howe doth the irefull man set asyde all charite and feare of God, & seake to be reuēged? Agē, what a swarme of wycked parsons are ther, whiche dishonour the name of oure God by vnlawfull and abhominable othes? What thynge in earth do they leaue vnsworne by? Yea what parte of y^e moost glorious body of our Sauyour Iesus Christ, wherby we receaued redempcion and saluacion, do they leaue vntowched wythe theyr to moche detestable othes?

Exo. xx. Deut. v…Why do not these wretches call this precepte of God to theyr remēbrās, Thou shalt not take the name of the Lorde thy GOD in vayne. For the Lorde wyll not holde hym gyltles, y^t taketh his name in vayne. The wis… man also saythe, A man that vsethe much swearyng,Eccl. xxiii. shall be fylled with wyckednes, and the plage, that is, y^e vengeaūce of God shal not go away from hys house. Furthermore what a flocke is there, that hate the Gods worde, & so many as laboure to promote and set it forth, callynge them Heretykes, and felowes of the newe learnyng? How lytle pleasure hauehave these swynysh worldlynges and volupteous bely goddes ether to read the scriptures thē selues or to heare other? Yea I would there were not, whiche nether wyll read the moost holy Bible thē selues, nor yet suffer wyth a gladde mynde other to read. Agaynst all such dothe Christ thonder in the gospell, sayenge, Wo be to you Scribes and Pharises hypocrites,Math. xxi… Luke. xi. which hauehave taken awaye y^e keye of knowledge, and speared the kyngdome of heauen before men. Ye your selues do not enter, nor yet sufferre them that come to enter. Do not al… these, thinke you, as I may let passe many other, greatly dishonour God and obscure his glory? These are no fytte scholers for Christes schole, excepte they repent and amend. Therfore, as I sayd vntounto you before, who so euer wyll be Christes scholler, he must fyrste seake the glory of God aboue all thynges. He must louelove god aboue all thynges ether in heuen or in earth, beleue hym to be hys alone sauyoure, and aske and looke for all good thynges of him alone. He must honour hys name, and seake the glory therof in al thynges that he doth Yea for the glorye of thys hys God, he must be contented not only to b… stowe his goodes, but hys very lyfe also, if the honoure of God so requireth. He must louelove the worde of god, as the alone tresure of his soule, study in it daye and nyghte,Psal. i. talke of it with other,But in paules Chyr… he may a man se the leues of y^e Bybl…s torne out… & y^t no ma… nō bre, and al because mēne shulde hauehave no knoledge of Goddes word, nother do men louelove y^e reders therof but seke w^t al gile to p… se…ute thē & to cast thē ī prisō so that ī short tyme there y^e dy. &c What it is to denye worldly lustes. Coloss. iii, exhor…e his christen brothers vntounto the readyng of it, reioyse whan he se men hauehave a plesure in i…, and encourage them so to continew, & to followe that, whiche they read▪ They that do thys, denye vngodlynes, & vnfaynedly seake the honour and glory of God.

Chri.

I bes…ch god, that we all may hauehave grace thu… to do

Phil.

For asmuch as we walke not only before God but also before mē, therfore doth your new yeres gyfte, I meane Christ youre scholemaste… not only teache you to deny vngodlynes, but also worldely lustes.

Theo.

What meaneth he by that?

Phil

Euen the very same that S. Paule dothe wrytynge to the Collossians▪ Mortify, sayth he, youre members▪ whiche are on the earth, fornicacion vnclennes, vnnaturall lust, euell cō cupiscence, and couetousnes, which is worshyppyng of Idols, for which thynges the wrath of God comethe on the childrē of vnbelefe. In which ye walked once, whē ye lyued in thē. But nowe putte ye also away from you all thynges, wrath, fearcenesse, maliciousnes, cursed speakyng, fylthy talke out of your mouthes. Ly not one to another after y^t ye hau… putte of the olde man with his workes, and put on the newe, whiche is renewed in knowledge after y^e image of hym that made hym. Of these wordes may ye learne, what it is to deny worldly lustes. Uerely to mortify all carnal affectes, which stryue agaynst the spirite. For the fleshe lustethe cōtrary to the spirite, and the spirite contrary to y^e flesh. But they that pertayne vntounto Christ, hauehave crucifyed the flesh with the affectes and lustes therof. If ye lyue after y^e flesh ye shal dye. But if ye mortify the dedes of the body in the spirite, ye shal lyue.Gala. v. Roma. viii▪ For who so euer are led wythe the spirite of God, they are the sonnes of God. Here may ye se what purenes bothe of body & mīd god requireth of vsus, seīg we may not so much as once noryssh a worldely & carnall lust in our hartes. How muche lesse than, is it lawefull for vsus to accomplysh them in dede, and to bryng thē forth in externall acte? Hereto pertayneth the cōmaundement, Thou shalte not couyt or lust. Our scholemaster also in the Sermon that he made in the mountayne, sayth, who so euer looketh on another mannes wyfe, lustyng after her, hath comitted adultry alredy in hys harte.Math. v▪ It is not w^tout a cause y^t Christ techeth vsus to deny worldly & fleshly lustes. For if the hart be not refrayned frō euell concupiscences, & kepte cleane, it is not possible, that we can eyther speake or do, ony thynge at all that shoulde …e good or godly.Matth. vii. and xii. For of the abundaunce of the herte, the mouth speaketh. A good man out of y^e good tresure of hys harte, bryngeth forth that is good And an euell man out of the euel tresure of hys harte,Luke. vii. bryngeth forth that is euell. EueryEvery tree is knowne by her fruyte. Therfore muste we aboue all thynges watche that no euell lust crepe into our hartes ether thorow the entys…ment of the flesh, or the flattering of y^e world or yet the craftye suggestion of Satan.i. Pet. v. Be sober, saythe S. Peter and watche. For your aduersary the dyuell goeth about lyke a rorynge lyō, seakynge whome he maye d…uoure. I… the harte be once corrupte wythe w…rldely lustes, than goeth all to hauocke▪ as S. Iames saythe:Iacob. i. After y^e lust hathe conceaued, she bryngethe forthe …ynne, and synne whan i… is fynyshed, bryngethe forthe deathe. Blyssed is that man, that can kepe hys ha…e fre from worldly lustes & vnlawfull desyres. For he is a fytte scholler to be in Chri…tes schole, yea it is an euident token that he hathe learned wyth Christ alredy, & hathe well profyted in godly knoweledge. And that you may do thys, set euer before the eyes of youre mynde this sayenge of S. Iohn̄: LoueLove not the world,i. Ioan. ii▪ no… those thynges that … the worlde. If ony man louethe the worlde, the louelove of the father is not in hym. For all that is in the world, as the concupiscence of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pryde of the life, is not of the father, but it is of the world. And the world passeth away, & the lust therof. But he that dothe the wyll of God, abydethe for euermore.

Euse.

Is it not lawfull for vsus to couytte & desyre such thynges of y^e worlde, as are necessary for our lyuynge?

Phil.

To desyre to hauehave meat, dryncke & clothe, wythout y^e whiche ye canne not lyue in the worlde, it is lawfull.Gen. xxviii Pro xxx. Mat. vi. Salomon and Iacob prayed for them vntounto God. Christ also in the Pater noster taught vsus to pray on this manner: Gyue vsus this daye our dayly bread. S. Paule also sayeth, If ony man dothe not prouyde for hys houshold,i. Tim. v. he hath denyed the fayth, and is worse than an infidell. Therfore is it lawful both to desyre praye, and make prouision for them, so that it be done in fayth & of a single harte. For all the creatures of god are good, as the scripture sayth God beheld all thynges that he had made,Gen. i. Tit. ….i. and they were very good. All thinges are pure to them y^t are pure No thynge is to be cast awaye, that is receaued wyth thankes gyuyng.i. Tim. iiii. To desyre these thynges, I say, yea and to hauehave the vse and possession of thē ye are not forbyddē, but to lust & desyre worldly rytches wyth a couetous and insatiable mynde, that ye maye ioyne house to house, londe to lande & ferme to ferme, to desyre to be reuenged, when all vengeāce pertayneth to God, as he sayth, vengeance is mynde,Deut. xxxii Roma. xii and I wyll reward, to lust after another mannes wyfe, mayde or seruaūt, to desyre and lust after deynty meates, that the fleshe maye be the more prone and redy to synne, this to do ye are forbydden, & if ye do it, ye are cursed of God, as y^e Psalmographe sayth, cursed be they that turne awaye from thy cōmaū dementes.Psal. cxv Thus perceue ye, I trust what is ment by y^e denieng of worldly lustes.

Theo.

We perceaue it ryght well.

Phil.

Seyng ye do so neyghboures, looke ye be no forgetful herers,Iacob. i. but diligent accomplyshers of suche thynges, as ye knowe, vnlesse youre knowledge turneth to your greater damnacion▪ Mortify youre carnall affectes and worldly lustes. Suffer none of them to crepe into your hartes▪ Ca… to God for helpe wythout ceasynge, that ye maye …e able thorowe hys grace to suppresse all euell affectes, concupiscences, lustes and de…yres▪ Kepe your harte so pure, y^t nothing may come frō you but purenes, ve…tue, & godly innocency. Remember, that so many as are baptised in Christ Iesus, are baptised into hys death.Roma. vi They are buryed togyther w^t hym by baptisme into death that as Christ was reysed vp from death, thorowe the glory of y^e father, so they lykewyse shoulde walke in a newe lyfe.Coloss. iii. If ye be rysen agayne w^t Christ, seake for those thynges that are aboue, where Christ is syttynge on the ryght hande of GOD. Prouyde for those thynges y^t are aboue and not vponupon the earth. For ye are dead, & your lyfe is hyd wyth Christ in God▪ I… ye do these thynges, & follow the teachyng of your scholemaster Christ, so that ye deny vngodlynes and worldly lustes, than shal ye shewe your selues to hauehave ben good studentes in the schole of Christ, and ye shal take forth a new less…, which here followethe.

Chri,

What is that?

Philemon.

Euen thys. And that we shoulde lyue soberly / ryghteously and god…y in this pr…sent worlde.

Euse.

Thys is a godly lesson.

Phil.

Labour therfore the more diligently to remember it. Before ye herd, how ye must forsake syn, now ye are taught to practyse vertu & godlynes.Psal. xxxiii Esay. i. For it is not ynough to cease from doynge euell, excepte we also do good, as the Psalmograph sayth. Departe from euel, & do good Also y^e Prophet▪ ceas… to do euel, lerne to do good Therfore as before we were taught to decline frō euel, so are we here monyshed to do good & to embrace vertue. And in this our lessō, which I nowe last rehersed we are taught how to behaue our selues both toward our selues, our neighbours & god in this world we must lyue soberly toward our selues, righteously toward our neyghbours, & godly toward God▪ Here is y^e hole ly…e of a christē mā, paynted, described, & set forth in few wordes. To lyue so, y^t we nether offende our selues, our neyghboures, nor God, is not thys the whole summe of the christen religion? What is the duty of a christen man more to do?What it is to lyue soberly.

Chri.

what is it to lyue soberly?

Phil.

The Greke worde Sophronos soundethe on such manner, that to lyue soberlye, shoulde seme to be, so purely, discretely, modestly, temperatly & lagely to institute our lyfe, that our consciēs should neuer accuse vsus of ony euell, but testify wyth vsus, that we lyue & do all thynges godly. He that thus lyueth, lyuethe soberly. For there is a certen sobriete so well in y^e mynde as in the bodye. There is also a certen dronckēnes so well in the mynd as in the body. Lykewyse as the body is recoūted sober & in salue estate so longe as it is not distemperate w^t the superfluite of meates and drynkes, so in lyke maner so long as the mynd is not troubled with vicious affectes but remayne in her natiue purite, it is recounted sober. So y^t we are here taught, not only to lyue soberlye, modestly and temperately concernynge the bodye, but also the mynde. For a christen mā must hauehave a special respecte to y^e mynde, which beyng dronken w^t vices, what doth the sobriete of the body profytte? If I kepe my bodye sober, & in neuer so good temperaunce, & my mynde be dronken w^t wrathe, yre, contencion, desyre of vengeaunce, whoredome, vnclene thoughtes, and suche other carnall affectes and worldly lustes, what dothe it profyt? Therfore as y^e body is to be kepte from dronkēnes, so muste the mynde be from vices. Than shall we be truly sober, & lyue well toward our selues. But for as muche as this tyme of Christmasse men vniuersally are moost of all gyuen to banckettyng, volupteous eatynge and drynkyng, so that y^e christen sobriete & moderate temperaū … is forgotten wyth many, and glotony & dronckenshyp beare chefe rule, therfore I desyre you brothers by y^e tender mercies of God,Luke. xxi. that ye lyue soberly, and beware of surfettynge and dronckeshyppe.

Use a sober and temperate dyette. Ouercharge not your stomackes w^t to muche eatyng and drynkynge. Let other glory in theyr Christmas banckettes, made for the bely, hauehave you your whole reioysyng, plesure, & delyght in that meat, which perissheth not,Ioan. vi but abydethe into euerlastynge lyfe. Make no prouision for the flesh to fulfyll the lustes therof.Rom. xii… ▪ Be not drōcken wyth wyne, wherin is excesse. Cast awaye the workes of darkenes, & put on the armoures of lyght.Ephe. v. Roma. xii… Walke honestly as in the day lyght, not in banckettyng and dronkennes,, not in chamburyng & wantonnes, nor yet in stryfe & enuyeng, but put ye on y^e Lorde Iesus christ. Remēber that we lyue not to eate, but eate to lyue. And nature is contented with a lytle. What so euer is superfluous, is synfull and damnable.Gene. iiii Remember that Adā and Heua dyd fall thorowe glotony. Remēbe… that Nohe whan he was droncken, was vncouered in hys Tente, & laye with his priuities bare.Gen. …. Remember that Loth beynge dronken committed incest with his owne doughters Remember that whan the chyldren of Israel had sat downe to eate and dryncke,Gen. xix. they fell streyght weys vntounto Idolatry, & worshipped the goldē calfe. Remember that Ammon the brother of Absolon was slayne at a bancket,Ex. xxxii 1. Cor. x. ii. Reg. xiii. Iudith. xiii. whan he was droncke. Remember y^t Holofernes beyng drōke, was slayne of an woman. Remēber that at a bancket, it was graunted,Math. xiiii that S. Iohn̄ Baptist should loos… hys heade, & yet no cause why, but … lytle enuy, & because he would tel y^t kīg truth,Luke. xvi. wherw^t y^e flaterers y^t were about hī could not away. Remēber that the rytche gloton, which fared deyntely eueryevery daye, was buryed & throwen downe into hell. Remēber that thoccasion of the wickednes of Sodome was pryde,Gen. xviii. Ezech. xvi. fulnes of meat abundans & ydlenes. All these be terrible hystories agaynst glotony and dronckeshyp. Agayne what diseases come therof? Howe many sorowes & troubles do they bryng to mans body? Lette vsus heare what Salomon sayth,Pro. xxiii. Where is wo? Where is sorow Where is stryfe? Wher is brawling? Where are woundes w^tout a cause? Where be red eyes? Euen amonge those, that be euer at the wyne, and seake out wher the best is. Therfore kepe no company wythe wyne bybbers and ryotous eaters of flesh, for suche as be dronckardes & ryotous shall come to pouerte. Iesus y^e sonne of Syrach also sayth: Be not gredy in eueryevery eatynge, & be not to hastye vponupon all meates.Eccl. xxxvii. For excesse of meates bryngeth syckenes, & glotony cō meth at the last to an vnmesurabl… heate. Thorow glotony hauehave ma… peryshed, but he that dye…e the hym … …ēpera…ely, prolongeth his lyfe Therfore good neighbours, that w… maye eschewe all these great perels let vsus caste awaye all glotony & drō …kennes, lyue soberly, practyse mod…rate temperauns, & so embrace christen sobriete, that we maye be sober bothe in body & mynde. So shall we be the more able to do oure duty toward our neighbours.

Theo.

Trueth it is. For he that can not order hym selfe well toward himselfe, shal euell do his duty toward hys neyghbour, I praye God gyue vsus grace fyrst to looke vponupon our selues, as we ought to do, & afterwarde to behaue oure selues towarde our neyghbours, a… it becommeth vsus.

Phil.

This is a godly desyre. We are taughte of Christ our scolemaster not only to lyue soberly, whiche concerneth our selues but also ryghteously, whiche to wecheth oure neyghboures.What it is to lyue ryghteously.

Euse.

What is it to lyue ryghte…usly?

Phil.

To do to eueryevery mā as we are boūd by y^e commaundement of God. For the offyce of ryghteousnesse is, to gyue eueryevery one his owne. This oure lesson, that we should lyue ryghteously, comprehendethe all the seconde table of the ten commaundementes. For iustice and ryghteousnes requirethe, that we honour our father & mother,Ex. xx. Deut. v. Matth. xix. Marc. x. reuerence thē, and do for them, what so euer lygheth in our power. It requirethe of vsus that we also hauehave in honour all temporall magistrates & so many as be our superious. It requireth agayne,Roma. xiii. i. Pet. ii. i. Timo. v. that we giuegive to the ministers of Gods worde double honour, that is to saye, both an harty externall reuerence, and also all thinges that are necessary for theyr lyuynge, that theyr moost godly exercyses maye not be letted. It requireth that we slay no man, nor do no man no harme, but walke charitably towarde all men, speke & reporte well of all men, healpe, conforte and socour thē, yea though they be our… extreme enemies, & seake our death. For the cōmaūdement of our scholemaster is this.Math. v. LoueLove your enemies, pray for thē that curse you, do good to them that hate you. &c. It requireth,i. Cor. vii. that we commit none adultry but that eueryevery man hauehave hys owne wyfe & eueryevery woman her owne husbonde. It requirethe that we do no theafe, nor steale ony thynge from our neyghbour,i. Thes. iiii. nor brybe away his goodes vniustly, nor deceue hym in bargaynyng, but healpe hym, mayntayne hym, socour hym, & do for him vntounto the vttrmoost of our power, y^t he may want no good thynge. It requireth that we beare no false wytnes agaynst our neyghboures, nor obscure hys good name, nor yet do ony thynge at all, that maye turne hym to displeasure, but both thynke & speake of hym gentylly, frendly & charitably,Prouer. …. 1. Pet. iiii. enterpretynge all thynges vntounto the best, and coueryng his fautes, where there is hope of amēdmēt. It requireth of vsus, that we do not couyt oure neyghboures house, wyfe, seruaunt, handmayd, nor ony thyng that is his, but that we wysh well vntounto hym & to all that he hath, beynge contented wyth that y^e God hath gyuen vsus, be it lytle or muche. To be shorte,Matth. vii. Luke. vi to lyue ryghteously, is to do vntounto other, as we woulde they shoulde do vntounto vsus. He y^t doth these thynges aforesayde, lyueth ryghteously, & behaueth hym selfe towarde hys neyghbour, as he is bound by y^e commaūdement of God.

Chri,

Nowe hauehave we learned our duty bothe toward our selues, & our neyghbours Let it nowe be declared vntounto vsus, I praye you, how we ought to behaue our selues toward God.

Phil.

Christe our scholemaster techeth vsus not only to lyue soberly and ryghteously,What it is to liue godly but also godlye.

Theo.

What is it to lyue godly?

Phil.

To lyue godly, is to beleue that ther is but one true & lyuyng God, to cleaue vntounto hym as the foūdaciō of all goodnes, to looke for all health & saluaciō at his hand, to louelove hym with the whole mynde, harte, power & soule, to call vpō his moost blyssed name, to prayse hym in all kynde of fortune, to seke his glory aboue all thynges, & to serue him accordynge to his worde.

Euse.

Blyssed is y^e man, to whome it is gyuen thus godly to lyue.

Phil.

Neighbours nowe hauehave ye learned y^e whole trade of Christes schole, & what he techeth Hys doctrine is this, that ye should deny vngodlynes & worldly concupiscēces, & that ye should lyue soberly, ryghteously & godly. Looke therfore that ye followe thys teachynge & practyse it in your dayly cōuersacion, that ye maye be founde no forgetfull hearers, but feruēt doers of suche thinges as ye hauehave heard and learned. Deny vngodlynes, and for sake all y^t euer is contrary to Gods honour, prayse, worshyp and glory. Mortify youre carnall affectes and worldely lustes.Coloss. iiii. Become newe men in your lyuyng. Awaye w^t the workes of darkenes, & on wyth the frutes of the spirite. Put on the armoures of lyght,Roma. xiii. and cast awaye the workes of darkenes. Be no lōger darkenes, but lyght in the lorde.Ephe. v Phili. i… Shyne in the worlde as great lyght. Glorify God in your body, & in youre spirite, whiche are Gods. Lette youre lyght to shyne before men,i. Cor. v…. Math. v. that they maye se your good workes, & glorify your father, whyche is in heauen. Lyue soberly, modestly, temperatly discretely & …agely toward your selues. Do nothyng, wherof your conscience maye eyther condemne or accuse you. Lyue righteously toward youre neyghboure. Do none otherwyse vntounto hym, than ye woulde, he should do vntounto you. Lyue godly towarde God. Seake hys glory in all thynges, & worshyp hym accordyng to hys word, & not after your blynd fansy, & fleshly ymaginacion. Thus doyng, ye shall shew your selues scholers not altogyther vnworthy suche a scholemaster. But ye must note y^t all these thīges must be done in this present worlde, as your newe yeres gyfte hathe. For this is the tyme of grace, fauour, conforte and remissiō of synnes, as God sayth by the Prophet, I hauehave heard the in a tyme accepted,Esa. xlix. ii. Cor. vi. & in y^e day of saluacion hauehave I socoured the. Behold now is that well accepted tyme, behold now is y^e day of saluacion.Esa. lii. Seake the Lorde whyle he maye be founde. In thys world ther is tyme of mercy fauour & grace. Here is it lawful to lament our synnes. Here maye we vndoubted beleue, trust & obtayne remissiō of our synnes. After this lyfe there remayneth nothyng, but ether euerlastynge payne or eternall glory, as S. Ciprian sayth: Whā we go once out of thys worlde,C…ntra. Demet Tractum primo. there is no more place of repentāce, there is no more satisfaccion to be made. For lyfe is here ether lost or gotten, here is prouision made for eternall helth wyth the worshyppynge of God and the … of fayth. Let no mā discorage hym selfe because of the multitude of his synnes, or by y^e reasō y^t he hath bene so longe a synner, thynkynge y^t by this means he shal obtayne helth the lesse For so long as we are ī this worlde, there is no repentaunce to late. There is a waye to obtayne …auoure, and they that seake & vnderstand the trueth, shall soone come by it. Therfore in this worlde must we deny vngodlynes & worldely lustes. In this world must we lyue soberly righteously and godly. So doynge, we maye with a good & fre consciēce do that which foloweth.

Chri.

I pray you lette vsus heare, what it is.

Phile.

Lokīg for y^e blyssed hope & apperyng of the glory of y^e great God / and of oure Sauyoure Iesus Christ. A good seruaunte nedeth not to feare his masters commynge. For in hys absence he hathe bene faythfull & diligent to do that thyng, which his master wylled him to do. Therfore maye he lawfully euen with ioye & gladnes loke for his masters retourne. So lykewyse a christen mā, that walketh in y^e waye of the Lorde, & dothe that, which he is appoynted by the lawe of God, & seaketh aboue all thinges thaccomplyshment of his masters wyll, may with a fre, glad and mery conscience looke for the commynge of Christ at the day of iudgement, which shal be terrible to the wycked, but confortable to the faythefull. And verely so many as hope to be saued at y^e great day, ought so to behaue them selues in this worlde, that they maye with …oye at all tymes looke for it. And they ought to be so muche the more diligent, seing the tyme is vncerten whā it shal be. Of y^e dai & time, sayth Christ, knoweth no man, no not the Aungels, which are in heuē, nether the sonne hymselfe, saue only the father. Take hede,Actum i. Mat. xxiiii xxv. Luke. xii.xix. watch, & pray, for ye know not when y^e tyme is. As a man, which is gone into a straūge countrey, & hath lefte his house, and gyuen authorite to his seruauntes, and to eueryevery man his worke, & commaunded the porter to watche. Watche therfore▪ for ye knowe not, whan the mayster of the house wyll come, whyther at euen, or at mydnyghte, whyther at the cocke crowyng, or in the dawninge, leaste yf he come sodēly should fynd you slepyng And that I say to you I saye to all, watche.

It is to be noted, that the Scripture calleth y^t a blissed hope, wherw^t we hope and looke for the glorious commyng of oure Lorde & sauioure Iesus Christ vntounto the iudgemente. And not w^tout a cause. For althogh a Christen man be neuer so greatly vexed in thys worlde, yet whan he casteth the eyes of hys faythe vponupon that daye, and hope the that Christ shall come & gyue hym eternall glory accordynge vntounto his fayth, thys maketh hym blyssed, ioyfull, quiet. & mery, and contented wyth a gladde harte, paciently and thāckefully to beare, what soeuer crosse God layeth on hys backe. We are saued thorow hope, sayth S. Paule. Derely beloued, sayth S. Iohn̄,Roma. viii. i. Ioan. iii We are now y^e sonnes of God, & it hathe not yet appered what we shalbe. But we know that if he once appeare, we shall be lyke vntounto him, for we shal se hym, as he is. And eueryevery one that hath this hope in hym, purifieth hym selfe, euē as he is pure. The hoope of sayntes is ful of immortalite,Sap. iii. sayth the wyse manne. It followeth.

And the appearyng… of the glory of the great god / and of our sauyoure Iesus Christ.

At Christes commynge into thys world, he came altogyther poorely. He was borne of a poore mayd in a stable, wrapt in simple clowtes, and layd in a maunger amonge brute bestes. He was brought vp homely, lyued hardely, not hauynge where once to reast his head. All the tyme of hys lyfe he was of suche ignominy among the Byshoppes, Prestes, hed rulars, Scribes, Pharises and Saduces,Phil. ii. Math xxvii Luke. xxii. Marc. xiiii. Ioan. xviii. that at the laste they put hym vntounto the moost spytefull death of the crosse, as a pestiferous malefa…toure, a deceyuer of the people, a techer of newe learnyng, an enemy to our mother the holy chyrche. &c. But whan he shall appeare agayne, & come vntounto the iudgement, his appearyng shall be glorious, his commyng shall be royal, victorious and triumphant. He shal not come humbly and simply, as a base person, but lyke a great and almyghty GOD, lyke a Lorde full of all puyssaunce, myghtye and power, terrible to the wycked, and amiable to the faythefull. He shall come in his glory, and all the holy aungels wyth hym,Matth. xxv thā shal he syt vponupon the seat of his glory & there shall be gathered before hym all nacions. He shall shewe hymselfe to be a great God, and suche one as none is able to be cōpared vntounto him It shal wel be knowne at that tyme that he was and is the true sonne of god & that very true Messias, which was promised of God by the Prophetes, what so euer the wicked Iewes saye vntounto the contrary. Than shall it be manifest to al men, that y^e gods of the Gentiles are dyuels, and that there is no other God, but this oure God alone.Psal. cxv Than shal they that are the aduersaries of hys trueth, & enemies of his moost holy Gospel know howe greatly they hauehave erred,Sap. i.iii and .v. blasphemed y^e diuine verite, persecuted his faythful seruaūtes, maintained pernicious doctrine,Math. xxv: yea than shall they receaue a reward worthy theyr wyckednes & tyranny. He shal shew hym selfe suche a great God, that it shall lyghe in his power to gyue to y^e faythfull euerlastynge lyfe, & to the wycked eternall dānaciō. Oh great is the Lord & worthy very much to be praysed,Psal. cxliiii & there is no ende of hys greatnes, sayth the Psalmographe. Nedes must our Lord god be great, seyng he replenysheth bothe heauen and ear the withe the maieste of hys glory. No place is there ony where, but that hys power retchethe vntounto it.Esa. lxvi. Act. vii. Heuen is my seate, & earth is my footestoole, what house wyl ye bylde for me, sayth y^e Lorde? or what place is it that I should rest in: Hath not my hande made all these thynge? But it is to be noted y^t Christ is not onelyonly called a great God, but also a sauiour ye & y^e our sauiour. So y^t at y^e day of iudgemēt he shal not onelyonly appere a great & myghty God to al men,Phil. iii. but also a bounteous & mercifull sauiour to the faythfull, as S. Paule witnesseth, our conuersacion is in heauen, sayth he, from whense we also looke for a sauiour, euen the Lord Iesus Christ, which shall chaū ge our vile bodyes,Colos. i. that they maye be fashoned lyke vntounto hys glorious body accordyng vntounto the workyng, wherby he is able to subdue al thinges vntounto hym selfe. Agayne, whan Christ, whiche is our lyfe, shall shew him selfe, than shal ye also appere w^t him in glory. Thys great god christ is our sauiour, and not Mary, Peter, Iames, Michael, Fraūces, Dominicke, Austē, or ony other. He shal both sa…e and lede his people wyth… hym into eternall glorye. For as h… shall saye to the wycked, Departe & go awaye frō me ye cursed into euer lastynge fyre, which is prepared fo… the dyuell & his aungels, so shall he faye to his faythful people: Come y… blyssed chyldren of my father, inherite the kyngdome, which was prepared for you from the begynnynge of the worlde. O swete sayeng more full of ioye & conforte than it can be expressed.

Chri.

Lorde I beseche the for thy great mercyes so to assyst vsus with thy holy spirite, that, we maye so walke before the in this lyfe accor…dynge to thy moost holy worde, y^t w… may be found in y^e nōber at that day of thy blyssed chyldren, to whome … of thy fre grace shalte gyue y^e moost glorious inheritaunce.

Phil.

Your de…syre is godly. Ye shall heare more of your new yeares gyfte, for it begynnethe to drawe vntounto an ende.

Euse.

I praye you, lette vsus heare.

Phile.

whyche gaue hymselfe for vsus to redeme vsus from all vnrighteousnes. That there can be no sauyour for vsus but christ alone, these word is proue manifestly, for asmuch as none other but he only gaue him selfe for vsus to redeme vsus from al vnrighteousnes. Was Paule crucifyed for vsus? Or were we baptised in y^e name of Paule?i. Cor. … What saynt at ony tyme thought hymselfe so pure, immaculate and wythout all spotte of synne, that he durst presume to dye for vsus, & to auouche hys death to be an oblacion & sacrifyce for oure synnes to god the father excepte peraduenture we wyll admytte for good payment these & suche lyke blasphemies which were wonte full solemly to be songe in the temples vntounto y^e great ignominy of y^e glorious name of God, & the dishonoure of Christes moost precious bloud. Iesu bone per Thomae merita, nostra nobis dimitte debita. Eta trina morte nos suscita. Agen, Iesu bone per Thomae uulnera, quae nos ligant, relaxas celera. Item, Thomae cedunt & parent omnia, Pestes, morbi, mors, & demonia, Ignis, aer, tellus & maria. Thomas mundū repleuit gloria. Mūdat lepra conspersos maculis, soluit mortis ligatos uinculis. I let passe many mo whiche are very easye to be searched & founde oute. What are, if these be not blasphemies? What obscure the price of Christes death, if these wycked sentēces do not? Ah Lord, what blyndenes occupyed the world, whā suche wycked doctrine crept in and was receaued into the chyrche, and made in a manner of equall authorite wyth the holy scripture? Oh Satan, great is thy crafte, vnsearcheable is the suttelty of thy wicked imaginacions.

Chri.

Here are some of vsus, whyche vnderstande not the Latin tonge. Englyshe therfore the aforesayd sentences.

Phil.

I wyl do it in order. O good Iesu, forgyue vsus oure dettes thorowe the merites of Thomas. And reyse vsus vp from the thre folde death. O good Iesu, release vsus of our synnes, whiche bynde vsus, thorowe Thomas woundes. All thynges gyue place and obeye Thomas, Pestilences, diseses, death & dyuels, Fyre, ayre, earth & the sees. Thomas fylled the world full of glory. He maketh clene lepers. He losoneth them that are bounde, from the bondes of death. Howe saye ye to thys geare? Is it not good stuffe?

Euse.

Let God be but a lytle mercifull vntounto me, yf I hauehave ether heard or read more pestilent & abhominable blasphemies, thā these are. Is this ony other, thā as Lucifer sayd,Esa. xiiii. I wyll clyme vp in to heuen, & make my seat aboue the starres of God, I wyll sytte vponupon y^e glorious mount toward the North. I wyl clyme vp aboue the clowdes, and wyll be lyke the hygheste of all? Is not this the office of God to forgyue vsus oure dettes for the merites of Christ? Doth it not pertayne vntounto God to reyse vsus vp from deathe? Are not our sinnes only released for Christes woundes sake? Is not all power gyuen vntounto Christ both in heuen and in earthe?Mat. xxviii Are not all thynges in the hande of God, to do withe them what so euer hys moost godly plesure shal be? Is it not God alone that losoneth the synfull from y^e bondes of deathe? Howe than can these thynges be iustly ascribed to a mortall creature begotten, conceaued & borne in synne, yea & as some iudge of him, & Tratour both to God and his Prynce? Is a synner fyt to pay a synners raūsome? Is a Traytou… a conuenient parson to make meās for another Traytour vntounto a kyng whome both of them hauehave offended? What Prynce can awaye with the syght of thē?

Phil.

Ye say trueth. It therfore foloweth wel y^t nether Thomas, Fraunces, Dominicke, Austē, nor any other creature nether in heuen nor in earth, were they neuer so holy, & suffered they neuer so greate paynes, could be our sauiour, but christ alone y^e pure & īmaculate lābe of God, which gaue himselfe for vsus, as your newe yeares gyfte sayth, to redeme vsus from al vnrighteousnes. Marcke that he saythe,

whych gaue hym selfe for vsus. These wordes expresse the vnspeakeble kyndenes of Christ towarde vsus, seynge that whan we had deserued no suche gentylnes, he was contented to come downe from the glorye of his father,The gentilnes of christ toward vsus. and to become man for oure sake, yea & to gyue hymselfe vntounto the deathe to reconcyle vsus vntounto God the father, and to make an attonement betwene hī & vsus. He gaue hym selfe for vsus. He suffered deathe wyllyngly. It was not the violence of the Iewes, that drewe hym vntounto his passion, but hys owne volūtary wyll. The seruent & brennyng louelove, that he had in hys brest toward mā kynde caused hym to take the death vponupon hym, and to suffer those moost cruell paynes. So that he dydde all thinges wyllyngly,Esa. liii. as the Prophet sayth. He was offred, because it was his pleasure and he dyd not once opē his mouth. Christ hīselfe also sayth, Therfore doth my father louelove me,Ioan. x. b… cause I put my lyfe from me, that I myght take it agayne. No man takethe it from me, but I putte it awaye of my selfe. I hauehave power to put it from me, and hauehave power to take it agayne. Thus se we y^t Christ wythoute ony compulsion suffered death for our sake. He gaue himselfe and no Aungell, nor ony other creature nether in heauen nor in earth, for vsus, for vsus, I saye, men, although neuer so greuous synners, if we repent, beleue & amende. O moost precious & incomparable gy…te. There is one god,i. … sayth S. Paule, and one attonement maker of God and mē, euen the man Christ Iesus, whyche gaue hymselfe a raūsome for all mē. Christ gaue hīselfe for vsus. wherfore? To redeme vsus frō all vnrighteousnes.What it is to redeme vsus

Theo.

What is it to redeme vsus?

Phile.

To redeme vsus is to bye vsus agayne, whā we are loste, to pay our raunsome, to satisfy for our syn to delyuer vsus oute of captiuite, to brynge vsus home agayne to our true owner, to restore vsus to our old liberte, to set vsus agayne in that fauour, wherin we were with God y^e father, before we offended. All this hathe Christ, and none other, done for vsus, by hys mooste precious bloude, the sheddynge of hys bloude, was the perfecte and wholly sufficient raunsome for al our synnes,i. Ioan. i as S. Iohn̄ saythe: The bloude of Iesus Christ maketh vsus clene from all synne. By hys owne bloud, sayth S. Paule,Heb. ix. entred Christ once for all into the holy place,Hebre. x and found euerlastyng redemcion. Agayne, we are made holy by y^e oblacion of the body of Iesus christ done once for all. Itē, by christ hauehave we redēcion, & by his bloud remissiō & forgyuenes of our synnes.Coloss. i By the bloude of Christes crosse are all thinges pacifyed & set at a staye, y^t ether be in earth or in heauen.

Chri.

Hathe Christ by hys bloud redemed vsus frō all vnryghteousnes?What vnrighteousnes signifyethe

Phil.

Yea verely

Chri.

Let me aske you one question, what do ye vnderstand by vnrighteousnes?

Phil.

Unrighteusnes is here taken for synne, and for all that we offende God w^t. From all this hathe Christ redemed vsus.Of original synne

A New Years Gift More Precious than Gold, Masque (1 of 2)

The newe yeres gyfte.