A New Years Gift More Precious than Gold, Masque (2 of 2)
Chri.
I hauehave herd some saye that Christ only redemed vsus frō originall synne, & that as for all other synnes we must make amē des & …atisfy for them our selues by our owne workes and merites.
Phil.
This is not farre frō theyr opinion, which holde that there is no remission of those synnes, that be committed after baptisme. But as that is an heresy, so is this no godly doctrine. Of the remissiō of synne after baptisme we talked the last Lent abundātly in our Potaciō,Searche the Potacion for Lent therfore leauyng that, I wyll shewe & proue nowe vntounto you that Christ hath redemed vsus from all vnrighteousnes, as your new yeres gyfte sayth, and that by his bloud we are delyuered not onelyonly from originall synne, but also actual, veneall, mortall, call thē by what name ye wyll, so that they which offende, repent, beleue & take a newe lyfe vpō them. Only ye synne agaynst the holy Ghost, which hath desperaciō & obstinate malyce to her cōpagnions, is irremissible & neuer forgyuē, for asmuch as it excludeth repentance, fayth & amendement of lyfe,Matth. xii. as Christ witnessethe, Euerye sinne & blasphemy shall be forgyuen men, but the blasphemy agaynst the holy Ghost shall not be forgyuen vntounto men. And who so euer shall speke a worde agaynst the sonne of man, it shall be forgyuen hym. But he yt speaketh agaynst the holy Ghoste, it shal not be forgyuen hym, nether in this worlde, nor in ye world to come. Agē, Al sinnes shal be forgyuē to mē nes chyldrē,Marc. iii. and blasphemies, wherwythe so euer they blaspheme. But he that blasphemeth the holy Ghost, shall neuer hauehave forgyuenes, but is gyltye to euerlastynge damnacion. Thys is the synne,i: Ioan. v. whiche S. Iohn̄ calleth the synne vntounto death, for the which he would that no man should praye. Of these wordes it is euident that all synnes shal be forgyuen mē if they repent, beleue & amend, besydes the synne agaynst the holy ghost But nowe let vsus se by what means these synnes are forgyuē. Whyther for our dedes & merites, or for Christes bloudes sake, and so shal we easely perceaue, whyther Christ by hys death hath delyuered vsus onelyonly from original synne, or rather from all other vniuersally
Euse.
This is it that we would gladly heare.Esai. xliii
Phil.
By the Prophet Esaye Christ speakethe on this māner, I am he, I am he, which put away thyne vnrighteousnesses yea and that for myne owne sake, & I wyl remēber thy synnes no more. Marke that he sayth, vnrighteousnesses and synnes in the plurall nō ber, because no man shoulde pycke a cauilacion and say, ye Christ only putteth awaye one offence, whiche is ye originall synne. S. Paule in oure newe yeres gyfte sayth, Christ gaue hym selfe to redeme vsus from all vnrighteousnes. And by the Prophet Christ sayth, yt he putteth away our vnryghteousnesses and synnes. Is it not all one? Do they not tell both one tale? So se we that it is no new doctrine to say, that Christ putteth awaye all our synnes both original, actuall, veneall, mortall. &c. They that affyrme the contrary derogate not a lytle the vertue & glory of christes death, and are very they, whom S. Paule callethe,Philip. iii. the enemies of ye crosse of Christ,ii. Pet. ii whole ende damnacion is, whose God theyr belly is. &c. These are those false Prophettes & lyeng techers, whiche, as Peter prophecied, shuld come, & priuyly bryng in dānable sectes, denyeng ye Lorde which bought them Are not they very enemies of Christes crosse, and do not they vtterly deny Christ, which teache, that Christ by hys pashyon, bloud and death did only put away but one synne? And that for those, whiche we commyt after baptisme, we oure selues must satisfy & make amēdes, so that for them there is no remissiō and forgyuenes to be asked of God the father for Iesus Christis sake?Mark well What ony other thyng is this than to make our selues equal with Christ, yea to exalt our selues aboue Christ, & to holde that oure good dedes & merites be of greater pryce & more value, than the death & bloude of christ? For this doctrine I graūt teacheth that Christ is a sauyoure, but yet that he saueth only frō originall synne, whiche we receaued of our fyrst father Adā, so that by him we are delyuered but from one syn. It techeth agayne, that we our selues are sauiours, for asmuch as we saue our selues thorow our good dedes and merites from all those synnes, which we cōmit after baptisme Nowe lette vsus se, whyther Christ be the better sauiour or we our selues & whyther there is more saluaciō in the death of Christ, or in oure good workes. Christ by his death sauethe only from one synne, which is orig…nal. We saue our selues from ma… and innumerable synnes (for seuen tymes in a daye synneth the righteous) whiche we commyt after baptisme. Ergo we are better sauiours than Christ, and there is more vertue of saluacion in our workes, thā in the bloud and death of Christ: So that Christ is but a quarter sauiour and we make vp the whole. O pernicious and dyuellyshe doctrine. Who hath euer opened his mouth to speake blasphemies agaynst the moost highest, if they do it not, which maintayne this wycked & damnable doctrine? But let vsus heare mo scriptures. Esay the Prophet sayth, vnfaynedly he,Esa. liii. Matth. vii… i. Pet. ii. that is to saye Christ, hath taken vponupon hym oure syckenesses, & borne our sorowes. Agayne, he was wounded for our wyckednesses, and broken for our mischeuous and vngracious actes. Beholde howe vniuersally the scripture speaketh, oure syckenesses, sorowes, wyckednesses, myscheuous and vngracious actes. Are all these but one synne? If they be many, ergo Christ delyuered vsus from many. If he delyuered vsus frō many, ergo not from original synne alone. To what poyn…e are the authors of thys wycked doctrine become now? wyth what eyes do these Owles and blynd Andabates looke vponupon the holye scriptures? wt what spirite do they searche the misteries of God? Let vsus heare what ye Psalmograph sayth: Prayse ye the lorde O my soule,Psal. …ii. and all that is wythin me, prayse his holy name. Prayse ye Lorde O my soule, and forget not al his benefites. Whiche forgyueth all thy synnes, and healeth all thyne infirmites. Which saueth thy lyfe frō destruccion, & crowneth the in mercy and louing kyndnes. Dauid here bosteth not hym selfe of his good dedes, nether cleueth he vntounto them as the Authors of his saluaciō, but he falleth vntounto the prayse of the Lorde & magnifieth hym for his benefites confessyng yt what so euer he hathe, beynge ether good or godly, cōmeth of God and not of hym selfe, & therfore is he worthy all prayse, honour & glory. He acknowlegeth that god forgyueth hym all his synnes, & healeth al his infirmities. Where is ony excepcion here I pray you? God forgyueth all, what remayneth thā behynde to be forgyuen? Is originall synne only nowe forgyuen thorowe Christ? Moreouer he saythe, yt God saueth his lyfe from destrucciō, and crowneth him in mercy and louyng kindnes. Are not these wordes playne ynough? He graunteth yt god preserueth hī frō dāpnaciō, agen yt God crowneth hī yt is to say, giueth hym eternall glory euen of his owne free mercye and tender goodnes. What woulde we hauehave more? God forgyueth vsus all oure synnes, healeth all our infirmities, saueth our lyfe frō destruccion, crowneth vsus in marcye and louyng kyndenes, what can he do more to shew himselfe a sauiour, and that there is none that sauethe from synnes, be they originall, actuall, veniall or mortall, but he alone?
Theo.
He is twyse vnkynde to God & his sonne Christ, that can not broke these thynges.
Phil.
Ye saye trueth, but let vsus come vntounto ye newe Testament.Math. i. Whan Gabriel came vntounto the moost blyssed virgine Mary, & shewed her, that she should cōceaue thorowe the operacion of ye holy Ghost, and bryng forth Christ ye true Messias, and annoynted kynge, whyche was so longe looked for, amonge all other thynges he sayd to Ioseph, a…ter that Mary was perceaued to be with chyld, & he mynded to go from her priuely: Ioseph the sonne of Da…uid, feare not to take mary thy wife vntounto the, for that which is cōceaued in her, commeth of the holy Ghoste. She shall bryng forthe a sonne, and thou shalte call his name IESVS. For he shall saue hys people from theyr synnes. Here are two notable thynges to be marked. One is, that christ is called IESVS. whych, as ye heard before, is by interpretacion, a sauiour. Another is yt it is he yt saueth his people frō theyr synnes. Hys name declareth hym manifestly to be a sauiour. And because no man shoulde thyncke, that Christ is called a sauiour only, bycause he saueth vsus from the daunger of the originall synne, therfore the Aungell speakethe here in the plurell nōber, and sayth, that he shall saue hys people from theyr synnes, and not frō theyr synne originall alone. If Christ saueth vsus frō synnes, ergo he sauethe vsus from mo synnes than one.Ioan. … S, Iohn̄ Baptiste also appoyntynge Christ wythe hys …ynger, sayd: Beholde that lambe of God, whych taketh away the synne of ye worlde.
Chri.
This texte among other hauehave I hearde rehearsed for ye establyshmēt of this opinion, yt christ redemed vsus only from originall syn.
Phil.
There is no texte that makethe more agaynst it. But we wyll ponder eueryevery worde of this sentence. Fyrst s. Iohn̄ sayth, Beholde, wherby he declareth that he wyll shewe a newe, straung & wonderfull thyng. Was not this a thyng both straūge and to be wōdered at, to se one in so vile fashō, so beggerly apparelled, so of no substaunce, hauynge so slender a garde to wayte vponupon hym, and so lytle worshyp, honour and reuerēce shewed vntounto hym, to be the sauiour of the world, & very him, that shulde reygne ouer all nacions and kyngedoms? This was a straunge thy…g to the grosse Iewes and fy…e Pharisees, which thought that he …ulde come into the worlde wt great pōpe & glory, subduynge other naciōs to them by martiall armoures, & euen by strong hande and myghty power whan not withstandynge the scripture saythe, Tell ye the doughter of Syō,zach. ix. Math. xxi beholde thy kynge cometh vntounto the, meke & sytting on an asse. &c. Therfore I thynke S. Iohn̄ might saye vntounto them, Beholde, twyse, or they woulde harken vntounto hym once in suche a case, or at the leest beleue hym. But let vsus se, what S. Iohn̄ entēdeth to shew vsus. Beholde, sayth he, that lambe of God. By these wordes, ye lambe of God, he setteth forth very muche the dignite of Christ, & shewethe that there is a speciall respecte to be had vntounto hym, and that we ought to cast our eyes vponupon him as our alone sauyour, & vponupon none other.Exo. xi… For he is that lambe of God, whiche was prefigured by the Paschal lābe,… Pet. … wt whose bloud they yt are sprynkeled, are safe & wtout al ieoperdy of sleyng. The other lambe was taken out of the flock,Ephe. … but thys lambe is the lambe of God, gyuen vsus of god to be a sacrifyce for our synnes, to be oure wisdome, ryghteousnes, sanctificacion & redēpcion.…. Cor. 1 It followeth, whiche taketh awaye the syn of the worlde. Christ is that lambe of God, whych taketh away ye synne of the worlde.1. Ioan. 1. The bloude of Christ maketh vsus clene from all synne. By the offerynge vp of the bodye of Iesus Christ done once for all, are we sanctifyed & made holy.…ebre. … But note, yt S. Iohn̄ sayth, which taketh away. He vsethe here the presente tence, and not the preter nor yette the future, whiche he declarethe that the vertue of Christes deathe abydethe eueryevery one, and that it is of asmuche strength now, as euer it was, & that by it our synnes are dayly forgyuē, no lesse than they were at the verye hour of hys death, whā our raūsome was payd. For his bloud cryeth not for vēgeaūce,Gen. iiii. as the bloud of Abell, but for grace, mercy, fauoure, and ye dignite of it is so great, that it is neuer sayd naye, but obtayneth what so euer it askethe, so that, as s. Iohn̄ sayth, Christ that pure and immaculate lambe of God doth styll dayly & continually take awaye. What? verely the synne of the worlde. Now if Christ taketh awaye synne dayely & cōtinually, so foloweth it well, that he taketh awaye mo synnes thā the originall synne.
Chri,
They that alleadge thys sentence for theyr purpose, stycke verye muche to this, yt S. Iohn̄ namethe the synne of the worlde, and not synnes, so that he semeth to speke of one syn only, which saye they, is originall syn. And thus do they conclude that Christ taketh awaye only the synne originall.
Phil.
A wyse conclusion & a praty. They cōclude, before they hauehave made their argument aryghte. That S. Iohn̄ saythe, synne, hynderethe nothynge oure purpose, if it be truely vnderstand. For by this word, synne, doth S. Iohn̄ vnderstāde the whole lōpe of synne,What is mente by thys worde synne, that is in the worlde, whyther it be that, which we committed in Adam, or elles those, whiche after oure baptisme thorowe the ragynge carnal affectes, that are in vsus, we cō myt in thoughte, worde or dede. All thys whole lōpe of synne, that is to saye, all that euer is contayned vnderunder thys worde, synne, or yet pertaynethe vntounto synne, doth Christ ye lābe of God at all tymes take awaye. What authorite of the scripture cā be recited more open & euidēt agenst thē?
Chri.
Ye saye trueth. But let vsus heare mo scriptures, that we maye be thorowly satisfyed in this poynt
Phil.
Whan Christ hangynge vponupon ye crosse had payd a sufficient raūsome for oure synnes by the sheddynge of his moost precious bloud, he cōmendethe hys spirite into the handes of his heauenly father, and bowynge downe hys head,Ioan. xix. sayd, Tetelestai, that is to saye, eueryevery thyng is nowe consūmate, perfecte and fully fynished. The sacrifyce for synne is offered, & a plentefull raunsome is payde, so yt nowe all sacrifyces, all oblacions for synne cease. This one sacrifice, thys one oblacion, whyche I hauehave made vponupon the altare of the crosse, fynyssheth & maketh perfecte all thinges, so that there remayneth after thys none other sacrifice for ony kynde of synne. Hereto agreeth the saynge of S. Paule, Christ oure Byshop abydeth for euer,Heb. vii & hath an euerlastyng prestehode, so that he is able to saue euen at the full, them that come vntounto God by hym, euer lyuynge, that he may make intercessiō for vsus.Heb. ix. Agen Christ by his owne bloud entered into the holy place once for al, & found euerlastyng redemcion. Item, with one oblacion hathe Christ made thē consūmate & perfecte for euermore,…. x. that are sāctifyed. Thus se we, that all thynges are thorowly fynyshed, made consummate and perfecte by Christ, so that there is no more sacrifice for synne lea…te behynde to put awaye synne, but if we wyll hauehave remissiō of our wyckednesses, we must rūne wyth the fete of our mynde to that sacrifice, whiche Christ offered once for all vpō the altare of ye crosse, that he myght put syn to flyght for euermore. Nowe if Christ had putte awaye onelyonly originall synne by hys death, thā had he not made all thinges perfecte. For he had lefte mo synnes vnforgyuen, than were forgiuē by his deathe. Howe great and infinite is the nomber of those synnes, which we commit after baptisme in cōparison of this one originall syn? This were but a slender consummacion & makynge perfecte, so to leaue vsus in mo synnes, thā we ware foūd. But Christ saueth at the ful. He maketh thē perfecte for euermore, that are sanctifyed. The vertue of Christes sacrifice is so great & of so much dignite before God the father, that it lastethe euer in full strengthe to put awaye synne, yea and that not only before, but also after baptisme.
Euse.
Let vsus here, what s. Paul saith to this matter.
Phil.
Paul as a good & faythfull seruaūt doth agre wyth his master, ye maye be sure. Notwt standyng I wyll gyue you a taste of his doctrine concernyng thys matter.
Theo.
Lette it so be, I praye you▪ To the Romās he sayth on this mā ner: God setteth forthe hys louelove towarde vsus, in that Christ dyed for vsus whan we were yet synners.Roma. v. Muche more than shall we be sauedde from wrathe by hym, seynge we are nowe made righteous thorowe his bloud. For if we were reconciled vntounto god by the deathe of his sonne, whan we were yet enemies, muche more shall we be saued by hym nowe that we are reconciled. Here S. Paule proueth, yt as we are reconciled to God the father by the death of his sonne Christ, so are we also by hym saued from all wrath and displeasure that shoulde fall vponupon vsus. Are not these wordes playne ynoughe? At baptisme we are purged thorowe Christes bloud from originall syn & all other, that we hauehave committed before, so yt we are recōciled to God, & recoūted for righteous. Nowe by Christ also are we preserued from the wrath of God, which we deserue thorowe the wyckednes, whiche we do after baptisme. Hereof than maye we gather that Christ is not only a sauiour vntounto vsus before, but also after baptisme. So maye we conclude, that by Christes death we are not only redemed from originall synne, but also from all other, by what so euer names they be called. Agayne he sayth it is not with the gyfte as with the synne. For if thorowe the syn of one, many be dead, yet much more plenteously came the grace and gyfte of God vponupon many by the fauour that belonged vntounto one mā Iesus christ. And the gyfte is not onelyonly ouer one synne, as deathe came thorowe one synne, of one that synned. For the iudgement came of one synne vntounto condemnacion, but the gyfte, to iustify frō many synnes. Do not these wordes euidently shewe, yt by Christ we are iustifyed & made ryghteouse from many synnes? If from many synnes, than not from one synne alone. Agen to the Corinchians, fyrst of all I delyuered vntounto you yt,1. Cor. xv. Esa. liii. which I also receaued, how that Christ dyed for oure synnes, accordynge to ye scriptures.Rom. v. Marke that S. Paule sayth, for our synnes, & not for oure synne, wherwithe we all offended in Adā. To the Collossians also he wryteth on this manner: By Christ we hauehave redēcion & by his bloud remission of sines. Note, by Christes bloud we hauehave remissiō of synnes, not only originall, but also actuall, mortall, veneall, &c. and not by the worckes, wich we do after baptisme as thogh it laye in oure power to fulfyll the lawe, to satisfye the wyll of God, to apease ye diuine wrath, & to obtayne euerlastīg lyfe. For al these thynges chaunse vntounto vsus by Christ, & are obtayned for vsus by Christes deathe, & not by ony workes or merites of mā as S. Paule sayth,Gala. ii. if righteousnes cōmeth by the lawe, thā dyed Christ in vayne. Igen, we knowe that mā is not iustifyed by the workes of the lawe,Gala. v. but by ye fayth of Iesus christ, & we beleue in Christ Iesu, that we myght be iustifyed by the faythe of Christ, & not by the workes of ye law because that no man shall be iustified by the workes of the lawe. Item, ye are gone quyte frō Christ, as many of you as wyl be made righteous by the lawe, yea ye are fallen from grace.Rom. x. Agayn in another place, they not knowynge the righteousnes of God, & labouryng to establysh theyr owne righteousnes, were not obedient to the righteousnes of God. For Christe is the perfeccion of the lawe vntounto iustificaciō for eueryevery one that beleueth. Once agayne, if saluacion commeth of grace,Rom. xi than is it not o… workes, elles were grace, no grace. But if it come of worckes, than is grace nothynge. All these sentences teache vsus, that we are delyuered frō all our synnes by Christ & his ryghteousnes, & not by our owne workes and deseruynges.
Moreouer S. Paule sayth, whā ye were dead thorowe synnes,Colos. ii. Rom. v. Ephe. ii. & the vncircūcision of the flesh, God quickened you with christ, & forgaue vsus all our synnes, & put out the handewrytyng, that was agaynst vsus contayned in the lawe wrytten, & that hath he taken oute of the waye,Gen. iii. Luke. xi. Ioan. xii. and fastened it to the crosse, & hath spoyled rule and power, and hath made a shewe of them openly, & triumphed ouer them in hys owne person. God hathe forgyuen vsus all oure synnes, thorow christ, sayth S. Paule here. Where is ony excepcion? If there be mo synnes, than the originall synne as there are, them also hath God the father forgyuen vsus thorowe Iesus Christ oure Lorde.Heb. i. To the Hebrues agayne he wrytethe, Christe in hys owne parson pourged our synnes, & is set on the righte hande of the maiestye on hygh. Frō our synnes hath Christ made vsus clene, and not from one synne onelyonly.Heb. ix. Christ was offered once for all to take away the synne of many. All shal not be saued, for al not beleue, but many shall be saued, & they hauehave not only originall synne, but also al theyr other sīnes takē away by Christ.Heb. x. Agē, eueryevery prest is redy dayly ministrīg, & oftētimes offereth onemāner of of…erīges, which canne neuer take awaye sinne. But this man Christ, whā he had offered for …ynnes one sacrifice, which is of value for euer, satte hym downe on the right hand of God, & from hense forth taryeth tyll hys foes be made his footstoole.Psal. …ix. For with one of…ryng hath he made perfecte for euermore, them that are sanctified. S. Paule here cōpareth Christ the euerlasting Byshop & preste, wyth the prestes of the olde lawe. He sheweth that they offered sacrifices dayly, & yet coulde they neuer put awaye synne by thē. No maruayle for they were only shadowes of good thynges to come. But this our hed preste Christ hath offered but one sacrifice, not for the originall synne only, but for synnes sayth he, & yet is it of so great vertu and strength, that it is of value for euer, the power of it neuer decayeth it abydeth in full strength… so longe as ony synne remayneth, so that it nedeth not oftē tymes to be offered, as the sacrifices of ye old lawe were. For withe this one sacrifice, whiche was the oblacion of hys body, hathe he made them for euer so perfecte, ye are sanctifyed, that they nede none other sacrifice to make them holy & acceptable in the syghte of God. All that hauehave had theyr synnes forgyuē thē from the beginnyng of ye worlde vntyll this daye, or shall hauehave vntounto the ende of the world, hauehave had, and shall hauehave all theyr synnes forgyuē thē thorowe this one sacrifice of Iesus Christ. And that ye maye know thys to be true, consyther thys one thyng, that I shall nowe saye vntounto you. Who was more faythfull thā Abrahā, more derely beloued wt God than Dauid,Ephe. v… more holye than Iohn̄ Baptist? Yet could nether they, nor none other enter into heauē, vntyll Christ had suffered hys pashon, and offered hys bodye a swete smellyng sacrifyce for vsus vntounto God the father
Thus hauehave I opened vntounto you ye mynd of S. Paule concerning this matter.
Euse.
Hys sayēges proue manifestly, yt we are redemed by Christ not only from originall synne, but also from all other▪
Philemon.
You say truth. Wel ye shal heare now ye myndes of the other Apostles. S. Peter sayth,i. Pet. ii. Esa. liii. christ his owne selfe bare our synnes in his body on the tree, that we beynge delyuered from synnes, shuld lyue vntounto righteousnes. Note how Peter agreeth in eueryevery poynt with hys fellowe Paule. He styffely affyrmeth that christ his owne selfe, and none other, bare our synnes in his bodye, & not our originall synne alone. By his strypes we were made so whole, that there remayned not so muche as a scarre of all our sores, botches & woundes.i: Ioan. i. S. Iohn̄ also sayth, the bloud of Iesus Christ maketh vsus thorowly cleane, yea & tha… from all synne. Can ony thynge be spokē more generally? If the bloude of Iesus christ maketh vsus clene frō al syn, what remayneth ther behynde, I praye you? So followethe it that both the synne originall, actuall, mortal, veneall, & what not, is washed awaye by Christes bloude. Agayne, if we confesse oure synnes, God is faythfull and ryghteous to forgiue vsus our synnes, and to make vsus cleane from all wickednes. This one texte alone of S. Iohn̄ is able to subuerte, ouertople and throwe downe all the byldynge, shores and proppes, wherwithe these sleyghtye daubers vpholde theyr enterprises. If we confesse our synnes, sayth he. If which we? if we that professe the christen religiō, and yet thorow our fragilite and weakenesse of nature hauehave offended God after oure baptisme contrary to our vow and promyse made thereat, if we, I saye after that we hauehave fallen, confesse our synnes, God is faythfull and ryghteoꝰ, what to do? to forgyue vsus our synnes. Note our synnes, & to make vsus cleane from all vnrighteousnes: What synne is it than, I praye you from the whiche he dothe not make vsus clene? This sentence must nedes be vnderstonde of thē, which offende after baptisme. Nowe sayth s. Iohn̄ although we synne after baptisme, yet lette vsus not dispayre, but rather repent, bewayle our synfull lyuyng detest our wycked manners, turne vntounto God, & cōfesse our synnes vntounto hym. If we do this, doubt we not but ye God, which is faythfull in performyng his promyse (he hathe promised them that come vntounto hym wt a faythfull and repentaūt harte, remissiō of theyr synnes) & ryghteous in forgyuyng the penitent & sorowfull synner, & in condemnynge the wycked, which continewe in his vngodlines wythout ony confession of his faulte and amendement of lyfe, wyll forgyue vsus oure synnes, yea & make vsus clene from all vnrighteousnes. These wordes proue manifestly, that God forgyueth oure synnes after baptisme, if we repent, cōfesse, and amende. Wherof comethe this? of the merites of our workes, or rather of the free grace & mere mercye of God, purchased for vsus by Iesus Christ, for whose sake the wrathe of God the father is pacified, and he is wel pleased & fully contented wt mā? Uerely for Christes sake dothe God shew to vsus this excedīg & great mercy in forgiuyng vsus our synnes, whē so euer we call vntounto hym, wi…h a contrite & sorowfull harte,i. Ioan. ii. as S. Iohn̄ proueth by the wordes that follow: My lytle childrē, I wryte these thinges vntounto you, yt ye should not synne. And if ony man synne, we hauehave an aduocate wythe the father, Iesus Christ that ryghteous one. And he is that sacrifice, which apeaseth goddes wrath & satisfyeth (so soundethe the Greke word Hilasmos) for our synnes, not for our synnes only, but for al ye worldes. As though he shuld say: My lytle chyldrē, I hauehave declared vntounto you, that although we syn after baptisme contrary to our professiō, yet that ther is grace, fauour, mercy, & forgyuenes of synnes layd vp for vsus in store, if that we repent, cōfesse our faultes, & entend vnfaynedly to amende our lyues. I hauehave not done thys to engraffe in you a vayne hoope, & to encourage you to hauehave ye more plesure & to remayne ī your olde wyckednes, but I wryte these thynges vntounto you, yt ye should not synne. I hauehave set forth the kyndnes of God towarde you, yt ye shulde endeuour youre selues to lyue worthy of it. But for asmuch as there lyueth no man in thys world, whyche synneth not, & seynge we canne not walke so purely, but yt at sometyme we must nedes fall, therfore because ye shoulde not dispayre, but be assuredly persuaded, that there remayneth health for you wyth the Lorde god: I certefy you, that we hauehave one which is our aduocate wyth the father, which pleateth our matter before the throne of the diuine maieste whiche is ready to healpe vsus, whiche ceaseth not makyng intercession for vsus, vntyll he be hearde, and this is, not such one, as hath also offended, but Iesꝰ christ yt righteoꝰ one, which is godly innocent, vndefyled, pure, clene, fautles, immaculate, & so wt out all spotte of vice, that euen for his owne dignite, worthynes & innocēcy, he is worthy to obtayne what so euer he asketh. And I saye moreouer v…to you, yt not our owne workes, nor ye merites of other, but that righteous one Christ, is that verye sacrifice, which apeseth Gods wrath whome we hauehave prouoked vntounto anger wyth the synnes, whiche we do comitte after Baptisme, and satisfyeth for oure synnes. Yea he makteh not only a sufficient & plenteous amendes for our synnes, but also for all ye whole worldes, I mean so many as repent them of ther wicked liuing, confesse ther fautes, beleue, desyre forgyuenes, and laboure to leade a newe lyfe, what wyll we hauehave more? Doth not S. Iohn̄ declare here euidently yt oure synnes, whā so euer they be cōmitted or done are forgyuē vsus of god thorow Iesꝰ Christ, which is oure aduocate, and that sacrifice, whyche apeaseth god the fathers wrath, & plenteously satisfyeth for our synnes? So doth it than manifestly appeare, that christ hath not only redemed vsus & satisfyed to God ye father for originall syn, but also frō al other. But let vsus yet heare more,i. Ioan. ii. what he sayth. I wryte vntounto you lytle chyldren, that youre synnes are forgyuen for hys names sake. Ergo our synnes, and not one synne alone, are forgyuē vsus, not for our owne workes & merites, but for Christes name, that is to saye, for ye dignite, worthynes, excellency, merites and deseruynges of Christ.i. Ioan. iiii. Agē, In thys thynge appeared the louelove of God towarde vsus, that he sent his only begotten sonne into the world that we shoulde lyue thorowe hym. In thys is louelove, not that we loued God, but that he loued vsus, and sent his sonne to be a sacrifice both to appease hys wrathe and to satisfye for our sīnes. what do I? Paper, yncke penne, and tyme shall fyrst want vntounto me, than I shall may be able to reherse all the testimonies, wherwith it is euidentely proued, that Christ hath not only by his moost blyssed & precious bloud redemed vsus frō originall syn, as some wickedly dreame but also from all other, by what so euer name they be called, the synne of the holye Ghoste excepted, & that whan so euer we repent, beleue and amende God the father forgyuethe vsus also those synnes, whiche we commit after baptisme, not for our own dedes,Deut. iiii. Heb. xiii. Iob. xxxvii. workes and merites, whiche be more vnpure, than they maye be able to stonde in the syghte of God, which is a consumyng fyre, a ielous God, great in strength, iudgemente and righteousnes, and with whome there is none innocente, but for the swete smellyng sacrifyce, which Iesus Christ his welbeloued sonne offered for our synnes vpō the altare of the crosse once for all,Exo. xxxiiii. Ephe. v Heb. ix.x. whose vertu and strength abydeth so perfecte for euermore, that by it the sinnes of so many as with a truly faythfull and repentaunte harte come vntounto God, are forgyuen, forgotten, and neuermore remembred. And thus se you that Christ is a perfecte Sauiour, whiche, as youre newe yeares gyfte sayth, hath by his bloud redemed vsus from all vnrighteousnes, that is to saye, from all synne both originall, actuall,Actum. iiii. mortall, veneall. &c. yea and yt not onelyonly before but also after baptisme. So that as S. Peter sayth, there is saluaciō in none other, but only ī Christ Iesus. Nether is ther ony other name gyuē to men vnderunder heauen, wherin we muste be saued.
Chri.
We hauehave now hearde it euidētly proued by the holye scriptures, yt we thorowe Christ are delyuered frō all synne, both originall, actual, mortall, veniall. &c. So that all ye whole glory of our saluacion is to be giuē and ascribed vntounto God alone, as he sayth by the Prophet, O Israel thy destrucciō commeth of thy selfe,…ze. xiii. but thy health and saluacion commeth only of me. This thynge maketh all sayntes and ye truly faythful to say, not to vsus, O Lord, not to vsus, but to thy name gyue ye glory for thy merci & truthes sake.Psal. …xiiii
Phi
Wel, thus hauehave ye hearde grossely and rudely, but yet faythfully and truly vttered of me, what the holye scriptures do determyne concernynge the remission of synnes by Christ, and that by hym we are not only delyuered from originall syn, as some wickedly dreame but also from all other, by what soeuer name they be called. Nowe because ye shal not thyncke yt I wreste the scriptures, whome all mē ought to handle reuerently and incorruptly, I wyll rehearse a sayenge or two vntounto you of the Doctors.Lib. ii. cap. viii. Hylichius sayth: Not one synne only, but many are forgiuen vsus thorow the sacrifice of Christ, whiche is the onelyonly begotten sonne of God. If not one syn only, but many are forgiuen vsus thorowe the sacrifice of Christ, it followeth than that by Christes deathe we are not only redemed from originall synne, but also from all other. Hereto agreeth the sayeng of saynt Ambrose, The grace of God thorow Christ hath iustifyed men not from one synne alone,In Rom. cap. v. but from many, by gyuynge them remission of synnes. Not from one synne only, sayth S. Ambrose, hath God of his grace thorowe Christ iustified, and made vsus ryghteous, but from many, by gyuyng vsus remission of synnes. Nowe gather who luste. The wordes are playne ynough. But I wyll reherse S. Austen, one of the best amonge ye auncient Doctors, and moost faythfull expositour of ye holy scriptures. S. Austen wrytyng agaynst ye Pelagians & Manicheys,Ad hilari…. Ep. lxxxix. hath on this manner, what is this to saye, of one faulte vntounto condemnaciō, but ye fault wherwt Adā offēded? And what is it to say, from many faultes to iustificacion, but that the grace of Christ hath not onlye loosoned that fault, wherwith infantes be boūde, which hadde theyr begynnyng of that one man, but also many faultes, whiche after ye men come to age, they adde and put vntounto it thorowe theyr euell manners. Here sayth saynt Austen playnly, that the grace of christ hath not only losoned, delyuered & made vsus free from originall synne, wherwyth we all offended in Adam, but also from all other, which we afterwarde commit, as we growe in age. I could rehearse many mo authorities both of this Doctor and other, whiche maynly fortify this matter, but because I wyll not be tedious vntounto you, I let them passe, trusting that with these aforsayd ye are fully satisfyed.
Theo.
Yea verely neyghbour Philemon, or elles our hartes were more then twyse stony.
Phil.
Although this vngodly doctrine be raised vp now agen in this our tyme of the Anabaptistes, yet hath it had alwayes fautoures and maynteners longe before our dayes, in somuche as we rede, that a certen man called Peter Abelharde was counted for an Heretyke and compelled of saynt Bernarde to recant in the councell of Senon▪ because he taught this & suche lyke thynges. If hys doctrine had bene godly and agreable to the holy scriptures, he had neuer ben so handeled. Alas good neyghboures, what are we of our selues, yt we dare so depresse and thrust downe ye death of Christ, and so to exalte our selues that he by his pashon sauyng vsus frō one synne, we shuld presume to saue our selues by our owne workes and merites from many? This is a presumpcion to moche to be detested. Thys is a stondyng in our owne cō ceate more Luciferlyke than it may be suffered of ony christen harte.Baruch. i.ii To the Lorde our God, saythe the Prophet, be righteousnes, but to vsus and to our fathers, confusion of face. As towchyng the righteusnes, whiche is in the lawe, no man could once rebuke me,Philip. iii Actum. ix. Gala. i. sayth S. Paul. But those thynges, which were vauntage vntounto me, I counted losse for Christes sake Yea moreouer I thyncke all thynges but losse for the excellencye of the knowledge of Christ Iesu my Lorde, for whome I hauehave counted all thynges losse, and do iudge them but dounge, that I myghte wynne Christ, & be foūd in hym, not hauing myne own ryghteousenesse, whyche cometh of the lawe, but that, which is by the fayth of Christ, namely the righteousnes, whych cometh of god in fayth, to knowe hym and the vertue of his resurrecciō and the felowshyp of his pashon. How cleueth S. Paule vntounto Christ? Howe reiecteth & casteth he awaye his owne righteousnes, whyche he had by the outewarde kepynge of the lawe, that he myght thorowe fayth be made righteous in Christ? How lytle estemeth he his own goodnes, so that he may knowe the vertue of Christes resurreccion, and the felowshyp of his pashon. All Paules delectacion & pleasure is in Christ & in christes death, as he sayth in another place, GOD forbyd, that I shulde reioyse in onythynge,Gala v… but in the crosse, that is to saye, the death & pashon of our Lord Iesus Christ. If so noble and worthy Apostle hadde all his delyght in Christ, & in christes merites, so that for christes …ake and to wynne ye righteousnesse of Christe, he est…med hys own ryghteousnes so vile as ye dūge what shall we wretches than saye? Shall we lyfte vp our brystles and open our mouthe to speake blasphemies agaynst the moost hyghest? Shall we so trust to oure workes, yt we shall seake more saluacion in thē, than in the Lorde christ?Esa. xxxiiii. All oure ryghteousnesses, sayth the Prophet are as a cloth polluted wt menstrue. All sorte of vsus hauehave erre… as shepe, Esa. liii.eueryevery …an hath followed hys own… trade. EueryEvery one is an Hypocrite, a … and wycked. No man is able to saye, my harte is clene, I am pure from syn. There is not a righteous man on earth,Esa. ix. Prou. xx. Ec…l vii. Rom. iii. that doth good and synneth not. All hauehave synned, & want the glory of God. Seynge we are all in this case, how dare ony mā auouche hymselfe to be so pure, and hys workes to be so good & perfect yt by thē he is able to satisfy for hys sī nes committed after baptisme?
Euse.
Ye saye trueth. My thyncke yt those menne, whiche are of thys opinion, knowe nether God nor them selues aright.
Phil.
Trueth it is. For if they dyd know, that as god is good, righteous, holy, perfecte, fau…les & with out all spotte of synne, so they of thē selues are euell, vnryghteous, imperfecte, synfull, and hedged rounde about wyth the fylthynes of synne, & if ony goodnes they hauehave, it commethe of God, & therfore hauehave they nothyng, wherof they may reioyse, for it is Gods, and not theyrs, they woulde not stonde so much in they… owne conceate, nor crake so much o… theyr purite and clennes. If ye starres be not pure in the syght of god, and if the Aungels be not clene and …uteles before hym, howe thā dare a wretched mortall creature, which synn…th dayly and heapeth wyckednes vponupon wyckednes so auaūce him selfe, that he dare presume to stonde ryght vp, and with an open face before GOD, whiche is a consumyng fyre and hatethe so many as worcke wyckednesse, and to take vponupon hym to satisfy for his synnes by his own righteousnes? If they wolde assaye to go downe into thē selues, & could search ye botome of theyr hart, which is wycked & inscrutable,Hie. xvii. they shulde there fynd such hepes lopes & donge hylles of synne, that they would be redye to dispayre and to vndo them selues, so farre is it of, yt they would iustify them selues, or take vpō thē to be theyr owne sauiours by theyr dedes, workes, & merites. The consyderacion of the diuine maieste and ye true knowledge of hym selfe made Dauid to praye on this manner, O Lorde enter not into iudgement wt thy seruaunt,Psal. for no man yt lyuethe shallbe iustifyed in thy syght. Agen, O Lord, yf thou shuldest marke our wyckednesses,Psal. O Lorde who were able to abyde it? But there is mercy wythe the. Lette Israel therfore truste in the Lorde. For wythe the Lorde there is mercy and plēteous redemcion. And he shall redeme Israel from all hys synnes.
Chri.
God gyue vsus grace to hauehave ye true knowledge of God, and of our selues. So shall we vnfaynedly ascrybe & gyue vntounto God al the glory and prayse of our creacion, vocacion, iustificaciō, redempcion, saluacion, glorificaciō, and what so euer goodnes we hauehave more, and frely confesse that we are saued of the great and vndeserued grace of God thorowe Iesus Christ our Lord and sauiour.
Phil.
I besech God, it may so come to passe. Thus hauehave I accomplysshed youre desyre neyghbours in prouynge by ye scriptures and the auncient Doctors, yt christ by hys death hath not only redemed, delyuered and set vsus fre frō originall synne, but also from all other, and that the synnes, which we commit after baptisme, be not forgyuen of God the father for the dignite and worthynes of ony workes which we do, but for the excellēcy of ye sacrifyce, which Christ once for al offered vponupon the Altare of ye crosse, the vertue & strengthe wherof abydeth in so full power, that i… is able to saue so many as repent, b…leue. & labour to lead a good and innocent lyfe for euermore. Neyther hauehave I spoken theyse thynges to discorage ony man from doyng good workes, but for …o set forth christ to be a perfecte sauyoure agaynst the wycked doctrine of the Anabaptistes which nowe begyn to crepe in amonge vsus vntounto the great dishonour of God, ye extreme blasphemy of Christes most precious bloud, & noysome perturbaciō of the holy catholyke chyrche. And as I maye knytte vp all thys matter in fewe wordes, know good brothers, that in Adam all we were damned, so that thorowe his wickednes we were begotten, conceaued & borne in synne, yea & by nature the very sonnes of wrathe. Nowe to be delyuered from this miserable state wherinto we were caste by Ad… ̄ we of our owne wytte, polecy, wisdome …olynes, ryghteousnes. &c. could inuent no means, but so styll remayned in the daunger of euerlastynge dānaciō. Therfore God moued wt pitie towarde mankynde, euen of hys owne free mercy & goodnes wtoute ony of our desertes, sent downe his only begotten sonne Iesus christ in to …his vale of misery which for our sake toke flesh of the moost holy and pure virgin Mary, thorow the operacion of the holy ghost, became mā & at the tyme to fore appoynted, he offered voluntaryly his moost blyssed …ody an acceptable & swete smellynge Sacrifice to God the father, which was & is of so great vertue & power, that by it alone all our synnes are putte awaye, not only that which we committed in Adam, but those also, whiche we oure selues in processe of tyme do perpetrate & cō mit. Now so many of vsus as are baptised in the name of the father, of ye sonne & of the holy Ghost, and hauehave taken vpō vsus a newe lyfe forsakyng ye world, ye deuil & the flesh wt al theyr pōpes & workes, hauehave at that verye tyme of Baptisme all theyr synnes forgyuen them, and are so clerely redemed, deliuered and made fre from all vnryghteousnes, be they yonge or olde, as though they had neuer cō mitted ony of them at all. And this is it that S. Paule sayth,Ephe. …. christ loued the congregacion, & gaue hymselfe for it, to sanctifye it, and clēsed it in ye fountayne of water thorowe the worde, to make it vntounto hymselfe a glorious congregacion wythoute spot or wryncle, or ony suche thyng, but that it shulde be holy and without blame. Nowe if whan they be once baptised and growne vppe in age, they thorow eyther fragilite or ignorancy do agen offende & breake the lawe of God contrarye to theyr profession & vow made at baptisme, than hauehave they an holye anchore …o flye vntounto, whiche is the holye sacrament of Penaunce, so that if they truly repent, be sory for the faultes committed, bewayle theyr synful lyuynge, mortifye theyr carnall affectes, slay theyr worldly lustes, banish theyr dyuellysh concupiscences, confesse theyr wycke…nes, flye vntounto the mercy of god, beleue to hauehave forgiuenes, and take a newe lyfe vponupon thē. God the father wyll surely forgyue them theyr synnes, be they neuer so great or many, yea and that for the dignite of that one sacrifice whyche hys only begottē sonne offered once for all vponupon the altare of the crosse. So that if repentaunce & amendement of lyfe come, christes sacrifice serueth to put away sinnes for euer & euer. But as the bloud of christ is sufficient to pacify ye father, althogh one man had cōmitted so many offē ces, as all the worlde hathe done or shall do vntounto ye very ende of ye world,☜ so lykewyse is ther no saluaciō layd vp for hym in store, which wyll not repent nor cease to synne, although christ shuld suffer an hondred thousande tymes. For christ is a sauiour to penitent synners, and not to the wicked & vngodly.Rom. …. And as there is no damnacion to them, that are engraffed in christ Iesu, whiche walke not after ye flesh, but after ye spirite, so is there no helth nor saluacion to them, that lyue after ye flesh, though they bable neuer so muche of christ, of christes passion, bloud & death, of the remission of sinnes, of the mercy of God, of the gospell, of ye swete promise… of God, & of euerlastyng lyfe. God hath not called vsus,1. The…. … yt we shulde be vnclene, but holy and vertuous. God sayth S. Peter, sent his sonne to be a beneficial sauiour vntounto you, that eueryevery one of you should turne from his wyckednesse. But of thys we wyl speake more hereafter.A…tum. iii. Therfore brothers, whan so euer ye perceaue yt ye offend God in ony thyng, dispayre not, flye vntounto that blyssed sacrament of Penaunce, b… sory for your synful lyuynge, bewayle your wycked māners, thyr…t after strēgth to do the wyll of God, conf…sse your synnes from the very harte, call for grace, desyre mercy, and praye vntounto God yt he wyl forgyue you your faultes, & he wyll vndoubtedly remit & forgyue you al the faultes, synnes & trespasses, that ye euer cōmitted agaynst hym for the louelove that he beareth towarde his sonne our Lord & sauiour Iesus christ, which as your newe yeres gyfte sayth, hathe redemed vsus from all vnrighteousnes, yt is to say, both from originall synne and all other.
Euse.
Brother Philemō we shal neuer be able to recompense thys your kyndenes, which so gentylly at our request hathe declared this matter vntounto vsus concernyng ye remission of synnes thorowe christ. I beseche God gyue vsus all grace, so to institute & order our lyfe, that we maye be found in the nomber of thē whose synnes are put away by this moost holy sacrifice of christes blyssed bodye, whose wyckednesses are washed awaye by christes moost precious bloude.
Chri.
Amen. For than shall we be sure not only to be delyuered from all our synnes, but also to enioye euerlastyng lyfe, which is the gyfte of GOD thorowe Iesus Christ oure Lorde.
Phil.
We wyll go forthe wyth your newe yeares gift… and make an ende.Rom. vi. It followethe. And to pourge vsus a peculier people vntounto hym selfe.
Christ gaue not hymselfe only vntounto death for to redeme vsus from all vnrighteousnesse, but also to pourge vsus a peculiare people to hymself. For as he hath redemed vsus by hys death so hath he pourged, purified & made vsus cleane by his bloud,i. Ioan. i. as S. Iohn̄ sayth, the bloude of Iesus christ makethe vsus cleane from all synne. For what entent hath he thus pourged and made vsus clene? Uerely that we should be a peculiare people vntounto hī selfe.
Chri.
What is mente by that I praye you?What it is to be the peculiare p…ople of God.
Phil.
To be the peculiare people of God, is to be chosen out of the company of the vnfaythful and wycked people, and to be cōsecrated dedicated, & wholly gyuen to serue God, to seake his glory, to magnify his moost blyssed name, and to do al thynges accordyng to his worde, as the Iewes in tymes past were chosen awaye from the Gentiles to be the people of God, to serue him, and to walke in hys holye ordinaunces. ye are a chosen generacion, saythe Peter,i. Pet. ii. a royall prestehode, an holye nacion, and a peculiare people, that ye should shewe forth the vertues of hym, that called you oute of darkenes …to his maruelous lyght, which in times past were not a people, yet are nowe the people of God, whiche were not vnderunder mercy, but now hauehave obtayned merci. Of these wordes may we lerne, vntounto what end christ hathe redemed & purifyed vsus by his bloud. Uerely yt we shuld be a peculiare people to hym selfe. Thā are we here taught, that we maye nomore …romhense forth serue the Prynce of darkenes, be conuersēt in hys court were ony lenger hys cogniscauns, fulfyll ony more hys pleasure and wil, but wholly gyue oure selues to serue God, which is ye Prīce of lyght yea & the true lyght it selfe, whiche lyghteneth eueryevery man yt cometh in to this world.Ioan. i what nacion wylyngly serueth a straunge Prince? what faythful and honest seruaunte forsakethe a gentle & louyng master, & ronneth vntounto a Tyraunt? How vnsemely than were it for vsus, whych before were in so miserable a case and delyuered from it only by the goodnes & fre harte of our Lord and master Iesus Christ,Ephe. v. Ioan. i. Ephe. ii. Apoc. xxi. Ephe. ii. to forsake hī, & to ronne backe agen vntounto the powers & rulers of darknesse? we are nowe lyght in the Lrde, shall we become darkenes agen? we are now the sonnes of God, shall we become the children of wrathe, agayne▪ we are now the beautifull spouse of Iesus christ shall we be made the horlot of Satan agayne? we are nowe nomore Ghestes & straungers, but Cytysenses of the saynctes, and of the house hold of God, shall we become Captines & bonde seruitours to Satans courte againe?Act. i.v. i. Pet. ii. Titus. ii. we are now by christ made prestes and kynges, shall we faull from thys dignite, and becom vilious and abiectes agen? we are now ye peculiare people of God, sanctifyed vntounto his vse, and vntounto ye workynge of those thynges yt make vntounto hys glory, shal we neglecte oure dignite worshyp and honoure, as I maye so speake, fall awaye agayne from our Master and so behaue our selues, yt thys prouerbe may worthely be obiected and layde agaynst vsus The dogge is returned vntounto his vomitte,Pro. xxvi▪ ii. Pet. ii. and the sowe after she hathe washed herselfe is gone agayne vntounto hyr olde wallowyng in the myer? Therfore seyng that Christ by hys bloude hathe purifyed, and pourged vsus a peculiare people vntounto hymselfe let vsus manfully fyghte vnderunder ye stā darde of our Captayne against Satan the Prynce of darckenes, let vsus seake the glory of our master, let vsus obserue suche preceptes as he hathe commaunded, let vsus reuerēce, feare honoure, worshyp & louelove hym aboue all thynges, lette vsus not suffer hys moost precious bloude to be shed in vayne, let vsus so behaue our selues, yt it may euidently appere, yt we be no vnkynd nor vnthanckful personnes but euermore walke worthy his kīdnes and tender cōpassion. This thīg shall come to passe, if we be suche, as the ende of your Newe yeres gyfte paynteth.Of good workes.
Euse.
What is that.
PHIL.
Euen such as be earnest folowers of good worckes. If we wyll shewe oure selues to pertayne vntounto Christe, to be hys people, to be wholy addycte vntounto hym, we muste be earnest folowers of good workes we may no lenger loytour nor play the idle lubbers, we must worck earnestly, and as the Kentysh men say, a good. For Christ hath redemed vsus from all vnryghteousnes, not that we shuld continewe styll in our olde wyckednes and vngodly conuersacion, but that we shuld be hys peculiare people chosen out to serue hym and to worcke hys moste godly pleasure, agayne yt we shuld be earneste followers of good workes. And here is answer to be made to thē, whych saye.An obieccion If Christ hath redemed me frō all vnrighteousnes, made me clene by hys bloude from all my synnes, purchased frely by hys death for me eternall lyfe and made a perpetuall agremente betwene God the father and me, what nede I to worke? what can my workes profitte what shall my laboures auayle me? Christ hath done ynoughe for me. Christ is my sufficient Sauyoure. Christ hath made al thynges so perfect, that nothyng cā be added thervnto. Therfore let vsus be mery and take no thought.The aunswere. O fylthye swyne and careles dogges. Becaus Christ hathe don that for them, which they could not do for them selues, behold how wyllyngly they caste them selues in to hell fyre. who treadeth the bloude of Christ vnderunder hys foote, if these bellygods do it not▪ Who defaceth ye price of Chrystes death, & the glory of his resurreccion, if these fylthy swyne heades do it not? Who dishonoureth Gods most holy worde, yf these Epicures do it not? But let these swyll bellyes wel knowe, that they hauehave no part of Christe, of Christes passhon bloude & death, nor yet of none of all hys merites so longe as they continew in thys ther wycked & to muche detestable purpose, crake the neuer so muche of Christe of christes bloud, of fayth, of the gospell, of the christen liberty. &c. They shall go to the Deuell hedlonge wt out ony mercy for al christ,Note. Christes bloude, fayth, Gospel, Christen libertye, and what soeuer they cā alledge more, yf they hauehave tyme & conuenient leasure to do good workes, & yet wyll not who was euer saued wythout good worckes,Of ye thefe Luke. xxiii. hauynge oportunite to worcke? Ye obiect and laye agay…st me the thefe. Uery theuyshly done. For what lesure had he to worke Nether do I knowe whyther the waye of healthe was euer preched vntounto hym, or not, although he was not vtterlye voyde of good workes. For he beyng at the poynte of death, bewayled his wretchednes lamented hys synnefull manners, confessed hys wyckednes, repented hym of hys abhominable lyuynge, turned to Christ, knoweledged him to be the sonne of God, & the sauiour of the world, and desyred him to remembre hym; whan he came in to hys kyngdome. If thys mā had had leasure, vndoutedlye he wolde hauehave shewed forth hys repētaūce & fayth by doyng externall good workes. Therfore ye exāple of hī helpe the nothīg your sluggish & dissolute māner of lyuīg, which hauehave both red & hard Christ many tymes preched to you, & yet are ye neuer ye better. Only ye perswade your selfe well of christe & Christes merites, but al ī vaine. For he is no sauiour to those sīners, whiche lyue wtout al feare of god, but to such as repēt, beleue & labour ernestly to brīgforth good workes, from ye nōber of yt which ye seme to be no les far, thā ye west is frō the East. Christ hath redemed vsus, sayth ye scripture, that we shuld be hys people,Titn. ii. and earnest folowers of good workes, We must be his people and earneste folowers of good wockes, or els hauehave we no redempciō by christ,In dictum. Apost. Nolo vos ignarare. as S. Iohn̄ Chrysostome wytnesseth. Nether Baptisme, sayth he, nor forgyuenes of synnes, nor knowledge, nor ye communion of ye Sacramentes, nor the holy table, nor ye fruicion of the body, nor ye partakyng of ye bloud, nor ony of these thīges shal may be able to profyt vsus, except we hauehave a lyfe, whych is ryght, very pure, yea and fre from all synne. What wyll these idle lubbers say to these wordes of ye goldē mouthed Doctor? Where are all theyr proude crakes becomme of Christ, hys bloude and merites? All these profyt nothyng at al without a good lyfe.
Chri.
It stondeth christē m…nin hād therfore to be earnest followers of good workes.
Phil.
Ye saye trueth, chefely if they entende to be saued. But let vsus heare the scriptures. Whan God promised Abraham that he woulde blysse them that dyd blysse hym, and cursse them that dydde cursse hym,…. xv.xvii and that in his seed all nacions of the earthe shulde be blyssed, & that he would multiply hys seed as the starres of the firmament, and make hym a father of many nacions, & that he woulde be hys defender & hys sufficiente greate rewarde: He made a couenaunt wythe hym, because he woulde hauehave hym shewe gentylnes agayne, and sayd, I am the God omnipotēt, walke before me,Gene. xvii. & be perfecte. As though he shulde saye: I am the God almyghty, omnisufficient, all good, all holy, all righteous, all wyse, all liberal, al plēteous, all mercyfull, & hauehave nede of no thynge, but frely gyueth to all mē all thynges, what so euer are necessary ether for the bodye or for the soule, & so replenyshed with al thynges, that I am able and sufficient in all poyntes to satisfy the lawful desyres of all creatures, yea I hauehave all thynges so in my power, yt no thing that good is, canne be gyuen to ony mā, but of me alone, & what so euer I am or hauehave, it is for the profyt of the, & of thy posterite. Alonly walke before me, and be perfecte, take me alone for thy omnisufficiēt sauiour, flye vntounto no other, as though there were in me a certayne insufficiency, but cleaue to me alone wyth all thy harte, attempte no thyng but that is pleasaunt in my syght, order thy lyfe in all poyntes accordyng to my holy wyll, let thy conuersacion be innocent, blameles, pure, honest, right and all good, and so wyll I be thyne almighty God, thy puissaunt defender, & thy sufficient great rewarde. This couenaūt hath God made not only with Abraham, but also wythe all hys posterite, that is, so many as are faythfull. Nowe yf we be of the seed of Abraham (I speake of the spituall, and not of the carnall generacion) than doth God require of vsus also, that we walke before hym and be perfecte that we stedfastelye cleaue vntounto him by stronge faythe, as the onelye and sole Authore of al goodnes, & so institute oure lyfe, that we maye breath nothynge but purite, innocency, holynes & intergrite, all the tyme of our lyfe in this worlde. Thus doyng, God wyl be our God, yea our almyghty God, our strong defender, and our sufficiēt great rewarde, no lesse than he was Abrahās. Therfore as Abraham walked before God, so let vsus do. By this means shall God be no lesse beneficiall to vsus, than he was to Abraham. If ye were the sonnes of Abrahā,Ioan. viii. sayth Christ, ye woulde do the worckes of Abraham.
Euse.
Of all these matters and howe we ought to walke before God and be perfecte, ye taughte vsus full godly in the Nosegaye, whyche ye gaue vsus.Searche the Nosegaye in the seconde floure.
Chri.
It was our second floure, called, Pure innocency,
Phil.
I remember it wel, and I am glad, ye hauehave not forgottē it. I wyll therfore haste vntounto the other scriptures Whan S. Iohn̄ Baptist sawe many of the Pharisees & Saduces commynge vntounto his Baptisme,Math. iii. Luke. ii. he sayd vntounto them, O ye generacion of vipers, who hathe shewed you that ye should flye from the wrath to come? Bryng forthe therfore frutes worthy of repentaunce, & be not of this mynde to saye within youre selues, Abraham is our father. For I saye vntounto you, that God is able to bring it to passe, that of these stones there maye rise vp chyldren to Abraham, The hooke is now layd at the roote of ye trees. Therfore eueryevery tree, that bryngeth forth not good frute, shall be hewē downe and cast into ye fyre.
Theo.
This is a terrible sayeng for al thē, that are not earnest followers of good workes
Phil.
Certes as it profited the Pharises & Saduces with the other Iewes nothynge at all to boste them selues of Abrahā, excepte they dyd the workes of Abraham,Ioan. viii. so lykewyse it auaūtedgeth vsus nothīg at all to crake of GOD, of Christes bloude, pashon, merites, fayth. &c. if we do not good workes. This sētēce abydeth alwaye true, EueryEvery tree, yt bringeth forth not good frute, shall be hewen downe & cast into the fyre. If we be not lyke vntounto those trees, which are plāted by the riuers syde and brynge forth theyr frute in due season, surely we shall be …wen vp & cast into hel fyre.Psal. i. Hiere. xvii. For how dare we looke for ony kyndnes at ye hande of God, & do no thīg yt he cōmaūdeth? Dauid sayth, I beyng as a fruteful olyue tree ī ye house of God, hauehave trusted ī ye mercye of God for euermore,Psal. li. Dauid cōfesseth here yt he trusted in the mercye of GOD, but he addeth yt he was ī ye house of god, yt is to say ye cōgregaciō of Christ, as a fruytefull Olyue tree, which as Pliny writeth is neuer wtout grene leues & frute.Lib. …
Eu.
You taught vsus this also in ye Po…aciō for Lēt, declarīg to vsus what the Procession on Palme sondaye signifyeth, with all the ceremonies pertaynyng thervnto.
Phil.
So se ye than, that if we wyll be holpen by the mercy of God, we must be as fruytefull Olyue trees, and brynge forth plenty of good workes, and neuer cease from doynge them, or elles our hope and trust is but vayne. Christ sayth,Math. vii. not eueryevery one yt saythe vntounto me, Lorde, Lorde, shal enter in to the kyngedome of heauen, but he yt doth the wyll of my father, which is in heauen. For many shall say vntounto me at that daye, Lorde, Lorde, hauehave not we prophecied ī thy name, & cast out dyuels by thy name, and wroughte many miracles thorowe thy name? But thā shall I saye vntounto them,Psal. vi. I knowe you not. ī Departe frō me ye workers of iniquite. Here are we taught, that to professe God by our mouth, to cal vponupon his name to talke of Christ, of fayth, of ye gospell, and of all the diuine misteries, yea to worcke miracles and to caste out diuels by the power of Christes name, shall auayle nothynge at the daye of iudgement, excepte we lede a good lyfe in thys worlde, & worke the good pleasure of God. For the kyngdome of God is not in worde, but in power,…. Cor. iii… saythe S. Paule. … that hath my commaundementes, sayth Christ, and kepeth them, he it is that louethe me.Ioan. xiiii. If ony man loueth me, he wyl kepe my worde, and my father shall louelove hym, & we wyll come vntounto hym, & dwell wyth hym. He that louethe not me, kepeth not my wordes. Here Christ measureth our louelove that we heare toward him by kepyng his word. If we kepe his worde, than louelove we hym, but if we kepe it not, than louelove we hym nothynge at all. Agen he saythe, I am the vyne, and ye are the braunches. He that abydeth in me,Ioan. xv. & I in hym, bryngeth forth much frute. Let vsus not flatter our selues. If we a…yde in Christ, we brynge forthe muche frute. If we brynge forth no frute, than abyde we not in Christ. If we abyde not in christ, thā are we none of christes. So followeth it, that as withered braunches we shall be gathered and cast into the fyre,Rom. i… & ther burne for euer. S. Paule sayth▪ not they, which heare the lawe are righteous before God, but they that expresse the lawe in dedes, shall be co… ted righteous. Although no man be able,Marke well so longe as he lyuethe in thys worlde, to fulfyl the law so thorowly, as the purite therof requirethe▪ yet is it our offyce to laboure vntounto the vttermoost of our power to fulfyll the lawe, and where we perceaue, that we are not able to bring to passe wt so great clennes of hart… that, which the spirite of the law requireth, to bewayle our weakenes▪ to desyre strengthe,Rom. x. & to praye vntounto God that Christ, whiche is the ende and perfecte fulfyllyng of the law, maye supply that, which wantethe in vsus.Rom. vi. Agayne he saythe, we are buryed wythe hym by Baptisme into death that as Christ is rysen ag…n from death thorow the glory of the father, so we shulde walke in a newe lyfe. And a litle after, recount your selues to be dead vntounto sinne, but liuing vntounto God thorow Iesus christ our Lorde. Therfore let not synne raygne in youre mortall bodye, for to obey it thorow the lustes therof. Neyther gyue ye your members as instrumētes of vnrighteousnes vntounto synne, but gyue your selfes vntounto God, as they that are alyue from death, and gyue youre members as instrumentes of ryghteousnes vntounto God. Agayne in that same chapter, as ye hauehave gyuē your members seruauntes to vncleannes & to iniquite, euen from one iniquite vntounto another, so now gyue your mēbers seruaūtes vntounto righteousnes, that ye maye be sanctifyed. All these sentences declare vntounto vsus, howe pure, innocent and fautles our lyuynge oughte to be. If it be the contrary, our professiō profyteth vsus nothyng at al. In another place also he sayth If ony man be in Christ,ii. Cor. v he is a new creature, that is to say, wholly changed frō his olde māners vntounto newe. He hath no more fellowshyp wythe the vnfruteful workes of darkenes but so composeth & appoynteth his lyuyng, that he maye appeare to be the lyght of the world.Ephe. v. Math. v. Agayne, they that are of Christ, hauehave crucifyed ye flesh with the affectes & lustes therof. If we lyue in the spirite, lette vsus walk in the spirite.Gala. ii. For the flesh lustethe agaynst the spirite, & the spirite agaynst the flesh. All they therefore which lyue accordynge to ye appetyte, luste and desyre of the fleshe, pertayne not vntounto Christ.Ephe. ii. We are ye workemanshyppe of God, created in Christe Iesus vntounto good worckes, whiche God hath prepared that we shulde walke in them.Searche the Bancket in the fourthe dyshe. Beholde God is oute maker, & we be made a newe in Christ Iesus vntounto good workes. So many therfore as apply not thē selues to do good workes, are not engraffed in Christ, but remayne styll members of Satan.Ephe. iiii. Item, I being presoner, exhorte you in the Lorde, that ye walke worthy your callyng wherin ye are called, with all lowlynes, & mekenes, wt softenes of mynd sufferynge one another by charite, studyeng to kepe the vnite of ye spirite thorow the bond of peace. Here se we, with what vertues we ought to garnyshe oure lyfe, that we maye walke worthy oure vocacion & callyng. Howe farre than are they out of the waye, whiche defyle them selues wyth all kynde of abhominable vice. Be ye, sayth S. Paule, the followers of God, as well beloued chyldren, & walke in louelove,… as Christ hath loued vsus. If it be our duty to …e the followers of God, so must we practise his goodnes & follow his innocency & purite so muche as lyghethe in our power, or els we are not ye sōnes of God. Our celestial father is pure & holy, & shal we his chyldrē be prophane & vnholy? Our heuily father is good, godly, mercyful, paciēt & al spirite, & shal we hys sōnes be euel, wycked, rigoroꝰ, impaciēt & al flesh? Be ye holy,…euit. xix i. Pet. i sayth he, for I am holy. Ye shall be perfecte, sayth Christ, as your heauenly father is perfecte. Moreouer S. Paule wrytethe, Be ye pure,Phil. i and suche as no man can be offended wyth you agaynst the day of Christ, fylled full of the fruyte of ryghteousnes, which chaunseth thorowe Iesus Christ vntounto the glory & prayse of God. Agayne, do all thynges without grutchynge and disputacion beyng such that no man can complayne of you,Phil. ii and pure, the sonnes of God fautles in the myddes of a frowarde and crokedde nacion, amonge whome shyne ye as lyghtes in the worlde, holdyng fast the word of lyfe. It is not without a cause, yt your newe yeres gyfte teacheth vsus to be earnest folowers of good workes, seynge that so great purite and clēnes of lyfe is required of vsus. …o worthe those fylthye swyne, whiche walowe and tomble them selues in all kynde of fleshly vnclennes, vntounto the great slaunder of Christes Gospell. Itē.Colos. iii. i. Thes. iiii i. Thes. v Mortify your earthly mē bers, whoredome, vncleannes, couetousnes. &c. For god hath not called vsus vntounto vnclennes, but vntounto sanctificaciō. All ye are the sōnes of lyght, sayth he, and the sonnes of the day, we are not of the nyghte nor yet of darkenes. Therfore let vsus not slepe as other do, but lette vsus watch and be sober. Seyng yt we are no more ye worldes, seyng also we hauehave gyuen ouer Satan and the fleshe, wyth all theyr workes, pompes & plesures, it becommeth vsus so to walke in al our lyfe & conuersacion, that we be not found lyke Satans seruaūtes, nor the volupteous worlde lynges, nor yet ony suche, as lyue … the flesh and not after the spirite, but pure, clene, honest, fauteles, godly, and as I maye so speake, euen lyke another christ.i. …. i. S. Peter also sayth, giuegive not your selfes to your olde lustes, wher wyth ye were ledde, whan ye knewe not Christ, but as he that called you is holy,Leuit. xix. so be ye also holy ī al your cō uersacion, for it is wrytten, be ye holy, for I am holy. Here are we taught to forsake our olde synfull lyuynge, and to fashon our selues, lyke vntounto the manners of God, which is holy, righteous, perfecte, & abundantly good in all thynges. Furthermore saynt Iohn̄ sayth, if we say, that we hauehave fellowshyp with Christ,i. Ioan. i. & yet walke in darknes, we lye & do not ye trueth But if we walke in the lyght, as he is in the lyght, we hauehave felloweshyp one wyth another, and the bloud of Iesus Christ gods owne sonne, maketh vsus cleane from all synne. This texte prouethe manifestly that we hauehave no feloweshyp wythe Christ, so long as we walke in darkenes, that is, in synfull lyuynge, agayne, that the bloude of Christe profytethe vsus nothyng at all, excepte we walke in the lyght of Gods worde, & laboure to fulfyll hys holye preceptes. For, sayth S. Iohn̄,i. Ioan. ii. by this do we know yt we hauehave known hī, if we kepe hys cōmaūdemētes. He yt sayth, I know hī, & kepeth not hys cōmaūdemētes is a lyare, and the truethe is not in hym, But he that dothe hys worde, trulye in hym is the louelove of God perfecte. By this do we knowe that we are in hym. He that sayth, he abydeth in hym, oughte to walke, euen as he walked. Of this & all the other textes, which I hauehave hitherto rehearsed, we may easly learne, what is our duty and howe earnestly we oughte to seake occasions for to do good. Seyng we are ye peopeople of God, yea hys peculiare & oute chosen people, we muste nedes shewe oure selues earnest followers of good workes, or elles hauehave we no fellowshyp wyth Christ. God the father is not oure father, nether are we christes brothers, nor yet fellow heyres wyth hym, if we seake not to lead a godly and vertuous lyfe. Let vsus neuer crake of the iustificaciō of fayth, of ye fre mercy of God, of christes pashō, bloud, death, merites, &c. we lead a lyfe worthy the kyndenes of God. Lette vsus neuer reioyse that we are delyuered from the power of Satā, synne, deth, & hell, for so long as we cōtinue in our olde synnefull lyuynge and wycked manners, we pertayne not vntounto Christ, but are ye bonde slaues of Satan, & very fyre brondes of hell. For as ye good preste Zachary, father to S. Iohn̄ Baptist sayth God hath perfourmed the othe,Luke. … whiche he sware to our father Abraham for to gyue vsus, that we delyuered out of the hādes of our enemies, myght serue hym wtout feare all the dayes of oure lyfe in holynes & righteousnes. Hereto agreeth the sayng of s. Paule,Heb. ix the bloud of christ whyche thorow the euerlastyng spirite, hathe offered hymselfe pure to God, shall pourge youre conscience from dead workes for to serue the lyuynge God. Here learne we, yt christ hathe delyuered vsus from the power of our enemies that we should serue him in holines and righteousnes all the dayes of oure lyfe. Nowe if ony be not giuen to the seruyse of God, surely he is not free, but abydethe styll the miserable captiue & bonde presoner of his enemies. Let all mē therfore take hede, & prepare thē selues to lede a godly lyfe, yt they maye be earnest followers of good workes or elles nether theyr baptisme, nor Christ, nor yet ony thyng that euer Christ dyd, shall profytte them ony thynge at all.
Chri.
O good Lorde, how greatly be many deceued, whiche put theyr trust in Christ & crake muche of fayth, & yet continue styll abhominable lyuers, thynkyng not with stondynge, all this theyr great wyckednes, to be saued?
Phil.
To repē taunce, …aythe and amendement of lyfe, mercy is neuer denyed. But be not you deceaued neyghbours.Rom. ii. For not they, whiche heare the lawe, are righteous before god, but they that expresse the law in dedes, shallbe cō ted righteous. Be ye the doers of ye worde, and not the hearers only, deceauyng your selfes.Iacob. i.
Theo.
God gyue vsus grace thus to do, that we maye garnysh the doctrine of God our sauioure in all thynges.
Euse.
Amen I beseche the good Lorde.Titus. ii.
Phil.
Uerely there are many causes, yea & those vrgent and necessary, why Christen men shoulde bryng forth good workes, if they dyd consider theyr vocaciō & callyng wel.Causes wh… we ought to do good workes Fyrst because it is the wyll of God, & God hath cōmaū ded so by his holy worde. For what chylde accōplysheth not his fathers wyll for the louelove that he beareth towarde hym? What seruaunt fulfylleth not his masters cōmaundemēt if he do but onelyonly feare hym▪ Ho… muche more than ought we, w…che hauehave so louynge a fathe…, and so puyssaūt a Lorde and beneficiall a master, for the louelove & … …ear…, that we beare toward hym, shewe our … obedient to his holy wyll. & fulfyl it to ye vttermoost of our power▪ Where ether …ear… or louelove of God is, there must the …ulfyllynge of Gods lawe nedes followe.Malach… If so doth not, neuer let vsus confesse oure selues eyther to feare or louelove god truly. The sonne honoureth his father, and the seruaunte his Lorde.Math. vii If I than be youre father, where is my honoure▪ And if I be your Lord, where is my feare, sayth ye Lord or Ho…stes? Not eueryevery one that sayth vntounto me, Lord Lorde, shall enter into ye kyngdome of heauen, sayth Christ, but he tha… doth the wyll of my father,Math. iii which i… in …eauen. The holy … bryng forth frutes of repentaunce. And christ sayth, as my father gaue me commaundement,Ioan: x… so I do. Agen I hauehave not spokē of my selfe, but he that sent me, that is to saye, my father, he gaue me commaundement, what I shoulde do, & what I should speake. A christē man therfore must do good because it is the commaundement and wyll of God.
Secondely, we ought to do good workes, that God may be glorifyed thorowe them, as Christ sayth, Let your light so shyne before men,Ma…. v that they may se your good workes, and glorify your father, which is in heauen Also S. Peter, se that ye hauehave as honest conuersacion amonge the Hey then,i. Pet. ii that they, whiche backe by t… you a… euell doers, may s… your good workes, and prayse God in the day of visitacion. For what greater dishonour …ther be done to god, thā to professe the name of God & i…nomin…usly to deface and obscure the glory of it, thorowe our wycked and vngodly conuersacion? Theyr rulars do vnrighteously, sayth ye lord,Esay. iii. and by this means my name is blasphemed cōtinually euen all ye whole daye longe.Roma. ii. S Paule also sayth, the name of GOD is euell reported for you among the Hethen. Agen, what greater honour can there be gyuē to God of vsus, thā to lede a godly lyfe, & to expresse the manners and lyuysh Image of our heuenly father in all our lyfe. By the one, God is dishonored, by the other, he is greatly honored, praysed and magnified.
Thyrdely, it is oure dutye to do good workes, that we maye be certē that our fayth is right, true, lyuysh and workynge. For as there is not a more certen argument & sure tokē that a tree is good, thā by bringing …orth good …te, so is ther not a better probaciō, that our fayth is true … than whan we worke the wyll of God, and brynge forthe the sentes of the spirite.Note whan we hauehave the true fayth Whā we worke the wyll of God, and fashon our lyfe …rdynge to the rule of Christes gospell, than may we be certen that …ur sayth is ryght, and that we are the sonnes of God, & fellowe enherit…rs wt Iesus Christ. Nether nede …e doubte of ony thynge, that God hathe promised in his holy scriptu…, but beleue stedfastly, yt we shall …aue al thīges accordīg to hys promises, in asmuch as we bryng forth the frutes of faythe. But if we lyue … carnally, and do the fylthy wor… of the …, as drōckeshyp, whore …, theafte, couetousnes. amp;c. than … we no cause to reioyse, nor yet … of our faythe. For the true … the great & maruelous thynges, as we maye se in Abrahā, whiche truly beleued in God, & therfore wroughte many godly workes. He obeyed the word of God,Gene. xx.x…ii. he lefte hys owne natiue countrey, he was contented at the commaundement of God to kyll & offer hys owne sōne & to what soeuer the spiri…e of God moued hym to do. Of this nature are so many as truely beleue. They yt thus worcke not, hauehave not Abrahams fayth, neyther are they ye sonnes of Abraham. For Christ sayd to the Iewes, if ye were the sonnes of Abraham, ye woulde do … workes of Abrahā.Ioan. viii. Therfore after that we are persuaded of the goodnes of god towarde vsus, and beleue f…ythfully, yt god for his promises sak…, which h… hath made vsus in christe … be boūteous and mercifull vntounto vsus, we must note that the scr…pture cō maundeth workes to be dne of the faythfull. For after that we be once iustifyed by fayth before GOD, we must expresse that faythe, whiche is knowne to god alone, by externall & outward workes, yt we may appere …ghteous both before God & man. Nether is there ony better sygne, or more manifest argument, as I sayd before yt our fayth is rygh…, true & lyueth, than whan it produceth and bryngeth for the good workes, euen …s there is not a more manifest probacion, that a tree is good, than by the bryngynge forth of good frute. I faythfull man therfore is not cō pared without a cause of the Psalmographe,Psal. i. to a tree planted by the ryuers syde, which bryngeth forthe … fruyte in due season. I beynge … a frtefull Olyue tree, saythe Dauid,Psal. ii. in the house of GOd, hauehave trusted in the mercy of god for euer … euer. A christen man is compared to a grene Olyue, for he is euer full of fruyte and neuer barren, all waye grene & neuer seare, …er workyng, and neuer idle. He yt truly beleueth, hath no nede of lawes to cō pell hym to do good workes,i. …. i as the scripture sayth, the lawe is not gyuen vntounto a ryghteous man, but vntounto the vnrighteous & disobediēt. &c. For of hys owne fre wyll (s… lyuyshe and myghty in operacion i… faythe) whan God gyuethe an occasion, he wyll bryng forth good workes, euen the frutes of faythe vntounto …he glory of God and the health of h…s neyghbour. The sonnes of God are not cō tent to syt ydle,Chrysostōe sayth Chri…ostome, but the spirite prouokethe them to take some great and commendable worke in hande. Hereto agreeth the sayenge of S. Gregory,Gregory. The louelove of GOD is neuer idle, for it worketh great thynges, if it be ye louelove of God in dede, but if it cease the to worcke, than is it no louelove. The vnfaythfull is lyke vntounto a dead stocke, which brī geth forth no frute at all, but is vnprofitable altogyther, and therfore shall he be hewen downe and cast into hell fyre.Math. iii. To be shorte in this matter, they that are frutefull & bryng forthe good workes, pertayne vntounto the chyrche of God, and they whych are vnfrutefull, and bryng forth no good workes, belong vntounto ye chyrche of the Dyuell (for there is a double chyrche) and shall be cursed as the …ygge tree was.Math. xxi.
Fortely, we ought to do good wor…es, that we may wynne our neygh…our also vntounto Christ,i. Pet. iii. as S. Peter …ryteth: you wiues be ye obediēt to our husbandes, yt they also, whiche …hey not the worde, maye be wonne …y the conuersacion of theyr wyues …ythout the worde, whyle they consydre your chaste and pure conuersacion ioyned wyth reuerence. For as christ came not īto thys world to wynne the fauoure of hys eternall father for hymself, but what so euer he dydde, was done for vsus, so in lyke māner what so euer we do, we must do it also for oure neyghboures to wynne thē vntounto Christ, to make th / … professours of Christes Gospell, an… the perfecte chyldrē of GOD our father. Let that same affecciō be in you, saythe S. Paule, that was in Christ Iesus, whyche beynge in the shape of God, thought it no robber to be equall wythe God. Neuerthelesse he made hymselfe of no reputacion, and toke on hym the shape of … seruaunt, and became lyke vntounto in & was founde in the figure as a mā He humbled hym selfe & be…ame obe…dient vntounto the death, euē the death of the crosse.
Fyftely we must do good workes, that the mouthes of ye vngodly may be stopped,i. Petre. ii. as S. Peter sayth, thys is the wyll of God, that by well doyng ye shulde stoppe the mouthes of folysh and ignorant parsonnes. Do all thynges wythout murmurynge and disputyng,Phili. ii. sayth S. Paul, that ye maye be fautlesse and pure, and the sonnes of God wythout rebuke in the myddes of a croked & peruerse nacion, among whome, se yt ye shyne as lyghtes in the worlde, holdynge faste the worde of lyfe. Uerely if it ware euer expedient, that Christen mē shoulde lede a godly lyfe, it is at thys tyme moost necessary. For whā the aduersaries of Goddes trueth se them yt professe the Gospell of Christ lyue dissolutely, not fast, not praye, not gyue almes, not mortify the affectes of the fles…he, but lead a more vngodly lyfe, thā the other sorte do, than blaspheme they the gospel, thā call they the worde of God heresye, than hate they extremely, persecute presonne, condemne and vtterly destroye so many as clea… purely to ye doctrine of christ. And all this come to passe thorowe the wyckednes and vngodly conuersacion of the grosse Gospellers, the raylyng readers of the scripture, the …aye l…ke ianglers of Gods worde, and br…yneles bablers of ye gospell, whych …able muche of gods trueth, and yet …yue no part therof. Oh what a great hinderaūs is this to goddes moo… holy word… God giuegive vsus grace, both to louelove and lyue the gospell.
Finally we ought to do good workes, seynge it is none …nprofitable seruice, neyther shal our laboure be loste in so doynge, but we shall hyghly be rewarded for doynge of them, not only in thys world…, but muche … plēteously in ye worlde to come:Math. v. Reioyse and be mery, saythe Christ to all that do good workes, for great is your rewarde in heauen. Agayne he that receaueth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet, he shall receaue the rewarde of a Prophet. And he yt receauethe a ryghteous man in the name of a righteous man,Math. x Luke. x. he shall receaue ye rewarde of a righteous mā. And who so euer shal gyue to one of these lytle ones a cuppe of colde water to dryncke onelyonly in the name of a disciple,Ma…. ix. Gala. vi. verely I saye vntounto you, he shall not loose his rewarde. Also in another place, who so euer shal giuegive to you a cuppe of water to dryncke in my name, because ye are of Christ …erely I saye vntounto you, he shall not loose his rewarde. EueryEvery man shall beare his owne burdē.ii. Cor. v. Al of vsus must stonde opēly before ye iudgyng place of Christ, yt eueryevery one maye receaue accordynge to that,…. xiiii. whiche he dydde whan he was alyue, whyther it be good o… euell. Christ the sonne of mā shall come in the glory of his father wyth his Aungelles,… and than shall he gyue to eueryevery one accordynge to theyr workes. The hour commethe in the whiche all that are in the graues shall heare the voyce of Christ,… & they that hauehave done good, shal come forth into the resurreccion of lyfe, & they that hauehave done euel into the resurreccion of damnacion. To them that hauehave done the workes of mercy shall euerlastynge glory be gyuen at the day of iudgement,… & to ye vnmercifull, eternall damnacion. So that they which do good workes in thys worlde, shall receaue a glorious and euerlastynge rewarde in the worlde to come.… Of this had …. Paule a certen assuraūce, whan he sayd, I hauehave …ought a good fyghte, and hauehave fulfylled my course, and hauehave kepte the sayth. From henseforth is layde vp for me a crowne of ryghteousnesse, whyche the Lorde, yt is a ryghteous Iudge, shall gyue me at that daye, not to me onelye, but vntounto all them, that louelove his commynge.
Thus muche hauehave I spokē cōcernynge good workes, & here hauehave ye now your new yeres gyft cōplete & ꝑfecte.
Theo.
Blyssed be God for thys our new yeres gyfte, which is more precious thā golde, perle, & precious stone, god mought gyue you an heauēly gyfte for this your newe yeres gifte, wherwt this day ye hauehave enryched vsus.
Phil.
The christē louelove & tēder affecciō, wherwt I louelove you all, hath moued me to do, that I hauehave done. If I hauehave done you ony pleasure to the reioysyng of your spirite, I am glad. If I hauehave not in al poyntes satisfyed your desyre & expectaciō, yet accepte my good wyll. For he is not altogyther to be blamed, whiche entendeth well, although all thynges do not thorowlye answere to his intent. Well neyghbours I wyll now knyt vp in few wordes, that I hauehave sponne in many, & shewe you breuely the whole effecte of your new yeres gyfte. Ye hauehave learned, ye Christ is the gyfte of God, frely gyuen you of God the father for your newe yeres gyfte.… So that not only he, but all that euer he hath, in asmuche as he is man, is ours, his fastyng, watchyng, prayenge, hys mercye, goodnes, purite, innocency, hys pashon, bloude, deathe, resurreccion, and all yt euer he hath besydes. All is …ures. God hath gyuen vsus all thyng with hym, as S. Paule sayth. This gyft of God Christ our new yere… gyfte hath appeared no more by ty…es,Rom. viii. figures, clowdes and shadowes, but in his flesh.Heb. iiii. He hath taken flesh of ye moost holye and pure virgine Mary and is become very man for oure sake, lyke vntounto vsus in al thynges, syn alone excepte. And yt we maye … that he is a precious gyfte vntounto vsus, he bryngeth helth vntounto all menne,Ioh…l. …. Act. ii Rom x. Act. …. not onelyonly vntounto the Iewes, but also to the Gentiles, so that who so euer calleth on the name of the Lorde, he shall be saued, be he Ieweor Gētile, free or bonde, noble or vnnoble. For he is thalone sauiour. None saueth but he alone, nether is there ony saluaciō but in hym alone, nor yet ony name gyuē vntounto men vnderunder heauē wherin they muste be saued, but in his name alone. Moreouer ye hauehave lerned that he is not only a sauiour & bryngeth saluacion to al men, but he is also a scholemaster vntounto vsus. For he teacheth vsus, yt fyrst we shulde deny vngodlynes & worldly lustes, and afterwarde lyue soberly, ryghteously and godlye in thys …esent world. What so euer vice hath reyg…ned in vsus ī times past, we must now vtterly put it awaye fr…m vsus, were it Idolatry, false worsh…ppynge of God, supersticion, confidence in ceremonies, despisyng of Gods word, swearyng by hys moost blyssed name, brekīg of ye saboth d…y, &c. or els vnclēnes, carnall affectes, worldly lustes, dyuellysh mociōs, whordome theafte, couetousnes, dronckēshyp, glotonny, wrathe, contenciō, bloud sheddynge, &c. and ga…nysshe oure lyues wythe all kynde of vertues,Gala …. sobriete, iustice, godlynes, purite, innocency, pacience, longe sufferynge, charite, peace, goodnes, fayth, temperaunce, mekenes, and wyth al the… other frutes of the spirite, that … good consciences and fre hartes we maye looke for that blessed hope and glorious appearyng of ye great God & our sauiour Iesus Christ, whiche wyllyngely and wythout ony compulsion gaue, no aungell nor man, but hym selfe for vsus, to redeme vsus from all vnrighteousnes, that is to saye, from all synne, …oth originall, mortal, veniall, or ony other, so that we repente, beleue, aske marcye and amende our synfull lyuyng, and to pourge vsus a peculiare people vntounto hymselfe, to do hym seruyce & none other, and euen suche, as wythoute any fayning or cloked holynes shuld be earneste followers, not of theyr … wylles, fansys and fleshly plesures, but of good workes, euē such workes as God commaundeth and … accepted be fore hym, & not such …s dame Good entent, and her self or … zele imaginethe and … of theyr own braynes without …he authorite of Goddes worde.
Thus hauehave ye neighbours in … workes, that ye receaued before in many. What nowe re…yneth, but that, seyng God the father hath shewed vsus so great kyndenesse by hys sonne Iesus Christ, we do, as ye new yeares gyfte teacheth vsus, that is … saye, deny vngodlynes and … lustes, lyue soberly, righteously and godly in thys present …ld, and be earnest followers of good workes▪ we may with a good conscience and mery harte looke for ye blyssed hope and glorious apperyng of the great God and our sauiour Iesus Christ. Remēber that to be called a christ… man anauayleth no thyng, except… we lyue accordyng to our name and profession. Remember that to rede the scriptures, & to hauehave the knowledge of them, profyteth nothyng at all, excepte we fashon our lyfe … dyng to the doctrine therof. Remē ber that to crake of sayth & of oure …ustificacion by it, is nothing to the purpose, except we brynge forth the frutes of fayth. Remember that to glory of our saluacion purchased by Christ auaylethe nothynge, excepte me chaunge our olde lyuyng and become newe men. Remember that al the benefites of christ serue only for them, whych repent, beleue and lead a godly and innocent lyfe. All other as they hauehave no parte of christ, so remayne they styl ye bond captiues of Satā, and shall, if they amend not, be committed vntounto hel fyre for euer more. Therfore neyghboures take bede, refuse not to walke in ye lyght of Goddes worde. Walke whyle ye hauehave lyght, lest darkenes ouerwhelme you. Whyle ye hauehave lyghte beleue in the lyght,Ioan. xii. that ye maye be the chyldrē of lyght. Whyle ye hauehave tyme, do good vntounto all men. Nyght shall come, whā no man shall be able to worke. Now is the tyme of grace now is the tyme of health.Esaye. xlix. …. Cor. vi. Math. xx. Math. xxv. Therfore neyghbours stonde not idle all day, worke manfully in the Lordes vine yearde. Be not lyke vntounto that vnprofitable seruaunt, whyche hydde vp the treasure of hys master in the grounde, vnlesse ye be caste into the vtter darkenes, where wepyng and gnasshyng of teth shal be, but apply the talēt,Math. xxi. Marke. xi. that ye hauehave receaued vntounto the glory of god and the profyt of your neighbour. Be not barren and vnfrutful as the fyg tree was, vnlesse ye also be cursed.Math. xxv. Be not lyke ye fyue …olysh virgins, whych had lampes & no oyle in thē, & therfore could not they enter into the mariages wt ye Brydegrōe, but were speared out. Be not lyke ye grosse & vnthākful Iewes,Exod. xvi.xvii. Num. xx. which whā they were delyuered out of Egypt ye house of bōdage, desired to be ther agen amōg ye grecy …esh pottes. Be not lyke to Lothes wyfe,Gene. xix. whiche looked backe vntounto the …ylthy Sodomites, but be lyke vntounto Christ, and so many as be the followers of hym,i. Cor. xi. Titus. ii. Philip. i. as S. Paule sayth, Be ye the followers of me, as I am of Christ. Be earnest followers of good workes. Walke worthy ye gospell of Christ, and so shewe your selues faythefull in all thynges, that ye may garnysh the doctrine of god oure sauioure. What shulde I saye more vntounto you? Be faythfull vntounto the deathe,Apoc. ii. that the crowne of lyfe maye be giuē vntounto you. For he that continuethe vntounto the ende, he shall be safe. And here also I make an end desyryng you by the rēder marcyes of God,Roma. xii. ii. Cor. vi. and by the precious bloude of Iesus Christ our Sauiour, that ye receaue not the grace of God in vayne, but so behaue your selues in all thynges, as it becomethe the seruauntes of GOD. So maye ye be sure to receaue the crowne of lyfe,Iaco. … whyche the Lorde hath promised to so many as louelove hym. Amen. Nowe neyghbours here hauehave ye your new yeares gyfte, although homely, yet godly. If it had lyghen in my power better to hauehave gyuen you, better ye shoulde hauehave had. But I praye you accepte my good wyl for this tyme. If God at another tyme gyue me better, be ye sure, that ye shall not want youre parte of it.
Euse.
Neyghbour Philemon we thāke your right hartely, and we agayne vntounto the vttermoost of oure power, gyue bothe our selues and all that euer we hauehave vntounto you, not only to desyre but also to commaund.
Phil.
I knowe the good hartes of you all towarde me. I praye you vouchesafe to come wt me into my haull, & we wyll dryncke …d be mery togyther in GOD, as … tyme of the yeare and the common custome require.
Theo.
We followe you gladly. Blyssed be GOD for our newe yeres gyft. CHRISTOPHER AMEN.
¶Gyue the glory to God alone.