Fifty Sermons Containing the Chief Points of the Christian Religion — Henrich Bullinger

Fifty Sermons Containing the Chief Points of the Christian Religion · Henrich Bullinger

¶ Of Repentaunce, and the cauſes thereof, of Confeſsion and remiſsion of ſinnes, of ſatiſfaction and indulgences, of the olde and newe man, of the power or ſtrength of men, and the other thinges perteining to Repentaunce.

The Seconde Sermon.

I Promiſed in my laſt Sermon, that I made of the Goſpell of IESUS Chriſte, to adde a diſcourſe of Repē taunce, which by the helpe of GOD, and your good prayers, I purpoſe in this Sermon for to perfourme.

They amonge the Latines are To repentſayde to repent, which are agreeued at, or aſhamed of the thing that they hauehave done. Thou haſt done a good turne, and thinckeſt him vnworthie of it, for whome thou haſt done it, and for that cauſe arte ſorie to thy ſelfe: that ſorrowe of thine is repentaunce. Wee Germans call it Denriiwen. The Gréekes doe name it Metanoeam. Nowe, they which are ſkilful of y^• toung, ſaye that foreign ſignifieth to bethinke afterwarde: ſo that Metanoea is there properly vſed, where a man hauing once ſlipped, by dooynge ſome thing fooliſhelye, doth notwithſtanding at length come to himſelfe againe, and verily purpoſe to correcte his owne errour. It is thērfore referred, not to the thought of the minde onelyonly, but alſo to the deed done. For he, that perceiueth that he hath offended, doth deuiſe with himſelfe how to amend it. So now the thing beginneth to diſpleaſe thée, which before did pleaſe thée: ſo nowe thou eſchueſt the thing, that before thou enſuedſt. Moreouer the Hebrues call Repentaunce Theſchuah, that is a conuerſion, or returning to the right way, or minde againe. The Metaphore ſéemeth to bée taken of them, whiche once did ſtraye from the right path, but doe againe at lengthe returne into the way. Which word is tranſlated to the minde, to the maners, and déedes of men.

But nowe this word is diuerſly vſed. … of … worde …For Repentaunce ſignifieth the chaunging of the purpoſe once conceiued, or of any other thing. For by Ieremie the Lord ſayeth: If they turne from euill, I will alſo repente mee of the euill, whiche I ment to lay vppon them. Therefore God doth then repent, … it is.when he chaungeth his purpoſe: he repenteth not, when he doth not alter it. Paule ſayeth: The giftes and calling of God are without repentaunce. And Dauid ſaid, The Lord hath ſworne, and will not repent. Elſe-where Repentaunce is figuratiuely attributed to God like to the affection of mortall men: as when hee ſayeth, It repenteth mee that I hauehave made man. For God of his owne nature doeth not repent as men doe, ſo that hée ſhould be touched with griefe, and that the thing ſhould now miſlike him, which hee before did like off, but he doeth barely alter that, whiche hee hath done. Amonge Eccleſiaſticall writers they are ſaid to repent, which after a preſcribed manner of puniſhment doe penaunce for their ſinnes, which they hauehave cōmitted. The ſcripture in an other place doth vſe it for y^e whole effect and matter of the Goſpel: For in the Actes wee read that God gaue to the Gentiles repentaunce vntounto life. But we in this diſputation of ours, will vſe Repentaunce for a conuerting or turning to the Lord, for the acknowledging of ſinns, for the griefe conceiued for ſinnes committed, for mortification, and the beginning to leade a newe life, and finally for the chaunge, correction, and amendement of y^e life from euil to better: that which we Germanes call Bekeerung, Enderung oder Beſſerung.

And as diuerſly too is Repentance What repentance is.defined of the Eccleſiaſticall writers: howbeit all agrée that it is a conuerſion or turning to the Lord, and an alteration of the former life and opinion. We therefore do ſay, that Repentaunce is an vnfeigned turning to God, whereby wee being of a ſincere feare of God once humbled, doe acknowledge our ſinnes, & ſo by mortifying our old man, are afreſh renued by the ſpirite of God. This definition doeth conſiſt vppon her partes, whiche being ſomewhat more largely opened and diligently expounded, wil declare vntounto vsus and laye before oure eyes y^e whole nature of Repentaunce.

Firſt we ſay that Repentaunce is Conuerſiō to God.an vnfeigned turning vntounto God. For I will hereafter ſhewe you that there are two ſorts of Repentaunce, to wit, feigned, and vnfeigned. And the Apoſtle Peter ſayeth, Repent and turne, that your ſinnes may be blotted out, expounding as it were the firſt by the laſt, to witt, Repentaunce, by Returning (he meaneth) to him from whom they had turned themſelues away.

For there is a certeine relation béetwixt turning to, and turning fro. If thou hadſt neuer turned away, then hadſt thou had no néed to hauehave turned to againe. But we hauehave all turned away from the true, iuſt and good God, and from his holy will, vntounto the diuel and our owne corrupt affections. And therfore muſt we againe turne vsus frō the diuel, and from oure old naughtie life and will, vntounto the liuing God, and his moſt holy will and pleaſure. Wee do here ſignificantly ſay To God, and not To creatures, or any help of man. For the Lord in Ieremie, doeth ſay: If Iſrael, thou wilt returne, returne to me. Whoſoeuer therfore do not turne to God, nor make themſelues conformable to his holy wil, how ſoeuer they do turne to creatures, & other meanes of mans inuention, yet are they not to be eſtéemed or counted penitents.

Nowe there is none ſo blinde, but ſéeth that for the ſtirring of vsus vpp to repentaunce, the preaching or doctrine The doctrine of veritie is needful to repentanceof the trueth is néedeful and requiſite, to teache vsus what God is, to whome wée muſt bee turned: what the goodneſſe & holineſſe is, to which wee muſt bee turned: whoe the diuel is, & what the euill & wickedneſſe is, from which wee muſt be turned: and laſtly what the thing is, that muſt be amended in oure minde and life, and alſo howe it muſt be altered and amended. Truely the Prophetes and Apoſtles of y^e Lord in exhorting men vntounto repentaunce doe traueile much, and ſticke verie long in deſcribing of Gods nature, goodneſſe, righteouſneſſe, trueth and merciemercy, in painting out the lawes and offices of the life of man: and in accuſing and heaping vp the ſinns of men, wherevnto they add the gréeuous and horrible tokens of Gods iuſte iudgements: as is in eueryevery place of the Prophets writings to be found very rifely. And therefore ſome there are, whiche bidd vsus euen nowe to preache the lawe to thoſe men, whome we would drawe vntounto repentaunce: which thing as I doe not gaineſay, but very well like it, ſo do I with-al admoniſh them that the preaching of the Goſpell alſo doeth obiecte to men their ſinnes, and gréeuouſly accuſe them. For the Lord in the Goſpel ſayeth, When the holy Ghoſte commeth, it ſhall argue the world of ſinne, becauſe they beleeued not in mee. Whervppon S. Peter in the Actes of the Apoſtles, vpbrayding to the Iewes their ſinnes committed, and preaching vntounto them Chriſte and faith in Chriſt, exhorteth them vntounto repentaunce. The places are very well knowen. Actes. 2. and 3. S. Paule going about to drawe the Athenie…s vntounto Repentaunce, doth ſay: God, who hath hetherto winked at the times of this ignoraunce, doth now preach to al men eueryevery where that they ſhould repent, becauſe hee hath appointed a day in which he wil iudge the world with righteouſneſſe through Chriſt. Let them therefore, to whome charge is giuen to drawe men vntounto repentaunce, learne heere to vſe much libertie and wiſedome that all men maye acknowledge their ſinne, and y^e greatneſſe of their iniquitie. Moreouer God doeth ſtirre vpp men to repentaunce, not by his woord onelyonly, but alſo by diuers afflictions, and ſundrie ſortes of puniſhments. Yea, all the calamities that happen in the world are certeine Sermons, as it were, perſuading and drawing vsus vntounto repentaunce. For that I maye in ſilence ouerpaſſe that which is written in the Prophets, did not our Lord himſelfe in the Goſpell, when he heard tidings of the ſlaughter which Pontius Pilate had made vponupon the Galilęans, and the death of the 18. men vponupon whom y^e tower in Siloc fel, preſently ſay: Thincke ye that they were greater ſinners than the reſt? No verilie: but vnleſſe ye repent, ye ſhall all likewiſe periſh. It is aſſuredly certeine therefore, that warre, famine & plagues doe alwayes inuite vsus vntounto repentaunce, that is, they premoniſhe vsus by laying ſinne aſide to be conuerted vntounto God, and wholie to giuegive our ſelues to ſincere integritie.

But in vaine is repentaunce preached … feare … God to ….vntounto vsus, vnleſſe by feare & trembling conceiued in our minds, we doe reuerendly dread the wrath & iudgement of Almightie God conceiued againſt vsus becauſe of oure ſinnes and wickedneſſes. Now this feare is outwardly ſtirred in vsus by the externall preaching or diſcipline of the miniſter as I told you before, but that external doctrine auaileth nothing alone, vnleſſe inwardly, that is, in our hearts, we be moued by the holy ſpirit of our heauenly father. And therefore Ieremie in his Lamentations, cryeth: Turne vsus, O Lord, and we ſhalbe turned. And in the 31. Chap. Turne thou me, O Lord, and I ſhalbe turned: beecauſe thou art the lord my God. And after I was turned, it repented mee of euill. Wée read that S. Peter being prouoked by the wordes of the damſel that kept the doore, and of the ſouldiers did foulie denie his maſter Chriſt: but being reuoked at the cockes crowing, he repented his fault or folly from the bottome of his heart. And yet it was not the crowing of the cocke of it ſelfe alone that ſtirred that motion in him, but that and the woord of Chriſte together, who had ſaid vntounto him: Verilie I ſaye vntounto thee, the cocke ſhall not crowe, till thou haſt denied mee thrice. Wherevppon S. Matt. ſayeth, And Peter remembred the wordes of the Lord which had ſayed vntounto him, Before the cock crowe thou ſhalt denie me thrice, &c. With theſe alſo is ioyned a more ſecrete touching of Peters mind. For the good Lord touched the heart of Peter, as the Euangeliſte teſtifieth, ſaying: And the Lord turning himſelfe about, loked vponupon Peter. That loking back of y^e Lord made Peters hart to melt, and drue it from the deſtruction wherinto it was about to fall. Therefore if our cares be pierced with the woord of God, and oure heartes touched with his holie ſpirite, then ſhall wee like true penitents vnfeignedly reuerence & dread the Lord.

And therewithall being humbled Our humbling and acknowledging of our ſinnes.before the moſt iuſt & holy God whom we with our ſinnes do ſo much offend and prouoke to wrath & indignation, we confeſſe his iudgment to be iuſt againſt vsus, and fréely acknowledge all the ſinns and iniquities y^t in the word of God are obiected againſt vsus, crying out, and ſaying with the Prophetes: Thou verily, O Lord, art righteous, thou art true, & thy iudgements iuſt: but wee are moſt vnrighteous, lyers, wicked, and wholie ouerwhelmed with deteſtable iniquities. There is nothing ſound or ſincere within vsus. All that wee hauehave is corrupt and miſerable. Wee hauehave ſinned, wee hauehave beene wicked, wee hauehave done vniuſtly, wee hauehave forſaken thee. Wee hauehave gaineſaid thy ſeruants the Prophets, we hauehave not obeyed the words of thy mouth. To thee therefore, O God, doeth righteouſnes belong, and to vsus wretches ſhame and confuſion. This humiliation & frée confeſſion of ſinnes doth God require of penitent ſinners: touching which I wil hereafter ſpeake ſomewhat more. For now I returne more fully to expound the feare of the Lord.

At this preſent I ſpeake of the ſyncere The feare of God is of two ſortes.feare of God: for we confeſſe that the feare of God is of two ſorts, ſincere and vnſincere. The ſincere feare of God is perceiued in the faithful, and is a godly reuerence, conſiſting in the louelove and honour of God. For the Prophete bringeth in God ſaying: The ſonne honoureth the father, and the ſeruaunt the maiſter. Therefore if I be a father, where is my honour? If a Lord, where is my feare? And Paule ſayeth: Ye hauehave not receiued the ſpirite of bondage againe vntounto feare, but ye hauehave receiued the ſpirite of adoption, by which we crie Abba father. Therefore the ſincere feare of God, in them that doe repent, is not the ſeruile dread of puniſhment, but a carefull ſtudie mixt with the louelove and honour of God. An honeſt wife feareth her huſband, and a gratious daughter feareth her father, & yet ech of them doeth therewithall louelove, the one her father, the other her huſband, and doeth with an holy louelove indeuour herſelfe to kéepe his fauour, & feare, leaſt at any time ſhe ſhould do any thing to looſe it. And therefore penitents do not only feare, becauſe they knowe being taught by the ſpirite of God, that they hauehave committed ſinnes, for which they hauehave deſerued to be forſaken of the Lord: but doe alſo louelove him as their merciful father, and are therefore ſorie with all their heartes for their ſinnes committed, and doe aboue al thinges moſt ardently require to be reconciled againe to their mercifull GOD and louing father.

For with this ſincere feare of God is ioyned the griefe or ſorrowe, which Sorrow to God ward.is conceiued by the ſpirite of God for our ſinnes that we commit. S. Paule maketh mention of two ſortes of ſorrowes. The ſorrowe that is to Godward, ſayeth he, doth bring forth repentaunce not to be repented of, but contrarilie the ſorrowe of the world bringeth death. The king and Prophete Dauid ſorrowed to Godward, when he cried: Thine arrowes ſticke faſt in mee, and thy hand doth preſſe me ſoare. There is no whole part in my fleſh, becauſe of thy diſpleaſure: there is no reſt in my bones by reaſon of my ſinne. And ſo forward as is to be ſéene in the 38. Pſalme. Whiche, althoughe it were written of his gréeuous diſeaſe or ſickeneſſe, doth yet notwithſtanding as it were in a ſhadowe ſhew vsus the great griefe, that is in the Saincts for offending their good and gratious father with their continuall ſinnes. To Godward was the ſinnful woman ſorie in S. Luke, who, falling proſtrate at the Lords héeles, did waſhe his féete with teares, and wyped them with her haire. To Godward was S. Peter ſorie, and wept, (as we read) ful bitterly for his offēce. The godly are greatly greued becauſe they doe ſo oftentimes offend ſo fouly, ſo good a God and gratious father. No woordes, I thincke, can poſſiblie expreſſe the griefe and ſorrowe that they conceiue. But the Prophete Ieremie deſcribing the contrarie affection of impenitent ſinners, doeth ſaye: Doe men fall ſo that they maye not riſe againe? Doeth any man go ſo aſtray, that he may not turne againe? Howe doth it happen then that this people of Hieruſalem is turned away ſo ſtubbornely? I gaue eare and hearkened, they ſpake not rightly: there was none that did repent him of his wickedneſſe, to ſay, what hauehave I done? Euerie one of them turned to his owne courſe, like a fierce horſe headlong to the batteile.

The worldly griefe is the ſorrowe of ſuch men, as knowe not God, & are without faith & the true louelove of God, yea of ſuch, as yéeld vnderunder the burthen of ſorrowe, aduerſities & verie ſinnes. Like to this alſo in a maner is the cō ſideration of the vnſincere feare of God. For the wicked with their head the diuel do feare God, not as a father, whome they are ſorie to offend, and to whome they deſire to be reconciled as to a father, but as a tormentour, béecauſe they knowe that he wil reuenge their euill déedes. And therefore with Iudas they runne to the roape. There is in them no louelove of God, no honour, no goodwill, no reuerence, but meere hatred, horrour, and vtter deſperation: But ſuch feare the Apoſtle and Euangeliſte Iohn denied to bee in charitie, ſaying that perfect charitie caſteth out all feare: I meane not that feare of the Lord, that is y^e beginning of wiſedome, but that, of which I hauehave ſpoken all this while, the feare, I meane, that is in the diuel, and wicked men his members.

And nowe by this we gather, that … is … in … that ….vntounto penitentes faith in God and the merite of Chriſt is moſt of all and eſpecially néedeful. In which ſenſe it is, I thincke, that many hauehave made faith a part of repentaunce: which as I do not greatly denie, ſo yet doe I ſée that S. Paul made, as it were, a difference betwixte faith and repentance, when in the 20. of the Actes hee ſayeth: that hee witneſſed both to the Iewes and Gentiles the repentaunce that is toward GOD, and the faith in Ieſus Chriſt. Therefore repentaunce and faith, ſéeme to be diuers: not that true repentaunce can be without faith, but becauſe they muſt bee diſtinguiſhed & not confounded. Wée doe all knowe that true faith is not without workes (as that, whiche of neceſſitie ſheweth forth good woorkes) and yet wee make a difference betwixt faith and works, ſo yet that we do not ſeparate them or rend the one from the other: and in like manner wee acknowledge that true faith and true repentaunce are vndiuidedly knit together, and cloſely faſtened the one to the other. I wil not ſtand in argument whether faith be a part of repentaunce, or doth by any other meanes depend vppon it. It ſéemeth to me a notable point of follie, to goe about to tye matters of Diuinitie to precepts of Logicke. For we learne not that of the Lords Apoſtles. I admoniſhed you before in a Sermon of the Goſpel (which thinge I do here repeate againe) that the acknowledging of ſinnes doeth not of it ſelfe obteine grace or forgiueneſſe of ſinnes: euen as the bare acknowledging of a diſeaſe is not the remedie for the ſame. For euē damned men alſo do acknowledge their ſinnes, and yet are not therefore healed. The acknowledging of ſinne is a certaine preparatiue vntounto faith: as y^e acknowledging of a diſeaſe, doth miniſter occaſion to thincke vppon a remedie. To this at this preſent wee add, that not the verie feare of God, howe ſincere ſoeuer it bée, not the verie ſorrowe conceiued for oure ſinnes how great ſoeuer it bée, nor the verie humiliation howe ſubmiſſe ſoeuer it bee, doe of themſelues make vsus acceptable to god, but rather that they prepare an entraunce & make a waye for vsus vntounto the knowledge of Chriſte, and ſo conſequently doe leade vsus to Chriſte himſelfe being incarnate and crucified for vsus, and our redemption, and lay vsus vppon Chriſt alone by him to be quickened and purely cleanſed. For he that is truly conuerted to God, is vtterly turned from himſelfe and all hope of worldly ayde. Who ſo doth truely feare God, and is ſorie in very déede from the bottome of his heart, he doeth feare and is ſorie for his ſinnes committed, and not for that alone, but becauſe he findeth himſelfe to be corrupted wholy, and to hauehave in himſelfe no ſoundneſſe or integritie: yea, becauſe he reuerēceth God as his father, he doth diſcloſe to him his wounds as to a Cheirurgian, deſiring inſtantly to be recōciled to him as to his louing father. And wheras here true godlineſſe doeth crie, that no man can be reconciled to God the father, but by the onelyonly begotten ſonne: the penitent doeth by faith lay hold on the ſonne and ſo ſéeke the meanes of his recōciliation. Faith is grounded vppon the onelyonly grace or merciemercy of GOD exhibited to vsus in Chriſt Ieſus, and the penitent beléeneth y^t he is accepted of God for Chriſt his ſake alone: and therfore he maketh his ſupplications to God, committing himſelfe wholy vntounto his merciemercy, as we read that Dauid, & the prodigal ſonne in the 15. cap. of S. Lukes Goſpell did. To this place might bee annexed the doctrine of the Goſpell, of faith in Ieſus Chriſt, & of the remiſſion of ſinnes, touchinge whiche I hauehave alreadie ſpoken.

And héere I thincke it not amiſſe, Sinnes are fully and ſurely forgiuen vntounto penitents.that the mindes of penitents muſt by all meanes bee confirmed with many and euident places of ſcripture plainly vttered concerning the full remiſſion of ſinnes, to the end that hereafter wee hauehave no ſcruple of conſcience, to cauſe vsus to deſpaire or doubt in oure temptations. Wherein notwithſtanding I repeate againe and againe this note to be thoroughly marcked, for the confirmation of the glorie of the onelyonly begotten ſonne of God our lord Chriſt Ieſus, that penitent ſinners hauehave their ſinnes remitted, not for their repentaunce, in reſpecte that it is oure worke or action, but in reſpecte that it comprehendeth the renuing of man by the holy Ghoſt and true faith, whiche deliuereth vsus to Chriſt our Phyſician, that he may heale all our diſeaſes, and bynde vp al our griefes. And although this treatiſe doeth properly belonge to the common place of faith, and the Goſpell, of which I hauehave ſo briefly, as I could, alreadie diſcourſed, yet notwithſtanding I wil heere recite ſome euident ſentences touching the grace of GOD, and frée remiſſion of oure ſinnes.

Dauid in the hundreth and thirde Pſalme, ſayeth: Praiſe the Lord, O my ſoule, and forget not the thinges that hee hath done for thee: whiche forgiueth all thy ſinnes: and healeth all thine infirmities. Which ſaueth thy life from deſtruction: and crowneth thee with merciemercy and louinge kindneſſe. Hee hath not dealt with vsus after our ſinnes: nor rewarded vsus according to our wickedneſſe. For loke howe highe the heauen is in compariſon of the earth, ſo great is his merciemercy toward them that feare him. And looke how farre the Eaſt is from the Weſt: ſo farre hath hee ſett oure ſinnes from vsus. Yea, like as a father pitieth his owne children, ſo is the lord merciful to them that feare him. For hee knoweth that wee are fraile (proane to ſinne) & doth remember that we are but duſt.

Eſaie in the firſt Chapiter of his Prophecie, ſayeth: Thus ſayeth the Lord, Though your ſinnes bee as red as Scarlet, they ſhal bee made whiter then ſnowe: and thoughe they bee redd as purple, they ſhalbe made like vndied woll. Againe in the fourtie and thrée Chapiter, he bringeth in the Lord, ſaying: I, I am hee, that blott out the tranſgreſſions, and that for mine owne ſake, & I will not remember thy ſinnes.

In the 31. Chapiter of Ieremie, which ſaying is alſo alleged by Paule in the eighth and tenthe Chapiters to the Hebrues, the Lord ſayeth: This is my couenaunt, that I will make with them after theſe dayes. I wilbe mercifull vntounto their iniquities, and not remember their ſinnes any more.

In the 36. Chapiter of Ezechiel the Lord ſayeth: I will ſprinckle cleane water vppon you, and yee ſhall bee cleanſed from all your vncleanneſſe. A newe heart alſo will I giuegive you, & and a newe ſpirite will I put within you: as for that ſtonie heart, I will take it out of your fleſh, and giuegive you a fleſhie heart. I wil deliuer you from all your vncleanneſſes. But I wil not doe this for your ſakes, ſayeth the Lord, be ye ſure of it &c.

Daniel in his ninth Chapiter leaueth to vsus a manifeſt example of confeſſion of ſinnes, and doeth in expreſſe words ſay, that by the Meſſiah, ſinnes are forgiuen, iniquitie purged, and euerlaſting righteouſneſſe brought in, in ſtéed of it. So doth the Prophet …acharie in his thirde Chapiter affirme, that the iniquitie of the earth is purged by the onelyonly Sacrifice of Chriſte Ieſus.

The Lord in the Goſpell after S. Matthewe doeth ſay: They that are whole neede not the Phyſician, but they that are ſick. Neither did I come to call the righteous, but ſinners to repentaunce. And therefore is he called Ieſus, that is, a Sauiour. For the Angel ſaid: Hee ſhall ſaue his people from their ſinnes. And Sainct Paul to Timothie ſayeth: It is a ſure ſaying, and worthie by all meanes to be receiued, that Ieſus Chriſt came into the world to ſaue ſinners.

In the ſame Goſpel the Lord ſayeth: Euerie ſinne & blaſphemie ſhalbee forgiuen men: but blaſphemie againſt the holy Ghoſte ſhall not bee forgiuen men. And whoſoeuer ſhall ſay a word againſt the ſonne of man, it ſhall bee forgiuen him: but whoſoeuer ſpeaketh a word againſt the holy Ghoſt, it ſhall not be forgiuen him nether in this world, nor in the world to come. Concerning ſinne againſt the holy Ghoſt I hauehave alreadie ſpoken in another place. Nowe to this place doe belonge all the examples of that moſt liberall kinde of forgiueneſſe, whiche is expreſſed in the Goſpell, as for example, of the ſinnefull woman, Luke the ſeuenth. Alſo Iohn y^• fourth, and Matthew the eighth Chapiter. Of Zachee, Sainct Peter, and the théefe vppon the Croſſe. But who is able briefely to reckon them all? To this alſo doe apperteine the thrée parables in the Goſpell after the Euangeliſte Sainct Luke.

In the Goſpell after Sainct Iohn, the forerunner of the Lord doeth crie out ſaying: Behold the lambe of God, that taketh awaye the ſinnes of the world. And the Lord himſelfe did ſay to his diſciples: Whoſe ſinnes ſoeuer ye forgiue, they are forgiuen.

Peter the Apoſtle in the Actes doth crie and ſay: All the Prophets beare witneſſe to Chriſte, that whoſoeuer beleeueth in him ſhould by his name receiue remiſſion of his ſinnes. The ſame Apoſtle againe in his Epiſtle, ſayeth: Chriſt his owne ſelfe bare our ſinnes in his bodie vppon the Croſſe, 1. Pet. 2.that wee beeing dead to ſinne, might liue to righteouſneſſe: by whoſe ſtripes ye are healed.

The Apoſtle Paul in the 5. chap of his 2. Epiſtle to the Corinthians, ſaith God was in Chriſte reconciling the world vntounto himſelfe, not imputinge their ſinnes vntounto them. For him, that knewe not ſinne, hee made ſinne for vsus, that wee throughe him might bee made the righteouſneſſe of God. And in the tenthe to the Hebrues hee hath, Chriſt hauing offred one ſacrifice for ſinne, is ſet downe at the right hand of God for euer, from henceforth tarying till his foes bee made his footeſtoole. For with one offering hath he made perfecte for euer them, that are ſanctified.

Moreouer, the bleſſed Apoſtle and Euangeliſte Iohn, doth no leſſe truely than euidently teſtifie, ſaying: The bloud of Ieſu Chriſt the ſonn of God, doth cleanſe vsus from all ſinne. And againe, And he is the propitiation for our ſinnes: not for ours only, but for the ſinnes alſo of the whole world.

But nowe moſt vaine, and the verie Againſt the Nouatians and Anabaptiſtes.meſſingers of ſathan himſelfe, are the Nouatians and Anabaptiſts, whiche feigne that wee are by baptiſme purged into an Angelicall life, whiche is not polluted with any ſpotts at all: but if it be polluted, then can hee, that is ſo defiled, looke for no pardon at all. For to paſſe ouer many other places of holy Scripture, was not S. Peter cō ſecrated to God in baptiſme? had hée not taſted of Gods good grace? After that notable confeſſiō which he made, the Lord ſaid vntounto him: Happie arte thou Simon Bar Iona, fleſh & bloud hath not reuealed this vntounto thee, but my father which is in heauen. Againe when the Lord demaunded of his diſciples, ſaying: Will ye depart alſo? Then Peter in the name of them all aunſweared, Lord to whome ſhal we goe▪ Thou haſt the words of eternall life: and wee beleeue and knowe that thou art Chriſte the ſonne of the liuing God. And yet this very fame Peter after his baptiſme and taſting of the grace of God, ſinneth notwithſtanding, and that too not lightly, in denying and foreſwearing his Lord and maiſter. Now was he, for this ſinne of his, altogether vnpardoneable? was his returne to God againe ſtopped vp by his ſtumbling? No verilie. For when he heard the cocke crowe, he remembred preſently the wordes of the Lord, hee deſcended into himſelfe, hee conſidered what hee had done, hee wept bitterly, and mourned lamentablie. And yet hee was not longe tormented in that griefe without conſolation. For the third day after, to the women which came to y^e Lords ſepulchre, it was ſaid by the Angels: Tell his diſciples & Peter, that he is riſen and goeth before you into Galilee. Loe here the Lord wil hauehave it knowen to Peter by name, that hee was riſen. And why to Peter by name? Becauſe forſooth he had ſinned more gréeuouſly than the other: not that the Lord did like of Peters ſinne, but becauſe hee would therby declare to vsus that penitents doe obteine forgiueneſſe of their ſinnes, ſo often as they do turne to the heauenly grace of God againe. And not many dayes after he reſtored Peter to the miniſterie againe, commending to him the charge of his ſhéepe. Moreouer the Lord in Ieremie ſpeaketh to the people of Iſrael, ſaying: If any man put away his wife, and ſhee marrie to an other man, will her firſt huſband turne to her againe? But is not this land defiled? Haſt thou not committed fornication with many? yet turne thee to me againe, ſayth the Lord. And the Galathians being once rightly inſtructed by y^e Apoſtle Paule, but after that ſeduced by the falſe apoſtles, reuolted from the trueth & preaching of the Goſpell: yet notwithſtanding they obteyned pardon. The Corinthians alſo after they had receyued grace, did wittingly & willingly ſinne in many things: but yet vppon repentaunce the Apoſtle Paule promiſed them forgiueneſſe of their ſinnes at y^e handes of the Lord. And what is more manifeſt than this, that all the ſaincts doe daily in earneſt and truly, not hypocritically, or falſely praye, ſaying: Forgiue vsus our treſpaſſes? They whiche praye thus, doe plainelye confeſſe that they are ſinners. And the Lord promiſeth to heare thoſe, that praye with faith, therefore euen thoſe ſinnes are forgiuen at the prayers of penitents, whiche are committed after the grace of God is once knowen and obteyned. Nowe the places in the Epiſtle to the Hebrues whiche the Nouatians alledge for the confirmation of their opinion, I hauehave in an other place ſo thoroughly diſcuſſed, that I neede not heere buſilie to ſtand longe vppon them.

But nowe to gather a ſumme of thoſe thinges, whiche I hauehave hetherto ſaid concerning repentaunce, let vsus ….hold that repentaunce is a turning to God, which, although hee doeth by his woord and other meanes ſtirre it vpp in vsus, is notwithſtanding eſpecially by the holy Ghoſte ſo wrought in vsus, that with feare wée louelove, and with louelove wee feare our iuſt God, and mercifull Lord, from whome wee were turned backe, being ſorie now withall oure heartes that wee with oure ſinnes did euer offende ſo gratious a father. For being humbled before his eternall and moſt ſacred maieſtie, we acknowledge the ſinnes that are obiected againſt vsus by the word of God: yea, we acknowledge that in vsus there is no integritie or ſoundneſſe: but doe hartily deſire to bee reconciled wyth God againe: and ſince that reconciliation cannot be otherwiſe made, than by the only mediatour the Lord Chriſt Ieſus, wee doe by faith laye hold on him, by whome wee, being acquited from all oure ſinnes, are reputed of God for righteous and holy. This benefite whoſoeuer doe ſincerely acknowledge, they cannot chooſe but hate ſinne, and mortifie the old man. I would therfore now add other members belōging to this treatiſe of repē taunce, to witt, the mortification of the old man, and the renuing of the ſpirite, were it not, that the very matter it ſelfe doth require to hauehave ſomewhat ſaid touching the confeſſion of ſinnes, and ſatiſfaction for y^e ſame. For ſome there are, that, when they ſpeake of Repentaunce, doe ſpeake ſomethings contrarie to the trueth. To the ende therefore, dearely beloued, that ye bée not ignoraunt what to thinke of theſe pointes according to the trueth, I will not ſticke to ſtay ſomewhile in the expoſition of the ſame. And I hope ye ſhall out of my woordes gather ſuch fruite, as ye ſhall not hereafter repent your ſelues of.

To confeſſe, or a Confeſſion is in the holy Scriptures diuerſely vſed. Of the cō feſſion of ſinnes.For it ſignifieth, to praiſe the Lord, and to giuegive him thanckes for the benefites, that wée receiue at his hands. And therefore Confeſſion is put for praiſe and thanckeſgiuing. For the Prophete ſayeth: O praiſe the Lord, for hee is good, and his merciemercy endureth for euer. Paule in his Epiſtle to Titus ſpeaking of hypocrites, ſayeth: In woordes they confeſſe that they knowe God, but in their deedes they denie him.

Heere, to confeſſe, doeth ſignifie to ſay, to profeſſe, or to boaſt. In an other place it is taken for to truſt, to ſtaye vppon Gods goodneſſe, and to teſtifie that confidence as well by woords as déedes. And in that ſenſe did Sainct Iohn vſe it in the fourth Chapiter of his firſt Epiſtle, and Paule in the 10. to the Romanes. Moreouer to confeſſe is, to giuegive glorie to God, and fréely to acknowledge thy ſinne, and the iudgement whiche is obiected to thée for thy ſinne. Solomon in the twentie eighth Chapiter of his Prouerbes ſayeth: Whoſoeuer hideth his iniquities (or doth as it were defend them) nothing ſhall goe well with him: but whoſo confeſſeth & forſaketh them, to him ſhalbe ſhewed merciemercy. The Hebrue tongue vſeth the woord Iadah for that, which wée call to confeſſe. Nowe Iadah ſignifieth to let ſlacke, or looſe, as when a bowe once bended is vnbended againe. And Modeh, which commeth of Iadah, is as if one ſhould ſay, confeſſing, yéelding, or graunting to be vāquiſhed. For God accuſeth vsus, and pleadeth vsus guiltie of ſinne, & indaungered to puniſhment: whiche our fleſh doth preſently acknowledge, but yet ſtandeth ſtiffe like a bended bowe, vntill at length when that ſtiffeneſſe is vnbended it doeth acknowledge eueryevery thing that God obiecteth againſt vsus: This acknowledging is called Modeh, that is a confeſſion. And we Germanes ſay, Es hat gelaſſen. Er hat geſchnellt, when we meane that any thing hath yéelded, or that a man hath at laſt confeſſed that, whiche hee did afore, either flattly denie, or elſe diſſemble.

But nowe confeſſion of ſinnes is Confeſſiō of ſinnes ordeined of God.of more ſortes than one. For the one is diuine, the other humane. I wil firſt ſpeake of the diuine confeſſion, then of the humane. Wee call that diuine, whereof there be euident teſtimonies or examples in the holy Scriptures, & whiche is inſtituted by God himſelfe. That is a frée acknowledging & flatt confeſſion of the ſinne, which God obiecteth againſt vsus, whereby we doe attribute all glorie to God, and to oure ſelues ſhame and confuſion, & therewithall doe craue pardon of God, and of our neighbour, againſt whome wée hauehave ſinned. Now ſinne is obiected to vsus by God himſelfe, who outwardly by the word, or the miniſterie of men, and ſometime by ſignes & wonders, and inwardly by the ſecrete operation of his holy ſpirit, doth plead vsus guiltie of ſinne, and indaungered to puniſhment, requiring of vsus a frée and voluntarie confeſſion of our ſinnes. For he liketh of a frée, and voluntarie, not a feigned or extorted confeſſion. Truly the citizens of Hieruſalem, and people of the Iewiſhe religion, did of their owne accord come to the baptiſme of Iohn, confeſſing their ſinnes, whiche Iohn in his preaching had obiected againſt them. And after the Aſcenſion of Chriſt into heauen, Sainct Peter accuſed the ſinnes of the Iewes: and immediately vppon the accuſation it followeth in the hiſtorie, When they heard this they were pricked in their heartes, and ſaid to Peter, and the other Apoſtles, Men & brethren what ſhal we doe? and ſo forth as followeth in the ſecond of the Actes. Likewiſe alſo the kéeper of the priſon at Philippos, féeling the earthquake ſprang out and being inſtructed with y^e Apoſtles wordes confeſſed his ſinnes, and was baptiſed. And the men of Epheſus whiche were giuen to Magicall arts, when they heard the calamitie, which the diuel brought vppon the ſonnes of Sceua their fellowes and practiſers in Magicke and ſorcerie, did feare exceedingly, and came and did confeſſe their ſinnes. VponUpon theſe cauſes for the moſt part doeth the confeſſion of ſinnes eſpecially ariſe.

Againe, of the confeſſion inſtituted by God, there are two ſortes, whereof …he con…ſſion … is … to …od.the one is made to God, y^e other to our neighbour. That which is made to god is either priuate, or publique. We do then make oure confeſſion to God priuately, when we diſburden our harts before God, open the ſecretes of oure heartes to him alone, and in acknowledging the ſinnes that are in vsus, doe earneſtly beſéech him to hauehave merciemercy vppon vsus. This confeſſion is neceſſarie to the obteyning of pardon for our ſinnes. For vnleſſe wée doe acknowledge oure owne corruption and vnrighteouſneſſe, we ſhall neuer by true fayth lay hold on Chriſt, by whome alone we are to be iuſtified. But heere wee thincke not that penitentes muſt haſten to any other confeſſour to confeſſe their ſinnes vntounto, but vntounto God alone. For he alone doth forgiue and blot out the offences of penitents. Hée is the Phyſician, to whome alone wée muſt diſcouer and open our wounds. Hée it is, that is offended with vsus, and therefore of him, wee muſt deſire forgiueneſſe and reconciliation. Hée alone doeth looke into our heartes, and ſearch oure reines, to him alone therefore we muſt diſcloſe our heartes. Hée alone calleth ſinners vntounto him: let vsus therefore make haſte vntounto him, proſtrate our ſelues before him, confeſſe our faultes vntounto him, and craue pardon for them of him.

This confeſſion, if it be made of a zealous minde to Godward, although it cannot be made by word of mouth by reaſon of ſonie impedimēt, or want of the tongue, is notwithſtanding acceptable to God, who doth not ſo much reſpecte the mouth, as the minde of man. On the other ſide if wee make confeſſion with the mouth, and in hart are not thoroughly bent to the ſame, although wee make that confeſſion to God or the high prieſt, yet doth not the Lord regard ſo vaine a confeſſion.

Concerning that true confeſſion to God I hauehave alreadie ſpoken, whereas in the definition of Repentaunce, I ſaid that penitentes doe acknowledge their ſinnes. Of whiche the Scripture doeth in many places ſubſtantially ſpeake. Dauid in the Pſalmes doeth pray ſaying: HaueHave merciemercy vppon mee, O God, according to the greatneſſe of thy merciemercy. For I acknowledge my ſinnes, and my ſinne is euer before mee. To thee alone hauehave I ſinned, and done euill in thy ſight. And ſo forth.

And in an other Pſalme: I hauehave made my fault knowen vntounto thee, & mine vnrighteouſneſſe hauehave I not hidd. I ſaid, I will confeſſe mine vnrighteouſneſſe vntounto thee againſt mee ſelfe, and thou haſt forgiuen the wickedneſſe of my ſinne. In the Goſpel the Lord teacheth to pray, and in prayer to confeſſe and ſaye: Forgiue vsus our debtes, as wee forgiue our debitours. And, when wée pray ſo, he biddeth vsus to goe aſide into oure Chamber, that oure heart, and the deuotion of our heartes may there appeare vntounto our heauenly father alone.

The prodigall ſonne did in the field, where none but ſwine alone were to bée ſéene, priuately both make and offer the confeſſion of his ſinne vntounto his father. And that Publicane in the Goſpell, which is compared with the Phariſeie, knocketh his breaſt and with a lamentable voyce doeth to him ſelfe confeſſe and ſay, Lord bee mercifull to mee a ſinner. Let vsus nowe alſo heare Iohn the holy Apoſtle and Euangeliſte, comprehending all, that maye bee truely ſpoken touching this confeſſion, in this one ſaying: If wee ſay, that wee hauehave no ſinne, wee deceiue our ſelues, & the truth is not in vsus. If wee confeſſe our ſinnes, God is faithfull and iuſt, to forgiue vsus our ſinnes, and to cleanſe vsus from all iniquitie. With this priuate confeſſion whiche is made to God, is that voluntarie confeſſion alwayes ioyned that is made before men. For penitents are humbled ſo often as the matter, y^e glorie of God, & ſafegard of our neighbour requireth, and doe before men openly teſtifie, that they hauehave ſinned vntounto God. For ſo Dauid, when Nathan y^e Prophete told him of his ſinne, cryed out ſaying: I hauehave ſinned to the Lord. So alſo Zacheus vnderſtanding that the Lord was vppbrayded for receyuing him, doeth openly confeſſe his ſinne, and promiſe amendement.

Wée verily do publiquely make our confeſſion to God ſo as I told you a litle aboue, but ſo much the rather yet, Publique or open confeſſionwhen after the hearing of the woord of trueth, wee doe after that publique or ſolemne maner either in y^e Church, or otherwiſe in ſome congregation or holy aſſemblie, recite our ſinnes committed, and crie to God for merciemercy and pardon of the ſame. Truely of old the Lord appointed in oure forefathers dayes, that the prieſte going before in woordes premeditated for the purpoſe, Leuit. 10.the whole people ſhould followe him woord for woord, and openly confeſſe their ſinns in the temple. Whervppon vndoubtedly it is at this daye receiued in the Church of the Chriſtians, that the paſtour or doctour of the Church going before in woordes conceined, at the end of the expoſition of the Scriptures, before the aſſemblie is dimiſſed, all the people ſhould openly in the temple confeſſe all their ſinnes againſt God, and hartily deſire him of his merciemercy to forgiue them the ſame. The publique confeſſions of ſinnes are notablie knowen whiche were made by Daniel, Eſdras, and Nehemias. And I ſay plainely that that was a publique cōfeſſion of ſinns, which Sainct Matthewe in his thirde Chapiter ſayeth that the Iewes did make. For all Iurie came out to Iohn the forerunner of the Lord, and were baptiſed of him in Iordane, cōfeſſing their ſinnes. For when they did publiquely receiue Baptiſme, then did they thereby declare and openly confeſſe their ſinnes. For baptiſme is the ſigne of y^e cleanſing of ſinnes: therfore they that are baptiſed, cōfeſſe that they are ſinners. They that were not baptiſed, thought themſelues to be otherwiſe purged, & that they néeded not any ſanctification.

The Epheſians did publiquely confeſſe Actes. 1▪their ſinns, when gathering their books of witchcraft together they burned them in y^e fire. For by the burning of thoſe bookes they did confeſſe, that they had committed wickedneſſe, that was to be purged with fire.

Nowe the confeſſion that is made to our neighbour is of this ſort: Thou haſt offended thy brother, or elſe hee Confe… that is made t… our ….perhappes hath done thee iniurie, for whiche ye are at diſcord, and doe hate one an other: in this caſe verilie ye muſt thincke of reconciliation: let the one therefore goe to the other, and confeſſe and aſke pardon for the fault committed, and let him, that is innocent in the matter, fréely forgiue him that confeſſeth his faulte, and ſo béecome his friend againe. Of this confeſſion the Apoſtle Iames ſpake, ſaying: Confeſſe your faultes one to an other, and pray one for an other, that ye may be healed. And our Lord and Sauiour did before Iames teache vsus, ſaying: If thou offereſt thy gifte at the altar (for hée ſpeaketh to thoſe, among whome at that time the ſacrifices of the law were yet in vſe:) & doſt remēber there, that thy brother hath any thing againſt thee, leaue there thy gifte before the altar, and goe thy wayes, firſt be reconciled to thy brother: and then thou mayeſt come and offer thy gift. To this alſo doeth belong that parable which the Lord putteth forth and expoundeth in the eighteenthe Chapiter after S. Matthewe, of him that was caſte into perpetuall priſon, becauſe when hee had found fauoure at his Lords hand, he was ouer cruell vppon his fellowe ſeruaunt, to whome hée would not forgiue ſo much as a farthing. For in the ſixte Chapiter after Sainct Matthewe the Lord ſayeth: If ye forgiue men their treſpaſſes, your heauenly father will alſo forgiue you. But if ye forgiue not men their treſpaſſes: no more will your father forgiue you your treſpaſſes. Not that, for our forgiuing of others, our ſinnes are forgiuen vsus. For ſo the forgiuenes of our ſinnes ſhould not bee frée, but ſhould come by oure merites, and as a recompence of oure deſertes. But now when our ſinnes are fréely forgiuen thorough faith, verily that vnreconcileable and harde heart is an aſſured argument, that there is no faith in a hard, ſtubborne, and vnappeaſeable man. But where there is no faith, there is no remiſſion. Therefore voluntarie forgiueneſſe in a man toward his neighbour, is not that, for whiche wee are forgiuen of God our father, but is an euidēt ſigne, and naturall fruite of true faith and the grace of God with-in vsus.

To theſe two kindes of confeſſion ſome men add that, whereby they, that Conſultation.are oppreſſed in conſcience with any gréeuous ſinne, doe conſulte or aſke counſell either of the Paſtoure of the Lords flocke, or elſe of ſome other that is experte and ſkilfull in the lawe of God. But that is rather to be termed a conſultation than a confeſſion. And it is in no place either commaunded or forbidden, and therefore lefte frée at eueryevery mans choice. Wherefore no man ought to bée compelled to this cō ſultation. But if any brother doe demaunde counſel either of the miniſter of the Churhc, or of any other priuate brother, then charitie commaundeth thée, to ſatiſfie him, if ſo bée that thou canſt. Yea, if he demaundeth not, and thou doeſt ſée thy brother to be in danger, charitie againe commaundeth thée to admoniſhe him that is ſo in daunger, and to handle him as a brother. For Paule to the Galathians ſayeth: Brethren, if a man be preuented in any fault, ye, whiche are ſpirituall, reſtore ſuch an one in the ſpirite of meckeneſſe: conſidering thee ſelfe leaſt thou alſo be tempted. Beare ye one an others burthen, and ſo fulfill the lawe of Chriſt. But this belongeth nothing to confeſſion, therefore wee returne to our purpoſe againe.

Thus muche hauehave wée hetherto Confeſsion of ſinnes ordeyned of men.ſaid touching the confeſſion of ſinnes, which God hath inſtituted. Now wee will annexe ſomewhat touching the confeſſion of ſinnes that men hauehave ordeyned. That confeſſion alſo is of two ſortes, the one is publique, rituall or ceremoniall, whiche for the moſt part they call foreign: The other Exhomologeſis.is priuate or ſecrete, & is called Auricular.

I call the publique confeſſion Rituall, not ſo much becauſe it is the acknowledging or confeſſion of ſinne, as for that it is the penitentiall action for the ſinne committed. For Iſidore the biſhoppe Libro, Etymol. 6. Cap. 18. ſayeth: Exhomologeſis is the diſcipline of proſtrating and humbling men in habite, in huing, to lye in ſacke and aſhes, to deface the bodie with filthe, to mourne & lament with a ſorrowfull minde, and thorough ſorrowe to amende that, wherein they ſinned before.

Theſe woordes of biſhop Iſidore I would not hauehave recited vntounto you, (déerely beloued) who is an authour not very famous, vnleſſe I had ſéene the ſame woordes in a manner to bée read in the booke whiche Tertullian wrote of Repentaunce: and vnleſſe I had found an example thereof in Euſebius, who in the fifte booke and laſt Chapiter of his Eccleſiaſticall hiſtorie I find him otherwiſe called Natalius.ſayeth: Natalis the martyre being ſeduced by heretiques, and at leng the vnderſtanding his errour, riſeth vpp in the morninge, and putting on a ſackecloth, ſprinckling himſelfe with aſhes, and with many teares bewayling his errour, caſting himſelfe proſtrate at the feete of Zephyrinus the biſhoppe, and all other, not Clearks onelyonly, but Laye-men alſo, with great lamentation and exceeding ſorrowe prouoked all the congregation with earneſt and continuall prayers to requeſt of Chriſte Ieſus to pardon his offence.

Touching the rites of repentaunce I will hereafter ſpeake. Nowe this rituall or ceromoniall Repentaunce, as it was vſed amonge them of old, appeareth not to hauehave béene cōmaunded of God, that whoſoeuer at this day committeth any ſinne, ſhould be compelled preſently to confeſſe it openly, in ſuch ſorte as they were wont to doe it. For where is it read, that ſuch penaunce was inioyned to the ſinnefull Luke. 9. Ioha. 8.or adulterous woman, that is mentioned in the Goſpell? Many other ſinners are receiued by Chriſte into the grace of GOD without ſuch outward penaunce. For it is very well knowen howe Chriſt dealt with Matthew, with Zacheus, with Peter that denied him, and with many other. Therefore wée doe not amiſſe beléeue that the old biſhoppes and prieſtes did inuent that publique kind of penance, for diſciplines ſake, and that they of their times might hauehave leſſe libertie to ſinne. Truely Hermius Sozomenus Salaminius that notable writer of the Eccleſiaſticall hiſtorie, in his ſeuenth booke and ſixtéenth Chapiter ſayeth: In the beginning it pleaſed the prieſtes, that as it were, in a theatre, where all the congregation might beare record of the ſame, the ſinnes of offenders ſhould bee openly publiſhed. Loe, héere hee ſayeth, It pleaſed the prieſtes.

Hée addeth alſo that there was *An ….a Prieſt appointed to whome they that ſinned ſhould come and confeſſe their ſinnes, and ſhould heare of him the penaunce, to wit, what they ſhould doe, or how they ſhould abye for their tranſgreſſion. Immediately after he deſcribeth the manner of penaunce in the Romane Church vſed. And to that againe hee addeth, that in the Church at Conſtantinople there was a prieſt appointed to heare penitents, whiche office remayned ſtill, till at the length a certaine Gentlewoman, whiche for the ſinnes that ſhe had confeſſed, was inioyned by ſuch a penitentiarie to faſt, and to pray to God, and thereby haning occaſion to be long in y^e church, was at laſt bewrayed to hauehave played the whore with a deacon. For which cauſe the prieſtes were euil ſpoken of. But Nectareus y^e biſhop deuiſing how it were beſt to deale with ſuch a gréenous crime, depriued the deacon, that had done the ſinne, of his deaconſhipp. And for-becauſe ſome perſuaded him, to leaue it free to eueryevery one, according to his owne conſcience and confidence to come to the communion of the myſteries, hée did quite take away the office of that penitentiarie prieſthoode: and euer ſince that time hath that coūſel, giuen to Nectareus, preuailed, and doth euen to this day indure. And ſo foorth. The ſame in the beginning of the Chapiter ſayeth: Nectareus the biſhopp of Conſtantinople did firſt take out of the church the prieſt, that was appointed to heare the confeſſion of penitents, whome all the other biſhoppes did in a manner followe. Thus farre hée.

But the biſhop Nectareus would not hauehave abrogated that Exhomologeſis, (being ſo holy a man as in déede hee was) if hee had vnderſtoode that it had béene inſtituted by God himſelfe: neither had it béene lawefull for him to hauehave abrogated it. Therefore hee knewe, euen as Sozome doeth alſo confeſſe, that by the counſell of the biſhoppes, that order of penaunce was vſurped in the Church. Neither doe wée read that Iohn Chryſoſtome who ſuccéeded Nectareus, and was a very diligent and ſeuere biſhopp did euer reſtore that rituall penaunce, whiche his predeceſſour had abrogated before him. For in the 31. Homilie vppon S. Paules Epiſtle to the Hebrues hee ….writeth: I bidd thee not to bewraye thee ſelfe openly, nor yet to accuſe thee ſelfe to others: but I will hauehave thee to obey the holy Prophete, who ſayeth: Open thy waye vntounto the Lord. Therefore confeſſe thy ſinnes before GOD the true and vprighte Iudge with prayers for the imurie committed: not with thy tongue, but with the memorie of thy conſcience. And then at lengthe beleeue that thou mayeſt obteine merciemercy, if thou haſt it in thy mind continually, And ſo forth.

Againe vppon the 56. Pſalme: If thou art aſhamed to tell thy ſinnes to any man, becauſe thou haſt ſinned, yet ſaye them daily in thine owne heart. I bid thee not confeſſe them to thy fellowe, that hee ſhould vpbraid thee: tell them to thy God who doth regard them. If thou telleſt them not, God is not ignoraunt of them, for he was at hand when thou didſt them. And againe in an other place hee ſayeth: I bring thee not forth into the theatre of thy companions: I compell thee not to diſcouer thy ſinnes vntounto mortall men. Rehearſe thy conſcience before God, and declare it vntounto him. Shewe thy woundes vntounto the Lord thy beſt Phyſician, and aſke of him a ſalue for the ſame.

Againe: Take heed that thou tell not a man of thy ſinnes, leaſt he bewraye thee, and vpbrayd thee for them. For thou needeſt not to confeſſe them to thy companion, that he ſhould bring them abrode, but to the Lord, whiche hath the care of thee, who alſo is a gentle Phyſician: to him therefore thou ſhalt ſhewe thy woundes.

Moreouer, he bringeth in the Lord ſpeaking and ſaying: I compell thee not to come into an open theatre, and to make many priuie to thy ſinnes: tell thy ſinne priuately to mee alone that I may heale thy ſore. Thus much out of Chryſoſtome.

Now all this doeth manifeſtly argue that that Ceremoniall penaunce (as it was once vſed in the Church) not inſtituted by God, was without any iniurie taken out of the Church, & not reſtored againe by the biſhoppes that ſuccéeded. They doe not altogether in vaine tell vsus that ſome reliques of that rituall repentaunce abided ſtill in the Romane Church. But what hauehave wee to doe what euerye Church hath taken to it ſelfe, either to kéepe or elſe to lay away? Wee rather oughte to inquire, what Chriſte hath deliuered vntounto vsus, and what his Apoſtles hauehave taught vsus, of whoſe doctrine I hauehave I thinke ſpoken enough alreadie.

The priuate or ſecrete confeſſion of ſinnes was wont to be made, when Of auricular confeſſion.none were bye but the prieſtes alone. For one goeth ſecretely and whiſpereth his ſinnes into the eare of the prieſte that was appointed to heare thoſe ſecrete confeſſions, and being by him abſolued, doeth thinke that by the recitall of a fewe ordinarie woordes, hee is purged from all his ſinnes. And therefore I call it Auricular confeſſion. This was vnknowen in the Apoſtles times, and although it be now a good ſort of yeares ago… ſince it firſt toke roote, yet notwithſtanding it was frée from the beginning. At laſt wee reade that it was commaunded and roughly extorted by the Biſhoppe of Rome, when the ſtate of the Churche was moſt corrupted about the yeare of Grace 1215. And yet it was about 80. yeares or more in controuerſie, before it was by decrée layed vppon all menns neckes, Whether it were enough for a man to confeſſe himſelfe to God alone, or elſe to a prieſt alſo, for the purging of his ſinnes? Hugo in his booke of the Churches power to binde and looſe, doth ſay: I dare boldly ſay, if before the prieſtes abſolution, any man do come to the Communion of the body and bloud of the Lord, that hee doeth aſſuredly eate and drincke his owne damnation, although he repent him neuer ſo much, and doth neuer ſo greatly lament his offences. This did Hugo ſay boldly without his warrant, vnleſſe the word of God doth inſtructe vsus falſly. He liued about the yeare of our Lord 1130. Within a little while after him vppſtarted Peter Lombard commonlye called the Maiſter of Sentences, beecauſe he gathered together the ſentences of the fathers, and layed forth their doctrine as it were in a Summarie: of whoſe woorke I meane not heere to tell my iudgement what I thincke. It is thought that hee flouriſhed about the yeare of Chriſt 1150. Hée, Sententiarum lib. 4. Dict. 17. & 18. doeth by the authoritie of the fathers ſhew, firſt that it ſufficeth to make the confeſſion of ſinnes to God alone. Then hée annexeth other ſentences which teach the contrarie. And laſtly concludeth of himſelfe and ſayeth: By theſe it is vndoubtedly proued, that wee muſt offer our confeſſion firſt to GOD, then to the prieſt, and that otherwiſe wee cannot enter into Paradiſe, if we may (hauehave a prieſt) Againe, It is certified that it is not ſufficient to confeſſe to GOD without a prieſt: neither is hee truely humble and penitent that doeth not deſire the iudgment of a prieſt.

Gratian, that gathered the Decretalls together, was ſomewhat honeſter than Peter Lombard, who liued and flouriſhed at the ſame time with Lombard. Hée determineth nothing definitiuely, but ſhewinge ſentences for either ſide, both that wée muſt confeſſe our ſinnes to the prieſt, and not cōfeſſe them, doth leaue it indifferently vntounto the readers iudgement. For thus he concludeth: VponUpon what authorities and reaſons both the opinions of confeſsion and ſatiſfaction are grounded, we hauehave briefely here declared. But, to which of theſe wee ought rather to ſticke, that is reſerued for the reader to chooſe. For both partes hauehave wiſe and religious men to their fautours & defenders. Thus ſaith Gratian about the ende of the firſt diſtinction of penaunce.

About fiftie yeares after followed Lotharius Leuita a doctor of Paris, … was … com…ded.the Scholer and earneſt follower of Peter Lombard. He being once made Biſhop of Rome, and named Innocent the thirde, called together at Rome a generall counſell called Lateranenſe, in which he made a lawe, which Gregorie the ninthe re…iteth in his Decretall of Penaunce and Remiſſion Lib. 5. chap. 12. almoſt in theſe verie wordes: Let eueryevery perſon of ….eyther ſexe, after they are come to the yeres of diſcretion, faithfully cō feſſe alone, at leaſt * once in a yeare their ſinnes vntounto their owne proper prieſt: and doe their indeuour with their owne ſtrength to doe the penaunce that is inioyned them: receiuing reuerently at Eaſter, at the leaſt the Sacrament of the Euchariſte, vnleſſe peraduenture by the counſel of their own prieſt, for ſome reaſonable cauſe, they thinke it good for a time to abſteine from receiuing it. Otherwiſe in this life let them be prohibited to enter into the churche, and when they are dead, to bee buried in Chriſtian buriall. This is that newe lawe, which conteineth many abſurd and wicked blaſphemies. And to let paſſe verie many of their abſurdities, I wil recite vntounto you not paſt one or twaine of the fouleſt of them. Is it not a wicked thinge to ſende a ſinner to I wot not what kinde of prieſt of his owne, when Chriſte hath giuen but miniſters and preachers to his Church only, being ſtill him ſelfe the vniuerſall prieſte, and proper prieſte to eueryevery one in the churche euen vntil the ende of the worlde: to whome alone all the faithfull miniſters doe ſende ſinners from them ſelues for to confeſſe their ſinnes to him? For Iohn ſaide: I am not Chriſt, but am ſent before him to beare recorde of him. What may bee ſaide to this moreouer, that it is a deteſtable blaſphemie to attribute the remiſſion of ſinnes to our owne confeſſion and the prieſtes abſolution, as to the workes of mortall men? And who I pray you is able to reckon vp all his ſinnes vntounto the prieſte? doth not Ieremie crie: The heart of man is euill, & vnſerchable? Doth not Dauid ſaye: Who knoweth his ſinnes? Cleanſe mee from my hidden faultes. It is vnpoſſible for a man to confeſſe all his ſinnes. While therefore a man compelled by the lawe doeth conſider theſe reaſons and ponder them in him ſelf, he cannot chooſe but muſt néedes bée drowned in the bottomleſſe depth of deſperation: ſo greate a burthen is layde vppon the frée neckes of Chriſt his faithfull people, as a thing ſo neceſſarie, that without it they cannot obteine eternall ſaluation, directly contrary to the Apoſtles decrée, that is to be ſéene in the fiftéenth of the Acts. And laſtly, what I pray you is a ſinner able to doe of his owne ſtrength? What power I pray you hauehave we ſillie wretches of oure ſelues to do good?

But it gréeueth mée, and I am aſhamed Auricular confeſsion can be proued by … place in all the ſcripture.of theſe mennes impudencie, to ſée that they will hauehave this their auricular confeſſion to bee inſtituted of God, and that they go about to vpholde & confirme it by the Scriptures guilefullye wreſting that place in the Goſpell, where the Lord ſayeth to the Lepre, Goe thy waye, ſhew thee ſelfe to the Prieſte. Now they doe not impudently wreſte this place alone contrarie to the true ſenſe, but doe alſo corrupt all the other teſtimonies of holie Scriptures, whiche they are wont to cite.

Among all the reſt I will tell you of this one. Bonauentura in his commentaries Ad ſententias Magistri lib. 4. Diſt. 17. Quaeſt. 3. imagineth two thinges to bee in confeſſion. The one formall, to witt abſolution, or the power to heale: and this hee ſayeth, was inſtituted by the Lord at the giueing of the keyes. The other is materiall, to wit the diſcloſing of the ſin: and this he ſayth that the Lorde himſelfe did not inſtitute, but onelyonly inſinuate. For immediately after, he addeth theſe woordes.

And therefore confeſſion was inſinuated by the Lorde, inſtituted by the Apoſtles, and openly proclamed by Iames the Biſhop of Hieruſalem. For as hee proclamed the decree of not keepinge the ceremoniall lawes Acts. 15. So alſo he publiſhed, & layed vppon all them that ſinne, the neceſſitie of confeſſion, ſaying, confeſſe your ſinnes one to an other. Thus muche hath Bonauentura. But who will not woonder at the blyndeneſſe of that age?

This writer acknowledgeth that auricular confeſſion was not inſtituted by the Lorde, but obſcurely, and, as it were, by coniectures of the conſequents: That the Apoſtles expounded the mynde of Chriſt and inſtituted it: And that S. Iames in the name of all the Apoſtles did by a decree openly proclame it. Hee addeth, that the woordes of the proclamation were, Confeſſe your ſinnes one to an other. Nowe what is it elſe to wreſte the Scriptures, if this be not to wreſt them? Euen hee that is the blindeſt doth eaſily ſe that theſe champions are vnweaponed in this ſame combat, bringing forth a ſpeare made of a wrapt vp wiſp of hay, which they ſhake & keepe a coyle w^t, as if it were the lance-ſtaffe of Hector or Achilles.

It is moſt euident that the Apoſtle ſpeaketh not of ſecreat and auricular confeſſion, but of y^e confeſſion whiche by a certaine reciprocation is made of them, that hauehave mutuallie offended one an other: And nowe agayne freely confeſſinge their faultes one to another are mutuallie reconciled, and praye one for an other agayne. Of which I hauehave ſaide ſomewhat allreadie a little before. They doe not ſee that in the Apoſtles woords there are two thinges, which beeing diligently conſidered do make thē meere mockinge ſtockes to them that perceyue them. For firſte the Apoſtle in that place vſeth this worde foreign, whiche ſignifieth mutuallie, one an other, one for one, and as it were reciprocately. There vppon we inferre thus, if according to the Apoſtles precepte we muſt confeſſe our ſelues one to an other, and that foreign, doth ſignifie, mutuallie or reciprocately, y^t is, that wée muſte confeſſe our ſelues by turnes, as it were firſte, I to him, and then hee to me, as it ſignifieth ſo in verie deed: Then muſte it néedes be that after the Lay-men hauehave confeſſed them ſelues to the Prieſtes, the Prieſtes ſhoulde againe confeſſe themſelues vntounto the Laye-men. For that is, to make confeſſion one to an other. For wee ſaye, foreign, that is, they louelove one another mutuallie, he him, and hee him againe.

But if this trouble y^e prieſts, to hauehave their confeſſions heard of lay-men, let them then acknowlege that this place of the Apoſtle doth-make nothinge for theyr ſecrete and auricular confeſſion, which they hauehave deuiſed for their own commoditie. Then the Apoſtle addeth, And praye yee one for an other that ye may bee healed. Hee doeth therefore aſſociate and as it were ioyne vnderunder one yoke both confeſſion and prayer. And vppon that wee doe agayne gather, if wee muſte confeſſe to none but Prieſtes, then muſte we praye for none but Prieſtes. But we muſte not praye for Prieſtes alone, Ergo wee muſt not confeſſe to prieſts alone, but euerye one, one to another.

The ſame place of Sainct Iames muſt not bee vnderſtoode of ſecreate and auricular confeſſion, but of that open or publique Confeſſion, by whiche they returne into charitie againe by the mutuall confeſſion of their faultes, which had before offended eache other with mutuall iniuries, and béeing nowe againe reconciled do praye one for another, that they may be ſaued.

We do therefore leaue this for an vndoubted trueth, that the diſputers for auricular confeſſion, neither hauehave proued, nor can proue, that it was inſtituted and ordeined of GOD.

But when they ſée, that this their …confeſſion will to wracke, they go about with weake proppes, God wot, to ſtaye it vp, and ſaye, that that confeſſion is to bee reteined ſtill in the Churche, if it were for nothinge elſe but for diſciplines ſake, to make men bluſhe, when their ſinnes come to light, which is a cauſe many times, that ſome doe ſinne the ſeldomer. And alſo they ſaye that it is to bee reteined for priuate abſolution, and peculiar or ſingular conſolation of the Goſpell.

But if auricular confeſſion bee ſo néedefull, and profitable for the Church, as they will ſeeme to hauehave it, howe chaunced it that the Church for the ſpace of a thouſand yeares after the Apoſtles tymes was vtterlie without it? It is meruayle then that the Apoſtles did in no place eyther vſe it or commaunde it. And agayne it is manifeſte y^t the tymes which were before the comminge of Chriſt did not once ſo muche as dreame of this confeſſion: neyther did the Apoſtles leaue the Church of GOD deſtitute of any thing neceſſary vntounto ſaluation. Nowe what diſcipline this auricular confeſſion planted in the Church of GOD is, the abhominable deedes and wycked acts that inſued it doe plainely declare. For both hee that did confeſſe, and hee that heard the confeſſion, learned horrible wickedneſſe euen by the examination and beatinge out the circumſtaunces of ſinnes commytted. By that meanes, there were gyuen and taken cauſes and occaſions of whoredomes and adulteries. VnderUnder the pretence of thoſe confeſſions the chaſtitie of matrons and virgins hath ben aſſaulted, and alſo corrupted oftener tymes and more ſundrie wayes than is decent to bee named. Thoſe confeſſours fiſhed out the ſecrets of euerie mans conſcience: which thinge auayled greately to the eſtabliſhinge of theyr tyrannie.

By thoſe confeſſions the confeſſours coulde cunningly ſpoyle and robbe theyr ſhrift-children, as they called them, of theyr goods and ſubſtaunce: becauſe they knewe what riches eueryevery one had, and how he came by them And when the Peeres of eueryevery common wealth knewe that the prieſtes were priuie to their faults, they could not chooſe but feare the prieſtes. And ſo it came to paſſe, that they did not ſo ſtrongly, as they might, ſett them ſelues againſt the extreme corruption and luſt of the prieſtes, that was otherwiſe not to be ſuffered.

They hauehave béene hearde to ſaye: I hauehave lerned by confeſſions, & know at my fingars endes, what kinde of men, of women, and of maydens are in this citie. I knowe howe to handle eueryevery one according to his diſpoſition. They do all feare and ſtand in awe of mee, becauſe they knowe that I am priuie to their moſt ſecrete deedes and thoughtes of their mindes, The ſecretes tolde in confeſſion are many times fooliſhely blabbed abrode with the peril of the ſillie ſoule y^• firſte confeſſed them. By the meanes of confeſſions no ſmall and many treaſons are hatched vpp and put in practiſe. And ſurely, it is a goodly matter, when we for the feare or carnal bluſſ…ing that wee hauehave by the meanes of one man, I meane (as ſome terme him) of our ghoſtly father, wee ſhall ceaſſe to ſinne, rather, then for the ſincere feare that we hauehave of God, when as in deede we doe not bluſhe at all to thinke that hee ſhalbee a wittneſſe againſte oure conſcience, nor yet doe feare the ſeueritie of his iudgement, that ſhal lighten vppon vsus. What may be ſayde to this moreouer, that by this auricular confeſſion once eſtabliſhed in the Church, nothinge elſe is wrought, but that the word of god ſhould bee the leſſe regarded throughe our traditions, and we made the ſlacker to confeſſe our ſinnes to hun, to whome of right wee ought for to confeſſe them? For ſo often as we remē ber our ſinnes, we doe careleſſely put them off againe, vntill the time of cō feſſion come. And when it is come, then, whoe I praye you, goeth to it with a chéerefull minde? Let wiſe men therefore iudge what kinde of diſcipline this is, and howe well it pleaſeth God.

That, which they alledge of priuate abſolution, is a meere deuiſe of Whe… aurie… confe… is to … kept … chur… … ſolut… ſake…mannes inuention, which hath not in the ſacred Scriptures any precept or example to backe it ſelfe withall. For in verie deede none doeth abſolue vsus men from ſinne, blame, and puniſhment, but God alone, to whome alone, that glorie doth belong. The miniſter by the preaching and conſolation of the Goſpell doeth pronounce and teſtifie that to the faithfull their ſinnes are forgiuen. Therefore, this preaching of forgiueneſſe beeing fetched from out of the mouth or woorde of God, is the abſolution wherewith the miniſter abſolueth. Neither is that abſolutiō made any whit y^t more effectuall, if the miniſter doe priuately whiſper it into the ſinners eare. The publique preaching of the goſpel, as it is inſtituted by Chriſt our Lorde, doth ſatiſfie a faithfull minde, whiche doth not ſo muche reſpect the demeanour of the miniſter, as he regardeth the trueth of him in whoſe name the miniſter doth it. But, if a ſinner, ſaye they, doe heare priuately ſayde vntounto him, I abſolue thée from thy ſinnes, and that by the vertue of the keyes, hee dothe farre better vnderſtand that his ſinnes are remitted, than when forgiueneſſe of ſinnes is generally preached and publiquely pronounced. But wee doe in this caſe ſet againſte them the Apoſtles example, whome when the men of Hieruſalem had heard to preache, they were pricked in hearte, and ſaide: Men and brethren, what ſhall we doe? To whome Peter aunſwered: Repent, and be baptiſed euerie one of you in the name of Chriſte Ieſus vntounto the remiſsion of youre ſinnes &c. And there were added to the church that ſame day about 3000 ſoules. Nowe, who vnderſtandeth not, that vppon ſo greate a multitude baptiſme was at once beſtowed, and the remiſſion of ſinnes vniuerſally preached vntounto them all, and not that eueryevery one had this ſaying or the like whiſpered ſeuerally into his eare: brother thy ſinnes are forgiuen thee? And verily a godly mynded man may learne true faith in Ieſus Chriſte (through which his ſinnes are forgiuen him) as well by the publique preaching of the Goſpell, as by y^e priuate whiſperinges of priuie penitentiaries and abſoluinge confeſſours: namely, ſince that publique preaching doth conteine the commaundements of God: when as thoſe whiſperinges do nothing ſo: and finally, ſince that the publique preaching of the Goſpell doth apply to eueryevery one the grace of God, and that the Sacraments do teſtifie the remiſſion of ſinnes, and the heauenly giftes prepared for all them that do beléeue in Ieſus Chriſte. And yet I ſaye not this, becauſe I thinke it amiſſe, when occaſion ſerueth ſo to doe, if the miniſter do preache priuatly to one or two y^e Goſpel of our Lord, or elſe in the wordes of Chriſt do promiſe remiſſion of ſinnes to him that beléeueth: but I doe here diſpute againſt them, which doe ſuppoſe that publique and generall preaching (as it was vſed of the Apoſtles) declaring to all and eueryevery ſeuerall man the remiſſion of ſinnes, is not ſufficient, except the ſinner going to the prieſt doe confeſſe his ſinnes, and priuately aſke and receiue priuate or peculiar abſolution of him for the ſame. For they thinke that for that priuate abſolutions ſake, this priuate or auricular confeſſion muſte bee reteined in the Church.

But we will not, ſaye they, that all and eueryevery peculiar ſinne with the circumſtances thereof ſhould bee reckoned vp or rehearſed. What of that then? Who, I praye you, commaunded vsus to whiſper any ſinnes at all into the prieſtes eare? The primitiue Churche was wont to confeſſe to the prieſtes, neither fewe, nor many, nor any ſinnes at all. Bonauentura recordeth that before Pope Innocent y^• thirde, they were not counted heretiques, which affirmed, that confeſſion made to God alone, without anye prieſt, is ſufficient to them, that doe faithfully beléeue: but after the decree which he publiſhed touching confeſſion to be made of eueryevery man vntounto his owne prieſt, they were iudged heretiques, that taught men to be confeſſed to God onelyonly. As though it laye in Pope Innocent to make a newe article of faith, which the churche was w^t out, by more than the ſpace of 1200. yeres after Chriſte. Therefore, if all they that liued before Innocent were without ſuſpicion of hereſie in that poynte: and ſince we read that Nectarius, and the churche at Conſtantinople was not condemned of hereſie, for abrogating and caſtinge out of the churche their Exhomologeſis, whiche ſéemeth yet to be farre better than this auricular confeſſion: no godly man vndoubtedly wil condemne vsus, which mainteine the confeſſion inſtituted by God, that is wont to be made to god and our neighbour: but dee onelyonly reſect and hiſſe at that ſecrete and auricular confeſſion, as that which bringeth more diſcommoditie than honeſt profite to the church of God.

And for becauſe I hauehave hitherto Of the ſatiſfaction of workes.ſaide thus muche of ſecrete or auricular confeſſion, vponupon which the treatiſe of ſatiſfaction doth depend, I ſhoulde here, euen of neceſſitie, ſay ſomewhat of ſatiſfaction, had I not ſufficiently ſpoken of it in mine other ſermons of this worke, as in the ſixte and ninthe Sermons of the firſt Decade, and in the thirde Decade, where I entreate of the Sainctes affliction in the tenthe Sermon of the ſame Decade, and alſo in the fourth Decade where I ſpake of the Goſpell. The prieſts and Monkes do teache that repentaunce of the ſinne committed, and faith in Chriſt, are not ſufficient for the purgeing of ſinnes, without the ſatiſfaction of our owne woorkes and merites, whiche they make to be, wearing of ſackcloth. faſtings, teares, prayers, almes déedes, offeringes, ſundrie afflictions of the bodie, pilgrimages, and many other odde knackes like vntounto theſe.

For they affirme, that by theſe meanes, Note here the difference that they make betwixte Paena and culpa peccati.the penaltie due to ſinnes (the guilt whereof, they ſaye, is only pardoned) is waſhed awaye, as with a ſhowre of water powred downe vponupon it. But wee alreadie hauehave taught out of the Canonicall Scriptures, that God doth not onelyonly forgiue freely the guilte, but alſo the penaltie of oure ſinnes. Wee hauehave alreadie taught that men are not iuſtified by theire owne workes and merites, but by y^e meere grace of God, through the faith of Chriſte Ieſus. For otherwiſe hee ſhould in vaine hauehave taken our fleſhe vponupon him, and in vaine ſhould Chriſt hauehave qiuen him ſelfe vntounto the moſte bitter and reprochefull death of the Croſſe. Nowe we add, if we are not iuſtified by workes, then doe wee not with our woorkes make ſatiſfaction for our ſinnes. For in effect (although I acknowledge that there is a difference, and do not confound them) iuſtification and ſatiſfaction come bothe to one ende. By the iuſtification of Chriſt we are abſolued. By the ſatiſfaction of Chriſt, or rather, for his ſatiſfactions ſake wee are alſo abſolued. Chriſt is our righteouſeneſſe, & therefore alſo our ſatiſfaction. The price of our redemption is in Chriſte, not in our ſelues. If wee make ſatiſfaction for our ſelues, then is the price of our redemption in our ſelues. And therefore are we both Chriſtes & Sauiours vntounto our ſelues: whiche thing doth flatly make Chriſt of none effect, and therefore is it extreme blaſphemie. Moſes in his lawe doth with little buſineſſe or none diſſolue all the arguments for ſatiſfactiō wrought by our works. For where he deſcribeth y^e maner of cleanſing ſinnes, he placeth no iott thereof in the workes of men, but ſheweth that it all conſiſteth in the Ceremoniall ſacrifices. Now we doe all agree and ioyntly confeſſe that in thoſe ſacrifices, the onelyonly ſacrifice of Chriſte was plainly prefigured. And to that is added, that that only preaching and promiſe of the newe teſtament is this: I wil be appeaſed vponupon their vnrighteouſeneſſe and ſinnes, & will no more remember their iniquities. Nowe, where ſuche a remiſſion is, there is no oblation or ſatiſfaction for ſinne. And wee in the Creede, verily doe beléeue the forgiueneſſe of ſinnes. But, if the debitor make ſatiſfaction to the creditor, then what I pray you doth y^e creditor forgiue him? Therefore, this article of our faith, the principall promiſe and preachinge of the newe teſtament is vtterly ſubuerted, if we admit the doctrine of the ſatiſfaction of our woorkes for ſinnes.

We do acknowledge, that teares, faſtings, wearing of ſackcloth, almes …od afflic… them …hoſe … he ….déedes, and the other woorkes of pietie, humiliation and charitie hauehave a place in repentaunce. Of whiche I will ſpeake in place conuenient: but wee denye that with them wee make ſatiſfaction for our ſinnes, leaſte wee ſhould make the price of Chriſt his redemption of none effect. We acknowledge that at ſome times the Lorde hath whipped them, whoſe ſinnes hee hath forgiuen, as he did to our parents Adam and Euah, and to king Dauid after his adulterie and murther of Vrias. But I hauehave alreadie ſhewed you that thoſe afflictions were not ſatiſfactions for the ſinnes, which God had pardoned, but exerciſes of Gods diſcipline and humiliation, whiche doth by thoſe meanes keepe his ſernaunts in their duetifull obedience, & doth declare to all men howe hartilye he hateth ſinnes, although he doth fréely forgiue and pardon them. Therefore, leaſt we, becauſe of that frée forgiueneſſe, ſhould be the more inclined and proue to ſinne, he promiſeth them whome he maketh to be examples for vsus to take heede by. Neither doe wee read that the Sainctes did ſimply attribute the benefite of iuſtification or ſatiſfaction vntounto their afflictions. I cōfeſſe that Daniel the Prophet gaue counſell to the moſte mightie kinge Nabuchodonoſor, and ſayed: Let thy ſinnes be redeemed in righteouſneſſe and thine iniquities in ſhewing pitie to the poore.

But in theſe woordes, the kinge was taught howe to leade the reſte of his life, that was yet behynd, & howe to rule the ſtate of his kingdome. The king had till then oppreſſed many nations, and ſinned in mercileſſe crueltie: wherevppon he perſuadeth him to chaunge his olde kinde of life, to imbrace iuſtice, and deale well with all men.

Therefore, hee ſpeaketh not of the ſatiſfaction of his ſinnes before God, but before men. For there is ſaluation in none other than in Chriſte alone. But if any man do ſtubbornly ſticke vppon the letter, wee ſaye that the righteouſeneſſe of Chriſtians is faith, by whiche their ſinnes are properly cleanſed: and that faith is not without good woorkes and charitie, to which iuſtification is vnproperly aſcribed. Of which matter I ſpake in the treatiſe that I made of good woorkes.

Therefore, when Saincte Peter doth cite that place of Solomon: Charitie couereth the multitude of ſinns, the woorde Couereth is not there vſed for Purging: For, by the onelye bloud of Chriſte all ſinnes are purged and wiped awaye: but it is taken for Turning awaye. For as ſelfe-louelove in a manner is the roote of all ſinnes: ſo charitie is thought to bee the driuer away of all miſchiefes. For louelove doth none ill to his neighbour. Nowe, whereas they obiecte that ſentence of the Goſpell, where the Lord ſaith: Many Many ſinnes be forgiuen her, becauſe ſhe …oued much.ſinnes bee forgiuen her, becauſe ſhee loued muche: they do miſſe here in, becauſe they vnderſtande not, that the worde foreign, which is commonly engliſhed, becauſe, or, for that, is here a note of inferring ſomewhat, and that no other ſenſe is gathered than this:

Manye ſinnes bee forgiuen her, therefore ſhee loued muche: Or, whereby it commeth, that ſhee loueth muche.

Neither do wee here wreſt y^e wordes of the Goſpell to mainteine a wronge opinion. For in the hiſtorie there goeth before: Firſt, When they were not able to paye, hee forgaue them both. If hee forgaue them, and if they were not able to paye, he did not then forgiue thē for their louelove. For if they had béene able to paye, he would not hauehave forgiuen them. Secondarily, there goeth before: Whether of theſe will louelove him more? Simon ſaith, He to whome hee forgaue the more. Therefore, the Lordes anſwer could in effecte bee nothing elſe but this: I hauehave forgiuen her verie much, therefore hath ſhee loued much. So then, I ſaye: louelove is of forgiueneſſe, & not forgiueneſſe of louelove. And then it followeth immediatelye. And he ſaide to the woman: thy faith hath ſaued the, go in peace. Wee doe therefore conclude, that there is but one onelyonly ſatiſfaction for the ſinnes of all y^e world, to wite, Chriſte once offered vpp for vsus, which are by faith made partakers of him.

But nowe, as we do not acknowledge or admitt the ſatiſfactions that Of indulgencies.are obtruded vntounto vsus in the doctrine of the prieſtes and Monckes, ſo do we by all meanes deteſt the indulgences of the Byſhops of Rome. They called theſe Indulgences, a beneficiall pardoning of crimes, or remiſſion of the puniſhment, or of the guilt, or of both: to wite, by the power of y^e keyes beſtowed by the Lorde: and for the merite of the Martyrs bloud (for ſo they ſaye) graunted or giuen to them that are rightly contrite in heart, and do confeſſe their ſinnes. For theſe fathers of Indulgences are wont with their Indulgences to remitt againe y^e rigour and ſeueritie of the ſatiſfaction whiche lyeth in them to order at their diſcretion. Truely, as one ſaide: The fathers gentle Indulgence, doeth make the children naught: So hauehave their Indulgences vtterly corrupted true repentance. But thou canſt read in no place that ſuch power was giuē to the Popes as they did feigne. We read, that to the Apoſtles the keyes were giuen by the Lorde: but thoſe keyes were nothing elſe but the miniſterie of preaching the Goſpell: as I in place conuenient will ſhewe vntounto you. Nowe the Goſpell promiſeth to vsus remiſſion both of the guilt and penaltie, for Chriſte his ſake, and faith in Chriſt, and doth admoniſhe vsus that in the latter times, there ſhall come men that ſhal ſaye: we are Chriſtes, that is, which ſhall attribute to them ſelues the things that do properly belong to Chriſte alone, ſuch as is eſpecially the forgiueneſſe of ſinnes. But it commaundeth vsus to flie from them, and by all meanes to take héede of them, as of wicked ſeducers. The ſame Euangelicall trueth doth teache that the faithfull are cleanſed by the onelyonly bloud of the ſonne of God.

Their indulgences do promiſe mē the cleanſing of their ſinnes through y^e bloud of S. Peter, S. Paul and other holie Martyrs. And for that cauſe are they the prophanation of the bloud of the ſonne of God. The Saincts do waſhe their garments in the bloud of the Lamb, not in the pardoning bull, or boxe of indulgences, nor in y^e Martyrs bloud. Yea, Paule him ſelfe denyeth that either he, or Peter, or any other of the Sainctes was crucified for the Church of God. And yet their indulgences were ſo ſett foorth, as though God were pleaſed with vsus for the bloud of the Martyrs. Therefore their indulgences are flatly contrarie to the Apoſtles doctrine. And I admoniſhed you in my Sermon of good woorkes in theſe woordes of Paule: I fulfill that which is behinde, of the afflictions of Chriſt in my fleſhe, for his bodies ſake, which is the Church, that that fulfilling is not referred to the worke of the purging or propitiation of Chriſt, which is conſummate, vnleſſe Chriſte at his death did teſtifie falſly ſaying: It is conſummate, but to thoſe afflictions where with y^e members of Chriſt, that is, the faithful are exerciſed by the croſſe, ſo long as they liue in this fraile fleaſhe. Verily the Lorde maketh accompt of the afflictions layde vppon the faithful, as of his owne. For to Paule he ſaide: Saul, Saul, why perſecuteſt thou mee?

Moreouer, when he ſaith: For the churche, he meaneth not, for the expiation of the churche, but for the edification and profite of the ſame. And Paule ſuſteined gréeuons afflictions at the handes of the Iewes, becauſe he preached the Goſpell to the Gentiles: And it was expediēt that in him there ſhould be ſhewed to the Church an example of Patience, ſo rare as coulde not lightly be founde againe. Yea, other hauehave often times obiected againſt theſe indulgence defenders, this godly ſaying of the holie man, Pope Leo, in his 81. Epiſtle. Although the death of many Saincts is precious in the ſight ….of the Lord, yet the ſlaughter of no man ſubiect to ſin, is the propitiation for the ſinnes of the worlde. Again, The righteous hauehave receiued, not giuen Crownes of glorye: and of the manful conſtancie of the Martyrs are ſprong examples of patience, not the gifts of righteouſnes: for their deaths were ſingular: neither did any one by his ending pay the debt of another ſince there is one Lord Ieſus Chriſte, in whome they are all crucified, dead, buried and rayſed vp againe. Thus much out of pope Leo. We hauehave therfore by diuine and humane teſtimonies euidently proued, that the indulgences giuen to ſinners by the merite or treaſure of the Martyrs bloud, are méere blaſphemies againſt God, and open iniuries againſt his holye Martyrs.

I hauehave hetherto ſpoken of thoſe indulgēces, which were of olde fréely beſtowed The filthy marte of indulgences.by the Popes of Rome. although at this day they be few in number and curtayled too: now therfore I will ſay ſomewhat of their indulgences, which they for the moſte parte doe ſell and make traffique of. To ſell indulgences is in the Church of God, a ſinne ſo deteſtable, as that it is harde to name any one more horrible. And yet it is and hath bene a common practiſe and merchandize theſe many yéeres, with the Biſhops of Rome & their factors, whom they cal Apoſtoliques, not hauing any one word in the ſcripture wherewith to cloak y^• wicked inuention. And now though I ſlip ouer and doo not ſhew you how Indulgences are nothing but a bare name with out any ſtuffe or matter, and that vnderunder that vaine name miſerable men and ſilly ſoules are foulely deceiued: yet note that Chriſt the chiefe and only high Prieſte of his Catholique and holy Church, in the dayes of his fleſhe, did with a whip driue the buyers and ſellers (as impudent dogges) out of the Church of God: whiche thing hee did twice. Once at the beginning of his preaching: and an other time a little before his Paſſion. At the firſt time he added: Away with theſe thinges from hence, and make not my fathers houſe an houſe of merchādize. At the latter time he ſaide: It is written, my houſe ſhall be called the houſe of prayer, but ye hauehave made it a den of theeues. And Simon Magus alſo in the Actes of the Apoſtles, ſeeinge that by the laying on of the Apoſtles hands, the holye Ghoſte was giuen, did offer them money, ſaying: GiueGive me this power alſo, that on whome ſoeuer I lay my handes, hee may receiue the holy Ghoſte.

But hearken howe Peter accepteth his petition. Thy money (ſaid he) perishe with thee: becauſe thou haſt thought that the gift of GOD may be obteined with money. Thou haſte neither parte nor fellowship in this buſineſſe. For thy harte is not right in the ſight of God.

Loe, the giftes of God are not gotten with money. Loe, their harte is not righte that make merchandize of Religion. Loe, they hauehave no parte or fellowſhip in the inheritaunce of the kingdome of Heauen, or in the preaching of y^e glad tidings: therfore what ſhall we ſay now of the Indulgences whiche the Popes Apoſtoliques doe ſet to ſale for money? What ſhall we ſay of the very Indulgenciaries, and the Pope him ſelfe whoſe Hierlings they be? We muſt confeſſe verily that they are the fellowes of Simon (not Peter but) Magus. For Peter did by the iuſt ſentence of God, curſe ſuch kinde of merchantes. Your money (ſaith he) perish together with you.

This is a heauie and terrible, but yet a moſte iuſt iudgement of the moſte iuſt God. The ſame Apoſtle Peter, foreſéeing that in the church there would be many ſuch merchants doeth in his laſt Epiſtle ſay. There were falſe Prophets among the people, euen as there ſhalbe falſe teachers among you, which priuily bring in damnable hereſies, euen denying the Lord that hath bought them, and bring vponupon themſe…ues ſwift damnation. And many ſhall followe their damnable wayes, by whome the way of trueth ſhalbe euil ſpoken of. And with couetouſneſſe through ſeigned words ſhall they make merchādize of you. For what is it with fained words through couetouſeneſſe, to make merchandize of the miſerable idiotes, if this is not, when they ſay that they doe giuegive full remiſſion of ſinnes, vntounto all them that are contrite, and doe confeſſe their ſinnes? For if any man doo acknowledge his ſinnes, and with a true faith conuert him ſelfe to God through Chriſte, euen without theire Indulgences, he doth obtaine plenarye remiſſion of all his ſinnes. Thoſe foxes therefore make mony of ſmoke, deceiuing ſimple ſoules, and ſelling for coyne the thinge which they neuer had, neither poſſibly can be purchaſed with money, And thus much hetherto of bought and ſolde Indulgences. Of which other writers hauehave made very long diſcourſes. I ſuppoſe that by this little, any man maye eaſily vnderſtand how to iudge of them a-right.

We are now at length come paſt thoſe rocks and ſhelfes, to whiche we did of purpoſe ſaile, that when we had viewed the moſte perilous places, we might admoniſhe the vnſkilfull paſſagers, to take héede howe they ſtrike vponupon them, for making ſhippwrack of their ſoules, by thincking that in theſe Indulgences doeth lye ſhe true force of ſufficiente Repentaunce, wherein there is nothing but the vtter diſpleaſing of Godes moſte holye maieſtie.

Therefore letting that alone, as it is, we doe now returne to declare ſhe laſt member of repentance, whereby we ſaid that penitentes doe mortifie the olde man, and are renued ſpiritutually.

Firſt of all therfore it ſéemeth good to tell, what the olde man is, what the newe or regenerated manne is, and what the power or ſtrength of man is. For by the demonſtration thereof we ſhall the better vnderſtand what it is to mortifie the olde man, & to be renued in the ſpirit. We ſay that the …olde man is all that which we hauehave of nature, or of our firſt parents, to wit, not the body only or the fleſh, I mean the groſſer and ſubſtantiall parte of the bodye, but euen the verye ſoule, with the ſtrength, the power and faculties of the ſame. Therefore wheras in ſome places of the holye Scriptures, the fleſhe is put for man, we muſt not onelyonly vnderſtand the maſſie ſubſtance and groſſer parte of the bodye, but the very fleſhe together, with the ſoule and all the faculties thereof, that is, the whole man not yet regenerate.

For the Lord in the Goſpell ſaith. That, which is borne of the fleſh, is fleſh: and that which is borne of the ſpirit, is ſpirit. And this he ſpeaketh concerning regeneratiō, which is not according to the fleſhe (as Nicodemus did falſely imagine) but according to the ſpirit. The woord Fleſh therfore dooth importe the naturall power and faculties of manne, euen all that, I meane, which we hauehave or take of our firſt grandſyre Adam. The new man is ſaid to be he that is regenerate by the ſpirite of God in Chriſte, or is rerenued according to the image of Chriſte, with all the giftes and vertues of the holye Ghoſte. And as the …fleſh is vſually put for the olde man, ſo is the ſpirit by an Antitheſis commonly vſed and taken for the newe man.

Now héere the very place requireth to diſcourſe ſomewhat of the power or vertues of man. Of whiche although I hauehave elſe-where diſputed all redye, as in the Sermon of Fréedome and bondage, and of ſinne, yet héere againe I wil touch ſuche points as I thinck to ſuffice for this preſent Argument.

There are two partes or faculties of our ſoule, Vnderſtanding & Will. Of the power of man.Vnderſtandinge doeth diſcerne in things obiect, what to receiue or what to refuſe: and is as it were the light and guide of the ſoule. Will chooſeth, for in it dooth lye bothe to will and to nill: which are againe impeld by other powers and faculties. Nowe Vnderſtā ding.the vnderſtanding is of two ſortes. For we vnderſtand either Earthlye or Heauenly thinges. I call thoſe Earthly things, which do apperteine not to the life to come, but to the life preſent: whervnto we referre all liberall artes and handicrafts, the gouerning of publique weales, and the ruling of priuate houſes. By heauenly things I vnderſtand God himſelfe, eternall felicitie, and life euerlaſtinge, the knowledge of God and all kindes of vertues, faith, hope, charitie, righteouſnes, holynes, and innocencie of life. Now let vsus ſée what this vnderſtanding of man is able to doo, and what power it hath. The Iudgement and vnderſtanding of man in Earthly things, is not altogither none at all: but yet it is weake, and verye ſmal, God wot.

The vnderſtanding therefore that is in man dooth come of God: but in that it is ſmall and weake that commeth of mans owne fault and corruption. But the bountifull Lord doeth augment in men thoſe giftes of his, whereby it commeth that mans wit bringeth woonderful things to paſſe.

For which cauſe we read in the holie Scriptures that the artes & wittes of men are in the handes of God. But in the knowledge or vnderſtanding of heauenly matters there is not one ſmall ſparke of light in man, his witt of it ſelfe is nothing but darckeneſſe, which at the beginninge was created by God moſte ſharpe & lightſome, but was afterwardes by mans corruption vtterly rebated and darkned againe. For therefore it is that Chriſte in the Goſpell ſayed: No man commeth to mee, vnleſſe my father drawe him.

And in the prophets it is written: All ſhalbe taught by GOD. And Paule ſaith: The naturall man perceiueth not the thinges that are of the ſpirite of God: for they are fooliſhneſſe vntounto him: Neither can knowe, becauſe they are ſpiritually diſcerned. The naturall man (that is, that olde man, which is not yet regenerate by the holie Ghoſt) is not a blocke altogether without all ſenſe or féeling. For if he were vtterly without all the diſcourſes of reaſon, then how ſhould the preaching of the Goſpell ſéeme fooliſhneſſe vntounto him? He doth therefore by the gifte of God heare and vnderſtande the wordes and ſenſe of the holie ſcripture: but by reaſon of his naturall corruption, he is not touched w^t them, he doth not rightly iudge of thē: they ſeeme méere follie vntounto him: neither doth he perceiue that they muſt be diſcerned ſpiritually, becauſe hee is not regenerate, and is yet without y^e true light of Gods moſte holie Spirite.

For, in another place the Apoſtle ſaith: We are not able to thinke any good as of our ſelues, but all our abilitie is of God. And therefore it is that wée do ſo often in the Scriptures finde mention of Inlightening or I lumination: which ſhoulde without cauſe be expreſſed or named, if ſo bee mannes vnderſtanding were cleare & of it ſelfe not darke and miſtie. There is therefore borne togeather with all men a blindeneſſe of heart & mynde, a doubting in the promiſes of God, and an vnbeléefe and peruerſe iudgement in all heauenly thinges. For albeit that man hath at Gods hand receiued vnderſtanding, yet by reaſon of his owne corruption, ignoraunce is a peculiar and proper heritage belonging vntounto him. For he is then in his kingdome, when he is blynd, when he doth erre, when he doth doubte, when hee doth not beléeue, nor vſe the gifts that God hath giuen him, rightly as hee ſhould, that is, to his owne ſaluation, and the glorie of his maker.

Let vsus nowe ſée, what the will of the olde man is able to doe. Therefore, Will.ſince this will doeth followe a blynde guide, God wote, that is to ſay corrupt affection, it is vnknowen to no man, what fooliſhe choyce it maketh, and wherevnto it tendeth. And although the vnderſtanding bee neuer ſo true and good, yet is the will like to a ſhippe toſſed to & fro with ſtormie tempeſtes, that is, of affections. For it walloweth vpp and downe with hope, feare, luſt, ſorrowe, and anger, ſo that it chooſeth and followeth nothing but euil.

For the holie Apoſtle ſpeakinge of him ſelfe doth ſaye: I knowe that in mee, that is, in my fleaſh there dwelleth no good thing. For, to will is preſent with mee, but I finde no meanes to perfourme that whiche is good.

For the good that I woulde, doe I not: but the euill which I woulde not, that do I.

But nowe, ſince the Apoſtle ſpake this of him ſelfe, when he was regenerate, what I praye you ſhall wee ſaye of the will of the olde man? The olde man willeth all thinges whiche God willeth not, and breakinge into all kinde of wickedneſſe, doeth foulie fulfill his filthie luſtes: that is to ſay, hee giueth his members ſeruauntes vntounto vncleanneſſe and wickedneſſe, from one iniquitie vntounto another. We hauehave of this, verie many examples exhibited vntounto vsus, bothe by the holie Scriptures and daily experience.

Let vsus nowe againſt this oppoſe or ſet the newe man, that is, the man Of the … man, … of re…eneratiō.which is regenerate by the ſpirite of GOD, through the faith of Ieſus Chriſte. Nowe regeneration is the renuing of y^e man, by which through the faith of Ieſus Chriſte, we, whiche were the ſonnes of Adam, and of wrath, are borne againe the ſonnes of God, and do therefore putt off the olde man, and put on the new, which bothe in vnderſtanding and wil doeth fréely ſerue the Lorde.

This regeneration is the renuing of the minde, not of the bodie: as we hearde in an other place out of the thirde Chapter of Sainct Iohns Goſpell. The author of this regeneration, is the holie Ghoſt, which is from heauen giuen vntounto man, I meane to a faithfull man. For the gifte of the holie Ghoſte is giuen for Chriſte his ſake, and that too, vntounto none but thoſe that do beléeue in Chriſte. This ſpirite of God doeth teſtifie with our ſpirite, that wee are the ſonnes of God, and therefore, the heires of his kingdome.

Wee are therefore, a newe creature, repayred nowe according to the image of GOD, and indued with a newe nature or diſpoſition: whereby it commeth to paſſe, that wee doe dayly put off that olde man, and putt on the newe: whiche thinge is done when we walk, not in concupiſcence after the Carnall inclination of the fleſhe, but in neweneſſe of ſenſe, according to the woorkinge of the holie Ghoſte, by whome wee are regenerate. The ſame ſubſtaunce & forme of the bodie abideth ſtill, the minde is chaunged, the vnderſtanding and wil renued. For, by the ſpirite of God the vnderſtandinge is illuminated, faith and the vnderſtanding of God and heauenly thinges is plentiouſely beſtowed, and by it vnbeleefe and ignoraunce, that is, the darkeneſſe of the olde man are vtterly expelled, according to that ſaying of the Apoſtle: Through Chriſte ye are made riche in all thinges, in all ſpeeche & knowledge. Againe: Wee hauehave not receiued the ſpirite of the worlde, but the ſpirite which is of GOD, to knowe what thinges are giuen of Chriſte to vsus. And againe: We hauehave (or know the ſpirite or) mynde of Chriſt. And againe: ye hauehave no néede that any man teache you: but as the verie annoynting doth inſtruct you of all thinges, and is true, abide ye in it. And in this regeneration of man, the will alſo doth receiue an heauenly vertue, to do the good, whiche the vnderſtandinge perceiued by the holie Ghoſte, ſo that it willeth, chooſeth, and woorketh the good that the Lorde hath ſhewed it: and on the other ſide nilleth, hateth, and repelleth the euil that the Lorde hath forbidden it. For Paule ſaith: I knowe to be humble, and I knowe to exceede. I can doe all thinges through Chriſt who ſtrengtheneth mee.

And againe to the Philippians, he ſaith: To you it is giuen for Chriſte, not onelyonly to beléeue in him, but alſo to ſuffer for him. And againe, yet he doeth more plainly ſay. It is God that worketh in you, bothe to will and to performe, according to the good purpoſe of the minde. But now note this that what ſoeuer they doe, whiche are regenerate by the ſpirit of God, they doo it fréely, not by compulſion, nor againſt their willes. For like as God requireth a cheerefull giuer: ſo where the ſpirit of the Lord is, there is frée libertie and hartie goodwil. And Zacharie the Father of Iohn Baptiſt ſaide: That we beeing deliuered from the handes of our enimyes, might ſerue him without feare, in holineſſe and righteouſnes before him all the dayes of our life.

Yea, and our Lorde him ſelfe in the Goſpel ſaith. If ye abide in my ſayings, ye shalbe my Diſciples in deede, and ye shall know the trueth, and the trueth shall make you free. And againe, If the ſonne ſet you at libertie, or make you free, then shall ye be free in deede. Touching this libertie of the ſonnes of GOD, I hauehave alreadie diſcourſed in the ninthe Sermon of my firſt Decade.What, and of what kinde, the Libertie is that is in man.

This libertie of the ſonnes of God wée doe willingly acknowledge, and fréely confeſſe: but the arrogant diſputations of ſome blaſphemous praters concerning frée will, as thoughe it were in our power, of our ſelues to doe any heauenly thing, wee doe vtterly reiecte and flatly denye. And yet wee doe not make man ſubiecte to fatall neceſſitie, nor turne vppon GOD the blame of iniquitie. As we hauehave elſe-where more at large declared. And S. Auguſtine, in his controuerſie with the Pelagians did ſo attemper his diſputation, that hee attributed the good to the Grace of God, and the euill vntounto our nature: ſo that (the ſenſe béeing ſounde, vncorrupted, and well weighed) he attributeth frée will, which he graunteth to bée in vsus, vntounto the grace that woorketh in vsus, yea, to the regeneration of the Spirite, rather than to our ſelues or our owne power. I will here cite and rehearſe vntounto you (dearely beloued) this one teſtimonie onelyonly out of all his writinges, as it is to bée founde in the firſte Chapter of his booke, De Correptione et Gratia, where hée ſaith: Wee muſt confeſſe that wee hauehave free will to doe bothe euill and good: but in the doing of euill, euerie one is free from righteouſeneſſe, and bound to ſinne: but in good, no man can bee free, vnleſſe hee bee made free by him which ſaide: If the ſonne make you free, then ſhall ye bee free in deede. And yet not ſo, that when eueryevery one is ſett free from the condemnation of ſinne, hee ſhould then no more ſtand in neede of his deliuerers ayde: but ſo rather, that, where hee heareth his deliuerer ſaye: Without mee yee can doe nothinge, hee ſhould preſently ſaye to him againe: Bee thou my helper: O forſake mee not.

And verily, I am gladde that in oure brother Florus I founde this faith, which, without doubt, is the true, propheticall, and Apoſtolicall faith.

For here muſt the grace of God, through Ieſus Chriſte our Lorde bee needes vnderſtoode: by whiche alone wee men are deliuered from euil, and without which wee doe no good, either in thought, will, louelove, or deede. Not onelyonly that by the ſhewing, or teaching of grace, men ſhould no more but knowe what is to bee done: but alſo, that by the verie woorking and perfourminge of grace they ſhould with louelove doe the thing that they knowe. And ſo forth. For, I hauehave hitherto rehearſed vntounto you Saincte Auguſtines opinion touching free will, of which this is ſufficient for a note by the waye: nowe I returne to my purpoſe againe.

Wée hauehave hearde what the olde man is, what the newe man is, and … the … man … by … ſpirite.howe wée are renued by the holy ſpirite: nowe therefore, when we ſaye, that penitentes doe mortifie the olde man, and are renued by the ſpirite, or ſpiritually, we ſaye nothing elſe, but that to all penitents the affections, ſenſes or luſtes of the fleaſhe, I meane, euen the verie vnderſtanding, which wee hauehave of olde Adam, together with the will, are not onelyonly ſuſpected, but alſo conuicted of impietie, and that therefore in all their thoughtes, wordes, and deedes, they do neuer admitte their affections into their counſell, but doe by al meanes reſiſt them and continually ſtudye to breake the necke of them: and on the other ſide, in all our counſels, words, and déedes to admitt and receiue, yea, & with prayers to call vntounto vsus that heauenly guyde the ſpirite of Chriſt, by whoſe conduite and leading wee maye perceiue, iudge, ſpeake, and woorke, that is to ſaye, either omitt or doe that, which we hauehave learned in our graunde patterne Chriſte, according to whoſe likeneſſe wee muſt bee refourmed, that henceforth wee maye applye our ſelues to holineſſe, righteouſneſſe and good woorkes to Godwarde.

But nowe all this we ſhall vnderſtande more rightly and plainely by the wordes of the Apoſtle, where hee ſayeth: This I ſaye, and teſtifie in the Lorde, that ye henceforth walke not as other Gentiles walke in vanitie of their minde, darkened in cogitation, being alienated from the life of God by the ignoraunce that is in them, by the blyndneſſe of their hartes, which being paſt feeling hauehave giuen them ſelues ouer vntounto wantonneſſe, to worke all vncleanneſſe with greedineſſe. But ye hauehave not ſo learned Chriſt, if ſo be ye hauehave heard him and hauehave beene taught in him, as the trueth is in Ieſus, to lay downe according to the former conuerſation, the olde man, which is corrupt according to the luſtes of errour, but to bee renued in the ſpirite of your mynde, and to put on that newe mā, which after God is ſhapen in righteouſeneſſe and holineſſe of trueth: and ſo forth as followeth in the 4. Chapter to the Epheſians. The ſame Apoſtle in the thirde to the Coloſſians ſaith: Mortifie your members whiche are vponupon the earth: fornication, vncleanneſſe, inordinate affection, euill concupiſcence, and couetouſneſſe, which is idolatrie, for which thinges ſake, the wrath of God commeth vponupon the children of diſobedience: amonge whom ye alſo walked ſometime whē ye liued in them. But nowe put yee off alſo all theſe things, wrath, fierceneſſe, maliciouſeneſſe, blaſphemie, filthie communication out of your mouth: lye not one to another, ſeeing that ye hauehave put off the old man with his workes: and hauehave put on the newe man, which is renued into the knowledge and image of him that made him. Put on therefore, as the elect of god, holie & beloued, bowels of merciemercy, kindneſſe modeſtie, meekneſſe, long ſuffering, forbearing one an other, and forgiuing one another, if any man hauehave a quarell againſt anie: and ſo forth.

To which, if thou addeſt that, which the Apoſtle hath of the ſame matter in the ſixt Chapter to the Romanes, eueryevery poynt wilbe more expreſſe & plaine vntounto the hearer.

Nowe, theſe woordes of the Apoſtle do not onelyonly teach vsus what the old Of the worthie fruites, or, of the fruites worthie of repentāce.man is, what the newe man is, what it is to mortifie the olde man, and how penitents are renued in the newneſſe of the ſpirite, or of the minde: but doe alſo ſhewe what the fruits be that are worthie of repentance, to wite, thoſe rehearſed vertues, or thoſe offices of life towarde God and our neighbour. We owe to God feare or reuerence, humbleneſſe of minde, the knowledge of our ſelues, faith, hope, the hatred of ſinne, the louelove of righteouſeneſſe, charitie toward our neighbour, well doing towardes all men, and innocencie in all things. Theſe kind of fruits did the holie man Iohn Baptiſt require of the Iewiſh nation, when he ſaide: Bring forth fruits that become repentance.

For in Saincte Luke, beeinge demanded of the people, of the Publicanes and of the mercenarie or garriſon ſouldiers, what thing they ſhoulde do worthie of repentaunce, he preſcribeth none other than that, whiche we euen nowe recited. For the Lord him ſelfe by Eſaie in the 5. Chapter of his prophecie rehearſed vpp none other fruites than thoſe.

And in the Reuelation made to S. Iohn, ſpeaking to the miniſter of the Churche of Epheſus, he ſaith: Remē ber from whence thou arte fallē, and repent and doe the firſte woorkes. Wherevnto agrée the wordes of S. Paule, ſpeaking to Agrippa, and ſaying: I hauehave preached to the Iewes and Gentiles, exhorting them to repent, and to turne to God, and to do ſuch woorkes, as become them that repent.

And againe in the ſeuenth Chapter of the ſeconde Epiſtle to the Corinthians hee ſaith: Sorrowe, which is to Godwarde, cauſeth repentaunce vntounto ſaluation not to be repented of. For, behold this ſelfe ſame thing that ye were made ſoarie to Godward, howe muche carefulneſſe it hathe wrought in you? yea, what clearing of your ſelues, yea, what indignation, yea, what feare, yea, what vehement deſire, yea, what zeale, yea, what puniſhment? Nowe, this carefulneſſe is an intentiue diligence to correcte that which is amiſſe. Verily out of careleſſe looſeneſſe doeth ariſe invred cuſtome to committ ſinne, and negligent ſecuritie. Penitents doe not ſtande in defence of their ſinnes, but make their ſupplicant apologie to God, to hauehave them remitted. Hypocrites excuſe themſelues and ſeeke out ſhiftes and ſtarting holes, not cō feſſing fréely their ſinns and offences, nor praying to God to hauehave them forgiuen. He, which repent…th truely & in verie déed, is angrie with him ſelfe becauſe of his wicked manners and life alreadie lewdly ſpent. The puniſhment which he doth exerciſe vponupon him ſelfe, preuenteth and turneth awaye the reuengeing and imminent wrath of God.

Moreouer with feare he doeth take heede howe hee ſinneth any more. For the contempte of GOD is the originall of miſchiefes, and bonde of an impenitent life. Furthermore, he, which doeth truely repent, is rauiſhed with the paſſing vehement deſire or louelove of GOD and heauenly thinges: hee burneth with zeale, whereby it commeth to paſſe, that hee neither foadeth off from daye to day, nor yet doth coldly nor ſlackely go about that, whiche hee hath learned by the word of God to be required at his hand to be done and performed. Briefly what ſoeuer he doth, he doth it with al his minde euen from the very bottome and roote of his heart. For ſo ſayeth the great Prophete of God the holy man Moſes: If thou wilt turne to the Lord thy God, and hearken vntounto his voice, with all thy heart, and with all thy ſoule: the Lord thy God alſo ſhall turne thy captiuitie, and ſhewe pitie vponupon thee in the bowels of merciemercy. Thus much touching the fruits of Repentaunce.

Nowe vppon all the premiſſes we inferre this conſequent, that Repentaunce … of all ….(whoſe onelyonly ſcope, whereto it tendeth, is the renouation by the ſpirit of Chriſt, of the image of God, whiche was by Adams fall of old defiled) is not a worke of a day or twaine, or of a preſcribed number of yeres, but a cō tinuall obſeruaunce of our whole life, and ſo cōſequently a daily putting off and renuing of the old man for euer. For they that are regenerate by the holy ſpirite of God, are neuer ſo purged that they féele no motions of the fleſh, of ſinne, and of carnal affections. There is alwayes obiecte to the eyes of the faithful this ſentence of ſ. Paul, that cannot by any meanes be pluckt out of their minds. I know that in me, that is, in my fleſh there dwelleth no good thing. For to will is preſēt with mee, but I finde no meanes to perfourme that, which is good. For the good, that I would, I doe not, but the euill, that I would not, that doe I. For wee beare about the reliques of the fleſh thorough all our life. Wherevppon it commeth, that in the Saincts there is a perpetuall and very ſharpe battaile. For they doe partly obey the ſpirite, and are partly weakened of y^e fleſh. By the ſpirite they are lifted vp to the contemplation & deſire of heauenly thinges. But by the fleſh they are thruſt downe to earthly thinges, & troubled with the allurements of this naughtie world. For euen the Apoſtle féeling that combat in himſelfe ſayed, The fleſh luſteth contrarie to the ſpirite, and the ſpirite contrarie to the fleſh. For they are ſo at enimitie beetwixt thēſelues, that what ye would ye cannot doe. And in an other place he ſayth: Euen I, the ſame, doe in the minde ſerue the lawe of God, but in the fleſh the lawe of ſinne. And to help the matter forward withal, there lackes no deceipt, no craft, and a thouſand temptations of the ſubtile crafts maiſter our enimie the diuell. Therefore the labour and perill of the true penitent, that is, of a Chriſtian man, is farre greater, than that our prayers are comparable vntounto it.

But now who doeth not here perceiue What thinges are neceſſarie in penitentes.how great watching, abſtinēce, conſtancie, fortitude, and patience are néedeful for thoſe y^• doe repent? What great néede they hauehave of earneſt and continuall prayers? Let vsus in this ſharpe conflict lay before our eyes the inſtruction of that valiaunt champion the Apoſtle Paule. For that, which he ſayeth, may be to vsus in ſtéed of a large and ample commentarie. For he will in fewe wordes paſſingly inſtruct vsus how to behaue our ſelues in this troubleſome combate, how to vanquiſh, & howe to triumphe when the victorie is gotten. In his Epiſtle to the Epheſians, thus he ſayth: Brethren, be ſtrong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on al the armour of God, that ye may ſtand againſt the aſſaults of the diuel. For wee wreſtle not againſt fleſh and bloud onelyonly, but againſt rules, againſt powers, againſt worldly gouernours, of the darckeneſſe of this world, againſt ſpirituall ſubtiltis in heauēly things. Wherfore take vntounto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to reſiſt in the euill day, and hauing finiſhed all thinges, to ſtand faſt. Stand therfore, hauing your loynes girt about with the truth, & hauing on the breſt plate of righteouſneſſe: & your feete ſhodd in the preparation of the Goſpell of peace. Aboue all, taking the ſhield of faith, wherwith ye may quench al the ſierie dartes of the wicked: & take the helmet of ſaluation, and the ſword of the ſpirite, which is the word of God. Praying alwayes in al prayer & ſupplication in the ſpirite, and watching for the ſame wth all inſtance. And ſo as followeth in the 6. to y^e Epheſians.

Here therfore are alſo to be rehearſed y^• outward exerciſes of repentance The outwarde exerciſes of repentāce.or rites of penaunce, wherewith the Sainctes do exerciſe themſelues, partly to tame and kéepe vnderunder the motious of fleſh, and partly to teſtifie their repentaunce vntounto the congregation. Thoſe exerciſes are careleſſenes of the fleſh, teares, ſighes, ſackcloth, faſtings, wéeping, lamenting, neglecting & hatred of deintie diet, trimming of the body, and alſo of allowable pleaſures: which, although they be done, and yet do not procéed from the very heart and from true faith, are notwithſtanding nothing auaileable to him that vſeth them. But it is beſt héere to learne, & as it were, in a painted table to behold them pictured in y^e word of God. The Prophete Ioel ſayth, Turne ye to me, ſayth the Lord, with all your heartes with faſting, with weeping and with mourning: and rent your heartes and not your garmentes, and turne to the Lord your God, for he is gratious & mercifull, ſlowe to anger and of great goodneſſe, & he wil repent him of the euill. Who knoweth whether the Lord wil returne & take compaſſion, and wil leaue behind him a bleſſing? Blowe vp a trūpet in Sion, proclame faſt, call an aſſemblie, ſanctifie the cō gregation, gather the people, gather the elders, aſſemble the children and ſucking babes. Let the bridegrome come forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her cloſet. Let the prieſts the Lords miniſters weepe betwixte the porch and the altar, and let them ſaye: Spare thy people, O Lord, and giuegive not ouer thine heritage vntounto reproch, that the heathen ſhould rule ouer them. Wherfore ſhould they amonge the heathen ſay, where is their God? To theſe diuine & euident preceptes let vsus annexe that notable exā ple of the truly repentaunt Niniuites, out of the holy ſcriptures: of whome y^• holy Prophete Ionas hath left this in writing: The men of Nin…uee beleeued God, and proclamed a faſt, and put on ſackcloth from the greateſt of thē vntounto the leaſt of them. And word came to the king of Niniuce, which aroſe from his throne, and put off his robe, & couered himſelfe in ſackcloth and ſat downe in the aſhes. Moreouer by the kinges cōmaundement proclamatiō was made throughout y^e whole citie, ſaying: Let neither mā nor beaſt taſte any thing, neither feede nor yet drincke water: but let both man and beaſt put on ſackcloth, & crie mightily vntounto God: yea, let eueryevery man turne from his euill way, & from the wickedneſſe that is in his hāds. Who can tell whether God wil turne, & be moued with repentance & turne frō his fierce wrath, that we periſh not? And now it is good to heare howe effectuall true repentaunce is in the ſight of the Lord. Therfore it followeth in y^e ſame chap. And God ſaw their works, that they turned from their euil wayes, & he repented of the euill which he ſaid he would do to them, and did it not. And here alſo (derely beloued) ye muſt note y^• repentance is of 2. ſorts, to wit, ….priuate or ſecrete, & publique or manifeſt. EueryEvery one doth ſecretly to himſelf repent priuately, ſo often as, when he hath ſinned againſt god, he doth deſcēd into himſelf, and w^t the candle of gods word doth ſearch al the corners of his hart, & confeſſe to God al his offences: being greued y^t he hath offended him, & yet doth turne vntounto him, beléeuing verily y^t he wilbe reconciled vntounto him in Chriſt his ſauiour, & for his ſake doeth vtterly hate ſinn, & entirely louelove righteouſnes and innocencie, in following them ſo néere as he can. The publique or ſolemne repentance is vſed in great calamities, in dearth, in peſtilence, & warre: and of y^e repentance it is, that the prophet Ioel ſpeketh, whoſe words ye heard a litle afore. And yet priuate repentance is in many points all one with the publique. For Peter wéepeth bitterly: & priuate penitēts do faſt priuately, & abſteine ſeuerely euen from all alowed pleaſures, much more then from the allurements and baits of the world. But they y^• do truly repent either publiquely or priuately, both do & muſt ſpecially hate coloured hypocriſie & vaine oſtentation. Moreouer both ….kinds of repentance are frée & voluntarie, not extorted or coacted, but proceding of a willing mind. The paſtour of the Church & teacher of the truth, I confeſſe, doth ſeuerely call vponupon al ſinners w^tout delay to repent themſelues truly for their ſinns cōmitted, but yet he doth by expreſſe lawe lay vppon no mans necke any preciſe order preſcribing y^t time, maner, place, or number, but leaueth it frée to eueryevery ones choice, ſo y^t they do the thing that is decent, according to the preſcript rule in y^e word of God. But publique repētance is for the moſt part wont to be proclamed, & openly receiued of the whole cōgregation ſo often as pietie requireth it, and neceſſitie cōpelleth it, & doth out of the word of God therew^tal declare what & how al things muſt be done & decently ordered. Againe it is manifeſt y^• there Falſe and True repentance.are 2. ſortes of repentaunce more. For there is true repentance & falſe repentance. The true repentance is y^•, whiche doth exerciſe, that is regenerate by the ſpirite of God, & is w^tout all colour & craft, cōteyning in it al thoſe things that I hauehave hetherto told you off. The ſcriptures conteined in the old & new teſtament, do miniſter to vsus many examples of true repentance, which I hauehave at large layd forth vntounto you in y^• that I hauehave alreadie ſpoken. Thoſe examples are excellent which we find of our parents Adam & Euah, of y^e people of Iſraels often repenting in the 33. of Exod. in the booke of Iudges, and the bookes of Kinges. Yet more excellent than the reſt is that of Dauid in the 12. cap. of the 2. of Samu and 1. Par. 21. And that of Manaſſes, & Ioſias. 2. Re. 33. & 34 In the Goſpell alſo we hauehave to ſée the examples of Matthewe, Zachęus, the ſinneful woman, & Peter, beſide other more, that here for ſhortneſſe ſake I do wittingly paſſe ouer. But falſe or coū terfeit repentance procedeth of a feigned hart: & though at a bluſh it ſéeme to hauehave the circūſtances of true repentance, yet for becauſe it wanteth a turning to God and a ſound confidence in him, it is vnſincere and vtterly falſe. For of al other it is moſt certaine that the repentaunce of Iudas Iſcariote was falſe and counterfeite: and yet he confeſſed his ſinne, hee bare record to the trueth, and did with much anger and ſorrowe reſtore to the prieſts the price, which he toke for y^• innocent bloud: but becauſe he did not wholie turne to Chriſt, & put his whole confidence in his merciemercy and goodneſſe, all his repentance was without al fruit. And without all profite doe hypocrits, and thoſe, that are without the faith of the Goſpell, torment themſelues, and make a ſhew of outward repentance.

But they are moſt happie and in an heauenly caſe that do with al their True penitentes are in an happie ca…e.heartes truely repente with faith vnfeigned: for they receiue infinite goodneſſe of their moſt bountifull and liberal God: who is at-one againe with penitents, and doeth nowe louelove them, that before he did for their ſinnes moſt hartily, and yet moſt iuſtly, hate and abhorre. The puniſhments alſo, whiche he determined to lay vppon them, he turneth into benefites. For he doth fill, and as it were, loade penitentes with all maner good thinges both temporall and eternall. Now ye vnderſtood (déerely beloued) by my former ſermons, that God beſtoweth ſo great benefites vponupon vsus, not for our works of Repentance, but for Chriſt his ſake in whom alone the Saincts doe truſt, not putting any confidence in their workes of repentaunce, how holy and commendable ſoeuer they be. For in ſo much as the father loueth Chriſte, & that wée by faith are graffed in him, God doeth therefore louelove vsus and oure works doe pleaſe him, which workes of ours, when he doth recompence, hee crowneth not our works, as our owne works, but crowneth in vsus the grace, which hee himſelfe hath giuen vsus. Againe it muſt néedes be that vnrepentauntes Vnrepentantes are vnhappy.are moſt vnhappie. They heare with what ſinns and tranſgreſſions they hauehave offended God, & prouoked his iuſte vengeaunce againſt themſelues, but therew^tall they thinke not howe to preuent the wrath of God being readily imminent to take vengeaunce of them, nor howe to obteine his fauour againe. What elſe therefore doeth remaine behinde for them, but a moſt certeine and iuſt deſtruction both of body and ſoule, of all their goods, and whatſoeuer things elſe they doe moſt eſtéeme in this tranſitorie life? It is good héere to call to minde that notable ſentence of the Lord Ieſus in the Goſpell, ſaying: Woe be to thee Chorazin, woe be to thee Bethſaida: for if the wonders had beene done in the citie of Tyre and Sidon, that hauehave beene done in you, they would hauehave repented long ere this in ſackcloth and aſhes. But I ſay vntounto you, it ſhalbe eaſier for Tyre, Sidon, and Sodoma in the day of iudgement than for you. The parable of the vnfruitefull figgetrée is knowen to all men, whereof mention is made in the Goſpell, whiche withered vpp by the Iudgement of God, to be an example to teache and terrifie all impenitent ſinners. What ſhall fall, may wee thincke, vppon the men of theſe dayes, that do ſo boldly deſpiſe repentaunce, now ſo many yeares, ſo plainly preached vntounto them and beaten into their heads? Some there are, a Gods name, that will outwardly for a ſhewes ſake only ſéeme to be deſirous of the Euangelical truth: other are vtter enimies, contemners, and perſecuters of the Goſpell: & an infinite rable thou ſhalt finde of Lucianiſts, Epicures, Nullifideans, and Atheiſtes: nowe ſince all theſe do equally in a manner ſwéetely deride, or rather ſcoffingly mocke at this hartie repentance, we cannot doe otherwiſe but ſtill expect & looke when the terrible iudgmēt of Gods mightie arme ſhould fall vppon ſuch vnrepentaunt ſinners. Let them, y^• wiſh well to themſelues, ſpéedily turne to y^e lord, and conſider with themſelues cōtinually and earneſtly, howe great the damage is to kéepe the tranſitorie ioyes of this preſent life, & ſo to looſe the eternal ioyes of y^e kingdome of heauē. Let eueryevery one make haſt to do that, which hée perceiueth to be done the better by ſo much, by how much the ſooner it is taken in hand.

And yet I would not that any man ſhould deſpaire in his ſinnes, if ſo be y^• … not ….he doth not ſtubbornely deſpiſe the remedie of repentaunce, nor becauſe of the facilitie and gentleneſſe of his heauenly father, doth not maliciouſly by y^e way of contempt deferre repentaunce euen til the very end. And if any man be hindered by the fleſh, the world, and the diuel, ſo that it be late or ere he applie his minde to repentaunce, neither would I hauehave him to fall to deſperation. But nowe becauſe I hauehave ſomewhat more longe drawen out this diſcourſe of repentance, than I had thought to hauehave done, that I may heere at laſt make an end of my ſermon, I wil in ſteed of a concluſion recite vntounto you thoſe golden words of y^e holy martyre ſ. Cyprian biſhop of Carthage, where he writeth againſt Demetrian to this effecte following. Beleeue and liue, & ye, that nowe for a time doe perſecute vsus, reioyce with vsus for euer. When ye are once out of this life, then is there no place for repentaunce, nor any effect of ſatiſfaction. In this world the life is either wonne or loſt. In this world eternall ſaluation is prouided for, by the vnfeigned worſhipping of God, and the fruites of true faith. Let not any man either by his ſinnes, or yeares be held backe from comminge to lay hold vppon Saluation. So long yet, as a man is in this world, no late No repentance commeth too late.repentaunce doth come out of ſeaſon. The entrie is open vntounto Gods indulgence: and to them that ſeeke and vnderſtād the truth the path to pardon is paſſing plaine. Thou euē at the verie end and laſt gaſpe of this temporall life aſke pardon for thy ſinnes at the handes of him, which is the true and onelyonly GOD, call to him for the confeſſion & faith of his knowledge: to him, that cōfeſſeth, pardon is granted, and to him, that beleeueth, ſaluation is giuen, & he euen preſently vppon his departure doeth paſſe to immortalitie. This grace doth Chriſt communicate: this gift hee doeth attribute vntounto his owne merciemercy, by making death ſubiect vntounto the triumph of the croſſe, by redeeming him that beleeueth with the price of his bloud, by recōciling man to God the father, by quickening the mortal by the heauenly regeneration. Let vsus all if it be poſſible followe him. Let vsus all profeſſe his ſigne and ſacrament. He openeth to vsus the way of life. Hee bringeth vsus to paradiſe againe. He leadeth vsus to the kingdome of heauen. With him we ſhall alwayes liue, and being by him made the ſonnes of God, wee ſhal with him alwayes reioyce, being reſtored by the ſheding of his bloud. We ſhalbe Chriſtians glorified together with Chriſte, bleſſed in God, reioycing with perpetuall pleaſure alwayes in the ſight of God, and euermore giuing thanckes to God. For he cannot chooſe but be merrie alwayes and thanckefull, who beeing once in daunger and feare of death, is nowe made ſecure in immortalitie.

¶ The end of the ſeconde Sermon.

Not transcribed in the source: a duplicate page, 1 page.

Fifty Sermons Containing the Chief Points of the Christian Religion, Sermons 2 · Decade 4 · Sermon 2

p. 561¶ Of Repentaunce, and the cauſes thereof, of Confeſsion and remiſsion of ſinnes, of ſatiſfaction and indulgences, of the olde and newe man, of the power or ſtrength of men, and the other thinges perteining to Repentaunce.

The Seconde Sermon.

¶ Of Repentaunce, and the cauſes thereof, of Confeſsion and remiſsion of ſinnes, of ſatiſfaction and indulgences, of the olde and newe man, of the power or ſtrength of men, and the other thinges perteining to Repentaunce.