Sermon of Repentance

To the Christian reader, John Bradford wyssheth the true knowledge and peace of Jesus Christ, our alone and omnisufficiente savior.

G Reat and heavy is God's anger against us, as the moste grievous plague of the death of our late king (a prince of all that ever was sithen Christ's ascension into heaven in any region pereles) now fallen upon us, doth pronosticate. For when God's judgment hath begun with his child thus our dear dearlynge, let othermen think as they can, I surely cannot be persuaded otherwise, but that a grievous and bitter cup of God's vengeance is ready to be poured out for us Englyshmen to drink of. The whelp God hath beaton to fraye the bandogge. Judgment is begun at God's house. In God's mercy to him wards he is taken away, that his eyes should not see, the miseries we shall fele: he was to good to tarrye with us so wicked, so froward, so perverse, so obstinate, so malicious, so hypocritical, so covetous, unclean, untrue, proud, carnal. &c, a generation. I will not go about to paynte us out in our colors. All the world which never saw England, by hear say seeth England. God by his plagues and vengeance I fear me will paint us out, and point us out▪ we have so mocked with him and his Gospel, that we shall feel it is no bourdyng w ^t him. Of longe time we have covered our covetousness & carnality, under the cloke of his Gospel, so that all men shall see us to our shame▪ when he shall take his Gospel away, and give it to a people that will bring forth the fruits of it, then shall we appear as we be. To let his Gospel tarry with us, he cannot, for we despise it, contempne it, are glutted with it, we disdain his Manna, it is but a vile meat think we: we would be again in Egypt, and sit by the greasy flesh pots, to eat again our garlike, onions, and leekes. Sithen God's gospel came amongst us, we say now we had never plenty, therefore again let us go and worship the queen of heaven. Chyldren begin togather sticks, the fathers kyndle the fire, and y ^e women make the cakes to offer to the queen of heaven, and to provoke the lord to anger. The earth cannot abide now the words & sermous of Amos: the cause of all rebellion is Amos and his preaching, It is Paul and his fellows, that makes all out of order. Summa, the Gospel is now 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the outcaste and curse of the realm: and so are the preachers, therefore out of the doors w ^t them. So that I say, God cannot let his Gospel tarry w ^t us, but must needs take it away to do us some pleasure therein, for so shall we think for a time: as the Sodomitanes thought when Lot departed from them, as the old world thought when Noah crept into his arcke: as the Iero solomytances thought when the apostles went thence to Peltis. Thē were they merry, thē was all pastyme: When Moses was absent, then went they to eating and drynkynge, and rose again to play. Then was all peace, all was well, nothing amiss. But alas, suddenly came the flood and drowned them, the fire and burnt them up, Titus and besieged them, God's wrath waxed hot against them. Then was weal away, mournynge and woe: then was cryenge out, wringing of hands, renting of clothes, sobbyng and sighynge for the miseries fallen, out of the which they could not scape. But oh you morners & cryers out: ye renters of clothes, why mourn you: what is the cause of your misery? The Gospel is gone, gods word is little preached, you were not disquieted with it? Noah troubleth you not, Lot is departed, the apostles are gone? what now is y ^e cause of these your miseries? Wyll you at y ^• length confess it is your sins? Nay now it is to late. God called vpō you and you would not hear him, therefore yell and cry out now, for he will not hear you: You bowed your ears from hearing of God's law, therefore your prayer is execrable. But to come again to us Englishmen, I fear me I say, for our unthankfulness sake, for our impiety and wickedness, as God hath taken away our king, so will he take away his gospel: yea so we would have it, then should all be well think many. Well, if he take that away, for a time perchance we shall be quiet, but at length we shall fele the want to our woe, at length he will have at us, as at Sodom, at Jerusalem▪ and other places. And now he begineth to brew such a brewing, wherein one of us is like to destroy another, & so make an opē gap for foreign enemies to devour us, and destroy us. The father is against the son, y ^e brother against the brother. And lord w ^t what conscience? Oh be thou merciful voto us, & in thine anger remember thy mercy, suffer thyself to be entreated, be reconciled unto us, nay reconcyle us unto the. Oh thou god of justice, judge justly oh thou son of God which camest to destroy y ^e works of Satan, destroy his furoures now smokinge, and almooste set on fire in this real me. We have sinned, we have sinned, & therefore art thou angry. Oh be not angry forever. Geue us peace, peace, peace, in the lord, Set us to war against sin, against Satan, against our carnal desires, and give us the vyctory this way. This victory we obtayn by faith. This faith is not without repentance, as hir gentleman vssher before her. Before hir. I say in discernynge true faith from false faith, lyppe faith, Englishmens faith: for else it sprynges out of true faith. This vssher then of repentance, if we truly possessed, we should be certain of true faith, and so assured of the victory over death, hell, and Satan: his works then which he hath stirred up, would quayle: God would restore us politic peace, right should be right & have right, God's Gospel should tarry with us, religion should be cherished, superstition suppressed, and so we yet somethynge happy, notwithstanding the great loss of our moste graciouse liege sovereign Lord. All these would come to pass you see, if the gentleman vssher I spake of, I mean repentance, were at ynne with us. As if he be absēt, we may be certain y ^e lady faith is absent, wherefor we cā not but be vanquished of the world, the flesh, and the devil, and so will Satan's works prosper though not in all things, to blear our eyes, yet in that thing which the most of all desireth. Therefore to repentance for our selves priuatelye, and for the realm and church publicly eueryone should labor to stir up both our selves & others. This, to the ende, that for my parte I might help, I have presently put forth a sermon of reap̄taunce, which hath lain by me half a year at the lease, for the most parte of it. For the last summer as I was abroad preaching in the countreye, my chance was to make a sermon of repentance the which was earnestly of diverse desired of me, that I should give it them written or else put it forth in prynt. The which thing to grant, as I could not (for I had not written it) so I told them that had so earnestly desired it. But when no nay would serve, but I must promise them to write it as I could: I consented to their request that they should have it at my leisure. This leisure I prolonged so longe, that as I wene I offended them, so did I please myself, as one more glad to read other men's writings, then in such sort to publyshe my writings for other men to read, not that I would others not to profit by me: but that I knowing how short my suppellex & store as, would be loath for the enemies to have just occasion of evil speaking and wrestinge that which symplye is spoken. But when I considered this present time, to occasion men now to loke upon all things in such sort as might move them to Godliness, rather then to any curiouse questioninge, I for the satisfienge of my promise, and profytinge of the simple ignorant and rude, have now caused this Sermon to be prynted, the which I beseech God for his Christ's sake, to use as a mean whereby of his mercy it may please him to work in me and many others true hartye repentance for our sins, to the glory of his name. Thus fare thou well in the Lord. The. xii. of July. Anno. M. D. LIII,

A sermon of repentance made by John Bradford.

T He life we have at this present, is the gift of God, in whom we live move, and are, Acts. xvii. and therefore is he called Jehovah, Exod iii. for the which life, as we should be thankful, so we may not in any wise, use it after our own fantacie, but to the end for the which it is given & lente us, that is, to the setting forth of God's praise and glory, by repentance, conversion, and obedience to his good will, and holy laws, whereunto his longe suffering doeth (as it were) even draw us, if our hearts by impenitency were not hardened. And therefore our life in the scripture is called a walking, for that as the body daily draweth more & more▪ near his ende, that is the earth: even so our soul draweth daily more and more, near the death, that is: salvation or damnation, heaven or hell. Of which thing, in that we are most careless, and very foles (for we alas, are the same today, we were yesterday, and not better or nearer to God, but rather nearer to hell, Satan, and perdition, being covetous, idle, carnal, secure, necligēt, proud, &c.) I think my labor cannot be better bestowed, then with the Baptist, Christ Jesus, and his Apostles, to harp on this stringe, which of all other is most necessary, and that in these days most specially. What strynge is that saith one? Forsoth brother the stryng of repentance y ^e which Christ our savior did use first in his ministry, and as his minister at this present I will use unto you all.

Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Math. iv.

This sentence thus pronounced, and preached by our savior Jesus Christ, as it doeth command us to repent, so to the doing of the same, it showeth us a sufficient cause to stir us up thereunto, namely, for that the kingdom of heaven (which is a kingdom of all joy, peace, riches, power, and pleasure) is at hand, to all such as do so, that is, as do repent. So that the meaning hereof is, as though our savior might thus speak presently: Syrs, for that I se you all walking the wrong way, even to Satan and unto hell fire, by following the kingdom of Satan, which now is coloured under the pylled pleasures of this life, and folyshnes of the flesh, moste subtelly to your utter vndoynge, and destruction: Behold and mark well what I say unto you: The kingdom of heaven that is another manner of joy and felicity, honor, and riches, power, and pleasure, then you now perceive or enjoy, is even at hand, and at youre backs, as if you will turn again, that is, repent you, you shall most truly and pleasauntlye fele, see, and enherit: Turn again therefore I say, that is: repent, for this joy I speak of, even the kingdom of heaven, is at hand.

Here we may note first the corruption of our nature, in that to this commandment, repent you, he addeth a cause, for y ^e kingdom of heaven is at hand: for by reason of the corruption and sturdines of our nature, God unto all his commandments, commonly either addeth some promise to provoke us to obedience, or elles some such sufficient cause, as cannot but tickle us up to hearty labourynge, for the doing of the same: as here to the commandment of doing penance, he addeth this aitiologie or cause, saying: for the king dome of heaven is at hand.

Agayne in that he joineth to the commandment, the cause, saying: for the kingdom of heavē is at hand: we may learn that of the kingdom of heavē, none (to whom the ministry of preaching doth appertain) can be partaker, but such as repent and do penance.

Therefore dearly beloved, if you regard the kingdom of heaven, in that you cannot entre therein except you repent, I beseech you all of every estate as you would your own weal, to repent and do penance, the which thing that you may do, I will do my best now to help you by gods grace.

But first because we cannot well tell what repentance is, thorough ignorance, & for lack of knowledge, and false teaching, I will (to begin with all, show you what repentance is.

Repentaunce or penance is no English word, but we borowe it of the Latinistes, to whom penance is a forethinkynge in English, in Greke, a being wise afterwards, in Hebrew, a conversion or turning, the which conversion or turnynge, in that it cannot be true and hartye unto God especially, without some good hope or trust of pardon for that which is all ready done and paste, I may well in this sort defyne it, namely, that penance is a sorrowynge or forethynkynge of our sins paste, an earneste purpose to amende, or turnynge to GOD, with a trust of pardon.

This diffinicion may be divided into three partes, that penance or repentance should contain, first a sorowynge for our synues: Secondly a trust of pardonne, which otherwise may be called a persuasion of God's mercy, by the merits of Christ, for the forgiveness of our sins: And thyrdely apurpose to amende, or conversion to a new life: the which third or last part, cannot be called properly a parte, for it is but an effect of penance, as towards the ende you shall se by God's grace. But least such as seek for occasion to speak evil, should have any occasion, though thei tarry not out the ende of this sermon: I there fore deuyde penance into the iii foresaid partes, of sorowing for our sin, of good hoope or trust of pardon, and of a new life. Thus you now se what penance is, a sorowyng for sin, a purpose to amend, with a good hope or trust of pardon.

This penance not only differeth from that which men comonlye have taken to be penance, in saying and doing our enjoined lady psalters, Seven Psalms, fastinges, pilgrimages almose deeds, and such like things: but also from that which the more learned have declared to consist of three partes, namely Contricion, Confession and Satisfaction.

Contricion they call a just & a full sorrow for their sin, for this word, just, and full, is one of the differences between contricion and attricion.

Confession they cal a numbering of all their sins in the ear of their ghostly father: for as (say they) a judge cannot absolve with out knowledge of the cause or matter, so cannot the Preiste or gostly father absolve from other sins, then those which he doth hear.

Satisfaction they call a mendes making unto God for their sins, by their undue works, opera indebita, works more thē they need to do, as they term them. This is their penance which they preach, write, and alowe: but howe true this gear is, howe it agreeth with gods word, howe it is to be allowed, taught, preached, and written, let us a lyttell considre. If a man repent not until he have a just & full sorowynge for his sins (dearly beloved) when shall he repent? for inasmuche as hell fire, and the ponishment of the devils is a just ponyshmente for sin: Inasmuch as in all sin, there is a contempt of GOD, which is all goodness, and therefore there is a desert of all ylnesse: Alas who can bear or feel this just sorrow, this full sorrow for our sins, this their contrition, which they so do discern from their attricion? Shall not man by this doctrine rather despair then come by repentance?

If a man repent not until he have made confession of all his sins, in the ear of his goostlye father: if a man cannot have absolution of his sins, until his sins be told by tale and mumber, in the priests ear, in that as David saith, none can understand, moche less then utter all his sins. Delicta quis intelligit, Who can understand his sins? in that David of him self complaineth (else where,) howe that this sins are over flowed his head, and as a heavy burden do depress him: halasse shall not a man by this doctrine be utterly driven from repentance? Thoughe they have gone about something to make plasters for their soores, of confession, or attricion, to aswage this gear, biddinge a man to hope well of his contricion, though it be not so full, as is required and of his confession, though he have not numbered all his sins, if so be that he do so much as in him lieth: Dearelye beloved in that there is none but that herein he is gyltye (for who doth as much as he may) trow ye that this plaster is not like salt for sore eyes? Yes undoubtedly when they have all done they can for the appeasing of consciences in these pointes, this is the some that we yet should hope well.

But yet so hope that we must stonde in a mammeryng & doubtynge, whether our sins be forgiven. For to believe remissionem peccatorum, that is to be certain of forgiveness of sins, as our creed teacheth us, they count it a presumptiō. Oh abomination, and that not only hereat, but at all their penance as they paynte it.

As concerning Satisfaction by their opera indebita, vndewe works, that is by such works as they need not to do, but of their own voluntarynesse, and wylfulnesse (wylfulnesse in deed) who seeth not monstrous abomination, blasphemy, and even open fyghtynge against God. For if Satisfaction can be done by man, then Christ died in vain for him that so satisfieth, and so reyngneth he in vain, is he a bysshoppe and a Prieste in vain.

God's law requireth love to God with all our heart, soul, power, might, and strenghte, so that there is nothing can be done to Godwarde, which is not contained in this commandment, nothing can be done over, and above this.

Again Christ requireth that to manward we should love one another, as he loved us. Trowe that we can do any good thing to our neyghbourwarde, which is not herein comprised?

Yea, let them tell me when they do any thing so in the love of God and their neyghboure, but that they had need to cry, Demitte nobis debita nostra.

Forgeue us our sins, so far are we of, from satisfieng, doeth not Christ say, when you have done all things that I have commanded you, say that ye be but unprofitable servants? Put no thing to my word, saith god. yes, works of supererogation, superabhomination say they. Whatsoever things are true saith the apostle S. Paul. Philip. iv. whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are conueniente, whatsoever things are of honest report, if there be any virtue, if there be any praise, have you them in youre mind and do them, & the god of peace shall be with you. I ween this well looked on, will pull us from popish satisfactory works which do deface Christ's treasures and satisfaction.

In heaven and in earth was there none found that could satisfy gods angre for our sins or get heaven for man, but only y ^e son of God Jesus Christ, the Lyon of the tribe of Judah, who by his blood hath wrought the work of satisfaction, and alonelye is worthy all honor, glory, and praise, for he hath opened the boke with the seven seals, Apoca. v.

Dearely beloved, therefore abhor this abomination, evē to think that there is any other satisfaction to Godward for sin, then Christ's blood only: blasphemy it is, and that horriblye to think otherwise.

The blood of Christ purifieth (saith S. John) from all sin, and therefore he is called y ^e lamb slain from the beginning of the world, because there was never sin forgiven of God, nor shall be from the beginning unto the ende of the world, but only thorough Christ's death, prate the pope & his prelates as please them, with their pardons, purgatories, purgations, place bois, trentales, diriges, works of supererogations, superabhominations. &c.

Isaiah. xliii. I am he saith the Lord, which put away thine offenses, and that for mine own sake, and will no more remember thine iniquities: put me in remembrance (for we will reason together) & tell me what thou hast for thee, to make thee ryghtuous. Thy first father offended sore. &c. And thus writeth S. John, If any man sin we have an advocate saith he with the father, evē Jesus christ the ryghtuous, and he is the propiciation or satisfaction for our sins: As in the .iiii. chapter, he saith, that God hath sent his Son to be a propiciation or mean, for the taking away of our sins, according to that which Paul writeth. Heb. ii. where he calleth Christ, a merciful and faithful priest, to purge the people's sins, so that blind bussardes, and perverse papists they be, which yet will prate our merits or works, to satisfy for our sins in part or in whole before baptism or after. For to omyt the testimonies I brought out of John and Paul, which the blind cannot but see: I pray you remember the text out of Isaiah, which even now I rehearsed, being spoken to such as were thē the people of God, & had ben a long time, but yet were fallen into grievous sins after their adoption into the number of gods chyldrē, it is for my own sake saith God, that I put away thy sins. Wher is your partig of the stake now? if it be for gods own sake, if Christ be the propitiation, thē recant, except you will become ydolaters, making your works God, and Christ? Saye as David teacheth: not to us lord, not to us, but to thy name be the glory.

And it is to be noted that God doth cast in their teeth, even the sin of their first father, lease they should think that yet perchance, for the ryghtuousnes and goodness of their good fathers, their sins might be the sooner pardoned, and so god accept their works. If they had made satisfaction for that which is done to the congregation publicly by some notable punishment, as in the primatyue church was used to open offenders, sparkles whereof & some traces yet remain, whē such as have sinned in adultery go about the church with a taper in their shyrtes. Or if they had made satisfaction for restitution to manward of such goods as wrong fully is gotten, y ^e which true penance cannot be without: Or if by satisfaction they had mente a new life to make amends to the congregation thereby, as by their evil life they did offend the congregation, in which sense the apostle seemeth to take that which he writeth .ii. Cor. vii. where tholde interpretoure calleth 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 satisfaction, which rather signifieth a defense or answerynge again: if I say, they had taken satisfactiō any of these ways, then they had done well, so that the satisfaction to God had been left alonely to Christ.

Agayne, if they had made confession either for that which is to god pryuately, either for that which is to the congregation publikelye, either for that which is a free consultation, with some one learned in gods book, and appointed thereunto as first it was used, and I wish were now used amongst us, ether for that which is a reconciliacion one to another, it had ben somethynge: yea if they had made it for faith, because it is a true demonstration of faith, as in Paul we may se to the Romans the .x. and to the Hebrews, when he calleth Christ the captain of our confession, that is of our faith. And so confessors were called in the prymitiue church, such as man fully did witness their faith, with the parell of their lives: if I say they had taken it thus, then had they done right well.

And so contricion, if they had left out their subtyll distinction between it and attricion by this word just or full, making it a hartye sorrow for their sins, then we would never have cried out against them therefore. For we say penance hath three partes, contricion, if you understand it, for a hartye sorrowyng for sin. Confessyon, if you vnderstonde it for faith of free pardonne in God's mercy by Jesus Christ. And satisfaction if you understand it not to Godwardes (for that only to Christ must be left alone) but to manwarde in restitucion of goods, wrongfully or fraudulently gotten, of name hindered by our sclaūders, and in newenes of life: although as I said before, and anon will show more plainly by gods grace, that this last is no parte of penance in deed, but a plain effect or fruit of true penance.

I might here bring in examples of their penance, how perilous it is to be embraced, but let the example of their graunde sier Judas serve, in whom we see all the partes of their penance, as they describe it, and yet notwithstanding was he damned. He was sory enough as the effect shown, he had their contricion fully out of the which he confessed his faute saying: I have betrayed innocent blood and thereunto he made satisfaction, restorynge the money he had received. But yet all was but lost, he hanged up him self, his bowels burste out, and he remaineth a child of perdition for ever. I would wish that this example of Judas, in whom you see the parts of their penance contricion, confession, and satisfaction, would move them to penance, and to describe it a lytell better, making hope or trust of God's free mercy a piece thereof, or elles with Judas they will mar all.

Perchaunce these words, cōtricion, confession, and Satisfaction were used as I have expounded them at the first. But in that we see so much danger & hurt by vsynge them without expositions, either let us join to them open expositions always: or elles let us not use them at all, but say as I write, that penance is a hartye sorrow for our sins, a good hope or trust of pardon thorough Christ, which is not without an earneste purpose to amende, or a new life. This penance is the things whereto all the scripture calleth us, this penance do I now cal you all unto, this must be continually in us, and not for a lent season, as we have thought, This must increase daily more and more in us, without this we cannot be saved.

Searche therefore your harts all, all swearers, blasphemers, liars, flatterers, baudye or idle talkers, gesters, bribers, covetous, dronckardes, glottonnes, whoremongers, thieves, murderers, slanderers, idle lyuers, necligente in their vocation. &c, All such and all other as lament not their sins, as hope not in God's mercy for pardon, as purpose not heartily to amende, to leave their swearing, drunkenness, shhoredome, covetousness, ydelnesse, &c. all such I say shall not, nor cannot entre into God's kingdom, but hell fire is prepared for them, wepinge and gnasshinge of teethe, whereunto alas I fear me very many will needs goo, in that very many will be as they have been, let us even to the wearynge of our toungue to the stompes, preach and pray never so much to the contrary, and that even in the bowels of Jesus Christ, as now I beseech you all, all, all, and every mothers child, to repent and lamente youre sin, to trust in God's mercy, and to amend your lives.

Now me thinks you are some what astonnied, whereby I gather that presentlye you desyer this repentance, that is, this sorrow, good hope, and newness of life: the which that you may the rather attain and get to youre comforts, as I have goone about to be a mean to stir up (by Goedes grace) this desiae of reap̄taunce, so through the same grace of God, will I go about now to show you, how you may have your desier in this behalf. And first concerning this part, namely sorrow for your sins and hartye lamentynge of the same.

For this (if you desier the having of it) you must beware that you think not that of your selves, or of your own free will, by any means you cā get it, you may easily deceive yourselves, and mock yourselves, thinking more of yourselves then is semelye.

Al good things, and not pieces of good things, but all good things (saith S. James cometh from God y ^e father of light. If therefore penance be good (as it is good) then the partes of it be good. From God therefore do they come, and not of our free will. It is the Lord that mortifieth, that bringeth down, that humbleth saith the scripture in sundry places. After thou haddest stricken my thigh saith Ieremye, I was ashamed▪ Lo he saith, after thou haddest stricken me: and therefore prayeth he even the last words almoost he writeth: Turn us lord and we shall be turned, the which thing David doth very often. Wherefore, first of all, if thou wouldest have this parte of penance, as for the whole (because it is gods gift. Acte. xi. ii, Timo. ii. so for this parte, go thou unto God, & make some lyttel prayer, as thou canst unto his mercy for the same in this or like sort.

Merciful father of our savior Jesus Christ, bcause I have sinned and done wickedly, and thorough thy goodness have received a desire of repentance whereto this longe sufferance doth draw my hard heart. I beseech thy mercy in Christ to work the same repentance in me: & by thy spyryt, power, and grace, to humble, mortify, and fear my conscience for my sins to salvation, that in thy time thou mayeste comfort and quycken me, thorough Jesus Christ thy dearly beloved son. Amē. After this sort I say, or otherwise, as thou thynkeste good, if thou wilt have this first parte, contricion, or sorrow for thy sins, do thou beg it of God, thorough Christ. And when thou haste asked it, as I have labored to drive the from trustynge in thyself, so now I gooe about to move thee from flattering of thyself, from sluggyshnes and negligence, to be diligente to use these means following.

Unto prayer which I would thou shouldest first use as thou canst: Secondly, get thee God's law as a glass to toote in, for in it, and by it cometh the true knowledge of sin, without which knowledge there can be no sorrow. For howe can a man sorrow for his sins, which knoweth not his sins? As when a man is sick, the first step to health, is to know his syckenesse, even so to salvation the first step thereto, is to know thy damnation due for thy sins.

The law of God therefore must be gotten, and well tooted in, that is, we must look in it spirituallye, and not corporallye or carnally as the outward word or letter doth declare and utter, and so our savior teacheth us in the .v. of Math, expoundinge the .vi. and .vii. commandments, not only after the outward deed, but also after the heart, making there the anger of the heart a kind of murder, lustinge after another man's wife, a kind of adulterye.

And this is one of the differences between God's law and man's law. That of this (man's law I mean) I am not condempnable, so longe as I observe outwardely the same.

But God's law goeth to the root, and to the heart, condempnynge me for the inward mocion, although outwardlye I live moste holely. As for example. If I kill no man, though in my heart I hate: man's law cōdempneth me not: but otherwise doeth gods law: And why, for it seeth the fountain whence the evil doeth spring, If hatred wer taken out of the heart, loftiness in looks, detraction in tongue, & murder by hand, could never ensue. If lustinge were out of the heart, curiosity in countenance wantonnes in words, thē baudie boldness, in body would not appear. In that therefore this outward evil springes out of the inward corrupcion: seeing gods law also is a law of liberty, as saith S. James: And spiritual as saith S. Paul: Perfectly and spiritually, it is to be understand, if we will truly come to the knowledge of our sins. For of this inward corruption, reason knoweth but little or nothing: I had not know̄ saith Paul, y ^e lusting (which to reason, & to them which are gyded only by reasō, is thought but a trifle) I had not known saith he, this lusting to have been sin, if y ^e law had not said Non concupisces, thou shalt not lust.

To the knowledge therefore of our sin (w ^t out which we cannot repent or be sory for our sin) let us secondly get gods law as a glass to toote in: & that not only literally, outwardly, or partly, but also spiritually, inwardlye, & thoroughly: let us cōsidre the heart & so shall we see the foul spots we are stained withal, at least inwardly, whereby we y ^e rather may be moved to harti sorrow & sighīg For as s. Agustine saith it is a glas which feareth nobody: but even loke what a one part so it paintes the out. In the law we see it is a foul spot not to love the Lord our God w ^t all (all I say) our heart soul, power, might & strength, & that continually, In the law it is a foul spot, not only to make to our selves any graven image or similitude, to bow thereto. &c, but also not to frame our selves wholly after the image whereto we ar made not to bow to it, to worship it. In the law we se y ^t it is a foul spot, not only to take gods name in vain: but also not earnestli, heartily, & even continually to call vpō his name only, to give thankes unto him, to believe, to publish, & to live his holy word. In gods law we se it is a foul spot to our souls, not only to be an opē profaner of y ^e sabbath day: but also not to rest frō our own words & works y ^t y ^e lord might both speak & wor us, & by us: not to hear his holy word: not to communicate his Sacraments, not to give occasion to others to holiness, by our example in godly works & reverent esteminge of the ministry of his word.

In God's law we see it a foul spot to our souls not only to be an opē disobeyer of our parents, magistrates, masters, and such as be in any authority over us: but also not to honor such, even in our hearts, not to give thankes to God for them, not to pray for them to aid, to help, or releue them, to bear with their infirmities. &c. In God's law we see it a foul spot in our souls not only to be a manqueller in hatered, malice, proud looks, brags, backbiting, raylinge, or bodily slaughter: but also no to love our neighbors, yea our enemies, even in our hearts, and to declare y ^e same in all our iesture words and works. In God's law we see it a foul spot to our souls, not only to be a whoremonger in lusting in our hearts in wanton looking, in unclean or wanton talking, in actual doing dishonestly without neyghbors wife, daughter, servant. &c. but also not to be chaste, sobre, temperate in heart, lokes, tongue, apparel, deeds, and to help others there unto accordinglye. &c. In God's law we see it is a soul spot to our souls, not only in heart to covet, in loke, or word, to flatter, lie, color, &c, in deed to take away anything which pertaineth to another: but also in heart countenaūce, word & deed, not to keep, save, and defend that which pertaineth to thy neighbor as thou wouldest thine own.

In God's law we may see it a foul spot, not only to lie, or bear false witness against any mā but also not to have as great care over thy neyghboures name, as over thine own. Sin in gods law it is (we may se) & a foul spot not only to consent to evil, lust, or carnal desires, but evē the very natural or carnal lusts & desires thenselves, for so I may cal thē natural itself, being now so corrupted as self love, & many such like, by reason whereof, I trow there is none▪ that toteth well herein, but though he be blameless to y ^e world & fair to y ^e show, yet certaynely inwardly, his face is foul arrayed & so shamful saucy mangie, pocked & skabbed, y ^t he cannot, but be sory, at the cōtēplaciō thereof: & that so much more by how much he continueth to loke in this glas accordingly. And thus much concerning the second mean to y ^e stirring up of sorrow for our sin: y ^t next unto prayer, we should tote in gods law spiritually: y ^t which toting if we use w ^t prayer (as I said) let us not doubt, but at y ^e length, gods spirit will work, as now to such as believe, (for to y ^e unbelievers all is in vain: Their eyes ar stark blind they can see nothing) to such as believe (I say) I trust something is done evē already. But if nether by prayer nor by tooting in God's law spiritually, as yet thy hard unbelieving heart fealeth no sorrow nor lamēting for thy sin: Thirdly loke upon y ^e tagge tied to gods law, for as to mans laws, there is a tagge tied, y ^t is a penalty. So is there to God's law a tagge tied, that is a penalty: and that no small one, but such a great great one, as cannot, but make us to cast our currish tales between our legs, if we believe it, for all is in vain, if we be faythles not to believe, before we feel.

This tage is God's maledictiō or curse, maledictus omnis (saith it) qui nō permanet in omnibus quae scripta sunt in libro legis ut faciat eam, Loe, accursed (saith he) is all no acception, all saith God which continueth not, in all things (for he that is guilty of one is guilty of the whole layeth S. James) In all things therefore, (saith the holy ghost) which are written in the boke of the law to do them: he saith not to hear them, to talk of them, to dispute of them, but to do them.

Who is he now that doth these? Rara auis, few such birds, yea none at all. For all are gone out of the way, though not outwardlye by word or deed, yet inwardly at the least, by default & wantinge of that which is required: so that a child of one nights age is not pure, but (by reason of birth sin) in danger of God's malediction. Moch more thē we which halas have drunken in iniquity as it were water, as Job saith: but yet halas we quake not. Tell me now good brother why do you so lightely consider God's curse, that for your sins past you are so careless as though you had made a covenant with death and damnatiō as the wicked did in Isaiah’s time? what is God's curse? At the popes curse with boke, bell, & candle, oh howe trembled we, which hard it but only, though the same was not dyrected unto us, but unto others, but to this God's curse, which is incōparably, more fell, & importable, & is directed, yea hanging over us all, by reason of our sins, halas how careless ar we? Oh faythles hard harts. Oh Jezebels gestes, rocked and laid a sleep in her bed, Oh wicked wretches, which being come into the depe of sin do cōtēpne the same, Oh sorowles sinners & shameless shrinking harlots, Is not the anger of a king death? and is y ^e anger of the king of all kings a matter to be so lightlye regarded, as we do regard it, which (for our sins) are so recheles y ^t we slug & sleep it out? As wax melteth away at the heat of y ^e fire (saith David) so do the wicked perish, at the face or countenaūce of the Lord: If dearly beloved his face be so terrible, and intolerable for sinners, & y ^e wicked: What trow we his hand is? At the face or apearing of gods anger, the earth trembleth: but we earth, earth, yea stones, iron, flintes, tremble no thing at all? if we will not tremble in hearing, woe unto us for then shall we be crasshed a pieces in feelinge: if a lyon roar the beasts quake, but we are worse thē beasts, which quake nothing at the roaring of the lion, I mean y ^e lord of hosts. And why? because the curse of God, hardenes of heart, Chreno. iii, is already fall̄ upon us, or else we could not but lament & tremble for our sins, if not for the shame and foulness thereof: yet at the least for the maledictiō and curse of God, which hāgeth over us for our sins.

Lord be merciful unto us for thy Christ's sake, and spare us in thine anger, remember thy mercy towards us. Amen.

And thus much for the third thing to the moving of us to sorrow for our sins (that is for y ^e tagge tied to God's law, I mean for the malediction and curse of God.

But if our hearts be so hard that thorough these we yet fele not hearty sorrow for our sins: Let us fourthlye set before us examples past, and present, old & new: that thereby the holy spirit may be effectual to work in his time, this work of sorowing for our sin.

Loke upon God's anger for sin in Adam and Eve: For eating a piece of an apple. Were not thei the dearest creatures of god cast out of Paradyse? were not they subject to mortality, traueil labor. &c? was not the earth accursed for their sins? Do not we all, men in labor, women in traueling with child, and all in death, mortality, & misery, even in this life feel the same? And was god so angry for their sin and he being the same God, will he say nothing to us for ours, halas much more horrible then the eating once of one piece of an apple?

In the time of Noah and Lot, God destroyed the whole world with water, & the cities of Sodoma and Gomorrah, Seboim & Adamah with fire and brimston from heaven, for their sins: Namely for their whoredoms, pride, idleness, unmercifulness to the poor, tyranny. &c. In which wrath of God even the very babes, birds, fowls, fishes, herbs trees, and grass perisshed. And think we that nothing will be spokē to us, much worse & more abhominable thē they? For all mē may see if they will y ^e the whoredōs, pride, unmercifulness, tyranny. &c, of England far passeth in this age, any age y ^t ever was before. Lots wife looking back was turned into a salt stone, & will our looking back again, yea our running back again to our wickedness do us not hurt? if we were not already more blind thē bettels we would blush. Pharaoh his heart was hardened so y ^t no miracle could convert him: if ours were anything soft, we would begin to sobbe.

Of syxe hundredth thousand men, alonely but twayne entered into the land of promise, because they had tē times sinned against the Lord, as he him self saith. Num, 14. And trow we that god will not swear in his wrath, that we shall never entre into his rest, which have sinned so many ten times as we have toes & fingers, yea hears of our heads & beardes I fere me, & yet we pass not.

The man that sware, Leu. 24 and he that gathered sticks on the Saboth day, Num. 13. were stoned to death: but we think our swearing is no sin, our bibbing, rioting, yea, whore hunting on the Saboth day, pleaseth god or else we would some thing amende our manners.

Helias negligence in correcting his sonnes, nipped his neck in two: But ours which pāper up our children like puppets, will put us to no plounge?

Helias sons for disobeying their fathers monicion brought over them God's vengeance, and will our stubbernes do nothing?

Saul his malice to David, Ahab's displeasure against Naboth, brought their blood to the ground for dogs to eat, yea their children were hanged up & slain for this gear, but we continue in malice, envy, & murder, as though we were able to wage war with the Lord.

David's adultrie with Bethsabe was vysyted on the child borne, on David's daughter, defiled by her brother, and on his children one slaying another, on his wives defiled by his own son, on him self driven out of his realm in his old age, and otherwise also, although he most heartily reap̄ted his sin: but we are more dere unto god thē David, which yet was a man after gods own heart, or else we could not but tremble, and begin to repent.

The riche glottonnes gaye paunche fyllynge, what did it? it brought him to hell, and have we a plackarde that God will do no thing to us.

Achams subtyll theft provoked God's anger against all Israel: and our subteltie, yea open extorcion is so fine and politic, that God cannot espy it.

Giezi his covetousness brought it not the leprosy upon him, and on all his seed. Judas also hanged him self: But the covetousness of England is of another cloothe and coulloure. well, if it were so, the same tailor will cut it accordyngelye.

Anania and Sapphira by lying, lynked to them sudden death: but ours now prolongeth our life the longer, to last in eternal death.

The false witnesses of the two Judges against Susanna, light on their own pates, and so will ours do at length.

But what go I about to auouche ancient exaumples, where daily experience doeth teach. The sweat the other year, the storms the winter following will us to way them in the same ballaunces.

The hanging, and kyllynge of men them selves, which are alas to ryfe in all places, require us to register them in the same rolles.

At the least in Chyldren, infauntes, and such like, which yet cannot utter sin by word or deed, we see God's anger against Synne, in punysshynge them by syckenes, death, myshappe or otherwise so plainly that we cannot but groan and grount again, in that we a lyttell more have gusshed out this gear gorgeousely in word and deed.

And here with me a litel loke on gods anger, yet so fresh, that we cannot but smell it, although we stop our noses never so much I pray God we smell it not more fresh hereafter. I mean it forsooth (for I know you loke for it) in our dere late sovereign lord the kings majesty. You all know he was but a child in years: defiled he was not with notorious offenses. Defiled {quod} he? nay rather adorned w ^t so many good and wonderful qualities as never prince was from the beginning of y ^e world. Shuld I speak of his wisdom? of his rypenes in judgment? of his learning? of his Godlye zeal, heroical heart, fatherly care for his commons, norcely solicitude for religion? &c nay so many things are to be spoken in commendatiō of gods exceeding graces in this child, that as Salust writeth of Chartage I had rather speak nothing then to lytel, in y ^t to much is to little. This gift God gave unto us English men, before all nations under the son, and that of his exceeding love towards us. But alas and welawaye for our unthankfulness sake, for our sins sake, for our carnality, and prophan living, gods anger hath touched not only y ^e body, but also the mind of our king, by a long sycknes, and at length hath takē him away by death, death, cruel death, fearful death, death. &c

Oh if God's judgment be begun on him, which as he was the chiefest, so I think the holiest, & godliest in y ^e realm of England, alas what will it be on us, whose sins are overgrown so our heads, that they are climbed up into heaven.

I pray you my good brethren know that gods anger for our sins towards us cannot but be great, yea to fell, in that we se it was so great, that our goodking could not bear it. What followed to Jewry after the death of Josiah? God save England, and give us reap̄taunce, my heart will not suffer me to tarry longer herein. I trow this will thrust out some tears of repentance.

If therefore to prayer for gods fear, the tootynge in gods glas and the tagge thereto, will not burste open thy blockysh heart, yet I trow the tossinge to and fro, of these examples, and specially of our late king, and this troublesome time, will tomble some tears out of thine heart, if thou still pray for God's spirit accordynglye. For who art thou (think always with thy self) that GOD should spare thee, more then they, whose examples thou hast hard? what friends haste thou? were not of these, Kynges, Prophets, Apostles, Learned, and common of holy stocks? I deceive my self, think thou with thyself, if I believe GOD, being the same GOD that he was, will spare me, whose wickedness is no less, but much more then some of theirs: he hateth sin now, as much as ever he did: the longer he sparethe, the greater vengeance will fall. The deeper he draweth his bow, the soorer will the shafte pierce.

But if yet thy heart be so hardened, that all this gear will not move thee: Suerlye thou art in a very evil estate, and remedy now know I none. What said I none? know I none? yes, yet there is one which is suresbye as they say, to serve if any thing will serve. you loke to know what this is?

Forsooth the passion and death of Jesus CHRISTE. You know the cause why Christ become man, and suffered as he suffered, was the sins of his people thot he might save them from the same. Consider y ^e greatness of the soore. I mean sin, by the greatenes of the Surgeon, and of the salve. Who was the Surgeon? no Angel, no saint, no Archaungel, no power no creature in heuē, nor in earth, but only he by whom all things were made, all things are ruled also, even God's own dearlyng, and only beloved Son, becōmynge man.

Oh what a great thing is this that could not be done by the angels, archaūgels, potestates, powers, or all the creatures of God, without his own Son, who yet must needs be thrust out of heaven, as a man would say, to take our nature and become man? Here have ye the surgion, great was the cure that this mighty Lord toke in hand.

Now, what was the salve? Forsoth dere gear, and of many compositions. I cannot recite all, but rather must leave it to your hartye considerations. Three & thirty years was he curynge our sore: he sought it earnestly, by fasting, watchinge, praying. &c.

The same night he was betrayed, I read how busy he was about a plaster in the garden, when he lying flat on y ^e ground prayenge with tears, and that of blood not a few, but so many as did flowe down on the ground again, cryinge on this sort: Father saith he, if it be possible, let this ruppe depart from me, that is, if it be possible else mankyndes sins can be taken away, grant that it may be so. Thou hardest Moses cryinge for the ydolaters: Thou hardest Lot for the zoarites: Samuel, David, and many other for the Israelites, and dear Father, I only am thine own son, as thou hast said, in whom thou art well pleased, wilt thou not hear me? I have by the space of three and thyrty years done always thy will, I have so humbled my self that I would become an abiecte amongst men to obey thee: Therefore dear father if it be possible grant my request, save mankind now without any further labor, Salues, or plasters? But yet (saith he) not as I will, but as thou wilt.

But syr what hard he? though he sweat blood and water in making his plaster for our sore of sin, yet it framed not: twice he cried without comfort: yea▪ though to comfort him, GOD sent an Angel, we yet know that this Playster was not allowed for sufficient, until hereunto Christ Jesus was betrayed, forsaken of all his Discyples, forsworn of his dearelye beloved, bound like a thief, belied on, buffeted, whypped, skourged, crowned with thorns, derided, crucified, racked, nailed, hanged up between two thieves, cursed and railed upon, mocked in myserye, and had given up the ghost then bowed down the head of Christ, that is GOD the father, which is the head of Christ, i. Corinth. xi. then allowed he the plaster to be sufficient and good for the healynge of our sore, which is sin. Now would God abide our breath, because the stink, that is damnation or gyltynesse was taken away, by the sweet savor of the breath of this lamb, thus offered once for all.

So that here dearelye beloved, we as in a glass, may se to the broosynge of our blockyshe hard hearts, God's great judgment and anger against sin: The Lord of Lord's, they king of kings, the brightness of God's glory, the son of GOD, the dearelynge of his father, in whom he is well pleased, hangeth between two thieves, cryinge for thee and me, and for us all, My God, my god, why haste thou forsaken me?

Oh hard hearts that we have which make tuttes for sin? look on this toote in the very heart of Christ, pierced with a spear, wherein thou mayeste see and read God's horrible anger for sin? woo to thy hard heart that pearsed it.

And thus much for the first parte of repentance, I mean for the means of working contricion. Fyrste use prayer, thē look on GODDES law, thyrdely, se his curse, fourthlye, set exaumples of his anger: and last of all, set before thee, the death of Christ, from this and prayer cease not, till thou feel some hartye sorrow for thy Sin. The which when thou fealeste, then labor for the other parte, that is faith on this sort.

As first in contrition I willed thee not to trust to thy free will for thattaininge of it, so do I will thee in this. Faith is so far from the reach of man's free will: that to reasonne it is plain folyshnes. Therefore thou must first go to GOD, whose gift it is: thou must I say, get thee to the father of mercy, whose work it is,

John the syxth, that as he hath brought y ^e down by contricion, and humbled thee, so he would give the faith, raise thee up, Collossians. ii, and exalte thee.

On this manner therefore, with the Apostles, and the poor man in the Gospel that cried, Lord increase our faith, Lord help my unbelief, pray thou and say.

O merciful GOD, and dear father of our Lord and sauyoure Jesus Christ, in whom as thou art well pleased, so hast thou commanded us to hear him, forasmuch as he often biddeth us, to ask of thee, and there to promyseth that thou wilt hear us, and grant us that which in his name we shall ask of thee: Loe gracious father I am bold to beg of thy mercy thorough thy Son Jesus Christ, one sparkle of true faith and certain persuasion of thy goodness, and love towards me in Christ, where through I being assewred of the pardonne of all my sins, by the mercies of Christ thy Son, may be thankful to thee, love thee, and serve thee, in holiness and righteousness all the days of my life.

On this sort I say, or otherwise, as God shall move thee, pray thou first of all, and look for thy request at GODDES hand without any doubting, though forthwith thou feeleste not the same: for often times we have things of GOD given us, longe before we feel them as we would do. Now unto this prayer use thou these means following.

After prayer for faith, which I would should be first: Secondly because the same spryngeth out of the hearing, not of Masses, Matins, Cannons, councils doctors, decrees, but out of the hearing of gods word: Get the gods word, but not that part which serveth specially to contricion, that is the law, but the other part which serveth specially to consolacion, and certain perswasiō of gods love towards the, that is the Gospel or publication of God's mercy in Christ, I mean the free promises.

But here thou must know, y ^t there is two kinds of promises one which are properly of y ^e law, another which ar properly of the Gospel.

In the promises of the law, we may in deed behold God's mercy, but so that it hāgeth over the condition of our worthiness, as if thou love the Lord with all thy heart. &c, thou shalt find mercy.

This kind of promises though it declare unto us God's love, which promiseth where he needeth not, yet unto him that feleth not Christ, which is the ende of the law, they are so far from cōfortinge, that utterly with the law, they bring man to great despair, so greatly we are corrupt: for none so loveth GOD as he ought to do. From these therefore get the to the other promises of the Gospel in which we may see such plenty and frank liberalite of God's goodness, that we cannot, but be much comforted, though we have very depelye sinned.

For these promises of the gospel do not hange on the condition of our worthiness as the promises of the law do: but they depend and hange on God's truth, that as GOD is true, so they cannot, but be performed to all thē which lay hold on them by faith, I had almost said which cast them not away by unbelief.

Mark in them therefore two things, nameli, that as well they are free promises, without any condiciō of our worthiness, as also that they are universal, offered to all, (all I say) which are not so stubborn as to keep still▪ their hands, whereby they should receive this almesse in their bosoms by unbelief: As concerning infantes and children you know I now speak not, but concerning such as be of years of discrecion.

And now you loke that I should give you a taste of these promises which are both free and universal, excepting none but such, as except themselves? Well you shall have one or two for a say.

In the third of John saith our Savior: so God the Father loved the world, that he would give his dearling, his own only son, that all that believe in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Lo syr, he saith not that some might have life: but all saith he, And what all? all y ^t love him with all their hearts? all y ^t have lived a godly life? nay, all y ^t believe in him, all though thou hast lived a most wicked and horrible life, if now thou believe in him, thou shalt be saved. Is not this sweet gear?

Agayne saith Christ. Mat. xi come unto me all you that labor, and are laden, and I will refresh you. Let us a little loke on this letter: come unto me. Who should come Lord? Priests, Holy men, Monks, Freres? Yea coblers, tinkers, whores, thieves, murderers also, if they lamente their sins. Come unto me saith he, all ye that labor and are laden, that is, which are afraid for your sins: And what wilt thou do Lord? and I will refresh you saith he.

Oh what a thing is this: and I will refresshe you: wote you who spake this? he that never told lie, he is the truth, there was never gyle found in his mouth: and now will he be untrue to the good brother, which art sorry for thy grievous sins? no forsooth? Heaven and earth shall pass and perish, but his word shall never fail.

Saint Paul saith, i. Tim. ii God would have all men saved: lo he excepteth none. And to Titus. ii, the grace of God bringeth salvation to all mē. As frō Adam all have received sin to damnation: so by Christ all have grace offered to salvation, if they reject not the same. I speak not now of infantes I say: nor I need not to enter into the matter of predestinacion, In preathinge of repentance, I would gather where I could with Christ.

As surely as I live saith god I will not the death of a sinner. Art thou a sinner? yea. Lo god sweareth he will not thy death, howe canst thou now perish? Consyder with thyself what profit shouldeste thou have to believe this to be true to others, if not to thyself also. Satan doeth so: Rather consider with Peter, that the promise of salvation pertaineth not only to them which are nye, that is, to such as are fallen a little: but also to all whom the LORDE hath called, be they never so far of. Loe now by me the Lord calleth thee thou man, thou woman, that art very far of. The promise therefore pertaineth to thee, needs must thou be saved, except thou with Satan say, GOD is false: and yet if thou do so, GOD is faithful, and can not deny him self: as thou shalt feel by his plages in hell, for so dishonoringe God to think that he is not true.

Wyll he be found false now? the matter hangeth not on thy worthiness, but it hangeth on God's truth. Clap hold on it, and I warrant thee, Christ is the propiciation of our sins, yea for the sins of the whole world Beleue this man, I know thou believest it: say therefore in thy heart still, Domine adauge mihi fidē, lord increase my faith Lord help my unbelief. Blessed are they which see not (by reason this gear) but yet believe. Hope man past all hope, as Abrahā did Roma. iv.

And thus much for a taste of these promises which are every where, not only in the new testament, but also in the old. Read the last ende of Leuiticum. xxvi. The Prophet Isaiah from the .xl Chapt. in the .xxx. saith he, God tarrieth looking for thee, to show the mercy, read the .ii. Regum. xxiiij. Psalm. xxxiij. Joel. ii. &c.

Howebeit, if this gear will not serve, if yet thou fealeste no faith, no certain persuasion of God's love: then unto prayer, and diligent consyderinge of the free and universal promises of the Gospel.

Thyrdely set before the, those benefits, which god hath to foregeuen thee, and presently giveth thee. Cōsyder how he hath made the a man, or a woman, which might have made the a tode, a dog And why did he this? verily because he loved the: & trow est thou that if he loved the, whē thou wast not, to make the such a one, as he most graciouslye hath made y ^e , will he not troweste thou now love the, being his handye work? doeth he hate any thing that he made? is there vnablenes with him? doth he love for a day and so fare well? no forsooth, he loveth to the end, his mercy endureth forever. Say therefore with Job, Operimanuum tuarum porridge dexteram to the work of thy hand, put thy helping hand.

Agayne hath he not made the a Christian man or woman, where if he would, he might have made thee a Turk or Paynim: This thou knoweste he did of love. And doest thou think his love is lessoned if thou lamente thy sin? is his hand shortened for helpinge thee. Can a womanne forgette the child of her womb? and though she should do it, yet will not I forgette the saith the Lord.

He hath given thee limbs, to see, hear, go. &c, He hath givē thee wit, reason, discretion, &c. He hath longe spared thee, and borne with thee, when thou never purposedst to repent, & now thou repenting, will he not give thee mercy? wherefore doeth he give the to live at this present? to hear me to speak this, and me to speak this? but of love to us all. Oh therefore let us pray him that he would add to this, that we might believe these love tokens, that he loveth us, and in deed he will do it. Lord open our eyes, in thy gifts to see thy gracious goodness. Amen.

But to tarrye in this I will not: every man let him consider God's benefits, paste, and present, publyke and private, spiritual and corporal, to the confirminge of his faith concerning the promises of the Gospel, for the pardon of his sins. I will now go to show you a fourth mean to confirm youre faith of this gear, even by examples.

Of these there are in the scriptures very many, as also daily experience doth diversely teache the same, if we were diligente to observe things accordinglye, wherefore I will be more brief herein, having respect to time, which stealeth fast away.

Adam in Paradyse transgressed grievously as the paynful punishment, which we all as yet do feel, proveth, if nothing else.

Thoughe by reason of his sin he displeased God, sore and ran away from God, for he would have hyd him self, yea he would have made God the causer of his sin, in that he gave him such a mate, so far was he frō askinge merry yet all this not withstandinge, GOD turned his fierce wrath, nether vpō him, nor Eve, which also required not mercy, but upon the serpent Satan: Promysing unto them a seed Jesus Christ, by whom they at the length should be delivered: In token whereof, though they wer caste out of Paradyse, for their nurture, to serve in sorrow, which would not serve in joy, yet he made thē apparel to cover their bodies, a visible sacrament and tokē of his inuisyble love & grace, concerning their souls.

If God was so merciful to Adam, which so sore brake his commandment, and rather blamed God, then asked mercy, troweste thou oh man, that he will not be merciful to the, which blameste thyself and desyrest pardon.

To Cayn he offered mercy, if he would have asked it: What haste thou done saith God? the voice of thy brothers blood crieth unto me, out of the earth: Oh merciful Lord (should Cayn have said) I confess it. But halas he did not so: And therefore said God. Now, that is, in that thou desyrest not mercy, now I say: be thou accursed. &c. Lo to the reprobate he offered mercy, and will he deny it thee which art his child.

Noah did not he sin and was drōke: God Lot also both in Sodom dissembled a little with the Angels, prolonginge the time, & out of Sodom he fell very foul: as did Judas, and the Patriarchs, against Joseph, but yet I wene they found mercy.

Moses, Myriam, Aaron, though they tombled a little, yet received they mercy: yea the people in the wyldernesse often sinned & displeased God so that he was purposed to have destroyed them: let me alone saith he to Moses, that I may destroy them, but Moses did not let him alone, for he prayed still for them, and therefore God spared them. If the people were spared through Moses prayer, they not praying with him, but rather worshipping their golden calf, eatinge, drinkinge, and making ioly good cheare: why shouldeste thou doubt, whether God will be merciful to thee: having as in deed thou hast, one much better then Moses to pray for thee and with thee, even Jesus Christ who sytteth on the right hand of his father and prayeth for us, being no less faithful in his fathers house the church thē moses was in the Sinagoge. David y ^e good Kynge, had a foul foil, when he committed whoredom, with his faithful servants wife Bethsabe, where unto he added also a mischievous murder, causing her husband his most faithful soldier Vrye to be slain with an honest company of his most valiant mē of war, and that with the sword of the vncircumcisised. In this his sin though a great while he lay a sleep (as many do now a days, god give them wynne waking) thinking that by his sacrifices he offered, all was well, God was content: yet at length when the Prophet by a parable had opened the poke and brought him in remembrance of his own sin in such sort, y ^t he gave judgment against him self, thē quaked he, his sacryfices had no more taken away his sins, then our syr John's trentals, and waggynge of his fingers over the heads of such as lie aslepe in their sins, out of the which when they are awaked, they will well se, it is nether mass, nor matins, blessing, nor crossyng will serve? then (I say) he cried out saying, peccaui domino, I have sinned saith he against my Lord, and good god which hath done so much for me, I caused in deed Vrye to be killed, I have sinned, I have sinned, what shall I do? I have sinned and am worthy of eternal dampnatiō. But what saith God by his Prophet: Dominus (saith he) transtulit peccatum tuū non morieris, the Lord hath taken away thy sins, thou shalt not die. Oh good God, he said but peccaui, I have sinned, but yet from his heart, and not from the lips only, as Pharaoh & Saul did, and incontinentelye he heareth: Thou shalt not die: the Lord hath taken away thy sins, or rather hath laid them upon another, yea translated them upon the back of his son Jesus Christ, who bare them, and not only them, but thine and mine also, if that we will now cry, but from our hearts, peccauimus, we have sinned good Lord, we have done wickedlye, enter not into judgment with us, but be merciful unto us after thy great mercy, and according to y ^e multitude of thy compassions, do away our iniquities. &c. For indeed God is not the god of David only, Idem deus omnium, he is the God of all: So that Quicun{que} inuocauerit nomen domini salus erit He or she whosoever they be that call upon the name of the lord, shall be saved: In confyrmation whereof, this history is written, as are also the other, I have recited, and many mo which I might recyte.

As of Manasseh y ^e wicked king, which slew Isaiah the prophet, and wrought very much wickedness, yet the Lord shown mercy upon him, being in preson, as his prayer doth teach us. Nabugodonozar, though for a time he bare gods anger, yet at y ^e length he found mercy. The city of Nineveh also found favor with God, as did many other, which I will omit for times sake and will bring forth one or two out of the new testament, that we may se God, the same God in y ^e new testament he was in tholde.

I might tell you of many if I should speak of y ^e Lunatike, such as were possessed w ^t devils, lame, blind, domme, deaf, lepers &c. but time will not suffice me, one or two therefore shall serve. Mary Magdalene had seven deuylles, but yet they were caste out of her, and of all others, she was the first that Christ appeared unto after his resurrection. Thomas would not believe Christ's resurrection though many told him which had seen and felt him, by reason whereof a man might have thought, that his sins would have cast him away: except I should see & fele (saith he) I will not believe. Ah willful Thomas: I will not saith he, but Christ appeared unto him, and would not leese him, as he will not do thee good brother, if that with Thomas thou wilt keep company with the disciples as Thomas did. Peter his fall was vgglie, he accursed him self if ever he knew Christ, and that for fear of a gyrle, and this not once, but even three divers times, and that in the hearing of Christ his master, but yet the third time christ looked back, and cast on him his eye of grace, so that he went out and wept bitterly: and after Christ's resurrection not only did the angels will the women to tell Peter that Christ was risen but Christ him self appeared unto him seuerallye: such a good Lord is he.

The thief hanging on the cross, said but thus: Lord whē thou comest into thy kingdom remember me, and what aūswer had he? This day saith Christ shalt thou be with me in paradyce. What a comfort is this, in that he is now the same Christ, to thee, and me, and us all, if we will run unto him: For he is the same Christ today & tomorrow, until he come to judgment. Then in deed, he will be in exorable, but now is he moore ready to give then thou to ask, if thou cries he heareth thee, yea before thou cry. Crye therefore, be bold man, he is not parciall, call saith he, and I will hear thee. Ask, and thou shalt have, seek and thou shalt find, though not at the first, yet at the length, if he tarry a while, it is but to try thee. Nam veniens ueniet, et non tardabit. He is coming and will not be longe.

Thus have you. iiii. means, which you must use to that tayning of faith, or certain perswasiō of gods mercy towards you, which is the second part of penance: namely, prayer, the free & universal promises of God's grace, the recordation of the benefits of god past and present, the examples of gods mercy, which although they might suffice, yet will I put one moo to them, which alonelye of it self is full sufficient, I mean the death of the son of God Jesus Christ, which if thou set before the eyes of thy mind it will confyrme thy plackarde, for it is the great seal of England, as they say, yea of all the world, for the confyrmation of all patentes and perpetuities of the everlasting life, whereunto we are all called.

If I thought these which I have before recited, were not sufficient to confyrme your faith of gods love towards such as do repent. I would tarry longer herein: But because both I have been longe, and also I trust you have some exercise of conscience in this daily (or else you are to blame) I will but touche and go. Consider with youre selves, what we are, misers, wretches, and enemies to God: Consider what God is, even he which hath all power, majesty, might glory, riches, &c. perfectlye of him self, and neadeth nothing, but hath all things: Consider what Christ is: Concernyng his godhead, coequal w ^t his father, even he by whō all things were made are ruled & governed: Concerninge his manhood, the only dearlyng of his father, in whom is all his joy. Now syr what a love is this, that this God, which neadeth nothing, would give wholly his own self to thee his enemy, wreakyng his wrath upon him self, in this his son, as a man may say, to spare the, to save thee, to wyn thee, to bye thee, to have thee, to enjoy thee forever.

Because thy sin had separated the from him, to the ende y ^u myghteste come eftsones into his company again, and therein remain, he him self became as a man would say, a sinner, or rather sin itself, even a malediction or a curse: that we sinners, we accursed by his sin, that by his oblation or offering for our sins, by his curse, might be delivered from sin, from malediction. For by sin, he destroyed sin, killinge death, Satan, and sin, by their own weapons, and that for thee & me (man) if we cast it not away by vnbeleif. Oh wonderful love of God? who ever hard of such a love? The father of heaven for us his enemies, to give his own dear son Jesus Christ, and that not only to be our brother, to dwell among us, but also to the death of the cross for us? Oh wonderful love of Christ to us all: that was content and wylling to work this seat for us? Was there any love like to this love?

God in deed hath commended his charity and love to us herein, that when we were very enemies unto him, he would give his own son for us: That we being men, might become as you would say gods, God would become man: That we being mortal, might become immortal, the immortal God would become mortal man: That we earthly wretches might be sitizens of heaven, the Lord of heaven would become as a man would say earthly, that we being accursed, might be blessed, God would be accursed: That we by our father Adam, being brought out of paradise, into the puddel of all pain, might be redeemed, and brought into paradyce again, god would be our father, and an Adam there unto: That we having nothing, might have all things, God having all things, would have nothing. That we being vessels and slaves to all, even to Satan y ^e fend, might be lords of all, and of Satan, the lord of all would become a vassal and a slave to us all, and in danger of Satan: Oh love incomprehensible? who can otherwise think now, but if the gracious good Lord disdained not to give his own Son, his own hearts joy for us his very enemies, tofore we thought to beg any such thing at his hands, ye tofore we were: who I say, can think otherwise, but that with him he will give us all good things?

If when we hated him, and fled away from him, he sent his son to seek us, who can think otherwise, thē y ^t now we loving him, and lamentynge because we love him no more, but that he will forever love us.

He that giveth the more to his enemies, will not he give the less trow you to his friends? God hath given his own son, then which thing, nothing is greater to us his enemies, and we now being become his friends, will he deny us faith, and pardon of our sins, which though they be great, yet in comparisone, nothing at all.

Christ Jesus, would give his own self for us, when we willed it not, and will he now deny us faith if we will it.

This will is his earnest that he hath given us, truly to loke in deed, for the thing willed: And loke thou for it in deed, for as he hath given thee to will, so will he give thee to do.

Jesus Christ gave his life for our euylles, and by his death delivered us: Oh, then in that he liveth now, and cannot die, will he forsake us? His heart blood was not to deer for us, when we asked it not: what can then be now to dere for us, asking it? is he a chaungelyng? is he mutable as man is? can he repent him of his gifts? Did he not foresee our falls? paid not he therefore the price. Because he saw we should fail sore, therefore would he suffer sore. Yea if his sufferynges had not been enough, he would yet once more come again. GOD the father I am sure, if the death of his son incarnate would not serve, would him self and the holy ghost also become incarnate, and die for us. This death of Christ therefore loke on, as y ^e very plege of God's love towards the, whosoever thou art, howe deep soever thou hast sinned? See God's hands are nailed, they cannot stryke thee, his feet also, he cannot run from thee, his arms are wide open to embrace the, his head hanges down to kiss the, his very heart is open, so that therein see, root, look, spy, pepe and thou shalt se nothing therein but love, love, love, love to the, hide thee therefore, lay thy head there with the Euangeliste. John. xiii.

This is the clyfte of the rock wherein Helias stood, this is the pillow of down, for all aking heads. Anoint thy head w ^t this oil let this ointment enbaulme thy head, and wash thy face: Tarry thou here, and cock sure thou art I warrant thee: Say w ^t Paul, what can separateme frō the love of god? can death, can poverty, syckenesse, hunger, or any misery persuade the now, that God loveth the not? Nay nothing cā separate the frō the love where w ^t god hath loved y ^e in christ Jesus: whom he loveth, he loveth to the ende. John .xiii. So that now, where aboūdance of sin, hath ben in thee, the more is the aboūdance of grace. But to what ende? forsooth that as sin hath raygned to death as thou se est, to the kyllyng of God's son, so now grace must reign to life to the honouryng of gods son, who is now alive, and cannot die anymore.

So that they which by faith fele this cannot anymore die to God but to sin, whereto they are dead and buried with christ. As Christ therefore liveth, so do they, and that to God, to ryghtuousnes and holiness. The life which they live is in fide fily dei. in the faith of the son of God, whereby you see that now I am slipped into that which I made the third parte of penance, namely newness of life, which I could not so have done, if that it were a parte of it self in deed, as it is an effect, a freewyt, of the seconde parte that is of faith or trust in God's mercy.

For he that believeth, that is, is certainly persuaded sin to be such a thing that it is the cause of all misery, and of itself so greatly angreth God, that in heaven nor in earth nothing could appease his wrath save alonely the death & precious bloudshe dinge of the son of God, in whom is all the delight and pleasure of the father: He I say that is persuaded thus of sin: the same cannot but in heart abhor and quake to do or say, yea to think any thing willingly which God's law teachet him to be sin. Agayne he that believeth, that is, is certainly persuaded God's love to be so much towards him, y ^t where through sin he was lost, and made a fire brand of hell: the eternal Father of mercy, which is the omnisufficient God, & needeth nothing of us, or of any thing y ^t we can do: to deliver us out of hell, & to bring us into heavē, did send evē his own most dere son out of his bosom, out of heaven, into hell as a man would say, to bring us as I said frō thence, into his own bosom & mercy, we being his very enemies: He I say that is thus persuaded of gods love towards him, & of y ^e price of his redemption, by the dere blood of the lābe imaculate Jesus Christ: the same mā cannot but love god again, & of love do that, & heartily desire to do better y ^t which might please God. Trow you that such a one knowīg this gear by faith will willingly walter & wallow in his woeful lusts, pleasure & fantisties. Will such a one as knoweth by faith christ Jesus to have givē his blood, to wash him frō his sins, play the sow to walter in his puddell of fylthie sin & vice again? Nay rather thē he will be defiled again, by willful sinning, he will wash often̄ the fete of his affections, watching over y ^e vice still sticking in him, which as a spring continually sendeth out poison enough to drown & defile him, did not the sweet water of Christ's passion in gods sight wash it, and his blood satisfy the rigoure of God's justice due for the same.

This blood of christ shed for our sins, is to dere in the sight of him, that believeth that he will abhor in his heart to stamp it, and tread it under his feet.

He knoweth now by his belief that it is to much that hitherto he hath set to little by it, & is ashamed thereof. Therefore the resydue of his life he purposeth to take better heed to him self then to fore he did. For because he seeth by his faith the greuousnes of God's anger, the foulness of sin, the greatness of God's mercy, and of Christ's love towards him, He will now be heady, to pray God to give him his grace accordingly: that as w ^t his eyes, tongue, hands, feet. &c. He hath displeased God doing his own will, even so now, with the same eyes, tongue, ears, hands, feet. &c. He may displease his own self, and do God's will. Willinglye will he now do that which might renew the death of the son of God: He knoweth he hath to much sin unwillingly in him, so that there to he will not add wylling offenses.

This willing and witting offending, and sinning, whosoever doeth flatter him self therein, doth evidently demonstrate and show that he never yet in deed tasted of Christ truly. He was never truly persuaded, or believed how foul a thing sin is, how grievous a thing God's anger is, howe joyful and precious a thing God's mercy in christ is, now exceeding broad, wyde, high and depe Christ's love is. Perchaunce he can write, prate, talk, and preach of this gear, but yet he in heart by faith, never felt this gear. For did he once feel this gear in deed, thē would he be so far from continuing in 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 sin willingly & wittingly, that wholly & heartily, he would give over himself to y ^t which is cōtrari, I mean to a new life, renewing his youth, evē as the Egle doth. Psalm. • iii.

For as we being in y ^e servitude of sin demonstrate our service by giving over our menbres to y ^e obeyinge of sin frō iniquity to iniquity: evē so we being made free from sin by faith in Jesus Christ & endued with gods spirit, a spirit of liberty .ii. Cor. iii▪ must needs demōstrate this fredō & liberty by giving over our menbres to thobediēce of y ^e spirit by y ^e which we are led & gyded frō virtue to virtue, & all kind of holiness. As thunbeleuers declare their unbelief by y ^e working of y ^e evil spirit in thē. Eph, ii▪ outwardly the fruits of the flesh. Gal. v.

Even so the believers declare their faith by the working of gods good spirit in thē outwardly the fruits of the spirit. For as the devil is not dead in those which are his but worketh still to their damnation: so is not God dead in them which be his, but worketh still to their saluaciō: the which working is not the cause of y ^e one or the other being in any, but only a demonstracion, a sign, a fruit of the same, as y ^e apple is not the cause of y ^e apple tree, but a fruit of it. Thus then you see briefly that newness of life is not in deed a parte of penance but a fruit of it, a demonstracion of the iustyfying faith, a sign of gods good spirit possessing the heart of the penitent: As the old life is a fruit of impenitence, a demōstraciō of a lip, faith or unbelief a sign of Satan's spirit possessing the heart of the impenitent, which all those be that be not penitent. For mean I know none, he that is not penitent, that same is impenitent, he that is not governed by God's spirit, the same is governed by Satan's spirit. For all that be Christ's are governed with the spirit of Christ, Rom. viii, which spirit hath her fruits, Gala. v. Al other that be not Christ's are the devils. He that gathereth not with Christ, scattereth abroad.

Therefore dearly beloved I beseech you to cōsyder this gear and deceive not yourselves. If you be not Christ's, then pertain you to the devil, of which thing the fruits of the flesh doeth assure you, as whoredom▪ adultery, uncleanness, wantonness, ydolatri, witchcraft, envy, strife, contencion, wrath, sedition, murders, dronkenes, glottonie, blasphemy slothfulness, ydlenes, baudy talking, sclaunderinge. &c. If these apples grow out of the apple trees of your hearts, surely, surely the deuylis at Inn with you: you are his birds, whom, when he hath well fed you, he will broch you and eat you, chaw you, and champ you, world without ende in eternal woe and misery. But I am otherwise persuaded of you all: I trust you be all Christ's Jesus his people and childrē, yea brethren by faith.

As ye see your sins in God's law and tremble syghe, sorrow, & sob for the smae, even so you see his great mercies in his Gospel and free promises, and therefore are glad, merry, and ioyefull for that you are accepted into God's favor, have your sins pardoned, & ar endued w ^t y ^e good spirit of God, evē the seal & sign manuel of your electiō in Christ before the beginning of the world.

The which spirit, for that he is the spirit of life givē to you, to work in you, with you, & by you here in this life, sanctificaciō and holiness where unto you are called, that ye might be holy even as your heavenly father is holy: I beseech you all by admonition & warninge of you that you would stir up the gifts of God givē to you generalli & particulerli to y ^e edifying of his Church, that is I pray you that you would not moleste the good spyryt of God by rebellinge against it, when it provoketh and calleth you to go on forewardes, that he which is holy, might yet be more holy, he which is righteous might be more righteous. As the evil spirit moveth and stirreth up the filthy, to be yet more filthy, the covetous, to be more covetous, the wicked to be more wicked.

Declare you now your repentance by works of repentance bring forth fruits, and worthy fruits, let youre sorowing for your euyls demonstrate it self, by departinge frō the euyls you have used, let your certayntie of pardon of your sins through Christ and youre joy in him be demonstrated by pursuing of the good things which gods word teacheth you: you are now in Christ Jesus gods workemāship to do good works, which God hath prepared for you to walk in For the grace of God y ^t bringeth salvation unto all men hath apeared, & teacheth us that we should deny ungodliness, and worldly lusts, and that we should live sobrelye, righteouslye and godly in this present world, lokinge for that blessed hope, & glorious apearing of the mighty God, and of our Savior Jesus Christ, which gave himself for us, to redeem us from all unrighteousness and to purge us a peculiar people unto himself, fervently givē unto good works. Titus. ii.

Agayne Titus .iii, for we our selves also were in times past unwise, disobediente, deceived, in danger to lusts, and to divers manners of voluptuousness, living in malicioiusness and envy, full of hate, hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Savior, to manward appeared, not by y ^e deeds of righteousness which we wrought, but of his mercy he saved us, by the fountayn of the new birth, and with the renewing of the holy ghost which he shed on us abundantly thorough Jesus Christ our Sauioure, that we once justified by his grace, should be heirs of eternal life through hope. This is a true saying: but I will make an ende, for I am to tedious.

Dearely beloved repent your sins, that is be sorry, for that which is past, believe in gods mercy for pardon, how depely soever you have sinned, & both purpose and earnestly pursue a new life, bringing forth worthy and true fruits of repentance.

As you have given over your members, from sin to sin, to serve the devil: your tongues to swear, to lie, to flatter, to skolde to jest, to skoffe, to baudy talk, to vain iangeling, to boasting. &c. Your hands to picking, groping, idleness, fighting, &c, your fete to skipping, going to evil, to daūsing &c. youre ears to hear fables, lies, vanities, & evil things. &c. So now give over your menbres to godliness, your tongue to speak youre ears to hear, youre eyes to see, your mouths to taste, your hands to work, youre feet to go about such things, as may make to God's glory, sobriety of life, & love to your breath̄, & that daily more & more diligently: for in a stay to stand you cannot, ether better or worse you are today then you were yesterdaye.

But better I trust you be & will be if you mark well my theme, y ^t is Repent you, y ^e which thing that would do, as before I have hūblye be sought you: evē so now yet once more I do again beseech you, & y ^t for the tender mercies of God in Christ Jesus our lord, Repēt you reap̄t you, for the kingdō of heavē that is, a kingdom full of all riches, pleasures, mirth, beauty, swetenes, & eternal felicity is at hand. The eye hath not seen the like, y ^e ear hath not heard the like, the heart of mā cannot conceive the treasures & pleasures of this kingdō, which now is at hand, to such as repent, y ^t is to such as are sory for their sins, believe gods mercy through christ, & earnestly purpose to lead a new life: the god of mercy through Christ his son, grant us his holy spirit & work in our hearts this sorrow, faith, & new life which through his grace I have spoken of, both now & for ever. AMEN.

Imprinted at Londō in Paul's Church yearde, at the sign of the Rose, By John Wight.