¶ A Sermon of repentaunce made by Iohn Bradforde Luke xiii Excepte you repent you shall all lykewyse peryshe Apoc. ii Remembre whence thou arte fallen and repent thee ¶ To the Christian reader Iohn Bradforde wyssheth the true knowledge and peace of Iesus Christ oure alone and omnisufficiente sauiour GReat and heauie is Goddes anger agaynst vs as the moste greuous plague of the death of our late kynge a prince of all that euer was sithen christes ascention into heauen in anye region pereles nowe fallen vpon vs doth pronosticate For when Goddes iudgemente hath begonne wyth his chylde thus oure deare dearlynge let othermen thynke as they can I surelye cannot be perswaded otherwyse but that a greuous and bytter cuppe of Goddes vengeaunce is readye to be powred oute for vs Englyshmen to drynke of The whelpe God hath beaton to fraye the bandogge Iudgement is begonne at Gods house In Goddes mercye to hym wardes he is taken awaye that his eyes shulde not see the miseries we shall fele he was to good to tarrye with vs so wycked so frowarde so peruerse so obstinate so malicious so hypocriticall so couetous vncleane vntrue prowde carnall c a generation I wyll not goe about to paynte vs oute in oure coulours All the worlde which neuer saw Englande by heare saye seeth England God by his plagues and vengeaunce I feare me wyll paynt vs oute and poynte vs oute ▪ we haue so mocked with hym and his Gospell that we shall feele it is no bourdyng w t him Of longe tyme we haue couered our couetousnes carnalitie vnder the cloke of his Gospell so that all men shall see vs to oure shame ▪ when he shall take his Gospell awaye and geue it to a people that wyll brynge forth the frutes of it then shal we appeare as we be To let his Gospell tary with vs he can not for we despyse it contempne it are glutted with it we disdayne his Manna it is but a vyle meat thynke we we woulde be agayne in Egypt and syt by the greasy fleshe pottes to eate agayne our garlike onions and leekes Sithen Gods gospell came amongest vs we saye now we had neuer plentye therefore agayne let vs goe and worshyp the quene of heauen Chyldren begynne togather stickes the fathers kyndle the fyer and y e wemen make the cakes to offer to the quene of heauen and to prouoke the lorde to anger The earth can not abyde now the wordes sermous of Amos the cause of all rebellion is Amos and his preaching It is Paul and his felowes that makes all out of order Summa the Gospell is nowe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the outcaste and curse of the realme and so are the preachers therfore out of the doores w t them So that I saye God can not let his Gospel tary w t vs but must nedes take it away to do vs some pleasure therein for so shall we thynke for a tyme as the Sodomitanes thought when Lot departed from them as the old world thought when Noe crept into his arcke as the Iero solomytances thought when the apostles wente thence to Peltis Thē were they mery thē was all pastyme When Moyses was absente then went they to eatynge and drynkynge and rose agayne to playe Then was al peace al was wel nothynge amysse But alas sodenlye came the floude and drowned them the fyer and burnte them vp Titus and besieged them Gods wrath waxed hote agaynst them Then was weale awaye mournynge and woe then was cryenge out wringing of handes renting of clothes sobbyng and sighynge for the miseries fallen out of the whiche they coulde not scape But oh you morners cryers out ye renters of clothes why mourne you what is the cause of your mysery The Gospell is gone goddes word is lytle preached you were not disquieted with it Noe 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 confesse it is your sinnes Naye now it is to late God called vpō you and you would not heare hym therfore yell and crye out now for he wyl not heare you You bowed your eares from hearyng of Gods law therfore your prayer is execrable But to come again to vs Englishmen I fear me I say for oure vnthankfulnes sake for our impietie and wickednes as God hath taken awaye our kinge so wil he take awaye his gospel yea so we would haue it then shoulde all be well thinke manye Wel if he take that awaye for a tyme perchance we shal be quyet but at length we shall fele the want to our woe at length he wyll haue at vs as at Sodome at Ierusalem ▪ and other places And now he begineth to brew such a brewing wherin one of vs is like to destroy an other so make an opē gappe for forren enemies to deuoure vs and destroy vs. The father is against the sonne y e brother agaynste the brother And lorde w t what cōscience Oh be thou merciful voto vs in thyne anger remember thy mercy suffre thy selfe to be intreated be reconciled vnto vs naye reconcyle vs vnto the. Oh thou god of iustice iudge iustly oh thou sonne of God which camest to destroy y e workes of Sathan destroye his furoures nowe smokinge and almooste sette on fyre in this real me We haue synned we haue sinned therfore art thou angrye Oh be not angrye for euer Geue vs peace peace peace in the lorde Set vs to warre against synne against Sathan against our carnall desyres and geue vs the vyctory this waye This victorye we obtayn by fayth This fayth is not without repentaunce as hir gentleman vssher before hyr Before hir I say in discernynge true fayth from false fayth lyppe fayth Englishmens fayth for els it sprynges oute of true fayth This vssher then of repentaunce if we trulye possessed we shoulde be certayne of true fayth and so assured of the victorye ouer death hell and Sathan his workes then which he hath styrred vp woulde quayle God woulde restore vs politike peace ryght should be right haue ryght Gods Gospel should tarry with vs religion shuld be cherished superstition suppressed and so we yet somethynge happye notwithstandynge the great losse of our moste graciouse liege soueraygne Lorde All these woulde come to passe you see yf the gentleman vssher I spake of I meane repentaunce were at ynne with vs. As if he be absēt we may be certayn y e lady faith is absent wherfore we cā not but be vanquished of the world the flesh and the deuyll and so will Sathans workes prosper though not in al thinges to bleare our eyes yet in that thinge which the most of all desyreth Therfore to repentaunce for our selues priuatelye and for the realme and churche publikely eueryone shoulde laboure to styrre vp both oure selues others This to the
pennaunce as towards the ende you shall se by Gods grace But least suche as seke for occasion to speake euill shoulde haue any occasion though thei tarry not out the ende of this sermon I there fore deuyde penaunce into the iii foresayde partes of sorowing for oure synne of good hoope or truste of pardon and of a newe lyfe Thus you now se what penaunce is a sorowyng for synne a purpose to amend with a good hope or truste of pardone This pennaunce not onely differeth from that whiche men comonlye haue taken to be pennaunce in saying and doing our enioyned lady psalters Seuen Psalmes fastinges pilgrimages almose dedes and such lyke thinges but also frome that whiche the more learned haue declared to consist of three partes namely Contricion Confession and Satisfaction Contricion they call a iuste a full sorowe for theyr synne for this worde iust and ful is one of the differences betwene contricion and attricion Confession they cal a numbring of all theyr synnes in the eare of theyr ghostly father for as saye they a iudge cānot absolue with out knoweledge of the cause or matter so cannot the Preiste or gostly father absolue from other synnes then those whiche he doth heare Satisfaction they call a mendes makinge vnto God for their synnes by theyr vndue workes opera indebita workes more thē they nede to do as they terme them This is theyr pennaunce whiche they preache wryte and alowe but howe true this geare is howe it agreeth with goddes worde howe it is to be alowed taught preached and wrytten let vs a lyttell considre If a man repent not vntyl he haue a iust full sorowynge for his synnes dearly beloued when shall he repent for inasmuche as hell fier and the ponishment of the deuils is a iuste ponyshmente for synne Inasmuch as in al synne ther is a contempt of GOD whyche is all goodnesse and therefore there is a deserte of all ylnesse Alasse who can bear or feele this iuste sorowe this full sorowe for our sinnes this their contrition whiche they so do discerne from theyr attricion Shall not man by this doctryne rather dispayre then come by repentaunce Yf a manne repent not vntyll he haue made confessyon of all hys synnes in the eare of hys goostlye father yf a man can not haue absolution of his synnes vntyll hys sinnes be tolde by tale and nūber in the preists eare in that as Dauyd sayethe none canne vnderstande moche lesse then vtter al hys synnes Delicta quis intelligit Who can vnderstande his sinnes in that Dauid of him selfe complayneth else where howe that thys synnes are ouer flowed his head and as a heauye burthen do depresse hym halasse shall not a man by this doctryne be vtterlye dryuen from repentaunce Thoughe they haue gone aboute somethyng to make plaisters for theyr soores of confession or attricion to aswage this geare biddinge a manne to hope well of his contricion thoughe it be not so ful as is required and of his confession thoughe he haue not nombred all his sinnes yf so be that he do so muche as in hym lyeth Dearelye beloued in that there is none but that herein he is gyltye for who doth as muche as he maye trowe ye that this playster is not lyke salte for sore eyes Yes vndoubtedlye when they haue al done they can for the appeasing of consciences in these pointes this is the some that we yet shulde hope well But yet so hope that we muste stonde in a mammeryng doubtynge whether oure synnes be forgeuen For to beleue remissionem peccatorum that is to be certeyne of forgeuenes of sinnes as oure crede teacheth vs they coūt it a presumptiō Oh abhomination and that not only hereat but at all theyr pennaunce as they paynte it As concerninge Satisfaction by theyr opera indebita vndewe workes that is by suche workes as they nede not to doo but of theyr owne voluntarynesse and wylfulnesse wylfulnesse in dede who seeth not monstruous abhomination blasphemie and euen open fyghtynge agaynste God For yf Satisfaction can be done by man then Christ died in vaine for him that so satisfieth and so reyngneth he in vayn is he a bysshoppe and a Prieste in vayne Goddes lawe requyreth loue to God with all oure harte soule power myght and strenghte so that there is nothynge canne be done to Godwarde whiche is not conteined in this commaundemente nothynge can be done ouer and aboue this Againe Christ requireth that to manward we should loue one another as he loued vs. Trowe that we can do any good thynge to oure neyghbourwarde which is not herein comprised Yea let them tell me when they do any thynge so in the loue of God and theyr neyghboure but that they had nede to crye Demitte nobis debita nostra Forgeue vs oure sinnes so farre are we of from satisfieng doeth not Christe saye when you haue done all thinges that I haue cōmaunded you say that ye be but vnprofitable seruaūtes Put no thinge to my worde sayeth god yes workes of supererogation superabhomination saye they Whatsoeuer thinges are true sayeth the apostle S. Paul Philip iiij whatsoeuer thinges are honeste whatsoeuer thinges are pure whatsoeuer thynges are conueniente whatsoeuer thinges are of honest report yf there be any vertue yf there be anye prayse haue you them in youre minde and do them the god of peace shalbe with you I weene this well looked on wyll pull vs from popish satisfactory workes whiche do deface Christes treasures and satisfaction In heauen and in earth was there none founde that coulde satisfy gods angre for our sinnes or get heauen for man but only y e sonne of God Iesus Christ the Lyon of the tribe of Iuda who by his bloude hath wrought the worke of satisfaction and alonelye is worthy all honour glorye and prayse for he hath opened the boke with the seuen seales Apoca. v. Dearely beloued therfore abhorre this abhomination euē to thinke that there is any other satisfaction to Godward for sinne then Christes bloude onely blasphemye it is and that horriblye to thynke otherwyse The bloud of Christ purifieth sayeth S. Iohn from al sinne and therfore he is called y e lambe slayne from the begynninge of the world because there was neuer synne forgeuen of God nor shalbe from the begynninge vnto the ende of the worlde but only thorowe Christes death prate the pope his prelates as please them with theyr pardons purgatories purgations place bois trentales diriges workes of supererogations superabhominations c. Esay xliii I am he sayeth the Lorde whiche put awaye thyne offences and that for mine owne sake and wyl no more remembre thyne iniquities putte me in remembraunce for we wyll reason together tell me what thou hast for thee to make thee ryghtuous Thy fyrste father offended sore c. And thus writeth S. Iohn Yf any man synne we haue an aduocate sayth he with the
not of these Kynges Prophetes Apostles Learned and commen of holye stockes I deceaue my selfe thynke thou with thy selfe yf I beleue GOD beynge the same GOD that he was wyll spare me whose wyckednesse is no lesse but muche more then some of theyrs he hateth synne nowe as muche as euer he dydde the longer he sparethe the greater vengeaunce wyll fall The deeper he draweth his bowe the soorer wyll the shafte pearce But yf yet thy harte be so hardened that all thys geare wyll not moue thee Suerlye thou arte in a verye euyll estate and remedy now know I none What sayde I none knowe I none yes yet there is one which is suresbye as they saye to serue yf anye thynge will serue you loke to knowe what this is Forsooth the passion and death of Iesus CHRISTE You knowe the cause whye Christe become man and suffered as he suffered was the synnes of hys people thot he myght saue them from the same Consider y e greatnes of the soore I meane sinne by the greatenes of the Surgion and of the salue Who was the Surgion no Aungell no sainct no Archaungel no power no creature in heuē nor in earth but onely he by whom al thinges were made all thinges are ruled also euen Gods owne dearlyng and onely beloued Sonne becōmynge man Oh what a great thinge is this that coulde not be doone by the aungels archaūgels potestates powers or all the creatures of God without his owne Sonne who yet muste nedes be thruste out of heauen as a man woulde saye to take oure nature and become man Here haue ye the surgion greate was the cure that this mightye Lorde toke in hande Nowe what was the salue Forsoth dere geare and of many compositions I cannot recite al but rather must leaue it to your hartye considerations Three thyrtye yeares was he curynge oure sore he sought it earnestly by fastinge watchinge prayinge c. The same nyghte he was betrayed I read how busy he was aboute a plaister in the garden when he lying flat on y e grounde prayenge with teares and that of bloud not a fewe but so manye as dydde flowe downe on the grounde agayne cryinge on this sorte Father sayth he yf it be possible lette this ruppe departe frome me that is yf it be possible els mankyndes synnes canne be taken awaye graunte that it maye be so Thou hardest Moyses cryinge for the ydolaters Thou hardest Lot for the zoarites Samuell Dauyd and manye other for the Israelites and deare Father I onelye am thyne owne sonne as thou hast sayde in whome thou arte well pleased wylte thou not heare me I haue by the space of three and thyrty yeares done always thy wyll I haue so humbled my selfe that I woulde become an abiecte amongeste men to obeye thee Therefore deare father yf it be possible graunt my request saue mankynde nowe wythoute any further laboure Salues or playsters But yet sayth he not as I wyll but as thou wylte But syr what harde he thoughe he sweate bloude and water in makynge his playster for oure sore of synne yet it framed not twyse he cryed withoute comforte yea ▪ thoughe to comfort hym GOD sente an Aungell we yet knowe that thys Playster was not alowed for sufficiente vntyll herevnto Christe Iesus was betrayed forsaken of all hys Discyples forsworne of his dearelye beloued bounde lyke a thefe belyed on buffeted whypped skourged crowned with thornes derided crucified racked nayled hanged vppe betwene twoo theues cursed and rayled vppon mocked in myserye and hadde geuen vppe the ghoste then bowed downe the heade of Christe that is GOD the father whyche is the heade of Christe i. Corinth xi then alowed he the playster to be sufficient and good for the healynge of our sore which is synne Now wolde God abyde our breath because the stincke that is dampnation or gyltynesse was taken awaye by the swete sauour of the breath of this lambe thus offered once for all So that here dearelye beloued we as in a glasse maye se to the broosynge of oure blockyshe harde heartes Goddes greate iudgement and anger agaynste synne The Lorde of Lordes they kynge of kynges the brightnes of Goddes glorye the sonne of GOD the dearelynge of hys father in whome he is well pleased hangeth betwene twoo theues cryinge for thee and me and for vs all My God my god why haste thou forsaken me Oh harde heartes that we haue whiche make tuttes for synne looke on thys toote in the verye harte of Christe pearced wyth a speare wherein thou mayeste see and reade Goddes horrible anger for sinne woo to thy hard harte that pearsed it And thus muche for the fyrste parte of repentaunce I meane for the meanes of workynge contricion Fyrste vse prayer thē looke on GODDES lawe thyrdely se hys curse fourthlye sette exaumples of his anger and laste of all sette before thee the death of Christe frome this and prayer cease not tyll thou feele some hartye sorowe for thy Sinne. The whiche when thou fealeste then laboure for the other parte that is fayth on this sorte As fyrste in contrition I willed thee not to truste to thy free wyll for thattaininge of it so do I wyll thee in this Fayth is so farre frome the reache of mannes free wyll that to reasonne it is playne folyshnes Therefore thou muste fyrste go to GOD whose gyfte it is thou muste I saye gette thee to the father of mercye whose woorke it is Iohn the syxth that as he hathe brought y e downe by contricion and humbled thee so he woulde geue the fayth rayse thee vppe Collossians ii and exalte thee On this manner therefore with the Apostles and the poore man in the Gospell that cryed Lorde encrease oure fayeth Lorde helpe my vnbeleife praye thou and saye O mercyfull GOD and deare father of oure Lorde and sauyoure Iesus Christ in whom as thou arte well pleased so hast thou commaunded vs to heare hym forasmuche as he often biddeth vs to aske of thee and ther to promyseth that thou wylte heare vs and graunte vs that whyche in hys name we shall aske of thee Loe gracious father I am bolde to begge of thy mercye thoroughe thy Sonne Iesus Christe one sparckle of true fayth and certayne perswasion of thy goodnes and loue towardes me in Christe where throughe I beynge assewred of the pardonne of all my sinnes by the mercyes of Christe thy Sonne maye be thankefull to thee loue thee and serue thee in holynes and rightuousnes al the dayes of my lyfe On this sorte I saye or otherwyse as God shall moue thee praye thou fyrste of all and looke for thy request at GODDES hande withoute any doubtyng thoughe forthwith thou feeleste not the same for often tymes we haue thynges of GOD geuen vs longe before we feele them as we woulde do Nowe vnto thys prayer vse thou these meanes folowynge After prayer for fayth which I woulde shoulde be firste Secondlye because the same