Newes out of heauen both pleasaunt ioyfull lately set forth to the great coÌ„solacion â–ª coÌ„forte of all christen meÌ„ By Theodore Basille ✚ Roma 10. ¶ O how beautyful are the feete of theÌ„ which briÌ„g y e glad tydiÌ„ges of peace shewe good and mery newes Ioan. 7. ¶ My doctryne is not myne but his that sent me If any man wyll do his wyll he shall knowe of the doctryne whether it be of God or whether I speke of my selfe â–ª He that speaketh of him selfe seaketh his owne prayse But whosoeuer seketh his prayse y t sent hym he is true no vnryghteousnes is in hym Ioan. 8. 〈◊〉 that is of God heareth the wordes of God Ioan. 18. Euery one that is of the truth heareth my voyce ¶ To the ryght worshypful Maister George Pierpount Theodore Basille wissheth continual health and prosperous felycite IF wyth studious atteÌ„t myndes we reade y â— moost sacred scriptures markyng wel such thiÌ„ges as make to our informacion learnynge erudicion â—nâ—â—ease of deuyne knowledge we shal easely without any difficulte perceaue that among al other vertues fruytes of y e spirite Christe â—ur LORDE Sauiour exhortethe â—s vnto none so moche as to loue â—harite In thys thynge sayeth he â—hal al meÌ„ know that ye are my dysâ—iples yf one of you loue another â—s though he should say other meÌ„s â—eruauÌ„tes are knoweÌ„ by theyr maysters cognisauÌ„ces I wil also y â— you whych are my disciples be knowne by my cognisaunce in lyke maner whych is loue comminge oute of a pure herte and a good coÌ„sieÌ„ce and a fayth not fayned And as Christ hym selfe dyd inculke beate in nothyng so moche as pure loue and ferueÌ„t charite so dyd the Prophetes Apostles in al theyr sermons wrytinges aboue all thinges exhorte men to mutual loue yea y t vnfayned as we maye se in theyr prophecies Epistles in somoch that S. Paule sayth that though he could speake w t the tonges of meÌ„ aungles yet had no loue he were eueÌ„ as souÌ„dyng brasse or as a tinglyng cymbal And though he could prophecie vndeâ—stond al secretes al knowledge and had al fayth so that he coulde moue mouÌ„taynes oute of theyr places had not loue he were nothiÌ„g And though he bestowed al his goodes to fede the poore yea though he gaue his body euen to be burnt yet had no loue it profyteth hym nothynge The excellencye of thys christen loue muste nedes be great inestimable seynge that w tout it no thing is acceptable in the syght of God though it be iudged of the world to be a worke of neuer so hye and singulare meryte Of this loue christ dyd prophecy that it shoulde waxe colde in y â— hartes of many nowe these last dayes that wickednes should abound 〈◊〉 plentuous Certes accordyng to hys prophecy whyche euer is true â—n asmoche as he is the selfe trueth â— caÌ„ not lye is it come to passe For â—f we consyther wel the maners of â—â—en at thys present we shal w tout â—oubte easely perceaue that thys chrysteÌ„ loue towarde God and our neyghbour reygneth but in the hertes of a few And that they haue no thynge lesse than that true workyng fayth which the holy scriptures coÌ„meÌ„d so hyghly in euery place For the christen fayth worketh by charite sayeth saynt Paule Nowe in asmuch as the fayth wher of so many hoste nowe a dayes worketh not this charite or loue in them it is manifest an euident argumeÌ„t that theyr fayth as S. Iames calleth it is a dead fayth y e is a fayth in name but not in dede Yf there were true liuish fayth thaÌ„ would it worke loue in theyr hertes both toward God theyr neighboures Agayne if ther were such a law as is the fulfyllynge of the loue than wold it whan tyme requireth and an occasyon is gyuen shewe forth it selfe by eternall operacyon Who can iustly affyrme y â— he loueth God yet worketh not his wyll nor yet walketh not in y e waye of hys moost godly coÌ„maundementes he y â— sayth I knowe hym kepeth not his coÌ„maundement sayeth saynte Ihon is a lier the trueth is not in him But he that kepeth his worde truly in him is y e loue of God perfecte Agayne thys is y e loue of God that we kepe his coÌ„maundementes Beholde S. Ihon sayth that the loue of God is in none but in them only whiche do his wyll Neyther do Christes sayenges dyffer from this If ye loue me sayeth he kepe my coÌ„maundemeÌ„tes He that hath my coÌ„maundementes kepeth theÌ„ he it is that louethe me If ony man loueth me he wyll kepe my word He that loueth not me kepethe not my wordes If ye kepe my commauÌ„dementes ye shall abyde in my loue Ye are my freendes yf ye do theyse thynges y â— I coÌ„maunde you Christ sayeth here playnely that whosoeuer hath an herty precordial loue toward hym kepeth his coÌ„maundementes but yf any do the contrary surely he loueth not christ How than may theyse men be recounted iudged to loue Christ whan they go not about to fulfyll one poynte of his worde Hys worde is that they shoulde loue him w t all theyr herte mynde soule streÌ„gth but in y e stede of him they loue them selues theyr carnall pleasures wordely vanyties the ende wherof is dampnacion His word is that they should honour reuerence Gods moost holy blessed name but they omittynge the iuste honour of it blaspheme it rayle on it wickedly sweare by it to y e great defasynge of gods glory so muche as lyeth in theyr power For thorowe theyr wickednesse the name of god is styl blasphemed railed vpon euel spoken of as the holy scriptures saye Yf christen princes do not shortely fynde some remedy to exyle banysh thys moost detestable haynous abhomynable maner of swearyng out of theyr realmes Certes it is to be feared yea we may be certayne that God wyl powre out vpon vs his vengeauÌ„ce plage vs greuously although we haue not wanted nor yet dayly do dyuers tokens of hys fearce anger toward vs yet do we not repeÌ„t amend God is a ryghteous iudge God is euer threatenyng Yf meÌ„ wyll not turne he wyll whette hys sweard bend his bowe and make it redy He wyll prepare him the weapons oâ—â—ath orden his arrowes to 〈◊〉 Agayne his worde is that they shoulde sanctify the Sabboth day that is so to temperate theÌ„selues abstayne from wycked lustes that they maye quietly mediate in gods lawe read the holy scriptures giue them selues to deuyne conteÌ„placioÌ„ talke of serious matters praye to God for grace gyue hym thanckes for his benefytes visyte the sycke coÌ„fortles continually be gyueÌ„ to the
haue ye nowe I praye you wherwith ye may please him your selues as ye haue hearde here to fore are the children of wrath be gotten in synne conceyued in syn borne in synne carnall wycked and vngodly your herte is corrupte vncleane stynkynge flowynge wythe iniquite arrogaÌ„t puffed vp proud hatyng God louyng it selfe full of hypocrisy and all euell Your fruytes are lyke vnto your selues y â— is detestable in y â— syght of God What â—ertu theÌ„ can ther come out of such corrupte and polluted place What purenes can ther flow out of a puddle so fylthy so dyrtye so vncleane so stynkyng so vnsauery Thus se ye that ye haue no waye to pacyfye Gods wrath whiche ye haue styred vppe agaynst youre selues thorowe your owne wickednes What therfore remayneth but only that you loke for all cruel and greuous thinges Helles mouthe is open redye to swallow you vp The fyre of hel which shall neuer be quenched tarieth you Euerlastynge tormentes Intollerable punishments perpetual turmoylynges abyde you Ye are appoynted to the place where wepyng gnasshyng of teth is where the fyre is inextinguible where the worme of them that be there neuer dye What wyll ye do nowe What shyfâ—e wyll ye fynde Wyll ye fulfyl the lawe whiche God gaue you by Moyses and so pacifye his wrath But this to do ye are not able For of your selues ye are nothynge but flesshe and cleane without God Flesshe and bloud can not possesse y â— kyngedome of God They that are flesshly regarde those thynges that pertayne to the flesshe And the desyre of the flesshe is death Yea the desyre of y â— flesshe is emnite agaynst God For it is not subiecte to the lawe of God neyther canne it be by any meanes They that are in the flesh can not please God Yea they that lyue after the flesshe shall dye â–ª And he that hath not Gods spirite pertayneth not to God Now haue not ye the spirite of god in asmuch as by Adam ye be all flesshe for the flesshe lusteth agaynst the spirite the spirite agaynst the flesshe howe than wyll ye fulfyl the lawe to apease Goddes wrath Moreouer the lawe is spiritual that is it requireth not only polytyke cyuple workes but also the pure affectes and cleane mocyons of the spirite and must be fulfylled not with the externall worke only but also wythe a francke and free herte doing the workes of the law not of constraynte for feare of punyshment but of loue For perfecte charitie or loue casteth out feare But as the law is spirituall so are ye carnall that is prone and redye to all noughtines buryed in synne and no lesse bonde to Satan than a bought slaue is obstricte bonde vnto his mayster Nowe is the law you of a contrary nature When then shall ye agre The lawe I confesse is holy the precepte is holy righteous goood but ye are vnholy wicked euel How wil ye theÌ„ accomplysh the lawe that ye maye pacify Gods wrath deserue remission of youre synnes thorowe youre owne merytes and desertes CaÌ„ he that is deade erecte lyfte vp hym selfe Can he resume take agayne his armonies Can he recouer new strengthes CaÌ„ flesshe teach flesshe no more to synne CaÌ„ the Egle commaund her selfe no more to flye CaÌ„ the Dolphynne cease to swymme Can the man of Inde chaunge hys skynne and the catte of the mountayne her spottes Nether caÌ„ ye of your selues cease to be y â— ye are nor yet worke good which so long haue ben exercysed in euel The lawe kylleth it gyueth not lyfe The lawe worketh wrath displeasure damnacion it purchaseth not grace fauoure mercye remission of synnes peace and tranquilite of coÌ„science For cursed is euerye one that abydeth not in all thynges y â— are wrytten in the boke of the lawe that he maye do them No man fulfyllethe the whole lawe ergo no man is iustifyed by the lawe but rather cursed and brought to dampnacion For he that kepeth the whole lawe and yet offende the in one is made gylty of them all Moses gaue you a lawe and yet none of you all do fulfyll it Neyther ye nor youre fathers were euer able to bere y â— yoke of the lawe Who euer entred into the glorye by the fulfyllynge of the lawe Wyl ye therfore seke to be iustifyed by the lawe ye are vtterlye fallen from that which ye soughte You not knowynge the righteousnesse of God and sekyng to stablysh youre owne ryghteousnes can not be made subiecte to the ryghteousnes of God The lawe was gyuen you by Moses from God not that you shoulde seke to be made ryghteous by it which is a thynge impossible but that it shoulde declare to you the wyll of God proue the obedieÌ„ce of your herâ—e kepe you in an honest and godly trade of lyuynge refrayne you from wycked doynge represse ydolatry swearing vngodlines disobedieÌ„ce thefte maÌ„slaugter adultrye false wytnesse c. set before your eies your abhominable wickednes and synful lyuyng that you may learne to knowe your selues and make the more hast to approch vnto Gods mercy For by y â— lawe commethe the knowledge of synne Ye should not haue knowen synne but by the lawe For ye had not knowen concupiscence excepte the law had sayd thou shalt not coâ—ytte The lawe is a schole mayster to teache you what ye ought to do Whose admonicioÌ„s warnynge and instruccions seynge ye folowe not nor obeye as it teachethe and as ye oughte it rather coÌ„deÌ„pne thaÌ„ saue you kyll then quicken you For no fleshe shalbe iustifyed by y â— workes of the lawe in y â— syght of god Your laboure therfore in thys behalfe is vayne seynge that ye seke Gods fauour remission of synne iustificaâ—ion saluacion and eternall glorye by y â— workes of the lawe only Whyther wil ye now fly wil ye pacyfye Gods wrath by offrynge vp the sacrifyces of the ceremoniall lawe This also is in vayne For yf y â— workes of y â— moral law I meane the. x. commaundementes brynge no maÌ„ to perfeccion and are nothyng lesse thaÌ„ able to pease y â— deuine wrath by cause of theyr vncleanes whiche do y â— coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes yea rather which do theÌ„ not how thaÌ„ caÌ„ this be brought to passe by external ceremonies which are nothing but types fygures cloudes shadowes of good thiâ—ges to coÌ„e Here therfore do ye no thing els thaÌ„ as the commune Prouerbe is go about to make an Ethiop whyte For as touchynge youre sacrifyces it is manyfest by diuers places of the scriptures that God hath no pleasure in theÌ„ Wherfore sayeth he do ye brynge vnto me enlence out of Saba and swete smellynge Calamus oute of farre countrees Youre burnt offrynges are not
clypper shal he hold his peace nether shal he once opeÌ„ his mouth Thus because it is his pleasure shall he offer hym selfe vpon the altare of the crosse by hys moost precious bloude paye our rauÌ„some By this his glorious passion shal he take vpon hym your infyrmities beare awaye youre synnes By his moost blessed woundes shal al your iniquities be putte awaye Al your synnes shalbe layd on his backe His bloud shall make you cleane from al your synne By his bloude shal ye haue remission of your synnes By y e precious bloude of this Christ as of an immaculate and pure lambe shal ye be redemed from the tyrany of Satan By y â— oblacion of Christe shall ye be made free from al wyckednes delyuered from the power of darkenes caried into the gloryous kyngedome of God For he is the lambe of GOD whiche taketh awaye the synne of the worlde This is that sonne of man which is come to saue that which was lost not to destroy the soules of meÌ„ but to saue theÌ„ And al this shall come to passe by the oblacion offryng of his owne moost precious blessed body For he shal by your Bysshop not suche one as also shall haue nede to offer for hys owne synnes but for youres onely nether shal he be like y â— bishoppes of y â— old law which offer dayly for y â— sinnes of y â— people suche sacrifyces as can neuer take away sinne nor yet make men perfecte But this your Bysshop shalbe godly innoceÌ„t fautles segregated from synners and made higher then y e heaueÌ„s whiche shal not nede as the other Bisshoppes do dayly to offer sacrifices first for hys owne synnes afterwarde for the synnes of the people For he beynge without al synne shall once for all offer hymselfe And this one sacrifyce or oblacion of hys mooste blessed bodye shal be able to saue so many as beleue in him euen to the vttermoost Christ beynge the Bysshop of good thynges to come shall enter into y â— holy place by hys own bloud fynd euerlastyng redeÌ„pcioÌ„ He thorow the holy Ghoste shall offer hymselfe immaculate to God pourge your conscience from deade workes to serue the lyuynge God HeÌ„ once for al offeryng vp him selfe shall take awaye the synnes of many By the oblacion of the bodye of Iesus Christ done once for all shall you be sanctifyed With one oblacioÌ„ shall he make perfecte for euermore theÌ„ that are sanctifyed Here se you of what iÌ„estimable pryce the sacrifyce of Christ your bysshop is The vertue of it neuer ceaseth but endurethe in perfecte strengthe for euer euer y â— the sinnes of y â— faythful repentant maye be forgyuen at all tymes by it Christes bloud shall not crye for vengeauÌ„ce as y â— bloude of Abell dyd but for mercy grace fauour Yea by Christes bloud shall all thynges both in heauen eâ—the be pacifyed apeased set at a stay reconcyled to God the father abouÌ„daÌ„tly So that nowe ye shalbe purged of al your synnes by this one omnisufficiente oblacion of Iesus Christe your Bisshop For he alone shal treade downe the wynepresse take vpon his backe the great importible burden of your synnes all He by his death shall slaye death ouercome SataÌ„ synne hel desperacion all y â— euer maye be agaynste you So y â— nowe ye shal be made so cleare as though ye had neuer offeÌ„ded Ye shall now be so set at liberty as though before ye had neuer ben in captiuite And all this shall come to passe by the deathe alone of thys yonge chylde nowe borne whose body shall be the alone sacrifyce of all your synnes vnto the which as vnto an holy ancker ye muste alwaye ronne for ayde refuge succoure trustynge assuredly that his death â—s youre whole hope youre meryte youre refuge helth lyfe resurreccion For youre meryte is the compassion excedyng mercy of Christ your LODRE ye are not w toute meryte so longe as y â— LORD of mercyes doth not fayle And yf the merytes of the LORDE be many than are ye plenteous in merites The more able y â— he is to saue the more safe and w toute dauÌ„ger are ye Thus se you what a great occasioÌ„ ye haue to reioy se in the deathe of the LORDE Christ your alone sauyour wherby so many synguler great commodities shall chaunse vnto you God forbydde therfore that ye should reioyse in ony thynge at all saue only in the crosse death of your LORDE Iesus Christ. Syrtely but in asmuch as it is not sufficient that this youre newe hynge Iesus Christ do dye for your synnes except he also ryseth againe for youre iustificacion therfore do I also declare vnto you these moost ioyful coÌ„fortable newes y t after he be once dead buried he by y â— power of his deite shall gloriouslye ryse again y â— thyrd day froÌ„ deth to life for your iustificacioÌ„ accordiÌ„g to y â— holy scriptures For God his father shal make him alyue after two dayes vpon the thyrde daye he shall rayse hym vp he shal lyue in his syght As Ionas was iÌ„ y e belly of a whale thre dayes thre nightes so shall y e sonne of man be in the herte of the earth thre dayes and thre nightes And as Ionas by y â— power of God came out of y â— whalles belly y e thyrd daye so in semblable wyse shall this Christ by y e puissauÌ„ce of God his father ryse agayne y â— thyrd daye from deathe to lyfe By this glorious resurreccion of Iesus Christ shall ye gette the victory of Satan synne death hell desperacion c. By this glorious resurreccioÌ„ of Iesus christ shall ye be made ryghteous in God the fathers sight By this glorious resurreccioÌ„ of Iesus Christ shal heauen gates be opened for you which so longe haue ben sparred By this glorious resurreccioÌ„ of Iesus christ shall ye also ryse agayne enter iÌ„to euerlastyng lyfe By this glorious resurreccioÌ„ of Iesus christ shal god of his excedynge mercy beget you a new into euerlastyng hope an immortall heritage which is kepte for you in heaueÌ„ For Christ is y â— resurreccioÌ„ lyfe he y â— beleueth in him al though he be dead yet shall he lyue euery one that lyueth beleuethe in hym shall neuer dye Here se you in howe ioyfull and mery a state ye shall be set by Christes moost glorious resurreccion What is here but that moueth styreth vs to ioye gladnesse To muche brutall is he which at the heryng of these moost swete delectable newes dothe not seriously reioyse Furthermore after that thys LORDE Iesus Christ is risen agayn from death to lyfe hath continued here vpoÌ„ the earth certayne dayes