springs out of true faith Thys Ussher then Repentaunce if we truly possessed we should be certain of true faith and so assured of the victorie our death hell and Sathan Hys workes then which he hath styred vp would quaile God would restore vs politike peace right should be right and haue right Gods Gospell should tary with vs religion should be cherished superstition suppressed and so we yet something happy notwithstanding the great losse of our most gracious Liege soueraine lord All these would come to passe you sae if the Gentleman vssher I speake of I meane Repentance were at Inne with vs As if he be absent we may be certaine that Lady Faith is absent Wherfore we cannot but be van quished of the world the flesh and the Deuill and so wyll Sathans woorkes prosper though not in althings to blear our eles yet in that thing which he most of al desyreth Therfore to repentaunce for our selues priuately and for the Realme Church publikely euery one shuld labour to styrre vp both our selues and others This to the end that for my part I might help I haue presently put forth a sermon of Repentance which hath lien by me halfe a yeare at the least for the most part of it For the last sommer as I was abroade preaching in the countrey my chaunce was to make a Sermon of repentance the which was earnestly of diuers desired of me that I should geue it them written or els put it forth in print The which thing to graunt 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 serue but I must promise them to write it as I could I consented to ther request that they should haue it at my leasure This leasure I prolonged so long that as I weene offended them so did I please my selfe as one more glad to reade other mens wrytinges then in such sort to publish mine own for other men to reade not that I woulde others not to profyt by me but that I knowing how sclender my score is would be loth for the enemies to haue iust occasion of euyll speakyng and wresting that which simply is spoken But when I considered this present time to occasion men now to looke vpon althinges in such sorte as might moue them to godlines rather then to any curious questioning I for the satisfying of my promise and profyting of the simple ignoraunt and rude haue now caused this Sermon to be printed the which I besech God for his Christes sake to vse as a meane whereby of his mercy it may please him to worke in me and many others true hartye repentaunce for our sinnes to the glory of his name Thus fare thou well in the Lord The xâ— of July 1553. ¶ A fruitfull Sermon of Repentaunce made by the constant Martyr of Christ M. Iohn Bradford 1553. THe lyfe wee haue at thys present is the gift of God in whom we lyue moue and are and therefore he is called Iehoua For the which lyfe as we should be thankfull so we may not in any wyse vse it after our own fantasy but to the ende for the which it is geueÌ„ and lent vs that is to the setting forth of Gods praise and glory by repentaunce coÌ„uersion and obedience to his good wyl and holy lawes whereunto hys long suffering doth as it were euen draw vs if our harts by impenitency were not hard euen And therfore our life in the scripture is called a walking for that as the body dayly drawech more and more neare hys ende that is the earth euen so our soule draweth dayly more and more neare vnto death that is saluation or damnation heauen or hell Of which thing in that wee are most careles and very fooles for we alas are the same to day we were yesterday and not better or nearer to God hut rather nearer to hell Sathan and perdition beyng couetous idle carnal secure negligent proud c. I thinke my labour cannot bee better bestowed then with the Baptist Christ Iesus and hys Apostels to harpe on this string which of all other is most necessary and that in these daies most speciallye What stryng is that sayth one Forsoth brother the string of Repentance the which Christ our Sauiour did vse first in his ministery and as his Minister at this present I wil vse vnto you al Repent for the kingdome of heauen is at hand This sentence thus pronounced preached by our Sauiour Iesus Christ as it doth coÌ„mauÌ„d vs to repent so to the doing of the same it showeth vs a sufficient cause to styrre vs vp thereunto namely for that the kingdome of heauen which is a kingdome of all ioy peace ritches 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 sauiour might thus speake presently Syrs for that I see you all walking the wrong way euen to Sathan vnto hel fyre by folowing the kingdome of Sathan which now is coloured vnder the vaine pleasures of this life foolishnes of the flesh most subtelly to your vtter vndoing and destruction behold anoÌ„ maâ—ke well what I say vnto you The kingdom of heauen that is an other maner of ioy and felicitie honour and ritches power and pleasure then you now perceyue or enioy is euen at hand and at your backes as if you wyll turne againe that is repent you you shall most truly and pleasauntly feele see inherit Turne again therfore I say that is Repent for this ioy I speake of eueÌ„ the kingdome of heauen is at hand Here we may note first the corruption of our nature in that to this coÌ„maundement Repent you he addeth a cause for the kingdom of heauen is at hand For by reason of the corruption and sturdines of our nature God vnto all his commaundements commonly eithrr addeth some promise to prouoke vs to obedience or els some such sufficient cause as cannot but tickle vs vp to harty inbouryng for the doing of the same as here to the commaundement of doing penance he addeth this aetiologe or cause saying For the kingdome of heanen is at hand Againe in that he ioyneth to the commaundement the cause saying For the kingdome of heauen is at haud we may learne that of the kiugdome of heauen none to whoÌ„ the ministery of preaching doth appertain can be partaker but such as repent do penance Therfore dearely beloued if you regard the kingdome of heauen in that you caÌ„not enter therin except you repent I besech you all of euery estate as you wold your own weale to repent and do penance The which thing that ye may do I wyll do my best now to helpe you by Gods grace But first because we caÌ„not wel tell what repentance is through ignorance and for lacke of knowledge and false teaching I wyll to begin withal shew you what repentance is
from our own wordes works that the Lord might both speake and worke in vs and by vs not to heare his holy word not to communicate his Sacraments not to geue occasion to others to holynes by our example in godly workes and reuerent esteming of the ministery of his word In Gods law we see it a foule spot to our soules not onely to be an opeÌ„ disobeyer of our Parents Magistrates Maisters such as be in any autority ouer vs but also not to honour such euen in our harts not to giue thankes to God for them not to pray for theÌ„ to ayde to helpe or relieue theÌ„ to heare with theyr infirmities c. In Gods law we see it is a foule spot in our soules not onely to be a manqueller in hatred malyce proud lokes brags backbiting rayling or bodily slaughter but also not to loue our neyghbours yea our ennemies euen in our harts to declare the same in all our â—estures wordes workes In Gods lawe we see it a foule spot to our soules not only to be a whore monger in lusting in our harts in wanton looking in vncleane and wanton talking in actual doing vnhonestly with our neighbours wyfe daughter seruant c. but also not to be chaste sober temperate in hart lookes tong apparel deedes to helpe others therunto accordyngly c. In gods law we see it is a foule spot to our soules not onelye in hart to couet in looke or word to flatter lye colour c. in deede to take away any thing which pertayneth to another but also in hart countenance word deede not to keepe saue defend that which pertayneth to thy neyghbour as thou woldest thine own In Gods law we may see it a foule spot not onely to lie or bear false wytnes against anye man but also not to haue as great care ouer thy neighbours name as ouer thine own Synne in Gods law it is we may see and a foule spot not onely to consent to euil lust or carnal desires but euen the very naturall or carnall lustes and desyres themselues for so I may cal theÌ„ nature it selfe being now so corrupted are sin and selfe loue and many such lyke By reason wherof I trow there is none that tooteth well herein but though he be blameles to the world and faire to the shew yet certainly inwardly his face is foule arayed and so shamefull saucy maungy pocky and scabbed that he caÌ„not but be sory at the contemplation thereof that so much more by how much he continueth to loke in this glasse accordingly And thus much concerning the secoÌ„d meane to the stirring vp of sorow for our sin that next vnto prayer we should toote in Gods law spiritually The which tooting if we vse with prayer as I sayd let vs not doubt but at the length Gods spirite wyl woorke as now to such as beleue for to the vnbeleuers al is in vain ther eyes are stark blynd they can see nothing to such as beleue I say I trust somthing is done euen al ready But if neyther by prayer nor by tooting in Gods law spiritually as yet thy hard vnbeleuing hart feeleth no sorrow nor lamentyng for thy syn thirdly looke vpon the tag tyed to Gods law for as to mans law there is a tag tyed that is a penalty so is ther to Gods law a tag tyed that is a penaltie and that no small one but such a great one as caÌ„not but make vs to cast our currysh tayles betwene our legs if wee beleue it for all is in vayne if we be faythles not to beleue before we feele This tag is Gods malediction or curse Maledictus omnis saith it qui non permanet in omnibus quae scripta suÌ„t in libro legis vt faeiat â—am â—oe accursed sayth he is all no exception all sayth God which continueth not in al thinges for he that is gilty of one is gilty of the whole sayth s Iames in all thinges therfore saith the holy Ghost which are written in the booke of the law to do them He sayth not to heare them to talke of them to dispute of them but to do them Who is he now that doth these Rara auis fewe such Byrdes yea none at al. For al are gone out of the way though not outwardly by word or dede yet inwardly at the least by default and wanting of that which is required so that a childe of one nightes age is not pure but by reason of byrth syn in daunger of Gods malediction much more then we which alas haue droonken in iniquitie as it were water as Iob sayth But yet alas we quake not Tell me now good brother why dooyou so lyghtly consider Gods curse that for your synnes past you are so careles as though you had made a couenaunt wyth death and damnatioÌ„ as the wicked did in Esayes time What is Gods cursse At the Popes curse with booke bel candle oh how trembled we which heard it but onely though the same was not directed vnto vs but vnto others For this Gods curse which is in comparable more sel and importable and is directed to vs yea hanging ouer vs all by reason of our syns alas how careles are we Oh faithles hard harts Oh Iâ—zabâ—ls gestes rocked and laid a sleepe in her bed Oh wicked wretches which being com into the depth of syn do contemne the same O sorrowles synners and shame les shrinking harlots Is not the anger of a Kyng death and is the anger of the Kyng of all kinges a matter to be so lyghtely regarded as we do regard it which for our synnes are so retchles that we slug and sleepe it out As waxe melteth a way at the heate of the fire saith Dauid so do the wicked perish at the face or countenance of the lord If dearely beloued hys face be so terrible intollerable for sinners and the wicked what trow we his hand is At the face or appearing of Gods anger the earth trembleth but wee earth earth yea stones yron flyntes tremble nothing at all If we wil not tremble in hearing wo vnto vs for then shal we be crashed in peeces in feeling If a Lion rore the beastes quake but wee are worse then beastes which quake nothing at the roring of the LioÌ„ I meane the Lord of hostes And why because the curse of God hardnes of hart is already fallen vpon vs or els we could not but lament and tremble for our syns if not for the shame and foulnes therof yet at the least for the malediction and curse of God which hangeth ouer vs for our synnes Lord be mercyfull vnto vs for thy Christs sake and spare vs in thyne anger remember thy mercy towardes vs Amen And thus much for the thyrd thing to the mouing of vs to sorow for our syns that is for the tag tyed to Gods law I meant for the malediction and curse of god But if our harts be
the tooting in Gods glas the tag therto wyl not burst open thy blockish hart yet I trow the tosâ—ing to and fro of these examples and specially of oue late Kyng and this troublesome time wyll tumble some teares our of thyne hart if thou styll pray for gods spirit accordingly For who art thou thinke alwayes wyth thy selfe that God should spare thee more then them whose examples thou hast heard What friends hast thou Were not of these Kings Prophets Apostels learned and come of holy stockes I deceiue my selfe think thou with thy selfe if I beleue that God being the same God y he was wyl spare me whose wickednes is no sesse but much more then some of theirs He hateth synne now as much as euer he did The longer he spareth the greater vengeance â—il fal the deper he draweth his dow the sorer wil the shaft pearce But if yet thy hart be so hardened that all this geare wyll not moue thee surely thou art in a very euil estate and remedy now know I none What said I none know I none Yes there is one which is suresby as they say to serue if any thyng wyl serue You looke to know what this is Forsoth the passion and death of Iesus Chriâ—â— You know the cause why Christ became man and suffered as he suffered was the sins of his people that he might saue them froÌ„ the same Consider the greatnes of the sore I mean syn by the greatnes of the Surgion and of the salue Who was the Surgion No Angel no Saint no Archangel no power no creature in heauen nor in earth but onely he by whom althings wer made all thinges are ruled also euen Gods own dearling onely beloued sonne becomming man. Oh what a great thing is thys that could not be done by the Angels ArchaÌ„gels Potestates powers or al the creatures of God without his own sonne who yet must needes be thrust out of heauen as a man would say to take our nature become man Here haue ye the Surgion great was the cure that thys mighty Lord tooke in hand Now what was the salue For soth deare geare of many compositions I cannot recite al but rather must leaue it to your harty conâ—idetations Three and thirty yeares was he curyng our sore He sought it earnestly by fasting watching praying c. The same night that he was betrayed I reade how busy he was about a plaster in the garden when he liing sâ—at on the ground praying with teares that of bloud not a few but so manye as dyd flow down on the ground againe criing on this sort Father saith he if it be possible let this cup depart frâ— me that is if it be possyble that els the syns of mankinde can be taken a way graunt that it may be so Thou heardest Moises criyng for the idolaters Thou hear dest Lot for the Zoarites Samuel Dauid and many other for the Israelites and deare father I onely am thine own soâ—ne as thou hast said in whom thou art well pleased wylt thou not heare me I haue by the space of three thirty yeres done alwayes thy wyl I haue so humbled my selfe that I would become an abiect a mongest men to obey thee Therfore deare father if it be possible graunt my request saue maÌ„kind now without any further labour salues or plasters But yet sayth he not as I wyll but as thou wylt But sir what herd he Though he swet bloud water in making his plaster for our sore of syn yet it framed not Twyse he cryed without comfort yea though to comfort him God sent an Angel we yet know y this plaster was not allowed for sufficient vntyll hereunto Christ Iesus was betrayed forsaken of all his Disciples for worne of his dearly beloued bound lyke a theefe belyed on buffered whipped scourged crowned with thornes derided crucified racked nayled hanged vp betwene two theeues cursed and rayled vpon mocked in misery and had geuen vp the ghost then bowed dowue the head of Christ that is God the Father which is the head of Christ then alowed he the plaster to be sufficient good for the healing of our sore which is syn Now would God abide our breth because the stinck that is damuation or giltynes was taken away by the sweete sauer of the breth of thys Lamâ—e thus offered once for al. So that here dearely beloued we as in a glasse may see to the broosyng of our blockyshe hard hartes Gods great iudgement and anger agaynst synne The Lord of Lords the King of Kings the brightnes of Gods glory the sonne of God the dearling of his Father in whom he is wel pleased haÌ„geth betwene two theues crying for thee me and for vs al My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Oh hard harts that we haue which make tuts for syn Looke on this toote in the very hart of Christ pâ—arced with a speare wherein thou maiest see and reade Gods horrible anger for synne Woe to thy hard hart that pearred it And thus much for the first part of repentaunce I meane for the meanes of working contricion First vse prayer then looke on Gods law thirdly see his curse fourthly set examples of his anger before thee and last of all set before thee the death of Christ From this and prayer cease not tyl thou fecle some harty sorrow for thy syn The which wheÌ„ thou feelest then labour for the other part that is fayth on this sort As first in contrition I wylled shee not to trust to thy free wyll for the assayning of it so doo I wyll thee in thys Fayth is so far from the reach of mans free wyl that to reason it is plaine foolishnes Therfore thou must first go to God whose gyft it is thou must I say get thee to the father of mercy whose worke it is that as he hath brought thee downe by contrition and humbled thee so he would geue thee fayth raise thee vp and exalt thee On this maner therefore with the Apostles and the pore man in the Gospell that cryed Lord encrease our fayth Lord helpe my vnbeliefe pray thou and say O mercyfull God and deare Father of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ in whom as thou art wel pleased so hast thou commauÌ„ded vs to heare him for asmuch as he often byddeth vs to aske of thee and thereto promiseth that thou wylt heare vs and grauÌ„t vs that which in his name we shall aske of ther loe gracious Father I am bold to beg of thy mercy thorow thy sonne Iesus Christ one sparckle of true faith and certaine perswasioÌ„ of thy goodnes loue towardes me in Christ wherethrough I beyng assured of the pardon of al my syns by the mercies of Christ thy sonne may be thankfull to thee loue thee and serue thee in holynes and righteousnes al the daies of my lyte On this sort I say or otherwise as God shalmoue thee pray
would make this hys sonne being coequal with him in diuinity a mortall man for vs that we might be made immortal by him What a kindnes is thys that the almighty Lord should send to vs his enemies hys deare darlyng to be made poore that we by him might be made ritch What bowels of compassiō was this that the omnipotent Creator of heauen and earth would delyuer his own onely beloued sonne for vs creatures to be not onely flesh of our flesh and bone of our bones that we myght by hym through the holy Ghost be made one with him and so wyth the Father by communicatyng the merites of his flesh that is righteousnes holynes innocency and immortality but also to be a stayne sacrifice for our syns to satisfy his iustice to conuert or turue death in to lyfe our syn into righteousnes hell into heauen misery into felicitye for vs What a mercy is this that God wyll rayse vp this his sonne Christ not onely to iustify and regenerate vs but also in his person to demōstrate vnto vs our state which we shall haue ▪ for in hys comming we shall be lyke vnto hym Oh wonderfull mercy of God whych would assume this his Christ euen in humane body into the heauens to take and keepe ther possession for vs to leade our captiuity captiue to appeare before hym alwayes praying for vs to make the throne of Iustice a throne of mercy the seate of glory a seate of grace so that with boldnes we may come and appeare before God to aske and finde grace in tyme conuenient Againe what a verity and constant truth in God is thys that he would accordyng to hys promise made fyrst to Adam and so to Abraham and others in his time accomplish it by sending his sonne so graciously Who would doubt hereafter of any thing that he hath promised And as for Christes loue oh whose hart can be able to thinke of it any thing as it deserueth He beyng God wold become mā he beyng ritch would become poore he beyng Lord of all the world became a seruaunt to vs all he being immortall would become mortall myserable and fast of all Gods curses yea euen of hell it seife for vs His bloud was nothyng to deare hys lyfe he nothing considered to bryng vs from death to lyfe But thys hys loue needeth more harty waying then many wordes speaking and therefore I omit and leaue it to your considerations So that in the receiuing of this supper as I would you wold tremble at Gods wrath for syn so would I haue you to couple to that terrour and feare true fayth by which ye myght be assured lye perswaded of Gods mercy towardes you Christes loue though al thinges els preached the contrary Do euery of you surely thinke when you heare these wordes Take eate this is my body broken for your synnes Drinke this is my bloud shed for your syns that God the eternal father embracing you Christ calleth and cleppeth you most louingly makyng himselfe one with you and you one wyth hym and one wyth another amongest your selues You ought no lesse to be certayne now that God loueth you pardoneth your syns and that Christ is all yours then if you dyd heare an Angell out of heauen speakyng so vnto you And therefore reioyce and be glad and make thys Supper Eutharichiam a thankes geuing as the Fathers named it Be no lesse certaine that Christ and you now are all one then you are certayne the bread and wyne is one wyth your nature and substaunce after you haue eaten and dronken it Howbeit in thys it differeth that you by fayth are as it were chaunged into Christ and not Christ into you as the bread is for by fayth he dwelleth in vs we in hym God geue vs fayth in the vse of this Sacrament to receyue Christ as he geueth vs handes to receiue the element symbole and visible Sacrament God graunt vs not to prepare our teeth and belly as S Augustine sayth but rather of his mercy he prepare and geue vs true and lyuely fayth to vse thys and all other his ordinances to his glory our comfortes He sweepe the houses of our hartes make them cleane that they may be a woorthy harborough and lodging for the lord Amen Now let vs come and looke on the third and last thing namely wherefore the Lord did institute this Sacrament Our nature is very obliuious of God and of all his benefites And agayne it is very full of dubitation and doubting of Gods loue of his kyndnes Therefore to the end these two thinges might be something reformed and holpen in vs the Lord hath institute this Sacrament I meane that wee myght haue in memory the principal benefites of all benefites that is Christes death that we might be on all partes assured of communion with Christ of all kyndnes the greatest that euer God dyd geue vnto man The former to be the end wherfore Christ did institute this Sacrament he him selfe doth teache vs saying Do ye this in remembraunce of me The latter the Apostle doth uo iesse set forth in saying The bread whih we brake is it not the partaking or communion of the body of Christ Is not the cup of blessyng which we blesse the partaking or cōmunion of the bloud of Christ So that it appeareth the end wherefore this Sacrament was instituted was and is for the reformacion and helpe of our obliuion of that which wee should neuer forget and of our dubitation of that wherof we ought to be most certayne Concerning the former namely of the memory of Christes deare what cōmodity it bringeth with it I wyl purposely for times sake omit Onely a lirle wyll I speake of the commodities cōming vnto vs by the partaking and communion we haue with Christ First it teacheth vs that no man can cōmunicate wyth Chryst but the same must needes communicate with Gods grace fauour wher thorow syns are forgeuen Ther fore this cōmoditye cōmeth here-thorow namely that we should ve certaine of the remission pardon of our synnes The which thing we may also perceue by the cup in that it is called the cup of the new Testament to whych Testament is properly attributed on Gods behalfe obliuion or remission of our syns First I say therefore the supper is instituted to this ende that he which worthely receiueth should be certaine of the remission pardon of hys syns and iniquities how many and great soeuer they be Now great a benefit this is onely they know which haue felt the burthē of syn which of all heauy thinges is the most heauye Agayne no man can cōmunicate with Christes body and bloud but the same must communicate with his spirite for Christes body is no dead carcase Now he that cōmunicateth with Christes spirit cōmunicateth as with holynes righteousnes innocency immortalitie and wyth all the merites of Christes body so doth he with God and all his glory
so hard that thorow these we yet fele not harty sorow for our syns let vs fourthly set before vs examples past and present old new that therby the holy spirite may be effectual to worke in his time thys worke of sorowing for our syn Looke vpon Gods anger for syn in Adam and Eue for eating a peece of an apple Wer not they the dearest creatures of God cast out of Paradise Were not they subiect to mortalitye trauail labour c Was not the earth accursed for their syns Do not we all men in labour women in traueling with child all in death mortality miserye euen in this life feele the same And was God so angry for their syn and he being the same God wyl he say nothing to vs for ours alas much more horrible then the eatyng once of one peece of an apple In the tyme of Noe and Lot God destroyed the whole world with water and the cities of So doma and Gomorrha Seboim Adamah with â—ire and brimstone from heauen for their sins namely for their whooredomes pryde ydlenes vnmercyfulnes to the poore tiraÌ„ny c. In which wrath of God euen the very Babes Birdes foules fishes heroes trees and gras perished think we that nothing wil be spoken to vs much worse more abominable then they For al men may see if they wyll that the whoredomes pryde vnmercifulnes tyranny c. of England far passeth in this age any age that euer was before Lots wife looking backe was turned into a salt stone and wyl our looking backe again yea our runing backe againe to our wickednes do vs no hurt If we wer not already more blnid then beetels we would blush Pharae his hart was hardened so that no myracle coulde conuert him if ours were anye thing soft wee would begyn to sob Of sixe hundred thousand men alonely but twaine entred into the land of promise bicause they had ten times sinned against the Lord as he him selfe sayth and trow we that God wil not swear in his wrath that we shall neuer enter into his rest whych haue synned so many ten times as we haue toes fingers yea heares of our heades and beardes I feare me and yet we passe not The man that sware he that gathered styckes on the Saboth day were stoned to death but we think our swearing is no syn our bidding rioting yea whore-hunting on the Saboth day pleaseth god or els we would something amend our maners Helias negligence in correcting his sonnes nypped his necke in two but ours which pamper vp our children lyke puppets wyll put vs to no plounge Helias sonnes for disobeying their Fathers admonition brought ouer them Gods vengeance and will our stubburnes do nothing Saules malyce to Dauid Acabs displeasure against Naboth brought their bloud to the grouÌ„d for Dogs to eate yea their children were hanged vp and slaine for this geare but we continue in malice enuye and murther as though wee were able to wage warre with the Lord. Dauids adultery with Bethsa be was visited on the child born on Dauids daughter defiled by her brother and on his children one staying an other his wiues defiled by his own sonne on him selfe driuen out of his Realme in his old age and otherwyse also although he must hartely repented his synne but we are more dere vnto God theÌ„ Dauid which yet was a man after Gods own hart or els wee coulde not but trâ—â—ble and begyn to repent The ritch gluttons gay paunch fylling what did it It brought him to hel haue we a plackard that God wyl do nothing to vs Achams subtyl theft prouoked Gods anger aganist all Israell and one subtiltie yea open extortion is so fyne and politicke that God cannot espy it Eiezi his couetousnes brought it not the leprosy vpon him on all his seeâ—e Iudas also hanged himselfe But the couetousnes of England is of an other cloth and colour Wel if it were so the same Tayler wyll cut it accordingly Anania and Saphira by lying linked to them sodaine death but ours now prolongeth out life the longer to last in eternall death The false witnesses of the two Iudges against Susanna lyghted on their owne pates and so wyll ours do at length But what go I about to auouch auncient examples where dayly experience doth teach The sweat the other yeare the stormes the winter folowing wyll vs to way them in the same ballances The hanging and killing of men them selues which are alas to ryfe in all places require vs to register them in the same roles At the least in Children Infantes and such lyke which yet cannot vtter syn by word or dede we see Gods anger against synne in punishing them by syckenes death my shape or otherwise so plainly that we cannot but grone and groont agayne in that we haue â—ushed out this geare more aboundantly in word and deede And here with me a litle looke on Gods anger yet so fresh that we cannot but smell it although we stop our noses neuer so much I pray God we smell it not more fresh hereafter I mene it forsoth for I know you looke for it in out deare late soueraygne Lord the kings Maiesty You al know he was but a child in yeares defiled he was not with notorious offences Defiled quoth he nay rather adorned wyth so manye goodly giftes wonderfull qualities as neuer Prince was from the begynning of the worlde Should I speake of hys wysedome of hys ripenes in iudgement of his learning of his godly zeale heroycall hart fatherly care for hys Commons nurcely solicitude for religion c. Nay so many thinges are to be spoken in commendation of Gods exceding graces in this child that as Salust writeth of Carthage I had rather speake nothing then to little in that to much is to lyttle this gift God gaue vnto vs English men before all nations vnder the sunne that of his exceding loue towardes vs But alas and welaway for our vnthankfulnes sake for our sins sake for our carnality and prophane liuing Gods anger hath touched not onely the body but also the minde of our Kyng by a long sycknes and at length hath taken him away by death death cruell death fearefull death Oh if Gods iudgemeÌ„t be begun on him which as he was the chefest so I thinke the holyest and godlyeft in the Realme of England alas what wil it be on vs whose syns are ouergrowen so our heades that they are climed vp into heauen I pray you my good brethren know that Gods anger for our syn towardes vs cannot but be great yea to fell in that we see it was so great that our good King could not beare it What followed to Iewry after the death of Iosias God saue England geue vs repentances my hart wil not suffer me to cary longer herein I trow thys wyll thrust out some teares of repeutance If therefore to praier for Gods feare
of the obiection which sayth that we teache Christ to be none otherwyse present in the Sacrament then in his word I would that the obiectors would wel consider what a presēce of Christ is in his word I remember that sayut Augustine writeth how that Christes body is receiued sometime visibly and sometime inuisibly The visible receypt hee calleth that whych is by the Sacrament the inuisible receypt hee calleth that which by the exercise of our fayth with ourselues we receiue And S. Hierom in the third booke vpon Ecclesiastes affirmeth that we are fed with the body of Christ and we drinke his bloud not onely in mysterye but also in knowledge of bolye scripture Wherein he playnlye sheweth that the same meate is offered in the words of the scriptures which is offered in the sacrament so that no lesse is Christes bodye and bloud offered by the scriptures then by the Sacramentes Upon the 147. Psalme he writeth also that though these wordes He that careth my flesh and drinketh my bloud may be vnderstand in mistery yet he saith it is more true to take Christes body and his bloud for the word of the scriptures and the doctrine of god Yea vpon the same Psalme he sayth playnly that Christes flesh bloud is poured into our eares by hearing the word and therefore great is the perill if we yeld to other cogitations whilest we hear it And therfore I trow S. Augustine saith that it is no les peryll to heare Gods word negligently then so to vse the sacrament But hereof may no man gather that therefore it needeth not to receiue the Sacrament or to affirme that a man maye as much by himselfe mediating the word in the field receiue Christs body as in the Church in the right vse of the Sacrament For Christ ordayneth nothing in vayne or superfluously he ordayneth nothing wherof we haue not nede Although his authoritye is such that without anye questonyng hys ordinances are to be obeyed Agayne though in the fielde a man may receiue Christes body by faith in the meditation of the word yet deny I that a mā doth ordinarely receyue Christes body by the onely meditation of Christes death or hearing of hys word with so much sight and by such sensible assurance whereof God knoweth our infirmity hath no small neede as by the receipt of the sacrament not that Christ is not so muche present in hys woord preached as he is in or with his sacrament but because there are in the perception of the Sacrament more wyndowes open for Christ to enter into vs then by hys woord preached or heard For there I meane in the word he har◠an entraunce into out harts but onely by the eares through the voyce and sound of the wordes but here in the Sacrament he hath an enterance by all our senses by our eyes by our nose by our taste by our handling also And therefore the Sacrament full well may be called seeable sensible tastable touchable wordes As therfore when many windowes be opened in an house the more lyght may come in then when ther is but one opened euen so by the perception of the Sacraments a chrystian mās conscience hath more helpe to receiue Christ then simply by the word preached heard or meditated And therfore he thinketh the Apostle ful wel calleth the sacramentes obsignations or sealings of Gods promise Reade Roma the. 4. of Circumcision And thus much for the aunswer to the obiectiōn aforesayd Now to returne from whence we came namely to the consideration of the second thing what the Sacrament is I haue told you that it is not simply bread wyne but rather Christes body so called of Christ and so to be called and estemed of vs But here let vs marke what body what bloud Christ called it The Papistes styll babble Thys is my body This is my bloud but what body it is what bloud it is they shewe not Looke therefore my dearly beloued on Christes own woordes and you shall see that Christ calleth it his body broken ▪ and hys bloud shed Marke I say that Christ calleth it his body which is broken hys bloud which is shed presently and not which was broken or shal be broken which was shed or shall be shed as the Greeke textes doo plainl◠shew therby teachyng vs that as God woulde haue the Passeouer called not which was the Passeourr or whych shall be the Passeouer but playnlye the Passeouer to the end that in the vse of it the passyng ouer of the striking Angell should be set before their eyes as present so in the celebration of the Lords supper the verye Passion of Christ should bee as present beholde a with the eyes of fayth For which end Christ our Sauiour did specially institute this Supper saying Do ye this in remembrance of me or as Paule sayth Shew you thr Lordes death tyll he come The Supper of the Lord then is not simply Christes body and bloud but Christes body broken and hys bloud shed Wherefore broken Wherfore shed Forseth that tencheth Christ himselfe saying Broken for you Shed for your syns and for the syns of many Here now then we haue occasion in the vse of the Sacrament to call to mynd the greatnes and greuousnes of syn which could not be taken away by any other meanes then by the sheding of the most precious bloud and breaking of the most pure bodye of the onely begotten Sonne of God Iesus Christ by whom all things were made all thinges are ruled gouerned c. Who considering this geare shall not be touched to repent Who in receipt of this Sacrament thinking that Christ sayth to him Take eate this is my body wyich is broken for thee This is my bloud which is shed for thy syns can but tremble at the greevousnes of his sins for the which such a price was payd If there were no plague at al els to admonish man of syn how greuous a thing it is in Gods sight surely that one were enough But alas how are our hartes bewitched through Sathans subtilties the custome of syn that we make syn a thing of nothing God open our eyes in tyme and geue vs repentance which we see this Sacrament doth as it were enforce vs vnto in the reuerence and true vse of the same Againe in hearing that thys which we take and eate is Christes body broken for our syns his bloud shed for our iniquities me are occasioned to call to mynd the infinite greatnes of Gods mercy and truth and of Christes loue towardes vs For what a mercy is this that God would for man beyng lost through hys wylfull sinnes be content yea desirous to geue hys owne onelye sonne The image of his substaunce the brightnes of his glory being in his own bosome to be made man for vs that we mē by him might be as it were made Gods What a mercy is this that God the Father should so tender vs that hee
before we were who I say can thinke otherwyse but that with him he wyl geue vs al good thinges If when we hated him â—led away from him he sent his sonne to seeke vs who can thinke otherwise then that now we louing him and lamenting because we loue him no more but that he wyl for euer loue vs He that geueth the more to his enemies wil not he geue the lesse trow you to his friends God hath geuen his own sonne then which thing nothing is greater to vs hys enemies we now being becom his friendes wyll he deny vs fayth pardon of our sins which though they be great yet in comparison they are nothing at al Christ Iesus would geue his own selfe for vs when we willed it not wyll he now deny vs faith if we wyll it This wyl is hys earnest that he hath giuen vs truly to looke in deede for the thing wylled And looke thou for it in deede for as he hath geuen thee to wyl so wil he geue thee to do Iesus Christ gaue his lyfe for our euyls by his death delyuered vs Oh then in that he liueth now and cannot dye wyll he forsake vs â–ª His hart bloud was not to deare for vs when we asked it not what can then bee now to deare for vs asking it Is he a chaungeling Is he inutable as maÌ„ is Can he repent him of his gifâ—es Dyd he not foresee our falles Payd not he therefore the price Because he saw we should fal sore therefore would he suffer sore Yea if his suffering had not bene inough he would yet once more come again God the father I am sure if the death of his sonne incarnate would not serue wold himselfe the holy ghost also becom incarnate dye for vs This death of Christ therfore looke on as the very pledge of Gods loue towards thee whosoeuer thou art how deepe soeuer thou hast sinned See Gods hands are nailed they cannot strike thee hys feete also he cannot run troÌ„ thee his armes are wyde open to embrace thee his head hangs down so kysse thee his very hart is opeÌ„ so that therin see toâ—te looke spy peâ—pe and thou shalt see nothing therin but loue loue loue loue to thee hyde thee therfore lay thy head there with the Euangelist This is the clyft of the rocke wherein Helias stoode This is the pillow of down for all akyng heades Anoynt thy head wyth this oyle let this oyntment enbaulme thy head wash thy face Tary thou here cock sure thou art I warrant thee Say with Paul what can separate me from the loue of God Can death can pouerty sycknes hunger or any misery perswade thee now that God loueth thee not Nay nothing can separate thee from the loue wher wyth God hath loued thee in Christ Iesus whom he ioueth he loueth to the end So that â—ow where aboundaunce of syn hath â—en in thee the more is the aboudance of grace But to what end â–ª Forsoth that as syn hath raigued to death as theâ— seesâ— to the kylling of Gods sonne so now grace must raigne to lyfe to the honouring of Gods sonne who is now a lyue and cannot dye any more So that they which by â—ayth feele this caÌ„not any more dye to God â—â—t o syn whereto they are dead and buried with Christ As Christ therefore liueth so do they and that to God to righteousâ—â—s and holynes The life which they lyue is In fide filii bei in the faith of the sonne of God Wherby you see that now I am slipt into that which I made the third part of penance namely newnes of lyfe which I could not so haue done if that it were a part of it selfe in deede as it is au effect or fruit of the second part that is of fayth or trust in Gods mercy For hee that beleueth that is is certainly perswaded synne to be such a thing that it is the cause of al misery and of it self so greatly angereth God that in heauen nor in earth nothing could appease his wrath saue alonely the death and precious bloud sheddyng of the sonne of God in whom is all the delight and pleasure of the father he I say that is perswaded thus of syn the same caÌ„not but in hart abhor quake to do or say yea to thinke any thing willingly which Gods law teacheth him to be syn Agayne he that beleueth that is is certainly perswaded Gods loue to be so much to wards him that where through syn he was lost made a firebraÌ„d of hell the eternal father of mercy which is the omnisufficient God nedeth nothing to vs or of anithing that we can do to deliuer vs out of hel and to bring vs into heauen dyd send euen hys owne most deare sonne out of hys bosome out of heauen into hel as a man would say to bring vs as I sayd from theÌ„ce into his own bosom mercy we being hys very enemies he I say that is thus perswaded of Gods loue towards hym of the price of his redemptioÌ„ by the deare bloud of the Lambe imaculate Iesus Christ the same man cannot but loue God againe of loue do that hartely desire to do better the which myght please god Trow you that such a one knowing this geare by faith wil willingly walter wallow in his wilful lusts pleasures faÌ„tasies Wyll such a one as knoweth by faith Christ Iesus iâ— haue geuen his bloud to wash hym from hys syns play the Sow to walter in his puddle of filthy syn vyce againe Nay rather then he wil be defiled againâ— â–ª by wilful synning he wil wash often the feete of his affections watching ouer y vice styll sticking in hym which as a spring continuallye sendeth out poison inough to drown defile him if the sweete water of Christes passioÌ„ in Gods syght did not wash it his bloud satisfy the rigour of Gods iustice due for the same Thys bloud of Christ shed for our sins is so deare in the sight of him that beleueth that he wyâ—l abhorre in his hart to stampe it tread it vnder his feete He knoweth now by his beliefe that it is to much that he therto hee hath set to little by it and is ashamed therof Therefore for the residue of hys lyfe he purposeth to take better beede to himselfe then before he did Because he seeth by hys faith the greuousnes of Gods anger the foulnes of syn the greatnes of Gods mercy of Christes loue towardes him he wyll now be heedye to pray to God to geue hym his grace accordingly that as with his eyes toung handes feete c. he hath displeased God doing his own wyl euen so now with the same eyes toung eares handes feete c. he may displease his own selfe and do Gods wyll Willingly wyll hee not doo that which myght renue the death of the sonne of God He
knoweth he hath to much synne vnwyllingly in him so that thereto he wyl not adde willing offences This willing witting offending synning whosoeuer doth flatter him selfe therin doth euidently demoÌ„strate shew that he neuer yet in dede tasted of Christ truly He was neuer truly perswaded or beloued how soule a thing sin is how greuous a thing Gods anger is how ioyfull and precious a thyng Gods mercy in Christ is how exeeding broade wyde hye dâ—eepe Christes loue is Perchance he can write prate talke preach of this geare but yet he in part by faith neuer felt this geare For if he did once feele this geare in dede then would he be so far from continuing in syn willingly wittingly that wholy and hartely he would geue ouer himself to that which is contrary I mean to a new lyfe renuing his youth euen as the Egle doth For as we being in the seruitude of syn demoÌ„strate our seruice by geuing ouer our members to the obeying of syn from iniquitie to iniquity euen so we being made free from synne by faith in Iesus Christ endued with Gods spirite a spirit of liberty must nedes demonstrate this fredom liberty by geuing ouer our members to the obedience of the spir it by the which we are lead guided from vertue to vertue all kynde of holynes As the vnbeleuers declare their vnbeliefe by the working of the euil spirit in them out wardly the fruits of y â—â—esh euen so the beleuers declare their faith by the working of Gods good spirit in them outwardly the fruits of the spirit For as the deuyll is not dead in those which are hys but worketh styll to their damnation so is not God dead in them which be his but worketh styl to their saluation The which working is not the cause of the one or the other being in any but onely a demonstration a signe a fruit of the same as the Apple is not the cause of the Appletree but a fruite of it Thus then you see briefly that newnes of lyfe is not in deede a part of penance but a fruit of it a demonstration of the iustifying faith a signe of Gods good spirit possessing the hart of the peniteÌ„t as the old lyfe is a fruit of impenitencie a demonstration of a lip faith or vnbeliefe a signe of Sathans spirit possessing the hart of the impenitent which al those be that be not penitent For meane I know none He that is not penitent the same is impenitent he that is not gouerned by Gods spirit the same is gouerned by Sathans spirit For al that the Christes are gouerned with the spirit of Christ which spirite hath his fruites Al other y be not Christs are the deuils He that gathereth not â—â— Christ scattereth abroad Therfore dearly beloued I befech you to consider this grace deceiue not yourselues If you be not Christes then pertain you to the deuil of which thing the fruits of the fleshe doth assure you as whordom adultecy vncleannes wantoÌ„nes idolatry witchcraft enuy strife contention wrath sedition murther dronkeÌ„nes glut tony blasphemy slothfulnes idlenes baudy talking scâ—aÌ„dering c If these apples grow out of the appletrees of your haries surely surely the deuel is at Inne with you you are his birdes whom when hee hath well fed he wyll broth you eate you chaw you and champ you worlde wythout end in eternall wo and mysery But I am otherwyse perswaded of you al. I trust you be al Christ Iesus hys people and chyldren yea brethren by fayth As ye see your sins in Gods law and tremble sigh sorow and sob for the same euen so you see hys great mercies in his Gospell and free promises therfore ar glad mery ioyfull for that you are accepted into Gods fauour haue your sins pardoned are endued with the good spirit of God euen the seale signe manuell of your election in Christ before the beginuing of the world The which spirit for that he is the spirit of life geuen to you to worke in you with you by you here in thys life saÌ„ctification holynes wher unto you are called that ye might be holy euen as your heauenly father is holy I besech you all by admonition and warning of you that you would styr vp the giftes of God geuen to you generally particularly to the edifying of his Church that is I pray you that you would not molest the good spirit of God by rebelling against it when it prouoketh and calleth you to go on forwards that the which is holy might yet be more holy hee which is ryghteous myght be more righteous as the euil spirit moueth and stirreth vp the filthye to be yet more filthy the couetous to be more couetons the wicked to be more wycked Decclare you now your repentance by woorkes of repentance Bryng fouth frutis and worthy fruites Let your sorowing for your euyls demonstratine it selfe departing froÌ„ the euyls you haue vsed Let your certainty of pardon of your syns through Christ and your ioyin him be demoÌ„strated by pursuing of the good things which Gods word teacheth you You are nowe in Christ Jesus Gods workmanship to do good workes which God hath prepared for you to walke in For the grace of God that bringeth saluation vnto all men hath appeared teacheth vs that we should deny vngodlynes worldly lustes and that we should lyue soberly righteously godly in this present world looking for that blessed hope glorious appearing of the mighty God of our sauiour Iesus Christ whych gaue him selfe for vs to redeme vs from all vnrighteousnes to purge vs a peculiar people vnto himself feruently geueÌ„ vnto good works Againe Titus 3. for we our selues also wer in times past vnwise disobedient deceiued seruing iustes diuers pleasures liuing in maliciousnes and enuy full of hate hating one another But after that the kindnes and loue of God our Sauiour to manward appeared not by the deedes of righteousnes which we wrought but of his mercy he saued vs by the fouÌ„â—aine of the new birth with the renning of the holy Ghost which he shed on vs abnudantly thorow Iesus Christ our Sauiour that wee once iustified by his grace should be heires of eternall lyfe through hope This is a true saying But I wyll make an end for I am to tedious Dearely beloued repent your syns that is be sory for y which is past beleue in Gods mercy for pardon how deepely soeuer you haue sinued both purpuse ear nestly pernse a new life bringing forth worthy true fruites of repentance As you haue geueÌ„ ouer your members from syn so syn to serue the deuyll your tounges to sweare to lie to slaiter to scold to iest to scost to baudy talk to vain ianglyng to boasting c. your handes to picking groping ydlenes fighting c your feete to skipping going to euil to dauÌ„sing