The second Tome of Homilees of such matters as were promised and intituled in the former part of Homilees Set out by the aucthoritie of the Queenes Maiestie And to be read in euery parishe Church agreeably 1571. The Table of homilees ensuyng 1 OF the ryght vse of the Churche 2 Against peril of Idolatrie iii. partes 3 For repayryng and kepyng cleane the Churche 4 Of good workes And first of fastyng ii partes 5 Agaynst gluttonie and dronkennesse 6 Agaynst excesse of apparrell 7 An Homilee of prayer iii. partes 8 Of the place and time of prayer ii partes 9 Of common prayer and sacramentes 10 An information for them which take offence at certayne places of holye scripture ii partes 11 Of almes deedes iii. partes 12 Of the Natiuitie 13 Of the passion for good Friday ii Homilees 14 Of the Resurrection for Easter day 15 Of the worthy receauing of the sacrament ii partes 16 An Homilee concerning the cōming downe of the holye Ghost for Whitsunday ii partes 17 An Homilee for rogation weeke iiii partes 18 Of the state of matrimonie 19 Agaynst idlenesse 20 Of repentaunce and true reconciliation vnto god iii. partes 21 An Homilee agaynst disobedience and wylfull rebellion vi partes ¶ An admonition to all Ministers ecclesiasticall FOR that the Lorde doth require of his seruaunt whom he hath set ouer his householde to shewe both faythfulnesse and prudence in his office it shal be necessarye that ye aboue al other do behaue your selfe moste faythfully and diligently in your so hygh a function that is aptly playnely and distinctly to reade the sacred scriptures diligently to instruct the youth in their Catechisme grauely and reuerently to minister his most holy Sacramentes prudently also to choose out such Homilees as be most meete for the time for the more agreeable instruction of the people committed to your charge with such discretion that where the Homilee may appeare to long for one readyng to diuide the same to be read part in the fore noone and part in the after noone And where it may so chaunce some one or other chapter of the olde Testament to fal in order to be read vppon the Sundayes or holye dayes whiche were better to be chaunged with some other of the newe Testament of more edification it shal be wel done to spende your tyme to consyder wel of such chapters before hand wherby your prudence and diligence in your office may appeare so that your people may haue cause to glorifie God for you and be the redyer to imbrace your labours to your better commendatiō to the discharge of your cōsciences their owne An Homilee of the ryght vse of the Churche or temple of God and of the reuerence due vnto the same ¶ The first part WHERE there appeareth at these dayes great slacknesse negligence of a great sorte of people in resorting to the Church there to serue God their heauenly father accordyng to their most bounden duetie as also muche vncomely and vnreuerent behauiour of many persons in the same when they be there assembled and thereby maye iust feare aryse of the wrath of GOD and his dreadfull plagues hanging ouer our heades for our greeuous offences in this behalfe amongst other many great sinnes which we dayly and hourely commit before the Lorde Therefore for the discharge of al our consciences and the auoydyng of the common peryl plague hangyng ouer vs let vs consyder what may be sayde out of Gods holy booke concernyng this matter whereunto I pray you geue good audience for that it is of great wayght and concerneth you all Although the eternall and incomprehensible maiestie of God the Lorde of heauen and earth whose seate is heauen the earth his footestole can not be inclosed in temples or houses made with mans hande as in dwelling places able to receaue or conteyne his maiestie accordyng as is euidently declared by the prophete Esaias and by the doctrine of saint Steuen and saint Paul in the Actes of the Apostles And where kyng Salomon who builded vnto the Lorde the most glorious temple that euer was made sayth Who shal be able to buylde a meete or worthye house for hym if heauen and the heauen aboue all heauens can not contayne hym howe muche lesse can that whiche I haue builded And further confesseth What am I that I shoulde be able to buylde thee an house O Lord But yet for this purpose only it is made that thou mayest regarde the prayer of thy seruaunt and his humble supplication Muche lesse then be our Churches meete dwellyng places to receaue the incomprehensible maiestie of god And in deede the cheefe and speciall temples of God wherein he hath greatest pleasure and moste delyghteth to dwell and continue in are the bodyes and myndes of true Christians and the chosen people of GOD accordyng to the doctrine of the holye scripture declared in the firste Epistle to the Corinthians Knowe ye not sayth Saint Paul that ye be the temple of God and that the spirite of God dwelleth in you If any man defyle the temple of God hym wyll God destroye For the temple of God is holy which ye are And agayne in the same Epistle Knowe ye not that your body is the temple of the holye ghost dwellyng in you whom ye haue geuen you of God and that ye be not your owne for ye are dearely bought Glorifie ye nowe therefore God in your body and in your spirite whiche are Gods. And therefore as our sauiour Christe teacheth in the Gospell of saint John they that worshyp God the father in spirite and trueth in what place so euer they do it worshyp hym a ryght for suche worshyppers doth God the father looke for For God is a spirite those that worshyp hym must worship him in spirit and trueth sayth our sauiour Christe Yet all this notwithstandyng the material Church or temple is a place appoynted aswell by the vsage and continuall examples expressed in the olde Testament as in the newe for the people of God to resort together vnto there to heare Gods holy worde to call vpon his holy name to geue hym thankes for his innumerable and vnspeakeable benefites bestowed vppon vs and duely and truely to celebrate his holy sacramentes In the vnfayned doyng and accomplyshyng of the whiche standeth that true and right worshipping of God afore mentioned and the same Churche or temple is by the scriptures both of the olde Testament and the newe called the house and temple of the Lorde for the peculier seruice there done to his maiestie by his people for the effectuous presence of his heauenlye grace where with he by his sayde holye word endueth his people so there assembled And to the sayde house or temple of God at all tymes by common order appoynted are all people that be godly in deede bounde with all diligence to resorte vnlesse by sicknesse or other moste vrgente causes they be letted therefro And
of good reason with all true Christians to be of most wayght and estimation It is written of all the foure Euangelistes as a notable acte and worthy to be testified by many holy witnesses how that our sauiour Jesus Christe that mercifull and mylde Lorde cōpared for his meekenesse to a sheepe suffring with scilence his fleece to be shorne from him and to a lambe led without resistaunce to the slaughter whiche gaue his body to them that dyd smyte hym aunswered not hym that reuiled nor turned away his face from them that dyd reproche hym and spit vpon him and accordyng to his owne example gaue preceptes of mildnes and sufferaunce to his disciples Yet when he seeth the temple and holy house of his heauenly father misordred polluted and prophaned vseth great seueritie and sharpenes ouerturneth the tables of thexchaungers subuerteth the seates of them that solde doues maketh a whip of cordes and scourgeth out those wicked abusers and prophaners of the temple of God saying My house shal be called the house of prayer but ye haue made it a den of theeues And in the. ii of John Do not ye make the house of my father the house of marchaundize For as it is the house of GOD when Gods seruice is duely done in it So whē we wickedly abuse it with wicked talke or couetous bargayning we make it a den of theeues or an house of marchaundize Yea and suche reuerence woulde Christe shoulde be therein that he woulde not suffer any vessell to be caryed through the temple And where as our saniour Christe as is before mentioned out of S. Luke coulde be founde no where when he was sought but only in the temple amongst the doctours and nowe agayne exerciseth his aucthoritie and iurisdiction not in castles and princely palaces amongst souldiers but in the temple Ye may hereby vnderstande in what place his spirituall kyngdome whiche he denyeth to be of this worlde is sonest to be founde and best to be knowen of all places in this worlde And accordyng to this example of our sauiour Christe in the primitiue Churche which was most holy godly and in the which due discipline with seueritie was vsed agaynst the wicked opē offenders were not suffered once to enter into the house of the Lorde nor admitted to common prayer and the vse of the holye Sacramentes with other true Christians vntil they had done open penaunce before the whole Churche And this was practised not only vpon meane persons but also vpon the ryche noble and mightie persons yea vpon Theodosius that puissaunt and mightie Emperour whom for cōmittyng a greeuous and wylfull murther S. Ambrose Byshop of Millayne reproued sharply and did also excommunicate the said Emperour and brought hym to open penaunce And they that were so iustly exempted and banished as it were from the house of the Lorde were taken as they be in deede for men diuided and separated from Christes Churche and in most daungerous estate yea as S. Paul sayeth euen geuen vnto Satan the deuyll for a tyme and theyr company was shunned and auoyded of all godly men and women vntyll suche tyme as they by repentaunce and publique penaunce were reconciled Suche was the honour of the Lordes house in mens heartes and outwarde reuerence also at that tyme and so horrible a thing was it to be shut out of the Churche and house of the Lorde in those dayes when religion was most pure and nothyng so corrupt as it hath ben of late dayes And yet we wyllyngly eyther by absentyng our selues from the house of the Lorde do as it were excommunicate our selues from the Churche and felowshyp of the Saintes of God orels comming thyther by vncomely and vnreuerent behauiour there by hastie rashe yea vncleane and wicked thoughtes and wordes before the Lorde our God horribly dishonour his holy house the Churche of GOD and his holy name and maiestie to the great daunger of our soules yea and certayne damnation also yf we do not spedily and earnestly repent vs of this wickednesse Thus ye haue hearde dearely beloued out of Gods worde what reuerence is due to the holye house of the Lorde how all godly persons ought with diligence at times appoynted thither to repayre howe they ought to behaue them selues there with reuerence and dread before the Lord what plagues and punyshementes as well temporall as eternall the Lorde in his holy worde threatneth aswell to suche as neglect to come to his holy house as also to suche who commyng thither do vnreuerently by iesture or talke there behaue them selues Wherefore if we desyre to haue seasonable weather and thereby to enioye the good fruites of the earth yf we wyll auoyde drought and barrennesse thirste and hunger whiche are plagues threatned vnto suche as make haste to go to their owne houses to alehouses and to tauernes and leaue the house of the Lorde emptie and desolate yf we abhorre to be scourged not with whyppes made of cordes out of the materiall temple only as our sauiour Christe serued the defilers of the house of God in Hierusalem but also to be beaten and dryuen out of the eternall temple and house of the Lorde which is his heauenly kingdome with the iron rodde of euerlastyng damnation and caste into outter darkenes where is weeping and gnashing of teeth if we feare dread and abhorre this I say as we haue most iust cause to do then let vs amende this our negligence and contempt in comming to the house of the Lorde this our vnreuerent behauiour in the house of the Lorde and resortyng thither diligently together let vs there with reuerent hearyng of the Lordes holy worde calling on the Lordes holy name geuing of heartie thankes vnto the Lorde for his manyfolde and inestimable benefites daily and hourly bestowed vpon vs celebrating also reuerently of the Lordes holy Sacramentes serue the Lorde in his holy house as becommeth the seruauntes of the Lorde in holines and righteousnes before him all the dayes of our lyfe and then we shal be assured after this lyfe to rest in his holy hyll and to dwell in his tabernacle there to prayse and magnifie his holy name in the congregation of his saintes in the holy house of his eternal kingdome of heauen which he hath purchased for vs by the death and sheddyng of the pretious blood of his sonne our sauiour Jesus Christ to whom with the father and the holy ghost one immortal maiestie of GOD be all honour glorie prayse and thankesgeuyng worlde without ende Amen An Homilie against perill of idolatrie and superfluous decking of Churches The first part IN what poyntes the true ornamentes of the Church or temple of GOD do consiste and stand hath ben declared in the two last Homilies intreating of the right vse of the temple or house of god of the due reuerence that all true Christian people are bound to geue vnto the same The summe wherof is that the Churche or
deuill and not of God albeit they pretende outwardly to the worlde neuer so muche holinesse For as the Gospell teacheth vs the spirit of Jesus is a good spirit an holy spirit a sweete spirite a lowely spirite a mercifull spirite full of charitie and loue ful of forgeuenes and pitie not rendring euil for euill extremitie for extremitie but ouercomming euill with good and remitting all offence euen from the heart Accordyng to which rule if any man liue vprightly of him it may be safely pronounced that he hath the holy ghost within him If not then it is a plaine token that he doth vsurpe the name of the holye ghost in vaine Therfore dearely beloued according to the good councel of S. John beleue not euery spirite but firste trie them whether they be of God or no. Manye shall come in my name sayeth Christe and shall transfourme them selues into Angels of light deceauing if it be possible the very elect They shall come vnto you in sheepes clothing being inwardlye cruell and rauening Wolues They shall haue an outwarde shewe of great holines and innocencie of lyfe so that ye shall hardly or not at all discerne them But the rule that ye must folowe is this to iudge them by their fruites Which if they be wicked and naught then is it vnpossible that the tree of whoÌ„ they proceede should be good Such were all the popes and prelates of Rome for the most parte as doth well appeare in the storye of their lyues and therefore they are worthylye accounted among the number of false prophetes and false Christes whiche deceaued the worlde a long whyle The Lorde of heauen and earth deâ—fende vs from their tirannie and pryde that they neuer enter into his vineyarde agayne to the disturbaunce of his feely poore flocke but that they may be vtterly confounded and put to flight in all partes of the worlde And he of his great mercy so worke in al mens heartes by the mighty power of the holy ghost that the comfortable Gospell of his sonne Christe may be truely preached truely receaued and truelye followed in all places to the beating downe of sinne death the pope the deuil all the kingdome of Antichrist that lyke scattered and dispearsed sheepe beyng at length gathered into one folde we maye in the ende rest altogether in the bosome of â—braham Isaac and Jacob there to be partakers of eternal and euerlasting life through the merites and death of Jesus Christ out sauiour Amen ⧠An Homilee for the dayes of rogation weeke That all good thynges commeth from God. I Am purposed this day good deuout Christian people to declare vnto you the most deserued praise commendation of almighty God not only in the consyderation of the marueylous creation of this worlde or for conseruation and gouernaunce thereof wherein his great power and wysedome might excellentlye appeare to moue vs to honour and dread him but moste specially in consyderation of his liberall large goodnes whiche he daylye bestoweth on vs his reasonable creatures for whose sake he made the whole vniuersall worlde with all the commodities and goods therein Which his singuler goodnes well and diligently remembred on our part shoulde moue vs as dutie is agayne with hartye affection to loue him and with word and deede to praise him and serue him all the dayes of our lyfe And to this matter being so worthye to entreate of and so profitable for you to heare I trust I shal not neede with much circumstaunce of words to stirre you to geue your attendance to heare what shal be said Only I would wish your affection inflamed in secrete wyse within your selfe to rayse vp some motion of thankes geuing to the goodnes of almightie God in euery 〈…〉 che poynt as shal be opened by my declaration particulerly vnto you For els what shall it auayle vs to heare and knowe the great goodnesse of God towarde vs to knowe that what soeuer is good proceedeth from him as from the principal fountayne and the onelye aucthour or to knowe that what soeuer is sent from him must needs be good and holsome if the hearing of suche matter moueth vs no further but to knowe it onely What auayled it the wyse men of the worlde to haue a knowledge of the power and diuinitie of God by the secrete inspiration of him where they did not honor and glorifie him in their knowledges as God What prayse was it to them by the consyderation of the creation of the world to behold his goodnesse and yet were not thankful to him againe for his creatures What other thing deserued this blindnes and forgetfulnes of them at Gods handes but vtter forsaking of him and so forsaken of God they could not but fall into extreme ignorance and errour And although they muche esteemed them selues in their wittes and knowledge and gloried in their wisdome yet vanished they away blyndly in their thoughtes became fooles perished in their folly There can be none other ende of suche as draweth nygh to God by knowledge and yet depart from him in vnthankfulnes but vtter destruction This experience sawe Dauid in his dayes For in his Psalme he saith Behold they which withdrawe them selues from thee shall perishe for thou hast destroyed them all that are strayed from thee This experieÌ„ce was perceaued to be true of that holy prophete Jeremie O Lord sayth he what soeuer they be that forsake thee shal be confounded they that depart from thee shal be written in the earth and soone forgotten It profiteth not good people to heare the goodnes of God declared vnto vs if our heartes be not inflamed therby to honour thanke hym It profited not the Jewes whiche were Gods elect people to here much of God seyng that he was not receaued in their heartes by fayth nor thanked for his benefites bestowed vpon them their vnthankfulnes was the cause of their destructioÌ„ Let vs esche we the maner of these before rehearsed and folowe rather the example of that holye Apostle Saint Paul whiche when in a deepe meditation he dyd beholde the marueylous proceedinges of almyghtie God and consydered his infinite goodnes in the ordering of his creatures he brast out into this conclusion Surely sayth he of hym by hym and in him be al thinges And this once pronounced he stacke not still at this poynt but forthwith therupon ioyned to these wordes To him be glory prayse for euer Amen Uppon the grounde of which wordes of Saint Paul good audience I purpose to builde my exhortation of this day vnto you Wherein I shall do my endeuour first to proue vnto you that al good things commeth downe vnto vs from aboue from the father of lyght Secondly that Jesus Christ his sonne and our sauiour is the meane by whom we receaue his liberall goodnesse Thirdly that in the power and vertue of the holy ghost we be made meete and able to receaue his giftes graces Which
vs and he rose agayne to sende downe his holy spirite to rule in our heartes to endowe vs with perfect righteousnes Thus it is true that Dauid song Veritas de terra orta est et iustitia de coelo prospexit The trueth of gods promise is in the earth to man declared or from the earth is the euerlasting veritie Gods sonne rysen to life the true righteousnesse of the holy ghost lookyng out of heauen and is in most liberal larges dealt vppon all the worlde Thus is glory and prayse rebounded vpwarde to God aboue for his mercie and trueth And thus is peace come downe from heauen to men of good and faythfull heartes Thus is mercie and trueth as Dauid wryteth together met thus is peace and ryghteousnesse imbrasing and kissing eache other If thou doubtest of so great wealth felicitie that is wrought for thee O man call to thy mynde that therefore haste thou receaued into thyne owne possession the euerlasting veritie our sauiour Jesus Christ to confyrme to thy conscience the trueth of all this matter Thou hast receaued hym yfin true fayth and repentaunce of heart thou haste receaued hym yf in purpose of amendement thou haste receaued hym for an euerlastyng gage or pledge of thy saluation Thou hast receaued his body which was once broken his blood which was shedde for the remission of thy synne Thou hast receaued his body to haue within thee the father the sonne and the holy ghost for to dwell with thee to endow thee with grace to strength thee agaynst thyne enemies and to comfort thee with their presence Thou hast receaued his body to endow thee with euerlasting righteousnes to assue thee of euerlastyng blisse and lyfe of thy soule 〈…〉 r with Christe by true fayth art thou quickened agayne sayth saint Paul from death of synne to lyfe of grace and in hope translated from corporal and euerlastyng death to the euerlastyng lyfe of glorye in heauen where nowe thy conuersation should be and thy heart and desyre set Doubt not of the trueth of this matter how great and hygh soeuer these thynges be It becommeth God to do no litle deedes how impossible so euer they seeme to thee Pray to God that thou mayest haue fayth to perceaue this greate mysterie of Christes resurrection that by faytâ— thou mayst certaynely beleue nothyng to be impossible with god Onlye bryng thou fayth to Christes holy worde and sacrament Let thy repentaunce shewe thy fayth let thy purpose of amendement and obedience of thy heart to Gods lawe hereafter declare thy true beleefe Endeuour thy selfe to saye with Saint Paul From hencefoorth our conuersation is in heauen from whence we looke for a sauiour euen the Lorde Jesus Christe whiche shall change our vile bodyes that they may be fashioned like his glorious body which he shal do by the same power wherby he rose from death and wherby he shal be able to subdue all thynges vnto hym selfe Thus good Christian people forasmuche as ye haue hearde these so great and excellent benefites of Christes myghtie and glorious resurrection as howe that he hath raunsomed synne ouercome the deuill death and hell and hath victoriouslye gotten the better hande of them all to make vs free and safe from them and knowyng that we be by this benefite of his resurrection rysen with hym by our fayth vnto lyfe euerlastyng beyng in full suretie of our hope that we shall haue our bodyes lykewyse raysed agayne from death to haue them glorified in immortalitie and ioyned to his glorious bodye hauyng in the meane while his holy spirite within our heartes as a seale and pledge of our euerlastyng inheritaunce By whose assistence we be replenished with all ryghteousnes by whose power we shal be able to subdue all our euyll affections rysyng agaynst the pleasure of god These thynges I say well consydered let vs nowe in the rest of our lyfe declare our fayth that we haue to this moste fruitful article by framyng our selues therunto in rysyng dayly from sinne to righteousnes holines of lyfe For what shall it auayle vs sayth saint Peter to be escaped deliuered from the filthynesse of the worlde through the knowledge of the Lorde and sauiour Jesus Christe if we be entangled agayne therewith and be ouercome agayne Certaynely it had ben better sayth he neuer to haue knowne the way of righteousnes then after it is knowne and receaued to turne backwarde agayne from the holy commaundement of God geuen vnto vs For so shall the prouerbe haue place in vs where it is sayde The dogge is returned to his vomite agayne and the sowe that was washed to her wallowyng in the myre agayne What a shame were it for vs beyng thus so clearely and freely washed from our synne to returne to the filthynesse thereof agayne What a follie were it thus endowed with ryghteousnesse to lose it agayne What madnesse were it to lose the inheritaunce that we be nowe set in for the vyle and transitorie pleasure of synne And what an vnkyndenesse shoulde it be where our sauiour Christe of his mercie is come to vs to dwell within vs as our gâ—este to dryue hym from vs and to banishe hym violently out of our soules and in steade of hym in whom is all grace and vertue to receaue the vngratious spirite of the deuyil the founder of all naughtines and mischeefe How can we fynde in our heartes to shewe suche extreame vnkyndnesse to Christe which hath now so gently called vs to mercie and offered him selfe vnto vs and he nowe entred within vs yea howe dare we be so bolde to renounce the presence of the father the sonne and the holy ghost For where one is there is God all whole in maiestie together with all his power wysedome and goodnesse and feare not I say the daunger and peryll of so traiterous a defiaunce and departure Good Christian brethren and sisters aduise your selues consyder the dignite that ye be nowe set in let not follie lose the thyng that grace hath so preciously offered and purchased let not wylfulnesse and blindnesse put out so great lyght that is now shewed vnto you Onlye take good heartes vnto you and put vppon you all the armour of God that ye may stand agaynst your enemies which woulde agayne subdue you and bryng you into their thraldome Remember ye be bought from your vain conuersation and that your freedome is purchased neyther with golde nor syluer but with the price of the precious blood of that most innocent lambe Jesus Christe which was ordeined to the same purpose before the worlde was made But he was so declared in the latter tyme of grace for your sakes which by hym haue your fayth in God who hath raysed hym from death and hath geuen hym glory that you shoulde haue your fayth and hope towarde god Therefore as you haue hytherto folowed the vayne lustes of your myndes and so displeased God to
thinges distinctly aduisedly consydered in our myndes must needes compell vs in most low reuerence after our bounden duety alwayes to render him thankes againe in some testification of our good hearts for his deserts vnto vs And that the entreating of this matter in hand may be to the glory of almighty God let vs in one faith and charitie call vpon the father of mercy from whom commeth euery good gyfte and euery perfect gift by the mediation of his welbeloued sonne our sauiour that we maye be assisted with the presence of his holye spirite and holsomelye on both our partes to demeane our selues in speaking and hearing to the saluation of our soules In the beginning of my speaking vnto you good Christian people suppose not that I do take vpon me to declare vnto you the excellent power or the incomparable wisdom of almightie God as though I would haue you beleeue that it myght be expressed vnto you by wordes Nay it maye not be thought that that thing maye be comprehended by mans wordes that is incomprehensible And too muche arrogancie it were for dust and ashes to thynke that he could worthyly declare his maker It passeth farre the darke vnderstanding of wysedome of a mortall man to speake sufficiently of that diuine maiestie whiche the Angels cannot vnderstand We shall therefore lay apart to speake of that profounde and vnsearcheable nature of almightie God rather acknowledging our weaknes then rashely to attempt that is aboue all mans capacitie to compasse It shall better suffise vs in low humilitie to reuerence and dreade his maiestie whiche we can not comprise then by ouermuch curious searchyng to be ouercharged with the glorie We shal rather turne our whole contemplation to aunswer a whyle his goodnes to wardes vs wherein we shall be muche more profitably occupied and more may we be bold to search To consyder this great power he is of can but make vs dreade and feare To consyder his hygh wisedome myght vtterly discomfort our frailtie to haue any thyng adoo with him But in consyderation of his inestimable goodnes we take good heart agayne to trust wel vnto hym By his goodnes we be assured to take him for our refuge our hope and comfort our mercyfull father in all the course of our lyues His power and wisedome compelleth vs to take hym for God omnipotent inuisible hauyng rule in heauen and earth hauyng all thynges in his subiection and wyll haue none in counsell with hym nor any to aske the reason of his doyng For he maye do what lyketh hym and none can resist hym For he worketh all thynges in his secrete iudgement to his owne pleasure yea euē the wicked to damnation saith Salomon By the reason of this nature he is called in Scripture consumyng fyre he is called a terrible and fearefull GOD ▪ Of this behalfe therefore we maye haue no familiaritie no accesse vnto hym but his goodnesse agayne tempereth the rigour of his hygh power and maketh vs bolde and putteth vs in hope that he wyll be conuersaunt with vs and easye vnto vs It is his goodnesse that moueth him to say in scripture It is my delyght to be with the children of men It is his goodnesse that moueth him to call vs vnto him to offer vs his frendship presence It is his goodnes that paciently suffereth our straying from him and suffreth vs long to winne vs to repentaunce It is of his goodnes that we be created reasonable creatures where els he myght haue made vs bruite beastes It was his mercye to haue vs borne among the number of christian people thereby in a muche more nyghnes to saluation where we might haue ben borne if his goodnes had not ben among the Panims cleane voyde from God and the hope of euerlasting lyfe And what other thing doth his louyng and gentle voyce spoken in his worde where he calleth vs to his presence frendship but declare his goodnes onelye without regarde of our worthynes And what other thing doth stirre him to call vs to him when we be straied from him to suffer vs paciently to win vs to repentaunce but onelye his singuler goodnes no whit of our deseruyng Let them all come together that be nowe glorified in heauen and let vs heare what aunswere they will make in these poyntes afore rehearsed whether their fyrst creation was in Gods goodnes or of them selues Forsooth Dauid woulde make aunswere for them all and say Knowe ye for suretie euen the Lorde is God he hath made vs and not we our selues If they were asked againe who should be thanked for their regeneration for theyr iustification and for their saluation whether their desertes or Gods goodnes only Although in this poynt euery one confesse sufficiently the truth of this matter in his owne person yet let Dauid aunswere by the mouth of them all at this tyme who cannot choose but saye Not to vs O Lord not to vs but to thy name geue all the thanke for thy louyng mercy and for thy truethes sake If we shoulde aske agayne from whence came their glorious workes and deedes which they wrought in their lyues wherewith God was so hyghly pleased and worshipped by them Let some other witnesse be brought in to testifie this matter that in the mouth of two or three may the truth be knowen Ueryly that holy prophete Esai beareth recorde and sayeth O Lord it is thou of thy goodnesse that hast wrought all our workes in vs not we our selues And to vpholde the truth of this matter agaynst all iusticiaries and hipocrites which rob almyghty God of his honour and ascribe it to them selues saynt Paule bringeth in his beleefe We be not sayeth he sufficient of our selues as of our selues once to thinke any thing but all our ablenes is of Gods goodnes For he it is in whom we haue all our beyng our lyuing and mouing If ye wil know furthermore where they had their gyftes and sacrifices which they offred continually in their liues to almighty god they cannot but agree with Dauid where he sayth Of thy liberal hand O Lord we haue receaued that we gaue vnto thee If this holy company therfore confesseth so constantly that al the goodes and graces wherewith they were indued in soule came of the goodnes of God only what more can be sayde to proue that all that is good commeth from almightie God Is it meete to thynke that all spiritual goodnes commeth from God aboue onely and that other good thinges eyther of nature or of fortune as we call them commeth of any other cause Doeth God of his goodnes adourne the soule with all the powers thereof as it is and commeth the giftes of the body wherwith it is indued from any other If he doth the more can not he do the lesse To iustifie a synner to newe create hym from a wicked person to a ryghteous man is a greater act sayeth S. Augustine then to make such a new heauen