to our sauiour Jesu Christe dyd powre downe suche aboundaunce of teares out of those wanton eyes of hers wherwith she had allured many vnto follie that she dyd with them washe his feete wypyng them with the heres of her head whiche she was wont moste gloriously to set out makyng of them a nette of the deuyll Hereby we do learne what is the satisfaction that God doth require of vs which is that we ceasse from euyll and do good and if we haue done anye man wrong to endeuour our selues to make hym true amendes to the vttermoste of our power folowyng in this the example of Zacheus and of this sinâ—ull woman and also that goodly lesson that John Baytist Zacharies sonne dyd geue vnto them that came to aske counsayle of hym This was commonly the penaunce that Christe enioyned synners Go thy way and synne no more Whiche penaunce we shall neuer be able to fulfyll without the speciall grace of hym that doth say Without me ye can do nothyng It is therefore our partes yf at least we be desyrous of the health and saluation of our owne selues most earnestly to praye vnto our heauenly father to assist vs with his holye spirite that we may be able to hearken vnto the voyce of the true shephearde and with due obedience to folowe the same Let vs hearken to the voyce of almightie God when he calleth vs to repentaunce let vs not harden our heartes as suche Infidels do who abuse the tyme geuen them of God to repent and turne it to continue their pride and contempt against God and man whiche knowe not howe much they heape Gods wrath vppon them selues for the hardnesse of their heartes whiche can not repent at the day of vengeaunce Where we haue offended the law of God let vs repent vs of our straying from so good a Lorde Let vs confesse our vnworthynesse before hym but yet let vs trust in Gods free mercye for Christes sake for the pardon of the same And from henceforth let vs endeuour our selues to walke in a newe lyfe as newe borne babes whereby we may glorifie our father which is in heauen and thereby to beare in our consciences a good testimonie of our fayth So at the last to obteyne the fruition of euerlasting lyfe through the merites of our sauiour to whom be al prayse and honour for euer Amen The thirde parte of the Homilee of repentaunce IN the Nomilee last spoken vnto you right welbeloued people in our sauiour Christ ye heard of the true partes tokens of repentaunce that is heartie contrition and sorowfulnes of our heartes vnfaigned confession in worde of mouth for our vnworthy lyuyng before God a stedfast fayth to the merites of our sauiour Christe for pardon and a purpose of our selues by Gods grace to renounce our former wycked lyfe and a full conuersion to God in a newe lyfe to glorifie his name and to liue orderly and charitably to the comfort of our neighbour in al righteousnes and to lyue soberly and modestly to our selues by vsing abstinence and temperance in word in deed in mortifying our earthly members here vpoÌ„ earth Nowe for a further perswasion to moue you to those partes of repentance I wil declare vnto you some causes which should the rather moue you to repentaunce Fyrst the commaundement of God who in so many places of the holy and sacred Scriptures doth byd vs returne vnto hym O ye chyldren of Israel sayth he turne agayne from your infidelitie wherein ye drowned your selues Againe Turne you turne you from your euil wayes For why wyll ye dye O ye house of Israel And in an other place thus doth he speake by his holy prophete Ozee O Israel returne vnto the Lorde thy God For thou hast taken a great fall by thyne iniquitie Take vnto you these wordes with you when you turne vnto the Lorde and say vnto hym Take away all iniquitie and receaue vs gratiously so will we offer the calues of our lippes vnto thee In all these places we haue an expresse commaundement geuen vnto vs of God for to returne vnto hym Therefore we must take good heede vnto our selues least wheras we haue alredy by our manyfolde synnes and transgressions prouoked and kindeled the wrath of God agaynst vs we do by breakyng this his commaundemente double our offences and so heape styll dampnation vppon our owne heades by our dayly offences and trespasses whereby we prouoke the eyes of his maiestie we do well deserue if he should deale with vs accordyng to his iustice to be put away for euer from the fruition of his glorye Nowe muche more then are we worthy of the endlesse tormentes of hell yf when we be so gently called againe after our rebellion and commaunded to returne we will in no wyse hearken vnto the voyce of our heauenlye father but walke stil after the stubbornnes of our owne heartes Secondely the moste comfortable and sweete promise that the Lorde our God dyd of his mere mercy and goodnesse ioyne vnto his comaundement For he doth not only say Returne vnto me O Israel but also If thou wylt returne and put away all thyne abhominations out of my syght thou shalt neuer be moued These wordes also haue we in the Prophet Ezechiel At what tyme soeuer a synner doth repent hym of his synne from the bottome of his heart I wyll put all his wyckednesse out of my remembraunce sayth the Lorde so that they shal be no more thought vpon Thus are we sufficiently instructed that God wyll accordyng to his promise freely pardon forgeue and forget al our synnes so that we shal neuer be cast in the teeth with them if obeying his commaundement and allured by his sweete promises we wyll vnfaignedly returne vnto hym Thirdly the filthinesse of synne which is such that as long as we do abyde in it God can not but detest and abhorre vs neyther can there be any hope that we shall enter into the heauenlye Hierusalem except we be first made cleane purged from it But this wyll neuer be vnlesse forsakyng our former lyfe we do with our whole heart returne vnto the Lorde our God with a full purpose of amendement of lyfe flee vnto his mercy taking sure hold therupon through fayth in the blood of his son Jesu Christe If we should suspect any vncleannes to be in vs wherfore the earthly prince should lothe and abhorre the sight of vs what paynes woulde we take to remoue put it away Howe muche more ought we with all diligence and speede that may be to put away that vncleane filthynesse that doth separate and make a diuision betwixt vs and our God that hideth his face from vs that he wil not heare vs And verily herein doth appeare howe filthie a thyng sin is syth that it can by no other meanes be washed away but by the blood of the onely begotten sonne of god And shall we not from
hath ouerthrowen death that we beleuing in him myght lyue for euer and not dye Ought not this to engender extreme hatred of sinne in vs to consyder that it did violently as it were plucke God out of heauen to make him feele the horrours and paynes of death O that we would sometimes consyder this in the middest of our pompes pleasures it would bridle the outragiousnesse of the fleshe it would abate and asswage our carnall affectes it woulde restraine our fleshly appetites that we shoulde not run at randon as we commonly do To commit sinne wylfully desperatly without feare of god is nothing els but to crucifie Christ a new as we are expressly taught in the 〈◊〉 to the Hebrues Which thing if it were dencâ—â— printed in all mens heartes then shoulde not sinne raigne euery where so much as it doth to the great griefe and torment of Christe nowe sittyng in heauen Let vs therefore remember and alwaies beare in minde Christe crucified that therby we may be inwardly moued both to abhorre sinne throughly and also with an earnest and zelous heart to loue god For this is another fruite which the memoriall of Christes death ought to worke in vs an earnest and vnfayned loue towardes god So God loued the worlde sayth saint John that he gaue his only begotten soÌ„ne that whosoeuer beleued in hym shoulde not perishe but haue life euerlasting If god declared so great loue towardes vs his seely creatures how can we of ryght but loue him agayne Was not this a sure pledge of his loue to geue vs his own sonne from heauen He myght haue geuen vs an angel if he would or some other creature and yet should his loue haue ben farre aboue our desartes Nowe he gaue vs not an angell but his sonne And what sonne His only sonne his naturall sonne his welbeloued sonne euen that sonne whom he had made Lorde and ruler of al thinges Was not this a singuler token of great loue But to whom did he geue him He gaue him to the whole worlde that is to say to Adam and all that should come after him O lord what had Adam or anye other man deserued at Gods handes that he should geue vs his owne sonne We are all miserable persons sinfull persons dampnable persoÌ„s iustly driuen out of paradice iustly excluded from heauen iustly condempned to hell fyre And yet see a wonderfull token of Gods loue he gaue vs his only be gotten sonne vs I say that were his extreme and deadly enemies that we by vertue of his blood shed vppon the crosse might be cleane purged from our sinnes and made righteous agayne in his sight Who can chose but maruaile to heare that god should she we such vnspeakable loue towardes vs that were his deadly enemies Indeede O mortall man thou oughtest of ryght to marueyle at it to acknowledge therein Gods great goodnesse and mercie towards mankind which is so wonderful that no fleshe be it neuer so worldly wyse may wel conceaue it or expresse it For as Saint Paul testifieth God greatly commendeth and setteth out his loue towardes vs in that he sent his sonne Christ to die for vs when we were yet sinners and open enemies of his name If we had in any maner of wyse deserued it at his handes then had it ben no marueile at all but there was no desert on our part wherefore he shoulde do it Therefore thou sinful creature when thou hearest that GOD gaue his sonne to dye for the sinnes of the worlde thinke not he dyd it for any desert or goodnes that was in thee for thou wast then the bondslaue of the deuill But fall downe vpon thy knees and crye with the prophete Dauid O Lorde what is man that thou art so mindefull of him or the sonne of man that thou so regardest him And seeing he hath so greatlye loued thee endeuour thy self to loue him againe with all thy heart with all thy soule and with all thy strength that therin thou mayst appeare not to be vnworthy of his loue I report me to thyne owne conscience whether thou wouldest not thinke thy loue ill bestowed vpon him that could not finde in his heart to loue thee agayne If this be true as it is most true then thinke howe greatly it behoueth to thy duetie to loue God whiche hath so greatly loued thee that he hath noâ— spared his owne onlye sonne from so cruell and shamefull a death for thy sake And hitherto concerning the cause of Christes death passion which as yet was on our part most horrible and greeuous sinne so on the other side it was the free gift of God proceeding of his meere and tender loue towards mankind without any merite or desert of our part The Lorde for his mercies sake graunt that we neuer forget this great benefite of our saluation in Christe Jesu but that we alwayes shewe our selues thankefull for it abhorring all kinde of wickednesse and sinne and applying our myndes wholy to the seruice of God and the diligent keeping of his commaundementes Now resteth to shewe vnto you howe to applie Christes death and passion to our comfort as a medicine to our woundes so that it maye worke the same effect in vs wherefore it was geuen namely the health saluatioÌ„ of our soules For as it profiteth a man nothing to haue salue vnlesse it be well applied to the part affected So the death of Christ shall stand vs in no force vnlesse we applie it to our selues in suche sorte as God hath appoynted Almightie God commonly worketh by meanes and in this thing he hath also ordained a certaine meane wherby we may take fruite and profite to our soules health What meane is that forsooth it is fayth Not an vnconstant or wauering fayth but a sure stedfast grounded and vnfaigned fayth GOD sent his sonne into the worlde sayth Saint John. To what end that whosoeuer beleueth in hym shoulde not perishe but haue lyfe euerlasting Marke these wordes that whosoeuer beleueth in him Here is the meane whereby we must apply the fruites of Christes death vnto our deadly wounde Here is the meane whereby we must obtaine eternall lyfe namely fayth For as saint Paul teacheth in his Epistle to the Romanes With the heart man beleueth vnto ryghteousnes and with the mouth confessioÌ„ is made vnto saluation Paul beyng demaunded of the keeper of that prison what he should do to be saued made this aunswere Beleue in the Lorde Jesus so shalt thou and thyne house both be saued After the Euangelist had described and set foorth vnto vs at large the life and the death of the Lorde Jesus in the end he concludeth with these wordes These thinges are written that we may beleue Jesus Christe to be the sonne of God a through sayth obtayne eternall lyfe To conclude with the wordes of saint Paul which are these Christ is the ende of the lawe vnto saluation for euery
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
to be coÌ„dempned vnto death to take vpon him the rewarde of our sinnes and to geue his body to be broken on the crosse for our offences He sayth the prophete Esai meaning Christe hath borne our infirmities hath caried our sorowes the chastisement of our peace was vpoÌ„ him by his stripes are we made whole Saint Paul like wyse sayth God made him a sacrifice for our sinnes whiche knewe not sinne that we should be made the righteousnesse of God by him And saint Peter most agreeably wryting in this behalfe sayth Christe hath once died suffered for our sinnes the iust for the vniust c. To these myght be added an infinite number of other places to the same effect but these fewe shal be sufficient for this tyme Now then as it was said at the beginning let vs ponder weigh the cause of his death that therby we may be the more moued to glorifie him in our whole lyfe Whiche yf you wyll haue comprehended briefelye in one worde it was nothyng els in our parte but onlye the transgression and sinne of mankinde When the angell came to warne Joseph that he should not feare to take Mary to his wife Did he not therefore will the childes name to he called Jesus because he should saue his people from their sinnes When John the Baptist preached Christ and she wed hym to the people with his finger Dyd he not playnely say vnto them Behold the lambe of God whiche taketh away the sinnes of the worlde When the woman of Canaan besought Christ to helpe her daughter which was possest with a deuil did he not openly confesse that he was sent to saue the lost sheepe of the house of Israel by geuing his life for theyr sinnes It was sinne then O man eueÌ„ thy sinne that caused Christe the onlye sonne of God to be crucified in the fleshe and to suffer the most vyle slaunderous death of the crosse If thou haddest kept thy selfe vyryght if thou haddest obserued the commaundementes yf thou haddest not presumed to transgresse the wyll of God in thy fyrst father Adam then Christe being in fourme of God needed not to haue taken vppon him the shape of a seruaunt being immortall in heauen he needed not to become mortal on earth beyng the true bread of the soule he needed not to hunger being the healthfull water of lyfe he needed not to thirst being life it selfe he needed not to haue suffred death But to these and many other suche extremities was he dryuen by thy sinne which was so manifolde great that god could be onlye pleased in hym and none other Canst thou thinke of this O sinful man and not tremble within thy selfe Canst thou heare it quietlye without remorse of conscience and sorowe of heart Did Christ suffer his passion for thee and wylt thou shewe no compassion towardes hym Whyle Christe was yet hangyng on the Crosse and yelding vp the ghost the Scripture witnesseth that the vale of the temple did rent in twaine and the earth dyd quake that the stones claue asunder that the graues dyd open the dead bodyes rise And shall the heart of man be nothyng moued to remember how greeuously and cruelly he was handled of the Jewes for our sinnes Shall man shew himselfe to be more hard hearted then stones to haue lesse compassion theÌ„ dead bodies Call to minde O sinful creature and set before thyne eyes Christe crucified Thinke thou seest his body stretched out in length vppon the crosse his head crowned with sharpe thorne his handes his feete pearsed with nailes his heart opened with a long speare his fleshe rente and torne with whippes his browes sweating water and blood Thinke thou hearest hym nowe crying in an intollerable agonie to his father saying My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Couldest thou behold this wofull sight or heare this mournefull voyce without teares consydering that he suffered all this not for any desart of his owne but only for the greeuousnes of thy sinnes O that mankinde shoulde put the euerlasting sonne of God to such paines O that we should be the occasion of his death the only cause of his condempnation May we not iustly crye wo worth the time that euer we sinned O my brethren let this image of Christe crucified be alwayes printed in our heartes let it stirre vs vp to the hatred of sinne prouoke our mindes to the earnest loue of almightie god For why Is not sinne thinke you a greuous thing in his sight seing for the transgressing of Gods precept in eating of one apple he condempned all the world to perpetuall death and would not be pacified but only with the blood of his own sonne True yea moste true is that saying of Dauid Thou O Lorde hatest all them that worke iniquitie neyther shall the wicked and euill man dwell with thee By the mouth of his prophete Esai he cryeth mainely out agaynst sinners and sayth â—o be vnto you that draw iniquitie with cordes of vanitie and sinne as it were with cart ropes Dyd not God geue a plaine token howe greatly he hated abhored sinne wheÌ„ he drowned all the world saue only eyght persons when he destroyed Sodome Gomorra with fire and brimstone when in three dayes space he killed with pestilence threescore and ten thousande for Dauids offence when he drowned Pharao and al his hoast in the red sea when he turned Nabuchodonozor the kyng into the fourme of a bruite beast creeping vppon all foure when he suffered Achitophel Iudas to hang them selues vpoÌ„ the remorse of sinne whiche was so terrible to theyr eyes A thousand such examples are to be found in scripture yf a man would stand to seeke them out But what neede we This one example which we haue now in hande is of more force ought more to moue vs then all the rest Christe being the sonne of god and perfect God him self who neuer committed sinne was compelled to come downe from heauen to geue his body to be bruised broken on the crosse for our sinnes Was not this a manifest token of Gods great wrath and displeasure towardes sinne that he could be pacified by no other meanes but onlye by the sweete precious blood of his deare sonne O sinne sinne that euer thou shouldest dryue Christe to suche extremitie Wo worth the tyme that euer thou camest into the world But what booteth it now to bewayle Sinne is come and so come that it can not be auoyded There is no man liuing no not the iustest man on the earth but he falleth seuen times a day as Salomon sayth And our Sauiour Christe although he hath deliuered vs from sinne yet not so that we shal be free from committing sinne But so that it shal not be imputed to our condempnation He hath taken vpon him the iust rewarde of sinne which was death by death
These words are sufficient to proue that Peter was alredye iustifyed through this his lyuelye fayth in the onely begotten sonne of god wherof he made so notable and so solemyne a confession But did not he afterwardes moste cowardlye denye his maister although he had heard of hym Whosoeuer denyeth me before men I wyll denye hym before my father Neuerthelesse assone as with weeping eyes with a sobbyng heart he did acknowledge his offence and with earnest repentance did flee vnto the mercy of God taking sure holde thereupon through faith in him whom he had so shamefullye denyed his sinne was forgeuen him for a certificate and assurance therof the roome of his Apostleship was not denyed vnto him But now marke what doth followe After the same holy Apostle had on Whitsondaye with the reste of the Disciples receaued the gyft of the holy ghost most aboundauntly he committed no smal offence in Antiochia by brynging the consciences of the faythfull into doubt by his example so that Paule was faine to rebuke him to his face because that he walked not vprightlye or went not the ryght way in the Gospell Shall we now say that after this greeuous offence he was vtterly excluded and shut out from the grace and mercy of God that this his trespasse wherby he was a stumbling blocke vnto manye was vnpardonable God defende we shoulde saye so But as these examples are not brought in to the ende that we shoulde thereby take a boldnesse to sinne presuming on the mercye and goodnesse of God but to the ende that if through the fraylenesse of our owne fleshe and the temptation of the Deuill we fall into the lyke sinnes we shoulde in no wyse dispayre of the mercy and goodnes of God Euen so muste we beware and take heede that we do in no wise thinke in our heartes imagine or beleue that we are able to repent aright or to tourne effectuallye vnto the Lorde by our owne myght and strength For this must be verifyed in all men Without me ye can do nothing Agayne Of our selues we are not able as much as to thynke a good thought And in another place It is God that worketh in vs both the wyl and the deede For this cause although Hieremie had sayde before If thou returne O Israel returne vnto me sayeth the Lorde Yet afterwardes he sayeth Turne thou me O Lorde and I shall be turned for thou art the Lorde my god And therefore that holye wryter and auncient father Ambrose doth playnely affirme that the turnyng of the heart vnto God is of God as the Lorde hym selfe doth testifie by his prophete saying And I will geue thee an heart to knowe me that I am the Lorde and they shall be my people and I will be their God for they shal returne vnto me with their whole heart These thinges beyng consydered let vs earnestlye pray vnto the liuyng God our heauenlye father that he wyll vouchsafe by his holye spirite to worke a true and vnfained repentance in vs that after the paynefull labours and trauayles of this lyfe we may liue eternally with his sonne Jesus Christe to whom be all prayse and glorye for euer and euer Amen ¶ The seconde parte of the Homilee of Repentaunce HJtherto haue ye heard wel beloued how needeful necessary the doctrine of repentaunce is how earnestly it is throughout all the scriptures of God vrged and set foorth both by the auncient prophetes by our Sauiour Jesu Christ his Apostles and that forasmuche as it is the conuertion or turning agayne of the whole man vnto God from whom we go away by sinne these four pointes ought to be obserued That is from whence or from what thinges we muste returne vnto whom this our returnyng muste be made by whose meanes it ought to be done that it may be effectual and last of all after what sort we ought to behaue our selues in the same that it may be profitable vnto vs and attayne vnto the thing that we do seeke by it Ye haue also learned that as the opinion of them that denie the benefite of repentaunce vnto those that after they be come to God and graffed in our sauiour Jesu Christe do through the fraylenesse of theyr fleshe and the temptation of the deuill fall into some greeuous and detestable sinne is most pestilent and pernitious So we muste beware that we do in no wyse thynke that we are able of our owne selues and of our own strength to retourne vnto the Lorde our God from whom we are gone awaye by our wyckednesse and sinne Nowe it shall be declared vnto you what be the true partes of repentaunce what thinges ought to moue vs to repent and to returne vnto the Lorde our God with all speede Repentaunce as it is sayde before is a true returning vnto God whereby men forsakyng vtterlye their idolatrie and wickednes do with a lyuelye fayth embrace loue and worship the true lyuyng God onelye and geue them selues to all maner of good workes whiche by Gods worde they knowe to be acceptable vnto him Nowe there be foure partes of repentaunce which beyng set together maye be lykened to an easie and short ladder whereby we may clymbe from the bottomles pit of perdition that we caste our selues into by our daylye offences and greeuous sinnes vp into the castle or to wre of eternal and endelesse saluation The fyrst is the contrition of the heart For we must be earnestly sorye for our sinnes and vnfaynedlye lament be wayle that we haue by them so greuously offended our most bounteous and mercifull God who so tenderlye loued vs that he gaue his onely begotten sonne to dye a most bitter death to shed his deare hart blood for our redemption and deliueraunce And veryly this inward sorowe and greefe being conceaued in the heart for the haynousnesse of sinne if it be earnest and vnfayned is as a sacrifice to God as the holy prophete Dauid doth testifye saying A sacrifyce to God is a troubled spyrite a contrite and broken heart O Lord thou wylt not dispyse But that this may take place in vs we must be diligent to reade and heare the scriptures and worde of God whiche most lyuely do paynt out before your eyes our naturall vncleanlynesse and the enormitie of our sinfull lyfe For vnlesse we haue a through feeling of our sinnes how can it be that we shoulde earnestlie be sorye for them Afore Dauid did heare the worde of the Lorde by the mouth of the prophet Nathan what heauinesse I praye you was in hym for the adultrie and murther that he had committed So that it myght be sayd right wel that he slept in his owne sinne We reade in the Actes of the Apostles that when the people had hearde the Sermon of Peter they were compunct and pricked in theyr heartes Whiche thing woulde neuer haue ben if they had not heard that holsome Sermon of
Peter They therefore that haue no mynde at all neyther to reade nor yet to heare Gods word there is but smal hope of them that they wil as muche as once set their feete or take holde vpon the fyrst staffe or steppe of this ladder but rather will sinke deeper and deeper into the bottomlesse pit of perdition For if at anye tyme through the remorse of their conscience which accuseth them they feele any inwarde greefe sorowe or heauines for their sinnes forasmuch as they want the salue and comfort of Gods worde which they do dispyse it will be vnto them rather a meane to bryng them to vtter desperation then otherwyse The seconde is an vnfayned confession and acknowledgyng of our sinnes vnto God whom by them we haue so greeuouslye offended that if he shoulde deale with vs accordyng to his iustyce we do deserue a thousande helles if there coulde be so manye Yet if we wyll with a sorowfull and contrite hearte make an vnfayned confession of them vnto God he will freely and frankly forgeue them so put all our wickednes out of remembraunce before the syght of his maiestie that they shall no more be thought vppon Hereunto doth parteyne the golden saying of the holy prophet Dauid where he sayth on this maner Then I acknowledged my sinne vnto thee neither did I hyde myne iniquitie I sayde I will confesse agaynst my selfe my wickednes vnto the Lorde thou forgauest the vngodlines of my sinne These are also the wordes of John the Euangelist If we confesse our sinnes God is faythfull ryghteous to forgeue vs our sinnes to make vs cleane from all our wickednes Which ought to be vnderstanded of the confession that is made vnto god For these are saint Augustines wordes That confession whiche is made vnto God is requyred by Gods lawe whereof John the apostle speaketh saying If we confesse our sinnes God is faythfull and ryghteous to forgeue vs our sinnes and to make vs cleane from all our wickednesse For without this confession sinne is not forgeuen This is then the cheefest most principal confession that in the scriptures worde of God we are bydden to make and without the whiche we shal neuer obteyne pardon and forgeuenesse of our sinnes In deede besydes this there is another kynde of confession whiche is needefull and necessarye And of the same doth Saint James speake after this maner saying Acknowledge your faultes one to another and praye one for another that ye may be saued As if he should saye Open that whiche greeueth you that a remedye maye be founde And this is commaunded both for hym that complayneth for hym that heareth that the one should shew his greefe to the other The true meaning of it is that the faythfull ought to acknowledge their offences whereby some hatred rancour grudge or malyce hauyng rysen or growen among them one to another that a brotherlye reconciliation maye be had without the which nothing that we do can be acceptable vnto God as our sauiour Jesus Christ doth witnesse himselfe saying When thou offerest thyne offeryng at the aulter if thou remembrest that thy brother hath ought agaynst thee leaue there thyne offryng go and be reconciled and when thou art reconciled come and offer thine offring It may also be thus taken that we ought to confesse our weakenesse and infirmities one to another to the ende that knowing eche others frailnesse we may the more earnestly pray together vnto almyghtye God our heauenly father that he will vouchsafe to pardon vs our infirmities for his sonne Jesus Christes sake and not to impute them vnto vs when he shall render to euery man according to his workes And where as the aduersaries go about to wrest this place for to maynteyne their auriculer confession withal they are greatlye deceaued themselues and do shame fullye deceaue others For if this texte ought to be vnderstanded of auriculer confession then the Priestes are as muche bounde to confesse them selues vnto the laye people as the lay people are bound to confesse them selues to them And if to pray is to absolue then the laytie by this place hath as great aucthoritie to absolue the priestes as the priestes haue to absolue the laytie This dyd Iohannes Scotus otherwyse called Duns well perceaue who vppon this place wryteth on this maner Neyther doth it seeme vnto me that James dyd geue this commaundement or that he dyd set it foorth as beyng receaued of Christe For fyrst and foremoste whence had he aucthoritie to bynde the whole Churche syth that he was only Byshoppe of the Churche of Hierusalem except thou wylt saye that the same Church was at the beginnyng the head Church and consequently that he was the head Byshop which thyng the sea of Rome wyll neuer graunt The vnderstandyng of it then is as in these wordes Confesse your synnes one to another A perswasion to humilitie whereby he wylleth vs to confesse our selues generally vnto our neyghbours that we are synners accordyng to this saying If we say we haue no synne we deceaue our selues and the trueth is not in vs And where that they do alleage this saying of our sauiour Jesu Christe vnto the Leaper to proue auriculer confession to stande on Gods worde Go thy way and shewe thy selfe vnto the prieste Do they not see that the Leaper was cleansed from his leprosie afore he was by Christ sent vnto the priest for to shewe hym selfe vnto hym By the same reason we must be cleansed from our spirituall leprosie I meane our synnes muste be forgeuen vs afore that we come to confession What neede we then to tell foorth our synnes into the eare of the priest sith that they be alredy taken away Therefore holy Ambrose in his seconde sermon vpon the hundred and nyneteenth Psalme doth say full well Go shewe thy selfe vnto the prieste Who is the true prieste but he whiche is the prieste for euer after the order of Melchisedech Whereby this holy father doth vnderstande that both the priesthood and the law beyng chaunged we ought to acknowledge none other prieste for delyueraunce from our synnes but our Sauiour Jesus Christe who beyng our soueraigne Byshop doth with the sacrifice of his body and blood offered once for euer vppon the aulter of the crosse moste effectuallye cleanse the spirituall leprosie and washe awaye the synnes of all those that with true confession of the same do flee vnto hym It is moste euident and playne that this auriculer confession hath not his warraunt of Gods worde els it had not ben lawfull for Nectarius Byshoppe of Constantinople vpon a iust occasion to haue put it downe For when any thyng ordeyned of God is by the lewdenes of men abused the abuse ought to be taken awaye and the thyng it selfe suffered to remayne Moreouer these are Saint Augustines wordes What haue I to do with men that they shoulde heare my confession as though they
were able to heale all my diseases A curious sorte of men to knowe another mans lyfe and slouthfull to correct and amende their owne Why do they seeke to heare of me what I am whiche wyll not heare of thee what they are And howe can they tell when they heare by me of my selfe whether I tell the trueth or not syth that no mortall man knoweth what is in man but the spirite of man which is in him Augustine woulde not haue written thus if auriculer confession had ben vsed in his tyme Beyng therfore not led with the conscience therof let vs with feare and tremblyng and with a true contrite heart vse that kynde of confession that God doth commaunde in his worde and then doubtlesse as he is faythfull and ryghteous he wyll forgeue vs our synnes and make vs cleane from all wyckednesse I do not saye but that if anye do fynde them selues troubled in conscience they may repayre to their learned Curate or Pastour or to some other godly learned man and shewe the trouble doubt of their conscience to them that they may receaue at their hand the comfortable salue of Gods worde but it is agaynst the true Christian libertie that any man shoulde be bound to the numbryng of his synnes as it hath ben vsed heretofore in the tyme of blindnesse and ignoraunce The third part of repentaunce is fayth wherby we do apprehende and take holde vppon the promises of God touchyng the free pardon and forgeuenes of our synnes Whiche promises are sealed vp vnto vs with the death and bloodsheddyng of his sonne Jesu Christe For what should auayle and profite vs to be sorye for our sinnes to lament and bewayle that we haue offended our moste bounteous and mercyfull father or to confesse and acknowledge our offences and trespasses though it be done neuer so earnestly vnlesse we do stedfastly beleue and be fully perswaded that God for his sonne Jesu Christes sake wyl forgeue vs al our synnes and put them out of remembraunce and from his syght Therfore they that teach repentaunce without a liuelye fayth in our sauiour Jesu Christe do teache none other but Judas repentaunce as all the Schole men do whiche do onlye alowe these three partes of repentaunce the contrition of the heart the confession of the mouth and the satisfaction of the worke But all these thynges we fynde in Judas repentaunce whiche in outwarde appearaunce dyd farre exceede and passe the repentaunce of Peter For fyrst and foremost we reade in the gospel that Judas was so sorowfull and heauie yea that he was fylled with such anguishe and vexation of mynde for that which he had done that he coulde not abide to lyue any longer Dyd not he also afore he hanged hym selfe make an open confession of his faulte when he sayde I haue synned betraying the innocent blood And veryly this was a very bolde confession whiche might haue brought hym to greate trouble For by it he did lay to the hygh priestes elders charge the sheddyng of innocent blood and that they were moste abhominable murtherers He dyd also make a certayne kynde of satisfaction when he dyd cast their money vnto them agayne No suche thyng do we reade of Peter although he had committed a very heynous synne and most greeuous offence in denying of his master We fynde that he went out and wept bytterlye whereof Ambrose speaketh on this maner Peter was sory and wept because he erred as a man I do not fynde what he sayed I know that he wept I reade of his teares but not of his satisfaction But howe chaunce that the one was receaued into fauour agayne with God and the other cast away but because that the one dyd by a lyuely fayth in hym whom he had denyed take hold vpon the mercie of God and the other wanted fayth whereby he dyd dispayre of the goodnesse and mercie of God It is euident and playn then that although we be neuer so earnestly sorye for our synnes acknowledge and confesse them yet all these thynges shal be but meanes to bryng vs to vtter desperation except we do stedfastly beleue that God our heauenly father wyll for his sonne Jesu Christes sake pardon and forgeue vs our offences and trespasses and vtterly put them out of remembraunce in his syght Therefore as we sayde before they that teache repentaunce without Christe and a lyuely fayth in the mercie of God do onely teache Cains or Judas repentaunce The fourth is an amendement of lyfe or a newe lyfe in bryngyng foorth fruites worthy of repentaunce For they that do truely repent must be cleane altered and chaunged they muste become newe creatures they must be no more the same that they were before And therefore thus sayde John Baptist vnto the Pharisees and Saduces that came vnto his baptisme O generation of vypers who hath forewarned you to flee from the anger to come bryng foorth therefore fruites worthy of repentaunce Whereby we do learne that if we wyll haue the wrath of God to be pacified we muste in no wyse dissemble but turne vnto hym agayne with a true and sounde repentaunce whiche may be knowne and declared by good fruites as by moste sure and infallible signes thereof They that do from the bottome of their heartes acknowledge their synnes and are vnfaignedly sory for their offences wyll cast of al hypocrisie and put on true humilitie and lowlynesse of heart They wyll not onlye receaue the Phisition of the soule but also with a moste feruent desyre long for hym They wyll not only abstaine from the sinnes of their former lyfe and from all other filthy vices but also flee exchew and abhorre all the occasions of them And as they dyd before geue them selues to vncleannesse of lyfe so wyll they from henceforwardes with all diligence geue them selues to innocencie purenesse of lyfe and true godlynesse We haue the Niniuites for an example whiche at the preachyng of Jonas dyd not onlye proclayme a generall fast and that they shoulde euery one put on sackloth but they all dyd turne from their euill wayes and from the wyckednesse that was in their handes But aboue all other the historie of Zacheus is moste notable For beyng come vnto our sauiour Jesu Christe he dyd say Beholde Lorde the halfe of my goodes I geue to the poore and if I haue defrauded any man or taken ought away by extortion or fraude I do restore hym foure folde Here we see that after his repentaunce he was no more the man that he was before but was cleane chaunged and altered It was so farre of that he woulde continue and byde styll in his vnsatiable couetousnesse or take ought awaye fraudulentlye from any man tâ—at rather he was most wylling and redye to geue away his owne and to make satisfaction vnto all them that he had done iniurie and wrong vnto Heare may we ryght well adde the synfull woman whiche when she came