mortalitie miserie euen in thys lyfe feele the same And was god so angry for theyr sinne and he being the same God wyll he saye nothing to vs for oures halas muche more horrible then the eating once of one pece of an apple In the tyme of Noe and Lot God destroyed the whole world with water the cities of Sodoma and Gomorra Seboim Adamah with fyre and brimston from heauen for theyr synnes Namely for theyr whoredomes pryde idlenes vnmercifulnes to the poore tyrannie c. In which wrath of God euen the very babes byrdes foules fishes herbes trees and grasse perisshed And thinke we that nothinge wylbe spokeÌ„ to vs muche worse more abhominable theÌ„ they For al meÌ„ may see yf they wil y e the whoredoÌ„s pride vnmercifulnes tirannie c of England far passeth in this age any age y t euer was before Lots wife loking back was turned into a salt stone wil our loking back agayne yea our running back agayne to our wickednes do vs not hurt yf we were not alredy more blind theÌ„ bettels we would blush Pharao his heart was hardened so y t no myracle could conuert him yf oures were any thing softe we woulde begin to sobbe Of syxe hundreth thousande men alonely but twayne entred into the land of promyse because they had teÌ„ times synned against the Lord as he him selfe sayeth Num 14. And trow we that god wil not sweare in his wrath that we shall neuer entre into his rest which haue sinned so manye ten times as we haue toes fingers yea heares of our heades beardes I fere me yet we passe not The man that sware Leu. 24 and he that gathered stickes on the Saboth day Num. 13. were stoned to death but we thynke our swearing is no sinne our bibbing rioting yea whore hunting on the Saboth day pleaseth god or els we woulde some thinge amende our maners Helias negligence in correcting his soÌ„nes nipped his neck in two But oures which paÌ„per vp oure children lyke puppets wyll putte vs to no plounge Helias sonnes for disobeying theyr fathers monicion brought ouer them Gods vengeauÌ„ce and wyl our stubbernes do nothing Saule his malice to Dauid Achabs displeasure agaynste Naboth brought theyr bloud to the grounde for dogges to eate yea their children were hanged vp slayne for this geare but we continue in malice enuie murther as though we were able to wage warre wyth the Lord. Dauids adultrie with Bethsabe was vysyted on the chylde borne on Dauids daughter defyled by her brother and on hys chyldren one slaying another on hys wyues defyled by hys owne sonne on him selfe dryuen out of hys realme in hys olde age and otherwise also although he most hartely repeÌ„ted his sinne but we are more dere vnto god theÌ„ Dauid whiche yet was a man after gods owne hart or els we could not but tremble and begynne to repent The riche glottonnes gaye paunche fyllynge what did it it brought hym to hel and haue we a plackarde that God wyll do no thynge to vs. Achams subtyll theft prouoked Gods anger agaynst all Israell and our subteltie yea open extorcion is so fyne and politike that God cannot espye it Giezi his couetousnes broughte it not the leprosy vpon him and on all hys sede Iudas also hanged hym selfe But the couetousnes of Englande is of an other cloothe and coulloure well yf it were so the same tayler wyll cutte it accordyngelye Anania and Saphira by lyinge lynked to them sodayne death but oures nowe prolongeth oure lyfe the longer to laste in eternall death The false wytnesses of the twoo Iudges against Susanna lighte on their owne pates and so wyll ours do at length But what go I about to auouche aunciente exaumples where daylye experience doeth teach The sweat the other year the stormes the winter folowing wyl vs to way them in the same ballaunces The hangynge and kyllynge of men them selues whiche are alas to ryfe in all places requier vs to register them in the same rolles At the least in Chyldren infauntes and such like which yet can not vtter synne by worde or dede we see Goddes anger agaynste Synne in punysshynge them by syckenes death myshappe or otherwyse so playnely that we cannot but grone and grount agayne in that we a lyttell more haue gusshed oute thys geare gorgeousely in worde and dede And here with me a litel loke on gods anger yet so freshe that we cannot but smell it although we stop our noses neuer so much I praye God we smel it not more freshe hereafter I meane it forsoth for I know you loke for it in our dere late souereigne lorde the kyngs maieste You al know he was but a chylde in yeares defyled he was not with notorious offences Defiled ê™ he naye rather adorned w t so many good and wonderfull qualities as neuer prynce was from the begynnyng of y e world Shuld I speak of his wysedome of his rypenes in iudgement of his learning of his Godlye zeale heroical heart fatherly care for his commons norcely solicitude for religion c naye so manye thinges are to be spoken in commendatioÌ„ of gods excedyng graces in this childe that as Salust wryteth of Chartage I had rather speak nothing then to lytel in y t to much is to litle This gift God gaue vnto vs Englysh men before all nations vnder the sonne and that of his excedynge loue towardes vs. But alas and welawaye for our vnthankefulnes sake for our sinnes sake for our carnalitie and prophan liuing gods anger hath touched not only y e body but also the mynde of our king by a long sycknes and at length hath takeÌ„ hym awaye by death death cruell death fearful death death c Oh if Gods iudgement be begon on him which as he was the chiefest so I thinke the holiest godliest in y e realme of England alas what wyl it be on vs whose synnes are ouergrowne so oure heades that they are climed vp into heauen I pray you my good brethren know that gods anger for oure sinnes towardes vs cannot but be great yea to fel in that we se it was so great that our goodking coulde not beare it What folowed to Iewry after the death of Iosias God saue England and geue vs repeÌ„taunce my hart wil not suffer me to tary loÌ„ger herein I trow this wyll thruste oute some teares of repentaunce Yf therfore to praier for gods feare the tootynge in gods glas and the tagge thereto wyll not burste open thy blockysh hearte yet I trowe the tossinge to and fro of these examples and specially of our late kynge and this troublesome tyme wyll tomble some teares oute of thyne hart yf thou styll praye for Gods spirite accordynglye For who arte thou thynke alwayes with thy selfe that GOD shoulde spare thee more then they whose examples thou hast harde what frendes haste thou were
hym so that there to he wyl not adde wylling offences This willing and witting offending and sinning whosoeuer doeth flatter him selfe therein doth euidently demonstrate and shewe that he neuer yet in dede tasted of Christe truelye He was neuer truely perswaded or beleued how foule a thinge synne is how greuous a thinge Gods anger is howe ioyfull and precious a thing Gods mercy in christ is nowe exceding broade wyde highe and depe Christes loue is Perchaunce he can wryte prate talke and preache of thys geare but yet he in hart by fayth neuer felte this geare For dyd he once feele this geare in dede theÌ„ wold he be so sarre from continuing in synne willingly wittingly that wholy hartely he wold geue ouer him self to y t which is coÌ„trari I meane to a new lyfe renewing his youth eueÌ„ as the Egle doth Psalm â—iii For as we being in y e seruitude of sinne demonstrate our seruice by geuing ouer our meÌ„bres to y e obeyinge of synne froÌ„ iniquitie to iniquitie eueÌ„ so we beynge made free from sinne by fayth in Iesus Christ endewed with gods spirite a spirit of libertie .ij. Cor. iij â–ª must nedes demoÌ„strate this fredoÌ„ libertie by geuing ouer oure meÌ„bres to thobedieÌ„ce of y e spirite by y e which we are led gyded froÌ„ vertue to vertue al kind of holynes As thunbeleuers declare their vnbeliefe by y e working of y e euil spirit in theÌ„ Eph ij â–ª outwardly the fruites of the fleshe Gal. v. Euen so the beleuers declare theyr fayth by the workinge of gods good spirit in theÌ„ outwardly the fruites of the spirit For as the deuyll is not deade in those whiche are hys but worketh styll to theyr dampnacion so is not God dead in them whiche be his but worketh styll to their saluacioÌ„ the which working is not the cause of y e one or thother being in any but only a demonstracion a signe a fruit of the same as y e aple is not the cause of y e aple tree but a fruite of it Thus then you see briefely that newnes of life is not in dede a parte of penaunce but a fruit of it a demonstracion of the iustyfying fayth a sygne of gods good spirite possessing the heart of the penitent As the old lyfe is a fruyte of impenitencie a demoÌ„stracioÌ„ of a lippe fayth or vnbelief a signe of Sathans spirit possessing the heart of the impenitent which al those be that be not penitent For mean I knowe none he that is not penitent that same is impenitent he that is not gouerned by Gods spirite the same is gouerned by Sathans spirit For all that be Christes are gouerned with the spirite of Christ Rom. viii which spirite hath her fruites Gala. v. Al other that be not Christes are the deuyls He that gathereth not with Christe scattereth abroade Therefore dearely beloued I beseche you to coÌ„syder this geare and deceaue not your selues Yf you be not Christes then pertain you to the deuyl of which thinge the fruites of the fleshe doeth assure you as whoredom â–ª adultry vncleanes wantonnes ydolatri witchcraft enuie strife contencion wrathe sedicion murthers dronkenes glottonie blasphemy slouthfulnes ydlenes baudy talking sclaunderinge c. Yf these apples growe oute of the apple trees of your hearts surely surely the deuylis at Inne with you you are his byrdes whom when he hath wel fed you he wyl broch you and eate you chaw you and champ you world without ende in eternall wo and miserie But I am otherwyse perswaded of you al I trust you be al Christes Iesus his people and childreÌ„ yea brethren by fayth As ye see your sinnes in Gods lawe and tremble syghe sorow sob for the smae euen so you see his great mercies in his Gospell and free promises and therefore are glad merrie and ioyefull for that you are accepted into Gods fauour haue your sinnes pardoned ar endued w t y e good spirit of God eueÌ„ the seale signe manuel of your electioÌ„ in Christe before the beginning of the world The which spirite for that he is the spirit of life geueÌ„ to you to worke in you with you by you here in this lyfe sanctificacioÌ„ and holynes where vnto you are called that ye might be holy euen as your heauenly father is holye I beseche you all by admonicion warninge of you that you wolde stirre up the gyftes of God geueÌ„ to you generalli particulerli to y e edifying of hys Church that is I praye you that you would not moleste the good spyryt of God by rebellinge agaynste it when it prouoketh and calleth you to go on forewardes that he which is holy myght yet be more holy he whyche is righteous myghte be more righteous As the euyl spirite moueth and stirreth vp the fylthy to be yet more fylthy the couetous to be more couetous the wicked to be more wicked Declare you now your repentaunce by workes of repentauÌ„ce bring forth fruites and worthye fruytes lette youre sorowing for your euyls demonstrate it selfe by departinge froÌ„ the euyls you haue vsed let your certayntie of pardon of your sinnes throughe Christe and youre ioye in hym be demonstrated by pursuing of the good thinges which gods word teacheth you you are nowe in Christ Iesus gods workemaÌ„ship to do good workes whiche God hath prepared for you to walk in For the grace of God y t bringeth saluacion vnto al men hath apeared teacheth vs that we should denie vngodlines and worldlye lustes and that we should liue sobrelye righteouslye and godly in this present worlde lokinge for that blessed hope glorious apearing of the mighty God and of oure Sauiour Iesus Christe which gaue him self for vs to redeme vs from al vnrighteousnes and to purge vs a peculier people vnto him self feruently geueÌ„ vnto good workes Titus ij Agayne Titus .iij for we our selues also were in times past vnwyse disobediente deceaued in daunger to lustes and to dyuers maners of voluptuousnes liuing in maliciousnes and enuie full of hate hating one another But after that the kyndnes and loue of God our Sauiour to manward appeared not by y e dedes of righteousnes which we wrought but of his mercye he saued vs by the fountayn of the new byrth and with the renuing of the holy gost which he shed on vs aboundantly thorow Iesus Christ our Sauioure that we once iustifyed by his grace should be heires of eternal lyfe through hope This is a true saying but I wyll make an ende for I am to tedious Dearely beloued repent your synnes that is be sorye for that which is past beleue in gods mercy for pardon how depely soeuer you haue synned both purpose and earnestly pursue a newe lyfe bringing forth worthy and true fruytes of repentaunce As you haue geuen ouer your members from synne to sinne to serue the deuyl your tongues to sweare to lye to flatter to skolde to iest to skoffe to baudy talke to vayne iangeling to boasting c. Your haÌ„des to picking groping idlenes fighting c your fete to skipping going to euil to dauÌ„sing c. youre eares to heare fables lyes vanities euil thinges c. So now geue ouer your meÌ„bres to godlines your tong to speake youre eares to heare youre eyes to see your mouthes to tast your handes to woorke youre feete to go about such thinges as may make to Gods glorie sobrietie of lyfe loue to your bretheÌ„ that dayly more more diligently for in a stay to stand you caÌ„not ether better or worsse you are to daye then you were yesterdaye But better I trust you be wil be yf you marke wel my theme y t is Repent you y e which thinge that wold do as before I haue huÌ„blye be sought you eueÌ„ so now yet once more I do agayn besech you y t for the tender mercies of God in Christ Iesus our lord RepeÌ„t you repeÌ„t you for the kingdoÌ„ of heaueÌ„ that is a kingdom ful of al riches pleasures myrth beautie swetenes eternal felicitie is at hand The eye hath not sene the lyke y e eare hath not hearde the like the heart of maÌ„ cannot conceaue the treasures plesures of this kingdoÌ„ which now is at hand to such as repent y t is to such as are sory for their sinnes beleue gods mercy through christ earnestly purpose to lead a new life the god of mercy through Christ his sonne grauÌ„t vs his holy spirit worke in our hearts this sorow fayth new life which through his grace I haue spoken of both now for euer AMEN ¶ Imprinted at LondoÌ„ in Paules Churche yearde at the signe of the Rose By Iohn Wight 1. Pe. iiâ—â— Heb. xi Ie. xâ—iiij Hie. vij Am. vij Act. xvij Gen. xix Gen. vi Ex. xxxij â— Ioh. iij Psa xix Psalm xxxviij Den. vi mat xxij Mar. xx Luke x. Ioh. xiij Mat. vi Lu. xvij Ap. xxij De. iiij xij Apo â–ª xiii 1. Ioh. ij Iam. i. i. Reg. ij Hie. xxxi Lam. v. Actes v Iam. ij Ro. vij Ro. vij De tempore Barlarico 〈◊〉 Gal. iij. Iob. xv Apoc. iij. Gen. vi Gen. xix Gen. xix Iosuâ— Caleb i. reg iij. iij. Reg xxi xxij 4. kin 21 4. kin 10 2. kin 11 xij xiij xvi xv Lu. xvi Iosu vij iiii re v Act. i. Act. v. Da. xiij Psalm xxxvij mat xxâ— â–ª Lu. xxij Psalm xxiij â— Pet. ii Mat. 24 â–ª Ezec. 3. ActunÌ„ ij ij tim ij Lu. xvij Mar. ix Iohn xx Ioh. xiij Psa 87 Gen. iii. Gen. iiij Gent. ix Gen. xix Gene. 38 xxxvij Num. xi Exod. 32 Ro. viij Hebr. iij. ii Re. â—i Rom. x. Dan. iij Iona. iij. Ioh. xx Ioh. xx mat xxvi Lu. xxiii Lu. xxiij Heb. xiij Esa xxx Mat. vij Heb. x â–ª Rom â–ª v. Phil. ij iij. â—e xix Ro. viij ij Cor. i. i. thes iiij i. Petr. i ij Tim. i Eph. iiij Apo. xxij Ephes ij Titus ij i. Cor. ij esa â–ª lxiiij
ende that for my parte I myghte helpe I haue presently put forth a sermon of repētaunce whiche hath lyen by me halfe a yeare at the leaste for the most parte of it For the laste sommer as I was abroade preachynge in the countreye my chaunce was to make a sermon of repentaunce the whiche was earnestlye of diuerse desyred of me that I shoulde geue it them written or els put it forth in prynt The whiche thynge to graunte as I coulde not for I had not wrytten it so I told them that had so earnestlye desired it But when no naye woulde serue but I muste promyse them to wryte it as I coulde I consented to their requeste that they shuld haue it at my leasure This leasure I prolonged so longe that as I wene I offended them so didde I please my selfe as one more gladde to reade other mennes wrytynges then in suche sorte to publyshe my wrytynges for other men to reade not that I wolde others not to profyt by me but that I knowing how short my suppellex store as woulde be loth for the enemies to haue iuste occasion of euyll speakynge and wrestinge that whiche symplye is spoken But when I consydered this present tyme to occasion men now to loke vpon all thinges in suche sorte as myghte moue them to Godlynes rather then to anye curiouse questioninge I for the satisfienge of my promyse and profytinge of the simple ignoraunt and rude haue nowe caused this Sermon to be prynted the which I beseche God for his Christes sake to vse as a meane whereby of his mercy it maye please hym to worke in me and manye others true hartye repentaunce for oure synnes to the glorye of hys name Thus fare thou well in the Lorde The. xij of Iulie Anno. M. D. LIII ¶ A sermon of repentaunce made by Iohn Bradforde THe lyfe we haue at this present is the gyft of God in whom we liue moue and are Actes xvii and therefore is he called Iehouah Exod iii. for the whiche lyfe as we shoulde be thankefull so we may not in any wyse vse it after our owne fantacie but to thende for the whiche it is geuen lente vs that is to the settynge forth of Gods prayse and glory by repentaunce conuersion and obedience to his good wyl and holy lawes wherevnto his longe sufferynge doeth as it were euen drawe vs yf our hartes by impenitency were not hardned And therfore our lyfe in the scripture is called a walkynge for that as the body dayly draweth more more ▪ neare his ende that is the earth euen so our soul draweth dayly more and more neare the death that is saluation or dampnation heauen or hell Of which thinge in that we are moost carelesse and very foles for we alas are the same to day we were yesterday and not better or nearer to God but rather nearer to hel Sathan and perdition beynge couetouse idle carnal secure necligēt proud c. I think my labour cannot be better bestowed then with the Baptist Christ Iesus and his Apostels to harp on this stringe whiche of all other is mooste necessarye and that in these dayes most specially What strynge is that sayeth one Forsoth brother the stryng of repentaunce y e whiche Christ our sauiour did vse fyrst in his ministery and as his minister at this present I wyll vse vnto you all Repent for the kingedome of heauen is at hande Math. iiij This sentence thus pronounced and preached by our sauiour Iesus Christe as it doeth commaund vs to repent so to the doinge of the same it sheweth vs a sufficient cause to sturre vs vppe therevnto namelye for that the kyngdome of heauen which is a kyngedome of all ioye peace ryches power and pleasure is at hande to al such as do so that is as do repente So that the meanynge hereof is as thoughe our sauiour myght thus speake presently Syrs for that I se you al walkynge the wronge way euen to Sathan and vnto hell fyre by folowynge the kyngedome of Sathan whiche nowe is coloured vnder the pylled pleasures of this lyfe and folyshnes of the fleshe moste subtelly to your vtter vndoynge and destruction Beholde and marke well what I saye vnto you The kingdome of heauen that is another maner of ioye and felicitie honoure and riches power and pleasure then you nowe perceyue or enioye is euen at hande and at youre backes as yf you wyll turne agayn that is repent you you shal most truely and pleasauntlye fele see and enherit Turne agayne therfore I say that is repent for this ioye I speake of euen the kyngdome of heauen is at hande Here we maye note fyrste the corruption of our nature in that to this commaundement repent you he addeth a cause for y e kingdome of heauen is at hande for by reason of the corruption and sturdines of our nature God vnto all his commaundementes commonlye eyther addeth some promise to prouoke vs to obedience or elles some suche sufficient cause as cannot but tickle vs vp to hartie labourynge for the doynge of the same as here to the commaundement of doynge penaunce he addeth this aitiologie or cause sayinge for the king dome of heauen is at hande Agayne in that he ioyneth to the commaundemente the cause sayinge for the kyngedome of heauē is at hand we may learne that of the kyngedome of heauē none to whom the ministerye of preaching doth appertayne can be partaker but such as repente and do pennaunce Therfore dearly beloued yf you regarde the kyngedome of heauen in that you cannot entre therein except you repent I besech you al of euery estate as you woulde your owne weale to repent and do penaunce the which thinge that you maye do I wyll do my beste now to helpe you by gods grace But fyrst because we cannot well tell what repentaunce is thorowe ignoraunce for lacke of knoweledge and false teachynge I wyll to begynne with all shewe you what repentaunce is Repentaunce or pennaunce is no Englyshe worde but we borowe it of the Latinistes to whome pennaunce is a forethinkynge in Englyshe in Greke a beynge wyse afterwardes in Hebrewe a conuersion or turnyng the whyche conuersion or turnynge in that it can not be true and hartye vnto God especially without some good hope or trust of pardone for that whyche is all readye doone and paste I maye well in thys sorte defyne it namelye that pennaunce is a sorrowynge or forethynkynge of oure synnes paste an earneste purpose to amende or turnynge to GOD with a truste of pardone This diffinicion maye be deuyded into three partes that pennaunce or repentaunce shuld contayne fyrst a sorowynge for our synues Secondlye a truste of pardonne whyche otherwyse maye be called a perswasion of Gods mercy by the merits of Christe for the forgeuenesse of our synnes And thyrdely apurpose to amende or conuersion to a newe lyfe the whiche thyrd or last part cannot be called properly a parte for it is but an effect of
put thy helping hand Agayne hath he not made the a Christian man or woman wher yf he woulde he mighte haue made thee a Turke or Paynim This thou knoweste he dydde of loue And doest thou thinke his loue is lessoned yf thou lamente thy synne is hys hande shortened for helpinge thee Can a womanne forgette the chylde of her wombe and thoughe she should doe it yet wyll not I forgette the sayeth the Lorde He hath geuen thee limmes to see heare go c He hath geuē thee wytte reason discretion c. He hath longe spared thee and borne wyth thee when thou neuer purposedst to repente now thou repenting wyl he not geue thee mercy wherefore doeth he geue the to lyue at this presente to heare me to speake this and me to speake this but of loue to vs all Oh therefore let vs praye him that he would adde to thys that we mighte beleue these loue tokens that he loueth vs and in deede he wyll doe it Lorde open our eyes in thy gyftes to see thy gracious goodnesse Amen But to tarrye in this I wyll not euery man let him consyder Gods benefytes paste and presente publyke and priuate spirituall and corporall to the confirminge of hys fayth concerninge the promyses of the Gospell for the pardone of his synnes I wyll nowe go to shewe you a fourth meane to confirme youre fayth of thys geare euen by examples Of these there are in the scriptures very many as also daylye experience doth diuersly teache the same yf we were diligente to obserue thynges accordinglye wherefore I wyll be more briefe herein hauing respecte to tyme which stealeth fast awaye Adam in Paradyse transgressed greuously as the paynful punishment which we al as yet doe feele proueth yf nothinge else Thoughe by reason of his synne he displeased God sore and ran awaye from God for he woulde haue hyd him selfe yea he would haue made God the causer of his synne in that he gaue hym such a mate so farre was he frō askinge merry yet all this not withstandinge GOD turned hys fearce wrath nether vpō him nor Eue which also requyred not mercye but vpon the serpente Sathan Promysing vnto them a sede Iesus Christe by whom they at the lenght shoulde be delyuered In token whereof though they wer caste oute of Paradyse for theyr nurture to serue in sorow which woulde not serue in ioye yet he made thē apparell to couer theyr bodies a visible sacramente and tokē of his inuisyble loue grace concerning theyr soules Yf God was so merciful to Adam whych so sore brake hys cōmaundemēt and rather blamed God then asked mercy troweste thou oh man that he wyll not be mercyful to the whiche blameste thy selfe and desyrest pardon To Cayn he offered mercy yf he woulde haue asked it What haste thou done sayeth God the voyce of thy brothers bloude cryeth vnto me out of the earth Oh mercyfull Lord shuld Cayn haue sayd I cōfesse it But halas he dyd not so And therfore sayd God Now that is in that thou desyrest not mercy now I say be thou accursed c. Lo to the reprobate he offred mercy and wil he denye it thee whiche arte hys chylde Noah dyd not he synne and was drōke God Lot also both in Sodome dissembled a lyttle wyth the Aungels prolonginge the tyme out of Sodom he fell very foule as did Iudas and the Patriarches agaynste Ioseph but yet I wene they foūd mercy Moyses Myriam Aaron though they tombled a little yet receaued they mercye yea the people in the wyldernesse often synned displeased God so that he was purposed to haue destroyed them let me alone sayth he to Moyses that I maye destroye them but Moyses dyd not lette hym alone for he prayed styll for them and therefore God spared them Yf the people were spared throughe Moyses prayer they not praying with him but rather worshipping theyr golden calfe eatinge drinkinge and makinge ioly good cheare why shouldeste thou doubte whether God wyll be mercyfull to thee hauynge as in dede thou hast one muche better then Moyses to pray for thee and with thee euen Iesus Christ who sytteth on the right hand of his father and prayeth for vs being no lesse faithful in his fathers house the church thē moses was in the Sinagoge Dauid y e good Kynge had a foule foyle when he committed whoredom with hys faythful seruauntes wyfe Bethsabe where vnto he added also a mischeuous murder causing her husband hys most faythfull souldiour Vrye to be slayne with an honest company of his most valiaunt mē of warre and that with the swearde of the vncircumcisised In this hys synne thoughe a great whyle he laye a slepe as many do now a dayes god geue them wynne waking thinking that by hys sacrifices he offered all was well God was content yet at length when the Prophet by a parable had opened the poke and brought hym in remēbraūce of his owne synne in such sorte y t he gaue iudgement agaynst hym self thē quaked he his sacryfices hadde no more taken awaye his sinnes then our syr Iohns trentals and waggynge of his fyngers ouer the heades of suche as lye aslepe in theyr synnes out of the whiche when they are awaked they wyl well se it is nether masse nor mattens blessyng nor crossyng wyll serue then I say he cryed out sayinge peccaui domino I haue synned sayeth he agaynst my Lorde and good god whiche hath doone so muche for me I caused in dede Vrye to be kylled I haue synned I haue sinned what shall I dooe I haue synned and am worthye of eternall dampnatiō But what sayth God by his Prophete Dominus sayth he transtulit peccatum tuū non morieris the Lorde hath taken awaye thy synnes thou shalt not dye Oh good God he sayd but peccaui I haue synned but yet from his harte and not from the lyppes onelye as Pharao Saule dyd and incontinentelye he heareth Thou shalte not dye the Lorde hath taken away thy synnes or rather hath layde them vpon an other yea translated them vppon the backe of hys sonne Iesus Christe who bare them and not onelye them but thyne and myne also yf that we wyll nowe crye but from oure hartes peccauimus we haue sinned good Lorde we haue done wickedlye enter not into iudgement with vs but be merciful vnto vs after thy great mercy and accordyng to y e multitude of thy compassions do away our iniquities c. For indede God is not the god of Dauid only Idem deus omnium he is the God of all So that Quicunque inuocauerit nomen domini salus erit He or she whosoeuer they be that call vppon the name of the lord shalbe saued In confyrmation whereof this historye is written as are also the other I haue recited and manye mo whiche I myghte recyte As of Manasses y e wicked kinge whiche slewe Esay the prophet and wrought verye
muche wickednesse yet the Lorde shewed mercye vpon hym beyng in preson as his praier doth teach vs. Nabugodonozar thoughe for a time he bare gods anger yet at y e length he founde mercy The citie of Niniue also founde fauour with God as did manye other which I wil omit for tymes sake and wil bringe forth one or twoo out of the new testamēt that we maye se God the same God in y e new testament he was in tholde I myght tell you of manye yf I shoulde speake of y e Lunatike such as were possessed w t deuyls lame blinde domme deaf lepers c. but tyme wyll not suffice me one or two therfore shall serue Mary Magdalene hadde seuen deuylles but yet they were caste oute of hyr and of all others she was the fyrst that Christ appeared vnto after his resurrection Thomas would not beleue christes resurrection though manye tolde hym whiche had seene and felte hym by reason whereof a man myght haue thoughte that his synnes woulde haue cast him awaye except I shulde see fele sayeth he I wyl not beleue Ah wylfull Thomas I wyll not sayeth he but Christe appeared vnto hym and woulde not leese hym as he will not do thee good brother yf that with Thomas thou wylte kepe companie with the disciples as Thomas dydde Peter his falle was vgglie he accursed hym selfe if euer he knew Christe and that for feare of a gyrle and this not once but euen three dyuers tymes and that in the hearynge of Christe his maister but yet the thyrd time christ loked backe and cast on hym his eye of grace so that he went out and wept bitterly and after christes resurrection not only dydde the aungels wyll the wemen to tell Peter that Christ was risen but Christ hym self appeared vnto hym seuerallye suche a good Lorde is he The theefe hangynge on the crosse sayde but thus Lord whē thou comest into thy kyngedome remembre me and what aūswer had he This daye sayth Christe shalte thou be with me in paradyce What a comfort is this in that he is now the same Christe to thee and me and vs all yf we wyll runne vnto him For he is the same Christ to daye to morowe vntyll he come to iudgement Then in dede he wylbe in exorable but nowe is he moore ready to geue then thou to aske yf thou crys he heareth thee yea before thou crye Crye therfore be bolde man he is not parciall call sayth he and I wyll heare thee Aske and thou shalte haue seke and thou shalt fynd though not at the fyrst yet at the length yf he tarry a whyle it is but to trye thee Nam veniens ueniet et non tardabit He is commynge and wyl not be longe Thus haue you iiii meanes which you must vse to that tayning of fayth or certaine perswasiō of gods mercy towards you whiche is the second part of pennaunce namely prayer the fre vniuersall promises of Goddes grace the recordation of the benefites of god past and presente the exāples of gods mercy whiche although they myght suffice yet wyl I put one moo to them whiche alonelye of it selfe is full sufficiente I meane the death of the sonne of God Iesus Christe which yf thou set before the eyes of thy mynd it wyl confyrme thy plackarde for it is the great seale of Englande as they saye yea of all the worlde for the confyrmation of all patentes and perpetuities of the euerlastynge lyfe whervnto we are all called Yf I thoughte these whyche I haue before recited were not sufficient to confyrme your faith of gods loue towardes suche as do repente I woulde tarry longer herein But because both I haue bene longe and also I trust you haue some exercyse of conscience in this daylye or els you are to blame I wyll but touche and go Consider with youre selues what we are misers wretches and enemies to God Consider what God is euen he whiche hath al power maieste might glorye ryches c. perfectlye of hym selfe and neadeth nothyng but hath all thinges Consider what Christ is Concernyng his godhead coequall w t his father euen he by whō al thynges were made are ruled gouerned Concerninge his manhode the only dearlyng of his father in whom is all his ioye Nowe syr what a loue is this that this God whiche neadeth nothyng wold geue wholly his owne selfe to thee his ennemy wreakyng his wrath vpon hym selfe in this his sonne as a man maye saye to spare the to saue thee to wyn thee to bye thee to haue thee to enioye thee for euer Because thy synne had seperated the from hym to the ende y u myghteste come eftsones into his company agayne and therin remayne he hym selfe became as a man wolde saye a synner or rather synne it self euen a malediction or a curse that we synners we accursed by his sinne that by his oblation or offeringe for our synnes by hys curse might be delyuered from synne from malediction For by synne he destroyed synne killinge death sathan and synne by theyr owne weapons and that for thee me man if we cast it not awaye by vnbeleif Oh wonderful loue of God who euer harde of suche a loue The father of heauen for vs his ennemies to geue his owne deare sonne Iesus Christ and that not onely to be our brother to dwell amonge vs but also to the death of the crosse for vs Oh wōderful loue of Christ to vs all that was contēt and wylling to work this feate for vs Was there any loue lyke to this loue God in dede hathe commended his charitie and loue to vs herein that when we were very ennemyes vnto hym he woulde geue his own sonne for vs That we beyng men might become as you would saye gods God wold become man That we being mortall might become immortal the immortal God wold become mortal man That we earthlye wretches might be sitizens of heauen the Lorde of heauen woulde become as a man wolde say earthlye that we beynge accursed myght be blessed God wolde be accursed That we by our father Adam beyng brought oute of paradice into the puddel of al pain myght be redemed and brought into paradyce agayne god wold be our father and an Adam ther vnto That we hauyng nothing might haue all thinges God hauynge all thinges woulde haue nothyng That we being vessels and slaues to al euen to sathan y e fend myght be lordes of all and of Sathan the lorde of al would become a vassall and a slaue to vs all and in daunger of Sathan Oh loue incomprehensible who can otherwyse thinke nowe but yf the gratious good Lorde disdayned not to geue his owne Sonne his own hartes ioye for vs his very ennemies tofore we thought to begge any such thing at his hands ye tofore we were who I say can thinke otherwise but that with him he wil geue vs all good