thou hast commaunded shal be done that which my strenght cannot achiue and do by presuming thou canst in commaundinge and the Lord sayd come and without any doubte Peter at the word of the commaunder and at the presence of him that sustayned him without any tarying leapt into the waters and walked one them so that he could do this that the Lord commaunded not of himselfe but of the Lord for you weare some time darkenes but now are you light in the Lorde that no man can do in Paule no man in Peter nether in any other of the Apostles that is he hable to performe and do in the Lord therfore dyd Paule well contemninge himselfe and aduaunsing or commending him for I sayth he was not crucified for you c. ¶ Theophilactus vpon Iohn Cap. 8. TO remite sinnes is onely the propertie of God therfore he sayth euery one that sinneth is seruaunt vnto the sinne and you are therfore seruauntes because you haue sinned farther because it was likely they would saye albeit we be bond men to such seruitude yet haue we sacrifices and priestes which will purge vs from our offences and he sayth that they also are seruauntes for all men sayth he he haue sinned and haue nede of the grace of God therfore your priestes sith they haue sinned they be seruauntes and bondmen to sinne hauinge no power to remit sinnes which S. Paule with playne wordes doth testifie The priest hath nede to offer for himselfe as well as for the people because he also is subiect to infirmitie the seruaunt sayth he tarieth not in the house that is to saye he hath no power to put out any man because he is not the master of the house but the sonne is Lorde of the house and euer remayneth in the house for in my Fathers house sayth he are many mansâ—ons therfore your Priestes which are seruauntes haue no power to forgiue or remitte sinnes but I the sonne which abide in the house with power and principality sith I am Lorde of the house giue you all your libertie for all thinges are myne and I am of lyke and equall power and strenght with my Father and if I do make you frée then with true libertie are you redéemed ¶ Augustine vpon the Epistle of S. Iohn tract 2. ¶ I write vnto you little Children because your sinnes are forgiuen you thorowe his name BVt by whose name are our sinnes forgiuen by the name of Augustine Or by the name of Donatus You maye sée what Augustine is and lykewise Donatus neither are your offences remitted by thée of Paule nor of Peter for when they did deuide the Church and dyd desire to seperate the vnitie into partes charity as a mother bringing forth her littelones doth in the Appostle open her bowelles and bewayling them with teares calleth them backe againe to one name which would haue made to themselues manye names and repelleth them from her loue that Christ might be beloued saying was Paule crucified for you either weare you baptised in his name What sayth she I will not that you shoulde be mine but with me be with me for we are all his which dyed for vs which was crucified for vs. ¶ Origen vpon Math. Hom. lia 1. ¶ Thou art Peter and vpon this Rocke c. BEcause Bishoppes and Priestes do take aduantage of this texte saying that they haue receaued of Christ those keyes of the kyngdome of Heauen the Peter had because the such as were bouÌ„d of them on earth were also bound in Heauen and those that were losed one earth of them were losed in Heauen that is to say had remission of their sinnes it is to be thought that they saye well it they do the workes of Peter wherfore it was sayd to him thou arte Peter c. If the powers of hell do not preuaile against them then are they such as the Church of Christ is builded and established vpon otherwise it is a skorne that we should saye that he that is bound in the bandes of his sinnes and draweth his sinnes like a longe corde and is laden with the yoke of his offences because onely that he is called a Bishoppe to haue such power and authoritie that such as are here losed of him are also losed and made frée in Heauen or that they that he byndeth are bound in Heauen also therfore let the Bishoppe that bindeth or loseth another be irreprehensible let him be the husband of one wyfe sober chast decent full of hospitalitie hable to teache no Wyne bibber no runner vp and downe but modest No brauler not coueteous of money gouerninge well his housholde Hauing his children subiect in al chastitie If he be such one he wyll not vniustlye binde vpon earth neither without iudgemente vnlose or make frée but if there be any man that I may so saye A Peter and shall thinke that he can so binde that it shal be bound in Heauen and y he can so lose that it shal be losed in Heauen he deceaueth himselfe not vnderstand the meaninge of the scriptures But beinge inflamed with his pride falleth into the iudgement of the Deuill ¶ Of the Sacrament of Christes Body and bloud I Am the Bread of lyfe that came downe from Heauen and whosoeuer shall eate of this Bread shall lyue euerlastingly and the Bread that I wyll giue you is my flesh for the lyfe of the world The Cuppe of Blessinge which we blesse is it not the communication of Christes bloud and the Bread which we breake is it not the participasion of the Lordes bodye Because many are one and one body which do participate of one Bread and one Cuppe So often as you shall eate this bread and drinke of this Cuppe you shall shew the Lordes death vntill his comminge againe ¶ The words of Beda and Augustine as touching the Sacrament of the altare ¶ The Cuppe of blessing c. 1 Cor. 10. THis which you sée on the Altare of the Lord thother night you dyd se but what it was or what was the meaninge therof or of howe worthy a thinge it was a Sacrament you haue not yet hard therfore that which you sawe is Bread and wyne which your eyes can testifie But your fayth doth requier to be instructed that the Bread is the Body of Christ and the Wyne his bloud this is shortly spoken paraduenture it doth satisfie your Fayth yet it would haue farther enstruction For the Prophet sayth vnlesse you do beleue you shall not vnderstand therfore now you may saye vnto me you haue commaunded vs to beleue then teach vs to vnderstand for paraduenture this thought may rise in your minds We know from whence our Lord Iesus Christ dyd receaue his flesh of the virgine Marie being an infant he was nursed and receaued sucke he dayly grew in age vntill he became a young man of the Iuesse he suffered persicution and being hanged on Crosse was
you to vnderstand and perceaue other hid secretes of the Scriptures and by thenstruction herof you maye easely iudge the scismes and subtelities of the damnable companye This Boke shall wake them that sleepe shall spurre forward them that runne and shall conuerte you withall your harte vnto the liuing God shall after one vnspeakable sorte where as nowe you see as it were in a glasse in the darke make you see the troth face to face Thus gentle Reader farwell take in good parte I besech thee these my simple doinges ¶ Of the fall of Adam and of originall sinne liber Gene. 20. WHerfore as by one man sinne entred into the worlde and death by the meanes of sinne And so death went ouer all men in so much that all men sinned c. By a man came death and by a man came the resurrection of the dead for as by Adam all dye euen so by Christ shall all be made alyue c. ¶ Augusti lib. against fortunate in the disputation I Say that ther was frée will in him that was first made and created he was so made that nothing could resist his will if he would haue kept the preceptes and coÌ„maundements of God But afterwarde of his owne frée will and mind he sinned but we be cast into a necessitie that come of his séede and stocke therfore so long as we do beare the image of an earthly man that is so long as we walke after the flesh which is called the olde man we haue a necessitie of our custome that we do not that that we would But the grace of God hath inspired his loue into vs and hath made vs subiect vnto his owne will to whom it is sayd you be called into libertie and the grace of God hath deliuered me from the lawe of sinne and death the lawe of sinne is that whosoeuer sinneth should dye we be deliuered from this lawe when wée beginne to be iust the law of death is by the which it is sayd vnto man thou art earth and in to earth thou shalt returne For of it we men are so made because we be earth in to earth we shall returne againe for the desart of sinne in the first man but by the grace of god which doth deliuer and make vs frée from the lawe of sinne and of death being turned to righteousnes we be so deliuered that afterward that flesh that dyd torment vs in paines remayning in sinne shal in the resurrection be geuen vs againe and shall by no aduersitie or contraritie trouble or hinder vs to kepe Gods commaundements and precepts God made man from the beginning left him in the hande of his owne counsell he gaue him his commaundements and precepts if thou wilte obserue the commaundements and kepe acceptable faithfulnes foreuer they shall preserue thée He hath set water and fyre before thée reach out thine hand vnto which thou wilt Before man is lyfe and death good and euel loke what him liketh shal be geuen him ¶ Augusti lib. of the newe soinge cap. 8. WHat fréewil can do not being helped in Adam it is declared vnto euell it is sufficient but not vnto good vnles it be helped of God for the first man receaued fréewill fully and the Lord set before him as the Scripture sayth fyer and water and sayd put thine hande vnto which thou wilt he dyd chuse fyer and left the water Behold the iust Iudge that hée chose being frée he had He woulde haue euell and euell folowed him behold farther that iust Iudge doing mercie For when he dyd sée that man by th' abuse of his fréewill had in himselfe as in a Roote had damned all his progenie and stocke he beinge not requested or desired came downe from Heauen and with his humilitie healed mankinde which perished through his owne pride those that went astraye he brought vnto lyfe straungers he brought and lead vnto a countrey therfore let not man glory in himselfe but let him glory in him that made him The beginning of mans pride is to fall away from God and why his harte is gone from his maker for pride is the oraginall of all sinne ¶ Augusti lib. of correption and grace Cap. 10. IT is demaunded of vs what our opinion is as touching the gift that was geuen vnto the first man which certainly was made perfect without any vice Therfore we do surely confesse and rightly beleue that God the Lord of all which created all thinges verie good and forknew that euel would come of good and that it wold be more honour and glory vnto himselfe to make of euell good againe then not to suffer euell to be dyd so ordayne and appoynt the lyfe both of Angell and man that in it he might first shewe what their fréewill could do without grace secondly what his great mercy was of it selfe thirâ—ly what his iust Iudgement could would do not being restrayned by mercye ¶ Cap. 11. The first man had not this grace that he should neuer haue a will to be euill but he had that grace in which if he would haue remayned he shoulde neuer haue bene euell without that grace for all his frée will he could not be good But by his frée will he might leaue that grace therfore God would not haue him to be without his grace whom he left in fréewill because fréewill is sufficient to euell but not vnto good vnlesse it be helped of the euerlastinge goodnes which helpe if man had not forsaken of his fréewill he had euer bene But he forsooke and was forsaken the helpe was such that he might leaue it when he would and in which he might remaine if he would this is the first grace that was geuen vnto the first Adam but it is of more strength and efecacie in the second Adam the first is that man might be iust if he would But the second is more for by it man is made to haue a will and such a will as is ioyned with a feruent loue so that volupteousnes of the flesh wishing and desiring contrary to the spirite we do ouercome and conquer be the spirite by this grace giuen of God we haue not onely a power and strength â–ª but also a will and desire both to receauâ— good and to remaine in good so that we haue both will and power which was not in the first man God gaue him a helpe without which he could not remaine if he would but for to haue a will he left 〈◊〉 in his owne power and fréewill therfore he might haue remayned if he would because he gaue him an helpe by the which he might and without which he could not but because he would not remaine by thée liuing god It was his faulte whose reward should haue bene if he would haue remayned he had power if he would But he had not will to his power for if he had he had still remayned if he
the continuall memory therof and nothing maketh man more to flye euill therfore let vs perswade our selues that we haue sinned and let not onely our tongue pronounce it but let also our conscience confesse it and let vs not only say we be sinners but let vs call to accompt and well remember euery sinne particularly I do not commaund thée that thou shouldest openly shew thy selfe and accuse thée to others but I will that that thou shouldest obey the prophet which sayth Reueyle and open thy lyfe to the Lorde therfore before God confesse thy sinnes and before the true iudge with prayer pronounce thy faultes not with the tongue but with the memory of thy conscience and then trust that thou shalt obtayne mercy if continually thou dost beare in minde and memory thy sinnes thou shalt neuer pretend or thinke euil to thy neighbour ¶ Chrisostome vpon the Psal. Miserere Home DEclare and open thy sinnes that thou mayst wash them awaye if thou béest ashamed to tell them to any man then dayly repeate and record them in thy minde I do not commaund thée to tell them to thy seruaunt which will shame thée with them but to God which healeth thée to them if thou dost not confesse thy sinnes dost thou thinke that God doth not know them will he demaund of thée whether thou hast offended when thou didest he was present when thou committest thy sinne he knoweth it thou wast not ashamed to sinne and offend yet thou art ashamed to confesse thyne offences therfore in this lyfe confesse thy sinne that in the lyfe to come thou mayst haue rest ¶ Ambros of the repentaunce of Peter th'apostle 46. Sermond PEter burst out a wepinge yet with his mouth he sayd nothing I finde that he wept but I find not what he sayd I read of his teares but what satisfaction he made I read not truly Peter wept held his peace for that which is repented is not excused yet that sinne which cannot be defended and mayntayned may be washed awaye for teares do wash away the sinne Which to confesse in wordes weare shame therfore teares are sinnes of repentaunce and forgiuenes neither do they shame the demaunder but purchaseth his request inwarde teares are after a sorte prayers which although by outward request they demaund not for giuenes yet they deserue it they tell not there cause and yet they do obtayne mercye and teares are more profitable then babling with the lyppes for talking may erre But teares vnfayned cannot erre wordes oftentimes doth not declare the hole cause fully but weping doth fully declare the affection and therfore Peter dyd not speake with wordes by which he dyd sinne by which he dyd abanden and forsake fayth left vsing them in his confession syth he had vsed them in his denial he should not be thought to haue confessed aright from the harte and therfore he dyd rather confesse his sinne by teares and lamentation then by outwarde wordes therfore when we do sinne we must first lament and bewayle our sinnes and then praye faythfully so that by this example we do learne how to confesse our faultes so that the Apostells denyinge of Christ is profitable vnto vs and his amendment twise more profitable for our learninge and instruction ¶ S Hieron vpon Math. Chappiter 16. ¶ And I will geue the keyes of the kyngdom of Heauen to thee c. THis place the Bishops and priestes not vnderstandinge dyd somewhat ascribe vnto themselues of the pride of the Pharisies so that they thought they coulde both damne innocents and saue themselues being sinners wheras before God there lyfe is called to accompt and not the sentaunce of the priest We read in Leuiticus of leapers wher they be commaunded to shewe themselues to the priestes Not that the priest coulde chuse the Leoprosye But that by his knowledge he could desarne who was a leaper who was not ¶ Ambrosius lib. of Cayine and Abell SInnes are remitted by Gods worde wherof the Priestes and Leuites are interpreters onely ¶ Iohn Chrisostome Tom. 6. Sermond vpon repentaunce and confession NOw it is not necessarye to confesse onr selues to present witnesses and in thy cogitation and thought make confession of thy sinnes without any witnesse and let God onely behold thy confession for he will not ayde thée with thy sinnes But if thou dosse confesse them he geueth remission therof ¶ The same To. 7. Ho. 9. of Repentaunce THis is a place of medicine and not of Iudgement it giueth not punishment but the remission of sinnes that thou sholdest only confesse thy faults and offences vnto God aboue ¶ Ciprian lib. of the fall of man. THe seruaunt cannot remitte that that is committed against the Lord and Maister Turne to the Lord leaue thy sinnes and praye before thē face of the Lord and so shalt thou lessen thine offences turne to God and flye from thy selfe and from thine owne righteousnes c. ¶ Augustine vpon Iohn tract Et tibi dabo claues Regni THe Rocke was not called Petra or a Rocke of Peter but Peter toke his name of Petra That is to saye a Rocke euen as Christ taketh not his name of a Christian but a Christian of Christ therfore the Lord sayd vpon this Rocke will I build my Church because Peter sayd thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing Therfore vpon this Petra and Rocke which thou hast confessed I will build sayth Christ my Church and the Rocke was Christ ▪ vpon the foundation Peter also himselfe dyd build and no man can laye other foundation then that that is alredye layde which is Iesus Christ c. Augustine vpon the Lords words in Math. Sermond 13. THou sayth he arte Peter and vpon this Petram or Rocke which thou hast confessed I vppon this Rocke which thou hast acknowleged sayinge thou arte Christ the sonne of the liuing god Will I build my Church as who woulde saye I will build thée vpon me and me vpon thée for men buildinge on themselues sayd I am of Paule I am of Apollo I am of Cephas he is Peter But others which would not be builded vpon Peter sayd I am of Christ and the Apostle Paule when he hard that he was chosen and Christ forsaken is sayth he Christ deuided Is Paule crucified for you And are you Baptised in the name of Paule Wheras it is not so in Paule neither in Peter But in the name of Christ that Peter the man might be builded vppon Petram thy Rocke and not Petra the Rocke vpon Peter the man c. As farther he sayde Lorde if it be thou commaund me to come vppon the waters to thée for I cannot do this in my selfe but in thée he dyd confesse what his owne strenght was of himselfe and what he was of him by whose will he dyd beleue he could do that that infirmitie weakenes of mans nature could not do therfore if it be thou commaund me which when