thyrste more but the water which is gyuen hym shall be made in hym a well of water spryngynge vp into euerlastynge lyfe THEO Uerye godlye forsothâ— Youre dysshes also wante not speche PHIL. They reherse y e sayenge of christ in y e gos of IohnÌ„ Verely verely I saye vnto you excepte ye eate the flesâ—he of y e sonne of maÌ„ drinke his bloude ye haue no lyfe in you But he that eateth my flesshe drinketh my bloud hath eternall lyfe I wyll rayse hym vp at the last day For my flesshe is very meat and my bloud very drynke he that eteth my flesshe drinketh my bloud he dwelleth in me and I in him This puttethe vs in remembraunce when we eate oure meate of the breakynge of Christes moost blessed body and the sheddiÌ„g of his moost precious bloud by the remembrauÌ„ce of it y e beleuyng of the same our soules at that very present are no lâ—sse fed susteyned than oure bodyes are wyth the meate y t is brought vnto vs in these dysshes And this remembraunce of christes death maketh vs to be thaÌ„kfull vnto God the father to endeuour oure selues to lyue worthy his inestimable kyndnes in all poyntes to do oure diligence y â— God maye dwel in vs by his spiryte we iÌ„ him thorowe that fayth which worketh by charite EVSE Here is euery â—hiÌ„ge so godly pleasant y t it ouercoÌ„mech al prayse But seynge y t we haue begun to demaund of you these questions coÌ„cerning y e scriptures in your house we wyll go forth so to do tâ—usting y â— ye would not be greued with vs for so doynge PHIL. Brother Eusebius I am not only not greued w t you but also very gladde that these my deuices haue in ony poynte pleased youre mynde EVSE I praye you what is it that your chayres stooles haue carued on theÌ„ PHIL. A sayenge of Christe in the Reuelacion of Iohn To him that ouercoÌ„meth wyl I grauÌ„te to syt w t me in my throne CHRI A very swete sayenge But what meane you by this PHIL. It it not â—nknowen to you I am sure howe confortable a thyng it is for a wery body to syt to haue a restyng place CHRI Trueth what than PHIL. Certes it is a thousand tymes more coÌ„fortable to haue a place wheâ— body and soule after so many great daungerous conflictes in this miserable worlde maye quietly reste Therfore haue I written this teâ—tâ— on my chayres stooles to putte me myne in remembrance that yf we wyl fynd rest after this life we must seriously not dally but fyght w t Satan our enemy We may neuer giue place to the world the dyuel nor the flesshe but maynly resyst theÌ„ beyng clothed w t the armature of God and neuer leaue vntyll we haue gotten the victory of them all So shall we rest in the kyngedome of God or els not For the Scripture sayeth To hiÌ„ y t ouercoÌ„meth wyl I grauÌ„t to syt w t me â— my throne THEO What scripture I praye you haue ye wrytten here ouer your lauer PHIL. The sayenge of Esaye Be ye wasshed be ye cleane take awaye the euell of your thoughtes from my eies Here so oft as we wasshe our handes we are moued to remeÌ„ber with oure selues yf ony malyce or hate be in our hertes towarde our neyghbour If ther be ony at all we suffer not the Sonne to fall downe vpoÌ„ our anger but accordynge to Christes precepte we go streyght and reconcyle our selues to such as with whoÌ„e we are at debate or they with vs. Moreouer yf there be ony other vncleanesse or notable vyce in vs we streight put it aware oute of our hertes by true vnfayned repentauÌ„ce not only banysshe the vice from vs but also embrace y e vertue contrarye vnto the vyce as the scripture sayeth Declyne from euell do good I gayne cease to do euâ—ll and learne to do good By this meanes hath synne no dominion in vs but vertue very muche EVSE I woulde wysshe soner to come into this house theÌ„ into any place eyther of Emperour or kynge I count him to dwell in a fortunate yle y t dwelleth in a house so adourned garnisshed with the moost odiferous redolent swete smellynge floures of the holy scriptures THEO It semeth vnto me also that youre vyrginalles speake although no man playeth on theÌ„ PHIL. They saye thus The eye hath not sene nor the eare hathe not hearde neyther hath it entred into the harte of man that God hath prepared for theÌ„ that loue hym It maketh that though the sound of y t instrument which is but vayne and fedeth y e eare for a lytle whyle semeth pleasaunte ioyefull to the hearers for the tyme yet is that nothyng in coÌ„parison of the celestiall melodye heauenly ioye that God hath prepared for theÌ„ that loue hym Therefore are we here admonysshed not to delyghte in fantasticall instrumentes the pleasure wher of is more vayne than the smoke but in that melodye ioye whiche is perpetuall neuer decayeth so to institute our lyfe y t we maye be partakers of that vnspekable pleasaunce ioye CHRI The longer I behold the partes of youre house the more I am moued to meruayle seyng so rare spectacles ful of all vertue godlynes Your postes also salute your gestes so farre as I can perceyue PHIL. They expresse this sentence of S. Paule the teÌ„ple of God is holy which you are This putteth vs in remeÌ„braunce in what sâ—euer parte of the house we go that we should so kepe oure hertes cleane from the infeccion of mortal synne that God in them by his holy spirite myght dwel perpetuaâ—ly EVSE I praye you what two great tables haue you hangynge there openly PHIL. This is the table of the. xâ—commaundementes which teachethe vs what we oughte to do what to erchew The other is a table also whiche contayneth in it the offyces of al degrees and estates It teacheth vs whatte we owe to oure mooste noble Prince to oure parentes to al superioures In this table euery man from the hyghest degre to the lowest may lerne his offyce duety Therfore are these two tables redde euery daye openlye in my house my wife chyldreÌ„ w t al my seruauntes beyng called therunto geuynge atteÌ„daÌ„ce diligently to the readyng of y e same If any of my houshold transgresse any percel of gods law he is brought streight waye to these tables and by them is his faut declared vnto hâ—m So that here by he taketh an occasion to amende his lyfe to be y e more circumspecte ware that he falleth not agayne into y t synne afterward This is y e order of my house Other correccion thaÌ„ this vse I none Yet not w tstandyng I thanke my LORD God all do theyr duety so well that I caÌ„ not wysshe it to be done better THEO
that ye maye knowe that I wraste not the scriptures I wil read vnto you the layeng of S Austen He was gyueÌ„ sayth he for our sines rose againe for our iustificacion Thy iustificacion thy circumsicion is not of thy selfe By grace are ye saued thorowe sayth that not of your selues but it is the gyfte of God not of workes vnlesse ê‘adueÌ„ture y u wouldest say I haue deserued it therfore haue I receiued it Thinke not y t y u dydest receyue it by deseruiÌ„g which couldest not haue deserued except y u haddest receiued it Grace weÌ„t before thi meryte grace is not of meryte but me rite of grace For if grace were of merite so haddest y u boght it not receiued it frely Thou shalt saue theÌ„ sayeth he for nothynge What is this thou shalt haue them for nothinge Thou fyndest in theÌ„ nothyng wherby thou mayst saue them yet doste thou saue them Freely thou gyuest frely thou sauest Thou goest before all merytes that thy giftes may oâ—tayne thy merytes Vtterâ—ye doeste thou geue frely saue frely which findest nothynge wherof thou mayeste saue fyndest muche wherby thou mayest coÌ„demne Agayne he sayeth thou haste done no good yet is remission of synnes gyuen vnto the. Let thy workes be looked vpon and they be all fouÌ„d euell Yf god shoulde gyue the y e which is due to thy workes he shoulde surely condemne the. But God doth not gyue vnto the y t payne which is due but giueth the grace which is not due Also vpon this texte to al that are at Rome beloued of God saynctes by cyllynge Here also sayeth he he sheweth that it is the excedyng mercy of God rather then thy meryte For he sayeth not to them that loue God but to theÌ„ that are loued of God For he loued vs fyrst that we beyng loued shoulde also loue hym S. Bernarde also sayth Grace maketh me iustified freely lykewyse delyuered from the bondage of synne Hereto agreeth FulgeÌ„tius sayenge God giueth grace to the vnworthy frely wherew t the wicked beynge iustified maye be lyghtened w t the gyfte of good wyl with the power of good workyng that mercy preuentyng and goyng before he maye begyn to wyl good mercy subsequent and folowyng he maye be able to do the good that he wylleth Thus perceyue you y t wheÌ„ther was nothynge in vs wherfore God should loue vs yet he freely loued vs â–ª chosed vs by his grace to be his chyldreÌ„ as S. Iohn sayeth Behold what a loue the father hath giuen to vs that we should be called y e sonnes of God Agayne he sayth In this is loue not that we loued God but that he loued vs sent his soÌ„ne to make agrement for oure synnes And a lytle after We loue hym because he fyrst loued vs. THEO What moued God to be so beneficiall vnto vs seyng we had offeÌ„ded so greuously were than by no meanes able to pacify his wrath w t ony good work EVSE This woulde I also gladdely knowe PHIL. His owne mere goodnes was the occasion of his loue toward vs for his soÌ„ne Iesus Christes sake In hym by hym for hym is God the father mercyful vnto vs freely saueth vs w tout ony respecte of our good workes For as s. Paule sayeth Yf righteousnes came by the lawe thaÌ„ dyed Christ in vayne And God hymselfe sayth by the Prophet I am I am he which putteth away thyne iÌ„â—iquittes yea that for myne owne sake wyll remember thy synnes no more Put me in remeÌ„brauÌ„ce let vs iudged togither Declare yf thou haste any thynge that thou mayest he iustified And this is it y t we speke of before that selfe seed shal tread down thy head Furthermore God sayde to Abraham In thy seed shall all nacioÌ„s of y â— earth be blessed This seed sayth S. Paule is Christ by whom al are we blessed that is to saye receyued into fauour forgiuen of oure synnes freelye iustified and made heyres of eternal glory CHRI Now coÌ„meth this to passe by Christ I praye you PHIL. Uerely on this wyse when all we were dampned in AdaÌ„ God of his mere mercy and exceadyng grace promised to Adam his posterite that ther should be one borne which should delyuer theÌ„ out of theyr seruitude and restore them agayne to grace This dyd God the father in the olde lawe not only many times promise but also obsibrate shadow by dyuers misteries figures cloudes and ceremonies that by them y e saythfull might receyue consolacioÌ„ And at the tyme appoynted of GOD the father this maÌ„ Iesus Christ came into the world He was conceyued by the holy ghost â—orne of the virgyn Mary accordynge to the holy scriptures He was begotteÌ„ of the seed of Dauyd as pertainyng to the flesshe THEO Yea that withoute the seed of man PHIL. Ye saye trueth He receyued very flesshe by y â— wonderfull operacioÌ„ of gâ—ds spirite of Mary the styl remaynyng a pure and cleane virgyne It was necessarye that he shoulde be borne of a virgyn in asmuch as the nature of maÌ„ is full of carnall concupiscence deâ—yled by Adam or els coulde not he haue ben a pure sufficient sacrifice before God for vs. For by nature all we are borne the chyldren of wrath sayth S. Paule Therfore without the seed of ony man which is corrupted in AdaÌ„ was he borne of y e moost pure and vndefyled virgyn Marye beyng conformable to vs in all thynges synne alone except For our syn was so great that it could be put a waye neyther by any chylde of AdaÌ„ nor yet by aungel but only by such one as beynge of our fleshe shoulde be borne without the seed of man without ony carnal concupiscence And for asmuche as this coulde not be brought to passe by anye carnall man therfore was it necessary that the sonne of god should come downe from the right hande of God the father and be made very man for our sake that he beyng both God man myght by his moost precious bloud pacify god the fathers wrath recoÌ„ cycle vs agayne to him God so loued the world sayth Christ that he gaue his only begotten sonne that euery one that beleueth in hym maye not perysshe but haue euerlastyng lyfe For God sent not his sonne into the worlde for to condemne the worlde but that the worlde should be saued by hym He that beleueth in him is not condeÌ„ned But he that beleueth not is alredy condemned because he hath not beleued on the name of the only begotten sonne of god GOD spared not his owne soÌ„ne sâ—yth S. Paule but gaue hym for vs all Agayne God setteth out his loue y â— he hath to vs seynge that whyle we were yet synners Christ dyed for vs much more than now seyng we are iustified this bloud shal we be preserueâ— from wrathe thorowe
him For yf when we were enemies we were reconcyled â—o God by the deathe of his sonne much more sâ—ynge we are reconcyled we shall be preserued by his lyfe Not only so but we also ioy in god by the meanes of our LORDâ— Iesus Christ by whome we haue receyued this attonemente Also S. Iohn sayeth For this purpose appered the sonne of God for to loose the workes of the euel Agayne tâ— this appeared y â— loue of God to vswarâ— â–ª bycause that God sent his onlye begotteÌ„ sonne into the world that we myghte lyue thorowe hym Thus se you y t whan ther was no hope of saluacioÌ„â—or vs in ony creature God of his owne free goodness seÌ„t dâ—wne hâ—s only begotten sonne to be a Sauyour vnto vs. EVSE This do we perceyue right wel PHIL. Nowe markâ— agayne howe that by him alone we are saued His name is IESVS that is to saye a sauyour for he it is that saueth his people froÌ„ theyr synnes neyther 〈◊〉 there any other name gyuen vnto men vnder heaueÌ„ wherin they must be saued but only by this name IESVS To hym geueth all the Prophetes witâ—eg â–ª that thorow his name â—ll shall receyue remission of synnes that beleue in hiÌ„ Be it knowen vnto you ye men brothers y e by this Iesus Christ remissioÌ„ of synnes is preached vnto you from al thynges from the whiche ye coulde not be iustified by the law of Moses by him is eueri one that beleueth â—ustified He is y â— LaÌ„be of God whiche taketh awaye the synne of y â— worlde He is our resurreccion lyfe He is the waye trueth lyfe No man commeth to the father but by him He is the good shepeheard by whom we be saued from the wolfe He is the dore by whom we must enter into grace He is the vyne in whome we beyng ingrassed muste nedes brynge forth muche fruyte He is oure wisdome righteousnes sanctificacion redeÌ„cioÌ„ He is our peace He is our mediatour aduocate He is alpha omega that is both the begynnyng and endyng of our saluacion Moreouer by him are we at peace with God By him haue we a waye in thorowe sayth vnto this fauoure wherin we stond reioyce in hope of the prayse that shall be gyuen of God By hym is the fauoure of God plenteous towarde vs. By hym his righteousnes are we made righteous By him hath the lawe of the Spirite of lyfe made vs free from the lawe of â—ynne deth By hym hath god the father blessed vs with all spiritual blessyng in heauenlye thynges By him dyd God chose vs before the foundacioÌ„s of the worlde were layd y t we should be sayntes fautles before hym By hym are we made dere to god the father By hym haue we redempcion by his bloud remission of sinnes By him are all thynges both in heauen earth gathered togyther By him we which in tymes paste were farre of are made nigh thorow his bloud By hym we haue and open waye vnto the father By him are all our sinnes forgyuen vs. By hym are we delyuered from the wrath to come By hym and by his bloude are we made cleane from all synne By hym by the oblacion of his moost blessed body done once for all are we sanctified Yea by that one oblacion hath he made perfecte for euâ—rmore theÌ„ that are sanctifyed To conclude by hym is euerlastyng lyfe gyuen vnto vs. Thus se you that by Christ all good thynges chauÌ„se vnto vs that god the father is wel pleased set at one w t vs for his sake as he himselfe witnesseth This is my welbeloued soÌ„ne in whome I am well pleased or for whose sake I am fully contented w t man Hereto agreeth the sayenge of S. Austen All y â— euer receyue euerlastynge lyfe receyue it not but by Christ. Therfore sayth he in another place All my hope is in the death of my LORDE His death is my meryte my refuge succour health â—ife my resurreccion My merite is the compasssioÌ„ of the LORDE I am not w tout meryte so long as y t LORDE of mercies shal not waÌ„t And yf y t mercies of y â— LORD be many I am plenteous in merites The stronger is to saue the more without iopardy am I let vs therfore gyue thaÌ„kes sayeth he to the LORDE our sauiour whiche no merites goynge before hathe heled vs that were wounded reconcyled vs his enemyes redemed vs froÌ„ captiuite brought vs againe out of darkenes into light called vs again from death to lyfe let vs humblye confessyng our fragilite wekenes desyre hys mercy in asmuch as he hath preuented vs as the Psalmographe sayth w t his mercye he maye vouchâ—aâ—e not only to preserue and kepe in vs but also to augment and encrese his giftes or benefytes wâ—iche he hath vouchedsafe to gyue vs. CHRI Amen THEO So be it EVSE LORDE let it so come to passe PHIL. Home dothe this seconde seruyce of your BaÌ„cket please you THEO We neuer iÌ„ our lyues tasted a dysh more pleasaunt confortable to our soules health EVSE We haue now learned what we are of oureselues and wher remedy is to be gotten but by what meanes shall we come by it What thynge maye be the occasion wherby we maye receyue so many â—o great benefytes at y e hande of god the father for Iesus Christes sake I praye you a good fellowshyppe decâ—are this vnto vs. PHIL. I neuer heard a questioÌ„ared in better tyme for the answere to it is your thyrde dysshe whiche before you proponed this question I was fullye determined to set before you And now here it is ¶ The thyrde dysshe PHILEMON REpent beleue the gospell These were y e wordes that our sauiour christ as marke testifieth vsed wheÌ„ be begaÌ„ to preach In the which he declareth by what meanes we may obtaine remission of our synnes the celâ—â—ial heritage of gods glorye Repent sateth he beleue the gospell Fryrste he exorteth vs to repentaunce whiche is as Chrisostome sayth not only to cease from the oldewithour euelles but also to folowe better offices such thynges as ought of dutie to be done as Dauid sayeth Declyne froÌ„ 〈◊〉 euel do good S. IohnÌ„ the Baptysâ—e in lyke maner in the begynnyng of his preachyng sayd RepeÌ„t for the kingdome of heauen is at hand Christ also after his resurreccion commaunded his Apostles to preach repeÌ„taÌ„ce and remission of sinnes in his name vnto al nacions Lykewyse we read in the Actes of y e Apostles then wheÌ„ Peter preached to the Iewes much of christ shewed that he was the same LORDE Iesus whom they had crucyfied they were prycked in theyr hertes sayd Ye meÌ„ breâ—â—reÌ„ what shall we do Peter sayde vnto theÌ„ Repent be baptised euery one of you in the name
this your thyrd seruyce that the onelye meanes to obtayne remission of oure synnes to be made heyres of eternall glorye is vnfaynedly to repent faythfullye to beleue that is to saye to forsake oure olde lyuynge to become newe men garnisshyng our lyues with al the fruites of the spiryte and to beleue earnestly that thorowe this repentaunce and fayth God wyll vndoubtedly for Iesus Christes sake for gyue vs all oure synnes receyue vs agayne into fauour make vs heyres of his eternall glory EVSE This is the moost pleasaunt dysshe that euer I tasted THEO These thiâ—ges that you haue spoken vnto vs are so confortable y e me thynke I am now enflamed more set on fyre thaÌ„ euer I was before CHRI As I maye vnâ—ainâ—dly reporte vnto you the affect of my herte verely synce that ye declared to vs the goodnes of God y e father toward vâ— thorow Iesus christ I haue felte in my herte such an earnest fayth burnyng loue towarde God and his worde that me thynke a thousande fyres coulde not plucke me away from the loue of hym I be gynne nowe vtterlye to contemne despyse reiecte cast awaye sette at nought al y e pleasures of this world â—herein I haue â—o greatlye reioyced in tymes past All the thretes of god all the displeasures of God al y e fyres paynes of hell coulde neuer before this daye so allure me to the loue of God as you haue nowe done by expressynge vnto me the excedyng mercye vnspeakable kyndeses of God towarde vs wretched synners insomuch that now from the very herte I desyre to knowe what I maye do that by some meanes I maye shewe agayne my herte to be full fyred on the sekynge of his glory For I nowe desyre nothyng more theÌ„ the auauÌ„ce meÌ„t of his name PHIL. It reioyceth me to heare these thynges of you Therfore nowe wyll I as due order requireth brynge forth your fourth yea last dyshe that ye may knowe what ye ought to do agayn toward God for his vnmesurable bountie infinite benefites toward you that yelyuynge in this worlde worthy of his kyndnes maye after this lyfe receyue the crowne of glorye THEO I praye you brynge it forth streyghte wayes for we much desyre to tast of it EVSE There is nothynge that I wysshe more than continually to be fedde with the meate of such an heaueÌ„ly bancket Therfore I praye you go forth to minister vnto vs the residue of oure mooste delicious feaste PHIL. Agreed but marke well for here it is ¶ The fourth dysshe WE are the workemanshyp of God created in christ Iesus vnto good workes whiche God hath prepared that we should walke in them This is y â— sayâ—nge of S. Paule whiche a lytle before this sentence in his Epistle to y e Ephe declareth as I haue hitherto taughte you that by nature we are the chyldreÌ„ of wrath are saued only by grace thorow fayth that not of our selues for it is y e gyfte of god commethe not of workes bycause no man shoulde boste hym selfe And whan he hath this done immediately he exorteth vs to good workes saienge that we are the workemanship of God created in Christ Iesu vnto good workes which God hath prepared y e we should walke in them Here maye ye learne what is your duety to do vnto God agayn seing that he frely thorowe sayth hath saued you withoute any merites deseruynges or good dedes on your behalfe Your duty is to lyue wel to practyse good workes to exercyse al godlye actes to lede a vertuous conuersacioÌ„ and in all your lyfe thorowe the study of innocency to seke the glory of God Now shall your coÌ„uersacion declare and shewe by externall workes whether your repentaunce be vnfayned or not whether your fayth loue towarde God be syncere true procedyng from a godly herte or not For yf your repentaunce faith loue be christian vnfayned than shal good workes ensue followe agreable to the same For faythe sayeth Chrisostome sheweth that whiche is true And out of syncer fayth coÌ„meth charite in so much that he whiche beleueth truly in God caÌ„ neuer be with out it S. Ambrose also sayth fayth is the mother brynger for the both of good wyll righteous workyng Agayne he sayeth A new creature hath this property by grace y e they which are the workemanshyp of god which are made in Christ by an heauenly natiuite be no more sluggysh nother gyueÌ„ to lyue dissolutely but they go forth profyte from vertue to vertue in walkynge by the waye of good workes Also iÌ„ another place he sayeth God gyueth to theÌ„ whom he choseth without merites whereof they maye be garnysshed with merites also And it is not truely sayde that the entent and determinacion of wel workyng is not in the electe For the gyftes of vertues caÌ„ not beydle Thus se you that lynysh fayth whereby ye are ingrassed in Christe brynge the forth good workes Neyther is true repentaÌ„ce syncer faith vnfayned loue in you yf good christen workes do not followe your conuersion Yea they that bost of fayth and brynge not forth the workes of fayth derogate muche the glorye of fayth cause the true and christian fayth to be slaundered yll reported amonge theÌ„ which neuer tasted nor yet at ony tyme in theyr hertes felte what a precious thyng and of howe great strength effycacy power the syncere faythe is Therfore yf youre fayth be not accoÌ„panied wyth good workes youre fayth is dead as S. Ia. fayeth y â— is to saye it is a true christen fayth no more than a deade corse is a man For that faith which is approued before God worketh by charite charite caÌ„ not be ydle but brasteth out into good workes whâ— so euer it seeth an occasioÌ„ gyueÌ„ who can loue his neighbour suffer him to perysshe for want of his helpe Therfore is a faythfull man compared in y â— first Psalme to a tree which is planted by the waters syde bringeth forth her fruytes in due tyme. I am the true vyne sayeth Christ ye are the braunches He that abydeth in me I in hiÌ„ â—â—yngeth forth much fruyte Agayne he sayeth He that beleueth iÌ„ me floudes of lyuish water should flowe out of his belly Here se you that he which dwelleth iÌ„ Christ by fayth beleueth in hiÌ„ briÌ„geth for the plenty of good workes He therfore that is an vnâ—ruytfull tree briÌ„geth forth no good fruite surelye he beleuethe not arighte in Christ neyther hath he the Christen faythe boste and crake he neuer so much of it EVSE Methinke than by your wordes y â— good workes necessarely follow the christen fayth PHIL. Yea euen as necessarelye as the shadow followeth the body death the lyfe THEO They than whiche lyue dissolute withoute doyng of good workes haue not the christen