whiche that you maye the rather attaine and get to youre comfortes as I haue goone aboute to be a meane to sturre vp by Goedes grace this desiae of repētaunce so throughe the same grace of God wyll I go aboute now to shew you how you may haue your desier in this behalfe And fyrste concernynge this part namely sorow for your synnes and hartye lamentynge of the same For this yf you desier the hauynge of it you muste beware that you thinke not that of your selues or of your owne free wyll by any meanes you cā get it you may easely deceaue your selues and mocke your selues thinking more of your selues then is semelye Al good thynges and not peces of good thinges but all good thinges sayeth S. Iames commeth from God y e father of light If therefore pennaunce be good as it is good then the partes of it be good From God therefore do they come and not of our free wyll It is the Lorde that mortifieth that bringeth downe that humbleth sayth the scripture in sundrye places After thou haddest striken my thigh sayeth Ieremye I was ashamed ▪ Lo he sayth after thou haddest striken me and therfore praieth he euen the last wordes almoost he writeth Turne vs lord and we shal be turned the whiche thing Dauyd doth very often Wherfore fyrst of all yf thou wouldest haue this parte of pennaunce as for the whole because it is goddes gyft Acte xi ii Timo. ii so for this parte go thou vnto God make some lyttel prayer as thou canst vnto his mercy for the same in this or lyke sorte Mercifull father of our sauioure Iesus Christe bcause I haue synned and done wickedly and thorowe thy goodnes haue receaued a desire of repentaunce whereto this longe sufferaunce doth draw my hard heart I besech thy mercy in Christ to work the same repentaunce in me by thy spyryt power and grace to humble mortifye and feare my conscyence for my synnes to saluation that in thy tyme thou mayeste comforte and quycken me thoroughe Iesus Christ thy dearly beloued sonne Amē After this sort I say or otherwyse as thou thynkeste good yf thou wylte haue this fyrst parte contricion or sorowe for thy synnes do thou begge it of God thorow Christe And when thou haste asked it as I haue laboured to dryue the frome trustynge in thy selfe so nowe I gooe aboute to moue thee from flatterynge of thy selfe from sluggyshnes and negligence to be diligente to vse these meanes folowynge Vnto prayer which I would thou shouldest fyrst vse as thou canst Secondly get thee Gods lawe as a glasse to toote in for in it and by it commeth the trewe knowledge of synne withoute whiche knoweledge there can be no sorowe For howe can a man sorrowe for his synnes whyche knoweth not his synnes As when a man is sycke the fyrste steppe to health is to knowe his syckenesse euen so to saluation the fyrste steppe thereto is to knowe thy dampnation due for thy synnes The lawe of God therefore muste be gotten and well tooted in that is we muste looke in it spirituallye and not corporallye or carnally as the outward word or letter doth declare and vtter and so our sauioure teacheth vs in the .v. of Math expoundinge the .vi. and .vii. commaundementes not onely after the outward dede but also after the hearte makynge there the anger of the hart a kynd of murther lustinge after an other mans wyfe a kind of adulterye And this is one of the differences betwene Gods lawe and mannes lawe That of this mannes lawe I meane I am not condempnable so longe as I obserue outwardely the same But Goddes lawe goeth to the roote and to the harte condempnynge me for the inwarde mocion althoughe outwardlye I lyue moste holely As for example Yf I kyll no man though in my heart I hate mans law cōdempneth me not but otherwise doeth gods law And why for it seeth the fountayne whence the euyl doeth spring If hatred wer taken out of the hearte loftinesse in lookes detraction in tonge murther by hand could neuer ensue Yf lustinge were out of the heart curiositie in countenaunce wantōnes in wordes thē baudie boldnesse in body would not appeare In that therfore this outwarde euyll springes out of the inward corrupcion seynge gods lawe also is a lawe of libertie as sayth S. Iames And spirituall as sayth S. Paul Perfectly and spiritually it is to be vnderstand yf we wyll truelye come to the knowledge of our synnes For of this inwarde corruption reason knoweth but litle or nothinge I had not knowē sayth Paul y e lusting which to reason to them which are gyded only by reasō is thoughte but a trifle I had not knowen sayth he this lusting to haue been sinne yf y e law had not sayd Non concupisces thou shalt not lust To the knowledge therfore of our sinne w tout which we cānot repent or be sory for our sinne let vs secondly gette gods law as a glasse to toote in that not only litterally outwardly or partely but also spiritually inwardlye throughly let vs cōsidre the hart so shall we see the foule spottes we are stayned withal at least inwardly wherby we y e rather may be moued to harti sorow sighīg For as s Austen sayth it is a glas which feareth no bodie but euen loke what a one part so it paintes the oute In the law we see it is a foule spot not to loue the Lord our God w tal al I say our heart soule power might strength that cōtinually In the law it is a foule spotte not onely to make to our selues any grauen ymage or similitude to bow therto c but also not to frame our selfes wholly after the ymage wherto we ar made not to bow to it to worship it In the law we se y t it is a foule spot not only to take gods name in vain but also not earnestli hartely euen cōtinually to call vpō his name only to geue thākes vnto him to beleue to publishe to liue his holy word In gods law we se it is a foule spot to our soules not only to be an opē prophaner of y e saboth day but also not to rest frō our own words works y t y e lord might both speake wor vs by vs not to heare his holy worde not to communicate hys Sacramentes not to geue occasion to others to holynes by our example in godlye workes reuerēt esteminge of the ministerie of his worde In Gods law we see it a foule spot to our soules not only to be an opē disobeyer of our parents magistrates maysters and such as be in anye auctoritie ouer vs but also not to honour such euen in our heartes not to geue thākes to God for them not to pray for them to ayde to helpe or releue them to beare with their infirmities c. In Gods lawe we
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
not of these Kynges Prophetes Apostles Learned and commen of holye stockes I deceaue my selfe thynke thou with thy selfe yf I beleue GOD beynge the same GOD that he was wyll spare me whose wyckednesse is no lesse but muche more then some of theyrs he hateth synne nowe as muche as euer he dydde the longer he sparethe the greater vengeaunce wyll fall The deeper he draweth his bowe the soorer wyll the shafte pearce But yf yet thy harte be so hardened that all thys geare wyll not moue thee Suerlye thou arte in a verye euyll estate and remedy now know I none What sayde I none knowe I none yes yet there is one which is suresbye as they saye to serue yf anye thynge will serue you loke to knowe what this is Forsooth the passion and death of Iesus CHRISTE You knowe the cause whye Christe become man and suffered as he suffered was the synnes of hys people thot he myght saue them from the same Consider y e greatnes of the soore I meane sinne by the greatenes of the Surgion and of the salue Who was the Surgion no Aungell no sainct no Archaungel no power no creature in heuē nor in earth but onely he by whom al thinges were made all thinges are ruled also euen Gods owne dearlyng and onely beloued Sonne becōmynge man Oh what a great thinge is this that coulde not be doone by the aungels archaūgels potestates powers or all the creatures of God without his owne Sonne who yet muste nedes be thruste out of heauen as a man woulde saye to take oure nature and become man Here haue ye the surgion greate was the cure that this mightye Lorde toke in hande Nowe what was the salue Forsoth dere geare and of many compositions I cannot recite al but rather must leaue it to your hartye considerations Three thyrtye yeares was he curynge oure sore he sought it earnestly by fastinge watchinge prayinge c. The same nyghte he was betrayed I read how busy he was aboute a plaister in the garden when he lying flat on y e grounde prayenge with teares and that of bloud not a fewe but so manye as dydde flowe downe on the grounde agayne cryinge on this sorte Father sayth he yf it be possible lette this ruppe departe frome me that is yf it be possible els mankyndes synnes canne be taken awaye graunte that it maye be so Thou hardest Moyses cryinge for the ydolaters Thou hardest Lot for the zoarites Samuell Dauyd and manye other for the Israelites and deare Father I onelye am thyne owne sonne as thou hast sayde in whome thou arte well pleased wylte thou not heare me I haue by the space of three and thyrty yeares done always thy wyll I haue so humbled my selfe that I woulde become an abiecte amongeste men to obeye thee Therefore deare father yf it be possible graunt my request saue mankynde nowe wythoute any further laboure Salues or playsters But yet sayth he not as I wyll but as thou wylte But syr what harde he thoughe he sweate bloude and water in makynge his playster for oure sore of synne yet it framed not twyse he cryed withoute comforte yea ▪ thoughe to comfort hym GOD sente an Aungell we yet knowe that thys Playster was not alowed for sufficiente vntyll herevnto Christe Iesus was betrayed forsaken of all hys Discyples forsworne of his dearelye beloued bounde lyke a thefe belyed on buffeted whypped skourged crowned with thornes derided crucified racked nayled hanged vppe betwene twoo theues cursed and rayled vppon mocked in myserye and hadde geuen vppe the ghoste then bowed downe the heade of Christe that is GOD the father whyche is the heade of Christe i. Corinth xi then alowed he the playster to be sufficient and good for the healynge of our sore which is synne Now wolde God abyde our breath because the stincke that is dampnation or gyltynesse was taken awaye by the swete sauour of the breath of this lambe thus offered once for all So that here dearelye beloued we as in a glasse maye se to the broosynge of oure blockyshe harde heartes Goddes greate iudgement and anger agaynste synne The Lorde of Lordes they kynge of kynges the brightnes of Goddes glorye the sonne of GOD the dearelynge of hys father in whome he is well pleased hangeth betwene twoo theues cryinge for thee and me and for vs all My God my god why haste thou forsaken me Oh harde heartes that we haue whiche make tuttes for synne looke on thys toote in the verye harte of Christe pearced wyth a speare wherein thou mayeste see and reade Goddes horrible anger for sinne woo to thy hard harte that pearsed it And thus muche for the fyrste parte of repentaunce I meane for the meanes of workynge contricion Fyrste vse prayer thē looke on GODDES lawe thyrdely se hys curse fourthlye sette exaumples of his anger and laste of all sette before thee the death of Christe frome this and prayer cease not tyll thou feele some hartye sorowe for thy Sinne. The whiche when thou fealeste then laboure for the other parte that is fayth on this sorte As fyrste in contrition I willed thee not to truste to thy free wyll for thattaininge of it so do I wyll thee in this Fayth is so farre frome the reache of mannes free wyll that to reasonne it is playne folyshnes Therefore thou muste fyrste go to GOD whose gyfte it is thou muste I saye gette thee to the father of mercye whose woorke it is Iohn the syxth that as he hathe brought y e downe by contricion and humbled thee so he woulde geue the fayth rayse thee vppe Collossians ii and exalte thee On this manner therefore with the Apostles and the poore man in the Gospell that cryed Lorde encrease oure fayeth Lorde helpe my vnbeleife praye thou and saye O mercyfull GOD and deare father of oure Lorde and sauyoure Iesus Christ in whom as thou arte well pleased so hast thou commaunded vs to heare hym forasmuche as he often biddeth vs to aske of thee and ther to promyseth that thou wylte heare vs and graunte vs that whyche in hys name we shall aske of thee Loe gracious father I am bolde to begge of thy mercye thoroughe thy Sonne Iesus Christe one sparckle of true fayth and certayne perswasion of thy goodnes and loue towardes me in Christe where throughe I beynge assewred of the pardonne of all my sinnes by the mercyes of Christe thy Sonne maye be thankefull to thee loue thee and serue thee in holynes and rightuousnes al the dayes of my lyfe On this sorte I saye or otherwyse as God shall moue thee praye thou fyrste of all and looke for thy request at GODDES hande withoute any doubtyng thoughe forthwith thou feeleste not the same for often tymes we haue thynges of GOD geuen vs longe before we feele them as we woulde do Nowe vnto thys prayer vse thou these meanes folowynge After prayer for fayth which I woulde shoulde be firste Secondlye because the same