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
O mercifull God what haue I herde and sene this day so christian a house so godlye an order neuer sawe I in my lyfe All householders may take an example of you Would God y t many seynge this youre acte would in lyke maner folow it in euery condicion garnyshyng theyr houses with holy scriptures trayning theyr lyâ—es accordyng to the same Oh what a floryshynge realme than shoulde we haue Wyth howe syncer fayth shoulde we serue God Wyth howe feruent charite should we procure y e coÌ„modite of our neyghboure With howe redy myndes endued w t al huÌ„bly submissioÌ„ shoulde we faythe fully obey our moost christen Emperoure moost redoubted Kynge and moost excellent ruler With how feruent herte should we profligate and chase awaye synne With howe vale aunte courage shoulde we amplecte inhaunce vertue It can not be expressed with howe many great coÌ„modities this moost prosperous realme shoulde florysshe to the glory of God the aâ—auncement of y â— kynges moost excelleÌ„t maiestie to the great pleasure contentacion of all youre mindes yf this thing were brought to passe â–ª PHIL. I am here vnder God and my Prince a ruler ouer this my lytle housholde I thynke my selfe to be so muche bounde in conscience to bryng theÌ„ vp vertuously that yf ony of them shoulde perysshe theyr bloud should be required of my haÌ„d at the dreadfull daye of iudgement CHRI Woulde God that all housholders yea all Bysshoppes Curates would waite attent vpoÌ„ theyr parysshes wyth no lesse dilygence than you do on your flock EVSE The very â—ame woulde I wysshe THEO Than should christeÌ„ meÌ„ knowe Christ his lawes better theÌ„ they do nowe a dayes and serue theyr Prince w t a more faythfull and obedient herte PHIL. Well thus haue ye sene my symple wytte in diuisynge these aforesayde thynges for the ryght institucion of my selfe family And it pleseth me wel seyng that it doth not displease you EVSE The lyght hereof hath so delyghted vs that nothyng heretofore hath fed our eyes with so great delectacioÌ„ pleasure Neyther haue we beÌ„ here vaine ydle spectatours but haue reposed all theise thynges in oure brestes that euery one of vs intende to gyrnysshe his house and order his familye in lyke maner gyuynge you ryght herty thankes for the callynge of vs hyther this daye â—HIL Seyng y t ye haue now sene the moost priÌ„cipal plesures of my haull I praye you vouchesafe to take the payne for to come into my parlouâ— THEO We followe you gladly PHIL. Nowe are ye welcome hyther CHRI I praye you neyghbour Philemon what haue we here to do I am now more rauysshed then I was before Here is euery thynge so godly pleasaunt that it semethe vnto me to be a figure of the newe celeâ—tial Ierusalem which is so gorgiouâ—ly decked garnysshed wyth all kynde oâ— heauenly treasures But I praye you what do ye mene bi your table spred w t a fayre white fyne cloth Again what four bokes haue you layd vpon the table cladde couered moost preciously with cloth of gold PHIL. It is not vnknowen to you neyghbours that I dyd bydde you vnto a Christmasse Bancket very frendely ye are come to me Nowe that it myght be a Christmasse Bancket indede I was mynded not only to prouyde meate for youre bodies as the common fasshyon of the worlde is but also for your soules or els howe coulde it be a Christmasse Bancket These â—oure bokes that lye here are thus named The fyrst is the fiue bokes of Moses w t certayne other volumes of the olde TestameÌ„t The seconde is the Prophetes The thyrd the new TestameÌ„t The fourth the Doctours of the chyrche For euery one of vs here is a boke of lyke nomber for euery one of vs all Theise are the maysters of the Christmasse Bancket These are they which shal feaste you Theyse are they that haue in store so many godly goodli dysshes mooste confortable for oure soules healthe Whan we haue once taken our repast of these moost delycious disshes than by Gods fauoure wyll we repare to the feast of thâ— body which the coÌ„mon forte only celebrate neglectyng y t which is pryncipall moost precious CHRI We desyre very much to taste of these pleasauÌ„t and deynty dysâ—hes THEO My herte reioyseth to heare these thynges EVSE Me thynke it a hundred yeare tyll we begynne our bancket PHIL. Seynge y t yeare so desyrous to tast of this moost godly bancket come of that it may be done amoÌ„g vs with the more fruyte let vs al w t one consente knele downe praye to God for the assistance of his spiryte EVSE Agreed PHIL. If it wyll please you to gyue audience quietelye to heare I wyll praye in the name of you all THEO Let it be so EVSE Yea I praye you CHRI That is best PHIL. Heare nowe ¶ The prayer O Good God mercyefull father the â—uthor gyuer of all wisdome whych at the intercession of thy welbeloued sonne Iesus Christe our LORDE and sauioure dyddest sende downe accordynge to thy promyse thy holye spyryte to lyghten the hertes senses of the apostles before they could syncerly vnderstand the hygh misteries of thy deuyne wyll We moost humbly besech the that all cloudes of ignorancy darkenes dispelled put awaye we beyng here gathered togither in thy name may thorowe that same thy spyrite enioye the lyght of thy eternal verite so reuerentlye read talke of thy most blessed word at this preseÌ„t y t we vnderstandyng y â— same beiÌ„g enflamed w t y e loue rediÌ„g therof maye in all poyntes fasshyon oure lyfe accordinge vnto thy holye worde seriously prouyde that the lyght of all our actes maners may so shyne before meÌ„ y t they seyng our good workes maye gloryfy the oure father which arte in heaueÌ„ to whom wyth thy welbeloued sonne Iesus Christ the holy ghost thre distincte persones in deite and yet one verye true perfecte God in essence be all honour prayse glory for euermore THEO Amen EVSE So be it CHRI LORDE let it so come to passe PHIL. Nowe let vs fall in hande with our Christmasse bancket I beseche God so to temper our tonge thorowe the influence of the holye Ghoste that we speake here this daye nothynge dissonante from the veâ—itie of Gods worde but altogyther to the glorye of his moost blessed name and the coÌ„forte of al our soules THEO The very same thynge we also wysshe PHIL. Nowe wyll I bringe forth vnto you the bancket bycause I wyl not onerate ouercharge your stomackes with to much meat at ones although thâ—r ought not to be ony sufficieÌ„cy much lesse any nimiete in spiritual thinges so desyrous of theÌ„ should we be I haue at this presâ—nt only prepared accordyng to the nuÌ„ber of vs foure dysshes that we tastynge of theÌ„ yea rather eatynge deuouryng digesting
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