Pray you my most dearely and welbeloued brethren that with all our studye diligence we call to oure remembraunce whi and wher fore we be named and called Christians and whi we bere the crosse of Christ in our fore heades For truely we ought to know that it is not suffici ente to receaue the name of Christen men excepte we do the workes of Christians For what doth it auaile saith our lorde to call me lord lord yf ye fulfyll not my commauÌ„dementes yf thou name thy selfe a Christen souldear and contynuallye doste blesse thy self with the crosse of Christ and after thyne habylitie and substannce doeste no almes dedes nor regardest not charitie iustice nor chastitie thy christen name shall nothyng auayle the. The sygne and crosse of Christe is a thynge moste excellent and therfore with this moste pretious signacle and seale that thynge whiche is mooste precious ought to be sealed For what doth it auayle or profyte the to make a seale of a rynge of golde yf thou close putrified and rotten strawe therein Or what doth it auauntage vs to weare or to haue the crosse of Chryste in our foreheades and mouthes and in wardly in our soules to haue and hyde synne he that thinketh euel speaketh euell and yf he that blesseth hym â—elfe wyll not amend hys synnes decreace not but rather augment and increace There be that when they goo aboute theft or adultery yf they stuÌ„ble neuer soo lytle they doe blysse theÌ„ selues but yet they staye not them selues frome theyr euell workes and purposes Nor the wretches perceaue not that in so doinge they do rather include the deuyll then that they exclude hym But he whiche throughe the ayde of god doth reiecte and repell all vitious and synfull lyuinge and stryuethe bothe to thinke vpon that is good and to do good he doth well and iustlye blysse his mouthe with the sygne and token of the crosse and endeuer hym selfe to doo suche workes as shall deserue and meryte to haue and to receaue that sygne and token of the crosse For it is written The kyngedome of heauen is not in wordes but in power and good workes And agayne fayth with out good workes is dead in it selfe Therefore leaste that peraduenture we haue not this Chrysten name to oure ayde and amendment but to our vtter damnation and de struction let vs whiles that we haue remedy and help in our owne handes retourne vnto good workes And to the eutent ye may throughe the helpe of God accomplysh and doe those thynges loke that there be peace and concorde amonge you and that ye reduce and brynge those that are at stryfe and debate to peace and vnytiâ— Auoyde and flye allesyngs Excheue periury as perpetuall mortal death And aboue al thinges loke that after youre habilitie as is aforesayde ye ex hibite geue your charitie to the poore and nedy and that ye offer vp your oblations to be consecrated vpon the aulter Loke that ye canne saye poure beleife and the lordes prayer and that ye teache your chyldren the same For I maruell very muche howe they dare be so holde as once to name them selues christians that do dissimble to saye a fewe verses onelye of theyr crede or of the lordes praier Like wise ye shall vnderstaÌ„d that for those children the whiche ye do Christen ye are as suerties vnto God and therefore be circumspecte to correcte and chasten aswell those whiche ye do Christen as your owne naturall chyldreÌ„ that they maye liue chastly soberly and iustly And beware that youre lyfe be such that youre chyldren yf they wyl folowe you burne not in the eternall fier but that they may approch and come with you to the perpetuall blysse of heauen Take you heede that do here and iudge mens causes that ye iudge ryghteously and that ye take no gif tes of the poore For gyftes doe blynde wyse mens hartes and dooâ— chaunge alter the wordes of the prudent wyse lest peraduenture whiles ye get and heape vp monye ye lese youre soules For no man can gette vnlawfull gaine without laweful paine and damage for where is luker there is losse luker in the cheste and damage in coÌ„science Let no man drinke to be dronken nor compell anye other at hys table to drinke more than nedeth lest that throughe ebrietie droÌ„kennes he lese both his owne soule and theyrs also Loke that ye come together to the churche vpon the sonday for yf the wretched Jewes doe kepe and sanctifye theyr sabboth daye with such deuotioÌ„ as one that day they wyl do no earthly worke at all how muche more shulde we christen men on the sundaye geue applye our mindes to gods seruyce to come to that church for the salute saluatyon of our owne soules And when ye come together praye for the remission of your synnes Make no stryfe there nor no debate for who so commyng to the churche doth so he tho rowe debate doth wound hurte hym selfe there where he myght haue healed holpen him selfe by prayer And beyng in the churche beware and loke that ye braule not but that ye paciently do listeÌ„ and take good hede to youre diuine seruyce For he that doth iangle or bable in the church shall geue an acountes and rekenyng aswel for other as for him selfe because he wold neyther here GODDES sworde nor yet suffer other men to here the same Loke that ye truly pay your tithes to the churche And let hym that was proude waxe humble that was lecherous wax chast that was wont to siele or to inuade other mens goodes gyue his charitie to the poore Lette hym that hathe bene enuious be beneuolent and gentle that hath done iniurye be ready and quicke to aske forgeuenes and that he to whoÌ„ iniurye was done vnto be preste and readye to forgyue As ofte as any infit mitie or sickenes doth chauÌ„ce amonge you let him that is diseased receaue the holy coÌ„munion of the verye bodye and bloude of Chryst and afterwardes be aneled that scripture may be fulfylled in hymsayinge yf anye man be sycke let the preist be sente for to anointe hym to praye ouer hym and the prayer of fayth shall saue the sycke and God shall rayse hym vp and yf he be in synne they shal be forgeuen hym Take heede and marke nowe good brethren that he the whiche in his syckenes wyl resort vnto the churche may obtayn bodely health and receaue the forgeuenes of synnes Seynge then that double goodnes and benefite mai be fouÌ„d and obteyned in the churche whi do these wretches labor by inchaunters by fountaynes by trees by diuilysh philaters be caracters by dyuiners and sothesayres to induce much mischeife among the people But as I haue sayde vnto you before looke that ye do admonish warne your chyldren and all youre housholde to liue chastly and ryghteously prouokyng and sturringe them to good workes not onely by wordes but
that day from earthelye workes and worldelye inticementes we may onely serue and honour God geuyng vnto this daye for the hope of oureresurrection the whiche we haue in it all honoure and reuerence for as our lorde Jesus Chryst and Sauioure hath rysyn from death â–ª soo we doo hope that at the latter day we shal ryse It aperyth lyke wyse in holy scrypture that thys day is solempne For it is the fyrst day of the worlde For vpon this day the elementes of the world were formid made and in it the Aungells were â—â—â—atyd and the selfe same day â–ª Chryst rose from deathe and in it the holye spiryte of God dyscended from heauen vpon the dyscypies and euen vpon thys day manna was geuyn from heauen in wildernes with these documents such other tokens that Sonday is verye excellente and noble and therefore the holy doctours of the churche haue decrede that all the glory of the Jewes sabote shuld be translate into the SoÌ„day that we in veritie and truth may celebrate that they celebratyd in figure for then shal be our true rest when the resurrection shal be fully endyd and our remuneration and rewarde bothe in bodye and soule made perfytte Let vs therefore obserue the Sondaye my brethren and sanctifye it as it was commaunded to our elders of the sabbot day the geuer and maker of the lawe sayinge vnto them From the euyntyde vntyll yâ— nyxte euyn ye shall celebrate your Sabbotes Let vs therfore take hede that our reste be not in vayne but that we from Saterday at euyn vntyll Sonday at euyn beyng sequestrated froÌ„ all rusticail and other busynesses geue our selues oneli to the seruice and honour of God for so doinge we do iustly sanctify the Sabbot day of our lorde sayng He shall doo no maner of worke vpon the Sabbote daye Therfore let euery maÌ„ yf it be possyble come vnto Euynsonge and Mattyns and praye there in the assemble and congregation of the church vnto god for hys sinnes And yf he cannot so do lette him praye at home not neglectynge to pay his vow vnto GOD and to render the taske or pensyâ—n of hys seruice Lette no man vpon the Sondaye seperate hymselfe from the holy celebration of masses nor no man all other commyng to the churche shall tarye ydle at home nor occupye him selfe in huntinge nor giue him selfe to de ueâ—â—she occupatioÌ„s and workes wandringe aboute the teldes and wods laughing and halowing neuer sorowing nor praying from the botome of his harte vnto God yea and yet further the whithe thinge is most detestable Some there be that coming do not entre into the church they geâ—â— not them selues to prayer they tary not in sileÌ„ce the holy celebratioÌ„ of masses but when the holy lessous ar a readyng within they with oute are pleadyng theyr maters or study to defend them selfes with diuers false accusations or els they giue them selfes to dyce or to other vnprofitable pastimes sports Some times truelye which is worse they are so kyndlyd and chafyd with excessiue anger that they braule most bit terlye and runne vpon eche other with swords gleues and ofteÌ„ times commit murder And this principallye is done by those the which beyng full of enuy and hatred the Deuyll beyng their gide go vnto the Churche not to helpe theÌ„ selues but to hurte other And yf such meÌ„ be murdered there or preuentyd by soden deth whether go they else but with hym into eternal torment whose fotesteps they ensude and folowed O my brethren doo not these thinges do not deceaue your selues gyue no place to the Deuyl in youre assebles but rather prepare make your selues a dwellynge place for Chryste Therefore gyue not your selfs without to fables but within the Churche to psalmodi and prayers braul not one with a nother in the churche but be quiet There are many and specially women the which do so chatter and in such wyse do braule in the churche that they nether here the diuine lessons them sefes neyther suffer other to heare them Shuld there be such meting with such an order in gods house or is it decent or comelye so to assyste and stand in the sight of god and of his holy angells And yet I wyl further complaine me with you yâ— which thinge is generallye to be seruid and morenyd For why there are certayne and specyallye the greate estates of thys world the whyche commynge vnto the churche are not deuoute and readye to laude prayse God but to constrayne the preste to abreuiat hys masse and to synge as it shal please them nor it is not lewefull for hym thrughe theyr glotonye and couitusnes to folowe the ecclesiasticall fashyon maner soo that one lytle moment of the daye shoulde be deputed and suffyse to the seruice of God and the reste of the daye and the nyght to theyr voluptuousnes plesurs Do not these things my wel belouid brethren nor consent not to those that soo doo For they peryshe not onelye that doo these thinges but they also that consente vnto the doers of the same Therfore beware before all thing that ye nether pleade nor iudge no maters vpon the festiual and holye dayes but at other tymes and with iustice And that ye through receuing and takynge of gyftes subuerte not iust indgement for accordyng to yâ— sentence and mynd of our lord with what iudgment ye iudge other ye shal be iudged Let no man drink hym selfe dronken for a dronkerd is most like vnto a mad man drynke so among men that ye blurre not youre names oute of heauen There are many the which thing is very euyl that not onely inebriate and mystemper them selues but also compell and adiure other to drynke more then is expediente where of there ariseth very ofteÌ„ amoÌ„g them braulyng and murder Do ye not waye my brethreÌ„ whose wyll and mynde these men doo ensue and folowe Drunkerds saith the apostle and murderers shall not possesse the kingdome of GOD. I beseche you miwelbeloued fathers mothers brethren systers in the name of oure Lorde Jesus Chryst and by hys kyngdome and iudgmeÌ„t that is to come that ye wyth drawe youre selues from all meÌ„ that walke liue inordinately and that ye walke worthely in the vocation ye are called vnto nor that ye neglecte not youre honoure nor lytle esteme your redemption which is in Jesu Christ Year called the soÌ„nes of god because the verye sonne of god deliuered you giue your stodye and dyligence wyth good manersto please so gret a parent that he deliuer you not as most wicked seruants to perpetuall payne but lede and conducte you as most de rest chyldren vnto the supernall cuntrye to be the heires of Jesu christ his sonne with whome he lyueth and reigneth god in the vnitie of the holy goste worlde withoute â—nâ—e Amen ¶ Of a Chrysten name And what he ought to do and obserue that bereth a christen name ii Ser. I
that dothe frequente the churche that doeth not taste of his fruytes vntyll he fyrst haue offered part of thē vnto God that doth pay his tythes yearelye to be destributed amonge the nedy that doth loue his curate and honoureth preistes that loueth euery man as hym selfe and hateth no man Uerelye he is not onely a christen mā that doth feare and exchewe as the sword of Satan deceitfull weyghtes double measures but christ him self doth also dwele in hym He is a good christiane that cōming to the churche doth exhibite and offereth vp his offeringe and that after his possibilitie and substaunce dothe geue a peny or a morsell of bread to some poore man that receyuyth the pore into his house that wassheth the pore mens fete that doth not only make no debate but reduceth such as are at discorde and stryfe to vnitie and concorde that doth shewe reuerence and y◠loue of vnfayned charitie vn to his frendes elders that doth lyue chast and admonynysheth his chyldren and his neighboures with word and dede in sobriete and chastite He is a good Christen man that as ofte as the holye and solemne feastes drawe nere doth certayne dayes before abstayne and keepe chastitie with his wyfe that the more conueniently with a more sincere and sure conscience a chaste body and a clean hart he may come vnto the Lordes borde and table And he lykewyse that can the lordes prayer and his crede by rote that faythfully dothe teach his children the same Nowe good brethren ye haue herde who be good christians and therefore let vs wyth Gods ayde and helpe doe the beste we can or may that this christen name be not wrongfully and vaynely in vs and that Chrystes sacramentes suffer no iniury in vs but in hearte let vs continually thynke vp pon good Christen workes and in dede fulfyll them For I praye you what maner a Christian cal ye him y◠scarcely commeth once to the churche and yet when he cometh dothe not stande vp to praye for his synnes and misdedes but to prate bable to cause stryfe and debate or els to drynke yf he may fynd a conuenient place tyll he vomyt agayne after that he hathe well dronken ryseth vp lyke a madde man to leape and daunce and to synge luxurious and fylthye songes of loue Suche a one doeth not feare nother to steale nor yet to commyt adultery to geue false wytnes to curse nor yet to commit periury But whether they be men or women that exercise and dooe suche vngodly workes they nether receaue the name of a christian nor yet the sacramente of baptysme to theyr ayde and consolation but to theyr iudgement and damnatiō And without they repente theym and do penaunce they shall peryshe for euer Nowe good brethren I haue opened vnto you whoo be good and who be euyl chrystians And therfore folowe those that ye se and perceaue to be good chasten chyde and correcte those ye knowe to be nought that through your owne vtilitie and theyr amendemente ye maye haue and obteine doble rewarde For they that are good chast sober hūble and gentle wyll by the grace of God continue iu theyr good and godly workes and the myslyuers quyckelye or euer they departe from hence a mend them selues for yf they die without repentaūce they shall not come to ioye but to perpetuall and euerlastynge deathe from the which God vouchsafeto delyuer vs. So be it ¶ Of the misterye frute and maner of fastynge in Lent iiii Ser. WE oughte to esteme suppose the whole tyme of oure lyfe to be a place to exercise vertue in and with al vertue to stryue to come to the celestiall rewarde But that must and oughte most specially to be done and fulfiled in this holy tyme and dayes of Lent the whiche dayes beyng halowed wyth abstinēce and fasting do adde so much to the vertue of that soule howe muche they diminishe of the voluptuous pleasure of the body This a is lawful number of fasting dayes the whiche are celebrated in holy examples Moyses when he shoulde receaue the lawe of God did fast forty daies and forty nyghts without eyther meate or drynke by such abstinence and fasting he was prepared and ordeyned to receaue the wyll and the commaundementes of god He lias after he had fasted fortye daies was translated and caried out of the world in a charet of fire to the hiest place of heauē Our lord and sauyour through fastinge of xl dayes did triumphe and ouercame the temptacions of the deuil and as victorius came to the predication and declaration of the gospell And we in like maner ought to faste and to obserue these dayes the whiche we do reade to be consecrated and halowed by suche examples Let vs therefore consecrate and honour these dayes with al alacrite ioyfulnes of hearte and mind prefer them aboue al wordly banketes and bodely delyte For in these dayes we are most kindled and inflamed to fulfyl the wil and the cōmaundements of god for through abstinence the plesure of the body is much swaged and debated Truely the pure mind doth then make most hast to God and to do and fulfyl his commaundementes when it is not mistempered wyth surfeytynge nor wyth the sacietie of meates and drynkes Where of oure Sauyoure in hys Gospell dothe saye Take hede to youre selues leste youre hartes be ouercomme wyth surfeits with dronkennes and with worldely cares and cogitations leste that sodayne daye come on you vnwares for it shall come as a snare vpon the vniuersall world and no mā shall scape it Also thys great vtilitie and profit is in these hungery and fastyng dayes for through suche abstinence and abstayning from lawful thinges we are monished muche exhorted to abstayne frō that which is vnlawfull We abstayne from flesshe the whiche vpon other daies we mai vse lawfully We abstain from wyne the whiche we maye vse moderatelye Let vs therfore whiche do exchue and auoyde the thynge that is lawfull flye and aboue all thynges auoyde synne that can neuer be wel and lawfully vsed And yf we intende purpose to fast from meat let vs aboue al thinges fast and abstayne frō synne For what doth it auayle vs to absteine or to void the body of meate if we replenish the soule with vice and synne What do the it profitte the to be pale and wanne with fastinge yf thou be blowen and puft vp with hatred and enuy What doth it auayle vs to abstaine from wyne yf we be dronken and full of the poyson of anger What auauntageth it the to abstayne from flesh ordeined to be eaten yf thou backbyte and speke malitiously of th◠neyghbour What dothe it a uayle vs to abstayne frome those thynges whiche are at sometimes lawfull yf we do those thinges which are neuer laweful Therfore let vs as I haue sayd fast and abstayne from meate but much more frō vice that we maye be replenished
with the abun dance of good holy conuersation and in time to com deserue merite through gods grace and fauor to be satisfyed with the rewarde of good workes For they as we doo read in the gosplel are blissed that hūger and thirst iustice for they shal be satisfyed In trueth we oughte to choose this cōpensation that is to geue to distribute such meates as we do absteyne fro to the poore neadye For it is written Blessed be they that are content to suffer that in another place they may be refresshed For that gyft is acceptable vnto God when the neadye is fed and refreshed when the bare is clothed when anger is not perfourmed nor finished whē that time of anger is not kept when euil is not done for euyl Our fastinges are then thankful and acceptable vnto GOD when we do refreshe and cōforte those that fast for veryenede necessitie for then we shal heare this sentence Uerely I say vnto you inasmuche as ye haue done it vnto on of the lest of these ye haue done it to me O the gret be nignitie and goodnes of god the which to represse and asswage the couetousnesse of man saith that whatsoeuer is geuen to the least poore man that is is geuen vnto hym selfe The goodnes of God graunte you my brethren that ye maye so serue and please him with youre abstinence almes dedes good workes that he the which doth lyue eternallye may brynge you to the eternall and true lyfe So be it ¶ Of fastynge in Lent and almes dedes v. Ser. I Praye you in like maner I admonish you my derely beloued brethren that none of you do presume to dyne in this lawfull and moste holye tyme of Lent except it be vpon the sundaye or that paraduenture ye be in such care and weakenesse that your in firmitie sickenes do the not suffer you to fast For why to fast vppon other dayes is either a remedye or elles a rewarde but not to absteine in lent is synne He that at anye other tyme dothe faste shall haue pardon and remission but he that doth not fast and abstayne in Lente shall fele payne And yet let hym that through feblenes cannot fast prepare somewhat as secretlye as maye be for hym selfe and other yf there be any modiseased than hym selfe that they maye eate it together But he shall inuyte nor call none such to hys repast dinner that mai fast Forif he do both god and man shal easely perceaue that hys infirmitie is not the cause that he fasteth not but that throughe glutteny he wil not fast Let him y◠can not fast be content eate his meate withsorowfulnes that he when other men do absteyne and fast abstayneth not Let hym cause the thinge that shal be necessary for the sicke to be secretly prepared for him selfe and some other For it besemeth hym not to cal any whole mā vnto his table leste that he through other mēs gluttony encrease and augmente hys owne synne And yet forasmuche as he fasteth not hys charitie and almose oughe to be the more large to the pore so to redeme those synnes by almose dedes the whiche he coulde not cure nor heale by abstinence and fastynge It is my good brethren a verye good and a profitable thing to faste but yet much better to gyue almose Yf a man may or cando both they are two good thynges but yf he cannot better it is to gyue almose Yf thou be not able to fast almose dedes without fastyng shal be sufficient but to fast without doing of charitable and almose dedes is not sufficiente Therefore yf a man can not fast almose wythout fastinge is good but yf a manne may faste and also do hys almose they are two good thinges but to fast without doing of almes is nother good nor profitable excepte a man be so very nedy and poore that he haue nothynge at all to geue and then the good will of hym that hath nothing to gyue is sufficiente For it is wrytten Glorye to God an hyghe and peace be on the erth to those that be wel willinge But who can excuse hym when the lord hath promysed to gyue vs a rewarde for a cuppe of cold water And why doth he say of colde water leaste peraduenture some pore man would excuse him selfe by penury and lack of woode and saye that he hath nother potte nor panne to warme any water withal Finally my derelye beloued brethren the lord dothe so exhorte and so admonish vs by the holy prophet to do almes dedes that there is in a maner no man so pore and nedy that can excuse hym selfe He sayth thus This is the faste sayth the Lord that I haue chosen breake thy breade to hym that is an hungered He sayth not gyue hym a whole loafe for perchaunce the pore man hath it not to geue but he sayth breake it that is to saye yf thou be so nedye and pore that thou hast but one lofe of bread yet breake of a pece thereof geue it to the pore Also he sayth leade the poore mā that is without lodging home to thy house Nowe yf a man be so poore and neady that he haue not where withal to fede the poore yet at lest wise let hym prepare hym a bedde in some corner of hys house O my deare brethren what shal we sai to these thinges or what excuse shall we make that haue gret wyde houses and yet scarely vouchesafe at any time to receaue the poore pilgrime being ignoraunt yea not beleuyng that chryste as he doth saye is receaued in his pylgrymes I was a straunger and ye receaued me and inasmuch as ye haue done it vnto one of the lest of these ye haue done it vnto me It is tedious and laboriouse vnto vs to receaue Christ in pore and neadye menne into oure countreye but I feare me he wyll requite vs not receaue vs into this heuenly kingdom We dispise him here in thys worlde I feare me he wil despise vs in heauē As he hī selfe doth saye I was a hungred and ye gaue me no meate I was a straunger and ye did not receaue me Inasmuche then as ye did it not to one of the leste of these ye did it not to me But I beseche GOD my good brethrē that he may remoue from vs the thynge that doth ensue and folowe for afterwardes he saythe Gette ye from me ye wycked dāned persones into that eternall euerlasting fire y◠whiche is prepared for sarā his angels Therfore my brethrē let vs not heare these things slightly or with our bodely ears onely but faithfully hering it let vs so teache it with word dede that other men maye vnderstande it accomplish the same Our Lorde Chryst Jesu grauntinge it the whiche liueth and reygneth with the father and the holy gost So be it ¶ Of confession and penaunce
vi Ser. HOly scripture doth often times exhorte vs to fiye to the remedye and medecin of confessioÌ„ not that because that God hath anye nede of our confession vnto whome all that we thinke speake or do is cleare and at hand but because we can not be otherwise saued except that we being penitente do penitently confesse that we negligentelye haue coÌ„mitted Sathan shal not accuse him agayne at domes daye that dothe here of his sinful dedes and vngodly life accuse him selfe so that he be confest and penitently doth leaue and forsake them renueth them not agayne Confesse your sinnes say the S. James one to another and praye one for another yâ— ye may be saued And the Apostle Paule sayth Confession with the mouth is to oure saluation And Salomon sayeth thus of the confession of sinnes he that dothe hyde and cloke hys synnes shall so rowe but he that dothe confesse his faults and forsaketh them shall obteine mercy It is a ryght good medecyne of saluation not to renew our olde mâ—dedes nor to refresh the skarres of our old woundes For S. Ihon sayeth yf we confesse our synnes God is faithful and iust to forgeue vs and to clense vs from all iniquitie Dauid sayeth lyke wyse I sayd that I wold coÌ„fesse mine iniquitie and vnrighte wisenesse agaynste myself and thou diddest remitte the wickednes of my synne Lette the synner confesse his sinnes whilest he lyueth for hereafter is no frutefull confession nor no penaunce that shal profyte to saluation Se nowe is the time of healthe nowe is the acceptable time nowe is the tyme of remission for those that are penytente For why after deathe shal be the tyme of punysshement for those that were negligente to confesse them of theyr iniquities All wickyd and sinneful personnes haue bitter penaunce in paine and torment but yet it doth profyte them nothinge vnto remission for theyr conscience doth wryng them to the encrease and augmentation of the paine that they do suffer They myghte by coniÌ„ession haue escaped the bitternes of theyr tormentes and payne but they dyd not regarde it And therfore as they are outwardly troubled with fire so they are inwardly vexed with the remorse of conscieÌ„ce How caÌ„surgion heale the would the which the pacieÌ„t is ashamed to shewe God dothe desyre our confession that there by he might haue a ful and a perfect knowledge of our misde des He that is ashamed to di close and to confesse hys sinnes shall haue God both his iudge and hys punysher A man shall do best to iudg him selfe in this worlde leste that God here after iudge him to perpetuall payne and tormeÌ„t Euerye sinfull man ought to haue double sorowe in penaunce fyrste that throughe his negligeÌ„ce he did no good and agayne that throughe a certayne boldnes he committed that thing which was euyll That he shuld not haue done he did that he shuld haue done he did not Confession dothe iustifie confession doth geue remission of sinne Al hope of forgeuenes doth rest in confession confession is a worke of mercy the verye health of those that be sicke and wyth penaunce our onely help and comfort whose land praise the Lord doth declare in the gospel saying Do penaunce for why the kingdom of god doth drawe â—yghe And S. Ihon the baâ—tiste dothe saye Do ye worthy workes of penaunce Worthye workes of penaunce are to be wayle the sinnes that are past and to renewe them no more As it is written lâ—ke thou adde nor heape not sinne to sinne And our Lorde by the Prophete Esaias doth saye Washe ye and be cleane He is wasshed cleane that doth bewail that is past approcheth no more vnto them He is wasshed not cleane that doth lament his misdedes and afterward renueth that he lameÌ„ted Of these menne S Peter doth speake most terribly sayinge A dogge returning to his vomite O my child sayth holy scripture hast thou coÌ„mitted sinne do no more so but pray that the old maye be forgeueÌ„ thee True penaunce is not iudged by the nuÌ„ber of yeres but by the bitternes and heuines of the mynd S Peter by and by obteyned of God the forgeuenes of his synnes because he lamented most bitterlye that he had thryse denied hym And notwithstanding a mans penauÌ„ce be but shorte yet if it be done with the inward bitternes of the mind God the righteous iudg coÌ„sidering the secretnes of maÌ„s heart will not despise it For god doth not so much require the continuaunce of time as he doeth ponder the will and the sincere mind of him that repenteth doeth penaunce For he that with al his heart minde doth trust in Christ although he departe and dye with much sinne yet his faith shall lyue for euer as GOD in hys holye Gospell doethe saye I am the resurrectyon and lyfe whosoeuer beleueth on me thoughe he were deade yet shall he lyue and whosoeuer lyuethe and beleueth on me shall neuer dye He doth speake of yâ— death of the soule the which shal happen and chaunce vnto man through the infirmities and fraylnes of synne God of his nature is mercyful and ready to saue al those by mercye the whiche he can not fynde to saue by iustyce He woulde that euerye man shulde be saued and that no man shuld peryshe saying by the Prophere that whansoeuer a synner dothe conuerte hym selfe that he shall lyue not dye And notwithstandyng we are all wicked synners yet yf we turne to penaunce let vs not doute but that throughe the mercye of God we shall obtayne the remission of al out iniquities sinnes The mercy of GOD doth helpe and succour those that in this world be peniteÌ„t do penaunce For penauÌ„ce in the worlde that is to come where euery man shal geue an accouÌ„ts of his owne workes dothe not preuayle Penaunce must be done in this worlde for after our death is none amendemente ¶ Of auriculare confession vii Ser. MEn are wont to saye moste dearely beloued brethren that God knoweth al thinges and that with god there is nether time past nor tyme to come for he seeth al thyng and pondereth all thinge all thinges are bare open vnto God Why will God then say they that we shulde coÌ„fesse our sinnes to man were it not better not to manifeste and disclose such euyl dedes then to open them abroade for who is he that wold glad lye saye I haue trespassed aboue al other And yf I shuld shewe all thing vnto manne I shuld be estemed the worst of all other many throughe mine example wuld do much euil Why should a man then coÌ„fesse hymself to any other O thou man docite thou not know that we ar al sinuers for if we say that we be with oute synne we deceaue oure selues and the trueth is not in vs. We do al sinne we are all borne in synne we
are all drowned in synne yea the chylde to whiche is but one daye olde Wherfore then do we feare to be confessed And yet we muste nedes be confessed vnto God for he is good and gratious and his mercy endureth foreuer God wold that we shuld be confest nor that neyther because he knoweth not our misdedes and fautes but because the deuill shuld heare and know that we are confessed and sorye for our iniquities For after that we haue once wept and be truelye confessed he hathe not where withall he maye any more accuse vs. Marcke and see then good brethren Sathan wold that we shulde kepe scylence and holde oure peace And God woulde we shoulde be cōfest vnto whome shoulde we sonest obeye Uerelye vnto God the whiche dothe euermore commaunde that good is Nor it is not sufficiente the we abstaine from euil except we do sorowfully confesse the euyl that we haue done Nor it is not ynoughe to be confest to god onelye but in lyke maner we must confesse oure synnes and tresspaces to mā Therefore thou shalt not lynger to confesse thy selfe and retourne vnto GOD. Nor thou shalte not differ it from time to time For whye the anger of God shal come sodēly and destroy the. O my brethren that haue slepte hytherto awake and retourne vnto your Lorde GOD with all your heartes with fastyng◠wepinge and waylyng And inasmuche as he seyth with all youre hartes the propher doth teache vs that the foutayne of penaunce is in the hearte and that wepinge is referde vnto the eye sobbing vnto the mouth and fasting◠vnto the whole bodye O ma linger not to returne againe vnto the Lorde thy God examen thy conseience Lok◠vpon the secrets of thi heart and consider or euer thou go to confessyon that thy herte hath synned desiring and couetinge the thinge that was naughtes thy eyes in beholdyng of vanyties thy mouth by speakynge the thinge that was false thy eares through hearyng of lyes thy handes with smityng and cōmitting of murder if not in very dede yet peraduēture in wil. Who can excuse him selse our fete also are very quycke spedye to euill Therfore as ye haue geuen your membērs seruaūtes to vnclennes and iniquitie from iniquitie to iniquite euen so nowe geue your mem bers seruauntes vnto ryghttuousnes that ye may be sāctifyed And first let the hert be penitente and sorowfull for all suche vngodlye thynges as it hath at any tyme thought vpon or desired lette the eye wepe lette the mouthe praye coutinuallye lette the eare heare the worde of god let the hands geue and be doing of charitable and almose dedes receaue the poore pylgrime fede the sicke and hongri and cloth the naked lette youre fete be goinge to the churche youre knees labor to bowe downe vnto god for as ther was no member but that throughe synne hath displeasyd god so let ther be no membre without sufferaūce of semblabe and lyke payne for god hath geuen vs oure mēbers to serue him withall and not to serue the world But alas my brethren the citezens of heauen and gods familiare frendes are made the seruauntes of the world embrasyng leanyng a grete deale more to earthly things then to eternal to theyr own substaunce then to them selues But good brethren ye shulde not do so for why the time is at hand and it doeth threten vs Ryse ye vp therefore that do eate the bread of heauines Let vs haste vs to the churche and with sorowfull teares confesse oure synnes But first this order must be takē and kept We or euer we go to cōfessiō must think vpon our synnes and trespasses and in opening of thē so confesse to god and to his minister the prieste the maner circumstaunces of them that we maye departe from theyr fete not burdened but exone rated lightened And good brethren looke ye prolongue not the time to confesse your sinnes for he that doeth prolongne or procrastinate the time vnto the last day of lent or of his life to cōfesse his misdedes ▪ he geueth good euydence that he doth it not willyngly nor gratiouslye nor with a pure hart but against his will Marke and cōsider howe such constrayned and vnwillynge seruyce doth please ether god or mā And therfore let vs not delay frō daye to day to confesse and to opē the secretes of oure heartes for God hath promysed forgeuenes to those that are penitent and not to those that delaye theyr confession or penaunce vntyl to morow therfore let vs not prolonge nor delaye our confession But yet whē thou man or womā goest to confession loke thou laughe not nor that thou be gorgeouslye nor wel apparelled nor that thou begin not to vtter and shew fables but that with al humilitie and to kens of repentaunce ye do cōfesse your synnes one to another And I praye the not to leare to be confest But how shal I confesse this and that O thou man as ofte as thou dost feele and perceaue that doubte not but that it is the very temptation of the deuil the whiche desireth so to inwrape intangle thee that thou beynge alredy in sinne mighste do without any gret temptation that shuld please him And therefore my brethren feare ye not to confesse youre synnes for I knowe that thyng lesse the whiche I knowe by confession then that whiche I knowe not Why do ye then feare to confess your sinnes he is a wretched sinner as ye are and perchaunce a more wretched sinner then ye are that dothe here your confession He is a manne he differeth nothing from you he is but as ye are Why dost thou then thou sinfull man feare to confesse the to a synner Choose what ye wyll but yf ye lurke vnconfessed ye shal be condemned withoute confession GOD doeth require confession to acquite and deliuer him that is humble and to condemne him eternallye that is prowde Be confeste my brethrē and delaye it not haste you to come to the holy haruest of confession for cōfession is the helth of the soule the destroier of vyce the restorer of vertue the victor ouercomer of fendes ▪ the feare of hell the obstacle of satan the cote and garment of aungels the hope of the churche the helth the gyde the light the esperaunce and hope of al faythfull people O wonderful and holy confessiō thou dost close vp the mouth of hel and openest heauen gates O confession without the the iust mā is estemed vnthankfull and the synner shal be reputed as deade O the lyfe of al iuste men the glorye of all sinners Thou art onely necessary for synners and yet he that wyl be estemed iust muste oftentimes visit the. Finally there shal nothing remayne in iudgement that was auoyded disclosed by confession Clene and pure confession is so pondered and wayde and God doth set so muche and suche store thereby that the theues confession hanging vpon the crosse
vnderstaÌ„ding dexely belouid brethreÌ„ is to be corrected for they that so flatter theÌ„ selfes deceiue them selfes For criminall synnes are not purgid by that traÌ„sitorye fyre where of the Apostle dothe speke he shal be safe him selfe neuerthelesse yet as it were thorow fire but only smale venyal sinnes althoug yâ— not only criminal that which thing is worse but also veniall yf they be to many do drowne and vtterli destroy meÌ„ And yet some aswell of the criminall as of the veniall are to be rehersyd spoken of leste that any man should vaniely go about to excuse him selfe and saye that he knowethe not which are criminall and whiche are venial And not withstandynge the Apostle hath rehersed manye of the capitall and criminal sinnes yet lest we shold be semed to cause desperation we shall truely shortly declare and shewe you what they are Sacrilege murder adultery false witnes thefte rape pride enuy auarice anger if it continue in man ebrietie yf it be continuallye vsed is counted numbred among them And whosoeuer doth fele and perceue that any of these do reigne or haue any dominion in hym except he worthely amende him selfe and hauing time space do longe continuall penaunce and distribute large almous and abstayne from those sinnes he cannot be pourgyd with that transitorye fyre wher of the Apostle speketh but the eternal flame of fyre shall torment him withoute remedy And although smal veniall synnes are knoweÌ„ vnto all men yet because it were loÌ„g to reherse al nedefull it is to name certen of them As ofte as anye man in meate or drinke receueth more then nede is he shall vnderstaÌ„d that it perteineth ta veniali synnes As ofte as he speaketh more than behoueth or doth holde his peace more thaÌ„ is expedient As oft as he exasperath the poore askynge hys almes inportunatlye As ofte as he beyng hole of body al other geuen to abstinence and fastinge wyll dine geueÌ„ to slepe sluggishnes doth slothfullye aryse to come vnto the church As oft as he knoweth medleth with his wife excepte he desire to haue childreÌ„ As oft as he slofully doth seke visit the imprisoned bound with baÌ„ds As ofte as he slothfully doth visit yâ— feble sicke yf he neglect to reuoke cal the disturled to vnitie concorde if he exasperate his neighbor hys wyfe his child or his seruaÌ„te more thaÌ„ behoueth yf he flatter them more then is expedyent Yf he flatter any gret or noble maÌ„ other willinglye or of necessitie if he fede not the poore hungrye maÌ„ or if vnto him selfe he prepare to delitious sumptuus fare if he occupy him selfe in the churche or out of the churche with void idle fables wher of a count must be geuen at the daye of Judgement yf we swere vnawares nor cannot through somme necessytye fulfyll the same we fall into periurye when we of lyghtenes and temerariously do cursse seing it is wrytten neyther they that cursse shall possesse the kyngedome of GOD. And wheÌ„ we temeraryusly do sus the thing which often times doth not proue as we beleuyd withoute doubte we do amysse It is not to be doubtyd but that these thinges and the like do pertaine vnto the smale venial synnes the whiche as I haue sayde already can scarcely be numbred and of the whiche not onelye chrysten people but also no sainte at any tyme coulde or can be vngilty And although we beleue not that these synnes canne kyll the sole yet they in such wyse do deforme and diffigure it as it were with certeÌ„ blaines an horible stabbâ— that it suffreth not the soule to be embrasid of the celestial spouse nor scarselye or else with great confusion to com vnto hym where of it is written he hathe prepared and made the churche vnto hym self with out spot or wrincle And therfore they must be coÌ„tinually with coÌ„tinuali prayers with manye fastinges large almesredemed least the they perchauÌ„ce gethered together in a hepe drowne the soule For whatsoeuer of all those sinnes we redeme not shal be purgyd with that fyer of that which the apostle hath said It shal be reuelid shewd in fyre if ani maÌ„s worke burn he shall suffer losse Or yf we whilest we liue in this world do fatigate trouble our selues with penauÌ„ce or afflictid by god do willinglye suffer the same with manifold other tribulatious for these synÌ„es we if we geue god thaÌ„kes shal be deliuered The which dothe so chauÌ„ce happen if as ofteÌ„ as our husbaÌ„d or wife or our child doth dye or if oure substauÌ„ce the whyche we loue more theÌ„ it behoueth vsto do be takeÌ„ froÌ„ vs. And although we loue christ more then our substaunce and had rather if necessitie shuld so require lese our substaunce then to deny Christ yet because as I haue said we loue our goods more theÌ„ nedeth wecaÌ„nâ—t leue nor lese them nother liuynge nor dying with out gret heuines sorow yet yf we as good children geue thankes vnto god the which as a good father doth permitte and suffer those things to be takeÌ„ from vs. with tru humiliteprofes our selues to suffer lesse then we haue merited deserued These finÌ„es ar so punished in this world that yâ— fire of purgatory in the worlde that is to come shal not find or truly very litle that it shal coÌ„sume burne But if in our tribulation we geue god no thankes nor redeme not oure synÌ„es with good works we shal so loÌ„ge continue in that fire of purgatory vntil yâ— foresayd sinnes as timber hay or stoble be coÌ„sumid But loÌ„e maÌ„ doth saye I care not how loÌ„g I continue ther so that I may come to eternal life Let no man sai so my derely beloued brethren for yâ— fire of purgatory shal be more painful theÌ„ anypaine yâ— in this worlde may be sene thought or felt And seyng it is written of the daye of Judgmente yâ— one day shal be as a thousand yeres a thousand yeres as one day howe canne any maÌ„ knowe whether he shal passe thorow that fier by dais moÌ„ths or parauenture by yers And he that wil not nowe put one of hys fyngers into the fire shuld euen theÌ„ of necessytye fere to be tormeÌ„ted there for a while both in bodi soule And therfore let euery man labor trauel with al his force might to escape those capital mortal crimes so to redeme with good works those smale venial sinnes â–ª that nothinge do remaine to be coÌ„sumid with that fire But if they whiche coÌ„mit these capitall mortall crimes redeme theÌ„ not whylest they lyue â–ª with the medycynes of penaunce they cannot come as it is al redy told you to that fire that the apostle speakethe of he shal be saued yet as it were thrugh fire but shal here that hard irreuocable seÌ„teÌ„ce Get ye hence ye cursed into