thruste forwarde of his holy sprite Wherfore I commytte to the hygheste god my most deare father and to hys gouernance al the worlde and specially my self in him as I may I wyll helpe my selfe wyth myne owne witte and fredome namely by makynge it obedient to hym Moreouer if euer I haue spoken or shall frō hence forth vtter any word if I haue done or shall do any worke that is to hym plesaunte if I haue had or after thys tyme shall haue thought desier or wyll that good is I geue it to god and at hys handes I professe that I haue had al my goodnes so that if it were gods wyll to take from me all that he hathe geuen me there shulde in me remayne nothyng but onely synnes those are myne owne and all other thyngs be hys Thus be my synnes if I shulde go before gods presence I were but damned if I were minded to make satisfactiō I coulde not no nor yet any saynte that euer was ther is none whose loue is so great to take my synnes vppon hym and sat ysfye for them and appease goddes angre saue Chryst a lone wherfore to hym I bequeth my synnes I leue to hym my pryde vnkyndnes vnbeleue mistruste arrogancy enuy wrath ambition and all my vn numerable wyckednes I geue to him my euil thoughtes affections desiers to be short I make one fagott and boundell of all my offēces present past and to com and geue them to Christe hauynge sure faythe and stedfast hope that he wyll accepte them for hys owne hath euen alredy taken them and for them hath satisfied on the crosse hys father layed them on hys necke Esai 53. and he did not ones agayne say it but of great loue allowed them for hys and to cōsume and burne them in the flame of hys diuine loue he bore them on hys Innocent shulders vpō the crosse 1. Petri. 3. as peter wryteh so was offred a sacrifice for vs. Now seyng I haue lefte almy synns to Christ and geuen to god my substance and beyng wyth all other gyftes graces that he bestowed on me I remayne naked wythout eyther good or euyl and truelye to saye I am rather nothyng In that I haue restored to god my beynge that I had by creation and byrth But for bycause it is impossible that he shuld saue me wythout beinge and so it is that he wyll saue me therfore fyrst I carye with me Christ hym selfe whych is my lyfe God hath so loued me 〈◊〉 3. that he hath geuen hym selfe to me For so hath god loued the world that for theyr synnes he hath geuē vs hys onely begotten sonne I carye also with me his sprite that was of his eternall father geuen me of hys most royal liberalytie as wel declareth Paule 〈…〉 where he sayeth god hath sēt the sprite of hys sonne into our hertes wherby we crye and call father father And in that he hath geuen me hym he hath restored me to my selfe and former beinge with a new substance and nature spirituall so that for the possibilite of my saluaciō I haue a beinge but yet lacke I treasure to discharge my great dettes to apere rych in goddes sight in consyde racion whereof I bere wyth me christes watchyng abstinences traueyls prayeres persecuciōs sclāders I take with me his teares hys swet his blood and all that euer he did or suffered in thre and thyrtty yeres is myne every deal and wyth lyuely fayth I embrace it as for myne owne I carye bysyde this wyth me hys patience mekenes loue and all other his diuine vertues hys giftes and graces hys tresurs and and all that he hath mereted and deseruid hys lyfe passyon death resurrection assension be myne ye all the euer he hath done or shall from henceforth do is myne and what nedeth more to saye if god haue geuē vs hys own sonne how hath not he wyth hym geuen vs all thynges wherfore wyth faith I embrace my sweete Iesus for myne owne he is my ryghtwysnes Corin. 1. wisdome raunsom holynes he is my strength he is my sprite my lyght lyfe hope all my goodnes euē Christ hymselfe in hys last wyll bequethed me all that he had of the father wherfore he sayeth I entertayn you at my table as my father hath vsed me 〈…〉 as my father hath made me hys heyre so now I ordeyne you I wyll that as you be my bretherne so you shal be my folowers And in another place he sayeth I haue loued you as my father hath loued me sithē I am nouthrough christ so rych of treasures vertuse graces I shal be hable not onely tosatilfy for my deites but also to purchase infinite para dise whē soeuer they shal be sould Who shal be now either to acuse or condemne me after that christ hath thus clothed me wyth hys innosency ryghtwysnes holynes loue with al hys vertuse graces treasures merites and with hys ownself I may wyth no lesse boldenes and suretie thē christ apeare before god I am hys sonne as he is and heyre of heauen semblably I am innocēt as christe is now that he hath satystied for me and payed my raunsom and rewarded me wyth hys innocency Christe sayed Iohn 17. I hallow my self that they also may be holye euen he is our holynes and we be hys mēbers wherfore it is as possible for god not to loue me as it is possible that he shuld not loue christe by reason wherof Paule sayeth who shall deuid me from the loue of god that is in Christe Iesu Roma 8. it muste nedes be that he be salued whych wyth lyuing fayth embraceth Christe for hys owne And consyderyng that the treasures and merites of Christ are infinite and able to enryche a thowsand worldes I entende not to carye with me any other merites or spirituall riches saue those that Christe hath prouyded for me for they be not onely sufficiēt for me but also ouer aboūdāce and vnmesurable Then shuld I do no smal iniuri to Christ if I shuld search to store my selfe by any other meane or shyfte although I myght do it neuer so easely nay rather with Paule wyll I rekenne all other thynges as myre and dyrt so that I haue Christe Philip. 3. wyth whom alone I wyll appeare before god and of and by hym wyl I glory and make boast yea god forbydde Gala. 6. that I shuld make my auaunte of any thyng saue of the crosse of our lord Iesu Christ of whome onely hangeth all oure health And all beit al the sayntes be riche by meane of Christ neuerthelesse yf they hadde meanes of theyr owne most plētuose wolde geue thē to me yet would I none my Christe is inough for me with him had I rather suffer thē take pleasure ioye without him It would be a thing pleasaunt to me yf euery man shulde make prayer to god for me not bycause I myght
SERMONS OF BARNARDINE OCHINE OF SENA GODLYE frutefull and uery necessarye for all true Christians translated out of Italien into Englishe ANNO DO M.D.XLVIII Mensis Iulio The contentes of thys booke i How a Christy an oughte to make hys last wyll and testament ii How we shuld answere the deueil when he tempteth vs and namely in the ende of our lyfe iii How answere is to be made at the iudgement seate of god iiii By what meane to come to heauen v How god hath satisfyed for our synnes and hath purchasyd Paradice for vs. THE INTERPRETOVR TO the gentle reader healthe in Christe Iesu DEATH GOOD READER as scripture declareth and our dayly experieÌ„ce practeseth to all mankynde is a thing most certeine and sure For who is he that shall lyue not se nor tast of deathes cuppe the longest lyuers at length dyed neytherkyng ne keysar can auoyde the duyte of death but of necessitie as al are of earth and asshes so shall they returne into the same Notwythstandynge thys that sure we be to dye yet when it shall come the Lord hath lefte secret to hys owne wysdoÌ„ chefelye bycause we shulde euer kepe watche and warde be styll in aredines wyth our laÌ„pes burnyng to wayte vpoâ— the bridegrom whych coÌ„meth we can not tell wheÌ„ whether at mydnyght or at the cockes crowynge wherfore our mayster Christ gaue vs warnyng that we shulde be alwayes wakyng and loke vigilaÌ„tly for he cometh closlye lyke a thefe wythoute warnynge vs at what houre he wyll come Then as he findeth euery maÌ„ so wyll he iudge hym and where the tree falleth whether it be towarde the South or North there it lyeth there is then no respite to be had but streyght waye due execution of goddes iustice shal come vpoÌ„ all fleshe happy is he therfore whome hys maister at hys returnynge fyndeth wakynge for hym shall he put in auctoritie ouer all hys treasure And for so moche as then the â—â—tter shall hange al together in clearenes of conscience whyche at that tyme shall accuse a man or defende hym acordynge as he hath kepte it cleane with vertues or stayned wyth vices for in the booke of meÌ„nes concience are all theyr dedes layed vppe to be opened at the audit day of our death me thynk nothyng can be a greatter staye to the concience of man then to know how he ought to go owt of thys present lyfe and what to cary wythhym to hys account or leue behynd hym in the world In consyderation wherof I haue translated in to my natyue spech out of ItalieÌ„ a sermoÌ„ of maister Barnardine Ochin teaching how a true chrysteÌ„ ought to make hys last wyll and for so moche as the diuell is at that instant of deth very bragging busyly wyth man and diuersly troblith hym and the iustice of god on the other side fearith hym I haue to staye streÌ„gthen the coÌ„sience on thes behalfes turned in to english two sermons enstructyng vs how to aunswer the diuel wheÌ„ he tempteth vs at what tym by what meanes to quiet our myndes as touching gods iustice other two haue I also translated whych enforme vs of the true workes that god requireth of vs and the way to go to heauen and that our sauiour christ Iesus hath by hys most preciouse death purchased for vs paradise with out our deseruynges Wich fyue sermons taken out of the first part of maister Barnar dine sermons as they be wrytten and publyshed of good zeale to the wealth of many so it is thy curtisye gentle reder to accept them in good parte pardon my grosse tearmes as of a begynner and beare wyth my translation as of a learner obteynynge thys of the good reader I shal be redye and wyllynge hereafter when god geueth better knowlege accordyng as my taleÌ„t wyll extende to turne mo godly sermoÌ„s of the sayd mayster Barnardine into Englishe for the enformacion of all that desyre to know the truth For they truely conteyne moch to the defacyng of al papistrie and hipocrysie and to the aduancement of the glorye of god and of the benefytes of Christ Iesus To whom wyth the holye ghost be all honoure and glorye for euer and euer So be it GOD SAVE THE KYNG and graunt us the truthe of hys Worde HOW A CHRISTIAN OVGHT to make his last Wyll and Testamente IT IS COMMONLY THE CVSstome of men in they re testamentes and last wylles to saye I leaue I bequeath I geue wythoute onse sayinge I take or carye wyth me wherin certes they be farre deceyued bycause they take that whyche they ought to leaue be hynde them and go wythoute caryinge that whych is verye behofefull and necessarye Wherfore to the entent they shulde no more erre on that behalfe I wolde we shulde coÌ„syder and weyghe how a true ChristiaÌ„ shuld make hys wyll Men that be either fooles mad phraÌ„tike neyther cä nor yet know how to make a wyll by reasoÌ„ they haue not wytte to descerne good from euyl what is theyrs or what is not what to take nor what to restore or bequeath nor yet to whoÌ„ nor in what maner And yf happelye they go about to make theyr testament it shulde be but vayne and of no force god alloweth it not as a thyng made of a persone witles Wherfore he that is wyllynge to make a testament effectuall as expedient is to him that wylbe saued behoueth to haue verye good spirituall iudgemeÌ„t alyuely faith in Christe and an vnderstandynge and lyght aboue a naturall man he must also be the sonne and lawfull heyre of god And then he may saye I souÌ„de of mynde and redye of sprite and remeÌ„braunce albeit as touchyng my fleshe secke make my testameÌ„t and bequeath fyrst of all my being and substance to god he gaue it to me and also preserued it and of hym I recognise to haue it and for it I render hym thankes I leaue to hym lykewyse the gyftes graces benefytes temporal bodely and gostlye that I haue hadde or shall here after receyue for they be hys and from him by grace I acknowlege to haue receyued all as Paule sayeth what hast thou that thou hast not receyued at goddes haÌ„des yea for asmoch as al the slaÌ„ ders mysreportes persecucions syckenes and mysfortunes which I haue alreadye or shall froÌ„ hence forth suffer and eueÌ„ death selfe I confesse by the vnderstaÌ„dyng that the Lorde hath geueÌ„ me that they haue bene and shal be hys gyftes and graces geuen and graunted of a great loue for my welthe and profyt wherfore as hys diuine rewardes I Araunt to haue had theÌ„ of god for them I thaÌ„ke hym and as hys owne I leaue and restore them to hym And for so moche as I can not but acknowledge that I haue goue alwayes backewarde from hym so often as I wolde rule my selfe by my blynde iudgemente folyshe wysdome and deuelishe sprite neither dyd so moch as go one steppe forth towarde God but when I was moued diyuen and
teare of Christ hath bene more pleasaunt to god then all the synnes of the worlde be displeasaunt Christe hath be able to do more to appeace hym then we to prouoke him to anger Christes liuyng was more formall and ordinarye then oures was out of ordre and frame Christe hath done more to the honour of god then we haue done to hys dishonour Wherfore I maye well say Christ that is my wisdom right wisnes 1. Cor 1. holynes redemcion is sufficient inought to saue me And if haplye he shulde say it is not sufficient for thy saluacion to beleue in Christe the behoueth to kepe hys commaundemeÌ„ts thou must loue god wyth all thy harte and thy neyghboure as thy selfe and desier nor couet anye thynge worldlye whych thyngs because thou doest not ergo thou art daÌ„ned if fayth onlye were inough I also all the diuels shuld besaued because as yt is wrytten euen the deuels beleue feare lames ii They beleue the god made created heueÌ„ and earth and that christ came dyed rose ascended in to heuen that hesent the holy ghost that he shal come to iudge the quicke dead and yet are not we therfore saued that bicause we obserue not his diuine preceptes wherfore thou also art but lost he wyll thus labour to bryng the vnder the law to thinke that thou be iustified not by christ but by per fourmynge and fulfyllynge of the lawe to the ende that thou shulde despayre But I wyl that thou make answere and say yf thou dyddest beleue as by goddes grace I beleue that is that god for thy wealthe hath created the worlde and semblably preserueth it in such sorte that thou couldest fele in the creatures the loue of god lykewyse wolde beleue firmely that Christe came and dyed for thy synnes for to saue the and for thy sake profyt and in lyke maner of the other articles thou also shulde be saued and then when thou haddest a lyuely feling of the goodnes and loue of god thou woldest loue hym and thy neyghbour likewyse beynge rauished into god woldest beginne to set litle store by the worlde as al good Christen men and women do If it fortune that he say Deut. xx 7 he is cursed that kepeth not and obserueth the law wherfore thou art one of myne saye to him agayne Gala. 3 for that cause christ dyed on the crosse Roma 7 for to delyuer me from all curses and in somoche as I am all ready of christ I am dead to the law Agayn yf he reply esaying wher be thy workes wherby thou trusteth to be saued answere I trust not to be saued by my workes for they be soch that yf I shulde haue regarde or respecte to them I feare me to be daÌ„ned yea I were surely ascerteyned of my damnacion Roma 8. I hope onelye to be saued by Christ and hys workes whyche be myne owne and so moche rather myne then they I dyd my selfe as that the sprite of christ geueÌ„ to me is more entyer to me then myne own lyfe or any other thyng Further yf he shuld endeuoure to proue the to be none of the electe by reason of the innumerable and outragiouse synnes that thou hast committed for prosperites or aduersites thou hast had for the great euils wherin thou arte founde at thy deathe or for the temtacions thou hast susteyned sayinge that god preserueth his elected froÌ„ the like euels make hym answer and say Roma 3. rather doth god practise them in diuerse soche maners albeit of euery thynge they be certifyed to the honor of god thou shalt more ouer say to hym thus I geue more credite and trust to christ whiche when he was deade for me on the crosse tould me I was saued then to the that art always alyer and father of erroures I wyll thou tel hym how thou geuest more fayth to Christ alone then to al the reasons and autorities of the worlde thou may bysyde thys say to hym the sprite of god bearyth wytnesse to my sprite Roma 8. that I am the sonne of god and to hym must I rather trust then to the. when he shal say if thou were the sonne of god he woulde not leaue the in souch punishmeÌ„ts as thou art in but wold giue the some release and easmeÌ„t Answer hym In case it were as thou sayest Christ shulde not haue bene the soÌ„ne of god sithen on the crosse he had no comfort nor sensual tast or feling so that he saied my god Marci 15. my god why haste thou forsaken me it sufficith to me that he she wyth me so moche fauouer for I am contented wyth all that pleasethe hym as Chryste also was yea in hys sufferynge he felte excedynglye the infinite loue of the father Besyde these of he say â—â—he ii thou art the sonne of Adam ergo thou art acursed â—â—hn 1. Answere thou thus I am blessed agayne by beyng borne of god and by meane of that blessed sede Christ as god longe agone promysed Adam when he sayed â—ene xii In thy sede al nacions shal be blessed thou shalt tell hym how thou art despoiled and berest of the olde AdaÌ„ â—oma 13 and clothed with Iesu Christ as Paule teacheth and aduertyseth the. What tyme as he shal declare to the that christ is wroth angry and sharpe make hym answere howe Christ is not soch one for he is the healthe and hope of synners and whylest we be in thys lyfe present he is vttered to vs pytiful sweete and our Iesus that is our sauiour and albeit heseme to speke sharpe and cruel wordes to the woman of Cananye Math. 1â— yet in herte he gaue her confydence and boldnesse and shewed hym self to her full of sweetnes and loue In dede at the daye of iudgement to the damned shall he be shewed angry and wrathful but in the meane tyme tyll that day while we be here in this preseÌ„t life he is shewed pitiouse to al and principally to the great synners And yf it so were that he wolde saye thou art not trulye confessed nor haste rehersed all thy synnes and the circuÌ„stances of the same ne hast examyned suffyciently thy conscyence nor yet hast not that pure perfecte great and vnfayned sorow for thy synnes that thou of dutye shuldest haue thou hast not satysfyed for those so great an vnnumerable dettes that thou hast towarde god make hym thys answere and saye thou art a seruauÌ„t and not a iudge or to saye more truelye â—â—â—n 3. thou art all ready iudged and condemned seyng thou beleuest not in Christ and woldest thou indge mettrouble thy selfe no longer in prouing that I haue failed in al for sure I am and fully I beleue to be saued not by my workes by reason they be vnperfecte nor yet by the worthynes of my fayth for in that also I am not perfecte bycause I beleue not with so great a faith as I
serue our turne on the behalfe of our sinnes as though we had ben most innoceÌ„te Esay 43. he coÌ„mitted al the sins on his wil was to go alone to the deth therfore he sayed to his disciples in the garden stande therin peace Math. xxuii rest without care suffer me alone to enter into the battaile abide on my bones that you haue deserued and meting the multitude he saied to theÌ„ whoÌ„ seke you Iohn 18. they aÌ„swered Iesus of Nazareth as though they shuld haue sayed we seke for hym whiche hath vpoÌ„ him all the syns of the world And christ made aÌ„swer I am he I haue taken on me al the sinnes loue hath layde theÌ„ on my shulders ther fore if you seke for me as a man in whoÌ„ be al the sinnes let my disciples and my elected passe as innoceÌ„tes ease satisfie reueÌ„g do your worst to me which am coÌ„tented to suffer for al one cause also wherfore christ being accused at the iudgemeÌ„t seate of IerusaleÌ„ made no answer was to shew that they had against him all actioÌ„s in somoch as he had embraced for his owne al our synnes It pleased hym also to be crowned with thornes as king of al our miseries set betwen tow thefes as the starkest errand thefe of al likewise was he coÌ„tented to be strikeÌ„ beaten for our syns as Esay sayeth he was smyten for our infirmities and brosed for our iniquityes Esaye 53. and osseÌ„ces god hath chastysed beateÌ„ him for the sinnes of his people and by his woundes and passions we be made hole he payed that he owed not â—alm 63. as Dauid saied I haue payed those thynges that I tooke not â—say 43. and Esay also dyd saye in the parson of Christ you haue but me to trouble for your iniquities he was contented that vppon hym shold come al those infamies sclaÌ„ders and rebukes which we haue deserued for oure synnes whych thynge Dauid singnified in spryte in the parsone of Chryste wher he saieth â—salm 68. the rebukes and reproches wherwyth they slandered the fell all vpon me yea and those curses also that were due to vs fell vpon hym as Paule sayeth he hath redemed vs froÌ„ the cursse â—ala 3 in that he became a curst for vs. and lyke a godly shepherde hauyng on hys backe the lost shepe for he hath his kyngedome vppon hys shulders â—â—ay 6 hath he borne our synnes on the crosse 1. Petri. ii as Peter sayeth he hath borne our syns in hys body vppon the crosse and tre vpon it as it had bene an altar to condemne oure synnes wyth the synne that was imputed to him was he offered as a sacrifise to be burned in the fier and flaÌ„me of gods loue and to the CorinthiaÌ„s Paule writeth ii Corin. 5. he that knewe no synne was made synne for vs. it was gods wyll mynde that he which was moste innocent shoulde be doone on the crosse as though he were not onely a sinner but euen syn it selfe thus as Daniel prophesied was iniquite coÌ„sumed in one day god toke it oute of the world acordyng to the profesye of zachary Zachar. 5 Iohn 3. wherfore saynte Iohn sayeth he appeared to take a way our synns and saynt Iohn Baptist sayeth of Christ that he is the lambe of god the taketh away the synnes of the worlde Therefore when Chryst suffered moste louiglye all that whych we haue deserued Hebre. 1 he satisfyed for vs and purged vs from oure synnes he after the maner of the prodygal sonne of an excedyng loue that he bare to the sowle when he hadde geuen hys diuine treasures of grace to the verye open synners harlotes and had taken to hym self our synnes as yf he had done them hym selfe he made prayer to his father that he wolde pardon them to him to him he pardoned theÌ„ for we were not worthy nether wolde he yeld vp his sprite tyl fyrst he had bowed doune hys heade that ys vntyll he had moued god 1. Corin. 11. which ys as Paule writeth his heade to pardone vs to Chryste therfore were our synnes ascribed so the iustly he meryted that death for hys synnes not by cause he coÌ„mitted theÌ„ but bicause he admited them for his oune and so hath he satisfyed for them not only suffycyently but also more then was requisite for to god ys one teare of Christ more pleasant then all the synnes of the worlde dyspleasant that lyfe death of hys were more to the honoure of god then our life was to hys dyshonoure yea he hath not onelye satisfyed for our synnes but hath purchaced for vs lyfe euerlasting But happly wylt thou say then nede I to take no paynes nor traueyl to satisfye for my syns nor to deserue paradise I may take mine ease or do what euyll the liketh me geuing me to pleasur good cheare for if it be as the saiest I cannot but be saued I aÌ„swer thus first I say the truth it is the oughtest not to laboure thy selfe for the entente to satysfye for thy synnes nor yet to deserue paradise for that is onely Christes office nor thou canst haue any such entent wyth our doyng greate iniury and wronge to god but where as thou sayeste that thou wold â—iue idlye or doo euyll after that Christe hath now deliuered the frome all euill and purchased the the greattest felicitie I make the answer on thys wyse If case were that one were led to the gallowes for hys rybaldry and noghtines and his lord or maister of mere fauour and good wil shuld deliuer hym and counte hym for hys sonne and yet woulde saye my lord or Maister hath deliuered me frome all euyll and taken me for hys sonne and heyre the refore wyl I go my way and be idle and in folowyng myne own lustes and wyl do in him wrong how thynk you in thys case be not these wicked wordes euen the lyke sayeste thow Chryste hath delyuered me from hell and made me the sonne of god heyre of heuen wherfore I wyll stand like an idle parsone or rather do more euyll Christe certes dyed not for the nor satisfied for thy dettes nor yet merited for the paradise to th entent thou shulde stande idle coÌ„mit synne and become a starke ribalde but that thou seyng hys greate loue and hou greatly synne displeased hym seeynge he was wyllynge to dye bycause to take them oute of the world shulde no more doo synne but honour hym loue hym thank hym put thy truste in hym and worke vertuose and good workes plentiouslye not as a bonde seruaÌ„t to escape hell sitheÌ„ christ hath delyuered the ne yet to get paradyse the whych Chryst hath purchased for the but as a naturall sonne for the glorye of god moued therto by mocyon of faythe loue and spryte not by mannes wyt sensualytie or thy behofe or commodytye Moreouer eyther thou beleuest that Christ hath satisfyed for the or not yf thou beleue not that he hath delyuered the frome hell and gotten the Paradyse yf thou be wyse thou wylt searche to helpe thy self and so wylt thou not be idle mochlesse wylt thou coÌ„myt sinnes but rather enforce thyselfe to make satysfaccion for thy selfe and to deserue paradise whych is athyng impossible but yf thou beleue lyuelye that he had so loued the that to saue the he dyed on the crosse thou shulde be constrayned to loue hym agayn and to do for his glory maruelouse workes pletuouslye and redyly to beleue that we are saued by Christ maketh not vs negligente and naughtye but feruent and holye Let vs therfore render thaÌ„kes to oure Lorde god seynge he hath wyth so greate loue saued vs by so hyghe ryche happye and gloriouse meane To whome be al waye all honour laude and glorye throughe Iesu Christ our Lorde AMEN IMPRINTED at London by me R. C. for Wyllyam Reddell duellyng at the signe of the George in Pouls chyrch yarde