him For yf when we were enemies we were reconcyled â—o God by the deathe of his sonne much more sâ—ynge we are reconcyled we shall be preserued by his lyfe Not only so but we also ioy in god by the meanes of our LORDâ— Iesus Christ by whome we haue receyued this attonemente Also S. Iohn sayeth For this purpose appered the sonne of God for to loose the workes of the euel Agayne tâ— this appeared y â— loue of God to vswarâ— â–ª bycause that God sent his onlye begotteÌ„ sonne into the world that we myghte lyue thorowe hym Thus se you y t whan ther was no hope of saluacioÌ„â—or vs in ony creature God of his owne free goodness seÌ„t dâ—wne hâ—s only begotten sonne to be a Sauyour vnto vs. EVSE This do we perceyue right wel PHIL. Nowe markâ— agayne howe that by him alone we are saued His name is IESVS that is to saye a sauyour for he it is that saueth his people froÌ„ theyr synnes neyther 〈◊〉 there any other name gyuen vnto men vnder heaueÌ„ wherin they must be saued but only by this name IESVS To hym geueth all the Prophetes witâ—eg â–ª that thorow his name â—ll shall receyue remission of synnes that beleue in hiÌ„ Be it knowen vnto you ye men brothers y e by this Iesus Christ remissioÌ„ of synnes is preached vnto you from al thynges from the whiche ye coulde not be iustified by the law of Moses by him is eueri one that beleueth â—ustified He is y â— LaÌ„be of God whiche taketh awaye the synne of y â— worlde He is our resurreccion lyfe He is the waye trueth lyfe No man commeth to the father but by him He is the good shepeheard by whom we be saued from the wolfe He is the dore by whom we must enter into grace He is the vyne in whome we beyng ingrassed muste nedes brynge forth muche fruyte He is oure wisdome righteousnes sanctificacion redeÌ„cioÌ„ He is our peace He is our mediatour aduocate He is alpha omega that is both the begynnyng and endyng of our saluacion Moreouer by him are we at peace with God By him haue we a waye in thorowe sayth vnto this fauoure wherin we stond reioyce in hope of the prayse that shall be gyuen of God By hym is the fauoure of God plenteous towarde vs. By hym his righteousnes are we made righteous By him hath the lawe of the Spirite of lyfe made vs free from the lawe of â—ynne deth By hym hath god the father blessed vs with all spiritual blessyng in heauenlye thynges By him dyd God chose vs before the foundacioÌ„s of the worlde were layd y t we should be sayntes fautles before hym By hym are we made dere to god the father By hym haue we redempcion by his bloud remission of sinnes By him are all thynges both in heauen earth gathered togyther By him we which in tymes paste were farre of are made nigh thorow his bloud By hym we haue and open waye vnto the father By him are all our sinnes forgyuen vs. By hym are we delyuered from the wrath to come By hym and by his bloude are we made cleane from all synne By hym by the oblacion of his moost blessed body done once for all are we sanctified Yea by that one oblacion hath he made perfecte for euâ—rmore theÌ„ that are sanctifyed To conclude by hym is euerlastyng lyfe gyuen vnto vs. Thus se you that by Christ all good thynges chauÌ„se vnto vs that god the father is wel pleased set at one w t vs for his sake as he himselfe witnesseth This is my welbeloued soÌ„ne in whome I am well pleased or for whose sake I am fully contented w t man Hereto agreeth the sayenge of S. Austen All y â— euer receyue euerlastynge lyfe receyue it not but by Christ. Therfore sayth he in another place All my hope is in the death of my LORDE His death is my meryte my refuge succour health â—ife my resurreccion My merite is the compasssioÌ„ of the LORDE I am not w tout meryte so long as y t LORDE of mercies shal not waÌ„t And yf y t mercies of y â— LORD be many I am plenteous in merites The stronger is to saue the more without iopardy am I let vs therfore gyue thaÌ„kes sayeth he to the LORDE our sauiour whiche no merites goynge before hathe heled vs that were wounded reconcyled vs his enemyes redemed vs froÌ„ captiuite brought vs againe out of darkenes into light called vs again from death to lyfe let vs humblye confessyng our fragilite wekenes desyre hys mercy in asmuch as he hath preuented vs as the Psalmographe sayth w t his mercye he maye vouchâ—aâ—e not only to preserue and kepe in vs but also to augment and encrese his giftes or benefytes wâ—iche he hath vouchedsafe to gyue vs. CHRI Amen THEO So be it EVSE LORDE let it so come to passe PHIL. Home dothe this seconde seruyce of your BaÌ„cket please you THEO We neuer iÌ„ our lyues tasted a dysh more pleasaunt confortable to our soules health EVSE We haue now learned what we are of oureselues and wher remedy is to be gotten but by what meanes shall we come by it What thynge maye be the occasion wherby we maye receyue so many â—o great benefytes at y e hande of god the father for Iesus Christes sake I praye you a good fellowshyppe decâ—are this vnto vs. PHIL. I neuer heard a questioÌ„ared in better tyme for the answere to it is your thyrde dysshe whiche before you proponed this question I was fullye determined to set before you And now here it is ¶ The thyrde dysshe PHILEMON REpent beleue the gospell These were y e wordes that our sauiour christ as marke testifieth vsed wheÌ„ be begaÌ„ to preach In the which he declareth by what meanes we may obtaine remission of our synnes the celâ—â—ial heritage of gods glorye Repent sateth he beleue the gospell Fryrste he exorteth vs to repentaunce whiche is as Chrisostome sayth not only to cease from the oldewithour euelles but also to folowe better offices such thynges as ought of dutie to be done as Dauid sayeth Declyne froÌ„ 〈◊〉 euel do good S. IohnÌ„ the Baptysâ—e in lyke maner in the begynnyng of his preachyng sayd RepeÌ„t for the kingdome of heauen is at hand Christ also after his resurreccion commaunded his Apostles to preach repeÌ„taÌ„ce and remission of sinnes in his name vnto al nacions Lykewyse we read in the Actes of y e Apostles then wheÌ„ Peter preached to the Iewes much of christ shewed that he was the same LORDE Iesus whom they had crucyfied they were prycked in theyr hertes sayd Ye meÌ„ breâ—â—reÌ„ what shall we do Peter sayde vnto theÌ„ Repent be baptised euery one of you in the name
the vnto you Beholde here it is I wyll sette ennemytâ— betwene the an womaÌ„ betwene thy seed her seed that selfe seed shall tread downe thy heade Nowe dothe this fauour in your mouth THEO Very pleasauÌ„tly forsoth but we do not perceyue what it meneth PHIL. Heare therfore These were the wordes of God the father to the serpent whan by his craft sutâ—elty he had made AdaÌ„ to offende in theÌ„ is comprehended an whole See of treasures For they declare both oure free delyueraunce from captiuite also the victory ouer Satan and all his army When Satan had thought y t he had gotteÌ„ the ouerhand of man and brought him into the same case wherinto he was throwen for his to much arrogancy pryde thynking by this menes to deceiue God of his purpose which had made man for to supply y e noÌ„ber of Aungelles which perysshed when Lucifer fel from heuen God wyllyng to shewe himselfe of no lesse puissaunce to saue maÌ„ thorowe his mercy than SataÌ„ was to condeÌ„ne hym thorowe his crafte pytied streyght way the miserable fall of maÌ„ afterwarde spake these confortable wordes to the great coÌ„fusion of Satan the excedyng consolacion of man I wyl set enimite betwene the an womaÌ„ betwene thy seed and her seed that selfe seed shall treade downe thy head Thys woman is the mooste blessed and pure virgyn Mary which was here promysed to brynge forth y t seed whiche should tread downe Satans heade This seed is Iesus christ which toke sâ—eâ—sh vnfaynedly of that moost pure virgyn became man for our sake And he it is which was promised of God the father to treade downe the heade of the Serpent THEO I perâ—eyue that by the serpente ye meane Satan But what is mente by the treadyng downe of his head PHIL. The destruccion of his power For y e these streÌ„gth power of a serpent coÌ„systeth iÌ„ his head Though his tayle or body be stryken or wouÌ„ded he forceth not much For he wyl put them both in perrel for the safegard of his head but yf his head be once striken or wosided thaÌ„ loseth he his power than dyeth he shortelye Therfore is Christe promysed here not to tread downe the tayle or bodye of the serpent but his head wherby is sygnified the destruccion of his whole power So that nowe Satan shall neuer more triuÌ„ph agaynst Gods electe Do ye nowe perceyue this matter EVSE Yea forsoth CHRI I neuer hearde so muche before PHIL. Well nowe beholde the great excedynge mercye of God toward you that ye maye learne that to be true whiche God speaketh by his Prophet Ose Thy destruccion oh Israell coÌ„meth of it selfe but thy saluacion coÌ„meth only of me Ye haue heard that AdaÌ„ synned that thorowe his synne all we were daÌ„â—ed THEO I remeÌ„ber it well PHIL. The scripture testifieth y â— so sone as Adam had offeÌ„ded he hyd hymselfe fled from the face of god he was so gretly ashamed of y â— synne that he had coÌ„mytted For after his offence he came not to GOD as he ought to haue done neyther sought he grace remission of his synne at the goodnes of God by coÌ„fessing his synne with a faythfull repentaunto herte but streyghtway after y â— traÌ„â—gressioÌ„ of y e precept he fled from God hyd himselfe froÌ„ y â— face of god as they vse to saye putte his head in a busshe lyke a cowarde for feare Oh where are the powers of free wyl yâ— man be once withoute the spirite of God Man hath nowe no power to seke for saluacion but rather continueth styll in his olde wickednes seketh to be far from the face of god couetynge rather to be damned thaÌ„ he would once approch vnto y â— sighte of God synne hath so slayne his courage SataÌ„ in him hath so great dominion yea whan he coÌ„sidereth his wickednesse he is angrye w t GOD hateth God and wyssheth that ther were no God that he myghte escape vnpunysshed euen as an enemy of y â— publigue weale wyssheth that there were no kynge no Emperour no ruler no gouernor no magistrate but all lyke himselfe that freely w tout punysshement he myght deforme renâ—e teare despoyle y â— publigue weâ—e at his owne pleasure Nowe beholde the vnspeakable benygnite of God When Adam had fled from him and hyd himselfe so that he had no hoope of helth but vtterly despayred of all consolacioÌ„ lokyng for extreme tyraÌ„ny to be exercysed vpon him at euery houre accordyng to his desertes God lyke a mercyfull father sought hiÌ„ vp spake before hiÌ„ y e swete wordes heretofore rehersed to Satan y t by this meanes he might receyue coÌ„solacioÌ„ so be saued by geuyng earnest fayth to that moost confortable promyse O the vnmesurable goodnes of this celestial father he is that shepe herde whiche neuer leaueth sekyng vntyll he hath found the shepe that was loste He is y t father which ioyefully receiueth agayne into his house that sonne whiche prodigally had spente all his substance He is y â— Samaritane which healeth y â— wouÌ„ded man He is that LORDE whiche maketh of a blasphemer an Apostle of a ê“secutor a preacher And wheÌ„ce commeth this his goodnes of vs of our good dedes of our merites Naverely but of his bounteous mercy and great goodness Frely and with out deserte worketh he this thynge We are saued by grace thorow faith that not of our selues for it is the gyfte of God commeth not of workes bycause no maÌ„ should bost himselfe We beiÌ„g iustified by his grace are made heyres accordyng to hope of euerlastyng lyfe Not for the workes of ryghteousnes which we haue done but accordynge to his mercye hathe he saued vs. We are iustyfyed frely by his grace By grace are we saued not by workes Yf by grace theÌ„ not of workes or els grace were not grace He dyd chose vs by hys grace not we hym by our workes as christ wytnesseth ye haue not choseÌ„ me but I haue choseÌ„ you Paule also sayth God did chose vs in Christ before the foundacions of the world were layd Hereto pertayneth y t sayeng of the Psalmograph Blessed is he o Lord whome thou haste chosen and taken vnto the for he shal dwel in thy inner courtes That God of his free mercy did chose vs without our desertes whan we were synfull poore w toute onye goodnes or godlynes he hymselfe testifyeth by hys Prophet sayeng I haue chosen the in the fyre of pouertie EVSE So far as I can perceyue nowe God alone is y â— author of our saluacion he of his free mercy and abouÌ„dant grace dyd chose vs to be his heyres before the foundacions of the worlde were layde CHRI Yea and that before we wrought ony goodnes or shewed ony poynte of kyndnes toward hym PHIL. Ye saye trueth And
theyr Gospell For they wyl not fast nor praye nor gyue almes nor vse any kynde of vertue Theyse whome they cal Pharises do much excel theÌ„ in euery degree of godly lyuynge They wyll shewe themselues conformable to no poletyke ordinaunce They hunte carnall libertie They seke to synne freely and without punysshemente Theyr whole religion consisteth in breakynge mens lawes and auncient customes Farewell they therfore with theyr gospel We wyll followe our forefathers This and such lyke talke is hearde dayely amonge the enemies of Gods word Therfore oughte they y t loue Gods trueth to walke circuÌ„spectly seyng the dayes are euell as S. Paule saieth to haue an honest conuersacioÌ„ amonge Goddess enemies that they which backbyte them as euell doers maye se theyr good workes prayse God in the day of visitacion For so is the wyll of God sayeth S. Peter that with wel doynge ye should stop the mouthes of ygnoraunt men as free not as though ye toke lyberty for a cloke of maliciousnes but euen as the seruauÌ„tes of God Which thyng moost dere brothers woulde God ye would do that by your vertuous conuersacion ye myghte not plucke men from but vnto the Gospell not dishonour but honour god not hynder but prouoke the Euangelical trueth that with one mynd herte wyl tonge dede we al might togyther professe one God and one trueth Than should God be glorified among vs. ThaÌ„ should his moost blessed worde be enhalsed of all men Than shoulde we vnder one kynge liue iÌ„ an vnite peace coÌ„cord of christen religion without ony scisme he resy or dissencion Than myghte we well saye that the true repentauÌ„ce and syncer fayth wherby a christen man is iustified in the syght of God were in vs. For so longe as we continue iÌ„ our old wickednes ameÌ„d not our maners certes neyther true repentaunce nor christen faythe is in vs and to saye the trueth neyther haue we ony parte of Christ or Christes merytes but pertayne styll to Satan his synfull synagoge For as S. Iohn sayeth If we saye that we haue fellowshyp with God yet walke in darknes we lye performe not the trueth But if we walke in lyghte euen as he is in lyghte than haue we fellowship w t him y e bloud of Iesus Christ his soÌ„ne maketh vs cleane froÌ„ all synne Therfore dearely beloued let vs cast away the workes of darkenes walke in the lyghte of Gods trueth lyue accordynge to our vocacion garnysh the doctryne of christ our sauiour with godly maners so in al pointes institute and order our lyfe accordyng to Goddes wyll that we maye be that same in lyfe dede that we desyre to be reported that is to say perfecte true christen men both in herte worde dede So maye we be certayne in this lyfe to haue God a mercyfull father vnto vs thorowe Iesus Christ his sonne after the departing out of this world to enioye the glorious syght of the moost blessed Godhead there to remayne in ioye glorye worldes without ende AmeÌ„ Thus endeth your bancket EVSE Praysed be the LORDE for it THEO Both now euermore CHRI For he alone is worthy all honoure glory PHIL. If it shall please you I wyll nowe gather togither in few wordes that which hytherto I haue dispersed in many that they may the more easly remaine in your brest THEO I pray you let it be so PHIL. In youre fyrste disshe I ministred vnto you y â— knowledge of your selues declared what ye are by AdaÌ„ that is to say chyldreÌ„ of wrath all carnall w tout the spirite of God as S. Austen sayeth let no man stond in his owne conceyte For of his owne he is very Satan but of Gods he is blessed What is this to saye of his owne but of hys synne Take away the synne which is thyne the righteouses sayethe god is of myne Fore what hast thou that thou hast not taken In youre seconde dysshe ye receyued the knowlege of Goddes fauour toward you frely thorow Iesus Christ. In your thyrde dysshe ye perceyued by what meanes ye may obtayn this fauour of God verely by true repentaunce syncer fayth In your fourth dish I proued vnto you that of this your repentaunce fayth workes muste nedes followe yea that those workes whiche God hath prepared that we should walke in them Here is in few wordes concluded y â— whole suÌ„me of your banckette I praye you loke that ye both remeÌ„ber these thynges well also exercyse them in your lyuynge EVSE We wyll labour to the vttermooste of oure power And because we can do nothyng withoute the helpe of God we shall at all houres with fyrme and sure faith moost instantly desyre God to worke that thynges in vs his holye spirite y t he commanndethe vs to do that we maye neyther thyncke breath speke or do ony thing but that may turne to his glorye PHIL. It is godly spoken This one thynge than remayneth that we gyue God thankes for this our bancket CHRI I pray you let it be so ¶ The thankes gyuynge PHILEMON PRayse honour and glory be vnto the O heueÌ„ly father which at this tyme hast fed vs w t meate not y e perisheth but y t abydeth into euerlastying lyfe Graunte O good God that we hauynge the knowledge of thy worde maye also practyse the same in oure conuersacion that we both intierly louyng and vnfaynedly lyuyng thy holy word maye after this lyfe lyue w t the in that lyfe whiche is immortall THEO Amen EVSE So be it CHRI LORD let it so come to passe PHIL. Seynge that accordynge to the commaundemeÌ„te of Christe we haue nowe fyrste soughte the kyngedom of god the righteousnes therof haue fedde our soules with this celestiall bancket of Gods worde I praye you nowe vouchesafe to come with me and take such poore repast for the sustenaunce of your body as it hathe pleased God to prepare for vs. THEO We gyue you right herty thaÌ„kes EVSE I pray God y t we may once recoÌ„pense your kyndnes PHIL. My power is smale but my wyll is muche folowe me I besech you CHRI Praysed be the LORD for this our most coÌ„fortable bancket THEO PHIL. AMEN ¶ Gyue the glory to God alone ¶ Imprynted at London in Botulphe lane at the sygne of the whyte Beare by me IohnÌ„ Mayler for IohnÌ„ Gough Anno DnÌ„i 1542. Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum Ioan. vi 〈…〉 Deâ—t viii Math. iiii Ioan. xâ— Ioan xiiii 〈◊〉 ixvi Psal. câ— Pro. â—â—x 〈◊〉 Psa. â—â—â— Ioan. vâ—â—◠〈…〉 Ioan. i. Luke xiiii â—sal â—viii Luke xiâ—â— Mark 〈…〉 well Luke xvi 〈◊〉 xxxiiii â–ª 〈…〉 â—om lâ—xiâ— D◠〈…〉 Ioan. vii Esa. lv Ipo xxii Ioan. iiii Ioan. vâ— â–ª Beholde what â—he remâ—braÌ„ce of christes deth doâ—h â—poâ— iâ—â— â— Pet. â— Ephe. vâ— Esai â— â—â—he iiii Math. v. Psa. xxxiii i. Pet.