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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B08023	A notable discourse of the happinesse of this our age, and of the ingratitude of men to God for his benefites: written in Latine by that godly learned man Iohn Riuius, and now Englished for the comfort, and commoditie of the vnlearned, by W.W. student..; De seculi nostri felicitate, et hominum erga Dei beneficia ingratitudine, liber. English	Rivius, Johann, 1500-1553.	1578 (1578)	STC 21064.5; ESTC S94909	108,359	160

against the prescripts of men was verie hardly forgiuen and that not by euerie man So the neglect of singing vpon an holie day in the Church what a sinne was it reckoned But forgetfulnes of God in prosperitie ingratitude towards God other such like sinnes how were they nothing accompted of I could bring forth well nigh sixe hundred such but that I thinke that this which I haue rehearsed is inough for example sake Notwithstanding I will yet relate one or two more that thereby the whole matter may the better appeare If the sacrificing Priest had by chaunce any day omitted his houres of prayer how great a sinne was that thought to bee how scarse pardonable That the same man did keepe a concubine that the same man did wholy abandon him selfe to bankettes to wine to lecherie in that there was no man which was greatly offended So if a Monke had not orderly inough finished his ceremonies good God what trembling quaking was there what anguish of minde finally what feare lest hee should fall into hell But for the same man to beare priuie grudges against his brethren for to detract from other mens fame and good name that was accompted no offence If any man vpon an holy day had done any woorke in the fielde the businesse requisite to bee done what an heinous offence what an inexpiable crime was it iudged But hee that neglecting the Sermon had spent the same day wholy in feastes riottous and reueling bankets in wine in surfeting in dansing in dicing in pastimes and sometime in bralles and fightinges he verely was thought to haue made a faire dayes woorke and to haue kept holy day verie well and deuoutly So if the Bishop shoulde haue made a married man Minister though hee were a godly and a learned man he accompted it a wicked act because it is against the canons and rules of their order though it be permitted by Gods lawes But the same man is nothing at all affraid to choose into the number of Bishops and Prelates much more into the number of Parish Priestes I doe not say now dronkardes couetous caytifes and angrie wretches but besides their extreme ignorance incestuous persons homicides parricides Church robbers dicers sorcerers that I may adde no woorse although the holie Ghoste by the mouth of Paule had flatly forbidden it So greatly doe they swallowe vp a Camel which straine at a gnatte So verely the Iewes thought it a cursed and damnable deed to pull an Oxe out of a dich vpon the Sabboth day but that Christ by speaking the woorde did heale men vpon that day that verely they obiected vnto him as the greatest crime that coulde bee And they that made a religion of it to enter the Iudgement hall namely to the end they might eate the Passeouer pure and cleane without spotte the same men were nothing affraide to crucifie an innocent and guiltlesse man to witte our Sauiour Christ Iesus But let vs returne againe to our purpose Now after that the man hath truely acknowledged his sinnes being moued thereto by repentance hath sorrowed greatly in mind for them hath trembled at the anger iudgment of God against them sighing from the bottome of his hearte hath aspired desired the grace of Christ wee will him to hope well and to be of good cheere we comfort him being sad sorrowfull by proposing setting before him the clemencie greate goodnesse of God who is woont easily to graunt pardon to the penitent to haue respect to the contrite in spirit and to him that trembleth at his sayinges We teach declare that the saluation of all men whosoeuer repent truely from their heart dependeth on the only mercie of God through Christ that Christ hath satisfied GOD by his death for the sinnes of all men and that hee by his punishment hath suffered that punishment which wee did owe to the iustice of God that Christ came into the worlde to saue sinners that Christ gaue him selfe the price of redemption for all that Christ was wounded for our iniquities and broken for our wickednesse that by Christ we were reconciled when wee were Gods enimies that by Christ wee are deliuered from the wrath of GOD that by Christes bloude we are all cleansed from our sinnes that Christ doth daily make intercession for vs at the right hande of God his father that by Christ wee are both sanctified and are the sonnes of God and haue life euerlasting Hitherto tendeth that which our Sauiour saith in Iohn So GOD loued the worlde saith hee that hee gaue his onely begotten Sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him shoulde not perish but haue euerlasting life For GOD sent not his sonne into the worlde that he shoulde condemne the worlde but that the worlde through him might bee saued Hitherto also perteineth that of S. Iohn Herein the loue of GOD appeared towardes vs because GOD sent his onely begotten sonne into this worlde that wee might liue through him Herein is that loue manifest not that wee loued GOD but that hee loued vs and sent his sonne to bee a reconciliation for our sinnes Hitherto also belongeth that which S. Paule writeth to the Ephesians and to the Colossians By whome saith hee wee haue redemption through his bloude euen the forgiuenesse of sinnes according to the riches of his grace And to the Corinthians For also our Passeouer saith hee is offered vp for vs euen Christ And againe For he which was without sinne made hee sinne that is the price of sinne for vs that wee might bee made the righteousnesse of God by him I will not stande any longer in these testimonies of Scripture For the summe of all is this That GOD through Christ is reconciled vnto vs and that Christ hath satisfied the iustice of God for the sinnes of mankinde This faith therefore is conceiued by the preaching of the Gospell For the Gospell setting downe the reconciliation of God through Christ and the satisfaction of Christ for the sinnes of men doth shew forth hope of saluation and an assured confidence to them that repent After this sorte which you haue hearde doe wee comforte him which is greeued for his offences and sorrowfull for his sinnes For wee speake not a woorde to him of Romish indulgencies of Pilgrimages of Monkes suffragies and other such like trifles We doe againe and againe inculcate and beate into his braine which is repentant for his sinnes Christ onely so as the Scripture teacheth We declare that it is Christ alone whome wee ought to vse as our Spoakesman Attourneie and Sollicitour in appeasing God that Christ is hee alone who both by the sacrifice of his bodie hath satisfied for the sinnes of mankind and in whose onely bloud and merites all mortall men ought to repose the whole trust of their saluation And that there may not remaine any little scruple in

and a certeine idle and vaine dreame of faith howsoeuer otherwise the aduersaries of wholesome doctrine doe cry out against it who when as light is nowe restored vnto the worlde had rather embrace darkenesse than loue the light But heere wee must obserue and note a difference betwixt good woorkes For our aduersaries doe say commonly that almost those onely are good woorkes which wee haue rehearsed before to witte Pilgrimages woorshipping of images burning of Franckincense and such like odours inuocation of Saintes and such like ioyned with impietie and idolatrie or els full of the greatest follie and madnesse that may bee and whiche God did not prepare that wee shoulde walke in them as Saint Paule saith These woorkes wee doe both flatly reprehende in woord and remoue in deede There are also besides these other woorkes good indeed but yet such as rather perteine to discipline and to the exercise of the body than to true godlinesse as abstinence from daintie meates often fastinges watchinges lying vppon the bare grounde the necessitie of liuing according to the prescript of man and such like by whiche the flesh is after a sorte bridled that it may not waxe wanton and lasciuious and that it may not exult too immoderately out of all measure These woorkes wee very well like allowe of albeit wee doe not esteeme and set so much by them altogether as the vnskilfull people was woont to doe but wee doe farre preferre before these workes those which come neerer to true godlinesse of which wee will speake hereafter And verely the common people if they see any men leane with hunger broke with trauell brought lowe with watching doe much magnifie them for an opinion of holinesse by these things they doe esteeme godlinesse Neither cōmeth it seldome to passe but very often that men swell secretly in pride and are puffed vp in minde about that externall hypocrisie of good woorkes which so glorieth boasteth it selfe in the eyes of the people Yea those same works are now then kept obserued more superstitiously than needed and well nigh with a Iudaicall mind as if in these the greatest godlinesse that can bee did consist wheras indeed they bring small profite with them vnlesse those true workes be in them to which Christ inculcateth beateth into the eares and mindes of his scholers And it may be that hee which pineth his bodie with fasting which breaketh it with paines taking which corrupteth it with watching which of his owne accorde abstaineth for euer from wine and flesh which goeth in beastly beggerly apparell which lieth vppon the bare grounde which beareth heate and colde it may be I say that he in the meane time is not farre estranged from ambition from wrath from enuie from priuie grudges hartburning from other vices wickednesse though by this hardnesse austeritie of life he haue gotten him a great opinion of holinesse among all men though he wonderfully please him self in these his outward workes as in fastinges watchings lyinges vpon the grounde and in the obseruation of such like things as did the whole companie of Monkes and Friers Last of all there are woorkes very good and Euangelicall which Christ inculcateth which the doctrine of the Apostles commendeth whiche the ten Commaundementes doe conteine What they bee wee haue declared before as the feare of God assured trust in God inuocation or calling vppon God thankesgiuing to God patience in afflictions all kindes of dueties towardes our neighbour liberalitie towards the poore the rest which wee rehearsed before These onely are the workes whereby yow may knowe a true Christian man For he is not to be thought to liue Christianly as the Apostle saith woorthie of God whiche doeth the first kinde of workes which calleth vpon Saintes which gaddeth into wooddes and desertes which redeemeth and buieth indulgēcies which sprinkleth him self with holie water which weareth a waxe candle consecrated by the Pope nor if a man busie him selfe aboute the second sort of workes if he fast if he watch if he lie harde vpon the ground if he teare rent his owne bodie with stripes if he flee and auoyde all delicates and dainties the obseruation of whiche thinges was woont heeretofore to puffe vp the Monkes with intollerable pride but he onely is to bee thought to liue Christianly which studieth and endeuoureth to declare and manifest his faith to the worlde by the last kinde of woorkes that is to say whiche repenteth perpetually which feareth GOD truely whiche loueth him vnfeignedly whiche calleth vppon him in trouble and aduersitie whiche giueth him thankes in prosperitie which laudeth praiseth and confesseth God at all times whiche is patient in miseries and calamities which is modest in the prosperitie of this life which is diligent in his duetie which is temperate in his diet apparell which is iust vpright to his neighbor which is bountifull to the poore which tolerateth iniuries which prayeth for thē which curse him which beareth good will to them which owe ill will to him which deserueth well of them which hurt him which feedeth the hungrie which giueth drinke to the thirstie and the rest which we haue rehearsed which are truely and indeed good woorkes and worthily beseeming a Christian man Wherefore these woorkes we teach to these woorkes wee exhorte men these workes wee vrge continually without end This greeueth our aduersaries sore that both wee flatly reiect the first kind of workes also that we set not such store by the second sort of workes as the ignorant people are woont to doe lastly that we inculcate the third kind of works oftner thā they can bere abide it Secondly this also vexeth them that wee had rather ascribe our saluation to the free fauour and mercie of God for Christ than vnto mens merites good works that wee condemne them which put their trust and affiance in good deedes whiche of them selues seeke to satisfie for their owne sinnes whiche promise vnto them selues for their woorkes both deliuerance from eternall punishment also blessed immortalitie which thinke that heauen is due to their good deedes and chiefly them whiche are accustomed not to communicate with other men freely their ouerflowing merites but for siluer and gold readie told Finally they take it very greeuously and in great snuffe that wee doe teach according to that precept of the Apostle Flee the worshipping of idols that their manifest superstition impietie and idolatrie in worshipping of images in calling vppon the dead in the prophanation of the Supper of the Lorde in the trust of mens traditions wherein Monkerie wholy depended ought to bee shunned auoyded of all men This verely is the cause why they cry out so much that good workes are indeed vtterly taken away left only in worde name Now as oft as they crie out complaine that religion is polluted defiled that

to trust onely to Gods fauour and clemencie Thus you haue heard what woorkes we doe inculcate and beate into the eares and mindes of men They finde great fault with vs for this that we teach that it is a good woorke to sweepe the pauement or floore to hew downe trees or to cleaue wood and such like sith that the Ethnikes also and Pagans doe that As though it bee not a good woorke though it seeme a base and contemptible labour whatsoeuer a man doth according to Gods commaundement in his office and trade of life Therefore that seruant which at his maisters commandement heweth wood and the drudge or kitching slaue which carrieth out of doores all the filth in the house doeth verely a worke no lesse acceptable to God than he which preacheth prayeth and singeth And why so because looke whatsoeuer God him selfe hath commaunded to bee done he doeth well accept it as contrarily he refuseth and reiecteth those thinges concerning which he neuer gaue commaundement in any place Wherefore this must bee beaten into the eares and mindes of all men which our aduersaries are not ashamed to blame vs for that euerie man endeuour to defend duely to doe rightly that office function which he beareth And wherefore I pray you should a maide preparing her maisters dinner or making beds lesse please God than a sacrificing or Masse Priest which mumbleth vp his Mattins or hourlie prayers seing that shee doeth obey Gods commaundement whereas hee only obeyeth mens prescript Yea that I may vrge them more If a seruing man being commaunded of his maister who is to ride a soudeine and a necessarie iournie to dresse his horse and to make him readie would in the meane season be present either at seruice or at the Sermon must hee not be thought to doe yll For howe could hee well doe it sith that he ought not to refuse to doe his maisters will in those matters which are not repugnant to Gods preceptes as S. Paule in his Epistle to the Ephesians Colossians and to Titus and S. Peter in his former Epistle teacheth If hee therefore doe amisse as we must confesse why shoulde any man contemne those woorkes whiche our aduersaries affirme that the very Ethnikes doe hauing but nature for their guide It appeareth I wis how litle or nothing of Christian matters they vnderstand who dare reiect make no account of the woorkes of godlie men whih albeit they are to the shew vile and abiect they are notwithstanding commaunded of god Who can denie but that it is an excellent and a not able woorke to be at a Sermon And yet for all that a baser and a more abiecte woorke must be preferred before it to witte the dressing of an horse if neede so require So the whole reason is altered and changed that looke what the Ethnikes also doe by natures lore that same must be preferred before that which Christians onely doe How much rather doe you thinke that to be preferred before those ambitious woorkes which are done before mens eyes and which vaunte and boaste them selues in mens sight such as are these Monasticall feigning of pouertie beastlie garmentes long and superstitious fastes prayers of Masse Priestes and songes in the Church whiche they doe not vnderstand voluntarie rentinges and manglinges of their bodie and such like Therefore how foolishly doe they yea how childishly are they wise or rather foolish which prefer rites found out by men not ceremonies instituted by God before the dueties of men which walke as the Scripture speaketh in their vocation and calling Howe much better I pray you is it and more agreeable to religion if euerie man doe his duetie in that kind trade of life wherein hee is limited that in the meane time hee neither preferre him selfe before others nor despise other mens woorkes though they bee base nor thinke that they are lesse to bee set by and lesse to be esteemed than his Moreouer the Papistes obiect vnto vs so many heresies euerie where abroad saying that this renewed doctrine hath bene the cause and occasion of them What then Were there not both more heresies more hurtfull a greate deale in the Apostles times than there haue bene in our age Of which rhing wee might bring foorth Irinaeus and Epiphanius among the Greekes and Tertullian the most auncient Latine Doctour amongst the Ecclesiasticall writers as substantiall and sufficient witnesses Haue there not bene some at all times which haue both oppugned the true doctrine and also repugned and resisted godlie teachers Did not Iannes and Iambres resist withstand Moses the man of God in Aegypt as S. Paule witnesseth to Timothie Did not Baals Priestes resist Elias in Palestina Did not the false Prophets resist Ieremie Did not the Scribes Pharisies and high Priestes afterwardes resist Christ him selfe Finally did not both the Iewes and the false brethren and also the idolaters resist the Apostles Therefore the blame of so many heresies must not bee laied vpon the doctrine renewed but vpon the malice of men and of the Diuell The same you must thinke of troubles and 〈◊〉 raised at the preaching of the Gospell concerning which matter wee haue spoken more at large otherwhere in an other booke Last of all they obiect vnto vs our licentious liuing and they thinke that this instauration of Ecclesiasticall doctrine is the cause of our dissolute life The one of these two is truer than I would but the other is flatly false For it is the malice of Satan that fewe at this day doe tread that pathway of liuing which our Preachers painefully and diligently pointe vnto out of the precepts of Christ and out of the doctrine of the Apostles And surely our Preachers labour by all meanes possible to hinder and stoppe the course of sinne and wickednesse So farre is it that the renewing of holy doctrine should bee the cause of dissolutenesse loosenesse of life For wee doe exhorte men to repentance perpetually and to amendement of life wee will all men to flee from the anger to come and we bid them bring foorth fruites woorthily beseeming amendment of life Also wee shewe them certeine souereigne remedies almost against all sinne as it were against certeine diseases of the minde Hee that beareth priuie grudges or heartburning against his neighbour hearing this saying Whosoeuer hateth his brother is a manslear The railer and reuiler heareth this saying Whosoeuer shall say vnto his brother Thou foole shall be in daunger of hell fire And againe Cursed speakers shall not possesse the kingdome of god Hee that is impatient when hee is iniuried and which is desirous of reuenge doth heare this saying Loue your enimies wish well to them which curse you doe good to them which hate you pray for them which hurte and persecute you that you may bee the sonnes of your father which is in heauen c.

Preachers doe daily perpetually beate into the eares and mindes of all men these other innumerable sentences of holie Scripture seeing that they preach the word diligently seeing that they are instant and vrge men in season and out of season seeing that they improue rebuke and exhorte as S. Paule warneth Timothie they are falsly accused to haue hitherto pampered and fostered to much the licentious liuing of the common people And yet notwithstanding that which our aduersaries doe obiect of vice and wickednesse which beareth such a sway in this age is as I saide before truer than I would it were Now albeit there haue bene men alwayes euen from the beginning of the Church which did professe Christianitie rather in name and title than in verie deede of which sorte Hilarie saith thus They pray because they feare they sinne because it is their will pleasure they call them selues Christians because they haue a good hope of eternitie they doe heathenish thinges because present thinges are flattering thinges they remaine not altogether impious because they haue the name of God in some honour they are not godlie because they followe such thinges as are farre from godlinesse notwithstanding I doe beleeue that all vices did scarse at any time beare such a sway in any age as in this our age Wee doe all of vs bragge and boast of our faith but wee doe not declare and shewe forth this our faith by godlie woorkes and by charitie towardes our neighbour Wee all glorie of the Gospell of Christ but wee studie not to liue worthie of the Gospell of Christ Wee teach and preach that wee haue receiued the pure religion of Christ but wee doe not perfourme in deede those thinges which are agreeable to it Wee will forsooth both bee and also bee accounted Christians which name verely ought to make vs somewhat ashamed to breake Gods commaundementes but wee doe not endeuour with all our mind and labour to leade a life after the imitatiō of Christ To be briefe we confesse God in woordes as the Apostle saith but in our deedes wee denie him So it comes to passe that for our sakes and for our sinnes and wickednesse the name of God is dispraised amongst the heathen that Christian doctrine is euill spoken of that religion it selfe is contemned despised For what goodnesse will the Turkes beleeue to bee in that religion whose woorshippers and Professours they see to be contaminated and defiled with all heinous wickednesse O ingratitude woorthie of eternall destruction Howe greatly am I affraid least for this one thing that happen to vs which our Sauiour Christ doth threaten to those cities which after so wholsome doctrine repented not of their horrible sinnes It shal be saith hee more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon and Sodome in the day of iudgement than for you The aduersaries of the Gospell which will not acknowledge their manifest errours and receiue the true doctrine ought not so much to feare this so greeuous and horrible a commination as those which euerie where glorie of the Gospell whome God hath called out of darkenesse into his maruellous light that I may vse the words of S. Peter At the least let those moste sweete admonitions and exhortations of S. Paule moue vs to godlinesse of life I beseech you brethren saith hee by the mercies of God that yee giue vp your bodies a liuing sacrifice holie acceptable vnto God which is your reasonable seruing of god And againe They that are Christes haue crucified the flesh with the affections and lustes thereof And againe That grace of God that bringeth saluation vnto all men hath appeared teaching vs that denying vngodlinesse and worldlie lustes wee shoulde liue soberly and righteously and godly in this present worlde Item Bee yee saith hee followers of God as deare children that ye may walke in loue euen as Christ hath loued vs and hath geuen himselfe for vs to bee an offering and a sacrifice of a sweete smelling sauour to God. And againe Wee are his woorkemanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good woorkes which God hath prepared and ordeined that we should walke in them Hitherto perteineth that saying of Christ in Saint Matthaewes Gospell Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good woorkes and glorifie your father which is in heauen I doe omitte almost sixe hundred such like places in the Gospell Those places of Scripture ought verely to moue vs chiefly and before all other which haue the mention of Christes death and punishment ioyned with them Such an one is that saying of Saint Peter Christ saith he his owne selfe bare our sinnes in his bodie on the tree For what doeth he adde That we being dead to sinne should liue to righteousnesse The like place is that to Titus Christ saith he gaue himselfe for vs What doth he adde That he might redeeme vs from all iniquitie and purge vs to be a peculiar people vnto himselfe zealous of good woorkes And to the Galathians Which gaue himselfe for our sinnes But he addeth That he might deliuer and take vs out of this present euill worlde And to the Corinthians Christ died for all He addeth That they which liue should not liue hereafter to themselues but vnto him which died and rose againe for them And to the Colossians Christ hath reconciled you in the bodie of his fleshe through death He addeth To make you holie and vnblameable and without fault in his sight Now whom the diuell who as Iohn saith in the Reuelation seduceth the whole worlde feedeth with an hope of Gods mercie and goodnesse and whom he by that meanes reteineth still in their sinnes and forbiddeth them to feare Gods iustice let those men againe and againe see well what they doe The Lorde is mercifull and gentle saith Dauid in the Psalme But the same man saith The face of the Lorde is against them that doe euill I am the Lorde thy God shewing mercie vpon thousandes saith God in Exodus What is added To them which loue mee and keepe my commaundements I will not the death of a sinner saith God in Ezechiel What followeth But that he turne from his wayes and liue Hee that beleeueth in the sonne hath life euerlasting saith the forerunner of the Lorde in Iohn But Christ in the same S. Iohns Gospell saith They which haue done good shall come foorth into the resurrection of life but they that haue done euill into the resurrection of condemnation Iohn Baptist testifieth of Christ saying Behold that lambe of God which taketh away the sinne of the world But the same Iohn saith Repent yee of your former life and bring foorth fruite worthie amendment of life Peter in the Actes saith We beleeue that wee shall bee saued through the grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ But the same Peter saith Amend your liues therefore