this your thyrd seruyce that the onelye meanes to obtayne remission of oure synnes to be made heyres of eternall glorye is vnfaynedly to repent faythfullye to beleue that is to saye to forsake oure olde lyuynge to become newe men garnisshyng our lyues with al the fruites of the spiryte and to beleue earnestly that thorowe this repentaunce and fayth God wyll vndoubtedly for Iesus Christes sake for gyue vs all oure synnes receyue vs agayne into fauour make vs heyres of his eternall glory EVSE This is the moost pleasaunt dysshe that euer I tasted THEO These thiâ—ges that you haue spoken vnto vs are so confortable y e me thynke I am now enflamed more set on fyre thaÌ„ euer I was before CHRI As I maye vnâ—ainâ—dly reporte vnto you the affect of my herte verely synce that ye declared to vs the goodnes of God y e father toward vâ— thorow Iesus christ I haue felte in my herte such an earnest fayth burnyng loue towarde God and his worde that me thynke a thousande fyres coulde not plucke me away from the loue of hym I be gynne nowe vtterlye to contemne despyse reiecte cast awaye sette at nought al y e pleasures of this world â—herein I haue â—o greatlye reioyced in tymes past All the thretes of god all the displeasures of God al y e fyres paynes of hell coulde neuer before this daye so allure me to the loue of God as you haue nowe done by expressynge vnto me the excedyng mercye vnspeakable kyndeses of God towarde vs wretched synners insomuch that now from the very herte I desyre to knowe what I maye do that by some meanes I maye shewe agayne my herte to be full fyred on the sekynge of his glory For I nowe desyre nothyng more theÌ„ the auauÌ„ce meÌ„t of his name PHIL. It reioyceth me to heare these thynges of you Therfore nowe wyll I as due order requireth brynge forth your fourth yea last dyshe that ye may knowe what ye ought to do agayn toward God for his vnmesurable bountie infinite benefites toward you that yelyuynge in this worlde worthy of his kyndnes maye after this lyfe receyue the crowne of glorye THEO I praye you brynge it forth streyghte wayes for we much desyre to tast of it EVSE There is nothynge that I wysshe more than continually to be fedde with the meate of such an heaueÌ„ly bancket Therfore I praye you go forth to minister vnto vs the residue of oure mooste delicious feaste PHIL. Agreed but marke well for here it is ¶ The fourth dysshe WE are the workemanshyp of God created in christ Iesus vnto good workes whiche God hath prepared that we should walke in them This is y â— sayâ—nge of S. Paule whiche a lytle before this sentence in his Epistle to y e Ephe declareth as I haue hitherto taughte you that by nature we are the chyldreÌ„ of wrath are saued only by grace thorow fayth that not of our selues for it is y e gyfte of god commethe not of workes bycause no man shoulde boste hym selfe And whan he hath this done immediately he exorteth vs to good workes saienge that we are the workemanship of God created in Christ Iesu vnto good workes which God hath prepared y e we should walke in them Here maye ye learne what is your duety to do vnto God agayn seing that he frely thorowe sayth hath saued you withoute any merites deseruynges or good dedes on your behalfe Your duty is to lyue wel to practyse good workes to exercyse al godlye actes to lede a vertuous conuersacioÌ„ and in all your lyfe thorowe the study of innocency to seke the glory of God Now shall your coÌ„uersacion declare and shewe by externall workes whether your repentaunce be vnfayned or not whether your fayth loue towarde God be syncere true procedyng from a godly herte or not For yf your repentaunce faith loue be christian vnfayned than shal good workes ensue followe agreable to the same For faythe sayeth Chrisostome sheweth that whiche is true And out of syncer fayth coÌ„meth charite in so much that he whiche beleueth truly in God caÌ„ neuer be with out it S. Ambrose also sayth fayth is the mother brynger for the both of good wyll righteous workyng Agayne he sayeth A new creature hath this property by grace y e they which are the workemanshyp of god which are made in Christ by an heauenly natiuite be no more sluggysh nother gyueÌ„ to lyue dissolutely but they go forth profyte from vertue to vertue in walkynge by the waye of good workes Also iÌ„ another place he sayeth God gyueth to theÌ„ whom he choseth without merites whereof they maye be garnysshed with merites also And it is not truely sayde that the entent and determinacion of wel workyng is not in the electe For the gyftes of vertues caÌ„ not beydle Thus se you that lynysh fayth whereby ye are ingrassed in Christe brynge the forth good workes Neyther is true repentaÌ„ce syncer faith vnfayned loue in you yf good christen workes do not followe your conuersion Yea they that bost of fayth and brynge not forth the workes of fayth derogate muche the glorye of fayth cause the true and christian fayth to be slaundered yll reported amonge theÌ„ which neuer tasted nor yet at ony tyme in theyr hertes felte what a precious thyng and of howe great strength effycacy power the syncere faythe is Therfore yf youre fayth be not accoÌ„panied wyth good workes youre fayth is dead as S. Ia. fayeth y â— is to saye it is a true christen fayth no more than a deade corse is a man For that faith which is approued before God worketh by charite charite caÌ„ not be ydle but brasteth out into good workes whâ— so euer it seeth an occasioÌ„ gyueÌ„ who can loue his neighbour suffer him to perysshe for want of his helpe Therfore is a faythfull man compared in y â— first Psalme to a tree which is planted by the waters syde bringeth forth her fruytes in due tyme. I am the true vyne sayeth Christ ye are the braunches He that abydeth in me I in hiÌ„ â—â—yngeth forth much fruyte Agayne he sayeth He that beleueth iÌ„ me floudes of lyuish water should flowe out of his belly Here se you that he which dwelleth iÌ„ Christ by fayth beleueth in hiÌ„ briÌ„geth for the plenty of good workes He therfore that is an vnâ—ruytfull tree briÌ„geth forth no good fruite surelye he beleuethe not arighte in Christ neyther hath he the Christen faythe boste and crake he neuer so much of it EVSE Methinke than by your wordes y â— good workes necessarely follow the christen fayth PHIL. Yea euen as necessarelye as the shadow followeth the body death the lyfe THEO They than whiche lyue dissolute withoute doyng of good workes haue not the christen
fayth PHIL. No verely no more than a deade cole hath in it the vertue and strength of burnynge CHRI Therfore ought all men not to quenche y e spirite but with all mayne fraÌ„cke courage to apply themselues to y â— diligeÌ„t practyse of good workes PHIL. Ye saye trueth for as ye herd before we are the workemaÌ„shyp of God created hath prepared that we shoulde walke in theÌ„ But I praye you note a fewe thynges which I wyl nowe declare vnto you concernynge this our dyshe laste seruyce Fyrste S. Paule sayeth We are the workemaÌ„shyp of God This sheweth that god made vs and not we our selues He wrought vs by his deuyne power But by this workemanshyp not we only are made thâ—â— beleue iÌ„ god but also the vnfaythfull yea the verye brute beastes wormes with al thiges contayned in heauen and earth Therfore of this makynge haue the faythfull no more cauâ—e to reioyce thaÌ„ the vnfaythfull haue Therfore it doth followe Created in christ Iesâ—s Beholde here is a newe creacioÌ„ Here is another byrth Here is regeneracion whiche far differeth froÌ„ the olde natiuite Here are we made newe creatures In whom in Moses by the lawe Nay verely but in christ by fayth By fayth are we regenerate borne a new created agen in Christe Iesus Wherunto Unto wicked maners Nay certes but vnto good workes Note that he saith vnto good workes They that are borne anewe in Christ thorow fayth are created in hym to good workes If ony maÌ„ therfore be not studious of good workes he is not created in christ but remayneth styll in y e creacion of Adam But vnto what good workes is the faythefull created in Christ vnto Rome runnynge gadâ—ynge of pylgrimage settyng vp of candels gyidynge of your ymages payntyng of tabernacles building of monasteries purchasynge of pardons such other trifelyng fantasies inuented of the ydle braynes of the Papistes for lucres sake na berely For these are no good workes iÌ„ dede before god but only so called to blynde the eyes of carnall men with such goodly and godly tytles Vnto what good workes thaÌ„ are they created In good faythe to those good workes which God hath prepared y â— we should walke in theÌ„ Marke that he sayth which God hath prepared not that man inuented In them should we walke y t is to saye labour dayely more and more to fuâ—fyll theÌ„ neuer to cease vntyll we were auncient perfecte in the accomplysshement of Gods wyll THEO Me thaÌ„ke you right hertely for the declaracioÌ„ of this terte For we perceyue now oure duety better than euer we dyd before EVSE But what are those good workes whiche God hath prepared that we should walke in theÌ„ PHIL. His commaundementes We read that the Iewes sayd to Christ what shal we do that we may worke the workes of God Christe aunswered sayde to theÌ„ This is y â— worke of God that ye beleue in him whom he hath sent This is the greatest most principal worke of God y t ye beleue in his only begotteÌ„ soÌ„ne Iesus Christ. He that truly fulfylleth this worke doth very easely accoÌ„plyshe y e residue For oute of this worke as out of y â— head fouÌ„tayne do all other workes of God spryng procede Yf y u caÌ„st beleue sayth Christ all thiÌ„ges are possible to hym y t beleueth He y t beleueth truly in Christ abuseth not the name of God prophaneth not y e Sabboth daye dishonoreth not the magistrates of the publygue weale conteÌ„neth not the ministers of gods worde despyseth not his parentes superiours kyllethe not coÌ„mytteth not adultrye iteleth not beareth no false witnes couereth not his neighbours goodes but rather doth y e coÌ„trary hatyng y â— vyce enâ—alsyng y e vertue He mortyfyeth olde AdaÌ„ He maketh the bodye subiecte to the spirite w t the moderate vse of eatyng drynkyng He exercyseth himselfe in godly meditacions in readynge the holy scriptures in offryng vp prayers thankes continually to God He socoureth the poore members of christ He leueth no man confortles He goeth about to hurte no maÌ„ but studieth to profytte all men He wissheth procureth no lesse goodnes to other than he dothe to him selfe To be shorte all his whole lyfe tyme he doth nothyng els thaÌ„ dye to synne liue vnto righteousnes These are the workes of God wherin so many as are created iÌ„ Christ ought vnfaynedly to walke Theise are y e workes of God which ledeth to heueÌ„ which thorow christ we deserue y e reward of euerlastiÌ„g life In these workes therfore most dere brethreÌ„ exercise your selues both daye nyght Beleue in god loue God feare God CoÌ„fesse hiÌ„ froÌ„ y e very herte to be y â— alone true God Knowledge him to be your only oiÌ„sufficieÌ„t sauiour In al aduersite flye vnto his moost blessed name as vnto a stronge Bulwarke Haue youre hertes at peace with God Study daye and nyght in the LORDES lawe Exercyse faythfull continuall prayer Procure in all thynges the glory of God Honour youre moost victorious Prynce redoubted kynge Be faythfull to hym both in herte worde dede Do nothyng that may in any poynt derogate his graces honour Knowe that he that resisteth him resisteth y e ordinaunce of God getteth to hiÌ„selfe daÌ„nacioÌ„ Honour also at the magistrates that are sent appoynted of him Youre parentes superious haue ye in reuerence Manslaughter adultrye thefte false wytnes carnall concupiscence all the workes of y e flesshe hate ye vtterly cast theÌ„ from you To conclude loke for those thynges that are aboue not for those that are vpon the earth Lyue no more to your selfe but to hym that dyed for your synnes rose agayne for your iustification CHRI We wyll to the vttermoost of our power laboure to accomplysshe youre moost godly admonicions PHIL. Laboure and God wyl helpe And to saye the trueth to you it was neuer more nedefull for christen men to brynge forth good christen workes than it is at thys tyme. You se thankes be to God y t the deuyne scrypture is come nowe amonge vs more plenteouslye than euer it was before insomuch y t nowe it is lawefull for all men to reade it heare it talke of it so that it be done reuerently This hath God vnfaynedly brought to passe by his welbeloued seruaunt our kynge Henrye the eyght a Prynce of mooste noble fame immortal glory Ye se againe that this worde of God hath manye enemyes whiche both labour to suppresse that â–ª also so many syncerly professe it Ye se that theyse aduersaries of Gods worde haue no other pleasure than to haue an occasion both to blaspheme the worde and also the earneste fauourers of it Behold say they are these Gospellers Are these professours of gods word Are theyse they y t mayntayne Gods trueth Perysshe mought they with
them w t gredy stomakes maye haue the more luste desyre to retourne to theÌ„ shortlye I praye you syt downe euery maÌ„ in a chayre Nowe wyll I serue you w t your fyrst dysshe coÌ„tayned in y e fyrstboke of Moses Fayle not you therfore to whette your stomakes gredely to deuour whatsoeuer I bring forth vnto you ¶ The fyrst dysshe CUrsed is y e erth in theyr worke It shall brynge forth vnto the thornes braÌ„bles THEO This is a disshe lytle pleasuÌ„t for the begynnynge of our bancket PHIL. Content youre selues it is necessary that this dysshe hath y â— fyrste place y t the other that follow may sauour y â— more deliciously to your mouthes The acrimony and tartenes oâ— this dysshe shall so pearce youre stomackes that it shall minister to you an appetyte lust to deuour y â— other y â— more gredely For I do not iÌ„ this behalfe followe the maner of SataÌ„ which promised fyrste to Eue swete delectable thynges afterwarde payed her w t thynges moost sower displeasaunt but rather of the Prophet Esay of IohnÌ„ Baptist which fyrst of all greuously rebuked y â— wicked in theyr sermons afterwarde coÌ„forted theÌ„ agayne moost swetelye Neyther differed Christ and his Apostles from this maner of preaching Takâ— therfore thys dysshe in good worth heare me now paciently Whan thorowe y â— suggestion of the olde wyly serpeÌ„t AdaÌ„ Eue had traÌ„gressed Gods coÌ„mauÌ„dement God accordynge to theyr desertes eâ—pulsed them out of Paradyse sente them into this vale of misery sayeng vnto Adam amonge all other thynges this aforesayd text Cursed is y e erth in thy worke It shall brynge for the vnto thornes brymbles Here do we learne y t for the synne of AdaÌ„ all the earth that is to say all the creatures are cursed made subiecte to vanite They nowe brynge forth no more goodly pleasauÌ„t fruytes but thornes breÌ„bles that is synne wickednes vice all other abhominacâ—on This one synne of our fyrst father AdaÌ„ hath condeÌ„ned vs all that euer haue ben borne syns or shall be here after EVSE Me thynketh that thoughe he offended yet his offence should not turne to our daÌ„nacion seynge we were not then borne PHIL. Yies in good fayth brother Eusebius For his synne was oure synne His daÌ„nacion was our damnacion His death was our deth I wyl read vnto you the mynde of the famous Doctour Origen concernyng this matter If Leuy sayeth he whiche was borne the fourth generacion after Abraham was than counted to be in the loynes of Abraham muche more all men that are borne or haue ben borne in this world were in the loynes of Adâ—m when he was yet in Paradise And all men w t hym in him were expulsed out of Paradise when he was put out from theÌ„ce by him death which came vnto him by the enterpretacion came also consequeÌ„tly vpon theÌ„ whom he had in his loynes PHIL. I praye you lette vs heare what the holye scriptures say in this behalfe THEO We reade in the fourth boke of Esâ—ras y â— third chap. on this wyse The fyrst Adam bearyng a wicked herte dyd synne was ouercome not onely be but al that were borne of hym Also Ose the Prophete sayeth They euen as Adam haue traÌ„sgressed the couenaÌ„t therin haue they synned agaynste me that is sayth S. Ierome vpon this texte in Paradyse all haue synned agaynste me eueÌ„ lyke vnto the synne of AdaÌ„ For it is no meruayle sayeth he yf that which went before in the father be also condemned in y â— chyldren But I wyl reherse to you more scriptures Of a woman came the begynnynge of synne sayeth the wyse man by her all wâ— dy Christ also sayeth y â— whych is borne of flesh is â—leshe Agayne how can ye speake good thynges â—hen ye youre selues are euell Also in an other place euery one that doth synne is y e seruauÌ„t of synne S. Paule also sayeth By one maÌ„ synne entred iÌ„to this world by synne death so went deth tho rowe all men in as muche as all we haue synned Agayne in AdaÌ„ all are dead In another place also he sayth all haue synned want the glory oâ— God Therfore Dauid coÌ„fesseth that he was begotteÌ„ in synne borne in synne And saynte Paule affyrmeth playnelye y t we are borne by nature the chyldren of wrath What saye ye nowe my frendes do ye not now at the laste perceyue that the synne of AdaÌ„ hath condemned vs all so y â— his synne is oure synne CHRI We perceyue it well beleue it also PHIL. I wyll reherse vnto you a sayeng of S. Bernarde In the faull of y e fyrst man sayeth he dyd we all faull We fell vpon an heape of stones in the myer so that we are not only inquinated spotted and defyled but also wouÌ„ded greuously shaken brused broken Agayne he sayeth Verely we are begotten in synful pleasure therfore although it be agaynst our wyll yet do we fele certayne vnlawfull beastlyke mocioÌ„s of concupiscences in our selues Hereto agreeth S. Austen sayenge marke brothers behold that mankynde came forthe from the fyrst death of the fyrst maÌ„ For sinne from the fyrst man entred into the worlde by synne death so went death thorowe all men Marke this word went thorow CoÌ„sither that ye haue herde loke what this is went thorowe It went thorow Hereby is y e yong chylde gilty Syn he hath not done but drawne For y t syn dyd not remayne in y e fouÌ„taine but went thorow not hiÌ„ or hiÌ„ but went thorow al meÌ„ The fyrst siner y t fyrst preuaricatour begat synners bonde to death Thus se you y t both the holy scriptures also y â— auÌ„cient Doctours do conclude that all we are daÌ„ned righteouslye for AdaÌ„s offence So that euery maÌ„ naturally as S. Iohn Chrisostome sayth is not only a synner but also euery whytte synne as the Apostle sayeth we were by nature y e soÌ„nes of wrath And this is it that God the father sayde to AdaÌ„ Cursed is the earth in thy worke as I rehersed to you before THEO Than haue we learned here that all we are cursed daÌ„ned in Adams worke that is for y e synne which he he coÌ„mytted in breakynge Gods moost holy coÌ„mauÌ„dementes PHIL. Ye saye trueth EVSE This is a thynge necessary to be knowen PHIL. Withoute y â— knowledge of our selues we caÌ„ neuer truly know god nor vnderstand his holy scriptures Therfore wyl I go foâ—th to minister vnto you the residue of youre fyrste dysshe It followeth It shall brynge forth vnto the thornes braÌ„bles I praye you what other thynge dothe your corrupte nature brynge forth vnto vs than thornes brambles y t is to saye synne wickednes vngodlynes all that euer is contrary to the wyll of God