THe lyfe we haue at this present, is the gyft of God, in whom we liue moue, and are, Actes. xvii. and therefore is he called Iehouah, Exod iii. for the whiche lyfe, as we shoulde be thankefull, so we may not in any wyse, vse it after our owne fantacie, but to thende for the whiche it is geuen & lente vs, that is, to the settynge forth of Gods prayse and glory, by re­pentaunce, conuersion, and obe­dience to his good wyl, and holy lawes, wherevnto his longe suf­ferynge doeth (as it were) euen drawe vs, yf our hartes by impenitency were not hardned. And therfore our lyfe in the scripture [Page] is called a walkynge, for that as the body dayly draweth more & more▪ neare his ende, that is the earth: euen so our soul draweth dayly more and more, neare the death, that is: saluation or dampnation, heauen or hell. Of which thinge, in that we are moost carelesse, and very foles (for we alas, are the same to day, we were ye­sterday, and not better or nearer to God, but rather nearer to hel, Sathan, and perdition, beynge couetouse, idle, carnal, secure, ne­cligēt, proud, &c.) I think my la­bour cannot be better bestowed, then with the Baptist, Christ Ie­sus, and his Apostels, to harp on this stringe, whiche of all other is mooste necessarye, and that in these dayes most specially. What strynge is that sayeth one? For­soth brother the stryng of repen­taunce [Page] y^e whiche Christ our saui­our did vse fyrst in his ministery, and as his minister at this pre­sent I wyll vse vnto you all.

Repent, for the kingedome of heauen is at hande. Math. iiij.

This sentence thus pronoun­ced, and preached by our sauiour Iesus Christe, as it doeth com­maund vs to repent, so to the doinge of the same, it sheweth vs a sufficient cause to sturre vs vppe therevnto, namelye, for that the kyngdome of heauen (which is a kyngedome of all ioye, peace, ry­ches, power, and pleasure) is at hande, to al such as do so, that is, as do repente. So that the mea­nynge hereof is, as thoughe our sauiour myght thus speake pre­sently: Syrs, for that I se you al walkynge the wronge way, euen to Sathan and vnto hell fyre, by [Page] folowynge the kyngedome of Sathan, whiche nowe is colou­red vnder the pylled pleasures of this lyfe, and folyshnes of the fleshe, moste subtelly to your vt­ter vndoynge, and destruction: Beholde and marke well what I saye vnto you: The kingdome of heauen that is another maner of ioye and felicitie, honoure, and riches, power, and pleasure, then you nowe perceyue or enioye, is euen at hande, and at youre bac­kes, as yf you wyll turne agayn, that is, repent you, you shal most truely and pleasauntlye fele, see, and enherit: Turne agayne therfore I say, that is: repent, for this ioye I speake of, euen the kyng­dome of heauen, is at hande.

Here we maye note fyrste the corruption of our nature, in that to this commaundement, repent [Page] you, he addeth a cause, for y^e king­dome of heauen is at hande: for by reason of the corruption and sturdines of our nature, God vnto all his commaundementes, commonlye eyther addeth some promise to prouoke vs to obedi­ence, or elles some suche suffici­ent cause, as cannot but tickle vs vp to hartie labourynge, for the doynge of the same: as here to the commaundement of doynge penaunce, he addeth this aitiologie or cause, sayinge: for the king dome of heauen is at hande.

Agayne in that he ioyneth to the commaundemente, the cause, sayinge: for the kyngedome of heauē is at hand: we may learne that of the kyngedome of heauē, none (to whom the ministerye of preaching doth appertayne) can be partaker, but such as repente [Page] and do pennaunce.

Therfore dearly beloued, yf you regarde the kyngedome of heauen, in that you cannot entre therein except you repent, I be­sech you al of euery estate as you woulde your owne weale, to re­pent and do penaunce, the which thinge that you maye do, I wyll do my beste now to helpe you by gods grace.

But fyrst because we cannot well tell what repentaunce is, thorowe ignoraunce, & for lacke of knoweledge, and false tea­chynge, I wyll (to begynne with all, shewe you what repentaunce is.

Repentaunce or pennaunce is no Englyshe worde, but we bo­rowe it of the Latinistes, to whome pennaunce is a forethin­kynge in Englyshe, in Greke, a [Page] beynge wyse afterwardes, in Hebrewe, a conuersion or turnyng, the whyche conuersion or tur­nynge, in that it can not be true and hartye vnto God especially, without some good hope or trust of pardone for that whyche is all readye doone and paste, I maye well in thys sorte defyne it, namelye, that pennaunce is a sorrowynge or forethynkynge of oure synnes paste, an earneste purpose to amende, or turnynge to GOD, with a truste of par­done.

This diffinicion maye be deuyded into three partes, that pennaunce or repentaunce shuld contayne, fyrst a sorowynge for our synues: Secondlye a truste of pardonne, whyche otherwyse maye be called a perswasion [Page] of Gods mercy, by the merits of Christe, for the forgeuenesse of our synnes: And thyrdely apur­pose to amende, or conuersion to a newe lyfe: the whiche thyrd or last part, cannot be called properly a parte, for it is but an effect of pennaunce, as towards the ende you shall se by Gods grace. But least suche as seke for occasion to speake euill, shoulde haue any oc­casion, though thei tarry not out the ende of this sermon: I there fore deuyde penaunce into the iii foresayde partes, of sorowing for oure synne, of good hoope or truste of pardon, and of a newe lyfe. Thus you now se what pe­naunce is, a sorowyng for synne, a purpose to amend, with a good hope or truste of pardone.

This pennaunce not onely differeth from that whiche men co­monlye [Page] haue taken to be pen­naunce, in saying and doing our enioyned lady psalters, Seuen Psalmes, fastinges, pilgrimages almose dedes, and such lyke thinges: but also frome that whiche the more learned haue declared to consist of three partes, namely Contricion, Confession and Sa­tisfaction.

Contricion they call a iuste & a full sorowe for theyr synne, for this worde, iust, and ful, is one of the differences betwene contri­cion and attricion.

Confession they cal a numbring of all theyr synnes in the eare of theyr ghostly father: for as (saye they) a iudge cānot absolue with out knoweledge of the cause or matter, so cannot the Preiste or gostly father absolue from other synnes, then those whiche he [Page] doth heare.

Satisfaction they call a men­des makinge vnto God for their synnes, by theyr vndue workes, opera indebita, workes more thē they nede to do, as they terme them. This is theyr pennaunce whiche they preache, wryte, and alowe: but howe true this geare is, howe it agreeth with goddes worde, howe it is to be alowed, taught, preached, and wrytten, let vs a lyttell considre. If a man repent not vntyl he haue a iust & full sorowynge for his synnes (dearly beloued) when shall he repent? for inasmuche as hell fier, and the ponishment of the deuils is a iuste ponyshmente for synne: Inasmuch as in al synne, ther is a contempt of GOD, whyche is all goodnesse, and therefore there is a deserte of all ylnesse: [Page] Alasse who can bear or feele this iuste sorowe, this full sorowe for our sinnes, this their contrition, whiche they so do discerne from theyr attricion? Shall not man by this doctryne rather dispayre then come by repentaunce?

Yf a manne repent not vntyll he haue made confessyon of all hys synnes, in the eare of hys goost­lye father: yf a man can not haue absolution of his synnes, vntyll hys sinnes be tolde by tale and nūber, in the preists eare, in that as Dauyd sayethe, none canne vnderstande, moche lesse then vtter al hys synnes.Psa. xix Delicta quis intelligit, Psalm xxxviij. Who can vnderstande his sinnes? in that Dauid of him selfe complayneth (else where,) howe that thys synnes are ouer flowed his head, and as a heauye [Page] burthen do depresse hym: halasse shall not a man by this doctryne be vtterlye dryuen from repen­taunce? Thoughe they haue gone aboute somethyng to make plaisters for theyr soores, of con­fession, or attricion, to aswage this geare, biddinge a manne to hope well of his contricion, thoughe it be not so ful, as is required and of his confession, thoughe he haue not nombred all his sinnes, yf so be that he do so muche as in hym lyeth: Dearelye beloued in that there is none but that here­in he is gyltye (for who doth as muche as he maye) trowe ye that this playster is not lyke salte for sore eyes? Yes vndoubtedlye when they haue al done they can for the appeasing of consciences in these pointes, this is the some that we yet shulde hope well.

[Page] But yet so hope that we muste stonde in a mammeryng & doub­tynge, whether oure synnes be forgeuen. For to beleue remissio­nem peccatorum, that is to be cer­teyne of forgeuenes of sinnes, as oure crede teacheth vs, they coūt it a presumptiō. Oh abhominati­on, and that not only hereat, but at all theyr pennaunce as they paynte it.

As concerninge Satisfaction by theyr opera indebita, vndewe workes, that is by suche workes as they nede not to doo, but of theyr owne voluntarynesse, and wylfulnesse (wylfulnesse in dede) who seeth not monstruous abhomination, blasphemie, and euen open fyghtynge agaynste God. For yf Satisfaction can be done by man, then Christ died in vaine for him that so satisfieth, and so [Page] reyngneth he in vayn, is he a bysshoppe and a Prieste in vayne.

Goddes lawe requyreth loue to God with all oure harte,Den. vi soule,mat. xxij power,Mar. xx myght, and strenghte, so that there is nothynge canne be done to Godwarde,Luke. x. whiche is not conteined in this commaun­demente, nothynge can be done ouer, and aboue this.

Againe Christ requireth that to manward we should loue one another,Ioh. xiij as he loued vs. Trowe that we can do any good thynge to oure neyghbourwarde, which is not herein comprised?

Yea, let them tell me when they do any thynge so in the loue of God and theyr neyghboure, but that they had nede to crye,Mat. vi Demitte nobis debita nostra.

Forgeue vs oure sinnes, so farre are we of, from satisfieng, doeth [Page] not Christe saye,Lu. xvij. when you haue done all thinges that I haue cō ­maunded you, say that ye be but vnprofitable seruaūtes? Put no thinge to my worde,Ap. xxij. sayeth god. yes,De. iiij. xij. workes of supererogation, superabhomination saye they. Whatsoeuer thinges are true sayeth the apostle S. Paul. Philip. iiij. whatsoeuer thinges are honeste, whatsoeuer thinges are pure, whatsoeuer thynges are conueniente, whatsoeuer thin­ges are of honest report, yf there be any vertue, yf there be anye prayse, haue you them in youre minde and do them, & the god of peace shalbe with you. I weene this well looked on, wyll pull vs from popish satisfactory workes whiche do deface Christes trea­sures and satisfaction.

[Page] In heauen and in earth was there none founde that coulde satisfy gods angre for our sinnes or get heauen for man, but only y^e sonne of God Iesus Christ, the Lyon of the tribe of Iuda, who by his bloude hath wrought the worke of satisfaction, and alone­lye is worthy all honour, glorye, and prayse, for he hath opened the boke with the seuen seales, Apoca. v.

Dearely beloued, therfore ab­horre this abhomination, euē to thinke that there is any other satisfaction to Godward for sinne, then Christes bloude onely: blas­phemye it is, and that horriblye to thynke otherwyse.

The bloud of Christ purifieth (sayeth S. Iohn) from al sinne,Apo▪ xiii and therfore he is called y^e lambe slayne from the begynninge of [Page] the world, because there was ne­uer synne forgeuen of God, nor shalbe from the begynninge vn­to the ende of the worlde, but on­ly thorowe Christes death, prate the pope & his prelates as please them, with theyr pardons, pur­gatories, purgations, place bois, trentales, diriges, workes of su­pererogations, superabhomina­tions. &c.

Esay. xliii. I am he sayeth the Lorde, whiche put awaye thyne offences, and that for mine owne sake, and wyl no more remembre thyne iniquities: putte me in remembraunce (for we wyll reason together) & tell me what thou hast for thee, to make thee ryghtuous. Thy fyrste father of­fended sore. &c. And thus wri­teth S. Iohn,1. Ioh. ij. Yf any man synne we haue an aduocate sayth he [Page] with the father, euē Iesus christ the ryghtuous, and he is the propiciation or satisfaction for oure synnes: As in the .iiii. chapter, he sayeth, that God hath sente hys Sonne to be a propiciation or meane, for the takynge awaye of our synnes, accordynge to that whiche Paule wryteth. Heb. ii. where he calleth Christ, a merci­full and faythful prieste, to purge the peoples synnes, so that blind bussardes, and peruerse papistes they bee, whiche yet wyll prate our merits or workes, to satisfy for our sinnes in part or in whole before baptisme or after. For to omyt the testimonies I broughte out of Iohn and Paule, whiche the blinde cannot but see: I pray you remember the texte oute of Esaye, whych euen nowe I re­hearsed, beynge spoken to suche [Page] as were thē the people of God, & had ben a long time, but yet were fallen into greuous sinnes after theyr adoption into the number of gods chyldrē, it is for my own sake sayth God, that I put away thy sinnes. Wher is your partig of the stake now? if it be for gods owne sake, yf Christ be the pro­pitiation, thē recant, except you wyll become ydolaters, making your workes God, and Christe? Saye as Dauid teacheth: not to vs lorde, not to vs, but to thy name be the glorye.

And it is to be noted that God doth cast in their teeth, euen the synne of theyr fyrste father, leaste they shoulde thinke that yet perchaunce, for the rygh­tuousnes and goodnes of theyr good fathers, theyr synnes myghte be the sooner pardoned, [Page] and so god accept theyr workes. Yf they had made satisfaction for that whiche is done to the con­gregation publikely by some no­table punishmēt, as in the primatyue church was vsed to open offenders, sparkles wherof & some traces yet remayne, whē such as haue synned in adultry go about the church with a taper in theyr shyrtes. Or yf they had made sa­tisfaction for restitution to man­ward of suche goodes as wrong fully is gotten, y^e which true pennaunce cannot be without: Or yf by satisfaction they had mente a newe lyfe to make amendes to the congregation thereby, as by theyr euyll lyfe they dyd offende the congregation, in which sence the apostle semeth to take that whiche he wryteth .ii. Cor. vii. where tholde interpretoure cal­leth [Page] [...] satisfaction, whiche rather signifieth a defence or an­swerynge agayne: yf I say, they had taken satisfactiō any of these wayes, then they had done well, so that the satisfaction to God had bene left alonely to Christe.

Agayne, yf they had made confession eyther for that whiche is to god pryuately, either for that whiche is to the congregation publikelye, either for that which is a free consultation, with some one learned in gods booke, and appoynted therunto as fyrste it was vsed, and I wysh were now vsed amongest vs, ether for that whiche is a reconciliacion one to another, it had ben somethynge: yea if they had made it for fayth, because it is a trewe demonstra­tion of fayth, as in Paul we may se to the Romaynes the .x. and [Page] to the Hebrews, when he calleth Christe the captayne of our con­fession, that is of our fayth. And so confessours were called in the prymitiue churche, suche as man fully dyd wytnesse theyr fayth, with the parell of theyr lyues: yf I saye they hadde taken it thus, then hadde they doone ryghte well.

And so contricion, yf they had lefte out theyr subtyll distinction betwene it and attricion by this worde iust or full, makynge it a hartye sorowe for theyr synnes, then we woulde neuer haue cry­ed oute agaynst them therfore. For we say pennaunce hath thre partes, contricion, yf you vnder­stande it, for a hartye sorrowyng for synne. Confessyon, yf you vn­derstonde it for fayth of free par­donne in Goddes mercye by Ie­sus [Page] Christe. And satisfaction yf you vnderstande it not to God­wardes (for that onely to Christ muste be lefte alone) but to man­warde in restitucion of goodes, wrongefully or fraudulently gotten, of name hindred by our sclaū ders, and in newenes of lyfe: al­thoughe as I sayde before, and anone wyll shewe more playnely by gods grace, that this laste is no parte of pennaunce in deede, but a playne effecte or fruyte of true pennaunce.

I mighte here brynge in ex­amples of theyr pennaunce, how perilous it is to be embraced, but lette the example of theyr graunde sier Iudas serue, in whome we see all the partes of their pennaunce, as they describe it, and yet notwithstanding was [Page] he damned. He was sory enough as the effect shewed, he had their contricion fully oute of the whi­che he confessed his faute saying: I haue betrayed innocent bloud and therevnto he made satisfaction, restorynge the money he had receyued. But yet all was but lost, he hanged vp hym selfe, hys bowelles burste out, and he re­mayneth a chyld of perdition for euer. I wold wishe that this ex­ample of Iudas, in whome you see the parts of theyr pennaunce contricion, confession, and satisfa­ction, woulde moue them to pennaunce, and to describe it a lytell better, makynge hope or trust of Gods free mercy a pece thereof, or elles with Iudas they wyll marre all.

Perchaunce these wordes, cō ­tricion, confession, and Satisfa­ction [Page] were vsed as I haue expoū ded them at the first. But in that we see so muche daunger & hurt by vsynge them without exposi­tions, either let vs ioyne to them open expositions alwayes: or el­les let vs not vse them at all, but saye as I wryte, that pennaunce is a hartye sorow for our sinnes, a good hope or truste of pardone thorough Christe, whiche is not withoute an earneste purpose to amende, or a new lyfe. This pennaunce is the thynges whereto all the scripture calleth vs, this pennaunce do I nowe cal you al vnto, this muste be continuallye in vs, and not for a lent season, as we haue thoughte, This muste increase dayly more and more in vs, withoute this we cannot be saued.

Searche therfore your harts [Page] all, all swearers, blasphemers, lyars, flatterers, baudye or ydle talkers, gesters, bribers, coue­touse, dronckardes, glottonnes, whoremongers, theues, murtherers, slaunderers, ydle lyuers, necligente in theyr vocation. &c, All suche and al other as lament not theyr synnes, as hope not in Goddes mercy for pardon, as purpose not hartely to amende, to leaue theyr swearinge, dron­kennesse, shhoredome, couetous­nesse, ydelnesse, &c. all suche I say shall not, nor cannot entre into Goddes kyngedome, but hell fy­er is prepared for them, we­pinge and gnasshinge of teethe, wherevnto alasse I feare me ve­rye manye will needes goo, in that verye manye wilbe as they haue bene, lette us euen to the wearynge of oure toungue to [Page] the stompes, preache and praye neuer so muche to the contrarye, and that euen in the bowelles of Iesus Christe, as nowe I besech you all, all, all, and euerye mo­thers chylde, to repente and la­mente youre synne, to truste in Gods mercy, and to amend your lyues.

Now me thinks you are some what astonnied, whereby I gather that presentlye you de­syer this repentaunce, that is, this sorowe, good hope, and newnesse of lyfe: the whiche that you maye the rather attaine and get to youre comfortes, as I haue goone aboute to be a meane to sturre vp (by Goedes grace) this desiae of repētaunce, so throughe the same grace of God, wyll I go aboute now to shew you, how you may haue your desier in this [Page] behalfe. And fyrste concernynge this part, namely sorow for your synnes and hartye lamentynge of the same.

For this (yf you desier the ha­uynge of it) you muste beware that you thinke not that of your selues, or of your owne free wyll, by any meanes you cā get it, you may easely deceaue your selues, and mocke your selues, thinking more of your selues then is semelye.

Al good thynges, and not pe­ces of good thinges, but all good thinges (sayeth S. Iames com­meth from God y^e father of light.Iam. i. If therefore pennaunce be good (as it is good) then the partes of it be good. From God therefore do they come, and not of our free wyll. It is the Lorde that mor­tifieth, i. Reg. ij that bringeth downe, that [Page] humbleth sayth the scripture in sundrye places. After thou had­dest striken my thigh sayeth Ie­remye, Hie. xxxi I was ashamed▪ Lo he sayth, after thou haddest striken me: and therfore praieth he euen the last wordes almoost he wri­teth: Turne vs lord and we shal be turned,Lam. v. the whiche thing Da­uyd doth very often. Wherfore, fyrst of all, yf thou wouldest haue this parte of pennaunce, as for the whole (because it is goddes gyft.Actes. v Acte. xi. ii, Timo. ii. so for this parte, go thou vnto God, & make some lyttel prayer, as thou canst vnto his mercy for the same in this or lyke sorte.

Mercifull father of our saui­oure Iesus Christe, bcause I haue synned and done wickedly, and thorowe thy goodnes haue receaued a desire of repentaunce [Page] whereto this longe sufferaunce doth draw my hard heart. I be­sech thy mercy in Christ to work the same repentaunce in me: & by thy spyryt, power, and grace, to humble, mortifye, and feare my conscyence for my synnes to sal­uation, that in thy tyme thou mayeste comforte and quycken me, thoroughe Iesus Christ thy dearly beloued sonne. Amē. Af­ter this sort I say, or otherwyse, as thou thynkeste good, yf thou wylte haue this fyrst parte, con­tricion, or sorowe for thy synnes, do thou begge it of God, thorow Christe. And when thou haste asked it, as I haue laboured to dryue the frome trustynge in thy selfe, so nowe I gooe a­boute to moue thee from flat­terynge of thy selfe, from slug­gyshnes [Page] and negligence, to be diligente to vse these meanes fo­lowynge.

Vnto prayer which I would thou shouldest fyrst vse as thou canst: Secondly, get thee Gods lawe as a glasse to toote in, for in it, and by it commeth the trewe knowledge of synne, withoute whiche knoweledge there can be no sorowe. For howe can a man sorrowe for his synnes, whyche knoweth not his synnes? As when a man is sycke, the fyrste steppe to health, is to knowe his syckenesse, euen so to saluation the fyrste steppe thereto, is to knowe thy dampnation due for thy synnes.

The lawe of God therefore muste be gotten, and well tooted in, that is, we muste looke in it [Page] spirituallye, and not corporallye or carnally as the outward word or letter doth declare and vtter, and so our sauioure teacheth vs in the .v. of Math, expoundinge the .vi. and .vii. commaundementes, not onely after the outward dede, but also after the hearte, makynge there the anger of the hart a kynd of murther, lustinge after an other mans wyfe, a kind of adulterye.

And this is one of the diffe­rences betwene Gods lawe and mannes lawe. That of this (mannes lawe I meane) I am not condempnable, so longe as I obserue outwardely the same.

But Goddes lawe goeth to the roote, and to the harte, con­dempnynge me for the inwarde mocion, althoughe outwardlye I lyue moste holely. As for ex­ample. [Page] Yf I kyll no man, though in my heart I hate: mans law cō ­dempneth me not: but otherwise doeth gods law: And why, for it seeth the fountayne whence the euyl doeth spring, If hatred wer taken out of the hearte, loftinesse in lookes, detraction in tonge, & murther by hand, could neuer ensue. Yf lustinge were out of the heart, curiositie in countenaunce wantōnes in wordes, thē baudie boldnesse, in body would not ap­peare. In that therfore this out­warde euyll springes out of the inward corrupcion: seynge gods lawe also is a lawe of libertie, as sayth S. Iames:Iam. ij. And spirituall as sayth S. Paul:Ro. vij. Perfectly and spiritually, it is to be vnderstand, yf we wyll truelye come to the knowledge of our synnes. For of this inwarde corruption, reason [Page] knoweth but litle or nothinge:Ro. vij. I had not knowē sayth Paul, y^e lu­sting (which to reason, & to them which are gyded only by reasō, is thoughte but a trifle) I had not knowen sayth he, this lusting to haue been sinne, yf y^e law had not sayd Non concupisces, thou shalt not lust.

To the knowledge therfore of our sinne (w^tout which we cānot repent or be sory for our sinne) let vs secondly gette gods law as a glasse to toote in: & that not only litterally, outwardly, or partely, but also spiritually, inwardlye, & throughly: let vs cōsidre the hart & so shall we see the foule spottes we are stayned withal, at least in­wardly, De tem­pore Barlarico [...]. wherby we y^e rather may be moued to harti sorow & sighīg For as s. Austen sayth it is a glas which feareth no bodie: but euen loke what a one part so it paintes [Page] the oute. In the law we see it is a foule spot not to loue the Lord our God w^tal (al I say) our heart soule, power, might & strength, & that cōtinually, In the law it is a foule spotte, not onely to make to our selues any grauen ymage or similitude, to bow therto. &c, but also not to frame our selfes wholly after the ymage wherto we ar made not to bow to it, to worship it. In the law we se y^t it is a foule spot, not only to take gods name in vain: but also not earnestli, har­tely, & euen cōtinually to call vpō his name only, to geue thākes vnto him, to beleue, to publishe, & to liue his holy word. In gods law we se it is a foule spot to our sou­les, not only to be an opē propha­ner of y^e saboth day: but also not to rest frō our own words & works y^t y^e lord might both speake & wor [Page] vs, & by vs: not to heare his holy worde: not to communicate hys Sacramentes, not to geue occa­sion to others to holynes, by our example in godlye workes & re­uerēt esteminge of the ministerie of his worde.

In Gods law we see it a foule spot to our soules not only to be an opē disobeyer of our parents, magistrates, maysters, and such as be in anye auctoritie ouer vs: but also not to honour such, euen in our heartes, not to geue thā ­kes to God for them, not to pray for them to ayde, to helpe, or re­leue them, to beare with their in­firmities. &c. In Gods lawe we see it a foule spotte in our soules not onelye to be a manqueller in hatered, malyce, proude lookes, bragges, backbiting, raylinge, or bodely slaughter: but also no to [Page] loue oure neyghbours, yea oure enemies, euen in our hartes, and to declare y^e same in al our iesture wordes and workes. In Gods law we see it a foule spot to oure soules, not onelye to be a whore­monger in lusting in our heartes in wanton loking, in vncleane or wanton talking, in actuall doing vnhonestly with out neyghbors wife, daughter, seruaunt. &c. but also not to be chast, sobre, tempe­rate in heart, lokes, tonge, appa­rell, deedes, and to helpe others there vnto accordinglye. &c. In Gods law we see it is a soule spot to our soules, not onely in hearte to couet, in loke, or worde, to flat­ter, lye, colour, &c, in dede to take away any thing whiche pertay­neth to another: but also in heart countenaūce, word & dede, not to kepe, saue, and defend that which [Page] pertayneth to thy neyghbour as thou wouldest thine own.

In Gods law we maye see it a foule spot, not only to lie, or beare false witnes agaynst any mā but also not to haue as greate care ouer thy neyghboures name, as ouer thine owne. Sinne in gods law it is (we may se) & a foule spot not only to consent to euil, lust, or carnal desyres, but euē the verye natural or carnal lustes & desires thēselues, for so I may cal thē na­tural it self, beyng now so corrup­ted as self loue, & many such like, by reason wherof, I trow ther is none▪ that toteth well herein, but though he be blameles to y^e world & fayre to y^e shew, yet certaynely inwardly, his face is foule araied & so shamful saucie māgie, pocked & skabbed, y^t he cānot, but be sory, at the cōtēplaciō therof: & that so much more by how much he continueth [Page] to loke in this glas accordingly. And thus much cōcernīg the secōd mean to y^e stirring vp of sorowe for our sinne: y^t next vnto praier, we shuld tote in gods law spiritually: y^t which toting yf we vse w^t praier (as I said) let vs not doubt, but at y^e lēgth, gods spirit wil worke, as now to such as be­leue, (for to y^e vnbeleuers al is in vayn: Their eyes ar starke blind they can see nothing) to suche as beleue (I say) I trust somthing is done euē already. But yf nether by praier nor by tooting in Gods law spiritually, as yet thy harde vnbeleuing hart fealeth no sorow nor lamēting for thy sinne: Thirdly loke vpon y^e tagge tied to gods law, for as to mās lawes, there is a tagge tied, y^t is a penaltie. So is there to Goddes lawe a tagge tyed, that is a penaltie: and that no small one, but suche a greate [Page] great one, as cānot, but make vs to cast our currish tayles betwen our legges, yf we beleue it, for all is in vayne, yf we be faythles not to beleue, before we feele.

This tage is Gods maledictiō or cursse,Gal. iij. maledictus omnis (sayth it) qui nō permanet in omnibus quae scripta sunt in libro legis ut faciat eam, Loe, accursed (saith he) is al no acception, al sayth God which continueth not, in al thinges (for he that is giltie of one is giltie of the whole layeth S. Iames) In all thinges therefore, (sayeth the holy ghost) which are written in the boke of the lawe to do them: he sayeth not to heare them, to talke of them, to dispute of them, but to doe them.

Who is he now that doth these? Rara auis, fewe such byrdes, yea [Page] none at all. For all are gone oute of the way, though not outwardlye by word or dede, yet inward­ly at the least, by defaulte & wan­tinge of that which is requyred: so that a chylde of one nightes age is not pure, but (by reason of byrth sinne) in daunger of Gods malediction. Moch more thē we which halas haue dronken in ini­quitie as it were water,Iob. xv. as Iob sayeth: but yet halas we quake not. Tell me nowe good brother why do you so lightely consyder Gods cursse, that for your sinnes past you are so careles as though you had made a couenaunt with death and damnatiō as the wic­ked dyd in Esayes time? what is Gods cursse? At the popes cursse with boke, bell, & candle, oh howe trembled we, which harde it but onely, though the same was not [Page] dyrected vnto vs, but vnto o­thers, but to this Goddes cursse, which is incōparably, more fell, & importable, & is directed, yea hā ­ging ouer vs al, by reason of our sinnes, halas how careles ar we? Oh faythles hard harts.Apoc. iij. Oh Ie­zabels gestes, rocked and layd a slepe in her bed, Oh wicked wretches, whiche being come into the depe of sinne do cōtēpne thesame, Oh sorowles sinners & shameles shrinking harlots, Is not the an­ger of a kinge death? and is y^e an­ger of the king of al kinges a matter to be so lightlye regarded, as we doe regard it, which (for our sinnes) are so recheles y^t we slug & slepe it oute? As waxe melteth away at the heate of y^e fyre (saith Dauid) so do the wicked perishe, at the face or countenaūce of the Lord: Yf dearly beloued his face be so terrible, and intollerable for [Page] sinners, & y^e wicked: What trowe we his hand is? At the face or a­pearing of gods anger, the earth trembleth: but we earth, earth, yea stones, yron, flintes, trēble no thinge at al? yf we wil not trēble in hearinge, wo vnto vs for then shal we be crasshed a peces in fee­linge: yf a lyon rore the beastes quake, but we are worsse thē bea­stes, which quake nothing at the roring of the lion, I meane y^e lord of hostes. And why? because the cursse of God, hardenes of heart, Chreno. iij, is already fallē vpon vs, or els we could not but lamēt & trēble for our synnes, yf not for the shame and foulenes thereof: yet at the least for the maledictiō and cursse of God, which hāgeth ouer vs for our synnes.

Lorde be mercyfull vnto vs for thy Christes sake, and spare [Page] vs in thyne anger, remembre thy mercy towardes vs. Amen.

And thus much for the thyrde thing to the mouing of vs to so­row for oure sinnes (that is for y^e tagge tied to Gods law, I mean for the malediction and cursse of God.

But yf our heartes be so hard that thorow these we yet fele not harty sorow for our synnes: Let vs fourthlye set before vs exam­ples past, and present, old & new: that therby the holy spirite may be effectual to worke in his time, this worke of sorowing for oure sinne.

Loke vpon Gods anger for synne in Adam and Eue: For ea­ting a pece of an apple. Were not thei the dearest creatures of god cast oute of Paradyse? were not they subiect to mortalitie, traueil [Page] labour. &c? was not the earth ac­cursed for theyr sinnes? Doe not we all, men in laboure, women in traueling with chylde, and all in death, mortalitie, & miserie, euen in thys lyfe feele the same? And was god so angry for theyr sinne and he being the same God, wyll he saye nothing to vs for oures, halas muche more horrible then the eating once of one pece of an apple?

In the tyme of Noe and Lot,Gen. vi. God destroyed the whole world with water,Gen. xix & the cities of So­doma and Gomorra, Seboim & Adamah with fyre and brimston from heauen, for theyr synnes: Namely for theyr whoredomes, pryde, idlenes, vnmercifulnes to the poore, tyrannie. &c. In which wrath of God euen the very ba­bes, byrdes, foules, fishes, herbes [Page] trees, and grasse perisshed. And thinke we that nothinge wylbe spokē to vs, muche worse & more abhominable thē they? For al mē may see yf they wil y^e the whore­dōs, pride, vnmercifulnes, tiran­nie. &c, of England far passeth in this age, any age y^t euer was be­fore. Gen. xix Lots wife loking back was turned into a salt stone, & wil our loking back agayne, yea our run­ning back agayne to our wicked­nes do vs not hurt? yf we were not alredy more blind thē bettels we would blush. Pharao his heart was hardened so y^t no my­racle could conuert him: yf oures were any thing softe, we woulde begin to sobbe.

Of syxe hundreth thousande men,Iosu [...] & Caleb. alonely but twayne entred into the land of promyse, because they had tē times synned against [Page] the Lord, as he him selfe sayeth. Num, 14. And trow we that god wil not sweare in his wrath, that we shall neuer entre into his rest, which haue sinned so manye ten times as we haue toes & fingers, yea heares of our heades & bear­des I fere me, & yet we passe not.

The man that sware, Leu. 24 and he that gathered stickes on the Saboth day, Num. 13. were stoned to death: but we thynke our swearing is no sinne, our bib­bing, rioting, yea, whore hunting on the Saboth day, pleaseth god or els we woulde some thinge a­mende our maners.

Helias negligence in correc­ting his sōnes,i. reg. iij. nipped his neck in two: But oures which pāper vp oure children lyke puppets, wyll putte vs to no plounge?

Helias sonnes for disobeying [Page] theyr fathers monicion brought ouer them Gods vengeaūce, and wyl our stubbernes do nothing?

Saule his malice to Dauid,iij. Reg xxi. xxij. A­chabs displeasure agaynste Na­both, brought theyr bloud to the grounde for dogges to eate,4. kin. 21 yea their children were hanged vp & slayne for this geare,4. kin. 10 but we con­tinue in malice, enuie, & murther, as though we were able to wage warre wyth the Lord.

Dauids adultrie with Beth­sabe was vysyted on the chylde borne,2. kin. 11 xij. xiij. xvi. xv on Dauids daughter, de­fyled by her brother, and on hys chyldren one slaying another, on hys wyues defyled by hys owne sonne, on him selfe dryuen out of hys realme in hys olde age, and otherwise also, although he most hartely repēted his sinne: but we are more dere vnto god thē Da­uid, [Page] whiche yet was a man after gods owne hart, or els we could not but tremble, and begynne to repent.

The riche glottonnes gaye paunche fyllynge,Lu. xvi. what did it? it brought hym to hel, and haue we a plackarde that God wyll do no thynge to vs.

Achams subtyll theft prouoked Gods anger agaynst all Israell:Iosu. vij and our subteltie, yea open extorcion is so fyne and politike, that God cannot espye it.

Giezi his couetousnes brou­ghte it not the leprosy vpon him,iiii. re. v and on all hys sede.Act. i. Iudas also hanged hym selfe: But the co­uetousnes of Englande is of an other cloothe and coulloure. well, yf it were so, the same tay­ler wyll cutte it accordynge­lye.

[Page] Anania and Saphira by ly­inge, Act. v. lynked to them sodayne death: but oures nowe prolon­geth oure lyfe the longer, to laste in eternall death.

The false wytnesses of the twoo Iudges against Susanna,Da. xiij lighte on their owne pates, and so wyll ours do at length.

But what go I about to a­uouche aunciente exaumples, where daylye experience doeth teach. The sweat the other year, the stormes the winter folowing wyl vs to way them in the same ballaunces.

The hangynge, and kyllynge of men them selues, whiche are alas to ryfe in all places, requier vs to register them in the same rolles.

At the least in Chyldren, in­fauntes, and such like, which yet [Page] can not vtter synne by worde or dede, we see Goddes anger a­gaynste Synne, in punysshynge them by syckenes, death, mys­happe or otherwyse so playnely that we cannot but grone and grount agayne, in that we a lyt­tell more haue gusshed oute thys geare gorgeousely in worde and dede.

And here with me a litel loke on gods anger, yet so freshe, that we cannot but smell it, although we stop our noses neuer so much I praye God we smel it not more freshe hereafter. I meane it for­soth (for I know you loke for it) in our dere late souereigne lorde the kyngs maieste. You al know he was but a chylde in yeares: defyled he was not with notori­ous offences. Defiled ꝙ he? naye rather adorned w^t so many good [Page] and wonderfull qualities as ne­uer prynce was from the begyn­nyng of y^e world. Shuld I speak of his wysedome? of his rypenes in iudgement? of his learning? of his Godlye zeale, heroical heart, fatherly care for his commons, norcely solicitude for religion? &c naye so manye thinges are to be spoken in commendatiō of gods excedyng graces in this childe, that as Salust wryteth of Chartage I had rather speak nothing then to lytel, in y^t to much is to li­tle. This gift God gaue vnto vs Englysh men, before all nations vnder the sonne, and that of his excedynge loue towardes vs. But alas and welawaye for our vnthankefulnes sake, for our sin­nes sake, for our carnalitie, and prophan liuing, gods anger hath touched not only y^e body, but also [Page] the mynde of our king, by a long sycknes, and at length hath takē hym awaye by death, death, cru­ell death, fearful death, death. &c

Oh if Gods iudgement be be­gon on him, which as he was the chiefest, so I thinke the holiest, & godliest in y^e realme of England,Psalm. xxxvij. alas what wyl it be on vs, whose synnes are ouergrowne so oure heades, that they are climed vp into heauen.

I pray you my good brethren know that gods anger for oure sinnes towardes vs cannot but be great, yea to fel, in that we se it was so great, that our goodking coulde not beare it. What folo­wed to Iewry after the death of Iosias? God saue England, and geue vs repētaunce, my hart wil not suffer me to tary lōger here­in. I trow this wyll thruste oute [Page] some teares of repentaunce.

Yf therfore to praier for gods feare, the tootynge in gods glas and the tagge thereto, wyll not burste open thy blockysh hearte, yet I trowe the tossinge to and fro, of these examples, and spe­cially of our late kynge, and this troublesome tyme, wyll tomble some teares oute of thyne hart, yf thou styll praye for Gods spi­rite accordynglye. For who arte thou (thynke alwayes with thy selfe) that GOD shoulde spare thee, more then they, whose ex­amples thou hast harde? what frendes haste thou? were not of these, Kynges, Prophetes, Apo­stles, Learned, and commen of holye stockes? I deceaue my selfe, thynke thou with thy selfe, yf I beleue GOD, beynge the same GOD that he was, wyll [Page] spare me, whose wyckednesse is no lesse, but muche more then some of theyrs: he hateth synne nowe, as muche as euer he dydde: the longer he sparethe, the greater vengeaunce wyll fall. The deeper he draweth his bowe, the soorer wyll the shafte pearce.

But yf yet thy harte be so hardened, that all thys geare wyll not moue thee: Suerlye thou arte in a verye euyll estate, and remedy now know I none. What sayde I none? knowe I none? yes, yet there is one which is suresbye as they saye, to serue yf anye thynge will serue. you loke to knowe what this is?

Forsooth the passion and death of Iesus CHRISTE. You knowe the cause whye Christe [Page] become man, and suffered as he suffered, was the synnes of hys people thot he myght saue them from the same. Consider y^e greatnes of the soore. I meane sinne, by the greatenes of the Sur­gion, and of the salue. Who was the Surgion? no Aungell, no sainct, no Archaungel, no power no creature in heuē, nor in earth, but onely he by whom al thinges were made, all thinges are ruled also, euen Gods owne dearlyng, and onely beloued Sonne, becō ­mynge man.

Oh what a great thinge is this that coulde not be doone by the aungels, archaūgels, potestates, powers, or all the creatures of God, without his owne Sonne, who yet muste nedes be thruste out of heauen, as a man woulde [Page] saye, to take oure nature and be­come man? Here haue ye the sur­gion, greate was the cure that this mightye Lorde toke in hande.

Nowe, what was the salue? Forsoth dere geare, and of many compositions. I cannot recite al, but rather must leaue it to your hartye considerations. Three & thyrtye yeares was he curynge oure sore: he sought it earnestly, by fastinge, watchinge, pray­inge. &c.

The same nyghte he was be­trayed, mat. xx [...] ▪ I read how busy he was aboute a plaister in the garden,Lu. xxij. when he lying flat on y^e grounde prayenge with teares, and that of bloud not a fewe, but so manye as dydde flowe downe on the grounde agayne, cryinge on this sorte: Father sayth he, yf it [Page] be possible, lette this ruppe de­parte frome me, that is, yf it be possible els mankyndes synnes canne be taken awaye, graunte that it maye be so. Thou hardest Moyses cryinge for the ydola­ters: Thou hardest Lot for the zoarites: Samuell, Dauyd, and manye other for the Israelites, and deare Father, I onelye am thyne owne sonne, as thou hast sayde, in whome thou arte well pleased, wylte thou not heare me? I haue by the space of three and thyrty yeares done always thy wyll, I haue so humbled my selfe that I woulde become an abiecte amongeste men to obeye thee: Therefore deare father yf it be possible graunt my request, saue mankynde nowe wythoute any further laboure, Salues, or [Page] playsters? But yet (sayth he) not as I wyll, but as thou wylte.

But syr what harde he? tho­ughe he sweate bloude and wa­ter in makynge his playster for oure sore of synne, yet it framed not: twyse he cryed withoute comforte: yea▪ thoughe to com­fort hym, GOD sente an Aun­gell, we yet knowe that thys Playster was not alowed for sufficiente, vntyll herevnto Christe Iesus was betrayed, forsaken of all hys Discyples, forsworne of his dearelye beloued, bounde lyke a thefe, belyed on, buffeted, whypped, skourged, crowned with thornes, derided, crucified, racked, nayled, hanged vppe be­twene twoo theues, cursed and rayled vppon, mocked in myse­rye, and hadde geuen vppe the [Page] ghoste then bowed downe the heade of Christe, that is GOD the father, whyche is the heade of Christe, i. Corinth. xi. then a­lowed he the playster to be suffi­cient and good for the healynge of our sore, which is synne. Now wolde God abyde our breath, because the stincke, that is dampnation or gyltynesse was taken a­waye, by the swete sauour of the breath of this lambe, thus offe­red once for all.

So that here dearelye belo­ued, we as in a glasse, maye se to the broosynge of oure blockyshe harde heartes, Goddes greate iudgement and anger agaynste synne: The Lorde of Lordes, they kynge of kynges, the bright­nes of Goddes glorye, the sonne of GOD, the dearelynge of hys father, in whome he is well [Page] pleased, hangeth betwene twoo theues,Psalm. xxiij. cryinge for thee and me, and for vs all, My God, my god, why haste thou forsaken me?

Oh harde heartes that we haue whiche make tuttes for synne? looke on thys toote in the verye harte of Christe, pearced wyth a speare, wherein thou mayeste see and reade Goddes horrible anger for sinne? woo to thy hard harte that pearsed it.

And thus muche for the fyrste parte of repentaunce, I meane for the meanes of workynge contricion. Fyrste vse prayer, thē looke on GODDES lawe, thyrdely, se hys curse, fourthlye, sette exaumples of his anger: and laste of all, sette before thee, the death of Christe, frome this and prayer cease not, tyll thou feele some hartye sorowe for thy [Page] Sinne. The whiche when thou fealeste, then laboure for the o­ther parte, that is fayth on this sorte.

As fyrste in contrition I wil­led thee not to truste to thy free wyll for thattaininge of it, so do I wyll thee in this. Fayth is so farre frome the reache of man­nes free wyll: that to reasonne it is playne folyshnes. Therefore thou muste fyrste go to GOD, whose gyfte it is: thou muste I saye, gette thee to the father of mercye, whose woorke it is,

Iohn the syxth, that as he hathe brought y^e downe by contricion, and humbled thee, so he woulde geue the fayth, rayse thee vppe, Collossians. ii, and exalte thee.

On this manner therefore, with the Apostles, and the poore man in the Gospell that cryed, Lorde [Page] encrease oure fayeth, Lorde helpe my vnbeleife, praye thou and saye.

O mercyfull GOD, and deare father of oure Lorde and sauyoure Iesus Christ, in whom as thou arte well pleased, so hast thou commaunded vs to heare hym, forasmuche as he often bid­deth vs, to aske of thee, and ther to promyseth that thou wylte heare vs, and graunte vs that whyche in hys name we shall aske of thee: Loe gracious fa­ther I am bolde to begge of thy mercye thoroughe thy Sonne Iesus Christe, one sparckle of true fayth and certayne perswa­sion of thy goodnes, and loue to­wardes me in Christe, where throughe I beynge assewred of the pardonne of all my sinnes, by the mercyes of Christe thy [Page] Sonne, maye be thankefull to thee, loue thee, and serue thee, in holynes and rightuousnes al the dayes of my lyfe.

On this sorte I saye, or otherwyse, as God shall moue thee, praye thou fyrste of all, and looke for thy request at GODDES hande withoute any doubtyng, thoughe forthwith thou feeleste not the same: for often tymes we haue thynges of GOD geuen vs, longe before we feele them as we woulde do. Nowe vnto thys prayer vse thou these meanes fo­lowynge.

After prayer for fayth, which I woulde shoulde be firste: Se­condlye because the same spryn­geth oute of the hearynge, not of Masses, Mattens, Cannons, councels doctours, decrees, but out of the hearing of gods word: [Page] Get the gods word, but not that part whiche serueth speciallye to contricion, that is the lawe, but the other part which serueth specially to consolacion, and certayn perswasiō of gods loue towards the, that is the Gospel or publica­tion of Gods mercy in Christ, I meane the free promyses.

But here thou must knowe, y^t there is two kyndes of promises one which are properly of y^e law, another which ar properly of the Gospell.

In the promyses of the lawe, we may in dede behold Goddes mercy, but so that it hāgeth ouer the condicion of our worthynes, as yf thou loue the Lord with al thy hearte. &c, thou shalte fynde mercy.

This kynd of promyses though it declare vnto vs Goddes loue, [Page] which promiseth wher he nedeth not, yet vnto him that feleth not Christe, whiche is the ende of the law, they are so farre from cōfor­tinge, that vtterly with the law, they bringe manne to greate dis­payre, so greatly we are corrupt: for none so loueth GOD as he oughte to doe. From these therfore get the to the other pro­myses of the Gospel in which we may see suche plentie and franke liberalite of Gods goodnes, that we can not, but be muche com­forted, though we haue very de­pelye synned.

For these promyses of the gos­pell doe not hange on the condi­cion of oure worthynesse as the promyses of the law do: but they depende and hange on Goddes trueth, that as GOD is true, so they can not, but be perfourmed [Page] to al thē which lay holde on them by faith, I had almost sayd which cast them not away by vnbelefe.

Marke in them therfore two thinges, nameli, that as wel they are free promyses, without anye condiciō of our worthines, as al­so that they are vniuersal, offred to al, (all I saye) which are not so stubborne as to kepe styll▪ theyr handes, whereby they should re­ceaue this almesse in theyr boso­mes by vnbeliefe: As concerning infantes and children you know I now speake not, but cōcerning such as be of yeres of discrecion.

And now you loke that I shuld geue you a tast of these promyses whiche are both free and vniuer­sall, excepting none but suche, as excepte themselues? Well you shall haue one or two for a saye.

[Page] In the thyrde of Iohn sayeth our Sauiour: so God the Father loued the world, that he woulde geue his dearling, his owne only sonne, that all that beleue in hym should not perish, but haue euer­lasting lyfe. Lo syr, he sayeth not that some might haue lyfe: but al sayth he, And what all? all y^t loue him wyth all theyr heartes? all y^t haue lyued a godly lyfe? naye, all y^t beleue in him, all thoughe thou hast liued a most wicked and hor­rible lyfe, yf nowe thou beleue in him, thou shalte be saued. Is not this swete geare?

Agayne sayth Christ. Mat. xi come vnto me all you that labor, and are laden, and I wyll refresh you. Let vs a little loke on thys letter: come vnto me. Who shuld come Lord? Priestes, Holy men, Monkes, Freres? Yea coblers, [Page] tinkers, whores, theues, murtherers also, yf they lamente theyr sinnes. Come vnto me sayth he, all ye that labour and are laden, that is, which are afrayd for your sinnes: And what wilte thou doe Lorde? and I wyll refreshe you sayth he.

Oh what a thinge is this: and I wyll refresshe you: wote you who spake thys? he that neuer tolde lye, [...]. Pet. ii. he is the trueth, there was neuer gyle founde in hys mouth: and now wyl he be vntru to the good brother, whiche arte sorie for thy greuous sinnes? no forsoth? Heauen and earth shall passe and perishe,Mat. 24▪ but his woorde shall neuer fayle.

Sainct Paule sayth, i. Tim. ij God would haue all men saued: lo he excepteth none. And to Ti­tus. ij, the grace of God bringeth [Page] saluacion to all mē. As frō Adam all haue receyued sinne to damp­nation: so by Christ al haue grace offred to saluacion, yf they reiect not the same. I speake not nowe of infantes I saye: nor I nede not to enter into the matter of pre­destinacion, In preathinge of re­pentaūce, I would gather wher I could with Christ.

As surely as I lyue sayth god I wyll not the death of a synner.Ezec. 3. Arte thou a synner? yea. Lo god sweareth he wyll not thy death, howe canste thou nowe perishe? Consyder wyth thy selfe what profyte shouldeste thou haue to beleue this to be true to others, yf not to thy selfe also. Sathan doeth so: Rather consyder wyth Peter, that the promyse of salua­cion pertayneth not only to them [Page] whiche are nye,Actun̄. ij that is, to suche as are fallen a lyttle: but also to all whome the LORDE hath called, be they neuer so farre of. Loe nowe by me the Lorde cal­leth thee thou manne, thou wo­man, that art very farre of. The promyse therfore pertayneth to thee, nedes muste thou be saued, excepte thou wyth Sathan say, GOD is false:ij. tim. ij. and yet yf thou do so, GOD is faythful, and can not denye him selfe: as thou shalt feele by hys plages in hell, for so dishonoringe God to thinke that he is not true.

Wyll he be founde false now? the matter hangeth not on thy worthynesse, but it hangeth on Gods truth. Clap hold on it, and I warrante thee, Christe is the propiciation of oure synnes, [Page] yea for the synnes of the whole world Beleue this man, I know thou beleuest it:Lu. xvij. saye therefore in thy hearte styll,Mar. ix. Domine adauge mihi fidē, lord increase my fayth Lord help my vnbelefe.Iohn. xx Blessed are they which see not (by reason this geare) but yet beleue. Hope man past all hope, as Abrahā dyd Roma. iiij.

And thus muche for a taste of these promyses which are euerye where, not only in the new testa­ment, but also in the olde. Reade the last ende of Leuiticum. xxvi. The Prophete Esay from the .xl Chapt. in the .xxx. sayth he, God tarrieth loking for thee, to shewe the mercy, reade the .ij. Regum. xxiiij. Psalm. xxxiij. Ioel. ij. &c.

Howebeit, yf thys geare wyll not serue, yf yet thou fealeste no fayth, no certayne perswasion of [Page] Gods loue: then vnto praier, and diligent consyderinge of the free and vniuersall promyses of the Gospell.

Thyrdely set before the, those benefites, which god hath to foregeuen thee, and presently geueth thee. Cōsyder how he hath made the a manne, or a woman, whiche myghte haue made the a tode, a dogge And why did he this? ve­rely because he loued the: & trow est thou that yf he loued the, whē thou wast not, to make the such a one, as he most graciouslye hath made y^e, wil he not troweste thou now loue the, beinge his handye worke? doeth he hate any thinge that he made? is there vnablenes with him? doth he loue for a day and so fare wel?Ioh. xiij no forsoth, he lo­ueth to thende,Psa. 87 his mercye endu­reth for euer. Say therfore with [Page] Iob, Operimanuum tuarum porri­ge dexteram to the woorke of thy hand, put thy helping hand.

Agayne hath he not made the a Christian man or woman, wher yf he woulde, he mighte haue made thee a Turke or Paynim: This thou knoweste he dydde of loue. And doest thou thinke his loue is lessoned yf thou lamente thy synne? is hys hande shorte­ned for helpinge thee. Can a wo­manne forgette the chylde of her wombe? and thoughe she should doe it, yet wyll not I forgette the sayeth the Lorde.

He hath geuen thee limmes, to see, heare, go. &c, He hath geuē thee wytte, reason, discretion, &c. He hath longe spared thee, and borne wyth thee, when thou ne­uer purposedst to repente, & now thou repenting, wyl he not geue [Page] thee mercy? wherefore doeth he geue the to lyue at this presente? to heare me to speake this, and me to speake this? but of loue to vs all. Oh therefore let vs praye him that he would adde to thys, that we mighte beleue these loue tokens, that he loueth vs, and in deede he wyll doe it. Lorde open our eyes, in thy gyftes to see thy gracious goodnesse. Amen.

But to tarrye in this I wyll not: euery man let him consyder Gods benefytes, paste, and pre­sente, publyke and priuate, spiri­tuall and corporall, to the confir­minge of hys fayth concerninge the promyses of the Gospell, for the pardone of his synnes. I wyll nowe go to shewe you a fourth meane to confirme youre fayth of thys geare, euen by ex­amples.

[Page] Of these there are in the scrip­tures very many, as also daylye experience doth diuersly teache the same, yf we were diligente to obserue thynges accordinglye, wherefore I wyll be more briefe herein, hauing respecte to tyme, which stealeth fast awaye.

Adam in Paradyse transgres­sed greuously as the paynful pu­nishment, Gen. iii. which we al as yet doe feele, proueth, yf nothinge else.

Thoughe by reason of his synne he displeased God, sore and ran awaye from God, for he woulde haue hyd him selfe, yea he would haue made God the causer of his synne, in that he gaue hym such a mate, so farre was he frō askinge merry yet all this not withstan­dinge, GOD turned hys fearce wrath, nether vpō him, nor Eue, which also requyred not mercye, [Page] but vpon the serpente Sathan: Promysing vnto them a sede Ie­sus Christe, by whom they at the lenght shoulde be delyuered: In token whereof, though they wer caste oute of Paradyse, for theyr nurture, to serue in sorow, which woulde not serue in ioye, yet he made thē apparell to couer theyr bodies, a visible sacramente and tokē of his inuisyble loue & grace, concerning theyr soules.

Yf God was so merciful to A­dam, whych so sore brake hys cō ­maundemēt, and rather blamed God, then asked mercy, troweste thou oh man, that he wyll not be mercyful to the, whiche blameste thy selfe and desyrest pardon.

To Cayn he offered mercy,Gen. iiij yf he woulde haue asked it: What haste thou done sayeth God? the voyce of thy brothers bloude [Page] cryeth vnto me, out of the earth: Oh mercyfull Lord (shuld Cayn haue sayd) I cōfesse it. But halas he dyd not so: And therfore sayd God. Now, that is, in that thou desyrest not mercy, now I say: be thou accursed. &c. Lo to the re­probate he offred mercy, and wil he denye it thee whiche arte hys chylde.

Noah dyd not he synne and was drōke:Gent. ix God Lot also both in Sodome dissembled a lyttle wyth the Aungels,Gen. xix prolonginge the tyme, & out of Sodom he fell very foule:Gene. 38 xxxvij. as did Iudas, and the Patriarches, agaynste Ioseph, but yet I wene they foūd mercy.

Moyses,Num. xi Myriam, Aaron, though they tombled a little, yet receaued they mercye: yea the people in the wyldernesse often synned & displeased God so that [Page] he was purposed to haue destroyed them:Exod. 32 let me alone sayth he to Moyses, that I maye destroye them, but Moyses dyd not lette hym alone, for he prayed styll for them, and therefore God spared them. Yf the people were spared throughe Moyses prayer, they not praying with him, but rather worshipping theyr golden calfe, eatinge, drinkinge, and makinge ioly good cheare: why shouldeste thou doubte, whether God wyll be mercyfull to thee: hauynge as in dede thou hast, one muche bet­ter then Moyses to pray for thee and with thee,Ro. viij euen Iesus Christ who sytteth on the right hand of his father and prayeth for vs,Hebr. iij. be­ing no lesse faithful in his fathers house the church thē moses was in the Sinagoge.ii. Re. [...]i. Dauid y^e good Kynge, had a foule foyle, when he [Page] committed whoredom, with hys faythful seruauntes wyfe Beth­sabe, where vnto he added also a mischeuous murder, causing her husband hys most faythfull soul­diour Vrye to be slayne with an honest company of his most vali­aunt mē of warre, and that with the swearde of the vncircumcisi­sed. In this hys synne thoughe a great whyle he laye a slepe (as many do now a dayes, god geue them wynne waking) thinking that by hys sacrifices he offered, all was well, God was content: yet at length when the Prophet by a parable had opened the poke and brought hym in remēbraūce of his owne synne in such sorte, y^t he gaue iudgement agaynst hym self, thē quaked he, his sacryfices hadde no more taken awaye his sinnes, then our syr Iohns tren­tals, [Page] and waggynge of his fyn­gers ouer the heades of suche as lye aslepe in theyr synnes, out of the whiche when they are awa­ked, they wyl well se, it is nether masse, nor mattens, blessyng, nor crossyng wyll serue? then (I say) he cryed out sayinge, peccaui do­mino, I haue synned sayeth he a­gaynst my Lorde, and good god whiche hath doone so muche for me, I caused in dede Vrye to be kylled, I haue synned, I haue sinned, what shall I dooe? I haue synned and am worthye of eter­nall dampnatiō. But what sayth God by his Prophete: Dominus (sayth he) transtulit peccatum tuū non morieris, the Lorde hath ta­ken awaye thy synnes, thou shalt not dye. Oh good God, he sayd but peccaui, I haue synned, but [Page] yet from his harte, and not from the lyppes onelye, as Pharao & Saule dyd, and incontinentelye he heareth: Thou shalte not dye: the Lorde hath taken away thy synnes, or rather hath layde them vpon an other, yea transla­ted them vppon the backe of hys sonne Iesus Christe, who bare them, and not onelye them, but thyne and myne also, yf that we wyll nowe crye, but from oure hartes, peccauimus, we haue sin­ned good Lorde, we haue done wickedlye, enter not into iudge­ment with vs, but be merciful vnto vs after thy great mercy, and accordyng to y^e multitude of thy compassions, do away our iniquities. &c. For indede God is not the god of Dauid only,Rom. x. Idem deus omnium, he is the God of all: So that Quicun (que) inuocauerit nomen [Page] domini salus erit He or she whosoeuer they be that call vppon the name of the lord, shalbe saued: In confyrmation whereof, this historye is written, as are also the o­ther, I haue recited, and manye mo whiche I myghte recyte.

As of Manasses y^e wicked kinge, whiche slewe Esay the prophet, and wrought verye muche wic­kednesse, yet the Lorde shewed mercye vpon hym, beyng in pre­son, as his praier doth teach vs. Nabugodonozar,Dan. iij thoughe for a time he bare gods anger, yet at y^e length he founde mercy. The ci­tie of Niniue also founde fauour with God,Iona. iij. as did manye other, which I wil omit for tymes sake and wil bringe forth one or twoo out of the new testamēt, that we maye se God, the same God in y^e new testament he was in tholde.

[Page] I myght tell you of manye yf I shoulde speake of y^e Lunatike, such as were possessed w^t deuyls, lame, blinde, domme, deaf, lepers &c. but tyme wyll not suffice me, one or two therfore shall serue. Mary Magdalene hadde seuen deuylles, but yet they were caste oute of hyr, and of all others, she was the fyrst that Christ appea­red vnto after his resurrection.Ioh. xx. Thomas would not beleue chri­stes resurrection though manye tolde hym whiche had seene and felte hym, by reason whereof a man myght haue thoughte, that his synnes woulde haue cast him awaye: except I shulde see & fele (sayeth he) I wyl not beleue. Ah wylfull Thomas: I wyll not sayeth he, but Christe appeared vnto hym, and woulde not leese hym, as he will not do thee good [Page] brother, yf that with Thomas thou wylte kepe companie with the disciples as Thomas dydde.Ioh. xx. Peter his falle was vgglie, he ac­cursed hym selfe if euer he knew Christe,mat xxvi and that for feare of a gyrle,Lu. xxiii and this not once, but euen three dyuers tymes, and that in the hearynge of Christe his mai­ster, but yet the thyrd time christ loked backe, and cast on hym his eye of grace, so that he went out and wept bitterly: and after christes resurrection not only dydde the aungels wyll the wemen to tell Peter that Christ was risen but Christ hym self appeared vn­to hym seuerallye: suche a good Lorde is he.

The theefe hangynge on the crosse, sayde but thus: Lord whē thou comest into thy kyngedome remembre me, and what aūswer [Page] had he? This daye sayth Christe shalte thou be with me in para­dyce. Lu. xxiij What a comfort is this, in that he is now the same Christe, to thee, and me, and vs all, yf we wyll runne vnto him:Heb. xiij For he is the same Christ to daye & to mo­rowe, vntyll he come to iudge­ment. Then in dede, he wylbe in exorable, but nowe is he moore ready to geue then thou to aske, yf thou crys he heareth thee, yea before thou crye. Crye therfore, be bolde man,Esa. xxx he is not parciall, call sayth he, and I wyll heare thee. Aske, and thou shalte haue, seke and thou shalt fynd,Mat. vij though not at the fyrst, yet at the length, yf he tarry a whyle, it is but to trye thee. Nam veniens ueniet, et non tardabit. Heb. x▪ He is commynge and wyl not be longe.

Thus haue you. iiii. meanes, [Page] which you must vse to that tay­ning of fayth, or certaine perswasiō of gods mercy towards you, whiche is the second part of pennaunce: namely, prayer, the fre & vniuersall promises of Goddes grace, the recordation of the be­nefites of god past and presente, the exāples of gods mercy, whi­che although they myght suffice, yet wyl I put one moo to them, whiche alonelye of it selfe is full sufficiente, I meane the death of the sonne of God Iesus Christe, which yf thou set before the eyes of thy mynd it wyl confyrme thy plackarde, for it is the great seale of Englande, as they saye, yea of all the worlde, for the confyrma­tion of all patentes and perpe­tuities of the euerlastynge lyfe, whervnto we are all called.

Yf I thoughte these whyche [Page] I haue before recited, were not sufficient to confyrme your faith of gods loue towardes suche as do repente. I woulde tarry lon­ger herein: But because both I haue bene longe, and also I trust you haue some exercyse of con­science in this daylye (or els you are to blame) I wyll but touche and go. Consider with youre sel­ues, what we are, misers, wret­ches, and enemies to God: Con­sider what God is, euen he whi­che hath al power, maieste, might glorye, ryches, &c. perfectlye of hym selfe, and neadeth nothyng, but hath all thinges: Consider what Christ is: Concernyng his godhead, coequall w^t his father, euen he by whō al thynges were made are ruled & gouerned: Concerninge his manhode, the only dearlyng of his father, in whom [Page] is all his ioye. Nowe syr what a loue is this, that this God, whi­che neadeth nothyng, wold geue wholly his owne selfe to thee his ennemy, wreakyng his wrath v­pon hym selfe, in this his sonne, as a man maye saye, to spare the, to saue thee, to wyn thee, to bye thee, to haue thee, to enioye thee for euer.

Because thy synne had sepe­rated the from hym, to the ende y^u myghteste come eftsones into his company agayne, and therin remayne, he hym selfe became as a man wolde saye, a synner, or ra­ther synne it self, euen a maledic­tion or a curse: that we synners, we accursed by his sinne, that by his oblation or offeringe for our synnes, by hys curse, might be delyuered from synne, from malediction. For by synne, he destroyed [Page] synne, killinge death, sathan, and synne, by theyr owne weapons, and that for thee & me (man) if we cast it not awaye by vnbeleif. Oh wonderful loue of God? who euer harde of suche a loue? The father of heauen for vs his enne­mies, to geue his owne deare sonne Iesus Christ, and that not onely to be our brother, to dwell amonge vs, but also to the death of the crosse for vs? Oh wōderful loue of Christ to vs all: that was contēt and wylling to work this feate for vs? Was there any loue lyke to this loue?

God in dede hathe commen­ded his charitie and loue to vs herein,Rom▪ v. that when we were very ennemyes vnto hym, he woulde geue his own sonne for vs: That we beyng men, might become as you would saye gods, God wold become man: That we being mortall, [Page] might become immortal, the immortal God wold become mortal man: That we earthlye wret­ches might be sitizens of heauen, the Lorde of heauen woulde be­come as a man wolde say earth­lye, that we beynge accursed, myght be blessed, God wolde be accursed: That we by our father Adam, beyng brought oute of paradice, into the puddel of al pain, myght be redemed, and brought into paradyce agayne, god wold be our father, and an Adam ther vnto: That we hauyng nothing, might haue all thinges, God ha­uynge all thinges, woulde haue nothyng. That we being vessels and slaues to al, euen to sathan y^e fend, myght be lordes of all, and of Sathan, the lorde of al would become a vassall and a slaue to vs all, and in daunger of Sathan: Oh loue incomprehensible? who [Page] can otherwyse thinke nowe, but yf the gratious good Lorde dis­dayned not to geue his owne Sonne, his own hartes ioye for vs his very ennemies, tofore we thought to begge any such thing at his hands, ye tofore we were: who I say, can thinke otherwise, but that with him he wil geue vs all good thynges?

Yf when we hated hym, and fledde awaye from hym, he sente his sonne to seke vs, who canne thynke otherwyse, thē y^t now we louynge hym, and lamentynge because we loue him no more, but that he wyll for euer loue vs.

He that geueth the more to his ennemyes, wyll not he geue the lesse trowe you to his frendes? God hath giuen his owne sonne, then whiche thinge, nothinge is greater to vs his enemies, and [Page] we nowe beyng become his frendes, wyll he denye vs fayth, and pardone of oure synnes, whiche thoughe they be greate, yet in comparisone, nothynge at all.

Christ Iesus, woulde geue hys owne selfe for vs, when we wyl­led it not, and wil he nowe denye vs fayth yf we wyll it.

This wyll is his earnest that he hath geuen vs,Phil. ij. truely to loke in dede, for the thyng wylled: And loke thou for it in deede, for as he hath geuen thee to wyll, so wyll he geue thee to do.

Iesus Christ gaue his lyfe for oure euylles, and by his deathe delyuered vs: Oh, then in that he lyueth nowe, and cannot dye, wyll he forsake vs? His hearte bloude was not to deere for vs, when we asked it not: what can then be nowe to dere for vs, as­kyng [Page] it? is he a chaungelyng? is he mutable as man is? can he re­pent hym of his gyftes? Did he not foresee our falles? payde not he therefore the pryce. Because he sawe we shulde fail sore, ther­fore wolde he suffer sore. Yea if his sufferynges hadde not bene enoughe, he would yet once more come agayne. GOD the father I am sure, yf the deathe of hys sonne incarnate wold not serue, woulde him selfe and the holye ghost also become incarnate, and dye for vs. This death of Christ therfore loke on, as y^e very plege of Gods loue towards the, who­soeuer thou art, howe deepe soe­uer thou hast sinned? See Gods handes are nayled, they cannot stryke thee, his feete also, he can­not runne from thee, his armes are wide open to imbrace the, his [Page] heade hanges down to kysse the, his verye harte is open, so that therein see, roote, looke, spie, pepe and thou shalte se nothyng ther­in but loue, loue, loue, loue to the, hide thee therefore, lay thy head there with the Euangeliste. Iohn. xiij.iij. [...]e, xix

This is the clyfte of the rocke wherein Helias stode, this is the pillow of downe, for al aking heades. Anoint thy head w^t this oile let this oyntment enbaulme thy heade, and washe thy face: Tarry thou here, and cock sure thou art I warrant thee: Say w^t Paule, what can separateme frō the loue of god?Ro. viij can death, can pouertye, syckenesse, hunger, or any myse­ry perswade the nowe, that God loueth the not? Nay nothyng cā separate the frō the loue where w^t god hath loued y^e in christ Iesus: [Page] whom he loueth, he loueth to the ende. Iohn .xiii. So that nowe, where aboūdaunce of sinne, hath ben in thee, the more is the aboū ­daunce of grace. But to what ende? forsooth that as sinne hath raygned to death as thou se est, to the kyllyng of Goddes sonne, so nowe grace must raigne to life to the honouryng of gods sonne, who is nowe alyue, and cannot dye any more.

So that they which by fayth fele this cannot any more dye to God but to synne, wherto they are dead and buried with christ. As Christ therfore lyueth, so do they, and that to God, to ryghtuousnes and holynes. The lyfe which they lyue is in fide fily dei. in the fayth of the sonne of God, whereby you see that now I am slipt into that which I made the [Page] thyrde parte of penaunce, name­ly newnes of lyfe, which I could not so haue done, yf that it were a parte of it selfe in deede, as it is an effect, a freewyt, of the seconde parte that is of fayth or truste in Gods mercy.

For he that beleueth, that is, is certaynly perswaded synne to be such a thing that it is the cause of al miserie, and of it self so greatly angreth God, that in heauen nor in earth nothinge coulde ap­pease his wrath saue alonely the death & preciouse bloudshe dinge of the sonne of God, in whome is al the delight and pleasure of the father: He I say that is perswa­ded thus of sinne: the same cānot but in hearte abhorre and quake to doe or saye, yea to thinke anye thing willingly which Gods law teachet him to be sinne. Agayne [Page] he that beleueth, that is, is cer­taynly perswaded Gods loue to be so much towards him, y^t wher through synne he was loste, and made a fyre brand of hel: the eternal Father of mercy, which is the omnisufficient God, & nedeth no­thing of vs, or of any thinge y^t we can do: to delyuer vs out of hell, & to bring vs into heauē, dyd sende euē his own most dere sonne out of his bosome, out of heauen, into hell as a man would say, to bring vs as I sayd frō thence, into his owne bosome & mercy, we beyng his very enemies: He I say that is thus perswaded of gods loue towardes him, & of y^e price of his redempcion, by the dere bloud of the lābe imaculate Iesus Christ: the same mā cannot but loue god agayn, & of loue do that, & hartely desire to do better y^t which might please God. Trow you that such [Page] a one knowīg this geare by faith wil willingly walter & wallow in his woful lustes, plesure & fanti­sties. Wil suche a one as knoweth by faith christ Iesus to haue geuē his bloud, to wash him frō his sin­nes, play the sow to walter in his puddell of fylthie sinne & vyce a­gayn? Nay rather thē he wylbe defiled agayn, by wilfull sinning, he wil wash oftē the fete of his af­fectiōs, watching ouer y^e vice styl sticking in him, which as a spring cōtinually sendeth out poyson y­nough to drown & defile him, did not the swete water of Christes passion in gods sight wash it, and his bloude satisfie the rigoure of Gods iustice due for the same.

This bloud of christ shed for our sinnes, is to dere in the sighte of him, that beleueth that he wil ab­horre in his hart to stampe it, and [Page] treade it vnder his feete.

He knoweth nowe by his be­lefe that it is to muche that he­therto he hath set to little by it, & is ashamed therof. Therfore the resydue of hys lyfe he purposeth to take better heede to him selfe then to fore he dyd. For because he seeth by his fayth the greuousnes of Gods anger, the foulenes of synne, the greatnesse of Gods mercye, and of Christes loue to­wardes him, He wyll nowe be headie, to praye God to geue him his grace accordingly: that as w^t his eyes, tonge, handes, feete. &c. He hath displeased God doynge his owne wyl, euen so now, with the same eyes, tonge, eares, han­des, feete. &c. He maye displease his owne selfe, and do Gods wil. Willinglye wyll he nowe do that which mighte renewe the death [Page] of the sonne of God: He knoweth he hath to much sinne vnwillingly in hym, so that there to he wyl not adde wylling offences.

This willing and witting of­fending, and sinning, whosoeuer doeth flatter him selfe therein, doth euidently demonstrate and shewe that he neuer yet in dede tasted of Christe truelye. He was neuer truely perswaded, or beleued how foule a thinge synne is, how greuous a thinge Gods anger is, howe ioyfull and preci­ous a thing Gods mercy in christ is, nowe exceding broade, wyde, highe and depe Christes loue is. Perchaunce he can wryte, prate, talke, and preache of thys geare, but yet he in hart by fayth, neuer felte this geare. For dyd he once feele this geare in dede, thē wold he be so sarre from continuing in [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] synne willingly & wittingly, that wholy & hartely, he wold geue o­uer him self to y^t which is cōtrari, I meane to a new lyfe, renewing his youth, euē as the Egle doth. Psalm. [...]iii.

For as we being in y^e seruitude of sinne demonstrate our seruice by geuing ouer our mēbres to y^e obeyinge of synne frō iniquitie to iniquitie: euē so we beynge made free from sinne by fayth in Iesus Christ & endewed with gods spi­rite, a spirit of libertie .ij. Cor. iij▪ must nedes demōstrate this fre­dō & libertie by geuing ouer oure mēbres to thobediēce of y^e spirite by y^e which we are led & gyded frō vertue to vertue, & al kind of ho­lynes. As thunbeleuers declare their vnbeliefe by y^e working of y^e euil spirit in thē. Eph, ij▪ outwardly the fruites of the fleshe. Gal. v.

[Page] Euen so the beleuers declare theyr fayth by the workinge of gods good spirit in thē outwardly the fruites of the spirit. For as the deuyll is not deade in those whiche are hys but worketh styll to theyr dampnacion: so is not God dead in them whiche be his, but worketh styll to their salua­ciō: the which working is not the cause of y^e one or thother being in any, but only a demonstracion, a signe, a fruit of the same, as y^e aple is not the cause of y^e aple tree, but a fruite of it. Thus then you see briefely that newnes of life is not in dede a parte of penaunce but a fruit of it, a demonstracion of the iustyfying fayth, a sygne of gods good spirite possessing the heart of the penitent: As the old lyfe is a fruyte of impenitencie, a demō ­straciō of a lippe, fayth or vnbelief [Page] a signe of Sathans spirit posses­sing the heart of the impenitent, which al those be that be not pe­nitent. For mean I knowe none, he that is not penitent, that same is impenitent, he that is not go­uerned by Gods spirite, the same is gouerned by Sathans spirit. For all that be Christes are go­uerned with the spirite of Christ, Rom. viii, which spirite hath her fruites, Gala. v. Al other that be not Christes are the deuyls. He that gathereth not with Christe, scattereth abroade.

Therefore dearely beloued I beseche you to cōsyder this geare and deceaue not your selues. Yf you be not Christes, then pertain you to the deuyl, of which thinge the fruites of the fleshe doeth as­sure you, as whoredom▪ adultry, vncleanes, wantonnes, ydolatri, [Page] witchcraft, enuie, strife, contenci­on, wrathe, sedicion, murthers, dronkenes, glottonie, blasphemy slouthfulnes, ydlenes, baudy tal­king, sclaunderinge. &c. Yf these apples growe oute of the apple trees of your hearts, surely, sure­ly the deuylis at Inne with you: you are his byrdes, whom, when he hath wel fed you, he wyl broch you and eate you, chaw you, and champ you, world without ende in eternall wo and miserie. But I am otherwyse perswaded of you al: I trust you be al Christes Iesus his people and childrē, yea brethren by fayth.

As ye see your sinnes in Gods lawe and tremble syghe, sorow, & sob for the smae, euen so you see his great mercies in his Gospell and free promises, and therefore are glad, merrie, and ioyefull for [Page] that you are accepted into Gods fauour, haue your sinnes pardo­ned, ij. Cor. i. & ar endued w^t y^e good spirit of God, euē the seale & signe ma­nuel of your electiō in Christe be­fore the beginning of the world.

The which spirite, for that he is the spirit of life geuē to you, to worke in you, with you, & by you here in this lyfe,i. thes. iiij sanctificaciō and holynes where vnto you are cal­led, i. Petr. i that ye might be holy euen as your heauenly father is holye: I beseche you all by admonicion & warninge of you that you wolde stirre up the gyftes of God geuē to you generalli & particulerli to y^e edifying of hys Church,ij. Tim. i that is I praye you that you would not moleste the good spyryt of God by rebellinge agaynste it,Eph. iiij when it prouoketh and calleth you to go on forewardes, that he which is [Page] holy,Apo. xxij myght yet be more holy, he whyche is righteous myghte be more righteous. As the euyl spi­rite moueth and stirreth vp the fylthy, to be yet more fylthy, the couetous, to be more couetous, the wicked to be more wicked.

Declare you now your repen­taunce by workes of repentaūce bring forth fruites, and worthye fruytes, lette youre sorowing for your euyls demonstrate it selfe, by departinge frō the euyls you haue vsed, let your certayntie of pardon of your sinnes throughe Christe and youre ioye in hym be demonstrated by pursuing of the good thinges which gods word teacheth you: you are nowe in Christ Iesus gods workemāship to do good workes,Ephes. ij whiche God hath prepared for you to walk in For the grace of God y^t bringethTitus. ij [Page] saluacion vnto al men hath apea­red, & teacheth vs that we should denie vngodlines, and worldlye lustes, and that we should liue so­brelye, righteouslye and god­ly in this present worlde, lokinge for that blessed hope, & glorious apearing of the mighty God, and of oure Sauiour Iesus Christe, which gaue him self for vs, to re­deme vs from al vnrighteousnes and to purge vs a peculier people vnto him self, feruently geuē vn­to good workes. Titus. ij.

Agayne Titus .iij, for we our selues also were in times past vnwyse, disobediente, deceaued, in daunger to lustes, and to dyuers maners of voluptuousnes, liuing in maliciousnes and enuie, full of hate, hating one another. But af­ter that the kyndnes and loue of God our Sauiour, to manward [Page] appeared, not by y^e dedes of righ­teousnes which we wrought, but of his mercye he saued vs, by the fountayn of the new byrth, and with the renuing of the holy gost which he shed on vs aboundant­ly thorow Iesus Christ our Sa­uioure, that we once iustifyed by his grace, should be heires of eternal lyfe through hope. This is a true saying: but I wyll make an ende, for I am to tedious.

Dearely beloued repent your synnes, that is be sorye, for that which is past, beleue in gods mercy for pardon, how depely soeuer you haue synned, & both purpose and earnestly pursue a newe lyfe, bringing forth worthy and true fruytes of repentaunce.

As you haue geuen ouer your members, from synne to sinne, to serue the deuyl: your tongues to [Page] sweare, to lye, to flatter, to skolde to iest, to skoffe, to baudy talke, to vayne iangeling, to boasting. &c. Your hādes to picking, groping, idlenes, fighting, &c, your fete to skipping, going to euil, to daūsing &c. youre eares to heare fables, lyes, vanities, & euil thinges. &c. So now geue ouer your mēbres to godlines, your tong to speake youre eares to heare, youre eyes to see, your mouthes to tast, your handes to woorke, youre feete to go about such thinges, as may make to Gods glorie, sobrietie of lyfe, & loue to your brethē, & that dayly more & more diligently: for in a stay to stand you cānot, ether better or worsse you are to daye then you were yesterdaye.

But better I trust you be & wil be yf you marke wel my theme, y^t is Repent you, y^e which thinge that [Page] wold do, as before I haue hūblye be sought you: euē so now yet once more I do agayn besech you, & y^t for the tender mercies of God in Christ Iesus our lord, Repēt you repēt you, for the kingdō of heauē that is, a kingdom ful of al riches, pleasures, myrth, beautie, swete­nes, & eternal felicitie is at hand. The eye hath not sene the lyke,i. Cor. ij. esa▪ lxiiij y^e eare hath not hearde the like, the heart of mā cannot conceaue the treasures & plesures of this kingdō, which now is at hand, to such as repent, y^t is to such as are sory for their sinnes, beleue gods mercy through christ, & earnestly purpose to lead a new life: the god of mercy through Christ his sonne, graūt vs his holy spirit & worke in our hearts this sorow, fayth, & new life which through his grace I haue spoken of, both now & for euer. AMEN.