¶ The fyrst dysshe.

G [...]ne. iii. CUrsed is y ^e erth in theyr worke. It shall brynge forth vnto the thornes & brābles.

This is a disshe lytle pleasūt for the begynnynge of our bancket.

Content youre selues. it is ne­cessary that this dysshe hath y ^• fyrste place, y ^t the other that follow may sauour y ^• more deliciously to your mouthes. The acrimony and tartenes o [...] this dysshe shall so pearce youre sto­mackes that it shall minister to you [Page] an appetyte & lust to deuour y ^• other y ^• more gredely. For I do not ī this behalfe followe the maner of Satā, which promised fyrste to Eue swete & delectable thynges, & afterwarde payed her w ^t thynges moost sower & displeasaunt, Esay. i. Mat. iii. but rather of the Prophet Esay & of Iohn̄ Baptist, which fyrst of all greuously rebuked y ^• wicked in theyr sermons, & afterwarde cōforted thē agayne moost swetelye. Neyther differed Christ and his Apostles from this maner of preaching. Tak [...] therfore thys dysshe in good worth, & heare me now paciently. Whan thorowe y ^• suggestion of the olde wyly serpēt Adā & Eue had trā gressed Gods cōmaūdement, God accordynge to theyr desertes e [...]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. Gen. [...] It shall brynge for the [Page] vnto thornes & brymbles. Here do we learne y ^t for the synne of Adā all the earth, that is to say, all the crea­tures are cursed & made subiecte to vanite. They nowe brynge forth no more goodly & pleasaūt fruytes, but thornes & brēbles, that is, synne, wickednes, vice, & all other abhominac [...] on. This one synne of our fyrst fa­ther Adā hath condēned vs all that euer haue ben borne syns, or shall be here after.

Me thynketh that thoughe he offended, yet his offence should not turne to our dānacion, seynge we were not then borne.

Yies in good fayth brother Eusebi­us. For his synne was oure synne. His dānacion was our damnacion. His death was our deth. I wyl read vnto you the mynde of the famous Doctour Origen, In epi [...]le. ad Rom. lib. [...]. [...]apit. v. concernyng this matter: If Leuy, sayeth he, whiche was borne the fourth generacion after Abraham, was than counted to [Page] 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 Ad [...]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 thēce, & by him death, which came vnto him by the enterpretacion, came also consequētly vpon thē, whom he had in his loynes.

I praye you lette vs heare what the holye scriptures say in this behalfe.

We reade in the fourth boke of Es [...]ras y ^• 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. [...]se [...]. [...] Also Ose the Prophete sayeth: They euen as Adam haue trāsgressed the couenāt & therin haue they synned agaynste me, T [...]m. [...]. that is, sayth S. Ierome, vpon this texte, in Paradyse all haue synned agaynste me, euē lyke vnto the [Page] synne of Adā For it is no meruayle, sayeth he, yf that which went before in the father, be also condemned in y ^• chyldren. [...]. [...]x [...]. But I wyl reherse to you more scriptures: Of a woman came the begynnynge of synne, [...]oan. iii. Mat. xii. sayeth the wyse man, & by her all w [...] dy. Christ also sayeth, y ^• whych is borne of flesh is [...]leshe. Agayne, how can ye speake good thynges, [...]oan. [...]iii. [...]hen ye youre selues are euell? Also in an other place, euery one that doth synne, Rom. v. i. Lor. vi. Rom. iii. [...]s [...]l. [...]. is y ^e seruaūt of synne. S. Paule also sayeth: By one mā synne entred īto this world & by synne death, & so went deth tho rowe all men, in as muche as all we haue synned. Agayne, in Adā all are dead. In another place also he sayth all haue synned, & want the glory o [...] God. Therfore Dauid cōfesseth that he was begottē in synne, & borne in synne. And saynte Paule affyrmeth playnelye, y ^t we are borne by nature the chyldren of wrath. What saye ye [Page] nowe my frendes, do ye not now at the laste perceyue that the synne of Adā hath condemned vs all, so y ^• his synne is oure synne.

We per­ceyue it well & beleue it also.

I wyll reherse vnto you a sayeng of S. Bernarde. Sermo. in [...]ena Domini. 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 woūded & greuously shaken, brused & broken. Ibidem. Agayne he sayeth: Verely we are begotten in synful pleasure, therfore although it be agaynst our wyll, yet do we fele certayne vnlaw­full & beastlyke mociōs of concupis­cences in our selues. Hereto agreeth S. Austen sayenge, De ver [...]i [...] apost. S [...]. iiii. marke brothers behold that mankynde came forthe from the fyrst death of the fyrst mā. For sinne from the fyrst man entred into the worlde, & by synne death, & so went death thorowe all men. [Page] Marke this word went thorow. Roma. v. Cō 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 foū ­taine, but went thorow, not hī or hī but went thorow al mē. The fyrst siner, y ^t fyrst preuaricatour begat synners bonde to death. Thus se you y ^t both the holy scriptures & also y ^• aū ­cient Doctours do conclude that all we are dāned righteouslye for Adās offence. [...]o. xxxvi. [...]e ad [...]en. Domini. Ephe. ii. G [...]n [...]. iii. So that euery mā 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 sōnes of wrath And this is it, that God the father sayde to Adā: Cursed is the earth in thy worke, as I rehersed to you be­fore.

Than haue we learned here, that all we are cursed & dāned in Adams worke, that is, for y ^e synne [Page] which he he cōmytted in breakynge Gods moost holy cōmaūdementes.

Ye saye trueth.

This is a thynge necessary to be knowen. M [...]r [...]r this thynge well,

Withoute y ^• knowledge of our selues, we cā neuer truly know god nor vnderstand his holy scriptures. Therfore wyl I go fo [...]th to minister vnto you the residue of youre fyrste dysshe. It followeth: It shall brynge forth vnto the thornes & brābles, 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? Synne cō [...] ­red lyke to [...] thorne. And in dede synne may well be compared to a thorne or bramble. For as the thorne & brēble prycketh the body & woūdeth it gre­uouslye, yea and bryngeth many ty­mes destruccion vpō it, except other wyse it be holpen, so lykewyse synne moost greuously prycketh, woūdeth [Page] and vtterly destroyeth the soule, ex­cepte it be redemed by Gods mercye thorow Iesus Christ.

I thīke this to be true.

It therfore fo­loweth y ^t ī asmuch as all we are dead in Adam, we are not able of oure sel­ues to ryse agayne from death vnto lyfe. And seyng that we are synners all that euer we do, muste nedes be synne, yea it is synne in dede, & deserueth euerlastynge death. For as the scripture sayth. [...]ene. viii. [...]sa [...]: lvii. The disposiciō and thought of mānes herte is prone to euel from his yonge age. [...]api. xii. Psa. xiviii Roma. vii Luke. xvii [...]saie. liii. [...]saie. i [...]. Psal. cxv. [...]sai [...]. liii. We are wicked chyldren, & a wicked seed. We are that seed, whiche was cursed frō the begynnyng. We are lyke bruyte beastes. We are carnall & flesshely, sould vnder synne. We are vnprofitable seruaūtes. We all haue gone astray lyke shepe. We all are Hypocrites & wycked. We are all lyers. We all are vncleane, & all our ryghteousnesses as a cloth polluted with mensture. [Page] All haue synned. Rom. i [...]i. Psa. xiii. [...]o [...]. xxv. P [...]o. xx. Hie. xv i.ii. [...] or. iii. Gen. iii. There is not one y ^• dothe good, no not one. There is no man cleane from fylthynes, no not the yonge chylde. Ther is no man able to say, my hert is cleane, & I am pure from sinne. For our hartes are wicked and in [...]crutable. We are not able to thynke a good thoughte. All that euer we bryng forth is thornes & brābles, that is to saye, synne, vn­godlines, & all abhominacion. Note. What are we nowe of oure selues I praye you tell me.

Very synners.

Yea and al that euer we do in Adā, & of our own strēgth, is plaine synne and wickedness.

I am glad that we haue learned what ye are of your selues by Adam. I pray you what are ye able nowe to do for to saue your selues from this perel, wherunto ye are fallen by Adam?

Verely I can not tell.

Forsoth I thynke very lytle. The capti [...]ite of man thorow sy [...].

Ye might right well haue sayde, no­thinge [Page] at all. For I ensure you that ye beyng lefte vnto your selues can do none otherwise but synne, & faull headlyng into all kynde of mischefe Your wytte strength, polecy, imaginacion, reason, & free wyll auayleth here nothynge, to delyuer you from the captiuite of Satan, He leadeth you as the mayster dothe his bonde slaue, Ioan. viii. whyther soeuer it pleseth him as Christ witnesseth: euery one that doth synne, is the seruaūt of synne. Ye remember, I am sure, the storye of the wounded man, in the Gospell of Luke, Luke. x. which beyng dispoyled and robbed of all his clothes & greuously woūded, [...]rk here laye styll halfe dead.

I remēber it very well.

This woūded mā signi [...]ieth euerye chylde of Adam. The clothes signify fayth charïte, iustice, mercy, & such other vertues. The theues are Satā and his aungels. The woundes are synnes. Haulfe deade is to be alyue in [Page] the flesshe, & slayne in the soule tho­rowe synne. All this are we by Adā. And as this woūded man could not be holpen of the Preste nor Leuyte, vntyll the Samarytane came, no more can we be holpen by ony crea­ture or worke, tyll christ cōmeth the true Samaritane. We can not cer­tes, we can not helpe our seues, but euen lye styll the stynkynge pud­dle of synne. Loke in what case Sa­tan leaueth vs, in the verye same do we remayne, excepte God of his mercy thorowe Christe helpeth vs. Ney­ther canfre e wyll nor all the wytte & polecye that we haue, profyte here any thynge, Epist. c [...]i. ad Paul. tyll God indueth vs w ^t strēgth from aboue. For as S. Au­sten sayeth: The nature of man all though it dyd remayne & cōtinue in that integryte & purenes, wherin it was made, yet could it kepe it selfe by no meanes, if the creator & maker of it dyd not helpe. Therfore seynge [Page] that w ^tout the grace of god it could not kepe the health that it receiued, howe is it able to repare and get a­gayne that which it hath lost, without y ^e grace of God? [...]ib. [...]e vo­cāt. [...] a. viii [...]. [...]e cor [...] g [...]a­ [...] ii. Phil. ii. Ioan. xv. Againe he saith free wyll sufficethe vnto euell, but vnto good it auayleth lytle, excepte it be holpen of that almyghty God. Therfore is it well sayde of the Apostle, God worketh in vs [...]oth the wil & the dede. Hereto agreeth the sayēg of [...]hrist. As the vyne braunche can not beare fruyte, excepte it abyde in the vine, no more can ye except ye abyde in me. I am the vyne & ye are y ^• braunches. He that abideth in me, & I in him, the same bryngethe for the much fruyte. For without me ye cā do no [...]hyng. If any mā abydeth not in me, he is cast out as a braunche, & is wythered, & men gather thē & cast thē into y ^• fyre, & there burne. Thus se ye what [...]e are of youre selues by Adam, & that no strengthe ye haue [Page] ones to aspyre or breath towarde o­ny goodnes, much lesse to do or work any good thynge, excepte ye be hol­pen of God. Ye se also howe full of sinnes, diseases, woundes, sores, botches, canckers, & al y ^• euer nought is ye are. Ye se agayne, how ye are not able of your selues to recouer youre innocēcy, that ye lost by Adā.

Alas what is now to be done?

The rehersyng of these thynges maketh me very sadde.

It shoulde rather make you very glad. In di [...]l. [...] For as S. Hierome sayeth: This is y ^• true wysdome of a man to knowe hym selfe to be inperfecte, & as I maye so speake, the perfecciō of all righteous men in the flesshe is imperfecte. Agayne he sayeth: [...] [...]ag. li [...]. [...]. Than are ye righteous, when we confesse oure selues synners, & our righteousnesse consi­steth not of our owne merite, but of the mercye of God, as the holy scrip­ture sayth, Pr [...]u. [...] the righteous mā is the [Page] accuser of himselfe in y ^• begynnynge of his spech. Therfore must ye cōfesse your selues to be that in dede, which ye are, y ^• is, very synners, yf ye wyll be set free from this miserable captiuite, wher w ^t ye are nowe to muche wrapped and ouerwhemled.

We confesse y ^e same.

We nowe knowledge y ^t of oureselues by Adā, we are nothynge but synners, & all that euer we do without the spiryt [...] of god is playne sinne, Rom. xiiii. as S. Paule sayeth: What soeuer is not of fayth is synne.

Well seynge that ye haue so fruytfully digested the fyrst dysshe of your Banket, nowe haue I a fyt place, a conuenient tyme, & a good occasion to brynge vnto you the seconde dysshe, as it followeth in order.

I praye you let vs tast of it.

That thynge also do I desyre.

¶ The seconde dysshe.

[Page] YOur second dysshe is cōtay­ned in that same chap. wher in the fyrst is recited. Therfore deuoure this w ^t no lesse gredy appetyte than ye haue done y ^• other. For this dysshe is much delicious & very wholsome forthe vertu­ous preseruaciō of the soule. I now brynge it for the vnto you. Beholde here it is. Gene. iii. I wyll sette ennemyt [...] be­twene the & an womā, betwene thy seed & her seed, & that selfe seed shall tread downe thy heade. Nowe dothe this fauour in your mouth?

Very pleasaūtly forsoth: but we do not perceyue what it meneth.

Heare therfore: These were the wordes of God the father to the serpent whan by his craft & sut [...]elty he had made Adā to offende, & in thē is comprehended an whole See of treasu­res. For they declare both oure free delyueraunce from captiuite, & also [Page] the victory ouer Satan and all his army. When Satan had thought y ^t he had gottē the ouerhand of man, and brought him into the same case wherinto he was throwen for his to much arrogancy & pryde, thynking by this menes to deceiue God of his purpose, which had made man for to supply y ^e nōber of Aungelles, which perysshed when Lucifer fel from heuen: God wyllyng to shewe himselfe of no lesse puissaunce to saue mā thorowe his mercy, than Satā was to condēne hym thorowe his crafte, pytied streyght way the miserable fall of mā, & afterwarde spake these confortable wordes to the great cōfusi­on of Satan, & the excedyng conso­lacion of man. I wyl set enimite betwene the & an womā, betwene thy seed and her seed, that selfe seed shall treade downe thy head. The womā: Thys wo­man is the mooste blessed and pure virgyn Mary, which was here pro­mysed [Page] to brynge forth y ^t seed, whiche should tread downe Satans heade. The see [...] This seed is Iesus christ which toke s [...]e [...]sh vnfaynedly of that moost pure virgyn, & became man for our sake. And he it is, which was promised of God the father to treade downe the heade of the Serpent.

I per­ [...]eyue that by the serpente ye meane Satan. The tredī [...] downe of y ^• Serpentes head, But what is mente by the treadyng downe of his head.

The destruccion of his power. For y ^e these strēgth & power of a serpent cō systeth ī his head. Though his tayle or body be stryken or woūded, he forceth not much. For he wyl put them both in perrel for the safegard of his head, but yf his head be once striken or wosided, thā loseth he his power, than dyeth he shortelye. Therfore is Christe promysed here, not to tread downe the tayle or bodye of the ser­pent, but his head, wherby is sygni­fied the destruccion of his whole po­wer. [Page] So that nowe Satan shall neuer more triūph agaynst Gods electe Do ye nowe perceyue this matter?

Yea forsoth.

I neuer hearde so muche before.

Well, nowe beholde the great & excedynge mercye of God toward you, that ye maye learne that to be true, whiche God speaketh by his Prophet Ose: [...]e. xiii. Thy destruccion, oh Israell, cōmeth of it selfe, but thy saluacion cōmeth only of me. Ye haue heard that Adā synned, & that thorowe his synne all we were dā [...]ed.

I remēber it well. Gen [...]. iii.

The scripture testifieth y ^• so sone as Adam had offēded, he hyd hymselfe, & fled from the face of god, he was so gretly ashamed of y ^• synne that he had cōmytted. The mise­ry of Adā. For after his offence he came not to GOD as he ought to haue done, neyther sought he grace & remission of his synne at the goodnes of God, by cōfessing his synne with a faythfull repentaunto [Page] herte, but streyghtway after y ^• trā [...] ­gressiō of y ^e precept he fled from God & hyd himselfe frō y ^• face of god, & as they vse to saye, putte his head in a busshe lyke a cowarde for feare? Oh where are the powers of free wyl, y [...] man be once withoute the spirite of God? Man hath nowe no power to seke for saluacion, but rather conti­nueth styll in his olde wickednes, & seketh to be far from the face of god, couetynge rather to be damned thā he would once approch vnto y ^• sighte of God, synne hath so slayne his courage. Satā in him hath so great do­minion, yea whan he cōsidereth his wickednesse, he is angrye w ^t GOD, hateth God, and wyssheth that ther were no God, that he myghte escape vnpunysshed, euen as an enemy of y ^• publigue weale wyssheth that there were no kynge, no Emperour, no ruler, no gouernor, no magistrate, but all lyke himselfe, that freely & w ^tout [Page] punysshement he myght deforme, ren [...]e teare, despoyle y ^• publigue we [...]e at his owne pleasure. The goodnes o [...] god Nowe beholde the vnspeakable benygnite of God. When Adam had fled from him, and hyd himselfe, so that he had no hoope of helth, but vtterly despayred of all consolaciō, lokyng for extreme tyrā ny, to be exercysed vpon him at euery houre accordyng to his desertes. God lyke a mercyfull father sought hī vp, & spake before hī y ^e swete wordes heretofore rehersed to Satan, y ^t by this meanes he might receyue cō solaciō, & so be saued by geuyng ear­nest fayth to that moost confortable promyse. O the vnmesurable good­nes of this celestial father: he is that shepe herde, Luke. xv▪ whiche neuer leaueth sekyng vntyll he hath found the shepe that was loste. He is y ^t father, which ioyefully receiueth agayne into his house that sonne, whiche prodigally had spente all his substance. He is y ^• [Page] Samaritane, Luke. x. Mat. xxvi. Act. ix. which healeth y ^• woū ded man. He is that LORDE, whiche maketh of a blasphemer an Apostle, of a ꝓsecutor a preacher. And whēce commeth this his goodnes? of vs: of our good dedes? of our merites? Naverely, but of his bounteous mercy and great goodness. Frely and with out deserte worketh he this thynge. We are saued by grace thorow faith & that not of our selues, Ephe. ii▪ for it is the gyfte of God, & commeth not of workes, bycause no mā should bost himselfe. Tit. iii. We beīg iustified by his grace are made heyres, accordyng to hope of euerlastyng lyfe. Not for the workes of ryghteousnes which we haue done, but accordynge to his mercye hathe he saued vs. Rom. iii. We are iustyfyed frely by his grace. By grace are we saued, & not by workes. Yf by grace thē not of workes, Rom. xi. or els grace were not grace. Ioan. xv. He dyd chose vs by hys grace, & not we hym by our workes, [Page] as christ wytnesseth, ye haue not chosē me, [...]phe. [...]. but I haue chosē you. Paule also sayth, God did chose vs in Christ before the foundacions of the world were layd. Hereto pertayneth y ^t sayeng of the Psalmograph: Psa. lxiiii. Blessed is he o Lord, whome thou haste chosen and taken vnto the, for he shal dwel in thy inner courtes. That God of his free mercy did chose vs without our desertes, whan we were synfull & poore w ^toute onye goodnes or godlynes, he hymselfe testifyeth by hys Prophet, Esa. x [...]viii sayeng: I haue chosen the in the fyre of pouertie.

So far as I can perceyue nowe, God alone is y ^• author of our saluacion, & he of his free mercy and aboūdant grace dyd chose vs to be his heyres, [...]phe. [...]. before the foundacions of the worlde were layde.

Yea and that before we wrought ony goodnes, or shewed o­ny poynte of kyndnes toward hym,

Ye saye trueth. And that ye [Page] maye knowe that I wraste not the scriptures, I wil read vnto you the layeng of S Austen: De ver. [...] Sc [...]. xv. He was gyuē sayth he, for our sines, & rose againe for our iustificacion. Thy iustifica­cion, thy circumsicion is not of thy selfe. By grace are ye saued thorowe sayth, & that not of your selues, but it is the gyfte of God, not of workes vnlesse ꝑaduēture y ^u wouldest say, I haue deserued it, & therfore haue I receiued it. Thinke not y ^t y ^u dydest receyue it by deseruīg, which couldest not haue deserued except y ^u haddest receiued it. Grace wēt before thi meryte, grace is not of meryte, but me rite of grace For if grace were of merite so haddest y ^u boght it, & not receiued it frely. Thou shalt saue thē sayeth he, for nothynge: What is this, thou shalt haue them for nothinge? Thou fyndest in thē nothyng wherby thou mayst saue them, & yet doste thou saue them. Freely thou gyuest [Page] frely thou sauest. Thou goest before all merytes, that thy giftes may o [...] tayne thy merytes. Vtter [...]ye doeste thou geue frely, saue frely, which findest nothynge, wherof thou mayeste saue, & fyndest muche wherby thou mayest cōdemne. In p [...]o. Psa. xxxi. Agayne he sayeth, thou haste done no good, & yet is re­mission of synnes gyuen vnto the. Let thy workes be looked vpon, and they be all foūd euell, Yf god shoulde gyue the y ^e which is due to thy wor­kes, he shoulde surely condemne the. But God doth not gyue vnto the y ^t payne which is due, but giueth the grace, which is not due. Also vpon this texte, [...]a [...]p. a [...] Roma. to al that are at Rome beloued of God, saynctes by cyllynge: Here also, sayeth he, he sheweth that it is the excedyng mercy of God ra­ther then thy meryte. For he say­eth not, to them that loue God, but to thē that are loued of God. For he loued vs fyrst, that we beyng loued [Page] shoulde also loue hym. In [...]ant. [...]er. lxvi [...] ▪ S. Bernarde also sayth: Grace maketh me iustifi­ed freely, & lykewyse delyuered from the bondage of synne. Hereto agre­eth Fulgētius, Lib. i. a [...] men [...]mū. sayenge: God giueth grace to the vnworthy frely wherew ^t the wicked beynge iustified maye be lyghtened w ^t the gyfte of good wyl, & with the power of good workyng, that mercy preuentyng and goyng before he maye begyn to wyl good, & mercy subsequent and folowyng, he maye be able to do the good that he wylleth. Thus perceyue you, y ^t whē ther was nothynge in vs, wherfore God should loue vs, yet he freely lo­ued vs ▪ chosed vs by his grace to be his chyldrē, l. Ioan. i [...] as S. Iohn sayeth: Be­hold, what a loue the father hath giuen to vs, that we should be called y ^e sonnes of God. Agayne he sayth: In this is loue, not that we loued God, but that he loued vs, l. Ioan. [...] & sent his sōne to make agrement for oure synnes. [Page] And a lytle after: We loue hym, be­cause he fyrst loued vs.

What moued God to be so beneficiall vnto vs, seyng we had offēded so greuous­ly, & were than by no meanes able to pacify his wrath w ^t ony good work?

This woulde I also gladdely knowe.

His owne mere good­nes was the occasion of his loue to­ward vs for his sōne Iesus Christes sake. In hym, by hym, & for hym, is God the father mercyful vnto vs, & freely saueth vs w ^tout ony respecte of our good workes. Gala. iii. For as s. Paule sayeth: Yf righteousnes came by the lawe, thā dyed Christ in vayne. And God hymselfe sayth by the Prophet I am, Esa [...]e. xliii I am he, which putteth away thyne ī [...]iquittes, yea & that for myne owne sake, & wyll remember thy synnes no more. Put me in remēbraūce & let vs iudged togither: Declare yf thou haste any thynge, that thou mayest he iustified. [...]ene. iii. And this is it, y ^t [Page] we speke of before, that selfe seed shal tread down thy head. Furthermore God sayde to Abraham: Gene. xxi [...]. In thy seed shall all naciōs of y ^• earth be blessed. This seed, Gala. ii [...]. sayth S. Paule is Christ by whom al are we blessed, that is to saye, receyued into fauour, forgiuen of oure synnes, freelye iustified and made heyres of eternal glory?

Now cōmeth this to passe by Christ I praye you.

Uerely on this wyse, when all we were dampned in Adā, God of his mere mercy and ex­ceadyng grace promised to Adam & his posterite, that ther should be one borne, which should delyuer thē out of theyr seruitude and restore them agayne to grace. G [...]ne. lii. and. xxii. Deut. xvii [...]. Exod. xii. and. xvi. Num xx [...]. This dyd God the father in the olde lawe not only ma­ny times promise, but also obsibrate & shadow by dyuers misteries, figu­res, cloudes and ceremonies that by them y ^e saythfull might receyue con­solaciō. And at the tyme appoynted [Page] of GOD the father this mā Iesus Christ came into the world. Esa [...]e. vii. Roma. i. He was conceyued by the holy ghost, & [...]orne of the virgyn Mary, accordynge to the holy scriptures: He was begottē of the seed of Dauyd as pertainyng to the flesshe.

Yea & that withoute the seed of man.

Ye saye trueth. Luke. [...]. He receyued very flesshe by y ^• wonderfull operaciō of g [...]ds spirite of Mary, the styl remaynyng a pure and cleane virgyne. It was necessa­rye that he shoulde be borne of a vir­gyn, in asmuch as the nature of mā is full of carnall concupiscence, & de­ [...]yled by Adam, or els coulde not he haue ben a pure & sufficient sacrifice before God for vs. For by nature all we are borne the chyldren of wrath, Ephe. ii. sayth S. Paule. Therfore without the seed of ony man, [...]e [...]. ii. iiii. which is corrupted in Adā, was he borne of y ^e moost pure and vndefyled virgyn Marye, beyng conformable to vs in all thynges, [Page] synne alone except. For our syn was so great, that it could be put a waye neyther by any chylde of Adā nor yet by aungel, but only by such one, as beynge of our fleshe, shoulde be borne without the seed of man, & without ony carnal concupiscence. And for asmuche as this coulde not be brought to passe by anye carnall man, therfore was it necessary that the sonne of god should come downe from the right hande of God the fa­ther, [...]olo. [...]. and be made very man for our sake, that he beyng both God & man myght by his moost precious bloud pacify god the fathers wrath, & recō cycle vs agayne to him. God so loued the world, Ioan. [...]. sayth Christ, that he gaue his only begotten sonne, that euery one that beleueth in hym, maye not perysshe, but haue euerlastyng lyfe. For God sent not his sonne into the worlde for to condemne the worlde, but that the worlde should be saued [Page] by hym. He that beleueth in him, is not condēned. But he that beleueth not, is alredy condemned, because he hath not beleued on the name of the only begotten sonne of god. Rom. viii. GOD spared not his owne sōne, s [...]yth S. Paule, but gaue hym for vs all.

Rom [...].Agayne, God setteth out his loue y ^• he hath to vs, seynge that whyle we were yet synners, Christ dyed for vs much more than now, seyng we are iustified this bloud, shal we be preserue [...] from wrathe thorowe him. For yf when we were enemies, we were reconcyled [...]o God by the deathe of his sonne, much more s [...]ynge we are reconcyled, we shall be preserued by his lyfe. Not only so, but we also ioy in god by the meanes of our LORD [...] Iesus Christ, by whome we haue re­ceyued this attonemente. [...]. Ioan. i [...]i. [...]. Ioan. iiii Also S. Iohn sayeth: For this purpose appered the sonne of God, for to loose the workes of the euel. Agayne, t [...] this [Page] appeared y ^• loue of God to vswar [...] ▪ bycause that God sent his onlye be­gottē sonne into the world, that we myghte lyue thorowe hym. Thus se you y ^t whan ther was no hope of saluaciō [...]or vs in ony creature God of his owne free goodness sēt d [...]wne h [...]s only begotten sonne to be a Sauy­our vnto vs.

This do we per­ceyue right wel.

Nowe mark [...] agayne, Math. [...]. howe that by him alone we are saued. His name is IESVS, that is to saye, a sauyour, for he it is that saueth his people frō theyr synnes, neyther [...] there any other name gyuen vnto men vnder heauē, wherin they must be saued, but only by this name IESVS. Act. ii [...]. [...]c [...] [...] ▪ To hym geueth all the Prophetes wit [...]eg▪, that thorow his name, [...]ll shall receyue remission of synnes, that beleue in hī. Be it kno­wen vnto you, Act. xiii. ye men & brothers, y ^e by this Iesus Christ remissiō of syn­nes is preached vnto you, & from al [Page] thynges, from the whiche ye coulde not be iustified by the law of Moses by him is eueri one that beleueth [...]ustified. He is y ^• Lābe of God, Ioa [...]. l. whiche taketh awaye the synne of y ^• worlde. Ioan. xi. He is our resurreccion & lyfe. He is the waye, Ioan. xiiii. trueth & lyfe. No man commeth to the father but by him. He is the good shepeheard, by whom we be saued from the wolfe. He is the dore, by whom we must enter into grace. He is the vyne, Ioan. xv: in whome we beyng ingrassed muste nedes brynge forth muche fruyte. [...]. Lor. i [...] He is oure wisdome, righteousnes, sanctificacion & redē ­ciō. He is our peace. Ephe. ii. [...]. Timo. ii. [...]. Ioan. ii. [...] oca. xxi. Roma. v. He is our medi­atour & aduocate. He is alpha & omega, that is, both the begynnyng and endyng of our saluacion. Moreouer by him are we at peace with God. By him haue we a waye in thorowe sayth vnto this fauoure, wherin we stond, & reioyce in hope of the prayse that shall be gyuen of God. By hym [Page] is the fauoure of God plenteous to­warde vs. Rom. vi [...]. By hym & his righteous­nes are we made righteous By him hath the lawe of the Spirite of lyfe made vs free from the lawe of [...]ynne & deth. By hym hath god the father blessed vs with all spiritual blessyng in heauenlye thynges. Ephe. [...]. By him dyd God chose vs, before the foundaciōs of the worlde were layd, y ^t we should be sayntes & fautles before hym. By hym are we made dere to god the father. Ephe. [...]. By hym haue we redempcion, by his bloud remission of sinnes. By him are all thynges both in heauen & earth gathered togyther. By him we, which in tymes paste were farre of, are made nigh thorow his bloud. By hym we haue and open waye vnto the father. By him are all our sinnes forgyuen vs. Lol. [...]. l. Th [...]. [...]. By hym are we delyuered from the wrath to come. By hym and by his bloude are we made cleane from all synne. [...]. Ioan. [...]. By hym & by [Page] the oblacion of his moost blessed bo­dy done once for all, Heb. x. are we sanctifi­ed. Yea by that one oblacion hath he made perfecte for eu [...]rmore thē that are sanctifyed. To conclude, by hym is euerlastyng lyfe gyuen vnto vs. Rom. v [...] ▪ Thus se you that by Christ all good thynges chaūse vnto vs, & that god the father is wel pleased & set at one w ^t vs for his sake, as he himselfe witnesseth. This is my welbeloued sōne in whome I am well pleased, Mat iii. or for whose sake I am fully contented w ^t man. Hereto agreeth the sayenge of S. Austen: In vital. [...]p. cv [...]. All y ^• euer receyue euer­lastynge lyfe, receyue it not but by Christ. In manu. [...]l cap. [...]. Therfore sayth he in another place: All my hope is in the death of my LORDE. His death is my meryte my refuge, succour, health, [...]ife, & my resurreccion. My merite is the compasssiō of the LORDE I am not w ^tout meryte, so long as y ^t LORDE of mercies shal not wāt. And yf y ^t mercies of [Page] y ^• LORD be many, I am plenteous in merites. The stronger is to saue, the more without iopardy am I, Lib. l. [...]om. xiiil. let vs therfore gyue thākes, sayeth he, to the LORDE & our sauiour, whiche no merites goynge before, hathe he­led vs that were wounded, reconcy­led vs his enemyes, redemed vs frō captiuite, brought vs againe out of darkenes into light, called vs again from death to lyfe, & let vs humblye confessyng our fragilite & wekenes desyre hys mercy, & in asmuch as he hath preuented vs, as the Psalmo­graphe sayth, w ^t his mercye he maye vouch [...]a [...]e not only to preserue and kepe in vs, but also to augment and encrese his giftes or benefytes, w [...]i­che he hath vouchedsafe to gyue vs.

Amen.

So be it.

LORDE let it so come to passe.

Home dothe this seconde seruyce of your Bācket please you?

We neuer ī our lyues tasted a dysh more [Page] pleasaunt & confortable to our sou­les health.

We haue now learned what we are of oureselues, and wher remedy is to be gotten, but by what meanes shall we come by it? What thynge maye be the occasion wherby we maye receyue so many & [...]o great benefytes at y ^e hande of god the father for Iesus Christes sake? I praye you a good fellowshyppe dec [...]are this vnto vs.

I neuer heard a questiōared in better tyme for the answere to it is your thyrde dysshe, whiche before you proponed this question, I was fullye determined to set before you. And now here it is.

¶ The thyrde dysshe. PHILEMON.

REpent, & beleue the gospell. These were y ^e wordes that our sauiour christ as marke testifieth, Marke. i. vsed whē be begā to preach. In the which he declareth [Page] by what meanes we may obtaine remission of our synnes, & the cel [...]ial heritage of gods glorye. Hom. lrr [...]. [...]e penitentia Repent, sateth he, & beleue the gospell. Fryrste he exorteth vs to repentaunce, whiche is, as Chrisostome sayth, not only to cease from the oldewithour euelles, but also to folowe better offices, & such thyn­ges as ought of dutie to be done, as Dauid sayeth: Psal. xxxiii Declyne frō [...] euel, & do good. S. Iohn̄ the Baptys [...]e in lyke maner in the begynnyng of his preachyng sayd: Math. iii. Luke. xxiiii. Repēt, for the kingdome of heauen is at hand. Christ al­so after his resurreccion commaunded his Apostles to preach repētāce and remission of sinnes in his name vnto al nacions. Lykewyse we read in the Actes of y ^e Apostles then whē Peter preached to the Iewes much of christ, Act. [...]. & shewed that he was the same LORDE Iesus, whom they had crucyfied, they were prycked in theyr hertes & sayd: Ye mē & bre [...]rē [Page] what shall we do? Peter sayde vnto thē: Repent, & be baptised euery one of you in the name of Iesus Christe for the remission of synnes, & ye shall receyue the gyfte of the holy Ghost. Here se you that Christ and his Apostles declared Repentaunce to be a meane wherby we maye obtaine re­mission of our synnes & euerlastying lyfe. And that you maye perceyue y ^e matter y ^t more playnly. I wyll lyuely paynt in moost euydent coloures and set it out before your eies w ^t certayne other histories of both Testa­mentes y ^t ye maye learne to be true, whiche Chrisostome sayeth. I [...] Ma [...]h. [...] xiii.

I pray you what sayth he?

Ther is not, sayeth he, there is not, beleue me, ony synne in y ^• worlde, that doth not gyue place to the vertue of repē tance, yea rather to y ^e grace of God, which when we turne to better thi­ges, dothe streyght wayes worke w ^t vs.

This is a confortable say­eng [Page] for synners.

Yea and in al pointes agreable to the holy scriptures. Math. [...]. For Christ came not to call the ryghteous, but synners vnto repentaunce. Nowe marke for your helth and consolacion. [...]. [...]eg. xi [...]. Dauid committed both māslaughter & adultrye, & therfore was he threatened many euels of God by his Prophet Nathā. Not withstandynge he had not so sone repented hym of his acte, & cōfessed his faute, sayenge: I haue offended the LORDE, but the Prophet sayde: The LORDE hath turned awaye thy syn, thou shalt not dye. iii. Reg. [...]. Kynge Achab also dyd slaye his subiecte Nabotch, y ^t he myght enioy his vyneyeard. And God therfore sent his Prophet Heli as vnto hym for to tell him that the dogges shoulde lycke his bloude olso euen there, where they lycked the blonde of Na [...]othe, and that euery one of the house of Achabbe that maketh water agaynst y ^• w [...]ull, should [Page] be slayne. &c. Achab streyghte waye was ashamed of his faulte, repēted, cutte his clothes, couered his flesshe with garmētes of heere, fasted slept in sacke cloth, & walked with a heuy countenaunce, & therfore god seyng his repentaunte herte, sayd that he would not bryng in that euel in his dayes, but ī his sōnes tyme. Agayne kinge Manasses, i [...]. Reg. xxi. [...]. Pa [...]. x [...]xiii in asmuch as he repented, for all the abhominaciō that he committed agaynst god & his glory, was forgiuē, & afterward nōbred among y ^e fredes of god. Ionas. ii [...]. The Niniui­tes were threatened withī forty dai­es to be subuerted for theyr dissolute & wicked lyuynge. But they beynge striken with repentaūce in y ^e meane season, & mendynge theyr lyfe, recey­ued fauour & were saued. As I may come nerer home, Luke. vi [...]. as they saye, who was more famous in sinne thā Mary Magdalene, yet in asmuch as she faythfully repented, & bewailed her [Page] synfull lyuyng, her synnes were forgynen her. Peter denyed Christ, Mat. x [...] yet seynge he repented & wepte bytterly for his offēce, Luk. xv: he was fauourably receyued to grace: The prodigal sonne althoughe he had consumed all hys goodes, was ioyfully receyued in as muche as he repented & knowledged his offēce. Luk. xxiii. The thefe called neuer for grace tyl y ^e hour of deth, yet seyng, y ^t he bewayled than his misery, & axed merci, he was herd, & wēt w ^t Christ ī to Paradyse. Do not these histories besydes other, shewe of what greate strength repentaunce is.

Cer­tes they be very cōfortable for poore afflicte synners.

Thus se you that repentaunce is a great cause of the mitigacion of gods wrath, Psal. [...]. yea & an acceptable Sacrifice to God as Dauid saith, a sacrifice to God is a troubled spirite, Behold [...] what true repetaū [...]e wor [...]eth in ma [...]. a contryte & hūble herte god wyl not despyse. Thus re­pentaunce maketh a man to dye vnto lynne, & to syne to righteousnes. [Page] It maketh vs so lōg as we ī this worlde valeantly to enarme our selues, and to enter battayle with Satā & his army, & cōtinually to fyght against our enemies. It maketh vs to hate all wyckednes, & enbrace all vertue, so y ^• dayely we procede more & more from faith to faith & frō vertu to vertue. Rom. [...]. [...] Mat. v. Ph [...]l. [...]. It maketh vs to hun­ger & thyrst after ryghteousnes. It makethe vs to desyre to be dissolued from this mortal body, & to be with Christ. No mā is able to expresse sufficiently y ^e excellency & vertu of this true and faythfull repentaūce. And this is it, which maketh Chrisostom to crye out on this maner: [...]e [...]. xxix. De penitetia. O repentaunce, which thorowe gods mercy forgyuest sinne, & openest Paradise, which healest a man contryte & bro­kē, & makest merye hym that is sad, callest agayne lyfe frō deathe, resto­rest the state, renuest the honour, gyuest boldenes, reformest strēgthes, & [Page] powrest ī agayne grace more aboundāt. O repetaūce, what new thyng shall I tell of the? Thou doste losē althynges that are bounde. All thyn­ges losened doste thou set at liberty. All troublous thynges doste y ^u mit [...] gate. All thynges broken doste thou make whole. All confused thynges doste thou make cleare. Al desperate thynges doste y ^u encourage O repentaunce more rutulante than golde, more bryght than the sonne, whome synne doth not ouercome, nor, defeccion suppresse, nor desperaciō put a­waye. Repentaunce refuseth coue­tousnes, abhorrethe lecherye, exche­weth furour & madnes, maketh loue stronge, treadethe downe pryde, re­frayneth the tonge, fasshyoneth ma­ners, hateth malyce, excludeth enuy Perfecte repentaunce compelleth a synner to suffer all thynges gladly. If a violente persō seke that that he hathe, he forbyddeth hym not. Yf he [Page] taketh awaye his garment, he stry­ueth not agaynst hym. To him that striketh the one cheke, he profereth y ^e other. If ony man wyl compell him to go a myle with him, he wyll of his owne free wyll go two. If he be cha­stised he geueth him than [...]kes. If he be prouoked, he holdeth his peace. If he be sharpe [...]ye spoken vnto, he spea­keth gentely agayne. To his superiour he geueth reuerence. To his in­feriour, he is lowlye, In his herte is contricion, in his mouth confession, in his worke all humilite. This is y ^• perfecte and fruytful repentaunce. To him that repenteth so, God is at hand, a noryssher to hym that is hū ­gry, a gyuer of drinke to him that is thyrstye. O repentaunce the mother of mercye, the maystres of vertues, thy workes are great, wher w ^t thou dost loosen the gylty, refressheth thē that offend, reuelest them that slyde, [...]ecreatest y ^e desperate. By y ^e Christe, [Page] appoynteth vs that y ^• kīgdom of heuen is at hande, sayenge, repent, for the kyngdome of heauen is at han [...]. Nither to haue I rehersed vnto you the mynd of Chrisostome cōcerning repentaunce, whereby ye maye per­ceyue, as I sayde before, that repen­taunce is one of the principal mea­nes, wherby we obtayne remissiō of synnes & the kyngedome of heauen.

God gyueth vs all grace truly to repent.

But howe shall we know, whā we truly repent on such maner, that it prouoketh God to be mercyfull to vs.

In dede this is a thynge necessary to be knowen.

To this youre question shall S. Austen aunswere, Ser. ter. [...]e Na [...], do. which sayeth: Whan thou dost so repent, y ^t y ^t thing sauoereth to the bytter ī thy mynd, which before was swete in thy life: & that, whiche dyd delyght the before in thy body, doth trouble the in thy herte, than doste thou repent well, & [Page] saye to God, to the alone haue I synned, & euell haue I done before the. So that the whole summe of repen­taunce is this, Mark [...] wel. to dye vnto synne, & to lyue vnto righteousnes, which is signified by our plonginge in y ^• font when we are baptised, & by [...]ure [...]a­ [...]yng out agayne, as S. Paule say­eth, we are buryed togyther w ^t hym by baptisme īto death, y ^t as Christ is raised vp from the dead by the glory of his Father, Roma. vi. so we in lyke maner shoulde walke in a newe lyfe.

If we repent, be sory for our sinnes, cōfesse our wickedness, amende oure lyfe, is this ynough?

This is much certes, but not all. For repent is not only contayned in your dysh, but also, Repenta [...]ce a [...] Faythe muste be ior­ned togither. Beleue the Gospell. Thys pour repentance must be ioyned w ^t sayth, & lyncked with a sure perswasion, that God the father according to his promyse wyll vndoutedly for gyue you your synnes for his sonne [Page] Iesus Christes sake. For Caym, E­sau, Pharao, Saul, Antiochus, Iu­das & many other repented & graū ­ted theyr offēces, yet were they not forgyuen. Many also among the very Neithen & gentiles glystered out wardely with a meruaylous godly conuersacion, & sorowed very greatly yf at any tyme t [...]ey dydde defyle theyr innocencye with ony spotte [...] vncleanes, yet were they not made hey [...]es of eternall glorye. And why? Uerely they tasted after a certayne maner of y ^e fyrst parte of your dysh, b [...] not of the laste. They repented, but they beleued not y ^e gospell, that is, they sought for no helpe of theyr wickednes at gods exceadyng mer­cy thorowe Iesus Christ. They had not the christen fayth in thē, wh [...]che commynge from a repentaunt & so­rowfull herte, maketh haste to God, and approcheth boldly to the throne of his grace, [...]bre. [...] that it maye obtayne [...] uour [Page] and remission of synnes. Marke this well. Repē taunce without fayth bryngeth des­peracion, but repentaunce accompanieth fayth, bryngeth remissiō of sinnes, tranquilite of conscience, & euer lastinge lyfe, as we maye easely per­ceyue by two of Christes Disciples. Iudas sold Christ, Math. xxvi. & Peter denied & forswore Christ. Here bothe synned, both repented, both confessed theyr offence. One by manifest it wordes, & the other by teares. Yet was Peter saued, and Iudas damned. Now so? Because that the repentance of Pe­ter was ioyned with faith & hope of forgyuenes, & the repentance of Iu­das was not so. Luke. vii. Mary Magdalene dyd not only repent of her synfully­uynge, but also beleued to haue re­mission of her synnes. And therfore dyd not Christ only saye of her vnto Simon the Pharise, many synnes are forgyuen her, because she loued muche, but he also sayd vnto her w ^t [Page] a lyuely voyce, thy fayth hath saue [...] the, go [...] thy waye in peace. Heare what Chrisostowe sayth: If thou be wythered & worne away of synne, renewe thy selfe by repētaunce. [...]om. l [...]. Dep [...]nit [...]i [...] Why, may he that repenteth be saued? yea vndoutedly? Wherof of commeth it to passe? of y ^• LORDES fauourable mer­cye. Truste not to thy repentaunce. For thy repentaunce can neuer put away so great sinnes. If it were thy repentaunce alone, thou myghteste well feare, but seyng that the mercy of God is accompanied with repen­taunce, be on a good conforte, for it ouercommeth thy wickednes, & god is exceadynge mercyfull, & so full of gentlenes, Roma. v [...] that he dyd not spare his owne sōne for to redeme the vnkind seruauntes. Saye not vnto me, I haue synned to much, howe can I be saued? Thou canste not in dede saue thy selfe, but thy LORDE can. And he so putteth awaye thy synnes, y ^t ther­neth [Page] no prynte, syghe or to [...]ē of thē. Here ye se also by Chrisostome that repentaunce w ^tout an earnest fayth had & reposed in the mercye of God, can by no meanes put away synne. This your dyshe therfore teacheth you both to repent & also to beleue. For what so euer is not of faythe, is synne sayeth S. Paule: Rom. xiiii The worde of the LORDE is right, Psal. xxxii sayth Dauid and all his workes are in fayth.

In Math. Rom. xix.A worke without fayth, sayeth Chri­sostome, is nothyng. Agayne he say­eth: we must haue fayth euery wher I meane that fayth, which is the mother of all good thynges, In Ioar. [...]om. xxxii y ^e medicine of helth, without the which a man cā not perceyue the doctrine of great & excellent thynges, but is lyke vnto them, which takynge in hande for to swymme ouer y ^e see wythout a shyp, whan they are a lytle forward, In. i. [...]. [...]om. i. they [...] hādes & theyr fete beying once [...]ery, are vtterlye ouerwhelmed wyth the [Page] waues of y ^e see. Also in another place All oure elders are reported y ^t they pleased God by fayth, therfore with out that, all thīges come to nought. Hereto agreeth S. Austen, sayenge: The medicyne of the soule and of all woundes, De ve [...]. do. Sermo. xl. & the alone sacrifyce to appea [...]e Gods wrath for the synnes of all men, is to beleue in Christe. Ney­ther canne anye man at all be made cleane, eyther from originall synne, whiche he hath drawne of Adam, in whom all haue synned, & be made naturally the chyldren of wrath, or frō the synnes, which they, by not resi­stynge the carnall concupi [...]cēce, but by followynge it & seruyng it by vngraciousnes & wycked lyuyng haue added & put therto, excepte by fayth they be enunied & ioyned togyther ī the body of him, which without ony carnall entysemente & mortiferous delectacion was conceyued. Thus se you that repentaunce wythoute [Page] fayth anayleth nothyng, but enun [...] ed & ioyned with fayth is a singuler and hyghe treasure, [...]. [...]ata. vi. Psal. ii. Sap. i. Sap. iii. Eccl. xxxiii. [...]s [...]e. ii. Ioan. iii. Gal. iii. Act. xv. Ioan. i. Gala. iii. Roma. v. Gala. iii. iiii. [...]ebre. xi. [...]. [...]oan, v. For by fayth doth God heare vs. By fayth are we blessed. By faythe dothe God appere vnto vs. By fayth do we vnderstond the trueth. By fayth do we kepe the commaundemētes of God. By fayth are we maryed to God. By fayth haue we eternall lyfe. By fayth are we purifyed. By fayth are our hertes made cleane. By faythe are we made the sonnes of God. By fayth are we iustifyed. By fayth we please God. By fayth we be borne of God. By fayth we subdue Satan. By fayth do we ouercome the world To conclude, by fayth all goodnesse chaūse vnto vs, and without fayth all euell thynges fall vpon vs. No meruiale, for as Chrisostome sayth: Fayth is the foundaciō of the moost holy religiō, the bonde of charite, the subsidie of loue. This fayth confyr­meth [Page] holynes, Ephe. v [...]. 1. Pet. [...]. 1. [...]oan. [...]. corrob [...]ratethe & maketh strōg pure lyuyng, garnissheth dig [...]ities. In chyldrē it shyneth, in yonge men it storyssheth, in olde mē it is a godly spectacle, it confirmeth al kyndnes, De [...]ile Ab [...] [...]. [...]. xxxiii. it exalteth degrees, it kepeth all offices, in the poore man it is pleasaunt, in the meane man me­ry, in the rytch honest. Fayth preserueth frendeshyypes, gathereth togyther assemblies, reporteth euer wel, it despyseth no man, it contenmeth no man, it fayle the no man, excepte perchaūse he fyrst fayleth her. Faith vnderstandeth the commaundementes, kepeth the preceptes, fulfylleth promises. Repentaūce and Faythe are the only [...] mene [...], to obtayne to re­mission of si­nes. Faith maketh vs acquainted with God, & constituteth vs frē des with Christ. Thus haue I declared vnto you in 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 [Page] 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.

This is the moost pleasaunt dysshe that e­uer I tasted.

These thi [...]ges that you haue spoken vnto vs are so confortable y ^e me thynke I am now enflamed & more set on fyre thā euer I was before. The pre­ [...]hynge of [...]od [...] [...]n [...] nes make the mē [...] [...] to loue God. and [...] for to ful­ [...]yl his wil

As I maye vn­ [...]ain [...]dly reporte vnto you the affect of my herte, verely synce that ye de­clared to vs the goodnes of God y ^e father toward v [...] 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 [Page] 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, [...]herein I haue [...]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 thē the auaūce mēt of his name.

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 [Page] 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.

I praye you brynge it forth streyghte wayes, for we much desyre to tast of it.

There is nothynge that I wysshe more than continually to be fedde with the meate of such an hea­uēly bancket. Therfore I praye you go forth to minister vnto vs the residue of oure mooste delicious feaste.

Agreed, but marke well, for here it is.

¶ The fourth dysshe.

Ephe. ii. 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 ^• say [...]nge of S. Paule, whiche a lytle be­fore this sentence in his Epistle to y ^e [Page] Ephe, declareth, as I haue hitherto taughte you, that by nature we are the chyldrē 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. What the duty of y ^• fayth [...]ul [...]a. Your duty is to lyue wel, to practyse good workes, to exercyse al godlye actes, to lede a vertuous conuersaciō, and in all your lyfe thorowe the study of innocency to seke the glory of God. Now shall your cōuersacion declare [Page] 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. In. [...]. [...]in [...]. [...]om. ii. 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 cōmeth cha­rite, in so much that he, whiche bele­ueth truly in God, cā neuer be with out it. Be [...]o [...]at [...] Gen. [...]a. v [...]. [...].ib.i. S. Ambrose also sayth: fayth is the mother & brynger for the both of good wyll & righteous workyng. Agayne he sayeth: Ibidem. 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 gyuē to lyue dissolutely, D [...] vo. [...]e. cap. vi [...]i. [...]ib. ii. but they go forth & profyte from vertue to vertue, in walkynge by the waye [Page] of good workes. Also ī another place he sayeth, God gyueth to thē whom he choseth without merites, whereof they maye be garnysshed with merites also. Marke this well. And it is not truely sayde, that the entent and determinacion of wel workyng is not in the electe. For the gyftes of vertues cā not beydle. Thus se you that lynysh fayth whereby ye are ingrassed in Christe, brynge the forth good workes. Ney­ther is true repentāce, 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 thē 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 [Page] fayth be not accōpanied wyth good workes, youre fayth is dead, as S. Ia. fayeth, [...]ap. ii. y ^• is to saye, it is a true & christen fayth no more, than a deade corse is a man. Gala. v. For that faith, which is approued before God, worketh by charite, & charite cā not be ydle, but brasteth out into good workes, wh [...] so euer it seeth an occasiō gyuē, who can loue his neighbour, & suffer him to perysshe for want of his helpe?

Therfore is a faythfull man compared in y ^• first Psalme to a tree, which is planted by the waters syde, & bringeth forth her fruytes in due tyme. I am the true vyne, Ioan. xv. sayeth Christ, & ye are the braunches. He that aby­deth in me, & I in hī, [...]yngeth forth much fruyte. Agayne he sayeth: He that beleueth ī me, floudes of lyuish water should flowe out of his belly. Here se you that he which dwelleth ī Christ by fayth, Ioan. vii. & beleueth in hī brī geth for the plenty of good workes. [Page] He therfore that is an vn [...]ruytfull tree, & brīgeth 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.

Methinke than by your wordes, y ^• good workes necessarely follow the christen fayth.

Yea euen as necessarelye as the sha­dow followeth the body, & death the lyfe. Ma [...]e.

They than whiche lyue dissolute, & withoute doyng of good workes haue not the christen fayth.

No verely, no more than a deade cole hath in it the vertue and strength of burnynge. [...]et. [...].

Ther­fore ought all men not to quenche y ^e spirite, but with all mayne & frācke courage to apply themselues to y ^• diligēt practyse of good workes.

Ye saye trueth, Ephe. ii. for as ye herd before we are the workemāshyp of God created hath prepared that we shoulde [Page] walke in thē. 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 workemā shyp of God,. This sheweth that god made vs, Psal. xcliii and not we our selues. He wrought vs by his deuyne power. But by this workemanshyp not we only are made th [...] beleue ī god, A double- [...]reatiō one ī [...]dā, an [...] [...] 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 cau [...]e to reioyce, thā the vnfaythfull haue. Therfore it doth followe: Created in christ Ie­s [...]s. Beholde here is a newe creaciō. Here is another byrth. Here is re­generacion, whiche far differeth frō 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, [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] borne a new, created agen in Christe Iesus. Good wor­kes declare [...] mā to be cre­ated anewe [...] christ 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 mā therfore be not studious of good workes: he is not created in christ, but remayneth styll in y ^e crea­cion of Adam. Good wor­kes are not the fantasie [...] of mā [...] but [...] cōmaūdemē ­tes of God. But vnto what good workes is the faythefull created in Christ? vnto Rome runnynge? gad­ [...]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 ī dede before god, but only so called to blynde the eyes of carnall men with such goodly and godly tytles, Vnto [Page] what good workes thā are they cre­ated? In good faythe, to those good workes which God hath prepared y ^• we should walke in thē. 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 fu [...]fyll thē, & neuer to cease vntyll we were auncient & perfecte in the accomplysshement of Gods wyll.

Me thāke you right hertely for the declaraciō of this terte. For we perceyue now oure duety better than euer we dyd before.

But what are those good workes, whiche God hath pre­pared that we should walke in thē?

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 thē: Ioan. vi. This is y ^• worke of God that ye beleue in him, whom he hath sent. This is the greatest & [Page] most principal worke of God, y ^t ye beleue in his only begottē sōne Iesus Christ. He that truly fulfylleth this worke, True faythe in christ is the mother of all goo [...] workes. doth very easely accōplyshe y ^e residue. For oute of this worke, as out of y ^• head foūtayne, do all other workes of God spryng & procede. Yf y ^u cāst beleue, sayth Christ, all thīges are possible to hym y ^t beleueth. Mat. i [...]. 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, contēneth not the ministers of gods worde, despyseth not his parentes & superiours, kyllethe not, cōmytteth not adultrye, Lerne her [...] the christ [...] and true good wor­kes. iteleth not, beareth no false witnes, couereth not his neighbours goodes, but rather doth y ^e cō ­trary, hatyng y ^• vyce, & en [...]alsyng y ^e vertue. He mortyfyeth olde Adā. He maketh the bodye subiecte to the spirite w ^t the moderate vse of eatyng & drynkyng. He exercyseth himselfe in [Page] 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 mā, 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 thā dye to synne, & liue vnto righteousnes. These are the workes of God, wherin so many as are created ī Christ, ought vnfaynedly to walke. Theise are y ^e workes of God, which ledeth to heuē, which thorow christ we deserue y ^e reward of euerlastīg life. In these workes therfore (most dere brethrē) exercise your selues both daye & nyght. Beleue in god, loue God, feare God. Cōfesse hī frō y ^e very herte to be y ^• alone & true God. Knowledge him to be your only & oīsufficiēt sauiour. In al aduersite [Page] 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. Psal. i. Exercyse faythfull & con­tinuall prayer. Procure in all thyn­ges the glory of God. Honour youre moost victorious Prynce, Admoniciō [...] for true obe­dience to­ward y ^• kinges grace. & redoubted kynge. Be faythfull to hym both in herte, worde & dede. Do nothyng that may in any poynt derogate his graces honour. Rom. xiii. Knowe that he that resisteth him, resisteth y ^e ordinaunce of God, i. Pet. ii. & getteth to hīselfe dānaciō. 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, col. iii. & vtterly cast thē from you. To conclude, loke for those thynges that are aboue, & not for those that are vpon the earth. Lyue no more to [Page] your selfe, Rom. iiii. but to hym that dyed for your synnes, & rose agayne for your iustification.

We wyll to the vttermoost of our power laboure to accomplysshe youre moost godly ad­monicions. This time hath great nede of good wor­kes.

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▪ & also so many syncer­ly [Page] professe it. The enemi [...] of gods words. 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 theyr Gospell. For they wyl not fast nor praye, nor gyue almes, nor vse a­ny kynde of vertue. Theyse, whome they cal Pharises, do much excel thē in euery degree of godly lyuynge. They wyll shewe themselues conformable to no poletyke ordinaunce. They hunte carnall libertie. They seke to synne freely and without punysshemente. Theyr whole religion consisteth in breakynge mens lawes and auncient customes. Farewell they therfore with theyr gospel. We wyll followe our forefathers. This and such lyke talke is hearde dayely [Page] amonge the enemies of Gods word. Therfore oughte they y ^t loue Gods trueth to walke circūspectly, seyng the dayes are euell, Ephe. v. as S. Paule saieth, & to haue an honest conuersaciō amonge Goddess enemies, that they which backbyte them as euell doers, maye se theyr good workes, & prayse God in the day of visitacion. For so is the wyll of God, i. Petre. ii. sayeth S. Peter that with wel doynge ye should stop the mouthes of ygnoraunt men, as free, & not as though ye toke lyber­ty for a cloke of maliciousnes, but e­uen as the seruaūtes of God. Which thyng (moost dere brothers) woulde God ye would do, that by your ver­tuous conuersacion ye myghte not plucke men from, but vnto the Gos­pell, not dishonour but honour god, not hynder but prouoke the Euan­gelical trueth, that with one mynd, herte, wyl, tonge & dede we al might togyther professe one God and one [Page] trueth. Than should God be glorifi­ed among vs. Thā should his moost blessed worde be enhalsed of all men. Than shoulde we vnder one kynge liue ī an vnite, peace & cōcord of christen religion, without ony scisme, he resy or dissencion. Roma. v. Gala. ii. Than myghte we well saye, that the true repentaūce and syncer fayth, wherby a christen man is iustified in the syght of God were in vs. For so longe as we continue ī our old wickednes, & amēd not our maners, certes neyther true re­pentaunce, nor christen faythe is in vs, and to saye the trueth, neyther haue we ony parte of Christ or Christes merytes, but pertayne styll to Satan & his synfull synagoge. For as S. Iohn sayeth: i. Ioan. [...]. If we saye, that we haue fellowshyp with God, & yet walke in darknes, we lye & performe not the trueth. But & if we walke in lyghte, euen as he is in lyghte, than haue we fellowship w ^t him, & y ^e bloud [Page] of Iesus Christ his sōne, maketh vs cleane frō all synne. Roma. xiii. [...]itum. ii. Therfore (dearely beloued) let vs cast away the wor­kes of darkenes, walke in the lyghte of Gods trueth, lyue accordynge to our vocacion, garnysh the doctryne of christ our sauiour with godly maners, & so in al pointes institute and order our lyfe accordyng to Goddes wyll, that we maye be that same in lyfe & dede, that we desyre to be re­ported, that is to say, perfecte & true christen men both in herte, worde, & dede. So maye we be certayne in this lyfe to haue God a mercyfull father vnto vs thorowe Iesus Christ his sonne, & after the departing out of this world to enioye the glorious syght of the moost blessed Godhead, & there to remayne in ioye & glorye, worldes without ende. Amē. Thus endeth your bancket.

Pray­sed be the LORDE for it.

Both now & euermore.

For he alone [Page] is worthy all honoure & glory.

If it shall please you, I wyll nowe gather togither in few wordes that which hytherto I haue dispersed in many, that they may the more easly remaine in your brest. A brefe rehe [...] sal of al thi [...] ges spoken of before.

I pray you let it be so.

In youre fyrste disshe I ministred vnto you y ^• knowledge of your selues, & declared what ye are by Adā, that is to say, chyldrē of wrath, all carnall, & w ^tout the spirite of God, In Ioan [...]rat. [...] Cap. xi. as S. Austen sayeth, let no man stond in his owne conceyte. For of his owne, he is very Satan, but of Gods, he is blessed. What is this to saye, of his owne, but of hys synne? Take away the synne, which is thyne, & the righteouses, sayethe god, i. Cor. [...]ii [...]. is of myne. Fore what hast thou, that thou hast not taken? In youre seconde dysshe ye receyued the knowlege of Goddes fauour toward you frely thorow Iesus Christ. In your thyrde dysshe, ye perceyued by what [Page] meanes ye may obtayn this fauour of God, verely by true repentaunce & syncer fayth. In your fourth dish I proued vnto you that of this your repentaunce & fayth, workes muste nedes followe, yea & that those wor­kes, Ephe. ii. whiche God hath prepared that we should walke in them. Here is in few wordes concluded y ^• whole sūme of your banckette. I praye you loke that ye both remēber these thynges well, & also exercyse them in your lyuynge.

We wyll labour to the vttermooste of oure power. Ioan. xv. And be­cause we can do nothyng withoute the helpe of God, we shall at all hou­res with fyrme and sure faith moost instantly desyre God to worke that thynges in vs his holye spirite, y ^t he commanndethe vs to do, that we maye neyther thyncke, breath, speke or do ony thing, but that may turne to his glorye.

It is godly spo­ken. This one thynge than remay­neth [Page] that we gyue God thankes for this our bancket.

I pray you, let it be so.

¶ The thankes gyuynge. PHILEMON.

PRayse, Ioan. v [...] honour and glory be vnto the (O heuēly father) which at this tyme hast fed vs w ^t meate not y ^e perisheth but y ^t abydeth into euerlastying lyfe. Graunte (O good God) that we ha­uynge the knowledge of thy worde, maye also practyse the same in oure conuersacion, that we both intierly louyng and vnfaynedly lyuyng thy holy word, maye after this lyfe lyue w ^t the in that lyfe, whiche is immor­tall.

Amen.

So be it.

LORD let it so come to passe.

Seynge that accordynge to the commaundemēte of Christe, Mat. vi. we haue nowe fyrste soughte the kyngedom [Page] of god, & the righteousnes therof, & haue fedde our soules with this celestiall bancket of Gods worde, I praye you nowe vouchesafe to come with me, and take such poore repast for the sustenaunce of your body, as it hathe pleased God to prepare for vs.

We gyue you right herty thākes.

I pray God y ^t we may once recōpense your kyndnes.

My power is smale, but my wyll is muche, folowe me I besech you.

Praysed be the LORD for this our most cōfortable bancket.

AMEN.