A comfortable epistle, too Goddes faythfull people in Englande wherein is declared the cause of takynge awaye the true Christen religion from them, & howe it maye be recouered and obtayned agayne, newly made by Thomas Becon.

¶ The. vi. Chapter. (Book 6)

THyrdly / earnest diligence must be ge∣•…•…en / * 1.1 that according to this true repe∣taunce and vnfayned fayth we bring forth good workes. For the nature of harty repentaunce and of Christen faythe is not to be idle / but mightely to worke / to chaūge the penitente creature / and to transforme hym into a newe man / that he maye serue the Lorde hys God in holynes & righteous∣nes all the dayes of his lyfe. If there be not an alteraciō of lyfe / if the olde man be not * 1.2 put of with all hys workes / and the n•…•…we man put on / which is made according vnto God / thorow righteousnes / if those 〈◊〉〈◊〉 * 1.3 which afore were seruauntes to vnclennes and vnrighteousnes / do not nowe become seruauntes to clēnes / righteousnes & holy∣nes / withoute all doubte we haue neyther true repentaūce nor vnfayned fayth / whose nature and propertie is to bring forth newe spirituall and godlye frutes / as the Apostle sayth: If any man be in Christ / he is a new creature. Agayne / they that are of Christe / * 1.4 haue crucifyed the flesh with the affectes & lustes therof. Therefore the holy preacher Ihon Baptiste / that priestes sonne dyd not * 1.5 onely exhorte his hearers vnto repētaūce / but also vnto amendemente of lyfe / & vnto the bringing forth of such frutes / as become true and faythfull repentaunce. Brynge

forthe frutes / saythe he / worthye of repen∣taunce * 1.6 &c. For nowe is the axe layde at the roote of the trees. Euery tree therfore / that bringeth not forthe good frute / is hewē vp and caste into the fyre. And oure Sauiour Christe sayeth: Not euery one that sayethe * 1.7 vnto me / Lorde / Lorde / shall enter into the kyngdome of heauen / but he that dothe the will of my father / whiche is in heauen. Agayne / ye are my frendes / if ye do those * 1.8 thynges / whiche I commaunde you. Item / he that hath my commaundementes and kepeth them / he it is that loueth me. Also in another place / Let youre lyghte so shyne * 1.9 before men / that they maye se youre good workes / and glorifye youre father whyche is in heauen. These frutes of faythe∣full repentaunce / whyche are the true good workes / that God requireth of vs too be done in the holy scripture / and not suche as good entent / blyndezele / or mannes idle imaginaciō fantasyeth / ought to be brought forth / whan tyme requireth of euery true Christen man / to declare that hys faythe & repentaunce is true and vnfayned. We maye not therfore / if we tender oure owne saluacion / and will recouer the fauoure of God / be •…•…lacke and sluggyshe in bringynge forthe these weyghty frutes of repentaūce and faythe / but so adourne / garnyshe / decke * 1.10

trymme and setforth oure lyfe with them / that it maye appeare too all men / ye•…•… / too the very aduersaries of God / that oure re∣pentaunce is true / and oure faythe vnfay∣ned / and that we be true Christians / not onely in name / but also in dede▪ and not off the number of those / of whome the Apostle wryteth on this manner: They professe (with their mouthe) that they know God * 1.11 but with they: bebes they denye hym. And albeit / at all tymes it were conuenient / that the true Christians shouldbe brynge forthe the workes of repentaunce / and the frutes of faythe / and lede a lyfe worthy their pro∣fession / yet in these oure dayes it is moste requisite. For who consydereth not / wyth how great a number of enemies / I meane the deuill and the papistes / the true Chri∣stians are enuyroned and be set in these our dayes / which do nothinge els but diligently marke / what they may fynde in vs▪ worthy to be rebuked▪ that by 〈◊〉〈◊〉 means thei mai slaunder the good doctrine that we professe and bringe vs •…•…ute of credite with all men / that they maye go forthe the more frelye to lye / as they haue begunne largely all re∣dye / and tosowe theyr abhominable / 〈◊〉〈◊〉 / wicked / Popyshe / supersticious / and Antichristiane doctrine / the more franc kely in the hartes of the simple & vnlearned

people to the great derogation of th•…•… 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of Christes Gospel / and to the Lu•…•… 〈◊〉〈◊〉 auauncement of their beastly and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 It were mete therfore / that the true 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of God and of hys blessed worde / 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in these our dayes seke all meanes possible so to garnish their lyfe with good workes / that in all thinges they maye do honour to the doctrine of Christe oure sauioure / and * 1.12 stoppe the mouthes of the wicked & vngod∣lye aduersaries by well doynge / as 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Peter * 1.13 admonisheth / saying: this is the wil ofGod / that by wel doynge / ye shoulde stoppe the mouthes of folish and ignoraunte people / as fre and not as hauinge a libertie to be a cloke of noughtynes / but as the seruauntes of God. Agayne / •…•…erely beloued / I beseche you as straungers and pylgrimes / abstayne from fleshly lustes / which fight agaynst the soule / and haue an honest conuersacion a∣mong the •…•…eathen / that in that they do bac∣byte you as euel doers / they iudging you of your good workes / may glorifie God in the day of visitaciō. Hereto agreeth the saying * 1.14 of s. Paule: Do al thing without murmu ring and disputing / that ye maye be fautles and pure / and the sonnes of God without rebuke in the middes of a croked and a per∣uerse nation / among which se that ye shyne as lightes in the worlde / holdinge faste the

worde of lyfe. For there is nothinge that so greatly abasheth the aduersaries of Gods worde / and kylleth their courage / strikynge * 1.15 them euen doune too the grounde / as the godly and verteous lyfe of the Christians / 〈◊〉〈◊〉 contrariwyse / nothinge gladdeth them 〈◊〉〈◊〉 / tha•…•… to se our lyfe dissolute and swar •…•…ng from our professiō. For than lyke hell houndes yell they out and saye: Beholde your Protestantes. Se your new Gospe∣lers. Consider their lyfe. Note their man∣ners. Marke their conuersacion. Where is founde the lyke pryde / couetousnes / fals bargayning / crafty byeng & sellinge / oppres∣sing of the poore / raysing of rentes / taking of incomes / idle wordes / vayn othes / super fluous bancketting / cont•…•…pte of the poore / vnmercifulnes / breakinge of promise / vn∣trueth / with all that euer setforth a wicked and vngodly lyfe? O what a stōbling blocke is this to weake consciences? What a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 o nour to the worde of God? What a slaun∣der to the Christen profession? What a de∣caye to godly religion? What auauncement of Papistrie and Idolatrie? What encou∣ragement to the blynd to perseuer in their blyndnes? What a glorie to the wicked Pa pistes / and a confirmacion to their abho•…•… nable and deuelish doctrine? Therefore yf we tender the glory of God / the auaūcem•…•…t

of hys true religion / and the saluacion off oure owne soules / let vs brynge forthe the worthy frutes of true repentaunce and vn∣fay•…•…ed fayth / that God maye haue a plea∣sure in vs / reioyce to do vs good / & delighte to bring our enemies and their satha•…•…call superst•…•…cion vnder foo•…•…e / that hys name maye be glorified / and hys true religion once agayne florishe amonge vs vnto oure singulare •…•…oye and vnsp•…•…akable comforte.

AMEN.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Good vvor •…•…es.
• * 1.2

  Ephe. 4.
• * 1.3

  Roma. 6.
• * 1.4

  2 Cor. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Galat. 5.
• * 1.5

  Math. 3.
• * 1.6

  Math. 3
• * 1.7

  Math. 7.
• * 1.8

  Ioan. 15. Ioan. 14.
• * 1.9

  Math. 5.
• * 1.10

  Note.
• * 1.11

  Titus. 1.
• * 1.12

  Titus. 2
• * 1.13

  1. Pet. 2.
• * 1.14

  Phil. 2.
• * 1.15

  The pap•…•… stes 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉.