David, not to us, but to thy name give the glory, O Lord.' Let us therefore, good friends, with all reverence glorify his name, let us magnify and praise him for ever. For he hath dealt with us according to his great mercy; by himself hath he purchased our redemption. He thought it not enough to spare himself, and to send his angel to do this deed; but he would do it himself, that he might do it the better, and make it the more perfect redemption. He was nothing moved with the intolerable pains that he suffered in the whole course of his long passion, to repent him thus to do good to his enemies: but he opened his heart for us, and bestowed himself wholly for the ransoming of us. Let us therefore now open our hearts again to him, and study in our lives to be thankful to such a Lord, and evermore to be mindful of so great a benefit; yea, let us take up our cross with Christ, and follow him. His passion is not only the ransom and whole amends for our sin, but it is also a most perfect example of all patience and sufferance. For if it behoved Christ thus to suffer, and to enter into the glory of his Father; why should it not become us to bear patiently our small crosses of adversity, and the troubles of this world? For surely, as saith St. Peter, Christ therefore suffered, to leave us an example to follow his steps.' And if we suffer with him, we shall be sure also to reign with him in heaven. Not that the sufferance of this transitory life should be worthy of that glory to come; but gladly should we be contented to suffer, to be like Christ in our life, that so by our works we may glorify our Father which is in heaven.' And as it is painful and grievous to bear the cross of Christ in the griefs and displeasures of this life; so it bringeth forth the joyful fruit of hope in all them that be exercised, therewith. Let us not so much behold

Heb. i. Acts xvii. 1 Pet. ii. 1 Tim. ii. Rom. viii. Matt. v. Heb. xi. James v. 1 Peter ii.

the pain, as the reward that shall follow that labour.' Nay, let us rather endeavour ourselves in our suffer-i ance to endure innocently and guiltless, as our Saviour Christ did. For if we suffer for our deservings, then hath not patience his perfect work in us; but if undeservedly we suffer loss of goods and life, if we' suffer to be evil spoken of for the love of Christ, this is thankful before God; for so did Christ suffer. 'He never did sin, neither was any guile found in his mouth. Yea, when he was reviled with taunts, he reviled not again; when he was wrongfully dealt with, he threatened not again, nor revenged his quarrel, but delivered his cause to him that judgeth rightly.'

Perfect patience careth not what nor how much it suffereth, nor of whom it suffereth, whether of friend' or foe; but studieth to suffer innocently, and without deserving. Yea, he, in whom perfect charity is,' careth so little to revenge, that he rather studieth to do good for evil, to bless and say well of them that curse him, to pray for them that persecute him,' according to the example of our Saviour Christ, who is the most perfect example and pattern of all meekness and sufferance, which hanging upon the cross, in most fervent anguish bleeding in every part of this blessed body, being set in the midst of his enemies and crucifiers; and he, notwithstanding the intolerable pains which they saw him in, being of them" mocked and scorned despitefully without all favour and compassion, had yet toward them such compas sion in heart, that he prayed to his Father of heaven for them, and said, 'O Father, forgive them, for they wot not what they do. What patience was it also which he shewed, when one of his apostles and servants, which was put in trust of him, came to betray him unto his enemies to the death! He said nothing worse to him, but, Friend, wherefore art

Matt. v. Luke xv. Matt. XV. v. Ecclus. xxviii. Matt, xxviij.

say

thou come?' Thus, good people, should we call to mind the great examples of charity which Christ shewed in his passion, if we will fruitfully remember his passion. Such charity and love should we bear one to another, if we will be the true servants of Christ. For if we love but them that love and well by us, what great thing is it that we do?' saith Christ. Do not the Paynims and open sinners. so? We must be more perfect in our charity than thus, even as our Father in heaven is perfect, which maketh the light of his sun to rise upon the good and the bad, and sendeth his rain upon the kind and unkind.' After this manner should we shew, our charity indifferently, as well to one as to another, as well to friend as foe, like obedient children, after the example of our Father in heaven. For if Christ was obedient to his Father even to the death, and that the most shameful death, (as the Jews esteemed it) the death of the cross; why should we not be obedient to God in lower points of charity and patience? Let us forgive, then, our neighbours their small faults, as God, for Christ's sake, hath forgiven us our great faults.

It is not meet that we should crave forgiveness of our great offences at God's hands, and yet will not forgive the small trespasses of our neighbours against us. We do call for mercy in vain, if we will not put wrath and displeasure forth of our hearts to our christian brother, no more will God forgive the displeasure and wrath that our sins have deserved be fore him. For under this condition doth God forgive us, if we forgive other. It becometh not christian men to be hard one to another, nor yet to think their neighbour unworthy to be forgiven. For howsoever unworthy he is, yet is Christ worthy to have thee do thus much for his sake; he hath deserved

James v.

it of thee, that thou shouldst forgive thy neighbour. And God is also to be obeyed, which commandeth us to forgive, if we will have any part of the pardon which our Saviour Christ purchased once of God the Father, by shedding of his precious blood. Nothing becometh Christ's servants so much as mercy and compassion. Let us then be favourable one to another, and pray we one for another, that we may be healed from all frailties of our life, the less to offend one or the other; and that we may be of one mind and one spirit, agreeing together in brotherly love and concord, even like the dear children of God. By these means shall we move God to be merciful unto our sins, yea, and we shall be hereby the more ready to receive our Saviour and Maker in his blessed sacrament, to our everlasting comfort and health of soul. Christ delighteth to enter and dwell in that soul where love and charity ruleth, and where peace and concord is seen. For thus writeth St. John; "God is charity; he that abideth in charity, abideth in God, and God in him. And by this,' saith he, we shall know that we be of God, if we love our brethren. Yea, and by this shall we know that we be delivered from death to life, if we love one another. But he which hateth his brother,' saith the same Apostle, abideth in death, even in the danger of everlasting death, and is moreover the child of damnation and of the devil, cursed of God, and hated (so long as he so remaineth) of God and all his heavenly company. For as peace and charity make us the blessed children of Almighty God, so doth hatred and envy make us the cursed children of the devil. God give us all grace to follow Christ's examples in peace and in charity, in patience and sufferance, that we now may have him our guest to enter and dwell within us, so as we may be in full surety,

Eph. v. 1 John iv. 1 John ii. Rom. viii,

For Good-Friday.

HOM. XXV.

having such a pledge of our salvation. If we have him and his favour, we may be sure we have the favour of God by his meaus. For he sitteth on the right hand of God his Father, as our proctor and attorney, pleading and suing for us in all our needs and necessities. Wherefore, if we want any gift of godly wisdom, we may ask it of God for Christ's sake, and we shall have it. Let us consider and examine ourselves, in, what want we be concerning this virtue of charity and patience. If we see that our hearts be nothing inclined thereunto, in forgiving them that have offended against us, then let us ack now. ledge our want, and wish to God to have it. But if we want it, and see in ourselves no desire thereunto, verily we be in a dangerous case before God, and have need to make much earnest prayer to God that we may have such an heart changed, to the grafting in of a new. For unless we forgive other, we shall never be forgiven of God. No, not all the prayers and good works of other can pacify God unto us unless we be at peace, and at one with our neighbour. Nor all our deeds and good works can move God to forgive us our debts to him, except we forgive to other. He setteth more by mercy than by sacrifice. Mercy moved our Saviour Christ to suffer for his enemies; it becometh us then to follow his example. For it shall little avail us to have in mes ditation the fruits and price of his passion, to magnify them, and to delight or trust in them, except we have in mind his examples in passion to follow them. If we thus therefore consider Christ's death, and will stick thereto with fast faith for the merit and deserving thereof, and will also frame ourselves in such wise to bestow ourselves, and all that we have by charity, to the behoof of our neighbour, as Christ spent himself wholly for our profit, then do we truly remember Christ's death and being thus followers of Christ's steps, we shall be sure to follow