The second tome of homilies of such matters as were promised, and entitled in…The second tome of homilees of such matters as were promised, and intituled in…

Now resteth to show unto you, how to apply Christs death and passion to our comfort, as a medicine to our wounds, so that it may work the same effect in us wherefore it was given, namely the health & salvation of our souls. For as it profiteth a man nothing to have salve, unless it be well applied to the part affected: So the death of Christ shall stand us in no force, unless we apply it to our selves in such sort as God hath appointed. Almighty God commonly worketh by means, and in this thing he hath also ordained a certain mean, whereby we may take fruit and profit to our souls health. ⟨p. 379⟩What mean is that? forsooth it is faith. Not an unconstant or wavering faith: but a sure, steadfast, grounded, and unfeigned faith. GOD sent his Son into the world (saith Saint John.) ¹To what end? that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have life everlasting. Mark these words: that whosoever believeth in him. Here is the mean whereby we must apply the fruits of Christs death unto our deadly wound. Here is the mean whereby we must obtain eternal life, namely faith. For (as saint Paul teacheth in his Epistle to the Romans) ²With the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Paul being demanded of the keeper of that prison what he should do to be saved? made ³this answer. Believe in the Lord Jesus, so shalt thou and thine house both be saved. After the Evangelist had described and set forth unto ⁴us at large, the life and the death of the Lord Jesus, in the end he concludeth with these words: These things are written, that we may believe Jesus Christ to be the Son of God, a through saith obtain eternal life. To conclude with the words of saint Paul which are these: Christ is the end of the law unto salvation, for every ⁵one that doth believe.

Now resteth to shewe vnto you, howe to applie Christes death and passion to our comfort, as a medicine to our woundes, so that it maye worke the same effect in vs wherefore it was geuen, namely the health & saluatiō of our soules. For as it profiteth a man nothing to haue salue, vnlesse it be well applied to the part affected: So the death of Christ shall stand vs in no force, vnlesse we applie it to our selues in suche sorte as God hath appoynted. Almightie God commonly worketh by meanes, and in this thing he hath also ordained a certaine meane, wherby we may take fruite and profite to our soules health.