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…

¶ The second part of the Homily of Repentance.

¶ The seconde parte of the Homilee of Repentaunce.

Hitherto have ye heard (well beloved) how needful & necessary the doctrine of repentance is, & how earnestly it is throughout all the scriptures of God urged and set forth, both by the ancient prophets, by our Saviour Jesus Christ, & his Apostles, and that forasmuch as it is the conversion or turning again of the whole man unto God, from whom we go away by sin, these four points ought to be observed, That is, from whence or from what things we must return, unto whom this our returning must be made, by whose means it ought to be done that it may be effectual, and last of all, after what sort we ought to behave our selves in the same, that it may be profitable unto us, and attain unto the thing that we do seek by it. Ye have also learned, that as the opinion of them that deny the benefit of repentance unto those that after they be come to God and grafted in our saviour Jesus Christ, do through the frailness of their flesh, and the temptation of the devil, fall into some grievous and detestable sin, is most pestilent and pernicious: So we must beware, that we do in no wise think that we are able of our own selves and of our own strength to return unto the Lord our God, from whom we are gone away by our wickedness and sin. Now it shall be declared unto you, ⟨p. 525⟩what be the true parts of repentance; & what things ought to move us to repent, and to return unto the Lord our God with all speed. Repentance (as it is said before) is a true returning unto God, whereby men, forsaking utterly their idolatry and wickedness, do with a lively faith embrace, love, and worship the true living God only, and give them selves to all manner of good works, which by Gods word they know to be acceptable unto him. Now there be four parts of repentance, which being