PHIL. It 1is hard for a natural man which understandeth not those things y• pertain to the Spirit of God to do this of his own strength & power. For true Penance is the gift 2of God. Every good gift and every perfect gift cometh from above, descending from the father of light. S. Ambrose saith: Those are good 3tears, which wash away the fault. Moreover they, whom God beholdeth, lament their offence. Peter denied first, and he wept not. For the the LORD had not looked upon him. He denied the second time, & wept ⟨image 18⟩not. For the LORD did not yet look upon him. He denied the third time Jesus looked upon him, & he wept very bitterly. Let them read the Gospel, & see that the LORD Jesus 4was than within when he was heard of the high Priests, and that the Apostle Peter was without & beneath in the haul, sometime sitting, sometime standing at the fire with the servants, as it is declared with a very true & concordant telling of the Evangelists. In consideration 5whereof, it can not be said that the LORD did look on him with his cor porall eyes by admonishing him visibly. And therefore as concerning that which is written there, the LORD did look upon him, it was done inwardly, it was done in the mind, it was done in the will. The LORD did help him with his mercy secretly. He touched the heart. He called again the memory. He visited Peter ⟨image 19⟩with his inward grace. He moved & brought forth the affect of y• inward man even unto outward tears. Behold how God is present 6& helpeth our wills & deeds. Behold how he worketh in us both the will and the deed.
That true Penance is y• gift of God, it is also manifest by these words of the Apostle, it becometh 7the servant of the LORD not to strive but to be peaceable unto all men and apt to teach, & one that can suffer the evil in meekness, & can inform them that resist, if that God at any time will give them repentance for to know the trueth, that they may come to themselves again out of the snare of the devil, which are taken of him at his own will.
PHIL. It 1is harde for a naturall man whiche vnderstandeth not those thynges y• pertayne to the Spiryte of God to do this of his owne strengthe & power. For true Penaunce is the gifte 2of God. Euery good gifte and euery perfecte gifte commeth from aboue, descendyng from the father of light. S. Ambrose saythe: Those are good 3teares, which wash away the faute. Moreouer they, whome God beholdeth, lament theyr offence. Peter denied fyrst, and he wepte not. For the the LORDE had not loked vpon hym. He denyed the second tyme, & wepte ⟨image 18⟩not. For the LORDE dyd not yet loke vpon him. He denyed the thyrd tyme Iesus looked vpon hym, & he wepte verye bytterlye. Let them reade the Gospell, & se that the LORDE Iesus 4was than within whē he was heard of the hygh Prestes, and that ye Apo stle Peter was without & beneth in the haull, sometyme syttynge, sometyme stondynge at the fyre with the seruauntes, as it is declared with a verye true & concordant tellynge of the Euangelistes. In consideracion 5wherof, it can not be sayde that the LORDE dyd loke on hym with his cor porall eyes by admonysshynge hym visibly. And therfore as concerning that which is written there, ye LORD dyd looke vpon hym, it was done inwardly, it was done in the mynde, it was done in the wyll. The LORDE dyd helpe hym with his mercy secret ly. He toweched the herte. He called agayne the memorye. He visited Peter ⟨image 19⟩with his inwarde grace. He moued & brought forthe the affecte of y• inwarde man euen vnto outewarde teares. Beholde howe God is presēt 6& helpethe oure wylles & dedes. Beholde how he worketh in vs both the wyll and the dede.
That true Penaunce is y• gyfte of God, it is also manifeste by theise wordes of the Apostle, it becommeth 7the seruaunte of the LORDE not to stryue but to be peasable vnto al mē and apte to teache, & one that canne suffer the euell in mekenes, & can informe them that resyst, yf that God at ony tyme wyll gyue them repentance for to knowe the trueth, that they maye come to thēselues againe out of the snare of the dyuell, which are taken of him at his owne wyll.
- 1[…]. Cor. ii.〈…〉. Cor. ii.
- 2True Penance is gift of God. Jaco. i.True Penaunce is gyfte of God. Iaco. i.
- 3In […] lib. r. Ang. lib. i. cont. Pela gi. et Cel. de grat. Christi.In 〈…〉 lib. r. Ang. lib. i. cont. Pela gi. et Cel. de grat. Christi.
- 4Mat, xxvi•
- 5No•
- 6Philip. ii.
- 7ii. Tim. ii.
