A07146:71
The relics of Rome containing all such matters of religion, as have in times…The reliques of Rome contayning all such matters of religion, as haue in times…
The relics of Rome containing all such matters of religion, as have in times past been brought into the Church by the Pope and his adherents: faithfully gathered out of the most faithful writers of chronicles and histories, and now newly both diligently corrected & greatly augmented, to the singular profit of the readers, by Thomas Becon. 1563.The reliques of Rome contayning all such matters of religion, as haue in times past bene brought into the Church by the Pope and his adherentes: faithfully gathered out of the moste faithful writers of chronicles and histories, and nowe newly both diligently corrected & greatly augmented, to the singuler profit of the readers, by Thomas Becon. 1563.
London: printed by John Day, 1563London: printed by Iohn Day, 1563
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
but since his fall all perished in us that good was, and all grew up that evil and wicked was, as it is written.1 All the imagination of mans heart is only evil every day. Again, the imagination of mans heart is evil even from his youth. Hereof doth it manifestly appear, what free will there is in us to do good, or to will good, seeing that all our imaginations and thoughts of our hearts are evil and wicked at all times even from our very youth,2 as the Prophet sayeth: Lewd is the heart of man and unsearchable. Saint Paul also sayeth, that of our selves we be not able so much as to think a good thought. And our Saviour Christ sayeth: Without me ye can do nothing. Notwithstanding this we say, that in natural and humane things we have a certain choice of will, as to eat this or that meat,3 to put on this or that garment, to speak or to keep silence, &c. yea and to sin or to abstain from the gross acts of sin, as murder, adultery, fornication, false witness bearing, and such like: which notwithstanding ⟨image 24⟩we must acknowledge and confess to be th• gift of God, as Saint Paul sayeth. What hast thou,4 that thou hast not received. Also Saint James, Every good gift, & every perfect gift is from above,5 and come down from the father of lights. But with our whole hearts to assent and consent to the holy will of God, to accomplish and perform the same with such perfection and purity, as the law requireth: that lieth not in our power, neither can the strengths of free will do any thing in this behalf, either to will it, or to do it. For as Saint Paul saith: It is God that worketh in us both the will and the deed.6 The regenerate man in Christ hath only this will and this deed, as Christ saith: If the Son make you free,7