suffered persecution by the Iewes He hath ben hanged on the tree and dyed on the tree and was buryed and rose againe the third day and ascended into heauen the day it pleased him There he eleuated his body and from thence he shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead there he sitteth now at the right hand of the father How then is the bread his body And the cuppe or that which the cuppe conteineth how is that his blood My bretheren therefore are these thinges here called Sacramentes because that in them one thing is seene and an other thing is vnderstoode That which we see in a corporall likenesse but that which we vnderstand to a spirituall fruite He that receaueth the mistery of vnity and keepeth not the bond of neace he receiueth not by him the mistery but receaueth a witnesse agaynst him selfe And no man ought in any thing to doubt but that then euery faithfull man is partaker of the body and of the blood of the Lorde As to baptisme he is made a member of Christ and is not depryued from the company of that bread and of that cuppe also when hee which is constituted in the vnitie of the body of Christ shall depart out of this world before he doo eate that bread and drinke the cuppe for also he is not depryued from the participation and from the benefite of that Sacrament whiche hath found that which the Sacrament dooth signifie Prosper in his booke of sentences He that abydeth in Christ and in whom Christ dwelleth hath taken the meate of lyfe and hath drunke the drinke of the eternitie For he whiche discordeth from Christ doth not eate the fleshe of Christ nor drinketh his bloud Although that he doe take euery daye indifferently the Sacrament of so great a thing according to his iudgement Innocent in his thirde booke of the holy Aultar 4. 13. 14. Chapter Iudas sayth he hath eaten the Lordes breade but he hath not eaten the breade which was the Lorde Saint Hilarie in his 8. booke of the Trinitie The breade which descended from heauen is not receiued but of him which hath the Lorde and which is the true member of him Augustine in his 49. treatise vpon Saint Iohn the 11. Chapter If fayth be in vs Christ is in vs For what other thing sayeth the Apostle Christ dwelleth in your heartes through fayth but that through the fayth whiche thou hast of Christ Christ is in thy heart Augustine vpon Saint Iohn in his 25. treatise and 6 Chapter This is then to eate the meate not that which perisheth but which abideth vnto eternall lyfe Wherefore make ready thou the teeth and the belly beleeue and thou hast eaten c. Saint Cyprian in his Sermon of the vnction of Christ. Our Lorde Iesus Christ hath giuen in the table in the whiche he hath made his last banket with his Apostles the breade and the wyne with his owne hands but he hath giuen his bodye for to be wounded on the Crosse by the handes of the souldiers c. Augustine vpon Saint Iohn in the 26. Homely Sayth All we haue very well this daye receyued the visible meate but it is another thing of the Sacrament and of the vertue of the same From whence commeth it that many doe come vnto the aultar and take to their condemnation that which they receyue For the morsell of breade which our Lord gaue vnto Iudas was poyson vnto him not for that it was euill but bicause the man which tooke it was euill he tooke it euill c. A little after he sayth the Sacrament of this that is to saye the spirituall vnitie whiche we haue with Christ is presented vnto vs at the Lordes table to the one to lyfe to the others to death A little before hee hath sayde He which shall eate shall not die but I doe vnderstande it of him whiche shall haue the veritie of the Sacrament and not the visible Sacrament whiche shall eate him inwardlye and not outwardly whiche shall eate him in the heart and not crashe him with the teeth In what sense the auncient Doctors of the Church haue vnderstoode this place Hoc est corpus meum This is my bodye S. Augustine wryting against Adamantius the disciple of Manichaeus in the 12. Epistle Saith after this manner I maye interpret that this commandement cōsisteth in a signe for the Lord hath made it no doubt to say This is my body when hee gaue the signe of his body In the same place he sayth these three thinges The blood is water Behold my body And the rocke was Christ He teacheth these thinges to be sayde as though he spake by figure in signe and by signification Tertullian in his .4 booke against Marcion Sayth after this sort Iesus Christ after he toke the bread and distributed it to his disciples made it his body in saying this is my body That is to say saith he the signe of my body Chrisostome vpon S. Mathewe in the .83 homily the .26 chapter called the symbole of the supper and signe of the body of Christ. Augustine in his first quinquagesima in his prologue of the 3. psalm Saith Christ receiued Iudas vnto his supper in the which he recommended and gaue the figure of his body and of his blood to his disciples Chrisostome vpon S. Mathew in the .83 homelye Saith When the Heritickes say how shall it appeare that Christ hath ben offered We wyll stoppe their mouthes thus if Iesus Christ be not dead to what ende shall that sacrifice be a signe Saint Ierome vpon the 26. Chapter of S. Mathewe After that he acomplished the mysticall Passeouer or Easter had eaten the flesh of the Lambe with his Apostles He toke the breade which comforteth the heart of man and passed further to come vnto the Sacrament of the true Easter That euen as Melchisedech the highe Priest of the souereygne God hath done in the figure of this in offering of breade and wyne Euen so he representeth the veritie of his bodie and of his bloude Saint Ambrose vpon the first Epistle to the Corinthians the 11. Chap. Forasmuch as we are deliuered by the death of the Lorde hauing recordation thereof in eating and drinking wee doe signifie the fleshe and the bloude the which haue bene offered for vs c. Chrysostome vpon the 22. psalme Christ hath ordeyned the table of his holye Supper to the ende that in that sacrament he doe shewe vnto vs daylye the breade and the wine for the similitude of his bodie and of his bloude Saint Ambrose in his 6. booke of the Sacramentes the first Chapter The Priest sayth Make this oblation to bee acceptable vnto vs the whiche is the figure of the bodie and bloude of oure Lorde c. Chrysostome in the 83. Homelie vpon Saint Mathewe If thou haddest bene withoute a bodie hee woulde haue giuen thee all his signes naked and bare but bicause that thy soule is ioyned to a
of this breade hee shall liue for euer the breade that I will giue is my fleshe which I will giue for the life of the worlde c. That which I deliuered vnto you I receyued of the Lorde to wit That the Lorde Iesus the same night in whiche he was betrayed tooke breade and when he had giuen thankes he brake it and sayd Take ye eate ye this is my bodie which is broken for you this doe ye in remembrance of me After the same maner also he tooke the Cup when he had supped saying This Cup is the newe testament in my bloude this doe as ofte as ye drinke it in remembrance of me For as often as ye shall eate this breade and drinke this Cuppe yee shewe the Lordes death till he come Wherefore whosoeuer shall eate this breade and drinke this Cuppe of the Lorde vnworthily shall be guiltie of the bodie and bloude of the Lorde Let a man therefore examine himselfe and so let him eate of this breade and drinke of this Cup. Is not the Cup of blessing whiche we blesse the Communion of the bloude of Christe Is not the Breade which wee breake the Communion of the bodie of Christ Bicause that we whiche are manye are one breade and one bodie in as muche as wee are all partakers of one breade Our fathers haue all eaten the same spirituall meate and did all drinke the same spirituall drinke for they dranke of the spirituall rocke that followed them and that rocke was Christ I am the breade of life he that commeth to me shall not hunger and he that beleeueth on me shal neuer thurst c. This is that breade which commeth downe from heauen that he whiche eateth of it shoulde not die Augustine in his 2. Quinqua vpon the 96. Psalme When the Lorde commaunded this he spake of his fleshe and sayde He that eateth not my fleshe shall not haue eternall lyfe And sayd The words that I speake vnto you are spirite and life Vnderstand spiritually that which I haue sayde vnto you you shall not eate that bodie whiche you do see you shall not drinke the bloud which shall be shedde by them which will crucifie me Augustine vpon Saint Iohn in the 27. treatise vpon the 6 Chapter If ye shoulde see the sonne of man ascend vp where he was before What is this By that he resolueth those whom he hath knowen of that he manyfested the thing whereby they haue ben offended For they did thinke that he would giue vnto them his body but hee sayth that hee will ascend vp into heauen all whole saying when yee shall see the sonne of man ascend vp where he was before at the least you shall see then that he doth not giue his bodie in the same maner as ye thinke and iudge at the least you shal then vnderstand that his grace is not consumed by morsels c. Augustine in his Sermon of the Sacramentes of the faithfull in the 2. ferie of Easter And for this cause as also the men of God haue vnderstoode it before vs our Lorde Iesus Christ hath recommended his body and his blood to the thinges which of many are reduced and brought into one thing For also the one of many Graynes is confecte and made into one and the other of many Grapes is reduced into one he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him Then to eate this meate and to drink this drinke is to dwell in Christ and to haue our dwelling in him And so hee that dwelleth not in Christ and in whome Christ doth not dwell without doubt hee eateth not the flesh and drinketh not the bloud although that he eate and drinke the Sacrament of so great a thing to his iudgement Augustine in his .3 booke of the christian doctrine If you eate not sayth he the fleshe of the sonne of man and drinke not his blood you shall haue no life in you It seemeth that he doth commaund an vnlawful thing or a fault That is then a fygure commaunding that it must be communicated to the passion of our Lorde and gentlye and profitablye to put in memorye that his fleshe hath bene wounded and crucified for vs. Augustine of the words of the Apostle in his .2 sermon Saith If ye eate not my flesh and drinke not my blood ye shall haue no life in you c. The disciples were offended not all truly but many of them saying within themselues This is an harde saying who can abide the hearing of it What doth this signifie Doth this offende you Did you thinke that of this bodie here whiche you doe see I ought to make peeces and that I shoulde deuyde in peeces my members for to giue them vnto you What and if you shoulde see the sonne of man ascende vp where he was before Truly he which is ascended vp all whole cannot be consumed c. What is it to drinke this thing but to liue Eate the lyfe drinke the lyfe thou shalte haue lyfe and thou shalt be the whole lyfe And then this shall be that is to saye that the bodie and bloude of Christ shall be the lyfe of euerye one if that which they do take visibly in the sacrament be in dede spiritually eaten and drunke For we haue hearde the Lorde himselfe saying It is the spirite that quickeneth the fleshe profiteth nothing The wordes that I speake vnto you are spirite and life Augustine in his Decrees of penance in the 2. distinction Chapiter of Charitie To eate the breade and drinke the wyne that is to beleeue in Christ and in louing him to giue our selues vnto him Bede in his Collection These are also the wordes of Saint Augustine in his sermon made to the children at the aultar of the Sacrament The Cuppe of blessing c. That which ye see in the Aulter ye haue also seene it the night past But you haue not yet vnderstoode what it doth signifie and howe it conteyneth a Sacrament of a greate thing That then whiche ye haue seene is bread and wine the which your eyes doo demonstrate vnto you But that which your faith desireth to be instructed in the bread is the body of Christ and the wine the blood And that truly is brefly sayde in asmuch peraduenture that it suffiseth the fayth but the fayth desireth to be instructed for the Prophet sayth If ye beleeue not you shall not vnderstand Yee may then say vnto me thou hast commanded that we should beleeue expound it to the ende that we may vnderstand it For such cogitacion and thought may enter into the mindes and vnderstanding of euery one we doo know very well from whence our Lord Iesus Christ hath taken his flesh that is to say of the Virgin Mary he was nourished vp in his infancie he was brought vp he became great and came to the age of a young man He
properly in their being doe demonstrate vnto vs that onely Christ abydeth altogither wholy and in his veritie The Councell of Nice Let vs not staye here belowe on the breade and wyne whiche are sette on the Lordes table but let vs lift vppe our spirites on high through fayth Let vs consider that the lambe of God whiche taketh away the sinnes of the world is in that holy table the whiche is not offered in sacrifice by the Priestes after the manner of beastes And in taking his precious bodie and his bloude let vs beleeue that they are the signes and tokens of our resurrection And for the same cause we eate not much but a little to the ende we may know that the same is not ordeyned for to fill our bellye withall but for to serue to sanctitie and holynesse c. Saint Ambrose in his booke of those which are dedicated to the mysteries Before the consecration one kinde or likenesse is named but after the consecration the body of Christ is signified Christe sayth that his bloud before the consecration is called an other thing but after the consecration is signified the bloud of Christe c. S. Ciprian in his sermon of penitent sinners Speaking of the mayd which did vomit out the Sacrament The drinke sanctified in the bloud of the Lord issued out of the polluted entrailes Chrisostome wryting to Caesar the Monke Before the consecration of the breade we doo call it bread but when the grace of God hath sanctified it by the priest it is deliuered from the name of bread and is exalted to the name of the body of the Lorde although that the nature of the bread abydeth alwayes and is not called two bodyes but one body of the sonne of GOD. Augustine vppon S. Iohn in his 80. homelye Iesus Christ sayth not that you are cleane bicause of the baptisme by the which you haue ben washed but he sayth it bycause of the word which I haue sayd vnto you That is for none other cause but that the word doth wash and clense you in the water If one doo take away the word what shall the water be but water Which if the word be ioyned to the element it shall be made a Sacrament and the word it selfe is made as visible from whence commeth so great vertue to the water that in touching the body it washeth the hart but by meanes of the word Not alwayes bicause that the word is pronounced but bicause that one beleeueth For in the worde it selfe truly there is a difference betwene the sound passing and the vertue abyding The Rubrycke wrytten in redde letters whiche is called cautela Missae If the body of the Lord be found within the armorye or pyxe to be rotten or mustye through to great moystnesse of the armorye or through to great negligence in not changing it If none can be founde which wyll receiue it that the sayd body of the Lorde be burned and the asshes put in a certayne halowed place Item if the sayd body of the Lorde be found within the sayd armorye to be eaten parte of it with Myce or Spiders if none can bee found which wyll receiue it that it be burned and the asshes put in a halowed place Item if any that is sicke who hauing receiued the sayd body of the Lord and through the infirmitie of his stomacke is constrayned to vomite it vp agayne if none can be found which wyll take that refection that the sayd body of the Lorde be burned and the asshes put into an halowed place S. Peter aunswereth to the same in his sermon Thou shalt not suffer thy holy one to see corruption S. Paule sayth asmuche in his sermon that he made to the people of Antioche saying He whome God raysed agayne sawe no corruption also God hath raysed him from death for to returne no more to corruption How our Lord Iesus Christ according to his Humanite cannot be but in one place S. Ambrose wryting vpon S. Luke in his 10. booke We ought not to seeke thee vpon earth nor in the earth nor according to the flesh if we wyll finde thee For we may not knowe now Iesus Christ after the fleshe S. Stephen did not seeke him vpon earth who did see him at the right hand of god But Mary which sought him in the earth had not the power to touche him Stephen hath touched him for he sought him in heauen Augustine in his 2. Quinquagesima psalme 54. Vntill such time as the heauen shal end the Lord shall be alwayes on high but the truth of the Lord is here with vs For it must nedes be that the body with which he rose agayne be in one certayne place but his truth is spread abroad euery where Augustine wryting to Dardanus in the 67. Epistle Doubt not that Iesus Christ as touching his manhod is not there where we doe looke for him And doe remember that which we confesse in our crede That he rose agayne and ascended into heauen and that he shall come from thence and not from any other place to iudge the quick and the dead And he shall come according to the witnesse of the Angell as they haue seene him ascend in that same visible form and in the same substance to the which he hath giuen immortalitie But he hath not taken frō him his nature according to the forme and substance of his body we must not think that he is dispersed euery where for we must take heede so to affirme his deytie that we destroy not his humayne nature Therefore it followeth not that all which is in God is God. Augustine vpon S. Iohn in his 30. treatyse The body of Christ is raysed vp from death and it must needes be that it is in one place If ye then be rysen agayne with Christ seeke those thinges which are aboue where Christ sitteth at the righ hand of god Thinke on the thinges which are aboue but not on those which are on earth Iesus Christ sayth I am yet a little while with you and then goe I vnto him that sent me Also the poore ye haue alwayes with you but me ye shall not haue alwayes My little children yet a little whyle am I with you ye shall seeke me and as I sayd vnto the Iewes wheither I goe thither can ye not come Again I go to prepare a place for you I wyll returne agayne and receiue you euen vnto my selfe that you may be there where I am also I tell you the truth it is expedient for you that I goe away For yf I goe not away that comforter wyll not come vnto you But if I depart I wyll send him vnto you I came out from my father and came into the world Againe I leaue the world and goe to my father Also the Angell sayde vnto the women I knowe that ye seeke Iesus whiche was crucified he is not
body he hath giuen thee in the sensible thinges the things which are comprysed by the spirite S. Ambrose in his booke of the Sacraments the 1. Chapter Thou doest receiue the Sacrament for the similitude of the flesh and of the bloud of Christ but thou obteynest the grace of his true nature And in receiuing the bread in that meate thou art partaker of his deuine substaunce c. And he sayth afterward Euen as thou hast receiued at baptisme the similitude of death so likewyse thou hast drunke in that Sacrament the similitude of the precious bloud of Christe c. Bede vpon the .22 chapter of S. Luke After he had ended the solemnitie of the ancient Passeouer the which he made in remembraunce of the auncient deliueraunce out of Egypt he passed foorth to the newe solemnitye the which the church desireth to celebrate in remembraunce of her redemption to the ende that putting the Sacrament of his flesh of his bloud vnder the likenesse of bread and wine in steede of the flesh and of the bloud of the Lambe he sheweth himself to be him vnto whome the Lord hath sworne and wyll not repent thou art a priest for euer c. It followeth after bicause that the breade doth fortefie the flesh and that the wine causeth the bloud in the flesh the bread is referred mistically to the body of Christ and the wine to his bloud c. Druthmarus Monke of S. Benet in his commentary vppon Saint Mathew The wine refresheth and augmenteth the bloud for that cause the bloud of Christ is not vnproperly figured by the same in asmuch as all that commeth vnto vs from him doth make vs glad with a true ioye and increaseth all our goodnesse c. A little before he sayth The Lord gaue vnto his disciples the Sacrament of his body in remission of theyr sinnes and for to keepe loue and charitie to the end that hauing remembraunce of that deede he would doo alwayes in a figure that which he ought to doo for them and shoulde not forget that charytie This is my body that is to say in Sacrament c. Origen vpon Leuiticus in the .7 homely Knowe that these are figures which are wrytten in the holy bookes and therefore they ought to be examined as spiritually and not as carnall and to vnderstand the thinges which are sayd For if you doo receiue those thinges here as carnall they doo hurt you and not nourish you for the letter which killeth is not only found in the old testament but also in the Gospell in the new testament The letter killeth him which considereth not spiritually the thinges which are spoken For if thou follow according to the letter that whiche is sayd except that you doo not eate my flesh and drinke my bloud that letter killeth Wylt thou that I doo aledge vnto thee an other letter of the Gospell which killeth He which hath not a sword saith he let him sell his coate and buy one Doest thou see that letter is of the Gospell but it killeth truely if thou receiue it spiritually it kylleth not but in the same is the quickening spirite and therefore receiue spiritually the thinges which are spoken be it in the Lawe or in the Gospell For the spirituall man iudgeth all thinges but he him selfe is iudged of no man c. Denys in the ecclesiasticall Hierarchia Saith The Byshoppe after that hee shall haue ended by preaching the heauenly giftes he consecrateth and blesseth the holy misteryes and that which he before hath preached he setteth before euery one couert and hidde by venerable signes and tokens And after that he hath shewed his heauenly gyftes in all reuerence he turneth him selfe to the holy communion of them admonishing all other to communycate and after that the holy communion is receyued of euery one rendring thanks vnto God he maketh an end of the mistery Obiec Hoc est corpus meū this is my body Aunswere When God gaue the circumcision to Abraham he made his couenant before the circumcision and yet he called the circumcision his couenant or alliance saying Hoc est pactum meum This is my couenant S. Paule expoundeth the same saying Abraham hath receyued the signe of circumcision as a seale of the righteousnesse of fayth God sayd to the Prophet Ezechiel thou sonne of man take a tyle stone and laye it before thee and describe vpon it the citie of Ierusalem after he saith this same is Ierusalem Hoc est corpus meum Augustine vpon Leuiticus 9. .7.57 also he wryteth agaynst Adamant The thing whiche signifieth hath of custome bene called of the name of the thing which is signified As it is wrytten the seuen eares are seuen yeeres The Scripture sayth not that they signifie seuen yeeres And the seuen kyne are seuen yeeres and many such thinges In lyke manner sayth S. Paule that the Rocke was christ and not that it signified Christ but as if it had ben him in very deede the which notwithstanding was not Christ by substance but by figuration c. Augustine wryting to Boniface Epistle 23. If the Sacraments haue no certayne similitude or agreeing with the things of which they are sacramentes they shall be in no maner of wyse Sacramentes For they take oftentimes the names of the things themselues by reason of that similitude As the Sacrament of the bodie of Christe is after one fashion or maner the bodie of Christ and the sacrament of the bloude of Christ the bloude of Christ Also the Sacramente of Fayth is the fayth Irenaeus agaynst the heretike Valens in his 4. booke 34. Chapter The breade with the which wee render thanks vnto God although that it be of the earth yet neuerthelesse when the name of God is inuocated and called vpon it is not the common breade but of giuing of thankes hauing two things in it the one earthly and the other heauenly c. Gelasius writing against Eutyches and Nestorius and also to the Counsell of Rome in the Chapter Comperimus de consecrat Distin. 2. The Sacramentes of the bodie and of the bloude of the Lorde Iesus Christe which we take they are heauenly things whereby we are made partakers by them of the diuine nature And yet neuerthelesse the substance of the breade and of the wine remayne there still and trulye the image and the similitude of the bodie and of the bloude of Christ are celebrated in the doing of the mysteries Then that is euidently shewed vnto vs which we must fele in Iesus Christ our Lorde yea the same which we protest celebrate and are in his image to the ende that euen as the natures are conuerted and chaunged into the diuine substance by the meanes of the holye spirite and yet neuerthelesse they abyde in their natures Also the same principall ministerie whose efficacie and vertue is trulye represented vnto vs by the things whereof it consisteth whiche abide
here for he is rysen as he sayd come and see the place where the Lord was layde Behold my handes and my feete for it is euen I my selfe handle me and see for a spirite hath not flesh and bones as ye see me haue And when he had thus spoken he shewed them his hands his fete And while they looked stedfastly vp to heauen as he went behold two men stode before them in white apparell which also sayd ye men of Galyle why stand ye gasing into heauen This same Iesus which is taken vp from you into heauen shall so come euen as ye haue seene him goe into heauen Also whom the heauen must contayne vntill the time that all thinges be restored That we ought not to take from the lay people the wyne of the supper Gelasius Pope of Rome of consecration in the seconde distinction chapter Comperimus c. We haue vnderstoode that some men receyuing only the bodye of the Lorde doe abstayne themselues from the Cup who forasmuch as they sinne by superstition ought to be constrayned and compelled to receyue the Sacrament wholy or else to reiect it altogither For the diuision of this mysterie cannot be without great sacriledge Iesus Christ commaunded in his supper and sayde Drinke ye all of this For this is my bloude of the newe testament The Counsaile of Basile hath ordeined that the laye people shoulde communicate the supper in two kindes Saint Cyprian in his Sermon of penitent sinners Howe shall we exhort the people to shed their bloude for the confession of Christ if we doe denie vnto them the bloude of him when they ought to fight Or howe can we make our selues capable to drinke the cuppe of Martyrdome except that we suffer our selues firste to drinke of the cuppe of the Lorde That we ought not to keepe the breade of the supper nor to carie it here and there Saint Clement in his 2. Epistle to Iames. And of the consecration in the 3. Distinction Chapter tribus c. So many hostes ought to be offred at the Aulter as shall be sufficient for the people And if any remaine we ought not to keepe it vntill the next day but through the diligence of the clarkes with feare and trembling ought to be receiued and eaten Origen vpon the 7. chapter of Leuiticus The Lorde hath not ordayned or commaunded that the bread should be kept vntill the morrowe the which he gaue vnto his disciples but sayd vnto them take ye and eate c. And in this he commaunded not to carry the bread by the wayes it may be that by the same is conteyned a mysterye that is to say that alwayes thou oughtest to bring forth the newe breade of the worde of God whiche thou bearest within thee Iesus Christ sayth Take and eate In which sense we ought to vnderstand the auncient Doctors when they haue sayde we offer we sacrifice in calling the supper a sacrifice S. Augustine writing against Faustus the 8. Chapter The Hebrues sacrificing the brute beastes did exercise themselues in the prophecie of the sacrifice which Iesus Christ hath offered And nowe the Christians in the oblation and communion of the bodie of Iesus Christ doe celebrate the memorie of the sacrifice already ended Chrysostome in his first tome vpon the 8. Chapter of Saint Mathew in the 16. homily For this cause these reuerende and salutarie mysteries which we celebrate in all the congregation of the Church are called Eucharistiae that is to saye a giuing of thankes for they are the remembrance of many benefites and doe shewe the verye heade of the heauenly loue towardes vs and doe make vs alwayes render thankes vnto God. The Prophet Dauid in the 50. Psalm Offer vnto God thanks giuing c. Irenaeus in his 4 booke against the heresies Chap. 32. 33 34. He hath willed that we shoulde offer often the gift at the aultar and without intermission The aultar then is in heauen for thither our prayers and oblations are addressed and directed to the temple as S. Iohn saith in his Apocalips And the temple of God was open and the tabernacle For beholde sayth he the tabernacle of God in the whiche I doe dwell with men S. Cyprian in his 2. boke of Epistles the 3. Epistle vnto Cecill We must not welbeloued brother that any man thinke that one ought to followe the custome of some men whiche haue thought or iudged that we must offer the water only in the Lordes cuppe we must aske of those whō they haue for example For if in the sacrifice which is Christ we must followe none but Christ truly then we must heare and doe that which Christ hath done and commaunded to be done Inasmuch as he sayth in his Gospell if you doe whatsoeuer I commaunde you I will call you no more seruauntes but my frendes And that Iesus Christ ought to be onely hearde the father himselfe doth witnesse it from heauen saying This is my welbeloued sonne in whom I am well pleased heare him Wherefore if Christe ought to be only hearde we ought not to regarde that whiche another before vs shall thinke good to be done But that he who is before all that is to saye Christ hath done first For we must not followe the custome of man but the veritie of god forasmuche as he sayeth by his Prophete Esay They worshippe me in vayne teaching doctrines whiche are but mens preceptes And the Lorde himselfe repeateth the same in the Gospell saying ye doe reiect the commaundement of God for to establishe your owne tradition But yet he hath sayde in another place Whosoeuer shall break one of these least commandements teacheth men so to doe he shall be called the least in the kingdome of heauen Then if it be not lawfull to breake the least of all the commaundementes of God howe much lesse shall it be lawfull to breake these so greate so excellent and so properly appertayning to the Sacrament of the passion of the Lorde and of our redemption Or to chaunge it thorow the ordinance and tradition of men to an other thing than to that to the which it hath ben godly instituted For if Iesus Christ be the very souereygne Priest of God the father and if he hath bene the first offered sacrifice to God his father and hath commaunded to doe this in remembraunce of him he shall doe truly the office of Christ which shall followe that which Christ hath done And if he doe begyn to offer in the Church to God the father according as he shall see that Christ him selfe hath offered then he shal offer vnto God a full and whole sacrifice Furthermore if one kepe not that faithfullye which is spirituallye commanded the discipline of all religion and truth is ouerthrowne S. Augustine in his booke of fayth vnto Peter Chap. 16. In that sacrifice which we doe vse there is giuing of thankes
and remembrance of the fleshe of Christ which he offered for vs and of his bloude which he hath shed Augustine in his 10. booke of the Citie of god Chap. 5. The visible sacrament is the testament that is to saye the holy signe of the inuisible sacrifice Chrysostome in the 7. homilye vpon the Epistle to the Hebrues We doe offer in deede but that which we doe offer we doe it in remembraunce of his death for that which we doe is done in remembraunce of that which hath bene done For he sayth doe this in remembraunce of me we doe not make it any other sacrifice as the priest doth But wee doe alwayes the very same and for to tell you better we doe the remembraunce of the sacrifice which hath ben done The Apostle vnto the Hebrues we doe by him offer the sacrifice of laude alwayes vnto God that is to say the fruite of those lippes which confesse his name I beseche you therefore bretheren by the mercifulnesse of God that yee make your bodies a quick sacryfice holy and acceptable vnto God which is your resonable seruing of God. The prophet Oseas O forgiue vs all our sinnes receiue vs graciouslye and then wyll we offer thee bullockes of our lippes vnto thee S. Paule sayth I was filled after that I had receiued of Epaphroditus the which came from you an odour that smelleth sweete a sacrifice acceptable and pleasant to God. Lactantius Firmianus in his 6. booke the .24 .25 chapters Iesus Christ sa yt I haue pleasure in mercy and not in offring Math. 9. Mat. 12. Oseas .6 and the 1. of Samuel 15. Pope Gregory in his .16 decretall the .7 question Pope Gregory in his decretals adiudgeth him culpable of Idolatry which shall heare the masse of a priest that is a whore monger or which shall communicate at his Sacramentes and Sacrafices Francis Maro in his suffrages for the deade He which causeth a masse to be sayde by an vnchast or whore maister priest or which is in deadly sinne it profiteth nothing neyther to the liuing nor to the deade The Apostle to the Hebrues the lawe which hath but the shadowe of good things to come and not things in their owne fashion can neuer with the sacrifices which they offer yearely make the commers therevnto perfect Agayne it is impossible that the bloud of Oxen and of Goates should take away sinnes Also Lo I come to do thy will O God c. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the bodie of Iesus Christ once for all Moreouer This man after he had offred one sacrifice for sinnes sat him downe for euer on the right hand of God. Likewyse with one offring hath hee perfected for euer those that are sanctified Agayne theyr sinnes and iniquities wyll I remember no more And where remission of these thinges is there is no more offring for sinnes Also he sayth not that Iesus Christ doth offer him selfe often as the hie priest entred into the holy place euery yeere with strange bloud for then must he haue often suffred sence the world began c. That there is but two Sacramentes in the church of Iesus Christe Augustine in his .3 booke of the christian doctrine the .9 chapter But in this time hereafter that the manyfest iudgement of our liberty is reuealed by the resurrection of the Lorde wee are not ouermuch charged through heauy operacions and workinges of signes which we already doe vnderstand But the same Lord hath giuen by the doctrine of the Apostles a certayne little number in steede of many which are easye to doe and good to vnderstand and most chast to keepe As is the Sacrament of baptisme and the celebration of the body and bloud of the lord And when euery one doth vse them being instructed to what ende they serue he shall acknowledge them not with a carnall seruitude and bondage but to honor them in the liberty of the spirite And as it is a seruyle infirmytie to follow the letter and to take the signes for the thinges which are signified by them so is it an euill error to interprete vnprofitably the signes c. Augustine wryting to Ianuarius in the 118. Epistle I would that thou shouldest knowe that our Lorde Iesus as he him selfe saith in the Gospell hath submitted vs to an easie yoke and light burthen And therefore he hath ordayned in the christian church a fewe Sacramentes in number easie to be kept excellent in significacion as the Baptisme consecrated in the name of the Trinitie and the communication of the body and bloud of the lord And if there be any other thing commaunded in the Scripture c. Augustine vpon S. Iohn in the .80 homelye The word being adioyned to the Clement it shal be made a Sacrament How we ought to vnderstand this word Sacrament Sacrament Mystery Secrete is all one and is vnderstoode for an hidde and vnknowen thing the which notwithstanding is reuealed at a certayne time when it pleaseth the goodnesse of God. Reede Tob. 12. Daniell 2. Sapien. 2. 1. Cor. 4. Ephe. 5. Ephes 1. Ephes 3. Collos 1.1 Timoth. 3. Apocal. 7. Of confession to God and of auricular confession Dauid sayth in the .32 psalm I haue acknowledged my sinne vnto thee and mine vnrighteousnesse haue I not hydde I sayd I wyll confesse my sinnes vnto the Lord and so thou forgauest the wickednesse of my sinne Againe I acknowledge my faultes and my sinne is euer before me Agaynst thee only haue I sinned and done this euill in thy sight If we acknowledge our sinnes he is faythfull and iuste to forgiue vs our sinnes and to clense vs from all vnrighteousnesse Acknowledge your faults one to an other and pray one for an other Eccles 28. Ephe. 4. Collos 3. If thy brother trespasse against thee c. Reade Luke 17. Deut. 17. 1. Cor. 5.2 Cor. 13. Augustine in his 10. booke of confessions the 2. chapter What haue I to doe then with men that they should heare my confessions As though they should heale my griefes That is a curyous kinde of people to know another mans life and slowe to correct and amend their owne wherefore doe they demaund of me to heare what I am where they wyll not heare of thee what they are And how doe they know when they doe heare me wheather I doe speake true when in deede no man knoweth that which is done in the man but the spirit of the man which is in him c. Chrysostome in the 12. chapter to the Hebrewes 3. homily and in the 4. tome 41. homily I doe not say vnto thee that thou accuse thy selfe openly nor before others But I would that thou shouldest obay the Prophet which saith reuele vnto the Lorde thy way acknowledg then thy sinnes before God pronounce thy vnrighteousnesse with prayer to the true Iudge not with the tongue but by the
iustifie him Euen as Dauid sayth Blessed is the man whome the Lorde accepteth and iustifieth without workes and how is he iustified But forasmuch as he receiueth of God righteousnesse and what righteousnesse the righteousnesse of fayth the which God giueth without any good workes preceeding but not without good workes following after for righteousnesse of fayth profiteth not if after the fayth receiued man doth not exercise him selfe in all good workes In the same I doe not account thy workes good what soeuer they be if they doe not proceede from the good roote of fayth In the same God doth not giue vnto thee the payne and punishment whiche thou hast well deserued but he doth giue vnto thee the grace not deserued nor due He oweth vnto thee punishment and he giueth vnto thee mercie and doth pardon thee Begin then to be in fayth through the forgiuenesse of thy sinnes Gregorie vpon Ezechiel the first boke homilie 7. Then our iust aduocate doth defende vs for iust at the iudgement bicause that we shoulde acknowledge our selues and accuse our selues as vniust Let vs not then trust in our weepings nor in our works but in the allegation of our aduocate Augustine in his booke of meditations Chap. 14. This is lyfe eternall that they knowe thee to be the only very God and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ through a right fayth and through workes worthy of fayth For thy inestimable loue exceedeth all knowledge the which thou hast shewed vnto vs throughe thy pietie and goodnesse vnto vs whiche are vnworthy For thy sonne our God in no sort toke the Angels but he tooke the seede of Abraham being made like in all things vnto vs without sinne This is verily all my hope and all my trust for the porcion of euery one of vs is to the same Iesus Christ our Lorde that is to saye the fleshe and the bloude and so where my porcion doth reygne there I doe beleeue that I shall reygne there where my flesh is glorified there I doe know my selfe to be glorified there where my bloude doth beare rule there I doe knowe that I shall rule Although I be a sinner yet I doe not distrust of the communication of this grace and if my sinnes do hinder or let it my substance doth require and aske it And if my offences doe shut me out the communion of the nature doth not dryue me backe but our Lord God is meeke and lowly and loueth his fleshe and his members and his bowels in himselfe which is God and in Iesus Christ our Lorde most meeke and louing and gentle in whome we are raysed vp and are already ascended into heauen and already sitting in the celestiall place Our fleshe doth loue vs and we haue in him the prerogatiue of our bloude for we are his members and his fleshe and finally he is our heade of whome all the bodie doth depende as it is written bone of my bones and fleshe of my flesh and they shall be two in one fleshe this mysterie here is great I saye in Christ and in the congregation sayth the Apostle Augustine in his manuel Chap. 22. All my trust and hope is in the death of my Lorde his death is my merite my refuge my helth my life my resurrection my merite is the mercy of god I am not poore of merite so long as the Lorde of mercie shall be in being if the mercies of the Lorde are great I am great in merites the more puissant he is for to saue so much the more am I assured Augustine in his manuel Chap. 23. I haue committed a great sinne and do feele my selfe culpable of a great many of sinnes and yet I will not despayre For where sinnes haue abounded grace hath more abounded He which hopeth not to haue pardon of his sinnes he denyeth that God is mercifull he doth great iniurie vnto God which distrusteth of his mercy as much as he can he denyeth that God hath loue truth and strength in whiche things consisteth all my hope that is in the loue that he hath towards me to make me his adoptiue sonne in the veritie of his promise and in the puissaunce of his redemption Let my foolishe thought nowe thinke and murmure as long as it will saying but what art thou and what is this glorie and by what merites thinkest thou to haue it Then I doe aunswere in good fayth I doe knowe verye well vnto whom I submit my selfe and that through great loue he hath made me his adoptiue sonne and is true in his promises and of power to fulfill them and it is lawfull for him to doe all that pleaseth him I cannot then bee afrayde of the multitude of my sinnes if I doe remember the Lordes death S. Ambrose in the booke of Iacob and of blessed life Euen as Iacob hauing not of his meate the eldershippe hid him selfe vnder the habite of his brother and apparayled him selfe with his coate the which did giue a most sweete sauour and in this manner presented him selfe vnto his father to receiue to his profite the blessing vnder the person of another so it is necessary that we doe cloth our selues and put on the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ through fayth and that we doe hide our selues vnder the deuine purite of our eldest brother if wee will be accepted and taken for righteous before God And truly the same is the true verytie for yf we doe appeare before God not clothed with the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ without doubte we shall be iudged worthy of eternall damnation S. Ambrose vpon the .4 chapter of the Epistle to the Romaines They are manifestly blessed vnto whom without laboure or without any workes iniquities and wickednesse are pardoned and the sinnes couered not requiring of them any works of penance but that they doe beleeue onely Ambrose vpon the 3. Chapter of the Epistle to the Romaines They are iustified freelye throughe his grace bicause that not doing anye thing and not rendring the lyke by onely fayth they are iustified through the gift of God. Augustine in his boke of 50. homilies Homilie 14. The Lord will giue vnto me the crown as a iust and righteous iudge For hee which beholdeth after that he hath beheld the worke cannot deny the reward I haue fought a good fight that is a worke I haue fulfilled my course that is a worke I haue kept the fayth that is a worke There remayneth for mee the crowne of righteousnesse that is the rewarde But thou doest nothing to the rewarde and in the worke thou hast not wrought alone thou hast the crowne of him but the work is of thee and yet it is not but throughe the ayde of him I haue fought I haue ended and fulfilled my course I haue kepte the fayth He doth rewarde the goodnesse but what goodnesse Such as he hath giuen Hath not he giuen vnto thee to fight a good
vnto whom they shoulde prouide and giue remedie Is it vnto the Gods they doe suche pleasure No for that whiche a man doth by compulsion is not a sacrifice forasmuch as if it be not done voluntarlye and with the heart it is most execrable and accursed Forasmuch as there are but they whiche are constrayned and compelled throughe banishments iniuries imprisonmentes and tormentes which doe it If they bee Gods which are so honored truly for that only cause they ought not to be honored in as much as they woulde be so adored and worshipped they are worthye to be detested of men vnto whome sacrifice is made with teares and sighings and with bloud running downe all their bodie But we to the contrarie require not that any will he nill he shoulde adore and worship our God which is the Creator of all things nor we are not angry if they doe not worship him For we doe trust in his maiestie that he hath also great power to auenge as well those that doe contemne and despyse him as the iniuries and troubles of hys seruants and therefore when we suffer such things so wicked and execrable wee doe not therefore repugne agaynst the worde but we referre the vengeance vnto God. The Prophete Esay sayeth Truth is fallen downe in the streete and the thing that is playne and open may not be shewed yea the truth is layde in prison and he that refrayneth himselfe from euil must be spoyled When the Lorde sawe this it displeased him sore c. The Lorde sayde by the Prophet Ezechel I will deliuer my sheepe from their mouth so that they shall no more be spoyled c. Lactantius Firmianus in his diuine Institutions Lib. 5. Chap. 22. They are not then madde or angry with vs bicause we adore not or worship their Gods. For there are many people that do not worship thē but it is bicause the truth is with vs the which as the Prouerbe is getteth hatred c. Lactantius Firmianus Lib. 5. Chapter .23 Pacience is a principall vertue the which is by the common voyce of the people and of the Philosophers and Orators exalted with great prayse If no man wil denie but that pacience is a soueraine vertue It is necessary that the righteous wise man be in the power of the vnrighteous mā for to haue that pacience for pacience is a volūtary suffring of euils which are done vnto any man or which doe happen vnto him whereby the righteous and the wyse man hath in himselfe pacience bicause that he receyueth the vertue of the which he shall be altogither depriued if he suffer nothing to the contrarie Although that he do no iniurie vnto anye man nor that he coueteth his neyghbors goodes and though he defende not his own goods if they be taken from him by force and violence forasmuche as he can quietlye ynough suffer the iniurie that is done vnto him bicause that he is garnished with vertue It is necessarye that the righteous man be subiect vnto the vnrighteous mā And the wyse be despised of the foole to the ende that the one doe sinne bicause he is vnrighteous and that the other be in seruitude and bondage bicause he is righteous For howe can a Captaine prooue and trie his souldiers if he haue no enimie And yet neuerthelesse the aduersarie eleuateth and exalteth himselfe maugre him bicause that he is mortall and maye be vanquished and ouercome but bicause we cannot repugne and striue agaynste God he himselfe moueth and stirreth vp the aduersaries agaynst his name not for to striue and fight against him but against his souldiars to that ende he maye proue and trye the faithe and deuotion of his vntill suche time as he doth correcte and amend in pressing and beating the discypline whiche was become colde There is also an other cause wherefore hee dooth permitte and suffer that we should be persecuted that is to the ende that the people of God shoulde bee augmented Some desire to know what that goodnesse is which is defended euen vnto death which is preferred aboue all the pleasant thinges and best loued and set by in this world of which goodnesse nothing can drawe them from it neyther the losse of their goodes nor the losse of their sight dolor of body nor anye other tormentes whatsoeuer they be all thinges are much worth but the greatest causes which followed haue alwayes augmented our number The people being rounde about the good christians hearde them saye in their tormentes that they should not do sacrifice nor offer vnto stons made and hewen with mans handes but vnto the liuing God which is in heauen many doe heare that the same is good and true they receiue it in their minds and vnderstandinges Afterwarde as men haue accustomed or vsed to doe in vncertayne thinges when they demaund and enquire within them selues what may be the cause of that perseuerance and constancie many things belonging vnto religion are spread abroade and knowen and declared from the one to the other by the report that they make And by that meanes they are taught who for asmuche as they are good it is necessary that they please Furthermore the vengeance that followeth as it happeneth often hath a greate vehemence to make them beleeue All these causes put togither haue gotten and drawen vnto God a maruelous great company of people S. Hilary in his booke against Auxentius Ambition doth ayde it selfe by the name of Christe The Churche doth feare and compell the people through banishements and imprisonmentes to beleeue hir the which they haue beleeued through banishmentes and prisons Shee dependeth vpon those that doe disdayne to communicate with hir She which is consecrated and made holy by the terror of the persecutors driueth awaye the prestes Shee which hath bene engendred by the running away of priestes doth glory and extoll hir selfe to be beloued of the worlde Shee whiche coulde not be beloued of Christe if the worlde had not hated hir Experience cryeth in all mens mouthes and declareth and sheweth the comparison of the church the which of late hath bene giuen vnto vs and neuer shall be destroyed All that which is not of faith is sinne Chrysostome in his first Tome vpon S. Mathewe .47 homily Chapter .13 Let them both growe togither till haruest come the Lorde did forbid them least while they wente aboute to weede out the tares they should plucke vp the wheate also whiche thing he spake to forbidde the sheading of bloude For if the Heritickes were put to deathe without alliance of peace warre shoulde bee without truce Wherefore he doth forbyd it for two causes the one bicause they shoulde hurte and hinder a little the corne The other is that if they doe not heale them selues they shal neuer escape the eternall and euerlasting punishmentes and tormentes wherefore if thou wouldest amend and in no wyse hurte the corne you must attend and tarry the time
him against the vnwyse Then shall the thunder boltes go out of the lightnings and come out of the rayne bowe of the cloudes to the place appointed out of the harde stonie indignation there shall fall thicke hayles and the water of the sea shall bee wroth agaynst them and the flouds shall runne roughlye togither yea a mihgtie wynde shal stand vp agaynst them and a storme shall scatter them abroade c. Beholde howe the true christian doctrine is at this day called a new pestilentious doctrine by the worldlinges Euen as in the old time it was called and in the Apostles time Men haue called before time as they doe at this day the doctrine of the Apostles newe doctrine as it appeareth in the actes of the Apostles where it is sayde And they tooke Paule and sayde vnto him maye we not knowe what this newe doctrine whereof thou speakest is for thou bringest straunge tydings in oure eares Some called him a babler and a tidings bringer of newe Gods. All men did speake agaynst the Apostolicall doctrine as it appeareth by that which the Iewes sayde vnto Saint Paul when he was come to Rome saying vnto him we will heare of thee what thou thinkest for as concerning this sect we know that euery where it is spoken against Saint Paule being accused and brought before the great gouernor they accused him after this sort We haue founde this fellowe a pestilent fellowe and a mouer of debate vnto all the Iewes throughout the worlde and a chiefe mayntayner of the sect of the Nazarites Saint Paule answereth vnto the same This I confesse vnto thee that after that way which they call heresye so worship I the God of my fathers beleeuing all thinges which are written in the lawe and the Prophets And haue hope towardes God that the same resurrection of the deade which they them selues looke for also shall be both of the iust and vniust some sayde that the Apostles with their doctrine did nothing but moue the people to sedition as it appeareth by the actes of the Apostles saying certayne vagabonds which were wicked fellowes did make assault against the house of Iason and drewe him with certayne brethren vnto the heades of the citie crying these are they whiche haue subuerted the state of the world and here they are which Iason hath receiued and these all doe contrary to the decrees of Ceasar affirming that there is another king one Iesus Therefore we labour and suffer rebuke bicause we haue sure hope in the liuing God which is the sauiour of all men but specially of those that beleeue The Tyrantes shall not escape vnpunished but often times they them selues that did put to death the children of God by the handes of the hangmen haue not that good to be killed of the hangmen but they them selues are the hangmen or murderers of their owne bodyes As it appeareth by Saule which persecuted Dauid It was not needefull that Dauid shoulde haue pursued him for he was auenged more then he desired It was not needefull to hang vp Achitophel nor the Apostles to pursue Iudas that betrayed his maister for he him selfe was his owne hangman hanging himselfe by the necke brast a sunder in the middes and all his bowelles gusshed out And Senacherib had for his hangmen his owne sonnes and it did cost Ezechias nothing for to auenge him selfe of the tyrannie agaynst him Were Antiochus and Herode left vnpunished for theyr tyrannie vpon the children of God It appeareth no. For they were consumed and eaten with lyce and vermine God will not leaue the wicked vnpunished as it appeareth of Achab Manasses Sedechias and many Emperoures of Rome 1. Timo. 6. Regi autem seculorum immortali inuisibili soli sapienti deo honor gloria in secula seculorum Amen FINIS Act. 15. Titus 1. 1. Tim. 1. Rom. 14. Euseb lib. 4. cap. 22. 1. Pet. 2. Rom. 13. Sapi. 6. Act. 9. 1. Cor. 2. Mat. 10. 1. Tim. 5. 1. Thes 5. Iohn 6. 1. Cor. 11. Math. 26 Marc. 14. Luke 22. Or the nevv alliance 1. Cor. 10. 1. Cor. 10. Exod. 17. Num. 20. Iohn 6. Iohn 6. VVe eate not Christes bodie carnally Iohn 6. Christ not eaten by morsels The sinner eateth nothing in the supper but the outevvard signe Iohn 6. Christ maketh not peeces of his bodie Iohn 6. That vvhich vvee see in the supper is breade Esay 7. Luc. 1. Math. 2. Luk 24. Act. 1. Iohn 6. The breade is the signe of the bodie of Christ Hoe est cor pus meum hovve to be vnderstode Iesus Christ representeth his body by the breade Note Note We must vnderstande many things in the scriptures spiritually 2. Cor. 3. 1. Cor. 2. Mat. 26. Genes 17. Rom. 4. Ezech. 4. 5. Genes 41. 1. Cor. 10. The sacraments take oftentimes the name of the things that they represent The substance of breade and vvine is not chaunged in the supper Col. 3. 1. Cor. 6. Consecration is to dedicate a cōmon thing to a holy vse Note that he sayth not the bloude but the drinke sanctified The vvater of baptisme doth not purge sinnes Note vvell and vnderstande The bodie of the Lorde cannot stink nor be burned nor vomited Psal. 15. Act. 2. Ast. 13. Christ vpon the earth nor in the corruptible elements is not to be sought Act. 7. Iohn 2. The bodie of Christ but in one place Christ shall come as he ascended that is in the same forme 2. Colos 3. Iohn 7. Iohn 12. Iohn 13. Iohn 14. Iohn 16. Iohn 16. Mat. 28. Luk. 24. Act. 1. Act. 3. The supper to be receyued in tvvo kindes or else not Mat. 26. The Counsell of Basill The vse in the primitiue Church of the supper The breade not caried in processions Mat. 26. VVherefore the sacrament of the supper is called Eucharistia Psal. 50. Apoc. 11. VVe ought not to follovve custome but Christe vvhich is the veritie Iohn 15. Esay 29. Math. 15. Math. 5. The supper is but a remembrance of the sacrifice Heb. 13. Rom. 12. Oseas 14. Philip. 4. Heb. 10. If then the sacrifices commanded of God haue no povver to take avvay sinnes hovv shall those doe vvhich God hath neuer commanded Heb. 10. Heb. 10. Heb. 10. Hebr. 9. Iesus Christ is no more offred in sacrifice but once for all 1. Pet. 1. Galat. 3. The sacraments are tvvo Baptisme and the Lordes supper Saint Augustine nameth but tvvoo sacraments Psal. 32. 1. Par. 16. 2. Par. 20 Psal. 51. 1. Iohn 1. Iames. 5. Mat. 18. Psal. 32. Confesion to God onlye Psal. 50. Mar. 2. Confession to the Priest reiected by Chrisostom Auricular confession abolished in Constantinople Ponti 183 Psal. 19. Mat. 26. Luk. 17. Leuit. 14. Hovve vve ought to vnderstand go shevve thy selfe to the Priest Mar. 2. Man cannot pardon sins The keyes giuen to the Church and not to the person of Peter Mat. 16. S. Peter receyued the keyes vvith
holy scriptures Collos 3. The holy scriptures cause vs to beare all tribulations paciently Little children ought to be taught the holye scriptures 2. Tim. 3. Euery one may dravve out of the holy scriptures that vvhich is needefull for his soules health VVe ought to teach one another in Gods vvord VVhat is the cause that manye doe profite so little in the scriptures No excuse from reading of scripture An admonition vnto the poore people to haue the holy bookes He ought to feare vvhich vvill not reade the Scriptures to be tormēted vvith eternall paynes Esay 5. 1. Cor. 14. Math. 25. Pro. 28. Hee that vvoulde be hearde of God ought first to heare God. Rom. 15. Rom. 1. 1. Cor. 10. The maried vvife ought to be an example to all those of hir house in holynesse of life and conuersation Ephe. 5. 1. Cor. 11. The vvicked lyfe of another to couer ours ought not to be alledged Rom. 2. Hovve vve ought to bring vp the yong daughters in reading The canonicall bokes Iohn 5. Christ is the vertue of God. The excuses that the temporall people doe make to auoyde from reading the holy scriptures Monkes vvere solitarie people vvho notvvithstanding did lead a common life not as the Monkes at this day Euen as the instruments of arte for to gayne the lyfe euen so are the bookes of the Apostles for the lyfe of our soules 2. Tim. 2. The profite that commeth vnto vs of the holy bookes Although that manye doe not vnderstand all the scripture they must not therefore leaue of to profit in it The Philosophers haue not searched that vvhich profiteth but to make themselues esteemed The Apostles and Prophetes haue vvritten clearely and plainly Iere. 31. Heb. 8. 1. Cor. 2. Math. 5. Act. 8. The diligence of the Eunuch reading the scriptures not vnderstanding them Act. 8. 1. Cor. 10. VVe ought not to follovve the error of oure forefathers This constitution in the bodie of the lavve is imprinted at Paris at the signe of the golden sunne The holye ordinaunce that Iustinian made touching the holy bokes to haue thē in al tōgues to the ende they should be reade of all men VVe ought to take hede of the malice of the interpreters The Emperour Iustinian giueth libertie vnto all men to read the holy scriptures and the reason vvherfore Those vvhiche vvoulde not suffer the scripture in all languages and tōgues vver punished through the confiscation of their goodes Iohn 6. Num. 11. Moyses enuyed not those vvhich had the gift of god Amos. 7. The Priestes doe say that it appertayneth not vnto the laye people to dispute in the Church behold diligently the contrarie Chrysostom vvould that all vvere doctors 1. Thes 5. Many doe learne sooner foolish and baudie songs than spirituall The excuse of many Math. 21 Rom. 13. Iam. 1. Iohn 3. Act. 5. Act. 16. The Christians neuer assembled themselues to the hurt of any man. If rhere happeneth any euill vnto the vvorlde the vvorldlings doe say that it is bicause of the faithfull Act. 16. Act. 20. Act. 2. Act. 1. Act. 21. In the auncient assemblies they prayed for the Emperors and magistrates Praier is the best sacrifice that one can offer vnto God. Plinie vvriteth vnto the Emperor of the lyfe and maner of the faithfull in their assemblies Eusebius Caesariensis in the ecclesiasticall historie lib. 11. Chap. 4. Theodorite lib. 4. cha 24. Historie tripartite lib. 10. chap. 20. Ievves burned in a caue 2. Mac. 5. Psal. 133. Math. 18. In this latter time the vvicked are called good the good vvicked Mortal man is vvoorth nothing Truth and force inseperable and righteousnes and crueltie To kill and exercise crueltie belongeth not vnto the good but to the euill The signe of the good and the euill Compulsion auayleth not God vvill auenge the griefes of his seruants Esay 59. Ezec. 34. Veritas odium parit VVhat patience is It is necessary that the righteous man be afflicted of the vvicked to the ende he haue pacience The cause vvhy aduersaries are stirred vp Through persecutions a great nūber is ioined to the gospell Rom. 14. Math. 13 Iesus Christ doth not require shedding of blud The persecutors do seke to put to death for feare that their malice shoulde bee vncouered and knovvn Genes 27. Exod. 2. The holye men haue fled from the handes of the persecutors 1. Reg. 21. 3. Reg. 19. 3. Reg. 18 Iohn 20. Act. 9. Num. 35. Iosua 20. Mat. 10. Iohn 8. Iohn 12. Math. 2. Mat. 12. Iohn 11. Iohn 8. Luc. 4. Men ought not to burn them that speake other vvise than the truth allovveth Mat. 14. The persecutors them selues are ignorant of the gospell Iohn 7. Iohn 2. Iohn 7. Math. 26 Sapien. 6. Rom. 10. An admonition vnto Kings Princes and Iudges Miche 3. Persecuters cruelly tormented Luk. 18. The despising of the poore people of God is pitifull Mat. 23. Esay 26. Eze. 22. Miche 7. Iohn 16. Mat. .12 Psal. 116. Esa. 26. Zacha. .2 Mat. .23 Persecution is prophecied to happen vnto the children of God. 3. Reg 21. Prou. 17. Esay 5. Prou. 29. Prou. 29. Prou. 31. Prou. 29. Ierem. 26. Ieremy vvas accused by the priests Esa. 10. The torments of the vvicked princes 2. thess. 1 Sap. 5. The complaint of the persecutors at the day of iudgement Sapi. 5. The doctrin of the Apostles nevve doctrine Act. 17. Act. 28. Act. 24. Act. 24. The resurrection of the righteous and vnrighteous shall come Act. 17. 1. Tim. 4. 1. Sam. 31 Note the vengeance of God agaynst the vvicked persecutors Act. 1. Esay 37. 2. Mac. 8. Act. 12. Euseb li. 1 cap. 9. li. 2 cap. 10. 3. Reg. 22 4 Reg. 15.21.24.25 A Table to finde oute the principall things contayned in this present booke and first of the Letter A. ABstinence Pag. 229. Adam condemneth his posteritie Pag. 50. Adam not good of himselfe Pag. 59. Adam his free vvill Pag. 59. Aduocate for vs Iesus Christ Pag. 192. Aduocate any other is error Pag. 191. Aduocate for S. Iohn onely Christ Pag. 191. Aduocates none vvith God as Earles and Lordes vvith Kings Pag. 200 Angels not to be honoured Pag. 175 Angels vvould vve should honour god Pag. 175. Apostles maryed Pag. 245. Apostles teach the commaundements of god Pag. 284 Apostles vvrite clearely Pag. 325. Apostles praying for the Cananite Pag. 197. Apostles assembled secretly Pag. 340. Assemblies certified by Plinie Pag. 345. Assemblies of the Christians by night Pag. 342. Assemblies their deedes Pag. 343. Assemblies harmelesse Pag. 241. Assembled their prayers Pag. 343. Assemblie of Ievves burned Pag. 346. Ashes of Saints Pag. 186. Augustine counteth but tvvo Sacraments Pag. 38. Augustine his recantation Pag. 48. Augustine of free vvill Pag. 60. Augustine his exposition Pag. 171. Augustine his opinion Pag. 283. B. Baptisme purgeth not sinnes Pag. 23. Bishop of Bishops none Pag. 50. Bloude of Oxen. Pag. 37. Bodie of Christ not carnally eaten Pag. 3. Bodie of Christ not diuided Pag. 3. Bodie of Christ vvhole in