whiche God promysed to all his faythfull soldiours and knowinge that our enemye the deuyll is moost busye and fearce than craftelye to assault his soldiour in his laste conflicte when he is lest able to resiste because the body that corrupteth and dieth dothe make heauye the soule than I saye our sauiour Christ by the sacrament of extreme Unction dothe inwardlye anoynte the sycke soldiour whereby he doth replenishe him with grace comforte and strength of the holy Ghoste againste the manyfolde and violent tentations of the deuyll and doth releue his hart with spirituall ioy agaynste the horrour of death and if he hath lightly offended in any venyall synne he pardoneth him and if he thinke it so expedient to his soule health he doth also sometime releue his corporall dissease and if not yet he sheweth him that honour that he doth and woulde the holle church shoulde accompt him as a faythful soldiour and if he hath not refused the benefite of his other Sacramentes to haue departed this transitorye life in hys moste gracious fauoure and to haue chaunged the short and light afflictions of thys tyme with the weighty and euerlasting glorye in the kyngdome of heauen The seuenth and laste thinge that a worldlye prince doth is if the tyme of hys warre be prolōged and further continued and many of his soldiours be slaine or departed thā to prouide that his armye be fullye restored agayne wyth some new and fresh souldiours and to vse them as he did the other before Euen so doth our Sauiour Christ because all the tyme of this worlde is the time of our battayle and conflicte of oure ghostly enemies in which tyme a great numbre of the souldiours of Christ departe out of thys transitorie life some in the fauour of their prince and so be rewarded and some in his displeasure such as haue fled traiterously to the deuyll their enemy haue turned their face against Christ their prince therfore he hath ordeyned the sacrament of Matrimonie speciallye for thys cause to restore his army agayne that newe men and women may be borne by generation in lawful coniunction and chaste Matrimonye of whom by Baptisme and spirituall regeneration he myght choose and appoynt out newe soldiours to furnishe his armye agayne and to fyght in the place of them that be departed during the time of his warre which is al the time of this present world By thys example similitude of warre I haue declared vnto you good people bothe the numbre of the Sacramentes of Christes Catholyke church which be seuen and also generally the effectes and vertues of them all and what fruit and benefite we take thereby Furthermore ye shall vnderstand that like as in a man there be two thinges a body a soule so in euery Sacrament there be twoo thynges one that is outwardly seene an other that is inwardly perceyued and beleued The outwarde visible thing is the element or matter of the sacrament the inwarde inuisyble and spyrituall thynge is the grace and vertue of the Sacrament The inwarde grace is signified conteined and geuen by the outwarde part of the Sacrament The graces of the Sacramentes be spirituall and ordeyned of God to heale the sinnes of the soule of man and because man principally dyd synne by the consent of hys reason and yet tooke occasion to sinne of the sensualitie and desyre of his fleshe therefore hath God tempered the medicine of hys Sacramentes accordynge to mans disease that the chiefe parte whyche is the inwarde grace being spiritual might be ministred to man in a sensible and visible sygne of a Sacrament as it were a secret medicyne deliuered to a sycke man in a visible glasse or vessell and suche a vessell as dothe teache the receyuer what is conteyned within it and is also geuen by it As for example the spirituall grace of regeneration is geuen to a man by the vse of baptisme whereby he vnderstandeth by the propertie of the water whiche is to washe awaye the fylthe of the bodye the nature of the inwarde grace whych is the washynge and purgynge of the soule from all spottes of synne and iniquitie so that nowe the bodye by the receyuynge of the sensible sacrament is made an occasion for the soule to rise from synne by receyuing of the spirituall grace as in the begynninge it was an occasion for the soule to fall to synne For whyche cause nowe the fleshe is washed that the soule myghte be purged the fleshe is anoynted that the soule might be consecrate and halowed the fleshe is marked crossed that the soule myght be armed and defended the fleshe is couered by imposition of handes that the soule myghte be lyghtned wyth the spyrite of God the fleshe is fedde with the bodye and bloode of Christ that the soule myghte be nourished and made fatte wyth God and as these twoo be nowe ioyned in theyr woorkes so shall they be afterward ioyned in rewardes And althoughe these marueilous graces and spirituall medicines bee geuen vnto vs by the Sacramentes yet God is onelye the Authour and geuer of theym who healeth the soule of man nowe ioyned wyth the body with hys spirituall grace ministred in corporall sygnes and Sacramentes and it is not the outwarde visible thinges that geue that whyche is geuen by them but God doth geue grace by theym that commaundeth vs to seeke grace in theym And this is the very difference betwene the Sacramentes of the olde testament and of the newe that the old Sacramentes did signifye and promise Christ the Sauiour and the newe Sacramentes doo geue the saluation and the Sacramentes of the olde testament did profite the fathers then not by anye vertue that was in the sacramentes but onely by the vertue efficacye of their fayth in Christ to come whiche was signified and promised by those sacramentes But the Sacramentes of the newe testament do profite the receiuers not by the fayth and deuotion eyther of the receiuers or of the minysters although faith and repentaunce and conuersyon to God the preparation of the harte the aptnes of the persone be necessarily required in the receiuers being of age discretion but they profite by y e vertue whiche they haue of the merites of Christes passion alreadye suffered vpon the crosse who vseth them as instrumentes of hys grace and mercy and hath decreed to worke infalliblye by them suche effectes of grace as they signifye And it is not the goodnesse or noughtynesse of the minister that canne further or hinder the vertue of the Sacramentes in working of theyr effectes for neyther he that planteth nor he that watereth is anye thynge but God that geueth the encrease Euen as it maketh no matter whether the Phisicyan be sycke or holle or whether the boxe bee of syluer or of woodde so the medicine be apt and good For yf theffect of the Sacrament did depend vpon the goodnes of the Minister whyche to men is vnknowen
euen so in this sacrament the outwarde forme of breade appeareth to mans sight and the inwarde substance of Christ god and man appeareth not to a mans corporall eye but to the eye of his soule whiche is faith which fayth is stayed vppon the omnipotēt power of god For he that can create all thinges of nought with his woorde can also chaunge thinges that be created with his word and if the benediction of man can chaunge the natures of thinges as appeared when Moyses chaunged hys rodde into a serpent what shall we say of the consecration of God that worketh merueilously in his holy sacrament If the word of Helyas was able to bringe fyre from heauen shall not the worde of Christ be able to chaunge the substaunce of breade therefore vppon thys grounde of gods almightye power we submitte our reason to our fayth and aboue the reache of reason we beleue Christes worde and that ther is not the substaunce of bread which nature formed but the substaunce of Christe whiche benediction hath consecrate And so wee esteme thys Sacramente otherwyse than an infidell dothe Like as an vnlearned man when he looketh vppon a booke he vnderstandeth not the meaninge of the writing but a learned manne wyll fynde muche matter hyd there as the lyues and stories of men the vnlearned man wyl thinke ther is nothinge els but paper and ynke the learned man will vnderstande an others speakinge and speake to one beyng absent and aske by his letters what so euer he would haue euen so it is in these misteries the infidels althouhh they here what it is yet they seme not to heare But the faithfull man who hathe experience of the holye ghost can beholde the vertue and power of God in the secrete misteries where the substaunce of bread is consumed by the substaunce of Christes body and ceaseth to be there any more euen as waxe when it is put in the fyer it melteth away the substaunce of it remaineth no more These similitudes whereof the bookes of the olde writers be full be not to satisfy the subtle wits and curious questions of men that lack faithe whose reasons brought oute of naturall experimentes maye in no wyse be admytted of a Chrysten manne to dysproue anye parte of our faythe receyued but they be brought in to declare what is oure faythe in this poynte to whiche faythe Gods pleasure is that euerye mannes reason should be taken captiue and serue to the beliefe of his wonderful workes and Sacramentes euen as the natural inclination of our will should serue to execute the commaundement of godlye charitie For whatsoeuer fleshe and bloud dothe bring forth or the subtlenesse of mans wyt not indued with the spirit of God can inuente is to be reiected from the iudgement and dyscussion of this holy mistery and onely that is to be admitted which the father of heauen by the mouth of his sonne and the inspiration of hys holy spirite hath reueled to his churche And therewyth is euery good christen man contented and satisfied not like the vnfaithful Iewes asking howe it can be so seyng nothing is vnpossible to God but geuinge full credite to the churche of God in the presence of Christ in this Sacrament as the blessed virgine Marye dyd to the Aungel of god in the incarnation of Christe in her wombe and as she gaue full consente to the Aungels woorde when he tolde her that the holye ghoste shoulde come into her and the power of the moste highe god should ouershadow her euen so ought euery faythful soule to geue ful credite to gods church when it teacheth by the woorde of God that the holy ghost ouershadoweth this mistery and maketh present the body of Christ aboue the speach and reason of man and chaungeth the bread and the wine into Christes body and bloud the outward formes remaining stil so that nowe there be not two substances remaininge but one and the self same that was geuen for our redemptiō otherwyse the maner of it is not searcheable And it oughte to beleue also that lyke as the Churche of god in the first generall Counsell at Nyce dyd verye well whan it dyd inuente the worde of Consubstantialitie to expresse the old trueth that Christ was no creature but equall god and of one and the same substance with the father to the confusion of the heretyke Arius and all hys adherentes euen so that the same churche of god did very well in the general coūsell at Laterane when it inuented the woord of Transubstantiation to expresse the olde truthe that there is but one substance of Christe in the Sacrament and that the former substaunces of breade and wyne be conuerted and chaunged in to the body and bloude of Christe the qualities and figure of the same remaining styll vnchaunged to the cōfusion of the heretykes Luther and zwinglius and all their adherentes Furthermore it is to be considered that in this chaunge of the bread god did shewe his greate mercyfull goodnes towardes vs that for our reliefe bearing with our infirmitie he hath suffred the outwarde formes of bread and wine to remaine vnchaunhed For as our nature abhorreth the kylling of a mans fleshe and the sheding of a mans bloude so muche more it abhorreth the eatinge of mans raw fleshe and the drynkinge of mans liuely bloude And where as our sauiour Christ declaringe the necessitie of this Sacrament to thatteining of euerlasting life sayd that except we did eate his flesh and drinke his bloude wee shoulde not haue lyfe in vs therefore hath he by his godly wisdome inuēted this way to geue vs his flesh to eate his bloud to drink and yet our nature should not abhorre the eating and drynking of it but comfortablye and obedientlye receiue it For he geueth it in such nutrimentes of bread and wine as we be daily accustomed to be fedde withal and so cōdescending to our infirmitie lest we should abhorre the sight of his flesh bloude in their owne likenesse he reserueth the outwarde formes of the breade and wyne but their substaunces he chaungeth into his fleshe bloude Besyde diuers other commodities that come to vs thereby as that our fayth is more exercysed in beleuing that to bee there presente whyche we see not with our corporall eyes and the propretie of the sacrament is retained which is to teache vs by the composition and nature of the outward element what the holy ghost worketh inwardly in the soule of him that worthylye receiueth it whiche is the vnitie and perfyte coniunction of Christes misticall body And also the holy Sacrament it self is kept and cōserued in his due honour which otherwise should be cōtemned despised of the paganes and infidels if they perceiued how we christē men did eate the flesh drink y e bloud of Christ our lorde god For these causes he hath ordeined it to bee ministred in the formes of bread
death of a man is in the soule the occasion wherof commeth by the corrupt affection of the flesh so this spirituall medicine of Christes body and bloud in the sacrament worketh his effectes not onely in the soule of man but also in the body of man by healynge it by defendinge sanctifyinge strengthning and reducing it to immortalitye Fyrst seyng that we mortall and synful men be fleshe and bloude we can not be reformed in the corrupt and weake nature of our bodies and soules nor come agayne to the lykenes and symilitude of God in puritie and life except a conuenient playster be layde to our olde disease and in the healing of our desperate infirmitie one coÌ„trarye be remoued by an other like thinges be applyed and made agree vnto lyke as Christes lyuelye and sanctified bodye to our mortall and synnefull fleshe which thing is done in the receiuing of this most blessed Sacrament where the vertue of so great and holsome a medicine doth perse al partes both of body and soule and doth renew and make holl whatsoeuer sycknesse the corruption of old noughty liuing had before caused and engendred in the fleshe or in the spirite For the body of Christ our lord receiued into vs by the misticall benediction which is the sacrament and remayning in vs driueth awaye not onely death but also al sickenes and the poyson that was brought in by original sinne and it pacifieth and kepeth vnder the raging law of oure members it strengthneth deuotion it quencheth the froward and synful affections of the minde and those smal sinnes we be in it regardeth not but healeth the sycke restoreth the brused and from falling it lifteth vs vp In baptisme we were washed from all synne and the writing of our damnation was cancelled and grace was geuen vnto vs that the conâ—cupiscence and carnall desyre of our flesh shoulde not hurt vs if we abstein from consenting to it and so the corrupte and putrified matter of oure old sore was remoued and taken away But who is able to ouercome the violent motions of hys flesh and to quench the heat and itch of suche a sore â— surely no man of his own strength but we maye be bold for grace helpeth vs wherewyth we be indued by receiuing Christes blessed body and bloud in thys sacrament which hath in vs two effectes the one to take away our smal sins that we fele them not the other to take away or refraine our consent from great and mortal sins that we doo them not So that if any of you all do fele and perceiue in himselfe not so great motions or so violent prouocations to anger to enuye to lecherie or to other vyces or not so often times as he did before let him geue most humble and hye thanks to the body and blood of our lord for the vertue of the sacrament doth worke in him and he maye be glad that the rotten sore and old disease of his sensuall concupiscence is better amended and well nygh brought to helth and that the commotion and rebellion of his sodayne passions and carnall affections be so wel ceased and pacifyed Furthermore besyde the healing of our sinful flesh it sanctifieth and strengthneth it in vertue and godly liuing for like as material bread doth comfort and make strong a mans body euen so the bread of life that came from heauen which is Christes body one person with the godhed doth lykewyse make strong our bodyes in grace and more then that it sanctifieth both body soule And like as wyne maketh glad a mans hart euen so the bloode of Christ dothe fulfill a mans hart wyth spirituall gladnes and beside that is made a great stay and a sure defeÌ„ce for it which to a godly man is as it were a shield against his enemy and therefore in all daungerous and perillous times in remeÌ„braunce of Christes passion by which al grace and strength was purchased for vs we receyue Christes body and bloode for the defence preseruation of our bodies and soules wherby the power of the deuil is resisted his fiery dartes of tentations be driuen away So the churche of Christe vseth to doo with her faythfull soldiours in all persecutions eyther of furious tirantes or deceitful heretikes for wheÌ„ it prouoketh and exhorteth theÌ„ to fight agaynst their enemies it doth not leaue them naked and vnarmed but doth harnes and defend theÌ„ wyth the protection of Christes body and blood For seing this sacrameÌ„t is ordeined for this purpose to be a defence to the receyuers therefore it armeth al them with the harnes and shield of our Lordes meate whoÌ„ it would haue to be safe froÌ„ the hurt of theyr enemies For after a man hath receyued woorthely the heauenlye meate of our Lordes body and blood the deuil forsaketh him and flyeth away swifter then the wynde dare not approch nere When the angel that destroied the first begotten in Egipt saw the dore postes sprinkled with the blood of the paschal Lambe he passed by and durst not enter in to kyll How much more wil the wicked angel the deuil runne away when he shal see not the blood of the figuratiue lambe sprinkled vpon the postes but the body and bloud of the true lambe of God in the mouth of a Christen maÌ„ If the angel gaue place to the shadow or fygure howe muche more wyl the enemye be afrayde when he seeth the truth When he shall see the house of the soule occupied with the brightnes of Christes heauenly preseÌ„ce and al entraunce for his temptatioÌ„s shut away Thus are we made stronge agaynst our enemies by the vertue of this heaueÌ„ly foode wherby also our bodies being purified and refreshed be set at liberty and doth freely folow the soule and the motions of our spirite beyng deliuered from the heauye burden and weakenes whyche our carnall natiuitie dyd cause and finally they be made no more corruptible hauing thys heauenly meate for theyr hope and pledge of theyr resurrection to life euerlasting whereby they be preserued and prepared to the atteynyng of the same life For how can our flesh come to corruption and peryshe for euermore and not receyue eternall lyfe which is fed with the body blood of our Lord as our sauiour himselfe taught vs saying He that eateth my fleshe and drynketh my blood hath life euerlasting and I shall rayse him vp at the last day that is to say my bodye whyche is eaten being the body of life shall rayse vp hys body to eternall life in the last day For the very cause of our life is that we haue Christe by hys flesh remayning and abidyng in our fleshe And it wer not possible for this corruptible nature of our flesh being subiect to corruption and death to be brought to incorruption and immortalitie in the kingdome of heauen except an immortall nature such as is the body of Christ beyng
lyfe perfection and saluation And after the same sorte the holye angels of God in the time of this oure sacrifice do assist the Priest and stand about the hoste thynking than the meetest tyme to shewe their charitie towards vs and therfore holding forth the body of Christ pray for mankynde as saying thus Lord we pray for thē whom thou hast so loued that for theyr saluation thou haste suffred death and spent thy lyfe vpon the crosse we make supplication for them for whom thou hast shed this thy bloode we praye for them for whom thou hast offred this same thy very body O Lord what earnest desyre shoulde we haue to be present and to associate our selues in the oblation of thys our Sacrifice whyche we knowe Christe him selfe alwayes to doo and also hys holy Angels and Archangels and is so acceptable a thing to God the father for all our synnes and ignoraunces ▪ For in that houre when Christes death is renewed in misterye and hys moste fearefull and acceptable Sacrifice is represented to the syght of God than sitteth the king vpon hys mercye seat inclined to geue and forgeue what so euer is demaunded and asked of him in humble maner In the presence of this body and bloode of our Sauioure Christe the teares of a meeke and humble man neuer begge pardon in vayne nor the Sacrifice of a contrite harte is neuer put backe but hathe his lawfull petition graunted and geuen By resorting to thys Sacrifice of the Masse we euidentlye declare and protest before GOD and the holle worlde that we put oure singular and onely trust of grace and saluation in Christ oure Lorde for the merytes of his deathe and passion and not for the woorthynes of any good woorke that we haue done or can doo And that wee make hys passion oure onelye refuge For when wysedome fayleth whyche onelye commeth by the doctrine of Christe when ryghtewysnesse lacketh whyche onelye is gotten by the mercy of Christ whē vertue ceaseth which onely is receyued of him that is the Lord of all vertue than for supplieng of these our lackes needes our refuge is to Christes passion than we rūne as the prophet saith to the cup of our sauiour a call vpon the name of our lorde that is to say we take his passion offer to God the father in misterie the woorke of our redemption that by this memorie commemoration of it it woulde please hys mercifull goodnesse to innouate hys grace in vs and to replenish vs with the fruyt of his sonnes passion and death For that commemoration of which our Lord said do this in remēbraunce of me is thonelye commemoration that maketh God mercifull vnto vs. We are become debters to almighty god two waies for our manifold sinnes iniquities done against him and for his manifold benefites graces giuen vnto vs. As for the debtes of our sinnes manye paye verye euill that driue of their penaunce to theyr last age many pay nothing at al that die with out penaunce and charitie and they that labour to pay all they can all theyr life can neuer fullye pay theyr holle debte no scant one farding of a thousand pound What remedye then haue we but to rūn to the riche man our neighbour that hath inough to pay for vs all I meane Christe our Lord that hath payed his hart blood for no debte of his own but for our debte ther whiles we celebrate the memorie of his passion we acknowledge and confesse our sinnes whyche be without numbre and graunt that we be not able fully to satisfie for the lest of them and therfore beseche our mercifull father to accept in ful payment and satisfaction of our debtes his passion which after this sort as he hath ordeyned to be done in the sacrifice of the Masse wee renewe and represent before him and where oure sinful life hath altogether displeased him we offer vnto him his welbeloued sonne Iesus in sacrifice with whom wee are sure he is well pleased most humbly making supplication to accept him for vs in whom onely we put all our trust accompting him all our rightwisnes and the author of our saluation ▪ And as for his manyfolde benefites and giftes of nature of grace and of fortune what haue we to render to God againe Synners that haue taken their soule in vayne and geue bothe their soules and bodies to serue the world and the flesh and abuse the goodes of the worlde as stickes and matter to kyndle the fyre of their vayne and carnall lustes they bee most vnthankful and deserue most punishment But other men that consider all they haue to be Gods giftes and geuen to them not to do theyr willes withall but to geue an accompt again of the wel vsing of them and therfore bestow their externall goodes in the workes of mercy and pitie and bryng their bodyes in bondage to their spirit and their soules to be ruled by the spirite of God and so dedicate thē selues holy to Gods seruice These men be good and make of theyr goodes their wylles theyr bodyes and soules swete sacrifices of praise and thankes geuing to almighty God but yet al these sacrifices in comparison of the greate heape of benefites whyche God hath geuen doth geue and shall geue vnto vs be but as it were one droppe to the hole sea a litle warte to a great mountaine and because they be vnperfite and in manye thinges spotted with synne and vncleane therefore they be not worthy to be represēted before God as thankes seing all we haue done is but our dutie skarse that For which cause we resorte to the bodye of Christe whom God hath geuen to vs and him as being ours we offer to God againe and so in him we supplye that we lacke in our selues For it is he that by his propiciatorie sacrifice which we celebrate in the holye Masse doth reconcile vs to God and with the plenty of his gfites maketh vs thankes geuers and in all thinges taketh vpon him our person and supplieth that we ought to do and by the very nature of his sacrifice which is his body styrreth vs to continuall geuing of thankes so that our Sacrifice beyng Christes bodye as it is the greatest gyfte that God gaue man So it is a woorthy and a reall geuing of thankes for all his other gyftes And therfore it is also called Sacrificium Eucharisticū ▪ a sacrifice of thankes geuing not onelye for that we by it geue thankes to God in woordes and prayers but also for that it is it selfe a sacrifice of thankes for oure redemption for the hope of our health and saluation And wher as sacrifice is the greatest and chiefest kynde of adoration that can be perteyning to Godlye honour called Latria therfore we do make sacrifice to no creature neyther to Saynt nor Angell but onelye to the holye Trinitie whyche is the onelye and true God and
al the assaultes and fiery dartes of his craftie tentatioÌ„s by them we be nourished and fed not onely with the spirituall foode of Gods woorde but also with the heaueÌ„ly immortall foode of Christes naturall body and bloud whereby we be sanctified both in body and soule and receiue encrease of all Gods former giftes and graces whereby also we be vnited vnto Christe in perfite vnitie that is to saye both spirituallye in oure soules and also corporally in our bodies by the worthy receyuing of his heauenlye and naturall flesshe into the same and by that pledge remaining effectuallye in vs we be assured and rest in perfite hope of immortalitie and the resurrection of our bodies to euerlastinge life They be also appoynted of almighty God as Embassadours to reconcile vs agayne to God when we by transgressioÌ„ of his lawes and commaundementes haue offended his Maiestie By their mouthes and ministerie GOD receyueth the vowes requestes and Sacrifices of his people whereby his anger and wrathe for the peoples offences is mitigated and taken away They be appoynted of almightie GOD to be watchemen and shepherdes ouer the flocke of Christe to geue warnyng when the wolfe commeth to deuoure the Sheepe and to reduce and bringe home againe to the folde when the flocke is dispersed suche as haue wandred in errour and wicked liuinge For these benefytes and a great number moo which may be easly rehersed but for tediousnes whiche all wee receiue of almightye God by the laboures and seruice of the Prelates and ministers in Christes Church we ought to haue theÌ„ in reuerence and to esteme theim accordinge to the admonition of Saint Paule as the minysters of God and the stewardes or dysposers of Gods mysteries knowinge that who so heareth and obeyeth them heareth and obeyeth god and who so dyspiseth them dispiseth GOD for the loue and reuerence which is geuen to Gods minister is geuen to God and likewise the coÌ„tempt of him is the contempt of God as almighty god saied him selfe to Samuell whom the people of Israel refused to rule ouer theÌ„ in these wordes They haue not contemned and reiected the but me So that generally the honour or contempte whiche is vsed towardes Gods ministers tendeth and reboundeth towardes God hym selfe As appeareth by the punishemente of suche contempte as the Iewes vsed agaynste Moyses whiche almightye God reputed as done against him selfe Furthermore besyde loue the people owe to the ministers of Christes Churche obedience as to theyr spirituall gouernours and rulers to whome Christe our sauiour hath committed the keyes of hys kyngedome by whyche is vnderstaÌ„ded ecclesiasticall power to exercyse discipline and iurisdiction ouer Gods people for the edifyenge and buildinge of them in grace and vertue and for the correctinge and banishing of all error and vngodly lyuinge This power in the ministers of the Churche ought euerye Christen man and woman to obey vnder paine of deadlye synne For seinge that all power is of GOD he that withstandeth or disobeyeth that power disobeyteh Gods ordynaunce and so offendeth greuouslye almyghtye GOD and his owne conscience excepte it be in suche cases where the ministers of Gods church shall make ordinaunces and geue commaundement contrarye to the expresse commaundement of almightye God for in suche cases men ought rather to obey God than man But all their constitutions speciallye suche as be vniuersallye receyued through out the catholike Church and be ordeyned for the conseruation and encrease of good lyfe and true relygyon and for the beauty of good order in the Churche and seruynge of GOD and for quyetnes and disciplyne vniformelye to bee kepte amonge the people all suche ordinaunces and constitutions no man maye contemptuouslye breake and disobey wythout deadlye sinne excepte vrgente and euydente necessytye or some other greater and more weyghtye commodytye doo excuse hym and yet in suche necessarye and â—rgente cases where he maye be excused for not obseruinge the same he muste beware and take hede that he neyther dispyse nor contempne the authoritie of the Churche nor yet therin do offend his neighbour by geuinge him an occasyon lykewyse to disobey or to iudge euill of an other Thys obedience to Gods ministers Sayncte Paule doth erhorte all men vnto writing to the Hebrues in thys sorte Be you obedient to your spirituall rulers and be you subiect vnder their gouernement because they labour and watche ouer you as men that shall geue an accompt for your soules That thynge whych GOD regardeth most that is to saye the soule of man for whose cause he tooke oure nature vppon him and for it dyd shedde hys mooste precious bloude in comparyson also whereof he setteth in a maner nothynge by all other thynges within thys world that same hathe he commytted to the charge of these hys mynysters and wyll of theym require a straite accoumpte at the laste day wherby appeareth how much he hath honoured them in commyttinge so precyous a Iewell to theyr charge and also howe muche all people oughte to esteme obeye and honoure theym that besyde the burden of theyr owne propre actes and dedes wyll clogge and charge theyr conscyences wyth the cure of other mennes soules whyche cure to discharge is verye harde and dyffyculte vnto theym bothe for that menne bee maysters and Lordes of theyr owne wylles whyche bee free and subiecte to no foreine compulsyon and also for that the perfecte state of mennes soules can not be knowen to their Curates excepte the parties theym selues doo confesse and open the same And therefore it is Gods wyll that these hys ministers shall be of all sortes of men obeyed in the executynge of theyr offyce commytted vnto theim both concerninge fayth and credyte to be geuen to their preachinges and exhortations so longe as they sytte in the chayre of Christe teachinge holesome and catholike doctryne and the imitation of the lyfe of our Sauiour and also concerninge the kepinge and fulfyllynge of the auncyent and godlye constitutions ordeyned by the Prelates of the vniuersall Church of Chryst for good order and conformitie of good lyuynge to be kept throughout in the same And speciallye they ought to be obeyed when they shall by discypline and the censures of the Church correct the publik crymes of any persone whiche of contumacye contemninge the admonitions of his neighbours and the Prelates of the churche refuseth to heare and obey the Churche For in suche cases of contempte the ministers of Christe maye not winke and suffer the people to runne hedlonges without bridle from one crime to an other to the destruction of them selues and others also but ought openlye to reproue suche men and if that wyll not serue than to draw the spirituall sworde of excomunication whiche is verye terryble and much to be feared of all Christen men and more than the corporall sworde of Prynces and Kynges for so much as the deathe of the soule is more to be feared than the deathe of the
geueth credyt and hee that beleueth not that it is hys verye true bodye as he sayde it was he is fallen from all grace and saluation And no manne oughte to bee in doubte of the truthe of this real presence of Christes body in the sacrament because he hathe eyther redde himselfe in certeyne holy wryters bookes or hath heard say of other that they say how in this Sacrament is a sygne or a figure or a similitude of Chrystes body For those same authours eyther in the places where they vse those wordes or els in some other places declare most manifestly theyr faythe concerning the real presence to be al one agreable with the common faythe of the vniuersall Churche of Christ. And for your better instruction in thys matter ye shall vnderstande that there be twoo thinges whiche be partes of thys Sacramente the visible formes of breade and wyne and the vnuisible body bloud of our lord Iesus Christ. The outwarde forme of that is seene is a fygure and signe of that hydden truth whyche is there conteined beleued and not sene Ye shall also vnderstand that in the Sacrament there be two graces to be considered the one is the substantial grace of Christes body there present and conteyned the other is the accidental grace onely signifyed and not conteined which is wrought in the soule of the worthye receiuour wherby he is more inwardly ioined to Christes mistical body not onely spirituallye by fayth and charytye but also by naturall and corporall participation with Christ and his church This vnity of Christes misticall body the church is as wel signified by Christes natural body there present as it is by the visible element of breade whiche as it is made one loafe of many granes so the church is made but one bodye of Christ consistinge of manie men and women And this is Christes naturall bodye in the Sacrament a figure of his misticall bodye the Churche and of the vnitye of the same And further where as our Lorde commaunded his disciples and all vs to doo the same that he didde that is to saye to consecrate and to raceiue his bodie and bloude in the remembraunce of his death and passion till his last commynge ye may thereby vnderstande that the inuisible spiritual and intelligible flesh blood of Christ in the Sacrament signifyeth and representeth the same visible mortall and palpable bodye of Christ vpon the crosse for which respect the sacrament of diuers Doctours is called a fygure or sygne Finally because all thinges that be in this present worlde be they neuer so true yet they be called figures and images in respecte of the same thinges in heauen whiche be seene as they be wythoute all shadowes or coueringes therfore like as the very oblation of Christ vpon the crosse which is a thing of most truthe is called an image in respect of that oblation whiche he the same time at al times maketh in heauen before his father where he appeareth as an aduocate for vs euen so the natural bodie of Christ in the sacrament which can not here be sene but by fayth may wel be called a figure or an image of the same body in heauen which is there seene without couer receyued by perfite fruition of al the blessed angels saintes that be ther in the kyngedome of God For here the Churche hath Christ her spouse in a sacramente and there she shall haue him without all sacrament both here and there is the truth but here it is couered and there manyfest without couer in earthe we eate the breade of angels in a Sacrament in heauen we shall eate the same bread euidentlye without a sacrament where the presence of the most hye priest shall shewe it selfe openly to all men as it is For these respectes whiche I haue rehersed no man ought to be in dout of the truth of Christes real presence in the Sacrament because of these wordes figure or signe founde in certayne authors which wordes as I haue declared do in no wyse denye the truthe of the presence but eyther they declare the secret and couered maner of it in the sacrament or they signifye the vnitye of Christes misticall body or els they bringe into oure remembraunce the passion of Christes bodye whiche is paste or the cleare fruition of the same in heauen whiche to vs is yet to come And here ye ought to marke diligentlye that I haue sayde concerninge the twoo maners of being of Christes bodye the one in heauen at the ryghte hande of hys father manyfestlye wythout all couer or Sacrament the other the same momente of tyme here in earthe amonges vs in a Sacramente to be receyued of vs for oure spirituall sustenaunce in whyche thynge wee maye not consider the nature of a mannes body but the infinite power of GOD that canne dooe wyth hys bodye what hee wyll and doth with it what he saith And because he saith euidētly that he geueth to vs his body that suffred and his bloude that was shedde therfore we ought to beleue his woorde whyche can not deceiue vs seinge that all thinges be possible to God which be vnpossible to man Christes bodie is but one and although it bee consecrate and offered in many places yet there is but one Christ in euery place being bothe full Christ here and full Christ there one bodye And where as Chryste Gods onelye begotten sonne goeth into euery man diuisiblye that receyueth him and by his flesh sanctifieth their soules and bodies yet he in his flesh remayneth hole wythout diuision in euery one beinge but one wher so euer he be by no meanes diuided And in thys miracle oure Sauioure Christe excelled Helias and all other prophetes for Helias left his mantle vnto his disciple but the sonne of God ascending left to vs his fleshe Helias ascended without his mantle him self but Christ both left hys fleshe vnto vs and ascended hauing it also with him And this is not of our desertes but of hys exceding mercye and good wyll that beinge hole in his maiestie and glory at the ryght hande of God hys father yet dothe vouchesafe the same tyme to be with vs in earth vnuisibly being but one in dyuers places not onelye comfortinge vs that be here trauelinge wyth the presence of hys diuinitie and holye spirite but also feeding and nourishynge vs with the heauenlye foode of hys body and bloud to euerlasting life This feading of vs with Christes body bloud we muste vnderstand that it is not only spiritually by faith when we remember and thinke vppon his passion and death but also corporallye with the seruice of our bodies and senses when we receiue it in the sacrament For as in the olde law the bloud of the paschal lambe was cōmaunded to be sprinckled vpon both the postes of the doore euen so the bloude of Christe our paschall
lambe is sprinckled vpon both the postes of our doore when it is receiued not onelye wyth the mouth of the body for redemption but also with the mouth of the hearte for imitation Whyche bloude is not nowe shedde vpon the handes and coates of the souldiours that crucifyed him but is powred into the mouthes of the faithfull that receyue hym And this newe doctryne was not knowen to the worlde tyll our Sauiour Christe taught it hymselfe in his ghospell For the olde lawe dyd forbydde the eatinge and drinkinge of bloude with theyr mouthes and the newe law dothe commaunde it so to be dronken for which cause we that pertayne to the newe lawe do vse often tymes to drinke of this bloud knowynge that except we eate his flesh and drink his bloud we shall not haue lyfe in vs. Wherein wee are called to more dignitye than any of the prophetes of the olde testamente was For Dauid dyd neuer eate of thys bodye nor neuer dranke of this bloude although he beleued in Chryste as well as we or rather better and so was onelye pertaker of them spirituallye by fayth and not corporally by the sacrament as we be See with what great dignity almighty God doth honour our mouthes by which as by certeine gates and doores our sauiour Christ entreth into vs when we communicate and receiue his bodye and so hauing Christ within vs by his fleshe in hym corporally vnited by the sacrament of perfit and natural vnitie we shal likewise be partakers of his propretie which is life euerlasting I wil no more at this time good people occupy you with any longer processe concerninge this most true euidente matter but shall speake of it at other times besechinge you in our lordes name not to wauer in your faythe lyke reedes blowen a syde with euery wind but to stand stedfast in the certein belief of this most holy sacrament whiche is set forth to vs by the mouth of our sauior Christ himself and the sacred bookes of al his holye Euangelistes and is confirmed with the bloud of his martirs with the miracles of God and hys faintes shewed for that purpose with the testymony of all catholyke wryters in euery age and with the aucthoritie and consente of the holle church of Christ throughout the worlde as well in general couÌ„sels assembled in the name of oure Lord Iesus Christ as in euery perticulare prouince and realme which is the piller of trueth the surest staffe to leane vnto for a christen man to holde himselfe stedfaste in trueth so that the mooste manyfeste woorde whyche was spoken by Chrâ—ste oure Lorde vpon this holye Sacrament and the true meaninge of the same woord declared from tyme to tyme by his holye Catholike church deliuereth vs from all ignoraunce what it is and assureth vs that in this most holy sacrament is present by the omnipotent power of god the real and true body and bloude of our sauiour Christ god and man vnder the sensyble formes of bread and wine and is there receyued of the faithfull people not onelye spirituallye by faithe but also corporallye with their mouthes for the attayninge of immortalitie and euerlastinge life both of body and soule the which GOD of his infinite goodnes graunt vs through the merytes of his sonne Iesus Christ and the sanctification of hys holye spirite to whom bee all prayse honour and glorye world without ende Amen ¶ Of the chaunge of the breade and wyne that is to say of Transubstantiation Serm. viii WHat is the substance of thys blessed Sacrament we haue learned good people of oure sauiour Christes owne wordes who the nighte before he suffered at hys laste supper with his disciples toke breade and blessed it and brake it and gaue it to hys dysciples and sayd take and eate this is my body and takinge the chalice he gaue thankes gaue it to them saying drinke al you of this for this is my bloude of the new testament whiche shall bee shed for many for remission of sinnes Upon these wordes of Christe all true christen men ground their fayth concerning this blessed Sacrament and beleue verelye that the inwarde substaunce of this sacrament is the fleshe of oure Sauiour Iesus Christe whyche suffered for oure synnes and that in the chalyce consecrate is the same bloude that dyd runne foorth of Chrystes syde when it was opened with the speere And furthermore vpon the same woordes of Christ the holy churche and all true christen men her members doe grounde their faithe concerninge the chaunge whiche the holye ghoste by his vnspeakable power worketh in this sacrament where tâ—e inwarde substaunce of breade and wyne is chaunged into the substaunce of the bodye and bloude of Chryste the outwarde formes of the saied breade and wyne with the quantitie and qualities of the same still remayninge vnchaunged Whiche maner of chaunge because it is singuler and hathe none like it eyther in nature or otherwise therefore the holy Churche dothe call it by the name of TransubstantiatioÌ„ the whiche woorde was inuented by the holy churche in the greatest generall counsell that euer was which was called the counsell of Lateranense where there were present seuenty Archbyshoppes and foure hundred Bishops and they spake of thys chaunge by that name to thintent that lyke as the holie church of Christ in euery age dyd agree and was of one minde concerninge this chaunge of the bread and wyne euen so they should agre and be of one tong in the vtteringe and speaking of that chaunge that the diuersitie of manye wordes vttereth diuersly in the bokes of learned men should not impayre and bring in doubt the olde knowen trueth reueled to the Churche by the holye ghoste This olde trueth the Churche learneth of Christes owne woordes For where as it was but one thinge or substance which our Sauiour Christ gaue out of his hand to his disciples to eate whiche one thinge he saied plainly was his body which shoulde be geuen for them and in saying so made it so to be by hys almightie word for that cause the holy church beleueth that it is not breade but his very bodye in dede And also where as it appeareth to al a mans senses to be very bread which seÌ„ses be not deceiued so farre as they can skyll of reache vnto which is onely to the outwarde apparaunce and qualities or qualitie not to the inwarde substaunce therefore the holye Churche beleueth that the chaunge which is in the sacramente is made in the inward substauÌ„ce of the bread and not in the outward forme of the breade whiche remayneth as it was for whiche cause the Churche calleth that chaunge Transubstantiation For that bread which our lord reached to his disciples being chaunged in nature and not in forme by the omnipotency of his worde was made flesh And as in the person of Christe hys humanitie was sene and his diuinitie was secret vnsene
lyfe For when our sauioure Christe was dead vpon the crosse and his syde was perced with a speare there came foorth of it water and bloude where vpon he fourmed and buylded his spouse the churche For by the water he geueth to vs oure beynge because by it wee are brought to be christen menne and by the bloude he geueth to vs oure lyfe because by it wee are nouryshed and fedde and preserued to contynue christen men For by eating of him whiche is eternall lyfe we are suâ—e that he geueth to vs the same thynge that he is him selfe whyche is lyfe whiche of our selues we hadde not before It is not geuen to repayre the ruyne and decayes of this temporall lyfe whiche lyke a vapour continueth but a whyle but to repayre the decay of our spirituall lyfe in Chryste and to geue vnto our soules eternall lyfe and to bringe vs thither agayne from whence wee toke oure beginninge Thys decaye of our spirituall lyfe is susteyned by consentinge to sinne and like as he that hath a wounde wyl seke for a medicyne euen so when we are in sinne we may haue thys heauenly and honorable Sacrament for a medicyne I meane not of him that lyeth dead in his soule by deadly sinne for as no man geueth corporall meate to hym that is deade in bodye so this spirituall meate of Christes body and bloude may not bee geuen to hym that is spirituallye deade in hys soule by deadly sinne for than he receiueth it vnworthely to his further iudgemeÌ„t and condemnation being gilty as Iudas was of the bodye and bloode of Christ. Therefore if the wounde of synne be so great that this sacrament can not then be worthely receiued let him then go to penaunce and by that medicine procure himself to be restored to lyfe againe For no doubt of it he receiueth thys blessed sacrament vnwoorthely that receiueth it at that time when he shoulde doo penaunce But if his sinnes be but venial and suche as this mortall and frayle lyfe can not be passed ouer wythout them then let him not forbeare the holsome medicine of this sacrament whiche is profitable to the life and health of the holl man beyng both a medicine to heale infirmities and a sacrifice to purge iniquities And because a man doth dayly offende and so decayeth in his spirituall lyfe therfore ought he often to receiue thys spiritual medicine which is called our daylye breade and therby to recouer that healthe and strengthe he had lost before For as Adam Eue contrary to Gods coÌ„maundement by eating of the fruite of the tree which was forbidden them were made mortall and subiect to death both of bodye and soule euen so euerye Christen man and woman accordyng to Christes commaundement by the worthye eating of the body and blood of Christ who is the true 〈◊〉 and the tree of life is made immortall and hathe a pledge of eternall lyfe both of body and soule And if god preserued the temporall lyfe of the people of Israel forty yeres in wildernes without any bread of sowen corn but with Manna that came from aboue howe much more will God preserue our spirituall lyfe in this worlde with the heauenlye breade of hys own flesh which was made of the blessed virgins pure substance without the sede of maÌ„ For this meate is the streÌ„gth of our soule the synewes of our minde the knot of our trust the foundation of our hope our health our light our lyfe if we depart out of this life armed with the strengthe of this meate we shall ascende to the heauenlye palace of God with great trust and boldnes and as it were apparelled with a cote of golde The figure of this meate which was the blood of the paschall lambe by the vertue of this blood which it figured did purge the synne of the people and saued them from the sword of the angel and if the figure hath such strength and was so soueraigne medicine against deathe what shall we think of the truth which is the health of our soules whereby our soules be washed they be adourned they be kindled they are made clearer then the fyre and brighter than golde For as a man bieth his seruant with gold and also anourneth him with golde lykewise so Christe hathe bought vs with his precious blood and doth anourne vs and apparelleth vs wyth the same blood which is not now sprinkled vpon vs outwardly and washed away againe as the bloode of the sacrifices of the old testament was but it entreth into our soules and maketh them spiritually clene and strong and worketh in them an vnspeakable beutie so that this heauenly foode is a protection and safegarde for vs in al the pilgrimage of this life and a safe conduite for our free passage out of thys wycked worlde and a strong vitale making vs able to endure the painful iorney to the kingdome of heauen And more ouer the worthy receiuer is inwardlye lyghtned and sanctified for as they did crucifie hym and put him to death were darkned and blynded by him so we that worthely receiue him be lightned and oure eyes be opened to knowe hym For the fleshe of Christe to that effect hath marueylous and vnspeakeable vertue as appeared in hys two disciples that knewe hym in the breakyng of the heaueÌ„ly bread And this vertue hath Christes body not in that it is a creature of God and the bodye of man but in that it is the bodye of God vnited to the Godhead of Christ in vnitye of persone and beynge sanctified it selfe by the vertue of Christes diuinitie ioyned to it it is able thereby to worke sanctification in them that worthely receyue it beyng made by the mistical prayer a body not onely holy and sanctified in it selfe but also sanctifyeng them that receyue it with a pure minde And as by drinking of common wyne a mans mynde is refreshed and hys heauynes dryuen awaye so by the eatyng and drynkyng of Christes bodye and bloode in the Sacrament the remembraunce of the olde man and the heauynes that for hys worldlye conuersation synfull life greued a mans hart is put away his godly affection is made dronken with spiritual wisdome and the knowledge of God is indued with gladnes for the remission of his sinnes and is no more combered wyth the cares of the world nor the feare of death Thus haue I declared vnto you certein godly effectes which this heauenlye meate of Christes bodie and blood woorketh inwardlye in the soule of the worthy receiuer which effectes and a great manye mo bee set foorthe at large in the bokes of the holy fathers of the catholik church and as I haue shortlye touched those that perteine to the soule so shall I God wyllyng wyth like shortnes touche those that God worketh by the worthy receiuing of this Sacrament in the bodye of man For as the spirituall disease and
our sinnes that the bytternesse of our penaunce mighte wype awaye the fylthye humour of our corrupt life from our soules The Iewes did eate their lambe standinge hauinge their stafes in their handes and in greate haste ready to flye out of Egipte euen so oughte we to stande in true faythe and good lyfe not to syt or lye in corrupt doctryne or lyuing but to haue the staffe of true hope of eternall ioyes to come in our handes to stay vs in the daūgerous iourney of this worlde that wee neyther faynte for werines nor giue ouer for cowardnes to our gostly enemies knowing that theyr iorney was but from Egipt to Iewry and our iorney is frō the earth to heauen the strong and holsome vittale of whiche iorney is this heauenlye foode of Christes body and bloode And as they were in readynes to departe out of Egipt by and by after the eating of the lambe so ought we cōmyng to this blessed sacrament to haue our liues so vp righte and pure from all synne as thoughe we shoulde euen then depart out of this transitorye worlde For looke in what state of clene lyfe aman wold auenture his soule when he dyeth let him with all diligence prouide and procure that his soule be in the same state when he commeth to communicate By this comparison ye may learne good people howe to proue iudge your selues and so to come worthely to this heauenly foode The next thing is to lerne how to iudge and discerne the body of our Lord whē we come vnto it that is to say we may not vndiscretlye negligentlye take it but we oughte to discerne Christes body from other common meates and considering the great dignitie and worthynesse of it we ought to geue honour and reuerēce due to so great a thing as is the flesh and bloode of Christ God and man not the fleshe of man one lye for than it could not geue life but the proper fleshe of Gods sonne vnited to his person in diuinitie and is therfore able to geue lyfe eternall to our mortal bodies For which cause we ought with feare reuerence and a deuoute mynde to come vnto it which beyng the same in substaūce that suffered is also the best wytnesse of Christes paynful passion Wherefore when thou doest go vp to the Aultare to bee fedde wyth thys spirituall and heauenlye meate beholde wyth fayth the most holy body and bloude of thy God honour it maruel at it touch it with thy minde take it with the hand of thy hart and speciallye drynke of it wyth the draughte of the inwarde man No man eateth worthely this flesh but he that first honoureth it with godly honour in the holye Sacrament considering that it is greate synne not to honour it seinge it is the bodye of him that made thee and wyth it redemed thee and shall by it rayse thee oute of dust and ashes for the which thou hopest to receiue heauen and the ioyes that bee therein and to bee associate to his holy angels But wher as in this sacrament there be two thynges conteyned the outwarde fourme of breade which is sene with the eyes of the bodye and the bodye and bloude of Christe whiche is seene onelye with the eyes of the soule which is fayth Therefore let euery man or woman when he seeth this sacrament in the Priestes handes direct the eye of his faythe and hys intent to honour onely that substaūce of Christ God and man whiche he seeth not with hys bodelye eyes but beleueth it moste certeinlye to be there present and let him not fyxe hys thoughte vpon the visible whitenes or roundnesse of the bread which be sensible creatures reserued ther for the vse of this mistery and may in no wise be adowred and worshipped with godlye honour but let him intend to honour the body and blood of Christ and yet not those as onely creatures but as they be vnited to the Godhead and made one person in diuinitie for onelye God is to bee honoured with godlye honoure whiche we doo when we honour Christe God and man present in the blessed Sacrament This honour specially consisteth in oure true and lyuely fayth which we haue of Christe there present which honour we declare outwardly by kneling and other reuerent behauour of our bodies protesting thereby what is our faythe and iudgement concernynge the substaunce of thys most blessed Sacrament and so we truly iudge and discerne our Lordes bodye And for further honour to be geuen vnto it when so euer we receiue it we take it fastinge before all other meates except extreme sicknes or the instant danger of death doo require otherwyse to take it when and as we maye For euer synce the Apostles time it pleased the holy gost that for the honour of so great a Sacrament the body of our Lorde shoulde first enter into the mouthe of a Christen man before all other externall meates For thys maner and custome is obserued vniuersallye througheout the holle worde And for that cause it is decreed by the vniuersall Churche of Christ that this moste honourable Sacrament shoulde bee reserued for the necessitie of theym that be sicke or absent least where as it can not bee duelye consecrate at all tymes and places of a priest not fasting the sicke folkes should die wythoute thys heauenly foode whyche is theyr strengthe and the staye of theyr passage to the next worlde Furthermore at the tyme of the receyuing of this Sacrament we ought to haue our myndes occupyed in remembryng the passion of Christe For by this sacrifice which Christ geueth to vs we know assuredly that he boughte vs wyth no worldly treasure of golde and syluer but wyth this same his moste precious bodye and bloude and by it we are prouoked to remēber alwayes his most hye benefite and therewithall continuallye to render moste humble thankes to him in deuout affection and obedient seruice according to hys good wyll and pleasure Thus receyuing the bodye and bloode of oure Lorde we oughte thankfullye to remember and confesse that oure sauiour Christ hath geuē his body to death and shed his bloude for vs knowyng that we ought agayne rather to suffer our bodyes to be slayne and our bloud to be shed for hym and in defence of hys truthe and edifyeng of his people if the case so required than to forsake or denie him or the truth of his gospell reueled by the holy ghost to the catholike churche By this good people ye knowe how to iudge and discerne the bodye of our Lord and how to behaue your selues when ye come to receyue it Now likewyse know what is your dutye to do after ye haue receiued it Ye ought to keepe and preserue your selues clene from synne rather after than before lest you commit anye thyng that might displease the presence of his maiesty whō ye haue receiued and therby be an occasiō of his
inherite the kyngedome of heauen if we conuerte from synne and continue in grace whiche conuersion God most pacientlye abydeth and most fatherly prouoketh by manye and sondrye wayes whose conception maketh cleane ours whose life instructeth ours whose deathe destroyeth ours whose resurrection is cause and example of ours whose ascension prepareth ours whose spirite helpeth our infirmytie What obdurate vnkindenesse is thys `not to recognise these so great benefites but the more he heapeth precious giftes vppon vs the more to displease him to disobeye him and to encrease our own damnation The better he is to vs the worse to be to our selues so spitefully to abuse his mercye by making it whiche of it selfe is the cause of al our welth saluatioÌ„ to be by our prolonging the cause of our sinne the continuance in the same knowing that the time of this frayle and mortal life is but short and as it were a vapour or smoke appearing for a time and shortly vanishinge awaye and that deathe tarieth not nor manne knoweth not hys ende but as fishes bee taken with the hooke and as birdes be takeÌ„ with the nette euen so men be taken in the euyll tyme when it commeth sodeinly vpon them So that the consideringe of the certeintie of deathe whiche no man can escape and the vncerteintye of the tyme of deathe whiche god hath made vncertaine to man lest he shoulde lyue worse vnder hope of forgeuenesse shoulde bee a greate cause to moue euery man to make hast to amende hys synnefull lyfe For lyke as in the fyrmamente a starre dothe soone ryse and sodeynlye setteth againe and as a sparkle of fyre is soone quencheâ— and putâ—e out euen so endeth a mans life whâ—â— he liueth in this worlde most pleasauntlye and thynketh he shall liue many yeares and dysposeth thinges to be done by long tymes sodeynly is he caughte by deathe and at vnwares the soule taken from the bodye Therefore I praye you coÌ„sider euery man with himself where those men be nowe that not longe agoe were so holly sette vpon the worlde and geuen to satisfye the pleasures of their flesh and priuate willes Nothinge remayneth of them here but ashes and wormes Marke diligentlye what they be and what they haue bene They were men as thou arte they dyd eate drinke laughe and led their lyues in pleasures and went to hell in a moment of tyme here theyr fleshe is commytted to the wormes and theyr soules to the fyre vntill they bothe be knit together agayne and as they were felowes in sinne so to be ioyned in eternal paine What profyted them their vayne glorye their shorte mirth their authoritie of the worlde their pleasure of the fleshe theyr false ryches their greate famylye and their noughtye desires of so great gladnesse what heauynesse doth ensue out of that great wealth and pleasures they fell into great misery and tormentes What so euer happened to theym the same may happen to the beinge a man as they were For thou arte made of earth and doest liue of earth and shall returne into earth when thy last day shall come whiche commeth sodeinly perchaunce shall be to morowe It is certeine that thou shalt dye but vncertein whan howe or where Wherefore seinge deathe dothe alwayes looke for thee if thou be a wise man see that thou looke alwaies for it The iustice of god can not iudge otherwise but as our woorkes deserue For he that loueth the worlde more than God glotonye more than abstinencye lechery more than chastitie shal folow the deuill and go with him into eternall fyre and paine Whiche paines euery wise man wyll feare and so auoyde them lest by contemning of them he fall sodeinly into them Therefore remember the horrible throne of Gods iudgement whiche is compassed about with a burning floude of fyrye flambe where is wepinge and gnashinge of teeth where is outward darkenes the worme of conscience that neuer dyeth and the fyre that neuer is quenched For the fyre here consumeth and wasteth all thynges it receyueth the fyre there what so euer it receyueth once it alwaies tormenteth and reserueth it in continual payne and is therefore called a fyre vnquencheable not onelye for that it is neuer quenched it selfe but also for that it neuer destroyeth and bringeth to nought those it once receyueth The scripture saieth that sinners put on and are clad with incorruption that is to saye not to the honour of lyfe but to the eternitie of paine The violence of thys payne and the power of thys fyre no tonge can expresse For in corruptible thinges there is nothinge like that can be compared to thynges incorruptible whether it bee good or euyll Yet let vs imagyne at least some image of that fyre and paine Remember when a man is inflamed with the vehemente heate of a burnynge ague what anguyshe what torment is bothe in the bodye and soule Nowe of thys temporall payne measure howe greate the paines be whyche that eternall fyre dothe cause which the fyerye floude that runneth before the horryble iudgement seate of Christe dothe ouerflowe with his flambye waues What shall we do there What maye we aunswere There shall nothing be there but gnashing of teeth but houling and weping and late repentaunce wheÌ„ help shall cease and paines increase on euery syde nor there is no coÌ„forte any where no man shal come to our sight but onelye the ministers of paynes and the vggelye faces of the tormentours and that is mooste greuous of all there shall bee no comforte of the ayre and lyghte For rounde aboute the places of paynes shall bee outewarde darknesse and that flambynge fyre which as it hathe the nature not to consume and destroye so it hath not to geue light but it is a dark fyre and a blacke flambe to theym that remayne therein What horrible trembling what resolution and as it were a meltinge of his bodye and bowelles what rentinge of hys fleshe and members what and howe greate affliction is in all sences no speache can expresse There be dyuers and sondry facions of paynes and in euerye man and woman according to the number and greatnes of synnes are multiplied the paines And yf thou woulde saye howe can a body suffice to endure so great paynes whyche knoweth no ende of tyme Consider what chaunceth some tymes in this life and of a lytle coniecture the greate Howe sometymes we see some wasted wyth a longe disease and yet can fynde no ende of their wretched and hatefull lyfe But althoughe the body is sometyme dissolued by death yet the soul is not consumed Wherupon it foloweth that when the bodye likewise shall receiue immortalitie neyther than the soule nor the bodye canne with any paine be vtterly destroyed For in thys present lyfe it can not chaunce that the payne of the body shoulde be bothe vehement and perpetuall but the one geueth place to the other because the frailtye