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
the strawe the straw will burne euen so our weake and synfull nature is soone set on fyre wyth the burninge dartes of the deuyls tentation if they be suffred to come nere and theyr waies and entries be not stopped Also besyde the diligent keping of his fyue senses a man must flee and forsake the companye of euil and lewde persones and of those that shew euyl example or geue occasion to vice For he that toucheth pitch shal file his handes with the same he that kepeth company with a proud man shal begyn to be proud As Saint Paul saith Do you not knowe that a litle sower leuen doth make sower the holle batche of dowe euen so the vice or euil example of one dothe infecte a great manye and draweth other that be weake to folow him in the like vice Departe thou saithe the wiseman from a wycked man and kepe no company with him and so shal vice and wickednes depart from thee The fourth thyng for a man to auoyde sinne is to remember his last ende in all his woorkes and deedes and so he shall not synne for euermore It is good for a man to thynke vpon the beginning of his life to consider the middes and to remember the last ende The beginning bringeth shame the middes bringeth sorow the ende bringeth feare If a man thinke from whence he came he shall be ashamed if he consider in what case he is he shall lament if he remember whyther he shall goo he shall be afrayde Man fyrst of all when hee was in honoure made to the Image of God and to be pertaker with Aungels of the kyngdome of heauen not regardinge hys dignitie contempning the commaundement of God his maker and folowing his owne sensual appetite was coÌ„pared to vnreasonable beastes and chaunged the similitude of God wyth the similitude of beastes and the honour of hys first image beyng taken away by carnal desyres and beastly lyuing was made like a beast If a man therâ—fore remember hys olde nobilitie howe he was made Lord ouer the woorkes of God a felowe of Aungels a Citizen of Paradyse and one of Gods housholde and being by hys owne fault cast into inwarde darkenesse of errour and ignoraunce banished from pleasaunt Paradise made felow with brute beastes and a straunger or rather enemye to God maye not he considering thys his beginning and hys great fall into suche vyle beastlynes be worthely ashamed After this if man consider where and in what state he is he shall perceyue that beyng in thys transitorie worlde he is in the vale of miserye where nothyng is vnder the sunne but vanitie labour and affliction of spirite where nothing is verely and constantly pleasaunt but onely by chaunge by passing from one thing to an other where the remedye of one labour is the beginning of an other where the lesse euill seemeth a great good where the encrease of knowledge is the increase of griefe where man in banishment dwelleth in wildernes walketh in darkenes in daunger of falling downe the hyll and eating his bread in the sweate of his face Maye not a man considering whyther he is now brought be right sory and lament that the time of his trauayle and dwellyng here is prolonged but the best remedye to auoyde sinne is alwayes to haue in remembraunce his last end In the last end there be three thinges the death of the bodye the iudgement of God and the tormentes of hell What is more horryble than death what is more terrible then the iudgement of God and what is more intollerable than the paines of hel What shal a man feare if he tremble not at the remembraunce of these three yet if he haue lost shame for hys vyle beginning and if he feele no sorowe for hys present miserye at least let him take feare for the dreadful thinges to come For if he now spend his life in the workes of the fleshe in deathe he shall be dyuorced and separated from hys bodye and all the pleasures thereof in the iudgement he shall bee presented before him into whose handes to fall is most horrible and be examined of hym to whom nothing is vnknowen in hell if he be found giltie he shal suffer torment without hope of relese without measure of quantitie and without end of time Hath not this man good cause to liue alwaies in feare â–ª and with feare and trembling to laboure aboute his owne saluation thys feare which is the begynning of wysedome hath more strength to withstande sinne then eyther shame or sorowe For shame is taken away by the multitude of sinners where the felowship of so many euyll lyuers pulleth shame oute of hys harte And sorowe taketh comforte of the vayne pleasures of this present worlde and so is weakned and made vnable to withstand synne But feare that proceedeth from a sure and certaine faythe of thynges to come taketh no comforte of the worlde seynge that in deathe he shall carye no worldly good wyth hym and in iudgement he shall neither be able to deceyue nor to withstand Christ his iudge and in hel he shal haue no comforte nor redemption but perpetuall woo The fruite of this feare is that it bringeth before the eyes of oure soules sometymes the synnes that we haue done to the intent we shoulde bee wyllyng and ready to suffer the scourge as the prophet sayd of hymselfe confessing oure iniquitye and thinking for our synne sometimes the euerlasting paynes whyche we haue deserued to the intent we shoulde thynke al that we suffer here to be delites and pleasures in comparison of the tormentes whych we haue escaped sometymes the heauenly rewardes for which we labour and hope to the intent we should esteme the afflictions of this present life not to be equal and worthy the glorye that shall be shewed to vs sometimes the passions which Christ hath suffred for vs that coÌ„sidering what his maiesti hath vouchsafed to suffer for vs vnprofitable seruauntes we should be ashamed to drawe backe and suffer so litle for our selues and our own saluatioÌ„ And to make an end he that as I haue declared vnto you considereth the noughtynesse and vylenesse of hys synne and endeuoreth hymselfe to putte oute of mynde the fyrste motions of sinne whych the deuyll suggesteth and watcheth diligently the wyndowes of his fyue senses and as muche as he may flye the company of euyll persons and the occasions of synne and hathe the laste ende of hys lyfe alwayes in hys remembraunce wyth feare being also careful to walke warelye and woorthelye in the syght of GOD considering as occasion shall serue the synnes whyche hee hathe done the eternall paynes which he hath deserued the heauenly rewardes whyche he hopeth for and the passions whyche Christe hath suffered for him with suche entent as I haue before rehearsed no doute of it but that man which thus dothe shal auoyde synne shall lyue well shall increase in grace
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
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
departing from you and of wythdrawing hys grace froÌ„ your hartes that haue desyre to haue synne whych is the mother of deathe rather to reign in your mortall bodies thaÌ„ to haue Christ and hys heauenly father with the holy ghoste to make theyr habitation ther. As it is more shame for a man to dislodge hys honest gest and thrust him out of doores aâ—ter he hath receiued him into his house than at the first tyme to haue sayde him nay and to haue denied him lodging euen so it is greater damnation to defyle thys our flesh with the fylthines of synne when it hath receyued Christes fleshe and bloude and so to treade vnder foote Gods sonne than to haue absteined and not to haue receyued hym before makynge the last end worse then the first Wherein we be like cursed Absolon that called his brother Amnon to a feast and caused his seruauntes to kyll him there And also wee be lyke to the traytour Iudas that after with Christe in his supper he receiued Christes body at Christes hande gaue place to the deuils suggestion betraied Christ his mayster to the wicked Iewes and we be also like to the Iewes that met Christ coÌ„ming to the citie with vowes of palmes and olyue trees and within fiue daies after cryed Crucifige vpon him and pursued him euen to the death But our duty is to geue as much reuerence to Christ being present and dwellyng with vs as we did when he was commynge to vs and not to take hys precious body and blood in vayne and with out cause but to expresse in our lyues that we imitate and folow his footesteps and so keepe a perpetuall commemoration of him that died for vs and rose againe in that we be now mortified to synne and the world and liuyng to GOD in Christ our Lord. For this sacrament of the Aultare wherin we receiue Christes body bloode doth signifie and teach vs that we should communicate with Christ in his passions and folow that coÌ„uersation in our maners which be shewed in his fleshe and as his bodye in forme of breade is seene to enter into our mouthes so we maye knowe that he also entreth into vs by that conuersation which he vsed in earth to dwel in our hartes by fayth Therefore hee that so remembreth Christes deathe that he accordyng to Christes example doth mortifie his members which be vpoÌ„ earth that is to saye fornication vnclennes noughtye desyres couetousnesse and suche lyke he eateth woorthely Christes body and blood and hath euerlastyng lyfe remayning in him and sufferynge wyth Christe shall raygne with Christ in the glory of hys father with the holy gost world without end Amen ⸫ ¶ Of the sacrifice of the newe Testament which is called the Masse Serm. xii AS Christ our Sauiour hath geuen vnto vs hys moste precious bodye and blood in the Sacrament to be our meate to feede and nouryshe vs to euerlastyng lyfe So hath he geuen good people vnto vs the same hys bodye and bloode to be our daylye Sacrifice for that teynynge of remission of synnes and eternal saluation and as he commaunded vs to take and eate that hys bodye whyche he gaue vs so hath he commaunded vs to offer it to GOD the father in remembraunce of his passion So that the Sacrifice of the Masse whych is the proper Sacrifice of the newe Testament whereupon by Gods helpe I intreate at this tyme is the execution of Christes commaundement in his last supper when he sayd to his disciples Do this in my remembraunce wher in the bread and wyne be consecrate and chaunged and the bodye and bloode of Christe beynge made present there by the almyghtye power of the holye Ghost be offered to God the father by the Churche for the Churche and be receiued of the faythfull people Christ our Lord God who loued vs synners so excedynglye that for oure redemption and saluation abased hym selfe to be made manne and was made obedyent in humblynge hymselfe to the moste paynefull and vyle deathe of the Crosse and for our iustification rose agayne the thyrde daye and ascended to heauen to the glorye of hys father whyche be the wonderfull woorkes of God and therefore mâ—rueylous in oure syght hath also instituted and ordeyned a memory of these merueyles sayeng So often as ye shall doo these thynges ye shal doo them in my remembraunce And when sayd our mercyfull Lorde that woorde verelye euen than when hee gaue the meate of hys bodye to them that feared hym And than in hys last supper did he beyng our most hye Priest fyrst of al offer a Sacrifice to God the father and commaunded the same to be done of the Priestes of hys Churche that occupy hys office in memorie of hym and so taughte the newe oblation of the newe Testament whych oblation the Churche receyuing of the Apostles dothe offer to GOD throughout the holle worlde And for playner vnderstandyng of thys matter good people I praye you call to your remembraunce the summe and grounde of all our faythe which is that we beleue to be saued onelye by the merites of our Sauiour Christe and that he bearing our synnes in his body vpon the Crosse and beyng the innocent Lambe of God wythoute all synne hym selfe shedde hys moste innocent bloud for vs sinners and by the voluntarye Sacrifice of hys owne bodye and bloude made satisfaction for all the synnes of the holle worlde and reconciled the wycked world to the fauour of God agayne Thys bloudye Sacrifice made Christe oure Sauiour vpon the Aultare of hys Crosse but ones and neuer but ones and it is the propitiatorye Sacrifice and a sufficient pryce and raunsome for the synnes of al people from the beginnyng of the worlde to the last ende Al our comfort and ioye is and ought to be in thys Sacrifice and passion of oure Sauioure Christe by whyche onelye we haue and may haue sure hope of saluation All that were saued from the creation of the worlde and the fall of Adam were saued by the vertue of thys Sacrifice and by lyuelye faythe in Christe that was promysed to Adam and Noe and Abraham and the other Patriarches and fathers of the olde testament and all the Sacrifices whych they offered then were but fygures of thys Sacrifice of Christe whereby they dyd protest theyr fayth in Christe to come And lykewyse all we that haue bene iustifyed and saued synce Christes tyme and shall be to the worldes ende obtaine and receyue that redemption remission of synne and saluation by the onelye vertue of the same bloodye Sacrifice of Christe vpon the Crosse. When so euer we be in synne wee resorte to that passion to haue remission when so euer our woorkes be vnsufficient and vnperfite we runne to that passion to haue that supplyed that lacketh in vs when so euer we go aboute to render thankes to God for all his benefites wee can not doo it
kepe iustely matrimonial chastitie that he must forsake to dwell with his father mother and al other persones for to bee and dwell wyth his wife and that he ought also to cherishe helpe and comforte her as he would do his owne persone For when he marieth he and his wife be made one bodye And this loue and kyndnesse the man muste shew his wife not onelye the firste day or the first yere or whyle she is yonge and hath health but he muste thus loue her and so much do for her alwaies so longe as he and she lyue together whatsoeuer sickenes or chaunce commeth to her or what coÌ„ditions so euer she haue For though a man may for certeine causes be from the company dwelling with his wife againste her will as if he can proue that his wife hathe geuen the vse of her body vnto an other man and haue not kepte her matrimonyall chastitie and so forth in some other cases yet he can in no wise breake his mariage nor the bond of it and marry an other nor he can not be discharged of the obligation and promisse which he made to loue hys wife and to doo for her as muche as for his owne bodye and persone alwaies when his wife shall haue nede These considerations and remeÌ„braunces ought euerye Christen man to haue when he intendeth to marry for what cause so euer he marry And likewyse also when a woman wyll marrye she muste diligently consider after what maner she must lyue with her husbande how she shall vow and bynde her selfe vnder the paine of damnation to loue her husbande aboue all men and to worshippe him and mâ—kely and gladly to obeye him and fulfyll that he commaundeth and desyreth her to do in all thinges whiche perteyne to Gods lawe and the duetie of mariage And she must alwaies kepe her matrimoniall chastitye and helpe and succour her husbande in his â—ede as she woulde her owne persone and she must do al thing whych she did vowe and promyse when she was maried For the lawe of Matrymonye byndeth the woman to euerye thinge touchinge the duetie of a wife as it dothe the man concerninge the duetie of an husband These thinges well considered on bothe the parties shal be a greate helpe and prouocatyon that they shall study and labour most principally to ioyne and couple theim selues vnt o persones whiche haue aboundaunce of vertues and good conditions more than for any other sinistre affection seinge nothing can cause or make this matrimonyall loue and agreement to be kepte and continued amongest maried persons so much as honest equall and like conditions shal do And where as the scripture sayeth that a man maye haue an house and riches of his parentes but a good and prudent wife is the gift of God he ought before he shall marye moste humbly to begge this good gifte of almightye God wyth long deuoute and continual prayers as one special thing wherupoÌ„ resteth his ioy in this world and by wel vsing of that hope of ioye in the next worlde And because mariage is an honorable thing as saint Paule sayeth let theÌ„ haue no euil affection nor do nothing that might dishonor it but before they celebrate y e same mariage let theÌ„ prepare their haries with fasting other godlye and spiritual exercises to come worthely to such an honorable Sacrament to do as becoÌ„meth the children of holy people and not like Gentiles and heathen people whiche know not God nor haue no godlynes before their eyes Last of al I shall exhorte and admonyshe you that bee maryed to vse your mariage in suche sorte here in this worlde as it be no hynderaunce for you to come to the next world so to indeuour your self one to please an other that ye doo in no wise displease GOD your creator so to seke and dooe those thinges that be temporall that ye omytte not to seke and labour for those thynges whiche be eternall so to be glad of your present prosperity that ye be not carelesse without feare of eternall damnation and so to be sorye for suche aduersitie as chaunceth here that ye bee not voyde of sure perfyte hope of eternall felicitie Lette not the cares of thys worlde so breake and caste downe your hartes but that the hope of heauenlye and eternall ioyes maye comforte and staye them againe And also lette not the flatteringe face of worldlye wealthe so inueigle and deceiue you but that the feare of Goddes eternall iudgement maye brydle you and kepe you in awe For the myndes of Godly maried persones althoughe they be not able to forsake the cares of thys worlde and vtterlye to contempne worldlye thynges yet oughte they by their desyres and godly affections to ioyne them selues to thinges eternall These good lessons Saint Paule knitteth vâ— in a fewe wordes sayinge thus The time is short and it remaineth that they whiche haue wyues be as hauinge no wyues As thoughe he shoulde say in longer processe that the ende of the worlde and the laste iudgement of God draweth nere and so much the more ought euery man to be careful how he shall appeare and be founde at that iudgement and that the case of matrimonye is not like nowe to vs that be in the end of the worlde as it was to the olde fathers in the beginninge for amonges them he was accompted and taken as accursed by the sentence of the lawe that did not rayse vp seade in Israell that dyed without yssue and children for that was the tyme to increase and multiply Gods people by which people it was prophecyed that the Prince and Sauiour of the worlde should be borne and for that cause the people of GOD did as muche as they coulde applye them selues to mariage wherunto they were kindled and moued not by concupiscence but by obedience not for satisfyenge of their carnal lust but for religion to obey the law and to haue fruyte of their bodies but now since that the fulnes of time is coÌ„med and the worlde draweth towardes an ende the case is altered For now sayeth our sauiour Christe in waye of exhortation he that can take the gifte of chastitie and sole life let hem take it since whiche time manye that haue that gifte vse it in dede and he that wyll not vse it may not excuse him self that he hathe it not and in case he be maried let hym lyue and be as vnmaried hauing the same affection to continent life and the abstinence froÌ„ the act of Matrimonie as Abraham and the old fathers had who than serued not the lustes and desyres of theyr fleshe but serued the lawe the tyme of encrease and the ordinaunce of God beyng slowe and forbearing to require but sometimes content to pay theyr matrimoniall debte and let him so take carnall comfort of his wyfe that in no wyse her loue wythdrawe hym from seruinge of God seyng he ought to loue
synne and haue receyued the whyte lyuerye of innocencye and the badge of Christ by the impression of the holy crosse in diuers partes of theyr bodyes and so are knowen throughout the holle worlde to be the soldiours of Christ theyr Lord and Capitayne The second thing that a worldly prince doth in his warre is to prouyde that euery souldiour be able to fyght and haue harnes and weapons mete for his body both to beare of the assaultes of his enemies and also to inuade thē as cause shall requyre Euen so Christe oure heauenlye Prince hath ordeyned the sacrament of Confirmation to make vs strong able to fyght wyth our ghostly enemyes and hath armed vs wyth a seuen fold harnes that is to say with the seuē giftes of the holy gost whereby we be sufficiently preserued defended and encouraged our selues and also able to helpe and comfort oure fellow soldiours which by chaunce shall come into any distresse or daunger of theyr enemies The thyrd thing y t a worldly prince doth in his war is to forese prouide that his hole army be wel victualled furnished with plēty of holsom meate and drinke lest for hunger their strength decay and they in processe famish and die Euen so Christ our spirituall capitaine hath prouided victual for vs his soldiours both good plenty of it not meate that will perish and be cōsumed with once eating but meate that will remayne and nourishe to euerlasting lyfe that is to saye his owne natural fleshe and bloud which he geueth to his soldiours in a Sacrament vnder the formes of corporal breade and wyne condescendinge therin to our infirmitie and by that spiritual and most holsome and precious foode he repayreth all our decayes in grace and spirituall strength he openeth our eyes to see the traynes of oure enemies he swageth the rage of our inward enemie the fleshe preserueth our bodies and soules from famine and eternall death The fourth thing that a worldly Prince doth in his warre is to ordeyne ouer his holle army one chiefe lieuetenaunt if he be absent hym selfe from the fielde and vnder him officers and captaines some of moo some of fewer such men as be experte in warre who can instruct the rest in all feates of warre howe to fight and ouercome theyr enemies can set the holle armye in good araye and also can by the lawe martiall correct and punish all traytours and offendours Euen so Christ our Lord and king after he hath hymselfe ouercommed all his enemies in hys owne person and is nowe triumphinge with God the father in heauen and yet hathe his Churche in battayle and conflicte wyth theyr enemies in earth being absent by his visible presence and inuisibly and spiritually present amōg vs hath ordeined the Sacrament of Order and by that Sacrament hath elected and chosen out certein expert and connyng men to whom by imposition of handes of Priesthoode he hath geuen authorite and commaundement to instruct his soldiours in all feates of spirituall warre agaynst the deuil and to admit other into the roumes of them that dye or depart and to comfort and encourage them that be in conflict and by vnitie of fayth charitie and obedience to cause the holle army to keepe good araye and to punishe by excommunication suche as by apostasie heresye or scisme breake the peace and good order and by the discipline of this warre of the church to correct all other offenders and to receyue them agayne that will amende And of these men there be certeine degrees and orders one chefe Lieuetenaunt of the holle army which was S. Peter and now is his lawfull successour in the chayre of Christ gouerning the holle army of Christes Church here in earth and vnder hym there be in euery Prouince one Archebishoppe and in euery Citye one Bishoppe and in euerye Parishe one Priest or Curate to feede order encourage and to gouerne the holle army and euery soldiour of Christes church in euery place The fift thing that a worldly Prince doth in his warre is when his armye is assembled wel armed well victualled and well ordred and ruled by good captaines then to merche forward to ioyne in battail with his enemies in which conflicte if anye of hys soldiours chaunce to be hurt and wounded then to cause a Surgean to searche his woundes and to lay playsters and medicines vnto them that he beyng made hole myght enter into his place agayne and fyght a freshe agaynst hys enenemyes Euen so doth our Sauiour Christ wyth vs when al we be assembled into one Churche and spirituall armye by Baptisme and bee well harnessed wyth Gods graces and the giftes of the holy Ghost by Confirmation and be well vyctualled wyth the precious foodes of his owne bodye and blood in the Sacrament of the Aultare and be set in good araye and well instructed and encouraged by the rulers and ministers of his churche hauyng authoritie so to doo by the sacrament of Ordre then we be ledde by Gods spirite into the wyldernes of some good purpose or woorke there to be tempted and assaulted of the deuill For they that haue the spirit of God be not idle but occupied in some good worke which the deuill withstandeth and fighteth againste as muche as he is able to do In whiche conflicte yf anye of vs be ouercommed with euill which can not be except we wyll be ouercommed and voluntarylye suffer the deuyll to preuayle againste vs for no man synneth actually againste hys wyll yet our mercyfull Lorde wyll not see vs vtterlye troden vnder foote and slayne but if we loue to be healed and be sorye for oure voluntarye hurte and wounde he hathe prepared a present medycine and playster for vs whiche the spirituall Surgean when he hath searched the wounde by our owne confession layeth and byndeth to our sore by the Sacrament of Penaunce and so restoringe vs to our perfit health maketh vs able to enter the feelde agayne and to fighte a freshe againste our enemies The sixt thing that a worldly Prince doth in his warre is when any of his soldiours waxeth aged feble and cā fight no more then specially to cōfort him to set a watch that his enemies steale not priuely vpon him kil him when he is not able to defend him selfe And if the same soldiour hath lightly offended in any small matter and hath not at all times bene so vigilant as the lawes of warre required yet than gentlye to forgeue him and to shewe hym that honour at his death that he shalbe of al the army accompted to haue bene a faythfull soldyoure and to haue dyed in his princes fauour Euen so Christ our Lord doth wyth vs his souldiours when any of vs waxeth aged or feable by sicknes and is in daunger of bodelye death whiche deathe is the escapinge of al daungers the ende of all labours the entry to the possession of eternall enheritaunce in heauen
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
synne so they myghte bee reconcyled agayne to GOD by other mennes faythe So that the holy Church oure mother aunswereth and professeth the true faythe for the chyldren and make the promyse for theim tyll they maye vnderstand that fayth and kepe that vowe whyche is made in theyr names by the Churche their mother Than after the professyon of thys faythe the partye is asked whether hee wyll bee baptysed or no because no manne hauinge the vse of hys wyll is saued wythoute the consente of hys wyll and when he aunswereth or it is aunswered for hym that he wyll than is he putte into the water thryse and baptysed in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy ghost in whyche thynge consysteth the greate mysterye or Sacramente of baptysme where the fleshe is washed and the soule made cleane where the inward man is made new and Christ is fourmed in the minde of man wher the deuill the olde tyrante and vsurper is driuen awaye and god the right owner possessor is brought in Than are we as saint Paule saith buried with Christ by baptisme into death that as he rose from death by the glory of the father so wee shoulde likewise walke in a new lyfe Wherby we vnderstande that lyke as Christe dyed and rose againe the thirde day and lyueth euermore so euery man when he renounceth the deuyll he dyeth to synne and kylleth the woorkes of the fleshe in him self and when he is dipped and put vnder the water than is he buried to sinne as Christe was putte within the earth in the sepulchre and when he is thrise putte vnder the water he representeth the three dayes of Christes buryall and when he is taken foorth of the water againe than doth he rise a newe manne as Christe rose oute of the Sepulchre and oughte to dye no more by seruinge of sinne but to lyue continuallye in righteousnesse and holynesse all the daies of his life And although the old and auncient tradition of the Churche hathe bene from the beginninge to dippe the childe three tymes in the water as Christe laye three dayes in his graue yet that is not of suche necessitie but that if he bee butte once dipped in the water it is sufficyente yea and in tyme of greate perylle and necessytie if the water be but powred vpon his head it wyll suffyse Nowe when the baptisme is done the childe is anoynted in the crowne of the heade with the holy Chrisme whereby we be taughte that he is by the Unction of the holy spirite incorporated and grafted into Christe who is the heade of his mistical body the Church and there is he anoynted and made a spirituall Kinge to rule and ouercome his owne carnall affections and also is anoynted and made a spirituall priest to offer vp spirituall sacrifyces to God in a pure hart and so he taketh of this holy Chrisme and of Christe the name of a Christen man beyng anoynted into euerlasting life which he is bounden to seke and procure all the meanes he can althoughe it were wyth the losse and spendynge of thys temporall lyfe here And by and by after he bee anoynted wyth the holye Chrisme he hathe a whyte vesture or Chrisome putte vppon hym whyche declareth that the chylde hathe nowe putte of the foule and fylthye cloutes of synne and hathe putte on the chaste garmente of Innocencye and clennesse of a newe lyfe whyche he oughte wyth all dylygence to keepe vndefyled and to presente it before the iudgemente seate of Chryste for thatteyninge of eternall lyfe And also a waxe candle burninge is putte in hys hande whereby is sygnifyed the lighte and truth of Christes doctryne and that his duetye is to fulfyll that in hys lyfe whyche Christe taught in hys Gospell saying Let your lyght shyne so before menne that they maye see youre good woorkes and glorifye youre father whiche is in heauen and he that preserueth and kepeth this candle vnquenched tyll the daye of our lorde shall amonges the fyue wise virgins enter in with the spouse to the heauenlye maryage Thus I haue declared vnto you good people all the ceremonies vsed from the beginning of Christes Church vniuersally in the ministracion of baptisme and what is ment and signifyed by them wherby we know perfitely both the effectes of baptisme and also the duetie of hym that is baptysed whiche I praye you and exhorte you in gods name both to remember your selues and also to teache your children them as soone as they can vnderstande and amonges all other speciallye that solemne couenaunte promyse and vowe whyche they haue made for the renouncinge of the deuyll his woorkes and all his pompe and pryde teache them that thys promise is made not to an earthlye man but to God almightye and all hys holye aungels who hath power to destroye and caste into hell bothe bodye and soule of hym that kepeth not hys promise and teache them to renounce and forsake the deuill not in wordes onlye but in their dedes not in the sounde of their tounge but in all their conuersacion and teache them that they haue to dooe in their conflicte with an olde craftye and mightye enemye againste whom if they preuayle as they can not without their owne great diligence and the special ayde of Goddes holye spirit whereof they be alwaies sure than wyll GOD kepe hys parte of the league and promyse that is to saye he wyl saue them by grace in this world and by the fruicion of his glory in the next world through the merites of Christ his sonne to whom with the holy ghost be al glory and praise Amen ¶ Of the Sacrament of Confirmation Ser. v. AFter that a man by receyuing the Sacramente of baptisme is born agayne and made a member of Christes misticall bodye it is ordeyned by our sauiour Christ and hys holy spirite that he should also receiue the Sacrament of Confirmation and thereby be confirmed and made stronge in that grace whiche he receyued before for which cause I thynke it good at thys time good people to declare vnto you what ye ought to think of that Sacrament of Confirmation and what spirituall grace and effecte it woorketh in hys soule that is confirmed and what is euerye mans duetie to dooe that hath receyued it We oughte to think that our sauiour Christ did institute thys Sacrament concerninge the grace and effecte of it firste when he dyd promise to sende to his disciples the holy ghost and also when he dyd perfourme the same promise by geuing to them the holy ghost Many times did he promise to sende the holye ghoste but speciallye a litle before hys ascencion when he sayde I shall sende vnto you my fathers promyse but remayne you in the citie tyll ye bee indued with strength and power from aboue And agayne he sayde ye shall receyue the vertue of the holy ghost comming vppon you and ye shall
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
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
and wine And although our sauior Christ when he did first institute this sacrament in his supper did minister it to his Apostles whoÌ„ he than made priestes vnder bothe the kindes of bread wine to thintent his death and passioÌ„ might be declared remembred therby where his bloude was seperate from his body as the bread was seperatly consecrate from the chalice which maner is yet coÌ„tinually obserued in the sacrifyce of the Churche whiche is the Masse yet for diuers weighty considerations as well concerning the honor of the sacrament and the auoidinge of theffusion of Chrystes blouds which might chauÌ„ce as for the more coÌ„modious administration of the Sacrament to the people the holy church hath vsed euen from the tyme of Christ himself and his Apostles to minister this sacrament vnder the fourme of bread onely both to lay men women and also to priestes sauing when they doe consecrate and minister to them selues with their owne handes in which doing it hath the example of Christ who the daye of hys resurrection ministred this sacramente to two of his disciples in the Castell of Emaus vnder one kinde alone and also the people be defrauded of no part of Christes body bloud nor of no effect or grace that commeth by the worthy receiuinge therof for it is most certain that the holle body bloud of Christ is as truely conteined vnder the one kinde of breade as vnder both the kindes of bread wine seing that Christes liuing body caÌ„not be without his bloud nor his liuely bloud w t out his body And it is also most certeinly true y t if the outward element of breade be diuided into smal parts ther is y e holle body of Christ coÌ„teined in euery part as it was in the holle elemeÌ„t before it was deuided euen as the soule of man is but one and holle in the holle body and is lykewyse one and holle in euery part of the bodye and also as a glasse when it is broken into peces the holle ymage of a mans face appeareth in euerye parte seuerally which before in the holle glasse appeared but one eueÌ„ so the holle body and holle bloud of Christ is geuen vnder euerye part of the outward formes equall portion is geuen to euerye one it is holle deliuered it is distribute to many and not dismembred it is incorporate to the receiuers and suffereth no iniurye it is receiued not included it dwelleth with weake persones is not made weake is muche delited with the pure faith cleane minde of him that receiueth For these most weyghtie godly considerations when the Sacrament is ministred to other than to hym selfe that consecrateth it it is deliuered vnder the forme of breade onely and the chalyce is not consecrate nor yet deliuered as any parte of the sacrament but for the more commodyous receyuinge of the other parte wherein was conteyned the body bloude of our sauiour Christe Therefore seyng that the doctryne of Transubstantiation is as I haue shewed a truth necessarily deduced of Chrystes manyfest woordes sayinge This is my bodye declaring the singular and onelye substaunce of that hee gaue to theym to eate to be his bodye and so not breade seynge the vniuersall Churche of Chryste hathe determined thys to be goddes trueth and for finall endynge of all controuersyes that all men mighte speake one thing and be of one tong hathe ordered it to bee spoken of and vttered in this terme of Transubstantiation and seynge the testimonies of aunciente doctours to bee all agreable in this poynt that the bread is chaunged into the bodye of Christ wherby appeareth the consent of the vniuersall churche whyche is the pyller and vpholder of all trueth for that cause let euery man that loueth the trueth and the saluation of his soule stedfastlye kepe hymselfe in the belief of this truth so to be a member of Christes catholike Churche withoute the whiche there is no saluation and lette hym not ioyne hymselfe to any faction of men out of the catholyke Churche of Christe that for syngularitie or gayne of the worlde trouble the peace of the Churche and styrre vp the ashes of olde heresyes whiche by the greateste aucthorytye that euer Christe lefte in his Churche that is to say by the iudgement of the successour of saynct Peter in the chayre of Christe and of the Bysshops and pastours of Christes flocke called froÌ„ all the partes of the world in a general counsell haue bene discussed before this tyme and fullye determined Let vs not shew so muche dyshonor to our most certaine and heauenlye religion as to thynke that it may be variable after the wylful and furious appetite of a few men whiche is one and vniforme and so hath bene froÌ„ Chrystes time tyll this day being by gods holy spirit the scholemaister of his holy churche inspyred reueled multiplied ordered continued and so stablished that hell gates that is to saye tyrannye schismes and heresy shall neuer preuaile against it He that by vnitie of fayth in doctryne and by the peace of charitie in good liuinge kepeth hym selfe within the folde of gods catholike Churche as a liuely member of the same may be sure of the protection of gods holy spirit in grace and be in good hope to attaine the glory of God in the kyngedome of heauen by the merites of Christ to whom with the father and the holye ghoste be honoure and praise worlde without end Amen ¶ Of the effectes of Christes body and bloude in the worthye receiuer Ser. ix HOw much good people are we bound to loue our Lorde Iesus Chryste that lyke a good shepeherd hath geuen hys soule for vs hys shepe and hys fleshe to bee oure meate and his bloude to be our drinke and so is he both our redemer and redemption our feder and our daylye foode Greater loue can no man shewe than thys whiche Christ our Lord hath shewed to vs but if wee would consider for what cause and purpose hee fedeth vs wyth hys fleshe and bloude and what wonderfull graces and effectes he woorketh in vs bothe in bodye and soule by those heauenlye meates our loue towardes hym shoulde bee a greate deale more increased and oure desyre shoulde bee more inflamed to fyll our hungrye soules with so profitable and precious meates In whiche matter I intende God wyllinge to laboure at thys tyme and to make but a shorte recitall of certayne beneâ—ytes whiche the worthye receyuinge of thys mooste blessed Sacrament worketh first in our soules and than in our bodyes for to speake perfitly at length of it and as the worthynes and dygnitie of the matter requireth woulde aske a great processe and a longe tyme whyche I verelye hope youre good affection in perceyuynge the trueth and in folowynge the same in your lyues wyll supplye First of all this holy Sacramente is ordeyned and geuen to man to nouryshe hym to eternall
receiued by it life Iudas death to Peter it was an increase of goodnes to Iudas it was a testimonye of hys noughtynesse Peter beyng good and clene toke it for his saluation Iudas beyng a traytour and vncleane tooke it to hys dampnation The thyng that was geuen was not euil but a good thing was noughtely receiued of an euil man to his dampnation For after the receipt of our Lordes body the deuil entered into Iudas not that the deuil did despise or contemne our Lordes body but the impudent wyckednes of Iudas made entrye for the deuil to dwel there wherby we be taught that the deuil lyeth in wayte and preuayleth ouer theym that vse these secret misteries with a corrupt mynde So that Iudas as soone as he with his trayterous mynde touched the heauenly foode and the sanctified bread entred into hys cursed mouthe hys myscheuous mynde not able to beare the strength of so great a Sacrament was blowen forth like chaffe out of a barne and so headlings hee ranne to hys treason and money and so to desperation and hangynge Marke the greate mercye of oure Sauioure Christe and the madnesse of Iudas for Iudas bargained for thyrty pence to sell his mayster and Christ did minister to hym the same bloode whych he solde to thintent he shoulde haue had remission of synnes if he woulde haue forsaken his wickednes O cruell hart of thys traytour wyth what eyes could he looke vpon hym whom he had in hys mouthe to eate beyng bothe at once to Christ a murderer and a gest sellyng his maister for a litle money and loosyng God and hym selfe for euermore Euen so at this day there be in the church of God good men as Saynte Peter was and noughtye men as Iudas was The good receyue the blessed Sacrament to theyr saluation the euyll men beyng lyke dogges and swine to theyr dampnation They be dogges that vnreuerentlye come vnto it and therefore they departe in Gods hye dyspleasure For they that lyue after the fleshe and be fettered in the cheynes of synne and vyce they receyue with Iudas the traytour poyson and runne to the halter of spiritual hanging in hel beyng condemned both for theyr other manyfolde synnes and also for the contempt of Christes most precious bodye whyche in verye deede they receyue but in substaunce onelye and not in any profitable or holsome effect Osa the priest in the old testament put to his hand to the Arke of God to stay it when it was like to fall of the cart and God being displeased for his rash eÌ„terprise did smite him by by with sodayn death Where we may euidently se vnderstand how much he offeÌ„deth that rashly with a gilty coÌ„science coÌ„meth to the body of our Lord when the deuout priest was punished by death that wyth lesse reuerence then he ought to haue done did touch the Arke which was but the fygure of our Lordes body In the olde lawe it is said that if a man do eate of the sanctified meat of the sacrifice by ignoraunce his synne and iniquitie shalbe imputed vnto him for which cause S. Paul doth warne vs to come vnto this most holy sacrifice of the new testament wyth muche caution and warenes least we take it to our daÌ„nation For if ignoraunce in the old law be condemned how muche is a giltye conscience in the gospel condempned Looke howe much Christe himself passeth and excelleth the materiall temple of God whyche Salomon buylded euen so much more greuous and terrible is it to receiue Christes body in deadly synne theÌ„ to eate rashly of the sacrifices of the old lawe Therefore let no false and couetous man as Iudas let no maÌ„ that vseth simonie or vsury as SymoÌ„ Magus let no maÌ„ bearing a malitious hart to his neighbour as king Herode come to this boord of our sauiour Christ this sacrifice is spirituall meate For lyke as common meate when it fyndeth a mannes stomake full of euyll humours it doth hym no good but great hurt euen so thys heauenly and spirituall meate if it fynde a mannes hart full of iniquitie it maketh him worsse not for any faulte of the meate but by the faulte of the receyuer If he be woorthy punishment that kysseth the kynges hande wyth a foule mouthe what paine is he worthy that kisseth the mouth of the kynge of heauen with a stynkynge soule And leste men shoulde thinke that these were but vayne threatninges of Saynt Paule and other holye men and that God woulde not enter in to iudgement with theim that so villanouslye and contemptuouslye abuse Chrystes bodye Sainte Paule dothe further shewe as it were an image of Gods iudgement to come agaynste suche vnworthy receyuers declaringe how that for that same heynous fault many nowe in thys worlde are punished with sicknesse with infirmytyes with mischaunces wyth great aduersitye and also with sodaine death of the body to thyntent that the multitude should be affrayd and learne by the example of a few knowyng that god wyll not leaue the contempt of his body vnpunished and although manye escape free here yet they may be sure to be more extremely handled there bothe for abusynge Chrystes bodye and also for contempninge the example of other And these plagues of sicknesse and deathe chaunce to many because they wyll not iudge them selues nor wyll not vnderstande what it is to communycate wyth the Churche and to come to so hye and so heauenlye Sacramentes and so they suffer that whyche men that bee in a feuer bee wonte to suffer when they kyll them selues by presuâ—â—â—g to eate of holle mens meate And also these plagues chaunce because they wyll not iudge Christes body that is to saye they wyll not discerne and consider the greatnes and maiestye of this present misterye but negligentlye and contemptuously take Christes body as other common meate For if they did coÌ„sider and esteme of what excellency maiesty he were that is preseÌ„t there before them and geuen them to eate they should nede no other perswasion to make cleane their hartes and to receiue him with his most honoure and reuerence but he alone woulde cause them to take hede and to purge them selues For they would consyder that they receyue and taste vpon his body and bloud that sitteth in heauen that is honoured of Aungels that is of infynite power that made both heauen and earthe that redemed gouerneth the holle worlde that shall iudge both quicke and deade And on the othersyde they woulde consider that if God dyd geue vnto vs the heauen the sea the earth and al the riches and treasures that bee in these and yf he did send vnto vs his patriarches his prophetes his Aungels he should neither geue nor sende to vs anye thinge equall wyth thys whiche is the head of all goodnesse who spared not his onelye begotten sonne to saue vs that were hys fugytiue slaues And
that ye haue learned good people the necessitie of Confession howe euerye sinner is bounden to confesse his sinnes to a Prieste by goddes lawe for the atteininge of absolution and remission of sinne nowe it followeth to be declared what a sinner oughte to do in makinge his confession Firste a sinner ought before he come to coÌ„fession to make an accompte wyth himselfe of his lyfe and to call to his remembraunce how many deadly sinnes he hath committed since the time of his laste confession wherin suche diligence muste be vsed as the necessytye and dygnitie of the woorke of GOD whiche is absolution doth require beinge willinge and readye to doe all thinges that be necessary for the recouery of grace and health of his soule whiche a sicke man woulde dooe for auoydinge the death of his bodye And this the sinner ought to doe for two causes the one that he mighte thereby take speciall repentaunce for euerye offence that he dydde for as muche as he did disobeye and offend almightye God and had some specyall pleasure in euery one and therfore he ought to call his sinnes to hys minde and for remedye of the same to take some dyspleasure and repentaunce for euerye one of theym The other cause is that he mighte haue hys sinnes readye and the better in his mynde for to shewe them vnto his ghostly father when he commeth to confession The whiche kinge Dauid did well perceiue that sinners bee bounden to dooe and therfore whan he had sinned he saied thus I wyl studye to remember my sinne because I wyll confesse it And the example of the prodigal sonne in the Gospell teacheth vs also so to doe who returninge to his father considered howe euyll hee had lyued and he called than to his mynde what he woulde confesse and saye to hys father when he shoulde come to hym Thus whan a sinnes hath diligentlye examined his owne conscyence and called to his remembraunce howe often and wherein he hathe offended hys Lorde God takinge speciall repentaunce and contrition for euery offence than he ought to come to hys ghostlye father with great desire and humilitie not as to a manne to heare some worldlye and profitable counsell but as to the messenger or vycare of oure Sauiour Christe representinge his persone whose embassage hee vseth for makynge peace and reconciliation betwene the synner and GOD to the intente he myghte heare of hym the woorde of GOD whiche is the woorde of absolution for hys synnes by paste and also bee instructed by the woorde of GOD howe to lyue wel hereafter and auoide sinne And where as the effect of Gods Sacramentes doo not depend vpon the vertue or worthines of the priest the minister but vpon the commaundement and ordinaunce of GOD who by hys spirite dothe assiste the due ministration of the same therfore a penitent synner oughte rather to regarde the vertue and power of GOD that woorketh by hys mynyster than the state of the persone be he hye or lowe a iuste or an vniuste man so longe as he is a member of Gods vniuersall Churche and by toleration suffred to minister in the same and he oughte to geue full credyte to the woordes of absolution that than his sinnes be clerelye remytted yf hys harte be than disposed and mete to receyue the same remissyon and yf hee put no stoppe to Goddes grace as they doe that lacke fayth and true contrityon And so the penitent sinner comming to a Pryeste and humbly submytting him selfe to him as representing the persone of Chryste ought to reherse hollye symplye and faythfully al the deadly synnes which than after diligent serchinge of his lyfe doe burden and vexe hys conscience For althoughe the holye Churche dothe not burden a sinner to confesse euery veniall synne whiche is vnpossyble or very harde to doe for who dothe knowe all hys faultes and also seinge that veniall synnes doe not take away charity nor do not exclude a man from the kyngedome of heauen wythoute the whyche thys frayle and mortall lyfe can not be passed ouer yet yf a man fall oftentymes into suche smal sinnes they ought not to be neglected but auoyded betymes because contempt in all thynges aggrauateth the cryme and speciallye in procurynge the remedye and also a manne shall geue an accompte in the daye of iudgement of euery idle woorde which he shal speake But all mortall sinnes such as be transgressions of gods commaundements and bringe a man in state of damnation so many as come to his remembraunce after diligent serche and inquisition the synner ought to confesse And not onely suche as he knoweth certeinly to be mortall sinnes but also suche as he doubteth of knoweth not certeinely whether they be mortall sinnes or no because what so euer thing is not of fayth is sinne and he that dothe or alloweth to be doone any thinge whereof his conscience reprehendeth or condemneth him doth therin against his conscience and sinneth deadly and ought to confesse it and learne of his ghostly father to whom iudgement is geuen to discerne betwene lepre and not lepre sinne not sinne how to know and auoide the same afterward Furthermore it is to be coÌ„sidered that god doth not forgeue one mortall sinne reteineth an other vnforgeuen but alwayes whan he forgeueth he forgeueth all together the which he shewed in expellinge al and the holle legion of deuils out of the man of Geâ—rasen And he shewed the same agayne whan he pardoned Marye Magdalene for he forgaue her all her synnes and the scrypture calleth that man happye whose sinne God hath not imputed but couered if there were any sinne remaining imputed vnto hym and not forgeuen he should not be compted as happye but as an eâ—emye to god Now seing the father â—ath geuen al power to the sonne and the sonne hathe geuen the same power to the Priestes of his churche whose iudgement both in byndinge and losinge in earth is confirmed and ratifyed by God in heauen therfore the remission whiche the priestes geue to penitent sinners oughte to be lyke and agreable to the remission whiche is geuen by God that is to say a full remission not forgeuinge one mortall sinne without an other but eyther forgeuing al at once or none at all And because as ye were taught before the priest can not worthelye exercyse this authoritie of forgeuinge or reteyninge sinne excepte the sinner open hys conscience and confesse his sinnes hym selfe both because he can not otherwyse knowe what is to bee remytted what is not and also because he may not rashely remit that he knoweth not and is not confessed vnto him therfore the sinner is bounden plainelye and fullye to confesse all his sinnes and euery pertyculare sinne whiche by diligente serchynge of hys conscyence commeth than to hys remembraunce For the conceyling or hyding of any one mortall sinne which he remembreth is the cause why all the
lyke a deade carien lyeth in hys bodye as in a graue which when the mouthe is open sendeth forth an euyll sauour or smel and infecteth with poysoned woordes and example the ayre round about and all those that haue coÌ„uersation with him and so is he made odious to him selfe in that he defileth his owne bodye and is the cause of the sickenes and corruption of the same and is also odious to his neighbours whoÌ„ he hurteth many wayes and is also most odious to God whom he dishonoureth by hys noughtye lyuinge and diminisheth his glorye and causeth his name to be euyll spoken of amonge the Heathen and thus when a man lyeth impudently in synne hys enemyes laughe at him his frendes pitie him all other men abhorre him besyde that he looseth Gods most gratious fauour in whose sight he alwayes standeth and canne not excuse him selfe by secretnesse neyther in deede nor in thought and if he dye in this damnable state of deadly sinne his own conscience shal then accuse him before GOD and his remembraunce shall beare wytnesse agaynst him and declare howe when where and how often he sinned and shall open his holâ—e vyle and beastly lyfe so playnelye before God his iudge that he shall not be able to speake for him selfe one woorde nor yet to aske mercy if it were demaunded of him why he dyd those synfull dedes but he shall holde hys peace and see that he is worthy to be damned and cast into the prison of hell there to remayne in euerlasting paynes If men or women did diligently consider the noughtynes of these thinges which God hath forbidden and how greatly they be against reason and than wolde surely beleue that they should thereby loose Gods fauour and set them selues in state of dampnation and be verely dampned to infinite and euerlasting payne if they dyed so which is most true than doubtles they wold hate al the waies of iniquitie and fly from it as from a serpent and as the very cause of all these mischiefes that folow and fede their mindes no more with that damnable meate of sinne but refuse it and forsake it as a poyson infecting and killing them both in body and soule The seconde thynge to auoyde synne is thys when anye synne commeth into a mans mynde and remembraunce vncalled for by the suggestion of the deuil or the motion of his fleshe let him euer more put it awaye by and by with hatred And let a man remember this lesson well for it is a singuler meane and verye necessarye to defende and kepe his soule and wyll from the consent and desire to synne For lyke as a fleshe flye if it be not beaten away as soone as it commeth â–ª wyll leaue filthye blowinges in the flesh which will bee woormes and destroye it euen so wyll synne when it commeth vnto a mannes mynde cause and make euyll thoughtes and desyres in mans hart if it be not put away by and by at the firste comming For if a man wyll thynke vpon sinne and reuolue it in his minde excepte he doo consider it with hatred then will it ingendre in his wil some pleasure and it will moue him to imagine and think euil and it wil heate him and set his harte on fyre and blynde his reason and prouoke him sore and greatlye to consent to doo that sinne and at length it will bring his wil to agree and to desire and fully determine to do it and so then it destroyeth and kylleth hys soule that is to say then hath he lost the title which he had to euerlasting life and hath set him selfe in the terrible and dreadfull state of dampnation and hath deserued to haue euerlasting paynes in hel The more and the longer a man suffreth his minde to be occupied in thinking vpon sinne the more desyrous shall he be to doo it and the more paine and labour shal he haue to put it out of his minde again when he would Happy is he saith the Prophet that wyl hold him selfe from vyce and wyll breake the heades of the litle ones I meane the first motions of sinne vpon the stone which is Christ by withstanding them by fayth and prayer And surelye nothyng is so euyll so hurtefull and so daungerous to a mans soule as to suffer his minde and remembraunce to be occupyed and to thinke vpon sinne and therfore when any sinful thoughts come into his minde let him make a sharpe rod of hatred and abhorring of it and beate it away by and by and then let him occupy and set his minde vpon his other lawfull busynesse or let him do some thing vpon the which he muste needes stedfastlye thinke or let him go to some honest company and common vpon some good matter but best of al it is to fal to praier and with that swoorde of the spirit to shift of and dryue awaye the fyerye dartes of the deuil calling for the ayde of the sayd holy spirite to help his infirmitie and thus may a man beate away the flesh flye of sinne that he shall not rest and leaue behynde hym any filthie blowinges of euil thoughtes and motions and so may he kepe his soule cleane from the woormes of deadlye and dampnable desires and consentes Moreouer to auoyde sinne a man muste also eschew the outward occasioÌ„ of it â–ª For if the cause remaine comonly the effect wyl folow as thus first let him kepe well his fyue senses and speciallye his sight his hearing and his feeling from thinges vnlawful and forbidden that is to say let him not behold and cast his eye with inward pleasure vpon suche thinges as may lightly and comonly moue a man to thynke vpon synne nor apply and geue eare with gladnes to heare euill tales or filthye and dishonest communication but when he seeth or heareth such euyll then let him by and by take away his sight and hearing from it with displeasure and hate the seing and hearing of it King Dauid dyd behold curiously the beauty of his souldiours wyfe and sodeinly he was smitten in the hart with the dart of adulterye and if this holye Prophet Dauid that had so muche grace of the holye spirit of whom God sayd he had found a man euen as he would wyshe yf he by the occasion of his eye receyued poyson into his hart howe muche shal an other man come in daunger by the lyke occasion that neither hath so much knowledge what he should do nor yet so much grace to do that he knoweth â–ª And where as the Prophet saith death hath entred in by our windowes we maye vnderstande by that that synne entreth into the hart of man by his eyes and eares and other senses whyche be as it were the wyndowes of his soule If the wyndowes be not shut or els a diligent watche set vpon them surely synne and death wyl crepe in althoughe the man haue verye greate knowledge and grace Like as if a candle be put in
remedy in this case is easyer than in the other before whiche is this that the man must chaunge his minde and consent in his harte to take that woman to hys wife as he saied before that he did and the woman likewise And this done then be they man and wife before GOD and their matrymoniall knowledge together is no lenger sinne but lawfull and good afterwarde This is the remedy in this case and there is none other Many moo cases and difficulties in this Sacrament of Matrimony I might reherse whiche the Churche of God hath fullye debated and resolued but I thinke these few to be sufficient to the laye man for vnderstandinge howe mariage ought to be ministred and contracted And notwithstandinge that the man and woman consentinge to bee man and wife and sayinge the wordes of the Sacrament be perfitely maryed together yet the marienge of them in the face of the Churche afterwarde by the ministration of the Prieste is not superfluouse but muche expedient for sondrye causes firste to thintent that this Sacramente shoulde haue that solemnitie and reuerence whiche is due to so holye a thinge instituted by our sauiour Christe him selfe for that coniunction whiche the Prieste as Gods minister dothe vs to vnderstande that Matrimonye is made by the assystaunce and working of almightye God Secondlye that the persones whiche be maried may receiue haue the fruite of the praiers and suffrages whiche be saide for them in the sacryfyce of the church and also may be partakers of the blessinge of God which is made ouer them by the priest wherby we knowe that the state of lyuing in mariage is blessed of almightie God And thirdlye it is solemnized in the Churche that it might haue the more recorde and be more allowed and fortyfied by the solemnization and that all doubtes whiche mighte be imagined againste it shoulde be put awaye Further I shal not nede to alledge vnto you at this tyme but onelye shall exhorte you to haue alwaies God his true religion before your eyes in entringe to this state of life by matrimonye whiche can not be dissolued or auoyded at the wyl and affection of man but must be kept and obserued till death departe the same For as we see by experience how vpon noughty affectionate beginninges there commeth seldome good successe so yf the beginninge of these contractes in maryage bee vsed with discretion and Godlye intent in suche forme as I haue declared vnto you where the harte and worde do ioyne together and the dede performeth that was promised and sayd before then shal these manyfold contentions breache of charitie cease the parties loue one an other in chaste loue as Chryste loued hys Churche and shal labour to bringe vp their children in the feare of God and knowledge of true religion which shalbe a great helpe and furtherance to their saluation by the mercy and merites of our sauiour Christe to whome wyth the father and the holy ghost be all honoure and prayse for euermore Amen ⸫ ¶ For what intent and wyth what affection men and women should marrye Ser. xxix AS in the contracting of maryage good people yf the ryghte forme and laudable maner therin prescribed by the holy Church be not obserued ther chaunceth often times muche contention and hatred afterward vpon the same as ye haue bene taught euen so yf thintentes of mariage and the causes that moue and prouoke men and women to bee maryed be not Godlye and honest the successe of those mariages commonlye folowe thereafter For whyche cause I intend God wyllinge to declare vnto you at thys tyme whyche causes bee nought and reproueable and whyche be honeste and Godlye For yf the intent and cause why men and women dooe marrye be not good and Godly than shall not there lyfe be acceptable to almightie God nor yet longe pleasaunte vnto them selues as experience doth many times euidently shewe A great number of folkes do marrye for one of these two causes and intentes or for bothe eyther to haue the luste and vnclenlye desire of the fleshe fulfylled or els to get worldlye goodes and riches therby Both these causes if they be chefely and principally intended by the parties which marry be very euil and vngodly Many yonge men and women doo vse to say in rebuke of other that they wyll not marrye for ryches and goodes but for good loue and yet that good loue is mooste principallye for to haue their sensuall appetyte and carnall desyre fulfylled Whiche maner of loue doth neuer long endure betwene them that so marrye but it decayeth and goeth shortly away And than suche persones beginne to mislyke one an others conditions and to waxe werye one of an other and after continuaunce and increace of that werynesse it groweth to bee so paineful and greuous that the parties wyshe them selues vnmaryed againe yea and many tymes they wyshe them selues buried and no merueyle For an euyl tree suche as is carnall concupiscence and fleshely loue can bring forth no good fruyte but such as I haue rehersed I nede not to shewe and iudge for what intent goodlye younge women marrye poore and miserable persones when they haue done amisse For they be but a smal numbre and yet they vse more vyce vnder the cloke and couer of mariage than they durst do before whē they were syngle Now againste these persones whiche after such sort and with such intēt do enterprise to marry that they do exclude God from them selues and from their mindes and do applie and geue them selues to satisfye their lustes and pleasure as horses and moyles do whiche haue no reason or vnderstandinge againste all suche persones as the Aungell Raphaell taught the good younge Tobye the deuill hath power to preuayle And althoughe almightye God of his greate mercye doth not nowe suffer the deuyl to vse his malyce againste the bodies of suche offendours as he vsed in the time of Tobye agaynste the seuen wicked husbandes of Sara the doughter of Raguell yet no doubte of it their noughtye eye doth make darke their hole bodie that is to saye their wicked and lecherouse intente dothe corrupte their soules whereby they come to the snare of the deuyll who spirituallye preuayleth againste them Moreouer the greater parte of the other people dothe marrye for the other cause that is for goodes and ryches And for this purpose man and woman doo not onelye marrye them selues but they doo also studye and labour to marrye their children and kinsfolkes to gleane and get ryches So that nowe commonlye there is no other vertuouse lyuinge honestye good conditions wisdome stocke lynnage personage beautie youth nor any thinge els so greatly regarded and considered as is worldlye goodes and possessions For if the man be voyde of vertue and discretion and lette him haue deformitie and be without personage and so forthe yet yf hee haue greate lande and goodes there shall be no faute nor lacke founde in him but
shal haue suters vnto him for their doughters kinswomē And on the other syde yf a woman haue greate substāce and goodes and many good Lordships and Manours although she haue neuer one or fewe good conditions or vertues she shal be sure to haue suters to marry with her both of great men and other be she faire or foule yong or old beautiful or deformed but the miserable life and sorowful paine that suche persones many times haue of their mariage they them selues can tell and yet they be not able to expresse wyth theyr tonges all that they fele suffer in their hartes And then they curse their goodes and the daye in the whiche they were maryed Yea and more ouer we see daylye that great men doo sell theyr children as thoughe they were bondes slaues and do nothinge studye or labour to marry their sonnes to good wyues nor their doughters to good husbandes but their principall care is to sell them where they haue moste monye Lykewyse the buyers doo not care for the good conditions of those they buye but loke more vpon the landes and rentes whyche those shall haue and enioye and therfore oftentimes both the buyers and sellers of suche wardes and other marrye their children to great misery and endlesse paine And thus for goodes and riches they be vnkind vnnaturall and cruel Fathers vnto theyr chyldren and cruel frendes vnto theyr kynsfolke in geuing and procuring to theim so painefull and sorowfull a lyfe And manye tymes they distroye their owne families and auncyent houses thereby for that their sonnes noughtly brought vp or els their sonnes in lawe euyll chosen for lacke of grace and the rather also for suche dysagrement as chaunceth betwene them and their wyues maried principallye for possessions sake dooe waste and consume in small tyme all that their parentes and auncetours wyth all theyr wyttes longe seruice and painefull industrye and labour haue gotten together in many yeres before And here ye shall vnderstande good people that I doo not prohybyte and forbydde men to looke for no maner of goodes when they wyll marrye For reason doth graunt that bothe men and women shoulde before they marrye wel consyder what crafte occupation habilitye and what goodes they haue them selues to lyue with all if they marry And reason doth admytte that they shoulde likewise looke what habylitye and substaunce they be of wyth whome they wyll marrye and wey and caste howe suche charges as maye growe vnto theym by chyldren and otherwise when they bee maried maye be borne and susteined These thinges men and women whyche wyll marrye oughte well to remember and consyder and therefore I speake not agaynste suche considerations and lookinge for goodes but I saye almyghtye GOD and reason dothe reproue and condempne all them whiche do marrye most principallye for goodes and ryches For that intent and purpose is noughte and contrarye to Gods ordinaunce in that behalfe And it is also euident that goodes and monye Lordshippes ryche apparell delycate fare and so forthe can doo no pleasure or profyte vnto the hartes of maried persones excepte they haue together faythful love kyndenesse ioye one of an other and godly and comfortable agrement Nowe that I haue shewed vnto you suche causes of mariage as be vngodlye it is lykewise requisyte to declare the other causes whyche almighty GOD and his holye word doth allow whiche be the verye same wherfore GOD did institute and ordeyne thys Sacrament of matrimonye that is to saye the loue and desire of children and posteritie by whom GOD should be more honoured and the hatred of fornication and vnclene life The first cause is set forth in the boke of Genesis where God blessed our firste parentes and bad them increace and multiplye and fulfyll the earthe Tobye the yonger shewed that he maryed onely for thys firste cause sayinge vnto almightye GOD thus O Lorde thou knowest that I take thys woman to my wyfe not for cause of lecherye or to satisfye and fulfyl my carnal lust and desire but I take her onely to haue posteritie and chyldren to the intent that thou mayest be alwayes here blessed lauded and honoured And for thys intent Christen men shoulde mooste principallye marrye and brynge vp their children in vertuouse lyuinge that they maye iustely lyue laude and honour almightye GOD and when God sendeth them chyldren to teache them to doo the same The vnchrystened and heathen men doo marrye to haue children and to encreace their people but not to haue almightye GOD lauded and honoured whose honour and glorye good men shoulde speciallye seeke to set foorth and encreace bothe in them selues and in their children The other cause is that men and women might by this Sacrament haue a iust and good remedye agaynste the sensuall appetyte of the fleshe to auoyde the sinne of fornication when they feared that they coulde not lyue otherwyse chastelye whereof Saint Paule wrote to the Corynthians thus It is good for a manne not to touche hys wyfe yet for auoydinge of fornication lette euerye man haue or vse hys owne wyfe and lette euerye wyfe haue or vse her owne husbande and lette the man paye hys debte to hys wyfe and lykewyse the wyfe to her husbande For the wyfe hathe not nowe power of her owne bodye but her husbande and lykewyse the husbande hathe not power of hys bodye but the wyfe dooe not defraude one an other excepte it bee for a tyme by mutuall consent to the intent ye myghte geue and applye your selues more freely to prayer so forth So that these two intentes that is to saye the loue to haue children and the hatred or auoydinge of fornication as they be the principall causes why this Sacrament of Matrimony was ordeyned of God so they ought to be the principall causes why men and women shoulde marrye together For so shall they receiue the graces whiche God geueth in mariage shall beautifye his church and haue greate helpe and furtherance towardes their saluation And contrarye they that with couetouse and lecherouse affections dooe ioyne theym selues in mariage they loose the grace of the Sacrament whyche they mighte haue hadde they dishonour thys holye Sacrament in making it a cloke and a defence for their noughty and vicious intentes and they brynge them selues vnder the power of the deuyll who than is permitted to preuayle againste them Moreouer good people it is expedient when a man wil marry for the causes before rehersed that he diligentlye remember and consider the lawe of Matrimonye That is to saye howe he shall bynde him self to loue his wife as his owne bodye and better than any other man woman or chylde in suche sorte as Christe loueth hys Churche and did geue him selfe to the death for it to make it holy and without spotte And also the man ought not to be bitter fell against hys wife in vsing brawlinges chyding or fightinge with her And that he muste
her in God for God And therefore maried persones be bounden if any displeasant thyng chaunce amonges them with patience to beare one an others burden and so to fulfyl the law of Christ which is charitie seking to amende that is done amysse betwene them rather by discrete and louing admonition than by furious and vnkynde correction which shalbe a cause that either partie shall take heede and beware to do any thyng that might displease the other for very loue and for feare of loosing the others fauour Thus haue ye hearde good people for what cause men and women ought to enter maryage and partlye how to lyue in the same to the pleasure of almyghty God according to the example of al holy men and the doctrine of our Sauiour Christ to whom wyth the father and the holye ghost be all glory and honour world without end Amen ⸬ ¶ Of the sacrament of extreme Unction Serm. xxx COnsideryng good people that the lyfe of man is but short and passeth awaye lyke a shadowe and that death as it is most certeyn to come to euery man so it is vncerteyne what tyme or what houre it shall come and also considering that the deuyll our ghostly enemy as he ceaseth not all our lyfe tyme with his craftie tentations to lay in wayte for vs to supplant vs and to bring vs to deadly synne and so to loose the fauoure of God our moste mercyfull father so in the time of our infirmitie whē death approcheth then I saye is hee most busye and fearce to subuert vs and wee also at that tyme leste able to withstand him our minde being thē much alienated with the payne of oure dissease and the heauines of our body which than draweth towardes corruption Therefore oure Sauiour Christe our most speciall helper and comforter in all dystresses hathe prouyded for vs a singulare and speciall good medicine whiche is the Sacrament of extreme Unction the vertue wherof is at that tyme of our infirmitie to comfort our soules whiche be wont to waxe heauye for the dyssolution of oure bodyes and also to strengthen vs wyth the grace of the holy ghost agaynst the violent assaultes and tentations of the deuyll and also to replenyshe our hart wyth gladnes agaynste the terrour of deathe and fynally to forgeue vs our dayly trespasses wherewith we haue displeased hys Maiestye such I meane as this our transitorye lyfe considering our frayltie and weakenes can not be passed oouer without and all this also is done with the assistaunce of suche godly and faythfull prayers as the Priestes of Christes Catholyke Churche doo make to almyghtye God for the sycke man at the ministration of thys Sacrament of extreme Unction Of which Sacrament Saynt Marke speaketh in hys syxte chapiter where it is wrytten that our Sauiour Christ dyd sende foorthe hys disciples to preache prescribynge vnto theym what maner and fourme they shoulde obserue in theyr progresse and then it foloweth that the disciples goyng abroade preached to the people to doo penaunce and they dyd caste foorthe manye deuylls and they anoynted wyth oyle manye sycke persones and they were made holle which thing they dydde not in theyr owne name and power by presumptiō but in the power and name of Christ as he had prescribed cōmaunded thē before to do And because in the wordes of the Euangelist is set forth playnly the visible sygne of oyle also the inuisible effect of grace annexed folowing therupō therfore the holy vniuersall church of Christ as the practise of the same the consent of the auncient wryters doo witnes vnderstand and beleue thys sacrament to be then instituted of oure Sauioure Christe Which thing the holye Apostle Saynte Iames also deliuering that to the people which he before had receyued of Christ setteth foorth more at large writing thus Yf any person be sycke amonges you let him call the Priestes of the church to be brought in and let thē pray ouer him anoynting him with oyle in the name of our Lorde and the prayer of fayth shall saue the sycke person and our Lord shall relieue him and lyft hym vp and yf he be in synnes they shall be forgeuen hym By whiche woordes we be assured that God dothe assyst the ministration of thys Sacrament and also we learne howe it oughte to bee vsed in all poyntes Fyrst he telleth to whom it ought to be ministred that is to say to Christen men or women such as haue receyued the Sacrament of Baptisme before and not to euery one of them but to such as be than visited by the hand of God with some great sycknes of the bodye and be in some perill of death by reason of the sayde syckenes and not by any other outward violence of warre or execution and not to yong infantes that haue no neede of it nor to suche as eyther for younge age or for phrenesie lack the vse of theyr reason but to such as haue knowledge and haue dominion ouer theyr own willes and being in venial synne do requyre the same either than or before as it may be presumed by theyr former will So that it is euery Christen mans dutie to requyre this Sacrament with humble request and with perfite hope to atteyn the grace and effect which is geuen by the same Secondly saint Iames expresseth to whom it apperteyneth by offyce and dutye to be minister of this Sacrament in that he wylleth the sycke man to call for the Priestes of the church For onely Priestes be appointed to be ministers thereof not as in theyr owne name and authoritie but in the name and authoritie of our Lorde Iesus Christ so that the Priest in that doynge dothe beare and represent the person of Christe and hys holy Church who besyde hys prayers doth minister the outward Sacrament of aueiling and Christ inwardly worketh the inuisible grace of the same in the soule of the party aueyled like as he vseth to do in al other sacramēts Thyrdly Saynt Iames expresseth both the matter or outward element of this sacrament and also the maner howe to vse it The matter wherein it is ministred is oyle which is a thing most conuenient to declare the effectes and graces geuen by the same The maner howe to vse it is by prayer ouer the sycke persone and by anoynting him in such places of his body as wer occasions or as it wer windowes wherby sinne is chiefely committed as the places of our fyue wittes or senses For by the eyes concupiscence couetousnes and manye other vyces enter into the soule by the eares detraction false reportes and thereupon folowing anger and enuye and suche like infect the soule by the nose delitious lyfe and muche other occasion of synne is ministred by the mouthe both in tastyng and also in speakinge that is agaynste God and hys neyghbour a man often tymes doth offend by the reynes and other partes therunto adioyninge carnall desyres and concupiscence of the