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
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
After that they had walked and profited thus muche in the fayth they did commyt suche a synne that was able to alienate theym cleane from Christ whereof the apostle spake Beholde I Paule saie vnto you if you vse circumcision Christ will profite you nothing And againe you that be iustified by the lawe be fallen from grace Yet after these decayes of faythe after so greate falles he calleth them backe againe and with motherlye affection dothe cheryshe them sayinge Mine owne litle children whome I labour to bring forth againe as a mother doth of her child vnborne whiles that Christe be formed in you What other thinge is taughte by these but that it is possible that Christe maye bee formed and dwell in hym agayn by penaunce that hath fallen from Christ by extremitie of sinne before Almyghty GOD wylleth not the deathe of a sinner but that hee conuerte and lyue Lette vs therefore be conuerted and lette vs yeld our selues to the accomplishinge of Gods wyll For so longe as wee bee in this life how greate synnes so euer we commit it is possible to wasshe theym all awaye by penaunce but when wee shalbe taken out of thys worlde there although wee repent vs for wee shall repent very muche yet we shal haue no profyte of our repentaunce And althoughe there be gnashinge of teeth yowlynge and wepynge althoughe wee praye and crye out wyth innumerable obsecrations no man wyll heare vs no man wyll succour vs no not so much as with his fyngers end powre a litle water vpon our tonge that burneth in the flambe but wee shall heare that the ryche man hearde of Abraham that a greate wast distaunce is putte betwene vs and you so that none from thence maye come hyther nor from vs to you Lette vs therfore good brethren caste vp oure eyes to oure Lorde Iesu Chryste and lette vs lyke good and profytable seruauntes seeke hym and not dyspayre so longe as wee enioye thys lyfe by penaunce to obteyne pardone for oure synnes onelye in hell as I sayed the medycynes of penaunce wyll profyte nothing but in this lyfe althoughe it bee in the laste crooked age and in the extremitie of synne yet beleue me it wyll cure vs and bringe vs to perfyte healthe For thys cause the deuyll moueth and dothe all that he can to bringe desperation into oure mindes He knoweth full well that yf a manne doe penaunce but a lytle space be it neuer so shorte yet hys conuersion shall not bee vnfruytfull Onelye lette vs nowe begynne to dooe better Euer the beginning semeth hardest At the first steppe the waye of vertue seemeth to be harde and not able to bee commed vnto For so is the nature of all thynges all labour seemeth painefull so long as it is weyed onelye in the consideratyon of a mannes mynde But when we come to the experience of the thinge and beginne to goe throughe a lytle of the laboure than is all the feare of the gryefe dryuen cleane awaye The successe of the woorke bryngeth swetenesse and the encrease of vertue newe repayred bryngeth gladnesse to oure myndes and by and by maketh vs stronger when the hope of saluation begynneth to seme nyghe at hande For that cause the deuyll tooke Iudas oute of thys lyfe least knowynge that there was a waye to turne to saluation he mighte by penaunce refourme hys fall Therefore lette vs nowe enter the iourneye of lyfe let vs returne to the heauenlye citie wherein we be elected and appoynted as free citizens The gates of this citie desperation hath shutte but hope shall open theym and sure confydence shall make the entree large and brode When the soule begynneth to despayre of saluation it regardeth not then after what sorte or into what vice it caste it selfe it feareth to dooe or to speake nothinge that maye be contrarye to her saluation And as we see often in theim that bee madde when they haue once loste the staye of theyr ryghte mynde then they feare nothynge nor bee ashamed of nothinge but are bolde to speake and doe whatsoeuer they liste thoughe they shoulde fall into the fyre or into a depe pyt they stick not nor pull not back theyr foote euen so they that be taken with desperation are made intollerable and runne throughe the wayes of iniquitie neither shame nor feare letteth theym neyther presente miserye dothe stoppe them nor payne to come dothe affraye them onelye deathe whiche they can not auoyde endeth the execucyon of theyr malice Wherefore I moste entierlye beseche you yf there bee anye here that dispayre or bee in doubte to attayne mercye and forgeuenesse to take agayne the swete yocke of oure sauiour Iesus Christ and his light burdē and not to suffer so greate a treasure of Gods former giftes and graces vtterly to peryshe It will perishe yf we continue in synne prouokyng GOD more and more with our noughty dedes Lette vs aryse therefore nowe wythoute delaye and beleue me oure aduersary wyll flye awaye our boldenesse shall make hym affrayde the more fyerce wee bee the more fearefull wyll hee bee and GOD wyll be presente and bothe diminyshe the conscyence of oure synnes and vndermyne hys mighte and strength So shall we faythfullye serue hym here and reigne with him eternally in the next world throughe Christe our Lorde to whom be all glorye for euer Amen ¶ Againste presumption of mercye Ser. xvi LYke as penaunce is the mother of mercye and a vertue most agreable to the wyll of GOD euen so good people an vnpenitente harte is an enemye of mercye and moste repugnaunte to the fountayne of al goodnes and suche a vyce as onely can neuer atteyne forgeuenesse at Gods hande who daylye throughe hys vnspeakeable mercye prouoketh synners to penaunce whome obstynate synners delaiynge their conuersion doe prouoke to anger Manye there bee that purpose to continue styll in theyr synnes vpon hope of remission and forgeuenesse at the laste ende or in theyr olde age abusynge Goddes goodnes and contemninge hys iustice These men gooe frome euyll to worse and abuse the precious treasure of tyme by their continuaunce in synne whiche GOD graunteth to man as a specyall remedye againste sinne From this mooste detestable vyce the consideration of Goddes inestimable and infinite benefites should withdrawe vs leste our vnkindnesse dooe appeare whyche stoppeth the wayes of grace and suffreth remission to haue no entrye into our soules GOD the father hath so loued vs that to redeme vs his seruauntes he hathe not spared his onely begotten sonne God the sonne hathe so loued vs that to make vs his seruauntes he hath redemed vs not with corruptyble golde or syluer but wyth hys owne precious bloude whyche he hathe shedde forth aboundauntlye They both haue sent and geuen vnto vs theyr holy spirite God the holy ghoste who hathe endued vs wyth heauenlye and marueylous giftes by whom we haue strengthe of good lyfe lyghte of true knowledge and assuraunce that wee shall
we are sanctified by grace wee are made iust menne by ryghtwisnes we are made Gods children by adoption we are made heyres of the kingdome of heauen we are made fellow heyres with Christ gods sonne we are made members of Christes mistical body we are made the house and temple of God we are made the instrumentes of the holy ghost we are grafted in Christ to grow and to bring forth the fruite of sanctification and to receyue the reward of oure fruite euerlasting life All these graces almightye God worketh by baptisme as by a peculiar instrumeÌ„t for that purpose in the hartes of al infants that by the Church and in the faith of the churche be offered to God and baptised where nothinge of the infantes party dothe stop the grace of the sacrament But if he that is baptised be of age and discretion hauinge the vse of his reason it is required necessarilye of him before baptisme to haue faith repentaunce of his former noughtie liuing â–ª as Christ saith He that beleueth and is baptised shal be saued but he that beleueth not shall be condemned and as S. Peter saith Do penaunce and be euery one of you baptised in the name of Iesus Christe in remission of your sinnes and ye shall receiue the gifte of the holy ghost Wherby wee learne that the lacke of true fayth and repentaunce do stop the grace of the Sacrament that it can take no place in the hart of him that hath the vse of his reason when he is baptised and yet the baptisme is good maye not be â—â—erate geuen againe although it be vnfruitfull to the receyuer at that time tyll afterwarde he receyue by true faythe and penaunce and imposition of handes the gifte of the holy ghost Thus good people when we haue considered what we ought to thinke of baptisme and what fruite we receiue by it now our duetie is to put the same in practise all our life tyme and to lyue so that this good worke be not in vayne begoÌ„ne in vs and to shewe our selues thankefull for so great a treasure and so preciouse a Iewel geuen vnto vs and to labour and praye diligently that Gods spirite geuen vnto vs in baptisme be not driuen away by our noughty liuing but that his grace in our hartes be dayly continued and more encreased that by the vertue thereof the rightwysnes of the lawe mighte be fulfylled in vs that walke not after the fleshe but after the spirite tyl this mortal nature of ours put on immortalitie in the day of our Lorde Iesus Christ to whom with the father and the holye ghoste be all honour and glorye Amen ¶ Of the necessitie of Baptisme and the ministers of the same Ser. iii. THe necessitie of baptisme good people is knowen by the plaine woordes of our sauiour Chriâ—â— who sayde to Nicodemus that came to him in the night Except a man be borne agayne of the water and the holy ghost he can not enter into the â—â—ngdome of God Whereby wee learne that no man is incorporate to Christ and made one bodye with hym but he that is baptised if he may be baptised And S. Philippe also declaring that baptisme is a Sacrament of necessitie for saluation when he had fully taughte the Eunuch the faith of Christ whose hart was replenished and fulfilled with the holy ghost dyd not cease there but to shewe the necessity of baptisme when they came to water Philippâ— wente downe from the charyote with the Eunuch and did baptise him and let hym go And S. Peter likewise preaching the fayth of Christ to Cornelius and his family and frendes when he perceiued that the holy ghoste did inspire theyr hartes with his grace before baptisme was not content onelye with that but to declare the necessitie of water sayd Can anye man forbydde water that these men should not be baptised that haue receiued the holy ghost as we haue Therefore be a man neuer so well instructed in the knowledge of Christes relygyon yet hee beareth the burden of hys iniquitie whiche shal not be forgeuen him but when he shall come to baptisme if it maye be hadde And chyldren whiche be borne in origynall synne and therefore be the chyldren of Gods angre and dyspleasure can not be saued and deliuered from theyr synne but by the water of regeneratyon and this is true whether they be borne of faythfull parentes or vnfaythfull for what so euer is borne of the fleshe is fleshe and lyke as by one man Adam sinne came into the worlde and by synne deathe and so death came vppon all men that synned in Adam euen so by the ryghtwysnesse of one man Iesus Christe grace came into the worlde and by grace lyfe in whom many be made ryghtwyse whyche ryghtwyâ—nesse onelye they haue that haue putte on Chryste by Baptisme And yet good people it is to be vnderstande that thys generall rule hathe but twoo exceptions whyche be Martyrdome and conuersyon of the harte by fayth when Baptisme can not be hadde For Martirdome whiche is to suffer deathe for Christes cause or in the quarell of Chryste dothe supplye the steede of Baptisme both in those that be chyldren and also in those that be of age when onelye necessitie and not contempte excludeth the Sacramente as oure Sauiour Christe saythe He that confesseth me before menne I shall also confesse hym before my father whiche is in heauen and he that looseth hys lyfe for me shall fynde it so that whosoeuer can not receyue the Sacramente of regeneratyon but dyeth before for the confession of Chryste it is as muche auaylable to the remission of hys sinnes as if they were washed away by the holye fountayne of baptisme For who doubteth but that the holye Innocentes whom the wycked kynge Herode slewe for Christe are numbred among the Martyrs of God who made a good confession of Christ not by their mouthes but by sheddinge of their bloude for him Likewyse he that hathe his harte fullye conuerted to GOD by true and lyuelye faythe and can not bee baptysed in water but is preuented by deathe before is in that case excused for not hauinge Baptisme For Christe saythe He that beleueth in me shall not see deathe for euermore And where faythe is where hope is where charitye is where the full and perfytte vertue of Baptisme is there saluation canne not lacke if the Sacramente be hadde in purpose and wyll and can not be had in dede So that we see that Chyldren haue but one remedye to supply the lacke of baptisme whiche is Martyrdome and they that haue the vse of reason haue twoo remedyes bothe Martyrdome and also the full conuersion of the hart by lyuelye faythe and that onelye in tyme of neede when the Sacrament not of contempt but of necessitie can not be had And because this Sacrament is of such necessitie therefore the ministration of it is not extended to
they be the substaunce of the holy spirit of god but that they be wrought in oure soules by his motion inspiration spiritual vnction do make that man a spirituall godly man that hath them vseth thē Now for what intent the holy ghost doth geue thē to a man that is confirmed you shal plainly perceiue if ye will consider the maner order of the deuils tentation in vs. There be vii capital vices called deadly sinnes from which as frō seuē welles or fountaynes all other vices corruptions of the soule do spring procede These be the nets and snares that the deuil laieth to intrappe and catche a man in And considring that he is so mighty being the prynce of darknes so malitious neuer ceasinge to deuoure vs and so crafty knowing in what point we are most weake to withstand being practised fro the beginning of the world in such feats he wyll not fayle to intangle vs with these vices his snares except we haue the assistāce ayde of gods holy spirit to helpe vs be vigilāt our selues to take hede to our fete with faith praier put awai his darts And because we be weak of our selfes not able to match and ouercome this our mighty crafty enemy therfore the holy spirit of god our tutour defēdour being of more strēgth thā the deuil is hath armed vs w t seuen other giftes contrary to the deuils seuen snares or dartes hath also bound him that he shal not tēpt vs further than we being thus armed aided be able to withstand And because these his vii gifts be as it wer the sedes of godly liuing sowē in the groūd of our harts he causeth out of thē other seuē vertues to grow wher by a mā is made able not onely to auoyd the seuen snares of the deuill but also is inwardelye beautified inriched made an happy man for which cause these vertues be called beatitudes And in case a mā lose these gifts vertues our sauior Christ hath taught vs a mean to recouer thē again whiche is praier for that euery man is not of that wisedō learning as he can perticulerly in proper termes aske that he nedeth therfore hath he taught vs one forme of praier cōteining seuē petitiōs wherof euery one of thē is directed in order to the asking atteining of one of the foresaid seuē giftes vertues Thus are we euery way on gods part prouided for sufficiētly may easely ouercome the deuil our enemy if we list to take pain fight as our duetie to almighty god regard to our soules health do require And that ye maye the better vnderstand this that I haue spoken in general I shall by gods help for your edyfying declare shortly perticularly how euery vyce is ouercōmed wyth the contrary gift of the holy ghoste And firste to begin at pryde which is the roote and beginning of all synne the mother of death and misery and the verye cause why the deuyll was expelled out of heauen and man out of Paradyse ye maye consyder that the deuyll by pryde laboureth to take god from vs whom we are most bounde to loue and serue and dayly tempteth vs eyther to thynke and esteme that good qualitie which we haue to come of our selfe and not of god or elles that it is not freely geuen but fullye deserued of our party or els to boast our selues to haue that wee haue not or els to despise other and to labor to appeare synguler or els by one meanes or other he prouoketh vs to contemne god not to regard our state and condition By this dart he laboureth to wounde our soules agaynste the whyche the holy ghoste hath armed vs wyth his gift of the feare of god not only with the seruile feare of the paynes of hell whiche is the begynninge of wisedome and goeth away at his comminge by charitie but also with the reuerente chaste feare of gods maiestye and goodnes that remayneth for euer whereby a manne forbeareth to offend God and is careful to please and serue God as the wyse manne counselleth saying Sonne when thou commest to gods seruice stand in feare prepare thy soule to tentatyon This feare of God is the roote and keper of all religion in which except a mā kepe him self stedfaste the house of vertues builded in his soule wil soone decaye and come to ruine And it is geuen vs by the holy ghost as a present remedye against pride as S. Paule saith Noli altū sapere sed time be not proude hye minded but feare For by feare a man is awaked out of the slepe of negligence his cōscience is examined if any fault be done he is made careful for his life present desirous of the life to come Out of this roote of feare springeth the godly floure of humilitye whiche is called pouertie in spirite whereby a man geueth god the glorye of that vertue he is indued withal and is himself content wyth the fruite of the same and is estemed but litle in his owne sight be he neuer so hye in knowledge an◠dignitie and putteth his trust and glory neither in him self his strength his vertues his works or his riches nor yet in no other creature but in his lord God alone and is therfore made moost happy and put in sure hope to attayne Chrystes promise of the kingedome of heauen And if he shal perceiue by his negligence these two giftes of feare and humility to be diminished or decaied in him than let him streight runne to praier and aske them of God in the first peticion of hys Pater noster which is halowed be thy name Wherein he asketh that he maye in al thinges gloryfye gods name by humility and not his owne name by pryde acknowledging al goodnesse to procede from God and labouringe to honor hym by hys good life The second dart of the deuil is enuy for of pryde groweth enuye and as he by pryde robbed man of the loue of god so by enuy he robbeth man of the loue of his neyghbour and alwaies tempteth man to beare gall in hys harte and poyson in his tonge to reioice at the aduersitie of his neighbour and to be sory at his prosperitie to wishe his neighbour euill and to speake euil of him behind his back Against this dart of the deuil the holy ghost hath armed vs with the gift of pity wherby we be armed and instructed to haue compassion of our neighbours aduersity to beare the infirmities of other to wish well to al men for gods cause to procure as much as we can their commodity preferment and with deuout affectiō to honour to do our dueties next god to our parentes to our countrey to our princes to our masters to our children and familye to our neighbors all be they frendes or enemies that is
store vp a good treasure in the nexte worlde to the attayninge of euerlastinge lyfe And by thys gyfte of counsell we bee armed not to leane to oure owne strength nor to the power of anye multitude nor to the obstinacie of minde but to the helpe of God and for the glorye of hys name So that thys gifte of fortytude woorketh the vertue of mercifulnesse whereby a man vseth the worlde not as the deuyll tempteth hym to fulfyll hys greedy appetite which like dropsye wyll neuer be satiate but to the reliefe of the poore the defence of the innocent the forgeuinge of the offendour and the mayntenaunce of the truthe For suche a man is happye and shall receyue greater mercie at Gods hand And therefore when we lacke this gifte or doe not vse it let vs fyrste forgeue them that haue offended vs and than pray that our debtes may likewise be forgeuen vnto vs and that is the verye practyse of thys gyfte of counsell and the direction of oure spirytuall strength and fortitude The syxte darte of the deuell is gluttonye for when he hathe mooued a man to take pleasure and ioye in these outwarde and worldlye thynges he tempteth hym speciallye to followe that pleasure that is most naturall to his fleshe and not to be content with that the necessitye of nature requireth but to lette pleasure haue hys wyll eyther in excedynge measure or in to much delicatenes and preparation for the same wherupon foloweth the decaye of healthe and subuersion of reason For commonly wher there is a full belly there is also a dull witte for that cause the holye Ghoste hath armed vs wyth the gift of vnderstandinge out of whiche procedeth the vertue of clennes of hart that our spirituall eyes maye be simple and refuse to be made dull with the stuffing of our bellies and our hartes maye be cleane and pure from the corruption of the flesh not loden with surfeting and dronkennes to thintent we might escape the sayde vyce of glotonie and be promoted to so greate happynes as to see God whiche no man can do except the mist of ignoraunce errour and vncleane lyuynge be taken from his eyes by faythe and the gift of vnderstanding And therfore least these tentations of the fleshe specially concerninge the nourishing and pamperinge of the same do hynder vs from true vnderstanding and the syghte of God which he hath promised to all them that be simple and cleane of hart let vs diligētly pray that he suffer vs not to be led into temptation Finally the last of the deuils dartes is lechery which is the vylest kind of sinne of al other the sonest is a man tempted vnto it if the deuil haue any enteraunce before eyther by ydlenesse couetousnesse or dronkennesse For as the prophet saythe the cause of the iniquitye of Sodome was pryde to muche eatinge wealth and ydlenesse And thys vyce blyndeth a mans soule taketh awaye his reason for a tyme and the consideration he shoulde haue of death and bringeth him into hatred of God and in mistruste or desperation of the life to come And for remedye againste this most beastlye vyce the holye Ghoste hath armed vs with his greatest gifte which is wysdome whereby a manne pulleth awaye hys mynde and pleasure from the corruption of hys fleshe and refuseth to be subiect to his vnnaturall sensualitie and to defile his bodye the temple of God and setteth his hole ioye felicitye and rest in his Lorde God hauinge his mynde occupyed in heauenly thoughtes where nothinge is that can displease And thys is the wysdome of God that commeth from aboue which is chaste peaceable gentle easie to be intreated agreable to goodnes full of mercy and good fruite Happye are they that haue thys wysedome oute of which springeth the vertue of making peace because the fruit of rightwisnes is sowen in peace to theym that be peacemakers to whome God hath promised that they shal be called his sonnes and children for which cause when we lacke this gift of wisdome or waxe slacke to vse it let vs pray to almighty god to deliuer vs from al euill whiche deliueraunce setteth vs at libertye and maketh vs freemen that is to saye the chyldren of god indued with his spirit of adoption wherby we may boldly call God our father And thus I haue declared vnto you the seuen giftes of the holy ghost geuen vnto vs in our cōfirmation which for lacke of our good and vertuous bringinge vp when wee were chyldren do not so muche appeare and shewe theimselues in oure deedes as it were expedient they should but yf we rayse theym vp againe by oure prayer and diligent exercise as I haue partly told you we shall be sure to ouercome our spirituall enemye and in the daye of oure Lorde receyue the crowne of glorye throughe the merites of our sauiour Christ to whom with the father and the holy ghost be all glorye and prayse Amen ⸫ ¶ Of the reall presence of Christes bodye in the Sacrament of the Aultar Ser. vii AS a man by his carnall generatiō is not onely borne to temporal life but also in proces of tyme waxeth strong which life strength cā not be preserued withoute nouryshement and holsome meate euen so a man by his spirituall regeneration is not onely borne againe to a spirituall life in Christ by baptisme but also waxeth strong in Christ by receiuing the giftes of the holy ghost in Confirmation which spirituall lyfe and strength can not bee preserued and continued without spiritual nourishmēt and holsome meate For which purpose our sauiour Christ who loued vs so vehemently that to bringe vs to life was content to dye and for the pryce and ransome of the same lyfe vouchsafed to geue his own body to death doth styll vouchsafe to nouryshe vs so redemed and brought to life with the swete and holsom milke of his owne bloude and geueth vs his fleshe to eate and his bloud to drinke that we might be fed and nouryshed for the continuaunce of oure spirituall life wyth the same precious thynges that we were redemed withall before And because our soules be as yet ioyned with oure bodies therfore for the time of this life our Sauiour Christ geueth vnto vs his vnuisible graces in sensible Sacramentes And as in Baptisme by water whiche is a sensible thing is geuen to vs the inuisible grace of regeneration euen so in the Sacrament of the Aultare vnder the vysible formes of breade and wyne is geuen to vs the substaunce of all grace which is Chryst hym selfe that is to saye hys bodye and hys bloude which though they be corporall thinges in theyr own nature yet now being glorified they be spirituall and therefore not sensible but where it pleaseth oure Sauiour by miracle to haue them appeare Thys is than most certeynlye and constantly to be beleued of vs all vpon payne of dampnation that in thys blessed sacrament of the Aultar wherof I entreate
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
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
to receyue him as â—he Centurio said that he was not woorthye that Christ shoulde enter into his house yet at lest resort to this Sacrifice and with fayth and deuotion receyue Christ spiritually and geuyng thankes for all hys gyftes commit your selues hollye to the custodye and tuition of almyghtye god who is alwaies ready to shew vs mercy for Christes sake to whoÌ„ with the father and the holye ghost be all honour prayse and glory worlde wythout end Amen ⸫ ¶ Of the necessitie and commoditie of Penaunce in general Serm. xiiii OUr Lorde and Sauioure Iesus Christe whyche came into thys worlde too call and saue synners dealynge patientlye with them not wyllyng anye man to peryshe but all men to bee conuerted and turned too hym by Penaunce after that Iohn Baptiste whom God sent before his face to prepare hys way by preaching of Penaunce was apprehended and cast into prison than I say our Sauioure Christe began to preache the gospell of hys grace and glorye after thys forme sayinge Do penaunce for the kyngdome of heauen draweth nere teaching vs bothe by hys woorde and deede and lyke as Iohn Baptiste goeth before whose ministery was to preach Penaunce and Iesus commeth after by whose death we haue redemption and remission of synne euen so in the harte of euerye synner the effecte of Iohns preachynge whyche is true and vnfayned Penaunce must go before that theffect of Christes passion which is grace mercie and remission of synnes maye come after And as this doctrine of penaunce was first of all other taught by our Sauiour hymselfe and by Iohn hys moste holye Prophet as a thynge most necessarye for the instruction and saluation of all men euen so hys holye Apostles in the beginning of theyr preachynge obserued the same matter and forme of doctrine as Sainte Peter in his first Sermon made at Hierusalem in the day of Pentecost when he had opened the worke of the holye Ghoste in the gifte of tounges and thereby tooke occasion to sette foorthe the mysterye of Iesus Christe at the last ende his doctrine to the people whyche were smitten wyth compunction of hart by his woordes was thys Doo penaunce and be euerye one of you baptised in the name of Iesus Christe for the remission of your sinnes and ye shall receiue the gift of the holye Ghoste And in hys next Sermon wrytten in the thyrde chapter of the Actes hee taughte the same doctrine in these woordes Doo you therefore penaunce and bee conuerted that your sinnes maye bee taken awaye Saynte Paule also calleth the doctrine of Penaunce the foundation of all other doctrines in the harte of a godlye man out of whych doo spryng suche other vertues as brynge a man to the perfection of a Christen lyfe Lykewyse Saynt Iohn Euangelist began wyth the same doctrine of Penaunce writynge in hys Reuelation to the seuen Churches that were in Asia sayinge thus to the church of Ephesus in the person of Christ Remember from whence thou haste fallen and doo penaâ—nce and do the first woorkes or els I shal câ—me to thee soone and shall remoue thy candlesticke from his place excepte thou doo penaunce And thys doctrine also dydde all the other Apostles fyrst and principallye set foorth to all them that receyued the fayth of Christe as most necessary for theyr saluation beyng taught and commaunded so to do by our Sauiour Christe hym selfe when before hys Ascencion hee opened to them theyr wyttes and vnderstandinges to vnderstande the Scriptures saying to them that it was so written that Christe so shoulde suffer and ryse from deathe the thyrde daye and that penaunce shoulde bee preached in hys name and remission of synne throughout al people beginning at Hierusalem For which cause and consideration I as a minister of our sauiour Christ to whom he hath committed the woord and ministerie of reconciliation vsynge as it were hys embassage to exhort you to be reconciled to him intendynge to teache you at thys tyme what thynges to doo for the sauynge of your soules and the atteynynge of euerlastynge lyfe haue thought it most expedient for satisfyeng of my dutie in folowynge the example and commaundement of our mayster Christ and his Apostles and for your erudition to be taught the streight pathe and hye beaten waye for our Christen religion to speake of penaunce and fyrste to declare the necessitie and commoditie of the same and than in order the partes of it and how to do it in suche maner as it maye be acceptable to almightye God and a meane to atteyne hys mercye and remission of synne Fyrst of al consider you good people that penaunce is a gift of God as the scripture saythe God hath geuen and graunted penaunce to the Gentiles for lyfe and saluation And it is God that standeth at the doore of our hart and knocketh by whose inspiration wee haue the begynnyng of our conuersion wythoute whom we be not able and sufficient of oure selues as of oure selues to thinke any good thought Thys gyfte of penaunce is a perfite and merueylous greate gift beyng as Saynte Chrisostome saythe the mother of mercy wherby as the wisemaÌ„ sayth God dothe dyssimule the synnes of men for penaunce that is to saye God of hys mere mercye and fatherly affection doth beare with the syns of men and differreth to auenge and punysh theÌ„ iustly according to theyr desertes patiently looking for their conuersion and penaunce by meanes wherof he might remit theyr offences delyuer them from manye daungers geue vnto theÌ„ plenty of grace and conduct them to the fruitioÌ„ of his glory For if God should by and by punish al offâ—dours neither Zacheus should haue had space to haue done penaunce nor yet s. Mathew nor many other beyng taken awaye to eternall deathe before the tyme of theyr penaunce But our most mecke father calling euerys one to penaunce dothe abyde and tarye for vs which pacience who so euer abuseth and contemneth by remayning still in his former synnes according to the hardnesse and obstinacie of his own hart dothe store vp to himselfe Gods indignation in the daye of Gods anger and iuste iudgement when he shall render to euerye one according to his woorkes And as he saith himselfe except in very deede we do penaunce we shall all peryshe and bee condempned whereby we vnderstande howe profitable and necessarye a medicine penaunce is without the whiche sinnes be not remitted to them that haue the vse of theyr vnderstanding and reason The Serpent in Paradise moued Eue to sinne penaunce loosed her again and from thence came good and euyll to manne Our father Adam was expulsed oute of Paradise for synne and we and all other that be hys children be called thyther agayne by penaunce For penaunce openeth that sinne hath shut and the mercyfull goodnes of God doth call vs thyther agayne from whence his anger hathe cast vs out What a great power
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
of the holy ghoste teaching them to obserue al thinges what so euer I haue commaunded you and I shal be with you al daies to the ende of the worlde And as concerninge the purgation of Gods people a Priest hath authoritie to remyt synne as a minister in the name and power of the holy Trinitie both to them that first enter into the churche by ministring to them the Sacrament of Baptisme and also to thē that after Baptisme haue fallen vnto synne agayne by ministring to them the Sacrament of Penaunce The commaundementes of God whereby euery Priest is authorised to baptise and to remitte synnes to the penitent synners I haue here tofore in this sermon sufficientlye declared And as concernynge the perfection of the Churche of Christ and euerye member thereof God hathe geuen to Priestes authoritie to pray ouer sicke persones and to anoynte theim with oyle in his name to the remission of their synnes and the saluation of the sycke according to Gods pleasure and also to ioyne those persones in Matrimonye that marye in Christe And bishoppes also who in the order of priesthoode as the successours of the Apostles haue hier dignitie and distinct offices and aucthoritie aboue other inferiour Priestes for the perfectiō of the people in Christes Religion haue power to geue the holy Ghoste for the confirmation of them that be baptised and by impositiō of their handes to ordeyne Priestes and other ministers of Gods holye woorde and Sacramentes And further for purgyng of Christes misticall bodye the churche from all errours Scismes disobediencies and vngodly lyuynge Bishoppes haue power to vse spirituall and ordinarie iurisdiction as to cal synodes for reformation and good order to be made in the church to visit their diocesanes that neyther by tyrannye nor by heresye nor yet by the subtile craft of the deuyll the flocke of Christe be dispersed or distroyed to correct by excōmunication and other discipline the publike crimes of such as be manifestly accused denounced or found giltie obstinate by diligēt inquisition to examine and determine the causes and enormities whiche arise or may chaunce in the Churche of Christe and finallye to dooe what shall be thought necessarye and expedient for the banishing of vice and errour and the stablishing of vertue true fayth and godly vnitie For that power whiche God hath geuen vnto theym is onelye to builde and not to destroye whiche power is honorable and to bee estemed and obeyed in all Byshoppes and Priestes bee they of good lyuinge or noughty liuyng For the lyfe of an euill Prieste or Bishoppe is no hinderaunce nor preiudice to the effect and vertue of Gods Sacramentes whiche they truelye minister no more than the euyll lyfe of a Phisician hindreth the vertue and operation of a good medicine Therefore good people knowynge the necessitie and commoditie which commeth to vs by this Sacrament of Order for our instruction sanctification and finall saluation Let vs geue moste hie thankes to almightie God that hath geuen suche power to men and by thexecution of that power and the distinct degrees and seuerall functions of this sacrament of Order hath auoyded all confusion oute of his churche that it myght appeare beautyfull and glorious in his sight and let euery person take heede that he neither breake nor contemne this ordinaunce of God and so be occasion of corruptinge Gods truth and disturbyng his peace vnitie whiche by this onely order is kept preserued But in all our prayers let vs humbly make supplicatiō that God of his mercifull goodnes would preserue his churche continually in this good order without disturbaūce and that euery minister in his degree might studie and labour in the law of GOD to bee and dooe as his office requyreth seeking the buylding of Christes Churche and not the onelye increase of his worldly gayne as becōmeth the seruauntes of God being boundē to geue an accompt of that is cōmitted to their charge to the laude and prayse of Christe who with the father and the holy ghost liueth and reigneth in vnitie of Godhead for euermore worlde withoute end Amen ⸫ ¶ In what estimation the Prelates and other ministers in Christes churche ought to be had of the people Serm. xxvi FOr as muche as the Prelates ministers of Christes church good people bee ordeyned of God to bee Iudges ouer hys people in suche thinges as apperteine to the saluatiō of their soules and also to be their gouernours and rulers in all true Religion and thyrdlye to bee their ghostlye and spirituall fathers to beget children to God by the worde of Christe and the preaching of the Gospell Therfore consideryng that almighty God doth so honoure them and doeth so allowe and assiste their ministration in geuyng to them being frail and mortall menne suche power as no other creature hathe at anye tyme receyued and all for the buyldynge perfection and finall saluation of his Churche hys electe and chosen people Therefore I saye it is commaunded to all men and women that bee of the flocke of Christe to loue and to obeye and to honoure those ministers of Christ in suche sorte as the nature and woorthynesse of theyr offyce and ministration dooeth requyre For so Saynte Paule taught the Thessalonians saiynge thus we beseche you brethren that you woulde knowe them that laboure amonge you that is to saye in knowledgyng what benefites we haue of God by their labour and seruice who also bee the rulers and gouernours ouer you in our Lorde and do admonyshe you in all goodnesse as it were executing Christes office amongest you that ye wold haue them in hiest pryce and estimation by syncere loue and charitie more aboundantlye than other and that for theyr woorke and office sake hauing peace with them without vsing any disobedience contention or disdaine towardes thē By this exhortation of the blessed Apostle Saynte Paule may all men and women learne what loue they oughte to beare towardes the ministers of almyghtye God whiche oughte to be in the best sorte not onelye for the worthynesse and vertues of the persones whiche is a cause making all menne to be loued and fauoured the more but speciallye for their office and labour sake and for suche benefites as by their seruice and ministerye menne receyue at Gods hande For they be not onelye oure neighbours whome for that respecte wee oughte to loue as our selues but also they bee the causes of oure spirituall lyfe by theim wee are made Christen men by theim we haue the true knowledge of God remission of our sinnes participatiō with Christe in the vnitie of his misticall bodye the Churche into whiche body we are grafted and made lyuing members to bring forth the fruite of holynes and good woorkes by them we haue geuen vnto vs the holy ghost not onelye to oure sanctificatiō but also to our boldnes strength whereby we bee made able to withstande oure aduersarye the deuill and to ouercome
is not onelye expressed in the wrytinges of the holy Prophetes and in the old lawe of Moyses whyche was the fygure declaryng what ought to be done in the new testament where ryghtwisnes doth and ought more to abound than it did in the Scrybes and Pharisyes and yet in this point concerninge the lyuinge of the ministers it was not a bare ceremonye shadowinge a truthe to come nor yet onelye iudiciall perteyninge onelye to the gouernement of the cyuyle state of that people of the Iewes whiche is nowe dissolued but did instructe men how they should behaue theim selues in that behalfe to God and their neighbour whiche ought to take place be obserued aswel now amonges vs in the newe Testament as amonges them in the old but also is declared to be due to be payed of Christen people nowe in the time of the newe testament by the consente of Christes vniuersall Churche as well by the testimonye of the holye Fathers and the vniuersall custome of the sayde Churche euer since the time that anye Realme was holly conuerted to the fayth of Chryste as by the determinacion of generall counsell The consent and iudgement of whom our Sauioure christ hath taught to be obserued in all doubtes as a sure argumente of the vndoubted truthe and a sure pyller for euerye Christē man to leane vnto And as the withdrawinge or not payinge of this duetie of tythes from God that hathe reserued the same in token of hys vniuersall dominion to thintent men should learne to feare hym at al tymes is verye sacrilege and the contempt of God and his true religion so is it the cause of darth and famyn and many other plages which by Gods iuste iudgemente fall vpon the people therfore lyke as the honouringe of God and hys ministers in this point and the true paymente of the same is the cause that God dothe blysse hys people in sendinge vnto them aboundaunce and plentye in all corporal and spiritual benediction For which cause I shal most hartely require you to consider what I haue saied concerninge your duetie to God and the ministers of hys Churche in louing obeying and honouring thē whiche I speake not for their glory or gayne worldly but for your profyt discharging my selfe in declaring vnto you the wyll and commaundement of God in thys behalfe to thintent ye might auoide his high displeasure for doynge the contrary and on the other side obteyne the aboundaunce of hys grace and blessing like obedient seruauntes and thankful children whom he shall at the last day rewarde with the fruition of his glory throughe the merytes and mercy of his onelye sonne our Sauiour Iesus Christ to whom with the father and the holy ghost be all honour and glorye world without end Amen ¶ Of the Sacrament of Matrimonye and what grace is geuen in it Ser. xxvii AFter that almightye GOD oure Lorde good people had created and made the first man Adam and had placed him in Paradyse he by and by coupled and ioyned vnto him in mariage a woman created of hys owne fleshe and bone wherby appeareth that matrimonye is the elder and more auncyent than al the other Sacramentes and instituted by God hym selfe before the fall of man for good and necessarye causes As for the ayde and comforte of man both in their common lyfe together and also for multiplication of mankynd and the Godlye bringinge vp of theyr children it beinge prepared and ordeyned of almighty God to be a meane and instrument for lawfull generation betwene theym and perpetuall continuaunce of mankynde to the worldes end For whiche purpose almightye God when he had ioyned them in mariage together he blessed them wyth hys holy worde sayinge to them Increase you and be you multiplyed and fulfyll the earth Furthermore almyghtye GOD to whome nothing is vnknowen but al thinges both past present and to come be presētly before his eyes foreseinge that man woulde be deceyued by the crafte of the Deuyll and fall from that rightewisenes whiche he had created him in and that as he woulde by his owne free wyl disobey God his superiour so hys fleshe and carnall desyre should by Gods iust iudgement likewyse disobey him therfore he ordeined Matrimony that as it should be to man and woman before their fall a meane of that generation and multiplyeng of Gods people so it should be also after their fal a remedye to excuse the vnlawfull desyre of theyr sinful fleshe Last of all almightie God foreseinge the bondage and damnation of mankynde for hys dysobedience to God and of his infynite mercye purposing to redeme mankynd againe from the said bondage and damnation by sendinge hys onelye begotten sonne to be made man and in our flesh to regenerate vs and to restore vs to be the louinge children of God againe therfore to teache vs this his good wyll purpose that we should by faith continually knowe his godlye counsell concerninge our redemption and regeneratyon he ordeined and instituted this lawfull cōiunction of man and woman in Matrimonye to be a signe or Sacrament of the mariage betwene his onelye sonne the lambe of God oure Sauioure Christ and his spouse the holy Churche Wherof Saint Paule wrote to the Ephesyanes sayinge thus For this cause a man shall forsake hys Father and mother and cleaue vnto hys wyfe and they shall be two in one fleshe For this Sacrament is great I say in Christ and in the church and for the better vnderstandinge of this thing ye maye consider that GOD in the beginninge made twoo merueylous coniunctyons in man One betwene the soule of manne and his fleshe and thys coniunctyon is naturall the other betwene manne and woman in maryage and thys coniunction is voluntarye and Sacramentall euen so there bee twoo merueilous cōiunctyons betwene Chryste and the nature of man the one lyke the coniunction betwene mannes soule and hys fleshe which is when the worde was made fleshe that is to say when Gods sonne in his incarnation dyd ioyne oure mortall nature to hys Godly nature in vnitie of persone The other is lyke the coniunctyon betwene manne and wyfe whyche is made by voluntarye loue betwene Christ and his Church that is to saye that companye or congregation of all Christen people redemed sanctifyed and nouryshed by Chrystes precious bloude And of thys coniunction Matrymonye is an holye Sacrament For as by the vse of Matrymony are borne and broughte forthe into the world naturall children so by the vertue of thys maryage betwene Christ and his spouse the Churche are daylye begotten to GOD spyrytuall chyldren And as GOD made vnto Adam oure forefather a wyfe of a rybbe taken oute of hys syde when he was cast into a slepe euen so by the bloud and water that ranne foorth of Chrystes syde when he sleped by death vpon the crosse was the Church of Christ maried vnto hym and made his spouse to cleaue vnto him as one fleshe
e parties so married to kepe stedfastly that faith and promise whiche they haue made one to an other by which the maÌ„ hath grauÌ„ted the power vse of his body onely to his wife likewise the wife to her husband onely so to auoide adulterie fornicatioÌ„ with any other person during their lyues natural Which promise to kepe is very harde or in a maner impossible withoute the ayd of gods grace geueÌ„ to theÌ„ in this sacrameÌ„t For wher the corrupt nature of maÌ„s flesh his inordinate concupiscence moueth inclineth him to desire other women beside his owne wife yet by the grace of matrimonie his vnlawful desire is restreined so that he maye be content with his owne wyfe alone and auoyde fornication And where as also mans corrupt nature seeketh rather the satisfyinge of his carnall luste than the generatyon of children yet in this sacrament of Matrimony he receiueth grace to know his wife rather for the intent to haue children than to fulfyll his fleshely desyre And also to communicate with her all that chaunce to him good or bad and to brynge vp together theyr chyldren in the religion and feare of God And lykewyse where as a man by his corrupte nature after carnall copulation is wont and disposed to thinke lothsome and partly to abhorre that woman whiche he hathe knowen carnally and so refuseth her and seeketh an other yet in Matrimonye is geuen grace aide not to disdaine the company of hys wife but to remayne with her continually without separation or deuorce Al these singulare graces and aydes almightye God ceaseth not of his mercyful goodnes for his partye to geue and graunte to his faithfull people in this sacrament of Matrimony if they them selues doo not wyllfullye stoppe at the begynning or afterward refuse the same by theyr vngracious life and wicked intent For as God is author and gyuer of all grace and goodnes so he forceth and compelleth no maÌ„ to be or to continue good against his wyll Therfore good people ye may euidentlye perceiue the i nfinite and vnspeakeable clemencye of almightye God oure Sauioure that by suche a sacrament hathe so mercifullye prouided for our carnall concupiscence and desires He knoweth very well how frayle mans flesh is and how ful of corruption and wickednes therefore mercyfully hathe ordeined lawfull Matrimonye to restreine mans vnlawfull desyre for whiche cause maried persones may haue boldnes and quyetenes of a good conscience wherby althoughe they haue by the vse of Matrimony tribulatioÌ„ of the fleshe many waies yet they be certeinlye assured that their matrimonial life honestly begoÌ„ne and vertuously coÌ„tinued hath alwaies the assistauÌ„ce of Gods grace and is blessed of him and therefore profitable and meritorious to the saluation of the parties Wherunto Saint Paul beareth witnes writing thus to Timothy that the wife shall be saued by procreation and bringing forth of children if the same doe continue in faithe and loue towardes God and in holynes and temperance in their deedes Finally euery man and woman ought mooste stedfastlye too beleue that maryage is a good thinge and ordeyned and blessed of almyghtye God and also that it is a better thinge to lyue chastely without maryage to thintent a man or woman might more fully and freely thinke vpoÌ„ suche thynges as be godly and howe to please God and yet to them that haue not vowed chastity either in virginity or widowhed we ought to beleue that it is no sinne to marry and to take an husband or wyfe And that not onely the first maryage is ordeyned of God but also that the seconde and third maryage is graunted as lawfull for the infirmitie of suche as can not otherwyse lyue continentlye but to theym that haue vowed chastitie and continent lyfe to almyghtie God we oughte to thinke that according to the doctrine of Sainte Paule it is dampnable not onely to defile them selues with the deadly sinne of fornication but also to haue a wil to marry a wyfe or to take an husbande because he or shee that so dothe hathe broken and made voyde his fyrste fayth and promyse which by his vowe he made to almighty God Therefore hee that shall well consyder wyth hym selfe the goodnes of thys sacramente as I haue rehersed and the singulare and manyfolde graces whyche God geueth to them that be honestly for a good intent married in our sauiour Christ shall bothe edifye his owne conscience towardes him selfe and increase hys chast loue towardes hys wife and by that laudable state of liuing highly please almighty God toward the atteining of his own saluation which God of hys great mercy graunt to vs by the merytes of his deere sonne our Sauiour Christe to whom with the father and the holy ghost be al honour glory for euermore Amen ¶ Of the maner how to minister and contract Matrimonye Ser. xxviii IT is to be considered good people that although the solemnization of Matrimonye and the benediction of the parties marryed is made and geuen in the face of the Churche by a Priest the publik minister of the churche yet the contract of Matrymonye wherein this Sacrament consisteth may be and is commonly made by the lay man and woman whiche be marryed together And because for lacke of knowledge howe suche contractes oughte to bee duely made and for omittinge of suche thinges as be necessarye to the same it chaunceth oftentimes that the parties chaunge theyr myndes and wyll not keepe that promyse of marryage which seemed to haue passed betwene theym before wherupon commeth and groweth betwene suche persones and theyr frendes great grudge and â—atred and greate sute in the lawe Therefore I intende at thys tyme by Gods grace to declare vnto you whyche bee the verye woordes whereby thys Sacramente of Matrymonye is contracted and to open certayne cases therevppon dependynge too the intente that suche contention as commonlye is wonte to aryse vpon the ignoraunce or not obseruing the same maye the better be auoyded and the parties so contracting maye without scruple or â—uyll conscience for so muche lyue together in Godlye and chaste Matrimonye to the good wyll and pleasure of almighty God First whosoeuer intendeth to take vppon him thys Sacrament of Matrimony hys duetye is not headyly or rashlye and with blynde affection to enter so weyghtye a matter but oughte wyth discretion and deliberation to choose vnto hym or her suche a make and felowe with whom he or she shall verelye beleue and truste to lyue godlye and vertuouslye without breach of the bond of Matrimonie in any case duringe their naturall lyues and to beware that he enter not maryage with any such person as the lawe of God expressed by the instinct of nature in euery maÌ„s harte and the booke of Leuiticus and also the holye and auncient Canons of the Churche doo prohibite and forbydde Which prohibition now extendeth to the fourthe degree of consanguinitie and affinitie and also taketh place
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