worme of them that shall be there dye at ony tyme as y e Pro phette sayth Thus se you that ye haue no great cause to boste glory of worldly goodes nor yet to auaūce your selues aboue other mē for youre possessions sake no more than a greate mans seruaunt hath to whome his LORDE and mayster hath cōmytted his goodes for a cer tayne space to kepe the seruaunte lookynge at euery houre whan his mayster wyl require them agayne He is a very thefe robber say the Basilius Magnus which maketh that thyng his owne that he hath receyued to distribute and gyue abrode For the bread sayth he that thou retaynest kepeste is y e bread of the hungry the garment which thou kepest in thy chest is the garment of the naked the shoo that is moulde with the is the shoo of him that is vnwod the mony whiche thou hydest in the grounde is the mony of the nedy Moreouer thou doste iniury playne wronge to so many as thou forsakeste whē thou arte able to helpe them Hytherto pertayneth the sayenge of the wyse man the bread of the nedy is y e lyfe of y e poore he that d◅fraudeth hym of it is a manstear Thus se you in howe great iopardy the ritch men are that be vnmercyefull vnto the poore people how lytle theyr fast pleaseth God in theyr vnmercifulnes seynge they do not annoynte theyr head that is showe no mercy to the poore mēbers of Christ God teachynge the true manner of fastynge by his Prophet amonge all other thiges sayth breke thy bread to the hungry Marke y e he say the breke thy bread to the hungry Cer tayne Doctors wryte on this tert says y t thou breakeste thy breade thā to y ◠hūgrye whan y ◠so fastest y t thou sparest from thyne owne bellye to gyue it to the poore hungrye man For a Christen manne ought to be no lesse carefull for the poore than for hymselfe so that prouisiō once made for his familye he muste also shewe mercye to the nedye Thou therfore doste breake thy bread vnto the hungrye whā thou gyueste hym that whiche thou thy selfe necessarelye shouldest haue eaten And this is to annoynte thy head aryght verely euen to breake thy bread to the hungry THEO Would God that all rytche mē dyd knowe this much would followe it For many thyncke that they do God an hyghe Sacrifyce yea y e they be good almes men yf whan they haue once pāpred theyr owne bellyes with all kynde of deynties they than at the laste gyue or sende to the hūgry a few scrappes which they wyl scasely vouchsafe to giue to theyr dogges PHIL. I pray God giue vs all grace to do oure dutye Nowe haue ye herde what it is to annoynte youre heade I wyll also speake somwhat of wasshyng your face although I maye seme abundantly to haue spoken of the very effect of it in y ◠diffiniciō of fasting If we wyll fast aryghte we are not only commaūded to annoynte oure head that is to saye to shewe mexcy to the poore people but also to wasshe our face that is to make our hertes cleane from all synne y ◠we maye haue a pure conscience For it is not ynough to be benefici al to other except we also be benefi cial to our selues This shall come to passe yf we labour w t all mayne to haue a mynde pure cleane frō all carnall affectes a body voyde of wicked dedes What was y e cause that God dyd cast away the fastes solemne feastes which the Iewes celebrated kepte holy ī his name but onlye y t they wasshed not theyr face that is they went not aboute to put of theyr olde conuersacion to become newe men I hate abhorre sayth God your sacrifiices youre solemne feastes your fastes why so For your handes sayth he are full of bloud Youre hertes are full of vengeaunce your consciences are spotted and defyled withal kynde of sinnes ye haue no feare of God before your eies What is thā to be done Be ye wasshed sayth he be ye cleane take awaye the euell of your thoughtes from myne eies Cease to do euell learne to do well seke iudgement helpe the poore oppressed be fauourable to the cōfortles defende the widowe c. GOD hateth those prayers those fastes those good dedes as they cal them which come from a defyled body a corrupt hert a fylthy mynd a blou dy conscience a spotted and pocky soule as a certayne man sayth It profyt a mā nothynge at all to fast pray to do other good thīges of deuocion excepte the mynde be refrayned from vngodlynes and the tonge from backebytinges For God hath euer a principall respect to the herte of the doer of y ◠worke If the herte be pure cleane fayth full than dothe God approne that worke But if it be spotted w t syn God casteth it away appeare it ne uer so glisteryng excellent in the sight of y ◠worlde Offer not sayth the wyse manne wycked giftes for God wyll not receyue them CHRI It is euident thā that so many as chaung not theyr wicked lyfe cast away theyr Hypocrisy make clene theyr hartes put out of theyr myn des al rācoure malyce enuy grudge c. and to study aboue all thyn ges to lead a pure innocent lyfe can by no menes please God PHIL. No forsoth Therfore yf ye entende to fast aryght to make your faste acceptable to God prouide earnest ly that youre faste procede from a pure cleane herte voyde of al car nall affectes stuffed full of fayth charite and altogither studious of true innocency vnfayned godlynes So shall it come to passe that not only your fast but al that euer ye do besydes accordynge to Gods word shall very greatly please god THEO I besech God gyue vs grace to do all thynges accordyng to his moost godly wyll pleasure PHIL. Labour God wyll helpe I haue declared two thynges that are necessary to the true vse of fastynge There remayneth nowe the thyrde to be brought forth which is so expedient and necessary for that pur pose also y e y ◠other two w tout this profiteth nothynge EVSE I praye you let vs heare it PHIL. We are not only cōma◅ded in oure fastyng to annoynt our head to wash our face but also to fast in secret THEO What is it I praye you to faste in secret PHIL. Uerely to fast in secret is not to kepe you close frō y e sight of men so to abstayne from your meates in preuye corners but not to hunt hawke after vayneglory nor prayse of men for your fasting nor to seke to be sene of men whyle ye fast that they maye commend prayse you We are counted before God than to faste in secrete whan we fast with such
a mynd that we woulde fast in dede though no maÌ„ lyuynge dyd se vs and whan we re garde more the accomplishment of Goddes wyll the subieccion ta mynge of our body than all the hu mayne glorye that can be attributed vnto vs. EVSE It is lawefull than to fast euen before men PHIL. Yea verely or to do any other good worke so that the desyre of worlde ly prayse he not in youre myndes For Christ saythe let your lyght so shyne before men that they maye se your good workes glorify your father which is in heauen But yf we seke ony prayse of men desyre to be magnifyed for oure good dedes verelye than haue we oure rewarde not of God but of y â— world For ther is no more pestiferous in feccioÌ„ to poysoÌ„ any good worke y e it should lose the reward before God than the desyre of vayne glory and worldly prayse What dyd deiecte caste downe Lucifer from heauen into hell pytte but vayneglorye Agayne what dyd exalte lyfte vp froÌ„ the earth vnto heauen y â— moost blyssed and glorious virgin Mary the mother of our Sauiour Iesus Christ but humilite as she her selfe testifieth My soule sayth she mag nifyeth the LORDE And my spirite reioyseth in God my sauyour For he hath loked vpon the humilite of his handmayd beholde bycause of this shal all kyndredes call me bles sed God resystethe the proude but to the humble he gyueth grace and sheweth fauour Unto whome shal I loke sayth God by his Prophet but vnto hym that is poore contryte in spiryte feareth my wordes Blyssed are y e poore in spiryte forto theÌ„ belongeth the kyngdome of heauen Therfore all youre wor kes that ye do do them with a simple mynde with such an harte as beyng nothyng desyrous of vayne glory seaketh only the honoure of God the accomplyshment of his moost deuyne wyll Thus haue I taught you neyghbours both what y â— true and Christen fast is also howe ye ought to fast CHRI Brother Philemon we confesse before you that we haue lerned here this day more of you concernyng certayne thynges thaÌ„ euer we knew before God gyue vs all grace to followe youre moost godly instruccions EVSE Amen I beseche God PHIL. Well nowe is the greatest parte of oure Potacion past What is more to be done THEO Ye promised that ye woulde declare vnto vs the signifi cacions of certayne Ceremonies y e be vsed in the chyrche this tyme of Lent CHRI Ye sayde also that ye woulde teach us howe we shoulde prepare our selues worthely to receyue the moost blyssed SacrameÌ„t of the Altare at y â— tyme of Easter PHIL. I remeÌ„ber my promyse well accordyng ther vnto therfore wyll I do ¶ Of the Ceremonies vsed in the Chyrche this tyme of Lent and what they signifye Of the Asshes THe fyrste Ceremonye that is vsed in the Chyrche this tyme of Lent is the imposicioÌ„ layenge on of Asshes vpon the heades of Christen men THEO I praye you vnto what pur pose is that ceremony vsed What is the significacioÌ„ of it PHIL. This is done to put vs in remembrauÌ„ce what we are For whan the preste layethe asshes on youre heades he sayth these wordes Remember maÌ„ that thou arte asshes vnto asshes thou shalte returne This Ceremo ny prâ—…cheth vnto vs that we are nothynge but asshes dust earthe to that we shall returne agayne If we marke this Ceremony well we shall haue but litle occasion to be proud or to magnify ourselues as y e scrip ture sayth wherfore arte y u proude O thou asshes earth All fleshe is grasse sayth the Prophet all his glory is as a floure of y e feld If we consider this thynge well it shall also prouoke vs vnto the conteÌ„pte vtter despisynge of the worlde ye a it shall plucke vs from sinne moue vs to do good workes as the wise man sayth remember thy last ende and thou shalte neuer synne And for asmuch as in the olde lawe they y t would huÌ„ble them selues be fore God by Penaunce dyd vse to sytte downe in y e asshes to throw asshes vpoÌ„ theyr heades as y e scriptures shewe of Achab of the Niniuites of the Iewes whaÌ„ they were oppressed of holofernes of diuers other therfore the holye fathers of Christes chyrch in tymes past in stituted also this ceremony to put vs in remembrauÌ„ce of the PenaÌ„ce which this holy tyme of LeÌ„t ought to be done of all christen menne for theyr wycked dedes whyche they haue wrought all the whole yeare paste Do ye perceyue nowe what the layeng of asshes vpon your hea des do signify CHRI Yea very wel PHIL. Forsoth who soeuer reposeth the significacion of this Ceremony in his herte canne none otherwise but alwaye be humble gentle low ly meke full of humilite estraunged from all arrogancy despisyng terrestiall thynges desyrynge thynges celestiall EVSE Ye saye trueth But what meneth I praye you the couerynge of the Images in the temples this tyme of Lent ¶ Of the couerynge of Images what it signifyeth PHILEMON THe ecclesiasticall wryters assigne dyuers causes one this another that But in this dissension variete of opinions I wyll al leage one or two reasons byd the other fare well as thiÌ„ges not great ly makyng vnto the edificacion of true godlynes THEO I praye you let vs heare PHIL. One cause is to signify vnto vs that they that are synners haue a pleasure styl ther in to remayne are not worthye to behold the sayntes in heaueÌ„ which are represented by those Images nether shall they at ony tyme come vnto that glory wherof the Sayn tes alredy haue y e fruicion excepte they repeÌ„t them of theyr wicked lyuynge ryse oute of synne brynge forth fruytes worthy of PenauÌ„ce become newe men in theyr coÌ„uer sacion Therfore whan we enter in to the chyrche and se all those Ima ges couered we oughte to mourne lament our synfull lyuyng to recognyse oure selues synners to excyte store vp our selues to bryng forth fruytes worthy of PenauÌ„ce to cut away by true vnfayned Contricion our synnes y t we maye be founde worthy agaynst Easter that is agaynste the tyme of oure passyng goyng out of this world clerely to beholde openlye to se in the kyngedome of heauen the shynynge face of God his Sayntes Another cause is to declare the mournynge lamentacion of synners for theyr vngodly manners Ye knowe that y e custome is amoÌ„ge vs euen at this daye that so longe as we mourne for ony of oure frendes departed we vse to go w t close faces to weare simple apparell layenge asyde all gorgious sumptuous garmentes So lykewyse this tyme of Lent whiche is a tyme of mournyng all thynges that make to the adournement of the chyrche wherof the
you with a Christmasse that is to say an heauenly Bancket in the whiche I proponed brought for the vnto you foure dysshes I am sure ye remeÌ„ber it right well EVSE Ye forsoth brother Philemon PHIL. Although I doubte not but that ye retayne them all in youre memorye right wel yet by your pacieÌ„ce I wyl now reherse theÌ„ agayne to you iÌ„ few wordes CHRI I praye you let it be so PHIL. In y e fyrst dysh y t was set be fore you ye tasted of y e fal of our fore father AdaÌ„ In that ye learned how y t by the synne of Adam we all were not only depryued of immortalite all goodnes but also daÌ„ned so y t we became very fleshe without the spyryte of God vtterly estrauÌ„ged from all feare of God borne the sonnes of wrath in asmuch y t we beyng left to our selues could neuer haue bene delyuered from that miserable capti uite into the which Satan had cast vs thorowe the traÌ„sgression of goddes coÌ„maundement but dayly more more we must nedes haue precipytated cast our selues headlonge in to an hell of euels Therefore because ye shoulde not dispayre I broughte forth to you your second dysh wher in I declared proued vnto you by the holy scrypture and the auncient Doctors that whaâ—… we were in this miserable piteous case God of hys great mercies w tout our merytes or deseruynges had pytie on vs promysed to saue vs thorowe his intierly beloued SoÌ„ne our LORDE and sauiour Iesus Christ. Which thyng accordig to his promyse at the tyme predefyned afore appoynted came vndoub tedly to passe Than in your thyrde dyshe dyd I expresse to you by what meanes ye myght come by obtayn these so large so bounteous benefy tes of God the father thorow Iesus Christ. I sayd vnto you that y e next the moost redy waye to gette thys kyndenes at the hande of God is to repent beleue that is to saye to be sory for the synnes commytted and to beleue to haue remission of our sin nes of God the father for Chrystes sake In your fourth dysh I declared vnto you that after we haue repented vs of our synnes and beleued to haue forgyuenesse of them thorowe Christe it remayneth that we than sheweour selues newe men in our coÌ„ uersacion medle no more with the vnsruytfull workes of darknes but rather reproue theÌ„ For excepte our repentaunce faythe worke in vs a new lyfe they profyt nothyng at al. Brynge forth fruyies saythe â—…aynt Iohn worthye of repentaunce For euery tree that bryngeth not forth good fruyte shall be cut downe and cast into y â— fyre And as concerninge fayth S. Iames sayth as the body w tout the spirite is dead so is fayth w toâ—…t workes dead Therfore I decla red vnto you in that youre fourthe dysh that as withoute good workes your repentance fayth auayle nothyng I speake of them which haue oportunite to worke yet wyll not so lykewyse to them that exercyse no good workes but remayne in theyr olde synfull lyuynge is Christ no sauiour but remayneth styll vnto theÌ„ a feacre LORDE a cruell Iudge For Christ wyll not knowe them at the daye of iudgement to be his people that are vnfruytfull trees in this world bryng forth no good wor kes yea he wyll saye vnto them departe from me ye workers of iniquite The virgines that haue not only lampes but also oyle shall enter in with the Brydegrome vnto the mariages the other shal be sparred out Not the ydle lubbers but the faythfull workers in the vyneyearde shall haue y e peny at night Not the sonne which sayd to his father y t he would worke in his vyneyearde dyd not shall be his fathers heyre but y e soÌ„ne whiche wroughte in it in dede The fruytefull Olyue tree shall dwell in the house of the LORDE but the vnfruytfull fygge tree glystereth it ne uer so pleasantly with grene leaues shall be cursed coÌ„mytted vnto hell fyre In consideracion wherof I exhorted you at that tyme vnto the di ligent operacion of good workes y t ye myght be founde worthy y t kynge dome which youre heauenly father hathe prepared for them that fulfyll his wyll from the begynnyng of the worlde Theise such other thynges not vnworthy the hearinge I rehearsed to you at that Christmasse BaÌ„cket Neither haue ye forgotten them I am sure THEO No verely neighbour PhilemoÌ„ EVSE We haue since y t time ful oft called them to our remeÌ„brauÌ„ ce coÌ„muned of theÌ„ togither PHIL. In so doynge ye haue done wel For not they that heare the law are righ teous before God but they that expresse the lawe in theyr dedes shal be counted righteous He y t loketh on y e perfecte lawe which is the lawe of ly berte so that he is no forgetfull hearer but a doer of the worke he shall be blessed in his dede CHRI GOD giue vs grace to do y t alwaye which he requireth of vs. PHIL. Your fruytes syns that tyme haue manifestly declared the nouyte and chaunge of your lyfe wherof I very muche reioyse gyue God herty thanckes de sirynge hym to fynysshe that in you prosperously which he hath beguÌ„ne godly And this is y e cause neighbou res y t I haue ben so bold to caul you agayne nowe to a Potacion or dryn kynge trustynge that if you marke those thinges well that shall at this tyme be spoken ye shall feale no lesse swetenes in them than ye dyd in the Bancket For ye knowe that this is a tyme not for the bodye but for the soule not for the belly but for y e spyryte not for the mouthe but for the mynde This tyme requireth a modelt sobriete not luxurious royot This tyme requirethe a penitent sorowfull herte not a mynde set al on pleasure This tyme requirethe abstinence and not delicate welfare This tyme requirethe sober prayer not vayne iestynges This tyme requireth lamentacion for our synnes not a pleasure to remayne in them Therfore haue I nowe prepared for you a godlye Potacion worthy this tyme that ye may go home agayne from me not with mouthes but with myndes not with bellyes but with soules 〈◊〉 and eâ—… farsed with celestiall meace I wyll nowe declare vnto you what youre Potacion shall be I pray you heare me diligently EVSE Brother Philemon we thancke you for your godly kyndenes towarde vs What so euer it shall be youre pleasure to saye we shal not only be diligent to heare it but also to beare it awaye do ther after so nere as God shall gyue vs grace PHIL. For as much as y e moost confortable Sacrament of PenaÌ„ce is in this holye tyme of Lente more vsually exercised towarde penitent synners than at ony other tyme tho rowe oute all the
Images are parte are either layd asyde or els couered to put vs in remembrauÌ„ce y t we ought nowe to lament mourne for our soules dead in sinne continually to watche praye fast gyue almes do such other workes of Penasice as wherwith God beyng excited stored vnto his antique olde mer cies may call vs agayne froÌ„ death to lyfe from synne to godlynes froÌ„ wickednes to innocencye CHRI I haue hearde also that Images in y e TeÌ„ple are couered for this purpose in y e time of LeÌ„t to put vs in remeÌ„ braunce that although we haue in ony parte of the yeare paste coÌ„mytted Idolatry with theÌ„ yet at this tyme we shoulde vtterly gyue ouer this abhominacion only cleue to God to his exceding great mercy lokyng for remission of our synnes al other good thinges at his hand alone thorowe Iesus Christe oure LORDE In consideracion wherof y â— clothes that are hanged vp thys tyme of Lente in the Chyrche haue paynted in them nothynge els but the paynes tormeÌ„tes passioÌ„ bloud sheddynge death of Christ y t now we shoulde only haue oure myndes fyred on the passion of Christe by whome only we were redemed and althoughe we haue erred runne astray lyke shepe destitute of a shep parde all the longe yeare paste yet that now this holy tyme we should returne withe humble contryte myndes vnto Christe the bysshop curate of our soules PHIL. It may be so ryght well The significacion vndoubtedly that ye haue now rehearsed is very godly Well thus haue I declared vnto you that I haue red concernyng the couering of Images in Lente THEO We thancke you for it Let me se what other Ceremonies are vsed in the Chyrche this tyme of Lent EVSE Ther are diuers other but I pray you neyghbour Philemon declare vnto vs what the Ceremonies sig nify which are vsed in the Procession of Palme sondaye For surely I thyncke not one amonge a thousand knowe what y e ProcessioÌ„ prea che the vnto vs. PHIL. I thyncke ye saye trueth in dede therfore is it so lytle regarded nowe a dayes amonge many whan notwithstandynge it preachethe vnto vs many godly goodly lessoÌ„s yf they were knowen Therfore yf ye wyl marke diligently I wyll to the vttermost of my power declare to you partly myne owne coniecture par telye what I haue read lerned of y e auÌ„cieÌ„t wryters iÌ„ tymes past coÌ„cerniÌ„g this matter CHRI I praye you let it so be We wyll heare you gladly ¶ Of y e Ceremonies y e are vsed in y â— ProcessioÌ„ of Palme sondaye what they signifye PHILEMON IN the begynnynge of the Procession the people goethe oute ha uynge euery one a Palme in theyr hand followynge the Crosse which is couered with a clothe EVSE Ve say trueth but what doth it mene That the Crosse is caried forth beynge couered with a clothe rather then with an open face PHIL. The Crosse so velated couered signifieth Christ the sonne of God which beynge promised of the Fathher to the Iewes in the olde lawe was not than come but only adumbrated shadowed prefigured by certayne types figures Ceremonies cloudes shadowes as by Manna the Rocke the Paschall Lambe y â— brasen serpent c. All these prefigu red Christ to come In consideraci on wherof that Crosse is borne enclosed THEO We perceyue nowe y e right well But what do those people signify which go with y e crosse PHIL. Uerely the fathers of y â— olde Testament which lyued longe before the commynge of Christ being vnder the cloudes shadowes of y â— olde lawe EVSE For what intente do they beare Palmes in theyr haÌ„des PHIL. Forsothe to signifye the victorye that they haue gotten by Christ. CHRI why I pray you how could they get any victory by christ whan he was not yet borne PHIL. Yies forsoth brother Christopher For although Christ at that tyme was not come in the fleshe borne of the moost glorious virgyn Mary yet dyd they beleue vndoubtedly were perfectly persuaded that he should come that they shoulde be redemed by his passion that he shoulde paye theyr dettes to God y â— father euen with his moost precyous bloud delyuer them out of cap tiuite make them pertakers of y e glory of heaueÌ„ And although they dyd not se Christ with theyr corporall eies yet dyd they se hym withe theyr spirituall eyes that is to say w t y â— eyes of theyr faith yea beleue wythouteony hesitacion or doubtynge as Christ sayde of Abraham to the Iewes Abraham youre father dyd reioyse that he myghte se my daye and he sawe it and was gladde This is to be vnderstonde y t AbrahaÌ„ dyd se Christ with y â— eyes of hys faythe which is y â— very true perfecte sight EVSE So farre as I remember I haue red this texte in the Scripture blessed are the ey es that se those thinges which you se. For I saye vnto you that many Prophetes kynges woulde haue sene those thynges that ye se yet haue they not sene them and heare those thynges which ye heare and yet haue they not hearde them PHIL. Ye saye trueth This is vnderstonded of the corporallsyght of Christ. They desyred so greatly the redempcion of Israell y t they euermore wyshed the coÌ„myng of Christ in the flesshe as we maye perceyue in the Prophette Esaye where we read these wordes Sende forth O LORDE that lambe the ruler of the earth oute of the rocke of y e deserte vnto the mount of the doughter of Syon Agayne woulde God thou wouldest clyue asunder the heueÌ„s and come downe They desyred in dede very greatly to se Christ with theyr corporall eyes but yet dydde they se him none otherwyse thaÌ„ w t the eyes of theyr fayth in asmuche as he was not tâ—…an borne but only promised of God the father and shadowed by diuers ceremonies of the olde lawe For as saynte Paule sayth all oure fathers were vnder a clowde Therfore in asmuche as they dyd faythfully beleue iÌ„ Christ and hope to be saued by his mooste blessed passion althoughe they dyd not se hym with theyr corporal ey es yet was he vnto them a Sauyour a redemer a perfecte satisfaccion so that by hym they euen at y e tyme had gotten the victorye ouer synne death and hell THEO But I pray you why do they rather beare a Palme in theyr handes than any other thynge PHIL. I wyll tel you neighbours that which they beare in dede in theyr handes is not pro perly called a Palme for they are the bowes of a Salow tree but by cause we haue no Palmes growiÌ„g in this londe therfore do we beare them in stede of Palmes By bearynge of those Palmes the victory that we haue gotten ouer Satan thorowe Christ is signifyed CHRI Why rather by