xiii to the Hebrewes Be ye obedient to them who haue the ouersighte of you and submitte youre selues to them for they doe diligentlye watche euen as they that muste gene accounte for your soules And in the. x. Chapyter of Luke oure our Chryste sayeth touchyng his apostles and 〈◊〉 successours Qui uos audit me audit qui uos spernit me spernit que 〈◊〉 me spernit 〈◊〉 quimisit me That is to say He that heareth you hearethe me and he that dispiseth you dispiseth me and he that dyspiseth me dispiseth him who sente me And moreouer Saynt Paule in his fyrste Epystle to the 〈◊〉 and the fyrste chapyter sayeth thus Rogamus nos fratres ut noueritis cos quilaborant inter uos et praesunt nobis in domino monent uos ut habeatis illos abundantius in haritate propter opus illorum et pacem habete cum cis That is to saye We do beseche you brethren that you woll knowe them that labour emongest you and are youre ouerseers in oure Lord and do monyshe you that you will haue them more habundantly in Charitie for their workes sake and haue you peace with them There are of spirituall diso bedience Terryble examples in the xvi 〈◊〉 of the boke called Numbers where it is wrytten howe the earth dyd sodenlye open and swallowe vppe Chore Dathan and 〈◊〉 with their 〈◊〉 and theyr substaunce for theyr disobedience and rebellyon agaynst Moises Aaron the highe preist And howe also fyre camme from God and dyd dystroye 350. men whyche were of that rebellion Further we doe rede in the 〈◊〉 booke of the kynges and the Seconde Chapyter thereof howe that two and fortye chyldren at one tyme were deuoured of beares sodenlye sent of God for that they did mocke Helyzeus the Prophette and mynyster of God And howe then can they thinke to escape the greate wrath indignation of god whiche of late mooste spitefullye not onelye in 〈◊〉 wordes but in dedes also most vnchristian lyke haue despised vnreuerentlye vsed and dishonored the mynysters of Chrystes Churche And as concernynge the Cyuyll magistrates the sayde Saint Paule in the. xiii of his epystle to the Romains sayeth thus Let euery soule be obediente to the higher or super or powers for ther is no power but of God And the powers whych be are ordeined of God therefore he that withstandethe the power doth tseist yeordinaunce of god And they who do resist or wtstande that do gette or purchase vnto them selues dānation for prin ces or rulers are not to be feared for good wor kes but for euill workes wilte thou in dede not feare the power do thou that whiche is good thou shalt haue prayse of the same power for he is the minister of God for good to that But if thou doo euyll doo thou then feare for he doth not without cause carye or beare the sworde for he is the minister of God auenger 〈◊〉 of them that doo euyll Therefore you muste of necessitie be obediente not onelye for wrathe sake but also for conscyence sake ther fore verelye doo you paye trybutes c. A not able example of the obedyence and duety that euery subiect oweth to his soueraygne we haue in the behauour of Dauyd towardes kynge Saul wryttē in the 2. 9. 2 chap. of the fyrste boke of kynges And S. Peter in his fyrst epistle ii cha spekyng of the obedience due to kynges magistrates wryteth thus Submyt your selues to euery creatur or ordinaunce of mā for our lordes sake whether it be to king as one that precelleth vnto or gouernouresor rulers as being sent of hym to the punishmēt of euil doers and the commēdation or praise of the good And in the foresayde xiii chapter to the Romaynes it is wrytten Geue you vnto al men that which is due vnto them to whō tribute belongeth tribute to whom custome custōe to whom feare feare to whō honor honour And as concernyng the duetie of the seruaunte to the mayster therof S. Paule speaketh Ephe. vi saing in thys maner Ye seruauutes be ye obediēt vnto your carnall maysters with feare tremblynge in singlenes or simplicitie of your hart as vnto Christ not seruing in the eye syghte or presence onely as men plesers but as the seruauntes of Chryste doyng the wyll of God from the harte wyth good wyl doing your seruice as vnto God our Lord and not vnto men The like herof he hath also in the thyrde cha to the Collossenses and in his seconde chapiter to Tite he doth say thus Teache seruauntes to be obedyent vnto theyr maysters pleasynge them in all thynges not contraryeng them not deceyuyng or defraudyng but in all thynges shewynge good faythe that they maye sette furthe the doctrine of God our sauioure in al thinges Agaynste thys commauudemente fyrste doo all they offende whyche thynke scorne of theyr naturall parentes for their pouertye syckenes aduersitie or any mysfortunes sake or doo denye vnto they re sayde parentes necessarye releyfe sustentation or succoure with foode clothe or harber in tyme of theyr necessitye yf that they be hable to helpe theyr sayd 〈◊〉 in thys case But most of all they do breake this commaundement whych doo curse theyr parentes strike thē backbyte them vse contumelyouse or opprobryouse wordes vnto them and hate them Secondly al they do breake thys commaundement who doo not loue reuerence obeye and duly honour theyr spirituall parentes and gouernours as prelates pastoures and all that haue cure and charge of soules nor payt vnto them theyr tythes and duetyes accordyngelye as they are bound Thyrdelye they doo offende and that greuously agaynst thys commaundement who make sedition agaynst theyr prince ruler or country And they also that doo rebell or cause other to rebell agaynste any of them they also that are false or negligent in doyng theyr commaundementes And whosoeuer wyll not loue reuerence obeye or serue them with his true and vnsayned seruyce but wyl thynke Imagyne or speake any vntruth lye or euyl agaynst them 〈◊〉 or consent vnto the same or beare ther with as the more it is to be lamented of late hathe 〈◊〉 vsed emongest vs to the great offence and displesure of almyghtye GOD and the dyshonour of thys hole realme they all do breake and transgresse thys commaundement Fourthlye all suche seruauntes are 〈◊〉 of thys commaundemente who doo not faythefullye obeye theyr maisters commaundemenees and fulfil them nor vse theyr maisters with due reuerence side litie diligence both to please them also in al theyr affayres wherein they are charged to be trustye and faythfull to the vttermost of theyr power And here is not to be omitted that reuerence and honor is due also vnto suche as are aunciente aged or as we commonlye doo call them fatherlye men Althoughe they haue none of the foresayde aucthorytyes ouer vs whyche cummelye and cyuyle reuerence and honer GOD by Moyses commaunded vs to obserue and kepe as appeareth in the nintene
deus noster benignissimus remissione peccatorum mihi gratis largiatur quam ob causam historias imaginum illcrum honoro palā adoro hoc enim nobis a sanctis apostolis traditum nō est prohibendum sed in omnibus ecclesijs nostris eorum historias erigimus That is to saye Euen as we haue receyued of GOD oure Christian and inculpable faith as it were by right of inheritaunce so do I confesse it and abyde in the same I verelye do beleue in one God almyghtye God the father GOD the sonne and GOD the holy ghost these three beynge one God I adore and gloryfye I cōfesse also the hole dispensation of Chryste in carnate and next the holye virgin Marye of whome Christ toke fleshe and was borne I callyng her mother of God I reuerence also the holy Apostles prophetes and martyres whiche do make intercession to God for me that thorough their mediation oure mooste benigne god may be merciful frely graunte vnto me remissyon of sinnes For whyche cause I do honoure and openlye adore also theyr Images for this thinge beinge of the holy apostles deliuered vnto vs is not to be letten or bydden but in all oure churches we erecte or set vp their Images Besydes all these there was in the sayde 〈◊〉 generall counsayle alledged the aucthoritie of Germanus patriarche of Cōstantinople who sayde thus Non offendat quenquā quod ante sanctorum imagines lumina 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 accendūtur Simbolice enim ista fieri nō lignis aut 〈◊〉 bus sed in honorem illorum opinandum est quorum cum Christo requies quorum honor adipsum recurrit hoc ipsum testante sapiente Basilio quod ergo conseruos bonos honor erga ipsum dominum commune 〈◊〉 signum exhibet Sensibilia enim lumina 〈◊〉 sunt immateriales illius 〈◊〉 a deo datiluminis Aromatum autem incensio sincerum totum sancti spiritus afflatum in replitionem significat That is to saye Let it offende no man that before the ymages of Sainctes Candels and 〈◊〉 sauoutyng encence are brent For we must thynke that these thynges are done mysticallye not vnto the very wode or stones but in and for the honoure of thē whose reste is with Christ the honoure of whiche sainctes repaireth or commeth agayne vnto Christe the sage Basyll testifiynge the same and saying that the honour done to oure fellowe seruaunces being good doth geue or exhibit a common 〈◊〉 or signe of beneuolence to oure Lorde or maister hym selfe For the sensible lyghtes or candels are a sygne of that pure and immaterial lyght geuen of God And the burnynge of frankencense dothe sygnifye the pure and the ful or hole inspiration and 〈◊〉 of the holye ghost There was also in the saide assemble or counsayle an other testimonye or sayinge of the sayde patryarche Germanus and that is thys Deūsepe 〈◊〉 designasse mi racula hominibus qui admonitione imaginum argente ergadeum sanctos eius affectu commoti fuerint That is to say God oftentymes 〈◊〉 haue wrought or shewed wonderfull myracles to men who by the contemplation of Images haue with an ardent affectyon or loue to God and hys saintes bene moued and styrred And the sayde patryarche Germanus amongest very many myracles there by hym recyted both saye that in the ecclesiasticall hystorye of Eusebyus it is wrytten howe that in the 〈◊〉 Panneada called in the Gospell Cesarea Philyppi before the doore of that woman which had the bloudye 〈◊〉 was cured thereof by touchyng the hem of our sauiours garmet as Marke in hys v. chap. wytnesseth there was an ymage of brasse erected which was made according to the fourme and shape of Chryst wearynge a longe garment and that before the same ymage was sette direct ye the ymage of the sayde womā knelynge deuoutely and humblye holdynge vp her handes to the sayd ymage of Chryst and that at the fete of Chrystes ymage a certen vnknowen herbe of a straunge forme dyd growe and that euer as it came in growing to touche the hem of the sayde longe garmente of Chryst then had it the power and vertue to cure and remedy all maner of diseases Further the fathers at the sayde seuenth counsayle assembled doo in the actes and recordes of the sayde counsayle testify and re corde that thys matter of ymages was entreated of and debated in the syxt generall counsayle kepte and holden at Constantinople declarynge howe that in the sayde syxt generall counsayle it was defyned and determined that it was a chrysten vsage to haue the Image of the crucifixe to the intente that hereby we shoulde be broughte in remembraunce of Chryste whych toke awaye the synnes of the worlde And at length the sayde seuenthe generall counsayle concludyng doth saye that the honour and reuerence geuen to Images is not that kynde of honoure which is cal led Latria That is to saye Godes honoure whyche onely is due to God and muste of vs creatures be geuen to none other but onelye to our creature but it is another kynde of honoure done in remembraunce of theyr vertues godlynes and conuersation and for other godlye respectes before expressed And thys determination as concernyng Images wyth all other thynges then and there agreed vpon was of all and euery of the Patryarches and catholyke byshoppes then and there beynge aswell of the Greke as of the Latyne Churche beynge in all aboue three C. Bysshoppes besydes other degrees of the clergye wyth an vniforme consent well allowed gladelye receyued and earnestly and obedientlye obserued 〈◊〉 these premysses duely consydered and wayed al men oughte to conforme them selues to the vse of the Catholyke Churche herein and to folowe the rule and counsayle of Saynte Paule in hys thyrde chapyter of hys epystle to the Collossenses where he sayeth thus Omne 〈◊〉 facit is in uerbo aut in opere 〈◊〉 in nomine domini 〈◊〉 stri 〈◊〉 Christi gratias agentes deo patriper ipsum That is to saye Euerye thynge whatsoeuer ye doo in worde or in dede do ye all thynges in the name of oure Lorde Iesus Chryste gyuynge thankes to GOD and the rather by or throughe Chryste Whiche rule who that foloweth in the vse of these Images as the hole Catholyke Churche heretofore hath and no we doth can not iustlye nor ought not to be reprehēded or misliked nor rekoned to haue don a mysse or to breake thys seconde commaūdement For by the very wordes therein conteyned we be not forbydden to make or to haue similytudes or Images but onelye we be forbydden to make 〈◊〉 to haue them to the intente to gyue Goddes honoure vnto them or to take them as Godes as it appeareth in the. xxvi Chapyter of Leuiticus And therefore although Images of Chryste and hys saynctes be the workes of mennes handes yet they be not so prohibited but that they may be hadde and sette vp bothe in churches and in other places to the intente that we in beholdyng and lokynge vpon them as
in certayne bokes and signes maye call to remembraunce the manifolde examples of vertues whyche were in the sainctes whome they doo represent And so we maye the rather be prouoked kyndeled stirred to yelde thankes to oure lord to prayse hym his said 〈◊〉 and to remember and lament our synnes and offences and to praye God that we maye haue grace to followe theyr goodnes and holye lyuyng 〈◊〉 for an example the ymage of oure sauiour hangeth on the Crosse of the rode or in paynted clothes walles or wyndowes as an open booke to the intent that besydes the exāples of vertues whyche we maye learne at Chryst we may be also manye wayes prouoked to remembre hys paynefull and cruell passion and also to cōsyder oure selfes when we beholde the same ymage and to 〈◊〉 and abhore oure fynne whych was the cause of hys cruell deathe And furthermore consyderyng what hygh benefytes we receyue by hys redemption we maye be prouoked in all oure distresses and troubles to runne for comforte vnto hym All these lessons wyth many mo be brought to oure remembrauuce by the boke of the 〈◊〉 yf we beyng fyrst well enstructed and taughte what is represented and mente thereby do diligently beholde and loke vpon it And as our sauiour Chryste is represented by thys ymage of the rode euen so the holy sayntes whych folowed hym be represented vnto vs by theyr ymages and therefore the sayde ymages maye well be set vp in churches to be as bookes for vnlearned people to put them in remembraunce of those sayntes of whome they maye learne examples of fayth humilitie charytie pacyence temperāce and of all other theyr vertuus and gyftes of GOD whych were in theym For whyche causes ymages maye be set in the churche and oughte not to be despised but to be vsed reuerentlye althoughe we be forbydden to geue goodes hououre vnto theym These lessones should be taught by euery curate to theyr parysheners And where as we vse to sense the sayde Images and to knele before theym and to crepe to the Crosse. wyth suche other thynges 〈◊〉 muste knowe and vnderstande that suche thynges be not nor ought to be done to the ymage it selfe but to God in his honor although it be done afore the ymage whether it be of Chryst of the Crosse or of our Ladye or of anye other Saynte Agayne thys commaundement dyd offende generally before the commynge of Chryste al gentylles and people that were not of the nation of Israell For they dyd geue goddes honoure vnto Idolles and worshypped false godes some one some another of the whyche forte there was a greate number For besydes theyr common goodes euerye countrye euery cytye or towne euerye house and familye had theyr prayer and peculyer gooddes where of is much mention made in authors both Chrysten and heathen And these gentilles thoughe they hadde knowledge of a very god yet as saynct Paule sayth Rom. 〈◊〉 they had 〈◊〉 and vayne fantasyes whyche led them from the truthe caused theym where they coūted thē selues wyse to become foles And agaynst thys cōmaundement offended the Iewes also manye and sondry tymes yea almost 〈◊〉 For notwythstandynge that they professed the knowledge and worshyppyng of the very true god yet they fell to the adoration of Idoles and false goddes as the holye Scripture maketh mencion in many places And here we make an 〈◊〉 touchynge thys seconde commaundement ¶ 〈◊〉 or declaration of the thyrde Commaundemente whyche is Thou shalte not take the name of thy Lorde God in vayne FOr the better and more 〈◊〉 vnder standinge of thys commaundemente you shall briefelye call to your remem braunce that as in the fyrst cōmaundemente there was a prohybytion to haue straunge Goddes and therin implyed that we must haue one God onelye And as in the seconde commaundemente there is a prohibition to make to the anye 〈◊〉 thynge c. to adore or honoure it wyth gods honoure and therein implyed that we muste adore and honoure God onelye wyth hys due and peculyer honoure So lykewyse in thys commaundement beynge also a negatyue there is a prohibition to take the name of thy Lorde GOD in vayne and therein is imployed thys affyrmatiue that we must take and vse the name of God ryghtely and reuetently And hereby appeareth howe one of these commaundementes dothe depende vpon another in verye good order As fyrste to haue one God onelye the seconde to geue vnto hym hys due honoure and the thyrde to vse hys name wyth reuerence And here you shall learne that albeit the 〈◊〉 of God beynge of itselfe fully perfecte and mooste holy cannot in it selfe eyther receyue increase of honoure and sanctification or decrease and diminutyon of the same yet concernynge the vse and abuse of it amongest men it maye be taken and coūted on the one side for sanctifyed and honoured as beynge well vsed And on the other syde for polluted and dyshonoured as abused and not well handled And here shall you note that the p ythe and 〈◊〉 effecte of this cōmaūdemente doth consyst in thys that we must ryghtlye vse the name of GOD and in no wyse abuse it and ryghtlye we 〈◊〉 and doo vse it and 〈◊〉 it by nyne specyall sortes and meanes amongest other Fyrst by confessyng openlye the name of God and of oure Sauyoure Iesu Chryste openynge and expressynge by our mouth the sayth of Chryst before all mē of what sorte state or condityou they be when the case so requirethe and not to cease 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the same for any pleasure or paine that maye grow and be geuen to vs or inflicted by them Of whyche sorte and maner our sauioure Chrysts in the 〈◊〉 chapiter of S Mathewe doth speake saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 me coram hominibus 〈◊〉 ego eum coram patre 〈◊〉 qui in 〈◊〉 est saying also in the 〈◊〉 of Luke Qui me 〈◊〉 meos sermones hunc filius hominicis erubescet cum uenerit in maiestate 〈◊〉 patris sanctorum angelorum And Saynt Paule also in the x. chapter to the Romaynes 〈◊〉 Corde 〈◊〉 ad iustitiam ore dutem consessiofit ad salutem The Englishe of these three sentences is thys Euerye 〈◊〉 that wyll confesse or acknowledge me before men I also wyll confesse and acknowledge him before my father whiche is in heauen And who is ashamed of me or wyll not acknowledge me and my sayinges hym also the sonne of man when he shall come in hys maiesty and in the maiestye or presence of hys father and of the holy aungelles shal be ashamed of and not acknowledge By hearte or mynde one doth in dede beleue to iustice but by the mouth confession is made to health or saluation Accordyng where vnto the prophets Dauyd sayeth Confitemini domino inuocate nomen eius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gentes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 psal ciiii That is to say Do you make or gyue conseffion or prayse to oure Lorde and call vppon hys name doe you shewe or declare amonges the
the sondaye dyuerse other holy dayes also aswell in the specyall honour of Chryste hym selfe as of hys holye saynctes and martyres but because the selfe same obiection of late tyme not by supposyng to be obiected as s. Nierome 〈◊〉 but in dede hath by deuely she persones for abrogatyon of ho ly dayes bene alledged therefore we thy nke it good besydes referynge the learned amongest you to the sayd place ofs Nierome where they maye fynde thys obiection aunswered and dysproued at large by two manec of aunsweres breifly to aunswere the same ob iection in thys maner That is to saye that we christē men should not thynke oure selues in conscience boūd to the ceremonyalles of 〈◊〉 lawe as the Galathians dydde thynke to whome sayncte Paule dyd wryte the sayde wordes before rehearsed And in dede to consyder a daye in no other respecte then as it doeth conteyne a tyme so no man oughte to obserue in religyon more one daye then another 〈◊〉 to consyder a daye in respecte of a thynge done in the daye by God in chrysten relygion soo we maye and ought to obserue and kepe dayes And so doe we obserue and kepe the Sondaye for the resurection sake done in it and likewyse Christmas daye for the birth sake of Chryst beyng borne on 〈◊〉 dai so of the other dayes aswell of Chryst as of hys blessed martyres saynctes And to conclude in thys matter whosoeuer lyst to reade the workes of Cypryan Saynte Bafyll Chysostome and saynte Augustyne shall finde moste godly sermons of theyrs made by thē in the Churche to the people vpon the festyuall dayes bothe of oure Sauioure Chryst the blessed Uyrgyn Marye and of the rest of holy martyes and Saynctes And agaynst thys commaundemente do they mooste greuously offende which in theyr hartes hate that diuine seruyce done in the churche or the cath olyke preachyng of the worde of God and by reason of suche hatrede doo absente them selues from theyr paryshe Churche in tyme of mattens masse euensonge and sermones or other diuyne seruyce vsed in the churche of whych sort there hath of late bene in thys realme a greate number and yf anye yet be lefte God gyue thē grace hereby to knowe there 〈◊〉 offence and therevpon spedely to conuerte them from suche theyr wycked trade and soo to auoyde the wrathe of God and eternali dampnation Secondly agaynste thys commaundemente they also doo offende who thoughe they doo not hate the sayde diuine seruyce yet for gayne and lucres sake they do worke on the holye daye not giuing thē selus holye to godly contemplatyon and dyuyne seruice as they ought to do Fynally al they doo transgresse this commaundemente of God who in tyme of common prayer or preachynge not onely doo not them selues geue dilygent eare and good attendaunce therevnto but also by walkynge talkyng and other euyl demeanour doo lette other that woulde vse them selues deuoutlye and Godlye ¶ Thexposition or declaration of the fyfte commaundement which is Honour thy father and thy mother IN the foure commaundemēts which are declared in the former processe being the cōmaūdemētes of the firste ta ble you haue hard that duty whych we do ow vnto almyghty god In al these other folowyng which are the cōmaū demētes of the ii table you shal be instructed of that duty whych we do owe to oure neyghbour in thoughte word dede And in the first of thē we are instructed how we shall doo our duty to oure parentes fathers and mothers and elders here in this world to whom next after God and aboue al other neyghbors we do owe honour and obedience For the better vnderstandyng of thys cōmaundement you shall note that vnder the names of father mother are here sygnifyed not onelye oure naturall parentes but dyuers other also as fyrst they whyche haue cure and charge of oure soules who by theyr offyce doe begette vs to the faythe of Chryste and doo nouryshe and brynge vs vppe in the same after whyche sorte and maner Saynt Paule calleth hym selfe father of the Corynthyans in the fowerth chapyter of his fyrste epystle to the sayde Corynthians And secondly we vnderstand by those names father and mother all cyuyll or publyke magystrates and thyrdely al other who haue in any wyse power auctoritie or gouernement ouer vs as the mayster ouer the seruaunte c. To all these foresayde sortes beynge comprehended in thys commaundemente vnder the names of father and mother we are bounden to geue due honour whiche standeth specially in thre pointes it is to wyt in loue in obedience and in reuerence Aud herein as touchynge our naturall parentes oure sauyour Chryst in the seuenth of Marke doth say thus Honor thy father and thy mother He that doeth curse father or mother shall dye the death And Chryste hymselfe gaue herein vnto vs example both of oure subiection and also of obedyence to be geuen and done vnto our naturall parentes as appeareth in the seconde of Luke where it is wrytten thus And he that is to saye Chryste dyd goo downe wyth them and came to Nazerethe and was subiecte or obedient vnto them and that all 〈◊〉 do owe vnto theyr naturall parentes obedyence and honoure Saynt Paule wytnesseth in the vi chapiter to the Ephesians saying Chyldren be you obediente to your parentes in our Lorde for that is iuste or ryght Honoure thy father and thy mother which is the fyrst commaundement in promyse that it may be well with the and thou mayst be longe lyued on the earth The 〈◊〉 whereof S Paule also dothe wryte in hys thyrde chapyter to the Collossians And moreouer it is wrytten in the thyrde chapter of Ecclesiasticus after thys maner Sonne receaue with reuerence the olde age of thy father and make not hym sad in his lyfe c. And in the same chapter shortlye after dothe folowe thys saying Of howe euyll fame or name is he that forsa keth his father and cursed is he of God that 〈◊〉 or angreth his mother And in the xix of the Prouerbes it is 〈◊〉 He that dothe afflicte his father and doth flye from his mo ther shal be infamous and wretched And in the. xx of the sayde Prouerbes Salomon sayth thus He that curseth hys father and mother his light shal be put oute of the myddeste of darkenes In the ix of Genesis C ham the sōne of Noe brought the curfe of God or maledictyon to hym selfe and his posteritye for that he dyd dyshonoure and deryde hys father in the xxxv and xlix chapyters of the same booke appeareth of the dyshonour whyche Ruben the fyrste begotten sonne of Iacob dyd to hys father and howe he therefore was accursed And in the seconde booke of the kynges and the. xviii chapyter we reade howe Absolon who intended to haue thrust hys father out of his kingdome was by a notable and mooste myserable deathe plaged Aud of the duetye that we doe owe vnto oure spirituall fathers we doo reade in the.
Uyrgin Mary his mother present with hym nor anye other of his dyseyples saue onely the. xii Apostles whome he appoin ted to be the head ministers of al his misteryes here on the earth and specially to be the ministers of this most blessed sacrament and the iustructours of al other touching the same Now what meneth it that our Sauiour was not content to offer them this sa crament onely but with the offeryng therof he said also vnto them Take eate take and drinke Do mē vse to offer to other meate and drynke for anye 〈◊〉 purpose but onelye that they shoulde eate and drynke thereof but bycause it was hys bodye and hys bloude therefore he fyrste byddeth them take and not feare to eate and drynke the same Besydes this it is to be well noted that that thre Euangelystes Mathew Marke and Luke did al three agree in the maner of the institution of thys sacramēt they wryting all three their gospels at sō dry tymes as Mathe we eyght yere after the ascencion of our sauiour Chryst. Marke x. yeares Luke xv yeares And where in doubteful speaches of our sauiour Chryst some one or other of that Euangelists euermore openeth playnly the very meaning of the speches yet touchyng these words this is my body no one of them maketh anye declaration vpon the same but they all leue them to be takē of vs as they sound and as of most plaine words they make no exposition or interpretation of them at all Whyche poynt must be well consydered And therefore note th at where Chryst sayde It is impossible for a rich man to entre into the kingdō of heuen bicause that meaning of these wordes may be dyuersly taken thereof S. Marke in his tenth chapyter declareth the very meaning of them saying It is harde for them that trust in there substaūce to be saued Agayne Chryst at another time said to the Iewes loose you this timple in thre daies shal I build it againe Andfor that the sense of these wordes is doughtfull S. Ihon there expoundeth them and sayeth that Chryst by the tēyle ment his body which should be by the Iewes put to death and by him the thirde daye shoulde be raysed from death to lyfe In the viii of Ihon oure sauiour sayeth He that beleueth in me as the scriptnre sayeth there shall ryuers of quyck water flow out of him And because this saing is obscure S. Iohn to make it open sayeth that he spake those wordes of the spirit which they that be leued in him should receyue In the. xii chapiter of S Ihon our sauiour sayth in this maner If I be lyfte vp from the earth I wyl draw al thin ges vnto my selfe And S Iohn by and by geueth vs the exposition saying that hereby he signyfyed what kynde of death he should suffer Manye other lyke places are there in the newe testamente the matter of which places is not so hyghe nor soo nedefull to be ryghtly vnderstanded as that meaning of these wordes this is my body and yet of these wordes no one Euangelist maketh any exposition bycause the wordes are playnely and symply to be taken as they were spokē Besides al this we haue in S. Paule in the xi Chapiter of his first Epistle to the Corinthians a goodly and a large processe touching thys Sacrament and yet in that whole processe no matter to instructe vs otherwyse to be leue of it than that there is in it the very body and bloude of our sauiour Chryst. For fyrste he vttereth the wordes of oursauiour euen as the Euangelists do as that he sayd this is my bodye and he maketh no declaration vpon the same Secondly where none of the Euangelists make mentiō of any paine due to the vnworthy receauer S Paule affirmeth that the vnworthy receyuyng of thys Sacramente bryngeth iudgement and dampnation Thirdly he telleth that for the vnworthy receauing hereof God plageth cities and cuntryes wyth sondrye greuous plages as with infirmitye with syckenes and with death also Forthely he geueth vs counsell dylygentlye to examine and trye our selfes before we come to gods borde If the very body and bloude of oure sauiour Chryst be not in dede in the sacramēt of the aultare why shold our sauiour so speake as he spake in the promisse made thereof why dyd he as he dyd in the instituting therof why dyd none of the Euāgelists so declare christes wordes why dyd sayncte Paule so terribly pronounce of the vnworthy receauynge of it and so ernestly warne vs of due preparation to be made therefore It is then most vndoutedlye to be of all chrysten people beleued that in the Sacrameut of the aultare there is the verye body and boulde of our sauiour Chryst worthy of all honour and glory the selfe same in substannce that is in heauen which thyng for Chryst to bryng to passe is a thyng most casye he being God almighty maker of heauen and earth and for hym to do is moost semely that as he gaue that bodye 'to deathe to redeme vs so he should giue the same in thys heauenly bankitte to fede vs that he myght be all in all The body of our sauiour Christ to be in very dede in heauen in the visible fourme of a mā and in the Sacrament of the Aultare inuisible vnder the visible 〈◊〉 of bread and wyne nether is impossible to hys power that made all thinges of noughte nether vnsemely for his exceadynge great loue towardes vs who so loued vs that for vs he dyd not refuse to suffer death and that the deathe of the crosse neyther yet is it agaynst hys wyll who of hys onely mercye so promysed and wyth hys omnipotent word so instituted it nother is it fynally vnfytte for hys wyse dome seynge he hath so ordeyned that euery naturall mothere nouryshe her chyldren wyth the substaunce of her owne body And why then shold christen men refuse to beleue it why do we not rather embrace it and gyue God moste hartye thankes for it being the greatest iewell that euer was amonge mortal men why do we not prepare our selues worthely to receaue it and as in all other poyntes of the christen religion so in the belefe of it geue credite to fayth and bryng reason and our senses in subiectiō vnder fayth but suffer our ghostly enemy by carnall reasons to bryng vs away into heresie quite and cleane to pull the ryghte faythe out of oure hartes Let vs all good people from hence forth be constaūt in the trueth and as all the catholyke churche beleueth and hath alwayes beleued let vs vndoutedlye perswade our selues that in the blessed sacrament of the Aultare there is vnder the fourmes of breade wine the seife same body of our sauiour Christ in sub staūce whych was borne of the Uyrgin Mary and suffered death on the crosse for vs to whō with the father the holy gost be all honor glory world wythout ende Amen