who haue bin constant in y ◠faith haue suffred death for Christs sake That so they may be taught by their name to remēber whose name they beare y t they neither speake nor doe anie thing vnworthy of their name As if any bee called Iohn that hee praye for grace and desire to be filled with grace that he giue witnesse of Christ that hee is the Lambe of GOD which taketh away the sinnes of the worlde that hee rebuke vice boldelie as Iohn did in Herode though hee were a mightie Prince Or if he be called Paule that hee so become a follower of Paule as Paule was of Christe and saye with Paul That I might liue vnto God I am crucified with Christ Thus I liue yet not I now but Christ liueth in mee and heare Christ speaking vnto him as did Paul fal down say Lorde what wilt thou that I doe So let him that is called Thomas touche the bosome of Christ and handle his woundes and make a good confession as Thomas did and say My Lord and my God Let Matthew forsake his custome euen the deceitful gaines of y ◠world and followe Christ Let Daniel remember Daniel and though he should be throwen in to the denne of Lions or be burnt in the fire or suffer any cruell tormentes yet let him not therfore forsake God but put his whole trust in him Thus should our names teach vs that whether we write them or vtter them or heare them spoken they may put vs in minde of christian duetie and Godlines The other Sacrament of Christes Church is the sacrament of the Lordes Supper whiche some haue called the Sacrament of the Altar some the Sacrament of the holie table some the Sacrament of bread and wine but wee most properly may call it the sacrament of the bodie and blood of Christ And that we wander not at large but may stande in certaine ground I wil expounde those words of our Sauiour This is my bodie and this is my blood of the newe testament that is shed for manie for the remission of sinnes This matter these two or three hundreth yeeres late past hath beene encumbred with manie questions and much controuersie Some saie the woordes are plaine Christe him selfe spake them hee is almightte and can doe what soeuer hee will hee hath not spoken otherwise then hee meant If wee expounde them by signes and figures wee take away the force of the holy mysterie and make nothing of it the woordes muste bee taken euen as they lye they must not haue any other construction Therefore at this day many wise men which yeelde from other pointes of superstition and in many other thinges receiue the truth stand here and sticke at this and cannot yeeld I will declare the whole matter simplye and plainely and submit my selfe to the vnderstanding and capacitie of all men That which I will vtter heerein shall not be of my selfe but of the Fathers of the Churche not of those whiche haue beene of later yeeres but of the most auncient not of the Heretiques◠but of the most Catholique which euer haue beene the enemies and confounders of Heretiques I wil shewe the vse and order and faith of the Primitiue Churche whiche was in the times of the Apostles and of Tertullian Ciprian Basill Nazianzene Hierome Augustine Chrysostome and others Catholique and godly learned Fathers Let no man regarde mee or my speeche I am onely a finger these are cleare and bright starres I doe but shewe them vnto you and poynt them that you maye beholde them God giue vs grace that wee may see them truely and by them bee able to guyde and to direct our waye let vs laie aside all contention and quietly heare that shall bee spoken Whatsoeuer shall bee saide if it bee true if it bee auncient if it be Catholique if it bee so cleere as the sunne beames let vs humble our heartes and beleeue it There is no trueth but of God Whosoeuer resisteth the truth resisteth God First I will shewe you that we doe truelie and indeede eate the bodie of Christ and drinke his blood And this shall be the foundation and key of entraunce into all the rest Secondely I will open these woordes This is my body and there howe by what sort in what sense and meaning the bread is the body of Christ Thirdly that the bread abideth still in former nature and substance as before euen as the nature and substance of water remayneth in Baptisme Fourthly how the body of Christ is eaten whether by faith or with the mouth of our bodie and how the body of Christ is present in the Sacrament Fiftly What difference is betweene the body of Christ and the Sacrament of the body of Christ Sixtly howe wee ought to prepare our mindes and with what faith and deuotion wee must come to the receiuing thereof Wee saie and beleeue that wee receiue the body and blood of Christ truelie and not a figure or signe but euen that bodie whiche suffered death on the crosse and that blood which was shed for the forgiuenes of sinnes So saieth Christ My fleshe is meate in deede and my blood is drinke indeede And againe Except yee eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drink his blood ye haue no life in you And againe He that eateth me euen he shall liue by me Wee say there is no other substantiall foode of our soules and that hee is diuided among all the faithfull and that hee is voyde of saluation and the grace of Christ whosoeuer is not partaker of his body and blood This we say and may not flee from it hereafter Yet least happily any should be deceiued we say this meate is spirituall and therefore it must be eaten by faith and not with the mouth of our bodie Augustine saith Vt quid paras dentes ventrem crede manducasti Why preparest thou thy teeth and thy bellie beleeue and thou hast eaten And againe Nolite fauces parare sed cor Prepare not your iawes but your heart As material bread nourisheth our bodie so doeth the bodie of Christ nourishe our soule and is therefore called bread Deus panis intus est animae meae saith Augustine God is the inward bread of my soule For wee receiue him and eate him and liue by him But heereof hereafter more at large Nowe let vs consider the wordes of Christ This is my body this is my blood These woordes you say are plaine open easie and manifest So are they yet albeit they are plaine they must haue a right construction The plainest woordes that bee vnlesse they bee duelie expounded may breede errour S. Iohn saith The word was made flesh These words are plaine yet of these plaine wordes Apollinaris did breede an heresie Christ saith My father is greater then I. His woordes are playne yet did the Arrians gather thereof an heresie that Christe is not equall with his
Father Christe saith of Iohn the Baptist This is Elias which was to come Hee saith not hee doth signifie Elias but he is Elias The wordes are plaine yet were there some that stood in the mayntainance of their erorour therby and said that the soule of Elias did abide in Iohn Baptist Christ saith If thine eye cause thee to offend pluck it out and cast it from thee And If thy hand or foot cause thee to offend cut them off cast them from thee The wordes are plaine yet he meaneth not that you should pick out your eyes out of your head nor choppe off your hands or feete from your bodie Iohn saith of Christ He wil baptize you with the holie ghost with fire These words are plaine yet hereof some raised this errour y t children at the time of their baptisme should bee marked in the forehead with a hot burning iron S. Paul saith He hath made him to be sinne for vs which knew no sinne The wordes are plaine Yet Christ neuer sinned Hee is the Lambe of God in whom there is no spot He is hereby sayde to be the sacrifice for sinne Christ saith They two shalbe one flesh And They are no more two but one flesh These wordes are plaine Yet if you trie the wordes by common sence it is not so they are not one but two of seuerall fleshe Christ saith You are the salt of the earth you are the light of the worlde The wordes are plaine yet indeede the Apostles were neither materiall light nor materiall salt Christe saide of Iudas One of you is a diuel The words are plaine Yet Iudas in nature and substance was not a Diuell S. Paul saith of Melchisedech He was without father without mother without kinred hath neither beginning of his dayes neither end of his life These words are plain Yet indeede hee had father and mother and was a man and was borne and died as other men So he saith The rocke was Christ So Moses saith The life of al flesh is his blood And so is Christ called a Lambe a lion a worme a way a bridegrome a head a doore a vine the light bread water a garment These speeches and infinite others the like are plaine open and euident yet are they not true as y t words sound them literally For Christe is not a Lambe in substāce nature but a spiritual Lambe So is he a spiritual garment spiritual light spiritual water and spiritual bread Christ said to Nicodemus Except a man bee borne againe he cannot see the kingdom of God These words are plaine yet Nicodemus mistooke them and was deceiued said Howe can a man be borne that is old can he enter into his mothers wombe again be born Christ meant y e spiritual birth of the soule the spirit not y t natural corporall birth of y e body And to come neerer to the matter in hande whē Christ said I am y e bread which is come down from Heauē except ye eate the flesh of the Sonne of man drinke his blood ye haue no life in you and my flesh is meate in deede and my blood is drinke indeede He that eateth of this bread shall liue for euer The Capernaites thought these words plaine enough therfore they say How cā this mā giue vs his flesh to eate This is an harde saying who can heare it And they departed away frō him Then said Iesus The words that I speak vnto you are spirit life Upon occasiō hereof S. Augustine writeth thus Spiritualiter intelligite quod loquutus sum vobis Non hoe corpus c. Vnderstand yee spiritually that I haue spoken vnto you Ye shal not eate this body that ye see neither shal ye drink that blood that they shall shed that shall crucifie me I haue recōmended vnto you a certain sacrament being spiritually vnderstoode it will giue you life Euen so Chrysostome What is it that he saith the flesh profiteth nothing He speaketh it not of flesh indeed God forbid but of such which take the things carnally y t are spoke And what is it to vnderstād carnally Euen to take things simply as they be spoken to seeke no further meaning For the things which are seene are not so to be iudged of but al mysteries should be considered with inward eies that is spiritually Againe vpon these wordes If any man eate of this bread he shal liue for euer he saith Panem vero siue doctrinam hoc in loco salutem fidem in se siue corpus suum dicit vtrumque enim animam fortiorē reddit Hee calleth bread in this place either doctrine and saluation and faith in him or els his bodie For either of these maketh the soule stronger S. Paul saith He that eateth or drinketh vnworthily eateth and drinketh his own dānation Dānation is a spiritual thing which is not receiued in by the mouth or broken with the teeth So Christ saith This cup is the new Testament in my blood which is shed for you Yet nowe is not his blood shed any more for he is risen dieth not And these wordes which are so plaine if they be examined wil not be so plaine to yeelde the sense vnto which they are forced It is written He tooke bread whē he had giuen thāks he brake it gaue to thē saying this is my body This bread is my bodie The bread was stil bread neither flesh nor his bodie And this cup is the new testament In due and right open meaning the cup cannot be the new testament Here we see how the wordes are not al so plain but must haue a reasonable cōsiruction It is a rule in the law In fraudē legis facit qui verbis legis saluis sententiam eius circumuenit Hee doth wrong to the law that following onlie the bare words defraudeth the meaning of the Law Orig. saith Est et in nouo testamento litera quae occidit eum c. There is also in the new testamēt a letter which killeth him that doth not spiritually vnderstande those thinges which are spoken For if he folow this after the letter where it is said except ye eat my flesh drink my blood This letter killeth Mark if ye take the word of Christ barely and nakedly as the letter soundeth it killeth S. Augustine saith In allegoria omni haec regula tenenda est vt pro sententia praesent is loci consideretur quod per similitudinem dicitur This rule is to be kept in euery allegory that what is spoken by similitude be weighed by the meaning of the present place Hierō saith Nō in verbis Scripturarum est euangelium sed in sensu The gospel is not in the words of Scriptures but in the meaning And Non in superficie sed in medulla non in sermonum folijs
that followeth mee shall not walke in darkenesse but shall haue the light of life So spake Almightie GOD to his people Take heede that you doe as the Lorde your GOD hath commaunded you turne not aside to the right hande nor to the lefte Thou shalt not doe the thing that seemeth right in thine owne eyes Thou shalte not followe the zeale of thine owne heart Thinke that thou maist be deceiued dispose thy selfe to hearken to the voyce of the Lord whatsoeuer he shall commaund thee that onely shalt thou doe For my thoughts are not your thoughtes neither are your wayes my wayes saith the Lord For as the heauens are higher thē the earth so are my waies higher thē yourwaies my thoughts aboue your thoughts The will of y e Lord is the only measure whereby all trueth must be tryed Heereunto the Prophet Dauid humbleth himselfe and speaketh vnto GOD in this manner Lighten mine eies O lord O teach me to do thy wil teach me to follow it to practise it Hereof S. Paul speaketh Vnderstand what the will of the Lord is Leaue the pretence of zeale leaue the deuotion of your owne heart rest not vppon the will of your forefathers nor of flesh blood Learne to feele and taste the will of God it is good and gracious and merciful thereby direct your steppes therein shall you finde the possession of life We were drowned in darkenesse sayth the Apostle yet thought we had the light I my selfe saith hee was a blasphemer and did persecute the Church of God I followed the way of my fathers I had a great zeale and thought I did well but the way wherein I walked was slippery the light was darkenesse I delighted in vanitie and had pleasure in leasings I was blinde yet perceiued it not and therefore was my blindenesse and miserie so muche the more But now is our Saluation come neere vnto vs our bodies are made the Temples of God and his spirit dwelleth within vs. We haue the woorde of life put both in our mouth and in our heart the kingdome of God is in the middes amongst vs. The Sonne of God calleth vnto vs Come vnto me al ye that trauel and be heauily laden and I wil refresh you S Iohn saith We haue looked vpon and our hands haue handeled the worde of life And againe The word was made flesh and dwelt among vs and we saw the glory thereof as the glory of the only begotten sonne of the Father full of grace and of trueth So neere is the Lorde to them that seeke him So neere vnto vs is our saluation When Dauid heard the voyce of the Lorde he awaked and rose vp hee gaue thankes vnto God and powred out his heart before him saying O Lorde our Lorde howe wonderfull is thy Name in all the worlde And againe Prayse the Lorde O my soule and all that is within mee praise his holie Name When the Apostles hearde this voyce of the Lorde they were awaked they forsooke all they had they tooke vp their Crosse and went ouer all the worlde preaching the Gospell of saluation When Paul heard the voyce of Christ from heauen aboue he fell flat on the earth and being astonied sayde Lord what wilt thou that I do I am thy seruaunt and the sonne of thy handemayde make me to doe that thou commandest me to doe Then coulde neither life nor death nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor thinges present nor thinges to come nor height nor depthe nor any other Creature separate Paule from the loue of God whiche is in Christ Iesus our Lorde then hee esteemed not to knowe anye thinge sauing Iesus Christ and him crucified He brake his sleepe rose vp and went forwarde In like manner the Prophet Esay stirreth vp Hierusalem Arise be bright for the light is come and the glorie of the Lorde is risen vppon thee Knowe thy time and the day of thy visitation awake thou that sleepest and stande vp from the dead for the Sonne of God hath shined ouer thee The Apostle therfore saith It is nowe time that wee shoulde arise from sleepe We are the children of God we are the children of the trueth we are the sonnes of the Prophets we are they whom GOD hath chosen out of the worlde Whosoeuer putteth his hande to the plough and looketh backe is vnmeete for the kingdome of heauen These thinges are sent for our vnderstanding GOD hath giuen his worde vnto vs. We haue seene the workes of God the doumbe to speake the deafe to heare the blynde to see the lame to goe the dead to rise and come out of their graues the Sunne to be darkened the earth to quake rockes to rent and the Diuell to confesse the Sonne of God for he was forced to say Thou art Christ the Sonne of God Nowe doth the kingdome of heauen suffer violence The night is passed the daye is at hande we haue slumbered enough in ignoraunce it is nowe time we knowe the blessinges which GOD hath bestowed vppon vs it is time wee shoulde be thankefull and awake out of the sleepe of forgetfulnesse that wee humble our selues vnder the mighty hande of God and dreame no more of our owne strength our conscience is charged we cannot pleade ignoraunce it is time that we rise the mercie of God the aboundaunce of his blessing the feare of his iudgement the regarde of our saluation so requireth Let vs cast away the workes of darkenesse they bee vnfruitefull lothesome and horrible They darken the hearte and blinde the conscience hee that doeth them shall bee cast into vtter darkenesse Let vs bee afrayde let vs be ashamed hereof such things are not fit for the children of light Let vs put on the armour of light God hath chosen vs to bee his Souldiers and hath called vs foorth into the fielde Our fight is not against fleshe and blood but against the Diuell the Prince of this worlde and the Father of darkenesse hee rampeth like a Lyon and lyeth in waite and seeketh whom hee may deuour All the vanities of this life our bodies our owne heartes conspire against vs the fight is terrible the daunger great Let vs not be vnprouided let vs not stande open to the stroke of the enimie Let vs take vnto vs the whole armour of God let our loyues be girded with beritie let vs put on the shielde of Faith the brestplate of righteousnesse the sworde of the spirit the helmet of saluation These bee the weapons of righteousnesse these be the armour of light Let vs not feare to declare the truth though thereby wee shoulde daunger our life Let vs bee faithfull vnto the ende let it appeare that the weapons of our warfare are not carnall but mighty through God to cast downe holdes and imaginations and euery hie thing that is exalted against God so shal our armour be complete so shall we shewe glorious in the fielde and be terrible to the enimie
sed in radice rationis It is not in the outward shew but in the inner marow not in the leafes of wordes but in the roote of reason When Christ saide Destroy this Temple and in three dayes I wil raise it vp againe The Iewes following the bare letter did beare false witnesse against him saying We heard him say I will destroy this temple made with handes and within tree dayes I will builde another made without handes Wee may not take the letter in all places of the scripture as it lieth The scriptures stand not in the reading but in the vnderstanding By taking the bare letter the Iewes founâ—â— matter to put Christ to death Orig. saith There is a let ter in the new Testament which killeth Ierome saith The gospel is not in the wordes of the Scripture not in the outward shewe nor in the leaues but in y e meaning in y e marow in the root which are hid not open manifest So y t they may not be takeÌ„ by y e bare sound but must haue some other construction But what shall be the construction of these wordes This is my body whose interpretation or iudgement of them shal stand The learned men which haue been of late yeres which yet liue are suspected Let vs heare the elder ancieÌ„t fathers whom there is no cause that any should suspect they were not Sacramentaries nor Zuinglians nor Lutheranes they were not deuided into any of these sectes Tertullian an ancient father who liued more then 1300. yeeres since expoundeth them thus Acceptum panem distributum discipulis corpus suum illum fecit dicendo hoc est corpus meuÌ„ id est figura corporis mei Figura autem non esset nisi veritatis esset corpus CaeteruÌ„ vacua res quae est phantasma figuram capere non potest Christ taking the bread distributing it to his disciples made it his body saying This is my body y t is to say this is a figure of my body But a figure it coulde not bee vnlesse there were a body of a truth in deed For a void thing as is a fantasie can receiue no figure Chrysostome saith Si mortuus Christus non est cuius SymboluÌ„ ac signum hoc sacramentum est If Christ died not whose signe and whose token is this Sacrament Againe The very bodie of Christ it self is not in the holie vessels but the mysterie or Sacrament thereof is there conteined Augustine against the heretique Adimantus writeth Non dubitauit Dominus dicere hoc est corpus meum cum signum daret corporis sui Our Lorde doubted not to say this is my body when he gaue a tokeÌ„ of his body And in another place Christ tooke Iudas vnto his table wherat he gaue vnto his disciples the figure of his bodie Saint Hierom saith Christ represented the veritie of his bodie S. Ambrose saith Before consecration it is called another kind after consecration the body of Christ is signified And again In eating and drinking that is in receiuing the holy communion we signifie the bodie blood of Christ that was offered for vs. So also Gelasius saith Imago similitudo corporis sanguinis in actione mysteriorum celebratur The image and similitude of his body blood is shewed in the action of the mysteries It woulde be ouerlong to lay forth vnto you what other reuerende olde Fathers haue written to like effect and haue expounded those woordes of Christ by suche termes as you haue hearde of signe figure token image and likenesse I trust no man be offended these speeches are not mine owne but the speeches of moste auncient Fathers and haue beene spoken or written and continued in the Church these 1200 1300. and wel neere 1400. yeres and neuer condemned in them as false though many of late times haue sought otherwise to vnderstand the words of Christ The glose vppon the Canons ioyneth herein with the Fathers Dicitur corpus Christi sed impropriè vt sit sensus uocatur corpus Christi c. It is called the body of Christ but vnproperly the meaning thereof may be this it is called Christes bodie that is to say it signifyeth Christes bodie Therefore doeth S. August giue vs good and wholesome aduertisements thus hee writeth to Bonifacius Vnlesse sacraments had a certain likenes of the things of which they be sacrameÌ„ts then indeed they were no sacraments And of this likenes oftentimes they beare the names of y t things themselues that are represented by the sacraments And again In sacrameÌ„ts we must coÌ„sider not what thei be in substance nature but what they signify Againe he saith It is a dangerous matter a seruitude of the soule to take the signe in stead of the thing that is signified And again if it be a speech that commandeth either by forbidding an horible wickednes or requiring that which is profitable it is not figuratiue but if it seeme to require horrible wickednes to forbid y t is good profitable it is spoken figuratiuely Exceptyee eate saith Christ the flesh of the sonne of maÌ„ drink his blood ye haue no life in you He semeth to require the doing of that which is horrible or most wicked it is a fygure therfore coÌ„manding vs to coÌ„municate with the passion of Christ coÌ„fortably profitably to laie vp in our remeÌ„braÌ„ce that his flesh was crucifyed wouÌ„ded for vs. In another place hee saith It is a more horrible thing to eate maÌ„s flesh theÌ„ to kil it to drink maÌ„s blood theÌ„ it is to shed it Againe he saith Wee must beware that wee take not a figuratiue speeche according to the letter for therto it pertaineth that the Apostle saith the letter killeth Besides that which hath been shewed you out of the godlie learned olde fathers howe they haue expounded these wordes who soeuer wil aduisedly consider these principall sentences or rather rules of Saint Augustine shall be holpen muche and directed to the due and Catholique construction and meaning of them The nexte matter and the thirde of the sixe is whether the breade and wine abide still in former nature and substaunce as before euen as the nature and substaunce of water remayneth in the Sacrament of Baptisme There are some that saye by vertue of these woordes Hoc est corpus meum the bread is chaunged into the bodie of Christ that the substaunce of bread is gone and nothing remayning but onely accidentes that is a shewe and appearance and likenesse of bread They say it seemeth to be the same it was but it is chaunged it seemeth to bee bread but it is not bread and the wine by the taste and colour seemeth to be wine but it is not wine They say we may not beleeue our eye sight nor stand to the iudgement of our senses They say Christ is almighty he spake the word and al thinges
the Gospel to be heresie and that the things which he hath done for vs are wrought by the power of Beelzebub and which as good watchmen attending their warde may stirre vp the people to knowe the season that the night is passed and the day is come that it is time to cast away the workes of darkenesse and to put on the armour of light shall witnesse for them what zeale they beare to the house of God If the ministers be mindefull to perfourme their duetie if the Lordes haruest be not neglected if the defence for the Gospel finde vpright Iudges if all that giue outward shew of zeale be in deede zealous and worke the fruites of zeale what hope may they of Iericho haue that their cursed dwellings shal stand or why shall Israel mistrust that the Temple of God shall not receiue againe the former and perfect beautie Nowe because euery where in these sermons hee commendeth the necessary vse of godly learning and is an humble suter for patronage thereof I can not but present them vnto your honours our patrones and fathers right honourable Chauncelours of both the Vniuersities that seeing the benefite of this your gracious protection hath and doeth and shall reache it selfe so farre to do so much good to the whole Church of God you may at home and with your selues reioyce in the comfort of a good conscience for the manifold fruites of your fauour bestowed in such sort and all that haue the loue of the trueth may earnestly praye vnto God for your honours that he will continue his goodnesse towardes you and giue you long and prosperous dayes in this life and after a ioyfull enterance into his glorie Your honours most humble to command Iohn Garbrande ⧠Certaine Sermons of B. Iewell Ioshua 6. And Iericho was shut vp and closed because of the children of Israel neither might any man goe out or in 2. And the Lorde saide vnto Ioshua behold I haue giuen into thine hand Iericho and the King thereof and the strong men of warre 3. And yee shall compasse all the Citie c. IN diuers maners god spake opened himselfe to our fathers by visions dreames by sacraments by angels by plaine expresse words by allegories by secret mystical vnderstanding where one thing is couered vnder another And al this did he that he might cōdescende to our capacitie that wee might bee conuerted and saued that we might be guyded in the right way and not goe aside neither to the right hande nor to the left By vision GOD spake to Ezechiel as appeareth in the firste Chapter of his prophecie The wheeles which he saw were horible to behold they were ful of rings and the rings were full of eyes the foure beasts were also terrible they had faces like a man like a lion like a bullock and like an eagle In dream God spake to Samuel saying Beholde I wil doe a thing in Israel wherof whosoeuer shal heare his two eares shall tingle c. Touching Sacramentes God him selfe saith Thou shalt shew thy Sonne in that day saying this is done because of that which the Lord did vnto me whē I came out of Egipt thou shalt set apart vnto the lord al that first openeth the wombe c. And whē thy sonne shal aske thee to morrow saying What is this thou shalt then say vnto him with a mighty hande the Lorde brought vs out of Egypt out of the house of bondage For when Pharao was hard hearted agaynst our departure the Lord then slue al the first borne in the lande of Egypt from the first born of man euen to the first born of beast therefore I sacrifice vnto the Lorde all the males that first open the wombe but al the first borne of my sonnes I redeeme Sometimes he spake by Angels as by sundrye examples it may appeare Sometimes by him selfe in his owne person as he spake to Moses face to face Sometimes by playne expresse wordes Thou shalt loue the Lorde thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule and with all thy might And againe Thou shalt haue none other goddes before my face thou shalt make thee no grauen image c. These are playne woordes these are the woordes which our Lord GOD hath spoken Some tymes he expressed his holy will not in words or visions or in such sort as I haue shewed but onely by some mysticall or secret Allegory by some deede which the people sawe done before their eyes of which kynd is this which we haue now to consider Therefore hath God sayde by the Prophet What coulde I haue done any more to my vineyard that I haue not done vnto it What shoulde I doe but it hath byn done What shoulde I say but it hath been sayde what warning shoulde I giue but it hath byn giuen I haue byn carefull for my people that they shoulde repent and turne to me that all Israel shoulde be saued If they perish I am free from their destruction they perishe in their owne wilfulnesse they haue none excuse Now touching an Allegory whereof we are at this present to say God opened his minde sometimes not by wordes but by some notable kinde of deede and the people heard GOD speak vnto them not with their eares but with their eyes The people of Israel as they were passing through the wildernesse lacked water to drinke and were like to perishe there stood a mighty great Rocke of harde stone whiche Moses smote with his rodde it opened and yelded out a great streame of water the whole people dranke of it and was refreshed the same people being likewise in the same wildernesse vtterly voyde of bread and all other substenance was like to famish God sent them Manna from heauen aboue they gathered it they ground it and they ate of it it was sweet and delicate and full of comfort This was an Allegorie that is to say a secret and mysticall kinde of vtterance For by this Manna and by this Rocke the people was ledde to vnderstand and thinke on that bread and that water that should come from heauen Saint Paul saith the Rocke was Christ his side was clouen his blood issued out it is a water springing vp into euerlasting life we drink of it and liue for euer So likewise that Manna was the bodie of Christ the people did eate of it and liued by it Christ had not yet taken vppon him a naturall bodye yet they did eate his bodie he had not yet shedde his blood yet they dranke his blood Saint Paule saith all did eate the same spirituall meate that is the body of Christ and all did drinke of the same spirituall drinke that is the blood of Christ and that as verily and as truely as we doe nowe and who so euer then did so eate Christ liued for euer not because the rocke was turned into his flesh or the water into his blood it was an Allegory as
so shall we stande strong boldely against sword and fire and death so shall we like faithfull Souldiers of our captaine Christ manfully stande agaynst the gates of hell and resiste al the assaultes and quench al the fiery darts of the wicked then shal we eate of the fruite in the middest of Paradise and shall receaue the Crowne of euerlastynge glory Let vs walke honestly as in the day not in gluttony drunkeÌ„nes neither in Chambering and wantonnes nor in strife and enuying He setteth downe three things as three botches and carbuncles of the soule they oppresse the body defile the minde and breake the bonde and vnitie of the Church of God The first is gluttonie and drunkennes the roote and mother of al euill nothinge standeth safe where wine preuayleth This was the iniquitie of Sadome abundance and fulnesse of bread they abused the gifts of God to the dishonour of god This was y e cause of all her filthynes her filthines was the cause of her destruction Here of God speaketh My chosen people My darling is waxed fat Therefore he forsooke god that made him and regarded not the strong God of his saluation And againe by the Prophet Esay The harpe and viole timbrell and pipe are in their feastes but they regard not the work of the Lorde neyther consider the worke of his hands And in the xxiichap Behold ioy and gladnes slaying oxen and killing sheepe eating fleshe and drinking wine eating and drinking for to morowe we shall die So through gluttony and drunkenn es they despised the threatnings of God and entered not into the way of repentance but continued in their sinnes and made scorne of the Prophets of God The people of Israel sate them downe to eate and drink rose vp to play They forgat God and the mercies he had shewed vpon them and worshipped a golden calfe So grosse and so deadly are the cloudes of drunkennes Our Sauiour Christ saith towardes the latter day the people shall eate and drinke and be voyd of care as in the daies of Noah and distruction shall sodainely fall vpon them therefore Christ sayth Woe be to you that are full for you shall hunger Many haue bene slaine in the field but manie more haue taken their deadly wounde by surfeting many haue bene drowned in the sea but many more haue perished by the strength of wine It is not set downe that the rich glutton was an oppressour an extortioner an vsurer or y â— he came vniustly by his goods but that he abused the same y t be fared deliciously and became vnthankefull and therefore was punished in hell fire Then he which before had aboundance and did swimine in wine had not one droppe to quench his thirst Many make their belly their God They haue more comfort in the caste of sweete fare then in the consideratioon of the workes of God Their table is turned into a snare their glorie is to their shame Here will I speake nothing of forcing and quaffinge God keepe it farre from Christian tables it is too too wilde barbarous the heathens hate it nature abhorreth it the horse and mule woulde not vse it S. Augustine saith Ebrius non peccatuÌ„ facit sed ipse totus est peccatum A drunken man doth not commit sinne but hee is altogether sinne And therefore his rewarde is death S. Paul saith Drunkardes shall not inherite the kingome of God They shall drink the cup of y â— wine of the lordes wrath Therefore Christ sayth Take heede to your selues least at any time your heartes bee opressed with surfeting and drunkennes and the cares of this life least that day come on you at vnwares Therefore saith the Apostle let vs not walke in eating and gluttonie it will drowne our senses it will oppresse our nature The kingdome of God is neither meat nor drinke our meat is to do y e wil of our father Let vs not abuse the creatures of God Let vs eate drinke that we may liue only to y â— sustenaÌ„ce of our bodies y t we by the moderate sober vse of those thinges may be the better hable to folow please God in our vocation The meat for the bellie the bellie for the meats but God shal destroy both it them Let vs think of the cuppe which Christ had on y â— crosse his cup was eisel tempered with gall at his hande let vs take the cup of thankes giuing and call vpon the name of the Lord. Let vs whether we eate or drinke remeÌ„ber who it is that hath bestowed his giftes vpon vs and whatsoeuer wee doe let vs doe it to the glory of God An other boâ—ch and carbuncle is chambering and wantonnes Of this also the Apostle warneth vs for adulterers and fornicators God shall iudge they shal haue their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone whiche is the second death the Lorde is the auenger of al such It is the will of God that our bodies be kept in holynes they are the temples of GOD hee hath called vs to be vessels of honour that wee shoulde bee holy in body and holy in spirit that we serue him in holynes and righteousnes all the dayes of our life The last is strife and enuying We are one body in Christ Iesus wee are indued with one spirit we are meÌ„bers one of another The Gospel of Christ is the gospell of peace he hath broken the stoppe of the partiton wall hee hath set al thinges at peace Hee hath taught vs learne of me for I am humble meeke Let vs not saith S. Paul bee desirous of vaine glorye prouoking one another â—nuying one another Let not one of you say I am Pauls and another I am Apollos the body of Christ is one it is not deuided If you bite and deuoure one another take heede least you consume one another If there bee â—nuying and strife and dissentions among you you are yet carnall you sauour not of the spirit of God You are but a litle flocke the worlde hateth you ioyne together loue one another beare you one anothers burthen and so fulfill the law of Christ The fruite of the spirit is loue ioy peace longe sufferinge gentlenesse goodnes faith meekenes temperancie Loue suffereth long it is bountiful loue enuieth not loue doeth not boast it selfe it is not puffed vp it disdaineth not it seeketh not her owne things it is not prouoked to anger it thinketh not euil it reioyceth not in iniquitâ—e but reioyceth in the trueth it suffereth all thinges it beleeueth all thinges it hopeth all thinges it endureth al things loue is the bonde of perfection The seruant of Christ is not quarrellous let vs keepe the vnitie of the spirite in the bonde of peace Let not dissention or malice trouble our hearts let vs walke after this maner and so let vs glorifie God in our mortall bodies Let vs auoyde these thinges gluttonie
est maÌ„ducare panem viuum Beleeue in Christ and thou hast eaten Christ For beleeuing in Christ is the eating of the bread of life Beleue y â— he is that Lambe of God that taketh away the sins of the world Beleeue that there is no other name giuen vnto men wherein we shall be saued but y t name of Iesus Christ Beleeue that he hath payed the raunsome for the sinnes of the whole worlde Beleeue that he hath made peace betweene God and man Beleeue that it is hee which hath reconciled all thinges by his blood Here is nothing to be done by the mouth of the body Whosoeuer thus beleeueth hee eateth hee drinketh him Clemens saith Hoc est bibere sanguinem Iesu participeÌ„ esse incorruptionis eius This is y â— drinking of the blood of Iesus to be made partaker of his immortality Tertul. saith He must be receiued in cause of life hee must be deuoured by hearing he must bee chewed by vnderstaÌ„ding he must be digested by Faith Thus did Christ himselfe teache his disciples to vnderstaÌ„d him The words which I speake are spirit life S. Ierom therfore saith QuaÌ„do audimus sermoneÌ„ domini caro Christi saÌ„guis eius in aures nostras infunditur WheÌ„ we heare the worde of God the flesh of Christ and his blood is powred into our eares The Patriarkes Prophets and people of God which liued before the birth of Christ did by faith eate his flesh drinke his blood S. Paul saith They did al eat the same spiritual meat and did al drink of the same spiritual drink Whosoeuer beleeued in Christ they were nourished by him then as we are now They did not see Christ he was not yet borne he had not yet a naturall body yet did they eate his bodie he had not yet any blood yet did they drinke his blood They beleeued that it was he in whom the promises should be fulfilled that he shoulde be that blessed seede in whom al nations should be blessed Thus they beleeued thus they receiued and did eate his body But say some the fathers of the olde lawe were in darkenes in a shadow a figure it was meete they should receiue the Sacrament spiritually or the body of our Lord spiritually but al otherwise with vs vnto whose benefite y t sacraments of the new Testament work y â— thing it selfe that they signifie so that we receiue Christ really bodily and with the mouth of our bodies S. Paule telleth vs the fathers of the old lawe did eate the same spirituall meate that is to say the same Christe that wee eate So sayeth S. Augustine Sacramenta illa fuerunt in signis diuersa in rebus quae significabantur paria These things were Sacramentes in the outward tokens diuers but in the things signified all one with ours Likewise sayeth Leo Mysteria pro temporum ratione variata sunt quum fides qua vâ—uimus nulla fuerit aetate diuersa The Sacramentes are altered according to the diuersitie of times but the faith whereby wee liue was euer in all ages one If they did eate the same meate if the things that is the matter of their Sacramentes were all one with ours if their faith was al one with our faith what difference is there between their and our eating As they did eate Christ by faith and not by the mouth of the bodie so we eate Christ by faith and not by the mouth of our bodie To make this somewhat more euident let vs take the iudgement of the Fathers They teache vs plainely that the spirituall eating of Christes bodie by faith is the true eatinge and that wee doe not grossely fleshely really or naturally eate him in the Sacrament Saint Cyprian sayeth the bodie of Christe est cibus mentis non ventris It is meate for the mynde not for the belly Not for the teeth to chewe but for the soule to beleeue Cyrillus sayeth Sacramentum nostrum hominis maÌ„ducationem non asserit mentes credentium ad Grassas cogitationes irreligiose inducens Our Sacrament auoucheth not the eating of a man leading the mindes of the faithfull in vngodly maner to grosse or fleshly cogitations Athanasius saith Quot hominibus suffecisset corpus eius c. Vnto how many men could Christs body haue sufficed that he shoulde bee the foode of all the worlde Therefore hee made mention of his ascension into heauen that he might withdrawe them from corporall and fleshly vnderstandyng What thinge may bee spoken more playnelye It were vnpossible his naturall body naturallye receiued mighte suffice all the worlde to let them see hee had no suche meanyng he speaketh of his goyng vp into heauen Spiritually then hee is receiued of euerie one and is digested and becommeth the nourishment of al the worlde S Augustine expounding these words of Christ Who so eateth of this bread shall not die saith thus Quod pertinet ad virtutem sacrameÌ„ti non quod pertinet ad visibilile sacramentum Qui maÌ„ducat intus noÌ„ foris qui manducat in corde non qui premit dente That pertaineth to y â— vertu effect of the sacrament not y t pertai neth to the visible sacrameÌ„t He that eateth inwardly not he y t eateth outwardly that eateth with his heart not that bruseth the sacrameÌ„t with his tooth Thus is Christs bodie receiued as these holy fathers say not to the filling our contentation of the body not with mouth or tooth but with spirite and faith vnto the holinesse and sanctification of the minde After this sort wee eate his fleshe and drinke his blood Therefore wicked men and suche as beleeue not receiue not the bodie of Christe they haue no portion in it So saith Orig Est cibus verus quem nemo malus potest edere c. The bodie of Christ is the true food which no euil man can eate For if the euil man coulde eate the body of our Lord it should not be writteÌ„ he that eateth this bread shal liue for euer Ambrose saith HuÌ„c panem qui maÌ„ducauerit non esuriet est esca saÌ„ctorum non morietur morte peccatoris quia remissio peccatorum est Hee that eateth this bread shal not hunger it is the food of those that are holy He shal not die y e death of a sinner because it is the remission of sins S. Aug. saith Qui discordat a Christo nec panem eius maÌ„ducat nec saÌ„guineÌ„ bibit c. Who so disagreeth from Christ neither eateth his bread nor drinketh his blood although he daily receiue the sacrameÌ„t of so great a thing without difference to the iudgement of his presumption And againe Qui in me non manet c. He that abideth not in mee and in whom I doe not abyde let him not say or thinke that hee eyther eateth my bodie or drinketh my blood And againe Caecus interius panem Christumnon videt Et beatus
est Hoc non dicet nisi pariter caecus He y t is blind in his heart within seeth not Christ that is our bread And is he blessed No man wil say so vnlesse it be one as blinde as he Chrisost saith Where as the carkeis is there are Eagles The carkasse is y â— body of Christ in respect of his death But hee nameth Eagles to shewe that who so will approche to this bodie must mount aloft and haue no dealing with the earth nor bee drawen and creepe downward but must euermore flee vp and behold the Sunne of iustice haue the eye of his minde quicke and sharpe For this is a table of eagles that flie on high not of iaies that creepe beneath So saith Saint Hierome Let vs goe vp with the Lorde in to heauen into that great parlar spread and cleane and let vs receiue of him aboue the cuppe of the new Testament He saith They that rise not vp by faith receiue not the cuppe of Christ So saith Hillary The bread that came downe from heauen is not receiued but of him that hath our Lord and is the member of Christ This is the vndoubted meaning of the olde fathers that the wicked are not partakers of the passion of Christ because they lacke faith whereby onely Christ is receiued of vs. As Augustine saith How shal I holde Christ beeinge absent how shal I thruste my hande vp into heauen that I may holde him sitting there Sende vp thy faith and thou holdest him By this meanes we draw nigh to Christ we hyde our selues in his woundes wee sucke at his breast we feede of his bodie and comfortablye lay vp in our mynde that his flesh was crucified and wounded for our sakes Nowe let vs examine what difference is betweene the body of Christ and the sacrament of the bodie It behoueth vs to take eche part aright as it is least we be deceiued and take one for another Origen saith Simpliciores nescientes distinguere c. Simple meÌ„ not being able to discerne what thinges in the Scriptures ought to be applyed to the outwarde man and what to the inner beinge deceiued by the likenesse of woords haue turned them selues to a sorte of peeuishe fables and vaine fantasies Therefore sayeth Chrysostome Magnum crede mihi bonum est scire quid sit creatura quid sit Creator c. Beleeue me it is a great matter to vnderstande what is the creature and what is God the Creator what are the workes and what is the workman The difference heerein is this A Sacrament is a figure or token the bodye of Christ is figured or tokened The Sacrament bread is bread it is not the bodie of Christ The bodie of Christ is flesh it is no bread The bread is beneath the bodie is aboue The bread is on the table the bodie is in heauen The bread is in the mouth the bodie in the heart The bread feedeth the outward man the bodie feedeth the inwarde man The bread feedeth the bodie the body feedeth the soule The bread shall come to nothing the bodie is immortall and shall not perish The bread is vile the bodie of Christ glorious Such a difference is there betweene the bread whiche is a Sacrament of the bodie and the bodye of Christ it selfe The Sacrament is eaten as well of the wicked as of the faithfull the bodie is onely eaten of the faithfull The Sacrament may bee eaten vnto iudgement the body can not bee eaten but vnto saluation Without the Sacrament we may be saued but without the bodie of Christ wee haue no saluation wee can not bee saued As Saynt Augustine saith Quinon sumit carnem Christi non habet vitam qui eam sumit habet vitam eam vtique aeternam Hee that receiueth not the fleshe of Christ hath not life he that receiueth the same hath life and that for euer Such a difference maketh Epiphanius Hoc est rotundae figurae insensibile quantum ad potentiam c. This thing that is the sacrament is of a rounde forme for it was a great thick round cake and touching any power that is in it vtterly voyde of sense But wee knowe that our Lord is whole sense whole sensible whole God whole mouing Again S. August saith for the difference of them The Sacrament of Christs bodâ— is receiued of some vnto life of some vnto destruction but the thing it selfe that is the flesh of Christ wherof this is a Sacrament is receiued of all men vnto life and of no man to destruction whosoeuer shall be partaker of it Of the difference which is betweene a figure of any thing and the thing it self Chrysost saith Audisti fuisse figuram ne ergo mirare neque omnia require in typo Neque enim typus esset si omnia quae veritati accidunt haberentur Yee haue heard that it was a figure therefore maruell not being a figure require not al thinges to agree for otherwise it were no figure These and such like reasons no doubte mooued the godly Father to say as wee haue learned to say Aliud est Sacramentum aliud res sacrameÌ„ti The Sacrament is one thing the matter of the Sacrament which is Christes verye body is another thing And therfore he saieth Honorem tanquaÌ„ religiosa habere possunt stuporem taÌ„quam mira noÌ„ possuÌ„t These things speaking of the sacrament of Christes body maye haue honour as things appointed to religion but wonder as things maruellous they can not haue Thus are wee taught by the Catholique Learned Fathers to put a difference betweene the Sacrament and the body of Christe and that the one of them is not really lapped vp or shut within the other that the one as Epiphanâ—us saith is vtterly voyde of sense the other whole sense and whole sensible that the one is receiued 〈◊〉 destruction vnto some as Saint Augustine â—aith the other is receiued of all men vnto life That the one is a figure as Chrysostome sayth the other a trueth It remayneth that wee consider howe wee ought to prepare our heartes and with what faith and reuerence wee shoulde resorte to these holy mysteries Wee may not come as we vse to doe to our vsuall meates For here in a mystery and Sacrament of bread is set before vs the bodie of Christe our Sauiour and his blood in the Sacrament of Wine Wee see one thing wee must conceiue another thing Therefore we must in such manner be affected as if we were present to beholde his death vpon the crosse and the sheading of his blood for our sinnes Let vs set before our eyes that dreadfull tragedie and the causes and effectes of his death that so our heartes may bee the rather mooued to yeelde that allegeance obedience and reuerence which is due Wee were the children of wrath the enemies of God shut vp vnder sinne and the heires of euerlasting
crucified and his blood shed for the remission of sinnes that if wee beleeue in Christ wee are through the promise of GOD so certainely nourished in our soules to euerlasting life by the passiō of Christ Iesus our Sauiour as our bodies are truely nourished w t the creaturs of bread wine Thus Paul was brought vp at the feete of Gamaliel and instructed according to the perfect maner of the law of the fathers Thus Timothie was brought vp to knowe the holy Scripturs of a childe How are we become so superstitious Why haue we bene so delited in darkenes why is it so harde a matter to remoue vs from the errours wherein wee haue liued Why had wee rather fal downe before dombe things and worship them continue still in ignorance rather then harken vnto the worde of God Why haue we plaied y t parte of the Iewes cried Crucifige vpon our deare frendes and kinsmen vpon those whome we coulde not iustly accuse of any crime who offended vs no wayes but in that they did poynt vs to Christ and called vs to seek saluation onely in him Hereof there cannot any better cause be yeelded then this that wee were ignorantly bred vp without knowledge of God without vnderstanding of his worde The wise man saith Teach a childe the trade of his way and when he is olde hee shal not depart from it And againe Who so awaketh vnto wisedome betimes shall haue no great trauel for he shal find her sittīg at his dores Therefore wicked rulers as Iulianus Licinius Maximinus and such others haue forbiddē that children should be brought vp in the knowledge of God They taught them to blaspheme Christ and holy men and to speake yll of them before they knewe them But let vs looke vpon our children as vpon the great blessings of god They are the Lords vessels ordained to honour let vs keepe thē cleane they are christs lambes and sheepe of his flocke let vs leade them foorth into wholsome pasture They are the seede plot of heauen let vs water them that god may giue the encrease their angels behold y e face of God let vs not offende them they are the temples tabernacles of the holy ghost let vs not suffer y e foule spirit to possesse thē dwell within them God saith your children are my childrē They are the sonnes of God They are borne a new are wel shapen in beautiful proportiō make thē not mōsters He is a mōster whosoeuer knoweth not God By you they are borne into the world be careful also that by your meanes they may be begotten vnto God you are careful to traine thē in nourture and comely behauiour of the bodye seeke also to fashiō their mindes vnto godlines You haue brought them to the fountaine of baptisme to receiue the marke of Christ bring them vp in knowledge watch ouer them that they be not lost So shal they be confirmed and wyll keepe the promise they haue made wil growe vnto perfite age in Christ Of mariage I shall neede say y e lesse the matter is so knowne cōmon This felowship was first ordeined by God himselfe in paradise God himself said It is not good that man shoulde be himselfe alone I wil make him an helper meete for him God which fashioned man and breathed in him the breath of life knoweth his very heart raines said it is not good it is not fit that man should be hymselfe alone Although man were in Paradise although he were in the perfection of vertue yet saith God he hath neede of a helper Christ disdayned not to be at a mariage he honoured it both by his presence by y e working of a miracle S. Paul saith Mariage is honorable in al men the bed vndefiled In al men sayth hee in the Patriarkes in the Prophets in the Apostles in Martyrs in Byshops That al the Apostles S. Iohn onely excepted were maried appeareth by Ignatius Clemens Eusebius Spiridiō was a maried Bishop yet he was therby nothing hindred nether to discharge his dutie nor to any other godly purpose Tertullian was a Priest and married as appeareth by his owne Booke written to his wyfe Gregorie S. Basils brother was Bishop of Nyssa yet married Another Gregorie was Byshop of Nazianzū yet maried neuertheles a faithful seruāt steward of y e mysteries of God Hilarie was Bishop of Poitiers yet married All these were holy and Godly and chaste in bedy and in spirit and yet were married Gregorie Nazianzene saith Mariage is worthy of praise for y e quietnes and contentation that is in it And Clemens Alexandrinus saith As well mariage as also chastity haue their peculier offices pertaining to God Chrysost saith marriage is voide of fault and is no hindrance to vertue Againe So precious a thing is matrimonie that with the same thou maiest be promoted euen to a Bishops chaire What are they then that call mariage vncleanes filthines a worke of the flesh that say it defileth a man therefore Gods ministers may not be maried How can they thus speake that haue any knowledge of y t which God hath spoken May we not worthily say vnto such despisers of lawfull matrimonie y t which S. Bernard in like case said Fingunt se amore castitatis ista dicere cum ea magis causa turpitudinis fouendae multiplicandae adinuenerint They Beare vs in hande that they speake these things for loue of chastitie where as in deede they haue deuised the same to the ende to nourish to increse their filthines Or as Augustine sometime said to y e Manichees Non cōcubitum sed vt ab Apostolo longe antè dictum est vere nuptias prohibetis Ye forbid not copulatiō but as it was lōg ago forespoken by the Apostle in deede yee forbid verye marriage If you marke these fewe wordes which I deliuered it wyll easely appeare how reuerent an accompte is to bee made of that state of lyfe For if you regarde the necessitie thereof God founde it good to giue man a wyfe if the antiquitie it was ordained in the beginning of the worlde if the place in Paradise if the time in the innocencie of man If you regarde any thing the rather because of him that ordeined it God was the authour of marriage euen God which made heauen and earth and which is the father of our Lorde Iesus Christ If you seeke the allowance Christe approued it by his birth in marriage and by his presence at marriage if the dignitie it is honourable if among whome in all men of all estates of all callinges in Prince in subiect in minister in Priest and in people It is honourable in Prophetes honourable in Apostles in Martirs in Bishops Marriage is honourable in all men but whoremongers and adulterers God wil iudge Their portion shalbe with the infidels they shal bee cast into vtter
woundes or diseases They be a curious sorte in searching out the life of others and slouthfull in correctynge their owne lyfe S. Ambrose saith Lauat lachrima delictum quod voce pudor est coÌ„fiteri The teare washeth awai that offence which shame would not suffer to confesse in speach The Church of God in Graecia neuer receiued it And Erasmus witnesseth it was not vsed in the time of S. Hierome Apparat tempore Hieronimi nondum institutam fuisse secretam admissorum confessionem It appeareth that in the time of S. Hierome which was foure hundred yeers after Christe secret confession of sinnes was not yet ordeined And Beatus Rhenanus a man of great readyng saith Tertullianus de clancularia ista confessione admissoruÌ„ kihil loquitur neque eam vsquaÌ„ olim preceptam legimus Tertullian speaketh nothing of this secret confession of sinnes and we reade not any where that it was coÌ„manded in times past By these testimonies of Chrysost August Ambrose by y â— obseruatioÌ„ of Erasmus Rhenanus it may appeare that this secret confession in the eare of the Priest hath not bene taken to bee necessarie and that it is not of Gods determinate appoyntment but an ordinance of man As the glose vpon the decrees something playnly confesseth Melius dicitur confessionem institutam fuisse a quadam vniuersalis ecclesiae traditione potius quam ex noui vel veteris testamenti authoritate It is better saide y â— confession was appointed by some traditioÌ„ of the vniuersall Church then by any authoritie or coÌ„mandement of the new or olde testament Nowe in a worde or two I wyll somewhat speake of sacisfaction or recompeÌ„ce for offences which we haue done wherby we satisfie make amendes to the full contenâ—ation of him that is offended Such a recompeÌ„ce the law required An eye for an eye a tooth for a tooth a hand for an hande a foote for a foote Such amends for such harme so muche for so much this was accompted due and lawfull satisfaction This is of two sortes either that which is done vnto God or that which is done vnto men We are neuer able to satisfie make amendes vnto God We must alwayes confesse that we are vnprofitable seruaÌ„ts vnworthy to stand in his presence by no meanes able of our selues to make recompence for that we haue offended him Our onely and ful satisfaction for our trespasses done against him is the blood of our sauiour Iesus Christ The thief vpoÌ„ y â— crosse called vpoÌ„ Iesus Lord remeÌ„ber me wheÌ„ thou coÌ„mest into thy kingdome He knew he had offended God but fouÌ„d not how he might make amends otherwise theÌ„ by the righteousâ—es of Christ Iesus answered him verely I say vnto thee to day thou shalâ— be with me in paradise Today that is by and by Hee refuseth hym not nor feareth hym that God wyll refufe him because he had done amisse and made no recompence but promiseth hym because he repented and beleeued that hee shal be saued Paul was throwne downe a persequutor and raysed vp a preacher What amends might he make in so short time Saint Ciprian saith Sanguis tuus O Christe non quaerit vindictam Thy blood O Christ looketh not for any reuenge And saint Ambrose Lachrimas Petri lego satisfactionem non lego I reade of Peters teares but I reade nothynge of any satisfaction he made For our whole life cannot sufficyently acquite vs from the guâ—lâ—inesse of one sinne much lesse is any man able to worke or deserue y â— forgiuenes of all his sinnes The only things that God requireth of vs wheÌ„ we haue sinned ar that we sorow for our sinnes and amende our liues So Iohn the Baptist spake to the Pâ—arisies Bringe foorth fruite worthy amendement of life So saint Paul calleth the Ephesians to make recompence for their former naughtines Cast of lyinge and speake euery man the trueth vnto his neighbour Let him y â— stole steale no more but leâ— him rather labour worke with his hands the thing that is good Other recompeÌ„ce god looketh not for at our handes But when the godly haue taken offence at any our doings that are euil wee must giue all heede to content their mindes reconcile our selues againe vnto them It hath bene an ancieÌ„t order in the Church of God that if any had openly offended the congregatioÌ„ he should come openly againe before them to satisfie them by amends There he fel downe on his knees confessed his fault wepte and lameÌ„ted for it prayed the brethren that they woulde forgiue him and would also praye vnto God to be mercifull vnto him There the whole congregation fell downe before God their heartes moulted their eyes gushed out in teares they helde vp their hands prayed together for him and gaue thankes to God that their brother which had bene lost was founde againe Such satisfaction was it which hath bene made to the Church of God The last of those which some haue of late misused and counted one of the sacramentes of the Church is Extreme vnction And this they haue founded vpon the words of S. â—ames Is ani sicke among you let him call for y â— elders of the Churche let them praye for him and anoint him with oile in y â— name of the Lord and the prayer of faith shal saue the sicke the Lord shal raise him vp and if he haue coÌ„mitted sinne it shal be forgiuen him For the better vnderstanding of which words consider that God is mercifull to the sonnes of men and sheweth foorth his mercie at sundrie times by sundrie wayes And to leaue the examples of the olde Testament in the time of the gospel he hath giuen to some y â— gâ—ft of tongues and hath made them able beinge simple men to speake the wonderful works of God in tongues which they neuer learned To somâ— he hath giueÌ„ the gift of power and of the operation of great workes By this power many signes and wonders were wrought by y â— hands of the Apostles At the word of Peter Ananias and Saphira hys wyfe fel downe dead In this power Paul stroke Elimas the sorcerer with blindnes To some he gaue the gift of healing By this S. Peter healed a man which was a creeple from his mothers wombe and said In the name of Iesus Christ of Nazareth rise vp and walke hee tooke him by the right hande lift him vp and immediatly his feete and ancle bones receiued strength They were able to make the blinde see the lame to walke the leapers to be cleane the dead to receaue life agayne For when he sent foorth his Apostles to preach Christ gaue them power against vncleane spirits to cast them out and to heale euery sicknes and euery disease These things they wrought sometimes by their shadowe as many were healed by the shadowe of Peter sometimes with their worde sometimes with