of the churche is consydered and not the worthynesse of the person Thys is the sūme A wycked man and an vngodly hauyng only a dewe intent although he be an abomynable in the syght of God yet for al that in thys cause because he beareth the persōne or is in the rowme of the church he abydyng a synner and a dānable person he purchasseth and deserueth vnto other men remissyon of syn and euerlastyng lyfe This they saye The olde learnynge The Apostell in the fyrst epistell to the Corinthians the .xi. chapter preparyng the supper of the Lorde dyd wryte that he toke of the Lorde that he taught and gaue to the Corinthians And whan he expounded the busynesse and matter cōcernyng the supper he geueth both the kyndes indifferently to all the bretheren euē as Christ dyd ordeyne Mathe. xxvi Marke xiiii Luke xxii Here we haue the worde and the facte of the Lorde and of hys minister Paule and also of the primitiue church in the which as thē fayth was more lyuely charite was more feruent hope was more sure and holy christendom was more purer for it was nearer the quycke sprynge Yf it be so that it is not leful for vs to kepe the worde and the dede of Christ specially in a great mater as is the sacramēt for what intent shall the churche of God haue the scripture expoūded and declared Dyd not euen the new wryters as Gersō saye That nother the byshop of Rome nor generall councell nor yet the church oughte to chaūge the learnynge that was geuen vs by the euangelistes by Paul Yf it be lawfull to euery man that lyst to chaunge in the sacramētes of the church those thynges which Christ taught to be kept the apostles both taught and kept I pray you what case shall the church be in then which shal be cōpelled to beleue that Christ the wysedome of the father the Apostels dyd teach christendom such vnperfecte geare so negligently that theyr successours had nede to supplye amēde make perfecte those thynges that Christ his Apostels lefte behynde them raw vnperfect Wyll the Saracens the Arabiās the Agarens whome we call Turkes suffer that ony mā at his pleasure after this fashion shulde chaūge theyr Alcoram wolde sōtyme take somthyng away somtyme vtterly abrogate disanul it that theyr lawmaker had wrytten somthynge vnwarely or wtout diligent hede delyberacyon And we christen mē except we suffer the church to be turned out of frame peruerted to be darkened to be pulled in sunder minished Yee to be vtterly cast awaye we be banyshed destroyed as the enemyes of the church Put the case that these be tollerable who can abyde that ydel felowes shall make marchaundyse of it that was lefte to be the memoriall and remembraunce of the death whiche brought lyfe wherby they make a sacrifyce of the masse crucifye Christ agayne as much as lyeth in them For yf it be so that they worke with theyr dayly sacrifyce as they call it remissyon of synne I praye you thē what synnes dyd the bloude of the new euerlastyng testament take awaye This is therfore our catholyke belefe of the supper of the Lorde Fyrst The supper of the Lord ought for to be done after the ordinaunce of Christe i. Cor. xi that our fayth maye be increaced our charite may be kyndled our hope maye be made sure by the cōtinual remēbraunce of the death of the Lorde that we knowyng the cause of the moost precyous death of the Lorde maye be dayly more and more steared vp to geue thankes for the vnspeakeable loue to destroye the body of synne and to walke in newnesse of lyfe Secondarly Therfore the supper of the Lorde is a memoriall of the death of Christe whiche brought saluacyon and not a sacrifyce but a remembraūce of the sacrifyce that was once offred vp vpon the crosse Thyrdly Ther is a promes Psal c.ix that Christ shal be our byshop for euermore ordened of the father and this promes is perfourmed for Christ hath entred once in to the holy place by an oblacyon makynge perfect for euermore Hebr. ix and .x. so that we nede not to haue hym offred vp for vs agayne the which dyeth nomore Fourthly We knowe of the boke Leuiticus that the oblacyō of Moses was made for synnes whan the oblacyon dyd satisfye and the bloude dyd washe Thē yf this one sacrifyce in the which Christ dyd offer vp hymselfe dyd satisfye for the synnes of the whole worlde accordynge to the prophecye of Esay the .liii. Chapter He dyd beare our synnes and he was torne for oure wyckednesses and .i. Ioh. the .ii. Chapter He is oure satisfaccyon and so forth it foloweth and is a good argument that all the oblacyons which are besyde this be vayne and voyd the which they pretende Fyftly To rayse vp a new oblacyon is to set lytel by the fyrst to proue God a lyar and to deny Christe whiche bought vs after the wordes of saynt Peter .ii. Pet. ii For whan they saye that synnes be releassed forgeuen in the sacrifice of the masse whan the sonne of God is offered vp both for quycke dead it foloweth after theyr opinion that that onely sacrifice of the crosse dyd not satisfye for all synnes And I praye you is not that euen to forsweare denye the Lorde which dyd redeme vs not with corruptible thynges as with golde syluer but with his owne precious bloud whā we say that it is done by the vertue of that masse the which al scripture doth say cōmeth to vs by the death of our Lorde Iesus Christ Syxtly Yet for al that we do not affirme the synnes be remytted only by the partakynge of the supper of the Lorde but whan we do remēbre with a true a kynde fayth the benefyte of our redemption in the which the sōne of god dyd geue his body a sacrifyce for synnes shed his bloud to washe away synne by this fayth we be iustifyed made ryghteous we obtayne remissyon of our synnes gotten by the death of Christ And this is a dilicyous feast of soules of the whiche they that are not partakers shall peryshe Christ in the .vi. Chap. of Ihon sayeth My fleshe is meate in dede and my bloude is drynke in dede The bread that I shal geue is my flesh the which I wyll geue for the lyfe of the worlde Excepte we eate this fleshe of the sonne of man and drynke his bloud we shall not haue lyfe in vs but we shal peryshe For it is the breade of lyfe geuynge lyfe to the worlde The whiche breade to eate is to beleue in Christ as he sayeth I am the bread of lyfe he that cōmeth to me shall not be an hūgred and he that beleueth in me shall neuer be thyrsty Verely verely I saye vnto you he that trusteth in me hath euerlastynge lyfe For as the body is fed with naturall bread
haue taught always accordynge to the Apostles doctrine Roma xiiii that we shulde haue a respecte and regarde of weake personnes that he that eateth despise not hym that eateth not He that eateth not let hym not iudge hym that eateth And albeit he sayeth ther is nothyng vncleane of it self but vnto hym which rekeneth that it is vncleane yet for all that he wyll not that oure brother shulde be greued with the abuse of oure lyberte and to be lost with meate for whom Christe suffered death Ther be other farre greater thynges than meate and drynke that a christen man shulde regarde namely peace and edifyenge For the kyngdome of God is not meate and drynke but ryghteousnesse and peace and ioye in the holy goost Therfore let vs folow those thynges that longe vnto peace and to the edifyeng of our brother one towarde another Hast thou fayth kepe it to they selfe before God And i. Corint viii Knowlege maketh maÌ„ to swel charyte edyfieth take hede leste youre lyberte offend those that be weake All these be the wholsome doctrines of the holy goost geue none occasion of gluttony as the defenders of tradicioÌ„s do dreame ¶ Of fastynge The newe learnynge We must fast certayne dayes vnder the coÌ„maundement as the Apostels euen the .iiii. ymbrynge dayes and the lent ¶ The olde learnynge Our lyfe is a warfare or souldyers lyfe Ioh. vii We must fyght coÌ„tinually with an enemye that we haue at home with in vs namely the flesh lest he beynge made to fat wantoÌ„ with excesse of meate and drynke preuayle agaynst the sprite Take hede to youreselfs sayth Christ Luc. xxi lest youre hartes be ouercomme with surfettynge and dronkeÌ„nesse that the daye of the Lord come not vnto you as a snare Rom. xiii doth the holy goâ—st coÌ„mauÌ„de to cast awaye the workes of darknesse to put on the armour of lyght he reherseth vnreasonable eatynge bankettynge droÌ„knesse amoÌ„ge theÌ„ He doth appoynte no certayne day but onely he sayeth make not prouysion for the flesh to fulfyll the lustes of it wyllyng that we shuld abstayne froÌ„ vnreasonable eatyng and droÌ„keÌ„nesse to put awaye the workes of darknesse not for one or two dayes but at all tymes Let no man thynke that thys fast is a christen mans fast which now raygneth is commaunded and hygly praysed whaÌ„ we fast certaine houres and other dayes make lusty chere worshyppyng our belly for our God In the which thynge we be worse then the heythen men which dyd order theyr lyuelode not to pleasur but to the health and strength of theyr bodyes For they consyderynge what excellency and worthynesse ther is in the nature of man dyd perceaue how fowle a thyng it were to flow in excesse to lyue deliciously pleasauÌ„tly and how honest it were to lyue skarsly mesurably sadly and soberly The Apostle monyssheth vs .i. Tessalo v. of oure state and condition We sayeth he are the childreÌ„ of lyghte and the chyldreÌ„ of the daye let vs be sober he byddeth vs not do so for .ii or .iii. dayes but all the tyme that we beare about thys body of synne Who can here in so grat diuersityes of complexiones prescribe measures and dayes Euery man knoweth hym self how longe he hath nede to fast what punishment he nedeth to tame hys fleshe wythal Therfor we do not prescribe dayly fastes as the Esseyes dyd nor yet with the makers of tradicions fastes appoynted to a certen tyme but we exhorte to contynuall sobernesse and to se that the fleshe be brought vnder lest whan the Lorde coÌ„meth we be found carelesse without ony thought And after thys maner alwayes we do exhorte moue and dryue in season and out of season the church and congregacion of Christe to a temperate lyfe and to a faste semynge a christen man alwayes sauynge the lyberte of a christen man But we do refuse and cast away that fulbelly dronken fast as stynkynge hipocrysy the which we cast in Gods teth euen as a merite and yet it maketh nothynge for the subdwenge of the fleshe seynge that it beynge proude by the bodely exercise onelye regardeth not true holynesse I wyll sende these hypocrites vnto Esay the prophete to the .lviii. chap. were as they may learne sufficyently what maner of fast God wold haue Thynk you sayeth he that I loue thys maner of fastynge wherby men at prescripte certayne dayes chasten theÌ„ selues goynge with theyr heades wrythen downe lyke an hoke strewed with asses and clothed with sackcloth Wylt thou say that thys maner of fast and that vpon thys or that appoynted day is more accepte to the Lord but rather euen contrarywyse this maner of fastynge do I alow loue Forgeue thy dettres wrapped in shrewed barganes and lowse theyr violeÌ„t oblygations set theÌ„ at lyberte whom thou dyddest cast in pryson for det break from them all maner of bondes and yockes diuyde out thy meat and drinke to the hungry and thyrsty and the port wayfarynge straunger lede thou home to thy house wheÌ„ thou seyest the necked clothe hym turne not thy face from thyne owne flesh Here thou seyest that the body in dede must be chastysed but that outwarde punishement doth lytell auayle excepte thou orden it to the fastynge of the mynde that is to abstayne from euell desyres and affections and frome couetousnesse and vnmercyfulnesse And that ye may fast after thys wyse ye nede no choyce of meates excepte the manner or cause of tamynge of the flesh require it For thou dost absteyn and vsest very skarscely all maner of meat to the sustenaunce of thy nature therfore thou mayst vse fyshe or fleshe whether thou wylt how be it fyfshesde a maner of flesh as witnesseth the Apostle .i. Corinth xv and Plini in hys hystorye of nature lest ony playenge the Iew shuld wrench hys nose at thys ¶ Of the difference of dayes The newe learnynge The dayes be not equall and alyke som be holy and so be not al wherfore the sonday is holy day to all christeÌ„ men to be halowed in ydelnesse lykewyse oure ladyes dayes the Apostelles dayes other chosen of the church to kepe holy daye and to abstayn froÌ„ laboure so that yf ony maÌ„ do ony seruyle or handy laboure and worke in the afore sayde dayes he synneth Wherfore yf ony man coÌ„strayned by necessite do ony worke ether at home or abrode on the holy daye he shal be more cruelly handled of the byshoppes officiales and curates than yf he had coÌ„mytted aduowtry or had pylled his negboure with vsury ¶ The olde learninge Certayne dayes must be appoynted wher vpon men must forbeare froÌ„ handylaboure not that the daye shulde be holyer and worthyer in the which we mete together but that the inordinate commynge together shulde not mynish the fayth in Christ And that we maye heare the better and more commodiously the worde of euerlastynge health maye receaue the supper of the Lorde and shewe to God with commune peticyon
grace by an acte draweÌ„ out of the frewyll of grace deserueth worthely euerlastynge lyfe Beholde christen reader whan as carnall wysdome shall heare that she hath such power and can drawe forth by naturall power a good mocion towarde God may deserue therby wyll she not fall to the pharisaycall pryde and wyll she not attribute to her selfe it that pertayneth to god The whiche is nothynge elles but to treade vnder fete the sonne of god and to reken the bloud of the testamente but as an vnholy and a ê“phane thynge by the which we be fanctifyed Moreouer oure nature which leaneth and setteth to muche by her selfe swellynge wyth thys learnynge is brought into coÌ„fidence of workes For nature hearyng that we partly can deserue euerlastynge lyfe with oure dedes wyll enforce herselfe to heape together merytes the whiche beyng many and plenteous she wyl truste and haue a good hope in them and when they fayle an decay she wyll fall in to despayre by the whiche errour the worthynesse and deseruyng of Chrystes death is defaced and hyd wyth darcknes and mans conscience is buylded vpon the sonde of workes and surely at euery tempeste of tribulacion it wyll fall ¶ The olde learnynge In the seconde Epistle vnto Timothe the i. Chapter God saued vs not accordyng to oure workes but accordyng to his purpose and grace which was geuen vnto vs before the euerlastyng tymes Such lyke is ther also Tit. iii. IteÌ„ Ephe. ii Ye be saued by grace thorow fayth and not of youre selues it is the gyft of God not of workes leste ony man shulde boaste The scripture here taketh away the cause of deseruynge or merite froÌ„ oure workes and geueth to grace that we be saued For that he sayth not accordyng to our workes and also not of yow suerly he doth not admitte or receaue that acte or dede that is drawen out of wyll to the prayse of saluacion or merite Christe deserued all thinges vnto vs with his bloud And we are iustifyed frely Roma iii. The heretage was not gotteÌ„ by oure laboure but by Christes The fayth in Christe maketh vs sonnes therefor heyres ergo workes do it not Ro. iiii To hym that worketh is the rewarde not rekened of fauoure but of deutye To hym that worketh not but beleueth in hym that iustifyeth the vngodly is fayth couÌ„ted for ryghteousnesse Ro. viii For I suppose that the affliccyons of this lyfe are not worthy the glory which shal be shewed vpon vs. Lu. vii Whan ye haue done all thynges that be coÌ„maunded you yet saye that ye be vnprofyble seruauntes Esay lxiiii All our ryghteousnesses are as a defyled cloth c. i. Corin. iiii What haste thou that thou hast not receaued Rom. xi Who hath geuen hym oughte afore hande that he myght be recompenced agayn Philip. ii It is God which worketh in you both the wyll also the dede eueÌ„ of good wyll Yf so be that God worketh in vs goodnesse what shal we arrogauÌ„tly clayme and ascrybe there vpon to oure power and strength And yf we deserue the blysse why doth scripture cal it grace Therfore be not we saued by oures but onely by the workes merytes of Christ But where as the scripture somtyme maketh mencyon of rewarde ther can no man there vpon take iuste occasyon to swell and be proude for fayth workynge by charite is the gyfte of God good workes are the gyfte of God so that yf God do rewarde vs we muste vnderstande that he doth not rewarde oure workes but his owne workes in vs. But thou yf thou clayme ony thynge there vpon to thy selfe then shalte thou receaue no reward of glorye wyth the wycked pharyses but thou shalte fele the punyshment of the fyre of hell And seynge that it is so it maye be easely iudged who teacheth more truely I wyth the Apostle do alwayes exorte meÌ„ to the true good workes whiche be done in fayth alwayes takynge hede that a maÌ„ by reason of them trust not in hymselfe and be reproued with the pharyse They do so pricke and moue vnto good workes that they reste and put in them the hope of saluacyon and the cause of merites wherby at chauÌ„seth that euery where men do them wyth this false opinion to be iustifyed and saued by them We not despysynge the grace of God do teach both that we be saued only by the grace of God and we buylde mens conscyences not vpon workes but vpon the stone that is Christ agaynst the whiche the gates of hell can not preuayle and do alwayes beate in this moost confortable gospell or glad tydynges That heretage is geuen by fayth that the promyses may be sure after grace As sayeth Paul Ro. iiii and .v. We iustifyed by fayth haue peace wyth God thorowe Christe ¶ Of synne The new learnynge The lust or concupiscence that remayneth in a man after baptyme the lawe of the membres infirmitie or sycknesse is no synne nother veniall nor mortall and after baptyme it is not original but is the payne of synne Neuerthelesse it bryngeth forth synne This opinion maketh a man that is baptysed slowe and dull to fyght agaynst the fleshe for he beleueth that he is all whole in sauegarde ¶ The olde learnynge Concupiscence which sheweth her selfe by hir euell frutes euen in a man that is baptysed is synne of her selfe Ro. vii Here the Apostle sayeth Now I myne owne selfe do not this but the synne which dwelleth remayneth in me The Apostel doth not here speake iÌ„ the person of wycked meÌ„ for wycked meÌ„ do not coÌ„sent to the law they serue obey not the law of god with theyr mynde S. AusteÌ„ was soÌ„tyme of this opinioÌ„ that the apostle had spokeÌ„ these wordes in the person of euel men but iÌ„ his retractioÌ„s against IuliaÌ„ he doth reuoke this opinioÌ„ and he sayd that at that tyme he vnderstode not Apostell aryght Now he that speaketh so and was baptysed and was the electe instrument of God and yet complayneth of concupiscence and calleth it synne then let the scoolemeÌ„ tell whether the Apostell doth well call that concupiscence which bryngeth forth euell frutes excepte it be stopped synne or no Yee let them tell whether the holy goost dyd erre in that worde Verely .i. Corin. xiiii the Apostell thanketh God that he spake more wyth tunges then all the Corinthians dyd Therfore so great an Apostell knewe with what wordes he shuld name concupiscence WheÌ„ we folowe that maner of speakyng we are chaced out mocked and cast out as heretykes of them that are lytell moued with the cause of so great matters so that they may triumphe in the worlde and lyue in peace Then the trueth is that concupiscence the which bryngeth forth the same frutes after baptyme that it dyd before is called synne as the Apostel doth exhorte theÌ„ that be baptysed Ro. vi Let not synne reygne in your mortall bodyes He doth not saye concupiscence but synne for so the trueth of