Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n

Word A Word B Word C Word D Occurrence Frequency Band MI MI Band Prominent
lord_n apostle_n day_n sabbath_n 13,396 5 10.0850 5 false
View all documents for the selected quad

Text snippets containing the quad

ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A03087 A simple, and religious consultation of vs Herman by the grace of God Archebishop of Colone, and prince Electour. [et] c. by what meanes a Christian reformation, and founded in Gods worde, of doctrine, administration of the deuine sacramentes, of ceremonies, and the hole cure of soules, and other ecclesiastical ministeries may be begon among men committed to our pastorall charge, vntil the Lorde graunt a better to be appoynted either by a free, and Christian cou[n]sayle, general, or national, or elles by the states of the empire of the natio[n] of Germanie, gathered together in the holye Gost; Einfaltigs Bedencken, warauff ein christliche in dem Wort Gottes gegrünte Reformation an Lehr, Brauch der heyligen Sacramenten un Ceremonien, Seelsorg und anderem Kirchendienst, biss auff eines freyen, christlichen, gemeinen oder nationals Concilii, oder dess Reichs Teutscher Nation Stende, im Heyligen Geyst versamelt, Verbesserung, bei denen so unserer Seelsorge befohlen, anzurichten seye, English Wied, Hermann von.; Melanchthon, Philipp, 1497-1560.; Bucer, Martin, 1491-1551. 1547 (1547) STC 13213; ESTC S103980 258,817 620

There are 11 snippets containing the selected quad. | View lemmatised text

anie tyme brought by the wyl of man but the holy mē of God spake being stirred of the holie goste ii Petre. i. Wherfore all doctrines of men in the cōgregation that are not grounded vpon the worde of God taughte in the holy scriptures Math. xv Esay xxix be vnprofitable pernicious as Christ witnesseth and Esay But the holye scripture is a certayne and a holesome doctrine vnto vs as Paul teacheth wher as he saith Euerye scrypture enspired from God is profitable for doctrine for reprouing for in struction which is in ryghteousnes that the man of God may be perfect prepared vnto euery good worke ij Timo. iij. Forasmuch as than this scripture propheticall and inspired from God is profifable and abundauntly sufficient for the perfecte knoweledge of true and holesome doctrine that the men of God maye be instructed and prepared to euery good worke and further that all erroures whiche be against religiō godlines may be disclosed and confuted all pastours and preachers muste alwaye needes take theyr sermons and doctrine out of the holy scripture Thei muste also take diligent hede leste at any tyme they mingle herewyth mannes doctrines and interpretations that haue not flowen out of thys pure foūtayne of Gods worde Wherefore that feaders and preachers That preachers ought to praie for e●crease of the holigost not to bewrapped in busynesses of thys lyfe maye ryghtly instructe the people of Christe out of these bokes of the holie gost in all thynges that be profitable and necessarie to knowe for saluation it is needefull that they geue thē selues to the studie of the holie scriptures wyth moste earnest and cōtinuall care And that they maye do thys thynge with more fruite and attayne to the true vnderstandynge of the holy scripture let them pray continually wyth Godly petitions that the holie gooste maye be increased to them whiche is the onely interpreter of the holy scripture For the naturall man vnderstandeth it not as he also vnderstandeth not other spirituall thynges whiche thinge the Apostles teache vs sufficientlye wyth theyr owne example whiche as we reade in the last of Luke did not vnderstāde the scriptures before that Christe opened theyr minde The spirite thē before al thinges muste be sought for and obtained with faythfull prayer the spirit I saye of vnderstandyng the holy scripture a ryght both to the health and profit of our selues and also of other Wherfore it is nedeful that preachers wythdrawe them selues from carnal and worldly busines asmuch as the necessitie of this present life wil suffre that they geue them selues throughly to all spirituall exercises if they wyl both thē selues ryghtly vnderstand godlines and the holie scriptures and also profitably administre and faythfully dispence to the congregation of God the doctrine of saluation that euerye one of them teach mē committed vnto their charge aswel the rude as the quycke wytted and learned the most holy Gospel and doctrine of godlines vnto theyr saluation Item that they bryng to passe through that their ministery that euery man surely perceiue the prophetical euāgelical spech and geue hede therunto with al diligēce as to a cādel shining in a darke place that they wauer ii of Petre. i. not like children be caried about with euery wynde of doctryne but that folowing the truth in loue thei grow in him in al thinges which is the head namely Christ Ephe. iiij Further it is the office of pastours and ministers of the word that they exhorte thē Howe needeful exhortations be that be ryghtlye instructed in the doctryne of godlines and that they cal vpon them instantly that they abyde in that knowne doctrine beyng prepared and redy to suffre al thynges rather than that they wyll depart from it and that they testify them selues to be the chyldren of God with good workes and a christian lyfe For our aduersarye the Deuyl neuer kepeth holy day but walketh i. of Petre. v. Chap. about lyke a roaryng Lion sekyng whom he maye deuoure as Peter witnesseth And this he doth not only within with fiery dartes of temptations and fleshly intisementes agaynst the lawe of God but also without with the persecutions and assaultes of the myghtie and further with hypocrisie and a vayne shewe of false doctryne as our dayly experience testifieth Wherfore Bishops and preachers must procure wyth al studye that they ryghte diligentlye warne conforte and exhorte the weake in the fayth of Christ that they labour to resyst manfully the olde enemy euer endeuouryng himselfe to assaulte on euerye syde the flocke of the Lord and to continue in the fayth as s Peter teacheth vs. i. Peter v. And also Paul to the Ephesians vi Chapter But at what tyme and in what place such consolations and exhortations ought to be Exhortation to godlines is euer nedeful vsed it can not be certainly prescribed For it is not onely requisite opēly in pulpettes but often at other tymes in other places as occasiō suffreth necessitie requireth As s Paule with greate grauitie admonisheth Timothe I besech the sayeth he before God and the Lord Iesus Christ which shal ij Timot. iiij iudge the quicke and the dead in his appearing and in his kingdom preach the word calle vpon them in tyme out of tyme reproue rebuke exhorte with al softnes and doctrine The Apostle approueth the same thinge also with his owne exemple in that last sermō which he made at Miletes to the elders of the congregations Youe knowe saieth he from the first daye that I entred in to Asia after what sorte I was with you at al tymes seruinge the Lorde God with al humblenes of minde wyth many teares and temptations whiche chaūced vnto me throw the conspiracie of the Iewes howe I with drew no parte of those thinges that mighte be for your profith but I shewed vnto you and taughte you openly and in euerie house testifiynge both to the Iewes and to the Gretians that repētaunce that is towards God and that faith that is toward our lorde Iesus Take hede therfore to your selues and to the hole flocke Item watch ye remēbringe that by the space of .iii. yeres I ceased not nyght nor daye with teares to warne euerie man And in the first epistle to the Thess the .ii. cha You be wytnesses and you know how we were affectioned towardes euerie one of you as a father is towardes his Children desiring you confortinge and beseching that ye woulde walke worthely of God whiche hath called you in to his kingdom and glorie And it is necessary that such exhortatiōs be done grauely with a certaine Godly vehemencie of minde and Let exhortatiō be vehemēt and ernest feruentnes that they may moue the people and stere vp good affecions in mennes mindes whereby they maye labour to continew and go forth in the way of the Lorde ▪ which thinge Paule signified by this sayynge that he maye be able to exhorte c. It shal
out of the worde of God as Paule witnesseth saiynge The swerde of the spirite is the worde of god Ephe. vi Seinge than the beginninge the middle and the ende of oure newe lyfe that is to say regeneration in to the saide lyfe the encrease of it and victorie agaynst Satan consisseth of the worde of God the feeders of congregations maye easely see in to what daunger of Goddes wrath they runne if anie be not parttakers of this regeneration thorough theyr negligence or if they that be borne agayne of the spirite wante the feedinge of goddes worde and the cherishinge of holesome doctrine of exhortation or if they falle from the lyfe and communion of Christe beinge sedused thoroughe false doctrines of men wherefore they that haue this office must euer with al diligence continue in readinge doctrine praier and other exercises spiritual that they maie saie with that faythful seruaunte Lorde thou deliueredest to me ten talētes and lo I haue gained other ten And that they maie heare agayne wel done faythful seruaunte thou wast faithful ouer fewe thinges I wil sette the ouer manie Entre in to the ioye of thy Lorde Wherfore that feeders and al ministers of congregations may the better vnderstande and handle the holye scripture we wil opē vnto thē a certaine way and we wyll declare in ordre the more notable places of the Chrystiane doctrine not that we would haue them to tary in these places but because we desire to haue them brought by these more easelie to the holy scripture it selfe out of which afterward they may be instructed more fully and perfectly ¶ That some leason out of the holie scripture muste be set forth to the people before the sermō and that the same muste be declared to them FYrste we wyll that the pastours take all theyr sermons that they make to the people out of some leason of the holie scripture whiche at the begynnynge of the sermon they shall recite wyth singuler reuerence grauitie As we know that the olde holy fathers vsed it euen from the tyme of the Apostles Which thing also was obserued in the synnagoges of the Iewes as it appeareth by that that we reade of the Lord. Luk. iiii of the synnagog Act. xiii into the whiche Paule and Baruabas entred vppon the Sabbath at Antioche of Pisidia Wherfore in olde tyme euerie congregation had peculiar readers whiche red the bokes of the holie scripture to the people out of the pulpette But this custome being abolished amonge other fautes of ecclesiasticall administration and in thys scarsnes of ministers of the worde by reason wherof Peculiar readers cānot be appointed in euerie congregation we wil that the pastours and preachers execute theyr office and religiouslie to reade to the people afore hande those thinges wherof they wyl speake that so thei may the more accustome them selues to heare the worde of God and that they maye be more fullly enstructed of their saluation It shall healpe also the pastours thē selues to make and finishe their sermons with better ordre if they shal folow the prescripte of the leason preposed and keepe thē selues wythin the bandes therof And they shall measure these leasons after the measure of those lessons that are accustomablye recited in Masses So the people maye more easily remēbre the thynges that shall be redde and the preachers also maye more comodiouslie declare them For they must diligently auoyd this faute that some haue that they tarie not vpon one or two wordes of the premised leason lettyng the reste passe vntoutched or fall quite to other matters then were redde Oure fayth must leaue vpon the pure and onelie worde of God wherefore that worde must be hearde and vnderstanded of euerie person Wherfore it shal be conuenient to reade out of the holie scripture and declare so muche as by likelihode the people may perceyue and retayne to the edification of fayth ¶ That al sermons must be made to set forth and magnifie Christ the Lorde FOrasmuch as Christ our Lorde is the ende of the lawe and Moses the psalmes Rom. x Luke the last Actes x. and the prophetes doe testifi and preach of hym that he is the onely sauiour of the chosen people in whom whosoeuer shal beleue shal receyue forgyuenes of sinnes thorowe his name all pastours must directe ordre theyr sermons to this marcke that they beare and declare witnesse of thys Christe For so he himselfe commaundid the Al christian doctrine is a testimonie of Christ the sauiour Actes i. i. Cor. ij apostles a litle before his ascention into heauen whan he instituted the holie ministerye of preaching you shal be witnesses vnto me at Hierusalē and in all Iurie and Samary vnto the vttermost endes of the earth Here of it cometh that S. Paule wryteth of hym selfe I iudged not myselfe to knowe anye thinge amonge you sauinge Iesus Christe and him crucified And he had a good cause to saye so For as he wrate to the Coloss al thinges were created by him that be in heauen and in erth visible and inuisible whether they be thrones dominations principates or powers All thynges were made by him and in him and he is before al thinges ▪ al thinges cōsist thorough is him He is the head of the body of the church which is the begining the frist begottē of the deade that he may be the chief in al thinges for it hath pleased the father that all fulnes shoulde dwelle in him and thorough hym to reconcile al thinges towardes hymselfe the thinges that be ether in heauen or in erth being pacified by the bloud of his crosse thorough the same persō Iohanne witnesseth the same thinges in the begininge of his gospel and epistle And the Lorde of hym selfe Iohan. v. iii. xii xvii and in manye other places Therefor Christe hym selfe comprehended the summe of the whole scripture in this sentence Luke the last repentaunce and remission of synnes must be preched in the name of Christ wherfore let the faythful ministers of congregations alwayes magnifie the name of oure Lorde Iesus Christe testifiynge that thys only sonne of God the true God and man is he by whome al thinges were made be Ephe. i. gouerned repared and renued which also ruleth al thinges with the worde of his power whyche gathereth together the scattered chyldren of God and straiyng sheepe Hebru i. Iohn x. and gyueth repentaunce and remission of sinnes For there is none other name vnder heauen gyuen to men wherein they shal be Act. v. Act. iiii Iohn xvii Iohn x. saued the power of all fleshe is gyuen to him that he maie gyue euerlastinge lyfe to al thē that the father hath gyuen hym He is that good shepeherde that giueth his life for his sheepe that he maye gyue them eternal lyfe which so defendeth and keepeth his sheepe that noman can take them out of his hande These and suche lyke testimonies of Christe must be often and diligintlye beatē
waye the fayth of Christ is confirmed in vs that God wyll also be good vnto vs accordynge to our portion and there is a desire steared vp in vs to folowe their exemples Thus the olde church worshypped the sayntes which thing appeareth by certayne soleme prayers called collectes For thus the churche prayeth ¶ In the memorie of the Apostles Petre and Paule Gd whiche haste consecrated thys daye wyth the martyrdome of thine apostles Petre and Paule graunt to thy churche to folowe theyr precepte in all thynges by whō it receyued the begynnyng of religion thorowe Christe our Lorde ¶ On the feast of S. Iohn Baptist God whiche hast giuen vs thys present day honourable in the natiuitie of blessed Iohn graunte thy people the grace of spirituall ioyes and guyde the mindes of al the faithfull into the waye of euerlastynge lyfe thorowe Christe our Lorde ¶ On the natiuitie of S. Stephane Graunt vs we beseche the Lorde to folowe the thynge that we haue in reuerence that we maye learne to loue euen oure enemies for we celebrate his natiuitie whiche coulde praye euen for his persecutours thorowe Christe our Lorde ¶ In the cōmemoration of saynt Laurence Graunt we besech the almightie God that we maye quenche the flames of oure vices whiche gauest the blessed Laurence thy martyre to ouercome the fyer of his tormentes thorowe our Lorde Iesus Christe ¶ In the memorie of S. Agatha God whiche amonge other miracles of thy power gaueste the victorie of martyrdome euen in a fraile kynde graunte mercifully that we maye walke vnto the by hyr exemples whose natiuitie we celebrate thorowe Christe our Lorde ¶ In the cōmemoration of S. Cecilie God which makest vs merie with the yerely solemnitie of thy martyr blessed Cecilie graunt that we may folowe hyr in exemple of godlie conuersation whom we reuerence wyth humanitie Of thys sort be all suche prayers that be anie thinge olde In other made longe afterwarde though there be somewhat mengled of the merites and intercessions of sayntes yet they be not called vpon as Lordes they be not spokē to they be not desired that they wyll offre theyr owne merites for vs to the father or that they wil healpe vs with their intercessions but God onely the father of our Lorde Iesus Christe is called vpon and desired that he wyl vouchsafe to recompēce the good dedes euē of his sayntes in vs and that he wyll both steare vp and make effectuous theyr intercession for vs thorow our Lorde Iesus Christ not by the vertue of the sayntes The thirde abuse is when the wordes of a prayer otherwyse godlie and christian are drawen to an vngodly and vnlawfull ende as when thorowe the Lordes prayer we wil staunche bloude or dryue awaye wolues that they deuoure not our sheepe As some go about to wrest the Psalme xxxv To auoyed woundes Of whiche kinde innumerable superstitiōs and impieties are vsed of vngodlie enchaunters Therefore the preachers shal warne the people diligently how greuous a synne it is howe great wydkednes to abuse the word of god to such witchcraftes and enchauntmentes Which abuse is pernitious and abhommable no lesse thē the abuse of other false and idolatrious doctrine The fourth abuse is when the ende of prayer is peruerted when men reherse the wordes of the prayers wyth thys opinion that they thynke they do acceptable seruice to God and to the sayntes euen wyth thys worke of rehersyng whereas we must pray to God not to do hym some seruice wyth that worke but that we may call for the free healpe of God being in daunger of perils and euyls whiche we haue deserued or that being vnworthie we may receyue benifittes whiche we haue not deserued And that we maye praye wyth a fuller feelynge both of our owne miserie and of the diuine goodnes of Christe and wyth feruenter desire of Goddes healpe we muste vse holy wordes in our prayes But the comon people hath ben brought into thys errour longe sithens by vnfaythfull pastours that they offre the wordes of the Lordes prayer of the Angels salutation of the Psalmes and other prayers to God the blessed virgin other sayntes as some acceptable seruice or gift wherby they thinke they deserue muche of God and sayntes that they purge their synnes and obtayne the benifittes of God Which abuse of praying doth not onely fyght with the worde of God but also is folishe and mad euen by the iudgemente of reason and it may easely be taken away if the people be so enstructed of prayer as we haue shewed before The fyrst abuse in prayinge and no lesse to be reproued and corrected is thys that men communely beleue that theyr prayer is more commended to God and soner hearde by reason of places of whiche they thynke some to be more holy then some as if the prayers be made at certaine grauen stockes or relikes of sayntes or other places wherevnto men go on pilgrimage whiche is a greate dispitefull wronge to the grace and merite of our Lorde Iesu Christe by whom onely our prayers be acceptable vnto God in what place so euer they be made as he hym selfe promised Iohn xv What soeuer ye aske the father in my name he shall gyue it you And moreouer he sayed to the womā of Samarie Woman beleue me the houre cometh when ye shall worshippe the father neither in thys hille nor at Hierusalē God is a spirite and they that worship him must worshippe hym in spirite and truth Iohn iiij And Mathew xviij He sayeth If two of you consente togyther vpon the earth of anie thynge what so euer they aske it shal be done vnto them of my father whiche is in heauen For where two or three are gathered togyther in my name there am I in the middest of them Lo here the Lorde promiseth that we shall be hearde if we consent in prayer and that he wyl be a meane betwene vs and obtayne al thynges for vs of the father whē so euer and where so euer we shall come and agree in his name These promises al they diminishe that thynke they shall be hearde more certaynly and soner in anie place for the respect of grauen stockes or relikes of sayntes or some other outward prerogatiue of the place Howebeit it becometh vs to come to the temples and cōmon places and it healpeth to praye more deuoutly for this cause that the congregation cometh togyther in those places to prayer and bycause we are there more steared vp to praier thorowe the ministerie of the worde and other holie exercises and thorowe the very cōpanie of men prayinge togyther wyth vs. So priuate places haue thys comoditie to prayer that in them we maye praye wyth a more attentiue minde and more lifted vp to God For in these places there chaūce fewer thynges to call our myndes frō the thinges that we go about in our prayers For thys cause we reade that the Lorde Iesus prayed often in mountaynes and gardines as he comaunded vs
father thorowe oure onely mediatour Christe and cal vpon hym onely in the name of his sonne wyth a sure truste of childrē towardes his more then fatherly loue wyth earneste feare also and reuerence and carefull supplication of mynde towardes his maiestie And to steare vp kendle and feede suche inuocation and praiyng Let them vse those instrumentes religiously whiche God hym selfe hath appoynted and cōmēded for thys purpose I meane holy assembles the diuine scriptures the sacramentes and a godly contemplation of al his gyftes workes and iudgementes ¶ Of christian faste THe holy scriptures sette fastynge Augustine to Consulaine Priest epist lxxxviij Of the fastes of the olde fathers I sayth he in the wrytynges of the Apostles and euangelistes and all the newe testament reuoluyng that thinge in my mynde I se that fastynge is commaunded But vpon what dayes we shoulde faste or not fast by the commaūdemente of the Lorde or the Apostles I finde it not determined before vs as a certeyne peculiar preparation and way to more earnest prayer for the remission of sinnes for the singuler mercie grace of God and other singuler benifittes and gyftes As the Niniuites humbly prayed to God wyth moste straite fastyng for remission of synnes and forgyuenes of the punishment which God had declared vnto them Ionas iij. Such a faste it was also whiche God cōmaunded to the people of Israel the .x. daye of the .viij. moneth whiche was the daye of purgation in whiche all the people humbly praye God for the remission of synnes Leuiti iij. God also cōmaunded such a fast Ioel. ij When the people was punished of corne and wyth greuous warre for theyr synnes Turne vnto me sayeth he wyth all your herte wyth fastyng weepyng and bewaylynge Item in the same place Blowe vp a trompe in Sion sanctifie a faste etc. Such a fast also is described i. Samuel vij and thei came togyther in Masphath and drue water shedde it forth in the syght of the Lorde and fasted on that daye and sayed there we haue synned vnto the Lorde Item Dauides faste in the syckenes of his sonne whom he had fyrste of Bathseba God strucke also the yonge chylde whom the wyfe of Vrias brought forth vnto Dauid and he was despeyred of and Dauid humbly praied to the Lorde for the yonge chylde and Dauid fasted a faste and wente asyde and laye vpon the grounde Item Achab when Elias had declared vnto hym the reuengeaūce of god for the death of Naboth i. Kynges xx Of thys sorte was that faste of Paule which cōtinued three dayes when the Lorde had conuerted hym nigh Damasco and had taken away his sight actes ix The faste that Iosaphat ordeyned when the Moabites and Ammonites had brought forth an huge armie agaynst hym was ioyned wyth prayer for the singuler benifitte and healpe of god The faste of Esdras was lyke whē he prepared to returne into Iurie And that which Hester inioyned to hyr people whē she wold speake to the kinge for the health of the people Of the same sorte it was also which the congregation of the sayntes at Antioche inioyned to them selues when laying on their handes they shoulde sende forth Paule and Barnabas to preache the Gospel to the heathen Actes xiij And it was also such a faste whiche the same two Apostles kepte when they woulde appoynte elders in the congregations of Asia whiche they had wonne to Christe Act. xiiij And that fasting ought alway to be ioyned to euerie earnest and solemne prayer the thyng that Paule wryteth of maried folkes teacheth sufficiently Let the husbande rendre due beniuolence to his wyfe and lykewyse the wife to hyr husbande defraude not one an other excepte anie thynge be done of agremente for a reason that ye maye gyue your selues to fastynge and prayer The preachers shall diligently obserue these and suche other testimonies of the holy scripture concernynge fastynge and they shal faithfully teach the people by the same Fyrst that fastyng is a certeyne propre maner and a certeyne parte of careful and earnest prayer vnto God as the places alledged and such other testifie and that it is not a worke acceptable to God by it self or holsome vnto vs. Secondly they shal diligētly warne this also that fasting as prayer excepte it be obserued out of true fayeth and earnest repentaunce for our synnes it is not onely a thing vnacceptable to God but also abominable as if we faste by reason of the institution and custome of men or also to boste our selues whiche thinge Christe the Lorde noted Math. vi They darken theyr faces that it maye appeare vnto men that they faste A true faste and acceptable to God muste be taken in hande wyllyngly of mannes owne accorde of one whiche feeleth the burthen of synnes in his conscience whiche feareth the angre reuēgeaunce of God for his sinnes whiche therefore is dryuen diligētly to seeke and praye for remission of synnes or whiche desireth to make readie hym selfe and after a certeyne wyse to sanctifie him selfe to pray more religiously for the benifittes of God Wherfore thys thynge whiche is in Ioel ij Chap. muste be euer diligently beaten into the people when we speake of fastynge Turne vnto me sayeth the Lorde wyth all your herte wyth fastyng etc. that men may learne that no fastynge pleaseth God but that that springeth out of true repentaunce and lyuely griefe for synnes and true conuersion to the mercie of God of whom we seeke remission of sinnes wyth singuler and feruent desire Thyrdly the preachers shall teache out ●f the alledged places and suche lyke that fastyng is not onely abstinence from meate and drynke but that there is required moreouer forasmuche as fastyng oughte to be a parte of carefull prayer for remission of sinnes and the grace of God that on the fastynge dayes we wythdrawe our selues vtterly from al pleasures and busynes of this lyfe and gyue our selues wholy to prayer wyth great humilitie of all our lyfe cōming from the herte and chastisynge of the bodie Hereof it came that the Lorde in Ioell commaunded to sanctifie a faste to call an assēble to gather the elders together the spouse and the spousesse al the inhabitauntes of the lande into the house of God and crie vnto the Lorde He cōmaundeth also the infantes and the suckelynges to be broughte that by the syght and pitie of them they myghte be moued to greater repentaunce of theyr synnes and feruenter prayer for forgiuenes This is the cause why God so sore rebuketh the Iewes Esaie lviij Bycause on the fasting dayes they regarded theyr busynes and required theyr dettes And he testifyeth that he abhorreth theyr fastynges and that they be not those that he commaunded In whiche place thys thinge is diligently to be considered that therefore he hearde not their prayers nor accepted theyr fastes bicause they folowed theyr owne desires vpon the fastyng dayes Lo sayeth he in your fastinges your wyll is founde Wherefore it is conuenient that vpon
Lorde as Iosaphat saide to his officers and therefore that God wil require a straite cōpte of the gouerners of his people toucthing their administratiō If the preachers shal propoune and declare to the people after this sorte what thinges God hath commaunded and dyd to the olde people aswel in heapinge most ample benifites vpon them as in chastisynge wyth horrible punishmentes and if they shal sette forth al the exemples that God hath exhibited in the scriptures to be considered either of his bountiousnes and seueritie or of hys kindnes and vnkindnes of the people they shal for theyr measure perfourme that thing that the Lorde witnessed of hym selfe I come not to breake the lawe but to fulfil it And that that the apostle saieth we abolishe not the law but astablish it ¶ Of preachinge appropriated to the newe Testament The preachinge of the newe Testament is to preach repentaunce and remission of sinnes in the name of our Lorde Iesu Christe For so the Lorde him selfe sayde and prescribed Luke xxiiii Bicause it is so written and so it be houed Christe to suffre and to ryse agayne from the deade the third daye and that repētaunce and forgyuenes of sinnes shoulde be preached in his name amonge al nations begynninge at Ierusalem Out of this cōmaundement of Christe S. Petre also testified before the assemble of the Iewes and the priestes actes v. in this sorte The God of our fathers hath raised vp Iesus whome ye slue hanged vpon the crosse This prince and sauiour God hath exalted with his ryght hande to gyue repētaunce and remission of sinnes vnto Israel In lyke maner he preacheth also before Cornelius act x. he cōmaunded that we shoulde preach to the people and testifie that it is he that was appoynted of God a iudge of the dead and quicke to him al the prophetes beare witnes that whosoeuer beleueth in hym shall receyue remission of sinnes thorowgh hys name Paule also in the synagoge at antioche of pisidia actes xiii sayeth thus Be it knowen to euerie one of you bretherne that thorowgh thys man remission of sinnes is preached vnto you thorough thys man euerye one that beleueth is instified frō al thinges from which ye coulde not be iustified by the lawe of Moyses So he sayeth also to the elders whiche he called from Ephesus to Milites cha xx ye knowe from the first daye that I entred in to Asia howe I was with yon at al tymes seruing God with al humblenes of minde and wyth manye teares and tentations which chaunced vnto me thorough the layinges awaite of the Iewes how I ouer slipped nothinge that myght be profitable vnto you but preached vnto you and taught you openly and in euerie house testifiyng both to the Iewes also to the greekes that repētaunce that is towarde God and that faith that is towardes our Lorde Iesus By these testimonies it is euident that A double preachyng of the Gospell there be two partes of the preachinge of the gospel or newe testament that is to saye a preachinge of repentaunce and of remission of sinnes Wherefore the preachinge of the newe testamēt must be ginne at repētaunce as the exemples of Iohan baptiste of oure Lorde Iesus Christe and the apostles doe teach For al these men beganne theyr preachinge wyth these wordes repent your former lyfe for the kingdome of God approcheth and beleue the gospel that is to saye the preachinge of remission of sinnes But in thys place the preachers muste declare what repētaunce we ought to vnderstande Whiche is true repentaunce For thys saiynge muste not be taken of euery repentaunce but of that that is towarde God which Christ the Lorde him selfe raiseth vp in our myndes And that is true contritiō and a iust griefe for our sinnes which we haue committed in thought wordes or deedes agaynste the lawe of God Whiche griefe anguish driueth vs to fle to Christe with fayth and truste that for hys sake we shal be deliuered from al our sinnes and frō the wrath of God and that for hys sake we shal be nombred amonge the ryghteous before God and shal be compted heyres of euerlastinge lyfe This is a verie euangelical and Christian repentaunce For it is not inoughe for holsome repētaunce to be grieued and vexed for oure synnes and to feare the iudge mēt of God with which repentaunce Cain and Iudas perished wherewith at length al vngodlye men perishe after that they beginne to feele what anger of God what dānation they haue purchased to them selfe thorough theyr sinful actes But as Paule sayeth we must necessarely haue repētaunce towardes God that is to saye we muste therfore be greued for our sinnes and feare the iudgemēt of God because we haue offēded god our creator and redemer and haue forsaken hym thorough sinnes that besydes contrition for our sinnes there be in vs also a burninge desire and studie of reconciliatiō with God a truste to obtaine the same and a sure purpose to amende our lyues and to yelde our selues wholy in to the obediēce of God Al whiche thinges a true repentaunce muste haue desire and perceyue and that thorough our onely bischoppe and redemer Iesus Cehrist which alone stirreth vp and worketh true repentaunce in vs whyle he maketh the preachinge of repentaunce effectual in our hertes gyuinge his encrease Of the preachinge of repentaunce But to raise vp this repētaunce in our hertes we must cheifely vse the preachinge of the death and passiō of our Lorde Iesus Christe wherewith he satisfied God the father for our sinnes And we muste also vse a continual declaration and repetinge of the lawe of God wherein God sheweth what thinges he alloweth in vs and what he disaloweth and how gētly and bountiously he handleth them that obey hys commaūdimentes and howe rigorously That repentaunce muste be taught out of the ignominious death of Christe he punisheth thē that contemne the same Wherefore the preachers in theyr sermons and in the administration of the sacramētes must preach the death of the Lorde with singuler diligence and sette before the eyes of the people and warne them studiously that the sonne of God whiche neuer committed anye sinne suffred that most bitter and shāful death onely for our sinnes For thei shal teach that thei be so abominable in the sight of the lorde that they could be purged with none other sacrifice with no merites or peynes either of men or angells but only with the precious death of the sonne of God For this cause the preachers shall admonish mē of the greatnes of sinne and of the wrath of God and they shal stirre them vp to repent earnessly And because Christe our Lorde is the onely glasse and exemplar of a godly lyfe we maie learne certainly and substantially out of the lyfe and obedience of Christe to what maner of lyfe we be made and called what stubburnes ther is in vs agaynst god and what corruption of nature whereby
they them selues shoulde professe they re fayth in the congregacion and they them selues shoulde bynde them selues to the obedience of God and of the cōgregacion At whyche confession of fayth and profession of obedience in the cōgregacion they were wonte to bee solemly confirmed of the congregacion in religion thoroughe praier and some token of Goddes confirmacion which vnder Moses consisted in sacrifices and oblations and in the tyme of the Gospell in layinge on of handes and participation of the supper of the Lord. For this is the nature of true and liuelye fayth that eueri man desireth to sette forth and magnifye the benifites that god hath shewed him and for his parte to offer and cōsecrate himselfe to the glorifiynge of his name with all offices of godlines Wherfor the Psal xxii singeth of the is my prayse in the great congregacion Psal xxxv I wyl giue thankes vnto the in a greate assemble et ce ❧ Forthermore we are so grafted in Christ thorough Baptisme and so made the members of his bodye that is to saye of the congregacion and so ioyned in Christ to other members of Christ that we must serue al them with whom we haue anye aquaintaunce any perticipacion of kindnes cheifely for the furtheraunce of godlines religion and afterwarde also in thynges necessarye for this present life I meane that one of vs acknoledge another and embrace one another in Christe with sincere loue And fyrst that we teach one another warne correct cōforte and exhorte in those thynges that pertaine to a new lyfe in Christ Secōdly that we also helpe one another in thynges necessarye for this present lyfe with coūcel worke and seruise Therfore the comunion of both liues in Christe the Lord and the recompensation of good turnes one to another requireth that euerie man openly offere and giue himselfe to this felowshyppe of the outwarde and inward man and to this change an recompensacion of benefites Seynge than that this confession of fayth and geuyng of our selues to the obedience of Christe and commendacion of his church which the very nature of fayth and necessite of this cōmunicacion of Christe requireth canne not be done in baptisme whan infantes be baptised it must nedes be done of them that were baptised in their infantie whan they be meetely wel enstructed of relegion and whan they some what vnderstande those greate benifites that we giue in baptisme But whan they solemly professe their fayth and obedience before the cōgregacion the verie nature of fayth requireth agayne that the cōgregacion praie for them solemli and desire for them the encrease of the holye gost that he wyll confirme and preserue thē in the fayth of Christe and obedience of the congregacion and that he will euer leade hym into all truethe And for asmuche as such praier made in the name of Christ and truste of his promises can not bee but effectuous it pertanieth to the mynisterie of the congregacion to strengthen theym with the confirmacion of the hollye Gost for whom the churche hath prayed Therefore oure elders folowinge the exemple of Christ and the Apostle did vse laiyng on of handes as a signe at this confirmacion This ceremonie thā obserued in the fayth of Christ because it is vndoutedly the office of faith and christian loue agreable all maner of wayes to the wordes and institutions of the Lord and edifiyng the religion of Christ we wyl that it be restored in the congregacion to a godlie and holesome vse all abuses remoued that haue crepte into the place of this ceremonie whiche howe shameful and noysome they were to oure religion euerie Christian manne maye easelye iudge Heretofore this ministerie of confirmacion was a peculier worcke of a suffragayne But forasmuche as al thinges in the church must be referred ordained and done for the commune profite of Christen menne wee wil that hereafter this ministerye of confirmacion if it can not be done commodiously by a suffragayne or not as it ought to be done shal be done by visitours twyse a yere in principall solemnities For where as at the begynninge the office of confirmacion was only committed to bishoppes bishoprikes were not so large as they be nowe nether wer theyr dioces greater than that the bishops might visit once a yere euery parish and here him selfe and confirme the childrē beinge catechised or instructed But nowe the world is other wyse and bishoprikes be after another fashion so that it is impossible that one byshoppe or sustragaine maye wyth conueniēt leasure administre this confirmaciō in hys diocese For euerie yere ther growe vp some in euerye churche whome it shal be come to professe their fayth and to be solemli cōfirmed Wherefore forasmuch as euerie congregation hath neade of yerely lookinge to and visitation and solemne profession of fayth and confirmacion of them which in age and knoledge of Christ be growen so fare the necessarie procuracion of the Lordes flocke committed vnto vs constrayneth vs that wee prouide that the congregacion wante not a mete minister for thys purpose For the health of the shepe of christ muste not serue the personnes of the mynisters but the persones of the ministers must serue to their health that al thinges maye be done according to this sayinge al are yours whether it be Paule or Apollo or Cephas i. Cor. iij. And as S. Hierome witnesseth this confirmacion was not therefore the proper office of bishoppes in olde time bicause it was not lawful for other to administre the same seing that euē commen ministers yea euerie Christen man if ordinare ministres wāted might minister Baptisme a muche more excellent sacramēt but it was cōmitted to byshops peculiarly for this cause that the byshops of euerie cōgregacion mighte attaine more certaine knoledge might haue more holesome care and charge while they them selues enquired euerie yere with what faith fulnes and diligence the pastours hade instructed bothe the rest and cheifly the yong children of Christ It holpe also togreater consent of religiō and reuerence and obedience towardes the holie ministerie when eureie one professed hys fayth and obedience of Christe to one bishoppe But forasmuch as to many congregacions be cōmitted to the charge of one bishop that euerie one can not be visited by one bishoppe or suffragane we must neades procure that this office of examinacion and confirmacion which cannot bee deferred more than a yere without the great incommoditie of the congregacions and peril of religion bee executed by more personnes seinge that it cannot be doone by one howbeit the parish preistes in euery cōgregacion with their companions certaine dayes before the comming of the visiters shal diligently prepare the children whome they purpose to offre to confirmacion to make theyr confessyon of fayth and profession of Christen communion and obediēce decētly and semely whiche must be done of theym after this sorte The demande Dost thou professe thy selfe to be a christian ▪ Answer I professe Demaunde What is it to be
when they praye him so giue these chyldrē the thinge that we pray the for thorowe thy sonne Christ that when we shal now say our hādes vpō them in thy name and shall certifie them by thys signe that thy fatherly hande shall be euer stretched forth vpon thē and that they shall neuer wante thy holy spirite to keepe leade and gouerne thē in the way of health and in a very christian life graunt thou I say vnto them that they maye acknowledge these thinges wyth true fayth and that they may certeynly beleue that thou wilte defende thē with thy almightie ryghte hande and keepe them frō al euil and deliuer them and leade them to al good workes Finally that thou wylt neuer take thy holy spirite from them thorowe our Lorde Iesus Christ ❧ Here the pastour laying his hādes vpon them shal say O Lorde Iesu Christ the sonne of God which saidest in the Gospel If you then beinge euyl cā gyue good gyftes to your children howe muche more shal my father giue the holie goste to them that aske hym Item If two consent together vpon the earth etc. Confirme thys thy seruante wyth thy holie spirite that he may cōtinue in the obedience of thy Gospell and strongly resist the diuel and his owne weakenes and not greue the holie goste or trouble or offende thy churche wyth sclaunders but that his whole lyfe maye serue to the prayse of thy glorie his owne health and commune profitte of thy congregation as thou hast prescribed to vs and as thou haste promised that thou wylte gyue to them that aske the. Amen ❧ After thys lette the Hymne be songe Nowe al thankes etc. Nowe a good whyle sithens the signe of oyle was wonte to be vsed in confirmation but bycause they abused thys signe moost superstitiously and forasmuche as also amonge christian men signes and shadowes of spiritual thinges ought not to be so much regarded as the thynge and trueth it selfe the signe of layinge on of handes shall be sufficient in thys ministration whiche the Apostles and olde fathers thoughte sufficient And that thys Ceremonie maye be hādled wyth greater granitie and reuerence and wyth more fruite both of the chyldren and of the whole congregation the deanes wyth the visiters or parishe priestes of euerie congregation shal chose out suche a place in the temples frō whence the cōfession and profession of the chyldren and other thinges that muste be done there wyth all maye be clearely hearde and perceyued of the whole congregation ❧ Of the Lordes supper MEn muste be muche and often taught and warned of this most holie Sacrament that it is as Paule witnesseth a cōmunion of the bodye and bloude of oure Lorde Iesus Christ wherin we muste so celebrate the remēbraūce of him wyth greate religion and graue preachynge of his death and resurrection and of al thinges which he was made for vs whiche he dyd and suffered for oure saluation that our fayth in hym may be cōfirmed that we maye cleaue faster and lyne more fully in hym and he in vs. And forasmuch as the Lorde when he iustituted thys holie supper dyd saye Do thys in remembraunce of me the preachers shall diligently warne thys also that the Lorde cōmaunded that we shoulde do those thynges in this Sacrament whiche he hym selfe shewed to be done by his exemple Therefore we muste set the same acte of the Lorde before vs neither muste we in any wyse decline from the same or chaunge any thynge of it though an Angel from heauen or an Apostle did counsel and bidde vs so to do Which thinge the right holy bishop and martyr Ciprian gathereth well and truely out of these and many other wordes of the Lorde For if Christ be our onely Lorde and maister we as the ministers and disciples of hym muste needes folowe and do not the worde or dede of anie man or Angel but we muste folowe and do wyth al reuerence the thynges that he dyd and layed before vs to do neither maye we regarde what other dyd before vs but what Christe oure Lorde fyrste dyd whiche is before al thynges And al they that do not thys but chaunge somewhat of the institution of the Lorde in thys moste holie misterie ought not to be iudged his vicares or his priestes seing that for the traditions of men they caste away the commaundement of Christe The holie martyr wryteth these and muche moore seuere and earneste thynges in the same Epistle agaynste them that in the administration of this most holy Sacramēt chaung any point of that the Lorde hym selfe did in his supper For he cōmaunded vs to do that onely Nowe if we consider howe Christe instituted this holye supper it appeareth clearelie out of the declarations of the euangelistes and saynt Paull that first he made his holie supper with his disciples and that he made the same one and commune to al that were presēt and with suche disciples as had wholye gyue theym selues to hys doctrine For thoughe Iudas were a fayned disciple and as Christ calleth him a diuyll neuertheles the other disciples dyd not yet knowe that for he dyd cleane to the Lorde in outwarde profession and lyfe as the rest did But the Lorde whan he gaue his disciples an exemple in hys supper where as he admitted Iudas he would not followe hys owne secret iudgement but that open manifest iudgemēt which his disciples might shoulde folowe afterwarde For thys cause ●n the old church which obserued that thing ●hat it had receiued of the Aposteles no mā●as admitted vnto the holye communion whiche hadde not witnessed hymselfe to be he disciple of the Lorde Further more such 〈◊〉 any companie and congregacion of the ●aythful had one supper only and that com●une to al so that thei al receiued the lordes ●ody in one bread and his blod in one cup. Whereof Paule writeth thus The cuppe of blessing whiche we blesse that is to saye wherwyth we giue thankes is it not the cōmunion of the bloude of Christe And the breade whiche we breake is it not the communion of the bodye of Christe For we beinge many are one breade and one bodie for we receiue al of one bread and of one cuppe Loo the Apostle speaketh of one cup in whō one man gyueth not thankes for hym selfe and he speaketh of one bread whiche all we that come together breake beinge commune and he witnesseth that this is the cōmunion of the bodie and bloude of Christe whyche communion all we receyue together oute o● one Sacrament and we confirme the same because we are the members and bodye o● Christ Wherefore the Apostle willinge t● strēgth the thinge that he had say I meame that the breade whiche we breake in the holie supper is the communion of the bodie o● Christ vsed these wordes we beinge many saieth he are one breade and one bodie as ●● he woulde saye one breade is broken an● one sacrament is distributed amonge vs beinge manie for this
purpose that we being many which receiue this sacramēt with tr●● faith shoulde be more and more vnited in ● one bodie euen the bodie of Christ and th● we should altogether abide and liue in hi● and he in vs after that we hade gotten the true communion of his bodie Thys is singulerly to be noted that the Apostle willinge to proue that we which in the holye supper of the Lorde are partakers of the Lordes bodye and bloude be one bodye added furthwith For al we be parttakers of one bread whereby he signifyed also the communion of one cuppe Lette vs than consider this reason of the Apostle diligentli For if we testifie and declare therebi that we are one bodye and one breade of Christ and that we truly receyue and obteyne the communion of Christes bodye and bloude from the Lordes table whā al we that come ●ogether to the Lordes table be parttakers ●f one breade and one cup two thinges suer ●● folow hereof one that they which in one ●ongregacion of the faythfull doe minister ●ore than one supper of the Lord testifie of ●●em selues therby that they be not one bo●ye and one breade of Christ nether rightly ●●ceiue nor haue the cōmunion of the Lordes ●odye and bloude The other is that they ●hiche be present at the Lordes supper and ●●eyue not the sacramentes testifie by thys ●●eir abstinences from the lordes table that ●● wil not be a mēber with other Christi●●s whyche receyue the sacramentes that they wyll not be one bodye with them and one breade of Christe if they be sufficiently enstructed of thys institution of the Lorde and haue not a lawful cause to abstaine frō the sacramentes Therefore for thys verye cause that the Lord conmanded vs to do that in his holie supper that he himselfe dyd and he celebrated it wyth those hys disciples only whych had wholy giuen thēselues to hys doctrine and euer folowed hym and celebrated one supper only the prechers shal obserue two thynges First they shall teach and exhorte the people wyth all diligence that in thys most holy sacrament they shewe them selues the true disciples of the Lord that is to saye such as putte al their trust in the Lord hymself and haue bound them selues wholy to his worde and folowe the fame studiously in al thinges For thus the lord sayeth Iohn iij. If ye abyde in my worde ye are my disciples in deade But they that wyll declare themselues to be faythful ministres of the Lorde in the administracion of these misteries shall not admitte anie other to the lordes supper but such as be tried and haue confessed before the congregacion that they haue giuen thē selues to the Lorde and haue proued the same with theyr life as the Lord also celebrated the supper wyth chosen disciples Secondly that in one cōgregaciō of the faythfull one supper be ministred and that the pastour himself celebrate it if he may by anie meanes at such tyme whan the whole congregacion is wont to come together as vpon sondayes and holye dayes if so be there shal be present that wyl communicate as men that be one bodye and one breade of Christ and are so outwardly also ioyned together of the Lord that thei pertain to one congregacion and pastoral cure and receiue the communiō of the Lord out of one bread and one cuppe The seconde thynge that the Lorde dyd in his supper is this he gaue thanges to the father and that in such language as the disciples might vnderstand al thinges and be sterred vp wyth hym to prayse God For whyche cause the pastours shall warne the people firste that in the administracion of thys sacrament we must gyue thankes to God throughe oure Lorde Iesus Christe for al the benifites that he hath gyuen and giueth to vs dayly and cheifely for that benifite out of whyche al other come and be made true benifites vnto vs I meane that he so loued vs that he gaue vs hys sonne a redemer that all that beleue in him shoulde not perishe but haue euerlasting lyfe Iohn iij. wherefore he hath giuen vs all thynges wyth hym Ro. viij remyssion of synnes the spirite of adoption and al thinges that may dooe vs good ether in body or soule in this lyfe or in the life to come Secondly that the prieste and ministre of this sacrament in gyuinge thankes to God giueth thankes in his owne name and in the name of the whole cōgregacion wherfor the people must lyft vp theyr mindes and herkē to the thinges that are spoken of the priest that thei maye praise and thanke God together with the preist For in thys giuinge of thankes as Chrisostome well warneth all thinges must be commune betwene the people and the prieste where vnto all men that be present are called whan the preiste saieth lifte vp your hertes Item lette vs giue thankes to oure Lord God And they promise the same whan they Answer we haue vnto the Lord. It is worthi and right For in old time as S. Cipriane testifieth whan the prieste or ministre sayde lyfte vp your hertes the people aunswered we haue vnto the Lorde But all these thinges must be done before the Lord in spirite and truth Wherefore the people must wyth all dyligence ioyne they● myndes wyth the wordes of the priest tha● with one hert one mouth thei may magnifi and thank God with him The. iii. and principal poynt in the Lordes supper is this that he distributed the bread and the cuppe to al and bad al take both that al should eate the bread and drink of the cup and added This is mi bodi which is giuē for you This is mi bloud of the new Testamēte which for you and for many is shed furth vnto the remyssion of sins Out of these wordes of the Lord the pastour shal teach the people with great reuerēce and diligence that this is the principal point and work in the supper of the Lord that sacramētes be distributed according to the insttituciō of our Lorde Iesus Christ and receyued with true faith in Christ with this faith I saie that we certanly beleue that our Lord Iesus Christ himselfe is here present in the midest of vs and that he himself though i● be bi the ministerie of the church doth truly giue vs his body blod and together althinges whatsoeuer he obteined deserued by the offryng of his bodye on the crosse I meane remissiō of sins the euerlastyng couenant of Gods grace the blessed adoption of God that we be the sons heires of God ●is coheires Out of these thinges y● pastors ●hal teach warne the peple with al possible ●iligence First that they come to these most deuyne misteries not as the common sorte were wont to do heretofore wyth cold myndes far from a faythful and religious consideration of the thynges that bee here executed but that they sterre vp theim selues and come with a godly burning desyre of Christ flamynge furthe
Mathew Marcke Luke and Paule clearely describe vnto vs as we shewed before Who is he than whiche beinge well admonished hereof wil not cōclude furthwith that al they that wil christianely and holesomely handle this sacrament must consider and folowe as S. Ciprian very godly warneth not that that some other hath done before vs no not what the hole world doth or thyncketh to be done but what Christe the Lord dyd and cōmaunded to be done which is before al thinges whych is the maker and redemer of the world nether only the highest amonge vs but also our only master and teacher and finaly they must further consyder that all they whyche dare other wise administer this sacrament do administer it vnworthyly that is to say other wise than it be cometh and thei do make them selues gyltie of the body and bloud of the Lord. The fautes that we haue cōmitted heretofore in this most holy mistery vsing it otherwyse than the Lord cōmaunded the Lord hath mercifully forgeuē vnto his which haue put al their trust in him his merite not in the worke of the sacramēt other mynistred or receiued But we to whom the lorde hath giuen sure knoledge of his instituciō and commaundemēt shal not be pardonned if we neglect the thing that Christ did in this sacrament and commaunded vs to do preferring that befor the Lords institution that hath ben brought in by men swaruynge from hys worde and cōmaūdmēt Before al thinges the pastours must labour to take out of mennes myndes that false and wicked opinion wherebi men thincke communly that the prieste in masses offreth vp Christe oure Lorde to God the father after that 〈◊〉 ●●at wyth hys intention and prayer he 〈◊〉 Christe to become a newe and acceptable sacryfice to the father for the saluacio●●●●en applyeth and communicateth the 〈◊〉 of the passion of christ and of the sauing ●●●rifice wherebi the lord hym selfe offred h●●●●lfe to the father a sacrifice the crosse to ●hem that receiue not the same with theyr owne fayth For to make men partakers in the supper of the Lorde of the sacrifice and merite of oure Lorde Iesu Christe the minister canne helpe no more than that firste he exsibite and ministre the holye supper as the Lord instituted and than faythfully declare and celebrate religiously the ministerie of it the redemption and communion of oure Lord Iesus Christe and further more dispense the sacramentes whereby he maye stirre vp and confirme in them that be present tru faith in Christ by which faith euerye man maie him selfe apprehend and receyue the merite and sacrifice of Christe as gyuen vnto hym Fynaly that he praye for suche fayth to all men in the name of the hole congregacion and of his owne charite For he that without hys owne fayth ether ministreth thys supper of the Lorde or is presente at it or receyueth it pulleth damnacion vpon hym selfe and is made gyltie of the Lor●s body and blond But it is plaine that 〈…〉 euerie where in this errour that they beleue if they be present whan the prieste sayeth masse and take parte of the masse only wyth theyr presence that this verie worcke and sacrifice of the preiste whereby he offer●●● th● sonne to the father for their sinnes that 〈…〉 setteth him before the father with his 〈…〉 prayer is of suche efficacie that it turneth al euil from them and bringeth them al felicite of bodie and soule though they continue in all maner of sinnes and mischeues againste God and their cōsciēce and nether perceiue or receyue the sacramentes oute of the masse but onely beholde the outwarde action as a spectacle and honour it wyth bowynge of knes and other gestures and signes of veneracion But what more spightfull shame can be doone to goddes maieste and to the kynge of glorye Iesu Christe than that thys moste diuine sacrament whiche he himselfe instituted and commended vnto vs that throught it we shoulde be confirmed in fayth towardes hym and shoulde dye more and more to sinnes and liue more fully in hym is so peruerted that of goddes instituciō it is made a playn inuention of manne and suche one that men trust moste in it against God and our Lorde Christe For thorowe thys worke of the masse thei are made more careles and stronger in theyr synnes and contempte of Christe thynkynge that by that ceremonie the wrath of God is turned from them and all other euilles That the grace of God is gotten to them and all blisfulnes though thorowe theyr whole lyfe they be agaynste God and abuse all thynges agaynst God and that wythout anie earnest thoughte of repentaunce Wherefore the preachers shall enstruct the people wyth al diligence of this vngodlie truste of the worke and sacrifice of a priest and they shall call them frō the same by all maner of wayes And where as the holie fathers call the ministration of thys Sacrament a sacrifice and oblation and wryte sometyme that the priest in administrynge the supper offereth Christe let the preachers knowe and teache other when neede shall be that the holie fathers by the name of a sacrifice vnderstode not application whiche was deuised a great whyle after the fathers and preuaised wyth other abuses but a solemne remembraunce of the sacrifice of Christe as Augustine expouneth it For whyle the supper of the Lorde is ministred as the Lorde instituted it the sacrifice of Christe is celebrated and exhibited therein thorowe the preachynge of his death and distribution of the sacramentes that al they whiche rightly vse the holie supper receiue the fruit of this sacrifice The pastours shall warne moreouer that it is no smal abuse of thys Sacrament that it is wonte to be set forth and caried about to be gased vpō and to be worshypped wyth golde and syluer and other suche carnall ornamentes and that wyth thys opinion as though thys cariynge aboute and shewing forth and outwarde worshppyng of the Sacramēt were able to turne away all incōmodities though they do not once thynke of true repentaunce of sinnes fayth in our Lorde Iesus Christ Wherfore we wyl in anie wyse that the pastours hereafter set not forth nor cary about the Sacramēt wyth lyke diligence they shal teache the people that the Lorde instituted and commended to all that beleue in hym both partes of the Sacrament the cuppe no lesse then the bread that in them they might receyue his bodie and bloude For thus it is in Paule I receyued of the Lorde that that I deliuered also vnto you But the Apostle deliuered to the whole congregation of the Corhinthians the communion aswell of the cup as of the breade Wherefore some make a rashe and a lyght argumēt that the Lorde in his supper gaue the whole Sacrament to his Apostles whiche were all priestes and that we can not gather therof that the cuppe must be also gyuē to the lay mē For in thys Sacrament saith S. Chrisostome and that out of the testimonies of the
holie scripture the priestes haue nothyng more then the lay men but all thynges are commune to both and one breade of the Lorde and one cuppe is sette before al men togyther and equally Thus the Lorde instituted thus the olde churche obserued alwayes Therefore none other thynge coulde be instituted of mē neither dyd the fathers euer institute anie other thynge But in these later tymes when the gouernours of congregations dyd vtterlie neglecte theyr office thys abuse crepte in secretely that in the holy supper the Lordes breade onely should be distributed whether priestes or laye men dyd communicate But that all the abuses that haue crepte into thys Sacrament maye be vtterly takē away and rooted vp by the true vse of thys Sacrament whiche the Lorde hym selfe cōmaunded the pastours and preachers shall diligently warne and exhort the people that as often as they come togyther to the holie supper of the Lorde with the bretherne they gyue them selues wholy to the Lorde to be his disciples that they thynke that all his wordes be spoken vnto them and that they beleue them certeynely that they feruently desire the communion of the Lorde to be encreased in them and that they receyue the same offered in the Sacramēt wyth a faithfull and thankeful minde briefely that they euer go forwarde in the faith of Christ and in the whole newe lyfe wyth Christ neither stande there as dispisers of so great gyftes whiche in the holie supper be offered to all that are present nor make to them selues an hurtfull spectacle of a blessed teaste Surely he that is not meete to receyue the Sacrament is not meete neither to praye wyth the cōgregation as S. Chrisostome doth rightly gather Thys Sacrament is not only the meate of the stronger but also the medicine of the weake onely lette no man receyue it whiche sticketh in synnes agaynste his conscience For he that cōtinueth in such sinnes wyll not lyue in Christe the Lorde he refuseth his communion in dede and vtterly renounceth Christ and his kyngdome Wherfore he must absteyne frō those Sacramētes in whiche the cōmunion of Christe is exhibited And such sticke also in the condemnation of hell and haue no parte in the kyngdome of Christe Wherfore they can neither be present nor ought to be present at the holie supper nor pray wyth the congregation For no man that determineth to continue in open synnes and in the despite of God can call vpon God his father wyth true fayth and praye for the sanctification of his name the commyng of his kyngdome and obedience of his wyll But they that repent them selues of theyr synnes that desire the grace of God and reteyne the cōmunion and lyfe in Christe our Lorde and wishe the same to be encreased in them neither be commaunded by the congregation to absteyne these men I saye maye muche lyfte vp and conforte them selues wyth fayth and kendle them selues wyth the desire of a newe lyfe thorowe the participation of Sacramentes at euerie supper whereat they be present Therfore they ought not in anie wyse to despice so great bountuousnes of Christ the Lorde beinge freely offered to them but 〈◊〉 ther receyue it wyth mooste feruent 〈◊〉 and great thankefulnes remembryng 〈◊〉 blessed worde of the Lorde alluryng● 〈…〉 to him Come vnto me al ye that 〈…〉 Item take eate thys is my bodie 〈…〉 of thys al thys is my bloude etc. 〈…〉 thys meate and drynke he truly refresheth and receyueth vs vnto euerlastyng lyfe The fathers in the primitiue church which obserued the Apostles tradition estemed so muche these wordes of Christ that they excōmunicated them that were present at the Lordes supper and woulde not be parte takers of the sacramentes wyth the rest For thys cause was that ordeined that we reade distinct ij of the cōstitutions whē the consecration is ended let al cōmunicate they that wil not let them not come into the temple For so the Apostles ordeyned and the holie Romaine churche holdeth Lo this decree speaketh of one consecration and it requireth that al that be present do cōmunicate and that vndre the payne of excōmunication It witnesseth also that the Apostles so constituted whiche had receiued it of the Lorde Item that the Romaine church doth so holde which thinge also al other cōgregations obserued as many as had ●eteined thordinaūce of the lorde of thapostles This is the cause why S. Chrisostome so sore rebuked thē whiche in his cōgregation taried in the temple at the celebration of the Lordes supper yet did not cōmunicate and he saied that they stode at the Lordes supper vnshāfastly and stubburnly and not wythout the dispite of Christ and cōtempt of his so great bountuousnes which he offereth vs in the holie supper For thei that be not the mēbres of Christ neither of true repētaūce and griefe of their synnes seeke renuinge of lyfe in Christe but wil cōtinue in their sinnes willingly or haue offended the cōgregation of Christe with so greuous sinnes that except they first repent and approue them selues wyth a better lyfe thei cā not come to the Lordes borde al these whiles the Lordes moste holy supper is ministred oughte to be awaye and not once to beholde the Sacrament of the Lorde as S. Chrisostome with greate grauitie warneth and that out of the deede and wordes of the Lorde whiche as he hym selfe did so he cōmaunded that this supper shoulde not be celebrated but wyth his disciples wyth suche I saye which haue gyuen them selues to his worde which desire remission of synnes and saluation out of true repētaunce and griefe of synnes which be made part takers of the newe Testamēt and be the sonnes of God Al which thinges as we shewed before are cōprehēded in the very wordes of the Lorde As the pastours then muste deligently teache and dissuade them whiche wyth the rest of the congregation can not communicate bycause they sticke in open synnes that they be not present at the holie supper and testifie vnto them that if they stande at the supper wyth suche a mynde they do spite vnto Christe and that it shall be damnation vnto them So they muste also diligently warne and exhort them which wyth a good conscience may be present at the supper that is to saye whiche truly beleue in Christ the Lorde that they receyue the Sacramentes wyth other membres of Christe But forasmuch as thys institution of the Lorde that all they whiche be present at the same supper of the Lorde should communicate of one breade and cuppe his bodie and bloude is to muche out of vse and couered a greate whyle sithens thorowe commune ignoraunce it shall be needefull to call men backe agayne treateably and gently to the obseruation of thys tradition of the Lorde and they muste beware that the myndes of the simple whiche neuertheles be the true disciples of the Lorde and are entangled in no mischiuous and wycked actes for the whiche they shoulde be restrayned from the Lordes
a lesson these two exercises must be diligently retained namely that the childrē do euer declare the constructiō of the text and also adde the rules so that they recite the coniugations and declinations and shewe the rules of the same In this exercise of repetinge and examininge a lerned and faithful master shal teach how manie waies the same sentence maye be spoken in latine with such declaracions of the propriete and elegancie of the latine toung they shal cause more plentious fruit than may be here fully expressed But this matter consisteth altogether in the faythfulnes and dexterite of the master Wherfore men thoroughly learned faythfull and prompte in teachinge must be sought furth to haue the gouernance of scholes cheifely in greate townes In thys fourme there shal be a certayne howre appoynted euerye weeke at whyche howre the childrē shal reherse wythout boke the rules of grammar that they forget them not The masters maye also change thir lectures and in the howre deputed to virgil expoune Tullies epistles In thys furme also euerie childe shall write and delyuer euery weeke a latine Epistle that together thei may learne both to speake to write latyne The fourth fourme shal be of thē whiche haue lerned theyr grammare rules and construction and haue attained a metly good latyne toung To thē afterwarde some logike shal be red as the logik of Cesarius Philip or Sturmius and some easie accentinge as of Murmelius or some other lyke In thys fourme more ouer some bookes of Ouides Metamorphosis de Pōto and Tullies offices shal be red The childrē of this fourme shal also be sterred vp to write verses which they shall deliuer to the master euerie month But forasmuch as manie be of that nature that thei lern to mak verses with much difficultie the shole master shal vse such moderacion in requiringe thys studie that he maye exercise euerie one in that that he shall perceyue the nature of euerie one to preuaile in Howe be it he shall exhorte the dulle also to this arte that thei do not vtterly caste a waie thys art for the greate profite which it hath vndoubtedly But they shall stirre them to trauaile furth as much as they canne and to write some verses though they be but fewe For this exercise maketh perfite grammarians and putteth the youth in remembraūce of manie necessarie thinges of figures of sōdrie wayes to speake latine and fedeth maruailously copie of latine speach Two howres a weeke shal suffice for the readinge of logike But whan it is ended it must be begonne a gayne At other howres the master shal interprete to theim to whom logike is red the greke grammare if they be fitte for that purpose whan he hath ended the grammare he shal expoune Hesiodus or Phocilides or some like thinge as a wise master shal percieue to be profitable for the children But the exercises of grammar rules and construction shal not be omitted in thys fourme but shal be vsed in the repeticion of Ouide These be the lectures whiche maye conuenently be reade the seconde thirde fifte and sixte daye of the weke For seinge that christiā scholes ought chifely to serue for the mainteinaunce and furtheraūce of the knowlege of God among men and to retaine and promote the doctrine of Christe and the hole true Christian religion we wyll and commaund that vpon the furth daie of the weke the schole cease frō other lectures and exercises and that thys daye be bestowed vpon teaching the catechisme and demaūde what the chilhren canne saye therein And we wyll do oure endeuoure that some commē and vniforme Catechisme shal be vsed thorought the hole diocese For we must not graunte to the scholemasters that euerie one shall make a newe catechisme but we wyll that they all vse the receyued whiche they shal so decylre and beate in to children that the youth maye be kepte and euer furthered in the syncere knowlege of Christ in fayth and communion of the congregacion And the selfe same doctrine must be taught in the scholes and in the cōgrgaciōs Which thinges the ouerseers of the congregacions shal cheifly loke to Furthermore the scholemayster shal exhorte his elder sholars to the communion of the Lords supper but let him first enstructe them diligently of this sacrament and examen them Finally in this fourth daye of the weke whan the catechisme shabe handled let eueri childe of the lowest fourme be hearde whether he can faye in latine and in hys mother toung the partes of the catechisme that is to saye the Lordes praier the crede the ten commaundmentes the wordes of baptisme and of the Lordes supper and of discipline and christian correction as they are wrytten Math. xviij Vpon the same day the schole master shal grammatically interprete to hys elder sholers and to suche as canne attaine to it the Gospel of the sondaye nexte folowyng and shal declare the sume of that lesson to them and shewe them what thinges are touched therein concerninge faith and other vertues that the scholemaster and the youth may accustome them selues to knowe more certainly and to serch out more religiousli the thiuges that be taught in the Gosples lette the Saturday be bestowed vpon Musike that vpon that daye the rules of Musike may be taught and the yong men enstructed and exercised to singe cheifely those songes which vpon the nexte sondaye shal be sounge in the temple For scholemaysters and scholars must not only be present at the songes in the congregacions befor other but they must al so beare the cheifeste stroke not only vpon holie dayes but also vpon other dayes whā there shal be holye assembles as it shal be appointed after the cōdicion and commodites of euerie place In this mater suche moderacion must be kept that the childrens heath be not hurted in the winter thorought colde if they be deteined to long in the temple and that they be not so occupied in singinge that theyr study of lerninge be hindred It pertaineth also to the maintenaunce and encrese of grauite and religion in temples that to sondrie and longe songes be not vsed But these thinges and suche other that pertaine to the dignitie of holie assembles edificaciō of the people of Christ the visiters shal appoint accordinge to the oportunitie of euerie place ¶ Of the schole of deuinitie But for maiteinaunce of Christean doctrine and holesome administration of churches those firste beginninges are not onely required whyche be gotten in the scholes of children but furthermore it is necessarie that men giuen theym selues altogether to lerne perfetly the vniuersal scripture of the prophetes and the Apostles and to excusse al the hearde questions whyche haue exercised the churche from the begninge Item to knowe the waye and meane whereby the holy fathers in theyr time defēded the Lordes truth in the cōgregacion and kepete the same pure vnto vs and finallye howe we maye in our time defende and retaiue the same That there maye bee