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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
lord_n	believe_v	faith_n	word_n	11,191	5	4.5836	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A01148	The conuersion of a most noble lady of Fraunce In Iune last past, 1608. Madame Gratiana, wife to the high and mightie lord; Claudius, Lord of Tremoille; Duke of Thouars; peere of Fraunce, and Prince of Talmonde. A most Christian epistle, written by her, to the ladyes of Fraunce, to resolue them in the cause of her conuersion from popery, to the the profession of Gods Gospell: and aduising them to imitate her religious example. Truely translated out of French.	Tremoille, Charlotte Brabantina, Duchess of, 1580-1631.; Munday, Anthony, 1553-1633.	1608 (1608)	STC 11262; ESTC S102563	29,611	56

a meere imagination of For the promise wherein Iesus Christ offered vnto vs his body and bloud vnder the signes of bread and wine appertaineth to none else as hath beene already prooued but onely vnto the faithfull that receiue the same by faith in the lawfull communion of the Euchariste celebrating the mysterie according to the manner as our heauenly Maister did ordaine it Wherfore they which imagine to haue any other thing then common bread without the lawful vse of our Lords Supper are but abused and beleeue meere dreames as it can be no otherwise because they faile of the promise For seeing that Iesus Christ promised vs to giue vs his body in the Sacrament when the faithfull should communicate together after his institution we may not be so vain or idle-headed as to seeke it elsewhere or according to our fantasies Let such men therfore be admonished that they cannot excuse themselues of idolatry both before God and men when they are made to worshippe as if God himselfe were substantially present a round cake of bread which is lifted vp to be seen aboue the shoulders of the Priest and with exceeding great deuotion to be reuerenced and adored of all there present But Ladies I haue held ye somewhat long in this point because it is of such maine importance yet perswading my selfe to haue said sufficient albeit not halfe so much as I could I will proceed to discouer another wicked Idolatry which they procure the poore people to commit euen without so much as thinking theron And that is wheras in their Masse they should obserue the communion in that kinde as our Lord Iesus Christ did first institute it by inniting the people to communicate with the Preist they fly from his example and indeed once a yeare they are contented to doe so and that is at Easter for then the people shall bee permitted to communicate and yet it is but of one moitie onely of the Sacrament wherein likewise they intermingle many fond inuentions yea and all the accustomed superstitions of their ordinarie Masses without expounding or declaring any part of the mistery to the people According to the institution of our Lord in the Sacrament they should inuite the people and breaking the body of Christ after his example it should be truely giuen to the faithfull Communicants according to the promise of our Sauiour Notwithstanding all this they will obserue their owne deuised manner wherein they can no way exempt themselues from being Idolaters and making the people to commit Idolatry in their giuing worship to the bare signe The reason is because Iesus Christ in the Sacrament gaue his bodie to be lookte vpon with our soules eyes and not to be superstitiously adored in the bread which is no more but the outward signe and by faith to bee eaten to euerlasting life For worthy Ladyes Christ did not say looke vpon this bread then take eate and worship it but he simply said Take eate this is my body Therefore whereas the Sacrament should bee a helpe to list vp the vnderstanding of the faithfull vnto heauen where Christ Iesus is and no where else as concerning his true body from thence giues himselfe in powerfull vertue to enioy and possesse the soules of the faithfull vnder those formes by himselfe assigned your Romanists doe abuse the Supper very vildlie and take it in a quite contrary nature for they are onely pleas'de with looking vpon the bare signe and worshiping it taking the thing it selfe for that which is meerely signified thereby answerable to their doctrine of Transubstantiation meerely forged against the true nature of all Sacraments They seeke not to eleuate mens vnderstandings to the place where Christ sitteth at the right hande of his Father but to lift vp their eies to their God-like Idoll Whereas Christ without all doubt in instituting this Sacrament neuer addressed his promise to the bread and wine simply thereby to make them become his body and bloud as hath beene before declared But to the faithfull communicants and so thereby to assure them that he would giue them the true participation and communion of his body answerable to that which the blessed Apostle S. Paule saith he being a most faithfull expositor of this misterie The Cup of blessing which we blesse is it not the Communion of the blood of Christ The bread which we breake is it not the Communion of the bodie of Christ Me thinkes honorable Ladies these words should resolue you that Christ hath comprised nothing else vnder these signes and elements of bread and wine but what was behoouefull for the faithfull communicants to whom the plaine signification directeth it selfe and whereof true faith dooth make them partakers to vnice themselues spiritually with a meruailous efficacy into the glorious body of our Lord Iesus Christ to participate in the end of all his benefits and deriue from him life and immortality In these fewe words vertuous Ladies you may behold both what we teach and beleeue that our feeding on Christ is by faith onely that is in beleeuing the words of our Sauiour in the vse of the Sacrament wherby we are drawne much neerer to him and more stricktly vnited and incorporated euen by the incomprehensible vertue of his spirit to communicate and partake of all the benefits of his death and to be renewed by him and nourished vnto euerlasting life vntill such time as he shall put vs into full possession that is at the departure of our soules from this world and when our bodyes shall arise againe at the day of our generall resurrection This is the fruit which we make account of and are perswaded to gather out of this Sacrament and wherevnto faith serues vs as the onely instrument Euen as with hand eyes and mouth to beholde take and eate Iesus Christ without any need of his forsaking the heauens or of his reall appearance vnder the formes of bread and wine and so to communicate himselfe vnto vs. Wherefore to go and adore the signe as if the signe onely were Iesus Christ himselfe Or that hee should descend downe from heauen and be newely formed for one of these twoo must needs ensue by their transubstantiation which we mayntaine to be flat Idolatry Neuerthelesse we are taught in Scripture that Iesus Christ ought to be adored in the Sacrament and we doe dayly and religiously worshippe him as being most especially present in the holy action euen in our spirits and faith to vnite vs vnto him and to impart his blessings to vs when the Supper is celebrated according to his institution and wee endeuour to haue it so stil continued and ministred among vs. But the manner of our worshippe and adoration is in hauing our soules eleuated vp to heauen and thither true faith is our onely conduct there to behold him as our soueraigne assurance We looke not for him in the naked elemēts of bread and wine

THE Conuersion of a most Noble Lady of Fraunce In Iune last past 1608. Madame Gratiana wife to the high and mightie Lord Claudius Lord of Tremoille Duke of Thouars Peere of Fraunce and Prince of Talmonde A most Christian Epistle written by her to the Ladyes of Fraunce to resolue them in the cause of her Conuersion from Popery to the profession of Gods Gospell And aduising them to imitate her Religious example Truely translated out of French Magna est veritas praeualet Esdras 3. AT LONDON Printed by Thomas Purfoot for Nathaniell Butter and are to be sold at his shoppe at S. Austens Gate at the signe of the Pyde Bull. 1608. ⸪ To the right Worshipfull Sir Iohn Swynnerton Knight Alderman of London and true louer of learning Also to the most vertuous Ladie his wife All happinesse hartily wisheth SIr I am so bolde as to present you and your worthy Lady with a most memorable and iudicious labour of a Ladie lately conuerted from the dimme and grosse errours of superstitious Poperie to the profession of Gods true Religion and holie Gospell The reason of her Conuersion and many palpable abuses besides blasphemies and sacriledges committed in Poperie Shee hath set downe in an excellent Epist le and sent the same to her wonted friends and familiars the Ladies of Fraunce to encourage them in the imitation of this her godly example My vnfained loue to your Worship your louing Ladie and all yours I trust shall pleade my pardon for this presumption In hope whereof most humblie I commit you all to the heauenlie protection To those mis-led Ladies and Gentlewomen of England whome seducing Seminaries and Popish Priests haue too much preuailed withall to the great danger of their soules if they continue still in blindnes LAdies and Gentlewomen this Eipstle of a most honourable French Ladie and Duchesse by mee presents it selfe to your gentle pervsing I would my prayers or ought else in me could so farre preuaile with you as but to reade ouer this her learned labour in steede of those other abusing Bookes which your falsly named ghostly Fathers in secret bestowe on you Then should I haue no doubt but Gods good spirit speaking by this Lady to you would open both your eyes and vnderstanding to let you see the great danger of your enemies seducing and call you home in time to the sheepefolde of faith euen by her vertuous and religious example that hath soworthily led the way before you The Booke it selfe speakes much better things vnto yee then any way I am able to doe therefore to it and Gods assisting grace in and by it most humbly I leaue you AN EXCELLENT Epistle or exhortatorie Letter written by Madame Gratiana wife to the high and mightie Lord Claudius Lord of Tremoille Duke of Thouars Peere of Fraunce and Prince of Talmond To all the honorable Ladies of Fraunce To resolue them in the cause of her conuersion from Poperie and aduising them to imitate her religious example GRacious and Honorable Ladies I am sure it hath amazed some of you not a little that I haue forsaken the societie wherein I was woont to meete you and haue drawen vpon my selfe that disgracefull name of an Huguenot for so I heare you please to tearme me and other scandalous imputations wherewith you vpbraide me all which are to me no meane aduantage To resolue you therefore at full of my departing from your companie and requiring withall to forbeare your daily sollicitations to realter me peruse but this short discourse which I send vnto you and then I doubt not but in some measure you will rest satisfied After God had determined in his good time to withdrawe me out of the sinck of sinne and idolatrie to incorporate me in the communion of his Sonne within the bosome of his sanctified Church the refuge for all them that desire saluation and where I wish and desire in soule that I could embrace you all After I say God had thus disposed of my absolute conuersion notwithstanding my many reuoltes and back slidings by your Letters wherewith I was continually laboured and other meanes of no small moment I fell vpon my knees and as the blessed Virgin Marie said in her Song at that heauenly salutation brought her by the Angell Gabriell euen so I spake to my God in my soule Be it Lord vnto me according to thy word And calling to remembraunce that in the last conference we had together you stoode vpon certaine points of Religion wherewith you pressed me very narrowly and I could not then so readily answere you I entreate yee to receiue therein satisfaction from me now and to perswade your selues withall that it is Gods cause I take vpon me a weake woman to defend and he will thorowly strengthen me against all resistaunces And since it hath pleased him to vse my poore seruice if not in this cleare light of his Gospell to aduaunce the same as I could wish yet at least like a willing labourer to bring stones and rubble to supply the building you shall perceiue what knowledge his grace hath confirmed in me which I wish were as liberallie engrasted into you that our harts being enflamed with the desire of his glorie we might all be of one minde in our Lord sesus expecting his comming to enlarge and release vs. Pardon me then most Honorable and worthy Ladies if I make plaine and lay open to you I will not say the simple abuses but the wicked superstitious and blasphemous I dolatries which are daily practised and vsed in your Romaine Church only thereby to ouerthrowe the true seruice and worship of the euerliuing God And alb eit the number of these iniuries are infinite sufficient to fill a verie large and great volume and whereof some of you haue in priuate tolde me your mislike yet at this time according to my promise in our last consultation I will deale with the very cheefest abuse of all euen that which is intruded by Sathans instigation into the most excellent and principall seruice of God by you and by my selfe heeretofore tearmed the Masse Perswading my selfe that when I haue as it were with my finger pointed at the blasphemies idolatrie and manifest sacriledges therein committed you will suffer your eyes to be no longer blinded with the pompe and exteriour deuotion of such deceiuers but rather that you will awaken your better iudgements and looke into the impietie and prophanation which lies masked vnder so hideous a Monster And I will shape mycourse and methode by euerie abuse in his succinct place and ranck and according as the nature of so weake an Epistle will best beare it They teach you that in the Masse Priests doe daily sacrifice and offer vp the bodie of our Lord Iesus Christ to God the Father to deface and expiate not only the sinnes of the Priest that makes the offring but likewise of the people who are his assistants at the celebration of the

not then your faire selues guiltie of such foule and polluted behauiour nor be you present where Christs name is misprised erecting another Altar against the Altar of his Crosse and renewing his sacrifice by substitution of a newe one as if his were but a yeare old or like to the sacrifices of brut beastes lame or imperfect Or as if the means which he hath ordained for the application thereof as the preaching of the Gospell and administration of his instituted Sacraments were insufficient to conuay their vertue vnto vs. For this is the fairest fruite of their pretended sacrifice that the reiteration and daily renewing thereof is branded with the marke of insufficiencie and imperfection as you heare the Apostle to auouch the same when he speakes of the sacrifices of the old Lawe which were performed often True it is that they would faine ground their sacrifice vpon Gods word but good Ladies marke in what manner I beseech you and be Iudges your selues for the case is very cleare Behold say they Iesus Christ making his Supper with his Apostles said Doe this in remembraunce of me Doe that is as much to say according to their glosse as make or performe this sacrifice because that Christ had said before This is my bodie which is giuen for you But if it pleased them to read all they should better perceiue the words and meaning of our Sauiour which indeed are nothing lesse then agreeing with their glossing The Euangelists doe record vnto vs that our Lord Iesus hauing taken bread and giuen thankes brake it and said to his Disciples Take cate this is my bodie which is giuen for you doe this in the remembraunce of me And how doe this why no otherwise but euen to doe it in the same manner that is to say To take the bread and distribute it among them to be eaten for no other mention is made there either of offering or of sacrificing For you see sweete Ladies that Christ himselfe vsed no other words but Take and eate And the holy Apostle Saint Paule doth sufficiently shewe vs that of these words doe this there is no other vnderstanding to be made but that which hath bin declared alreadie For in speaking of the wine at the same Supper he reciteth likewise the same words spoken by our Lord Iesus Christ Doe this alwayes and as oftentimes as you shall drinke in remembraunce of me Which importeth as much as if he had said Alwayes or as oft entimes as you shall drinke of this wine in this Sacrament Drinke it in remembrance of me that this may be in remembraunce of my Death or continue as a memoriall thereof Which manner or phrase of speaking the Apostle himselfe adioyneth in the following verse For alwayes or as oftentimes as you shall eate of this bread and drinke of this Cuppe you shall shewe the Lords death vntill he come Consider now good Ladies I beseech you that these are none of our glosses but the very expresse text it selfe where you see manifestly by Saint Paules owne exposition what thing it is the Lord would haue vs to doe concerning as well the people as the Pastour For the commandement Doe this directeth it selfe to all the faithfull to wit That we should eate this bread of the Sacrament and drinke the wine in remembraunce of his death and passion According as the words doe signifie themselues when he spake of his bodie which is broken and giuen for you and likewise of his bloud which is shed or dispersed for you All which he spake hauing regard to that which soone after should ensue His bodie was to be deliuered ouer to death and his bloud to be shed vpon the Crosse for vs poore wreched and miserable sinners And the reason why he spake so of the time present which is giuen which is shed is the common Latine verssion or translation allowed by the Counsell of Trente expressing thereby the time to come which shall be giuen which shall be s●…ed then which nothing can be more manifest honored Ladies if it pleased you but to open your owneeies For then you should perceiue that there Christ made on mention of offering And if they would presse these words which is giuen to conclude thereby that euen then when Iesus made his Supper he offered vp his bodie in sacrifice Of necessitie and by the selfe same reason they must also conclude these words my bloud which is shed that euen then he did shed his bloud which cannot be neither could be for his bloud was not shed but vpon the Crosse Good Madames entreat the very learnedst of your Romaine Sacrificers to shew vs but one place in the Scripture where it is commaunded vs to sacrifice Iesus Christ againe For the place rehearsed maketh not any iote for them and they know likewise well enough that the Greeke word Poiein vsed by the Euangelists reciting the words of our Lord and Sauiour and Saint Paule after them Also the word in the Siriack tongue Habad which our Lord himselfe vsed could neuer be vnderstood to Sacrifice or Offer Goe we on then to some other proprieties of the Masse I come now to the Idolatrie which we find in the second part of the Masse to wit at the Sacrament and that is in this They propose or hold vp a piece of bread to the people to be adored and worshipped by them for God saying That there is the blessed bodie of our Sauiour hidden vnder the accidents of bread although it doe not appeare to be so and the faithfull can discerne but bread only To prooue their idolatrie in this point I will goe no whither else but to the direct institution of the Supper according as our Lord himselfe did institute it which they altogether depraue only to confirme and establish their Idoll wherein gentle Ladies I craue not only your patience but also your dilligent regard Behold how Iesus Christ promiseth vs that we shall be partakers of his bodie and of his bloud At all times or as oftentimes as we shall celebrate this misterie according as he did celebrate the same with his Apostles In distributing the bread he said Take eate this is my bodie which is given for you doe this in remembrance of me Likewise in deliuering the wine he said Drinke you all of this for this is my bloud c. where we may discerne that he putteth the commaundement in the first place in saying to vs that we shall take eate and drinke Then he annexeth the promise wherein he testifieth vnto vs that that which we eate is his bodie and that which we drinke is his bloud To enjoy then the effect and benefit of this promise it behooueth that the faithfull doe take and eate the bread drinke the wine which is giuen to them In briefe there is the communion of many faithfull in doing that which Iesus Christ representing to the whole Church did performe in

this first Supper For that which Iesus Christ said to his Apostles Take eate drink ye all of this he spake the very same to all the faithfull euen to the ending of the world As that which he adioyneth sufficiently declareth My body which is giuen for you My bloude which is shed for you so is his bodie giuen and his bloud shed for the faithfull Hence then ensueth that to all the faithfull appertaineth the commaundement of taking eating and drinking because he made the promise generally to all and not only to the Apostles Ministers of the Church And we may see this testified by the Apostle Saint Paule speaking at large vpon this misterie these are his words For we that are many are one bread and one bodie because we all are partakers of one bread Wherefore Ladies it appeareth plainly that the bodie of Iesus Christ and the communion of his bloud likewise are not to be giuen to vs in this Sacrament but when many faithfull shall communicate together according as Christ deliuered vs an example with his Apostles Take away then the communion which Iesus Christ himselfe hath ordained he being the heauenly Lord Maister and Author of this holy Sacrament And then the promise there unto annexed touching his body bloud which he hath giuen for all faithfull communicants hath no place at all but is vtterly voide For it remaineth no longer a Sacrament nor as he ordained it because the right vse of the Sacrament consisteth heerein that the faithfull should communicate together according as he hath commanded saying Take eate drinke yee c. this must be done vpon necessitie if you would haue it to be a Sacrament or the same which Iesus Christ hath instituted namely the communion of many faithfull assistants to eate and drinke all together in this blessed banquet for this is the essence of the Sacrament as you may discerne very apparantly Let vs now come to see what is done in the Masse Surely good Ladies it is so farre off from being any communion as it may be rather tearmed a kind of excommunication For both you and I know and so do all else that know what the Masse is that the Priest separates himselfe from all therest of the assemblie to eate and drinke by him selfe alone the bread and wine which he hath consecrated a part and how doth he consecrate them Insted of consecration which ought to be done by preaching and publishing openly and aloude the promises of our Lord and Sauiour directed not to the bread and to the wine which are proposed but as signes vnto vs But to the faithfull persons assisting the communion present there to communicate Iesus Christ being he that euen then consecrates the bread wine to make them Sacraments of his bodie and bloud by his heauenly Priesthood which yet ceaseth not and when this misterie is celebrated according to his institution But the Priest deales quite contrarie for he as if he were affraid to be heard of the people makes his consecration by blowing or breathing vpon the bread and wine and mutters or mumbles very softly and low all the words of his institution As if it could please the Lord of truth and life to haue his word murmured out of a dead mouth as it were in celebrating his sanctified misteries of whose truth by this behauiour there iustly may arise some doubt or question Or as if it were offence to him that stands in feare of no power whatsoeuer to haue them pronounced with the loudest voyce to be heard and vnderstood of all In the Gospel the vertue nature and vse of Baptisme are expressed clearely and openly Iesus Christ making his Supper did not mutter in any lowe voyce either vpon the bread or wine to deuine or coniure therinto his bodie and bloud But he pronounced aloude and euidently to his Apostles That he gaue them there his body and his bloud exhorting them to perseuere in the selfe same kinde of action at all times or as often as they should meete to reiterate the same The remembrance of his death and passion Euen as if he had beene then certainely assured that no vtilitie or benefit could be had by Sacraments except whatsoeuer was represented to the eye might bee declared and warranted by the word of God For otherwise it were to abuse the people in a fond kind of deuotion to make a shew of ceremonies before them and neuer to deliuer or declare what they signifie and what coherence or agreement they haue with truth Therefore when publike declaration is made of such mysteries with a chearefull predication to edifie the hearers entring into their vnderstanding and winning impression in their hearts by assured perswasion of the promises accomplishment Briefely when the grace of Iesus Christ is pronounced vnto vs and his promises exposed Euen then and in that instant doth his glorious power descend to performe the worke and then is the true consecration acted indeed Hereupon Saint Augustine saith very well That the word of consecration is the word of faith preached And that word conioyned with the terrene outward signe maketh the same a sacrament Adding presently after I meane the word of faith which we preach What consecration then is there in the Masse when insteed of all this namely exposing to the people the recited promises and declaring aloud the words of our Sauiours institution it is done in a manner of secret coniuration and so are the words whispered which behauiour is more proper to charmers then to be vsed in such a holy and diuine Sacrament What shall wee then thinke of them when they dare forsake the rule of their Lord and Maister to follow their owne fantasies Seing then it is so and that in the Masse there is neither any lawfull consecration nor as themselues cannot deny any such Communion as Iesus Christ hath ordained for one alone doth both eate and drinke and that is the priest and one man alone cannot make a Communion It followeth then deere Ladyes and very necessarily that the body of Iesus Christ is not in the Masse where the Priest communicateth by himselfe And therefore the bread which he makes to bee adored then euen as if it were the body indeed of our Lord is no such matter but remaineth still very bread euen as it was before his consecration being neyther more or lesse then as if it were in any other place out of the Churches assembly and the Priests and whosoeuer for his owne pleasure should speake the very same words of their institution vpon any other piece of bread And although they perswade themselues that they haue and do hold in their hands the very body of Iesus Christ vnder the bread or in the bread and therefore make the people to worship it yet it is most certaine that there is nothing else but an Idoll and which without any reason they make

and bee barde wholy from them both For diuision or separation in so sanctified a misterie cannot be committed without very great Sacriledge Another Canon speaketh thus You are with vs in the Challice Wee take this altogether wee doe drink together for we live together And another The priesls which serue at the Eucharist shall distribute the bloud of our Lord to the people there for so he calleth the Sacrament of the bloud Whether can they now betake themselues to seeke for purgation of sacriledge being thus therein condemned by their owne Popes Now honourable and renowned Ladyes by these grosse and most absurde abuses which I haue beene so bold as to lay open to you in this Popish kinde of seruice called the Masse filled full with notorious blasphemies Idolatries and sacriledges as I haue in some weake measure shewen vnto you and in the order as they are rancked you may guesse what a many more there are beside which would aske a larger repetition then this poore Epistle of mine at this time can permit mee Let me put the case to your owne iudgement whether the Masse may be thought to be any lawfull Communion in your Church or no Surely were it but in regard of these alleaged abuses wher of there wants not store besides me thinkes you should abstaine from partaking with such abhominations Considering that in shaking hands with such foule deformed sinnes you pollute your soules with all impieties and by your publike profession of them you consent and adhere to all their blasphemies albeit you are vtterly ignorant of them For heere they meete in a full crowde together and to all of them you cry your selues guilty when you seeke no way to escape out of sinfull Sodome though the flames flye daily and flashe into your faces And I am well assured that some of you are of my minde in many of these recited abuses concerning the Masse though as I haue done you will not yet openly expresse it yea and haue in priuate confessed to mee that your Priests of Romaine pollution doe grosely sinne in infinite superstitions which they colour vnder cloudes of deuotion and sanctitie vsing such Apish carriage and gesticulations both in the celebration of the Masse and their friuolous preachings as are no way conuenable with their profession that are to entreate on the misteries of God And yet in whatsoeuer they doe or say both you and the people doe solemnely assist them as spectatours onely but no vnderstanders and such are the greater part of the assemblie at Masse And because they shall not see into their iugling collusions they can find both their eares eyes and other sences busied with musicke singing and ensensing with diuers other gestures which deliuer some appearance of religious deuotion onely thereby to beguile and retaine simple people And where is all this done but euen in the Church where God is to bee worshipped in spirit and truth and where hee hath ordained the holie assemblie of his Seruants to edifie nourish all faithfull soules in common and publike praying together according as euerie one may well vnderstand by faithfull expounding and interpreting the word of god concerning those misteries which he hath established in his Church To the end that euerie faithfull man and woman maye there receiue effectuall fruit both for the guyding of their liues in christian conuersation and consolation of their soules here and in heauen Into which Church of God swept cleane and purged from all corrupt pollutions and reformed by the rules of his heauenly prescriptions Honorarable Ladyes I haue at length found the happy entrance where euery dilligent Pastour Preacher doe there paynefull and laborious endeuours to expound deliuer Gods word purely to the people And that they may easily vnderstand what is sayde vnto them both for the edification of their faith and further instruction in all piety and wherof I myselfe to my no little comfort haue found a most plentifull encrease among Gods seruaunts into whose fellowshippe I hartilie wish that you were all combined Moreouer among vs there is not so much as one sillable profered either in publike praier or explaining gods word but it is heard vnderstood and most affectuously embraced For nothing is here vttered which hath not his firme fundation on the expresse text of sacred Scripture or what is thence truelie and vnpartiallie deriued necessarilie cohering and agreeing therewith without any repugnancie to the Articles of the Apostles Creede or the direct meaning of the Scriptures For if any of our Pastours shall presume to doe otherwise hee is grieuously censured and reprooued according to good orders established for preseruation of sound doctrine and preuention of intruding mens vaine imaginations As concerning the Sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords Supper for Gods institution allowing no more wee leaue your other fiue viz. Confirmation Penance Extreame vnction Orders and Matrimonie to your Romaine Sinagogue where they were first deuised And these other before named I say are administred in the same kinde and nature as they were wholie receiued from our Lord and Maister without addition of any thing to their wordes or cutting off any part of their ordinance And intelligence is publikely deliuered to the people of the end efficacie and vtilitie of them farre from those vngodly courses practised among you Nor is there any other consecration here vsed but holy and deuout pravers in the presence of God and his heanenly assembly The Pastor declaring openly and not in any muttering or coniuring manner what is then done and how it stands with the wordes and ordinaunce of our Lord Iesus Christ proposing and deliuering the same so audibly that it may bee heard of the whole Congregation and so conueniently in all poyntes applyed that much godly benefite commeth thereby to the assembled soules at the Sacraments Where Iesus Christ doubtlesse doth sanctifie the Table and the Bread and Wine there decently present to make them the Sacraments of his body and bloud when the forme is thus obserued after his owne institution To this Communion of the Lords holie Supper all the people present after exhortation to prepare their comming thither in true repentance and firme faith in Gods promises are freely and verie louingly admitted And none are excluded from this heauenly Banquet but such as are notoriously knowne for prophane people of wicked and vild life or rebellious to all good orders and Discipline established by authoritie and the Reuerend Fathers of the Church whose care and diligence for the good thereof at all times and seasons is very great and painefull And Noble Ladyes the Bread and Wine in all reuerend manner as our Lord appoynted it is round about distributed to euery assistant without impayring the least iote of the institution There is no request made that those things may bee carryed thence by an Angell and presented vpon the high Altar Our soules doe assure vs by a