they calit perfourmed the same and that as in al thynges which he promised he was foūd true so in thys the Catholyke churche hath beleued and doeth beleue no les And therfore so sone as y ◠priest in the masse hath fullye spoken these wordes thys is my body if he purpose or if his intencyō be as he speaketh for that is requisite teach they then y ◠which before was bred and semeth to the eye to be bred is made in rerye dede Chrystes body fleshe bloud and bone euen the selfe same whych was crucifyed rose againe and descended vp into heauen So y ◠he which beleueth not thys is a moste haynous he retyke and cut of from the Catholyke churche and is not mete to receaue thys holy sacrament because he can not wythoute thys fayth of Chrystes natural reall corporal and carnal body vnder the fourme or accident of bred wyne otherwyse receaue thys sacrament then vnworthely and to eternal damnacyon This is a shorte summe of their doctrine concernyng the supper Now concerning the sacrifice they teache that though oure sauyoure hym selfe dyd in dede make a full and perfect sacrifice propiciatorye and satisfactory for the synnes of all the whole world neuer more so that is to say bloudeli to be offred agaie yet in his supper he offred y ◠same sacrifice vnto hys father but vn bloudely that is to say in wyll and desyer whych is accompted often euen for the deed as thys was Whyche vnbloudy sacrifice he commaunded hys church to offer in remembraunce of hys bloudy sacryfyce as the principal meane wherby hys bloudye sacrifice is applyed both to the quick and dead as baptysine is the meane by the whych regene racion is applyed by the prieste to the infaunte or chylde that is baptysed For in that the supper of Chryste is to them not onely a sacramente but also a sacrifyce and that not only applicatorye but also propiciatory because it applyeth the propiciatory sacrifyce of Chryste to whom the pryeste or minister wyll bee he dead or alyue And in that euen from the begynnig the fathers say they were accustomed in the celebracyon of y ◠supper to haue a memorial of the dead ▪ and also in that thys sacrifice is a sacrifice of the whole churche y ◠dead being members of the churche of charitie as they can not but offer for them euen so they can not but pray for them after the en sample of the Catholyke church because it is a wholsome thyng sayeth Iudas Machabeus to pray for the dead that they may be delyuered from theyr synnes Wherevnto all the doctors doe consent say thei Now as for prayeng to saintes they teache that al be it there is but one mediator of Redēpciō yet of intercessyon the holy saits of god departed thys lyfe maye wel be counted mediators And therfore it is a poynt of a lowly hart and humble spirite whiche god wel lyfeth to call vpon the sayntes to pray for vs first lest by our presumpcion to come into gods presence we beeyng so vnworthy and god beyng so excellent and ful of maiestie we more anger and displease god Where as by their helpe god may be intreated to make vs more worthy to come vnto hym and the soner to graunt vs our peticions For if the holye saynctes of God here beeyng vpon the earth coulde would pray for the people obteinyng many thiges at gods hād it is muche more to bee beleued now say they that they can and wyll if we pray to them obteine for vs our humble and godlye desyers And therefore to y e ende ther sacrifice propiciatori which in the masse they offer maye be the more avaylable they vse about it much praying to saintes So of these 4. as of 4. pillours theyr masse standeth The which masse you may se what it is and how precious and worthy a pece of worke it is by theyr doctryne concernynge the supper the sacrifice the praying for the dead to the dead wherof I haue geuen you a Summe in the most honest godly and religious wise that the best of thē doe set it forth in For els if I should haue shewed you thys theyr doctryne as some of them sette it forth as I knowe you would abhorre it so the subtyle papystes would say that I rayled and misreported them Therfore because they shal haue no suche occasyon nor you by their most subtile colours be disceaued I haue in the best maner I canne reported a Summe of theyr doctryne The whyche to the ende you myghte the better consyder and haue I wyll nowe tell you as gods worde teacheth how these foure poyntes are to be beleued and receaued And then wyll I open the fylthines and abomina cyon whyche in thys theyr doctryne is deuellyshly conteined The. 6. Chapter How gods worde teacheth of the supper wyth confutacyon of the Papystes heresie of trāsubst about the same COncernīg y ◠supper of our lorde whych Chryst Iesus did institute to bee a sacrament of hys body bloud we beleue that his wordes in the same supper accordingly are to be vnderstande that is sacramentally as he mēt them and not symply contrarye to hys meanyng as the papistes wrest them And this is taught vs not only by innumerable such lyke places as where baptisme is called regeneracyon beecause it is a sacrament of it circumcision is called gods couenaunt beecause it is a sacrament of it but also by y e playne circumstaunces of y e text as therof the Euangelistes with the Apostle S. Paule doe write playnly affirmyng that our sauyour Chryst did geue and hys disciples did eate that which he toke and brake and bad them deuyde among themselues that is bred and wyne For we maye not thynke that Chrystes natural body was broken nor that his bloud can be deuided And playnly our sauyour sayth concernyng the cupp that he woulde not drynke any more of the frute of the vyne whyche is not hys bloud I trowe but wyne vntyll he shoulde drynke it newe wyth them after hys resurreccyon But to make this mater more playne lyke as many thynges in Chrysts supper were figuratiuely done spoken as y ◠washig of the disciples fete y ◠paschall lābe was called the passyon Iudas was sayd to haue lift vp his hele agaynst hym so doeth Luke and Paul playnly alter the wordes concernyng the cup calling that the new testament whych Matthew and marke cal hys bloude yea expreslye fyue tymes the Apostle calleth the sacramente of Chrysts body after y ◠cōsecraciō spoken as they terme it bred Is not the bred which we breake sayeth he the communyon of Chrystes body Whose exposicion I wil more boldly stycke vnto then vnto all the papistes dreames as long as I slepe not wyth them by gods grace They haue none other sentence but these 4. words this is my body But aske thē what this this
An exhortacion to the carienge of Chrystes crosse wyth a true and brefe confutacion of false and papisticall doctryne ☞ 2. Timo. 3. ☞ All that wyll lyue godly in Chryste Iesu must suffer persecucyon ¶ The holye sprite of God â–ª whiche is his earneste pledge geuen to hys people for their coÌ„fort and consolacion bee poured into our heartes by the mightye power and merites of our alone sauiour Iesus Christ nowe and for euer Amen BEcause I perceaue playnly that vnto the euils falleÌ„ vpon vs whiche professe Chrystes gospel greater ar most lyke to ensue and after them greater tyll y â— measure of iniquitie be vpheaped except we shrynke and hauyng put our hand to y e plough doe loke back and so with Loths wyfe fal into gods heauy displeasure incurably al whiche god forbid and because I am persuaded of you my dearly beloued brethren and sisters through out the Realme of Englande which haue professed vnfeinedly the gospel of our lord and sauyoure Iesus Christ for vnto such doe I wryte thys Epystle or boke howe y t as you haue begonne to take part wyth gods gospell truth so throÌ„ugh hys grace ye wyll persener and goe on forwardes notwythstaÌ„dyng the stormes rysen and to a ryse I can not but wryte some thing vnto you to encourage you to goe on lustelye in the waye of the lord and not to become faint harted or feareful persoÌ„s whose place S. Iohn appoynteth with â—nbeleuers murtherers and idolatours in eternall perdicioÌ„ but cherfully to take the Lordes cup and drynke of it afore it drawe towardes the dregges and botoÌ„ Wherof at leÌ„gth they shal drink wyth the wycked to eternall destruccion which wil not receaue it at the first with gods childreÌ„ wyth whom god begynneth his iudgemente that as the wycked worlde reioyseth whan they lamente so they may reioyce whaÌ„ the wycked world shal mourne and wythoute ende fele woo intolerable The. 1. Chapter ¶ What we be and where we be FIrst therefore my dearlye beloued in the lorde I beseche you to consyder that thoughe ye be in y e worlde yet you are not of y e world you are not of them whych looke for theyr porcion in thys lyfe whose captayne is y e god of thys world euen Satan who nowe rufleth it apace as he wer wood because hys tyme on earth is not long But you are of them whyche loke for a citie of gods own buildyng You are of them whyche know themselues to be here but pilgrems and strauÌ„gers for here you haue no dwellyng place You are of them whose porcion is the lord and which haue their hope in heauen whose captaine is Chryst Iesus the soÌ„ne of god and gouernour of heaueÌ„ earth Vnto hym is geuen all power yea he is god almighty with the father and the holy goste prayse worthy for euer You are not of them whyche receaue the beestes marke whiche here reioice laugh and haue their hartes ease ioye paradise pleasure but you are of them which haue receaued the anÌ„gels marke yea gods marke whyche here lament mourne sigh sobbe wepe and haue your wildernes to wander in your purgatorye and euen hel You are not of them whiche crye let vs eate and drynke for to morow we shall dye You are not of that nomber whiche say they haue made a couenaunte w t death and hell for hurting them You ar not of them whyche take it but for a vayne thyng to serue the lord You ar not of theÌ„ which are lulled and rocked a slepe in Iesabels bed a bed of securitye You are not in the nomber of theÌ„ whych say tush god is in heaueÌ„ and seeth vs not nor muche passeth what we dooe You are not of the nomber of theÌ„ which will fal down for y e mucâ— of y e world to worshyp the feynde or for displeasyng of men to worshyp the golden ymage Finally you are not of the noÌ„ber of them whych set more by their pygges then by Chryste whych for ease and reste in thyâ— lyfe wyl say and doe as Antiochus byddeth them doe or sayr And wyll folowe the multitude to do euil with Zedechias and y â— 300. false prophetes yea Achab Iesabel and y â— whole courte and country But you be of the nomber of them whiche are dead already or at lest in dying daylye to your selues and to the worlde You are of them whyche haue made a couenaunt wyth god to forsake themselues and Sathan in thys world You are of them whyche say nay the lorde hath all thynges wrytten in hys memoriall booke for suche as feare hym and remember hys name You are of them whyche haue their loynes girded aboute and theyr lyghtes burnyng in theyr handes like vnto men that waite for theyr lordes commyng You are in the nomber of them y â— say the lord loketh down froÌ„ heaueÌ„ and beholdeth al the children of men from the habitacion of hys dwelling he considereth al them that dwell vpon the earth You are of the nomber of them which wil worship the only lord god and wil not worshippe the workes of mans handes though the ouen burne neuer so whote You are in the nomber of them to whom Chryst is precious and deare which crye out rather because your habitacion is prolonged here as Dauid did whyche Mattathias folowed and y e godly Iewes whych knew the way to lyfe to be a strayght way and fewe to goe thorow it which wil not stick to folowe poore Miche as althoughe he bee racked and cast into prison hauing y e SoÌ„ne Moone seuen starres and all agaynst him Thus therfore dearly beloued remember firste that as I sayd you are not of thys world Satan is not youre captayne your ioye and paradyse is not here your companyons are not y e multitude of worldlynges and suche as seke to please men and to lyue here at ease in the seruice of Satan But you ar of another world Chryst is youre captayne youre ioye is in heaueÌ„ wher your conuersacion and ciuilite is your coÌ„panions are the fathers patriarkes prophetes apostles Martirs virgins coÌ„fessours and the deare sayntes of god which folowed the lambe whether soeuer he went dipping their garmeÌ„tes in hys bloud knowyng this life and worlde to bee full of euill a warfare a smoke a shadow a vapour and as replenishâ—d so enâ—ironed with al kid of miseries The. 2. Chapter ¶ Persecucyon is not straunge THys is the first thynge I would gaue you often and diligeÌ„tly with your selues to consyder and muse vpoÌ„ namely what you be and where you be Then secondarely forget not to call to mynde that you oughte not to thynte it any straunge thyng if misery trouble aduersite persecucion and displeasure come 〈◊〉 pon you For how can it other wise be but that trouble and
persecucion muste come vpon your Can the worlde loue you whych ar none of 〈◊〉 â—orldiye men are 〈…〉 e 〈…〉 urs of your chefe enemi and can they regarde you Can Satan suffer you to be in reste which wil not doe him homage Can thys way be easye whyche of it selfe is strayght Wyll you loke to trauayll and to haue no foule way nor rayne Wil shypmen shrinke or saylers of y e sea if stormes aryse Doe they not loke for such And dearly beloued dyd not we enter into gods shippe arke of baptisme at the firste Wyll you then count it straunge if perils and tempestes blowe Are not you traueling to your heaueÌ„ly citie of Herusalem where is all ioye and felicite And wyll you nowe tarye by the waye for stormes or showers The marte and fayer wyll then be past the nighte wyll fall ye can not trauayll the dore wylbe sparred the bryde wylbe at supper Therfore away with deyntie nicenes Wyll you thynke the father of heauen wyll deale more gentlye wyth you in thys age then he hath done with other his dearest frendes in our ages What waie and wether what stormes and tempestes what disease trouble and disquie 〈…〉 ies founde Abel Noe 〈◊〉 Isaac Iacob and good Ioseph Whyche of these had so faire a lyfe and restefull tymes as we haue had Moses Aaron Samuel Dauid y e kynge and all the good kynges priests and propheâ—es in the olde testament at one tyme or another if not thorowe â—uâ—e their life did fele a. 1000. partes more misery then we haue feite hetherto As for the newe testamente lord god how great was the affliccion of Mari Ioseph â—achary Elizabeth Iohn Baptist theÌ„ whom among the children of we men none arose greater of al the â—posiles and euangelistes yea of Iesus Christ our lord the deare sonne and dearlyng of god And sithens the time of the apostles how many and great are the nomber of martyrs confessours such as haue suffred the sheding of their bloâ— in this life rather then they woulde be stayned in theyr iourney or lodge in any of Satans ynnes so that the stormes or windes which fel in their trauelynges myghte not touche them Wherfore dearli beloued lette vs thynke what we are and how far vnmete to bee matched wyth these wyth whom yet we loke to be placed in heauen But wyth what face can we loke for thys that are so fearful vnwyllyng and arsward to leus that whych wyll we nyl we we must leaue and that so shortli as we knowe not the tyme whan Where is our abrenouncing and forsakyng of the world and the flesh which we soleÌ„pnely sware in baptisme Ah shamelesse cowardes that we be whyche will not folowe the trace of so manye fathers Patriarks kiÌ„gs pristes prophetes Apostles Euangelystes and sainctes of god yeaeuen of the very sonne of God How many now goe wyth you lusreli as I and al your brethreÌ„ in bandes exyle for the gospel Pray for vs for god wyllyng we wyl not leaue you nowe we wil goe before you You shal see in vs that we preached no lyes nor tales of tubbes but euen the very true worde of God for the which we by gods grace a helpe of your prayers wyll wyllyngly and ioifulli geue our bloud to be â—ed for the confirmacion of the same as already we haue geuen liberally oure goodes liuynge frendes and naturall countrye For now we are certayne y t we be in the hygh way to heauens blisse as Paul sayth By manye tribulacions persecucions we must enter into gods kyngdom And because we would goe thether our selues and brynge you thether also therfore the deuyll stereth vp the coales And forasmuch as we al loitered in y e way he therfore hath receaued power of god to ouer cast the wether to stere vp stormes y t we godes children myghte goe faster makyng more spede and hast to goe on forwardes As for counterfeites and ypocrytes they wyltary and lyngertyl the storme bee paste And so whan they come the market wil be done and the dores sparred it is to be feared Reade mat 25. Thys wynde wyll blowe gods children forward and the deuils derlynges backwarde Therefore lyke gods children let vs goe on forwarde a pace y e wynde is on our backe hoyse vp the sayles lyfte vp your hartes and handes vnto god in prayer and kepe your anker of fayth to cast in tyme on the rocke of gods woorde and on hys mercye in Chryst and I warrauÌ„t you And thus much for you secondlye to consyder that afflyccion persecucion and trouble is no strauÌ„ge thyng to gods children and therfore it shoulde not dismaye dyscourage or discomfort vs beyng none other thyng then al godes deare freÌ„des haue tasted in their iourney to heauen warde As I would in thys trouble soÌ„e tyme that ye shoulde consyder what you be by the goodnesse of god in Chryste euen citizens of heauen though you be presently in the fleshe euen in a straunge regioÌ„ on euery syde ful of fearce enemyes and what wether and way the dearest frendes of god haue founde euen so woulde I haue you thirdly to consyder for your further comfort that if you shrynke not but go on forward preassyng to y e marke appointed al the power of youre enemyes shall not ouercome you neyther in any poynt hurt you The. 3. Chapter Trouble can not hurte gods chyldren BVt this must not you coÌ„sider according to y e iudgemente of reason and her sense but after the iudgment of gods worde and the experience of faith Els you marre al. For to reason and experyence or sense of the outward man we poore soules whyche stycke to gods worde to serue hym as he requyreth onely are counted to be vanquished and ouercome in that we are caste into prison lose our liuinges frends goods country and lyfe also at length concerning this worlde But dearly beloued gods word teacheth other wyse and faith faleth accordyngly Is it not written who shall separate vs from y e loue of god shal tribulacyon or anguishe or persecucyon either â—onger eyther nakednes either peryll eyther sworde As it is written For thy sake are we kylled al day longe and be counted as shepe appoynted to be slaiÌ„ne Neuertheles in all these thyngs we ouercome thorow hym that loued vs. For I am sure that neyther death nother lyfe neyther aungels nor rule neyther power nether thynges presente neyther thynges to come neither higth nor loweth nether any other creature shalbe able to part vs froÌ„ that loue where wyth God loueth vs in Chryst Iesu our lord Thys spake one whyche was in afflyccyon as I am for the lordes gospel sake his holi name be praysed therfore he grauÌ„te me grace wyth the same to continew in lyfe sufferyng vnto the ende Thys I saye one spake whiche was in affliccioÌ„ for the gospell but yet so farre from beyng ouercome
enemyes we are made frendes surely we beyng frēdes and hauyng hym aboue on the ryghte hande of hys father shal by hym obteyne althynges Where they call it a poynte of a lowly and an humble spirite to goe to saynctes that they maye pray for them you may caselise it is a poynt of an arrogaūt here and a false vntrue sprete For in asmuch as god playnly byddeth the that thou put naught to his worde nor rate aught there frō in that hys worde is thou shalte call vpon him in thy nede why art thou so arrogaūt and proud that y ◠wilt goe to Peter or Paul to praye for thee Where haste thou gods worde Dost y ◠think god is true of hys promes Whithen dost thou not go vnto him Doste y ◠thynke that god at any tyme receaueth thee for thy worthynes On whom be hys eyes but vpon hym that trembleth at hys wordes Blessed are they that be pore in sprite and thynke themselues vnworthy of gods helpe Wherfore hath god sworne that he wil not the death of a syuner but y ◠synners myght be moste certayn of his loue mercy to be muche greater then they be able to conceiue His mercyes are aboue al his workes But thou that rūnest to saincts thynkest that it is not so for els wouldeste thou goe to hym thy selfe that thou seing his so much goodnesse mighteste the more loue him which thou canst not if thou vse other meanes then by Chryst only Where they bryng in the ensaumple of saynctes praying for the people and obteynyng benefytes for them whylest they wer lyuyng here on earth And so gather that muche more they wyll and can doe it nowe for vs in that they be wyth GOD if we wyll pray vnto them very easeli maye we put thys awaye by many reasons Firste that the cases be not like For whan they were alyue they myght know the nede of the people But nowe who can tel whether they knowe any thyng of our calamities and nede Esaye saith Abraham dyd not knowe them that were in hys age Agayne if the people had come to them to haue desired theyr prayers as they would haue taken thys for an admonishment of their dutye to the people So woulde they agayne haue warned the people of their dewtye that wyth them they also would pray vnto God them selfes Wheras there be no such reciprocal and mutuall offices betwene the dead and the lyuyng nowe can not we admonishe them and tell them of oure nedes Or if we shoulde goe aboute it surely we should styl stande in a doubt whether they did perceue vs or no. For if they dyd perceaue the miseries of their brethren surely theyr reste would not bee wythout greate grefe and of thys we are sure that they can tel vs nothyng also Besides this thys their reasoning smelleth as it that wente before of mans reason which is a foole in gods seruice and of a good intent whych is not accordyng to knoweledge We maye not do after that which is good in our own eyes but accordynge to that whych God biddeth vs doe In our eyes it semeth good that as to kynges and great men we vse meanes by men whyche are of their priuy chamber or ner about thē either co come to their spech or to atteyne our sutes so we shoulde doe to Gode by his saynctes But to dreame on thys sorte wyth god to vse sainctes so wer and is vnto fayth very foolyshe For god vseth no such priuie chābers to hide himselfe in He is at hand saith Dauid to al that call vpon hym And Moses said before him god is nere the in all thy praiers No nacion hath their goddes so nye vnto them as our god is to vs in all our prayers He nedeth none to put him in remēberaūce of vs for he hath al thynges opē to his eyes the heigth of y e hilles and the botomes of the depthes are in hys syght Nothynge can hyde it selfe from his knowledg He hath ordayned Christ Iesus alonely to be the meane by whō we shal spede and receaue our requestes which be accordynge to hys will if we open oure purse mouth that he may poure into y ◠same I meane fayth For as a thynge poured vpon a vessel or other thyng y e mouth being closed is spilt lost so if we aske any thing according to gods wil by Christ y e same doth vs no good except the purse mouth of our harte be opened by fayth to receaue it But to make an end S. Paul telleth playnly that wythout fayth prayer is not made Now in that fayth is due onelye to God for cursed is he that hath hys fayth in man saynt or aungel to God onely let vs make oure prayers but by Iesus Chryst and in his name onely For onelye in hym is the father wel pleased This if we do and that often as Chryst wylleth oportet semper orare we must praie alway then shal we vndoubtedly in all thynges be directed by goddes holy sprite whom Chryste hath promysed to be oure doctor teacher and cōforter And therefore nede we not to feare what man or deuill can doe vnto vs eyther by false teachynge or cruell persecucion For oure pastor is such one y ◠none can take his shepe out of his handes To hym be praise for euer Amē The. 14. Chapter ¶ The knittynge vp of the mater and conclusyon or peroracion wyth the autors desier and prayer for the persecuted brethren ANd thus much my good brethren and sisters in oure deare Lorde and sauyoure Iesus Chryste I thoughte good to wryte vnto you for your cōfort in these trouble some daies and for the cōfirmacion of the trueth that ye haue already receaued From the whyche if you for feare of man losse of goods frends or lyfe do swarue or departe you departe and swarue from Chryst and so snarre your selfe in Satans sophistry to your vtter subuersiō Therfore as Peter sayth watche and be sober for as a roaring liō he seketh to deuoure you But be ye strōg in faith that is stagger not wauer not in gods promises and be assured that thei perteine vnto you that god is your God that he is wyth you in trouble wyll delyuer you and gloryfye you But yet see that ye call vpon hym specially that you enter not into temptacion as he taughte his disciples to pray euen at such tyme as he saw Satan desier to sift them as now he hath desired to sift vs. O most deare sauyor preuent hym now as thou didst then with thi praier we besech thee and graunte that our fayth faynte not but strengthen vs to confirme the weake that they deny not thee and thy gospell that they returne not to their vomite and puddle of myer in poperie supersticion As massyng praying to sayntes prayinge for the dead or