is a soolishe dreame to talke howe his deedes be set before our eies by bread wine the apparance of bread is the token that Châ—istes bodye is here to be eaten and the similitude of wine doth shew that his bloud is here to be druncken but the true shewing of his death life and resurrection ariseth of that truth vvhich is vnder those formes When I eate that body that died I shewe the death of it because no sacrisiced fleshe was euer eaten before the Host was ofrâ—d but we eate really the body of christ therefore our facte crieth that Chirst is dead we eate the body aliue hauing the bloud and soule in it therefore our fact cryeth he is risen againe Thus the Catholickes reason let him that hath common sence iudge who goeth nearer the truth of the Gospell in presenting and shewing Christes death the Protestant that hath but bread or the Catholicke that hath the very body So that as you may partly gather by that which I haue already said the necessary meane of necessary remembrance of his death consisteth in the reall presence of him that died For who caÌ„forget his death whose body is daily made worshiped and eaten to the end the death may be remeÌ„bred but I may right well eate bread drinke wine not yet remembring thereby that Christ is dead for me S. Iohn Chrysostome Homil. 52. vpon S. Mathew saith We receiue Christ as well in our hand as in our hart Vide saith he quid manu capias This blessed Sacrament then Aug. de ciuit Dei lib. 10. ca. 6. lib. 9. con ca. 13. was not called bare bread or figuratiue bread of olde but the Sacrament of the Altar because of Christs table by Malachy called rightly an Altar the pure Sacrifice of his body is prepared for vs. Parasti in conspectu meo mensam Thou hast prepared a table in my sight sayeth that deuine Psalmist and in the ninth of the Prouerbes it is written Wisedome hath proposed a table and the tenth of the first Epistle to the Corinthians S. Paul saieth You cannot bee pertakers of the table of our Lorde and the table of Diuells So that wee receiue Christ of his table to our mouthes as into our hartes prepared by him not by the baker which can giue nothing but bread S. Cyrill said Christes body eaten shall raise our bodie Lib. 10. Cap. 13. in Iohn Tertullian confessed that not only our soule Tertul. lib de resurr carn but also our body feedeth vpon the Bodye and Bloud of Christ to the intent our soules may be made fatte of God Likewise Ireneus writeth our flesh is nourished of the Ireneus aduers heres lib. 4 cap. 34. Bodâ—e and Bloud of our Lorde Wee may see nowe by this what error they fall into who call Christes supper only a figure of his bodye yea who assigne the bodye and bloud of Christ to our soules and bread and wine to our bodies whereas there is no substance left of bread and wine but euen our bodies feede vpon Christes body as Ireneus Cyrillus and Tertullian haue said that as our soules be fed with grace so by eating Christes flesh our bodies may rise to glorie Hauing then such firme authorities of Christ the Apostles and the most auncient and learned Fathers wee litle acount of the wordes of Protestants who haue rather brought Christs supper in contempt by bare tearmes theÌ„ by any sound authority or aleadging of scriptures As for Caluins supper nothing is wrought therein because bread and wine in it remaineth still neither is any newe thing wrought in Christ impassible or possibly can be whom they say they eate by faith therefore their supper is nothing but bread In Christs supper wee teach the substance of bread and wine to be made the substance of Christs Body Bloud and that is the true worke made in the supper of Christ where the mutable creatures are turned into the immutable substance of Christ Which worke since the Protestants deny babble what they will they teach nothing to be wrought in the supper of Christ yet this shift the Protestants haue to couer their falshood because they see the Scriptures Fathers and Councels so plaine for Christs reall presence therefore they vse tearmes very smooth of putting on Christ in Baptisme and of eating his body bloud to the ende their deniall of the thing it self may be lesse of the vnlearned espied For it is to be noted that to make it euident to vs that Christ gaue vs his very body not a figure therof or the effect of the grace of his godhead only he said not I giue my owne selfe as Protestants say we receiue him which may be vnderstood of his diuinity as well as humanity in one person and so selfe maketh for the receiuing of Christ by grace spirit only But Iesus foreseing the drifts of Satan what heresies woulde arise named expreslie how he gaue his body couered vnder the formes of bread wine which wheÌ„ we touch we touch his very body for euen as kissing the hose vnder which the Kings knee is conteyned we are said to kisse the kings knee eueÌ„ so in touching the accidents of bread wine we touch the body bloud of Christ vnder theÌ„ For as I said as S. Tho. touching Christs flesh confessed him to be God because the godhead lay hid in that flesh right so wheÌ„ we touch with teeth mouth the forme of bread in the holy misteries we confes that we touch therby the flesh that lieth hid vnder that forme Therfore to speak of his B. body nowe risen againe which after a spiritual supernatural maner sort though really truly the very body of Christ we receiue in the B. Sacrament it is I say both the true very body of Christ yet the figure signe of his body once in an other quality conditioÌ„ theÌ„ now it is in that is a most liuely representatioÌ„ to our seules memories that the very body we receiue once suffred shed his bloud vpoÌ„ the Crosse it is also a signe of the vnion coniunctioÌ„ betwixt him Christ our head giueÌ„ vs therin vs his meÌ„bers the holy Cath. Church which by means of this sacrameÌ„t are vnited incorporate knit togither or made one body with Christ therefore the B. SacrameÌ„t is consecrated of such matter giuen vs vnder such formes likenes of such things that is bread wine which doe not only represent vnto vs most liuely the shedding of Christs bloud and offering of his body vpon the Crosse but also signifie vnto vs the vnion of Christ and his Church For euen as you see of many cornes one loafe is made So of many members in Christ knit togither in perfect loue and charity by meanes of this most B. Sacrament the most perfect pleadge of Christs infinite loue all we thereby be made one body in and with him our head and in
is a great glorie in the profession of cookery to bee able to make of one kinde of stuff as for example of eggs alone sixteene or twenty diuers dishes but to doe that feate much labour many spices and sawces greate compositions and mixtures are required Christ in steede of all those shiftes vsed blessing and working words of thankesgiuing which were so sure to worke their intent that some meÌ„ haue doubed whether he gaue thankes first because he fore-saw the whole purpose out of hand should be obtained as himselfe wished or else which is more probable whether the very working of the feate were not the selfe thankes-giuing for the worke For his blessing and thankes-giuing was the saying ouer the bread This is my body ouer the wine This is my bloud By vertue of which wordes his body bloud beeing made of the creatures of bread wine as wel were a thankful sacrifice themselues to God as Christ also in his visible forme hauing wrought this did praise and thanke his Father for such an excellent effecte the which body and bloud his Apostles eating and drinking were made pertakers of the greatest most excellent banquet that euer was made on earth For the better vnderstanding whereof it may please a man to repeat in his minde howe God in the beginning adorned this world First with Angels heauenly spirits secondly with the heauens themselues thirdly with the elements of fire ayre water and earth and as the Angells occupie the highest place so doe the heauens with the lightes starres in them occupie the second place and the fower elements are beneath them When things were come after this sort froÌ„ the highest order of Seraphins to the earth which is the lowest element of al theÌ„ it pleased the wisedome of god to make as it were a reuolt of al things to return his creatures froÌ„ the bottome of the earth vpwarde again towards himselfe he therfore made the earth to bring forth greene grasse with al such kinde of things as haue animam vegetiuam in theÌ„selues to growe increase of which kind al hearbs springs trees be aboue those in a higher degre were birds fishes beasts which haue a life sensitiue being able to moue from place to place Lastly god made maÌ„ who hath not only vegetatiue power sensitiue in his soul but also reason vnderstanding in whose body are the vertues of the fower elements with the influence of the heauens in whose soul is free will and power to gouerne agreable to the nature of Angels and of heauenly spirits for this cause this creature hath beene worthelie called euen of the Christian philosophers Microcosmos a litle world for that he alone hath in him all the degrees of creatures both liuing and with out life both sensible and reasonable therefore hee is called in holy scripture Omnis creatura All creatures Nowe when the sonne of God taking pittye that this little world the worke of his great power was by the diuell seduced came downe and tooke flesh of the virgin Marye being true God true man in one person at that time were al things breifly brought againe to God whence they first were created brought forth Christ alone is all in one In his Godhead he is all that is aboue the heauens and that filleth the worlde In his manhoode which is the foote-stoole of God he is all that is in or vnder the heauens in this manhoode are al creatures most perfectly compiled without blemishe of nature of mind or of body so that seing this body of Christ wherein also all the fulnes of the Godhead dwelleth is giueÌ„ eaten at a banquett there is no doubt but the same is such a banquett as cannot bee made with all the creatures of heauen and earth gathered together In this one dishe is a composition most delicate of Angels heauens elements of herbs fishes birdes beasts of reasonable men and of God himselfe no kinde of salett meat sause fruites confection no * Vnderstand here that I mean not that any earthly thing is in the B. Sacrament after Consecration saue only the very Body and Bloud of Christ who because it pleased him after a humane sorte to conuert by eating drincking bread wine and other visible creatures into his sacred Body and Bloud therefore though the proprietie of such creatures be changed in substance yet iuxta aliquid in some manner and sort they be set on that table still but wholly conuerted into the Body and Bloud of Christ kinde of wine aqua-uitae aqua-composita liquors sirrops can be founde in nature made by art deuised by witt but it is all seâ—t vpon this table and that in a small roome where it cloyeth not with the abundance or annoyeth with the vncleane handling it filleth without lothsomenes it prouoketh the appetite without danger of surfeting to be short were it not a banquett prouided by the sonne of God no maÌ„ would think it possible to haue such a feast made in the de sart of this wicked world Thus do we catholiks teach of the supper of our lord beleue it agreable to his word worthy his worshipp this banquett feedeth the whole man There is a reasonable soul to feed our reasoÌ„ a natural substaÌ„ce of flesh to feed nourish our flesh ther is the spirit of God which quickneth both soul flesh to life euerlasting This is the true Manna which containeth the tast of all sweetnes hath in it selfe all manner of pleasaÌ„t refectioÌ„ this is the food of life the which who so eateth worthely shall liue for euer This is the feast wherof Salomon speaketh Hoc itaque visum est mihi bonum Eccles 3 5. 7. c. This therfore seemeth to me good that a man eat drinck enioy gladnes of his labour which words S. Aust expouÌ„deth thus Non est bonum homini nisi c. It is De ciuit Dei li. 17. cap. 20. not good for a man but that which hee shall eat drinck what more credibly is he vnstood to say then that which belongeth to the partaking of this table which he himselfe a preist mediator of the new testament offreth or giueth according to the order of Melchisedech of his bodye bloode If then the Prophet hath affirmed the greatest good that maÌ„ hath in this life to be eating and drincking that eating drincking be long to the supper of our lord Christ we may perceiue right well that the matter substance of Christs supper coÌ„sisteth not in bread wine for then we might not be better occupied theÌ„ in eating and drincking but in the reall flesh blood of Christ wherin al goodnes spiritual corporall is collected into one heape giueÌ„ vnto vs vnder the form of bread wine for so God hath appointed Instaurari omnia in Christo que in celis que in terra c. To renue al things
Christ towardes vs for loue you knowe deserueth loue againe but what greater loue could Christ shewe vs in not onlye dying for vs but still in this vnspeakable mistery remaining with vs Was there euer Pellicane that so tendred her young ones who though she fedde them with her bloud yet in the end she forsaketh them was there euer mother that so dearly looued her childreÌ„ as christ doth vs who said and persormeth it that If a mother can forget the onlye sonne of her wombe yet will he neuer forget nor forsake vs who not only feedeth vs with the sweet milk of his holy word the fruit full dewe of his grace taketh compassion vpon vs euen with shedding his bloud imbrasing vs with his stretched out armes of mercy vpon the Crosse but also still remaineth with vs euen to the end of the world fostring vs with his very body be dewing and washing vs also with his most sweet and precious bloud O hart why dost thou not relent why art thou so harde how canst thou abstain from teares for pure loue of that sweet Sauiour and Redeemer vvhy art thou not appalled with feare vvhy art thou not stricken with loue vvhy art thou not wholy inflamed with deuotion which is oft afforded to the deuout receauers hereof for by how much this mistery is aboue mans reason by somuch the ferueÌ„t loue deuotioÌ„ bestowed on vs by the fountaine of Gods grace giueÌ„ vs therin is of more vertue and aboundance If S. Peter when he had but one glimce of Gods glory wheÌ„ he but tasted as it were a droppe of his loue in Mount Thabor thought it good to stay there and neuer to depart When wee receaue heare a fountaine of his loue a pleadge of his glorie the coelestiall dewe of all grace why shoulde wee not fully content satiate and repose our selues herein O if such disposition is made for the receipt of some noble King in his subiects house howe ought wee to cleanse our hearts and mindes to purifie our bodies to sweepe our spirits vvith compunction and penitent sorrowe of harte for our sinnes which bee the only things that bee foule in Gods sight and displease him to confesse vvith mouth to satisfie vvith deede to applie all the members of our bodies and powers of our soules to entertaine him that so our soules and bodies may be an habition for Christ and tabernacle of the holie Ghost But O sweete Sauiour if my vessell were of the purest mettall farre more excellent then golde and precious sâ—ones it were too base for thy Maiestie whome those glorious Angelicall spirits or the heauens cannot comprehende and where is then thy habitation but onlie in pure mindes and soules Giue me then grace good Lorde to flie sinne to serue and loue thee so to dwell in thee that thou mâ—yst inhabite in mee For in thee I can doe all thinges but without thee nothing thou art the high Priest and true Sacrifice thou art the offerer and pure oblation it selfe CHRIST IESVS our Lorde and God the true MESSIAS and Sauiour of the vvorlde thou be blessed for euermore To bee briefe you see nowe by this little vvhich is saide the vvonderfull goodnesse of CHRIST in leauinge vs his blessed body and bloude in this holy Sacrament whereby vvee all haue life and grace and saluation in our soules for as our bodies cannot liue vvithout breade so our soules cannot liue vvithout this breade of life Christes body giuen vs herein as hee saide Vnlesse you Ioh. 6. 53. eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his bloude you shall not haue life in you whereby you see howe these newe lying Masters heretikes bee worse then murderers that pine and murder mens soules in that they depriue and rob you of so vnspeakable a benefitte as Christs bodye and most blessed bloude giuen at Masse giuing you poyson in stead thereof a peece of poluted bakers bread wherein is no saluation but alas quite contrary as before I haue proued No other remedy then if you will saue your soules but flie their company and Communion and so by cleansing your selues from sinne by healthfull contrite Confession that you may bee iustified make your selues apte vessells to receaue grace that is become Catholickes reconcile your selues to God to the househould of faith to CHRISTS holy Catholicke Church wherein only and no where els assure your selues as before God the euerlasting truth you shall receaue the bread of life and saluation You haue heard here howe that vvhich CHRIST left vs at his last supper is a Sacrament and Sacrifice the very body and bloud of our Redeemer vnder the forme or likenesse of bread and wine beinge perfectly and wholy transubstantiated or conuerted into CHRISTS bodye and bloud and hovve vvith diuine honour we ought to adore and vvorship the same By the vvay also I haue touched a litle summe of the vvonderfull effects and fruites of the same that vvee daily receaue and what perill of soule you bee in for vvant of the same till you come to better estate Hasten then out of Babilon that is sinne and heresy that you may offer in Ierusalem Sacrifice vvhich only may please God vvhome only vvee ought to serue and that is in the vnity of his holy Catholicke Church The lawfull Minister of this Sacrament is a lawfull Preist wherefore nâ— Protestant Minister can consecrate because wanting lavvfull vocation and authority hee is no Preist The matter to consecrate vvith all is vnleauened bread and vvine of the grape whereunto is putt some water for a mistery whereunto when Gods sonne CHRISTS owne worde spoken by a lawfull Preist with intention to consecrate commeth of bread and wine is made the bodye and bloud of Christ whoe gaue that power to a Preist hee neuer did to Angells nor his Blessed mother that is to consecrate his bodye This Sacrament as I haue said ofte before is farre aboue reason but submitting our reason to true faith it greatly increaseth our merite For as saith Saint Gregory Gods worke is not merueilous if it bee comprehended in reason neither hath faith merite where mannes reason giueth experience The chiefe thing then of this blessed Sacrament is Christes bodye and bloud vvith the vvounderfull graces and gifts of God bestowed therein commonly called the effects and fruits thereof vvhich that wee may not vvith Iudas receaue to our damnation but vvith Saint Peter to our rising againe and endlesse Saluation I beseech our LORD that wee may bee armed vvith true and firme faith pure and innocent life feruent loue and charitye that as for our sinnes for wante of these vertues it now many yeares hath by Gods Iudgment and wrath beene taken from vs to our vnspeakeable losse and the continuall griefe of all good men So by renewing these vertues againe in vs and by amending our liues it once againe by Gods speciall grace may be restored to vs to the honour and glorie of his holy name to the confusion of the
euer wāting in heretikes in cleane pure cōsciences in which vertues worthy qualities these B. Fathers most excelled liuing in such abstinēce cōtinēcy watching meditatiō of the law of god both night day praier with thē wēt euer before study study was ioyned with prayer they did not expound harde places and hygh misteries of Scriptures after their owne brayn phantastical conceipt but by the teachig of their masters holy forefathers of whō they had receiued the Scriptures especially therein following the rule cōmon consent of Christs holy Catholike Church that is euer guided with Christ her spouse head the holy spirit euer assisting the same church which was the cause there was not such iarres amongst thē as now be amongst heretiks Farre vnlike be our newe gospellers to these holy Fathers how more securely may we well committe our selues to God with them than hazard our saluation with these companions who with belly cheare little learning lesse honesty embracing of weomen care of children loue of the worlde and care of their owne carcases beeing most carnall men yet take vpon them to reueale his mysteries of the Spirite to open Gods word which commonly is open to none indeed but to those that be pure in hart and minde and with humility submitte their iudgementes vnder the obedience of the holy Catholike Church whereunto all heretikes be traitours and rebelles whether I say is it more like if we had no more certaine a marke of the true church and teachers that these lewde companions haue the trueth on their sides or those holy Fathers by me aboue named who excelled asmuch in vertue as these newe Gospellers bee drowned in vice which Fathers be of such authority that though indeed they be alwaies against heretikes yet the heretike is gladde if he can but get a scrappe or peece of a sentence euer wrested euill vnderstood out of these holy Doctours that maye seeme to make for his purpose though rightly vnderstood in the samesentence often-times they bee most confounded These holye Fathers were not eloquent in affection and inckehorne termes as Protestants be all wordes but no true or sounde matter but wisedome in those fathers by force ioyned vnto their words incomparable eloquence See S. Chrysostom S. Leo S. Ierome Lactantius but aboue all that Blessed martyr S. Ciprian who as many other of our holy doctors Catholike writers did sealed his writings with his blood if any of these holy Fathers as men at any time did of infirmity erre they did not malitiously obstinatly defend it as proud heretikes do but were alwayes ready to submit their doings to the cēsure of the Cath. church saing with S. Augustine Errare possiim hereticus esse nolo I may erre as a man yet wil I not be an heretike that is obstinately defending anye opinion the Church gain-sayeth This Faith then and Religion Catholike Romane Church thus groūded on Christ her head thus plainly knowne by such distinct notes of Vniuersallity Antiquity Succession Consent thus adorned and florishing with writings of so many and so holy auncient Fathers and Doctors thus confirmed with miracles thus watered and sealed with the blood of most constant and valiant Martyrs especially in the beginnig of the Church whilest the blood of Christ was yet warme in mens hearts yea of later yeares too as there want not in England and other places euen to this day Is there any so blinde if he obserue these notes well but he may both knowe this to bee the onely true Church and true way of Saluation or so carelesse of his saluation that dare aduenture his soule in any other congregation saue only the true Church of Christ thus strengthned with so many sure bulwarkes and strong pillars Assure your selfe good sir ignorance cannot excuse you For this is the citty set vpon a hill that cannot be hid so euident and so plaine that the words of the holy Prophet Esay may be applyed vnto her Hec Isa 35. erit vobis directa via ita vt stulti non errent per eam This shall be your direct way so that idiots or very simple soules maye not misse the same Where it is written to this effecte that great and lesse shall knowe God that is if they will seeke his waies diligently and in due time As also in Ieremie the thirty one Omnes cognoscent me a minimo eorum vsque ad maximum All shall knowe me from the least of them to the greatest And againe Adducam eos c in via recta I will bring them or leade them in the right way Non impinguent in ea and they shall not hit or stumble in it Seeke therefore to walke good sir in this way the Church of Christ if you will attaine the port of saluation for as long as you be out of this waye you shall alwaies be worse entangled with brambles bryers of sinne and blinde error and euer further frō your iourneys end the kingdome of God As youse when a man loseth his way in the night he is allwayes in greater incumbraunces and further from the marke till he returne by good guide to his way againe so it is in the blinde way of this life if we leaue Christ the way of life and his deare spouse the church the only way of truth we be euer in greater danger till we returne backe againe Come home the night draweth neare the day of payment hieth fast on take heed if you come short of the mariadge of Christ with his spouse the dore be not closed vp and you shutte out Heare what St. Augustine saith whatsoeuer saith he a mā be or whosoeuer he is he cannot be saued if he be not in the Catholike Church and in another place to Peter the Deacō he hath these fearful sayings Though a man giue neuer so much almes yea shedde his bloud for Christ if he be not a member of Christs Catholike Church he cannot be saued Firmissime tene saith he this holde stedfastly doubt in no wise not only al Pagans and Iewes but also heretikes and Schismatikes that die without the vnity of Christs Catholike Church shall goe into euerlasting fire prepared for the diuell and his Augells Neither doth this holy father St. Angustine speake these wordes of his owne priuate opinion but founded in Gods owne worde as in the holy Apostle St. Paule who saith If I giue al my goods to the poore and body to be burnt and want charity it profiteth me nothing now vnity be twixt God participatiuely I meane our owne soules and neighboures is that which maketh charity in vs by Gods grace which vnitye none can possibly haue that is not vnited to Christ being a member of his body the holy Catholike Church for otherwise he is deuided so that beeing out of this vnity he is not in charity so beingout of Gods Catholike Church he is out of state of Saluation therefore
right truly said that holy father Extra ecclesiam non est salus without the Church there is no Saluation and that you may better perceaue this reason the holy Apostle S. Paul 1. Cor. 12. compareth Christs misticall body the church in some sort vnto a natural body wherein euery member you se hath his office and function the eye seeth the eare heareth the hand helpeth the legg and the legge carieth hand the whole bodye euery member is necessary one to the other and euery member is ruled by the head receiueth life froÌ„ the body but deuide but a member cutt but a leg or an arme from the body it dieth you see the reason is because it is not of the body euen so it is in Christs mistical body his spouse the holy Catholike Church whereof hee our good Lorde Sauiour that tooke vpon him our seruile nature for vs is the true head for all catholike Christians that beleue as hee teacheth and liue in vnitiy vnder his Vicar the true cheife Pastor of our Soules worthely frequenting his sacraments abstaining from all other sectes in their prayers Sacramentes and Ceremonies these bee truely called members of his visible Catholike Church and receiue grace and mercie from Christ the head yea that which is more because there is as we beleeue a commuion of Saintes euerye one is partaker according to his good disposition and due desertes of anothers good prayers workes and actions yea in each of the praiers and good deedes not only of those in earth so we be in state of grace but also of the merits praiers Promodulo nostro of the Blessed Saintes in Heauen as both they we with praiers good deeds helpe the faithfull departed in that cleansing fire of Godes iustice called Purgatorie But if one bee deuided from this common companye of Christes Church either by Heresie or Schisme as but onely going to the Church there to praye or to be present or praye with Heretikes then loe is he deuided from the body of Christ the Catholike Church for no maÌ„ can serue two Masters and so hee hath not the fruit of life and grace in him as long as he remaineth so deuided in that state the reason is because being deuided from the body he cannot haue influence of grace from christ which is the head thereupon it commeth that what fasting prayer almesededs soeuer a man doth without Gods Church it nothing auaileth to eternal saluation the reason is because our works if they be not seasoned or imbrued with the blood of Christ and watred with the deaw of his grace caÌ„not be meritorious nor acceptable in his sight For by christ our lord and head perfect God and man by his grace in his passion our workes be meritorious beyng as he is God the principal and efficient cause of our iustification and merittes as hee is man the mediation for our sinnes and onlye Christ is the cheife cause of our merit though Tit. 3. Ephes. 1. 2 Conc. Trid. ses 6. cap. 7. we once preuented with Gods grace bee workemen with him to our own meritt and saluation and the Sacraments be instrumental causes of our iustification so that by heresie or schisme wee be deuided froÌ„ the Church his body theÌ„ consequently we be deuided from him our head and so void of his grace without which our doings be nothing till we return backe to him in becoming true meÌ„bers of his body the Church Yet in what soeuer state a man be it is far better to do vertuous actions deeds thaÌ„ otherwise as by Fasting Praier Almes-deeds the like because in so doing ones damnation is the lesse and because it is a disposition to better that in the end God wil powre downe more pleÌ„tifully his grace bring him to perfection who worketh his gifts commonly in matter disposed yet first preuenteth or disposeth that a man may so dispose himself but yet as I said how so euer let him worke neuer so much yet if he be not in the ende a member of Gods Church he cannot be saued for the reasons aboue-saide And therefore a man ought to feare nothing more than separation from Christs Church suffer his soule rather to be separated from his body yea loose many liues if he had them than euer be deuided from Christs Catholike Church without which no true life of grace nor saluation can be found and when a man is once within the vnity of the Church then Celum ruat though the worlde turne vp-side downe if he sticke to thâ— rocke and liue accordingly to the rules thereof he needes not be afraide God is of his side he shall lay such a sure foundation of the rocke that hee needes not feare to bee caried away nor be wauering with euery blast of new doctrine Wherefore if you desire to knowe the trueth to be guided with trueth not to erre from the trueth then presently become a member of Christes body that you may be guided by the spirit of trueth that proceedeth from the heade Let no loue of the worlde riches nor worldlye promotions no loue of your selfe wife kins-folkes or children no feare of imprisonment persecution or death separate you from tâ—e knot of vnity and charity in Christ Iesus and in his blessed sweet spouse the Church inseparably ioyned together Then in al doubts you mâ—y be resolued to perfect quietnesse in God in heart conscience When you haue thus founde out and thus ioyned your selfe to the Catholike Church you neede not then staggar or stande wauering vngrounded neuer resolute in your selfe what to beleeue or doe by reason of this opinion or that nor neede not to leane vpon this man or that but vpon the infallible trueth that can neuer faile and without all doubt in all perplexities say and firmelye protest the Article of the Creede I beleeue the Holye Catholike Church See the goodnesse of God in prouiding our saluation for no man vnlearned is so simple but he maye doe this and be saued and none so learned and wise but if he exceed this limitte trusting to himselfe hee shall erre and be damned Wherefore thus we must with humility beginne to beleeue subiecting our iudgement and our reason vnto Faith and all our repose next to Christ in the holy Catholike Church and then we shall vnderstande otherwise we shoulde be as wauering reedes â—uer vnconstant for Nisi credideritis non First beleeue and after vnderstand Esaias intelligetis Vnlesse you beleeue saiâ—th God by his holy Prophet you shall not vnderstande wherefore perfectelye to vnderstande the trueth you must first learne to beleeue and followe the holy Catholike faith and Church otherwise you shal neuer be certaine nor at a-stay if you seeke for saluation For shee euer directed with the holy Ghost as Christ promised is a strong fortresse for great ones and a quiet repose for little ones and a Nurse and Mother for al. Chap. VII Of the
Sacraments in generall BVt because perhaps you desire Vnderstand here that in course of diuinity many thinges besides the Trinity and Incarnation be taught before the Sacraments though in matters of controuersie to speake of them nowe next seemeth fittest for my purpose I call the Sacraments conduits wel-springs because they being ordained by Christ ishuing proceding from that open bloody side of his on the Crosse conuey and conferre grace to our soules as vessels of mercy though God himselfe as the fountaine of life is the chiefe original and principall cause of al grace to bee informed of some moe thinges in particular to knowe howe this true Catholike Church teacheth vs to beleeue touching the high mysteries of our faith especially the holy Sacrameuts First then it is to be vnderstood that next after the mistery of the blessed Trinity threâ— persons of one substance eternity equall power and authority and one god from whome all good thinges proceede to whome all good things be referred and without whome all thinges be nothing next vnto this high and vnspeakable mistery as also the mistery of the second person in god-head Christs incarnation which both most deepe and profound articles or pointes I suppose you already beleeue we be also taught that God the author of all grace and goodnes hath of his infinite wisedome ordained the wayes and meanes whereby we may be pertakers of his grace and that chiefely by meanes of his Sacramentes conduits and wel-springs of grace which in number be seauen Which in these wordes of holy scripture in som sort were foretould or insinuated vnto vs. Sapientia edificauit sibi domum excidit columnas septem that wisedome increate that is the sonne of god the second person in trinity the eternall wisedome of his father who disposeth all things in weight number and measure and in vnspeakeable wisedome but espeacially in ordinance gouernment of his holy Church hath cut out Cut out that is hath ordained or made out of himself that is by his grace Note that this place of holy scripture may signifie many other guâ—fts and graces of God besides the Sacraments for such is the Maiesty of holy scripture that it oft admitteth many senâ—es in one place al according to the spirit of God seauen pillars seauen Sacraments fountains wel-springs of grace out of him selfe that is the liuely fountain of grace the sure rocke corner-stone which Daniell in spirit fore-savve that without handes was cutt out and fell from the mountaine that filled the whole worlde These Sacramentes then I saye Christ ordained as vessels of his grace and they take vertue from that fruite of the tree of the Crosse from and of his precious bloode and passion For euen as of our first Father Adam of a ribbe of his side Eue was formed wherby the world vvas multiplyed euen so of the second Adam Christ our Sauiour a sleepe by death vppon the Crosse whereby we rise againe of that water blood plentifully running out of his side and blessed body the holy Sacramentes of the church proceeded as taking force virtue theroff Whereby wee all bee regenerate and borne newe men againe in Christ whereby wee be repaired fostered and fedd in soule and whereby wee receiue here a token of Godes grace to appeare with him in his glory Chap. VIII What a Sacrament is of the effectes of the Sacraments and why they were ordained A Sacrament then is a visible signe of an inuisible grace not onely signifiyng grace as the heretikes would haue them like Iewes to be but only bare figures but these Sacraments doe contein in them and confer grace to the worthy receiuer Though Christ is the author of his Sacraments neither is God so bound to his sacraments but he can bestow his grace without them yet because hee ordained that by meanes of his sacraments wee aâ—e to obteyne his grace wee neither with contempt of them nor without will and affection vvhen necessitie offereth it selfe and iust opportunity is gyuen to receyue them can be partakers of his grace neither is man to expostulate or argue with God why he vseth sacraments as instruments of his grace when as without them hee can bestow it For God that hath created man knoweth in his diuine wisedome the fittest meanes for his reparatioÌ„ yet some reason or conuenience of Gods dispotion herein may be assigned First because a man consisteth not onlye of spirit but of body therefore he doth noâ— only invisiblelye powre in vs his grace immediatlye fâ—om him-selfe but vseth these visible and corporall signes of his invisible grace and that by such meanes and in such matters as be most fitt to signifie the effect of his grace in vs by them inwardly wrought as sor example in baptisme the matter of the Sacrament is water which as it outwardly washeth the body so the word with the intent of the lawfull minister ioyned thereunto vvhich thinges bee required in euery Sacrament the soule therby is Eccept Matrimony in some sort wher in the consent of the parties is chiefly necessarie wherunto only signs tokens of the parties prâ—sent maye suffice in persons that be mute c inwardly with Gods grace giueÌ„ therin purged and washed from al sinne Moreouer it is the iust iudgment of God we be tied to visible Sacraments to obtaine his grace therby to exercise our humility bring vs in more subiection For whereas we not only in the fall of our first parents wherein we al fell froÌ„ God but also dayly of our selues in transgressing his commaÌ„dementes haue and doe therein preferre our selues mortall creatures yea and the thinges here that be earthly before God himselfe and the thinges that be spirituall heauenly therfore it is his iustice iudgement and yet most of sweet disposition that we now contrary wise for our greater humility obedience be tied to receiue these Sacraments vnder corporal formes whereby we may be partakers of spiritual invisible graces To be briefe the Sacraments depend not touching their dignity of the worthines or vnworthines of the Preist but of god eueâ— good the author of the same And they bee ordained first to the honor glory of God and increase of grace and as present remedies and medicines against sinne in persons well disposed and also as certaine effectuall signes and tokens yea and in struements of Gods good will grace and mercy towardes vs moouing as well both the outward and inward man Lastly When tho Sacraments moue the outward man I meane that is but sometimes accidentaliter they be badges os true Christian men whereby they be not only knitte together in Religion and vniformity of Gods seruice but also be discerned and knowne from Infidels and mis-beleeuers farre more excellent than the Sacramentes of the Lawe of Moyses by howe much the trueth exceedeth the shadowe or figure As for the laudable Ceremonies the holy Church vseth in administration of the
same they be praised by most ancient Fathers and manye of them practised in the Apostles time and by experience we find stirre vp reuerence and deuoton in mennes heartes and therefore may not be left off for heretikes scoffing who in so doing not onlye shew themselues ridiculous but of all graue and good men rather to be lamented than with tauntes aunswered Chap. IX Of the holy Sacrament of Baptisme and of the necessity thereof NOwe in disposition of these Sacraments in number seauen Godes prouydence wisedome is cheifly declared whereby he gouerneth nourish eth and confirmeth the best ordered common-weale his holy Church for as you see in a temporall common wealthe first for the encrease thereof be required procreation of Children euen so in Christes common-weale the Church is required a Spirituall regeneration or newe-birth as it were of Children wherby we be made Christians and heires of God and this is performed by the first Sacrament which is Baptisme whereby we be all borne againe in Christ For euen as vnlesse we were borne of Adam wee should not haue original sinne euen so vnlesse we by Baptisme at least in will and desire bee borne agayne in Christ we cannot be iustified which Sacrament is of such necessitye that none without it can be saued at leastwise if he cannot come to it in will and affection or in bloode with the Innocents and this is plainly Christs own wordes who taught vs Vnles we be borne again of Mat. 28. Mar. 16. Ioh. 3. Water and the Holy Ghost we cannot enter into the kingdom of God Aud therefore because it is so needfull that none but in that sort as I said before without it can be saued therefore see the goodnesse of Christ our Sauiour that did ordaine the matter thereof in no other liquor but in water only which is common to all and most easily may be had yet besids that though none but a Priest is the ordinary minister of the Sacrament yet if a Priest cannot be had rather than the Childe or Person should die without Baptisme so be lost for euer god hath ordained that either Man or Woman Turke or Iewe or Heretike in time of neede when no other person can be had may baptise yea and it is truely Christened and cannot be Christened againe so they haue intent to doe that the holy Church doth vse the same wordes with Water together which the Church doth which is most easie as I Baptise thee in the name of the Father and of the Sonne of the Holy Ghost Amen And the reason why Baptisme is of such necessitye that none can be saued without it is this because al we by the trespasse of our first Parents Adam and Eue are all borne in Originall sinne sonnes of wrath perdition for as I said before we all sinned in Adams fal as taking body of him which being corrupted in him who of God was created good but sinned of himselfe as in the root and being begotten of the same masse wherof he was the In this place I woulde imitate S. Austen in his Enchiridion alibi first Father next to God the creator man but not of sin we be all by Gods iust iudgement borne thral to the same damnation that he was in that he disobeyed God in token whereof we feele in our selues the very same infirmity in our bodies and mindes that hee incurred by sinne For such was the state of our first Parentes that were created in Originall iustice that in keeping GODS holy Commaundement they shoulde without death of bodye freelye haue passed without labour and paine through this transitorye life to euerlasting life But as soone as man hadde disobaied GOD he and all his issue fell into infinite miseries as GOD threatned hym he shoulde doe saying if hee broke his Commaundement he shoulde dye as being subiecte to the death of bodye and soule whereas before Adams fall mans Free-will was of such valewe and force that his bodye was altogether if the faulte were not in himselfe through GODS grace subiecte to reason and his vvill But novve by loosing of that first iustice quite contrarye mans Free-wil though not quite lost as Heretikes lye yet it is so much enfeebled that without Gods speaciall grace and assistance it can doe nothing good in his sight to the obtaining of Saluation Hereuppon it commeth to passe that the holye Apostle complaineth that he felt a Lawe in his members repugnant to the Lawe of his minde leading him captiue and subiecte vvhether hee vvoulde not that is as much to saye a kinde of rebellion that by Adams trespasse we his poore children feele in our bodies vvhich is concupiscence that reigneth in vs and prouoketh vs to euill contrarye to right reason vvhich if it be not resisted it leadeth vs to sinne and damnation Our good Lord then full of mercie and pittye seeyng vve could fall without him but not rise without him sent his only begotten sonne the Seconde Adam to take vpon him our fraile nature and to be made like vnto vs in all thinges sauing sinne and some such infirmities and defectes as doe proceede of sinne VVherefore that vessell of God that most pure immaculate blessed Virgine conceiued him without sinne of the holy Ghost without knowledge of man which Sauiour though he is God yet is hee perfect man also in one person that is Christ God and man vvho beecause he being God tooke vpon him our nature without al spot of sin therefore Some other causes likwise be why christ was not subiect to death of duty except only the wil ordinance of his father who of his one good will gaue his life for vs. he was not subiect to death of duty necessity which other men be for sin Wherefore the Diuel who had all mankind subiect to death for sinne yet him he had not in that thraldome Christ was only except which that old wily serpent not perfectly knowing to bee Christ the wisdome of God intrapped him in his own snare For the Diuell enuying our Sauiour by his holy life and preaching drawing such multitudes frō sin euill life was affraid the whole world woulde haue followed him and his kingdome haue decaied Wherefore hee stirred vp his ministers the Iewes to make a ready dispatch and put him to death which malice of the Diuell and his ministers Christ turned to the saluation of the whole worlde for whereas thereby the Diuell thought to haue wonne many he lost all for putting our Sauiour to death vniustlye hee lost those whome he possessed before in some sort iustly Chap. X How necessarie and fruitfull Christs passion is to all that follow him in pacience good workes and how by Baptisme the vertue thereof is applied to our soules BVt you must vnderstand though Christ died to saue the whole worlde yea one drop of his precious blood in that sort as it was euer after the Incarnation vnited to his diuinity
forsake the Diuell are vnited and made one body with Christ in his holy Church and so thereby are deliuered from euerlasting death and are made heires of the heauenly kingdome without which Sacament in deed or in will and affection at least that is if a man in no sort can possibly come vnto it none can be saued as saide our Sauiour Nisi quis natus fuerit denuo non potest Ioh. 3. Mat. 28. Mar. 16. videre regnum Dei Vnlesse a man be borne againe that is by Baptisme he cannot enter into the kingdome of God and againe Nisi quis renatus fuerit ex aqua spiritu Sancto non potest intrare in regnum Dei and againe Christ bad his Disciples goe and baptise in the name of the Father and of the c. Vnlesse a man be borne againe of water and the holy Ghost saith Christ he cannot enter into the kingdome of God Christ you see saieth that without water the holy ghost we cannot be saued The Protestants your ministers a nuÌ„ber of theÌ„ teach you that christian mens children without Baptisme may be saued wherein they be contrary to Christ the Gospell and the common receiued saith of the holy Catholike Church of all ages who with all speede euer hastened her children in danger of death to be baptised knowing for certaine that if they departed without Baptisme they shoulde be damned not to so great a damnation as those shall haue that after Baptisme dye in deadly sinne but yet those vnchristened children shall be shutt from the sight of God for-euermore who is the full ioy delight of the soule which is an vnspeakeable losse Whereby you see the vnmercifull dealing of the heretikes of this time who hinder poore infants from Baptisme so vtterly cast them away The heretikes of this time especially Protestants * I meane the Puritanes especially who in their opinions leaue almost no Sacrament at all This as I remember I haue hard reported of the Anabaptistes Puritanes and Anabaptists haue lest with them but one Sacrament amongst seauen that is Baptisme only and yet good Lorde how many damnable heresies holde they about that The * Anabaptists would haue folkes to be christned often which is against the scriptures and as much as in them lieth is to naile Christ to the Crosse againe for by Baptisme we be buried with him in his death to true mortification and once for al washed in his blood I meane in Baptisme which can not be itterated as once for al he died so that I say to be rebaptisede is to deny that vertue of Christs passion once giuen for al in Baptisme For there is but one God as saith the Apostle one Faith one Baptisme and all Protestants and other heretikes of this time commonlye holde that Baptisme doth not quitt vs from our sinnes and make vs iust indeede as Christ and his Church teacheth but say that it but raseth as it were our sinnes that they be not imputed to vs and that God as it were wincketh at them but yet neuerthelesse the blott remaineth in soule still which be two most damnable opinions the one derogating cheifely from the Passion of Christ the other from his honor and perfection of his worke who cleanseth mens souls in deede by his Sacraments that they may be fit vessells to be replenished with his glorye and made pure in his sight may see him for euer Chap. XII Of the impiety abuse of heretikes about Baptisme MOreouer many as I said be fore of your ministers teach that if they haue Baptisme it is wel if they haue it not it is no matter some will scarsely sprinckle water vpoÌ„ theÌ„ but make a preaching some care not whether they vse Christs words in Baptisme or no as for the signe of the Crosse as beeing enemies indeede to the Crosse of Christ and not deseruing the name of Christians that be ashamed of Christe our Masters ensigne and banner they thinke and account it but a papisticall and supersticious ceremony though in deed it is a most auncient and Apostolâ—â—â— tradition neither doe they shew them-selues Christianes I say but rather Turkishe and members of Satan that be afraide and ashamed of their Masters badge the Crosse of Christ wherby you see how litle reckoning they make of Baptisme without which we be Infidells and heathenishe Turkes as it were bee a man borne neuer so much of Christian parents For we receiue our souls from God aboue not of our parents that which we take of our pareÌ„ts is a peece of fleash only conceiued brought out in sinne in our selues I meane soiled with that generall fault and blott wee all take of Adam For though our fathers sinnes be to their soules forgiuen by Baptisme yet in their bodies stil remaine the same infirmities they contracted by originall sinne before Baptisme though those infirmities pacientlye borne and resisted be not as I saide before in our Parents sinne but rather cause of merite yet we being conceaued of their bodyes rebellious by concupiscence bearing Yet I meane not that concupiscâ—nce in the regenerate is sin so we consent â—ot to it those infirmities receiue flesh body of them with the same infirmities and defects in vs that they of olde Adam sustained and bore before Baptisme so that spirituall substance creature which is our soule being by God newly created and infused or put into our bodies newlye formed laden with infirmities of Adam then presentlye by GODS secret iustice and iudgmente contracteth the same originall sinne is soiled with the same blott Adam our first father was till it bee washed away by Baptisme The heretikes that see not this shew themselues either very ignorant or els most malicious that deceiue the ignorante people and damne many poore soules who because they be borne in that sinne of Adam in some sorte without their owne free wil therefore God ordained most present remedies to saue them by and that without their owne procuring if they be infants the matter as water being so common the wordes so easie to be spoken and that any reasonable person whosoeuer may bee minister of it when a lawfull Priest cannot be had that is I mean in necessity when the child or person to be christned is in danger if death for otherwise it ought not in any wise to be sent to your new Ministers to be christned nor Schismatike preists nether if any Catholike Christian can be had til you caÌ„ meet with a Catholike priest tâ—ough the child of whomsoeuer may be truly christned nether ought to be christned againe being once baptised the parents do offend that send their children to be christned of such woolues vnlawfull ministers which be most vnfit of al christian men to christen children as holding teaching so many monstrous heresies about that holy Sacrament and with al so litle reckoning of it vsing it so vnreuerently as scoffing at it contemning many
godly ceremonies the Church vseth in adminstratioÌ„ of the same which though they be not of the substance of the Sacrament yet be they very requisite and expedient as wel to stir vp deuotion in the assistantes by-standers as also that the enemye may haue lesse power before after to impedite any spiritual benefit the person baptized hath or is to receiue by meanes of Baptisme that Satan may haue lesse power to possesse or infest the vessell of God Hereuppon as saieth Saint Basill wee consecrate or blesse the water of Baptisme and the holye oyle of Vnction and him also that â—â—ceiueth Baptisme Finally let God-fathers and God-mothers looke well to their charge who promise for the child that it shall forsake the Diuell and his workes and keepe the Commaundementes of God and holye Church I assure you their charge is not small Chap. XIII of the holy Sacrament of Confirmation The next Sacrament to Baptisme is ConfirmatioÌ„ which SacrameÌ„t though not so necessary as Baptisme yet as Aug. lib. 2. cont lit Petil. cap. 104. Saint Augustine affirmeth it is as holy as it and is giuen to those that be baptized first by the imposition or laying on the handes of a lawfull bishope ordinarily the inunction of holy Chrisme which Sacrament assoone as Christians can conueniently come to they ought at their lawfull Bishops handes to desire and receiue it otherwise they sinne and offend God grieuouslye if there bee in them notable negligence This Sacrament is a confirming strengthning and increasing a man in Gods grace which hee before in Baptisme first recieued God beganne to worke in him For therby a man is made more fitt to ouercome ghostlye temptations is threngthned in faith and deuotion ready to confesse Christ and fight vnder his banner if need be with shedding of his blood being neuer to death ashamed to confesse his holy name and the Catholike faith and truth This Sacrament was ordayned by Christ as wee be taught by Catholike doctrine and tradition Apostolike This Sacrament I say as all others tooke beginning by the institution of Luc. 24. These places of Scripture many learned diuines vse for confirmation wher by I hinder none to allege more apt or plaine authorities for this Sacrament Christ who first thus spake to his Apostles Sit you in the Cittye vntill you bee cloathed with vertue from aboue And afterwardes in the day of Penticost hee powred the holy ghost in to the harts of his desciples which maruelous sending or comming downe of his holye spirit Saint Luke most diuinely describeth as aâ—so in the eight and ninteenth chapter of the actes of the Apostles hee writeth how the Apostles did lay their handes vpon those that were baptised in vsing which visible signe they were more confirmed in grace and after such imposition of hands receiued the holy Ghost Now lawfull Bishopps God neuer leauing his Church destitute of his grace doe that which the Apostles did whose place and person they susteine in giuing this holy Sacrament The lawfull minister then of this holy Sacrament of Confirmation ordinarely I meane is only a Bishoppe the matter therof is mixt of Oyle and balme which consecrated by the Bishoppe is called Chrisme and the forme which the Bishope vseth is I signâ— thee with the signe of the Crosse and I confirme thee with Chrisme or vnction of health or saluation In the name of the Father of the Sonne c. This matter of Oile sanctified where unto balme signifieng the odoriferous sauonr of good workes is adioined is vsed in this Sacrament to signifie the effect therof For as Oile is fat and cureth griefs aswageth paines refresheth and strengthneth the weary bodies so the Oile of Gods grace plentifully powred done in mans soule in this Sacrament aswageth inordinatâ— passions motions cureth our defectes strengtheneth and encourageth vs in all godly waies replenisheth vs with many spiritual heauenly gifts as we read in the Acts of the Apostles aboue alleaged that wheÌ„ the people of Samaria had receiued Christs faith were baptised afterwards the Apostles at Ierusalem sent S. Peter S. Iohn to coÌ„firme theÌ„ in their Act. 8. beleife and Gods grace who when they came thither praied for theÌ„ wheÌ„ they laied their hands vpon them they receiued the holy Ghost that was more plentifully of the holy spirit of God which imposition of hands by them without al doubt Diuines hold was Confirmation which lawfull Bishops their Successours no other properlye or ordinarelye by Christs holy ordinance doe vse of which Sacrament likewise is mentioÌ„ made vnder the name of imposition of handes in the 6. Chapter to the Hebrues by which place it appeareth that it caÌ„not be iteraâ—â—d or giuen to one twice no more than Baptisme caÌ„ This holy sacrameÌ„t thus instiuted by Christ which was by his Apostles with so great fruit practised Protestants other like heretikes of this time abolish quite put away at least would make no more of it than a bare Ceremony or Catechisme like Sacrilegious and most vngodly men accounting holye Oyle consecrated by Gods holy worde that blesseth sanctifieth all thinges o horrible blasphemy no better or fit for nothing but to grease bootes showes This grosse tearme though barbarous to write yet woe be to heretiks that are not ashamed to auouch it giuing me occasion to speake so But no meruail seeing they set so little store by Baptisme as I declared before though they make Confirmation no Sacrament nor scarse allowe it for a Ceremony for indeed they hauâ— neuer a true Bishop left aliue in England which miserable state this poore Country alasse was not in of a thousand yeares before that can minister or giue the holy Sacrament of Confirmation for these wolues that be thrust in true Bishops places be so far froÌ„ Bishops that the most of theÌ„ be no Priests at all and the lawfull Bishops being gone and consumed by long imprisonment and dead these bishops terming themselues falsly Superintendents or Bishops haue either by simony or sinister meanes intruded themselues in there places or else be set therin by such as haue no such power in spirituall gouernmeÌ„t but in spirituall matters ought to be ruled themselues as sheepe by their lawfull pastors and Bishopps But oh England how farre art thou fallen from God all due ecclesiasticall order and true religion for sinne Confirmation then you see as I haue declared is a Sacrament whereby as in a temporall common wealth when children to vpholde and increase it must be borne to make more perfect men and souldiers must be strengthned armed incouraged so in this heauenly comon wealth of Christes Church when children are borne againe by Baptisme they ought to be confirmed more in grace to make them more bold and couragious souldiers of Christ by the holie Sacrament of Confirmation that so they may fight more valiently in Gods waies and vanquish those Princes of
same if we be not able to keepe them which to thinke or speake as heretiks doe of God which is all good and iust is most horrible blasphemie But one other kind of sinne there is which we call Veniall sinne as a light thought vaine worde and the like that deserueth not damnation nor is so grieuous in Gods sight and in such small sinnes the best commonly offende some more some lesse and as we oft diuerse waies fall therein so be there diuerse waies for our remedy as oft saying the Pater noster with sorrow and purpose to amend knocking vpoÌ„ the breast sprinckling our selues with Holy-water taking Holy-bread geuing Almes Fasting with many such charitable workes and the like yet we must abstaine from such little sinnes to as much as we may for feare of falling into greater yea and Christ saieth Of euery Math. 12. 36. idle word at the day of Iudgement we must make accompt therefore we had need flie all sinne as much as we may for the least sinne though it damneth not yet it darkeneth mans soule hindreth Gods grace and deuotion and if we doe not satisfie for it in this life we must be purged for it in the next before we can attaine the sight of God in that clensing fire of purgatorye thâ—t farre exceedeth all the payne and punishment in this world But for those great sinnes which be deadly neither Pater noster knocking knâ—eling nor any other ceremonies of the Church will serue without the holye Sacramente of Penance of which sins cheifly our sauiour spake Vnlesse Luc. 13. 5. you doe Penance you shall all perish Wherefore as I saied euerye deadlye sinne must needes be opened in confession with sorow of hart and full purpose to amend * Which confession before a We ought to be diligent to confesse all great sinnes for euen as a wound not well searched to the bottom though outwardly â—â—aled yet corrupteth the whole member or body so doth deadly sinne by dissimulation not opened in Confession infect destroy the whole soul 1. Cor. 11. 13. Preist ought to be breife simple plaine in humble sort entire or whole sorowful prepared to obey First breife it ought to be not with many wordes but necessary accusing no body but our selues in no sortexcusing ourfaults but plainly telling the truth and no more then the trueth In hnmble sort remembring that what we tell to the Preist wee speake as to God which confession must bee entire or whole that we tell not one sinne leaue another vnconfessed but confesse all as farre as our memoâ—y serueth for God forgiueth all or else none and therefore as we remember them we be bound to confesse and then God will forgiue that the rest And withall in ConfessioÌ„ euery one ought to be prepared to doe that is enioyned him to doe by his ghostly-father and for so iudging a mans selfe heere in this world a man at the day of iudgemeÌ„t shal not be iudged But if he wil not confesse himselfe to one man here theÌ„ at the last day shal his sins before God the whole world be laide before him to his vtter shame confusion endlesse daÌ„natioÌ„ therfore as S. Paul exhorteth vs. Let vs iudge our selues here that is by humble Confession and we shall not be iudged at the last day For God hath left a iudgement seat here of mercy in his Church before which if a man iudge him-selfe hee shall escape that straight iudgement at the last day if first he be losed quit here neither needeth a man feare to confesse for the Preist may not reueale or disclose any thing vttered in Confession no not for his life nor to saue or loose the whole worlde therfore if any man should be so vngracious to vtter any thing heard in Confession besides his perpetuall infamy and shame he should be suspended and degraded euer after from al Preistly office and function Wherefore none needeth to feare that his Confession shall be vttered Chap. XX Of whom the Sacrament of Penance was ordained that Preistâ— haue authority giuen them by Christ to forgiue sinnes and of the matter forme and effect of Penance THis Sacrament of Penance theÌ„ wherof lowly Confession is one cheife part was ordained by Christ wheÌ„ he gaue to his Church authoritie to binde and loose saying to his Apostles and Disciples and their lawefull successours to the worldes end Whosâ— sinnes you forgiue they be forgiuen Ioh. 20. 23 For that hee saied to them he saied to all as not suffering for their age only but for all persons in all ages to the worldes end saying to them and vs and the Pastors of his whole Church Euen as my father Ioh. 20 hath sent mee also I send yon So that his power that his father gaue him hee left to his Church the heads chiefly as namely to Saint Peter who when he first confessed Christ to bee the sonne of God in reward of his glorious confessioÌ„ he promised him first and chiefly authority to binde and loose sinnes as appeareth by the veâ—y wordes of the Ghospell saying Thou art Peter and vppon this Math. 16 18. 19. rockâ— will I build my Church and to thee will I giue the kâ—ies of the kingdome of heauen and whatsoeuer tâ—ou shalt binde in earth shal be bounde in heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt loose in earth shal be loosed in heauen And then after his resurrection as appeareth by Saint Iohns gospell hee performed his promise saying to his Apostles when hee breathed vppon them Receiue you the holy Ghost Whose Ioh. 20. 23 sinnes you forgiue they be forgiuen and whose sinnes you hold they bee holden By which plaine wordes of Christ you seâ— in both places he hath giuen authority to his Church to bind loose sinnes as al holy fathers vpon these places do vnderstand But you must vnderstand that Preists as they be men doe not forgiue sinnes but as they be the ministers of Christ that is by his holy worde and vertue of the holy Sacrament as you see in Baptisme the Priest speaketh Godeâ— worde and sayeth I baptize thee in the name of the Father c. And so then by the power of Gods worde with water in that holy Sacrament the soule of the childe is washed and clensed from all sinne So when the humble penitent sinner commeth to the Preist and confesseth his sinne the Preist then vseth the word of God and saieth I absolue thee and so by the power of Godes worde and authority giuen him from Christ hee looseth the sinner from sin So that he which can beleeue his sinnes be forgiuen him in Baptisme I see no reason but hee may aswell beleeue his sinnes by Penance in confession and absolutioÌ„ be forgiueÌ„ him Neither ought any to doubt as some vnlearned foolishe Idiots some times doe whether Preists Bishops the lawfull successors of the Apostles and disciples of Christ haue
Body which shal be betrayed or deliuered vp for you so likewise he spake of the cup calling it his blood And both the Euangelists Saint Paul doe agree that Christ bad his Apostles sacrifice or doe that which he had donne in memorie of his death and Passion not to offer a peece of bread in memorie of his death and Passion for that should be to base and slender a memorie as the heretikes your ministers be-lie the truth but to consecrate sacrifice and receiue after an vnbloody maner the very self-same body that the day after was bloudely once for all offered on the Crosse there as a full price of our redemption and here as a mean to make vs pertakers of that high price and ransome there once bloudely offered here the very selfe same flesh and bloude that there once bloudely was offred but here after an vnbloudy maner not deuided or not cut in peeces as the Iewes vnderstoode and the heretikes doe blaspheme but whole Christ though reallye and substanciallye here present yet after a spirituall and deuine maner that cannot be sufficiently expressed in wordes not one Christ here other there or in heauen not one to day a nother to morow but one and the self same which was offred vpon the Crosse and now sitteth at the right hand of his father is daily offred vp here in the Church in diuers places at once that by the mighty power of his Godhead which is al in al * In saying vnited to his sacred Body Videtur praeposte ra locutio For his sacred Body is vnited to his Godhead not confounded but knit and ioyned together o insigne miraculum two natures in one person vnited to his sacred body to whome nothing is impossible Wee doe not substitute then or ordeyne many * There is but one Sacrifice though daily yea oft euerie day in the Catholike Church renued by the ministrie of Preists .. 1. Cor. 11. 26. Sacrifices of Christ as the heretikes be-ly vs for so we might be iniurious to his Passion but one and the selfe same sacrifice though different in the maner with that vpon the Crosse is daily here offered vnto God there once bloudely here vnbloudely by the ministrye of Preistes heere in earth to appease Gods wrath renue in vs the fruit of his death and Passion wrought by that sacrifice once all bloudy vpon the Crosse for all Doe this that I haue donne saith Christ in memorie of me that is you shal represet or shew by this sacrifice the death of our Lord as sayeth S. Paul to his comming againe By which wordes of Christ Doe this that I haue donne he gaue his Apostles and Priests authority to consecrate his Body by vertue of his holy word For what did Christ He tooke bread blessed gaue to his Disciples said This is my Body and wine saying This is my Bloud And bad them doe that he had donne that is by power of his mightye worde to consecrate his blessed Body So by those verye wordes that heretickes abuse when hee saide Doe this in memorie of mee to make the holye Sacrament to bee but a bare figure and remembrance of Christ by those verye wordes I saye you see by uery reason and as holye doctors euer vnderstood Christ gaue authority to the Apostles and to all Preists and Bishopps their lawfull successors to offer vp daily that pure and vnbloodye sacrifice in consecrating his body and blood to represent and renue in vs his death and Passion till his comming to Iudgement againe And therefore at the holy Sacrifice of the Masse euery ornament and action of the Preist reduceth to our memory some thing Christ said or did during his life bitter death and Passion Chap. XXII That heretickes which deny Christs body in the Sacrament euacuate the fruites of Christs death and Passion in mens soules and prepare the way to Antechrist THe heretiks therfore that do blasphem haue abolished the holy most blessed dread full pure most honorable Sacrament sacrifice of the Masse doe as much as lieth in them to put out of mens minds the Passion of Christ and make voide in our soules the fruit thereof wherefore they in deed be very forerunners of Antechrist that shall denye Christ and all and yet like shamelesse blasphemous wolues and deceiuers are not affraid to call the high Preist of God Christes Vicar here in earth the Pope Antechrist who is in deede the cheife piller head of the Church here next to Christ spreading and vphoulding Christs faith against Turkes Iewes Heretickes and all Infidles throughout the whole worlde But these impostors call the Vicar of Christ Antechrist that they Antechristians and their Master Antechrist the vessell of Satan when hee commeth may be the lesse suspected so pull downe Christianity But Gods Church Christes kingdome shall not faile though we are to feare now in the later ende of the worlde Antechriste is neare hand as these certainlie bee his forerunners whoe at his comming shall raise a greater persecution against the Church then euer was before For hee shall deny Christ and God and also exalt himselfe aboue God with such false deceits and wordes that if it were possible the very elect should be deceaued and the holye and continuall sacrifice of the Masse shall in his time cease to be offered openly as the holy prophet Daniell foretould What other thing then Dan. 12. Heb. 7. 12 The turks though perhaps sometimes they baue some voluntary externall superstitious sacrifice yet no ordinarye set sacrifice-publike for as much as euer I red or heard do these hereticks but prepare a way for Antechrist whoe denying the blessed Masse ordained and first said or celebrated by christ at his last supper would leaue vs neuer an externall Sacrifice to worship God withall like very Turkes to whome being without externall sacrifice they bee most like Translato enim according to the Apostles doctrine Sacerdotio necesse est vt legis translatio fiat So that take away Preisthood take a waye sacrifice and so consequentlye God and all For that by externall sacrifice God is chiefely knowne and worshipped the want and honor most due vnto which sacrifice maketh vs you se so many Atheists that now a daies make a scoffing against Christ God to But Lorde be mercifull vnto this Countrey whether is it fallen for sinne and blinde heresy the worste weede that euer was sowne To be briefe you see here how in an eleuen plaine places in the fower Euangelistes and Saint Paul Christ calleth that most blessed Sacrament he ordained at his last supper his very bodye and blood Caluin Beza and the Protestantes and other heretickes of this time say it is but a figure shadowe or bare remembrance In a peece of bread of his body and blood must we beleeue Christes and Saint Paul then or your wise ministers and new vpstart heretikes of this time O Christ if I should forsake
thee the euerlasting truth and beleeue or followe any brainsicke hereticke in the worlde what shoulde I aunswere or howe durst I appeare before thy face I confesse then it is most certaine and sure which thou hast saide of this blessed Sacrament This is my Bodie This is my Bloud And that euery heretike that saieth This is a figureof thy Body This is a figure of thy Bloud is a most blasphemous and impudent hereticke and lyar Chap. XXIII Wherin is declared that we ought as really and truely to receaue his Body with our mouthes to health saluation as Adam did eate the forbidden apple to death and damnation BVt it is a woonder what shiftes these false Prophets the heretickes haue to couer their lyes vnder some shewe of trueth as though we were to eate Christ at his Fathers right-hand and so to delude the simple for as a learned man of our time writeth of this matter in this sorte Concerning that Caluin willeth vs to goe into heauen by faith to eate Christes body know you not because our nature was not able to clime vp to the seat of God in heauen therfore the sonne of God came downe from heauen to earth to lead and lift vs vp to the fruition of his father Know you not that because our body more quickly draweth our soules downwarde then our spirite is able to drawe our body vpward therfore Christ toke not only the soule but also the body of man giuing vs in his last supper that body of his to the intent that our bodies taking holde in the Sacrament of the Alter of his bodye might be caried into heauen to haue the sight of God because faith without the Incarnation of Christ cannot lifte vp our bodies therefore Christ fulfilled faith with trueth and hauing taken of the Virgin our nature gaue his body in deede to our bodies and soules that we againe might in body and soule be lifted vp with it It is not then sufficient to eate Christ by faith only but to arise againe in Christ the second Adam we must eate him in this blessed Sacramente as reallye and verily as our first father Adam wherein we all fell did eate the forbidden fruit The fruite of the tree forbiden entred into the mouth and damned the fruit of the blessed Virgin of the tree of the Crosse must enter into our mouths and spiritually worke effect in our soules and thereby wee shal be saued For as a man that is cast into a deepe pitt calleth by the meane of his tongue for helpe but when a cord is lett down to him for the ayde and succour of him it is not then sufficient to vse his tongue still to let his hands alone Euen so our faith called for Christ to come from heauen to helpe vs to let downe the corde of his humanity and of his fleshe and bloud and shall we nowe when it is let downe to be fastened in our bodies and in the bottome of our hearts by eating it really shall we nowe refuse it and say we will goe into heauen by faith our selues and there take holde of Christ whereby we may be saued and deliuered out of the deepe vale of misery As though neede were that the corde shoulde haue beene let downe if we coulde haue fastned our bodies to any thing in heauen and yet our bodies are they which weigh downe our soules cheifly Authorities to proue the vndoubted trueth of this most blessed Sacrament bee almost inumerable For if I should reckon vp all holy Saints and blessed Fathers that haue written of the trueth of this B. Sacrament I should neuer make an ende S. Ambrose saith Lib. 4. de Sacram. This bread is bread before the words of the Sacrament but when Consecration commeth to it of bread is made the body of Christ and howe at Masse the Priest prayeth for Kings Princes and the people but when he commeth to the most venerable renowmed Sacrament then he vseth not his owne wordes saith he but the worde of our Lord Iesus God commaunded saith he and heauen was made earth was made all creatures were made thou seest then saith he of what vertue the worde of Christ is If then God made thinges before of nothing that were not how much-more able is he to make things to be that were before and to change them into another As for example to make that which before was bread wine by consecration his Body and Bloud and before the wordes of Christ saith he the Chalice is full of wine and water but when the wordes of Christ come thereunto there is then the Bloud that redeemed the people All the holy Doctours as Saint Chrysostome Saint Cyrill Saint Ciprian both the holy Gregories Saint Hierome Saint Augustine Saint Barnarde bee full of the like testimonies for this matter many of them recording woonderfull miracles that haue beene wrought by vertue of this Sacrament Saint Augustine amongst De. ciu Dei the rest recordeth howe a place beeing troubled with euill spirits One of his bretheren a. religious mā that was a frier or a moncke went and offred there the healthfull Sacrifice as much to say as he said Masse and so the euill spirites were driuen away Hard you euer anye such miracle wrought by their Communion all this time I haue probably hard how the Diuell hath appeared in some of their Churches of late and in the beginning of this Queenes time when Paules steeple was burnt the very communion table from all other thinges about it was burnt in token of Godes wrath and indignation against that venemous bread of theirs whereby they poyson the souls of the simple people In the four general Councels that S. Gregorie did honour as the fouer Gospells you shall finde the blessed Sacrament of the Altar spoken of in most reuerent sort as called An honorable Sacrament called a most pure and vnbloody sacrifice of Christs body blood a pure and vndefiled host the lambe of God and the like by vertue whereof as wee read in Saint Gregories dialogues and other holy Fathers the deaffe haue beene made to heare the dumme to speake the lame to walke many other cured of incurable diseases Being abused by Iewes Heretickes and Infidles it hath issued out of blood and sometimes bin seene with streames of glorious lighte proceeding from the same as auncient histories doe recorde and blessed Saints in their writings doe witnes To be breife then this blessed Sacrament and our pure and most blessed vnbloody Sacrifice being so plainlye declared to bee Christes blessed bodye and blood by Christes owne words the holy Apostles and Euangelistes and all good men that euer writte since Christes time by the generall practize of the Church by generall Councells that cannot erre because Christ hath promised his holy spirite to assist them and his Church in all truth and by so many and wonderfull miracles we may firmely conclude with that holy Father Saint Hillary I am de
in Christ which are in the Heauens and which are in the earth in him Al those eatings drinkings which were in the law of nature in the law of Moises in faith spirit are so far behind the supper of Christ after his manhood really assuÌ„pted as the faith of Christs Incarnation is behind the IncarnatioÌ„ it self mark for being deceiued with fals doctrin Christ by his incarnatioÌ„ gaue a real truth to the faith of the fathers and not a newe spirit So in his last Supper he giueth the same spirituall gifte to vs that he gaue to Abell Noe Abraham c. but he giueth vs another kind of trueth than euer he gaue them The trueth made by Christ is the true fleshe bloud which he tooke of his Mother the giuing of that trueth to be eateÌ„ is the giuing of that fleshe bloud vnder the formes of bread wine Therfore they that nowe say Christ giueth bread wine with spirituall giftes wherin our soule eateth drinketh Christs flesh bloud they graunt a good thing one way but another way they take away the greatest goodnes that euer was giueÌ„ to maÌ„ Their spiritual eating is not euil but it lacketh some trueth how so Because the whole man is not fed for faith feedeth but the soule yet the name of feeding is proper to the body thence is transferred to the soule that feeding therefore is not fully true which eateth not in mouth which it eateth in harte wheras the true supper of Christ is meat in deed and drinck in deed and must be the eating of that in our body which our mind soul doth eate The meaning of all those suppers sacrifices feastes in the olde time eaten with mouth were to shew that in time to come the same Messias that they looked for and in whome they beleeued should so truely come for our sakes into earth that he should come also into our bodies to dwell by his flesh eaten in vs that we might dwell in him The whole man in Paradise was ouercome by eating with mouthe of the forbidden fruite Thus then Christ cured the whole man against the Diuell perswading Eue to disobey God hee sent the Archangell Gabriell to perswade the B. virgin Marye to consent to his will against the Apple-tree hee planted the Crosse of our redemption For the disobedience of Adam hee himselfe the second Adam came to be obedient to his father euen to death For the apple of the forbidden tree vnlawfully eaten he gaue himselfe the fruite apple of that Crosse which is the tree of grace lawfully and needfully to bee eaten and his bloud to be droncken As therefore the apple that Adam did really eate against the coÌ„maÌ„demeÌ„t of God doth make vs al that were in his body at that time guilty of disobedience the childreÌ„ of wrath so the real eating of Christs flesh according to the worthy eating therof which Christ coÌ„manded doth make vs all free froÌ„ the paine of euerlasting death the children of grace glory But as euery man did not eate the prohibited apple in his own person by his own act but by the act of our father mother as being in them of them so it is not needfull that euery man in his owne person eate the flesh of Christ which is giuen vs in the Sacrament to be eateÌ„ But it is absolutely needful that some or other eat it as really to saluation as euer the apple was eateÌ„ to daÌ„nation that al the rest who by Baptisme enter into the same body may be one perfectly with Christ whilst they are one mystically with theÌ„ who really eate the substance of Christs flesh being the substance of our true sacrifice trulye rosted vpoÌ„ the crosse truely â—ising froÌ„ death to the intent it might be truly eateÌ„ of vs without any corruptioÌ„ or perishing therof So that the B. Sacrament of the Altar is a medicine against that poison which Adam first in him al we toke by tasting the apple against the coÌ„mandemeÌ„t of god It is not only profitable but necessary that as the poisoned apple entred in at Adams mouth was not only receiued by faith spirit vnder staÌ„ding but by hand tongue iawes was digested into his bowels poisned Vnderstand our flesh greatly infirme and sore infected though as the creature of God still good but pestilent through our owne fault al his flesh wherby the flesh that we took of AdaÌ„ was also pestileÌ„t poisoned our soules vnited to that infected flesh were also infected Euen so the medicine which is the body and blood of Christ made of bread wine must not only be receiued by spirit faith vnderstaÌ„ding neither only the figure of it must be receiued in at our mouthes so conuaid in to our bowels but the body of Christ it selfe must come to our bodies it must be receiued as reallye into them by our mouthes as euer the apple came into the mouth of AdaÌ„ Who euer hard that wheÌ„ a mans body was really poysoned it should be sufficieÌ„t to think of a certaine true medicine to receiue with all the figure or signe thereof into his body not at al touching and receiuing reallye the medicine it selfe yet such is Caluines doctrine But he vrgeth how the holy Fathers call the blessed Sacrament a figure yea true but not a figure alone or a bare figure but such a figure as Christ is a figure of his fathers substance and yet his substance in deed so the sacrament is a figure of Christ and yet Christ in deede Ther can be no more grosse or blasphemous conceipt then to thinke the word of God like the worde of man Looke what oddes is betwixte God and man So much betwene his naming figures of the olde testament all other figures But some will say will Christ giue his body to be eaten and swallowed vp of drunckeardes whore-mongers blasphemours and euill persons Yea without doubt for Christ thought it lesse euill that euill men should eate his body then that his Sacramentes by any our infidelity shoulde be made voide or the gifte of his grace shoude be vncertaine But heretickes that seeme to stand so much vpon scripture I would gladly here of them where they find in holy scripture the body of Christ in the sacrament called a figure Truly from the beginning of Genesis to the latter end of the Apocalipes we finde not our Lordes supper termed a signe figure or token of the body and bloud of Christ Christ the sixe of S. Iohn calleth it the meate which perisheth not but tarrieth into life euerlasting He saith his bread which he will giue is his flesh which hee will giue for the life of the world Hee calleth it the flesh and the blood of the sonne of man meate in deede and drin ke in deed his flesh and his bloud the eating of him the bread which who so eateth shal
malecontent went his way This minister you see in his action declared what their communion bread is nothing but bare bakers bread in deede speake they neuer so gloriouslye of it to deceaue the simple and so bad that it is not worth the taking vp vvheras I haue proued to you before by most sure authority that the Blessed Sacrament that Christ left vs is no more bread but his very body and bloud in deed But they say you must receiue it in faith spirit how in faith spirit they speak a thing that neither they themselus nor any man els vnderstaÌ„deth for to say the truth there Communion is such a minion that they know not what to define or make of it or what to affirme such is the blindnes of heretikes when they haue once lost the high way for was there euer any that hard how a maÌ„ could eat Christ in a peece of bread nothing but breade or may we thinke them so strong in faith and spirit that with S. Paul they bee alwaies rauished when they come to their comunioÌ„ to the third heauen that so they may â—ate Christ at his fathers right hande but these slender â—uasioÌ„s be shifts for simple babes ouer childishe sauing that they wante not malice to bee answered Truthe it is the holye Catholicke Church teacheth two kinds of receauing the one is Sacramentall that is wheÌ„ we receiue the body bloud of Christ not with hart only earnest desire but also really truly and substantially in the B. Sacrament Christ god maÌ„ which euery christiaÌ„ is bound to do at due times when he can come to it Another manner of receiuing is with spirit feruent desire wheÌ„ a man caÌ„not or is not prepared sacramentally to receiue of this kind of receiuing S. Aust saith Crede manducasti beleiue thou hast eaten Now heretikes coÌ„found both these maÌ„ners of receiuing sacramental spirituall together so that when the holy Fathers speake of spirituall receiuing by ChristiaÌ„ charitable faith desire which euery good christiaÌ„ maÌ„ as oft as he think eth of this B. Sacrament or is present at it ought to haue that so more morâ— he may be fast lincked vnited and incorporate with Christ then do they either ignorantlye or maliciouslye vnderstand and peruert the holye Fathers as though they speake of Sacramentall receiuing and so in brabling of receiuing Christ by faith alone would exclude him out of the holy Sacrament contrary to his institution and so in that Sacrament by denying of Christ wherein our faith is cheifly excercised they lost both Christ therein yea faith deuotion religion and all But the holy Fathers which heretikes seldome reade or if they doe little vnderstand or not beleiue them when these blessed men I say spake of spirituall receauing as oft they doe they not onlye teach vs the great and stedfast faith earnest desire we ought to haue to this blessed Sacrament but the due preparation we ought to make worthely to receiue the same which is by innocent life and pure conscience remaining in Christ by feruent loue charity which is spiritually to receiue Christ that so he may remaine in vs we in him with this preparation if a man could not come to receiue sacrameÌ„tally the blessed Sacrament al the dayes of his life yet no doubt he should be saued for that thus spiritually he eateth Christ In like maner the holy Doctors namely Saint Augustine tearme this B Sacrament a signe or figure which we deny not for euery Sacrament is a figure of signe otherwise it could not be a Sacrament but in that the heretikes call it a bare signe as it were or an only figure and signe that by the holy Fathers doctrine we vtterlie denye and by Gods worde proue the contrary For the Sacrament of the Altar is both a signe or figure and yet the thing it selfe also which it signifieth or figureth as for example you see a loafe of bread stand before the bakers shopp to be sould it is both a signe that bread is there to be sould and yet very bread it selfe so the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar is a signe of Christes body and yet his very body it selfe How a signe of Christs body will you say Marry a figure and signe of Christes body dead broken crucified in an other quality then we receiue him in the blessed Sacrament For in the blessed Sacrament wee receiue Christes bodye though a very true and naturall bodye yet not subiect to those alterations and qualities our bodies bee and therfore wee receiue him with al if I might so tearme it which is verelie naturall a supernaturall bodye an impassible bodye a glorified body though in very deede before his Passion also hee gaue to his Disciples the very same bodye we nowe in the same Sacrament receiue giuing his owne body in his owne handes to his Disciples by his mighty diuine power vnited to that body to which power nothing is impossible So that as saith a late famous writer wee verely teach beleene the figure and the truth to stand together the supper of our Lord to bee the signe of Christs body and to bee his owne bodye the weaker parte is the signe the greater is the truth but both doth not only stand together in one Sacrament but furthermore the true nature of euery Sacrament of Christ is to haue both that is to say to haue one certaine truth and one certaine signe of the same truth the truth is hidden vnder the signe the signe is witnesse of the truth which once being declared you shall se the vaine doctrine of the Protestants The signes and miracles Christ wrought outwardly were tokens of his Godhead hidden from our eyes likewise the supper of Christ is both a signe of his body also his true body a signe outwardly and the true bodye inwardly a signe by the sound of words when it is first made and a truth by the inwarde working of the holy Ghost by consecration So that Christ intending to leaue certaine holy misteries vn to his Church thereby to conuey vnto her the fruit of his Passion and death as well for regard of his owne self in whose person two natures were vnited as for regard of vs who consist of bodye and soule made the said holy Sacraments to bee of a double sorte and nature so that the one parte thereof might appeare to the sences the other should lye priuye and onlie bee seene by faith Saint Chrisostome in an Homely of the treason of Iudas saith Sacerdotis ore c. that is The wordes are spoken with the Priestes mouth and by the vertue and grace of God the thinges set before our eyes are consecrated This is saith he my Body by this worde the thinges proposed be consecrated It is to be noted that how many Fathers soeuer call the Sacrament a Figure yet none of them all teacheth these words This is my Body and This is my
Bloud to be wordes figuratiue For when they call it a Figure they meane not a Figure of Rhetoricke but a misticall Figure and calling it a signe they meane not a naturall signe or token but a misticall signe that is to say a secret and miraculous kinde or token such as the state of the newe Testament requireth the nature whereof is to doe that which it sayeth because Christ the speaker performeth all that by his diuine power and substance which his worde spoken by the mouth of his manhoode in holy Sacraments doth vtter and signifie Now he that woulde the Sacrament of Christ so to be a signe that he shoulde not make that thing to be his Body in deede whereof in worde he saith This is my Body he most wickedly denyeth the godhead of Christ This blessed Sacrament of the Altar is such a signe as is withall a secret miracle for it is a miracle not shewed to Infidels but onlie to the faithfull For as the birth of CHRIST is a signe to the faithfull only who beleeue Christ being God and man trulie to haue beene borne of a Virgin without seede of man by the almighty power of the holy Ghost according to that Ipse Deus dabit vobis signum Esa 7. ecce virgo â—oncipiet pariet c. Right so the supper of Christ is a signe of his Body and Bloud to the faithfull only who beleeue the nature of bread and wine to be turned into his body and bloud without generation or corruption by the only power of the word of Christ who said after bread taken and blessing made This is my Body This is my Bloud doe this thing for the remembrance of me Beholde the making of Christs Body and Bloud for the remembrance of his death that is the signe we speake of this was the memory or the remembrance whereof Dauid said Memoriam Psal 110. fecit mirabilium suorum Our Lorde hath made a remembrance of his meruailous workes c. And thinke we that a remeÌ„brance of meruailous things is made of God without a miracle S. Cyprian Cipr. de Cena do saith the bread to be made fleshe Omnipotentia verbi By the Almightie power of the worde S. Augustine calleth it Aug. manu ca. 11. Chris de Sacerd. Lib. 3. Mirabile Sacrificium S. Chrysostome cryeth out O miracle o the goodnesse of God he that sitteth aboue with the father in the selse-same moment of time is touched with the handes of all men If thou aske howe it is made saith Damascene it is enough Damas de orthod fid Lib. 4 Cap. 14. for thee to heare that it is made by the holy Ghost euen as our Lord made for himselfe and in himselfe a body out of the Virgine Mother of God we knowe no more but that the worde of God is true strengthfull Eus lib. 5. demonst cap. 3. Beda in hom Vidit Iesus Basil in Liturg. Greg. Niss in orat de Pascat Hiero. in Leuit. Niceph. lib. 1. cap. 28. Almighty Eusebius calleth it Admiralem exitum oraculi A meruailous euent of the Oracle S. Bede nameth it A sanstification of the holy Ghost that cannot be vttered by speache The like wordes haue Saint Basil Saint Gregory Nissenus Saint Hierome Nicephorns Thus much I thought good briefly to say concerning the manner howe the blessed Sacrament of the Altar is a signe token mysterie or remembrance euerie worde whereof expounded according to the Gospell and to the state of the newe Testament doth proue the reall presence of Christes bodye and bloud vnder the formes of bread and wine It is a Sacrament which outwardlye signifieth that which is inwardly wrought it is a figure containing the trueth figured it is a signe meete for the inslitution of Christ whose signes are miraculous it is a secret token knowne onlie to those that beleeue it is the remembrance of Christes death by the presence of the body which died what shall I say more It is the body bloud of Christ couered from our eies reuealed to our faith feeding presently our bodies and soules to life euerlasting When Tertullian and S. Augustine say Christ gaue a figure or signe of his body the Protestant Grammarians vnderstand a Rhetoricall figure as Metonymia or Synechdoche or such a figure as it is set vp at an Ale-house or Wine-tauerne but the Doctors meane a peculiar signe and token miraculously instituted by Christ which conteyneth and giueth to the faithfull the truth which it betokeneth Signes and figures in the Sacraments consist of words and the matter as of Water and I Baptise c. Bread and Hoc est c. of Oyle c. Christs wordes make that which they signifie otherwise neither body nor figure thereof Againe which of the holy Fathers teacheth that Body standeth to signifie the figure of body Many Fathers say the wordes of Christ are plaine manifest true and effectuall but no man telleth of such a strainge taking of the wordes Body Bloud no man witnesseth them to be taken for the figures of body and bloud and no maruell for no man knewe that interpretation They Note well knowe that the true body of Christ giuen after such a sort vnder the formes of bread and wine was a figure of the selfe same body either walking visibly vpon earth or suffering vpon the Crosse or sitting nowe at the right hand of his Father or intending to come to iudgement They coulde tel that a thing present in a secret manner is a token signe and a watch-worde to all the faithfull of an open manner either past or to come in the same thing by this meanes they confessed the Sacrament to be the signe of Christes body and bloud but they knewe no such figure as the SacrameÌ„taries haue deuised they neuer could tell of Synecdoche or Metonymia they knewe sacramentall and not rhetoricall figures mysticall not poeticall holy and not prophane Lâ—t him therfore that wil haue any thing made at al of Christs wordes acknowledge them to be proper to signify somewhat and to make that they signifie which is the true body bloud of Christ vnder those outward ryndes or visible formes of bread and wine For as vnder the visible fleshe of Christ his Godhead lay priuy but yet was truely present and had assumpted his flesh into one person euen so vnder the visible forme of bread the fleshe of Christ is really present in the holy mysteries and therefore we touch that flesh when wee touch the forme of bread as S. Thomas did touch the Godhead wheÌ„ he touched the fleshe of Christ for in each place we touch not either the godhead or the fleshe visibly but by the meane of that thing wherein it is truely present that thing I say receiued of vs doth make his death resurrection to be remembred Hath he not al that euer Christ did presently before his eies who hath Christ himselfe present But take Christ away and afterward it
to S. Paul on earth and yet at that present sat at his fathers right hand in heauen To be briefe such a glorified deficate body to whome by power of his diuinity vnited thereunto nothing is impossible this I say if Heretickes woulde beleeue with vs then to them the flesh of Christ would profit much This is my Body this is my Bloud said Christ the pronounâ— This pointeth to body or bloud and not to bread and wine as appeareth by the genders contrary God prouided of purpose that the article This therefore shoulde neither agree with bread nor with wine but only with body bloud or with the Chalice wherin the bloud is conteyned and therefore this to be true that Christs very body and bloud is in the B. Sacrament of the Altar as being most expresse and plaine by the very words of christ we are bound to beleue though to declare the maner how excedeth mans reason because he said it to whom nothing is impossible And therefore for ignorant vnlearned meÌ„ especially when heretikes aske the reason how it is possible for Christ to be here there in many places at once it is not fit for theÌ„ to reasoÌ„ but to haue recourse to faith which is aboue reason plainly say I beleeue Christ that said This is my body to whose power nothing is impossible and let the heretike demand scof or flout neuer so much go you nofurder with him but leaue him to the more lerned that caÌ„handle him better For with his whyes how 's he deceueth the simple souls as the serpent did Eue who begaÌ„ first with the woman the weaker vessell whereby diuines vnderstand the sensual part or inferior part to reason proposed things that seemed delectable reasonable and good and so in the end drew reason and all awry making her to consent by answering first doubtfully and so made her doe the things vnlawfull but if shee neuer had stood to haue reasoned or answered the wily serpeÌ„t but had fled him at first she had neuer bin ouercome The diuel theÌ„ in like maner against the simple childreÌ„ of Gods Church taketh the bodies of heretiks his members speaketh in theÌ„ as in paradise he spake in the body of the serpent so poore simple soules listning to his wily crafts he deceiueth vnder pretence of good casteth them out of paradise Christs kingdome that is his holy Church wherefore flie you alwaies the whispering of that olde serpent in heretikes that you be not deceiued with theÌ„ For heresy creepeth as a canker and the diuels deceipts be diuers many somtimes he armeth hiÌ„ selfe against the people of God with the word of God euill vnderstood to ouerthrow the truth of Gods word in this SacrameÌ„t other misteries of our redeÌ„ption as wheÌ„ Christ saith poore men shal you Ioh. 12. 8. alwaies hauâ— c. meaning passible in forme of pouerty but not by withdrawing himself from vs by his corporal preseÌ„ce in this B. Sacram. as wheÌ„ it is said he is risen asceÌ„ded into heaueÌ„ we must vn derstand he is neuerthelesse in his sacred flesh meat indeed in this miraculous mistery and so in spirit truth with vs all daies euen to the end of the worlde For Christ ascended into heaueÌ„ there sitting at the right hand of his father and leauing vs the beliefe thereof as a chiefe article of our faith Christ made his owne supper saying This is my Bodye and commaunded his Apostles and their successors to make the same saying doe and make this thing for the rememberance of me Therfore neither the making of Christs bodye neither the beleefe thereof can be contrary to the sitting of Christ at the right hand of his father Againe sith nothing is impossible to God albeit that which implieth contradiction in it selfe be therefore impossible because it repugneth to the truth it felfe which is God is it not possible to God Christ shoulde both be in heauen after one visible sort and in the Sacrament after a misticall sort It were impossible for the body of Christ both to be in heauen and not in heauen or to be in the Sacrament and not to bee there in the same respect but to bee in heauen and in the Sacrament or to bee in many places at once that maketh no contradiction but only sheweth an allmighty infinite power in him who worketh it In somuch as Christ is allmighty to sitt at the right hand of God he is able to performe his owne word gift in the Sacrament of the Altar and therefore in the sixt of S. Iohn when hee spake of eating his flesh and drinking his bloud which he would giue he also declared that he would go vp into heauen in his man-hoode where hee was before in his god-head And that thing hee spake as S. Cirillus hath noted to declared that he was God and therfore able to worke that which hee spake of in so much as his wordes were Spirit and Chris de sacerdotiâ— lib. 3. Life For this cause S. Chrysostome crieth out O miraculum O dei benignitatem O miracle O goodnes of God hee that sitteth aboue with the Father in the same very momente of time is touched with the handes of men and deliuereth himselfe to those that will receaue and imbrace him seeme these thinges worthy to bee despised and neglected thou shalt perceaue our holye things not only to bee wonderfull but also exceed all wondring and astonying of the mind Thus saith S. Chrisostome This Blessed Sacrament then thus miraculously instituted by Christ for a perfect memorye of his death and pleadge of his infinite loue with all reuerence and honor is to bee vvorshipped and vvith gratefull memories and pure hartes to bee receaued of vs seeing hee coulde shevv vs no greater token of vnmeasurable loue then this by giuing himselfe wholy vnto vs nor deuise any more excellent way to declare the same For as a man that in fight is wounded with a scarre in his face for his friendes sake comming with that in his face putteth his frend in more perfect memorye of his loue then if hee left or sent him an hundreth other tokens so Christ for our loue taking a deepe vvounde to death coulde leaue vs no more perfect memory thereof then his ovvne bodye in an vnspeakable mistery whereby his death is shewed vntill hee come to iudgment at the end of the vvorlde For euen as the noble actes vvhich other men haue donne bee written vpon their sepulchers so in this memorie of Christ his actes are daylie shewed and rehearsed Then his Incarnation is beâ—okened most mistically vvhen breade is made fleshe as the vvorde was before made fleshe and that Incarnation is represented in outvvarde shevv also by singing of the Angells hymne Glory bee to God in the highest Then See here how in the B. Sacrament at Masse the whole life death and resurrection of Christ is represented the going before of
Sacrament actuallie that naturall dimension and occupying of place which it hath otherwise but as hee hath ordayned it to be so is it vnder diuers formes of bread in diuers places at once by his omnipotencie to whome nothing is impossible Here I am sure many will stand with mee and say they beleeue not so to whome I aunswere that by so saying they haue condemned themselues Iohn 6. 64 to bee of those of whome Christ sayed There are some of you whoe beleeue not For if CHRIST sayed by that which vvas bread before his blessing which still seemed bread if Christ said thereof This is my body and gaue it vnder twelue peeces or formes seeing they for the most of them I thinke confesse him to be able to make his body present vnder diuerse formes and to haue promised to giue his flesh and to haue said This is my body and to haue giuen it to twelue how can they denie that his bodye was present at that supper vnder twelue dyuers formes of bread beeing whole and all vnder each forme The confessing also of that which Christ said is a thing appertaining to faith because the speaker is God to whom all faith belongeth to beleeue this that God saieth must needes bee a vertue and to discredit it is a great vice But some will still perhappes alleadge that The flesh profitteth nothing Iohn 6. the wordes of Christ are spirit and life That is true and therefore I beleeue that vvhen he said Take eate this is my body he gaue his body not without life and spirit but yet as really as euer by saying Gen. 1. Let the light bee made hee made the light for his words be not deadfleash which profiteth nothinge but quicken and giue life how and whensoeuer it pleaseth him much better then the spirit and soule of a man is able to quicken and make liuelye the bodye wherein it is These two saying This is my body and my wordes are spirit and life stand so well together that I beleeue the one for the others sake Christs wordes neuer want spirit and life power to quicken other things euen as his fleshe neuer lacked all kinde of spirite in it selfe For when the soule was out of it yet the God-head remayned and corporallye dwelte in it and the soule returned to it againe the third day Collos 2. Therefore when Christ said This is my body which is giuen for you I am bound to beleeue that his bodye is neither without soule nor godhead for else it were not truly said it is giuen sor vs if it vvere not profitable to vs. Thus you see that I beleeue all the wordes of Christ together and that you not doing so are without you repent certaine to bee condemned sor not beleeuing these words Take eate this is my body you will say you beleeue these wordes yet not carrially but spiritually as it is meete for Christs wordes to bee beleeued O Sir he that assigneth a meane how he wil beleeue Christs words in that very fact sheweth himselfe not to beleeue them For beliefe inuenteth nothing of his owne but followeth the authority of God that speaketh I beleeue in deede that Christs wordes cannot be carnall as you take carnall words for foule grosse meanings but I see it to be a very cleane and pure meaning that the most pure substance of the flesh of Christ should be giuen vnder the forme of bread to the end it may be eaten of vs and the chiefe and the cleanest thing we vse to eate is bread to giue therefore the chiefe and most healthfull flesh in the worlde to be eaten vnder rhe forme of the purest eatable thing is a very pure and cleane worke farre from carnality You will say it is more pure if it be rather beleeued to be eaten only of the hart of man by faith and spirit then by mouth and body I answere that it is no pure eating of a corporall thing which taketh away the truth of corporall eating Againe both waies of eating are better then one of theÌ„ alone I beleeue his reall flesh to be eaten with hart and mouth to be eaten with body mind to be eaten in deed in faith Here faileth your beliefe because of two true things you beleeue but one the other you discredit To be short let vs imagine him that beleeueth the real presence of Christs body and bloud vnder the formes of bread and wine to stande before the seat of Gods iudgment and that Christ asketh him why he did beleeue and worship his body and bloud vnder the formes of bread and wine may he not well answere in this vvise I beleeued so and did so because your Maiestie taking bread and hauing blessed it doubted not to say This is my body which wordes all my forefathers vnderstoode to be spoken properly and to be true as they sounded and therefore at the commandement of my Prelates I a dored your bodye vnder the forme of bread If CHRIST reply that hee had Preachers whoe taught him otherwise cried to him to beware least he committed Idolatry First that obiection might not bee made to any man that died aboue 80. yeares past because no Preacher taught publikely any such doctrine Secondly if so much were said to one of our time he might answere that hee had moe forefathers and moe Preachets and those much more auncient and more honest men who required him to beleeue Christs wordes and to worship the body of his maker Well nowe wee are come to the point all the Catholickes haue preached with one accorde that it is the true body of Christ and the Gospell witnesseth that CHRIST said This is my body here is the worde of God and the tradition and preaching of man ioyned togither I aske whether it bee possible for CHRIST vvhoe requireth of vs nothing so earnestly as beâ—iefe to condemne that simple man who being otherwise of good life beleeued his worde and his forefathers and the Preachers agreeable with both or no answere me for what fault shall this poore man be condemned First to beleeue Christ it is no fault Secondly Christ said This is my body Thirdly he beeing an infant was of his parentes taught that to be the body of Christ which was holdeÌ„ ouer the Priests head Fourthly as many and moe preach to him when he commeth to lawfull age say this is the body of Christ as there are that afterwarde preach the contrary tel me then what was his fault for which hee may bee condemned If you say his eyes tould him it was not the body of Christ hee vvill ansvvere that for the reuerence he bare to the worde of God hee denied the sensible instruction of his eyes as giuing more credit to Christ then to himselfe is that a fault If you replie that by that means he might haue worshipped the rock in steede of Christ hee will answere he knoweth not what you meane he neuer had any rock
shewed him by most graue authoritie which was said to be Christ if such thing had beene taught him he for his part was so obedient to beleeue so willing to adore Christ that he woulde haue done any thing which had beene commaunded him vnder the name of Christ or of his religion Is this a fault why the poore man should be condemned no surelye seeing the prophet Dauid saith Vt iumentum Psal 62. factus sum apudte I am become as it were a beast before thee It is laudable saith Enthymius that in the sight of God we take our selues as beasts which being so I can deuise no fault in this poore and simple man who if he be deceaued he is deciued by Christ by his forefathers by diuers Catholicke and vertuous preachers by the vertue of humility of obedience and of pure loue towardes God But on the other side if Christ call one of them before him who denieth his reall presence and aske him why hee did not beleeue the Sacrament of the Altar to bee the body of Christ what will he answere for himselfe will he say Sir I beleeued your body to sitt at the right hand of God the father and therefore that your body was not in the Priests hande Why then thinkest thou that I am not able to make the same which is at the right hand of my father to be also present vnder the forme of bread Sir whether you are able or no I can not say But I haue heard many preachers tell that one bodye cannot be at one time in diuers places O how dreadfully would Christ answere in this case Did not those preachers whome thou pretendest to follow say alwayes they preached to thee the sincere worde of God did they not by that colour ouerthrow Monastaries Churches Altars Images of Saints and mine owne Image and Crosse Did they not deny the sacrifice of the Masse Praying for the dead such like auncient vsages only for pretence of the word of God nowe se how inexcusable they and thou art I saide Take eate This is my Bodye I said this to twelue men I gaue each of them my body bad make that thing as it is written in the Gospell I shewed at Capharnaum that I was signed of my father and equall with him in power they them selues beleue that I made all creatures places times of nothing nowe is it doubted how I am able to make my body present vnder the forme of bread in diuers paâ—ces Yea to mainteine the better the argumeÌ„t against my almighty power they say I entred not into my Disciples the dores being shutt but either preuented the shutting of them contrary to the wordes of my Gospell or came in by the windowe as theeues do or by some hole as creepers do yea any thing is sooner beleeued theÌ„ my diuine strength and working thou Hypocrite seeing the worde of God hath it written fower times in the newe Testament This is my body how coÌ„mest thou to talke with me of my sitting in heaueÌ„ as though one of my workes were contrary to the other if in deed thou hadst bin humbly perswaded that I were god thou wouldest not measure my almighty power by thy simple witt Thou art twice condemned first for deniall of a truth and againe for denying it against my expresse worde which thou pretendest to esteeme and pronouncest it false If the poore man say he knewe not so much nor sawe not the falsehood of that argument and begin to accuse the false preachers who deceaued him Christ may well say that he was not deceaued for before these false preachers began their false doctrine he had said This is my Bodye and This is my Bloud and all the world beleeued and taught the reall presence of Christs body and bloud fiftene hundred yeares togither what cause now hadst thou to beleeue a newe Gospel and newe preachers thereof forsooth Sir they said the Bishop of Rome had deceaued vs. If in this case Christ tell him that the Bishop of Rome were the successor of Saint Peter and so his Vicar hauing promise by him not to erre in faith and yet that he alone taught not that Doctrine but that all the Bishoppes Doctors and Preachers of the whole Church taught the same from the beginning and that Christ himselfe had said the same that all the Euangelists and the Apostle Saint Paul had written the same that all faithfull men beleeued the same what excuse can hee haue who forsooke CHRIST the Apostles the Bishopps the Fathers the Preachers and the whole Church to follow an vpstart renegate Frier who began his doctrine so ambitiously and proudly who liued so euill and died so terribly that his very abhominable dealing with great princes his shamefull incest and horrible death might make any good man weary to thinke vpon him much lesse shoulde any haue followed him To be short answere the poore man for himselfe what he may yet he cannot deny but that both Christ said This is my body and the Church taught the same yet beleeued he not this to be the body of Christ and therefore is one of them who beleeue not and without faith which is but one there is no saluation no pleasing of God no part in the kingdome of heauen which thing if they that be aliue will consider they may returne againe to the Catholicke faith and Church and so be made liuely members of Christs body whereof Christ is the Sauiour O but the Hereticke still vrgeth if I eate Christ really then I feede not of him spiritually I answere it is the fondest kinde of reasoning in the worlde by one truth to deny an other seeing both stande togither Is my faith the lesse because Christ was bodely seene in earth howe is then my spirituall feeding the worse because the foode of life is in my mouth Doth not Tertullian say the flesh is fedde De resurrect cor with the body and bloud of Christ to the ende the soule may be made fat with God and yet will the Heretickes say Christ in his last supper left vs but a figure of his body Except yee eate the flesh of the sonne of man is in deede a figure and the speaking thereof is figuratiue because it was not meant that a man should be visibly eaten as flesh is at common tables but yet that he shoulde be really eaten albeit the maner of eating be figuratiue as we knowe S. Augustine then as I said before calling those wordes except yee eate my flesh figuratiue referreth the figure to the manner of eating but not to the substance which is to be eaten for else if by no meane the flesh of Christ might be eaten it shoulde not be eaten by faith but if it may so be eaten it may be eaten by mouth also in that pure manner as it is giuen vs. The whole man must eate as well in body as in soule because the whole is taken and assumpted of Christ the
whole is incorporated by Baptisme the whole redeemed by death and the whole shall be crowned with glory therefore the true eating is to eate that meate which of it selfe consisteth of body soule and Godhead to eate it I say in body soule and spirite and not by faith only Chap. XXVI of the blessed Sacrament of the Altar shewing how conueniently it was ordained for our reparation and what preparation we ought to make to the same BVT it is not my purpose here to recount the shifts of our aduersaries or rather deceipts of the Diuell speaking by them his instruments to delude the simple to their damnation but rather for our instruction and comfort Let vs note here the prouidence of God sweete disposition in the ordinance of this most diuine mistery Our first parents by pride in coueting to bee as Gods and in incredulity beleeuing the serpent and mistrusting God fell from God contraâ—◠〈…〉 vs like God in deede and to recall vs 〈…〉 heauenly Paradise which our parents lost by eating the forbiddeÌ„ fruit Christ hath ordeyned a remedy quite contrary giuing vs in this B. Sacrament himselfe the fruit of the B. Virgin that bread that came downe from heauen that so with humility beleeuing Christs worde and promise far aboue our reason forsaking our selues submitting our reason to faith in Christ wee may receaue him his B. body that happy fruit of endlesse life and by vertue thereof recouer the possession Eue lost by her vnbeleeuing and tasting the forbidden fruit Leaue vaine disputes then of this blessed Sacrament and with steedfast faith imbrace the truth for this high mistery farre exceedeth mans reason For of all the workes that euer God wrought this is * So S. Thomas calleth it miraculoruÌ„ maximuÌ„ if any can finde a greter vnusquisque abuÌ„det in sensu suo Psal 100. most wonderfull and miraculous insomuch that herein God sheweth as it were the periode summe and perfection of all his workes as he spake before by his holy Prophet Memoriam secit mirabilium suorum miserator et misericors Dominus escam dedit timentibus se GOD herein hath made a memorye of his wonderfull vvorkes hee hath giuen meate to those that feare him So that this heauenly food is giuen to the saluation of those only that with reuerent loue with perfect faith come vnto this diuine banquet for what a wonderfull and mitaculous worke of Christ is this to feed man with the food of Angels for that Christ whose glory is the repast dainty and satiety of Angells in heauen is the foode of poore pilgrimes in this B. Sacrament here in earth nay herein God hath exalted man aboue Angels giuing the Preist power by his mighty word to consecrate his body so that that which before was bread nowe is no more breade but his body which power he neuer graunted to Angell Againe as God is all in all and in euery place in heauen and earth and yet not deuided but whole perfect God and as saith the Apostle In ipso viuimus mouemur sumus In him wee liue be moued and are Euen so though the Blessed body of Christ be not in all places at once where his God-head is as the Lutherane Vbiquitary Heretickes that so they might coarcte the mistery of this Blessed Sacrament in their reasons do dreame yet it is most certaine according to our beliefe and Godes truth that Christ euer sits at the right hand of his father most glorious and yet is here sacramentally and in a mistery in the B. Sacrament and as fullye Christ here perfect God and man as hee is in heauen and in many places and diuers Altars in all coastes of the worlde at once and yet not many but one and the same Christ indiuisible Yea in euery litle parte or particle of the holye Host and B. Sacrament is as whole and perfect Christ as in the vvhole host and looke where the Blessed body of Christ is there is his bloud and where his body and bloud is there is his God-head by vertue of that vnion of the diuine and humane nature in one person therefore it followeth that where the holye Sacrament is there is God the sonne And because the workes of the Trinity be indiuisible though no person but the second â—erson in Godheade was incarnate anâ— tooke vpon him our nature yet there 〈◊〉 present the Father and the holy Ghost three persons and one GOD in Trinity by vertue of the concomitance as wee tearme it and hypostaticall vnyon whome all creatures doe worshippe to whome Angells singe out perpetuall prayses and before whome heauen and earth doe tremble and quake O vnspeakable and dreadfull mistery An other miracle in this B. Sacrament is that though it be daily eaten yet is it neuer consumed nor any thing impaired though manye vncleane persons and traytors like Iudas doe ofte vnworthely receaue the same yet in it self it is euer vndefiled As you see the cleare sonne that shineth vpon the foule clay is nothing darkned but still remaineth pure in it self which as it is noysome to the watrye and euill disposed eye so is it comfort to the cleare and vvell disposed euen so Christ the sonne of righttuousnes giuen vs in this B. Sacrament is comfort health and saluation to the well disposed but euerlasting death damnation to those that come with vncleane consciences â—oaden with mortall sin without cleansing their soules before that is without contrition and lowly confession for the same not because the fault is in Christ but because the thing that receaueth him is impure and vncleane yet Christ alwayes perfect glorious in himselfe without defect and no meruaile for if he suffred himselfe to bee abused and shed his bloud with wonderfull blasphemies against him by those traiterous villaines hanging vpon the Crosse passibly no meruaile I say though in this B. Sacrament impassible he suffereth himself to be vnworthely receaued of hypocrites and wicked men whereof some will not sticke to stab their daggers in this By stab vnderstand pricke thrust or strike Blessed Sacrament and tread it vnder feet al which he suffreth wicked men to worke not with-drawing his diuine presence that the good bee not defrauded of so vnspeakeable a benefit for by this their abuse they hurte and soile themselues but not him who is immortall impassible Hereby we may answere the sond obiections of heretiks that say what if cat or rat should eatiet no doubt whatsoeuer taketh or abuseth it it is neuertheles the very body of Christ still but when the outward species or forme of the Sacrament passeth away from that vnseemly vessell then Christs B. Body and Bloud also passeth can be there no more abused An other wonderfull miracle we see and by daily experience proue in this B. Sacrament that is that whereas Christ hath ordeyned this B. Sacrament vnder the formes and liknes of those things that be most vsuall and familier to vs that is vnder the formes
of bread and wine that the sight and horror of raw flesh and bloud should not affray or appall vs so that to our outward eyes tast feeling other sences it seemeth no other but that it was before yet is it quite contrary from that it was before as farre as heauen and earth is asunder the accidents remaining without the subiect that is tast feeling and seing bread and wine but not so nor yet any part thereof bread or wine but wholy and perfectly the very body and bloud of Christ Chap. XXVII Of the Manna the paschall Lamb and other figures of the B. Sacrament BVT when as GOD hath wrought so many miracles in this B. Sacrament what sacrilegious impiety what damnable heresie or rather Apostacy is this of any mortal men to goe about to feede vs with figures pull Christ out of his kingdome remayning in this B. Sacrament in his Church militant here in earth These heretikes would make vs Christians nowe in this state of grace who haue by Christs promise the things themselues that were shadowed prefigured in the old law in worse case thē the Iewes themselues For Manna was a figure of the B. Sacrament of the Altar as apeareth by Christs owne words Your Ioh. cap. 6. fathers saith he did eate Manna in the wildernesse are dead but he that eateth this bread that I will giue him shall liue for euer For whether think you Manna that bread that was rayned downe from heauen and fedde the children of Israell forty yeares in the wildernesse was not a more excellent thing then a peece of bakers bread and yet these blasphemous heretickes vvoulde haue the blessed Sacrament to be no better and so make it worse then that which was but a figure of the Sacrament O but the thing it selfe this blessed Sacrament of ours Christs body and bloud as farre exceedeth that Manna of olde as the Sunne exceedeth the morning starre the fore-runner thereof in brightnesse Almighty Exod. 16. God when he rayned Manna downe from heauen the Iewes knowing not what it was for it did lie vpon the earth like hore dewe or the seede of the Coriander brayed with a pestle meruailing said Manhu that is quid est hoc what is this to whome Moyses answered as from God iste est panis c. this is the breade our Lorde hath giuen you to eate Nowe in this Manna there is a meruailous and strange quality which was that he that gathered more then his fellowes had but to suffice and he that gathered lesse had as much to suffice as he that gathered more and all sufficient and enough Nowe in this blessed Sacrament of the Altar Christs body though it farre exceede mans reason to knowe the manner howe it is yet we must most certainly and stedfastly beleue our true Moyses which is Christ who telleth vs it is the bread that came downe from heauen that is his very body and bloud What a goodly figure then was this Manna of our most pure and B. Sacrament of the Altar Manna came downe from heauen our Sacrament more It was to euery one that which he liked best our Sacramēt more a little suffised thereof as well as a great deale our Sacrament more the murmering Iewes repined at Manna and our murmering heretickes doe at our B. Sacrament much more the bodies of the Iewes were fedde with Manna and our bodies and soules with the body and bloud of our Lorde Iesus in this blessed Sacrament much more Thus you see howe the figure answereth and foresheweth that holy thing of our Lord and what an excellent and vnspeakable thing this B. Sacrament of the Altar is when the very shadowe of it Manna that betokened it so longe before was of such excellencie and so miraculous then howe vvorthy and miraculous I say is the thing it selfe and how base conceipts haue the heretikes of Christ and how vnworthy and vnsauory this their Comunion Caluinisticall bread is in respect of the Iewes Manna the very figure of our most B. Sacrament 3. Reg. 19. That bread which Elias did eate by vertue whereof hee arriued to the mount of God Horeb is a figure likwise that by vertue of our bread of life in the Sacrament we shall arriue to the mount of God the kingdome of heauen that bread baken vnder ashes and the bread of propositiō likwise euer kept in store That Paschal lamb that with such The Paschall lamb solemnity was eaten when the childrē of Israell passed through the redde Sea to the land of promise O what a notable figure is it of the B. Lamb of God vpon the Altar in this B. Sacrament and what preparation and disposition there ought to be to receaue the same we be taught by the figure The lamb was eaten with Exod 12 wilde lettuse signifying to vs with what sharp and bitter teares and contrition for our sinnes we ought to receaue the Lamb of God in this B. sacrament They did eate it with their raines girt betokening vnto vs the purenes and chastitie we ought to come with all to this lamb of God They had staues in their handes and did eate with hast whereby we be taught that this is the true foode of vs wayfaring-men herevpon earth They eate it rosted that we should pre pare our selues to this sweete lambe of God with hot loue that is feruent charity and whatsoeuer was left was burnt with fier giuing vs thereby to vnderstand that whatsoeuer wee cannot by reason comprehend of this diuine mistery that we are to consume burne vp in our selues by most faithfull feruent loue and charitie For perfect loue to God supplieth all our defects all this teacheth vs with what worthy preparation wee ought to come to our most blessed Sacrament the Lambe of God prefigured by this paschall Lamb of the Iewes which with such preparation was eaten but what needes all this adoe for bare bakers breade Iohn Caluins Communion Chap. XXVIII Wherein is touched how this Sacrament is also a sacrifice daily vnbloudely offered by Priests and propitiatory for the quicke and the dead and that it is the only sacrifice whereby God is chiefly honoured and worshipped NOW this B. Sacrament of ours is also our owne only most pure and vnbloudy sacrifice of the Church whereby God is chiefly worshipped his wrath appeased by meanes whereof grace and saluation is giuen to vs from that most gratious and bloudy sacrifice of the Crosse once there offered after a bloudy manner for all as the full and superabundant price of our redemption but here daily vpon the Altar after an vnbloudy sort to make vs partakers of the same sacrifice once bloudely offered but in both places on the Altar of the Crosse and here in this blessed Sacrament one and the same Christ Which sacrifice was prefigured by that of Melchisedech who offered sacrifice Gen. 14. 18. Heb. 7. 3. 4. in bread and wine and was the Priest of the most
mighty power to whome nothing is impossible But o how happy was the time when men beleeued stedfastly and doubted nothing of Godes promise in this his so vnspeakable a gift and so worthelye receaued the fruites thereof whereas miscreantes now both deny the truth and shewe themselues most ingratfull in not only denying the truth but thinking most basely of his diuine ordinance O horrible ingratitude in steed of the Prince and king of heauen and earth left vs in this Sacrament to feed men with a peece of beead like to the vncleane hogg that refuseth the precious pearle and feeddeth of the pease shaling in the clay O vvhat coulde CHRIST haue done more for vs then he did and how more vnthankfull can these men shew themselues to him then they doe which most displeaseth him and hindreth his bountye towardes vs for this vnthankfullnes is a vice that drieth vp the fountaine of Gods grace in mans soule Flie then such lying Masters I saye and their wicked deuises taste no more of their baite that draweth to death but beleeue and prepare your selues with al purity of body and soule to receaue in the blessed Sacrament Christ the food of life and so you shall reape the wonderfull fruites thereof which bee many infinit First by worthy receauing of this most venerable Sacrament manie sinnes we could not remember in confession bee forgiuen vs so hot is the fire of GODS loue towardes vs herein if wee receaue him with feruour that it againe boileth and consumeth in vs al defects and imperfections with the relikes of sinne as fire purifieth mettalls from drosse and corruption which was signified by the Pascall lambe rosted and those holocausts or whole burnt sacrifices of the lawe Besides this it giueth most plentifully of grace to the well disposed it infeebleth our passions and inordinate motions maketh lesse and weaker all tentations bodely and ghostly giueth strength that wee consent not to them but to our great merit may ouercome them Wherefore saith a blessed Father If thou feele not so ofte violent tentations of the fleash thanke Christ for the grace that this holy Sacrament worketh in thee Moreouer in this B. Sacrament we cheifly exercise faith to our greatest merit beleeuing Christ aboue reason and not our sences and that right worthely For if as we reade of a sort of Phylosophers they would câ—edit what their Masters said and neuer reason the matter but say Ipse dixit our Master said it accounting it a sure ground great reason then haue we Christians to giue credit to our Master Christ the truth whose wordes cannot faile reasoning no farther but say Ipse dixit Christ our Master said This is my body that hee saide it this is a sure grounde Likewise in worthy offering receauing this B. Sacrament we giue due thankes to God for his wonderfull benefits which of our selues we coulde neuer be able whereupon the holy Prophet in spirit long before considering the wonderfull benefits of God bestowed herein which of himselfe man could neuer be able to requite burst our into these wordes Quid retribuam Domino Psal 115. c. O what shall I requite to my Lord God for all his goodnesse bestowed on me I will saith he take the Cup of our Lord call vpon his holy name See the mercy of God who bestoweth such benefits vpon vs that none is able to requite and yet we in receauing these pretious gifts and offering his benefits to him againe he accepteth it for a sufficient requitall Also in this B. Sacrament as I saide before we represent mostliuely Christs Passion before our eyes and imitate him therein This is a sacrifice propitiatory both for the quicke and the deade which with the three Sages we ought to honour with all diuine honour and worship prostrate both in body and minde as the holie Prophet foretolde saying All the families of nations shoulde worshippe in his sight Psal 21. And in an other place Adorabunr scaâ—ellum c. they shall worshippe his footestoole that is as S. Augustnie vnderstandeth his body or humanity the seate or his footestoole as vnited to his diuinity By this Sacrament and sacrifice we worshippe God and chiefly acknowledge there is a true God by this sacrifice Gods wrath is chiefly auerted yea and sufficiently appeased for our I meane it is sufficient of it self as the example of that vpon the Crosse but to vs according to our disposition sinnes which sacrifice euer acceptable in his sight he neuer denieth as being most glorified thereby which is his only most deare sonne So that it is ioyfull to Angels in heauen comfortable to men in earth and healthfull to the faithfull departed and the chiefe honour to God here on earth neither is there any thing so sufficient a remedy to release the faithfull departed speedely of their paines and bring them to the glory of God as this Sacrament and sacrifice To be briefe this blessed Sacrament and our pure and vubloudy sacrifice Christs very body and bloud in deede is the very body and bloud that was borne of the B. Virgin and suffered death vpon the Crosse by meanes vvhereof vve be incorporate vnited or knit vnto Christ our head made one flesh of his saered flesh and bloud by meanes vvhereof we receiue herein a pleadge most soueraigne to appeare glorious vvith him at the last day Who is it then but for to be worthely partaker of so great a benefit if he well consider but woulde vvillingly loose two hundred markes for that paine besides imprisonment O dolefull daies English statutes set downe for hearing one Masse For so long as vve remaine in the knot of peace vnity and charity that is be members of Christs misticall body the Church by worthely receauing this venerable Sacrament his very body so long we be the very flesh and body of Christ flesh of his sacred flesh and bloud and may say with a reuerent Father to our vnspeakable comfort we are thy flesh and bloud O Iudge of the liuing and the dead we are thy members how vnworthy soeuer yet thy members haue we neuer left off or ceased to be we neuer from thy body by heresy or schisme deuided our selues thy flesh good Lord then wilt thou not despise thy fleshe thou wilt not hate thy flesh thou wilt neuer condemne we haue no hope no trust no other glory but that thou art our flesh and we thy flesh Chap. XXX Containing a breife recapitulation of things touched in the treatise of this Sacrament and declaring that lay persons be not desrauded of the bloud of Christ nor healthfull fruite of the Sacrament in receauing vnder one kinde O The infinit loue of Christ to mankinde that with such sweet pure and vndefiled kisses imbracings of loue and charity knits and tieth vs fast togither vnto him O Lorde it is meruaile that oâ—r harts doe not for loue as it were burst asonder when we consider the most deare and tender loue of
Church Hierico being ruinated destroyed and quite razed downe the wales of Hierusalem may bee builded vp Then may we sing exultantibus animis with Psal 50. ioyfull harts Tunc acceptabis sacrificium iustitiae oblationes holocausta tunc imponent super altare tuum vitulos Then O Lorde we purified by grace in hart and soule from sinne with due composition also and decency of body wholy offering our selues to thee as thou offeredst thy selfe farre more bountifully for vs in contrite and humble hart by Christ here our high Priest the only pure and most acceptable Sacrifice vvee I say vvill offer to thee O God and thou for IESVS thy sonnes sake Shalt accept our sacrifices of prayers and thanksgiuing oblations of iustice the due sincere and vpright charitable dea ling to vard our neighbours with whole burnt offerings of burning heauenly desires with feruent loue aboue measure to our louing L. aboue then vpon the Altar of our hartes with incensed and diuine affections kindled with deuotion shall we make a feast to God and his Angels who delite to rest and dwell with pure soules deuout oft and worthy receauers of this blessed Sacrament then shall wee in thy Church militant here in earth ouer all nations triumpth in true and souud faith then with constant patience the Lady of wisdome and procurice of true honour shall we in all aduersities expect ioyfully thy B. comming Then for thy loue with armes of loue and charity shall wee imbrace both friend and foe fructifying in good workes wishing and procuring to our power the good of all men then shall christ enter into vs with diuine presence and holy grace and we rest and repast our selues of and in him by his bountefull sauour Then shall we enter and repose in him by tasting his sweetnes and go forth contemplate his mighty power and goodnes in all creatures and superabundantly find within and without which none can tell but he that hath found it repast and refection of his loue his sweetnes his power maiesty bounty glory and goodnes So reliquie cogitaticnum c. the remnant of spirituall and pure thoughts conceaued by the deuout tasting and most sweet meditation of this diuine mistery shall refresh vs and make in our harts a festiual day a healthful banquet an immortall and most delightfull supper full of all ioy and gladnes Then shall we be so enamored with his loue that vvith his svveete spouse in her Canticles wee burst out and say Fasciculus Mirrhe Cap. 1. dilectus meus mihi c. My beloued to me is a poesie of Mirrhe of svveete odoriferous and fragant flowers I will imbrace him and he shall rest betweene my breasts in my very hart Tenui nec demittam Cap. 3. eum I haue kept him c. I will hold him fast I will hold him fast and neuer let him goe Thus exulting to GOD here vpon the Altars of our hartes and soules thus offered in his sight farre better pleasing God then oblations sacrifices of thousands of those bloudy sacrifices of calues bulls Then finally in that glorious triumphant Church a boue shal we laud and glorify almighty god through christ Iesus his most sweet and only sonne that pure and innocent Lambe daily offered here in sacrifice vpon the Altar in a mistery and sitting at his Fathers right hand in a supereminent glory who to our bodies soules is the true foode of grace and glory that perisheth not but remayneth to life euerlasting who be blessed and honoured of all creatures for euermore Amen Chap. XXXI Of holy Order what it is by whome it was ordeyned and of hoâ—e many degrees it consisteth and that no man rashly without due consideration ought to take vpon him the same THE fift Sacrament is holy Order as then in Baptisme we be newe regenerate or borne in Christ in Confirmation strengthned in Penance after our woundes and faults healed and raised vp againe in the holy Sacrament of the Altar most abundantly fed to make vs liuely Souldiers of Christ and that we may last out to our iorneys ende like royall Souldiers obtaine the victory so by this holy SacrameÌ„t of Order christs kingdome and common weale his holy Church as a most valiant army set in most mighty noble order is prepared to triumph ouer those Princes of darknes perpetuall enemies of mankinde this wretched worlde For if all things God hath ordayned bee well ordered much more his holy Church so dearely beloued of him that not only all thinges he created in heauen and in earth tend to the saluation of it but he himselfe shed his bloud for it For euen as God in his triumphaÌ„t Church in heauen hath some higher some lower orders of Angels euen so in his Church militant here in earth there be diuers degrees in holy order all teÌ„ding to the due seruice of God as Bishops Priests Deacons and other inferior orders wherof some succeed the Apostles others the Disciples of Christ and coadjutors of the Apostles al lawful messengers and workmen of Christ ad Ephes 4. 12. consummationem sanctoruÌ„ in opus ministerit dulie to administer and execute his woâ—ke to bring his elect seruants to perfection Order then being instituted by Christ giuen by imposition of hands as appeareth by holy Scripture is a Sacrament you see ordeyned by Christ whereby his Church is well disposed gouerned yea and defended against all foraine incursions Nowe this holy order which is chiefly principally called Priesthood consisteth of many orders I meane the other inferior orders appertayning to it Foure inferior orders Other inferior orders euery one in their degree bee also properly called Order but chiefly Priesthood whereunto the other inferior be long there be which be preparatioÌ„s to Priesthoode which though they binde not to chastity as the 3. higher orders do yet it is not coÌ„nuenient that any take theÌ„ but such as haue mind to be Priests yet ther is first a preparation to these 4. inferior orders which we call the first tonsure whereby a man before he enter to take holy orders is taught by thus cutting of the haire to shake of all worldly cares to cut of al superfluous desires and transitory thinges that may hinder him from heauenly contemplation and the due seruice of almighty God The first of these lower orders is called the Ostiary that is the dore keeper that hath by vertue of that office giuen him which the keyes the Bishop giueth him doth betoken power to keepe and shutte the Church dores to keepe out heretickes and infidels and preserue enclosed from prophane handes the holy vestures and sacred vessels of Christ The second order is the Reader that by the booke which the Bishoppe giueth him may reade holy lessons of holy Writ in the Church The third order is called an Exorcist which hath power giuen him to expell and cast out Diuels not by witchcraft and superstition as Southsayers Conjurers and
Witches haue openly and secretly calling vpon the Diuell but by the worde of God and authority giuen him by the Church The fourth of the lesser orders is called an Acolite that may bring in cruets wine water to the altar to serue the Priest cloathes candels incense lights and other things necessary And these 4. orders be degrees toward the 3. higher orders of Priesthood which declare what a soueraigne thing it is and that no mā ought rashly or presumptuously to ascend to so high a dignity without due consideration preparation and by degrees For if in the olde lawe the Priests had their Leuits and other inferior ministers to serue them in their bloudy sacrifice how much more conuenient is it in this lawe of grace that Priestes which serue the liuing God with the pure vnbloudy sacrifice of Christ at the Altar haue due Ministers seruitors which none but they so authorized can properly exercise These inferiour orders in the Primitiue church it seemeth were better knowne practised with more solemnity then nowe they bee though in Cathedrall Churches to this day in Catholicke countries they be solemnly vsed neither without them can any take Priesthoode without sinne Chap. XXXII Of the higher orders and howe necessary by Gods ordinance one head is ouer the rest THree higher orders there bee that binde to chastity yea the lowest of them which when any taketh ipso facto he is bound to perpetuall chastity The first is called Subdeacōship which is a degree vnder a Deacon hath authority giuen him by the Bishop solemnly to read the Epistle as the Deacō hath authority likewise so emnly to read and sing the Gospell and so to prepare the Chalice with other thinges about the Priest at Masse Likewise the order of Deacōship was in the primitiue Church of great authority as appeareth by S. Stephen who was a Deacon and others The highest order is Priesthood which office and function is giuen by the Bishop when hee giueth the Pattyn and Chalice with bread wine vsing the wordes whereby hee giueth authoritye from Christ to consecrate the very body and bloud of Christ and to remitt sinnes when he said Receaue ye the holy Iohn 20. Math 18. ghost Whose sinnes you remit they be remitted and whose sinnes you retayne they be retayned This Sacrament of order is one of the three Sacraments whereof Baptime and Confirmation be the other two that imprinteth in mans soule a charecter that is a note or signe distinctiue for euer from all other persons 1. Tim. 4. 2. Tim. 1. that haue not receaued those sacramēts which three sacramēts cannot be itterated that is one person cannot take them twice For be a mā neuer so euil if he be baptised hee is euer a Christian though he forsake his faith and shal be so iudged of Christ at the last daye from others that are infidells and hee that is once a Priest become he neuer so euill let him take a strumpet and doe what he will yea though he were degraded yet hath he still that note in his soule of Priest-hood and if hee would attempt to consecrate in neuer so euill state of life he doth it as verily as anye good Priest though to his owne damnation For the dignity of the Sacrament dependeth not of the power of man but of God yet if we know the Priest to be a Schismaticke Hereticke or openly excommunicate wee ought then in no case to bee present at his Masse The Bishop hath jurisdiction ouer the Priest and the Archbishop ouer many Bishoppes and the Patriarche ouer manye prouinces and the Pope as much to say Father of fathers is the highe Priest of God Vicegerent here of Christ in earth Bishop of Bishops Head and chiefe ruler in spiritual matters ouer all Princes Priests Bishops and ouer the whole Church vnder Christ her head and who so gainesaith this obstinately is a proud rebellious heretike and traytor to Iesus our chiefe head Lord and King and the sweete spouse his Church and deserueth seuere punishment of bodye also as by such obstinacy as long as he continueth therein hee is already damned in soule yea in the olde lawe before Christ it was death to disobey the high Priest He that is proud saith holy Scripture Deut. ca. 17. and will not obey the commandement of the Preist let that man die the death that so mischiefe may bee taken out of the people of God For none bee so pernitious members to Christian religion as those that goe about to breake the peace of the Church and breake vnity and concorde which all those doe that barke against the Pope Godes Lieuetenant Christes Vicar here on earth yea and as the holy Fathers of olde doe record it hath euer beene the custome of heretikes to barke against the rock of S. Peter that Apostolike Sea the Pope because that against that rock heresie neuer hath nor can possibly preuaile but falling vpon it is burst asunder yea and sayeth S. Ierome Christ chose one Head amongst the rest that a head being made and so ordained ouer the rest all occasion of Schisme or diuision might be taken a way for we see yea in very policy that no kingdome no common weale or house with out one head can stand much lesse it is fit that Gods house so well ordered and sure that it may not bee moued should be without her head or steward But to bee head in spirituall matters belongeth neither to king nor temporall Prince to no temporall man much lesse to a woman to whome it is Mulieres in Ecclesia dei taceant 1. Cor. 14. 34. not lawfull to speake in the Church as by Gods word I could proue at large much lesseto gouerne in the Church This power was chiefly giuen to S. Peter and his successors and to the rest of the Apostles in their degrees whereunto other Bishops succeede Peter and his successors and as a secondary rocke chiefe piller head vnder Christ gouerne the whole Church and others his brethren and fellowe workemen be gouernours of particuler Churches as he is of the vniuersal Church chiefe Pastor Father hauing thereof the chiefest charge For vnto S. Peter after christ had asked him thrice whether he loued him he gaue charge to feed his vniuer sall flocke young olde seed my lambes Iohn 21. Math. 16. 18. saith he feede my sheepe Vpon S. Peter likewise as the rocke most sure vnder next vnto himselfe he laid the foundation of his Church promising his faith should neuer faile which neuer hath done to this day neither in S. Peter nor his successors or euer shall to the end of the worlde Let any heretike if he dare auouch this of any of their Patriarkes at Geneua or else where if any would be so impudent as in deed they be shameles all the world may know him for a liar as knowing their beginning euil proceding which will haue a worse ende But we dare
in such like daunger of death nor to such as are presently to be executed but only to the sicke in whome is oft a great fault that they neuer send for the Priest til others doe for them till they be at the last gasp so that theÌ„ they can neither receaue this holy Sacrament with such deuotion nor fruit as being in perfect reason they might The sick then ought to desire this Sacrament which manie fondly do not thinking if then they do they can liue no longer not coÌ„sidering one fruit effect thereof which is that if God see it expedieÌ„t it is a meane they may the more spedely recouer their former health The second and chiefe fruit and effecte thereof is that it forgiueth all such sinnes we could not remember in ConfessioÌ„ as appeareth by the words likwise of Saint Iames who saith If the sick be in sinne it shal be forgiuen him Lesser sinnes then and defects yea greater too if we could not remember theÌ„ bee herein forgiuen VVherefore our good Lorde Iesus is euer to bee blessed that by this Sacrament thus maketh perfect the worke of our Saluation For by meanes hereof in that last hovver of death wheÌ„ tentations commonly be diuers most great dangerous the Diuell most busy to get his pray then lo I say by this Sacrament our tentations be infeebled made lesse our souls more strengthned and comforted that we be not dasled with temptations nor ouercome but may ioyfully in God passe this life For as in the olde time ChampioÌ„s before the combat had wont with oyle to annoint their naked bodies that theyr aduersaries might take lesse hold so by meanes of this SacrameÌ„t the outward matter whereof is oyle the soule being inwardly annointed by the grace of the holye Ghost that subtill aduersarie the Diuell canne take lesse holde of it that so it may passe out of the troublesome warfarre of this life to that enlesse glory where it shall receaue a crowne of endlesse reward for euer This Sacrament is ministred vpon those outward sences wherby we most vsually offend and vvhereby sinne is drawne into our soules as by our eyes handes and the like The forme of the holy words vsed is By this holy anointing and his most pittifull mercy our Lord pardon and forgiue thee vvhat thou hast sinned by the eyes mouth and so forth is said of the rest of the members that maye vvith decency be named VVhereby you see hovv fitlye and accordinge to the Apostles Doctrine this SacrameÌ„t is ordeyned ministred First instituted by Christ both prayer and the holy matter concurring togither yet this holy Sacrament though none vnder paine of damnation may despise it but euery one in time ought to desire it yea often times if the party fall sicke and recouer againe it may be giuen yet I fay it is not of such necessity if a man cannot with desire and sufficient meanes made haue it but he may be saued without it by the speciall mercy and grace of God Author and Institutor of all these seauen Sacraments and giuer of all grace to whome be all honour and glory Chap. XXXIX Touching briefly by the way the matter of Iustification and by whome and howe we be iustified THus you see good Sir I haue touched briefly all the Sacraments which that good Samaritane curing the sicke and wounded by powâ—ing in wine and oyle that is Iesus Christ full of mercy and justice ordeyned as vesselles of grace and committed to Priests and Pastors of his Church to be dispenced and bestowed by them on his people for their saluation These seauen Sacraments I say haue I briefly touched and the grounds thereof prouing euery one by the very and expresse worde of God tradition and generall consent of the whole Church which may suffice any simple or vnlearned maÌ„ desirous to know the truth for in behalfe of such like especially I haue taken these paines with as much plainenesse and simple stile as possibly I might in so high matters neither was it my intent to giue any full doctrine of these matters but only to touch the principall groundes If any desire morefull and large discourse I referre him to the bookes of the learned wherein he shall finde many treatises in all tongues of some one Sacrament or other and of euery matter almost or altogither at large by me here briefly touched and so passed ouer But because the Sacraments be for the most part the principall points of our religion next to the B. Trinity Incarnation and Passion those briefly for your sake because you desire to know the truth for your saluation I thought good to touch For as God almighty by Christ Iesus our meritorious Sauiour is the chiefe efficient cause of our justification So his Sacraments be the ordinary meanes and instrumentall causes whereby a man in receauing theÌ„ if he be well disposed by the grace of God and put no let of his part of a sinner and childe of the Diuell is made a iust man and the childe of God renewed and raysed vp againe in Baptisme especially from Orjginall sin by Christ the second Adam as he was vitiated and fell from originall iustice by Adam our first father And though God worketh commonly his grace in matter disposed yet he it is that so preuenteth disposeth and freely giueth the grace first to dispose a mans selfe So that when man first receaueth Gods grace whereby ex impio fit iustus that is of a wicked man and vessell of perdition hee is made a iust man which is called justification and the first grace preuenting a man that I say by grace of God is wrought of his meere loue and goodnesse vvithout any worke meritte or desert of man for otherwise grace should not be grace which is first giuen without any desert or merit of our part wherby wee bee so made iust And hereof the holy Scripture saith as from Gods ovvne mouth Quia dilexite ideo attraxite miserans Ier. 31. 3. because I loued the therefore said God to man I haue drawen thee vnto mee hauing mercy and pity vpon thee by the which loue of his he chose man before all worldes But vnderstand me well I pray you when a man hath first of gods goodnes thus receaued his first grace the true foundation and meritte of all our good workes then lo by mans true faith hope charity good workes and endeuours being thus first preuented and after holpen by God hee may and must if euer hee will bee saued not only conserue that first grace of God wrought in him by his goodues by fleeing sinneand imbracing vertue but also in so doing greatly increase Gods grace in him once receaued whereby hee is rightly said to meritte and deserue his saluation and in this respect it is said Qui iuscus est iustisicetur Apocalip 22. 11. adhuc hee that is iust let him yet be more iust VVee once then by Christ our Sauiours grace
fruit of Christs Passion of such infinite value is bounde to doe This satisfaction and paines I say Saint Paul did not only for himselfe but for all the faithfull people the misticall boof Christs Church that so they mightfully be pertakers of Christs merits and passions of such infinite value and so be released quite from sinne and payne due thereunto These satisfactory paines of S. Paul and other holy Saints who satisfied and did more penance for sinne then euer they deserued as I saide before be properly called the treasure of the Church in which Church because we be members all of one body that is as we beleeue there is a communion of Saints so therefore we by Gods grace be pertakers of the merits and prayers of I meane this participation taketh effect in such as be in state of grace For according to our due dispositiō euery one is pertaker of anothers good actions merits prayers the Saints in heauen as we in earth be pertakers of an others good actions and prayers and they in Purgatory of our merits and of the merits and prayers of Saints in heauen because there is a communion of Saints in Gods Church and being all members of one body vnder Christ our head we thus mutually helpe one another wherevpon it is I say that these satisfactory paines putte into the treasure of Gods Church not only help vs to release vs and satisfie our paines due vnto sinne which perhaps we are not able of our selues in this life to satisfie but also bee a release by meanes of suffrage for those in Purgatory Chap. XLVI By what meanes Pardons may be applyed to our soules and that we must iustly doe that which is appointed vs to be pertakers of the same NOw the Pope as hauing the keyes of this spiritual treasure giueth out thereof to all faithfull people so they apply it to themselues or the departed by such ordinary meanes as by him is ordained as by fasting prayer almesdeedes pilgrimage or the like as for example to those that be contrite confessing and receauing and saying but only our Ladies Psalter or the Beades once ouer or the 7. Psalmes or Letanies hauing but only a token on them as it were from the Pope that is a Crosse holy graine a bead sanctified or blessed or the like that bead o◠Crosse is a signe and certaine token to the party so disposed and doing that the Pope graunteth he hath so many daies or yeares of Pardon yea perhappes a full Pardon for all his sinnes past that is the paine due vnto sinne for as I said the eternall trespasse of sinne is forgiuen before in Confession which debt or paine is to be paied either in this life or in Purgatory The heretikes slaunder the Pope and the Church and say he graunteth Pardon to such for mony but they bely him for most commonly Pardons be graunted to such as deuoutly confesse receaue and say certaine godly prayers for the Popes intent and benefit of the whole church If any almesdeed be at any time required it is not for the Popes coffers as being God be blessed that so exalteth his Church spite of all infidels heretikes an absolute Prince of himselfe needing no such matter but rather maintayning as a generall father poore people children of the Church of al nations in the world but if any almes be giuen as very seldome is when pardons be graunted the Pope assigneth the parties to giue it with their owne handes to their poore neighbours or to the building of some notable ornament to all Christendome as to S. Peters Church or for the defence of Christendome against our great enemy the Turk and the like These Pardons Stations and the like how frequent or much vsed they were in S Gregories time a thousand yeares agoe it appeareth to those that be conuersant in his workes and other mens holy writings of olde and though in the primatiue Church they were not so needfull then when men were more charitable and feruent in Gods loue the bloud of Christ being yet warme in their harts and because when any offended they of themselues did such penance as might suffice yet in the very Apostles time these Pardons were giuen For S. Paul after excommunication of the incestuous Corinthian whome he gaue to Satan in body 1 Cor. 5 5 to be punnished that his soule might be saued after a time when he sawe his sorrowe and amendment least the enemy might haue too much power ouer him and least with sadnesse hee might be ouerwhelmed gaue him pardon remitting his paine for the rest of his penance due saying To whome you pardon 2. Cor. 2. 20. or forgiue any thing I likewise did the same who if I pardoned any thing I did it in the person of Christ What other thing was this then giuing of pardon Chap. XLVII Of Excommunication and how dreadfull a thing it is how heretikes being excommunicated in the highest degree their excommunication of others is ridiculous contemptible BY which words not only appeareth the value and practize of Pardons euen in the Apostles time but the heauy rod of Excommunication the heretikes so little feare by which excommunication the Diuell had power ouer the Corinthians body to torment it as he hath ouer the heretikes soules that despise it who though they feele not the smart in this life and by miracle to the terror of others as they did in the primatiue Church yet doubtlesse it is a leprosie which will sticke to their soules in the next life farre more fearefull then any torment can be here to the body For all Heretickes and Schismatickes be excōmunicate that is cut off from all grace of God the Sacraments good deedes and prayers of the Church and bee in the handes of Satan Heretickes that woulde doe like Catholickes as Apes would be like men they forsooth being excommunicate themselues would excommunicate others but they haue no authority their excommunication is nothing feare it not a straw a happie thing it is to be excluded out of their Sinagogue to be out of their company with whome in prayers diuine seruice none ought to conuerse seare excommunication of the Church in deede obey her truly and care not for any censure of the wicked Church of Satan Chap. XLVIII Of some abuses about Pardons and of the late reformation of the same and of the couetous humors of English Ministers BVt for these Pardons I spake of before I deny not but some abuses might be in those that carried them vp and downe called Pardoners some of them seeking their owne gaine but the Pope or Pardones ought not to be blamed for that but the abuses and faults taken away the good vses ought to be left still for nothing is so good but it may be abused yea the very Sunne in the firmament by light whereof as good men vse to worke good works and their Saluation so euill men a buse it to the workes of darkenesse
no difference betweene the Catholicke Seruice and their hereticall ministerly prating prayers betweene the olde religion and the newe the olde seruice and the newe as they tearme it but if you marke well which I haue said you may see there is as much difference as betweene heauen and hel truth and falshood For the heretickes either deny or with their foule handes defile almost euery article of the christian faith and religion and yet forsooth they bragge Oh nowe you haue the light in that forsooth they haue the Bible and yet dismembred and very much corrupted translated into the english tongue and that they haue the Lords prayer seruice in the english tongue O haue you so but I will proue by your light as you tearme it you bring in all darknesse and in making a shewe of the truth you be very imposters or juglers Haue you not heard of some A Similitude jugling companion that could vvith his familiar Diuell cast such a mist in some Parlour before mens eyes that ships there as in the Sea should seeme to be sayling men rowing the Sunne glistering vpon the waues and yet neither Sea ship man nor Sunne in deed but only by knauery their sences deluded But a worse jugling of heretickes is this in deede by how much the worthinesse of mans soule exceedeth the body For juglers deceaue and blinde the eyes of the body but these imposters heretickes blinde and deceaue the eyes of mans soule and true vnderstanding whereby they be depriued froÌ„ the sight of God light of grace and saluation For whereas the holy Catholike Church instructed and taught by her Master and her Pastor S. Peter doth acknowledge 2. Pet. 3. 16. as he saith that there bee some thinges in holy Scripture heard to be vnderstood which the vnlearned and vnstable doe depraue as the rest of the Scriptures to their owne damnation therefore nowe she as a tender Mother ouer her children knowing hard meat not fit for all but that some as infants are to be fed as it were with milke and other such light meats more easie to be digested knowing also that too much light dazeleth mans eye but a competent light is comfortable therfore she I say as a prudent Mother letteth her childreÌ„ see no more light of the Scriptures then their weak sences vnaccustomed to such high misteries can well coÌ„ceaue or beare nor giueth their soules no harder places to feeâ—e vpon then their infirme conceipts and â—â—omaâ—kes be well able to digest as the holy Apostle did when he said As to 1. Cor. 3. 2. little ones in Christ I gaue you milke not strong meat eueÌ„ so the holy Church guided euer by the wisdome of God seing the infirmity of her children knowing the Scriptures to be good yet not fit for euery mans reach giueth to euery one thereof in measure according to their capacities Wherefore shee most commonly hath reserued and kept it vncorrupt from other writings in the three most auncient and sacred tongues as in the Hebrew Greeke and Latin appointing learned men alwaies to instruct the simple out of that learned booke with such histories holy lessons as might be most fit to edefie and helpe them esteeming it sufficient for them to know there euer was is and shall bee one God in Trinity that made and woulde saue them that kept his lawe and Commandements and that Christ the sonne of God was borne of a Virgin dyed on the Crosse rose againe and that they receaue his very body in the B. Sacrament for the health and food of their soules So the Church thought it sufficient for ignorant men to know and beleeue the articles of the Creede to know they were bound to keep the Commandements of God vnder paine of deadly sinne and damnation to confesse and bee sorry when they fell with full purpose of amendment to say their Pater noster Aue and Creede and to leaue other high misteries to learned Diuines But nowe these newe iuglers set the Scriptures to be read heard and iudged vpon of young olde learned and vnlearned of all sorts and so they say they haue brought in the lighte but appose the ignorante when they haue read and heard them what they then conceaue of such and such parables of the Gospell such places of holy Scripture you shall finde them so variabâ—e among them-selues to haue such foolish phantasticall and fleshly yea childish conceits thereof that whereas they bragge of the light alas simple soules you shall finde nothing in their mindes but ignorance errour and darknesse they thinke they see a ship and it is but a phantasticall shape they enter in deed into a whole Sea of the depth of Godes inscrutable misteries but alas they know not how to rowe therein and so be drowned and ouerwhelmed with the floodes thereof they thinke they see men in steed of trees they imagine they see the light of the sunne and they imbrace darknes Heereof commeth such innumerable opinions such proud and blind arrogancy such monstrous heresies such horrible sinnes vices for that euery simple soole would bee a tamperer with Gods booke which they vnderstand not but by mistaking of the text goe about to defend what they list yea what humor they bee most giueÌ„ to Vppon these many moe weighty considerations the holy Church keepeth the scriptures in the latin toÌ„gue for the most part so likewise vppon the like consideratioÌ„s that euery saucy presumptuous fellow should not deride the misteries he vnderstandéth not if they were spokeÌ„ in the playn vulgar english termes therfore the church vseth at masse in her prayers publike seruice the latin toÌ„gue that I say the holy Sacraments should not grow into coÌ„tempt being made coÌ„mon to euery base rogne to descaÌ„t vpoÌ„ thinking that it is sufficient the ignorant sort take the fruit thereof though they know not the mistery yet the Church doth not disalow any to pray any godly Catholick prayer what hee will yea the Pater noster Aue Creede in the english tongue so he do it not in dispight of the Church coÌ„demning others that they do not well that pray in the latyn toÌ„gue yea though they vnderstaÌ„d it not For often times it may bee that the poore plough maÌ„ that saieth his pater noster not vnder staÌ„ding the wordes may pray with more deuotion please God better then the greatest doctor that can make a sermoÌ„ of euery petition of the same for God in prayer doth not so much atteÌ„d to mans word but to his wil affectioÌ„ lifting vp of mans hart to God which is properly prayer Nay what doctor is so learned when he readeth the Psalmes though he can english them neuer so well that vnderstandeth them to the depth yea of some verse or senteÌ„ce perhaps he knoweth noe one perfect sence yet though hee vnderstand them not perfectly hee prayeth of them neuertheles knowing God vnderstandeth them his deuout meaning therein as
forsake them for their taunts For though God bee not delighted with the number of prayers so much as with discreete affefection and desire to him yet these misticall and godly numbers help to encrease our deuotion and affection and therefore we had now more neede to vse Beades then euer when as deuotion waxeth cold both to pray for heretikes amendment and that we fal not in their blindnes for diuers other holy godly and reasonable causes and things Chap. LIX Of the Aue Maria how it is a most deuout prayer gratefull to God ioyfull to Angelles terrible to the Diuell and most healthfull and comfortable to all mankind AS for the Aue Maria it is the very wordes of the Angell Gabriell Elizabeth and the holy Church now where as heretickes say it is no prayer but a salutation they bewray their ignorance for many sentences and wordes be in Scriptures that seeme no prayers and yet effectuall prayers as in the Psalmes and other places may appeare where Gods mercy justice might bounty loue and the like is praysed or called on not in forme of prayer but yet a most effectuall prayer to obtayne his mercy goodnes bounty grace So in the Auâ— Mary our B. La is saluted to the intent to pray for vs thanks giuen to god that voutsafed by that vnspeakable mistery of his incarnatioÌ„ of her body to be incarnate made maÌ„ for vs wherby man is recouered froÌ„ damnatioÌ„ the Deuill ouercome the ruines of Angells bee repayred so that the Aue Maria was the most ioyfull tidings that euer was brought from God to maÌ„ No meruaile then though Infidels heretikes meÌ„bers of the Diuel abhor the Aue Mary for as often as it is deuoutly said as it is ioyful to Angels in heauen so it maketh the Diuel and al' his Angels to tremble and quake But some Puritanes woulde haue no Pater noster neither nor any stint praier so long they haue babbled of the Lord and spirit that now you see they deny Ladies praier Lords praier too I am afraid in their corrupt consciences Christ and God too neither doe I meruaile for improbity wickednes neuer consisteth in one degree as one said Sed cum incipit labi ruit praecipitat till it come to the deapth of all euill and mischiefe For beeing fallen from the Church and hauing once lost the high way they must needes euer bee further from the truth wanting a sure ground and foundation to stay themselues vpon that is the true Catholicke Church 1. Tiâ— 3. 15. of God which Saint Paul calleth the foundation and piller of truth til once they returne back againe Chap. LX. Of diuers holy ornamentes and thinges belongîng to the Church as of lightes in Churches of insence Dedication of Churches and such like godly ceremonies AS for sacred and holye bells vestmentes holy vessells as Chalices and the like Heretickes beat them in peeces make gunnes of them chamber pots and fill their purses The like did heretickes and infidells of olde espeacially Iulian the Apostata that made water in the Chalice wherein the bloud of Maries Sonne for so the Infidells tearmed it in contempt of him and her was offered but he his fellowes had foule ends as these fellowes haue wil haue vnlesse God giue them grace to amend For if the people of God before Christ had their holy Trumpets to call the people togither the Leuits Priest their holy vestiments sacred cups and Phyals and other vessels though wee follow not now Iewish ceremonies as heretickes be-ly vs yet why should wee not haue our ornaments Sanctified by Gods word and that in more deuoute exquisite sort then the Iewes had by how much Christes law exceedeth the Iewish ceremonies For wee see these outward ceremonies much help to increase inward deuotion as for example the very candles and Church lights do signifie vnto vs the light of Gods grace the Gospell the purity of conscience good workes wee ought to haue with manye moe significations which well weighed excite and stir vp deuotion The Maiesty of our temples or churches adorned with sumptuous ornaments and Images of Christ and his Saints in a liuely history as it were setting before our eyes by their glorious death and martirdome their triumph and victories ouer hell and death these temples I say thus adorned being solemnlie dedicated to God yea their dedication yearely renewed or remembred do they not teach vs to dedicate our bodies and soules wholy to the seruice of God as being liuely temples of the holy Ghost and daylie to clense them more more from sinne to adorne them with vertues and to renew confirme and furnish them vp eftsoones with those effectuall signes and seales of our redemption those diuine misteries the healthfull Sacraments Yf God promised to heare the prayers of those that called vppon him in Salomons temple how much more will hee heare our prayers and lawfull petitions thus made in our Churches who serue God now in spirite and truth and not in presence of that vmbraticall Arke of the old testament but in that most high misterye before Christs most B. body our only mediator and redeemer whose intercession is euermore acceptable in his fathers sight the Arke of the liuing God that raigneth for euer Yf when two or three in Christs name bee gathered together hee hath promised to heare them how much more when manye hundred or thowsands bee so collected vnited in prayer in one Church will God bee amongst them and performe their good desires surely heretickes that thus ruinate despise and pollute Monasteries Oratories and christian Temples set vp an Idoll in their owne imaginations in steede thereof and prepare the way for that general and Antechristian abhomination of desolation which vvas prophesied by Daniell the Prophet O Christ wheÌ„ thy signe shal appeare in the cloudes that lightneth the whole world then Church robbers Image breakers the razers downe cursed enemies of thy Crosse then then shal come to confusion wheÌ„ thou shalt make al thy enemies thy footstoole Moreouer wheÌ„ as in our Churches any ceremonies of inceÌ„se and sweete perfumes which signifie betoken the sweet odour and sauour of good life that ought to bee among vs be vsed it is well and commendable which and the like ceremonies though in some sort of olde they were vsed yet seing that Christ came not to break the law but to ful fill it any such ceremonies as be not euacuate and frustrate by Christs comming as the bloudy sacrifice circumcision and the like are now not to be obserued because wee haue the things themselues whereof those ceremonies and sacrifices were figures yet I say any thing that tendeth to nourishing of pieâ—y deuotion and charity are to bee kept still as fasting knocking kneeling or any such godly ceremonies which concerne the body as deuotion doth the mind both which we must offer to God as being all his owne and due
vnto him Chap. LXI Of religious persons of their sanctity learning and perfection of life and of the vowes of pouerty chastity and obedience which make a religious man and of the heauy iudgment of God to vowe-breakers and how our Lady vowed virginity AS for our godâ—y religious men that with great feruour of loue to God dedicate themselues in holocaustumin a whole burnt sacrifice as it were both bodies and soules to GOD making a sacrifice to him of the chiefest powers of their soules by obedience and of their bodies by chastity and pouertye were they not prefigured by the Rechabites Nazarites and diuers orders of the Prophets that led a more perfect order of life then the rest of the people Was not Elias Saint Iohn Baptist and many more as it were religious Hermite Be not our religious Iesuits and Friers a plaine patterne of apostolik life that with the Apostles forsake al honour riches and promotion for Christ liuing in common preaching Christwith hazard of their liues to Heretikes Iewes GeÌ„tiles al barbarous people through out the whole world These bee most wise most learned yet most innoceÌ„t iust simple vertuous men such as the world especially our cuntry is not worthy of which a long time hath most impiously ingratfully reiected them notwithstanding that God prospered our auncestors of olde far better by their merits and prayers whiles they prayed preached and serued God in our country both night day by them our coÌ„mons were maintayned by them fatherlesse children widdowes and seruaunts sustained and releeued all states in body and soule by them greatly inriched supported The losse of which religious houses for al vertuous training vp of youth in learning and other-wise this country now feeleth And here I cannot omitt the subtilty of the deuill who by litle litle as the wilie serpent getteth in his head theÌ„ after his whole body he bore meÌ„ in haÌ„d that by suppressing of religious houses the couÌ„try wold be greatly enriched but they being once downe the couÌ„try within a few yeares after was spoyled in a great part of al verâ—ue riches both for that the king that was the first breaker downe of the wall that scourg of God for our sins speÌ„t al the mony he scraped of religious houses his coÌ„moÌ„s too that in a fewyears in vanities in besiedging of citties in other couÌ„tries litle benefitting him or his posterity and also deuided him selfe the whole Realme froÌ„ Gods church so spoyled himselfe others of vertue opening the window to al vice heresies Insomuch that shortly after though not in his tyme Lutherans and worse than Lutherans that he seemed so much to abhorre corrupted the realme abrogated Masse and all see by what degrees sinne and heresy entereth which by religious orders was long restayned Heereof then came presently the spoyle of the fairest flower in Christes garden next to Martirdome that was virginity which both S. Mathew the 19. Chapter S. Paul the first to the Corinth and 7. Chapter and S. Iohn in his Apocalipsis the 14 Chapter so highly commmend as S. Paul preferring that state before marriage saying he that ioyneth his virgin 1. Cor. 7. 38. in Matrymonie dothwell but he that doth not doth better As for breaking vowes of virginity chastity and the like as obedience and pouerty which three vowes be proper to religion and make a religious man These to keepe heretikes disswade and be the cause of the breach of such vowes whereby indeede good actions as deuoted to God bee a great deale more meritorious especially in religious men whose meate and sleepe in doing it of obedience is to them meritorious Such vowes hereticks contrary to the Scriptures say ought not to bee made but we proue it by the Scriptures as in Genesis Did not Iacob vow if he returned safe such and such thinges hee would do in the honor of God Likewise in the bookes of the Leuits Numbers Deuteronomion Indges Kinges Psalmes Prophets thorough the course of the Scriptures lawful vowes be commeÌ„ded practised by good meÌ„ damnation threatned to the breakers of them As S. Paul to Tym. the 1. Epistle 5. Chapter pronounceth damnation to those that breake the vow of chastity But woe woe be theÌ„ to runnegat vow-breakers Friers Nunnes woe to those that be the procurers For if man be iealous ouer his wife much more in most iust sort is gods zeale indignation iust wrath against those that defile his spouses vowed virgins once dedicated to him Nay did not the B. Virgin Mary vow virginity I will proue out of the Gospel that by the exposition of most ancient learned holy Fathers that shee did For when the Angell told her she should conceaue a sonne how commeth that to passe saith Luc. 1. 34 she for I know not a man and yet was she already espoused to Ioseph whome if she would or euer had determined to haue knowne carnally she neuer would haue asked any such questioÌ„ how that might come to passe For she the most prudent Virgin knew that by knowledge of maÌ„ was the way ordinary to conceaue but she saith S. Ambrose had made vow of Ambros in Luc. virginity which she might not breake therefore she asked the questioÌ„ how not doubtfull of the mistery but desirous to know the manner to whome the Angel answered not by man but by the holy Ghost which was without breach of vow and then she was satiffied thus you see our Lady was a vowed Virgin but be these the fruits of new gospellers that bereaue vs of all vertues yea vertuous religious persons also whereas the most learned most vertuous men that euer were since Christ and the Apostles time were religious men Ftiers and Monkes As S. Augustine of the Latin Church S. Basill a Greeke S. Anthony Hilarion S. Giles S. Hierome S. Bennet and S. Gregory S Bernard S. Dominick S. Frauncis all Monkes or Friers the most of them saying Masse euery day Good Lord what miraculous men were these so triumphing ouer the Diuel so mastering themselues so supporting others what continuall fasting what prayers what earnest profound studies were they daily exercised in some of them curing incurable diseases some raysing the dead others with a word expelling Diuels some giuing themselues for the help redemptioÌ„ of othres some knowing the very thoughts of men by diuine reuelation whome neither serpent nor poyson could hurt some by continuall meditation of Christ hauing the eies of their soules watered in his bloud and reposing themselues in his woundes open side had the very tokens and impression of those his sacred fixures imprinted in their hands and feete O what candor what simplicity what innoceÌ„cy what purity of coÌ„scieÌ„ce were in their vn spotted brests O what helhounds what meÌ„bers of the Diuell and Antechrist be these heretiks that pul down the Abbies Monasteries raze the monumeÌ„ts
break a sunder and burne the orders godly rules and statutes of these religious fathers left to their children and posterity can Antichrist doe more when hee commeth then pluck not only religious men but pure virgins and religious women that serued Christ their spouse and husband out of their cloysters make them harlots and common strumpets yet had we a number of most B. men Carthusian Monkes with some others also that in defence of the truth manfully shed their bloud Chap. LXII Of holy water and how creatures being blessed by the word of God miracles sometimes by the same be wrought to the expelling of Diuelles and confirmation of Christian religion AS â—or ceremonies of holy water and holy bread Agnus Dei blessed by the Pope heretickes at the beginning before they plucked off their vizardes began to set litle store by as they did by religious folkes and so by little and litle not only denyed sacramentals but sacraments and all see by what degrees mischiefe getteth the vpper hand But we be taught by holy Scriptures that all thinges which God hath created or made and whatsoeuer is rightly blessed or sanctified by his holy word is good yea by meanes of his word is bettered and more sanctified For so when Elizâ—us cast salt into the water it was amended Others you shall reade of olde that by Gods blessed word were made healthfull and multiplyed to profit of body soule and the confusion of the Diuel that is afraide of one drop of water blessed with Gods word as we daily see by experience in some possessed This holy water we take then remembring Gods grace giuen vs once in that healthfull water of Baptisme and in taking of it with faith deuotioÌ„ sprinkling our selues the wicked spirits haue lesse power of vs and the places where we be with many other fruits that followe yea among Infidels that neuer heard of Christ before sometimes miracles are wrought by one droppe of holy water as in the Indians in diuers places to this day Now because our faith wheÌ„ it was first planted amongst vs was then confirmed with miracles therefore it is not requisite that miracles be so ordinarily wrought amongst vs though sometymes it pleaseth God to shew them where they may do good be not derided as hereticks would do if any were heere wrought attribute them to sorcery witchcraf but God will not haue his pearles cast to hogges Fitt it were for hereticks good men to bring some miracles to confirme their new no faith But our Catholick faith hath bene and is God be blessed by miracles sufficiently in al ages confirmed to this day Chap. LXIII Of holy Bread giuen the people in remembrance of that most blessed Sacrament and in some sort taught vs by Christ in those loanes blessed and multiplyed by him in the desert HOly Bread we vse to take on those dayes we receaue not the blessed Sacrament and this holy Bread is a remembrance of the blessed Sacrament for you must vnderstand that in the primitiue church they receaued the blessed Sacrament almost euerie day such was the deuotioÌ„ of the people whilst Christs bloud was yet warme in their harts but in processe of tyme as deuotion euer by litle and litle decayed so did they lesse vse the same so that the holy Church Concil later can omnis vtriusque sextus c was coÌ„strained to make a law that once a-yeere at least about Easter euery one should receaue and that vnder paine of deadly sinne yf one haue no lawfull impediment Yet the holy Church wisheth men often to receaue yea with due preparation the oftener the better if it were euery weeke or fortnight But because euery one is not thus disposed yet in many countries shee giueth holy Bread somewhat to nourish charity therby in the people in remembrance of Christ in the most blessed SacrameÌ„t the bread of life that came downe from heauen that fedde the people miraculously with holy blessed Bread in the wildernes and shall feede vs with life euerlasting once as now dailie in the meane time he feedâ—th vs with his grace Chap. LXIIII. Of receauing vnder one kinde and how the same fruite is reaped by one kinde as by both that peace vnity and charity is the end of this blessed Sacrament THough when I entreated of the B. Sacrament of the Altar I spake something of receauing vnder one kinde yet I thought good to giue some further admonition in this place touching the same matter for that I finde by experieÌ„ce many vnlearned persons that after receauing of the blessed SacrameÌ„t when wine of decency and coÌ„ueniency is giuen them to drinck do take it for the very bloud of our Lord which notable negligence grosse ignorance in them may either come by forgetfulnes and ouer litle care due consideration of this blessed Sacrament as not duly preparing themselues well and often to remember what how they are to receaue Or els perhaps sometimes for want of good instruction due information of those that first admit these simple lay persons to this blessed SacrameÌ„t which euery good Priest that hath charge of meÌ„s soules as a prudeÌ„t dispeÌ„sator of the misteries of God ought to be careful of that nothing be waÌ„ting of his part but that either publikly with great discretion or at least priuately his voice wheÌ„ he entreth into the sanctuary of our Lord may be heard For if the people in the old law could discerne when the high Priest weÌ„t to offer sacrifice by the noise of his bels hanging at his vesture how much more in this law of grace ought the Priest of God to take heed he be not dumme but so to extoll his voice that the very simplest person of reason may heare him and receaue sufficient foode of his doctrine to their saluation that they discerne not onlye when they are to offer their prayers to God by his sacrifice but what and how they are to receaue with him that is as I said before that although Priests more liuely to represent Christs Passion receaue vnder both kindes that is both Christs B. body in the host and bloud in the Chalice to represent more effectually according to his institution the shedding of his bloud vppon the crosse to which end he said to his Apostls only no lay person being present and to their successors bibite ex hoc omnes drinck yee all of this yet all lay persons vppoÌ„ waighty considerations as for feare sometimes of shedding of the sacred bloud of christ in being giuen to so many which neither without great indecency and inconueniency could be consecrated for so manye to receaue but vnder one kinde that is the blessed Host body of Christ but not the Chalice as Priests do yea if it were conuenient to vse so great vessels for so precious and sacred a thing yet hard it would be in some places far north to gett wyne sufficient to consecrate for so
many And therfore whether the Priest or another giue you that be lay persons wyne in the Chalice or in some other â—up you must take it as no part of the Sacrament but as wyne only to wash your monthes that none of that holy Host the body of our Lord remayne in your mouth still for in the least part or particle of the holy Host is perfect Christ wholy his body bloud wherefore lay men receaue the Sacrament as fully that receaue vnder one kinde as the Priest doth that receiueth vnder both therefore lay people are to content themselues with the foode their holy Mother the Church giueth them who knoweth best how to feed her children and will giue them that which is meete and dispute no further For heretickes disputing for the Chalice to receaue it as well as Priests disputed so long that in the end they denyed body bloud all of Christ in the Sacrament from which damnable heresy and blasphemy God blesse all true Christians Chap. LXV Of fasting and the fruits thereof and how it hath bene vsed and commended by Christ and his Saints and how it is commanded vnder paine of sinne by the Church and to what persons how such as disobey the Church in this precept of fasting or any other disobey Christ. VVE read moreouer in holy Scripture fasting highâ—y coÌ„mended yea Moyses Elias our Sauiour fasted sorty daies insomuch that wheÌ„ any great graces were to be giuen to men or any reuelatioÌ„s or strange visions made to the Prophets it was commonly done to them in fasting Insomuch that looke as by eating we fell out of Paradise So by fasting Christ began our recouery againe affirming one Diuell there was that Mar. 9. 29. could not be cast out but by prayer and fasting Many other vertues there bee which I cannot stand to reckon as chiefly modesty temperance liberality and the like that followe of fasting whereas drunkennesse and belly cheere is the nurse of all vice and destruction of body and soule When as then fasting is so highly commended the holy Church seeing the slacknesse and indeuotion of some that would neuer fast vnlesse they were commanded and besides that all thinges might be done in order and that we may to our greater fruit and merit as all members of one body suffer altogither and ioyne our selues togither in fasting hath ordayned the lent forty daies fast by the example of Christ and very tradition of the Apostles Likewise in England onr custome bindeth vs to fast Fridaies and abstayne from flesh on Satterdayes So likewise the Church commandeth at foure times in the yeare to fast that so by prayer and fasting not only the holy Ghost may be more plentifully powred downe vpon them that then receaue holy orders but also that we may pay to God at such times tithes of our bodies and soules in thanksgiuing for fruits of the earth fruits of his grace as wee doe in the Crosse or rogation weeke with solemne procession which or the like S. Gregory vsed in Rome against plague and pestilence as this rogation weeke was first ordayned by another holy Bishop to that end and after receaued of the whole Church to pray for the liuing and the dead and to arme vs against all incursions of the Diuell both bodily and ghostly As for the ember daies so called of our ancient forefathers in this country because of those fasting daies meÌ„ eate bread baked vnder embers or ashes these solemne feasts I say at foure times in the yeare haue beene in vse aboue these thousand yeares as by S. Leo it euidently appeareth and as may be proued by many other ancient Fathers and so solemnly kept in the Church for such good purposes as aboue said So likewise many other Eues of our Lady the Apostles Martirs are to be obserued of great antiquity and most ancient custome teaching vs thereby that as by fasting the Eues of Saints here we must keepe holy the daies after that is their feasts in earth so by penance patience and long sufferance in the day or shorte time of this life wee after may keepe a festiuall day that is possesse eternall ioy and glory with God and his Saints in the kingdome of heauen Yet shee as a discreete mother commaundeth none to fast but as they may for shee beareth with poore labouring men that are not able with fasting to worke those the Church doth not constrayne though of deuotion in our country the poore plough-man after his manner would fast as deuoutly as Priest or King and doe his worke neuerthelesse The holy Church likewise beareth with children old folkes sicke folkes women with child or with any such that haue lawful impediment though it be meete they do it with leaue of the Priest These holy feasts lolhards heretiks spightfully breake in despight of the Church but as often as they doe it they offend deadly For Christ our Redeemer and law-giuer as he commendeth fasting by his word and example though he set downs in the Gospell written no prescript daies or certaine daies of fasting yet he in the Gospel expresly commandeth vs to heare and obey the holy Catholike Church who vpon due consideration as I saide setteth downe certaine daies and times of fasting which Church whosoeuer wil not obey he disobeyeth christ who biddeth vs account such a disobedient person that wil Mat. 18. 17. not heare the Church no better then a heathen man Now therefore then as I said before the holy Church commandeth vs to fast on such and such daies which commandement of hers whosoeuer breaketh he breaketh Christs commandement that biddeth vs obey his Church and therefore heretickes that breake fasting daies and lent commanded to be fasted by Christs holy church yea and that of contempt are to bee accounted no better then Heathens Turkes though it be not the meate as vncleane that entreth into the mouth but the disobedience in will and act that displeaseth God and hurteth the soule Chap. LXVI Of traditions whereof they came and what they be of what authority and that by tradition and and authority of the Church wee know the Scriptures to be the word of God which be euer most reuerently preserued by Catholickes but euill vnderstood corrupted yea some quite razâ—d out by Heretickes THE like is to be said of those that of spight breake any of the rest of the holy canons statutes and precepts of the Church as those that marry out of due season heare not or desire not to heare Masse on the Sundaies when they can and will not come to it and the like For Infidels likewise those are to be accounted that will not beleeue and follow the traditions of the Church which heretickes scoffe at and yet S. Paul saith stand and holde the traditions 2. Thes 2. 15. 1. Cor. 11. 2. Ioh. 2. 3. Ioh vlt. vers 25. which either you haue learned by our speach or writing Yea S. Iohn in the holy Gospell
Heretickes liue as though there were no God indeede hell nor heauen what they stick not to confesse some of them that hell is only in the brest and but a darkenes of the minde and conscience or some biting of the same but they shal feele vnlesse they speedely amend another hell indeede as Christ said where that deadly worme gnawing vppoÌ„ them shall neuer dye and where that euerlasting fier that he at the last day shall coÌ„mand the wicked to depart into shal neuer be quenched where is weeping wayling and gnashing of teeth Truly I my selfe knew an vsurer now become a Maister by his honest trade that said who is able to say there is a hell and yet this maÌ„ would seeme to be wise indeede it is seldome seene that any returne from hell to bring newes back especially vsurers but if he would beleeue God to be iust or beleeue Christe he would not doubt of this matter for our iust Lord thretneth hell to the wicked as he promiseth endles reward of glory to the iust yea our meeke and mercifull Sauiour saith there is a hell and that with no small nor short paines and punishments but with vnmeasurable endles torments For what do you thinke that rich glutton which Christ speaketh of in the Gospell would giue that could not haue a droppe of cold water to quench the thirst of his tongue end being punished in flames of fire What thinke you would he do at this day to be released of his torments who would not looke at the poore beggar nor spare him a mite or giue him a peece of bread lying in misery the dogges licking his sores when the rich glutton fared deliciously euery day in silkes and veluttes what thinck you would he do to be with that poore beggar in heauen if life but for seauen yeares vvpon earth might be graunted for his saluation but that tyme is past for euer in hell is no redemption where the tree falleth there foreuer it lyeth that is whether a man dye in state of saluation or damnation after death passed it cannot be altered because his soule is hardened in malice dying without iust sorrowe and with affection euer to sinne if it might bee wishing there were no GOD to punish sinne and so dying in displeasure of his Maiestie which is infinite deserueth endles torments but those we pray for departed that dye in state of saluation as I said before and neuercome in that bottomles pitte I now speake of But touching those in hell with them the gate is shutt vp which once shutt there is neuer hope of saluation the night is come when man can worke there no more his saluation therfore would God this rich vsurer and all of his minde betime would know there is a hel as christ telleth and worke their saluation as he exhorteth which this rich glutton if he might would but being in hell he can doe no more as being in an end of that which shall neuer haue end Chap. LXIX Of heauen which worldlinges contemne how we may obtaine it and of the glorious and most happy estate of the body with the soule for euer after the generall resurrection BVT you se what opinions heretickes and vsurers haue of hell I would gladly know what they thinke of heauen I haue heard of some that haue had so good a conceipt thereof that if God would euer let them liue heere they would neuer desire him as they say to trouble him in heauen nor no more I warrant you they shall vnlesse they haue a better desire to come thither whether to arriue a maÌ„ must leaue affection to this worldly trash or els quite forsake it which worldlings cannot abide to heare of for heauen is high cannot be obtained with too great a burden on our backs nor without labour paines and earnest desires as saith Christ The Kingdome of heauen suffereth violence and men must take it as it were by force that is swinck and sweat for it as an inheretance of greatest importance let therfore a man ioyfully giue himself and all he hath for it he shal win it As the wise maÌ„ that found the treasure in the field solde all he had to enioy that field and treasure whereby is vnderstoode the Kingdome of GOD the treasure and fulnes of all good thinges wherin wee shall finde Christ the full delight and infinite treasure of mans soule Heretickes woulde some of them haue vs now in no better case since Christ hath by his bloudshed opened heauen gates and remoued that wall betwixt God vs then the Iewes were before Christ when none entered into Gods glory till Christ had deliuered them but Heretiks be-ly the truth think too basely of Christs victory ouer the deuill hell death who would haue mens soules That some gather out of Luthers works was his opinion of others or rather worse Note the perfection of man is greater by how much he approch eth neerer to angelical nature to lye I know not in what obscure places and hidden receptacles till the day of iudgment but truth it is as wee bee taught by the Scriptures our Sauiour with the rich spoyle of Saints many blessed soules entered into his fathers glory with whome Saint Paul desired to be when he said I desire to bee loosed from his body that was and be with Christ so that Christ is in heauen no doubt now and Saint Paul al his blessed friends and innumerable saued soules since his Ascention with him and he hath prepared the way for vs if we well and perfectly doe liue to be with him as soone as the soule is from the body and at the glorious resurrection with Christ then shall we be clothed with a glorious stole of our bodies also in which respect we shall be better by it in some sort then I meane not that humane nature exceedeth angeâ—icall but thus I speake chiefely for the honor of our Lord â—â—svs who in himself hath so highly exalted our nature Angels that want bodies which body as it was pertaker with the soule of the griefe and paines of Christ so it shall be for euer pertaker of the glorious resurrection with him where after with Christ shall be more ioy happines of all good things theÌ„ may be thought or imagined Chap. LXX Of the Pope that he is the Vicar of Christ and lawfull successor of Saint Peeter LAstly the heretickes raile much against the Pope for he is euer in one end of their sermons and therefore I wil end with him in this litle treatise I told you before and proued vnto you in one of the notes of the true Church which is succession how the Pope is Vicar of Christ and successor most lawfull to Saint Peter to whom and all his successors in him Christ committed chiefe charge and authority ouer the Church wherein at the first generall consell he made decree gaue first sentence he raysed the dead healed the
for feare or other temporall respect as heere in England goe to church such properly bee schismatiks so called because by their seperation they not only deuide cut of thēselues quite from Gods church but also teare in sunder the misticall body of Christ which is one worse thē the souldiers that cast lott vppon his vesture not cutting it a sunder schismatiks then first bee deuided in themselues pretending one thing in body thinking another in minde indeede if wee in substance consisted only of soule the case were altered but seeing wee consist both of body and soule God as I said before out of Saint Paul requireth action and confession of body and beliefe of hart to concurre togeather as both in the end shall haue reward or iudgement together secondly schisme is so grieuous in Gods sight because it extinguisheth charity without which nothing can please God for charity proceedeth of vnity which schisme by seperation diuision quite taketh away God almighty then which in himselfe is one as all things proceede from him by vnity as the roote and liuely perpetuall fountaine so must they tend and haue reflection to him againe by charity in vnity wherein whosoeuer gathereth not with Christ he scattereth as hee affirmeth hereupon it commeth according to the Apostles doctrine that we be all one body in Christs holy Catholicke Church from which whosoeuer is deuided by schisme he cannot haue life of Grace and saluation from Christ the head as being a deuided member from his misticall body euen as any member of our body dieth we see that is deuided from our naturall body Therefore S. Augustine right worthely exhorteth to feare nothing so much as seperation that is schisme whereby wee loose the grace of God al merits of prayers good works life and saluation this ought to appale our Schismatiks if they had any feeling or feare of God but these of our times be more absurd hard harted and blind thē those of old for not only schis matiks of old but heretiks litle differed in externall rites and ceremonies from Catholike seruice nor in administration of the Sacraments from the true Catholike seruice sacraments but our schis matiks frequent a Caluinisticall puritane rabble of reading For their seruice with heretiks no more like the Catholike true seruice of Christs Church saue only but for the new Testament which notwithstanding they most falsly interpret and corruptly translate no more like I say set Baptisme aside thē the Iewish superstitious reading and ceremonies is like to christian seruice Moreouer in going to heretiks seruice no true priest can administer vnto them the Sacraments of the Catholike Church as penāce the Sacrament of the Altar which once a yeare you are bound to receiue therfore if it were nothing but in this respect you be in most miserable state of dānati on as neuer receauing the foode of life without which your soule cānot liue no more thē the body can without corporall sustenance but neither can you be present at Masse on holy daies nor receaue at Easter which vnder paine of deadly sinne you are bound vnlesse you haue some lawfull impediment as long as you goe to heretiks seruice therefore you see how on euery side you are plunged in sin misery so long as you cōtinue in this dānable state of schisme therfore I exhort you in the name of Iesus as you respect his honour that hath so dearely bought you and tender your owne saluation flie out of Babilon presently that is out of this miserable confusion of sin heresie out of this sinful wretched and most abhominable citty that you be not ouerwhelmed perpetually lost in the ruines of the same Fugite de medio Babilonis flie out therefore I say out of the middest of Babilon and bee not of those which Paululum fugiunt which flie but a little least you bee corrupted with her prostitution and inwrapped in her snares and if you vvill or looke euer to be saued by the truth I haue here taught First after you haue learned to beleeue well then do penāce that is be sorrowfull confesse your sins with full purpose to amend to a lawfull Catholike Priest then doe the worthie fruits of penāce that chiefly by his good counsell direction appointment and so I beseech you with the holy Apostle for Christs sake be reconciled to God bee reconciled to Christs holy Catholicke Church and then be carefull so to amend your life that you take heede of recidiuation or falling backe to your former vomitte least the latter end bee worse then the beginning though what falles soeuer of infirmity a man may haue had yet quickly he ought to rise againe fight manfully and grow not weake harted how sorrowful or penitent soeuer worke then busilie and vertuouslie be euer sorrie whilst you haue time and space for that is past though by Gods grace already in the Sacrament forgiuen according to that de propitiato peccato noli esse sine timore of thy sinne forgiuen be not without feare during this life come no moee at heretikes Church nor seruice nor Sacramenrs no not to die but suck of the sweete breasts of your deare mother and Christs true spouse the Catholicke Church followe her counselles listen to her sermons frequent deuoutly her Sacraments and so you shall beleeue well liue and die the seruant of Christ and attaine your saluation otherwise as long as you liue in this state that is out of the vnity of the Catholicke Church without all doubt you be in state of damnation and therefore seeing there is no other remedy speedely amend and doe penance Chap. LXXIX Admonishing to amendment of life seeing the time is short and the houre of death vncertaine when as ignorance shall excuse no man For this life is short and vncertaine but death most certaine and yet the honre most vncertaine remember my wordes I pray you I haue told you the truth ignorance cannot excuse you if you followe then my aduise you shall winne your owne soule if you doe not I must be a witnesse against you before God and his Angelles at the last day Then Princes cannot excuse you nor rulers for though they indeede shall beare the greatest charge or burden yet euery one neuerthelesse in his degree shall beare his owne sinne according to that of the Apostie Vnusquisque onus suum portabit Wherefore as in discharge of my dutie I haue truly sette downe before you and declared the truth as I will answere before Iesus the dreadfull iudge at the last day who is that euerlasting truth for which vndoubted Catholicke truth I trust by Gods great mercy and grace I shall be ready to shed my bloud if I bee called thereto So on the other side I most humbly and instantly againe and againe exhort pray and beseech you for that great loue of Christ towards vs all whereby for our sakes he shedde his most pretious bloud that you woulde deepely
consider the importance of this matter and remember your saluation Consider first what perilous times wee liue in now towards the ende of the world consider withall the shortnes instability of this life how daily of all sorts by death you see men taken awaâ—e before your eies Remember at least wheÌ„ you see as it were the heauens open with lightnings perceaue the earth sometimes chime treÌ„ble vnder your feete and when to the terror of al mortal creatures you heare the most high mighty Lord at a beck of whose finger heaueÌ„ earth quaketh thunder froÌ„ aboue theÌ„ I say learne to feare not for get him after But remember deeply consider that euerlasting punishment vnqueÌ„chable fire prepared for the wicked and those vnspeakable ioyes prepared for the iust consider the strait way to saluatioÌ„ how fewe shall bee saued in respect of those that shall be perpetually lost and damned Eight persons in the vvhole world were but saued froÌ„ dro vning in the vniuersall deluge Noes fludde But one just Lot could be found in fiue Citties Sodom and Gomorrah and the rest for sinne consumed with fire and brimstone from heauen here and burning in hell for euer but twelue Apostles CHRIST chose amongst all the Iewes and yet one was a traytor good thinges therfore you see but especially good meÌ„ indeede are hard to be founde therefore you see how true Christs words be many are called but few are chosen yet I hope and most confidently trust in God you all those that will read this litle treatise and follow it auoide the heresies and sinnes herein refelled and disproued you and euery one such I say that will this do my full confidence is in God and you may be in sted fast hope you shall be of that few nomber that Christ hath chosen consider moreouer wherefore you were created and made of God not to eat drinck sleep liue heere but to passe this life with dutiful seruice to God that you may enioy his endles kingdome The end then God hath made you for is to be pertaker of his glory in heauen and therefore all thinges you haue heere in this world on earth you ought to referre to the seruice of God for what is this life but as saith Saint Gregory a continuall death wherein euery day we dye a litle something of our life is cut of daylie account then this world and all worldly possessions and habitatioÌ„s but as it were an Inne wherein you are but to stay as it were for a night and away and therefore seeke not to make you a dwelling place on earth chiefely though to haue moderate care of our bodies also is not forbidden vs but looke for and builde you a place in heauen Alas what be al pleasures this world can afford you You see they be but vaine and can neuer content mans minde the couetous man is neuer full fraught or contented with golde and riches but euer coueteth more the dronkard and glutton euer seekerh how he may more and more delight his tast and fill his belly and panch the lecherous man more fleshly pleasure he hath like the wood set on fier he desireth burneth faster therein riches fade beauty decayeth memory saileth all the glory of the world passeth away as the shaddow nothing can truly satiate content the soule but God himself which is had by enioying of his diuine glory To obtaine this then you must bend all your might and power Nam regnum calorum vim patitur violenti rapiunt illud Saith our Sauiour we must by violence as it were obtaine his kingdome not only sighting and striuing against our selues that is this froward and corrupt nature of ours that is too much giuen to selfe loue and liking of this world and our selues in being ready to forsake this traÌ„sitory life of this body to enioy the eternall life of the soule but what lettes or impediments soeuer you haue to the coÌ„trary manfully and ioyfully remoue them and shake them off as if the Tyrant threaten thee or with flatterie or faire wordes and promises seeke to allure thee yea if thy parentes that begot and bore thee or thy children that be part of thy substance of thy flesh and bloud or thy owne wife that is as it were thy one body and sleepeth in thy bosome would hinder thee from thy saluation GOD is neerer and deerer to thee then them all Forsake comfortably thy parents with their weeping eyes respect not they children with stretched out handes passe by thy wife though on thy threshold shee lye at thy feete with spreadde and torne haire Yea be cruell to thine owne body in this case and as saieth Saint Ierome fortiter ad crucem Christi euola flie with that simple sweete Doue in cauernas petrae into the holes of that sure rock the open woundes of thy redeemer and manfully with good courage and all ioye imbrace the crosse of CHRIST thus by violence you must obtaine his kingdome thus bend all your might and power I say to winne CHRIST and please him For him I say be content to forsake wife children liuings possessions yea this life it selfe to winne a better taking vp the crosse and following him For so all haue and must do that will enter into his kingdome remembring wee must suffer with him to be glorified with him and if he our head would not enter into his kingdome but by Passion and labours then we his seruaunts members cannot looke to follow him but by the same way of paynes and sufferance the disciple is not better then his Maister neither a delicate member is comely vnder that head that weareth a Crowne of thornes If then thus you by patience follow and winne Christ you shall haue al thinges him if you forsake you loose all If you truly cleaue and stick to him and his commandements he is mighty and will desend you he is mercifull and wil pardon you he is bountifull wil bestow al gratious gifts of you he is rich will sustaine and nourish you he is pittifull and will comfort you knowing your weaknes and bearing the heauier end of the yoke or crosse with you wil lay no more of your shoulders theÌ„ you are able to beare nor will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue our strength as he hath said by his true messenger wherein he is faithfull will performe his promise he is louing and iust and will make vs for our labours crowning his graces gifts in vs pertakers of his glory where art we ought all to shoote comforting our selues euer in the troubles of this life with hope of that fruition of God our finall rest and perfect delight The 80. and last chap. How though euery one ought to be prepared to suffer yet none ought rashly to cast theÌ„selues into tentation but if we bee called thereunto then we ought to be most glad to suffer as being
Gods cause we suffer for BE desirous then to suffer for Christ and the Catholick faith though none as long as without denyall of their faith they may escape affliction ought rashly to cast themselues into tentation as knowing not the measure of their strength yet if you be called thereunto be not ashamed but ioyfull and gladde you may be founde worthy to suffer for Christs truth For it is the way Christ himselfe as I said and his glorious freindes the Apostles and Martirs haue trodden before yea it is the most glorious cause and most comfortable that euer any suffred for Gods cause I say his faith and truth for which one may be killed but neuer ouercome For which whosoeuer haue suffered and no other haue entered into his heauenly kingdome Consider what labour and care men take for some small liuing for this short life The Marchaunt man to attaine gold refuseth no perrill the husband man to gaine fruit or corne refuceth no labour nor the huntsman for his pleasure oftentimes without his dinner a whole day running togeather accounteth it any paine and shall we refuce troubles paines griefe labour or losse of any thing in this life to finde out Christ the inuincible truth and so truly to follow him whereby we shall auoide perrill of damnation in hell liue with a pure and quiette conscience in this life wherein if we liue to an hundred yeares yet is it soone spent passeth as a shaddow after this transitory life obtaine euerlasting saluation life where neuer after we shal neede to feare death hel nor damnation well good thinges cannot be had without paines much lesse the endles good with sleeping and no labour can be obtayned but with earnest and the greatest endeuours Suppose then you at this very instant were to depart this life as you know not whether you are to liue till to morrow and should be had before that dreadfull iudge the searcher of hartes where of all your life a strait reckoning must be made yea of all giftes bodylie ghostly as of witte learning power goods riches landes possessions and of all other talentes God hath bestowed of you how you haue spent and bestowed them during the short tyme you were heere steward thereof if then at that houre which is so vncertaine you wold wish you had done yea though it had bene neuer so much to haue serued and pleased God do then something now while you haue tyme that then you wold wish to haue done and so then you shew your selfe a wiseman indeede laying a sure fondation heere in earth the fruit of which building you shall enioy in the kingdome of heauen which to enioy with God for euer account you litle or nothing of all thinges heere vppon earth for looke what beauty sweetnes and glory bee in all thinges heere on earth they be but a shadow as it were of Gods glory for what brightnes or beauty soeuer is in the sunne moone starres men women children vvhas sweete sauours soeuer bee in perfumes flowers fragrant blossomes what delights soeuer be in musike birds mountaines vallies riuers or in any other thing that is delectable to any of our sences that be seene felt or vnderstood by man here ou earth all these and infinite moe pleasures and most sure and perfect delights in a farre more excellent sort shall the blessed saued soules enioy in that heauenly kingdome in beholding that glorious face and vision of God from whome all these good things doe proceede and in whome they be conteyned as the perfect mirror and summe of all perfection with al swetee peace and tranquility in euer enioying the same and with all security neuer to loose the same there wee shall see God face to face and the more wee see him the more we shall desire him and the more we desire him the more we shall loue him and the more we loue him the more we shal be delighted and fully satiated with him as said the holy Prophet Satiabor cum apparuerit gloria tua O Lord when thy glory shall appeare then shall I be satiated for as saith S. Augustine God hath made vs for him and our hart is vnquiet till we come to him there is that liuely fountaine and pleasant riuer clearer then the christall that coelestiall paradise the force whereof maketh joyfull the whole cittie of God and that watereth the whole earth making these carnall harts and terrestriall bodies of ours by vertue thereof coelestiall and diuine in this riuer is found the Chrisolite Topaze Carbuncle and all other gemmes and pretious jewels there is light without darknesse day without night glory without end when as certaine then it is that you shall be a saued soule and S. with God if you labour for it or else which Christ forbid a damned reprobate for euer therfore so labour worke your saluation whilst the light of his mercy and grace yet shineth open for you during this life that you may after enioy that endlesse life pluck vp thē your hart man intende prospere procede regna march manfully forward and ioyfully in Gods waies and take heede then of looking backe for such are not fitte for the kingdome of GOD comfort your selfe the labour and paines be little and short but the reward great and endlesse good labourers be content with a slender dinner in hope of a full and ioyfull supper and vvith all take heede aboue all thinges you deferre not your conuersion to GOD and amendment from day to day For it is a subtilty of the Diuell to cause a man to make delaies and so then death commeth when he least looketh for it and taketh a man vnprouided wherefore for our greater meritte and security wee ought to bee prouided at all houres for CHRISTS call whose mercy and grace is ready for all that come in time yea more ready to receaue vs then wee bee to come So that if a man bee not pertaker of Gods grace and fauour the fault is in himselfe and not in God for euen as you see when the sunne shineth a man cannot haue the light of the sunne vnlesse hee will open his eies No more then can any man haue the light of GODS grace though Gods grace also worketh the due disposition but he that will open the eyes of his soule offer his will and affection wholy to God and dispose himselfe to receaue Gods mercy and grace who is euer ready to help vs and who euer stirreth and moueth man tô receaue the effect thereof that is of his grace and goodnes yea God euer standeth knocking at the doore of mans hart and soule some times by prosperity and otherwhiles by aduersity daily by his benefits and oft by his holy inspirations ego stoad ostium pulso I stand thus saith God and knocke at the doore that is of mans hart and soule as I said to the end a man should incline his hart and lay to his hand to beleeue and followe
not author Dissentionis fed pacis they would agree togither and with their first masters especially who many of them in the beginning since quite disclaime from our Church as quite decaied and come they now to vs with their foule feete when many of their fautors and all wise and honest men are weary of them Seauenthly such heretiks as can 7. admit any sect in their Church shew themselues to be of no conscience no feruour no faith no religion and beÌ„ the most daungerous persons in the world commonly the worst hardest to be reclaimed to good These be the persons God most abhorreth wishing they were either hot or cold Sed quaniam taepidus es because thou art luke warme saith he I wil euen spue thee out of my mouth signifying GOD can digest no such Neuter Nullifrdian sots in figure whereof it was forbidden in the law to haue a garment wouen of linneÌ„ wollen signifying that the mixture of contrary sects Christ cannot admit in his garment his spouse the Church which though it was well imbrodered whollie ouer declaring how his Church should be adorned glister with variety of all noble goldeÌ„ vertues in euery state degree yet should they all tend to charity end in one signified by the same garment whole with out seame which the cruell souldiers yet deuided not then which heretiks be worse that rent teare with barbarous cruelty sundry heresyes asunder the misticall body and garment of Christ his Church and this to doe the better nowe in the latter end of the world and most dangerous dayes by subtilly creeping into her they vvoulde make of her as it vvere a linsey vvolsey medley garment for themselues a while to maske in till they might if it were posible rob spoyle her of al vertues and heauenly treasures of scriptures Saints sacrameÌ„ts God all such drone bees that seek to their owne ruyne and of others to suck the sweete of other mens labours CHRIST IESVS will euer haue his watchmen to dryue back from his sacred inclosed garden whereinto none shall truly enter but the right in faith nor any enioy the fruits thereof euerlastingly but the righteous in hart for if the Church as I said hath iustly shurt out at all tymes before and since Christs tyme heretiks for lesse heresies then these of our dayes be by many degrees yea if God himself hath not spared iust reueÌ„ge of many of them in this life yea sometymes to the terror of others hath inflicted terrible sudden death for lesse sinnes then heresie yea spared not Angells in heauen for that vice proper to all hereticks which is pride then though he be long patient lett no heretik think he shall in the ende scape the heauy hand of God in token of whose heauy wrath and iust indignation for this sinne of heresie all good Christian Emperours Kinges Magistrates haue most seuerely punished it with fire to the terror of the wicked and preseruation of the good Lastly heretiks 8. Heretikes be most fit to bee linked in one Church with the Turk who haue pulled downe that most noble religious order of the Knights of the Rhodes ordayned to defend Christendome against the Turke to whom Protestantes now shewe al homage in most humble letters gift and other tokens of beneuolence yea coÌ„plotting with him to the ruin of Catholick states princes as both by their letters intercepted euident actions apâ—eereth that would be of one Church with Catholiks by what ioyntes sinnewes would they be knit to and with them surely they haue lest none for if they run as many of them haue done to the primitiue Church and the Apostles tyme they may indeede falsely and foolishly bragge of the head but then they must absurdly without body and other members ioyne their soule feete to their monstrous Chymerical head of that old dragon but not of Christ whose Church hath euer visibly continued shall do to the end of the world but if they will ioyne themselues with vs now that by Gods grace be Catholiks I see not one bond of faith Hope nor Charity left in them to make this coÌ„nextion betweene vs they that haue rased out or defaced the whole Scriptures which by Gods grace we keepe to our defence they that coÌ„temne whole general councels where on we stand firmely they that nothing regard all holy Fathers which as watchmen in GODS house teach vs how to gouerne our selues they that take away Sacraments that â—oster and feede vs to life euerlasting they that abolish sacrifice whereby we are to worshippe God only they that blaspheame God the blessed Tâ—inity on whome we are to beleeue they that take away Saints in heauen from praying for vs and the Church of GOD heeâ—e from all authority to guide and gouerne vs all which articles and diuerse others which they deny we stedfastly beleeue heere is no way left you see to conioyne vs in faith As for hope with vs in GOD they haue none left neither but in themselues only who they make iudges ouer themselues of their owne fancies Knowing without all doubt as they say they shall be saued before CHRIST come to iugement and so they be past hope As for Charity how can they agree with vs so quite contrary to them that can agree in no one point amongst themselues sauing that they in one point coÌ„spire together yea all heretiks in the world that is to raile against and impugne the Pope our chiefe pastor vnder Christ the Bishop of Rome him the Lutherans him the Caluinists him Protestants him Anabaptists him Trinitaries him the family of loue cry out of with one vniforme consent crucifige but in other matters how many men so many opinions coÌ„monly raigne cursing one another like deuils whome they serue deriding and scoffing ech one another see but only the inuectiues of puritanes against protestants heere in England goe no further note how they be entertayned againe by Whitgift others and it wil giue some tast of the rest how they agree first amoÌ„gst themselues goeing about to thrust one another out of temporall possessions yea to cut one anothers throte As for their charity towardes vs it is no other then that of Iulian the Apostate towardes Christians of his tyme who spoyling them of their goods and many of their liues said hee did them a benefite because according to their Master CHRISTS promise they should receaue a hundred fold for thinges lost so heere in this life and after the Kingdome of heauen Such charity heretiks shew to vs that imprison vs spoile vs of goods and liuings consume many with a lingring persecution most terrible dispach others with violent death infame vs slaunder vs make vs odious to the state and Princes where we liue as traytors impouerish our widowes beggar oâ—r children infeeble corrupt our youth prophane our virgins robbe our churches kil murder our Preists be these in peace
charity with vs That offer open hostility against vs in word deede and in euery libell they make or paltry sermon they preach Fye vpon such hipocrisy fye vpon such fained charity Iesu preserue all true beleeuers froÌ„ such a châ—rch as heretiks haue now deuised from such a peace or pacification which they pretend Qui enim paris fideli cum infideli qut qâ—â— conuentio Christi ad Belial aut quis consensus templi Dei cum Idolis and peace is to those only that beleeue truly in God to those that haue stedfast trust in him to those that louing him aboue all things liue in vnity peace by perfect charity with their neighbors all which firme bonds to tie themselues with vs because heretikes want therefore as long as they contyneu in this state they can haue no portion with vs nor in the lande of the liuing nam non est pax impâ—is dicit Dominus would GOD therefore they would truly and vnfaynedly seeke to be one with vs which to our griefe vnspeakeable losse to them selues they haue first â—orsaken that so we might be one with them most ioyfully should they be imbraced of vs yea to winne them to this we would aduenture our liues spare no labour perrill nor paynes yea with many heauy sighes teares câ—ying to our sweete blessed Lord Iesus that he would moue their harts to come now at length least it wil be to late we beseech them for the loue of Christ with the holy Apostle to be reconciled to God by doing true penance without which alas they shall certaynlie perrish euermore We humbly beseech them to be sorry for their enormious crymes to recant abiure their heresies and so with al humility of hart minde sweetely to imbrace the crosse of Christ which so long they haue bene professed enimies of And this is the ordinarie meaÌ„es they must vse if euer they wil be members of one Church with vs or bee saued in the vnity of which church our blessed Lorde speedely in graffe them I humbly beseech him though it were with the effusion of my bloud to their endles good and glory of his name And here now finally I instaÌ„tly beseech all good Catholiks with due thanks giuing to be ioyfull in God and constant in that true faith and Catholike Church out of which to our coÌ„fort and confirmation wee see our very aduersaries confesse none caÌ„ be saued in which true Church of ours I say though our enemies by force of truth confes we may be saued yet alas they liuing and dying out of the same we know most certainly they shal be damned yea by their owne judgmeÌ„t confessioÌ„ O how happy had they bin if neuer they had brokeÌ„ downe the wall by forsaking that vnity vnto which vnles they returne againe they caÌ„ neuer imbrace charity nor enjoy grace nor glory O Lord then open their eies that they may see for without thee they may and haue fallen but without thee they can neuer see nor finde the meanes to arise againe grant vs al grace theÌ„ we beseech thee most bountifull Sauiour that we that by thy special grace be called of thee froÌ„ amongst many lost sheepe to be of thy flock seruants in thy house workmen in thy vineyard meÌ„bers of thy misticall body the Cath Church may euer be so thankfull to thee in souÌ„d vertue pure life conuersation for our state and gratious vocation that hauing no other thing as of our selues to rejoyce and glory in but that wee are thy meÌ„bers O B. Iesu which thou hast redeemed with thy pretious bloud that I say we are thy flesh bloud meÌ„bers of that body whereof thou art the head we may so answere by thy grace to this high and heauenly vocation happy state that being worthy fruitful meÌ„bers of thy body here in earth wee may for euer after this life see thy face in glory Amen Laus Deâ— I. ✚ R. Finis THE CONTENTS OF THE CHAPTERS CONTEYned in this Booke CHap. 1. Of thâ— truâ— way to Saluation pag. 1. chap. 2. Of th◠〈◊〉 certaine note of the true Church pag. 17. chap. 3. Of the second certaine note of the true Church pag. 27. chap. 4. Of the third certaine note of the true Church pag. 33. chap. 5. Of the fourth certaine note of the true Church pag. 45. chap. 6. Of some other signes and tokens of the true Catholicke Church c. how without it none can be saued pag. 52. chap. 7. Of the SacrameÌ„ts in general p. 68. chap. 8. What a Sacrament is of the effects of tho Sacraments and why they were ordeyned pag. 71. chap. 9. Of the holy SacrameÌ„t of Baptisme and of the necessity thereof pag. 75. chap. 10. How necessary fâ—uitful Christs passioÌ„ is to al that follow him in patieÌ„ce good works how by Baptâ—sme the vertue therof is appliâ—d to cur soules pag. 81 chap. 11. Declaring what Baptisme is that Baptisme remitteth all sinnes hoâ— it truly iustifieth vs. pag. 84. chap. 12. Of the impiety and abuse of heretikes about Baptisme pag. 90. chap. 13. Of the holy Sacrament of Confirmation pag. 95. chap. 14. Of the holy Sacrament of Penance and of the three parts thâ—reof of the necessity thereof to all sinners aftâ—r Baptisme pag. 100. chap. 15. That Confession of our sinnes to a lawfull Priest is necessary pag. 107. chap. 16. Of Confâ—ssion more in particulâ—r and of some sinnes against the first second commandement pag. 113. chap. 17. Of the rest of the commandemeÌ„ts and of some sinnes against them to be coÌ„fesled to the Priest pag. 118. chap. 18. Declaring what sinne is and how grieuous in the sight of God and how seuerely it is and shall bee punished for euer pag. 124. chap. 19. Of the great ingratitude of man to God by sinne and that there is a difference of sins with an exhortatiâ— to Confession amâ—dment by penance p. 131. chap. 20. Of whome tâ—e Saâ—rament of Penance was ordeyned and that Priestes haue authority giuen them by Christ to forgiue sinnes and of the matter forme and effect of Penance pag. 136. chap. 21. Of the most blessed Sacrament and sacrifice of Christs body and Bloud substantially really and truly vpon the Altar pag. 142. chap. 22. That Heretikes which deny Christs body in the Sacrament â—uacuate the fruits of Christs death and Passion in mens soules and prepare the way to Antechrist pag. 148. chap. 23. Wherein is declared that wee ought as really as truly to receaue his Body with our mouthes to health saluatioÌ„ as Adam did eate the forbideÌ„ apple to death and damnation pag. 152. chap. 24. Of the excellencie of the most blessed Sacrament and in what respect it is called a sacrament signe or figure yet is the very thing it selfe which it beto keneth pag. 181. chap. 25. Declaring how it implieth not contradiction that Christ is in heauen and in the Sacrament in many places
at once but only declareth an infinite and almighty power of God and that diuine honour is due hereunto pag. 226. chap. 26. Of the B. sacrament of the Altar shewing how conueniently it was ordayned for our reparatioÌ„ what preparatioÌ„ we ought to make to the same p. 262 chap. 27. Of the Manna the paschall Lamb and other figures of the B. sacrament pag. 269. chap. 28. Wherein is touched how this sacrament is also a sacrifice daily vnbloudely offered by Priests propitiatory for the quicke the dead that it is the only saerifice whereby God is chiefly honoured and worshipped pag. 274. chap. 29. Of the great loue and humility of Christ in this B. sacrament of the deuotion of Christians of olde towardes the same pag. 281. chap. 30. Contayning a briefe recapitulation of things touched in the treatifâ— of this sacrament declaring that lay persons be not dâ—frauded of the bloud of Christ nor healthfull fruit of the sacrameÌ„t in receiuieg vnder one kind p. 288. chap. 31. Of holy Order what it is by whomâ— it was ordayned and of howe many degrees it consisteth and that no man rashly without due consideration ought to take vpon him the same pag. 305. chap. 32. Of the higher orders and hoâ—e necessary by Gods ordinance one head is ouer the rest pag 309. chap. 33. Of Gods seuere punishment of dâ—uers for arrogating to them-selues Priestly office and howe wee are to obay our Pastors pag. 318. chap. 34. Of the goodly order of the Clergy and Monarchy of the Church and of the Anarchy and disorderly confusion of heretikes pag. 325. chap. 35 Wherein is more at large described the Babilonicall confusion of sinne and heresie how God hath blessed this Couâ—try of old for honour obedience to the Church Priesthood pag. 330. chap. 36. Of Matrimony and what it is and when it was ordayned of the chiefe good ende effect thereof how Virginity is preferred before it also of vowed chastity annexed to priesthood p. 336 chap. 37. That vowes may be lawfully meritoriously made and ought to be kept and that Matrimony is a bande inseparable during life and wherein it consisteth pag. 342. chap. 38. Of extreame Vnction that it is a Sacrament and ordeyned by Christ taught by S. Iames practised by the Apostles and Apostolike men pag. 345. chap. 39. Touching briefly by the way the matter of Iustification and by whome howe we be iustified pag. 350. chap. 40 Of Predestination and that as no man is saued without Gods grace So no man shall bee damned without his owne fault and that wee mâ—st not curiously dispute hereof pag. 357. chap. 41. That man hath free will that Gods Commandements are possible to be kept that euery one must work his saluation with feare trembling pag. 361. chap 42. Of Christs descending into Hell of the intollerable blasphemy of heretikes against Christ in this point pag. 365 chap. 4â— Of Purgatorie what sort of people be therein punished and for what mâ—nner of sinnes defects they be there detained and thâ—t Prayer Sacrifice Almes-deeds and the like bee healthfull for the departed pag. 367. chap. 44. More at large of Purgatory prayer for the dead how heretikes noâ— only corrupt but deny thâ— playne scripturs in avouching the contrary pag. 371. ch 45. Of PardoÌ„s what they are wherof they come in what sort they be auaileable both for the liuing the dead p. 376 chap. 46. By what meanes Pardons may be applyed to our soules and that we must iustly doe that which is appointed vs to be pertakers of the same pag. 380. chap. 47. Of Excommunication how dreadfull a thing it is how heretikes being excommunicated in the higbest degree their excommunication of others is ridiculous contemptible pag. 384. chap. 48 Of some abuses about Pardons and of the late reformation of the same and of the couetous humors of English Ministers pag. 385. chap. 49. Exhorting all to doe their Penance meekely heere and not to trust to much to the helpe and praiers of their friendes left behinde pag. 387. chap. 50. Of Pilgrimage proued by examples of Christ his seruants pa. 390. chap. 51. Of the reliques of Saints reuerently to be vsed and kept of miracles wrought by meanes of them pag. 392. chap. 52. Of honour inuocation of Saints and how Saints pray for vs may heare and releeue vs by their prayers as also that our prayers to Saints their intercession for vs is no iniury but glory to Christ ouâ— Mediator pag. 397. chap. 53. Declaring how God for his holy seruants sakes heareth our prayers and how the holy Fathers of olde prayed to Saints pag. 403. chap. 54. Touching by the way the blessed Virgin our Lady and the iniuries done vnto her pag. 406. chap. 55. Of Images and of the Crosse of Christ and of the reuerende laudable vses of the same pag. 409. chap. 56. Of Seruice in the Latin tongue and how meete conuenient it is that the Scriptures be reserued seruice said in the auncient sacred tongues pag. 413 chap. 57. Wherein the Apostles wordes touching praying and preaching in vnknowne tongues are expounded and of the goodlye order of the Churches seruice praâ—ing singing praising God night and day in her cannonicall houres feastes and times of the yeare pag. 421. chap. 58. Of the Beades of the fifteenâ— misteries of thâ— Râ—sary or our Ladies Psalter of the great good spiritual fruit by deuout saying the same pag. 424. chap. 59. Of the Aue Maria how it is a most deuout prayer gratefull to God ioyfull to Angelles terrible to the Diuel most healthfull and comfortable to all mankinde pag. 427. chap. 60. Of diuers holy ornaments and thinges belonging to the Church as of lightes in churches of Insence Dedication of churches and such like godly ceremonies pag. 429. chap. 61. Of Religious persons of their sanctity leaâ—ning and perfection of life and of the vo â—es of pouerty châ—stity and obedience which make a religioâ—s man and of the heauy in â—gemeâ—t of God to vowe bâ—eakers how our Lady vowed virginity pag. 433. chap. 6â— Of holy Water and how creatures being blessed by the word of God miracles sometimes by the same be wroughâ— to the expelling of Diuels and confâ—rmation of Christian religion pag. â—40 chap. 63. Of holy Bread giuen the people iâ— remembrance of that most blessed Sacrament and in sâ—me sort taught vs by Christ in those lâ—aues blessed aâ—â— multiplyed by him in the desert pag. 442. chap. 64. Of receâ—uing vnder one kinde aâ—d how the same frâ—ite is reaâ—ed by onâ— kinde as by both anâ— that peace vnity and charity is the ende of this blessed Sacrament pag. 444. chap. 65. Of fasting the fruits therof how it hath beâ—e vsed coâ—â—â—nded by Christ his Saints how it is commanded vnder paine â—f sin by the church to â—hat persons how such as disobey the Church in this precept of fasting or any other disobey Christ. pag. 447. chap. 66. Of traditions whereof they câ—me what they be of what authority that by tradition and authority of the Church we knoâ— the Scriptures tâ— bâ— the word of Gâ—â— which be eâ—er most reuereâ—tly preseâ—ued by Catholickes â—ut euill vnderstood corrupted yea sâ—me quite razed â—ut by Heretikes pag. 452. chap. 67. Of God that he is one in substance and three in persons and of the horrible blaspheamy of heretikes and Athistes against his diuine Maiestie pag. 457. chap. 68. Of Hell and of the iust punishments therein for sinne without release for euermore pag. 459. chap. 69. Of Heauen which worldlinges contemne how we may obtaine it and of the glorious and most happy estate of the body with the soule for euer after the generall resurrection pag. 462. chap. 70. Of the Pope that he is the Vicar of Christ and lawfull successor of Saint Peter pag. 465. chap. 71. What most admirable vertuous holy zealous and most worthy and charitable men many Popes haue beene of old and of late yeares also euen to this present day pag. 468. chap. 72. Wherefore he weareth his Crowne is borne of meÌ„s shoulders suffereth deuout persons to kisse his foote p. 472 chap. 73. Why heretikes haue euer slaundered the Pope and how God turneth their malice to the benefitte of his elect and how herâ—tikes be forâ—runners of Antichrist and of Christs victory ouer his enemies in his Church pag. 475. chap. 74. Of the assistantes of the Pope as first of his Cardinals and why they be so called also of religious men Priests and Godly men of this time that dyed Martirs and of the dying obstinately of heretikes pag. 479. chap. 75. Of Antechrists forerunners of his false lying signes deceits of his intollerable Luciferian pride subtility and short raigne though most violent persecution of his life birth death and ministers pag. 483. chap. 76. How the Diuell Antechrist be compared to that monstrous serpentinâ— tayled Dragon drawing numbers with them into euerlasting perdition and that one certaine man Antechrist is yet to come though hee hath many fore-runners pag. 486. chap. 77. In a fewewords touching the chiefe matters that haue beene spoken in this treatise how the vnlearned especially in matters of religion ought too leaue disputes and simply to beleeue the truth founding themselues in Christ and in the Catholike Church pag. 490 chap. 78. Against Schisme that it is altogither vnlawfull and forbidden vnder pame of daÌ„natioÌ„ to goe to the churches of heretiks or schismatiks to their prayers sermons sacramâ—ts spirituall exercises or many sort directy or indirectly to coÌ„municate participate yeeld consent or assent to the same also a precaution is giueÌ„ to beware of dissembling Catholiks which indeede are Schismatiks pag. 495. chap. 79. Admonishing to amendment of life seing the time â—s short and the houre of death vncertaine when as ignorance shall excuse no man pag. 517. chap. 80. How though euery one ought to be prepared to suffer yet none ought rashly to cast themselues into teÌ„ptation but if â—e be called thereunto then we ought to be most glad to suffer as beeing Gods caâ—se we suffer for pag. 525. A short treatise against Adiaphorists Neuters and such as say they may be saued in any sect or religion and would make of many diuers sects one Church pag. 537. FINIS