then could not a man be sure of whō to receyue and should alwayes be in doubte of the vertue of that he receyueth which no man maye be And althoughe the true Sacramentes of Christ may be ministred and receiued out of the Catholike Churche among heretickes and scismatikes yet they can not be profitable to the receyuers vntill they come agayne to the vnity of Christes Catholike Church Wherefore good people let euery man and woman that desyreth to bee made holle from hys synne or to bee preserued or sanctifyed by Christe and to be pertaker of hys blessed passion prepare hymselfe wyth all reuerence and humblenesse of harte to receyue these most holye Sacramentes in suche fourme and for suche purpose and intent as oure Sauioure Christe and hys blessed Spowse the holye Catholyke Church haue appoynted and ordeyned seynge that otherwyse to mysorder and abuse theym or wyllfullye to denye or refuse theym is to denye or refuse Christe that made theym oute of whose bloodye syde they came foorthe and also to denye or refuse the benefyttes of hys death and passion which by them be applyed and be brought into our soules As the reuerent and worthy vsing of them is the meane to grace and saluation so the misusing or contempt of theym is heynous and detestable sacrilege because with out them no religion can be perfyt whiche perfitnes euery man is bounden to procure with al his diligence duringe the time of this present life that at thend therof he might enioye lyfe euerlastinge to the whiche he brynge vs all who hath so derelye boughte it for vs to whom be all honour prayse and glorye worlde without end Amen ⸫ ¶ Of Baptisme Sermo secundus BEcause the holye Sacrament of Baptisme is the firste gate or entrye into the Churche of Christ and the grounde of all the other sacramentes whych can not be geuen to anye but to suche as be baptised before therfore good people I shall now begyn wyth Baptisme and declare vnto you what ye ought to thinke of it and what fruit ye receyue by it Firste it is to be knowen that oure Sauiour Christ did institute and ordeine this sacrament when after his resurrection appearynge to hys disciples he sayde to them All power in heauen and in earthe is geuen vnto me go ye therefore and teache all nations and people baptising them in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holye ghost and teaching them to keepe and obserue all thinges which I haue cōmaunded you and I am with you alwayes to the worldes end By whyche wordes of our Sauiour Christ we learne that power is geuen onely to him to institute and ordeine sacramentes which the churche receyuing of him and of his spirite doth faithfully delyuer vnto vs to be obserued and vsed And also wee learne that the forme and maner of baptisynge is to do as he commaunded and in so doyng to saye these wordes I baptise the in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy ghost And we learne also that Christ doth by his promyse assist the doyng of his minister and woorketh the same effectes by Baptisme when it is duely ministred of a man as if he did minister it himself And last of al we learne that Baptisme is not an ydle ceremonie but that euerye person which is baptised and beyng of age and discretion oughte to bee taughte before the faythe of Christe and to beleue the same and than after Baptisme ought diligētly to obserue and keepe all thinges whych Christe hathe commaunded And if they that be baptised be infants or other wyse can not beleue themselues lacking the vse of theyr reason seyng our Sauiour Christ sayd that children perteyne to the kyngdome of heauen and the doore into the kingdome of heauen is baptisme at which doore no person can enter in ordinarily but such as be borne agayne of the water and the holy ghost therfore suche be offered to be baptised in the fayth of the church and in receyuing Baptisme they are made faythfull by the sacrament of fayth but of thys thyng I shall God wyllinge speake more an other tyme. Secondarilye it is to be vnderstanded that Baptisme oughte to be ministred in water as Christ hath ordeined and in no other licour and that is because Baptisme is a sacrament of necessitie and water is a cōmon element throughout the whole world and therfore it is ordeined to be ministred in water that no man might excuse hymselfe for lacke of matter and so come in daūger of dampnation for lack of Baptisme And also it is ordeyned to be in water for sygnification of theffect that men mighte learne in this Sacrament as they do in all other by the propertie of the element what is the vertue and effect of the same that lyke as water washeth awaye the spottes of the body so baptisme wassheth awaye the sinnes of the soule and also because the generall floode in the time of Noe and the red sea through whiche Moyses and all the people of Israell went and thereby escaped the daunger of king Pharao that persecuted theim were figures of baptisme therefore it is ordeyned to be in water that the truthe myght agree with the figure and gods people might be nowe saued from the deuyll and drowning in deadlye sinne by the water of regeneration ioyned wyth the worde of lyfe as Noe and his chyldren were saued by the water of the floode hys ship and as Moyses wyth Gods people were saued from the sword of Pharao by the water of the red sea and the cloude Yet the grace that is ministred in the water procedeth not from the nature of the water which without the worde of God is but onely water styll but it procedeth from the presence of the holy ghost that descendeth vpon the water and doth consecrate the water and by it doth washe and purifye the soule Thyrdlye it is to be knowen that a man by the vertue and efficacie of Baptisme truelye ministred and receyued is washed from all kynde of synne indued wyth Gods holye spirite appareled wyth Christe and hys ryghtwysnesse and is made with Christ an inheritour of the kyngdome of heauen First baptisme washeth away all synnes in thoughtes in wordes and in deedes both oryginall synne and actual or personall sinne which be done either of ignoraunce or knowledge both the sinne it self and the giltynes therof and also the eternal payne in hell due for the same as the prophet sayth In that day of Christ there shall be a fountaine set open to the house of Iacob and to all the inhabitauntes of Hierusalem for the washinge away of sinnes And Saint Paul sayth to the Corinthians that they were greate and haynous sinners but now they be washed they be sanctifyed they be iustified in the name of oure Lorde Iesus Christ and in the spirite of our God and that there is no dampnation
euen so in this sacrament the outwarde forme of breade appeareth to mans sight and the inwarde substance of Christ god and man appeareth not to a mans corporall eye but to the eye of his soule whiche is faith which fayth is stayed vppon the omnipotēt power of god For he that can create all thinges of nought with his woorde can also chaunge thinges that be created with his word and if the benediction of man can chaunge the natures of thinges as appeared when Moyses chaunged hys rodde into a serpent what shall we say of the consecration of God that worketh merueilously in his holy sacrament If the word of Helyas was able to bringe fyre from heauen shall not the worde of Christ be able to chaunge the substaunce of breade therefore vppon thys grounde of gods almightye power we submitte our reason to our fayth and aboue the reache of reason we beleue Christes worde and that ther is not the substaunce of bread which nature formed but the substaunce of Christe whiche benediction hath consecrate And so wee esteme thys Sacramente otherwyse than an infidell dothe Like as an vnlearned man when he looketh vppon a booke he vnderstandeth not the meaninge of the writing but a learned manne wyll fynde muche matter hyd there as the lyues and stories of men the vnlearned man wyl thinke ther is nothinge els but paper and ynke the learned man will vnderstande an others speakinge and speake to one beyng absent and aske by his letters what so euer he would haue euen so it is in these misteries the infidels althouhh they here what it is yet they seme not to heare But the faithfull man who hathe experience of the holye ghost can beholde the vertue and power of God in the secrete misteries where the substaunce of bread is consumed by the substaunce of Christes body and ceaseth to be there any more euen as waxe when it is put in the fyer it melteth away the substaunce of it remaineth no more These similitudes whereof the bookes of the olde writers be full be not to satisfy the subtle wits and curious questions of men that lack faithe whose reasons brought oute of naturall experimentes maye in no wyse be admytted of a Chrysten manne to dysproue anye parte of our faythe receyued but they be brought in to declare what is oure faythe in this poynte to whiche faythe Gods pleasure is that euerye mannes reason should be taken captiue and serue to the beliefe of his wonderful workes and Sacramentes euen as the natural inclination of our will should serue to execute the commaundement of godlye charitie For whatsoeuer fleshe and bloud dothe bring forth or the subtlenesse of mans wyt not indued with the spirit of God can inuente is to be reiected from the iudgement and dyscussion of this holy mistery and onely that is to be admitted which the father of heauen by the mouth of his sonne and the inspiration of hys holy spirite hath reueled to his churche And therewyth is euery good christen man contented and satisfied not like the vnfaithful Iewes asking howe it can be so seyng nothing is vnpossible to God but geuinge full credite to the churche of God in the presence of Christ in this Sacrament as the blessed virgine Marye dyd to the Aungel of god in the incarnation of Christe in her wombe and as she gaue full consente to the Aungels woorde when he tolde her that the holye ghoste shoulde come into her and the power of the moste highe god should ouershadow her euen so ought euery faythful soule to geue ful credite to gods church when it teacheth by the woorde of God that the holy ghost ouershadoweth this mistery and maketh present the body of Christ aboue the speach and reason of man and chaungeth the bread and the wine into Christes body and bloud the outward formes remaining stil so that nowe there be not two substances remaininge but one and the self same that was geuen for our redemptiō otherwyse the maner of it is not searcheable And it oughte to beleue also that lyke as the Churche of god in the first generall Counsell at Nyce dyd verye well whan it dyd inuente the worde of Consubstantialitie to expresse the old trueth that Christ was no creature but equall god and of one and the same substance with the father to the confusion of the heretyke Arius and all hys adherentes euen so that the same churche of god did very well in the general coūsell at Laterane when it inuented the woord of Transubstantiation to expresse the olde truthe that there is but one substance of Christe in the Sacrament and that the former substaunces of breade and wyne be conuerted and chaunged in to the body and bloude of Christe the qualities and figure of the same remaining styll vnchaunged to the cōfusion of the heretykes Luther and zwinglius and all their adherentes Furthermore it is to be considered that in this chaunge of the bread god did shewe his greate mercyfull goodnes towardes vs that for our reliefe bearing with our infirmitie he hath suffred the outwarde formes of bread and wine to remaine vnchaunhed For as our nature abhorreth the kylling of a mans fleshe and the sheding of a mans bloude so muche more it abhorreth the eatinge of mans raw fleshe and the drynkinge of mans liuely bloude And where as our sauiour Christ declaringe the necessitie of this Sacrament to thatteining of euerlasting life sayd that except we did eate his flesh and drinke his bloude wee shoulde not haue lyfe in vs therefore hath he by his godly wisdome inuēted this way to geue vs his flesh to eate his bloud to drink and yet our nature should not abhorre the eating and drynking of it but comfortablye and obedientlye receiue it For he geueth it in such nutrimentes of bread and wine as we be daily accustomed to be fedde withal and so cōdescending to our infirmitie lest we should abhorre the sight of his flesh bloude in their owne likenesse he reserueth the outwarde formes of the breade and wyne but their substaunces he chaungeth into his fleshe bloude Besyde diuers other commodities that come to vs thereby as that our fayth is more exercysed in beleuing that to bee there presente whyche we see not with our corporall eyes and the propretie of the sacrament is retained which is to teache vs by the composition and nature of the outward element what the holy ghost worketh inwardly in the soule of him that worthylye receiueth it whiche is the vnitie and perfyte coniunction of Christes misticall body And also the holy Sacrament it self is kept and cōserued in his due honour which otherwise should be cōtemned despised of the paganes and infidels if they perceiued how we christē men did eate the flesh drink y e bloud of Christ our lorde god For these causes he hath ordeined it to bee ministred in the formes of bread
nowe remayninge to them that be in Christe and walke not after the flesh And although originall sinne bothe in infantes and all other be taken awaye by Baptisme and fully remitted so that in them that be baptised duely as they ought to be no synne remayneth nor no other thinge that dothe offende and displease God but that the infection which euery person taketh by carnall generation from the firste earthlye man Adam is nowe washed and cleane purged by spirituall regeneration in the bloode of the seconde heauenlye man Christe our Sauiour yet it is to be vnderstande that there remayneth in euerye persone after Baptysme a certeyne infirmitye or inclinatyon to sinne whiche is commonly called concupiscence of the flesh whereby a man is made weake and lesse able to wythstande synne and hys appetite is muche inclyned to sinne which thoughe it be sometymes called by the name of synne as a mans wryting is called hys hande and hys speche is called his tounge yet it is not synne and hatefull to God nor imputed to vs as synne so longe as our wyll dothe not consent vnto it but by grace withstandeth it and God hath suffered it to remayne in our flesh not that we shoulde obey it and be ruled by it but that we shoulde resyst and fight againste it whiche is left in vs for our exercise as an inwarde familiar enemy making continually ciuill warre against vs which if wee by the ayde of Gods grace and hys holye sprite do finally ouercome and subdue shall be a matter and occasion of our greate glorye and euerlastinge rewarde And that we maye so doe God as he hathe by this sacrament of baptisme forgiuen vs all sinne so by the same sacramente he doth geue vs special grace to ouercome synne â–ª and to suppresse thys bytter roote of synne that it spring not and bringe foorth in vs the wycked fruite of synne makinge vs more able to wythstand the carnall lustes and desires of our fleshe than is any other man that was neuer baptised The next effect of Baptisme after remission of synne is our spirituall regeneration in that wee are borne agayne of the water and the holye Ghoste and made newe menne in ryghtwisnesse and holynesse and by adoption are made Sonnes and Chyldren of allmyghtye GOD as Saynt Paul sayth God according to his mercie hathe saued vs by the water of regeneration or new birthe and the renewing of the holy spirite which he hath poured vpon vs aboundantly by Iesus Christe oure sauiour that we being iustified by his grace might be heyres by hope of eternall lyfe For lyke as a fowle vessell if it be neuer so well washed scoured yet it wil kepe stil some mark or taste of the euyll humor whyche was in it before but if the vessell be put agayne into the fornace and be ther with the flame renewed it will haue no seÌ„t remayning of the old corrupt licour euen so God dothe put vs into the fountayne of water as it were into a fornace and wyth the grace of his holy spirit as it wer with the flame of a fyre doth renewe vs and make vs bryghter then the sunne beames And as we were borne when we came foorthe of our mothers wombe euen so wee are borne agayne when wee come foorth of the water of baptisme whereby God hath deliuered vs from the power of darknesse and hath translated vs into the kingdome of his welbeloued sonne and hath of hys own will begotten vs by the woorde of truthe and of hym we haue receyued the spirit not of bondage to feare hym as a tyraunt but the spirit of adoption of the children of God by whyche as beynge now chosen to be his children we louinglye and with humble reuerence call hym father whyche spirit also beareth witnes with our own spirite that we be the children of god if we suffer with hym that wee myghte lykewyse be gloryfyed with him The thirde effect of Baptisme after remission and regeneration is to be appareled and cladde with Christe and his rightwisnes For lyke as when a childe is first borne than hath he a coate put vpon him to couer his nakednes and to anourâ—e him so when we be borne agayne of the water and the holye ghost we haue a spirituall coate put vpon vs which is our Sauiour Christ as S. Paule saithe All you that be baptised in Christ haue put on Christ as a garment which garment couereth the deformitie of our corrupt nature defendeth vs from the stormes of all teÌ„tations maketh nothing appeare in vs but the ymage of Christ in godly vertuous conuersatioÌ„ For like as a table beinge made plaine smoth hauing the picture of the kings image prynted in it is estemed of all men not accordynge to the value of the matter be it golde or siluer but according to the conninge workmanship in that it liuely representeth the very face of the king and therfore causeth the lookers on to honour it and to be in loue wyth it euen so a man that hathe by baptisme put of his old man with his actes corrupte liuing and hath put on the newe man whiche is made newe in the knowledge of God and in rightwisnes and holines of truth in that part of his soule wher the image of God is printed by turning his loue hollye from temporall and carnall thinges to eternall and spyrytuall thinges aboue is now much estemed of almighty God and accepted of him as a louinge childe because in al his conuersation he is made lyke to the image of Christ foloweth Christes footesteppes that did no synne nor no deceypte was found in hys mouthe so hath put on Christ in that his faith is imputed to him as rightwisnes The fourth effect of baptisme after remission of synne and the makynge of vs the children of God by our newe birthe and the apparelling of vs with the rightwisnes of Christ is to be made heyres of God and of his heauenly kingdome fellow heyres with our sauiour Christ as saynt Paul sayth If we be the children of God by Baptisme we be also the heires of God and felow heires with Christ which inheritaunce we haue not yet in full possession but onelye by hope of eternall lyfe And as Christe Gods sonne by nature came to his inheritaunce by suffring his passion so oure hope shall be sure that yf we suffer with Christ and paciently beare the afflictions of this world and forbeare and contemne the vanities of the same we shall without fayle enioye gods inheritaunce with Christ as Gods chyldren for whom the same inheritaunce was prepared before the beginning of the world Many mo effectes of baptisme I mighte reherse vnto you seyng all other graces take their beginning here be builded vpon it but in these foure which I haue rehersed they maye be considered as how in baptisme we are made fre froÌ„ sinne
synne so they myghte bee reconcyled agayne to GOD by other mennes faythe So that the holy Church oure mother aunswereth and professeth the true faythe for the chyldren and make the promyse for theim tyll they maye vnderstand that fayth and kepe that vowe whyche is made in theyr names by the Churche their mother Than after the professyon of thys faythe the partye is asked whether hee wyll bee baptysed or no because no manne hauinge the vse of hys wyll is saued wythoute the consente of hys wyll and when he aunswereth or it is aunswered for hym that he wyll than is he putte into the water thryse and baptysed in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy ghost in whyche thynge consysteth the greate mysterye or Sacramente of baptysme where the fleshe is washed and the soule made cleane where the inward man is made new and Christ is fourmed in the minde of man wher the deuill the olde tyrante and vsurper is driuen awaye and god the right owner possessor is brought in Than are we as saint Paule saith buried with Christ by baptisme into death that as he rose from death by the glory of the father so wee shoulde likewise walke in a new lyfe Wherby we vnderstande that lyke as Christe dyed and rose againe the thirde day and lyueth euermore so euery man when he renounceth the deuyll he dyeth to synne and kylleth the woorkes of the fleshe in him self and when he is dipped and put vnder the water than is he buried to sinne as Christe was putte within the earth in the sepulchre and when he is thrise putte vnder the water he representeth the three dayes of Christes buryall and when he is taken foorth of the water againe than doth he rise a newe manne as Christe rose oute of the Sepulchre and oughte to dye no more by seruinge of sinne but to lyue continuallye in righteousnesse and holynesse all the daies of his life And although the old and auncient tradition of the Churche hathe bene from the beginninge to dippe the childe three tymes in the water as Christe laye three dayes in his graue yet that is not of suche necessitie but that if he bee butte once dipped in the water it is sufficyente yea and in tyme of greate perylle and necessytie if the water be but powred vpon his head it wyll suffyse Nowe when the baptisme is done the childe is anoynted in the crowne of the heade with the holy Chrisme whereby we be taughte that he is by the Unction of the holy spirite incorporated and grafted into Christe who is the heade of his mistical body the Church and there is he anoynted and made a spirituall Kinge to rule and ouercome his owne carnall affections and also is anoynted and made a spirituall priest to offer vp spirituall sacrifyces to God in a pure hart and so he taketh of this holy Chrisme and of Christe the name of a Christen man beyng anoynted into euerlasting life which he is bounden to seke and procure all the meanes he can althoughe it were wyth the losse and spendynge of thys temporall lyfe here And by and by after he bee anoynted wyth the holye Chrisme he hathe a whyte vesture or Chrisome putte vppon hym whyche declareth that the chylde hathe nowe putte of the foule and fylthye cloutes of synne and hathe putte on the chaste garmente of Innocencye and clennesse of a newe lyfe whyche he oughte wyth all dylygence to keepe vndefyled and to presente it before the iudgemente seate of Chryste for thatteyninge of eternall lyfe And also a waxe candle burninge is putte in hys hande whereby is sygnifyed the lighte and truth of Christes doctryne and that his duetye is to fulfyll that in hys lyfe whyche Christe taught in hys Gospell saying Let your lyght shyne so before menne that they maye see youre good woorkes and glorifye youre father whiche is in heauen and he that preserueth and kepeth this candle vnquenched tyll the daye of our lorde shall amonges the fyue wise virgins enter in with the spouse to the heauenlye maryage Thus I haue declared vnto you good people all the ceremonies vsed from the beginning of Christes Church vniuersally in the ministracion of baptisme and what is ment and signifyed by them wherby we know perfitely both the effectes of baptisme and also the duetie of hym that is baptysed whiche I praye you and exhorte you in gods name both to remember your selues and also to teache your children them as soone as they can vnderstande and amonges all other speciallye that solemne couenaunte promyse and vowe whyche they haue made for the renouncinge of the deuyll his woorkes and all his pompe and pryde teache them that thys promise is made not to an earthlye man but to God almightye and all hys holye aungels who hath power to destroye and caste into hell bothe bodye and soule of hym that kepeth not hys promise and teache them to renounce and forsake the deuill not in wordes onlye but in their dedes not in the sounde of their tounge but in all their conuersacion and teache them that they haue to dooe in their conflicte with an olde craftye and mightye enemye againste whom if they preuayle as they can not without their owne great diligence and the special ayde of Goddes holye spirit whereof they be alwaies sure than wyll GOD kepe hys parte of the league and promyse that is to saye he wyl saue them by grace in this world and by the fruicion of his glory in the next world through the merites of Christ his sonne to whom with the holy ghost be al glory and praise Amen ¶ Of the Sacrament of Confirmation Ser. v. AFter that a man by receyuing the Sacramente of baptisme is born agayne and made a member of Christes misticall bodye it is ordeyned by our sauiour Christ and hys holy spirite that he should also receiue the Sacrament of Confirmation and thereby be confirmed and made stronge in that grace whiche he receyued before for which cause I thynke it good at thys time good people to declare vnto you what ye ought to think of that Sacrament of Confirmation and what spirituall grace and effecte it woorketh in hys soule that is confirmed and what is euerye mans duetie to dooe that hath receyued it We oughte to think that our sauiour Christ did institute thys Sacrament concerninge the grace and effecte of it firste when he dyd promise to sende to his disciples the holy ghost and also when he dyd perfourme the same promise by geuing to them the holy ghost Many times did he promise to sende the holye ghoste but speciallye a litle before hys ascencion when he sayde I shall sende vnto you my fathers promyse but remayne you in the citie tyll ye bee indued with strength and power from aboue And agayne he sayde ye shall receyue the vertue of the holy ghost comming vppon you and ye shall
be witnesseâ— of me in Hierusalâ—m and in al Iury and Samaria euen to the worldes end This promise he perfourmed vpon Whitsonday when the holy ghost came downe and rested vppon the Apostles in a visible signe as in fyerye tongues wherby we may vnderstaÌ„d that as the Apostles were coÌ„firmed immediatly by the holy ghost him self without the ministracion of any minister eueÌ„ so the same grace and strength is geuen by the sacrament of CoÌ„firmacion to vs all that be baptised before according to y e measure of gods gift Which thing is proued manifestly by the doinges of the Apostles For when they herd tell that the Samaritanes had receiued the word of god and were baptised by S. Philip they sent thither S. Peter and S. Iohn who when they came they praied for theÌ„ and layd their handes vpon them and they receiued the holy gost in a visible signe And an other time S. Paule baptised certeine men at Ephesus and when he had layd his handes vpon them they receiued the holy ghost and they spake with tongues and did prophecy By this imposition or laying of the Apostles hands vpon them is ment this Sacrament of Confirmacion by which the holy ghost is geuen of whoÌ„ they receiue increase of their former grace geuen in baptisme spiritual strength against all tentacions And this grace in the beginninge was geuen in visible signes of fyery tonges and they spake also miraculouslye in diuers tonges and they prophecied But when this visible signe did cease and appeared no more and yet the same grace was geuen that was geuen before than the fathers of the primatiue Churche and successours of the Apostles by the inspiracion of the holy ghost and by the tradicion of the very Apostles did minister this sacrament with the holy Chrisme so that the imposition of the byshops handes outwardly anointing the party baptised with the holy Chrisme vpon his forehead wyth the wordes therunto belonging is the sacrameÌ„t of Confirmation signifying and working in the soule of man the inwarde vnction of the holye ghost with the greater and further giftes of his manyfold grace The necessity of this sacrament of Confirmation is not of such importance as it is of baptisme For without baptisme if it may be had by any meanes it is vnpossible to bee saued But if a man or child after baptisme chauÌ„ce to dye in his innocency without deadly sinne his baptisme and regeneracion onely is sufficient to his saluation and his death is to hym a Confirmation because after death a man can sinne no more But if the childe or man do lyue after baptisme because he is than ledde into the wildernes of this worlde and there is tempted of the deuyll his ghostly enemy who goeth about lyke a ramping Lion seking whom he might deuour and also is tempted by the wicked worlde some times by the terrour of aduersitie other tymes by the flattering and deceitful face of prosperity and hath also within him selfe lurkinge a secret and busy enemy of his fleshe alwaies rebellinge againste his spirit therefore hath he nede of further ayde of grace to be more able to withstand his enemies which aide of grace god geueth him by this sacrament of Confirmation wher he receiueth the same holy spirit that he receiued before in baptisme but to a diuerse end in diuers giftes For in baptisme he was borne again spiritually to liue in coÌ„firmatioÌ„ he is made bold to sight Ther he receiued remission of sinne here he receiueth increase of grace ther the spirit of god did make him a new maÌ„ here y e same spirit doth defend him in his dauÌ„gerous coÌ„flict ther was he washed and made cleane here is he comforted made strong In baptisme he was chosen to bee gods sonne to be an inheritour of his heauenly kingdom in Confirmation god hath geuen hys holy spirit to be his tutour to instruct him preserue him that he lose not by his foly that inheritaunce whiche he is called vnto In baptisme he was called and chosen to be one of gods souldyours and had his white coate of innocency delyuered vnto him also his badge which was the red crosse the instrument of Christes passion set vpon his forehead and other partes of his body In ConfirmatioÌ„ he is incouraged to fight and hath the armour of God put vpon him which be able to beare of the fyery dartes of the deuil and to defend him from al harme if he will vse them in his battayle and not put himselfe in daunger of his enemies by entring the field without theÌ„ By this we maye vnderstand the goodnesse and effectes of this Sacrament and how necessarye and expedient it is for a man that would liue wel in thys worlde and to bee able to auoyde sinne For what doth it profite a manne to aryse when he is fallen excepte he be stayed from fallinge againe As in baptisme a man lying in sinne was set vp vpon his feete and made able to walke in the wayes of god which be mercy and trueth so in Confirmation he is staied from fallynge and made able to indure the paines of the iourney to passe through the straites and daungers that may chaunce And also there is geuen in this sacrament by the holy ghoste great consolation in all troubles and aduersities bothe to take comfort him selfe with gladnes to beare his crosse with Christe also to geue comfort to al other that by any occasion shall come in distres Experience of thys wee maye see in the very Apostles them selues and specially in S. Peter that was the first and chiefe of all the other For when our sauiour Christ had declared that he was cleane and had shewed vnto him so muche of his glorye in the mountaine as he coulde beare where hee heard the voyce of the father testifying Christ to be his sonne and saw with his eyes hys merueylous workes and didde miracles in the name of Christ him selfe and walked vppon the Sea at Christes coÌ„maundement and was so familiarly vsed of Christ that he said he was ready to goo to prison with him and though he shoulde suffer death with him he would neuer deny him yet for al this lacking as yet the strength of gods spirit he was affraied of one litle maide and by and by denied Christe sware twyse that he knew him not And beside al this after Christes resurrection when he had receiued a message from Christ and had sene him selfe and was much comforted by him yet he kept him selfe priuilye in an house with the reste of the Apostles for feare of the Iewes But after that he had receiued the holye ghost whiche Christ promised to send and was confirmed and indued with spirituall strengthe from aboue than began he with the other Apostles to speake boldly the word of god to beare witnes of Christes resurrection was nothing affrayde of
geueth credyt and hee that beleueth not that it is hys verye true bodye as he sayde it was he is fallen from all grace and saluation And no manne oughte to bee in doubte of the truthe of this real presence of Christes body in the sacrament because he hathe eyther redde himselfe in certeyne holy wryters bookes or hath heard say of other that they say how in this Sacrament is a sygne or a figure or a similitude of Chrystes body For those same authours eyther in the places where they vse those wordes or els in some other places declare most manifestly theyr faythe concerning the real presence to be al one agreable with the common faythe of the vniuersall Churche of Christ. And for your better instruction in thys matter ye shall vnderstande that there be twoo thinges whiche be partes of thys Sacramente the visible formes of breade and wyne and the vnuisible body bloud of our lord Iesus Christ. The outwarde forme of that is seene is a fygure and signe of that hydden truth whyche is there conteined beleued and not sene Ye shall also vnderstand that in the Sacrament there be two graces to be considered the one is the substantial grace of Christes body there present and conteyned the other is the accidental grace onely signifyed and not conteined which is wrought in the soule of the worthye receiuour wherby he is more inwardly ioined to Christes mistical body not onely spirituallye by fayth and charytye but also by naturall and corporall participation with Christ and his church This vnity of Christes misticall body the church is as wel signified by Christes natural body there present as it is by the visible element of breade whiche as it is made one loafe of many granes so the church is made but one bodye of Christ consistinge of manie men and women And this is Christes naturall bodye in the Sacrament a figure of his misticall bodye the Churche and of the vnitye of the same And further where as our Lorde commaunded his disciples and all vs to doo the same that he didde that is to saye to consecrate and to raceiue his bodie and bloude in the remembraunce of his death and passion till his last commynge ye may thereby vnderstande that the inuisible spiritual and intelligible flesh blood of Christ in the Sacrament signifyeth and representeth the same visible mortall and palpable bodye of Christ vpon the crosse for which respect the sacrament of diuers Doctours is called a fygure or sygne Finally because all thinges that be in this present worlde be they neuer so true yet they be called figures and images in respecte of the same thinges in heauen whiche be seene as they be wythoute all shadowes or coueringes therfore like as the very oblation of Christ vpon the crosse which is a thing of most truthe is called an image in respect of that oblation whiche he the same time at al times maketh in heauen before his father where he appeareth as an aduocate for vs euen so the natural bodie of Christ in the sacrament which can not here be sene but by fayth may wel be called a figure or an image of the same body in heauen which is there seene without couer receyued by perfite fruition of al the blessed angels saintes that be ther in the kyngedome of God For here the Churche hath Christ her spouse in a sacramente and there she shall haue him without all sacrament both here and there is the truth but here it is couered and there manyfest without couer in earthe we eate the breade of angels in a Sacrament in heauen we shall eate the same bread euidentlye without a sacrament where the presence of the most hye priest shall shewe it selfe openly to all men as it is For these respectes whiche I haue rehersed no man ought to be in dout of the truth of Christes real presence in the Sacrament because of these wordes figure or signe founde in certayne authors which wordes as I haue declared do in no wyse denye the truthe of the presence but eyther they declare the secret and couered maner of it in the sacrament or they signifye the vnitye of Christes misticall body or els they bringe into oure remembraunce the passion of Christes bodye whiche is paste or the cleare fruition of the same in heauen whiche to vs is yet to come And here ye ought to marke diligentlye that I haue sayde concerninge the twoo maners of being of Christes bodye the one in heauen at the ryghte hande of hys father manyfestlye wythout all couer or Sacrament the other the same momente of tyme here in earthe amonges vs in a Sacramente to be receyued of vs for oure spirituall sustenaunce in whyche thynge wee maye not consider the nature of a mannes body but the infinite power of GOD that canne dooe wyth hys bodye what hee wyll and doth with it what he saith And because he saith euidētly that he geueth to vs his body that suffred and his bloude that was shedde therfore we ought to beleue his woorde whyche can not deceiue vs seinge that all thinges be possible to God which be vnpossible to man Christes bodie is but one and although it bee consecrate and offered in many places yet there is but one Christ in euery place being bothe full Christ here and full Christ there one bodye And where as Chryste Gods onelye begotten sonne goeth into euery man diuisiblye that receyueth him and by his flesh sanctifieth their soules and bodies yet he in his flesh remayneth hole wythout diuision in euery one beinge but one wher so euer he be by no meanes diuided And in thys miracle oure Sauioure Christe excelled Helias and all other prophetes for Helias left his mantle vnto his disciple but the sonne of God ascending left to vs his fleshe Helias ascended without his mantle him self but Christ both left hys fleshe vnto vs and ascended hauing it also with him And this is not of our desertes but of hys exceding mercye and good wyll that beinge hole in his maiestie and glory at the ryght hande of God hys father yet dothe vouchesafe the same tyme to be with vs in earth vnuisibly being but one in dyuers places not onelye comfortinge vs that be here trauelinge wyth the presence of hys diuinitie and holye spirite but also feeding and nourishynge vs with the heauenlye foode of hys body and bloud to euerlasting life This feading of vs with Christes body bloud we muste vnderstand that it is not only spiritually by faith when we remember and thinke vppon his passion and death but also corporallye with the seruice of our bodies and senses when we receiue it in the sacrament For as in the olde law the bloud of the paschal lambe was cōmaunded to be sprinckled vpon both the postes of the doore euen so the bloude of Christe our paschall
all our Temples and Aultars be builded erected and dedicate onely to God ther to doo Sacrifice to God and to no Saynte although in our Sacrifice we name and haue remembraunce of the holy Martirs and sayntes both to thanke God for theyr vicâ—ories and also to prouoke oure selues to imitate them in the ouercomming of our ghostly enemies By thys good people that I haue declared vnto you ye ought truly to vnderstand and beleue that Christes naturall bodye in the blessed Sacrament is the proper sacrifice of Christes churche and that Christe himselfe both by hys owne deede and also by his expresse woorde and commaundement did institute and ordeyne that the church his spouse shoulde by her publike ministers beyng Priestes offer to almyghtye God the father wyth the sonne and the holy Ghost in sacrifice the same his naturall bodye in remembraunce of his passion which passion the churche now dayly to the worldes ende dothe renewe in misterye and dothe represent before God in the holy Masse for the atteynynge of all the graces and benefites purchased by the same passion before after the measure of hys goodnesse and as our faythe and deuotion is knowen vnto hym and in all her needes and troubles it resorteth to GOD trustyng to haue reliefe and mercy onelye for the merites of that passion whych it representeth to GOD as a full satisfaction for all her offences and as a full perâ—ection of thankes for all his former benefites and gyftes And finally by this Sacrifice of Christes bodye and blood in the Masse we certenly declare and professe that nothing doth exercise our faythe in the knowledge of God and of oure selues more then this Sacrifice of the Masse doth and that nothing dothe more increase oure charitie and hope in the mercye of God and it declareth that we beleue that there is no Sauiour but onelye Christe our Lorde and that we haue no refuge but to him ascribing altogether to the merites of his passion and so by it we most of al set forth our humilitie and the glorye of Christe and hys true honour Which sacrifice if we dayly and deuoutly exercise and come vnto and behaue our selues as becommeth Christen men and in suche affection and intent as I haue declared nowe howe the church doth no doubt of it but we shall perceiue great comfort in our hartes great amendement in our lyues and great furtheraunce to the atteyning of euerlasting lyfe to the which he bring vs that by his passion redemed vs to whom with the father and the holy ghost be all honour glory and prayse for euermore Amen ⸫ ¶ Of the godly prayers and ceremonies vsed in the sacrifice of the Masse Serm. xiii YF in that Sacrifice whiche is Christe no man is to be followed but Christ it is meete for vs to bee obedient and to doo that thing whyche Christe did and commaunded to be done And therefore good people considering that this our sacrifice of the Masse is accordynge to Christes commaundement the commemoration of Christes passion the holye Churche of Christ euer since the time of hys passion hath obedientlye vsed to doo as he dyd He didde consecrate the breade and wyne wyth hys omnipotent blessinge and made there present his very bodye and bloude and also he offered that hys bodye and bloude after the order and maner of Melchisedech to his father and thirdlye receiued it him selfe and gaue it to hys disciples Euen so the holy Churche in Christe and Christe by the holye Churche doth the same in all poyntes at this daye for the speciall and substantiall part of the Masse consisteth in these three poyntes in consecratinge the breade and wyne into the bodye and bloode of Christe in offering of the same body and bloude of Christe to God the father and in receyuing of the same by the deuout and faythfull people Christe also afâ—er his supper and before hys passion dyd say an hymne before he went foorth to the mouÌ„t Oliuet and he taught hys disciples many necessarie thinges and promysed to send vnto them his holy spirite which shoulde teache them all truth which then they could not beare and afterwarde prayed longe and feruentlie for his faythfull disciples and for the holle Church that shoulde by theyr woorde beleue in him and speciallye for theyr peace and vnitie in God and among them selues In these thinges also the holye churche dothe followe the example of Christ her heade whyche in the ministration of this Sacrifice vseth to ioyne almoste all the other in warde Sacrifices of a Christen man as confession of synnes inuocation of Gods mercie the prayse of God petitions for thinges needefull the doctrine of the people the profession of our common faythe the geuing of thankes to God prayers for all states of Gods churche the honouryng of Christe the asking of Gods peace the exhorting to the same with diuers other godlye exercises whyche I shall God wylling at this tyme shortelye and particularlye shewe vnto you to the intent you may knowe howe there is nothing conteyned in the Masse but a heape of all godlynes and spirituall Sacrifices and thereby to be the more prouoked and disposed to the often vsynge and frequenting of the sayd Masse First of all the holye vestementes wherewith the priest goeth to the Aultare beside other misteries which they teache and signifye they renew the memory of Christes passion in our hartes For as the Iewes did firste couer Christes face and did mocke hym and buffet hym so hath the Priest in memorye of that an Amise put vpon his head and also the whyte Albe put ouer al hys body doth bryng vs in remembraunce how Christ was contempned of kynge Herode who in mocking of him put vpon him a white apparell and sent him backe againe to Pilate And the Maniple vpon the priestes arme and hys gyrdle about his white Albe and the stole about his necke doo shewe to a man howe Christ was bounden fast to a pillar when he was whypped and scourged And as Christ was crowned with thorne and had his handes and feete nayled to the crosse so in the Amysse and Albe of the priest there be tokens of these fiue woundes And the the vpper vestement of the priest putteth vs in memorye of the purple robe that Pilates soldiours put vpon Christe after they had scourged him And vpon the backe of this vestement commonly there is made the signe of the crosse teaching vs how Christ was compelled to beare his own crosse vpon his backe throughe the citye so that when so euer we see the priest thus appareled go vp to the Aultare to celebrate the commemoration of Christes passion we may remeÌ„ber how cruelly Christe was handled of the Iewes and after what sorte he went vppe to the mount of Caluerye to suffer his passion for the redemption of man The priest comming to the Aultar beginneth first of all with the sacrifice of a contrite harte
made cleane from all vncleannes of bodye and soule that in cleane lyfe he myghte performe the holye worke of God which is also a lesson to the people and to put away noughty thoughtes out of theyr hartes leaste God offended wyth theyr synfull thoughtes doo turne hys face awaye from theyr oblations and prayers And as the Prieste before exhorted the people secretlye to prayer so doth he praye secretlye hym self with muche deuotion that theyr common Sacrifices maye be acceptable to God for them and that it woulde please almyghtye God to graunt that the influence of hys grace myghte discende and sanctifie the oblations that when they be sanctifyed and receyued the heauenlye vertue and effectes of the blessed Sacrifices maye take place in the hartes of them for whom they be offered To whiche prayer when the people hathe consented saying Amen the Priest saluteth the people and wisheth well to theym and they to him agayn and he exhorteth them to lift vp their hartes to God and so to prepare theyr hartes to the Sacrifice of thankes whiche they by theyr holle consent promise to do Therefore I beseche all you good people to take heede to your promise and be ashamed to be founde lyers in the presence of God specially in the tyme of the terrible sacrifices Put away all carnall and worldlye thoughtes and thynke vpon nothynge but vpon that ye praye For the Priest in this preface of the Masse before the canonicall prayer dothe exhorte the people to lyfte vp theyr hartes to God whyche they aunswer they doo to admonish them that they ought to thynke vpon nothing but vpon God Shut the doore of your hartes agaynst the deuyll and let it be open onelye to God and let not Gods enemye enter in the tyme of prayer For thys is the subtyle crafte of the deuyll to call oure myndes from God and so to make voyde oure prayers that we shoulde haue one thyng in oure mouthe and an other thyng in our harte where as God oughte to bee prayed vnto not wyth the onely sounde of the voyce but wyth a pure intent and a vigilant mynde earnestlye thynking vppon that he prayeth For no man can woorthelye geue thankes to God that hathe not hys harte lyfted vp to God And because the true honour and woorshyppynge of God standeth in thys moste of all that oure soule be not vnthankfull to hym therefore in the moste true and syngulare Sacrifice we are admonished to geue thankes to our Lorde God whych is moste seeminge and right we shoulde doo seyng he canne not be called thankefull that ascrybeth to hym selfe that is geuen to him of God And then the priest begynneth the Eucharisticall Sacrifice of geuing thankes as a publike persone in the name of all the Churche before the consecration folowinge the example of Christe who in hys laste Supper gaue thankes to God the father and than blessed and distributed hys body and blood to hys disciples In thys geuyng of thankes by Christe oure Lorde for whose merites they be onelye acceptable he prayeth to be ioyned and associate with the Angels and Archangels and all the whole army of the blessed spirites in heauen who than doo assist the Priest and be present there in the honour of hym that is offered praysinge honoring and adouringe the Maiestye of almyghtye God and with them singeth the Hymne of the Angels and Euangelistes geuyng honour glory and benediction to the Lorde God of hostes vsing also the same woordes of prayse that the chyldren and the people of the Iewes vsed in praysing Christ when he came ryding to Hierusalem as a kyng and yet humblye vpon an Asse not to take vpon him the kyngdome and pompe of the worlde but with hys passion and deathe to redeme the worlde The rest of the Masse that foloweth is that parte whyche is called the Canon whyche is spoken in silence to declare vnto vs the heauynes of Christes passion and that the priest may the better conuert and set hys holle mynde and attention vpon the woorke of GOD and the woordes of his prayer and consecration And he vseth verye fewe ceremonies sauing onely certayne crosses vpon the hoste partelye to moue the people that stande by to consider the passion and partlye to declare that our redemption was wrought by the voluntary wyl of God the father that gaue hys Sonne for vs and also by the wyll of the Sonne that hauynge suche power of his owne soule that no man coulde take it from hym yet offered hym selfe by the holye Ghoste a cleane Sacrifice to God to purify our hartes from synne In thys Canon all inuocations all prayers and petitions be made and directed to God the father for his Soune Iesus Christes sake oure Lorde and be made to no creature neyther in heauen nor in earth but to hym and in it be expresselye declared what wee offer to hym for whom wee offer wyth whom wee offer and to what ende we offer The thing that we offer to God is Christ him selfe nothyng haue we that is perfite and pure to offer to God but Christe that is geuen vnto vs for that purpose whom we doo not nowe offer in figure as the Iewes dyd in the olde law but in verye truthe and yet in a Sacrament For what is more meete to be offered for man then the fleshe of man and what fleshe is so acceptable as the fleshe of oure Sacrifice beynge the bodye of oure priest For Christ remayneth one God wyth him to whom we offer and hath made him selfe one with theym for whom wee offer and he is one wyth vs that doo offer and he is the one and the selfe same thing that is offered So that our externall Sacrifice that perteyne nowe to the newe Testament is the innocent Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the worlde which Sacrifice lyeth vpon the Aultare and is offered nowe of the priestes wythout shedding of hys bloode and is the holye breade of eternall life and the cup of euerlasting saluation Secondlye because Christe sufferynge hys passion offered hys bodye and bloude for the holle Churche bothe those that were alyue and those that were deade therefore the Church renewynge in misterie Christes passion offereth lykewyse the same body and bloode for the holle churche bothe for the quycke and the deade and that in speciall woordes Fyrste generallye for the holle Catholyke Churche of Christe secludinge all those that be oute of the Churche for no manne offereth the bodye of Christe but for them whiche be the members of Christe and then particularly for the Gouerners of the Churche and of common wealthes as for the Popes holynesse the Successour of Saynt Peter to whom Christe dydde commytte the cure and charge of hys vniuersall Churche throughoute the worlde for Byshoppes for Kinges and Princes and in especiall for suche as the Minister anye waye is bounde to praye and