they maye and ought to be baptised and so receyue the graces and vertues of the same AND albeit baptysme be of this great efficacye yet ye shall vnderstande that there remaineth in vs that be baptyzed a certayne infirmitie or inclination to synne called concupiscence whiche by lustes and desyres doth moue vs many times to synnes and wickednes neuerthelesse almyghtye God of hys greate merci and goodnes hath 〈◊〉 vs such grace in this his holye Sacrament of baptysne that suche carnall and fleshely lustes and desyres shal not ne can in any wyse hurte vs excepte we do fyrst consent vnto them By whiche grace also we be made more stronge and able to resist and withstand the sayd concupyscences and carnall desyres than another man is that neuer was christened BVT this shall you note by the way that chyldren or men beyng once duley baptized ought not in any wyse as the Anabaptistes haue taught to be baptized agayne for Saynct Paule in the sixt chapter of hys Epistle to the Hebrewes sayth thus Impossibile enim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qui semel sunt illuminati gustauerūt etiā donū celeste et participes factisunt spiritus sancti gustauerunt nichilominus bonum dei uerbum uir tutes que seculi uenturi et 〈◊〉 sunt rursus renouari 〈◊〉 penitentiam That is to saye Impossible in dede it is those who once be illuminate and also haue tasted the heauenlye gyftes and haue bene partakers of the holye Ghoste and haue tasted besides the good word of God the vertues or power of the world to come and be fallen to be renewed agayne vnto penaunce Where by suche renewynge Saynt Paule vnderstandeth baptisme AND because aswell this sacrament of baptysme as all other sacramentes instituted by Chryste haue all theyr vertue efficacye and strength by the worde of God whyche by his holye spirite worketh all the graces and vertues whiche bee geuen by the sacramentes to all those that worthelye receyue the same Therefore we muste vnderstande and knowe that althoughe he whiche doeth minyster the sacrament be of a synnefull and euyll conuersatyon yet the vertue and effect of the sacramente is thereby nothynge dimynished or hurted neyther in infantes nor yet in them whyche beinge endued wyth the vse of reason come there vnto truly contryte and penytente of all theyr synnes done before beleuynge and confessinge al the articles of the Crede and hauyng a sure faithe and truste in the promysses of GOD of remyssyon of theyr synnes and purposynge euer after to lyue a chrysten lyfe FINALLY ye shall note concernyng thys Sacra ment of Baptisme that it maye well be called a coue naunte betwene GOD and vs whereby GOD testifyeth that he for hys sonne Chrystes sake iustifyeth vs that is to say forgyueth vs our synnes and indueth vs with his holy spiryte and gyueth vs suche graces that there by we be made able to walke in the workes of Justice ordeyned by God to be exorcised of vs in thys presente lyfe to the glorye and prayse of GOD And so perseuerynge to inioye the fruite of the lyfe euerlastyng And we agayne vpon our parte oughte most diligently to remember and kepe the promysse that we in baptysme haue made to almyghtye God that is to beleue onely in him onely to serue him and obeye him to forsake al 〈◊〉 and the workes of Sa tan to mortify our affections of the fleshe and to liue after the spirite in a newe life Of which promise and conuenaūt by vs made to GOD S. Paule putteth vs in remembraunce saying Rom. vi Knowe ye not that all we whiche are baptyzed in Iesus Chryst are baptysed to dye wyth hym for we be buryed with him by baptysme to dye that likewyse as Chryste was raysed vp frō death by the glorye of his father euen soo we shoulde walke in a newe lyfe By the whyche wordes S. Paule gyueth vs to vnderstande that al we whyche be baptized in Chryste That is to saye whyche are incorporated into the misticall bodye of Chryst haue professed and 〈◊〉 our selfe in Baptysme to dye from synne and vtterlye to abstayne from the corruption of our olde synnefull lyfe and to walke and procede in a newe lyfe of grace and the spirite into the whych we are called by the word of God and by fayth and due receauynge of thys holy Sacrament are brought and set into the same ¶ Of the Sacrament of Confyrmation and thexposition or declaration thereof HAVINGE last entreated of the Sacra mente of Baptysme by the which al maner of synne aswell original as ac tuall is remitted and the holy ghost therein geuen whiche doth regenerate vs into a newe creature doth thereby so weakē attenuate the fome or rage of cōcu piscēce in vs yea so help the weakenes of our corrupt nature that the sayd fome of concupiscence can in no wyse hurt vs excepte we wyll againe consente vnto synne mete and conuenient it shal be to intreat of cōfirmation whych is the seconde Sacrament aboue touched and rehearsed For albeit that the Sacrament of Baptysme alone to al such as haue receaued the same and bene therby regenerated by water and the holy ghost is sufficient to saluation and to brynge them to heauen if in that state of innocencye recouered and gotten by 〈◊〉 they shoulde by and by depart thys world Yet yf they hauing passed the red sea shoulde entre into the greate wildernesse and deserte of thys large and miserable worlde in asmuche as they should encountre haue much to doo wyth theyr outwarde and inwarde enemyes aswell the fleshe the deuyll and the worlde before they shoulde come to the land of promyse requisite and expediente it were for them to be armed at all pointes and made apte vnto the battayll and to abyde all assaultes that theyr enemyes woulde goo aboute to make agaynste them In consyderatyon whereof lykewyse as in the olde testament almyghtye God was benefyciall and good to the chyldren of Israell whom he caused safelye to passe the red sea drowning theyr enemyes and confortyng the sayde Israelites manye wayes aswell in spreadyng abroade ouer them the cloude in the daye for theyr protection as geuynge them fyre to lyght them in the nyght ouer and besydes the feadyng of them with celestiall fode and refreshynge of them with water that yssued oute of the harde rocke So oure blessed Sauyour Iesus Chryste hauynge fulfylled the fygures and shadowes of the olde lawe doth after baptysme geue vnto his Isralites the christen people dyuers gyftes of the holy Ghost and manyfoide graces whereby he doth hold vppe and confyrme or make stronge his sayd people that they are able to abyde to ouercome all the assaultes of theyr 〈◊〉 and amongest other he geueth vnto them hys holy Sacramentes of the whych confyrmatyon is one succedyng in order after Baptisme 〈◊〉 thys Sacramente of Confyrmation albeit the heretyckes in our tyme haue folyshlye busely and maliciously gone aboute to deface it scant 〈◊〉
word of God be styrred moued to detest theyr synne to lamēt theyr noughty 〈◊〉 thervpon to entre into a new lyfe to vse godlye conuersatiō and honest be hauiour in al their doīges And albeit this wai before descrybed be the ordinary way meanes for sinners to obteyne remissiō of sin to be recōciled to the fauour of almyghty GOD yet in case there do lacke a preyste to make this confession vnto and so to obteine ofhim being Goddes minister the sayd absolution or that the synner by extreme necessitie cannot do and fulfyll as of duety he ought gladly he should the said workes of Penaunce in confession so enioyned vnto him thē in that case hauing thys good wyll and beinge otherwise truely with all his harte repentāt of his hole former noughty lyfe not wanting therw t a harti mynde vn fayned purpose through Gods grace to do the same whē such necessitie shal cease good occasion or oportunitie shal be gyuē the sayd sinner vndoutedlye shall haue at Godes handes pardō forgyuenes of all hys sayd sinnes misdoinge for as S. Cipryan doth say in his first boke contra 〈◊〉 euen in the houre of death whē the soule is ready to departe out of the body the great mercyfull goodnes of God doth not dyspise Pe naūce so that neither the greatnes of synne nor the shortnes of tyme nor yet the enormitie of lyfe do exclude that sinner from the mercy of God if so be ther be true contrition vnfained change of the harte frō 〈◊〉 conuersatiō An example wherof we haue of the thefe that did hang vpon the crosse who askyng mercy with a cōtrite harte was in that case forthw t made a cetezen of Paradise where as he deserued cōdempnation punyshment this his contrite hart did chaung his payne into martirdom and his bloude into baptisme yet thys not withstandyng no man ought vpon hope of Gods mercye styll to contynue in synfull lyuing like as no man woulde be sycke in hys bodye vpon hope to recouer healthe for such as wyl not forsake theyr wyckednes and yet do thynke that GOD wyl forgeue them are full many tymes and commonlye so preuented wyth the iuste plage of GOD that neyther they haue tyme to conuerte nor yet grace to receyue the benefitte of forgeuenes For consideration of whych daunger scripture Eccle. 5. doth say thus Non tardes conuerti ad dominū et ne 〈◊〉 de die in diem subito enim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 illius ct in 〈◊〉 uindicte disperdet te That is to say Thou must not slacke to conuerte or tourne to God and thou must not differ or lynger from daye to daye for in dede hys anger wyl come sodenly and in the tyme of vengeaunce he will destroie the. Wherefore embrasynge the mercye of God on th one syde and fearyng the iustice of God on thother syde let vs at no tyme neyther dispayre of forgeuenes of our synnes nor yet presumptuouslye remayne 〈◊〉 in oure synnes knowynge that the iustice of God wyll straytlye exacte and require the dettes of all men which be not forgeuen or pardoned by hys clemency Here in thys matter amongest many other thynges two poyntes are specially to be noted and considered The fyrst is that althoughe the death of Christe be a satisfaction deseruyng and merytynge the remissyon of our synnes and not onelye oure synnes but of the synnes of the hole worlde as Saynct John sayeth 1. John 2. Etipse e st propitiatio pro peccatis nostris et non pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tantum sed etiam pro totius mundi Wherby euerlastynge death is sufficicientlye of Christes parte abolished yet on oure behalfe it taketh not alwayes effecte by reason that we endeuor not our selues that it may be dulye applied vnto vs. For such is the mercy of CHRIST that he woulde haue all to be sauede and therefore when he approched nigh vnto the citie of Hierusalem and sawe the great enormities and wickednes therof he wepte vpon it and sayde Si cognouisses et tu et quid 〈◊〉 in hac dei tud quae ad pacem tibi nunc autem abscondita sunt ab 〈◊〉 Luce 19 That is to saye And thou yf thou hadest knowen and that in thys thy daye those thinges which belonge vnto thy peace but nowe are hid from thine eyes Luke the xix For which cause also Chryst lyke wyse in the reproche of Hierusalem cryed vnto it saying Mathei 23. Hierusalem hierusalem qui occidis prophetas et lapidas cos qui at te missi sunt quoties volui congregare filios tuos quemadmodum 〈◊〉 congregat pullos suos sub alas suas et noluisti That is to say O Hierusalem Hierusalem which dothe kyll the Prophetes and doest stone them whiche are sente vnto the howe often wolde I haue gathered thy chyldren together as the henne gathereth her chyckenes vnder her wynges but thou wouldest not Mathewe xxiii According wherevnto Christ also sayde vnto his Disciples Mathei 16. Si quis uult post me uenire aboget semetipsum et to 〈◊〉 lat crucem suam et sequatur me That is to saye 〈◊〉 anye man will come after me let hym denye hymselfe and take his Crosse and folowe me And immediately there doth folowe Qui enim uoluerit animam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saluam 〈◊〉 perdet cam Qui autem perdiderit animam suam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is to say For in dede he that wyll saue his soule shall lease it and he that wyll lose his soule for my sake shall fynde it Agreable where vnto S. Paule not contentyd to haue sayd that no dampnation is to them that are in corpate to CHRIST and whych do not walke after the flesh but after the spirite nor beyng contented to haue called them the children of GOD the heyres of GOD and coheyres of CHRIST dothe in the. viii chapiter to the Romaynes knitte vppe al those thynges together and concludeth all the same to take effect cōditionally saying Sitamen compatimur vt et 〈◊〉 That is to say 〈◊〉 yet we do suffer with himthat with hym also we maye be gloryfyed And thys to be true it well appeared for that that at the day of Judgment when the sonne of mā shall come in his glorye and all hys holye Angelles wyth hym and on the one syde of hym there shal stand the shipe on the other the goates it shal not be sufficient or inoughe to say to Chryst Syr you haue sufficiently redemed vs by your passiō we nede not for our parte to do any thing at all sauing to beleue you soo to haue done For Chryst then shal saye otherwyse vn to them for vnto the blessed chyldren of hys father he shall saye Venite benedicti patris mei 〈◊〉 paratum nobis regnum a constitutione mundi suriui et dedistis mihi māducare c. That is to saye Come you the blessed of my father doo you possesse the kyngdome prepared for you
our selues dothe soo wyll vs and commaude vs to do The greate clerke Orygen whome also Saynt Hyerome foloweth doth allote or appoynt vnto the fyrste of these two tables 〈◊〉 commaundementes makynge of Non babebis deos 〈◊〉 coram me And of Non facies tibi sculptile two commaundementes as we doo vnderstandynge in the fyrste to be forbydden al Idolatry spyry 〈◊〉 or internall and in the second all Idolatrye externall or bodely And vnto the seconde table he doth allote or appoynte sixe preceptes or commaundemēts knittynge and puttynge together for one precepte or commaundement the prohybytyon of 〈◊〉 the wyfe or Goodes of thy neyghbour But Saynt Augustyne in his seconde booke of 〈◊〉 vpon Exodus in the. lxxi chapyter and as manye as doo folowe Saynt Augustyne do appoynte vnto the fyrste table three preceptes or commaundementes onelye ioyning our two fyrste in one and vnto the Seconde table appoynting vii preceptes or commaundemēts deuydinge 〈◊〉 ten or last commaundement whiche is concernynge the vnlawefull desyre of the wyfe and Goodes of our neyghbour into two special 〈◊〉 dementes it is to wytte Non concupisces 〈◊〉 proximi tui and Nec desiderabis uxorumeius non 〈◊〉 ancillam non bouem non 〈◊〉 ne comniaque illius sunt Whyche dyuysion or order Saynte Augustyne doethe allowe and followe especiallye for that it settethe fourthe 〈◊〉 and representeth very lyuely the mysterye of the holy Trinitie in that that the fyrst commaundement is referred to the father the seconde to the Sonne who is the name and worde of God and the thyrde to the holye Ghost by whose workynge in vs we do kepe a sabboth and do reste from all seruyle workes whyche the fleshe destitute of the spyryte doth ingen 〈◊〉 and bryng forthe in vs. And forasmuche as saynte Augustyne hym selfe euen in the same place before al leged dothe declare that bothe these maners of ioynynge or partynge the two fyrst or the two last commaundementes were vsed and allowed in his tyme. And for that also neyther in the one or in the other maner of deuydynge or reckenynge these tenne commaundementes eyther the sense the worde or anye one 〈◊〉 of the matter is altered no nor yet anye more or lesse in eyther of the sayde ii tables thereby conteyned Therfore no man ought with thys our dyuisyon wherein for certayne good consideratyons we folowe Origene Saint Hierome to be in any wyse offended Folowynge then thys ourorder ye shall note that thys commaundemente Thou shalte haue no straunge Goodes before me as it is the fyrst in order so is it the most cheife and princypall emongest them al for in thys commaundement God requireth of vs these foure thinges in which consisteth his chief and pryncipall honour it is to wytte feare faythe hope and charitie and they to be geuen of vs vnto hym as beynge oure onelye and true God And as concerning the fyrste that is to saye feare howe necessary a part of oure secuyce duety towardes God that is Salomon in the. ix chapiter of his prouerbs playnelye and breifely declareth saying Principium sapientiae timor domini That is to saye The begynnynge of wysedome is the feare of God And of this feare also our sauioure Chryste 〈◊〉 speaketh in the. xii of Luke declaryng there that God chieflye and prin cipallye is to be dred and feared where he sayth thus 〈◊〉 eum qui postque occiderit corpus habet 〈◊〉 mittere in 〈◊〉 hennem I ta dico uobis hunc timete That is to say Feare him who 〈◊〉 that he hathe slayne or kylled the body 〈◊〉 power to put or cast into hel thus I saye vnto you feare hym And thys kynde or sorte of feare is commonlye called seruyle But there is an other kynde or sorte of feare due vnto god wher of the prophete Dauyd in hys xviii Psalme speaketh saying Timor domini sanctus permanet in seculum seculi That is to saye The holy feare of God continueth or abydeth for euermore And as concernyng fayth whiche is the seconde parte of our duetie towarde God there is wryttē of it in the. ii chapter of Ecclesiasticus after thys sorte Qui timetis dominum credite ille non euacuabitur mercis uestra That is to saye 〈◊〉 that feare our Lorde haue fayth in him or geue credite to him and your rewarde shal not be frustrate And to entreate further offayth in god here in thys place we nede not but do referre you to the declaration thereof made before both vpon the acceptions of fayth also vpon the fyrst artycle of the crede And as touchynge the thyrde parte of our bounden duety requyred on our behalfe towarde god which is Hope there is wrytten of it in the sayde seconde chap. of Ecclestasticus after thys sorte Qui 〈◊〉 dominum sperate in illum in oblectationem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is to saye 〈◊〉 that feare oure Lord do ye hope in him and his mercye shall come to you to your comforte or delectation And the prophet also in hys 〈◊〉 psal speaking hereof sayeth thus Beneplacitum est domino super timentis eum in eis qui sperant super misericordia eius That is to saye Oure Lorde hathe pleasure vnto them that feare him and in them that do hope vpon hys mercye Of which hope S. Paule in the. v. chapiter of his epi stle to the Romaynes doth say thus Gloriam in spe gloriae filiorum dei That is to say We retoyce or triumphe in the hope of the glorye promised to the chyldren of God But mooste notablye of this hope the same s. Paule speaketh in the. viii cha of the same epi stle to the Romaynes saynge Spe enim salui facti sumus spes autem quae 〈◊〉 non est spes Non quod uidit quis quid sperat si autem quod non uidemus speramus per 〈◊〉 expectamus c. That is Thorugh hope truely we be made safe but the hope which is sene is not hope For wher fore doth one hope or trust for that whiche he doth se but if we hope for that whyche we se not thē do we loke for or tary by 〈◊〉 c Nowe concernyng the fourth poynt or parte of oure duety towardes God it is to wytte Charitie ye shal vnderstād that this is the most excellent soueraigne vertue that belongeth to anye Chrysten man or woman And of this vertue there is wrytten in the foresayde seconde chapiter of Ecclesiasticus where it is sayd Qui timetis dominum diligite illum illuminabuniur corda uestra That is to saye You that feare oure lorde loue ye him and your heartes shal be 〈◊〉 But howe or in what sorte we maye or oughte to perfourme this true loue and charitie towardes god that doth oure Sauioure Chryste hym selfe in the. x. chapter of Saynt Luke teache vs sayinge Diliges 〈◊〉 minum 〈◊〉 tuum ex toto corde tuo ex 〈◊〉 anima tua ex omnibus uiribus tuis ex omni
and lykenesses by thys is signyfyed the vnitie also of one nature and substaunce But to procede further concernyng the creation of man ye shall vnderstand that the second chapter of Moyses boke called 〈◊〉 in speciall maner doth recorde the seuerall making as well of the bodye of man by it selfe as also of the soule by it selfe And as touching the body scrypture doth there say that God fourmed or shaped it of the earthe Noting therby the excellēcy of mans body aboue the bodyes of other liuynge creatures For we rede not of anye other lyuyng creature that god shaped or fourmed the body of it but onely that he made it and that at the cō maundement of almighty god the earth brought fourth foure foted beastes the water in like maner brought fourth fysshes foules Only of that body of mā scripture wituesseth that God shaped it And as cōcerning the soule of mā it is written of it in the sayd second chapter of genesis howe that god bre thed it into the body which ii circumstaunces as they import a marueylous excellency of man aboue other bodely creatures so they most clerely declare thexcedyng great goodnes of God towardes man Now when god had in such a singuler fashion creted man he gaue hym souereigntie ouer all the fysshes of the sea ouer the foules of the ayer and ouer the beastes of the lande yea and made him a Kyng and Emperour on the earth And yet not satisfyed with al this he placed man in Paradyse that is in a most pleasaunt garden where he had planted all kynd of frute beautifull to beholde and delicious to eate for man to fede vpon onely one kynde of fruyte he charged hym on payne of death and that not of the body alone but of the soule also vtterlye to refrayne from which was the fruyte of the tree called in scrypture the tre of knowledge of good and euyl And lyke as in a most maruelous sorte he made Adam the fyrsteman so in as marueylous straunge a sort he made Eue the first woman euen of a rybbe taken out of Adams lefte syde and her he made parfytte and furnyshed her with like gyftes as he had done Adame the first man What canne we then thinke or deuyse that God might haue don more for vs in our creation then herein he dyd He made the soule immortall that is such as shulde continue for euer without ende He furnished it with moste singuler gyftes both of nature and of special grace also The body of man in the estate of originall innocencie had in it helth strength 〈◊〉 and other like qualities in the highest degre of perfection it had in it selfe then no fond lust or concupiscens no pronitie or inclination to euyl no 〈◊〉 in doing good no infirmitie or wekenesse no lacke or want of any qualitie fyt and decent for it The body of man was then obediente to the soule the soule altogether obedient to God So that on Gods parte oure maker and creator there is nothyng towardes vs but all perfection all great kyndnes al fatherly loue fauour Holy scrypture most euydently affyrmeth that al creatures were made good in their creation saying Vidit deus 〈◊〉 fecerat et erant ualde bona 〈◊〉 That is God sawe al things which he had made and they were very good Which thyng as it is generally true in all creatures concerning their creation so is it in a certen degre of excellencye to be verified in man touchyng the estate of his originall innocency Thus we may perceaue that in the creation of man al was excellent parfytte whiche oughte greatly to inflame vs the more to loue and serue almighty God our most louynge creator But for asmuche as that blessed estate is lost mankynd by that losse thereof fell into extreme miserie and wretchednes it is consequently to be well considered of our part by what meanes man was brought from soo good and blessed a case to so euyll and miserable an estate whiche poynte well wayed is a sufficiente grounde to cause vs on the other syde vtterly to detest abhorre al synne For that greuous fal of man came of synne Synne it was for which God thrust man oute of paradyse synne it was that caused the fleshe to striue agaynste the spirite and the spirite agaynst the fleshe synne it was that broughte vnto mankynde necessitie of bodyly death and all the infirmities and diseases which man in thys transitory lyfe sustayneth synne fynally it was that cau sed all the posteritie of Adam and Eue to be borne in state of dampnation But some perchaunce are desyrous fardar to knowe by what meanes man was fyrst brought to commytte synne For the vnderstandyng whereof lette vs haue recourse to the iii. chap. of Genesis where it is wrytten how that that wyly serpent the deuyll came vnto Eue and sayde vnto her Why hath God gyuen you commaundement not to eate of euery tree in paradyse where vnto the woman answered and sayde of the fruyte which is in paradise we eate but of the frute of that tree that groweth in the myddest of paradyse GOD hath charged vs not to eate or touche it leste per chaunce we dye Then sayde the serpente to the woman Naye you shall not dye For God knowethe that whatsoeuer daye you shall eate thereof youre eyes shal be opened and you shal be like Gods knowynge good and euyll The woman therefore saw that the tree was good to eate of and beautifull to the eye and pleasaunte to beholde and she tooke of the fruite thereof and d d eate and gaue part to her husbāde who also did 〈◊〉 Thus through the prouocation of the deuyll man first fell into synne Wherefore as we must alwayes abhorre synne and forbeare it because of the greate misery it brought vs vnto so shold we no les 〈◊〉 and to the vttermost of our power fly the 〈◊〉 and all his suggestions knowing that thereby we 〈◊〉 fyrst induced to commytte synne For as thys oure aduersary was busy at the 〈◊〉 wyth oure fyrst parentes so is he no les but rather more busye with vs at thys present as 〈◊〉 Saynt Peter in the v. chapiter of his fyrst 〈◊〉 saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the deuyl as a roryng lion goeth about seking whom he may deuour Thys aduersary of mankynde disdaynynge at the greate 〈◊〉 that Adam and Eue were in neuer ceasyd questyonynge and craftyug with the woman being the weker and frayler vessell vntyll he 〈◊〉 made them disobey gods commauudement by whych their doynge they lost the oryginal great innocency which they had at there creation which being lost nether the body woulde be obedient to the soule nor the soule to god but al was in man turned vpsidoune yea therby they fell also into necessitie of temporall death of body and which is worst of all into the estate of eternall damnation and euerlasting death both of body and soule But now because
euyll lyfe bryngeth to the euyll lyuer eternal death beleue he neuer so wel As S. Paule wituesseth in the. v. chapyter of his Epi stle to the Galathians where he sayth Walk af ter the spirite and fulfyll not the lustes of that fleshe For the flesh lusteth contrary to the spirit and the spirit contrary to the flesh These are cōtrary one to another so that you do not what ye would But and yf ye beled of the spirit then are ye not vnder the law The de des of the fleshe ar manifest which are these aduoutry fornicatiō vnclennes wātonnes ydolatry witchcrafte hatred variaūce 〈◊〉 wrath stryfe sedition sectes enuye murder dronkēnes glotteny and such like of which I tel you before as I haue told you in time past that they which commit suche thinges shal not inherit the kingdō of heuē Thus you perceaue that to the enioying of the death and passion of Chryst these two poyntes are requisit of our behalfe the one to beleue rightlye that other to lyue vpryghtly whych two poyntes no man is able otherwyse to know except it be by speciall reuelation from God but onely by the catholike churche which catholike church oure sauioure Chryste hath appoynted to be the onely scoole for al men to come and repayre vnto to learne such truth as is mete for them to know for the attayning of euerla styng life This catholike church and no other company hath that true vnderstanding of scripture the knowledge of all thinges necessary to saluatiō To this churche Christ maketh promis in that xvi of Thō saying Whē that spirit of truth shal come he shal teache you al truth To this church also he maketh that other promis written in the xxviii of Mathewe where he sayth Behold I am with you to the ende of the world This Catholike church thus gouerned by the holy Ghost assured alwayes of Chryst him selfe neuer yet fayled frō that time of the Apostles hitherto ne shal fail to the worl des ende nether can it be deceued in any necessary truth 〈◊〉 as Chryst promyseth in the. xvi of Mathe we saying That hel gates shal not pre uayle agaynst the churche where by hel gates he meaneth errour as yf he had sayd that the catho lyke churche shall neuer be ouercome with erroure For this cause S. Paule in the third chapter of his first epistle to Timothe calleth the catholike church the piller and ground of truth This catholike churche must in al ages nedes be an open knowen churche and such a companye as among which the trueth is openly preached ells Chryste woulde not haue sayde as it is wrytten in the. v of Mathew A citie that is seton a hyl can not be hid ne ther do men light a candle and putit vnder a bushel but on all cādelsticke and it geueth lyght vnto al that are in the house Wherfore they do great iniury to Chryst which saye that the catholyke church is an vnknowen church seinge it is that citie which our sauiour there mente that candell of which he there speaketh So manye as deuyde them selues frō this open knowen Churche of Chryst and refuse the doctrine thereof thoughe they be neuer so diligent in reading ofscripture yet shall they neuer truely vnderstande scrypture but runne continually farther and farther into errour and ignoraunce cuē as a mā that is once out of his way the farther and faster he goeth furth the more he loseth his labour Saynt Peter therefore in the fyrst Chapter of his secōd epystle geueth vs a most certayne an sure rule which if we folow we shall not fayle ryghtly to vnderstand scripture his rule is thys We haue sayth he A ryght sure word of prophecie wherevnto yf ye take 〈◊〉 as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place you doo wel vntil the day dawne and the daye starre arise in your harts So that you first knowe this that no prophecy in the scripture hath any priuate interpretation For that scrip ture came neuer by the wil of man butholy men of God spake as they were moued by the holy ghost Here you se howe S. Peter willeth euery man fyrst of all to knowe that scripture must be vnderstanded after the generall meaning of Chrystes church and not after the priuate interpretation of any seuerall man or company And in the thyrde chapyter of the same Epystle he sayeth further that in S. Paules epistles are manye thinges harde to he vnderstanded whyche they that are vnlearned vnstable do peruerte as they do also the other scriptures to theyr own destruction ye therefore beloued seing you be 〈◊〉 afore hand beware leaste ye with other men be also plucked a waye through the erroure of the wicked fal from your owne stedfastnesse Lo here S Peter telleth the 〈◊〉 cause why men my svnderstand scrypture which is lacke of knowledge and lacke of constancie when men ether thorowe ignotaunce or thoroughe inconstancie swerue from the catholyke meanyng and folowe priuate interpretation Such men he sayeth do peruerte the scryptures to theyr owne destruction Saynte Paule also wrytynge to Tymothe and willing hym to be earnest in the study of scripture geueth him withal this foresayd rule saying in the very ende of his fyrst epistle O Limothie kepe sure that whiche is committed to thy custody auoide newe fangled termes and bosting of science falsely so called which science whyle some dyd professe they haue erred from the fayth The thinge which S. Paule sayeth was committed to 〈◊〉 custodye was the truth of the catholyk fayth which he sayth some fell from by reasonne of new fangeled termes and by reson aiso that they tooke vpon them knowledg beynge in dede ignoraunte And in the thyrde chapter of hys seconde epistle to Timothie he farther sayeth Contynue thou in that thinges which thou hast learned which also were commytted vnto the. S. I reneus also a blessed martyr and very nyghe to the tyme of the Apostles a man of greate learning and no lesse vertue and such a one as by the consente of all men had the perfyt knowledge and vnderstandynge of scryptures in his third boke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the arche heretyke and in the fowrth chapter of the same boke sayeth touchyng the catholyke churche in this maner We must not seke the trueth among other seing we may easely take it of the church for as much as the Apostels haue fully lefte with it as in a rich tresury all truth the who so listeth may thence take the drinkes of life for this is the entre to life All other are theues and robbers wherfore them must we auoyd that doctryne that the church teacheth we muste loue with great diligence embrace the tradition of the truth For what yf a controuersy shoulde happen to ryse vpon neuer so 〈◊〉 a questiō ought not men in that case to haue recourse to the most auncient churches in which the
Epystle to the Corinthians be spiri tual yet it 〈◊〉 then the same in substaunce that it is nowe Agayne Manna a meate which God 〈◊〉 to the children of Israel in the wyldernes is both in Scripture and of the catholyke churche also called a spiritual meat and the water lykewyse which god gaue them out of a rocke is called a spiritual drynke and yet as well Manna as the water were of a bodily substaunce In the. vi to the Galathians sainct Paule calleth mortall men liuing then on the earth spiritual Wherefore spirituall is not so to be taken alwayes as to exclude corporall but that thynge whatsoeuer it be may be called spirituall wherein is a worke wrought by god aboue nature For as god is a spirite so are his supernatural workes called spi rituall and the thinges also on and in whome such workes are wrought are named spiritual thynges and therefore Manna though it were of a bodelye substaunce yet for that it came myraculously from aboue by the onelye power of God and not of nature is and may wel be called a spiritual meate And the dryncke whyche issued oute of the rocke albeit it was in substaunce very water yet for that God by hys omnypotency made it sodenlye to issue out of a rocke it is armed a spirytuall drynke 〈◊〉 bydyes lykewyse after the resurrection shal haue in them immediatly of God aboue that power of nature immortalitie incorruptibilitie 〈◊〉 other lyke supernaturall qualities and for that cause they shall after the resurrectyon be spyrytuall bodyes Nowe then what necessity is there that because the body of our 〈◊〉 Chryst in the Sacrament of the Aultar is a spirituall meate therefore it shoulde not be also the corporall substaunce of his body When the catholyke churche dothe saye that the bodye of Chryste in the Sacramente is a spirytaull bodye it meaneth that it is there onelye thoroughe the almyghtye powere of God and not by the power or manoure of nature Lykewyse when the catholyke churche sayeth that the bodye of Chryste is to be receyued there spirituallye it meaneth not that therefore the verye body of Chryst is not there to be receaued really in very dede For this worde spiritually dothe signifye onely the maner of the receauyng and dothe not importe the substaunce of the thyng so receyued Besides this the catholyke churche beleuynge that in the Sacrament of the aultare is alwayes reallye the body and bloude of our sauiour Chryst doth yet put a difference in the maner of receauynge thereof and vseth to saye that when good men receaue the sacramente that they receaue the bodye and bloude of Chryst both sacramentally and spiritually to but when euyll men receaue that they receaue the body of Chryst sacramentally only not spiritually because they come vnto it vnworthely and therefore do they procure thereby to theim selues dampnation But nowe to open fardar the very meaning of those worses of Chryst. It is the spirit that ge ueth lyfe the fleshe profiteth nothing you shal vnderstande that these wordes are taken of the catholyke church in two most godly senses the one is to meane by the spirite the godhed and by the fleshe the nature of man as yf he had sayde it is the godhed that causeth my fleshe to be able to gyue lyfe ne ther is my fleshe the fleshe of a bare man for then it beyng eaten coulde not profyte you but my fleshe is vnited in vnitie of persone to the godhed so that it is thereby able to brynge lyfe to the worthy eater therof Thus doeth Cyryil vpon the. vi of Saynte John expounde these wordes And to lyke purpose sainct Augustyne sayethe vppon the. vi of John that as knowledge beyng seperated from charitie maketh men proude but beynge ioyned wyth charytye dothe edyfye euen so mans fleshe not vnyted to the Godhed and byng eaten dothe not profytte but the fleshe of Christ whych is in hym in vnitie of person inseperably vnited to the godhed beyng worthelye receaued muste nedes hyghly profyt The other sēse of those wordes to meane by the spirite a spirituall vnderstandyng of Christes promyse made in Caper naum when he sayde the foode that I wyl giue vnto you is my fleshe whych wordes be then vn derstanded spiritually whē they be taken to meane that thing which passeth the power of nature to doo and manes wyt by naturall reason to comprehende lykewyse by the fleshe is to be ment a fleshely vnder standynge of the sayde promysse as to vnderstande wythout faythe in Christes deitie as the Capernaites dyd whyche toke Chryst but for a bare man so conceaued no otherwyse of the eatynge of his fleshe then of commen meate bought in the shambles Thys sense that S. Chrysostome wrytynge vpon the. v. of John and S. Augustyne wrytynge vpon the same Chapter ¶ An other obiection is there by occasyon that thys truth is not expressed in the commē crede ¶ Whych obiection doth procede of an ignoraūce lacke of knowledge of the fyrst institution of that crede For in the primatyue churche when men of all ages dyd sodenly turne from gentility to the christian religion and yet then were not by and by vpon suche there turne admitted to anye sacrament but fyrste were instructed in artycles necessary for them to beleue before they were baptised thys common cread was taughte them and they were for that tyme called Catechumni that is younglynges in Chrystes religion and begynners admytted but to the fyrste principles of the chrystyan faythe durynge whyche tyme they were not suffered so muche as to be present at the masse but after the gospel were quyte excluded from the same as by the vndouted wrytynges of the auncient fathers in chrystes church maye most euidently appeare So that thys reason is fōd and to no purpose to say that because it is not in the 〈◊〉 crede expresly set fourth that in the sacrament of the aultare is the very 〈◊〉 and bloude of our sauiour christ therfore no christian man is boūd to beleue it so to be S. Chrysostome and S. Augustyne hauyng occasion many tymes in 〈◊〉 sermones made by them to speake of this Sacrament for asmuch as amōg theire audience were as wel youg lynges not yet baptysed as other fathfull alreadye christened did vse oft tosay Quod 〈◊〉 norāt that is which that faithful or they that be alredy baptised know or such lyke thing and would not then expreslye declare the trueth touchyng the sacramente of the aultare for that it was not the maner to reueyle suche misteries to those yonglinges but to them was in general as sufficient for saluation prescribed in that common crede that they should beleue the catholike churche which not onely was sufficient thā for thē beleuynge the othere artycles of there crede but is sufficient at thys present also for vs cōfirminge oure selues in all poyntes to the common belefe of the catholke church whyche is