would rather at thys tyme fraye them to make them amende then to punyshe them and lose thē for euer and wold perce thus theyr mindes and brynge them to a knowledge of theyr synnes And as subuercion destruccion was threatned vnto thys Niniue so is it to thys hole realme for ther is among vs as greate and as manye syns God geue grace there be no greater nor nomore as wer among them We muste then amende or els we shall peryshe euerychone Luke .xiii. but what tyme the Lord knoweth not I. Now it foloweth how the preaching of Ionas was accepted And the people of Niniue beleued God preclaymed fastynge and arayed them selues in sacke clothe as well the greate as the small of them Out of this text is fyrst to be noted how that y e Niniuits resisted not the preachynge of Ionas when they had yet yf they would haue excused their euil mani refuges pretexts Ther obedience to the word of god cōdēneth both the Iewes vs of obstynacie malyce i. They might haue pretended thys Ionas is but one man therfore not to be credited ii He is a stranger speketh it of hatred vnto vs of affecciō towardes hys owne countrye .iii. He is of a cōtrary relygion to ours wuld deceaue as frō our fathers faith iiii He is no king but a man that semeth to haue lytle wir and lesse experience v. He is one cōtemned of hys owne countrye men and can not be hearde of them and shuld we credit hys woordes vi He is a noughty lyuer an◠one that God hateth and hath punyshed and shuld we passe of hys sayinges But they remembred theyr own faults at the preachyng of one day they amended they neuer loked for myracle They pretended not the antiquitie and aunciētnes of theyr citie that had stode almost from the tyme of the flud Gen. x. They that heard hym neuer desyred theyr amendement vntyl suche tyme as the kyng the preists and the other elders of the Citie had agreed whether Ionas doctrine were true or not Of thys facilitie quycknes of belyfe in the Niniuites we maye se y t soner beleueth the verye infydels the word of god then such as beareth the name of God and be broughte vp in supersticion And that I thynke were easye to be sene yf experiēce shuld be taken to preach at Babilon or Constantinople he should rather conuert those cities then Rome Farther theyr promptnes cōdemneth our obstinacie and hardnes of harte that daily heare the word of god preached and yet nothyng the better nor nerer to saluacion It foloweth what the Niniuites do when they be conuerted Fyrst they beleue in the Lord second they fast A man ignoraunt of God offendeth twoo maner of waies in bodi and in soule and both these offences must be amended if we wyl be reconciled vnto god By fayth the mynde is reconcyled vnto god and by abstinēce the body is kepte in subieccion and the wantones of cōcupiscence kept in obedience But in thys our myserable and cursed tyme of God for synne is great question and controuersy moued not onely cōcerning fayth but also fasting of which two thinges I iudge it mete somwhat to be spoken of As touchynge fayth it is not an opinion and knowledge onlye but a vehement ernest and certayne persuasion of Gods promises in Christ and out of thys faythe spryngeth all Godlynes and vertuous woorkes and what soeuer spryngeth not hereof is synne And thys faythe the almighty god confirmeth in his true and vertuous people two maner of wayes Inwardly outwardly Inwardlye by the holy gost who testifieth by his spirite with our spirit that we be the chyldren of God Outwardly by preaching of gods word and ministracion of the sacramentes The preachynge conteyne the innumerable benefites and promyses of God made in the new testamēt and y e old vnto vs in Christe who is y e seede that shuld and doth treade and breake the heade of the serpent Gene. iii. Io. iii. The Sacramentes be as visyble woordes offered vnto the Eyes and other Senses as the sweete sounde of the word to the eare and the holye gost to the hart The numbre of these sacramentes in y ◠publycke ministerie of the church be twoo One of baptisme and the other of the lords supper and both these teach and confyrme none other thynge then that the mercye of God saueth the faithfull and beleuers Therfore is the bread in y e holy supper called the bodye of Christ and the wyne the blud of Christ because thei be sacraments and seales of gods promises in Christ. This plaine symple doctryne of the sacramentes were sufficiēt if fraud gile treason heresie supersticion papistrie ignorancie arrogancie miserie and the malyce of men woulde suffer it But these iuels afore rehersed haue called into question and controuersie whether carnally corporally and reallye the precious body of Christ be present and how the communion and sacrament of hys body shulde be ministred and vsed For the resolucion answerynge vnto the whyche questions I wyll sincerlye and playnelye shewe my mynde accordynge to the worde of God ¶ Of the presence of Christes body in the sacrament I Wyl not in this question saye asmuche as I would or could because of late dayes in thys place it was godlye and learnedly touched But yet somewhat muste I saye because the ignoraunce of it bringeth idololatrye Idololatry bryngeth eternal damnaciō eternall dānacion commeth not onlye to the ygnoraunte but also vnto hym that shuld in hys vocacion remoue or do his good wil to remoue the ygnorauncie I am appoynted to remoue ygnorauncye thus therefore I pray you hear how ye may remoue it I wil kepe this order Fyrst I wil shew by many argumēts that ther is no corporal presēce of Christs body in the sacramēt Thē wyll I answer to the argumēts of y ◠aduersaryes y t wold haue it here The fyrst argument THis I take of y e name of christs body which is lyke vnto ours in al thynges except syn Heb. ii Esa. liii And incase it wer not in al thynges like vnto oures excepte synne and immortalitie Sayncte Paules Argument would proue nothynge i. Cor. xv But our bodyes be one to each one measured certaynelye wyth quantitie and qualitie and occupye at one tyme one place therfore so doeth and euer hath done Christes bodye And thus woulde Paule proue our resurreccion because our bodies be as Christes is y t is rysen excepte synne and immortalitie After that thei sat Christ hath now a glorified body so we haue not it maketh nothing for their purpose for whē Christ made hys supper instituted y e sacramēt of hys death he was a mortal and passible man subiect vnto the tyrany and violence of his aduersaries Yea after his immortalitie he shewed manifest tokens and arguments of his pure true and sensible humanitie Io. xxi i. Io. i. For y ◠apostles fyngers touched hym
of hys lawe not to harken vnto his voyce nor to walke in hys wayes to go after the prauitye and euylnes of euer owne hartes The viciatynge and iuste vse of the Lordes supper i. Cor. xi Also y ◠neglecrynge of wydowes and orphalynges causes not to iudge ryghte iudgemente to the power Ierem. v. These causes muste be auoyded or else truelye thy sayinge of Ieremye wyll take place Chap. vii You trust in youre selfes and in lyes that nothynge profytteth The nexte waye to returne the hande of gods angre great displeasure against vs is to folowe Iosophat the kinge that appoynted good iudges and godlye pryestes in euerye cyty The iudges to iudge after the true lawes of the realme and the preystes to do all thynges in the churche accordynge to the worde of God which teacheth suche knowledge and feare of God and of the magystrates that all the wysedome lawes and bokes that euer were made be but counterfeete and folyshe in respecte of it Nor euer had God in heauen or kynge vpon the earthe suche a frende as is the holy Bible For it reacheth y ◠people and subiectes of the realme the feare of God obedyence to the kynges maiestye and hys Magestrates and all mutuall and fraternal loue Thys example and counsel of Iosaphat if it beneglected ther cā no godlynes be amonge the people as the texte sayeth when Prophecye wanteth the people shall be dysipated scattered abrode Prouerves xxix To the doinges of these godlye offyces shoulde all menne be exhorted specyallye suche as bare the name of Bishoppes and preistes If they will not be desyrous and glad to haue helpe the mynistery of the church to the primatyue and perfecte estate agayne the Lorde dothe crye vengeaunce towardes them and wyl not onlye requyre the lose of them selfes but also of all the people at theire handes Ezech. iii. xxxiii Let them remember the complaynte of God hym selfe Ierem. i. My people hath haue a loste flocke my shepperdes haue deceiued them and haue made them go astraye vpon the hylles If these threatnynges wyll not amend theym Gracyous Kynge and you my honourable Lordes of his highe counsel muste do wyth them as the mariners did with Ionas What y ◠is seing it pleased the kinges maiestie and you my Lordes of his moste honourable councell in the lente to heare by me I haue nowe at the request of manye godlye persons caused it to come abrode and dedicated the same to youre Pryncelye maiestye and mooste prudente Counsell that youre hyghenes maye be bothe iudge and recorde of my doctrine vnto youre Maiestyes true and louing subiectes The whyche doctryne is Catholyke and godly in al thynges nothynge dyssentinge but agreable wyth the Prophetes and the Aposteles as I am accordynge to my bonnden dutye redye at all tymes to make answere if anye thyng shal be attempted to the contrarye Incase ther be now thē added a word more or lesse or peraduenture some sentence yet I know well y e matter is not chaunged nor aultered other wyse then I spake it before youre maiestye for I haue memoryaies wherin I wrot before y ◠inuenciō order disposition of al the matters I wolde entreate vpon As I vse euer wyl doo of all thinges I speake in goddes behalfe to the people wryt my selfe or cause an other to wryte the pethe and disposycion of al thinges I speake vpon that I maye as well learne a farther knoweledge my selfe thereby as make answere to myne enemyes if any shuld accuse me of false doctryne The God of all strengthe and consolation gouerne poure maiestye an youre mooste honourable counsell wyth hys holye spyryte and gyue you the vyctorye of all your ennemies Ami. Anno. M. D. L. Septembris .vi. Sence y ◠angel of god slew in the armye of Senacherive gods ennemie a hundreth thousand and syue thousande menne Anno. M.M.C.C. lxxx viii ¶ The fyrste Sermon made the .xix. day of March in the yere of our lord a. M. CCCCC.L before the kinges maiestie his most honourable Counsel by Ihon Hoper Preacher vpon the holy Prophet Ionas ¶ Preface vnto the Prophet IT is the offyce and dewty of euerye good chyld that studiousli laboreth to obey and folow hys fathers commaundemente before all thynges to know perfectly the nature and condiciō of hys fathers wyl Wherof if he be ignoraunte manye tymes in the same thynges he iudgeth best of he moste offendeth and the thynges moste pleasaunte and acceptable as thynges moste dyspleasaūt and vnacceptable vnto hys father he flyeth and refuseth Euen so wee that be subiectes and the chyldren of God the father almyghty can do nothyng gratefully and acceptable vnto his Maiesty excepte we first knowe hys good wyl and pleasure towards vs or else we shal ther most offēde hym wher as we mynde moste to please him And agayn happyly to improue as pernicious and heretycal that his wisdom approueth to be most Godlye and profytable Wherefore as the fyrste poynte of a louynge Childe is to know what pleasyth and what dyspleasyth what contentyth and what discontentyth hys father least he should by ignoraūce displease where as hys sonnelyke affeccion by naturall zeale woulde please so is it the second poynt of a good Chylde hys fathers wyll once trulye knowen dyligently to obserue and kepe the same least he should by neglygence or contempt be seene wilfullye to contemne the thynge he hathe wyth dylygence and studye obedyentlye submyttyd hym selfe vnto And incase as suche cases be moste common and daylye that infyrmities or other occasyon ledde the sonne from the obedyence of hys father The thyrde poynte of hys dewtie is speedely to acknowledge his offēce and desyre pardon merci for his trāsgressiō As the prodigal and disobedient sonne dyd Luke xv And Dauid ii Samuel and so after the remyssyon and pardon obtayned to be more circumspect and wyse how he fall and transgresse agayne Psal. li. These proposicions and sentences be so true that no resonable man doubteth of them But as the deuyll hath lefte in the world no truth nor veritie whych by argument and question he hathe not called into dout so trobleth he in this case the myndes of men wyth twoo questiōs The first is how and from whence the wyll of God maye be knowen The seconde what y e wil of god is So hath he preuayled amonge men for synne that the truthe of these questions is vnknowen to the greatest part of the world as it was in Moses tyme Christes tyme now in oure tyme more ignoraunte and far from God thē thei He perswaded in those daies that the wil of God was knowen not from heauen nor out of the scripture Canonical as the Patriarches Prophets and the Apostles tawghte but that it was knowē by the writings decrees and statutes of mē that were in the earth and that the wyl of God was to do that man commaunded and not that God commaunded But as almighty God left
muste do But before we take vpon vs theyr examination we wyll praye vnto almightye god for his holye spirite of wysdome lest in this necessarye and profitable examination we erre and be deceiued And also that they vpon whome the Lottes do fall and can not iustelye excuse theyr faultes maye learne to amende theym and tourne vnto the Lorde and from hensforth maye lyue in puritie and in nocencye of trueth and vertue all the dayes of theyr lyues So be it ☞ The ende of the Preface YE haue hearde howe Ionas for the contempte and disobeyinge of hys vocacyon to haue fallen into syxe greate dawngers Of two we haue spoken nowe we be come to the thirde where as he and his factes be deligentlye examined whyche doutles was agreate crosse and trouble vnto hym For there is nothyng that dyspleaseth man more thē to haue his faults hiddē to be brought vnto lyghte and knowledge God notwythstandynge suffereth that manye tymes for oure good and profit that we beyng brought vnto acknowledge of oure synnes myghte hate the same and praie for the remission thereof and so is it better howe so euer the blynde fleshe iudgeth to haue oure synnes if God wyl opened for oure saluacion then hyd to our losse and damnacion In thys examinacion we se not only the daūger of Ionas but also the office of euery good maiestrate that meaneth to quiet and rest hys commune wealth beynge in trouble Those shoulde be examined that by any signe or probable suspicion seme to be the authors of tumultes And thys vsynge moderacion in examininge the innocente and good shalbe fre from payne and punyshmente and the Culpable and gyltye founde worthye of correcciō First therfore let vs examyne the Byshoppes and priestes whether those y t know the wyll of God by hys holye worde diligentlye teache and preache the same vnto other Then whether any mā of that vocacion teache false doctryne in the churche of Christ. If the one do to litle in the fyrste and the other to much in the secōd or the one neglect the fyrst and the other to diligente in the second both these be Ionas and occasion y e the shyp is moued Agaynste the negligente sorte speaketh Ezechiell iii.xxxiii Agge i. with vehemēt wordes and threteneth eternall dampnacion to suche as preacheth not nor buildeth vp the temple of goddes congregacion lykewyse Saynt Paul .i. Cor. ix Agaynste those that teache false doctrine speketh Christe Io. x. and Paull .i. Timo. iiii Hier. xiiii Amonge the noble men Ionas that troubleth the commune wealth may be foūd amōg two sortes of them The one of them hathe inoughe gyuen him from God yet is not content there withal but for auarice and loue of him self and his insaciable couetousnes scrapethe and gathereth to gether whither with y e law or against the lawe it maketh no forse so he haue it So this Ionas and trobler of the ship with all iniuries and wronges rather woulde ad somewhat where in deade is to much thē to depart a litle where as is nothynge at al. And in vaine glorye pride of the manmon of y e world they wyll condemne and disdayne y e verye Image of God in the poore agaynste whome speaketh Salomon Prouerv xiiii he y t calumniateth the pore abraydeth hys creatoure Take exāple hereof Out of the. ix of Iohn howe the general coūcel of the Phariseis layde to the pore blynde man his blindnes Theyr reproch of gods worke was reprehended and the insaciable and couetous hartes of theym be condemned by Esaye the Prophet Chapter .v. cursed be ye that Ioyne house to house and feld to feld The experyence of thys curse had Ahab that vngodlye toke from Naboth his vineyard If these men that hath Inoughe wyll not moue the shyppe of youre highnes commune wealth let theym leaue their rauenynge and giue god thankes for that they haue and to theyr abilitye healpe not rob the pore The other sort of noble or gentlemen that make more expēce then their reuenues and condicion is able to beare and liueth by dysse Cardes whordome fraude gile deceite thefte and suche like Indifferent examinaciō not only by gods lawes but also by mānes lawes wyll proue thē not only to be disobedient Ionas but also starke theues The lawiers if they be examined diligently there wil be so many found amonge thē to vnquiet the shyppe of thys commune wealthe that few or none wilbe found clere And among the lawyers I put Iudges and Iustices the one for gaine careth not to defend the faulsest cause and most vniust matter y t can be brought vnto him promiseth like a theyfe y e cause to be good till he haue emptied hys poore Clientes pourse Then washeth he hys hādes with as much foule honestie as he can and referreth the doutfull cause aboue his lerning to the ignoraunt men of y t shire to be iudged at home lyke a fole wher as his pourse can no lenger cause his pratler and ignoraunt lawer to kepe his cause aloofe and out of the shire And in dede suche a subiecte as can not fynde in his herte after gods lawes to ende his contencion without stryfe by the arbitremēt of those that be his neighboures is worthy to fynde such a Ionas as wyll neuer leaue blowinge at hys pourse till he haue vnladed it euen to the bottome and haue caused him to spend asmuch in recouerye of twētie shillinges by lease as he might haue purchased twenty shilinges in fele simple I dāpne not the lawe y t is good but these theues y t abuse y e law for their doinges is nothyng but gile deceate a noble kynd of theuery Against y e which speketh zachari in his v. Chapi And God Exod. xx Deut. v. Thou shalt commit no thefte Thou shall geue no false testimonye agaynste thy neyghboure These Ionasses dothe not only geue false testimony but also for lutre defendeth y ◠same And not for a day but for a yere and yeres The more shame it is to be suffred The iustices be also Ionas for they receiue rewardes and Bribes whiche blindeth the eyes De. xvi maketh them to corrupte iustice to theyr eternall damnacion if they amend not Agaynste whom speaketh Salomon Prouerbes .vii. He that quiteth the euyll doer and cōdemneth the innocent be bothe execreable and damned before God Among the cōmune people ye shal also find many Ionasses but y t we maye the better espye thē out we wyl deuide them into the rustikes or people of the contrye into the Citizens Al euery contry or housbād mā that liueth not of his laboure and geueth hym selfe to Idlenes and so moueth seditiō and treason agaynste theyr lawfull kyng and Magestrate or priuely in theyr conuenticles and assemblyes speke euell cursse or prouoke any thing agaiust their magestrates thei can nor wyll learne nether to knowe god nether to obey ther prince these be those among this sort of people y
e be Ionasses trobleth the state of this realme Amonge the Citizens be a great number that trouble the shippe also as adulterous vnpunished the fraude and gyle of the marchaundise ydlenes the Mother of all myscheyfe thefte murder blasphemous othes conspiracye and treason with open slaūder and rebuke of goddes moste holye worde These thynges and suche lyke tosseth the poore shyp y e hardly she cā saile aboue the water And so dyspleaseth the Maiestye of God that he wyll neuer ceasse from sending of tempestes tyll those Ionasses be amended or caste into the sea But before I come to Ionas aunswere vpon hys examinacion because I knowe thys sayinge to be trewe obsequium amicos veritas odium parit That is flatterye obtayneth frēdship the truth displesure lest any mā shuld for my truth and liberty be offēded I wyll briefly purge my self Doutles it were pleasure to me to speke nothynge at al in case the necessitie of my vocatiō the daunger of these Ionasses and the saluacion of this ship of oure commune wealthe forced me not therunto As touching myself I am called vnto this place to cry in case I do not I know all the bloud of these Ionasses shalbe required at my hande which god forbyd It were better I shuld cal so hard as heauen and earthe might sounde agayne of my voyce The saluacion of these wicked Ionasses moueth also to speke in this matter with the trompe of gods word to wake thē out of their slepe leste they slūber rest so lōg in theyr wickednes y t they go slepyng to eternal dānaciō These therfore I call vpon for the amendemente of theyr knowledge and liefe Farther the loue I beare vnto the Kynges Maiestye and to this comune wealth of England compelleth me to speake seynge I se the angry hand of God all redye streached forthe to punysh vs if we awake not oute of synne Laste of all be it knowen to all menne that I speake in the condemnacion of the euyll and commendacion of the good And that all men may easlye find out and know amonge these foure sortes of people the Ionasses and troublers of thys shyppe and commune wealth of Englande I gyue you one mooste true and generall rule whyche is thys Whoso euer or of what so euer degre he be that is or sheweth hym selfe to be offended wyth thys my free and indifferente speakynge of Goddes worde he or they be they what they be maye arre the verye Ionasses and troublers of thys commune wealthe And these menne loue more darckenes thē lyght moreto trouble the shippe then to rest her But nowe to the texte wherein is cōtayned Aonas aunswere vpon hys examinacion He aunswered them I am an Ebrew and feare the lord God of heauen that made the sea and the drie land When as Ionas perseaued he coulde no longer clooke and hyde hys offence he dothe not onelye confesse hys faulte but also maketh them priuye and vttereth hys fayeth and religiō he hath in GOD vnto theym In that he confesseth hys faulte we learne that the fyrste gree and procedynge to mercye and remyssion is the knowledge of the synne whyche is a thynge moste difficile and harde to the fleshe to saye I haue offended the Lord and wil amend For either we denie oure syn with Cain or extenuate and excuse it wyth Saule Would to God our Ionasses would acknowledge theyr faures not excuse it nor extenuate it It is but a mockeri once in a yere to acknowledge and murmoure oure faultes in the priestes eare But we shoulde from the harte repent the neglectyng of our bounden duties and vnfaynedlye amende it whyche is not onely paynefull to the fleshe but also gratefull vnto God I exhorte all men therefore that knoweth theym selues gyltye as in deade there is none of vs of all partes innocente we saye wythe Dauyd we haue offended the Lorde Yet is not thys inoughe to confesse our faultes but therewythall we muste make a confession of oure fayeth but not suche a confession as mooste menne vse but suche as maye most be lyke vnto Ionasses And let theym imbrace onelye Christe and hys doctrine and worship god in sprite veritye as his word teacheth This I meane let the preistes teache accordinge to the worde of God the noble mē gouerne and rule thereby the lawers conforme theyr lawe to gods law suche lawes as be contrarie to gods lawes abrogate and abolishe The people shoulde heare the word of God geue faithe vnto it and folow it And so saye euery man of vs with Ionas I am an Ebrew that is to say I am a christian man and wyll frome henceforthe forsake my synne that disquieteth not only myne owne conscience but also the hole cōmune wealth It foloweth how the mariners toke Ionas answere Then were the mē exceadyngelye afrayde and sayed vnto hym Why dydest thou so for thei knew that he was fled from the presēce of the lord because he hadde tolde them said more ouer vnto him what shal we do vnto the y ◠the sea may ceasse frō trobling of vs for the sea wrought was troblous In these mariners we see three thinges feare rebuke of disobedience and takynge of councell howe to saue the ship This feare it is mooste like sprange of this that the mariners had hearde Ionas saye howe he was commaunded by God to preache vnto the Niniuites theyr destruction and the cities also for theyr synne The mariners knowing them selfes giltye of the same them selfes being both Idolaters infidels and of corrupt conditiō and lyuyng fered the lyke punishment Who is it that will not tremble at the angrie countenaunce of gods dyspleasure But nowe a dayes oure stonye and indurate hartes be paste al feare and turneth the threatenings of God to a laughter sayinge in theyr hartes ther is no God That these gentilyshe Mariners rebuke Ionas of dysobedience it declareth the faute to be so greate when anye man leueth his vocacion and specially the vocacion of preching that it meriteth and is worthy to be rebuked of all men But suche is nowe the proude mindes of Byshops and pastours that it wyl suffer no rebuke or Christian admonicion but wil be lauded and praised yea in euel doyng and omissiō of their vocacion as it is to be seene in that horrible and wycked decre Si papa And not onelye the Pope but also euerye man that slepeth and delitethin his sinne refuseth all maner of admonicions If Ionas toke wel at worthe the reprehension of the heathen it is more then ashame one Christian to forsake the admonicion of an other In that they aske counsell of Ionas howe to saue the shyppe they declare a syngulare humanitye towardes a straunger that althoughe by the meanes of hym they stode in daunger bothe of lyfe and goodes yet woulde they leaue no meanes they coulde to saue hym thoughe it were wythe theyr greate losse and daunger Thus we be bounde to do as occacion shal
now Christe presente but in anye case dumme and wythout speche whyles he lyued and could speake the members of the deuil hanged hym vpon the crosse Thus was the malyce of the deuyll alwayes greate agaynst oure Sauiour Before he came into the flesh he â—ave manye beleue he was come before the time appointed by the Prophetes was exspired wheÌ„ he was come in deede then wente he aboute to perswade he was nâ—t come nor was not the Sauioure of the worlde and neuer left tyl he had kylled hym because he would not denye but that the verye true sauioure of the worlde was come And nowe that in deade he is ascended and departed from vs accordynge to the scriptures he goeth about all he can to proue hym nowe to be here so that neyther before hys cummyng into the world nor at hys beynge corporally in the worlde nor yet beynge out of the world he can not be in peace sure and safe from the assaultes and temptacions of hys and oure mortall ennemye Satan But I knowe howe the aduersaryes of the truth perswade the people maliouslye to gyue no credite to such as preach and teache the truth They saye we condemne the holy sacramente and make it of no estimacion But beliue not their slaunders and lyes but heare or read our opinion knowledge and godly estimacion we haue of the sacrameÌ„t and then Iudge and gyue sentence afterwarde And here receyue myne opinion as touchynge the forme and maner to celebrate and vse the Sacramentes ¶ The fourme and maner howe to celebrate the sacramentes IT were expediente to intreate this mater at length yf tyme would serue But yet in fewe wordes I wyl say somwhat of the sacramente of the Lordes Supper and also of Baptisme Baptisme consisteth in two partes In the worde and the elemente The worde is the preaching of the good mercifull promyses of Gods goodnes acceptyng vs into his fauour and grace for the merits of Christ. The whyche promyses be brefely comprehended in these wordes Math. xxviii I baptyse the in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy gost These woordes sheweth y e forme of Baptisme and also that only men reasonable creatures shuld be baptised Mat. xvi So is condeÌ„ned the gentilitie and supersticion that hath bene vsed in the Christenyng of bels The matter and Elemente of thys sacrament is pure water what so euer is added Oyle salte Crosse lyghtes and suche other be the inuencions of men and better it were they were abolyâ—â—â—ed then kepte in the Churche For they obscure the simplicitie and perfectnes of Christ our sauioures institucion I pray the kyngs maiestie and hys most honorable counsell to prepare a shyp as sone as maye be to sende them home agayne to theyr mother church the bosome and breast of man ¶ The form how to celebrate the Lordes supper HEre must be marked two persons y e minister and he that communicateth with the minister These muste come and assemble together as saynte Paule sayth .i. Corin. xi The dutye and offyce of the minister HE doeth best hys offyce and is best instructed to minister y â— sacramente if he in the ministracion thereof go as nere as is possible to the fyrste institucion of Christe and the Apostles For Christ was and is the wysdome of the father and the Apostles had receiued the holy gost that broughte them into all truth therefore it must nedes folowe their doyngs ministracion to be moste perfit holy and religious ¶ Howe the minister shoulde prepare hym selfe INwardly outwardly The inward preparacion is if his minde and soule be instructed furnished wyth godlye doctryne and a feruent spirit and zeale to teach hys audience to stablysh them in the truth and to exhorte them to perpende and marke wel the merites and deseruynges of Christ. The outward preparacion the more simple it is the better it is and the nerer vnto the institucion of Christ and his Apostles If he haue bred wine a table and a fayre table cloth let hym not be solicitous nor careful for the rest seyng they be no thynges broughte in by Christe but by Popes vnto whom if the kynges maiestye and hys honourable Counsaile haue good coÌ„science thei muste be restored agayne and greate shame it is for a noble kynge Emperour or Magistrate contrarye vnto Goddes word to detayne and kepe froÌ„ the deuyl or hys minister anye of theyr goodes or treasure As the Candels Uestiments 〈…〉 for if they be kept in the church as thynges indiffereÌ„t at leÌ„gth they wyl be mayntayned as thynges necessary When the minister is 〈◊〉 wel prepared with sound 〈◊〉 Godlye doctryne let hym 〈◊〉 hym self to the distruâ—â—â—â— of the bread and wyne 〈◊〉 as he gâ—ueth the breade 〈◊〉 hym breake it after the â—â—ample of Christ the shoulde â—eue the bread and not thrust 〈◊〉 into the receauers mouthe For the breaking of the bread hath a great misterie in it of y â— passion of Christ in the whych hys bodye was broken for vs and that is sygnyfyed in the breakyng of y â— breade which in no case shuld be admitted therfore let the minister breake the round bread for broken it serueth as a sacramente and not hole Christ did breake â—â— mat xâ— vi Mar. xiiii Luc. xâ—ii And saynt Paule â—ayth the breade that we break is it not y â— communion of Christes â—odye i. Cor. x. Thus shuld the perfeccioÌ„ of Christes institucion be had in honour and the memorie of the dead left out and nothing done in this sacrameÌ„t y â— had not gods word to bear it But alas God is accompted a foole for men can vse the sacrament more religiously deuoutly godly and christianly then Christ Gods sonne as it appeareth for his fourme and maner is put oute and mans deuyse and wysdome is accepted for it The dewty and office of the people THe dewti of the receauer resteth in thre partes To saye what he shuld do before the receauyng of the Sacramente what he shuld do in y â— receauing of it what after the receauyng of it Before the receauing he shuld prepare and make ready hys mynde as the commaundemeÌ„t of S. Paul is i. Cor. xi let the man proue and searche hymselfe and so forthe And thys maye be doone twoo maner of wayes Fyrst towardes God then towardes man Towardes God he shulde from the botome of hys heart confesse his faults and sinnes and acknowledge hys iust coÌ„demnacion then shuld he perswade him selfe by true and liuely fayth that God would be mercyful vnto him for y â— death of hys dere beloued soÌ„n Iesus Christ done in his body torne and in hys blud shedde He shuld prepare hym selfe towardes his neighbour also Fyrst incase he hath hurt hys neyghbour in fame or goods he shuld reconcile hym selfe agayne wyth restitucion of theÌ„ both againe He that thus prepareth hym self doth eat worthelye the bodye of Christe and he that doth not thus prepare him selfe eateth