lambe is sprinckled vpon both the postes of our doore when it is receiued not onelye wyth the mouth of the body for redemption but also with the mouth of the hearte for imitation Whyche bloude is not nowe shedde vpon the handes and coates of the souldiours that crucifyed him but is powred into the mouthes of the faithfull that receyue hym And this newe doctryne was not knowen to the worlde tyll our Sauiour Christe taught it hymselfe in his ghospell For the olde lawe dyd forbydde the eatinge and drinkinge of bloude with theyr mouthes and the newe law dothe commaunde it so to be dronken for which cause we that pertayne to the newe lawe do vse often tymes to drinke of this bloud knowynge that except we eate his flesh and drink his bloud we shall not haue lyfe in vs. Wherein wee are called to more dignitye than any of the prophetes of the olde testamente was For Dauid dyd neuer eate of thys bodye nor neuer dranke of this bloude although he beleued in Chryste as well as we or rather better and so was onelye pertaker of them spirituallye by fayth and not corporally by the sacrament as we be See with what great dignity almighty God doth honour our mouthes by which as by certeine gates and doores our sauiour Christ entreth into vs when we communicate and receiue his bodye and so hauing Christ within vs by his fleshe in hym corporally vnited by the sacrament of perfit and natural vnitie we shal likewise be partakers of his propretie which is life euerlasting I wil no more at this time good people occupy you with any longer processe concerninge this most true euidente matter but shall speake of it at other times besechinge you in our lordes name not to wauer in your faythe lyke reedes blowen a syde with euery wind but to stand stedfast in the certein belief of this most holy sacrament whiche is set forth to vs by the mouth of our sauior Christ himself and the sacred bookes of al his holye Euangelistes and is confirmed with the bloud of his martirs with the miracles of God and hys faintes shewed for that purpose with the testymony of all catholyke wryters in euery age and with the aucthoritie and consente of the holle church of Christ throughout the worlde as well in general couÌ„sels assembled in the name of oure Lord Iesus Christ as in euery perticulare prouince and realme which is the piller of trueth the surest staffe to leane vnto for a christen man to holde himselfe stedfaste in trueth so that the mooste manyfeste woorde whyche was spoken by Chrâ—ste oure Lorde vpon this holye Sacrament and the true meaninge of the same woord declared from tyme to tyme by his holye Catholike church deliuereth vs from all ignoraunce what it is and assureth vs that in this most holy sacrament is present by the omnipotent power of god the real and true body and bloude of our sauiour Christ god and man vnder the sensyble formes of bread and wine and is there receyued of the faithfull people not onelye spirituallye by faithe but also corporallye with their mouthes for the attayninge of immortalitie and euerlastinge life both of body and soule the which GOD of his infinite goodnes graunt vs through the merytes of his sonne Iesus Christ and the sanctification of hys holye spirite to whom bee all prayse honour and glorye world without ende Amen ¶ Of the chaunge of the breade and wyne that is to say of Transubstantiation Serm. viii WHat is the substance of thys blessed Sacrament we haue learned good people of oure sauiour Christes owne wordes who the nighte before he suffered at hys laste supper with his disciples toke breade and blessed it and brake it and gaue it to hys dysciples and sayd take and eate this is my body and takinge the chalice he gaue thankes gaue it to them saying drinke al you of this for this is my bloude of the new testament whiche shall bee shed for many for remission of sinnes Upon these wordes of Christe all true christen men ground their fayth concerning this blessed Sacrament and beleue verelye that the inwarde substaunce of this sacrament is the fleshe of oure Sauiour Iesus Christe whyche suffered for oure synnes and that in the chalyce consecrate is the same bloude that dyd runne foorth of Chrystes syde when it was opened with the speere And furthermore vpon the same woordes of Christ the holy churche and all true christen men her members doe grounde their faithe concerninge the chaunge whiche the holye ghoste by his vnspeakable power worketh in this sacrament where tâ—e inwarde substaunce of breade and wyne is chaunged into the substaunce of the bodye and bloude of Chryste the outwarde formes of the saied breade and wyne with the quantitie and qualities of the same still remayninge vnchaunged Whiche maner of chaunge because it is singuler and hathe none like it eyther in nature or otherwise therefore the holy Churche dothe call it by the name of TransubstantiatioÌ„ the whiche woorde was inuented by the holy churche in the greatest generall counsell that euer was which was called the counsell of Lateranense where there were present seuenty Archbyshoppes and foure hundred Bishops and they spake of thys chaunge by that name to thintent that lyke as the holie church of Christ in euery age dyd agree and was of one minde concerninge this chaunge of the bread and wyne euen so they should agre and be of one tong in the vtteringe and speaking of that chaunge that the diuersitie of manye wordes vttereth diuersly in the bokes of learned men should not impayre and bring in doubt the olde knowen trueth reueled to the Churche by the holye ghoste This olde trueth the Churche learneth of Christes owne woordes For where as it was but one thinge or substance which our Sauiour Christ gaue out of his hand to his disciples to eate whiche one thinge he saied plainly was his body which shoulde be geuen for them and in saying so made it so to be by hys almightie word for that cause the holy church beleueth that it is not breade but his very bodye in dede And also where as it appeareth to al a mans senses to be very bread which seÌ„ses be not deceiued so farre as they can skyll of reache vnto which is onely to the outwarde apparaunce and qualities or qualitie not to the inwarde substaunce therefore the holye Churche beleueth that the chaunge which is in the sacramente is made in the inward substauÌ„ce of the bread and not in the outward forme of the breade whiche remayneth as it was for whiche cause the Churche calleth that chaunge Transubstantiation For that bread which our lord reached to his disciples being chaunged in nature and not in forme by the omnipotency of his worde was made flesh And as in the person of Christe hys humanitie was sene and his diuinitie was secret vnsene
at this time is verelye and reallye present the true bodye and bloude of oure Sauiour Christ which suffered vpon the crosse for vs and is receyued there corporallye by the seruices of our mouthes not in the same forme of his body as it was vpon the crosse but in the formes of our dayly and special nutrimentes of breade and wyne the substaunce of which bread and wyne is conuerted and chaunged into the substaunce of Chrystes bodye and bloude by the omnipotent and secret power of his woorde assistinge the due administratyon of hys mynister This merueylous and heauenly doctrine is not inuented by mans wytte but reueled by Gods spirit in his holy scripture and taught vs by the mouth of our Sauiour Christe who instituted thys holy Sacrament in his last supper sayinge to his disciples take eate this is my bodye whiche is geuen for you this is my bloude of the new testament which is shed for many and for you in remission of sinnes Of these words the like which be written in the gospels of S. Marke S. Luke and in the epistle of S. Paul to the CorinthiaÌ„s the holy catholike church hath euer from the beginning vnderstaÌ„ded and beleued that after the speaking of those words by Christ or by his minister in his person sufficientlye authorised so to do by his commaundement is made present the naturall body and bloud of our sauiour Christe there to be receiued of his faithfull people to the increase of all grace and immortalitie bothe of bodye and soule For the Churche estemeth these to be the working wordes of God makinge the thinge to be as it was not before and not as the wordes of onely man whiche can onelye declare the thinge to be as it is before For yf Christes word be of such streÌ„gth that it can make thinges to be that were nothing before how much more hath it strength to make a thinge that was before to be chaunged into an other thynge that it was not Like as the heauen was not the earth was not yet he said the worde and they were made euen so the sacrament before the consecration was not the bodye of Christe but after the consecration it is now the body of Christ for he hath said the word the thinge is made And he that is the author of the gift is also the wytnes of the truth of the same gift so that our fayth in this thinge is grounded not in mans reason or sense but in the almighty power of gods worde For if Christ the speaker of this word were not Gods sonne and the woorde of God by whom all trees and herbes doo bringe foorth fruite it could not be certeine to vs that this blessed and sanctified breade of the Sacrament were Christes bodye and the cuppe of his bloude Therefore seing that he hath sayde this is my body this is my bloude who can neyther deceyue nor be deceyued let vs without all doubte stedfastlye beleue it to be so and looke vpon it wyth the eyes of our vnderstandinge For our faith in this matter is induced by hys onelye authorytie and not by our wytte whose wordes require necessarily our fayth and in no wise do admitte our reason they require a simple beleuer and reproue a wicked reasoner so that we must beleue simply that we can not serche profitablye wherefore lyke as wee maye not curiouslye serche howe it is done so we maye not Iewishlye doubte whether it be done but reuerently prepare vs to receyue that by faith we are sure is done And furthermore the holy Churche estemeth those wordes of Christ this is my body this is my bloude to be the formall wordes of a sacrament of the new Testament workinge inwardly the same grace that is signified outwardly whiche is the propertâ—e of euery sacrament of the newe Testamente whereby they differ frome the other shadowes of the olde Testament And because the grace that is signified by these formall wordes is the very bodye and bloude of Christe him selfe the author and fountayne of all grace therfore we must certeinly knowe by fayth that God assistyng the due ministration of thys Sacrament according to his promise doth inwardly woorke in the holy Sacrament the reall presence of his saied bodye and bloude It is not the power of the priest being a man that in the creatures which be set vpon the aultare to be consecrate causeth the body and bloud of oure Lorde to be made present but it is Christ himselfe that was crucified for vs. The wordes be pronounced by the mouth of the prieste as hys mynyster but the oblations be consecrate by Gods power and grace who is now there present and sanctifieth the creatures and chaungeth them by the inuisible working of the holy ghost which miraculous chaunge must be imputed to Christ who by hys woorde worketh this his presence aboue the reache of mans carnall vnderstandynge And we ought to thinke of this consecration farre aboue the consecration of other thinges For other thinges in the Church vsed about the holy Sacramentes be by prayer sanctifyed and called holy for that they be dedicate to some holy vse and the soule of man is by grace coÌ„secrate and sanctified because it is a substaunce wherin holines and vertue remaineth and a good mans bodye is also sanctified being made a membre of Christ and the temple of the holy ghost and the other Sacramentes be sanctified and holye for that they bee the instrumentes wherby GOD worketh holynes in the soule of man but aboue all other thinges this blessed Sacrament of the Aultar is most holy beyng as S. Chrysostome sayth not onely a thinge sanctifyed but also verye sanctification and holynesse it selfe For in that it is the bodye of Christe by sanctification wherunto is annexed the godheade by vnitye of person it muste nedes by holynes it selfe not in qualitie but in substaunce out of which procedeth all holynes vertue and goodnes And the holy Churche also estemeth those formall woordes of oure Sauioure Christe to be the performaunce of his promise whych he made at Capernaum to his disciples when he sayde the breade that I shall 〈◊〉 vnto you is my fleshe which I shall gâ—ue for the life of the worlde whiche promise he that is the verye truthe and can not lye dydde neuer at any tyme before perfourme but in hys laste supper when hee gaue hys bodye and hys bloude to hys dysciples to eate and sayde that whiche he gaue theym was hys bodye and hys bloude And as he promysed to geue vnto theym hys fleshe that shoulde be geuen for the lyfe of the worlde and not a figure of that flesh or a sygne so he gaue in verye deede the same fleshe and not a fygure or sygne of it and sayde precyselye that it was the same bodye that shoulde bee geuen to deathe for theyr redemption to whyche woorde euerye true Christen manne
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
Christe our Lord was not content onelye to be made man and to bee whipped and slayne for vs but also hath broughte vs as it were into one heape of Leuin wyth hymselfe and not onelye by fayth but also in verye deede hathe made vs hys bodye what thinge thâ—â— oughte to bee so cleane as he that shoulde receyue that sacryfyce yea the very beames of the sonne bee not so pure as his mouth ought to bee that shoulde receyue thys merueylous bodye and bloude of oure Sauioure Christe Remember manne howe God honoureth thee of what meate arte thou pertaker Thou art fedde with the same thinge that the holye aungels tremble at and be not able to beholde it for the bryghtnesse that commeth from it What shepeheard euer fedde his shepe with his owne bodye manye mothers doe committe their infantes to bee nursed of other women but Chryste dothe not so who feadeth and nourisheth vs his shepe or rather children with his own body so doth ioyne vs to him in one body And as younge infantes with great gladnes do suck the breastes of their mothers or nurses eueÌ„ so with greater gladnes ought we to come to the breast of our Sauioure there to suck the grace of the holy gost to take it most heauily with most sorow if wee be for oure desertes excommunicate and depryued of that spirytuall foode Therefore lette vs pull downe the wall that maketh diuision betwene God and vs lette vs by penaunce remoue oure synnes and washe oure consciences lette vs amende that kynde of beastlye lyuing whyche we bee ashamed shoulde be layde to our charge and lette vs wythdrawe oure myndes from the vnsatiable greedynesse of thys worlde For what shall it profyte a manne to gayne the holle world and loose hys soule The three wyse menne came out of the Easte countrey of Persis to seke Iesus the kynge of the Iewes but lette vs goe forth from our worldly cares and carnall delites to see Iesus It is no great iourney we nede not to passe ouer the sea nor to clyme ouer the mountaynes but sytting at home if we be compunct in hart bent towardes godly deuotioÌ„ we may pul down the wall of our sinnes and make shorte the longe way of our iourney and see Christ. For God is a god nye hand and not a farre of and nye vnto al them that call vppon hym in trueth yet nowe a dayes there be many christen men that be so full of sinne and do so contemne godly religion that they take no care for theyr soule health not considering that the tyme to receiue this most holye sacrament is not this day or that day but when their consciences be pure and purged from sinne For as he that is cleane may come euerye daye so he that is vnclene and is not penitent for hys synne he may not come at those dayes which by the Churche be appointed For to come once a yere dothe not deliuer vs from our synnes yf we come than vnworthily but rather it encreaseth our damnation For whiche cause I shal exhort you al in our lordes name that ye come not to these fearefull and terrible misteries for a custome as compelled by the appoyntmente of the Churche without diligente preparinge of youre selues but that ye purge and washe your soules dyuers dayes before by penaunce by prayer by almesse by spiritual exercise and that ye do not turne afterward to your old sinnes as a dogge turneth back to eate agayne his castinge Is it not agaynste all reason to haue so muche care of worldlye thynges as when the feaste draweth nere to prepare new costly apparell to prepare great and sumptuous fare and by all meanes to trimme vp the body to haue no respecte of the soule but to suffer it to be ragged and torne and to dye for hunger and the body is decked for the sighte of the worlde but the soule is alwayes in the sight of god that moste greuouslye punisheth the neglecting of it If any man haue an enemye by whom he is hurt or offended let him dissolue his enmitie and refrayne his hote affection and swelling of minde that his soule be quiet wythout trouble or tumult For by thys blessed communion thou shalte receiue the kynge into thy soule and when the kynge entreth there ought to be greate quietnes silence and peace And although thyne hurt or iniury shewed by thy enemy be very gret yet thou must remit it Because thine enemy hath hurt thee wilt thou therefore hurt thy selfe more whatsoeuer he hath done it can not be so great harme to the as thou doest to thy self if thou be not reconciled vnto him Wilt thou shewe spite and villany to God because thy neyghbour hathe shewed the lyke to thee before For to retein displeasure against him that offended the is not so muche to auenge thy quarell against him as it is a spiteful contempt of god the authour of this law commaundemeÌ„t that we shoulde be reconciled to oure enemyes before we come to his aultare Therefore haue no respecte to thyne enemye nor to the greatnes of thyne iniuries susteined by him but to God almyghtye and printing his feare depely in thy harte consyder this that the greater violence thou doest vse to thine own hart in coÌ„pelling it to forgeue thine enemy and to be in frendship with him the greater reward thou shalte receyue of god that commaunded the so to do and as thou doest after that sort receiue god with much honor so shal he make the reward of thine obedience a thousande folde This is the duetie of a christen man when he commeth to Gods borde to procure hymselfe to be purged from all corruption of the fleshe or spirit and to haue perfit holines in the feare of God and the charitie of Christe and to haue no spot or wrincle or any suche thinge and to haue a perpetuall memory of him that was dead and rose againe for vs and to make cleane hys soule with fayth baptisme vertue and the doctryne of the Gospel that the corrupt maners of suche as be straungers and not gods people the maner of lyuing whiche was vsed in Egipte in the tyme of kinge Pharao that is to saye the holle heape of vice be not nowe vsed but banyshed away and so let him come to this heauenly breade which was not brought forth of the grounde by tilling and sowing and labour of maÌ„ but which came from heauen and is the true breade of lyfe and causeth the worthy receiuer neuer to be hungry againe but to liue alwaies in immortalitye If no man dare lay his bread vpon a foule cloâ—â—e nor put it into a foule vessell howe muche more may it not be receiued in a foule hart whiche filthines aboue al thinges he moste abhorreth as the greatest iniury that can be done to his body For as Ioseph the iuste man wrapped Chrystes body in a cleane cloth and buried it
entent and feruent desire to be saued yet the same desperation shal let his purpose and stoppe the wayes and passages to the saluation of his soule Yf the waye penaunce bee be once stopped then is the doore that leadeth to saluation shut also And how can he that is oute of the way and to whom the dore is shut do any good worke when as he can finde no entrye to goodnesse beyng let by desperation For thys cause the deuyll by all meanes he canne goeth aboute to plant suche thoughtes in our hartes For when desperation hath caried vs farre from the waye of truthe then hath the deuill no more contention against vs Against whom should he fighte when no man wythstandeth But if the man can loose this band by and by his strength commeth agayne and taketh delyte to renewe his battayle a freshe For he shall perceyue howe he chaseth awaye the deuill whom he fledde before and shall haue a pleasure to pursue his olde persecutour And if perchaunce hys foote slyppe and he fall as oftentymes the coÌ„dicion of warre is he maye not by and by dispayre for shame of a fall but hee muste remember that thys is the lawe of fyghting not neuer to fall but neuer to yeelde for men do not cal him ouercommed that oft falleth but hym that at last yeeldeth Lykewyse he that is ouercommed by the thoughtes of desperation how can he recouer hys streÌ„gth or withstand his enemy seing he runneth awaye and wil not turne backe to fight againe I wold not ye should think that I speake onely of those that were a litle blotted with a fewe smal spots of synne but I speake of hym that hath geuen place to all kynde of synne that for the outragiousnes of his wicked lyuing hath excluded hym selfe from the kyngdome of heauen and not of infidels but of Christen men and suche as haue before times pleased God highly but afterwardes haue fallen to adulterye and other fylthye liuyng suche as the Apostle saythe is shame to speake of These men I saye oughte not to dyspayre of saluation although they had lyen walteryng in suche lyke filthynesse euen to their extreme age what the reason of this sayeng is ye shal heare If Gods anger were a passible affection wee myght well saye that the flambe of it could not be quenched which was kyndled with so many and great offences But wheÌ„ the truth of Gods woorde doth define the nature of God to be vnpassible we must vnderstand that nowe although God doth punish and afflict vs yet he doth it not with passible anger but wyth moste vnspeakeable clemencie with thaffection of him that healeth and not of him that punisheth and for that cause he verye gladlye receyueth the penitent seyng that God doth not punish for hym selfe sake as I sayde before as it were auenging hys owne quarell and iniurye agaynst the synner for Gods nature receyueth no such passion into it self but he doth al for our profit For our profytte and correction he doth punishe not to reuenge hymselfe but to amende vs. He that abydeth styll in the hardnesse of his hart is lyke to a man that turneth hys eyes from the lyghte whyche dothe no harme to the lyghte but bryngeth hym selfe into darkenesse Euen so he that throughe an vnpatient harte thynketh to contemne the power of God hurteth in God nothynge but secludeth hymselfe from all healthe and saluation If a Phisician suffer a lytle iniurye of his pacient vexed wyth a phrensye or distempered in hys brayne yet is he not greued wyth the same nor yet angrye but dothe all thynges that his arte of Phisicke requyreth althoughe hys pacient seemeth too bee greeued wyth hys medicines whyche greefe is not auengynge of the Phisitians iniurye but a curynge of the patientes maladye And if the sycke man begynne a lytle to amende in hys health ye shall see by and by the Phisitian reioyce and wyth more gladnesse doo the rest of hys cure not remembrynge the iniurye he suffered before but procuring the patientes healthe more and more Howe muche more almyghtye GOD when we fall into extreme madnesse of the soule is not moued wyth the affection of vengeaunce for the offences we haue done agaynste hym but is desyrous too heale the olde rotten sores of synne that are corrupted wythin vs for the whyche he saythe and dothe all thynges as onelye tenderynge oure health not delited wyth our payne Such is the goodnes of God towardes man he neuer refuseth penaunce if it be symplye and purelye offered vnto hym Althoughe a man were come to the heyght of synne and yet from thence would returne agayne to the waye of vertue he receyueth hym hee moste fatherlye embraceth hym and dothe all thynges to reuoke hym to his first state agayne and also whyche is greater and more excellent than all thys althoughe a man coulde not fulfyll all the order of satisfaction yet he refuseth not hys penaunce howe small howe shorte so euer it bee done but accepteth the same and suffereth hym not to loose the rewarde of hys conuersion be it neuer so lytle This seemeth Esaias to shewe where he speaketh suche lyke of the people of the Iewes For his sinne I haue a litle made him sadde and haue smytten hym and haue turned my face from him and he is sadde and walketh an heauy manne and I haue healed him and haue comforted him But the wicked kyng Achab geueth vs a more euidente testimony which through his wiues wickednes obteyned the pray of his owne couetousnes but afterward being troubled with the great enormitie of his owne sinne did repent and putting on heare and sacke cloth wepte for his offence prouoked so the mercye of God towardes hym that he pardoned hym of al his sinnes For thus sayde God And God saied to helias Haste thou not seene the contrition of Achab before me And because he hath wepte in my sight I will not bring in these plagues in his dayes Manasses also that passed all other tyrauntes in crueltye of wyckednesse that fylled Goddes temples wyth Idolles that ouerthrewe the seruice of God in true religion and the obseruation of the lawe this man I say excedinge all men in abhomination of sinne yet because he repented he was afterward numbred 〈◊〉 the friendes of god And therefore if eyther thys man or the other we spake of before consideringe the greatnesse of their sinnes had dispaired to come to Gods fauour again by conuersion and penaunce they had lost al these benefites that chaunced to them by their amendement But they castyng their eyes vpon gods vnspeakable mercye the depenesse of his infinite goodnes losed the deuelishe â—heynes of desperation from theyr neckes and lifting vp themselues were coÌ„uerted to the way of vertue Thus much haue we spoken of the examples of holy men Heare now how we are prouoked of god to conuersion by the wordes of the prophetes Euen thys daye sayth Dauid yf ye heare his voyce do
that geue and render good for euyll and be alwayes ready to profyte suche as hurte them The fyrste kynde of menne keepe peace the seconde maynteyne peace and the thyrde make peace and wynne the soules of other and therefore are compted happy and worthy to be called the chyldren of God that do the worke of Gods sonne that after they be recōciled them selues labour with all their power to reconcyle other to their heauenly father Many kyndes of almes there be and workes of mercy both corporall also spiritual But amōg thē al there is neuer one greater than freely euen frō the hart to remit that an other mā hath offended against vs. It is nothynge in a maner to loue hym that loueth vs and doth vs no harme for Infideles and all other men of nature wyll so dooe but to loue our enemies and to will to do good to thē that wyshe and do euyll to vs as muche as they can is the greatest perfection of a christen man And although the number of men for the moste part doth not come to that degree of perfection to loue and do good to their enemies whereunto euery Christen man ought with prayer and diligence to laboure and wrestle with hymselfe to come yet he can not be a good man that will not freely and hartely forgeue his enemy that ceaseth to be his enemy and is sory for that he hath done and humbly asketh hym forgeuenes For his synnes be holden styll and not remytted of God that will not forgeue his penitent neyghbour that he hath done against hym Therfore seyng in many thinges we offend al and the Angels of God be not yet commed that shall take away al offences out of the worlde it is not possible for peace to be kept euerywher in this world and God to bee pleased except hee that in anye thing doeth offend his neyghbour lay away his pride and submit himselfe and he that is offended laye awaye his obstinacie and be content to bee intreated for by these twoo meanes Gods peace shalbe kept without the whiche gods mercye can not be gotten and our offringes can not be accepted But hauing and vsing them rightwisnes peace and ioy in the holy Ghost shall remayne with vs and the kyngdome of God shall be within vs and we daylye in grace and feare shall woorke our owne saluation through Christ our Lorde to whom with the father and the holy ghost be all glory for euermore Amen ⸫ ¶ Of Satisfaction Serm. xxiii HAuynge declared vnto you heretofore good people the first two partes of penaunce whiche be Contrition Cōfession Nowe order requyreth that I shoulde declare at this tyme the thyrd part whiche is Satisfaction And firste of all it is to be knowen that when a Christen man or woman hath by consent of mynde or by worde or deede done any thyng that is deadly sinne thā hath he set him selfe in the state of dampnation is boūden to suffer euerlasting payne in hell because the rewarde or hyer of synne is eternall deathe vnder whiche payne God in the beginnyng and alwayes dydde forbidde sinne Likewise when a synner chaungeth his mynde forsakynge hys synne and taketh true repentaunce for the same and commeth to confession to a Priest if he may confesse and haue a Priest after that sorte and intent as is declared before than almighty God doth mercyfully forgeue him al the paines punishment that he had deserued and shoulde haue had in hell for his offences and setteth the synner agayne in the state of saluation And this doth almyghtye God euermore after the penitentes confession ordinarylye although he take not so muche and so great repentaunce for hys synne as he had pleasure in it nor althoughe he be not so long sory as he lay continued in sinne before For God hath not cōmaunded that synners shall take as muche repentaunce and be as longe sorye for their synnes as they tooke pleasure and continued in theyr synne For if he had done so ▪ the penitent synner could not haue been sure that he had had mercy and forgiuenes after his confession but shoulde rather haue been alwaies in doubt and feare of forgeuenes because he coulde not alwayes certaynly knowe that he had taken so muche and so long repentaunce as he had pleasure and taryed in his synne whiche feare and doubte of forgeuenes no synner commyng vnfeynedly to this sacrament maye haue at any tyme but when so euer a synner dooeth forsake his synnes and taketh repentaunce for it be it litle or muche and so cōmeth to confessiō than he knoweth is in suretie that he hath forgeuenes and is set againe in the state of saluation And although it be true that any quantitie of Contrition is sufficient to haue forgeuenesse of the paynes of hell due for synne yet the more he taketh the better he doeth And this forgeuenes of synne and eternall payne due for synne commeth by the vertue of Christes passion who hath made satisfaction vpon the crosse and redemed vs by his death from all iniquitie and is the sacrifice propiciatorye for the synnes of the holle worlde and hathe borne our synnes in his body vpon the tree by whose woundes we are made safe Therefore this is to bee surelye beleued that onely our Sauiour Christe by his painfull passion vpon the crosse is that satisfaction whiche deserueth remission of our sinnes and the abolyshyng of eternal death and dampnation whiche remission and deliuery no man is able to deserue by any thyng that he can do but onely the goodnes and humanitie of GOD our Sauioure in Christ not by the workes of rightwisnes which we haue done but by his own mercy hath wroughte brought to passe God of his greate mercie to all true penitentes forgeueth synne and yet of his iustice and truthe he leaueth not the sinnes of them whom he forgeueth vnpunished But all synnes of all men and women he punisheth either eternally in hell or temporally for a tyme that as in forgeuing appeareth his mercie so in correcting or auenging myght appeare his iustice For whiche cause consyderynge that God by the merites of Christe forgeueth to all that be truelye penitent and confessed all their synnes and also the paynes of hell due for the same and yet leaueth no synne vnpunyshed although it be remitted we may thereby certeinly know that euery synner although he hath receiued absolution and remission eyther hath suffered or remayneth yet styll bounden to suffer certein temporall payne accordynge to the nature and quantitie of his former faulte for that hee presumed to doe against Gods lawe and brake his promyse and professiō in baptisme And this temporall payne is oure debte whyche we are bounden to paye to God For as we are debters to almyghtie God for his manifolde benefytes bestowed vpon vs and so are bounden alwayes to thanke him to honoure hym and to offer to him the sacrifice of
is not onelye expressed in the wrytinges of the holy Prophetes and in the old lawe of Moyses whyche was the fygure declaryng what ought to be done in the new testament where ryghtwisnes doth and ought more to abound than it did in the Scrybes and Pharisyes and yet in this point concerninge the lyuinge of the ministers it was not a bare ceremonye shadowinge a truthe to come nor yet onelye iudiciall perteyninge onelye to the gouernement of the cyuyle state of that people of the Iewes whiche is nowe dissolued but did instructe men how they should behaue theim selues in that behalfe to God and their neighbour whiche ought to take place be obserued aswel now amonges vs in the newe Testament as amonges them in the old but also is declared to be due to be payed of Christen people nowe in the time of the newe testament by the consente of Christes vniuersall Churche as well by the testimonye of the holye Fathers and the vniuersall custome of the sayde Churche euer since the time that anye Realme was holly conuerted to the fayth of Chryste as by the determinacion of generall counsell The consent and iudgement of whom our Sauioure christ hath taught to be obserued in all doubtes as a sure argumente of the vndoubted truthe and a sure pyller for euerye Christē man to leane vnto And as the withdrawinge or not payinge of this duetie of tythes from God that hathe reserued the same in token of hys vniuersall dominion to thintent men should learne to feare hym at al tymes is verye sacrilege and the contempt of God and his true religion so is it the cause of darth and famyn and many other plages which by Gods iuste iudgemente fall vpon the people therfore lyke as the honouringe of God and hys ministers in this point and the true paymente of the same is the cause that God dothe blysse hys people in sendinge vnto them aboundaunce and plentye in all corporal and spiritual benediction For which cause I shal most hartely require you to consider what I haue saied concerninge your duetie to God and the ministers of hys Churche in louing obeying and honouring thē whiche I speake not for their glory or gayne worldly but for your profyt discharging my selfe in declaring vnto you the wyll and commaundement of God in thys behalfe to thintent ye might auoide his high displeasure for doynge the contrary and on the other side obteyne the aboundaunce of hys grace and blessing like obedient seruauntes and thankful children whom he shall at the last day rewarde with the fruition of his glory throughe the merytes and mercy of his onelye sonne our Sauiour Iesus Christ to whom with the father and the holy ghost be all honour and glorye world without end Amen ¶ Of the Sacrament of Matrimonye and what grace is geuen in it Ser. xxvii AFter that almightye GOD oure Lorde good people had created and made the first man Adam and had placed him in Paradyse he by and by coupled and ioyned vnto him in mariage a woman created of hys owne fleshe and bone wherby appeareth that matrimonye is the elder and more auncyent than al the other Sacramentes and instituted by God hym selfe before the fall of man for good and necessarye causes As for the ayde and comforte of man both in their common lyfe together and also for multiplication of mankynd and the Godlye bringinge vp of theyr children it beinge prepared and ordeyned of almighty God to be a meane and instrument for lawfull generation betwene theym and perpetuall continuaunce of mankynde to the worldes end For whiche purpose almightye God when he had ioyned them in mariage together he blessed them wyth hys holy worde sayinge to them Increase you and be you multiplyed and fulfyll the earth Furthermore almyghtye GOD to whome nothing is vnknowen but al thinges both past present and to come be presētly before his eyes foreseinge that man woulde be deceyued by the crafte of the Deuyll and fall from that rightewisenes whiche he had created him in and that as he woulde by his owne free wyl disobey God his superiour so hys fleshe and carnall desyre should by Gods iust iudgement likewyse disobey him therfore he ordeined Matrimony that as it should be to man and woman before their fall a meane of that generation and multiplyeng of Gods people so it should be also after their fal a remedye to excuse the vnlawfull desyre of theyr sinful fleshe Last of all almightie God foreseinge the bondage and damnation of mankynde for hys dysobedience to God and of his infynite mercye purposing to redeme mankynd againe from the said bondage and damnation by sendinge hys onelye begotten sonne to be made man and in our flesh to regenerate vs and to restore vs to be the louinge children of God againe therfore to teache vs this his good wyll purpose that we should by faith continually knowe his godlye counsell concerninge our redemption and regeneratyon he ordeined and instituted this lawfull cōiunction of man and woman in Matrimonye to be a signe or Sacrament of the mariage betwene his onelye sonne the lambe of God oure Sauioure Christ and his spouse the holy Churche Wherof Saint Paule wrote to the Ephesyanes sayinge thus For this cause a man shall forsake hys Father and mother and cleaue vnto hys wyfe and they shall be two in one fleshe For this Sacrament is great I say in Christ and in the church and for the better vnderstandinge of this thing ye maye consider that GOD in the beginninge made twoo merueylous coniunctyons in man One betwene the soule of manne and his fleshe and thys coniunctyon is naturall the other betwene manne and woman in maryage and thys coniunction is voluntarye and Sacramentall euen so there bee twoo merueilous cōiunctyons betwene Chryste and the nature of man the one lyke the coniunction betwene mannes soule and hys fleshe which is when the worde was made fleshe that is to say when Gods sonne in his incarnation dyd ioyne oure mortall nature to hys Godly nature in vnitie of persone The other is lyke the coniunctyon betwene manne and wyfe whyche is made by voluntarye loue betwene Christ and his Church that is to saye that companye or congregation of all Christen people redemed sanctifyed and nouryshed by Chrystes precious bloude And of thys coniunction Matrymonye is an holye Sacrament For as by the vse of Matrymony are borne and broughte forthe into the world naturall children so by the vertue of thys maryage betwene Christ and his spouse the Churche are daylye begotten to GOD spyrytuall chyldren And as GOD made vnto Adam oure forefather a wyfe of a rybbe taken oute of hys syde when he was cast into a slepe euen so by the bloud and water that ranne foorth of Chrystes syde when he sleped by death vpon the crosse was the Church of Christ maried vnto hym and made his spouse to cleaue vnto him as one fleshe