A PotacioÌ„ or driÌ„kynge for this holi time ofleÌ„t very coÌ„fortable for all penitent synners newly prepared by Theodore Basille ¶ Iohn 7 If ony man thyrsteth let hiÌ„ come to me dryncke The pryncypall Contentes of thys Boke i. OF Penaunce ii Of Contricion CoÌ„fession Satisfaccion or amendement of lyfe iii. Of fastynge iiii Of certayne Ceremonies vsed in y â— Chyrche this tyme of Lente what they sygnifye v. And informacion howe we ought to prepare our selues for to receiue worthely at the tyme of Easter y e moost blessed Sacrament of the 〈◊〉 ¶ Luke xiii ¶ Excepte ye repent amend your lyfe vndoubtâ—…dly ye shall perysh all To the ryght honorable syr Thomas Neuel knyght Theodore Basille wysshethe loÌ„ge lyfe coÌ„tynuall helth and prosperous felicite I Haue not forgotten w t howe gentle thanckefull mynde as I maye passe ouer y e sigulerbene ficeÌ„ce graÌ„dliberalyte which at that time ye shewed to me your ryght honorable mastership did receyue y â— Christmasse BaÌ„cket which nowe of late I dedycated vnto your name chefely whan you had diligeÌ„tly compared it with the moost holye worde of God the towch stone of all doctryne to trye the adulteryne fay ned false froÌ„ the syncere germayne true learnyng perceyued that it dyd not onlye agree wyth the moost sacred Scryptures but also wythe the teachynge of the auncient Doctors of the holy churche whome you haue as all meÌ„ ought in great admiracion with whose authoryties it is opuâ—…ently fortressed Uerely for the probacion of that my worke comparynge it with the trueth of Christ the doctryne of the holy learned Doctors I can none otherwyse but hyghly coÌ„mende prayse auaunce magnifye the industrye laboure of your righte honorable maystershyp whiche so prudently proue all kynde of doctryne with the true infallyble towchstone of gods moost blessed word For in thus doynge you shew youre selfe not to be ledde wyth ony blynde or perciall affecte but wyth an vpright high indiffereÌ„cy much alienated estraunged from the maÌ„ ners of diuers men at this tyme amonge whome some as folyshe symple receyue all kynde of doctryne w toute ony probacion or triall some agayne contrarye to the dexteryte of Christen iudgemente lyke frantyke parsons do temeraryously rashly w tout ony aduysement condemne a thynge before they haue iustlye examyned it by the holy Scryptures S. Paule saythe Quenche not the spyryte Despyse not Prophesyes Proue and examyne all thynges that whiche is good holde S. IohnÌ„ also saythe derelye beloued beleue not euery spiryte but proue the spy rytes whyther they are of God or not Hereto pertayneth the sayenge of Christ search ye the Scriptures Dauid also saythe Blessed are they that searche the testymonyes of the LORDE Here are al ChristeÌ„ men com mauÌ„ded not furyously streight way es to condemne what so euer lyketh them not at the fyrst aspecte blush but to search the scriptures by theÌ„ to proue whither they be true or not Luke declarethe in the Actes of the Apostles that whan Paule Sylas preached to certayne meÌ„ at Barrea they that hearde them receyued the worde gladlye yet not withstondynge they searched the scryptures dayely tryed by them whyther it was so or not as they preached So becommeth it all meÌ„ to do not rashe ly to admyte receyue nor yet furyously to coÌ„demne euery thynge at y â— fyrste syghte but as Paule sayth to proue all thynges to chose holde that which is beste Chynges muste be proued by the Scryptures not by the spiryte of pryde contencion despyte contumacy If meÌ„ would do this there shoulde not be so great diuision in the chyrche of Chryst as there is nowe a dayes Christ Chri stes trueth is only learned of the ho ly scryptures They that teache ony other thynges than the scryptures tech not Christ but humayne inueÌ„cioÌ„s Neither ought ony thyng as a necessarye trueth to be beleued vnder payne of damnacion for to be admytted in the chyrche of Chryste except it may be establysshed by the holy scrypture pure word of God For y e righteousnes of god is proued saith s. Paule by y e testymony wyt nes of the lawe Prophetes Agayn he sayth Yf we our selues or an AuÌ„gel from heauen do preach vnto you ony other Gospell thaÌ„ that we haue preached vnto you hold it accursed As I sayde before so saye I nowe agayne yf any man shall preach vnto you ony other gospell than y t which ye haue receyued holde it accursed Hereto agreeth Origene it is nedefull for vs sayth he to caull the holy scriptures into wytnes For our iudgementes exposicioÌ„s wythout these wytnesses haue no fayth Also S. Ierome that we affyrme muste be establysshed approued with the testimonies of the holye scryptures in the which God speaketh dayly to theÌ„ y t beleue IteÌ„ Cyrillus Christ alone is to be followed as a mayster to hiÌ„ alone ought we to cleue They that brynge ony other thynge besydes the doctryne teachynge of the Apostles sayth Theophilact Paule playnly sayth y t slauÌ„ders y t is to say heresies disseÌ„cioÌ„s are brought in of them Do not these thynges declare howe colde vayne all thynges are that fyght wyth the worde of God and haue not theyr foundacions of the moost holy scryptures Certes as towechynge my lucubracions and workes which I haue hytherto made or shall by the helpe of God here after make I submytte them all with moost submission and humilite of mynde to y e syncere iuge meÌ„tes of them that are ghostly learned taughte of GOD in Christes chyrche to be iudged tryed and examined by the infallible verite of god des worde Yf the holy Scriptures shal approue allow theÌ„ I moost huÌ„ bly besech all men thaÌ„ckefully to accepte them to gyue all the glorye prayse vnto God If they shall seme to fyght dissent wyth the worde of God holde them accursed as Paule sayth so do in lyke manner y e workes of all other that consente not w t the Euangelyke veritie But yf the worde of God testifieth and beareth witnes of them receyue theÌ„ gyue God thanckes which so plenteously worketh in his seruauntes for y e edificacion of his chyrche Moreouer this your diligeÌ„t sear chynge comparynge of my Bancket with the holy scriptures and the auncient Doctors dydde so greatly please me y t syns y t tyme I thoughte not vnsyttynge to prepare a Potaci on for this holye tyme of Lente to dedycate that also vnto your name Which thinge I haue done yea and that in all poyntes accordynge to y â— verite of Gods worde the mynd of the moost auncient and best learned Doctors Who so euer shall vouchâ—… safe to be present at this Potacion with a gredy appetite to taste of it certes
yeare therfore am I nowe determined to talke somewhat with you in this matter This thynge once done I wyll teach you the true Christen faste that youre fast maye be pleasaunt to God profitable to youre soules helthe After warde I wyll declare vnto you the significacion of certayne ceremonyes that be vsed in the Chyrche thys tyme of Lent Last of al I wyl shew you howe ye shall prepare youre selues to receyue worthely at the tyme of Easter the moost blessed Sacrament of 〈◊〉 â—…e Christes very body bloud For as all these thynges are godly so are they very necessary to be knowen of all Christen menne Which thynge moued me to call you hyther at this tyme y t you hauynge knowledge of them maye the more godly behaue your selues this holye tyme of Lent both before God maÌ„ CHRI This your beneficence towardes vs vndoubtedly procedeth from an harte stuffed with true ChristeÌ„ charyte seyng that ye desyre no lesse the saluacion of oure soules than of your owne PHIL. That affecte and mynde ought to be in euery christen man that was in Christ Iesus God forbydde therfore that I or ony maÌ„ shoulde hyde vp the talent ground whiche God hathe gyuen vs but rather employe it to the vtilitie profyt of other Therfore whyle I lyue shal I be redy at al tymes by y e helpe of GOD gladly to impart to other what so euer God hath vouched safe to gyue to me eyther in goodes spirituall or corporall But I pray you marke dilygentely for nowe begynneth our PotacioÌ„ CHRI Our LORD GOD mought gyue vs vnderstandynge in all thynges and so at this tyme watch vpon his worde that it maye not returne agayne in vayne but prosper bryng forth fruyte in vs rytchly to the glory of his name the consolacion of all oure soules EVSE Amen THEO LORDE let it so come to passe ¶ Of Penaunce and the partes of it PHILEMON THis Latin worde Peni tentia called in y e Greke toÌ„ge metanonia which some turne RepeÌ„tasice some Penaunce is as Chrisostome sayth not only to cease from the olde euelles but also to followe better offices For it is sayde Declyne from euell do good Neyther is it ynoughe for vs vnto helth sayth he only to haue plucked out the shafte except we also lay medicines to the wounde Of these wordes of the holy Doc tor S. Iohn Chrysostome is it euydente who trulye repentethe and who not If not onlye a cessasion froÌ„ the sinne but also a diligent exercise of the vertue followeth the PenaÌ„ce than is it true vnfayned But yf there be proued a coÌ„tynuaÌ„ce 〈◊〉 y â— syn and no correccion or amendment of lyfe thaÌ„ is it manifest that such one had neuer no true repeÌ„tance in his herte For S. Austen sayth what other thynge is it to repente or to do Penaunce than to be sorye for the synnes paste from henseforthe to abstayne from those thynges which he hath coÌ„mytted Agayne he sayth the fruyte worthy of penaunce is to lament the synnes beynge past and not to do theÌ„ agayne as it is writteÌ„ caste not synne vpon synne Be ye wasshed sayth y e LORDE by the Prophet Esaye be ye cleane He therfore is wasshed and is cleane which both lamenteth the thynges paste doth not coÌ„myt agayne those thynges that are worthye to be lameÌ„ted Paule descrybeth the true PenauÌ„ce in these wordes Put of saith he the olde man with his actes put ye on the newe man Here he appoyntethe vs not onlye to put of the olde man but also to putte on the newe man Agayne he sayth fasshyon not your selues lyke vnto the manner of this worlde but be ye chaundged by the renuynge of youre mynde wherby we are made a newe creature walking in the newnes of life Doth not our Baptysme also preach vnto vs this thynge We are buryed togyther saythe Paule with Christe by Baptisme vnto deth that as Christ is rysen agayne from the dead so we lykewyse shoulde walke in the newenes of lyfe Thus haue we learned both by y â— holy scryptures the auÌ„cient Doctors what the true penaunce is CRHI We haue learned of these your wordes that to do trulye penaunce is not only to abstayne froÌ„ y e synne but also to amplecte enhalse y e ver tue contrary to the synne PHIL. Ye saye trueth And this is it that the Prophet sayth cease to do euell and learne to do well EVSE So farre as I remember ye taught vs the very same or els not much vnlyke iÌ„ your Christmasse Banckette THEO Yea forsothe in the thyrde dyshe PHIL. It is trueth that ye all saye Therfore nede I nowe to make the fewer wordes concernynge this matter if ye retayne those thinges in your me mory which at that tyme I taught you CHRI We remember all those thinges wel PHIL. I am very glad But this must ye note in youre Penaunce that it oughte rather to be done for the loue of vertue than for the hate detestacion of vyce as the Psalmographe sayth thou haste loued ryghteousnes hated vnryghteousnes Here ye se that the loue of ryghteousnes goethe before the hatred of vnrighteousnes The scrip ture saith of Mary Magdalene ma ny synnes are forgyuen her bycause she loued muche The loue that she had to chastitie and purenes of lyfe made her to abhorre vtterlye despyse all vnclennes whiche before she had vsed Therfore was y e great mul titude of her synnes remytted forgyuen her A christen mannes herte ought so to be enflamed with y e loue of vertu that euen for the only loue of that he shoulde vtterlye deteste abhorre all vyce noughtynes as the Poet sayth Oderunt peccare boni uirtutis a more Oderunt peccare mali formidine penâ—… That is to saye they that are good hate syn for the loue that they haue to vertue But they that are euell hate synne for feare of payne And S. AusteÌ„ sayth Euery man hateth synne so muche as he loueth ryghteousnes Agayne He is an enemye of ryghteousnes whiche synne the not for feare of payne But he shall be a frend yf he synneth not for the loue of it Hereto pertayneth the sayenge of S. Ambrose it is no true PenaÌ„ce saythe he excepte feare doth succede come after loue And not of feare but of the loue of ryghteousnesse begynneth the Penaunce of the intencion feruentnes of loue dothe the more feruente hate of synne followe EVSE Seynge than that it is necessary fyrst intierly to loue vertu before we can vnfaynedlye hate the vyce I besech the Author of al good nes to engraffe in vs this loue that we enhalsynge vertue maye y e more easely eschew vyce CHRI Me thinke it is an hard thynge for a maÌ„ to loue vertu so that for the loue of that on
whyle y e moost confortable wordes of Absolucion are rehersed vnto him by the prest EVSE I praye you what is that ab solucion PHIL. Uerely a free deliue rauuce from all youre synnes thorow Christes bloud How saye you is here any thynge to be condēned in Auriculare Confession CHRI No verely alll thinges y t you haue rehearsed are rather worthy hygh prayse commendacion PHIL. It is atributed giuen vs euen of na ture to cōmunicate vnto other the secretes of our hertes concerninge mūdane woridly thīges whither they be of ioye or sadnesse and tyll we haue so done we are neuer ī rest EVSE You saye trueth PHIL. Whye shoulde we than not be redye to do so likewyse in spirituall affayres thinges pertaynynge vnto the saluacion of our soules excepte per ad uēture we be enemies of our owne helth What is sweter more pleasaunt saythe Cicero than to haue such one with whome thou darest be bold so to speake al thīges as w t thy selfe A man hauyng a learned wyse descrete silent close faythe full ghostly father which louethe y e penitent no lesse than a natural fa ther doth his childe why should he feare to declare vnto him the secretes of hts herte which is redy to cō forte to instructe to counsayle to tech and to do all thinges y t should make vnto his cōsolacion helth The Prophet Malachy sayth the lyppes of a preste kepe knoweledge and men shall seake the lawe at his mouthe For he is a messanger of y e LORDE of hoostes If this ought to be done at all tymes whan haue we a more cōueniēt fit tyme to do it than in the tyme of Confession whan we maye freely talke to our spirituall fathers what soeuer ple seth vs EVSE It is trueth that ye saye But what if such a ghostly fa ther doth not chastse as ye haue dis cribed hertofore PHIL. Uerely ye ought alwaye to resorte to the best learned mē to seke for suche ghost ly fathers as both wyll and can in structe and teache you the lawe of God But let it so be that your Cu rate be not of y e gretest learned mē yet is he to muche simple yf he can bringe oute of his treasurehouse thinges neyther newe nor olde seinge that the holy scriptures are so plenteously sette forth in oure Englysh tonge that euen y e very ydiot maye nowe become learned in the kyngdom of God At the leest this commoditie shall ye enioye at hys hande euen the benefyte of Absolucion Therfore to make fewe wor des concernynge this matter disdayne ye not to go to confession at the tymes appoynted accordynge to the ordinaunce of y e holy chyrch and the Acte of our moost excellent kinge yea and that with all hūble reuerence Declare the diseases of your soules vnfaynedly that ye maye be healed with y e moost swete and confortable salue of Absoluciō Followe the godly wholesome ad monicions of youre ghostly father Go vnto him wyth such an hatred detestacion of synne that ye may returne from hym wyth hertes all togither enflamed with the perfyt loue of vertu innocēcy true godlynes beyng full fixed neuer to returne vnto youre olde vomyte and wallowynge in the myre And whā he shal rehearse vnto you the moost swete confortable wordes of Absolucion gyue earnest faythe vnto them beynge vndoutedly perswaded that your synnes at y t tyme be assuredly forgyuen you as though God him selfe had spoken them accordynge to this sayenge of Christ He that heareth you heareth me Agayne Whose sinnes ye forgyue are forgiuen them This haue I spoken concerning Auriculare confession THEO Uery godly forsothe EVSE What remayneth nowe CHRI Ye promised con sequently to entreate of Satisfaccion or amendement of lyfe PHIL. Ye saye trueth Of that mat ter therfore wyll I now intreate ¶ Of Satisfaccion or amēd ment of lyfe AS towchīg this word Satisfaccion whiche hath so longe bene retayned in the Chyrche of Christ we must gra unt beleue vndoubtedly y ◠christ alone is the omnisufficiēt satysfaccion for all oure synnes vnto God the father by the sprynkelyng and effusiō of his moost precious bloud which abydeth lasteth for euer so perfect that he is able at all times to saue them that are sanctified w t that one omnisufficient oblaciō Sacrifice of his moost blessed body on the Altare of the Crosse and that not onlye from the faute but also from the payne due and belon gynge vnto the faute Behold that lambe of God sayth S Iohn Bap tist which taketh awaye the synne of the worlde S. Iohn the Euangeliographe sayth also The bloud of Iesus Christ Gods owne sonne makethe vs cleane from all synne Agayne yf any mā synne we haue an aduocate wyth God the father Iesus Christ that ryghteous one And he is the satisfaccion for oure synnes not for our sīnes only but also for all the whole worlde By y ◠death of Christe are we reconcyled to the father Christ is our wisdom sanctificacion ryghteousnes redemcion Christe is oure peace By the bloud of Christ haue we remission of oure synnes By Christ are all thynges recōcyled to God and by Christes bloude are all thynges pacifyed set at a stay both in heauen in earth Christe was broken for oure synnes Christe bare oure synnes on his body vpon the tree by whose stripes we are made hole Oure synnes are forgyuen vs for Christes name All the Prophetes beare wytnesse that thorowe the name of Christ euery one that bele ueth on him shall receyue remissiō of his sines Thus se we that there is no satisfacciō perfecte sufficiēt to God the father for oure synnes but only the death of Christ so that we maye well say with the Apostle God forbyd y t we should reioyse in ony thyng but in the death of our LORDE Iesus Christe Who so euer repenteth him of his synnes from the very herte is sorye for thē lamenteth his miserye hongreth for strength to do y e wyl of God know ledgeth his offenses labourethe w t all mayne to walke in a newe lyfe nedeth not to doubte but y ◠Christ by his death hath abūdantly satisfyed to God the father for his synnes CHRI Is ther no more behind concernynge satisfaccion PHIL. Yies verelye After ye haue repented you of your wickednes ye must thā amend your lyfe bryng forth fruytes worthy of Penaūce as the scripture commaundeth Ye muste practyse in your lyuyng all godlynesse innocency Factynge prayer and almes must dilygently be exer cysed of you in your dayly conuersaciō Ye must go frō vertue to ver tue frō faith to faith As ye haue walked before in darknes so must ye walke now in light Your whole lyfe must nowe be nothing els thā a perfecte meditaciō of purite and innocencye Excepte ye
Images are parte are either layd asyde or els couered to put vs in remembrauÌ„ce y t we ought nowe to lament mourne for our soules dead in sinne continually to watche praye fast gyue almes do such other workes of Penasice as wherwith God beyng excited stored vnto his antique olde mer cies may call vs agayne froÌ„ death to lyfe from synne to godlynes froÌ„ wickednes to innocencye CHRI I haue hearde also that Images in y e TeÌ„ple are couered for this purpose in y e time of LeÌ„t to put vs in remeÌ„ braunce that although we haue in ony parte of the yeare paste coÌ„mytted Idolatry with theÌ„ yet at this tyme we shoulde vtterly gyue ouer this abhominacion only cleue to God to his exceding great mercy lokyng for remission of our synnes al other good thinges at his hand alone thorowe Iesus Christe oure LORDE In consideracion wherof y â— clothes that are hanged vp thys tyme of Lente in the Chyrche haue paynted in them nothynge els but the paynes tormeÌ„tes passioÌ„ bloud sheddynge death of Christ y t now we shoulde only haue oure myndes fyred on the passion of Christe by whome only we were redemed and althoughe we haue erred runne astray lyke shepe destitute of a shep parde all the longe yeare paste yet that now this holy tyme we should returne withe humble contryte myndes vnto Christe the bysshop curate of our soules PHIL. It may be so ryght well The significacion vndoubtedly that ye haue now rehearsed is very godly Well thus haue I declared vnto you that I haue red concernyng the couering of Images in Lente THEO We thancke you for it Let me se what other Ceremonies are vsed in the Chyrche this tyme of Lent EVSE Ther are diuers other but I pray you neyghbour Philemon declare vnto vs what the Ceremonies sig nify which are vsed in the Procession of Palme sondaye For surely I thyncke not one amonge a thousand knowe what y e ProcessioÌ„ prea che the vnto vs. PHIL. I thyncke ye saye trueth in dede therfore is it so lytle regarded nowe a dayes amonge many whan notwithstandynge it preachethe vnto vs many godly goodly lessoÌ„s yf they were knowen Therfore yf ye wyl marke diligently I wyll to the vttermost of my power declare to you partly myne owne coniecture par telye what I haue read lerned of y e auÌ„cieÌ„t wryters iÌ„ tymes past coÌ„cerniÌ„g this matter CHRI I praye you let it so be We wyll heare you gladly ¶ Of y e Ceremonies y e are vsed in y â— ProcessioÌ„ of Palme sondaye what they signifye PHILEMON IN the begynnynge of the Procession the people goethe oute ha uynge euery one a Palme in theyr hand followynge the Crosse which is couered with a clothe EVSE Ve say trueth but what doth it mene That the Crosse is caried forth beynge couered with a clothe rather then with an open face PHIL. The Crosse so velated couered signifieth Christ the sonne of God which beynge promised of the Fathher to the Iewes in the olde lawe was not than come but only adumbrated shadowed prefigured by certayne types figures Ceremonies cloudes shadowes as by Manna the Rocke the Paschall Lambe y â— brasen serpent c. All these prefigu red Christ to come In consideraci on wherof that Crosse is borne enclosed THEO We perceyue nowe y e right well But what do those people signify which go with y e crosse PHIL. Uerely the fathers of y â— olde Testament which lyued longe before the commynge of Christ being vnder the cloudes shadowes of y â— olde lawe EVSE For what intente do they beare Palmes in theyr haÌ„des PHIL. Forsothe to signifye the victorye that they haue gotten by Christ. CHRI why I pray you how could they get any victory by christ whan he was not yet borne PHIL. Yies forsoth brother Christopher For although Christ at that tyme was not come in the fleshe borne of the moost glorious virgyn Mary yet dyd they beleue vndoubtedly were perfectly persuaded that he should come that they shoulde be redemed by his passion that he shoulde paye theyr dettes to God y â— father euen with his moost precyous bloud delyuer them out of cap tiuite make them pertakers of y e glory of heaueÌ„ And although they dyd not se Christ with theyr corporall eies yet dyd they se hym withe theyr spirituall eyes that is to say w t y â— eyes of theyr faith yea beleue wythouteony hesitacion or doubtynge as Christ sayde of Abraham to the Iewes Abraham youre father dyd reioyse that he myghte se my daye and he sawe it and was gladde This is to be vnderstonde y t AbrahaÌ„ dyd se Christ with y â— eyes of hys faythe which is y â— very true perfecte sight EVSE So farre as I remember I haue red this texte in the Scripture blessed are the ey es that se those thinges which you se. For I saye vnto you that many Prophetes kynges woulde haue sene those thynges that ye se yet haue they not sene them and heare those thynges which ye heare and yet haue they not hearde them PHIL. Ye saye trueth This is vnderstonded of the corporallsyght of Christ. They desyred so greatly the redempcion of Israell y t they euermore wyshed the coÌ„myng of Christ in the flesshe as we maye perceyue in the Prophette Esaye where we read these wordes Sende forth O LORDE that lambe the ruler of the earth oute of the rocke of y e deserte vnto the mount of the doughter of Syon Agayne woulde God thou wouldest clyue asunder the heueÌ„s and come downe They desyred in dede very greatly to se Christ with theyr corporall eyes but yet dydde they se him none otherwyse thaÌ„ w t the eyes of theyr fayth in asmuche as he was not tâ—…an borne but only promised of God the father and shadowed by diuers ceremonies of the olde lawe For as saynte Paule sayth all oure fathers were vnder a clowde Therfore in asmuche as they dyd faythfully beleue iÌ„ Christ and hope to be saued by his mooste blessed passion althoughe they dyd not se hym with theyr corporal ey es yet was he vnto them a Sauyour a redemer a perfecte satisfaccion so that by hym they euen at y e tyme had gotten the victorye ouer synne death and hell THEO But I pray you why do they rather beare a Palme in theyr handes than any other thynge PHIL. I wyll tel you neighbours that which they beare in dede in theyr handes is not pro perly called a Palme for they are the bowes of a Salow tree but by cause we haue no Palmes growiÌ„g in this londe therfore do we beare them in stede of Palmes By bearynge of those Palmes the victory that we haue gotten ouer Satan thorowe Christ is signifyed CHRI Why rather by