is that thou mayest learne to see the dangers of thyne owne deseruings by the lawe of God and to finde and take the right way to gods sauing helth welth kingdome by faith in Christe For euen as God did once driue his people out of Egipt by many greeuous euils to be allured towardes the holy land by moste comfortable promises so dothe hee nowe by many dangers driue thèe from the wickednesse and vengeance in this worlde to be called and guyded by grace vntoo all godly comfort and commodities in Chryste iesu Amen So be it At Geneua 1556. ¶ A Treatise of the way from daunger of Sinne and vengeance in this wicked world vnto godlie wealth and saluation in Christe Chapter I. This time filleth the worlde full of daungerous euils too driue men from the worlde and most comfortably offereth the beste way too allure them vnto Chryst. THE Lord bée mercifull vnto vs and blesse vs shewe the light of his countenance on vs so that we may know and kéepe his way vpō erth with speedy passage intoheauen For nowe doth sinfull wretchednesse diuelishe darkenesse and daungerous vengeance ouerflow the face of the whole erth to driue them from desire and loue of earthlie things Nowe is the way the truthe and the life prouided of God and profered vnto men to allure guide bring them through all earthly daungers vnto heauenly ioyes Nowe bee the euill dayes and perillous times and nowe is the day of saluation the acceptable time For euen nowe God calleth most earnestly vnto men seeing them in greatest dangers offring them his exceeding mercies saying Come vnto me all ye that trauayle and be burdened and I shall ease and refresh you Come nowe when as I do call walke nowe while yée haue light Now is the world worthily condemned to bée vtterly destroyed bycause that lighte is come into the worlde men louing worldly darkenesse more than godly light doe refuse gods mercies and prouoke Gods vengeance Nowe is suche calling and crying to enter with Chryst the bridegrome into the chamber of comfort as thretneth the shortly shutting vp of the gates of grace against al them which will not come when as they bée called but tarrie to take their partes and portions with hypocrites in outwarde darkenesse which is for the Diuell and his angels prouided Nowe the prince of darkenesse knowing his time to bée shorte ▪ doeth moste furiously rage to destroy man and God therfore seing man in greatest danger and necessitie doth nowe most euidently offer his sauing health vnto man in the face of Iesus Chryste his sonne Not in the face of Chrysts bodie which is falsly fygured in colours caruings but in the face of Chrystes conuersation and doctrine whiche is so truely and clearly reuealed in holie Scriptures that it can not be couered and hid frō any mā but alonly frō them whose faithlesse vnderstanding the prince of this worlde hathe so blinded that they can not nor will not beholde the cleere light of the Gospell of the glorie of Christe most comfortably shining vnto the saluation of man For the gracious goodnesse of God dothe appeare in al his words and works howbeit towards man sufficiently vnto saluation it can no otherwise be séene and perceiued but by the light of the gospel shewing the face of Christe God and man the fauour and grace of God towards man in the déedes and doctrine of Christ Iesu whiche is the way the life and the truth which is by the gospell so shewed and set forth before al men as maketh most to the shamefull confusion and vtter perdition of them that wil refuse it and to the exceeding comforte assured saluation of them that do receiue it For the same sorte of sins which caused sundrie plages in sundry places afore times bée altogether fully flowing into this wicked worlde at this time and the same saluation that was promised vntoo the fathers witnessed by the lawe and the Prophetes signifyed by sacrifices sealed by sacraments and shadowed in ceremonies afore time is nowe playnly and plentifully by the light of the Gospell through power of gods spirit presented and profered vnto vs in this time Therefore to escape from vnder many daungers and to come vnto great comforte to walke in the way of saluatiō promised vnto the fathers and perfourmed vntoo vs shadowed in the lawe and reuealed in the Gospell a man must not sléep in slouthfulnesse vnder dangers nor trust and stay in the signes and shadowes of sacrifices and ceremonies nor in the letter of the lawe nor in the persons of Prophets and preachers but vse al these things as meanes to make him mindfull of Chryst only in whome by fayth man may euer finde and obtayne mercie and grace help comfort plētifully For be that feleth by fayth howe that the Father hathe giuen Christ his déere sonne to die for mā he shal finde by experience howe that God hathe made and doth guide and giue all creatures as is best for the necessitie commoditie of man And as the wonderfull wisedome of god doth neuer make any prouisiō but such as is necessarie so the great mercifull goodnesse of God doeth euer prouide sufficiente succour for all them that be in danger of extremitie Therfore God hath nowe sent the light of the gospell so clearly and openly abolishing sinne shadowes and figures as is sufficient to put away any manner of darknesse as shoulde not haue bene necessarie if god had not foreséen vs to haue now come vnder many moe greater dangers at this our time thā other men did in their times CHAP. II. The light of the Gospell sheweth comfortable commodities in all things THERE is but one way of saluation in Chryst onely and that hath euer béen at diuers times diuersly reuealed as God hath forseene to bée moste expedient and necessary And this saluation can not be gotten by mans workes in kéeping of the lawe but it is fréely giuen by Gods grace to the beleuers of the Gospell The righteousnesse of the lawe of God is so heauie a yoake by reason of the infirmitie of mans flesh as no man is able too beare the glad tidings of the gospell of Christ by reason of the grace of god be so cléere and comfortable vnto the faythfull as causeth all things to bée vnto them pleasant and profitable So Abraham hearing and beléeuing the promise in his séed which was the glad tydings in Chryst to come felt no losse nor lacke neyther of his natiue countrie kinred from whence hée was called neither of bis deare sonne which was commaunded to be sacrifised but had great abundance of all riches with a sure promise of blessed succession and large landes of possession and was by imputation of righteousnesse taken and named to be the friende of God and the father of the faythful So Adam whiche did not by any abilitie of free will perfitly obey Gods commaundement to continue in the pleasures of Paradise did
likenesse truely in deed shalt not make vnto thy selfe shalt not deuise or abuse by the inuention and fantasie of man falsely framing in imagination any grauen image nor the likenesse of any thing any resemblaunce of creatures counterfayted through caruings or coloures in any matter place or time Thou shalt not bowe downe to them nor worship them thou being the liuely image of god created by gods wisdome vnto gods glorie shalt not submit thy self to honor or reuerence counterfeted creatures carued or coloured by the craft of man to satisfie the foolish fantasie of man vnder pretence or purpose to honor God in preferring the deuise of man vnto the wisdome of God a counterfeted resembling of a corruptible creature vnto the liuely image of the eternall god For I the Lorde thy God the maker and louer of all things truely created and made specially of thée o man as most like vnto me best beloued of me am a gelous God am greeuously offended when my beautiful image and amiable creatures bée shamfully abused by thy fowle fashioned fantasies For albeit in thy own conceit thine own work séemeth faire vnto thée yet in deed truth afore my face far fowler is that fashion of an eie which is without all sight than that which is much bleared and likewise that forme or figure of face and body which hath no life no féeling nor no sense is far fowler and worsse thā that which is full of al sicknesse sores Thy idols which haue eyes and sée not eares and heare not be nothing like vnto my creatures which séem as they be and be as they séem in forme and substance true and perfit Therefore I visit the synne I reuēge and punish the sinne of the fathers vpon the children proceding from the elders in their successors vnto the thirde and fourth generation of them that hate mee when as the elders deuise and giue and their successors take and followe occasion and ensample of sinne against mée especially when as they so disdayne mine honor abuse mine image and corrupt my creature as proueth plainly that they hate mee deserue that I shuld so punish them and shewe mercie in thousands and bestowe my mercy in forgiuing the faults and bearing with the infirmities of very many in long succession of them that loue mee liking and allowing in their heartes all my workes better than any of their owne deuises and kepe my commandementes alwayes readie and willing to do or not to do any thing as they be taught bidden of me Wherfore O mortall man sayth the eternall God concerning imagerie in the which is more noysome poison of counterfet corruption than auaileable profit of true representation of my good creatures purely and plentifully made and placed euery where by mée vnto my honour and glorie and vnto thy comforte and commodity if thou do loue and not hate me if thou wouldest escape vengeaunce and purchase mercie of mée take heede and beware that thou do not follow any subtile reason craftie inuention or common custome contrarie vnto this my commaundement Thou shalt not take the name of the Lorde thy God in vaine For the Lorde will not holde him giltlesse that taketh his name in vaine O man lacking light and void of knowledge the Lord thy God that can be resembled by nothing nor named by anie word according vnto the worthinesse of his glorious maiestie and yet wil by many words and works notifie himselfe vnto thée as is for thy capacitie and commoditie hée commaundeth and teacheth thee with suche reuerent diligence to hearken vnto his woord and regarde his workes and such his ordinarie meanes as may make continue and increase in thée vnfayned feare and loue of him by true knowledge and remembrance of him Wherefore Thou shalt not take in vaine without increase of honour vnto him and comforte vnto thée his name in anie of his wordes or workes especially his holy Scriptures and godlie saccraments For the Lorde God which by his woordes and woorkes doth declare and witnesse sufficiently vnto a ll men anye truthe wil not holde him giltelesse will not iudge him out of fault or suffer him escape vnplagued that taketh his name in vaine that taketh and abuseth his holy worde good creature or blessed ordinaunce to couer or confirme any lies and vanities or else refuseth and neglecteth the same as not necessarie and sufficient to teache trie and wytnesse any godlie truthe and veritie so as is most vnto Gods honor and glorie and best for mans comforte ▪ and commoditie Therfore O man being of thy selfe a shameful lier and yet by Gods grace called and ordayned vnto the knowledge and witnesse of God and of his truth vnto his glorie and thy comforte with dreade loue and reuerence to bring and keepe the knowledge of God and his truthe amongst men thou shalt search in the holy scriptures desire of god in faithfull prayers and declare and witnesse in time expedient the truthe of God in the name of god For vpon all such as béeleue blinde prophecies or arrogant Astronomers that call vpon Diuels in coniuring or that abuse the name of GOD in swearing or that fearing to professe the truthe haue hope in dissembling and lying will God bée reuenged when as they by strong illusion wrought by the subtiltie of Sathan bée woonderously deceyued too bée worthily plagued and damned bicause they would not receiue the loue of the truth that they might bée saued Remember that thou kepe holy the Sabbothe daye sixe dayes shalt thou labour and do all that thou hast too do but the seauenth is the sabboth of the Lorde thy god In it thou shalt do no manner of worke thou and thy sonne and thy daughter and thy man-seruant and thy mayde seruant and thy cattell and the stranger that is within thy gates For in syxe-dayes the Lorde made heauen and earth the sea and all that in them is and rested the seauenth day wherfore the Lorde blessed the seauenth daye and hallowed it O man bannished out of pleasaunt Paradise for thy sinne vnto painfull penance vpon earth to eate there thy breade in the sweate of thy face all the dayes of thy life and yet by the grace of God hauing prouided and graunted vnto thée for release and reléefe a holy sabboth of solace in the Lord thy God now in all trauayle and laboures duely seruing thine owne necessitie thou mayst and shouldest feele cheereful comfort in mindfull remembrance of keping a holy Sabboth vnto Gods glorie And as the last day and ende of the weeke was the sabboth of the Iewes so after all trauayle and labours in this life to bée ended by death beginneth rest and quietnesse in the Lorde eternally to continue wythout any ende or feare of death and in euerie Christen congregation certaine times be appointed for all men to ceasse from bodily labours that they may with more quietnesse of mynde receiue more spiritual comfort yea and euerie man priuately hath
shée be to please him only and to passe for none other So there is great difference betwixt the godly charitie of Christians the selfe loue of worldlings For tell the worldling that God so much doth loue him that he can not be vtterly forsaken and damned then will hée care litle to forsake God and fal into sinne the faithful Christian perceiuing in Christ most certaine assuraunce of gods loue and saluation is so satisfied and comforted therin that nothing can separate him from the loue of God in Christ Iesu. The loue of harlots is soone extinguished in pouertie and sicknesse the loue in wedlocke is then thorough pitifull prouision of the one for the other wonderously purified and increaced betwixte man and wyse Worldlings be wearie of Religion lacking wealthe and prosperitie Christians finde comfortable increase of pure loue vnder the crosse of Christ. Harlots vse outwardly muche curious trimming many gorgeous vanities being inwardly infected with filthy fornication many vile vices Matrones haue outwardly a comfortable countenance plain apparell being inwardly beautifyed with modestie honestie and such vertues So comparing Idolatrie vnto Christianitie it is euident to be séene howe on the one parte outwardly places and persones with imagerie and crosses copes and vestments ceremonies and shews be solemnly set forth which inwardly be filled with spiritual fornication hypocrisie and superstition And on the other part how outwardly persons and places after moste playn maner and fashion without any counterfaited garmentes images ceremonies or any solemnities in comfortable preaching of the Gospel ministration of the Sacramentes be inwardly replenished with faithe hope and charitie The whoorishe church of Antichriste taketh of all maner of men what so euer she can catche to make hir selfe to séeme gay and goodly The holy Church of Christ wil receiue nothing of any man but of Christe onely that she in déede maye bée chast pure and holy Therefore the Masse made of manye mennes inuentions is taken as a thyng moste profitable and plesant vnto the one nothing but the plaine preaching of the gospel sealed with the sacramentes of Christes only institution and ordinance can be receiued as comfortable and commodious vnto the other Into the Masse be nowe gathered suche solemne shewes dumme ceremonies with straunge words and whisperings as alore haue bene vsed of the Gentiles in Idolatrie of the Iewes in Superstition and of sorcerers incantations and coniuryngs which were all vtterly cōdemned refused and separated of Christe and his disciples from suche preaching of the Gospel ministration of the Sacraments as the churche of Christ hath receiued of Christ and doth kéepe and vse according vnto Christs onely institution ordinance For in holy scriptures be written all suche things as Christes churche did receyue of Christ by hym and his disciples so instituted and taught as should euer after bée obserued and kept And therfore it is verie euident by playne writings in the holy Scriptures how that Christe and his Apostles by preachyng of the Gospell and ministration of the sacramēts did teach men in all places to sanctifie themselues to be offered as a sacrifice to serue God in holinesse and righteousnes as liuely membres of Christes mysticall body but how by saying Masse to make of bread and wyne turned into Christes naturall bodye a sacrifice for the quicke and the dead there is not one worde in al holy scripture no there is not in all holy scripture any maner of Masse now vsed taught or commaunded by Gods worde For Moyses and the Prophets set foorth in writings all sacrifices and Ceremonies pertaining vnto the law And lyke wise do the Apostles and Euangelistes all suche as belong vnto the Gospell And all that is written in the new Testament by the Apostles and Euangelistes contaynyng all suche doctrine and déedes of Christ and his disciples as God woulde by them should be taught vnto vs doth as muche reproue the Masse as in the old Testament Moses and the Prophetes did reproue the sacrifices of the Israelites in Dan and Bethell For as vnlike is the Masse at the Altare vnto the Lordes Supper at the Table as were the Calfes sette vp by Ieroboam in Dan and Bethel vnlyke vnto the Arke and propiciatorie betwixt the Cherubins in the temple at Hierusalem And as the Prophetes and Priestes of God did teache suche a memoriall and presence of God at Hierusalem as shoulde moue and stirre vp the minds of men there to remember and reuerence God in heauen but Ieroboam and his Priestes did teache and make men to beléeue that their Idolles were not onely images of remembrance but the same God that brought thē out of Egipt in such corporal presence then there in Dan and Bethell as did kéepe the Israelites myndes from heauen and theyr personall presence from Ierusalem euen so now godly preachers do teach such a remēbrance presence of Christe in the Lordes supper as should moue and make all christen men to remember reuerence Christe in heauen but vngodly priestes do pretend such a bodily presence of Christ vpon their altares as doth draw mennes minds from heauen and their personall presence from the Lordes supper at the Lordes table Then were the Israelites blynde and bolde to set vp Calues imagining so to honor and please god in Dan and Bethel vnder Ieroboam as their forfathers did mrst dishonor and displease God in wildernesse with Aaron And what a bolde blindnesse is it nowe of Christians to set vp a sort of their Ceremonies vnto the honour of God when as God by the light of the Gospell hathe abolished his owne Ceremonies as vnprofitable vnto his seruice And what a boldnesse is it to say that Christes bodily presence is kept vpon earth vnder the forme of bread which according vnto the scriptures is ascended vp from the earthe and glorified in heauen in the forme of man The light of the gospell hath vanquished ceremonies afore ordeined of God as now vnprofitable can any ceremonies deuised by man now blemish the gospell not be abhominable The comfortable abundance of the holie Ghoste did not come vntill the bodily presence of Christ was departed and gon and howe then can they receiue abundant comfort of Christes spirite whiche bée infected and blynded with a grosse imagination of Christes body The flesh profiteth nothyng sayth Christ the wordes that I speake bee spirite and lyfe he dothe not saye that the wombe whiche did conceiue and bear him or the breast that gaue him sucke is blessed but Blessed be they which heare the word of God and kéepe it as though he had sayd Not those whiche woulde haue him God and man in bodilye presence or imagine him to be in any visible thyng But those which know and honour God in the truth of his worde and presence of spirite be blissed Those in wyldernesse whiche did not knowe what was become of Moses being in talke with God vppon the toppe of the mountain bycause they did desire and
this cōmandement duly Thou shalt not steale Thou hauing of Gods gracious gift body and soule which by reason of Gods plentifull prouision can neuer bee vtterly destitute of any thīg necessary shalt by no craft or crueltie keep or conuay from any man any thing that is his according to law and equitie or that should serue vnto his cōfort or reliefe according to godly charitie For as God the only Lord ouer al hath disposed and giuē vnto al seing prouiding best for euery mans necessitie so should euery man be best contēt to yeld himself vnto gods ordinance prouidence not willing or seking any profit or plesure vnto him self by breking the ordinance and refusing the prouidence of God in getting any thing vncharitably from man Therfore to auoyde the daunger of dispising Gods ordinaunce and prouidence and to liue in the lawe of loue and charitie thou arte charged and taught by this commaundement not vnlawefully to take frō any man any thing that he hath of his owne nor vncharitably to kepe from him any thing that he néedeth of thine Thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy neighbour Thou hauing a tong and other meanes to wytnesse the truthe vnto the honour of God and profit of men shalt by no manner of meanes denie the truth or forge lies which is alwayes a dishonouring of God with daunger and domage vnto man For as God is the authour of all truthe and the Diuell the father of all lies so all examinations of truthes and occasions of lies be trials causing the children of God and of the Diuell to confesse and vtter the wylles and workes of their fathers Therfore that thou mayst shewe thy selfe a childe of God and not of the diuel thou shalt neuer make or maintain any lies but euer confesse and confirme any truth as shal be expedient for thy neighbour And note that al blind prophesies all forged lies all false reports and vntrue tidings all fayned flatterie and enuious slaunders and all vncharitable dissembling or deceytfull counterfeating of any thing be diuelish contrarying of Gods truthe against thy neighbour against that duty which thou owest of charitie vnto thy neighbour Thou shalte not couet thy neighboures house thou shalt not couet thy neighbours wife nor his seruaunte nor his mayde nor his oxe nor his asse nor any thing that is his Thou walking afore the face of GOD whose eyes behold all secrets euen in the bottome of thy heart shalt not couet shalt not will or wish thy neighbours house any possession of person landes or goods which is thy neighbors to be thine nor any thing that is his nor any thing to be thine which is giuen of god not vnto thee but vnto him Yea the profit or pleasure of any thing that is thy neighbours shal not stirre vp in thée a luste to haue it thy selfe but rather any lacke or néede that thou mayest sée in thy neighboure shall make thée to helpe hym if thou bée able and euer mooue thée hartily to pray and desire of God all goodnesse vnto him euen as vnto thyself according to the lawe of loue and perfection CHAP. IIII. The lawfull vsing of the Lawe is to force men by feare of their owne deseruings to flee vntoo Christ in the comfortable light of the gospel FOR God whiche of his goodnesse did make thée perfect and pure in thy creation doth nowe by his rightuous law require of thée suche holinesse and perfection as is according vnto that integritie whiche thou then receyuedst of his maiestie And also be promiseth blessings and life vnto the kéepers and threatneth cursings and death vnto the breakers of this his righteous good and perfit lawe Therfore considering and comparing thine owne habilitie and obedience with the righteousnesse and equitie of this lawe thou mayst in it as in a glasse afore the maiestie of God vnder blessings and cursings betwixte life and death sée euidently thy face case thy conuersation state and condition But if thou leaue looking into this lawe and follow the flatterie of thine owne fantasie thou shalt deceyue thy selfe daungerously not onely in negligence but also in labouring tóo confesse thy selfe afore God duely For as the Pharisie that compared himself with the Publicane so thou in geuing thankes vnto God for all that thou thinkest good in thy selfe and being bold too preferre thy selfe to some other for the euils which thou knowest in them shalt so deserue to depart lesse iustified and further from the fauor of God and loue of thy neyghboure for the more that thou doest compare thine owne well doings with the euil doings of others the lesse shalt thou dispose and submitte thy selfe to receiue mercie of god to bear the infirmities of thy brother But when as thou doest examine thine owne conscience and iudge thine own déedes by the law of God afore the face of god then shalt thou finde such euils inwardly as shall giue thee greate occasion to be so earnestly occupied in refourming thy selfe that outwardely thou cannot be bolde eyther to glorie in thy self or to iudge any other They which haue not the right vse of the law can haue no true knowledge of sinne but thou that wilt iudge thy self by the law shalt feele what is in thy selfe against the lawe For if thou do not finde thy selfe giltie in hauing any strange God yet shalt thou find many and great faultes in thy self against the first commaundement so often as thou dost consider and remember that thou dost not perfitly with all thy heart wyth all thy minde and with all thy might loue reuerence feare trust praise and confesse the eternall liuing God as thy only Lorde and God. And thou neuer honour or make any Image in any matter carued or painted yet so often as thou doest imagine the diuinitie of God vnder any forme or fashion in thy minde and imagination thou makest such kinde of imagerie as is by the second commaundement forbidden vnto thée Yea and so ofte as thou makest or takest any image carued or painted to be like vnto Christe God and man so ofte thou presumest too liken the foulest abhomination in the world vnto him that is most glorious in estimation afore God for man being a lier maketh and taketh an image that hath eyes seeth not eares and heareth not as though it were like vnto Chryst Iesu but Goddes worde which is truthe witnesseth that all suche images be not like vnto Chryst but vnto idolaters which make them and put their trust in them Undoutedly there is no true knowledge of Chryst learned of Gods worde but a false idoll of Christ forged by imagination in the hearts of them that can be content to say that Chryst their Sauior is like vnto any such vile things And also in imagerie of other things many men do much offende in esteeming more the vaine counterfet made by man than the good creature made by god I meane in imagerie of things belōging to the secōd
imagiue a bodily presence of God too be wyth them at the foote of the mountayne coulde not be contented and comforted with a true spirituall presence of God but were deceiued and plagued for the vaine imagination of a bodily presence Those can haue no cōfortable feeding of the words which be spirite and lyfe at the Lordes supper whiche will haue a wonderfull gasing stocke at a gorgeous Masse Which will desire and imagine Christ to be bodily vpon earth bicause they do not see and knowe by fayth Christes body so glorified in Heauen as causeth his spiritual presence euer to continue most comfortable vnto all the faithfull in any place vpon earth The playne preaching of Gods woorde surely sealed with the Sacramente of the Lordes Supper sheweth and offereth in spirite and truthe to be seene and receyued by faith the body and bloud of Christe glorified in heauen in the forme of man. The strange language secrete whisperings and solemne shew of ceremonies in the masse serue and please the blinde imagination of man in forged vanitie presuming to place the body bloud of Christ vpon the altar there to be honored and sacrificed vnder the forme of breade wine CHAP. VII The euill and daungerous abuses of the good creatures and workes of God. GOd is al truthe and all goodnesse therefore euery thing of gods creation ordinance or institution is true good All men be liers and all the imagination of mannes hearte is nothing but euill therfore man presuming to counterfait the creature and to contrary or amende the ordinaunce and institution of God can deuise and imagine nothing but that which is fained and fantasticall euill and abhominable Some say that they doe not otherwise imagine honor God there but as they be taught and commaunded by their priestes and suche as haue highest authoritie ouer them So mighte the Idolaters in wildernesse with Aaron in Dan and Bethel vnder Ieroboam haue answered For Aaron and Ieroboam did teache and commaund the people to do reuerence ther not as vnto Images or Idols but vnto the God that broughte them out of the land of Egipt Howbeit for all that euer the priest could teach or the king commaund those Images were Idols and all they abhominable Idolatrers which did beléeue that Doctrine of the priest or obey that cōmaundement of the king Wherfore it is not the teaching of prelates nor the commaundement of princes which cā cause Christ to be bodily present after suche sort in any thing as may there be honored as God or that shall excuse any person beléeuing or honouring that which is taughte and commaunded according vnto mannes imagination against the worde of God. They say that Christ said This is my body and Christes saying is Gods worde and not mannes imagination I graūt that Christes saying is gods worde and that he so saide of the bread which he toke and after thankes geuing brake and gaue vnto his Disciples to be eaten in remembrance of him But how agreeth that saying vnto such bread as the prieste taketh and after brethings and blessings lifteth vp and sheweth vnto the people to be honoured and reuerenced in the steade of him The word of God wrongly wrested and not rightly applied is at some times abused to teache Deuilish lies in steade of godly truth The woord written by the spirit of God to raise a man from vnder danger of despaire vnto hope of Goddes helpe vpwardes was wrongly wrested by the Deuill to moue Christ standing vpon the pinacle wilfully to fall downewardes So like wise the woords spoken of Christ vnto his disciples to raise vp their mindes in comfortable remembrance of him glorified in heauen be euil abused of priestes to bring downe his bodily presence amongste them to be sacrificed vpon earth Surely this same saying He shall geue his Angels charge ouer thee c. Which is the woorde of God spoken and applied to raise vp a man frō daungerous sorowes in miseries vnto a comfortable trust in Gods grace and mercies may be abused by the deuil to make a man of presumption in refusing the euident ordinance of God to fall into the danger of tempting god And so such woordes as be good and godly spoken with suche circumstances of Christes supper as teacheth men to keepe a comfortable remembrance of Christes death according vntoo Christes institution may be Diuelishly whispered in suche sorte by the priest at the aulter as shuld séeme to make a bodily presence of Christ to be sacrificed and honored according vnto mannes imagination There is nothing more perillous than to take the woorde or any good gifte of God and to abuse it contrary vnto the will and commaundement of god The vnprofitable seruant which said vp to kéepe safely the talent or treasure of his Lord which was deliuered vnto him to haue bene béestowed in vsurie was by the woorde of his owne mouthe condemned when as he did confesse that he did otherwise keepe the Lords treasure than as the Lord had commaunded And if any man thinke that he may say vnto Christe Lord I knowe that thou did say of the bread and the wine this is my body this is my bloud take eat and drinke in remembrance of mée and therefore haue I euer with suche reuerence honoured them as was due vnto thée surely vnto such a man Christe in conscience wil at some times answer O wicked seruant by these woordes of thine owne mouthe do I condemne thée For thou doest confesse that I bad thée take eate drinke this in remembrance of me why diddest thou then contrary vnto my commaundement imagine this to be kept honored and sacrificed as the bodily presence of me The woordes of Christ be moste true but when as they be pronounced with such circumstances as be moste contrary vnto the custome of the christians then they haue a meaning most contrary vnto the doctrine and commaundement of Christe The giftes of God in all things and especially his sacraments be good and godly but the abuse of them contrary vnto Gods commaundement is diuelish and abhominable The preacher and the coniurer vse bothe the name and the word of God and good praiers howbeit not in like manner nor for one purpose for in beléef behauior and purpose they be cleane cōtrary the one vnto the other There was neuer séene in the world two things so muche contrary the one vnto the other as is the masse the Lordes supper Therefore whatsoeuer is well vsed in the one is euill abused in the other And truely that fault of abuse is no smal offence albeit that which is abused séemeth sometime to be but a little thing For it is a great sin to delight or be occupied in little trifles neglecting or refusing Gods great giftes and benefits in waightie matters So do Priests in their masse abuse gaie garments neglecting the seemely simplicitie of the Lordes supper and therein commit no small sinne preferring their owne imagination vnto Christes institution