then could not a man be sure of whō to receyue and should alwayes be in doubte of the vertue of that he receyueth which no man maye be And althoughe the true Sacramentes of Christ may be ministred and receiued out of the Catholike Churche among heretickes and scismatikes yet they can not be profitable to the receyuers vntill they come agayne to the vnity of Christes Catholike Church Wherefore good people let euery man and woman that desyreth to bee made holle from hys synne or to bee preserued or sanctifyed by Christe and to be pertaker of hys blessed passion prepare hymselfe wyth all reuerence and humblenesse of harte to receyue these most holye Sacramentes in suche fourme and for suche purpose and intent as oure Sauioure Christe and hys blessed Spowse the holye Catholyke Church haue appoynted and ordeyned seynge that otherwyse to mysorder and abuse theym or wyllfullye to denye or refuse theym is to denye or refuse Christe that made theym oute of whose bloodye syde they came foorthe and also to denye or refuse the benefyttes of hys death and passion which by them be applyed and be brought into our soules As the reuerent and worthy vsing of them is the meane to grace and saluation so the misusing or contempt of theym is heynous and detestable sacrilege because with out them no religion can be perfyt whiche perfitnes euery man is bounden to procure with al his diligence duringe the time of this present life that at thend therof he might enioye lyfe euerlastinge to the whiche he brynge vs all who hath so derelye boughte it for vs to whom be all honour prayse and glorye worlde without end Amen ⸫ ¶ Of Baptisme Sermo secundus BEcause the holye Sacrament of Baptisme is the firste gate or entrye into the Churche of Christ and the grounde of all the other sacramentes whych can not be geuen to anye but to suche as be baptised before therfore good people I shall now begyn wyth Baptisme and declare vnto you what ye ought to thinke of it and what fruit ye receyue by it Firste it is to be knowen that oure Sauiour Christ did institute and ordeine this sacrament when after his resurrection appearynge to hys disciples he sayde to them All power in heauen and in earthe is geuen vnto me go ye therefore and teache all nations and people baptising them in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holye ghost and teaching them to keepe and obserue all thinges which I haue cōmaunded you and I am with you alwayes to the worldes end By whyche wordes of our Sauiour Christ we learne that power is geuen onely to him to institute and ordeine sacramentes which the churche receyuing of him and of his spirite doth faithfully delyuer vnto vs to be obserued and vsed And also wee learne that the forme and maner of baptisynge is to do as he commaunded and in so doyng to saye these wordes I baptise the in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy ghost And we learne also that Christ doth by his promyse assist the doyng of his minister and woorketh the same effectes by Baptisme when it is duely ministred of a man as if he did minister it himself And last of al we learne that Baptisme is not an ydle ceremonie but that euerye person which is baptised and beyng of age and discretion oughte to bee taughte before the faythe of Christe and to beleue the same and than after Baptisme ought diligētly to obserue and keepe all thinges whych Christe hathe commaunded And if they that be baptised be infants or other wyse can not beleue themselues lacking the vse of theyr reason seyng our Sauiour Christ sayd that children perteyne to the kyngdome of heauen and the doore into the kingdome of heauen is baptisme at which doore no person can enter in ordinarily but such as be borne agayne of the water and the holy ghost therfore suche be offered to be baptised in the fayth of the church and in receyuing Baptisme they are made faythfull by the sacrament of fayth but of thys thyng I shall God wyllinge speake more an other tyme. Secondarilye it is to be vnderstanded that Baptisme oughte to be ministred in water as Christ hath ordeined and in no other licour and that is because Baptisme is a sacrament of necessitie and water is a cōmon element throughout the whole world and therfore it is ordeined to be ministred in water that no man might excuse hymselfe for lacke of matter and so come in daūger of dampnation for lack of Baptisme And also it is ordeyned to be in water for sygnification of theffect that men mighte learne in this Sacrament as they do in all other by the propertie of the element what is the vertue and effect of the same that lyke as water washeth awaye the spottes of the body so baptisme wassheth awaye the sinnes of the soule and also because the generall floode in the time of Noe and the red sea through whiche Moyses and all the people of Israell went and thereby escaped the daunger of king Pharao that persecuted theim were figures of baptisme therefore it is ordeyned to be in water that the truthe myght agree with the figure and gods people might be nowe saued from the deuyll and drowning in deadlye sinne by the water of regeneration ioyned wyth the worde of lyfe as Noe and his chyldren were saued by the water of the floode hys ship and as Moyses wyth Gods people were saued from the sword of Pharao by the water of the red sea and the cloude Yet the grace that is ministred in the water procedeth not from the nature of the water which without the worde of God is but onely water styll but it procedeth from the presence of the holy ghost that descendeth vpon the water and doth consecrate the water and by it doth washe and purifye the soule Thyrdlye it is to be knowen that a man by the vertue and efficacie of Baptisme truelye ministred and receyued is washed from all kynde of synne indued wyth Gods holye spirite appareled wyth Christe and hys ryghtwysnesse and is made with Christ an inheritour of the kyngdome of heauen First baptisme washeth away all synnes in thoughtes in wordes and in deedes both oryginall synne and actual or personall sinne which be done either of ignoraunce or knowledge both the sinne it self and the giltynes therof and also the eternal payne in hell due for the same as the prophet sayth In that day of Christ there shall be a fountaine set open to the house of Iacob and to all the inhabitauntes of Hierusalem for the washinge away of sinnes And Saint Paul sayth to the Corinthians that they were greate and haynous sinners but now they be washed they be sanctifyed they be iustified in the name of oure Lorde Iesus Christ and in the spirite of our God and that there is no dampnation
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
all our Temples and Aultars be builded erected and dedicate onely to God ther to doo Sacrifice to God and to no Saynte although in our Sacrifice we name and haue remembraunce of the holy Martirs and sayntes both to thanke God for theyr vicâ—ories and also to prouoke oure selues to imitate them in the ouercomming of our ghostly enemies By thys good people that I haue declared vnto you ye ought truly to vnderstand and beleue that Christes naturall bodye in the blessed Sacrament is the proper sacrifice of Christes churche and that Christe himselfe both by hys owne deede and also by his expresse woorde and commaundement did institute and ordeyne that the church his spouse shoulde by her publike ministers beyng Priestes offer to almyghtye God the father wyth the sonne and the holy Ghost in sacrifice the same his naturall bodye in remembraunce of his passion which passion the churche now dayly to the worldes ende dothe renewe in misterye and dothe represent before God in the holy Masse for the atteynynge of all the graces and benefites purchased by the same passion before after the measure of hys goodnesse and as our faythe and deuotion is knowen vnto hym and in all her needes and troubles it resorteth to GOD trustyng to haue reliefe and mercy onelye for the merites of that passion whych it representeth to GOD as a full satisfaction for all her offences and as a full perâ—ection of thankes for all his former benefites and gyftes And finally by this Sacrifice of Christes bodye and blood in the Masse we certenly declare and professe that nothing doth exercise our faythe in the knowledge of God and of oure selues more then this Sacrifice of the Masse doth and that nothing dothe more increase oure charitie and hope in the mercye of God and it declareth that we beleue that there is no Sauiour but onelye Christe our Lorde and that we haue no refuge but to him ascribing altogether to the merites of his passion and so by it we most of al set forth our humilitie and the glorye of Christe and hys true honour Which sacrifice if we dayly and deuoutly exercise and come vnto and behaue our selues as becommeth Christen men and in suche affection and intent as I haue declared nowe howe the church doth no doubt of it but we shall perceiue great comfort in our hartes great amendement in our lyues and great furtheraunce to the atteyning of euerlasting lyfe to the which he bring vs that by his passion redemed vs to whom with the father and the holy ghost be all honour glory and prayse for euermore Amen ⸫ ¶ Of the godly prayers and ceremonies vsed in the sacrifice of the Masse Serm. xiii YF in that Sacrifice whiche is Christe no man is to be followed but Christ it is meete for vs to bee obedient and to doo that thing whyche Christe did and commaunded to be done And therefore good people considering that this our sacrifice of the Masse is accordynge to Christes commaundement the commemoration of Christes passion the holye Churche of Christ euer since the time of hys passion hath obedientlye vsed to doo as he dyd He didde consecrate the breade and wyne wyth hys omnipotent blessinge and made there present his very bodye and bloude and also he offered that hys bodye and bloude after the order and maner of Melchisedech to his father and thirdlye receiued it him selfe and gaue it to hys disciples Euen so the holy Churche in Christe and Christe by the holye Churche doth the same in all poyntes at this daye for the speciall and substantiall part of the Masse consisteth in these three poyntes in consecratinge the breade and wyne into the bodye and bloode of Christe in offering of the same body and bloude of Christe to God the father and in receyuing of the same by the deuout and faythfull people Christe also afâ—er his supper and before hys passion dyd say an hymne before he went foorth to the mouÌ„t Oliuet and he taught hys disciples many necessarie thinges and promysed to send vnto them his holy spirite which shoulde teache them all truth which then they could not beare and afterwarde prayed longe and feruentlie for his faythfull disciples and for the holle Church that shoulde by theyr woorde beleue in him and speciallye for theyr peace and vnitie in God and among them selues In these thinges also the holye churche dothe followe the example of Christ her heade whyche in the ministration of this Sacrifice vseth to ioyne almoste all the other in warde Sacrifices of a Christen man as confession of synnes inuocation of Gods mercie the prayse of God petitions for thinges needefull the doctrine of the people the profession of our common faythe the geuing of thankes to God prayers for all states of Gods churche the honouryng of Christe the asking of Gods peace the exhorting to the same with diuers other godlye exercises whyche I shall God wylling at this tyme shortelye and particularlye shewe vnto you to the intent you may knowe howe there is nothing conteyned in the Masse but a heape of all godlynes and spirituall Sacrifices and thereby to be the more prouoked and disposed to the often vsynge and frequenting of the sayd Masse First of all the holye vestementes wherewith the priest goeth to the Aultare beside other misteries which they teache and signifye they renew the memory of Christes passion in our hartes For as the Iewes did firste couer Christes face and did mocke hym and buffet hym so hath the Priest in memorye of that an Amise put vpon his head and also the whyte Albe put ouer al hys body doth bryng vs in remembraunce how Christ was contempned of kynge Herode who in mocking of him put vpon him a white apparell and sent him backe againe to Pilate And the Maniple vpon the priestes arme and hys gyrdle about his white Albe and the stole about his necke doo shewe to a man howe Christ was bounden fast to a pillar when he was whypped and scourged And as Christ was crowned with thorne and had his handes and feete nayled to the crosse so in the Amysse and Albe of the priest there be tokens of these fiue woundes And the the vpper vestement of the priest putteth vs in memorye of the purple robe that Pilates soldiours put vpon Christe after they had scourged him And vpon the backe of this vestement commonly there is made the signe of the crosse teaching vs how Christ was compelled to beare his own crosse vpon his backe throughe the citye so that when so euer we see the priest thus appareled go vp to the Aultare to celebrate the commemoration of Christes passion we may remeÌ„ber how cruelly Christe was handled of the Iewes and after what sorte he went vppe to the mount of Caluerye to suffer his passion for the redemption of man The priest comming to the Aultar beginneth first of all with the sacrifice of a contrite harte
of the holy ghoste teaching them to obserue al thinges what so euer I haue commaunded you and I shal be with you al daies to the ende of the worlde And as concerninge the purgation of Gods people a Priest hath authoritie to remyt synne as a minister in the name and power of the holy Trinitie both to them that first enter into the churche by ministring to them the Sacrament of Baptisme and also to thē that after Baptisme haue fallen vnto synne agayne by ministring to them the Sacrament of Penaunce The commaundementes of God whereby euery Priest is authorised to baptise and to remitte synnes to the penitent synners I haue here tofore in this sermon sufficientlye declared And as concernynge the perfection of the Churche of Christ and euerye member thereof God hathe geuen to Priestes authoritie to pray ouer sicke persones and to anoynte theim with oyle in his name to the remission of their synnes and the saluation of the sycke according to Gods pleasure and also to ioyne those persones in Matrimonye that marye in Christe And bishoppes also who in the order of priesthoode as the successours of the Apostles haue hier dignitie and distinct offices and aucthoritie aboue other inferiour Priestes for the perfectiō of the people in Christes Religion haue power to geue the holy Ghoste for the confirmation of them that be baptised and by impositiō of their handes to ordeyne Priestes and other ministers of Gods holye woorde and Sacramentes And further for purgyng of Christes misticall bodye the churche from all errours Scismes disobediencies and vngodly lyuynge Bishoppes haue power to vse spirituall and ordinarie iurisdiction as to cal synodes for reformation and good order to be made in the church to visit their diocesanes that neyther by tyrannye nor by heresye nor yet by the subtile craft of the deuyll the flocke of Christe be dispersed or distroyed to correct by excōmunication and other discipline the publike crimes of such as be manifestly accused denounced or found giltie obstinate by diligēt inquisition to examine and determine the causes and enormities whiche arise or may chaunce in the Churche of Christe and finallye to dooe what shall be thought necessarye and expedient for the banishing of vice and errour and the stablishing of vertue true fayth and godly vnitie For that power whiche God hath geuen vnto theym is onelye to builde and not to destroye whiche power is honorable and to bee estemed and obeyed in all Byshoppes and Priestes bee they of good lyuinge or noughty liuyng For the lyfe of an euill Prieste or Bishoppe is no hinderaunce nor preiudice to the effect and vertue of Gods Sacramentes whiche they truelye minister no more than the euyll lyfe of a Phisician hindreth the vertue and operation of a good medicine Therefore good people knowynge the necessitie and commoditie which commeth to vs by this Sacrament of Order for our instruction sanctification and finall saluation Let vs geue moste hie thankes to almightie God that hath geuen suche power to men and by thexecution of that power and the distinct degrees and seuerall functions of this sacrament of Order hath auoyded all confusion oute of his churche that it myght appeare beautyfull and glorious in his sight and let euery person take heede that he neither breake nor contemne this ordinaunce of God and so be occasion of corruptinge Gods truth and disturbyng his peace vnitie whiche by this onely order is kept preserued But in all our prayers let vs humbly make supplicatiō that God of his mercifull goodnes would preserue his churche continually in this good order without disturbaūce and that euery minister in his degree might studie and labour in the law of GOD to bee and dooe as his office requyreth seeking the buylding of Christes Churche and not the onelye increase of his worldly gayne as becōmeth the seruauntes of God being boundē to geue an accompt of that is cōmitted to their charge to the laude and prayse of Christe who with the father and the holy ghost liueth and reigneth in vnitie of Godhead for euermore worlde withoute end Amen ⸫ ¶ In what estimation the Prelates and other ministers in Christes churche ought to be had of the people Serm. xxvi FOr as muche as the Prelates ministers of Christes church good people bee ordeyned of God to bee Iudges ouer hys people in suche thinges as apperteine to the saluatiō of their soules and also to be their gouernours and rulers in all true Religion and thyrdlye to bee their ghostlye and spirituall fathers to beget children to God by the worde of Christe and the preaching of the Gospell Therfore consideryng that almighty God doth so honoure them and doeth so allowe and assiste their ministration in geuyng to them being frail and mortall menne suche power as no other creature hathe at anye tyme receyued and all for the buyldynge perfection and finall saluation of his Churche hys electe and chosen people Therefore I saye it is commaunded to all men and women that bee of the flocke of Christe to loue and to obeye and to honoure those ministers of Christ in suche sorte as the nature and woorthynesse of theyr offyce and ministration dooeth requyre For so Saynte Paule taught the Thessalonians saiynge thus we beseche you brethren that you woulde knowe them that laboure amonge you that is to saye in knowledgyng what benefites we haue of God by their labour and seruice who also bee the rulers and gouernours ouer you in our Lorde and do admonyshe you in all goodnesse as it were executing Christes office amongest you that ye wold haue them in hiest pryce and estimation by syncere loue and charitie more aboundantlye than other and that for theyr woorke and office sake hauing peace with them without vsing any disobedience contention or disdaine towardes thē By this exhortation of the blessed Apostle Saynte Paule may all men and women learne what loue they oughte to beare towardes the ministers of almyghtye God whiche oughte to be in the best sorte not onelye for the worthynesse and vertues of the persones whiche is a cause making all menne to be loued and fauoured the more but speciallye for their office and labour sake and for suche benefites as by their seruice and ministerye menne receyue at Gods hande For they be not onelye oure neighbours whome for that respecte wee oughte to loue as our selues but also they bee the causes of oure spirituall lyfe by theim wee are made Christen men by theim we haue the true knowledge of God remission of our sinnes participatiō with Christe in the vnitie of his misticall bodye the Churche into whiche body we are grafted and made lyuing members to bring forth the fruite of holynes and good woorkes by them we haue geuen vnto vs the holy ghost not onelye to oure sanctificatiō but also to our boldnes strength whereby we bee made able to withstande oure aduersarye the deuill and to ouercome
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
through out the world in the communion wherof as members of the same church to whoÌ„ onelye saluation is promised and prepared see that ye requyre the sayd Priests or Priest if there be but one to praye ouer you and to aueyle you in the name of the blessed Trinitie And doo not differre this till the vehemencie of your sickenes decaye your speache and memorie as it is done amonges many which peruersely vse the Priestes of the church as they vse theyr corporal phisicians neuer sendinge for theym but in the extremes when they can doo them leste good But seyng Sainte Iames willeth the sicke persone to call or send for the priest let him doo that before his will his senses his memorie and vnderstanding doo faile him when he is able to ioyne with the priest in prayer and to protest the faith and trust he hath in atteining the grace â—ffecte of this sacrament to thintent he being inwardly armed and strengthened with the same in token whereof hee is than anoynted outwardlye with the sacramentall Oyle myghte the better withstande the force of the deuill and all hys deceitefull tentations who is than more busye as it were in the extreme conflict to ouerthrow the souldiour of Christ. And then no doubt of it almightye God who is true and faythfull of hys promise will worke the effectes of grace wherof S. Iames here speaketh in that sicke person as his godly wisdome shall see moste expedient for the soule health of that person specially if he than with humilitie meekenes and gladnes of harte with a full hope and confidence in Gods mercy do geue and yeld vp his bodye and soule with all the powers of the same vnto his Lorde god his creatour redemer to be healed and ordered according to his good wil by the meane of his holy sacramentes which he hath ordeined to be to vs as spirituall medicines wherby the merites of his most blessed death and passion be ordinarylye applyed to our commoditie And he that shal doo thus maye cherefullye and wyth gladnesse of mynde departe thys wretched world with assurance and ful trust to atteyne firste the promises of grace annexed to the worthye and frutefull receyuing of hys holy Sacramentes and in the ende to atteyne the crowne of glorye and lyfe euerlastyng whyche Christ our Lord hath promised to all them that shall loue and long for hys commyng whych he graunt to vs all to whom wyth the father and the holye ghost three persons and one God beall glorye honour world wythout end Amen ¶ Imprynted at London by Robert Caly within the precinct of Christes Hospitall The .x. of February M.D.LVIII Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum CoÌ„cilium generale FloreÌ„tinuÌ„ Iob. vii i. Tim. i. ii Cor â–ª x â–ª Chrisost. hom v. in Mat. op imperf Hugo vic de sacra li. i. part ix cap. ii Tertull. de resur carnis Hugo viâ— li. i. part iâ— cap. iii. August in Psal lxxiii i. Cor. iii August in IoaÌ„ trac v. Aug. contra faustuÌ„ lib. xix cap. xi Mat. xxviii Math. xix Ambros. ad Ro. vi i. Pet. iii. i. Cor. x. Ephe. v. Aug. trac lxxx Ambros. de spuÌ„s lib i. cap. vi De Sacrament lib. i cap. v. Aug. lib. iii coÌ„tra pela ii epist. cap. iii. Zacha. xiii i. Cor. vi Rom. viii Rom. vii Titus iii. Chrysost. ho. ad baptiâ—â—ndos Coloss. i. Iacob â— Rom. viii Gala iii. Basilius de baptismo Coloss. iii. Ephe â–ª iiii i. Peter ii Rom. viii Tiâ—us iii. Rom. viii August lib. i â–ª cont Iuliaâ—um Marke â—vi Actes ii Iohn iii. Actes viii Actes x. Chryso in loaÌ„ hom â–ª xâ—iiii Aug. tract xiii super IoaÌ„nem Ioâ—n iii. Rom. v. Aug lib. iiii de baptismo cap. xxii â–ª Aug. lib. xii de ciui cap. vii Bernard Serm. de Innocentibus Hug. vict De Sacra Lib ii par vi cap. vii Thom. Aquin part iii. q. lvii IdeÌ„ part iii. que lx â–ª lxvi Dionisius Ateop Hier. eccl cap. ii Cypri li. i. epist. xii Marke i. Marke x. Aug. de temp sâ—r cxvi Aug. epist. cv De simbolo lâ— â–ª i. ca. i. Contra â—â—lianuÌ„ lib. i. cap. ii Aug. de eccles dog ca. xxxi Ioan. xii Luc. xi Ephes. iiii Exod. xx i. Cor. x. Exod. xii Mark viii Ezech. ix Aug. in Psal. xxx i. Cor. i. ii Corin. ii Rom. â— Mat. xi Origen hom vi iâ—a EzechieleÌ„ â–ª Marc. vii Ambros. lib. i. de Sacra cap. i. Rom. xii ii Cor. ii Col. iiii Tertul. corona milit Chrys. ho. vi ad coll Aug. simbolo li. iii. cap. i. Marc. â—vi Ambros. lib. i. de Sacra cap. i. Aug. ad BonifaciuÌ„ de baptismo Tertul. de resur carnis Eusebius Emis orat de corp sang Rom. vi Gregorius li. i. epis xli Gregorius vbi supra Aug. in Ioan. tract â–ª xxxiii Ambros. de Sacra Lib. i. cap. vii Ambros. de iis quâ— mist. initiâ— antur cap. vii Math. â—â— Maâ— xxv Aug. de simbolo lib. iiii ca. i. Iohn xv Act. ii Luc. xxiiii â–ª Act. viii Act. xix Basilius de spiritu S. cap. xxvii â–ª Dionisius Arâ—opag câ—p iiii 〈◊〉 iii. Aug. de 〈…〉 xv cap. â—xâ—i Mâ—th iiii i. 〈◊〉 ii Galaâ— v. Melchiâ—des papâ— epist. decretali Iohn xiii 〈◊〉 â–ª xvii Luke ix Mat â–ª â—iiii Luke xxii Mat. xxvi 〈◊〉 xxvi Bernard Ser. de diligendo deâ— ii Tim iiiâ— â–ª Philip. i. Act. v. Aug. de eccle dogmat â–ª ca. lii Esay xi Greg. super Ezechiel hom â—â—x i. Cor. x â–ª Eccles. x. Esay xiiii Gene. iiii Aug. ser. domini in moÌ„â—â— li. i. Proâ— ix i. Iohn iiii Eccles. ii Bernardus Ser. de sep tem donis Eccl. xxvii Rom. â—i Mâ—t. v. Aug. Ser. domâ—ni in moÌ„te li. ii â–ª Aug. de Ser. domini in moÌ„te lib. ii Mat. xxv Psal. xxxiii Eccle. vii Coloss. i. i. Cor. xv Pro. xxviii i. Tim. vi Eâ—ech xvi Iacob iii. Grego in canti cap. i Cypria de duplicâ— martirio Chryso in Mat. hom lxxâ—iii â–ª Eusebius Emesenus orat de corpo saÌ„g Mat. xxvi Mark â—iiii Luke xxii i. Cor. xi Ambâ— de Sacraâ—â—â— â–ª iiii cap. 〈◊〉 Emes ora de corpo sangu Ireneus lib iiii cap. xxxiiii Chrysost. in Mâ—t ho. lxxxiii Bernardus serm in cena domini Chrysost. de prodit Iudae In .ii. tim i. hom ii In Math. ho. lxxxiii Aug. de trinit lib. iii. cap. iiii Hesichius in leuit lib vi ca â–ª xxii Chrysost. hom xvii in Math. IoaÌ„ vi Theophi in Marke cap. xiiii Epipha in Ancoraâ—u Aug. in li. senten prospe Hylarius pontif Cyrillus in IoaÌ„ lib. x. cap. xiii Cypri li. i. epist. vi i. Cor. xi Aug. in lib. senten prospe Chrysost. in Mat. ho. lxxxiii Origenes in psalme xxxviii Theophi in capi x. ad Hebre. Ambros. offic lib. i. cap. xlviii Heb. ix Nazianzenus orat de pascha Bernardus serm de cena domini Cypri ser. de cena â–ª Chryso de sacerdotio lib. iii. Chrysost. in Mat. ho lxxxiii
Holsome and Catholyke doctryne concerninge the seuen Sacramentes of Chrystes Church expedient to be knowen of all men set forth in maner of shorte Sermons to bee made to the people by the reuerend father in God Thomas byshop of Lincolne Anno. 1558. Mense Februarij Excusum Londini in aedibus Roberti Caly Typographi Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum ¶ The contentes of the Booke OF the numbre of the Sacramentes of Christes Church and the effectes of the same Ser. i. Fol. i. ¶ Of the Sacrament of Baptisme Ser. ii Fol. viii ¶ Of the necessitie of Baptisme and the ministers of the same Ser iii. Fol. xiii ¶ Of the auncient and godly ceremonies perteyninge to Baptisme and what is ment and taught by them Ser. iiii Fol. xviii ¶ Of the Sacrament of Confirmation Ser. v. Fol. xxiiii ¶ Of the seuē giftes of the holy ghost geuen in the sacrament of Confirmation Ser. vi Fol. xxix ¶ Of the real presence of Christes body in the sacrament of the Aultar Ser. vii Fol. xxxvi ¶ Of the chaunge of bread and wyne that is to saye of Transubstantiacion Ser. viii Fol. xlii ¶ Of the effectes of Christes bodye and bloud in the worthye receiuer Ser. ix Fol. xlviii ¶ An exhortation for the worthye receyuinge of the holye Sacrament Ser. x. Fol. liiii ¶ How a man maye come worthely to receiue the blessed Sacrament Ser. xi Fol. lx ¶ Of the sacrifice of the newe Testament whiche is called the Masse Ser. xii Fol. lxviii ¶ Of the godly prayers ceremonies vsed in the sacrifice of the Masse Ser. xiii Fol. lxxv ¶ Of the necessitie and commoditie of Penaunce in generall Ser. xiiii Fol. lxxx ¶ A Sermon againste desperation Ser. xv Fol. lxxxvi ¶ Against presumption of mercye ▪ Ser xvi Fol. xciiii ¶ Of Contrition Ser. xvii fol. ci ¶ Of inward Confession to almightie God Ser. xviii Fol. cviii ¶ Of Confession to a Priest Ser. xix Fol. cxiiii ¶ what a sinner ought to doe in makinge his confession Ser. xx Fol. cxviii ¶ Certayne Instructions whereby a man may consider hys lyfe make his confession the better Ser. xxi Fol. cxxv ¶ Of confession to a mans neighbour whom he hath offended Ser. xxii Fol. cxxxii ¶ Of Satisfaction Ser. xxiii Fol. cxxxix ¶ How a man shoulde after penaunce auoyde sinne and lyue well Ser. xxiiii Fol ▪ clxvi ¶ Of the Sacrament of Order Ser. xxv Fol. cliii ¶ In what estimation the Prelates and other Ministers in Chrystes Churche oughte to be hadde of the people Ser. xxvi Fol. clix ¶ Of the Sacramente of Matrymonye and what grace is geuen in it Ser. xxvii Fol. clxvi ¶ Of the maner how to minister and contracte matrimonye Ser. xxviii Fol. clxxii ¶ For what intent and wyth what affection men and women ought to marrye Ser xxix Fol. clxxix ¶ Of the Sacrament of extreme Unction Ser. xxx Fol. clxxxv FINIS ¶ Of the number of the Sacramentes of Christes Church and theffect of the same Sermo primus THe Catholike Church of god good people dothe extende her doctryne concernyng the matter of oure beliefe not onely to the Articles of our Crede and such poyntes as by reuelation from God it teacheth vs to beleue of God and the woorkes of our Sauiour Christ which he did or suffered for the redemption and saluation of man but also to the holye Sacramentes of God by the woorthie vsing whereof he powreth abundantlye his many folde graces into our soules and by them maketh vs people mete to receyue the fruites and benefites of his passion And as ye haue bene instructed partly concerning the Articles of our faythe so it is expedient ye be likewise instructed concerning the holye Sacramentes of his churche to thintent ye might not onelye knowe the maner of Gods working in curinge of your soules but also prepare and dispose your selues to the fruitful receiuinge of his medicynes whiche be ministred to euery man by his holy Sacramentes And therfore at this tyme by Gods helpe I intend to declare vnto you the number of the sacramentes of Christes church also theffect of them all in general at other times euery one of thē in special It is to be beleued vpon paine of damnation that there be seuen Sacramentes of Chrystes holy churche institute and ordeined of our sauiour Christ in his new testament or law whiche be Baptisme Confirmation the Sacrament of the Aultar Penaunce extreme Unction Order and Matrimonie The first fyue be ordeined for the making good and the perfection of euery man and woman as by Baptisme we are iustified and made members of Christes misticall body by Confirmation we are increased and strengthned in grace by the sacrament of Christes body and bloud we are nourished to euerlasting lyfe and made fat with God by Penaunce we are restored to our former rightwisnesse and goodnes if in case we fall after Baptisme by extreme Unction we are made hole spiritually and also corporallye if it be thought to God expedient to our soules Al these fyue Sacramentes be ordeyned to beginne or restore our ryghtwysnes and to bringe it to perfytnesse for oure saluation The other two laste be ordeyned for the common state of the hole Churche as Matrymonye to encrease and multiplye the Church corporally by generation and Order to multiplye the hole Churche spiritually by regeneration and also by the ministerie of Gods woorde Sacramentes and discipline to rule and gouerne it after the will of almightye God And where as the holye Scriptures in manye places compare a mans lyfe to a warre we maye verye well by that same similitude vnderstande the numbre and diuision of Gods Sacramentes and the true effecte of the same For Christe our Lorde and kinge who hath for vs ouercommed the deuyll the fleshe the worlde hell death and all his enemies and ours laboreth to make all vs for whom he hathe prepared triumphe and the inheritaunce in the kingdome of heauen to be his souldiours and by his power and helpe to fight againste the sayde enemies and to ouercome theym in our owne persones and so to atteine the promised rewarde The first thinge that a worldly Prince doth intendinge to make warre againste his enemye is to muster and choose out his souldiours and to take their names and to apparel thē with his liuerye and badge that they may be knowen frō the souldiours of his aduersary Euen so Christ our chefe captaine by Baptisme hath called and chosen out of all the people of this world whiche he hath holly redemed certeine to be his souldiours to fight against his enemy the deuil which soldiours thus called haue geuē their names to Christ their kinge haue renounced the seruice of their old maister the deuil who was a tyrant deliting onely in theyr death and haue promysed to serue onely Christ like true souldiours against the deuill and by this sacrament of Baptisme are pardoned and washed from theyr olde spots of originall
synne and haue receyued the whyte lyuerye of innocencye and the badge of Christ by the impression of the holy crosse in diuers partes of theyr bodyes and so are knowen throughout the holle worlde to be the soldiours of Christ theyr Lord and Capitayne The second thing that a worldly prince doth in his warre is to prouyde that euery souldiour be able to fyght and haue harnes and weapons mete for his body both to beare of the assaultes of his enemies and also to inuade thē as cause shall requyre Euen so Christe oure heauenlye Prince hath ordeyned the sacrament of Confirmation to make vs strong able to fyght wyth our ghostly enemyes and hath armed vs wyth a seuen fold harnes that is to say with the seuē giftes of the holy gost whereby we be sufficiently preserued defended and encouraged our selues and also able to helpe and comfort oure fellow soldiours which by chaunce shall come into any distresse or daunger of theyr enemies The thyrd thing y t a worldly prince doth in his war is to forese prouide that his hole army be wel victualled furnished with plēty of holsom meate and drinke lest for hunger their strength decay and they in processe famish and die Euen so Christ our spirituall capitaine hath prouided victual for vs his soldiours both good plenty of it not meate that will perish and be cōsumed with once eating but meate that will remayne and nourishe to euerlasting lyfe that is to saye his owne natural fleshe and bloud which he geueth to his soldiours in a Sacrament vnder the formes of corporal breade and wyne condescendinge therin to our infirmitie and by that spiritual and most holsome and precious foode he repayreth all our decayes in grace and spirituall strength he openeth our eyes to see the traynes of oure enemies he swageth the rage of our inward enemie the fleshe preserueth our bodies and soules from famine and eternall death The fourth thing that a worldly Prince doth in his warre is to ordeyne ouer his holle army one chiefe lieuetenaunt if he be absent hym selfe from the fielde and vnder him officers and captaines some of moo some of fewer such men as be experte in warre who can instruct the rest in all feates of warre howe to fight and ouercome theyr enemies can set the holle armye in good araye and also can by the lawe martiall correct and punish all traytours and offendours Euen so Christ our Lord and king after he hath hymselfe ouercommed all his enemies in hys owne person and is nowe triumphinge with God the father in heauen and yet hathe his Churche in battayle and conflicte wyth theyr enemies in earth being absent by his visible presence and inuisibly and spiritually present amōg vs hath ordeined the Sacrament of Order and by that Sacrament hath elected and chosen out certein expert and connyng men to whom by imposition of handes of Priesthoode he hath geuen authorite and commaundement to instruct his soldiours in all feates of spirituall warre agaynst the deuil and to admit other into the roumes of them that dye or depart and to comfort and encourage them that be in conflict and by vnitie of fayth charitie and obedience to cause the holle army to keepe good araye and to punishe by excommunication suche as by apostasie heresye or scisme breake the peace and good order and by the discipline of this warre of the church to correct all other offenders and to receyue them agayne that will amende And of these men there be certeine degrees and orders one chefe Lieuetenaunt of the holle army which was S. Peter and now is his lawfull successour in the chayre of Christ gouerning the holle army of Christes Church here in earth and vnder hym there be in euery Prouince one Archebishoppe and in euery Citye one Bishoppe and in euerye Parishe one Priest or Curate to feede order encourage and to gouerne the holle army and euery soldiour of Christes church in euery place The fift thing that a worldly Prince doth in his warre is when his armye is assembled wel armed well victualled and well ordred and ruled by good captaines then to merche forward to ioyne in battail with his enemies in which conflicte if anye of hys soldiours chaunce to be hurt and wounded then to cause a Surgean to searche his woundes and to lay playsters and medicines vnto them that he beyng made hole myght enter into his place agayne and fyght a freshe agaynst hys enenemyes Euen so doth our Sauiour Christ wyth vs when al we be assembled into one Churche and spirituall armye by Baptisme and bee well harnessed wyth Gods graces and the giftes of the holy Ghost by Confirmation and be well vyctualled wyth the precious foodes of his owne bodye and blood in the Sacrament of the Aultare and be set in good araye and well instructed and encouraged by the rulers and ministers of his churche hauyng authoritie so to doo by the sacrament of Ordre then we be ledde by Gods spirite into the wyldernes of some good purpose or woorke there to be tempted and assaulted of the deuill For they that haue the spirit of God be not idle but occupied in some good worke which the deuill withstandeth and fighteth againste as muche as he is able to do In whiche conflicte yf anye of vs be ouercommed with euill which can not be except we wyll be ouercommed and voluntarylye suffer the deuyll to preuayle againste vs for no man synneth actually againste hys wyll yet our mercyfull Lorde wyll not see vs vtterlye troden vnder foote and slayne but if we loue to be healed and be sorye for oure voluntarye hurte and wounde he hathe prepared a present medycine and playster for vs whiche the spirituall Surgean when he hath searched the wounde by our owne confession layeth and byndeth to our sore by the Sacrament of Penaunce and so restoringe vs to our perfit health maketh vs able to enter the feelde agayne and to fighte a freshe againste our enemies The sixt thing that a worldly Prince doth in his warre is when any of his soldiours waxeth aged feble and cā fight no more then specially to cōfort him to set a watch that his enemies steale not priuely vpon him kil him when he is not able to defend him selfe And if the same soldiour hath lightly offended in any small matter and hath not at all times bene so vigilant as the lawes of warre required yet than gentlye to forgeue him and to shewe hym that honour at his death that he shalbe of al the army accompted to haue bene a faythfull soldyoure and to haue dyed in his princes fauour Euen so Christ our Lord doth wyth vs his souldiours when any of vs waxeth aged or feable by sicknes and is in daunger of bodelye death whiche deathe is the escapinge of al daungers the ende of all labours the entry to the possession of eternall enheritaunce in heauen
synne so they myghte bee reconcyled agayne to GOD by other mennes faythe So that the holy Church oure mother aunswereth and professeth the true faythe for the chyldren and make the promyse for theim tyll they maye vnderstand that fayth and kepe that vowe whyche is made in theyr names by the Churche their mother Than after the professyon of thys faythe the partye is asked whether hee wyll bee baptysed or no because no manne hauinge the vse of hys wyll is saued wythoute the consente of hys wyll and when he aunswereth or it is aunswered for hym that he wyll than is he putte into the water thryse and baptysed in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy ghost in whyche thynge consysteth the greate mysterye or Sacramente of baptysme where the fleshe is washed and the soule made cleane where the inward man is made new and Christ is fourmed in the minde of man wher the deuill the olde tyrante and vsurper is driuen awaye and god the right owner possessor is brought in Than are we as saint Paule saith buried with Christ by baptisme into death that as he rose from death by the glory of the father so wee shoulde likewise walke in a new lyfe Wherby we vnderstande that lyke as Christe dyed and rose againe the thirde day and lyueth euermore so euery man when he renounceth the deuyll he dyeth to synne and kylleth the woorkes of the fleshe in him self and when he is dipped and put vnder the water than is he buried to sinne as Christe was putte within the earth in the sepulchre and when he is thrise putte vnder the water he representeth the three dayes of Christes buryall and when he is taken foorth of the water againe than doth he rise a newe manne as Christe rose oute of the Sepulchre and oughte to dye no more by seruinge of sinne but to lyue continuallye in righteousnesse and holynesse all the daies of his life And although the old and auncient tradition of the Churche hathe bene from the beginninge to dippe the childe three tymes in the water as Christe laye three dayes in his graue yet that is not of suche necessitie but that if he bee butte once dipped in the water it is sufficyente yea and in tyme of greate perylle and necessytie if the water be but powred vpon his head it wyll suffyse Nowe when the baptisme is done the childe is anoynted in the crowne of the heade with the holy Chrisme whereby we be taughte that he is by the Unction of the holy spirite incorporated and grafted into Christe who is the heade of his mistical body the Church and there is he anoynted and made a spirituall Kinge to rule and ouercome his owne carnall affections and also is anoynted and made a spirituall priest to offer vp spirituall sacrifyces to God in a pure hart and so he taketh of this holy Chrisme and of Christe the name of a Christen man beyng anoynted into euerlasting life which he is bounden to seke and procure all the meanes he can althoughe it were wyth the losse and spendynge of thys temporall lyfe here And by and by after he bee anoynted wyth the holye Chrisme he hathe a whyte vesture or Chrisome putte vppon hym whyche declareth that the chylde hathe nowe putte of the foule and fylthye cloutes of synne and hathe putte on the chaste garmente of Innocencye and clennesse of a newe lyfe whyche he oughte wyth all dylygence to keepe vndefyled and to presente it before the iudgemente seate of Chryste for thatteyninge of eternall lyfe And also a waxe candle burninge is putte in hys hande whereby is sygnifyed the lighte and truth of Christes doctryne and that his duetye is to fulfyll that in hys lyfe whyche Christe taught in hys Gospell saying Let your lyght shyne so before menne that they maye see youre good woorkes and glorifye youre father whiche is in heauen and he that preserueth and kepeth this candle vnquenched tyll the daye of our lorde shall amonges the fyue wise virgins enter in with the spouse to the heauenlye maryage Thus I haue declared vnto you good people all the ceremonies vsed from the beginning of Christes Church vniuersally in the ministracion of baptisme and what is ment and signifyed by them wherby we know perfitely both the effectes of baptisme and also the duetie of hym that is baptysed whiche I praye you and exhorte you in gods name both to remember your selues and also to teache your children them as soone as they can vnderstande and amonges all other speciallye that solemne couenaunte promyse and vowe whyche they haue made for the renouncinge of the deuyll his woorkes and all his pompe and pryde teache them that thys promise is made not to an earthlye man but to God almightye and all hys holye aungels who hath power to destroye and caste into hell bothe bodye and soule of hym that kepeth not hys promise and teache them to renounce and forsake the deuill not in wordes onlye but in their dedes not in the sounde of their tounge but in all their conuersacion and teache them that they haue to dooe in their conflicte with an olde craftye and mightye enemye againste whom if they preuayle as they can not without their owne great diligence and the special ayde of Goddes holye spirit whereof they be alwaies sure than wyll GOD kepe hys parte of the league and promyse that is to saye he wyl saue them by grace in this world and by the fruicion of his glory in the next world through the merites of Christ his sonne to whom with the holy ghost be al glory and praise Amen ¶ Of the Sacrament of Confirmation Ser. v. AFter that a man by receyuing the Sacramente of baptisme is born agayne and made a member of Christes misticall bodye it is ordeyned by our sauiour Christ and hys holy spirite that he should also receiue the Sacrament of Confirmation and thereby be confirmed and made stronge in that grace whiche he receyued before for which cause I thynke it good at thys time good people to declare vnto you what ye ought to think of that Sacrament of Confirmation and what spirituall grace and effecte it woorketh in hys soule that is confirmed and what is euerye mans duetie to dooe that hath receyued it We oughte to think that our sauiour Christ did institute thys Sacrament concerninge the grace and effecte of it firste when he dyd promise to sende to his disciples the holy ghost and also when he dyd perfourme the same promise by geuing to them the holy ghost Many times did he promise to sende the holye ghoste but speciallye a litle before hys ascencion when he sayde I shall sende vnto you my fathers promyse but remayne you in the citie tyll ye bee indued with strength and power from aboue And agayne he sayde ye shall receyue the vertue of the holy ghost comming vppon you and ye shall
be witnesseâ— of me in Hierusalâ—m and in al Iury and Samaria euen to the worldes end This promise he perfourmed vpon Whitsonday when the holy ghost came downe and rested vppon the Apostles in a visible signe as in fyerye tongues wherby we may vnderstaÌ„d that as the Apostles were coÌ„firmed immediatly by the holy ghost him self without the ministracion of any minister eueÌ„ so the same grace and strength is geuen by the sacrament of CoÌ„firmacion to vs all that be baptised before according to y e measure of gods gift Which thing is proued manifestly by the doinges of the Apostles For when they herd tell that the Samaritanes had receiued the word of god and were baptised by S. Philip they sent thither S. Peter and S. Iohn who when they came they praied for theÌ„ and layd their handes vpon them and they receiued the holy gost in a visible signe And an other time S. Paule baptised certeine men at Ephesus and when he had layd his handes vpon them they receiued the holy ghost and they spake with tongues and did prophecy By this imposition or laying of the Apostles hands vpon them is ment this Sacrament of Confirmacion by which the holy ghost is geuen of whoÌ„ they receiue increase of their former grace geuen in baptisme spiritual strength against all tentacions And this grace in the beginninge was geuen in visible signes of fyery tonges and they spake also miraculouslye in diuers tonges and they prophecied But when this visible signe did cease and appeared no more and yet the same grace was geuen that was geuen before than the fathers of the primatiue Churche and successours of the Apostles by the inspiracion of the holy ghost and by the tradicion of the very Apostles did minister this sacrament with the holy Chrisme so that the imposition of the byshops handes outwardly anointing the party baptised with the holy Chrisme vpon his forehead wyth the wordes therunto belonging is the sacrameÌ„t of Confirmation signifying and working in the soule of man the inwarde vnction of the holye ghost with the greater and further giftes of his manyfold grace The necessity of this sacrament of Confirmation is not of such importance as it is of baptisme For without baptisme if it may be had by any meanes it is vnpossible to bee saued But if a man or child after baptisme chauÌ„ce to dye in his innocency without deadly sinne his baptisme and regeneracion onely is sufficient to his saluation and his death is to hym a Confirmation because after death a man can sinne no more But if the childe or man do lyue after baptisme because he is than ledde into the wildernes of this worlde and there is tempted of the deuyll his ghostly enemy who goeth about lyke a ramping Lion seking whom he might deuour and also is tempted by the wicked worlde some times by the terrour of aduersitie other tymes by the flattering and deceitful face of prosperity and hath also within him selfe lurkinge a secret and busy enemy of his fleshe alwaies rebellinge againste his spirit therefore hath he nede of further ayde of grace to be more able to withstand his enemies which aide of grace god geueth him by this sacrament of Confirmation wher he receiueth the same holy spirit that he receiued before in baptisme but to a diuerse end in diuers giftes For in baptisme he was borne again spiritually to liue in coÌ„firmatioÌ„ he is made bold to sight Ther he receiued remission of sinne here he receiueth increase of grace ther the spirit of god did make him a new maÌ„ here y e same spirit doth defend him in his dauÌ„gerous coÌ„flict ther was he washed and made cleane here is he comforted made strong In baptisme he was chosen to bee gods sonne to be an inheritour of his heauenly kingdom in Confirmation god hath geuen hys holy spirit to be his tutour to instruct him preserue him that he lose not by his foly that inheritaunce whiche he is called vnto In baptisme he was called and chosen to be one of gods souldyours and had his white coate of innocency delyuered vnto him also his badge which was the red crosse the instrument of Christes passion set vpon his forehead and other partes of his body In ConfirmatioÌ„ he is incouraged to fight and hath the armour of God put vpon him which be able to beare of the fyery dartes of the deuil and to defend him from al harme if he will vse them in his battayle and not put himselfe in daunger of his enemies by entring the field without theÌ„ By this we maye vnderstand the goodnesse and effectes of this Sacrament and how necessarye and expedient it is for a man that would liue wel in thys worlde and to bee able to auoyde sinne For what doth it profite a manne to aryse when he is fallen excepte he be stayed from fallinge againe As in baptisme a man lying in sinne was set vp vpon his feete and made able to walke in the wayes of god which be mercy and trueth so in Confirmation he is staied from fallynge and made able to indure the paines of the iourney to passe through the straites and daungers that may chaunce And also there is geuen in this sacrament by the holy ghoste great consolation in all troubles and aduersities bothe to take comfort him selfe with gladnes to beare his crosse with Christe also to geue comfort to al other that by any occasion shall come in distres Experience of thys wee maye see in the very Apostles them selues and specially in S. Peter that was the first and chiefe of all the other For when our sauiour Christ had declared that he was cleane and had shewed vnto him so muche of his glorye in the mountaine as he coulde beare where hee heard the voyce of the father testifying Christ to be his sonne and saw with his eyes hys merueylous workes and didde miracles in the name of Christ him selfe and walked vppon the Sea at Christes coÌ„maundement and was so familiarly vsed of Christ that he said he was ready to goo to prison with him and though he shoulde suffer death with him he would neuer deny him yet for al this lacking as yet the strength of gods spirit he was affraied of one litle maide and by and by denied Christe sware twyse that he knew him not And beside al this after Christes resurrection when he had receiued a message from Christ and had sene him selfe and was much comforted by him yet he kept him selfe priuilye in an house with the reste of the Apostles for feare of the Iewes But after that he had receiued the holye ghost whiche Christ promised to send and was confirmed and indued with spirituall strengthe from aboue than began he with the other Apostles to speake boldly the word of god to beare witnes of Christes resurrection was nothing affrayde of
to saye to shewe reuerence to our superiours to shew conformitie to our equalies and to shew reliefe in word and dede to our inferiours Out of this roote of pitie springeth the Godlye vertue of mekenes for he that is wel affected towardes the seruice and honour of God and studious to do his duetie towardes all degrees of men shall shew him selfe to be not heady styffenecked enuious but meke gentle and tractable not resisting euyll but with good ouercomming euil therfore this meke man may wel be called happy which by gods promise shal inherit possesse the land of y e liuing And if this gift of pitie or the vertue of mekenes chauÌ„ce to decay or be lost by the enuy of the deuyl than let him pray the effect of the second petition which is O father let thy kingdome come either to vs that we may be as thou art and teacheth vs to be humble and meke in oure owne hartes so haue the who is eternal rest dwelling in our soules or els let thy kingdome come froÌ„ heauen to earth in the clerenes of the glorious comming of our lorde Iesus Christ wheÌ„ the meke men shal heare him cal the blessed people of his father to his kingdome and therfore shal reioice be glad for euermore The third bolt that the deuil shooteth against a man is yre for of enuy groweth yre when he enuyeth his equall or superiour vpon a small occasion eyther geuen or taken he is stirred to indignation malice swelling of mind and euil lookes or els to chyding and brauling and so in processe to iniury vengeaunce or murder Wherin appeareth hys greate folye For noughtye anger resteth no where but in the bosome of a foole because it is great folye to thrust a sworde through his owne hart to thintent he mighte hurt the coate of hys enemy which thing euery angry man doth that vsurping the office of God seketh to reuenge his own quarel thus the deuil as he by pryde robbed him of his loue to god by enuy of hys loue to his neighbour so now by yre he robbeth hym of the loue of him selfe Against this fyery darte of the deuyll the holye Ghoste hath armed vs with the gift of knowledge whereby we knowe howe to walke vprightlye and without offence in the middes of this wicked generacion also that we should behaue our selues to theym that haue by wrong done vs iniury as we would do to sicke folkes children or mad men of whome both their parentes and other frendes and phisicions often tymes wyll suffer dyuerse iniuries tyl their youth or infirmitie be gone away Out of this gifte of knowledge springeth the vertue of mourning For when we know in what miseries we be wrapped in what a greate heape of euyls be round about vs which we of ignorauÌ„ce desyred as good thynges and profitable for vs than we fall to mourninge and lament the lack or prolonginge of the verye true and eternall goodes and ryches that bee stored vp for vs in heauen and begynne to sette lytle by those vaine and transitorye thinges whyche we estemed as good in earth For which cause our Sauioure Christe estemeth vs happye that so doe mourne and hath promysed vs the comforte of the holye ghoste that for contemninge these temporall thynges here we shoulde enioye eternall gladnesse in heauen And for restitucion of this gifte and vertue when it decayeth or is lost by vs we maye praye the third peticion that Gods wyll myght be done in earth as it is in heauen that when oure fleshe as earth and the desyres of it dooe in all thinges without rebellion obeye oure spirite the lacke of whiche obedience is the cause of oure mourninge as the hauinge of it is the perfourmaunce â—f Gods wyll in earth than we myghte haue this promysed comforte presently in our hartes as a pledge of that gladnes which is to come The fourth darte of the deuil is ydlenes and slouthfulnes when he tempteth a maÌ„ to esteme the fulfyllinge of Gods commaundementes eyther vnpossible or very harde and paineful and so to forbeare the doing of his duty or to be werye in the beginning and sadde euer after Agaynste this darte the holye ghoste hathe armed vs with the gifte of fortitude and strength and thereby perswadeth vs to thynke Gods commaundementes not to be heauy or greuous but to be a light burden and swete yoke and encourageth vs to set vpon that worke whiche is excellent and worthye praise and for auoyding of fayntnes or werynes he kyndleth oure hartes wyth hys loue to continue stedfaste and immoâ—uable from the hope of the Gospell increasing in good workes and knowinge that oure labour is not in vayne in Christe Oute of thys gyfte commeth the vertue whiche is called the hungre and thrist of rightwysnes whyche consisteth in true fayth and perfyte obedience to Gods lawe the earnest and vehement desyre whereof causeth a man to be moued neither wyth the flatterie nor aduersitie of this worlde nor to be sadde when he dothe well but to hope as a Lyon and not to geue place to hys aduersarye Therfore seinge that fortitude is the gift of the holy Ghost wherby they be happy that be hungry and thristy that is to say greedy and desirous of ryghtwysnes because they shall be made ful with the meate of Christ whiche is to do the wyll of hys father and also with that drinke which causeth a fountayne of water to be in theym springinge vp to euerlastinge lyfe if at anye tyme we lacke these vertues or be slacke in vsynge of theym than lette vs praye that oure daylye breade may be geuen vnto vs thys daye by vertue whereof we beyng susteyned and made stronge myghte come to that perfyt fulnesse and satietie whyche shall admitte no hunger or thyrst any more euer after The fyft darte of the deuyll is couetousnesse for when he perceyueth a man encouraged to do good and serue God by the gift of fortitude and strength he laboureth al he canne to turne that his constancie and strengthe to a wronge ende that is to saye from the fulfillinge of Gods law and mainteyninge of his truthe to the greedye and vnsatiable appetyte of fulfilling the desyres of the worlde and to the mayntenaunce of vyce and errour and tempteth him further to be obdurate and stony harted in vnmercyfulnes and so in processe for hope of gayne not to regarde crafte deceipte violence or treason Againste this darte of Couetousnesse the holye Ghoste armeth vs with the gift of counsell that oure courage and strengthe maye be stayed and dyrected to the right ende that is to saye to the contempte and despisinge of the vanitye of thys worlde and not to truste in the vncertayntye of riches but to trust in the liuing God and to do good to all we can and to be riche in good woorkes beinge readye to geue parte of that God hathe sent and to
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
and wine And although our sauior Christ when he did first institute this sacrament in his supper did minister it to his Apostles whoÌ„ he than made priestes vnder bothe the kindes of bread wine to thintent his death and passioÌ„ might be declared remembred therby where his bloude was seperate from his body as the bread was seperatly consecrate from the chalice which maner is yet coÌ„tinually obserued in the sacrifyce of the Churche whiche is the Masse yet for diuers weighty considerations as well concerning the honor of the sacrament and the auoidinge of theffusion of Chrystes blouds which might chauÌ„ce as for the more coÌ„modious administration of the Sacrament to the people the holy church hath vsed euen from the tyme of Christ himself and his Apostles to minister this sacrament vnder the fourme of bread onely both to lay men women and also to priestes sauing when they doe consecrate and minister to them selues with their owne handes in which doing it hath the example of Christ who the daye of hys resurrection ministred this sacramente to two of his disciples in the Castell of Emaus vnder one kinde alone and also the people be defrauded of no part of Christes body bloud nor of no effect or grace that commeth by the worthy receiuinge therof for it is most certain that the holle body bloud of Christ is as truely conteined vnder the one kinde of breade as vnder both the kindes of bread wine seing that Christes liuing body caÌ„not be without his bloud nor his liuely bloud w t out his body And it is also most certeinly true y t if the outward element of breade be diuided into smal parts ther is y e holle body of Christ coÌ„teined in euery part as it was in the holle elemeÌ„t before it was deuided euen as the soule of man is but one and holle in the holle body and is lykewyse one and holle in euery part of the bodye and also as a glasse when it is broken into peces the holle ymage of a mans face appeareth in euerye parte seuerally which before in the holle glasse appeared but one eueÌ„ so the holle body and holle bloud of Christ is geuen vnder euerye part of the outward formes equall portion is geuen to euerye one it is holle deliuered it is distribute to many and not dismembred it is incorporate to the receiuers and suffereth no iniurye it is receiued not included it dwelleth with weake persones is not made weake is muche delited with the pure faith cleane minde of him that receiueth For these most weyghtie godly considerations when the Sacrament is ministred to other than to hym selfe that consecrateth it it is deliuered vnder the forme of breade onely and the chalyce is not consecrate nor yet deliuered as any parte of the sacrament but for the more commodyous receyuinge of the other parte wherein was conteyned the body bloude of our sauiour Christe Therefore seyng that the doctryne of Transubstantiation is as I haue shewed a truth necessarily deduced of Chrystes manyfest woordes sayinge This is my bodye declaring the singular and onelye substaunce of that hee gaue to theym to eate to be his bodye and so not breade seynge the vniuersall Churche of Chryste hathe determined thys to be goddes trueth and for finall endynge of all controuersyes that all men mighte speake one thing and be of one tong hathe ordered it to bee spoken of and vttered in this terme of Transubstantiation and seynge the testimonies of aunciente doctours to bee all agreable in this poynt that the bread is chaunged into the bodye of Christ wherby appeareth the consent of the vniuersall churche whyche is the pyller and vpholder of all trueth for that cause let euery man that loueth the trueth and the saluation of his soule stedfastlye kepe hymselfe in the belief of this truth so to be a member of Christes catholike Churche withoute the whiche there is no saluation and lette hym not ioyne hymselfe to any faction of men out of the catholyke Churche of Christe that for syngularitie or gayne of the worlde trouble the peace of the Churche and styrre vp the ashes of olde heresyes whiche by the greateste aucthorytye that euer Christe lefte in his Churche that is to say by the iudgement of the successour of saynct Peter in the chayre of Christe and of the Bysshops and pastours of Christes flocke called froÌ„ all the partes of the world in a general counsell haue bene discussed before this tyme and fullye determined Let vs not shew so muche dyshonor to our most certaine and heauenlye religion as to thynke that it may be variable after the wylful and furious appetite of a few men whiche is one and vniforme and so hath bene froÌ„ Chrystes time tyll this day being by gods holy spirit the scholemaister of his holy churche inspyred reueled multiplied ordered continued and so stablished that hell gates that is to saye tyrannye schismes and heresy shall neuer preuaile against it He that by vnitie of fayth in doctryne and by the peace of charitie in good liuinge kepeth hym selfe within the folde of gods catholike Churche as a liuely member of the same may be sure of the protection of gods holy spirit in grace and be in good hope to attaine the glory of God in the kyngedome of heauen by the merites of Christ to whom with the father and the holye ghoste be honoure and praise worlde without end Amen ¶ Of the effectes of Christes body and bloude in the worthye receiuer Ser. ix HOw much good people are we bound to loue our Lorde Iesus Chryste that lyke a good shepeherd hath geuen hys soule for vs hys shepe and hys fleshe to bee oure meate and his bloude to be our drinke and so is he both our redemer and redemption our feder and our daylye foode Greater loue can no man shewe than thys whiche Christ our Lord hath shewed to vs but if wee would consider for what cause and purpose hee fedeth vs wyth hys fleshe and bloude and what wonderfull graces and effectes he woorketh in vs bothe in bodye and soule by those heauenlye meates our loue towardes hym shoulde bee a greate deale more increased and oure desyre shoulde bee more inflamed to fyll our hungrye soules with so profitable and precious meates In whiche matter I intende God wyllinge to laboure at thys tyme and to make but a shorte recitall of certayne beneâ—ytes whiche the worthye receyuinge of thys mooste blessed Sacrament worketh first in our soules and than in our bodyes for to speake perfitly at length of it and as the worthynes and dygnitie of the matter requireth woulde aske a great processe and a longe tyme whyche I verelye hope youre good affection in perceyuynge the trueth and in folowynge the same in your lyues wyll supplye First of all this holy Sacramente is ordeyned and geuen to man to nouryshe hym to eternall
God and eternall life it selfe were ioyned to it after the waye of meate by participation whereof it myght be delyuered from the possession of death and corruption and be indued with the property of Christes body which is eternall lyfe For as Christ reduceth our soules to life eternal by geuing to them his holy spirit in the sacrament of Baptisme euen so he reduceth our bodyes to life eternall by geuing to thē his lyuing and immortall body to eate in the sacrament of the Aultar And this is the ordinary way of gods working in vs althoughe he be not alwayes bounden to his Sacramentes but that he saueth men some times of his absolute power before Baptisme and rayseth some to lyfe eternall wythout thys sacrament such as for lack of age can not proue them selues or departe in the faythe of Christe without contempt or refusall of the sayd sacrament when by some vyolence or other impediment they were letted to receyue it in dede These be good people some of the effectes which Christ woorketh by thys Sacrament in mans body which in very deede be merueilous but aboue all other thys is the greatest that he maketh vs all that worthelye receyue him to be one body with him indued with his holy spirite whereby the perfit influence of his grace beynge our heade is deriued and deduced vnto vs that be members of his body fleshe of his fleshe and bones of his bones For as s. Paul saith we that be many are made one bread one body because all we do receyue and eate of one breade whych is the naturall body of Christ the breade of lyfe that came from heauen whiche he promysed to geue to vs al as he gaue it to death for vs all In nature we be all diuers persons and haue sondry and diuers substances but because we be all fed with one singulare substance of Christes flesh which can not be diuided into partes and also are sealed with one holy spirit that likewise can not be diuided therefore these singular thinges vndiuisiblye receiued into oure bodyes and soules drawe vs to theyr vnitie and make al vs one body misticall with Christ. Which vnitie is to be called true and natural vnitie and not onely in wyll and affection by faythe and charitye where accordyng to Christes prayer immediately after hys last supper he is in the father by the nature of his diuinitie and we in hym by his corporall natiuitie and he in vs by the Sacrament of his fleshe and blood and so by Christ is made a perfite vnitie Like as when two waxes be melted at the fyre one holle thing is made of them both euen so by the communion and receyuing of Christes bodye and bloode into ours he is in vs and we in him and so by receyuynge the vertue of this heauenlye meate we are incorporate into hys fleshe that for our saluation was made our fleshe Therefore good people consyderyng these gloryous and wonderfull graces and effectes whych by thys holy sacrament he worketh both in our soules and bodies let vs not defraud our selues of them neither by to long absteyning frō it nor yet by the vnworthye receyuing of it but as his exceedyng loue towardes vs moued him to geue it to vs so let it and the benefites we receyue by it increase oure loue towardes him and as he that geueth hys lyfe for vs and his fleshe to vs wyll denye vs nothyng that maye doo vs good so let vs serue hym wyth harte and wyll and omyt nothyng that may please hym so shall we finally inioye the speciall fruite of thys most blessed Sacrament in the kyngdome of God whych is incorruption and immortality of body and soule by hys grace and free gyfte to whom wyth the father and the holye ghost be al honour glory and prayse for euermore Amen ¶ An exhortation for the worthy receyuing of the holye Sacrament Serm. x. BEyng sufficiently and most manifestlye taught good people by the mouth of our Sauiour Christ that in this most holye sacrament he geueth vnto vs his bodye and his bloode that was slayne and shed vpon the crosse for the life of the world Let vs faythfully beleue God by his woord and not repugne against him although it seme not so to our senses and our carnall thoughtes for his misteries exceede our reason wherein we ought to consider not what oure eyes sheweth vs but what hys worde teacheth vs. For our eyes may easely deceyue vs but hys word can not deceyue vs who in sensible thinges geueth vs heauenlye and intelligible thynges whyche our senses canne not iudge and discerne but geueth place to our faith directed by Gods woorde to the knowledgynge of this infallible truth Therefore it is now oure partes to prepare and make cleane our bodyes and soules from al fylth of the flesh or spirite that we may receyue thys heauenlye meate woorthely considerynge the manyfolde graces that come by it and the eternal dampnation that hangeth ouer theyr heades that vnwoorthelye presume to receyue it Remember howe euerye man is displeased and angry with the traytour Iudas and them that crucifyed our Sauiour Christe and so beware that you be not likewyse giltye of the bodye and bloud of Christe They most cruellye shedde his bloude but he that vnworthelye receyueth hym with a foule and synfull conscience spitefullye treadeth his precious blood vnder his feete No fylth or myre is so vnworthy his pure and heauenly bodye as is the bodye or soule of man defyled with mortall synne And as the thyng we come vnto is most honorable so the woorthy receyuing of it is moste profitable But if a man come vnto it with a gilty and noughty consciēce it encreaseth his faulte and dampnation for he that eateth and drinketh the body and bloude of our Lord vnworthely eateth drinketh iudgement and dampnation to himselfe For as they that do defile the kings purple robe are worthy to be punished as wel as they that cut or rent it euen so it is no maruel if they that receiue Christes bodye with an vncleane conscience do suffer the same punishment that they doo whyche dyd nayle him to the crosse Se how terrible a payne S. Paul threatneth to the vnworthy receyuer saying A man that transgresseth the law of Moyses being conuict by two or thre witnesses suffreth death how much more and greater punishment deserueth he to suffer that treadeth vnder foote Gods sonne with no reuerence regardeth the blood of his testament by whiche he was sanctified but taketh it as comon meate doth iniurie to the spirit of grace and in that he betraieth and deliuereth Christ as Iudas did not now to the synful Iewes but to his own synfull members wherwith he presumeth to dishonour so inestimable a sacrament S. Peter and Iudas at one table in one supper did both eate of one consecrate breade whych was Christes bodye but Peter
departing from you and of wythdrawing hys grace froÌ„ your hartes that haue desyre to haue synne whych is the mother of deathe rather to reign in your mortall bodies thaÌ„ to haue Christ and hys heauenly father with the holy ghoste to make theyr habitation ther. As it is more shame for a man to dislodge hys honest gest and thrust him out of doores aâ—ter he hath receiued him into his house than at the first tyme to haue sayde him nay and to haue denied him lodging euen so it is greater damnation to defyle thys our flesh with the fylthines of synne when it hath receyued Christes fleshe and bloude and so to treade vnder foote Gods sonne than to haue absteined and not to haue receyued hym before makynge the last end worse then the first Wherein we be like cursed Absolon that called his brother Amnon to a feast and caused his seruauntes to kyll him there And also wee be lyke to the traytour Iudas that after with Christe in his supper he receiued Christes body at Christes hande gaue place to the deuils suggestion betraied Christ his mayster to the wicked Iewes and we be also like to the Iewes that met Christ coÌ„ming to the citie with vowes of palmes and olyue trees and within fiue daies after cryed Crucifige vpon him and pursued him euen to the death But our duty is to geue as much reuerence to Christ being present and dwellyng with vs as we did when he was commynge to vs and not to take hys precious body and blood in vayne and with out cause but to expresse in our lyues that we imitate and folow his footesteps and so keepe a perpetuall commemoration of him that died for vs and rose againe in that we be now mortified to synne and the world and liuyng to GOD in Christ our Lord. For this sacrament of the Aultare wherin we receiue Christes body bloode doth signifie and teach vs that we should communicate with Christ in his passions and folow that coÌ„uersation in our maners which be shewed in his fleshe and as his bodye in forme of breade is seene to enter into our mouthes so we maye knowe that he also entreth into vs by that conuersation which he vsed in earth to dwel in our hartes by fayth Therefore hee that so remembreth Christes deathe that he accordyng to Christes example doth mortifie his members which be vpoÌ„ earth that is to saye fornication vnclennes noughtye desyres couetousnesse and suche lyke he eateth woorthely Christes body and blood and hath euerlastyng lyfe remayning in him and sufferynge wyth Christe shall raygne with Christ in the glory of hys father with the holy gost world without end Amen ⸫ ¶ Of the sacrifice of the newe Testament which is called the Masse Serm. xii AS Christ our Sauiour hath geuen vnto vs hys moste precious bodye and blood in the Sacrament to be our meate to feede and nouryshe vs to euerlastyng lyfe So hath he geuen good people vnto vs the same hys bodye and bloode to be our daylye Sacrifice for that teynynge of remission of synnes and eternal saluation and as he commaunded vs to take and eate that hys bodye whyche he gaue vs so hath he commaunded vs to offer it to GOD the father in remembraunce of his passion So that the Sacrifice of the Masse whych is the proper Sacrifice of the newe Testament whereupon by Gods helpe I intreate at this tyme is the execution of Christes commaundement in his last supper when he sayd to his disciples Do this in my remembraunce wher in the bread and wyne be consecrate and chaunged and the bodye and bloode of Christe beynge made present there by the almyghtye power of the holye Ghost be offered to God the father by the Churche for the Churche and be receiued of the faythfull people Christ our Lord God who loued vs synners so excedynglye that for oure redemption and saluation abased hym selfe to be made manne and was made obedyent in humblynge hymselfe to the moste paynefull and vyle deathe of the Crosse and for our iustification rose agayne the thyrde daye and ascended to heauen to the glorye of hys father whyche be the wonderfull woorkes of God and therefore mâ—rueylous in oure syght hath also instituted and ordeyned a memory of these merueyles sayeng So often as ye shall doo these thynges ye shal doo them in my remembraunce And when sayd our mercyfull Lorde that woorde verelye euen than when hee gaue the meate of hys bodye to them that feared hym And than in hys last supper did he beyng our most hye Priest fyrst of al offer a Sacrifice to God the father and commaunded the same to be done of the Priestes of hys Churche that occupy hys office in memorie of hym and so taughte the newe oblation of the newe Testament whych oblation the Churche receyuing of the Apostles dothe offer to GOD throughout the holle worlde And for playner vnderstandyng of thys matter good people I praye you call to your remembraunce the summe and grounde of all our faythe which is that we beleue to be saued onelye by the merites of our Sauiour Christe and that he bearing our synnes in his body vpon the Crosse and beyng the innocent Lambe of God wythoute all synne hym selfe shedde hys moste innocent bloud for vs sinners and by the voluntarye Sacrifice of hys owne bodye and bloude made satisfaction for all the synnes of the holle worlde and reconciled the wycked world to the fauour of God agayne Thys bloudye Sacrifice made Christe oure Sauiour vpon the Aultare of hys Crosse but ones and neuer but ones and it is the propitiatorye Sacrifice and a sufficient pryce and raunsome for the synnes of al people from the beginnyng of the worlde to the last ende Al our comfort and ioye is and ought to be in thys Sacrifice and passion of oure Sauioure Christe by whyche onelye we haue and may haue sure hope of saluation All that were saued from the creation of the worlde and the fall of Adam were saued by the vertue of thys Sacrifice and by lyuelye faythe in Christe that was promysed to Adam and Noe and Abraham and the other Patriarches and fathers of the olde testament and all the Sacrifices whych they offered then were but fygures of thys Sacrifice of Christe whereby they dyd protest theyr fayth in Christe to come And lykewyse all we that haue bene iustifyed and saued synce Christes tyme and shall be to the worldes ende obtaine and receyue that redemption remission of synne and saluation by the onelye vertue of the same bloodye Sacrifice of Christe vpon the Crosse. When so euer we be in synne wee resorte to that passion to haue remission when so euer our woorkes be vnsufficient and vnperfite we runne to that passion to haue that supplyed that lacketh in vs when so euer we go aboute to render thankes to God for all his benefites wee can not doo it
to receyue him as â—he Centurio said that he was not woorthye that Christ shoulde enter into his house yet at lest resort to this Sacrifice and with fayth and deuotion receyue Christ spiritually and geuyng thankes for all hys gyftes commit your selues hollye to the custodye and tuition of almyghtye god who is alwaies ready to shew vs mercy for Christes sake to whoÌ„ with the father and the holye ghost be all honour prayse and glory worlde wythout end Amen ⸫ ¶ Of the necessitie and commoditie of Penaunce in general Serm. xiiii OUr Lorde and Sauioure Iesus Christe whyche came into thys worlde too call and saue synners dealynge patientlye with them not wyllyng anye man to peryshe but all men to bee conuerted and turned too hym by Penaunce after that Iohn Baptiste whom God sent before his face to prepare hys way by preaching of Penaunce was apprehended and cast into prison than I say our Sauioure Christe began to preache the gospell of hys grace and glorye after thys forme sayinge Do penaunce for the kyngdome of heauen draweth nere teaching vs bothe by hys woorde and deede and lyke as Iohn Baptiste goeth before whose ministery was to preach Penaunce and Iesus commeth after by whose death we haue redemption and remission of synne euen so in the harte of euerye synner the effecte of Iohns preachynge whyche is true and vnfayned Penaunce must go before that theffect of Christes passion which is grace mercie and remission of synnes maye come after And as this doctrine of penaunce was first of all other taught by our Sauiour hymselfe and by Iohn hys moste holye Prophet as a thynge most necessarye for the instruction and saluation of all men euen so hys holye Apostles in the beginning of theyr preachynge obserued the same matter and forme of doctrine as Sainte Peter in his first Sermon made at Hierusalem in the day of Pentecost when he had opened the worke of the holye Ghoste in the gifte of tounges and thereby tooke occasion to sette foorthe the mysterye of Iesus Christe at the last ende his doctrine to the people whyche were smitten wyth compunction of hart by his woordes was thys Doo penaunce and be euerye one of you baptised in the name of Iesus Christe for the remission of your sinnes and ye shall receiue the gift of the holye Ghoste And in hys next Sermon wrytten in the thyrde chapter of the Actes hee taughte the same doctrine in these woordes Doo you therefore penaunce and bee conuerted that your sinnes maye bee taken awaye Saynte Paule also calleth the doctrine of Penaunce the foundation of all other doctrines in the harte of a godlye man out of whych doo spryng suche other vertues as brynge a man to the perfection of a Christen lyfe Lykewyse Saynt Iohn Euangelist began wyth the same doctrine of Penaunce writynge in hys Reuelation to the seuen Churches that were in Asia sayinge thus to the church of Ephesus in the person of Christ Remember from whence thou haste fallen and doo penaâ—nce and do the first woorkes or els I shal câ—me to thee soone and shall remoue thy candlesticke from his place excepte thou doo penaunce And thys doctrine also dydde all the other Apostles fyrst and principallye set foorth to all them that receyued the fayth of Christe as most necessary for theyr saluation beyng taught and commaunded so to do by our Sauiour Christe hym selfe when before hys Ascencion hee opened to them theyr wyttes and vnderstandinges to vnderstande the Scriptures saying to them that it was so written that Christe so shoulde suffer and ryse from deathe the thyrde daye and that penaunce shoulde bee preached in hys name and remission of synne throughout al people beginning at Hierusalem For which cause and consideration I as a minister of our sauiour Christ to whom he hath committed the woord and ministerie of reconciliation vsynge as it were hys embassage to exhort you to be reconciled to him intendynge to teache you at thys tyme what thynges to doo for the sauynge of your soules and the atteynynge of euerlastynge lyfe haue thought it most expedient for satisfyeng of my dutie in folowynge the example and commaundement of our mayster Christ and his Apostles and for your erudition to be taught the streight pathe and hye beaten waye for our Christen religion to speake of penaunce and fyrste to declare the necessitie and commoditie of the same and than in order the partes of it and how to do it in suche maner as it maye be acceptable to almightye God and a meane to atteyne hys mercye and remission of synne Fyrst of al consider you good people that penaunce is a gift of God as the scripture saythe God hath geuen and graunted penaunce to the Gentiles for lyfe and saluation And it is God that standeth at the doore of our hart and knocketh by whose inspiration wee haue the begynnyng of our conuersion wythoute whom we be not able and sufficient of oure selues as of oure selues to thinke any good thought Thys gyfte of penaunce is a perfite and merueylous greate gift beyng as Saynte Chrisostome saythe the mother of mercy wherby as the wisemaÌ„ sayth God dothe dyssimule the synnes of men for penaunce that is to saye God of hys mere mercye and fatherly affection doth beare with the syns of men and differreth to auenge and punysh theÌ„ iustly according to theyr desertes patiently looking for their conuersion and penaunce by meanes wherof he might remit theyr offences delyuer them from manye daungers geue vnto theÌ„ plenty of grace and conduct them to the fruitioÌ„ of his glory For if God should by and by punish al offâ—dours neither Zacheus should haue had space to haue done penaunce nor yet s. Mathew nor many other beyng taken awaye to eternall deathe before the tyme of theyr penaunce But our most mecke father calling euerys one to penaunce dothe abyde and tarye for vs which pacience who so euer abuseth and contemneth by remayning still in his former synnes according to the hardnesse and obstinacie of his own hart dothe store vp to himselfe Gods indignation in the daye of Gods anger and iuste iudgement when he shall render to euerye one according to his woorkes And as he saith himselfe except in very deede we do penaunce we shall all peryshe and bee condempned whereby we vnderstande howe profitable and necessarye a medicine penaunce is without the whiche sinnes be not remitted to them that haue the vse of theyr vnderstanding and reason The Serpent in Paradise moued Eue to sinne penaunce loosed her again and from thence came good and euyll to manne Our father Adam was expulsed oute of Paradise for synne and we and all other that be hys children be called thyther agayne by penaunce For penaunce openeth that sinne hath shut and the mercyfull goodnes of God doth call vs thyther agayne from whence his anger hathe cast vs out What a great power
and vertue hathe this vertue of penaunce which by the mercye of God remitteth synne openeth Paradise healeth the contrite man maketh gladde the heauye reuoketh a man from destruction restoreth hym to his former good state reneweth his olde honour repayreth all the decayes of vertue maketh hym acceptable and bolde wyth God and doth purchase of God more plentie of grace then he had before Thys vertue is lyke a fruitefull feelde the fruite wherof when an hungrie sinner doth eat he is well refreshed in his soule groweth in credit and truste with God and after remission of his synnes waxeth fatte in good lyfe and speaketh to God after this maner Lord before thee is all my desyre and the mournyng of my harte is not hydde from thee the feare of synne vexeth me the weygâ—t of my conscience oppresseth me in my selfe I haue no hope to lyue nor boldnesse to dye at thy iudgementes I tremble and feare the paynes prepared for the wycked spirites heare me I beseche thee whiles time is and pardon that I feare before I go and shall be no more To sâ—che a penitent harte is remission geuen and lyfe graunted And for better knowledge of penaunce it is to be considered that the doyng of penaunce is three wayes spoken of in holy scripture one is for all kynde of synne before Baptisme For he that is iudge and ruler of hys owne wyll when he commeth to Baptisme he can not beginne a new life except he take repentaunce for hys old and he must haue hope and loue to be made that he was not and hate that he was From thys kinde of penaunce before baptisme onely young chyldren be free whiche as yet can not vse theyr free wyll â–ª and for theyr consecration and remission of originall synne the faythe of the churche which is professed by the Godfathers and mothers as representyng the churche doth profite and suffise and so by the Sacrament of faythe which is Baptisme they are made faythful and members of Christes misticall bodye Of thys penaunce speaketh Saynte Peter saying thus Doo you penaunce and let euerye one of you bee baptised in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christe for the remission of your synnes The second way of doing penaunce is for veniall synne after baptisme and is dayly done or ought to be done throughout a mans holle lyfe so longe as we be in this weake frayle mortall and synful fleshe For which cause we knock vpon our breastes sayenge forgeue vs our trespaces as we forgeue them that trespace agaynste vs. For we requyre not to haue those sinnes forgeuen vs whyche we be sure were forgeuen in baptisme before but those whych throughe our frayltie and sensualitie by litle and litle continually creepe vpon vs whych beynge many if they were all gathered together agaynste vs and we contemned to auoyde them in tyme they would so greue and oppresse vs as one mortall synne For what difference is it to haue a mans shippe drowned at once with one greate surge waue of the sea or to suffer the water to enter into small holes by litle and litle till the shyp by contemning to draw the poompe be ful and so sink and be drowned For the whiche cause we fast do almes and pray wherin wheÌ„ we say forgeue vs as we forgeue we declare that we haue somthing to be forgeuen by which wordes we humble our soules and ceasse not after a certain maner to do dayly penaunce The third way of doyng penaunce is for such deadlye sinnes after baptisme as be prohibited by Gods x. coÌ„maundementes of which the Apostle saith al they that do such shal not posses the kingdome of heaueÌ„ And this penaunce ought to be more greuous and paynfull because the fault is great causing a deadlye wounde in oure soules as adulterie murder or sacrilege But althoughe the wounde bee greate greuous and deadly yet almyghtye GOD as a good Phisitian after the suggestion of synne by the deuil the delectation of the fleshe the consent of oure mynde and freewyll and also the doynge of the synne in deede as thoughe wee hadde lyen in graue stynking foure dayes as Lazarus dydde dothe not so leaue vs but cryeth Lazare veni foras Come foorth O Lazare and by and by miserie gaue place to mercye deathe to life Lazarus commeth foorth and is bounden as men be in confession of theyr synne doynge penaunce Of this speaketh Sainte Paule to the Corinthians saying I am affrayde lest when I shall come againe God doo humble and afflict me amonge you and least I lament and mourne for many of them that haue sinned before and haue not done penaunce for theyr fornication and vnclene life they haue vsed This last kinde of penaunce is that whereof wee speciallye treate vpon at thys tyme and is called by the holye fathers the seconde table or borde after baptisme For all sinners being as it were drowned in the floode of synne by reason of originall sinne that from Adam ouerfloweth all the worlde or els by theyr owne actuall synne which they haue done in theyr owne parsones besyde may be saued and escaped oute of thys floode if they wyll take holde of the fyrste boorde whiche is Baptisme But after the Sacrament of Baptisme if they fall into the waters agayne by deadlye synne there is no remedye to be saued from drowninge and dampnation but onelye penaunce whych is the seconde boorde that God hath ordeined to saue vs by so that who so euer taketh holde of it vnfaynedlye duryng the tyme of thys naturall lyfe no dout of it it wyll by Gods mercyfull grace bring him to the hauen of saluation were his sinnes neuer so great and haynous whereby we maye vnderstande howe necessarye a treasure thys is as beyng the onelye remedye nowe lefte vnto vs to restore vs to the fauour of God which by synne we had lost before Wherefore I doo exhorte euerye man and woman in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ as they tender the health and saluation of theyr soules to be diligent and carefull to vse thys speciall remedye ordeyned of God for remission of synne neyther contempnyng hys iustice nor dispayring of hys mercye whiche twoo bee the lettes of true penaunce and enemyes to the grace of GOD in remission of synne For God is a iuste myghtye and patient Iudge forbearyng and forgeuyng the penitent synner iudgeynge and condempnyng thee obstinate synner As the consideration of hys mercye should speedely prouoke vs to amendement so the feare of hys iuste iudgement shoulde vtterlye take awaye all delayes Wee bee in daunger on bothe sydes bothe by to muche hopinge and by dyspayringe He is deceyued by hopyng that sayth God is good and mercyfull promysinge pardon when so euer we conuert therefore I wyll doo that pleaseth me I wyll geue the brydle to my lustes and satisfye the desires of my minde On the contrarye syde he is deceyued by desperation that falling
shall continue in rightwisnes and by the mercyful goodnes of God shall atteyne euerlastinge lyfe through the merites of our Lord Iesus Christ to whō with the father and the holy gost be al honour glory world without ende Amen ¶ Of the Sacrament of Order Serm. xxv TWo thynges good people bee necessary by the saluatiō of mā bothe by grace of this worlde and by glory of the next world The inwarde giftes of faythe charitie and hope and the outwarde Sacramentes of Baptisme Penaunce and the other lyke God that is our Sauiour and the principall cause of our saluation by geuyng vnto vs these inwarde giftes dooeth dispose and prepare the harte of man and maketh it meete to receyue grace and remission of synne and also by the receyuyng of his holy Sacramentes he induceth and bringeth into the hart of man the said grace and remission as it were water throughe a conduite or corporall health by a good and profitable medicine By these two instrumētes almightie God doth forme and make his holye churche and bryngeth vs to the knowledge of God and his sonne Christ that were before in darkenes and the shadowe of death making vs of old men and the heyres of hell and dampnation to bee newe men and the heyres with Christe in the kingdome of heauen And thus when we bee by these instrumentes incorporate and made members of Christes misticall bodye the Churche he doeth also by discipline rule vs his churche and preserueth vs in vnitie and multiplieth his manyfold graces in vs to the atteinyng of euerlastyng lyfe The inward giftes be wrought in vs that be of age by the preachinge of Gods holy woorde for faythe commeth by the hearing of the worde of God whiche faith beyng tryed by pacience in tribulation woorketh hope that neuer fayleth because the charitie of God is poured into oure hartes by the holye ghoste which is geuen vnto vs. And how shall men preache Gods worde except they be sent for the office of preaching may not be of any man vsurped by presumption but oughte to bee faithfullye vsed and practised by Gods commission of them that be for that purpose sent by God and his Churche to conuert or instructe his people For as in the bodye euerye parte or member is not the mouthe so in the churche euerye man may not be a preacher and to thintent that the Gospell of Christe and his holy woorde myghte be purely set forth without corruption and that the ministers of the deuyll transformyng theim selues into the Apostles of Christ as the deuyll theyr father is wonte oftentimes to doo should not deceiue Gods people with euerye wynde of vntrue doctrine Therefore hath Christe geuen vnto his churche not euerye man but certeyne men to be Apostles Prophetes and Preachers who vsing as it were an embassage frō Christe shoulde by his true woorde edifye his Churche and gather his people in vnitie of faith Lykewyse the grace that healeth our soules and preserueth them in rightwisnesse is not ordynarylye gyuen but by the outwarde and sensible ministration of the holye Sacramentes whiche be not alwaies effectuall geuynge that grace they signifie but whē they be in due forme ministred of such persones onely as haue authoritie from God to dooe the same for no man taketh honour to himselfe but he that is called of God as Aaron was What is so excellent as to consecrate the sacramentes of God and what is so pernicious as if he consecrate them that hathe receyued no degree of Priesthoode as appeareth by suche plages as lyghte vpon Dathan and Chore and also vpon kynge Ozias for vsurpinge the office of the Priestes by their owne authoritie vncalled of God thereto For onelye theyr ministration doeth GOD assiste as he hathe promised to whome he hath geuen power to minister the visible Sacramentes Wherefore as the Sacramentes be necessarye to mans saluation so it is necessarye for certeyne menne to be ordeyned and authorysed of God to minister the same Sacramentes faythfully and effectually to mans saluation Lykewyse when Christes Churche by the ministration of hys holye woorde and Sacramentes is gathered and collected oute of all the profane people of the worlde into one bodye to the intente that all confusion and dysorder shoulde be banyshed out of the Churche of God and that it might be by streyte disciplyne ruled and kept in order and all disobedience corrected to the edifying of the same churche as it were a great armie set in good array of battaill by order terrible to their enemies so that hell gates can not preuayle against it Therefore hath oure Sauiour Christ ordeyned in his churche certein men to be rulers and iudges in all causes which perteyne to the saluation of mans soule to whō all other persones of what state so euer they be owe obedience subiection reuerēce and temporall reliefe as to their spiritual gouernours and fathers who take cure and charge of them and shal make an accompt to God of their soules By this litle that I haue nowe sayde ye may learne good people that the publike ministration of the Gospell of Christe standeth in three pointes in the preachyng of Gods worde in the ministration of the holy Sacramentes and in exercisyng of discipline and iurisdiction whiche three shall by Gods promise and the assistaunce of his holye spirite continually bee obserued in the catholike church to the worldes ende for the edifienge and buildyng of the same Churche in grace and vertue and for weedynge out and banyshing of all errour and vngodly liuing And also ye may learne that where no man may vsurpe and take vpon him of his owne authoritte to entermedle or to minister that which perteineth to Chist without sufficient commission from him Therefore hathe Christe ordeyned this Sacrament of Order wherein grace or spirituall power is geuen to certein Christen men by the outwarde signe of imposition of the Bishoppes handes vpon them to exercise effectually the publike ministration of the Churche whereby what so euer they dooe in the Churche according to the institution of Christe and the Church is ratified accepted and allowed of almighty God Of this grace or power geuen in the Sacrament of Order writeth Saynte Paule to Tymothye whome he had ordered and consecrate a Priest saying thus Dooe not neglecte the grace whiche thou hast in thee whiche is geuen to thee throughe prophecie or the inspiration of God by imposition of handes of the order of Priesthoode And also in an other place he exhorteth Timothye to styrre vp the grace of God whiche was geuen to hym by the imposition of his handes And because this spirituall power and authoritie which is geuen to certeyne men for the edifieng of Christes churche is not hollye geuen to euery one of them but to some more to other some lesse by degrees whereby one man as his office and function is greater so is he exalted in dignitie aboue an other
with him for euermore And as Adam spake in the spirite of Prophecy that by matrimonye a man shoulde leaue his father and mother and adhere and cleaue vnto hys wyfe and that they should be two in one fleshe So our sauiour Christe did so leaue his father that beynge in the forme of God thoughte it no robberye to be equall with God but abased hym selfe and was made man and also lefte the Synagoge the mother of the Iewes whiche altogether leaned carnally to the olde Testament and dyd adhere vnto hys wyfe the holye Churche to the intent they mighte be two in one fleshe in the peace of the new testament And as a man and his wyfe haue conformitie and do agre in one nature of mankynd so Christ did conforme him selfe to his Churche by his humanitie And as at the publike celebratiō of mariage the frendes of the parties so maried be called together and a feast is made amonge theim to declare their common ioye and gratulatyon for the celebratinge of this Sacrament euen so to the mariage betwene our sauiour Christ and his spouse the holy Church are called al nations and people and from euery part of the world the frendes and seruauntes of God by lyuelye fayth dooe resorte thyther with vnspeakable gladnes and ioye in the holy ghost And as ther is no worldly loue greater thā the loue betwene mā and wife who be one hart and one mind euen so the holy church loueth Christ and Christ loueth his spouse the Church so that he hath geuen him selfe to the death for her to redeme and washe her from all her spottes and wrincles And as the wife by duetie is subiecte and obedient to her husbande as being her head so is the Churche to Christe her head sauiour And as the husbande anorneth and decketh his wyfe and when case requireth doth also chastyse her to the intent she might continew in her duetie and obedience euen so Christ dothe beautifye and set forth hys wife the Churche wyth spirituall giftes and ornamentes and some tymes by trybulation and aduersitie dothe chastise her aswell for to exercise her in rightwisnes as for correction of her disobedience Thys ye maye perceiue good people by these comparysones howe matrimonye betwene man and wyfe is a great Sacramēt resemblinge vnto vs and beating into our remēbraunce that heauenly cōiunction which is betwene Christ our Sauiour and hys spouse the holy church which is the greatest grace and benefite that god hath geuen to man wherupon mans saluation doth holly depend And as this grace is but onely signified by the Sacrament of Matrimonye so God doth both signifye and also worke effectually other special and singulare graces in them that lawfullye in the faith of Christ receiue the same Sacrament of matrimony Which thinge shall appeare yf ye wyll consider the wordes of our sauiour Christe whereby Matrimonye as a Sacramente of the newe Testamente is stablished and sanctifyed where hee sayeth in the gospell of Sainte Mathew after thys sorte those persones whom God hath ioyned man may not lose By which wordes is declared vnto vs that who so euer bee ioyned in lawfull maryage in the name of God to the intent to lyue Godly in the religion of Christ in that state of lyfe they be ioyned not vainelye by contract of man onely but by God himself who is inuisibly present at the making of that mariage and doth assist the parties is the authour and worker of the knot of matrimonie betwene them And by the same woordes also is declared the strengthe of the knotte of Matrimony to be such as cā not be broken dissolued afterwarde but by the natural death of one of the parties so maryed For yf God dothe so couple and ioyne man and wyfe together that no man hathe power to separate them a sender afterwarde than is it certeine that he geueth to the parties so maryed his speciall grace to lyue together in godlye and chaste loue in this perpetuall bond and knot of Matrimonie without breach of the same and so to cheryshe and loue one an other as Chryste loueth his Churche and shall neuer be separate and diuorsed from the same So that this indissoluble bond and knot of Matrimonye betwene the two parties maried which no man can loose and breake during the lyues of both the parties so maryed is that special grace and effect which is wrought by almighty God in this sacrament and is also signified by such mutuall woordes of consent as the two parties did contract Matrimony together Which perpetual bond although it be made specially for thintent to haue childrē yet when that cause dothe cease by age or barennes it maye in no wyse bee broken or dissolued And also although for fornication of the woman or of the man there maye be made agaynste the will of the party offending a diuorce or separation from bed borde betwene thē tyl they may be reconcyled together agayne by the penaunce and submission of the partie offendinge yet the bond and knot of Matrimonie which God hath once made cā in no wise be dissolued if in case the one partie the other beyng alyue do attempt to marrye againe it doth commit fornication And this cause or condition of Matrimonye betwene husbande and wyfe is not amonge the Heathen or vnchristen people where Matrimonye is no Sacrament of Christes religion but onely in the Citie of God which is the catholyke church Moreouer besyde this inuiolable bonde which god knitteth by his grace in this Sacrament and by mutuall loue which he poureth into their hartes and dothe nourishe and preserue the same there is also an other singulare grace and benefite of God alwayes ioyned thereunto whereby as S. Paule saithe Matrimonye is made honorable in it the bed or carnall copulation may be vndefiled and without sinne For where as by Gods institution in this sacrament of Matrimony there is power geuen to man to vse his wife for procreation of children we must consequētly vnderstand that there is also grace geuen whereby he may do that thing conueniētly to the contentation and pleasure of God For they that worthely in the faith of Christ and in the feare of God with a right intent for the end to haue fruite of their bodies to serue God contract Matrimonie together to such I say is geuen the helpe of Gods grace against the vnlawful desire concupiscence of the flesh that it procede no further thā the honesty of maryage doth require So that the carnall act and copulatyon which otherwise were sinful and dishonest is by the goodnes of Matrimonie lawfullye contracted as I haue said before not onely excused and defended from sinne as S. Paul saith yf thou hast taken a wyfe thou hast not sinned and if a virgyn doo marrye she synneth not but also is made honest meritorious acceptable to almightye god who also by his special grace doth aid y
kepe iustely matrimonial chastitie that he must forsake to dwell with his father mother and al other persones for to bee and dwell wyth his wife and that he ought also to cherishe helpe and comforte her as he would do his owne persone For when he marieth he and his wife be made one bodye And this loue and kyndnesse the man muste shew his wife not onelye the firste day or the first yere or whyle she is yonge and hath health but he muste thus loue her and so much do for her alwaies so longe as he and she lyue together whatsoeuer sickenes or chaunce commeth to her or what coÌ„ditions so euer she haue For though a man may for certeine causes be from the company dwelling with his wife againste her will as if he can proue that his wife hathe geuen the vse of her body vnto an other man and haue not kepte her matrimonyall chastitie and so forth in some other cases yet he can in no wise breake his mariage nor the bond of it and marry an other nor he can not be discharged of the obligation and promisse which he made to loue hys wife and to doo for her as muche as for his owne bodye and persone alwaies when his wife shall haue nede These considerations and remeÌ„braunces ought euerye Christen man to haue when he intendeth to marry for what cause so euer he marry And likewyse also when a woman wyll marrye she muste diligently consider after what maner she must lyue with her husbande how she shall vow and bynde her selfe vnder the paine of damnation to loue her husbande aboue all men and to worshippe him and mâ—kely and gladly to obeye him and fulfyll that he commaundeth and desyreth her to do in all thinges whiche perteyne to Gods lawe and the duetie of mariage And she must alwaies kepe her matrimoniall chastitye and helpe and succour her husbande in his â—ede as she woulde her owne persone and she must do al thing whych she did vowe and promyse when she was maried For the lawe of Matrymonye byndeth the woman to euerye thinge touchinge the duetie of a wife as it dothe the man concerninge the duetie of an husband These thinges well considered on bothe the parties shal be a greate helpe and prouocatyon that they shall study and labour most principally to ioyne and couple theim selues vnt o persones whiche haue aboundaunce of vertues and good conditions more than for any other sinistre affection seinge nothing can cause or make this matrimonyall loue and agreement to be kepte and continued amongest maried persons so much as honest equall and like conditions shal do And where as the scripture sayeth that a man maye haue an house and riches of his parentes but a good and prudent wife is the gift of God he ought before he shall marye moste humbly to begge this good gifte of almightye God wyth long deuoute and continual prayers as one special thing wherupoÌ„ resteth his ioy in this world and by wel vsing of that hope of ioye in the next worlde And because mariage is an honorable thing as saint Paule sayeth let theÌ„ haue no euil affection nor do nothing that might dishonor it but before they celebrate y e same mariage let theÌ„ prepare their haries with fasting other godlye and spiritual exercises to come worthely to such an honorable Sacrament to do as becoÌ„meth the children of holy people and not like Gentiles and heathen people whiche know not God nor haue no godlynes before their eyes Last of al I shall exhorte and admonyshe you that bee maryed to vse your mariage in suche sorte here in this worlde as it be no hynderaunce for you to come to the next world so to indeuour your self one to please an other that ye doo in no wise displease GOD your creator so to seke and dooe those thinges that be temporall that ye omytte not to seke and labour for those thynges whiche be eternall so to be glad of your present prosperity that ye be not carelesse without feare of eternall damnation and so to be sorye for suche aduersitie as chaunceth here that ye bee not voyde of sure perfyte hope of eternall felicitie Lette not the cares of thys worlde so breake and caste downe your hartes but that the hope of heauenlye and eternall ioyes maye comforte and staye them againe And also lette not the flatteringe face of worldlye wealthe so inueigle and deceiue you but that the feare of Goddes eternall iudgement maye brydle you and kepe you in awe For the myndes of Godly maried persones althoughe they be not able to forsake the cares of thys worlde and vtterlye to contempne worldlye thynges yet oughte they by their desyres and godly affections to ioyne them selues to thinges eternall These good lessons Saint Paule knitteth vâ— in a fewe wordes sayinge thus The time is short and it remaineth that they whiche haue wyues be as hauinge no wyues As thoughe he shoulde say in longer processe that the ende of the worlde and the laste iudgement of God draweth nere and so much the more ought euery man to be careful how he shall appeare and be founde at that iudgement and that the case of matrimonye is not like nowe to vs that be in the end of the worlde as it was to the olde fathers in the beginninge for amonges them he was accompted and taken as accursed by the sentence of the lawe that did not rayse vp seade in Israell that dyed without yssue and children for that was the tyme to increase and multiply Gods people by which people it was prophecyed that the Prince and Sauiour of the worlde should be borne and for that cause the people of GOD did as muche as they coulde applye them selues to mariage wherunto they were kindled and moued not by concupiscence but by obedience not for satisfyenge of their carnal lust but for religion to obey the law and to haue fruyte of their bodies but now since that the fulnes of time is coÌ„med and the worlde draweth towardes an ende the case is altered For now sayeth our sauiour Christe in waye of exhortation he that can take the gifte of chastitie and sole life let hem take it since whiche time manye that haue that gifte vse it in dede and he that wyll not vse it may not excuse him self that he hathe it not and in case he be maried let hym lyue and be as vnmaried hauing the same affection to continent life and the abstinence froÌ„ the act of Matrimonie as Abraham and the old fathers had who than serued not the lustes and desyres of theyr fleshe but serued the lawe the tyme of encrease and the ordinaunce of God beyng slowe and forbearing to require but sometimes content to pay theyr matrimoniall debte and let him so take carnall comfort of his wyfe that in no wyse her loue wythdrawe hym from seruinge of God seyng he ought to loue
her in God for God And therefore maried persones be bounden if any displeasant thyng chaunce amonges them with patience to beare one an others burden and so to fulfyl the law of Christ which is charitie seking to amende that is done amysse betwene them rather by discrete and louing admonition than by furious and vnkynde correction which shalbe a cause that either partie shall take heede and beware to do any thyng that might displease the other for very loue and for feare of loosing the others fauour Thus haue ye hearde good people for what cause men and women ought to enter maryage and partlye how to lyue in the same to the pleasure of almyghty God according to the example of al holy men and the doctrine of our Sauiour Christ to whom wyth the father and the holye ghost be all glory and honour world without end Amen ⸬ ¶ Of the sacrament of extreme Unction Serm. xxx COnsideryng good people that the lyfe of man is but short and passeth awaye lyke a shadowe and that death as it is most certeyn to come to euery man so it is vncerteyne what tyme or what houre it shall come and also considering that the deuyll our ghostly enemy as he ceaseth not all our lyfe tyme with his craftie tentations to lay in wayte for vs to supplant vs and to bring vs to deadly synne and so to loose the fauoure of God our moste mercyfull father so in the time of our infirmitie whē death approcheth then I saye is hee most busye and fearce to subuert vs and wee also at that tyme leste able to withstand him our minde being thē much alienated with the payne of oure dissease and the heauines of our body which than draweth towardes corruption Therefore oure Sauiour Christe our most speciall helper and comforter in all dystresses hathe prouyded for vs a singulare and speciall good medicine whiche is the Sacrament of extreme Unction the vertue wherof is at that tyme of our infirmitie to comfort our soules whiche be wont to waxe heauye for the dyssolution of oure bodyes and also to strengthen vs wyth the grace of the holy ghost agaynst the violent assaultes and tentations of the deuyll and also to replenyshe our hart wyth gladnes agaynste the terrour of deathe and fynally to forgeue vs our dayly trespasses wherewith we haue displeased hys Maiestye such I meane as this our transitorye lyfe considering our frayltie and weakenes can not be passed oouer without and all this also is done with the assistaunce of suche godly and faythfull prayers as the Priestes of Christes Catholyke Churche doo make to almyghtye God for the sycke man at the ministration of thys Sacrament of extreme Unction Of which Sacrament Saynt Marke speaketh in hys syxte chapiter where it is wrytten that our Sauiour Christ dyd sende foorthe hys disciples to preache prescribynge vnto theym what maner and fourme they shoulde obserue in theyr progresse and then it foloweth that the disciples goyng abroade preached to the people to doo penaunce and they dyd caste foorthe manye deuylls and they anoynted wyth oyle manye sycke persones and they were made holle which thing they dydde not in theyr owne name and power by presumptiō but in the power and name of Christ as he had prescribed cōmaunded thē before to do And because in the wordes of the Euangelist is set forth playnly the visible sygne of oyle also the inuisible effect of grace annexed folowing therupō therfore the holy vniuersall church of Christ as the practise of the same the consent of the auncient wryters doo witnes vnderstand and beleue thys sacrament to be then instituted of oure Sauioure Christe Which thing the holye Apostle Saynte Iames also deliuering that to the people which he before had receyued of Christ setteth foorth more at large writing thus Yf any person be sycke amonges you let him call the Priestes of the church to be brought in and let thē pray ouer him anoynting him with oyle in the name of our Lorde and the prayer of fayth shall saue the sycke person and our Lord shall relieue him and lyft hym vp and yf he be in synnes they shall be forgeuen hym By whiche woordes we be assured that God dothe assyst the ministration of thys Sacrament and also we learne howe it oughte to bee vsed in all poyntes Fyrst he telleth to whom it ought to be ministred that is to say to Christen men or women such as haue receyued the Sacrament of Baptisme before and not to euery one of them but to such as be than visited by the hand of God with some great sycknes of the bodye and be in some perill of death by reason of the sayde syckenes and not by any other outward violence of warre or execution and not to yong infantes that haue no neede of it nor to suche as eyther for younge age or for phrenesie lack the vse of theyr reason but to such as haue knowledge and haue dominion ouer theyr own willes and being in venial synne do requyre the same either than or before as it may be presumed by theyr former will So that it is euery Christen mans dutie to requyre this Sacrament with humble request and with perfite hope to atteyn the grace and effect which is geuen by the same Secondly saint Iames expresseth to whom it apperteyneth by offyce and dutye to be minister of this Sacrament in that he wylleth the sycke man to call for the Priestes of the church For onely Priestes be appointed to be ministers thereof not as in theyr owne name and authoritie but in the name and authoritie of our Lorde Iesus Christ so that the Priest in that doynge dothe beare and represent the person of Christe and hys holy Church who besyde hys prayers doth minister the outward Sacrament of aueiling and Christ inwardly worketh the inuisible grace of the same in the soule of the party aueyled like as he vseth to do in al other sacramēts Thyrdly Saynt Iames expresseth both the matter or outward element of this sacrament and also the maner howe to vse it The matter wherein it is ministred is oyle which is a thing most conuenient to declare the effectes and graces geuen by the same The maner howe to vse it is by prayer ouer the sycke persone and by anoynting him in such places of his body as wer occasions or as it wer windowes wherby sinne is chiefely committed as the places of our fyue wittes or senses For by the eyes concupiscence couetousnes and manye other vyces enter into the soule by the eares detraction false reportes and thereupon folowing anger and enuye and suche like infect the soule by the nose delitious lyfe and muche other occasion of synne is ministred by the mouthe both in tastyng and also in speakinge that is agaynste God and hys neyghbour a man often tymes doth offend by the reynes and other partes therunto adioyninge carnall desyres and concupiscence of the
the mightie princes of the world but contemned al there threatninges and gloryed in their tribulations and reioyced that they were thought worthy to suffer either shame or deathe for the name of Iesus takinge this for a rule of their liuing rather to obey God than man For this same inteÌ„t and spiritual effect good people receiue we the holy ghost in our Confirmation that wee shoulde be established in the giftes and graces before receiued in baptisme y t we lightly fall not froÌ„ them againe that we should be made hardyer and more bold to confesse our fayth not regardinge any daunger or peryll that mighte come to vs therby and that we should constantly withstand all the assaultes and tentations of the deuyll the worlde and the fleshe and neyther shrinke for feare or geue ouer for paine nor cease for shame bu with pacience and continuaunce keping our promise bearinge our crosse not yelding to our enemy should with sure hope looke for the crowne of righteousnes which god wyll geue to all them that loue hys comminge These Godlye effectes be taught and sygnyfyed vnto vs by the matter of this sacrament and by the other ceremonies which be vsed in the ministracion of it The matter of it is y e holy Chrisme which is mingled and made of two thinges oyle Oliue and balme By the oyle oliue is signifyed the infusion of grace and the feruent zeale charitie towardes the maintenaunce of Chrystes faith wherwith he is indued that is confirmed By the balme is signified the swetenes of gods holy spirit wherwith Christ doth allure vs and draweth vs to his seruice also wherby we are made a good and swete sauour to God replenyshed with the fruite of righteousnes to the glory and praise of god and to the good example edifying of our neighbour With this holy Chrisme the man or chyld is anointed in his foreheade by the impositioÌ„ of the bishops haÌ„des with the signe of the crosse By the imposition of handes is signified the strength of the holy ghost wherewyth we be indued in our Confirmation to thintent we might be able to stand in our faith to abouÌ„d in hope and to grow in charity in good workes And the crosse is signed in our forehead that we shoulde neuer be ashamed of oure Lorde Iesus Christ nor of our religion but should stedfastlye resist the tentations of the deuill and ouercome with pacieÌ„ce the troubles of this world alwaies glorying in the crosse of Christ and laboringe to come to the felowship of his passions that so we might be partakers of his glorious resurrectioÌ„ After confirmation the party confirmed hath a blow of the cheke geuen him by the bishop to the intent he shoulde know and remember that hys religion and profession is mekely and gladlye to suffer the shame rebuke and tribulation of the world for the name of Christ and for righteousnes sake without grudging against God or reuenging of his owne quarel and so in peace and patience to possesse his soule Therfore I beseche you brethren doe not neglect this holsome profitable sacrament but diligently consyder what ayde and what grace is geuen vnto you in it if by your necgligence fal ye haue lost that grace for a great part yet it may be recouered agayne not by a newe Confirmation which may not be iterate but by your inward conuersion faythfull penaunce and after ye bee risen and haue recouered your strength agayne than take better hede and do not make heauye nor dryue not away the holy ghost from you who flieth alwaies from fained ypocrisy wil not dwel in that body that is subiect and seruaunt to synne And lyke wise be you carefull and diligente to haue youre children confirmed in this grace to be indued with these excellent giftes of the holye ghoste by receiuing this holy sacrament in the catholik churche and specially they whose chyldren were baptysed of heretykes in the tyme of any scisme and out of the catholike Churche For although they did than receiue the sacrament of baptisme whiche may not be ministred to them again lest we should shew our selues to crucifye Christe aâ—gaine yet they did not than and there receiue the grace of baptysme beinge oute of the Churche but may nowe receiue the grace whiche they lacked before and be reconciled to god and be made members of his holy catholike Churche and so in tyme be admitted to receiue the blessed bodye and bloud of our Lord Iesus Christe Whiche thinges yf you procure for them and bothe they and you stand stedfastly in that same grace to your lyues end ye may perfytly trust to atteyne that glory which shal be reueled and geuen to all Gods electe people in the last day by the merites of our sauiour Christ to whom with the father and the holy ghost be al honour and prayse for euermore Amen ¶ Of the seuen gyftes of the holy ghost geuen in the Sacrament of Confirmation Ser. vi WHeras it is declared vnto you good people that in the SacrameÌ„t of Confirmation the holy ghost is geueÌ„ to him that is confirmed not for the making of him a new man or the childe of God and the inherytour of the kingdom of heaueÌ„ for which purpose he was geuen before in baptisme but to coÌ„firme him in that grace he hath receyued and to ayde him in hys spirituall battayle wyth his ghostlye enemyes and to defende hym in his conflictes and to comforte hym in hys trauayle and to bee his tutour in kepinge him from fallinge and to make him stronge able to resyst and ouercome his enemies all whiche thynges the holye ghoste worketh in the hart of the partye confirmed by induing him with his vii principal giftes therfore I intende God wyllinge at thys time to declare vnto you which be those seuen giftes and how they be vsed to auoyd the suggestions and assaultes of the deuyll These seuen giftes be set forth by the prophet Esai where he saith of our sauiour Christ that there shall a rodde or branche spring forth of the roote of Iesse and a floure shall ascende from that roote and the spirite of god shall rest vppon him the spirit of wysedome and vnderstanding the spirite of counsell and strengthe the spirit of knowledge and pitie and the spirit of the feare of god shal replenish him Which seuen giftes do not onely rest vpoÌ„ Christ as maÌ„ being the hed of his mistical body the churche but also vpon euery one of vs that be made meÌ„bers of the same body the holy ghost dwelleth in his soule that hath these giftes alwayes defendeth hym froÌ„ his enemies wheÌ„ he loseth or quencheth them by yeldinge to his enemye than the holye ghoste withdraweth his gracious preseÌ„ce from him tyl he by penaunce and prayer recouer them againe And these giftes after the maner of holye scripture be termed called by the name of spirytes not that
whiche diuersitie in degrees causeth great comelynesse and beautye to be in Christes Churche by reason of suche order as euery inferiour member keepeth to his superiour doynge his dutie in his owne place and not vsurpyng to dooe aboue his calling Therefore this Sacrament whereby suche degrees of authoritie and power be geuen to men is called Order whiche order of ministers maketh the Churche to bee buylded as a Cytie without confusion and to be terrible to her enemies as the fore front of an armie sette in good arave and is the very knot of the knowen Catholike Churche conteining both good and euil in it whereby it is preserued without scisme so longe as that order is kepte withoute breache whiche was institute by Christe vsed by his Apostles and from theim brought to vs by continuall succession This visible Order takinge his beginnynge from the authoritie geuen to one man is extended throughout the hoolle worlde in the church into a greate nomber and multitude of inferiour ministrations as it were many braunches proceedinge from one tree or many ryuers from one fountayne which all together take inwardly their increase from the fountayne of al grace and the onely suprime head of oure one churche Iesus Christe our Lorde For if Christ had not onely secretly by inspiration but also by his sensible commaundemēt and sacramēt sent his Apostles into the world saiyng as my father hath sent me so I sende you geuing them authoritie likewyse visibly to send other the churche of Christe shoulde neuer haue been without Scismes and diuisions made by them that runnynge by theyr owne authoritie vnsent woulde haue borne menne in hande that they were inuisibly sent and anointed of GOD whiche was nothynge so and so woulde haue drawen Gods people into sectes and false doctrine For whiche cause Saint Paule and Barnabas beyng inuisiblye sent of the holy Ghoste yet it was the wyll and pleasure of the same holy Ghoste that they should by a visible Sacrament of imposition of handes be visiblie sent in the authoritie of Apostles to the ministration of the churche and such as now say them selues they be sent inuisiblye of God ought not to bee beleued or receiued excepte they bee as Saynte Paule and Barnabas were visibly ordered and anoynted in the Churche by Catholyke Byshoppes suche as haue their succession from the Apostles Furthermore in this Sacrament of Order is geuen to them that be lawfully ordered the ecclesiasticall power of the Churche whiche is a power geuen not by the lawes of men or of nature but onely by Christe aboue nature and after a speciall sorte to his Apostles and disciples and their lawful successours to the worlds end for the edifiynge of the churche militant according to the lawes of the Gospell for the atteynyng of eternall lyfe And this power is called in scripture by the name of the keyes of the kingdome of heauen As a keye doeth open the doore to a man and bringeth him into the house so this ecclesiasticall power beynge vsed with knowledge and discretion by a lawefull minister openeth the doore of mannes harte to the knowledge of GOD and so in processe openeth to him the kingdome of heauen For it conteineth the ministration of all thinges whiche be necessary for vs synners to bee directed furthered and promoted to the atteining of the sayde kyngdome As to bynde and loose to remytte and reteyne synne and al other thinges that be requisite to the preseruation of Christes Churche in vnitie of faythe and charitie to the intent it might be partaker of the glory of God These keyes our Sauiour Christe did geue to his Churche in Saynte Peter or rather to Saynte Peter for the Churche saying to him To thee shall I geue the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and what so euer thou shalt bynde vppon earthe shall bee also bounden in the heauens and what so euer thou shalt loose vpon earth shal be also loosed in the heauens And to the other his Apostles Disciples assembled together he said whose synnes you shall remitte bee remitted vnto them and whose synnes you retayne be retayned And to declare that this power is not inuented by man nor yet geuen by the authoritie of anye Prince or Communaltie our Sauiour sayde in the geuyng of it to his disciples take and receiue you the holye ghost Whereby we vnderstande that the power to bynde or loose or to remytte sinne or fynallye to gouerne the Churche is the woorke onelye of the holye Ghoste woorking by his Ministers that whiche is for the saluation of his Churche And where as the blessed Sacrament of the Aultare is the hiest and greatest Sacramente of al other because holle Christ both god man is conteyned in it Therefore is Priesthoode the hyest order wherein is geuen grace and power ouer Christes naturall bodye and bloud to consecrate it by the vertue of God assistyng his woorde and to make it present in the blessed Sacramente of the Aultare by the chaunge of the substaunces of Bread and Wyne and also to offer it beynge the verye Sacrifice of the newe Testament to God the father for the synnes and ignoraunces of his people and to delyuer and minister it to suche as by their faith and clennes of lyfe be woorthy to receyue it So this power ouer Christes natuall bodye oure Sauioure hym selfe gaue to his Disciples in hys laste Supper where after that he hadde consecrate offered and delyuered hys owne bodye to his Disciples he sayde to them Dooe this in remembraunce of me by whiche woorde he made them Priestes and gaue them authoritie and commaundement to dooe as he didde than not once but continuallye tyll his latter commynge And that the Priest maye woorthely and after due maner execute thys his chiefe office and function there be other inferiour orders ordeyned of God and his holye Churche to assiste the Priest as Deacon Subdeacon whose offices be to receyue the oblations of the people for the vse of the Sacrament to bring them to the Aultare to prepare all thinges necessarie for the cōsecration to giue consent to the Sacrifice made by the Priest beside other thynges whyche by holy scripture and the vniuersal tradicion of the church they be authorised to dooe A Priest also hath power geuen vnto him by this Sacramēt of order ouer Christes mistical body the church for the instruction the purgation and the perfection of the same churche and euerye member therof And first concerning the instructiō of it a Priest hath authoritie to preache Gods word by Gods speciall and visible sending Where our Sauiour Christ sayd to his disciples As my father hath sent me so likewyse I sende you And in an other place he said go ye into the holle worlde and preache the gospel to euery creature And also go your wayes and teache all people baptising thē in the name of the father and of the sonne and
flesh is accustomed to corrupt the soule and finally by the handes and feete is practysed muche vyce the particulers whereof I neede not to reherse For these causes the sycke person is anoynted in the sayd places at which tyme the Priest and they that do than assist hym with sure faith and confidence in almighty God putting away all mystrust and doubt make theyr most humble prayer to his maiestie that it would please the same throughe that vnction as a spirituall medicyne and hys most mercyfull goodnes to pardon and remit what so euer the sycke person hathe offended by his sight or hearing or anye other part of hys bodye aboue mentioned with manye other godlye and holsome prayers thereunto annexed and vsed to be said and frequented in the church of Christ. And thus to praye ouer the sycke persone and to aueyle him is not the inuention of man deuised by mans wytte but accordynge to Gods ordynaunce is done in the name and authoritie of our Lord who is the authour of thys sacrament as he is lykewyse of al the other by whose assistaunce and secrete operation this sacrament woorketh hys spirituall and inwarde effect which effect Saynte Iames last of al declareth saying The prayer of fayth shal saue the sycke and God shall relieue and lyft hym vp and if he be in synne they shall be forgyuen vnto hym Which effect is double or twoo wayes the one chiefe and principall is in purging and makyng cleane the soule from daylye and veniall synne whych neuer fayleth if the sycke partye doo not stoppe the influence of Gods grace whyche hee maye doo by remayninge then in deadlye synne neglectinge to procure that to be forgyuen vnto him before by the sacrament of Penaunce or by mistrusting to receyue that grace of God whiche is signifyed and promised by that holy vnction Therefore ought euerye man and woman beyng sycke fyrst to confesse hym selfe and receyue the Sacrament of Absolution then to receyue the blessed foode of immortalitie in the Sacrament of the Aultare for the perfection of Gods influence and the increase of all hys former graces and than afterwarde wyth sure faythe and confidence in God requyre to be aneyled of the Priestes of Christes Churche And in so doyng besyde the perfyte purgynge of hys soule hee shall no doubte of it feele inwardly great easement agaynst the paynes and horrour of death great strength and comforte of the spirit wherby lyke a good warriour and stoute Champion of Christe he is then made more able to wythstande the vyolent tentations of the deuyll and fynallye greate ioye and gladnesse in hym selfe great staye and increase of fayth and hope towardes God and great desyre to be deliuered from the myseryes of thys transitorye worlde and to be called to the eternall Cytie of God in the kyngdome of heauen The other effecte is the healyng of the bodye from corporal diseases or at lest the mitigation of the same Which effect is not principall and doth not alwaies follow partly for the smalnes of faythe in the sycke person for great and vehement fayth is requyred to haue Gods power to woorke such corporall health in men partly for that God our most mercyfull father accordynge to his heauenly wisdome thinketh it best for vs other wyse to dispose of vs as he knoweth to be most expedient for the saluation of our soules or the commoditie of his elect people whose benefite of corporall health if it had bene then bestowed vpon vs perchaunce the malice of our wyll would haue abused it to the offence of God and the daunger of dampnation to our soules Therefore in all such indifferent thynges as be sycknes or health of body euery ChristeÌ„ man ought to commit and referre it to the good wyll and pleasure of almighty God and to think and esteeme that to bee best what so euer God shall worke by vs although it seeme to be hurtfull to vs or to be contrarie to oure desyres and petitions which in all thinges as he taught himself ought to be directed and submitted to hys wyll and pleasure who alwayes of his godlye prouidence disposeth all thinges swetelye and mercyfully But how so euer God shall worke concerning our corporall healthe we ought surelye to trust that god for his part if there be no stoppe in vs fayleth not to woorke inwardlye in oure soules the spirituall effectes whiche I haue rehersed before And because there be two thinges whiche let the soule freelye to haue recourse to God and to delyte altogether in him the one is that weaknes and feablenes which is left in the soule of man after the wounde of deadlye synne althoughe the gylte of the same be remytred by true penaunce the other is the daylye heapynge vp of many venial synnes into which a man faâ—leth by fraylnes of nature by sodeyne motions by imperfection or coldnes of charitie by vehement agonies of sicknes or by negligence in not taking heede to himselfe his actes and profession For that cause to remoue these twoo euils God hath ordeyned this Sacrament of extreme Unction to bee ministred whereby the weakenes of the soule is strengthened and all venyall synne remitted if it be well and deuoutly receyued And seyng a man must needes once departe hence and ende the iourney of this troublesome lyfe for so much as the soule is by the flesh lodeÌ„ drawen backe infected disquyeted and weakened therefore it hath neede of a newe strengthe and spirituall medicyne specially at the passage hence by deathe that it neyther fall gyue ouer or dispayre but that it be relieued disburdened pacified comforted made able by the strength of the holy ghost to abyde wyth God and by his ayde to passe through the miseries and trauails of this lyfe and to exchaunge the shorte lyght affections of thys tyme wyth the eternall and weyghty ioyes in the kyngdome of heauen All whych graces as I sayd before the soule of the sycke person receyueth and is indued withall by the worthye and deuout receipt of thys holy sacrament ordeyned of almighty God for the same purpose Thus haue ye heard good people the meaning effect of the doctrine of s. Iames concerning this sacrament how it ought to be vsed what grace and vertue is geuen to vs thereby which to neglect and to defraude or depriue our selues of the benefites thereof wylfullye were great folye For althoughe it be not absolutelye necessarie to saluation as is Baptisme without the which no man ordinarylye can be saued yet if it be dispised and of contempte not regarded when it may be had it is a let and stoppe to saluation Wherefore I shall exhorte you all in the name of God that when God by syckenes shall visite any of you ye folow the counsel of the holy ghost vttered and expressed by the writing of this holy Apostle Saint Iames that ye call for the priestes of the Churche I meane the great vniuersall Church of Christe which is knowen