of our heart And as S. Basil Est spirituale os interioris hominis quo nutritur recipiēs verbū vitae quod verbū est panis qui descēdit de coelo There is a spiritual mouth of y ◠inner mā by which he is nourished by receiuing Christ y ◠word of life whiche is the bread that came frō heauē In this mystery of y ◠death of Christ his death passion is renewed to our remēbrance We are so moued to sorow for our sins which haue bin cause of his death to be thākful for y e great mercy of God whiche by this meanes wrought our redēption as if we did see him presēt before our faces hanging vpō y e crosse We know y ◠Christ hath left his sacraments to his Church that they might be helpes to lift vs vp into heauē By them we are ioyned with Christ and made partakers of his passion Next let vs consider how and after what sort we eat the body of Christ in the sacrament And here I beseech you that you may take the cōfort of the body blood of Christ to giue good eare For of mistaking this mystery grewe the first error in the Church When y ◠disciples of Christ heard Christ speake of this matter and vnderstood him not they were offended and shrounke backe and departed If we take the wordes of Christ in such meaning as they did wee shalbee deceiued and offended as they were This it is then which wee haue to consider whether the bodie of Christ goe into our mouth and our bodies as other meates or whether it be receiued spiritually as a spirituall meate and so passe into and nourishe our soule Hereof somewhat was sayde before by the way and shortly But for cleerer vnderstanding of the same we haue to weigh and declare that the eating of the body of Christ is not grosse or corporall but ghostly and spirituall as a peculiar worke of the minde The trueth hereof is founded in our Creede and is an article of our Christian faith Wee beleeue that Christ did rise againe from the dead and ascended into heauen and sitteth at the right hand of God in glorie So saith Saint Paule If yee then be risen with Christe seeke those thinges whiche are aboue where Christ sitteth at the right hād of god And again Our conuersation is in heauen from whence we also looke for the sauiour euen the Lord Iesus Christ Christ himselfe saith to his disciples It is expediēt for you that I goe away And The poore alwaies ye haue with you but me yee shall not haue alwayes So S. Peter saith Whom the heauen must conteine vntil the time that al thinges be restored which God had spoken by the mouth of al his holy prophets since the world began Whiche speeches haue occasioned the olde auncient learned Fathers to teache the people after this sort touching the body of Christ Vigilius a godlie Bishop and Martyr saith Caro Christi cū esset in terra nō erat in coelo nunc quia est in coelo non est vtique in terra The flesh of Christ when it was in earth was not in heauen and nowe because it is in Heauen doubtlesse it is not in earth Ambrose saith Seeke the things that be aboue and not the things that be vpō earth Therfore we must seeke thee neither vpō the earth nor in the earth nor according to the flesh if we list to finde thee S. August saith According to the flesh that the word receiued according to that he was borne of the Virgin according to that he was takē of the Iewes according to that he was nayled to the crosse according to that he was taken downe and lapt in a shrowde and layde in the graue and rose againe and shewed himselfe in this respect it is true that hee sayde Yee shall not euermore haue mee with you And againe hee saith Donec saeculum finiatur sursum est Dominus c. Vntill the world be ended the Lorde is aboue yet notwithstāding euen here is the truth of y e Lord. For the body wherin he rose againe must needs be in one place So Cirillus sayd Christus non poterat in carne versari cum Apostolis postquam ascēdisset ad patrē Christ could not be conuersant together with his Disciples in his flesh after he had ascended vnto his father It would bee tedious to alleadge all y t might be saide to like purpose Thus Christe and Paul Peter thus Vigilius Ambrose Augustine Cirill and al the olde Catholique fathers say and wee are taught to beleeue that Christ is not corporally in the churche but is ascended into Heauen and that hee hath giuen to his bodie immortalitie but hath not taken from the same the nature of a bodie Vigilius hauing cause to prooue this same article against Eutiches shutteth vp the matter thus Haec est fides professio catholica quam Apostolitradiderunt martyres roborauerunt fideles huc vsque custodiunt This is the Catholique faith profession which the Apostles haue deliuered the martirs haue confirmed and the faithful hitherto doe continue The body then which we eate is in Heauen aboue all Angels and Archangels and powers and principalities Our meate is in Heauen on high and we are heere belowe on the earth Howe may it be that we may reach it or taste or eate it Heere let vs imagine that there are two men in euery man and that euerie man is fleshe and spirite bodie and soule This man thus doubled must bee furnished with double senses bodily to serue the bodye and spirituall to serue the soule Hee muste haue eyes of the bodie and eyes of the soule eares of the bodye and eares of the soule Spirituall senses ars quicke sharpe and liuely They pearce anye thing bee it neuer so thicke they reache anye thing bee it neuer so farre off Christ saieth of Abraham Abraham reioyced to see my daye hee sawe it and was gladde Hee sawe it not with his bodylie eyes but with the inner eyes of the soule When we speake of the mysterie of Christe and of eating his bodie wee must shut vp and abandon all our bodily senses And as wee cannot say that wee see him with our bodily eyes or heare him with our bodilye eares or touche him with bodily feeling so likewise can we not and therefore may wee not saye wee taste him or eate him with our badylie mouth In this woorke wee must open all the inner and spirituall senses of our soule so shall wee not onely see his bodye but heare him and feele him and taste him and eate him This is the mouth and the feeling of faith By the hande of faith we reache vnto him and by the mouth of Faith we receiue his body Touching the eating of Christes bodye S. August taught the people on this wise Crede manducasti Credere in Christum hoc
handekerchifes sometimes by laying on of handes and by touchinge sometimes with oyle as is in the sixth of S. Marke they cast out many deuils they anointed many y â— were sicke with oyle healed theÌ„ euen as Christ also by many sundrie wayes healed many He healed sometimes though he were absent sometimes by his worde sometimes by mourning and sorowinge sometimes by hys garment sometimes by touching sometimes with specle dust for at that time the Church had the especial gift of working miracles Therefore S. Iames putteth them in mynde that they dispise not to vse the meanes whiche God hath appoynted that whosoeuer falleth into sickenes he call for the Elders and that they vse their gift of healinge and anointe him with oyle because it hath pleased GOD thereby to worke health This was the maner and order of those times Euen as christ vsed dust and spetle so S. Iames willeth them to vse oyle for the restoring of health As the Corinthians dyd abuse the gift of tongues were taught by S. Paul how to vse it better so dyd many abuse y â— gift of healing were therfore warned by S. Iames howe they should vse it better As the gift of tongues was not to last for euer but only for a time so y â— gift of healing was not to continue euer but for a time Christ saith When thou fastest anoint thine head wash thy face Hee dooth not in these words giue an vniuersal commandement that must euer be kept in our fasting that wee vse the ceremonie of anointing but meaneth thereby that in our faste we bee fresh and mery Euen so S. Iames in saying anoint him with oyle doth not set downe an order wherunto hee would haue the Church of God tyed for euer it is not an vniuersal commandement that the after ages should do the like but onely a particular ordinance for the time to vse the gift of healing This is the meaning of his words Let vs marke what abuses haue growne by mistaking them S. Iames speaketh of bare and simple oyle They vnderstande it of their oyle which they consecrate and halow in vnaduised order For these wordes the Bishop vseth when hee consecrateth it Aue sanctuÌ„ oleum chrisma balsamum Haile O holy oyle chrisme and balsame Againe exerciso te immuÌ„de spiritus in nomine patris filii spiritus sancti vt recedas ab hoc oleo vt possit effici vnctio spiritualis vt spiritus sanctus possit in eo habitare I adiure thee thou vncleane spirit in y â— name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy ghost that thou depart from this oile y t it may be a spiritual ointment and y â— the holy ghoste may dwell in it Agayne Emitte quaesumus sancte pater spiritum sanctum paracletum tuum de coelis in hanc pinguedinem oliuae ad refectioneÌ„ corporum sanationem animarum O holy father we beseeche thee send downe thy holy spirit y â— comforter froÌ„ heauen into this fatnesse of y â— oliue to the refreshing of body soule In like sort they are taught to pray ouer y â— sicke Per hanc sactam vnctionem suam piissimam misericondâ—â—m ignoscat tibi deus vt per hanc vnctioneÌ„ habeas remissionem omniuÌ„ peccatorum By this holy anointing by his great mercye God pardon thee that by this anointinge thou maiest haue remission of al thy sinnes I deuise not these thinges I imagine them not of my selfe nor reporte them vntrulye The Byshop in such wordes blesseth the oyle with such wordes doeth the Priest anoynt the sicke with oyle In their Bookes it is easie to bee seene Now iudge you if this were S Iames doctrine or if this order were kept in the church in the time of the Apostles Would you thinke that S. Iames gaue curtesie by bowing his bodie and saying Aue to the oyle dyd he speake wordes of coniuration to driue foorth the euyll spirite woulde he euer say that the Oyle doth heale both bodye and soule or that remission of al sinnes is giueÌ„ by annointing S. Iames knew that remissioÌ„ of sinnes is not giuen by any creature that there is no name in heauen or earth by which wee are saued but the name of Iesus onely that the holy ghost resteth not nor dwelleth in oyle but in the hearts of the faithful that God giueth health not in respect of the corruptible creature but at the praiers of the Church which are offered vp to hym by his sonne our sauiour So great difference is there betweene the late meaning and the meaning of S. Iames. Such vse of y â— oyle we haue not neither doth the Church of God allow it Yet holde we the rule of the Apostle in visitation of the sicke When any is sicke among vs the Minister coÌ„meth vnto him and discretlye instructeth hym in what sorte he should prepare hymselfe to depart this life so leadeth hym to comforte and laboureth to make hym stronge in the certayne hope of euerlasting lyfe Thus he saith Brother you are entringe the way of al flesh Al y â— sonnes of Adam are heires of this sentence of God vpon Adam thou arte duste and to dust thou shalt returne Man that is borne of woman is of short continuance and ful of trouble He shooteth foorth as a floure is cut downe hee vanisheth also as a shadowe and continueth not Humble thy selfe vnder the mightie hand of God Hee is our good father dooth correct those children whome hee loueth Blessed is he whom the Lord doth chastise and instruct in his wayes Here is the proofe trial of your patience faith remember the patience of Iob in al his miseries he praised y â— name of the Lord. Although saith hee he shoulde kill me yet wyl I put my trust in God Although my bowels be consumed within mee and my members of my body bee rent a sunder and the pangues bee neuer so great yet can I not but trust in him Loue not the world nor y t things that be in the world The world passeth away the lust therof The wise man saith I haue coÌ„sidered al the works that are done vnder the sun behold al is vanitie vexatioÌ„ of spirit Againe great trauel is created for al men an heauy yoke vpoÌ„ the sonnes of Adam froÌ„ the day y e thei go out of their mothers wombe til the day y t they return to y e mother of al things Christ hath therfore willeâ— vs to wake bee ready because wee know not in what houre our master will come He saith Behold I come as a thief blessed is he which watcheth kepeth his garments least he walk naked men see his filthines Examine your selfe consider howe and in what thinges you haue offended God make a true and humble confession of your sinnes say with Dauid I haue sinned against the Lorde
and the like murtherers But the Godly when they see any disorder they doe nothing like the other they mourne in their heartes to see that the trueth is not rereyued and to see the mindes of their brethren so obstinately hardened they make prayer to God for them they are deepely touched with the feeling of suche calamittes whiche GOD layeth vppon other The zeale of Moses coulde not like the Idolatrie of the people yet hee went vnto the Lorde againe and sayde Nowe if thou pardon their sinne thy mercie shall appeare but if thou wilte not I praye thee rase mee out of thy Booke which thou hast written Christ lamented ouer Hierusalem O Hierusalem Hierusalem which killest the Prophetes stonest them which are sent to thee how often woulde I haue gathered thy children together as the hen gathereth her chickins vnder her wings ye would not Beholde your habitation shall be left vnto you desolate Paul suffered much at the haudes of the wicked Iewes They troubled y e church of god they hindred y e course of the gospell they were enemyes of the Crosse of Christ they were Dogges they were conâ—â—sion Yet he sayeth I haue great heauenes continual sorrow in mine heart for I would wish my selfe to be separated froÌ„ Christ for my brethren are my kinsmen accordinge to the flesh which are the Isralites Dauid saith Mine eyes gush out with riuers of water because they keepe not thy Lawe And agayne My zeale hath euen consumed me because mine enimies haue forgotteÌ„ thy words Againe I saw the transgressours and was greued because thei kept not thy word And when hee saw the whole nation of Israel wasted by the enimies how mournfull a complaint made he to god O god the heathen ax come into thine inheritance thine holye temple haue they defiled made HierusaleÌ„ heaps of stones The dead bodies of thy seruants haue they giuen to be meat vnto the foules of the heauen the flesh of thy saints vnto the beasts of the earth At this time whâ— the tabernacle was lost wheÌ„ Saul was vnquiet and the Priestes were sâ—ayne and the Prophets despised and the people lef without al comfort hee powreth out his heare in these wordes Zelus domus tuae comedit me O Lorde the zeale I beare vnto thine house hath eaten me vp It inflameth my heart drieth my blood consumeth my marowe Such a care had bee for the house of God it was death vnto him to see it so destroyed and layde wast So Christ when he sawe the temple of God fowly and vnseemely abused that they made the holy place a place for their vnlawfull and vnhanest game by vsurie that they turned Religion into robberie solde oxen sheepe and doues and keept their bankes for exchaunge in the temple when the Priestes and Leuites whiche shoulde serue God were become marchantes and serued them selues when the temple or house of God which Dauid purposed and Salomon finished and Ezechias and Esras and other Godly Princes preserued in whiche was kept the booke of the Law whether al the people assembled together to serue God was not vsed lyke gods house but like a common faire or market and was made a denne of theiues When these grosse abuses were suffered and things were let runne to such extremities and al this vnder pretence of holines as if it were not onely lawfull but needes it must be so moued with zeale hee coulde not abide it He made a scourge of smal cordes droue them all out of the temple and poured out the changers mony and ouerthrew the tables saide make not my fathers house a house of marchaÌ„dise And his disciples remembred that it was writteÌ„ the zeale of thine house hath eaten me vp This was no frantique or melancholy passion neither in Moses nor in Dauid nor in Christ Moses was a very meeke maÌ„ aboue al that were on the earth Dauid was a man that heareth not and in whose mouthe are no reproofes And Christ sayde learne of me for I am humble and meeke When his disciples Iames Iohn grewe wrothfull against the Samaritanes that would not receiue hym and sayde Lord wylte thou that wee commaunde that fire come downe from heauen consume them euen as Elias did He turned about and rebuked them saide yee know not of what spyrite you are Yet through zeale for Gods house Christ whypped out the buiers and sellers Dauid shed foorth teares abundantly and Moses dashte in peeces the tables of Gods commandements Al men ought to bee pacient gentle in matters appertayninge to them selues but in Gods cause no man must yeelde or bee patient In our dayes vppon whom the ende of the worlde is come when wee did lately see those times wher of our sauiour foretolde so longe sâ—theuce that desolatioÌ„ should be in the holy place and such confusion ignorance and blindenes that men shoulde stomble at noone dayes that truth should be a stranger vpon earth that men should forsake wholsome doctrine and giue eare vnto fables that the mysterie of iniquitie should work and the very elect if it were possible bee deceiued what trial was made of true godlye zeale How notably did it shew it selfe agaynst the rage and furie of the wicked What should I speake hereof The exaÌ„ples are fresh you can not forget them you hearde of them so late it is so late since you did beholde them What moued so many so learned so vertuous to yeelde their backes to the scourge their neckes to the tormentours their bodies to the fire to forsake their goodes their friends their parentes their wiues and childreÌ„ but the zeale of Gods house Neither death nor life nor Angels nor thinges present nor things to come was able to separate them from the loue of God They continued stedfast vnto the ende the zeale of Gods house dyd eate them vp But now God hath restored vs he hath taken away the desolation from vs hee hath giuen vs his trueth he hath reuealed the man of sinne he hath raysed vp a banner of hope We se and enioye such thinges as many kings and Prophets would haue eniayed and could not What remayneth but that we take the zeale of the Lords house into our heartes and seeke by all meanes the glory of the same As our good fathers and brethren shewed the vehemencie of their loue in disly king the disorders which troubled y e church of God so in this blessed peace which God giueth to his Church let vs witnesse our earneste zeale in seeking that it may be made beautifull and established for euer Let our next care be to continue possession Kingdomes are preserued by the same meanes by which they were first gotten That which is conquered by zeale by carefull zeale must bee kept It was saide of Annibal that he knew how to get the victorie but howe to vse it bee knew not Many haue lost that by negligence which they had by diligence
of sinne may be reueiled When the woman of Samaria saw the miracles that Christ had done and heard some men doubte whether hee were Messias or no why quoth she wheÌ„ Messias shall come shall he doo moresignes theÌ„ this man hath shewed So may we say by the Bishop of Rome when Antichrist shal come shal he worke more signes then they of that See haue done shal he work more disorder in the Church shal he do more to the dishonour of God and against Christ Some man wyll say that for vnitie sake it is meete y t some man be named head of the church But Gregory saith SiquantitateÌ„ vocis perpendimus duae sunt sillabae Sipondus iniquitatis vniuersa pernicies If we weigh the quaÌ„tity of the word it standeth in two sillables if we consider the weight of the wickednes it is an vniuersal destructioÌ„ Unto Anastasius the Bishop of Antioch he writeth thus To dissemble the iniury don to your honor if one bishop be caled vniuersal theÌ„ if y t one vniuersal bishop fal the whole vniuersall church goeth to grounde Therefore Francisons Zabarella a Canonist seeinge the great inconueniences y t grew hereof saith the popes do now whatsoeuer thei list to do yea although it be vnlawful ar become more theÌ„ god Herof hath folowed infinit errors for the Pope hath in uaded entred vpon al the right of the inferiour Churches so that the inferiour Byshops may go for nought and vnlesse God helpe the state of the Church the vniuersal church is in danger In consideration of this great danger which hereby groweth to y e whole church Gregorie saith to Iohn the Boshop of Constantinople Tu quid Christo vniuersalis Ecclesiae capiti in extremi iudiciâ— dicturus es examine qui cuncta eius membra tibimet conaris vniuersalis appellatione supponere What answer wilt thou make at the trial of the last iudgement vnto Christ the head of the vniuersal Church which thus by the name of vniuersall Bishop seekest to make all his members subiect vnto thee This decay of the church the olde Catholique Fathers foresaw in their time When Constantinus y t Emperor endowed the churche with landes possessions they saye there was a voyce of Angels heard in the ayre saying Hodiè venenum infunditur in Ecclesiam This daye poyson is powred into the Church If there were poyson powred into the Church then I doubt there was neuer Triacle powred into it since This we see that from that time shee hath done worse and worse Augustine fyndeth faulte with the multitude of Ceremonies and sayeth the Churche in hys time was in worse case by mannes deuises then was the Churche of the Iewes Bernarde sayde There is no parte sounde in the Cleargie And agayne They which chuse the first places in the Church are chiefest in persecuting Christ And againe Non doctores sed seductores non pastores sed impostores non praelati sed Pilati They be not teachers but deceiuers they are not feeders but beguilers they be not Prelates but Pilates What should I hold you with calling the fathers to witnes in this matter they themselues that haue bene proctors for y e Church of Rome are contented sometimes to acknowledge that they haue forsakeÌ„ the original Latomus findeth fault that y e Lords supper was ministred to the people in one kinde only Abbas Panormitane Faber Pius secundus founde falt with y e forbidding of priests marriage Ex agamia saith Faber multi lapsisunt in pedicas diaboli Many haue fallen into the snares of the deuill by forsaking mariage And further expresseth the mischiuus purpose of those which brought such ordinance into the Church by a similitude saying arâ—neae texunt subtiliaretia c. Spyders weaue their webs so smal and fine that they may scarcely be seene if any thing fall into them they first set vpon the head therof so take away all sense feeling Albertus Pighius confessed there were errors abuses in the masse I will saye nothinge of their life Some of themselues say that they succeed Peter in place but Iudas in life Boniface being himself a bishop said In old time we had treene chalices goldeÌ„ priestes but now we haue trene Priestes and golden Chalices And Adrian being also a Bishop said Succedimus non Petro in docendo sed Romulo in parricidio Wee succeed not Peter in teaching but Romulus in slaughter of our brethren Yet notwithstanding say they we are successors to Peter vicars of christ we are y e church But Christ taketh it for an argument against y e Scribes Pharisees This did not AbrahaÌ„ You are not the church you are of your father y t diuel And Micheas My Priests teach for reward my Prophets prophecy for money and yet they rest themselues vpon the Lord and saye is not God in the middest of vs Are not we the church Therefore night shalbe vnto you for a vision and darknesse shalbe vnto you for a diuination and the sunne shal goe downe ouer the Prophets and the day shalbe darke ouer them I wil speake nothing of the blindnes of the time past for our aduersaries take that for a special hold and cal ignorance the mother of deuotion and say Scriptures are a buckler and a defence for heretikes Not long sithence in this citie there were certaine interrogatories put forth to enquire of suche as then they called heretikes wherein one inquiry was made in this sort Item whether you knowe or haue heard of any person or persons within your parish that hath kept or at this present doth keepe any heretical naughtie and seditious booke or bookes especially English Testaments or Bibles I fayne not this of my selfe the booke is to be seene imprinted euen in this yard But this matter wil soone be answered wil they saye for it followeth Falsly traÌ„slated That were somewhat if they woulde appointe you out one that were translated aright or did allowe any translation of the Testament in English to be vsed Whensoeuer any great Eclipse chanceth in the sunne or moone some maruellous impression or change or mortality foloweth vppon the earth Euen so when true knowledge faileth in the Church of God it cannot be but the soules of the people shal perish If in the little time of Moses absence the people forgate God and fell to idolatry if when Christ slumbred and tooke but a litle nappe in the shippe the ship began to drowne how shall it bee with them that receiue not Moses at all and giue no place to our sauiour Christ who only is able to saue the Church from drowning For as Hilarie saith Ecclesiae intra quas verbum Dei non vigilauerit naufragae sunt NoÌ„ quod Christus in somnum relaxetur sed quod somno nostro consopiatur in nobis Those churches are in danger of drowning wherin the word of God waketh not Not for that Christ is in any sluÌ„ber but because
his Epistle to Traianus that they were a sect which would not offer vp to Idols which coulde not be compelled to blaspheme Christ but were wont at certayne times appointed to meete together and sing hymnes to one Christ their God that they were of one mynd agreed among themselues and did absteine from theft murther and adultery and did keepe their faith and defraâ—â—ed no man Euen such should we be thus ought we to liue these things are examples for vs to follow we should meet often to sing hymnes and giue thankes to our God we should lament our former wickednes wherwich we haue called Gods anger vpon vs. But alas there appeareth not in vs that chaunge of life that ought to be in such as turne to Christ we are as proude as couetous and wicked in abusing the holy name of God as euer we were in the time of ignorance Thus we abuse the great mercy of God thus we withhold his trueth in vnrighteousnesse We say we know God but giue him not the glorye that is due vnto God And besides this wee are in loue with our owne corruption and as the Prophet sayeth we reioyce when we haue done wickedly wee cannot abide to haue our fault touched our pride is growen vp as hie as heauen our couetousnesse is sunke as deepe as hell our poore weake brethren be offended and think that these be the very fruites of Christes gospel Yet we can in no wise suffer to be reproued we say to the Preacher peace and talke not to vs in the name of the Lord tell not vs of the Scriptures tel not vs of Christ of Peter Paul we did him speake vs faire and blesse those things that be accursed by Gods owne mouth We say he is too busie he medleth with that he knoweth not Yes yes man he knoweth it wel inough he knoweth that pride is pride that vsury is vsury that sinne is sinne and thou thine owne conscience knowest it too if thou wouldest be knowen of it yea thou knowest it indeede in thy heart of force art weary of it And this is extreeme miserie that we are so farre plunged in sinne that wee can neither abide our owne faultes nor yet the amendinge of them Is this the repentaunce of our life Are these the fruits of Gods Gospell are these the fruites of the innocent blood that we see shead before our eyes Are these our teares for the sinnes wee haue commited Is this the thanks that we render vnto God for giuing vnto vs so great blessings But what sayd I blessings Would God we were so blessed that we might consider our blessednesse Many alreadie bewray the weakenesse of their stomakes they brooke not the Gospell yea they seeme already weary of these Preachers they call them Pulpit men men of the spirite and I knowe not what as though they themselues had nothinge to doo with Gods spirite Ha mercifull God what way may GOD take to winne you Alas what are wee what haue wee offended you Are we become your enemies for tellinge you the trueth I feare mee this murinuring is not agaynst vs but against the Lord. You haue had the Masse and that you worthely hated you haue now the Communion and that you regard not God hath sent to call you with fire and fagots those which vsed that seueritie crueltie you called tyrants He hath sent vnto you now simple men that bringe you nothing els but the kingdome of God and seeke for nothinge but onely for your saluation and them you disdaine It is eueÌ„ now come to passe that Christ said We haue piped to you you haue not danced we haue mourned to you you haue not wept but wisedoms is iustified of al her children Many of you are euen ful of the gospel ful weary of these schoolemaisters Therfore shal God send amongest you an other maner of schoolemaister y â— shal intreat you after another sorte that shall pull the pride from your neckes the ruffes from your shaulders I will saye I woulde God I might not speake thus in y e spirit of truth I would to God it might proue vntrue and neuer come to passe But God is iust and the extreame disdaine of Gods trueth and his holy Gospel iustly deserueth the extremitie of Gods vengeance and this Gospell that you are already so weary of shal be taken away from vs. The kingdome of God shalbe taken away from vs and shalbe giuen to a nation that shal do the fruites of it The kingdome of God which is the true vnderstanding of Gods word shalbe taken away And theÌ„ what shall remaine but blindenes and falshood which is the kingdome of the Diuel I will send saith God a famine in the land not a famin of bread nor a thirst of water but of hearing the word of the Lord. Let vs therefore good brethren remember for what causes God suffred his temple at Hierusalem to be destroyed burnt by y e Chaldees let vs remember wherefore God tooke from vs his holy Gospel that he had planted amongst vs of late time let vs now thankefully receiue it with teares and repentance for our former life let vs not make our selues vnwoorthye of the great grace and blessing of God To you this holy promise is made you are the children of Abraham to you Christ spreadeth out his armes to embrace you receiue not the grace of God in vayne let vs not put out that heauenlye light which God hath kindled let vs pray to God to giue vs new heartes and to put a newe spirite within vs Why should you perish you that are so dearely saued why should you perish O you the house of Israel Let vs once fal to the building vp of Gods holy temple let vs not driue it off any longer The Foxes haue boroughes and the birds of the aire haue nests but the Sonne of man hath not yet a place to rest his head in God calleth to vs by the Prophet Bring wood builde this house I will be fauourable in it Is it time for your selues to dwel in your sieled houses this house lie waste Your houses are fresh faire furnished yet my house lieth desolate flat vpon the ground Behold the miserable desolation of my holy place my flock is scattered in the mountaines behold your brethren y e lie in chaines in a thousande places bound beaten tormented and drawen to most cruel death not for any offence they haue coÌ„mitted but only for the building of my temple and professing of my name They are your owne body flesh and blood My bones are scattered vpon the face of the earth my blood is shed without compassion as it were water vpon y e grounde O what cruel eyes haue you that can see this not be moued that can buyld your owne houses serue your owne pleasures and leaue my house forsaken Thus almighty God speaketh to vs O good brethren let vs not
wonne Therefore we ought as our heartes were careful and desirous to see these dayes so by our thankefulnes to God for so great blessinge and by Christian and Godlye prouidence foresee such meanes whereby wee may longe hereafter enioye the same WheÌ„ Phydias had made the pourtraiture of Iupiter Pisanus he ouerlayed it with oyle y t it might continue fresh and greene and neuer putrifie When God gaue order to Noah for making the Arke he saide Thou shalt pitch it within and without with pitche that it might be sound and sure abide the waues He which chalengeth to himselfe that proude and wanton name to be called the head of y e vniuersal church after by litle litle he was gotten into possessioÌ„ was not behind hand by al meanes to maintaine keepe the same In this policie he tooke away the reading of the scriptures froÌ„ the people he made noble men princes his Cardinals He threw downe set vp changed whom what he would The kings states of the world y e bishops professors schollers in vniuersities preachers were brought to swere allegeaÌ„ce obedience vnto him I deuise not this the stories hereof are abrode y e oth which they tooke is known His authorite grew greater theÌ„ the authoritie of general councilles Nothing might be decreed in councels but what pleased him none might be admitted to speak in couÌ„cils but such as were sworne to him He had al law in his breast There was sometimes a proclamation made in Rome y t for considerations no man should erect or builde vp any theater that if any were set vp it shold be rased pulled down Pompeius a gentleman of great wealth noble courage did build a theater such a one as before had not bene seene which would receaue 2500. men contrary to y e proclamation order taken But dubtinge least the next maiestrates should destroy it he caused a place of religion to bee set vpon it called it the teÌ„ple of Venus Whereby he prouided y t if any wold ouerthrow it because it was a Theater they might yet spare it for the temples sake for to pul down a teÌ„ple was sacrilege Euen so there haue bene proclamations cannons y t no man shoulde be called y e chiefe or y e head of al Churches or vsurpe such authoritie ouer others but when y e Pope built vp his supremacie against the meaning of suche canons hee preteÌ„ded religioÌ„ for his doing he sayde it was de iure diuino y t no man should presume or atteÌ„pt agaiÌ„st it y t so his power might coÌ„tinue for euer If they haue bene thus carefull to mainteine falshod how much more careful should we be to maintaine y e truth If they to aduaÌ„ce their owne kingdome how much more wee to set forth the kingdom of God to builde vp the Church of Christ And if they sought to do y t by lies by false meanes why should we bee slack to vse the right true good meanes wherby that good thing which God hath wrought for vs may bee established And albeit there be many wayes by which the kingdome of God may be mainteined as the fauour countenance of y e prince whiche so coÌ„forteth cherisheth y e Church as the sunne beames coÌ„fort cherish the earth knowledge learning discipline which are as the life the sinues without which the Church must needes fall asunder at this time I wil leaue to speak of the rest only stay vpon learninge which may truly be called y e life or y e soule of y e Church of christian religien How necessarie a thinge they haue counted learninge to the settinge foorth of Religion the stories of our old fathers of heathens and Christians in al ages doe witnesse They thought that neither Religion might stande without knowledge nor knowledge were to bee esteemed without Religion Charles the great that hee might the better plant Religion in Saxonie and Heluetia did erect many places for encrease of learning He knewe well that there was no other way better to establish Religion The Cathedral Churches before such times as ignoraunce and blindenesse grewe ouer all the worlde and brought in an vniuersal corruption maintayned schooles of learning that the doctrine which was taught in those places might bee defended agaynst the gaynesayers by suche learned men as were there bred vp The Princes of Germanie and the free Cities after they had receyued the Gospell they dissolued theyr monasteries which had bene harbourers for such as liued in idlenes and set vp Schooles and colledges which should be nourceries to breede vp learned men that might bee able to teache the people and to maintaine religion Whereby it came to passe that in shorte time they had great store of worthy and learned men This did they wel see that haue bene the enemies of religion therefore vsed all meanes to hinder the encrease of learninge that they might haue the better way to ouerthrow Religion For if learning decay it is likely that Religion can not abide Beare with me if I speake that whiche may seeme more fitt for some other place then for this audience the best here vnderstandeth me wel In other countries the receiuing of the Gospell hath alwayes bene cause that learning was more set by and learninge hath euer bene the furtherance of the Gospell In England I knowe not how it commethe otherwise to passe For since the Gospell hath bene receiued the maintenaunce for learninge hath bene decayed And the lacke of learninge will be the decay of the Gospel Would God it were not so or that yet before the faulte be incurable there may be some redresse Loth I am to speake yet the case so requireth that it is needefull to be spoken I truste I shall speak in the hearing of them that wyll confider it Maintenance of learninge whereby an able and sufficient ministerie may growe and be established in al the Churches of this realme is to be wished for The good estate of this noble kingdome y â— comfort of posterytie y â— staye of Religion the continuing of the Gospell the remouing of darknes hangeth vpon it One asked sometimes howe it was that in Athens so goodly and great a citie there were no Phisitians To whom this answere was made because there are rewardes appointed for them that practise Phisicke The same answere may be made for our times the cause why y â— Church of God is so forsaken is the want of zeale in theÌ„ that should either for their curtesie or for their ability be fosterers of learning encrease the liuings where occasion is and giue hope confort to learned men What said I increaseâ—nay the liuings and prouision which hertofore were giuen to this vse are taken away Haue patience if any such be here as I well know there are whom these things touch Suffer me to speake the truth
est Hoc non dicet nisi pariter caecus He y t is blind in his heart within seeth not Christ that is our bread And is he blessed No man wil say so vnlesse it be one as blinde as he Chrisost saith Where as the carkeis is there are Eagles The carkasse is y â— body of Christ in respect of his death But hee nameth Eagles to shewe that who so will approche to this bodie must mount aloft and haue no dealing with the earth nor bee drawen and creepe downward but must euermore flee vp and behold the Sunne of iustice haue the eye of his minde quicke and sharpe For this is a table of eagles that flie on high not of iaies that creepe beneath So saith Saint Hierome Let vs goe vp with the Lorde in to heauen into that great parlar spread and cleane and let vs receiue of him aboue the cuppe of the new Testament He saith They that rise not vp by faith receiue not the cuppe of Christ So saith Hillary The bread that came downe from heauen is not receiued but of him that hath our Lord and is the member of Christ This is the vndoubted meaning of the olde fathers that the wicked are not partakers of the passion of Christ because they lacke faith whereby onely Christ is receiued of vs. As Augustine saith How shal I holde Christ beeinge absent how shal I thruste my hande vp into heauen that I may holde him sitting there Sende vp thy faith and thou holdest him By this meanes we draw nigh to Christ we hyde our selues in his woundes wee sucke at his breast we feede of his bodie and comfortablye lay vp in our mynde that his flesh was crucified and wounded for our sakes Nowe let vs examine what difference is betweene the body of Christ and the sacrament of the bodie It behoueth vs to take eche part aright as it is least we be deceiued and take one for another Origen saith Simpliciores nescientes distinguere c. Simple meÌ„ not being able to discerne what thinges in the Scriptures ought to be applyed to the outwarde man and what to the inner beinge deceiued by the likenesse of woords haue turned them selues to a sorte of peeuishe fables and vaine fantasies Therefore sayeth Chrysostome Magnum crede mihi bonum est scire quid sit creatura quid sit Creator c. Beleeue me it is a great matter to vnderstande what is the creature and what is God the Creator what are the workes and what is the workman The difference heerein is this A Sacrament is a figure or token the bodye of Christ is figured or tokened The Sacrament bread is bread it is not the bodie of Christ The bodie of Christ is flesh it is no bread The bread is beneath the bodie is aboue The bread is on the table the bodie is in heauen The bread is in the mouth the bodie in the heart The bread feedeth the outward man the bodie feedeth the inwarde man The bread feedeth the bodie the body feedeth the soule The bread shall come to nothing the bodie is immortall and shall not perish The bread is vile the bodie of Christ glorious Such a difference is there betweene the bread whiche is a Sacrament of the bodie and the bodye of Christ it selfe The Sacrament is eaten as well of the wicked as of the faithfull the bodie is onely eaten of the faithfull The Sacrament may bee eaten vnto iudgement the body can not bee eaten but vnto saluation Without the Sacrament we may be saued but without the bodie of Christ wee haue no saluation wee can not bee saued As Saynt Augustine saith Quinon sumit carnem Christi non habet vitam qui eam sumit habet vitam eam vtique aeternam Hee that receiueth not the fleshe of Christ hath not life he that receiueth the same hath life and that for euer Such a difference maketh Epiphanius Hoc est rotundae figurae insensibile quantum ad potentiam c. This thing that is the sacrament is of a rounde forme for it was a great thick round cake and touching any power that is in it vtterly voyde of sense But wee knowe that our Lord is whole sense whole sensible whole God whole mouing Again S. August saith for the difference of them The Sacrament of Christs bodâ— is receiued of some vnto life of some vnto destruction but the thing it selfe that is the flesh of Christ wherof this is a Sacrament is receiued of all men vnto life and of no man to destruction whosoeuer shall be partaker of it Of the difference which is betweene a figure of any thing and the thing it self Chrysost saith Audisti fuisse figuram ne ergo mirare neque omnia require in typo Neque enim typus esset si omnia quae veritati accidunt haberentur Yee haue heard that it was a figure therefore maruell not being a figure require not al thinges to agree for otherwise it were no figure These and such like reasons no doubte mooued the godly Father to say as wee haue learned to say Aliud est Sacramentum aliud res sacrameÌ„ti The Sacrament is one thing the matter of the Sacrament which is Christes verye body is another thing And therfore he saieth Honorem tanquaÌ„ religiosa habere possunt stuporem taÌ„quam mira noÌ„ possuÌ„t These things speaking of the sacrament of Christes body maye haue honour as things appointed to religion but wonder as things maruellous they can not haue Thus are wee taught by the Catholique Learned Fathers to put a difference betweene the Sacrament and the body of Christe and that the one of them is not really lapped vp or shut within the other that the one as Epiphanâ—us saith is vtterly voyde of sense the other whole sense and whole sensible that the one is receiued 〈◊〉 destruction vnto some as Saint Augustine â—aith the other is receiued of all men vnto life That the one is a figure as Chrysostome sayth the other a trueth It remayneth that wee consider howe wee ought to prepare our heartes and with what faith and reuerence wee shoulde resorte to these holy mysteries Wee may not come as we vse to doe to our vsuall meates For here in a mystery and Sacrament of bread is set before vs the bodie of Christe our Sauiour and his blood in the Sacrament of Wine Wee see one thing wee must conceiue another thing Therefore we must in such manner be affected as if we were present to beholde his death vpon the crosse and the sheading of his blood for our sinnes Let vs set before our eyes that dreadfull tragedie and the causes and effectes of his death that so our heartes may bee the rather mooued to yeelde that allegeance obedience and reuerence which is due Wee were the children of wrath the enemies of God shut vp vnder sinne and the heires of euerlasting
damnation In this case God so loued y â— world that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne y â— whosoeuer beleeueth in him shoulde not perishe but haue life euerlasting And as Saint Paule sayeth God sent his owne Sonne in the similitude of sinful flesh and by sinne coâ—â—emned sinne in the fleshe There was no other thing in He auen or earth which woulde be taken for our ransome Therefore was the Sonne of GOD brought before the Iudge and arraigned as a Theefe and condemned and scourged and put to death his side was opened with a speare and the bloode flowed out and he sayde It is finished that is to say the price for man is nowe payed Thus beeing in the fourme of God hee thought it no robberie to bee equall with God but he made himselfe of no reputation tooke on him the fourme of a seruaunt and was made like vnto men was founde in shape as a man He humbled himself and became obedient vnto the death euen the death of the Crosse Hee gaue his bodye to bee crucified and his blood to bee shedde for our sakes There was no other sacrifice left for sinne woe worth the sinne of man that was the cause of the death of Christ What were the effects of his death What followed God hath highly exalted him and giueÌ„ him a name aboue euery name that at the name of Iesus should euery knee bowe and that euerie tongue should confesse that Iesus Christ is the Lord to the glory of God the Father God spake out of the heauens and saide This is my beloued sonne in whom I am well pleased Hee crowned him with glorie and honour hee hath not onely aduanced Christ but vs also together with him And made vs sitte together in heauenly places in Christ Iesus Hee hath made vs like to the Image of his sonne Thus hath hee made vs an acceptable people and hath renewed the face of the earth so y â— nowe hee saith not as he did to Adam thou art earth and shalt returne to earth but he saith Thou art heauen an immortall and vndefiled inheritance that fadeth not away is reserued in heauen for thee This is the effect and value of the death of Christ All these thinges are layde before vs in the holy Table if wee haue eyes to see and beholde them There may wee see the crucifiyng of his bodie and the shedding of his blood as it were in a glasse Therefore Christe sayeth doe this in remembraunce of mee in remembraunce of my benefite wrought for you in remembrance of your saluation purchased by me Saint Paul saith As often as ye shal eate this bread and drinke this cuppe ye shew the Lordes death til he come In this supper lieth a hiddeÌ„ mystery There is the horror of sinne there is y e death of our Lorde for our sinne represented howe he was wounded for our sinnes and tormented for our iniquities and ledde as a lambe to the slaughter There may we see the shame of the crosse the darkenesse ouer the worlde the earth to quake the stones to cleaue asunder the graues to open and the dead to rise These thinges may we see in the Supper this is the meaning of these holy mysteries Therefore let euery one examine him selfe and search and weigh his owne hearte whether he be the childe of GOD and a member of the bodie of Christe and so let him eate of this bread and drinke of this cuppe The sacrament of the Lordes Supper is a holie foode the seale of our Faith the assuraunce of Gods promises and a couenant betweene God and man He that doeth vn worthely thrust himselfe to this table eateth and drinketh his owne damnation When a sicke man of a weake and feeble stomacke sitteth downe to eate with them that are whole whatsoeuer he eateth or drinketh it doth increase his sicknesse To them that perish the worde of God is a sauour of death vnto death Who so disagreeth from Christ neither eateth his bread nor drinketh his blood as saith S. Augustine If any of vs come to the Sacrament of the bodie of Christ and yet make our selues the members of the Diuell wee treade Christe vnder our feete we regarde not his body crucified nor his blood shed for vs we regard not the price of our saluation wee are guiltie of his death we betraie the innocent blood we are fallen from grace and Christ hath died in vaine for vs. Let vs remember Christ was forsaken scorned buffeted crucified and left vpon the crosse he was a worme and no man a reproch among men Nature it selfe yearned and yelded at the sight hereof The whole lande grewe darke the earth did quake the sunne lost his light the powers of heauen were moued the rockes were clouen the vaile of the temple rent the thiefe repented said Lorde remember me when thou coÌ„mest into thy kingdome the centurion glorified God and said of a suretie this man was iust Where is the power of Christs death now Where is the force and power of his word By these meanes he speaketh to thee and calleth saying Beholde O man thus haue I sought thee these things I suffer for thy sake that thou shouldest eate my flesh and drinke my blood be made one with me that thou mightest come into mee and I into thee I haue made thee a member of my bodie bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh Thou that wallowest in thy sinnes thou Sodoma and Gomorrah thou childe of destruction which hast reioysed in my shame and arte not moued with the paines which I haue suffered what might I do for thy sake to saue thee that I haue not done What might I suffer and haue not endured it O be a partener of my death that thou matest haue part in my resurrection Let vs die with Christ let vs bee crucified vnto the worlde Let vs bee holy Egles and scare aboue Let vs goe vp into the great parlar and receiue of our Lorde the cup of the newe testament There let vs beholde the bodie that was crucified for vs the blood which was shead for vs. There let vs say this is the raunsom of the world this was once offered hath made perfect for euer al them that beleue this entered once into the holy place and obtained euerlasting redemption for vs this standeth alwaies in the presence of God maketh intercession for vs this is the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world by this bodie I am now no more earth ashes by this I am now not a bondman but made free This bodie hath broken the gates of hell hath opened heauen In this are all the treasures of Gods mercie by this the prince of darkenes is cast foorth in this bodie shall he come againe to iudge the quicke and the dead Let no vncleane or filthie person no adulterer no vsurer no cruel extortioner or deuourer of Gods people offer him selfe to
heauen before men for ye your selues go not in nether suffer ye theÌ„ that would enter to come in Of these and against them God speaketh by the Prophet Ieremie Wo be vnto the pastors that destroy scatter the sheepe of my pasture And by the Prophete Zacharie O Idol-shepherd that leaueth the flocke Thou hast eares and hearest not thou hast eyes and seest not thou hast a tongue and speakest not and a heart but vnderstandest not thou art an idole Christ sayde to thee feede my lambes feede my sheepe but thou carest not for them Thou hast the roume of an Euangelist and Pastour and Teacher but thou gatherest not the saintes together thou doest not the worke of the ministerie thou buildest not vp the bodie of Christe They shall perish in their wickednesse but their blood wyll I require at thy handes Here note this ministerie of the Churche was not ordeined to offer sacrifice for forgiuenesse of sinnes Whosoeuer taketh that office vpon hym be doeth wrong iniurie to the death and passion of Christ He only is called of god an high Priest after y e order of Melchisedec He onely by his owne blood entred in once into the holy place obtained eternall redemption for vs. He only with one offeringe hath consecrated for euer them y t are sanctified He only hath said Consummatum est It is finished The ransome or price for mans saluation and for forgiuenesse of the sinnes of the worlde is payde in mee in my death vpon the Crosse Of hym alone and onely of hym hath it bene spoken This is my well beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased And by Esay With his stripes only we are healed It is he only which hath made of both one It is he only which did put out y â— hande writing of ordinaÌ„ces y â— was against vs he euen tooke it out of the way and fastened it vppon the Crosse He alone is our hye Priest the Lambe of God the Sacrifice for sinnes the Altar the Propitiation for sinners and redeemer of the world He only hath appeased the wrath of god He onely appeareth in the sight of GOD to make intercession for our sinnes All others whatsoeuer Apostles Prophetes Teachers and Pastours are not in office to offer any propitiatorie sacrifice but are called to the ministerie of the Saintes to the edification of the bodye of Christe and to the repayringe of the Church of God Thus muche of the holy ministerie of the Church which standeth in the setting foorth of the mysterie of our saluation both by the Preachinge of the woorde of GOD and by the due and reuerent ministration of the Sacramentes The principallest parte of this office is to preache repentance that so wee may amende our lyues and bee conuerted vnto GOD. So Ioel the Prophet followed hys ministerie sayinge Rent your heartes and not your garmentes and turne to the Lorde your God for he is gracious merciful So S. Paul teacheth that true circumcision is by putting off the sinnefull body of the fleesh that it is in mortifying our members that bee on the earth Fornication vncleanesse the inordinate affections euil concupiscence couetousnes which is idolatrie y â— it is in putting away al these thinges wrath anger maliciousnes cursed speakinge filthy speakinge out of your mouth in putting of the old maÌ„ with his works and putting on the new which is renewed in knowledge after y e image of him that created him So Iohn Baptist said Repent for the kingdome of God is at hand Prepare ye y â— waies of the Lord make his pathes straight So our Sauiour Christ when he began to preache said Am end your liues for the kingdome of God is at hand Therfore it wil not bee amisse now to speake of repentaunce which some of late yeares haue chaunged into pennaunce and there of haue also made a Sacrament Here it behoueth to rippe vp the whole lyfe of man There is not any man that liueth and sinneth not God sayeth The imagination of mans heart is euyll from his youth The Prophet Ieremie saith The heart is deceitful and wicked aboue all things who can know it Saint Iohn therefore saith If wee say that we haue no sinne wee deceiue our selues trueth is not in vs. Of hymselfe Saint Paul saith I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing Of hymselfe the Prophet Dauid sayeth There is nothiÌ„g sound in my flesh because of thine anger neither is there rest in my bones because of my sinnes For mine iniquities are gone ouer mine head as a weighti burtheÌ„ they ar to heauy for me He saith If thou O Lord straightly markest iniquities O Lord who shal abide it So sayth the Wise man A iustman falleth seuen times God is a righteous God and the auenger of all them that offendeâ—â— Saint Paul saith The wages of sinne is death And the Prophet Ezechiel The soule that sinneth shall dye For this cause then God ordayned the ministerie of his worde and appoynted certayne to this office that they shoulde warne his people of theyr sinnes and feare them by the terrour of Gods assured displeasure and heauy wrath As is seene by y t to Esay Cry aloude spare not lift vp thy voyce lyke a trumpet and shewe my people their transgressions the house of Iacob their sins So Saint Paul vnto Timothie I charge thee before God the Lorde Iesus Christ which shal iudge the quick and dead at his appearing in his kyngdome preach the word be instant in season out of season improue rebuke exhort with all long suffering and doctrine So woulde God haue our filth layde open before our eyes that wee might weigh and iudge our owne heartes that euery man might make charge vppon him selfe and saye I am an vnprofitable seruant my righteousnesse is as a foule and steined cloth My soule hath sinned and hath deserued to dye the death In this case some fall into desperation and saye as sometimes dyd Caine My sinne is greater then can be pardoned God withdraweth his mercie from mee I am vnworthie of it I haue offended against the holy spirit of GOD mine owne conscience accuseth me I haue no parte in the kingdome of GOD and of Christe there is no sacrifice left for my sinnes Thus the wicked liue in trembling and agony as dyd Cain thus they leaue their lyfe with horrour and miserie so haue they no grace to repent no taste nor feelyng of the mercie of God But the children of God though they bee wounded yet they finde reliefe in the certayne hope of Gods mercie Though they say I am a sinner my sinnes are more in number then the heares of my head I haue offended against heauen and earth Yet they know that Christ came to call sinuers to repentance that hee healeth those that are