he was caried vp into heauen ascendynge as the Psalmist in his lxvii Psalm doth saye Super 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad orientem That is to say Aboue heauens vnto the Easte And the sayd Difciples adorynge hym dyd retourne vnto Ierusalem These thynges beforesaid are speciallye testified by S. Marke in the xvi Chapyter Luke in the. xxiiii Iohn in the. xx by S. Luke also in the fyrst Chapyter of the Actes and by sondry other partes of the scrypture By the way it may be noted that this eleuation of Chryste into Heauen dyd muche differ from hys eleuatyon vnto the Crosse for there as Esay in the. lxiii Chapyter doth saye Chryst alone dyd treade the Presse where here as Dauyd in his lxvii Psalme and S. Paule in the. iiii Chapiter to the Ephesians doth saye Christe ascending into Heauen dyd leade captiuitie captiue with him and gaue gyftes to men Furthermore the eleuation vpon the Crosse was with mooste bytter sorowe and payne where the ascension into heauen was wyth most vnspeakeable ioye and wonderfull gladnes And it is not to be forgotten here that amongest other causes why Chryst would no lenger tarye here vpon earthe but ascende into Heauen there are fiue speciallye noted The fyrst that Chrystes body beynge gloryfyed Heauen and not the Earth was a place conuenyent mete for it to be cōuersaunt in The 〈◊〉 that by the sayde ascension he myght glorifye the humaine na ture whyche before that tyme was neuer admytted vnto heauen The thyrde that ascendyng into Heuen he myght be an aduocate and an intercessoure contynuallye for vs. Hebre. ix i. Iohannis ii The fourthe that so ascendyng he myghte shewe vs the waye and prepare vs a place Michee ii 〈◊〉 iiii The fyste and last that he myght sende the Holy Ghost vn to vs which he sayd he woulde not excepte he departed Ioannis 19. And thus much for the fyrste part of thys Article For the second parte of this article which is that Chryst Sitteth on the right hande of God the father Almyghtye ye shall vnderstand that to sit on the ryghte hande of God the father is not after a carnall and worldely fashion to be vnderstanded as who saith that God the father had like men a right hand and a lefte hand but by the sitting of Christ on the ryght hand of God the father is vnderstand and ment that Chryste hath and euer shal haue communicated vnto hym of God the father glory honoure power felicitie and euerlastynge monarchye gouernaunce rule and dominion ouer all pryncypates potestates powers dominions and ouer all creatures that can be named eyther in thys worlde or in the worlde to come ordeyned to be kynge of all kynges and Lorde of all Lordes and all thynges both in hea uen and also in Earth to ve cast vnder his fete and made subiecte to hym and he appoynted to be the cheife and principall heade of the vniuersall and hole Catholyke Churche which is his misticall Body hauyng vnder hym in his Churche here in Earth suche ministers and after such order and fashion as lyked him to appoynt and ordayne in the same And albeit that Chryste is ascended into Heauen and syttethe on the ryght hande of God the father almyghtye yet we maye not as the 〈◊〉 doo gether 〈◊〉 vpō contrarye to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the 〈◊〉 of Chryst in substaunce is not reallye and truelye in the Sacrament of the Aultare but contrary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chryst is bothe God and man and soo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or almyghty and hath by his godhed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnto his manhode taken vp his Body and his 〈◊〉 nitie into heauen which to do is aboue the 〈◊〉 and reach of onely nature to accomplyshe and bryng to passe we ought with the catholyke Churche firme lye and stedfastlye beleue that 〈◊〉 as oure Sauiour Chryste bothe promysed to giue his bodye in a Sacrament and also perfourming his promise did it soo in dede as the 〈◊〉 and S. Paule also dothe testifye and declare the bodye therefore of Chryst doth both sit on the ryght hand of God the father almyghtye in heauen in the visible forme of a man accordyng to this article and is also verely real ly and truely in substannce in the Sacramente of the Aultare vnder the formes of breade and wyne And where in the. vii chapyter of the actes it is wrytten of S. Stephan that he dyd see Iesum stantem a dexteris virtu t is 〈◊〉 That is to say Iesu standing on the ryght hand of the power or vertue of God Whereby some haue gathered a contrarye ie in Scripture 〈◊〉 shall vnderstande that these wordes Christ to sytte or Christ to stand at the ryghte hande of God the father are not to be vnderstanded after the carnal and worldly maner and gesture of man but spiritually to signifye hys equalitie wyth God the father the partycipatyng of all glory with the same 〈◊〉 equalytie and partycipatyon in 〈◊〉 and the catholyke doctours is as well vnderstande by 〈◊〉 as by standyng Thus haue you hard the hole exposi tion of this vi Article conteynynge in effecte howe our Sauiour Iesus Chryst after that he hadde perfectely accomplished and performed the hole mistery of the redemptyon of mankynde by hys incarnation his byrth his passyon his death his buriall his discēdyng into Hell and rysyng agayne from death to life and after he hadde bene here in Earth conuersaunte with his Apostles and Disciples by the space of fortye dayes after his resurrection beyng amongest his Apostles and he in theyr sight assended into heauen in the verye fame his naturall bodye whyche was borne of the blessed vyrgyn hys mother and was cru cified vpon the crosse and so dydde wythdrawe hys accustomed visible conuersation from the presence of his Apostles and from the bodely sight of al other creatures By remembraunce whereof bothe they we should here in earth eleuate and lyfte vp our hole hartes myndes desyres all affections from earthly thynges and from all carnall and worldlye cares towardes heauene and heauenlye thynges and soo shoulde by hys grace prepare our hartes and make oure selues 〈◊〉 and apte to receaue hys spyrytuall gyftes which he sendeth into the worlde Wherfore the thing thus beinge let vs in dede lifte vppe oure hartes and myndes vnto Chryst thus syttynge at the right hand of God the father and there praying cōtynually for vs. And let vs soo in mynde nowe from henceforth dwel in contemplatiō of heuenly things during al the space of this mortal life that we may hereafter for euer dwell with the holy trinitie in glory euerlastyng Amen ¶ Thexposition or declaration of the. vii article of the crede whych is From thence he shall come to ' iudge the quicke and the deade IN this Article two thynges specyally maye be con sidered the fyrst is that Chryste beinge ascended into Heauen Shall come from thense And thesecond is that commyng from thense He shall iudge both the Quycke and the
written in the. xvi of Mathewe Tibi dabo claues regni celorum quodcunque ligaueris super terram crit ligatum et in celis et quodcumque solueris super terram erit solutum et in celis That is to saye Unto thee will I geue the Keyes of the kyngdome of heauen whatsoeuer thou doest bynde vpon earth shall also be bounde in heauen and whatsoeuer thou loosest vpon earth shall also be loosed in heauen Which 〈◊〉 all Chrysten men shoulde to theyr great comforte moste gladly imbrace and by al meanes be most carefull and wary to the vttermost of theyr power to kepe them selues in such state that they may styll enioye the fruit of this soo comfortable a priueledge Wherefore good people accordyng to the exhortation of the Prophete Ezechiell in the eyghtenth chapter Tourne and doe penaunce for all youre iniquities and youre iniquitye shall not be your destruction But youe shall vndoutedly accordyng to thys article be vnburdened of your synnes and made partakers of the communion of saynctes bothe in thys worlde and in the worlde to come Amen ¶ Thexposition or declaration of the eleuēth artycle of the Crede whiche is The resurrection of the Bodye Coucernynge thys eleuenth article for asmuche as it may seme itraunge to some men why thys word Body is here placed in the Englishe seyng the Latin is Carnis resurrcctionem That is to sai The resur rection of the fleshe 〈◊〉 shal knowe that in 〈◊〉 ture many tymes thys worde fleshe doeth signyfye the hole man as for example where it is wrytten in the fyrst of S. Jhon Verbum caro factum est that is to saye The worde was made fleshe the meanynge is that the sonne of god toke vpon hym the hole nature of man Agayne 〈◊〉 the fyrste chapiter of saynt Paules fyrste epystle to the Corynthians it is wrytten in thys maner Vt non glorietur omnis caro that is to say That no fleshe should glorye the meanynge is that no man should glorye Lykewyse where in the thyrde of S. Luke it is wrytten Videbit omnis caro salutare dei That is All fleshe shall se the sauiour sent of God The meanynge is that al men shall see the sauiour sent of god And manye tymes also thys sayde worde Fleshe doeth in scrypture signifye onely the bodye of man without any respect of the soule thereof as in the fyrst Chapyter of Genesis where Adam speakyng of hys wyfe Eue sayth in this maner Caro de carne 〈◊〉 that is Fleshe of my fleshe meanynge that her body was made of hys bodye Lykewyse in the. xxi of Job where Job sayeth Concutit carnem 〈◊〉 tremor That is Tremblyng dothe shake my fleshe meanyng there by hys fleshe hys bodye And accordynge to thys seconde acception thys Latyne worde Carnis Which is to saye Of the fleshe is taken here in thys article of the Latyn Crede and by cause the body and the fleshe here in this article doe signifye and meane one thing we maye both say the resurrection of the body and also the resurrection of the fleshe And therby we doe vnderstand that at the day of the generall dome or Judgemente when Chryste shall come as in the. vii article of thys Crede is contayned and sitte to iudge the quicke and the deade almighty God shall styrre and rayse vppe againe the very fleshe and bodies of all men women and Chyldrē both good and bad christened and heathen that euer lyued here in this world from the begynnynge of the same and died before that day And althoughe the sayde fleshe and bodyes were deade and buryed yea and consumed or by anye meanes destroyed yet God shall of his infinite power make them all at that day wholl and perfecte agayne And soo euerye man generally shall resume and take agayne the very selfe same bodie and flesh in substaūce which he had whi les he liued here on earth and so shall rise from death and liue agayne in the very selfe same bodie and soule which he had before 〈◊〉 whych tyme man thus beyng made perfect in coniunction of body and soule shall at that daye appeare before the hygh iudge our sauiour Jesu Chryst and there shall make an accompte of his workes and hys dedes such as he did good or euil while he liued here in thys worlde And for profe that the contentes of this article are true these authorities and testimonies both of the olde and the newe testamente shal be sufficient for this presente that is to witte the. xix of Job Esay xxvi Ezechi xxxvii Daniel xii Mathew xxii John v. Rom xiiii i. Cor. xv ii Cor. v i Thes iii. and. iiii Philip. iii. and the ii to Timoth. ii ¶ The exposition or declaration of the twelft Article of the Crede whiche is And the lyfe euerlastynge Amen In these fewe wordes is the moost comfortable and ioyous knyttynge vppe of this Crede that maye be For two excellent thinges are here sette fourth to be beleued the fyrst is Lyfe whiche all thynges do desyre the second is the Eternitie and continuall lastyng of it which is a thyng that maketh it most pleasaunte and most swete and most profitable And when I do saye that ther is a lyfe and also an euerlastyng lyfe I doo meane both concernyng the body and also concernynge the soule for vnto them bothe this euerlastyng lyfe shal without any endynge contynue and abyde B V T H E R E muste ye marke that lyke as the good shall enioye for euer thys mooste 〈◊〉 estate of euerlastyng lyfe to theyr vnspeakeable comforte and gladnes so also the noughtye and wycked shall bothe in bodye and also in soule receaue for euer punyshmente and tormente incessantly accordynge whervnto our Sauiour Chryst in the. xxv of saynte Mathewe sayeth Et ibunt hi in supplicium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 em in uitam eternam That is to saye And they meanynge the noughtye and wycked shall goe into euerlastinge punyshment but the iuste shall goo into lyfe euerlasting And herevpon maye be 〈◊〉 that though the noughtye and wycked shall continue for euer and haue immortalitie yet forasmuch they so contynuing shall neuer haue ioye but euerlastyng torment of body and soule without hope of forgyuenes and wythoute anye ende Therefore theyr contynuaunce and immortalitie is rather to be called euerlastynge deathe then euerlastynge lyfe or lyfe at all accordynge whervnto S. Paule in the. vi chapiter of his epystle to the Romaynes doth saye Stipendia enim peccatimors gratia autem dei uita 〈◊〉 in CHRISTO IESV domino nostro That is to saye The rewarde in dede of synne is death but eternall lyfe is the gyfte of God through Jesu Chryst our lorde So that such as haue led theyr lyues in obedience obseruation of Goddes commaundementes and die in true fayth and charitie shall then be perfectly 〈◊〉 tified puryfyed and delyuered frome all contagion of synne and from all corruptible and mortalitie of the 〈◊〉 and shal be perpetuallye glorified and
doo neuer cease ne shall cease to gloryfye hym to prayse hym and to fulfyll hys wyll and pleasure in all thynges and that moste readylye and gladely without any maner of grudgynge or resystinge there vnto knowyng certainelye and clearelye that hys will is 〈◊〉 the best euen so that we the chyldren of God in earthe maye daylye and continuallye prayse God and by our holy conuersation in good workes and good lyfe honour and groryfye hym and that we maye from tyme to tyme so mortyfye oure owne naturall corrupte and synnefull appetyte and wyll that we maye be euer redye lyke louynge children humbly lowely and obe dientlye to approue allowe and accomplyshe the wil of God oure father in all thynges and to submytte our selues wyth all oure hearte vnto the same and to acknowledge that whatsoeuer is the wyll of GOD the same is moste perfecte moste iuste most holy and mooste expediente for the health and wealthe of oure soules we I say ought also for these things to pray Wherefore in this petition also we desyre of God true and stable pacience when oure wyll is letted or broken And that whan anye man speaketh or doeth contrarye to our wyll yet therefore we be not oute of pacyence 〈◊〉 curse or murmure or seke vengeaunce agaynste our aduersaryes or them whyche let oure wyll but that we maye saye well of them and doe well to them We pray also that by goddes grace we may gladelye suffer all diseases pouerty dispysynges persecutions and aduersities knowynge that it is the wyll of God that we shoulde crucyfye and mortyfye oure wylles And whan any such aduersitie chaūceth vnto vs to attribute al vnto the wil or sufferaunce of GOD and geue hym thankes therefore who doth order all suche thynges for oure weale and benefytte eyther for the exercyse and the tryall of the good to make them stronger in goodnes and vertue or ells for the chastysemente and amendemente of the euyll to suppresse theyr euyll motyons and desyres And also we praye that whansoeuer it shall please god to call vs oute of thys transytorye lyfe we maye be wyllyng to dye and that consyrmynge our will to the wyll of God we maye take our deathe gladely so that by feare or 〈◊〉 we be not made dysobedyent vnto hym We desyre furthermore that all oure members eyes tonge hart handes and feete be not suffered to follawe the desyres of the fleshe but that all maye be vsed to the wyll and pleasure of GOD and that malycyouslye we reioyse not in theyr troubles whyche haue resisted our wyll or haue hurt vs nor that we be enuyously sorye when that they prosper and haue welfare but that we maye be contented and pleased with althing that is gods wyll ¶ The exposition or declaration of the fourth petition which is Gyue vs this day our dayly breade AFter that in the three former petitions we are orderly taught fyrst to desire praye for suche thynges as do cōcerne God to gloryfye hallowe his name Secondly to desyre and praye for the cheife and principall blysse that man may haue whiche is the kyngedome of God And Thirdelye to desyre praye for such cheife meanes by whiche that 〈◊〉 blysse is obteyned that is to saye by the fulfyllynge here in earth of gods wyl and pleasure Now next and fourthly we are here taught to desyre of God thinges that be necessarye for the foode and 〈◊〉 both of our bodye also of our soule so longe as we shall here 〈◊〉 vpon the Earthe And fyrste as touchynge the sustenance of the bodye you shall note fyue thynges in this petition The first is that our lorde teacheth vs in this petytyon not to aske any superfluouse thynge of pleasure and vayne delite but onely thinges necessarye sufficiēt there fore he biddith vs aske onelye breade wherein is not ment 〈◊〉 greate substaūce or habundaunce of thinges aboue our state cōditiō but such thinges onely as be necessary for euery man in his degree that it should be one ordinary dayly maner of sustenaūce 〈◊〉 trade of liuing nether inordinat nor excessiue And therefore yf we Chrysten men haue meate and drynke and cloth that is to saye thynges suffycyente let vs holde our selues content for they that set there myndes on ryches and wyll haue superfluities more than nedeth or is expedyent to there vocatyon they fall into daungerouse temptatyons and into snares of the deuyll and into manye vnprofytable and noysome desyres which drowne men into perdityon and euerlastinge 〈◊〉 for the spryng and roote of all euylls is suche superfluouse desyre The wyseman also makyng hys petition to our lorde Prouerbe 35. sayth Gyue me neither pouertie nor excesse but onelye thinges sufficiente for my liuinge lest that hauinge to much I be prouoked to denye God and to forgette who is the Lord and on the other syde lest that by pouertie cōstrayned I fall into thefte and forswere the name of my God Whereby is declared that we shoulde desyre onely thynges necessarye signified here by breade and refuse and renounce superfluities vnprofitable daungerous and noysome The second thyng to be considered in this petiti on is that we doo desyre and praye not absolutelye for breade but we doo desyre and praye for Oure breade By whyche wordes appeareth that that breade onelye is oures which we do get by true iuste honest and lawefull meanes for yf we doo get ought by deceyte fraude crafte or any vnlawfull or 〈◊〉 wayes that is in no wyse ours but other mens So that in thys worde Our is most euidentlye implyed and conteyned a greate reproche to all those persons which eate not theyr owne bread but deuoure other mens breade of whyche sorte be all those that lyue of theft robbery rauyne and spoyles extortion or craft and deceyte They also are of thys sort who neyther doo laboure with their handes nor otherwyse apply theyr study theyr industry or diligence to some thinge whiche maye be good and profytable to the common wealthe and to the honoure of GOD but doo lyue in case rest ydelnes and wanton pleasure They lykewyse are of thys sorte and worthy therefore to be reproued who beyng in any roume or vocation of aucthoritye or seruice do not fully truely and faythfullye fulfyl and performe the duetye of theyr vocation The thirde thing to be noted in this petitiō touching our corporall sustenaunce is that we muste saye vnto almyghtye God 〈◊〉 That is to saye Geue thou to the entente that we should not thinke that out meate drynke clothe or any other worldelye sustenaunce is wonne or gotten onely by oure owne industry wyt and laboure thoughe we be bounde by the lawe of God to laboure and trauayle in our vocation to the vttermost of our 〈◊〉 for the mayntenaūce sustenaunce of our selues and all ours but that when we haue played and done our parte 〈◊〉 we must firmely beleue that all thinges so commynge vnto vs are geuen vs by
and lykenesses by thys is signyfyed the vnitie also of one nature and substaunce But to procede further concernyng the creation of man ye shall vnderstand that the second chapter of Moyses boke called 〈◊〉 in speciall maner doth recorde the seuerall making as well of the bodye of man by it selfe as also of the soule by it selfe And as touching the body scrypture doth there say that God fourmed or shaped it of the earthe Noting therby the excellēcy of mans body aboue the bodyes of other liuynge creatures For we rede not of anye other lyuyng creature that god shaped or fourmed the body of it but onely that he made it and that at the cō maundement of almighty god the earth brought fourth foure foted beastes the water in like maner brought fourth fysshes foules Only of that body of mā scripture wituesseth that God shaped it And as cōcerning the soule of mā it is written of it in the sayd second chapter of genesis howe that god bre thed it into the body which ii circumstaunces as they import a marueylous excellency of man aboue other bodely creatures so they most clerely declare thexcedyng great goodnes of God towardes man Now when god had in such a singuler fashion creted man he gaue hym souereigntie ouer all the fysshes of the sea ouer the foules of the ayer and ouer the beastes of the lande yea and made him a Kyng and Emperour on the earth And yet not satisfyed with al this he placed man in Paradyse that is in a most pleasaunt garden where he had planted all kynd of frute beautifull to beholde and delicious to eate for man to fede vpon onely one kynde of fruyte he charged hym on payne of death and that not of the body alone but of the soule also vtterlye to refrayne from which was the fruyte of the tree called in scrypture the tre of knowledge of good and euyl And lyke as in a most maruelous sorte he made Adam the fyrsteman so in as marueylous straunge a sort he made Eue the first woman euen of a rybbe taken out of Adams lefte syde and her he made parfytte and furnyshed her with like gyftes as he had done Adame the first man What canne we then thinke or deuyse that God might haue don more for vs in our creation then herein he dyd He made the soule immortall that is such as shulde continue for euer without ende He furnished it with moste singuler gyftes both of nature and of special grace also The body of man in the estate of originall innocencie had in it helth strength 〈◊〉 and other like qualities in the highest degre of perfection it had in it selfe then no fond lust or concupiscens no pronitie or inclination to euyl no 〈◊〉 in doing good no infirmitie or wekenesse no lacke or want of any qualitie fyt and decent for it The body of man was then obediente to the soule the soule altogether obedient to God So that on Gods parte oure maker and creator there is nothyng towardes vs but all perfection all great kyndnes al fatherly loue fauour Holy scrypture most euydently affyrmeth that al creatures were made good in their creation saying Vidit deus 〈◊〉 fecerat et erant ualde bona 〈◊〉 That is God sawe al things which he had made and they were very good Which thyng as it is generally true in all creatures concerning their creation so is it in a certen degre of excellencye to be verified in man touchyng the estate of his originall innocency Thus we may perceaue that in the creation of man al was excellent parfytte whiche oughte greatly to inflame vs the more to loue and serue almighty God our most louynge creator But for asmuche as that blessed estate is lost mankynd by that losse thereof fell into extreme miserie and wretchednes it is consequently to be well considered of our part by what meanes man was brought from soo good and blessed a case to so euyll and miserable an estate whiche poynte well wayed is a sufficiente grounde to cause vs on the other syde vtterly to detest abhorre al synne For that greuous fal of man came of synne Synne it was for which God thrust man oute of paradyse synne it was that caused the fleshe to striue agaynste the spirite and the spirite agaynst the fleshe synne it was that broughte vnto mankynde necessitie of bodyly death and all the infirmities and diseases which man in thys transitory lyfe sustayneth synne fynally it was that cau sed all the posteritie of Adam and Eue to be borne in state of dampnation But some perchaunce are desyrous fardar to knowe by what meanes man was fyrst brought to commytte synne For the vnderstandyng whereof lette vs haue recourse to the iii. chap. of Genesis where it is wrytten how that that wyly serpent the deuyll came vnto Eue and sayde vnto her Why hath God gyuen you commaundement not to eate of euery tree in paradyse where vnto the woman answered and sayde of the fruyte which is in paradise we eate but of the frute of that tree that groweth in the myddest of paradyse GOD hath charged vs not to eate or touche it leste per chaunce we dye Then sayde the serpente to the woman Naye you shall not dye For God knowethe that whatsoeuer daye you shall eate thereof youre eyes shal be opened and you shal be like Gods knowynge good and euyll The woman therefore saw that the tree was good to eate of and beautifull to the eye and pleasaunte to beholde and she tooke of the fruite thereof and d d eate and gaue part to her husbāde who also did 〈◊〉 Thus through the prouocation of the deuyll man first fell into synne Wherefore as we must alwayes abhorre synne and forbeare it because of the greate misery it brought vs vnto so shold we no les 〈◊〉 and to the vttermost of our power fly the 〈◊〉 and all his suggestions knowing that thereby we 〈◊〉 fyrst induced to commytte synne For as thys oure aduersary was busy at the 〈◊〉 wyth oure fyrst parentes so is he no les but rather more busye with vs at thys present as 〈◊〉 Saynt Peter in the v. chapiter of his fyrst 〈◊〉 saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the deuyl as a roryng lion goeth about seking whom he may deuour Thys aduersary of mankynde disdaynynge at the greate 〈◊〉 that Adam and Eue were in neuer ceasyd questyonynge and craftyug with the woman being the weker and frayler vessell vntyll he 〈◊〉 made them disobey gods commauudement by whych their doynge they lost the oryginal great innocency which they had at there creation which being lost nether the body woulde be obedient to the soule nor the soule to god but al was in man turned vpsidoune yea therby they fell also into necessitie of temporall death of body and which is worst of all into the estate of eternall damnation and euerlasting death both of body and soule But now because
Uyrgin Mary his mother present with hym nor anye other of his dyseyples saue onely the. xii Apostles whome he appoin ted to be the head ministers of al his misteryes here on the earth and specially to be the ministers of this most blessed sacrament and the iustructours of al other touching the same Now what meneth it that our Sauiour was not content to offer them this sa crament onely but with the offeryng therof he said also vnto them Take eate take and drinke Do mē vse to offer to other meate and drynke for anye 〈◊〉 purpose but onelye that they shoulde eate and drynke thereof but bycause it was hys bodye and hys bloude therefore he fyrste byddeth them take and not feare to eate and drynke the same Besydes this it is to be well noted that that thre Euangelystes Mathew Marke and Luke did al three agree in the maner of the institution of thys sacramēt they wryting all three their gospels at sō dry tymes as Mathe we eyght yere after the ascencion of our sauiour Chryst. Marke x. yeares Luke xv yeares And where in doubteful speaches of our sauiour Chryst some one or other of that Euangelists euermore openeth playnly the very meaning of the speches yet touchyng these words this is my body no one of them maketh anye declaration vpon the same but they all leue them to be takē of vs as they sound and as of most plaine words they make no exposition or interpretation of them at all Whyche poynt must be well consydered And therefore note th at where Chryst sayde It is impossible for a rich man to entre into the kingdō of heuen bicause that meaning of these wordes may be dyuersly taken thereof S. Marke in his tenth chapyter declareth the very meaning of them saying It is harde for them that trust in there substaūce to be saued Agayne Chryst at another time said to the Iewes loose you this timple in thre daies shal I build it againe Andfor that the sense of these wordes is doughtfull S. Ihon there expoundeth them and sayeth that Chryst by the tēyle ment his body which should be by the Iewes put to death and by him the thirde daye shoulde be raysed from death to lyfe In the viii of Ihon oure sauiour sayeth He that beleueth in me as the scriptnre sayeth there shall ryuers of quyck water flow out of him And because this saing is obscure S. Iohn to make it open sayeth that he spake those wordes of the spirit which they that be leued in him should receyue In the. xii chapiter of S Ihon our sauiour sayth in this maner If I be lyfte vp from the earth I wyl draw al thin ges vnto my selfe And S Iohn by and by geueth vs the exposition saying that hereby he signyfyed what kynde of death he should suffer Manye other lyke places are there in the newe testamente the matter of which places is not so hyghe nor soo nedefull to be ryghtly vnderstanded as that meaning of these wordes this is my body and yet of these wordes no one Euangelist maketh any exposition bycause the wordes are playnely and symply to be taken as they were spokē Besides al this we haue in S. Paule in the xi Chapiter of his first Epistle to the Corinthians a goodly and a large processe touching thys Sacrament and yet in that whole processe no matter to instructe vs otherwyse to be leue of it than that there is in it the very body and bloude of our sauiour Chryst. For fyrste he vttereth the wordes of oursauiour euen as the Euangelists do as that he sayd this is my bodye and he maketh no declaration vpon the same Secondly where none of the Euangelists make mentiō of any paine due to the vnworthy receauer S Paule affirmeth that the vnworthy receyuyng of thys Sacramente bryngeth iudgement and dampnation Thirdly he telleth that for the vnworthy receauing hereof God plageth cities and cuntryes wyth sondrye greuous plages as with infirmitye with syckenes and with death also Forthely he geueth vs counsell dylygentlye to examine and trye our selfes before we come to gods borde If the very body and bloude of oure sauiour Chryst be not in dede in the sacramēt of the aultare why shold our sauiour so speake as he spake in the promisse made thereof why dyd he as he dyd in the instituting therof why dyd none of the Euāgelists so declare christes wordes why dyd sayncte Paule so terribly pronounce of the vnworthy receauynge of it and so ernestly warne vs of due preparation to be made therefore It is then most vndoutedlye to be of all chrysten people beleued that in the Sacrameut of the aultare there is the verye body and boulde of our sauiour Chryst worthy of all honour and glory the selfe same in substannce that is in heauen which thyng for Chryst to bryng to passe is a thyng most casye he being God almighty maker of heauen and earth and for hym to do is moost semely that as he gaue that bodye 'to deathe to redeme vs so he should giue the same in thys heauenly bankitte to fede vs that he myght be all in all The body of our sauiour Christ to be in very dede in heauen in the visible fourme of a mā and in the Sacrament of the Aultare inuisible vnder the visible 〈◊〉 of bread and wyne nether is impossible to hys power that made all thinges of noughte nether vnsemely for his exceadynge great loue towardes vs who so loued vs that for vs he dyd not refuse to suffer death and that the deathe of the crosse neyther yet is it agaynst hys wyll who of hys onely mercye so promysed and wyth hys omnipotent word so instituted it nother is it fynally vnfytte for hys wyse dome seynge he hath so ordeyned that euery naturall mothere nouryshe her chyldren wyth the substaunce of her owne body And why then shold christen men refuse to beleue it why do we not rather embrace it and gyue God moste hartye thankes for it being the greatest iewell that euer was amonge mortal men why do we not prepare our selues worthely to receaue it and as in all other poyntes of the christen religion so in the belefe of it geue credite to fayth and bryng reason and our senses in subiectiō vnder fayth but suffer our ghostly enemy by carnall reasons to bryng vs away into heresie quite and cleane to pull the ryghte faythe out of oure hartes Let vs all good people from hence forth be constaūt in the trueth and as all the catholyke churche beleueth and hath alwayes beleued let vs vndoutedlye perswade our selues that in the blessed sacrament of the Aultare there is vnder the fourmes of breade wine the seife same body of our sauiour Christ in sub staūce whych was borne of the Uyrgin Mary and suffered death on the crosse for vs to whō with the father the holy gost be all honor glory world wythout ende Amen
est pronobis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ore uerba proseruntur et dei 〈◊〉 consecrantur et 〈◊〉 hoc est ait corpus meum Hoc uerbo proposita 〈◊〉 Et sicut illa uox quae dicit Crescite et multiplicam ni replete terram semel quidem dicta est sed omni tempore sen tit effectum ad generationem 〈◊〉 natura 〈◊〉 et 〈◊〉 illa semel quidem dicta est sed per omnes mensas ecclesiae usque ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad eius aduentum praestat socrificio firmitatem That is to saye And nowe he the same Chryst is present who did beautifie or garnyshe that 〈◊〉 he also it is that doeth consecrate it for it is not 〈◊〉 that maketh the thynges set forthe or proposed in the consecration of the table to be the bodye and bloude of Chryste but it is Chryst him selfe whiche was crucifyed for vs by the preistes mouth the wordes are pronoūced or spoken but the thynges are consecrated by the power of GOD and hys grace for he meanyng Chryste sayeth this is my body and by that worde the thynges set forthe or proposed are consecrated And lyke 〈◊〉 that voyce which sayeth do you encrease and be 〈◊〉 do you fyl or replenishe the earthe was but once spoken and yet in or at all tymes taketh his effecte to generation nature therewith workinge So that 〈◊〉 of Chryste once in dede was spoken and yet it throughe out all the tables of the 〈◊〉 euen vntyll this daye and vntyll hys commyng meaning of Chrystes last comming doth geue strength vn to the sacrifice And thus much haue we spoken to declare vnto you bothe by the scriptures and also by moste aunciente and playne aucthorities that oure Sauioure Chryst in the institution of thys Sacrament dyd tourne the substaunce of breade and wyne into the substaunce of hys owne bodye and bloude howe also he doeth the same daylye by the mynysterye of the preistes in consecratiō And now to come to the seconde part whiche is concernyng the vse of this sacramēt ye shall note that this vse doth cōsist speciallye in two poyntes It is to witte in the oblation or offeringe of the said sacrament by the preistes vnto al myghtye God and in the 〈◊〉 of the same And here before we do entre any further it semeth mooste conuenient to note vnto you one synguler priuiledge emonge many other where in thys 〈◊〉 passeth all other and that is thys where all other sacramentes do consist onely in the vse of them that is to saye in the very acte of ministration and receauynge of them thys sacramente hath his perfection oute of hand euen as sone as the wordes of Chryst in the con secration be pronounced 〈◊〉 the sacramente be offered nor receued according as it is here before proued And as touchyng the offering therof commonly called the sacrifice of the masse ye shall vnderstand that no one poynt of Christes relygion was more notably prophesied of set forthe in the olde testamente and before the commyng of Christ then was the continuall oblation that is to saye this fore sayde sacryfice of the Masse for the prophette Malachye in hys fyrste chapyter speakynge in the name of almyghtye GOD and declaryng that in tyme to come the sacryfices of the olde lawe should cease and no more to be receaued or allowed at Goddes handes but that there shoulde another kynde of sacrifyce be througheout the hole worlde offered vp vnto hym doth wryte in this maner Non est mihi uoluntas in uobis dicit'dominus 〈◊〉 et munus non suscipi 〈◊〉 de manu uestra abortu enim solis usque ad occasum magnum est nomen meum ingentibus et in omni loco sacrificatur et offertur nomine 〈◊〉 ablatio munda guia magnum est nomen meum 〈◊〉 gentibus That is to say Pleasure is not to me in you sayeth the lorde of hostes And offetynge wyll I not take or accepte at youre handes for from the rysynge vp of the sonne 〈◊〉 the goynge downe of the same my name is greate among the gentyls yea in euery place sacrifice is done and a cleane meate offerynge is offered vp vnto my name for my name is greate amonge the heathen The which place of the sayd Prophet Malachye to be ment or vnderstande of no other kynde of sacryfice in the newe testament but onelye by the sacrifice of the body and bloude of our Sauiour Iesus Christ offered vp thorowe the hole Catholyke churche in the Masse the moste famous and auncient aucthor Ireneus being immediatly after the apostles tyme doth most manifestlye wytnes in the xxxii Chapter of hys iiii boke wrytten 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 and other lyke 〈◊〉 where he sayeth in thys maner Sed et suis discipulis dans consilium primitias deo offerre ex suis creaturis non quasi indigemi sed ut ipse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nec ingrati 〈◊〉 cum qui ex 〈◊〉 panis est accepit et gratias egit dicens 〈◊〉 est 〈◊〉 corpus et 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qui est ex 〈◊〉 creatura 〈◊〉 est secundum nos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 confessus est et 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oblationem 〈◊〉 Ecclesia aò Apostolis 〈◊〉 in uniuerso mundo offert deo qui alimenta nobis prestat primitias suorum munerum in nouo Testamento de quo in 〈◊〉 prophetis Malachias sic praesignificauit Non est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inuobis c. That is to saye 〈◊〉 and also he geuinge counsayle to his disciples to offer vnto GOD the firste fruites of his creatures not as that god had anye nede thereof but that they themselues shoulde neither be vnfruitful or vnthankful he did take that bread which was of the creature of GOD and did geue thankes sayinge This is my bodye And takyng like wyse the cuppe or chalyce whiche also is made of that creature whiche emōgest vs is commonlye That is to saye wyne he dyd confesse it to be hys bloude And of the 〈◊〉 testamente he did teache a newe oblation or sacrifice which oblation the churche takyng or receauyng of the Apostles doeth throughout the hole worlde offer vp to GOD who geueth vs our fode as the fyrste fruites of hys gyftes in the newe testament of whiche offerynge Malachias one of the xii prophetes did prophesie in this maner I haue noo pleasure in you c. And thys foresayd sacrifice of the body and bloud of our sauiour Chryst in the sacrament of the Aultare was not onelye longe before Chrystes commynge in most playne sorte prophesied of by the prophete Malachy as you haue hearde but also it was in maner euen in the beginning of the worlde 〈◊〉 by the oblation of Melchise dech the Prieste of Almyghtye GOD in that he offered breade and wyne and dyd blesse Abraham the patriarche as itis wrytten in the xiiii chapter of Genesis And that thys oblation of Melchisedech beinge one of the most notable figures of the olde testament was fulfylled and perfourmed of Chryste
malum Quia etiam hoc meritum sibi quisque cum in corpore uiueret comparas uit ut ei possint ist a 〈◊〉 non 〈◊〉 omnibus prosunt Et quare 〈◊〉 omnibus prosunt Nisipropter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quam quisque gessit in corpore Cum ergo 〈◊〉 altaris siue quarumcunque 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 defāctis 〈◊〉 offerantur pro non ualde bonis gratiarum actiones sunt pro non ualde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sunt pro 〈◊〉 malis si nulla sunt adiumenta 〈◊〉 qualesc unque uiuorum consolationes sunt That is to saye And it is not to be denyed that the soules of the deade through the deuotyon of theyr frendes beinge yet aliue are relieued or eased whan as for them eyther the sacrysyce of oure mediatoure is offered vppe or almes is geuen in the churche But these thynges are auayleable to suche as in theyr lyfe tyme dyd deserue that the same myghte doo them good For there is a certen maner of life and conuersation neyther so good or perfytte that it requireth or nedeth not these thynges after death nor yet so badde that after the departinge out of this 〈◊〉 lyfe it maye not thereby haue profytte and commoditie But there is suche state of life in the good man that it requireth not such thinges And again in the extreme wicked man suche as the state of his lyfe that whan he goeth oute of thys world he can not by anye deuotion of the lyuinge be holpen Wherefore here in thys lyfe all deserte or merite is purchased Wherebye a man after thys lyfe maye either be relyeued or greued And let no man hope that he can after his decease obteine of God that thynge which he here hath neglected And therefore these suffrages which the churche dothe vse or frequent for the deade to be receaued into more fauor or mercy with god are nothynge contrary to that saying of the Apostle saynte Paule where he sayeth For all we shal stand before the iudgement seate of Chryst that eue ry oue of vs may receaue accordynge to the dedes which he him selfe heare in bodye dyd eyther good or euyll Because euerye manne whyle he liued in the bodye dyd procure to him selfe this merite also it is to wytte that these suffrages may be profitable vnto hym For vndoutedly these thinges are not auailable to al men and whye is that But by reason of the difference in the life and conuersation of eueryche man whiche he dyd vse while he here liued on the earthe wherefore when the sacrifices either of the aultar or of any maner of almes are offered for all Chrysten soules departed the sayde sacrifices for very good mē departed are thankes geuings and for suche as deceased beinge not verie euill they are propritiations and finallie for the wicked or verye euill thoughe they are no helpes to them being deade yet they are to them which are aliue some kinde of comfortes And nowe forasmuch as we haue thus fully plainly by sufficient aucthorities declared that the sacryfyce of the masse or as saynt Augustyne in his foresayde proces doth call it the sacrifyce of the Aultare is a uayleable for the deade no man oughte or can doute but that the same is also auayleable to men yet liuing which with fayth and deuotion moste humblye praye almyghty god especiaily in the tyme of thys sacrifyce to applye vnto them by Chryste that remission and 〈◊〉 whiche was purchased and deserued by hys passion before And yet as we haue in all other the formar poyntes concernynge the sacramente of the 〈◊〉 so wyll we heare also alledge some plaine and pythy testimonyes for the confirmation of this parte And fyrste you shall call to youre remembrannce the saying of the Prophete Malachy whiche is here before in thys processe alledged for the profe of thys sacryfyce and note that forasmuch as god therein doth say that the sacrifyces of the olde lawe should cease gyue place to thys pure and cleane sacryfyce whych is offered vp to hym throughoute the hole worlde as to a most excellent and most acceptable sacryfyce in hys syghte therefore all those sondrye commodytyes whyche are in Moyses lawe reckened to haue come vnto the Jewes by the sayde sacrifices of the old lawe must nowe muche more plentifullye and fruitefullye come vnto vs chrysten men by the meaue of thys soo singuler a sacrifice so that we be worthy to enioy the effecte and fruite thereof Ye shall secondly also cal to your remembraunce the place of Saynte Paule in hys fyrst epystle to Tymothie and the seconde chapyter before of vs alledged with the exposition of S. Augustyne vpon the same place in whych hys exposition he noteth vnto vs the foure partes of the masse and those to be doue accordynge to Saynt Paules mynde there Pro omnibus hominibus pro re gibus et omnibus qui in sublimitate constituti sunt ut quietam et tranquillam uitam agamus in oms ni pietate et castitate c. That is to saye For al men for Kynges for all whyche are in hyghe aucthoritie to the intente that we maye leade a quyet and peaseable lyfe in all godlynes and honestye And accordyng herevnto Saynt Basyll be yng aboue an eleuen hundred yeare ago in his masse setteth fourth as vsed in the Churche at hys tyme thys prayer folowing Da domine ut pro nostris 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 populi ignorantijs acceptum sit sacrificium nostrum That is to say Graunte o lorde that for oursynnes and the ignorances of the people thys sacrifyce maye be accepted of the. And the lyke hath Saynt Chrysostome also in his masse with 〈◊〉 Saynt Augu styne fully agreing doth in very many places make mention of thys sacryfyce in the fruyte thereof but mooste notable in the eyght chapyter of hys 22 boke De ciuitate dei But nowe to come to speake of that fruite whych the worthy receauer of this sacrament enioyeth three or foure wordes may in thys behalfe suffyce partelye for that neuer any chrysten man to thys day yet ther of dyd doute and partely for that the scrypture moste playnely in the vi of Ihon doth saye Qui manducat me ipse uiuit propter me That is to saye He that eatethe me meanyng of the worthy receyuynge of the sacrament as the processe there declareth he shall also liue throughe me And what greater proffytte ioy comforte or blysse can come to anye man then to lyue through Chryst which is asmuch to saye as bothe in thys worlde to be a lyuelye member of Chryste and 〈◊〉 the lyfe to come to be coherytoure with him in the kyngdome of heauen Accordyng wherevnto Saint Cyryll in his 4 booke and xvii chapyter vpon Jhon sayeth Nos uero si uitam eternam consequi uolumus si largitorè immortalitatis habere in nobis desideramus ad recipiendam benedictionem libenter concurramus That is to soye 〈◊〉 we wil obteine euerlastyng life yf we desire to haue within vs immortalitie let vs
god it is of two fortes it is to wytte the kyngedome of grace in thys worlde and the kyngdome of glorye in the worlde to come and of the kyngdome of grace S. Paule dothe speake in the. xiiii to the Romaynes in thys wyse Règnum dei est iustitia pax gaudium 〈◊〉 spiritu sancto Qui enim in hoc seruit Christo placet deo probatus est hominibus That is to saye The kyngedome of God is iustyce and peace and ioy in the holy gost for he that in thys serueth Chryste pleasethe God and is allowed with men Lykewyse the sayd Saynt Paule speakynge of thys kyngdome of grace doth in the fyrste chapiter of hys epistle to the Collossenses say thus He hath translated or caried vs frome the power or kyngedome of darkenes into the kyngedome of his derelye beloued sonne in whome we haue redemption and remission of synnes And moreouer we doo reade in the fyfte of the Apocalipse after thys maner Fecisti nos deo nostro regnum That is to saye Thou haste made vs a kingedome vnto our God For doubtles so longe as we remayne in grace god doth raygne in vs as in a spirituall kyngedome and we as his faythfull people doo obeye hym therein And as concernynge the kyngedome of glorye in the worlde to come you shall vnderstand that oure Sauiour in hys second comminge which shal be at dōes day shal giue entrance perpetual possessiō therof to 〈◊〉 elect whēhe shal say vnto them as it is 〈◊〉 Comeye the blessed of my father doo you posselle the kyngedome prepared for you before the creation or beginning of the worlde Nowe concernynge the kyngedome of the Deuyll which is cleane contrarye to the kyngdome of God that in dede is a dominion or rule and souerayntye whych the deuyll hathe in the hartes of the wycked men and women who accordyng to his pernycious wyll and entycynges doo transgresse the commaundementes of God and doo make them selfe bonde and thrass to synne wyllyngly consentynge to the denyles tentations and drawen thereby to hys seruice and holden also therein by concupyscence of the fleshe by concupyscence of the eye and by pryde of life And of thys kyngedome of the deuyll S. Paule Ephe. ii doth speake sayinge He God the father hathe reuyued you al at ones when you were deade thorough your trespasses wherein in tymes past you did walke accordinge to the course of this worlde after the prynce of the kynge dome or power of this ayre the spirite which nowe worketh vpon the children of vnbeleif Accordynge wherevnto oure sauiour also Jhon xii doeth call the deuyll the prynce of thys worlde that is to saye of all euyll and wycked people lyuynge in the worlde And in the. xli chapter of Job the deuyll is called the kynge of al proude men And forasmuche as it is not in oure power to delyuer our selues from the 〈◊〉 of the Deuyll but onelye by Godes helpe For oure perdition and vndoing is of oure selues but oure helpe and faluation is of God as sayeth the Prophete Ozee cap. 13. therefore it is very necessarye for all true christen people to make this petition incessantlye vnto our heauenly father and to beseche hym according to this doctryne of Chryste that by hys grace helpe we may escape the dominion and power of the Deuyll and that we maye be made subiecte vnto hys heauenlye kyngedome Therfore in this petytyon we dysyre God to gyue vs afore all thynges true and constant fayth in him and in hys sonne Jesus Christ and in the holye Ghoste with pure loue and charitie towardes hym and all men to kepe vs also from infidelitie desperation and malyce whyche myghte be the cause of oure destruction and to delyuer vs from dissensions couctuousnes lecherye and euyll desyres and lustes of synne and so the vertue of his kingdom to come to reigne within vs that al our heart 〈◊〉 and wyttes wythall our strength inwarde and outwarde maye be ordered and directed to serue GOD to obserue his commaundementes and hys will and not to serue our 〈◊〉 the fleshe the worlde or the Deuyll We desyre also that this kingdome ones in vs begonne maye be daylye cucrcased and goo forwarde more and more so that all subtyll and secrete hate or slouth whych we haue to goodnes be not suffered to rule so in vs that it shall cause vs to loke back againe and to fall into synne but that we maye haue a stable purpose and strenghte not onelye to begynne the 〈◊〉 of innocencye but also to procede ernestly furthe in it and to perfourme accordynge to the sayinge of Saynt Paule Colosse i. where he prayeth that we maye walke worthelye pleasynge god in all thynges beyng fruitefull in all good workes growynge and increasynge in the knowledge of god Also Eph. iiii he doth saye Worke and doo the truth in charite and increase and goo forwarde in Christ. Therefore in this prayer desyrynge the kyngedome of god to come we requyre also that we beynge alredy receyued and entred into the kyngdom of grace and mercye of god may soo contynue and perseuer therein that after this lyfe we may come to the kyng dome of glorye whych endureth for euer and thys is that greate and feruent desyre where with good men beyng mortyfyed from worldely affections haue bene and be alwayes kyndled and enflamed as appeareth by Saynte Paule when he sayd Philip. I woulde be losed from this bodye and be with Chryste and he sayth Rom. eyght We that haue receiued the firste fruites of thy spyryte doo wayle and mourne in our selues 〈◊〉 and loking to be delyuered from the mortalitie miserles of this body into the glory of the children of God 〈◊〉 Thexposition or declaration of the thyrde petition whyche is Thy wil be done in earth as it is in heauen AFter that in the seconde petition we doo aske of God oure eternall father that hys kyngedome of grace maye come vnto vs in thys worlde that we maye finallye come to hys eternal kyngdome in heauen whyche is the hyghest degree of mans filicitye there doth by ryghte order folowe thys thirde petition wherein we doo aske of God oure eternall father that hys wyll maye be fulfylled here in earthe by the fulfyllynge and kepynge of hys commaundementes whyche is the best and mooste perfecte meanes to procure vnto vs the foresaide highe degree of our felicytie And for the better and playner vnderstandynge of thys thyrde petition you shall note that by disobedience and synne of our fyrst father Adam we be as of our nature onelye without the grace of God vnhable to fulfyll the wyll and preceptes of God and so are enclyned to loue our selues and oure one wylles that we canne not hartely loue neither god nor man as we oughte to doo And therfore we being once chrysten men it is requisite for vs to praye that lyke as the holye aungelles and saynctes in heauen in whome GOD reygnethe perfectlye and holye
euerye one hath deliuered the fayth that they from the Apostles haue receaued and so euen from Chryste to this presente daye one fayth hath euer stande stedfaste Whiche thoughe it hath sundry tymes bene assayde and sore pynched yet euer hath it preuailed at the last and had the vp per hande accordynge to Christes promise neyther ought anye man lesse to credyt the catholike church because there are in the same dyuers euyll wicked synners For Christ him selfe doth compare the churche to a nette cast into the sea whiche taketh both good and bad fyshes but at th ende the good shal be reserued and the euyll cast awaye Was not twelue chosen by Christe yet one of them he calleth a deuyll Doth not Christe allo saye that Scribes and Phariseis doo syt in Moyses chayre neuerthelesse he wuld the people should obey theyr lessones Euen so though some members of Christes catholyke churche doo not lyue accordynge to theyr vocatyon yet ought no man therefore the lesse to regarde the fayth and doctryne of the same churche These thynges good people thoughe they are suffi cient to declare the holye Churche what it is and how it may be knowen yet I besech you most diligently to note and cary awaye one rule which shall neuer deceaue you but is a sure tryall of the ca tholyke churche and the fayth thereof This rule is not myne but taken out of a learned auncient and ryght godly father in Chrystes Churche He sayeth There are thre meanes to trye a churche or doctrine the first is antiquitie the second is vniuersalitie the third is vnitie By the fyrste we are taught that a true doctrine must be knowē by that it is not lately spronge vp or rysen but commeth from Chryst and his apostles and hath cōtynued styll in the churche By the seconde we maye vnderstande that a true faythe or doctryne of the churche is that onelye whiche vniuersallye in all countryes hath ben taught beleued By the thyrde we ought to learne that a true doctryne or faith of the church doth always agree and is alwaies one Nowe those three thinges wel noted may instruct and teach any Christian man to knowe the catholyke churche whiche euersynce the Apostles tyme and in all countryes with one consent in al things concerning our faith hath shewed her selfe the wor thy spouse of Chryst. Contrary wise false doctryne and heresye euerhath doone and shall doo to the worldes ende 〈◊〉 arise 〈◊〉 in priuate cor ners neuer agre with it selfe Which thyngs I myghte easely at large proue and open to you by playne and manifest demonstratiō But because 〈◊〉 the next homelie I intende to speake of the auctho citie of the churche and also of the commoditie and profite that we haue by the same here I wil make an ende besechyng al you good and godly people to geue your bodyes and soules an humble holy sacrifyce to almyghtye God prayinge euermore that we maye be altogether lyuely members of our sauioure Iesus Chryst and of hys catholike church here vpon earth and after this life partakers of the ioyfull kyngdome of heauen through the same our 〈◊〉 Iesus Christ to whom with the father and the holy ghost be all honour and glory world without ende Amen H Pendilton sacrae theologiae professoris ¶ An homely of the aucthoritie of the chutche declaryng what commoditie and profyt we haue thereby LYkewise as in the last homelye it was declared to you good chrysten people what the church is and how it maye be knowen soo nowe ye shall learne the aucthoritie of the same catholike church and the commoditie or profyt that ensueth to vs all beyng members of the same churche Fyrste whan our sauioure Iesus Chryst did send forth the twelue apostles to preach who were and are the cheite and principal pyllers of this catholyke church he dyd geue to them great power and aucthoritie as saynt Mathew beareth wytnes saying Iesus dyd call together the twelue disciples and gaue to them power ouer vncleane spirites that they should cast them out and shoulde heale al maner of diseases and infirmities And sundry tymes we do rede in the holy Gospell that our Sauiour Chryst doth speke to his Apostles after this maner Qui uos 〈◊〉 me audit qui uos spernit me 〈◊〉 That is to say He that heareth you hereth me and he that dispiseth you doth dispise me Meanyng and wyllyng thereby that all the worlde should knowe and confesse the aucthoritie of the catholike church which Christ him selfe dyd buyld in and vpon these hys holy Apostles And to the same purpose he sayd to thē I am non dicam uos seruus sed amicos c. That is to sai Nowe I wyll no more call you seruaunts but frendes for al thinges that I haue herd of my father I haue declared to you And agayne he sayeth As my father sente me euen so I send you By these and many such other places we maye see that our louyng 〈◊〉 did giue greate aucthoritie to his apostles But nowe it is expedient and nedefull to declare in what specyall poyntes this aucthoritie doth consist and that the same aucthoritie was not onely geuen to the Apostles of Chryst but also to theyr 〈◊〉 in the catholyke churche euer to endure Which aucthoritie though it be greate and manyfolde yet these are the chefest partes thereof that 〈◊〉 doo folowe Fyrste almyghtye God hath geuen power and aucthoritie to the catholike church to haue the true sense and vnderstandyng of the holy Scrypture yea and to approue also or reproue al writing as Scripture or no Scripture Whiche thynge good christen people you may well vnderstande to be moost true yf ye call to remembraunce who is the guyde and gouernour of the church that is to wit the holy Ghost as Chryst dyd promyse saying Ego rogabo patrem et alium paraclitum dabit vobis vt maneat 〈◊〉 ineternum that is to saye I wyll aske my father and he wyll giue to you an other comforter that he maye a byde with you for euer And after that our lorde and sauiour had rysen frō death he dyd breathe vpon hys Apostles and sayde A ccipite spiritum sanctum Take you the holy ghost and also after hys ascention into heauen accordynge to hys merciful promise he did send downe the holy Ghost vpon his Apostles as sayncte Luke writeth Nowe that the holy ghoste was not geuen to the Apostles onely but also to the catholyke churche to the worldes ende it is manifest forasmuche as Chryste dyd promyse the conforter vt maneat uobiscum ineternum That he should abyde sayeth he with you for euer Nowe we are moost 〈◊〉 that the Apostles of Chryste dyd suffer deathe for the faythe of Chryste and that within fewe yeres after they thus had receyued the holy ghoste Neuertheles Christ sending furthe hys Apostles to preache and baptyze
lyfe and quietnes of conscience and yf at any tyme throughe our frail nes we hapen to fall we haue readye to rayse vs vpagayne the holye Sacramentes throughe the comfortable helpe whereof we be made sironge and so daye by daye more able to procede in al kynde of vertue and thus hauynge vpon earthe oure mother the holye churche which is the spouse of Iesus Christe the Sonne of God we maye be bolde to call vpon GOD our father and be assured that he wyl heare vs as hys dearebeloued chyldren and gyue vs the inheritaunce of heauen whyche is prepared for vs through our sauiour Iesus Christe To whōe wyth the father and the holy ghost be honour prayse and glory world without ende Amen H Pendilton sacrae theologiae professoris ¶ An Homelye of the Primacy or supreame power of the 〈◊〉 gouernor of the militant Church AS in euery natu rall and polytyke 〈◊〉 so in the churche militāt whych is a misticall body superioritie and inferioriti must neds be amōgest that m mbers thereof or ells it cannot endure And for thys cause speciallye our Sauiour Chryste when he was here conuersaunte on the Earth dyd hymselfe appoynte hys Apostles Disciples and there successours to haue the ouersyght cure and hygh gouernement of hys church to the worldes edde And to the intente that no man should contempne theyr aucthoritie he dothe saye in the thyrtenth of Saynt Ihon Amen Amen Dico vobis quis accipit si quem misero me accipit Qui autemme accipit accipit eum qui me misit That is to say Uerely Uerely I saye vnto you who that receyueth hym whome I sende receyueth me And he that receiueth me receyueth hym that sent me And in the tenth of Luke he sath Quiuos audit me audit qui uos 〈◊〉 me spernit Qui autem me spernit spernit eum qui misit me That is to saye He that heareth you hearethe me and he that dispiseth yon dispiseth mee and he that dispiseth me dyspiseth hym that sent me Of the Apostles also and theyr successours and of theyr charge ouer Christes flocke doth Saynt Paule speake in the fourthe chapiter to the Ephesyans saying Ipse dedit quosdam quidem A postolos quosdam autem Prophetas aliouero Euangelistas alios autem pastores et doctores ad consummationem sanctorum in opus ministerū in edifieationem Corporis Christi donec 〈◊〉 omnes in unitatem fidei agnitionis filii dei in uirum perfectum in mensuram etatis plenitudinis Christi ut 〈◊〉 non simus paruuli flue tuantes neque clicuferamur omniuento doctrine in nequitia hominum in asturia ad circumuentionem erroris That is to saye He meanyng Chryste hath gyuen or appointed some to be Ipostles some Prophets some Euangelistes some pastores and teachers to the perfytynge or consummating of the holyons to doo the worke of the mynistery to edyfye the body of Chryst vntyll we all come together in one vnitie of fayth and knowledge of the sonne of God vnto the estate of a perfecte man after the measure of the age of the fulnes of Chryst that from henceforth we should not be as babes waueryng neyther should we be caryed aboute with euery blaste of doctryne in the wicked nes of men in the wylynes of them who go aboute to deceyue vs. Thys place of Saynt Paule most playnelye setteth before our eyes the aucthority and gouernemēt whyche our sauiour hath apoynted to contynue to the ende of the worlde in his churche and howe the Apostles Prophetes Euangelistes Preachers and teachers are giuen of Chryst to hys pleple to gouerne them And therewyth al Saynt Paule in the sayde place she weth to what ende suche gouernement and authoritie is instituted it is to wytte for the spiritual edifieng of the hole body in the fayth for the defense of the hole bodye from the poyson of heresye And in dede no one thing can so muche suppresse heresye as yf the Anthoritie and gouernment 〈◊〉 be accordyngly therevnto estemed obeyed as 〈◊〉 Saynte Ciprian the blessed Martyr in hys fyrst boke and thyrd Epystle saieng Neque 〈◊〉 bereses obortae sunt aut 〈◊〉 sunt scismata 〈◊〉 lnde quod sacer 〈◊〉 dei non obtemperatur 〈◊〉 unus in ecclesia ad tempus sacerdos 〈◊〉 tempus iudex uice Christi cogitatur cuisi sneundum magisteria diui 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 uniuersa nemo 〈◊〉 sacerdotem collegia 〈◊〉 moueret That is to saye Neyther other where or hy othere meanes are heresies 〈◊〉 vp and scisines rysen than hereof that obedience is not gyuen to the preiste of God Nor one is consydered or thought to be in that churche for the tyme the preist and for the time the iudge in Christes stede vnto which one yf the hole fraternitie dyd according to the heauenly commaundements 〈◊〉 no man woulde stirre or moue anye thynge against the Colleges or cōpanies of preistes Hereby you may perceyue that saynt Cypryans cōclusion or iudgemēt is that the gouernment Ecclesiasticall and especially of one to be caken and reputed as Christes vicar is the best meane to let and suppresse heresies and that such one gouernor is 〈◊〉 be o beyed of all chrysten people which thynge may be proued very playnely and euidently by the holye scriptures them selues For the scryptures doo witnesse that our 〈◊〉 appoynted S. Peter to thys hygh rowme and charge ouer his hole flocke and no one of the Apostles 〈◊〉 In the. xxi of S. John it is wrytten howe oure sauiour after his resurrection appearing at the sea 〈◊〉 Tiberias to certen of hys Apostles amongest whome was Peter dyd fyrste take breade and fyshe and gaue vnto them And when they had 〈◊〉 them selues he fayde vnto Peter Simon Iohannes diligis me plus hijs 〈◊〉 ei 〈◊〉 domine tu scis quia amore Dicit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as eagnos meos Dicit ei iterum Simon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diligis me Ait illi Etiam domine tu scis quia amo te Dicit ci Pasce 〈◊〉 meos Dicit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 amas me Contristatus est Petrus qui a dixit 〈◊〉 tertio amas me 〈◊〉 ci Domine tu omnia nosti tu scis 〈◊〉 amote 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oues meas That is to saye Symon the sonne of Ioannes 〈◊〉 thou loue me more then these do He aunswered vnto him Yea Lorde thou 〈◊〉 that I loue thee He sayde vnto him Fede my lambes 〈◊〉 he spake to hym agayne and sayde Simon the sonne of Ioannes doeste thou loue me He aunswered yea Lorde thou knoweste that I loue thee Hesayde vnto hym againe Feede my lambes Then spake he vnto him the third tyme and sayde Symon the sonne of Ioannes doest thou loue me Peter was sorie because Christ sayd vnto him now the thyrde tyme doest thou loue me and he aun swered and sayde Lorde thou knoweste all thinges thou knowest that I loue thee He sayde vnto him feede my shepe Thys processe of Scripture hath in it many