be witnesseâ— of me in Hierusalâ—m and in al Iury and Samaria euen to the worldes end This promise he perfourmed vpon Whitsonday when the holy ghost came downe and rested vppon the Apostles in a visible signe as in fyerye tongues wherby we may vnderstaÌ„d that as the Apostles were coÌ„firmed immediatly by the holy ghost him self without the ministracion of any minister eueÌ„ so the same grace and strength is geuen by the sacrament of CoÌ„firmacion to vs all that be baptised before according to y e measure of gods gift Which thing is proued manifestly by the doinges of the Apostles For when they herd tell that the Samaritanes had receiued the word of god and were baptised by S. Philip they sent thither S. Peter and S. Iohn who when they came they praied for theÌ„ and layd their handes vpon them and they receiued the holy gost in a visible signe And an other time S. Paule baptised certeine men at Ephesus and when he had layd his handes vpon them they receiued the holy ghost and they spake with tongues and did prophecy By this imposition or laying of the Apostles hands vpon them is ment this Sacrament of Confirmacion by which the holy ghost is geuen of whoÌ„ they receiue increase of their former grace geuen in baptisme spiritual strength against all tentacions And this grace in the beginninge was geuen in visible signes of fyery tonges and they spake also miraculouslye in diuers tonges and they prophecied But when this visible signe did cease and appeared no more and yet the same grace was geuen that was geuen before than the fathers of the primatiue Churche and successours of the Apostles by the inspiracion of the holy ghost and by the tradicion of the very Apostles did minister this sacrament with the holy Chrisme so that the imposition of the byshops handes outwardly anointing the party baptised with the holy Chrisme vpon his forehead wyth the wordes therunto belonging is the sacrameÌ„t of Confirmation signifying and working in the soule of man the inwarde vnction of the holye ghost with the greater and further giftes of his manyfold grace The necessity of this sacrament of Confirmation is not of such importance as it is of baptisme For without baptisme if it may be had by any meanes it is vnpossible to bee saued But if a man or child after baptisme chauÌ„ce to dye in his innocency without deadly sinne his baptisme and regeneracion onely is sufficient to his saluation and his death is to hym a Confirmation because after death a man can sinne no more But if the childe or man do lyue after baptisme because he is than ledde into the wildernes of this worlde and there is tempted of the deuyll his ghostly enemy who goeth about lyke a ramping Lion seking whom he might deuour and also is tempted by the wicked worlde some times by the terrour of aduersitie other tymes by the flattering and deceitful face of prosperity and hath also within him selfe lurkinge a secret and busy enemy of his fleshe alwaies rebellinge againste his spirit therefore hath he nede of further ayde of grace to be more able to withstand his enemies which aide of grace god geueth him by this sacrament of Confirmation wher he receiueth the same holy spirit that he receiued before in baptisme but to a diuerse end in diuers giftes For in baptisme he was borne again spiritually to liue in coÌ„firmatioÌ„ he is made bold to sight Ther he receiued remission of sinne here he receiueth increase of grace ther the spirit of god did make him a new maÌ„ here y e same spirit doth defend him in his dauÌ„gerous coÌ„flict ther was he washed and made cleane here is he comforted made strong In baptisme he was chosen to bee gods sonne to be an inheritour of his heauenly kingdom in Confirmation god hath geuen hys holy spirit to be his tutour to instruct him preserue him that he lose not by his foly that inheritaunce whiche he is called vnto In baptisme he was called and chosen to be one of gods souldyours and had his white coate of innocency delyuered vnto him also his badge which was the red crosse the instrument of Christes passion set vpon his forehead and other partes of his body In ConfirmatioÌ„ he is incouraged to fight and hath the armour of God put vpon him which be able to beare of the fyery dartes of the deuil and to defend him from al harme if he will vse them in his battayle and not put himselfe in daunger of his enemies by entring the field without theÌ„ By this we maye vnderstand the goodnesse and effectes of this Sacrament and how necessarye and expedient it is for a man that would liue wel in thys worlde and to bee able to auoyde sinne For what doth it profite a manne to aryse when he is fallen excepte he be stayed from fallinge againe As in baptisme a man lying in sinne was set vp vpon his feete and made able to walke in the wayes of god which be mercy and trueth so in Confirmation he is staied from fallynge and made able to indure the paines of the iourney to passe through the straites and daungers that may chaunce And also there is geuen in this sacrament by the holy ghoste great consolation in all troubles and aduersities bothe to take comfort him selfe with gladnes to beare his crosse with Christe also to geue comfort to al other that by any occasion shall come in distres Experience of thys wee maye see in the very Apostles them selues and specially in S. Peter that was the first and chiefe of all the other For when our sauiour Christ had declared that he was cleane and had shewed vnto him so muche of his glorye in the mountaine as he coulde beare where hee heard the voyce of the father testifying Christ to be his sonne and saw with his eyes hys merueylous workes and didde miracles in the name of Christ him selfe and walked vppon the Sea at Christes coÌ„maundement and was so familiarly vsed of Christ that he said he was ready to goo to prison with him and though he shoulde suffer death with him he would neuer deny him yet for al this lacking as yet the strength of gods spirit he was affraied of one litle maide and by and by denied Christe sware twyse that he knew him not And beside al this after Christes resurrection when he had receiued a message from Christ and had sene him selfe and was much comforted by him yet he kept him selfe priuilye in an house with the reste of the Apostles for feare of the Iewes But after that he had receiued the holye ghost whiche Christ promised to send and was confirmed and indued with spirituall strengthe from aboue than began he with the other Apostles to speake boldly the word of god to beare witnes of Christes resurrection was nothing affrayde of
not harden your hartes as in the daye of prouocation in the wildernes In that he sayeth this daye he meaneth all the time of our lyfe tyll we come if it so chaunce euen to the extreme age for penaunce is not weyed by length of time but by purenes of affection Haue we not red how the Leuites washed away their moste greuous sinne in the wildernesse not in a great longe continuaunce of tyme but in a lytle short houre of one day The thefe also that hong vpoÌ„ the crosse neded no longe space to enter into Paradise but so muche space suffysed hym as would serue for the speaking of a few woordes so that in a litle moment of tyme obteininge remissioÌ„ of the sinnes of his hole life did enter into Paradise before any of Christes holy Apostles What shall we say of martirs haue we not sene them often tymes in one daye yea some tymes within the space of an houre receiue the crownes of eternall rewarde wee muste therefore begyn onely and set vpon it with a manly courage and firste let vs be moued and angry with that harlot our owne luste that deceiued vs and than let vs turne our holle affection and loue to the exercise of vertue For that is it that God wylleth and requireth of vs. He seketh not that length of time but specially loketh to this if our conuersion be true and pure For whiche cause we often see that manye whiche began laste are by their faithful endeuour made formest It is not so euil to take a fal as it is to lye styl after the fall and not to rise againe and with a certeine pleasure determination of mind to walter styl in sinne at last to cloke and couer his noughty purpose of sinning still vnder the wordes of desperation Againste whom the prophet crieth out with a certeine indignatioÌ„ saying doth not he that falleth aryse againe Or is not he that is turned backeward conuerted againe If thou saye the state of our questioÌ„ is whether any faithful and Christen man if he fal may be restored again To this question I aunswer In this same that we say he fel we graunt that once he stode before he fel. No man saieth that he is fallen that euer did lye and neuer stode Yet let vs bring forth holy scripture concerning this matter if any thing be spoken eyther in parables or in playne sentences What other thinge thinke you is ment by the shepe which going astray from the other nynetie and nyne was afterwarde sought and brought home to the flock vpoÌ„ the shoulders of the shepeherde doth it not plainelye declare bothe the fall and the restitution of a Christen man For that shepe and the other nynetie and nyne were al of one flocke and vnder one pastor It fedde vpon the same pasture dranke the same water was lodged within the same fold that the other wer but it wandred a great way it strayed farre throughe the hylles and harde rockes and many croked wayes of errour yet the good shepeheard dydde not leaue it nor suffred it to perish but seketh it bringeth it home againe Not compellinge it by prickes and beating but bearing it vppon hys owne shoulders And not onelye this parable dothe shewe vnto vs the commoditie of returninge but also that other of the prodigall and ryottous sonne and that was a sonne not a straunger and brother germayn to hym that neuer went from hys father He was a sonne which is reported to haue gone to the furtheste borders of all sinne for he went into a farre countrey farre from god that was the riche man and beyng a noble maÌ„ borne was made worse than a bonde manne or slaue But yet returning home and repentinge hym was receyued into hys former state and restored to his former glory But if he had despayred and consideringe those miseries that chaunced vnto hym had bene ashamed to returne to hys father and had bidden styll in the farre strauÌ„ge countrey he shoulde neuer haue attayned these thinges that he hath but by penury and famine should haue suffred moste miserable and vnhappy death You see nowe howe great profit there is of penaunce and how greate hope there is of conuersion by penaunce The prodygall sonne receiued his former state of glorye by penaunce which his elder brother kept stil by peâ—seuerauÌ„ce Therefore derely beloued hauinge these exaumples of penaunce lette vs not continue in euyll nor dyspayre to bee reconcyled but let vs come agayne to oure Father and drawe nere to almightie GOD. Beleue me he wyll neuer turne his face from hym that turneth to hym yf wee doe not make oure selues straungers to GOD. For GOD hym selfe sayeth I am God that is nere hande and not God a farre of And agayne by an other Prophete Your sinnes sayeth he make distaunce betwene me and you If we therefore take away this wall that is to saye our sinnes that seperate vs from GOD there is nothinge that can let vs to be ioyned to god Wil you that I shewe these thinges not onelye spoken in parables but fulfilled in dedes There was a certaine man amonge the Corinthians as it semed of no small estimation Thys man had committed suche a synne as is not wont to bee done among the heathen And he was one of the number of the faythfull and familiars wyth Christe what than Did Sainte Paule cutte him from the number of them that be in hope of saluation Naye rather when he hadde suffycientlye rebuked the Corynthians for hym wyllynge agayne to declare that there is no wounde no disease whyche geueth not place and is not healed by the playster of penaunce He commaundeth hym to bee delyuered to Sathan to the destructyon of the fleshe that hys spyryte maye bee saued in the daye of our Lorde Iesu Chryste Yet he commaunded thys before he knewe anye thynge of hys penaunce but when he hadde done penaunce he sayeth let this correction and rebuke suffyse which was geuen to him of manye And he addeth more I beseche you confirme your charitie towardes hym leste Sathan haue him in full possession for wee be not ignorant of his craftie subtlenesse Also the holle Church of the Galathians after that it beleued in Christ and had receiued the holy ghost so that in spirite it did many vertues and miracles and hadde suffered muche persecution for the faythe of Chryste after all thys I saye it fell from the fayth and was restored agayne by the good exhortations of the Apostle And that thou maiest knowe that by the holye ghost they did miracles heare howe the Apostle sayeth who than gaue you the spirite and wroughte these miracles amonge you was it of the workes of the lawe or of the hearinge of fayth And agayne that they did suffer muche after they hadde receyued the fayth he declareth in this where he sayeth Haue ye suffred so greate affliction in vaine if it be in vaine
that God most loueth and not to be ashamed to do wel to oure brother lest Gods sonne be ashamed of vs before his father And this ought we to doo without delay as Saynte Paule teacheth saying Lette not the Sunne set vpon your anger nor geue not place to the deuyll who is moste busye in the nyghte tyme takynge occasion whan a man is alone to kyndle his anger more and to moue the man to abuse that headye affection whiche is voyde of all counsell to furder mischiefe as to false accusacions murder and suche other enormities as procede from anger Thus briefly ye see what he that anye waye hathe offended hys neyghboure is bounden to dooe whiche is to gooe to hym and to confesse his fault and to do that lieth in him to reconcile his neighbour No harte is so harde and stiffe but with humble submission it will bee mollyfied and made softe as the wyse man sayeth A soft speache breaketh bones and an humble answer dissolâ—eth anger so that it lyeth in our power to queÌ„ch or to kindle thâ—â—â—ger of hym that is offeÌ„ded On the other syâ—e he that is offeÌ„ded hath taken and suffered iniury at his neyghbours hand ought not onely to forgeue him hartely freely that did the wrong but also to praye for him as Saint Iames saieth Confesse your selues one to an other and pray eche for other that ye may be saued And this is also an other lette and stoppe that the grace which is ordinarily geuen by the sacrament of penaunce can take no place in the hart of him that wil not be reconciled and forgeue his neighbour as he wold God should forgeue him Therefore good people if any of you haue suffered wrong at your neighbours hand think and consider with him selfe how often he hathe offended other men and God also the Lord of al men and so shall he be more ready and disposed to forgeue againe Lette him labour to imitate our sauiour Christ whose seruant he professeth to be who taught all his disciples in their prayers to forgeue suche as were debters and offenders to them if they would haue god to forgeue vnto them their offences lykewyse Willing vs to shewe our selues to our neyghbours euen in suche sorte as we would God should be towardes vs. For the man of whom our sauiour speaketh in the parable that would not forgeue his fellowe seruant his small debte of one hundreth pence did in that vnmercifull behauiour muche hurt him selfe and brought himselfe in debt and daunger of ten thousande talentes whiche his Lorde had forgeuen him before Whereby wee be taught that when we doo not forgeue other than we stande in our owne lyght and procure that God shall not forgeue vs. It lyeth in oure power to prescribe as it were a lawe to God of forgeuing or not forgeuynge synne If we reuenge or forgeue the wronges that bee dooen against vs euen so will God reuenge or forgeue that we haue done against him For as the wise man sayeth He that will reuenge him selfe shall finde vengeaunce at Gods hand againe and shal retayne his owne synnes Forgeue thy neyghbour that hurteth thee and thaÌ„ thy sinnes at thy praier shall be loosed The man that kepeth his anger against his neighboure can he aske a medicine of God Therefore let euerye man forgeue one another if he haue any quarell against him like as our Lorde hathe forgeuen vs and let no rancour or malice nor no footesteppe of hatred remayn The greater the iniurie is that is done the greater merite and the more prayse is to â—ontemne it It is more glorious for a Christen man to ouercome himselfe and his furious passion of anger than to ouercome his enemy and so to do himselfe more harme than his enemy Against this wylde beast of Ire we ought to vse as a sharpe brydle the feare of Gods iudgement to come and when we be prouoked thereto to aske of oure selues whether it were better to be ouercommed of anger thaÌ„ to ouercome it and to consider that when we bee ouercommed of it we blame our selues and be ashamed although no man accuse vs and be greatlye sorye for it But when we haue ouercommed it like a conquerour we are glad and much reioyce For the greatest victorie against anger is when wee paciently beare our iniuries and do not cruellye reuenge them If they be worthy muche blame that doe iniury to vs why doo we make our selues as euill as they be in doyng the like to them agayne rather let vs studie to be like God who commaundeth vs to loue our enemies and to do good to them that hate vs and to pray for them that sclaunder and persecute vs that we myght be the children of oure father that is in heauen that causeth the sunne his creature to shyne ouer good and euyll and rayneth bothe ouer iust men and vniust God oure moste mercifull father hathe soo hollye pardoned vs and so liberallye forgeuen vs all iniuries done against him that he neither condempneth vs nor putteth vs to shame nor imputeth them to vs whom he hath once receyued to mercy But contrary some men there be that forgeue their iniuryes that although they wyll not reuenge them yet they wyll vpbrayde them withall and cast theim in their teeth Other some there bee that although they speake nothing of them yet they keepe rancour in their mynde readye to breake out when occasion shal be geuen againe These men haue not fully forgeuen their neyghbours offences and in so doynge bee not the children of God like to their father in heauen who fully and freelye forgeueth al iniuries and neither vpbraydeth nor remembreth theim any more agayn so that where sinne in synners did abounde there grace in penitentes doeth more abounde Therefore when we forgeue let vs do it frely and holly and from the harte withoute pretended simulation whiche we may knowe whether we haue done so or no when wee perceyue oure selues to be verelye and hartelye sory when our neighbour whom we haue forgeuen falleth into any mysfortune or is hurt or harmed by any occasion and also when we perceyue our selues to be hartely glad for his commoditie and preferment and to laboure and procure the same as muche as lieth in vs. This is that mutual compassion that all Christen men beynge members of one bodye oughte to haue one to an other in such thinges as be godly and proceede from charitie alwaies followinge peace and holynes of lyfe without the whiche no man shall see God For they shall be called the sonnes of God that be makers of peace Some men be peaceable that geue and render good for good and studye to hurte no bodye so muche as lyeth in them Other some be pacieÌ„t that dooe not render euyll for euyll and yet bee able to beare with them that doe them wronge Other some be peace makers
abstinence and shutteth his mercye and compassion from his neighboure that needeth is not hearde of GOD. But these three ioyned in a faythfull man together be of greate vertue and reache to heauen and there do turne away the face of God from his synnes and doo purchase gods grace for such thinges as he hath neede of as Toby saith praier with fasting and almes is good and better then to store vp treasures of gold in his cofers A man may also make satisfaction for his sinnes with repentaunce and sorowe for his synne so that God will forgeue hym all the temporall paine whiche he deserued to haue had as God forgaue Saynte Peter the sayde payne for hys great repentaunce and bitter weeping and likewyse Marye Magdalene whose great sorowe is expressed in the Gospell And because the minister of God knoweth not howe muche repentaunce and contrition the synner hath taken nor how much he ought to take for due satisfaction therfore his office is to enioyne the penitent certeine workes of penaūce for to make satisfactiō and such as the party may easely and shortly do for auoyding of grudge if it were to harde and also for auoyding of forgetfulnesse if it were to long and then to counsell and exhort the penitēt to do more penaunce and good dedes of his own good wil in further satisfaction for his sinnes al ready done and for stopping of the entrye of the deuils suggestions to sinne to come and for exercising of him selfe in vertuous occupations cōtrary to his sinnes before Wherefore good people I beseche you to care and prouide for your soules which Christe hathe preferred before hys own bloode in that he hath geuen the one to redeeme the other feare to fall into the handes of God contemne not his iudgemētes the certein knowledge of the paines due for our sins is onely reserued to God to our Lord Iesus Christ to whō the father hath geuen al iudgement wherof we may not be curious in serching but diligēt in auoyding by the worthy fruites of penaunce which be acceptable to god for two causes both for that they be good workes of theyr owne nature commended cōmaunded of god also for that they be inioyned vs to do by the authoritye of the keyes of the kingdome of heauen geuen to the church and are better accepted of god for our obedience to him and his holy Churche Let not the streytnes of penaunce feare vs nor the conscience of our synnes kepe vs backe for in many good men where synne hath most aboūded ther hath grace more abounded The suffringes and paines of this time be not equall to that faulte which is remitted to that paine which we haue deserued nor yet to that glory which is reserued for vs. As nothing is vnpossible to them that beleue so nothing is hard or painfull to them that loue where deuotion driueth them to begin and grace helpeth them to make an ende both in doing the fruites of penaunce for their sinnes past and also in doynge the fruites of vertue for encrease of rightwisenes present till God deliuer vs from all paynes and daungers of synne and geue vnto vs the kingdome which he hath prepared for vs from the beginning of the worlde through Christe our Lord to whom with the father the holy gost be all honour and glory Amen ¶ How a man should after penaunce auoy de synne and lyue well Serm. xxiiii IT is better good people to auoide sinne thē to amend sinne as it is more holsome and pleasaunt for a man with good dyet to preserue his health then after sickenes wyth daunger and griefe to recouer his helth And it is a great dele worse to fal downe again after he be fullye recouered then it was to fall first in the beginning For which cause after a man be restored again to the health of his soule by the medicine of penaunce he oughte to be a great deale more carefull and vigilant lest he fall againe to his old sicknes and by that meanes come the soner in daunger of eternall death and he ought euermore to remember the lessō of our Sauiour Christ which he gaue to the man sicke of the palsey whom he made holle which is this beholde thou art made holle go thy waies and now sinne no more least some worse thing chaunce to thee To this end how a man should auoid sinne and liue wel the most part of al the scripture is written and the most part of al sermōs be made and of no matter maye be more saide but I intende God willing at this time onely to note vnto you three or foure general pointes which if a man do remember and obserue he shall the better and with more ease auoyde sinne and keepe himselfe in grace and good lyfe First I would he shoulde do as a man doth that hath bene sicke of a great surfet and in peryll of death who when he is restored to his health again he wil diligently take heede and refuse those meates that brought him into his sicknes be forbidden him to eate vpon by hys Phisician and he wyll remember to feede vpon suche meates onelye as the Phisician prescribeth him and wil preserue his health euen so euery man and woman must doo and kepe lyke order and dyet after theyr confession for to kepe theyr soules styll in health they must remember that Christ our Phisician hath made them holle by the soueraign medicine of penaunce and hath forbidden theym all maner of sinne whereupon they surfeted and therefore they must vtterlye refuse and forsake and in no wyse eate of that euill meate by willynge and consentinge to anye synne agayne Nowe for the better auoydyng of this a man must doo thre thinges first consyder the noughtines of sinne and then when any cōmeth to his minde vncalled for let him put it away by and by and thirdly he must kepe his fiue senses well and flye from the companye of euyll person◠and occasions of synne First let him consider that sinne is so vile of it selfe that euery man dothe hate and abhorre the name of it for a man loueth not nor woulde not be called proude malicious couetous a theefe a lecher ▪ or sclaunderer and suche like And than if men did consider the very deedes of synnes they shouled see that they were muche woorse more shameful more against reason and so mē should hate the dedes of sinnes more then they do their names For this is the nature of sinne before it be done it hath some pleasure but after the dede the pleasure ceaseth and heauynesse commeth in his place and for the tyme of the doyng of sinne it maketh him no man but a beast wherby he loseth his honestye hys good name his riches his beautie his health his strength hys wytte hys reason and is made a foole a madde man an instrument of the deuyll and a very deuyll for the tyme hys soule
whiche diuersitie in degrees causeth great comelynesse and beautye to be in Christes Churche by reason of suche order as euery inferiour member keepeth to his superiour doynge his dutie in his owne place and not vsurpyng to dooe aboue his calling Therefore this Sacrament whereby suche degrees of authoritie and power be geuen to men is called Order whiche order of ministers maketh the Churche to bee buylded as a Cytie without confusion and to be terrible to her enemies as the fore front of an armie sette in good arave and is the very knot of the knowen Catholike Churche conteining both good and euil in it whereby it is preserued without scisme so longe as that order is kepte withoute breache whiche was institute by Christe vsed by his Apostles and from theim brought to vs by continuall succession This visible Order takinge his beginnynge from the authoritie geuen to one man is extended throughout the hoolle worlde in the church into a greate nomber and multitude of inferiour ministrations as it were many braunches proceedinge from one tree or many ryuers from one fountayne which all together take inwardly their increase from the fountayne of al grace and the onely suprime head of oure one churche Iesus Christe our Lorde For if Christ had not onely secretly by inspiration but also by his sensible commaundemēt and sacramēt sent his Apostles into the world saiyng as my father hath sent me so I sende you geuing them authoritie likewyse visibly to send other the churche of Christe shoulde neuer haue been without Scismes and diuisions made by them that runnynge by theyr owne authoritie vnsent woulde haue borne menne in hande that they were inuisibly sent and anointed of GOD whiche was nothynge so and so woulde haue drawen Gods people into sectes and false doctrine For whiche cause Saint Paule and Barnabas beyng inuisiblye sent of the holy Ghoste yet it was the wyll and pleasure of the same holy Ghoste that they should by a visible Sacrament of imposition of handes be visiblie sent in the authoritie of Apostles to the ministration of the churche and such as now say them selues they be sent inuisiblye of God ought not to bee beleued or receiued excepte they bee as Saynte Paule and Barnabas were visibly ordered and anoynted in the Churche by Catholyke Byshoppes suche as haue their succession from the Apostles Furthermore in this Sacrament of Order is geuen to them that be lawfully ordered the ecclesiasticall power of the Churche whiche is a power geuen not by the lawes of men or of nature but onely by Christe aboue nature and after a speciall sorte to his Apostles and disciples and their lawful successours to the worlds end for the edifiynge of the churche militant according to the lawes of the Gospell for the atteynyng of eternall lyfe And this power is called in scripture by the name of the keyes of the kingdome of heauen As a keye doeth open the doore to a man and bringeth him into the house so this ecclesiasticall power beynge vsed with knowledge and discretion by a lawefull minister openeth the doore of mannes harte to the knowledge of GOD and so in processe openeth to him the kingdome of heauen For it conteineth the ministration of all thinges whiche be necessary for vs synners to bee directed furthered and promoted to the atteining of the sayde kyngdome As to bynde and loose to remytte and reteyne synne and al other thinges that be requisite to the preseruation of Christes Churche in vnitie of faythe and charitie to the intent it might be partaker of the glory of God These keyes our Sauiour Christe did geue to his Churche in Saynte Peter or rather to Saynte Peter for the Churche saying to him To thee shall I geue the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and what so euer thou shalt bynde vppon earthe shall bee also bounden in the heauens and what so euer thou shalt loose vpon earth shal be also loosed in the heauens And to the other his Apostles Disciples assembled together he said whose synnes you shall remitte bee remitted vnto them and whose synnes you retayne be retayned And to declare that this power is not inuented by man nor yet geuen by the authoritie of anye Prince or Communaltie our Sauiour sayde in the geuyng of it to his disciples take and receiue you the holye ghost Whereby we vnderstande that the power to bynde or loose or to remytte sinne or fynallye to gouerne the Churche is the woorke onelye of the holye Ghoste woorking by his Ministers that whiche is for the saluation of his Churche And where as the blessed Sacrament of the Aultare is the hiest and greatest Sacramente of al other because holle Christ both god man is conteyned in it Therefore is Priesthoode the hyest order wherein is geuen grace and power ouer Christes naturall bodye and bloud to consecrate it by the vertue of God assistyng his woorde and to make it present in the blessed Sacramente of the Aultare by the chaunge of the substaunces of Bread and Wyne and also to offer it beynge the verye Sacrifice of the newe Testament to God the father for the synnes and ignoraunces of his people and to delyuer and minister it to suche as by their faith and clennes of lyfe be woorthy to receyue it So this power ouer Christes natuall bodye oure Sauioure hym selfe gaue to his Disciples in hys laste Supper where after that he hadde consecrate offered and delyuered hys owne bodye to his Disciples he sayde to them Dooe this in remembraunce of me by whiche woorde he made them Priestes and gaue them authoritie and commaundement to dooe as he didde than not once but continuallye tyll his latter commynge And that the Priest maye woorthely and after due maner execute thys his chiefe office and function there be other inferiour orders ordeyned of God and his holye Churche to assiste the Priest as Deacon Subdeacon whose offices be to receyue the oblations of the people for the vse of the Sacrament to bring them to the Aultare to prepare all thinges necessarie for the cōsecration to giue consent to the Sacrifice made by the Priest beside other thynges whyche by holy scripture and the vniuersal tradicion of the church they be authorised to dooe A Priest also hath power geuen vnto him by this Sacramēt of order ouer Christes mistical body the church for the instruction the purgation and the perfection of the same churche and euerye member therof And first concerning the instructiō of it a Priest hath authoritie to preache Gods word by Gods speciall and visible sending Where our Sauiour Christ sayd to his disciples As my father hath sent me so likewyse I sende you And in an other place he said go ye into the holle worlde and preache the gospel to euery creature And also go your wayes and teache all people baptising thē in the name of the father and of the sonne and