remedy in this case is easyer than in the other before whiche is this that the man must chaunge his minde and consent in his harte to take that woman to hys wife as he saied before that he did and the woman likewise And this done then be they man and wife before GOD and their matrymoniall knowledge together is no lenger sinne but lawfull and good afterwarde This is the remedy in this case and there is none other Many moo cases and difficulties in this Sacrament of Matrimony I might reherse whiche the Churche of God hath fullye debated and resolued but I thinke these few to be sufficient to the laye man for vnderstandinge howe mariage ought to be ministred and contracted And notwithstandinge that the man and woman consentinge to bee man and wife and sayinge the wordes of the Sacrament be perfitely maryed together yet the marienge of them in the face of the Churche afterwarde by the ministration of the Prieste is not superfluouse but muche expedient for sondrye causes firste to thintent that this Sacramente shoulde haue that solemnitie and reuerence whiche is due to so holye a thinge instituted by our sauiour Christe him selfe for that coniunction whiche the Prieste as Gods minister dothe vs to vnderstande that Matrimonye is made by the assystaunce and working of almightye God Secondlye that the persones whiche be maried may receiue haue the fruite of the praiers and suffrages whiche be saide for them in the sacryfyce of the church and also may be partakers of the blessinge of God which is made ouer them by the priest wherby we knowe that the state of lyuing in mariage is blessed of almightie God And thirdlye it is solemnized in the Churche that it might haue the more recorde and be more allowed and fortyfied by the solemnization and that all doubtes whiche mighte be imagined againste it shoulde be put awaye Further I shal not nede to alledge vnto you at this tyme but onelye shall exhorte you to haue alwaies God his true religion before your eyes in entringe to this state of life by matrimonye whiche can not be dissolued or auoyded at the wyl and affection of man but must be kept and obserued till death departe the same For as we see by experience how vpon noughty affectionate beginninges there commeth seldome good successe so yf the beginninge of these contractes in maryage bee vsed with discretion and Godlye intent in suche forme as I haue declared vnto you where the harte and worde do ioyne together and the dede performeth that was promised and sayd before then shal these manyfold contentions breache of charitie cease the parties loue one an other in chaste loue as Chryste loued hys Churche and shal labour to bringe vp their children in the feare of God and knowledge of true religion which shalbe a great helpe and furtherance to their saluation by the mercy and merites of our sauiour Christe to whome wyth the father and the holy ghost be all honoure and prayse for euermore Amen ⸫ ¶ For what intent and wyth what affection men and women should marrye Ser. xxix AS in the contracting of maryage good people yf the ryghte forme and laudable maner therin prescribed by the holy Church be not obserued ther chaunceth often times muche contention and hatred afterward vpon the same as ye haue bene taught euen so yf thintentes of mariage and the causes that moue and prouoke men and women to bee maryed be not Godlye and honest the successe of those mariages commonlye folowe thereafter For whyche cause I intend God wyllinge to declare vnto you at thys tyme whyche causes bee nought and reproueable and whyche be honeste and Godlye For yf the intent and cause why men and women dooe marrye be not good and Godly than shall not there lyfe be acceptable to almightie God nor yet longe pleasaunte vnto them selues as experience doth many times euidently shewe A great number of folkes do marrye for one of these two causes and intentes or for bothe eyther to haue the luste and vnclenlye desire of the fleshe fulfylled or els to get worldlye goodes and riches therby Both these causes if they be chefely and principally intended by the parties which marry be very euil and vngodly Many yonge men and women doo vse to say in rebuke of other that they wyll not marrye for ryches and goodes but for good loue and yet that good loue is mooste principallye for to haue their sensuall appetyte and carnall desyre fulfylled Whiche maner of loue doth neuer long endure betwene them that so marrye but it decayeth and goeth shortly away And than suche persones beginne to mislyke one an others conditions and to waxe werye one of an other and after continuaunce and increace of that werynesse it groweth to bee so paineful and greuous that the parties wyshe them selues vnmaryed againe yea and many tymes they wyshe them selues buried and no merueyle For an euyl tree suche as is carnall concupiscence and fleshely loue can bring forth no good fruyte but such as I haue rehersed I nede not to shewe and iudge for what intent goodlye younge women marrye poore and miserable persones when they haue done amisse For they be but a smal numbre and yet they vse more vyce vnder the cloke and couer of mariage than they durst do before whē they were syngle Now againste these persones whiche after such sort and with such intēt do enterprise to marry that they do exclude God from them selues and from their mindes and do applie and geue them selues to satisfye their lustes and pleasure as horses and moyles do whiche haue no reason or vnderstandinge againste all suche persones as the Aungell Raphaell taught the good younge Tobye the deuill hath power to preuayle And althoughe almightye God of his greate mercye doth not nowe suffer the deuyl to vse his malyce againste the bodies of suche offendours as he vsed in the time of Tobye agaynste the seuen wicked husbandes of Sara the doughter of Raguell yet no doubte of it their noughtye eye doth make darke their hole bodie that is to saye their wicked and lecherouse intente dothe corrupte their soules whereby they come to the snare of the deuyll who spirituallye preuayleth againste them Moreouer the greater parte of the other people dothe marrye for the other cause that is for goodes and ryches And for this purpose man and woman doo not onelye marrye them selues but they doo also studye and labour to marrye their children and kinsfolkes to gleane and get ryches So that nowe commonlye there is no other vertuouse lyuinge honestye good conditions wisdome stocke lynnage personage beautie youth nor any thinge els so greatly regarded and considered as is worldlye goodes and possessions For if the man be voyde of vertue and discretion and lette him haue deformitie and be without personage and so forthe yet yf hee haue greate lande and goodes there shall be no faute nor lacke founde in him but
we are sanctified by grace wee are made iust menne by ryghtwisnes we are made Gods children by adoption we are made heyres of the kingdome of heauen we are made fellow heyres with Christ gods sonne we are made members of Christes mistical body we are made the house and temple of God we are made the instrumentes of the holy ghost we are grafted in Christ to grow and to bring forth the fruite of sanctification and to receyue the reward of oure fruite euerlasting life All these graces almightye God worketh by baptisme as by a peculiar instrumeÌ„t for that purpose in the hartes of al infants that by the Church and in the faith of the churche be offered to God and baptised where nothinge of the infantes party dothe stop the grace of the sacrament But if he that is baptised be of age and discretion hauinge the vse of his reason it is required necessarilye of him before baptisme to haue faith repentaunce of his former noughtie liuing â–ª as Christ saith He that beleueth and is baptised shal be saued but he that beleueth not shall be condemned and as S. Peter saith Do penaunce and be euery one of you baptised in the name of Iesus Christe in remission of your sinnes and ye shall receiue the gifte of the holy ghost Wherby wee learne that the lacke of true fayth and repentaunce do stop the grace of the Sacrament that it can take no place in the hart of him that hath the vse of his reason when he is baptised and yet the baptisme is good maye not be â—â—erate geuen againe although it be vnfruitfull to the receyuer at that time tyll afterwarde he receyue by true faythe and penaunce and imposition of handes the gifte of the holy ghost Thus good people when we haue considered what we ought to thinke of baptisme and what fruite we receiue by it now our duetie is to put the same in practise all our life tyme and to lyue so that this good worke be not in vayne begoÌ„ne in vs and to shewe our selues thankefull for so great a treasure and so preciouse a Iewel geuen vnto vs and to labour and praye diligently that Gods spirite geuen vnto vs in baptisme be not driuen away by our noughty liuing but that his grace in our hartes be dayly continued and more encreased that by the vertue thereof the rightwysnes of the lawe mighte be fulfylled in vs that walke not after the fleshe but after the spirite tyl this mortal nature of ours put on immortalitie in the day of our Lorde Iesus Christ to whom with the father and the holye ghoste be all honour and glorye Amen ¶ Of the necessitie of Baptisme and the ministers of the same Ser. iii. THe necessitie of baptisme good people is knowen by the plaine woordes of our sauiour Chriâ—â— who sayde to Nicodemus that came to him in the night Except a man be borne agayne of the water and the holy ghost he can not enter into the â—â—ngdome of God Whereby wee learne that no man is incorporate to Christ and made one bodye with hym but he that is baptised if he may be baptised And S. Philippe also declaring that baptisme is a Sacrament of necessitie for saluation when he had fully taughte the Eunuch the faith of Christ whose hart was replenished and fulfilled with the holy ghost dyd not cease there but to shewe the necessity of baptisme when they came to water Philippâ— wente downe from the charyote with the Eunuch and did baptise him and let hym go And S. Peter likewise preaching the fayth of Christ to Cornelius and his family and frendes when he perceiued that the holy ghoste did inspire theyr hartes with his grace before baptisme was not content onelye with that but to declare the necessitie of water sayd Can anye man forbydde water that these men should not be baptised that haue receiued the holy ghost as we haue Therefore be a man neuer so well instructed in the knowledge of Christes relygyon yet hee beareth the burden of hys iniquitie whiche shal not be forgeuen him but when he shall come to baptisme if it maye be hadde And chyldren whiche be borne in origynall synne and therefore be the chyldren of Gods angre and dyspleasure can not be saued and deliuered from theyr synne but by the water of regeneratyon and this is true whether they be borne of faythfull parentes or vnfaythfull for what so euer is borne of the fleshe is fleshe and lyke as by one man Adam sinne came into the worlde and by synne deathe and so death came vppon all men that synned in Adam euen so by the ryghtwysnesse of one man Iesus Christe grace came into the worlde and by grace lyfe in whom many be made ryghtwyse whyche ryghtwyâ—nesse onelye they haue that haue putte on Chryste by Baptisme And yet good people it is to be vnderstande that thys generall rule hathe but twoo exceptions whyche be Martyrdome and conuersyon of the harte by fayth when Baptisme can not be hadde For Martirdome whiche is to suffer deathe for Christes cause or in the quarell of Chryste dothe supplye the steede of Baptisme both in those that be chyldren and also in those that be of age when onelye necessitie and not contempte excludeth the Sacramente as oure Sauiour Christe saythe He that confesseth me before menne I shall also confesse hym before my father whiche is in heauen and he that looseth hys lyfe for me shall fynde it so that whosoeuer can not receyue the Sacramente of regeneratyon but dyeth before for the confession of Chryste it is as muche auaylable to the remission of hys sinnes as if they were washed away by the holye fountayne of baptisme For who doubteth but that the holye Innocentes whom the wycked kynge Herode slewe for Christe are numbred among the Martyrs of God who made a good confession of Christ not by their mouthes but by sheddinge of their bloude for him Likewyse he that hathe his harte fullye conuerted to GOD by true and lyuelye faythe and can not bee baptysed in water but is preuented by deathe before is in that case excused for not hauinge Baptisme For Christe saythe He that beleueth in me shall not see deathe for euermore And where faythe is where hope is where charitye is where the full and perfytte vertue of Baptisme is there saluation canne not lacke if the Sacramente be hadde in purpose and wyll and can not be had in dede So that we see that Chyldren haue but one remedye to supply the lacke of baptisme whiche is Martyrdome and they that haue the vse of reason haue twoo remedyes bothe Martyrdome and also the full conuersion of the hart by lyuelye faythe and that onelye in tyme of neede when the Sacrament not of contempt but of necessitie can not be had And because this Sacrament is of such necessitie therefore the ministration of it is not extended to
foreheade as in the place and seate of shamefastnesse to thyntente he shoulde neuer bee ashamed to be a Christian and to folowe the doctryne and woord of the crosse whiche was an offence to the Iewes and thought foolishnesse to the Gentiles but to vs and all them that be saued it is the vertue the power and the wysedome of GOD. The same sygne also is marked vppon the chyldes eyes whereby we be taughte that he is elected and prepared to see GOD in thys worlde by true faythe and in the nexte worlde to see hym face to face in the fruition of hys glorye Hys eares be also sygned wyth the crosse declaringe that he is nowe dedycate to GOD to heare hys woorde and to learne the truthe of hys Catholyke doctryne and to obey the same in hys lyuinge and to stoppe hys eares from the hearinge and beleuinge of errour and the false doctryne of Heresie Lykewise his nose is sygned wyth the crosse to thyntente he shoulde alwayes remember to lyue so that hys doynges and woorkes bee a swete sauour to almyghtye God Moreouer his breste and mouthe be sygned wyth the crosse that by the vertue thereof he shoulde conceyue and beleue in hys harte the true faythe of Christe to his righteousnesse and shoulde with his mouth speake and confesse the same faythe to hys saluacyon without feare of anye daunger or trouble that myghte worldlye come to him thereby And laste of all hys shoulders be signed with the crosse to the intent he shoulde take vppon hym to beare the swete yocke and lyghte burthen of Goddes seruyce accordinge to the commaundement of oure Sauioure Christe saying take my yoke vppon you and learne to bee meke and humble in harte and ye shall finde quietnesse and rest in your soules After the sygne of the crosse foloweth the Ceremonye of puttinge salte in the childes mouth whereby is signified that the childe is prepared and made the salt of our lord and a swete vessel to receyue into it the salt of gods heauenly wisdome of his spiritual grace by the presēce of gods holy spirit and that all his woordes and dedes ought to be sauourye and well seasoned with the sayde heauenly wysedome and grace not putrifyed by the wormes of synne nor yet smellinge euyll by the corruption and poyson of abhominable iniquity After this like as our sauiour Christe when he healed the deafe and dombe manne he putte his fingers into his eares and with his spittle touched his mouth and saide Bee thou opened euen so after that maner the Priest in the persone of Christe doth open the eares and touche the nose of the childe that is borne spiritually deafe and dombe that he shoulde nowe begynne to heare the voyce and woorde of GOD and to obey hys mooste holye commaundementes hauynge the eares of hys harte opened to vnderstand and approue that whyche is the good well pleasinge and perfyte wyll of GOD and also that he shoulde haue discretion by the openinge of his inwarde smellinge to discerne the good smell of lyfe from the euyll smell of death and to receyue the swete sauour of Gods knowledge by the vertue of the incarnacion of Gods sonne which is signifyed by his spittle and to thinke continuallye vppon suche thynges as bee true chaste iuste holye and of good name and fame and that the power and illusions of the wycked spirite the deuyll might bee restrayned and that the grace of GOD mighte bee geuen to the childe whereby the spiritual effectes and al that is taughte and signified by these Godlye Ceremonies mighte be wrought in the childes soule The Priest with them that represent the whole Churche saye the Pater noster and make theyr mooste humble prayer to almightye GOD and in spirite and trueth do cal vppon his name and after all these thinges done without the dore of the Visible Churche whereby is sygnifyed the true Churche and misticall body of Christe oute of whiche the chylde remayneth tyll he bee baptysed at laste they enter into the Churche and bringe the childe to the fountayne of baptisme and there is made the solemne league and couenaunt betwene GOD and man First the league and vowe of the mans parte with God when he voluntarily by three solemne professions renounceth the deuyll and all his woorkes and all his pompe and pryde The pompes of the deuyll bee the vnlawfull desyres that defyle the soule as the desires of the fleshe the desires of the eyes and the ambition of the worlde He that wyll ouercome the worlde muste ouercome these three thinges whyche bee in the worlde and thereby shal he ouercome the deuyll that by perswasion of these three deceyued the worlde On the other syde the league of Gods parte wyth man is to remytte hys sinnes to receyue him as hys sonne to endue him with his holye spirite and to bringe him to eternal saluation This league and couenaunt is neuer broken of Gods parte but whosoeuer beleueth and is baptised shall be saued which promise of our sauiour Christe is euer fulfylled excepte the man breake his vowe and promise before by seruinge the deuyll and doynge his workes and so finally loose by sinne the grace whiche is geuen vnto him in baptisme After this league made the child is anoynted with oyle vppon the breast to the intent he should vnderstand when he commeth of age that the holy ghost which is signified by the oyle shoulde alwaies possesse his hart by faith and alwaies dwel in that hart by charitie as in a holye temple euer in all aduersytyes comfortinge it with the oyle of spiritual ioy and gladnes and he is also anoynted in the backe that he should vnderstand that the same faythe whiche he hath receiued into his hart oughte to be exercised with good woorkes to the glorye of god and the edifyinge of his neighbour And so is he anoynted as a champion of Christe as one that euen than entreth into the battayle of thys world to fight with the deuil and al his wicked Aungels And because Christ sayde he that beleueth and is baptysed shall be saued therefore the partye that is brought to be baptised is inquired and asked what he beleueth concerninge the holye Trinitye and all the other artycles of our common Crede and yf he bee of age and dyscretion he professeth hys owne faythe in hys owne persone withoute the whiche professyon he maye not be admytted to the holye Sacrament of baptisme And this fourme was alwayes obserued in the beginning of the church when menne of perfyte age were baptised but after that the multytude of the Gentiles were conuerted to the faythe of Christe the holye Churche prouydinge for the saluation of theyr chyldren whiche can not be saued but by regeneracion of the water and the holye ghost hathe euer vsed to baptyse them in the Sacramente of faythe that lyke as they were alyenated from GOD by an other mannes
in a new sepulchre so ought we to laye it in a cleane harte and a chast bodye Whiche thing if we diligently procure as it maye be done in litle time make our selues not vnworthy receiuers of so great a treasure than shall Christ our lord with the Father and the holy ghost come vnto vs and dwel wyth vs and worke in vs all the godlye and wonderfull effectes of this blessed Sacrament both in our soules and bodies and nourishe vs into Christes mistical bodye wyth hys owne naturall fleshe whiche as a pledge maketh vs to bee in sure hope of life euerlasting to the which he bring vs that made vs to whom be all honour and glorye for euermore Amen ¶ How a man may come worthely to receyue the blessed Sacrament Ser. xi I Purpose by the grace of god in this Sermon to instructe you good people howe to prepare your selues to come worthelye to receiue this holy sacrament ye know the great and meruailous benefites whyche Christe our Lorde worketh in their soules and bodyes that worthelye come vnto it and also ye knowe the daungerous and damnable state of theym that come to it vnworthely and that ye may the better auoyde the one and bee pertakers of the other First ye ought certainly to know that it is required that ye dooe come to it and receyue it For as the vnworthy comminge is perilous so not to bee pertakers of this mysticall supper at all is a great offence and a verye destruction of a mans soule as our sauiour Christ taught vs saying Excepte ye eate the fleshe of the sonne of manne and drinke his bloud ye shall not haue lyfe in you and he that eateth my fleshe and drinketh my bloude hath lyfe euerlastynge Whyche is to bee vnderstande of hym that eateth Chrystes fleshe as it oughte to bee eaten For manye eate it that dooe not dwell in GOD nor GOD in theim because they eate it not wyth a cleane harte and after that maner whyche Chryste sawe when he sayde so Manye forbeare to come to it because they perceyue theyr conscyence greeued wyth deadlye synne and in that they dooe well yf they can so forbeare iustelye without offence of other persones But yf they forbeare because they haue a wronge and false opinion of thys holye Sacramente or because they wyll not bee reconcyled to their neighbors or intende not to amende and forsake theyr noughtye lyuing then besyde theyr heresye and other damnable liuing they offende deadlye diuers wayes bothe in contemninge Christe and his Sacramentes whyche he hath ordayned to bee instrumentes wherewyth he myghte geue vnto vs grace and saluation and also in contemninge the Churche of Christe whiche hath ordeyned that euerye manne and woman beyng of yeares of discretion shoulde faithfullye confesse alone to his owne curate or by his permyssion to some other mete and learned Prieste all his synnes once in a yeare at leaste and shoulde to his power fulfill that penaunce and satisfaction whiche is inioyned hym receiuinge reuerentlye at leaste at Easter the blessed Sacramente of the aultare excepte perchaunce by the counsell of hys owne curate for some reasonable cause he thynke meete for a time to forbeare the receiuinge of it And that he whiche contemneth this ordinance should be accursed and kept from the entring into the church amonges chrysten men and when he is dead should be kept frō Christen mennes buryall This is the discipline and ordinaunce of the Churche at thys daye whyche is not a restreyning of a manne to come but once a yeare but correcting of him that commeth not once a yeare The oftner he commeth the better it is and the more is he nouryshed to euerlastinge life And the better the man is the more desirous is he to be ioyned to god corporally by this Sacrament For as Christ by geuing to vs his fleshe and hys bloude declared moste of all his exceadinge loue towardes vs euen so declareth he his loue moste of all towardes GOD that the oftneste and with moste reuerence commeth to receyue this precyous foode of his fleshe and bloude So did the holy man Iob say of hys seruauntes that loued hym most repetinge their wordes whiche were these who shall geue vs of his fleshe to eate that we may be full withal Which no man euer dyd but Chryst our Lorde to thintent he myght bynde vs to hym wyth more charitie Suche was the feruente charitye of the people in the begynninge of the Churche that came euerye daye or in a maner euerye daye to this holy Sacrament and afterward when deuotion decreased they came euerye sondaye and further as the charitie of the people waxed colde the fewer tymes they prepared themselues to receiue this Sacrament in so much that it was decreed by certaine prouinciall counsels that he that came not thrise a yere that is to say at Easter at Pēthecost and at Christenmasse shoulde not be taken as a Catholyke manne But after that when deuotion decayed and charitie was cold iniquitte did abound so that men geuinge the brydle to the fleshe were carelesse of theyr saluation than the Churche oure mother beyng carefull for her children and compelled by loue partly to condescend to the infirmitie of the people and partly by discipline to reduce the people again to their duties did in a general counsel decree that euery person of discretion should fulfyll gods commaundement in receyuinge thys Sacrament once a yeare at least as I haue sayd before vnder the paine of excommunication which is the spirituall sworde of Christ to compell men to do their dueties which nede not to be drawen but for the hardnes of our hartes that loue the worlde more than God and to serue the deuyll rather thā Christ the authour of al grace which is geuen to vs in this blessed sacrament Whervnto I shall most earnestly exhorte euerye man and woman as they loue theyr owne soules and to be preserued in grace the fauor of God to dispose themselues often tymes effectuallye to receyue the bodye of oure Sauyour Christe whiche is euerye daye bothe offered to GOD the father for the synnes and infyrmities of the people and also is prepared offered to all them that wyll with a pure harte receyue it For they that wilfully abstain from it they depriue themselues of all the graces and Godlye effectes whyche bee geuen by it they loose theyr spirituall strengthe to fyghte againste the deuyll and they waxe rotten and dead members of Christes bodye lackynge theyr foode and spyrytuall nourishment and so are meete for nothinge els but to be cast into the fyre And they that be in cōsciēce of deadly sinne let them by penaūce make cleane their conscience for otherwise we that be ministers maye not minister but to the worthye receiuers so farre as we knowe for if we know any man to come to it vnworthely we ought rather to shedde our bloud than to geue Chrystes
all our Temples and Aultars be builded erected and dedicate onely to God ther to doo Sacrifice to God and to no Saynte although in our Sacrifice we name and haue remembraunce of the holy Martirs and sayntes both to thanke God for theyr vicâ—ories and also to prouoke oure selues to imitate them in the ouercomming of our ghostly enemies By thys good people that I haue declared vnto you ye ought truly to vnderstand and beleue that Christes naturall bodye in the blessed Sacrament is the proper sacrifice of Christes churche and that Christe himselfe both by hys owne deede and also by his expresse woorde and commaundement did institute and ordeyne that the church his spouse shoulde by her publike ministers beyng Priestes offer to almyghtye God the father wyth the sonne and the holy Ghost in sacrifice the same his naturall bodye in remembraunce of his passion which passion the churche now dayly to the worldes ende dothe renewe in misterye and dothe represent before God in the holy Masse for the atteynynge of all the graces and benefites purchased by the same passion before after the measure of hys goodnesse and as our faythe and deuotion is knowen vnto hym and in all her needes and troubles it resorteth to GOD trustyng to haue reliefe and mercy onelye for the merites of that passion whych it representeth to GOD as a full satisfaction for all her offences and as a full perâ—ection of thankes for all his former benefites and gyftes And finally by this Sacrifice of Christes bodye and blood in the Masse we certenly declare and professe that nothing doth exercise our faythe in the knowledge of God and of oure selues more then this Sacrifice of the Masse doth and that nothing dothe more increase oure charitie and hope in the mercye of God and it declareth that we beleue that there is no Sauiour but onelye Christe our Lorde and that we haue no refuge but to him ascribing altogether to the merites of his passion and so by it we most of al set forth our humilitie and the glorye of Christe and hys true honour Which sacrifice if we dayly and deuoutly exercise and come vnto and behaue our selues as becommeth Christen men and in suche affection and intent as I haue declared nowe howe the church doth no doubt of it but we shall perceiue great comfort in our hartes great amendement in our lyues and great furtheraunce to the atteyning of euerlasting lyfe to the which he bring vs that by his passion redemed vs to whom with the father and the holy ghost be all honour glory and prayse for euermore Amen ⸫ ¶ Of the godly prayers and ceremonies vsed in the sacrifice of the Masse Serm. xiii YF in that Sacrifice whiche is Christe no man is to be followed but Christ it is meete for vs to bee obedient and to doo that thing whyche Christe did and commaunded to be done And therefore good people considering that this our sacrifice of the Masse is accordynge to Christes commaundement the commemoration of Christes passion the holye Churche of Christ euer since the time of hys passion hath obedientlye vsed to doo as he dyd He didde consecrate the breade and wyne wyth hys omnipotent blessinge and made there present his very bodye and bloude and also he offered that hys bodye and bloude after the order and maner of Melchisedech to his father and thirdlye receiued it him selfe and gaue it to hys disciples Euen so the holy Churche in Christe and Christe by the holye Churche doth the same in all poyntes at this daye for the speciall and substantiall part of the Masse consisteth in these three poyntes in consecratinge the breade and wyne into the bodye and bloode of Christe in offering of the same body and bloude of Christe to God the father and in receyuing of the same by the deuout and faythfull people Christe also afâ—er his supper and before hys passion dyd say an hymne before he went foorth to the mouÌ„t Oliuet and he taught hys disciples many necessarie thinges and promysed to send vnto them his holy spirite which shoulde teache them all truth which then they could not beare and afterwarde prayed longe and feruentlie for his faythfull disciples and for the holle Church that shoulde by theyr woorde beleue in him and speciallye for theyr peace and vnitie in God and among them selues In these thinges also the holye churche dothe followe the example of Christ her heade whyche in the ministration of this Sacrifice vseth to ioyne almoste all the other in warde Sacrifices of a Christen man as confession of synnes inuocation of Gods mercie the prayse of God petitions for thinges needefull the doctrine of the people the profession of our common faythe the geuing of thankes to God prayers for all states of Gods churche the honouryng of Christe the asking of Gods peace the exhorting to the same with diuers other godlye exercises whyche I shall God wylling at this tyme shortelye and particularlye shewe vnto you to the intent you may knowe howe there is nothing conteyned in the Masse but a heape of all godlynes and spirituall Sacrifices and thereby to be the more prouoked and disposed to the often vsynge and frequenting of the sayd Masse First of all the holye vestementes wherewith the priest goeth to the Aultare beside other misteries which they teache and signifye they renew the memory of Christes passion in our hartes For as the Iewes did firste couer Christes face and did mocke hym and buffet hym so hath the Priest in memorye of that an Amise put vpon his head and also the whyte Albe put ouer al hys body doth bryng vs in remembraunce how Christ was contempned of kynge Herode who in mocking of him put vpon him a white apparell and sent him backe againe to Pilate And the Maniple vpon the priestes arme and hys gyrdle about his white Albe and the stole about his necke doo shewe to a man howe Christ was bounden fast to a pillar when he was whypped and scourged And as Christ was crowned with thorne and had his handes and feete nayled to the crosse so in the Amysse and Albe of the priest there be tokens of these fiue woundes And the the vpper vestement of the priest putteth vs in memorye of the purple robe that Pilates soldiours put vpon Christe after they had scourged him And vpon the backe of this vestement commonly there is made the signe of the crosse teaching vs how Christ was compelled to beare his own crosse vpon his backe throughe the citye so that when so euer we see the priest thus appareled go vp to the Aultare to celebrate the commemoration of Christes passion we may remeÌ„ber how cruelly Christe was handled of the Iewes and after what sorte he went vppe to the mount of Caluerye to suffer his passion for the redemption of man The priest comming to the Aultar beginneth first of all with the sacrifice of a contrite harte
true contrition and maye bee sure of mercye and bee saued yf they dye in that minde And althoughe a manne is not truelye contryte whan he is sorye onelye for the feare of payne be it corporall paine or euerlastinge paine yet the feare of paine is an introduction prepairinge the waye for true contrition For charitie withoute the whiche no man lyueth in soule by grace is builded vpon feare of Goddes iudgement when a man is glad to be loued of GOD whom he feareth and dare be bolde to loue hym agayne and is afrayde to displease hym whome he loueth althoughe he mighte dooe it withoute punishement For no man commeth to GOD that is not smytten with some feare For whiche cause Saint Iohn Baptiste preparing the way for Chryste and remission of sinne bette into the peoples heades the horrour of their sinnes and the feare of Goddes iudgement And S. Peter in his firste Sermon after that he had broughte the Iewes in feare of Gods anger by declaringe vnto theim howe they had crucifyed and kylled Iesus whom god had made Christ their Lorde and so had smitten their hartes with feare than he taught theim to do penaunce and to take true contricion for their sinnes Thus when a sinner loking vppon gods lawe eyther wrytten in the booke or written in his owne harte whereby he seeth as in a glasse what pleaseth or dyspleaseth almighty God and seeth also by faith that God threatneth damnation and euerlastinge deathe to all synners and than is accused secretlye by his owne conscience that he hath broken that eternal lawe of god not onely in thought but also in dede and perceiueth the vylenesse and greatenesse of his owne synne how often he hath offended and into what misery he hath brought himself and of what great graces and ioyes he hath depriued him selfe thereby beyng than separate from the spiritual communion of Christes churche and giltie of eternall dampnation than yf there be any sparkle of grace left in that man if he be not obdurate and cleane forsaken of God he will begin to feare and tremble which feare wyll breake the hardnesse of his harte and prepare the waye for wisedome and grace to enter in Without the which feare no man can receyue remission of synnes and bee made ryghtewyse Which feare of hell is not in charitie but prepareth a place for charitie and as charitie encreaseth in a mans harte so it decreaseth tyl perfyte charitie possesse the holle After this feare a synner begynneth to hate and abhorre hys synne whereby he was brought into so great daunger and miserye and so procedeth to lament and be sory for his offences And as in the doyng of hys sinnes there were twoo thinges the noughtye dede and the carnall pleasure that was ioyned with the same so in the forsaking of his sinnes there must be two thinges ceasing froÌ„ the dede and sorow for the sinne past For so the Prophet cryeth Quiescite peruerse agere Cease to do euil He that continueth styll in his noughtye doyng is farre from al kinde of true penaunce For how can he turne to God that is not turned from his synne nor he can not be sorye that stil is doing the thing for the which he is sorye And it is to be vnderstand that this sorow of Contrition is inwarde in the harte and not fained onelye pretended in the outward behauiour Which the verye woorde Contrition dothe signifye For that is called contrite that is brused and beaten into small peeces or powder euen so when the hardnesse of a mans harte is mollified wyth sorowe and teares for that he hath by sinne displeased God than is his hart contrite An hard harte is that whiche is not cutte with compunction nor made softe with pitie nor moued with prayers nor yeldeth to threatninges but is vnkynde after benefites wythoute shame of dishonestie without feare of perill geuyng no place to any good motion but withstandyng by continuaunce in will to sinne Euen so on the other syde a mans harte is contrite when it is cutte with compunction mollified with pitie and deuotion moued with prayers and exhortation is affraide by threatninges allured by kindnes ashamed of dishonesty geuing place to Gods inspiration puttinge awaye the wyll and loue to sinne abhorring his former filthye liuing dyspleasing hymselfe and lamentyng for the same and with sure trust of Gods mercy submytting himselfe hollye in all poyntes to obeye hys wyll and commaundement An harte after thys sorte contrite and humbled GOD wyll neuer dispise nor reiecte but accepte it as a sweete Sacrifice of the whyche the Prophet sayde Be ye turned vnto me in all your harte in fasting in weeping and lamentynge cutte your hartes and not your garmentes And our Sauiour saith Blessed be they that mourne for they shall receyue comforte Whyche mourning is not from the lyppes outwarde to say or pretende them selues to be sorye but to declare it outwardlye in deede as muche as they can by weeping and lamenting And thys Contrition is the Crosse of Christ which euerie Christen man and woman that foloweth Christe in this worlde beareth voluntarilye vpon his owne backe and so sheweth the vertue of Christes crosse in his owne flesh euer carying about the mortification of Iesus Christ in his body that the life of Iesus may be shewed in his body And because we must turne to God with oure holle harte the quantitie and greatnes of this sorow is to be measured by the quantitie of our crimes so that he which hath synned muche doo lament muche that his penaunce be found no lesse than his crime And the more that he dothe humble hymselfe by sorowe the more shall he be exalted to grace the more abiecte he is in hys owne syghte the more accepte in the sight of God Therefore oure Sauiour Christe forgaue Sainte Peter his sinne by and by because he wept bitterly and dyd not increase hys fault by driuing of his amendement For a true penitent looseth not tyme. For the tyme paste he redeemeth agayne whyles that he calleth to remembraunce all his yeares past in the bitternesse of his soule The present tyme he dothe fullye possesse by sorowe and exercise of that vertue whyche is contrarye â—o that he offended in The tyme to come he looseth not by constantlye endeuouring himself to performe that good purpose of sinning no more which he hath godly begonne Remembring the sayinges of the Apostle while we haue time let vs do good And he that continueth to the laste ende shall be saued For except a sinner determine surely wyth hymselfe in his minde to leaue and forsake all synne and intende neuer to do any agayne but to kepe Gods commaundementes iustly from that time forwarde he shall not obtayne forgiuenesse of his sinnes at Gods hande nor his contrition is not perfite and profitable vnto him Wherefore it is to be feared that manye yea and all those
prayse so are we debters to hym also for oure manifolde sinnes done against him and so are wee bounden to satisfye the iustice of God by suffering paine for the same both whiche debtes when we could not and were not able to paye our selues Christ our Lorde being the mediatoure betwene God and man by hys paynful death hath paied it for vs and hath cācelled the obligation of our debt and fully satisfied God for the synne of the worlde and hathe taken away eternal death due for the same and so hath made vs nowe able by him and in hym both to offer that sacrifice of prayse which for al his benefites we were bounden to make and also to satisfie the iustice of God for that tēporall payne whiche remayneth for vs to suffer after that the giltines of oure synnes and the paynes of hell be remitted through the satisfactiō made vpon the crosse the benefite whereof is applyed to vs by true faythe contrition not that we be able of our selues by oure woorkes or suffering to make woorthye satisfaction for the same as Christ hath done but that we are made able by Christ and in hym to dooe or suffer that wherewith God is contented and satisfied and accepteth as a satisfaction By this ye shall vnderstande good people that the satisfaction of penaunce which I haue to declare vnto you at this tyme is punyshement or affliction which a synner taketh vpon him to suffer by the assignement of his ghostlye father after the remission of his synnes to the intent he might thereby cut away the cause and sequele of his sinnes whiche remayne and also eyther clerely redeme or at lest mitigate the tēporall paynes due for the same synnes by doing of suche penall woorkes as bee contrarye to the synnes committed This doctrine of Satisfaction standeth vpō these two groundes First that when the sinne is remitted and the sinner receyued into grace and fauour with GOD againe yet oftentymes there remayneth temporall payne to be suffered for the same sinne eyther in this worlde or in the nexte And secondlye that this temporall payne may be mitigated or redemed and taken awaye by penitential satisfaction the worthy fruites of penaunce To this doctrine beareth wytnesse the trade and processe of the holle Scriptures When the people of Israell in the wyldernesse grudged against Moyses and Aaron and wold haue gone backe into Egipt againe and so prouoked God to vengeaunce Moyses prayed for the people very feruently at whose prayer God did forgeue the people their sinne yet not with standing that forgeuenes he said that he would punishe thē after this sort that neuer one of thē that came out of Egipt had not obeyed him in the wildernes should see or enter into the lande which he promised thē Wherby we learne that after the synne remitted many times there remaineth a punishmēt temporall to be suffred for the same Also king Dauid when he had taken contrition and confessed the sinne that he didde with Barsabee and for the kyllynge of her husband Urias the Prophete Nathan shewed him that God had forgeuen him his synne and that he should not dye and be dampned for it but yet he shoulde haue great and longe temporall punishment for those offences and so he had bothe in the death of his children and also in the persecution of his sonne Absalon in diuers other thinges which the Prophete tolde him And yet when the Prophet had said that his yong sonne begotten by Barsabee should dye trustyng that his humble penaunce should chaunge Gods sentence in punishinge of him by the deathe of his sonne he fell to fasting weeping praying watching and lying vpon the grounde by the space of seuen dayes and although he dydde not than obtayne the release of that punishement whiche was appointed by Goddes immutable decree yet in an other lyke offence he obteyned the mitigation of his temporall payne For when Dauid for the synne of nombryng the people had taken contrition and humbled himselfe before God confessinge his faulte the Prophete by the message of God for punyshmēt of his synne after remission gaue hym choyce whether he would haue seuen yeares hunger or three monethes warre without victory or three daies pestilēce and when he did chose pestilence whiche might as soone fall vpon him the offendour as vpon the people he did so punyshe and afflicte him selfe that God in respecte of his penaūce was satisfied and content with the plage of one day and did remit the rest Euen so Dauid in his psalmes speaking of Moyses and Aaron sayeth that God dyd heare them and was mercyfull vnto them and yet punyshed and reuenged all their inuentions and synne And the Apostle Saynte Paule teacheth vs that for the synne of abusinge the blessed body and bloud of our Lord in the sacrament of the Aultare many were punished with weakenes sicknes and corporall death and telleth vs also there the remedie howe to auoyde these paynes which is if we would iudge condempne and punishe our selues wee shoulde escape the punyshement of God for when we be iudged and punyshed of God we be but corrected whose chastisement is rather to be called an admonition than a condemnation rather a fatherly medicine than a finall punishment and destruction And therefore euery synner ought to exercise more seueritie against him selfe that iudging himselfe he be not iudged of God the contemning whereof is a meane to bee eternally condempned with the wicked worlde It suffiseth not for a man to chaunge his maners to the better to beginne a new life forsake the olde except also he make satisfaction to God for those sinnes he hath done by the sorowe of Penaunce by the mournynge and Sacrifice of an humble and contrite harte and by almes Wherby appeareth that the penaunce of a christen man sinning deadly after baptisme conteyneth satisfaction by fastinge almes prayer and other godly exercises of spiritual life not for the eternal paine of hel which with the synne is remitted in the vsing of the sacrament of penaūce or els if the sacrament can not be had in the desire of ful purpose to vse it when it may be had but for temporal payne which as the scriptures teache is not holly alwayes remitted to theim that take the grace of God in vayne True contrition and sorowe for synne taken for the loue of God whom he hath offended causeth a synner likewise to take this satisfaction punishmēt vpon him assigned by the minister of God by the vertue of the keyes committed to the Churche or sometymes voluntarelye taken vpon hym of his owne good wyll as Sainte Paule saith to the Corinthians that the sorowe which is taken for Gods sake worketh stedfast penaūce for saluation on the other side the sorow of the world worketh death For euen thys sorow which you haue takē for Gods sake saith Saint Paule to the Corinthians how muche