then could not a man be sure of whō to receyue and should alwayes be in doubte of the vertue of that he receyueth which no man maye be And althoughe the true Sacramentes of Christ may be ministred and receiued out of the Catholike Churche among heretickes and scismatikes yet they can not be profitable to the receyuers vntill they come agayne to the vnity of Christes Catholike Church Wherefore good people let euery man and woman that desyreth to bee made holle from hys synne or to bee preserued or sanctifyed by Christe and to be pertaker of hys blessed passion prepare hymselfe wyth all reuerence and humblenesse of harte to receyue these most holye Sacramentes in suche fourme and for suche purpose and intent as oure Sauioure Christe and hys blessed Spowse the holye Catholyke Church haue appoynted and ordeyned seynge that otherwyse to mysorder and abuse theym or wyllfullye to denye or refuse theym is to denye or refuse Christe that made theym oute of whose bloodye syde they came foorthe and also to denye or refuse the benefyttes of hys death and passion which by them be applyed and be brought into our soules As the reuerent and worthy vsing of them is the meane to grace and saluation so the misusing or contempt of theym is heynous and detestable sacrilege because with out them no religion can be perfyt whiche perfitnes euery man is bounden to procure with al his diligence duringe the time of this present life that at thend therof he might enioye lyfe euerlastinge to the whiche he brynge vs all who hath so derelye boughte it for vs to whom be all honour prayse and glorye worlde without end Amen ⸫ ¶ Of Baptisme Sermo secundus BEcause the holye Sacrament of Baptisme is the firste gate or entrye into the Churche of Christ and the grounde of all the other sacramentes whych can not be geuen to anye but to suche as be baptised before therfore good people I shall now begyn wyth Baptisme and declare vnto you what ye ought to thinke of it and what fruit ye receyue by it Firste it is to be knowen that oure Sauiour Christ did institute and ordeine this sacrament when after his resurrection appearynge to hys disciples he sayde to them All power in heauen and in earthe is geuen vnto me go ye therefore and teache all nations and people baptising them in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holye ghost and teaching them to keepe and obserue all thinges which I haue cōmaunded you and I am with you alwayes to the worldes end By whyche wordes of our Sauiour Christ we learne that power is geuen onely to him to institute and ordeine sacramentes which the churche receyuing of him and of his spirite doth faithfully delyuer vnto vs to be obserued and vsed And also wee learne that the forme and maner of baptisynge is to do as he commaunded and in so doyng to saye these wordes I baptise the in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy ghost And we learne also that Christ doth by his promyse assist the doyng of his minister and woorketh the same effectes by Baptisme when it is duely ministred of a man as if he did minister it himself And last of al we learne that Baptisme is not an ydle ceremonie but that euerye person which is baptised and beyng of age and discretion oughte to bee taughte before the faythe of Christe and to beleue the same and than after Baptisme ought diligētly to obserue and keepe all thinges whych Christe hathe commaunded And if they that be baptised be infants or other wyse can not beleue themselues lacking the vse of theyr reason seyng our Sauiour Christ sayd that children perteyne to the kyngdome of heauen and the doore into the kingdome of heauen is baptisme at which doore no person can enter in ordinarily but such as be borne agayne of the water and the holy ghost therfore suche be offered to be baptised in the fayth of the church and in receyuing Baptisme they are made faythfull by the sacrament of fayth but of thys thyng I shall God wyllinge speake more an other tyme. Secondarilye it is to be vnderstanded that Baptisme oughte to be ministred in water as Christ hath ordeined and in no other licour and that is because Baptisme is a sacrament of necessitie and water is a cōmon element throughout the whole world and therfore it is ordeined to be ministred in water that no man might excuse hymselfe for lacke of matter and so come in daūger of dampnation for lack of Baptisme And also it is ordeyned to be in water for sygnification of theffect that men mighte learne in this Sacrament as they do in all other by the propertie of the element what is the vertue and effect of the same that lyke as water washeth awaye the spottes of the body so baptisme wassheth awaye the sinnes of the soule and also because the generall floode in the time of Noe and the red sea through whiche Moyses and all the people of Israell went and thereby escaped the daunger of king Pharao that persecuted theim were figures of baptisme therefore it is ordeyned to be in water that the truthe myght agree with the figure and gods people might be nowe saued from the deuyll and drowning in deadlye sinne by the water of regeneration ioyned wyth the worde of lyfe as Noe and his chyldren were saued by the water of the floode hys ship and as Moyses wyth Gods people were saued from the sword of Pharao by the water of the red sea and the cloude Yet the grace that is ministred in the water procedeth not from the nature of the water which without the worde of God is but onely water styll but it procedeth from the presence of the holy ghost that descendeth vpon the water and doth consecrate the water and by it doth washe and purifye the soule Thyrdlye it is to be knowen that a man by the vertue and efficacie of Baptisme truelye ministred and receyued is washed from all kynde of synne indued wyth Gods holye spirite appareled wyth Christe and hys ryghtwysnesse and is made with Christ an inheritour of the kyngdome of heauen First baptisme washeth away all synnes in thoughtes in wordes and in deedes both oryginall synne and actual or personall sinne which be done either of ignoraunce or knowledge both the sinne it self and the giltynes therof and also the eternal payne in hell due for the same as the prophet sayth In that day of Christ there shall be a fountaine set open to the house of Iacob and to all the inhabitauntes of Hierusalem for the washinge away of sinnes And Saint Paul sayth to the Corinthians that they were greate and haynous sinners but now they be washed they be sanctifyed they be iustified in the name of oure Lorde Iesus Christ and in the spirite of our God and that there is no dampnation
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
to saye to shewe reuerence to our superiours to shew conformitie to our equalies and to shew reliefe in word and dede to our inferiours Out of this roote of pitie springeth the Godlye vertue of mekenes for he that is wel affected towardes the seruice and honour of God and studious to do his duetie towardes all degrees of men shall shew him selfe to be not heady styffenecked enuious but meke gentle and tractable not resisting euyll but with good ouercomming euil therfore this meke man may wel be called happy which by gods promise shal inherit possesse the land of y e liuing And if this gift of pitie or the vertue of mekenes chauÌ„ce to decay or be lost by the enuy of the deuyl than let him pray the effect of the second petition which is O father let thy kingdome come either to vs that we may be as thou art and teacheth vs to be humble and meke in oure owne hartes so haue the who is eternal rest dwelling in our soules or els let thy kingdome come froÌ„ heauen to earth in the clerenes of the glorious comming of our lorde Iesus Christ wheÌ„ the meke men shal heare him cal the blessed people of his father to his kingdome and therfore shal reioice be glad for euermore The third bolt that the deuil shooteth against a man is yre for of enuy groweth yre when he enuyeth his equall or superiour vpon a small occasion eyther geuen or taken he is stirred to indignation malice swelling of mind and euil lookes or els to chyding and brauling and so in processe to iniury vengeaunce or murder Wherin appeareth hys greate folye For noughtye anger resteth no where but in the bosome of a foole because it is great folye to thrust a sworde through his owne hart to thintent he mighte hurt the coate of hys enemy which thing euery angry man doth that vsurping the office of God seketh to reuenge his own quarel thus the deuil as he by pryde robbed him of his loue to god by enuy of hys loue to his neighbour so now by yre he robbeth hym of the loue of him selfe Against this fyery darte of the deuyll the holye Ghoste hath armed vs with the gift of knowledge whereby we knowe howe to walke vprightlye and without offence in the middes of this wicked generacion also that we should behaue our selues to theym that haue by wrong done vs iniury as we would do to sicke folkes children or mad men of whome both their parentes and other frendes and phisicions often tymes wyll suffer dyuerse iniuries tyl their youth or infirmitie be gone away Out of this gifte of knowledge springeth the vertue of mourning For when we know in what miseries we be wrapped in what a greate heape of euyls be round about vs which we of ignorauÌ„ce desyred as good thynges and profitable for vs than we fall to mourninge and lament the lack or prolonginge of the verye true and eternall goodes and ryches that bee stored vp for vs in heauen and begynne to sette lytle by those vaine and transitorye thinges whyche we estemed as good in earth For which cause our Sauioure Christe estemeth vs happye that so doe mourne and hath promysed vs the comforte of the holye ghoste that for contemninge these temporall thynges here we shoulde enioye eternall gladnesse in heauen And for restitucion of this gifte and vertue when it decayeth or is lost by vs we maye praye the third peticion that Gods wyll myght be done in earth as it is in heauen that when oure fleshe as earth and the desyres of it dooe in all thinges without rebellion obeye oure spirite the lacke of whiche obedience is the cause of oure mourninge as the hauinge of it is the perfourmaunce â—f Gods wyll in earth than we myghte haue this promysed comforte presently in our hartes as a pledge of that gladnes which is to come The fourth darte of the deuil is ydlenes and slouthfulnes when he tempteth a maÌ„ to esteme the fulfyllinge of Gods commaundementes eyther vnpossible or very harde and paineful and so to forbeare the doing of his duty or to be werye in the beginning and sadde euer after Agaynste this darte the holye ghoste hathe armed vs with the gifte of fortitude and strength and thereby perswadeth vs to thynke Gods commaundementes not to be heauy or greuous but to be a light burden and swete yoke and encourageth vs to set vpon that worke whiche is excellent and worthye praise and for auoyding of fayntnes or werynes he kyndleth oure hartes wyth hys loue to continue stedfaste and immoâ—uable from the hope of the Gospell increasing in good workes and knowinge that oure labour is not in vayne in Christe Oute of thys gyfte commeth the vertue whiche is called the hungre and thrist of rightwysnes whyche consisteth in true fayth and perfyte obedience to Gods lawe the earnest and vehement desyre whereof causeth a man to be moued neither wyth the flatterie nor aduersitie of this worlde nor to be sadde when he dothe well but to hope as a Lyon and not to geue place to hys aduersarye Therfore seinge that fortitude is the gift of the holy Ghost wherby they be happy that be hungry and thristy that is to say greedy and desirous of ryghtwysnes because they shall be made ful with the meate of Christ whiche is to do the wyll of hys father and also with that drinke which causeth a fountayne of water to be in theym springinge vp to euerlastinge lyfe if at anye tyme we lacke these vertues or be slacke in vsynge of theym than lette vs praye that oure daylye breade may be geuen vnto vs thys daye by vertue whereof we beyng susteyned and made stronge myghte come to that perfyt fulnesse and satietie whyche shall admitte no hunger or thyrst any more euer after The fyft darte of the deuyll is couetousnesse for when he perceyueth a man encouraged to do good and serue God by the gift of fortitude and strength he laboureth al he canne to turne that his constancie and strengthe to a wronge ende that is to saye from the fulfillinge of Gods law and mainteyninge of his truthe to the greedye and vnsatiable appetyte of fulfilling the desyres of the worlde and to the mayntenaunce of vyce and errour and tempteth him further to be obdurate and stony harted in vnmercyfulnes and so in processe for hope of gayne not to regarde crafte deceipte violence or treason Againste this darte of Couetousnesse the holye Ghoste armeth vs with the gift of counsell that oure courage and strengthe maye be stayed and dyrected to the right ende that is to saye to the contempte and despisinge of the vanitye of thys worlde and not to truste in the vncertayntye of riches but to trust in the liuing God and to do good to all we can and to be riche in good woorkes beinge readye to geue parte of that God hathe sent and to
euen so in this sacrament the outwarde forme of breade appeareth to mans sight and the inwarde substance of Christ god and man appeareth not to a mans corporall eye but to the eye of his soule whiche is faith which fayth is stayed vppon the omnipotēt power of god For he that can create all thinges of nought with his woorde can also chaunge thinges that be created with his word and if the benediction of man can chaunge the natures of thinges as appeared when Moyses chaunged hys rodde into a serpent what shall we say of the consecration of God that worketh merueilously in his holy sacrament If the word of Helyas was able to bringe fyre from heauen shall not the worde of Christ be able to chaunge the substaunce of breade therefore vppon thys grounde of gods almightye power we submitte our reason to our fayth and aboue the reache of reason we beleue Christes worde and that ther is not the substaunce of bread which nature formed but the substaunce of Christe whiche benediction hath consecrate And so wee esteme thys Sacramente otherwyse than an infidell dothe Like as an vnlearned man when he looketh vppon a booke he vnderstandeth not the meaninge of the writing but a learned manne wyll fynde muche matter hyd there as the lyues and stories of men the vnlearned man wyl thinke ther is nothinge els but paper and ynke the learned man will vnderstande an others speakinge and speake to one beyng absent and aske by his letters what so euer he would haue euen so it is in these misteries the infidels althouhh they here what it is yet they seme not to heare But the faithfull man who hathe experience of the holye ghost can beholde the vertue and power of God in the secrete misteries where the substaunce of bread is consumed by the substaunce of Christes body and ceaseth to be there any more euen as waxe when it is put in the fyer it melteth away the substaunce of it remaineth no more These similitudes whereof the bookes of the olde writers be full be not to satisfy the subtle wits and curious questions of men that lack faithe whose reasons brought oute of naturall experimentes maye in no wyse be admytted of a Chrysten manne to dysproue anye parte of our faythe receyued but they be brought in to declare what is oure faythe in this poynte to whiche faythe Gods pleasure is that euerye mannes reason should be taken captiue and serue to the beliefe of his wonderful workes and Sacramentes euen as the natural inclination of our will should serue to execute the commaundement of godlye charitie For whatsoeuer fleshe and bloud dothe bring forth or the subtlenesse of mans wyt not indued with the spirit of God can inuente is to be reiected from the iudgement and dyscussion of this holy mistery and onely that is to be admitted which the father of heauen by the mouth of his sonne and the inspiration of hys holy spirite hath reueled to his churche And therewyth is euery good christen man contented and satisfied not like the vnfaithful Iewes asking howe it can be so seyng nothing is vnpossible to God but geuinge full credite to the churche of God in the presence of Christ in this Sacrament as the blessed virgine Marye dyd to the Aungel of god in the incarnation of Christe in her wombe and as she gaue full consente to the Aungels woorde when he tolde her that the holye ghoste shoulde come into her and the power of the moste highe god should ouershadow her euen so ought euery faythful soule to geue ful credite to gods church when it teacheth by the woorde of God that the holy ghost ouershadoweth this mistery and maketh present the body of Christ aboue the speach and reason of man and chaungeth the bread and the wine into Christes body and bloud the outward formes remaining stil so that nowe there be not two substances remaininge but one and the self same that was geuen for our redemptiō otherwyse the maner of it is not searcheable And it oughte to beleue also that lyke as the Churche of god in the first generall Counsell at Nyce dyd verye well whan it dyd inuente the worde of Consubstantialitie to expresse the old trueth that Christ was no creature but equall god and of one and the same substance with the father to the confusion of the heretyke Arius and all hys adherentes euen so that the same churche of god did very well in the general coūsell at Laterane when it inuented the woord of Transubstantiation to expresse the olde truthe that there is but one substance of Christe in the Sacrament and that the former substaunces of breade and wyne be conuerted and chaunged in to the body and bloude of Christe the qualities and figure of the same remaining styll vnchaunged to the cōfusion of the heretykes Luther and zwinglius and all their adherentes Furthermore it is to be considered that in this chaunge of the bread god did shewe his greate mercyfull goodnes towardes vs that for our reliefe bearing with our infirmitie he hath suffred the outwarde formes of bread and wine to remaine vnchaunhed For as our nature abhorreth the kylling of a mans fleshe and the sheding of a mans bloude so muche more it abhorreth the eatinge of mans raw fleshe and the drynkinge of mans liuely bloude And where as our sauiour Christ declaringe the necessitie of this Sacrament to thatteining of euerlasting life sayd that except we did eate his flesh and drinke his bloude wee shoulde not haue lyfe in vs therefore hath he by his godly wisdome inuēted this way to geue vs his flesh to eate his bloud to drink and yet our nature should not abhorre the eating and drynking of it but comfortablye and obedientlye receiue it For he geueth it in such nutrimentes of bread and wine as we be daily accustomed to be fedde withal and so cōdescending to our infirmitie lest we should abhorre the sight of his flesh bloude in their owne likenesse he reserueth the outwarde formes of the breade and wyne but their substaunces he chaungeth into his fleshe bloude Besyde diuers other commodities that come to vs thereby as that our fayth is more exercysed in beleuing that to bee there presente whyche we see not with our corporall eyes and the propretie of the sacrament is retained which is to teache vs by the composition and nature of the outward element what the holy ghost worketh inwardly in the soule of him that worthylye receiueth it whiche is the vnitie and perfyte coniunction of Christes misticall body And also the holy Sacrament it self is kept and cōserued in his due honour which otherwise should be cōtemned despised of the paganes and infidels if they perceiued how we christē men did eate the flesh drink y e bloud of Christ our lorde god For these causes he hath ordeined it to bee ministred in the formes of bread
such a small number as it is in other for of the other sacramentes the minister oughte at lest to be a priest sauing in Matrimonie whiche the two parties may contract betwene themselues but in baptisme the ministration is not onely reserued to priestes and to deacons in the absence of the pryestes but is also permitted to lay men and lay womeÌ„ that be faithful themselues if extreme necessitie so require And if ther be no necessitie nor daunger of the death of the chylde and yet lay persons do take vpon them to minyster this Sacrament whyche perteâ—neth not to them to do but in time of neede alâ—hâ—ugh they themselues do synne in that doing for their presumption where neede compelled not yet the chylde is truelye baptised and maye not in anye wise be baptised agayne And because it often chaunceth that chyldren new borne be in daunger of death and so be baptised of the Mydwyues or of other women at home therefore I wyll shew vnto you how they must doo when they wyll minister the sayd Sacrament of baptisme First when the chylde is borne for the chylde that is not borne but yet in hys moothers wombe can not be borne agayne by Baptisme tyll he be once borne yf there come a chaunce or daunger that vâ—rely they think it wil not liue til it be brought to the soleÌ„nization of baptisme than a laye man or laye woman in that neede goyng about to baptise the chylde muste vnfeynedly intende to do therein that the Catholyke Church of Christ dothe and taking some honest name as Iohn or Thomas or some other yf it be a man chylde and yf it be a woman chylde then takyng Ione or Katheryne or suche lyke let the person that shall christen the chylde take water as well water sea water or rayne water or other common water for no other lycour as oyle bloude wine Rose water or other artificiall water can be the matter of thys Sacrament And than let the Christener begynne to cast or poure the water vpoÌ„ the childes head calling it by the name they geue it saying thus Iohn I baptise thee in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy ghost Amen And if it be a woman childe than let the Christener saye thus calling it by the womaÌ„s name Ione I baptise thee in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy ghost â–ª Amen Nowe that man or woman that thus dothe saye and cast or poure water vppon the chyldes naked heade in the tyme that he is sayinge the foresayde prescripte woordes dothe mynyster well this Sacrament of baptisme in the tyme of neede And let the Christener take heede that he leaue oute none of those prescripte woordes nor chaunge none of theym nor adde no more to them and also lette hym remember to cast or to poure water vppon the chyldes naked heade in the time before he make an end of those foresaid woordes Iohn I baptise c. For yf the water be caste vppon the chyldes heade before the Christener begynneth to saye those woordes or els after that he hathe sayde the wordes than the chylde is not christened For the wordes wythoute the water is no Sacrament nor canne doe no good nor yet the water wythoute the woordes and therefore they muste be ioyned and go both together after the maner before sayde Moreouer ye muste note that there maye not twoo persones doo these twoo foresayd thinges that is to saye one maye not speake these wordes Iohn I baptise thee c. and an other poure the water vpon the chyld in the meane tyme and whiles the woordes be in saying for if they doo then is the chylde not Christened and therefore it must be but one persone that must bothe saye the woordes without any longe interruption or pawse and poure on the water And where as the water of Baptisme hathe beene vsed euer synce the tyme of the Apostles in Chrystes churche to bee hallowed and sanctifyed by the Priestes prayer and inuocation of Gods holye spirite by the sygne and mysterye of Christes crosse and in the name of the holy Trinitie and by the infusion of the holye oyle into it that by the vse of it the synnes of hym that is baptised myghte bee washed awaye and hee made cleane yet in the tyme of neede and of sodeyne daunger when suche halowed water can not be hadde other cleane and common water wyll suffise Furthermore lyke as the holye Ghoste came downe from heauen in the baptisme of Christe when hee was baptysed by Iohn and visiblye rested vppon Chryste declarynge the fulnesse of all grace to bee in hym and all grace to proceede from hym euen so wee be taught that alwayes when thys Sacrament is duelye receyued and ministred in the name of the holye Trinitie the holye Ghoste descendeth from aboue and dothe inuisiblye reste vppon hym that is Baptysed and woorketh specyall grace in hys harte to obeye GOD and hys commaundementes And as the father of heauen by hys voyce whyche hee sente from heauen testyfyed that Christe was hys wellbeloued Sonne in whome he was well pleased so oure heauenlye father in thys Sacrament testifieth to hys conscience that is baptysed that hee is hys louinge chylde and that nothinge is in hym that is dyspleasinge to God Wherefore good people considerynge that thys Sacramente of Baptysme is of suche necessitye that no chylde excepte the case of Martyrdome can be saued and enter into the kyngdome of GOD but by it because euerye one beynge borne in orygynall synne and so the chylde of Gods anger by hys natyuitye canne not bee partaker of the promyse of saluatyon and haue the merytes of Chrystes passyon applyed to hym but eyther by hys proper faythe or els by the Sacrament of faythe and seynge that younge Infantes haue not the vse of their reason and wyll whereby they maye vnderstande the doctryne of our faythe and so beleue theym selues in their owne persones therefore if ye wyll haue your children come to Christ as he commaunded they shoulde bee broughte to hym and rebuked theim that forbadde theym to be broughte and promysed the kyngedome of God to the onelye followers of thinnocencye of chyldren whome he embraced and layde hys handes vpon theym ye muste procure wyth all your diligence to haue your children broughte to baptysme and to receyue the Sacrament of faythe whereby they bee sette in the state of saluation and be made partakers of Chrystes merytes Lette not your chyldren for your negligence accuse you in the last daye for the losse of their saluation whiche they mighte haue had by baptisme if ye hadde shewed your full endeuour And least anye man shoulde excuse hym selfe for lacke of matter or of a Minister or of doctrine God and his holye Churche hathe ordeyned Baptisme to be ministred in water whiche is an element not farre to seeke any where and hath permytted that in tyme of neede anye man
geueth credyt and hee that beleueth not that it is hys verye true bodye as he sayde it was he is fallen from all grace and saluation And no manne oughte to bee in doubte of the truthe of this real presence of Christes body in the sacrament because he hathe eyther redde himselfe in certeyne holy wryters bookes or hath heard say of other that they say how in this Sacrament is a sygne or a figure or a similitude of Chrystes body For those same authours eyther in the places where they vse those wordes or els in some other places declare most manifestly theyr faythe concerning the real presence to be al one agreable with the common faythe of the vniuersall Churche of Christ. And for your better instruction in thys matter ye shall vnderstande that there be twoo thinges whiche be partes of thys Sacramente the visible formes of breade and wyne and the vnuisible body bloud of our lord Iesus Christ. The outwarde forme of that is seene is a fygure and signe of that hydden truth whyche is there conteined beleued and not sene Ye shall also vnderstand that in the Sacrament there be two graces to be considered the one is the substantial grace of Christes body there present and conteyned the other is the accidental grace onely signifyed and not conteined which is wrought in the soule of the worthye receiuour wherby he is more inwardly ioined to Christes mistical body not onely spirituallye by fayth and charytye but also by naturall and corporall participation with Christ and his church This vnity of Christes misticall body the church is as wel signified by Christes natural body there present as it is by the visible element of breade whiche as it is made one loafe of many granes so the church is made but one bodye of Christ consistinge of manie men and women And this is Christes naturall bodye in the Sacrament a figure of his misticall bodye the Churche and of the vnitye of the same And further where as our Lorde commaunded his disciples and all vs to doo the same that he didde that is to saye to consecrate and to raceiue his bodie and bloude in the remembraunce of his death and passion till his last commynge ye may thereby vnderstande that the inuisible spiritual and intelligible flesh blood of Christ in the Sacrament signifyeth and representeth the same visible mortall and palpable bodye of Christ vpon the crosse for which respect the sacrament of diuers Doctours is called a fygure or sygne Finally because all thinges that be in this present worlde be they neuer so true yet they be called figures and images in respecte of the same thinges in heauen whiche be seene as they be wythoute all shadowes or coueringes therfore like as the very oblation of Christ vpon the crosse which is a thing of most truthe is called an image in respect of that oblation whiche he the same time at al times maketh in heauen before his father where he appeareth as an aduocate for vs euen so the natural bodie of Christ in the sacrament which can not here be sene but by fayth may wel be called a figure or an image of the same body in heauen which is there seene without couer receyued by perfite fruition of al the blessed angels saintes that be ther in the kyngedome of God For here the Churche hath Christ her spouse in a sacramente and there she shall haue him without all sacrament both here and there is the truth but here it is couered and there manyfest without couer in earthe we eate the breade of angels in a Sacrament in heauen we shall eate the same bread euidentlye without a sacrament where the presence of the most hye priest shall shewe it selfe openly to all men as it is For these respectes whiche I haue rehersed no man ought to be in dout of the truth of Christes real presence in the Sacrament because of these wordes figure or signe founde in certayne authors which wordes as I haue declared do in no wyse denye the truthe of the presence but eyther they declare the secret and couered maner of it in the sacrament or they signifye the vnitye of Christes misticall body or els they bringe into oure remembraunce the passion of Christes bodye whiche is paste or the cleare fruition of the same in heauen whiche to vs is yet to come And here ye ought to marke diligentlye that I haue sayde concerninge the twoo maners of being of Christes bodye the one in heauen at the ryghte hande of hys father manyfestlye wythout all couer or Sacrament the other the same momente of tyme here in earthe amonges vs in a Sacramente to be receyued of vs for oure spirituall sustenaunce in whyche thynge wee maye not consider the nature of a mannes body but the infinite power of GOD that canne dooe wyth hys bodye what hee wyll and doth with it what he saith And because he saith euidētly that he geueth to vs his body that suffred and his bloude that was shedde therfore we ought to beleue his woorde whyche can not deceiue vs seinge that all thinges be possible to God which be vnpossible to man Christes bodie is but one and although it bee consecrate and offered in many places yet there is but one Christ in euery place being bothe full Christ here and full Christ there one bodye And where as Chryste Gods onelye begotten sonne goeth into euery man diuisiblye that receyueth him and by his flesh sanctifieth their soules and bodies yet he in his flesh remayneth hole wythout diuision in euery one beinge but one wher so euer he be by no meanes diuided And in thys miracle oure Sauioure Christe excelled Helias and all other prophetes for Helias left his mantle vnto his disciple but the sonne of God ascending left to vs his fleshe Helias ascended without his mantle him self but Christ both left hys fleshe vnto vs and ascended hauing it also with him And this is not of our desertes but of hys exceding mercye and good wyll that beinge hole in his maiestie and glory at the ryght hande of God hys father yet dothe vouchesafe the same tyme to be with vs in earth vnuisibly being but one in dyuers places not onelye comfortinge vs that be here trauelinge wyth the presence of hys diuinitie and holye spirite but also feeding and nourishynge vs with the heauenlye foode of hys body and bloud to euerlasting life This feading of vs with Christes body bloud we muste vnderstand that it is not only spiritually by faith when we remember and thinke vppon his passion and death but also corporallye with the seruice of our bodies and senses when we receiue it in the sacrament For as in the olde law the bloud of the paschal lambe was cōmaunded to be sprinckled vpon both the postes of the doore euen so the bloude of Christe our paschall
receiued by it life Iudas death to Peter it was an increase of goodnes to Iudas it was a testimonye of hys noughtynesse Peter beyng good and clene toke it for his saluation Iudas beyng a traytour and vncleane tooke it to hys dampnation The thyng that was geuen was not euil but a good thing was noughtely receiued of an euil man to his dampnation For after the receipt of our Lordes body the deuil entered into Iudas not that the deuil did despise or contemne our Lordes body but the impudent wyckednes of Iudas made entrye for the deuil to dwel there wherby we be taught that the deuil lyeth in wayte and preuayleth ouer theym that vse these secret misteries with a corrupt mynde So that Iudas as soone as he with his trayterous mynde touched the heauenly foode and the sanctified bread entred into hys cursed mouthe hys myscheuous mynde not able to beare the strength of so great a Sacrament was blowen forth like chaffe out of a barne and so headlings hee ranne to hys treason and money and so to desperation and hangynge Marke the greate mercye of oure Sauioure Christe and the madnesse of Iudas for Iudas bargained for thyrty pence to sell his mayster and Christ did minister to hym the same bloode whych he solde to thintent he shoulde haue had remission of synnes if he woulde haue forsaken his wickednes O cruell hart of thys traytour wyth what eyes could he looke vpon hym whom he had in hys mouthe to eate beyng bothe at once to Christ a murderer and a gest sellyng his maister for a litle money and loosyng God and hym selfe for euermore Euen so at this day there be in the church of God good men as Saynte Peter was and noughtye men as Iudas was The good receyue the blessed Sacrament to theyr saluation the euyll men beyng lyke dogges and swine to theyr dampnation They be dogges that vnreuerentlye come vnto it and therefore they departe in Gods hye dyspleasure For they that lyue after the fleshe and be fettered in the cheynes of synne and vyce they receyue with Iudas the traytour poyson and runne to the halter of spiritual hanging in hel beyng condemned both for theyr other manyfolde synnes and also for the contempt of Christes most precious bodye whyche in verye deede they receyue but in substaunce onelye and not in any profitable or holsome effect Osa the priest in the old testament put to his hand to the Arke of God to stay it when it was like to fall of the cart and God being displeased for his rash eÌ„terprise did smite him by by with sodayn death Where we may euidently se vnderstand how much he offeÌ„deth that rashly with a gilty coÌ„science coÌ„meth to the body of our Lord when the deuout priest was punished by death that wyth lesse reuerence then he ought to haue done did touch the Arke which was but the fygure of our Lordes body In the olde lawe it is said that if a man do eate of the sanctified meat of the sacrifice by ignoraunce his synne and iniquitie shalbe imputed vnto him for which cause S. Paul doth warne vs to come vnto this most holy sacrifice of the new testament wyth muche caution and warenes least we take it to our daÌ„nation For if ignoraunce in the old law be condemned how muche is a giltye conscience in the gospel condempned Looke howe much Christe himself passeth and excelleth the materiall temple of God whyche Salomon buylded euen so much more greuous and terrible is it to receiue Christes body in deadly synne theÌ„ to eate rashly of the sacrifices of the old lawe Therefore let no false and couetous man as Iudas let no maÌ„ that vseth simonie or vsury as SymoÌ„ Magus let no maÌ„ bearing a malitious hart to his neighbour as king Herode come to this boord of our sauiour Christ this sacrifice is spirituall meate For lyke as common meate when it fyndeth a mannes stomake full of euyll humours it doth hym no good but great hurt euen so thys heauenly and spirituall meate if it fynde a mannes hart full of iniquitie it maketh him worsse not for any faulte of the meate but by the faulte of the receyuer If he be woorthy punishment that kysseth the kynges hande wyth a foule mouthe what paine is he worthy that kisseth the mouth of the kynge of heauen with a stynkynge soule And leste men shoulde thinke that these were but vayne threatninges of Saynt Paule and other holye men and that God woulde not enter in to iudgement with theim that so villanouslye and contemptuouslye abuse Chrystes bodye Sainte Paule dothe further shewe as it were an image of Gods iudgement to come agaynste suche vnworthy receyuers declaringe how that for that same heynous fault many nowe in thys worlde are punished with sicknesse with infirmytyes with mischaunces wyth great aduersitye and also with sodaine death of the body to thyntent that the multitude should be affrayd and learne by the example of a few knowyng that god wyll not leaue the contempt of his body vnpunished and although manye escape free here yet they may be sure to be more extremely handled there bothe for abusynge Chrystes bodye and also for contempninge the example of other And these plagues of sicknesse and deathe chaunce to many because they wyll not iudge them selues nor wyll not vnderstande what it is to communycate wyth the Churche and to come to so hye and so heauenlye Sacramentes and so they suffer that whyche men that bee in a feuer bee wonte to suffer when they kyll them selues by presuâ—â—â—g to eate of holle mens meate And also these plagues chaunce because they wyll not iudge Christes body that is to saye they wyll not discerne and consider the greatnes and maiestye of this present misterye but negligentlye and contemptuously take Christes body as other common meate For if they did coÌ„sider and esteme of what excellency maiesty he were that is preseÌ„t there before them and geuen them to eate they should nede no other perswasion to make cleane their hartes and to receiue him with his most honoure and reuerence but he alone woulde cause them to take hede and to purge them selues For they would consyder that they receyue and taste vpon his body and bloud that sitteth in heauen that is honoured of Aungels that is of infynite power that made both heauen and earthe that redemed gouerneth the holle worlde that shall iudge both quicke and deade And on the othersyde they woulde consider that if God dyd geue vnto vs the heauen the sea the earth and al the riches and treasures that bee in these and yf he did send vnto vs his patriarches his prophetes his Aungels he should neither geue nor sende to vs anye thinge equall wyth thys whiche is the head of all goodnesse who spared not his onelye begotten sonne to saue vs that were hys fugytiue slaues And
our sinnes that the bytternesse of our penaunce mighte wype awaye the fylthye humour of our corrupt life from our soules The Iewes did eate their lambe standinge hauinge their stafes in their handes and in greate haste ready to flye out of Egipte euen so oughte we to stande in true faythe and good lyfe not to syt or lye in corrupt doctryne or lyuing but to haue the staffe of true hope of eternall ioyes to come in our handes to stay vs in the daūgerous iourney of this worlde that wee neyther faynte for werines nor giue ouer for cowardnes to our gostly enemies knowing that theyr iorney was but from Egipt to Iewry and our iorney is frō the earth to heauen the strong and holsome vittale of whiche iorney is this heauenlye foode of Christes body and bloode And as they were in readynes to departe out of Egipt by and by after the eating of the lambe so ought we cōmyng to this blessed sacrament to haue our liues so vp righte and pure from all synne as thoughe we shoulde euen then depart out of this transitorye worlde For looke in what state of clene lyfe aman wold auenture his soule when he dyeth let him with all diligence prouide and procure that his soule be in the same state when he commeth to communicate By this comparison ye may learne good people howe to proue iudge your selues and so to come worthely to this heauenly foode The next thing is to lerne how to iudge and discerne the body of our Lord whē we come vnto it that is to say we may not vndiscretlye negligentlye take it but we oughte to discerne Christes body from other common meates and considering the great dignitie and worthynesse of it we ought to geue honour and reuerēce due to so great a thing as is the flesh and bloode of Christ God and man not the fleshe of man one lye for than it could not geue life but the proper fleshe of Gods sonne vnited to his person in diuinitie and is therfore able to geue lyfe eternall to our mortal bodies For which cause we ought with feare reuerence and a deuoute mynde to come vnto it which beyng the same in substaūce that suffered is also the best wytnesse of Christes paynful passion Wherefore when thou doest go vp to the Aultare to bee fedde wyth thys spirituall and heauenlye meate beholde wyth fayth the most holy body and bloude of thy God honour it maruel at it touch it with thy minde take it with the hand of thy hart and speciallye drynke of it wyth the draughte of the inwarde man No man eateth worthely this flesh but he that first honoureth it with godly honour in the holye Sacrament considering that it is greate synne not to honour it seinge it is the bodye of him that made thee and wyth it redemed thee and shall by it rayse thee oute of dust and ashes for the which thou hopest to receiue heauen and the ioyes that bee therein and to bee associate to his holy angels But wher as in this sacrament there be two thynges conteyned the outwarde fourme of breade which is sene with the eyes of the bodye and the bodye and bloude of Christe whiche is seene onelye with the eyes of the soule which is fayth Therefore let euery man or woman when he seeth this sacrament in the Priestes handes direct the eye of his faythe and hys intent to honour onely that substaūce of Christ God and man whiche he seeth not with hys bodelye eyes but beleueth it moste certeinlye to be there present and let him not fyxe hys thoughte vpon the visible whitenes or roundnesse of the bread which be sensible creatures reserued ther for the vse of this mistery and may in no wise be adowred and worshipped with godlye honour but let him intend to honour the body and blood of Christ and yet not those as onely creatures but as they be vnited to the Godhead and made one person in diuinitie for onelye God is to bee honoured with godlye honoure whiche we doo when we honour Christe God and man present in the blessed Sacrament This honour specially consisteth in oure true and lyuely fayth which we haue of Christe there present which honour we declare outwardly by kneling and other reuerent behauour of our bodies protesting thereby what is our faythe and iudgement concernynge the substaunce of thys most blessed Sacrament and so we truly iudge and discerne our Lordes bodye And for further honour to be geuen vnto it when so euer we receiue it we take it fastinge before all other meates except extreme sicknes or the instant danger of death doo require otherwyse to take it when and as we maye For euer synce the Apostles time it pleased the holy gost that for the honour of so great a Sacrament the body of our Lorde shoulde first enter into the mouthe of a Christen man before all other externall meates For thys maner and custome is obserued vniuersallye througheout the holle worde And for that cause it is decreed by the vniuersall Churche of Christ that this moste honourable Sacrament shoulde bee reserued for the necessitie of theym that be sicke or absent least where as it can not bee duelye consecrate at all tymes and places of a priest not fasting the sicke folkes should die wythoute thys heauenly foode whyche is theyr strengthe and the staye of theyr passage to the next worlde Furthermore at the tyme of the receyuing of this Sacrament we ought to haue our myndes occupyed in remembryng the passion of Christe For by this sacrifice which Christ geueth to vs we know assuredly that he boughte vs wyth no worldly treasure of golde and syluer but wyth this same his moste precious bodye and bloude and by it we are prouoked to remēber alwayes his most hye benefite and therewithall continuallye to render moste humble thankes to him in deuout affection and obedient seruice according to hys good wyll and pleasure Thus receyuing the bodye and bloode of oure Lorde we oughte thankfullye to remember and confesse that oure sauiour Christ hath geuē his body to death and shed his bloude for vs knowyng that we ought agayne rather to suffer our bodyes to be slayne and our bloud to be shed for hym and in defence of hys truthe and edifyeng of his people if the case so required than to forsake or denie him or the truth of his gospell reueled by the holy ghost to the catholike churche By this good people ye knowe how to iudge and discerne the bodye of our Lord and how to behaue your selues when ye come to receyue it Now likewyse know what is your dutye to do after ye haue receiued it Ye ought to keepe and preserue your selues clene from synne rather after than before lest you commit anye thyng that might displease the presence of his maiesty whō ye haue receiued and therby be an occasiō of his
woorthely and sufficientlye tyll wee ioyne oure selues to that passion that maketh our thankes geuing acceptable in the syghte of GOD. No tounge can particularlye expresse the woorthynes and commodities of this Sacrifice of Christes passion which hath purchased for vs all pardon all grace all rightwisnes all holynes euerye good gifte and eternall saluation The action and doyng of this Sacrifice was not long but accomplished and ended vpon good Fridaye whyche was the daye when Christ dyed and he dyeth no more but liueth euer but the operation and vertue of this passion is a longe thing extended to the saluation of man from the begynning of the worlde to the laste ende from the tyme when Christe was fyrst promysed to be the Sauiour to all men tyll the tyme when hee shall come agayne in his Maiestie to be the iudge of al men And althoughe the sufferyng of hys passion was but shorte and is alreadye ceased yet the effect of it which is mans redemption and satisfaction ceaseth not and because it is applyed to euerye man that is partaker of it by lyuelye faythe in continuall succession duryng all the tyme of the holle worlde therefore Christe our Sauioure wylleth that the Sacrifice of thys redemption shoulde neuer cease but bee alwayes to all men present in grace and alwayes be kepte in perpetuall memorye For whych cause he hath geuen and committed vnto hys churche the moste cleane and pure Sacrifice of hys bodye and bloode vnder the formes of bread and wyne and hath commaunded it to be offered to God and receyued of vs in the remembraunce of hys passion tyll hys laste commyng Which thing the churche most faythfullye and obedientlye obserueth and vseth not by presumption taking vpon it self to offer that Sacrifice of our Sauiour which is farre aboue the dignitie of man but by commission and warrant of his most holy woorde authorised to offer Christ Gods sonne to God the father that is to saye to represent to the Father the bodye and bloode of Christe whyche by hys omnipotent woorde hath there made present and thereby to renew hys passion not by sufferyng of deathe againe but after an vnbloody maner not for this ende that we shoulde thereby deserue remission of synnes and delyueraunce from the power of the deuill which is the proper effect of Christes passion but that we shoulde by oure fayth deuotion and thys representation of hys passion obtayne the remyssion and grace alreadye deserued by hys passion to bee nowe applyed vnto oure profytte and saluation not that the passion of Christe is vnperfytte or needeth anye woorke of ours to be added to supplye the imperfection of it but to comforte and relieue oure imperfection that some droppe of grace maye bee drawen and broughte vnto vs oute of the fountayne of all grace and wellspring of hys passion not that wee canne applye the merites of Christes deathe as wee lyst and to whom we lyst but that we by this representing of his passion most humblye make petition and prayer to almighty God to applye vnto vs that remission and grace whyche was purchased and deserued by Christes passion before after the measure of hys goodnes to al those whose faith and deuotion be knowen vnto him So that the host or the thing that is offered both in the Sacrifice of Christ vpon the Crosse and in the Sacrifice of the Churche vppon the Aultare is all one in substaunce beynge the naturall bodye of Christ our hye Priest and the price or raunsome of our redemption but the maner and the effectes of these two offrynges be dyuers the one is by sheddyng of Christes bloud extendyng to the death of Christe the offerer for the redemption of all mankynde the other is without shedding of hys bloude onelye representynge hys deathe whereby the faythfull and deuoute people are made partakers of the merites of Christes passion and diuinitie Thus is Christe a Priest for euermore after the order of Melchisedech who in hys last supper offered hys bodye and bloud wythout sheddynge of his bloode and so taughte and delyuered to hys Apostles and theyr successours Byshoppes and Priestes the maner how they shuld offer him being the lambe of God in sacrifice for euermore to the worldes ende after the order that is to say after the ryte maner of Melchisedech vnder the fourme of breade and wyne who in old time in figure of Christ offered bread and wine did dedicate and prophecy before the misterie or sacrament of vs Christen men in the body bloude of our sauiour Wherof also spake Malachie the prophet saying that in thys oure time of the newe testament God woulde reiecte and detest the Iewes and all theyr sacrifices of brute and vnreasonable beastes and that hys name should be magnified among the Gentiles from the rising of the Sunne to the setting and that one singulare pure sacrifice without spot or imperfection should be of them offred to him not onely in one place among the Iewes but in euery place among the Gentiles which sacrifice should succede all the other sacrifices of the olde testament which were offered in the shadowe of thys to come For the Iewes in theyr sacrifices of beastes dyd as it were by prophecie declare signify before that sauing sacrifice which Christ offred vpon the crosse and the Christen meÌ„ now do celebrate the memorye of the same sacrifice of Christ that is past euen by the offeryng and receiuing of the same body and bloud that suffred passion For as Christ vpon the crosse beyng the head of all vs his misticall body the church offering there himselfe did also offer all vs that be of the churche to God the father for the pacifyeng of hys wrath and indignation agaynste our sinne so we being his mistical body do vse to offer to god the father Christ our head and by his merites do begge pardon for our offeÌ„câ—s knowing that God who spared not his onelye begotten sonne but gaue him to vs for our redemption will now denye vs nothing for hys sake that we haue neede vppon who is nowe also at the right hande of God and maketh intercession for vs. So that Christ in heauen and al we hys misticall body in earth do bothe but one thing For Christ being a priest for euermore after his passion and resurrection entred into heauen and there appeareth now to the countenauÌ„ce of God for vs offering him selfe for vs to pacify the anger of God with vs and representing his passion and all that he suffred for vs that we might be reconciled to God by him Euen so the church our mother being carefull for all vs her children that haue offended our father in heauen vseth continually by her publike minister to praye and to offer vnto god the body and bloud of her husband Christe representing and renewynge hys passion and death before God that wee thereby might be renewed in grace and receiue
without the which no man can doo the woorke of God woorthelye and there besyde the Sacramental confession which he hath made before if his conscience did reproue him of any deadlye sinne he maketh also a generall confession of al hys synnes not excusing hys fault or laying the blame vpon God or anye other thyng but knocking vpon his brest accuseth and iudgeth hym selfe And because our deadly offences be done agaynste God and hys hole churche therefore he maketh his confession to God and to the holle churche bothe triumphant in heauen and militant here in earth requyring of God pardon and remission and requyring of the Churche ayde to ioyne with hym in prayer and as they that doo ther assist him do pray for him in his hearing so is he sure that the blessed Angels and Sayntes in heauen are of theyr aboundaunt charitie glad of hys penaunce and praye for hys pardone and amendement In the meane tyme the quere and the Priest also at the Aultar do begin the office of this ministration wyth an Hymne or Psalme or some part of a Psalme as the churche doth in al other seruice and with it he vseth an other inward sacrifice whiche is the inuocation of Gods helpe and mercie which for feruent desyre to haue his petition graunted of almightye God by the merites of Christ he repeteth it diuers times And for suche certeyne and sure confidence which he hath of Gods mercy for Christes sake he beginneth by and by after that the Sacrifice of prayse and vseth the same woordes that the Angelles praysed GOD wyth all when they brought the glad tidinges of Christes natiuitie to the world which the Priest and the quere do prosecute and continue for ioye that God hathe wrought mercyfully amonges men And then the Priest saluting and wyshyng wel to the people to styrre theyr hartes to deuotion and to ioyne with him in the common praier sayth the collect which is a Sacrifice of praier for all such thinges as the people hathe neede vpon and is called a Collecte for that the common petitions of the people be collected and gathered together in one praier and is offered and vttered onelye by the mouthe of the Priest in al theyr names whereunto the people answeryng Amen geueth theyr consent praying GOD to graunt that for all theyr saluation whych is requyred in all theyr names After these Sacrifices of Confession inuocation prayse and petitions the Priest conuerteth hys woordes to the doctrine of the people and fyrst begynneth wyth some part of the law and Prophetes or of Saynt Paules epistles wherin is shewed the true meanyng of the lawe and Prophetes preparing theyr hartes to the moste perfite and most holsome doctrine of the Gospel of Christ the spirituall foode of mens soules to thintent that suche as be not partakers of Christes body and bloode corporallye in the Sacrament maye yet by the instruction of the holye woorde of God be fedde spiritually in theyr soules by faith that like as the holye Masse is the exercise and practise of good lyuing so it might also bee the schoole and teacher of true faythe And betwene these two doctrines of the Lawe and the Gospell are sayd or song certeyne Canticles or songes of Gods prayse accordynge to the condition nature of the tyme as the Grale and Tract for the tyme of penaunce when men lament theyr synnes and myserye of thys lyfe and the prolonging of the life to come or els the Alleluya whiche is a song of Gods praise for the time of ioye and gladnesse when menne reioyce consideryng the state of theyr eternall felicity to come vsing still the olde straunge woorde wythout interpretation declaring therby that as yet they be ignorant of such ioyes as God hath prepared for them that loue him At the rehersyng of the Gospell the priest saluteth the people preparyng theyr hartes to the hearing of Gods woorde wishinge grace to be gâ—uen to them of God to receiue his word with humilitie and meekenes whiche is able to saue theyr soules And the people rysing vp and standing reuerently bareheaded declare them selues to be attent and readye to heare the Gospell of Christ and doo glorifie God that hathe vouchesafed to make theym partakers of his Gospell which is the vertue of God for the saluation of all them that beleue And the priest making a crosse vpon the boke and his forheade declareth that this doctrine is not inuented by man but reueled by God and perteyneth to the mistery of Christes crosse and oure redemption and also protesteth wyth the people that their dutie is not to bee ashamed of the Gospell of Christes crosse but to beleue in theyr hart and to confesse it wyth theyr mouth And for proofe of the same that fayth commeth by hearyng of the woorde of God by and by after the readyng and preachyng of the Gospell the Priest beginneth to professe and offer the sacrifice of faythe whiche the quere or people also professe with greate gladnesse in suche forme of words as the auncient holy fathers assembled in the first generall councell at Nyce dyd vtter theyr faythe to the confusion of all heretikes that were before them declaring that they haue the foundation of their faythe no where els but of Christes mouthe and the preachynge of hys holye woorde Here endeth the Masse of theym that be but onely learners of our faith and be not yet Christened which in olde time were not admit to be present among Christen men in the tyme of the Sacrifice of Christes bodie and blood but after the prayers and doctrine ended were secluded from the Churche but thys maner is not vsed now in the Churche because euery one is Christened beyng a childe and learneth our fayth afterward And the Priest proceeding forwarde exhorting all the people to praye dothe offer to God the matter of the consecration whyche is breade of wheate and wyne myxed with water whych be not yet consecrate but prepared to be consecrate and directinge his eye and intention to the body and blood of Christ that afterward be made present by the consecration as Christe prayed before his passion for all them for whom he suffered so the Priest before the mistical oblation saith that he offereth it to God in the honor of God and all his Sayntes for hys synnes and offences for the saluation of all that be lyuing and for the rest of all them that be departed and praieth that God would so accept it For to this ende euery Sacrifice that we make and euerye good dede that we do is intended and directed whiche they be not able to bring to passe but by the merites of Christes bloodye Sacrifice vpon the crosse And here beginning this moste holye and sacred misterie for reuerence to the holy sacrament the priest washeth his handes that no outward filthynes should seclude hym from the communion and therwithal prayeth to be
for them that bee present and communicate wyth the Priest in true faythe and deuoute affection And also the Churche offereth Chrisâ—e for the soules of theym that be departed hauynge at theyr departing the sygnes of faythe whyche be the holy Sacramentes and good woorkes and sleepynge in the sleepe of peace whyche is the peace of conscience towardes God wyth sure hope and truste of remission by Christe that is to saye for suche as in theyr lyues obteyned so muche grace of God that oure charitie and Sacrifices myghte helpe and relieue theym after theyr deathe For seeyng the soules of suche be not seperate from the Churche whyche is the kyngdome of Christe amonge the members of whyche kyngdome there is a mutuall communion of all good deedes and godlye woorkes or Sacrifices therefore the Church commendeth them to the mercie of GOD and the intercession of Christes oblation verelye beleuyng that the precious bloude of Christe as it is profytable for the saluation of the lyuinge so it is also auaylable for the absolution and perfection of them that be deade that they being for a tyme deteyned in the temporall afflictions and purgacions might the sooner by the vertue of thys blessed sacrifice be deliuered and brought to the place of light and eternall peace where nothyng entreth that is spotted and vnperfite Thyrdlye because the blessed virgin Marye the mother of God and the holye Martirs and Sayntes in heauen be also oure brethren and members of Christes Churche for the whyche Christ suffered his passion and beyng knyt to vs in one communion by the bande of perfite charitie and being careful for vs and they be sure for them selues cease not to communicate with vs in prayer and to requyre of Christ the perfection of his bodye whiche is the churche therefore in our oblation of Christes body and bloode we ioyne wyth theym and wyth honour and reuerence we remember them at oure Lordes table not to pray for them as we do for other that rest in peace but rather that they should pray for vs â–ª that we maye folowe theyr footesteppes and in all oure affayres be defended by Gods protection and that by the merytes of Christ whom we praye not to weye oure merites but to pardone our offences And laste of all in the Canon is expressed for what ende we offer Christe that is to saye in remembraunce of hys passion hys resurrection and glorious ascension most humblye beseching that God of his mercye woulde accepte him for vs and oure saluation and where as hee is for hym selfe most acceptable in his sight that likewyse he woulde accepte vs that bee hys bodye in earthe for hym that by participation of hys moste precious bodye and bloode wee myghte be fulfylled wyth all grace and heauenlye benediction Thus doth the churche offer Christ her head to GOD the father as a woorthye Sacrifice of prayse and thankes for her redemption for the hope of healthe and saluation and for all his other benefites and also it offereth him as a Sacrifice propitiatorye by the vertue of hys passion for all her synnes and offences that we in this world might lyue in peace wyth GOD and afterward be deliuered from eternal dampnation and with his elecâ—es be rewarded in the kingdome of heauen â–ª And to conclude thys Canonicall prayer the Prieste hauynge Christe Gods Sonne in hys handes before hym who is the onelye Mediatour betwene GOD and manne trustyng to obtayne what so euer hee asketh in hys name and beyng instructed by hym howe to praye to the father saythe boldlye the Pater noster in whyche prayer is conteyned all that is good and needefull for the lyfe of manne bothe temporall and eternall And so maketh an ende of the Canon And because thys is the mysterye of vnitye and peace whyche canne not be hadde but by the mercye of Christe therefore the priest turnyng hym to the Lambe of God who onelye taketh awaye the synnes of the worlde prayeth deuoutly for the peace of conscience whyche commeth by remissyon of synne and for the peace of hys affections whyche commeth by the mortification of the flesh and also for the peace of brotherlye charitye whyche is poured into oure hartes by the holye Ghoste and so taketh and geueth to the people the kysse of peace the token and testimonye of vnitye and Christen charitye The other prayers that folowe in the Masse perteyne to the deuotion of hym or theym that receyue the blessed Sacrament that they maye receyue it worthely to the profite and saluation both of body and soule and that it myght be acceptable to God for al them for whom it is offered therefore good people seyng that I haue now by Gods helpe declared vnto you as shortlye as I coulde the holle summe of all that is sayde and done in the Masse whych is all moste godlye and most comfortable perteyning al to thys ende to set foorthe the benefite of Christe and the vertue of his passion and conteynynge in it almoste all the spirituall Sacrifices of the newe lawe and the exercisies of true fayth as confession of synne inuocation of God prayer doctrine gyuing of thankes and suche other as I haue rehersed I shal most hartely require you as you are moste bounden to haue thys worke of God in such estimation as becommeth Christen men that bee members of Christes Churche redemed wyth bys precious bloude and that by vsing of this Sacrifice of the churche which is a commemoration of Christes passion moste acceptable in the syght of God and commaunded by Christe to be done of vs ye myght thereby receyue plentuous and aboundant grace and mercye bothe for you that be alyue and also for them that be departed in the faithe of Christe and in all your necessities and distresses reliefe and succour And when the consecration of the verye bodye and bloude of oure Sauiour is made by the power of his omnipotent woorde and the price of our redemption is lifted vp for you to see by faithe vnder the seuerall fourmes of breade and wyne to be adoured and woorshipped with godlye honour then call to your remembraunce howe that Christe for your saluation was lifted vp alofte in the ayre vpon the crosse to be seene of all the worlde and howe his precious bloode ranne foorthe aboundantly out of all the woundes of his bodye and then pray that God the father would looke vpon him for vs and accepte him for a full satisfaction of all our sinnes ouer and beside al that we can do and suffer and for a perfite supplieng of all our negligences and vnperfitenes and for a woorthy Sacrifice of thankes for all his benefites geuen vnto vs. And to thintent ye myghte bee more intirelye ioyned to Christe and be more replenished with his giftes and grace I woulde wyshe and exhorte you the oftener to prepare your selues to receyue corporally the blessed sacrament which is euer readye prepared for you to receyue and wheÌ„ as of reuerence you forbeare
that ye haue learned good people the necessitie of Confession howe euerye sinner is bounden to confesse his sinnes to a Prieste by goddes lawe for the atteininge of absolution and remission of sinne nowe it followeth to be declared what a sinner oughte to do in makinge his confession Firste a sinner ought before he come to coÌ„fession to make an accompte wyth himselfe of his lyfe and to call to his remembraunce how many deadly sinnes he hath committed since the time of his laste confession wherin suche diligence muste be vsed as the necessytye and dygnitie of the woorke of GOD whiche is absolution doth require beinge willinge and readye to doe all thinges that be necessary for the recouery of grace and health of his soule whiche a sicke man woulde dooe for auoydinge the death of his bodye And this the sinner ought to doe for two causes the one that he mighte thereby take speciall repentaunce for euerye offence that he dydde for as muche as he did disobeye and offend almightye God and had some specyall pleasure in euery one and therfore he ought to call his sinnes to hys minde and for remedye of the same to take some dyspleasure and repentaunce for euerye one of theym The other cause is that he mighte haue hys sinnes readye and the better in his mynde for to shewe them vnto his ghostly father when he commeth to confession The whiche kinge Dauid did well perceiue that sinners bee bounden to dooe and therfore whan he had sinned he saied thus I wyl studye to remember my sinne because I wyll confesse it And the example of the prodigal sonne in the Gospell teacheth vs also so to doe who returninge to his father considered howe euyll hee had lyued and he called than to his mynde what he woulde confesse and saye to hys father when he shoulde come to hym Thus whan a sinnes hath diligentlye examined his owne conscyence and called to his remembraunce howe often and wherein he hathe offended hys Lorde God takinge speciall repentaunce and contrition for euery offence than he ought to come to hys ghostlye father with great desire and humilitie not as to a manne to heare some worldlye and profitable counsell but as to the messenger or vycare of oure Sauiour Christe representinge his persone whose embassage hee vseth for makynge peace and reconciliation betwene the synner and GOD to the intente he myghte heare of hym the woorde of GOD whiche is the woorde of absolution for hys synnes by paste and also bee instructed by the woorde of GOD howe to lyue wel hereafter and auoide sinne And where as the effect of Gods Sacramentes doo not depend vpon the vertue or worthines of the priest the minister but vpon the commaundement and ordinaunce of GOD who by hys spirite dothe assiste the due ministration of the same therfore a penitent synner oughte rather to regarde the vertue and power of GOD that woorketh by hys mynyster than the state of the persone be he hye or lowe a iuste or an vniuste man so longe as he is a member of Gods vniuersall Churche and by toleration suffred to minister in the same and he oughte to geue full credyte to the woordes of absolution that than his sinnes be clerelye remytted yf hys harte be than disposed and mete to receyue the same remissyon and yf hee put no stoppe to Goddes grace as they doe that lacke fayth and true contrityon And so the penitent sinner comming to a Pryeste and humbly submytting him selfe to him as representing the persone of Chryste ought to reherse hollye symplye and faythfully al the deadly synnes which than after diligent serchinge of his lyfe doe burden and vexe hys conscience For althoughe the holye Churche dothe not burden a sinner to confesse euery veniall synne whiche is vnpossyble or very harde to doe for who dothe knowe all hys faultes and also seinge that veniall synnes doe not take away charity nor do not exclude a man from the kyngedome of heauen wythoute the whyche thys frayle and mortall lyfe can not be passed ouer yet yf a man fall oftentymes into suche smal sinnes they ought not to be neglected but auoyded betymes because contempt in all thynges aggrauateth the cryme and speciallye in procurynge the remedye and also a manne shall geue an accompte in the daye of iudgement of euery idle woorde which he shal speake But all mortall sinnes such as be transgressions of gods commaundements and bringe a man in state of damnation so many as come to his remembraunce after diligent serche and inquisition the synner ought to confesse And not onely suche as he knoweth certeinly to be mortall sinnes but also suche as he doubteth of knoweth not certeinely whether they be mortall sinnes or no because what so euer thing is not of fayth is sinne and he that dothe or alloweth to be doone any thinge whereof his conscience reprehendeth or condemneth him doth therin against his conscience and sinneth deadly and ought to confesse it and learne of his ghostly father to whom iudgement is geuen to discerne betwene lepre and not lepre sinne not sinne how to know and auoide the same afterward Furthermore it is to be coÌ„sidered that god doth not forgeue one mortall sinne reteineth an other vnforgeuen but alwayes whan he forgeueth he forgeueth all together the which he shewed in expellinge al and the holle legion of deuils out of the man of Geâ—rasen And he shewed the same agayne whan he pardoned Marye Magdalene for he forgaue her all her synnes and the scrypture calleth that man happye whose sinne God hath not imputed but couered if there were any sinne remaining imputed vnto hym and not forgeuen he should not be compted as happye but as an eâ—emye to god Now seing the father â—ath geuen al power to the sonne and the sonne hathe geuen the same power to the Priestes of his churche whose iudgement both in byndinge and losinge in earth is confirmed and ratifyed by God in heauen therfore the remission whiche the priestes geue to penitent sinners oughte to be lyke and agreable to the remission whiche is geuen by God that is to say a full remission not forgeuinge one mortall sinne without an other but eyther forgeuing al at once or none at all And because as ye were taught before the priest can not worthelye exercyse this authoritie of forgeuinge or reteyninge sinne excepte the sinner open hys conscience and confesse his sinnes hym selfe both because he can not otherwyse knowe what is to bee remytted what is not and also because he may not rashely remit that he knoweth not and is not confessed vnto him therfore the sinner is bounden plainelye and fullye to confesse all his sinnes and euery pertyculare sinne whiche by diligente serchynge of hys conscyence commeth than to hys remembraunce For the conceyling or hyding of any one mortall sinne which he remembreth is the cause why all the
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