Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	bless_a	father_n	lord_n	5,208	5	3.8746	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A17659	A faythfull and moost godlye treatyse concernyng the most sacred Sacrament of the blessed body and bloude of our sauioure Chryst, co[m]piled by Iohn Caluyne, a man of no lesse lernyng and lytterature then godly studye, and example of liuyng. And translated into Latin by Lacius a man of lyke excellencie. And nowe last of all, translated into Englyshe by a faythfull brother, no lesse desirous to profyt the weake brotheres then to exercise the talent of the Lorde to his honoure and glorye. In declaration whereof, he hath set before this lytle booke an epistle to the reader much more effectuous then in the fyrst edicion. Whereunto the order that the churche and congregation of Christ in Denmarke doth vse at the receyuying of baptisme, the Supper of ye Lorde, and wedlocke: is added. Myles Couerdale; Petit traicté de la Saincte cene. English	Calvin, Jean, 1509-1564.; Broke, Thomas.; Coverdale, Miles, 1488-1568.; Danske folkekirke.	1548 (1548)	STC 4411; ESTC S107182	57,569	98

therfore we wyl confesse that when we do accordynge to the institution of the Lorde receyu● the Sacrament with fayth we are vndoubtedlye made partakers of the substaunce of the body and bloude of Christe Howe thys thynge shoulde be done some men can better define and more playnly expounde then other But thys thynge is chiefely to be remembred that we exclude all carnall imagination that the mynde ought to be erected into heauē and that we thynke not our Lorde Iesu Christe to be so vyle that he may be conteyned in corruptible elementes Agayne leste the force of thys most sacred mistery shoulde be diminished we must thynke that it is wrought by the secrete and wonderful power of God and that his spirite is the bonde of thys partaking whiche is for that cause called spirituall Finis ¶ The order that the churche and cōgregacion of Christe in Denmarke and in many places coūtreis and cities in Germany doth vse not onelye at the holy supper of the Lorde but also at the ministration of the blessed Sacrament of Baptisme and holy Wedlocke TO all that hunger and thyrst the glorye of God wealth of theyr neyghbours be grace mercye and peace from the same euerlastyng God our moste deare father in heauen thorow our Lorde and onely Sauiour Iesus Christe It were to me a singuler comfort my ryght deare and intierly beloued brethren and systers in Iesu Christe yf I myghte be wyth you my selfe continuallye comunicate vnto you some part of that litle talēt which I haue receiued of the Lorde my God for your sakes and all the lawefull wayes that I coulde deuyse I haue sought thys greate whyle to opteyne licēce of the hygher powers for the same purpose But it wyl not be Wherfore though I be hyndred and kepte from you by all the meanes that Sathan his membres can imagen yet shall ye haue my poore herte yet wyll I not ceasse to wyshe you good yet wyll I do the beste for you that I can although it be but wyth my pen. In token wherof I haue set forth vnto you the order and maner that many whiche haue receyued Goddes worde vnfaynedly do vse not onely at the mooste h●lye supper of our Lorde but also at the ministracion of the blessed Sacramente of Baptisme and when anye couple of persones are ioyned into holy wedlocke And thys haue I done to the intent that when ye haue spyed and do se that thys order is agreable vnto Gods worde not varying frō the moste wholsome doctrine therof Ye maye wyshe in your hertes to haue Goddes truth prospere lykewyse amonge you in the realme of Englande And praye vnfaynedly wyth me and all other synners that the father of mercy and God of all comforte wyll ●o lyghten and illuminate the hertes of oure rulers that they maye folowe the earnest monicion of the seconde Psalme and be no more wythout vnderstādyng but be wyse by times and embrace the sonne of God whyle he offreth him selfe vnto them And not only to suffre the worde of God to haue the vpper hande aboue all other doctrines but also them selues to laye to theyr handes in abolishyng the blasphemous and dampnable abuses that are here as yet ▪ suffred about the forsayed thre principles of Christes religion wherfore deare brethren whē ye compare this order vnder wrytten whiche is the doctrine of Goddes worde and practise of the primatyue churche to the vayne ceremonyes vsed here yet after the churche of Rome lyfte vp your hertes to almightye God and beseche hym that for Christes ●ake 〈◊〉 wyll once graunte that these thre his holy Supper holy Baptisme holy wed●ocke maye be truelye and sincerelye ministred and practised also amonge vs. To the glory of his blessed name ●nd encrease of his kyngdom for euer Amen ¶ The order taken for the due ministration of the holy Supper of the Lorde FOr thy better instruction thou shalte fyrste vnderstande that the blessed Sacrament of the bodye and bloude of the Lorde the worthy memoriall of oure redempcion is at no tyme denyed to any christen man where gods worde is truely preached yf he lawfully require it And as none dothe minister it saue the priest which is the officer appointed therto So is it not ministred but whē there be other present to receyue it as well as the pryeste Now bicause that where gods worde is truely preached mē do se the fruite of the sayd holy Sacrament therfore resort they the oftener to the same holy supper of the lorde and delyte the more therin But specially to se what a nūbre come to it on the sōdaye how reuerently it woulde do ones hert good And bicause they may the more fruitfully be partakers thereof therfore on the saterday whē the preachyng is done euery daye they haue a sermon all suche as are appoynted in them selues to be partakers of the Lordes supper come one after an other to the priest of whō they learne not onely what the Sacrament is the right vse therof but also they beynge repentaunt and sorye for theyr synnes professing amendement receyue there gods promises for theyr absolucion to the singulare comforte of theyr conscience are exhorted by the priest to do agaynste the morow as the holy Apostle Paule biddeth them that is euen to trye examen and proue them selues whether they cā be cōtent vnfaynedlye in theyr hertes to take better holde on the kyngdome of God then they haue done in tymes paste to be more stedfaste in fayth and hope towarde god hys promyses to bemore feruent in prayer and loue towarde God and for hys sake to shewe vnfayned soue towarde euery man to forgeue hertely as they wolde be forgeuen to mortyfie theyr fleshe dalie more and more by reasonable abstynence and godly exercises of the spirite and vertuous occupacion of the bodye to bee glad in distrybutynge the workes of mercy to the poore c. And whē the pryest preacher or curate for al is on thynge hathe geuen euerye one thys or suche a lyke exortation and enioyued ech one hys penaūce accordyng to his estate as subiectes to be true obediēt to their rule●s seruātes to be faithful and diligent in waytyng on their masters conmaundement children to honour and ob●ie their parentes ▪ and to lerne vertue whyle they be yonge housholders to kepe their houses in the feare of God so forth whē the priest I saye hath enioyned them thus to lyue and to increase in the same wel doynge he commytteth them to God and to the worde of hys grace And so they departe ¶ On the sondaye in the mornyng at .vi. of the clocke in Sōmer and at .vii. in winter the bell ryngeth and the people prepare them selues to the churche so that sone after the bel hath ronge the seco●de tyme the churche is almost full of men women and chyldren Then a lytle a fore the houre is expired they rynge y ● bell the thirde tyme whiche ceasseth

thys so precious treasure is vnhalowed and wyckedlye abused Thys holy Sacrament shall for the necessarye causes nowe rehersed be to vs also a testimonye of thys presente tyme before god and the worlde that we do vtterly both in worde and dede refuse and forsake all the dis●eatfulnesse of the papistrie and that we fayth fully wyth all our hertes submitte oure selues vnder the gospel of Iesus Christe ¶ Wherfore ye dearely beloued in the Lorde for as muche as thys matter is so wayghtye euen Gods owne institution and ordinaunce yea and his cōmaūdemēt also that we shoulde do it And lykewyse seynge the necessite which shoulde cause vs to accomplishe the same is so great specially on our behalfe towardes God to whom we owe a longe Deo gratias and thankes we ought in no wyse to refrayne our selues from it neyther suffer oure selues to be kepte backe there frō but oftymes wyth repētant hertes to seke this our soules medicine cōfort of our cōsciēce beleuinge what Christ sayth to vs herin doing as ●e cōmaūdeth vs ¶ And as for those that seke no suche repentant hertes fayth and comfort herein but lyue in open blasphemy continuynge in synne and wycked lyfe They shall knowe that they are vnworthy of thys holy supper and shal be excomunicate tyll they amende ¶ But to the intent that the vnrepētant may thorow the grace of god be lightened and that we our selues may frutefully enioye this supper to the amēdmēt of our liues also that all Chrystendome generally maye be the beter and be edified Therfore let vs hertelye make our prayer to god the father of al mercye beleuyng assuredly that he wyl graciously here vs thorow our Lord Iesus Christ who cōmaunded vs to praye and promised vs saynge Aske and ye shall haue seke ye shall fynd knocke ▪ and it shalbe opened to you ¶ Wherfore in consideracion of the same conmaundement and promes lyft vp your hertes and saye thus wyth me in youre prayer O Lord god our father in heauē we thy miserable childrē vpon earth beseche the that thou wyll mercifully loke on vs lend vs thy grace ¶ That thy holy name maye be sanctifyed among vs and in all the world thorow the pure and syncere teachynge of thy worde through ernest charite in our daylye lyuynge and oure conuersacion Se●lude thou graciously al fals doctrine and euell lyuinge wherby thy worthi name myght be blasphemed and slaundred ¶ O let thy kyngdome come and be greate All synfull blynd people and suche as are holden captyue of the deuell in hys kyngdome ▪ those bryng thou to the knowledge of the true fayth in Iesus Christe thy sonne ¶ Strength vs Lorde wyth thy spiryte to do and to suffre thy wil both in life and death in well and woo that our wyll maye all waye be broken offred vp and mortified ¶ And geue vs oure dayly bread Preserue vs from couetous desire and carefulnes of the bealy that of the we may be assured to haue abundaunce of al good thynges ¶ Forgeue vs oure trespace as we forgeue them whyche offende vs that oure hert maye haue a sure and glad conscience and that wee neuer feare nor be afrayed for any synne ¶ Leade vs not into tentacyon but helpe vs through thy spirite to subdue the flesh to despise the worlde with his vanities and to ouercome the deuel wyth all hys craftie assaultes And finally delyuer thou vs frō all euell both bodely and gostly temporal eternall Amen ¶ They that ernestly desyre al thys let them say Amē beleuyng without any doubte y ● it is graūted hearde in heauē according as Christ ꝓmised vs saying whē ye pray beleue assuredly y ● ye shal haue it it shal come to passe Amē ¶ Then reherseth he the wordes of the holye supper out of thre Euāgelistes Mathewe Marke and Luke and also out of S. Paule Cor. xi saying THe lorde Iesus the same night wherin he was betrayed toke bread gyuynge thākes brake it sayed Take ye eate this is my body whiche shall be gyuen for you Thys do in the remembraunce of me In lyke maner when supper was done he toke the cuppe also saying This cup is the new testamēt in my bloud As of●e as ye drinke this do it in remembraūc● of me This done the whole churche in maner aboue sayd do syng a psalme or two of thākes gyuing for this blessed Sacramēt And in the meane saeson they y ● are appoynted thē to suppe with the Lorde and come soberly and wyth greate reuerence one after another the men fyrste and then the women to the table of the Lorde where they knelynge one I saye after another receyue at the hande of one of the priest●s the Sacramente in fourme of breade And then goeth he wyth lyke reuerence to the other ende of the table and at the hande of an other of the priestes which stādeth there ready for the same purpose he kn●leth downe and receyueth it also in the fourme of wyne and all the other folowe reuerently and do the same Yf one of the priestes or both be disposed lykewise as thē to suppe with the lorde he kneleth downe his companion ●erueth hym And euen so doth he also to his felowe in lyke maner and reuerence ¶ Yf the cōmunicantes and they that receyue then the Sacramente be many they synge the moe Psalmes of thankes gyuyng elles synge they the fewer ¶ When thys holy supper is done the partakers therof y ● were appointed therto serued one of the ministers stādeth vp exhorteth the people to gyue earnest thankes to God wyth thys or suche a lyke prayer ¶ O almyghty God moste mercifull father thou that openest thy gracious hande wherby al thinges lyuyng haue theyr foode in due season we gyue honoure prayse and thankes vnto the for all thy benefites both gostly and bodely which thou hast rychely poured vpon vs wythout any of our deseruynge but specially we thanke the for thys worthy memoriall of our redemption wherin thou haste nouryshed and fedde our soules with the body and bloud of thy deare sonne our Sauiour Iesus Christ blessed for euer Amen ¶ An other O Lorde Iesu Christe oure redeme● honour and prayse be all waye geuen vnto the for feady●g our soules w t this spiritual and heauenly foode And we besech the for thy tender mertye that as thou hast geuē it vs for a sacramente of continuall thankfulnesse of daylye remembraūce and of charitable vnyte Euēso most merciful sauiour lend vs al way thy grace to be thankful vnto the for it and not onely by it to be continually myndeful of our redēption purchaced thorow thy death bludsheding but also in cōsideraciō therof to increace in loue towarde the and al mankynd for thy sake An other O Lorde God allmyghtye we thanke the wyth all oure hertes that thou hast fed our soules wyth the bodye and bloude of thy moste deare sonne And we

besech the vnfay nedly so to illuminate our mindes wyth thy holye spirite that we maye dailye increace in strenght of faythe to the in assurednesse of hope in thy promyses and feruentnesse of loue towarde the and our neyghbours to the glory and prayse of thy holy name Amen ¶ Thus the priest concludeth and endeth the office of this present misterie and blesseth the peopell rehearsyng these wordes of scripture Numer● .vi. ¶ The Lord blesse you and preserue you the Lorde shewe his face to you and haue mercye on you the Lorde turne his contenaunce vnto you ▪ geue you peace Amen And so they departe ¶ The order taken for the due ministracion of the blessed Sacrament of Baptisme ON the sondaye at one of the clocke after none they haue a sermon of an houre longe wyth lyke ryngyng and singynge of Psalmes afore in theyr mother tonge as they had in the mornynge to the whiche preachynge the people come as thycke as they dyd then And as they signe a Psalme for grace to the holy goost in the mornyng so do they here also and at euerye sermon where or when so euer it be made And lyke as in the mornynge when the sermon is done the preacher exhorteth them to cōfesse theyr synnes wyth hym in theyr hertes and there vpon doth absolue thē by the power of Goddes● worde so dothe he here also in lyke maner and in euery sermon Then synge they a lyke songe of thankesgyuynge as they dyd in the mornyng and as they ●e accustomed to do after euery preachynge ¶ In the meane season whyle thys psalme of thankes gyuyng is songe or ●ls afore the font is prepared the mydwyfe is the●● present with the childe or no mydwifes yf there be no chyldrē to be christened as there be comonly wyth a fayre company of honest sobre women And when the psalme is songe out the ministre beynge theyr ready at the font readeth a lecture of the Bible And when he hath declared it cōpendiously to the edifiynge of the congregacion he exhorteth them that for asmuche as all men are cōceyued and borne in synne and that seynge it is vnpossible for a man to come into the kyngdome of God excepte he be borne a newe and regenerate they wyll shewe and declare theyr Godly ●oue and call vpon God the father thorow Iesus Christ and in his name that he wyll mercifullye baptyse that chylde or those chyldren wyth the holy goste and receyue hym or them to grace ¶ Upō the same exhortacion they make their hertye prayer besechynge God to haue mercye on the chylde and then addeth he thys or suche a lyke peticion in theyr name sayinge ¶ O almyghty God whiche in cōmaundynge vs to praye hast assured vs that we beleuyng stedfastly in thy pro●●es shall haue all that we desyre specially concernynge the soule wherin we seke thy glory wealth of out neyghbours Our humble peticion to the O most deare father is that for asmuche as this chylde is not wythout originall synne thou wylt consyder thyne owne mercy and accordyng to thy promes sende thys chylde thy good spirite that in thy syght it be not cōpted amonge the chyldren of wrath but of lyght grace become a membre of the vndefiled churche spoused to Christ thy deare sonne in fayth and loue vnfayned by the meanes of y ● same Iesus Chirst our Lorde Amen ¶ An other O Almyghty eternall God moste merciful father For asmuche as the iuste lyueth by fayth vnpossible it is any man w tout beliefe to please the we beseche the y ● thou wyl● graūt to this childe the gyfte of fayth wherin thou wylt seale and assure his hert in the holy gost according to the promes of thy sōne that the inward regeneracion of the spirite may be truely represented by the outwarde baptysme and that the childe may be buried with hym in death and be raysed vp by hym frome deathe againe To the prayse of thy glory and edifyinge of hys neghboure Amen ¶ Somtyme also the priest readeth this parcell of the .x. Chapter of S. Markes gospel saieng ANd they brought lytle chyldren to hym that he should touch thē And his disciples rebuked those that broughte them But whan Iesus saw it he was displeased sayed vnto them Suffer litle chyldren to come to me and forbidde them not for of suche is the kingdome of god Uerely I saye vnto you who so euer receaueth not the kyngdome of God as a chyld shal not entre therin And he toke thē vp in his armes put his handes vpon them and blessed them ¶ Then the godfather yf it be a manchilde or the godmother yf it be a womāchilde holding the chylde in his armes commeth and standeth by the prieste who asketh hym on the childes behalfe yf he forsake the deuel al his workes he saith yea and vpon the priestes interrogaciō he cōfesseth his fayth in the face of the church So the priest taketh the childe in his left hāde and w t his righthande he poureth water on his head calling him by his name as he did afore and baptisynge him in the name of the father and of the sonne a●d of the holy gooste ¶ Fynally the ministre committeth the chyldren to the prayers of the congregaciō exhorteth the godfathers and godmothers most ernestly to se that the children be brought vp and instruct in Christen knowledge vertue to the glory of God edifieng of the comen wealth ¶ Then synge they a psalme eyther that concerneth some thankes geuynge to God for his worde or els some necessary peticion And so they depart ¶ Now in lyke maner as thou seist thys blessed sacrament ministred on the sonday euē so wyth lyke reuerence do they vse it at the same houre on those wyke dayes that the congregaciō w t the authoritie of their head rulers hath appointed to that vse And yf the children in y e meane time be in any daūger thē y e mydwifes baptise thē And as the congregacion and multytude of people is greate at the ministracion of holy baptysme on the sōday so is it also on the other appoynted dayes though they be worke dayes Wherby it is to be noted that y e instituciō and ordinaunce of God is in greate reputaciō amonge them for as it is ministred reuerently so is it heard with greate deuocion and feruentnes And though there be alwaye some vnthankefull lyuers ye● the flocke of Christe be euer bringinge forth good fruites folowe the worde of lyfe in theyr cōuersacion ¶ The ordre taken for the due ministracyon of holy wedloke AS toutching Gods holy institucion of mariage thou shalte vnderstande that preuye cōtractes are auoyded asmuche as may be And yonge folkes are so well broughte vp in the feare of God and instructe in the knowledge of his worde that they wel not lightly be entyced to rūne on heade and mary without y ● honest consent of theyr parentes and

I sayd afore that ye wyl hold your hand styl on the plough that ye wyll walke honestly now whyle the mercy of God lendeth you day light Ye know that our Lord sayd The night shal come in the whych no man shalbe able to worke Ye se howe oure aduersarye the deuel goeth aboute lyke a roaryng Lyon sekyng whom he may deuoure Ye se what a nōbre of great men on the one syde haue gyrded theyr sw●rdes aboute them and stande euen in complete harnesse to fyght agaynst the manifest worde of God Yea what swering what blasphemyng of gods name what pryde what excesse what fylthynes of bodye and ydylnesse is vsed practised daylye maynteined in theyr houses Ye se howe they can not abide the hearing of gods worde but blast and blowe agaynste it persecute it as much as in them lyeth On the other side ye se what a nōbre of hypocrites Antichristes false prophetes and flatterrynge chaplens are not onely aboute greate men but euery where in maner roare and crye and stampe agaynst our Lordes doctrine kepe the peoble stil in blynesse and fedde them wyth draffe dregges in stead of Gods word Thyrdly ye se what a nomber here be in the worlde whyche pretendynge to loue Gods worde by theyr outwarde hearyng readyng and talkynge of it lyue cleane contrary agaynste it brynge not forth the worthye frutes of repentaunce are as greate swea●ers as fylthy as ydle as couetous as disceatfull in bargaining as vnapt to al good workes as they were afore they knew the trueth And by this meanes is it come to passe y ● thorow such vnchristē lyuing the good word of god is more supprest thē other thorow y ● crueltye of tyraūtes or flattering lyes of hipocrites All whiche thresortes of enem●es bicause they are not of vs but w tout therfore wyll I haue the lesse to do w t the. But of you dearely beloued I wyll be bolde to exhorte you for the tēder mercy of god y ● in cōsidera●ion of the premesses ye wyl walke godly worthely in this wicked worlde cōtinuing as I truste ye do in stead fastnes of the christē fayth in feruētnes of loue towarde god toward your very enemies for his sake in lokyng assuredly for his promises beyng pacient ioyful in trouble earnest in prayer at al times ready into true obediēce to kepe al good ordre to be e●ercised in al good workes euerye mā according to the state y ● god hath called him vnto As many of you as are called to office comō au●horitie to beare rule or to giue iudgemēt in causes of the comō wealth be diligent in your office Romit xii punish the euyl maynteyne the good .i. Pet .ii. Roma .xiii. Actepte no persone in iudg●ment alowe no false accusa●n shedde no innocent bloude Exod .xxiii. and heare the small as wel as the great D●utr● .i. ¶ As manye of you as are called to the office of preaching folow the apostles coūsayle take hede vnto your selues to all the f●ocke in the which the holy goste hath appointed you to be ouersears to feade the cōgregacion of god c. Act .xx. Fead Christes flocke which is amonge you and take the ouersyghte of them not as though ye were cōpelled but willyngly not for the desyre of fylthy lucre but of a god mynde not as Lordes ouer the paryshes but to be an ensample vnto the flocke .i. P●tri V. To caste alway vngodly olde wyuysh fables to be vnto them y ● beleue an ensāple in theyr worde in cōuersaciō in loue in spirite in fayth in purenesse To gyue attēdaūce vnto readynge to exhortacion to doctrine .i. Timo .iiii. Studye to shew your selues to god laudable workemen which neade not to be ashamed .ii. Timo .ii. All other estates amonge you I hertely exhort require euery one to do theyr duty As subiectes to be obediēt true to theyr princes and higher powers Ro .xiii. i Pet .ii. Tit .iii. Men to loue theyr wiues hertely as they are taught .i. Pet. iii. i. Thessal .iiii. Ephe .v. wyues so to behaue thē selues as it becōmeth womē that professe godlynes thorow good workes .i. Tim .ii. that theyr chaist cōuersaciō may wynne the wicked i. Pet. iii Men to deale gently wyth theyr seruauntes Ephe .vi. Colo .iii. to brynge vp theyr childrē in the nurtoure doctrine of the Lorde Ephe .vi. Deut .iiii. Seruaūtes to be faithful true obediē● to theyr maisters Ephe .vi. Col .iii. i. Pet .ii. that they may do worshyppe to the worde of God in all thinges .i. Tim .vi. Tit .ii. ¶ And yf we thus behaue oure selues euerye one in his calling thē shal it come to passe that euē they which now blaspheme vs as euyl doers shal at last be ashamed of theyr parte cōuert from theyr owne euyl wayes to the true fayth lyuing which is taught in the word of god To whō for his infinite grace and gyftes therof be honour prayse nowe euer Amen FINIS Set forth by Myles Couerdale Non possums que audiuimus et vidimu● non loqui Act● .iii ▪ Act. vii S. August Note Act. xxi No● i. Corhin xi i. Corhin xi● Thesalo v. Note the subtyltie of the deuyll Not y ● visible signes but y ● thynges sign●●d Our infirmitie was cause of y ● sacramēt Note 〈◊〉 what ende the supper was instituted The vse of y ● Sacrament Of our selfe we haue none other thynge but sinne Folowe thys guyde The carnall ate can not see these thynges in this glasse Not y ● naturall substancd as ●●●pysters do fa●●e As we receiue hym so ys he geuē vnto vs. y ● is spiritually The mouthe of the soule y ● receiueth this fode is fayth The substāce of a sacramēt is y ● free mercie ther●n p●●mised It is fayth y ● mouth of the soule that receyueth this body bloud Only the faitheful receiue this substāce Use this commoditie God worketh by his sacramentes as the Geometriciā doth by his de●o●stracion Note what it is to receyue a Sacrament vnworthyly These loode the consciences of men He y ● trusteth not in Christ only hath no parte w t him 〈…〉 The ima●e of repentaunce Discorde destroyethe that concorde hath buylded Beleue dispeare n●t A necessarie prayer So the Diuel would haue it This hypocriis daughter ●o c●re shryfte None hath made of medicine but the sicke Once in aye●e is to lit●e of conscience These be the suggestiōs of the deuill Christ is 〈…〉 health we may not do iuel for a good intent A good thyng can not be to often vsed Sathans olde practiese Euerye pope put to his por●ion Then is the masse the popes sacrifice The Diuels solusion The heareing of the gospell applieth Christes merites vnto vs. Measure al y ● is spoken of y ● sacrament by this sentence Herin resteth y ● whole mattier Let ne what these wordes this is my body do signifi Oxforde and Cambridg be not all voyde of thes doctoures Mar●ians here●●ie Breade and wyne are corruptible Understande this cōiunction aright Yea and that is half marde in y e dressinge The pope seeeth y t Christe ▪ sawe not Thē he spake not to oure pristes And yet must all ●e holie Then is it y ● doctrine that nourisheth The true definicion of the masse Honest ceremonies ar not to be despised Thē ar masse pense loste Lerne to seke Christe Yet by thys was y ● trueth tried out The apostles varyed in some thinges To honoure a creature as God is idolatry Learne here the truth This veritie is the ●remercie promised therin Hys wyll bee doene

is nought els sene but the folyshnes and gestures of players which thinges woulde become a playe muche better then the sacred supper of the lorde No doubt the sacrifices of the olde testament were celebrated with diuers ornamentes ceremonies But bicause they had a good significacion and were all ordeyned to instructe and exersice the people in godlynesse they were far vnlike vnto these which serue for none other purpose at all but that wythout any maner profite they maye occupye and holde suspense the mynd of the people To cōclude because these masse mōgers yf I maye so call them do allege thys example of the olde testamēt for the defence of their ceremonies it shal be good to note what difference is betwen that whyche they do and that whych was by god commaunded to the Iewysshe people For yf I laye for me this one thyng what so euer was then doone was founded on the commaundement of God and that theyr foolyshe tryfles hane none other foundacion than on mans inuencion were not there a great difference But I haue thynges to disproue thē wyth that be moch greater then these be For it was not for naught that the lord prescribed such a forme for a tyme to the intent that at y ● length it should haue an ende and be abrogate No doubt because he had not as then declared hys doctrine so playnly he woulde so moche y ● rather y ● his people shold be exercised in figuers that the thynge whych wanted in that testament myght be repared in the other But sense that Christ apeared in the fleshe loke by howe moche more the doctrine is lyghtened so moch more are the figures diminished Seyng therfore we haue the bodye ▪ we must leaue the shadowes For yf we wyll replenisshe the abolyshed cerimonies we shal patche agayne that vaile ▪ that Christ brake in sonder by his death and so shall we obscure and darken the lyght of the Gospel Thus do we perceyue that this multitude of cerimones whych is sene in the masse is the forme of the Iewyshe law vtterly contrarie to the christiā relygyon I am not of that mind that I would disproue al cerimonies whyche do serue to honestie and a publyke order wherby the more reuerence is geuen to the sacrament so that they do well agree to the purpose and be sober But that immensurable laborynthe maye by no meanes be sufferred for as moche as it hath ingendred infite supersticiōs made the people as it were am●sed wyth out any maner edificacion By thys it may easily be perceyued wherin those vnto whom god hath opened the vnderstandyng of his truthe oughte to deffer from the papistes ▪ First thei shal be out of doubt y ● it is abominable sacreledge to compt y ● masse as a sacrifice wherby remission of synnes may be obtayned other to repu●e y ● priest for a mediatoure whiche may applie the merites of Christes passion vnto thē y ● bye masses or be presēt at y ● doyng of them or do wyth deuocion worshippe them But they shal rather beleue that the death and passion of Christe is the only sacryfice wherby the ire of god is pacified and perpetuall iustice gotē vnto vs. And by sydes these thynges that the lorde Iesus is entered into the celestial sāctuarie that he may there show him selfe for vs and by the vertue of his sacrifice praye for vs. But yet they shal esealy graūt that the fruite of his death is communicate vnto vs in the supper not bi the merite of the worke but for the promesses that are made vnto vs therin so that we imbrace them wyth fa●th Forthermore they ought in no case to graunte that the bread is transsubstanciated as they say into the bodye of Chryst or the wyne into bloud but they must in that thyng constantly beleue that the visible sygnes do retayne his substaunce that hey may represent vnto vs that spiritual veritie wherof I haue spoken before Thyrdlye ▪ although they ought to be surely persuaded w t themselues that the lorde doth in veri dede geue the same thyng that he doth represent and so that wee do vnfaynedlye receyue the bodye and bloude of Christe yet shal they not seke if as included vnder y ● breade or fastned as they say locally vnto the visible sygne moche lesse oughte they to hono●re the sacrament but to stretch vp the minde into heauē that they may there receyue and honour Christe Hense shal it come to passe that they shall dispice and condemne for ydolatrye all those supersticiouse cerimonies as well of the carying forth of the sacramēt in pōpe ꝓcessiōs as of the buyldyng vp of those tabernacles wherin it is set forth to be honoured For the promesses of the lorde stretch no farther then to y ● vse whych he cōmitted vnto vs. Forthermore they shal iudge the instituciō of the lorde to beviolated and broken in that the people is robbed of the one parte of the sacrament and that it is necessarie that bothe partes be wholy dystributed yf it shoulde be obserued aryght In fyne they shal suppose that it is not onely superfluouse but also dayngerouse and that it becometh not the chrystian religyon to vse so many cerimonies takē of the Iewes more thā the symplicitie wherin the apostles instructed vs. They shal also iudge that it is euen of an vngodly frowardnesse so to celebrate the supper with gestures ▪ and maskers mouinges that no doctrine at al may there be herde but is rather buryed as though it were a certeyne kind of magycall arte To conclude at the laste wee must now come to the last of the chiefe partes That is to saye to that contencion whyche in oure tyme is steared in this matter whiche for as much as no doubt it was of the deuils stearyng vpon to let or rather to breake the course of the Gospell I woulde wyshe it to be forgoten for euer much lesse can I be delyted in the rehersynge of the same But bycause I do perceyue very many godly myndes which know not whyther to turne them selues I wyll briefely say the thyng that I shall thynke necessarye to declare howe they maye delyuer them selues Fyrste I desyre and beseche al faythfull persones euen for the names sake of the lyuynge God that they be not greatly offended bicause thys controuersy is moued amonge them that were the chiefe capiteynes in restorynge and brynging in agayne of the doctrine of the gospel For it is no new thinge for the lorde to suffer his seruaūtes to be ignorant in some thinges and suffer them to contende amonge them selues not that he woulde suffer them to erre continuallye but for a tyme to the intente he myght make them more humble And no doubt yf all thynges had chaunced prosperoussye to thys daye and had flowed accordynge to oure wyll perchaunce men woulde haue forgotten them selues other els the mercy of god shoulde not haue ben so

muche knowen as it ought to be And therfore the lordes wyll was to take awaye from men aloccasyon of gloriynge that glory myght be gyuen vnto hym onely Forthermore yf we consyder wyth howe greate darkenesse the worlde was beset when they whiche moued this controuersy beganne to leade vs backe againe to the light of the veritie in dede we wyll merueyle nothynge at all though they knewe no● all thynges euen from the begynnynge It is rather a notable miracle of god that they in so litle space of time were so illumined that they them selues myghte escape leade other out of that synke of errours wherin we had ben so longe tyme drowned But there is no better waye then to reherse the matter it selfe euen as it was done For therby it shal apeare that there is not so much matter of offence in thys behalfe as is cōmonlye supposed to be When Luther beganne to teache he handeled the matter of the supper so that as concernynge the corporall presence of Christe he seamed to leaue it suche as all men dyd then conceyue For condemnynge transsubstanciaon he sayed that the breade was the bodye of Christe bycause it was ioyned togyther wyth hym Besydes thys he added certeyne harde and grosse similitudes But that he dyd by cōpulsion bycause he coulde not otherwyse declare his mynde For it is an harde thynge to expounde so harde a matter and not to vse some thynges not all of the fittest for the purpose After this dyd zuinglius and Ecolampadius begynne to growe Whyche when they consydered the gyle and disceyt that the deuyll bad brought in inestablishing that carnall presence whyche had ben taught and beleued v● hundreth yeres before they supposed it wyckednesse to dissemble a matter of so greate importaunce And chiefely bycause there was annxed vnto thys erro●te an e●ecrable ydolatrye that Christe shoulde be worshypped as included vnder a piece of breade But bycause it was verye harde to pull backe thys opinion whiche had ben longe deaplie roted in the hertes of men they applyed all the force of there wytte to impugne the same teachynge that it was a most grose and absurde ●rroure not to acknowledge those thinges whiche be throughout the whole scripture testified of the ascencion of Chryste That he in the nature of man is receiued in to heauē and that he shal tari● there vntyll he descende to iudge the world But whylse they were very moche bente vnto this purpose they omited to declare what presence of Chryste in the supper we ought to beleue what communiō of his body and bloud is ther receiued In so moch y ● Luther suposed thē willing to leaue nought else but y ● bare signes voyde of y ● spiritual substāce And therfor he began to resyst opēly in so moch y ● he declared thē worthy to be cōpted for heretikes And after the cōtēciō wared ones hotte in ꝓgresse of tyme it was so increased inflamed y ● it was to fiersely stered to fro about a ●v yers to gether duringe whiche tyme neyther partie would w t indifferēt and quyete mynde here other For althoughe they did once conferre betwene thē selues yet was there so great ali●nacion of myndes y ● they departed the purpose not brought to passe For when they shoulde haue come to some cōcorde they recoyled more and more myndyng nought els but to defende theyr opinion and to confute the contrary we perceyue therfore in what thing Luther erred and also wherin zinglius and Ecolampadius dyd erre It was Luthers duetie at the beginnyng to admonish that it was not his purpose to stablyshe suche a locall presence as the papistes do dreame Also to proteste y ● he soughte not in thys place to haue the Sacrament honoured as God Thyrdlye to absteyne from those rude similitudes most hard to be vnderstanded or els to vse them moderatlye and to interprete them so that they myghte not haue ben cause of any offence To conclude sence that contention was moued he passed al measure both in declarynge his opinion and also in rebukynge other wyth to much● rigoure of wordes For whē he should haue expoūded his mynde so that it myght haue ben receyued accordynge to his accustomed vehemency to the intent to impugne them that helde the contrarye he vsed incredible fourmes of speakynge whiche coulde not well be suffered of them whose mindes were but sklenderly appoynted to gyue credence to him The other also offended in that they did sticke so styefely in the impugnynge of that supersticiouse and fantasticall opinion of the papistes as concernyng the placely presence and the adoratiō that folowed thereof employinge their diligence to the rooting out of vices rather thē to the establishing of y ● thing which was profitable to be knowē For notwythstanding that they denyed not the veritie yet dyd not they teache it openly as was beseamyng This do I vnderstande that whylse they gaue them selues studiouslye and diligentlye to affirme that the bread and wy●e were called the body bloud of Christ bicause they be y e signes therof they thought not that they ought in the meane time to do this thinge also to adde to that they are the signes after such sorte that the veritie is neuerthelesse ioyned vnto thē Neyther dyd they declare y ● they wente not about to deface the true cōmunion which the lorde gyueth vs in his body bloud Of truth neyther of them was vnworthy blame for as muche as they dyd not susteyne to here one an other that all affection layed aparte they myght folowe the veritie on which syde so euer it shoulde appeare But yet ought not we therefore to lette passe oure duetie towardes them least we forget the mercyes and benefytes whiche God gaue vnto them and distributed vnto vs by their hādes For onlesse we be vnthankefull and vnmyndeful of those thynges which we owe vnto them absteyning from all reproche and euyll report we shall easyly forgeue these and moche greater thynges To conclude seyng that we knowe they were both of Godly conuersacion and excellent doctrine and that they also whiche at this daye be on lyue be no lesse we oughte neyther to speake nor iudge of them otherwyse thē with greate modestie and reuerence And chieflye because it hath pleased oure lorde God so that after he had by this meanes instructed them to humilitie he made an ende of thys vnlucky contencion or at the leste qualifyed it for the tyme so that in the meane seasō it myght be fynished This haue I spoken because ther is as yet no order published wherin that concorde is appoynted whiche thynge were verye nessarie But thys thynge shall be when God wyll that all they whyche shoulde set an order in these thynges do agre in one In the meane tyme thys ought to suffice you that there be a brotherlye frenshyppe and con●unction betwene the congregacion as belongeth to the Christian communion Wyth one voyce