brittle vessels Of our selues we be crabbe trees that can bryng furth no Aples we be of our selues of such earth as can bryng furth but weedes nettels brambles bryers cocle and darnell Our fruytes 〈◊〉 declared in the fyfte chapter to the Galathians We haue neitherfayth Charitie hope pacience chastitie nor any thinge els that good is but of God and therefore these vertues be called there the fruytes of the holy ghoste and not the frutes of man Let vs therefore acknowledge our selues before God as we be in dede miserable and wretched synners And let vs earnestly repent and humble oure selues hartely to cry to God for mercye Lette vs all confesse wyth mouth and harte that we be full of imperfections Let vs knowe our owne workes of what imperfection they be and then we shall not stande folyshly and arrogantly in our owne conceytes For truely ther is imperfections in our best 〈◊〉 we doo not loue God so muche as we are bounde to doo with all our harte mynde and power we doo not feare God so muche as we ought to doo we doo not pray to God but wyth great and many imperfections We geue forgeue beleue loue and hope vnper fectlye we speake thinke and doo vnperfectly we fyght agaynst the deuyll the worlde and the fleshe vnperfectly Let vs therefore not be ashamed to cō fesse playnely oure 〈◊〉 of imperfection yea let vs not be ashamed to confesse imperfection euen in al our workes Let none of vs be ashamed to sai with holy S Peter I am a synfull man Let vs all saye with the holy prophete Dauid We haue sin ned with our fathers we haue done amisse and dealt wyckedlye Let vs all make confession with the prodigall sonne to oure father and say with hym We haue synned agaynst heauē and be fore thee O father we are not worthy to be called thy sonnes Lette vs all saye wyth holye Baruche O lord our God to vs is worthely ascribed shame and confusion and to the righteousnes We haue sinned we haue don wicked ly we haue behaued our selues vngodly in all thy rightousnes Let vs al saye with the holy prophet Danyell O Lorde rightuousnes belongeth to thee vnto vs beldngeth cōfusion We haue synned we haue bene naugh tie we haue offended we haue fled frō the wee haue gone backe from all thy precepts and iudgementes So we learne of al good men in holy scripture to humble our selues and to exalte extoll prayse magnifye and glorifye God Thus ye haue hearde howe euill we be of our selus how of our selues by our selues we haue no good nes helpe nor saluation but contrary wyse synne dampnation and deathe euerlastynge whyche yf wee depely weyghe and consyder we shall the bet ter vnderstande the great mercy of God and how our saluation commeth onely b y Chyst for in our selues as of our selues we fynde nothyng whereby we may be delyuered from this miserable capti uitie into 〈◊〉 whyche we were cast throughe the enuye of the deuyll by transgression of Godes commaundement in our fyrst parente Adam We are al become vncleane but we al of our selues are not hable to clēse our selues nor to make one an other of vs cleane We are by nature the chyldren of Gods wrathe we are not hable of oure selues to make vs the chyldren and inheritours of Gods glorye We are shepe that 〈◊〉 astray we cānot without goddes grace and helpe come agayne to the shepefolde so greate is our imperfection and weakenes In our selues therefore maye not we glorye which of oure selues are nothyng but synnefull neyther maye we bragge of oure workes that we doo whyche all be so vnperfecte and vnpure that they are not of them selues hable to stande before the ryghteous throne of GOD as the holye Prophete Dauyd sayeth Enter not into iudgemente wyth thy seruaunte O Lorde for no man that lyuethe shal be founde ryghtuous in thy syghte To God therefore must wee stye or els shall we neuer fynde peace rest and quyetnes of conscience in oure hartes For he is the father of mercyes and God of all consolation he is the Lorde with whom is plen teouse redemption He is the God whiche of hys owne mercy saueth vs and setteth oute his charitie and exceading loue towards vs in that of his owne voluntary goodnes when we were peryshed he saued vs and prouyded an euerlastyuge kyngedome for vs. And all these heauenly treasures are giuē vs of hys mere mercy freelye And for whose sake Trulye for Iesus Christes sake that pure and 〈◊〉 Lambe of God He is that dearely beloued sonne for whose sake God is fullye pacifyed satisfyed and set at one with man He is the Lambe of God whyche taketh awaye the synnes of the worlde of whome it maye be truely spoken that he dyd all thinges wel and in his mouthe was founde no crafte nor subtyltye Lykewyse he maye saye the prynce of the worlde came and in me hath nothinge He maye saye also which of you shall reproue me of anye faulte He is that hyghe and euerlastynge preiste whyche hathe offered him selfe to God whē he instituted the sacrament of the Aultar and once for all in a bloudye sacryfyce doone vpon the crosse with which oblatyon he hath made perfecte for euermore theym that are sanctified He is the mediatoure betwene God and man which payed our raunsome to God wyth hys owne bloude and wyth that hathe clensed vs from synne He is the Phisition whych healeth all our dyseases He is that sauioure whiche saueth the people from all theyr synnes To be short he is that flowing and most plenteous fountayne of whose fulnes all we haue receyued For in him are all the tresures of the wysedome and knowledge of God hydden And in hym and by him haue we from God the father al good thinges perteyning eyther to the bodye or to the soule O howe much then are we bounde to this oure heauenlye father for these his greate mercyes whiche he hath so plenteouslye declared vnto vs in Chryst Iesu oure Lorde and sauiourer What thankes worthy and sufficiente can we giue to him Let vs all wyth one accord burst oute wyth ioyfull voices euer praysynge and magnifying this Lord of mercy for hys tender kindenes shewed to vs in his dearelye beloued sonne Iesus Chryst our Lord. Let vs nowe iearne to knowe our selues our frailtie and weakenes withoute anye ostentation or vnastynge of our owne good dedes and merytes Let vs also knowledge the exceadynge mercye of God towarde vs and confesse that as of our selues commeth all euyll and dampnation so lykewyse of hym commeth all goodnes and saluation as God hym selfe saith by the Prophet Oze O Israel thy destruction commeth of thy selfe but in me onely is thy helpe and comforte If wee thus humbly submytte our selues in the sight of God we may be sure that in the time of his visitatyō he wil 〈◊〉 vs vp into the kyngedome of his derely beloued
the holye Martyr Cypryan who in his v sermon entytuled de lapsis sayth thus Nec cesset in agenda poenitentia atque in domini misericordia 〈◊〉 canda 〈◊〉 quod minus esse in qualitate delicti uidetur in neglecta satisfactis one cumuleter which is Let not the synner cease in doing penaunce and callynge for the mercye of God least that whiche in the qualitye of the faulte it selfe doth seme to be lytle shoulde be accummulated or made greater in the neglectinge satisfaction Wherevpon he concludethe a generall lesson of all men easelye to be borne awaye in these wordes Confiteantur singuli quaeso uos sratres delictum suum dum adhuc qui deliquit in seculo est dum 〈◊〉 confessio eius potest dum satisfactio remissio facta per saccrdotes apud dominum grata est That is to saye I besech you brethren let euerye man make confession of his faulte whyle he that hath offended is yet here in this worlde and while his confession maye be admytted and while the satisfaction and remission gyuen by the preist is acceptable before GOD. 〈◊〉 he sayeth further Let vs conuerte vnto God with al oure mynd and expressyng our penaunce with true sorowes lamentynges for our synnes lette vs call for the mercye of God In which two breyfe sentences of this mooste excellent and famous Martyr ye do se comprised and conteyned the hole and penitente conuersation of man to God by contrition Confession satisfactyon which thre poyntes or partes must of necessitie be in the doer of true Penaunce so it is required of the said penitent as we before haue proued And the sacrament of Penaunce it selfe being the absolution pronoū ced by the preist vpō such true penitentes in the said sētēce of S. Cipriā is likewise comprehended ¶ Of the Sacrament of the Aultare wythe Thexposition or declaration thereof HAVINGE 〈◊〉 spoken of three notable Sacramentes instituted by Chryst and alwayes solempnely vsed in his catholike Churche it is to wit of Baptisme Confirmation and Penaunce hauing also fyrst entreated of the Sacramente of Baptisme whereby we haue a spirytual regeneration hauyng consequently and secondly spoken of the Sacramente of Confyrmation commonly succeding Baptisme and gyuing vnto vs a spirituall augmentyng and incresse of grace boldely to mayntayne and defende the professyon of oure fayth made at the tyme of our Baptisme and hauing thyrdely set forth the sacrament of Penaunce which purgeth and clenseth vs fallynge by synne 〈◊〉 oure baptysme and confirmation Mete and conueniente it shall nowe be that we do intreate of that excellent spirituall fode and noryshement whiche in the sayde catholyke churche is mynistred and gyuen vnto vs being so baptyzed confyrmed and pourged And because in the sacrament of the Aultar there is that excellent spirituall fode and true nonryshmēt that passeth all other it is to witte the most precious body and bloude of oure sauioure Jesus Christ there fore as was promysed in the preface of this boke here nowe shal be intreated of that moste excellente sacrament of the Aultare And in dede ryght conuenient mete it shal be to entreate diligently and fully of thys sacrament in asmuche as it bothe in worthynes and dignifie doeth greatly surmounte and passe al the other Sacramentes of the Churche as also for that of late yeres it hath most of all other bene assaulted and impugned and yet of no good manne but of the wretched sort alone And to begyn thys order in some respecte maye herein be thought conuenient fyrst to declare the institution of thys sacrament Seconde to set forth the vse of it And thyrdely to declare the notable or rather the vnspeakeable fruyte thereof And as concernyng the syrste thys emongest other is cheifelye to be mar ked that after oure Sauyoure IESVS CHRISTE had accordynge to the ryte and vsage of the olde lawe eaten with hys twelue Apostles the fyguratiue or tipical pascal lambe beinge risen frō 〈◊〉 had was shed his disciples fete he sittyng downe agayne dyd take bread into hys blessed handes giuing thākes dyd breake it and gaue it to hys Dyscyples sayinge Take and eate thys is my Bodye whyche shal be geuen or deliuered for you Lykewyse He toke the cuppe and gaue thankes gaue it vnto them saying Drinke ye al of this for thys is my bloude of the newe testamente whiche shal be shed for many to the remission of theyr synnes Do this in the remembrance of me These wordes being spokē by the mouthe of the sonne of Gob who is equall in Godheade wyth the father and the holye ghoste and testifyed also by hys holye Euaugelistes ouer and besydes the faythefull continual testimonye of Chrystes espouse the Catholyke church who is he that can with any good grūd of Scripture or lawefull aucthoritie saye but that whyche Chryste gaue to hys Apostles at the maundye was Christes very bodye and bloude yea that selfe same bodye and bloude whych was geuen and shed vpon the crosse the next day for them and al mākynde The veritie of whych Article the Catholyke Churche being ruled and gouerned by the holy ghost hath alwayes most constātly beleued and taughte declaring that in this sacrament of the Aultar there is by the omnipotencye of God and the vertue and force of hys word the very body and bloude of oure Sauiour Christ reallye truelye substantiallye and in dede AGREBLYE wherevnto that blessed instramente of God Saynt Paule beyng instructed by a secreat reuelation from God of the truth of thys his mistery and speakynge of thys most blessed sacrament dothe in the eleuenth chapiter of hys fyrste Epistle to the Cyrynthyans saye in thys maner Ego enim accepi ao domino quod et 〈◊〉 uobis Quoniam dominus Iesus in qua 〈◊〉 trade datur accepit panem et gratias agens fregit et dixit Accipite et manducate hoc est corpus meum quod pro nobis credetur hoc facite in meam 〈◊〉 similiter et calicem post quam caenauit dicens hic calix nenum testa mentum est in meo sanguine hoc facite quotie scunque biberitis in meam commemorationem That is to saye I in dede haue taken or receued of oure Lorde that whiche I haue deliuered vnto you that is to say That our Lorde Jesus in that nyght in which he was betrayed did take breade and geuing thankes dyd breake it and sayde Take ye and eate this is my body whiche shal be geuen or delyuered for you Do you this in my remembraunce Like wise also he did take the cup after he had supped sayinge This Cuppe is the newe Testamente in my bloude do you thys as often as ye shall drinke of it in my remembraunce Besides these moste playne wordes aswell of oure Sauioure hym selfe at the institution of thys sacramente as of S. Paule also in the wryttynge of hys sayde secret reuelation whych alone myght suffice to content and certifye any godly heart herein
malum Quia etiam hoc meritum sibi quisque cum in corpore uiueret comparas uit ut ei possint ist a 〈◊〉 non 〈◊〉 omnibus prosunt Et quare 〈◊〉 omnibus prosunt Nisipropter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quam quisque gessit in corpore Cum ergo 〈◊〉 altaris siue quarumcunque 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 defāctis 〈◊〉 offerantur pro non ualde bonis gratiarum actiones sunt pro non ualde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sunt pro 〈◊〉 malis si nulla sunt adiumenta 〈◊〉 qualesc unque uiuorum consolationes sunt That is to saye And it is not to be denyed that the soules of the deade through the deuotyon of theyr frendes beinge yet aliue are relieued or eased whan as for them eyther the sacrysyce of oure mediatoure is offered vppe or almes is geuen in the churche But these thynges are auayleable to suche as in theyr lyfe tyme dyd deserue that the same myghte doo them good For there is a certen maner of life and conuersation neyther so good or perfytte that it requireth or nedeth not these thynges after death nor yet so badde that after the departinge out of this 〈◊〉 lyfe it maye not thereby haue profytte and commoditie But there is suche state of life in the good man that it requireth not such thinges And again in the extreme wicked man suche as the state of his lyfe that whan he goeth oute of thys world he can not by anye deuotion of the lyuinge be holpen Wherefore here in thys lyfe all deserte or merite is purchased Wherebye a man after thys lyfe maye either be relyeued or greued And let no man hope that he can after his decease obteine of God that thynge which he here hath neglected And therefore these suffrages which the churche dothe vse or frequent for the deade to be receaued into more fauor or mercy with god are nothynge contrary to that saying of the Apostle saynte Paule where he sayeth For all we shal stand before the iudgement seate of Chryst that eue ry oue of vs may receaue accordynge to the dedes which he him selfe heare in bodye dyd eyther good or euyll Because euerye manne whyle he liued in the bodye dyd procure to him selfe this merite also it is to wytte that these suffrages may be profitable vnto hym For vndoutedly these thinges are not auailable to al men and whye is that But by reason of the difference in the life and conuersation of eueryche man whiche he dyd vse while he here liued on the earthe wherefore when the sacrifices either of the aultar or of any maner of almes are offered for all Chrysten soules departed the sayde sacrifices for very good mē departed are thankes geuings and for suche as deceased beinge not verie euill they are propritiations and finallie for the wicked or verye euill thoughe they are no helpes to them being deade yet they are to them which are aliue some kinde of comfortes And nowe forasmuch as we haue thus fully plainly by sufficient aucthorities declared that the sacryfyce of the masse or as saynt Augustyne in his foresayde proces doth call it the sacrifyce of the Aultare is a uayleable for the deade no man oughte or can doute but that the same is also auayleable to men yet liuing which with fayth and deuotion moste humblye praye almyghty god especiaily in the tyme of thys sacrifyce to applye vnto them by Chryste that remission and 〈◊〉 whiche was purchased and deserued by hys passion before And yet as we haue in all other the formar poyntes concernynge the sacramente of the 〈◊〉 so wyll we heare also alledge some plaine and pythy testimonyes for the confirmation of this parte And fyrste you shall call to youre remembrannce the saying of the Prophete Malachy whiche is here before in thys processe alledged for the profe of thys sacryfyce and note that forasmuch as god therein doth say that the sacrifyces of the olde lawe should cease gyue place to thys pure and cleane sacryfyce whych is offered vp to hym throughoute the hole worlde as to a most excellent and most acceptable sacryfyce in hys syghte therefore all those sondrye commodytyes whyche are in Moyses lawe reckened to haue come vnto the Jewes by the sayde sacrifices of the old lawe must nowe muche more plentifullye and fruitefullye come vnto vs chrysten men by the meaue of thys soo singuler a sacrifice so that we be worthy to enioy the effecte and fruite thereof Ye shall secondly also cal to your remembraunce the place of Saynte Paule in hys fyrst epystle to Tymothie and the seconde chapyter before of vs alledged with the exposition of S. Augustyne vpon the same place in whych hys exposition he noteth vnto vs the foure partes of the masse and those to be doue accordynge to Saynt Paules mynde there Pro omnibus hominibus pro re gibus et omnibus qui in sublimitate constituti sunt ut quietam et tranquillam uitam agamus in oms ni pietate et castitate c. That is to saye For al men for Kynges for all whyche are in hyghe aucthoritie to the intente that we maye leade a quyet and peaseable lyfe in all godlynes and honestye And accordyng herevnto Saynt Basyll be yng aboue an eleuen hundred yeare ago in his masse setteth fourth as vsed in the Churche at hys tyme thys prayer folowing Da domine ut pro nostris 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 populi ignorantijs acceptum sit sacrificium nostrum That is to say Graunte o lorde that for oursynnes and the ignorances of the people thys sacrifyce maye be accepted of the. And the lyke hath Saynt Chrysostome also in his masse with 〈◊〉 Saynt Augu styne fully agreing doth in very many places make mention of thys sacryfyce in the fruyte thereof but mooste notable in the eyght chapyter of hys 22 boke De ciuitate dei But nowe to come to speake of that fruite whych the worthy receauer of this sacrament enioyeth three or foure wordes may in thys behalfe suffyce partelye for that neuer any chrysten man to thys day yet ther of dyd doute and partely for that the scrypture moste playnely in the vi of Ihon doth saye Qui manducat me ipse uiuit propter me That is to saye He that eatethe me meanyng of the worthy receyuynge of the sacrament as the processe there declareth he shall also liue throughe me And what greater proffytte ioy comforte or blysse can come to anye man then to lyue through Chryst which is asmuch to saye as bothe in thys worlde to be a lyuelye member of Chryste and 〈◊〉 the lyfe to come to be coherytoure with him in the kyngdome of heauen Accordyng wherevnto Saint Cyryll in his 4 booke and xvii chapyter vpon Jhon sayeth Nos uero si uitam eternam consequi uolumus si largitorè immortalitatis habere in nobis desideramus ad recipiendam benedictionem libenter concurramus That is to soye 〈◊〉 we wil obteine euerlastyng life yf we desire to haue within vs immortalitie let vs
hath bene spoken and shewed vnto you yet neuerthelesse for the more euydente and playne vnderstandynge hereof ye shall knowe that diuerse wayes one dothe abuse and vnryghtly take the name of God and so doth trangresse this commaundement And fyrst all suche do it who eyther with fayre wordes and flattering intisements or for payne tormente or other meanes beinge ouercome do denye the true God or Chryste oure Lord or hys true holye and catholyke faythe vnto whome Christe in the tenthe of Mathewe gyuyth thretning after this maner Qui me 〈◊〉 coram hominibus negabo et ego 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 patre meo That is to saye Who shal deny me before men I wyll denye also hym before my father And it shall not be taken for a good excuse yf they saye that in harte they dyd not so denye thoughe by mouthe or outward acte they dyd it so in dede for wrytten it is as before is sayde Corde creditur ad iustitiam ore dutem confessiofit ad salutem 〈◊〉 10 And that vngodlye by saying Iurata lingua est animns iniuratus That is to saye My toung is sworne but my harte or mynde is vnsworne is caste oute of doores and dyssalowed abhorred and reiected of all true and catholyke people Soo that herein Salomon most greuouslye offended who for the sake and loue of his wyfe dyd boylde a temple to the Idol Moab and also to Moloche the Idoll of the 〈◊〉 of Aminon And secondly agaynst this commaundemente doo offend alsuch as do beare and wil haue the name of Chrysten men and yet in theyr manners lyfe and conuersatyon doo all thynges contrarye to a Chrysten mans professyon For whych cause as saynt Paule Ro. 2 dothe saye the name of God is blasphemed amongeste the 〈◊〉 for the Chrysten men doo saye that they doo knowe God aud yet in theyr doynges they doo denye hym Tit. 1 〈◊〉 they transgresse thys commaundement who 〈◊〉 seke one ly theyr owne honoure and glorye in theyr doynges and gyue not god the prayse and honour but ascribe onelye to them selues the goodnes glorye and wysedome Of whome the Psalmistc in the. 48. Psalme sayeth 〈◊〉 nominasua in 〈◊〉 suis That is to saye They haue called or pute theyr owne names 〈◊〉 their landes Fourthly althey do breake this commaundement that doo not thankefullye acknow ledge the goodnes bountifulnes and mercye of God or call not vpon his name as they oughte to do bothe in prosperitie and aduersitie Fyftely 〈◊〉 such as throu ghe theyr unpacience do curse and 〈◊〉 them selues or almyghty God which thynge speciallye amongest hasarders and dyceplaers is frequented and vsed Al suche the scryptur in the. 24. of Leuiticus adiudgeth to death Syxtely all they that do vse to betake them selues to the diuii as commonly dyuerse doo in their talke or doo wyshe vnto themselfe a 〈◊〉 at theyr harte and that they neuer maye come in heauen or other suche lyke terrible thynges yf it be not soo or so as they saye they doo greatlye abuse and mystake the name of God Seuenthly all they whych do disho neste or dyshonor the name of God eyther their owne selues doynge it or elles not agayne sayinge and rebu kynge other the doers The commen flatterers also whych frame theyr toungue to talke as lykethe theyr lordes and Maysters thoughe it be in verye balsphemy and horrible vyce Preachers also suche as onely be men pleaseres and doo omytte to tell the people theyr faultes such also as beyng not lawefully called and sent do thruste them selues in to preach the word of God yea and they whyche wraste and mangle the scrypture with vntrue and vncatholike expositions They also that do deryde the holye mysteryes and sacramentes of Chryste And briefely al they that ether doo thynke or teache otherwyse then the Catholyke churche beynge decyued by succession from the Apostles vnto our tyme hathe thoughte and taughte or ells vnder the pretense of preachyng Goddes worde do in theyr sermons and collations sowe dyssensyon tumultes and rebellion especially agaynste theyr gouernours do greuously abuse the name of God and therefore worthy of greate punyshmente The like pu nishmeut or rather greater the periured persones are worthy to haue and they also moste offendynge and worthye muche punyshmente who in theyr common take by an vngodly vsage and leude custome doo at euery other worde swere eyther by god or his deathe or other such lyke greatly blaspheming the name of god And who so lyst to haue this matter of swering fulli lernedly examined dyscussed and declared Lette hym repare to the chapyter Et si Christus de iureiurando ther at length he shall fynde howe the sayinge of Chryste Mathew v and the saying of Saynt Iames cap. v. wyth other places that seme to forbydde swearinge maye stande with other places of Scrpture that do suffer and allowe the gyuynge of othes They fynallye do offend and that very greuouse lye agaynste thys commaundemente who do breake theyr vowes made to almyghty God For it is wrytten in the xxiii chapyter of Deuternomye after thys maner Whan thou haste made a vowe vnto thy lorde God thou shalte not slacke or make delaye to perfourme or paye it And in the fyfte of Ecclesiasticus it is wrytten thus Multo melius est non uouere quam post autem promissa non reddere That is to say It is great deale better not to make a vowe then after the vowe made not to accomplishe or do the thynges promysed And because amongest other thynges whych christen men doo vowe to God one is chastitie you shall knowe concernynge the same that from the very beginnynge of Christes churche suche kynd of vowe was taken iudged and estemed for lawefull honest and godly and that not onelye by the determination of man but cheifely also by the determination of our Sauyoure Chryste hym selfe as appeareth in the .xix. chapyter of Saynte Mathewe And therfore they whyche of late contrary to theyr vowes dyd take women vnto them vnder the name and coloure of Matrymonye haue greuously 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 offended almyghtye God as appearethe i. Tymoth v. where it is written Adolos centiores autem uiduas deuitd cum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Christo nubere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 damnationem 〈◊〉 primam fidem 〈◊〉 secerunt That is o saye The younger wydowes doo thou refuse for when they haue played the harlottes agaynste Chyste they wyll then marrye hauynge damnatyon because they haue frustrated or broken theyr fyrste faythe or promyse And here to conclude vpon thys commaundemente ye shall note that the Hebrues or Iewes to expresse and signifye the ineffable and wonderfull maiestie of GOD and his mooste hygh and euerlastynge domination and power do vse gyue dyuerse names therevnto with whyche beyng translated into Englyshe we do vse to name and cal God sometymes saying the God of vertues sometymes the Lorde of hostes sometymes almyghtye sometymes the maker of heauen and earth sometymes the kynge of glorye sometymes the kynge of kynges somtymes
is manyfest and sheweth hys godheade hys dyuyne maiestye power glorye ioye and blysse eternall whyche he hath promysed to geue as a rewarde to al suche as doo perseuer in hys fayth and obedience accordynge as he sayeth Math. v. Merces uestra multa est in coelis That is to saye Youre rewarde is greate in heauen And here doo you marke that these wordes whych arte in heauen are so placed and set furth to styrre vp our heartes to God and to cause in vs an inward desyre and a greate care and studye to come to the place where our heauenly father is yea and muche to couete hys syghte and presence For lyke as a louyng chylde is euer desyrous to be where hys father is euen so oughte we euer to desyre to be wyth oure heauenlye father and to endeuoure our selues that our conuersation be al wythdrawen frō the worlde the fleshe and the deuyll and be set vpon heauen and heauenlye thynges as S. Paule teacheth Phil. iii. And therefore we shoulde contynuallye wayle and lament because we be not wyth oure heauenlye father saying with the prophet Psal. cxix wofull am I that my dwellynge vpon the earth is soo muche prolonged And by these wordes shoulde there be engendred in vs a stronge hope of eternall glorye And howe can we fayle thereof yf we wyll seynge oure heauenlye father hathe bothe the wyll and also the power to perfourme it Hys wyll we clearelye vnderstande in asmuche as he made hym selfe to be oure father hys power is well knowen for that he is a God of power and glorye and maker and preseruer of Heauen Earthe and of all that in them is And here shall you further note that these wordes Our father whych art in heauen are put lyke a prologue before all the seuen petitions yea and euery one of them may haue prefixed before them the same prologue declaryng playnely that no man can saye thys prayer truely and duelye that no pleasure of god and hys owne meryte excepte he haue fayth hope and Charytye for wythout faythe nor can say truelye O father and wy thoute charytye to hys neyghbour no man cane say truelye and meritoriouslye Oure father and wythout hope no man can saye truelye Whyche arte in hauen doo thou remyt vs our synnes And in these wordes Halowed be thy name it is to be noted that by the name of God is vnderstande God hym selfe the power of God the myght the maiestye the glory the wysedome the prouidence the mercye and goodnes of God and all such other good thynges as in scrypture be attribute vnto God And thys name is halowed when it is praysed gloryfyed sette furthe honoured and magnyfied of vs bothe in woorde and dede And where in thys petytyon we praye that hys name maye be hallowed it is not to be taken or thoughte that thys name of God whyche in it selfe is euermore moste holy most glorious most merueylouse and full of maiestye can be eyther aduaunced or dymynished by vs or any thyng that we can doo but we desyre here that thys moste holye name maye accordynge as it is in it selfe moste holy be so taken vsed honoured and halowed of vs and of all others as well heathen as chrystened lyke as on the contrary parte thys name is sayde to be polluted and defyled when we doo eyther in worde or in deede contumelyouslye and contemptuouslye or otherwyse dyshonor the same We desyre therefore in thys petytion that all false faythe by the whyche men eyther mystrust god or put theyr confidence in anye othere thyng more then in hym may be destroyed And that all wytche craftes and false charmes coniurations by the whyche Sathan and other creatures be inchaunted maye cease and geue place to goddes holy name and so lykewyse that all heresyes and false doctrynes maye vanyshe awaye so that goddes holy worde may be truely interpreted and purely taught and sette furth vnto al the worlde and that all infydels maye receyue the same and be conuerted to the ryght catholyke faythe whereby al disceyte hipocrisye and counterfaytynge of trueth of ryghteousnesse or of holynes may clearely be extincted Furthermore we do beseche and praye god here that his name may be halowed so that no mā should swere in vayne by it or otherwyse abuse the same to lye or deceyue hys neyghboure And generallye that none shoulde fall into pryde or ambition into desyre of worldlye glorye and fame into enuy malyce couetousuesse adulterye gluttonye slouth backbytynge sclaunderynge of hys neyghbours ne into any other euyll or wicked thoughtes and dedes whereby the name of god maye be dyshonored and blasphemed In thys prayer also we doo requyre god to graunte vs that in all perylls and daungers we ruime vnto hym as vnto our onely refuge and call vpon hys holye name and that in oure good woorde and woorkes we maye please and magnifye hym and be by hym preserued from the mooste damnable synne of vnkyndnes towardes hym And also that we whoo doo all readye professe the ryghte fayth may styl continue therein and maye doo and expresse the same aswell in oure outwarde conuersation as in confessynge it with our mouthe so that by oure good lyfe and oure good workes all other maye be moued to good and that by oure euyll woorkes and synnes no man maye take occasion to sclauuder the name or dimynyshe the laude and prayse of God but that all our woorkes and doynges may redoūd to the honor prayse and glorye of Goddes name ¶ The exposition or declaratiō of the seconde petition which is Thy kyngdome come THys seconde petition verye orderlye doth folowe vppon the fyrst for as in the fyrst we do aske of God our eternall father that hys gloryous name maye be knowen through out all the worlde and be of all people whether they be turkes Jues or heathen loued magnifyed and gloryfyed alwayes aswell as it is of vs Chrysten men which is a thynge aperteynyng to the dewe honor and glory of God and whych we ought of dutye fyrste and pryncipallye to desyre So in thys second petition we aske of God our heauenly father that he wyll vouchsafe to brynge vs to hys eternall kyngdome euermore to be wyth hym and partycypante of hys enerlastyng glorye and heauenly enherytaunce wyth Chryst Jesu our Sauiour whych is a thyng of al other that a mā may wysh to hys owne selfe the chief most greatest And for the declaratiō of thys second peticion you shall vnderstand that there are two kyngdomes the one contrarye to the other it is to wytte the kyngedome of god and the kyngedome of the Deuyll For as concernynge worldelye kyngdomes and dominions they 〈◊〉 they be well gouerned and guyded by order of Jystyce doo perteyne to the kyngoome of god as Saynte Paule testifyeth in the. xiii chapter to the Romaynes And 〈◊〉 they be misordered through want of 〈◊〉 vsyng Tyranye they doo pertayne to the kyngdome of the deuyll Nowe concernynge the kyngdome of
it maye paraduenture seme in some mans iudgement that seyng the thing that Adam and Eue did was but the eatyuge of an appell therefore their faut was not great nor deserued so greuous punish ment 〈◊〉 vs consyder the cyrcumstaunces and we shall sone perceyue the offence not lyght but verye sore and heynous Fyrst the thyng whych god commaunded man to forbeare was a thyng moste easye for hym to forbeare and so much was hys faute the greater Besides this whan a man is tolde before of great peryll and daunger that shall lyght vpon hym if he doo thys or that in case after suche warnyng he offende therein hys fault is thereby made the 〈◊〉 Thyrdly the lesse inclynatyou a man hath to any synne the more he synneth yfhe doo the same Nowe Adam and Eue had in them no inclynation at al nother to one vice nor to other Fourthly whē a man hath late receyued great benefites at hys soueraygns handes if he incontmently breake his expresse wyll the contempt and dysobedience is made therby the greater The thyng that Adam and Eue dyd eate was in dede but an appell yet the eatyng thereof in that case was an high disobediēce against god and the corrupting of al mankynd for as much as they two were the verye route whereof all men muste ryse and the route being once naughte howe can the tree or braunches cummynge of that route be good Therefore S. 〈◊〉 in his Epystle to the Ro maines in the. v. chapyter therof sayeth By the of fence of one man synne came vpon all men to condempnation and in the same chapiter 〈◊〉 after he sayeth to iyke 〈◊〉 through the disobedience of one man manye became synners And within a lytle after he saieth Sinne came into this world by one mā through synne came death so death passed to al mē Thus haue you hard fyrste the 〈◊〉 kyndnes of God to man in that he created hym in so worthye a maner nexte ye haue harde the myschefe that commeth to mankynd by synne and thirdly what an extreme enemy 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 is vnto vs. In an other homily hereafter ye 〈◊〉 heare of the exceding great mercy of god in 〈◊〉 mākind by a meruelous maner out of the estat of this dampnatiō Wherfore to conclude for thys presente tyme this shal be to exhorte you that you fayle not daylye and howtelye to geue most harty thankes to almyghty God for that he of his mere goodnes created you created you not without sense as the stones not without reason as the brute beastes but hathe gyuen you all notable qualities and powers that other corporal creatures haue and besides hathe perticularlye planted in you reason and vnderstāding and 〈◊〉 goodly qualities of body and soule seuerall to the nature of man only and not common to mā and other erthly creatures Thys is furthermore also to exhorte you that remembryng what miserye came to mankinde by synne and by such a synne as in some mēs iudgement might 〈◊〉 to be but very smale it is to wytte by eatynge of an appel you wyl be circumspecte in a uoiding of al kynde of sume and disobedience be the thynge in his owne nature neuer so smale a 〈◊〉 whyche is by God hym selfe or by suche as we owe obedience vnto commaunded Fynallye and laste of al thys is to exhorte you to consyder dilygently that we haue a deadly cnnemy which is that deuil who de fyreth oure destruction and doth moost craftely and busely trauayle by all meanes with vs to worke the same of whose mooste subtyl and wilye traynes we muste principally take hede of whiche graunt vnto vs all the blessed trinitie the father the Sonne and the holye ghoste to whome be all honoure and glorye worlde withoute ende Amen Io. Harpesfeld sacrae theologiae Professor Arch. London ¶ An homely of the miserie of all mankinde and of hys condempnation to euerlastynge deathe by hys owne synne THe holye ghoste in wrytyng the holy scripture is in nothyng more diligēt then to pull downe mannes vayne glori and pryde which of all vices is moost vniuersally graffed in mankynde euen from the fyrste infec tion of our fyrste father Adam And therefore we reade in may places of scripture manye notable lessons agaynst thys old rooted vyce to teache vs the moost cōmēdable vertue of humilitie howe to know our selues to remēber what we be of our selues In the booke of Genesis almyghty God geueth vs all a tytle name in oure great graunde father Adam which ought to admonishe vs al to consyder what we be where of we be from whence we came whyther we shall sayenge thus In sudore 〈◊〉 tui vesceris pane tuo donee reuertaris in terram de qua sūptuses quia puluis es 〈◊〉 in puluerem reuertcris That is to saye In the sweate of thy face thou shalt eate thy breade vntyll thou retournest into the earth oute of whych thou waste taken for dust thou art into dust thou shalt retourne Here as it were in a glasse we may learne to know our selues that we be but grounde earthe and dust and that to ground earthe and duste we shall returne agayne whiche name and title of earthe and duste appoynted and assigned by God to all mankynde the holye Patriarche Abraham dyd well remember and therefore he calleth hym selfe by that name when he maketh his earnest prayer for Sodome and Gomorre saying in the. xviii of 〈◊〉 Cum sim puluis et cuius that is to saye seyng I am dust and ashes And we reade that Iudith Hester Iob Hieremie with other holy men and women in the olde testament did vse sacke clothe and dyd cast duste and asshes vpon theyr heades when they bewayled theyr synnefull lyuynge They called and cryed to 〈◊〉 for helpe and mercy with suche a ceremony of sacke clothe duste and asshes that thereby they myght declare to the hole world what an hum ble and lowlye estimation they had of theim selues and howe well they remember theyr name tytle aforesayde theyr vyle corrupte fraile nature duste earth and asshes The booke of wysedome also willynge to pull downe oure proude stomakes moueth vs diligently to remember our mortall and earthly generation which we haue al of him that was first made and that all men aswel kynges as subiectes doo come into this worlde and doo goo oute of the same in lyke sorte that is as of oure selues ful myserable as we maye dayly see And almyghtye God commaūded his Prophet Esay to make a proclama tion and to crye to the 〈◊〉 worlde that all 〈◊〉 is grasse and that al the glorye of man is as the flower of that feilde the grasse is withered and the flower doth fal away for the winde of our Lorde bloweth vpon it The people sure ly is grasse whiche dryeth vp and the flower fadeth away but the woorde of our Lord abideth for euer Accordynge wherevnto the holye prophet Iob