is presented vnto hym so is thys onely the worshyppynge of God in spirite and trueth in or by this holy sacrament fyrste to conceyue suche a faythe in the goodnes of Christ by it as maye cause vs surely to truste both to the remission of our sinnes to the receiuynge of so moche grace and goodnesse also by the corporall eatynge and drynkynge of it as maye helpe vs to amende our lyues And then to geue ouer oure selues holly to the lawdynge and praysynge of hys name and to the folowynge of hys commaundemeÌ„tes both in the huÌ„ble receyuyng of this sacrament and in folowynge of hys other lawes ¶ The seconde argumeÌ„t wherwith the pope woulde proue that this sacrament shoulde be reserued kepte and shewed to be honoured of the people with handes and knees though they dyd not receyue it is this The Arke of promesse the Mercye seat was continually worshypped of theÌ„ in the olde tyme whiche was a sacrament And therfore sayth he we ought to do the lyke vnto this sacrament at all tymes though we do not receiue it ¶ The aunswere God dyd ordeyne this Arke and Mercie seate for theÌ„ of the olde time to put them continuallye in remembraunce that he would suerly be present amongest them to fulfyll all the promesses that he had made vnto theÌ„ The which Arke and Mercye seate bycause it shoulde continuallye put theym in remembraunce of the sure fulfyllynge of hys promysses therfore was it bothe reserued contynually and also had in all reuerence amongest the people when they wold receyue thys remembraunce at it But the breade and wyne hathe not the lorde ordeined to be reserued contynuallye or to be lyfted vp for a shewe but geuen it to be eaten and dronken at an holy souper with this sygnifycatyon as I do geue you thys breade and wyne to be eaten dronken into youre bodyes as your owne foode so shall my bodye and blode noryshe and fede your soules wyth the grace good wyl of God for to helpe you both to beleue surely in it for the remission of your sinnes and also to amende the same agayne And therfore as thys sacrament doth not ministre thys signification nether by the reseruyng of it nor by the shewyng of it after any suche meanes as the Arke dyd but onely when it is geuen vs to be eaten and dronken wyth thys remembraunce so is it then onely to be honoured when it is so receyued in the holy souper But before I speake any further of the trewe worshypping of thys sacrameÌ„t I wyll fyrst shewe howe the primatiue churche vsed to worshyp it ¶ What the fayth and vse of the primatiue church hath bene of worshyppyng thys sacrament That they of the primatiue church haue wyth al reuerence and honour mynistred handled receyued thys holy sacrament of it we fynde wytnesse ynough But that they haue worshypped it kneled downe before it wyth the lyftyng vp of handes eyes towardes it and set it forth in golde and syluer to be worshypped or borne it about in processions honouryng it wyth candles torches ryngyng and syngyng and al other melodye of that we fynde not onely no wytnesse but rather it whereout we may gather clene the contrarye For we fynde how that certayne byshoppes of Rome dyd vse to sende the sacrament to the gates Eusebius libro v. capi xxiiii for to be receyued there of other straunge byshoppes when they came to vysite them Eusebius libro vi capi xxxiiii And we fynde howe that a priest dyd geue the sacrament vnto a boye for to beare home to hys father and to geue it hym there Also we may se in the bokes of saint Cipriane Cipri in sermo de Lapsis Hiero. in Apolo pro libris aduersus Iouianum Tertuliane and Hierome how that men were wont in the tyme of those holy fathers to gyue the sacrament vnto the laye people for to beare home with them and how that the people were wont after they had so receiued it to laye it vp in theyr chistes or other speciall custodyes Ambrosius de suo fratre satiro yea some woulde hange it about theyr neckes and receyue it when they lyst them selues Out of the whych we may well gather that men in those dayes knewe nothyng of worshyppyng the sacrament at the least wayes as it was now worshypped Honorius tertius a Pope that lyued and wrytte in the yere of oure Lord. M.CC.xvi. dyd ordeyne that men shulde reserue and kepe the sacrament in a place appointed that the priestes shulde oftentymes lerne the people reuereÌ„tly to knele downe when the sacrament was lyfted vp in the masse or when it was borne vnto the sycke folke Beholde this Pope whiche lyued but .iii. hundred and .xxxii. yeares a goo ordeyned fyrste that men shoulde reserue the sacrament in a place appointed and that the priestes should lerne the people to knele downe wheÌ„ they saw the sacrament lyfted vp or borne about Where was than before those dayes the goodly pyxes canapies lampes with all the crouchinges and knelynges which we haue vsed but after the right vse of the sacramente whiche god hym selfe had commauÌ„ded to be kept was one fallen it was easye ynough for the deuell to brynge in all suche supersticious abuses and to cause men beleue that they were to the trew honouringe of god and his holy sacramentes Now is it trewe also that in the prymatiue churche there were some that did reserue the bread which thei had remayning ouer the communioÌ„ in a secrete place tyll the next tyme that they had an vse also to shewe the breade in the holy souper For as Dionisius in the .iii. chapter De eucharistia maketh mention it was the vse in hys tyme that the priestes should first set forth vpon the alter the bread chalice couered and after they had consecrated to vncouer them and bryng them so forth into the sight of the people and theÌ„ to deale the breade by and by in peaces to geue forth the cuppe in lykemaner And in the Greke Liturgia we rede that the priest a litle before the ministringe and receyuing of the sacrameÌ„t The shewynge of the sacrament hath ben 〈…〉 â—â—ip â—â—â—ge of 〈◊〉 when it was to lifted vp was neuer vsed tyll of late dyd lyft vp a lytle the breade modicum sustolteus like as we vsed to do in our messe by and by after the pater noster But that ether the chalyce was at any tyme lyfted vp in those dayes or elles that the people fell downe vpon their knees and worshipped the bread beyng so lyfted vp of it we rede nothynge before this Pope Honorius did ordeyne it Wherby we may perceiue that al though that shewing of the bread in the holy souper be wel olde yet to fal down and worship it when it was so shewed or to lyft vp handes and eyes to it and not to receyue it as the lorde commauÌ„ded is an abuse crepte
value yet costly in beyng according to their pleasures And to honoure men thus doeth euen naturall reason learne vs whyche teacheth that for asmuche as honouryng muste be a shewynge of a synguler good wyll and mynde of hauyng one in reuerence in our hertes so muste we haue a great respecte both to the dignite and to the wyll and pleasure of the persone also whome we wyll honoure either with oure bodyes or gyftes Wherupon it commeth that yf we perceyue them whome we wil honoure with gyftes to haue pleasure in huntynge we do rather geue them sweft greye hundes than good drawyng oxen Haue they pleasure in halkyng so do we soner geue thē a sparre halke than the beste syngyng byrde that can be gotten And thus doubtlesse do we in al our giftes we haue alwayes our chiefe respecte to the delyte and pleasure of him vnto whome we will shewe our selues beniuolent and thankefull Nowe seyng than that euery nature learneth vs thus to honoure euery manne accordynge to it that we holde of his dygnite and to haue a specyall respecte alwayes to the delyte and pleasure of hym whome we wyll honoure wyth gyftes or other thankfulnesses and that Christ oure sauiour is the hyghest in all degrees and therwythall of so great dygnyte that we neyther haue nor can get of oure selues it wherewyth we myghte honoure hym accordyng to hys degree and as we of dewtye are bounde so muste we specyallye in the honourynge of hym haue a greate respecte vnto it wherein he wyll be honoured of vs and what maye be to hym pleasaunte and acceptable Yf we wyll then loke vpon the holy scripture aryghte oute of the whyche onely we may be in certeine of thys so do we fynde that oure Lorde and God requireth thys honoure of vs specyallye What the true honouryng of God is and the special tokens thereof fyrste that with al our hertes mindes we geue fayth vnto al his wordes workes and secondly that we freli and to the praysynge of his name enlarging of hys kyngdome confesse and acknowledge the same fayth outwardly with the geuynge of our holelynes to the exercysynge of all his lawes and commaundementes as to the hearyng of his worde desirousely to the receyuynge of his sacramentes thankefully and to the applyenge of our selues humbly to fastyng prayer and to all the dedes of charytie that our bodyes therwith myght be kept vnder and gentelye serue both hym our neyghbour in all holynesse ryghteousnes This is the true honouryng of oure lorde God the specyall tokens thereof Vnder the whiche these tokens are also cōprehended both that we with our bodyes do shewe all humylytye and mekenes when with our soules we perceyue the grace of God to be specially present vnto thē Other tokēs of the trew honourynge of god as it is in the ministracion of hys worde and sacramentes also that we prouide his worde to haue a place tyme appointed conuenient for the honourable ministracion therof his sacramentes to haue instrumētes both honest seming And that these latter tokēs are also a kynd of the honourynge of God may wel be sene by them of the olde tyme vnto whome he gaue commaundemēt for the decent mynistratyon of his holy word and sacramētes both that there should be buylded fyrst a costly tabernacle after that a gorgyouse tēple with an alter al so that there should be prouided many instrumentes of golde syluer precyouse stone of sylke cypres such other for ornamētes of religion let it be an acceptable thynge vnto hym that they shoulde honour him wyth the fallynge downe before the Arke of promyse i. Re. ii and towardes the same as also towardes heauen to lyfte vp theyr handes and eyes for the shewynge of theyr obedience towardes hym therewyth because men shoulde the more surely know hys grace to be ryght present at the mynistracion of all suche thynges as he had ordeined hymselfe to geue forth the same by and that the ministration of them was therfore right preciouse and honourable Gal. iiii But seyng these thynges are nowe out of vse as towchynge to the expresse commaundemente of God whereby they had a sacramentall signification to wete both temple ceremonyes and also the instrumentes vsed for the same and that the lorde in the newe testament hath appoyncted neither temple nor instrument lyke as there was in the olde but dyd bothe he hym selfe and hys Apostles also after hym vse euerye commen houses at theyr assemblynges together and when they woulde yet preache the word of lyfe and admytte euen commen instrumentes for the mynistration of ryghte holy sacramentes we maye well gather therby both that he wyll be aswell present with vs nowe beyng gathered together in his name eyther to heare hys moste lyuely worde or to vse hys moste holy sacramentes or to do any other Godly exercyse els as he was before in what place so euer it be and wyth what kynde of instrument so euer his holy religion be vsed or sette forth and also that the grace geuen vs by hys holy worde and sacramentes nowe doth chiefly call vs to the dispisinge of al pleasaunt worldly thynges and wyll vs to remembre onely thynges heauenly permanent Out of the whiche it doeth also folow that seing he hath nether geuē cōmaūdement nor shewed exāple him selfe nor none of his apostles after him that we should shewe vs to worshyp hym or hys relygyon with the buyldyng of gorgious temples or with the preparyng of goldē instrumentes for the ministratyon of hys holy sacramentes so can ther no man saye that the buyldynge of gorgyouse tēples or the preparinge of goodly instrumentes shoulde be any of the special tokens of the true honouryng of God or of hys holy relygyon more than euen very symple and playne And in lykewyse seing that he hath nether geuen commaundement nor shewed any ensample that we should now ether lift vp handes or eies or knele down to his holy sacramētes lyke as they did in the olde testamente but did hold the most deyntye feast of hys holy supper with his disciples as they were sytting at the table according to their accustomed maner so can there no man appoynte these thynges to apperteyne specyally to the honouring of god in his most holy sacramētes Yet seyng God is euen of the same spirite and mynde towardes mankynde nowe that he was then in the olde time Hebrue xiii and that he doth geue vs euen the same thing now by his holy word and sacramentes i. cor x. that he then gaue forth vnto thē yea and that so much the larger doeth he geue them vnto vs now as Christ hath opened al thynges more plainly by his commyng into our nature corporally it must nedes therfore be a tokē also of hauing him in honor reuerēce now aswel as it was thē both to prepare an honest place instrumētes cōueniēt for the better vsing of his
word sacrameÌ„tes also with haÌ„des knees applyed to the huÌ„ble mekenes of the spirite to receyue the same with all reuerence when so euer they shall be mynistred vnto vs. But bycause the humble mekenesse of the spirite onelye must appoint in euery man wheÌ„ and howe farre forth these thynges shall be tokens of the trew honourynge of God in his holy word and sacramentes and not bycause they belonge vnto it specyally of them selues so wyl I fyrst declare what thinges God geueth vs nowe by hys holy worde and sacramentes that the special honour due vnto the same myghte the better be knowen as the only meanes which may cause these other kyndes to haue place wyth theym also What tyme as oure sauyour Christe shoulde offer vp hys blessed body vpon the crosse for the redemption of mankynde i. Io. ii Ephe. v he dyd it with so muche mekenesse loue and charitie that the heauenly father was fullye therwith content and pacified right thankefully accepting the same into his diuine nature as a meane most sufficiente fullye able for the workyng in all men not onely of a sure fayth trust in the remyssyon of all theyr synnes i. Ti. ii Heb. ix but for the workyng also of all holynes righteousnes in theÌ„ For fyrst in that it was the blessed bodye of hys derely beloued sonne whiche was so offered vp vpon the crosse he sawe it to be able ynoughe for the workynge of a sure fayth in all men and to cause theym to truste vnto the worthynes of it for the full remyssyon of their synnes how sore so euer thei had offeÌ„ded or how long so euer they had lyen therin And agayne in that it was done with so muche mekenesse loue and charite as dyd excede all other in plentifulnes he sawe it able ynough to make all men partakers of those his heauenly vertues both for the stablysshing of theÌ„ in the same faith against al such sinne as deth the deuel might laye agaynst them afterwarde for to be as a sure earnest vnto theÌ„ also whiles they wer yet in this world of that godli life which thei might hope to receiue more fully in another world Mooste thankefully therefore dyd the infynite goodnesse of God accepte and take the meke passyon and louyng death of oure sauyour Iesu Christe Ephes i. Hebre. ix that man thereby myght not onely be iustyfied but also be holly reconsylled and brought agayne vnto hys fyrst state of innocencie that is to saye that he myght not onely be loosed and quit froÌ„ hys synnes committed thorow fayth conceyued in the worthy acceptyng of hys passyon but receyue thorow the same fayth also suche a parte of hys ful and aboundant mekenesse loue and charite as myghte both reconsyle and brynge hym agayne to the ryght expressyng of this his Godly ymage vnto other and also put him in a sure hope whyles he were yet in thys lyfe of the full receyuynge of these heuenly vertues in another lyfe And althoughe oure moste mercyfull sauyour of hys omnipotente wysedome knewe well ynoughe his meke passyon and louynge deathe shoulde ryghte thankefully thus be accepted and taken into the dyuine nature of hys heauenly father as a thynge moste sufficiente and fullye able to be the onely meanes of mannes saluation and that man therfore shoulde fynally be saued Bycause of oure weaknesse were the sacrameÌ„tes ordeyned yet forbycause he sawe the weakenesse of manne to be suche that he would be verye slacke in geuynge faythe to thys gladde tydynges of the worthye acceptynge of hys passyon eyther for the contynuall remyssyon of hys synnes or for the receyuyng of hys aboundauÌ„t grace to amende them alwayes againe yf the effecte of the same hys passyon and onely meanes shoulde alwayes be brought and presented vnto him only thorowe the secrete inspiration of God so dyd he moste mercyfullye therfore institute and ordeyne before he shoulde suffer certayne sygnes and tokens to cause al them vnto whome he shoulde peculyarly and more than to all other nations sende or geue the same to truste so muche the better vnto his passyon contynually both for the remyssyon of theyr synnes for the receyuyng of his heauenly grace and goodnes also to amende them agayne Yea and that these sygnes myght the better for our capacytie do thys thing he ordeyned theym of suche of hys good creatures as myght by theyr naturall proprytyes whiche he had geuen vnto theim to do seruyce vnto oure bodies partely declare what goodnesse he woulde nowe shewe by them also vnto oure soules As fyrste Rom. v. forbycause the nature of man was by deriuation holy defiled and brought with it such a vycyous and corrupt infection as coulde not lye styll but continually â—â—â—uoke vs to all kynde of syn◠〈…〉 â—â—â—â—mall instinction or 〈…〉 â—â—â—â—shement thereof 〈…〉 â—efore hys good creaâ—◠〈…〉 â—or that it had thys naturall â—â—â—rytte with it to washe awaye the fylth of the bodie when it was powred on to certifye vs that our soules were inwardly washed frome the fylth of synne and we admitted into his flocke thorowe the merytes of hys passyon when this water was powred vpon vs after his commaundement in token of the same And further leste man shoulde thynke the strengthe and vertue of thys wasshyng away of the fylth of our soules geueÌ„ vs at our baptime myght yet decaye and not be sufficient for vs at all tymes yf by fraylty we fell vnto synne agayne afterwardes and so fell also from the fayth trust in the fauour of God whyche we had ones conceyued by our baptyme he ordeyned the coÌ„mune preachynge and famyliar declaryng of hys comfortable passion and louing death bycause the familiar talking which one of vs hath wyth an other doth often times coÌ„fort such greatly as are in any aduersitie or heuines to certifye vs that he wolde renewe vs vnto the same fauour of God agayne whych we had ones coÌ„ceyued at the fyrst and take awaye our synnes by the meanes of hys passion when so euer hys passion and death was preached and declared vnto vs after hys commaundement in token of the same And thyrdly to thintent we shuld doute nothyng of thys our renewyng vnto the grace and fauoure of God agayne and vnto the clene takyng away of our synnes after our fall when we were called to the trustyng vnto it by the preachyng and famyliar declaryng of his meke passion and louyng death for that the mynistration therof was a thynge done in commune and to a great nuÌ„bre at ones wherof some of them myght paraduenture feare whether the wordes of it did specially belong vnto them or no he dyd ordeyne his good creatures bread and wyne bycause they had thys natural propertie wyth them of norysshyng the bodye to certifye vs by the gyuynge of a sygne of the same vnto euerye manne as it were into hys owne hande that hys bodye breakynge and bloude shedynge shoulde at all tymes nourysshe and feade
our soules from al synne death and the deuell when so euer this breade and wyne was mynistred vnto vs after hys commaundement in token of the same These .iii. sygnes and tokens specyally dyd our moste louyng sauyour institute and ordeyne for our weake necessitie to cause vs at all suche tymes as he shoulde presente or sende the same vnto vs to truste so muche the more assuredly to hys passion and death both for the remissyon of our synnes and for the receyuynge of hys plentyfull grace and goodnesse also to amende theym agayne And now that these sygnes and tokens maye certyfye and cause vs the more assuredlye to beleue in the remyssyon of all oure synnes fyrste when so euer any of theym is ministred vnto vs shal easely be perceyued For inasmuche as they be of Christes owne institutyng and that to put vs continuallye in remembraunce of the worthy acceptyng of hys passyon so are they playne promysses whiche do shewe and moste certeynly witnesse hys passyon to pacifie so the wrath of God for our sinnes that it doeth continuallye bothe purchase vs the remyssyon of al our synnes and also offer and presente vnto vs freely the grace and good wyll of God by these sygnes and tokens to helpe vs to beleue surely in the same when so euer any of thē is ministred vnto vs after his commaūdement For to what purpose els shoulde he haue ordeyned such sygnes and tokens to put vs contynually in remembraunce of the worthy acceptyng of his passyon seynge we are so farre vnable to geue fayth to the same for the remission of our sinnes how playnly so euer it be declared vnto vs that we can not thinke one good thought of our selues yea so farre vnlyke are we to haue that godly gyft fayth of our selues ii co iii. that all the powers of oure bodye are enemies to the whole lawes of God yf the grace and good wyll of God Ro. vii were not of promyse thorow the merites of Christes passyon freely presented with these signes to helpe vs vnto fayth when they be offered vn vs but surely as these sygnes and tokens are of Christes owne institutyng and that to put vs continually in remembraunce of hys passyon and death suffred for our synnes so are they playne promyses whiche do shewe and wytnesse hys passion and death to offer and present vnto vs frely by thē God openeth the dore of fayth Act. xiiii the grace and good wyl of God for to open oure hertes to geue fayth vnto theim when so euer they are ministred vnto vs after his cōmaundement And therfore as the grace good wyll of God whych is frely presented and applyed by these signes for the merites of Christes passion can easely at al tymes open our hertes to geue credence vnto al such thynges as they do shewe and wytnesse so may it well be sayd therfore that they do certifye cause vs the more assuredly to beleue in Christes death for the remission of our sinnes fyrst whē so euer any of thē is mynistred vnto vs according to his institution And so forbycause they do thus frely offre present vnto al mē indifferently the grace good wyll of God thorow the merites of Christes passion at al such tymes as they be ministred according to theyr institutiō therfore doth the scripture plainly saye Titū iii Acte ii and .xxii Mathe. xviii i. Cor. xi baptisme is the bath of regeneratiō wassheth away our sīnes the ministre of the gospell doth forgeue mē theyr synne the bread wine in the holy souper cōmunicateth vnto vs the holy and bloude of Christe though in dede they do no more in it at the firste but healpe vs the more suerly to beleue that our synnes are frely wasshed awaye and forgeuen vs by the body and blode of Christe in sufferyng deathe for vs here by shewynge vs that the effecte of the same passyon and death doeth at al suche tymes as they are mynistred vnto vs offre and present vnto vs the grace and good wyll of God frely to helpe vs to beleue surely in the same Well thus ye see that these sygnes and tokens do of promesse as farre forth yet as they be moued of their promyser offer and present vnto vs frely the grace and good wyll of God for the merites of Christes passyon that they myghte cause vs the better to beleue in the remyssyon of our synnes fyrste when so euer any of thē is ministred vnto vs accordynge to their institution and that bycause they be of Christes own instytutyng for the same purpose And further that they maye wel certyfye and cause vs the better to beleue that we shall receyue by them also the verye same mekenesse loue and charite whiche Christe offered vp for vs vpon the crosse maye in lykewyse be easely perceyued For in that Christ dyd not geue hys blessed body to be broken and his precious blod to be shedde that the hole effecte vertue and substaūce therof might be no more but to obteyne vs freely the grace and good wyll of God for to healpe vs vnto fayth in the remissyon of our synnes and so to let vs fall by and by vnto synne agayne but that it myght be all our holines and ryghteousnesse also so maye we well beleue that seyng the grace and good wyll of god is thorow the merytes of Christes passion freely presented wyth these signes for to helpe vs vnto a sure fayth and confidence in the remission of all oure synnes fyrst that it is there present to apply and geue vs by them also al the holynesse and ryghteousnesse of hys death and body that is to saye both the verye same mekenesse loue and charitie that was in hys natural bodye when he suffered death for vs here and as the same is also of effecte strength and vertue in hym syttyng at the ryghte hande of God for vs nowe for to make vs lyke vnto hys owne ymage in expressyng of these hys heauenly vertues or spirituall substaunce vnto other For howe myghte he elles be called oure hole ryghteousnesse and holynesse in this worlde also yf he shulde not set oure fayth in suche possession of these his vertues beynge the substaunce of hys verye bodye and heauenly lyfe as myght bothe kepe vs frome the fallyng vnto synne agayne so long as we wyll applye oure lyues vnto them and also cause vs to hope surely to haue the ful vse of them in another worlde But surely seynge the effecte strength and vertue of Christes bodye is not onely the meanes wherby we come vnto a sure faythe and truste in the remission of al our synnes fyrst by hys sufferyng death for vs here but is also the verye effectuouse meanes wherby we come vnto all other holynesse and righteousnesse by hys syttyng at the right hande of God for vs now we maye well thynke that as he frely presenteth and geueth vs fyrst by these signes the grace good wyll of God