Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	body_n	sacrament_n	word_n	2,430	5	4.5156	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B00958	Homelies sette forth by the righte reuerende father in God, Edmunde Byshop of London, not onely promised before in his booke, intituled, A necessary doctrine, but also now of late adioyned, and added thereunto, to be read within his diocesse of London, of all persons, vycars, and curates, vnto theyr parishioners, vpon sondayes, & holydayes.	Bonner, Edmund, 1500?-1569.	1555 (1555)	STC 3285.2; ESTC S103088	74,513	149

the sacrament of the aulter ¶ For aunswere Aunsvvere whereunto maye be sayde that in dede it is true that Christe hathe but one true naturall bodye and where they saye that one true naturall body can not be but in one place it is also true after one the selfe same maner of beyng but after dyuerse maners of beyng one body maye be sondry where yea and at one time to it is to wyt in heauē in the visyble fourme and maner of man and in the sacrament of the aulter vnder the forme and maner of breade and wyne and in eueryche of them really and truely to in those respectes God beynge therein the doer who is omnipotent ¶ Obiection There is also an other obiection and that is this God can make man but man can not make God nowe saye they yf the true body of Christe were really and in dede in the sacrament of the aulter than the priest which is a man should therby make God but mā can not make God therefore in the sacramēt of the aulter ther is not the very true body of Christ ¶ For aunswere Aunswere whereunto is to be saied that this obiection procedeth of a greate ignoraunce for he that maketh this obiectiō taketh that the priest saying masse and pronouncing the woordes of cōsecracion doeth make God where in very dede the priest goeth aboute no suche thynges and yf he dyd neyther he ne yet god him selfe can make God but the trueth is that the preist being the minister of God and god beyng ther the worker with his worde by the preist pronounced there is caused the very body of Chryst to be ther present wher it was not ther before yet no new body ther made but that body ther presēt which lōg ago was borne of the Vyrgyn Mary the same I say in substaunce is there presente onelye vnder the formes of breade and wyne ¶ An other obiection obiection there is and that is thys S. Luke in the .xvii. chapiter of the actes doth testifye that S. Paule beyng at athens and in mars strete before the councell there did saye amongest other wordes that God doth not dwell in temples made with handes wherevpon the vnlearned vnlernedly doth gather that seyng the material temple is made with handes and the sacrament of the aultar is in the sayd materiall temple it foloweth say they that the body and bloude of Chryst can not be in it because God doth not dwell in temples made with handes And this obiection hath bene soo muche liked and commended amonges the proceding preachers abusing the ignoraunt that they thought it ineuitable therfore abusing the sayd people they caused it to be sette vp and paynted for a gaye shew in the temples ¶ For aunswere Aunsvvere whervnto this is to be tolde you that there is a great difference betwene beyng dwellyng in a place for a greate manye of you I doubte not haue bene both in the cheape syde in Paules churche yarde yea and Paules churche to wher ye haue not with moost due reuerence vsed and behaued your selues and yet I am sure that ye dwell not there In dede God is properlye sayde to dwell in heauen because he there doth shew and manifest his great glory and in the hartes of iust and good people he is also sayde to dwell by grace but as for other places he is in them beyng but not dwellyng And as concernyng the beyng of God in the sacrament of the aultare forasmuch as there is the verye substaunce of chrystes natural and true bodye and bloude taken of the Vyrgyn Mary and that the diuinitie is in vnitie of person inseperably vnited and ioyned to the sayd bodye and bloude therefore we must say and beleue that the godhed of Chryst is in the sacrament of the aultar with his humanitie in a very speciall sorte and doth not thereby dwell in the sayde sacramente and soo this obiection is not worth a good button for all the bragges that hath bene made of it Other fond and folysh obiections there are which are not worthy to be answered vnto and therefore are not nedefull to be touched exhortyng you therfore in Chryst fyrmely and stedfastly to beleue the doctrine of the catholyke churche herein and so shal you auoyde daunger please God profit your selfe and lyuinge well come at the last to ioy euerlastyng which graunte vnto vs the father the sonne and the holy gost to whom be honor and glory for euer AMEN Domine saluos fac regem et reginam et omnes qui eis bene uolunt ¶ Imprinted at London in Poules churcheyarde at the sygne of the holy Ghost by Ihon Cawodde Prynter to the Kynge and Queenes Maiesties Cum priuilegio Regiae maiestatis

when good men receaue the sacrament that they receaue the bodye and bloude of Christ both sacramentally and spiritually to but when euyll men receaue it that they receaue the body of Chryst sacramentally only not spiritually because they come vnto it vnworthely and therefore do they procure thereby to theim selues dampnation But nowe to open fardar the very meaning of those wordes of Chryst It is the spirit that geueth lyfe the fleshe profiteth nothing you shal vnderstande that these wordes are taken of the catholyke church in two most godly senses the one is to meane by the spirite the godhed and by the fleshe the nature of man as yf he had sayd it is the godhed that causeth my fleshe to be able to gyue lyfe nether is my fleshe the fleshe of a bare man for then it beyng eaten coulde not profyt you but my fleshe is vnited in vnitie of person to the godhed so that it is thereby able to brynge lyfe to the worthy eater therof Thus doeth Cyryll Cirill vpon the .vi of Saynte Iohn expounde these wordes And to lyke purpose saincte Augustyne Augustine sayeth vppon the .vi. of Ihon that as knowledge beyng seperated from charitie maketh men proude but beynge ioyned with charytye doth edyfye euen so mans fleshe not vnyted to the Godhed and beyng eaten doth not profytte but the fleshe of Chryst which is in him in vnitie of person inseperably vnited to the godhed being worthelye receaued must nedes hyghly profyt The other sēse of those wordes to meane by the spirit a spirituall vnderstandyng of Christes promyse made in Capernaum when he sayde Iohn 6. the foode that I wyl giue vnto you is my fleshe which wordes be then vnderstanded spiritually whē they be taken to meane that thing which passeth the power of nature to doo and mans wyt by naturall reason to comprehende lykewyse by the fleshe is to be ment a fleshely vnderstandynge of the sayde promysse as to vnderstande without fayth in Christes deitie as the Capernaites did which toke Chryst but for a bare man so conceaued no otherwyse of the eatyng of his fleshe then of commen meat bought in the shambles Thys sense hath S. Chrysostome Chrisostome wryting vpon the .vi. of Iohn and S. Augustyne wryting vppon the same Chapter ¶ Obiection An other obiection is ther by occasion that this truth is not expressed in the commē crede ¶ Which obiection doth procede of an ignoraūce Aunsvver lacke of knowledge of the fyrst institution of the crede For in the primatyue church when men of all ages dyd sodenly turne from gentility to the christiā religion and yet then were not by and by vpon suche there turne admitted to any sacramente but fyrste were instructed in artycles necessary for them to beleue before they were baptised this common crede was taught them and they were for that tyme called Catechumini that is younglynges in Chrystes religion and begynners admytted but to the fyrste principles of the chrystian faythe durynge whyche tyme they were not suffered so muche as to be present at the masse but after the gospel were quyte excluded from the same as by the vndoubted wrytynges of the auncient fathers in christes church maye most euidently appeare So that this reason is fōd and to no purpose to say that because it is not in the commen crede expresly set fourth that in the sacrament of the aultar is the very bodye and bloude of our sauiour christ therfore no christian man is boūd to beleue it so to be S. Chrysostome Chrisostome and S. Augustyne Augustine hauyng occasion many tymes in their sermones made by them to speake of this Sacrament for asmuch as amōg theire audience were as wel yonglynges not yet baptysed as other faythfull already christened did vse oft to say Quod fideles norūt that is which the faithful or they that be al redy baptised know or such lyke thing and would not then expreslye declare the trueth touching the sacramente of the aultare for that it was not the maner to reueyle such misteries to those yonglinges but to them was in general as sufficient for saluation prescribed in that common crede that they should beleue the catholike churche which not onely was sufficient thā for thē beleuynge the other articles of there crede but is sufficient at this present also for vs cōfirminge oure selues in all poyntes to the common belefe of the catholyke church which is the surest pyller that men may lene vnto be they learned or vnlearned and such a pyller as who that most strongly cleueth to is in most assured state of euerlastyng lyfe ¶ There are other obiections obiection vppon .iii. particuler artycles of our crede which are that Christ is ascended and sytteth at the right hand of God the father from thense shall come to iudge the quicke and the deade ¶ Which articles yet being rightly vnderstanded Aunsvvere should rather confyrme vs in the true catholyke belefe of the presence of christes body in the sacrament of the aultare For as it is aboue nature for a mans bodye to ascende and aboue the worthynes of mans nature to syt at the ryghte hande of God the father that is to be of equall power and glory with God the father and fynally as it is aboue the aucthoritie of mans nature to gyue sentence of eternal death and lyfe vpon all mankynde and yet euerye good manne stedfastly beleueth al these supernaturall powers in Christ touching his manhed bicause he is both God and man and to god nothing is impossible euen so shuld we with like belefe knowing that Christ is omnipotent credite al other thynges done or spoken by Christ and be moost certen that how so euer they seme in appearaunce to our reason yet in very dede they agree and stand ryghte well with those foresayd .iii. articles of our crede that though we cannot by oure wittes conceaue howe Chryst is ascended and is neuertheles in the Sacrament also yet they must nedes be both beleued bycause gods worde doth affyrme them bothe and the catholyke churche dothe beleue them bothe whyche churche hath alwayes taught that Chryst is in heauen in the visyble fourme of a man and in the sacrament vnder the visible fourmes of bread and wine hys wysedome so ordeyning that with our hartes we shoulde beholde hys glory as he sytteth in heauen at the ryghte hande of the father and wythall should fede on his very body in the sacrament to receaue the more grace and thervpon so to be gouerned with his spirite that hereafter we also myghte be partakers of the lyke glory in heauen And albeit these solutions mighte sufffise and instructe sufficientlye the vnlearned people to aunswere bothe to these and all other common obiections made agaynste the Sacramente of the Aultare troublynge moche the heades of the simple people by their folye in crediting euill and pernicious scholemaysters to theyr destruction wher giuing credite

dicebat That is to saye Verily there is a certayne maner of eatynge that fleshe after whiche maner he that shall haue eaten it doeth dwell in Christ Christe in hym Wherefore note in what maner soeuer a man doeth eate Christe fleshe and drinketh hys bloude he dwelleth in Christe and Christe in hym but he that eateth and drinketh after a certayne speciall maner to whiche maner Christ had respecte when he spake the foresayde woordes Idem contra Cresco gramaticum li. i. Capi. 24. The same saincte Augustine in his fyrste boke Contra Chrescouium gramaticū and the .xxiiii. Chapiter sayeth thus Quid de ipso corpore et sāguine domini vnico sacrificio pro salute nostra guamuis ipse dominus dicat Nisi manducaueritis carnē filij hominis c. non ne idē apostolus docet etiam hoc perniciosum male vtentibus fieri That is to saye What of the very body and bloude of our sauioure the onely sacrifyce for our saluation thoughe there of our Lord dothe saye vnles ye eate the fleshe of the sonne of man c. doeth not the same Apostle meanynge Paule teache that it also is pernicious to them that doo vse it not duely and ryghtfully Obiection ¶ An other obiection there is also and it is thys Christ Iohn 10.15 Iohn .x. and .xv. dothe say I am a dore I am a vyne i. Corin. 10. and sainct Paule Pri. ad Corin. x. vseth suche lyke speache whiche speache of Christe and of sainct Paule in those places doth not import that Christ in euery dede by that saying was a dore or a vyne or suche lyke but speakyng after that figuratyfe speache or maner he dyd meane that he was a fygure of a dore of a vyne and suche lyke and that he had the propertie of a doore of a vyne so forthe Semblably saye they when Christ at his laste supper takynge breade and blessynge it dyd saye This is my bodye And takyng the cup giuing thankes dyd saye this is my blood of the new testamente c. hys speache soo pronounced and vttered dyd not import that Christe thereby dothe make of the breade and wyne his body and bloude but eyther he ment that the breade and wyne was sygnes and tokens of his bodye and bloude or els that they should be fygures of hys body and bloude and not hys very body and bloude in dede and consequently therefore they saye that in the sacrament of the aulter there is neyther the bodye neyther the bloude of Christe but bare material breade wyne beyng onely sygnes tokens and fygures of Christes body and bloud there ¶ For soluciō of this obiectiō Aunsvvere this maye be sayd that it is trouthe that Christ and saincte Paule in the places before alleged doo soo saye as is deduced in the begynnynge of this argumente or obiection and trouthe it is also that the speache of Christ I am a dore I am a vyne c. dothe not importe that Christe by that speakynge was in very dede a doore or a vyne but that he was a fygure of a doore and of a vyne and had the propertye of the doore and of the vyne But when it is sayde that the semblable is of Christes woordes This is my bodye this is my bloude that is neyther true nor dothe folow eyther by the rules of reason or of scripture for concerninge reason eyther muste we reason and saye that Christe alwayes in hys speakynge dyd vse fygures metaphores and tropes which to saye is moost false as it appeareth in the .xvi. of S. Iohn Iohn 16 eyther els we must say that Christe dyd but onely sometymes speake in fygures and not soo alwayes whiche beyng true and therefore to be graunted it foloweth not in reason that thoughe Christe in the .x. and .xv. of sainct Iohn c. dyd speake fyguratiflye Iohn x. and .16 that therefore here in these woordes of Christ this is my bodye this is my bloude he dyd also speake fyguratiflye wherefore let these sely soules that haue bene seduced by thys kynde of argumentes aske theyr teachers whether they can mayntayne and defende this theyr owne argumēt with soo feble a consequent or noo And yf they can not then tel thē that they be very varlettes in dede and as for the rule of scriptures that is of the circumstaūce of the letter and of other places of scripture cōferred with the same to gather therof that very meaning of the thing an example whereof we haue Iohn 2. and .16 Iohan. ii and .xvi. And here the vnlearned are to be taughte that althoughe in the prophetes and the histories of the olde testamente tropes and fygures are receyued and allowed forasmuche as by suche tropes and fygures the thing spoken is more vehemently declared and set forth yet as the excellent prelate and notable great clerke the Lorde byshop of winchester nowe most worthy Lord chaunceler of England in his learned booke of confutaciō of heresies against the sacrament of the aulter doth prudētly aduertise vs clerly affyrme in the doctrine preceptes of the now militāt churche al thinges of our religion faith ought to be taken symply plainely And in very dede yf in the sacramēt of the aulter were not the true body of Christ but a figure a significatiō onely of it thā the sacramēts of the new testamēt shold haue nothing more but rather lesse thē the sacramēts of the olde testamēt had which is against the catholyke doctrine of the churche against al good reasō ¶ Obiection An other obiection is this Christ at his laste supper takynge the chalice or cup into his handes dyd after that he had blessed it saye This cuppe is the newe testament in my bloude And seyng these woordes must nedes as they say be taken fyguratiuely inasmuch as the very material cup it selfe was neyther the newe testamente ne yet the bloude of Christ therefore lykewyse these wordes also whych Christ takīg bread into his hādes blessīg it saying This is my body must nedes be takē figuratiuely ¶ For answer whereunto we may say Aunsvvere as we did say before to the same obiection that this argument is noughte very euyl framed for thoughe we did admit a figure to be herein the cuppe yet it foloweth not therby that we must nedes take the other speche touchīg the body to be fyguratyue also especially for that in the one speache it is to wit touchyng the body al the circūstāces of the texte course of scripture doo enforce vs to take the speache properlye wherein the other speache touchynge the cup al the circumstances of the texte and course of scripture dothe importe the contrary ¶ Obiection An other obiection is that Christe hathe but one true natural body nowe say they one true natural body can not truely be but in one place therefore say they seynge Christes body is truely in heauen it can not be truely also in

we be what we oughte of right to be called And thus he describeth vs speakynge by hys faythfull Apostle S. Paule to the Romaynes the .iii. Roma 3. Chapiter saying All men Iewes and Gentiles are vnder synne there is none ryghteous no not one there is none that vnderstandeth there is none that seketh after God they are all goone out of the waie they are all vnprofitable there is none that dothe good no not one theyr throte is an open sepulchre with theyr tongues they haue vsed crafte and deceyte the poyson of serpentes is vnder theyr lyppes theyr mouthe is full of cursynge and bitternes theyr feete are swifte to shed bloude destruction and wretchednes are in theyr wayes the waye of peace haue they not knowen there is no feare of God before theyr eyes And in an other place that is to wit Gala. 3. Galathians .iij. S Paule wryteth thus God hathe wrapped all nations in vnbeleif Roma 11 that he myght haue mercy on all The scripture concludeth all vnder synne Gala. 3. that the promise by the faythe in Iesus Christe should be giuē vnto theim that beleue S. Paule in many places paynteth vs oute in our collours callyng vs the chyldren of the wrathe of God when we be borne sayenge also that we cannot thinke a good thought of our selues much lesse we can say wel or doo wel of our selues And the wyseman sayeth in the booke of Prouerbes Pro. 24. the iuste man falleth seuen tymes a daye The mooste tried and approued man Iob feared all his woorkes S. Iohn the Baptiste beynge sanctifyed in hys mothers wombe Luce. i. and praised before he was borne called an aungel and great before the Lord replenyshed euen from hys byrthe with the holy ghoste the preparer of the way for our sauioure Christe to be more then a Prophet and the greatest that euer was borne of a womā yet he plainely graunteth that he had nede to be wasshed of Christ he worthely extolleth and glorifieth his lord and mayster Christe and humbleth hym selfe as vnworthy to vnbuckle hys shooes and geueth all honoure and glorye to God So doeth saincte Paule both oft and euydently confesse hym selfe what he was of hym selfe euer geuynge as a moost faythfull seruaunte oughte to doo all prayse to hys mayster and sauioure Iohn .i. and .2 So doeth blessed sainct Iohn the euangelist in the name of hym selfe and of all other holy men be they neuer so iuste make this open confession If we saye that we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs If we knowledge our synnes God is faithfull and iust to forgyue vs oure synnes and to clense vs from all vnryghteousnes If we saye we haue not synned we make him a lier and hys woorde is not in vs. Wherefore the wysemā Eccles 7 in the booke called Ecclesiastes openly declareth that there is not one iuste man vpon the earth Psal 2. that dothe good and synneth not And sainct Dauid is ashamed of hys synne but not to confesse hys synne Howe ofte howe earnestlye and how lamentablye doeth he desyre Gods greate mercye for hys great offences and that God should not enter in to iudgement wyth hym And agayne howe well wayeth this holy man hys synnes when he confesseth that they be so many in number and so hydde and harde to vnderstāde that it is in maner vnpossyble Psal 19 to knowe vtter or number them Wherefore he hauyng an earnest and depe contemplation and consyderation of hys synnes and yet not commyng to the bottome of them maketh supplication to God to forgyue hym hys priuye secrete hydde synnes to the knowledge of the whyche he cannot attayne He wayeth ryghtlye hys synnes from the originall roote and sprynge heade perceyuinge inclinations prouocations styrringes stinginges buddes braunches Psal 2. dregges infections tastes felinges and sentes of them to cōtinewe in him stil Wherfore he sayeth Marke behold I was conceiued in synnes He saieth not sinne but in the plurel number sinnes for asmuche as oute of one as fountayne spryngeth all the reste And oure sauiour Christ sayth Math. 9 there is none good but God and that we can doo nothing that is good without hym or no man can come to the father but by hym He commaundeth vs all to saye that we be vnprofitable seruauntes when we haue doone all that we can doo He preferreth the penitente Publicane before the proudeholye and gloryouse Pharysey He calleth hym selfe a phisition not to them that be hole but to them that be sicke and haue nede of his salue for theyr sore He teacheth vs in oure prayers to reacknowledge oure selues synners and to aske forgeuenes and deliueraunce from all euyls at oure heauenly fathers hande He declareth that the synnes of oure owne hartes doo defyle oure owne selues He teacheth that an euyll woorde or thought deserueth condempnation affyrmynge that we shal geue an accompte for euery ydle woorde He sayth he came not to saue but the shepe that were vtterlye lost and cast awaye Therefore fewe of the proude iust learned wyse perfite and holy Phariseis were saued by hym because they iustified them selues by theyr counterfeyte holynes before men Wherefore good people let vs beware of such Hypocrisie vaineglorye and iustifieng of our selues Let vs looke vpō our feete and then downe oure Pecockes fethers downe proude harte downe vayne claye frayle and 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 be declared in the fyfte chapiter to the Galathians We haue neither fayth 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 ghost and not the fruytes of man Let vs therefore acknowledge our selues before God as we be in dede myserable and wretched synners And let vs earnestly repent and humble our selues hartelye to crye to God for mercye Lette vs all confesse with 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 folyshely and arrogantly in oure owne conceytes For truely there is imperfections in our beste woorkes 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 praye to God but with great and many imperfections We geue forgeue beleue loue and hope vnperfectlye we speake thinke and doo vnperfectlye we fyght agaynst the deuyll the worlde and the flesshe vnperfectlye Luke 5. Let vs therfore not be ashamed to confesse playnely oure state of imperfection yea let vs not be ashamed to confesse imperfection euen in all our workes Let none of vs be ashamed to say with holye S. Peter I am a

his iustice receaue man agayne to fauor and state of eternall lyfe beynge thus in bodye and soule by his owne defaulte defyled vnles he were fyrst made pure and cleane againe nether man was able to helpe him selfe herein no nor yet anye angell at al. Wherefore almyghty God whose mercy excedeth all his workes pytienge the wretched case that mankynde was in dyd appoynt euen from the begynnynge his onely sonne the seconde person in trinitie to be the sauiour of the worlde and to restore man againe to perfit clennes both in body and soule and that by the way of very iustice in making a full amendes and payinge a sufficiente raunsome for synne And this sonne of God accordynge to the wyll of his father dyd take vpon hym the nature of man ioyninge to his euerlastynge Godheade the whole and perfyte nature of manhode not making that nature of man which he toke a new of nothing as he dyd heauen and earth nor yet makynge it of a clod of earth as he dyd the body of Adam but he toke the nature of man of the very substaunce of the vyrgyn Mary his mother that lyke as Adam and Eue brought them selues all theyr posteritie through sinne into the estate of eternal dampnatiō so Christ takynge vpon him the very selfe same nature beyng descended from Adam and Eue vnto the Vyrgin Mary and of her beynge taken and ioyned in hym to the godhead in vnitie of person should by his innocency through death wyllyngly suffered in that his most innocent bodye not only hym self become immortal mā haue glory euerlasting but make so many also partakers of lyke blessednes as shuld enioye the merites of his passion Wherefore it is a very pernicious errour to thynke that christ tooke not his fleshe of the verye fleshe of the blessed Vyrgyn Mary his mother Howe could his death haue done me good if it were not of the same nature that I am of Heb. ii therefore S. Paule in his seconde chapiter of his Epistle to the Hebrues sayeth Qui sanctificat et qui sanctificantur ex vno omnes that is He that sanctyfyeth and they which are sanctifyed are all of one and within a lyttle after he sayeth farther Debuit per omnia fratribus assimulari vt misericors fieret et fidelis pontifex ad deum vt repropitiaret delicta populi that is Christe muste in all poyntes become lyke to his brethren that he myght be a merciful and fruteful Bisshop to Godward to procure mercy for the sinnes of the people If Christ tooke not the flesh of the Virgin Marye howe is that promyse fulfylled which God made immediatly after the falle of our first parētes when he thrust them out of paradise at which tyme he said vnto the serpente as it is written in the thyrde chapiter of Genesis I wyl set enmitie betwixt the and the womans sede Gene. 3. and it shall treade downe thy hedde Lo how mercifully God dealeth wyth mankynde He promysed that one shoulde be borne of the sede and stocke of Eue which should vanquyshe our ghostly enemy the diuell Nowe in that he calleth hym the sede of the woman he moste playnely declareth that he must nedes haue in him the selfe same nature that the woman had Agayne God makyng the second promyse of the same sede to come of the stocke of Abraham the patriarke said vnto Abraham as is wytnessed in the .xxii. of Genesys In thy sede shall all the nations of the world be blessed Genes 22 many hūdred yeares after that he promyssed lykewyse to Kyng Dauyd that that sede should come of hym to Which promyses of almyghty God were not to be verified in Chryst if he toke not the substaūce of his flesh of the Virgin Mary his mother But here it may seme straūge to some that almighty god seing he intēded from the beginninge to sēd his sonne into the world to be incarnate for mans redēption did defer the sendinge of hym soo longe that is the space of foure thousande yeares or theraboute To whome it is to be aunswered that the long taryinge of Chryste before he was incarnate came not of lacke of good wyl in god towardes vs but of vnredines and lacke of good disposition to receyue hym on oure partes For if Chryste shoulde haue commen in the begynnyng of the worlde men would haue thought that if God had suffered them to vse theyr owne natural powers they would haue attayned saluation well inough without any other helpe on Gods parte Agayne thoughe after longe experience and trauayle of man folowing the onelye lyghte of nature it was euydente that he neded a speciall ayde from God to the attaynynge of euerlastynge lyfe yet the worlde myghte haue demed that in case God of hys goodnes had geuen vnto manne some speciall lyghte and knowledge of hys wyll and pleasure that then vndoughtedlye without farther helpe he folowynge suche specyall lyght and knowledge myght be able well inoughe to attayne to euerlastynge lyfe Therefore to take all suche excuses awaye and that we should plainelye vnderstande that after we once fell into sinne neither the light of nature in vs neyther the knowledge of the wyll of God by speciall reuelation opened vnto vs was able to helpe vs god suffred mankynde to trauel fyrst by the light of nature secondly by the lawe of Moyses and yet man ranne styll farther and farther into damnation Whereby it appereth that though knowledge of the truth be necessarye to the attayninge of euerlastinge lyfe yet suche knowledge be it neuer so great beyng in a man corrupted with synne is to feble and to weake to purge him of sinne For purgation clensing of synne commeth by some other meanes besides the knowledge of the truth and therfore S. Paule in the fyrste chapiter of his epistle to the Romaines most plainly affirmeth that in the time of the law of nature men knew inough of God but yet not withstanding theyr knoledge they fell into abhominable idolatry The wordes of S. Paule in that place are these So much as may be knowen of god is manifest in thē that is to say in those whiche liued vnder the lawe of nature from Adam vnto Moyses For his inuisible thinges euen his eternal power godhed were sene of thē being vnderstanded by the works of the creatiō of the world so that they are without excuse bicause that when they knew God they glorified hym not as god nether were thankeful but becamful of vanitie in their imaginacions And as the lyght whiche men had by the lawes of nature was not of force to kepe them from synne so nether the lawe of Moyses beyng opened from god him selfe by special reuelatiō could suffice to ryde mā from sinne as S. Paule in the second chapiter of his foresayde epistle testifieth saying Behold thou art a Iew Roma 2 and thou doest rest in the law and doest glory in god and doest know his wyl and pleasure being

and saint Paule at Rome saieth thus I thinke it not done without a great cause that in one day in one place and vnder on persecutoure they bothe dyd suffer In one daye for that they should come to Christ together In one place that neither of theym bothe shoulde be destitute of Rome and vnder one persecutoure that lyke cruelty should slaye them bothe The day was for their merite the place for theyr glory the persecutour for theyr vertue And in what place I praye you dyd they suffer martyrdome Euen in Rome whiche is the heade and chyefe citye of the worlde to the intente that where the head of superstition was there should rest the heade of holynes and where the prynces of the heathen did dwel there the princes of the churche shoulde lye Thus sayeth saint Ambrose wherevnto agreeth Egesippus Egesippus an auncyent wryter in his thyrde booke of the distruction of Hierusalem and lykewyse Dionisius Dionisius the byshop of Corinthe Corinth and Caius also whiche lyued in the dayes of zepherinus Sepherinus the Byshop of Rome as more at large appeareth in the .xxv. Chapiter of the foresayde seconde booke of Eusebius Eusebius Ecclesiasticall hystory Nowe that we haue in the homely goyng next before this declared that our sauioure dyd appoynt Saincte Peter to a greater and hygher offyce then he dyd any other of hys Apostles and haue in this homely intreated of the abode of saincte Peter and martyrdome at Rome we wyll consequentlye proue that the Byshoppes of Rome haue alwayes in the catholyke churche bene estemed iudged and taken for sainct Peters successours euen in that hys special and hyghest offyce and that to hym and thē by the wyll of God doeth appertayne the gouernement of Christes hole flocke on earthe And fyrste I wyll begynne wyth the aunciente Authour Ireneus Ireneus 3. Lib. aduersus hereses who in the thyrde Chapiter of hys thyrde booke agaynst heresyes doeth say that the church of Rome is the greatest the eldest and the best knowen of all churches and that it was foūded by the moost glorious Apostles Peter and Paule and that through the succession of the byshops of Rome frō sainct Peter vntyll hys tyme the trueth was deryued from hande to hande that it might there easely be foūde and had And herevpon he sayeth further these wordes Ad hanc enim ecclesiam propter potentiorem principalitatē necesse est omnem conuenire ecclesiam hoc est eos qui sunt vbique fideles That is to saye For vnto this churche meanyng and poyntynge the sea of Rome for the more mighty principalty of it al the hole churche of Christ that is to saye all the faythfull where soeuer they be muste assemble or repayre vnto Augustinus And sainct Augustyne agreably herevnto doth in his .162 Epistle saye that in the churche of Rome the primacy of the Apostolike Sea did euer florishe And the same sainct Augustyne wrytinge agaynste one Petilianus whyche dyd blaspheme the sea of Rome as heretykes doo nowe a dayes doeth more ouer write in this maner Yf all the byshoppes of the worlde were suche men as thou dooest moost falsely reporte theim to be what hath the sea of Rome hurted the where Peter dyd syt and nowe Anastasius sytteth or what hath the sea of Hierusalem hurted the where Iames did sit and now at this presēt Ioannes dothe sit with whome we are in the catholike vnitie ioyned and from whome ye haue deuyded your selues in youre wycked rage or fury why doest thou cal the Apostolike sea the sea of pestilence If thou doo it for the mēs sake whō thou thinkest to preache the lawe and not to fulfyll the lawe dyd our sauiour I praye the any suche iniury to the sea or chaire of the scribes and Phariseis of whome he sayeth They say but they doo not c. Moreouer the holye Martyr sainct Cipriane in the thyrde Epistle Ciprianus of hys fyrste booke speakynge agaynste certayne whyche dyd disobey contempne Cornelius the byshoppe of Rome writeth in this maner Neque enim aliunde hereses oborte sunt aut nata sunt scismata quam inde quod sacerdoti dei nō obtemperatur nec vnus in ecclesia ad tēpus sacerdos et ad tempus iudex vice Christi iudicatur Cui si secundum magisteria diuina obtemperaret fraternitas vniuersa nemo aduersus sacerdotum collegium quicquam moueret That is to saye Of none other cause are heresyes spronge vp or scismes rysen than of this that the priest of GOD meanynge Cornelius the byshoppe of Rome is not obeyed and one is not taken in the churche to be the hyghe priest for the tyme and for the tyme in Christes stede a iudge or Christes vicar vnto whome yf the hole fraternitye were accordynge to Goddes commaundementes obediente no man woulde any thing moue or styrre agaynst the colledge or companye of priestes Sainct Augustyne also wrytynge agaynste the Epistle of a Maniche whyche Epistle is intituled Augustinus or called Fundamentum giueth to the sea of Rome a meruaylous prerogatyue and dothe buylde hys faythe amongest other thinges vpon the succession of the Byshoppes of Rome who after sainct Peter dyd folowe orderly euen to hys tyme whych was .300 yeres after Christe And he wryteth in this maner Multa sunt que me in ecclesie gremio iustissime tenent Tenet me consensio populorū atque gentiū tenet authoritas miraculis inchoata spe nutrita charitate aucta vetustate firmata tenet ab ipsa sede petri Apostoli cui pascendas oues suas post resurrectionē suam dominus commendauit vsque ad presentem episcopatum successio sacerdotum That is to saye there are many thinges which of very good reason doo kepe me in the lawes of the catholyke churche The consent of so manye people and nations or cuntries dothe kepe me the authoritie of the churche begon with myracles nourysshed with hope encreased with charitye and confyrmed with antiquitye doeth kepe me the succession also of bysshoppes from sainct Peter the Apostles seat or tyme to whome oure Lorde dyd after his resurrection commyt hys shepe to be fedde vnto this presēt Bishopricke meanyng Rome doeth kepe me in the catholyke churche Sainct Hierom also in his Epistle to Damasus doeth set fourthe very notably Hieronimus the primacye and supremitye of the byshoppe of Rome as beyng sainct Peters successours and amongest other thynges he sayeth thus Si quis cathedrae Petri iungitur meus est That is to saye Yf any man be ioyned to Peters chayre or hold of Peters seat meaning the sea of Rome he is myne and I receyue and ioyne wyth hym Ambrosius Sainct Ambrose also in his thyrd booke of the sacramētes and in the fyrst Chapiter doth say thus Ecclesia Romana hanc consuetudinem non habet cuius tipum in omnibus sequimur That is to saye the churche of Rome whose forme or trade we doo