LYke as the trade of marchaundies is pro­fytable, and geyneth much, and the fleshe­ly man is muche delyghted with sweete meates, and greatly desyreth them, and yet is there both in marchaundies danger of losse, and in delicate fare oftentimes griefes and de­seases are to be feared, so is it lykewyse with thynges that apperteyneth vnto our sowles (moste Chrystyan hearers) those thynges that be moste holsome for oure sowles, chaunceth sometymes vnto the great damage and hurte thereof, as it is to be seene amongst all other thynges, in the moste blessed sacramente, wherein we eate the fleshe of our sauyoure Chryste, and drynke his blood, Iohan. 6. the profyte wherof, is to make Chryste abyde in vs, and vs to abyde in Chryste, the which howe profy­table it is, all trewe Chrystian men do wel knowe, and yet faynt Paule sayth, 1. Cor. 11. that he which eateth vnworthely this heauenly breade, whiche is Chrystes fleshe, and drynketh vnworthely of the cuppe, wherein his moste blessed blood is conteyned, eatethe and drynketh his owne damnacion, bycause he pondereth not with hym selfe, that it is our Lordes body, whiche he doth there receaue. Wherefore good Chrystyan people, lyke as the marchaunt wolde gyue good eare to him that shuld tell hym howe he might sayle vpon the sea without dan­ger, and the fleshely man wolde heare gladly, the phy­sition tellynge hym howe he myght preserue his body frome deseases and syckenesse: So shulde we that be Chrysten men, moste desyre that knowledge in these [Page]blessed mysteries, Lu 12. Math. 6. whereby our sowles maye be kepte safe, from the daunger that saynt Paule sayth al thē to be in that receaueth vnworthyly. For is not your soule better, then eyther your goodes, or your bodyes? And shall ye not then be as desirous to kepe your soule safe, as eyther your bodyes or your goodes? To you than that haue a special regard vnto your soules, I (to whom the cure of your soules is committed) must say, that two thynges are to be marked and consydered, yf ye wyll a­uoyde daunger in this matter being of so great weight. The redresse of the one apperteineth to you, and that is that ye come deuoutly and well prepared, for as it was not inough, Math. 22 for hym that came to the maryage without a conuenient and a comely garment, to sytte with the o­ther, and to eate of the same that other dyd eate who were at the feaste, so it is no small daunger to you, to come to this feaste without your weddynge garmente, but what weddynge garmente trowe you that I do meane? the same verely that god gaue vnto you at your baptisme, and was represented or sygnyfyed by your Crysome. And yf ye wyll knowe what that is, it was verely innocency, and purenes, for what other thynge doth your depynge or washynge in the water sygnyfye, but that God doth then presently purge and clense you from your sinnes. Therefore seinge that in celebracion of these mysteries, ye must appeare in our masters pre­sence and syght, ye muste be sure that ye do come thy­ther in his lyuerye: And thus to prepare you is your duety. The other thynge that is necessary vnto the holsome receauynge of these mysteries, is a true fayth, Hebre, 11. [Page]without the which no man can please god, and ye know what daunger it is, for one with whom god is offended or angry, to apeere before hym, but to teache this faith vnto you, that belongeth vnto my charge. For vnto me it is sayd, Iohn. 21. Pasce oues meas, feede my shepe, the which thynge that I may the better do, three thynges are ne­cessaryly to be consydred both of you & me, that is, first that ye wyll call vnto your remembraunce what maner of people you to whome I shall speake, ought to be, se­condely, what the thinges be that we must intreate vp­pon, thyrdely, from whence, and from whom we must come by the knowledge of them. As concernynge the fyrst, it is not vnknowen vnto you, that Chrysten men are called and named to be faythful, which is as much as to saye, people that do beleue, in so muche that saynt Paule commaundynge Timothe to gyue good exam­ple of lyfe vnto all Chrysten men, 1. Tim. 4. sayth, F [...]sto forma fi­delium. That is, be an example to the faythfull, wher­by we be monyshed, that the chiefest thynge in a Chry­sten man Que vidē ­tur tēporacia sūt que non vidē ­tur [...] 1. Cor. 4. whiche maketh hym to dyffer from all other mē, is his fayth, but who is he amongst you, that knoweth not that fayth is onely concernynge those thynges that are not to be sene, and which we knowe only by the report of other? In so much that saynt Gregory sayth, that fides non habet meritum, vbi humana ratio pre­bet experimentum, that is to say, fayth hath no merite, where mans reason giueth thexperiēce. And who knoweth not that Abraham was commended of god, for no­thynge so much as he was for his fayth. Gene. 14. Roma. 4. Gal. 3. Doth not the scrypture say, Credidit Abraham deo, et imputatum est [Page]ei ad iustitiam, that is, he beleued Godde, and it was counted to him for rightuousnes, but howe beleued he. Verely saynt Paule sayth, he dyd not consider his owne body, which was nowe more fytter for death, then to be get chyldren, he being an hūdreth yeres of age, nor yet he dyd consyder the barren wombe of Sarai his wyfe, who was then foure score and ten yeres of age, he dyd not reason with God, howe he and his wyfe beynge in theyr youth, not able to beget chyldren, shulde nowe in theyr age, when naturall hope of chyldren was paste, haue chyldren, he dyd not (I say) reason with God of these matters, as our newe brethrene do, in the greate mysteries of our fayth. He harde God speke, and be­leued, but these must haue hym say sensybly, to theyr re­son, this is a fygure of my body, or els they can not vn­derstande hym for theyr iustyfyinge fayth, or rather as it is to be called, damnable infidelitie, can not vnder­stande that god is able to make his body to be really present in heauen, and heare to, bothe at one tyme. But vnto you good Chrysten people, that be the chyldren of A­braham, and do beleue. I trust that there is nothynge, wherein ye can so please god, as in beleuynge his omni­potency and truth. To you I saye that the chiefe cause whiche moued our sauioure to prayse the Centurion so muche as he dyd, Math. 8. was the Centurions faythe, for the Centurion thought that it was as possible for Chryste to heale his seruaunt, though he were absent, as it was for hym selfe in his absence, by commaundement of his seruauntes to haue thynges done as he wolde? for the same cause dyd our sauioure prayse also the woman of [Page]Cananye, sayinge, woman thy fayth is great. Suche then be you and so do beleue, Math. 15. vnto whom nowe at this tyme I purpose by gods grace, to speke of a sacrament, otherwyse called in Greeke a mystery, and in Englyshe it may be named secrete or hydde priuitie of our faythe and religion. In the consideracion and vnderstanding of the whiche mysteryes, your mynde and knowledge must be remoued, and drawen away from the pryestes that ministreth (for they be but as instrumentes, as for example, the axe is to the wryght, the pen is to the wry­ter, the knyfe is to hym that cutteth) and they most be bent and stayed of Christ, who dyd fyrst ordeyne them, and that doth now vse the tounge, and other members of the priestes, to accomplyshe and worke the same. In so muche, that saynte Iohn speakynge of the true bap­tisme, sayth, Math. 3. that it is Chryst that baptyseth, and Chryst sayth hymselfe, that it is not the minister that speaketh, but the spryte of the Father, Sed spiritus patris qui loqui­tur. Luke. 12. that speaketh in hym. Also Chrysostome, and E [...]missen sayth, that it is not the visible prieste that worketh the consecration of the blessed Sacrament, but the inuisible prieste, whiche is our sa­uyour Chryst. But who seeth not then (yf this be true, as it is moste true) that not fayth, but infidelitie hathe caused our late preachers to haue asked the question, howe can the prieste make Chrystes body? As though there were nothynge done in the administracion of the sacrament, but what that the prieste dothe. Doth not this question presuppose the prieste onely, to be not the instrument, but the workeman? Doth not this questi­on take that, that is gods worke from God, and gyue [Page]vnto man? But ye shall vnderstande good people, that these be therfore called mysteries, bycause that in them one thynge doth outwardely appere to our senses, and an other is certeynely knowen to our beliefe and vnder standynge. Outwardely we se the prieste, outwardely we heare this sentence, Take, eate, this is my body, Augu. ad infantes. &c. pronounced by the priest, outwardely we se the formes of breade and wyne, and these are as perceptible and easy to be perceaued of the Turkes & other Infydels, as of vs Chrysten men, that is, they se and heare as much, and the very same, touchynge these outwarde thynges, that we do: But then is there the inuysible priest, who bad the visible priest do this, and that spea­keth and worketh by him, as by his instrument, and the effecte and operacion of these wordes, take, eate, this is my body, which is to change those visible creatures into the substaunce (as Emysen, Chrysostome, Chrisost. de p [...]dici­one I [...]de saynte Ambrose, and such lyke autours do wytnesse) of Chry­stes blessed body and blood, where is further to be con­sydred that the very naturall body and blood of our sa­uioure Iesu Chryst to be conteyned vnder, and signy­fyed by those formes of bread and wyne. Chryste hym selfe is a moste true wytnesse, and beste to be beleued herein; who also sayth, that it to be the same bodye that was broken for vs, and the same blood that was shedde for vs. And these thynges good people that is the inui­sible speaker and worker, the effecte or workynge of these wordes, and the most precious body and blood of our sauiour Iesu Chryst, these thynges I say are the priuities & secretes the which are not to be sene of Infi­dels [Page]and Turkes, and yet beleued of Christen men and conceaued by fayth only: For who beinge an Infidell, wolde thynke that God were in his prieste, speakynge or saying to vs, take, & eate, this is my body? Or who being voyde of fayth, wolde thinke that there were any thynge done, by the vertue of these wordes, take, eate, this is my body, more then is done by these: Chryst is the sonne of God, and such lyke, the which do not worke any thyng, that is, do not make Chryste to be the sonne of God, but teacheth that he is the sonne of god: Who I say beinge an infidell, wolde not thinke an operaci­on and effecte, to be of both these, that is, to teache, and not to worke any thynge? And then bycause that it is moste certeyne, that breade is not his body, muste they say eyther that Chryst sayde not trewe, or els must they expounde it, to be a figure of his body. Thus I say, an Iufidell or a faythlesse man, can haue no other vnder­standynge of these wordes, which doth both worke and teache (for that is the nature of the wordes that apper­teyneth to a sacrament, to teache and worke bothe) then he hath of other wordes, whose office is onely to teache. Nowe iudge you then, whether our newe gospellers, be men voyde of fayth or not. They say the same effect to be of these wordes, this is my body, and of these, I am a vyne so that as Chryst was not a vyne, but figu­red by the vine, so doth not these wordes this is my bo­dy, chaunge the substaunce of the breade and wyne, in­to Chrystes body and blood, but teachethe that they be fygures of his body and blood, the whiche thynge once graunted, se I pray you what foloweth, then muste ye [Page]confesse also that the lyke vnderstandynge, muste be of these wordes of baptisme, I baptize thee in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy ghoste and then it must folowe, that as these wordes do importe that to be Chrystes body, which is but the figure of his body, so doth the priest say in baptisme, that he baptiseth you, when in dede he geueth to you but the fygure of your baptisme, and so ye neyther eate Chrystes fleshe, nor yet be Chrystened in dede: Are not these cunninge workemen in diuinitie trowe ye, that sayth like as these wordes, I am the vine, are to be vnderstande, the vine is a fygure of me, so this is my body, must be expoun­ded, this is a fygure of my body, and so must the priest say, I do not baptise the, but do gyue the a figure of the baptisme, and then seinge that al the scriptures that be contrary to reason, must be so expounded, to make thē agree with reason, so must this sayinge of the Father, this is my welbeloued sonne, be vnderstande that this is a fygure of my sonne bycause it is ageynste reason, that a man shulde be gods sonne, and so wyl they make our sauiour Chryst not to be the sonne of god. Iudge you good people, whether this be a pretty diuinitie or not: Secondely yf ye wyll say that to be breade, which Chryst sayth to be his body, or that to be a figure of baptisme, which Chryst sayth to be baptisme it selfe. What haue ye I pray you to proue eyther that ye do eate it, or that ye be baptised, ye feyne a spirituall eatynge, where haue ye that in scrypture, and take the effecte of these wordes away but to let this. Thyrdely howe I pray you be the bread and wyne (which do signifie in eating) [Page]figures of Chrystes body and blood, if his body be not in deede eaten? But as I sayde, an Infidell can not knowe, that as the holy ghost, was vnder the forme of a doue, so is heare the bodye of oursauioure vnder the forme of bread: An Infidell lokynge uppon the visible forme of breade, knoweth that there is a thyng to be eaten: but only a Chrystian man knoweth what it is that is eaten, for he is taught of Chryst that it is his blessed body. Thus I say, ought we that be beleuers, to consi­der and iudge them as mysteries of our fayth, and they be therfore mysteries, bycause one thynge doth appere in them outwardely, and they be inwardely another, as saynt Austyne wryteth to the infantes, that to the iudgement of theyr sences, there is breade and wyne, but to the knowledge of oure faythe, they be Chrystes most precious body and bloud. Nowe these hauynge as I say, two partes, the one knowen to our sences, the other to our faith, it is nowe then to be considered wherupon and by what grounde our fayth muste be stayed, and that all men knoweth to be Gods worde: for that saith our sauiour is so sewer, Math. 5. that thoughe heauen and earth passe away, yet shal that continue. Wyll ye se then what this worde sayth? Gene. 3. Iohn. 6. The worde sayth, that Adam was poysoned with eatynge of an apple, and Chryste sayth, that his fleshe is so necessary a triakle to dryue out this poyson, that except we eate his fleshe, and drynke his blood, we shall not haue lyfe, the which thinge once graunted, what ayleth vs that we can not see to ley the playster to our sore? That is lyke as bothe our bodyes and sowles were poysoned with the apple, so must both [Page]our bodyes and sowles be restored by Chrystes fleshe eaten of vs, and as not a figure of an apple, but a ve­ry apple was eaten, so not a figure of Chrystes body, but his very bodye is to be eaten, for to restore ageyne our nature. Moreouer Gods worde sayth, that as we haue the substaunce of our bodyes from Adam, so haue we our corruption and sinfulnesse with the same. And our seconde Adam sayth, that except we come into him, and be made one with hym by eatyng of his fleshe, 1. Cor. 15. Roma. 5. Iohn. 6. that we shall not escape death, for he that eateth his fleshe, and drynketh his blood, abydeth in Chryste, and hathe Chryste abydynge in hym, whereby we be taught that as we haue not in vs a fygure of Adam, but the very substaunce of Adam, and not his substaunce onely, but his substaunce and his sinne, so must we haue in vs like wyse, not the fygure, nor the ryghteousnes onely of Chrystes body, but his very and natural body in dede. Furthermore the Iewes had Manna, Exod. 16. Exod. 12. and theyr Pas­call lambe, the whiche were figures of Chryste, of the whiche Manna dyd signifie Chrystes incarnacion, in that as Manna was created in the pure ayer, or as it is called in the scripture heauen, by Gods omnipotent power, and not by the order of nature, so was Chrystes body in the pure and heauenly wombe of the virgin, be yonde or aboue nature, created by the holy ghoste, and as Manna fell downe and laye vppon the grounde, so was his precious body slayne and layde in graue: & as Manna was gathered vp and eaten, so dyd it sygnyfie that the same body of our sauiour shulde also be eaten. The Pascall lambe also dyd signifie the humanitie of [Page]Chryste, that as the lambe was without spotte, so was Christ conceaued without sinne, and as the lambe was slayne, so was also Chryste, and as the same lambes fleshe was eaten, so dyd it signifie that Chrystes fleshe shulde be eaten: And thereupon sayth saynt. Bede and saint Ierome, In cōmen tarus su­per. Luke et super Math. that Christ went from the fygure, to the truth, when after the Pascall lambe beinge eaten, he consecrate this blessed sacrament. And se heare I pray you good people, howe that our newe professoures of our late spronge fayth, doth make by theyr doctrine, the scriptures to be false: for these figures that I haue resi­ted, doth so well teache the eatynge of Chrystes fleshe, as eyther his incarnacion, or death, and therfore if the promesse that was made by the fygure, be performed in the two fyrst poyntes, not figuratyuely, but really, & doth so wel signifie the thyrde, that is the real eatyng of his fleshe, shal not thē they be cōpelled eyther to say that the Iewes did not eate Manna, nor the Pascal lābe in dede, but figures of them, or els to say that the promises of Christes incarnacion & passion, were trewe & be per­formed, & that the thyrde, which is of his fleshe to be ea­ten, was eyther false, or that it is yet to be performed, but then ye wyll say, that we eate his fleshe spiritually, and dyd not they the same I praye you, when they eate Manna, and the fleshe of the Lambe? And howe then is there any promyse made to them which is performed to vs, seinge we haue no more then they had? ye do you marke and yf they make not vs to be in worse case then the Iewes were. For they had Manna, and a Lambe, and we haue common breade and wyne, the which who [Page]knoweth not to be much lesse worth, then were Manna and the Lambe: for as I sayde they dyd remember Chrystes death, and were parteners of the fruites ther of, for theyr tyme and portion, so well as we be. And thus do they make the newe testamente and the sacra­mentes therof, to be worse then the olde. It shall not be nedefull for me to resite vnto you the sayinges of our sauiour Chryste in al the foure Euangelystes, and in saynt Paule. For ye knowe in them all Chryste sayth, eyther that his fleshe is very meate, and therefore vere­ly to be eaten, or els, take, eate, this is my body whiche is geuen for you: In no place nameth he it eyther to signifie or to be a figure of his body: ye do also beare in mynde, Exod. 24. that as Moyses toke the cup whrein the blood of sacryfyce was, and sayde that it was the blood of the Testament: Luke. 22. so dyd Chryste take the Challes wherein was the blessed blood, being the blood of our sacryfyce, & sayd that it was the cuppe of the newe testament, that is lyke as we be certeyne there to be the blood of hym that dyed for the performaunce of the newe testamente, so myght we be suer, that all that was sayde, or spoken vpon in the testament, shulde be performed. Colde this be done thinke you, so conueniētly with a cuppe of wine? But nowe to here what the holy fathers haue beleued in this matter, I pray you marke. De cena. Saynt Ciprian the glorious martyr, and an aunciente father beinge nere thyrtene hundreth yeres agone, doth not he say that the breade which Chryst gaue to his disciples kept styll the same shape that it had, and yet by the omnipotencye of Gods worde, it was chaunged in nature & was made [Page]Chrystes fleshe. Eusebits Emisen an auncient father almost twelue hundreth yeres old, sayth, that the inui­sible prieste turneth the visible creatures into the sub­staunce of Chrystes body and blood. Saynt Ambrose more then .xi. hundreth yere olde, sayth, that before the wordes of consecration the Chalesse is ful of wyne and of water, but after the wordes, there is the blood that redemed the people. Saynt Augustine beinge of the same tyme sayth, that in his tyme they did not iudge the same of the thynges in the sacramente before the conse­cration and after, for before they dyd acknowledge thē to be breade and wyne, the which nature had made, but after they professed thē to be the body and blood of oure sauiour, which grace had consecrated, & the same saynt Austen doth also say, that as the person of our sauyour dyd stande of his visible manhod, and his inuisible god­hed, so sayth he doth the sacrafyce of the Churche stand pon the visible formes of breade and wyne, and of the inuisible fleshe of our sauiour Iesu Chryste. To these myght be added Chrysostome, saynt Ierome, Dama­sene, Theophilacte & many other, ye al Chrystendome do wytnesse the same: wherefore you beinge faythfull men and women, that do in these mysteries of our be­liefe remoue your vnderstandynge frome the thynges that ye perceaue by your sences, as frome the prieste or the sounde of the wordes, the visible formes of breade and wyne, vnto God the autour of them, the workyng of the holy ghost by the wordes, and the body and blood of our sauiour: Graffe these thynges deepely in your hart, and practyse them in your iyuynge, adherynge to [Page]the fayth and religion of his catholyke Churche, surely and stedfastely beleuyng, that vnder these formes of of breade & wine here in the sacramēt of the aulter there are conteyned really the blessed body and blood of oure sauyour Chryst. And yf ye thus do, ye shal please and serue God, profyte your selfe and your neyghbour, with the hole congregacion, and lyuynge well accordynge to Chrystes commaundementes, shall haue for your re­warde the blisful kyngedome of heauen: which graunt vnto you the father, the sonne, and the holy ghost, three persons and one God, to whom be all honoure, prayse, and glory, for euer and euer. Amen.

THere be three thinges (good people) wher­withal men be moued to seke lernyng and knowledge, that is the truth which is na­turally desyred of all men, the profyte that men get by knowledge, and the pryce or goodnesse of the thynge that we desyre to knowe, by the which causes, as men be moued to desyre knowledge, so are these causes no where more forceable and weigh­tely to be considered then they be in the sacryfyce of the masse, the which is dayly vsed in the Church. For fyrst it is not vnknowen to you, what stryfe there hath byn about it, and howe that lerned men of both partes haue [Page]spent theyr lyues in the controuersy therof. Secondely ye se that bycause it is proued or improued by the name of a sacryfyce, it must nedes be a thynge that appertey­neth so to vs all that it deuydeth one parte of suche as stryue about it vtterly from God. For yf the masse be a sacryfyce to god in deede, then it maketh those that be meinteyners & the vsers of it to be better beloued with god then other. For a sacryfyce is as much to say, as an holy worke, and therfore seing that god loueth the workers of holy thynges, so must he loue them that serueth hym at or by the sacryfyce, & then also are such as striue ageynst it, the most enemies that god hath. For they labour to kepe that worke vndone wherein he is beste pleased. And yf contrarywyse it be no sacryfyce, then be they wronge worshyppers of god that vse the sacryfice, which is as much to saye, as that they be supersticious Idolaters. And for the excellency of the thynge, what I pray you can be compared in excellency with this sa­cryfyce? which is as much to say as the moste sacred or holy worke that can be. For in offeringe of the sacryfice we be most heuenly or lyke vnto the blessed company of heauen, whiche are continually occupyed in worshyp­pynge and honorynge of God. These causes most dere brethrene and systren hath caused me that hath the cure vpon your soules (seinge ye be by reason of these diuer­sities of doctrine brought into suche daunger) to teache you what is ment dy this worde sacryfyce, and that ye may knowe the better how we do differ frō the Iewes to speke of the diuersitie of the sacryfyces, and to speake also howe the masse is in dede a sacryfyce. And verely [Page](good people) the same causes that moueth me to teach you, ought to moue you to lerne, for ye may of this that I haue sayde se what danger ye be in, yf ye be ignorant in this so great a matter. The which thinge that ye may the better vnderstande, I fyrst note vnto you that there be, and alwayes haue byn three principall partes of re­ligion ioyned together, and one folowynge vpon ano­ther. That is the testamentes or couenantes that God maketh with man, the priesthod or office of such as god hath made mynisters of his testamentes, and the sacry­fyce or worke wherin the people do recognyse and most faythfully acknowledge the same couenauntes accor­dynge whereunto sayth saynt Paule that Omnis ponti­fex ex hominibus assumptus, pro hominibus constitu­itur in iis quae sunt ad deum vt offer at dona et sacrifi­cia pro peccatis. That is, euery byshop taken forth frō amongste men, is appoynted for men to be occupyed in those thynges that do apperteine vnto god, that he may offer gyftes and sacryfyces for sinne. In which wordes are to be sene the three thynges that I spake of before, that is, fyrst the testament by the which the byshop must be chosen (for no man sayth saynt Paule may vsurpe honour to hymselfe) seconde the byshop whō saint Paule sayth to be a minister of those thynges that be betwixte man & god, and the thyrde is the sacryfice, which also he so nameth. Thus (good people) was there a testament or a couenaunt made betwyxte God and the people of Israell and Aron, as ye knowe was chosen to be a my­nister of the same testament, and as ye knowe his my­nystery was also in offerynge of sacryfyce. Chryst also [Page]was a minister of the newe testament, and dyd also of­fer sacryfyce as ye knowe, Hebre. 10. and nowe good people if the same testament that was begon by Chryst doth styl continue, and shall vnto the worldes ende, than lyke as Arons sacryfyce, testamente, and priestehod begonne together and continued together vnto Chrystes com­mynge, and were all abrogated together at one tyme by Chryste. Euen so moste deare brethren, yf we wyll that Chrystes testament shall continue amongst vs, so must we also haue his priesthod and sacryfyce. Heare then may we se the malious wickednes of the deuyll, in all our miserable heretickes that denye both the prieste­hod and the sacryfyce of the newe testament the which thynge yf he or they colde brynge to passe, then myght we say that there is no testament neyther. For it was neuer sene nor harde before, that euer there was a testa­ment without these. Secondely it is contrary to the or­der of the scripture, the which as ye se ioyneth the testa­ment, the priesthod, & the sacryfyce together. Thyrdely it is contrary to saynt Paule, who sayth that the testa­ment was to be chaunged, and not to be taken away by Chryste, but what other is it to chaunge it, but to put a better in the stede thereof? Hedre. 7. Wherefore as the olde testa­ment was by Chryst chaunged into a better, so must it folowe that he dyd not take away the priesthod and sa­crifice, but chaunged them into a better and a more per­fecte priesthod and sacryfyce. And what priesthod from ye and sacryfyce dyd he chaunge them into? Verely in­to the priesthod and sacryfyce foreshewed longe before by the priesthod and sacryfyce of Melchisedech accor­dynge Bene. 14 Hebre. 7. [Page]as the prophet Dauyd had spoken of Chryst be­fore, sayinge, Psal. 109. Tu es sacerdos in eternum secundum or­dinem Melchisedech. Thou art a prieste for euer accordynge vnto the order of Melchisedech But what was the order of Melchisedech? Certeynely saythe saynte Paule he was a fygure of Chryste, what I praye you was his sacryfyce? Verely sayth the scrypture breade and wine, the which were likewise figures of Christes blessed body & blood, that is nowe dayly offered vnder the formes of breade and wyne, in the tyme of this testamente, for as Melchisedechs priestehod was a fygure of Chrystes, so was his sacryfyce a figure of Chrystes sacryfyce. Witnesses haue I for me in this matter saint Augustine in dyuers places, and namely in his booke intyteled De Ciuitate dei, August. de Ciuitate dei. lib. 16 Capi. 22. there he saythe that when Melchisedeth dyd blesse Abram then dyd fyrste apeare the sacryfyce the which Chrysten men do offer through the whole worlde, and the thynge is nowe fulfylled that was spoken vpon Chryste so longe before. Marke ye good people howe he speketh, he sayth, not that it thē was, but that it dyd then apeare. Ye knowe that there is a great diuersitie betwyxt the beinge of a thyng, and the appearynge of it, for the thynge may appeare by his fygure, as by the materiall breade that Melchisedech dyd offer appeared the heauenly breade, that is Chry­stes owne blessed body, whiche he dyd in dede offer at hys supper, and is dayly offered in the Church, as saint Augustin before resited, doth moste playnely testyfye. The same figure of Melchisedech and his sacryfyce is thus applyed by saynt Ierome, saynt Bede, and other [Page]dyuers holy fathers, whose doctrine (most dere frēdes) it shalbe muche more sure and holsome to folowe then the doctrine of our maried priestes, Ierō. ad marcel Ambro li. 5 de sacra. ci who maketh al this businesse ageynst the blessed sacrament & sacryfyce, by­cause that these being made nothyng worth, they might without reprofe lyue fleshely. But to returne ageyne vnto our purpose: The thynges beinge as I haue told you, and it so playnely taught to vs by the scryptures it is to wyt that these three, the testament, the priesthod, and the sacryfyce be alway so ioyntly together, that the one of them is neuer founde without the other, that is, neyther the testament without the priesthod and the sa­cryfyce, nor they without the testament. It requyreth in order that we do say briefely what these be, and howe they do agree together. And concernyng the fyrst, that is the testamente, ye shall vnderstande (good people) though we call the bookes wherein the lawe of God is conteyned the testamentes, yet in dede they be but as it were tables or scrolles wherein the explication or the playne declaration of the testamentes be conteyned, for what man is so fonde that thynketh the olde testamente to haue begon at Moyses, who was in dede but the writer of the olde testament? Or is there any so ignorante of our religion that thynketh the newe testamente to haue begonne at the Euangelistes, and not at Chryste, whome we do well knowe to haue made perfecte his testament or euer any of the Euangelistes dyd wryte. Mary ye shall vnderstande that the same that we call the testamente, Ge. 9.17. Ieremi. 31 doth God almyghty call Pactum, that is his couenauntes or agrementes with vs, and oures [Page]with hym. The couenauntes & ye lyste to knowe when they were made, and with what wordes they were vttered, ye shall vnderstande that the fyrst and elder testa­ment was made betwyxt God almyghty & Adam our fyrst father in paradyce, Gene. 3. which was that Adam beinge a man nowe cast forth of Gods fauour, and by his de­seruynge moste iustly adiudged vnto death, shulde be reconcyled to gods fauour and restored to lyfe ageyne by the appoynted sede of the woman which was our sa­uyour Iesu Chryst, by whom the serpentes heade (by which is vnderstande the power & ryght that the fiende had ouer man) shulde be broken, so that Adam & those that shulde come of Adam, wolde faythfully wayte for the commynge of our sauiour, and in the meane season labour to do god seruice, so nere as mans frayltie wold suffer them. Nowe wot ye well good people, that this agrement was very pleasaunt and ioyful vnto Adam, and all those that were faythfull were very gladde that they shulde be restored ageine vnto theyr fyrst dignitie, the which they had lost by disobedience. And herein as it were to beate wytnesse betwyxt god and man of this agrement, there were chosen priestes, the which at the beginninge whyles the lawe of nature did raigne were chosen of the chiefest and heades of the people, and so was Noe for his houshold, and Abraham for his hous­holde, and Melchisedeth kynge of Salym a priest for his whole kyngedome. Gene. 8. Gene. 12. Gene. 14. Gene. 22. Iob. 1. Afterwardes when the people began to forget gods couenantes, and the chiefe of the people began to mynde the worde more then god, then God caused Moyses to publyshe his testamente in [Page]wrytynge, and dyd then chose out the stocke of Leuy to be his priestes vntyll that testament that was made to Adam in Paradyce shulde be chaunged. Marke. 2. Mark. 17 And to the in­tent that they shulde the better mynde God, and set the lesse by the worlde, he appoynted them to lyue by the sa­cryfyces whiche were offered vnto hym. Ibi. 18. These then (that is) bothe the priestes that were vnder the lawe of nature, and vnder the lawe of Moyses, dyd offer the sacryfice of the people vnto god, that is, they in theyr offyce doynge, were wytnesses betwyxt god and the people, that he was the god that had made the promesse, & that these were the people that dyd faythfully trust and loke for the same to be performed. Leuiti. 9. The whiche that it myght be the better perceaued and more faythfully borne in theyr remembrance, Leui. 19. he toke some lyuely thing and slewe it in theyr syght, that they seinge the thynge that had not deserued so to be ordered, to be burnte and consumed in theyr syght, might the better consider how they thē selues had deserued thus to be ordered, that is, to be burned, slayne & consumed, but yet that almigh­ty god had translated the death from them, and layde it vpon our sauyour Chryst, who hauynge no cause of death in hym selfe, no more then the innocente lambes had, Esei. 53. yet shulde be slayne for them. Nowe se I pray you and if they had not the most innocent death of our saui­our, euen as it were expressed and set before theyr eyes, when they dyd thus presently beholde the slaughter of those beastes. Do not you thynke the syght and behol­dynge of those sacryfices though they were but figures dyd better cause them to remember Chrystes deathe, [Page]then yf they shuld haue hard of it in the wordes or tea­chynge of priestes? Nowe then yese what the testamēt, the priesthod, and the sacryfyce be, it is also nowe ne­cessary that ye knowe howe many testamētes there be, and howe they do dyffer. Fyrst for the nomber of thē, ye knowe that they be two, the one made of God vnto man in Paradyce, Gene. 3. Math. 3. the other made of god vnto man at the baptysynge of our sauyour Chryst. In the one, god promysed that the sede of the woman shulde breake the serpentes heade: In the other he sayde, this is my well beloued sonne in whom I am well pleased, heare hym, the which is as much as yf he had sayde, this is the sede that breaketh the serpentes heade, I that was angrye with you before, am nowe fully reconsyled vnto you, nowe I requyre no more of you, but that ye wyll be­come his diligent and saythfull scholers. These twoo testamentes as ye se do dyffer in these poyntes: Fyrst, that the fyrst dyd teache a promesse, this teacheth a per­formaunce. The fyrst had his perferte ende at Christes death and passion, the seconde had his absolute and perfecte beginnynge at the same, and therefore calleth the scrypture out sauyour Chryst the corner stone, as one shulde say a stone in whom the two walles, that is the two testamentes were cowpled together. Psal. 117 Math. 21. Eph. 2. For Chryste in his death, was bothe a prieste accordynge to the or­der of Aron bicause he was offered with bloodsheding whiche was the maner of sacryfysynge in the order or priestehod of Aron, August. deciuitat [...]. liber. 20. La. 20. and he was also in the same passi­on a priest of the newe testament, in so much as that he dyd offer hym selfe, for that by the doctrine of saynt Augustine [Page]is proper to the sacryfyce of the Churche. For Chryst sayth, that beinge bothe the prieste that offered, and the sacryfyce that was offered, taught his Churche both to offer and to be offered at once, his wordes be these. Per hoc et sacerdos est ipse, offerens ipse, et ob­latio cuius rei sacramentum quotidianum voluit esse ecclesiae sacrificiū quae cum ipsius capitis corpus sit se­ipsam per ipsum discit offerre. That is: In suche sorte was Chryst a priest, that he both offered the sacryfyce, and was the sacryfyce, of the which his doynge, he wyl­leth the sacryfyce that is dayly vsed in the Churche, to be a Sacrament, the which Churche beinge his body, and he the heade of the Church, the Church hath nowe learned to offer her selfe by hym, by the whiche he mea­neth, that as Chryst in his passion dyd both offer, and was offered, so doth the deuoute people at the masse in a certeyne respecte both offer the body of Chryste vnto God, and when they offer it, they do offer vp thē selues. For lyke as the headde and the bodye maketh but one thynge, so the body of our sauyour Chryste, wherewith the Church is dayly fedde, being heade of the Church, and the Churche that eateth the same bodye beinge so made one with Chryst, that it is his body, so whan the Church doth offer his body in the sacramēt, the Church doth offer her selfe, for she offereth her heade. For (most Chrystian hearers) ye shall vnderstande that as the thynge that is eaten, Cirill. su­per Iohā ­nes. ca. 17 libro. 11. C. 26. and the thynge that eateth, are by eatynge made one, so by eatynge Chrystes blessed body we be made (as sayth Ciryll) really and corporally one with him, not that we disgest him, but that he disgesteth [Page]vs, and thereupon are we called members of Chryste, Locus in­spectione dignissi­mus. and he in dede is our heade, & by the same reason, when we offer̄ vp hym, we offer our selues, this thynge good Chrystian people is harde to be vnderstanded, and spe­cially where fayth wanteth, and the vertue of the bles­sed sacrament is vnknowen. But to returne vnto our purpose, this may be added to the diuersities of the sa­cryfyces of the olde and newe testament, that the olde were ordeyned by men that were mynysters, this by Chryste, eyther in hym selfe, or in his members to be done. Furthermore concernynge the newe testament, ye knowe it to be the agrement made betwyxt Godde and vs, Ecce an­nuncio vobis gaudium magnū. &c Luke. 2. and therefore is the doctrine therof called Euan gelium, as one shulde say good tydynges. For it was a ioyfull thynge to heare that man is reconcyled to Gods fauour ageyne. Also concernynge the ministers of this testament, there is no dout but that the Apostles, the Disciples, and such as be chosen in the Church for that purpose, be ministers of this testamente. Mary nowe all the controuersie that is amongst vs at this present, is whether they be to be called priestes or not, and that is also for bycause that certeyne euyll disposed persons, sayth that we haue no sacryfice: Howe be it, as I said these go so together, priestood, sacryfyce, and testamēt, that yf ye take away the sacryfyce, ye muste also denye the priesthod, and so consequently the testamente also. Wherefore to teache that there is a priesthod, we muste fyrst proue that we haue a sacryfyce, the whiche is easy to be done yf ye wyll but call vnto your remembraunce that the sacryfyce is nothynge els but a dede or a worke [Page]which expresseth the couenaunt that god hath made vn­to man, and that we that be the doers eyther in acte or in consent, be such as acknowledgeth the testament or couenaunt to be made vnto vs. Nowe then marke I pray you but what the couenant of god is to vs, wher­in it is accomplyshed and fulfylled, and what deede or worke doth most perfectly represente or shewe it to the congregation of the faythfull. For the testament, was it not that we shulde heare Chryste his sonne, and that then he wolde be pleased and at one ageyne with vs? For the tyme when this agremente was fully accom­plyshed and made, who doubteth but that it was then, when our sauyour suffered his most hytter passion for vs vpon the crosse? Collo. 1. For as saynt Paule sayth, the blood of Chrystes crosse made a generall peace betwyxt God and al his creatures that be eyther in heuen or in earth. Also for to represent this agrement, both howe it was made, and when it was made, what I praye you can better represent or shewe it, then the consecration of the blessed sacrament in the remembraunce of his most precious death and passyon? When the priest appoynted to consecrate those blessed mysteries, callynge vnto hym the assystaunce of the holy ghoste (as saynte Denyce sayth) and resytynge the same wordes that Chryst our sauyour spake and wylled to be continually spoken in the celebration of these moste blessed mysteries. Dionisi­us cherar­chia eccle­siastica. And when by the vertue of the same wordes, and the holy ghoste workynge by theym, the breade is turned into Chrystes most sacred body, and the wine into his most precious blood, is not then the couenaunte of God, the [Page]death of Christ, & the maner of his death expressed vnto you? whē by your resortinge to heare masse ye cause the priest to consecrets this blessed sacramēt, and he accor­dynge to his office, fyrst consecrateth the host, and after sheweth you the body & blood of our sauyoure couered with the formes of breade & wyne, (bycause these miste ries ought not to be sene but of you that be faithful) whē I saye you do nowe as it were with your eyes se hym there, of whō it was saide, here him & I am pleased, Eum vi­des cum tanges Chrisostō ad po. ho. 60. and whē ye se the same body that was slayne, couered there vnder the fourme of breade, & the blood that was shed to be there vnder the fourme of wyne, do not you then protest that ye be the people to whō these couenauntes were made, & that Christ dyed for your re dēption, and that his death was not by hanging, drownyng, or strangelyng, where the blood is conteyued within the body beinge deade, but that his death was by sheedynge, or deuydynge of his blessed fleshe and blood in sunder? Thus haue ye by the celebration of this blessed sacra­ment these thre thynges euen as it were set before your eyes to be considered, fyrst that Chryst dyed for you, the cause why he dyed for you, and the maner howe he dy­ed for you, & thinke you not this worke then (good people) to be most worthy to be called a sacrifice that expres­seth so playnely to vs these necessary poyntes of our sal­uation? Or do ye thinke that any worke of man may be cōpared with this, not onely for that it was institute & ordeyned of god, but for that god who made the testa­mēt, & we to whō the testament is made, do here at the celebraciō of these blessed misteries mete together, he to [Page]performe and make good his promesse, and we to aske the benefite of the same, the blessed body of our sauitour beinge as it were a pledge or toke▪ betwyxte God and vs, that is, that he made the promesse, and that we do nowe ryghtfully craue it. Chrisost. de euche to. 3. ho­mile ad monitoria Accordynge whereunto saith Chrysostome, good Lorde the table is prepared with the mysteries, and the lambe of God is offered for the, and the prieste prayethe for thee, and the spirituall blood is there flowynge vpon the holy table, and the Seraphins stande rounde about shadowynge his face with theyr wynges, and al the incorporal powers prayeth then with the prist for thee, and as foloweth a lyttle after, art not thou then sayth he ashamed? art thou not afrayde? yea art not thou vtterly confounded, August. de tempore ho. 251. that ha­uynge this opportunitie wylt not labour to gette Gods mercy and fauour? Also in lyke maner doth saynt Au­gustine charge his dioceners with commynge to ser­uyce, and especially vpon the sondayes vnto masse, and there he sayth, that men ought of dutye to come vnto the Church vpon the sondayes and other holy dayes to all the seruyce, and yf any man be letted by necessarye businesse, that he can not come to the Churche, yet he ought to pray at home, but he sayth that without any excuse he ought vpon the holy day deuoutly to here masse, and blameth certeyne very sharpely that do not so. For he sayth. Adhuc quod detesta bilius est, quidam ad eccle siam venientes, non intrant, non intendunt precibus, non expectant cum silencio sanctarum missarum cele­brationem. That is, yea this is much more detestable, certeyne when they come vnto the Church, eyther they [Page]wyll not go in, or they wyll not gyue them selues vnto prayer, or they wyll not with scylence abyde vntyll the masses be celebrated and ended. Thus may ye se good people, what these holye fathers dyd iudge vppon the masse, the which our newe brethrene hath taught you to reuyle and dispyse. But then ye wyll aske me what scriptures teacheth the masse to be a sacryfyce. And verely amongst many more then the tyme wyll suffer me to resyte, these do teache it. Fyrst the sacryfyce of the Pascal lambe the which our sauyour did change at his supper, and placed in stede thereof this sacryfyce of his blessed body and blood, and that the Pascall lambe was a sa­crifice the scripture is playne For say the not the scryp­ture playnely, that all the Israelites shulde offer vp the Pascall lambe at the euen tyde? and saythe not saynte Paule that Chryst was offered vp a passouer. Exod. 11. 1. Cor. 5. The which wordes declareth that the Pascall lambe was a sacryfyce. Wherfore as the newe testament commynge in place of the olde, is by right called a testament, so this commynge in stede of the sacryfyce, is iustly named a sacryfyce. For as theyr passouer put them in remem­braunce howe they were deliuered forth of Egypte, so doth this put vs to remember our delyueraunce out of hell: wherefore it is most playnely to be sene, that this is the sacryfyce of the Churche. For this is a good rea­son that it shulde be a sacryfyce, bycause it commeth in place of a sacryfyce. Gene. 14. Psal. 109. Hebre. 7. Secondely the scripture that saith Melchisedech to haue byn a fygure in his priestehod, of our sauyour Chrystes priesthod, teacheth this to be a sacryfyce. For onely in the institucion of these blessed [Page]mysteries dyd Chryst fulfyll the thynge that was figu­red by Melchisedech, that is, as Melchisedech offered vp materiall breade, so dyd Chryst offer this heauenly breade that is his owne blessed body vnder the fourme of breade. Thyrdely the prophesy of Malachy teacheth it, Malla. 1. where he sayth that the gentyles shall offer vnto god a newe and a most cleane sacryfyce. But why shulde not this be called a sacryfyce beinge the sacryfyce of the newe testament, and what thynge in cleanenesse can be compared with the precious body and blood of our sa­uyour Chryst? Fourthly the wordes of our sauyours Chryst, sayinge do this in my remembraunce, teacheth that it is a sacryfyce, Luke. 22. 1. Cor. 11. for as those workes and thynges were called sacryfyces, that dyd sygnyfye his deathe to come, so by the same reason shulde this be a sacryfyce, that declareth it to be past. 1. Cor. 10. Fyftly saynte Paule when he to dryue away Chrysten men frome the sacryfyces done vnto the Idols, nameth the cup of our lord, what other dothe he, but saye that this is the sacryfyce that Christen men onely haue? And so comparynge our sa­cryfyce and theyrs together, sayth, that they coulde not drynke of the cuppe of our Lorde, and of the cuppe of deuyls. But then ye wyll say, howe can this be a sacryfyce, seinge that it is commonly called a sacrramente. Verely (good people) it is called a sacrament or a pri­uitie, for that it appeare the to the Infydels to be one thynge, and is knowen of vs to be another as to them it apereth to be nothyng but breade, but we knowe that it is Chrystes body in the fourme of breade, and of this secrete or pryuie beinge heare, it is called a sacrament. [Page]It is also called a sacryfyce for that the prieste doth consecrate them to represente the deathe and passy­on of our sauyour Chryste, so that there be two vses (good people) of these mysteryes, the one to be ea­ten, wherof Chryst speaketh sayinge. Take, eate, this is my body, the other is to put vs in mynde of his death, wherof he sayth, do this in remembraūce of me. In the fyrste vse it is a sacramente, in the se­conde a sacryfyce. But then ye wyll saye ageyne that the celebracion of these mysteries cōmonly cal­led the sacrynge, is but one parte of the masse, truth it is, that the sacryfyce whiche Chryste lefte to be of­fered in his Church, is in dede but that part whiche we commonly call the sacrynge, and as for the other partes, they be eyther prayers or ceremonies wher­with the sacryfyce is bewtyfyed and commended, euen as a mans body is bewtyfied with comely ap­parell. But yet as the clothes be one, that maketh the body comely, & the bodye that is made comely with them, is another, and the bodye is better then the apparell, so be the cerimonies and the sacryfyce dyuers in the masse, thoughe we call them bothe by one name. And as the kynges person is but one, whether he be in his dublet and hose, or in his cote, or in his gowne, or in his robes, so is the celebracy­on of these blessed mesteryes the offerynge of a sa­cryfyce, with what kynde of ceremonyes so euer they be mynystred, so that there be nothynge lefte out that Chryste dyd ordeyne. Platiu [...] de viris ponti. And thus do we rede that saynte Peter sayde masse at Antyoche, [Page]and vsed no mo cerymonyes nor prayers at his masse, but the Pater noster. Mary no man may chaunge or leaue forthe the ceremonyes, bycause that obedyence is to be shewed, and an vnyformy­tie is to be obserued, and slaunder is to be auoy­ded. Thus then haue I shewed you what a sacryfyce is, Hie cri­am diuer­sitas misatū videli­cet chri. Basil et ceterorum non in sa­crificio sed sacrificii cerimo­niis. and howe it is always ioyned with the testa­mente, and priesthod, what dyuersities there be of testaments, and sacryfyces, and howe the masse is a sacryfyce representynge the death of our sauyour, and the body and blood of our sauyour beinge pre­sented vnto God by vs, is called an oblacyon, by­cause the prieste whom we cause there to consecrate or say masse, setteth them as pledges betwyxte God and vs, to wytnesse that he by theym is made oure God, and we by them are made his people, the whi­che sacryfyce yf we do faythfully beleue and duely mynyster, shall euermore preserue, contynue, and increase the loue and amytie that is made by Chryst our sauyour, betwixt almyghty God and vs, to whom be honoure and prayse, nowe and euer. Amen.

VAni sunt omnes homines in quibus non subest selentia dei (that is) All the men be but vayne that wante the knowlege of god, these wordes of the wise man (good people) howe trewe they be, it shal be easely sene, yf we do consider the great & depe wyttes of the Phylosophers, to what vanitie they were brought, for that they wanted the trewe knowledge of god. This I say their confusion doth wel apere to those that readeth theyr workes, & serch with what vaine questiōs & disputaciōs theyr braines & heads were occupied: yea it shall appere playnely to al those that do but rede the fyrst chapter of saint Paul to the Romās. Greate kynges & noble men for want of this knowledge, Roma. 1. haue sodeinly come vnto confusion and shame, the whiche thing is to be sene not onely in thē of whom we rede in the scriptures, & other bokes of histories, but the erperiēce al­so that we haue of certeine vngodli persōs in this our time doth most plainely set it before our eyes. Do ye not se that not only Golias: but that al vngodly persōs howe stronge so euer they be, be moste sone confounded by his or theyr strengthes? Where or whē haue ye sene but that the stoute mē, the strongest, or as they be called masters of fēce, haue bin more shamefully confoūded then the weaker or febler mē, yea howe seldome do ye se that such lacke wounded or maimes? & how fewe of thē dieth peaceably in theyr beds, who knoweth not that the rich man is al his lyfe troubled in the getting, keping, & bestowynge of his rychesse & yet is not onely rebbed of thē, but ofttymes slayne for his ry­chesse: To be briefe, al states of mē are knowē to be vaine beinge voyde of this knowledge. For as the earth and the worlde shuld be altogether out of frame, yf they were not diligētly dight & ordered by the bodely labour of mā, & as mās body could do nothing but lye stil as a blocke, corrupt [Page]and stynke, yf it be destitute or forsaken of the sowle: so [...] sowle of man beinge deuyded from God, and igno­ [...] or not knowynge God, can do nothynge but hurte [...] selfe, and brynge both the body whereunto she is as­ [...]te or ioyned, and all the thynges that the body med [...] with, out of order, wherof commeth all the confu­ [...] and miserie that is in this worlde. Wherfore good [...]le, yf ye wolde be rydde out of this vanitie, yf ye [...]de lyue welthely, yf ye wolde lyue as men agreable [...] nature of man: then can there be nothynge so ple­saunt to you, as the knowledge of God, so muche desy­red or wyshed of you as the knowledge of god. This [...]th all the rychesse, dignities, or wysedomes in the [...]lde, no ryches, no principalitie, no cunnynge or ler­nynge can be compared to this. For what other science where that teacheth such thynges as this dothe, that is [...] say, which teacheth what god is, what the Angels be, that the sowle of man is, yea that teacheth heauen and he ioyes therof, hell and the paynes therof, the worlde and the ryght orderynge or vse thereof. And what sco­lers are more happy thē they that do lerne these thinges and what other science can make the scolers & learners her of most rychely and euerlastyngely to lyue in hea­uen but this: yf men were perfectly instructe and tra­ded in this, then shulde men stande lessenede of al other sences, and yet shulde thynges muche better floryshe and prosper with vs then they do. For howe lyttle wold the vse of subtyll and craftye artes auayle, yf all men through this knowledge were adicte, bent, and gyuen vnto simplicitie? Howe lyttle nede shulde men haue of [Page]phisicke yf death did rather please thē then life, sickenes and health, lyke pleasaunt and greuous? The regarde of lawe shulde be small yf men were persuaded rather to suffer, thē to do wronge. To be short, yf this facultie and science were truly planted in mens hartes, all mise­ries shulde cease, and all plenty of happynes shulde be increased. But alas in this our miserable time, through our prating & disputing of this knowlege: what heapes of errors & heresies are spronge in or about this facul­tie or knowledge: this out knowledge, which is fayth, is vtterly decayde amōgst vs, for as saint Paule sayth, Qui vult accedere ad deū, Hebre. 11. primo oportet credere deū esse that is, that he which wyll come to God, muste come by fayth. Augustin super. And saint Augustine sayth Non currendo, sed credēdo peruenimus ad deū. that is, we must come vnto god not by running but by beliefe, this fayth or knowledge good people, being so necessary, & yet amongst vs so pi­teously decayed, I shall exhort you as ye do tender the health both of your bodyes & sowles, that you prepare your selues most earnestly to lerne it, for without it both you & al that you haue are but vaine: And as this is of al sciēces the chiefest, so it requyreth scolers that shalbe moste laborious and diligent, to the intent thē that this heuenly knowlege may be the better opened vnto you, I wyll shewe you fyrst what fayth is, then howe faythe must be vsed, and then howe it muste be defended, that we do not erre or be deceaued therein. Fyrst then con­cernynge the definition of fayth: ye shall vnderstande that saynt Paule defineth it to be an argumente of the thynges that we hope for, and the substaunce of those [Page]thynges that do not apeare: that is to say, Hebre. 11. fayth is the cause why we trustinge in the promyses of God, are content to beare all aduersitie, to do all dueties, hopynge thereby to be rewarded of God. And also fayth is the stay or assurednesse which we haue of, and concerninge the thynges that can not be comprehended by our sen­ces. As for example, the knowledge which we haue of God, his Angels, and of heauen: Also of the deuyll, hell, and the paynes that be there, lykewyse of oure sowles, and theyr immortalnes, & to vse fewe wordes, eyther of the beginnynge, the rewle, gouernaunce, or endynge of the world. Fayth, I say is the very ground and foundacion whereuppon all mans knowledge is buylded, in the contemplacion of all these so greate and weyghty matters, so that no man beynge of hym selfe able to knowe these thynges, must lerne them of some o­ther that doth not vnperfectely knowe these thynges, & that is iust, honest, & trewe that man may safely & with out daunger beleue and credyte, the partie teachynge these thynges to hym, the which matter (that is) the re­porte of thynges vnknowen, that it maye be the better perceaued, I shall desyre you to marke three thynges, which be these. Fyrste who is the reporter, what be the thynges that are reported and what they muste be to whom this report is made. For the fyrst, it is most cer­teyne that God is only the reporter, or some such as are purposely sent of hym, to make the report accordyng as we rede god to haue reported to Adam & Eue in Paradice, the great miserie that they shuld be in, Gent. 3. I. bidē. if they shuld eate of the apple. And after theyr faule, he reported [Page]both theyr redemption and the deuyls confusion, which was after wrought by our sauyoure Chryste. Also he reported to Cain that Abels blood cryed vnto God for vengeaunce. Gene. 4. Gene. 5. Vnto Noyhe reported that Gods iustyce was prouoked to punyshe the world for sinne, and that he yet and his housholde shulde be saued in an Arke, to Abraham he made report why the cities were to be de­stroyed, Gene. 18. Gene. 22. Math. 4. Math. 3. Math. 10. and howe that all people shulde be blessed in his seede, and bycause I wolde not be longe, dyd not our sauyour beinge God preache the gospel? & dyd not the father report that Christ was his derely beloued so, did not our sauiour say, 2. Cor. 5. that it shuld not be his Apostles that shuld speke, but the spirite of our father that shuld speke in thē, doth not saynt Paule say Legatione dei fungimur apud vos, that is, we be gods ambassadours, vn­to you do not all the prophetes saye Hec dicet dominus, thus sayth our Lord, of the which al & many mo textes that myght be gathered, it doth most euidently apeare that god is the reporter, or such as be sent from hym, of all those thynges that Chrysten men ought to beleue: and here is to be noted good people, fyrst the mercifull goodnes of god, who doth so vouchesafe to teache such sory and wretched creatures. Secondely, howe happy be we that haue such a master. Thyrdly, howe safe and holsome are those lesson which we lerne of him, the whiche thynge yf we dyd pythely consyder: O howe they wolde make oure stonye hartes to melte: O howe myndefull shulde we be aboute these lessons: O howe lyttle wolde we regarde then all the other thynges that be, or myght be taught vnto vs, eyther by the worlde, [Page]the flesshe, or the deuyll, touchynge the thynges which he teacheth, they be styll manifeste, and are alwayes in a redinesse to be sene, and lerned in his worde and therfore doth his worde remayne, bycause that the thinges that he reporteth myght be alwayes in a redinesse, John. 5. whē men shulde or wolde learne and knowe theym: of the which wordes and thynges some were spoken and re­ported before the tyme of our redemption, and some a­bout the time of our redemption. Before the tyme was the creacion of man, the fall of man, promyses of man, reparinge, and ordinaunces to prepare and ieade man towardes his redemption, the which all had byn moste incredible yf any other shulde haue reported them but God. Howe be it, nowe when we se the thynges so to haue cōmen to passe as it was reported that they shuld, nowe is it euidente howe trewe he is that made the re­porte, touchynge the thynges that were taught at the tyme or about the tyme of our redemption, they were so ioyfull that the reportynge of them was called the gospel, as one shulde say, glad tydynges. As the Angel sayde, lo I shewe to you great ioy that you haue a sauy­our borne: for wot you well good people, Luke. 2. that this was a ioyfull tydynges to all the faythfull that knewe howe they had byn longe deuyded from God, and hadde byn thrall and captyue to the deuyl, Luke. 10. to heare that nowe they shulde be deliuered from the clawes of the foule fiende, and brought in the fauour of theyr fyrst & trewe master owner and maker. Ageyne this I saye my dere bre­thren (considered) I meane the thraldome that they were in, & the ioyful libertie that they shulde be restored [Page]vnto, made the faythfull hartes to reioyce, concerning the thynges that be reported in the gospell, Luke. 2 Iohn. 8. some prepa­reth vs towardes god, as penaunce, other be of suche sorte, that by them God taketh vs to hym, and geueth his grace to vs, the which thynges bycause they be spe­ciall tokens of his fauour towardes vs, and our obedi­entnesse to hym, therefore they be called sacramentes, as one shulde say pryuie tokens of his fatherly loue to­wardes vs, for there be no louers, but they wyll haue some thynges so priuie to themselues, that other shall not knowe them, and these in Greeke be called myste­ries, in Latin sometyme Arcana, and sometyme Sacramenta, in Englyshe, secretes or priuities. Thus we be in the water of baptisme, but washed in our body, to the syght of the vnfaythfull, but in that knowledge & syght that we haue, we knowe that we be so washed in oure sowle that we be made newe creatures. Also in confir­mation we be but vncted with the holy oyle, and to the syght of the faythlesse be but vncted: for the faythlesse do terme it smurrynge, in the reproche of the blessed sa­crament, but we knowe that then we receaue the grace of the holy ghost, which soupleth our sowles to resist the deuyll, and to obey gods commaundementes, as oyle causeth our bodyes to be soupple and nimble, both to a­uoyde the thynges that be euyll, and to do thynges that be good. In the moste blessed sacramente of the aulter the faythlesse thynketh that we do eate breade: but we knowe that it is the precious body of our sauiour which was gyuen for vs, and the same is to be consydered in the residue of the sacramentes. There be other thinges [Page]that be reported to vs when we thus (as I haue sayde) are receaued and admytted vnto God, of the whiche, some do belonge to our duties to be done, and some be promyses or thynges promysed to vs for doinge of our duties, as the resurrection of our bodyes, and increase of our ioyes in heauen. These thynges (good people) when I do consyder, I am constrayned to crye out, and alas that euer our hartes shulde be so bewitched to regarde golde and syluer, yea meate, drynke, and ap­parell so much, and these so lyttle: alas what compara­cion is there betwixt those, and these? but ageyne nowe to the scholers, who seith not howe obedient they shulde be to suche a master: O howe ought we to obeye hym with all the power of our sowles, with all the sences and partes of our bodyes, with all oure goodes and worldely substaunce. Thus our father Abram dyd o­bey when he left his countrey, his acquaintaunce, and rychesse, and sought them agayne there where god had apoynted. Also thus dyd he subdue his reason and sen­ses (which sayde that he and his wyfe beinge old, shuld haue no chylde) vnto God reportynge that he shulde haue one. Also the Centurion whose fayth was so com­mended of our sauyoure, that the lyke was not to be founde in all Israell. Gene. 13. Howe I say dyd he subdue bothe his sence and reason, to the wyll and pleasure of God, when sence and reason sayde that Chryste muste of ne­cessitie come into his house, or els his chylde coulde not be healed, and yet he aunswered that it was sufficiente for Chryste to speake the worde, and in his absence to heale the chylde. Math. 8. Math. 16. In lyke maner dyd saynt Peter sub­due [Page]his reason and sences to the reporte of God the fa­ther, sayinge by our sauioure, this is my welbeloued sonne. &c. Or els if he shulde haue byn taught by fleshe and blood as the Iewes were, he shulde haue knowen Chryst onely to haue be the sonne of our Lady and Io­seph, as the Iewes dyd. Furthermore at the tyme whē Chryst sayde vnto his disciples, and to the Iewes, that his blessed fleshe was to be eaten, Iohn. 6. then dyd the Iewes prefer reason before the report of our sauyoure, and as­ked of theyr reason and sences, howe that myght be trewe: and bycause reason and sences teache no truthe therof, therfore dyd they depart and go theyr way, but the blessed Apostles who gaue more to Chryste then to theyr sences, and subdued theyr reason and sences vnto the sayinge of our sauyour, and dyd say, Verba vi ta eterna habes, that is to say, thou hast the wordes of euerlastynge lyfe, as one shulde say, thoughe we by our sences and reason, do not knowe howe thy fleshe muste be eaten (for then the institution of the blessed sacramēt was to them vnknowen) yet be we moste sure that thy worde can not be but trewe. Also saynte Paule sayth, Corde creditur ad iustitiam ore autē confessio sit ad sa lutem. Roma. 10. And therfore we may not examine what reason and sences sayth in those matters that be taught to vs of God, but we must with an obedient hart beleue thē, and howe folyshe so euer they apere to oure reason and sences, yet we must not be ashamed openly to confesse them. 1. Cor. 1. Here we maye consyder nowe howe harde a thynge it is to be a true student or scholer of fayth. For lyke as our youth is loth to leaue their sensual pleasure [Page]and to obeye the instructions of theyr elders, that they myght learne cunnynge and knowledge: so harde is it for vs that be fleshely, to forsake our reason and sences, and to imbrace with al humilitie and obedience, 1. Cor. 2. the say­inge and lesson of almyghty God. Ageyne here is to be sene what reuerence they that be faythful do gyue vnto god, that so offer them selues vnto god, that they wyll suffer them selues not to be taught any further by theyr reason, or any other creature, then they se them to agre with god, and of him they do and wyll learne, thoughe he teache thynges, the whiche apere to the iudgemente of all other to be most vntrue. We also may se here howe al faithlesse people, & especially heretickes do blaspheme god, which geueth more credyt to theyr reason, sences, and other experience, then they do vnto god: I meane that he speakynge of the blessed sacrament, sayth it to be his bodye, and reason, sence, and experience, that it is breade. These I say that rather folowe the iudgement of these creatures, then the report of god, do make that they be more honest, iust, and true, then god, the which howe blasphemous it is, iudge you. Nowe thē to come vnto the seconde parte of our purpose (that is to teache the vse of our faythe) that is verye well declared in the fyrst article of our Crede, where we say that we beleue in god the father, and so forth: the whiche is as saynte Augustine sayth, thorowe fayth so to cleaue vnto god, that we knowe hym to be so necessarye a helper, that without hym we can do nothynge that good is. Iohn. 15. For as the braunche is deade and frutelesse, except it remayne in the vine: so be we voyde of al fruteful vertues except [Page]his grace do worke in vs. In so muche that as saynte Paule sayth, 1. Cor. 12. no man can say Iesus to be our Lord, but by the holy ghost, this is our wekenesse, and the onely helpe of god is in dede a remedy to the same, the which was so well knowen to the prophet Dauyd, that he let­ted not to say vnto God, Psal. 72. thou (sayth he) hast holden me by the ryght hande, and in thy good wyll haste thou led me. Accordynge to the same sayth saynt Paule, that he coulde not thynke one good thought of him selfe: 2. Cor. 3. but al his sufficiencie was of God. Saynt Peter in lyke ma­ner consideringe howe needefull it was thus thorowe fayth to be ioyned vnto god, 1 Petri. 2. byddeth that we shulde be as chyldren that were newe borne, desyryng that is re­sonable, and that is voyde of crafte and deceyte, in the which exhortacion of saint Peter (most dere brethrene) callynge vs by the name of chryldren that be lately borne, is most plainely declared and set before our eyes what it is to beleue in god, which is sayth he, to behaue our selfe towardes god, as suckynge babyes do behaue them selues towardes theyr parentes, in the which it is not onely to be sene, that as the parentes be necessarye for the chyldren, whyles they be yet infantes: so is god to vs, but it expressethe three especiall properties that shuld be in vs, as be in the infātes, which be these. First so to beleue his parentes, that the infante knoweth no­thynge, neyther can he call any thynge by any other name then his parentes do teache him, in so much that yf the parentes wolde teache their infantes that a shepe were to be called an oxe, and a horse a shepe & so forth, chaunge the name of the thynges, and not suffer the [Page]childe to here them called by any other names, the child I saye wolde call all the thynges by the same names that he hereth his parentes call them by: The lyke sim­plicitie (good Chrysten people) was in all good men, and shulde be in vs that be faythfull. For this we se to haue byn in saint Paule, 2. Cor. 5. in so much that he knewe no­thynge, after or accordynge to the fleshe, whiche was as much as yf he had sayde that he hadde changed his knowledge, from the teachynge of his sences, vnto the teachynge of our heauenly father almighty God, where vnto he moueth vs, in that he biddeth vs to be renewed in the sence of our vnderstandynge. Ephe. 4. This simplicitie (deare brethrene) if it were in vs, wolde we reason and dispute of gods mysteries as we do? if we had our sen­ces taught of, or by god, wolde we be so proude and presumptuous, so subtyll and so crafty? No no, wot you well we wolde not: We say we beleue in god, but haue we this fyrst poynt which is chyldyshe simplicitie, and much lesse then haue we the residue. The seconde is, that as chyldren vseth in theyr infancy neyther to bye or craue for the thynge that they lacke or want of theyr pa­rentes, & at theyr handes do receaue the same thinges: so shulde we do that be Chrysten men. For we shulde say with the prophet Dauyd, Psal. 21. Tu es qui extraxisti me de vētre matris mee, spes mea ab vberibus matris mee, in te periect us sum ex vtero, that is. Thou art he that taketh me forth of the wombe, and euen from my mo­ther pappes hath my truste bin in thee, and frome the wombe was I cast vnto thee, and for the lyke purpose [Page](that is, that we shulde craue vpon hym as chyldren do at or of theyr parentes) he sayth, Iohn. 16. verely I say vnto you, what so euer thynge ye shall aske of my father in my name, he wyll gyue it to you, also aske and ye shall re­ceaue, seke and ye shall fynde. &c. Further to encorage vs the rather to aske as chyldren, Math. 7. of oure heauenly fa­ther, he sheweth howe redy he is to heare, and to giue the thynges to vs that we aske, sayinge, whiche of you beinge demaunded of his childe to gyue breade to his chyld, wyl giue a stone? & so according that our heuen­ly father wyl much soner then any carnall father, gyue the thynges to vs that be necessarye for vs. Here then may we lerne good brethren, fyrst our dignitie, whiche is, that we wretches be admytted by prayer not only to speke with god, but also that he wyll graunte our sutes and requestes. O howe blessed an estate is this? O the comfort that is thus in prayer to be sought & found? A poore begger that can not be suffered to speke with a temporal prince shalbe so easely admytted to speke with hym that is the prince of all princes: and by promyses after a certeyne maner hyred so to do. Is not our colde­nes in prayer worthy to be condempned? and we that wyll not craue are we not worthy to fast. Secondely, here is to be sene howe carelesse and quyet we might be seinge that we maye haue all thynges for the askynge. Howe happely myght we be folowynge the councell of the prophet Dauyd, Psal. 54. to cast all our care vpon God, that he may norishe vs, then what shulde nede our solicitude and carefulnesse? what shulde then nede our craft and dissimulation, and such lyke. The thyrde is, howe hol­some [Page]some myght these thynges be trowe you that are gyuen to vs of this wyse and louynge father? And contrary­wyse howe daungerous and perylous be the thynges that be geuen to vs by the deuyll of couetousnes, by the deuyll of flattery, or of ambition or suche lyke? frome thēce (derely beloued) commeth our robbryes, our murders, our treasons and such lyke, that our ryches, and our promotions are not gyuen to vs of our father, but of the fiende, and therefore as the fiende dyd kyll the sowle of him to whom he gaue them: so is it his pastime and pleasure to kyll and murther other mo by takynge the same away ageyne. Let vs then aske of our father, and refuse to take ought at the deuyl. The thyrd thinge that is in chyldren, and that muste be in vs that beleue in God, is louynge obedience, that is, as good children to obey theyr parentes rather for loue, then for feare: so shulde we obey god. Iohn. 14. Whereunto our sauyour semeth to moue vs, when he sayth, yf ye loue me kepe my com­maundementes. Se here the louyngenes of our hea­uenly father, who moueth not for feare of punyshemēt, but for naturall loue and pitie due vnto suche a father, moueth vs to our dutie, and yet thoughe he do chiefely moue vs to obserue and kepe his commaundementes thorowe loue: yet bicause he seeth vs to be slacke to consider it, he addeth also some tokēs of loue. Also of feare, sayinge yf I be your father, where is my honoure and reuerence: yf I be your master, where is my feare: Mala. 1. thus he exhorteth the wyllynge and obediente for loue, and the stubberne for feare of punyshement. But woo vnto vs at this tyme, whome nother loue nor yet feare [Page]can cause to be obedient. Whatsore plages hath God cast vpon this realme? and howe hath he taken awaye sometyme our corne, our grasse: and yet wyl we rather that oure shepe and bease shulde dye for hunger, then we wyll diminishe the pryses of them. Sometyme he destroyeth our corne and cattell bothe: and yet rather then we wyll relent and obey hym, we wyll make that one stryke of corne shalbe better then ten, and oneshepe or beast shalbe worth fystene. Is this my brethrene to beleue? is this to beleue in god? is this the token of one that wyll be reformed by god? or is it not rather the to­ken of one that wolde fyght with god: but consyder, O consyder you that do fyght ageynste hym, that you can not (I say) preuayle ageynst him. Remember the dredful day of iudgement, when ye rebellious childrē must apere before hym. Here then maye you se that to beleue in god is fyrst: that as simple children do knowe no person but hym and all thynges by hym. The seconde is, that as the chylde hangeth altogether vpon the prouy­sion of his parentes, and sheweth his nedes to theym: the like must we do to hym in whom we do beleue. The thyrde, as the chylde is ruled by his parentes chiefely of loue, and where that wanteth, for feare of punyshe­ment: in lyke maner must they do that beleue in God. The thyrde thynge that is to be obserued in our fayth, is that we take hede and beware that the deuyl our enemie do not deceaue vs, as he dyd oure mother Eue in paradyce, Gene. 3. and as he deceaued all the people whome he caused in the tyme of nature, and of the lawe, to com­myt Idolatry, and as he after in the tyme of grace hath [Page]caused no smal number of such as hath borne the name of Chrysten men, to be heretickes, And therefore byd­deth saynte Paule, 2. Cor. 2. the Corinthians to take heede that they be not deceaued by the deuyll, whose mischeuous thoughtes and imaginacions was not vnknowen, neyther to the blessed Apostles, nor yet to the Corinthians. And Chryst our sauyour in sundry places byddeth vs to beware of hym, and of his malycyous messengers, And saynte Peter telleth vs before, that as there were false prophetes in the tyme of the lawe: 2. Pe. 2. that so there shulde be teachers of false and damnable sectes in the tyme of the Gospell. And we knowe by experience that there hath byn thousandes sence he gaue vs warnynge to take hede of them, and to eschewe them, the whiche holsome monicion gyuen vnto vs by our sauyour, and by his blessed Apostles, and we seinge that such as did not regarde theyr monition, haue moste damnably fal­len into heresy and blasphemous vanities. O howe ear nestly and effectuously shuld they cause vs to be afrayd and to beware what spirite it is that we gyue credyte vnto. Is there any bodye so desperate in his bodely health, that when he heareth his physytion say, drynke not of this for it is poyson, and that seith before his eyes men that dyd drynke thereof to be poysoned, that wyll yet without all respectes to be had, other to his physiti­on that monysshe the hym, or to the man who he seethe deade with the poyson, drunke therof? And alacke I say, ought not our sowles to be more dere to vs, then is the body of a man to any man: but howe then thynke you that we beinge but as babyes, and Gods suckynge [Page]chyldren, can be able to auoyde suche cruell daunger of that mischeuous beaste the deuyll? Verely if ye lyste to knowe it: other wayes is there none, then to keepe vs within the house of our father, which is the Catholike Church. For the keper of this house is so stronge, that it is vnpossible that there shuld come any stronger that shalbe able to ouercome hym, Math. 12. and to spoyle his house. This house is builte vppon the rocke that all the gates and power of hell can not preuayle ageynste it. Math. 16. They that remayne in this house, 1. Ioh. 14. 1. Timo. 3. are so suer not to be decea­ued with any damnable error, that they haue the spirite of all truth to theyr scholemaster, this house is fre from error and heriticall blyndnes, that saynt Paule calleth it the pyller and the stay of truth. The doctrine of this schole hath byn so liefe and dere to al the good men that hath byn, and yet be, that euery man saythe that he be­leueth the Catholyke Churche, and that euery man is bounde in the peine of dampnation, to reteyne and kepe the Catholyke fayth. &c. Howe be it the deuyll our ene­mye ceasseth not to perswade men to thynke, that this howse of god is onely frequented and occupyed of and by them that be good. For God (as he wolde them to thynke) wyll suffer no vnthryftes to be in his house, and so consequently he wolde make vs to forgette, and to be ignoraunt of this our fathers house, bycause we do not knowe in what parte of the worlde that such good men do dwell. 2. Tim. 2. But (good people) saynt Paule teacheth the contrary to this: sayinge that it is a greate house, and that there be in it vessels both of honour and dishonour. And our sauiour sayth, Math. 13. that it is lyke to a net that catch­eth [Page]both good fyshes and bad, the which shalbe suffered to continue together vntyl it shalbe giuen in commaundement to the Angels at the ende of the worlde, to de­uyde the euyll from the good: so that this doubt aboue mencioned, is nothynge els but a craft and a sleyght of our gostly enemie the deuyll, vsed to the intent and purpose, that we myght (as I sayde) forget to knowe and deserne our fathers house. But that the deuyll lyethe, and that it is knowen: Marke thou good Chrysten man and woman, that Chryst our master sayth it to be buylded as a citie vpon a hyll, that can not be hyd, and he biddeth that for the redresse of such matters as be be­twyxt thy neyghbour & the, Math. 5. that thou shuldest apeale to the church, Math. 18. & there thou must (in peyne to be cast clene out of his fauour) obey and abyde the determinacion of the Church, the which were altogether spoken in vaine yf the Church coulde not be knowen. Wherfore by this that I haue sayde, ye may se most dearely beloued, first the danger that we be in, and howe that to auoyde the same we must kepe vs in the house of our father, which is the Churche. Ye se howe craftely the deuyll goeth a­bout with his false and mischeuous flattery, to hyde the house from you, that you shulde not knowe it: howe be it, yf the deuyll shulde set vp a thousande houses, as he hath sette vp manye alredy, to resemble so our fathers house, that we shulde not be able to deserne it from thē: yet shal I shewe you howe, and in what maner ye shal be able at al times to deserne our fathers house and his insunder. Fyrste ye shall vnderstande that the house of our father was fyrst built, & that the deuils buildinges [Page]be but counterfeite and forged to some similitude of our fathers house: wherfore as the thynge muste be before the similitude of the thynge, so must the house of our fa­ther be of more antique, and auncient buyldynge, then the deuyls house, or houses that be made to some simy­litude, or shape of our fathers houses, and therefore sayth Tertuliam ageynst the heretickes that be the de­uyls wryghtes to buylde his house. Tertuliā de p̄scrip­ti. That muste be the trewth which was fyrst, and that muste be false whiche is the latter. And thus dyd Dauyd saye that he knewe which was the faythfull people of God, and what reli­gion did please God. Psal. 77. Deu. 5. For he hath harde it with his eares and that his fathers tolde hym. Also in his booke of the lawe, god biddeth vs to aske of our fathers, & that they shall tell vs, and our auncytoures, and that they shall shewe to vs gods true religion. Iohn. 10. Also our sauyour in the gospell callynge vs by the name of shepe, sayth that his shepe doth knowe the voyce of theyr pastor or shepard, and that they flee and run away when they here a stranger, which is as much to saye, that the trewe Chrysten men must kepe and reteyne such doctrine as they haue byn accustomed vnto, and that they muste eschewe the doctrine that is newely and lately spronge. Ephe. 4. Also saynt Paule byddeth vs that we do not as chyldren that are led away with euery blast of doctrine. Augustine contra fū damentū macheorū C. 5. Moreouer then this, saynt Augustine sayth that he wold not beleue the gospell, but that the autoritie of the Church dyd moue hym, and in very dede by good reason. For howe shuld we otherwyse be able to saye that this is saynte Iohns gospell, or that saynte Lukes gospell shulde rather be [Page]receaued, then the gospell of Nicodemus or of saynte Thomas and other, but that we be so taught by the Churche. Also seinge that the Churche whiche is gods house hath contynued this. 1556. yeres, and was ne­uer caste yet downe: we maye be sure it to be the house that is buylt as Chryst sayth vpon the rocke. The secōd argumente or token to knowe the Churche by, is the greatnesse and largenesse of the same. For the houses of the fiende belyttle pretty feate houses, buylded but in corners of the worlde, as it myght be in Englande, in Germanie, and so forth: but our fathers house is so ample and large, Psal. 106 Psal. 18. that it reacheth frome the rysynge of the sonne to the goynge downe of the same. For as the ho­ly prophet Dauyd dyd prophesie of it, before the voyces of his blessed Apostles, whose diligence he dyd vse in buyldinge of his house, Psal. 22. went thorowe the whole world, and the same prophet sayth, that the earthe, the worlde, and all that is in them, belongeth vnto our Lorde and master Christ, whē he sent forth his workmen to buyld his house, he dyd not sende them into Englande onely, or into Germany only: Mark. 16 but bad them go into the whole worlde and preache the gospell. And saynt Paule doth moste sharpely rebuke the Corinthians for that they suffered the deuyll to begyn his buyldynge with them, 1. Cor. 14. and therfore he byddeth them consyder yf the worde of god went no farther but to them, and remayned only with them, doynge them to vnderstande thereby, that they shulde not suffer them selues to be deuyded frome the residue of the worlde, that had receaued and kepte the gospell so well as they dyd, and accordynge there­vnto [Page]vnto sayth saynt Augustine, as we knowe by Goddes worde where Paradyce was planted: August. cō tra petil. liber. 2. Capi. 13. so do we knowe by the same, where the Church is, that is amongst all nations, hauynge her beginninge at Ierusalem, wher­by we be monyshed of the strength of our father, who hath subdued the whole worlde to his obedience. For he sayth, in euery corner of the world some there be that be his. Also we may se the wekenes of the deuyll, who in buyldynge of his heresies is so weke, that he lyke a chiefe starteth vp nowe in this corner of the worlde, and nowe in that, or as it were a prince with his army of re­belles, or apostatas that forsaketh theyr religion, doth what he can to withstande the army of Chryst, in some parte or portion of Chrystes dominion. But as rebels be eftsones brought to theyr confusion, so hath alwayes his armies frome tyme to tyme byn confounded and brought to naught. And yet further, as rebellions in theyr rebellyon, pretende some tytle of reformation, myndinge in dede ruine and destruction: so doth his re­bels pretende that they be moued by the gospell, which is the lawe of the Church, but as it is in vayne to alege the lawe ageynst rebels: so it is in vayne to aleage the scripture and to dyspute with heretyckes, but as the power of the realme must be bent ageynste rebelles, so must the multitude of the learned men, that haue byn and yet be defēders ageinst the assaultes of heretickes. The thyrde thynge that the house of god is knowen by, from the house of the deuyll, is the consente, the agree­ment and vnitie of fayth that is in Gods house. For as the Prophet sayth, Psal. 43. In the house of Godde they walked [Page]with a consente or agrement: and in anther place he sayth, Beholde howe pleasaunte a thynge it is for bre­threne to dwell together, Act. 2. and in the Actes of the Apo­stles we rede, that they that were admitted fyrst to this house, were cousentynge altogether in the temple. And saynt Paule wyllynge the Ephesyans to reteyne and kepe the same vnitie of fayth, Ephe. 4. sayth to the Ephesynns, that as there is one Lorde, and one baptisme: so muste they haue one fayth. Also the same saint Paule biddeth the Romans to beware of such as do sowe discorde and contencion amongst them. Roma. 16. Also for this vnitie to be the better meynteyned in his house, which is the Churche, Roma. 12. 1. Cor. 12. lyke as God hath placed the members of the body in a most decent and necessary order, and hath apointed one member to be the chiefeste, or as it is called the head: so hath God apointed in his Church diuers degrees of mynisters, and one heade of them all, who for the time of the Apostles was saynt Peter, and afterwardes as it doth well apere by the hystoryes from tyme to tyme, were his successours the byshops and popes of Rome: But contrarywyse in the house of the deuyll there be di­uersities of religions, sectes, continuall mutacion, con­tencion, and to be briefe: in dede nothynge, but a babi­lonicall confusion. To be shorte, nowe the Church, as I haue sayde, is knowen by these markes, fyrst by an­tiquitie, secondely by the largenesse, or vniuersalnesse, and thyrdely by consent and vnitie. But here perad­uenture some wyll saye that yf I shulde measure the Churche by vniuersalnes, or largenes, then shall the Turkes religion be the Churche, for that is most vni­uersall. [Page]And yf I say that the Churche shalbe deserned by the consente of the doctoures, then it is certeyne that the doctours do not in all thynges agree. To the fyrste I aunswere, that when I say that the church of Christ may be knowen by the vniuersalnes of her place in the worlde, I do not say so to make thereby any difference betwyxte the Turkes religion and Chryste, for that were altogether in vayne, seinge that the Turkes do not chalenge any parte or tytle of Chryste to them, that men shulde nede to make notes to deserne the Turkes and Chrystes religion in sunder: but I do saye it that men myght be able to deserne betwyxte the herytycall Church, which chalengeth to it the tytle of Chryst, and is not of hym. And the Catholyke Churche which hath the tytle, and is in dede Chrystes. And touchynge the disagreinge or error of the doctours. Fyrste I saye that theyr disagreinge is not such as maketh partes, sectes, fashyons, and diuisions from the whole bodye, heade, and members, nor yet for any necessary artycle of oure fayth, all which may be sene to be amongste the here­tickes. For where the catholyke powers sometymes discentynge amongst them selues in matter of no great portion, do charitably without condempnynge eyther of other, or makynge of partes, eche sufferynge the o­ther to haue his or theyr opynyon: the heretyckes doo playne the contrary, deuidynge them selues from the heade and members, & drawyng other to theyr partes, eche of them condempnynge other. Secondely I saye that though the doctours of the Church haue byn deceaued, or erred, yet do I say that they were neuer so vni­uersally [Page]deceaued: neyther was theyr error so vniuer­sally receaued, but that one or other haue espyed it and corrected it: and finally they haue eche others error so corrected, that looke whatsoeuer is vniuersall and ca­tholyke, that is most suer to be free from error, so that though the doctours may be deceaued euery one of thē in his priuate iudgement, yet that whereupon they all do agree must nedes be most true, for without the espe­cial grace of the holy ghost (who is always there where men be gethered together in Chrystes name) it were vnpossible that so many men of learnynge, and of such zeale towardes the trueth, shulde otherwyse agree then of a truthe in deede. Thus then good people haue I taught this fayth that is so necessary, that without it all that we haue is nothynge, what it is, and who is the schole master and teacher of it, what the thinges be that we must learne by it, and who be fitte schollers for it. Also I haue tolde you howe you muste vse it, that is, ye must in such sorte beleue in God the teacher of it, that ye must be as chyldren that knoweth nothyng but him, and that taketh and learne the all thynges to be as he doth teache you, & that doth not prouyde for your selfe, but aske and craue the thynges that ye wante of hym, and that ye must obey him as moste louynge chyldren. Thyrdly, I haue shewed you howe nedefull it is to be­ware, & to take hede of the ghostly enemy the deuyl that he deceaue not the simplicitie of your fayth, and how ye may knowe to auoyde the danger, the which thing that we may all do, god out heauenly father graunt, & giue vs grace, to whō be honour and praise worlde without ende. Amen.

MIlitia est vita hominis super terram, Iob. 7 Mans lyfe (sayth Iob) is a warfare vppon the earth. A wonders thynge good people, to se what misery we be in whiles we be here, as it appereth by the testimonye of this holye father, for we be not borne (sayth he) to playe and pastyme, but we be borne to be warryers: And ageynste whome do we feyght trowe ye? Verely sayth saynt Paule our feyght is not ageynste ūeshe and blood, Ephe. 6. but ageynste the foule and myghty fiendes of hell, neyther do we stryue to be deli­uered out of temporall bondage, whiche shall haue an ende, but out of the bondage that is endelesse and con­tinuall. O howe terrible is that place, 1. Cor. 9. where there is no comfort to be founde? O howe greuous are those tormētes, where not one ioynt of our bodies or sowles shal be free? Totn̄ cor­pus prou­ciatur in gehēnam. Math. 5. Do ye knowe what peyne it is to haue but one sore fynger? What is it then to haue al the body & sowle enwrapped in the endelesse sorowe and wo. If we win the fielde, our toy and tryumph shalbe such as no harte can thinke, nor tounge (as the prophet saith) can speke: Seinge then that we beinge as babes muste fyght a­geynst such a great gyaunt as the deuyll is, Esie. 64. 1. Cor. 2. and for so great a pryce as heauen and hell be. Se I praye you howe manfull we ought to be, and what preparaunce and redinesse is necessary for this fielde, and how much we ought to procure out owne saftie. Do ye not se what preparaunce men vse to make, Luke. 14. when they wyll feyght [Page]ageynst theyr temporall enemies? And shall not we do it much more in this battel with our ghostly enemies? Is there not greater danger in this, then in that. And what is the chiefeste defence that the souldyers haue a­geynst theyr enemies? Is it not the kepynge of theyr aray? is not then the battell lost, when the aray is bro­ken? And doth not saynte Paule call vppon vs to kepe our aray, when he sayth, 1. Cor. 7. let euery man abyde in that vocation that he is called in, whether he be Iewe or Gen­tyll: But howe then can we kepe our araye yf we haue no capytayne? Do ye not se that it is necessary in an ar­my that he whiche is the chiefeteyne do appoynte some liefetenaunt by whose authoritie the souldiers maye be set in theyr aray, and that by hym such may be punished as wyll nedes breke theyr aray. Euen so good people, Roma. 12. it is necessary in the Church of God to haue heades and rulers, to kepe vs in an order whyles we feyght ageinst the deuyll, Nemo si­bi presin­nat homi­nem. Hebre. 5. Quod sig nis non o­bedit. 2. Thess. 3 that when so euer the deuyll shall labour ey­ther by vicious behauour to brynge vs in a damnable condicion of lyuynge, or by wronge vnderstandyng of the scriptures into heresy and misbeliefe, men maye be kept in theyr aray, & not euery man suffered to do & say what hym [...]steth, the lacke of the which gouernaunce, what it hath done in this realme, and what confusyon we haue bin brought vnto, al the whole realme to their great griefe doth feele. Prouer. 11 We se nowe howe true it is that Salomon sayth, Vbi non est gubernator corruit ciui­tas, that is to say, where there is no gouernour the cy­tie decayeth, seinge therfore both the swarmes of vyce and of opinions, that hath ouerwhelmed this region, [Page]which was before such confusion) one of the welthyeste regions in Chrystendome. 2. Tim. 2. And seinge that we knowe by the report of the scriptures, that we be spiritual soul­dyers, and therfore must haue a spirituall head, and se­inge we knowe nowe by experience (at the lest suche as haue regarde to god and to heauen) the euyls that en­sue vpon our aray or order beinge broken, and fynally we herynge Chryst our kynge saynge to our capitaines that who so receaueth them receaueth hym, Luke. 10. and who so dispyseth them dispyseth hym: we are cōpelled to thinke that it must be much for our commoditie and safety al­so. Fyrst to knowe whether there be any such capitayne apoynted of god or not. Secondely, when and howe they were apoynted. And thyrdely, that we may the better obey them, and be ruled by them, It is necessary to knowe who they be. The which thynges done, and suf­ficiently perswaded by gods worde, I doubt not but al true Chrysten men and women wyl be ruled and orde­red by them. Wherefore in this homyly or sermonde (good people) shalbe intreated these thre thynges. First whether god doth apoynte any suche authoritie or not. Secondely when and howe he apoynteth them. And thyrdely who they be that are so apoynted. At our first enterynge or goinge towardes this great and weyghty matter, I shall desyre you and charge you also in gods behalfe, that ye put from you the vayne opinion, or ra­ther the errour of fortune, that is, that ye thynke not a­ny thynge to be done by fortune, as who shuld say, he is ryche, he is poore, he is a man of honoure, he is a ser­naunte, he is hanged, or drowned, bycause it was his [Page]warde or fortune. For there is no such fortune or ward in dede, but all thynges are ruled and disposed by god, in so much that Chryst our sauyour sayth, Math. 10. that not one sparrowe falleth into the fowlers net but by Gods ap­poyntment, much more then be the diuersities of mans callynge of God. Luke. 13. Ageyne when the tower of Silo fell and slewe certeyne persons, it myght haue bin thought of some that the tower fell by chaunce, and that it was those mens desteny there to be at the fall. But Chryste saythe playnely that it was done purposely of God, to giue occasion to other sinners to beware, lest god by one meane or other myght destroy them also, lyke as he did those by the fal of the tower. Further where some do at­tribute the lucke that men haue, to the starres that men be borne vnder, god teacheth the contrary by the prophesye of the holy woman Anna, and sayth, 1. Regst. 2. Dominus pau­perum facit, et ditat, humiliat, et subleuat, de sterco­re erigens paupetem vt solium gloriae teneat, that is, the Lord maketh poore, & maketh rych, he humbleth & exalteth, raysyng the poore out of the myre, y ^t he might haue the seate of glory. Also in his prophet Ieremie he sayth, Iuxta vias gentium nolite discere, Iere. 20. et a signis cae li nolite metuere, quae timent gentes, quia leges popu­lorum vanae sunt, that is. Lerne not ye to do after the fashyons of the gentyles, neyther stande ye in awe to the signes of the firmament as the Gentyles do, for the lawes of the & entyles be vayne. Thus may ye then se (good people) howe that all our plasynge, be we ryche or poore, master or seruauntes, offycers or pryuate persons be of God. For neyther is there sparrowe caught [Page]nor the fyshe gathered into the net, neyther the stones do fall, but by gods ordinaunce, yea and concernynge such as be placed in authoritie, though they be euyl, yet be they of God. Iob. 34. For the holye Patryarche Job saythe, Propter peccata populi facit regnarey pocritam, that is, for the sinnes of the people, he hath made the Ipo­crite to rule. And as ye knowe, there were neuer worse rulers then were the Scrybes and the Phariseis that put our sauyour vnto death, and yet dyd Chryste com­maunde that they shulde be obeyed, bicause they sate in Moyses sete. Math. 23. But what other I pray you was it to sitte in Moyses seate, but that the same God that had fyrste placed Moyses for his tyme, placed the Pharyses for theyr time, and therfore were they to be obeyed for their rowmes, though theyr persons were very bad and wic­ked. And accordynge to the same sayth saynte Paule, that all powers be of god, and that who so euer resisteth the power, Roma. 13. 1. Petri. 3. resisteth god. Yea saynte Peter wylleth not onely vs to obey them, but that we shulde suffer them, though they beinge euyll, shulde do vs wronge. But nowe thē seinge that fortune nor chaunce hath no place in dede, but were fayned of such as knowe not god, and seinge also that the scripture teachethe, that al pow­ers be of god: it foloweth that we cōsider what powers they be, and wherein theyr auctoritie consisteth, for as it is necessary to knowe such, bycause we must in peyne of gods displeasure and wrath obey them, so muste we knowe wherein theyr auctoritie lyeth, lest that we obey them other wyse then we shulde or ought, for some tyme we do se that obedience is praised as Christ cōmendeth [Page]it vnto vs, when he hym selfe payed tribute, and badde that we shulde gyue to Cesar, that which was Cesars, Math. 7. Math. 22 Actes. 4. and to God, that that was Goddes, and the Apostles were commended in the Actes for disobeyinge the ru­lers, when they wolde haue had them to deny Chryste. Thus it is necessary for al men to knowe where, howe, whō, & when they shulde obey, or not obey. The which thing that ye may the better perceaue, cal I besech you to your remembraunce the fyrst creation of man: how that the scripture sayth, Gene. 1. that god fashioned man vppon the earth, by the which is vnderstande that mans body (the which man hath common to hym, with the beastes who be lykewyse made of the earth, and feadeth vppon the earth and earthly thynges as man doth) yet (saythe the scripture) god did inspyre into man the sprite of life, by the which is ment that mans sowle came frome god hym selfe, and is of substaunce and nature lyke vnto the Angels. Wherfore as these partes be of dyuers na­tures and condicions, and they both greatly nedeth to be well guyded and ordered, so hath almyghty god ap­poynted for that purpose both temporall and spirituall rulers: temporall rulers, by whose gouernaunce our bodyes and temporall goodes apperteyninge vnto vs, ought to be ordered, and we in all those thynges obedi­ent vnto them, yea though it do appere to our losse and hynderaunce accordynge to the sayinge of saynt Peter who doth say, Obedite omni humanae creature propter deum, 1. Petri. 2 sine regi quasi precellenti sine duci tanquā abeo misso. &c. That is sayth saynt Peter. Obey you to all humayne creature, for gods sake, whether it be a kinge [Page]as a person preexcellente, or els to a capitayne, as sent from hym. And spirituall rulers by whose councelles and appointmentes we ought to be ordered in matters that do touch our sowles health. And here vppon sayth saynt Paule, Hebre. 13. obey ye your rulers, and be ordered by them, for they do watch as men that muste gyue an ac­count for your sowles. Here ye se that he named them spirituall rulers, bycause they be charged with oure sowles, and commaundeth that we shulde be also obe­dient. For howe can they account for vs, yf we wyl not be ordered by them? And the same saynte Paule also sheweth howe and in what sort god doth appoint them, sayinge, 1. Cor. 12. Roma. 12. that as the body is one, and yet hathe dyuers mēbers apoynted for dyuers vses, so hath the mystycal body of Chryst, which is the Churche. Se here I pray you good Chrysten people, howe the blessed Apoitle of Chryst cōmendeth to vs the holy sacrament of orders, he compareth the Churche to a body, in the creation of which body, who knoweth not, that at the fyrst there is no distinction of members, as we se dayely in a negge that is to be hatched into a chycken. At the fyrst there is no becke, there is no foote, there is no wynge, no eye, nor tounge, neyther is it possible for any, but for hym that maketh the chicken to say, that this part of the egge shalbe such a member, and this such, but god taketh one parte of the egge, maketh it an eye, and giueth it power onely to se, an other a foote, and giueth it habilitie to go and so forth, and no diuersitie is there before that they be placed, and haue receaued of gods gyftes agreable vnto theyr places. Euen so good people, before the sa­crament [Page]of orders receaued, they that be to be ordered and the residue be as one. But after the orders recea­ued, lyke as they haue other places and romes thē they had before, so haue they other vertues and gyftes gy­uen to them by the holy ghost, to worke and to do those thynges that do apperteyne vnto theyr duties. For as Chryst our sauyoure saythe, it is not the mynyster that speaketh, but the sprite of our father that speaketh in the minister: In so much that Cayphas beinge a wycked man, yet bicause he was a byshop, Math. 10. Iohn. 11. the holy ghost spake in hym, and he prophecyed that Chryst shulde dye for the people. And Balaam though he was an euyl man, Nu. 24. yet bycause he was a prophet appointed of God, the ho­ly ghost dyd not let to speke in hym. This thynge good people, is not easely sene but of vs that be faythfull, Nisi credideritis nō intellige­tis. Ese. 7 1. Cor. 12. and doth knowe that almyghty God (who doth in the crea­tion of all thynges deuyde the partes of the sede or matter wherof he wolde make any thynge, in sortinge and in disposynge them into dyuers places, geueth dyuers gyftes, accordynge as the place requyreth, gyueth mē placed in dyuers romes, vertues, and power, that be requisite in such romes, the which thynge, bycause it is sene of vs that do beleue, and not of suche as be fayth­lesse or Infidels, therfore it is called a sacramente and a mystery. And therefore no marueyle good people, though our newe deuines and fleshely gospellers, Petuertatur scrip­turas ad suā ipsorū peruiciē. 2. Petri. 3 can not vnderstande the mystery of gods doyng in this ho­ly sacramēt of orders, for as they vse the scripture with no lesse vnreuerent talke, gestyng, yea with wreathyng of it accordyng vnto theyr fonde braynes and phansies [Page]then they wolde or myght do a tale of Robyn hood, or such lyke bookes of vanitie, so do they thynke no deale more to be done by god in this holy sacrament, then yf they in playes set out by thē do to the persons whō they apoynt players. And for this cause amongste them do euery man preache that lyst, euery man minister that lysteth. And yf they do admytte any, they saye no more to hym but go, be a preacher, or a minister, or such lyke, as who shulde say all these were offyces of pollicie, and not materiall to religion. But to let this passe: ye must knowe that this worde order sygnyfieth dystyncte pla­synges, and degrees of men in theyr roomes, of the which some be hygher and some be lower, and some the hyghest of al other. And se I pray you howe this worke of god agreeth with al his other workes. Fyrst is it not certeyne that in heauen there be many orders of Aun­gels and eche of them hygher then other, and onely al­myghty god the hygheste and aboue all other? Do ye not se in the firmamente dyuers bryghtnes to be in the starres, Collo. 1. and yet the sonne to be the bryghtest of them al? Are there not degrees amongst the fowles: Collo. 1. and yet the Eegle kynge of them all. Do not the beastes one excell another, and are not they all vnder the Lyon? What shulde I speke of the Cranes when they flye, haue they net theyr Capitayne and guyde: Is there not alnongst the bees one master bee, vnto whome all the residue be obedient? In the bodyes both of man and beastes, is there not one principal part commonly called the head? And where haue ye sene any common wealth well go­uerned where there hath not byn one heade? Euen so [Page]good Christen men and wouren hath god done and styl dothe appoynte one to be heade and gouernoure in his Church. As fyrst to begyn at Aron, Exod. 28. dyd not God ap­poynt hym alone for his tyme to be the heade and chiefe of all the Leuytes and priestes? when he was departed was not Eleazer appoynted the chiefe byshop ouer the rest? Nume. 20 what shulde I nede to speake muche of this mat­ter? Is it not euident euen vnto the commynge of oure sauyour Chryst, that the principalitie or hygh degree of priest hodde dyd styll continue, and that there was al­ways one aboue the al residue? Whē Chryst came, dyd not he make lyke diuersitie of his disciples? Luke. 10. Luke. 9. Dyd not he choose out of the whole number that folowed hym. 72. that were called disciples? and did he not vse his twelue Apostles more familierly then them. Math. 17 And dyd he not chose forth from amongste the Apostles, Peter, Iohn and Iames, to be more nere to him thē the other were, for they onely were suffered to se his glorious transfiguration? Math. 10. And may we not se that aboue them and all the residue Chryst to haue appoynted saynt Peter? Marke. 3. Luke 6. Fyrste consider howe all the Euangelistes when they number the Apostles. they begin alway with Peter, in so much that saynt Luke beinge a disciple to saynte Paule, let­teth not so to do, & for what other cause shulde all they and in euery place begyn with Peter, but bycause that they toke hym to be the chiefest of the Apostles. Math. 20 But ye wyll say that Christ rebuked the Aposties for that they stroue which of them shulde be the greatest: Truth it is he blamed them in that they desyred superioritie. But he denyed not to gyue it to such as desired it not, for he [Page]sayth, he that wyll be the greatest amongst you, must be seruaunt to the residue, by the which he sheweth both a superitorytie to be, & also teacheth what maner of one it shulde be, sayinge, that it shulde be a common seruice to all the other. Math. 16. Ageyne when that Christ gaue authoritie to lose and to bynde to all the Apostles, yet in that he nameth Peter, and not the residue, it is playne, that as he gaue the offyce to all, so dyd he in the offyce preferre Peter to them all. Further when our sauyoure before his death taught to them the greate daunger that they shulde be in at his death, sayinge, that the deuyll desy­ced to syft them, euen as wheate is syfted in the ryddle, yet he sayde to Peter, that he hadde desyred god his fa­ther that Peters fayth shulde not quayle, Luke. 22. and therfore bad hym that when he was conuerted, that he shulde cōfirme and stay the residue, whereby doth appere that Chryst dyd preferre Peter fyrst, in that he had a speci­ciall promesse that he shulde not shrynke, and faynt for feare, and then that he commyted all the residue to be confirmed by hym. Ageyne when Chryste was rysen from death, dyd he not commyte the whole charge of his Churche more presently to Peter then to the other? Why els shulde he say rather to Peter then to the other louest thou me, Iohn. 21. yea and that thryse at euery aunswere that Peter made affirminge that he loued Chryste, he commaundynge that he shulde feede. Nowe yf that Chryst dyd specially charge Peter with feedynge, yea both the sheepe, and also me thynketh that Chryst made Peter his especiall and chiefe shepherde. Moreouer in the Actes when Chryste called forth Peter fyrste to Actes. 10. [Page]preache the gospell to the gentyles, dyd it not apere that Peter was the chiefest of the Apostles, and that it was done bycause the Apostles and Disciples shulde with the better wyll receaue the gentyles to the felowshyppe of the gospell, seinge hym to be made a preacher and a teacher to the gentyles that was chiefest amongst thē. Ageyne when the apostles were altogether at the receauynge of the holy ghoste, and when the councell of the Apostles was fyrste gethered together at Ierusalem, Actes. 15. dyd not Peter onely speake, and shewe the causes of theyr speakynge with dyuers tounges, and of the Abrogacion of the Iewes lawe amongst the gentyles. Actes. 8. For though Iames dyd afterwardes speake, yet he dyd it rather confirmyng that that was propounded by saint Peter, then chalengynge any authoritie to hym selfe. For he rehersed as a profe therof the tale y ^t saynt Peter tolde, which was howe god hadde wrought by hym the conuersion of the Gentyles. Actes. 8. Howe be it some wyll saye that Peter must nedes therfore be not the thefe, bicause that saynt Luke sayth hym and Iohn to haue byn sente into Samarie, that by them the Samaritans myght receaue the holy ghost. But nowe saye our newe men, in as much as they sent Peter, and he that is sent must be inferiour to hym that sendeth hym, so must Peter be inferiour to the rest of the Apostles, beinge sent by thē. But here they myght se, yf they lyste to marke, the vse that is and alwayes hath bin in the Church concerning the sacrament of confirmation, which is in dede the ge­uynge of the holy ghoste, that Peter muste therefore be chiefe, bycause he was sent to minister this scramente. [Page]For where haue ye sene good people, any prieste inferi­our to a byshoppe to minister confirmation vnto your thyldren? Then as confirmation belongethe to the thiefest of the priestes, so in as much as they sente hym and Iohn to minister it, it is euidente that amonge all the residue they were the chiefe. And notwithstanding that the residue of the Apostles were present, when the sicke persons were led into places to be ouershadowed with theyr shadowes, yet doth saynt luke make mentiō of none by name but of Peters shadow, the whiche ar­gueth a preheminence to haue bin in Peter aboue al the rest. Augustine questi. 75. super no­num testa­mentum. Chrisost. homile. 55 super Mathewe. Iorome contra Ioninian li­ber primo And it apperteyneth playnely by saint Augustin in sundry places of his woorkes, and specially by his .75. question that he wryteth vpon the newe testament. Al­so Chrysostome in the .55 homile vpon Mathewe, that one fysher man was made capytayne and ruler of the shyppe that shulde be sore tossed, but neuer drowned, with the blastes of temptacion. Also saynte Ierome in his fyrst booke ageynst Ioninian sayth. Supra Paetrum fundatur ecclesia, licet idipsum in alio loco super om­nes Aposto los fiat, et cuncti claues regni accipierunt et ex eaquo super eos fortitudo solidatur, tamen prop­terea inter duodecim vnus eligatur, vt in capite con­stituto scisinatis tollatur occasio. That is to say. The Churche is founded vppon Peter, althoughe the same thynge is sayde to be done in another place, vpon al the Apostles and al they tooke the keyes of the kingdome, and strength is fastened indifferently vpon all, yet therfore one must be chosen amongst the .xii. that in the head appoynted, the occasion of discorde may be taken away. [Page]To be briefe, it is the opiniō of all the auncient fathers, that saynt Peter was the chiefe of the Apostles. Wher­fore as there was before Chrystes tyme, & in Christes tyme, and also after hym a chiefe and one aboue al the residue, so hath it continued vnto this miserable tyme and bycause that it is not nowe, so therfore are these mi­series fallen vppon vs that be. wherefore seinge we ought to haue a heade, and stande as muche neede of a heade as euer dyd they, all good men must thynke it of necessitie, that a heade we must haue. Vnto this then it is requyred to knowe where this head shuld be, & who he is, that we may knowe hym, and so consequently o­bey as it is holsome for vs to do. without all doubte (good Chrysten people) his place is the see of Rome, & the byshop of that sea hath always bin, & ought nowe by Gods word to be the head of al byshops. For as he that succedeth the kynge by ryght, ought of ryght to be kynge. So he that doth ryghtuously succede saynt Peter beinge the chiefe of all the Apostles, ought of ryght to be the chiefe of byshoppes. Ageyne god hath not ap­poynted eyther to Peter, or to any other lyke authori­tie as Peter had, not for his owne commoditie or pro­fyte, but for the edifyenge of the Church: wherfore se­inge the Churche remayned after Peter, so muste the same authoritie that Peter hadde styll remayne in the Church, and it must also be knowē to be in the Church. But such authoritie may only be knowē to remayne in the bishop of Rome being successor to saint Peter, or els it must be vncerteyne yf any other shulde haue it, and so consequently vnprofytable. wherefore it must nedes [Page]be that it remayneth in him. Ageyne we say that ageinst the commynge of our sauyour Chryste, God had made Rome the heade of the worlde in all temporalties, Luke. 2. vn­doubtedly as it is to be thought, bycause that by Christ it shulde be made a heade of spiritualties. In the regi­on of Iury thoughe there were manye cities, yet was there one especially chosen to God, and that was Ieru­salem, to be theyr chiefe citie. And nowe when the Churche was to be spredde through the worlde, he hath chosen Rome as it is to be thought to be aboue the resi­due, which appeareth by two causes. The fyrst is, that of al the great sees that be in the world, it hath alwayes byn moste free and pure from heresie. God alwayes haue defended the same, where all the residue, as Ie­rusalem, Antyoche, Ephesus, and the other Aposto­lyke Churches are destroyed, and this onely doth styll remayne, and is by God defended. The thyrde cause may be added that all good Chrysten men haue euer­more taken it to be the heade, as it maye apere by the decree of Constantine, that moste godly and Christian Emperour, Prefa. cō ­stantine Nice. which is sette before the councell of Nyce, wherein he confesseth the see of Rome to be the chiefest see, and Siluester to be the chiefest byshop. It apereth also to haue byn obserued afterwardes. In so muche that in the tyme of Constantius the Emperour it was layed to the charge of the Arryans (who had made to them selues a councell at Antioche) that they had bro­ken the olde cannons and decrees of the Church, Tripti [...] hist. lib. 4 Capi. 9. which dyd forbydde that any councell shulde be gathered, but by the aduyce of the byshop of Rome. These decrees [Page]they sayde were then olde which gyue this authoritie to the see of Rome, and it is sence this busines was nere­by. 1200. yeres, must it not then be auncient now trowe ye? Saynte Augustine also in his. 162. epystle bla­myng the dissimulation of one Secundus that had bin vnconstaunt in a matter that was before hym, and pretedyng that he did it to meinteine peace, saith that there was no cause for hym to feare the breache of peace in that matter hauynge the consent of the see of Rome on his parte, in the which Church the chiefe of the Aposto­lyke see dyd floryshe. Saynt Ierome also besydes that he sayth ad Damasum, that he wyll alwayes folowe that fayth that is taught in the see of Rome, and rebu­kynge the Luciferaunce for theyr scysme doth saye also that there must be a certeyne principalitie or chiefety a­mongst priestes or els there shalbe as many scismes as there be priestes. To these may we adde y ^e article of our fayth, which is that we beleue the holy Catholike & A­postolyke Church, the meaninge of the which article is. First in that we say that we beleue the catholike church, we say that we do beleue the Church that is vniuersall and generally spredde through the worlde, wherby we refuse all heresy and pryuate doctrine, and in that▪ that we do name it Apostolyke, we do professe our selues to be confirmable to that see that the Apostle dyd rule and bere offyce in. But nowe is there none that hathe Apo­stles bysshoppes sauynge Rome, and when there were lyke as Peter was the chiefest of the Apostles, so was that see aboue all the other sees, and therfore eyther we must cōfes it to be chiefe, or els deny our beliefe. Thus [Page]then may ye se good people, howe necessary it is to haue a heade, by whom we may be set in aray to fight ageinst the deuyll. Ye se also that all powers and romes be of Godde, and not of fortune, ye se that as we haue twoo partes, our bodyes and our sowles, so God hath apointed to vs two gouernoures, the one temporall, and the other spiritual: ye se that as God doth giue dyuers vertues and powers to euery member that he placeth in the felowshyppe of our bodyes, so doth he to those whō he promoteth by the sacramēt of orders, ye knowe why it is called a sacrament, ye se what order God doth ob­serue in all his workes, and that they haue theyr ende in one chiefe or ruler, ye se that it was apoynted before Chryst to haue one heade, it was so ordeyned by Christ and so ye se that it ought to continue. And in this we knowynge oure capitaynes, or romes, let vs all kepe our aray, and standynge, and be obedient vnto our prynces appoynted to vs by God, and when the greate and ioyfull tryumphe shalbe in heauen vppon the deuyll, and all his members, then shall we be rewarded for oure faythfulnes of God the father, of Chryst our chiefe Capitaine, & of the holy ghost, to whō be honour and prayse nowe and euer. Amen

WAsshe your selues, and be ye cleane, take away the euilnes of your thoughtes forth of my sight, Esa [...]. sayth almyghty god in his prophet Esay, by the whiche wordes (good people) we be taught, that as suche must be very comely and honest in theyr apparell, that shalbe much conuersaunt in the houses of noble men and prin­ces, so ought we Christen men to be moste cleane and pure in our sowles, that be dayely conuersaunte, not in the house, but openly in the syght of hym that is the prynce of all prynces, and lorde of all Lordes, neyther is he alone when he seeth vs, but is accompanyed and wayted vpon with infinite numbers of blessed sprytes, both of Angels and of men, yea he dothe so se vs, that we be neyther nyght nor day in the Church, or at home, yea in the fyelde, or in the maket, Quorum angeli vi­dentur. Math. 18. out of his syght. More ouer he commeth so to vs, that he dwelleth in vs, Is it not then necessary for vs, to wasshe oure selues and to make our selues honest, that be thus continually way­tynge vpon god, and that hath also his blessed angels waytynge vppon vs? Is there any of the kynges ser­uauntes that wyll apeare before hym in a ragged lyue­rie, or in a fowle spotted and greacy cote? wyl they not hyde theyr sores and botches of theyr bodyes also, yf they haue any that be euyll fauoured, and that can not be healed: and with what diligence then shulde we prepare our selues to apere before our master? But ye wyl say this is the delicatenesse and nysenes of men, in god [Page]there is no such nyse curtesy, nor curious nisenesse? yes verely. For why doth he els washe vs, when he recea­ueth vs fyrste into his grace and famuly, but that he wolde haue vs to continue clenly. Math. 5. And why saythe he, Beati mundo corde quoniam ipsi deum videbunt. Blessed be the cleane in harte for they shall se God, but that they whose hartes be fowle, shall not be suffered to come to goddes syght? And howe greuous thynkeye, wolde it be to one that had bin of the priuie chamber, to be shutte out of the kynges syght? And howe wolde it greue the chylde to be put forthe of his fathers pre­sence? Therfore (good people) as he that is clenly wyl neure be without water, neyther wyll the courtyers want those ornamentes that maye commende them in the kynges syght, so shulde we that be Chrysten men haue our hole studi & labour to make our selues plesant to Gods syght. But howe then may we that be altoge­ther sinfull, Iacobi. 4. decke our selues to apere honest in the pre­sence of god. Truly saynt Iames sayth, Emundate manus peccatores, et purificate corda duplices animo, that is. Make cleane your handes, O you sinners, and purge your myndes ye that be double harted. So that by his councell, yf we do awaye the faultes whiche we haue wrought, and make cleane our hartes from fylth and vnlawfull thoughtes, then shall we be comely and honest. Nowe then to the intent that ye maye the better make your selues to apere honest and cleane in the pre­sence and syght of God, three thynges are necessary to be considered, of the which the fyrst is, to consider what euyll and mischiefe there is in sinne, from the which we [Page]must purge and dyght vs, the seconde is, Perditio tua ex te Israel tā ­tūmodo in me aurilium tun̄, Ose, 13. to know who must purge & dyght vs, for we that can fyle our selues when we lyst, can not make our selues cleane without helpe. The thyrde is howe we muste vse and behaue our selues towardes hym when he is aboute to purge and dyght vs. Fyrst then for the euylnesse of sinne, it is to be knowen that sinne doth so offende god, and make hym angry is suche sorte with vs, that he wyll neyther heare vs, nor helpe vs, when we crye vnto selfe be­hym, in so much that the prophet Dauyd sayth of hym inge so deare to Godde as ye knowe that he was. Psal. 65.

Iniquitatem si afpexi in corde meo, non exaudiet deus It I se) sayth Dauyd) an iniquitie in my hart, then I knowe that god wyll not here: yea the Iewes knewe and confessed also that god wolde not heare the prayer of a sinner. Iohn. 9. But what Chrysten hart thynketh it not to be an euyll aboue all euyles, a plage aboue all plages, and aboue all thynges to be feared, that maketh God, whom we in our prayers do call father, to shut vp his eares ageynst our prayers? Is there any chyld, though he be but of one day olde, Inte pro­iectus sū ex vtero. Psal. 21. that standethe more neede of his mother, then we do of God? Howe be it, yf the mo­ther dye when her chylde is but one nyght olde, yet her frendes may peraduenture noryshe and brynge vp the chylde. But yf we be deuyded from god by our sinnes, then we leese not hym alone, but we leese the loue and frendshyp of al his blessed sayntes our frendes, yea our brethrene, yf we were his chyldren. For they saye all with the prophet Dauyd. Nonne qui oderunt te domine, oderam, et super inimicos tuos tabescebam: Psal. 138. Per­fecto [Page]odio oderam illos, et inimici facti sunt mihi. That is, O Lorde haue I not hated those that thou ha­test? haue not I waxed wanne with anger towardes thyne enemies? With a deadly hate haue I hated them, and they are also made myne enemies. And not onely god and his sayntes are then ageinst vs, but al the crea­tures that euer god made, doth that they can to punishe and to destroy vs, for howe coulde they otherwyse do seruyce to theyr master, yf they shulde nat destroy, or at least accordynge to theyr power vexe and punyshe sin­ners. And therof it came that the redde sea gaue place to the Israelites to passe, that were gods frendes, and dyd destroy the Egipnans that were his enemies, Exod. 12. the fyre which is a comfortable elemente to all men, dyd it not contrary to his owne nature (which is alway to as­cende and to go vpwarde and to burne) came downe and burned the Sodomites. And yet when Nabucho­donosar cast the chyldren into it, Gene. 19. Daniel. 3. 3. Reg. 13. it dyd not once syndge or burne the heare of theyr heads. Did not a Liō sle the Prophet of God that was sent vnto the Israelites, by­cause that he contrary to gods commaundemente dyd eate and drynke there? 1. Reg. 17 Did not beares destroy the children that mocked Elizeus? 1. Reg. 17 And yet Dauyd beinge a chylde slewe both a beare and a Lyon. But what shuld I stande longe in this matter, are not rauens & kytes fowles that do punyshe vs, and that do take our suste­naunce away from vs, and yet dyd not they fede Heli­as in the wyldernesse? To be shorte, the plages that come by the tempestuousnes of the ayer, by the vnfrute fulnesse of the grounde, by myse, rattes and other ver­mine, [Page]are not all these tokens of gods wrath towarder man? And therefore of it may apere to come that God hath so plaged vs Englyshe men of late, Dum diin dicamur a domino corripi­mus vt nō cum hoc mundo dānemur. 1. Cor. 11. 1. Ioh. 3. Iohn 8. bycause we haue offended hym in leauynge of oure catholyke and true fayth, and in steede therof haue eubrased presumptuous reasonynge vpon his holy mysteries and fayth­lesse heresy. Furthermore sinne maketh vs seruauntes to the deuyll, for as saynte Iohn sayth. Qui peccat ex diabolo est. He that sinneth is of the deuyll. Doth not our sauyour saye also, that he that committeth sinne, is the seruaunt of sinne? And what bondage is to be com­pared to that bondage whereby a man is made thral to the deuyll? Is the greate Turke to be compared to the deuyl? Or were it not better to be bounde to the Turke then to the deuyll? And why do we so much feare to be in bondage to the Turke or to any other tyranne, Deū perfitentur se­scire, cete­rū factis negant cū suit abo­minabiles et dicro nō audientes et ad omne o­pus bonā reprobi. Tit. 1. Sapieu. 1. and so lyttle to the deuyl. Truly very infide litie is the cause therof. For yf we were as wel perswaded in the deuyls, as we be in the Turkes, we wolde feare hym a greate deale more. But we haue preached of fayth, or rather prated of it so much that a number of vs are become very Infidels. For thoughe we professe God with oure mouthes, yet with our deedes we deny hym. Further­more sinne slayeth the sowle of man. For as the wyse man sayth. Os quod mentitur occidit animam. The mouth that lyeth slayeth the sowle. But alas, yf the ly­inge mouth be a murderer of the sowle, what murder and slaughter of sowles shall we thynke to be nowe a­mongst vs, that vse nothynge els almost but lying and disceite? And this is also brought in, or at the least much [Page]increaseth by our newe fonde gospell and fleshely rely­gion. Nowe you se that yf a mans horse or other beaste be in daunger to peryshe, there wyll be sterrynge and runnynge to helpe. But yf a man chaunce to be in the peryll of drownynge, hangynge, or murderinge, there wolde be labour made of al handes to saue his lyfe, and well to. And yet we that be so busye in preseruynge of goodes, and in meinteynynge of the bodely lyfe, which wyll once haue an ende whether we wyll or not, be eue­ry daye occupyed in murderynge of sowles, and that that is worste of all other, we be murderers of oure owne sowles, and suffer our chyldren and seruauntes, yea we teache them to do the same. But se here (good people) what is to be thought vpon other vyces? For if lyinge be such an heynous and peryllous thynge, what then is murder? what is oppression? what is thefte? what is whoredome, and all other kyndes of vyces? what woundes thynke you that they make in mans sowle? Wherfore the euylland mischiefe the which is in sinne thus consydered, it foloweth nowe that we muste learne vnto whō we may seke for remedy, that is, who must clense vs frō it, & that sayth almyghty god in his prophet Esay, Esai. 43. is God hym selfe, Ego sum, ego sum ip­se qui deleo iniquitates tuas. It is I, it is I my selfe (sayth god) that putteth away thy sinnes. Psal. 50. And Dauyd also the most holy prophet desyreth none other but god to washe hym from his sinnes. 1. Ioh. 2. And saynte Iohn in his Epistle sayth that Chryste is onely the propiciation for our sinnes. Math. 9. And the Iewes could say also, that no man coulde forgyue sinnes, saue god alone, and ye se howe [Page]redy he is to do away our sinnes in so much that he cal­leth vs vnto hym for that purpose sayinge. Math. 11. Accedite ad me omnes qui laboratis, et one rati estis: et ego relie [...] ­am vos. Come vnto me all ye that labour, and be hea­uy laden, and I shall refreshe you. Time. 1. And saynte Paule sayth, that Chryst came into the worlde to saue sinners. Is not here then a wonderfull clemencye of God that wyll not cease (though we be so vnkynde to hym) to do away our sinnes by hym selfe, yea that he doth offer him selfe vnto vs? Is not this a wonderous phisition that is both so able and so wyllynge? Shall not we worthe­ly peryshe that wyll not seeke remedye nowe when we haue it so frely offered vnto vs? Then ye wyl aunswere that ye wolde go vnto god to be ryd from your sinnes, but ye knowe not nowe where to fynde hym, especially seinge nowe that the Turkes, the Iewes, the Artians, the Lutherans, the Oecholampadians, the Anabap­tistes, the Libertines, and al other sectes sayth that god is onely with them. Howe be it, yf ye wyl knowe where god is: Verely he is onely in his kyngedome. And yf ye be desyrous to knowe where the kyngedome of god is, he sayth him selfe that it is amongste you. Luke. 17. And least peraduēture ye might be deceaued by suche as do false­ly chalenge to them selues the kyngedome of God, say­inge here or there is Chryst, he and his kyngedome be­inge nothynge lesse then amongste thē, Mat. 24. he shewed then to you who they be that hath the kingedome of god re­maynynge amongst them, when he tooke the chyldren vnto hym and sayde, Math. 18. of such in dede is the kyngedome of God. Wherof it is to be sene, that god doth onely re­mayne [Page]mayne amongst the Catholykes, that is, amongst such as haue theyr fayth generall, for they be all so humble and meke, that they are al afrayde to reason vpon gods mysteries. For they knowynge theyr vnablenesse to searche gods mysteries, had rather al to be scholers and learners, then masters. And therefore bycause that a­mongst them euery one mystrusteth hym selfe, and ge­ueth more credyte to an other then to hym selfe; so com­meth it to passe that they do agree amongst them selues no man being so bolde as to teach any thynge the which he hath not lerned of another, so that these be the meke as children amongst whom remayneth the kingedome of god, Iohn. 16. and vnto whom also the holy ghost is promised to be theyr schole master. Si quis si bi videtur aliquid sci re nondū quicquam nouit quē: admodum oportet scire. 1. Cor. 8. Whereby it is to be sene that the kyngedome of God can not be amongst heretyckes, for the originall cause of heresy is the truste that man hath in his owne wytte, that is bycause he thynketh that he knoweth gods worde better, or that he hath a deeper syght in gods mysteries then other men haue, therfore thoseth he to hym selfe a pryuate, and a newe vnderstandynge of gods worde, and doth eyther vtterly refuse al authors, all generall councels, and the common beliefe of the whole worlde, or els syfteth them in suche sorte, that where the heretyckes listeth there they must serue, Vbi enim emulatio et conteu­tio ibi in­constantia et omne opus pra­tium. Iaco. 3. and where they lyst not to recraue the authours or councels, there they must be refused. And this pryde is also the cause why they can not agree or longe continue in one beliefe, for amongste them euery man lyke the his owne wyt best. Of this (good people) we haue had to much experience of late, the more is the pitie. Wherfore [Page]the kyngedome of heauen is not amongst suche, and so consequētly is not god to be sought amongst them, but in the Catholyke Churche, which is of meke and hum­ble hearers, and not vppon stoute and presumptuous preachers. Yea yf ye wyll come into this Church to seke Chryst (for ye can not seke him there except ye come in­to it) you must make your selues lowely and meke, Nolite plures fi­eri magi­stri, scien­tes quod maius iu­diciū sūp­turi su­mus. for our sauyoure saythe, that excepte you do humble your selues as Chyldren, ye shall not enter into the kynge­dome of heauen, ye muste also leaue your desyre to be teachers and resoners, and ye muste become meke and lowly scholers, ye may not take in hande to teache your fathers, but ye must be contente to be taught by them. Iaco. 3. Audi fili mi discipli­nā patris tui et ne dumittas legem matris tue vt addatur gratia ca­piti tou, et torques collo tuo. Prouer. 1. Actu. 17. Seinge then that ye haue nowe learned where to fynd god who is the doer away of your faultes, it behoueth you to se hym, and to knowe hym when ye do se hym. For yf ye seke hym and do not knowe him, it is lyttle to purpose. But to knowe him in his persō by saynt Iohn it is playne that we can not, for he saythe, that no man hath sene god at any tyme, what then thynke ye is beste to be done? we must knowe God, and ye se that saynte Iohn sayth that no man hath sene God, howe then may we knowe him whom we neuer sawe. Mary that saint Paule teacheth you in the Actes of the Apostles, for there he sayth that God suffereth no man to be ignorant of hym. But howe doth he teache hym selfe to them, by syght trowe ye: No verely, but by the contemplacion of his workes, for he sayth that God hath so made and appoynted the diuersities of tymes, as of wynter, som­mer, and such other lyke, and hathe so ordeyned mens [Page]habitacions and dwellynges, that if they wold but once grope for hym, they myght fynde hym. Marke here (good people) that he sayth the workes of God to make hym so knowen to vs, that yf we wolde but once grope for hym we myght fynde him. And for the lyke purpose dyd our sauyour Chryst byd the Iewes that they shuld loke vnto his workes, Iohn. 5. for they dyd teache and bere wit­nesse of hym. And without doubt (good Chrysten peo­ple) the knowledge that is gotten of Gods workes, is much more certeyne & sure then is the knowledge that cōmeth by syght. Opera manuū cius annunciat firmamentum. Psal. 18. For lyke as a man shall better knowe a iudge when he seeth hym syt vpon the bench in iudge­ment, then goynge in the strete amongst other men, so are we taught to knowe God better by his workes, thē if we shulde se hym as an Angel, or as a man amongst other Angels or mē, yea but then we must marke, howe his workes doth teache hym, and what workes dothe teache hym, for certeyne it is that not his myracles or strange workes doth teach hym onely, for then he shuld be taught but at certeyne tymes. And besyde that to, the deuyl wyl worke miracles. But chiefely he is made knowen vnto vs by his ordinary workes, for those can not the deuyll so sone counterfeite, as he may myracles, and they be more generall also, and can the better by that meanes teache hym. And if ye wyll learne what these be, and howe they do teache, aske of the husbande man, and of the Princes, howe and of whome the one getteth his corne, the other the victory of his enemyes, and they wyll aunswere that they both hath these, that is theyr corne, and theyr victory of god. And lykewyse [Page]for the maner howe god doth gyue them, Pri [...] querite regunum. Math. 7. the husbande wyll say that god gyueth it by tyllage, the Prince wyll say that by the helpe of his army. And for these purpo­ses do they fyrst begyn theyr busynes with prayer, that god wolde prosper them, and then they vse gods ordy­nary & appoynted meane, bycause they wyll not tempt hym, and yet do they referre the successe of theyr labour (yf they prosper) to hym, and not to them selues. Euen so deare brethrene hath god appoynted his ordynarye workes in his Churche, whereby we that be faythfull ought to knowe hym, as for example. He teacheth, but yet he doth it by the meane of the preacher, he wassheth, but he dothe it by the sacramente of babtisme, he fee­deth you with his owne blessed body and blood, but he doth it by the most blessed sacrament of the aulter, and so he doth purge and dyght you from your sinnes, but lykewyse he doth it by the sacrament of penaunce, and marke I pray you, and ye shall not onely se hym in this sacramente, but you shall here hym saye vnto you, thy sinnes are forgeuen thee. O what a comfort is this to a sinner to here god say vnto hym, thy sinnes be forgeuen thee. Howe comfortable a voyce is this voyce to a troubled conscience? howe sure may we be that our sowles be healed from sinne, when we shall heare this greate physytion of our sowles god almyghty thus to speke vnto vs? who beinge deseased in his sowle wyll not make spede to heare this voyce? Nay, but ye wyll saye, yf we myght heare god so say, Iohn. 20. it were much more comforta­ble then all this is, but who euer harde hym so to say in the sacrament? Mary euen thou man that askeste this [Page]question, and euery faythfull and true penitente per­son. For dost not thou reade in the .xx. Chapiter of saint Iohn, that Chryste saythe to his priestes, that whose sinnes the prieste forgeueth, he doth forgyue them, and the sinnes that be not forgyuen by the priestes, are not forgyuen by him. Se nowe I pray you good Christen men and women and ye do not here god sayinge to you that your sinnes be forgyuen you, when ye heare the priest say that by the authoritie whiche God hath gyuen vnto hym to absolute you, he doth absolute you, ye here that god doth gyue to hym authoritie, and ye heare him say that accordynge to the authoritie he doth absolue or lose you from your sinnes. Do not you then here God say vnto you by hym, that your sinnes be forgeuen you? Is not the priest Gods messenger vnto you: Do ye not reade, or here redde his cōmission, when ye eyther rede, or here redde this text of Gods worde, whose sinnes ye do forgyue, are forgyuen, and whose sinnes ye do not forgyue, are not forgiuen? Wherin then can you doubt, but that your sinnes be forgyuen. Verely in nothynge, excepte it be in your selues, that is bycause you your selues be not sory for them, or wyll not confesse them, or do feyne and pretende a penitentnesse, then in very dede ye may well doubt, yf ye thus do, not for wante that is eyther of Gods parte, or of the priestes. For yf there be any doubt at all, it must be of your selues, whether ye be worthy to receaue the benefite of the sacrament of penaunce or nay, be ye therefore sure of your selues, and then shall ye haue no cause to doubt, but that ye be resto­red to grace ageyne hearynge hym thus to say. Further [Page]when ye reade in the olde lawe, Leui. 5. that the people when they had offended in breakynge of Gods ordinaunce, came to the priestes and confessed theyr faultes uppon the heades of a shepe, or such lyke, the which the priests dyd offer vp for theyr sinnes, what other can it signifie, but that we shulde confesse our selues to the priest, and ley our hand (that is) stay our selues vpon our lambes heade, that is, the deitie of Chryst gods lambe, whom vnder the fourmes of breade and wyne, the priest doth offer for our sinnes. Iohan. 1. Leuiti 14 Math. 8. Luke. 17. When we rede also that the Israe­lites were bydden to shewe the sores of theyr bodyes to the priest, and that our sauyour dyd bydde those that he had healed of the leprosy, to go and shewe them selues to the priest, are ye not taught therby that we Chrysten men shulde open the sores of our sowles to the sight and knowledge of the priest? And the priest is apoynted of god to deserue the sores of mens fowles, as the priestes amongst the Iewes dyd the sores of the bodye? Do ye thynke that these figures had not the truth signified by them? Math. 3. The Pharyseyes when they came to be baptised of saynt Iohn, and dyd confesse theyr faultes, hauinge no such warrandes by god as our priestes haue, wolde not they rather haue come yf they had in mo [...]ed therto by promesse as we be: be you not worse (as god forbyd you shulde be so euyll) then these wycked Pharyses were. Iaco. 5. Saynt Iames byddeth that we [...]ulde confesse our fautes one to another, the which saynt [...], must be vnderstande that we shulde confesse oure lesse offences to our brethren, and the greater to the prieste. And se I pray you howe conuenient it is thus to do, bi­cause [Page]the priest is of greater auctoritie to forgiue sinnes then other men be. For he is first the minister of god or­deyned for that purpose, and hath the promesse whiche other haue not. Ageyne he is the commen mage­strates or officer of the Churche, by the vertue whereof, lyke as his prayer is the prayer of the whole Churche, so is his absolution or pardon, the absolution of the whole Church, wherefore we beinge absolued by hym, are made to be at peace both with god, and with al good men, so that good men wyll remytte offences, when the parties with whom they were offended are confessed. If I shuld resyte what the aunciēt fathers haue taught concerninge oure confession to a prieste, it wolde be to longe. Origene homile. 2. super Leui Augustine de visita­cione in­firmorum Luke. 2. Capi. 4. Basil de regulis. 331. Chrisost de digni­tate. lib. 3. Capi. 6. Origene in his seconde homily vpon Leuiticus sayth, that one of the griefes of penaunce is that wee muste tell our faute to the prieste. And it is .xiiii. hun­dred yeres sence he witnessed this doctrine to be taught in the Church. Also saint Augustine sayth to them that were sicke, that in our sickenesse we must fende for the priest, and declare all our whole mynde and consciente vnto hym. Basyll that wrote aboue a leuen hundred yeres ago sayth, that as we shewe the sores of our bo­dyes to the surgen, so muste we shewe our sinnes to the priest. Chrysostome in his worke which he wrytethe of the dignitie of priesthod, saythe that the priestes of the new testament haue authoritie bothe to deserue, and to heale the leprosy of the mynde where the pry [...]stes of the olde testament, Ambrose de peuitē ­tia. lib. 1. Capi. 2. onely deserued the leprosy of the bo­dy. For the same purpose I myght resyte bothe saynte Ierome, saynt Ambrose, and many other that teach it [Page]to haue byn obserued euer sence the Apostles tymes, that Christen men and women shulde confesse them selues to a priest. Thus you seyng the scripture so com­fortably to teach it, and that the holy Churche hath so longe obserued, iudge ye nowe whether it be more safe for you to folowe the doctryne of these holy fathers and gloryous sayntes, or to be ledde with the vayne flatte­rynge lyes, of oure maryed fryers & fleshly ministers. Furthermore towchynge the maner of your confession to be made, ye ought fyrst to consider, what daunger ye be in through synne, ye know that ye haue lost gods fauoure, ye know that all the creatures of god are than bente ageynst you, you know that then ye be the de­uylles. And ye se that sinfull folke hath come alwayes vnto euyll endes, and howe neare your endes ye be, & what they shalbe ye know not. Wherfore ye seyng your daunger to be so greate. Alas what folly is in you that wyll not haste and runne vnto confession, yea ye must, ye must I say, be in a maner dryuen thereunto. Chryst byddeth you awake, & wyl ye lye styl and slepe? It were for your safety to come euery weeke to confession, and wyll ye thynke much to come once or twyse in lent? Se­condely I pray you call to your remembraunce who it is that ye make your confession vnto: It is not in dede to the priest, but to God. The priest is but his minister and deputie, and there appoynted for your causes (that is) bycause we be so dul to consider the thynges that we se not, and oure hartes and myndes are so vncerteyne and wauerynge if they be not stayed bysome grosse and sencible thynge, therefore to do vs the better to re­member [Page]where about we go, and to make vs the better to prepare our selues, and the more discretely and ad­uysedly to make oure confession, he hathe ordeyned the prieste visible to be sene, and senciblely to be harde, but it is he that heareth our confession. And therefore sayth the priest that he doth not absolue you by any vertue or authoritie that is in hym, though the prieste be neuer so holy a man, but he sayth that he doth it by the authoritie that is gyuen to hym of god, Wherefore yf ye wyll call vnto your remembrance, howe oft and howe greuously ye haue offended and displeased almighty god our lord and master, vnto whome nowe ye come to make your confession. Howe shulde it make you to tremble and to quake? If one that had so greuously offended the king as ye haue offended god, shulde be a suter to the kinges owne person for his pardon, wolde he not trēble trowe ye? And if the kynge wold delyuer his great seale vnto the scollyan of his kytchen, and commaunde hym to make a pardon for the traytour or offendoure, thynke you that the offendour wolde therefore refuse the par­don, bycause it is delyuered to him by the scollyan? No wot ye wel he wolde not. Humble you then your selues in lyke maner vnder the almyghty hande of God. And be ye content to receaue your pardon accordynge vnto Gods ordinaunce. Thyrdely I beseche you to remem­ber that Godde vnto whome ye make your confession knoweth all your doynges before that ye speake them, hym ye can not deceaue. And doth not he say vnto you in his prophet Esai. Esai. 43. Confesse fyrst thy fautes, that thou mayst be iustified? Se here, he requyreth of you that [Page]ye shulde confesse your fautes. Wherefore deare bre­threne, seinge that ye muste tell to hym your fautes, whom ye can not deceaue, and seinge for the confessing of them he promyseth you pardon, be not trysters, be not dessemblers in your confession, be not mockers of God, and despysers of his holy sacramente. Lette not the presence of the prieste make you to be ashamed to speake and confesse that, that ye were not ashamed to do in the syght of God. Is it not more shame to do euyl thē to speake vppon it? Ought ye not to drede God more then man? If ye be nowe ashamed to say what ye haue done, in the hearynge of a man. Alas lette that shame make you afterwardes to remember howe muche more shamefull it is to do the same openly in the syght of god. Learne you that be so lothe nowe that a man shulde knowe your fautes, she which are not vnknowē to god, what griefe wyll it be to you at the day of dome, when as all your abhominable and shamefull wordes and dedes shalbe publyshed abrode to the face of al Angels, men, and deuyls: ye that be so lothe to make one man pryuie to your doynges, howe ashamed shall you be at that day. And verely yf be lothe to tell a sinne­full tale to your ghostly father, then do nothinge that is shamefull, and so shall ye want that griefe. If ye caste shame from you for the deuyls pleasure when he mo­ueth you to euyl: why shulde ye not be content to beare shame for gods plesure when he moueth you to grace? Here is requyred of you but that ye wolde do so muche for god in your confession, as ye do for the deuyll in his euyll workes. Wherfore good people, to make an ende, [Page]I beseche you for gods loue to beare in your remem­braunce howe honeste in our behauoure we Chrysten men ought to be: Also howe foule and ougly a thynge sinne is, then by whom, and in what meane ye may be dyght from it, and finally vse the same meane to your consolation and comfort, and to gods glory, to whō with the father, the sonne, and the holy ghost, be al honour and prayse nowe and euer. Amen.