Of the Masse.

TO begin this our little treatise of the Masse, first of all it is conue­nient to interprete this tearme Masse, The originall of the tearme of the Masse. of the ancient Romaines called Missa. Some haue honoured this Missal sacrifice to haue taken his begin­ning of the Hebrewes, bringing in the place of Daniel Daniel. 11. speaking of Maozin, as if they would signifie the Masse by Ma­ozin. But this tearme is very strange frō Missa, or Masse. And there are other Hebrew words which are more nearer, to wit, Messa, which is as much to say as conculcation or treading downe, whereof mention is made in the history of the kinges of Israel. 4. Kings. 11. Missa. Another tearme also is found, very comfortable vnto this common tearme Masse, namely Messall, Iosua. 19. Messall. that is to say, hell or graue. But I am well assured that the high Priestes [Page 80] of Rome will not take the originall of their sacrifice of the Masse from the He­brues, acknowledging their Masse and Messall to be a conculcation, graue, or hell. Further to speake the truth the Author of the Romane Religion Nu­ma Pompilius neuer thought of the He­brues, when he first instituted the Masse much lesse this tearme Missa or Masse can haue his originall of the Greekes, Messal. Hell. seeing they haue no sacrifice of that name, notwithstanding that some haue made some reason to bring in this terme of Greeke Miz [...]in, that is to say in En­glish, to whisper or hide in secret. As if the Messalian sacrificers had receiued of the Greekes Idolatours, to keepe secret the chiefe and principall words of their Masses, to the end they should not bee vnderstood of the assistance but haue ob­serued to murmure and blow betweene their teeth the Canons, and other speci­all words, which neither they vnder­stoode themselues, nor other, which beheld them. Neuerthelesse neither the [Page 81] Hebrue termes, nor Greeke vocables in no wise can be appropriated to the missall sacrifice. Wherefore it beho­ueth to haue recourse to the true original of the terme Missa or Masse Masse taken of the ancient La­tins Romans. taken of the auncient Latines the Romanes, which were accustomed to vse these termes, Missus, Missa, Missilis, and Missio. As we say in English a Messenger, a Message, and Messiuenes for letters sent: For whē the ancient Idolaters Romanes would giue leaue vnto the assistance at their Sacrifices celebrated to go home, Apud Graecos Sacerdos functus misterio sic re­nunciabat Laois aphesis quasi po­pulum misum faceres they caused to be pronounced in the end of the sacrifice these words. I, lieet, Missa est. Depart, it is permitted the as­sembly hath leaue to retire or depart. And in processe of time, for that this song did note vnto the people a licence to go home, most agreeable and desired as a songe and terme most comfortable & pleasant it hath bin kept and the sa­crifice honoured with this terme Masse or Missa to confirme this point there is two thousand yeares past, Apul. lib. 11. de asin. au. and the same [Page 82] tearmes bee sung yet vnto this present day, Ite Missa est, which doth signifie a leaue giuen to the company or assemb­ly to depart and goe home.

In such sort that those which doe haunt the temples or churches, as soone as they doe vnderstand this pleasant song, Ite Missa est, a man may see them ordinarily to awake, and leape for ioy, as being assured to haue licence to goe to dinner.

The Arabian Mahomistes instructed of long time by the monke Sergius, as we haue declared, haue this terme of Masse in great commendation, In the booke of the description of Affrick by Iohn Leon Af­fricain. with which vocable they haue honoured 3. towns or cities called Messa scituate vp­on the mouth of the Ocean, vpon the point which doth make the begining of the mount Atlas.

Nere vnto the same towns in the sub­urbes, there was a temple much reueren­ced by the Idolatrous Turkes, Messa o the Turkes. for that they did beleeue that in Messa should be borne the iust bishop promised and [Page 83] prophecied by Mahomet. They did be­leeue also that vpon the coast of the said place of Messa, Ionas was cast after hee was swallowed vp of the whale. Messalamans. In the booke of the great Turks Court by fryer Antony Geffe­rie.

They haue also this name Messala­maines in as great honour as we haue the name of Christians. As if the would sig­nifie by this vocable Messalanian saued.

Moreouer the Mahematists doe ho­nour also their priests with the name of Masse, calling them Messen, In the booke aboue sayd. Messen. Messit. and their temples Messit or Meschit. Those then which are inforced to bring to light the Anatomy or descriptiō of the Masse, the pieces, the groundes, the pathes and en­creasemēts, ought to describe it with great reuerence, hauing due respect to the ancient religion Pompilian and Al­coran of Mahomet.

Now after that we haue resolued the name of Masse, and of Missa, in the La­tine tongue, to haue taken her begining of the ancient Romaine Idolatours, and not of the Greekes or Hebrews. It be­houeth vs to come to the garmentes of [Page 84] the Messalian sacrificers. But in passing by we must not omit that name Bishop, to haue his originall also of the Ro­maines as wee haue declared also in our commentaries. Also the name Papa or Pope had his beginning of the ancient I­dolatours, who were wont to call vpon their God Iupiter calling him Papa Iupi­ter, specially the Bithinians and Scithes. The which name Pope is taken of the Greeke word Papus, that is to say great father. And also the very title written vpon al the requests presented vnto the great Romaine Bishop, is most blessed father, and to the lesse purple Bishops most reuerend father, and to the little Bishops reuerend father. Holding all this word father or Papa, a great father, which was wont to be a common name for all Bishops But afterward the great Romaine Bishoppes did reserue it for themselues onely. There is also ano­ther name reserued for the little bishops, called curates, which are superinten­dentes in euery little parrish, hauing [Page 85] borrowed this name Curate of the anci­ent Curions of Rome. If one will not deduce the etimologie or signification of the same from the Greeke worde Cu­ra, Cura. Cario. sacerdos C ur qui in sua cura, id est in sua parrochia sacris praeerat. Tit. Liu. lib. 1. Decad. 1. that is shauing or polling, for that the ancient Curions & Sacrificers had their pollings & head shauen after the forme of the Babilonians, or of the Herculi­ans Bishops, called for the same cause Stephanophores, as bearing a crowne vpon their heads. Wherefore me think­eth that all the members of the Missall sacrifice had their begining of the Pom­pilian Religion and that one should do wrong to the ancient Romane Idolators if he should take from them the original of the names of Masse of Bishop and of Curate, Tit. Liu. Fenest. Pompo. Let. as it is iustified and euident by the ancient Romane histories. Touch­ing the vestiments of the Masse Sacrifi­cers Numa ordeined that it should bee white, called by the Latine word Alba, an aulbe. The which name Aulbe hath continued to this day for the vestiment of the Priest celebrating Masse. Aboue [Page 86] the aulbe Aulbe. Alex. ab Alex. lib. 4. cap. 17. Super tunicam aeneam pectori tegumen. Tit. lib. Deca. 1. was also ordained for the sa­crificer to weare a little iacket painted in colours. And aboue that an ornament for the brest of brasse or copper, after­ward chāged into gold or siluer, which the Massalians called a Cheasuble, they vsed also a vaile to couer their head in sacrificing, Chasuble. Virgil. lib. Ene. 3. purpureo velare comas ad opertus ami­ctu sit capite ante aras phrygio velamus amictu. called an amice first institu­ted by Eneas. These be the principal ve­stiments instituted by Numa, more then 700. yeares before the incarnation of Iesus Christ. True it is that afterward many inrichments of the Iewes were added thereto, as the Stole, the Ephod, the Zone, or Girdle the Miter or Thear, and certaine other ornaments, the goodlier to garnish the great whore of Babilon.

Titelman in tracta. de exposi. myniste. misse & Gaber. Biel in li. de exposi missae. But the Massalians willing to disguise the originall of their vestiments of the masse haue imagined the aulbe to figure the conuersation of Iesu Christ in his flesh, or the puri­tie of his body incarnate in the wombe of the virgin. Other doe interprete the white colour to signifie chastitie and continence. Others [Page 87] playing & mocking the passiō of Iesus Christ do sophistically signifie by the aulbe, the white garment presented by Herod vnto Christ when he was sent backe (as a foole) to Pilate. Philo the Iew a more excellent philosopher, in his treatise of dreames, doth subtelly say the aulbe doth signifie the certaintie of the most cleere light of God, which hee calleth ens: the linnen also wherof the aulbe is made, they doe interprete the subteltie of the scrip­tures. And as touching the amice inuented by Enea. they disguise it to be the vale wherwith Christ was couered when the Iewes in the house of Caiphas did mocke him in buffeting him. Titelman one of the most subtel Mas­salians doth sophistically say by the amiae to be signified the diuinitie of Christ hid vnder the humanitie. Some other also doe confes the amice to bee come in, in place of the Ephod of the Iewes. The zone, the manipule & the stole which be 3. kindes, they figure the 3, cordes wherewith Christ was bound and led before the Priest, & before the Lieutenants of the Romains in [...]ury, Biel another fubtel Massa­lian doth interprete by zone the rods where­with [Page 88] Christ was whipped, by the stole layed a crosse to signifie the gibbet or gallowes that Christ carried vpon his shoulders. The mani­pule also carried vpon the left arme to figure the bond of loue wherewith Christ was hol­den. Another mummerie by the zone where­with the aulbe is trussed to signifie the bond of the charitie of God. The stole put vpon the ammas in the neck of the Massalian in forme of the crosse to figure the obedience of Iesus Christ vnto the death of the crosse. The maniple caried vpon the left hand to figure eternall felicitie of Iesus Christ. Another so­phistrie by the ammas to figure faith, by the stole the humilitie of obedience, by the ma­nipule, the watch and hartie deuotion of the massing sacrificer. Titelman doth surmise otherwise of the manipule on the left hand, to be figured the force and battell of Christ against all powers visible and inuisible, as a buckler against all temptation: and the hem­mes of the manipule to figure a finall perse­uerance. Hee doth sophist also by the left hand to be vnderstood the humaine infirmity of Christ, the which boūd with the manipule, [Page 89] doth figure Christ holden as it were ouer­come by the diuinitie. Brunus another Mas­salian doctour doth imagine by the manipule the care of the massing priest to chase away euil affections, or otherwise to figure the [...]ord wherewith Christ was bound by the Iewes: by the Stole, to bee figured the yoake of the Lord, the which the Massalian ought to haue garnished with armes of righteousnesse on the left side and on the right. The other painted ornamēt first instituted by Numa the magiciā they haue disguised it with the name of planet, as a wauering vestiment, otherwise called a cope of a chasuble, which they do so­phist to present the purple robe presented vnto Christ in the iudgement hall of Pilate, to mocke him, calling him king of the Iewes. A­nother sophistry by such a garment to be figu­red the nature of Christ, wher the Deitie was hid. Philo the Iew platonicing, doth interpret by this vestiment decked with diuers colours, to be figured the starres and heauenly signes. Thē the Massaliā sacrificer thus rigged with his aulbe, Ammas, his zone, manipule stars, & with his chasuble or cope of diuers colors, [Page 90] must stretch out his armes to play two perso­nages at once, representing by his chasuble or cope (whereof the part before is lesse then that behinde) the first Church from Abel to Christ. And by the part behinde more large and also enriched with the signe of the crosse to figure the Christian people. This chasuble must accord with the Amice which was before vpon the head to signifie the coniun [...]tiō of Christ & his church. The aulbe also must be agreeable to the chasuble to signifie Christ to be applied vnto our infirmities. Beside the vestimēts aboue said Philo the Iewe doth ad the mitre to figure the riall diademe of the Massalians which ought to haue their heades annointed with cream or with holy oyle to sig­nifie the princelines of the Priestes the which ornament of the mitre is nowe reserued for great Sacrificers onely. Philo in lib. de profug.

It resteth to descend to the description of the partes of the Masse, the originall wherof particularly we desire according to the truth. First to the Masses called high celebrated on Sundayes. The Mas­salian [Page 91] Sacrificers haue taken of the re­ligion Pompilian to coniure a clensing water called Holy Water, Apul. lib. 11. Of the golden Asse. Proclas in lib. de sacrifi. & Gag Procl. Platonica­tu. consecrated to sprinkle the assistāts at the sacrifice. The coniuration and enchaunting instituted by Numa was of sea or salt water, for this cause saith he, that the salt was parti­cipant of a fyrie nature, or of fire very apt to purifie.

For this cause the ancient Romane I­dolators did sprinkle with this salt wa­ter cōiured (as with Mercury water) pur­ging & clensing the faults of the people, Eius aquae asper­sione, peccata pre­sertim periuria, mendatiaque dilui credebant. Blond. lib. de Rom. tri [...]m. Ouid lib. [...]ast. 3. In the lawe of the discourse of the religion by Choul. i. Holy water, stockes of two sorts. specially of periured & liers. To cōserue this water hallowed & cōiured they had two sorts of holy water vessels. The one great fixed & made fast at the entrie of their Temples, where they did worship their Images, to the end to sprinkle with the same salted water those which did enter into the sayd Temples. The other holy water vēssel was cariable to trans­port of the same water through their Temples or houses, to the end to water thē for their clensings and purifyings.

Dijs superis sacra facturus corporis ablutione purga­batur cum vero inferis litandum erat sola aspertio sufficiebat. Blon. lib. 2. de Rom. trium Macro. lib 3. Satu. cap. 1. In delii. Apolo­nis templo praeci­pua erat aqua sa­crificantum vsui accommoda quā ad alios vsus hausisse magni crimi­minis instar erat Alex. ab Alex. lib. 4. cap 17. Platina. Si sinis vitula aspersus populum iudeorū mundebat multo magis aquasale conspersa populū sanctificat & in­sidias diaboli a­uertit ca. aquamThey which ought to celebrate the Masse, if it were to the inferior Gods, it was sufficient that the sacrificing Priest did sprinkle himselfe with the same pur­ging water. But if the sacrificer did ce­lebrate Masse to the superior Gods, he must bathe his whole body, & wash all his members. It was also defended to apply this purging water to any other vse, saue for clensinges and purgings. Alexander the first of that name, next successor of the Apostles of Iesus Christ, and one of the first corrupters of the holy sacraments ordeined of God, fol­lowing the same institution of Pompilius continuing this Idolatry of coniuring and consecrating of holy water, to chase away Diuels. But the better to colour of this Pompilian witchcraft he inuented this comparison. If it be so (sayth Alex­ander) that the ashes of a redde Cowe, offered vppe in sacrifice mingled with water of the fountaine purified the peo­ple of the Iewes: By much greater rea­son the water coniured with salt should [Page 93] purifie Christians and chase away Di­uels. Is not this a breaking and corrup­ting of the lawe of God, de consecra. di­stinct. 1. Law of God▪ corrupted. to accord with the Romanes, taught in the ancient do­ctrine and religion of Numa Pompilius the coniurer. If Alexander had not bin so much giuen to the vse of salt, institu­ted by the ancient Idolators for their clensing water, Num. 19. hee would rather haue followed the Iudaicall ceremony, and haue ordeyned ashes to consecrate the purging water. And where hee would thinke to vyser his doing by the mira­cle of Elizeus which did purifie the wa­ter with salt. 4. King. 2. Moyses also did the like with the wood showed vnto him, when the people of Israell were in such neces­sitie of sweet water to drinke. Exod. 15. But by these miracles it is not recited that Eli­zeus nor Moyses had instituted a pur­ging water to purifie the people of the Iewes. Num. 19. And it shall not bee founde that there was at any time amongs the Iudai­call ceremonies any other purging wa­ter but with the ashes of the beast offe­red [Page 94] vp for burnt sacrifice. Num. 19. Wherefore Alexander and his like must freely ac­knowledge the inuention of their Salte and coniured water for the purging of sinnes, to haue taken his originall of Numa Pompilius, more then seuen hun­dred yeares before the incarnation of Iesus Christ.

Histo. tripart. lib. 6. cap. 35.This purging water was so well obser­ued of the Romaine Idolatours, that more than 360. yeares after the incarna­tion of Iesus Christ, it is recited how the Emperour Ʋalentinian entring in­to the Temple of the g [...]ddesse Fortune, Valentinian the Emperour against holy water sprinkled a sacrificer watching the said Temple, did sprinkle him with this blessed pur­ging salted water; which hee had taken out of the holy water stocke being at the entrance of the said Temple, where­with the Emperour being chafed, smote the Priest holding the holywa­ter-sticke, saying hee was rather defiled then purified. By these true Histories the Massalians may vaunt themselues, the first part of their Masse sacrifice to [Page 95] be very ancient. Holy water ve­ry ancient. And that their holy­water stockes, and salted cleansing and purging water, are of the ancient doct­rine of Numa Pompilius and not of the Euangelicall doctrine of Iesus Christ, which they call new doctrine, and newe Testament, as differing from the ancient Ceremonies of the Iewes & Painyms I­dolatours. Against salt ho­ly water of A­lexander Pope of Rome. But againe I cannot maruell inough, wherefore Alexander did enter­prise the restoring of the Pompilian Ido­latrie, seing he had a meane to reinstitute the ceremonial water after the fashiō of the Iewes. And this doing to follow ra­ther the law of God then Numa Pom­pilius, for hee had easie meanes to reco­uer ashes to make a purging water af­ter the manner of the Iewes: namely of holy and precious ashes, to say of the ashes kept in their shrines, and coming of courtaines, Ca. Omnes de consecrat. di­stinct. 4. & ca. Altaria & ca. Vestimenta. distinct. 1. towels and vessels conse­crated, which the Bishop Clement pre­decessour of Alexander had forbidden to be applied to any prophane vse, But be­ing worn with oldnes, to be burnt in the [Page 96] fire. And the ashes to bee put into the Fount. Were not these holy ashes, to haue moued Alexander to restore the ashie and purging water after the man­ner of the Iewes, if he had not beene so dainty of salt and found a better taste, to continue the ancient Romaine religion? Other ashes might haue beene found by the successours of Alexander: Ca. Al [...]aris de consecrat. distinct. To wit, of the round hostes vnleuened and con­secrated, which the great Bishop Higi­nus ordained to bee burned (which fal­ling vpon the earth might not be left for the massing sacrificer) and the ashes of the same hosts to be put into the shrines. Other ashes also might haue beene got­ten of the rattes, mvce, and other beasts deuouring the said consecrated hostes, and ordained to be burned, and the ash­es to be put into the shrines.

In lib. cautel. Miss.Seing then that Alexander would not follow the ceremoniall law of God, to ordaine a water blessed, salted, consecra­ted and coniured: Why did hee not at the least put his salt into the hoste of the [Page 97] Massalian Sacrificer, which they say is offered to God as a health sacrifice? Leuit. 2.5.6. In doing whereof he should haue follow­ed the ceremonie of Moyses, by the which he commanded the salt shoulde be offered in all sacrifices, & therewith to sprinkle the sacrifice offered for health. But if Alexander and his succes­sours would haue followed the lawe of God, they would haue inuēted nothing of their owne braines, they would neuer haue made themselues so renowned to haue left the memory of their instituti­ons: The occasion of inuenting new idolatries. For this occasion they would in nothing follow the lawe of God, but cont [...]ariwise haue forbidden to put salt into the rounde hostes consecrated to celebrate the Missall Sacrifices. They haue forbidden also to put ashes into their holy water, to the end that in all their institutions, men should knowe they borrow nothing of the law of God nor of the lawe of Moyses, much lesse of the Euangellicall lawe of Iesus Christ, but onely to haue taken thought to [Page 98] bring in inuentions, notwithstanding that they were inuented by the ancien Painims and Romane Idolators, 700 yeares before the incarnation of Iesus Christ. To finish this first part of the Masse: It had beene more expedient (ô Massalians) that in place of your sa­crifices, and coniured salt water, where­with you sprinkle the people, The true holy water of all Christians. to haue clearely declared the holy Gospell, cau­sing the people to vnderstand, that the purifying and washing of their sinnes, did hang onely on the bloud of Iesus Christ, who is strong inough to driue away Diuels to bring vs from hell, to preserue vs from death euerlasting, Hebr. 9. and to def [...]ce in vs all spots of sinne, with­out vsing of adiuration and coniuring with salt, to driue away Diuels, accor­ding to the witch-craft of Pompilius and the heresie of the Samaritans, Epi [...] a lib. 1. tom 1. [...]ec 9. & 17. conte. hec. which did beleeue to be purified by washing thē ­selues euery day with holy water.

[...] part of the Masse.After the Asperges song, and the ho­ly coniured water sprinkled vpon all [Page 99] the Aulters, Images and assistance at the missall sacrifice, followed the Processi­on which some would attribut to Agapet Bishop of Rome. Procession. Platina Tit. Liuius. in his decades. But it was instituted more then a thousād yeares before him, which the ancient Romane Idolators did call Supplication.

The maner instituted by Numa to go in procession to appease the wrath of their Gods, or to obtaine peace, Supplicationes quas nos proc [...]ssi ones vocamus f [...] bant circa delu­b [...]a sanaque & pulumaria in quibus honos diis dabatur, pr [...]e d [...]nubus puerit ingenuis a [...] sacer­dotious coronatis ac [...]aureant te­nentibus manu voce modul [...]ta canentibus car­men ubsequente maximo pontifice v [...]curione dein­de sequentibus patriciis ac sena­toribus cum con­iugibus & liberis plerūq, coronatis Apul. lib. 11. de Asin. aur. Blond. lib. 2. de Rom. trium. Alex. ab Alex. lib. 5. cap. 27. In the booke of the discourse. [...] the ancient re­ligion of the Romanes. Apul. lib. 11. Of the golden Asse. Alex. ab Alex. lib. 50 cap. 27. or to pray to God for the fruites of the earth, the order was in this sort. First before the Processiō went yong childeren▪ then the Priests clad in white surplisses, sin­ging Himnes Praises and Songes to the honour of their Gods, after marched th [...] high Bishop or Curate, then the an­ciēt Senators of Rome, with their wiues and children, and sometime the com­mon people did [...]ssist the same also. In this Procession was caried commonly the Pagent or Shrine of the God Iupiter, or [...]nub [...], by some of the Priests clad in white Su [...]pli [...]es (their heads being sha­uen) and hauing a crowne vpon their [Page 100] heades. This crowne was in such repu­tation, that the Emperour Commodus Antonius himselfe the high Bishop cau­sed his heade to bee shauen and shorne round, expresly to beare the Pagent of the God Anubis. Before the pagent or Shrine went a Torch-bearer carying a taper light in his hand. When the Pro­cessiō did passe through the streets, there were resting places prepared, to serue for stations for the Priests Pagēt porters to breath themselues. During the Pro­cession the temples were opened, the Aulters and Images perfumed with in­cense and the Reliques of the Gods vi­sited. In the daies appointed for Proces­sion it was kept holy, the shoppes be­ing shut, the Halles of Iustice closed, and the Prisoners vnchained. Who coulde better paint forth the order of the Pro­cessions obserued vnto this day by the Massalians, Herodote in his historie. Ierem. in epist. [...] ^d Iudeos in Babylonem abdu [...]endos. Ne verticem de­ra [...]itote neue barbam vellitote. instructed from the Father to the Sonne by the Religion of Pompi­lius? What other author can there bee alleaged for the ceremonies obserued [Page 101] in the Processions but Numa Pompilius? If the Massalians will not runne further for their shauen crowned heades their vestiments and white Surplices, which the ancient Idolatrous Egyptians were accustomed to vse, or to the Priests the Goddesse Isis, or to the Babylonians Sacrificers, which had their heades and beardes shauen: Leuit. 19. nec in gy [...]um [...]e rotundum attondebitis om [...]m vestr nec radetis bar­bam. Ezech. 44. For as touching the lawe of God the contrary was obserued and the Priestes were forbidden to clip rounde their heades and haires and that they should not haue shauen beardes. And as for the law of the Gospell, there is no like ceremonie cōmanded by Iesus Christ, nor by the Apostles. They must then take their course vnto the ancient Religion of Pompilius. Banner of Pro­ces [...]ion. Moreouer in the Procession there is added a crosse and a banner. This Banner was called by the ancient Romane Idolatours Labarum, which was a signe reputed holy and re­uerend as well by the Dictators and Emperours, as by the Souldiers, Ex libris messalae ad Octauianum Augustum. going on Warfare. In this banner first Antenor [Page 102] caused this Italian word Truye or Troye (after the name of Troia) to be pain­ted, Apul. lib. 11. de asin. aur. which signifieth in english a Sowe. The which banner Antenor vowed and dedicated to the temple of Iuno. In the booke of the dis [...]ourse of the anci [...]n [...] re­ligion of the Romanes. Queene of the Heauens for that, that the Sowe was the sacrifice consecrated vnto the same Goddesse Afterward the ancient Romanes caused to be painted in their banner Mercuries Mace In the which was painted the Portrature of two Dra­gons or Serpents enterlaced. Then af­ter was painted an Eagle, for the armes of the Emperour of Rome But Con­stantine the great, Emperour in Grecia, caused to be grauen a figure in Greeke let [...]ters of an X interlaced with an , & at the two sides α & ω in this signe,

me [...]ning to signifie this word [...], Christ. This banne [...] was caried vpon a pole of wood in crossewise, the banner being fouresquare after the fashion of an en­signe of crimson or violet Say, the bor­ders enriched with fringe of gold or of [Page 103] siluer and precious stones. After this manner haue our Massalians enriched their Pompilious Processiōs, in the which were caried banners as they should go to warre.

But in place of painting there the name of Iesus Christ they haue painted the [...]mages & likenesses of diuerse Gods and Goddesses▪ he Saints and she Saints patron [...] of euery parish. This in some is the beginning of the Mistall Processiō for the second part of the Masse. Was there euer so great Idolatry amongst the Israelites, when they would cele­brate their feastes of sweet bread, to eate the Pascall Lambe a figure of the holy sacrament of the supper, which the Mas­salians haue disguised by their sacrifices of the Masse? Did they euer cause to be caried in Procession the flesh & bloud of the vnspotted Lambe? Did they euer lay it vp in shrine to be caried in Pro­cession throughout the streetes? The brasen serpent (notwithstanding they abused it) did they euer cause it to bee [Page 104] borne in a shrine vpon the shoulders of the Priests, which had their heades and beardes shauen. As the great bishop Vrbain did ordeine to cary in procession the consecrated hoste by the Massali­ans: In the yeare of Christ. 1264. And institu [...]ed a solemne feast a thursday euery yeare, to the end to turne the vse of the sacramēt into a more dete­stable idolatry, then al his predecessours had done before him; After the sprink­ling of holy water, & the processiō done Numa ordained that the Massing sacri­ficer to celebrate the sacrifice, being clo­thed with his aulbe, 3. part of the masse, are the Altar, taper, and light. & chasuale or tuni­cle painted, the head crowned, & beard shauen should approch to the Altar, to the end to make all things readie for the sacrifice furnished with a Lampe or Ta­per light which cōmonly was of Tede or pinaple tree. Ouid. lib. 4. de fast. Apul. lib. 11. de asin. aur. Plutar. in Numa For without an Altar or fire no sacrifice could bee celebrated. He ordained also that the Massing priest should turne himself to the Altar toward the East. Porphier the hereticke did not only continue this Pompilius witchcraft [Page 105] but also did ordaine the porches and the images to be turned toward the East, to the end that those that entered into the Temples in bowing themselues before them should addresse their prayers to­ward the East, Alex ab Alex. lib. 4. cap. 17. like as the Persians doe worship the Sunne in the East. Bee not these institutions Massalians & Pompili­ons contrary to the ancient ceremoniall law of the Iews, in the which it was for­bidden to addresse prayers toward the East, for a difference from the ancient Idolaters.

Acknowledge then (O Messalians) that the erection of your Altars toward the East▪ your lampes and tapers light, Exod. 20. Leuit. 26. Deut. 5. Esay. 40. your pictures and Images reuerenced in your missal sacrifices to haue taken their beginning of the ancient Romaine reli­gion appointed by you from one to a­nother. For the pictures and Images wherewith your Altars bee decked and adorned to celebrate your missall sacri­fices, can not take their originall of the lawe of God, the which doth not for­bid [Page 106] onely the suffering of any Images in the Churches, but also to make them, and reuerence them Vnto whome can God be made like? What Image, picture or what portrature can be inuented for him? Neuerthelesse, by a most detesta­ble and abhominable heresie, Abhominable Idolatrie. you (ô Massalians) haue caused the Image and likenesse of the Trinity one God and 3. persons to bee prynted in your round hostes which you cause to bee wor­shipped.

Neuerthelesse the two doctours Massali­ans Titelman and Biell enterprete the Al­tar otherwise, when the m [...]ssing Priest doth approch laden with his chalice of gold to fi­gure Christ carrying the crosse vnto the mountaine of Caluery, th [...]n the Priest kis­sing the Altar to figure the marriage and wedding signe of Christ with his Church. The right hand of the Altar to figure the people of the Iewes, and the left hand the people of the Gentiles. For this cause Du­rand a subtle Massalian hath written, that [Page 107] the missall memorie ought to begin at the right hand of the Altar, Durand. lib. 4. rubr. de mutat. and on the same part to [...]nd. And yet notwithstanding the princi­pall aperies are cel [...]brated at the left hand of the Altar. Touching the fire and lighted ta­per, th y figure Christ: as being the fire that consumeth the rust of our sinnes, or otherwise the fi [...]e of charity compassing about the chri­stian people, and the burning taper to signifie the light of [...]aith, the ioyes to come, and the incarnation of Christ.

Be not these detestable sophistries, the which Numa the Sorcerer neuer thought of, when he instituted the Altar, the fyre, and the bur­ning [...]aper to sacrifice.

To continue the order of the missall sacrifice the Massalian Priest approch­ing to the Altar, 4. part o the Masse. the taper burning and clad and adorned with his aulbe & cha­saul tourning his face toward the East, beholding the Images guilt and carued, before all things must say his Confiteor, and confesse himselfe in acknowledging his offences, and aske pardon of the [Page 108] Gods & goddesses, rem diuinam facturus ad suā leuandam cul­pam se in primis rerum dicere de. bebat & nouae penitere as sateti admis­sum, vultumque submittere. Alex. ab Alex. lib. 4. cap. 17. Blond. lib. 1. de Rom. trium. of the he Saints and she Saints, requiring iust and reasonable things: As Pithagoras doth say in his golden verses, & Orpheus in his hymnes, for Numa the Sorcerer esteemed the conscience of the Priest Massalian to be well purged by his confession And that without Confiteor the sacrifice could not be well celebrated.

Behold then neither Damaze nor Pon­tiam Bishops of Rome, cannot giue the glory to themselues that they first insti­tuted the Confiteor, for the Massalian sacrificer: for more then a thousand yeares before them, it was forged by the ancient Romaine Idolatours; And yet is continued vnto this present day, that the Priests celebrating their missall sacrifice shal pronounce or murmure a Confiteor, in a language neither vnderstood of them, nor of the assistants, addressing their prayers & requests vnto the Gods and Goddesses, to the he Saintes and she Saints, in place of reuerencing, honou­ring, praying, and worshiping the true, [Page 109] onely, and almightie God, creator of all goodnesse.

Neuerthelesse, the Alcoran of Titelman doth interprete the Cōfiteor of the Massali­an to signifie the confession of Christ for the sinnes of the people. Cap. 9.

After the Confiteor murmured to ob­serue the religion and ceremonies of Pompilius, 5. part of the masse. the massing Priest ought to tosse and retosse, turne & returne, along the Altar: lifting vp his hands, Turnings and beckings. He [...]ūt vertigines in sacris a Numa institute dexte­ram ad osculum ferre & se in or­bem circumage­re. Blond. lib. de Rom. trium. Ma­cro. in Saturnali. than let­ting them downe, with prayers and me­ditations toward the East. For Numa the sorcerer, had an opinion of great holy­nesse to be in these turnings, bowings, & conuersions of the Priests body. This is the occasion (as a man may coniecture) of the adding to, of this pleasant song at the entrance of the Masse, when the sacrificer beginneth to make his nods, and turnes, I will enter (saith hee) vnto the Altar of God which maketh my youth to reioyce. The entrance of the Masse. He hath not iust cause [Page 110] of reioycing seeing the table-cloth lay­ed, the Table furni [...]hed, the bāquet pre­pa [...]ed the musicke of orgaines, & other instrumen [...]s sounding, the odours and encensing, the cup ful of wine, the colla­cion readie, the pot and offering to fill his pursse? Be not all these meanes to re­ioyce the youth of the sacrificer entring vnto the Altar, to masse turne, & dance after the maner prescribed vnto him by the Magician Numa Pommlius? Plin. lib. 28. And not onely the Romaines, but also the other Idolatours in celebrating their sacrifi­ces were wont to turne & returne lifting vp the right hād vnto their mouth then turning all their body, the which tur­nings and noddings were accompted holy.

Titelman in his [...]l [...]or an doth recite that the Massing sacrificer in making his tra­uersing along the A [...]tar, doth make 7. cur­tesies or salutations vnto the assistance in his sacrifice, to the end to chase away the 7. deadly sinnes by the seuenfold grace of the ho­ly [Page 111] Ghost. But in making his 7. curtesies in his Masse daunce, he ought to turne him­selfe toward the assistance (except before the preface, and kissing the Pax) what time is occupied in the creaking of the host, to trā ­substantiate him into an accidence without a substance.

These beckings, bowings, turnings, Sixe part of the masse. Organes, and towings finished by the Massalian sacrificer, Numa ordeyned the sound of Orgaines. Fluites and Violles, to singe hymnes, praises, and songes, to the ho­nour of their Gods in the name of whom, the Missall sacrifice was cele­brated.

This part of the Masse hath beene in­riched with diuers songs, by diuers Bi­shops of Rome. Some as Flaman and Di­odore did institute Anthemes, Thelesphere, Antiphones. the Collects: Leon or Gelase the Gra­duels, Gregorie or Gelease the Traictes, Collects. Gothgere abbot of Sādal, the Sequences. Graduels. Sequences. Which are diuers songes of musicke seruing to adorne and inrich the missall [Page 112] sacrifice. But if the commentaries of the ancient Romaine Bishops instituted by Numa were discouered, much greater diuersitie of song [...], Hymnorum plu­res species erant. hypingos Dianae, Apollini pean & prosoedia Diony­sio dithiranibus, Ceteri iulus: Veneri erotichus: praeter quos fucre prosoedion, hyporchema. & sta­fimon. Alex. ab Alex lib. ac. 4.17 ballets, hymnes, odes and canticles, should bee found dedica­ted and consecrated to diuers Gods and Goddesses, euen like as the diuersitie of diuers songes of musicke hath increased according to the diuersitie of diuers Missall sacrifices ordained to diuers Gods and Goddesses, he Saints and she Saints. For like as the ancient Idolatours did celebrate their sacrifices to diuers Gods and Goddesses: So the Massali­ans continued the celebration of their Masses to diuers he and she Saints, One in the name of our Lady, another in the name of Saint Sebastian, other of the ho­ly Ghost, Diuers Masses. & other of Requiem, insomuch that they made a difference betweene drie Masses and other common Masses, Dry Masses. wherin they made the soppe steeped in wine. In such sort that thereof came an infinite number of Missall sacrifices vn­to diuers he and she Saints. Vnto the [Page 113] which were sung diuers songes and se­quences. Be not these horrible and ab­hominable corruptions of the holy sa­crament of the supper of Iesus Christ, thereof hauing made an Idolatrie after the fashion of the ancient sacrifices insti­tuted by the coniurer Numa? Wherfore the Bishop Ʋitalian ought not to glori­fie himselfe that he enriched the sacrifice of the masse with the sound of Organs. For more then 1200. yeares before him this institutiō was published by the Ma­gician Numa.

But to stuffe this Babylonical sacrifice, the Massalian Alcoranists haue interpreted the diuersitie of their musicall songs, by a Pytha­goricall phylosophie. Touching the collects, that is to say, the patched prayers they haue commanded, that they shal be sung in number odde, to wit, 3.5. or 7. the 3. to figure the tri­nity, the 5. to represent the fiue woundes of Christ, the 7. to figure the 7. words of Christ vpon the crosse, or else the 7 gifts of the holie Ghost. Moreouer for a more subtil Pytha­goricall [Page 114] diuinitie, the Masses ayer ought not to passe the number of 7. by the ordinance of Pope Innocent the third of that name: the sophist Biel in his alcoran of the interpretati­on of the Masse, doth adde that the number of the collects should be equall to the prayers of the secrets, that is to say, prayers of the Massemunger murmured in secret to the end they be not contemned of the people. After the collects is the song of the graduall more sharpe and graue, a figure of the confession of the publicans hauing heard the preaching of Iohn Baptist. Notwithstanding the song of graduall was not sung in the Missall sa­crifices from Easter vnto the feast of pente­cost, to figure the blessed estate of the world to come.

7. part of the Masse.Further beside the sound of Organes, and songs of Musicke the ancient Ro­maine Idolatours were wont to vse in their sacrifices perfume of incens which they caused to be kept in a little vessell called Acerra a censour. Perfume of incense. In this little Frankensence coffer were put the o­dours [Page 115] which the sacrificer did take to incense the Altar, the Images, Blond. lib. 1. de Rom. trium. Alex. ab Alex. lib. 4. ca. 17. Iliacis tempori­bus veteres non thure, sed cedri, & citri, fumo deus adolebant. Platina. the hostes or sacrifices specially in the Masses ce­lebrated vnto the God Ianus, and vnto the Goddesse Vesta, which tooke plea­sure in incense and wine offered vnto them. For in the time of the Troianes, in stead of incense, cedre and Citron were vsed for perfume. It was not then Leo bi­shop of Rome that first instituted the vse of the incense & incensing in the Missall sacrifice. For more then 700. yeares be­fore the incarnation of Iesus Christ the ancient Romaine Idolatours did vse in­cense in their sacrifices. Tit. Liui. lib. 3. Decades. 3. And also the Romaines did retaine the word in Latin Thus, which signifieth incense, of the an­cient word Thyo, that is to say, I sacrifice, because the Idolatours did vse in all their sacrifices incense, Tit. Liui. lib. 9. Decad. 3. they had also a portable incensor to incense withall. Neuerthelesse, some write that the anci­ent Romaine Idolaters celebrating their sacrifices vnto the Goddesse Ceres vsed the gumme of Pyne called Tede, Ouid de fast. li. 3 in [Page 116] stead of incēse, for which cause Ceres was called of the Poets Tedifere.

By the Alcoran of Titelman, the incense is interpreted the praier of the Massalian, for that it doth mount vp into heauen in a sa­uour of sweetnesse, euen as the smoake of in­cense doth rise vp on high. Hee doth sophist also with Biel his companion the censour, to figure the grace of the holy Ghost. These subtle Alcoranists alledge the place of Toby, who chased away the diuell by the perfume of the broyled lyuer. The same Biel interpre­teth otherwise the incense, to figure Mary Magdalens annointing of Christ, and be­cause Christ was twise annointed, the incense must be also offered twise in the missall sa­crifice.

8. part of the masse. Plin. lib. 1. cap. 3. Offertorie.For another part of the missall sacri­fice celebrated by the ancient Idolators, was the Offertory, of the first fruits offe­red, to the honour of the Gods in the name of whome the sacrifice was cele­brated. This Offertorie was for the [Page 117] massing sacrificer, which he might freely cary into his owne house, for the nou­rishment of himselfe & his familie: not­withstanding there were other offerings distributed to those that were needfull. After by the couetousnes of the Massali­ans, this vsage was changed into an of­fertorie or offering of siluer or gold to inrich the coffer, Platina. which some would haue attributed to Leo Bishop of Rome, notwithstanding that the Offertorie was practised more then a thousand yeares before him. And to the end to iu­stifie this by the Romaine histories: When Numa had instituted the mini­sters of the Religion, as Bishops, Augu­res, Sauliens, Feciaux, Blond. lib. 2. de Rom. trium. Curions and o­thers, he ordained also the meanes how to nourish and intertaine them, he com­manded to make of the common reue­nues foundations, for the nourishment & maintenance of the religions Vestales. Following his example many parti­culer persons did the like. Sacerdotiorum siue beneficiorum duo erant genera vnum quorum collatio ad rēp. aut principem aut ad pontificū collegium specta. bat: Alterum quorum collatio, ad aliquā fami­liam eiusque suc­cessores pertine­bat. quae beneficia viris patronatus censebantur. Blond. lib. 2. de Rom trium. So that be­nefices became rich by foundations. [Page 118] The same benefices were of two sortes. The one at the presentation & bestow­ing of the Prince, or of the common­wealth, or of the colledge of Bishops. The other were at the presentation of some particuler patrons of the said bene­fices, by whome they were founded and indowed with great riches. Of the which benefices the great Bishoppes of Rome haue vsurped authoritie to giue dispen­sation to haue two at once, euen as it is recited in the historie of Liuie, of Fabius Maximus, who had by dispence two be­nefices then when hee was created Bi­shoppe, more then two hundred yeares before the incarnation of Iesus Christ. This was their first reuenew of the Mas­salian sacrificers to haue benefices rich­ly founded. A dispence for many benefi­ces. The second reuenew was the Offertorie, Tit. Liuius lib. 30. or offering, the Offecto­rie and oblations. The founding of benefices. Vacations and setting ouer. Offertorie. The third reuenew was the vocations of the first fruites, which the Idolatrous Romaine Bishops were accustomed to take, for the vacati­on of the benefices which they gaue, [Page 119] sold, or dispensed with.

The fourth reuenew was deaths an­nuals, legacies, and bequests giuen, Tertia sa [...]erdote­orum opulenta, saluti omnibus inueniebat quas inferiores superi­oribus pontifici­bus impendebant quale apud nos est cum pontifici romano fructus primos antistites & his minores sacerdotes ad obu tinenda beneficia pecuniam disso­luunt. Blond. lib. 2. de Rom. trium. Ci­cero in oratione pro domo sua ad pontifices. Blond. lib. 3. de Rom. trium. to pray vnto their Gods for the soules of the departed. The which is verified this day by the monuments and tombes of the ancient Idolatours.

The first reuenew was amerciaments, condemnations and confications leuied by the bishops of Rome: as the place and house of Cicero (when he was bani­shed) were confiscate to the Colledge of the priests, and dedicated specially to the sacrifices celebrated in the temple consecrated to the goddesse Libertie. Passing by I thought good to recite this summe of the ancient Romaine sacrifi­cers, to the end that vnto all it may bee knowne, that all the abuses and Idolatris succeeded in the Church of Iesus Christ are not new: but had their originall re­stored and taken of the ancient Romain Idolators: As the foūdations of Masses, Obites: Monethminds, the dispensing of many benefices, annuals, vacantes, tran­slations, [Page 120] offerings, and Masse boxe, a­mercements and confiscations, adiudg­ed by the sentēce of the bishop of Rome as are also other ordinances restored by the new Romaine Bishops and continu­ed from the one to the other. The yeare of our Lord. 383. Blond. lib. 2. de Rom. trium. To this purpose it is recited in the Romaine hi­stories that since the raigne of the Em­perour Ʋalentiniā the xii. of that name, great sedition happened at Rome be­tweene the Christians, & the Idolatrous priestes, which striued amongst them­selues, whether had more inriched the Church by foundations, legacies, be­quests, offerings, and other inuentions: in such sort that the heathen Idolatours and infidels which did vsurpe againe the temple, presently called the Church of Saint Peter at Lians, did fight against the Christians of Rome which would haue dedicated the same to their de­uotion.

cap. 35. After the offertorie the Alcoran of Titel­man doth hold that the Mvsse-mōger must [Page 121] for a time keepe silence to figure the flying of Christ or feare of the Disciples to confesse him before the Iewes. Then after the sacrificer doth singe on high Per omnia secula secu­lorum for this that Christ after that hee was in secret did shewe himselfe openlie in the house of Lazarus. Then he singeth sanctus sanctus, sanctus, to signifie the songe of the Iewes when Christ entered into Ierusalem. This musicke ended the sacrificer must se­cretlie murmure betweene his teeth, coun­terfaiting sadnesse without anie turnings, but yet he must plaie a dumbe mōmerie by signes of crosses drawen heare awaies & there a­waies, as we shall hereafter declare.

After the offertorie we must come to the 9. part of the Masse, 9. part of the Masse the round host of floure. the most rich and most daitie for the Massalians. That is, the host or sacrifice. Wherein doth consist the principall end or marke of the Masse sacrifice. In the time of the coniurer Numa the Romanes had not yet in vse to kill and offer vp the bloud of beastes. Plutar. in Numa. Pollux in enom. lib. 6. Misteriis peractis, qui sa­cris intererant rotundis panibus quos in honorem deorum adhibe­bant stantes ves­cebantur nec ni­si sacrificio perfe­cto vesci licebat Alex. ab. Alex. lib. 4. cap. 17. But about the end of the [Page 122] Masse sacrifice, it was ordeyned to eate and communicate together within the temple little round Cakes consecrated to the honour of the Gods in whose name the Masse was celebrated. The litle round hostes of fine floure were ea­ten by the sacrificer and the assistants standing and not sitting. The flowre whereof they were made was called Mola, whereof commeth this worde immolare to offer.

There were diuerse hostes, that is to say, diuerse litle round cakes, dedica­ted vnto diuerse Gods like as they had diuerse sacrifices of the Masse. With the same round hostes was offered (the al­tars seruing in place of tables.) And whiles the sacrificer and assistants at the sacrifice did eate and communicate to­gether the foresaide little round cakes, consecrated to the honor of their Gods, there was sung Hymnes, and plesant songs. Some playing vpon Orgaines and Cymbals.

Before the deuouring of this round hoste [Page 123] printed with pictures, the Massalian Do­stors haue ordeyned that the sacrificer shall vse adiurations and coniuring by signes of the Crosse. First he ought to make three crosses vpon the round hoste to figure the threefold doctrine of Christ. To witte by the father, by himselfe, and by the holie Ghost, in pro­nouncing these words: Haec dona, haec munera, haec sancta sacrificia illibata. Other Doctors Alcoranists and Massali­ans interpret the third crosse to signifie the treason of Iudas who deliuered his maister into the hands of the Iewes. Beside the afore­saide three crosses, doth follow fiue more to figure the fiue daies of respit from Palme Sunday to Good friday, or otherwise to re­present the fiue wounds of Christ, twain his hands, two in his feete, and one in his right side. Of the which fiue crosses, the three first must be made on the chalice and vpon the rounde hostes to figure the deliuering of Christ vnto the Priestes, Scribes and Pha­risees, or to figure the price that Christ was sold for, to wit, three times ten which is 30. pence. The two other crosses are seperatlie [Page 124] made, the one (being the fourth) vpon the host, the other vpon the chalice alone, to play the two persons of Christ and Iudas, which the Massalian sacrificer doth continuing still his mockes and mummeries, stretching out his armes to figure Christ stretched on the crosse. Then he lifteth vp his round host printed full of pictures to cause it to be wor­shipped. And that he beginneth againe to make three other crosses. One vpon the host. another vpon the cuppe, and the third vpon himselfe, to play the personages of three e­states of those that be in Heauen, in Purgato­rie, and in Earth.

He smiteth afterward vpon his breast, to play the personage of the theefe hanging vpon the crosse which repented himselfe.

But in smiting of the stomacke must bee with the 3 hindermost fingers of the hand, for the thombe and the next finger be reserued to consecrate and transubstantiate the round host. Moreouer hee must smite his breast three times to figure the threefold offence of the heart, mouth and deede,. In lifting vp his voyce to represent the theefe or the centu­rion [Page 125] which confessed God in the passion. Sixe other crosses are made once againe, three vp­on the Chalice couered, to figure the three houres that Christ hanged on the crosse on liue, and the three other crosses are made vp­on the chalice discouered (with the rounde host lifted vp againe) to figure the 3. houres that christ hanged vpon the crosse dead. Thē after the Massalian hath kissed his chalice there are yet 2. crosses more, to figure the mi­sterie of the bloud and water issuing out of Christs side. Beside the dumbe mūmeries a­bouesaid, the Priest must take the couering cloth from the chalice, and couer it with the plantyn to figure the breaking of the vaile of the tēple in the midst at the death of Christ. This done the round host is put frō aboue the chalice, and is couched vnder the corporas to figure the burying of Christ. The Priest thus hauing plaied the person of the hanged theefe of the traytor Iudas, of Christ & of the Pub­licans, plaieth afterward the personage of the Centurion in singing the Pater noster. But the Alcoran of Durand expoundeth by the seuen Petitions of the Pater noster, the seuen [Page 126] weepings of the virgin Marie, or the seauen vertues, or the seauen gif [...]es of the holy ghost, or the seauen Beatitudes, or the seauen dead­ly sinnes. This song finished, the Massali­an a litle white keepeth silence, to figure the silence or rest of Christ in the tombe. Ano­ther aperie or mummerie doth the Messali­an play with his round host, the which hee laieth vpon the paten to figure the vnitie of the diuinitie with the humanitie, but when he plaieth the secret misterie, then the host is hid out of sight.

Re d [...]uina & ceremoniis cele­bratis sacerdos tunc. I, licet sucelamabat. quà voce illos qui in­terfuerant. missos faciebat. Alex. ab. Alex. lib. 4. cap. 17.The sacrifice thus finished and the li­tle round hostes eaten, Numa ordeined to sing these wordes, I, licet (vel) Ite mis­sa est, that is to say, go it is granted, the assembly is suffered to go home. Be not all these parts of the Masse sacrifice ordeined by Numa the coniurer more then 700. yeares before the incarnation of Iesus Christ, to wit, the Vestiments, the Aulbe, Parts of the Masse ordey­ned by Numa 700. yeares be­fore the incar­nation of Iesus Christ. the Casuall, the holy purging water coniured with salt to chase away Diuels, the Aulter, the Taper-light, the [Page 127] turnings and trauersings along the Al­tar, with prayers & meditations, toward the East, the Processions with Shrines and Relikes, caried vpon the shoulders of the Priestes, clothed in white surples­ses and crownes vpon their heades: the Confiteor made to the he Saints and she Saints, the playing on the Organes, the Canticles, Peans, Hymnes and Odes, the Censor and the Incense, the commu­nion of little round bread consecrated in the name of their Gods, & in the end this song Ite missa est, do ye not acknow­ledge (O ye Massalians) that ye haue borrowed all these partes and members of your Masse of Pompilians Religion? Why do you hold this word Masse, see­ing Iesus Christ did name it a supper or the partaking of his body? Why haue ye taken these Vestiments, the Aulbe, Matth. 27. Luk. 20. Mark. 14. 1 Cor. 11. & painted Chasual proper to the ancient Romane Idolators, of the which gar­ments Christ ordeyned nothing? Why haue yee giuen more credit vnto the witchcraft of Pompilius to chase away [Page 128] Diuels with salt water coniured, & cal­led holy water, thē vnto the holy gospel of Iesus Christ, the which doth assure you in his name to driue away Diuels, Mark. 16. and not with witchcraft and salt. Who but the spirit of Numa, did inspire you to shaue your crowne round, & to deck your selues with white Surplesses, to beare the Shrines and Banners in Pro­cession? When Iesus Christ celebrated his holy supper, and instructed his A­postles of the communion of his body and bloud, did he command thē to fol­low the religion of the ancient Romane Idolators, to haue their Altars enriched with Images, to vse turnings and trauer­sings along the altar, to be shorne round, to haue aulbes and chasuals, adressing their prayers and confession to he & she Saints, to pipe with Organes, to per­fume their altars & Images with Incēse, to go to the offerings, to cary money to the Priestes boxe, to eate litle rounde hosts consecrated, and last of all to sing Ite missa est?

But I well perceiue (O Massalians) your Masse subtelties, whereby you shal confesse to me, that the body and chiefe parts of the Masse tooke their begin­ning and creation of Numa Pompi­lius.

Neuerthelesse the deckings and en­richings were inuēted by other Bishops of Rome: specially by a Monke called Gregory the first of that name, that came to the Popedome: Who was instructed in the Magicke and Philosophie of Py­thagoras, and had also studied the lawes of Tullius Hostilius, King and successor of Numa, to the end to make his name euerlasting by adding some new thing to the missall sacrifice he ordeined to singe nine times these words in Greeke, Platina. Volateran Kyrie eleyson: For Gregorie did greatly esteeme this number nine, Kyrie eleyson. Quoties prodigi­um nuncieba­batur sacrum nouendiale per nouem dies age­batur. euen as the ancient Romane Idolators had recourse to the nouendiall sacrifice or signes, and monstrous wōders. He did also ordeine that in the Masse sacrifice shold be sung two words of Hebrue, to accompany [Page 130] the two words in Greeke. And that at certaine times men should singe these two words Allelu ya: Tit. Liui. lib. 1 Decad. 1. and certaine times they should not.

In place of which Allelu ya, is song ano­ther song called the Tract, with sharpnesse of voice prolixitie of song, and heauinesse of notes of musicke, to figure the miseries of this world, and hee that singeth Allelu ya must be higher then he that holdeth the graduell, as the Alcoran of Titelman doth recite.

Is there not witchcraft inough in your sacrifice (O Massalians) vnlesse yee put thereunto Hebrue and Greeke words? and mingle together Pythagoricall num­bers, and nouendiall songes, and insti­tute a difference of daies, to sing & not to sing Hebrue words, & inuent crosses & dumbe mūmeries? Be not these cor­ruptiōs of the holy sacramēt of the sup­per ordeyned of God? or­dei­ned Gloria pa­tri. Agnus dei kis­sing the paten. Some other haue enriched the missall sacrifice as Damase bishop of Rome with a Gloria patri. Ser­gius [Page 131] with an Agnus Dei, song three times (which Titelman expoundeth to figure the assention of Christ. Innocent the kis­sing of the priests Paten.

The which Paten of gold by the doctrine of the Alcoran doth signify the diuinity of Christ. cap. 14. The Gloria in excelsis by Sym­machus, Cap. 56.57. the which song pronoūced in a voice sweete and base, doth signifie as holdeth the Alcoran of Titelman the warlike & chil­dish voice of Christ, being yet in the Cradle. O Blasphemie and detestable mummerie of the sonne of God. Leo the second instituted the kissing of the Pax, which the Alcoran of Titelman sayeth, doth signifie the vnion of Christians. Pax kissing. And that the kissinge of the Paxe came in, in the place of the holy com­munion, obserued in the first Church next the Apostles.

This kissing of the Paxe was song of the Massalian saying these words Pax domini, and making three crosses vpon the chalice when the third part of the [Page 132] host is cast into the wine, to figure the incarnation of Christ, or for the three­fold peace, of the time, of the spirit, & of the euerlastingnesse to come. More­ouer the forging of the Canon of the Masse is attributed to Alexander, Gelase, Syricie, The Cannon of the Masse. Leo and Pelage. These be pee­ces patched too, according to the hu­mours of the Bishops of Rome the au­thors and restorers, the sounders and augmentors of the Masse sacrifice.

Platina. Sabellicus.The best enriching instituted in the Masse sacrifice must not be forgotten to wit, certaine places of the old and new Testament called the Epistles and Gos­pels. The Epistles & Gospels cut in the Masse. The which the Massalians haue cut and mingled with the Pompilian I­dolatry, & therein haue prophaned the lawe of God, euen as did the Apostate Sergius, Doctor of the Mahomet, the the which decked the Alcoran with ma­ny places of the holy Bible, and patch­ed a hotch-potch of fables and heresies, with the holy lawe of God.

The Massalians haue ordeined two per­sons [Page 133] to sing the Epistles and Gospels to the end to enrich their Masse-daunce, to wit, the subdeacon, who marcheth before to play the person of the first lawe of the Iewes, and the deacon which commeth after with more great dignitie, to represent the lawe of the Gospell, the which deacon carieth vpon his breast a cushon to figure the humblenesse of heart. The subdeacon receiueth not the bles­sing of the Massing Sacrificer as the deacon doth, for this cause (say the Massalian Do­ctors) that God sent his Prophets inuisiblie.

But the deacon playing the personage of the lawe of the gospell, hee receiueth bles­sing as being sent among Wolues, because Christ sent his Apostles as men visiblie. It is ordeined that the deacon shall weare a stoale cros-wise hanging vpon his shoulders one end ouer the other, to figure force and continence ioyned together in the Masse-monger. The Deacon playing his pagen and singing some peece of the Gospell in a language vn­derstanded neither of him nor of the assistāts must turne himselfe toward the north stan­ding vpright, Because (saith Titelman) [Page 134] the north part is cold and malicious. And therefore he must make a crosse to chase a­waie the Diuels of the north. Be not these sorceries and conflictes more horrible then al the cōmentaries of the ancient Romane Bi­shops Idolators?

Against the long possession and prescripti­on of IdolatorsDoth not this approue the Alcoran of Mahomet, the long possession wher­of Turkes presently haue had for these 900. yeares past, hauing conquered Countries, Against Turkes Realmes, and Empires, prospered in all their enterprises, & still obseruing the abhominable lawe set out in the Alcoran: Against the people of Israell offering to Moloch. Where the people of Is­rael excused before God (when they did sacrifice in the valley of Tophet to Moloch with innocents bloud) by al­leaging the long possession, 4 King. 16.23. Against the idolatry of the brasen serpent. & accusto­med vsage, for the space of 1200. yeares before this Idolatry was altogether de­stroyed by the good king Iosias? Did the Israelites murmure against the vertuous King Ezechias when he destroyed the brasen serpent, which was made by the [Page 135] expresse commandement of God, 900. yeares before. Where the same people excused of their Idolatries cōmitted in Dan & Bethel, wherein are the Images of 2. heiffers of gold instituted by their King Ieroboam, vnder pretence of long possession, and that they had continued this Idolatry for the space of 300. or 400 yeares. The Iewes, Against the image set vp in Ieroboam. 3 King. 12. Against the in­fidelity of the Iewe [...]. nowe vaca­bonds, shall they be excused before the maiesty of God, by shewing the long possession of this ceremoniall lawe insti­tuted of God himselfe three thousande yeares agoe?

Also you (O Massalians) can you al­leage against God the continuance and long possession of celebrating your Pō ­pilian Masses long time, and that you & your predecessors haue vsed, solde, and put to vsurie, your Missall sacrifices. Is this reason sufficient to grounde vpon long possession, as your predecessors, Senators of Rome did alleage vnto The­odose the Emperour, their Pompilian re­ligion to haue bene obserued more then [Page 136] a 1000. yeares. This is not an excuse su­fficient to bring in long possession and v­sage of long time obserued, for the con­firmation of your Idolatries: For if God of his mercie and wonderfull patience did suffer the Iewes in their vnfaithful­nesse, the Turkes in their Alcoran lawe and the Christians in their Masse Ido­latries. It is not for vs to dispute of the incomprehensible secrets of God, but with all humility to take againe the way of truth, when it shall please him to giue it vs, after long and deepe dark­nes, whereunto the people in all ages haue fallen & turned from the true wor­shipping and ordinance of God: euen so as briefly before we haue declared of the Israelits the chosen people of God, the which notwithstanding that they had Moyses and the Prophets which did admonish them by many miracles and th [...]e [...]nings how they should honor God and keepe the lawe, neuerthelesse they neuer ceased by mens inuentions to commit Idolatries. So that during the [Page 137] raigne of the Princes Iudges of Israell, when the people were gouerned as in Aristocratia, then after submitted vnder the yoake of Kings, as in a Monarchie, & last of all brought vnder the gouerne­ment of the Pristes hauing gotten both the temporaltie and spiritualtie, the law of God hath beene corrupted, the sacri­fices and sacraments defaced and defi­led, and Idolatry continued more then 1600. yeares, from the law written by Moyses, vnto the incarnation of Iesus Christ. What may one hope for, then of the people of Rome, instructed in all I­dolatrie as a dry tree, a Heathenish and bastard people? But these Massalian heretikes cannot vaunt themselues of very long possession of their Masse sa­crifices except of the 9. peeces, before described, restored and borrowed of Numa Pompilius for the other parts of the Masse were inuented at diuerse times by diuerse antichrists corruptors of the holy sacraments ordeyned of God. And to vnderstand the times and yeares of [Page 138] the chiefe builders, Agapet Pope of Rome, raigned in the yeare of Christ 533. and brought in the procession af­ter the order prescribed by Numa. The Confiteor was restored by Damase raig­ning the yeare 577. The Kyrie eleyson & the Letanies, by Gregory raigning in the y. 593. The Graduell the Collects & the Traict, by Gelase, raigning in the yeare 493. The Sequences by Gothere Abbot of Sandale. The Gloria in excelsis by Sy­machus raigning in the yeare 508. The Incens and the Offertorie restored from the ancient doctrine Pompilian by Leo the third of that name, in the yeare 800. The kissing of the Paxe by Innocent the first of that name in the yeare 408. Ag­nus Dei, instituted by Sergius, in the yeare 697. The Commemoration of the deade inuented by Pelagius in the yeare 558. The Cannon forged by Ge­lase, Siricie, Leo, and Pelagi raigning in the yeare 800. The transubstantiation instituted by the bishops of Rome about the yeare of Christ 162. Wherefore of [Page 139] what impudencie are these Alcoranists Masse Doctours to be condemned, the which falsly do affirme that the holy A­postles of Iesus Christ did celebrate their missall sacrifice. Seeing that this sacrifice was not restored to his integri­ty after Numa Pompilius but after Christ 800. yeares? In what approued histo­ries is there mention made that such I­dolatry was committed by the holy A­postles of God? How is it possible to beleeue or thinke it, when as this great whore of Babylon hath not been resto­red with her deceipt and maske of holi­nes till long time after the incarnation of Iesus Christ.

But it behoueth to returne to our hi­storie of Rome, Continuing Histories. more and more to dis­couer the true originall of the Masse. We haue declared in discouering the parts and chiefe members of the Masse sacrifice, how the ancient Romanes be­fore they were accustomed to sacrifice with the bloud of beastes did vse little round cakes consecrated in the honour [Page 140] of their Gods, the which standing they did eate within the Temple about the end of the sacrifice. These litle rounde hostes of wheat flowre were taken vp of the Massalian Sacrificers, but they haue enriched the witchcraft and Idola­try of Numa Pompilius insomuch as they haue decked the litle round hosts with Images and pictures, Abhominable idolatry. printed within the round circle of the said hosts to the end to make them more holy, Against the ido­latry of the round Hosts. euen to be worshipped, by the inuention of Ho­norius Antichrist of Rome, in the yeare 1226. the which Numa the Coniurer neuer practised, nor yet came to this ab­hominable idolatry. What more dete­stable heresie can be discouered then to paint the maiesty of God in forme and likenes of a man, as the Antropomor­phits imagine. Who taught you (ô Mas­salians) to corrupt the holy Sacrament of our Lord Iesus Christs Supper in make­ing litle round hostes, if not Numa the Coniurer? When Iesus Christ celebra­ted his holy supper with his Apostles, [Page 141] did he ordeine to haue litle round hosts, and to print them full of pictures and the likenesses of men, to adiure and con­iure with crossings and blessings odde or euen, and to make them to be worship­ped? Acknowledge then (O Massalians) your principall part of the Masse to wit, your litle round hostes to haue taken their begining of Numa more then 700 yeares before the incarnation of Iesus Christ, who neuer commanded you this roundnes of hosts, nor that they should be rather round then square, three cor­nered or eight cornered. But so farre was he frō chusing the figure of round­nes after the fashion of Numa, that con­trariwise when he instituted the holy sa­crament of the communion of his body, he vsed breaking of the breade in mor­sels, which he distributed to his Disci­ples, for a simbol, signe, and fihure, sig­nifying really & sacramentally his bo­dy by the vertue of the holy Ghost, and the Massalians haue not only chosen the fashion round in their little consecrated [Page 142] hostes, printed full of pictures, to cause them to be worshipped after the maner of the ancient Romanes but further they haue exceeded all Idolators: For in the the time of Numa Pompilius, those that assisted at the sacrifice of the Masse did eate together standing in the litle round hosts consecrated. But since the Massa­lians haue reserued for themselues, the communion of the said litle round hosts consecrated, vsing no charitie towarde those that stood by at their missall sacri­fice. Is this to follow the ordinance of Iesus Christ, who brake the breade and gaue it to his Apostles? Iesus Christ the euerlasting sacrificer, was he alone at the Altar, eating one litle round host grauen full of Images, when he celebrated the holy cōmunion of his body? Can you (O Massalians) too too abhominable, & much lesse charitable Idolators then all the ancient Romanes, so much play the subtill Sophisters that you will make men to vnderstand that your Masse sa­crifice wherein the sacrificer alone de­uoureth [Page 143] all the litle round host printed full of pictures, without giuing part to any other is a communion, & by a mer­uailous wicthcraft to cause the assistance at the sacrifice to beleeue that they haue communicated together with the Priest, notwithstanding that they neither re­ceiued nor did eate any portion of the round host.

And beside this for a more extreame idolatry the Massalian doctors expounders do declare the round host to be diuided in 3. parts, one for those which are in paradise a­nother for those which are in Purgatorie, to haue remission of their sinnes, and the third drenched in wine, for those which are liuing in this world. But the Alcoran of Durand declareth the three parts of the host broken, to present the three fashioned body of Christ in the sepulchre sleeping, in the earth lying, and after rising againe. The other subtill doctor Biell, because he would not confesse the body of Christ in the rounde host to bee brused and broken doth subtelly define the [Page 144] breaking of the host to be done in an accidēce without a substance. Be not these horrible heresies to make the soules to communicate which are in Heauen or in Purgatorie, insti­tuted by Sergius Doctor of the Mahomet, by the meanes of one round host deuoured by the Massalian.

But you (O Massalians, may here ob­iect vnto me the vse of the primitiue Church obserued in the communion of the holy supper, whereas euery one of the assembly in the temple did take a portion of the broken bread consecra­ted to eate and communicate together. The which vse hath beene kept vnto this day in your missall sacrifices cele­brated vpon Sundaies, the which you cause to be distributed by morsels of ho­ly bread vnto the assistāts within the tē ­ple. A communion of holy bread. But in this ancient communion doth abide nothing but an Image only; Because the Massalians abusing the ho­ly sacrament, haue preserued for them­selues onely the litte round host conse­crated [Page 145] to be deuoured, without giuing any portiō vnto the assistants: vnto whō they leaue the bits of holy bread, Notable diffe­rences between the round host & the holy bread. which are foure square for the most part. The round host without leauen, and the ho­ly bread is with leauen. The rounde host is without salt, and the holy breade with salt. The round host is printed ful of pictures, and the holy bread is with­out print or picture. The round host is worshipped, and the holy bread is re­ceiued with thanks-giuing. The round host is deuoured of the Priest, and the holy bread is diuided among the assem­bly to communicate and eate together. The round host is steeped in wine, the holy bread is eaten without wine. To be short there is as great difference be­tweene these two kindes of communion as there is betweene the ancient Law of the Idolators, and the lawe of the Gos­pell. Prouided alwaies that they agree in one point that is, that both in the one and the other there is a corruption of the holy sacrament of the supper ordey­ned [Page 146] of God. Transubstantia­tion. It resteth to come downe to the deep Maze of Idolatry. We haue recited the history of the people of Is­raell, which did not content themselues with the heauenly bread Manna giuen vnto them of God, during the time that they were in the Wildernesse, but did murmure against God and Moyses their leader, requiring to eate flesh. The peo­ple also of Rome being heathen and In­fidels were not contented with the in­stitution of Pompilian touching the cō ­munion of the litle round Cakes. Blond lib. 1. de Rom. trium.

But the Bishops of Rome, Idolators, did institute the killing and offering vp of beastes, to the end to eate and com­municate the fleshe of the offeringes in their Sacrifices, specially the sheepe, the Sowe, the Goate, and the Beefe, which first were ordeyned by Euander King of Arcadic. To the end therefore that the Massalian should not go out of kinde frō the Idolatries of their predecessors, they haue followed this communion of flesh, and are not contented with the [Page 147] litle round, vnleauened hosts consecra­ted and printed full of pictures, Hosts of meale are chaunged into flesh, and wine into bloud. but haue in time inuented a new witchcraft to change their litle hosts of floure into flesh and bone, the bread being no more bread, but an accidence without sub­stance: and by this meanes to change their round host of meale into an host of flesh and bloud. The wine also offe­red in their Masse chalices to be chang­ed into bloud: the wine being no more wine, but an accident without sub­stance. Was there euer any witchcraft more abhominable and heresie, more detestable then this transubstatiation of the Masse? Wh [...]n the children of Isra­ell were wearied with the eating of Manna and the heauenly bread, deman­ding flesh, was the Mauno turned into flesh bones and bloud.

When the Romaines the ancient Ido­latours did change their round hosts of meale, and demanded to eate of the flesh in their sacrifices, did they vse this wich­craft of transubstantiation?

Wherefore I doe freely affirme that the Massalians haue lately instituted this addition of the Masse, yea more then 1000 yeares after the incarnation of Ie­sus Christ. This heresie began to spread abroad greatly in the tyme of Antichrist Nicolaite, In the yeare of Christ 1062. Chronolog. Fon. Volater. crept into the Romane bishop­prick by the conspiracie of Hildebrand, hauing chased away by force, the other chosen Bishop, namely Benedict the 12. of that name in the yeare of Iesus Christ 1062. Lanfranc. de sacr. Afterward it aduanced it selfe by a conspiracie holden in the Lateran at Rome during the ecclesiasticall tyranny of Innocent the third of the name: about 200. yeares after the solemne recantati­on of Berengarius deane of S. Maurice of Angiers. Against tran­substantiation. Against the which abhomina­ble wichcraft & heresie, we must brief­ly bring in by the way of recapitulati­on the institutions of the sacraments or­dained of God.

First the fruites of the knowledge of good and euill, Trees of life. forbidden to our first fa­ther Adam, as holy signes and Sacra­ments [Page 149] of feare and obedience, wherup­on did hang life and death, were they changed & conuerted into knowledge or death, leauing the nature of trees and fruits, and reduced into an accidence without substance? Heauēly Man­na, and the rocke flowing water. the Manna from hea­uen, and the rocke flowing with water of life sacraments agreeing with the ho­ly sacrament of the supper, were they changed into an accident without sub­stance? Lambes offe­red by Abell. the lambes without spot offered by Abel in sacrifice well pleasing to God, were they changed into another nature? Circumcision. The little skinne cutte off for a note and marke of the couenant vnto the good patriarch Abraham, & his po­steritie, was it changed into an accident without substance? The bloud of the Paschal lambe for the assurance of the health of Israel, Pascal lambe. was it changed into a­nother substance? The fleshe of the vn­spotted lambe, ordained to bee eaten in the day of the Passeouer, a true figure of the holy Sacrament of the Supper, was it changed into an accidēt without sub­stance?

The brasen Serpent, Brasen serpent. by the onely sight whereof health was giuen vnto diseases, left it to be a serpent of brasse, was it changed in being ordained a sa­crament and holy signe vnto the people of Israell? The oblations offered in sa­crifices, The offered sacrifices. as well of earthly beastes as vn­leauened bread, and other holy signes ordained of God for sacraments and ho­ly signes, to cleanse the people of Israel: Were they changed into an accidence without substance? All the holy signes ordained of God in the Church of Is­rael, notwithstanding that they did re­present really and sacramentally, that which they did figure, and not as a sim­ple signe without effect, yet so it is that there was neuer none so horrible an he­retike that did inuent this wichcraft of transubstantiation.

Yet must you confesse (O Massa­lians) that the good and holie fa­thers of Israell were adopted, grafted and regenerated by faith in Iesus Christ, [Page 151] begotten before all worlds: and that they were nourished and got euerlasting life by Iesus Christ, A conference of the faith of the ancient fa [...]hers of Is­rael with ours. and that they and wee haue but one onely God, and one onely Iesus Christ our mediatour and redeemour.

And that they through faith did sacramentally communicate, and spiritually partake the bloud of Iesus Christ for their saluation and euer­lasting life. And there is no difference (as touching God) betweene them that were before the incarnation of Iesus Christ, and we that are after the incarna­tion. But they and wee are the Church of God bought with the bloud of the iust and vnspotted lambe Iesus Christ.

Furthermore that they had faith in the promise to come: and obserued the sa­craments and holy signes of the sacri­fice which ought to be finished by Iesus Christ. And that we by the new law do celebrate the memorie & remembrance of the sacrifice alreadie finishede by Ie­sus [Page 152] Christ, hauing the fruition of his promise accomplished. 1. Cor. 10. August. in Psalm. If then the Isra­elites did eate of the same heauēly bread, and drinke of the same water of life (by faith) that wee doe in one onely Iesus Christ: if they had holy signes to repre­sent actually and really the death of Ie­sus Christ to come, euen as we haue had holy signes of his death present or past: they for the time to come, and wee for the time past: Wherefore is it then that the Massalians haue inuented this new witchcraft of tourning one holy sacra­ment ordained of God into a wichcraft of transubstantiation, and an accident without a substance? If God (to make knowne his power, and to declare the hardinesse and stiffeneckednesse of Pha­rao) pleased to doe merueilous things by Moyses and Aaron, Against the mi­r [...]cles alledged by the massa­lians. Exod. 7.8.14. in changing a rod into a serpent, the water of the riuer in­to bloud, and into frogges, the dust of the earth into lice, and further to make the saileable sea drie, and to doe many other miracles: Is this to bring in a [Page 153] transubstantiation of little round hostes, vnleauened, printed full of pictures, into an accidēce without substance? In what place of the holy scripture (when there is mention made of holy Signes, Sacra­ments, or Sacrifices, ordained of God) is it said the signe or sacrament is chang­ed?

Contrariwise (God willing to accō ­modate himselfe to the infirmities of man) hath ordained vnto him from time to time common signes, for notes and markes of the assurance of the thing signified; Wherein the might of God is more renowmed and magnified by giuing vnto vs with the holy signe the thing represented, by the power of faith and the holy Ghost, then if the selfe signe were really changed by some vi­sible miracle.

For the Sacraments doe containe in them more spiritualnesse the fleshlines, for which cause God did alwaies blame his people Israel by his Prophets, for taking his Sacraments ouer fleshly, as [Page 154] we haue before briefly declared. The expositiō of Iesus Christ of the com­munion of his body. But tell me (O Massalians) when Iesus Christ would expound, that hee was the true bread of life which came downe from heauen, to giue euerlasting life, and how these sacramentall wordes ought to be vnderstood, to eate his flesh and drinke his bloud, when the Capharnaites your predecessours were offended, did hee teach by his interpretation, that to eate his flesh ought to bee vnderstood by a little round hoste transubstantiated? The round hoste of flowre and the wine to bee no more bread and wine but an accidēce without substance? Is this your abhominable Witchcraft the doctrine of Iesus Christ?

Iohn. 6.Nothing lesse: but Iesus Christ as a true law giuer, vnto whom the interpre­tation of his law appertained, answered vnto the Doctours Capharnaites, that they were to grosse and carnall, and that they did abide in the flesh as ye doe (O Massayers:) Notwithstanding that the flesh alone proffiteth nothing: saying [Page 155] that these sacramental words were spiri­tual. Iohn. 5. The fleshe (saith hee) profiteth no­thing, it is the spirite that quickneth. Moreouer (O Massayers) how can you safely make to agree your transubstanti­ation with the doctrine of Iesus Christ, which doth promise and assure to giue euerlasting life to those which eate his fleshe and drinke his bloud, if yea take these wordes carnally? For you cannot be ignorant that your bodies (notwith­standing that they haue deuoured the little round hostes transubstantiated in­to flesh and bone, and supt and licked the wine changed into bloud) doe die and are mortall, by the necessitie of the lawe. Wherefore life euerlasting pro­mised by this communion, may not bee vnderstood of the bodie nor of the mor­tall flesh You must then of necessitie ac­knowledge, for a sure interpretation, that to eate the bodie and drinke the bloud of Iesus Christ ought to be refer­red vnto the life spiritual and heauenly, and that the flesh profiteth nothing, but [Page 156] the spirituall word and communion of the body and bloud of Iesus Christ by faith and in spirite giuing euerlasting life. Iohn. 6. This interpretation is often recited by the holy Apostle Iohn in many pla­ces when he vseth these tearmes, he that cometh vnto me, shall neuer hunger, he that beleeueth in mee shall neuer thirst, but shall haue euerlasting life. Are not these tearmes sufficient plaine to in­terprete this holy sacrament of the bo­dy and bloud of Iesus Christ, without running vnto your witchcraft of tran­substantiation.

Conference of baptisme vnto the sacrament of the supper.Another like interpretation of the do­ctour and authour of the sacramentall law is discribed, when Iesus Christ was asked of Nicodeme the meane how a man could bee regenerate and borne againe. Is it possible (saith Nicodeme) that a man should enter into his mothers wombe and be borne againe? Did Iesus Christ answere vnto this demaund, that in the holy sacrament of Baptisme the water was turned into the bodie, into fleshe, [Page 157] and into bloud, and transubstantiate in­to a carnall wombe to be thereby againe engendred and borne? Is there not as great reason after your witchcraft here to vse this answere as in the holy Sacra­ment of the supper? for by the one of these two holy sacraments wee be rege­nerate, and by the other nourished. And the regeneration is as marueilous vnto mans wisedome, as the nourishment. For after mans carnall iudgement it see­meth vnpossible, twise to be engendred. But our good God hath vsed like inter­pretation for the regeneration as hee did for the communion of his flesh and his bloud, namely that these sacramentall tearmes must be spiritually vnderstood, and not carnally: for the flesh profiteth nothing, but the spirit quickneth. Iohn. 3. That which is of the fleshe, is fleshly, that which is of the spirit, is spirituall.

The holy Apostle giuing vnto the Corinthians that which hee receiued at the hand of God, did admonish them of the second comming of Iesus Christ, in [Page 158] looking for the which he commanded to communicate the body and bloud of Iesus Christ by breaking of bread, and the Cup of blessing called the new Te­stament and the new Couenant contra­cted by the bloud of Iesus Christ, For as much then as we are assured of the second comming of Iesus Christ. Be­ing gon vp into heauen, and sitteth on the right hand of God his Father, vn­till the day appointed that he must come againe to iudge the quicke and the dead. How do ye (O Massa­lians) with this issue, when as by your Magicke you say that euery day you cause to come downe, and make re­turne the body of Iesus Christ in flesh and bone, before the time appointed of his second comming be come. Tit. Liuius. 1. Decad. 1.

This witchraft was restored by you frō the first author of your Masse sacri­fice Numa pompilius, Valerius. Max. lib. 1. cap. 3 who by his witch­craft gaue to vnderstand that he caused his Nyphe and Goddesse Aegerie and also his Iupiter Eticius to descend from [Page 159] heauen, by whose meanes the heauenly secrets and misteries were reuealed vnto him. Euen so by our witchcraft the round host consecrated, is transubstan­tiated into the true and reall body of Ie­sus Christ: Iohn. 19. Exod. 12. Numb. 9. The bread being no more bread. How haue you learned this bold­nesse to bruse and breake in peeces the body of Iesus Christ, Corruption of the holy sacra­ments. according to the inuention of Sergius the second of that name, your predecessor Bishoppe of Rome? Are not you more detestable hangmen, then your predecessors Lieu­tenants of the Church of Rome, Against trāsub­stantiation. which crucified Iesus Christ, but without brui­sing and breaking his body in peeces, as it was propheceied before. And that more is, you are not content to breake it in 3 peeces, but in your Masse sacrifice ye haue enterprised to drowne or steep one portiō of it in the wine changed in­to bloud to deuoure it. To confirme your witchcraft of transubstantiation, haue ye not ordeyned to preserue your litle round printed hosts, the which you [Page 160] do keepe and lay vppe so curiously in boxes and shrines after they be chan­ged into flesh and bone, Harman. contr. and into the reall body of Iesus Christ. Is not this a detestable heresie to beleeue that the body of Iesus Christ can receiue cor­ruption? Blond. Platina. Yea, and often it is eaten of wormes, mites, rattes and mise. Can you interpret, that this is an accidence without a substance, seeing that your hosts become often stincking, and cor­rupt within your boxes: Many times also deuoured of earthly brute beasts, the which you cause to be burned and their ashes to be put into the place for Relikes. When the Bishop of Rome Ʋictor the third of that name, receiued poyson by your transubstantiated wine was it an accidence without a substance? Or when the Emperour Henry the sea­uenth of that name, was poysoned in eating a litle round host cōsecrated, was it an accidence without a substance, see­ing it gaue him his deaths wound? There is a more manifest appearance in the [Page 161] heauenly Manna giuen vnto the people of Israell, Neem 1. Psal. 78.104. Iohn. 6. Sapi. 16 the which notwithstanding that it became corrupt (if it were kept) yet being put in the secrete place of the Arke of the Couenant, it was preserued without corruption, was it therefore transubstanciated into flesh and bone, to bee called the heauenly bread, the bread which came downe from heauen, the bread of life, and the bread of Angels.

Now it remaineth to bring into iudg­ment the subtell reasons of the Massay­ers,, The exposition of the sacra­mentall words. which for the whole foundation of their witchcraft do carnally in this word Est, saying these wordes are expresly written. This is my body, this is my bloud, when Iesus Christ, did institute the com­munion of his body and of his bloud vnder the signes of bread & wine. But I beseech all that are zealous of the ho­nour of God, diligently to consider the holy institution of the sacrament, by the which God would declare and signifie the communion of his body by the [Page 162] bread, and the drinking of his bloud by the wine, and the cup. All will confesse that the true and principal nourishment of the body of man is conteined vnder the kindes of bread and wine, so the true bread is often taken in the holy scrip­tures for the nourishment and life of Man. But let vs begin to bring in the places of the Bible. Genes. 3. To the first man created to the likenes of God, for pu­nishment of his offence, Genes. 28. was it not said vnto him before, that hee must eate his bread in the sweat of his body? Is there any man so ignorant that hee will not confesse all the foode and life of man, to be vnderstood by the bread? When Ia­cob praied vnto God to giue him bread and cloathing, did not he vnderstand by the bread all that was necessary for his nourishment.? Exod. 16. Neem. 9. Psalm. 78. Sapi. 15. Iohn, 6. Genes. 14. When it is recited that God made it to raine bread vpon the people of Israell in the wildernesse, and that with this heauenly bread the chil­dren of Israell were filled, was not this terme bread vnderstood of the heauen­ly [Page 163] Manna sent of God for the nourish­ment of the people of Israell?

This Manna is not called the bread of heauen, and the bread of Angels gi­uen vnto the people without trauell. Genes. 41. Genes. 47. Numb. 21. Leuit. 26. When Melchisedech would releeue the hoste of the good Father Abraham, did he not present vnto him bread and wine? When Abraham would gratifie and refresh the three Angels appearing to him, did he not offer to them cakes baked in the ashes? Gaue hen ot to A­gar bread for her nourishment. The mother of Isaac fauouring her welbelo­ued sonne, gaue him bread. Ioseph in Egypt offered bread vnto his brethren for their nourishment. When one will describe a famine and dearth, Iohn. 4. Psalm. 104. Matth. 4. Luk. 4. Iohn. 6. Matth. 4. doth hee not say, there lacketh bread? When God promiseth any fauour vnto people keeping his commandements, doth he not giue them assurance of sufficient bread? when he commanded the poore, as his members, did he not command to giue them bread? It is then the bread [Page 164] that nourisheth and maintaineth the heart and life of men. Luk. 9. Matt. 15. When Sathan tooke vpon him to tempt Iesus Christ, to declare vnto vs that he was very man, did he not chose bread, to entice him to change stones into bread? When Iesus Christ, did celebrate his feastes, to giue food one time vnto 5000. men, the o­ther time vnto 4000. persons, did hee not shew his might vnder the signe of bread? When he taught vs to make our praiers vnto God, Matth. 6. Luk. 11. did he not ordeine the Lordes prayer, to beseech God to giue vs our daily bread? And not onely in the holy Bible is there mention made of bread for corporal & common food: But also the sacrificers celebrated by the Priests of the Hebrues, there was a lawe prescribed of the bread ordeyned of God, Exod. 21. Leui. 4.21. Matth. 11. 1 King. 21. Esay. 30. Prouerbs 20. Ezec. 4. namely, sweat bread without lea­uen, other bread there was called shew bread which the priests did renue euery weeke & eate, which Dauid vsed, being presented vnto him by Achemelech the high Priest, cotrariwise this terme bread [Page 165] is applyed vnto breade of wicked­nesse, vnto breade of lying, Malac. 1. Psal. 23. Ezech. 12. Oze. 7. Deut. 8. Matth. 4. Luk. 4 vnto bread of sorrow, vnto vncleane bread of idolatry, vnto vncleane bread offered at the Altar, vnto the bread of trembling and vnto the bread of teares. The E­phraimites also are called the bread of ashes not turned, that is to say, in part baked & part not, circūcised Idolators. Wherefore, O Massesaiers Capharnaits, Math 25. ye must not be so hardened & rooted in your fleshlinesse,, that you regard not the phrases of the holy scriptures in that which the terme of bread is sometime taken for the earthly & bodily bread as when it is said that man liueth not by bread only, Math. 15. Mark. 7. but also by all that procee­deth out of the mouth of God. Somtime also bread is taken for the word of God and for doctrine, when Iesus Christ commanded his Apostles to take heede for eating of the leauened bread of the Scribes and Pharisees, are not these termes of bread, and leauen taken and interpreted for the doctrine of the Pha­risees, [Page 166] heretikes? When the woman of Canaan did demand grace and mercie for the health of her daughter, holden with a sore disease. Did not Iesus Christ answere, that it was not lawfull to take the bread of the children and giue it vn­to dogges? In this answere is not the bread taken for life and health, and not onely for the corporall nourishment: Seeing then that bread is taken for the life of man, the which hangeth chiefly of bread and wine, and that the good­nes of God willing to applie it selfe vn­to our infirmities would chuse those two signes, notes and markes notable, to signifie his body and bloud, namely, bread and wine, being two substances common to all nations, is that an occa­sion to imagine a carnall transubstantia­tion, as if without the same God were not able inough to figure and represent re­ally and sacramentally life to be giuen vnto vs, yea euerlasting life by the com­munion of the holy bread and wine consecrated, figures and signes of his [Page 167] body and bloud. Matth. 6. Marke. 14. Iohn. 5. Iesus Christ spake these words: That the bread was his bo­dy and the wine his bloud, he said also, That hee is the liuing bread, that he is the breade of life, that hee is the liuing breade which came downe from heauen, he saith also, that hee that eateth of this breade shall liue for euer. Is this to bring in that by this word (is) Iesus Christ is turned & transubstantiated into bread, and is no more Christ, but an accident without substance. O detestable here­sie: O Massalians haue ye no more rea­son to interpret carnally these words, (this is my body) to change the bread in­to his body, then when he affirmeth that he is the bread, to change him into bread, cōsidering that it is written, that the partaking of this bread giueth life euerlasting, Iesus Christ said, Iohn. 6. Matth. 26. Iohn. 6. Hoc est corpus meum. He saith also: Hic est panis qui de coelo descendit. In both these places is there not this word (is) bestowed? Must we therefore bring in a witchcraft of trāsubstantiatiō, in place of sound in­terpreting [Page 186] of the scriptures, by a like­nes or familiar comparison of breade with Iesus Christ, causing vs to vnder­stand that by him life euerlasting is giuen vnto vs? And by him our spiri­tuall nourishment is giuen vs like as by the bread we haue our bodily foode. How so euer it be, we must alwaies haue recourse vnto the true interpretation of Iesus Christ, the true Lawgiuer, and au­thor of the holy sacrament, who putting forth his institution said in the first place that he was the bread of life, then after that this bread is his flesh and his body, which must be giuen for the health of the world. He said that his flesh is true food and his bloud the true drinke, he saith, that hee that eateth his flesh and drinketh his bloud, shall abide in him. How doth he interpret this eating? Ie­sus Christ doth interpret it himselfe by these words: Iohn. 6 He that commeth vnto mee stall neuer hunger, hee that beleeueth in me shall neuer thirst, Is not this the true eating and the true drinking neuer to [Page 169] haue hunger, and neuer to haue thirst. Behoueth it to get faith, which consist­eth in spirit: behoueth it to addresse ourselues vnto Iesus Christ our heauēly bread, our spirituall drinke, to fill vs for euer, to quench euerlastingly our thirst of sinne, to runne into a witchcraft of transubstantiation, and to forge an acci­dence without a substance. Wherefore (O Massalians) haue yee inuented ano­ther interpretation, then that of Iesus Christ, who witnesseth that the flesh profiteth nothing, but the spirit quick­neth, and that his words are not carnall but spirituall, giuing spirit and life by faith and hope that he is the sauiour of the world, incarnat, dead and crucified to giue vs eternall life, and after rose a­gaine, ascended into heauen, and sitteth on the right hand of God his Father, a­biding an euerlasting Priest propicia­tor, mediator and redeemer.

Let vs returne againe to this terme (is) which tormenteth the braines of the Masse sayers so sore, Iohn. 15. to imagine a tran­substantiation. [Page 170] If Iesus Christ hath said that he is the true vine, that God his Father is a husbandman, [...]ohn. 14 and we are the branches. Is this to bring in this terme (is) a witchcraft of changing God into a Husbandman, Iesus Christ into a vine and vs into vine branches? If Iesus Christ is said to be the vnspotted lambe that blotteth out the sins of the world: is this to bring in a transubstantiation? If Iesus Christ hath said that he is the doore of the sheepe-folde, by the which we must enter to saluation, and that hee is the Shepheard and we the sheepe, must we therefore ratch these places of the holy scripture so farre, that necessarily we must beleeue a tran­substantiation: for as much as this terme (is) is there? When Iesus Christ admo­nished his Disciples, Matth. 5. saying to them, that they were the salt of the earth, did hee change and transubstantiate them into pillors of salt as he did the wife of Lot? Genes. 28. If Iesus Chrrist hath said by his Apo­stles that we are the tēple of God wher­in [Page 171] the holy Ghost doth dwell: Is this to imagine that we are transubstantia­ted into a peece of stone? 1. Cor. 3. 2. Cor. 6. If the Apo­stle haue said that Christ is the rocke out of the which did come the liuing water to wash vs cleane from our sins: 1. Cor. 10. is this craftily to deuise a changing of Iesus Christ into a rocke or materiall stone? 1. Cor. 12. If the Apostles haue witnessed that we are the body of Christ: Is this to bring in that we are vanished away, and are no more men, but changed into an accidence without a sub­stance?

I foresee well (O Massesayers) more than hardened, that you wil obiect that in all these places before alleaged wher­in this word (is) is found, that no men­tion is made of sacramentes, which must be deeply considered, for asmuch, as they be holy misteries ordeyned of God, which also is true. And also this word (is) is not onely found in the ho­ly scriptures before noted, Genes. 17. Exod. 12.13. but also when there was speaking of the holy [Page 172] sacraments ordeyned before of God, vnto the people of Israell, was it not written that circumcision is the band and couenant of God. Genes. 17. Numb. 10. Psal. 68.94. Mattfl. 21. Iohn. 2. In the other ho­ly sacrament of the communion of the Paschall lambe, is it not sayd that the Lambe is the Passeouer or passage? Is this to bring in a witchcraft of transub­stantiation. Will you not confesse (O Massalians and changers of substances) that in these places of holy scriptures, speaking of the sacraments, this word (is) cannot otherwise be expounded but to signifie: and that circumcision was the signe and marke of the band and co­uenant contracted betweene God and Abraham, that the Pascall lambe was al­so the signe of the holy passage: for re­membrance of their deliuerance from Egypt. The Arke of the couenant for another sacrament, whereof it is writ­ten that it is the true power of the Lord. Is this to say that it was transubstantia­ted into the maiesty of God. It beho­ueth to interpret the holy scripture with [Page 173] dicression and humility, without so­phistrie and witchcraft to vnderstand soundly the true meaning of words, and not to abide in the letter that killeth: but to receiue the word of God in spirit that puickneth. If then the holy Arke be named the Lord, and called God, for that in it he exercised his might, & she­wed his wonders and misteries, to draw the people of Israell by an outwarde signe to remember God, and to feare and obey him, Also if Iesus Christ is called the bread that came from heauen, the bread of life, that the bread broken is his body, and the wine is his bloud, that the cup is the new Testament, that by these outward signes of bread and wine, he might cause vs to vnderstand our life and nourishment of saluation to stay onely vpon Iesus Christ, and that by his death and bloudshedding we are so assured of euerlasting life, as the bread and wine are nourishment for the body, and that it pleased him to ordeine these holy signes to serue vs for sacra­ments [Page 174] for the triall and confirmation of our faith: is this an occasion to play the Capharnaits or the Nicodemianes to doubt of the power of God, how is it possible to eate the body and drinke the bloud of Iesus Christ? How is it possi­ble to be regenerate and borne againe? Then seeing wee haue a promise giuen vnto vs by the word of God, wherefore (O Massalians) haue ye imagined a car­nall transubstantiation, mistrusting the incomprehensible power of God, ought it not to suffice you to beleeue simply that the body & bloud of Iesus Christ is offred vnto vs really & sacramētally to communicate for our nourishment, and to giue vs euerlasting life by the bread and wine consecrated with giuing of thankes the bread being truely his bo­dy: and the wine his bloud, which ought to be receiued worthily by faith, and in purenes of conscience, as holy signes and markes of the godly badge, without enquiring euer subtilly the meanes, otherwise then Iesus Christ hath [Page 175] interpreted (saying) the flesh profiteth nothing, it is the spirit that quickneth, and that his words were spirit and life, Ought we to doubt that God hath not the power to make vs partakers of the body and bloud of Iesus Christ, by the holy signes of bread and wine consecra­ted, the bread neuerthelesse remaining bread, and the wine, wine. If it were otherwise, this should not be called a sacrament but a myracle, as when Iesus Christ, turned the water into wine, that he vsed a miracle of transubstantiation, changing water into wine. But he did not then ordeine a sacrament as he did of the communion of his body & bloud by the holy figures of bread and wine. Was it not as easie for God to make the wine to bee changed into bloud, or the bread into flesh, as for Moyses & Aarō to change the water of the riuer into bloud to approue the hardnes of Pharaoh, or when the cloudes were turned into the flesh of Qailes, which rained vpon the people of Israell, alwaies God did not [Page 176] ordeine these miracles to serue for ordi­narie sacraments, but would apply him­selfe to our infirmitie, giuing vnto vs signes, holy and not transubstantiated, which are neither vaine nor fantasies, but are outward signes, which wee can see, touch, eate & taste, abiding in their substance, and neuerthelesse represen­ting sacramentally, that which is com­prised and signified by them, wherein our triall of faith doth stand, to declare vs by a sacramentall worke to be of the number of them that are regenerated & nourished by the holy sacraments of baptisme and of the supper. If it be law­full to make comparisons of the 2. holy sacraments of Baptisme and of the Sup­per, A comparison of the two ho­ly Sacraments. notwithstanding that there is dif­ference betweene regeneration, which doth not reiterate (for it sufficeth once to be regenerate and borne againe.) But the nourishment must be often done a­gaine, according to to the order of na­ture, and other differences largely dis­cribed by the holy Apostles and mini­sters [Page 195] of the word of God. Yet the same end, the same God, the same Iesus Christ is shewed & declared as well in baptisme, as in the supper. By the bloud of Iesus Christ we be regenerate and by the same bloud nourished. By the bloud of Iesus Christ we are renued, set, and graffed, and by the same bloud we are kept and preserued from hunger and thirst for euermore. By the bloud of Ie­sus Christ we are spoyled from the olde corrupt skinne, and clad with his body, of the selfe same also we haue our nou­rishment and euerlasting life. By the bloud of Iesus Christ we haue accesse into the kingdome of heauen. And by the same bloud we haue the fruition of the kingdome, for vnto the same pur­pose the holy Apostle witnesseth, wee are all baptised by the vertue of one ho­ly spirit, and we haue all drunke of one spirituall drinke giuen vnto vs by Iesus Christ. Be not these comparisons taken out of the holy scripture, to iustifie that Iesus Christ is the onely end, vnto the [Page 178] which tendeth as well Baptisme as the holy Supper. It followeth then that the signes of the sacramentall water for bap­tisme, and bread and wine for the sup­per of Iesus Christ, are holy signes, ernest, gages, paunes, markes, seales and sacraments, instituted of God for proofe and assurance of our saith. Well, then (O Massalians) seeing yee haue inuented a witchcraft of transubstanttiaion for the sacrament of the Supper, Against the Massalians. why haue yee not also subtelly deuised the same witchcraft in the sacramēt of baptisme? why haue yee not ordeyned the sacra­mental water after that it is by you con­iured and bewitched with salt to driue away Diuels, to be changed into the bloud of Iesus Christ, the water to bee no more water, but accidence with­out substance, as yee haue imagined of the bread and wine? What difference can you shew, but Sophistries, Sophis­mes, and Masse subtelties. If yee conti­nue your heresie by this word (is) it is also found in the water of Baptisme, [Page 179] which is called renuing and regenerati­on, the same is also named the holy Ghost, and the garment with which, & by which, we are clothed, renued and borne again in the bloud of Iesus Christ. Then seeing (O Massalians) that you confesse that yee cannot finde a second Berengarie to make a decree of recanta­tion to the end to enlarge your witch­craft of transubstantiation, vnto the ho­ly water of Baptisme, and by the same meane to change your spettell and salt water, your oyle, your creames, your salt water & other drugs, wherwith you haue corrupted the holy sacrament of Baptisme. Wherefore then are yee so hardened and waxt old in your Pompili­an Religion, that you would plucke Ie­sus Christ from the right hand of God, to make him to descende in body and bloud by your whispering witchcraft, Luk. 1. Malach. 4. A comparison of the Sunne with Iesus Christ. (as Iupiter Elicius did) before the day appointed of his second comming? I can bring you in the similitude of the Sunne, called by some Apostles the Sun [Page 198] of Righteousnesse Iesus Christ, because that light commeth from heauen by the great and bright starre. [...]he which S. [...]ustine the Martyr vsed in [...]is treatise of [...]he exposition of faith. cap. 2. And euen so the spirituall light is giuen vnto vs by Iesus Christ, who hath restored vs to light, out of the night and darknesse of sinne.

Well then (O yee Capharnaites, car­nall and grosse) vnderstand now a com­parison sufficient inough to shewe you the infinite power of God to bee much more perfect then your abhominable inuention of transubstantiation? Do yee not acknowledge if you haue not your eyes blinded and holden in depth of the darknesse of frowardnesse, that the Sunne doth giue vnto vs his light, his beames, his force, his heat & strēgth, And yet the body it selfe of the Sunne doth rest and abide in heauen? Do not ye say ordinarily in your common lan­guage, when the windowe of the house towardes the sunne is open, that the sunne commeth into the house? Yet the sunne remaineth alwaies in heauen? Be­houeth [Page 199] it to snatch and catch the body of the sunne, causing it to come downe and to transubstantiate in this earthly place before it can giue his heate, his beames, his light, and nourishment to plants, hearbes, trees, and earthly crea­tures? Are yee so brutish (O Capharna­ites) that yee will not confesse the true sonne of righteousnes Iesus Christ, to haue much more power then this starre of the sunne, create and mortall? If then the mortall creature, haue this power to giue vs the vertue and strength of his body, by his beames, by his light, and by his heate sent downe into the earth really, and effectuously, the body not­withstanding abiding in heauen. It be­houeth to beleeue that God the euerla­sting creator hath much more power to giue vs the true sonne of rightuousnesse Iesus Christ, to giue vs his force & ver­tue of his body and bloud, shed for vs, by the beames, light and heate of his holy spirit, without cōstraining him by your witchcraft to be plucked from [Page 182] the right hand of God, & to be drawen out of heauen by your transubstantiatiō into earth. Wherefore hath not Iesus Christ this power to giue vs his light, and to offer to vs his body & his bloud, to enter within vs, if by faith and pure conscience we will receiue him by the vertue of his holy spirit, euen as well & better then the sonne entreth into our houses by his might and power, with­out drawing it out of heauen to change the substance thereof? The sonne is one onely body created abiding in heauen, the cause of the growing of plants, trees & hearbes, which giueth nourishment by force and heate vnto all things liuing vpon the earth, and in one and the same moment hath power to quicken, heate & nourish an infinite number of plants, trees, hearbes and earthly creatures, without seperating, diuiding or pluck­ing his body from heauen to transubstā ­tiate it. The body also of Iesus Christ which he hath caried into heauen, and set at the right hand of God, hath it [Page 183] not more force, more vertue, and more strength to regenerate vs, to feed and nourish vs, to giue his vertue, his light and his beames, to inspire, quickē, sustaine, lighten, and in a moment make vs through faith partakers of his body and bloud: to make vs members of his members, knit together in him, and by him, by his true promise conteined vn­der the bages and holy signes, left vnto vs till that the second comming of his humanitie bee seene vpon the earth. Wherefore (O Massesayers) haue ye in­uented this witchcraft of transubstanti­ation, to blaspheme against God, to lesson his power and lesse to esteeme his power and vertue, then the vertue of the sunne his creature? wherefore will yee pluck the body of Iesus Christ from heauen before the time appointed, to change his substance into your little round hosts, Iesus Christ as God aideth all. vnleauened and printed full of pictures which you cause to bee worshipped seeing that Christ as God, doth aide his church euerlastingly, and [Page 202] hath power to regenerate feed and nou­rish vs, yea with euerlasting life & food, by his promise witnessed and assured by his holy sacraments of Baptisme, and of his holy supper. For other compa­risons (O Massesayers, familiar & home­ly) consider how the earthly and mor­tall princes are esteemed, reuerenced and honoured for the sacred signes or­deined by them. I will onely set forth vnto you two, that is to say, Waxe & Metalles, of the one is made the seale of the prince, wherewith is sealed gra­ces, pardons and forgiuenesses, the let­ters & priuiledges, grāted by the prince He that counterfeiteth this seale, is hee not punished for treason, euen as if hee had hurt the very person of the prince? Doth not this seale represent the very person of the prince, as if hee himselfe were there present? yet the waxe not­withstanding that it is called the seale of the prince, is not therefore transub­stantiate, but remaineth still waxe, yet after that it hath receiued the reuerend [Page 203] print of the Prince it is no more called waxe but the princes seale.

The metalles of gold and siluer mar­ked for the coyne of the prince to serue for money, although they be no more golde nor siluer, but haue changed their names at the will of the prince, be it in­to the name of ducate, crowne, shillings, pence or other names, do they leaue to be metalles, and the same substance they were before? this onely difference there is, they are appointed and stamped with the print of the prince, which doth real­ly represent him, in such sort, that hee that clippeth & counterfaiteth this mo­ney, 1. Cor. 11. is punished as for the crime of trea­son, and as he had hurt the proper per­son of the prince: By much better rea­son the bread and wine consecrated and marked to be sacraments of the body and bloud of Iesus Christ, do really re­present him & not in painting. Where­fore he that vseth it vnworthily shall haue euerlasting damnation as a traytor to the maiesty of God. If ye (O Massa­lians) [Page 186] Nicolaitains & transubstātiators, are not sufficiently satisfied with the in­terpretation of Iesus Christ and his A­postles, ne yet with similitudes and fa­milier comparisons to bring you to the true way and certaine forme ordeyned of God for the celebration of his holy sacraments in abolishing of your Masse Pompilian Idolatries casting away also your abhominable witchcraft of trāsub­stantiation, at the least, yet will ye giue no credit vnto the interpretation of the ancient doctors of the church. Heare then that which S. Augustine doth recite against Adamantine, euen as the bloud in many places of the holy scriptures is cal­led the water & the rock Christ. August. cap. 12. [...]uthorities of [...]he ancient [...]octors. The exposition of saint Augu­ [...]ine. So is the bread called the body of Iesus Christ, the which three places must be expoun­ded to be figures and signes. When that saith the same doctor, Iesus Christ spake these words, [...]ib. de doctri. [...]risti. & in pre­ [...]ti. Psal. 3. Hoc est corpus meum. This is my body, and gaue them bread. Hee gaue them the signe of his body, for he thought otherwise that it was a thing [Page 187] vnlawfull, & too vncurteous to deuour the flesh & body of Iesus Christ if there were not a figure there, namely, lib. 10. de candes cap. 5. sacrificium de consecr. di­stinct. 2. the bread to put vs in minde of the flesh and body of Iesus Christ to haue beene offe­red vp, for our life, and euerlasting foode. Moreouer the same doctor vseth this interpretation, the visible sacrament is the Testament, that is to say, the holy signe of the inui­sible sacrifice. The like interpretations are described by Tertulliā against Mar­cion the heretike: Tertul. lib. 1. & 3. 4. wherefore then O Massalians haue yee not followed the holy doctors of the Church, which would not blaspheme against God by a witchcraft of transubstantiation? but haue freely acknowledged the sacra­ment to be a signe or holy visible figure signifying in spirit & by faith the which is inuisible? Vt quid paras deutem & ven­trem crede & manducasti. ca. Vt quid de con­secratione. distinct. 2. August. in bi, de remedi. wherefore prepare yee the mouth & the belly to deuoure the flesh of Christ corporally? why do yee not offer your soules by liuely faith wor­thily to eate Iesus Christ? why did you [Page 206] not interprete the eating of the body of Iesus Christ by the notable distinction of the holy Doctor Ierom, poeniten. & in Iohn. tract. 25. cap. 6. S. Hieron. in epist. ad Eph. saying the flesh of Iesus Christ is vnderstanded fleshly when there is mention made of the shedding of bloud, Ca. dupliciter ea­dem distinct. and crucifying of the body of Iesus Christ for our salua­tion: But spiritually when it is sayd, that the flesh is the true meate which must be eaten. For another holy doctor I will alledge Gelase Bishop of Rome, who disputing against the heretikes Eutichians and Nestoriens, Saint. Gelase. against Eutych­ius & Nestorius doth affirme that the bread and wine consecrated & made sacraments, do not leaue in sub­stāce still to be bread & wine, but are fi­gures and signes of the body and bloud of Iesus Christ by the misterie of the sa­crament. S. Ambrose in his booke of sa­craments cap. 11. Will yee haue more large wit­nesses of S. Ambrose who vpon the E­pistle to the Corinthians hath expound­ed eating and drinking the bread and the wine, Origin. in Leui. homil. 7. to signifie the fleshe and the bloud of Iesus Christ, offered for vs? Origen also in his homilies hath expoun­ded [Page 207] the sacraments to be figures, which must be examined spiritually and not carnally, S. Chrys. in [...]omil 31. cap. 15. com. 1 Psal. 22. for this faith saith he that the letter killeth, if it be not vnderstood spi­ritually when it is written to eate the fleshe of Christ. Wherefore Saint Chysostome warneth to honour this sa­crament in offering the soule vnto God, for which Christ was crucified and that by this holy sacrament of breade and wine, is signified vnto vs the likenesse of the body and bloud of Iesus Christ. To make an end, it behoueth to bee ru­led by the holy interpretatiō of our do­ctor Iesus Christ and of his Apostles, to honor & reuerence his holy sacraments ordeined of him for outward signes, to lift vppe our mindes to heauen, to take that which is represented by the signes, not to esteeme them as vaine paintings, or fantasies, but worthely to receiue them in liuely faith by the vertue of the holy Ghost, to the end to bee fed and nourished with heauenly bread in the health of our soules, to come to life [Page 190] euer­lasting. Let vs then be assured in Iesus Christ as members of his body: Let vs all come into vnity to communicate one only bread, & to drinke one only wine, made of many graines knit together, to the end that wee may say with the holy Apostle, all we the faithful are the body of Iesus Christ, saued and redeemed by his body crucified & bloud shed for vs. Thus dwelling and abiding by faith in Iesus Christ, eating him, & drinking his bloud. Let vs beleeue surely that hee was crucified dead, and risen againe, & his body ascended into heauen, sitting on the right hand of God in a certaine place vntill that he returne with his hu­manitie as he went vp: Neuerthelesse his power & diuinity are distributed vnto vs & spread ouer all the earth in all pla­ces, specially in the holy sacraments, which he hath left vnto vs for gages, & outward triall of our faith, for a remem­brance of the death and passion of our Sauiour Iesus Christ.

How to receiue rightly the Sacrament of the Lords Supper.

FOr as much as by the o­pinion of transubstantia­tion and consubstantia­tion in the sacrament, the one holden by the fol­lowers of the church of Rome, the other by those which followe the opinion of Luther, the truth of the manhood of the sonne of God con­trary to the truth of the worde of God, & the best ancient writers is apparantly and plainly denied; though in words & tongue they both do seeme to cōfesse it, yet must it needs follow vpō both these opinions, that the truth of his huma­nitie is cleane taken away, and a new imagined humaine body in steede of a true naturall body giuen vnto him, euen such a body as is inuisible which cannot be felt nor touched, which holdeth and [Page 110] occupieth no certaine place, but is in all places at once, infinite, incomprehensi­ble and not distinguished nor differing in naturall qualities from the diuinitie, all which is contrary to the instruction and plaine truth of holy scripture, by which all christiā men are taught to be­leeue, that all true properties and qua­lities of an humane reall and natu­rall body are vnchangeable remaining and being in the person of our Sauiour Christ of whose reall naturall humane body, holy scripture thus affirmeth, that by the power of his diuinitie, dwelling in the same bodily, it is ascended and seated in the heauens, at the right hand of God, of whom it is thus affirmed by liuely voice from heauen in the first of the Acts, Acts. 1. This Iesus which is taken vp from you into heauen, shall so come as you haue seene him go into heauen. In the which place the Apostle Saint Peter affirmeth in the 3. of the Acts he must haue conti­nuall permannece and abiding and be contained according to the proper and [Page 211] true nature of his humane flesh, vntill his comming againe to iudgment, say­ing: And he shall send Iesus Christ, which before was preached vnto you, whom the heauens must containe, vntill the time that all things be restored which God had spoken by the mouth of all his holy Prophets since the world begā. So that in his humane re­all naturall flesh, he is not nor shall not be on earth naturally or supernaturally, vntill his said comming to iudgment which doctrine notwithstanding it is assured and most true according to the instruction of holy scripture, that his diuinity is vnseparable from his huma­nitie, and his humanitie from his diui­nitie, his diuinity extending it selfe to all places both in heauen and earth, being euerlasting, infinite, incompre­hensible, comprehending and contay­ning all things by his diuine power & maiesty, and his humanity being con­teyned, seated and resting locally in the heauens, the fulnes of the God-head dwelleth in the same, not being so con­teyned [Page 212] of it, but that it filleth the same and all other places also; The incom­prehensiblenesse of which vnseparable coniunction, of the diuinity and huma­nity of our Sauiour: Being perfect God and perfect man, of a reasonable soule and humane flesh subsisting: no earthly simili­tude may fitlier serue to expresse then the most shining and glorious body of the Sun, the body wherof God hath lo­cally set in the firmament, to giue light vnto the world, and to cherish, comfort and nourish all things therein, with his heate; for as the light & heate remaine by the diuine ordinance of God vnse­parably ioyned to the body of the Sun, which by the true power of God is pla­ced and fixed in the firmament, and yet with his light and heate filleth all the world; so remaineth the diuinity of the Sonne of God vnseparably ioyned to to the humanitie, locally placed and seated in the heauens, by which coniunctiō he is not letted from sprea­ding, extending and filling all other [Page 213] places also, who in his diuine essence, power and great maiesty, filleth and worketh all in all things, according to the true and plaine doctrine of holy scripture, & yet the humāity according to the proper & vnchāgeable nature of the same, remaineth vndoubtedly sea­ted, and being but in one place at once, being circumscriptible, locall & dwel­ling in heauen, from whence he shall come in most triumphant and glorious ma­ner, to iudge both the quicke & the dead: retaining & keeping still the essentiall properties of his true, reall, naturall bo­dy, hloding and occupying but one place at once, his diuinitie ouersprea­ding and enlarging it selfe, to all pla­ces, according to the excellent power, maiesty and essentiall properties of the same. Which sweete and comfortable doctrine, and vndoubted article of our faith, the doctrine and opinion of tran­substantiation and consubstantiation, do flatly and plainly impugne and o­uerthrow, as before hath beene shew­ed, [Page 214] by which doctrine also of transub­stantiation, the truth of the blessed Sa­crament, is in plaine truth denied, what colours, pretences, shiftes or shewes so euer be made to the contrary: for how can there bee a sacrament of Christs precious body and bloud, when as by the doctrine of the church of Rome the elements of bread and wine (which by the power of the word of God are made a holy sacrament (are taken away & changed into the reall naturall flesh and bloud of Christ, and after which change nothing but the very substance of Christ remaineth, and hee is really, carnally & corporally present? which if it be so true as they would haue it, & as they with fire & sword would force euery one to beleeue, then must Christs reall, naturall carnall body be a sacra­ment of his body, and not the elements, which by their doctrine haue no es­sence or being at all, but by the power of the word are transubstantiated into the carnall body of Christ, or else there [Page 215] remaineth no Sacrament at all, which for shame I thinke they will not affirme for the vndoubted truth is, that the sub­stance it selfe of Christs body and the Sacrament of the substance, which are the elementes beeing distinct seuerall things, cannot so be changed or giue place the one to the other, that one selfe same thing should be both: seeing the true nature and property of a Sacra­ment is according to the doctrine of holy scripture, to declare, offer & giue to all the faithfull and true beleeuers, that receiue the same with a liuely faith, another thing then that it selfe is both in shew and substance, or else it should nor cannot be properly a Sacrament: for a Sacrament, as the diuines do terme it: Is a visible signe, What a Sacra­ment is. substance and pledge of inuisible grace giuen to all thē that re­ceiue the substance of the elements by which they are and shall be made par­takers of the inuisible grace, offered & giuē to al thē that through the working of the holy Gghost haue a true faith to [Page 216] receiue the same inuisible grace by the elements, as the sacrament of circumci­sion, and the passeouer in time of the lawe did declare, giue, testifie and assure vnto al [...] the children of A­braham the beleeuing Iewes the mer­cifull promise of God, that God was, is, and would be their God, their redee­mer and deliuerer, from sinne and Sa­tans power for euer: of which their captiuity vnder sinne and Satan, their thraldome in Egypt, from whence they were diliuered was a figure. The Sa­crament also of Baptisme & the Lords Supper, do declare, giue, testifie, seale vp and assure through the vnspeakea­ble working of the holy Ghost, vnto all the true beleeuers, in Christ, their full and perfect deliuerance from sinne and Satans power, their participation, and fruition of perfect holinesse in Iesus Christ, and in the end the reward of e­uerlasting life, purchased▪ giuen & be­stowed by his meanes and for his sake, who paied the price of their redempti­on: [Page 217] of all which the true beleeuers are made partakers in the instance of recei­uing the outward elements in Baptisme & the Lords Supper, through the wor­king of the holy Ghost in them, and vnfained, stedfast & true faith. It be­longeth not therfore to any sacrament, or to the Sacrament of the Lords Sup­per, by the doctrine of Gods word, that the elements should bee changed into the very and naturall substance of that whereof it is a sacrament, either by transubstantiation or consubstantiatiō, for that were to fetch Christ againe frō aboue, and giue him a reall, naturall or supernaturall corporall presence here vpon earth, and so to make him be in all places at once, contrary to the true nature of his true humane body, and contrary to the doctrine of holy scripture, which teacheth not any pre­sence of Christ on earth againe in his humane flesh, vntil the time appointed before remembred, but plainely shew­eth the contrary: declaring further, that [Page 218] as many as come to this sacrament and communion of the precious body and bloud of Christ with a true and liuely faith, fruitfull in true repentance and in a vertuous and godly life, the holy Ghost worketh in them a lifting vp of their hearts and mindes into heauen, where Christ si [...]teth at the right hand of God, and there through the operation of the same Spirit in the instance of receiuing the sacramēt, they receiue, apprehend and feede vpon, in a true, vnfained and liuely faith, the true reall and naturall body of Iesus Christ the sonne of God, whereby their bo­dies and soules are preserued, nourished and strengthened, to the attainment of euerlasting life by his changing & pur­ging all their corruptions and vnclean­nes, and by his distributing and vniting vnto euery of them the true properties and excellent graces of his naturall ho­ly body, as his wisedome, righteous­nesse, sanctification and redemption, all which is as truely made theirs by and [Page 219] through his gracious imputation, as if they and euery of them had in their owne proper nature, attained vnto, and fulfilled the same, of which excellent graces, the fruit and reward shal follow of glorification and life eternall.

Of all which benefites this sacrament and the sacrament of Baptisme are ap­pointed vnto the faithfull to be as ta­bles and glasses, The vse of the Sacramen [...] ▪ wherein they may plainely see and behold all the great mercies of God towards wretched and miserable sinners plainly drawen and figured, that whereas the word doth as a liuely trumpet sound out his gracious goodnesse to the eares of the faithfull, these sacraments do serue as instrumēts and conduits to conuey it to the eies, taste, feeling and comfort of all the sen­ses: so that when their bodies are made partakers of the sacrament and outward elements, their soules in the same instāt (through the mightie working of the holy Ghost) are fed by the inst [...]u [...]nt of true and liuely faith, with the [Page 220] most holy, reall, natural body & bloud of Christ: through the liuely power also of which holy spirit they are moued & stirred vp to giue continuall praise, ho­nour and thankes for these his bounti­full mercies, & rich treasures bestowed vpon them: For in this sacrament and communion of the body and bloud of Christ there is shewed, declared and gi­uen vnto all and euery of the faithfull, the death and sufferings of Christ, the participation they haue with him, and all the benefites which they receiue by his passion, whereof they are put in minde in this sacrament by foure Simi­litudes. First, by breaking and recei­uing of the bread. Secondly, by pow­ring soorth and drinking of the wine. Thirdly, by the nourishment which their bodies receiue by these elements, by the vnity of many cornes whereof the substance of the bread, and the vni­ty of many grapes whereof the sub­stance of the wine is made. Fourthly, by the conuersion that these elements [Page 221] haue into the substance of the recei­uers.

By the breaking and receiuing of the bread, and by the powring foorth, and drinking of the wine, the faithfull are put in minde of the death, passion and sufferings of Christ, whose body was broken both before & on the Crosse, & his bloud drawne forth & shed, not for any cause of his owne, but for remissi­on of their sins, which is giuen and they receiue by his passion, for; by the nou­rishment which the bodies of the faith­full haue, of these elements they are put in minde, that as these elements do in the vsing and receiuing of them nourish their bodies, and comfort & sustaine their naturall flesh & bloud, being the outward man, so the body and bloud of Christ apprehended and receiued through the working of the holy ghost by the instrumēt of the true and liuely faith of the receiuers, who through the operation of the same spi­rit, do by their faith apprehend and [Page 222] feede vpon the true, reall and naturall body of Iesus Christ, the sonne of God, which feedeth & nourisheth their bo­dies and soules, vnto life euerlasting, by his distributing vnto euery of them according to his gracious imputation, the true, reall and naturall properties of his vndefiled body and bloud, as his wisedome, righteousnes, sanctification, and redemption, his holinesse, innocen­cie, his perfect and full satisfaction of the lawe of God, his incorruption both in will and nature, his suffering and sa­tisfaction of the wrath and iustice of God, due vnto vs miserable sinners, his victorie against sinne, death, the diuell and hell, his glorification and eternall happinesse, of all which euery of the faithfull are and shall be as verily made partakers by receiuing this heauenly foode the bread of life, the body and bloud of Christ, as if they in their owne persons had wrought, suffered & fulfilled whatsoeuer Christ suffered for them, and were in full possession of the [Page 223] reward, whereof Christ is in possession, and hath prepared and purchased it al­so for them: the certainty and assured­nesse whereof is approued vnto euery of their hearts and soules by the sted­fast, sure and vndoubted promises of the word of God, deliuered by Christs owne mouth in the 6. of Iohn, Iohn. 6. I am the liuing bread which came downe from hea­uen, if any man eate of this bread hee shall liue for euer, and the bread which I giue, is my flesh, which I will giue for the life of the world: verilie, verilie, I say vnto you, ex­cept you eate the flesh of the sonne of man, and drinke his bloud, you haue no life in you; whosoeuer eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath eternall life and I will raise him vp at the last day: For my flesh is meate indeede, and my bloud is drinke indeed. I am the bread of life; this is the bread which cōmeth downe from heauē, that he that ea­teth of it should not die; he that eateth of this bread shall liue for euer, and he that eateth me, euen he shall liue by me, he that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my bloud, dwelleth [Page 224] in me and I in him: I am the bread of life, he that commeth vnto me shall not hunger, and he that beleeueth in me shall not thirst: and this is the will of him that sent me, that euerie one which seeth the sonne and belee­ueth in him should haue euerlasting life, and I will raise him vp at the last day: Ʋerilie verilie, say vnto you, hee that beleeueth in me hath euerlasting life, hee that beleeueth in me though he were dead, yet shall he liue, and whosoeuer liueth and beleeueth in mee, shall neuer die.

By this and many other sweete and comfortable promises of our Sauiour in his word it appeareth plainly, that life is promised to all the faithfull and true beleeuers: And seeing by our Sauiours owne words none can be partakers of this life but such as truely eate his flesh & drink his bloud, it must needs follow that truely to beleeue in Christ, is true­ly to eate his flesh & drinke his bloud, and that without true faith it is impos­sible to be partaker of the true, reall & naturall flesh and bloud of Christ. [Page 225] To bee partaker also of the flesh of Christ, is not carnally to apprehend & feede vpon his materiall, naturall sub­stāce, for in that sense our Sauiour saith, his flesh profiteth nothing: But to be par­taker of the spirituall graces of his true naturall flesh in receiuing his precious body and bloud, by a true faith, as be­fore, which is the very precious foode whereby the soule liueth, and is sustai­ned to life euerlasting, and is apprehen­ded onely by saith, whereby also Christ is said truely to dwell in vs, and we in him: and therefore all the wicked and vnbeleeuers which come vnto the cō ­munion of the body & bloud of Christ, are refusers, mockers and despisers of his body and bloud, and by receiuing the sacrament vnworthily, doe most worthely eate and drinke their owne damnatiō, seeing by their lacke of true faith and beleefe, they refuse, mocke & despise, yea and violently th [...]ust away from them so precious a treasure as the body and bloud of Christs is, and come [Page 226] not with reuerence to receiue and feede vpon the same by a true & liuely faith, as all the beleeuers do, who without great reuerence and dread, with ac­knowledgment of their owne vnwor­thinesse, dare not presume to come to this holy table of the Lord, and com­munion of the body & bloud of Christ; hauing also a true faith working by charitie, fruitfull in true repentance and in a vertuous godly life, which they haue receiued and do acknowledge to be of the free gift of God through the vnspeakable working of the holy Ghost, the same true faith in euery of their hearts; by which euery of them doth in their minde and soule partake and feed vpon the true, reall and natu­rall body & bloud of Christ seated in the heauens at the right hand of God, whither through the worke of the holy Ghost, and by their true faith they are lifted vp in the very instāce of receuing these sacramental elements, according to Christ our Sauiours owne institutiō [Page 227] in remembrance of his death and passi­on: For which cause euery one is com­manded to trie and examine himselfe whether he haue this gift of true faith; which is required to be the instrumēt & meane to be made a true partaker of this precious body and bloud: and by the body and bloud of the spirituall graces of the same, whether he be in true charitie and in the way of true repen­tance, and of a vertuous and godly life, before he eate of this bread, and drinke of this cuppe, lest eating & drinking of this holy sacramēt vnworthily, because he commeth without true faith, fruit­full in the effects aforesaid, he put from himselfe, and be a mocker, also a despiser of the precious treasure of Christs, reall naturall flesh and bloud offered by these sacramentall elements of bread and wine: and so wo [...]th [...]ly plucke vpon himselfe his owne iust damnation in as much as by lacke of true faith he hath not receiued but refu­sed and despised the rich ieweli that [Page 228] was offered whereby Christ would haue dwelt in him and he should haue dwelt in Christ for euer, according to his most mercifull promise made in his word.

By the similitude of vnion of many cornes and many grapes in these sacra­mental elements, the faithful are put in minde, that as the bread which they receiue and eate in the sacrament was made of many cornes, and by the li­quor of water kneaden into dowe, and yet is but one bread: and as the wine was made of the iuice of many grapes, and yet is but one wine: so they that receiue and eate Christs body and drinke his bloud by a true and liuely faith, watered with the liquor of godly and true charity, are made one body and one flesh with him, as liuely members, and fruitfull branches of his mysticall body the Church, wich is the whole companie of Gods children which are in heauen and in earth; of which fellowship and mysticall body [Page 229] these elements are a sacrament as well as of his naturall body, declaring the perfect cōiunction which all the faith­ful of the church militant here on earth, haue with their fellowe members the church triumphant, together with their head Iesus Christ, who all make but one body of Christ, being compact & knit together to him as to their head, according as the Apostle Saint Paul affirmeth in the 1. to the Corinthians, cap. 10. The cup of blessing which we blesse is it not the cōmunion of the b [...]o [...]d of Christ? The bread which we breake, is it not the cō ­muniō of the body of Christ? For we that are manie are one bread and one bodie, because we all are partakers of one bread. In the 12. chapter of the same epistle he saith For as the bodies is one, and hath manie mem­bers, and all the members of the bodie which is [...], th [...]ugh they bee manie, yet are but one body, euen so is Christ: for by one spi­rit we be all baptized into one body, whether we be Iewes or Grecians, bond or free, and haue beene all made to drinke into one spi­rit. [Page 230] Therefore if one member suffer all suffer with it, if one member bee had in honour all the members reioyce vvith it. Novv you are the body of Christ and mem­bers for your part.

By which words the Apostle shew­eth that all the faithfull both in heauen & in earth make but one mystical body of Christ, and that the whole Church together make but one Christ, being all in particular the seuerall members of his said mystical body, wherof he him­se [...]fe is the head: of which firme and stedfast coniunction, Baptisme & the Lords supper are an effectuall declara­tion and resemblance, and perfect seales of assurance to all the faithfull: for by Baptisme is declared their new birth into one spirit, and by their participa­tion of the body and bloud of Christ is manifestly, shewed, opened, sealed & as­sured vnto them their newe planting & incorporating into Christs body, who b [...]ng made liuely members of the same, they are guided, gouerned and ruled by [Page 231] one selfe same spirit of Christ, accor­ding as the Apostle affirmeth in the 4. chapter of the epistle to the Eph [...]sians, There is one body and one spirit, euen as you are called in one hope of your vocatiō. There is one Lord, one faith, one Baptisme, one God & father of all, which is aboue all, through all, and in you all. That we be henceforth no more children, wauering and cari­ed about with euery winde of doctrine by the deceit of men and craftines, whereby they lie in waite to deceiue; but let vs follow the truth in loue, and in all things grow vp vnto him which is the head, that is, Christ, by whom all the body being coupled and knit to­gether by euery ioynt for the furniture thereof, according to the effectuall po­wer which is in the measure of euery part receiueth increase of the body vn­to the edifying of it selfe in loue, till we all meete together in the vnity of faith and knowledge of the S [...]nne of God, vnto a perfect man, and vnto the mea­sure of the age of the fulnes of Christ: [Page 232] And in Gal. 3. it is thus said: For yee are all the Sonnes of God by faith in Christ Iesus for all yee that are Baptized in­to Christ haue put on Christ. By which words the Apostle noteth, that all the whole church are but as one man in Christ Iesus, making but one mysticall body of Christ, whereof the sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords Supper, are a declaration, resemblance, testimo­ny & perfect seale of assurance; so that Christ being now head of his church, and the Church, which is the company of the faithfull, being made one body with him, he nourisheth and feedeeth all and euery member of the same, and through the worke & grace of his holy spirit, ioyneth them toge­ther by their particular ioints so that e­uery part hath his iust proportion of foode, that at length through the ver­tue receiued & extended from him, as from their head, euery part may grow vp to perfection: in which commu­nion and fellowship of the members [Page 233] of Christ together with their head, great comfort is laide vp to a true Christian soule: For as the Apostle saith, if one member suffer, all suffer with it, and if one member be had in honour, all the members reioyce with it; because that which is comfort and honour to one, is comfort and honour vnto all, in asmuch as all be made partakers therof through Christ their head, who by the lace of loue hath vnited and fast ioyned them one with another, and coupled them all to himselfe, through his exceeding charitie, spreading it selfe and ouer­shadowing them all, that in all good things, as also in their euill afflictions and sorrowes Christ himselfe with all his members do partake and common together, according as by himselfe is affirmed in his word, that whatsoeuer is done to the least & lowest of his mem­bers in his said mysticall body, be it good or euill, it is done vnto him, he being the head of that body frō whence euery member draweth his life and fee­ling: [Page 234] for how can a man offend the least part of the body, being a liuely and quicke member, and the whole body and head not feele it: and what suffer­eth the furthest part of the foot that the whole body and head suffereth not, seeing that it is the head that giueth m [...]tion sense and perfect feeling to all the body & euery member of the same? and what suffereth the furthest, lowest and least part of the foot that the whole body and head suffereth not: and what benefite also can be done vnto a­ny litle part of the foot, in which all the body, and specially the head, taketh not comfort and reioyceth? So then if any one member be feeble and weake in faith, yet the churches faith, which is the company of all the faithfull ioyned to and with their head is stable, and as­sured strong: and if the repentance of some one member be suddaine, small and short, yet the repentance and sor­rowes of the church ioyned with her head, is plentifull, deepe, large and suf­ficient, [Page 235] whereof this short and suddaine repentant, this poore and little but yet truly greeued member hath communi­on: if the loue and charitie of any one member be languishing and faint, but yet true and vnfained, yet the loue of the church and spouse and head of the church, whereunto that member with all the rest is laced and lincked, is infi­nite exceeding feruent and strong, of whose infinite loue, the weakest & fee­blest hath as full partaking & commu­nion as the strongest lastly, if any one member bee spotted and stained, and defiled with the filthines of sinne, yet the head and rest of the members to which it is ioyned by a true though ne­uer so little and weake faith, and in whom it reioyceth through the bond of true and vnfained loue, though ne­uer so languishing, faint and cold loue, springing of that weake, and yet true faith; this head, I say, Iesus Christ, through whom it hath communion with the rest of the members, and par­taketh [Page 236] of all that the head and the rest of the members haue from the head, are faire and beautifull: by which faith and loue, flowing of the same, through the speciall and alone working of the holy Ghost, whatsoeuer the head or a­ny of the members haue had, haue, or shall haue by distributiō of grace, from the head, is made common to the beau­tifying of the weakest, feeblest, the most defiled and fowlest member: for so the head hath distributed to all the mem­bers to helpe one another, that the most honest parts doe couer, keepe, and ho­nour the lesse honest, according as the Apostle affirmeth. To all the true belee­ue [...]s then that haue true faith, true cha­ritie, & true honesty without hypocri­sie, though neuer so weake, cold, and smal in comparison of others, the faith, the charitie, the prayers, the fastings, the almes deeds, the vertue, the tempe­rāce, the patience, the chastitie, the cleā ­nes the weakenes the broth [...]ly kind­nes, the loue, and whatsoeuer else may [Page 237] be named of the benefits and graces of the head our Sauiour Iesus Christ, or distributed by him, by any speciall grace, to the beautifying of any the members, redoundeth to the comfort, benefitting, and honesting of the least, and lowest of the faithfull in the mysti­call body of Christ. For what grace or benefit can bee in the head, whereof all the members receiue not comfort, seing they are made partakers therof▪ To cō ­clude, such is the comfort of the least and lowest of the faithfull in this mysti­call body of Christ, that no penne nor tongue in this life, can serue to expresse it, neither any heart able fully to con­ceiue it; the full knowledge and feeling whereof, is laid vp for the life to come, forasmuch as no hea [...]t is strong nor large enough to conceiue or beare the ioy thereof in this mortall life. Out of which mysticall body, being the holie church of God, the spouse and bodie of Christ, flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bones, there is no saluation, forgiuenes [Page 238] of sinne, or soules health to bee found, hoped or looked for; and in this bodie whereof Christ is the head, there is no condemnation to any the faithfull and true beleeuers, how greeuous soeuer their sinnes seeme vnto them: so that if Satan doe summon any of them, to an­swere for their debts and sinnes, in that the wife is no person to be sued, but the husband, euery of the faithfull may wel bid him enter his action against their husband Christ, and he will make him a sufficient answere: for being once knit by a true & liuely faith vnto this head, and body of Christ, there shall no sinne so farre preuaile, as to haue full domini­on ouer them, and be able euer to sepa­rate them from the loue, fauour, grace, benefits and mercies of God, which are in Christ Iesus, both for that they haue communion, partaking and fellowship of Christ himselfe, and of all the bene­fits of his suffering and passion being made partakers also of all his vertues and graces, and through him, of all the [Page 239] good, vertues, and holinesse distri­buted or to bee distributed by him, to all or any member that euer hath beene, is, or shal be, of his said mysticall body the church; so that the whole church doth still pray for them by Christs cōmandement, Forgiue vs our sinnes, lead vs not into temptation, de­liuer vs from euill; yea Christ himselfe being their head, their redeemer, their Sauiour, their onely stay, and cause of al this comfort, doth pray for them, and whatsoeuer is euill in them, that hee ta­keth away, and whatsoeuer is good in them, that he taketh and distributeth a­mongst them, and through his owne vertue and power purgeth and clean­seth them from all their vncleannes, & filthines both of body and soule, being true mēbers of his said mystical body, as all and euery one is indeed, and with­out all doubt, hauing neuer so little of true saith, which faith is not as a cause, but as a certificate or instrument giuen them of God, whereby the faithfull [Page 240] themselues may bee certaine of their good husband Christ, and therefore when their conscience feeleth it selfe [...]quieted for feare of Gods iudgemēt against sinne, they may in no wise looke vpon the worthines and sufficiencie of their own faith, because they neuer be­lee [...]e so fully and sufficiently as they should and ought to beleeue; but onely let them looke on Gods grace, eternall mercy, and peace in Christ, so shal they be at quiet when they looke for their saluation, altogether out of thēselues, in Gods mercy in Christ Iesus; in whose lap if they rest their head, then are they happie and shall find quietnes indeed. The other part of the cōmunion which the members of Christs mysticall body haue, and ought to haue one with ano­ther, is touching the temporal blessings of this present life, who being all laced and knit together by the bond of true charity, they doe, and are at all times readie to communicate, for the mutuall helpe and comfort one of an other, all [Page 241] such temporall blessings as God hath bestowed vpon them for the vse and necessitie of their life, as to pray one for another, to helpe, comfort, and coun­sell one another, in all things needfull, either for soule or body, to minister to the necessities one of another, in a franke & liberall distribution of almes deedes, according to such measure as God hath dealt to euery one: a power and abilitie to helpe and releeue such as are in need, misery, or want, either by pouertie, sicknes, imprisonment, or ba­nishment: by which outward deeds of charitie, their faith and loue to God is witnessed and declared; as on the con­trary, by their couetousnes, hardnesse of heart, and vnmercifulnes to the poore, they giue plaine witnesse and testimo­nie, they neither loue nor beleeue in God, what florish or boasting soeuer they make to the cōtrary, according as Saint Iohn affirmeth in his first epistle, and 3. chap. saying, My little children, let vs not loue in word, neither in tongue [Page 242] onely, but in deede, and in truth: & who­soeuer hath this worlds goods & seeth his brother haue need, and shutteth vp his compassion from him, how dwel­leth the loue of God in him? be loued let vs loue one another, for loue cōmeth of God, and euery one that loueth is borne of God, and knoweth God; hee that loueth not, knoweth not God, for God is loue. In this appeare [...]h the loue of God towards vs, because God sent his onely begotten son into the world, that we might liue through him: herein is loue, not that we loued God but that he loued vs first, and sent his sonne to be a reconciliation for our sinnes: be­loued, if God so loued vs, we ought al­so to loue one another; no man hath seene God at any time, if wee loue one another, God dwelleth in vs, and his loue is perfect in vs: God is loue, and hee that dwelleth in loue, dwelleth in God, and God in him; we loue him be­cause hee loued v [...] first: if any man say he loue God, and hate his brother, he is [Page 243] a lier, for how can hee that loueth not his brother whom hee hath seene, loue God whom he hath not seene? and this cōmandement haue we of him, he that loueth God, should loue his brother al­so. By this instruction of the Apostle in this epistle it appeareth that it is a false, lying, and vaine boasting of any man, to say hee loueth and beleeueth in God truly, when hee shuteth vp all his com­passion from the helpe of mankind, which beare the image of God in the person of our Sauiour Christ, which was both God and man, who present­eth himselfe to vs to bee beloued in them which beare the image of his mā ­hood. For no man can truly say he har­tely loueth the father, but hee must also loue the sonne; and although the sonne be naughtie, and vnthriftie, yet for his fathers sake hee must helpe to better him, and euen lament and bee sorry for the sonnes wickednes, euen so much the rather, seing God hath appointed, and by his holy ordinance commaun­ded [Page 244] that whatsoeuer any true Christian man is, or whatsoeuer hee hath, hee should thankfully receiue it as of the free bountie and gift of God, who him­selfe is the fountaine and full treasure of all good things, the onely author and giuer of euery good and perfect gift, giuing and distributing to euery one of the abundance of his riches & treasures; to this end and purpose, that each should communicate to other, of the goods they haue receiued, for the supply of each others want and necessi­tie: For which cause euery true Chri­stian man must loue good mē in Christ, and euill men for Christes sake, who so loued vs when wee were his enemies, that he gaue vp of his own life for our redemption; let him embrace the one because they are good, the other ne­uerthelesse to make them good, let him forgiue and pray for his enemies, per­secutors & slanderers, that God would turne their harts, open their blind eies, and giue them true knowledge of him­selfe [Page 245] his word & cōmandements: in whose nature let him see and behold, as in a glasse, the image of his own crookednes & corruptiō; for there is no mā so mad, cruell, furious, or hard hearted, but all other as of themselues are as farre wide from God as hee; so that euery man which escapeth the filthinesse and cor­ruption of the wicked and vngodly, may thanke God that keepeth him by his grace from that or the like impie­tie, as for example, thou seest a man that is a theefe, a whoremonger, and an hereticke, or idolator, there thou seest euen thine owne image and picture, for if God keepe thee not of his merci­full grace and goodnes, out of such vi­ces, thou wouldest be euen as euill and bad as he, and seeing thou art not such a one, glory in God, and not in thy selfe, hate not, nor bee not angry with those which are diseased in sinne, no more than a faithfull physition hateth a sicke man, but rather lament and bee sorrie for their euils, be thou an enemie [Page 246] onely vnto sinne and vice; the greater the disease is, the more care will true charity haue to remoue it is he an adul­terer, or hath he cōmitted sacriledge, or is he a Iew, Turke, Heretike, or Infidel? hate the adulterie, sacriledge, heresie, idolatrie, and infidelitie of the man, and seeke to remoue, purge, and cleanse these vices, wherewith the man is defi­led, and wherin he is wrapped and en­tangled through his owne fault; so that the man may bee saued which God made, let euery true Christian wil well, wish well, and doe well vnto all men vnfainedly, not hurting them which haue diserued it, but doing good to them which haue not diserued it, accor­ding to the instruction of the Apostle, Gal. 6. & Ro. 12. Whilst we haue time let vs do good vnto all men, especially vnto those which are of the houshould of faith. There­fore if thine enemy hunger, seed him, if he thirst, giue him drinke, for in so do­ing, thou shalt heape coles of fire vpon his head. Be not ouercome of euill, but [Page 247] ouercome euill with good. For a true Christian man must bee glad and re­ioyce for all mens commodities as for his owne, and so to take to heart and be sorrie for an other mans harmes, as if they had fallen vpon himselfe, and to weepe with them that weepe, and to ioy in all maner good things with them that reioyce, as the same Apostle also teacheth. He must not thinke with him­selfe after the fashion of the worldlings, and wicked men, what haue I to doe with this fellow? he is a man vnknowne to mee, hee is a stranger, hee neuer did ought for mee, hee hath hurt mee some times, but hee neuer did me good: hee must, I say, thinke none of these things, but remember onely what Christ hath done for thee, who willeth his kindnes shewed towards thee, should be requi­ted, not in himselfe, which thou canst not, nor shalt not bee able to doe; but to shew such kindnes for his sake to­wards all men, as hee requireth of thee, distributing of such bodily or ghostly goods as he hath giuen thee to the re­leefe [Page 248] of others necessities, euen to the vttermost of thine abilitie. For so doth the holy scripture teach euery christian man, in many places of the same, as Luke 3. v. 11. Let him that hath two coates parte with him that hath none, and he that hath meate let him doe likewise: by which two examples of food and ray­ment, the faithfull are warned by a common care and indeuour, and by a particular speciall care in euery one to prouide, that the necessities and wants of the poore be holpen, and supplied, according as God shall haue delt to them a portion of abilitie to doe it, for so is it commaunded in other plac [...] of the scripture, as in the 1. of Tim. the 6. chap. Charge them which are rich in the world, that they be readie to giue, and glad to distribute, l [...]ying vp in store for them­selues a good foundation against the time to come, that they may attaine e­ternall life and Math. 6. Lay not vp for your selues treasures the vpon earth, where the rust and moth doth corrupt, and where [Page 249] theeues breake through and steale, but lay vp for your selues treasures in heauen, where neither rust nor moth doth corrupt, and where theeues doe not breake through and steale. & Math. 7. Whatsoeuer you would that men should doe to you, euen to doe you vnto them, for this is the law and the Pro­phets. &, Luke. 12. Sell that you haue, and giue almes, make you bagges which waxe not old, a treasure that neuer can faile in heauen, where no theefe commeth, nor moth corrupteth: and according as God had commanded in his law, that a mercifull respect, and diligent care should bee had of the poore, so holy Toby in his 8. chapter giueth this instruction to his sonne, Giue almes of thy goods, and turne neuer thy face from the poore, and then the face of the Lord shall neuer bee tur­ned away from thee: bee mercifull after thy power, if thou hast much, giue plentiouslie, and if thou hast little, do [...] thy diligence, gladly to giue of that lit­tle, for so gatherest thou thy selfe a good reward against the day of necessitie, [Page 250] and in the second to the Corinth. the 9. chap. it is thus written: He that soweth sparingly, shall reape also sparingly, and he that soweth liberally, shal reape also liberal­ly; as euerie man wisheth in his hart, so let him giue, not grudgingly or of necessitie, for God loueth a cheerefull giuer and: in 13. to the Hebrewes, the 16. verse, it is said, to doe good and to distribute, forget not; for with such sacrifices God is pleased: & Pro. 20. he that hath mercie vpon the poore len­deth vnto the Lord, and the Lord will re­compence him that which he hath giuen. By all which places and many other in holie scripture it appeareth what loue, tender care and compassion by the or­dinance and commandement of God is appointed to bee had and shew­ed vppon such as are in miserie and want. By which kinde of Communi­on and bond of charitie, all mankinde without exception are vnited and knit together; but of the first none can or may be partakers but onely the faith­full, which are the elect and chosen [Page 251] children of God, the true members of the Church, ioyned to their head Iesus Christ, among which company all the members are so compact, vnited & knit together, that all make but one bodie of Christ, and therefore ought thus to thinke one of another; he is my brother & coheire in Christ, a member of the same bodie, redeemed with one bloud, a fellowe in the common faith, called to the very same grace & felicity of the life to come: how can any then that is a true mēber of Christ, of which body thou professest thy selfe also a member, be a stranger vnto thee, to whom thou art coupled with so many bonds of v­nitie? And as concerning the outward goods of this life, the godly, and true members of christ, in whose harts alone this true charitie is rooted by and through the working of the holy ghost do and ought to be readie at all times to make partakers not only their frēds and such as be of the houshold of faith, but euen the wicked and vnbeleeuers, [Page 252] their enemies persecutors and slande­rers, distributing of the outward goods of this life vnto all men in generall, as their prayers, their counsell, helpe and comfort, their reliefe, charitie & almes, whose prayer for the vngodly concer­ning the outward and temporall bles­sings of this worlde, God hath shewed by manie examples in his word, that he hath both heard and graunted, as at the prayers of Moises and Aaron, hee remoued the plagues from Pharao, at the prayers of the Prophet of God, the dried hand of Ieroboam was restored to his former strength; and so will GOD still heare the prayers of his children for the vngodly, so farre as it standeth with his good pleasure and aduance­ment of his owne glorie; commanding his children not to bee like the wicked and vngodly to doe good onely in re­spect of reward, or for some speciall bond of alliance or friendship, as our Sauiour affirmeth that the Publicans & vnbeleeuers doe. Mat. 5. For if you loue [Page 253] them which loue you what reward haue you, doe not the Publicans euen the same? and if you be friendly to your brethren onelie, what singular thing doe you, do not euen the Pub­licans likewise? but I say vnto you, loue your enemies, blesse them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for thē that hurt you and persecute you, giue to him that asketh, and from him that would borrowe of thee turne not away thy face, that you may bee the childr [...]n of your father which is in heauen, for he maketh his sunne to shine vp­on the euill and vpon the good, and sendeth raine on the the iust and on the vniust, yee shall therefore bee perfect as your heauenly father is perfect: & thus our sauiour hath shewed by this his cōmandement what the true rule of charitie is, by which his children are vnited and knit togither, euen in all things both bodily and ghostly to communicate & participate one with another, seeing from the out­ward bodily participation he hath not separated the wicked and vnbeleeuers, but hath first lincked and tied them al­so [Page 254] to his owne children in the outward participation of the goods of this life. By which doctrine all the children of God are put in minde that they must suffer nothing to let or hinder their charitie in any the outward things & tem­porall blessings before mentioned, but euen to be liberall, pitifull & compas­sionate vnto all, for that they are of the same kinde and flesh with them: & yet neuerthelesse to haue their mindes and eies of their soules lifted vp higher to that communion and participation which they haue of all things with their brethren, the true members of the holie and vndefiled bodie of Christ, who is their head: so that whatsoeuer is besto­wed vpon any one member, it redoun­deth to the whole bodie, and from thence vnto the head, and the head of Christ is God; whereof it followeth that the good which is done to any one member, it is done to Christ, it is done to GOD. Which liuely worke of true charitie, the head, who is our sauiour [Page 255] Iesus Christ, worketh by the grace of his holie spirit in all and euerie true member of his bodie, the Church, the bodie and euerie part thereof draw­ing all their life and feeling, the power and strength also of euerie good and vertuous worke and of euery godly act from the head, to whom all the ho­nour, glorie and praise is due for all the good that is done or can be don either in this life or in the life to come: onely let all the faithfull be quickned in their charity when they feele it to begin to wax cold and faint, by this spurre, that albeit to their fleshly eies and iudge­ment, which is alwaies during this life corrupt and blinde, there appeareth no kindnes, goodnes, vertue or any good qualitie in some one or diuers men, whereby they may bee stirred to loue him or them, but rather causes stirring and prouoking them to a hatred, loa­thing and detestation of their persons, for the filthy corrupt vices which they see and behold rooted in them; yet ac­cording [Page 256] to the rule, ordinance & com­mandement of God, their owne blinde iudgement forsaken, they must shewe themselues enemies onely vnto sinne and vice, not hating their persons for the faults, but hate the faults for loue of the persons, seeking by counsaile, correction and chastisement how to purge and cleanse them from their fil­thinesse, wherein by wallowing them­selues they are defiled, and wherein as with fetters, bands and cords, they are wrapped, holden and intangled: let the faithfull for the loue which God hath shewed them, be stirred and prouoked to succour, helpe, counsell, and comfort all men in generall, not so much for a­ny thing they can see or discerne in thē, as for the loue of God and his mercies sake which he hath shewed them in Ie­sus Christ, let them helpe to beare vp their infirmities, and when they fall let them helpe to lift them vp by admo­nishment, by counsaile, by prayer and good example; and where there is po­wer [Page 257] and neede also require it by corre­ction and chastisement to drawe them from their euils. Further for their bo­dily necessities, let them be liberall & bountifull in distributing their almes, and thus by this which hath been shewed, it appeareth first, that true faith doth certifie and assure vs of all the sweete promises and mercies of God in our coniunction together with the rest of the members vnto Christ our head, and of the communion and par­ticipation that wee ought to haue and shall haue in all things both bodily & ghostly, together with our head: our obedience to the word and comman­dements of God, our true & vnfaigned loue & charitie doth certifie and assure vs, and doth giue witnes also and testi­monie therof vnto others, that our faith is true, liuely, and vnfaigned, our ten­der compassion and mercie our franck harted & liberall distribution of almes doth declare and manifest vnto all that our charitie is true, vnfaigned, feruent, [Page 258] pleasing and acceptable vnto God, and of the right kind which it ought to bee. To conclude, this is that which is meant by the mysterie of vnitie in the Sacra­ment, that all the faithfull are vnited to­gether, with their head Iesus Christ, by and through his power and grace, to bee partakers and communicate one with another in all things both bodily and ghostly, heauenly & earthly: the faithfull likewise, through the bond of the same charitie, drawne from their head, must make partakers and com­municate vnto the vnfaithfull and vn­beleeuers all the outward temporall blessings of this present life; in al which outward temporall things, they must bee as one with them to communicate, helpe, and releeue them, according to the true rule of charitie, and mystery of vnitie in this Sacrament; in which last kind of vnitie all mankind with­out exception are and ought to be ac­cording to the holy ordinance of God in his word, vnited, and knit together. [Page 259] By the similitude of conuersion, the faithfull are put in minde, certified and assured, that as the bread & wine being taken and receiued, is turned into the substance of their bodies: so euerie of the faithfull apprehending and recei­uing Christs reall naturall bodie and bloud in the instance of receiuing the sacrament, by their true and liuely faith are through the operation of the holy ghost, turned into the true nature of his precious bodie and bloud, that is, they are euerie one changed & renued, and made bone of his bones and flesh of his fl [...]sh, so that from thēceforth Christ abideth in them and they in him, and they bee made one flesh and one bloud with Christ, and Christ is made one flesh & one bloud with them, not by transub­stantiation or cōsubstantiation, which cannot bee without the ouerthrowe of his true humanitie: neither doth holy Scripture teach vs so; but thus doth ho­ly scripture teach, that the faithfull are made flesh of Christs flesh by his dis­posing, [Page 260] and distributing vnto them ac­cording to his gratious imputation, the true nature▪ essentiall properties and qualities of his flesh and bloud, that is, euerie of them are by his imputation as truly made partakers of the perfect ho­linesse & wisedome of his bodily per­son, of his incorruption both in will & nature, of his obedience and satisfactiō of the lawe of God, of his passion and sufferings of the curse & wrath of God due to sinners, of his victorie against sin, death, the Diuell and hell, and shall be also made partakers of that immor­talitie and euerlasting happie life, whereunto hee is entred, and which hee hath purchased for them that truly be­leeue in him, euen as verily as if euery of thē were one selfe same bodily per­son, flesh and bloud in reall and natu­rall substance with him; so that now all and euerie of the faithfull may saie and comfort themselues after this manner: In thee our most gratious God & mer­cifull Lord Iesus Christ, each of vs hath [Page 261] a portion both of bloud and flesh, ther­fore where that flesh whereof I am a part doth raigne, there I beleeue I doe and shall raigne; where my bloud hath dominion, there I trust I haue & shall haue dominiō; where my flesh is glori­ous: there I know I am & shall be glori­rious, & although I am yet a sinner, yet I doubt no whit of this participation of grace; although my sins do hinder me, yet my substance doth require it, and although mine owne offences doe ex­clude me, yet the communion of nature which by his gratious imputation hee hath giuen me, hath brought me againe to this grace and fauour. For the Lord is not so vnkinde that he can hate his owne flesh, his owne members, his own bowels, wherof I am a part, seing Christ himselfe hath vouchsafed to bee made one flesh and one bloud with mee & all the rest of his members, the faithfull & true beleeuers that is, Christ hath taken the nature and qualitie of our flesh and bloud, hauing caused all our sinnes to be imputed and laid to his charge, as [Page 262] bearing the person and bodie of vs all, hauing in his true natural bodie & flesh suffered the wrath and curse of GOD for our sinnes, as if himselfe had beene guilty of them, and had committed and done them in his owne bodie and flesh; so that the sinnes of euerie of the faithfull are fully satisfied for, condem­ned and punished in the reall naturall flesh and bloud of Christ, eu [...]n as veri­ly as if hee were the selfe same bodily person, sinfull flesh and bloud, and sub­stance of all and euerie of the faithfull. And this is the conuersion & change of the faithfull into Christ, & of Christ into them, truely represented, declared and assured in and by this sacrament & communion of his precious bodie and bloud, as it euidētly appeareth by that which the Apostle speaketh in the 8. to the Rom. and 3. verse. and 5. of the 2. to the Corinth. and 21. verse. God send­ing his owne sonne in the similitude of sinfull flesh, and for sin condemned sinne in the flesh. For hee made him to bee sinne for vs which [Page 263] knew no sinne, that wee should bee made the righteousnes of GOD in him. By which words the Apostle meaneth not, that the holy bodie of Christ was defiled with any the sinnes of mankinde, but that he was the true sacrifice propitia­torie vnto God for the sinnes of man­kinde, hauing borne away and taken v­pon himselfe all their sinnes in his own reall naturall bodie, flesh and bloud, as if he himselfe were the particular persō of euerie of them and had committed their seueral sinnes, and as though hee himself were the selfe same bodily per­son, flesh and bloud in essence and sub­stance, nature & quality of euery of the faithfull being sinners & transgressers of the Law of God, guilty of the wrath, iudgement▪ eternall damnation & curse of God; from which punishments our Sauiour Christ hath acquitted euery of them by his death, passion & suffering, and all that haue or shall hereafter truly beleeue in him. By which their faith through the working of the holy ghost [Page 264] as Christ is apprehended and conuer­ted into them, & hath borne away their sinnes vpon himselfe, and the punish­ment due for the same; so are they also and euerie of them conuerted into Christ, and are made partakers of the righteousnes of God in him, according as before hath been remembred: wher­in the infinite iustice & mercy of God most liuely appeareth to the eies, vn­derstanding, taste and feeling of all the faithfull: infinite in iustice; for that no satisfaction could or can satisfie the iu­stice of God for the recompence or re­demption of the least sinne in mankind, but that the same must bee fully puni­shed for the satisfaction of Gods infinit iustice, in the true, reall & naturall flesh of man; which satisfaction our Sauiour Christ made for mankinde, who came downe from heauen and was made man of the substance of his mother, that in the fraile flesh of mankinde hee might take vpon himselfe and suffer all the punishment due vnto sinners, that as [Page 265] manie as beleeued or should to the end of the world beleeue in him, might not perish but haue euerlasting life. For christ in the power of his diuine nature to which hee ioyned our flesh, suffered the wrath, curse & punishment of God due for sinne, which no mortall crea­ture beeing only man, was or could bee able to beare or ouercome, for which cause the sonne of God made himselfe flesh, to the end that according to gods infinit iustice the sinnes of the faithfull might be borne away and fully punish­ed in his flesh: wherein his infinite Iu­stice did most brightly shine & apeare. His infinite mercie herein appeareth, that where the sinnes of the faithfull be fully punished through the sufferings of Iesus Christ for the satisfaction of Gods iustice, it appeareth plainly vn­to them that they are freely forgiuen & pardoned, because in them, as in their owne persons, their sinnes are not nor shall euer be punished, nor any satisfa­ction made or to be made vnto GOD [Page 266] by themselues, Christ hauing borne the wrath and full punishment of God due vnto them for sinne, and quite freed & discharged them, so that neither their sinnes shall be laid to their charge, nor any punishment nor purgation due for the same, required at their hāds. Which plainly setteth forth and declareth vnto all the faithfull Gods infinite and vn­speakeable mercie, whereof this sacra­mēt & communion of his precious bo­die & bloud, is a plain declaration, resē ­blance & perfect seale of assurance vnto all the faithfull But the Church of Rome with her followers, as by the Doctrine of transubstantiation they do denie the truth of the manhood of the sonne of God; so by the same doctrine they de­nie also and abolish the truth of the Sa­crament, and the end of the institution of the same which was to put the faith­full in mind of the great loue of God, and sufferings of Christ for thē: for so, saith the Apostle, You shall shew the Lords death till hee come. It serueth [Page 267] also to put them in mind of all the be­nifits receiued by his precious body and bloud, who gaue his body to bee broken, and his bloud to bee shed for their sinnes; and by this holy sacra­ment, giueth to all true beleeuers his reall naturall flesh and bloud, to bee their spirituall meate & drinke, to pre­serue and nourish their bodies and soules vnto lif [...] euerlasting; and to de­clare, testifie, and assure vnto them their vnion that they haue with him, as mem­bers making one body, distributing vn­to all and euery member, the spirituall graces and vertues of his most excel­lent, reall, naturall, holy body; which spirituall and immortall foode of their bodies and soules, is receiued from their head Iesus Christ, who distributeth and sendeth it downe, to the nourish­ment of all his members, euen as the foode of this mortall life is receiued by meanes of the head, and sent downe to the nourishmēt of all our earthly mem­bers; whereof these outward elements [Page 268] are a fulll declaration, and a perfect seale of assurance to all the faithfull, be­ing by the institution of God, made a holy sacrament, to represent the same vnto them, and by his holy ordinance appointed to carrie the very name of his body; which is signified by these e­lements, offered vnto all, and giuen to the true beleeuers: wherein God of his infinite goodnes and mercy applieth himselfe to the dulnes of the capacities of his children, who without these out­ward pledges (being signes, tokens, and remembrances of his great mercy) would neuer haue conceiued, and would haue beene ready also to forget the infinite benefits & mercies of God, purchased for them by the death and passion of his beloued sonne; which God in his excellent wisedome hath so liuely declared and set forth in these Sacramentall elements, because the re­all naturall bodily presence of Christ did not so plainely make the same knowne and open to the vnderstan­ding [Page 269] of his disciples, and the Church. For which cause our Sauiour did insti­tute, command, and celebrate this holy Sacrament, whiles hee was yet bodily present amongst his disciples, both for that his bodily presence was not long to continue, but to depart away from them, whereof this Sacrament was to keepe a remembrance amongst them; as also of all the benefits receiued, and to be receiued by all, and euery of the faithfull, by his most precious bodie & bloud, giuen vp to bee crucified, bro­ken, and shed for their sinnes; whereof these sacramentall elements did and would make a more liuely declaration to the senses and vnderstanding of his Disciples and the Church, through the grace of his holy spirit, working in e­uery of their hearts, then by his bodily presence they were able to conceiue. For which cause it pleased our Sauiour to giue to this Sacrament, the name of his bodie, because in this Sacrament, the true, reall and naturall holy body of [Page 270] Christ is offered to all giuen to the true beleuers, receiued of them by a true and liuely faith, with praise and thanks­giuing, as before hath beene remem­bred. Of which true, real, natural, holy body, the wicked and vnbeleeuers are not, nor cannot bee partakers, either worthily, or vnworthily, as th [...] church of Rome imagineth by their doctrine of Transubstantiation, or as the Luthe­rans imagine by their doctrine of Cō ­substantiation, but comming to this ho­ly Sacrament without true faith, they receiue the same sacrament vnworthi­ly, whereby they eate and drinke their owne damnation, as the Apostle saith in the 1. to the Corin. ver. 29. He that eateth and drinketh vnworthily, eateth and drinketh his own damnation, because he dis­cerneth not the Lords body, but reiecteth & despiseth the same by receiuing the holy Sacramēt vnworthily, & without true faith. For whē they presume to re­ceiue the holy Sacramēt without a true faith, to be thereby made partakers of [Page 271] the true, natural, holy body and bloud of Christ, they receiue, as Augustine saith, by their vnworthy receiuing the holy Sacrament without true faith, the bread of the Lord, but not together by and with the same, the bread the Lord; that is, they receiue the Sacra­ment, but not that which is signified, declared, offered vnto all, and giuen through the worke of the holy Ghost, by and with the Sacrament, vnto all the true beleeuers; and seeing the wicked & vnbeleeuers haue wilfully put from them, reiected and despised that, which they might haue receiued (if they had come with true faith) they doe wor­thily eate & drinke iudgement to them­selues, as the Apostle saith, for not di­scerning the body of the Lord. Wherby it doth also most euidētly appeare, that there is neither consubstantiation, nor transubstantiation in the Sacrament; for seing the wicked eate & drinke iudge­ment to themselues, by their vnworthy receiuing the holy Sacrament, it must [Page 272] therefore needs follow, that they are thereby no partakers of the true natu­rall bodie & bloud of Christ, of which, whosoeuer eateth or drinketh, receiue life, and not death; for the true natural body of Christ is not iudgemēt to any, but life vnto all that receiue it; there­fore that which the wicked eate and drinke, is not the body of Christ, nei­ther by transubstantiation nor consub­stantiation, but the Sacrament of his body, as Augustine saith; by receiuing wherof vnworthily, they eate & drinke iudgement, for the reasons and causes before remembred. For the auoyding of which fearefull and intolerable pu­nishment, it is necessarie to shew some­what of the preparation requisite to be made by euery Christian man, both before, and at his presenting himselfe to this holy table of the Lord. Before the receiuing then of the blessed Sacra­ment, euery true Christian man ought thus to consider with himselfe: First, by a sound knowledge, and good discreti­on [Page 273] to meditate and imprint deeply in his heart, what hee doth either refuse or receiue, when he presenteth himselfe at the Communion and holy table of the Lord; & what he himselfe is that doth receiue. The thing hee doth refuse, or receiue, in, by, and with this holy Sa­crament, if hee come with a true and right faith, or refuse if he come not so, is Iesus Christ perfect God, that made all things of nought, and perfect man, that died for man-kind on the Crosse. Hee that receiues must remember and know himselfe to bee a man, and not a beast, and therefore must present him­selfe to this Sacrament like a man, in whom the image of God is renued, through the worke & grace of the holy Ghost, all malice and beastlines of sin being subdued, and not suffered to raigne; and in stead thereof, true faith and godlinesse, though not perfect, which is reserued to the life to come, being firmely grounded and planted; lest if he come like a beast, in vnfaith­fulnes, [Page 274] and vnholines, hee be found an vnworthy partaker of this blessed Sa­crament, by which meanes he doth not receiue, but refuse and put from him the precious body and bloud of the sonne of God, to his owne iust and e­ternall damnation. Secondly, he must not presume to come but with great de­uotion, dread, and reuerence of heart: for seing Iesus Christ, who offereth himselfe to bee receiued is holy and all holines, he must labour diligenly to re­ceiue him, in as much deuotion & ho­lines as hee may, earnestly confessing and bewailing his former sinnes and wickednes, and making earnest and heartie prayers vnto God for pardon and forgiuenes of the same. It behoueth him therfore in all humblenes and low­lines of heart, before hee receiue this blessed Sacrament, to examine & search diligently his owne heart and consci­ence, confessing before God in the se­cret of his heart, the miseries of all his sinnes and offences, hauing displeasure [Page 275] and greefe at himselfe, with deepe sighings & sorrowings for all the vn­cleanes of his body & soule, lamenting and bewailing that hee is yet so carnall, so worldly, so wilfull, & vnmortified in all his passions, so full of motions, of concupiscences, of his sinfull flesh, so vnwary & ill ordered, in all his words and deeds, and so encumbred with vaine fancies, so much enclined to out­ward worldly things; so negligent and careles to the attainement of spirituall and heauēly things; so readie to laugh­ing and wantonnesse; so busie in things easie and pleasing to the flesh, so slow and hardly drawne to hartie sorrow, and earnest repentance for his sinnes and offences, or to any care of his soules health, being so quick and curious to heare and see the vanities and plea­sures of this world, so niggardly and scarce to giue, so greedie and couetous to scrape together hold, and keepe; so rude and vnmannured, so prodigal, ri­otous and gluttenous in raiment, meate, [Page 276] and drinke without all hunger, desire, or thirst to the word of God, the pre­cious clothing and foode of the soule, so attentiue to toyes and fables, so slee­pie to all holy exercise, so lightly dis­pleased and rigorous to reproue other mens faults, so deafe, blind, & froward, to heare, see, or amend his owne faults, so glad in prosperitie, so feeble in ad­uersitie, so oft purposing many good things, so seldome bringing any of thē to effect; all which defaults, and manie other which he seeth and beholdeth in himselfe, when hee hath with great sor­row and displeasure at himselfe for his owne frailenes in his secret heart con­fessed and bewailed vnto God, let him thē in a full purpose through the grace of God set himselfe to amend his sinfull life past and to profit alway from better to better; and with great reuerence of heart, let him bee afraid as of himselfe, knowing his owne wretchednes and vnworthines to approach and come neere so worthy a Lord as Christ is. For [Page 277] if a man defiled with filthines & stinke, be vnworthy to stand in the presence of a king, how much more vnworthie is any man, as of himselfe to receiue Christ in the precious Sacrament? For why, all our good deeds are but as vn­cleannes in his sight; what are our sins then? neuertheles his goodnes and his pittie is more then al our wretchednes; and therefore with all humblenes and lowlines, and with a reuerent dread in a full trust and confidence of his great mercy let him goe vnto him, for his worthines shall make him worthy: let him offer himselfe in humble and hartie prayer vnto God committing vnto him both his body & soule, to be made by his grace, and through the working of the holy Ghost in his heart, a worthy partaker of this holy Sacra­ment, that together in, by and with the same hee may receiue and bee partaker of the reall, naturall, holy flesh and bloud of Christ, through which hee may be purged of all his sinnes, and re­ceiue [Page 278] grace of good life. For why, for that cause amongst other was this holy Sacrament ordeined that a man through offering of his praiers to God, and partaking of this Sacrament should aske pardon and fo [...]giuenes of all his sinnes, and grace of good life, and should obtaine it. If time therefore doe suffer before the receiuing of the bles­sed sacrament▪ let him meditate or say on this manner. Lord all things bee thine that are in heauen and in earth, I desire to offer my selfe vnto thee in a free & perpetuall offering; so that I may be perpetually with thee in single­nes and simplicity of heart, I offer mee this day to be thy seruāt, in thy seruice: and although I am vnworthy to serue thee, yet art not thou vnworthy to haue my seruice; make mee therefore worthy of that which thou art worthy of, so shall I be worthy of that which now I am vnworthy of: make mee as thy will is, to cease from sinne, that as my dutie binds mee, I may serue thee, I offer also vnto thee O Lord all my [Page 279] sinnes and offences that I haue com­mitted before thee, from the day that I might first offend vnto this day, that thou vouchsafe through thy great goodnes, to put away all my sinnes out of thy sight and remembrance, and to cleanse my conscience of all mine of­fences, restoring mee againe to that grace, that I through sinne haue lost; and that thou forgiue me al things past, re [...]eiuing me, mercifull Lord, into the blessed kiss [...]ngs of peace and of for­giuenes: for what may I doe, but meek­ly con [...]esse and bewaile my manifold sinnes, continually crauing mercie of thee for the same; forgiue mee, merci­ful Lord, now I beseech thee; for al my sinnes disp [...]ease me [...] much, and by the helpe of thy grace I will neuer cōmit them againe, but sorrow for them, and be readie to do penance and satisfacti­on before thy congregation & Church, to the vttermost of my power and abili­tie▪ for all the iniuries that I haue done, to the offence of thy Church, or to the [Page 280] hinderance and hurt of any my Chri­stian brethren or sisters, by any the of­fences I haue committed. Forgiue me Lord, forgiue me my sinnes, and for thy holy name, saue my soule, that thou hast redeemed with thy precious bloud: I commit my selfe wholly to thy mercie, I resigne mee into thy hands, doe with me after thy goodnes, and not after my wicked deseruings. I offer also vnto thee al the good works which through thy grace haue beene wrought or done by me; which because they are few and very imperfect, through my frailtie and great wretchednes, I beseech thee to amend them, and sanctifie them, and make them liking and acceptable vnto thee; & alway make them better & bet­ter, & bring me though I be a slow & vnprofitable seruāt, to a blessed & hap­py end. I offer also vnto thee, my pray­er & peaceable offering, for all them that haue hindred me, greeued me, and wrought me sorrow; and also for all them whom I haue at any time made [Page 281] heauy, troubled, grieued, or iniured in thought, word, or deed, wittingly, or ignorantly, that thou forgiue vs altoge­ther our sinnes & offences against thee, and of each of vs against other; and that thou Lord take from our hearts all enuie, suspicion▪ wrath, variance, pride, indignation, and contention, and what­soeuer may let charity, or diminish fra­ternall loue that each of vs should haue to other. Haue mercy Lord, haue mercy on all them that aske thee mercy: and giue vs grace that wee may receiue thy precious bodie and bloud, which thou really and truly offerest vnto all, and giuest vnto all thy children the true be­leeuers in this blessed Sacrament, that through the liuely power of this thy holy body, receiued by vs in a true sted­fast and vnfained faith, by and through the operation of the holy Ghost, wee and all thy whole Church may receiue remission of sin, and obtaine euerlasting life. And after this meditation, let him vow and promise, & purpose also with [Page 282] him­selfe through the grace of God, and by the working of the holy Ghost, e­uer after, more diligently to serue God, for seeing a man is busie to serue an earthly Lord with all his dilignece, much more should wee be diligent to serue our Lord God, and to lift vp our hearts vnto him; and to consider the g [...]eatnes of God, and the wretchednes of our selues, how great and how wor­thy God is, how little, & how vnwor­thie our selues are: consider also the great loue of God, that would take to himselfe that is so worthy, the fraile & weake estate of mankind, not for any cause of his own, but for the great loue hee bare vnto vs: consider also his vn­speakable and rich mercy towards mi­serable and wretched sinners, who not onely offered himselfe to death, for vs on the crosse, but also giueth himselfe to vs in the Sacrament to be our spiri­tuall meate ann drinke, and to bee fully with vs, and in vs. Wherfore let euerie Christian man if hee haue time, before [Page 283] the receiuing of the blessed Sacrament, say thus in his heart. Lord I know well that al workes and deserts of men, be they neuer so holy, are not worthy to receiue thee, how mu [...]h more am I vnworthy, that each day sinne, and as a man vncorrigible dwell still therein? O Lord, why do I such de [...]pite vnto thee, for to cast thee my precious Lord into the foule pit of my conscience? for sure­ly there is no dung more stincking then my soule is, O Lord what shall I doe? shall I lay thee in that foule place? surely Lord I durst not, but in hope of thy mercies; but I beleeue and am assu­red that thy mercies are endlesly more then all my sinne, and therefore in full trust of thy goodnes, I offer my selfe to receiue thee, as a sicke man receiueth a medicine thou art the most soueraine salue and I am sore sicke: therefore I take thee to bee made whole through thee, and the sicker that my soule is, the more desire I haue to be healed, and the more need I haue of thee, for why, [Page 284] in healing of my deadly sicknes, shall well bee shewed and commended the greatnesse of thy goodnesse, that wilt helpe and heale so wretched a creature, and bring mee to the possession of euer­lasting life, through the merits of thy precious death and passion. And thus must wee that are sicke in sinne, receiue this healthfull medicine of the holy Sa­crament, the body and bloud of Christ: and when we feele through it any com­fort to our soules, let vs ascribe that comfort not to our selues, but to the goodnes of God, which so comforteth and refresheth our soules, by feeding vs with his own flesh and bloud, of his own great mercy & grace. & let vs thus thinke with our selues, loe thus doth our Lord vnto vs, to shew vs our wretchednes and miseries, wherein we lie intāgled, vnles we be loosed by him; and to ouercome our wickednes with the plentie of his goodnes; for he ma­keth vs that are dead in sinne, to feele life, and being rotten and stincking [Page 285] wormes to tast heauenly sweetnes. O Lord God sith thou art so mercifull to vs, that now liue in sinne, as to feed vs with the heauenly bread of thy owne flesh and bloud in this holy sacrament, by which foode through the working of the holy Ghost, wee are nourished and cherished in body and soule, vnto life euerlasting; let our hearts from henceforth in this most cherefully re­ioyce, that our God, our spouse, and our loue, is made vnto vs our spirituall meate and drinke, to strengthen our bodies and soules, that wee may grow vp to life euerlasting: the bilsse of Saints, the ioy of Angels, the sonne of the highest father, maketh himselfe our spirituall nourishing, the light of the world, the sonne of righteousnes, the wisedome of God is made the foode of our soule, the redeemer of man, the brightnes of heauen, the matter of all mirth, and the Lord of ioy, vouchsafeth for to feed vs with himselfe: what kind­nes, what courtesie, what tokē of loue [Page 286] might bee more. Wherefore since wee haue him let vs not from henceforth suffer our hearts to delight in any crea­ture, for it were a great vnkindnes, and vile wretchednes of vs, after the recei­uing of so worthy a meate, so precious and sweete as it is, to settle our selues to the liking and lust againe of the world and of the flesh. Keepe vs therefore sweet Iesus from such wretchednes and vnkindnes, and be thou our meate and our foode, our lust and our liking, and make vs continually to hunger after thee, and to feede on thee with greedie desire, for thy sweetnes sufficeth vnto all the world: & why vouchsafest thou, merciful Lord, to feed vs with this hea­uenly bread, and with this so precious foode of thine owne flesh and bloud? what seest thou in vs? or what findest thou in vs? or what profi [...] shalt thou haue of vs? surely none; but thy great loue constraineth thee to doe thus vnto vs: since therefore thou which art the soueraigne goodnes, the whitenesse of [Page 287] endles light, and mirror without spot, vouchsafest thus louingly to come to vs, to dwell in vs, and to feede vs; how is it that wee stincking wretches desire not most earnestly to welcome thee, & deuoutly to receiue thee? it is great shame to vs; but Lord we beseech thee to take away our shame, and to make vs to amēd. Giue vs daily this heauēly bread, & make vs daily to receiue the precious body & bloud of thy son our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ, either ghostly, or both ghostly and sacramen­tally through a true, liuely, & vnfained faith so that thou maist continually be with vs, and we with thee, for thou hast so limed vs with thy loue, and so glew­ed vs with thy grace, that we may n [...]t depart from thee: grant therefore thy grace, that Christ in vs, and wee in Christ, may dwell perpetually, and that we may worthily beare this name, sith of Christ wee are called Christen. By this which hath been shewed, it ap­peareth how Christs reall, naturall, [Page 288] holy flesh and bloud is receiued, in, by, and with the Sacramēt, wherin, as hath beene also shewed, there is not any con­substantiation, nor transubstantiation. It hath beene shewed also what prepa­ration must bee vsed, that wee receiue not this holy Sacrament vnworthily, whereby Christ is refused and cleane shut out from vs, and wee refused and cleane shut out from him, to the eternal damnation of our owne soules. From which danger God of his great mercy deliuer vs, and giue vs grace that wee may at all times be made thankfull and worthy receiuers, to the praise of his name, and the attainement of euerlast­ing life, through his onely sonne our Lord Iesus Christ: to whom with the Father and the holy Ghost be all honour, glory and praise, now and for euer. Amen.

LAMENTATIONS, mournings and woes, pro­nounced by the Prophet Isaiah against impenitent sinners.

HEare O heauens, Esay against impenitent sin­ners. cap. 1. and harken O earth, for the Lord hath said, I haue nourished and brought vp childrē, but they haue rebelled against me: A sinfull nati­on, a people laden with iniquitie, a seede of the wicked, corrupt children. They haue forsaken the Lord, and pro­uoked the holy one of Israel to anger. They are gone backward, for they fall away more and more. The whole head is sicke, and the whole heart is heauie; from the soule of the foote, vnto the head, there is nothing sound therin, but woundes and swellings, and sores full of corruption. When you come to ap­peare before the Lord, who requireth this at your handes, to tread in my Courts, and when you shall stretch out [Page 290] your h [...]nds. I will hide mine eyes from you, and though you make many prai­ers I will not heare, for your hands are full of bloud. Wash you, make you cleane, take away the euill of your workes from before mine eyes, cease to do euill, learne to do well seeke iudge­ment, releeue the oppressed, iudge the fatherles, defend the widow. If you consent and obey, you sha [...]l eate the good things of the land: but if you re­fuse and be rebellious, you shall be de­uoured with the sword; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. How is the faithfull citie become an h [...]rlot? it was full of iudgement and iustice lodged therein: but now they are murtherers; thy Princes are rebellious and compa­nions with theeues, euery one loueth gifts, and followeth after rewards; they iudge not the fatherles, neither doth the widdowes cause come before them. Therefore saith the Lord God of hosts, the mightie one of Israel; ah I will ease me of mine aduersaries, and auenge [Page 291] me of mine enemies, and the strong shall be as tow, and the maker thereof as a sparke, and they shall both burne together, and none shall quench them. Enter into the rocks, and hide thee in the dust, from before the feare of the Lord, and from the glory of his ma­iestie. The high looke of a man shalbe humbled, and the loftines of men shall be abased, and the Lord onely shall be exalted in that day. For the day of the Lord of hosts is vpon all the proud and haughtie, and vpon all that is exal­ted, and it shall be made low. The peo­ple shall bee oppressed one of another, and euery one by his neighbour. The children shall presume against the an­cient, and the vile against the honora­ble. The triall of their countenance te­stifieth against them, yea they declare their sinnes as Sodome, they hide them not. Woe be vnto their soules, for they haue rewarded euill vnto themselues. Woe be vnto the wicked, it shall bee e­uill with him, for the reward of his [Page 292] hands shall bee giuen him. Woe be vn­to them that ioyne house to house, and lay field to field, till there be no place, that ye may be placed by your selues in the middest o [...] [...]he earth. This is in mine eares, [...]aith th [...] Lord of hostes: surely many houses s [...]all [...]ee desolate, euen great and [...] without inhabitāts; woe [...]ee vnto them that [...]ise vp early to fol­low drunke [...]s and to them that con­tinue vntill [...]ght, till the wine doe in­flame them▪ [...]oe vnto them that are mightie [...]o d [...] nke wine, and to them that are str [...]ng to powre in strong drinke; and the harpe and violl, timbrel, and pipe, and wine are in their feastes: but they regard not the worke of the Lord, no [...] consider the worke of his handes. W [...]e vnto them that speake good of euill, and euill of good, which put darkenes for light, and light for darknes, that put bitter for sweete, and sweete for sower. Woe vnto them that draw iniquitie with the cords of vani­tie, and sinne as with cart-ropes. There­fore [Page 293] hell hath enlarged it selfe, and o­pened his mouth without measure, and their glory, and their multitude, and their pompe, and hee that reioyceth a­mongst them, shal discend into it. Make the heart of this people fat, make their eares heauie, and shut their eyes, lest they see with their eyes, and heare with their eares, and vnderstand with their hearts, and conuert, and hee heale them. Then said I, Lord, how long, and hee answered, vntill the cities bee wasted without inhabitants, and the houses without man, and the land bee vtterly desolate, for the people turneth not vn­to him that smiteth them, neither doe they seek the Lord of hosts. Therfore will the Lord cut off both head and taile in one day. The ancient and the honorable man, hee is the head, and the Prophet that teacheth lies, hee is the taile. For the leaders of the people cause them to erre, and they that are led by them are deuoured. Therefore shall the Lord haue no pleasure in their yong [Page 294] men, neither will hee haue compassion of their fatherles, & of their widowes. For euery one is an hypocrite & wick­ed, and euery mouth speaketh follie. Therefore by the wrath of the Lord of hostes shall the land bee darkned, and the people shall bee as the meate of the fire. No man shall spare his brother, for wickednes burneth as a fire, it deuou­reth the briars and the thornes, and will kindle in the thick places of the forrest, and they shall mount vp like the lifting vp of smoke: and when he shall looke to the earth, behold trouble, and darke­nes, vexation, and anguish: yet for all this his wrath is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out stil. Woe vnto them that decree wicked decrees, and write greeuous things to keepe backe the poore from iudgement, and to take away the iudgement of the poore, that widowes may bee their pray, and that they may spoyle the fatherles. What will you doe in the day of visitation & distruction, which shall come from far? [Page 295] to whom will you flie for helpe, and where will you leaue your glory? with­out mee euery one shall fall amongst them that are bound, and they shall fall downe amongst the slaine: yet for all this his wrath is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. And in that day did the Lord of host call vnto weeping and mourning, and to bald­nes, and girding with sackcloth; and be­hold, ioy and gladnes, slaying oxen, and killing sheepe; eating flesh, and drinking wine, eating and drinking for tomorrow we shall die. And it was de­clared in the eares of the Lord of hosts: surely this iniquitie shal not be purged from you, till you die, saith the Lord God of hostes. Behold, the Lord mak­eth the earth emptie, and hee maketh it wast, hee turneth it vpside downe, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants ther­of, and there shall be like people, like priest, like seruant, like master, like maide like mistris, like buier, like seller, like lender, like borrower, like giuer, [Page 296] like taker to vsurie. The Earth shall be cleane emptied, and vtterly spoyled; for the Lord hath spoken this word. The earth lamenteth and fadeth away, the world is feebled and decaied, the proud people of the earth are weakened. The earth also decaieth because of the inha­bitants thereof. For they transgresse the lawes, they changed the ordinan­ces, and brake the euerlasting couenant. Therefore hath the curse deuoured the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are desolate, the inhabitants of the land are burned vp, and few men are left; and hee that flieth from the noyse of the feare shall fall into the pit; and he that cōmeth out of the pit shall be taken in the snare, for the windowes from an high are open, and the foundations of the earth doe shake, the earth is vt­terly broken downe. The earth is clean dissolued, the earth is moued excee­dingly, the earth shall reele to and fro like a drunken man and shall be remo­ued like a tent, and the iniquitie there­of [Page 297] shall be heauy vpon it, so that it shall fall and rise no more. No man calleth for iustice, no man contendeth for the truth, they trust in vanity, and speake vaine things, they conceiue mischiefe, and bring forth iniquity, for their hāds are defiled with bloud, and their fin­gers with iniquitie: their lips haue spo­ken lies, and their tongue hath murmu­red iniquitie: they runne to euill, and they make haste to shed innocēt bloud: their thoughts are wicked thoughts; desolation and destruction is in their paths, the way of peace they know not, and there is no equitie in their goings: they haue made them croked pathes, whosoeuer goeth therein shall not know peace: therefore iudgement turneth backward, and iustice standeth farre off, for truth is fallen in the streets, and equitie cannot enter, yea truth fai­leth, and he that refraineth from euill, maketh himselfe a pray. And when the Lord saw it, it displeased him that there was no iudgement. Therfore will hee [Page 298] tread downe the people in his wrath, and make them drunke in his indigna­tion, & will bring downe their strēgth to the earth, and they shall go forth & looke vppon the carkases of the men that haue transgressed: for their worme shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched, and they shalbe an abhor­ring to all flesh.

O yea heauens be astonied at this be afraid, Ier. against im­penitent sin­ners. chap. 2. and vtterly confounded, saith the Lord, for my people haue committed two euils; they haue forsaken mee the fountaine of liuing waters to dig them pits; euen broken pits that can hold no water. The Priests said not, where is the Lord? and they that should minister the law knew me not: the Pastors also of­fended against me. & went after things that did not profit. Thine owne wic­kednes shall correct thee, and thy tur­ning back shall reproue thee, know therefore, and behold it is an euil thing and bitter that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, and that my feare is not [Page 299] in thee, saith the Lord God of Hostes: though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much sope; yet thine iniqui­tie is marked before me saith the Lord, thou disobedient Israel, returne saith the lord, & I will not let my wrath fall vpon you, for I am mercifull, saith the Lord, and I will not alwaie keep mine anger. O yea disobedient children, turne againe, saith the Lord: for I am your Lord, and I will giue you pastors according to my hart, which shall feede you with knowledge and vnderstand­ing. Thou shalt call me, saying, my fa­ther, and shalt not turne from me; and thenceforth they shall followe no more the hardnes of their wicked hearts. A voice was heard vpon the high places, weepings, & supplications of the chil­dren of Israel, for they haue peruerted their way and forgotten the Lord their God. O ye disobedient children, re­turne, and I will heale your rebellions. Behold wee come vnto thee, for thou art the Lord our GOD. O Ierusalem [Page 300] wash thy hart frō wickednes that thou maist be saued, how long shall thy wic­ked thoughts remaine within thee? & in that day, saith the Lord, the heart of the King shall perish, and the heart of the Princes and of the Priests shall be astonished, & the Prophets shall won­der; destruction vppon destruction is cried, for the whole land is wasted. Wherefore gird you with sackcloth, la­ment and houle, for the fierce wrath of the Lord is not turned back from vs. I beheld, and lo the fruitful place was as a wildernesse, and all the cities thereof were broken downe at the presence of the Lorde, and by his fierce wrath. For thus hath the lord said, the whole land shalbe desolate: yet will I not make a full end; and when thou shalt be destroied, what wilt thou doe? Thy waies and thine inuentions haue procu­red thee these things, such is thy wick­ednesse. Therefore it shalbe bitter, ther­fore it shall pierce vnto thine heart: for my people is foolish, they haue not [Page 301] knowen me, they are foolish children, and haue no vnderstanding, they are wise to doe euil, but to doe well they haue no knowledge. Then said I, ah Lord GOD, surely thou hast deceiued this people, saying, ye shall haue peace, and the sword pierceth vnto the heart. They haue denied the Lord, and said it is not hee, neither shall the plague come vppon vs, neither shall wee see, sword nor famine. O Lord are not thy eies vpon the trueth? Thou hast stric­ken them, but they haue not sorrowed, thou hast cōsumed them, but they haue refused to receiue correction. They haue made their faces harder then a stone, and haue refused to returne. How should I spare thee for this? Thy children haue forsaken me, and sworne by them that are no gods: though I fed them to the full, yet they commit­ted adulterie, & assembled themselues by companies in the harlots houses. They rose vp in the morning like fed horses, for euerie man neighed after his [Page 302] neighbours wise; shall I not visite for these things, saith the Lord? Lo I will bring a nation vpon you from farre, O house of Israel, saith the lord, which is a mightie nation, and an ancient nation, a nation whose language thou knowest not, neither vnderstandest what they say; whose quiuer is an open sepulcher, they are all very strong, and they shall eate thine haruest; and thy bread they shall deuoure thy sonnes & thy daugh­ters, they shall eate vp thy sheepe, and thy bullocks, they shall eate thy vines and thy fig-trees; they shal destroy with the sword thy fenced citties wherein thou diddest trust. For amongst my people are sound wicked persons that laieth waite as hee that setteth snares, they haue made a pit to catch men. As a cage is full of birds: so are their hou­ses full of deceit, thereby they are be­come great and waxen rich, they are waxen fatte and shining, they do ouer­passe the deedes of the wicked, they execute no iudgement, no not the [Page 303] iudgement of the fatherles, yet they prosper, though they execute no iudg­ment for the poore. An horrible and filthy thing is committed in the land the Prophets prophecie lies, and the Priests receiue giftes in their hands, & my people delight therein. Shall not I visit, for these things, saith the Lord? or shall not my soule be auenged on such a nation as this? Trust not in lying words, saying, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, this is the temple of the Lord: behold you trust in lying words that cannot pro­fit. But this thing commanded I them, obey my voice, & I will be your God, and ye shall be my people, and walke you in all my waies which I haue com­manded you, that it may bee well vnto you. But they would not obey nor en­cline their eare, but went after the coū ­sels and stubbornnesse of their wicked heart, and went backward and not for­ward. Therefore shalt thou speake all these wordes vnto them, but they will not heare thee. Thou shalt also cry vn­to [Page 304] them, but they will not answer thee: but thou shalt say vnto them, this is a nation that heareth not the voice of the Lord their GOD, nor receiueth disci­pline, truth is perished & cleane gone out of their mouth. Therfore thus saith the Lord, behold mine anger and my wrath shall be powred out vppon this place, vpon man and vpon beast, and vpon the tree of the field, and vppon the fruit of the ground, and it shall burne and not be quenched, and the carkases of this people shall bee meate for the sowles of the heauen and for the beasts of the earth, and none shall fray them away, and death shall be desired rather then life of al the residue that re­maineth of this wicked familie, which remaine in all the places where I haue scattered them, saith the lord of Hostes. How doe you say we are wise, and the lawe of the lord is with vs? lo, certain­ly in vaine made he it, the penne of the scribes is in vaine, the wise men are a­shamed, they are affraid and taken: lo [Page 305] they haue reiected the word of the lord, and what wisedome is in them? Therefore will I giue their wiues vn­to others, and their fields vnto thē that shall possesse them: for euerie one from the least to the greatest is giuen vnto couetousnesse, and from the Prophet e­uen to the Priest, euerie one dealeth faslly, for they haue healed the hurt of the daughter of my people with sweete words, saying, peace, peace, whē there is no peace: for behold I will send serpents and cockatrices amongst you which will not be charmed, and they shall sting you, saith the lord. Oh that my head were full of water, and mine eies a fountaine of teares, that I might weepe day and night for the slaine of the daughter of my people. Oh that I had in the wildernes a cottage of way-faring men, that I might leaue my peo­ple, and go from them, for they be all adulterers, and an assemblie of rebels, and they bend their tongues like their bowes for lies; but they haue no cou­rage [Page 306] for the truth vpon the earth, for they proceed from euill to worse, and they haue not knowne mee saith the lord. Let euerie one take heede of his neighbour, and trust you not in any brother, for euery brother will vse de­ceit, and euerie friend will deale de­ceitfully, and euery one will deceiue his frend and will not speake the truth, for they haue taught their tongues to speake lies, and take great paines to do wickedly. Thine habitation is in the midst of deceiuers, because of their de­ceite they refuse to know me, saith the lord. Therefore thus saith the lorde of hostes, behold, I will melt them, & try them, for what shall I else doe for the daughter of my people? their tongue is an arrowe shot out, and speaketh de­ceipt; one speaketh peaceably to his neighbour with his mouth, but his hart he layeth waite for him. Shall I not vi­sit them for these things saith the lord? or shall not my soule be auenged on such a nation as this? Therefore thus [Page 307] saith the Lord God of Hostes, the God of Israel, behold, I will feede this peo­ple with wormewood, and giue them waters of gall to drinke, for death is come vp into our windowes, and is entred into our palaces, to destroy the children without and the yong men in the streetes. Speake, thus saith the lord, the carkases of men shall lie euen as the dung vpon the field, and as the hand­full after the mower, and none shall ga­ther them. Thus saith the Lord, let not the wise man glory in his wisedom, nor the strong mā glory in his strength, ne­ther the rich man glory in his riches, but let him that glorieth glory in this, that he vnderstādeth and knoweth me; for I am the Lord which shew mercie, iudgement and righteousnesse in the earth, for in these things I delight, saith the Lord. Thus saith the Lord, learne not the way of the heathen, & be not afraid for the signes of heauen, though the heathen be afraid of such. Euery man is a beast by his owne knowledge▪ [Page 296] for the pastors are become beasts, and haue not sought the lord, therfore haue they no vnderstanding, and all the flocks of their pastures are scattered. O Lord, I know that the way of mā is not in him selfe, neither is it in man to walke, and to direct his steps. O Lord, correct me, but with iudgement, not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to no­thing, power out thy wrath vpon the heathen that know thee not and vpon the families that call not vpō thy name: let me see thy vengeance on them, for vnto thee haue I opened my cause. O lord, if I dispute with thee thou art righteous, yet let me talke with thee of thy iudgements; wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? why are all the in wealth that rebelliously transgresse? Thou hast planted them, and they haue taken roote, they grow and bring forth fruit, thou art neare in their mouth, & farre from their reines: O lord thou hast ordeined them for iudgement, and O GOD thou hast established them for [Page 297] correction. Giue glory to the lord your God before hee bring draknes, and or euer your feete stumble in the darke mountains, and whiles you looke for light he turneth it into the shadowe of death and make it as darkenes. But if you will not heare, this my soule shall weepe in secret for your pride, & mine eie shall weepe and drop downe teares, for the crowne of your glorie shal come downe frō your heads. O lord though our iniquities testifie against vs, deale with vs according to thy name, for our rebellions are many, we haue sinned a­gainst the. O the hope of Israel, the saui­our thereof in the time of trouble, why art thou as a stranger in the land, as one that passeth by to tarry for a night? why art thou as a man astonied, & as a strōg man that cannot helpe? yet art thou, O lord in the middest of vs, & thy name is called vpon vs; O forsake vs not. Thus saith the lord vnto this people, thus haue they delighted to wander, they haue not refrained their feete. Therfore [Page 310] hath the lord no delight in them, but he will now remember their iniquitie, and visit their sinnes: when they fast I will not he [...]re their cries, I will not ac­cept them, but I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine and by the pestilence. Wee acknowledge, O lord, our wickednes, and the iniquitie of our fathers, for wee haue sinned a­gainst thee, do not abhorre vs for thy names sake, cast not downe the throne of thy glory, remember and breake not thy couenant with vs. Are there any among the vanities of the gen­tiles that can giue raine, or can the hea­uens giue showers? is it not thou O lord our God? Therefore will we waite vp­on thee, for thou hast made all these things. Then said the lord vnto me, though Moises and Samuel stoode be­fore me, yet mine affection could not be towards this people. Cast them out of my sight, and let them depart: and if they say vnto thee, whither shall wee depart? then tell them, thus saith the [Page 311] lord, such as are apointed to death, vn­to death; & such as are for the sword, to the sword; and such as are for famine, to the famine; & such as are for the cap­tiuitie, to the captiuitie: and I will ap­point ouer them foure kindes, saith the Lord; the sword to slay, and the dogs to teare in pieces, and the fowles of the heauen, and the beasts of the earth to deuoure, and to destroy. Thou hast for­saken me, saith the lord and gone back­ward; therfore will I stretch out my hand against thee, and destroy thee, for I am wearie with repenting. Thy sub­stance and thy treasures will I giue to be spoiled without gaine, and that for all thy sinnes, euen in all thy borders. Behold, saith the lord, I will send out many fishers, and they shall fish them; and after I will send out many hunters, and they shall hunt them from euerie mountaine, and from euery hill, & out of the caues of the rocks: for mine eies are vppon all their waies, they are not hid from my face, neither is their ini­quitie [Page 312] hid from mine eies. And first I will recompence their iniquitie & their sinne double, because they haue defi­led my land, and haue filled my in­heritance with their filthy carrions and their abhominations. Thus saith the lord, cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arme, and withdraweth his heart from the lord, for he shall be like the heath in the wil­dernes, & shall not see when any good commeth: but shall inhabite the par­ched places in the wildernes in a salt land, and not inhabited. Blessed is the man that trusteth in the lord, and whose hope the lord is, for he shall be as a tree that is plāted by the water, which spreadeth out her rootes by the riuer, & shall not feele when the heate commeth, but her leafe shall be greene and shall not care for the yeare of drouth, neither shal cease from yielding fruit. The heart is deceitfull and wicked aboue all things, who can know it? I the lord search the heart, and try the reines euen to giue e­uery [Page 313] man according to his waies, and accor­ding to the fruit of his workes. As the partrich gathereth the yong which she hath not brought forth so he that ga­thereth riches, and not by right, shall leaue them in the middest of his daies, and at his end shall be a foole. O Lord the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shalbe confounded, they that depart frō thee shall bee written in the earth, be­cause they haue forsaken the Lord the fountaine of liuing waters. Heale me, O Lord, and I shall be whole, saue me, and I shall be saued, for thou art my praise. Then the word of the Lord came vnto me saying, I wil speake sodainly against a nation, or against a kingdome to pluck it vp, and to roote it out and to destroy it, but if this nation, against whom I haue pronounced, turne from their wickednes, I will repent of the plague that I thought to bring vppon them. And I will speake sodainly con­cerning a nation & concerning a king­dome to build it, and to plant it: but if [Page 314] it doe euill in my sight, & heare not my voice, I will repent of the good that I thought to doe for them Thus saith the Lord God of Hostes, the God of Israel, behold I will bring vpon this citie and vpon all her towns, all the plagues that I haue pronounced against it, because they haue hardned their necks & would not heare my words; but they said des­perately, surely wee will walke after our owne imaginations, and doe euery man after the stubbornnes of his wick­ed heart. Behold, I will bring a plague vpon this place, the which whosoeuer heareth it, his eares shall tingle, and I will cause them to fall by the sword be­fore their enemies, & by the hand of them that seeke their liues, and their carkases will I giue to bee meate for the sowles of heauen, and to the beastes of the field, and I will feed them with the flesh of their sonnes, and with the flesh of their daughters, and euery one shal eate the flesh of his friend, in the siege and straitnesse wherewith their [Page 315] enemies that seeke their liues shall hold them strait. Woe bee vnto the pastors that destroy & scatter the sheep of my pasture, saith the Lord. Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel vnto the pastors that feede my people, ye haue scattered my flocke, and thrust them out, and haue not visited them. Behold I will visit you for the wickednesse of your workes, saith the Lord: for both the Prophet and the Priest doe wick­edly, and their wickednes haue I found in my house, saith the Lord: wherfore their way shall be vnto them as slippe­ry waies in the darkenes, they shall bee driuen forth, and fall therein: for I will bring a plague vpon them, euen the yeare of their visitation, saith the Lord. Therefore thus saith the Lord concer­ning the Prophets, behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drinke the water of gall: for from the Prophets is wickednes, gone forth into all the land of Ierusalem, they strength­en also the hands of the wicked, that [Page 316] none can returne from their wicked­nes: they are all vnto me as Sodome, & the inhabitants thereof as Gamorah. They say still vnto thē that dispise me, the Lord hath said, ye shall haue peace, and they say vnto euery one that walk­eth after the stubbornnes of his owne heart, there shall no euill come vpon you. Therfore behold, I euen I will vt­terly forget you, and I will forsake you and bring an euerlasting reproch vp­pon you, and a perpetual shame which shall neuer bee forgotten. I haue not sent these Prophets; saith the Lord, yet they ran; I haue not spoken vnto them, and yet they prophecied. But if they had stood in my counsell, and had de­clared my words vnto my people, then they should haue turned them from their euil way, and from the wick­ednes of their inuentions. How long doe the Prophets delight to prophecie lies, euen prophecying the deceit of their owne heart. Is not my word like a fire, saith the Lord, and like a ham­mer [Page 317] that breaketh the stone? Therfore behold, I will come against the Pro­phets saith the Lord, which haue sweet tongues, and say, he sayeth, behold, I will come against Prophets saith, the Lord, that steale my word, euery one from his neighbour: behold I wil come against them that prophecie false dreames, saith the Lord, and doe tell them, and cause my people to erre by their lies and by their slatteries, and I sent them not, nor commanded them: therfore they bring no profit vnto this people, saith the Lord. For thus hath the Lord God of Israel spoken vnto me, take the cup of wine of this my in­dignation at my handes, and cause all the nations to whom I send, to drinke it, and they shall drinke and be moued, and be mad, because of the sword that I will send amongst them. Therefore say thou vnto them, thus saith the lord of hosts the God of Israel, drinke & be drunk, & spew, & fall & rise no more, because of the sword which I will send [Page 318] amongst them: but if they refuse to take the cup at thine hand to drinke, then tell them, thus saith the lord of hostes, you shall certainly drinke; for loe, I begin to plague the citie where my name is called vpon, and should you goe free? you shall not goe quit. For I will call for a sword vpon all the inhabitants of the earth, saith the lord of hostes. The Lord shall roare from aboue, and thrust out his voice from his holy habitation, hee shall roare vpon his habitation, and crie aloud, the sound shall be to the ends of the earth, for the Lord hath a controuersie with the nations, and will enter into iudge­ment with all flesh, and hee will giue them that are wicked to the sword, saith the lord. Thus saith the lord of hosts, behold, a plague shall goe forth from nation to nation, and a great whirle-wind shall be raised vp from the costes of the earth, and the slaine of the lord shal be at that day, from one end of the earth to the other end of the earth: they [Page 319] shall not bee mourned, neither gathe­red, nor buried; but shalbe as the dung vpon the ground. Thus my soule was farre off from peace, I forgat prosperi­tie, remembring mine affliction, and my mourning, the wormwood, and the gall, my soule hath them in remem­brance and is humbled in me. It is the Lords mercies that wee are not consu­med, because his compassions saile not. The Lord is my portiō, saith my soule, therefore wil I hope in him. The Lord is good vnto them that trust in him, & to the soule that seeketh him. It is good both to trust, and to waite for the salua­tion of the Lord. It is good for a man that he beare the yoke in his youth, for the Lord wil not forsake for euer, but though hee send affliction, yet wil he haue compassion, according to the multitude of his mercies: for he doth not punish willingly, nor afflict the children of men in stamping vnder his feete all the prisoners of the earth. Wherefore then is the liuing man sor­rowfull? [Page 320] man suffereth for sinne. Let vs search & trie our waies, & turne againe to the lord. Let vs lift vp our hearts with our hands vnto God in the hea­uens. Wee haue sinned and haue rebel­led, therfore thou hast not spared: thou hast couered vs with wrath and perse­cuted vs, thou hast slaine, & not spared. Thou hast couered thy selfe with a cloud, that our prayer should not passe thorow: thou hast made vs as the of­scouring and refuse in the middest of the people; al our enemies haue opened their mouth against vs. Feare and a snare is come vpon vs, with desolation and destruction; the ioy of our heart is gone, our dance is turned to mour­ning: therefore our heart is heauie: for these things our eyes are dimme. The crowne of our head is fallen; woe now vnto vs that we haue sinned.

O thou sonne of man, behold they shall put bands vpon thee, and shall bind thee with them, and thou shalt not goe out amongst them, and I will [Page 321] make thy tongue cleaue to the roofe of thy mouth, that thou shalt bee dumbe, and shalt not bee to them as a man that rebuketh, for they are a rebellious house: but when I shal haue spoken vn­to thee, I wil open thy mouth, and thou shalt say vnto them: Thus saith the Lord God, hee that heareth, let him heare, and hee that leaueth off, let him leaue off, for they are a rebellious house. Therefore thus saith the Lord God, because your multitude is greater then the nations that are round about you, and ye haue not walked in my sta­tutes, neither haue you kept my iudge­ments: behold, I, euen I come against thee, and will execute iudgement in the midest of thee, euen in the sight of the nations. For in the middest of thee the fathers shall eate their sonnes, and the sonnes shall eate their fathers, and I will execute iudgement in thee, & the whole remnant of thee wil I scatter into all the winds: the third part of thee shal die with the pestilence, & with famine [Page 322] shall they be consumed in the middest of thee, and another third part thereof shal fal by the sword round about thee, and I will scatter the last third part into all windes. And I will draw out a sword after them, neither shall mine eye spare thee, neither will I haue any pitie. Thus shall mine anger bee ac­complished, & I will cause my wrath to cease in them, & I will be comforted; & they shal know that I the lord haue spo­ken it in my zeale, whē I haue accōplished my wrath in them. Moreouer I will make thee wast, & abhorred amōgst the nations that are round about thee, and in the sight of all that passe by, so shalt thou bee a reproch and shame, a cha­stisement, and an astonishment vnto the nations that are round obout thee, when I shall execute iudgement in an­ger & in wrath, and in sharpe rebukes. I the Lord haue spoken it, and they shall know that I am the Lord, and that I haue not said in vaine, that I will doe this euill vnto them. Hee that is farre off [Page 323] shall die of the pestilence, and hee that is neere shall fall by the sword, and hee that remaineth and is besieged, Cap. 7. shall die by the famine. Thus will I accom­plish my wrath vpon them, so will I stretch my hand vpon them, and make the land wast and desolate in all their habitations, and they shall know that I am the Lord. Crueltie is risen vp into a rod of wickednes, none of them shall remaine, nor of their riches, nor of any of theirs, neither shall there bee lamen­tation for them. An end is come, the end is come, it watcheth for thee, be­hold, it is come now, I will shortly powre out my wrath vpon thee, and fulfill mine anger vpon thee, I will iudge thee acording to thy waies, and I wil lay vpon thee all thine abominati­ons. The sword is without, and the pestilence and famine within, he that is in the field shall die with the sword, and he that is in the citie, famine and pe­stilence shal deuoure him, all hands shal be weake, and all knees shal fall away [Page 324] as water. They shall cast their siluer in the streets, and their gold cannot deli­uer them in the day of the wrath of the Lord; they shall not satisfie their soules, neither fill their bowels, for this ruine is for their iniquitie: when destruction commeth they shall seeke peace, but shall not haue it. Calamitie shall come vpon calamity, and rumor shal be vpon rumor: then shal they seeke the vision of the Prophet, but the law shall perish from the Priest, and counsel from the ancient. The king shal mourne, and the Princes shalbe clothed with deso­lation, and the hands of the people in the land shalbe troubled. I wil doe vn­to them according to their waies, and according to their iudgements wil I iudge them, and they shal know that I am the Lord. Thus saith the Lord God, Woe vnto the foolish prophets that follow their own spirit, and haue seene nothing, because with your lies you haue made the heart of the righteous sadde, whom I haue not made sad, and [Page 325] strengthned the hands of the wicked, that hee should not returne from his wicked way, by promising him life. Therefore thus saith the Lord God, be­cause you haue spoken vanities & seene lies, therfore behold, I am against you, saith the Lord God, and my hand shall be vpon the Prophets that see vanities, and diuine lies, they shal not bee in the assembly of my people, neither shal they be written in the writings of the house of Israel, neither shal they enter into the land of Israel; for I wil deli­uer my people out of your hand, and you shal know that I am the Lord. And the word of the Lord came vnto mee saying, sonne of man say vnto her, Cap. 22. thou art the land that is vncleane, thou hast offended in thy bloud that thou hast shed, thou hast caused thy dayes to draw neere, and art come vnto thy terme, In thee haue they despised fa­ther and mother, in the middest of thee haue they oppressed the stranger, in thee haue they vexed the fatherlesse, [Page 326] and widdow, in thee are men that car­rie tales to shed bloud. Thou hast des­pised mine holy things, and hast pol­luted my sabbaths: in thee haue they taken gifts to shed bloud, thou hast ta­ken vsurie, and the increase, and thou hast defrauded thy neighbour by ex­tortion, and hast forgotten mee, saith the Lord God. There is a conspiracie of her Prophets in the middest there­of, like a roaring lyon, rauening the pray, they haue deuoured soules, they haue taken the riches and precious things, they haue made her many wi­dowes, in the middest therof her priests haue broken my law, and haue defiled my holy things, they haue put no dif­ference betweene the holy and pro­phane, neither discerned betweene the vncleane and the cleane, and haue hid their eyes from my sab­baths, and I am prophaned amongst them her Princes in the middest there­of are like wolues rauening the [Page 327] pray to shed bloud, and to destroy soules for their owne couetous lucre. The people of the land haue violently oppressed by spoyling, and robbing, and haue vexed the poore and the nee­dy, Ezechiel. yea they haue oppressed the stran­ger against right: & I sought for a man amongst them, that should make vp the hedge and stand in the gap before me for the land that I should not destroy it; but I found none. Behold therefore I haue smitten my hand vpon the coue­tousnes that thou hast vsed, and vpon the bloud which hath beene shed in the middest of thee. Can their hart endure; or can their hands bee strong in the dayes that I shall haue to doe with thee? I the Lord haue spoken it and I will doe it; as they gather siluer, and brasse, and iron, and lead, and tinne, in­to the middest of the furnace, to blow the fire vpon it, & to melt it; so wil I gather you in mine anger, and in my wrath, and will put you there, and melt you, and you shal know that I the Lord [Page 328] haue powred out my wrath vpon you. Say vnto them, as I liue, saith the Lord God, I desire not the death of the wic­ked, but that the wicked turne from his way and liue. Turne you, turne you from your euill waies, for why will you die? When the righteous turneth from his righteousnes, Cap. 33. and committeth iniquitie, hee shall euen die thereby. But if the wicked returne from his wic­kednes, and doe that which is lawfull and right, he shal liue therby. Yee leane vpon your swords, yee worke abomi­nation, and yee defile euery one his neighbours wise, should yee then pos­sesse the land? Also thou sonne of man, the children of thy people, that talke of thee by the walles, and in the doores of houses, and speake one to another, e­uery one to his brother, saying, Come I pray you and heare what is the word that commeth from the Lord, for they come vnto thee, as the people vseth to come, and my people sit before thee, & heare thy words, but they wil not do [Page 329] them: for with their mouths they make iestes, and their heart goeth after their couetousnes, & loe, thou art vnto them as a iesting song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can sing well, for they heare thy wordes, but doe them not. Say thus vnto them, thus saith the LORD GOD, as I liue, so surely they that are in the deso­late places shall fall by the sworde, and him that is in the open field will I giue vnto the beasts to be deuoured; and they that be in the courts, and in the caues shall die of the pestilence; thē shall they know that I am the Lord, when I haue laid the land desolate, and waste because of their abominations which they haue committed. Wo vn­to the shepheards of Israel that feede themselues, Cap. 34. should not the shepheards feede the flocks? yee eate the fatte, and ye cloath you with the wooll, yee kill them that are fedde, but you feede not the sheepe. The weake haue you not strengthned, and the sick haue you not [Page 330] healed, neither haue you bound vp the broken, nor brought again that which was driuen away, neither haue you sought that which was lost, but with cruelty and with rigour haue you ru­led them, and they were scattred with­out a shepheard; and when they were dispersed they were deuoured of all the beasts of the field. Therefore ye shep­heards heare the word of the Lord: As I liue saith the lord God, surely because my flock was spoiled and my sheepe were deuoured of all the beasts of the field, hauing no shepheard, neither did my shepheards seeke my sheepe: but my shepheards fedde themselues, and fed not my sheepe. Behold, I come a­gainst the shepheards, and will require my sheepe at their hands, and cause thē to cease from feeding the sheepe, nei­ther shall the shepheards feede them­selues any more, for I will deliuer my sheepe from their mouths, & they shall no more deuoure them. For thus saith the lord God, behold I will search my [Page 331] sheepe, and seeke them out, I will seeke that which was lost, and bring againe that which was driuen away, and will binde vp that which was broken, & wil strengthen the weake: but I wil destroy the fatte, and the strong, and feede thē with iudgement, because ye haue thrust with side and with shoulder, and pusht all the weake with your hornes, till ye haue scattered them abroad, therefore will I helpe my sheepe, and they shall no more be spoiled, & I will iudge be­tweene sheepe and sheepe. And ye my sheepe, the sheepe of my pasture, are mine, and I am your GOD, saith the Lord God. A new heart also wil I giue you, and a new spirit will I put within you, and I wil take away the stony heart out of your bodie, and will giue you an heart of flesh, and I will put my spirit within you; and cause you to walke in my statutes, & ye shall keepe my iudge­ments, and do them, and ye shall dwell in the land that I gaue to your fathers, and ye shalbe my people, and I wil bee [Page 332] your God. I will also deliuer you from al your filthines. Thē shall you remem­ber your owne wicked waies, and your deedes that were not good, and shall iudge your selues worthy to haue bene destroied for your iniquities, and for your abominations. Be it knowne vnto you, that I doe not this for your sakes, but for my holy names sake; saith the Lord God. Therefore be ashamed, and confounded, O house of Israel, for your owne waies.

Daniel against impenitent sinners. cap. 9.Wee haue sinned, and committed iniquitie, and haue done wickedly, yea we haue rebelled, and haue departed from thy precepts and from thy iudge­ments, for we haue not obeied the voice of the Lord our God, to walke in his waies which he hath laid before vs by the ministry of his seruants the Pro­phets. Therfore hath the Lord made ready the plague and brought it vpon vs, for the Lord our God is righteous in all his workes which he doth: for we would not heare his voice. Many [Page 333] shall be purified, made white, and tri­ed; but the wicked shall do wickedly, and none of the wicked shall haue vn­derstanding, but the wise shall vnder­stand.

Heare the word of the Lord ye chil­dren of Israel, Osea against impenitent sin­ners. Cap. 4. for the Lord hath a con­trouersie with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mer­cie nor knowledge of God in the land. By swearing, and lying, and killing, & stealing, and whoring they break out, & bloud toucheth bloud: yet let none rebuke nor reproue another; for thy people are as they that rebuke the priests, my people are destroied for lack of knowledge: because thou hast refu­sed knowledge I will also refuse thee, that thou shalt be no Priest to me; and seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy childrē: as they were encreased, so they sinned against me, they eate vp the sinnes of my people, and lift vp their mindes in their iniquitie. And as theeues waite [Page 334] for a man: so the cōpany of the Priests murther in the way by consent, for they worke mischiefe. Therefore wil I chāge their glorie into shame, and there shall be like people like Priest, for I will vi­sit their waies vpon them, and reward them their deedes. Their drunkennes stincketh they haue committed whor­dome, their rulers loue to say with shame, bring ye: whordome, and wine, and new wine take away their hearts. Therefore shall the Land mourne, and euery one that dwelleth therein shall be cut off. The Prophet shall fall with thee in the night, and I will destroy thy mo­ther. They wil not giue their mindes to turne vnto their God, for the spirit of fornication is in the middest of them, & they haue not knowen the Lord. The Princes of Iudah were like them that remoue their bounds: therefore will I powre out my wrath vpon them like water, I, euen I wil spoile and go away, I wil take away and none shall rescue it. Wo vnto them, for they fled away frō [Page 335] me, destruction shalbe vnto them, be­cause they haue transgressed against me, though I haue redeemed them, yet haue they spoken lies against me. I haue written to them the great things of my lawe, but they were counted as a strāge thing, and they consider not in their heart that I remember all their wicked­nes. Now their owne inuentions haue beset them about, they are in my sight, for the wickednes of their inuentions I wil cast them out of mine house, I will loue them no more, all their Princes are rebels, my GOD will cast them away, because they did not obey, and they shall wander amongst the nations.

They turne iudgement to woorme-wood, Amos against impenitēt sin­ners. cap. 5. and leaue off righteousnes in the earth: they haue bated him that rebu­ked in the gate, and they abhorred him that speaketh vprightly; therefore the prudent shall keep silence in that time, for it is an euill time, for I know your manifold transgressions, & your migh­ty sinnes, they a [...]flict the iust, they take [Page 336] rewards, and they oppresse the poore in the gate. Therefore the Lord God of Hostes, the Lord saith thus, mour­ning shall be in all the streetes, & they shall say in all the high waies, alas, alas, and they shall call the husbandmen to lamentation, and such as can mourn to mourning. Cap. 8. Behold the daies come, saith the Lord God, that I wil send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water: but of hearing the word of the Lord, & they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north euen to the east shall they runne to and fro to seeke the word of the Lord, and shall not finde it. Gap. 9. Behold the eies of the lord are vpon the sinfull kingdome, and I will destroy it cleane out of the earth, and I will slay the last of them with the sword; he that flieth of them shall not fly away, and he that escapeth of them shall not be deliuered: though they dig into hell, thence shall mine hand take them; though they climbe vp to heauen thence will I bring them downe, and [Page 337] though they hide themselues in the top of Carmell, I wil search and take them out thence; and though they be hid frō my sight in the bottom of the Sea, there will I command the serpent, and hee shall bite them; and though they go in­to captiuity before their enemies, thēce will I command the sworde, and it shall slay them, and I will set mine eies vpon them for euill and not for good.

For behold the Lord commeth out of his place, and will come downe, Micheas against impenitent sinners. cap. 1. and tread vpon the high places of the earth, and the mountaines shall melt vnder him. So shall the valleies cleaue as wax before the fire, and as the waters that are powred downeward. Woe vnto thē that imagine iniquitie, Cap. 2. and worke wic­kednes vpon their beds, when the mor­ning is light they practise it, because their hand hath power, and they couet fields, and take them by violence, and houses, and take them away, so they op­presse a man and his house, euen man and his heritage; the women of my [Page 338] people haue you cast out from their pleasant houses, and from their chil­dren haue you taken away my glory continually. They that prophecied, prophecie you not, they shall not pro­phecie vnto thē, neither shall they take shame; if a man walke in the spirit, and would lie falsely, saying, I will prophe­cie vnto thee of wine & strong drinke, he shall euen bee the Prophet of this people. Therefore thus saith the Lord, behold against this family haue I de­uised a plague, whereout ye shall not pluck your necks, and ye shall not go so proudly: for this time is euill. Thus saith the Lord cōcerning the Prophets that deceiue my people, and bite them with their teeth, and cry peace; if a man put not in their mouthes, they prepare warre against him, the heads thereof iudge for rewardes, and the Priests ther­of teach for hire, & the Prophets there­of prophecie for money; yet will they leane vpon the Lord, and say, is not the LORD amongst vs? no euill can [Page 339] can come vpon vs. They hate the good and loue the euill, they pluck the skins from them, and their flesh from their bones, and they eate also the flesh of my people, and fley off the skinne from them, and they breake their bones, and chop them in pieces as for the pot, and as the flesh within the caldron. Cap. 6. For the rich men thereof are full of cruelty, and the inhabitants thereof haue spokn lies, and their tongue is deceitfull in their mouthes. Shal I iustifie the wicked bal­lances & the bag of deceitfull waights: therefore also wil I make thee sicke in in smiting thee, and in making thee de­solate because of thy sinnes: thou shalt eate, and not be satisfied, and thy ca­sting downe shalbe in the middest of thee, and thou shalt take hold, but shalt not deliuer; and that which thou deli­uerest will I giue vp vnto the sworde. Will the Lord bee pleased with thou­sands of rammes, or with ten thousād riuers of oile? shall I giue my first borne for my transgression, euen the fruit of [Page 340] my bodie for the sinne of my soule. He hath shewed thee O man what is good, and what the Lord requireth of thee, surely to doe iustly, and loue mercie, and to humble thy selfe to walke with thy God. Are ye the treasures of wic­kednes in the house of the wicked, and the skant measure that is abominable? The good man is perished out of the earth, Cap. 7. and there is none righteous a­mongst men, they all lie in waite for bloud, euerie man hunteth his brother with a net, to make good for the euil of their hands, the Prince asked, and the Iudge iudgeth for rewarde, so they wrap it vp. The best of them is a bryar, and the most righteous of thē is sharp­er then a thorny hedge: the day of thy watchmen, and of thy visitation com­meth, then shalbe their confusion. Trust you not in a friend, neither put your confidence in a Counsailor; keepe the dores of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosome, for the son reuileth the father, the daughter riseth vp against the [Page 341] mother, the daughter in law against her mother in lawe, & a mans enemies are the men of his owne house: therefore will I looke vnto the Lord, I will waite for God my sauiour, my God wil heare me, I wil beare the wrath of the Lord, for I haue sinned against him, vntill he pleade my cause, and execute iudgemēt for me, then wil he bring me forth to the light, and I shall see his righteous­nes. Who is a God like vnto thee? that taketh away iniquitie, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage, he retaineth not his wrath for euer, because mercie pleaseth him; hee wil turne againe, and haue compassion vpon vs; he wil subdue our iniquities, and cast all our sinnes into the bottom of the sea: thou wilt performe thy truth to Iacob, and mercie to Abraham, as thou hast sworne to our fathers in old time.

The Lord is slow to anger, Naham against impenitent sinners. cap. 1. but he is great in power, & wil not surely cleere the wicked, the Lord hath his way in [Page 342] the whirlewinde and in the storme, and the clouds are the dust of his feete. The Lord is good and as a strong hold in the day of trouble, and he knoweth thē that trust in him. God is iealous, and the Lord reuengeth, the Lord reuengeth, euen the Lord of anger, the Lord will take vengeance on his aduersaries, and he reserueth wrath for his enemies: who can stand before his wrath, or who can abide in the fiercenes of his wrath? his wrath is powred out like fire, and the rocks are broken by him.

O Lord how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not heare? Habaeuck a­gainst impeni­tent sinners. Cap. 1. euen cry out vnto thee for violence, & thou wilt not help: why dost thou shew me iniquitie, and cause me to behold sorrowe? for spoy­ling and violence are before me, and there are that raise vp strife and conten­tion: therfore the lawe is dissolued, & iudgement doth neuer go forth, for the wicked doth compasse about the righ­teous, therefore wrong iudgement pro­ceedeth. Then shall they take courage; [Page 343] and transgresse, and doe wickedly, im­puting this their power vnto their god. Thou art of pure eies, and canst not see euill, thou canst not behold wickednes: wherefore dost thou looke vpon the transgressors, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked deuoureth the man that is more righteous then he? O Lord thou hast ordeined them for iudgemēt, and O God thou hast established them for correction. Art not thou of old, O Lord my God, my holy one? I shall not die, but I wil reioice in the Lord, I wil ioy in the God of my saluation. The Lord is my strength, he will make my feete like Hindes feete, and he wil make me to walke vppon mine high places. The Lord is in his holy Temple, let all the earth keepe silence before him.

The great day of the Lord is neare, Zephaniah. against impe­nitent sinners. Cap. 1. it is neare, and hasteth greatly, euen the voice of the day of the Lord: the strong man shall cry there bitterly, that day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble & hea­uines, a day of destruction and desola­tion, [Page 344] a day of obscurity and darknes, a day of clouds and blacknesse, a day of the trumpet and alarum against the strong cities, & against the high towers▪ in the same day also wil I visit all those that daunce vppon the threshold so proudly, which fill their masters hou­ses by cruelty and deceipt, and I will bring distresse vpon men that they shal walke like blinde men, because they haue sinned against the lord, and their bloud shall be powred out as dust, and their flesh as dung, neither their sil­uer nor their gold shalbe able to deli­uer them, in the day of the lords wrath, but the whole land shalbe deuoured by the fire of his iealousy, for he shal make euen a speedy riddance of all thē that dwell in the land. Gather your selues, euē gather you O nation not worthy to be loued before the decree come forth, & ye be as chaffe that passeth in a day, and before the fierce wrath of the Lord come vpon you, and before the day of the Lords anger come vpon you: seeke [Page 345] you the lord all the meeke of the earth, which haue wrought his iudgement, seeke righteousnes, seeke holines, if so be that ye may be hid in the day of the lords wrath. I said surely thou wilt fear me, thou wilt receiue instruction, so their dwelling should not be destroied, howsoeuer I visited them: but they rose earely, and corrupted all their workes, she heard not the voice, shee receiued not correction, shee trusted not in the lord, she drew not neere vnto her God: her Princes within her are as roaring lyons, her Iudges are as wolues in the euening, which leaue not the bones till the morrow, her Prophets are light and wicked persons, her Priests haue pollu­ted the sanctuary, they haue wrested the lawe. The iust lord is in the middest therof, he wil do none iniquitie, euerie morning doth he bring his iudgement to light, he faileth not; but the wicked will not learne to be ashamed: therfore waite vpon me, saith the lord, vntill the day that I rise vp to the pray, for I am [Page 346] determined to gather the nations, and that I will assemble the kingdomes, to powre vpon them mine indignation, e­uen all my fierce wrath: for all the earth shall bee deuoured with the fire of my iealousie. Sure then will I turne to the people a pure language, that they may call vpon the name of the lord to serue him with one consent. In that day shalt thou not be ashamed for all thy workes wherein thou hast transgressed against me. For then will I take away out of the middest of thee them that reioice of thy pride, and thou shalt no more bee proud of my holy mountaine: thē will I leaue in the middest of thee an hum­ble, and a poore people, and they shall trust in the name of the lord: the remnāt of Israel shall doe none iniquitie, nor speake lies, neither shall a deceitfull tongue be found in their mouth: for they shalbe feed, & lie downe, & none shall make them afraid.

Ha [...]ai against impen tent sinners. cap. 1.Now therefore saith the Lord of hostes, consider your owne waies in [Page 347] your hearts: ye haue sowen much, and bring in little; you eate, but you haue not enough; you drinke, but you are not filled; you claoth you, but you are not warme; and hee that earneth wages, putteth the wages into a brokē bagge; you looked for much, and loe it came to little; & when you brought it home, I did blow vpon it, and I called for a drought vpon the land, and vpon the mountaines, and vpon the corne, and vpon the wine, and vpon the oyle, vp­on all that the ground bringeth forth, both vpon men, and vpon cattle, and vpō all the labour of the hands: I smote you with blasting, with mildew, and with haile, in all the labours of your handes: yet you turned not to mee, saith the Lord.

Thus speaketh the Lord of hostes, Zacharie a­gainst impeni­tent sinners. Cap. 7.8. saying, these are the things that yee shall doe, speake euery man the truth vnto his neighbour, execute true iudg­ment, and shew mercy and compassion euery man to his brother, and oppresse [Page 348] not the widow, nor the fatherles, the stranger, nor the poore, and let none of you imagine euill against his bro­ther in your heart, and loue no false othe, for all these things are the things that I hate, saith the Lord: but they re­fused to hearken, and puled away the shoulder, and stopped their eares, that they should not heare, yea they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should heare the law, and the wordes of the Lord of hostes sent in his spirit by the ministrie of the for­mer Prophets: therefore came a great wrath from the Lord of hostes.

I haue loued you, saith the Lord, yet you say wherein hast thou loued vs? Malac. against impenitent sinners. Cap. 1. A sonne honoreth his father, and a ser­uant his master; if then I bee a father, where is mine honour? and if bee a master, where is my feare? saith the Lord of hostes vnto you, O ye Priests that despise my name; & ye say, wher­in haue we dispised thy name? my co­uenant was with Leuie of life & peace, [Page 349] and I gaue him feare▪ and he feared me, and was afraid before my name; the law of truth was in his mouth, & there was no iniquitie found in his lippes; he walked with me in peace, and equitie, and did turne many away from iniqui­tie. For the Priests lippes should pre­serue knowledge, & they should seeke the law at his mouth, for he is the mes­senger of the Lord of hostes: but yee are gone out of the way, yee haue cau­sed many to fall by the law, yee haue broken the couenant of Leuy, saith the Lord of hostes; therefore haue I made you also to be despised and vile before all the people, because you kept not my waies, but haue beene partiall in the law, from the dayes of your fathers haue you gone away from mine ordi­nances, and haue not kept them: re­turne vnto mee and I will returne vnto you, saith the Lord of hostes; but ye said wherein shall wee returne? your words haue beene stout against mee, saith the Lord; yet ye say what haue we [Page 350] spoken against thee? ye haue said, it is in vaine to serue God, and what profit is it that we haue kept his commande­ments, and that we haue walked hum­bly before the Lord of hosts. Therfore we count the proud blessed, euen they that worke wickednes are set vp, and they that tempt God, yea, they are de­liuered. Then spake they that feared the lord, euery one to his neighbour, and the lord hearkened, and heard it, and a booke of remembrance was writ­ten before him, for them that feared the lord, and thought vpon his name, and they shall be to me, saith the lord of hosts, in that day, that I shall do this, for a flocke, and will I spare them, as a man that spareth his owne sonne that serueth him. Then shall you returne, and discerne betweene the righteous and the wicked betweene him that ser­ueth God, & him that serueth him not. For behold, the day commeth that shal burne as an ouen, and all the proud, yea and al that do wickedly shalbe stubble, [Page 351] and the day that commeth shall burne them vp, saith the lord of hostes, and shall leaue thē neither roote nor brāch. But vnto you that feare my name shall the sun of righteousnes arise, & health shall be vnder his wings, and you shall go forth, and grow vp as fat calues, and ye shall tread downe the wicked, for they shall be dust vnder the soules of your feete, in the day that I shall do this, saith the lord.