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| LIBRARY | 
UNIVERSITY OF 
CALIFORNIA 


‘ SAN DIEGO; 


UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA. SAN DIEGO 


: This it subject to 
Date Due 


MAR 12 19 


See ee 
ee ee 





Digitized by the Internet Archive 
in 2008 


https://archive.org/details/prayersotherpiecOObeco 


PRAYERS 


AND OTHER PIECES 


Pt OSs CO N, 


The Parker Society. 
Jnustituted AD. M.BDCCC.7L. 





For the Publication of the Whorks of the Fathers 
and Garlp Writers of the Reformed 
English Church. 


Prapers 


AND OTHER PIECES 


OF 


THOMAS BECON, 8S. T. P. 


CHAPLAIN TO ARCHBISHOP CRANMER, PREBENDARY 
OF CANTERBURY, &c. 


COMPRISING, 


THE FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS. 
THE POMANDER OF PRAYER. 
THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 

A COMFORTABLE EPISTLE TO THE AFFLICTED PEOPLE OF GOD. 
AN HUMBLE SUPPLICATION FOR THE RESTORING OF GOD’S WORD. 
THE DISPLAYING OF THE POPISH MASS. 

THE COMMON-PLACES OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURE. 

A COMPARISON BETWEEN THE LORD’S SUPPER AND THE POPE’S MASS. 
CERTAIN ARTICLES OF CHRISTIAN RELIGION PROVED AND CONFIRMED. 
THE DIVERSITY BETWEEN GOD’S WORD AND MAN’S INVENTION. 
THE ACTS OF CHRIST AND OF ANTICHRIST. 

CHRIST’S CHRONICLE. 

THE SUMMARY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 

THE DEMANDS OF HOLY SCRIPTURE, WITH ANSWERS. 





EDITED FOR 


Che Parker Society, 
REV. erate ee M.A., 


OF GONVILLE AND CAIUS COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE, MINISTER OF ST JOHN’S CHAPEL, HAMPSTEAD. 











Cambridge: 


PRINTED AT 


THE UNIVERSITY PRESS. 


M.DCCC.XLIV. 


JOHNSON REPRINT CORPORATION JOHNSON REPRINT COMPANY LTD. 
111 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10003 Berkeley Square House, London, W.1 


First reprinting, 1968, Johnson Reprint Corporation 
Printed in the United States of America 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 
Maeetlower or Godly, Prayers ss. sipe-.2 .ssedessce dicescecaph ese -/esebaleanlinnniaahvesesiansees 1 
aie Pormmander: Of Prayer... 5-¢) seo ac ch fe Noe ee sci oh 2 e av ed < vue veide evens ven’ deussa Zan seanese 74 
TEES STP RY ESTAS RECA ne rin ek en ae Se eR ea Oe 87 
A Comfortable Epistle to the afflicted People of God..................:ccecceeee ceeeees 192 
An Humble Supplication unto God for the restoring of his Holy Word. ....... 223 
Phe Pisplayine or the Popisth Mass: 2 .5<00.c-c55.c0.00 asusees ones en sassou% Peaneieroan: 251 
The Common-places of the Holy Scripture ..... Misc B aes each Paes ae OR Sa ess aied 287 
A Comparison between the Lord’s Supper and the phe, 1 Ea Be a eran aoe 351 
Certain Articles of Christian Religion proved and confirmed ..................0..05- 396 
The Diversity between God’s Word and Man’s Invention ...............0.:00008 one 484 
RHC VAC A DEACHTINE ANG Ol ADUCUTISG <<< os: nob 2 ch spqeh<ohicsisaes pae-tscus we ark coe oewerecees 498 
@hrists) Chronicle, © 2.525.556 4ce sian canes nnn te seh come Pee ROI ae aby Medes ated. 540 
hepsummary of: the: News Mestament: ..:.° 5.0.24. .6-.2n.s-ohaas-saavawensecsh-oo-00e veene 660 
The Demands of Holy Scripture, with Answers.............::...0..sesnececeneeesseeees 595 


Ninn d seem ee eT Sr EI oi hE conse Tae nema S OL SEE Ee SUA ote oo ceo 625 


VOL. II. pace 


VOL. Il. 


ERRATA AND ADDENDA. 


note 9 line 2, for percipiendo read precipiendo. 
note 2 line 3, for et read est. 

note 2 line 3, for xxiv. read xxiii. 

note 2 line last but one, for Parsi. read Pars 1. 
note 1 lines 4, 5, for cap. xxi. read cap. xxii. 


note 2. The following is more likely the passage meant: Ovddels yap Tay 
évtav0a py dtadkvoapévwy Ta auaptnuata, ameOuwy éxet duvyceTat Tas eri 
tTovTos evOivas Stapuyeiv’ x. T. \.—Chrysost. Op. Par. 1718—38. In Matt. 
Hom. xiv. Tom. VII. p. 183. 

line 31, for Son read son. 

note 2, for 13 read 14. 

note 12, after line 3, insert, symbolum fidei recitetur. 

note 14, add: Eusebius elsewhere uses an expression very similar to that in the 
text: Tijv elxdva tov idiov cwpatos moretofar mapaxedevopuevos. — De 
Demonst. Evang. Lib. vim. cap. i. in Catalog. Test. Gen. 1608, cols. 180, 1. 
note 3 line 12, for Ludg. read Lugd. 


THE FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS, 


BY 


THOMAS BECON. 


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AN SOWIE a 


TO THE 
MOST HONOURABLE AND VIRTUOUS LADY 
ANNE, DUCHESS OF SOMERSET' HER GRACE, 


THOMAS BECON, HER MOST HUMBLE AND FAITHFUL SERVANT, 
WISHETH THE FAVOUR OF GOD, INCREASE OF HONOUR, 
LONG LIFE, AND PROSPEROUS HEALTH, 

BOTH OF BODY AND SOUL. 


So oft as I behold the face of this world, namely of this realm of England, most 
gracious lady, I know not whether there be offered unto me greater occasions of gladness 
or of sadness. For when I consider the horrible blindness and monstrous ignorance 
which heretofore reigned among us a great number of years, yea, and that almost univer- 
sally in all parts of the christian public weal, through the subtile devices of Satan and 
of his ministers, which, to deceive the foolish blind world, fashion themselves like unto 
the apostles of Christ, and walk as the angels of light, when, notwithstanding, they 2 cor. xi. 
are indeed false apostles and deceitful workers, “having an outward appearance of 2 ‘Tim. iii. 
godliness, but utterly denying the virtue and power thereof ;” and now sce the aforesaid 
pestilences banished and driven out of this most flourishing realm of England, through 
the wonderful working of God’s Spirit in the king’s majesty, and in his most honourable 
council, I cannot but heartily rejoice and give God most entire thanks. 

For who seeth not, except he be wilfully blind and obstinately refuse to see, how 
many notable and excellent benefits of our salvation we have received of God under 
this our king? a prince for his godly disposition and virtuous enterprises worthily to King Baward 
enjoy not only immortal fame, but also the years of ancient and long-living Methuse- ct aa 
lath. His majesty even in these his young years, by the advice of his most honourable 
council, hath no less travailed in putting away idolatry, papistry, superstition, and 
hypocrisy out of this his grace’s realm, and in restoring unto us his humble and obedient 
subjects the true religion, and the glorious gospel of our Saviour Jesu Christ, than that 
most godly young king Josias did in his kingdom of Juda, which, bemg but a child Pea 
of eight years old when he began to reign, did notwithstanding both studiously and xxiv. ” 
earnestly seek after the God of David his father, and turned neither to the right hand 
nor to the left. And in the twelfth year he began to purge Juda and Hicrusalem of 
hill-altars, groves, carved images, and images of metal; so that they broke down the 
altars of Baal even in the king’s presence, and the idols that were upon them he 
caused to be destroyed. He slew the idolatrous priests and the chaplains of Baal. He 
destroyed the stews and whorish houses’. He never ceased till he had reformed all A glass for 
his whole realm, and brought in again the true religion of God. O most shining mirror aio: 
and lively exemplar for all godly princes to behold and follow! 


[1 Anne, duchess of Somerset, was mother to | commends “‘as a worthy patron both of the godly 
that lady Jane Seymour to whom Becon dedicated | and of godliness, both of the learned and of learn- 
the “Governance of Virtue ;’’ in the account of | ing,’’ has been stigmatized as proud and ambitious ; 
whom (Vol. I. page 396, note 1) some notice was | and it has been said that to her unwillingness to 
taken of the duchess. To what is there said it may | allow precedence to queen Katherine Parr, the wife 
be added, that her father, Sir Edward Stanhope, | of her husband’s younger brother, the animosity was 
who distinguished himself at the battle of Stoke, in | to be attributed between the protector and the 
which Lambert Simnel was overthrown, and also | admiral, which brought the latter to the scaffold, 
at that of Blackheath, was the ancestor of the earl | and in its consequences was not without a share in 
of Chesterfield. ‘The date of her marriage with her | the protector’s ruin. It is probable, however, that 
husband, at that time earl of Hertford, though not | this accusation was greatly exaggerated, if not alto- 
precisely known, was in all probability about 1538. | gether invented by party violence.] 

The character of this lady, whom Becon so highly [? Six words are omitted. ] 





] ao) 


The pepe’s 
pedlary. 


Tit. ii. 


4 THE FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS. 


Even this also hath our most christian king done and brought to pass in his dominions, 
yea, and that in a younger age. For this his grace’s realm is already delivered from 
antichrist’s tyranny. We are made free from his yoke. We are cumbered no more 
with his trifling traditions and dirty deceits. The breaking of his laws disquiet our 
conscience no more. His ceremonies are banished. His religious monsters have no 
longer place among us. His invocation of saints, his gadding on pilgrimages, his gilding 
of images, his painting of tabernacles, his setting up of candles before stocks, his purga- 
tory, his masses of Scala Celt, his bulls, his pardons, his dispensations, his jubilees, his 
justification of works, his selling of merits, his canonizing of saints, his diriges, his 
trentals, his blasphemous masses, his idolatrous altars, his earish confession’, his housel” 
in one kind for the lay, his holy bread, his holy water, his oil, his cream, his wax, his 
flax, his palms, his ashes, his idolatry, his hypocrisy, his candlesticks, his reliques, his 
corporas, his portass, his sheep-hook, his mass-book, his crosier, his mitre, his censing, 
his popish fasting, his shaving, his greasing, his sacrificing, his god-making, his tran- 
substantiation, his excommunication, his unchaste chaste vows, his hallowed boughs, his 
beads, his vestments, his idols, his Romish service, his antichristian orders, his Peter- 
pence, his frankincenses, his primacy, and all his pelting pedlary is utterly banished 
and driven out of this land. 

Instead of these outrageous pestilences of the christian public weal, is entered in 
among us the glorious light of Christ’s gospel, the true knowledge of God, the right 
worshipping of God, the hearty calling on the name of the Lord, the justification of 
faith, the hope of having remission of all our sins in Christ's blood, the godly and 
christian works, the sincere preaching of God’s blessed word, the true ministration of 
the holy sacraments, the reading of the sacred scriptures in our own English tongue, the 
knowledge of our duty toward the king’s majesty and all the high powers, and how 
we should behave ourselves toward all men, yea, and how we ourselves ought to “live 
soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world,” with an infinite number of such 
godly treasures. 

And if any thing be behind that is not yet brought unto perfection (as sores of 
long continuance are not straightways healed), I doubt not but that the king’s most 


aCe excellent. majesty, and his godly, prudent, wise, and honourable council will see it 


Psal. exlvii. 


The ingrati- 
tude of 
England 
toward God 


for the gift of 


his word. 


reformed, and never leave off their godly purpose, after the example of good king Josias, 
till they have stablished all things in this realm according to God’s word, and made 
this church of England a worthy spectacle and notable exemplar for all fornications* to 
behold and follow. 

The restoring of the glorious light of Christ’s gospel unto us, the driving away of 
papistry out of this realm, the having of so godly and noble a prince to be our king 
and governor, assisted with so honourable and godly-wise councillors, are without all 
doubt the incomparable and singular great benefits of God, and evident tokens of his 
earnest. good-will toward this realm of England, and the inhabitants of the same. “ He 
hath not dealt so with all nations,” neither hath he shewed so manifestly his blessed 
will unto them. 

When I consider, most gracious lady, these things, I am joyful, glad, and merry, 
and judge myself happy and blessed of God, that it hath chanced me to live in that 
age wherein the whore of Babylon, with all her marked merchants, is confounded, 
and the Lamb, I mean Christ, even in us his weak members, hath gotten the victory ; 
wherein also so godly a prince and so virtuous a council ruleth and governeth this our 
country. 

But as of these friendly benefits of God I conceive an unfeigned gladness in my 
heart, forasmuch as through them I am fully persuaded of God’s good-will toward 
this realm of England, so contrariwise am I many times provoked unto sadness, when 
I consider our ingratitude, our unthankfulness, yea, our beastly churlishness toward God. 

For, albeit many among us, both of the nobility and of the baser sort (thanks be 
to God!) do both faithfully and earnestly embrace this loving-kindness of God, and be 





[' Earish confession: confession whispered in | [2 Housel or hushel : the eucharist. ] 
the ear. ] |? Possibly the true reading is foreign nations. | 


THE PREFACE. 5 


thankful to him for his benefits, leading for their possible power a life worthy of his 
fatherly goodness; yet the most and greatest part are unthankful, and little esteem 

these singular benefits of God. Yet there are (whose judgments, wits, and senses “ the 2 Cor. iv. 
god of this world hath blinded, because the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, which 

is the image of God, should not shine unto them”) that wish rather to be again in 
Egypt among the greasy flesh-pots, devouring cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and Num. xi. 
garlic, than to taste of manna, that heavenly meat. Some other again there be (would Gross 
God not of them which be called gospellers, and have the holy scriptures swimming ys 
in their lips, and God’s book either in their hands or hanging at their girdles!) which 
pretend a love to the gospel, and yet in their conversation and living are as ungodly, 
uncharitable, unmerciful, unrighteous, proud, voluptuous, disdainful, covetous, malicious, 
envious, idle, &c., as the papists, yea, as the Jews, Turks, and Saracens are. “ With Tit. i. 
their words they confess that they know God, but with their works they deny him.” 

They are pleasant fig-trees in leaves and blossoms, but in fruit nothing at all. They Matt. xxi. 
are stout disciples of Christ so long as Christ feedeth them with bread, yea, they can John vi. 
be content to make Christ a king; but when Christ requireth of them a care and study 

for heavenly things, a constant faith, a good life, a merciful heart toward the poor, 

then are they gone. They are no longer Christ’s friends than Christ serveth their turn. 

In railing against papists, in defying the laws of the bishop of Rome, in despising the 
ceremonies of the church, in eating all kinds of meats without difference of days in the 
presence they care not of whom, in absenting themselves from the common prayer and 

from the receiving of the Lord’s supper, in breaking all honest and civil orders, in getting 

what may be gotten under the pretence of the gospel, in leading a dissolute life, in 
outwardly speaking fair, yet inwardly meaning craft and deceit, &c. ; in all these things 

(if such things may set forward the gospel) they are content to shew themselves fine 
gospellers and sweet brothers; but in mortifying their carnal affects, in dying to the 
world, in fighting against Satan, in crucifying the flesh, in distributing their goods to 

the poor, in leading a life worthy of the gospel of Christ, they are worse than the great 
Turk, or any other infidel. 

The gospel of Christ begetteth and bringeth forth new life, and new manners, yea, The nature of 
and those pure, honest, and godly. If such fruits follow not the gospellers’ profession, aa 
in vain do they brag of the gospel of the grace of God, of the christian liberty, of the 
justification of faith, of the sacrifice of Christ’s death, of the price of his precious blood, 
and of our righteous-making by his glorious resurrection. If they were the sons of God, 
they would do the works of God. “The son,” saith God, “honoureth his father, and Mali. 
the servant his lord. If I be a Father, where is my honour? if I be a Lord, where is 
my fear? saith the Lord of hosts.” 

If we diligently mark the manners of men, verily, the pride, the covetousness, the 
unmercifulness, the envy, the malice, the voluptuous living, feigned friendship, and such 
other abominable sins which reign and triumph now-a-days in us, shall evidently declare 
what good gospellers and perfect Christians we are. It may shame us in this open 
light of the gospel to bring forth the works of darkness, and to live as though we knew 
no gospel, no God, no Christ, no truth. God may well say of us as he said of the 
Jews: “IT have nourished and brought up children ; and they have despised me.” God Isii.i. 

. . TOV. 1. 

calleth us; and we refuse to go. God stretcheth out his hand; and no man regardeth it. Matt. xxi. 
God commandeth us to work in his vineyard; and we loiter abroad idly. God giveth us Matt. xxv. 
talents to occupy ; and we bury them in the ground, and do no good with them. God 

calleth us unto the marriage of his Son; and we have so much mind of our farms, of Matt. xxii. 
our oxen, and of our wives, that we have no pleasure to go. God would gather us Matt. xxiii. 
together, as the hen doth her chickens; but we will none of it. God proffereth us the 

light of his glorious gospel; but we love to walk in darkness. God would shew himself 

unto us; but we care not for the sight of him. God would us to be saved; but we 

regard not our salvation. O too much beast-like churlishness! The devil, the world, 

and the flesh have so blinded our eyes, that we cannot see what is good and profitable 

for us. 

What shall I speak of the disobedience and stubborn papists, which both obsti- Papists 
nately and maliciously resist the manifest truth of God’s blessed word, and will by 


Matt. xii. 
Mark iii. 
Luke xii. 


Isai. xxx. 


Job xxi. 


Matt. viii. 


Sectaries. 


Matt. xxi. 


John iii. 


Psal. cix. 


Jonah iii. 


Jer. xxix. 


Jer. ix. 


Isai. i. 


Matt. xi. 


6 THE FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS. 


no means consent unto it, although their own conscience accuseth and condemneth 
them for so doing? If any commit that most grievous sin against the Holy Ghost, 
which shall never be forgiven, certes those papists which know the truth of Christ's 
gospel, and yet maliciously and of a set purpose with all their power resist it, are 
guilty of that sin. These papists, as the prophet calleth them, are “an obstinate 
people, unfaithful children, yea, children that will not hear the law of the Lord. 
They cry continually, Speak pleasant things unto us, and preach us false things. 
Tread out of the way, go out of the path, turn the Holy One of Israel from us.” 
“Depart from us, O God: we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.” These papists 
are like the Gergesenes, which for fear of losing their filthy swine were loth that Christ 
should come among them. God turn their hearts! 

What shall I speak of the anabaptists, libertines, epicures, and such other secta- 
ries, which scorn and mock the mysteries of God’s word, and live so licentiously and 
voluptuously without all fear of God, as though there were no God at all, nor no 
life after this? God have mercy on us! When I consider this our both untowardness 
and unthankfulness, it maketh me sorrowful, because we answer not kindness for kind- 
ness, but rather evil for good. And, to increase my sorrow, this sentence of our Saviour 
Christ doth many times come into my mind: “ The kingdom of God shall be taken 
away from you, and shall be given to a people that shall bring forth the fruits of it.” 
Our life is so ungodly and we are so unfruitful in good works, that without all doubt, 
except we repent and amend, God’s word for our unthankfulness shall not only be 
taken away from us, but also, for these most sweet and pleasant benefits of God, we 
may be sure to feel most bitter and grievous plagues. God will not be mocked. “This 
is the condemnation,” saith Christ, “that light is come into the world; and men loved 
darkness more than light, because their deeds were evil.” “He loved cursing,” saith 
the psalmograph, “and it shall come upon him: he would none of the blessing, there- 
fore shall it be far from him.” 

The property of God, which will not the death of a sinner, but rather that he 
turn and live, is first to send his prophets and preachers to exhort the people unto 
repentance and amendment of life. If they willingly hear the preachers, repent, and 
amend their life, as the Ninivites did at the preaching of Jonas, then are all the 
plagues, which their sins most justly had deserved, turned away from them, and the 
blessing of God lighteth upon that people. God favoureth them: God keepeth and 
defendeth them: God giveth them abundance of all things: God keepeth their realms 
quiet and free from commotions: God sendeth them good magistrates and godly 
preachers: God prospereth all their doings. But if they despise the preaching of 
God’s word, and will not redress their life according to the rule and appointment 
thereof, but go forth in the lewdness of their heart, and continue in all their abomi- 
nations, then doth God’s curse fall upon them, penury and scarceness of temporal things, 
insurrections and commotions, errors and heresies, battle and plague, cruel tyrants and 
false preachers, confusion of things, and final destruction, as God himself saith by 
the prophet: “I will send upon them sword, hunger, and pestilence,...because they have 
not heard my words which I sent to them, saith the Lord, by my servants the pro- 
phets.” Again he saith: “ Because they have forsaken my law that I gave them, and 
have not heard my voice, nor yet walked thereafter, but followed the wickedness of 
their own hearts, and run after strange gods, as their fathers taught them; therefore 
thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, Behold I will feed this people with 
wormwood, and give them gall to drink. I will scatter them among the heathen, 
whom neither they nor their fathers have known. And I will send a sword among 
them to persecute them, and I will never leave until I have brought them to nought.” 
The prophet also saith: “If ye will be loving and obedient, ye shall enjoy the best things 
that grow upon the earth. But if ye will be obstinate and rebellious, ye shall be 
devoured with the sword. For thus the Lord hath promised with his own mouth.” 

How doth our Saviour thunder against Chorasin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum, and 
threat them everlasting damnation, because they would not receive the word of God and 
amend their living! “ Wo be to thee, Chorasin! wo be to thee, Bethsaida!” saith Christ. 
“For if the miracles which were shewed in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, 


THE PREFACE. 7 


they had repented long agone in sackcloth and ashes. Nevertheless I say unto you, It 
shall be easier for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment than for you. And thou, 
Capernaum, which art lift up unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell. For if the 
miracles which have been done in thee, had been shewed in Sodom, they had remained 
unto this day. Nevertheless I say unto you, It shall be easier for the land of Sodom at 
the day of judgment than for you.” Again he saith to his disciples and to all faith- 
ful preachers: ‘‘ He that heareth you heareth me, and he that despiseth you despiseth Luke x. 
me, and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.” Therefore whosoever 
will not receive you, nor will hear your sermons, when ye depart out of that house or 
that city, shake off the dust of your feet. Verily I say unto you, It shall be easier 
for the land of Sodom and Gomorre in the day of judgment than for that city.” 

The despising of God’s word and the preachers thereof never escapeth unplagued, 
as it is evident by the histories of the holy scripture. Nohe preached to the old 
world, and exhorted them to repent and to amend their life, or else God would surely 
plague them. They laughed Nohe (whom St Peter calleth the right’ “ preacher of righte- 2 Pet. ii 
ousness”) to scorn, and his doctrine. What followed? Was not all the world drowned, Gen. vii. 
eight persons only excepted? Lot, seeing the unnatural and most abominable uncleanness 
of the stinking Sodomites, counselled them to cease so too much licentiously to offend their 
Lord God. ‘They would not hear Lot nor his sermons, but churlishly entreated him. Gen, xix. 
What followed? Were they not consumed with water, fire, and brimstone from heaven ? 2 Pet. ii. 
O most dreadful plagues! The Jews many times fell away from their Lord God, and 
worshipped strange gods, and defiled themselves with all the abominations of the heathen. 

“The Lord God of their fathers, having compassion on his people, sent to them by 2 chron. 
his messengers, yea, betimes sent he to them,” afore to warn of the plagues that should ~*~” 
fall upon them, if they did not repent and with all their hearts turn again unto the 
Lord their God. ‘“‘ But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised their words, 

and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord so arose against his people, that 

it was past remedy.” What followed? Did not God send in their enemies among 
them, “which slew their young men with the sword in their holy temple, and neither 
spared young man nor maiden, neither old man, neither so much as him that stooped 

for age?” Were not all their goods spoiled, and their strong cities and towers destroyed 

and brent with fire? Were not their kings bound in fetters, and had their eyes cruelly 
thrust out, and so miserably carried away like bond-slaves and prisoners into captivity ? 

If any men of war or cunning artificers remained alive, were they not all carried away, 

and compelled too much wretchedly to serve in a strange country, yea, and that their very 
enemies? Horrible and dreadful plagues would these appear to the eyes of our mind, 

and make us stand in awe of God’s vengeance, if we had any fear of God in us. 

“ All these things,” saith St Paul, “happened unto them for examples, and were 
written to put us in remembrance, whom the ends of the world are come upon. 1 Cor. x. 
Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.” ‘* For there is 
no respect of persons with God; but in all people he that feareth him and worketh acts x. 
righteousness is accepted with him.” So likewise he that feareth not God nor worketh 
righteousness, but liveth without all fear of God in wickedness and ungodliness, may 
be sure to be plagued, of whatsoever country, nation, or kindred he be. ‘For there 
is no respect of persons with God.” 

Moreover, after certain years of their captivity, God, remembering his promise, even 
of his own goodness delivered them out of thraldom, and brought them home again Jer xxix. 
into their own country, where by the space of certain years after their return, 
even so long as the plagues were hot and fresh in their memory, as the manner $8 
of the world is, they continued in the fear of God, and walked according to his word. 

But when they once grew unto a quictness, and by that means began to wax wealthy, 
they straightways forgot both God and his plagues, and became the old men again, 
ambitious, proud, covetous, malicious, disdainful, unmerciful, voluptuous, and _ stirred 
up sedition among themselves. They strived who should be highest in authority. 
They bought and sold all offices and dignities. Not the worthiness of the person, 


{! Folio, ryghte, a slight mistake apparently for eyghte, i.e. eighth.] 


8 THE FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS. 


ace but the sum of the money was considered. They gave their minds wholly to worldly 


Heb. i. 


Matt. ix. 
Matt. iv. 
Matt. x. 
Mark iii. vi. 
Luke ix. x. 


Mark i. 
John viii. 
vii. x. 
Matt. ix. 
John viii. 


Matt. xxvii. 


Matt. xxviii. 
Mark xvi. 
Luke xxiv. 


Acts v. vii. 
Acts xii. 


honour and riches. He that could set himself in the highest place among the officers 
of the commonwealth, howsoever he came by it, was counted the most worthy and 
most honourable person. God and his word were set at nought. The prophets and 
preachers of God’s word were brought unto extreme beggary, made of no reputation, 
and not hearkened unto. In this deep silence of God’s truth there arose certain sects 
(as the devil never sleepeth, but watcheth his time), the Pharisees, the Sadducees, the 
Essees, which instead of God’s word brought in their own traditions, and so cor- 
rupted the holy law of God. God, seeing this their ingratitude and unthankfulness, 
vexed them, besides other plagues, with continual wars, and brought them under the 
dominion of the Romans; so that, whereas before they were free, now are they in most 
miserable subjection to strangers, yea, and those their enemies. For God will not 
leave the contempt of his word and wicked living unpunished. 

Notwithstanding, God, according to his old and accustomed gentleness, once again 
having pity on them, and willing to prove if yet now at the last they will repent 
and amend, that they may be saved, sendeth not unto them his servants the prophets 
as afore, but his own dearly-beloved and only-begotten Son, to call them by his most 
godly sermons unto repentance and amendment of life, and to work miracles among 
them, not only for the confirmation of his doctrine, but also for their comfort. Christ 
preacheth. Christ worketh miracles. Christ sendeth his disciples and apostles abroad 
to preach. Christ turned every stone, as they say, to win the Jews unto true godli- 
ness, to bring them unto repentance, unto faith, and unto amendment of life. But 
how is Christ and his doctrine received? Few godly persons excepted, the residue 
mock and scorn Christ. They call him a teacher of new learning, one possessed with 
a devil, a deceiver of the people, a madman, a glutton, a wine-bibber, a friend of 
sinners and whores, a Samaritan, and all that naught is. To be short, they never put 
off their fury until they brought Christ unto death, even unto the death of the cross. 
This reward had good Christ of the churlish Jews for his unrestful pains-taking. 

Notwithstanding Christ sheweth himself still a loving Saviour even to his very 
enemies. For after his glorious resurrection he sent forth his apostles to preach and 
to work miracles among them, to prove if they would yet convert and amend. But 
what became of them? Some they prisoned, some they whipped, some they stoned, 
some they slew with sword: all, even so many as they could get, they most cruelly 
entreated; so nothing were they moved unto repentance either by the doctrine or 
miracles of the apostles. 

After they had slain Christ, God gave them forty years respite to repent, always 
sending them preachers to exhort them unto repentance, and to aforewarn them of 
the plagues to come, except they repent and amend. They would not hear, but 
tyrant-like handled the faithful preachers of Christ; yea, the godly apostle St James, 
which in their chief city Jerusalem was bishop and preacher among them thirty years 
after Christ’s ascension, never ceasing neither day nor night to exhort them unto 
true godliness, and to pray unto God to be merciful unto them, and to forgive them 
their sins, they most cruelly entreated, and unjustly put him to death. What fol- 
lowed? God, which will not always wink at the wickedness of man, stirred up the 
Romans against them, which besieged them so long, that the Jews were compelled 
for very hunger (O horrible act and dreadful deed!) to eat their own children, yea, 
and to creep into the privies (O most loathsome thing!) and to scrat out the most 
filthy and stinking dung (which eyes abhor to see and nose to smell), and for very 
famine to eat it. 

Whose heart trembleth not to hear these things? One slew another for meat. 
One plucked another’s meat out of his mouth. Some died for hunger. Some slew 
themselves. The houses were full of dead women and children. The ways lay full 
of the dead carcases of old people. The young folk went up and down in the city, 
famished for hunger, and as the very shadows of death, ready at every step to fall 
down. In the city was nothing but lamentation, sighing, crying, weeping, sorrow, 
plague, pestilence, murder, famine, fear, tearing of hair, wringing of hands, cursing 
the time of their birth, desperation, calling for death, looking for present destruc- 


THE PREFACE. 9 


tion, and whatsoever is unpleasant and deadly. The death in the city through the 
plague and famine was so great, that, besides houses, streets, and great ditches full of 
innumerable dead carcases, there were cast out of the gates of the city six hundred 
thousand dead bodies of men, women, and children. O most lamentable chance ! 
They that were slain were eleven hundred thousand. They that were led prisoners 
away of the enemies were in number fourscore and seventeen thousand. They that 
died for hunger in prison were twelve thousand. The famous temple, the princely 
palaces, the high towers, the strong castles, the gorgeous building, the pleasant 
houses, the thick walls, the mighty fortresses, and all that ever there was, they threw 
down and brent. All things lost their old beauty. A destruction and very desola- 
tion of all things was made. Whatsoever was within the city, it went to havyock. 
There were two thousand of them that fled out of the city, which had their bellies 
ripped and opened in one night, to see if they had swallowed in any gold into their 
bodies or not. There was nothing free from the enemy. 

O truly is it said of the psalmograph, “Except the Lord keepeth the city, he 
watcheth in vain that keepeth it.” If the Lord fighteth, who can resist his power ? 
If the Lord will destroy, who can save? If the Lord will cast down, who is able 
to help up? “There is no wisdom, no forecast, no counsel that can prevail against 
the Lord.” All the towers, castles, fortresses, bulwarks, and block-houses, all armours, 
guns, and artillery, all strength, valiance, and policy, can prevail nothing, if the Lord 
be against us, which is almighty, as he saith by the prophet: “There is none that 
can take away any thing out of my hand; and what I will do can no man put away 
nor change.” 

From that destruction of Hierusalem unto this day, the Jews have ever lived like 
most vile vagabonds and abominable abjects, having no certain country, no common- 
weal, no kingdom, no priesthood. Verily no man, except he be flint-hearted', can 
read the history of the destruction of Hierusalem, as Josephus doth describe it, without 
most large tears. Would God it were translated into our English tongue, that all men 
might read it, and learn to fear God! For “if God spared not the natural olive- 
tree” for their unfaithfulness and disobedience, (I mean the Jews,) neither will he spare 
“the wild olive-tree,’ (I mean us that are gentiles,) if we commit the like offences. 
If God would not spare them “to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and 
covenants, and the law that was given, and the service of God, and the promises?; 
whose also are the fathers, and they of whom, as concerning the flesh, Christ came, 
which is God over all things blessed for ever ;” is it to be thought that he will spare 
us, which were heathen in time past, without Christ, reputed “aliants from the com- 
monwealth of Israel, and strangers from the testaments of the promise, and had no 
hope, and were without God in this world,” if we be found unfaithful and disobedient 2 
“If God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down into hell, and de- 
livered them into chains of darkness, to be kept unto the judgment;” let us not 
think that he will spare us mortal and miserable wretches, if we without repentance 
_ go forth to offend his divine majesty. “‘ He that despiseth Moyses’ law dieth without 
mercy, under two or three witnesses: of how much more grievous punishment, suppose 
ye, shall he be counted worthy, which treadeth under foot the Son of God, and count- 
eth the blood of the testament as an ungodly thing, wherewith he was sanctified, and 
doth dishonour to the Spirit of grace?” O1! “it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands 
of the living God.” For “upon the ungodly will he rain snares, fire, brimstone, and 
tempest: this reward shall the wicked have to drink.” God have mercy on us, and give 
us all grace to fear him aright, to repent and amend our life, to embrace his blessed 
gospel, and to bring forth the fruits thereof! 

What shall I speak of the mighty monarchies or empires of the Assyrians and 
Greeks, which flourished not only with all kind of temporal riches, but also with most 
excellent and learned wits? Live they not now in most miserable captivity under 
that cruel tyrant, the great Turk, that mortal enemy of Christ’s religion? How 
came it to pass? Verily, they were disobedient to God’s word, unmerciful one to 





[! Folio, stint-hearted.] [2 Fotio, promise, is.] 


Psal. exxvii- 
Prov. xxi. 


Prov. xxi. 


Isai. xliii. 


Rom. xi. 


Rom. ix. 


Eph. ii. 


2 Pet. ii. 


Heb. x. 


Psal. xi. 


The Assy- 
rians and 
Greeks. 


The Rhodes. 


Germany, 


Psal. Ixxxix. 


Psal. ciit. 


Britons. 


Gildas. 


10 THE FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS. 


another, and led a life more lascivious and wanton than that effeminate king, Sar- 
danapalus. God stirred up preachers to exhort them unto repentance: they laughed 
them to scorn. It came to pass, that God for their ingratitude and churlishness gave 
them into such an enemy’s hand, as none could be found more hateful, neither con- 
cerning Christ nor Christ’s religion, which at that time both killed and sold an in- 
finite number, and even at this present oppresseth them with most miserable servitude, 
and holdeth them down in most vile slavery, unto the great decay of the christian faith, 
and unto the unspeakable sorrow of all godly people. 

How came it to pass that the Rhodes, even in our time, is subdued also of that 
most cruel tyrant, the emperor of Turkey, turned from Christ unto Mahomet, from 
the christian religion unto the Turkish profession? Was not superstition, idolatry, 
feigned holiness, coloured chastity, that is to say, filthy whoredom, stinking fornica- 
tion, dissolute living, usury, and such like abominable vices, causes hereof? God hold 
his holy hand over us! 

To speak much of Germany, sometime a dear mother, a loving nurse, and friendly 
patroness of all learning, and a sure sanctuary for godly-learned men to flee unto 
from antichrist’s tyranny, a country sometime richly endued with all spiritual blessings 
of God, from whom also brasted out the comfortable light of Christ’s gospel, that now 
shineth here among us in this realm, very sorrow will not suffer me. © how lament- 
able a thing is it, so noble, free, and famous a country to be brought into slavery; 
yea, and that worse is, godly and christian preachers to be banished, and wicked 
papists to enter in; the preaching of Christ’s gospel to be driven out of the churches, 
and the popish service to be used; the supper of the Lord to be taken away, and 
that most idolatrous, stinking, and abominable masking mass to be received as a god! 
What christian heart lamenteth not to consider these things? Of the plague that is 
now fallen among them, the men of God (I mean the preachers) told them full oft 
afore, and exhorted them unto repentance. But all in vain. For, certain godly magis- 
trates and learned men excepted, with a few other, the greater part of Germany, even 
as in the pope’s kingdom, walked still in the works of darkness. They talked much 
of Christ’s gospel, but lived no part thereof. They abused the spiritual liberty of the 
gospel, and turned it to a carnal freedom, making the gospel a cloke of their wick- 
edness. These abominations could not God suffer, seeing that before all other nations 
he had given them the knowledge of his holy word. Notwithstanding, I doubt not 
but that God, for his mercy’s sake, and for the love of his elect, whom that country 
nourisheth, will shortly turn away his anger from them, and lighten his cheerful and 
loving countenance again upon them, as he saith by the psalmograph: “If they break 
my ordinances, and keep not my commandments, I will visit their offences with the 
rod, and their sins with scourges. Nevertheless my loving-kindness will I not utterly 
take from him, nor suffer my truth to fail.” “‘ The Lord is full of compassion and 
mercy, long-suffering, and of great goodness.” ‘ He will not deal with us after our 
sins, nor reward us according to our wickedness. For look, how high heaven is in 
comparison of the earth, so great is his mercy also toward them that fear him. Look, 
how wide the east is from the west, so far will he set our sins from us. Yea, like 
as a father pitieth his own children, even so is the Lord merciful to them that fear 
him. For he knoweth whereof we be made: he remembereth that we are but dust, 
that a man in his time is but as grass, and flourisheth as a flower of the field. 
For as soon as the wind goeth over it, it is gone, and the place thereof knoweth it 
no more. But the merciful goodness of the Lord endureth for ever and ever upon 
them that fear him, and his righteousness upon their children, such as keep his cove- 
nant and think upon the commandments to do them.” 

Moreover, as I may let pass divers other histories, which be left here among us 
as monuments of God’s vengeance against the churlish and unthankful, and (as they 
say) come near home, read we not that God stirred up Gildas to preach unto the old 
Britons', and to exhort them unto repentance and amendment of life, and aforewarn 
them of the plagues to come, if they repent not? What availed it? Gildas was 





{' In the 6th century.] 


THE PREFACE. 1] 


laughed to scorn, and taken for a false prophet and a malicious preacher. The 
Britons with lusty courages, whorish faces, and unrepentant hearts, went for to 
sin, and to offend the Lord their God. What followed? God sent in their ene- 
mies upon them on every side, and destroyed them, and gave the land unto other 
nations. 

And since that time God hath plagued this realm full oft for their sin and dis- 
obedience. Not many years past God, seeing idolatry, superstition, hypocrisy, and 
wicked living used in his realm, raised up that godly-learned man John Wycliffe to 
preach unto our fathers repentance, and to exhort them to amend their lives, to for- 
sake their papistry and idolatry, their hypocrisy, superstition, and to walk in the fear 
of God. His exhortations were not regarded. He with his sermons was despised. 
His books and he himself also after his death were brent. What followed? They 
slew their right king, and set up three wrong kings arow’, under whom all the noble 
blood was slain up, and half the commons thereto, what in France and what with 
their own sword in fighting among themselves for the crown, and the cities and towns 
decayed, and the land brought half to a wilderness in respect of that it was before. 
O extreme plagues of God’s vengeance! 

Since that time, even of late years, God once again having pity on this realm of 
England, raised up his prophets, namely, William Tyndal, Thomas Bilney, John Fryth, 
Doctor Barnes, Jerome, Garret, Anthony Parsone*®, with divers other, which both with 
their writings and sermons* earnestly laboured to call us unto repentance, that by this 
means the fierce wrath of God might be turned away from us. But how were they 
entreated? How were their painful labours regarded? They themselves were con- 
demned and brent as heretics, and their books condemned and brent as heretical. 
O most unworthy act! ‘‘ The time shall come,” saith Christ, “that whosoever kill- 
eth you will think that he doth God high good service.” Whether any thing since 
that time hath chanced unto this realm worthy the name of a plague, let the godly- 
wise judge. If God hath deferred his punishment, or forgiven us these our wicked 
deeds, as I trust he hath, let us not therefore be proud and high-minded, but most 
humbly thank him for his tender mercies, and beware of the like ungodly enterprises 
hereafter. 

But howsoever the matter goeth, of this am I sure, that God yet once again is 
come on visitation to this church of England, yea, and that more lovingly and bene- 
ficially than ever he did afore. For in this his visitation he hath redressed many abuses, 
and cleansed this his church of much ungodliness and superstition, and made it a 
glorious church, if it be compared unto the old form and state. He hath given us 
a most worthy prince to be our king, which halt not on both sides, following God 
and Baal, Christ and the pope, neither turneth he unto the right hand nor unto the 
left, but he walketh very faithfully in the same way that the Lord his God hath 
appointed, having alway a respect unto God’s law, that he may do all things ac- 
cording to the same. He hath given the king his majesty also most wise and godly- 
learned councillors to assist his grace, which unto the uttermost of their power study 
to set forth the glory of God, to maintain the true and christian religion, and to keep 
the commonwealth in a decent and quiet order. He hath given us his most blessed 
word to read, yea, and that in our own English tongue. He hath sent us faithful and 
godly preachers to instruct us abundantly in the knowledge of his blessed will. He 
hath driven away the idolatrous mass, and restored unto us the right use of the 
Lord’s supper. He hath banished the Romish service and superstitious ceremonies 
out the temples, and placed in their stead godly preachings and learned sermons. 
Certes lovingly and very mercifully hath God dealt with us in this his visitation. 

And all these his gifts are evident tokens of his loving-kindness toward us. We 
have now God our loving Father and merciful Saviour: let us take heed that we 
make him not of a friend an enemy. He hath now blessed us with all manner of 


[? Arow : in a row, successively. ] pp. 211, 250, 301, 435, 438, 441, 460, &c. ] 
[® Histories of all these individuals may be read [* This is probably the true reading; folio, 
in Fox, Acts and Monuments, Lond. 1684, Vol. II. | serwious. } 


Wycliffe with 
his books 
condemned 
and brent 

for an heretic 
after his 
death. 


John xvi. 


God's bene- 
fits toward 
England. 


1 Kings xviii. 

Deut. v. 

Isal. XXx. 
osh. i. 


Eph. iv. 


A prophecy. 


Tsai. i. 


Prayer. 


1 John v. 


Matt. xxi. 


12 THE FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS. 


spiritual blessing: let us take heed that his blessing be net turned into cursing. He 
hath now turned away our captivity: let us take heed that he throw us not again 
into our old thraldom. He hath enriched us now with many singular and noble 
benefits: let us take heed that they be not taken away from us for our unkind- 
ness, and plagues cast upon us in their stead. If we walk worthy of God’s kindness 
and of these his inestimable benefits, every man living in his vocation with all hum- 
bleness of mind, and meekness, and long-suffering, forbearing one another; if we be 
diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace; if we be thankful to 
God for his benefits, and beneficial to our poor christian brethren and sistern; God 
will surely increase these his gifts in us, and enrich us with more singular benefits. 
He will surely preserve the king’s majesty and his most honourable council, and give 
them long and prosperous life in this world, unto the great comfort of all us his grace’s 
subjects. He will defend this realm, keep us harmless from all our enemies, and 
send us abundance of all things necessary for this present life, and, after our depart- 
ure from this vale of misery, eternal glory. 

Contrariwise, if we will not walk worthy of God’s kindness, but be unthankful 
for his benefits, and live now in this glorious light of the gospel, as_beast-like in pride, 
envy, covetousness, malice, voluptuousness, unmercifulness, and in all kind of other 
sins, as we did afore, undoubtedly God will take away his benefits from us, and 
pour his plagues upon us. He will bring in again the pope, the pope’s laws, the 
pope’s mass, the pope’s ceremonies, the pope’s limbs, the monks, the friars, the canons, 
the nuns, the anchors, anchoresses, the hermits, and all the rabble of hypocrites, and the 
devil and all. He will take away our most christian king and his most virtuous 
and honourable council, and in their stead set up some wicked king and ungodly 
tyrants. He will take away our godly magistrates, and give us caterpillars of the 
commonwealth. He will take away all godly-learned preachers, and send in anti- 
christ’s chaplains. He will take away the pure flour of his heavenly word, and 
feed us with the sour leaven of the Pharisees. He will plague us with pestilence, 
famine, and hunger. Yea, he will stir up one tyrant or other to take vengeance on 
us, to shed our blood, to oppress us with sword, to kill our wives, sons, and daugh- 
ters, to consume with fire all that ever we have, to make our country desolate, and 
at the last utterly to root us out from the face of the earth, that his name through 
our abominable living may no more be blasphemed, railed upon, and evil spoken of, 
as the prophet testifieth, saying: “If ye will be obedient and hear me, ye shall eat 
the good fruits of the earth. If ye will not, but provoke me unto anger, surely the 
sword shall devour you; for the Lord hath spoken it with his own mouth.” 

What is then to be done, that we may continue in the favour of God, have him 
still our most merciful Lord, and enjoy his benefits unto the end? Verily, even the 
thing which all godly men have ever used to do, both in prosperity and adversity; I 
mean, pray to the Lord our God with a penitent and faithful heart. For prayer, 
if it be nghtly used, is of great valor before God, and doth not only make him our 
good and merciful Lord, but also easily obtaineth of him whatsoever we ask accord- 
ing to his will. The Holy Ghost, the knowledge of God’s blessed word, necessaries for 
this present life, peace for realms, quietness for commonwealths, victory of enemies, 
having of children, fortunate deliverance of the same, health, long life, remission of 
sins, eternal glory, with all other good things pertaining either to the soul or to the 
body, faithful prayer obtaineth of God, as our Saviour Christ saith: ‘“‘ Whatsoever ye 
shall ask in prayer, if ye believe, ye shall receive it.” 

Forasmuch therefore as nothing is more necessary to be used of the true Christians 
for the continuance of God’s favour and of his heavenly blessings toward them, and. 
for the avoiding of all plagues and displeasures, than prayer ; forasmuch also as nothing 
doth so much adorn, garnish, and set forth the goodly and prosperous state of a com- 
monwealth, as every man diligently, faithfully, and quietly to live in his vocation 
and calling; I, not otherwise knowing how I may be able to do good to my country 
but by praying, preaching, and writing (for fortune goeth forth forwardly to frown 
upon me), have these few weeks past compiled and made a book of prayers, com- 
prehending not only necessary and convenient prayers for all degrees of men, even 


THE PREFACE. 13 


from the highest to the lowest, but also for all other things necessary to be prayed 
for. So that, if we will follow the order of charity, and do the will of God, which 
commandeth us to pray one for another; again, if we will pray to obtain virtue 
and to slay vice, this book shall minister to the godly convenient and meet prayers. 

And because the prayers should be the more acceptable unto God, and sound the 
better in his godly ears; again, that the godly exercisers of prayer may pray with the 
more fruit, and be the better edified; I have travailed to the uttermost of my power 
to use in these prayers as few words of my own as I could, and to glean out 
of the fruitful field of the sacred scriptures whatsoever I found meet for every prayer 
that I made, that, when it is prayed, not man, but the Holy Ghost may seem to 
speak. 

After I had finished these prayers, most virtuous lady, your grace came first to my 
remembrance as a worthy patron both of the godly and of godliness, both of the learned 
and of learning, to whom even of most bounden duty I ought to offer this my labour. 
The gift, I confess, is small and slender, if it be compared with your grace’s liber- 
ality, which your grace hath most bounteously shewed unto me since I came first 
to your service. Notwithstanding, I am so fully persuaded of your grace’s most 
gentle nature and godly disposition toward so many as are well bent and virtuously 
minded, that I fear nothing to offer this my book unto your grace, as a testimony 
of my serviceable heart and ready bent good-will toward your grace. It is a flower, 
I grant: notwithstanding, such a flower, as if it be rightly used, is of singular 
virtue and mighty in operation. No eyil air can hurt, where the savour of this flower 
cometh. Yea, the devil, the world, and the flesh, cannot abide the air of this flower; 
so mighty is the spiritual operation thereof. This flower giveth a smell in the streets 
to the soul of the faithful, as the cinnamon and balm, that hath so good a savour; 
yea, a sweet odour doth it give, as it were myrrh of the best. I therefore most Ecelus. xxiv. 
humbly beseech your grace to take this my small gift in good part, which, coming 
as it were from your grace into the hands of many, shall, I doubt not, do many 
good, and be the occasion that vice shall decrease, and virtue abundantly increase 
among us. 

God, whose holy word your grace most fervently love, and most earnestly 
practise in your daily conversation, mought vouchsafe to preserve your grace, with 
my lord’s grace, your most loving husband, and all your godly and vir- 
tuous children, in continual health and daily increase of honour, 
unto the glory of his name, and the comfort of all 
us your grace’s most humble and 
faithful servants! 

Amen. 


Psal. exxi. 


Psal. xxvii. 


Psa] xx1. 


Lev. xix. 
Matt. xxii, 
Rom. xiii. 
Gal. v. 
Luke ii. 


John i. viii. 


xi. & xii. 
1 John i. 


Rom. xiii. 


Matt. vy. 


THE 


FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS, 


MOST WORTHY TO BE USED IN THESE OUR DAYS, FOR THE 
SAFEGUARD, HEALTH, AND COMFORT OF ALL 
DEGREES AND ESTATES, NEWLY MADE 
BY THOMAS BECON. 


A PRAYER FOR THE MORNING. 


O wEaveNLy Father, which, like a diligent watchman, attendest always upon thy 
faithful people, whether they wake or sleep, and mightily defendest them, not only 
from Satan, that old enemy of mankind, but also from all other their adversaries, so that 
through thy godly' power they be harmless preserved; I most heartily thank thee, 
that it hath pleased thy fatherly goodness so to take care of me thine unprofitable 
servant this night past, that thou hast both safely kept me from all mine enemies, 
and also given me sweet sleep, unto the great comfort of my body. I most entirely 
beseech thee, O most merciful Father, to shew the like kindness toward me this day, 
in preserving my body and soul; that, as my enemies may have no power over me, 
so I likewise may neither think, breathe, speak, or do any thing that may be displeasant 
to thy fatherly goodness, dangerous to myself, or hurtful to my neighbour; but that 
all my enterprises may be agreeable to thy most blessed will, which is alway good 
and godly; doing that that may avance thy glory, answer to my vocation, and 
profit my neighbour, whom I ought to love as myself; that, whensoever thou callest 
me from this vale of misery, I may be found the child not of darkness but of light, 
and so for ever reign with thee in glory, which art the true and everlasting Light ; to 
whom with thy dearly-beloved Son Jesu Christ, our alone Saviour, and the Holy 
Ghost, that most sweet Comforter, be all honour and glory. Amen. 


A PRAYER FOR THE NIGHT. 


O Lorp God and my heavenly Father, forasmuch as by thy divine ordinance the 
night approacheth, and darkness beginneth to overwhelm the earth, and time requireth 
that we give ourselves to bodily rest and quietness, I render unto thee most hearty 
thanks for thy loving-kindness, which thou hast vouchsafed to preserve me this day 
from the danger of mine enemies, to give me my health, to feed me, and to send me all 
things riecessary for the comfort of this my poor and needy life. I most humbly be- 
seech thee, for Jesu Christ’s sake, that thou wilt mercifully forgive me all that I 
have this day committed against thy fatherly goodness, either in word, deed, or thought, 
and that thou wilt vouchsafe to shadow me this night under the comfortable wings 
of thy almighty power, and defend me from Satan, and from all his crafty assaults, 
that neither he nor any of his ministers have power over either my body, or my soul ; 
but that, although my body, through thy benefit, enjoyeth sweet and pleasant sleep, 
yet my soul may continually watch unto thee, think of thee, delight in thee, and 
evermore praise thee; that, when the joyful light of the day returneth, according to 
thy godly appointment, I may rise again with a faithful soul and undefiled body, 
and so afterward behave myself, all the timg of my life, according to thy blessed will 
and commandment, by casting away the works of darkness, and putting on the ar- 
mours of light, that men, seeing my good works, may thereby be provoked to glorify 
thee, my heavenly Father, which, with thy only-begotten Son Jesu Christ, our alone 





[) Folio, ungodly. ] 


THE FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS. 15 


Saviour, and the Holy Ghost, that most swect Comforter, livest and reignest one true 
and everlasting God, world without end. Amen. 


THE CONFESSION OF OUR SINS UNTO GOD THE FATHER. 


IT am not able to express, O wretched sinner that I am, how grievously the 
burden of my sins oppress me: whithersoever I turn me, whatsoever I do, speak, or 
think, I perceive such corruption and wickedness, such abomination and uncleanness Gen. vi. 
to reign in me, that it utterly confoundeth my conscience, and in a manner fettereth ie a 
me with the chain of desperation. 

No marvel. For my outward man is flesh, earth, ashes, dust, dung, and all that Jonn ii. 


most vile is. My thought and disposition is Absesie: naught, even from my very Reelus, vii. x. 
cradle, my heart is unclean, defiled with most filthy sin, a and unable to be fovun 


searched, for the manifold ech ednees thereof, but of God Ae My works are Toh 


abominable and loathsome in the sight of the Most Highest, yea, my very righteous- Isai. Ixiv. 
nesses, if any I have, are even as a defiled cloth. Again, my inward man hath lost Gen. iii. 
his former beauty. Instead of the image of God, he is miserably deformed with the Eph. i 
Col. i 
wicked visor of wily Satan. In the place of innocency, faith, love, hope, patience, 
mercy, obedience, goodness, gentleness, liberality, joy, and ack other fruits of the 
Holy Ghost, wickedness, unfaithfulness, hatred, desperation, vengeance, covetousness, 
rebellion, maliciousness, churlishness, unmercifulness, pensiveness of mind, and such 
other damnable works of the flesh are entered into me, and wholly possess me; so 
that, whether I consider my outward or inward man, I find myself the bond- liga of Rom. vi. 


Satan, the vile dunghill of sin, the miserable debtor of the law, the firebrand of Matt, xviii, 
hell, the child of wrath, the vessel of vengeance, the son of perdition, the wandering Eph. HH 
sheep, the wounded man, an hypocrite, an unprofitable servant, inheritor of ever- Luke x. 
lasting pain, and all that ever naught is. a 


To rid myself of all these most detestable enormities I am not able. To seek 
remedy at any other man’s hand, to buy their merits, prayers, watchings, fastings, 
and their other works, O it is but vain. Moyses cannot heal my diseases, neither the 
Levite nor the priest can bind up my wounds, and make them whole. For vain is Luke x. 
the health that is looked for at man’s hand. All have sinned, all have gone astray, Paal. iii. 


all owe to that heavenly King ten thousand talents. All are become abominable: note xii. 
there is not one that doeth sera no not one. Ah, who then can be made clean (2x” 


of them that are unclean? Ah, who being sick will seek to be made whole of ies 


them that are altogether diseased? Ah, who being weak will wish to be stayed up 
by him which for feebleness is not able to stand? Can the man of Inde change his Jer. xii. 
skin? or the cat of the mountain her spots? No more can they make me good which 
are themselves naught. Ah, whither then shall I flee? unto myself, and unto mine 
own righteousness? I am a most damnable sinner, and of myself not able to think Psal. xxiv. 


a good thought. Unto the law? it woundeth, killeth, and condemneth me: it is a Rom. i. 
. or. 1 
yoke, that neither we, neither our fathers, were ever able to bear. Unto creatures? Gal. iii. iv. 


they have not oil enough for themselves, A wretch that I am, destitute and void Matt. xxv. 


of all mortal help, shall I despair? Far be that from me. 

But, were there not another manner of doctrine than the doctrine of the law, Heb. x. 
which maketh no man perfect; were there not another manner of righteousness than fom. tit iv. 
is found in myself, or in any other sinful creature; I see none other but plain de- Gall ii ii. 
speration, death, damnation. But thanks be unto es O heavenly Father, which, *™ 
tendering the health of thy creatures, although sinful, so oft as they repent, believe, 
and study to amend their life, hast set forth in thy holy scriptures another doctrine, 
even the doctrine of the gospel, that most sweet, pleasant, and joyful tidings of our 
salvation, which comforteth, cheereth, and maketh merry weak consciences and sor- Rom. v. 
rowful hearts, and another righteousness, even the righteousness of thy well-beloved Matt, ii. 
Son Jesu Christ, for whose sake thou art well pleased with man, and for whose in- 2 Pet, 


nocency and righteousness thou freely of thy bountiful goodness ance the sins of Rom. vii. 
so many as with hearty repentance flee unto thy mercy. ed 


Psal. exxx. 


Tsai. i. 


Rom. vii. 


Psal. 1xxix. 


Tsai. xli. 
xliii. xliv. & 


Psal. exix. 


Luke xv. 


Luke x. 


1 Pet. v. 


John xii. xiv. 
xvi. 

2 Cor. iv. 
Eph. vi. 


Luke xi, 


Job i. ii. 


Gen. iii. 
Hos. xiii. 
1 Cor. xv. 


Heb. ii. 
Rev. xii- 


16 THE FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS. 


I therefore, O most merciful Father, staying and comforting my weak conscience 
with the sweet promises that I find in the holy gospel of thy dearly-beloved Son, 
made unto all that be faithfully penitent, without respect of persons, in the precious 
blood of thine aforesaid Son Jesus Christ, am bold, notwithstanding the multitude of 
my sins at this present, to come unto the throne of thy mercy, most humbly be- 
seeching thee not to weigh my deserts, nor to deal with me according to my merits 
(for if thou shouldest narrowly mark our iniquities, O Lord, who shall abide it?) 
which deserve nothing but wrath and damnation; but for the innocency and righte- 
ousness of thy only-begotten Son Jesu Christ, whom thou hast given me to be mine 
own, and with him all his merits and good deeds, to be through faith so surely 
mine, as though I myself had done and wrought them, to forgive me my sins ac- 
cording to thy promise, to renew thy fatherly love toward me, to receive me into 
thy favour, to make me a vessel of mercy, to number me in the company of thy 
chosen people, and to endue me with thy blessed Spirit, which may mortify my 
carnal affects, slay old Adam in me, work new and those spiritual and heavenly 
motions in my heart, and with his holy breath make me a new and perfect man 
according unto thy blessed image. 

O most loving Father, weigh not my sins, but remember the most gentle promises. 
Consider not my evil works, but have respect unto the undefiled deeds of thy Son 
Jesu Christ, whom thou hast given to be my Redeemer, my Saviour, my righteous- 
ness, my atonement-maker, my satisfaction, and the alone and all wholly sufficient 
sacrifice for all my sins. For his sake, for his innocency and righteousness, have 
mercy on me, O God, according to thy great mercy, and put away all my unrighte- 
ousnesses for thy tender compassion. I have gone astray like a sheep that was lost: 
yet, O Lord, for thy mercy’s sake, seek me up, lay me upon thy shoulders, and bring 
me home again to thy sheep-fold. I have been a lost son. I have riotously spent 
away my goods with the wicked: yet for thy goodness sake, O Father, receive me, 
and take me home again, if not as thy son, yet as one of thy servants. I am griev- 
ously wounded, and can be holp neither by priest nor Levite: yet cast me not away, 
good Lord, for thy tender mercy’s sake, but pour wine and oil into my wounds, 
bind them up, and never leave me till thou hast made me perfectly whole. So shall 
I after this be the more circumspect in training my life according to thy blessed 
will, and evermore sing continual praises to thy most blessed name, through Jesu 
Christ our Lord, to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be all glory and honour 
worlds without end. Amen. 


A CONFESSION OF OUR SINS UNTO THE LORD JESU CHRIST. 


Tue tyranny of Satan, mine old enemy, which ceaseth not daily to assail me with 
his subtile temptations, and to wound me with his cruel darts, compelleth me at this 
present, O blessed Redeemer, and mine alone Saviour Jesu Christ, the Son of the 
true and living God, to flee for succour unto the pitiful bowels of thy tender mercy, 
lest I be for ever swallowed up as a prey of that dreadful dragon. 

O Lord, I am feeble and weak; but Satan is strong and mighty, the prince of 
darkness and god of this world, having at his commandment an infinite multitude 
both of wicked spirits and of ungodly men, which both daily and diligently travail to 
satisfy his cruel tyranny and to work my destruction, whom to resist I am not able. 
Notwithstanding, Lord, thou art more valiant than he, stronger than all his army, 
more able to save than he to condemn. Yea, he is thy bond-slave. Thou rulest 
him as thy good pleasure is. He can rage against thine elect no further than thy 
most godly will is to suffer him. Thou therefore, O Lord my God, are able to deliver 
me from his ravening teeth, and to keep me safe from his blood-thirsty ministers. 
For thou art the blessed Seed of the woman, that treadeth down the head, destroyeth 
the power of that old serpent. Thou art that Lord, which hath swallowed up hell. 
Thou art the King of glory, which by thy death destroyed him that had the power 
of death, that is, the devil. Thou art that Michael, which hast fought with the 


THE FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS. 17 


dragon, and overcome him. Yea, thou art that Lion of the tribe of Juda, vhich Rev. v. 
hast vanquished all our enemies. 

Moreover, not only Satan and his angels, but also the world and the flesh most 
grievously assail me, yea, and lead me away captive as their prey. The world with 
his' vain pleasures, deceitful riches, and transitory possessions, so blindeth the eyes 
of my heart, that I cannot love thee, O most sweet Saviour, with such pureness of 
mind as I ought. Notwithstanding this comforteth me well, that thou hast overcome John xvi. 
the world, and that, whensoever it pleaseth thee to endue me with thy holy Spirit, 

I may through thy grace subdue the world, and make it a bond-slave unto me, which 
now so mightily reigneth, ruleth, and triumpheth over me. 

The flesh also with her subtile enticements so worldly occupieth me, that I am Rom. vii. 
altogether flesh, and all that naught is, and by this means wholly without thy holy 
Spirit. Yet hast thou by the pureness of thy blessed flesh, which thou hast unfeignedly Tsai, vil 
taken of the undefiled maid Mary thy mother, by the wonderful operation of the Holy hake tii 
Ghost, so slain the raging lusts of our sinful flesh, that, whensoever we lament our ong 


Gal. iii. 
cause unto thee confessing our misery and weakness, hon both art able and also wilt, 1 tim. ii. 


through thy holy Spirit, quench those raging lusts, mortify those carnal affects, that Heb i 
so inordinately boil in our inward members, and make us truly spiritual. ae 


Thus seest thou, O most merciful Redeemer, with how great a multitude of enemies I 
am besieged and set round about, which without ceasing seek my destruction, and have 
already most tyrantly spoiled me of my garments, and most grievously wounded me, Luke x. 
leaving me half-dead; so that without thy help I must needs perish. Help therefore, O 
most sweet Saviour, and deliver me from these mine enemies. Heal thou me, O Lord ; Jer. xvii. 
and I shall be healed. Save thou me; and I shall be saved. Ah, good aed my sins 
are great and infinite, I confess; but thy merits are much greater and more infinite. 

My wounds are many nal grievous; but thou art that most loving Samaritan, Psal. ii. 

: : : Luke x. 

full of pity and compassion, which by pouring wine and oil into my wounds art 
sufficiently able to heal them, although they were ten thousand more. I am a sinner; 
but thou art a Saviour. I am sick; but thou art a Physician. I am blind; but thou matt.i. 
art the Light of the world. I am Satan’s prisoner; but thou art a Redeemer. I am Jonni viii 


dead in sin; but thou art the resurrection and life. I am hungry; but thou art the Jota 
living bread. I am thirsty; but thou art the well of life. I am poor; but thou art Jona vi 


the Lord of all wealth. I am a barren tree; but thou art that true and fruitful vine. ES 


I am the lost sheep; but thou art that good Shepherd. I am that riotous son; but Se 
thou art that gentle father. I am by nature the child of wrath; but thou art by Luke tv. 
nature the Son of the living God. I am by nature sinful man; but ‘thon art by nature ee. 


man righteous and innocent. I am a daily offender; but thou ay a continual Mediator. } 7%: 
I am a breaker of the law; but thou art a fulfiller ‘of the same. I have lost heavenly }20""."" 
inheritance through sin; but thou hast recovered it by thy death. I have wrought mine fO™\\" 
own destruction; but thou by thy precious blood hast brought unto me salvation. — }Per. ii. 


Thus albeit, O most merciful Saviour, I find in myself nothing but sin, death, 
and damnation, yet in thee find I grace, mercy, favour, reconciliation, forgiveness of 
sins, and everlasting life. Take away therefore that is mine, which is all naught, 
and give me that is thine, which is all good. Thou art called Christ: anoint me Luke ii. 
therefore with thy holy Spirit. Thou art called a Physician: according therefore to Matt. ix. 
thy name heal me. Thou art called the Son of the living God: according therefore Matt. xvi. 
to thy power deliver me from the devil, the world, and the flesh. Thou art called 
the Resurrection: lift me up therefore from the damnable state wherein I most miserable Jonn xi. 
lie’. Thou art called the Life: quicken me up therefore out of this death, wherewith Jonn xiv. 
through sin I am most grievously detained. Thou art called the Way*: lead me there- 
fore from the vanities of this world, and from the filthy pleasures of the flesh, unto 
heavenly and spiritual things. Thou art called the Truth: suffer me not therefore to 
walk in the way of error, but to tread the path of truth in all my doings. Thou 
art called the Light: put away therefore from me the works of darkness, that I may Jonni. 
walk as the child of light in all goodness, nghteousness, and truth. Thou art called eae 


[ Folio, this.] [? Folio, miserablye. | [° Folio, daye.] 


bo 


[ercon, m1. ] 


Matt. i. 


Rev. xxii. 


John xiv. xv. 


Xvi. 
1 John v. 


Psal. li. 


2 Cor. iii. 


Luke i. 


John xvi, 
Eph. vi. 


Psal. lii. 


Matt. vi. 
Luke xii. 
Psal. lv. 


18 THE FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS. 


a Saviour: save me therefore from my sins, according to thy name. Thou art called 
Alpha and Omega, that is, both the beginning and end of all goodness: begin thou 
therefore a good life in me, and finish the same unto the glory of thy blessed name. 
So shall I, receiving these benefits at thy merciful hand, praise thee, and magnify 
thy blessed name for evermore. Amen. 


A CONFESSION OF OUR SINS UNTO THE HOLY GHOST. 


O most blessed and holy Spirit, equal God with God the Father and God the 
Son, I, miserable sinner, confounded in my conscience, and almost fallen through the 
multitude of my sins into the hell-like pit of desperation, am come at this present 
before thy divine Majesty, most humbly to confess, and from the bottom of my heart 
to lament, all those my sins and wickednesses which from my youth hitherto I have 
unjustly committed in word, deed, or thought, against thy goodness; most entirely 
beseeching thee mercifully to forgive me all those mine offences and abominations, and 
to make in me a clean heart, endued with a new and right spirit, which may from 
henceforth through thy godly governance so direct me in all my doings, that I may 
only attempt such enterprises as be agreeable to thy blessed will, profitable to my 
neighbour, and pleasant to my soul. 

O Lord my God, where thou art there is liberty. But I, through the crafts of 
Satan, the lusts of the flesh, and the pleasures of the world, am in most miserable cap- 
tivity, slavery, bondage, and thraldom ; whereby I evidently perceive that thou dwellest 
not in me, neither that I am thy temple, nor yet have that ghostly freedom wherewith 
all be endued that have thee dwelling in them. O Lord, have mercy on me, and take 
away from me that heavy bondage of the flesh, wherewith I am most grievously cloyed’, 
and give me that sweet and free liberty of the spirit, which by thee is wrought in 
the hearts of the faithful, that I, being delivered from the power of mine enemies, 
may serve thee in holiness and righteousness all the days of my life; again, that 
thou, making me a new creature by mortifying old Adam in me, and by giving me 
a good spirit, mayest delight in me as a father in his son, and continually dwell in 
me as in thy holy temple. 

O blessed Spirit, forgive me my sins; purify my mind with thy holy inspiration ; 
comfort my weak heart with thy joyful presence ; make merry my troubled conscience 
with true and spiritual mirth; lead me, which have so long erred, into all godly 
truth; give me the knowledge of all heavenly and spiritual things, even so much as 
is necessary for my salvation; put on me the shield of faith, that I may be able to 
quench the fiery darts of the devil; kindle my heart with the fire of christian love ; 
make me a fruitful olive-tree in the congregation of my Lord God; give me patience 
in tribulation; take away from me vain-glory in prosperity; engraff in my heart 
continual humility ; make me bold to confess the truth of thy gospel before the tyrants 
of this world, and give me grace to persevere in the same unto the end; replenish my 
breast with thy heavenly gifts and spiritual treasures, that, the devil, the world, and 
the flesh, with all their works, pomps, and vanities, from me utterly secluded and 
put apart, thou mayest continually dwell in me by thy godly inspirations, and I in 
thee through true and undoubted faith, doing that alway that is good and pleasant 
in thy sight, unto the glory of thy blessed name, which livest and reignest with God 
the Father and God the Son in one majesty, power, and glory, very God, worlds 
without end. Amen. 


A PRAYER TO BE SAID AFORE DINNER. 


O Lorp, our heavenly Father, which by thy dearly-beloved Son Jesu Christ hast 
commanded us to take no thought for our meat, drink, and clothe, but hast promised 
to give us all things necessary for this our poor and needy life, if we first seek thy 





I! So folio. Probably clogged. ] 


THE FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS. 19 


kingdom and the righteousness thereof; we most heartily thank thee, that it hath 
pleased thy fatherly goodness, according to thy promise, to send us meat at this pre- 
sent, for the comfort of our miserable and hungry bodies, desiring thee to bless these 
thy gifts, and to give us grace so [to] taste of them that we may ever remember thee, 
and never forget our needy brethren ; but even as thou art merciful and liberal to us, 
by giving us these thy benefits, so likewise we again may shew mercy and kindness 
to our poor neighbours, by distributing to them part of these thy gifts, that both 
they and we, being refreshed with the gifts of thy liberality, may with one mouth 
glorify, and with one mind praise thy holy name for ever and ever. 


A THANKSGIVING AFTER DINNER. 


For this thy bountiful goodness in feeding us at this time, we heartily thank thee, 
most merciful Father, desiring thee to feed our souls likewise with that meat which Jonnvi. 
perisheth not, but abideth into everlasting life; that we, being fed both body and soul 
at thy merciful hand, may do that alway which is pleasant in thy godly sight, through 
Jesu Christ our Lord. Amen. 


A PRAYER TO BE SAID BEFORE SUPPER. 


O HEAVENLY Father and merciful God, which opening thy hand replenishest all living psai. exiv. 
creatures with thy blessing, and givest meat to the hungry in due season, we ane Psal. exlvi. 
ledge our meat and drink to be ate gifts, prepare, d] by thy fatherly providence to be aa ace 
received of us for the comfort of our bodies with thanksgiving: we most humbly be- 
seech thee to bless us and our food, and to give us grace so to use these thy benefits, 
that we may be thankful to thee, and liberal to our poor neighbours, through Jesu 
Christ our Lord. Amen. 


A THANKSGIVING AFTER SUPPER. 


WE render unto thee, most merciful Father, most hearty thanks for these thy gifts, 
which thou so liberally hast given us in this our supper, most entirely beseeching thee 
to fill our minds also with thy heavenly and spiritual benefits, that we may truly 
know thee, believe in thee, love thee, serve thee, and lead a life worthy of this thy 
kindness ; that thou, finding us not unthankful, mayest go forth daily more and more to 
increase thy gifts in us, and at the last take us unto thee, which art the fountain Jamesi. 
of all goodness, and head-spring of all wealth, and place us in thy joyful kingdom 
among the holy angels and blessed saints, where thou, with thy only-begotten Son 
and the Holy Ghost, livest and reignest, one true and everlasting God, in all honour 
and glory, worlds without end. Amen. 


A PRAYER FOR THE KING. 
O Atmicuty God, King of kings, and Lord of lords, which by thy divine ordi- 1 tim. vi. 


nance hast appointed Ampel rulers to govern thy people according to equity and aia 
justice, and to live among them as a loying father among his rate children, unto Joh 


the avancement of the good, and punishment of the evil; we most humbly beseech Vi. 


thee favourably to behold Edward thy servant, our king and governor, and to breathe j 1 Pet. ii 


into his heart through thy holy Spirit that wisdom that is ever about the throne we & 
of thy Majesty, whereby he may be provoked, moved, and stirred to love, fear, and 
serve thee, to seek thy glory, to banish idolatry, superstition, and hypocrisy out of 
this his realm, and unfeignedly to avance thy holy and pure religion among us his 
subjects, unto the example of other foreign nations. O Lord, defend him from his 
enemies, send him long and prosperous life among us, and give him grace not only 
in his own person godly and justly to rule, but also to appoint such magistrates 
under him, as may be likewise affected both toward thy holy word and toward the 
commonweal; that we his subjects, living under his dominion in all godliness, peace, 
2—2 


20 THE FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS. 


and wealth, may pass the time of this our short pilgrimage in thy fear and service, 
unto the glory of thy blessed name, which alone is worthy all honour, for ever and 
ever. Amen. 


A PRAYER FOR THE KING'S COUNCIL. 


Prov. xi. Ir is written, O most mighty and everlasting King, that where many are that 
give good counsel, there goeth it well with the common people, there are all things 
conserved in a goodly and seemly order, there doth the public weal flourish with the 

Prov. xxi. abundance of all good things. It may please thee therefore, O Lord, which hast the 
hearts of all rulers in thy hand, and directest thy' counsels unto what end it is thy 
good pleasure, mercifully to assist all those which are the king’s council, and to give 
them thy holy Spirit to be their president, ruler, and governor, that in all their as- 
semblies they may ever set before their eyes thy most high and prince-like Majesty, 
the fear of thy name, the accomplishment of thy commandment, and alway remember 
that they are servants appointed for the wealth and commodity of thy people; that 
whatsoever they attempt privately or openly may turn unto the glory of thy blessed 
name, unto the setting forth of thy holy word, unto the avancement of the king's 
honour, unto the profit of the commons, unto the destruction of vice, and unto the 
commendation of virtue. Give them grace, O most merciful Father, so with one mind 
to consent in all godly and righteous things, that they ruling mghteously, and we 
living obediently, may all together, with quiet hearts and free consents, praise and mag- 
nify thee our Lord God for ever and ever. Amen. 


A PRAYER FOR THE JUDGES. 


O Gop, thou most righteous Judge, which commandest by thy holy word such 

Deut i. to be chosen judges over thy people, as be of approved conversation, wise, and learned 
“in thy holy laws, and fear thee their Lord God, and such as both are true them- 
selves, and also love truth, and hate covetousness ; we beseech thee to send us such judges 

Exod. xxiii, as thy sacred scriptures do paint and set forth unto us, and so to rule their hearts 
Feelus.x. With thy holy Spirit, that in their judgments they admit no false accusations, have no 
tesa a respect of persons, neither be desirous of gifts, which make wise men blind, and cor- 
rupt the causes of the righteous, nor yet give sentence with the ungodly for bribes, 

and so condemn the innocent and shed righteous blood; but that they, having thy fear 

alway before their eyes, and knowing that they execute the judgment not of man but 

1Chron. xvi. of thee their Lord God, may hear indifferently all matters, judge according unto equity 
et and justice, deliver the oppressed from the power of the violent, be favourable to the 
Peal lees stranger, defend the fatherless and widow, plead the cause of the righteous, help the 
Palit poor, avance virtue, suppress vice, and in all both their words and works so behave 
themselves as though they should straightways appear before the righteous throne of 

thy Majesty, and render accompts of their doings. Grant this, O most merciful Father, 


for thy dear Son’s sake, Jesu Christ our Lord. Amen. 


A GENERAL PRAYER FOR ALL MAGISTRATES. 


O Lorp, which art that most high power, and of whom all power unto this end 
is ordained, even that the public weal should be conserved, idolatry banished, true re- 
ligion maintained, good order kept, virtue avanced, and vice punished ; give, we beseech 
thee, unto all civil magistrates, head rulers, and common officers, thy holy Spirit, 
which may so rule them in all their doings, that every one of them according to 
their vocation may truly and faithfully do that which appertaineth unto their office. 


a oe Kindle in their minds a fervent desire of reading thy holy law both day and night, 
Josh.i. that they may do all things according unto that. Grave in their hearts the true 


Psal. ii. 
Wisd. i. vi. knowledge of thee and of thy Son Jesu Christ, and an whole intent to honour and 
cain | SeEve thee, according to thy blessed word, all the days of their life. 


{! Most probably the true reading is their. So | and many other of these prayers will be found. ] 
it is inking Edward’s Primer (p. 455), in which this 


THE FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS. 2] 


Make them unfeigned favourers of thy holy gospel, and loving nurses of thy true Isai. xlix. 
preachers. Give them grace to banish out of their realms and countries all idolatry, Deut. xiii. 


superstition, hypocrisy, feigned religion, false worshipping, with all the precepts, ordi- ie 
nances, and inventions of men that fight with thy blessed word. Make them not only Sit 
eut. Xvil. 


Bote lovers, and promoters of thy holy gospel, but also followers, livers, and Prov: xx. 
practisers of the same, unto the example of all their subjects. Work in their hearts, 
O Lord, such a love toward the commonweal, that, their own private commodity set 
apart, they may employ all their endeavours to avance, beautify, enrich, and make 
wealthy their realm and country. Make them gentle, friendly, loving, and beneficial 
to their inferiors. Make them pitiful unto the miserable, and liberal unto the poor. Give Ecelus. 
them that affection toward other that they have toward themselves. Endue them with aad 
such loving favour unto their subjects, that they oppress them not with too much and 
unjust exactions. Expel all tyranny out of their hearts, and make them righteous and 
merciful. Grant that they may rule justly, seek judgment, deliver the oppressed, de- Tsai. 

er. xxi. & 
fend the fatherless, comfort the widow, favour good letters, maintain schools, nourish xxii 
learned men, promote such as be godly and virtuous, and, without any ungodly Psa. Teese 
avancing of themselves, live among their people as a loving father among his natural 
children, seeking their quiet and wealth. 

Finally, give them grace so to behave themself all the time of their rule and Eeclus. 
government, that they may appear both before thee, and in the sight of all good neeee 
men, worthy officers in a commonweal, and ministers meet to occupy the place, in 
temporal regiment, of thee our Lord God, that most high and worthy magistrate, 
which livest and reignest with thy only-begotten Son and the Holy Ghost, one true 
and everlasting God, in all honour and glory, worlds without end. Amen. 


A PRAYER FOR BISHOPS AND MINISTERS OF GOD’S WORD. 


O Lorp Jesu Christ, that true and everlasting Bishop, the mirror and lively ex- Psal. ci. 
emplar of all faithful pastors and herdmen both in life and doctrine, which camest Heb. vi 
down from God thy Father not only to be our Redeemer, but also our teacher, to Luke. 


open and declare unto us the mysteries of the holy scriptures afore hid and corrupt Made xxi 
through the leaven and false doctrine of the scribes, Pharisees, Sadducees, and such Matt. xvi. 
other deceivers of the people; we most humbly beseech thee mercifully to behold toe i 
thy poor and scattered flock, whom thou hast purchased with thy most precious blood, acts xx. 
and to send them such shepherds as may diligently seek up the lost sheep, lovingly Luke xv. 
lay them on their shoulders, and faithfully bring them home again unto the sheep- 
fold. 

Ah Lord, thou seest how great the harvest is, and how few the workmen be. mate. ix. 


Thou art Lord of the harvest: vouchsafe therefore, we most humbly pray thee, to send eee 


labourers into thy harvest. Take away these idle lubbers, which do nothing but devour Peete 
thy sheep, clothe themselves with the finest of the wool, and eat of the fattest of the Bek ety 
flock. Thieves and robbers are they, and not pastors and preachers. For the weak 
they hold not up, the sick they heal not, the broken they bind not together, the 
outcasts they bring not again, the lost they seek not, but churlishly and cruelly do 
they rule thy flock. A good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep; but the Johnx. 
hireling, and he that is not the shepherd nor owner of the sheep, seeth the wolf 
coming, and forsaketh the sheep and flieth, and the wolf catcheth and scattereth the 
sheep. Such hirelings, O good Lord, take away from us, which seek nothing: but acts xx. 
idly to live of the sweat of our brows and of the labour of our hands, and rotgioe Phin” 
standing suffer us to be miserably torn of antichrist and of his ministers, both by 2 Pet. ii 
their tyranny and false doctrine. A thief cometh not but to steal, to slay, and to Jonnx. 
destroy. Take away from us, O good Jesu, those thieves which steal away the 
livings of the true shepherds, which slay our souls for want of thy holy word, and 
destroy us with their corrupt manners, wicked living, and most detestable conver- 
sation. 

Take away from us those herdmen, yea, rather those idols, as the prophet calleth Zech. xi. 


Tsai. lvi. 


Jer. vi. 


Matt. vii. 


Matt. xxiii. 


Mark xvi. 


Luke xxiv. 


Acts 1. 
Heb. i. 


Acts xx. 


Rom. xvi. 
Gal. v. 


Gal. ii. 


Phil. iii. 


Heb. ix. x. 


Phil. iii. 


2 Pet. ii. 


1 John iv. 


Rev. xvii. 


Rev. xviii. 


22 THE FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS. 


them, which are not resident upon their benefices, nor give attendance upon their 
cure, but forsake their flock, and yet rob from them all that they may catch; and 
give us such pastors as will watch upon their flock, abide among them, teach them 
thy blessed word, feed them with hospitality, lead a goodly life, bring up their youth 
virtuously, and be at all times ready, if thy glory and the health of their parish- 
ioners requireth, to bestow their life. Take away from us all those curates which 
are blind, without knowledge, dumb dogs, not able to bark, which have pleasure to 
behold vain things, and love to lie snorting and dreaming. Most unshamefaced dogs 
are they: they have never enough, although they heap benefice upon benefice, prebend 
upon prebend, deanery upon deanery never so much. For all are wholly bent unto 
covetousness, even from the highest unto the lowest, and the things that they get 
spend they in banqueting and in vain pleasures. 

Take away from us those false prophets which come unto us in sheep’s clothing, 
but inwardly are ravening wolves. Take away those false anointed and false preachers, 
which by their subtile doctrine go about to bring us into error, and teach us not to 
seek thee with true faith in heaven, where thou sittest on the right hand of God 
thy Father, but in the cloister and in the pix. Take away from us those grievous 
wolves, which are entered in among us, and spare not the flock, but speak perverse 
things, that they may lead away the faithful after them. Take away from us all 
those men-pleasers, which by their fair speech and flattering words deceive the hearts 
of the simple, by this means serving their belly and not thee, O Lord Jesu Christ. 
Take away from us these justiciaries, which teach that we are justified by the works 
of the law, and not by faith alone in our Lord God. Ah Lord! if our justification 
cometh of works, then didst thou die in vain. But whosoever seeketh to be justi- 
fied by works is utterly fallen from the grace and favour of God. For we know that 
a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of thee, our Lord Jesu 
Christ ; and we have believed in thee, O Lord, that we might be justified by the 
faith that we have in thee, and not by the works of the law; because no man shall 
be justified by the works of the law. 

Take away from us those dogs, those evil workmen, those shavelings, which teach 
that thou by the one only oblation of thy body hast not made perfect for ever them 
that are sanctified. Enemies are they of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, 
whose God their belly is. Take away from us these false doctors, which privily 
bring in damnable sects, and deny the Lord which hath bought them, through whom 
the way of truth is evil spoken of, and through covetousness they with their deceitful 
words make merchandise of us; whose judgment is not far off, and whose damnation 
sleepeth not. Take away from us those false prophets and spirits of antichrist, which 
teach that thou, the Lord Jesu Christ, tookest no flesh of that blessed and undefiled 
virgin Mary thy mother. 

Take away from us that proud whore of Babylon, that great and blasphemous 
bawd of all the whoredoms and abominations of the earth, with whom even the very 
kings of the earth have played the whoremongers, and they that dwelt on the earth 
were made drunken with the wine of her whoredom. Down, O Lord, with that pur- 
pled and rose-coloured whore, decked with gold, pearl, and precious stones, having a 
golden cup in her hand, full of the abominations and filthiness of her wantonness. 
Down, O Lord, with that gorgeous strumpet, which is drunk with the blood of saints, 
and with the blood of thy martyrs, O Jesu. Let that whore be hated of all men, let 
her be desolate, comfortless, and naked; yea, let the very flesh of her be gnawn off, 
and she consumed with fire. Let that great Babylon be made a dwelling-place of 
devils, and an hold of all unclean spirits, and a cage of all filthy and hateful birds. 
For of the wine of her pestilent whoredom have all nations drunken. Yea, the very 
kings of the earth have committed whoredom with her, and the merchants of the 
earth have waxen rich through her wanton pleasures. 

O Lord, take away from us these merchants, that give attendance upon that filthy 
whore, and deceive the whole world with their pelting pedlary, thievish trash, and 
masking merchandise. Let their wares be sold no more, but both they and their bloody 
whorish mistress taken away from us; so that we be no more deceived by them, nor 


THE FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS. 23 


the truth of thy glorious gospel condemned for heresy, nor yet the blood of the saints 
any more shed. 

O Lord, take away from us all these aforesaid monsters, even so many as deface 
thy glory, corrupt thy blessed word, despise thy flock, and, taking upon them to be Ezek. xxxiv. 
feeders, feed themselves and not thy sheep; and in their stead place good bishops, 
learned preachers, christian ministers, faithful teachers, true spiritual fathers, even such 
as bren with a fervent and unfeigned zeal toward the setting forth of thy glory and 
the health of thy people. Badiee them with thy holy Spirit, that they may be faith- Matt. xxiv. 
ful and wise servants, giving thy household meat in due season. Give them that thy ioe 
wisdom, which no man is able to resist, wherewith also they may be able both to tit. i. 
exhort with wholesome doctrine, and also to convince and overcome them that speak 
against it. Let repentance and remission of sins be preached of them in thy name Luke xxiv. 
among all nations. Give them grace to persevere in thy truth unto the end. es 

Grant also, O Lord, that they may truly and reverently minister unto us thy 
holy mysteries, baptism, and thy holy supper, that our faith may be confirmed, sta- 
blished, and strengthened by the worthy receiving of them, and we well comforted 
and made strong against the gates of hell, the devil, the world, the flesh, the curse matt. xvi. 
of the law, sin, death, desperation, and all that is enemy unto us. 

Let not their hand be stretched out to receive, and slow to give; but grave in £eelus. iv. 
them, O blessed Saviour, a mind content with that is enough, one shepherd to have 
one flock, and, whatsoever they receive of their parishioners, willingly to spend it among 
them in maintaining hospitality for the relief of the poor, that they may be found 
feeders of the flock both in word and deed. For thou, O Lord, commandest by the 
prophet in the old law, that all tithe should be brought into thy barn, that there yfa1, iii, 
might be meat in thy house. Thou callest the preacher's barn thy barn, and his 
house thy house. And unto this end wouldest thou have temporal things provided 
for thy preachers, that they might have whereof to live themselves, to feed their 
family, and also to comfort the poor of the parish. To feed with word, and not with 
work, profiteth little. To fill the ear with the sound of words, and to suffer the body 
starve for hunger, is not the part of a good shepherd. He is not a good herd- 
man that standeth all day whistling and calling at his sheep, but he that driveth 
them unto sweet and pleasant pastures, where they may eat their bellies full. 

Thy holy apostle commandeth a bishop or spiritual minister to maintain hospitality. 1 Tim. if. 
Thou also, which art the mirror of all goodness and lively exemplar of all true pastors, 

being in this world conversant among men and a preacher of thy heavenly Father's 
blessed will, feddest the people not nly with thy godly doctrine, but also with cor- Matt. xiv. 
poral food, giving an example unto all spiritual pastors, that they should do so like- Mark vi. 
wise. Thou commandest also thy blessed apostle Peter thrice to feed thy flock, that John vi. 
is, first, with the pure doctrine of thy heavenly gospel, whereunto thy holy sacra- i aoa 
ments as sure seals are annexed for the confirmation of thy truth; secondly, with 

godly conversation and a life agreeable to the doctrine, that the parishioners may the 

sooner be allured unto manners worthy of the gospel; thirdly, with hospitality. And 

this commandment gavest thou not only unto Peter, but unto all other thy apostles, 

yea, and to all spiritual pastors that have or shall succeed them unto the end of the 

world, that thy poor people may be fed both body and soul. 

This commandment, O sweet Jesu, was diligently executed of thy holy apostles Acts vi. 
and of the faithful ministers that succeeded them, which all were moved with so great 2 Cor. ix. 
and so tender compassion toward thy poor members, that they did not only feed 1 Cor. ix.. 
them with such goods as they received of the christian congregation, but also, to 2 Thess. iii. 
satisfy their lack, they wrought with their hands. But, O Lord, this loving pity 
toward the poor in these our days is greatly abated and waxeth utterly cold in many 
of the ministers of the church, which notwithstanding are themselves very wealthy, 
and live all in pleasure of the church goods; so that by this means they are not resident 
upon their benefices, they maintain no hospitality, the parishioners are robbed of their 
duties, and the poor are not fed with meat as thou hast commanded, but they rather 
miserably starve for hunger. Unto such shepherds as feed themselves, and not the Ezek. xxxiv. 
flock, as eat the milk, are clad with the wool, and eat of the fattest of the flock, and 


2 Cor. xi. 


1 Pet. v. 


John iii. 
Gen. iii. 
Ecclus, vii. x. 


Psal. li. 
Eph. ii. 


John i. 
Gal. iii. 


Psal xxiv. 
Psal. exv. 


Psal. xxxix. 
1 Pet. ii. 


Isai. v. 


24 THE FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS. 


yet feed not the sheep, thou threatenest damnation by the prophet ; promising that thou 
thyself wilt upon the shepherds, and require thy sheep from their hands, make them 
cease from feeding of thy sheep. Yea, thou sayest moreover that the shepherds shall 
feed themselves no more; for thou wilt deliver thy sheep out of their mouths, so that 
they shall not devour them after this. Thou promisest also to set faithful shepherds 
over thy flock, and quietly to place thy sheep in green, fat, and pleasant pastures ; so 
that the beasts of the field shall devour them no more, but they shall dwell safely 
without any fear; neither shall they any more be famished with hunger, nor yet bear 
the spiteful words of the heathen: for thou their Lord God wilt take care of them. 

Deal with thy flock, O most faithful Shepherd, according to thy promise. Drive 
away from among us all ravening wolves and deceitful hypocrites, which are the 
ministers of Satan, changing themselves into angels of light, and appoint faithful and 
diligent herdmen over thy flock, which may feed them with thy lively word, lead a 
good life, and maintain hospitality among them for the comfort of the poor, and in 
all things so behave themselves according to thy blessed will and commandment, that, 
when thou the most high Bishop and chief Shepherd shalt appear, they may receive 
the uncorruptible crown of glory. Amen. 


A PRAYER FOR GENTLEMEN. 


Apert whatsoever is born of flesh is flesh, and all that we receive of our natural 
parents is earth, dust, ashes, and corruption ; so that no child of Adam hath any cause 
to boast himself of his birth and blood, seeing we have all one flesh and one blood, 
begotten in sin, conceived in uncleanness, and born by nature the children of wrath ; 
yet, forasmuch as some for their wisdom, godliness, virtue, valiance, strength, eloquence, 
learning, and policy be avanced above the common sort of people unto dignities and 
temporal promotions, as men worthy to have superiority in a christian commonweal, 
and by this means have obtained among the people a more noble and worthy name ; 
we most entirely beseech thee, from whom alone cometh the true nobility to so many 
as are born of thee and made thy sons through faith, whether they be rich or poor, 
noble or unnoble, to give a good spirit to our superiors, that, as they be called gen- 
tlemen in name, so they may shew themselves in all their doings gentle, courteous, 
loving, pitiful, and liberal unto their inferiors, living among them as natural fathers 
among their children; not polling, pilling, and oppressing them, but favouring, helping, 
and cherishing them; not destroyers, but fathers of the country; not enemies to the 
poor, but aiders, helpers, and comforters of them ; that when thou shalt call them from 
this vale of wretchedness, they, afore shewing gentleness to the common people, may 
receive gentleness again at thy merciful hand, even everlasting life, through Jesu Christ 
our Lord. Amen. 


A PRAYER FOR LANDLORDS. 


Tue earth is thine, O Lord, and all that is contained therein, notwithstanding thou 
hast given the possession thereof unto the children of men, to pass over the time of 
their short pilgrimage, in this vale of misery. We heartily pray thee to send thy holy 
Spirit into the hearts of: them that possess the grounds, pastures, and dwelling-places 
of the earth, that they, remembering themselves to be the tenants, may not rack and 
stretch out the rents of their houses and lands, nor yet take unreasonable fines and 
incomes after the manner of covetous worldlings; but so let them out to other, that the 
inhabitants thereof may both be able truly to pay the rents, and also honestly to live, 
to nourish their family, and to relieve the poor. Give them grace also to consider that 
they are but strangers and pilgrims in this world, having here no dwelling-place, but 
seeking one to come; that they, remembering the short continuance of their life, may be 
content with that is sufficient, and not join house to house, nor couple land to land, to 
the impoverishment of other, but so behave themselves in letting out their tenements, 


THE FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS. 25 


lands, and pastures, that after this life they may be received into everlasting dwelling- 
places, through Jesu Christ our Lord. Amen. 


A PRAYER FOR MERCHANTS. 


O Aimicuty God, maker and disposer of all things, which hast placed thy creatures 
necessary for the use of men in divers lands and sundry countries, yea, and that unto 
this end, that all kinds of men should be knit together in unity and love, seeing we all 
have need one of another's help, one country of another country’s commodity, one realm 
of another realm’s gifts and fruits; we beseech thee to preserve and keep all such as 
travel either by land or by sea, for the getting of things that be necessary for the wealth 
of the realms or countries where they dwell, and to give them safe passage both in their 
going and coming, that they, having prosperous journeys, may shew themselves thankful 
to thee and beneficial to their neighbour, and so occupy their merchandise without 
fraud, guile, or deceit, that the commonweal may prosper and flourish with the abund- 
ance of worldly things through their godly and righteous travails, unto the glory of thy 
name. Amen. 


A PRAYER FOR LAWYERS. 


WE know, O Lord, that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully, given of thee as Rom. vii. 
° . : : . 1 Tim. i. 
a singular gift unto the children of men for maintenance of godly orders, for putting 
away of iniquities and wrongs, for restoring of men unto their right, for the avance- 
ment of virtue, and punishment of vice. We most heartily pray thee, which art the 
law-giver, which alone is able to save and to destroy, from whom also cometh all James iv. 
wisdom, prudence, and knowledge, so to rule through the governance of thy holy Spirit ae 
the hearts of all lawyers, that they, hearing men’s causes being in controversy with 
discretion and indifferency, and weighing them justly and truly, according to the tenor 
and equity of the law, may without partiality both faithfully give counsel, and also 
indifferently pronounce of all such causes as be brought unto them, and by no means 
suffer themselves to be corrupted with bribes and gifts, which blind the eyes of the xectus. xx. 
wise, and subvert true judgment ; but walk so uprightly in all men’s matters, that they, aes 
seeking with godly travails a quietness among men in this world, may after their de- 
parture from this troublesome vale of misery enjoy everlasting rest and quietness in 
heavenly mansion, through Jesu Christ our Lord. 


A PRAYER FOR LABOURERS AND MEN OF OCCUPATIONS. 


As the bird is born to fly, so is man born to labour. For thou, O Lord, hast com- Job v. 
manded by thy holy word, that man shall eat his bread in the labour of his hands, and Gen. iii. 
in the sweat of his face; yea, thou hast given commandment that, if any man will not tee” 
labour, the same should not eat: thou requirest of us also, that we withdraw ourselves Thess! iy. 
from every brother that walketh inordinately, and giveth not his mind unto labour ; 
so that thy godly pleasure is that no man be idle, but every man labour according to 
his vocation and calling: we most humbly beseech thee to grave in the hearts of all 
labourers and workmen a willing disposition to' travail for their living according to thy 
word, and to bless the labours, pains, and travails of all such as either till? the earth 
or exercise any other handy occupation, that they, justifying? to be quiet, and to meddle 1 Thess. iv. 
with their own business, and to work with their own hands, and through thy blessing ec 
enjoying the fruits of their labours, may knowledge thee the giver of all good things, 
and glorify thy holy name. Amen. 


A PRAYER FOR RICH MEN. 


Auseir, O Lord, thou art the giver of all good things, and through thy blessing men prox. x. 
become rich that are godly and justly rich; yet are we taught in thy divine scriptures, 





[1 Folio, or.] [? Folio, fill; but till in the Primer. ] [* Primer, studying. ] 


Matt. xiii. 
Mark iv. 
Luke viii. 
Matt. xix. 
Mark x. 


Luke xviii. 


1 Tim. vi. 
Ecclus. x. 


Luke xvi. 


Hab. ii. 


Luke xvi. 
Matt. v. 

] Tim. vi. 
Rom. xii. 
1 Tim. vi. 
1 Tim. vi. 


Ecelus. xi. 


Matt. v. 


Ecclus. xi. 


Luke xvi. 


Rom. xiii. 
] Pet. ii. 
Tit. iii, 


1 Pet. ii. 


Rom. xiii. 


26 THE FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS. 


that riches and the cares of worldly things smother up thy holy word, and that it is 
more easy for a gable rope to go through the eye of a needle than a rich man to enter 
the kingdom of heaven; again, that they which will be rich fall into temptation and 
snares, and into many foolish and noisome lusts, which whelm men into perdition and 
destruction (for covetousness is the root of all evils) ; we, therefore, perceiving by thy 
blessed word so many incommodities, yea, pestilences of man’s salvation, to accompany 
riches, most entirely beseech thee to bless such as thou hast made rich with a good, 
humble, loving, and free mind, that they, remembering themselves to be thy dispen- 
sators and stewards, may not set their minds upon the deceitful treasures of this world, 
which are more brittle than glass, and more vain than smoke, nor yet heap up thick 
clay against themselves, but liberally and cheerfully bestow part of such goods as thou 
hast committed unto them upon their poor neighbours, make them friends of wicked 
mammon, be merciful to the needy, be rich in good works, and ready to give and dis- 
tribute to that necessity of the saints, laying up in store for themselves a good foundation 
against the time to come, that they may obtain everlasting life through Jesu Christ thy 
Son and our Lord. Amen. 


A PRAYER FOR POOR PEOPLE. 


As riches, so likewise poverty is thy gift, O Lord. And as thou hast made some 
rich to dispose the worldly goods, so hast thou appointed some to be poor, that they 
might receive thy benefits at the rich men’s hands. And as the godly rich are well- 
beloved of thee, so in like manner are the poor, if they bear the cross of poverty patiently 
and thankfully. For good and evil, life and death, poverty and riches, are of thee, O 
Lord. We therefore most humbly pray thee to give a good spirit to all such as it hath 
pleased thee to burden with the yoke of poverty, that they may with a patient and 
thankful heart walk in their state like unto that poor Lazare, of whom we read in the 
gospel of thy well-beloved Son, which choosed rather patiently and godly to die, than 
unjustly or by force to get any man’s goods ; and by no means envy, murmur, or grudge 
against such as it hath pleased thee to endue with more abundance of worldly goods ; 
but knowing their state, although never so humble and base, to be of thee, their Lord 
God, and that thou wilt not forsake them in this their need, but send them things 
necessary for their poor life, may continually praise thee, and hope for better things in 
the world to come, through thy Son Jesu Christ our Lord. Amen. 


A PRAYER FOR THE COMMONS. 


Tuou hast commanded, O Lord, in thy holy scriptures, that all subjects should be 
obedient to higher powers, not only for fear, but also for conscience sake; for there is 
no power but of thee. The powers that be are ordained of thee: whosoever therefore 
resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance, and they that resist shall get to themselves 
damnation. Wherefore we, knowing this thy commandment, and notwithstanding not 
ignorant of the' works and subtilties of the devil, which laboureth to the uttermost of his 
power to drive out of men’s hearts true and faithful obedience toward their superiors, 
and in the stead thereof to plant disobedience, rebellion, sedition, tumult, commotion, 
insurrection, and whatsoever may trouble a christian conftnonweal, and break thy holy 
ordinance, most humbly and from the very heart beseech thee to grave in the hearts of 
the common people faithful, true, and unfeigned obedience, both toward our king, and 
toward the other rulers that are sent of him for the punishment of evil-doers, but for 
the praise of them that do well. Grant them also, O most merciful Father, a willing 
mind to give to every man his duty; tribute to whom tribute belongeth, custom to 
whom custom is due, fear to whom fear belongeth, honour to whom honour pertaineth ; 
and above all things to pray without ceasing for all them that be in authority, that 
we may live a peaceable and quiet life in all godliness and honesty, unto the glory 
of thy blessed name. Amen. 


[! Folio, thy. ] 


THE FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS. 27 


A PRAYER FOR THE UNMARRIED. 


Apert, most merciful Father, marriage is honourable among all persons, and the bed Heb. xiii. 
undefiled; yet, forasmuch as some through thine exceeding and above natural gift (for 
no man can live chaste, except thou give him the gift) live free from the sweet yoke of Wise. viii. 
matrimony, some again for the tenderness of age are not apt for holy wedlock ; we 
heartily pray thee, that they which have received of thee the gift of continency may 
so train their life in godly exercises, that thou mayest go forth to continue and increase 
that thy gift in them, that they may the more freely and quietly serve thee, and care 1 Cor. vii. 
for those things that pertain unto thy glory; again, that the other, passing over the 
time of their young age in thy fear, in godly travails and virtuous labours, may eschew 
all evil, wicked, riotous, and wanton company, that, when they shall take on them the 
holy and honourable order of blessed wedlock, they may bring with them clean and 
undefiled bodies, and so live in that godly state of matrimony, avoiding all fornication, 
whoredom, and uncleanness, all dissension, strife, and debate, that thou mayest bless 
them and their marriage, prosper their godly travails, send them good success in all 
their doings, and make them joyful parents in seeing their childer’s children according Psal. exxviii. 
to thy holy promise, which livest and reignest very God, worlds without end. Amen. 


A PRAYER FOR THEM THAT BE MARRIED. 


Amone other thy creatures, O everlasting God, when thou hadst made man according Gen. i. v. 
to thine own similitude, likeness, and image, thou saidst: It is not good that man be Gen. ii. 
alone: let us make him a helper like unto himself; and shortly after thou formedst a 
woman of the man’s rib, and broughtest her unto Adam, which said: ‘This now is gph. v. 
bone of my bores, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called a woman, for she is taken ome 
of man: wherefore man shall forsake father and mother, and cleave unto his wife, and Matt. xix. 
they shall be two in one flesh. And thou, blessing them, gavest them commandment, 
saying: Increase and multiply, and fulfil the earth. Here learn we, O heavenly 
Father, that thou art the author of marriage; and that so many as marry in thy fear 
are coupled together of thee, blessed, and defended ; and that thou hast joined them 
together to this ed, that they should increase the earth, and bring forth sons and 
daughters unto the glory of thy name. 

Thy holy apost also commanded that, to avoid fornication, every man should 1 Cor. vii. 
have his own wife, and every woman her own husband; so that, if they cannot live 
single, they should marry; for it is better to marry than to burn. Here learn we 
again, O heavenly Father, that thou hast ordained matrimony to be a salve unto the 
infirmity and weaknes of our flesh, and hast given it as a present remedy unto us 
against the raging lusis of old Adam, that we, taking upon us the holy order of 
matrimony, and by this means eschewing whoredom and all uncleanness, might serve Lukei. 
thee in holiness and puieness all the days of our life. 

We therefore, considering how grievous an offence it is before thy divine Majesty 
for such as be married dissolutely to live, and contrary unto their profession to abuse 
themselves, most heartily pray thee favourably to behold all such as have taken upon 
them the yoke of honourabls wedlock, and to give them grace to order their life accord- 
ing to thy holy word. 

Grant, O merciful Lord, that the married men be not bitter, that is, churlish and Col. iii. 
unkind, unto their wives, but love them as thy dearly-beloved Son Christ loved the ” ™ 
faithful congregation, provide for them, defend them, and cherish them even as they 
cherish their own bodies ; again, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour 1 Pet. iii. 
unto the wife as unto the weaker vessel, and as unto them that are heirs also of the 
grace of life; that every one of them, avoiding fornication and knowing how to keep 1 Thess. iv. 
his vessel in holiness and honour, and not in the lust of concupiscence, as do the heathen 
that know not God, may by their godly conversation shew themselves to have taken 
upon them the holy order of matrimony, not at the provocation of the flesh, but through 
the motion of thy holy Spirit. 


Eph. v. 
Col. iii. 


1 Pet. iii. 


1 Tim. ii. 
1 Pet. iii. 


Eph. vi. 


Psal. exv. 


Matt. xix. 
Mark x. 
Luke xviii. 


Gen. i. ix. 


Gen. iii. 
1 Tim. ii. 


Gen. iii. 


Psal. x! viii. 
Ecelus. xlviil. 
Isai. xiii. 
Jer. Vi. Xxx. 
Ezek. xxx. 
Hos. xiii. 
Mice. iv. 
John xvi. 


Gen. iii. 


28 THE FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS. 


Grant also, that the wives be obedient and submit themselves unto their own husbands 
in all honest and godly things, that they which believe not the word may without the 
word be won by the conversation of their wives, while they behold their pure conver- 
sation coupled with fear. Give them grace also to array themselves in comely apparel, 
with shamefacedness and discreet behaviour; not with broided hair, either gold, or pearls, 
or costly array, but with such as becometh women that profess the worshipping of God, 
through good works, that the hid man of the heart be uncorrupt, with a meek and 
quiet spirit, which spirit is before God a thing much set by. 

Again, grant, O Lord, that both the husbands and the wives may so walk in thy 
fear and in thy holy law, that thou mayest have a pleasure in them, bless them, prosper 
their enterprises, make them fruitful and joyful parents. 

Finally, the children that thou sendest them, give them grace so to bring up in thy 
nurture and doctrine, that they, living together many years both joyful and quietly, may 
with one voice and with one mind glorify thy blessed name for ever. Amen. 


A PRAYER FOR WOMEN WITH CHILD. 


Tuov, O Lord, art wonderful in all thy works, and whatsoever thy good pleasure 
is, that dost thou easily bring to pass, neither is any thing impossible with thee that 
thou wilt have done. And albeit this thine almighty power sheweth itself abun- 
dantly in all thy works, yet in the conceiving, forming, and bringing forth of man 
it shineth most evidently. 

At the beginning, O heavenly Father, when thou madest man and woman, 
thou commandedst them to increase, multiply, and replenish the earth. If through 
the subtile enticements of Satan they had not transgressed thy commandment by 
eating the forbidden fruit, the woman, whom thou hast appointed the organ, instru- 
ment, and vessel to conceive, nourish, and bring forth man througk thy wonderful 
workmanship, had without any labour, pain, or travail brought forth her fruit. 
But that which thy goodness made easy, sin and disobedience bath made hard, 
painful, dangerous, and, if thy help were not, impossible to be broaght to pass; so 
that now all women bring forth their children in great sorrows, pains, and troubles. 
Notwithstanding, thou shewest thyself unto thy creatures a Father of mercy, and God 
of all consolation. For that which through their own imperfection and feebleness 
they are not able of themselves to bring to pass, thou through thine unspeakable 
power makest easy in them, and bringest unto a fortunate end. We therefore, being 
fully persuaded of thy bent and ready goodness, of thy present help, of thy sweet 
comfort in all miseries and necessities, knowing also by the tessimonies of thy holy 
word how great and intolerable the pains of women are that travail of child, if through 
thy tender mercies they be not mitigated and eased, most humbly pray thee for Jesu 
Christ’s sake, thy Son and our Lord, that thy loving-kindness may make that easy 
and tolerable which sin hath made hard and painful. Ease, 0 Lord, the pains which 
thou most righteously hast put upon all women for the sin and disobedience of our 
grandmother Eve, in whom all we have sinned ; and give unto all such as have con- 
ceived and be with child strength to bring forth that which thou wonderfully hast 
wrought in them. Be present with them in their trouble, help them and deliver 
them. Let thy power be shewed no less in the safe bringing forth, than in the 
wonderful fashioning of the child, that that which thoa hast begun in them may 
come unto good success. Make them glad and joyful mothers, that they, through 
thy goodness being safely delivered, and restored to their old strengths, may live and 
praise thy blessed name for ever. Amen. 


A THANKSGIVING UNTO GOD FOR THEIR DELIVERANCE. 


Amone other thy benefits, yea, and those innumerable, which thou daily bestow- 
est upon us thy needy and poor creatures, this is not the least, O most merciful 
Father, that thou of thy tender goodness dost vouchsafe, foy the conservation of man- 
kind, to preserve the women that are with child, and to give them safe deliverance 


THE FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS. 29 


of their burden, by this means making them glad and joyful mothers. For this thy 

benefit and good-will toward us we so heartily thank thee as heart can think, 
beseeching thee to work such thankfulness in the hearts of all mothers by thy holy 

Spirit, that they, being not unmindful of this high benefit of their safe deliverance, 
wrought only by the Saviour of all mankind, may shew themselves thankful unto 

thee for this thy goodness, and never forget that thy present help and most sweet Psal.i. 
comfort, which thou mercifully shewedst upon them in their great travails, labours, Prov. xviii. 
and pains when they fled unto thy holy name for succour, as unto a strong bulwark 

and holy defence. Go forth, O Lord, to make them the joyful mothers of many chil- Psai. exiii. 
dren. Endue them with long life, that they may see their childer’s children. And Psal. exxviii. 
the children that thou givest unto them, make thou as in age, so likewise in wisdom 

and in the abundance of thy holy Spirit to increase, that they may have favour both Lukei. ii. 
with thee and with all good men, unto the glory of thy most blessed name. Amen. 


A PRAYER FOR FATHERS AND MOTHERS. 


Forasmucu, O heavenly Father, as thou hast dealt with the children of men more Psal. viii. 
nobly than with brute beasts and with other thy creatures, by giving them not only 
an amiable body, but also a mind which is immortal and never shall die, and, for Gen. i. 
the garnishing of the same, that it may be made like unto the similitude, likeness, Wisd. ii. 
and image of thee, hast in thy holy law commanded fathers and mothers, whom thou 
hast blessed with the gift of children, to take diligent care for the virtuous bringing Deut. iv. 

. . Ecelus. vii. x. 

up of their sons and daughters, that they may learn even from their very cradles to Xxx. xi 
know thee their Lord God, to believe in thee, to fear and love thee, to call upon thy Tit. ii. 
blessed name, to be thankful unto thee, and to walk in thy holy commandments all 
the days of their life; we, knowing how froward, evil-disposed, and untoward the Gen. viii. 
heart, wit, and disposition of man is, even from his very youth, if it be not restrained 
with the bit of thy most blessed law, heartily pray thee to give all fathers and 


mothers grace, after the example of Abraham, David, Toby, Mattathias, the parents Gen. xviii. 


of Susan, Philip the evangelist, and such other, to bring up their children, even from Tob Pv. 
their very infancy, in thy fear, in thy nurture, and in the knowledge of thy most Hie Saas 


healthful word, that they, seeking no less the garnishing of their children’s minds with 2tim wi. 


learning and virtue, than the preserving of their bodies with food and raiment, may 
shew themselves profitable members of the christian public weal, and faithful servants 
to thee their Lord God, which alone art worthy all honour and glory. Amen. 


A PRAYER FOR CHILDREN. 


As thou, O merciful Father, hast given commandment unto all fathers and mothers, 
to bring up their children in thy fear, nurture, and doctrine, so likewise thy good 
pleasure is that children should honour and reverence their parents, diligently give Exod. xx. 
ear unto their virtuous instructions, and faithfully obey them. And as thou hast Matt sine 


promised health, honour, glory, riches, long life, and all that good is unto them that ae 


honour, reverence, and humbly obey their fathers and mothers; so hast thou threat- rece iii. 
ened unto disobedient children ignominy, evil fame, contempt, shame, dishonour, Tob. iv. 
poverty, sickness, short life, and such other plagues. Yea, in thy holy law thou dost ers 
not only pronounce them accursed that dishonour their fathers and mothers, but thou piv x<ti. 
also commandest that, if any child be stubborn and disobedient, and will not hear, peut. xxi. 
but rather despise the commandment of his father and mother, the same should be 
stoned unto death without mercy; so greatly dost thou abhor disobedience and rebel- 
lion against all persons, but specially against parents. 

We therefore, heartily wishing that the plagues of thy fierce wrath (for thou, 
O God, art a consuming fire!) may be far from us, most humbly beseech thee to grave Deut. iv. 
in the hearts of all children, of whatsoever age, kind, estate, or degree they be, true aor 
honour, hearty reverence, and unfeigned obedience toward their parents. Give them 
grace, O good Lord, that as they profess thy Son Christ in name, so they may truly 
represent his manners in their life and conversation, which willingly was obedient Lute ii 


Tsai. Ixiv. 


Isai. xlix. 


Matt. xxviii. 


Matt. xxiii. 


1 Tim. vi. 
Rev. xvii. ' 
& xix. 


Phil. ii. 


Eph. vi. 
Col. iv. 


Ecclus. vii. 
Ecelus. iv. 


Ecelus. vii. 


Matt. xvi. 
Rom. ii. 


Matt. xxv. 


Phil. ii. 


30 THE FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS. 


unto his mother Mary, and unto her husband Joseph, giving example to all children 
of the like subjection and obedience toward their parents. Engraff in them such a 
love toward their fathers and mothers, that they may both reverence them with out- 
ward honour, and also for their power help them, succour them, provide for them, 
comfort and cherish them in their need, even as their parents nourished and comforted 
them in their infancy and tender age. But above all things give them grace truly 
to honour thee, which art the heavenly Father, yea, our Father and our Redeemer, 
which hast made us, and daily cherishest us, even as a father or mother cherish their 
most dear and natural children. So shall it come to pass, that they, faithfully honour- 
ing thee, shall also in order heartily honour and unfeignedly obey their carnal parents 
in thy fear, unto the glory of thy most blessed name, which is most worthy to be 
honoured, worlds without end. Amen. 


A PRAYER FOR MASTERS. 


Aurnoucn, O Christ, thou most highest Lord, all power both in heaven and in 
earth be given unto thee of thy heavenly Father, and albeit thou hast given us a 
commandment that we should not desire to be called master, for we have but one 
Master, which thou art, and all we are brethren, having one Father, which is in 
heaven ; yet, forasmuch as thou according to thy blessed will hast appointed some supe- 
riors, some inferiors, some masters, some servants, some to command, some to obey, some 
to rule, some to serve, and by this means such as be in superiority have obtained by 
thy holy word the name of masters or lords, because they have servants under them, 
and rule under thee according to thy good pleasure and godly appomtment, which art 
the most supreme power, and most excellent Majesty, King of kings, and Lord of lords ; 
to whom all things both in heaven, and in earth, and under the earth, do bow their 
knees, and give reverence and honour, whose praise also every nation and language 
doth avance and set forth, confessing that thou art the Lord Jesu Christ, unto the 
glory of God the Father; we most humbly pray thee, which art the greatest Master 
and most highest Lord, to send thy holy Spirit upon all such as are called masters 
here in earth, and have superiority over thee’, that they, remembering themselves to 
be thy servants, and that they also have a Master in heaven, with whom there is no 
respect of persons, may put away all threatenings, all cruelty, all unrighteousness, and 
do that unto their servants which is just and equal. 

Grant that they entreat not evil their servants which work truly, nor the hireling 
that is faithful unto them. Grant that they be not as lions in their houses, destroy- 
ing their household folks, and oppressing such as are under them; but rather that 
they cherish and love their faithful and discreet servants, even as their own soul, 
and by no means suffer them to be unrewarded for their pains-taking, nor yet at the 
last to be driven to beggary for their true service-doing ; but that they, liberally re- 
warding them according to their deserts, may shew themselves to be thy true ser- 
vants, which leavest no man unrewarded, but givest to every man according to his 
deeds; to them that do well and continue in well-doing, glory, honour, peace, immor- 
tality, and everlasting life; to them that do evil and continue in the same, indigna- 
tion, wrath, displeasure, trouble, sorrow, and eternal damnation. Grant therefore, 
O Lord, that ali temporal masters may in all their doings resemble thee, which art 
the heavenly and everlasting Master, and so behave themselves both toward their 
servants and all other according to thy blessed will, that at the last day they may 
be found in the number of them to whom thou shalt say: Come, ye blessed of my 
Father, possess the kingdom which was prepared for you from the beginning :of the 
world. Lord, let it so come to pass. Amen. 


A PRAYER FOR SERVANTS. 


O Curist, my Lord and Saviour, which, being the Son of the living God, yea, 
God himself from everlasting, didst not disdain at the will of thine heavenly Father 


[} Perhaps others. ] 


THE FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS. 31 


to make thyself of no reputation, to become man, to take upon thee the shape 

of a servant, and to obey thy Father's commandment to the death, yea, even the 
death of the cross, for our salvation, refusing no service, no travail, no labour, no pain, 

that might make unto the comfort of mankind; we most humbly beseech thee to give 

all servants grace to practise thy humility and obedience, that, as thou most willingly 

didst serve and obey thy heavenly Father’s good pleasure, so they in like manner 

may with most hearty affection serve and obey their bodily masters in all things Eph. vi. 
that fight not with thy blessed word; not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but in Col. iii. 
singleness of heart, fearing God; that, whatsoever they do, they may do it heartily, 

even as unto the Lord, and not unto men; forasmuch as they are sure that they shall 
receive the reward of the heavenly inheritance of thee, O Lord Christ, whom also 

they serve, while truly and faithfully they serve their bodily masters. Grant that Tit i. 
so many as are under the yoke may count their masters worthy of all honour, that 1 Pet. ii. 
the name of God and his doctrine be not evil spoken of; and obey them with all fear, 

not only if they be good and courteous, but also though they be froward, and please Tt #- 
them in all things, not answering them again, nor picking ought from them, but 
shew all good faithfulness, that in all things they may do worship unto the doctrine 

of thee our God and Saviour; to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be all 
honour, praise, and glory, for ever. Amen. 


A PRAYER FOR THEM THAT ARE SICK. 


O Jesu, the Saviour of the world, and the true Physician both of the body and Matt. ix. 
of the soul, we are not altogether ignorant how detestable a thing sin is in thy 
sight, and how greatly thou abhorrest them that commit iniquity and shake off the Psal.v. 
yoke of thy law, giving their minds to the filthy lusts of the flesh, and the vain 
pleasures of the world. 

Some that thus ungodly behave themselves thou sufferest to go forth still in 
their beast-like manners, without correction or punishment, to live in pleasure and James v. 
wantonness upon the earth, to nourish their hearts as in a day of slaughter, to serve Phil. ii. 
their belly as their God, and voluptuously to spend their days without all fear of 
thee, that at the last they, being altogether nousled in voluptuousness and dying 
without repentance (for the sorrows, plagues, and punishments of the wicked begin Psal. exv. 
at their death), may with that rich and beast-like glutton be tormented for ever in Luke xvi. 
the flames of hell-fire. For convenient it is that they, which in this world live all 
in pleasure, do in another world receive their pains, even as thou hast promised in 
thy holy gospel, saying: Wo be to you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Wo Luke vi. 
be to you that now laugh! for ye shall wail and weep. 

Again, some that walk inordinately, and contrary to the rules’ of thy holy law, 
thou, tendering their salvation, visitest them with sickness and punishest their bodies 
with the loving rod of thy correction, that they may no longer be proud, cruel, and 
fierce against the spirit, whose servant and bond-slave the body of right ought to 
be, but rather be obedient and serviceable, that it may from henceforth not so much 
as once lust against the spirit; and by this means thou mercifully callest them (which 
as wandering sheep have so long strayed abroad) home again unto thy sheep-fold. Luke xv. 
For this, O Lord, is an evident token of thine exceeding goodness and tender mercy 
toward us, when thou, seeing us most grievously through our wicked and sinful 
conversation to offend thy divine Majesty, to forsake thy law, not to walk in thy 
ordinances, to break thy statutes, not to keep thy commandments, dost not take 
away from us thy loving-kindness; but visitest our iniquities with thy gentle rod, Psal. Ixxxix. 
and punishest our sins with thy corrections, sweet to the spirit, but bitter to the 
flesh (for while we are punished we are corrected of the Lord, lest we should with 1 Cor. xi. 
this world be condemned), and by this means thou provokest us to leave our riotous 
and ungodly manners, and to seek after thee our most loving Saviour, leading a life 
from henceforth according to thy most blessed will and commandment. 





[2 Folio, rulers. ] 


Job i. 


Heb. xii. 
Prov. iii. 
Rev. iii. 

Heb. xii. 


Luke x. 


Hos. vi. 


Deut. xxxii. 
1 Sam. ii. 
Tob. xiii. 
Wisd. xvi. 


Psal..cxix. 


Matt. xxvi. 


Psal. xev. 


Rom. xiv. 


Prov. xviii. 


Phil. i. 
2 Cor. v. 


Psal. ciii. 


Matt. 1x. 


32 THE FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS. 


Some also thou throwest into adversity, and punishest with sickness, to prove and 
try their faith, whether they be constant in confessing, calling upon, and praising 
thy holy name, like unto that patient man and faithful warrior, which said: If 
we have received good and prosperous things at the Lord’s hand, why should we 
not be content to suffer evil and troublous things? The Lord gave them, the Lord 
hath taken them away; as it pleased the Lord, so is it come to pass: blessed be the 
name of the Lord. So many, O Lord, as thou lovest, thou sometime visitest with 
thy loving rod of correction, lest that they, continually enjoying that too much felicity 
and wealth of worldly things, should forget thee their Lord God, and walk in the 
vanities of a lewd mind. For if we endure chastening, thou offerest thyself unto us 
as unto sons. For whom thou lovest, him thou chastenest: yea, and thou scourgest 
every son that thou receivest: what son is that whom the father chasteneth not? 
If we be not under correction, whereof all are partakers, then are we bastards and 
not sons. And albeit no manner chastising for the present time seemeth to be 
joyous but grievous, nevertheless afterward it bringeth the quiet fruit of righteousness 
unto them which are exercised therein. 

Forasmuch therefore, O most merciful Saviour, as sickness and adversity is sent 
from thee unto the children of men for their great profit and singular commodity, 
even that the body with the works thereof should be subject to the spirit, and as a 
witness and seal of thy loving-kindness and hearty good-will toward them; we most 
heartily pray thee mercifully to behold all such as are sick, and, as that pitiful 
Samaritan, to pour wine and oil into their wounds, and to bind them up, that is, to 
comfort them, giving them grace patiently to bear the cross that thou hast laid upon 
them, to shew themselves conformable to thy blessed will, and in the midst of their 
trouble and sickness to praise thy glorious name, and with strong faith to say: Come 
and let us return unto the Lord, for he hath begun and he will heal us; he hath 
stricken us, and he will surely make us whole. For it is the Lord that bringeth 
down to the grave and fetcheth up again. It is the Lord that punisheth with 
poverty, and maketh wealthy again. It is the Lord that bringeth low, and lifteth 
up again; yea, it is the Lord that killeth, and maketh alive again. It is for our 
great profit that the Lord hath thus plagued us, even that we should learn to forsake 
our own fleshly will, and to walk in his holy ordinances. Therefore as it is God's 
good pleasure, so let it come to pass. His will be done, and not ours. We are 
his people, and the sheep of his pasture; let him deal with us as seemeth best in 
his godly sight. For whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. 

Give them grace, O sweet Jesu, thus to be persuaded of thy good-will even in 
the midst of the shadow of death, that they faint not under the cross, and become 
of a desperate mind, but valiantly abide thy good pleasure, and all the time of their 
trouble and sickness patiently and thankfully to call upon thy blessed name, which 
is a strong tower for all them that flee unto it; and ever set before their eyes thy 
loving-kindness, believing stedfastly that, although their cross be painful to the flesh, 
yet is it sweet to the spirit, and albeit the outward man be made weak through it, 
yet is the inward man made strong, which wisheth to be loosened from this wretched 
body, and to be with thee in glory. For so long as we are at home in the body, 
we are absent from the fruition and sight of thy divine Majesty. O Lord, it is not 
thy property alway to chide, alway to be angry, neither to deal with us according 
to our sins, nor yet to reward us after our iniquities; but as a tender father pitieth 
his natural son, so art thou merciful to sinners if they repent, believe, and amend. 
For thou camest into this world not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance : 
neither art thou a physician for the whole, but for the sick. Be thou therefore, 
O most merciful Saviour, a physician to such as are diseased either in body or soul, 
and, after this thy loving correction, restore unto them the benefit of health, both 
corporally and spiritually. Make whole so many as knowledge their miseries, repent 
them of their sinful manners, flee unto thee for succour, believing to enjoy all good 
things at thy merciful hand. And as thou hast made them heavy with laying thy 
cross upon them, so make thou them joyful by restoring unto them the gift of health, 
that they may live and glorify thy blessed name for ever. Amen. 


THE FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS. 33 


A PRAYER FOR SOLDIERS. 
In the whole body of the holy scripture, O Jesu, thou Son of the living God, cen. xiv. 


there is nothing more commended and set forth unto us than peace, unity, quietness, serene 
and concord. Unto this Moses and the prophets, thou and thine apostles do diligently LEO AE 
exhort, and contrariwise vehemently dissuade from discord, enmity, malice, war, &c. toe 
For what is more seemly for man, than to embrace amiable peace, friendly concord, Jonn evi 


and quiet amity? The creation, the shape, the birth of man proveth evidently man f{,?,*": 
q hy p Pp y et. v. 


to be formed and made unto peace. But Satan, that old enemy of mankind, which 
goeth about like a roaring lion, seeking whom ke may devour, sweateth, and with 
all main laboureth to banish peace from the children of men, and in the stead thereof 
violently to thrust in discord, tumults, seditions, wars, blood-shedding, manslaughter, 
destruction of realms and countries, by this means intending to make havoc of all together; 
so that he, furiously raging in his members, provoketh many times thy servants, for 
the defence of their country and the safeguard of their people, to wage battle with 
their enemies. 

We therefore most humbly beseech thee to assist all such as justly attempt any 
wars against their enemies, and mightily to defend them against their adversaries, 
that they may receive through thy puissance a glorious victory and noble triumph. 
Send thy holy angel unto them, that he may pitch his tent among them, and over- Gen. xxxii. 


throw their enemies. Give all soldiers grace so to behave themselves in the wars eve 
with all godliness and honesty, that thou mayest have a pleasure to be present among 
them, to be their captain and valiant defender. Suffer them not to be discouraged 2Chron. xiv. 
for the multitude of their enemies, but with strong faith let them wholly depend on 

thee the most mighty conqueror, with whom it is all one to help in few or in many, 

and with that prince-like warrior boldly say: The Lord is my light and my health: Psal. xxvii. 
whom shall I fear? The Lord is the defender of my life: of whom shall I be 

afraid? If mine enemies pitch pavilions against me, my heart shall not fear. 

If men of war rise against me, I will trust in the Lord my God. And when 

thou hast given them the victory over their enemies, give them also a thankful Peal. xx 
heart, that they may confess to have gotten the victory not by their horses, bows, Prov. xx. | 
or guns, nor yet by their own strength and policy, but by thine almighty power, 

and so be encouraged for ever after to magnify thy holy name. Amen. 


A PRAYER FOR MARINERS. 


Tuy power is wonderful both upon the land and sea, and whatsoever thy good Psa. Ixxxix. 


Dan. iii. 


pleasure is, that workest thou in them both. Sometime thou makest the earth fruitful, Leck. ix. 
. . . . Sal. CXlv. 
sometime barren. The sea also sometime is calm and pleasant, sometime rough and Deut. xxviii. 


Ecclus. xi. 


boisterous. So that whether they bring troublous or prosperous things unto us, all Prov. xvi. 
come from thee our Lord God, that thy power and glory may be shewed in thy 
creatures unto the praise of thy name. 

Seeing that thou art ruler both of the earth and sea, we most heartily beseech 
thee to preserve all such as labour either by land or by sea, but namely them which 
for getting and maintenance of their living are compelled to travel the seas, and to 
commit themselves to the dangers thereof. O Lord, though the surges of the sea Psal. xciii. 


be marvellous, yet art thou, which sittest on high, more marvellous. Though the SESey 


winds be boisterous, strong, and vehement, yet dost thou excel them in power. For Psal. oxlviii. 
thou hast given a commandment to thy creatures, and none go beyond it. Fire, hail, Pre ole 
snow, ice, and vapours, stormy winds, accomplish thy word. Thou hast limited the 

waters their bonds, which they may not pass. Thou also with a word, when the 

ship, wherein thou and thy disciples were, was grievously tossed with the waves, Matt. viii. 
and at the point of drowning through the wind and tempest that arose, causedst at Take. 
the desire of thy disciples the wind to cease, the sea to be quiet, and a great calm 

to be made, insomuch that they which were in the ship marvelled, and said: What 

man is this, that both winds and the sea obey him? Grant therefore, O most gentle 

Saviour, that, whensoever any troublous tempest ariseth in the sea, so that through 


3 


[BECON, UI. ] 


John xiv. 


Psal. xci. 


Gen. xii. xv. 
XVili. xix. 
Xxiv. XXv. 
XXViii. 

Tob. v. 

Acts xii. 


Psal. xci. 
Matt. iv. 
Mark i. 
Luke iv. 


2 Cor. 1. 


Wisd. viii. ix. 
xii. 


Psal. exv. 
Matt. xix. 
Mark x. 
Luke xviii. 
Deut. xxxii. 
1 Sam. ii. 
Tob. xiii. 
Wisd. xvi. 


Psal. xiv. liii. 
Rom. iii. 
James iii. 
1 Johni. 
Psal. 1xxxix. 
1 Cor. xi. 
Exod. xxxii. 
Josh. vii. 


Judg. ii. iit. 
Vi. Vii. Vill. x. 
2 Kings xxv. 
2 Chron. 
XXXVI. 

2 Sam. xii. 
xlii. xv. xvi. 
XXiv. 


Jonah i. ii. iii. 


Judith viii. 


34 THE FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS. 


it such as are upon the sea be in danger, they, calling on thy blessed name with 
strong faith for help, may find favour at thy merciful hand, be delivered out of fear, 
escape all dangers, and travel a fortunate journey. So shall it come to pass that 
they, through thine almighty power being safely delivered from all perils, shall con- 
tinually praise and glorify thy blessed name. Amen. 


A PRAYER FOR TRAVELLERS BY LAND. 


O Lorp, which art the way, the truth, and life, thou hast promised in the holy 
scripture, that they which put their trust in thee, look for help at thy hand, and 
take thee for their mighty defender and strong castle, shall be preserved harmless, 
and walk in all their journeys safely, and without danger. For thou thyself wilt 
take charge of them, and shadow them under thy merciful wings, so that none evil 
shall chance unto them. Yea, as thou didst send thy holy angel with Abraham and 
Toby, and with other thy faithful servants to be their guide and defender, and to 
make their journey prosperous; so wilt thou send thy blessed angels with them that 
wholly depend on thee, and with strong faith commit themselves to thy most godly 
tuition; which shall safely keep them in all their ways, yea, and sooner hold them 
up with their hands than they shall dash their foot against a stone. This thy ac- 
customed gentleness toward thy servants, and these thy loving promises, encourage 
us greatly at this present to come unto thy Majesty, most humbly beseeching thee 
to send thy holy angel unto all such as travel by the way in thy fear, to take care 
of them, to defend them from all misfortunes, and so to guide them throughout all 
their journey, that they may both prosperously and joyfully finish their purposed 
travel, ever praising thy blessed name. Amen. 


A PRAYER FOR A FAITHFUL MAN BEING IN TROUBLE 
OR ENDURANCE! 


O Lorp, Father of mercies and God of all consolation, which rulest and disposest 
all things after thine unsearchable wisdom, and workest in thy creatures according 
to thy blessed will, which is alway good and godly, howsoever blind and frail flesh 
judgeth of it, we know and unfeignedly confess thine omnipotency and almighty 
power. We know that thou art able to do whatsoever thy good pleasure is. We 
know that thou bringest down to the grave, and fetchest up again. Thou punishest 
with poverty, and makest wealthy again. Thou bringest low, and liftest up again. 
Yea, thou, O Lord, killest, and makest alive again. O wonderfully dost thou work 
in all thy creatures, specially in them whom thou hast appointed to be vessels of 
mercy, and inheritors of thine eternal glory. If they at any time grievously offend 
thy divine Majesty (as we be all sinners and ready at every moment to fall), thou 
dost neither long wink at their wickedness, nor yet for ever cast them from thy 
favour; but like a loving physician, with some emplasture or salve, although bitter 
to the flesh, yet wholesome to the soul, thou healest them, and like a tender or 
gentle father correctest them with some temporal punishment, that by this means 
they escaping everlasting punishment, may repent them of their ungodly behaviour, 
confess their wickedness, flee unto thy mercy, and for ever after be the more circumspect 
in [t]reading the paths of thy holy law. On this manner didst thou handle the Israelites, 
when they offended thy fatherly goodness. On this manner didst thou deal with king 
David and prophet Jonas, for their disobedience, with many other, whom notwith- 
standing, for thy mercies’ sake, after they had knowledged their offences, and called 
upon thy holy name, thou wonderfully deliveredst, and broughtest again as it were 


xiii, xv. xvi. Into the haven of quietness. 


Esth. [Apoce. ] 


Xiv. XV. Xvi. 





{1 This prayer, and the succeeding thanksgiving, | of Somerset his grace; gathered and set forth by 
are found in an edition of the ‘‘ Spiritual and most | Thomas Becon, minister there ;’’ and ‘‘ A thanks- 
precious Pearl,’’ printed in 1550, under the follow- | giving for his grace’s deliverance.” (See Vol. I. 
ing titles: ‘‘ A humble petition to the Lord practised | page x.) There is scarcely any variation from the 
in the common prayer of the whole family at Shene, | folio, except that instead of ‘‘ our faithful brother,” 
during the trouble of their lord and master the duke | the phrase ‘“‘our lord and master”’ is used. | 


THE FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS. 35 


We therefore, thy poor and sorrowful creatures, perceiving in thy holy scriptures 
so large fountains of thy great mercies plenteously issuing out toward all them that 
be of a contrite and broken heart, are bold at this present for thy promise sake to 
come unto thee, most humbly beseeching thee, that, as thou deliveredst Jonas out of 
the whale’s belly, Daniel from prison, Peter thine apostle out of ward, David from Dan. vi. 
the hands of his enemies, Susanna from the power of her adversaries, with other, so en 
in like manner thou wilt deliver and set at liberty thy servant and our faithful so ** 
brother; yea, and that on such sort that it may be to thy glory, to his health, and Sas 
to the comfort of so many as unfeignedly love thy blessed word. And although we 
for our imperfection be not worthy to crave and enjoy so great and comfortable benefit 
at thy merciful hand, yet we doubt not but, for thy dearly-beloved Son Jesu Christ’s 
sake, thou wilt most favourably hear us, most fatherly pity us, and most bounteously 
grant us this our humble request. And we again, receiving this benefit of our dear 
brother’s deliverance of thy hand, shall not be unthankful, but continually magnify 
thy holy and glorious name, which dealest so favourable with thy servants, when 
they call upon thee in the name of Jesu Christ thy only-begotten Son, and our alone 
Mediator and Advocate, to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be all praise and 1 Tim. ii. 


1 John ii. 
honour for ever and ever. Amen. 


A THANKSGIVING FOR HIS DELIVERANCE. 


So often as we consider thy wonderful works, O blessed and heavenly Father, 
which thou workest of thine own good-will for so many as in their trouble and ad- 
versity flee for refuge unto thy holy name as unto a strong-hold and mighty fortress, 
we cannot but confess and acknowledge thy singular kindness and unspeakable good- 
will, which thou continually, through thy fatherly goodness, bearest towards thy 
servants ; and for the same, not merited of any man, but freely of thy mercy given, 
we render unto thee according to our most bounden duty most hearty praises and 
entire thanks. 

In consideration whereof, the children of Israel, being in miserable captivity, la- Exod. ii. 
mentably lamenting before thee their too much sorrowful state by hearty prayers, 
after that thou hadst delivered them from that land of servitude, brast out into ex- Exod. xv. 
ceeding great praises, glorifying thy most holy and blessed name for their sweet and 
comfortable deliverance. The citizens of Bethulia likewise being in great distress Judithiv.xvi. 
called upon thy glorious name; and thou most mercifully deliveredst them; and they 
again with merry voices and more joyful hearts sung unto thee most hearty thanks. 

In like manner, when thou hadst delivered Joseph, Daniel, Peter, and many other Gen. xii. 
thy servants from their sorrows and calamities, O who is able to express with tee Di. 
how ready and glad minds they magnified thee and thy holy name? AER 

We therefore, sinful wretches, excited and stirred up with the godly examples of 
these thy servants, knowing how greatly thou delightest in the sacrifice of praise, Psal.1. 
confessing also (such is our beggary!) that we have none other thing worthy to offer Heb. sui” 
unto thy divine Majesty, [are] at this present gathered together to celebrate thy great 
mercies, to magnify thy blessed name, and to render unto thee most humble thanks 
and immortal praise, that it hath pleased thee of thine exceeding goodness, the rather 
at the contemplation of our prayers, to shew thy favourable mercy in the deliverance 
of thy servant and our dear brother N., unto our singular joy and great comfort. 

For this thy benefit, most beneficial Father, we so heartily thank thee, as heart can 
think, most entirely beseeching thee that thou wilt give us all grace, even so many 
as love thy blessed word, never to be unmindful of this thy benefit, nor to commit 
any thing hereafter that should offend thy fatherly goodness, or provoke thy wrath 
against us, lest through our disobedience we after this feel more bitter tokens of Jonny. 
thy heavy displeasure than hitherto we have done; but in all our enterprises so to 
behave ourselves according to thy blessed will, that thou mayest delight in us as a 
father in his children, and vouchsafe to bless us with all spiritual blessing, to enrich 1 Cor. i. 
us with the knowledge of thy heavenly word, and to work in us a life conformable 


to the same, that other, seeing our godly manners and christian conversation, may be Matt. v. 
1 Pet. ii. 
3—2 


Matt. v. 


Tsai. lii. 
Ezek. XXXvi. 
m. ii. 


1 Cor. vii. 
Eph. iv. 


1 Pet. ii. 


2 Cor. ili. 


Psal. exix. 


Col. iii. 


Magistrates. 
Jer. xxi. xxii. 
Zech. vii. 

2 Chron. xix. 
Eccelus. iv. 
Deut. xvii. 
Ecclus. xx. 


Subjects. 
Rom. xiii. 
1 Pet. ii. 


Spiritual 
ministers. 
Acts xx. 


1 Pet. v. 


36 THE FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS. 


encouraged to embrace thy blessed word, to magnify thy holy name, and in all points 
to frame their life according to the rule of thy holy commandments, through the in- 
spiration of thy blessed Spirit, to whom, with thee and thy dearly-beloved Son Jesu 
Christ, be all honour, praise, and glory, for ever and ever. Amen. 


A GENERAL PRAYER THAT ALL MEN MAY WALK IN THEIR 
VOCATION AND CALLING. 


Forasmucn, O heavenly Father, as both thy honour and dishonour, after a certain 
manner, dependeth in this world either of our godly or wicked life (if we live well, 
thy very adversaries shall be compelled to glorify thee; but if our life be ungodly, 
so shalt thou be dishonoured among the wicked, and evil spoken of through our 
sinful living); and because we should not walk inordinately, and so provoke the ene- 
mies of thy truth to rail on thee, and to blaspheme thy holy name; thou hast appointed 
in thy blessed law certain honest aud godly states and degrees wherein thy people 
should live, and hast straitly commanded that so many as profess thee and thy 
holy word should continue in the same, every one according to his vocation and 
calling, and by no means lead a dissolute life after the manner of the heathen, which 
know not God, that by well-doing the professors of thy holy religion may not only 
stop the mouths of foolish and ignorant people, but also provoke them to glorify thee 
our Lord in the day of visitation; we, knowing our infirmity and weakness, which 
is so great, and unable to be remedied of our natural strengths and free-will, that we 
are not able to think a good thought, much less to fulfil thy commandments, which 
thou hast straitly commanded to be kept, and wishing the glory of thy most glorious 
name and the accomplishment of thy heavenly will, most humbly and from the very 
heart beseech thee for Jesu Christ’s sake to endue us with thy holy Spirit, which 
may fulfil that lacked in us, make us new creatures, trade us in the paths of thy 
holy law, and give us grace to walk according to our vocation, in thy fear, and in 
the obedience of thy godly will, that we attempt nothing that in any point may hinder 
thy glory, obscure thy honour, deface thy name, and cause thee to be evil spoken of 
among the ungodly. 

And that this may come to pass, grant, O most merciful Father, that every one 
of us, even from the highest to the lowest, may unfeignedly answer our calling, and 
train our life according to thy blessed will, unto the glory of thy name, that what- 
soever we do in word or deed, we may do all things in the name of the Lord Jesu, 
giving thanks to God the Father through him. 

Grant that all temporal rulers may use their office justly and godly, seek not only 
to be feared, but also to be loved, maintain the good, punish the evil, accept no person 
in judgment, allow no false accusation, shed no innocent blood, hear the small so well 
as the great, receive no bribes, set forth thy glory, avance thy holy word, promote 
thy faithful preachers, and in all their doings seek the profit of the commonweal, and 
so behave themselves, that they may be found worthy officers in thy sight. 

Grant that the subjects may shew all reverent submission to their rulers, obey 
them in all things, be faithful and true to them, yea, and that not only for fear of 
punishment, but also for conscience sake. 

Grant that the bishops, the preachers of thy word, and all other spiritual minis- 
ters, may take heed to themselves and to all the flock, in the which the Holy Ghost 
hath appointed them overseers, to feed thy holy congregation which thy dearly-be- 
loved Son purchased with his blood; and take the oversight of them, not as though 
they were compelled, but willingly; not for the desire of filthy lucre, but of a good 
mind; not as lords over the parishes, but that they be an example unto thie flock. 
Grant that they may lay aside all tyranny and haughtiness of mind, and walk 
with all gentle softness and tender compassion toward the sheep of Christ com- 
mitted to their cure and charge. let them be as most loving fathers to Christ’s 
flock; and if any of the sheep chance to run astray and to go out of the way, 
let them not therefore ungently entreat them, but, as it is the office of a good 
shepherd, by fair means call them home again unto the sheep-fold, seeking rather 


THE FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS. 37 


their salvation than destruction. Let them remember the history of that lost sheep, Luke xv. 
and consider how tenderly the head Shepherd Christ, thy Son and our Lord, 
fetched it home again even upon his shoulders. For the servant of the Lord may e Tim. ii. 
not fight, but be peaceable and gentle toward all men, ready to teach, suffering 
the evil with meekness, informing them that resist, if at any time thou, O God, 
mayest give them repentance to know the truth. Let them cast away ungodly 1Tim. iv. 
and old wivish fables, teaching thy heavenly word purely and truly, and be unto 
them that believe an example in the word, in conversation, in love, in spirit, in faith, 
in pureness. Let them give attendance unto reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. 
Let them study to shew themselves in thy sight workmen worthy of praise, even 2 Tim. ii 
such as need not to be ashamed. As in preaching thy holy word, so likewise in Jonn xxi. 
maintaining hospitality, in distributing to the necessity of the saints, in feeding the wi) "” 
hungry, in clothing the naked, in lodging the harbourless, in nourishing godly and [Qiivu: 
learned men, make them diligent herdmen, that they may be pastors and feeders 
both in word and deed. 

Grant, again, that the parishioners may reverence the bishops and other spiritual parishioners. 
ministers, giving them no less honour than the child giveth the father, remembering 4,,) ;. 
that they be the angels of God, the messengers of Christ, the light of the world, the ¥#,'%. 


salt of the earth, the dispensators of the mysteries of God, the feeders of their souls, 5 $0") 
the comforters of the weak, the physicians of the sick, the upholders of the whole, 52°" \.ciy. 
Isai. viii. 


the exhorters unto virtue, the frayers away from vice, &c., which watch continually 373) ‘Vi 
for the health of their souls. Work in the hearts of all them that are instructed with 
the word such a tender love and good-will toward the ministers that teach them, 
that they may give unto them abundantly all good things, whereby the preachers may Gal. vi. 
be the more able not only to nourish their family, but also maintain hospitality, to 
the relief and comfort of the poor. For who goeth a warfare any time at his own 1 Cor. ix. 
cost? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit? who feedeth a flock, 
and eateth not of the milk? If the preachers sow unto their parishioners spiritual 
things, is it a great thing if they reap their carnal things? Thy ordinance is, O Lord, 
that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel. ta 
Moreover, grant that the husbands may love their wives as their own bodies, and Husbands. 
not be bitter, churlish, or unkind unto them; but give honour unto them, as unto Cori, 
the weaker vessels, and as unto them that are fellow-heirs with them of the grace ire: 
of life. 
Likewise, grant that the wives be in subjection to their own husbands, as unto Wives. 
the Lord, in all things, and so behave themselves as becometh women of an honest 
and godly conversation. Give them grace to array themselves in comely apparel, 
with shamefacedness and discreet behaviour; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearl, 
or costly array; but with such as it becometh women that profess godliness through 
good works. Let the inward man of the heart be uncorrupt, with a meek and quiet 
spirit, which before thee, O God, is much set by. For after this manner in the old 
time did the holy women, which trusted in God, tire themselves, and were obedient 
to their own husbands, even as Sara obeyed Abraham, and called him lord, whose Gen. xviii. 
daughters the married women are, so long as they do well. 


Grant the fathers may not rate their children, lest they be of a desperate mind ; Fathers. 
Col. iii. 


but bring them up in the nurture and information of our Lord God. Eph. vi. 
Grant also, that the children obey their parents in all things, and honour them. Children. 
Grant that all masters may do unto their servants that which is just and equal, Masters. 


putting away threatenings, and know that they have also a Master in heaven, with Eph vi 
whom there is no respect of persons. 

Grant, again, that the servants be obedient unto their bodily masters in all things, servants. 
with fear and trembling, in singleness of heart, as unto Christ, not with eye-service, Cai, 
only in the eye-sight, as men-pleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing thy will, 1 Pet ii. 
O God, even from the heart with good-will. Give them grace also to consider that 
they serve the Lord, and not men; and therefore they may be sure, that whatsoever 
good a man doth, he shall receive it again of the Lord, whether he be bond or 


free. 


Tit. ii. 


Matt. v. 


Gal. v. 
Rom. vil. 


Matt. v. 
Luke vi. 


Prov. xxv. 
Rom. xil. 


Exod. xxi. 
Matt. v. 
Deut. xxxil. 
Heb. x. 
Rom. xii. 

1 Cor. xiii. 
Col. iii. 


Fzek. xi. & 
XXXVi. 
Matt. vi. & 
XViil. 
Mark xi. 
Luke vi. 
Luke xxiii. 
Acts vii. 


Matt. v. 


1 Cor. ul, 


38 THE FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS. 


Furthermore, grant, O most merciful Father, that the elder men may be sober, 
honest, discreet, sound in faith, in love, and in patience. 

The elder women likewise, grant that they be in such raiment as becometh holiness ; 
not false accusers, not given to much drinking; but teachers of honest things, to make 
the young women sober-minded, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be 
discreet, chaste, housewifely, good, and obedient unto their own husbands, that the 
word of God be not evil spoken of. 

Grant also, that the young men be sober-minded and of honest conversation. 

To conclude, grant that every one that profess thy glorious name may so live and 
behave himself both in thought, word, and deed, that nothing may proceed and come 
from them that should offend thy divine and most excellent Majesty. Grant also, 
O most gentle and tender Father, that our light may so shine before men, that they, 
seeing our good works, may glorify thee our heavenly Father, with thy well-beloved 
Son Jesus Christ our Saviour, and the Holy Ghost that most sweet Comforter, to 
whom be all honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen. 


A PRAYER FOR OUR ENEMIES. 


Tue poisonful corruption of our nature, which we have sucked out of our first 
parents Adam and Eve, worketh so strongly in us, O Lord, and so mightily striveth 
against the motions of thy holy Spirit, that we cannot do that we would, nor accom- 
plish that thou requirest of us. Thou hast commanded us to love not only our friends, 
but also our very enemies; to forgive them that offend us, to bless them that curse 
us, to do good to them that hate us, to pray for them that do us wrong and perse- 
cute us; yea, if our enemy hunger, to feed him, if he thirst, to give him drink: but 
our corrupt nature, which ever striveth against thy blessed will, seeketh all means 
possible to be revenged, to requite tooth for tooth and eye for eye, to render evil for 
evil, when vengeance is thine and thou wilt reward; and by this means we grievously 
offend thee, and break the order of charity, and the bond of peace, which secketh 
not to be revenged, but to forgive one another, even as Christ forgave us. 

It may please thee therefore, O most merciful Lord, of thy bountiful goodness to 
forgive our enemies, and not to lay to their charge those things that they have un- 
justly committed against us, and so to slay in us our old corrupt and cankered na- 
ture by taking away from us our stony heart, and by giving us a fleshly heart, that 
we, through the operation of thy holy Spirit, may be content, according to thy blessed 
will and commandment, and after the example of thy Son Jesu Christ our Lord, 
and of that blessed martyr St Stephen, freely and even from the very heart to for- 
give our enemies, to speak well of them, to love them, and to do for them whatso- 
ever lieth in our power, and by this means unfeignedly shew ourselves to be thy sons, 
which causest the sun to arise on the evil and on the good, and sendest the rain on 
the righteous and on the unrighteous, giving us example that we, if we will be thy 
true sons, should do likewise, and shew ourselves beneficial, not only to the good and 
godly, but also to the wicked and ungodly, that by this means we may allure even 
the very adversaries of thy truth to speak well of the professors of thy blessed name, 
and to glorify thee our heavenly Father, which fashionest us according to thy man- 
ners, through the mighty working of thy holy Spirit, to whom, with thee and thy 
only-begotten Son, be all glory and honour. Amen. 


A PRAYER FOR THE ADVERSARIES OF GOD’S TRUTH, AND ALL 
THAT' MEN MAY COME TO THE TRUE KNOWLEDGE OF 
GOD'S BLESSED WORD. 


Ir is truly said of thine holy apostle, O most merciful Saviour, that the natural man 
perceiveth not the things that pertain unto the Spirit of God, for they are but foolish- 
ness unto him; neither can he perceive them, because they are spiritually examined. 





[! So folio: perhaps the words ought to be transposed, that all.] 


THE FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS. 39 


This to be true in the most part of men, specially in the wise and prudent of matt. xi. 
this world (from whom the heavenly Father is wont to hide his heavenly mysteries, eon 
and to shew them to the humble and lowly), daily experience teacheth us. For while 
the wise worldlings seek praise one of another, they cannot love the glory of God. Jonny. xii. 
While they cleave to their own fleshly wisdom, they cannot abide the wisdom of God, 
which is counted foolishness in their sight. While they go about to maintain old 
crooked customs, superstitious ceremonies, the trifling traditions of men, they cannot 
away with the light of thine heavenly truth. While they magnify themselves, shame 
to be taught, and by no means will confess their ignorancy and error, but persuade 
themselves that they are in the truth, when indeed they are under the father of John viii. 
lies, and that they walk in the light, when they are most of all wrapped about, yea, 
and overwhelmed with the misty clouds of men’s inventions; while also they abhor 
to hear the preachers of thy word, and judge whatsoever they speak now erroneous 
and false doctrine, it cometh to pass that they hate, persecute, banish, and condemn 
both thy blessed word, and all the favourers thereof, thinking themselves to do thee Jonn xvi. 
high service, when they slay such as unfeignedly profess thy gospel. 

And forasmuch as this hate conceived against thy holy word, and this cruelty 
against thy servants, cometh from the wise of this world, the simple and ignorant peo- 
ple also for lack of knowledge yieldeth themselves unto the fancies of the wily worldlings 
and the dreams of the bellied hypocrites, approving what they approve, condemning 
what they condemn, and believing what they believe. By this means is it come to 
pass, that the adversaries of thy blessed word are wonderful many in number; and 
very few are they which sincerely, purely, and éven with the heart embrace and fol- 
low thy heavenly doctrine. No marvel. For little is thy flock, O Lord, to whom it Luke xii. 
hath pleased thy Father to give the kingdom of heaven ; and although many be made, yet 2 gsar. viii. 
few shall be saved. For many are called, but few are chosen; so that the true lovers Matt. xx. 
of thy word are few, but the enemies thereof are many. But, O Lord, this comforteth 
us well that, although the adversaries of thy truth be innumerable, and albeit the 
powers of this world stand up, and come together hurly-burly never so much against Psal. ii. 
the Lord and his Anointed, and by no means will submit themselves to the yoke of 
thy blessed law, but seek all means possible to break it and to cast it away from 
them ; yet shall they not prevail: their imaginations, their counsels and devices shall 
come to nought. For there is no wisdom, no forecast, no counsel can prevail against Prov. xxi. 
the Lord. Thou that dwellest in heaven mockest their vain enterprises, and laughest Psal. ii. 
both them and all their most subtile devices to scorn. 

For thou art that rock, against whom the gates of hell shall not prevail. Thou art Mate. xvi. 
that stone, upon whom whosoever falleth, he shall be crushed on pieces, but upon ““* **: 
whomsoever it falleth, it shall grind him all to powder. Thou art that prick, against acts ix. 
whom it is hard to spurn. Thou art that most victorious and triumphant Lion of the Rev. v. 
tribe of Judah, against whom no flesh can prevail. Thou art that Lord, which bringest psa). xxxiii, 
to nought the counsels of the ungodly, and reprovest the thoughts of the people; yea, 
thou makest of no force all the counsels, devices, and imaginations of princes, establish- Jsai. xvi. 
ing thine own counsel, and making the thoughts of thine own heart to abide certain 
and sure for ever and ever. And as thou art a Lord of most strong puissance, so 
is thy blessed word of most mighty force. For it is a twibill that cleaveth the hard ser. xxiii 
stony rock asunder: it is a consuming fire, devouring all the adversaries thereof. 

Seeing then, that as the devices of wise worldlings are wicked, so are they vain 
and of no force, and shall surely be brought to nought at the time of thee tofore ap- 
pointed, (for every plant that thy heavenly Father hath not planted shall be plucked Matt. xv. 
up by the roots;) it may please thee, which madest Saul of a wolf a lamb, of a per- Acts ix. 
secutor a preacher, of a tyrant an apostle, to bring these adversaries of thy truth 
unto the knowledge of their error, that they may repent, believe, and amend. O 
Lord, they are thy creatures, and thou hast no pleasure in the death of a sinner, but Ezek. xviii. 
rather that he should turn and live: have mercy on them, suffer them not to perish, 
make them of the vessels of wrath the vessels of mercy, of the enemies of thy truth 
lovers and embracers of thy truth. Take away from them their hard and stony heart, Ezek. xi. 
and give them a fleshy, soft, and gentle heart. Replenish them with thy holy Spirit, 


Wisd. xi. 


John vi. 
1 Tim. ii. 
1 John ii. 


Psal. Ixvii. 


1 Tim. ii. 


Luke i. 


John xiv. 


John xvii. 


1 Cor. i. 


Jer. xvi. 


1 Cor. 1ii. 


Sectaries. 


40 THE FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS. 


and with the graces thereof, that as they are thy creatures with us, so they may be 
saved with us. For we are taught that thou hatest none of all those things that 
thou hast made, and that thou dissemblest the sins of men for repentance sake, and 
art ready to have mercy on all men that repent, believe, and amend. 

Again, seeing that no man can come unto thee except thy Father draweth him, we 
most heartily beseech thee, which alone art our only Mediator and Advocate, to pray 
unto thy heavenly Father, that he may have mercy upon the enemies of thy word, 
and turn away his wrath from them, lighten his loving countenance upon them, give 
them a good spirit, and make them thy true and unfeigned disciples. 

Grant also, O sweet Saviour, which willest all men to be saved, and to come to 
the knowledge of the truth, that all such as walk in ignorance, blindness, and error, 
for lack of doctrine, may have faithful preachers sent unto them, which may instruct 
them with thy heavenly word, bring them out of darkness into light, deliver them 
from the bondage of man’s traditions, and place them in the sweet liberty of the 
Spirit. So shall it come to pass that they which now are not thy people shall be 
thy people, and they which now abhor and deface the glory of thy word shall be 
the valiant promoters and defenders of the same, and all such as heretofore have walked 
through ignorance in all kind of superstition and ungodliness shall from henceforth 
walk in the glorious light of thy gospel, praise thee and magnify thee, obey thee, 
and serve thee in holiness and righteousness all the days of their life, unto the glory 
of thy blessed name. Amen. 


A PRAYER FOR UNIFORM AND PERFECT AGREEMENT IN 
MATTERS OF CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 


In thy last and most sweet sermon, which thou madest a little before thy passion, 
O Christ, thou Son of the living God, thou gavest thy peace unto thy disciples, and 
willedst them diligently to keep and maintain the same among them unto the end. 
This peace is the quietness of conscience, the rest of the mind, and the perfect con- 
sent and whole agreement among the faithful in matters of thy holy religion. In the 
prayer also made unto thy heavenly Father, thou desirest that, as thou and thy 
Father are one, so thy disciples may be one; that is to say, knit together in one 
mind, in one judgment, in one meaning, concerning matters of christian faith, that 
they may all speak one thing, preach and write one thing, and by no means dissent 
one from another. This peace, this unity, this perfect consent in faith and religion, 
is almost banished from among us in these our days, while every man laboureth to 
establish the inventions and dreams of his own heart, while every man sweateth to 
imagine a new kind of religion, and to maintain the same, while every man seeketh to 
worship thee, not after the rule of thy blessed word, but after his own fleshly fancy 
and idle imagination. 

Thy holy apostle, O Lord, could not abide that there should be sects among the 
Corinthians, nor that one should hold of Apollo, another of Paul, the third of Cephas, 
but that they only should embrace thee, which alone by thy blessed passion broughtest 
unto them everlasting life; forasmuch as thou and none other were crucified for them. 
If that thy blessed apostle had lived in this our time, O Lord, how heavily would 
he have taken the sects that are now among the children of men, sprung out of hell, 
and thrust in by Satan, yea, and that is most to be lamented, among them that 
profess thy holy namie. 

Instead of Apollo, Paul, and Cephas we have Benet, Barnard, Frances, Augus- 
tine, Anthony, Dominike, Rufus, Honofrius, Jacob, Joseph, Gylberte, Gregory, Brygide, 
Clare, Helene, Sophy, pope, cardinal, &c.; besides the disordered orders of the Ca- 
maldulenses, the Cistertienses, the Basilienses, the Hieronymites, the Tertiaries, the 
servants of St Mary, the Lazarites, the Magdalenites, [Whilhel] the Whilhelmites, 
the Ambrosians, the Specularies, the Chalomerians, the Johannites, the Scelistines, 
the brothers of purgatory, the brothers of the holy cross, the brothers of the vale 
of Josaphat, the Carmelites, the Chartusians, the Hierosolymite, the Indians, the 


THE FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS. 4] 


Ninivites, the’ Constantinopolitans, with an innumerable rabble of hypocrites more*, pa- 
pists, heretics, schismatics, anabaptists, sacramentaries, libertines, and such other dunghills 

of Satan; which too much wretchedly have divided, rent, and torn in pieces the quiet 
unity and friendly concord of thy holy religion, while they have imagined and taken upon 
them new sects and new orders, and by the trifling observances of them seek justi- 
fication, remission of sins, and everlasting hfe, forsaking thee which art the fountain Jer. is. 
of lively water, and digging them miry and dirty puddles, that are able to hold no 
water. 

O Lord, as this division nourisheth continual discord and enmity among the pro- 
fessors of thy name, so do they that unfeignedly cleave to thy blessed word sorrow- 
fully lament, that thy glory, thy truth, thy word, thy passion, thy blood, thy death, 
is through these idolatrous imaginations defaced, obscured, and almost utterly quenched; 
insomuch that, if thou hadst not reserved unto thee a remnant which have not bowed 1 1 Kings xix. 
their knees to Baal, we all had been as Sodom, and might justly have been likened tee 
to Gomorre. O blessed Lord, let very pity move thee to have compassion upon thy 
poor troubled flock. Let the zeal of thy glory provoke thee to tread under thy foot 
all these sectaries and antichrists, that thou alone mayest be known among all na- 
tions to be the only true and living God. Ah! most gentle Saviour, there is but 
one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God, one Father, one Master, one body, one Eph. iv. _ 

ss oT ee. Matt. xxiil. 
Spirit, one hope, one truth, one gospel: how unseemly then is it for us that pro- 
fess this unity to be divided in religion, one to be of this order, another to be of 
that, one to maintain this doctrine, another the contrary! Destroy therefore, O Lord, 
this work of Satan, even the bringing in of these damnable sects and diversities 
of opinions, and restore unto us that most sweet and comfortable unity of thy holy 
and pure religion, that, as we profess one God and one baptism, so we may maintain 
one truth and one religion. 

Thou callest thyself a jealous God, and a Lord that wilt not give thy glory to kxod. xxiv. 
another: suffer then thy honour and glory, thy praise and worship no longer to be Bale 
given unto creatures. Thou art that God of peace which hast promised to tread Satan, Rom. xvi. 
the sower of discord, under our feet shortly. Fulfil thy promise, O Lord, for it is 
time, seeing that not only the wily hypocrites, those painted sepulchres, outwardly Matt. xxiii. 
appearing beautiful and full of holiness, but inwardly full of dead bones and of all filthi- Po as 
ness, of ravening and wickedness, of bribery and excess, take part against thy holy 
word, maintaining false opinions against thy heavenly doctrine, but also many of the tem- 
poral rulers and wise worldlings agree unto them, defending with great violence both 
the beastly hypocrites and all their devilish traditions, crooked ceremonies, and false 
religions, although manifestly contrary to the truth of thy blessed law. 

Notwithstanding, remember thy old mercies, and for the glory of thy name be 
favourable unto them: give them grace to repent and to know the truth, that they 2Tim. ii. 
may escape out of the snares of the devil, and become the children of liberty and 
everlasting salvation. Gather together all such as are dispersed, and make of them Jonnx. 
with us one flock. Call home again them that are run astray after strange gods, 
that they may glorify thee alone. Deliver thy people out of Egypt, that land of 
servitude and bondage, and bring them into the land that floweth with milk and 
honey. Let the babbling Babylonians keep thy servants no longer in captivity, but 
restore them home again unto that Jerusalem where thy holy name is called upon, 
thanked, and praised, where thy heavenly doctrine is purely taught, where thy blessed 
sacraments are truly and faithfully ministered, where the works of christian charity 
are continually exercised, that with one mouth and one heart we may praise and 
glorify thy blessed name. Take away from us all heresies and diversities of opinions, 
and work in our hearts an unfeigned concord in matters of religion, even such a 
concord as is in all points agreeable to thy blessed word. 

Grant also, most loving Saviour, that this godly concord may remain continually 





[! Folio, that. ] it does not therefore appear necessary to give an 
[° In a later treatise, the ‘‘ Reliques of Rome,” | account of them or of their founders here. ] 
the religious orders are more particularly described : 


James i. 


Psal. exxii. 


Jer. xxix. 


Bar. v. 


1 Tim. ii. 


Psal. exxxili. 


Rom. viii. 


42 THE FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS. 


in thy church. So shall it come to pass that, all sects and heresies, all divisions and 
schisms being rooted out of thy holy congregation, and a perfect agreement established 
among us according to thy blessed word, we shall from the very heart both know- 
ledge thee the worker hereof, which alone art the author of all goodness, and also 
sing continual praises to thee our Lord God, which, with God thy Father, and God the 
Holy Ghost, livest and reignest true and everlasting God, worlds without end. Amen. 


A PRAYER FOR THE COMMON PEACE AND QUIETNESS OF 
ALL REALMS. 


How necessary, O Lord, peace and quietness is for the conservation of realms 
and all public weals, the holy scripture declareth in divers places. The psalmograph 
exhorteth all the faithful Israelites to pray for those things that make unto the quiet- 
ness of Jerusalem, that there may be peace, wealth, and abundance both in it and 
all the coasts round about. When the Jews for their sins and disobedience against 
thy divine Majesty were led away captive by king Nabuchodonozor from Jerusalem 
unto Babylon, and there compelled to live under the- ungodly and uncircumcised 
gentiles, the prophet Jeremy wrote an epistle unto them, wherein among other things 
he exhorted them to pray for the public weal of Babylon, and for the magistrates 
thereof, saying: Seek the peace of the city, wherein ye be prisoners, and pray for 
it unto the Lord; for in the peace thereof shall your peace be. Thy servant Baruch 
also wrote a book unto thy people in their captivity, commanding them to pray for 
the prosperity of Nabuchodonozor king of Babylon, and for the welfare of Baltazer 
his son, that their days may be upon earth as the days of heaven, &c. Again, thy 
holy apostle warneth that above all things prayers, supplication, intercessions, and 
giving of thanks be had for kings, and for all that are in authority, that we may 
live a quiet and peaceable life with all godliness and honesty. 

Hereof learn we, O most merciful Saviour, how necessary peace, quietness, and 
concord is for all realms and commonwealths. For, that bearing rule, thy glory is 
sought, thy holy word is preached, the magistrates are obeyed, thy preachers are 
reverenced, good letters flourish, charity resteth in men’s hearts, good works are exer- 
cised, every man liveth according to his calling, virtue is avanced, vice is expelled, 
wealth and abundance of all things dwelleth among us, battle with all the pesti- 
lences thereof is banished, a figure of that heavenly Jerusalem is here found among 
the children of men; when contrariwise, if battle or discord occupieth kingdoms or 
cities, all goeth to havoc, nothing but cruel barbary' and lion-like fierceness bear- 
eth rule. 

How blessed a thing christian charity, godly peace, friendly quietness, and brotherly 
concord is in a commonweal, thy servant David, king and prophet, having in his own 
realm experience thereof, declareth in this his psalm. Behold, saith he, how good 
and joyful a thing it is, brethren to dwell together in unity. It is like a precious 
ointment upon the head, that ran down unto the beard, even unto Aaron’s beard, and 
went down unto the skirts of his clothing: like the dew of Hermon, which fell upon 
the hill of Sion. For there the Lord promised his blessing and life for ever. 

Seeing, O almighty and everlasting God, it is a good, pleasant, and joyful thing 
brethren to dwell together in unity, vouchsafe to give unto all realms, specially unto 
such as the inhabitants whereof profess thy holy name, this treasure and jewel, this 
pleasure and joy, that they may live together in unity, quietness, and concord. O 
Lord, so many of us as believe in thee are brethren, and have one father, even thy 
heavenly Father; and by him we have thee also our brother, and by thee we be his 
sons and heirs, yea, and fellow-heirs with thee of eternal glory: grant therefore that 
we all may be of one heart and of one mind, seeing that nothing garnisheth and 
becometh the name of brethren better than brotherly love, true peace, friendly quiet- 
ness, and amiable concord. This christian unity and brotherly concord must needs 
be an excellent treasure in a commonweal, seeing the holy prophet compareth it to a 





[' Barbary: barbarity, barbarism. | 


THE FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS. 43 


most precious ointment and to the most pleasant dew, the sweet smells whereof cannot 

be expressed. Lord, give us this precious ointment of mutual love, that whatsoever 

we attempt among us may have a sweet-smelling savour, both before thee and all 

good men. Give us also that most pleasant dew, even the dew of thy heavenly 

grace, which may cause us through thy holy Spirit to flourish with the abundance of 

all good works, and provoke every one of us quietly and peaceably to do our own o Thess. iii. 
business, and to live according to our calling, the magistrate godly to govern, the *°™* 
subject humbly to obey, the preacher of thy word diligently to attend upon his office. 

So shall it come to pass that we, as brethren quietly dwelling together in this 

unity and concord, shall have that thou hast promised, even thy blessing, that is, Psal. exxxiii, 
in this world abundance of all good things pertaining either to the body or to the 

soul, and after our departure from this vale of misery everlasting life. Lord, let it 

so come to pass. Amen. 


A PRAYER TO BE PRESERVED FROM THE PLAGUE AND 
OTHER DISEASES. 


An! Lord, as thou hast set forth in thy holy scriptures plenty of blessings to Lev. xvi. 


them that fear thee, and with all diligent* obedience and obedient diligence walk in la 
thy holy statutes and ordinances, so likewise in the same hast thou set forth innumerable *"" ** 
Ezek. vii. 


curses and plagues to such as live without all fear of thee, and transgress thy blessed $04" 
commandments. Among other thy grievous punishments, thou hast threatened the un- <x", 
godly to send the plague and such other mortal diseases upon them, and so to root them 
out from the face of the earth, because of their disobedience and rebellion against 
thee their Lord God. Examples hereof we have many in thy holy word. Sains xxiv: 
Ah! good Lord, who can be free from these and such other thy plagues, if thou pul exe 
shouldest deal with us according to our iniquities? We are all sinful. The best of Rom. iii, 
us all are unprofitable servants; so that we can find nothing in ourselves wherewith Bae 
we may worthily either pacify thy wrath stirred up against us for our manifold 
wickedness, or turn away from us those thy plagues, which we most justly have 
deserved. 
Notwithstanding, there are which superstitiously, for the appeasing of thy anger, 
and for the dispatch of corporal punishments, call upon dead creatures, and flee unto 
dumb idols, as though most present help were to be looked for of them, when indeed 
they can do nothing at all unto our health, neither concerning the body nor the soul. 
With such idolatrous, O good Lord, have we nothing to do, although never so grievous 
sinners. For we are taught by thy holy word, neither to trust in Roch nor in Apolline, 
neither in Agasse nor in Annesse, neither in Erkenwald nor in Grymbald’, nor yet in 
any other creature, either in heaven or in earth; but in thy great mercies set forth in 
the precious blood of thy most dear Son Jesu Christ, for whose sake alone, for whose 
merits and good deeds alone, thou art well pleased with man, favourest him, and de- fate. iii. 
lightest in him as a loving father in his dearly-beloved son. Moss se 
O most merciful God, we, finding in ourselves a just dessert of all those thy plagues, 3p) 
which thou art wont to cast upon the children of men for their wickedness (so great 
and manifold is the number of our sins), and nothing at all wherewith we may in 
any part be able to turn away thy heavy displeasure from us, are come at this present 
unto the throne of thy mercy, most humbly beseeching thee, in the name of Jesu 
Christ thy Son, and our alone Mediator and Advocate, not to weigh our sins and 
wickednesses, but to consider thy great mercies and loving promises, and for Christ’s 


sake to put away from us all such plagues as we most justly have deserved, and to 





[? Folio, diligence. | France, and made abbot of the newly-founded mo- 
[? Erkenwald is said to have been son of Uffa, or | nastery of Winchester. For an account of the other 
Offa, the first king of the East Angles. He was abbot | persons here mentioned, see Vol. I. page 139, note 
of Chertsey and bishop of London. Grymbald was | 4.] 
a learned monk, brought over by king Alfred from 


Psal. xxx. 


Isai. xxxviii. 


Gen. i. 


Gen. vii. 
2 Pet. ii. 
Gen. ix. 


Acts x. 
Ayr ase 
Roi. xiv. 
1 Cor. x. 
1 Tim. iv. 


1 Cor, ili. 


Psal. Ix vii. 


Psal. xev. 
Psal. exlvi. 


Psal. Ixv. 


Psal. civ. 


Psal. exliv. 


Psal. v. 


44 THE FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS. 


preserve us in such state of bodily health, that we may live and glorify thy blessed 
name. Ah! Lord, may dust give thanks unto thee? or shall that declare thy faith- 
fulness? The grave praiseth not thee, death doth not magnify thee: they that go 
down into the grave praise not thy truth: but the living, yea, the living, knowledge, 
praise, and magnify thee. Defend us therefore, O Lord, from the terrible plagues of 
thy fearful displeasure ; but above all things remove from us the diseases of our mind, 
that we, being whole in soul, may behold thee with a pure faith, and serve thee with 
a clean heart. Give us also the health of our body unto our last days, that we, en- 
joying the health both of body and soul through thy singular benefit, may lead a quiet 
and healthful life unto thy honour and glory. Amen. 


A PRAYER TO PRESERVE THE FRUITS OF THE 
EARTH. 


Art the beginning thou commandedst the earth, O Lord, to bring forth green grass, 
herbs, and trees, with their seeds and fruits, that they might be meat to thy creatures 
living on the earth, both to man and beast. After that deep and great flood, wherein 
all living creatures perisied except Nohe and such as were with him in the ark, not 
only herbs, seeds, and fruits gavest thou unto man for to eat, but alsu all other thy 
creatures that move or live on the earth, whether it be fish or fowl; so that all 
things are pure to them that are pure, neither can any thing be common or unclean, 
that thou hast made pure and clean. For all thy creatures, O Lord God, are good, 
and none of them are to be refused, if they be taken with thanksgiving. For they 
are sanctified by thy word and by prayer, and were ordained of thee to be received 
with thanksgiving of the faithful, and of them that know the truth. 

Seeing then that thou alone art the Creator and Maker of all things, and hast 
prepared herbs, seeds, fruits, fish, and flesh to be meat for man; seeing also that 
without thy blessing all these thy creatures prosper not, nor yet come unto a fortu- 
nate end, but grow out of kind, wither away, perish, die, and come to nought; we 
most humbly beseech thee to bless us and all the fruits of the earth, with all other 
thy creatures which thou hast made for man’s use and profit. 

And forasmuch as neither he that planteth nor he that watereth is any thing, but 
thou, O God, which givest the increase; grant, we pray thee, that the earth may give 
forth her fruit prosperously and plenteously, that we may enjoy the same in due and 
convenient time, unto our great joy and comfort. Let not the labours of our hands, 
which we have taken in thy name, and according to thy word, be found vain and 
frustrate; but according to thy promise bless our labours, and bring them unto a 
fortunate end. For we, O Lord, feed not ourselves, but we are the sheep of thy 
pasture. Thou feedest us. Thou givest meat to the hungry. Thou preparest man 
his corn, and providest for the earth. Thou waterest her furrows, thou breakest the 
hard clods thereof, thou makest it soft with the drops of rain, and blessest the increase 
of it. Thou crownest the year with thy bountifulness ; and thy footsteps drop fatness. 
Thou also makest the dwelling of the wilderness fat, that they drop withai, and the 
little hills makest thou pleasant on every side. Yea, thou makest the valleys to stand 
so thick with corn that they laugh and sing. Thou causest the wells to spring up 
among the valleys, and the waters to run among the hills, that all the beasts of the 
field may have drink, and that the wild asses may quench their thirst. Thou waterest 
the hills from above: the earth is filled with the fruits of thy works. Thou bringest 
forth grass for the cattle, and green herbs for the service of men. Thou bringest 
food out of the earth, wine to make glad the heart of man, oil to make him a cheerful 
countenance, and bread to strength man’s heart. O Lord, how manifold are thy 
works: right wisely hast thou made them all; yea, the earth is full of thy riches. It 
is thy blessing that our garners are full, and plenteous with all manner of store; that 
our sheep bring forth thousands, and hundred thousand in our villages and fields ; 
that our oxen be lusty and fat; that we have all things plenteously for the sustenta- 
tion of our bodies. For when thou openest thy hand, thou fillest every living creature 


THE FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS. 45 


with thy blessing; but when thou hidest thy face, they are sorrowful, mourn, and die 
for hunger’. 

Forasmuch then, O most merciful Father, as we receive of thee alone all 
good things, vouchsafe, we most heartily beseech thee, to shew us thy face, to 
lighten thy countenance upon us, to bless us, to make the earth fruitful, and to pre- 
serve the fruits of the same; that we, thy creatures, receiving at thy merciful hand 
all. things necessary for this our needy and beggarly life, may live and magnify thy 
blessed name, both in this world and in the world to come, through Jesu Christ 
thy Son and our Lord. Amen. 


A PRAYER THAT WE MAY HAVE THE FEAR OF GOD BEFORE 
OUR EYES IN ALL OUR DOINGS. 


O autmicuty and everlasting God, thy holy word teacheth us that thou art not 
only a Father, but also a Lord; not only a forgiver, but also a revenger; not only 
a Saviour, but also a Judge. And as thou, being a Father, a Forgiver, a Saviour, 
dost pardon and shew mercy; so thou, being a Lord, a Revenger, a Judge, punishest 
and condemnest. Neither doth thy holy scripture only set forth unto us a gospel, 
which comforteth us, quickeneth us, sheweth us merry tidings, forgiveth our sins, 
quieteth our conscience, and bringeth unto us everlasting life; but also a law, which 
reproveth, accuseth, condemneth us, woundeth and slayeth our conscience, yea, and 
throweth us down headlong into the deep dungeon of hell. And as the gospel lifteth 
us up, and maketh us merry with the hope of remission and forgiveness of our sins, 
so doth the law pluck us down and almost drive us unto desperation for fear of the 
plagues and everlasting punishments which thou hast prepared for them that despise 
thy holy ordinances; so that we may not only love thee as a Father, a Forgiver, a 
Saviour, but also fear thee as a Lord, a Revenger, a Judge. 

Forasmuch therefore, O most gentle Saviour and most righteous Judge, as nothing 
doth so mightily put away sin, and maketh us to walk in the way of thy command- 
ments as reverently to fear thee, to stand in awe of thy judgment and heavy dis- 
pleasure, we most entirely pray thee to give us that fear which thou requirest of us 
in thy holy scriptures, and whereunto thou hast promised so many large and boun- 
teous benefits; that we may not only love thee as a Saviour, honour thee as a Father, 
but also reverence thee as a Lord, fear thee as a Judge. O Lord, all things are open 
unto thy eyes, neither is any thing hid from thee, which seest the very secrets and 
most inward thoughts of our hearts: give us therefore grace, that in all our enter- 
prises we ever set thy fear before our eyes, and stand in awe of thee and of thy 
righteous judgments ; that we attempt nothing whereby we should provoke thy heavy 
displeasure against us, but so walk in thy fear and in thy holy ordinances, that we 
may at all times love thee as a Saviour, honour thee as a Father, reverence thee as 
a Lord, fear thee as a Judge. So shall it come to pass that we, reverently fearing 
thee as the child doth his father, shall not only avoid all such evils as might make 
thee our heavy Lord and fierce Judge, but also embrace those virtues which shall 
both evidently declare our faithful love, true honour, unfeigned reverence, and humble 
fear toward thee, and also make thee our loving Father and most merciful Saviour, 
through Jesu Christ our Lord. Amen. 


A PRAYER FOR FAITH. 


We are taught by thy holy apostle, O most loving Saviour, that whatsoever is not 
of faith is sin, and that it is impossible to please thee without faith; and therefore they 
that come unto thee must believe that thou art God, yea, and such a God as is both 





[' Folio, hongry. ] 


Psal. Ixvii. 


Mal. i. 


2 Cor. ili. 


Ecclus. i. 


Psal. xxXxiv. 
CXil. CXxvill. 


Heb. iv. 
Jer. xvil. 


Rom. xiv. 


Heb. xi. 


Jer. v. 
Wisd. i. 
Hos. ii. 


iv. v. 
Eph. ii. 
Mark xi. 


1 Cor. ii. 


Prov. iii. 


1 Cor. viil. 


Luke xvii. 


1 Tim. i. 


Deut. vi. 
Matt. xxii. 
Lev. xix. 
Rom. xiii. 
Mark xii. 
Luke x. 


1 Cor. xiii. 


John xiii 


46 THE FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS. 


able and also will abundantly reward all them that with true faith seek thee. For 
thy eyes, O Lord, look upon faith, and thou dost appear and shew thyself unto them 
that have faith in thee: yea, through faith thou being the King of glory art married 
to the souls of the faithful, and makest them partakers of thy divine nature through 
the wonderful working of thy blessed Spirit. Through faith so many as believe are 
justified, made the sons and heirs of God, and have everlasting life. By faith we 
obtain of God all good things, even whatsoever we ask in thy name. 

Seeing that faith is so precious a jewel in thy sight, that without it nothing is 
acceptable unto thy divine Majesty, and we of our own nature cannot have this most 
singular treasure except thou givest it unto us from above, and dost breathe it into 
our hearts by thy holy Spirit (for we of ourselves are blind, ignorant, foolish, and by 
no means can perceive the things that pertain to the Spirit of God); we most heartily 
beseech thee to take away from us all infidelity and unfaithfulness, which we re- 
ceived of old Adam, and to plant in us true faith and undoubted belief, that we may 
be throughly persuaded that thou art the Son of the living God, very God and very 
man, our alone sweet-smelling sacrifice, our alone Mediator, Advocate, and Intercessor, 
our alone wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, by whom alone and 
for whose sake only thy heavenly Father is well pleased with us, our sins are remitted, 
grace and everlasting life are freely given unto us. 

O Lord God, suffer us not to lean to our own wisdom, nor to believe as blind 
flesh fancieth, nor to seek salvation where superstition dreameth ; but let our faith 
only be grounded on thy word, and give us grace truly to believe in thee, with all 
our heart to put our trust in thee, to look for all good things of thee, to call upon 
thy blessed name in adversity, and with joyful voices and more merry hearts to praise 
and magnify it in prosperity. Suffer us not to doubt neither of God thy heavenly 
Father, nor of thee God his Son, nor of God the Holy Ghost, but earnestly to believe 
that you, being three' distinct Persons in the Deity, are notwithstanding one very God, 
besides whom there is no God, neither in heaven nor in earth. Grant also, that we 
may assuredly believe whatsoever is contained in the holy scriptures, and by no means 
suffer ourselves to be plucked from the verity thereof, but mainly and stedfastly abide 
in the same even unto death, rage world, roar devil. And this faith, O sweet 
Jesu, increase thou daily in us more and more, that at the last, through thy good- 
ness, we may be made perfect and strong men in thy holy religion, and shew our- 
selves both before thee and the world truly faithful, by bringing forth plenty of good 
works, unto the glory and honour of thy name, which with God the Father and God 
the Holy Ghost livest and reignest true God, worlds without end. Amen. 


A PRAYER FOR CHARITY. 


Tuy holy apostle writeth, O most gentle Saviour, that the end of the command- 
ment is love, that cometh of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith 
unfeigned. For he that loveth thee his Lord God with all his heart, with all his 
soul, with all his mind, with all his strength, and his neighbour as himself, fulfilleth 
the whole law. For all the law and the prophets require no more of us but love, 
even to love thee our Lord God above all thing, and our neighbour as ourself. 
Without this love all that we do, seemeth it never so much praiseworthy in the 
sight of men, is abominable before thee. Yea, as thy blessed apostle saith: Though 
I spake with the tongues of men and angels, and yet had no love, I were even as a 
sounding brass or as a tinkling cymbal. And though I could prophesy, and under- 
stand all secrets and all knowledge, yea, if I had all faith so that I could move 
mountains out of their places, and yet had no love, I were nothing. And though I 
bestowed all my goods to feed the poor, and though I gave my body, even that I 
burned, and yet had no love, it profiteth me nothing. For by love are we known 
to be thy disciples, even as the devil’s imps are known by hatred and maliciousness. 


[! Folio, the.] 


THE FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS. 47 


And the love, O Lord, that thou requirest of us is no worldly nor fleshly love ; for 
if any man loveth the world, the love of the Father is not in him; and whoso- BON. 
ever will be a friend of the world is made the enemy of God; but godly, spiritual, 
sincere, true, and pure love, even such love as suffereth long, is courteous, envieth 1 Cor. xiii 
not, doth not frowardly, swelleth not, dealeth not dishonestly, seeketh not her own, 
is not provoked to anger, thinketh not evil, rejoiceth not in iniquity; but rejoiceth in 
the truth, suffereth ‘all things, believeth all things, endureth all things. 

This godly love, this christian charity give thou unto us, O good Lord, that we 
may unfeignedly and with all our heart love thee our Lord God, which so dearly 
lovedst us, that thou gavest thyself for us an offering and a sacrifice of a sweet Eph. v. 
savour to God. Take away from us the love of worldly things, which, though they 
appear never so pleasant and beautiful, are notwithstanding mere vanity; and give us 
grace so to use this world as though we use it not: for the fashion of this world 1 Cor. wi. 
passeth away: make us also to abhor the filthy and beast-like pleasures of the stink- 
ing flesh, and by no means to be entangled with the love of thelm], the end whereof 
is dishonour, shame, corruption, destruction, damnation; and kindle our hearts so Lute vi. 
fervently with thy love, that nothing may delight and praise us, but only thou, and 
whatsoever may make unto thy glory, and is agreeable to thy blessed commandment ; 
so that thou only mayest be our love, our delight, our joy, our mirth, our solace ; 
and whatsoever is without thee, and estranged from thy love, let it be counted of us 
more vain than vanity itself, and more filthy than the very dung. 

Grant also, that from this our love toward thee there may issue out a vehement 1 Jolm iv. 
and brenning love toward our neighbours, yea, toward our very enemies; that we 
may love them from the very heart, yea, even as ourselves, pray for them, give them 
good counsel, help them, defend them, succour them, provide for their necessities, and 
deal with them in all things as we wish to be dealt withal. 

O Lord God, thou art love, and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in thee, and 
thou in him. Grant that in this world we may so dwell together through love, thou 
in us by thy holy Spirit, and we in thee by faith, that after our departure from 
this vale of misery we may be placed with thee in thy heavenly mansion, and so 
continue with thee in glory for ever and ever. Amen. 


A PRAYER FOR A GODLY LIFE. 


Ir greatly grieveth us, O merciful Father and everlasting God, that we, 
through the grievous and continual assaults of our enemies, are not able to pass over 
our years in this world with such purity of life as we ought, and as thou requirest 
of us. Verily we are on every part so besieged and gompassed round about of our 
adversaries, that scarcely at any time we can be free from their pestiferous and deadly 
darts, nor yet have so much respite as once to breathe toward true godliness. 

O most loving Lord, thou art our Father, and we thy children: convenient there- 
fore is it that we thy children represent and openly declare in our conversation the man- 
ners of thee our Father. Thou art good, gentle, loving, charitable, merciful, patient, 
long-suffering, holy, righteous, faithful, &c. It therefore becometh us thy children in 
our living to practise goodness, gentleness, love, charity, mercy, patience, long-suffer- 
ing, holiness, righteousness, faith, &c. Thou hast given us an example, that even as John xiii. 
thou hast done, so we likewise should do. If we say we dwell in thee, we ought 1Johnii. 
to walk as thou hast walked. For thou hast called us not to uncleanness, but unto 1 Thess. iv. 
holiness. Thou hast delivered us from the power of our enemies, that we, being Lukei. 
without fear, should serve thee in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life. 
The blood of thy Son Jesus Christ hath cleansed us from all sin, not that we should 1 Johni. 
continue in darkness, but rather walk in the light, as thou art in the light. Thy 
loving-kindness hath appeared unto all men, not that we should follow ungodliness ‘it. ii. 
and worldly lusts, but that we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this 
present world. Thou didst choose us in Christ before the foundations of the world Eph. i. 
were laid, that we should be holy and without blame before thee through him. We kp’ ii 


Ezek. xi. & 
XXXVi. 
Eph. iv. 


1 Pet. i. 


Rom. ii. 
James i. 
Maitt. vii. 


Tit. i. 


1 Cor. iv. 


Matt. xxi. 


Rom. vi. 


John xv. 


1 Pet. ii. 


Matt. v. 


Heb. ii. 
1 Cor. xv. 
Hos. xiii. 
Col. ii. 
Eph. i. 


Luke i. 


Gen. iii. 
Wisd. ii. 


1 Pet. v. 
Job i. 


Psal. exxiv. 


Gen. iil. 


2 Sam. xi. 


Matt. xxvi. 


Matt. iv. 
Mark i. 
Luke iv. 


48 THE FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS. 


are thy workmanship, created in Christ Jesu unto good works, which thou ordainest 
afore, that we should walk in them. 

Forasmuch then as all the benefits which thou hast bestowed upon us are given 
us unto this end, that we should walk worthy of thy kindness, represent thy man- 
ners in our conversation, mortify the flesh and the lusts thereof, have nothing to do 
with Satan nor the world, but lead a good life, garnished full of good works, and in 
all points fashioned after the rule of thy blessed word; we most heartily pray thee 
to endue us with thy holy Spirit, which may take away our stony heart, and give us 
a new, fleshy, and soft heart, kill that old man in us which is corrupt through de- 
ceivable lusts, and fashion in us that new man, which is made after thy image and 
likeness in righteousness and true holiness. Suffer us not to give over ourselves again 
unto our old lusts and concupiscences wherewith we were led when we knew not 
thee nor thy Son Christ; but even as thou which hast called us art holy, so likewise 
grant that we may be holy in all our conversation. 

O merciful God, not the hearers of thy law, but the fulfillers of it shall be justi- 
fied before thee. Neither shall every one that saith unto thee, Lord, Lord, enter into 
the kingdom of heaven, but they that do the will of thee our Father which art in 
heaven. To confess thee with our mouth, and to deny thee with our deeds, worketh 
rather our damnation than salvation. For the true knowledge of thee consisteth not 
in talking, but in walking; not in favouring, but in following; not in loving, but in 
living. To promise thee by mouth that we will work in thy vineyard, and yet work 
nothing at all, declare not us to be thy sons, but rather bastards. To brag of the 
justification of faith, and not to bring forth the fruits thereof; to glory in the merits 
of thy Son Christ, in his blood, death, and passion, and not to live worthy of his 
kindness ; to profess thy holy gospel, and not to walk according to the doctrine thereof ; 
to be baptized in thy name, and not to mortify our members which are of the earth, 
nor to walk in a new life; to be partakers of thy divine mysteries, and not to be 
made one spirit with thee; what availeth it? We are thy friends, if we do those 
things that thou commandest us. We are thy servants, if we be obedient to thy 
will. We are thy sons, if we honour and reverence thee according to thy word. 
We seek thy glory, if we attempt nothing whereof thou shouldest be dishonoured. 
Leading a life conformable to thy blessed will, we shall provoke the very enemies of 
thy truth to praise thee; but contrariwise, thou shalt be evil spoken of. Grant there- 
fore, we beseech thee, that our life may answer to our profession, and that the light 
of our good works may so shine before men, that they, seeing our godly conversa- 
tion, may glorify thee our heavenly Father. Amen. 


A PRAYER AGAINST THE TEMPTATIONS OF THE DEVIL, THE 
WORLD, AND THE FLESH. 


Axpert, O most mighty Captain, most valiant Warrior, and most triumphant Lord 
Christ Jesu, thou by thy death hast put down him that had lordship over death, that 
is to say, the devil, that thou mightest deliver them which through fear of death 
were all their life-time in danger of bondage; and albeit thou hast spoiled rule and 
power, and made a shew of them openly, and hast triumphed over them in thine own 
person, and by this means delivered us from the hands of our enemies, that we might 
serve thee all the days of our life in such holiness and righteousness as are accept 
before thee ; yet the devil, for the old malice which he hath borne against man from 
his first creation (for through envy of the devil death entered into the world), goeth 
forth still to rage against us, and walketh about like a roaring lion, seeking whom 
he may devour. And if he were not restrained by thy godly puissance, he would 
surely swallow us up; so great is his tyranny, so mighty is his power. He pre- 
vailed against our first parents, yea, and that in the state of their innocency and 
immortality. He afterward attempted other, and prevailed, whereof some notwith- 
standing were the chosen vessels of mercy. Hereof getting a courage unto himself, 
he feared not to assail thee with his subtile temptations. Oh, is it then to be thought 


THE FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS. 49 


that he will let us alone, so feeble, so weak, and ready at every moment to be over- 
thrown ? 

Thou thyself callest him the prince of this world, and thy holy apostle nameth him John xii. 
that god of this world. Strong must he needs be, and of no small might, whom thy 2 Car iv. 
holy word so termeth: strong indeed in comparison of us; but weak and of no force, 
being compared with thee. This prince, this god of the world, dost thou suffer con- Job i. 
tinually to war against thine elect and chosen people, (as for the reprobate and wicked, 
he hath them already in his court at commandment,) not to destroy them, which he 
most of all wisheth, but to exercise and try their faith, to prove their constancy, and 
in this their conflict to occasion them by hearty prayers to flee unto thy holy name, Prov. xviii. 
which is a strong tower and mighty fortress for so many as repair unto it, that they, 
getting aid at thy hand, may not only enter battle with this their great and immortal 
enemy, but also by the power of thy might overcome him and put him to flight. And 
as thou hast given Satan this liberty to tempt, to exercise, prove, and try us, whether Jobi. 
we be constant in thy faith and word or not, so doth he take thy proffer. And 
although thou sufferest him thus to do for our great profit and singular commodity, 

(for we know that all things work for the best unto them that love God, even that Rom. viii. 
we, of ourselves being weak, should have a glorious triumph and noble victory over 

him through the mighty puissance of thee our grand Captain;) yet hereof taketh he an 
occasion to seek our destruction. And that he may bring this to pass, besides the 
innumerable companies of hellish spirits, he taketh unto him two other our most cruel 
enemies, the world and the flesh. The one with his vain pleasures, the other with 1Jonnii. 
her carnal lusts, so compass us round about, that, if thy present help were not, we Balers 
must needs perish. 

O loving Lord and most gentle Saviour, thou seest our weakness, misery, and no 
strength. Thou knowest again the valiance, might, and power of our adversaries. 

Our strength is no more to be compared with their might, than the strength of little Sam. xvii. 
David with the mighty power of great Goliah: our spear, our sword, our shield will eilooide 
do nothing in this behalf. Notwithstanding, Lord, we do not despair. For although 

there be not so great strength in us, that we may be able to resist this great com- 2Chron. xiv. 
pany that cometh against us, yet have we this one refuge and succour, even to lift 

up our eyes unto thee, and to say, Our help cometh from the Lord our God, which Psal. exxi. 
made heaven and earth. If God be on our side, who can be against us? The battle, rom. viii. 
O Lord God, is thine: our faith therefore is, that thou wilt give our enemies into 7 ae 
our hands. Thou taughtest us to pray that we may not be led into temptation, matt. vi. 
and hast promised us that thou wilt not suffer us to be tempted above our strength, 1 cor-x. 
but wilt in the midst of the temptation make a way for us to escape. Thou art faithful : mei 
fulfil therefore thy promise. 

And forasmuch as thy good pleasure is that we shall manfully fight with these gph. vi. 
our enemies, (for what is the life of man in this world, but a continual warfare ?) and Job vii. 
no man is crowned, except we strive lawfully ; we, with our very heart despairing of 2 Tim. ii. 
our own strength and courage, most humbly beseech thee to be our captain, and 
valiantly to defend us against our enemies, that they may not prevail against us. 

Make us strong in thee, O Lord, and in the power of thy might. Put on thy holy 
armour upon us, that we may stand stedfast against the crafty assaults of the devil. 
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against rule, against power, and Eph. vi. 
against worldly rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in 
heavenly things. For this cause, O most sweet Saviour, put upon us thy holy armour, 
that we may be able to resist in the evil day and stand perfect in all things. Give us 
grace therefore to stand, and to gird our loins about with verity, having on the breast- 
plate of righteousness, and shoed with shoes prepared by the gospel of peace. But 
above all, grant that we may take unto us the shield of faith, wherewith we may be 
able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked, and put on the helmet of salvation, 
and the sword of the Spirit, which is thy blessed word. Grant also, that we, being 
thus godly enarmed, may through thy puissance, might, and strength not only enter 
battle with our enemies, but also valiantly fight with them, courageously put them 
to flight, and triumphantly carry away a glorious victory over them. So shall it come 


4 
[BECON, 11. ] 


Rev. iii. 


Rom. xv. 


Ezek. xviii. 


Wisd. xi. 
Matt. i. 
Luke ii. 

1 Tim. i. 
Matt. ix. 
Luke xv. 
Matt. xi. 
Luke xix. 
Matt. xi. 
Isai. i. 


Isai. xiii. 


Tite is. 
John xiv. 
Psal. cxlv. 


Psal cili. 


Isal. xl. 
Ecclus. xiv. 
James i. 
1 Pet. 1. 
Psal. xxxiv. 


2 Sam. xii. 


Judg. x. 

2 Chron. xii. 
Judg. iv. 
Jonah iii. 


Luke vii. 


Matt. xxvi. 


50 THE FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS. 


to pass that we, being valiant conquerors through thy help, shall receive at thy hand, 
according to thy promise, manna to eat that is hid, and a white stone, and in the 
stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it. 
Lord, for thy mercy’s sake grant us these our petitions. So shall we praise and 
magnify thy blessed name for ever and ever. Amen. 


A PRAYER FOR REMISSION OF SINS.' 


Ir we wretched sinners, O Lord God, had not loving promises of thy tender 
mercy in the holy scriptures for the comfort of our weak consciences and sorrowful 
hearts, we see none other remedy, so great and infinite are our sins, but that we 
must needs despair. But forasmuch as whatsoever things are written are written 
for our learning, that through patience and the comfort of scriptures we may have 
hope, our sins, although never so many and abominable, do not so much make us 
sad, as thy loving-kindness and tender mercies make us glad. 

Our sins, we confess, are innumerable; but thy mercies are also infinite. Thou 
art that most gentle Lord which will not the death of a sinner, but rather that he 
turn and live. Thou for repentance sake dissemblest and wilt not see the sins of 
men. Thou confessest that thou camest into this world to save sinners, to call not 
the righteous, but sinners unto repentance, and to seek up that which was lost. Thou 
callest unto thee all them that are diseased and laden with the heavy burden of sin, 
and promisest that thou wilt ease them. Yea, by the prophet thou sayest, if we 
will wash and make clean ourselves, put away our evil thoughts out of thy sight, 
cease from doing of evil and violence, learn to do right, apply ourselves to equity, 
deliver the oppressed, help the fatherless to his right, and hear the widow's complaint, 
though our sins were as red as scarlet, yet shall they be made whiter than snow; 
and though they were like purple, yet shall they be made like white wool. Yea, 
thou sayest, moreover, that for thy own sake, even for thy mercy and name’s sake, 
thou wilt be good unto us, favour us, and so cast away all our sins behind thy 
back, that thou wilt never remember them more. 

O Lord, thou art the God which cannot lie, thou art the self truth, thou art 
faithful in thy words and holy in all thy works. For according to these thy loving 
promises hast thou ever dealt with the children of men, whensoever they repented 
and turned unto thee. When they forsaked their sinful living, and called upon thy 
holy name, thou forgavest all their sins and healedst all their infirmities. Thou savedst 
their life from destruction, and crowned them with mercy and loving-kindness. For 
thou, O Lord God, art full of compassion and mercy, long-suffering, and of great 
goodness. Thou wilt not alway be chiding, neither wilt thou keep thy anger for 
ever. Neither wilt thou deal with us after our sins, nor yet reward us according to 
our wickedness. For look, how high the heaven is in comparison of the earth; so 
great is thy mercy toward them that fear thee. Look, how wide the east is from 
the west; so far dost thou set our sins from us. Yea, like as a father pitieth his 
own children, even so art thou merciful unto them that fear thee. For thou knowest 
whereof we be made: thou rememberest that we are but dust; that a man in his 
time is but as grass, and flourisheth as a flower of the field. For as soon as the 
wind gceth over it, it is gone, and the place thereof knoweth no more. But thy 
merciful goodness, O Lord, endureth for ever and ever upon them that fear thee. 

Of this thy loving-kindness and tender mercy who at any time hath not tasted, 
if he sought it with all his heart? Forgavest thou not David both his whoredom 
and manslaughter, when he repented and confessed his sin? How oft didst thou call 
back the plagues of thy vengeance, when the children of Israel lamented their sins 
and turned unto thee! How merciful didst thou shew thyself to the Ninivites, when 
they repented and humbled themselves in thy sight! How lovingly spakest thou to 
that sinful woman in thy gospel, and forgavest her all her sins, because she repented 
and believed! Peter, thy disciple, although most cowardly denying thee, after that 


[} Of synners, folio.] 


THE FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS. 51 


he had bitterly wept and lamented his sins, thou didst behold with thy merciful eye, 
and favourably receivedst him again into the number of thy holy apostles. One of Luke xxiii. 
them that died with thee, being both a thief and a murderer, after he had called 
unto thee for grace, thou placedst in paradise, and madest him partaker of thine 
eternal felicity. Many other notable examples of thy great mercies find we in the 
holy scriptures, which will not suffer us to despair of thy clemency and goodness, 
be our sins and wickednesses never so many; but they rather do encourage us boldly Heb. iv. 
to come unto the throne of thy grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to 
help in time of need. 

O most gentle Saviour, thou art that most loving Shepherd, which diligently soughtest Luke xv. 
up the wandering sheep, lovingly laidest it upon thy shoulders, and tenderly broughtest 
it home again. Seek us up, which have so long run astray, lay us upon thy mer- 
ciful shoulders, and bring us home again unto the company of thy faithful. Thou 
art that most merciful Samaritan, which, beholding the miserable state of the wounded Luke x. 
man with thy pitiful eye, camest unto him, madest clean his wounds, pouredst in 
wine and oil, boundest them up, laid the sick Samaritan upon thy beast, and car- 
riedst him into the inn, and never leftest him till he was perfectly whole. O most 
loving Saviour, vouchsafe also with thy merciful eye to look upon our wretched 
state, which without thy help must needs perish. Our wounds are deadly wounds, 
and not able to be healed of any, either in heaven or in earth, but of thee alone, 
which art the true physician, and alone healest them that are contrite in heart. Our Matt. ix. 
whole head is sick, and the heart is very heavy. From the sole of the foot unto Luke iv. 
the head there is no whole part in all our body ; but all are wounds, botches, sores, "ite 
and stripes, which can neither be helped, bound up, mollified, nor eased with any 
ointment, except thou puttest to thy helping hand. Let it therefore please thee of 
thy great goodness to make clean our wounds, to pour in the wine and oil of spiritual 
gladness, to bind them up, and never to leave us till thou hast made us perfectly 
whole, and brought us into thy heavenly kingdom. Heal thou us, O Lord, and we Jer. xvii. 
shall be healed: save thou us, and we shall be saved. 

Thou art that most tender Father, which receivest home again with embracing Luke xv. 
arms that lost son, which had waste all his goods with riotous living. So soon as 
he returned unto thee, repented him of his disorder, confessed his sin, and humbled 
himself in thy sight, thou hadst compassion on him, and came and fell on his neck, 
and kissed him. Thou commandest thy servants also to bring forth that best gar- 
ment, and put it on thy son, and to put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 
Thou gavest commandment, again, to fetch a fat calf and to kill it, and saidest : Let 
us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead, and is alive again ; he was lost, and 
now is found. Shew this thy favour, O most gentle Father, to us thy children also, 
which have ungodly bestowed the godly and virtuous gifts which thou both friendly 
and liberally gavest unto us. This our prodigal and licentious living sore grieveth us; 
and we be heartily sorry that we have so grievously offended thy fatherly goodness. 
Notwithstanding, according to thy old wont, we most humbly beseech thee for thy 
name’s sake to have mercy on us, to forgive us our sins, and to receive us again 
into thy favour. Take away from us all our old beggarly rags, and pvt on us that 
new garment of innocency, that precious ring of faith, wherewith we are married unto Hos. ii. 
thee, and those most godly shoes of the evangelic peace, that we may walk from Fph. vi. 
henceforth in the ways of thy holy commandments, and do that which is pleasant 
in thy sight. Give us grace so unfeignedly to repent and to amend our lives, that 
the angels of heaven may rejoice at our conversion. And so wash us from our sins Luke xv. 
more and more, that at the last we may be clean and appear beautiful in thy heavenly Noah 
Father’s sight through thee our only Saviour, which, with the same thy Father and 
the Holy Ghost, livest and reignest one true and everlasting God, worlds without end. 
Amen. 


A PRAYER FOR A COMPETENT AND NECESSARY LIVING. 


Tuy Son and our Lord, O heavenly Father, taught us to ask our bodily food of mate. vi. 
thee, and all other things that be necessary for the preservation of this our mortal eit, 


42 


Psal. exlvi. 
Psal. exlv. 


Psa]. xxxiii. 


Psal. xxxvii. 


1 Kings xvii. 


B. & Dr. 


Deut. viii. 
Exod. xvi. 
Num. xi. 
Wisd. xvi. 
Psal. xxviii. 
Matt, vi. 
Matt. xiv. 
Mark vi. 
Luke ix. 
John vi. 
John ii. 

1 Tim. vi. 
Matt. vi. 
Luke xil. 


Psal. exlvi. 
Psal. civ. 


1 Cor. iv. 
James 1. 


Luke xii. 


Heb. xiii. 
1 Tim. vi. 


Job i. 


Matt. vi. 


Luke xii. 


Prov. xxx. 


Psal. exix. 
Deut. v. 
Xvii. 

Isai. xxx. 


Psal. xix. 


Wisd. xvi. 


John xv. 


Rom. i. 


52 THE FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS. 


and corruptible body. For thou art that Lord that givest meat to the hungry. Thou 
feedest all thy creatures in due time. Thou openest thy hand and replenishest all 
living things with thy blessing. Thy eyes are upon them that fear thee, and upon 
such as trust in thy mercy, that thou mayest deliver their lives from death, and 
nourish them in the time of hunger. They that fear thee shall have no scarceness ; 
neither shall they want any good thing that seek thee. Never was it seen that the 
righteous man, that is, he that liveth according to thy word, was forsaken, neither 
hath his children begged their bread on the earth. 

How wonderfully didst thou feed thy servant Helias the prophet, when thou sent 
him meat twice on a day bythe ravens! How marvellously didst thou increase the 
oil and meal of the widow of Sarepta, Helias’ hostess! How didst thou provide for 
thy servant Daniel, when he was in prison for setting forth thy glory! How won- 
derfully feddest thou the children of Israel, by sending them meat down from heaven 
by the space of forty years in the wilderness! The fowls of the air dost thou feed, 
which neither sow nor reap, nor yet carry into the barns. Thy Son also (that we 
may hang on thy fatherly providence, and not despair of a competent living) fed 
many thousands with a few loaves of bread, and a little number of small fishes. He 
also at a marriage turned water into wine, to shew that those which live according 
to thy blessed word, every one in his vocation, shall want no good thing. Thou art 
the very living God, which giveth us abundantly all thing to enjoy them. Thou art 
our Father ; thou therefore wilt not suffer us thy children to perish for hunger. Thou 
art our Lord; thou therefore wilt not suffer us thy servants to die for want of 
clothes. Thou feedest the heathen and the brute beasts: is it then to be thought 
that thou wilt leave us succourless, which believe in thee, call on thy holy name, 
and hang on thy fatherly providence? 

We therefore, being throughly persuaded that all good things pertaining either to 
the body or to the soul, come from thee alone, doubting also nothing of thy bounteous 
liberality and liberal bounty toward them that with strong faith depend on thy fatherly 
providence, are bound at this present to come unto thy divine Majesty, most humbly 
beseeching thee to work in us, through thy holy Spirit, a mind content with that is 
sufficient, seeing that no man’s life standeth in the abundance of the things which 
he possesseth ; seeing also that we be strangers and pilgrims in this world, and have 
here no continuing city, but seek one to come; again, seeing we brought nothing 
into the world, neither shall we carry any thing out of it. For naked came we out 
of our mother’s womb, and naked shall we turn to the earth again. Take away 
from us all superfluous worldly cares, and teach us to be content with food and 
raiment. Suffer us not, after the manner of the heathen, to be careful for worldly 
things, as though thou hadst no care for us; but teach us first of all to seek thy 
kingdom and the righteousness thereof, and so to look for all worldly and temporal 
things at thy merciful hand. O Lord, give us neither poverty nor riches: only grant 
thou us a necessary living; lest, if we be too full, we deny thee, and say, What 
fellow is the Lord? and lest we, being constrained through poverty, fall unto stealing, 
and forswear the name of the Lord our God. Lord, let it so come to pass, for thy 
dear Son’s sake, Jesu Christ our Lord and Saviour. Amen. 


A PRAYER FOR [TO] BE SAID BEFORE THE SERMON. 


Tuy word, O Lord, is a lantern unto our feet, and a light to our pathways. For 
it sheweth unto us evidently, how we ought to walk, and turn neither on the right 
hand, nor on the left, but even that way that thou hast appointed, that we may live 
and please thee. Thy law also is a perfect and undefiled law: it turneth souls, and 
giveth wisdom even unto babes. Thy statutes are right, and rejoice the heart: thy 
commandments is pure, giveth light unto the eyes. It is neither emplasture nor salve 
that healeth us, but thy word, O Lord, which healeth all thing. Through thy word, 
which thou hast left here among us, are we made clean: for it is thy power unto 


THE FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS. 53 


salvation for every one that believeth. To hear this thy word, which is sweeter than Psal. xix. 
the honey or honey-comb, and more precious than gold, pearl, or precious stone, we ane 
are come hither at this presence, O most merciful Father, desiring thee to send both 

to thy preacher and to us thy holy Spirit, that he may teach nothing but thy pure 

word and the glorious gospel of thy most dear Son; again, that we may diligently 

note and repose in our memory whatsoever shall be godly and truly spoken of him. 

And forasmuch as neither he that planteth nor he that watereth is anything, but thou, 1 Cor. iii 
O God, which givest the increase, we most entirely pray thee that the seed of thy 
blessed word, which shall now be sown among us, may fall into our hearts as into a Matt. xiii. 
good Panne and by no means be choked up of thorns, nor dried up for want of Luke vii. 
moisture, nor yet carried away of the birds of the air; but, through the working of 

the Holy Ghost, so take root in our hearts, that it may bring forth plenty of good 

fruit unto thy glory and the health of our souls. Amen. 


A THANKSGIVING AFTER THE SERMON. 


WE render unto thee, O heavenly Father, most hearty thanks for this spiritual John vi. 
and heavenly nourishment of thy blessed word, wherewith our souls are not only well 
refreshed at this present, but also our faith is strengthened, our love is kindled, and 
our conscience quieted. We most humbly beseech thee to give us grace, not only to 
be hearers of thy word, but doers also of the same; not only to love, but also to live Jamesi. 
thy gospel; not only to favour, but also to follow thy godly doctrine ; not only to 
profess, but also to practise thy blessed commandment ; that whatsoever we outwardly 
hear and inwardly believe, we may shew forth the same in our conversation and living, 
unto the honour of thy holy name, the comfort of our christian brethren, and the health 
of our souls. Amen. 


A PRAYER TO BE SAID BEFORE THE RECEIVING OF THE 
HOLY COMMUNION. 


Tuy love toward us, O most gentle Saviour, is so great and unmeasurable, that 
it can by no means be expressed by mouth, nor sufficiently conceived in heart. For 
our love, without any deserts on our behalf, freely and willingly, at thy heavenly 
Father's commandment, thou camest down from the glorious seat of thy divine Majesty, Isai. vii. 


tookest very flesh, and becamest perfect man of the substance of that pure and unde- Lake t 


filed virgin Mary, through the operation of the Holy Ghost, taughtest the will of tome. hin 
thy heavenly Father, confirming the same with wonderful miracles, unto the great “*" 
comfort of many which then lived, and unto the perfect siabiltsietiont of our faith, 
which live at this present. 

After thou hadst travailed in this world certain years, the time tofore appointed 
from everlasting of thy heavenly Father drawing nigh, that thou wouldest give thyself 
an oblation and sweet-smelling sacrifice to God the Father for the sins of the whole world, Eph. v. 
even somany as repent, believe, and amend; willing that so noble and worthy benefit 
of our redemption should not be forgotten nor fall out of remembrance, which is the 
alone anchor of our salvation, and the only comfort of weak consciences, when thou al. vi. 
hadst eaten the paschal lamb with thy disciples, according to the appointment of the 
law, thou tookest bread into thy hand, gavest thanks to thy heavenly Father, brakest 
it, and deliveredst it to thy disciples, saying, Take ye, eat ye: this is my body, Matt. xxvi. 
which is betrayed for you. Do this in the remembrance of me. Because the sin- eet 
gular and inestimable benefit of our redemption, brought to pass by the one and only Hee 
oblation of thy blessed body, broken on the altar of the cross, should not be forgotten, 
thou brakest the bread in the sight of thy disciples, and gavest it unto them, com- 
manding them to eat it in the remembrance of the breaking of thy body, which then 
was betrayed by thy traitorous disciple Judas, that son of perdition, and the day fol- John xvii. 
lowing was unfeignedly broken on the cross for our ransom, deliverance, and salvation. 
Here didst thou appoint the breaking of the bread among the faithful gathered together 


Note. 


1 John i. 


1 Cor. xi. 


54 THE FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS. 


for that purpose, a worthy and blessed memorial of thy body-breaking. And because 
the breaking of thy body should be the better remembered, thou didst ennoble the 
bread with the name of thy body; when, notwithstanding, it was only the figure, sign, 
token, and memorial of thy holy body. 

In like manner, when supper was done, thou tookest the cup into thy hands, gavest 
thanks to thy heavenly Father, and deliveredst it to thy disciples, saying: Drink 
of this all ye. For this is my blood of the new testament, covenant, or bargain, which 
shall be shed for many into the remission of sins. This do, as often as ye drink it, in 
the remembrance of me. As by the breaking of thy blessed body our ransom is per- 
fectly paid, so by the shedding of thy precious blood are all our sins, even unto the 
uttermost, washed away. Therefore, as by the breaking of the bread thou wouldest the 
breaking of thy body and the benefits gotten by it to be remembered among the faith- 
ful; so, to the end that the shedding of thy blood and the merits thereof should not 
be forgotten, thou gavest. them the cup of wine to drink, commanding them that, so 
oft as they or any of the faithful gathered together for that purpose to drink of the 
cup, they should remember thy death, and the shedding of thy precious blood, as thy 
holy apostles saith: As oft as ye shall eat this bread and drink of the cup, ye shall 


a= shew the Lord’s death till he come. And as thou didst ennoble the bread with the 


1 Cor. xi. 


Rom. xii, 
Matt. v. 


Matt. xxii. 
Hos. ii. 
Acts xv. 
Eph. v. 
Rom, iii. 


Matt. xxvi. 


Mark xiv. 
Luke xxii. 
1 Cor. xi. 
Tit. iii. 


John vi. 


name of thy body, being but the figure of thy body, because the breaking of thy body 
should the better be remembered; so likewise here dost thou garnish and nobly set 
forth the wine, naming it thy blood, when, notwithstanding, it only representeth and 
preacheth unto us the shedding of thy blood, because it should be the more deeply graven 
and the better retained in our minds. 

O most merciful Redeemer and gentle Saviour, we are come together at this present 
to celebrate the memorial of thy blessed and glorious passion, and to eat and drink 
this bread and wine in the remembrance of thy blessed body-breaking and thy precious 
blood-shedding, most humbly and from the very heart beseeching thee to give us grace 
worthily to eat this bread and drink of this cup, lest, by the unworthy receiving of 
them, we be guilty of thy body and blood, and so eat and drink our own damna- 
tion. 

And that we may come the more worthily unto this thy table, grant, we most 
entirely pray thee, that we may so earnestly be at defiance with all sins, and so inwardly 
be ashamed that we at any time have so grievously offended thy divine Majesty by 
attempting any thing that is not agreeable to thy good pleasure, that from henceforth 
we may not only loathe, detest, and abhor whatsoever is displeasant unto thee, but also 
embrace and lay hand on that which is good and acceptable in thy sight. Forgive us 
all our sins, and give us grace even with our whole heart to love all men, yea, our very 
enemies, and not only to forgive all such as have offended us, but also to be ready at all 
times to do for them whatsoever good or pleasure we be able. 

And that we may be the more welcome unto thee, and be found meet and worthy 
guests to sit at this thy table, and to eat of these thy blessed gifts, that our soul may 
be well comforted, nourished, fed, and made merry by the worthy receiving of them, 
clothe us, we pray thee, with that wedding-garment, even true and lively faith, where- 
with our hearts are purified, wherewith are we married unto thee, and made one flesh, 
one blood with thee, wherewith also we are justified and counted righteous in thy sight ; 
and grant that through the same faith we earnestly set the eyes of our mind on these 
thy most sweet and loving promises, My body shall be broken for you; My blood 


‘shall be shed for you; and without any doubting for remission of all our sins at thy 


heavenly Father’s hand, according to thy most gentle promises, yea, and that not for 
our good deeds and merits, which in this behalf are none; but for the worthiness of 
thy blessed passion, for the dignity of thy precious blood, and for that only and alone 
sacrifice of thy holy body. For that, O Lord, is the salve that healeth our souls. 
That is the medicine that comforteth our weak and troubled consciences. That is the 
living bread: whosoever eateth of that bread shall never hunger, but live for ever. 
That is the jewel of joy, that maketh our sorrowful hearts merry. That is the 
mighty bulwark, the strong defence, the sure fortress, that preserveth and keepeth us 


4&F harmless against Satan, sin, death, hell, desperation, and all the infernal power. 


THE FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS. 55 


To come to the table, to be present at the supper, to hear and see what is there 
done, yea, and to receive the holy mysteries of thy body and blood there set forth unto 
us, profiteth us nothing at all, if we faithfully believe not that thy body was broken 
and thy blood shed for our sins, and that, by the alone oblation thereof done once for 


Heb. vii. ix. 


all, our sins are forgiven us, thy heavenly Father is reconciled unto us, his wrath, 4 


stirred up through sin against us, is pacified, quietness of conscience and everlasting 
life is given us; but rather turneth unto our damnation, because we eat of this bread 
and drink of this cup unworthily ; and shall with that hypocrite, which presumed to 
come unto the marriage not having the wedding-garment, be bound hand and foot, and 
cast into utter darkness, where weeping and gnashing of teeth shall be. Therefore we 
most humbly beseech thee to give us grace, according to thy holy apostle’s counsel, 
diligently to prove, try, and examine ourselves, whether such repentance, such faith, 
such love, such disposition toward all godliness, be found in us or not, as thou dost 
require in them which will come worthily and with fruit unto thy table. 

And forasmuch as it is thy gift to repent heartily, to believe truly, to love un- 
feignedly, and to be disposed earnestly to embrace true godliness, and to go forward in 
the same from virtue to virtue unto the end, grant, we most entirely pray thee, we may 
so repent, that the fruits of repentance may be found in us; so believe, that we may 
knowledge thee our alone Saviour; so love, that all our affection may be set on thee 
alone; and so embrace true godliness, that our whole life may be a clear mirror of all 
virtue and goodness. So shall we, through thy mercy, be found worthy guests of this 
thy table, and receive these holy mysteries unto the salvation of our souls; yea, so shall 
we be well assured of the remission and forgiveness of all our sins by the breaking of 
thy blessed body and the shedding of thy precious blood, our consciences shall be quiet, 
our hearts shall be filled with all true and spiritual joy, we shall triumph over Satan, 
sin, death, hell, and desperation, we shall be partakers of all the fruits and merits of 
thy blessed passion, and be made one body with thee, and fellow-heirs of everlasting 
glory. O Lord God, let it so come to pass, for the honour of thy name! Amen. 


A THANKSGIVING AFTER THE RECEIVING OF THE 
COMMUNION. 


We thank thee, O heavenly Father, for the blessed passion and glorious death of 
thy dearly-beloved Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesu Christ, by whom and by whose 
holy wounds we faithfully believe and are assuredly persuaded that thy wrath is not 
only pacified toward us, but that thou also art now become our most merciful Father, 
and hast freely forgiven us all our sins, restored unto us thy heavenly grace, and made 
us sons and heirs of thine eternal glory. And because we should not doubt of thy 
fatherly goodness toward us, set forth in the death of thy Son, the same thy Son 
Christ Jesu our Lord hath left unto us not only his holy word, but also a blessed 
memorial of his death and passion, set forth in the holy bread and holy wine, which 
we at this present have received, both for a remembrance of the breaking of his blessed 
body and the shedding of his most precious blood, and also for the quietness of our 
conscience, and for the assurance of the remission of our sins through faith. We be- 
seech thee, O heavenly Father, that we be never unmindful of this thy exceeding great 
kindness, nor unthankful for thy manifold and unspeakable mercies declared unto us in 
the glorious death of thy well-beloved Son; but so work thou in us through thy holy 
Spirit, that we may be made worthy members of that body, whereof thy Son and our 
Saviour Christ Jesu is the head; and that we may so faithfully believe in thee, and so 
fervently love one another, alway living in thy fear, and in the obedience of thy holy 
law and blessed will, that we being fruitful in all godly and christian works, may train 
our life according to thy good pleasure in this transitory world, and after this frail and 
short life obtain that true and immortal life, where thou, with thy dearly-beloved Son 
our Lord and Saviour Jesu Christ, and the Holy Ghost that most sweet Comforter, 
livest and reignest one true God, in all honour and glory, worlds without end. 
Amen. 


Matt. xxii. 


1 Cor. xi. 


Matt. iii. 


Phil. il. 


Eph. ii. 
Col. i. 


Matt. xxvi. 
Mark xiv. 

Lue xxii. 
1 Cor. xi. 


Eph. i. iii. 
Col. 1. 


Eph. v. 
Phil. ii. 


Rom. v. 
Eph. ii. 


Isai. xvi. 
al. ii. 

1 Cor. viii. 

Eph. iv. 

1 Tim. i. 

Psal. xvi. 

Psal. exv. 


Psal. ii. 


Isai. xlv. 


2 Cor. i. 
Jer. ii. 
Psal. xlvi. 
Psal. exlv. 


Jer. xvii. 


John xvi. 


John xvii. 


56 THE FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS. 


A SHORT PRAYER TO BE SAID AT THE RECEIVING OF THE 
MYSTERY OF CHRIST'S BODY IN THE HOLY COMMUNION. 


O HEAVENLY and blessed Father, I render unto thee most hearty thanks for all thy 
benefits, which thou hast shewed unto me, most wretched sinner ; but specially for that 
most sweet-smelling sacrifice, which thy only-begotten Son offered unto thee on the 
altar of the cross, by giving his most pure and undefiled body unto the death for the 
redemption of mankind; in remembrance whereof, according to thy well-beloved Son’s 
ordinance, I now receive this holy bread, most entirely beseeching thee, that I may both 
be partaker of the merits of thy dear Son’s body-breaking, and also lead a life worthy 
of so great a benefit, unto the glory of thy name. Amen. 


A PRAYER TO BE SAID AT THE RECEIVING OF THE MYSTERY 
OF CHRIST’S BLOOD IN THE HOLY COMMUNION. 


O BLEssep and merciful Father, thy love toward me, sinful creature, is so exceeding 
great and unspeakable, that I cannot but give unto thee most humble thanks, namely 
for the shedding of the most precious blood of thy dear Son Jesu Christ, by the virtue 
whereof thy wrath, stirred up against me, wretched sinner, is pacified, my ransom is 
paid, the law is fulfilled, my enemies are overcome and put to flight. In remem- 
brance of this so noble a victory and of so great a benefit, I am come unto this thy 
table, O merciful Father, to drink of this cup, desiring thee, that as my outward man is 
comforted by the drinking of this wine, so likewise my inward man may be comforted 
and made strong by true faith in the precious blood of thy most dearly[ beloved | 
Son. O Lord and my heavenly Father, give me thy holy Spirit, which may so 
rule and govern my heart, that I never be unthankful nor forgetful of this thine 
exceeding great kindness; but so train my life according to thy blessed will, that 
whatsoever I do, speak, or think may be unto the glory of thy blessed name and 
the health of my soul, through Jesu Christ our Lord. Amen. 


A PRAYER AGAINST IDOLATRY. 


Tuo, O Lord, art God alone, and besides thee there is no God, neither in heaven 
nor in earth. As for the gods of the heathen, they are devils, and the images which 
the ignorant people worship as gods by kneeling, praying, and offering unto them, 
are no gods, but stocks and stones, idols and mawmets. They have mouths, and 
speak not: eyes have they, but they see not. They have ears, and hear not: noses 
have they, but they smell not. They have hands, and handle not: feet have they, 
but they cannot go, neither can they speak through their throats. O how vain then 
are all they that put their trust in such mad fancies as can do them no good! All 
health and salvation, all joy and comfort, come from thee alone, O Lord. Thou art 
the God of all consolation and Father of all mercies. Thou art the living fountain, 
from whom alone floweth whatsoever good or godly is. Thou art the refuge and 
succour of thy people. Thou hearest thy servants whensoever they call on thee. 
Who ever trusted in thee, and was not holpen? Blessed are they which put their 
trust in thee, and cursed are they that forsake thee, and follow the idols of their 


‘ii, Own heart. For as the faithful in thy presence shall find favour and mercy, so shall 


all idolaters receive before thee shame of face and confusion of conscience, yea, terrible 
judgment and everlasting damnation, besides those temporal punishments which thou 
threatenest in thy holy law. We beseech thee therefore, O thou alone true and 
living God, to endue us with thy holy Spirit, which may cleanse us from all blind 
errors, all foolish fancies, all vain superstitions, and from the whole lump of idolatry, 
and lead us unto thy godly truth, that we may know thee to be the alone true, 
everlasting, and immortal God, believe in thee, fear, and love, call on thy blessed 
name, seek thy honour and glory, and crave at thy merciful hand alone whatsoever 


THE FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS. 57 


good thing we have need of concerning the body or the soul; that we, in this world 
glorifying thee our Lord God alone, alone, according to thy blessed word, may after 
this present life be glorified of thee in thy heavenly kingdom, where thou, with thy 
dearly-beloved Son, and the Holy Ghost, livest and reignest one true and everlasting 
God, for ever and ever. Amen. 


A PRAYER AGAINST SWEARING. 


O atmicuty and everlasting God, how greatly they that abuse thy holy name by 
vain and unlawful oaths shall be plagued, it is evident enough in the sacred scriptures. 
For thou thyself sayest, that whosoever taketh thy name in vain shall not escape Exod. xx. 
unpunished. And thy prophet saw flying in the air a great and large book, even Zone 
twenty cubits in length and ten cubits in breadth, wherein were contained the curses 
and plagues that are prepared for them which vainly or falsely swear by thy holy 
name. It is written also, that whosoever useth much to swear shall be filled with Ecelus. xxiii. 
iniquity and the plague; that is, the vengeance of thy wrath shall not depart from 
his house. Seeing that so many, yea, and those terrible punishments and most grievous 
plagues are threatened, prepared, and set forth to all idle swearers and wicked blas- 
phemers of thee and of thy blessed name, we most heartily pray thee so to order our 
tongue, that it utter no ungodly nor filthy communication; that it abuse not thee 
nor thy name, nor any of thy creatures either in heaven or in earth, by unlawful 
and vain oaths; but that with all diligence we observe the commandment of thy only- 
begotten Son, which straitly chargeth us that we swear not at all; neither by matt. v. 
heaven, for it is God’s seat ; nor yet by the earth, for it is his footstool; neither by Es 
Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King; neither, saith he, shalt thou swear 
by thy head, because thou canst not make one white hair or black: but thy com- 
munication shall be, yea, yea; nay, nay; for whatsoever is more than that cometh 
of evil. Give us grace therefore, O most loving God, to avoid all ungodly and 
wicked oaths, to reverence thy holy name, to flee unto it as a strong castle by hearty 
prayer in adversity, and at all times to praise and magnify it. Grant also, that our 
communication be yea, yea; nay, nay; that is, yea in heart and yea in mouth, nay 
in heart and nay in mouth; that there be found no dissimulation in us, but such 
simplicity and truth in our talk, and such sincerity and pureness in all our conversation 
and living, as becometh them that profess thy holy name, which alone is worthy 
all honour and glory. Amen. 


A PRAYER AGAINST PRIDE. 


O mosr loving and gentle Saviour, the only-begotten Son of the eternal and living 
God, thou commandest all them that will come unto thee and be thy scholars, to Matt. xi. 
learn of thee to be meek, humble, and lowly in heart, to be poor in spirit, not to Matt. v. 
be puffed up with arrogancy, pride, ambition, and vain-glory. For thou scatterest Luke i. 
them that are proud in the imagination of their hearts. Thou puttest down the 
mighty from their seats, and exaltest them of low degree. Thou resistest the proud, 1 Pet. v. 
and givest grace to the humble. Thou throwest down the haughty-minded, and 
exaltest the meek-spirited. Thou so greatly abhorrest pride, that thou bringest also the 
proud to nought, and makest the memorial of them to cease from out of the earth. 
For pride is the original of all sin: whoso taketh hold thereof shall be filled with keelus. x. 
cursings, and at the last it shall overthrow him. 

O Lord, what is to be found in us being our own, that may make us to glory 
in ourselves, and to be proud? As concerning our body, what is it but earth, ashes, Gen. iii. 
dust, and dung? As for the beauty and favour of it, O how' deceitful and vain Prov. xxxi. 
it is! And as for the strength thereof, how shortly doth a little fever make the 





[) The folio reads who. ] 


John iii. 
Eph. ii. 
Rom. v. 
Hos. xiii. 
James i. 
1 Cor. iv. 


Gen. vi. vii. 
Gen. xix. 
Exod, xx. 
Deut. v. 
Deut. xxiii. 
Lev. xx. 
Deut. xxii. 


Prov. v. 


Prov. ix, 


Prov. xxix. 


Rev. xxi. 
1 Thess. iv. 


1 Cor. vi. 


Psal. li. 


Ecclus. xxiii. 
Eph. v. 


Eph. iv. 


1 Cor. vi. 
Eph. v. 


Gen. xxxix. 


Tob. iv. 
Job xxxi. 


Hist. Sus. 


58 THE FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS. 


most mighty the most weak! Who then will be proud of so vile a carcase and 
sack of dung? As touching our soul, if it be not regenerate by thy holy Spirit, 
what other thing is it, than the bond-slave of Satan and sin? If any thing we 
have that good is (for all naughtiness cometh of ourselves), it is thy gift. If we 
have received it, why do we glory in ourselves, as though we had not received it ? 

It may please thee therefore, which art the mirror of true humility and giver of 
all virtue, to grave in our hearts the true knowledge of ourselves, that we may both 
willingly and unfeignedly confess whatsoever goodness we have to be thy gift, and 
not so to glory in ourselves, but to give unto thee most humble and hearty thanks 
for all thy gifts, ever walking before thee with all submission and lowliness of mind, 
that thou mayest exalt us when the time cometh. Suffer us not to be high-minded, 
but to make ourselves equal to them of the lower sort; and give us that humility and 
lowliness of heart that mortifieth and killeth in us all love of ourselves, all pride 
and arrogancy, that our whole glory and rejoicing may only be in thee our Lord 
and Saviour, to whom be all honour for evermore. Amen. 


A PRAYER AGAINST WHOREDOM. 


How greatly thou dost abhor whoredom, fornication, and all uncleanness, O Lord, 
the drowning of the whole world, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorre with water, 
fire, and brimstone from heaven, and such other like plagues mentioned in the holy 
scriptures, do evidently declare and shew. Thy commandment is that we should 
commit none adultery. And in the commonweal of the Israelites thou commandest 
that there should be neither whoremonger nor whore: if any such were found, that they 
should be stoned unto death. For although the lips of an harlot are to the foolish 
a dropping honey-comb, and her neck softer than oil, yet at the last is she as bitter 
as wormwood, and as sharp as a sword. Her feet go down unto death, and her 
steps haste them into hell: and he that accompanieth himself with an whore, shall 
go down unto hell, but he that goeth away from her shall be saved: yea, he that 
maintaineth an whore shall come unto beggary in this world, and after this life shall 
have his part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone. 

O Lord, thou hast called us not unto uncleanness, but unto holiness and pureness 
of life: thou hast made us one body and one spirit with thee: how unseemly then 
is it to take the members of Christ, and to make them the members of an harlot! 
We therefore most humbly beseech thee to make in us a clean heart, to renew a 
right spirit within us, and to turn away all voluptuousness from us. Take from 
us the lusts of the body: let not the desires of uncleanness take hold upon us, and 
give us not over into an unshamefaced and obstinate mind. Let not fornication, adultery, 
nor any kind of uncleanness be once named among us. Let no filthy communication 
proceed out of our mouths, but that which is good to edify withal when need is, 
that it may have favour with the hearers. 

And forasmuch as neither fornicators, neither whoremongers, neither weaklings, 
neither abusers of themselves with the mankind, shall inherit the kingdom of God; 
grant, we heartily pray thee, that such as be unmarried may keep themselves pure 
and undefiled, after the example of that godly young man Joseph, and bring with them 
unto honourable wedlock both their bodies and minds chaste and honest. Grant also, 
that the married men may beware and keep themselves from all whoredom, and use 
the company of no woman besides their wife. Again, grant that all married women 
may practise the manners of that virtuous woman Susanna, and neither for flattering 
nor menacing words at any time consent unto uncleanness; but so keep the bed 
undefiled, that it may be honourable, that God may bless them and their godly tra- 
vails, and make them joyful mothers of many children. Finally grant, O most mer- 
ciful Father, that we may so avoid all uncleanness, that we, being pure both in body 
and soul, may deserve to see thy glorious face in thy heavenly kingdom, through 
Jesu Christ our Lord. Amen. 


THE FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS. 59 


A PRAYER AGAINST COVETOUSNESS. 


Tuy Son and our Lord, O heavenly Father, biddeth us take heed and beware Luke xii. 
of covetousness. For no man’s life, saith he, standeth in the abundance of things 
which he possesseth. Thy holy apostle also affirmeth covetousness to be the root of 1 Tim. vi. 
all evils, and that they which study to be rich fall into temptation and snares, and 
into many foolish and noisome lusts, which drown men in temptation and destruction. 
And in another place he calleth covetousness the worshipping of idols. Thus, in every Eph. v. 
place of the holy scripture, this most damnable sin of covetousness is condemned and 
forbidden. 

Notwithstanding, O Lord, through the subtile working of the devil, we see how 
this most vile monster hath prevailed and almost overcome the whole world, and 
brought into his subjection not only the wicked and unfaithful, but them also that 
profess thy blessed name and holy religion. For from the first to the last, from the Jer. vi. 
highest to the lowest, all give their mind to covetousness. All seek their own, and Phil. ii. 
not Jesu Christ’s. They renounce the world in word; but in deed no man embraceth 
it more desirously. They by mouth profess covetousness to be a sin; but in work 
they magnify it not only as a virtue, but also as a god. In word they confess that! 
to be their Lord; but in deed they serve mammon. They make no end of joining Isai. v. 
house to house, land to land, lordship to lordship, farm to farm, pasture to pasture. 
Another sort, which ought to be an example to thy flock, chaineth, coupleth, link- 1 Pet. v. 
eth and joineth likewise dignity to dignity, promotion to promotion, benefice to bene- 
fice, prebend to prebend, deanery to deanery, office to office, and office for a vantage, 
unto the great dishonour of thy holy name, the hinderance of thy blessed gospel, and 
the confusion of their conscience, if they had any. They be shameless dogs that have tsai. vi. 
never enough, nor be never satisfied. They go forth daily more and more to heap Hab. ii. 
up thick clay against themselves. Their covetousness knoweth neither end nor mea- 
sure; so that, if thou dost not shortly reform this outrageous desire of having, it is 
like to come to pass that mammon shall be honoured for a god, and thou utterly 
despised; few shall possess the whole fruits of the earth, the other shall miserably 
starve for hunger. For there is no mercy on the earth, as thy prophet complaineth. Hos. iv. 
All seek their own, and not Jesu Christ’s. They be lovers of themselves and haters Phil. ii. 
of other. 

O good Lord, it may please thee therefore for thy mercy’s sake, to redress these 
pestilences, wherewith the most part of the world at this present be infected. Open 
the eyes of the covetous worldlings, that they may clearly see how vile an idol 
they serve, how uncertain possessions they gather together, not knowing to whom Paal. xxxix. 
they shall leave them. Take away from them the inordinate and unsatiable desire 
of having. Incline their hearts unto thy testimonies, and not unto covetousness. Psal. exix. 
Teach them that in this world they are but strangers and pilgrims, and have here Lee 
no abiding city, but seek for one to come; and that therefore they ought to be con- 
tent with that is sufficient. For nothing foeahe they into this aie neither shall 1 rim. vi. 
they carry any thing out of it. Teach en not to put their trust in uncertain 
riches, but in thee the living God, which givest us all things abundantly to enjoy 
them. Teach them to do good and to be rich in good works, and ready to give 
and to distribute, laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the 
time to come, that they may obtain eternal life. Teach them to learn and practise 
this thy commandment given by the prophet: Break thy bread to the hungry, and Isai. Wwiii. 
lead into thy house the poor and harbourless: when thou seest a naked man, cover 
him, and thou shalt not despise thy flesh. Teach them to love their neighbour as rev. xix. 


themselves, and to seek the commodity of their christian brethren no less than their wok on!” 


own. Yea, teach them ever to set before their eyes this commandment of thy holy Rom, sili 
apostle: Let no man seek his own profit, but the commodity of other. In fine, 7*"*"™ 
grant that the conversation of so many as profess thy name may be so far estranged Heb. xiii. 


from the most detestable sin of covetousness, that it be not once named among ph. vy. 





[! Perhaps an error for thee. ] 


Luke xii. 
Matt. vi. 


Luke xxi. 
Ecclus. 
XXXVil. 
Hos. iv. 


Gen. iii. 


Gen. xix. 
Exod. xxxii. 
1 Cor. x. 


Matt. xiv. 


Luke xvi. 


Ezek. xvi. 
Gen. xix. 


1 Cor. vi. 


Prov. xxiii. 


Ecclus. 
XXXVii. 
Ecelus. xxxi. 


Rom. xiii. 
1 Pet. v. 
John vi. 
Luke xvii. 
1 Thess. v. 
Matt. xxiv. 


Gen. ii. 


Ecclus. 
Xxxiii. 
Gen. iii. 


Psal. exxviii. 


Gen. iv. 


Gen. ix. 


60 THE FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS. 


them; again, that they make them bags which wax not old, and gather treasure in 
heaven that faileth not, where no thief cometh nor moth corrupteth, that they being 
rich in good works may obtain that blessed life, which thou hast promised to so 
many as be loving and merciful, through Jesu Christ our Lord. Amen. 


A PRAYER AGAINST GLUTTONY AND DRUNKENNESS. 


We are warned by thy dear Son, O most merciful Father, to take heed that our 
hearts be not overwhelmed with feasting and drunkenness. For through feasting many 
have died; and through drunkenness innumerable have perished. If our first parents 
had not obeyed their appetite, they had not transgressed thy commandment by eating 
the forbidden fruit, nor have gotten so great an evil both to themselves and to all their 
posterity. If Lot had not been overcome with wine, he had never so filthily com- 
mitted incest with his own daughters. If the people of Israel had not given themselves 
unto banqueting, they had never so wickedly fallen into idolatry, neither had so many 
thousands of them been slain. If king Herod had not been overcome with banqueting, 
he would not so soon have consented to the death of the godly preacher St John. 
If that rich glutton had not been so greatly given to the pampering of his belly, 
he would never have been so unmerciful to poor Lazarus. If the Sodomites had 
not used banqueting and riotous living, they had not perished with so horrible 
punishments. 

For thou, O Lord, canst not abide thy creatures to be abused. For besides ever- 
lasting damnation, which abide all gluttons and drunkards, thou punishest these 
voluptuous epicures and beastly belly-slaves with corporal plagues, with sickness and 
poverty, as thy servant Salomon testifieth. Where is wo? saith he, where is sorrow ? 
where is strife? where is brawling? where are wounds without a cause? where be red 
eyes? Even among those that be ever at the wine, and seek out where the best is. 
Again he saith: Keep no company with wine-bibbers and riotous eaters of flesh ; for 
such as be drunkards and riotous persons shall come to poverty. Another of thy 
servants also declareth that excess of meats bringeth sickness, and gluttony cometh 
at the last unto an unmeasurable heat. Yea, he saith that an unsatiable eater 
sleepeth unquietly, and hath ache and pain of the body. 

Seeing these foul and filthy monsters of gluttony and drunkenness bring unto us 
the destruction both of body and soul, we beseech thee, O heavenly Father, to give us 
grace that from henceforth we may be free from these beastly vices as from most present 
pestilences, and use thy good creatures soberly, temperately, and thankfully, and by no 
means make provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof; but be sober and watch 
that we fall not into the snares of our ghostly enemy the devil, which walketh about 
like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour; and labour for that meat which 
perisheth not, but abideth into everlasting life ; that we, living soberly, watching warily, 
praying continually, and looking diligently for the coming of thy dearly-beloved Son, 
may be found ready whensoever he cometh, and enter with him into thy glory of heaven 
for ever and ever. Amen. 


A PRAYER AGAINST IDLENESS. 


IMMEDIATELY after thou hadst created man, O Maker of heaven and earth, and placed 
him in the garden of Eden, thou commandedst him to dress and keep it, because he 
should not be idle. For idleness is the occasion of much evil. In like manner after 
man had transgressed thy holy commandment, thou, expulsing him out of paradise for 
his disobedience, and sending him abroad into the face of the earth, commandedst him 
to eat his bread in the sweat of his face and in the labour of his hands: so that thy 
good pleasure is that no man should be idle. This thy commandment was diligently 
observed of the godly ancient fathers. Adam tilled the earth. Abel was a shepherd. 
Jubal exercised music. Tubal-Cain was a worker in metal, and a graver in brass and 
iron. Nohe planted a vineyard. Abraham, Lot, Isaac, and Jacob were shepherds and 


THE FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS. 6] 


ploughmen. Joseph was a magistrate. Moyses, David, Amos, with divers other, Gen. es 

kept sheep before they were called unto office. Thy dearly pelea Son, before thou ae 

appointedst him to be a preacher of thy blessed will unto the world, was a carpenter, 1 Sam. xvi. 

and so got his living. His apostles were fishermen. Blessed Paul labaured with his Matt. xiii. 

own hands, and got both his own living and others’ that were with him. Thabita is ‘Acts xx. 

commended in the holy scripture, because she made garments, and gave them to the 1 thess. ii 
: 2 Thess, iii. 

poor people. So many, O Lord, as had any spark of godliness or pretence of honesty 

in them, even from the beginning unto this day, ever abhorred idleness, and practised 

one thing or other; so that they were never idle, but earnestly travailed every one 

according to their vocation. For as the bird is born to fly, so is man born to labour. Job v. 

Yea, thy apostle hath charged us in thy name, that if any will not labour, he should 2 Thess. iii. 

not eat. He commandeth also that we should withdraw ourselves from every one that 

walketh inordinately, and will not labour for his own living. And the wise man sendeth 

us unto the emmet as unto a mistress and exemplar of labour, and willeth us to consider Prov. vi. 

her property, that we may be wise; which although she hath neither guide, teacher, 

nor head, yet provideth she her meat in summer, and gathereth together her food in 

harvest. We beseech thee therefore, O Lord, to drive away from us all idleness and 

sluggish behaviour, and to give us grace that every one of us, even so many as profess 

thy blessed name, may be earnest in following their vocation, and delight in godly 

travails and virtuous exercises; the magistrate in righteously governing the common- 

wealth, the spiritual minister in truly preaching thy blessed word, the common people 

in diligently following their occupations, sciences, and mysteries, that none be found idle 

in the christian public weal. So shall it come to pass that, all being virtuously occupied 

according to thy holy commandment, thou shalt delight in us as a father in his children, 

and send us the fruits of our labours, that is, abundance of all temporal things in this 

present world, and after our departure everlasting glory, through Jesu Christ our 

Lord. Amen. 


A PRAYER AGAINST SLANDERING AND BACKBITING. 


Tue tongue, O Lord, is a member, which thou hast given almost generally to all 
living creatures; but speech hast thou reserved only for man, yea, and that unto this 
end, that he should set forth thy praise and glory, magnify thy blessed name, avance 
thy holy religion, be ever telling of thy wondrous works, and alway speaking that 
which may make unto thy glory, and unto the profit of our christian brethren. The 
tongue rightly used is the organ of the Holy Ghost. An innocent and righteous tongue prov. x. 
is a noble treasure, a tree of life, an honey-comb, a refreshing of the mind, and health of prov x¥; 
the bones. A mouth of understanding is more worth than gold, than many precious Prov. xx. 
stones and costly jewels. 

But this gift of speech, O blessed Lord, is now-a-days greatly abused, both unto 
thy dishonour and the unquietness of thy people. For whereas thou by thy dearly- 
beloved Son gavest a general commandment, that we should bless them that curse us, 
it is now come to pass, that they whom we bless curse us, whom we speak well of, they 
backbite us; whom we exhort, monish, and teach good things, they deface, slander, 
and blaspheme us; whose wealth and health we seek, they contrariwise seek our 
destruction: O Lord, their mouth is full of cursed speaking, and their tongue painteth psai. v. xiii. 
forth deceit. They sit and speak against their brethren, and slander even their very Cee 
well-willers. Their tongue imagineth wickedness, and with lies it cutteth like a sharp Psal. lii. 
razor. They love to speak all words that may do hurt. With their tongue they bless James iii. 
thee, and with the same tongue they curse us, which are made after thy similitude, 
image, and likeness; so that out of one mouth there proceedeth cursing and blessing. 
But with such blessings, O Lord, art not thou delighted. But what marvel it is, O 
heavenly Father, though backbiting and slandering be used in these our days? In what 
age hath the slanderous and backbiting tongue ceased from her slandering and back- 
biting? Who of thy well-beloved servants escaped free from her poisonful and venomous 
darts? Was not thy hearty-beloved servant David, the king and prophet, slandered of 


2 Sam. xvi. 

1 Kings xviii. 
Mark i. 
Matt. xi. 
John viii. 
John vii. 
John x. 

Acts ii. xvii. 
Gen. xxxix. 


Hist. Sus. 


James iii. 


Psal. exx. 


Acts ii. 


Rom. vi. 
Gal. v. 


Pitsiz 
Matt. xx. 


Eph. it. 
Psal. li. 
Gen. viil. 


Prov. xx. 
Jer. xvii. 

2 Cor. iii. 
Luke xvii. 
Isai. ix. 
John iii. viii. 


Luke xix. 


Matt. ix. 
Psal. exix. 


62 THE FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS. 


that wicked and blasphemous traitor Semei, and called a blood-shedder and a man of 
Belial 2 Was not the holy prophet Helias reported to be a seditious person, and a 
disquieter of the commonweal of Israel? Was not thy only-begotten Son called a 
teacher of new learning, a glutton, a wine-bibber, a friend of whores and publicans, a 
Samaritan, a deceiver of the people, a madman, and one possessed with a devil? Were 
not thy blessed apostles also called drunkards, seditious persons, vain prattlers, tidings- 
bringers of new devils, and teachers of strange doctrine? Were not both Joseph and 
Susanna reported to be dishonest persons of living? and yet, notwithstanding, none more 
honest, nor more godly. Who being godly bent and virtuously disposed hath at any 
time escaped slanderous and backbiting tongues? O Lord, that member, which thou 
madest to be an instrument of the Holy Ghost, is now become in many people an 
instrument of the devil, a fire, and a world of wickedness. For it is so set among our 
members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth a-fire all that we have of nature, 
and is itself set a-fire even of hell. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 

We beseech thee, therefore, for thy mercies’ sake, O most merciful God, to deliver us 
from unrighteous lips and from deceitful tongues, and to give us grace so to walk in all 
our conversation and living, that our adversaries may be ashamed to slander and to 
speak evil of us. Grant also, that they, which hitherto have abused their tongues by 
backbiting, slandering, and defaming, may from henceforth speak with new tongues, 
praise thee and thy blessed name, talk of thy holy scriptures, meditate in them 
day and night, bless their christian brethren, and speak well of all men, yea, of their 
very enemies, that so many of us as praise thy holy name may with one mind and 
with one mouth glorify thee our heavenly Father, through Jesu Christ our Lord. 
Amen. 


A GENERAL PRAYER FOR THE AVOIDING OF ALL KIND 
OF SEN. 


Aun Lord, that most puissant God, we in baptism giving over ourselves unto thee, 
and unto thy holy religion, protested openly in the face of thy holy congregation to 
forsake Satan with all his pomps and works, to renounce the world and all the vain 
pleasures thereof, to mortify the flesh and all the lusts of it, and from henceforth to 
die unto sin, to live unto righteousness, and to lead a new life. This our covenant and 
bargain made with thee, O Lord God, we keep not, but too much wretchedly we break 
it, transgress thy holy commandment. Instead of our service due unto thee, we serve 
Satan. Leaving the fulfillmg of thy commandments, we obey our own will. The 
world and the flesh so rage and reign in us, that we can scarcely breathe toward any 
godliness. By mouth we profess thee, but with our deeds we deny thee. We promise 
to work in thy vineyard, but we loiter and work not. In name we are Christians, 
but in deed we are Satan’s bondmen, the world’s slaves, and the flesh’s most vile 
servants and drudges. Ah Lord! too much wretched is our state; and, except thou 
shortly helpest, we are like utterly to perish: so greatly have the raging floods of all 
kinds of sin brast in, prevailed, and almost overwhelmed us. O most gentle Saviour, 
we have a will, such as it is, to do good, but we find no power nor strength in ourselves 
to perform it. That good thing which we would, we do not; but that evil do we which 
we would not. For we know that in us, that is, in our flesh, dwelleth no good thing. 
No marvel: for we are by nature the children of wrath. We are begotten, conceived, 
and born in sin. Our senses, wits, and devices are evil, even from our young age 
upward. Our heart is unclean, wicked, froward, lewd, and unsearchable. We are not 
able to think a good thought of ourselves. We are unprofitable servants, hypocrites, 
flesh, and all that naught is. Yea, we are the very bond-slaves of sin. For every one 
that committeth sin is the servant of sin. 

O most sweet Saviour, help us, for the glory of thy name. Thou camest down from 
the right hand of thy Father into this vale of misery, to save that which was lost. 
Save us therefore, good Lord, which wander abroad like sheep destitute of a shepherd. 
Suffer not thy blessed body to be broken, and thy precious blood to be shed for us 





THE FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS. 63 


in vain. Thou by thy death valiantly conqueredst him that had power of death. Heb. ii. 
Deliver us, therefore, from his raging tyranny, and make us thy faithful and obedient Hoe. xi, 
servants. 

Suffer us not to love the world, neither the things that are in the world, seeing jJonn ii. 
that all that is in the world (as the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the pride of 
life) is not of thee, O Father, but of the world. And the world vanisheth away, and 
the lust thereof; but he that fulfilleth the will of God abideth for ever. Suffer us 
not to be overcome with the boiling concupiscences of the flesh, which ever lusteth 
against the Spirit, and is not obedient to the law of God, neither can be; but give us Rom. viii. 
grace to crucify and to kill the flesh with the appetites and lusts thereof, that we may Gal. v. 
live and walk in the Spirit, and become new creatures. Let not sin reign in our mortal Rom. vi. 
bodies, that we should thereunto obey in the lusts of it. Neither suffer thou us to 
give our members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin, but to give ourselves 
unto God, as they that are alive from death, and to give our members as instruments 
of righteousness unto God. And as heretofore we gave our members servants to 
uncleanness and to iniquity, from iniquity to iniquity, so let us now from henceforth 
give our members servants unto righteousness, that we may be sanctified. Kill in us 
the deeds of the flesh, which are these: adyoutry, fornication, uncleanness, wantonness, Gal. v. 
idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, zeal, wrath, strife, sedition, sects, envying, 
murder, drunkenness, gluttony, and such-like; and plant in us the fruits of the 
Spirit, love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, 
temperancy. 

As concerning the conversation in times past, give us grace to lay away from us Eph. iv. 
that old man, which is corrupt through the deceivable lusts, and to be renewed in the 
spirit of our minds, and to put on that new man, which after the image of God is 
shapen in righteousness and true holiness. Suffer us not to le, but to speak every 
man truth unto his neighbour; forasmuch as we are members one of another. Suffer 
us not so to be angry that we sin. Let not the sun go down upon our wrath, neither 
let us give place unto the backbiter. Grant that he which afore hath stolen may from 
henceforth steal no more, but rather labour with his hands some good thing, that he 
may have to give unto him that needeth. Let no filthy communication aed out of 
our mouths, but that which is good to edify withal, when need is, that it may have 
favour with the hearers. Let all bitterness, fierceness, and wrath, roaring, and cursed 
speaking, be put away from us, with all maliciousness. Make us courteous one to 
another, and merciful, forgiving one another, even as God for thy sake forgave us. As 
for fornication, and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not be once named among us, kph. v. 
as it becometh saints, neither filthy things, neither foolish talking, neither jesting, which 
are not comely; but rather giving of thanks. Put upon us tender mercy, kindness, col. iii. 
humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering, forbearing one another, and forgiving one 
another. But above all these things put upon us love, which is the bond of perfection; 
and grant that the peace of God may evermore rule in our hearts, and that we be thankful 
for all thy benefits. 

Finally, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things pnil. iv. 
are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things pertain to love, whatsoever things 
are of honest report; if there be any virtuous thing, if there be any laudable thing, 
grant that we may have those same in our mind, and practise them in our conversation 
and living ; that whatsoever we breathe, think, speak, or do, all things may be done 
unto the honour, glory, and praise of thy name, which livest and reignest with God 
the Father, and God the Holy Ghost, true, living, and everlasting God, worlds with- 
out end. Amen. 


A THANKSGIVING UNTO GOD FOR SENDING HIS SON INTO THIS 
WORLD TO DIE FOR OUR SINS. 


WHITHERSOEVER we turn our eyes, O most loving and heavenly Father, the bottom- 
less seas of thine unspeakable goodness toward mankind plenteously flow in, and lively 


Isai. xiv. 
Job iv. 
2 Pet. ii. 
Gen. ii. 


Psal. viii. 


Mark i. 
2 Tim. ii. 
Eph. ii. 
1 Cor. i. 


Isai. ix. 


John iii. 


Rom. v. 
Isai. liii. 
Matt. viii. 
1 Pet. ii. 


Acts iv. 
Rom. v. 
Eph. i. 


Col. i. 


Eph. ii. 
Col. ii. 


Gen. iii. 
Gen. xii. 
Gal. iii. 
Isai. Lxiii. 


Matt. i. 


Matt. xvii. 


John vi. 
John x. 


John xi. 


John xvi. 


Rom. x. 
Gal. iii. 


Heb. ii. 


64 THE FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS. 


offer themselves unto us to behold and to wonder at. After the fall of the sinful 
angels, what an exceeding great kindness was this, to make man after thy simili- 
tude, image, and likeness, that he and his posterity might furnish and occupy those 
places in thy glorious kingdom, which the proud and disobedient angels lost for their 
proud disobedience and disobedient pride: not only to [make] man in earth, but 
also to provide aforehand all things necessary for him; yea, to make him lord and 
ruler of all things contained in the earth under thee his Lord God! O what a won- 
derful loving-kindness was this! Again, to preserve, keep, and defend man, to watch 
continually upon him whether he wake or sleep, as the diligent and careful shepherd 
watcheth over his flock, that no evil chance to man, and to direct his thoughts, coun- 
sels, and devices unto the best, never leaving him till thou hast brought him into 
thy heavenly kingdom: Oh, who is able with tongue to express, or with heart to 
think, this thy hearty good-will toward man? 

These benefits, O most merciful Father, are exceeding great tokens of thy dear 
love toward mankind: but the gift of thy only-begotten Son Jesu Christ our Lord, 
whom thou gavest unto us to be our Saviour, our Redeemer, our Peace-maker, our 
Wisdom, our Sanctification, and our Righteousness, is the most excellent gift and most 
precious treasure! A child to be born for our sakes! The Son of the most highest God 
to be given us for a new-year’s gift, to be our own for ever! O love passing all love! 
O kindness, rather to be marvelled at, than able by mouth to be uttered! God the 
Father so dearly to love the world, that he would give his only-begotten Son, that 
every one that believeth in him may not perish, but have everlasting life! God the 
Father to send his Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world 
through him should be saved! God the Father not to spare his own Son, but to 
deliver him even unto death for us all, yea, and with him even to give us all things! 
O most gentle kindness, excelling all love and kindness! 

Wonderfully, O most loving Father, doth this thing set forth thy hearty love to- 
ward us, that, when we were yet ungodly and wicked sinners, thou gavest thy Son 
to die for our sins. He was wounded for our offences, and smitten for our wicked- 
ness. The pain of our punishment laidest thou upon him, and with his stripes were 
we healed. Through him, O Lord, didst thou pardon all our sins. It was thy good 
pleasure to smite him with infirmity, that, when he had made his soul an offering 
for sin, he might see long-lasting seed. For he is thy righteous servant, which with 
his wisdom doth justify and deliver the multitude; for he hath borne away our sins. 
In his name, and in none other under heaven, doth our salvation consist. By him are 
we at peace with thee our Lord God. By him have we redemption through his 
blood, even remission of our sins. By him are we delivered from the power of dark- 
ness, and translated into thy heavenly kingdom. By him hast thou reconciled all 
things unto thyself. By him hast thou set at peace, through the blood of his cross, 
both things in heaven and things on earth. By him hast thou quickened us, and 
forgiven us all our trespasses. 

He hath put out the hand-writing that was against us contained in the law 
written. Yea, he hath taken that hand-writing out of the way, and hath fast- 
ened it to his cross, and hath spoiled rule and power, and hath made a shew of 
them openly, and hath triumphed over them in his own person. He is that Seed 
of the woman that treadeth down Satan’s head. He is that Seed in whom all nations 
of the world shall be blessed. He is that Lord which alone hath trodden down the 
wine-press, neither was there any at all that helped him. MUHe is that Saviour 
which saveth his people from their sins. He is that thy well-beloved Son, for whose 
sake thou art well pleased with man. He is that Bread of Life which came down 
from heaven: if any eat of that bread, he shall live for ever. He is the good Shep- 
herd which gave his life for his sheep. He is the Resurrection and Life: whoso believeth 
on him, although he were dead, shall live; and every one that liveth and believeth 
in him shall never die. He is that mighty Prince that hath overcome the world. 
He is the perfect fulfilling of the law to justify all that believe. He hath delivered 
us from the curse of the law, when he was made accursed for us. He in his own 
person hath purged our sins. He through death hath put down him that had rule 


THE FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS. 65 


over death, that is to say, the devil, and hath made us free from the danger of bond- 

age. He with one offering of his blessed body hath made perfect for ever them that Heb. x. 
are sanctified. He now in the end of the world hath appeared once for all, to put 

sin to flight by the offering up of himself. He hath loved us and washed us from Rev. i. 
our sins in his own blood, and made us kings and priests unto. thee God his Father. 
Inestimable are the treasures, and infinite are the pleasures, which we receive of thee 
through this thy Son Jesu Christ our Lord and Saviour. 

And this thy well-beloved and only-begotten Son, with all his, hast thou given 
unto us; so that both he and all that he hath is ours, and we may through thy gift 
justly challenge it to be our own. 

For this thy fatherly love and unspeakable kindness, in giving thy Son unto Rom. viii. 
the death for our sake, and for all thy other benefits which we have received at thy 
merciful hand through him, we give thee most hearty thanks, desiring thee that we 
never commit any thing in thought, word, or deed, that may offend thy divine 
Majesty ; but, calling to remembrance that we are not redeemed with corruptible silver 1 Pet. i. 
and gold from our conversation, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb 
undefiled and without spot, we may live worthy of this thy kindness, and shew our- 
selves obedient children to thee our heavenly Father; not fashioning ourselves any 
more after this unto our old lusts of ignorancy; but as thou which hast called us art 
holy, even so in like manner we may be holy in all our conversation and living, 
unto the glory of thy blessed name. Amen. 


A THANKSGIVING UNTO GOD, THAT HE HATH BROUGHT US 
OUT OF THE DARKNESS OF MEN’S TRADITIONS INTO 
THE GLORIOUS LIGHT OF HIS HOLY GOSPEL. 


O Lorp God and our heavenly Father, thou by thy holy prophet declarest that Iai. v. 
thy people were led captive, because they had no knowledge nor understanding in thy 
blessed word. No marvel; for, as thy dearly-beloved Son saith, He that walketh John xii. 
in the darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. Yea, vain are all they in whom Wis4. xiii 
the knowledge of thee our Lord God is not. For this is everlasting life, even to John xvii. 
know thee to be the true God, and whom thou hast sent, Jesu Christ. When the Prov. xxix. 
preaching of thy word faileth, the people perish and go to havoc. For man liveth Matt.iv. 
not with bread alone, but with every word that cometh out of thy mouth: where 
no knowledge of thee and of thy blessed word is, there is no goodness for the soul; 
yea, there doth the soul pine away, as the body for want of corporal food, and is 
moved and led away with every wind of doctrine, be it true or false. Neither is it 
to be wondered at. For the ignorant and untaught build not their faith upon the 
rock, that is, upon thy Son Christ, and upon his holy gospel (against the which the ee 
very gates of hell cannot prevail, neither can the raging floods nor the boisterous Ee Vii. 
winds move them that so build), but upon the sands: therefore are they thrown down 
with every blast, and miserably led which way their teachers lust. 

This was evidently perceived in us, O blessed Father, which so many years for 
want of knowledge of thy blessed word were too much wretchedly led captive of 
Satan and of his ministers, which changed themselves into angels of light, when in 2 cor. xi. 
deed they were the bond-slaves of antichrist, and believed and did whatsoever they 
commanded us to believe or to do. The man of sin, that son of perdition, so sat in 2 Thess. ii. 
our consciences, that we feared him more than thee our Lord God. His trifling tra- 
ditions, his crooked constitutions, and devilish decrees, were more earnestly regarded, 
believed, and obeyed, than thy blessed word, whereof we were altogether ignorant. 

His ceremonies we thought to be thy service. His dreams we esteemed true godli- 
ness. We worshipped thee not after thy word, but after antichrist’s traditions: as 
for thy holy gospel, we knew no part of it aright. Yea, antichrist and his imps con- 
demned thy holy bible for heresy, and brent it as most abominable doctrine, unto the 
great grief of all godly persons. Many other notable works also, compiled by thy 
faithful servants for the avancement of thy glory, and for bringing of the simple people 


[BECON, 111. ] 


Jer. XXXvVi. 
1 Maee. 1. 


Matt. xxvii. 


Matt. xxiv. 


Matt. xv. 


1 Pet. i. 


Matt. xv. 


Isai. liii. 
Rom. viii. 
Heb. vii. 
1 Tim. ii. 
1 John ii. 
1 John i. 


Eph. i. 
Col. i. 


66 THE FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS. 


unto the knowledge of thy truth, they cruelly burnt and destroyed, after the examples 
of the wicked kings Joachim and Antiochus. And as for the authors of them, some 
those bloody Edomites brent, some they murdered privily, some they imprisoned, 
stocked, chained, and put to shame; all even so many as they could get, they cruelly 
and most tyrant-like entreated after the example of their predecessors, the high priests 
of Jewry, which sought all means possible, both with tyranny and bribes, to keep down 
thy Son Christ and his glorious gospel, that they alone might reign. 

O most gentle God, when these bellied hypocrites and chaplains of Bal had brent 
thy holy bible, so that we, the simple people, might not read the word of our soul- 
health in our own mother-tongue; again, when these false anointed shavelings had 
killed and put to flight thy true ministers and godly preachers; then made they us 
to believe as they would, to walk, to do, to speak as they lusted, to honour and wor- 
ship thee, not after thy holy law, but after the traditions and doctrines of men, to 
do works not commanded of thee, but such as their idle brains fancied, without au- 
thority of thy word. 

O Lord, thou long-suffering God, with how great blindness were we overwhelmed 
of these antichristian monsters, when they taught us to run a pilgrimage to this and 
that idol, to paint this tabernacle, and to gild that mawmet, to pray to this he-saint 
and to that she-saint, to buy other men’s merits, and to seek salvation in them, to 
put our trust in water, salt, bread, palms, ashes, wax, oil, cream, bells, pardons, rotten 
reliques, and such other pelting pedlary ; to believe that our souls after this present life 
should be boiled and perboiled in antichrist’s furnace, there to lie piteously yelling, 
puling, and crying, till they were redeemed with diriges, masses, trentals, lady’s psal- 
ters, &c.; to believe that our sins could not be forgiven till we had whispered our 
sins into the priest’s ear, and to receive absolution at his hand; to believe that after 
the words of consecration, as they call them, there remain no more bread nor no more 
wine in the sacrament of Christ’s body and blood, but that the bread is changed into 
the natural flesh of thy dear Son Christ Jesu, and the wine into his most precious 
blood, that was shed for our sins upon the altar of the cross, when notwithstanding 
the papists themselves do many times keep the bread so long that it both mouldeth, 
stinketh, and breedeth full of worms, and afterward they burn it, according to their 
own law! Ah, Lord, thus were we too much wretchedly mocked and led captive 
of antichrist and his disciples. The darkness wherein we walked were so great that 
they might be felt. 

But thanks be unto thee, O most merciful Father, which hast called us out of 
the darkness of men’s traditions into the glorious light of thy gospel. We have now 
learned that antichrist and his members have long deceived us, and taught us their 
own drowsy dreams instead of thy blessed word. We now know that thou requirest 
not of us that we should run gadding to stocks and stones, but that we should visit 
such as are sick and in prison, and comfort them. We now know that thy will is 
not that we should paint tabernacles and gild images, but rather that we should clothe 
the poor and help the needy. We now know that it is vain to [pray to] this or to 
that saint, seeing they neither hear us nor yet can help us. We have learned of 
thy blessed word, that Christ thy Son is our alone Intercessor, Mediator, and Advocate. 
We now know that no salvation is to be looked for in any ceremonies, but only in 
thy great mercies set forth freely to all penitent sinners through faith in Christ’s 
blood. We now know that Christ’s blood is the alone purgatory of our souls, which 
purgeth and maketh us clean from all sin. We now know that whensoever we repent, 
confess our sins unto thee, and believe to have remission of all our sins through Christ’s 
blood, we shall surely be forgiven. Yet despise we not, but rather heartily desire, 
the counsel of godly and learned preachers, which with the comfortable words of the 
gospel may raise up, strengthen, and confirm our weak conscience against Satan, sin, 
death, hell, and desperation. We now know that the massmongers have without 
all shame lied unto us, when they taught us to believe that the mass which they 
mumbled was a propitiatory sacrifice, and of as great virtue, strength, and power, 
as the glorious passion of our Saviour Jesus Christ, and that it was necessary both 
for the quick and dead, Ad salutem. 





THE FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS. 67 


We now know also, that the sacrament of Christ’s body and blood is not the very 
self real and natural body and blood of Christ, but an holy sign, figure, and token of 
his blessed body and precious blood. For this word “sacrament” is as much to say as 
a sign of an holy thing. Now that which is the sign of a thing cannot be the thing 
itself. And though thy Son called the bread his body, and the wine his blood, 
because the disciples should the better remember the breaking of his body and the 
shedding of his blood (as he likewise called himself a vine, a door, a rock, when John xv. 
notwithstanding he was neither natural vine, material door, or stony rock, but only ae 
likened unto them for certain properties which he hath with the vine, door, and rock), **” 
yet is neither the bread his natural body, nor the wine his natural blood, as divers 
of the ancient doctors do declare and prove, but only a figure of his body and blood. 

The bread is called Christ’s body, because it visibly preacheth and bringeth to our 
remembrance the breaking of Christ's body. The wine also is called Christ's blood, 
because it putteth us in remembrance of the shedding of Christ’s blood. Of such 
phrases and manners of speaking thy holy scriptures are full. But as im many other 
things, so likewise in this blessed sacrament, have the papists, for the maintenance of 
their idle and beastly life, most foully deceived us, making us to worship a wafer-cake 
and a spoonful of wine mingled with water, instead of our Saviour Jesu Christ, 
God and man. And this idolatrous error is yet so rusted and cankered in the hearts 
of many both learned and unlearned, whose minds, judgments, senses, and wits 
the god of this world, even the devil, hath blinded, that the light of the glorious 2 Cor. wv. 
gospel of Christ shonld not shine unto them, that they cast away this doctrine as 
heresy, and go forth still of an obstinate and froward mind to worship the bread and 
wine as God, and condemn all other for heretics which hold the contrary. 

© Lord, these bread Christians may well be resembled to the men of Babylon, 
which would not be persuaded by any means but that Bel and the great dragon, B. « pr. 
whom they daily worshipped and offered unto, were living gods; and therefore sought 
they all means possible to destroy both Daniel and the king, because they taught 
the contrary, and brast those idols, giving commandment that the livmg God alone, 
which thou art, should be honoured and worshipped of all nations in the world. 

But we, O Lord, to whom thou hast revealed the mysteries of thy godly truth, and 
delivered out of the kingdom of darkness, confess ourselves to be greatly bounden 
unto thee for thy merciful benefit. 

We therefore beseech thee to give us grace so to walk in this glorious light of Eph. v. 
thy holy gospel, as it becometh the children of light, in all goodness, nghteousness, and 
truth. Thou hast delivered us from stinking Sodom: suffer us no more to look back Gea. xix. 
toward it. Thou hast brought us home again from Babylon, that land of bondage, 
unto the new Jerusalem: grant that we, being delivered out of the hands of our ene- 
mies, may serve thee in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life. We have 
seen Christ thy Son and our king: suffer us no more to return unto wicked king Matt. ii. 
Herod. We have put our hand to the plough: grant that we never look back again, Luke ix. 
but persevere, continue, and go forward unto the end. Let it be never said to us, 


as thy Son said unto the Jews, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and Matt. xsi. 


shall be given to a people which shall bring forth the fruits of it. Make us fruitful 
fig-trees. Give us grace to be rich and plenteous in all good works. As we con- 
fess thee with our words, so let us express thee with our works. As we favour and love 
thy gospel, so let us follow and live thy gospel. For that servant, which knoweth Luke xi. 
his master’s will and doeth it not, shall be beaten with many stripes. If, after we 2 Pet. ii. 
have escaped from the filthiness of the world through the knowledge of thee and of 
our Saviour Jesu Christ, we are tangled again therein and overcome, then is the latter 
end worse with us than the beginning. For it had been better for us not to have 
known the way of righteousness, than after we have known it to tum from the holy 
commandment given unto us. So might it be said of us according to the true pro- 


verb: The dog is turned to his vomit again, and the sow that was washed to her prov. xxvi 


wallowing in the mire. Grant therefore, we most humbly pray thee, that according 


to our knowledge we may lead an honest conversation among all men, that they 1 Pet. ii. 
5—92 
= 


~ 


Gen. i. 
Wisd. ii. 


Gen. iii. 


1 Tim. ii. 
1 Johni. 
Heb. x. 


Rom. iv. 


Mark xvi. 


1 Thess. iv. 


Isai. Ixiv. 
1 Cor. ii. 


Matt. xxv. 


Matt. ix. 
Luke ix. 


68 THE FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS. 


which backbite us as evil-doers, may see our good works, and glorify thee our 
heavenly Father in the day of visitation. Amen. 


A THANKSGIVING UNTO GOD FOR ALL HIS BENEFITS. 


We most heartily thank thee, O Lord God our heavenly Father, for thy manifold 
and inestimable benefits, which thou hast given unto us both for our body and soul, 
yea, and freely even of thine own goodness without our desert. We thank thee that 
it hath pleased thee of thy great mercy first to create and make us according to thine 
own image and likeness, and to place us in joyful paradise, where we should con- 
tinually have remained in a blessed and quiet state, if through the subtile and deceitful 
suggestions of Satan, our old enemy, we had not transgressed thy holy commandment. 
We thank thee also, O most gentle Father, for thy loving-kindness which thou shewedst 
unto us when we all were perished and lost through the sin of our first father Adam. 
For when thou mightest justly have condemned us, and cast us into perpetual damnation, 
thou, like a Father of singular great love, hadst pity on us, and savedst us by the death 
and passion of thy well-beloved Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesu Christ, which gave 
himself a ransom for all our sins, and paid a sufficient price by his precious blood 
for all the wickedness that we at any time heretofore have committed, or hereafter 
shall commit through our frailty and weakness, so that we repent, believe, and amend. 
Neither was thou thus contented that he only should die for our sins, but thou also 
didst raise him up again for our justification, and to make us righteous in thy sight. 
Moreover, after that he had shewed himself unfeignedly alive to his apostles, by 
manifest and evident tokens, certain days after his resurrection, through the power 
of his Godhead, he ascended up into heaven, perfect God and perfect man, where 
he now sitteth on thy right hand, and maketh intercession for us, beg our alone 
Mediator and Advocate. From thence we look for him to come again at the day 
of judgment, not as a cruel judge to condemn and cast us away, but as a most 
loving Lord and gentle Saviour, to carry us with him unto everlasting glory, there 
worlds without end to remain in such joys as eye have not seen, nor ear hath heard, 
nor yet is any heart able to think. For these thy most bounteous gifts, and for 
all other thy benefits which thou daily givest unto us of thy great mercy both for 
our body and soul, we most humbly thank thee, most gentle and merciful Father, 
beseeching thee that thou wilt give us grace through thy holy Spirit not to be un- 
thankful, but to walk worthy of this thy kindness, and so to behave ourselves all 
our life-time in this wretched world according to thy holy will, that at the last day 
we may be found in the number of them to whom thy only-begotten Son shall say: 
Come, ye blessed of my Father, possess the kingdom which was prepared for you 
from the beginning of the world. Lord, let it so come to pass. 


A PRAYER TO BE SAID FOR ALL SUCH AS LIE AT THE 
POINT OF DEATH. 


O most loving Saviour and gentle Redeemer, which camest into this world to 
call sinners unto repentance, and to seek up that was lost, thou seest in what case 
this our brother lieth here visited with thy merciful hand, all weak, feeble, sick, 
and ready to yield up his soul into thy holy hands. O look upon him, most gentle 
Saviour, with thy merciful eye: pity him, and be favourable unto him. He is thy 
workmanship: despise not therefore the work of thine own hands. Thou sufferedst 
thy blessed body and thy precious blood to be shed for his sins, and to bring him 
unto the glory of thy heavenly Father: let it not therefore come to pass that thou 
shouldest suffer so great pains for him in vain. He was baptized in thy name, and 
gave himself wholly to be thy servant, forsaking the devil, the world, and the flesh: 
confess him therefore before thy heavenly Father and his blessed angels to be thy 


THE FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS. 69 


servant. His sins, we confess, are great (for who is able to say, My heart is clean, 
and I am free from sin?) but thy mercies, O Lord, are much greater. And thou camest 
not to call the righteous, but sinners unto repentance. To them that are diseased 
and overladen with the burden of sin dost thou promise ease. Thou art that God 
which willest not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should turn and live. Thou 
art the Saviour which wishest all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of 
thy truth. Withdraw not therefore thy mercy from him because of his sins, but 
rather lay upon him thy saving health, that thou mayest shew thyself toward him 
to be a Saviour. What greater praise can there be to a physician than to heal the 
sick? Neither can there be a greater glory to thee, being a Saviour, than to save 
sinners: save him therefore, O Lord, for thy name’s sake. 

Again: let the law be no corsive’ to his conscience, but rather give him grace even 
in this extreme agony and conflict of death to be fully persuaded, that thou by thy 
death hast taken away all his sins, fulfilled the law for him, and by this means 
delivered him from the curse of the law, and paid his ransom; that he thus being 
fully persuaded may have a quiet heart, a free conscience, and a glad will to forsake 
this wretched world, and to go unto his Lord God. Moreover, thou hast conquered 
him that had rule of death, even Satan: suffer him not therefore to exercise his tyranny 
upon this our sick brother, nor to disquiet his conscience with the terrors of sin and 
pains of hell. Let not Satan nor his infernal army tempt him further than he 
is able to bear; but evermore give him grace even unto his last breath valiantly to 
fight against the devil with a strong faith in thy precious blood, that he may fight 
a good fight, and finish his course with joy, unto the glory of thy name, and the health 
of his soul. O Lord, so work in him by thy holy Spirit, that he with all his heart 
may contemn and despise all worldly things, and set his mind wholly upon heavenly 
things, hoping for them with a strong and undoubted faith. 

Again, let it not grieve him, O sweet Saviour, to be loosened from this vile and 
wretched carcase, which is now so full of sorrow, trouble, anguish, sickness, and pain; 
but rather let him have a bent and ready will, through thy goodness, to put it off, 
yea, and that with this faith, that he at the last day shall receive it again in a much 
better state than it is now or ever was from the day of his birth; even a body un- 
corruptible, immortal, and like to thy glorious body. Let his whole heart and mind 
be set only upon thee. Let the remembrance of the joys of heaven be so fervent in 
his breast, that he may both patiently and thankfully take his death, and ever wish 
to be with thee in glory. 

And when the time cometh that he shall give over to nature, and depart from 
this miserable world, vouchsafe, we most humbly beseech thee, O Lord Jesu, to take 
his soul into thy hands, and to place it among the glorious company of thy holy 
angels and blessed saints, and to keep it unto that most joyful day of the general 
resurrection, that, both his body and soul through thine almighty power being knit 
again together at that day, he may for ever and ever enjoy thy glorious kingdom, 
and sing perpetual praises to thy blessed name. Amen. 


THANKSGIVING UNTO GOD FOR THE DEPARTURE OF THE 
FAITHFUL OUT OF THIS WORLD. 


O How can we, most loving Father, render unto thee sufficient thanks for thine 
inestimable goodness toward thy faithful servants, whom thou calling out of this 
wretched world, vouchestsafe to place in thy heavenly kingdom, among the glorious 
company of thy holy angels and blessed saints. O full precious is the death of the 
faithful in thy sight! Blessed are the dead that die in thee, O Lord! For they are 
at rest from their painful travails and labours. The souls of the righteous are in thy 
hand, O God; and the pain of death shall not touch them. In the sight of the unwise 





[! Corsive, i.e. corrosive. Folio, corsire.] 


Prov. xx. 
Matt. ix. 
Matt. xi. 


1 Tim. ii. 


Rom. x. 
Gal. 1ii. 


Heb. ii. 
Hos. xiil. 
1 Cor. xv. 


Phil. iii. 
1 Cor. xv. 


Dan. xii. 
Psal. exvi. 
Wisd. iii. 
Rev. xiv. 


Isai. Ixiv. 
1 Cor. ii. 


70 THE FLOWER OF GODLY PRAYERS. 


they appear to die, but they are in peace. They shine as the sparks that run through 
the reed bush. They glister as the shining of heaven. They are as the stars world 
without end. They are as angels of God. They are clad with white garments, and 
have golden crowns upon their heads. They do service day and night before the 
glorious throne of thy divine Majesty. They neither hunger nor thirst any more, 
neither doth the sun or any heat fall upon them; for the Lamb which is in the midst 
of the throne governeth them, and leadeth them unto the living fountains of waters. 
They follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. They have such joys as eye hath not 
seen, nor ear hath heard, neither is there any heart able to think them. Infinite and 
unspeakable are the treasures, O Lord, which thou hast laid up for them that depart in 
thy faith. For these thy fatherly benefits toward the souls of the faithful, and for that it 
hath pleased thee to call our christian brethren and sistern from this vale of misery 
unto thy heavenly kingdom, we give unto thee most hearty thanks, humbly beseeching 
thee that thou wilt take like care for us, and so govern us with thy holy Spirit, both 
in sickness and in health, that we may live a good and godly life in this present world, 
and, whensoever it shall be thy good pleasure to call us hence, we may, with strong 
faith in thee and in thy Son Christ Jesu our Lord, commend both our bodies 
and souls into thy merciful hands, and through thy goodness be placed 
in thy glorious kingdom, among thy faithful chosen people, and 
so for ever and ever praise and magnify thee our heavenly 
Father ; to whom with thy dearly-beloved Son Jesu 
Christ our Lord and Saviour, and the Holy 
Ghost, that most sweet Comforter, 
be all glory and honour, 
worlds without end. 
Amen. 


Give the glory to God alone. 





A TABLE CONTAINED IN THIS BOOK. 


A prayer for the morning 
AUpray er MOPEtNEeMIGH ti lcrcenstecaccsecsscese seta 
A confession of our sins unto God the Father . 
A confession of our sins unto our Lord Jesus 


SOR eee weet eens tee eeeeee 


Reece ee seer ree eeseaeseesseseseessesesesesese 


A confession of our sins unto the Holy Ghost. 
A prayer to be said before dinner ............... 
A thanksgiving unto God after dinner 
A prayer to be said before supper ...........+0.. 
A thanksgiving unto God after supper 
AGNIAyCrMOrmEne KING Wessesescrsccsscescasccsserses 
A prayer for the king’s council ..............+... 
JAX TURES 10e TUG RIES Gooenooonnqcacanosagoccopanodde 5 
A general prayer for all magistrates ............ 
A prayer for bishops and ministers of God’s word 
Avprayer for Pentlemen <..........0+ceresenrssnnes 
ASprayer, for landlords )escccssesceccosssona-coeceseee 
AS prayerfOrmuenchants) Weoces-e<os-sccsessssaeoeee- 
PAG PTAY CLL OMMAWYEIS seeeaanasscncescaseisccecsenseens 
A prayer for labourers and men of occupations 
AU PIAV ERT OM TICH MeN aeuncsssedesconcase= concen: 
A prayer for poor people....... ....seecseeeeeceees 
A prayer for the COMMONS ...........seceeeeeeeres 
A prayer for them that are unmarried............ 
A prayer for them that be married ............... 
A prayer for women with child ...............-.. 
A thanksgiving unto God for their deliverance 
A prayer for fathers and mothers...............++- 
A prayer for children 
A prayer for masters 
A prayer for SErvantS ..........secceceseosesseeoes 
A prayer for them that are sick ..............066 
PAUDTAVEYMOLISOLQIENSeswectuesarsessine\oeeesscncaores 
AG prayer) LOrMMATINELS Hose awercnscseccsecsorcecercnss 
A prayer for travellers by land .............00+6 
A prayer for a faithful man being in trouble or 

TH BRGKIRATS — Gioees-Anos5ececoadcacassaccnooucnae 
A thanksgiving to God for his deliverance...... 
A general prayer that all men may walk in 

their vocation and calling...............2.+0+ 
AS PIayer fOr OUT ENEMIES \.cco<--.-seceecseonnssccass 
A prayer for the adversaries of God’s truth, 

and that all men may come to the true know- 

ledge of God’s blessed word .............2+46- 
A prayer for one uniform and perfect agreement 

in matters of christian religion 


eoeteesee 


tee eeeees 


Pre eee ewe rereeesseseesessesses 


Cece ee eereeesereersorsestesses 


PAGE 


A prayer for the common peace and quietness 
CH AIDUTEEINTS,  S5oqcq6anddqdsocddo sone ucaN Uae OOOnOe 
A prayer to be preserved from the plague and 
Otherdiseasese. ..sesccsce.e~.0) ce ctevee srosde ness 
A prayer to preserve the fruits of the earth ... 
A prayer that we may have the fear of God be- 
fore our eyes in all our doings 
Asprayer tor talthiccs. s.mepssilsvosecearssecses sees: 
ASprayersfor Chari tysseseass-eeece nen scsuiooaee ss 
AC prayer tora cod lyalitemasssssssesss-peeeten 5-7 
A prayer against the temptations of the devil, 
thelworld.and! thesfieshiessseeeees eases seers 
A prayer for remission of sins .................-... 
A prayer for a competent and necessary living. 
A prayer to be said before the sermon ......... 
A thanksgiving unto God after the sermon 
A prayer to be said before the receiving of the 
holy communioneses-sscece assesses sesso ese oe 
A thanksgiving after the receiving of the com- 
MUNIOMY, ccs. ssseealossesesee setae er unas cates 
A short prayer to be said at the receiving of 
the mystery of Christ’s body in the holy 
COMMUTE ON eee cesar aeeseece sero aeeseeeeeeees 
A prayer to be said at the receiving of the 
mystery of Christ’s blood in the holy 
COMMUNION. .0. eeeestsssce eee eee ees 
A prayer against idolatry .................2-..--+-+ 
A prayer against Swearing ............... 2.2... 
AU prayer against, pride)escessncsasedseseaceeesee eee 
A prayer against whoredom.....................-+- 
A prayer against covetousness...................+- 
A prayer against gluttony and drunkenness ... 
Av prayer against idlenesssmseesessrasesete sees 
A prayer against slandering and backbiting ... 
A general prayer for the avoiding of all kind 
DESI Spasseasdseosodooccsdssdedsosobyodgoasoasecas 
A thanksgiving unto God for sending his Son 
into this world to die for our sins............ 
A thanksgiving unto God that he hath brought 
us out of the darkness of men’s traditions 
into the glorious light of his holy gospel ... 
A thanksgiving unto God for all his benefits... 
A prayer to be said for all such as lie at the 
TOTES OP CIEEHIN oe co 5056 sBonbdaso songs orodsasoabd: 
A thanksgiving unto God for the departure of 
the faithful out of this world.................. 


FINIS. 


59 


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THE 


FO M AUN DER: OF |.P.h, AWY,ER, 


BY 


THOMAS BECON. 


TO THE 


MOST HONOURABLE AND VIRTUOUS LADY 


ANNE OF CLEVE’, HER GRACE, 


SISTER TO THE HIGH AND MIGHTY PRINCE WILLIAM, DUKE 
OF CLEVE, &c.. THOMAS BECON WISHETH THE 
FAVOUR OF GOD, LONG LIFE, AND 
CONTINUAL HEALTH. 


Amone many other godly and noble virtues, which God by his holy Spirit hath 
graffed in your grace’s breast, most honourable lady, the fervent affection and continual 
desire of praying unto the Lord our God hath neither the last nor the least place in 
you. And as God hath wrought in you by the Holy Ghost this godly mind to call 
upon his holy name with diligent prayer, so hkewise doth your grace stir up and con- 
firm that spiritual motion with the exercise of daily prayer, lest that godly affection 
should be quenched, which the Holy Ghost hath kindled in your heart. 

For your grace doth right well consider, that God delighteth in nothing more than 
in the invocation of his blessed name, and in the sacrifice of thanksgiving for his 
benefits. Where the name of God is diligently called upon, and most humble and 
hearty thanks given unto him for his fatherly and friendly gifts, there is his blessing, 
grace, and favour plenteous; there is the Holy Ghost present, there is a merry conscience ; 
there all things prosper, there wanteth no good thing. Continue therefore, most 
honourable lady, as ye have godly begun, both you and all your faithful family, to 
call for the glorious name of the Lord our God with fervent prayer, and forget not 
to be thankful unto him for his benefits, wherewith above many other he hath richly 
endued your grace. So shall he be your loving Lord and gracious God, your favourable 
Father and strong shield. So shall he make your grace to prosper in all your doings, 
and bless you both with long life and much honour. 

And that your grace may have at hand convenient prayers to pray unto the Lord 
our God, I thought it good, considering your grace’s manifold virtues, to give unto you 
this my Pomander of Prayer, wherein are briefly contained such godly prayers as are 
most meet in this our age to be used of all degrees and estates, most humbly beseech 
ing your grace to take in good part this my rude and bold enterprise, according to 
your accustomed gentleness. 

God, whose glory you heartily love, whose word you joyfully embrace, whose 
name you eamestly call upon, mought vouchsafe to preserve 
your grace in continual health and increase 
of honour! Amen. 


Your graces most humble and faithful orator, Thomas Becon. 





[: Of Anne, daughter of John duke of Cleve, the | voured to release himself from the connexion. In 
fourth wife of king Henry VIII., little is recorded | July, 1540, the convocation having pronounced 
by historians, excepting the particulars of her mar- | against the legality of this marriage, an act to 
riage to that monarch, and a notice of her divorce | invalidate it was passed by parliament; and Anne, 
six months afterwards. Into the details of these | having laid down the title of queen, consented to live 
events it is not necessary here to enter. It may, | still in England, in the enjoyment of certain estates 
however, be said that, the preliminaries having been | settled upon her on condition that she should not go 
agreed on in 1539, the princess landed at Deal, Dec. | beyond the sea. She survived her retirement seven- 
27, in that year. The king had an interview with | teen years, and died in her house at Chelsea, July 
her at Rochester, Jan. 3 following, and in three | 17, 1557. She was of a courteous and gentle temper, 
days’ time the marriage took place. It does not | much esteemed by her friends. Her accomplish- 
appear that she was ever crowned; and Henry, having | ments extended little beyond the exercise of the 
conceived a dislike of her person, speedily endea- | needle, with reading and writing. ] 


THE 


POMANDER’® OF PRAYER. 





A PRAYER FOR THE MORNING. 


I RENDER unto thee, O heavenly Father, most hearty thanks, by thy dear Son Jesus 
Christ, that this night past thou hast vouchedsafe of thy fatherly goodness to preserve 
me from all evil, and to give my body rest and sleep: I now most entirely beseech thee 
that, as thou hast raised up this my body from sleep, so hkewise thou wilt deliver my 
mind from the sleep of sin, and from the darkness of this world; that I, walking in the 
light of thy blessed word, may only do that is pleasant in thy sight, profitable to my 
neighbour, and healthful to my soul. Amen. 


A PRAYER FOR THE EVENING. 


I most humbly thank thee, O merciful Father, for preserving me this day from all 
misfortunes, and for thy other benefits wherewith thou hast plenteously blessed me. I 
beseech thee, forgive me all my sins wherewith I have offended thy fatherly goodness 
from the very beginning of my life unto this present hour, and take me this night into 
thy tuition, that mine enemies may have no power over me, but that, my body enjoying 
a sweet sleep, my mind may continually watch unto thee, and through faith behold 
thy blessed Majesty, with a perfect hope, after this frail and transitory life, to possess 
that immortal and heavenly life, where thou gloriously livest and reignest with thy 
only-begotten Son and the Holy Ghost, one true and everlasting God, worlds without 
end. Amen. 


A PRAYER FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SIN. 


O my Lord and only Saviour Jesu Christ, which camest into this world to take 
away the heavy burdens of them that were loaden, to seek that was lost, to call sinners Matt. xi. 
unto repentance, to give everlasting life to the faithful, and to be a Mediator between Luke ox.” 
God the Father and us; I, poor and wretched sinner, from the very heart lament and 
inwardly bewail my sinful and wretched life, desiring thee, for thy promise sake, accord- 
ing to thy merciful wont, to be my Mediator and Advocate unto God the Father, that matt. ix. 
he may forgive me all mine old sins, and so wholly possess my heart by his blessed 1m i. 
Spirit, that he may defend me against all perils to come, which the devil, the world, or /7°"" 
the flesh, imagineth against me, and so change me into a new man, that, mine old sins 
being wiped away in thy precious blood, I may walk from virtue to virtue, unto the 


glory and praise of his blessed name. Amen. 


A PRAYER UNTO GOD THE FATHER. 


Tuy dearly-beloved Son, O most loving Father, taught us in his holy gospel that 
to know thee to be the alone true God is everlasting life. Grant therefore, we beseech Jonn xvii. 
thee, that we may truly know thee, even as we are taught by thy holy word, believe 
with the heart, and confess with the mouth, that thou alone art the true living and 
immortal God, our heavenly Father, our maker, our preserver, and our defender; that 
we, thus believing and confessing, may through thy Son Christ become heirs of ever- 





[? Pomander : a ball made up of several sorts of perfumes. ] 


Matt. v. 


Matt. xvi. 
sal. ii. 
Psal. ex. 

John i. 


Heb. i. 


Col. i. 


Eph. ii. 
eb. x. 

1 John ii. 

Rom. v. 


1 John v, 


John xv. xvi. 


Matt. v. 


1 Cor. xii. 


John xiv. 


Heb. xiii. 


Wisd. vi. 
Rom. xiil. 


Wisd. vi. 
Rom. xiii. 


76 THE POMANDER OF PRAYER. 


lasting life. And as we thus believe and confess of thee, so give us grace to shew 
forth this our faith by godly conversation and virtuous living, that men, seeing our 
good works, may glorify thee our heavenly Father, to whom be praise for ever. Amen. 


A PRAYER UNTO GOD THE SON. 


O Lorp Jesu Christ, the Son of the living God, yea, very God himself, begotten 
of God the Father from everlasting, and continuing true and immortal God worlds 
without end, by thee all things were made both in heaven and in earth; by thee also 
they be conserved and kept in a goodly order: thou art the brightness of thy Father's 
glory, thou art the very image of his substance; in thee are hid all the treasures of 
wisdom and knowledge; in thee dwelleth all fulness; by thee are we reconciled to God 
the Father ; by thee are we set at peace with him, through the blood of thy cross; 
by thee have we free access unto the glorious throne of God’s majesty ; and by thee 
are we brought in through faith unto this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope 
of the glory of God. We thank thee for all thy benefits, and most humbly beseech 
thee to give us grace faithfully to believe in thee, stedfastly to confess thee true God 
and true man, earnestly to acknowledge thee our alone Redeemer, Saviour, Satisfier, 
Reconciler, Intercessor, Mediator, and Advocate ; that we, altogether depending on thee 
and thy merits, on thy blessed passion, precious death, and glorious resurrection, may 
study, through thy grace, so to order our life in true holiness and innocency, that at the 
day of judgment thou mayest present us both body and soul unto thy heavenly Father, 
and so for ever and ever place us in thy glorious kingdom. Amen. 


A PRAYER UNTO GOD THE HOLY GHOST. 


O noty and blessed Spirit, which, being true and everlasting God with God the 
Father and God the Son, proceedest from them both, full of majesty and power; which 
also with thy heavenly breath quickenest the minds of them that afore were dead 
through sin, makest merry the hearts of the faithful penitent, bringest into the way 
of truth all such as have erred and are deceived, settest at one such as were at debate, 
comfortest the souls of them that hunger and thirst after righteousness, and plenteously 
enrichest them with divers gifts which pray unto thee in the name of Jesu Christ; 
purify our hearts, we beseech thee, with the fire of thy love, mortify in us whatsoever 
is not thine, renew and garnish our minds with thy heavenly benefits and spiritual gifts, 
that they may be made thy temples; lead us into all necessary truth, suffer us not to be 
carried about with divers and strange doctrine, but alway to remain in that doctrine 
whereof thou alone art the author; enarm our souls against the crafty assaults of 
subtile Satan, against the vain pleasures of the wicked world, and against the lewd lusts 
of filthy flesh, that we, being replenished with thy holy breath, may do that only which 
is acceptable in thy godly sight. Amen. 


PARTICULAR PRAYERS TO BE SAID. 


OF THE MAGISTRATES. 


ForasMucH as it is thy godly pleasure, O King of kings, and Lord of lords, to appoint 
me among other a ruler of thy people, give me grace, I beseech thee, so to minister the 
commonweal, and so to execute my office, that I may please thee, and hurt no man 
in all my doings; but judge equally and justly, rule according to thy will, shew myself 
a father unto thy people, and so behave myself in all mine enterprises, that I, seeking 
thy glory, the furtherance of thy blessed gospel, and the weal of the subjects, may, when 
thon shalt render to every man according to his deeds, be found blameless in thy sight, 
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 


THE POMANDER OF PRAYER. ad 


OF THE MINISTERS OF GOD'S WORD 
O tuov high Priest and everlasting Bishop Jesus Christ, the alone teacher of all 1 pet v. 


godly truth, and the only curate of our souls, which by thy holy word hast appointed ath 
some of thy congregation to be ministers and preachers of thy blessed law and glorious 

gospel, that by this means, the Holy Ghost also working, they may call sinners unto 
repentance, preach remission of sins in thy name, persuade unto virtue, and dissuade Luke xxiv. 
from vice; forasmuch as it hath pleased thee to call me, an unprofitable servant, unto 

that holy office of ministration, and to make me a preacher of thy word, I most 
humbly beseech thee to give me thy holy Spirit, which may lead me into all truth, John xiv. xv. 
instruct me with the knowledge of thy holy mysteries, and through his heavenly inspi- a 
ration so prepare my heart and order my tongue, that I may neither think, breathe, nor 

speak any thing but that may turn unto thy glory and the edifying of thy flock. 

Grant also, that whatsoever I preach in word I may fulfil the same in work, unto the 1 pet. v. 
example of that thy flock, which thou hast purchased with thy precious blood ; that, 

when thou the chief Shepherd shalt appear, I, being found faithful in my office, may 
through thy goodness receive the incorruptible crown of glory. Amen. 


OF SUBJECTS OR COMMONS. 
As it is thy godly appointment, O Lord God, that some should bear rule in this wisa. vi. 


world to see thy glory set forth, and the common peace kept, so it is thy pleasure again 1m, et 
that some should be subjects and inferiors to other in their vocation, although iene " Pet. ii, 
thee there is no respect of persons. And forasmuch as it is thy good will to appoint Rom. ii 
me in the number of subjects, I beseech thee to give me a faithful and an obedient 

heart unto the high powers, that there may be found in me no disobedience, no 
unfaithfulness, no treason, no falsehood, no dissimulation, no insurrection, no commotion, 

no conspiracy, nor any kind of a yaliantt in word or in deed against the civil magistrates, Matt. xxiii. 
but all faithfulness, obedience, quietness, subjection, humility, and whatsoever else Make 
becometh a subject; that I, living here in all lowliness of mind, may at the last day 
through thy favour be lifted up unto everlasting glory, where ites with the Father 


and the Holy Ghost livest and reignest very God for ever. Amen. 


OF FATHERS AND MOTHERS. 


Tue fruit of the womb and the multitude of children is thy gift and blessing, O Gen. xxx. 
Lord, given to this end, that they may live to thy glory and the commodity of their 
neighbour. Forasmuch therefore as thou of thy goodness hast given me children, I 
beseech thee, give me also grace to train them up even from their cradles in thy nurture Eph. vi. 
and doctrine, in thy holy laws and blessed ordinances, that from their very young age 
they may knaw thee, believe in thee, fear and love thee, and diligently walk in thy 
commandments, unto the praise of thy glorious name. Amen. 


OF CHILDREN. 


Tuov hast given a commandment in thy law, O heavenly Father, that children Exod. xx, 
should honour their fathers and mothers: I most humbly beseech thee therefore to Matt six. 
breathe thy holy Spirit into my breast, that I may reverence and honour my father Gar we 
and mother, not only with outward gestures of my body, but also with the unfeigned 
affection of the heart; love them, fee them, pray for them, help them, and a for 
them, both in word and deed, whatsoever lieth in my power; that thou, seeing mine 
unfeigned hearty good-will toward my parents, mayest become my loving heavenly 
Father, and number me among those thy children whom thou hast apnea from ever- Matt. xxv. 
lasting heirs of thy glorious kingdom, through thy well-beloved Son Jesus Christ our as 
Lord. Amen. 


Eph. vi. 


Col. iv- 
Acts x. 
Rom. ii. 
Col. iii. 
Eph. vi. 
1 Pet. i. 


Matt. xxiii. 


Eph. vi. 
Col. iii. 

Tit. ii. 

1 Pet. ii. 


Tit. i. 


James i. 
John xv. 


Eph. iv 
1 Cor. xv. 


Psal. exix. 


1 Cor. vi. 


Heb. xiii. 


1 Cor. vi. 


1 Thess. iv. 


78 THE POMANDER OF PRAYER. 


OF MASTERS. 


Tuy commandment is by thine holy apostle, O most merciful Lord Christ, that 
masters should entreat their servants gently, putting away threatenings, and doing that 
unto them which is just and equal; forasmuch as we also have a Master in heaven, 
with whom there is no respect of persons. Grant, I most heartily pray thee, I may 
so order my servants, that I attempt none unrighteousness against them, but so use my 
rule and authority over them, that I may alway remember that thou art the common 
Lord of all, and we all thy servants; again, that I may not forget that we be all 
brothers, having one Father which is in heaven, and look for one glorious kingdom, 
where thou with the Father and the Holy Ghost livest and reignest true and ever- 
lasting God for ever. Amen. 


OF SERVANTS. 


O Lorp, we are commanded by thy blessed apostles that we should honour and 
obey our bodily masters with fear and trembling, not only if they be good and courteous, 
but also though they be froward; and serve them not unto the eye as men-pleasers, 
but with singleness of heart ; not churlishly answering them again, nor picking, stealing, 
or conveying away any part of their goods unjustly, but shewing all good faithfulness 
unto our masters, as though we served God and not men. Grant me grace, I most 
humbly beseech thee, so to serve my master and my superiors, that there may be found 
no fault in me, but that I, behaving myself uprightly, justly, faithfully, and truly im 
my vocation, may do worship to the doctrine of thee my God and Saviour in all 
things. Amen. 


OF MAIDS. 


THERE is nothing that becometh a maid better than silence, shamefacedness, and 
chastity of both body and mind. For, these things being once lost, she is no more a 
maid, but a strumpet in the sight of God, howsoever she disguiseth herself, and dis- 
sembleth with the world. I therefore most humbly beseech thee, O merciful Father, 
from whom cometh every good and perfect gift, and without whom we are able to 
do nothing, that thou wilt so order my tongue and dispose my talk, that I speak 
nothing but that become my state, age, and person, neither that I delight to hear any 
talk that might in any point move me to lewdness, seeing that evil words corrupt good 
manners. Give me also such shamefacedness as may pluck me away from the delectation 
either of thinking, speaking, hearing, seeing, or doing evil; that my whole delight may 
be in virtue, in godliness, in eschewing idleness, in giving myself continually to some 
godly exercise, but above all things in thinking and speaking of thee, in reading thy 
blessed word and heavenly law, which is a lantern to my feet, and a light to my paths. 
Moreover, suffer neither my mind to be defiled with evil thoughts, nor my body to be 
corrupted with any kind of uncleanness ; but give me grace so to order myself in eschew- 
ing idleness and wanton wicked company, that, my mind being free from evil affects, 
and my body clear from all uncleanness, I may be found a meet temple for the Holy 
Ghost to mhabit, and, if it be thy good pleasure hereafter to call me unto the honour- 
able state of matrimony, that I may bring also unto my husband a pure and undefiled 
body, and so live with him in thy fear unto the praise and glory of thy blessed name. 
Amen. 


OF SINGLE MEN. 


Lorp, thou hast commanded by thine holy apostle that we should abstain from 
fornication, and that every one of us should know how to keep his vessel, that is to 
say his body, in holiness and honour, and not in the lust of concupiscenee, as do the 


THE POMANDER OF PRAYER. 79 


heathen which know not God: I beseech thee, give me grace to behave myself according 

to this thy holy commandment, that in this time of my single life I defile not my 

body with whoredom, or with any other uncleanness, but so order myself with all 
honesty and pureness of life, that I may glorify thee, my Lord God, both in body 1 Cor. vi. 
and spirit. Amen. 


OF HUSBANDS. 


Forasmucu, O heavenly Father, as thou hast called me from the single life unto 
the holy state of honourable wedlock, which is thy good and blessed ordinance for all Gen. ii. 
them to live in that have not the gift of continency, and hast given me a woman to Matt. xix. 
wife, that I, living with her in thy fear, may avoid all uncleanness; I most heartily 
pray thee, give me grace to live with her according to thy godly pleasure. Kill in me Eph. v. 
all filthy and fleshly lusts. Suffer me not to delight ; in any strange flesh, but to con- Prov. v. vi. 
tent myself only with her love, to love her as Christ loved the congregation, to cherish Eph. v. 
her as I would cherish mine own body, to provide for her according to my ability, to 
instruct her with the knowledge of thy blessed word, quietly and peaceably to live with 1 Cor. xiv. 
her, and to agree together in such perfect concord and unity, as is found among many 
members in one body, seeing now that we also are no more two, but one dele that Gente 
other, seeing our godly and quiet conversation, may hereby be provoked to Angnhe their Eph. v. 
filthy living, and so embrace the holy state of honourable wedlock, unto the glory and Heb. xii. 
praise of thy holy name. Amen. 


OF WIVES. 


O Lorp, forasmuch as thou of thy fatherly goodness hast vouchedsafe to keep me 
from my tender age unto this present, and hast now called me from my single life unto 
the holy state of honourable wedlock, that I living therein might, according to thine 
ordinance, bring forth children unto thy glory; give me grace, I most entirely beseech 
thee, to walk worthy of my vocation, to knowledge my husband to be my head, to Eph. v.. 
be subject unto him, to learn thy blessed word of him, to reverence him, to obey him, Titi, 
to please him, to be ruled by him, peaceably and quietly to live with him, to wear 
such apparel as is meet for my degree, and by no means to delight in costly jewels and 1 Pet. iii. 
proud gallant vestures, but alway to use such clothing as become a sober christian 
woman, circumspectly and warily to look unto my household, that nothing perish 
through my negligence, and always have a diligent eye, that no dishonesty, no wicked- 
ness, no ungodliness be committed in my house, but that in it all things be ordained 
according to thy holy will, which art worthy all honour, glory, and praise, for ever 
and ever. Amen. 


OF HOUSEHOLDERS. 


To haye children and servants is thy blessing, O Lord, but not to order them ac- 
cording to thy word deserveth thy dreadful curse. Grant therefore that, as thou hast 
blessed me with an household, so I may diligently watch that nothing be committed 
of the same that might offend thy fatherly goodness, and be an occasion of turning thy 
blessing into cursing; but that so many as thou hast committed to my charge may 
eschew all vice, embrace all virtue, live in thy fear, call upon thy holy name, learn thy 
blessed commandments, hear thy holy word, and, avoiding idleness, diligently exercise 
themselves, every one in his office, according to their vocation and calling, unto the glory 1 cor. vii. 
of thy most honourable name. Amen. 


OF ALL CHRISTIANS. 


Apert, O heavenly Father, all we that unfeignedly profess thy holy religion, and 
faithfully call on thy blessed name, are thy sons and heirs of everlasting glory ; yet, as 


all the members of a body have not one office, so likewise we being many, and making Rom. xii, 
or. Xil. 


1 Pet. ii. 


John xv. 


Luke i. 


Matt. ix. 
Luke xv. 


Luke xviii. 


Rom. x. 


Luke xvii. 


80 THE POMANDER OF PRAYER. 


one body (whereof thy dearly-beloved Son is the head), have not all one gift, neither are 
we all called to one office, but as it hath pleased thee to distribute, so receive we. We 
therefore most humbly pray thee to send the spirit of love and concord among us, that, 
without any disorder or debate, every one of us may be content with our calling, quietly 
live in the same, study to do good unto all men by the true and diligent exercise 
thereof, without too much seeking of our own private gain, and so order our life in 
all points according to thy godly will, that by well doing we may stop the mouths of 
such foolish and ignorant people as report us to be evil-doers, and cause them, through 
our good works, to glorify thee our Lord God in the day of visitation. Amen. 


GENERAL PRAYERS TO BE SAID. 


FOR THE GRACE AND FAVOUR OF GOD. 


WuosokEver liveth without thy grace and favour, O most gracious and favourable 
Lord, although for a time he walloweth in all kind of fleshly pleasures, and abound 
with too much worldly riches, yet is he nothing else but the wretched bond-slave of 
Satan, and the vile dunghill of sin. All his pleasure is extreme poison, all his wealth 
is nothing but plain beggary. For what felicity can there be where thy grace and 
favour wanteth? but where thy grace and favour is present (though the devil roar, 
the world rage, the flesh swell), there is true blessedness, unfeigned pleasure, and 
continual wealth. Pour down therefore thy heavenly grace and fatherly favour upon 
us, that we, being assured of thy favourable goodness towards us, may rejoice and 
glory in thee, and have merry hearts whensoever we be most assailed with any kind 
of adversity, be it poverty or sickness, loss of friends, or persecution for thy name's 
sake; to whom be glory for ever. Amen. 


FOR THE GIFT OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


So frail is our nature, so vile is our flesh, so lewd is our heart, so corrupt are our 
affects, so wicked are all our thoughts even from our childhood upward, that of our- 
selves we can neither think, breathe, speak, or do any thing that is praiseworthy in thy 
sight, O heavenly Father; yea, except thou dost assist us with thy merciful goodness, 
all things are so far out of frame in us, that we see nothing present in ourselves but thy 
heavy displeasure and eternal damnation. Vouchsafe therefore, O sweet Father, to send 
thy holy Spirit unto us, which may make us new creatures, put away from us all 
fleshly lusts, fill our hearts with new affects and spiritual motions, and so altogether 
renew us both in body and soul, through his godly inspiration, that we may die unto 
old Adam, and live unto thee in newness of life, serving thee our Lord God in holiness 
and righteousness all the days of our life. Amen. 


FOR THE TRUE KNOWLEDGE OF OURSELVES. 


Ir is written in thy holy gospel, most loving Saviour, that thou camest into this 
world not to call the righteous, that is, such as justify themselves, but sinners unto 
repentance. Suffer me not therefore, O Lord, to be in the number of those justiciaries 
which, boasting their own righteousness, their own works. and merits, despise that 
righteousness that cometh by faith, which alone is allowable before thee. Give me 
grace to know and to knowledge myself as I am, even the son of wrath by nature, 
a wretched sinner, and an unprofitable servant, and wholly to depend on thy merciful 
goodness with strong and unshaken faith, that in this world thou mayest continually 
call me unto true repentance, seeing I continually sin, and in the world to come bring 
me unto everlasting glory. Amen. 


THE POMANDER OF PRAYER. 81 


FOR A PURE AND CLEAN HEART. 


Tue heart of man naturally is lewd and unsearchable through the multitude of sins, Jer. xvii. 
which as in a stinking dunghill lieth buried in it, insomuch that no man is able to 
say, My heart is clean, and I am clean from sin. Remove from me therefore, O hea- Prov. xx. 
venly Father, my lewd, stony, stubborn, stinking, and unfaithful heart. Create in me Psal. li. 
a clean heart, free from all noisome and ungodly thoughts. Breathe into my heart by 
thy holy Spirit godly and spiritual motions, that out of the good treasure of the heart Matt. xii. 
I may bring forth good things, unto the praise and glory of thy name. Amen. 


FOR A QUIET CONSCIENCE. 


Tue wicked is like a raging sea which is never in quiet, neither is there any peace Isai. lvii. 
to the ungodly ; but such as love thy law, O Lord, they have plenty of peace, they Psal. exix. 
have quiet minds and contented consciences, which is the greatest treasure under the 
sun, given of thee to so many as seek it at thy hand with true faith and continual 
prayer. Give me, O Lord, that joyful jewel, even a quiet mind and a free merry 
conscience, that I, being free from the damnable accusations of Satan, from the crafty 
persuasions of the world, from the subtile enticements of the flesh, from the heavy curse 
of the law, and fully persuaded of thy merciful goodness toward me through faith in 
thy Son Christ Jesu, may quietly serve thee both bodily and ghostly in holiness and Lukei. 
righteousness all the days of my life. Amen. 


FOR FAITH. 


Forasmucu as nothing pleaseth thee that is done without faith, appear it before Heb. xi. 
the blind world never so beautiful and commendable, but is counted in thy sight sinful Rom. xiv. 
and damnable, yea, the self sin and damnation; this is most humbly to desire thee, 

O Father, for Christ’s sake, to breathe into my heart by thy holy Spirit this most 

precious and singular gift of faith, which worketh by charity, whereby also we are Gal. v. 
justified, and received into thy favour; that I, truly believing in thee, and fully per- Tae aes 
suaded of the truth of thy holy word, may be made thy son, and inheritor of everlasting Jonni. 
glory, through Jesu Christ our Lord. Amen. 


FOR CHARITY. 


Tuy cognizance and badge, whereby thy disciples are known, O Lord and Saviour John xii. 
Jesu Christ, is charity or love, which cometh out of a pure heart, and of a good 1Tim.i. 
conscience, and of faith unfeigned. I pray thee, therefore, give me this christian love 
and perfect charity, that I may love thee my Lord God with all my heart, with all Deut. vi. 
my mind, with all my soul, and with all my strengths, doing alway of very love Mark tg 
that only which is pleasant in thy sight; again, that I may love my neighbour and ee 
christian brother as myself, wishing as veil to him as to myself, and ready at all 
times to do for him whatsoever lieth in my power; that, when we all shall stand be- 
fore thy dreadful judging-place, I, being known by thy badge, may be numbered 
among thy disciples, and so through thy mercy receive the reward of eternal glory. 

Amen. 


FOR PATIENCE. 


Wuen thou livedst in this world, O Lord Christ, thou shewedst thyself a mere 
mirror of perfect patience ; suffering ey not the spiteful words, but also the cruel 1 Pet. ii. 
deeds of thy most cruel enemies; forgiving them and praying for them, which most Isai. lui. 
tyrant-like handled thee. Give me grace, O thou most meek and eae Lamb of 
God, to follow this thy patience; quietly to bear the slanderous words of mine adver- 


[BECON, m1. ] ° 


Matt. v._ 
Rom. xii. 


Deut. xxxii. 


Psal. exlvi. 


1 Cor. iv. 
James i. 


Matt. xxv. 


Jer. ix. 
1 Cor, i. 


Luke vi. 
Matt. v. 


2 Cor. i. 


Matt. xxill. 


Matt. v. 


Matt. xxv. 


Prov. iv. 


Deut. iv. 


2 Tim. iii. 
2 Pet. i. 

1 Cor. ii. 
John xv. 


82 THE POMANDER OF PRAYER. 


saries; patiently to suffer the cruel deeds of mine enemies; to forgive them, to pray 
for them, yea, to do good for them, and by no means to go about once to avenge myself; 
but rather give place unto wrath, seeing that vengeance is thine, and thou wilt reward ; 
seeing also that thou helpest them to their right that suffer wrong ; that I, thus patiently 
suffering all evils, may afterward reign with thee in glory. Amen. 


FOR HUMILITY. 


Wuart have we, O heavenly Father, that we have not received? Every good gift, 
and every perfect gift, is from above, and cometh down from thee, which art the Father 
of lights. Seeing then all that we have is thine, whether it pertain to the body or 
to the soul, how can we be proud and boast ourselves of that which is none of our 
own; seeing also that, as to give, so to take away again thou art able, and wilt, when- 
soever thy gifts be abused, and thou not knowledged to be the giver of them? Take 
therefore away from me all pride and haughtiness of mind, and graff in me true humility, 
that I may knowledge thee the giver of all good things, be thankful unto thee for them, 
and use them unto thy glory and the profit of my neighbour. Grant also, that all my 
glory and rejoicing may be in no earthly creatures, but in thee alone, which dost mercy, 
equity, and righteousness upon earth. To thee alone be all glory. Amen. 


FOR MERCIFULNESS. 


Tuy dearly-beloved Son in his holy gospel exhorted us to be merciful, even as thou, 
our heavenly Father, art merciful; and promiseth that, if we be merciful to other, we 
shall obtain mercy of thee, which art the Father of mercies, and God of all consolation. 
Grant therefore that, forasmuch as thou art our Father, and we thy children, we may 
resemble thee in all our life and conversation ; and that, as thou art beneficial and liberal, 
not only to the good, but also to the evil, so we likewise may shew ourselves merciful, 
gentle, and liberal, to so many as have need of our help, that at the dreadful day of 
doom we may be found in the number of those merciful, whom thou shalt appoint by 
thy only-begotten Son to go into everlasting life; to whom with thee and the Holy 
Ghost be all honour and praise. Amen. 


FOR TRUE GODLINESS. 


In thy law, O thou Maker of heaven and earth, thou hast appointed us a way to 
walk in, and hast commanded that we should turn neither on the right hand nor on 
the left, but do according to thy good-will and pleasure, without adding of our own good 
intents and fleshly imaginations. As thou hast commanded, so give me grace, good 
Lord, to do. Let me neither follow mine own will, nor the fancies of other men; 
neither let me be beguiled with the visor of old customs, long usages, fathers, de- 
crees, ancient laws, nor any other thing that fighteth with thy holy ordinances and 
blessed commandment, but faithfully believe and stedfastly confess that to be the 
true godliness, which is learned in thy holy bible, and according unto that to order 
my life, unto the praise of thy holy name. Amen. 


FOR THE TRUE UNDERSTANDING OF GOD’S WORD. 


O Lorp, as thou alone art the Author of the holy scriptures, so likewise can no 
man, although never so wise, politic, and learned, understand them, except he be 
taught by thy holy Spirit, which alone is the school-master to lead the faithful into 
all truth. Vouchsafe therefore, I most humbly beseech thee, to breathe into my heart 
thy blessed Spirit, which may renew the senses of my mind, open my wits, reveal 
unto me the true understanding of thy holy mysteries, and plant in me such a certain 
and infallible knowledge of thy truth, that no subtile persuasion of man’s wisdom may 


THE POMANDER OF PRAYER. 83 


pluck me from thy truth, but that, as I have learned the true understanding of thy 
blessed will, so I may remain in the same continually, come life, come fleaths unto 
the glory of thy blessed name. Amen. 


FOF A LIFE AGREEABLE TO OUR KNOWLEDGE. 


As I have prayed unto thee, O heavenly Father, to be taught the true under- 
standing of thy blessed word by thy holy Spirit, so I most entirely beseech thee to 
give me grace to lead a life agreeable to my knowledge. Suffer me not to be of the 
number of them, which profess that they know God with their mouth, but deny 
him with their deeds. Let me not be like unto that son which said unto his father Matt. xxi. 
that he would labour in his vineyard, and yet laboured nothing at all, but went 
abroad loitering idly. Make me rather like unto that good and fruitful land, which Matt. xiii. 
yieldeth again her seed with great increase, that men, seeing my good works, may Luke vii. 
glorify thee my heavenly Father. Amen. 


FOR THE HEALTH OF THE BODY. 


I ree in myself, O merciful Saviour, how grievous a prison this my body is 
unto my soul, which continually wisheth to be loosened out of this vile carcase, and Phil. i. 
to come unto thee; seeing it hath here no rest, but is at every hour vexed with the 
filthy lusts of the flesh, with the wicked assaults of the devil and the world, and is 
never at quiet, but alway in danger to be overcome of her enemies, were it not pre- 
served of thy goodness by the ministry and service-doing of thy holy angels. Not- 
withstanding, O most loving Lord, forasmuch as it is thy good pleasure that my 
body and soul shall still remain here together as yet in this vale of misery, I be- 
seech thee to preserve my soul from all vice, and my body from all sickness, that 
I, enjoying through thy benefit the health both of body and soul, may be the more 
able to serve thee and my neighbour in such works as are acceptable in thy 
sight. Amen. 


FOR A GOOD NAME. 


Noruine becometh the professor of thy name better, O heavenly Father, than so 
to behave himself according to his profession, that he may be well reported of them 
that be of the household of faith: yea, such sincerity and pureness of life ought to 
be in them which profess thy holy name, that the very adversaries of thy truth 
should be ashamed once to mutter against them. Give me grace therefore, I most 
entirely desire thee, so to frame my life according to the rule of thy blessed word, 
that I may give no man occasion to speak evil of me, but rather so live in my 
vocation, that I may be an example to other, to live godly and virtuously, unto the 
honour and praise of thy glorious name. Amen. 


FOR A COMPETENT LIVING. 


Axruoucu I doubt not of thy fatherly provision for this my poor and needy 
life, yet, forasmuch as thou hast both commanded and taught me, by thy dear Son, Matt. vi. 
to pray unto thee for things necessary for this my life, I am bold at this present to 
come unto thy divine Majesty, most humbly beseeching thee that, as thou hast given 
me life, so thou wilt give me meat and drink to sustain the same; again, as thou 
hast given me a body, so thou wilt give me clothes to cover it, that I, having suf- 
ficient for my living, may the more freely and with the quieter mind apply myself 
unto thy service and honour. Amen. 


FOR A PATIENT AND THANKFUL HEART IN SICKNESS. 


Whom thou lovest, O Lord, him dost thou chasten, yea, every son that thou Prov. it 
Heb. xv 


receivest thou scourgest; and in so doing thou offerest thyself unto him as a father Rev. ii 
6—2 


Psal. exix. 


1 Pet. v. 
Gal. v. 


Eph. vi. 


Luke i. 


Psal. xxxiv. 
Hos. xiii. 


1 Cor. xv. 
Heb. ii. 


1 Cor. xv. 


1 Cor. ii. 


Matt. vii. 
Luke xiii. 
Luke xii. 


John x. 


Eph. i. 


Matt. xxv. 
Luke x. 
Matt. xxv. 


84 THE POMANDER OF PRAYER. 


unto his son: for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? Grant there- 
fore, I most heartily pray thee, that whensoever thou layest thy cross on me, and 
visitest me with thy loving scourge of sickness, I may by no means strive against 
thy fatherly pleasure, but patiently and thankfully abide thy chastisement, ever being 
persuaded, that it is for the health both of my body and soul, and that by this 
means thou workest my salvation, subduest the flesh unto the Spirit, and makest me 
a new creature, that I may hereafter serve thee the more freely, and continue in thy 
fear unto my life’s end. Amen. 


FOR STRENGTH AGAINST THE DEVIL, THE WORLD, AND 
THE FLESH. 


O Lorp God, the devil goeth about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may 
devour. The flesh lusteth against the Spirit. The world persuadeth' unto vanities, 
that we may forget thee our Lord God, and so for ever be damned. Thus are we 
miserably on every side besieged of cruel and unrestful enemies, and like at every 
moment to perish, if we be not defended with thy godly power against their tyranny. 
I therefore, poor and wretched sinner, despairing of mine own strengths, which in- 
deed are none, most heartily pray thee to endue me with strength from above, that 
I may be able, through thy help, with strong faith to resist Satan, with fervent 
prayer to mortify the raging lusts of the flesh, with continual meditation of thy holy 
law to avoid the foolish vanities and transitory pleasures of this wicked world ; that 
I, through thy grace being set at liberty from the power of mine enemies, may live 
and serve thee in holiness and righteousness all the days of my life. Amen. 


FOR THE HELP OF GOD'S HOLY ANGELS. 


An infinite number of wicked angels are there, O Lord Christ, which without 
ceasing seek my destruction. Against this exceeding great multitude of evil spirits 
send thou me thy blessed and heavenly angels, which may pitch their tents round 
about me, and so deliver me from their tyranny. Thou, O Lord, hast devoured 
hell, and overcome the prince of darkness with all his ministers, yea, and that not 
for thyself, but for them that believe in thee. Suffer me not therefore to be over- 
come of Satan and of his servants, but rather let me triumph over them; that I, 
through strong faith and the help of the blessed angel, having the victory of the 
hellish army, may with a joyful heart say, Death, where is thy sting? hell, where 
is thy victory? and so for ever and ever magnify thy holy name. Amen. 


FOR THE GLORY OF HEAVEN. 


Tue joys, O Lord, which thou hast prepared for them that love thee, no eye hath 
seen, no ear hath heard, neither is any heart able to think. But as the joys are great 
and unspeakable, so are there few that do enjoy them. For strait is the gate and 
narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life; and few there be that find it. Not- 
withstanding, O heavenly Father, thou hast a little flock, to whom it is thy pleasure 
to give the glorious kingdom of heaven. There is a certain number of sheep that hear 
thy voice, whom no man is able to pluck out of thy hand, which shall never perish, 
to whom also thou shalt give eternal life. Make me therefore, O Lord, of that number 
whom thou from everlasting hast predestinate to be saved, whose names also are written 
in the book of life. Pluck me out of the company of the stinking goats, which shall 
stand on thy left hand and be damned, and place me among those thy sheep, which 
shall stand on his right hand and be saved. Grant me this, O merciful Father, 
for thy dear Son’s sake Jesu Christ our Lord. So shall I, enjoying this singular 


[' Folio, persuaded. ] 


THE POMANDER OF PRAYER. 85 


benefit at thy hand, and being placed in thy glorious kingdom, sing perpetual praises 
to thy godly Majesty, which livest and reignest with thy dearly-beloved Son and 
the Holy Ghost, one true and everlasting God, &c. 


A THANKSGIVING UNTO GOD FOR ALL HIS BENEFITS. 


Tuy benefits toward me, O most loving Father, are so great and infinite, whether 
I have respect unto my body or unto my soul, that I find not in myself how to 
recompense any part of thine unspeakable goodness toward me. But thou, which 
needest none of my goods, knowing our beggary, yea, our nothing, requirest of us Psal. xvi. 
for a recompence of thy kindness only the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving. O 
Lord and merciful Father, what worthy thanks am I, poor and wretched sinner, able 
to give thee? Notwithstanding, trusting on thy mercy and favourable kindness, I 
offer unto thee, in the name of Christ, the sacrifice of praise, ever thanking thee most 
heartily for all thy benefits, which thou hast bestowed upon me, thine unprofitable 
servant, from the beginning of my life unto this present hour; most humbly beseeching 
thee to continue thy loving-kindness toward me, and to give me grace so to walk Rom.u 
worthy of this thy fatherly goodness, that, when thou shalt call me out of this care- 
ful life, I may enjoy that thy most singular and last benefit, which is everlasting 
glory, through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be all 
honour and praise for ever and ever. Amen. 


Give the glory to God alone. 





THE CONTENTS 


OF THE 


PRAYERS OF THIS BOOK OF THE POMANDER. 


PAGE PAGE 
A prayer for the morning...........-....-.-.2..+++- 75 | A prayer unto God the Father.................-... 79 
A> prayer fori the. evening: -..--..2<-----nco+e-2eeee- =— | A prayer unto) God the Son)... -.s-s-erene-eencee ae 76 
A prayer for the forgiveness of sins............... — | A prayer unto God the Holy Ghost ............ _— 


PRIVATE PRAYERS TO BE SAID. 


Ofima cistrates teesee- se seese te erecta eee eet 76. Of maidens” 0... 2....-. oe -cnes. eo eee eee enero 78 
Of ministers of God’s word ..............-020:-+++- 77 \ ‘Of single men | ....2s52.2 al eeees eee eneee oer = 
Ofisubjects: oricommions 2s-sese soe es- ae eee =~ | Of husbands); .:... 0.2 S223: ..<sseer ee eee 79 
Of fathers: and! mothersesseses seca ee eee eee eee a5) IM@ESWIVES” (oels ii een oe sccheen se tcoeeeee eee neers = 
QOfichildreny’ £25. h:cseesodenes ooeseee ee nose sees eee = | @fhouseholders. ........-5-70stso-neeeeeee eee eee ae 
Ofimasters ie cessor ence tes oa anes aesetee 78) | Of all Christians) 2.22-. 2-cn-- 2c s-ee ree — 
Ofiiservantsay os: sede eee cee eres eee — 


GENERAL PRAYERS TO BE SAID. 


For the grace and favour of God.................. 6&9 | For the true understanding of the word of God 82 
For the gift of the Holy Ghost .................- — | Fora life agreeable to our knowledge............ 83 
For the true knowledge of ourselves ...........- — | For the health of the body ......................+- aes 
Worja purejand! clean\heanG, g--sece-e--s-2cee neces S|) For’a;good'name: <..22 secre... sees eee — 
Moria quiet CONSClenGe weress aces pen sseraee eens es =—— | Fora competent living... .-22-sss5--eeeeeeeeeeeeee — 
Mortfalthogneecnsespeat sore cecnde ease eae eee eee — | For a patient and thankful heart in sickness ... — 
Por charity.” sou. cco: -ecese see rece scecssesese sees — | For strength against the devil, the world, and 

Ionspatience: esses ses: at eee eoesg 88 Finish Oeeees — the flesh) 2....2.1:3..0ssg5- <-das tases =o eeeeeeeeee 84 
Mow imilityss.2.< dete. ose. Ses oa eee wate oe 82 | For the help of God’s holy angels ............... au 
For mercifulness ............... Spee SUSE EN A — | For'the glory of heaven: -..2-2--2-csscesssseeeeess — 
Mor true @odlinesses,2 2 .< 404-2 248s.aese dee ene — | A thanksgiving unto God for all his benefits... 85 





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TO THE 


RIGHT WORSHIPFUL MASTER BASIL FELDING', ESQ. 
THOMAS BECON WISHETH THE FAVOUR OF GOD, 
CONTINUAL HEALTH, AND PROS- 
PEROUS FELICITY. 


Curist, our Lord and Saviour, considering what and how great carnal security 
and fleshly quietness reigneth in mortal men of all ages, yea, and that in them that 
profess godliness, that is to say, Christians, which by their profession are dead unto Col. iii. 
the world, and have their life hidden with Christ in God; insomuch that they, being 
occupied about worldly and transitory things, which soon perish and come to nought, 
do utterly neglect the things that appertain unto the salvation of their souls; in many matt. xxiv. 
places of his holy gospel admonisheth us to watch and to make provision for our latter Mark xiii. 
end, lest we be found unready when we shall be called out of the world. Takei 

In the gospel of blessed Matthew he hath these words: “* Watch, for you know ee 
not what hour the Lord will come. Of this be ye sure, that, if the good-man of the 
house knew what hour the thief would come, he would surely watch, and not suffer 
his house to be broken up. ‘Therefore be ye also ready. For in such hour as ye 
think not, will the Son of man come.” In St Mark’s gospel also he saith: ‘ Watch, 
for ye know not when the master of the house will come, at even, or at midnight, 
or at the cock-crowing, or in the dawning; lest, if he come suddenly, he find you 
sleeping. And that I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.” ‘Yea, take heed, watch 
and pray; for ye know not when the time is.” Again in the Revelation of blessed 
John he saith: ‘* Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth 
his garments, that he walk not naked, and men see his filthiness.” Item: ‘ Behold, 
I come shortly ; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his 
deeds shall be.” The holy apostle St Paul likewise exhorteth us that we sleep not 
as other do, but that we watch and be sober; neither that we fall into fleshly quiet- 
ness, promising ourselves long life, health, and rest in this world, lest sudden destruc- 
tion fall upon us. “For the day of the Lord,” saith he, “shall come even as a thief 1 Thess. v. 
in the night.” 

Certes our mortal estate declareth evidently, that we be so bond unto death, 
that we are not certain of our life one hour. Out of hand may death oppress us, 
for any certainty that we have of the contrary. ‘“ What thing is your life?” saith St James iv. 
James: “it is a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.” 
““ My days,” saith Job, “are more swift than a runner, yea, they are passed away as Jobix. 
the ships that be good under sail, and as the eagle that flieth unto the prey.” Again 
he saith: ‘Man that is born of a woman hath but short time to live, and is full Job xiv. 
of misery. He cometh up and is cut down like a flower. He flieth as it were a 
shadow, and never continueth in one state.” The prophet also saith: “ All flesh is Isi.x. 


Mark xiii. 


Rev. xvi. 


Rev. xxil. 





[? The family of Felding or Fielding was of noble 
extraction, being descended from the illustrious house 
of Hapsburgh. It appears that Geffery, count of 
Hapsburgh, having been by the oppression of Ro- 
dolph, emperor of Germany, reduced to indigence, 
one of his sons, Sir Geffery, passed into the service of 
King Henry III. of England, and, because of his 
father’s pretensions to the sovereignty of Laufenburgh 
and Rinfilding, assumed the name of Felden, or 
Filding. In direct lineal descent from Sir Geffery 
was Sir William Fielding, who in the reign of king 
Henry VIII. served the office of sheriff of Rutland- 
shire, and was knighted by that monarch. Sir Wil- 
liam deceased Sept. 24, 1547, having had by Elizabeth 


his wife, daughter of Sir Thomas Poultney, two sons 
and one daughter. The eldest son Basil, to whom 
Becon has dedicated this treatise, married Godith 
second daughter of William Willington, Esq. of 
Barcheston, in the county of Warwick. He was 
sheriff of Warwickshire in 10 Elizabeth, and lies 
buried by his father at Monks’ Kirby, where in the 
chancel is an altar tomb, on which he and his lady 
are represented at full length in a praying posture, 
with the effigies of their children on the sides. ‘Their 
eldest son William was knighted by queen Eliza- 
beth, and was grandfather to William, created in 
20 James I. earl of Denbigh, the ancestor of the 
present peer. | 


Gen. v. 


Luke xii. 


Pyal. xxxix. 


1 Tim. vi. 


Psal. xxxix. 
1 Pet. 11. 
Heb. xiii. 


Jer. viii. 
Isai. lvi. 


Phil. ii. 


Ecelus. vii. 


Deut. xxxii. 


Rom. ii. xiv. 


Gal. vi. 


90 THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 


grass, and all the glory thereof is as the flower of the field. The grass is withered, 
the flower falleth away: even so is the people as grass, when the breath of the Lord 
bloweth' upon them.” Thus see we the misery, vanity, and shortness of our mortal time 
painted out before our eyes ; and that these things are true, daily experience proveth. 

Notwithstanding, such is our blindness, fondness, and madness, that we utterly for- 
get the uncertainty of this our wretched and short life, and promise ourselves the 
flourishing years of Nestor or the long life of Methuselah. We may right well be 
likened to that ungodly rich man, of whom we read in the gospel of Luke, which 
made provision for a great number of years, promising himself long to live upon the 
face of the earth, and forgetting himself to be mortal and bond unto death. But 
when he thought least of death, and was most busily occupied in getting and gather- 
ing together the goods of the world, God said unto him: “Thou fool, this night 
will they fetch away thy soul again from thee: then whose shall those things be 
which thou hast provided?” The psalmograph saith: “He heapeth treasure upon 
treasure, and yet knoweth he not for whom he gathereth it.” After this sort do we 
behave ourselves at this day. We moil and turmoil ourselves in studying and devis- 
ing how we may come by the gifts of glassy fortune. We refuse no pains, no labours 
to become rich and wealthy in worldly goods; yea, so blinded are our hearts that, 
the nearer we approach unto the end of our life, the more studious, careful, and dili- 
gent are we to get the substance of this world. We remember not this saying of 
the holy apostle: “Godliness is great riches, if a man be content with that he hath. 
For we brought nothing into the world, neither may we carry any thing out. But 
when we have food and raiment, let us therewith be content.” 

The holy scripture calleth us “strangers and pilgrims” in this world, and declareth 
that “we have here no continuing city, but we seek one to come.” Notwithstanding, 
as though there were none other life after this, or else as though we should for ever 
here remain and never depart, we travail about the getting of worldly substance. 
“ All,” as the prophet saith, “even from the lowest unto the highest, set their minds 
on filthy iucre.” “They are shameless dogs, that be never satisfied.” Hereto agreeth 
the saying of the apostle: “ All seek their own avantage, and not that which should 
set forth the glory of Jesus Christ.” And as in covetousness, so likewise in all other 
abominable sins do we most wickedly walk. And all these things come to pass, because 
we remember not the shortness of this life, and forget our latter end. This considered 
the wise man right well, when he saith: “ Whatsoever thou takest in hand, remember 
thy end, and thou shalt never do amiss.” Moses also saith: “‘O that men would once 
be wise and understand, and make provision for their latter end!” 

There is not a stronger bit to bridle our carnal affects, nor a better school-master 
to keep us in an order, than the remembrance of our latter end, than to remember that 
we shall not alway here remain, that we are but strangers and pilgrims in this world, 
that we shall leave behind us whatsoever worldly substance we have here either pain- 
fully gotten or carefully kept, that we shall die the death, that we shall appear before 
the judgment-seat of Christ, and receive according to the works which we have done 
in this life, either everlasting glory or perpetual pain. 

But these things seek we not to remember, but rather to forget, and therefore fall 
we into all kind of ungodliness and dissolution of life. And when the time cometh 
that God visiteth us with sickness, or otherwise plagueth us for our evil behaviour, 
then do we not prepare ourselves unto the cross, as we ought, submitting ourselves to 
the good pleasure of God, and being contented patiently and thankfully to receive what- 
soever is laid upon us at the appointment of God; but we rather murmur and grudge 
against God, and with unwilling hearts suffer that loving visitation of God, almost 
wishing that there were no God to plague and punish us, but that we might here live 
continually, and go forth to sin freely and without punishment. And when death 
approacheth, and no remedy can be found against the violence thereof, then do the 
ungodly and wicked livers, beholding the miserable face of their conscience, which pre- 
senteth unto them nothing but sin, the wrath of God, hell-fire, and everlasting damnation, 





[1 So ed. 1561. Folio, followeth. | 


THE PREFACE. 91 


begin to despair and straight yield themselves to the pleasure of Satan, to be for ever 
and ever tormented in that “lake that burneth with fire and brimstone,” themselves, their Rev. xx. 
souls, and consciences consenting and assenting thereunto. 

For what other end can be looked for of a wicked and ungodly life? Is it to be 
thought that he, which through sin hath served the devil all the time of his life, can 
at his latter end look for the inheritance of everlasting glory, wherewith God rewardeth 
them that painfully labour to serve him in tpi and righteousness all the days of Lukei. 
their life? St Paul saith: “So run, that ye may obtain ;” that is to say, so train your 1 cor. ix. 
life in all godliness and virtue to the uttermost of your power while ye live in this 
world, that, after ye have finished your course here, ye may enjoy the glorious reward 
of eternal life. A corruptible crown is not obtained without great pains-taking; and 
shall we look for an everlasting crown by leading an ungodly and wanton life? ‘“ No 2 Tim. ii. 
man is crowned,” saith the apostle, “except he fighteth lawfully.” 

In this world therefore, wherein our life is nothing but a knighthood or warfare, Job vii. 
must we lawfully, valiantly, and mightily fight and strive against our enemies, the devil, 
the world, and the flesh, and by fervent and diligent prayer unto God so triumph over 
them through the help of our grand captain Christ, that we may have a glorious spoil 
of our enemies, and garnish ourselves with all kind of victorious and royal robes, I 
mean, all good works and godly virtues. Where such a life is led, there must a good 
end be, and everlasting life may with a free conscience and assured hope be looked for. 
And to bring this to pass, who laboureth not to the uttermost of his power, namely 
if he be of God, and looketh for a better and more blessed life after this ? 

How we should fight against our adversaries, and lead a good life in this world, 
I have declared abundantly heretofore in many of my books. In this treatise, which 
I have now in hand, entitled “The Sick Man’s Salve,” my mind is to shew unto the 
faithful Christians, how they ought to make provision for their latter end, that they 
may depart in the faith of Christ, and be of the number of those of whom it is written: 
“‘ Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord.” Again: “ Precious in the sight of the Rev. xiv. 
Lord is the death of his saints.” For “what should it profit a man to win all the Mae 
world, if at the last he loseth his soul?” Therefore in this my work I have declared, The contents 
first of all, how the faithful Christians ought to behave themselves patiently and ie 
thankfully in the time of sickness: secondly, how they should virtuously dispose 
their temporal goods: thirdly, after what manner they ought to prepare themselves 
gladly and godly to die. Finally, I have interlaced many comfortable exhortations 
unto the sick, and divers godly and necessary prayers, some to be said of them that 
are sick, and some of other for such as are diseased. 

This treatise, after that I had finished it, calling to remembrance how greatly I 

am bound to your right worshipful mastership, considering also your most 
hearty zeal and fervent affection toward the true and christian religion (all 
superstition and papistry laid aside), I thought it my bounden duty 
to send unto you asa testimony of my good-will and thankful 
heart toward you, most entirely desiring you to accept and 
take in good part this my little gift, although much 
more base than it may seem in any part worthy 
to recompense the lessest point of your un- 
feigned friendship divers ways heretofore 
declared unto me. God _ preserve 
your night worshipful mastership, 
with the most virtuous gentle- 
woman your wife, and all 
your godly children in 
continual health 
and prosperous 
felicity ! 
Amen. 


Job xiv. 


James iv. 


Luke xii. 


Matt. xxiv. 


Mark xiii. 


Rev. xvi. 


Deut. xxxil 


THE 


SICK MAN’S SALVE‘ 


PHILEMON, EUSEBIUS, THEOPHILE, CHRISTOPHER, AND EPA- 
PHRODITUS, THE SICK MAN, TALK TOGETHER. 


Phil. O Fut truly is it said of the holy man Job, that noble mirror of perfect 
patience: “Man that is born of a woman hath but a short time to live, and yet in 
the time that he liveth he is replenished with many miseries. He cometh up and 
withereth away again like a flower. He flieth as it were a shadow, and never con- 
tinueth in one state.” 

It is not yet two days since I saw my neighbour Epaphroditus, as methought, 
well and lusty, yea, and in perfect health; and behold, he sent unto me even now 
his servant Onesimus, that I should come unto him with all expedition, all other 
businesses set apart, if I ever intend to see him alive. © good God, what a world 
is this!' Ah, most loving Christ, what a sudden change is this! Our life is not with- 
out a cause compared of the holy apostle St James to “a vapour, which appeareth 
for a little time, and then vanisheth away.” Who will trust a life so frail, so tran- 
sitory, so bond unto mortality? Who can justly persuade himself to live many years 
in this world, seeing that in it so suddenly health is turned into sickness, valiance 
into imbecility, strength into weakness, joy into sadness, comfort into desperation, 
life into death? The rich man persuaded himself that he should live long in this 
world, as blessed Luke declareth in his holy gospel, when he said, considering the 
great abundance of his revenues that came yearly in: “What shall I do, because 
I have no room where to bestow my fruits? This will I do: I will destroy my 
barns, and build greater; and therein will I gather all my goods that are grown 
unto me; and I will say unto my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up in store 
for many years: take thine ease, eat, drink, be merry. But God said unto him, 
Thou fool, this night will they fetch away thy soul again from thee. Then whose 
shall those things be which thou hast provided?” 

The continuance of our life is not certain so much as one hour, neither is any 
man able to say, I shall live till to-morrow. For albeit nothing is more certain than 
death, yet is nothing more uncertain than* the hour of death. It shall therefore be- 
come all christian men, that tender their own health, diligently to mark and con- 
tinually to remember this friendly admonition and loving watchword of our Lord and 
Saviour Christ Jesu: “‘ Watch,” saith he; “for you know not what hour your Lord 
will come. Of this be ye sure, that, if the good-man of the house knew what hour 
the thief would come, he would surely watch, and not suffer his house to be broken 
up. Therefore be ye also ready; for in such an hour as ye think not will the Son 
of man come.” Again he saith: ‘“‘ Watch; for ye know not when the master of the 
house will come, whether at even, or at midnight, whether at the cock-crowing, or 
in the dawning: lest, if he come suddenly, he find you sleeping. And that I say 
unto you I say unto all, Watch.” Also in another place he saith: “Behold, I come 
as a thief. Happy is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, 
and men see his filthiness.” Ah Lord God, not yet two days past whole and strong, 
and now sick and weak! O the unstedfastness of man’s life! Whom would not 
this provoke to watch and to consider his latter end? as the godly man Moses admon- 
isheth, saying: “Ah, would God men would be wise and understand, and make pro- 
vision for their latter end!” So should neither sickness nor death be sudden unto them ; 
so should all dissolution of life be rejected, and godliness of conversation embraced, 





[! This treatise was so popular, that repeated edi- | it was composed. | 
tions of it were printed within the first century after [? So edition of 1561 ; folio, that.] 


THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 93 


as the wise man saith: “In all thy works remember thy latter end, and thou shalt xcelus. vii. 
never sin.” 

I desire much to visit my neighbour Epaphroditus, according to his hearty request, 
and to comfort him in these his pains, and to instruct him how he ought both patiently 
and thankfully bear this cross of sickness which God hath laid on him; but I wish 
greatly to have the company of mine old familiars and approved friends, Eusebius, 
Theophile, and Christopher. I sent my son Theodore and Rachel my daughter for 
them: I much marvel of their long tarriance. But behold where they come. Neigh- 
bours and friends, welcome. 

Hus. We rejoice to see you in health, thanking you most heartily for the loving- 
kindness which heretofore many times you have shewed unto us. But wherefore, 
I pray you, have you sent for us? Phil. Have ye not heard how our neighbour 
Epaphroditus is grievously vexed with sickness? Jeo. Is our neighbour Epaphro- 
ditus sick ? Phil. He is sick, and that very sore. Chris. Sorry am I to hear this. 
Phil. We are in the Lord’s hand, as the clay in the potter’s, to do with us what- Jer. xviii. 
soever his good pleasure is. Therefore let us not bear heavily this work of God 
in our neighbour, lest we seem to strive against his godly will, seeing we use daily 
to pray: “Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven:” having also an example Matt. vi. 
of our Saviour Christ, which prayed unto his heavenly Father on this manner: “Not Matt. xxvi. 
as I will, but as thou wilt, O Father.” 

Lus. How long hath our neighbour Epaphroditus been sick? Phil. Not yet 
two days. Theo. I much marvel of this his sudden sickness. Phil. It is no marvel 
at all, seeing sickness followeth health, and death life, as the shadow accompanieth 
the body. Ye know, neighbours, how charitable a deed it is to visit the sick, and 
to comfort the diseased. It is one of those works, which being done in the faith of 
Christ shall be rewarded at the last day in the face of the whole world with the in- 
heritance of the heavenly kingdom, as ye may see in the gospel of blessed Matthew: 
‘“*T was sick; and ye visited me,” saith our Saviour Christ. The wise man also saith ; Matt. xxv. 
“Let not them that weep be without comfort, but mourn with such as mourn. Let Ecclus. vii. 
it not grieve thee to visit the sick; for that shall make thee to be beloved.” Chris. 
This saying differeth not much from the saying of St Paul: “Rejoice with them that Rom. xii. 
rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of like affection one to another.” 

Phil. Let us therefore go and visit our sick neighbour Epaphroditus, and com- 
fort him with the heavenly consolation of the holy scriptures, that he may bear* this 
his sickness both the more patiently and thankfully. For to this end did I send 
for you, that we should go together unto him, and to comfort him. TZheo. We were 
too much unkind and unworthy the name of a Christian, yea, of a man, if we should 
disdain to accompany you going about so godly a matter. 

Phil. Well, then let us go. For, as the preacher saith: “It is better to go into Fecies. vii. 
an house of mourning than into an house of banqueting; for there all men be admon- 
ished of their latter end, and the living considereth what afterward shall become of 
them.” I pray the Lord our God, that we may find him at our coming in his 
whole mind and perfect memory. Hus. I beseech the Lord our God also, that his 
pains be not so outrageous, that, when we come, he have no mind to hear what shall 
be said unto him ; so shall our labour be lost. Chris. God’s will be done in all things! 

Phil. We will do our duty: let God work his pleasure. Now are we at the house: 
I will be so bold, neighbours, as to lead you the way. Theo. I pray you go, sir: 
we will follow you. 

Epaphroditus, the sick man. “O cursed be the day wherein I was born; unhappy Jer. xx. 
be the day wherein my mother brought me forth. Cursed be the man that brought 
my father the tidings to make him glad, saying, Thou hast gotten a son. Let it 
happen unto that man as to the cities which the Lord turned upside down. Let him Gen. xix. 
hear crying in the morning, and at noon-day lamentable howling. Why slewest thou 
not me as soon as I came out of my mother’s womb? O that my mother had been 
my grave herself, that the birth might not have come out, but remained still in her! 





[% So edition of 1561; folio, hear. ] 


Job xxx. 


Jer. xv. 
Job iii. 


Job x. 


Rev. iii. 


Prov. iii. 


Heb. xii. 


Heb. xii. 


James i. 


Gal. v. 
Luke vi. 


Matt. v. 


94 THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 


Wherefore came I forth out of my mother’s womb? to have experience of labour and 
sorrow?” Ah, how sick am I! my strength is gone, my sight faileth me, my tongue 
flottereth' in my mouth, my hands tremble and shake for pain, I cannot hold up 
my head for weakness. If I attempt either to stand or to go, my legs fall down 
under me. No part of my body doth her right office. My memory is past: my 
senses fail me. Whatsoever I taste is unpleasant unto me. What other thing am 
I than a dead corpse breathing? “For my skin upon me is turned to black, and 
my bones are dried up with heat.” Yea, miserably am I tormented, and altogether 
weary of my life. What can be pleasant unto me but present death? Ah, wo worth 
the time that ever I was born! O that some hill might fall down and overwhelm 
me, that I might shortly be rid out of this pain! 

Phil. O Lord God! good neighbours, these be words proceeding rather from a 
desperate heart, than from a patient mind. But why do I cease to go in? The Father 
of mercies and God of all consolation be present with us. Theo. Amen. 

Phil. Peace be unto this house, and to so many as love the Lord Jesus unfeignedly. 

Epaph. O mother, alas that ever thou didst bear me! Alas, why died I not in 
the birth? Why did I not perish as soon as I came out of my mother’s womb? 

Phil. Neighbour Epaphroditus, God give you a patient heart, a quiet and con- 
tented mind. According to your request, I am come unto you with certain of my 
neighbours, being very desirous to see you, and, notwithstanding, not a little sorry 
to behold you in this case; not that you are visited of God with sickness, but that 
you so impatiently take this loving visitation of God, which chanceth unto you, not 
for your hurt and destruction, but for your commodity and salvation. 

Epaph. Welcome, welcome, neighbours all. O how sick am I! O that the 
end of my life were at hand! It grieveth my soul to live. All joy is gone with me. 
This sickness hath utterly marred me. 

Phil. Say not so, neighbour Epaphroditus ; yea, rather think that this your sick- 
ness is the loving visitation of God, and bringeth (although to the body weakness and 
trouble) yet to the soul valiance and consolation. 

Epaph. God's loving visitation ? 

Phil. Yea, neighbour, God’s loving visitation. For so are we taught by the word 
of God. God himself saith: “As many as I love I rebuke and chasten.” The wise 
man also saith: “My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord, neither faint when 
thou art rebuked of him; for whom the Lord loveth, him he chasteneth, and yet 
delighteth in him as a father in his own son.” “What son is he,” saith St Paul, 
“whom the father chasteneth not? If ye be not under correction (whereof all are 
partakers), then are ye bastards, and not sons.” 

Epaph. There is no father that so handleth his son as I am handled. O what 
a change is this, yea, and that within two days! For from gladness to sadness, from 
pleasure to sorrow, from health to sickness, from quietness to trouble, from strength 
to feebleness, yea, in a manner from life to death, am I suddenly fallen. O miserable 
wretch that I am! 

Phil. ‘“‘No manner chastising for the present time seemeth to be joyous, but 
grievous,” as the apostle saith; “ nevertheless, afterward it bringeth the quiet fruit of 
righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.” “Blessed is the man,” saith 
St James, “that suffereth temptation; for when he is tried, he shall receive the 
crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.” 

Epaph. Methought I was in case good enough before I was oppressed with this 
sickness. For then I lived pleasantly: but now I lie here weeping and mourning, 
and full of sorrow and care. 

Phil. This is the judgment of the flesh, which ever lusteth against the Spirit. 
Against such careless fleshly livers hear what our Saviour Christ saith: ‘“ Wo be 
unto you that are rich! for you have your consolation. Wo be unto you that are 
full! for ye shall hunger. Wo be unto you that now laugh! for ye shall wail and 


weep.” Hear what he saith on the contrary part: “ Blessed are they that mourn ; 





[! Flottereth: fluttereth, or faultereth.] 


THE SICK MAN'S SALVE. 95 


for they shall receive comfort.” Also in another place he saith: “ Verily, verily, Jonn xvi. 
I say unto you, Ye shall weep and lament; but contrariwise the world shall re- 

joice. Ye shall sorrow; but your sorrow shall be turned to joy.” The blessed 
apostle saith also: “If we be dead with Christ, we shall also live with him. If we 2 tim. ii. 
suffer with him, we shall also reign with him.” 

Chris. Brother Epaphroditus, the way to enter into glory is the cross. For by that Luke xxiv. 
way did our elder brother Christ enter into the kingdom of his Father. And the blessed 
apostle saith: “‘ By many tribulations must we enter into the kingdom of God.” Acts xiv. 

Epaph. What mean you by the cross? 

Chris. Temporal affliction, as penury, hunger, evil report undeserved, persecution, wnat the 
imprisonment, loss of goods, sickness, and whatsoever mortifieth the old man. ges 

Epaph. 1 cannot easily be persuaded that these things are sent of God to such 
as he loveth, but rather to such as he hateth. 

Chris. Not so, neighbour Epaphroditus. For the righteous and godly taste more 

of the cross in this world than the wicked and ungodly. Abel, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, 
David, Helias, Zachary, Jeremy, Miche, Job, Toby, John Baptist, Stephen, Paul, James, 
Peter, with many other which were the chosen people and friends of God, were not 
free from the cross, insomuch that many of them were most cruelly put to death; 
whereas the wicked worldlings lived all in pleasure, and had all things according to 
their hearts’ lust. 

Kus. This is also proved true by the saying of our Saviour Christ: “ Ye shall John xvi. 
weep and lament,” saith he; “but contrariwise the world shall rejoice.” And the 
apostle saith: “ All that will live godly in Christ Jesu shall suffer persecution.” Hither 2 tim. iii. 
pertaineth the saying of St Peter: “The time is come that judgment must begin at 1 Pet. iv. 
the house of God. If it first begin at us, what shall the end of them be which believe 
not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly 
and the sinner appear? Wherefore let them that are troubled according to the will 
of God commit their souls to him with well-doing, as unto a faithful Creator. 

Phil. This thing can by no means better be perceived, than by considering the 
history which blessed Luke telleth in his gospel of the unmerciful rich man, and of Luke xvi. 
poor Lazarus. ‘The rich glutton was God’s enemy, and adversary to all good men, 
unkind, churlish, and unmerciful; and yet how pleasantly and wealthily lived he all 
his life-time! We do not read that he tasted any thing at all the cross, but that he 
was rich, wealthy, gallantly apparelled, fared daintily every day, and lived in all kind of 
pleasures according to his heart’s lust ; and yet the end of him was everlasting damnation, 
that this saying of our Saviour Christ might be found true: “Wo be unto you that Luke vi. 
are rich! for you have your consolation. Wo be unto you that are full! for ye shall 
hunger. Wo be unto you that now laugh! for ye shall wail and weep.” Contrari- 
wise, Lazarus, being God’s friend and dearly beloved of God, was plagued with poverty, 
hunger, thirst, cold, nakedness, sores, sickness, and divers mortal diseases, which never 
departed from him so long as he lived; and, notwithstanding, both patiently and thank- 
fully did he bear this his cross even unto the death, being persuaded that “ prosperity Eeelus. xi. 
and adversity, life and death, poverty and wealth, are of God;” and therefore, im- 
mediately after his departure out of this world, he was received into everlasting glory. 

This history, brother Epaphroditus, declareth evidently that sickness or trouble sent 

of God unto the godly is not a token of God’s wrath and heavy displeasure, but rather 

a sure argument and manifest sign of his good-will, love, and favour toward us. “ Blessed Psal. xciv. 
is he,” saith the psalmograph, “* whom thou, O Lord, nurturest.”. Again he saith: It Psal. exix. 
is highly for my wealth, that thou, O Lord, hast corrected me, that I may learn thine 
ordinances.” Hereto agreeth the saying of St Paul: “ When we are judged of the Lord, 1 Cor. xi. 
we are chastened, that we should not be damned with the world.” In the history of 

Job it is also written: ‘‘ Blessed is the man whom God punisheth: therefore refuse Joo v. 
not thou the chastening of the Almighty. Fer though he maketh a wound, he giveth 

a plaster; though he smite, his hand maketh whole again.” ‘God is faithful,” saith 1 cor. x. 
the apostle, “which will not suffer you to be tempted above your strength, but shall 

in the midst of the temptation make a way that ye may be able to bear it.” For 

he is “the Father of mercies and God of all consolation, which comforteth us in all 2 cor. i. 


2 Pet. ii. 


2 Cor. iv. 


Tsai. liii. 
1 Pet. ii. 


Heb. ii. 


Matt. x. 


Luke xiv. 


Rev. vii. 


James iv. 


2 Cor. vi. 


Ecelus. ii. 
Wisd. iii. 


Ecclus. xxvii. 


Tob. xii. 
[Vulgate.] 


Deut. xiii. 


1 Pet. 1. 


96 THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 


our trouble,” which “knoweth also how to deliver the godly out of temptation.” All 
these texts borrowed out of the holy scriptures, with many other, do evidently declare 
that the cross is laid upon the godly at God’s appointment; and that not for their 
hurt and destruction, but for their health and salvation. “For though our outward 
man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our trouble, which is 
short and light, prepareth an exceeding and eternal weight of glory unto us; while 
we look not on the things which are seen, but on the things which are not seen. 
For the things which are seen are temporal, but things which are not seen are eternal.” 

Theo. Our elder brother Christ, which never commit sin, and in whom no guile 
nor deceit was found, entered not into glory but by the cross, as the apostle saith: 
“We see that Jesus for the suffering of his death was crowned with glory and honour.” 
Therefore may not we look to possess the inheritance of the heavenly kingdom by living 
all in pleasure, health, joy, and worldly felicity ; but rather by suffering the cross, that 
is laid upon us at God’s appointment, both patiently and thankfully. “ For the disciple 
is not above the master, nor the servant above his lord. It is enough for the disciple 
that he be as his master is, and that the servant be as his lord.” ‘‘ Whosoever beareth 
not his cross and cometh after me,” saith our Saviour Christ, “he cannot be my disciple.” 

Chris. In the Revelation of blessed John we read that they which were arrayed 
with long white garments, and are continually in the presence of the seat of God, and 
serve him day and night in his temple, “came out of great tribulation.” 

Phil. Tt is truth. For such are most meet for the kingdom of God; neither can 
the voluptuous worldlings be partakers of the heavenly inheritance, which in this 
world taste of no cross, but live in all pleasure after the desires of the flesh. It is 
not possible that a man may live here pleasantly with the world, and afterward reign 
gloriously with Christ. “For the friendship of the world is enmity with God: who- 
soever will be a friend of the world is made the enemy of God.” “For what fellowship 
hath righteousness with unrighteousness? Or what company hath light with darkness? 
Or what concord hath Christ with Belial? Either what part hath he that believeth 
with an infidel?” Worldly joy and eternal felicity cannot agree together. Therefore 
whosoever is free from the cross in this world, he hath no part in the kingdom of Christ 
and of God. So that you, neighbour Epaphroditus, have a great occasion to thank 
the Lord our God, that it hath pleased him to remember you with this his loving 
visitation, and through this sickness to declare his good and fatherly will toward you. 
For by laying this cross upon you he proveth you, whether you be constant in your 
faith and profession, or not; and whether you will patiently and thankfully bear this 
his working in you, which is unto your everlasting salvation, or not. And after this 
manner doth God handle all such as he receiveth unto glory, as the wise man saith: 
“‘ Whatsoever happeneth unto thee receive it, suffer in heaviness, and be patient in 
thy trouble. For like as gold and silver are tried in the fire, even so are acceptable 
men in the furnace of adversity.” Again he saith: “The oven proveth the potter's 
vessel: so doth temptation of trouble try righteous men.” Likewise said Raphael 
the archangel unto Toby: “ Because thou wast accepted and beloved of God, it was 
necessary that temptation should try thee.” And as Moses said unto the children of 
Israel: “The Lord your God proveth* you, to wit whether ye love the Lord your God 
with all your heart and with all your soul.” St Peter also saith: “Ye are now for 
a season in heaviness through manifold temptations, that the trial of your faith, being 
much more precious than gold that perisheth, and yet is tried by fire, might be found 
unto the praise, glory, and honour at the appearing of Jesus Christ.” 

Epaph. This comforteth' well my weak mind to hear of you out of the word 
of God, neighbour Philemon, that this sickness, which I now suffer, is the loving 
visitation of God, and a token of God’s good-will toward me; again, that the faithful 
and friends of God are in this world subject to the cross more than the unfaithful 
and enemies of God. 

Phil. J am heartily glad to hear you so say. And doubt you not, but that this 
your gentle God and loving Father will turn this your sorrow unto your great comfort. 


[? So edition of 1551 ; folio, proved, and comforted. ] 


THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 97 


For “he is a faithful God, which will not suffer you to be tempted above your strength, 1 Cor. x. 
but shall in the midst of the temptation make a way that ye may be able to bear it;” 
as the psalmograph saith: ‘‘ His wrath endureth but the twinkling of an eye; and Psal. xxx. 
in his pleasure is life: heaviness may endure for a night; but joy cometh in the 
morning.” “Thou, O Lord, hast turned my heaviness into joy: thou hast put off 
my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness.” Again he saith: “Thou, O God, hast Psal. xvi. 
proved us: thou also hast tried us like as silver is tried. Thou broughtest us into 
the snare, and laidest trouble upon our loins: thou sufferedst men to ride over our 
heads. We went through fire and water; and thon broughtest us out into a wealthy 
place.” Item: “O what great troubles and adversities hast thou shewed me! and Paal. ixxi. 
yet didst thou turn and refresh me; yea, and broughtest me from the deep of the 
earth. Thou hast brought me to great honour, and comforted me on every side. 
Therefore will I praise thee and thy faithfulness, O God.” Also in another place he 
saith: “‘They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that now goeth on his way Pal. exxvi. 
weeping, and beareth forth good seed, shall doubtless come again with joy, and bring 
his sheaves with him.” The ancient father Toby*® in his prayer unto God saith: 
“ After a storm, O Lord, thou makest the weather fair and still: after weeping and oe a 
heaviness thou givest great joy. Thy name, O God of Israel, be praised for ever.” Sore 
Epaph. Amen, amen, good Lord. I trust thou wilt do so with me. 
Phil. Doubt ye not, neighbour, but, if ye call on the name of the Lord, ye shall 
find great comfort. For, as that prince-like prophet saith: “The righteous ery; and Psel. xxxiv. 
the Lord heareth them, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. The Lord is 
nigh unto them that are of a contrite heart, and will save such as be of an humble 
spirit. Great are the troubles of the righteous; but the Lord delivereth them out 
of all: he keepeth all their bones, so that not one of them is broken.” 
Hus. These are comfortable sentences, neighbour Epaphroditus. 
Epaph. Comfortable indeed. 
Phil. And no less true than comfortable, as divers histories of the holy scriptures 
do evidently declare. 
Epaph. 1 pray you, rehearse some of them for my comfort. 
Phil. I will do it gladly. As I may let pass the ancient patriarchs, what a 
cross laid God upon Joseph’s shoulders in Egypt! yea, and that for no fault that 
he had committed, but only to prove and try his faith, love, obedience, patience, 
thankfulness, and perseverance. He suffered Joseph, being a godly and chaste YOuNg Gen. xxxix. 
man, to be falsely accused of his whorish mistress, and to be cruelly thrown of his *" 
master into prison, where he continued certain years in captivity and thraldom. But 
behold the merciful dealing of God with his faithful servants! Afterward, when God 
by proving him had found him faithful, constant, and patient, he delivered Joseph 
out of prison, restored him unto his liberty, won him into the king’s favour; insomuch 
that the king “took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph’s hand, and 
arrayed him in cloth of rains*, and put a golden chain about his neck, and set him 
upon the best chariot that he had, save one. And they cried before him, Bow the 
knee. And king Pharao made him ruler over all the land of Egypt.” 
Epaph. O the great mercies of God! 
Phil. Before God quietly settled king David in his kingdom (of whom he reported 
in this manner, “I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, 1 sam. xu. 
which shall fulfil all my will’), how hunted he him by king Saul, even as the ferret petaeare 
hunteth the coney! yea, after the death of Saul, what trouble and disquietness had 
he through the wicked conspiration of his children against him, being so loving, gentle, 
and natural a father! Notwithstanding, afterward God brought him unto great honour, 
glory, riches, quietness, and all kind of wealth, wherein he continued unto his death, 
which was both glorious and full of years. 1 Kings ii. 
Epaph. <A blessed end. 
Phil. To whom is the history of patient Job unknown? His cross was so grievous, Jobi. ii. 


[? An error for Sara. ] [3 See Vol. II. p. 415.] 


[BECON, 111.] 


Job ii. 


Job i. 


Job ii. 


Psal. xxvii. 


Isai. Xxx. 


Lam. iii. 


Psal. Xxxiv. 


Job xlii. 


98 THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 


that I know not whether the like trouble hath chanced to any mortal man since his time or 
afore. All his substance in one moment almost was lost, all his cattle were driven away, 
seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hun- 
dred she-asses: all these were taken away suddenly. His house fell down: his children 
that were within were slain. Of all that ever he had nothing remained untouched, 
that might comfort him any thing at all, but only his wife; and that seemeth to be 
left of the devil only to this’ purpose, even to mock and scorn her husband, and to 
move him to blaspheme the name of God: which thing without all doubt grieved 
the holy man’s mind more than all his calamities and wretchednesses. Furthermore, 
his friends, which came out of far countries to comfort him, seeing his sorrow and 
pain to be most vehement, being also wonderfully astonied with the horrible greatness 
of the plague, by the space of seven days spake not one comfortable word unto him. 
For they thought (although not truly) that God had cast his’ most grievous pains 
upon Job worthily, even for his sinful life and wicked conversation. And did they 
not at the last fall to mocking and taunting of that good man, and told him that 
those plagues happened unto him for his sins, by the righteous judgment of God ? 
For they thought it a matter of high iniquity, and unworthy God’s righteousness, that 
so great calamities and miseries should causeless chance unto any holy and innocent 
man. Moreover, after the loss of all his goods, after the driving away of his cattle, 
the casting down of his house, the cruel death of his children and servants (which 
all the most patient man very quietly suffered), what intolerable pains suffered he 
on his body! Did not Satan, through God’s sufferance, smite Job with marvellous 
sore boils from the sole of his foot unto the crown of his head; so that he sat upon 
the ground in the ashes, and scraped off the filth of his sores with a potsherd? O 
who is able to express what pains he suffered? And notwithstanding, being on every 
side most miserably plagued, his mind continued still constant and perfect in abiding 
the good pleasure of the Lord his God, being throughly persuaded that all those 
plagues and punishments were not tokens of God’s anger, but rather of his singular 
good-will and fatherly favour toward him. For as he most patiently suffered the 
loss of all his goods and the death of his children, so with like constancy and lusty 
courage did he bear the most grievous wounds and bitter sorrows of his body, speak- 
ing no blasphemous, impatient, or unreverent word against God in all his trouble, 
but meekly, patiently, and thankfully brast out into these and such-like words: 
“Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I tum thither again. 
The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away. Even as it hath pleased the Lord, 
so is it come to pass: blessed be the name of the Lord.” “If we have received 
prosperity at the hand of the Lord, why should we not abide adversity also?” 

Epaph. O God, grant me the like patience! 

Chris. Doubt ye not of the goodness of God, neighbour. Be strong and stedfast 
in the Lord your God, abide patiently his good pleasure; and he shall work all things 
for the best, as the psalmograph saith: “O tarry thou the Lord’s leisure: be strong; 
and he shall comfort thine heart; therefore put thou thy trust in the Lord.” “In 
silence and hope shall your strength be,” saith the prophet. O how good is the 
Lord unto them that put their trust in him, and to the soul that seeketh after him! 
“The good man with stillness and patience tarrieth for the saving health of the Lord.” 
“The righteous have cried; and the Lord hath graciously heard them, and delivered 
them out of all their trouble.” 

Phil. But now, neighbour, mark the end of the history. 

Epaph. Say on, in the name of God. 

Phil. After that God by divers kinds of punishments had throughly tried this 
holy, perfect, and patient man Job, and had found him in all points a constant and 
valiant soldier, not able to be overcome with any kind of plague that Satan could 
lay on him, the Lord greatly commended his constant faith and faithful constancy, and 
gave unto him twice so much as he had afore. For he had now fourteen thousand 
sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand asses. He had 





[! So 1561 ; folio, thy.] [2 So ed. 1632. Folio and 1651, this.] 


THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 99 


seven sons also and three daughters. And after this he lived an hundred and forty 
years in much joy and quietness ; so that he saw his children’s children into the fourth 
generation, and died, being old and of a perfect age. 

Epaph. O blessed be God! for he is ever good to his servants, and never for- 
saketh them that put their trust in him. 

Eus. Of this holy man Job St James also maketh mention, saying: ‘‘ Ye have James v. 
heard of the patience of Job, and have known what end the Lord made. For the 
Lord is very pitiful.” 

Phil. Will it please you, neighbour, to hear the history of the ancient father 
Thoby, which is also very comfortable? 

Epaph. Yea, very gladly. For it doth me much good, and easeth well my pain 
to hear your godly talk. 

Phil. This Thoby was a faithful man, and even from his very childhood feared God, a 
and led a virtuous life. He forsook not the way of truth, neither defiled he himself 
with any kind of idolatry. He worshipped the Lord God of Israel faithfully, offering 
of all his first-fruits and tithes. Whatsoever he might get, he parted it daily with his 
fellow-prisoners and brethren. He was full of good works: he gave largely unto the 
poor, he fed the hungry, he gave drink to the thirsty, he clothed the naked, he lodged 
the harbourless, he visited the sick, he redeemed the captives and prisoners, he buried the 
dead. There was no work of mercy that he had left undone. He was rich and plen- 
teous in all good works. And whatsoever he did, he did it with a joyful and ready 
heart. “For God,” saith St Paul, “loveth a cheerful giver.” 2 Cor. ix. 

Epaph. A blessed man and a faithful servant of God. 

Phil. And yet mark what followed. It happened upon a day that he had buried Tob. ii. 
the dead, and was weary, came home, and laid him down by the wall and slept. And 
while he was asleep, there fell down upon his eyes warm dung out of the swallows’ 
nest, so that he became blind. 

Epaph. <A pitiful chance! 

Phil. This temptation did God suffer to happen unto him, that they which came 
after might have an example of his patience, like as of holy Job. 

Epaph. But how did Thoby take this temptation ? 

Phil. Very godly, quietly, patiently, and thankfully. For insomuch as he ever 
feared God from his youth up, and kept his commandments, he grudged not against 
God that the plague of blindness chanced unto him, but remained stedfast in the fear 
of God, and thanked God all the days of his life. 

Epaph. But what was the end of the matter? Continued he blind unto his dying 
day? Did not God deal mercifully with Thoby, as we heard afore of Job ? 

Phil. Yes, verily ; for God scourgeth and healeth. God leadeth unto hell and 4 gee 
bringeth out again. God killeth and maketh alive. God after a storm maketh the Tob. xiii : 
weather fair and calm. God after weeping and heaviness giveth great joy. When God ae 
had throughly tried Thoby, and found him constant in his faith, he restored unto him 
his sight again. For the which Thoby most humbly thanked ia and said: “‘O Lord Tob. xi. 
God of Israel, I give thee praise and thanks; for thou hast chastened me and made 
me whole again.” 

Chris. O praised be the Lord our God, which is marvellous in his saints, and 
holy in all his works. 

Epaph. Wived Thoby long after his sight was restored unto him ? 

Phil. “Thoby,” saith the scripture, “ ne he had gotten his sight again, lived forty- den 
two years in great joy and wealth, and saw his children’s children. And when he was 
a hundred and two years old, he pepe in peace, and was honourably buried.” 

Epaph. A blessed end. 

Phil. Of a good life cometh a good end. Thus have you heard out of the holy 
scriptures, brother Epaphroditus, that the cross, that is to say, corporal affliction is 
not a token of God’s anger, but of his favour, and that he layeth temporal punishment 
more customably upon his friends than upon his enemies; yea, and that not to destroy 
them, but to prove and try them, even as the fire trieth the gold. For, as the angel 


Raphael said unto Toby: “ Because thou wast accepted and beloved of God, it was Tob. xii. 
(Vulgate. } 


ry elie’ 3| 


Rom. xv. 


Rom. xiv. 


A Prayer. 


Psal. vi. 


Psal. 1xxxvi. 


Psal. xci. 


Matt. xxiii. 


1 Pet. v. 
Prov. xx. 


Jaines iii. 


100 THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 


necessary that temptation should try thee.” You have heard also the loving-kind- 
ness of God toward his faithful and constant servants, how, after a just trial made, 
he restored them unto a more blessed state than they were in afore. Therefore take 
a good heart unto you, and faint not. Be strong in the Lord. Be faithful unto the 
end. Be patient in this your sickness. Be thankful for this loving visitation of God. 
Abide the good pleasure of God. Suffer him quietly to do with you whatsoever his 
good will is. If you will thus do, doubt ye not but that God will be merciful unto 
you, and bring that thing to pass which is most for your comfort and profit. “ For 
whatsoever is written is written for our learning, that through patience and the com- 
fort of the scriptures we may have hope.” 

Epaph. The Lord’s will be done in me! He knoweth what is most meet for me, 
a wretched sinner; let him therefore work his good pleasure in me, come life, come 
death. ‘‘For if we live, we live to be at the Lord’s will; and if we die, we die at 
the Lord’s will. Whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.” 

Only, O heavenly Father, I beseech thee, for Christ’s sake, to give me a patient 
and thankful heart, that I never grudge against thy blessed will, but be obedient unto 
it in all things; that, when the pains of my sickness be most bitter, I may lift up 
my heart unto thee, call on thy blessed name, and say: O Lord, rebuke me not 
in thy indignation, neither chasten me in thy displeasure. Have mercy on me, O 
Lord; for I am weak. O Lord, heal me; for my bones are vexed. My soul also 
is sore troubled; but, Lord, how long wilt thou punish me? Turn thee, O Lord, 
and deliver my soul: O save me for thy mercies’ sake. O my God, save thy servant, 
that putteth his trust in thee. Be merciful unto me, O Lord; for I will call daily 
upon thee. Comfort the soul of thy servant; for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up 
my soul. For thou, Lord, art good and gracious, and of great mercy unto all them 
that call upon thee. 

Theo. Neighbour Epaphroditus, this is unto us a singular pleasure and great 
comfort, to hear so godly words proceed out of your mouth. Be diligent continu- 
ally to call on the Lord; and he in all your afflictions and troubles shall be un- 
doubtedly your strong tower, your mighty shield, and invincible fortress. He will 
not leave you nor forsake you, but assist you and be present with you in your 
sickness, according to this his promise: ‘‘ Because he hath trusted in me, I will deliver 
him: I will defend him, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me; 
and I will graciously hear him: yea, I am with him in trouble; I will deliver him and 
glorify him. With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.” 

Epaph. 1 must needs confess, most gentle neighbours, that I have received much 
consolation and great comfort of your company, and specially that ye have thus 
enarmed, yea, and fortressed my breast with the comfortable sentences and histories 
of the holy scriptures against the bitter storms of adversity; and.I heartily thank 
you for your pains. Notwithstanding, this must I needs say unto you, that I find 
not myself in my conscience to be of such godliness and virtue, that I dare com- 
pare myself with Joseph, David, Job, and Thoby, whom ye recited unto me, but 
much inferior both unto them and unto their godliness of life; so that, although they, 
being righteous, of the very love which God bare toward them, were assailed with 
adversity to this end, that their faith and constancy might be proved and tried unto 
the example of other, yet I find in myself such imperfection, yea, such abundance of 
sin, that it may justly be thought that this sickness which is laid upon me cometh 
from such a God as is angry with me for my sinful life; and therefore is his heavy 
hand thus laid upon me. What think ye, good neighbours ? 

Phil. Brother Epaphroditus, this humbling of yourself in the sight of the Lord our 
God is a certain argument and sure token of your everlasting salvation. “For he 
that exalteth' himself shall be made low; but he that humbleth himself shall be ex- 
alted.” God is an enemy to the proud; but he is a friend to the humble and lowly. 
Truth it is, that in the sight of God no man is pure and clear from sin. ‘“ Who is 
able to say, My heart is clean, and I am free from sin?” “In many things we all 


[! So 1561; folio, exalted.] 


THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 101 


offend.” “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in 1 Jonni. 


” 


us.” “ All have sinned, and want the glory of God.” “We all are unprofitable rom. iii, 


i : aie ; ciees Luke xvii. 

servants.” ‘‘ Every man is a liar.” We were begotten in sin, conceived in sin, and psi avi 
aes : : Psal. li, 

born in sin. Our “heart is lewd and unsearchable.” “ All our righteousness are as Jer xvii, 


Isai. lxiv. 


cloth polluted’.” ‘* All have swerved and gone out of the way, they are altogether pai. xiv, 
become unprofitable: there is not one that doth good, no, not one.” The most per- 
fect among us all may well say with the sinful publican: “O God, be merciful to Luke xviii, 
me a sinner.” We may worthily pray, as our Saviour Christ taught us: “ Forgive us matt. vi. 
our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us.” God “found no truth in Jobiv. 
his servants, and in his angels there was folly. How much more in them that dwell 
in the houses of clay, and whose foundations are but dust!” “The stars are unclean Job xxv. 
in the sight of God. How much more then man, that is but corruption, and the son 
of man, which is but a worm!” 

And albeit Joseph, David, Job, and Thoby be set forth in the holy scriptures with 
great commendations, yet may we not think that they wanted their faults. For no 
man that is born of a woman is clean before God, although he be but one day old. Jov xxv. 
How oft doth David confess himself a sinner! How oft doth he flee unto God and 
pray for the remission of his sins! How oft doth he cast away his own righteous- 
ness, and with strong faith lay hand on God’s mercy! Among many other, are not 
these his words? “‘Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy great mercy; and Psal. i. 
according to the multitude of thy mercies do away mine offences. Wash me throughly 
from my wickedness, and cleanse me from my sin. For I knowledge my faults; and 
my sin is ever before me. Against thee only have I sinned, and done evil in thy 
sight,” &c. Also in another place: ‘‘O remember not the sins and offences of my Pasal. xxv. 
youth; but according unto thy mercy think thou upon me, O Lord, for thy goodness.” 
“For thy name's sake, O Lord, be merciful unto my sin: for it is great.” ‘ Look 
upon mine adversity and misery, and forgive me all my sins.” Again: “Out of the Psal. exxx. 
deep have I called unto the Lord, Lord, hear my voice. O let thine ear consider 
well the voice of my complaint. If thou, Lord, wilt be extreme to mark what is done 
amiss, O Lord, who may abide it? But there is mercy with thee,” &c. Item: “ Enter Psal. exliii. 
not into judgment with thy servant, O Lord; for no man living shall be justified in 
thy sight.” Thus see you how holy David, whom the scripture commendeth so greatly, 
boasteth not his own righteousness, but humbleth himself in the sight of God, and 
wholly betaketh him unto God’s mercy. Now hear what Job, whom the scripture 
so greatly commendeth, saith of himself: “If I will justify myself, mine own mouth Job ix. 
shall condemn me. If I will put forth myself for a perfect man, he shall prove me 
a wicked doer.” Again: “If I wash myself with snow-water, and make mine hands 
never so clean at the well, yet shalt thou dip me in the mire, and mine own clothes 
shall defile me.” And as concerning the godly man Thoby, how little he trusted in 
his own innocency and righteousness, these his words do manifestly declare: “‘O Lord,” Tob. ii 
saith he, “be mindful of me, and take no vengeance of my sins, neither remember 
my misdeeds, nor the misdeeds of mine elders. For we have not been obedient to 
thy commandments,” &c. And as David, Job, and Thoby humbled themselves in the 
sight of God, so likewise doth the whole company of all the faithful, that the glory 
of our salvation may be God’s alone; as he saith by the prophet: “Thy destruction, Hos. xiv. 
O Israel, cometh of thyself; but thy salvation cometh only of me.” Therefore though 
ye feel sin to be in you, (as who is without it ?) yet despair not, neither be dismayed; 
but with strong faith make haste unto the glorious throne of God’s great mercy, 
lament your sorrowful case, crave favour and remission of sins in Christ’s name, of 
God’s most high majesty, and without doubt you shall have your heart’s desire. For 
“the Lord is gracious and merciful, long-suffering, and of great goodness. The Lord Psal. exlv. 
is loving unto every man, and his mercy is over all his works.” ‘“O trust in the Psal. exxx. 
Lord ; for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption. And 
he shall redeera Israel from all his sins.” 


[? Two words are omitted. ] 


Rev. xxi. 


1 Cor. xi 


Psal. xxxvii-. 


Luke xvi. 


Matt. xiii. 


Luke xvi. 


Luke vi. 
Heb. xii. 


Wisd. ii. 


Wisd. v. 


102 THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 


Epaph. O my heart! Ah, what a grievous pain did I feel now even at my very 
heart! God be merciful unto me. 

Eus. Be on a good comfort, neighbour, I pray you: God shall work all things 
for the best. Ye may see what frail vessels we are, and how little pain doth greatly 
trouble us. 

Epaph. Ye say truth. But to you, neighbour Philemon, once again. Methink, 
if God should punish me in this world for my sin, so should it be a token rather of 
his anger than of his favour toward me. 

Phil. Nay, not so, neighbour. It is rather an evident token of his singular love and 
hearty good-will toward you, which lovingly correcteth you in this world, that ye may 
repent, knowledge your fault, amend your life, call for mercy, and so live worthy your pro- 
fession ; again, that through this temporal pain ye may be free from everlasting plagues, 
and never come into that “lake that burneth with fire and brimstone.” This witnesseth 
St Paul, saying: “ While we are punished, we are corrected of the Lord, that we 
should not with this world be condemned.” When God suffereth the wicked in this 
world to flonrish like a bay-tree, and licentiously to sin without any punishment, as 
he suffered the rich glutton, of whom ye read in the gospel of blessed Luke, it is an 
evident argument that such one is reserved unto the pains of the world to come, 
which never shall have end, where weeping and gnashing of teeth shall be; as ye see 
it chanced to the aforesaid rich glutton, unto whom God’ said: “Son, remember that 
thou in thy life-time receivedst thy pleasure, and contrariwise Lazarus received pain. 
But now is he comforted, and thou art punished.” So doth our Saviour Christ threaten 
the ungodly, saying: “Wo be to you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Wo be unto 
you that now laugh! for ye shall wail and weep.” The holy apostle also saith: “What 
son is he whom the father chasteneth not? If ye be not under correction, whereof 
all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.” A terrible end therefore abideth 
them which in this world licentiously and without punishment do sin. For all 
such be bastards, and no sons; therefore have they no part of the heavenly inherit- 
ance. 

Epaph. Yet the world judgeth otherwise. For they think such only to be beloved 
of God, as wallow in all kind of worldly pleasures, as the filthy sow in the mire, so 
long as they live, and never taste of any adversity. 

Phil. But the holy scripture judgeth otherwise. For those voluptuous epicures, 
which in this world say, “‘Come, and let us enjoy the pleasures that are, and let 
us soon use the creature, like as in youth; let us fill ourselves with good wine and 
ointment, and let there no flower of the time go by us; let us crown ourselves 
with roses afore they be withered; let there be no fair meadow, but our lust go 
through it; let every one of you be partaker of our voluptuousness; let us leave 
some token of our pleasure in every place; for that is our portion; else get we nothing,” 
&c., shall in time to come cry out on this manner and say: “We have erred from 
the way of truth; the light of righteousness hath not shined unto us, and the sun 
of understanding rose not up upon us. We are” wearied ourselves in the way of 
wickedness and destruction. Tedious ways have we gone; but as for the way of the 
Lord, we have not known it. What good hath our pride done to us? Or what profit 
hath the pomp of riches brought us? All these things are passed away like a sha- 
dow,” &c. Such words shall they that have sinned speak in hell. “For the hope of 
the ungodly is like a dry thistle-flower that is blown away with the wind,” &c. There- 
fore we may well conclude that such as enjoy continual prosperity, live at their hearts’ 
ease, obey their sensual appetites, are free from all adversity, and, as the psalmograph 
saith, “come in no misfortune like other folk, neither are plagued like other men,” 
shall not reign with God in glory, neither have they any portion in the land of the 
living. For though they prosper for a little while in this world, “be puffed up with 
pride, swell for fatness, do what they list,” rule as they will, have plenty of riches in 
possession, have the world at commandment, &c., yet are they “set in slippery 





[} In later editions we find this error corrected, and the reading substituted, it was said. ] 
[? Edition of 1561 reads have. ] 


THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 103 


places, and shall be cast down and destroyed. Yea, suddenly shall they consume, 
perish, and come to a fearful end.” “I have seen,” saith that prince-like prophet, Psal. xxxvii. 
“the ungodly in great power, and flourishing like a green bay-tree. And he vanished 
away, and lo, he was gone: I sought him, but he* could nowhere be found, &c. For 
the wicked shall perish together; and the end of the ungodly is everlasting dam- 
nation.” 

Chris. If it please you, I will tell you an history that I heard once. 

Epaph. 1 pray you, tell on, good brother Christopher. 

Chris. St Ambrose, that godly and courageous bishop, travelling at a certain time an history. 
toward Rome, chanced by the way to go unto a great rich man’s house to lodge. 
After other talk, he demanded of the man of the house, how the world went with him, 
and in what case he stood. The rich man answered, “Sir, my state hath alway been 
fortunate and glorious: I never tasted any kind of adversity. I never had sickness 
or loss of goods. All things hitherto have chanced unto me according to my heart's 
desire.” When St Ambrose heard this, he said unto them that accompanied him, “ Rise, 
and let us go hence with all expedition; for the Lord is not in this place.” And when 
they were departed from the rich man’s house, even straightways the earth suddenly 
opened and swallowed up the man with all that ever he had, so that nothing at 
all remained *. 

Phil. A notable history, declaring that God is not there present, where the 
cross is absent, and that things cannot long continue in safe state where God 
favoureth not. 

Theo. Here was that thing fulfilled that is spoken by the psalmograph: “ The Pasal. xxxvii. 
ungodly shall soon be cut down like the grass, and be withered even as the green 
herb, &c. Yea, a little while, and the ungodly shall be clean gone: thou shalt look 
after his place, and he shall be away.” ‘The ungodly shall perish, and the enemies 
of the Lord shall consume as the fat of lambs, yea, even as the smoke shall 
they consume away.” Again in another place: “Thou, O Lord, dost set the un- Psal. txxiii. 
godly in slippery places, and castest them down, and destroyest them. O how sud- 
denly do they consume, perish, and come to a fearful end! yea, even like as a dream 
when one awaketh, so shalt thou make their image to vanish out of the city.” 

Phil. Where continual success of things is, where all things at all times serve 
and content the fleshly appetites of voluptuous worldlings, where no affliction nor 
trouble is, there is not God, there is not his grace, favour, and blessing. He that is 
free from the cross hath no inheritance in the kingdom of heaven. Yea, it is a most 
certain sign of everlasting damnation, where a life is led without affliction. “ For Heb. xii. 
whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth:” they are bastards, and no sons, that sometime 
feel not the cross. Who ever went unto heaven by joy and pleasure? “ By many Aets xiv. 
tribulations,” saith the apostle, “‘ must we enter into the kingdom of God.” Hereunto 
pertaineth the saying of the virtuous woman Judith: “ Our father Abraham, being Judith viii 
tempted and tried through many tribulations, was found a lover and friend of God. oo ae 
So was Isaac, so was Jacob, so was Moses; and all they that pleased God, being tried 
through many troubles, were found stedfast in faith.” “Blessed is the man that Jamesi. 
suffereth temptation,” saith St James; “for when he is once tried, he shall receive the 
crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.” 

Eus. I read once of a certain hermit, which was wont every year to be sick, An history. 
wherein he greatly delighted, and felt much quietness of conscience, being persuaded 
that his sickness was the loving visitation of God, and an unfeigned token of God's 
singular good-will toward him. It chanced that by the space of an whole year he 
was free from all manner of sickness: which thing when he considered, he was 





[* Supplied from edition of 1561.] Dominus non erat. Quo abeunte et aliquantulum 
[* Hospitatus in quadam villa Tuscie apud quen- | procedente vir ille cum domo et omni familia terre 
dam divitem filiis et familia abundantem; dum vir se | hiatu absorptus est; usque in presens quadam fovea 
de cunctis sibi ad votum succedentibus jactasset, et | ibidem in testimonium permanente.—Pet. de Natal. 
quod nihil sibi adversi in vita sua aliquando conti- | Catalog. Sanct. Lugd. 1508. Lib. 1. cap., xxxvi. 
gisset; Ambrosius territus inde cum sociis festinus | fol. 8. ] 
discessit : dicens ibi tutum non esse permanere, ubi 


Rev. iii. 
Prov. ili. 


Matt. xvi. 


Luke xiv. 


Luke xvi. 


Tsai. Ixiv. 
1 Cor. ii. 


Psal. exvi. 


Psal. xxxiv. 


104 THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 


inwardly sorry, and wept beyond all measure; grievously complaining that God had 
forgotten him, and denied him his grace. 

Phil. This history also sheweth, how necessary and wholesome sickness is to a 
christian man, and that corporal affliction is a certain persuasion to a faithful con- 
science of God’s singular good-will and fatherly favour toward us, as he himself testifieth, 
saying: “As many as I love, I chasten and rebuke.” The wise man also saith: “ My 
son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither faint when thou art rebuked of 
him. For whom the Lord loveth, him he chasteneth, and yet delighteth in him as 
a father in his own son.” 

Epaph. So followeth it that they, whom God visiteth with sickness in this world, 
and layeth the cross upon their shoulders, are more dear unto him, than those which 
all their life-time live in all wealth, joy, and pleasure. 

Phil. Yea, verily, so they bear their cross willingly, patiently, and thankfully. For 
by the cross are christian men known, as noblemen’s servants by their lords’ cognisances. 
He that beareth not the cross is not Christ’s; for such as will be his disciples, he com- 
mandeth them not to seek how to flee the cross, that they may live all in pleasure, 
but he biddeth them take the cross upon their shoulders, and follow him. “If any 
man will follow me,” saith our Saviour Christ, “let him forsake himself, and take up 
his cross, and follow me.” The head bare the cross: the members also must do the 
same; or else pertain they not unto the head. For there is none other way to enter 
into glory, but the same way that our head Christ entered by, which is the cross. 
“ Whosoever beareth not his cross, and cometh after me,” saith the Lord Christ, “he 
cannot be my disciple.” ‘The servant is not greater than his lord, nor the disciple 
above his master.” 

Chris. That such as bear the cross and be tried with divers tribulations are more 
dear unto God than they which live all in pleasure, the history of the rich and unmer- 
ciful glutton, and of poor and patient Lazarus, proveth evidently. For, as ye heard 
before, the wealthy epicure, which lived gallantly and pleasantly all the days of his 
life, even unto his dying day, so soon as he was dead, was carried of the devil and his 
angels into the flames of hell-fire, where he was miserably tormented: contrariwise, poor 
and sick Lazarus, whom the wicked world esteemed most vile, most abominable, yea, 
and utterly despised and cast away of God, whom also fortune never favoured, but 
adversity continually assailed, immediately after his departure was most tenderly and 
joyfully borne of the blessed angels of God into the bosom of Abraham, where he hath 
such joys as eye hath not seen, nor ear hath heard, neither is any man’s heart able to 
think them. 

Eus. Here is that fulfilled and found true which the psalmograph speaketh; both of 
the death of the faithful, and of the unfaithful. Concerning the faithful he saith: 
“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.” Of the unfaithful he 
also saith: ‘“‘The death of sinners is worst of all.” As the joys of God’s people begin 
not till after their death, so likewise the sorrows and pains of the wicked do chiefly begin 
at their death, and so for ever and ever continue. 

Epaph. "Happy is that man therefore, which hath and endeth his sorrow in this 
world, that after this life he may have the perfect and true joy, which knoweth 
no end. 

Phil. He is thrice happy, as they use to say, and greatly blessed of God. Therefore 
St Austin prayed on this manner, and said: “O Lord, burn me here, cut me here in 
this world, that thou mayest spare me for ever after. Only give me patience, pleasing 
unto thee, and necessary unto me.” 

Chris. Like unto this are the words of a certain ancient father, which saith: “I 
know that diseases chance unto men for their sins. And it is better here patiently to 
bear afflictions and pains, than after death to suffer everlasting punishments.” 

Theo. St Gregory saith that God spareth some in this world, to torment them 
afterward ; and some he tormenteth here, which he will afterward spare’. This is 





[ Perhaps the following is the passage intended: ; dispensat, ut et justos flagella crucient, ne opera 
Quod nimirum omnipotens Deus inestimabili pietate | extollant; et injusti saltem sine poena hance vitam 


THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 105 


a christian man’s comfort, that by present tribulation he shall escape everlasting 
damnation. For according to the common proverb: ‘‘God punisheth not one thing 
twice.” 

Epaph. Of these your words I conceive a good hope, that although God punisheth 
me justly for my sins, yet he will not take away his mercy from me. 

Phil. No, be ye sure. For these are his words by the psalmograph: “If they Psal. ixxxix. 
forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments ; if they break my statutes, and keep 
not my commandments, I will visit their offences with the rod, and their sins with 
scourges. Nevertheless, my loving-kindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer 
my truth to fail. My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out 
of my lips.” Here God our merciful Father promiseth that, though he punisheth us 
for our sin and wickedness, that by this means he may call us unto repentance and 
amendment of life, yet will not he take away from us his mercy and loving-kindness ; 
but whensoever we turn unto him, repent us of our former life, call on his blessed 
name, believe and hope to have remission of sins for Christ’s sake, and labour to frame 
our life according to the rule of his holy testament, he will surely receive us joyfully, 
pardon .all our iniquities, and as dearly love us, as though we had never offended his 
divine majesty. God saith also by the prophet Jeremy: “ When I take in hand to Jer. xviii. 
root out, to destroy, or to waste away any people or kingdom, if that people, against 
whom I have thus devised, convert from their wickedness, I repent of the plague that 
I devised to bring upon them.” The prophet Esay also saith: “If the ungodly for- Isai. iv. 
saketh his way, and the unrighteous man his own imaginations, and turn again unto the 
Lord, he will surely be merciful unto him. For he is very ready to forgive.” “ He Psal. ciii. 
will not alway be chiding,” saith the psalmograph, “neither keepeth he his anger for 
ever.” “Yea, like as a father pitieth his own children, even so is the Lord merciful 
unto them that fear him. For he knoweth whereof we be made: he remembereth that 
we are but dust.” ‘“ My thoughts,” saith God, “are to give you peace, and not trouble.” Jer. xxix. 
Though the Lord punisheth us for our sins, yet doth he not punish us to cast us away Why God 
and to condemn us, but to call us unto repentance, to mortify our fleshly lusts, and ’’"™""" 
afterward to make us the more circumspect in observing the rules of our (that is, the 
christian) profession, as that prince-like prophet saith: “It is greatly for my wealth that Psal. exix. 
thou hast punished me and brought me low, even that I may learn thy righteous ordi- 
nances.” “ Vexation or trouble,” saith the prophet, “giveth understanding.” And when- Isai. xxviii. 
soever we repent and cease to sin, the Lord straightways removeth and taketh away the 
cross that he hath laid upon our backs, and poureth his blessing again plenteously upon 
us. For “though he maketh a wound, he giveth a plaister: though he smite, he maketh Job v. 
whole again.” ‘The Lord killeth, and maketh alive; bringeth down to the grave, and 1 sam. ii. 
fetcheth up again. The Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich; bringeth low, and lifteth 
up again.” “ After a storm, O Lord,” saith holy Toby, “thou makest the weather fair rob. iii 
and calm: after weeping and heaviness thou givest great joy. Thy name, O God of "8! 
Israel, be praised for ever.” 

Eus. If God loveth a man and intendeth to make him partaker of everlasting glory, 
he will not cease to punish him, until he knowledgeth his fault, repent, and become a 
new man. Pil. Ye say truth. For unto this end doth God correct such as he loveth 
and intendeth to save. The Lord saith by the prophet, that he will punish his people 
which sin against him, and run on whoring after strange gods, until they confess their 
fault, and say: “I will turn again to my first husband; for at that time was I better at Hos. ii. 
ease than now.” 

Chris. This is a great comfort for a christian man in his affliction, to hear that God 
punisheth him in this world to this end, that he may cease to sin, that he may repent, 
turn again unto the Lord his God, and so for ever be saved. 

Epaph. But, I pray you, rehearse unto me out of the holy scripture, for the quietness 
of my conscience, some histories which may declare unto me that God, punishing sinners 


peragant; quia ad tormenta, que sine fine sunt, | B. Job. cap. xviii. 44. Tom. I. col. 782. See also 
male agendo festinant.—Gregor. Magni Pape I. | Lib. xxvr. in cap. xxxvi. cap. xxi. 37. col. 829. ] 
Op. Par. 1705. Moral. Lib. xx1v. in cap. xxxiv. 


106 THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 


for their disobedience, doth afterward, when they repent and turn, forgive them and 
receive them again into his favour. 

Phil. In the fourth book of Moses, called Nwmeri, we read that the people of Israel 

Num. xxi. murmured and grudged against God and against Moses, saying unto Moses: “ Where- 
fore hast thou brought us out of Egypt for to die in the wilderness? For here is neither 
bread nor water, and our soul loatheth this light bread.” Now see ye the sin of the 
Israelites. They murmur, they grudge, they are unfaithful, unpatient, and disobedient 
against God and against his lawful magistrate. Now hear again the reward of sin. 
“‘ Wherefore the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, which stung them; and 
much people of Israel died.” Here have ye the punishment of the sin. Now hear also 
the remedy against this punishment, and the salve against this plague. ‘Therefore the 
people came unto Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord 
and against thee: make intercession to the Lord that he take away the serpents from 
us.” Here the people of Israel repenteth, confesseth their sin, turneth’ again unto the 
Lord, and beseecheth Moses to pray for them unto the Lord. Repentance, confession 
of the sin, conversion unto the Lord, and faithful prayer, are the means whereby God’s 
wrath is turned away from us, and his plagues cease. For when Moses had made 
intercession for the people, the Lord said unto him: “ Make a brasen serpent, and set it 
up for a sign, that as many as are bitten may look upon it and live. And Moses made 
a serpent of brass, and set it up for a sign. And when the serpents had bitten any 
man, he beheld the serpent of brass, and was healed.” Here see you the mercy of God 
even in the midst of the cross toward penitent sinners. The Israelites sin; God plagueth: 
the people repenteth ; God turneth away his plague, and healeth them. 

Epaph. A comfortable history. Be there no more such in the holy scriptures ¢ 

Phil. Very many. 

Epaph. Rehearse them, I pray you. For I delight to hear such comfortable histories. 

2 Chron. Phil. 1 am very glad. Manasses king of Juda was an abominable idolater. “He 

a went to and built the hill-altars which good king Ezechias his father had broken down. 
And he reared up altars for Baalim, and made groves, and worshipped all the hosts 
of heaven, and served them, and he built altars in the house of the Lord, where as the 
Lord yet had said, In Hierusalem shall my name be for ever. And he builded altars 
for all the host of heaven in the courts of the house of the Lord. And he burnt his 
children in the fire, in the valley of the son of Hinnon. He was a sorcerer, he regarded 
the crying of birds, used enchantments, and maintained workers with spirits, and seers 
of fortunes, and wrought much evil in the sight of the Lord to anger him withal.” 
And as he himself was an idolater and forsook the Lord God of his fathers; so likewise 
“made he Juda and the inhabiters of Jerusalem to err, and to do worse than the 
heathen,” &c. Now have ye heard how grievously king Manasses sinned against the 
Lord his God. 

Chris. His sins were great and worthy of much punishment. ws. Yea, of ever- 
lasting damnation, if he were handled according to his deserts. 

Epaph. 1 pray you, what became of him ? 

Phil. Albeit the sins of this Manasses were great, yet behold the loving-kindness 
of God toward him and his people. Before he sent any punishment among them, he 
raised up his prophets, which exhorted both him and his subjects to turn from their evil, 
to repent, and to walk in the ordinances and laws of God; but both he and his people 
would not hear the gentle admonitions of God by his prophets, neither regard them. 

Epaph. O stony hearts! But how then? 

Phil. When the Lord saw that by no means they would turn from their abomi- 
nations, and went forth still to offend, he “brought upon them the captains of the 
host of the king of the Assyrians, which took Manasses in hold, and bound him with 
chains, and carried him to Babylon.” Theo. O the righteous judgments of God! 

Epaph. Here we hear that Manasses was punished for his sins, yea, and that 
worthily: but did God cast him away for ever ? 

Phil. Ye shall hear. ‘“ When Manasses was in tribulation, he besought the Lord 





[! So 1561 ; folio, turned. ] 


THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 107 


his God, and humbled himself exceedingly before the God of his fathers, and made 
intercession to him; and God was entreated of him, and heard his prayer, and brought 
him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. And then Manasses knew that the Lord 
was God.” After this he became a new man, and “took away strange gods and 
images out of the house of God, and all the altars that he had built in the mount of 
the house of God and Jerusalem, and cast them out of the city. And he? prepared the 
altar of the Lord, and sacrificed thereon peace-offerings and thank-offerings, and charged 
Juda to serve the Lord God of Israel.” Chris. O happy change ! 

Epaph. Yea, O the great mercies of God! 

Phil. In this history many notable things are to be learned. First, if any such 
as God intendeth to save do offend and break his holy commandments, the Lord will 
not suffer them to escape unpunished, but he visiteth them with his loving rod of 
fatherly correction, that by this means he may call them to repentance and save them. 
Secondly, we learn that, when the Lord correcteth us, and casteth us into trouble, 
then, as we see in Manasses, we make haste unto the Lord, seek him, pray unto him, 
humble ourselves before his divine majesty, and become new men, as the psalmograph 
saith: “When he slew them, they sought him, and turned them early, and inquired Psal. Ixxviii. 
after God. And they remembered that God was their strength, and that the high 
God was their Redeemer.” God himself also saith by the prophet: ‘In their adversity Hos. vi. 
they shall early seek me, and say, Come, let us turn again unto the Lord; for he hath 
smitten us, and he shall heal us: he hath wounded us, and he shall bind us up again.” 
Thirdly, it setteth forth unto us the great and exceeding mercies of God toward penitent 
sinners, whom, so soon as they convert and turn, he receiveth into his favour, forgiveth 
them, taketh away his plagues, and restoreth them to their former, or else much 
better state, according to this saying of the prophet: “If the ungodly will forsake his Isai. v. 
ways, and the unrighteous his imaginations, and turn again unto the Lord, the Lord 
will surely have pity on him; for he is very ready to forgive.” Fourthly, we learn 
of this history, what the duty of such is whom God tofore hath plagued, and now 
restored to their former state; verily, to become new men, to walk for ever after in 
the fear of God, to mortify their carnal affects, to flee from sin, as from a venomous 
serpent, to garnish their conversation with godly and christian manners, and to serve 
the Lord God “in holiness and righteousness all the days of their life.’ So saith the Lukei. 
psalmograph: “It is greatly for my profit that thou, O Lord, hast corrected me, that Psal. exix. 
I may learn thine ordinances.” Hereto pertaineth the saying of the prophet: “ Vex- Isai. xxviii, 
ation giveth understanding.” “O Lord, thou hast corrected me; and thy chastening Jer. xxxi. 
have I received as an untamed calf,” saith the prophet Jeremy. “Turn thou me, 
and I shall be turned; for thou art my Lord God: yea, as soon as thou turnest me, 

I shall reform myself; and when I understand, I shall smite upon my thigh.” 

Epaph. Many godly lessons have you taught us out of this history, brother Phi- 
lemon. They that read and consider the histories of the holy scriptures on this manner, 
they are no vain readers; but they read with much _ profit. 

Phil. This is the true use of histories; otherwise to read them availeth little. In The true use 
the histories of the holy scriptures, as in most pleasant mirrors and godly glasses, we the holy © 
behold our frail nature, our wicked will, our beast-like manners and sinful life. We” 
see God's justice, punishment, and vengeance upon the disobedient and _stiff-necked 
transgressors of his holy commandments. Again, we behold his tender mercy and 
loving-kindness toward penitent sinners; and how ready he is to forgive, whensoever 
we turn unto him. Moreover, in holy histories we consider what our duty is toward 
God, after we have received benefits of him: verily, to labour unto the uttermost 
of our power to be thankful unto him, and to live worthy his kindness. These and 
such like things must the godly reader consider, when he readeth the histories of the 
holy scripture; or else his reading avyaileth little. 

Theo. It is truly said. 

Epaph. 1 remember that I heard once the prayer which Manasses king of Juda 
prayed unto God, when he was a prisoner? in Babylon. I would gladly hear it again. 

Phil. Is there not a bible here? Hus. Here is one. 





[? From edition of 1561; folio, the, and prison.] 


The prayer 
of Manasses. 


Isai. xliii. 
1 John i. 
Heb. x. 


Psal. xxxii. 


Wisd. xi. 


Tsai. xxviii. 
m. X. 
John xi. 


John iii. 


Luke xv. 


108 THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 


Epaph. 1 pray you, turn unto the prayer, and read it unto me. 

Eus. The prayer is this. “O Lord almighty, God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac, 
and Jacob, and of the righteous seed of them; which hast made heaven and earth, 
with all the ornament thereof; which hast ordained the sea by the word of thy com- 
mandment; which hast shut up the deep, and hast sealed it for thy’ fearful and 
laudable name, which all men fear, and tremble before the face of thy virtue, and 
for the anger of thy threatening, which is not able to be borne of sinners. But the 
mercy of thy promise is great and unsearchable; for thou art the Lord God most high 
above all the earth, long-suffering, and exceeding merciful, and repentant for the malice 
of men. Thou, Lord, after thy goodness hast promised repentance of the remission 
of sins; and thou, that art the God of the righteous, hast not put repentance to the 
righteous, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, unto them that have not sinned against thee: 
but because I have sinned above the number of the sands of the sea, and that mine 
iniquities are exceeding many, I am brought low with many bonds of iron; and there 
is in me no breathing: I have provoked thine anger, and done evil before thee in 
committing abominations, and multiplying offences. And now I bow the knees of my 
heart, requiring goodness of thee, O Lord: I have sinned, Lord, I have sinned, and 
I knowledge mine iniquity: I desire thee by prayer, O Lord, forgive me: forgive me, 
and destroy me not with mine iniquities; neither do thou always remember mine evils, 
to punish them; but save me, which am unworthy, after thy great mercy, and I will 
praise thee everlastingly all the days of my life; for all the power of heaven praiseth 
thee, and unto thee belongeth glory world without end. Amen.” 

Epaph. A fruitful and godly prayer. God give me grace so to repent and to pray, 
that I may have the Lord my God merciful unto me. For I have also grievously 
offended my Lord God; and I most humbly beseech him for his name’s sake to have 
mercy on me, and to forgive me. 

Phil. Be on good comfort, and weep not. God, seeing your repentant and faithful 
heart, hath freely forgiven you all your sins, and cast them away behind his back, so 
that he will never remember them more. The blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, hath 
made you clean from all sin. By the offering of Jesus Christ's body done once for all 
you are sanctified and made holy. Ye are the blessed of God; for your iniquities are 
forgiven, your sins are covered, and no unrighteousness shall be laid to your charge. 

Epaph. God grant! 

Phil. Tt is most certain. Where repentance and faith is, there is also God’s mercy, 
favour, loving-kindness, and remission of sins. “Thou, O Lord,” saith the wise man, 
“makest thee as thou sawest not the sins of men for repentance sake.” And the 
prophet saith: “All that believeth on him (he speaketh of Christ) shall not be 
confounded.” And Christ saith of himself: ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He 
that believeth on me, yea, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever 
liveth and believeth on me, he shall never die.” Also in another place he saith: “God 
so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on 
him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the 
world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved.” 

Epaph. Godly and comfortable sentences. God give me grace never to forget them! 

Chris. Amen. 

Epaph. You, brother Philemon, have rehearsed two notable and comfortable his- 
tories out of the old testament, which declare that God, punishing sinners for their 
disobedience, doth notwithstanding afterward, when they repent and tum, forgive 
them and receive them again into his favour. Rehearse unto me also, I pray you, 
one or two histories out of the new testament concerning that matter. 

Phil. I will do it very gladly. Ye remember the history of the prodigal son, 
written in the gospel of blessed Luke ? 

Epaph. What is that, I pray you? 

Phil. Blessed Luke telleth that “‘a certain man had two sons; and the younger of 
them said unto his father, Father, give me the portion of the goods that to me belongeth. 
And he divided unto them his substance.” Hitherto have ye heard of the father’s 





{! Thy is inserted from edition of 1561.] 


THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 109 


liberality toward his son. It followed: “And not long after, when the younger son 
had gathered al! that he had together, he took his journey into a far country, and 
there he wasted his goods with riotous living.” Here see we the wickedness of the 
son. Now behold the plague of God. “And when he had spent all, there arose a 
great dearth in all that land; and he began to lack, and went and came to a citizen 
of the same country; and he sent him to his farm to keep swine. And he would 
have filled his belly with the cods that the swine did eat; and no man gave unto 
him.” Thus see ye into how great misery he is fallen for the misusing of his goods. 
Behold now again his repentant and sorrowful heart: “Then he came to himself, 
and said, How many hired servants at my father’s have bread enough! And I perish 
with hunger. I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I 
have sinned against heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy 
son: make me as one of thy hired servants. And he arose, and came to his father.” 
Now mark also the pitiful compassion and tender mercy of the father toward his son: 
** But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and 
ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have 
sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. 
But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best garment, and put it on him; 
and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring hither that fat calf, and 
kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: for this my son was dead, and is alive again; 
he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.” In this history do ye see 
the exceeding great mercy of God toward penitent sinners most lively painted and set 
forth. So soon as this wasteful son repented him of his riotous living, and had a mind 
to return home unto his father, and to humble himself before him, and to desire mercy 
and forgiveness of his sins, O how gladly and how joyfully did his father lovingly 
embrace him, sweetly kiss him, friendly salute him, heartily entertain him, and so 
dearly receive him into his favour, as though he had never offended ! 

Epaph. ©O the great and infinite mercies of God! 

Phil. Tere see ye that to be true, which God himself saith by the prophet: “ Thou Jer. iii. 
disobedient Israel, turn again, saith the Lord; and I will not let my wrath fall upon 
you. For I am merciful, saith the Lord, and I will not alway bear displeasure against 
thee, &c. O ye disobedient children, turn again, saying, Lo, we are thine, for thou 
art the Lord our God; and so shall I heal your back-turnings.”. By another prophet 
he also saith: “ As truly as I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death Ezck. xxiii. 
of the wicked; but much rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn 
you, turn you, from your ungodly ways, O ye of the house of Israel: O wherefore 
will ye die?” “The wickedness of the wicked shall not hurt him, whensoever he 
converteth from his ungodliness.” Again by the aforesaid prophet he saith: “ Repent, Ezek. xviii. 
and turn you from all your iniquities ; and your iniquities shall work you no displeasure. 

Cast away from you all your wickednesses, wherein ye have offended, and make you 
a new heart and a new spirit. And wherefore will ye die, O ye house of Israel ? 
For I will not that any man should die, saith the Lord. Return therefore, and live.” 

Epaph. Are these words spoken as well to us as to the people of Israel ? 

Phil. Yea, tous. ‘Of a truth,” saith blessed Peter, “I perceive that there is no Acts x. 
respect of persons with God; but in all people he that feareth him and worketh right- 
eousness is accepted with him.” “Is he the God of the Jews only? Is he not also the Rom. iii. 
God of the gentiles? yea, even of the gentiles also,” saith blessed Paul. ‘For it is God 
only which justifieth the circumcision that is of faith, and uncircumcision through faith.” 

“For he is not a Jew which is a Jew outward; neither is it circumcision which is Rom. ii. 
outward in the flesh: but he is a Jew which is hid within; and the circumcision of 

the heart is true circumcision, which consisteth in the spirit, and not in the letter; 
whose praise is not of men, but of God.” “There is no difference between the Jew Rom. x. 
and the gentile. For one is Lord of all, which is rich unto all that call upon him. 

For whosoever doth call on the name of the Lord shall be safe.” Therefore, “‘ whatsoever Acts ii. 
things were written aforetime, they were written for our learning; that we, through aes 
patience and the comfort of the scriptures, might have hope.” 

Theo. “Ye gentiles,” saith St Paul, “were in times past without Christ, being Ep». ii 


John v. 


Isai. Ixv. 


Luke xxiii. 


Rom. v. 


Luke x. xv. 


110 THE SICK MAN'S SALVE. 


aliants from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the testaments of the 
promise, having no hope, and being without God in this world. But now, by the 
means of Christ Jesu, ye, which sometime were afar off, are made nigh by the 
blood of Christ. For he is our peace, which hath made of both one, and hath broken 
down the wall that was a stop between us, and hath also put away through his flesh 
the cause of hatred, even the law of commandments contained in the law written, for 
to make of twain one new man in himself, so' making peace, and to reconcile both 
unto God in one body through the cross, and slew hatred thereby, and came and 
preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them which were nigh. For through 
him we both have an entrance in one Spirit unto the Father. Now therefore ye 
are not strangers and foreigners, but citizens with the saints, and of the household of 
God, and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ 
himself being the head corner-stone, in whom what building soever is coupled together, 
it groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord; in whom ye also are builded together, to 
be an habitation of God, through the Holy Ghost.” 

Epaph. Blessed be the Lord our God, which hath made us gentiles also partakers 
of his heavenly blessings! But, brother Philemon, hitherto have ye rehearsed out of 
the new testament but one history. Your promise was to recite two at the least. 
Fulfil your promise, I pray you. 

Phil. In the gospel of John we read that there was a certain man which had 
been diseased thirty-eight years, plagued of God (without doubt) for his sins. So 
soon as our Saviour Christ perceived that he had a mind to be made whole, he said 
unto him: “ Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. And straightways the man was made 
whole.” “ Afterward Christ found him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold 
thou art made whole: look thou sin no more after this, lest a worse thing chance unto 
thee.” These words of our Saviour Christ do plainly declare that this man was a 
grievous sinner, and that this his long disease, sickness, and trouble, was cast upon 
him for his sin and disobedience against the Lord his God. And yet note, so soon 
as he had a mind to be made whole, even before he made his moan unto Christ, or 
knew what Christ was, this most loving and gentle Saviour made him whole, and 
bade him sin no more. 

Eus. Here is that fulfilled which God speaketh by the prophet: “It shall be 
that, or ever they call, I.shall answer them: while they are yet but thinking how 
to speak, I shall hear them.” 

Phil. The history of the thief, which was put to death with Christ, is not to 
be let pass. What a malefactor and wicked person he was, the holy scripture doth 
declare. Notwithstanding, so soon as he humbled himself, repented him of his former 
life, confessed his sin, and called upon Christ for mercy, saying, “Lord, remember 
me when thou comest into thy kingdom,” he was straightways received into favour, 
and heard these most comfortable words at the mouth of Christ: “‘ Verily I say unto 
thee, This day shalt thou be with me in paradise.” 

Chris. Here is also that saying of God by the prophet found true: “At all 
times when a sinner turneth unto me, saith the Lord, I will no more bear his ini- 
quities in mind, but freely forgive them.” 

Epaph. Here is then a good and comfortable lesson, that whensoever we turn from 
our wickedness, the Lord our God will forgive us our sins, and give us favour, grace, 
mercy, life, and everlasting glory. 

Phil. Truth it is, brother Epaphroditus. Believe it; and all things shall go well 
with you. You shall find much comfort and great joy in your conscience. <A quiet 
and merry heart shall you have within you, as St Paul saith: “ We, being justified 
by faith, have peace,” that is to say, quietness of conscience, “toward God, through our 
Lord Jesus Christ, by whom also it chanced unto us to be brought in through faith 
unto this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” How greatly 
also do the histories of the wounded man and of the lost sheep (as I may let other 
pass) set forth God’s exceeding mercy toward penitent sinners, be they never so griev- 





[’ So 1561; folio, to.] 


THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 111 


ously wounded and diseased! “ A certain man,” saith our Saviour Christ, “ descended Lute x. 
from Jerusalem to Hierico, and fell among thieves, which robbed him of his raiment, 
and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And it chanced that there 
came down a certain priest that same way, and when he saw him, he passed by. 
And likewise a Levite, when he went nigh to the place, came and looked on him, and 
passed by. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came unto him; and when he 
saw him, he had compassion on him, and went to him, and bound up his wounds, 
and poured in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to a 
common inn, and made provision for him. And on the morrow when he departed, 
he took two-pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take cure on him; 
and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will recompense thee.” 

Epaph. There was small charity both in the priest and in the Levite. 

Phil. You say truth. 

Epaph. But who was that Samaritan? For he was very gentle and loving. 

Phil. Christ Jesus the Lord, which is the self gentleness and love, which also 
refuseth no labour, no pain, no cost, in seeking our salvation. He it is alone which, 
as the prophet saith, “hath taken on him our infirmities, and borne our pains.” Isai. tii. 
“He himself,” as Peter saith, “bare our sins in his body on the tree, that we, being 1 pet. ii 
delivered from sin, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. 
For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now turned unto the Shepherd and Bishop 
of your souls.” 

Epaph. You spake of the lost sheep also. 

Phil. Truth. Blessed Luke telleth the parable on this manner: “ What man of Luke xv. 
you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave ninety-and-nine 
in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath? 
found it, he layeth it on his shoulders with joy. And as soon as he cometh home, 
he calleth together his lovers and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; 
for I have found my sheep which was lost.” Hereof our Saviour Christ concludeth : 
“IT say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, 
more than over ninety-and-nine just persons, which need no repentance.” This parable, 
with the other of the woman that lost a groat, setteth forth marvellously the loving- 
kindness of Christ toward penitent sinners. For of that he also concludeth and 
saith: “ Likewise, I say unto you, shall there be joy in the presence of the angels 
of God over one sinner that repenteth.” 

Epaph. Great comfort is there for penitent sinners and weak consciences in these 
histories and parables, which you, neighbour Philemon, have full gently declared unto me. 

Phil. 1 am glad, brother Epaphroditus, to hear you so say. And be ye well 
assured they are no less true than comfortable. Persuade yourself that Christ is a 
most loving and faithful physician to so many as feel themselves diseased ; yea, he so Matt. ix. 
much tendereth our health, that he calleth us unto him, and promiseth that he will matt. xi. 
ease us of our grief, if we will come unto him, and heal all our diseases. ‘They matt. ix. 
that are strong need no physician, but they that are sick.” And Christ “came not 
to call the righteous, but sinners unto repentance.” If ye therefore feel yourself sick 
and grieved with the burden of sin, come unto the physician Christ, shew him your 
wounds, and he will undoubtedly heal them, as ye heard afore of the wounded man. Luke x. 
Despair not, though your sins be never so great and innumerable: ‘“ For the Son of Luke xix. 
man came to seek up and to save that was lost.” Christ is that “Lamb of God, sohni. 
which taketh away the sin of the world.” “This is a true saying, and worthy of all 1 Timi. 
men to be received, that Christ Jesus came into this world to save sinners.” ‘ Who- Isai. xxviii. 
soever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.” “ Because he hath put his trust in Pal a 
me,” saith God by the psalmograph, “TI will deliver, yea, I will defend him, because 
he hath known my name.” 

Epaph. Then I trust, whether the Lord my God punisheth me for the trial of my 
faith, or for my sins, that by this means he may call me unto repentance, it is no 
token of his wrath and heavy displeasure toward me. 

Phil. No, be ye well assured. “For whom the Lord loveth, him he chasteneth, Prov. ii. 





[2 So 1561; folio, had. ] 


Heb. xii. 


Rev. iii. 


Psal. 1. 


Nahum i. 
Psal. xxxiv. 


Psal. exlvii. 


Psal. exxxvi. 


Isai. Ixvi. 


Zech. i. 


1 John v. 


Psal. exlv. 


2 Kings xx. 


Dan. iii. 


Dan. vi. 
Hist. Sus. 


Luke xxii. 


Acts vii. 


Acts xii. 


1 Cor. x. 


Psal. xci. 


112 THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 


and yet delighteth in him as a father in his own son.” “What son is he whom 
the father chasteneth not? If ye be not under correction,” saith St Paul, “ whereof 
all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.” And God himself saith: “As 
many as I love, I rebuke and chasten.” So that this your sickness is the loving 
visitation of God, sent unto you, not for your destruction, but for your’ salvation. 

Epaph. 1 may then be bold to call upon the Lord my God in this my sickness. 

Phil. Why not? God hath commanded you so to do, and hath also promised to 
hear you. 

Epaph. Where is that commandment and promise of God ? 

Phil. Vt is written in a certain psalm by that prince-like prophet David. 

Epaph. Wet me hear it. 

Phil. “Call on me,” saith God, “in the time of thy trouble; and I will deliver 
thee; and thou shalt honour me.” Here God doth not only command us to call on 
him in the time of our trouble, but he also promiseth! graciously to hear us, and to 
grant us our request. And for this his benefit he requireth nothing of us but thanks- 
giving. Chris. “Full gracious is the Lord, and a strong-hold in the time of trouble : 
he knoweth them that put their trust in him.” “The Lord is nigh unto them that 
are of a troubled heart, and will save such as be of an humble spirit.” “The Lord 
healeth those that are broken in heart, and giveth medicine to heal their sickness.” 
“The Lord remembered us,” saith the psalmograph, “when we were in trouble ; for 
his mercy endureth for ever.” ‘Unto whom shall I have respect, or whom shall I 
favour?” saith God by the prophet. ‘ Verily, even him that is miserable, poor, low 
brought, troubled in spirit, and standeth in awe of my words.” 

Phil. Truth it is that the Lord is good and gracious unto them that put their 
trust in him, and to the soul that seeketh after him. Therefore, brother Epaphroditus, 
fear not in this your sickness diligently and without ceasing to flee unto God with 
hearty and faithful prayers, nothing doubting but that he will favourably hear you, 
and grant you whatsoever ye ask according to his will, as St John saith: “This is 
the trust that we have in him, that if we ask any thing according to his will, he 
heareth us. And if we know that he hear us whatsoever we ask, we know that we 
have the petitions that we desire of him.” “For the Lord is nigh unto all that call 
on him, yea, that call on him in truth.” After this manner did all good men and 
women behave themselves, whensoever they were assailed with any kind of trouble 
or adversity. King Ezechias, when he was grievously sick, and had received a com- 
mandment from God, that he should set his house in an order, for he should die, and 
not live, turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the Lord; and the Lord heard 
him, made him whole, and saved him alive fifteen years after. The three children, 
Sidrach, Misach, and Abednago, when they were cast into the fiery furnace, because 
they would not worship the golden image at the commandment of king Nabuchodo- 
nosor, prayed unto the Lord, and he both graciously heard them and delivered them. 
Daniel, being in the den of lions, prayed unto God, and was preserved. Susanne, 
forsaken of all men, and at the point to be stoned unto death through the unjust 
and false accusations of two wicked judges, prayed unto the Lord her God, and she 
was both heard and safely delivered. Our Saviour Christ, in the time of his trouble 
and passion, prayed so fervently unto his heavenly Father, that his sweat was like 
drops of blood trickling down to the ground. Blessed Stephen, when the stones came 
battering about his body, prayed earnestly. When Peter was in prison, there was 
prayers made of the congregation for him. 

Many other such-like examples have we in the holy bible, which declare unto us 
that all good men and women in their adversity have alway fled unto God by fer- 
vent prayer for remedy; neither have they been deceived of their purpose. “For God 
is faithful, which will not suffer us to be tempted above our strength; but shall in 
the midst of the temptation make a way that we may be able to bear it.” For the 
Lord himself saith: ‘ Forasmuch as he hath put his trust in me, I will deliver him: 
I will be good to him, because he hath known my name. He hath cried unto me; 
and I will graciously hear him: I am with him in trouble: I will deliver him, and 


[} So 1561; folio, you, and promised. | 


THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 113 


bring him to honour. With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.” 
“When I was in trouble,” saith David, “I called upon the Lord; and he heard me.” Psal. exx. 
Again he saith: “I will call upon the Lord, which is worthy to be praised: so shall 

I be safe from mine enemies. The sorrows of death compassed, and the overflowings 

of ungodliness made me afraid. The pains of hell came about me, the snares of 

death overtook me. But in my trouble I called upon the Lord, and made my com- 

plaint unto my God; and he full graciously heard my voice from his holy temple; 

and my complaint came before him, so that it entered even into his ears.” And as 

the psalmograph in all his trouble cried unto the Lord and was holpen, so did all 

his faithful ancestors, as these his words do declare; and they also were heard: “Our psa. xxii. 
fathers hoped in thee: they trusted in thee; and thou didst deliver them. They 

called upon thee, and were helped: they put their trust in thee, and were not con- 
founded.” And unto this day have all the faithful in their adversity cried unto the 

Lord, and have received help. ‘For there is one Lord of all, rich enough for all Rom. x. 
that call on him; so that whosoever calleth on the name of the Lord, he shall be ei 
safe.” For “none shall be confounded that putteth his trust in him.” “This poor Tsai. xxviii 
man cried,” saith David; “and the Lord heard him, and saved him from all his ~ 
troubles. For the angel of the Lord pitcheth his tent round about them that fear him, 

and delivereth them. O taste therefore, and see how gentle, gracious, and loving the 

Lord is: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.” 

Eus. Brother Epaphroditus, all these sentences and histories, which our neighbour 
Philemon hath here recited unto you out of the holy scriptures, ought to encourage 
you to pray unto the Lord God in this your sickness, with a strong and unshaken 
faith, and to be fully persuaded that God will both graciously hear you, and also 
work that in you which shall turn most unto his glory, and unto the salvation of 
your soul. For “behold, the Lord’s hand is not so shortened that it cannot help, tsai. tix. 
neither is his ear so stopped that it may not hear.” “Our God is such a God as Pasal. Ixviii. 
saveth.” ‘With the Lord our God there is health, and he layeth his blessing upon Psal. iii. 
his people.” Whom did God ever despise that called faithfully upon him? “ For God Ecctus. ii. 
is gracious and merciful: he forgiveth sins in the time of trouble, and is a defender 
for all them that seek after him.” 

Theo. The wise man saith: “Son, in thy sickness despise not thyself, but pray rectus. 
to the Lord; and he shall heal thee.” Here is a commandment given to pray unto ™**" 
God in the time of our sickness, and also a promise added, that he will hear, heal, 
and help us; as he saith by the psalmograph: “Call on me in the day of thy trouble; Psat.1. 
and I wiil deliver thee; and thou shalt honour me.” 

Chris. St James in his epistle also saith: “If any be diseased among you, let Jamesv. 
him call for the elders of the congregation, and let them pray over him, and anoint 
him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and 
the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven 
him.” 

Phil. That God, being faithfully called upon, will help in the time of sickness, 
we have many examples in the holy scriptures, which may worthily comfort us and 
stir up our faith toward God, looking for help at his most merciful hand. But for 
this present let this one example of king Ezechias suffice, whom being appointed to 2 Kings xx. 
die, after he had called on the name of the Lord, the Lord our God graciously heard 
his request, restored him to his health, and gave him fifteen years more to live in this 
world after that his sickness. Notwithstanding, brother Epaphroditus, albeit we doubt 
not but that, you praying unto God in this your sickness, God will mercifully hear 
you, and work that in you which shall be most unto his glory, and the health of 
your soul; yet, forasmuch as you know not what is most expedient for you, be con- 
tent in all your prayers to submit your will to the good will of God, which, without 
all doubt, tendereth the health of your soul more than any mortal friend tendereth 
the health of your body. In all temporal and worldly things that you crave of God sy 
in your prayers, prefer the will of God unto your own will, and be content to receive 
at the hand of God as shall be his godly pleasure to appoint. ‘‘ For whether we nom. xiv. 
live or die, we are the Lord’s.” 


[prcon, 111. ] : 


Matt. xxvi. 


Mark xiv. 
Luke xxii. 


Matt. xxvi. 


Matt. vi. 


Matt. viii. 


Phil. i. 


Phil. ii. 


Luke xviii. 


1 Pet. v. 


A prayer. 


114 THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 


An example hereof have you of our Saviour Christ, which, a little before his 
passion, being greatly dismayed with the terrors and fears of death, prayed unto his 
heavenly Father, that these bitter pains and torments, which were at hand for him to 
suffer, might be removed from him, so that he might not suffer them, but be free 
from them. Notwithstanding, knowing that the will of his heavenly Father is ever 
best and most perfect, and that all wills of men ought to give place unto his godly 
will, he wished rather the will of God to be done, than the will of him, being man, 
and so submitted himself to God’s holy will, being contented to suffer in his body 
whatsoever should be his godly pleasure to appoint. The words of Christ’s prayer in 
this behalf are these: “‘O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup depart from me: 
notwithstanding, not as I will, but as thou wilt.” Again: ““O my Father, if this 
cup cannot go from me, but that I must drink it, thy will be done.” 

That we ought in all our prayers for temporal things to submit our will to the 
good will and pleasure of God, and no more to desire of him than may stand with 
his blessed will, Christ our Lord and Saviour teacheth us in that common prayer 
which we’ call the Pater noster, where we pray on this manner: “Thy will be done 
in earth, as it is in heaven.” This manner of praying practised the leper, which 
came unto Christ to be healed of his leprosy. ‘‘ Lord,” saith he, “if thou wilt, thou 
art able to make me whole.” Here this faithful leper confessed Christ, through the 
almighty power of his godhead, to be able for to cleanse him, and to make him 
whole: notwithstanding, he submitted his will to the will of Christ, that, if the Lord 
Christ thought it not meet to make him whole, but that it was better for his sal- 
vation to continue a leper still, he refused not to suffer that plague of leprosy upon 
his body even unto the very death. 

Thus affected, neighbour Epaphroditus, must we all be, whensoever we ask any 
temporal or worldly thing of God. And this trade follow you in this your sickness, 
when you pray unto God. Desire God to remove this your disease from you, and 
to bless you again with the benefit of health, that you may live long and see good 
days on earth; yet, in these your prayers, be content to submit your will to his 
godly will, yea, though death should follow, knowing that, if death do ensue of this 
your sickness, it shall be no loss, but avantage unto you, as St Paul saith: “Christ 
is to me life; and death is to me avantage.” On this manner did Christ our elder 
brother submit his will unto the will of his heavenly Father, as you afore heard, and 
so humbled himself that “he became obedient unto death, even the death of the 
cross.” Note now what followeth: ‘“‘ Wherefore God hath also exalted him on high, 
and given him a name which is above all names; that in the name of Jesus every 
knee should bow, both of things in heaven, and things in the earth, and things under 
the earth; and that all tongues should confess that Jesus Christ is the Lord, unto 
the praise of God the Father.” “He that humbleth himself shall be set high.” For 
the Lord is a friend to them that be humble and submit their wills to his godly 
will and pleasure. 

Epaph. O Lord, thy will be done, and not mine. I confess, O heavenly Father, 
that my manifold wickedness and unnumerable sins have not only deserved this sick- 
ness, which is thy most gentle, fatherly, and loving correction, but also very hell, 
and the bitter pains thereof, if thou shouldest handle me according to my deserts. 
I have sinned, I have sinned, O Lord God, against thy holy laws, and I have broken 
thy blessed commandments, most grievously offending thy glorious Majesty. Whatso- 
ever I suffer I worthily suffer, ah! wretch that I am! My sin I confess, and with 
an humble heart and broken spirit I flee unto the throne of thy favourable mercy, 
most humbly beseeching thee, for Jesus Christ’s sake, to forgive me all my sins which 
I have committed against thy divine Majesty from the hour of my birth unto this 
present time, and to receive me into the holy fellowship of those thy blessed and 
chosen people, whom, before the beginning of the world, thou didst appoint heirs of 
thy heavenly kingdom in Christ Jesu our Lord, that they might for ever and ever 
reign with thee in glory. Ah! Lord, give me grace to bear this cross both patiently 


{! From 1561; folio, he.] 


THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 115 


and thankfully. Suffer me not once to murmur, grudge, or spurn against thy holy 
will; but with a patient and thankful heart to wait on thy blessed pleasure, being 
alway content to bear whatsoever burden thou layest on my shoulders, with this per- 
suasion and assured faith, that whatsoever I suffer is unto the glory of thy name, and 
unto the health of my soul. O Lord, thy will be done, and not mine. Amen, amen. 

Neighbours, I am very sick, and my pain increaseth more and more. 

Phil. The Lord’s will be done in you, neighbour Epaphroditus. Fear not, al- 
though present death were at hand. For “whether you live or die, ye are the Lord’s.” Rom. xiv. 
God hath sealed you up in Christ’s blood unto everlasting life. Your name, doubt Luke x. 
ye not, is written in the book of life. Ye are of the number of those whom God, 
before the foundations of the world were laid, hath chosen in Christ to be his sons Eph. i. 
and heirs: ye are the dearly-beloved son of God. Ye are inheritor of God’s glorious 
kingdom. God, for your earnest faith’s sake in the blood of Christ, hath forgiven you 
all your sins that ever ye committed against him from the day of your birth unto 
this hour. He hath cast away all your iniquities behind his back, so that he will 
never remember them any more. Ye are counted among them whose unrighteousness Psal, xxxii 
are forgiven, and whose sins are covered, and unto whom the Lord imputeth no sin. 

God loveth you, God careth for you, God is on your side: who then can endamage 

or hurt you? Who can lay any thing unto your charge? “It is God that justifieth Rom. viii 
you: who then can condemn you?” Ye need not fear either Satan, or sin, or any 

other thing that should trouble your conscience. “For there is no damnation to them Rom. viii. 
that are in Christ Jesu, which walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the 

law of the Spirit of life through Jesus Christ hath made you free from the law of 

sin and death. For what the law could not do, inasmuch as it was weak because 

of the flesh, that performed God, and sent his Son in the similitude of sinful flesh, 

and by sin damned sin in the flesh; that the righteousness of the law might be ful- 

filled in us, which walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” 

Epaph. 1 thank you, neighbour Philemon, for your ghostly and comfortabie in- 
structions. For I am well comforted with these your words, and I faithfully believe 
that God the Father, for his promise sake made unto all faithful penitent sinners in 
Christ’s blood, hath so freely and wholly forgiven me all my sins, that he will never 
remember them more, nor lay them unto my charge; but so love me and tender my 
salvation, as though I had never offended his fatherly goodness. And in this faith I 
submit myself, my body and soul, and all that I have, unto his godly will, to do 
with me in all things whatsoever his good pleasure shall be. “ For live we, die we, Rom. xiv. 
we are the Lord’s.” 

And, Lord, I most humbly beseech thee, call to remembrance thy tender mercies, 4 prayer. 
and thy loving-kindnesses, which have been ever of old. O remember not the sins and ovis 
offences of my youth; but, according unto thy mercy, think thou upon me, O Lord, 
for thy goodness. Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me; for I am desolate 
and in misery. The sorrows of my heart are enlarged: O bring thou me out of my 
troubles. Look upon mine adversity and misery, and forgive me all my sin. O keep my 
soul and deliver me: let me not be confounded; for I have put my trust in thee. 

Phil. I much rejoice to see in you these works of faithful repentance. This 
humbling of yourself before the majesty of God, this lamenting of your sins, this 
faithful and hearty calling on the Lord’s name for remission of sins in Christ’s blood, 
for the tranquillity, peace, quietness, and rest of conscience, for the favour and grace 
of God, for God’s will to be done in you, is without doubt a sure seal unto your 
conscience, that God loveth, favoureth, and tendereth you, yea, and that much more 
than any natural father maketh of his son. “ Whoso serveth God,” saith the wise Eeclus. xxxv. 
man, “after his pleasure, shall be accepted; and his prayer reacheth unto the clouds. 

The prayer of him that humbleth himself goeth through the clouds till she come 

nigh. She will not be comforted, nor go her way, until the highest God have respect 

unto her.” “The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a contrite heart,” saith the Psal. xxxiv. 

psalmograph, “and will save such as be of an humble spirit.”. The sinful publican, Luke xviii. 

thus humbling himself, obtained the favour of God, remission of sins, and went home 

more righteous than the proud Pharisee. So likewise the centurion, confessing his Matt. vii 
8—2 


Psal. cii. 


A prayer. 


Matt. xxvi. 


Luke xvii. 
Mark ix. 
Psal. Ixxix. 


A prayer. 
Psal. Ixviii. 


Matt. xxiv. 
Mark xiii. 
Rev. xvi. 


2 Kings xx. 


The true use 
of riches. 


116 THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 


unworthiness for the receiving of Christ into his house, obtained health for his sick 
servant. Likewise the leper, with divers other, humbling themselves before Christ, 
obtained their hearts’ desire. “For God,” saith David, “hath respect unto the prayer 
of the humble and such as be! destitute, and despiseth not their desire,’ but heareth 
their mournings, that he may deliver them and save them. 

Eus. Now, neighbour, how do you? I pray you, be strong in God, and re- 
joice in his saving health. 

Epaph. O neighbour Eusebius, my body is weak, my heart is faint, my wits 
are feeble, my memory almost faileth me: no part of me is free from sickness and 

ain. 

: But, Lord, I beseech thee, strengthen thou me, and endue me with power from 
above; that as the spirit is ready, so likewise the flesh, which is ever weak and unready, 
may be obedient to thy godly will, and freely consent to the working of thy blessed 
pleasure. Lord, increase my faith. Lord, help my unbelief. Lord, remember not 
mine old sins', but have mercy upon me, and that soon; for I am come to great 
misery. Help me, O God my Saviour, for the glory of thy name. O deliver me, 
and be merciful unto my sins, for thy name’s sake. 

Eus. God hath ever been merciful unto you, and so will continue unto the end, 
doubt you not. 

Epaph. That is my only comfort. And, Lord, I most humbly pray thee, confirm 
that which thou hast begun to work in me, and keep me blameless against the coming 
of thy dear Son. 

But where is my loving neighbour Philemon? I would be glad to have his 
counsel in a certain matter. Where is he? 

Phil. Neighbour, here at hand. What is your pleasure? 

Epaph. \ perceive right well that my sickness doth not decrease, but increase ; 
so that I cannot long continue in that state wherein I am now. And I think verily 
that the Lord my God hath sent this sickness unto me as a messenger, to aforewarn 
me of my departure from this world, that, when he come, he may not find me unpre- 
pared or unready. And I most heartily thank him for it. Therefore, neighbour Phi- 
lemon, and neighbours all, I think it best even out of hand to dispose my temporal 
possessions, and to set an order in such worldly goods as God hath lent me; that after 
my departure there be no dissension nor strife for them, among such as I most wish to 
be linked together with perpetual amity and continual friendship. It shall also, I 
trust, be a great quietness unto my mind. 

Phil. Tf you have not already, brother Epaphroditus, disposed and set an order 
in your temporal things, I wish it to be done with all expedition. For such things 
ought to be considered, when we be most perfect in health; forasmuch as our life is 
uncertain, and we know not how soon death cometh. 

Epaph. I thought not that the time of my life had been so short; and therefore 
I deferred the matter. But I see now that no man is certain of his life until to- 
morrow: therefore ought we all to watch, and to provide that we be not found un- 
ready, when the Lord cometh. 

Theo. When that godly king Ezechias was sick, God sent the prophet Esaias 
unto him, and willed him to say unto him on this wise: “Thus saith the Lord God, 
Set thy house in an order; for thou shalt die, and not live.” Here learn we the good- 
will of God, which is that they, whom the Lord hath endued with the goods of the 
world, should before their departure set a godly order and quiet stay in their temporal 
possessions. 

Epaph. You say truth, neighbour Theophile; and therefore, I pray you, bring hither 
pen, ink, and paper, with all expedition; and let my will be written. For I thank 
the Lord my God, I am as well contented to leave the goods of the world, as ever 
I was to enjoy them. And in this behalf I have to thank the Lord my God, that 
since I came to the use of reason, and had any worldly possessions at all, I have 


[" So edition of 1561; folio the, and sinners. ] 


THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 117 


always made them to serve me; and I never served them, but at all times could be 
contented to depart from them, whensoever the glory of God and the commodity of 
my neighbour did require. 

Chris. Then did you use your goods aright. And you were not rich in the world, 


but in the Lord, and of the number of those of whom it is written: “ Blessed are the Matt. v. 


poor in spirit; for unto them belongeth the kingdom of heaven.” The psalmograph 


saith: “‘If riches do abound, set not thy heart upon them.” And the holy apostle Psal. txii. 
commandeth that “they which use the world should be as though they used it not: 1 Cor. vii, 


for the fashion of this world goeth away.” St John also saith: “See that ye love 
not the world, neither the things that are in the world....for all that is in the world 
(as the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life) is not of the 
Father, but of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof; but he 
that fulfilleth the will of God abideth for ever.” 

Epaph. God grant all men to follow this doctrine. O Lord, how sick am I! 
Where is the pen, ink, and paper? 

Eus. Here, sir. 

Epaph. Write, neighbour Philemon, I pray you. 

Phil. What is your pleasure that I should write? 

Epaph, On this manner: 


“T Epapnropitvs, the unprofitable servant of God, weak in body, and notwithstanding 
strong in mind, do willingly and with a free heart render and give again into the hands 
of the Lord my God my spirit, which he of his fatherly goodness gave unto me, when 
he fashioned this my body in my mother’s womb, by this means making me a living 
creature, nothing doubting but that this my Lord God, for his mercies’ sake, set forth 
in the precious blood of his dearly-beloved Son Christ Jesu, our alone Saviour and 
Redeemer, will receive my soul into his glory, and place it in the company of the 
heavenly angels and blessed saints. And as concerning my body, even with a good- 
will and free heart I give it over, commending it unto the earth whereof it came, 
nothing doubting but that, according to the article of our faith, at the great day of 
the general resurrection, when we shall all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, 
I shall receive it again by the mighty power of God, wherewith he is able to subdue 
all things unto himself; not a corruptible, mortal, weak, and vile body, as it is now, 
but an uncorruptible, immortal, strong, perfect, and in all points like unto the glorious 
body of my Lord and Saviour Christ Jesu.” Have ye written this, neighbour Phi- 
lemon ? 

Phil. Yea, forsooth, sir. But what is your mind now concerning your worldly 
possessions ? 

Epaph. “First, as touching my wife, with whom I coupled myself in the fear of 
God, and refusing all other women I linked myself unto her, living with her in the 
blessed state of honourable wedlock; by whom also, through the blessing of God, I 
have had certain children, whereof part are gone before me unto the Lord, and part 
yet remain alive; albeit I doubt not but that God after my departure, according unto 
his promise, will be unto her an husband, yea, a father, a patron, and defender, and 
will not suffer her to lack, if she go forth to live in his fear, to serve him, and dili- 
gently to call on his holy name ; yet, forasmuch as God hath blessed me with worldly 
substance, and she is mine own flesh, and whosoever provideth not for his hath denied 
the faith, and is worse than an infidel; I bequeath and give unto her, for term of her 
life, this house wherein I now dwell, with the appurtenances, and al! the household 
stuff contained therein. And after her departure, I will that my eldest son (whom 
now I only have alive of all my sons) have the house. Let this suffice for my wife's 
portion, whom I doubt not God will take into his protection, and so provide for her 
in the time of her short pilgrimage, that she shall want no good thing. Only I 
crave this at her hand, that she be diligent in training up my children in the fear and 
doctrine of the Lord; so shall God be unto her an husband, and to her children a 
father. Moreover, as concerning my children, albeit I am fully persuaded that God 
according to his promise will be a father unto them, and if they live in his fear, he 


1 John ii. 


The sick 
mais will. 


Soul. 


Body. 


Phil. iii. 


Wife. 


1 Tim. v. 


118 THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 


will not see them lack ; yet both the law of God and of nature requireth that I should 
also have some care for them. Therefore unto my son I bequeath the house and the 
land which I have given my wife for term of her life, freely to be his own after his 
mother’s departure. And if, God so appointing, he chanceth to depart before his 
mother, I will that the house and the land go to the use of my two daughters.” 
Have you written these things ? 

Phil. Yea, sir. But what now for your daughters ? 

Epaph. “If they be godly brought up, I doubt not but if they live, God will 
abundantly provide for them. Notwithstanding, I give unto each of them two hun- 
dred pounds, of good and lawful money, to be paid in the day of their marriage. 
And if my son fortune to die, I give unto them also my house and my land.” 

Eus. Sir, we be all mortal, both old and young ; and God knoweth how soon we 
shall depart hence. For, as the common proverb is, 


As soon to the market for to be sold 
Cometh the young sheep as the old. 


What if all your children die before they come to marriage? 
Epaph. “My will is that, in such case, all I have given them shall go to the 
use of the poor. I will that they be mine heirs.” I pray you, neighbour Philemon, 


Daughters. 


write so. 
Phil. I have done so. 
Epaph. “1 think it convenient to give to my servants somewhat, that it be not said, 
they have served an unthankful master.” 
Ecelus, vii. Chris. Sir, that is very meet. For the wise man saith: ‘“ Whereas thy servant 
worketh truly, entreat him not evil, nor the hireling that is faithful unto thee. Love 
a discreet servant as thine own soul: defraud him not of his liberty, neither leave him 


Servants. 


a poor man.” 

Epaph. “1 give to every one of my servants six pounds thirteen shillings four 
pence, to be paid in the day of my burial.” Write it. 

Phil. Wt is done. 

Epaph. God bless them and increase them! for they have served me both honestly 
and faithfully. The Lord our God deal with them as they have dealt with me! 

Theo. They have done but their duty. 

Phil. But, neighbour Epaphroditus, whereof shall these sums of money be 
raised ? 

Epaph. God hath blessed me abundantly. Ye shall have it in my counting-house, 
with a more sum. 

Denar. Chris. But now, sir, concerning your debts; what order will you appoint for 
them ? 

Epaph. The Lord my God be thanked, I owe no man any thing, but love and 
good-will My chief study hath ever been to keep myself out of debt; and, if at 
any time I ought any thing, to labour unto the uttermost of my power to dispatch 
myself of that debt with all expedition. I never counted other men’s goods mine 
own. That I truly got with mine own labour, that did I alway count mine own, 
my debts being once paid. I owe nothing: many owe me; but, forasmuch as they be 
poor men, and cannot pay that they owe me, except it should be unto their great 
hindrance, yea, I think unto their utter undoing, I freely forgive all my debtors what- 
soever they owe me, unto the uttermost farthing, even as I would God the Father 
should forgive me all my debts for Christ’s sake. Write this, that “I have for- 
given all my debts; so that none hereafter shall demand any debt of any man in 
my behalf.” 

Phil. 1 have done your appointment. 

Eus. Neighbour Epaphroditus, seeing that God hath richly blessed you with the 
scholars of goods of this world, it were very expedient to remember the poor scholars of the 
var Onted, Universities of Cambridge and Oxford. For if they be not maintained, all learning 

and virtue will decay, and a very barbary shall brast in among us, and at the last 
bring this our realm into destruction. And verily the love of many now-a-days 
toward good letters is very cold; insomuch that we see daily many good wits 


THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 119 


compelled, for lack of exhibition, to forsake the university, and to become serving- 
men, which kind of life is most abominable, and unworthy a good nature. 

Epaph. 1 have not in times past been altogether unmindful of the universities. 
What benefits the students have heretofore received at my hands, I will not here re- 
hearse: God and they know it: and the knowledge thereof I would wish rather to 
be learned of other, than to be heard of me. Surely I think him no good Christian, 
nor friend unto his country, which, if he be able, refuseth to help forward the studies 
of good wits. I pray you, neighbour Philemon, set in two hundred pounds of money, 
one hundred to be given unto the university of Cambridge, the other unto Oxford. 

Phil. This is a godly and charitable deed. 

Epaph. Wave ye done? 

Phil. Yea, forsooth, sir. 

Epaph. Let me see, what now remaineth ? 

Chris. Sir, will it please you to remember the poor? 

Epaph. I never forgot them, since the Lord my God gave me any portion of Poor people. 
worldly goods. I always considered to what use they were given me; verily, that 
I should distribute part of them to the necessity of the poor saints. And I thank 
the Lord my God, so have I done; yea, and that with a good-will and free heart: 

“for God loveth a cheerful giver.” I have not been of the mind that some are, 2Cor. ix. 
which, so long as they live, greedily gather together, and bestow nothing at all upon 

the poor; but when they see nothing but present death, then lash they out, and 
liberally give unto the poor, scilicet, because they can keep it no longer. I trust I 

have laid up for myself already “treasures in heaven, where neither rust nor moth Matt. vi. 
doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through or steal.” For I have ever 
thought it better to send my works before me, while I live in this world, than to 

have them sent after me, I know not by whom, when I am gone. These purgatory- Purgatory- 
rakers shall neither rake nor scrape for me with their masses and diriges, when I “*"~ 
am departed ; for I trust no such works: neither do I any thing regard the prayers 

of such as have “the belly for their god.” But, “as touching the poor, I give unto Phi. iii 
them four hundred pounds, which I will have bestowed, not upon idle lubbers and 
sturdy queans, but upon the halt, the lame, the blind, the sick, and such other as be 
comfortless. And in this number also of the poor I comprehend prisoners, poor 
maids, young men which have not wherewith to set up their occupation, and my needy 
neighbours.” These four hundred pounds are in four several bags, lying in my counting- 

house by themselves, with this writing upon every one of them: “ Money for the poor.” 

This money I will have distributed with all haste; if it be possible, even before I de- 

part. Have you written in this money for the poor? 

Phil. Uhave done it. 

Epaph. The high-ways may not be forgotten, which in many places are very nigh-ways. 
foul and jeopardous. “Unto the repairing of them I give forty pounds.” Write 
it. For I think this also to be a deed of charity, and a commendable work before 
God, to repair high-ways, that the people may safely and without danger travel by 
the way. 

Chris. The act is very godly, without all doubt. 

Epaph. Neighbour Philemon, I pray you, put in that forty pound for the 
high-ways. 

Phil. It is done already. 

Epaph. That which I should chiefly have remembered, I had almost forgotten. 

Hus. What is that ? 

Epaph. Sermons. Sermons. 

Phil. What is your mind in that behalf? 

Epaph. This: “At the time of my burial, when the people be gathered together, I 
would gladly have some learned man to make a sermon, wherein the people may be 
admonished of their mortality, and be taught how they ought to dispose themselves in 
this life, that, when the time come, they may yield up a good soul into the hands of 
the living God. For his pains I appoint ten shillings to be given him. Also I give 
for the preaching of fourscore sermons at other times, when it shall be thought most 


Isai. lvi. 


Matt. ix. 


Lukei. 


Ministers. 


Mourning 
gowns. 


1 Thess. iv. 


Rev. xiv. 


Psal. exvi. 


Wisd. iii. 


Wsid. v. 


Luke xvi. 


120 THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 


convenient, twenty pounds. And as I wish these sermons to be preached by godly and 
discreet learned men, so I wish them to be preached in such places as the people 
have most need of doctrine and teaching. For the Lord knoweth, the people perish 
for want of godly knowledge. The greatest part of our beneficed men (God help us!) 
are blind guides, and dumb dogs, not once able to bark. The people are desirous to 
know God; and among the great multitude of so many beneficed men, none almost 
either is able, or else endeavoureth himself, to bring them unto Christ. It is in these 
our days found true that is written in the gospel: ‘The harvest truly is plenteous; but 
the labourers are few.’ It behoveth therefore every christian heart to ‘pray the Lord 
of the harvest, that he will send labourers, not loiterers, ‘into his harvest,’ and to 
procure, so much as lieth in his power, that the word of God may be universally 
preached, that the people may repent, turn unto the Lord our God, and ‘serve him 
in holiness and righteousness all the days of their life;’ which cannot be brought to 
pass where the word of God is not preached. ‘ How shall they believe on him of 
whom they have not heard? How shall they hear without a preacher?’ To declare 
therefore my good-will toward the word of God and the salvation of the Christians, 
I give twenty pounds for the preaching of eighty sermons.” I pray you, note it in 
my will. 

Phil. It shall be done. 

Epaph. To bear all these charges, ye shall have the money in my counting- 
house. 

Chris. Sir, concerning the costs of your burial, what order will it please you to 
take in that behalf? 

Epaph. Let the ministers, with the other officers of the church, have their duties 
according unto the custom. 

Kus. How many mourning gowns, sir, will ye give? 

Epaph. Of what mourning gowns speak you ? 

Hus. The manner is that, when a man of honest reputation departeth, and is brought 
to be buried, there should follow him certain in fine black gowns, and certain poor men 
and women in coarser cloth. 

Epaph. Unequally handled, that the poor should have the worst, and the rich or 
wealthy the best. And call ye these mourners? 

Hus. So are they called. 

Epaph. For whom should they mourn ? 

jus. For you. 

Epaph. Why for me? Because good things have chanced unto me? Because I 
have passed over the dangerous sea, and am come unto the haven of quietness? Or 
because I am delivered from all evil, and set in a blessed and joyful state? I think 
that at the burials of the faithful there should rather be joy and gladness than 
mourning and sadness; rather pleasant songs of thanksgiving than lamentable and 
doleful diriges. Let the infidels mourn for their dead: the Christians ought to rejoice 
when any of the faithful be called from this vale of misery unto the glorious kingdom 
of God. 

Phil. Indeed that most worthy apostle St Paul would not have us mourn for 
them that are fallen asleep, as the heathen do, which know not God. And St John 
saith in his Revelation : “‘ I heard a voice from heaven, saying unto me, Write, Blessed are 
the dead which die in the Lord. For from henceforth the Spirit saith that they are 
at rest from their labours, pains, and travails,” &c. The psalmograph also saith: “O 
full precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.” Hereto belongeth 
the saying of the wise man: “The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God; and 
the pain of death shall not touch them: in the sight of the unwise they appear to 
die, but they are in peace.” Again in another place: “The righteous shall live for 
evermore : their reward is also with the Lord, and their remembrance with the Highest. 
Therefore shall they receive a glorious kingdom, and a beautiful crown of the Lord’s 
hand. For with his right hand shall he cover them, and with his own holy arm shall 
he defend them.” 


Chris. Blessed Luke declareth in his gospel that, so soon as Lazarus was dead, 


THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 12] 


(which in his life-time was diversly afflicted, and miserably punished with many sores 

and diseases), he was received into the bosom of Abraham, where he enjoyed all pleasure, 

felicity, and comfort. Such as die in the Lord are not to be mourned; but God is 

rather to be thanked for their christian departure. For they are now in rest. They 

are with him in whom alone all glory, joy, comfort, and felicity is. God hath wiped Isai. xxv. _ 
away all tears from their eyes; so that they are past all sorrow, all mourning, all pain: gn 
why then should other mourn for them that are in so joyful state? “The eye hath not Isai. Iniv. 
seen, nor the ear hath heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, what joys ~~ 
God hath prepared for them that love him.” 

Theo. St Cyprian in his sermon of Mortality hath these words: “How much it serm. de 
profiteth to go out of the world, Christ himself, the author of our salvation and profit, ree 
sheweth ; which, when his disciples were sad, because he said that he should depart from 
them, spake unto them, saying, ‘If ye had loved me, ye would have rejoiced, because John xiv. 
I go unto the Father ; teaching and shewing by these his words that, when our friends, 
whom we dearly love, depart out of the world, we ought rather to rejoice than to be 
sad. Whereof the blessed apostle Paul being mindful, saith in his epistle: ‘Christ is Phil. i. 
to me life; and death is to me avantage.’ He thinketh it great avantage to be rid out 
of the snares of this life, when he shall be no more subject to any offence or sin of the 
flesh, but be exempted from the afflictions that do trouble us, and delivered from the 
envenomed jaws of the devil, by’ going unto the joy of eternal salvation, through the 
calling of Christ?.” 

Also in the same sermon he saith: “I myself, being the most simple of all other, 
have through the goodness of God divers times, as well by revelation as otherwise, 
received instruction manifestly to affirm and preach that our brethren, which be de- 
livered from the world by the calling of God, ought not to be mourned for, seeing 
they be not lost, but sent fore to make the way for us that do come after. We should 
not, therefore, covet them again which be dead, nor mourn for them any otherwise 
than we use to do for such as have taken their journey into a strange land. And 
for them we ought not to wear black; since they in heaven be clothed in white. S% 
Herein we should not give occasion unto the gentiles, that they might justly reprove Rey 
us, when we mourn for them as dead and lost, whom we do affirm to be living with 
Gad*,” -&c. 

And a little after he saith: “The apostle Paul doth reprove and blame such as 
do mourn at the departure of the persons that they love. ‘I would not, brethren,’ 1 Thess. iv. 
quod* he, ‘that you should be ignorant concerning them which be fallen on sleep, that 
you sorrow not as other do which have no hope. If we believe that Jesus died and 
rose again, even so then also them which sleep by Jesus will God bring again with 
him.’ He declareth that such as be sorrowful at their friends’ departure have no hope. 

Why should we, that live by hope, that believe in God, and trust that Christ suffered 
for us and is risen again, that remain in Christ, and be risen by him and in him, be 
so unwilling to depart out of this world, or else mourn and lament such as be departed, 
as though they were lost? since Christ our Lord and our God doth admonish us, saying : 
‘I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth on me, yea, though he were dead, Jonn xi. 





[? So 1561; folio, be. J 

[? Quantum prosit exire de seculo, Christus ipse 
salutis atque utilitatis nostra magister ostendit ; qui 
cum discipuli ejus contristarentur, quod se jam dice- 
ret recessurum, locutus est ad eos dicens: Si me 
dilexissetis, gauderetis, quoniam vado ad Patrem: 
docens scilicet et ostendens, cum cari quos diligimus 
de seculo exeunt, gaudendum potius quam dolendum. 
Cujus rei memor beatus apostolus Paulus in epistola 
sua ponitet dicit: Mihi vivere Christus est, et mori 
lucrum: lucrum maximum computans, jam seculi 
laqueis non teneri, jam nullis peccatis et vitiis carnis 
obnoxium fieri; exemtum pressuris angentibus, et 
venenatis diaboli faucibus lberatum, ad letitiam 
salutis eterne Christo vocante proficiscii—Cypr. 
Op. Oxon. 1682. De Mortal. p. 158. ] 


[? Nobis quoque ipsis minimis et extremis quoties 
revelatum est, quam frequenter atque manifeste de 
Dei dignatione preceptum est, ut contestarer assidue 
et publice predicarem, fratres nostros non esse lu- 
gendos accersitione dominica de seculo liberatos, 
cum sciamus non eos amitti,sed premitti, recedentes 
precedere, ut proficiscentes, ut navigantes solent; 
desiderari eos debere, non plangi; nec accipiendas 
esse hic atras vestes, quando illiibi indumenta alba 
jam sumserint: occasionem dandam non esse gen- 
tilibus, ut nos merito ac jure reprehendant, quod 
quos vivere apud Deum dicimus, ut extinctos et 
perditos lugeamus ; et fidem quam sermone et voce 
depromimus, cordis et pectoris testimonio non pro- 
bemus.—Id. ibid. pp. 163, 4.] 

[4 Quod: the past tense of quoth. } 


gC= we depart from hence, the life everlasting cannot come. 


Phil. iii. 


John xvii. 


Rev. xiv. 


Rom. xii. 


122 THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 


yet shall he live; and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.’ If we 
believe in Christ, and trust his words and his promises, we shall never die, but shall 
come with glad surety unto Christ, with whom we shall ever live and reign. And 
that in the mean season we do die, we do but thereby pass to immortality: for except 
Death is no departure, but 
a passage ; to the intent that, this worldly journey once overrun, we may come unto 
eternity. Who will not make haste to a better estate? Who will not desire to be 
changed and transformed into the likeness of Christ, and to come out of hand to the 
dignity of the heavenly grace? which thing Paul the apostle doth declare. ‘Our con- 
versation,’ saith he, ‘is in heaven, from whence we look for a Saviour, even the Lord 
Jesus Christ, which shall transform our vile body, that he may make it like unto his 
glorious body.’ And Christ the Lord doth promise that we shall be such, when, that 
we may be with him, live with him in his eternal seat, and rejoice with him in his 
heavenly kingdom, he prayeth unto the Father for us on this manner: ‘ Father, I will 
that they which thou hast given me be with me where I am, that they may see my 
glory which thou hast given me; for thou didst love me before the making of the 
world.’ Therefore we ought neither to mourn nor to lament for coming unto the seat 
of Christ, to the glory of the heavenly kingdom; but ought rather, according to the 
promise of God, according to the faith of the verity, to rejoice in our departure and 
transformation’.” 

Hitherto have I rehearsed the words of St Cyprian, which do manifestly declare, that 
they which die in the Lord are in a blessed state, and therefore not to be mourned nor 
lamented. I fear lest I have been tedious unto you in rehearsing so much of St Cyprian’s 
mind concerning this matter. 

Epaph. You have rather, neighbour Theophile, comforted me than molested me ; 
yea, you have right well confirmed my faith, and mightily encouraged me to go unto 
this battle, and willingly to give over this my life; forasmuch as I am throughly per- 
suaded that, after my departure from this vale of misery, I shall come unto a glorious 
kingdom, and shall see God face to face. And one thing I noted in the words of St 
Cyprian, which you have rehearsed, and that is this; that we ought not to wear 
black clothes and mourning gowns for them which are delivered from the world, and 
are gone to God, seeing they be clothed in white, and wear joyful apparel, and are in 
heaven with God, reigning in glory and eternal felicity. 

Eus. Indeed it is a point of fondness to mourn for them that are in joy, and to be 
sorry for them that are merry. The apostle saith: “ Rejoice with them that rejoice, 
and mourn with them that mourn.” Seeing that the faithful, which are delivered out 
of this world, are in joy, it is more seemly that we should joy in God with them, than 
mourn and be sorry for them, as though they were in worse case now than they were 





nec potest vita eterna succedere, nisi hine contigerit 


{} Improbat denique apostolus Paulus, et objur- 
exire : non est exitus iste, sed transitus, et temporali 


gat, et culpat, si qui contristentur in excessu suorum. 


Nolumus, inquit, ignorare vos, fratres, de dormienti- 
bus, ut non contristemini sicut et ceteri, qui spem 
non habent. Sienim credimus quia Jesus mortuus 
est, et resurrexit; sic et Deus eos qui dormierunt in 
Jesu, adducet cum illo. Eos contristari dicit in ex- 
cessu suorum, qui spem non habent. Qui autem 
spe vivimus, et in Deum credimus, et Christum 
passum esse pro nobis, et resurrexisse confidimus, 
in Christo manentes, et per ipsum atque in ipso 
resurgentes; quid aut ipsi recedere istine de seculo 
nolumus, aut nostros recedentes quasi perditos plan- 
gimus ac dolemus? ipso Christo Domino et Deo 
nostro monente ac dicente: Ego sum resurrectio et 
vita; qui credit in me, licet moriatur vivet ; et omnis 
qui vivit, et credit in me, non morietur in eternum. 
Si in Christum credimus, fidem verbis et promissis 
ejus habeamus; et non morituri in zxternum, ad 
Christum, cum quo et victuri et regnaturi semper 
sumus, lata securitate veniamus. Quod interim 
morimur, ad immortalitatem morte transgredimur ; 


itinere decurso, ad eterna transgressus. Quis non 
ad meliora festinet? Quis non mutari et reformari 
ad Christi speciem, et ad ccelestis gratie dignitatem 
venire citius exoptet? Paulo apostolo predicante: 
Nostra autem conversatio, inquit, in ccelis est, unde 
et Dominum expectamus Jesum Christum, qui trans- 
formabit corpus humilitatis nostre configuratum 
corpori claritatis sue. Tales nos futuros et Christus 
Dominus pollicetur, quando ut cum illo simus, et 
cum illo in eternis sedibus vivamus, atque in regnis 
celestibus gaudeamus, Patrem pro nobis precatur 
dicens: Pater, quos mihi dedisti, volo ut ubi ego 
fuero, et ipsi sint mecum; et videant claritatem 
quam mihi dedisti prius quam mundus fieret. Ven- 
turus ad Christi sedem, ad regnorum ccelestem cla- 
ritatem, lugere non debet et plangere ; sed potius 
secundum pollicitationem Domini, secundum fidem 
veritatis, in profectione hac sua et translatione gau- 
dere.—Id. ibid. p. 164.] 


THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 123 


afore. Let the heathen mourn, which have no hope, for the departure of their friends: 
the true Christians, which are persuaded that such as die in the Lord are in much 
better case than they ever were in this world, ought’ rather to rejoice, and to sing 
psalms, praises, and thanksgivings unto God, for the christian and godly departure of 
their brethren, and for their blessed estate wherein God hath placed them. For the 
holy scripture pronounceth them blessed and happy which die in the Lord. And the rev. xiv. 
psalmograph saith: “ Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.” The Psal. exvi. 
wise man also saith, that “the souls of the righteous are in peace.” Wisd. iii. 

Chris. They therefore, which are in so blessed estate, are not to be mourned nor 
lamented ; but God is rather to be thanked for them. 

Theo. The holy scripture declareth, that king David prayed unto the Lord for 2 sam. xii. 
the child which he had by Bethsabe, Urias’ wife, when it was sick, and that he 
“fasted, and lay all the night upon the earth, insomuch that the elders of his house arose 
and went unto him, to take him up from the earth; but he would not, neither did 
he eat meat with them.” But when he heard that the child was dead, “he arose 
from the earth, and washed and anointed himself, and changed his apparel, and came into 
the house of the Lord and worshipped, and afterward came to his own house and com- 
manded that they should set bread before him, and he did eat.” And when his ser- 
vants, marvelling at these things, said unto him, ‘“ What thing is this that thou hast 
done? Thou didst fast and weep for the child while it was alive, and as soon as 
it was dead thou didst arise up and eat; he answered, While the child was yet 
alive, I fasted and wept: for this I thought, Who can tell whether God will have 
mercy on me, that the child may live? But now, seeing it is dead, wherefore should 
I fast? Can I bring him any more? I shall go to him; and he shall come no more 
again unto me.” In this history the godly wisdom of David is greatly to be con- 
sidered. For hereof may we learn to pray unto the Lord our God for our sick friends, 
so long as they be alive, and to seek all means possible at the Lord’s hand to ob- 
tain health for the diseased. But if the good-will of God be to take them out of 
this world, then are we taught here no more to mourn, to weep, to lament, and to 
be sorry for them; but rather with a joyful heart to worship the Lord, as David 
did, and to give him most hearty thanks, that it hath pleased his goodness to deliver 
our brethren or sistern from this sink of evils (I mean this world), and to receive 
them into his blessed kingdom. MHeathen-like mourning therefore is to be banished 
from the burials of the Christians. 

Hus. The manner among the Thracians is, that when any child is born and cometh 
into the world, they weep, lament, and mourn; but when it goeth out of the world, 
they rejoice and are merry’. 

Epaph. What moveth them so to do? 

Eus. When a child cometh into the world, they consider into what great miseries Sf 
he is like to fall if he live; contrariwise, when he departeth hence, they know that 
an end of all sorrow and care, of all pain and travail is come. Therefore the one thing 
moveth them unto sadness, the other unto gladness. 

Phil. There is great plenty of histories which declare, that the very heathen have 
taken the death of their dear friends patiently; so far is it off that, after the manner 
of some which profess Christ, they immoderately took the death of their friends, wept, 
wailed, mourned, wrung their hands, tare their hair, rent their clothes, and in manner 
killed themselves with sorrow and thought-taking. When our Saviour Christ went 
unto his death, certain women followed him, weeping and mourning, to whom he 
said: “Ye daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves and [uke xxiii. 
for your children.” 

Theo. Is he to be lamented and mourned for, which is removed from thraldom 


[? So ed. 1632; folio and ed. 1561 we ought. ] sit, perpeti humanas calamitates: hominem fato 
[? Trausi vero in ceteris quidem omnibus idem | functum per lusum atque letitiam terre demandant, 
quod Thraces: verum circa natalitia suorum atque | referentes quot malis liberatus in omni sit modo 
obitus hoc factitant. Edito puero propinqui cir- felicitate.—Orb. Terr. Epit. per Joan. Boem. Auban. 
cunsedentes eum ploratione prosequuntur, recensen- Pap. 1596. Lib. 11. cap. v. p. 180.] 
tes quascunque necesse est illi, quod vitam ingressus 


Rev. xiv. 


Psal. xxiv. 


Phil. iii. 


Eccles. xii. 


Burials. 


Singing. 


124 THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 


unto liberty, from misery unto wealth, from darkness unto light, from jeopardy unto 
safety, from sickness unto health, from mortality unto immortality, from corrup- 
tion unto uncorruption, from pain unto joy, from transitory things unto everlasting 
things, from the company of men unto the fellowship of the blessed angels and heavenly 
spirits? &c. Let the heathen, which have no hope of the joyful immortality of the 
soul, nor of the glorious resurrection of the body, mourn, weep, and lament for their 
deceased : let the faithful Christians be joyful in the Lord, and thank God for his great 
mercy and infinite goodness, which he hath shewed upon the brethren, by calling 
them from this vale of wretchedness unto his heavenly kingdom. For the voice of 
God even from heaven pronounceth them blessed, happy, and fortunate, “ which die in 
the Lord.” 

Phil. What is your mind therefore, neighbour Epaphroditus, concerning mourning 
gowns ? 

Epaph. Tf it were not for offending other, and that it should also be some hindrance 
unto the poor, I would wish rather to have none, than otherwise. For I would have 
no man mourn for me. My trust is that, so soon as my soul shall be delivered out 
of the prison of this my body, it shall straightways possess the blessed inheritance of 
the heavenly kingdom, and reign in glory with God for ever. What need shall I 
have then of mourners? Or wherefore should any man mourn for me? Notwith- 
standing, I will not strive with them for their garments. Let my wife and my chil- 
dren wear what garments they will at my burial, so they be such as become the 
professors of true godliness. Only this I require, that “thirty poor men and women 
do accompany my body unto the burial, and that each of them have a gown of some 
convenient colour. I will also that thirty poor children be there also, and that every 
one of them have a seemly gown. And after my burial, I will that both those poor 
men, women, and children, come home unto my house, and have some repast for the 
refection of their bodies: and so let them depart in the name of the Lord.” Have 
you written this, neighbour Philemon? 

Phil. Yea, sir, it is done. 

Lipaph. I am glad of it. “To see that these things may be done according to 
my will, I make my wife sole executress, and you, neighbour Philemon, with my 
neighbours Christopher, Theophile, and Eusebius, here present, I make you four mine 
overseers, charging you in the name of God, and as ye will answer before the high 
judge Christ, at the dreadful day of doom, that ye see these my bequests’ truly, 
diligently, and faithfully fulfilled.” 

Chris. We were twice ungodly if we should not satisfy your desire and will, 
being so christian and righteous. 

Epaph. “1 bequeath to every one of you four, for your pains-taking, five pounds 
sterling, not to the end to make you hirelings, but that it may be a token of my 
hearty good-will towards you.” 

Chris. Sir, will it please you to be buried in the church, or in the church-yard ? 

Epaph. All is one to me. “The earth is the Lord’s, and all that is contained in 
it:” I am not curious of the place. Wheresoever I lie, I doubt not but the Lord 
our God at the last day shall raise me up again, and give me a body like unto the 
glorious body of our Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus. Let the body therefore “return 
unto the earth, from whence it came, and the spirit unto God which gave it.” 

us. Your children are buried in the church-yard. 

Lpaph. Bury me there also. God give us all a joyful resurrection! 

Theo. Sir, what solemnity will you have at your burial ? 

Epaph. What mean you? 

Theo. Solemn singing, devout ringing, holy censing, priests pattering, candles lighten- 
ing, torches brenning, communions saying, and such like. 

Lpaph. No kind of superstitious custom do I allow. That is godly I only com- 
mend. As touching your solemn singing, it is all one to me whether you sing or say. 





[! So 1561 ; folio, bequest. ] 


THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 125 


Those psalms, hymns, praises, and thanksgivings that be appointed to be sung or 
said at the burial of the faithful, let them be done in the name of God with all cheer- 
fulness of mind. As for your devout ringing, I crave no more but one bell to be 
either tolled or rung, for to gather the people together to hear the word of God and 
the thanksgiving. The ringing of the bells can do my soul no good. And as for your 
holy censing, priests pattering, candles lighting, torches brenning, away with them 
as things superfluous and unprofitable. Now as concerning communions saying or Communion. 
singing, they serve not for the burials of them that are departed, but for the exercises 

of them that be alive, that by that means they should call to remembrance the death 

of Christ and the fruits thereof, as the apostle saith: ‘‘So oft as ye shall eat of this 1 Cor. xi. 
bread, and drink of the cup, ye shall remember the Lord’s death till he come.” These 
sumptuous and costly burials are not to be commended; neither do they profit either Note. 
body or soul, but only set forth a foolish, vain, and boasting pomp. 

Phil. The burial of the faithful ought to be done honestly, but not sumptuously. 48 
Neither ought the dead bodies of the Christians to be vilely handled, but honestly 
buried, for the hope of the glorious resurrection. So did Abraham bury his wife Sara, Gen. xxiii 
Joseph his father Jacob, and divers other, as the holy scripture mentioneth. “The Libs is de 
bodies of the dead,” saith St Austin, “are not to be despised and to be cast away, bes ai 
and specially the bodies of the righteous and of the faithful, whom, as instruments 
and vessels unto all good works, the Holy Ghost hath used?.” 

But as concerning sumptuous burials, the aforesaid author saith: “They rather com- cap. 12. 
fort the living than help the dead. As sumptuous exequies profit nothing the sinful 
rich men, so in like manner vile or no exequies at all hinder nothing the sepulture 
of the poor saints. That gallant company of the rich man’s servants, of whom we 
read in the gospel of Luke, buried their master gorgeously in the sight of men ;” Luke xvi. 
notwithstanding, his soul was carried down into hell-fire, where it eth in* most miser- 
able torments. What profited him the gorgeous, gallant, pompous, and costly sepul- 
ture of his body, seeing his soul lieth without redemption in those most intolerable 
flames of that lake, which burned with fire and brimstone? We read not that Lazarus Rev. xxi. 
was so sumptuously buried, no*, that he was buried at all; “notwithstanding, the 
angels of God came and carried him, not into a tomb of marble, but into the bosom 
of Abraham’®.” 

And the golden-mouthed doctor saith in a certain homily: ‘ When thou hearest Hom. Ixxxiv. 
that the Lord did rise again naked, cease, I pray thee, and leave off the fond and vain Sener es 
charges that thou bestowest upon funerals and burying of dead bodies. What meaneth 
this superfluous and unprofitable cost? seeing that it hindereth them greatly that do it, 
and availeth nothing at all the dead, but rather hurteth them®,” &c. ? 

Epaph. “Simply, not sumptuously ; honestly, not honourably, let me buried: I 
require no more.” You have written all these things, according to my desire, neigh- 
bour Philemon ? 

Phil. Altogether. 

Epaph. Then am I at a point with the worldly possessions, and I trust in a good 
forwardness toward God. 


Ringing. 


[? Nec ideo tamen contemnenda et abjicienda 
sunt corpora defunctorum, maximeque justorum 
atque fidelium, quibus tamquam organis et vasis ad 
omnia bona opera sanctus usus est Spiritus.—Au- 
gust. Op. Par. 1679-1700. De Civit. Dei, Lib. 1. 
cap. xii. Tom. VII. col. 13.] 

[* In is inserted from edition of 1561.] 

[* Perhaps this word should be nor: it is so 
printed in the later edition of 1632. ] 

(° Proinde omnia ista, id est curatio funeris, con- 
ditio sepulture, pompa exsequiarum, magis sunt 
vivorum solatia, quam subsidia mortuorum. Si ali- 
quid prodest impio sepultura pretiosa, oberit pio 
vilis aut nulla. Preclaras exsequias in conspectu 


hominum exhibuit purpurato illi diviti turba famu- 
lorum: sed multo clariores in conspectu Domini 
ulceroso illi pauperi ministerium prebuit angelorum, 
qui eum non extulerunt in marmoreum tumulum, 
sed in Abrahe gremium sustulerunt.—Id. ibid. cap. 
xii. col. 13.] 

[® Xv dé Stray akovons, Ott yupvos 6 decrdTns 
avéoTn, TWavoat Tis Wpos Tijyv KyOclav wavias. Ti 
yap Boterar 1} wepitTy ality Oaravn Kai avdnTos* 
modhyny pméev Pépovea Tots Knoevovor Cnuiav, Tw dé 
ate Gove Képdos ovdév" aXN ei ypy Te eiwetv, Kal 
BAaBnv ;—Chrysost. Op. Par. 1718-38. In Joan. 
Hom. Ixxxv. Tom. VIII. p. 510.] 


126 THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 


Month's Chris. The custom in times past was that there should be month minds and 
sae year minds’ kept for the dead. 
Epaph. To what end? 
Chris. That the dead might be remembered and prayed for. 
Epaph. Wherefore should they be prayed for? 
Chris. That their sins, say they, might be forgiven them. 
Epaph Which they say so ? 
Chris. The papists. 
Epaph. I have nothing to do with papists, nor with their doctrine. God bless 
Phil. ii. | me from them! For they are “enemies of the cross of Christ,” depravers of the holy 
&CS scriptures, and corrupters of christian souls. I believe that a man, even in this 
world, hath perfect and full remission of all his sins; or else he shall never have it. 
God in this world doth either forgive all the faults, and the pain due for the same, 
or else he forgiveth none at all. I fear nothing at all the pope’s boiling furnace (I 
1Joni. mean purgatory): Christ’s blood is a sufficient purgatory for my sins. The blood 
Heb. ix. of Christ, God’s Son, hath cleansed us from all sin. The blood of Christ hath purged 
Heb. x. our conscience from dead works, to serve the living God. ‘“‘ We be sanctified and 
made holy by the offering of the body of Jesus Christ done once for all.” “ With 
the one only oblation” of his blessed body and precious blood, “hath Christ made 
perfect for ever and ever them that are sanctified.” I require none other purgatory 
to purge and cleanse my sins, but the blood of Christ. For Christ hath offered bim- 
Eph. v. self a sweet-smelling sacrifice unto God the Father for my sins, yea, and that so per- 
fect, absolute, consummate, and in all points so omnisufficient, that there can be found 
no imperfection in it. Christ hath borne away all my sins on his body. By the 
Isai. Hii, stripes of Christ’s body am I healed. Christ died for my sins, and rose again for 
Rom. iv. my justification. Christ is made of God unto me “ wisdom, righteousness, sanctifica- 
Jer. ix. tion, and redemption; that, as it is written, He that rejoiceth should rejoice in 
the Lord.” Christ is enough for me. Let the papists seek their salvation at whose 
hands they list. | 
Phil. Whereas the papists heretofore have taught, for the maintenance of their 
idle bellies, that men’s sins after their death be forgiven them through the sacrifice 
of that most wicked and abominable popish mass, and by pilgrimages-going, by trentals, 
by diriges, by the good deeds of other, &c., it is a plain error, and against the word of 
a God. For remission of sins, the favour of God, and everlasting life, is either gotten 
or lost in this world. He which, through his own repentance and faith in Christ’s 
blood, obtaineth not forgiveness of his sins in this world, shall never have it by the 


John iii. means of other men after this life. It is written: ‘‘ He that believeth on the Son of God 
hath everlasting life. But he that believeth not on him shall not see life; but the 
Notes wrath of God abideth on him.” So many as die are either faithful or unfaithful. 


If they be faithful, so have they in possession straightways everlasting life. If they 
be unfaithful, then doth the wrath of God abide upon them ; and they receive the reward 
of infidelity, which is everlasting damnation. And albeit this appeareth manifestly 
Lukexvi. Of the words above rehearsed, yet the history of the unmerciful rich man, and of the 
poor Lazare, painteth it out very lively. In that ye see that the faithful man, which 
was Lazarus, so soon as he died, was received into the bosom of Abraham. Contrariwise, 
the unfaithful man, which was the unmerciful glutton, was carried down straightways 
into hell-fire. The like thing is manifestly set forth in the two thieves, which died 
with Christ. The one repented, believed, and called for mercy unto Christ, God and 
Luke xxiii, man, saying, “ Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom ;” and Christ 
answered him, “ This day shalt thou be with me in paradise.” Here see we that this 
Rom.x, thief both repented and believed, (for “ how shall they call on him,” saith St Paul, “on 
whom they have not believed ?”) and therefore was received into glory. The other, which 
continued in his unbelief, and so died without repentance and faith, obtained the reward 





[! Days, a month or a year after decease, on | repose of the soul. See Brand’s Popular Antiqui- 
which some special services were performed for the ! ties, by Sir H. Ellis, Vol. II. pp. 192, &c.] 


THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 127 


of unbelief, that is to say, the wrath of God, and eternal damnation. They therefore that 
die are either faithful or unfaithful. If they be faithful, so have they out of hand the 
reward of faith, which is everlasting glory: if they be unfaithful, then receive they the 
reward of unfaithfulness and misbelief, which is eternal damnation. If the papists can 
find the third kind of men, which are neither faithful nor unfaithful, then will we consent 
unto their purgatory ; for such have neither place in heaven nor in hell. But such sort 
of people the holy scripture knoweth not: therefore knoweth it not such a place of 
purging after this life as the papists have heretofore devised. 

Eus. The blessed apostle St Paul saith to the Romans these words following: ‘‘ God Rom. ii. 
shall give to every one according to his own deeds.” Again, in the second to the 
Corinthians, he also saith: “Every one shall receive his reward, according unto his 2 Cor. x. 

5 a ‘ 1 Cor. iil. 
own labour.” In another place he also saith: “ We must all appear before the judgment- 2 Cor. v. 
seat of Christ, that every man may receive the works of his body according to that 
he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” Item: ‘“‘ Whatsoever a man soweth, that Gal. vi. 
shall he also reap. For he that soweth in his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption : 
but he that soweth in the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. Let us not 
be weary of well-doing. For when the time is come, we shall reap without weariness. 
While we have therefore time, let us do good unto all men, and specially unto them 
which are of the household of faith.” Hereto agreeth the saying of our Saviour Christ: 
“The Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father, with his angels; and then shall Matt. xvi. 
he reward every man according to his deeds.” Again: “TI will give every one of you Rev. ii. 
according to his deeds.” Out of these scriptures we learn, that we shall not be re- 
warded according to other men’s deeds, but according to our own deeds. If we have 
wrought nothing at all in our life, what shall other men’s deeds then do us good after 
our death? And I doubt whether any man, Christ alone excepted, have good deeds 
sufficient for himself. 

Chris. If we consider well the history of the ten virgins, it shall easily be perceived Matt. xxv. 
that no man have scarcely oil enough for himself. Yea, were not the great mercies 
of God set forth to all faithful penitent sinners in the precious blood of Christ, we 
with all our oil should perish. For “everlasting life is the gift of God through Jesus Rom. vi. 
Christ our Lord.” “If thou, O Lord, shouldest narrowly look upon our iniquities,” Psal. exxx. 
saith the psalmograph, “O Lord, who were able to abide it? But there is mercy with 
thee in store,” &c. 

Theo. The holy scripture moveth us to do good, while we are alive, and not to 
trust other men’s works to be done for us, when we be dead. The wise man saith: 

“Do good unto thy friend before thou die, and according to thy ability reach out Ecclus. xiv. 
thine hand, and give unto the poor. Be not disappointed of the good day; and let 

not the portion of the good day overpass thee. Shalt thou not leave thy travails and 
labours unto other men? In the dividing of thy heritage, give and take, and sanctify 

thy soul. Work thou righteousness before thy death; for after thy death there is no 

meat to find.” Again: “ Abide thou not in the error of the ungodly; but give God Eeetus. xvii. 
thanks before death. As for the dead, thankfulness perisheth from him as nothing. 

Give thou thanks in thy life; yea, while thou art living and whole shalt thou give 
thanks, and praise God, and rejoice in his mercy. O how great is the loving-kindness 

of the Lord, and his merciful goodness unto such as turn unto him!” Salomon in his 
proverbs saith: “ Withdraw no good thing from them that have need, so long as prov. iii, 
thy hand is able to do it. Say not unto thy neighbour, Go thy way, and come again, 
to-morrow will I give thee; whereas thou hast now to give him.” Hereto agreeth 

the saying of the preacher: ‘‘ Whatsoever thou art able to do, do it out of hand; pects ix. 
for in the grave that thou goest unto there is neither work, counsel, knowledge, nor 
wisdom.” The prophet also saith: “Seek the Lord while he may be found, and call tsai.1y. 
upon him while he is nigh. Let the ungodly forsake his own ways, and the unrighteous 

his own imaginations, and turn again unto the Lord: so shall God be merciful unto him.” 

Our Saviour Christ saith in the gospel: “I must work the works of him that sent me Jom ix. 
while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.” ‘ Walk, while ye have gonn xii, 
light, lest the darkness come on you, &c. While ye have light, walk in the light, that 

ye may be the children of light.” “I say unto you, Make you friends of the unrighteous Luke xvi. 


Matt. xxv. 


Gal. vi. 


Gal. vi. 

2 Cor. v. 
2 Cor. iii. 
Rom. ii. 


Rev. xxii. 


Rev. xiv. 


128 THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 


mammon, that when ye shall have need they may receive you into everlasting habi- 
tations.” That servant which received one talent of his lord, and gained nothing 
therewith, but went his way and hid it in the ground, was cast into utter darkness, 
where weeping and gnashing of teeth shall be. The five foolish virgins, because they 
had no oil in their lamps, were not suffered to enter into the marriage. Moreover, the 
most worthy apostle St Paul saith: “ While we have time, let us do good unto all 
men, and specially unto them which are of the household of faith.” These and divers 
other texts of the holy scripture move us to do good ourselves, while we be alive in 
this world, and not to trust the works of other to be done for us, when we be dead. 
For by our own works, and not by other men’s, shall we be judged. “Every man 
shall bear his own burden.” ‘ Every man shall receive the works of his own body, 
according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad:” “every man shall receive 
his reward according to his own deeds.” “ Behold, I come quickly,” saith our Saviour 
Christ ; “(and my reward is with me, that I may give to every one according as his 
work shall be.” And St John, pronouncing them blessed which die in the Lord, saith 
on this manner: “Their works follow them.” He saith not, Other men’s works shall 


& follow them when they be dead; but their own works do follow, and presently ac- 


Matt. xxv. 


Gal. vi. 


Luke xix. 
Matt. xxv. 


Eccles. xi. 


company them, as the shadow doth the body, even unto the throne of God’s majesty, 
to be testimonies and witnesses of their true and unfeigned faith. They therefore are 
too much fond and negligent of their own salvation, which trust other more than 
themselves in matters pertaining unto the health of their souls. 

Chris. There is an old saying in Latin, and, as I think, no less true than old. It 
is this: 

Da tua dum tua sunt: post mortem, tunc tua non sunt. 
“Give thy goods while they be thine; for after thy death they be none of thine.” 

Eus. 1 remember when I was a child I learned two verses of my school-master, 
which I have not yet forgotten: I will rehearse them unto you. 

Quod sibi quisque serit presentis tempore vite, 

Hoc sibi messis erit, cum dicitur, Ite, venite. 
“That a man soweth for himself in the time of this present life, that shall be his harvest 
or reap, when it is said, Go, come.” 

Epaph. What mean you by that, “Go, come”? 

Eus. You know that to the unfaithful it shall be said: “Go, ye cursed, into 
everlasting fire, which is prepared for the devil and his angels.” But to the faithful 
it shall be said on this manner: “‘ Come, ye blessed of my Father, possess the kingdom 
which was prepared for you from the beginning of the world.” 

Theo. St Paul hath a sentence much like unto your verses: “‘ Whatsoever a man 
soweth,” saith he, “that shall he also reap. For he that soweth in his flesh shall of 
the flesh reap corruption: but he that soweth in the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap 
life everlasting.” 

Phil. Tt is not without cause that the holy scripture doth so diligently call us 
unto repentance, faith, and good works, in this present world. For everlasting life 
even in this world is either gotten or lost. As God findeth us, so judgeth he us. 
Every tree is known and judged by her own fruit, and not by the fruit of other trees. 
Every man likewise is judged by his own works, and not by the works of other, as 
Christ said to the unprofitable servant: “Of thine own mouth will I judge thee, 
thou evil servant.” Theophylact saith: “The virtue of my neighbour shall scarcely be 
enough to defend himself; so far is it off that it can profit me also. For all men shall 
be declared to be righteous by their own works, and not by the works of their 
neighbours '.” 

Eus. The preacher saith: “ When the tree falleth, whether it be toward the 
south or north, in what place soever it falleth, there it lieth.” 

Epaph. What is meant by that? 

Eus. The tree signifieth every one of us that are the children of Adam. We fall, 





[! Theophyl. Op. Venet. 1754-63. In Matt. Comm. cap. xxv. Tom. I. p. 136. See Vol. II. 
p. 396, note 1.] 


THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 129 


that is to say, we die, either toward the south or toward the north; that is, either 

in the state of salvation or damnation. In what state soever we die, in the same remain 

we. There is no change after this life. Either with poor Lazarus we go into the Luke xvi. 
bosom of Abraham, or else with that unmerciful rich man into the fire of hell. There 

are but two places after this life, hell and heaven. If we depart in the faith of Christ, 

we go straightways unto the glory of heaven: but if we die in unbelief, then go 

we to the devil, as the scripture saith: “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting son ii. 
life: but he that believeth not on the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God 
abideth upon him.” 

Chris. St John Chrysostom saith: “He that washeth not away his sins in this 
present life shall find no comfort afterward’,’ &c. 

Theo. The same doctor also hath this saying: “ Let us not think,” saith he, “that 
when we come thither (he meaneth unto the judging-place of God) mercy shall be 
given unto us, seeing we do not so behave ourselves in this world that we may deserve 
to have forgiveness, though Abraham should pray for us, though Noe, though Job, 
though Daniel, should make intercession for us. Therefore, while we have time, let 
us prepare for ourselves that which may stand us in stead afore God another day ®.” 

Eus. Hereto agreeth the saying of St Cyprian: “ Then (that is to say, after death) Tract. contra 
shall repentance be without fruit, and the sorrow of pain; weeping also shall be in 
vain, and prayer shall be to no purpose. Therefore make provision, while ye may, 
for your safeguard and life*” Again he saith: “When we be once departed out of 
this world, there is no more place for repentance: there is no effect of satisfaction. 

In this world life is either lost or gotten. Here, through the worshipping of God, and 
the fruit of faith, provision is made for everlasting salvation®.” 

Epaph. 1 see then, both by the authority of the holy scriptures, and of the ancient 
doctors, that the works which are done for them that are departed out of this world 
by other are but vain and unprofitable, whether they depart in faith or otherwise. 

For the faithful depart straightways unto glory, and the unfaithful unto everlasting 

pain. The one sort have no need of prayer; for they be already in most blessed state 

and joyful rest: and the other are in so damnable case, that prayer can do no good 

for them; no, though Abraham, Noe, Job, Daniel, and all the best that ever lived 
should pray for them. For in hell there is no redemption. And Abraham said to 

the rich man: “There is between us and you a great space set; so that they which Luke xvi. 
would go from hence unto you cannot, neither may they that are there come hither 

unto us.” 

Phil. The truth is, neighbour Epaphroditus, the papists have long bewitched the Purgatory, a 
eyes of the simple, by making them believe that the souls of the faithful go not straight- Papin devi 
ways after their departure unto eternal glory, but rather unto purgatory, a place of their "” 
own devising, for the maintenance of their idle bellies, there to lie miserably puling, 
till they be redeemed by trentals, by pilgrimages-going, by pardons, &c. Our Saviour 
Christ in the gospel teacheth and maketh mention of two ways: but the third is not 
found in the holy scripture. One is “a strait way, which leadeth unto life; and matt. vii. 
few there be that find it:” the other is “a broad way, which leadeth unto destruction ; 
and many there be that go by it.” 

Epaph. J believe and am throughly persuaded, that by the merits of his precious 
blood, which said unto the penitent thief, “This day shalt thou be with me in para- Luke xxiii. 
dise,” my soul, immediately after the departure from this vile body, shall be received 
unto glory, and see the glorious majesty of God face to face, as the psalmograph 
saith: “I believe to see the pleasures and good things of the Lord in the land of Psal. xxvii. 
the living.” I fear the popish purgatory and the pains thereof nothing at all. My 
pain endeth in this life. And the end of this life is the beginning of my joy. This 





[? Possibly the following passage may be that the [? See Vol. II. page 395, note 6. ] 
author had in his mind: KaQaaep ai ovtos 6 mov- (* Enit tune sine fructu pcenitentia, dolor pene, 
ovos, evtavba undev dtadvoduevos Tay oixeiwy duap- | inanis ploratio, et ineflicax deprecatio...... Securitati 
THUaTwWY, OUTW XaheTa@s éexoha{eTO, Ws unde TTA- igitur et vite, dum licet, providete.—Cypr. Op. 
yovos pixpas duvnbjvar émvrvyeiv.—Chrysost. Op. | Oxon. 1682. Ad Demetr. p. 195. ] 
Par. 1718-38. De Lazar. Conc. iii. Tom. I. p. 743. ] [° Id. ibid. p. 196, See Vol. I. page 327, note 1.] 


: 9 
[prcon, m1. ] 


Wisd. v. 


Gal. vi. 


130 THE SICK MAN’S SALVE 


hope lieth up buried in my breast. Therefore will I have neither month minds nor 
year minds kept for me, nor no idle papists and superstitious massmongers sing or say 
for me. For I doubt not but that the Lord my God hath prepared me a vessel 
unto honour, and hath written my name in the book of life, and hath also made me 
his son, and heir of eternal glory: this is enough for me. 

Chris. “The righteous,” saith the wise man, “shall live for evermore ; their re- 
ward also is with the Lord, and their remembrance with the Highest. Therefore 
shall they receive a glorious kingdom, and a beautiful crown of the Lord’s hand.” 

Epaph. Neighbours, now am I at a point with the goods of the world, yea, and 
with the world itself; so that I may say with the holy apostle: “The world is cru- 
cified unto me, and I unto the world.” 

Theo. He is an happy man and greatly blessed, which forsaketh and giveth over 


a= the world before the world forsaketh him. or such obey this commandment of St 


1 John ii. 


Phil. i. 


Psal. xlii. 


Psal. Ixxxiv. 


Psal. exlii. 


Tob. iii. 


A Prayer. 
Matt. xxvi. 


The sick 
man’s ex- 
hortation 
unto his wife. 


John, ‘Love not the world, nor those things that are in the world;” albeit I doubt 
not, neighbour Epaphroditus, but that you shall right well recover your health, and 
live yet many years among us. 

Epaph. No, neighbour Theophile. The end of my life is at hand. And I most 
heartily thank the Lord my God for it. For “I wish to be loosened out of this life, 
and to be with Christ.” ‘Like as the hart desireth the water-brooks, so longeth my 
soul after thee, O God. My soul is athirst for God, yea, even for the living God. 
When shall I come to appear before the presence of God?” “QO how amiable 
are thy dwellings, thou Lord of hosts! My soul hath a desire and longing to enter 
into the courts of the Lord: my heart and my flesh rejoice in the living God.” “I 
had rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents 
of the ungodly.” ‘“O blessed are they that dwell in thy house, O Lord; for they 
will be alway praising thee.” ‘“O Lord, deliver my soul out of the prison” of my 
body, that I may come and give thanks unto thy blessed name. “Deal with me, 
O Lord, according to thy will, and command my spirit to be received in peace. For 
it is more expedient for me to die than to live.” 

Phil. I greatly rejoice in the Lord my God, good neighbour Epaphroditus, to see you 
in so good a mind, and to hear so godly words proceed out of your mouth. These things 
are evident testimonies of your good conscience toward God. Fear you not: the Lord hath 
sealed you with his holy Spirit, and made you through his mercy a vessel unto honour. 

Epaph. Now that an order is taken concerning my worldly possessions, I wish 
to have my wife and my children, with my servants, brought hither unto me, that 
I may take my leave of them, and commend them unto the Lord my God. I pray 
you, neighbour Eusebius, call them hither. 

Hus. It shall be done. 

Epaph. Oh, how sick am I! My weakness increaseth more and more. 

Lord, be merciful unto me, and give me grace patiently and thankfully to bear 
this cross, and in the midst of this my sickness always to say, Thy will, O heavenly 
Father, be done, and not mine. 

Phil. Be strong in the Lord, good neighbour, and faint not, and you shall see 
the wondrous works of God. For God will either shortly restore unto you your 
health, or else make an end of this your pain by taking you from this wretched 
world, and place you in his glorious kingdom. 

Epaph. God grant! But is my neighbour Eusebius come again? 

Chris. Yea, sir. 

Epaph. Where is he ? 

Hus. Were, sir, am I. 

Epaph. Where is my wife, and my children, and my servants ? 

Phil. They are all here present. 


Epaph. Come hither, wife. You see in what case I lie here, sick, weak, and 
the prisoner of God, looking every hour for my departure out of this world. And 
this visitation of God is unto me welcome; and I thank the Lord with all my heart 
for it. I doubt not but that, when I am once gone out of this wretched life, I 


THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 131 


shall be in a far better case than ever I was in this world. Therefore I pray thee, 
good wife, be not heavy, neither take thought for me; but rather pray that the 
good will of God may be done in me. And be as well contented that I should 
now, at the calling of God, go from thee, as ever thou wast to have me in thy 
company. I have run my race, I have passed those years which the Lord appointed 
that I should live in this world. And now is the time of my departure come. And 
I give over this my life willingly and with a free heart. 
Therefore take no thought for me. And doubt thou not, sweet wife, but if 
thou goest forth to live in the fear of God, and to please him, God in the time of 
thy widowhood will be an husband unto thee. He will be thy patron and defender. 
He will be thy mighty shield and strong buckier. He will provide and _ aforesee 
that thou and thine shall want no good thing. For he hath promised in his holy 
word, that he will take charge of the widows and defend their cause. He hath also psa. extvi. 
given a strait commandment to the magistrates and head rulers, to look unto widows, Exod. xx. 


$21. 1. X. 


and to deliver them from oppression. And his holy apostle saith, that “the pure Jer. v. xi. 
and undefiled religion before God the Father is to visit, help, and comfort widows.” Tames 
Therefore I doubt not but the Lord our God will abundantly provide for thee and 

thine. Notwithstanding, wife, forasmuch as from the first time of our marriage unto 

this present day, thou hast alway been unto me a true, faithful, honest, diligent, 

and serviceable wife, I have made thee mine executress, and given unto thee in my 

will such a portion as shall abundantly satisfy thee, both unto the bringing up of 

thy children, and also unto the maintenance of hospitality: God hath sent me enough ; 

and therefore I leave unto thee and thine enough. I pray God send you always his Peal. xxxiv. 
fear before your face; so shall you never want. 

To forbid thee marriage after my departure, according unto the property of some 
husbands, I will not. For the holy scripture saith: “The wife is bound unto the 1 cor. vii. 
marriage, as long as her husband liveth. If her husband die, she is at liberty to 
marry with whom she will, only in the Lord.” If thou therefore after my departure, 

O wife, hast a mind to marry again, marry in the name of the Lord our God. For 
I know, as the wise man saith, that “no man can live chaste, except God giveth wisa. viii. 
that gift.” Only have this care, that he, with whom thou dost determine to couple 
thyself in the blessed state of honourable wedlock, be such a man as feareth God, 
loveth his word, is well reported of his neighbours, dealeth righteously with all men, 
embraceth virtue, despiseth vice, &c. Follow not the manners of certain old doting 
widows, which, for bodily Inst, in their old crooked age couple themselves to younkers 
which might right well have been their children, and unto whom they might also 
have given suck. But to what end such marriages come for the most part, daily 
experience teacheth. The one marrieth for bodily pleasure, the other for covetousness. 
Such marriages are not blessed of God. Choose thee therefore such an husband as 
loveth thee, and not thy goods only; as is equal to thee in condition, state, and age ; 
as also will tender my children, and be a father unto them, and see them brought 
up in the fear of God, and in the knowledge of his blessed word. 

Pray unto God; and he shall give thee good success in all thy travails: look dili- 

gently to the virtuous education and bringing up of my children: graff in their hearts 
so much fruit of God’s Spirit as is possible, and weed out of their minds all kinds of 
vice and wickedness, that their breasts may be made the temples of the Holy Ghost. 
Look well unto thy servants. Give them their covenants, and suffer them not to be 
idle. So govern thy household that there may be found in it no vice, but virtue; no 
wickedness, but godliness; no sin, but honesty and christian behaviour. And be thou 
thyself an example of godly life to thy children and servants; so mayest thou be 
sure to have obedient children and faithful servants. Yea, so shalt thou be well 
reported of thy neighbours, and be loved both of God and all good men. 


Now, my children, come ye hither unto me. God bless you, and send you many, te sick 

: . r . man’s ex- 

yea, and those joyful and quiet days upon the earth. Ye sce in what case I am, portation 
. ao aas ’ : to his 

sore, sick, and very weak, abiding the good pleasure of God. The end of this my children. 


life is come; and I am glad of it, and most heartily thank the Lord my God. Let 
9—2 


Rom. xii. 


The sick 
man’s ex- 
hortation 
unto his son. 


Tob. iv. 


Prov. i. 


Ecclus. vi. 


2 Tim. ii. 


Prov. xxi. 


132 THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 


it not dismay you, my most dear children, that I shall now be taken away from you. 
For albeit that I, being your natural father, shall no more serve you nor provide for 
you, as hitherto I have done, yet doubt ye not but, if ye go forth as ye have begun, 
to fear God, and to serve him, he will not leave you comfortless; but in my stead he 
will be a Father unto you, receive you into his tuition, and provide better for you 
than ever I was able to do. 

Therefore, if ye will have God a merciful and gentle Father unto you, fear him, 
love him, honour him, serve him, pray unto him, call on his blessed name, be thank- 
ful unto him for his benefits, and in all things seek to please his godly Majesty. Give 
your minds to the reading of the holy scriptures, and whatsoever ye read therein, prac- 
tise it in your life and conversation. Be not only favourers, but followers also of the 
word; not only lovers, but also livers of the gospel; not only professors, but also prac- 
tisers of God’s holy law: so shall God bless you, and all good men love you. Avoid 
idleness, and too much childish pastimes. Let no time of your life pass away without 
fruit. Eschew all evil company, and have nothing to do with them that be ungodly. 
Desire alway the fellowship of them that be good and virtuous. Have all your whole 
confidence and trust in the Lord your God. Take nothing in hand before ye have 
craved his help by fervent prayer. And after the thing done, give God most hearty 
thanks, knowledging him to be the giver of all good things. The sabbath-day, and 
such other feastful days, spend them holily and godly. Give yourselves to prayer, to 
hearing of sermons, and reading the word of God. See that ye defile not the name 
of the Lord your God with vain and unlawful oaths. Reverence your elders. Honour 
your mother, be obedient unto her, pray for her, do for her whatsoever lieth in your 
power, that God may bless you and give you long and joyful life upon the earth. 
Be no evil speakers. Be courteous and gentle unto all men. Let no lightness ap- 
pear in you, neither in gesture nor countenance. Be true and faithful. Cast away 
all pride, and embrace humility. Avoid superfluous eating and drinking. Use tem- 
perance in all your doings. Be not moved unto anger; but be patient and ready to 
forgive. Be merciful to the poor. Help all men, to the uttermost of your power. 
Study to do good unto all, and to hurt none. Love all men, yea, even your very 
enemies. ‘Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with goodness.” 

If ye observe these few lessons, ye shall continue in the favour of God, and God as a 
most merciful Father shall bless you and cause you to prosper on the face of the earth. 


But now hear thou, my son, the words of thy’ father, and imprint them well in 
thy memory. Of all the sons that God hath given me since I was married to this 
thy mother, thou alone art left alive. And I thank God for thee: for in thee lieth 
the hope of my posterity. Look therefore that thou servest God all the days of thy 
life, that thou mayest be the father of many children through the blessing of God. 
If thou dost resemble me, as in countenance and lineaments of body, so likewise in 
manners and conditions of life and conversation, it shall not repent me to have 
begotten such a son, neither shall it forthink thee to have had such a father. 

Take heed therefore that thou dost not degenerate and grow out of kind. Honour 
thy mother all the days of her life. Pray for her, and do for her whatsoever lieth in 
thy power. Remember that God hath appointed thee to be the staff of her old age; 
neither forget thou what and how great pains she hath suffered for thee. Beware of 
riotous company, and have always the fear of God before thine eyes. Keep company 
with such as have understanding, and lean unto their wisdom and counsel. Be sober- 
~minded, and “eschew the lusts of youth; but follow righteousness, faith, love, and 
peace, with them that call on the Lord with a pure faith.” When thou shalt come 
to the possession of such worldly substance as I have appointed for thee, through 
the goodness and liberality of God, look that thou dost use, and not abuse thy goods. 
Spend in measure, and as present necessity shall require. Beware of superfluous ex- 
penses. Avoid banqueting and delicious fare: for whosoever loveth delicately to fare 
shall come to poverty. Think that well spent that is honestly spent in thy own 


[{* The folio reads the ; 1561, thy.] 


THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 133 


house. Extraordinary banquetings look that thou flee, remembering that that which 

is gotten through long time is consumed in a very little space. ‘Give alms of thy Tob. iv. 
goods, and turn never thy face from the poor ; so shall it come to pass that the face 

of the Lord shall not be turned away from thee. Be merciful after thy power: if 
thou hast much, give plenteously : if thou hast little, do thy diligence gladly to give 

of that little. For so gatherest thou thyself a good reward in the day of necessity. 

For mercy delivereth from all sin and from death, and suffereth not the soul to come in 
darkness. A great comfort is mercy before the high God unto all them that shew it.” 

In the time of thy youth take heed thou defilest not thyself with whoredom; 
but bring an honest and chaste body unto the blessed state of honourable wedlock. 

And when the ripeness of thy age doth require thee to marry, take heed whom 

thou choosest to be thy yoke-fellow. Follow not the corrupt manners of the wicked 
worldlings, which in choosing their wives have their principal respect unto the wor- 
thiness of the stock, unto the wealthiness of the friends, unto riches, beauty, and such 

other worldly vanities. Consider thou rather the godliness than the worthiness of the 
maid’s parents; the honest and virtuous bringing up of her; her chaste and sober 
behaviour; her christian and godly manners; her modesty, gravity, sobriety, and 
womanliness; her faith, obedience, humility, silence, quietness, honesty, housewifeli- 

ness, and such other fruits of God’s Spirit. Let her be no papist, nor anabaptist, 

nor epicure, but one of the household of faith, and such one as feareth the Lord God 
unfeignedly. With such one couple thyself in the fear of God, and know her to be 

the gift of God, as Salomon saith: ‘“‘ House and riches may a man have by the Prov. xix. 
heritage of his elders; but a discreet wife is the gift of the Lord.” Therefore, when 

thou art once joined with her in the holy order of matrimony, seek after no strange 

flesh, beware of whoredom, entangle thyself with no other woman’s love; but “be glad Prov. v. 
with the wife of thy youth.” “Let her breasts alway satisfy thee; and hold thee 

ever content with her love.” 

And if God send thee children, thank him for them, and study to “bring them Eph. vi. 
up in the fear, nurture, and doctrine of the Lord,” that they may learn to know God, 
even from the very cradles. Order thy household godly and honestly. Cherish thy 
servants, and give them their covenants, remembering that thou also hast a Master Col. iv. 
and Lord in heaven. 

Love thy neighbours: dwell quietly among them. Lend unto them gladly what- 
soever they need, if thou hast it. Oppress not thy tenants. Raise not thy rents. Luke vi. 
Take no incomes nor fines. Be content with the old and accustomed payments. Bring 
up no new customs. Maintain the lawful liberties of the town wherein thou dwellest. 

Be no unprofitable member of the commonwealth. Defame no man; but speak well 

of all men. Hurt no man; but to the uttermost of thy power be beneficial to all 

men. Let never pride have rule in thy mind, nor in thy word; for in pride began Tob. iv. 

all destruction. Whosoever worketh any thing for thee, immediately give him his hire ; 

and look that thy hired servant's wages remain not by thee overnight. Look that thou Mate. vii. 
do never unto another man the thing that thou wouldest not another man should do Tobsiv, 

unto thee. Eat thy bread with the hungry and poor, and cover the naked with thy Isai. iii. 
clothes. Ask ever counsel at the wise. Be alway thankful unto God, and beseech Col. it. 
him that he will order thy ways, and that whatsoever thou devisest or takest in hand, °” ” 
it may remain in him. 

My son, do these things; and God shall bless thee, and prosper all thy doings. 


Wuar shall I say unto you, my little daughters? I pray God bless you, and make Tre sick 


man’s exhor- 


you joyful mothers of many children. Serve God. Obey your mother. Be diligent tation unto 
to please her. Give ear to her wholesome admonitions, and follow them. Do nothing ae 
without her counsel and advisement. When your age shall require to be married, 
follow the counsel of your mother, and other of your faithful friends, which wish you 
to do well, in choosing your husbands. Take heed ye be not corrupted with the gifts 
of naughty packs, nor deceived with the flattering tongues of wicked and unthrifty 
persons. For many in these our days seek not the woman, but the woman’s substance. 


Couple yourselves with such as fear God, love his word, and be of honest report. And 


Eph. v. 
Col. iii. 
1 Pet. iii. 


Heb. xiii. 


1 Tim. il. 


1 Pet. ili. 


The sick 
man’s exhor- 
tation unto 
his servants. 
1 Chron. 


James iv. 


The duty 
of a good 
servant. 
Eph. vi. 
Col. iii. 

1 Tim. vi. 
Tit. ii. 

1 Pet. 11. 


134 THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 


when ye be once married, reverence your husbands, know them to be your heads and 
governors appointed of God, obey them, and submit yourselves unto them. Suffer not 
your love to depart from your husbands, neither know any man besides them; but 
keep the bed undefiled, that your matrimony may be honourable and pure in the sight 
of God and of his holy congregation. And if God blesseth you with children, look 
that you bring them up in the glory of God, in his fear and doctrine. Engraff in their 
young breasts, even from their tender age, virtue, godliness, and good manners : look well 
unto your household, and be an example unto your maids of godliness and honesty. 

Be no gadders abroad, nor haunters of taverns; but keep your houses continually, 
except some earnest and lawful business provoke you to go forth. Be no babblers nor 
vain talkers; but for the most part use silence: for silence is an ornament and precious 
jewel unto a godly woman. “ Apparel yourselves in comely array, with shamefacedness 
and discreet behaviour ; not with broided hair, either gold, or pearls, or costly garments; 
but, as it becometh women that profess godliness, through good works.” “ Let the hid 
man, which is in the heart, be without all corruption, so that the spirit be at rest and 
quiet; which spirit before God is a thing much set by. For after this manner in the 
old time did the holy women which trusted in God tire themselves, and were obedient 
to their husbands: even as Sara obeyed Abraham, and called him lord; whose daughters 
ye are, so long as ye do well.” 

If you observe these few lessons which I, your sick father, have now given unto 
you, doubt ye not but ye shall right well prosper, and live a joyful and quiet life on 
earth. Yea, God shall be your Father and defender. Well, stand aside a little while. 
God's blessing be with you. Come hither, ye my servants. 


Sirs, ye see in me what shall be the end of all flesh, even a departure from this 
world. For “we are but strangers and pilgrims on the earth, as our fathers were 
before us.” “‘ We have no continuing city here, but we seek one to come.” The 
ordinance of God is, that all men shall once die. There liveth no man that shall 


‘xix, not die. A man in his time is but “grass, and flourisheth as a flower of the field.” 


Our “life is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.” 
On this condition came we into the world, that we should leave it again. We have 
been sure of death, ever since we were conceived in our mother’s womb. These things 
do ye now see practised in me: the time of my departure out of the world is at 
hand; I thought it good therefore to send also for you, and to take my leave of you, 
till we meet again in the kingdom of God. 

I thank you for the good service that ye have done me. I have not forgotten 
your serviceable hearts and good-wills toward me. If the good pleasure of God had 
been, that I should longer have continued with you, I would have considered your 
service better. But I have given to every one of you such portion of money as shall 
declare some part of my thankful and well-willing heart toward you. This now 
remaineth to be craved at your hands. As ye have hitherto faithfully, truly, and 
earnestly served me in my life-time, even so after my departure, so long as ye tarry 
here, shew the like faithfulness, truth, and honesty toward your mistress. Consider 
that, as long as I lived, I was a stay unto her, and unto her things. But now her 
chief hope, next unto God, consisteth in you. Therefore, I pray you, look well unto 
the things which appertain unto her. See that nothing go to waste. Provide that, 
through your diligence, her things may rather increase than decrease. 

Ye know right well the duty of a good servant; notwithstanding, even at this my 
departure from you, I will put you in remembrance of it, that when I am gone, ye 
may yet remember my admonitions, and the more speedily answer unto your vocation. 
The duty of a good servant is to serve his master and mistress willingly and with a 
free courage, even for conscience sake, not with the eye, but with the heart; to obey 
them, to honour them, gently to answer them; not to pick or steal away their goods ; 
but to be faithful unto them in all things. See therefore that ye on this manner 
behave yourselves toward your mistress: avoid all stubbornness, churlishness, cursed 
speakings, telling of tales, lying, picking, waste, idleness, negligence, and sluggishness. 
Eschew all evil and riotous company. Fly drunkenness and whoredom. Abstain from 


THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 135 


vain oaths and foolish pastimes. So behave yourselves in all your life and conversa- 
tion, “that the name of God and his doctrine be not evil spoken of.” Yea, let the 1 tim. vi. 
light of your godly behaviour so shine before men, that ye ““may do worship to the tit. ii. 
glorious gospel of our Saviour Christ in all things.” And in thus serving your mis- 
tress with a glad, ready, and faithful will, think yourselves to serve the Lord your 
God, and to do that thing which is pleasant in his godly sight, and that he also will 
see your pains recompensed, as the holy apostle saith: “‘ Ye servants, be obedient unto Col. ii. 
them that are your bodily masters in all things ; not with eye-service, as men-pleasers ; 
but in singleness of heart, fearing God. And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as 
though you did it to the Lord, and not unto men; knowing that of the Lord ye shall 
receive the inheritance ; for ye serve the Lord Christ. But he that sinneth shall receive 
according unto his sin: for there is no respect of persons with God.” 

If ye serve your mistress truly and faithfully, hereafter, when ye shall yourselves 
be householders, God shall likewise send you true and faithful servants. But if ye 
serve her falsely and ungodly, then shall ye of your servants be likewise served here- 
after. “ For with what measure that ye mete withal, shall other mete to you again,” Luke vi. 
saith our Saviour Christ. Live therefore according to your vocation in the fear of God, 
and ye shall prosper right well. God shall bless you, and never leave you succourless, 
as the holy man Thoby saith: “Be not afraid: truth it is we lead here a poor life ; Tob. iv. 
but great good shall we have, if we fear God, and depart from all sin, and do well.” 
Well, the blessing of God be with you: I am very faint. 


Phil. No marvel: for ye have talked a great while. 

Epaph. I trust my talk hath not been evil. 

Phil. Forsooth it hath been both good and godly. I pray God give both them 
and all us grace to follow these your most wholesome and christian admonitions. But, 
sir, will it please you to take your leave of your wife, children, and servants, and 
give yourself to rest for a little while? Peradventure it shall do you much good. 

Epaph. Sleep I cannot. And I am loth to let them go from me. For the sight 
of them is comfortable unto me, and, as methinketh, easeth my pain. 

Chris. God comfort you, and ease your pain! 

Epaph. Before they depart from me, I wish greatly even in their presence to 
confess my faith, that both you and they may be witnesses before God and the world, 
that I die a christian man. 

Phil. Although we nothing doubt thereof, yet we greatly desire to hear the con- 
fession of your faith, that we may be able to testify hereafter that you departed 
in the faith of Christ. 

Epaph. UWear then. 


I UNFEIGNEDLY believe with my heart, and freely confess with my mouth, that there The sick 
is one only true, living, immortal, and everlasting God, God the Father, God the Son, Teale hits 
and God the Holy ‘ile three distinct Persons in the Godhead, and, notwithstanding, Matt. xxviii 
one very God in substance, of like majesty, glory, might, power, judgment, and will. ee 

As touching the first in the Deity, I unfeignedly believe with my heart, and freely of God the 
confess with my mouth, that he is that God, which alone is the Father, not only of our a Con. 
Lord and Saviour Christ Jesu, whom of himself, from everlasting, he begot his natural deg 
Son, and therefore likewise true and immortal God; but also of all the faithful, not Eph. iv. 
by nature, but by adoption, whom he hath chosen to be his children in Christ Jesu Eph. i. 
before the foundations of the world were laid, to love, favour, cherish, comfort, nourish, 
govern, defend, and bless them, both corporally and spiritually. This God the Father I 
believe and oes to be Annapy and able to do whatsoever his godly will and pleasure Gen. xvii. 
is. With him all things are possible. There is nothing too hard for him to do, neither Mate aie 
is any thing unpossible in his sight. Fackien 

This God the Father Almighty I believe and confess that he is the Creator and Rev. xvi. 
Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things contained in them. Of nothing, by his Psal. Ixxxix. 
wonderful and almighty power, made he ane heavens, with the blessed angels and 
heavenly spirits that are in them. The one he chose to be his glorious seat, the other 


he made to be his ministers, to do his blessed will and holy commandment. This God Isai. xiii. 


Prov. viii. 
John i. 


Ecclus. xxiv. 


Psal. xxxiii. 
John i. 


1 Pet. i. 


Rom. viii. 


Of God the 
Son. Ad 


Matt. viii. 
XVvii. 
John i. 
Rom. i. 


Hob. i. 
Col. i. 


Jesus. 
Matt. i. 
Isai. xlv. 


Acts iv. 
Jer. xvii. 


Psal. lxx. 


Christ. 


John iii. 


Psal. x)v. 


John i. 


John vii. 


Rom. viii. 


136 THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 


the Father Almighty made also the earth of nothing with her increase, and gave breath 
to the people that are in it, and spirit to them that dwell therein. The heavens, the 
earth, and the sea, with all that ever is contained in them, are the creatures of this 
God the Father Almighty, created unto this end, even that they should set forth, 
magnify, praise, and commend the majesty, power, might, and glory of this most 
mighty and glorious God. 

And whatsoever he made, he made it through his only-begotten Son, “by whom 
all things were made, and without whom was made nothing that was made.” For 
when he made the heavens, this his only-begotten Son was present; when he hanged 
the clouds above, when he fastened the springs of the deep, when he shut the. sea 
within certain bounds, that the waters should not go over the marks that he com- 
manded. When he laid the foundations of the earth, he was with him ordering all 
things, delighting daily, and rejoicing alway before him. For the Son of God caused 
the light that faileth not to arise in the heaven, and covered all the earth as a 
cloud. And that prince-like prophet saith: ‘“‘ By the word of the Lord (which Word 
is Christ, the natural Son of God) are the heavens made, and all the hosts of them 
by the breath of his mouth.” 

This God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, I believe and am 
fully persuaded that he for Christ’s sake (by faith) is my most merciful Father, and 
that I am “born again of him, not by mortal but immortal seed, through the word 
of God, which liveth and abideth for ever,’ and so am become his son, and that he 
therefore loveth and favoureth me, governeth and defendeth me, feedeth and nourisheth 
me, and finally, hath made me his heir and fellow-heir of eternal glory with his only- 
begotten and most dearly-beloved Son Christ Jesu our Lord and Saviour. 

Now have ye heard my faith concerning God the Father. 

Phil. Vt is a faith both true and christian, and from the beginning received of 
all godly persons. Will it please you likewise to rehearse your faith concerning Jesus 
Christ the Son of God, yea, God and man ? 

Epaph. This it is. 

I unfeignedly believe with my heart, and freely confess with my mouth, that 
Jesus Christ, the second Person in the Godhead, is the only-begotten Son of God, yea, 
and true, immortal, and everlasting God, begotten of God the Father before any 
beginning, of like majesty, might, power, and glory with God the Father, of the 
same nature, essence, being, and substance. I believe that this Jesus Christ, which 
is the very brightness of his Father's glory, and the very image of his substance, first- 
begotten before all creatures, is our Lord, even the Lord of all the faithful. 

And I believe, that as he is called Jesus, that is to say, a Saviour, so likewise 
he is both able and will save me from all my sins. “A God that is righteous, and 
such one as saveth, there is none but he.” ‘ There is salvation in none other. Nei- 
ther is there any other name under heaven given unto men wherein we may be saved, 
but only the name of Jesus.” Of him therefore alone, as of an almighty Saviour, do 
I look for my salvation: for vain is the saving health that is looked for of any 
other. 

And as he is called Christ, that is to say, anointed, because he is the King and 
Priest of all the people of God, and is anointed with the true ointment, even with 
the fulness of the Holy Ghost (for “God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him,” 
but he hath “anointed him with the oil of gladness above his fellows”); even so do I 
believe that out of him, even as out of a lively spring and flowing fountain, this oil 
of gladness, I mean the Holy Ghost, come forth upon all the members of Christ, and 
they also in him and through him are made Christs, that is to say, the anointed 
of the Lord. “For of his fulness have all we received, even grace for grace.” And 
“‘ whosoever believeth on him (as saith the scripture), floods of living water shall flow 
out of his belly.” As I am of this Christ called a Christian, so do I believe that this 
Christ hath anointed me with his holy Spirit, and therewith also sealed me up unto 
everlasting life. For “they that are led with the Spirit of God are the sons of God.” 
For “the same Spirit certifieth our spirit, that we are the sons of God. If we be 
sons, then are we also heirs; the heirs, I mean, of God, and fellow-heirs with Christ” 
of eternal glory. 


THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 137 


Furthermore, I believe that Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, is called 
our Lord, not only because he is Lord of all things, inasmuch as he is God, and 
hath all things in subjection unto him by the night of his divine nature, but also 
because he is the Lord, ruler, and governor of all the elect and chosen people of God, 
and mightily delivereth them from the power, violence, and tyranny of Satan, sin, 
and death, by this means making them his own and peculiar people ; and continually 
defendeth and preserveth them against all evils and perils, whereunto they should 
daily fall through the deceitful subtilties of Satan, the vain persuasions of the world, 
and the poisonful enticements of the flesh, if by the mighty power of him they were 
not preserved. ‘For although there be many lords, yet have we but one Lord, even } cor. viii. 
Jesus Christ; by whom are all things, and we by him.” And this Jesus Christ, the 
only-begotten Son of God, I faithfully believe to be my Lord, my protector, my 
mighty shield, buckler, and defender, and that he hath delivered me from the tyranny 
of Satan, from “the law of sin and death,” and brought me in “ through faith unto Rom. viii. 
this grace, wherein I stand and rejoice in hope of the ioe of God.” rate 
Moreover, I unfeignedly believe with my heart, and freely confess with my mouth, or christ's 
that this Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, is also very true and natura] 
man, of the same flesh and blood with us, and like unto us in all points, sin alone neb. iv. 
except. And he became man, not after the manner of other men, but by the won- 
derful operation and above-natural working of God’s holy Spirit. For he was con- Isai. vii. 
ceived of the Holy Ghost, and born of the virgin Mary. That which was conceived 
in her was not of man, but it came of the Holy Ghost. For the Holy Ghost came matt. i. 
upon that godly maid, and the power of the Highest overshadowed her; and so con- *“*** 
ceived she and brought forth Christ her true and natural Son, a pure and undefiled 
virgin before the birth, in the birth, and after the birth. 
It was necessary that Jesus Christ should be so both conceived and born, that 
by this his pure and clean birth he might wash and put away the corruption and pagal. 1. 
filthiness of our nature, which was fataned’ in the fall and sin of Adam. For it poi’ 
was not convenient that he, which was come to purge the world from all sin, should 
in any point be spotted with sin; but that both his conception and nativity should 
be so pure and without blemish, that by the pureness thereof the filthiness and cor- 
ruption of our conception and nativity might be put away. For of the unclean Job xiv. 


| 
who can be cleansed? All we be unclean in Adam, both concerning our conception Sets 


and birth: for after that God had made man like unto his own similitude and image, par ie 


he placed him in paradise, and gave him liberty to eat of all the fruits in the ee eae, 
of pleasure, except the tree of knowledge of good and evil. But man disobeyed the 
Lord his God, and transgressed his holy commandment: through the which diso- rom. y. 
bedience and transgression of God’s holy commandment, sin, curse, and death came j2nn ‘i. 
over all mankind; so that now in Adam so’many as are born after the common *™~ 
course of nature are begotten, conceived, and born in sin. They are the children of 
wrath, and defiled with all uncleanness, both bodily and ghostly. 

Now, when there was no help nor comfort for man, whereby he might be redeemed 
out of Satan’s power, and delivered from his intolerable miseries wherewith he was 
too much wretchedly wrapped and brought into slavery (for now man with all his Gen. vi. 
thoughts, imaginations, devices, words, deeds, enterprises, &c., is become through the 
sin of Adam wicked, unpure, filthy, and sinful), then God that merciful Father had 
pity upon mankind, and promised them a seed, even Jesus Christ his only-begotten Gen. iii 
Son, which should tread down the head of the serpent, overcome the devil with all *“*™ 
his power, and restore us to life again. And likewise as God is righteous in all his Psal. exlv. 
ways, and holy in all his works, and true and faithful in all his words; even so Titi. 
hath he kept all his promises truly. For when the time was full come, he sent his Gal. iv. 
only-begotten and dearly-beloved Son into the womb of the virgin Mary, where and yyate ;. 
of whom, through the working of the Holy Ghost, he became flesh, that is to say, ‘*** 
true and natural man, as the scripture witnesseth, saying: “* The Word became flesh, Jonni. 
and dwelt among us; and we saw his glory, as the glory of the only-begotten Son 





{: Distained: stained, polluted. | 


Rom. i. 


Heb. ii. 


Psal. xxii. 


Isai. viii. 


Heb. iv. 


Psal. Ji. 
Eph. ii. 
John iii. 


John i. 


Rom. viii. 


Tsai. liii. 
Matt. viii. 
1 Pet. ii. 


Eph. ii. 
Col. i. 


Col. i. 


Eph. v. 


138 THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 


of the Father, full of grace and verity.” He brought not his body with him from 
heaven (as certain heretics affirm); but, as he received all his divine nature and sub- 
stance of God the Father alone, even so likewise did he take all his human nature 
and substance of the pure virgin Mary alone, through the wonderful operation of the 
Spirit of God; as St Paul saith: ‘‘ He was born of the seed of David after the flesh.” 
Again he saith: “He that sanctifieth and they which are sanctified are all of one. 
For which causes he is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying: I will declare 
thy name to my brethren, and in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee. 
And again: I will put my trust in him. And again: Behold, here am I, and the 
children which God hath given me. Forasmuch therefore as the children were par- 
takers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part with them, for to put 
down (through death) him that had lordship over death, that is to say, the devil; 
and that he might deliver them which through fear of death were all their life-time 
in danger of bondage. For he in no condition taketh on him the angels, but the seed of 
Abraham taketh he on him: wherefore in all things it became him to be made like 
unto his brethren, that he might be merciful and a faithful high priest in things concern- 
ing God for to purge the people’s sins,” &c. This only-begotten Son of God, by taking 
flesh of the virgin Mary, became “lke unto us in all things, sin alone except.” 

I believe that by his pure conception and undefiled nativity, my conception and 
my birth, which, coming from Adam, was altogether unpure and defiled, is cleansed, and 
that no part of that sinful birth is imputed unto me; but that through faith in this most 
blessed Seed of the virgin I am born anew and begotten of God; so that he is my 
Father, and I am his son, and therefore inheritor also of his heavenly kingdom. 

Furthermore, I unfeignedly believe with my heart, and freely confess with my 
mouth, that this Seed of the woman, Jesus Christ, at the commandment and will of 
his heavenly Father (which from everlasting by his godly providence ordained his only- 
begotten Son to be a sacrifice for the sins of his people, that through his only obla- 
tion they might for ever and ever be saved), suffered many grievous pains on his 
body under the heathen ruler Pontius Pilate, and that he was crucified, died, and 
was buried. All those bitter pains and grievous torments he suffered, not for himself, 
but for us, for our iniquities, sins, and wickednesses, that he might reconcile us unto 
God the Father. His pains satisfied for the pains due unto us for our faults; as 
the prophet saith: “He only hath taken on him our infirmities, and borne our pains.” 
“ He was wounded for our offences, and smitten for our wickednesses. For the chas- 
tisement of our peace was laid upon him; and with his stripes are we healed. As 
for us, we have gone all astray like sheep: every one hath turned his own way. 
But the Lord hath heaped together upon him the iniquity of us all.” “He was cut 
off from the ground of the living, which punishment did come upon him for the 
transgression of my people,” saith God, which indeed had deserved that punishment. 
He was crucified and nailed to the cross, that by the sufferance of his flesh he might 
“put away the cause of hatred, even the law of commandments contained in the law 
written,” and so win us again unto the favour of God. “For it pleased the Father 
that in him should all fulness dwell, and by him to reconcile all thing unto him- 
self, and to set at peace by him, through the blood of his cross, both things in heaven 
and things in earth.” His blessed body crucified and nailed to the cross, buffeted, 
beaten, and scourged, was “a sweet-smelling sacrifice” and a right dear offering unto 
God the Father, sufficient enough and able to the uttermost to put away all the 
sins of the faithful and all the pains due for the same. It satisfied at the full the 
justice of God, and appeased his wrath stirred up through sin against the posterity 
of Adam, and made God, of an angry Lord and nghteous Judge, a most merciful 
Father and gentle Saviour. 

Neither need the faithful go for salvation unto massmongers, unto justiciaries, unto 
monkish hypocrites, nor yet unto saints. The sacrifice of' Christ’s body, which he 
himself, that everlasting Priest, offered on the altar of the cross to God the Father, 
is a plentcous, full, perfect, and sufficient satisfaction for the sins of the whole world, 





[! So 1561; folio, on.] 


THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 139 


if they repent, believe, and amend. We need no such daily sacrifices as the papists 
heretofore, for lucre’s sake, have devised. As Christ Jesus is an everlasting Bishop, 
so abideth his sacrifice, which he once for all offered on the cross, of full virtue, Hep. ix. 
power, might, and strength, even unto the end of the world. “Jesus Christ yesterday, Heb. xiii. 
and to-day, and the same continueth for ever.” Forasmuch therefore as Christ “ endureth Heb. vii. 
for ever, and hath an everlasting priesthood, he is able also ever to save them to 
the uttermost and unto the full that come unto God by him; seeing he ever liveth 
to make intercession for us.” For “he is not entered into the holy places that are Heb. ix. 
made with hands (which are similitudes of true things), but is entered into very 
heaven, for to appear now in the sight of God for us; not to offer himself often, as 
the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with strange blood ; for then 
must he have often suffered since the world began: but now in the end of the world 
hath he appeared once to put sin to flight by the offering up of himself. And as 
it is appointed unto all men that they shall once die, and then cometh the judgment ; 
even so Christ was once offered to take away the sins of many, and unto them that 2 Pet. iii. 
look for him shall he appear again without sin unto salvation.” ‘We are sanctified Heb. x. 
and made holy by the offermg of Jesus Christ’s body done once for all.” ‘“ With 
one only oblation hath Christ Jesus made perfect for evermore them that are sanc- 
tified.” Adieu, therefore, to all new, counterfeit, and strange sacrifices, devised for lucre’s 
sake by the crafty conveyance of man through the subtile suggestion of sly Satan: 
let the faithful people of God embrace that sacrifice, that offering of Christ’s blessed 
body, which he himself offered unto God the Father on the altar of the cross once 
for all for the sins of the world. Let them cleave and stick unto that. Let them 
repose their whole affiance, and put all their trust in that sweet-smelling sacrifice, and 
say with the holy apostle: “God forbid that I should rejoice in any thing, but in Gai. vi. 
the cross, passion, and death of our Lord Jesus Christ.” So may they be sure never 
to perish, but to have everlasting life. 

Again, this Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and the Son also of the glorious virgin, 
after that he had suffered many bitter pains and grievous torments hanging upon the 
cross, died the death of the body, and was buried. I believe that Christ “by his Heb. ii. 
death” hath conquered, vanquished, subdued, and “overcome him that had lordship 
over death, that is to say, the devil, that he might deliver them which through 
fear of death were all their life-time subdued unto bondage.” Yea, by his death 
Satan’s power is so broken, and the violence of death so weakened, that we may be 
bold to say: “ Death is swallowed up into victory. Death, where is thy sting? Hell, 1 cor. xv. 
where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 
But thanks be unto God, which hath given us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 

Christ, after the death of his body, went down in his soul to hell, as clearly or cnrist’s 


appeareth by the scriptures; not that he should there suffer more pains (which had eg ie 
already on the cross suffered to the uttermost, and done whatsoever was needful for Ausin” 


Zech. ix. 


our redemption), but to break the pride of Satan, and to destroy the fury of the Hos. xin. 
hellish powers against the chosen people of God, that all the faithful thereby might Bethe 
be delivered from death and hell, and triumphantly say with the prophet: “O death, Hos. xiii. 
I will be thy death; O hell, I will be thy destruction.” 

And likewise, as Christ died for our sins, so I unfeignedly believe with my heart, or christs 
and freely confess with my mouth, that he rose again the third day through the Rom.iv. 
power of his Father, for our justification, according to the scriptures. And by this Hoag 
his resurrection and life he hath not only shewed himself a glorious and triumphant Rom. 
conqueror over Satan, death, and hell, but “he hath also brought life and immortality 2 Tim. i. 
unto light,” and assured us of the resurrection of our bodies, that, as he is risen from 
the dead, so likewise shall we with our bodies rise again out of the earth at the last 
day. And therefore is he called “the first-fruits of them that are fallen asleep.” 1 Cor. xv. 

Moreover, I unfeignedly believe with my heart, and freely confess with my mouth, of christ’s 
that as Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and the Son of the virgin Mary, shewed him- Mark xvi 
self oftentimes after his resurrection unto his disciples, so likewise he ascended unto Ae 
heaven in their presence, perfect God and perfect man, and sitteth at the right hand Rom. viii. 


of God the Father Almighty, “above all rule, power, might, and dominion, and zph.i. 


Col. i. 


Matt. xxviii. 


Rev. xix. 
1 Tim. vi. 


Rom. viii. 
1 Tim. ii. 
1 Jokn ii. 


(= Christ a 
sufficient 
Mediator, Ad- 
vocate, and 
Intercessor. 

1 Tim. ii. 

1 John ii. 
Rom. viii. 
Heb. vii. 


Psal. Ixviii. 
Eph. iv. 


Luke xi. 
Rev. v. 


Hos. xiii. 
1 Cor. xv. 
Heb. ii. 


John iii. xv. 
Rom. x. 


Rom. viii. 


Psal. Ixviii. 
Eph. iv. 


John xiv. xv. 


Wal. v. 


Rom. viii. 


Col. iii. 
Eph. iv. 


John xiv. 


140 THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 


above all that may be named, not only in this world, but also in the world to 
come.” For God the Father hath “put all things under his feet, and hath made 
him above all things the head of the congregation, which is his body, and the ful- 
ness of him that filleth all in all.” All power is given unto him both in heaven 
and in earth. He is a Lord above all lords, and a King above all kings. Yea, he 
is an Almighty God with his Father, of the same majesty, might, power, and glory; 
and notwithstanding, inasmuch as he is man, he is also our Intercessor, Mediator, 
and Advocate. For he is not gone up into heaven to be an idle gazer, nor to neg- 
lect his church; but to pray for the faithful, to make intercession for them unto 
God the Father, to’ be our Mediator and Advocate, and to appease the wrath of God 
the Father, if at any time, through sin, it waxeth hot against us, and to win us 
again unto his favour, and to keep us in the same unto the end. 

We need not seek help of other, neither yet call on the saints departed, that 
they may pray for us, and plead our cause before God. The man Christ Jesus 
alone, which gave himself a ransom for all men, is our sufficient Mediator, Advo- 
cate, and Intercessor, as the holy scripture teacheth in divers places. Whosoever, 
therefore, refuseth to pray unto this man Christ Jesus, to be his Mediator and Ad- 
vocate unto God the Father, and fleeth unto other, without all doubt he is an enemy 
unto Christ, and to the uttermost of his power he laboureth to make Christ (as 
they use to say) jack out of office; for since the time of his ascension his chief and 
principal office is to be our Intercessor, Mediator, and Advocate. 

He ascended also into heaven to lead captivity captive, and to give gifts unto 
men. Satan, that old enemy of mankind, had taken us captive, made us his bond- 
slaves through sin, carried us away with his craft and subtilty from the Lord our 
God, and brought us into his kingdom of darkness, which is the dreadful kingdom 
of sin, death, and hell. Thus were we in great misery, and should for ever have 
been damned, if we had not been holpen by some other means, than we with all our 
wits could devise. Therefore, even of very pity and tender compassion came one, 
which is much stronger than Satan, even Christ, that mighty Lion of the tribe of 
Juda, a right conqueror, a strong Sampson, a valiant subduer of death, sin, and 
hell, a puissant vanquisher of Satan, &c. He, as a king of glory, mightily brast 
into Satan’s kingdom, brake open the gates of hell, took the prince of darkness, 
bound him, took him prisoner, made him his bond-slave, destroyed his empire, led 
away his prisoners, bringing them again into most joyful and blessed liberty; so that 
all they, which believe in this most mighty emperor and valiant conqueror Christ 
Jesus, are delivered from the tyranny of Satan, and from the power of sin, death, 
and hell. ‘There is no damnation now unto them which are engrafted in Christ Jesu. 
Satan, sin, death, and hell, with all the infernal army, cannot hurt the elect and 
chosen people of God. ‘ Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s chosen? 
It is God that justifieth: who is he that can condemn? It is Christ which died, 
yea, rather which is risen again, which is also on the ight hand of God, and maketh 
intercession for us. Who shall then separate us from the love of God?” &c. 

And as Christ, by his most glorious and triumphant ascension, hath led captivity 
captive; so likewise hath he given gifts unto men, even that Holy Ghost, that Spirit 
of truth, that Comforter, which worketh in the hearts of the faithful new motions 
and spiritual affects, faith, hope, love, fear, humility, modesty, meekness, patience, 
long-suffering, joy, peace, quietness of conscience, temperance, goodness, mercy, &c. 
It mortifieth the old man, and quickeneth “the new man, which is renewed unto 
the knowledge and image of him that made him,” “which after God is shapen in 
righteousness and true holiness.” 

Again, Christ, ascending up into heaven by the power of his godhead, hath 
prepared in the kingdom of his Father everlasting and joyful dwelling-places for so 
many as believe in him, as he himself witnesseth, saying: “I go to prepare a place 
for you, and I will come again unto you, and take you unto myself, that, where I 
am, ye also may be.” He hath also ascertained us of our ascension and going up into 


[! This word is inserted from the edition of 1561.] 


THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 141 


heaven, not only in soul, but also in body. He corporally is risen again, and gone 
before into the glorious kingdom of his Father, to declare that we also, after the 
general resurrection, shall both body and soul be carried into heaven. The members 
must needs be like the head. Christ our head is risen again; therefore shall we his 
members rise again. Christ our head is ascended and gone up into heaven both body 
and soul; therefore shall we his members ascend and go up into heaven both body 
and soul also. Christ our head was taken up into heaven in a cloud both body and 
soul; therefore shall we his members also be taken up in a cloud to meet the Lord; 
and so shall we both body and soul dwell with the Lord Christ our head for ever 
and ever, as the holy apostle testifieth, saying: “If we believe that Jesus died and 1 Thess. iv. 
rose again, even so them which sleep by Jesus God will bring again with him. 
For this say we unto you in the word of the Lord, that we which shall live, and 1 Cor. xv. 
shall remain in the coming of the Lord, shall not come yer they which sleep. For 
the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, and the voice of the arch- Matt. xxiv. 
angel and trump of God. And the dead in Christ shall arise first: then we which Dan. xii. 
shall live (even we which shall remain) shall be caught up with them in the clouds 
to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” 

Finally, I unfeignedly believe with my heart, and freely confess with my mouth, of christ’s 


that as the Lord Christ is ascended up into heaven, so shall he come again from nine. 


heaven with power and much glory, nobly accompanied with thousands of blessed ‘ets i. 
angels and heavenly saints, for to judge the quick and the dead, the faithful and °?“** 
unfaithful, and to give every man his reward according to that he ath done, whether Rev. i. 
it be good or bad. And when he thus gloriously shall come unto the judgment, Beoay. 
“all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have Johny. 
done good unto the Secon of life, and they that have done i unto the resur- 
rection of damnation.” ‘The faithful shall go into eternal life, the unfaithful into ever- Matt. xxv. 
lasting damnation. ‘Every man shall he reward according to his deeds, that is to Say, Dan. xii. 
praise, honour, and immortality to them which continue in good doing, and seek im- ae 
mortality; but unto them that are rebels, and that do not obey the truth, but follow 
unrighteousness, shall come indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish upon the 
soul of every man that doth evil.” 
Now have ye heard also my faith concerning Jesu Christ, God and man. And Note. 
I believe all things that I have spoken to be undoubtedly true. And I am fully 
persuaded that Jesus Christ, my Lord and Saviour, wrought all the things that ever 
he did in his humanity, for me and for my salvation. To save me, to reconcile me 
unto God the Father, to make me inheritor of everlasting glory, he came down from 
heaven, was incarnate by the Holy Ghost, and born of the virgin Mary. Yea, he 
suffered, was crucified, died, went down to hell, rose again the third day from the 
dead, ascended unto heaven, and shall come again unto judgment for me, for my 
sake, for my glory and salvation. Thus have ye heard my faith concerning God 
the Father, and God the Son, which also is man, receiving his human nature of the 
glorious virgin Mary. 
Eus. Whosoever this believeth and confesseth of God the Father, and of his Rom.x. 
Son Christ, the same can never perish. For, as our Saviour Christ said unto God 
the Father in his prayer: ‘ This is everlasting life, even to know thee the alone true John xvii. 
God, and whom thou hast sent, Jesus Christ.” Chris. The wise man also saith: ‘‘To Wisd. xv. 
know thee, O God, is perfect righteousness; yea, to know thy righteousness and power 
is the root of immortality.” Theo. God saith by the prophet: “By the knowledge Isai. tiii. 
of him, which is my righteous servant, he shall justify the multitude.” 
Phil. God grant us the true knowledge of his Son Christ; so may we be sure to 
be justified, saved, and glorified. 
Epaph. Amen, But now hear also my faith concerning the third Person in the 
Deity, which is the Holy Ghost. 
Chris. We hear you gladly. 
Epaph. I unfeignedly believe with my heart, and freely confess with my mouth, Diao 
ost. 
that the Holy Ghost is one and equal God in glory, majesty, power, and might Oh Geni. 
the Father and the Son, proceeding from the Father and the Son after an unknown Matt. ii 


John i. 
Matt. xxviii. 
John xv. xvi. 
John vy. iil. 


1 Cor. ii. 
2 Cor. iil. 
Gal. v. 


Phil. ii. 
John xiv. xv. 
xvi. 


1 Cor. xii. 
Acts x. 
1 John ii. 


Psal. ev. 


Eph. i. 


Tsai. Ixvi. 
Acts vii. 
Psal. exlv. 
Deut. vi. 
John iv. 
Isai. xliv. 


1 Tim. i. 


Rev. iv. 


Rev. vii. 


Prov. xxv. 


Ecelus. iii. 


Rom. xii. 


142 THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 


and unexpressible manner. This Spirit of God and God himself is he, by whom 
God the Father, through his Son Christ and in Christ, worketh and quickeneth all 
things. All the benefits and graces which God the Father bestoweth upon us for 
Christ’s sake, this Holy Ghost bringeth them unto us, and maketh us new vessels to re- 
ceive them; which otherwise even of nature are so fleshly-minded, that we perceive nothing 
at all of those things which pertain unto the Spirit of God, neither are we able to 
think a good thought of ourselves. For this godly Spirit worketh in us new motions 
and new affects, and giveth us grace both to will and to do good. He is a teacher 
of all the faithful, and leadeth them into all truth. He is a Comforter of weak and 
sorrowful minds. He keepeth the true Christians unmoveable in one faith, and open- 
eth their senses to understand the mysteries of God aright. He doth clothe them 
with his gifts, and giveth to every one a several gift even as he will. He is the ruler 
of the christian congregation. He is the anointment wherewith all the faithful are 
anointed, and thereof are called the anointed of the Lord. He is given unto the 
faithful to be “the earnest of their inheritance for the recovering of the purchased 
possession unto the praise of his glory.” He with his godly breath quickeneth, maketh 
alive, and conserveth all things. He of carnal maketh us spiritual; of worldly, 
godly; of wicked, blessed; of the bond-slaves of Satan, the dearly-beloved sons of 
God; of sinful sinks, his own most pleasant and holy temple; of cruel, meek; of 
proud, humble; of malicious, charitable; of contentious, quiet; of covetous, liberal ; 
of hard-hearted, meek-spirited ; of froward, gentle; of stubborn, obedient; of dissolute, 
temperate and sober; of false, true; of foolish, wise; of idle, godly-occupied; of 
unchaste, pure and clean; of the haters of God, the friends of God; of the lovers of 
pleasures, the lovers of godliness; to end, he maketh us of earthy heavenly. What- 
soever goodness we have, he is the alone author, worker, and giver of the same. 

Therefore I believe and confess that this Holy Spirit is one and equal God with 
God the Father and God the Son, proceeding from them both with the like majesty, 
glory, might, and power. I believe that this Holy Ghost is my Comforter, and that 
he prayeth for me, reneweth me, dwelleth in me, and hath sealed me up unto 
everlasting glory. 

Now have ye heard my faith and my belief in the Father, and in the Son, and 
in the Holy Ghost, which three I believe and confess to be one God, whose seat the 
heaven is, and whose footstool is the earth. He is an everlasting and almighty 
God, which alone is to be honoured and served “in spirit and truth.” For he alone 
can help us, forasmuch as he is almighty, and will help us, because he is merciful, 
true, and faithful, yea, and that not for our righteousness, but for his name sake. To 
this one, true, living, everlasting, immortal, invisible, and alone wise God, King of 
kings, and Lord of lords, be all honour and glory worlds without end. 

Phil. Amen. 

Epaph. “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honour, and power; for 
thou hast created all things, and for thy will’s sake they are and were created.” 
“Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thank, and honour, and might, be unto our 
God for evermore.” 

Chris. So be it. 

Epaph. Simply and plainly have I here before you all rehearsed my faith and 
belief in God, and in the three Persons of the Godhead, as I have heretofore learned 
it of God’s most holy word. I confess that many things more might be spoken of 
the wonderful mysteries of this most blessed and holy Trinity; but they far exceed 
my understanding, and therefore I dare not meddle with them. For it is written: 
“He that is a searcher of the majesty (of God) shall be oppressed of the glory” (thereof). 
Again: “Seek not out the things that are above thy capacity, and search not the 
ground of such things as are too mighty for thee; but look what God hath com- 
manded thee: think upon that alway, and be not curious in many of his works. 
For it is not needful for thee to see with thine eyes the things that are secret.” 

Theo. The holy apostle also counselleth us to be modest and sober, and that we 
be not curious to search after the knowledge of things which pass our capacity. 
Hus. The holy psalmograph seemeth to have followed this counsel well, which saith 


THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 143 


on this manner of himself: “ Lord, I am not high-minded, I have no proud looks: Psal. exxxi. 
I do not exercise myself in great matters, which are too high for me. But I refrain 

my soul, and keep it low, like as a child that is weaned from his mother: yea, my 

soul is even as a weaned child. O Israel, trust in the Lord from this time forth for 
evermore.” 

Phil. Neighbour Epaphroditus, there remain yet behind more articles of the christian 
faith. Have you forgotten them ? 

Epaph. No, good brother Philemon; God forbid I should forget them! For in 
them (next unto God) lieth now my chief consolation and comfort. Should I, being 
in this case, forget the holy congregation of God, which is the company and fellow- 
ship of the saints and chosen people of God, of whom Christ the Lord is the head, 
ruler, and governor? Should I in this my sickness forget the high and singular benefits 
of God, which of his own free mercy and mere goodness he liberally giveth to all 
faithful penitent sinners, namely, remission of sins, the resurrection of the body, and 
life everlasting? God forbid! God forbid! For the remembrance of these things com- 
forteth me greatly. I will therefore (although my wind beginneth to wax short, and 
it is painful unto me much for to speak) declare my faith concerning these articles. 

Hus. God strengthen you. Chris. Amen. 

Epaph.' As I unfeignedly believe with my heart, and freely confess with my of christ’s 
mouth, that there is but one God, in whom alone I put all my confidence, trust, and canprest nom: 
hope of salvation, and at whose hand only I look for all good things pertaining either 
unto the body or unto the soul; so likewise I both believe and confess, that there is 
but one holy universal church or congregation of the faithful, albeit they be dispersed cant. vi. 
and scattered abroad throughout the world in divers and sundry places, which are 
gathered and knit together through the operation of the Holy Ghost in the unity of 1 cor. i. 
the Spirit, and joined together in one faith, as members of one body, whereof Jesus uae 
Christ is the head. This holy church or congregation, linked together in the fel- co, ii. 
lowship of the Holy Ghost, is “a spiritual house, builded of living stones, a 1 Pet. ii 
chosen generation, a royal priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God 
by Jesus Christ,” “an holy nation, a people which are won, that they should shew 
forth the virtues of him which called them out of darkness into his marvellous light.” 

This church is “the congregation of the living God, the pillar and ground of truth.” 1 tim. iii. 
This holy company are “ citizens with the saints and of the household of God, and Eph. ii. 

are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being 

the head corner-stone.” This church is the spouse of Christ, and knoweth none other cant. vi. 
husband and head but Christ alone. This blessed company are these sheep which John x. 

gladly hear the voice of their shepherd Christ, but they fly from the voices of strangers. 

And as they are “one body and one spirit,” so confess they “one Lord, one faith, Eph. iv. 

one baptism, one God and Father of all.” There is among them no dissension; but 1 Cor. i. 

they maintain one truth, preach one doctrine, speak one thing, are of one mind and 

of one meaning. This holy catholic church or universal congregation is that holy 

city, that “new Jerusalem, which came down from God out of heaven, prepared as Rev. xxi. 
a bride garnished for her husband.” 

And because no man shall doubt of what church I speak, I confess that to be What the 
the holy catholic and apostolic church which is the company and fellowship of the Sea 
saints, that is to say, of the faithful, which are sanctified and made holy by the Spirit 1 cor. vi. 
of God, and by the blood of Christ our Saviour; which have the pure word of God 
truly and sincerely preached, and the sacraments duly and faithfully ministered among 
them; which excommunicate all disobedient notable sinners, and receive into their fel- Matt. xviii. 
lowship such as unfeignedly repent and turn from their wickedness, which study in 2 Cor. ik 
all things to please the Lord God, and to live “in all godliness and honesty.” This 1 Tim. ii. 
church and company Christ loved so dearly, that “he gave himself for it, to sanctify Eph. v. 
it, and cleansed it in the fountain of water through the word, to make it unto him- 
self a glorious congregation without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it cant. iv. 
should be holy and without blame.” Whosoever is in this church and congregation, 





[! Supplied from the edition of 1561. | 


Gen. vii. 
2 Pet. ii. 


John xv. 


Of the for- 
giveness of 
sins. 


Eph. i. 
Eph. i. 


Eph. v. 


Matt. Ix. 
Mark ii. 
Luke v. 


1 John i. 


Jer. xxxi. 


Isai. xliii. 


Isai. xxxvili. 


Mice. vii. 


John i. 
Jer. xxxi. 
Tsai. xlili, 
Mice. vii. 
Psal. xxxii. 


Rom. vi. 


Phil. i. 


Psal. xii. 
Psal. exlii. 


Of the resur- 
rection of 
the body. 


144 THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 


he may be sure to be saved. But whosoever is not in it, he is without all doubt 
damned. For like as in the time of Nohe no man escaped with his life, but was 
drowned in the flood, except he entered into the ark of Nohe; even so whosoever is 
not found in this fellowship or catholic church, agreeing with it in one faith, doc- 
trine, hope, love, and sacraments, he shall perish and be lost. For without the church 
of Christ there is no salvation, no forgiveness of sins, no favour of God, no quietness 
of conscience, no true gospel, or glad tidings of eternal health. 

Therefore, in this holy church and blessed fellowship of the saints and faithful, I 
unfeignedly believe with my heart, and freely confess with my mouth, that there is 
remission and forgiveness of sins, and that without it no sin is forgiven, neither is 
there any hope of salvation. For as it is unpossible that a member can live which 
is not in the body, so it is unpossible that any man may live in his soul, and be 
released out of death by remission of sin, which is not a member of the body of 
Christ. For Christ hath reconciled us all unto God his Father in one body. And 
therefore must all they stand at variance with God that are no members of this 
body of the which Christ is the head, to the which also he giveth salvation. This 
therefore is a great comfort to the faithful congregation, that although through infir- 
mity of nature or otherwise they do fall, offend God, and break the Lord’s com- 
mandments ; yet in this company there is remission and forgiveness of sins, so soon as 
ever they repent, be sorry for their sin, and believe to have remission of all their 
sins for Christ’s precious blood’s sake. Sin we never so oft, and never so grievously, 
yet, being members of this holy company, we are straightways forgiven and delivered 
a pena et culpa, from the pain and the fault, so soon as we turn unto the Lord our 
God. 

And these our sins be not forgiven of men, but of God alone; neither forgiveth he 
part and reserveth part, but he forgiveth all or else none at all. Again, he forgiveth 
not the fault and reserveth the pain; but with the fault he also forgiveth the pain 
due for the fault, that he may be an whole and perfect Saviour, as St John saith: “If 
we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. But if 
we confess our sins, God is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to make 
us clean from all iniquity.” And God himself saith by the prophet: “I will forgive 
their misdeeds, and will never remember their sins any more.” Again: “I am he, 
yea, I am he alone which put away thy iniquities, yea, and that for mine own sake, 
and I will remember thy sins no more.” And king Ezechias in his prayer unto God 
said: “It is thou, O Lord, that cast all my sins behind thy back.” The prophet 
Miche also saith: “‘ Where is there such a God as thou art, that pardonest wicked- 
ness and forgivest the offences of the remnant of thine heritage? He keepeth not his 
wrath for ever. And why? his delight is to have compassion. He shall turn again, 
and be merciful to us. He shall put down our wickednesses, and cast all our sins 
into the bottom of the sea.” 

I faithfully believe that I am a member of Christ’s church, and I am also fully 
persuaded that all my sins be forgiven me of God the Father; not for my merits, which 
are none, but for Jesus Christ’s sake, for Christ’s merits, passion, death, and blood- 
shedding. For “grace and truth came by Jesus Christ,” saith the holy evangelist. 
And I believe that God for his Son’s sake hath so freely and wholly forgiven me 
all my sins, that he will never remember them more, never impute them unto me, 
nor lay them to my charge; but so receive me into his favour as though I had 
never offended him, and make me his son and heir of everlasting glory. For “ ever- 
lasting life is the gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord,” saith the apostle. 
This the stay and quietness of my conscience at this present. This maketh me 
not to fear death, but joyfully to look for it, and lovingly to embrace it whensoever 
it cometh. For “I wish to be loosened from this mortal body, and to be with Christ.” 
“My soul hath a fervent desire to God, even unto the Lord my God.” “ Deliver my 
soul, O Lord, out of prison,” that I may come unto thee, and glorify thy holy name. 

For albeit this my weak, feeble, sick, and mortal body shall give over to nature 
and die, yet I unfeignedly believe with my heart, and freely confess with my mouth, 
that at the last day it shall rise again, as the bodies of all other, both men and 


THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 145 


women, that have died, shall likewise do. There shall be a general resurrection of Isai, xxvi. 
the flesh. All that are dead shall rise again; some to everlasting life, and some to Dan. xii. 
everlasting pain and damnation; as our Saviour Christ saith: “The hour shall come John v. 
in the which all that are in the graves shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and 

shall come forth; they that bave done good unto the resurrection of life, and they 

that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation.” Yea, they that shall live 

and remain until the coming of our Lord and Saviour Christ Jesu, shall all be changed ; 

yea, and that “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, by the last trump. For 1 Cor. xv. 
the trump shall blow; and the dead shall rise uncorruptible; and we shall be changed: 

for this corruptible body must put on uncorruptibility, and this mortal body must 

put on immortality.” Therefore I fear nothing at all the putting off of this body ; 

for, although it sleepeth in the earth for a time, and according to the ordinance of 

God be turned into dust, yet shall it awake and rise again out of the earth; so 

that I shall receive it in a far better state than ever I had it in this world, even 

like unto the glorious body of our Lord and Saviour Christ Jesu. Wherefore I say pnit. iv. 
with the holy man Job: ‘“‘I believe that my Redeemer liveth, and that I shall rise Jop xix. 
out of the earth in the latter day, and that I shall be clothed again with this skin, 

and see God my Saviour in my flesh: yea, I myself shall behold him, not with 

other eyes, but with these same eyes. This hope is stedfastly set in my heart.” 

To end, I unfeignedly believe with my heart, and freely confess with my mouth, Of everlast- 
that, after my body and soul be united and knit together, I, with all the faithful that oe 
have lived from the beginning unto the very end of the world, shall through the 
benefit of Christ Jesu enjoy everlasting life. So many as have truly believed on Christ 
Jesu shall enjoy continual and blessed peace, glister as the shining of heaven, be as Wisd. iti 
the stars world without end; yea, they shall be clad with white garments, sal have Matt. ‘xi 
golden crowns upon their ead They shall glorify God, and do service day and night Psal Vix. 
before the glorious throne of his majesty. They shall see God face to face, and Te Pon xi 
ever and ever enjoy the presence of God’s most excellent majesty, and the company 
of all the’ heavenly angels and blessed saints. Of the joys of everlasting life, which 
God hath in store for all faithful believers, can no man either write, speak, or think 
at the full, as it is written: “The eye hath not seen, and the ear hath not heard, Isai. Ixiv. 
neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for 
them that love him.” And this “everlasting life is the gift of God through Jesus Rom. vi. 
Christ our Lord,” to whom be all honour and glory for ever and ever. 

Theo. Amen. 

Epaph. Thus have I declared before you my faith concerning God and his holy 
mysteries, grounded, I trust, on the true and undeceivable word of God. And I faith- 
fully believe that God my heavenly Father will be merciful unto me, and forgive me 
all my sins for Christ’s sake, and receive me into his heavenly kingdom, and give me 
everlasting life, which I now most entirely desire, wish, and long for, counting myself 
then most happy, when through death I shall take my passage toward that most glorious 
and heavenly kingdom. For I know and am fully persuaded that, “if my earthy 2Cor. v. 
mansion of this dwelling were once destroyed, I should have a building of God, an 
habitation not made with hands, but everlasting in heaven.” 

Chris. God give us all that heavenly mansion! Hus. Amen. 

Epaph. Well, come thou hither, mine own dear wife: let me kiss thee, and bid thee wie. 
farewell. God keep thee and defend thee! Come ye hither also, my most sweet children. 
children, that I may kiss you also before I die. God bless you, and send you prosper- 
ous days on the earth! God give you his Spirit, that ye may live in his faith, fear, 
and love, and “serve him in holiness and righteousness all the days of your life!” Lukei. 
Ye, my servants, draw near: give me your hands. Fare ye well. God make you his servants. 
servants, and send you obedient hearts unto his holy and blessed law! Weep not for 
me; but pray for me, that the will of God may be done in me, and that I may both 
patiently and thankfully abide the good pleasure of God. I trust we shall have a joyful 
meeting again together in the kingdom of our heavenly Father, where we shall reign 





[1 So 1561; folio, the all. } 
[BECON, U1. | 10 


1 Cor. xiii. 
1 Jobn iii. 
2 Cor. xiii. 


Matt. xxvi. 
Mark xiv. 


Matt. vi. 


Luke xxiii. 
John xvii. 

Phil. i. 

1 Cor. xiii. 
1 John iii. 


Rev. il. 


Prayers for 
the sick. 


2 Cor. i. 


Psal. xx. 


Psal. 1xxxix. 


Psal. Ixi. 


A prayer. 


A prayer. 


Matt. viii. 


Phil. iii. 


Jobii. 
Job i. 


Matt. xii. 


146 THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 


one with another in joy and glory, worlds without end, and see the glorious majesty of 
God face to face, unto our exceeding consolation and comfort. Well, depart in the 
name of God. “The grace of our Lord Jesu Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship 
of the Holy Ghost be with you all!” 

Phil. Amen. Now, good brother Epaphroditus, how do you? 

Epaph. “The spirit is willing and ready ; but the flesh is weak.” 

Chris. I pray you, sir, be on good comfort. 

Epaph. The Lord is my comfort. He full graciously dealeth with me. 

Eus. Do you lack any thing, sir? 

Epaph. Nothing but strength from above, that I may patiently abide and suffer the 
good pleasure of God. “Thy will be done,” O heavenly Father, “in earth, as it is 
in heaven.” Let me lie somewhat higher with my head. It is well: a little thing, 
God knoweth, disquieteth this my sick and weak body. I trust that within few hours 
it shall be past all sickness and misery, and shall both quietly and sweetly sleep in the 
heart of the earth, until the great day of the general resurrection. In the mean season 
shall my soul be in glory with Christ, and joyfully behold the glorious majesty of God. 
I will cease talking for a little while with you, and fall to communication with my Lord 
God in my heart. I pray you pray for me, that I may continue faithful unto the end. 
For it is written: “ Be faithful unto the death ; and I will give thee the crown of life.” 

Phil. Neighbours, come aside a little while, and let us fall to prayer. 

Chris. Most gladly. 

Phil. Lord, hear our prayers. 

Eus. And let our cry come unto thee. 

Phil. Save this thy servant, O Lord, thou Father of mercies and God of all 
consolation. 

Chris. And so work in him by thy blessed Spirit, that he may put his whole trust 
in thee. 

Phil. Send him present help from thy holy place. 

Theo’. And evermore mightily defend him against Satan, sin, desperation, death, 
and hell. 

Phil. Let his enemy the devil have none avantage of him. 

Eus. Nor the wicked approach to hurt him. 

Phil. Be unto him, O Lord, a strong tower, a mighty castle, and sure fortress, 
to defend him from the face of his enemy. 

Phil. O Lord, hear our prayers. 

Eus. And let our cry come unto thee. 

Phil. O Lord, look down from heaven, behold, visit, and relieve this thy servant. 
Look upon him with the eyes of thy mercy; give him comfort and sure confidence in 
thee, defend him from the danger of the enemy, and keep him in perpetual peace and 
safety through Jesus Christ our Lord. Zheo. Amen. 

Phil. Hear us, almighty and most merciful God and Saviour: extend thy accustomed 
goodness to this thy servant, which is grieved with sickness; visit him, O Lord, as 
thou didst visit Peter's wife's mother, and the captain’s servant. Restore unto this} sick 
person his former health (if it be thy will), or else give him grace so to take thy visi- 
tation, that after this painful life ended he may dwell with thee in life everlasting. 
Chris. Amen. 

Phil. Arise, and let us go again unto our sick brother. Now, neighbour Epaphro- 
ditus, how do you? Rejoice, I pray you, in the Lord, and bear this cross, which God 
hath now laid upon you, both patiently and thankfully. 

Epaph. Vf I have heretofore been glad to receive health at the Lord’s hand, why 
should not I also now take in good worth this his most gentle and loving visitation ? 
“The Lord gave” me health, “‘and the Lord hath taken it away” again. It hath chanced 
unto me as the Lord’s pleasure is: “blessed be the name of the Lord.” 

Theo. This comforteth us greatly to hear so good and godly words proceed out of 
your mouth. “For of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh,” saith our 


[} Supplied from the edition of 1561.] 


THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 147 


Saviour Christ. ‘A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth 
good things.” 
Epaph. “No man is good, but God alone.” We are all unclean and “unprofitable matt. xix. 


servants.” If any goodness we have, it is of God, as blessed James saith: ‘*‘ Every good Luke xvi 
gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights,” James i ; 
that “he which rejoiceth should rejoice in the Lord.” 1 Cor. i. 


Chris. Now, good neighbour, how feel you yourself? 

Epaph. O brother Christopher! I perceive there is none other way with me but 
one, even to depart from this life. 

Phil. Let it never grieve you, most gentle neighbour, to give over unto nature, and An exhorta- 
to depart from this world, at the calling of God. ‘There is a time to be born, and sick to die 
atime to die.” We must be as well content to die, as we were to live; and as well Hecles ii. 
pleased to leave the world, as we were to come into it. We are mortal: we therefore 
must needs die. Let us not bear heavily that necessity importeth. God created us 
that we should once die: let us not therefore repugn and strive against the good 
pleasure of God. There shall none other thing chance unto us by death, than that 
hath heretofore chanced unto our predecessors, and shall likewise chance unto our pos- 
terity. Who hath lived, that hath not died? who doth now or shall live, that shall Psal. ixxxix. 
not also taste death? One and the same way must needs be trodden of all Adam’s 
posterity. There is no mean to escape. Adam sinned, and became mortal. All we 
have sinned also in Adam; therefore all we are made in him mortal and subject unto 
death. ‘As by one man,” saith St Paul, “sin entered into the world, and death by Rom. v. 
the means of sin; even so death also went over all men, insomuch as all we have 
sinned.” ‘The reward of sin is death.” ‘‘God indeed created man at the beginning Rom. vi, 
to be immortal, and not to be destroyed by death; yea, after the image of his own WS*™ 
likeness made he him. Nevertheless, through envy of the devil came death into the 
world.” The history of Adam’s fall is known, in whom we also fell. Since that time 
he and all his posterity have been mortal, have died, and shall die. We all are now Gen. ii. 
flesh, earth, dust, and ashes. So soon as we be born, so soon begin we to die. This es 
our life is nothing else than a very passage unto death. Noble and base, poor and 
rich, fair and foul, well-favoured and ill-favoured, mighty and weak, wise and foolish, 
fortunate and wretched, ruler and subject, faithful and unfaithful, Christian and pay- 
nim, old and young, man, woman, and child, every bodily creature that liveth on the 
face of the earth shall die. Whether the life be short or long, the end of it is death. 

All the holy patriarchs, judges, kings, priests, prophets, and all other which lived before 
the coming of Christ, died. John Baptist, Christ’s mother, and all the disciples of 
Christ died. 

Yea, Christ himself, although most innocent and without all sin, after he was once 
clad with our flesh, and had taken on him our nature, became mortal, and, to pay our 
ransom unto God the Father, and to set us again at liberty, he suffered death, “ even phil. ii. 
the death of the cross.” Is the servant greater than his lord? or the disciple above Matt. x. 
his master? Our Lord hath trodden the way afore us; and shall we his servants refuse 
to follow him? Our Master hath given us an example to die; and shall we his dis- 
ciples disdain to practise the like? If death had been cast only upon our backs, which 
live in this age, so might the burden have been thought unrighteous and intolerable ; 
but, forasmuch as our ancestors have already tasted of death and are gone, why should 
we that now live bear so impatiently this common chance? On this condition came 
we all into the world, that we should leave it again. ‘For we be here but strangers i chron. 
and sojourners, as were all our fathers. Our days on the earth also are but as a” 
shadow, and there is none abiding.” “Our days pass away swiftly, and we are gone.” Psal. xe. 
“The days of man are the days of an hireling,” yea, wind and nothing. “ Man is Job vii. | 
like unto vanity, and his days pass away like a shadow. ae 


” 


“‘ Where is there any man a rae 
that liveth, and shall not see death 2” ‘ Man that is born of a woman hath but a short Jop xiv. 
time to live, and yet the time that he liveth he is full of misery. He cometh up and 

is cut down like a flower. He flieth, as it were a shadow, and never continueth in 

one state.” ‘Here have we no continuing city; but we seek one to come.” “It is Heb. xiii. 
appointed of God that all men shall once die.” ‘For what is our life? It is even sane. 
10—2 


Job ix. 


Matt. vi. 


Lib. i. Quest. 
Tuscul. 


Lib.deSenect. 


Rom. v. 
Col. iii. 


Psal. exx. 


Psal. xlii. 


Psal. 1xxxiv. 


148 THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 


a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away ;” as Job saith: 
“My days are more swift than a runner, yea, they pass away as the ships that be 
good under sail, and as the eagle that flieth to the prey.” 

Seeing it is God’s will, pleasure, and ordinance, that we should die; why do we, 
which daily pray on this manner, “Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven,” shew 
ourselves unwilling to have that thing chance unto us, for the which we have so often 
times prayed? It is natural to die: why then labour we to degenerate and grow out 
of kind? Our ancestors, the most holy and most perfect, have died: why disdain we 
then to follow their steps? It is highly for our profit to die: why are we then enemies 
to ourselves? We cannot cease to sin except we die: why do we then not haste to 
flee from so great an evil? We shall never come unto the true life, where felicity both 
joyful and eternal is, except we die: why then make we so little speed to haste thither, 
where so many good things shall be given us? We shall never have the fruition of 
God’s majesty, and the blessed company of the heavenly spirits, except we die: why 
then do we not pray daily unto the Lord our God to deliver us from this stinking sink 
of evils (I mean this world), that we may come and enjoy his most glorious presence ? 

The very heathen, which knew not God aright, but only dreamed of the immor- 
tality of the soul, and looked for a better life after this, they knew not what, feared 
not death, but wished death, and died both valiantly and joyfully ; and shall we, being 
Christians, which know God and his holy word, and unto whom so much comfort, 
hope, and everlasting life is promised, refuse gladly and willingly to die? What a 
saying of an ethnick is this! ‘ O immortal God, how is that pleasant and joyful journey 
to be wished for, which being once done and past, there remaineth no sorrow, no care, 
no pensiveness'!” Again: “O that goodly and pleasant day, when it shall be my 
chance to leave this filthy and troublesome world, and come to their company that 
inhabit the heavens!” “If God would suffer me, that I, being of this age, might 
become an infant and sucking-child again, I would utterly refuse it; neither would I 
by any means call the race that I have run back again, that I might again be young. 
For what pleasure and commodity hath this life? yea, rather, what displeasure, incom- 
modity, pain, travail, and trouble hath it not? But let it be granted that it hath 
pleasure, certes; yet hath it either satiety or measure. And nature in this world hath 
given us a place to tarry in for a while, but not to dwell and to continue in it’.” The 
heathen writers in their monuments call death a changing for a better life ; a quiet sleep; 
a removing from mortality unto immortality, from trouble unto quietness, from the 
shadow of a life unto a very and uncounterfeit life, from sorrow unto joy, from evil 
unto good; an haven of rest, a solace of the mind, an end of all evil and wickedness, 
and a beginning of all true joy, felicity, and pleasure. Of these things may we easily 
learn what opinion the very heathen conceived of death; and shall we, that profess Christ, 
know God, believe his word, and call ourselves dead unto the world, recount death an 
evil thing, and be loth to go unto it when God called us, as though there were no resur- 
rection of the body, no immortality of the soul, no life after this, no fellowship with 
God, and with the heavenly spirits ? 

The Jews, also, being persuaded of the resurrection of the body, and of the immor- 
tality of the soul, die joyfully, and with a lusty courage, which notwithstanding for 
their unbelief in Christ are damned; and shall we which are Christians tremble and 
shake at the name of death, as though after our death we should be in worse case than 
we be now? when, to say the truth, the faithful Christians do then chiefly begin to 
live when they depart from this world. All good men have ever desired to depart 
from this vile and wretched life, and to go unto that joyful and blessed state of 
immortality. 

David, that prince-like prophet, crieth out and saith: ‘‘ Wo is me, and sorry am 
I for it, that I must yet longer abide in this world.” Again: “ Like as the hart 
desireth the water-brooks, so longeth my soul after thee, O God. My soul is athirst 
for God, yea, even for the living God: when shall I come to appear before the pre- 
sence of God?” Also in another place he saith: ‘“‘O how amiable are thy dwellings, 





{! Cic. Tuse. Disp. Lib. 1. 40.] [? Id. de Senect. 23. | 


THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 149 


thou Lord of hosts! My soul hath a desire and longing to enter into the courts of 

the Lord: my heart and my flesh rejoice in the living God. Blessed are they that 

dwell in thy house: they shall be alway praising thee. One day in thy courts is 

better than a thousand. I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God, than 

to dwell in the tents of ungodliness.” In another psalm he prayeth on this manner: 
“Deliver my soul out of prison, that it may come and praise thy name.” The holy Psal. exiii. 
man Tobias made his prayer unto God, and said: “O Lord, deal with me according ob. ii. 
to thy will, and command my spirit to be received in peace. For more expedient 

were it for me to die than to live.” How desirous the holy apostle St Paul was to 

go from this vale of misery unto the heavenly kingdom, these his words declare 
manifestly : “Christ is to me life; and death is to me advantage.” Again: “TI desire Phil. i. 
to be loosed, and to be with Christ.” What shall I speak of that ancient and godly 

father Simeon, which, so soon as he had seen Christ, knowing him to be the Saviour 

of the world, was very desirous to die, and brast out into these words and said: “Lord, Luke ii. 
now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy promise. For mine 

eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people ; 

a light to lighten the gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.” Isai. xlix. 

Of the like affection with those tofore rehearsed were, without doubt, all godly Rees 
persons from the beginning, then being most joyful when they saw the time of their 
departure from this wretched world to be come. So likewise, brother Epaphroditus, 
ought both you and we to rejoice and be glad when death approacheth and cometh upon 
us. For then beginneth our felicity, wealth, quietness, safety, joy, pleasure, comfort, and 
glory; as the voice from heaven said: ‘‘ Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord. For Rev. xiv. 
from henceforth the Spirit saith that they shall be at rest from their labours,” pains, 
and travails. “Precious and right dear in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Psal. exvi. 
saints,” saith the psalmograph. “The souls of the righteous,” saith the wise man, “‘ are Wisd. iii. 
in the hand of God; and the pain of death shall not touch them. In the sight of the 
unwise they appear to die; but they are in peace.” Let us not therefore fear death. 

To the infidel and unfaithful man death is both fearful and terrible; but to a faithful 

man it is both pleasant and amiable. Therefore, neighbour Epaphroditus, as you have 
hitherto in all your words shewed yourself a faithful man, and well contented to obey 

the will of God, so likewise practise the same now in your works. If the good pleasure 

of God be through this sickness to call you out of this vale of misery, strive not 
against the will of God, but submit yourself to God’s holy working, and doubt nothing 

but it shall be to your great commodity and singular profit. For “all things work Rom. viii. 
for the best unto them that love God.” God hath appointed the bounds of your Job xiv. 
life; and beyond that ye cannot go. When the twelfth hour cometh, then shall ye Jonnxi. 
make an end. Labour therefore to make such an end, as God therewith may be 
pleased; seeing you know and are fully persuaded that not an hair doth fall from matt. x. 
your head without the good-will of God; much less shall your life be taken away sae i 
from you, till the very hour cometh which God hath appointed, in whose hands rev. i. _ 
only are the keys both of life and death. Paes | 

Epaph. Death is terrible and fearful. 

Phil. The wise man saith: “O death, how bitter is the remembrance of thee Keclus. xii. 
to a man that seeketh rest and comfort in his substance and riches, unto the man Deinch the 
that hath nothing to vex him, and that hath prosperity in all things, yea, unto him Le eee 
that setteth all his mind on belly-cheer! O death, how acceptable and good is thy 
judgment unto the needful, and unto him whose strength faileth, and that is now 
in his last age! &c. Be not thou afraid of death: remember them that have been 
before thee, and that come after thee. This is the judgment of the Lord over all 
flesh. And why wouldest thou be against this pleasure of the Highest?” &c. To 
the unfaithful death indeed is terrible and fearful; for then begin their sorrows and 
miseries, their plagues and torments, as we may see in the history of the rich man: Luke xvi. 
but to the faithful and true believers death is pleasant and amiable, as it is written: 
“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.” For then cease all Psat. exvi. 
their miseries and travails, and begin their joys and pleasures. Whosoever is a true Wied 
Christian, and fixeth the eyes of his mind, through true faith, on the death of Christ, 
he shall not greatly be afraid of death; but he shall rather triumph over death, and 


Hos. xiii. 
1 Cor. xv. 


John v. 


John vi. 


John viii. 


John xi. 


Remedies 
against the 
pains of 
death. 

2 Tim. ii. 
Rom. viii. 


2 Tim. ii. 


2 Cor. i. 


2 Cor. iv. 


Matt. xiv. 
Acts xii. 


Acts vii. 


Matt. xxvii. 


Heb. xi. 
2 Chron. 
XXiv. 

2 Kings i. 


Acts xx. 


Acts xxi. 


150 THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 


with a lusty courage say thus unto death: “O death, I will be thy death. For death 
is swallowed up into victory, through Jesus Christ our Lord.” The sting of death 
can now no more hurt the faithful, as our Saviour Christ testifieth: “‘ Verily, verily, 
I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath 
everlasting life, and shall not come into damnation, but is scaped fronf death unto 
life.” Again: “ Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that putteth his trust in me 
hath everlasting life.” “I am that living bread which came down from heaven. If any 
man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever.” Item: “ Verily, verily, I say unto 
you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste death.” Also in another place: 
““T am the resurrection and life: he that believeth in me, although he be dead, yet 
shall he live. And every one that liveth and believeth in me shall never die.” 

Epaph. Death is painful. 

Phil. Who will not be content to suffer a little and short pain, that he may for 
ever after enjoy continual quietness and everlasting rest? Nothing is gotten without 
pain and travail. “No man is crowned, except he strive lawfully.” ‘The afflictions 
of this life are not worthy of the glory which shall be shewed upon us.” Notwith- 
standing, “if we die with Christ, we shall also live with him. If we suffer, we shall 
reign with him.” Therefore be on good comfort: “God is faithful, which will not 
suffer you to be tempted above that you are able to bear.” The Lord our God is a 
“Father of mercies and God of all consolation,’ which will, without all doubt, be 
present with you and comfort you in all your sicknesses and pains. “ For as the afflic- 
tions of Christ are plenteous in us, even so is our consolation plenteous by Christ.” 
“As you are partaker of the afflictions, so shall ye be partaker also of the consola- 
tion.” “For this short and light trouble,” sickness, and pain, “ prepareth an exceeding 
and an eternal weight of glory” unto you, while you “look not on the things which 
are seen, but on the things which are not seen.” “For the things which are not 
seen are eternal.” If you consider the great and intolerable pains that many good 
and godly men have suffered on their bodies for Christ’s sake, it shall the less grieve 
you to bear this your sickness, yea, death and the pains thereof. The prophet Esay, 
for the hope of everlasting life, suffered his body to be cut asunder with the saw of wood. 
Jeremy was stoned unto death. Amos, after many grievous torments, was thrust into 
the temples of the head with a great nail of iron, and so shortly after died. John 
Baptist was cast into prison and beheaded. James, the brother of John, was slain 
with the sword. Stephen was stoned unto death. Christ, our Lord and Saviour, 
suffered most bitter pains, and died the death of the cross. I pass over many other, 
both of the old and new testament, which refused no kind of pains, so that they 
might obtain the reward of everlasting life: some, as the blessed apostle saith, “were 
tried with mockings and scourgings, with bonds and prisonment, some were stoned, 
some were hewn asunder, some were slain with sword, all were troubled and vexed.” 
How glad, joyful, and ready the holy apostle St Paul was to suffer all kind of pains 
and torments for the glory of God, these his words do abundantly shew: “The 
Holy Ghost doth testify in every city, saying that bonds and troubles do abide me; 
but I care not for them, neither is my life dear unto me, so that I may finish my 
course with joy,” &c. Again: “I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die 
at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesu.” What shall I speak of the other blessed 
martyrs, whereof some were devoured with wild beasts, some burnt with fire unto ashes, 
some broiled unto the death upon hot coals, some slain with the sword, some hanged 
upon gibbets, some pierced to death with arrows, some beaten to death with stones, 
some boiled, some rent apieces with hot burning iron cromes’, some racked, some drowned, 
some cruelly murdered in prisons? &c. Who is able to declare the most bitter pains 
and grievous torments which they gladly suffered on their bodies for the glory of God, 
and the fruition of his majesty? If ye consider these things well, you shall easily 
find that the pains which you now suffer are nothing to be compared unto the most 
bitter and intolerable torments which the men of God suffered. And notwithstand- 
ing, if you abide these light pains joyfully, patiently, and thankfully, you shall most 
certainly enjoy and possess that heavenly kingdom, which they have already obtained. 


[1 Cromes : hooks. ] 


THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 151 


Faint not therefore, good neighbour Epaphroditus, but abide the good pleasure of God 
and his blessed working; so shall he without fail bring all things to such pass as 
shall be most unto his glory and unto your comfort. 
Epaph. Death taketh me away from my gorgeous and pleasant houses, and from 
all the temporal things that I have. 
Phil. In this world we all are but strangers and pilgrims: “we have here no Remedies 


dwelling city, but look for another that is to come.” The houses that you leave behind thought- 
you here, be they never so gorgeous and pleasant, are but earthy, made of clay and depanite 


: . fi yorldl 
weather-beaten stones, and shall in process of time decay and return unto dust, and goods” 


become things of nought. But after your departure from this vale of wretchedness you Pal ae 
shall have “a building of God, an habitation not made with hands, but everlasting aaaeen 
in heaven.” You shall dwell in a city that is of “pure gold, like unto clear glass ; ea 
and the foundations of the walls of this city are garnished with all manner of precious 
stones:” the gates are of fine pearl. Yea, the streets of this heavenly city are pure 
gold. “It hath no need of the sun, neither of the moon to lighten it ; for the bright- 
ness of God doth lighten, and the Lamb is the light of it.” And as touching your 
other temporal things, from the which, as you say, death taketh you away, you have 
no cause to be sorry for that. For as concerning your gallant apparel (which if they 
be not worn, will soon be moth-eaten ; if they be worn, they will shortly fall to rags), 
in the stead of them, you, being once placed in the heavenly city, shall be clothed 
of God with white garments, which shall never wax old, but always abide glorious and Rev. iii 
incorruptible. You shall also have a golden crown upon your head, and you shall 
sit with Christ upon his seat. And in the stead of your dainty fare (which how vile 
it is after the digestion you know), ye shall eat in the kingdom of God manna that is Rev. ii. 
hid; yea, ye shall eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. 
And this meat shall abide for ever most pleasant and uncorruptible. As touching 
your gold and silver and such other worldly treasures, wherewith God blessed you in 
this world for a season, never remember them any more, but bid them farewell. For 
what other thing are they, seem they never so precious, pleasant, and godly, than 
red and white earth, and hereafter shall return unto vile dust? In the stead of them, 
God in his kingdom shall give you such treasures as never man with mortal eyes 
saw the like. You also shall have such joys and pleasures as neither eye hath seen Isai. Ixiv. 
the like, nor ear heard the like, neither is any man able to conceive them in his’ ”"™ 
heart; so great are the treasures, so infinite are the pleasures, which God hath pre- 
pared for them that love him. Who will not be glad to change lead for silver, and copper 
for gold, corruptible and earthy things for immortal and heavenly treasures? Here 
see you that you lose nothing by death, but get very much; so that you may now 
say with the holy apostle: “Christ is to me life; and death is to me avantage.” phil. i. 
Epaph. Death taketh me away from my dear friends, in whose company I 
greatly delight. 
Phil. In worldly friendship there is no certainty nor assurance. He which this remedies 


. . . . . inst 
day is a friend, is to-morrow an enemy. This is proved true among men almost by thougnt- 


: : . . : : taking for 
daily experience. There are divers kinds of friends, as the wise man teacheth. “Some departing 


be friends but for a time: such will not abide in the day of trouble.” “Some be friends foment 


for the table sake, and when a man falleth into poverty they continue not.” Some friendship, 
be friends only in countenance, and in heart hate most extremely. Some be earnest 

and hearty friends, which will abide by man when fortune is most froward. But of 

these there are very few. And they, which now such be, may suddenly, through 

some occasion, be made a man’s utter enemy. ‘Therefore saith David: “Put not Paal. exivi. 
your confidence in princes, nor in the children of men, in whom there is no health.” 

Also the prophet: “Cursed be he that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his strength.” Jer. xvii. 
Ye see in the gospel that they which so dearly loved Christ, that they would have 

made him a king, shortly after, for no occasion, fell away from him, and followed Jonn vi. 
him no more. Again, those people which very joyfully received Christ when he came 

riding into Jerusalem, cut down boughs, strewed them in the ways, yea, and spread Matt. xxi. 


their garments in the? ways, and cried with aloud voice, saying, “Good luck unto the sian 





{? The is supplied from the edition of 1561.] 


Matt. xxvii. 
John xix. 
John xviii. 


Psal. ]xii. 
Psal. exvi. 


Psal. cii. 
Mal. iii. 


Of knowing 
one another 
after his! 
life. 


152 THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 


son of David; blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord,” within few 
days after cried with a stout voice, and said: “To the cross with him, to the cross 
with him.” “If thou lettest him go, thou art not Cesar’s friend:” “if he were not a 
naughty pack, we would never have delivered him unto thee.” Behold the friend- 
ship of this world! Neither let any man promise himself better things of his now 
most dear friend. Men are vain and liars, flitting and unstable. But when you come 
into the kingdom of God, you shall have such friends as shall for ever continue 
faithful, loving, and constant: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy 
Ghost shall be your friends, which do never change, but always abide one. All the 
glorious angels and blessed spirits of heaven shall be your friends also. Who will 
not gladly change uncertain friends for such as are most certain, most faithful ? 
Have you now lost any thing by departing from worldly unto heavenly friends? 

Epaph. But I shall never more see them, nor have the company of them, that we 
may rejoice and be glad again together. 

Phil. If your friends live in the fear of God, and depart in the christian faith, 
they may be sure to come thither, where you shall be, even unto the glorious king- 
dom of God, where you shall both see them, know them, talk with them, and be 
much more merry with them than ever you were in this world. 

Chris. Many doubt of that. 


acs Phil. Why so? Shall the knowledge of God’s elect and chosen people be less 


1Cor. xiii. 
1 John iii. 


Matt. xxii. 
1 John iii. 


Heb. i. 

Rom. xii. 

1 Cor. xii. 
ol. i. 


Eph. ii. 
Rev. xxi. 


Psal. Ixxxiv. 
V. iv. Vv. 


Rev. iv. v. 
vii. Xi. xil. 


1 Cor. xiii. 


Gen. ii. 


Matt. xvii. 
ark ix. 
Luke ix. 


Heb. xii. 


in the kingdom of God, than it is in this world? We, being in this corruptible body, 
know one another, when we see not God but with the eyes of our faith; and shall 
we not know one another after that we have put off this sinful body, and see God 
face to face, in the sight of whom is the knowledge of all things? We shall be like 
the glorious angels of heaven, which know one another: can it then come to pass 
that one of us may not know another? Shall we be equal with the angels in other 
things, and inferior unto them in knowing one another? We shall know and see 
Christ as he is, which is the Wisdom, Image, and Brightness of the heavenly Father ; 
and shall the knowledge of one another be hid from us? We are members all of 
one body; and shall we not know one another? We know our head, which is 
Christ; and shall we not know ourselves? We shall be citizens of one heavenly 
city, where continual light shall be; and shall we be overwhelmed with such dark- 
ness, that we shall not see and know one another? They that in this world be 
singing men, continuing together in a place but for a season, know one another; 
and shall we, which for ever shall continue together singing, praising, and magni- 
fying the Lord our God, not know one another? They that are in household, 
and serve one lord or master, know one another in this world; and shall not we 
know one another, which in the kingdom of heaven shall continually serve the 
Lord our God together with one spirit and with one mind? There is a certain know- 
ledge one of another here in the earth, even among the unreasonable and brute 
beasts; and shall our senses be so darkened in the life to come, that we, being im- 
mortal, incorruptible, and like unto the angels of God, yea, seeing God face to face, 
shall not know one another? We shall know God as he is; and shall we not know 
one another? Adam, before he sinned, being in the state of innocency, knew Eva so 
soon as God brought her unto him, and called her by her name; and shall not we, 
being in heaven, where we shall be in a much more blessed and perfect state than 
ever Adam was in paradise, know one another? Shall our knowledge be inferior to 
Adam’s knowledge in paradise ? 

When Christ was transfigured in mount Thabor, his disciples, Peter, James, and 
John, did not only know Christ, but also Moses and Helias, which talked there with 
Christ, whom, notwithstanding, they had never seen nor known in the flesh. Whereof 
we may learn that, when we come to behold the glorious majesty of the great God, 
we shall not only know our Saviour Christ, and such as with whom we were ac- 
quainted in this world, but also all the elect and chosen people of God, which have 
been from the beginning of the world; as the holy apostle saith: “Ye are come to 
the mount Sion, and to the city of the living God, the celestial Jerusalem, and to 





[! This, edition of 1561.] 


THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 153 


an innumerable sight of angels, and unto the congregation of the first-born sons, which 
are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just and 
perfect men, and to Jesus the Mediator of the new testament,’ &c. When we are 
once come unto that heavenly Jerusalem, we shall, without all doubt, both see and 
know Adam, Noe, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Samuel, David, Josias, 
John Baptist, Mary the mother of Christ, Peter, John, James, Paul, and all the most 
blessed company of the patriarchs, prophets, apostles, martyrs, with all other the 
faithful. As we are all members of one body, whereof Jesus Christ is the head, so 
shall we know one another, rejoice together, and be glad one with another. 

Moreover, the history which we read of the rich unmerciful man and of Lazarus 
declareth evidently, that in the life to come we shall know one another. In that 
we see that the rich glutton, being in hell, did know both Abraham and Lazarus, 
being in joy, and that Abraham also knew that unmerciful rich man, although the 
one was in glory, the other in pain. If that they which are in hell do both see 
and know them that are in heaven, and they which are in' heaven know them 
also that are in hell, the one place being so far distant from the other; much more 
do they know one another that be citizens in one city, fellow-heirs of one kingdom, 
members of one body, and fellow-servants in one household, serving one Lord and 
God. If there be mutual knowledge after this life between good and evil, much 
more shall the saints and the holy ones of God know one another in the kingdom 
of our heavenly Father. 

Our Saviour Christ said to his disciples: “ When the Son of man shall sit in the 
seat of his majesty, you also shall sit upon the twelve seats, judging the twelve 
tribes of Israel.” If after the general resurrection, and at the judgment, one should 
not know another, how shall then the apostles judge them unto whom they preached ? 
They cannot judge nor be witnesses of the condemnation of them whom they know 
not. Hereof also it manifestly appeareth that after this life one of us shall know 
another. After that Christ was risen again and had a glorified body, the apostles 
knew him, yea, and that so perfectly, that none of them needed to say unto him, 
“What art thou?” For they knew well that he was the Lord. Hereof also may 
it truly be gathered, that the faithful shall as perfectly know one another in the life 
to come, as the apostles knew Christ after his resurrection, or as Peter, John, and 
James knew Moses and Helias in the mount Thabor, when Christ was trans- 
figured. 

Many other things might be alleged out of the holy scripture to declare that we 
shall know one another after this life; but these, for this present, may seem to any 
indifferent person abundantly to suffice. If I should rehearse to you all the sayings, 
both of the ancient and late writers, concerning this matter, I should spend a great 
part of this day, and too much trouble you: notwithstanding, I will rehearse one 
saying of St Gregory in his dialogues, and bid all the other farewell. “There is a 
certain thing,” saith he, “in God’s elect and chosen people which is to be marvelled 
at; for they (being in heaven) do not only know them whom they knew in this 
world, but they know also the good people whom they never saw, even as perfectly 
as though they had afore both seen and known them. For when they, in that ever- 
lasting inheritance, shall see the ancient fathers, they shall not be unknown to them 
in sight, whom they always knew in work. For when all there with one clearness 
do behold God, what is it that they should not there know, where they know bim 
that know all things*?” 

Epaph. This is a comfortable hearing. 

Phil. No less true than comfortable. 


[! In is supplied from the edition of 1561.] per visionem non erunt, quos in opere semper nove- 
[? Fit autem in electis quiddam mirabilius: quia | runt. Quia enim illic omnes communi claritate 
non solum eos agnoscunt quos in hoc mundo nove- | Deum conspiciunt, quid est quod ibi nesciant, ubi 
rant, sed velut visos ac cognitos recognoscunt bonos | scientem omnia sciunt ?—Gregor. Magni Pape J. Op. 
quos numquam viderunt. Nam cum antiquos pa- | Par. 1705. Dialog. Lib. 1v. cap. xxxiii. Tom. Il. 


tres in illa eterna hereditate viderint, eis incogniti | cols. 424, 5.] 


Luke xvi. 


Matt. xix. 


John xxi. 


Matt. xvii. 


Lib. iv. cap. 
33. 


Lib. de 
Senect. 


Lib. i. Tuse. 
Quest. 


154 THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 


Epaph. I trust then, within few hours, to see all the faithful, which before me 
have departed in the Lord, my children also, and all my other acquaintance. 

Phil. You shall both see them, know them, rejoice and be merry with them. 

Eus. I marvel that any man should doubt of this doctrine, being so clearly set 
forth both by the authority of the holy scriptures, and by the testimonies of the godly 
writers ; seeing that the very heathen, which knew not God aright, being persuaded 
of the immortality of the soul, never doubted of it, but were throughly resolved, 
that such as lived in this world justly and uprightly, and deserved well of the com- 
monwealth, whensoever they departed from this life, should go unto the blessed com- 
pany of the immortal gods, and there not only see and know the gods, but also all 
those noble, good, and virtuous persons, that ever lived in this world, as well such 
as they never knew, as also those whom in this world they did most perfectly 
know. And they, being thus persuaded, desired death; at the least, when the time 
of their departure came, they took their death the more joyfully and patiently: I 
will rehearse unto you the words of one or two of them. “I have a great desire,” 
said Cato the elder, “to see your fathers, whom I honoured and loved. But I wish 
not only to talk with them whom I have known in this world, but with such also 
as of whom I have heard and read, yea, and I myself have written. If I were once 
going thitherward, I would never have mind to return hither again'.” Again he 
saith: ‘“‘O that noble and pleasant day, when it shall be my chance to come unto 
that heavenly company and blessed fellowship, and depart from this troublous and 
stinking world! For then shall I go, not only unto those men of whom I spake 
unto you before, but also unto my Cato, which was as worthy a man as ever lived, 
and as noble®.” And it is written of Socrates, that when he went unto his death, 
among many other things he said, that it is a most blessed and goodly thing for them 
to come together, which have lived justly and faithfully: “Oh,” saith he, “what a great 
pleasure think you it to be, friendly to talk with Orpheus, Museus, Homerus, He- 
siodus, and such-like! Verily, I would die full oft, if it were possible to get those 
things that I speak of*.” 

Thus see we that many among the very heathen, which were persuaded of the 
immortality of the soul, believed that they which in this world lived godly, justly, 
uprightly, and honestly, should all go unto a joyful place of rest, and there, having 
that blessed company of the immortal gods, they should know one another, talk and 
rejoice one with another. 

Theo. As touching the ethnicks, which in this world led a just and upright 
life in the sight of men, I pronounce nothing, but leave them unto God’s judgment ; 
but as concerning the faithful Christians, which believe in God, fear and love God, 
are persuaded of their salvation in Christ’s blood, and frame their life unto the ut- 
termost of their power according to the commandments of God, as they shall all obtain 
one glorious kingdom, and be citizens of one city, so likewise shall they see and 
know one another, talk, rejoice, and be merry one with another. This is my belief. 

Phil. I agree with you in opinion concerning this matter. Therefore, good 
neighbour Epaphroditus, be of good cheer, take a good heart unto you, faint not, 
neither fear you death. For the time is at hand, that you, leaving this wretched 
world and the inhabitants thereof, shall come unto that most glorious and heavenly 
kingdom, where you shall have the sight and knowledge, not only of God and of 
his holy angels, but also of all God’s elect and chosen people. All your dear friends, 
which are gone afore you, shall gloriously come and meet you, joyfully receive you, 
gladly present you unto the majesty of God; and so shall you all together remain in 
all glory and joy for ever and ever. 

Epaph. Amen. God grant! 

Chris. Sir, how do you? 

Epaph. As God will. 

Chris. I trust you do remember what my neighbour Philemon hath said unto you. 

Epaph. Yea, right well, I thank God. 





[! Cic. De Senect. 23. ] [® Id. Ibid.] [? Id. Tusc. Disp. Lib. 1. 41.] 


THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 155 


Chris. Then, sir, I pray you, be of good comfort. 

Epaph. 1 am well content to forsake the world and all that is in the world, and 
to go unto the Lord my God. 

Eus. I trust that there is none other thing that troubleth you. 

Epaph. Yes: not outwardly, but inwardly. 

Eus. Unward trouble is the greatest grief in the world. Declare, I pray you, 
what it is; and we will do the best we can to quiet your mind. 

Epaph. Let me alone a little, and pray for me. 

Eus. Well content. Neighbours, let us commend this our sick brother unto God 
with our prayers: for he desireth it. 

Phil. God commanded us by his holy apostle, saying: “If any be diseased James v. 
among you, let him call for the elders of the congregation ; and let them pray over 
him, and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith 
shall save the sick ; and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, 
they shall be forgiven him. Knowledge your faults one to another, and pray one for 
another, that ye may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man availeth much, if 
it be fervent.” Let us therefore kneel down and pray. 

O Lord, hear our prayer. 

Eus. And let our cry come unto thee. 

Phil. O almighty and everlasting God, which lightest all men that come into a prayer. 
this world, we beseech thee lighten the heart of this sick, weak, and diseased per- 
son with the beams of thy divine grace and mercy, that all his thoughts, words, and 
works may so be directed, that he may be acceptable to thy godly majesty in true 
faith and perfect love, through thy only Son Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour. 
Chris. Amen. 

Phil. O eternal and merciful God, look down from heaven and visit this thy A prayer. 
weak servant, as thou didst visit Thoby and Sara, Peter's wife’s mother, and the 
captain’s servant. Bless him, as thou didst bless Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Behold 
him, O Lord, with the eyes of thy mercy. Replenish his heart with all joy, and keep 
from him all sinful thoughts and wicked imaginations. And send down thy angel 
of peace, that he may keep and defend him in everlasting peace, through Jesus Christ, 
thy dear Son, our Lord and Saviour. Hus. Amen. 

Phil. O Lord Jesu Christ, the alone Saviour of the world, and the true Phy- 4 prayer. 

sician both of body and soul, we most humbly beseech thee mercifully to behold this our 
sick brother, which is a member of that mystical body whereof thou art the head, coli. 
and a branch of the which thou art the true vine. Be thou unto him that most John xv- 
loving Samaritan. Pour wine and oil into his wounds, bind them up, lay him upon Luke x. 
thy beast, and never leave him until thou hast brought him into that inn, which 
is the glorious kingdom of thy heavenly Father. Remove from him all unfaithful- 
ness and mistrust, and grave in his heart true and earnest faith in thee and in thy 
most precious blood. Suffer him not to despair, nor to doubt of thy godly grace. 
Let the remembrance of thy most merciful promises, set forth in thy holy gospel, 
never be out of his heart. Suffer not Satan to prevail against him. Let not his 
conscience be feared with the terrors either of sin or death. Be thou his strong 
castle and mighty fortress. Assist him now in this his grievous affliction, let not his 
soul be a prey unto his enemies, neither give thou him over into the cruel hands 
of his terrible adversaries; but shew upon him presently thy bountiful goodness, that 
he, through thy help feats the overhand of Satan, may finish his course with joy, 
and so, ee his departure from this troublous world, come unto the blessed haven of 
quietness, where thou, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, livest and reignest one 
true and everlasting aoa worlds without end. Theo. Amen. 

Epaph. O ied rebuke me not in thine indignation, neither chasten me in thy A prayer. 
heavy displeasure. Have mercy on me, O Lord; I am weak: heal me, O Lord; aes 
for all my bones are sore troubled: yea, my soul is grievously vexed: but, Eeah 
how long? O how long wilt thou defer thy help? Turn thee, O Lord, and deliver 
my soul: O save me, for thy mercies’ sake. 

Phil. O neighbour, how is it with you? 


Remedies 
against 
desperation. 


Tit. ili. 


Remedies 
against the 
temptations 
of Satan. 
Note. 


Matt. iv. 


John viii. 


John viii. 
Rev. xii. 
1 Pet. v. 


James iv. 


How to! re- 
sist the devil. 


Of faith. 


156 THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 


Epaph. Now that I had through your godly exhortations well digested my de- 
parture from this world, and was well content to go hence, whensoever the Lord 
my God calleth me; now am I so troubled in my conscience, that I begin almost 
to despair of God’s mercy toward me, yea, and wish that there were no God, nor 
no life after this. 

Phil Gentle brother, faint not in your faith, neither despair you of the great 
mercies of God; but call on the Lord your God with strong faith; and he full gra- 
ciously will send present remedy for you from his holy temple. 

Epaph. O! my conscience is grievously vexed, troubled, and disquieted, while I 
behold the fierce wrath of God against sin, and consider how wicked a life I have 
led, and how oft I have broken God’s holy commandments. 

Phil. Fear not, dear brother; for though you be never so sinful, God is merciful. 
Though your sins be great, yet are the mercies of God much greater: God saveth 
not us because we are righteous and without sin; but for his mercy and promise sake, 
when he seeth us repent, believe, and seek for remedy at his hand for Christ's pre- 
cious blood’s sake. 

Epaph. Satan now in this my sickness doth so molest and trouble me, that me- 
think I feel a very hell within my breast. 

Phil. The manner of Satan, which is the common adversary of all men, is, when 
any man is grievously sick and like to die, straightways to come upon him at the 
beginning very fiercely, and to shew himself terrible unto him, and to cast before his 
eyes such a mist, that except he taketh heed, he shall see nothing but the fierce 
wrath and terrible judgment of God against sinners, again, sin, desperation, death, and 
hell, and whatsoever maketh unto the utter confusion of the sick man’s conscience. 

Epaph. So is it now with me. 

Phil. Fear not. It is his old property. If you had led as holy and as perfect 
a life as ever did man in this world, yet would he deal on this manner with you. 
He knoweth right well that the time of your departure is at hand, and that 
God will shortly call you from this sorrowful and mortal life unto a blessed and 
immortal life; therefore laboureth he unto the uttermost of his power to pluck you 
from so joyful a state, and to make you his prey. But be you not afraid. For 
whom of God’s elect hath he let pass unassailed, untempted, or unproved? He feared 
not to assay the Son of God, after he had put on our nature; and think you to 
escape free? His nature, disposition, and desire is to destroy: marvel you therefore 
if he go about to seek your destruction? His property is to disquiet: wonder you 
therefore if he trouble you? “He is a liar:” what truth therefore can come out of 
his mouth? If he say unto you that God is angry with you, and will destroy you, 
know him to be a liar, and whatsoever he saith against your salvation, believe it not, 
but know it to be a lie. ‘He is a murderer:” what life then can come from him ? 
He is “an accuser of the brethren:” how then can he speak any good or comfortable 
thing unto you? He is your utter enemy: how then is it possible that he may be 
your friend, and seek your quietness? Fear him not therefore. He is but a coward 
and a very slave. They be but brags, whatsoever he threateneth. He may well hiss 
at you; but he cannot sting you. He may look upon you with a terrible and fear- 
ful countenance; but he can do you no harm. He may go about to tempt you; but 
to overcome you, it lieth not in his power. Hear what St James saith: “ Resist the 
devil; and he shall fly from you. Draw nigh unto God; and he shall draw nigh 
to you.” 

Epaph. Yea, but how shall I resist the devil ? 

Phil. Not as the superstitious papists were wont to do, with casting of holy 
water about your chamber, with laying holy bread in your window, with pinning a 
cross made of hallowed palms at your bed’s head, nor with ringing of the hallowed 
bell, or such other beggarly, superstitious, popish, and devilish ceremonies. 

Epaph. Wow then? 

Phil. With faith, with prayer, and with the word of God. 





[! Adopted from the edition of 1561: the folio has Epa. and the.] 


THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 157 


Epaph. Tow with faith ? 

Phil. Cast the eyes of your mind with strong faith on the Seed of the woman, 
which hath trodden down the serpent’s head, and destroyed his power; as he saith 
by the prophet, “O hell, I will be thy destruction ;’ which “by death hath put Hos. xiii. 
him to flight that had lordship over death, even the devil, that he might deliver as 
them which through fear of death were all their life-time subdued unto bondage ;” 
which also, as the apostle saith, “hath spoiled rule and power, and hath made col. ii. 
a shew of them openly, and hath triumphed over them in his own person.” So shall 
you be sure to escape his grievous assaults. ‘‘ For the Son of God appeared for this 1 John iii. 
purpose, even to destroy the works of the devil.” Christ was figured by that brasen 
serpent which God commanded Moses to set up in the wilderness, adding this pro- Num. xxi. 
mise unto it that whosoever, being stricken of the fiery serpents, did look on that, 
he should be healed. After this manner is it between Christ and us. If that fiery 
serpent the devil hath stricken and wounded us, let us look upon Christ with strong 
faith, and we shall surely, for God’s promise sake, be made whole, as Christ himself 
testifieth, saying: ‘‘As Moyses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Jonn iii. 
Son of man be lifted up; that all that believe on him should not perish, but have 
everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world ; 
but that the world should be saved through him.” If Satan therefore hath either 
wounded you already, or else goeth about so to do, fear not, repair unto Christ, look 
on him with the eyes of your faith; so shall you be free from his venomous chaws. 
For as you are now tempted, so were all godly men; but they overcame the tempter ueb. xi. 
through strong faith in Christ. Therefore saith St Peter: “Be ye sober, and watch; per. y. 
for your adversary the devil goeth about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may 
devour: whom resist ye strong in faith.” St John also saith: ‘ This is the victory 1 John v. 
which overcometh the world, even our faith.” Not only all godly and faithful men 
were tempted, but also our Saviour Christ. And this is a great comfort for us: Matt. iv. 
“for, in that it fortuned himself to be tempted, he is able to succour them also that Heb. ii. 
are tempted.” Christ, being tempted, overcame his temptations to get us the victory 
over the tempter. His triumph is our victory, and his victory is our triumph. What- Note. 
soever he did and got in his humanity, he did and got it not for himself, but for us. 
And “God is faithful,” saith the apostle, “which will not suffer you to be tempted 1 cor. x. 
above your strength, but will in the midst of the temptation make a way that ye 
may be able to bear it.” Believe therefore in Christ, and you are without all danger. 

Epaph. 1 believe, O Lord: help thou mine unbelief. O Lord, increase my faith. Mark ix. 

Phil. Fear you not, but God both will and doth hear’ your prayers; for “the Bua 
Lord is nigh unto all them that call on him in truth.” 

Epaph. You made mention also of prayer, saying, that that is also a mean to of prayer. 
resist Satan. 

Phil. I rejoice greatly, and I give God most hearty thanks, that in this your 
sickness your memory continueth still stedfast and perfect, 

Epaph. I praise God for it. 

Phil. That prayer is a necessary remedy for the avoidings of Satan’s temptations, 
the holy scriptures teach manifestly in divers places. Our Saviour Christ saith : 
“Watch and pray, that ye fall not into temptation.” Again: “This kind of devils is Matt. xxvi. 
not cast out but by prayer and fasting.” To repress the temptations of Satan, all ae 
godly men even from the beginning fled unto faithful prayer, as a mighty and sure 
defence against Satan and all his crafty assaults. And God hath commanded us to 
pray whensoever we are troubled, and doth also promise us that he will both hear 
and help us. “Call on me,” saith he, “in the time of thy trouble; and I will deliver Psal. 1. 
thee; and thou shalt honour me.” “ The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a troubled Psal. xxxiii. 
heart, and he will help them that be broken in spirit.” 

Epaph. Now, good neighbours, pray for me. 

Phil. Very gladly. Let us kneel down together and pray. 

Chris. Lo, here are we. 





[? From 1561; folio, bear. ] 


A prayer. 


Mark xi. 


Psal, exxx. 
Psal. Ixix. 
A prayer. 


Of God's 
word. 


Luke xxii. 


Eph. vi. 


Matt. iv. 
Rom, 1. 


Psal. exix. 
John xv. 


Wisd. xvi. 


Psal. evii. 


158 THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 


Phil. O heavenly and most merciful Father, we most humbly beseech thee for 
thy Son’s sake, Jesus Christ our Lord, have pity upon this thy creature, and succour 
him in these horrible assaults and temptations of the devil. Deliver his soul in these 
extreme necessities from all the infernal army. Send him down strength from above, 
that he may be able to resist his enemy, and to stand stedfast in the time of this his 
temptation. Be thou his strong rock, castle, shield, tower, and defence, that he, in 
this great trouble, being preserved from the tyranny of his enemies, through thy 
godly grace, assistance, and help, may continue in the true and christian faith unto 
his life’s end, and afterward be received into thy heavenly kingdom, through Jesus 
Christ our Lord. Aus. Amen. 

Epaph. Now will I, poor and wretched sinner, offer my prayers also unto the Lord 
my God in Jesus Christ’s name, trusting and believing undoubtedly that he graciously 
will hear me, and defend me against mine enemies. 

Phil. These are the words of Christ : ‘‘ What things soever ye desire when ye pray, 
believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” 

Epaph. Out of the depth do I ery unto thee, O Lord. O Lord, hear my prayer. 
Save me, O God ; for the waters of trouble are come in even unto my soul. I stick fast 
in the deep mire, where no ground is: I am come into deep waters, so that the floods 
run over me. Take me out of the mire, that I sink not. O let me be delivered from 
them that hate me, and out of the deep waters. Let not the water-flood drown me, 
neither let the deep swallow me up, and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me. Hear 
me, O Lord; for thy loving-kindness is comfortable : turn me unto thee, according unto 
the multitude of thy mercies, and hide not thy face from thy servant; for I am in 
trouble: O haste thee, and hear me. Draw nigh unto my soul, and save it: O deliver 
me, because of mine enemies. For thou knowest my reproof, my shame, and my dis- 
honour: mine adversaries are full in thy sight. So shall I, being delivered from these 
great miseries through thy gracious benefit, praise and magnify the name of thee my 
Lord God for ever and ever. 

Chris. So be it. 

Epaph. Neighbour Philemon. 

Phil. Tere, sir. 

Epaph. As T remember, you told me that, besides faith and prayer, the word of 
God also is a godly help and a strong fortress against the cruel assaults of the devil. 

Phil. It is truth. For so are we taught in the holy scripture. Our Saviour Christ, 
when the time of his passion began to draw nigh, knowing that his disciples should 
for his sake be grievously tempted both of the devil, the world, and the flesh, com- 
manded them to buy a sword. ‘This was no material, but spiritual sword; as St Paul 
declareth unto the Ephesians, saying: “* Above all things, take to you the shield of 
faith, wherewith ye may quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the 
helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray 
always with all manner of prayer and supplication in the Spirit.” With the word of 
God Christ drove away Satan, and resisted all his wicked temptations. For “it is 
the power of God, to save so many as believe.” In the word of God plenteous and 
present remedies are found against Satan and all his subtile suggestions. Therefore 
said the psalmograph: ‘I have hid thy speeches, O Lord, in my heart, that I might 
not sin against thee.” ‘* Now are ye clean,” said Christ, “ for the word which I spake 
unto you.” Hereto pertaineth the saying of the wise man: “ Neither herb nor em- 
plasture hath healed them, O Lord, but thy word, which healeth all things.” Like 
unto this is a sentence in a certain psalm: “ He sent his word and delivered them from 
destruction.” 

Epaph. God deliver me from destruction ! 

Phil. Enarm yourself with faith, prayer, and with the word of God, and doubt ye 
not. For these kinds of armours or weapons Satan can by no means abide. 

Epaph. The Lord preserve and defend me! Neighbours, I will pray once again 
unto the Lord my God, while I have time. 

Chris. It is a godly exercise. 

Epaph. 1 perceive Satan to be still busy, and to seek my damnation. 


THE SICK MAN'S SALVE. 159 


Phil.’ Strive manfully, and you shall have the crown of glory. 

Epaph. How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? for ever? How long wilt thou A prayer. 

hide thy face from me? O how long shall I seek counsel in my soul, and be so vexed Eien 
in my heart? How long shall mine enemy triumph over me? Consider and hear me, 
O Lord my God: lighten mine eyes, that I sleep not in death; lest mine enemy say, 
I have prevailed against him. If I be cast down, they that trouble me will rejoice 
at it. But my trust is in thy mercy ; and my heart is joyful in thy salvation. I again, 
for this thy loving-kindness, will praise thy holy name. 

Hus. So be it. 

Epaph. Unto thee will I ery, O Lord my strength: think no scorn of me, lest, if Psat. xxviii. 
thou make thee as though thou heardest not, I become like them that go down into aac 
the pit. Hear the voice of my humble petitions when I cry unto thee, when I hold 
up my hands toward the mercy-seat of thy holy temple. O hide not thou thy face Psal. xxvii. 
from me, nor cast thy servant away in thy displeasure. The sorrows of death have Psal. xviii, 
compassed me round about; and the overflowings of ungodliness made me afraid. The 
pains of hell came about me: the snares of death have overtaken me. Be not thou Psal. xxii. 
far from me, O Lord: thou art my succour, haste thee to help me. Deliver my soul 
from the sword, my dearling from the power of the dog. Save me from the lion’s 
mouth. So shall I declare thy name unto my brethren, and in the midst of the 
congregation will I praise thee. 

Eus. I doubt not, brother Epaphroditus, but that God hath heard these your 
most humble prayers and lamentable supplications, and will, when he secth convenient 
time, send you remedy, and give you a joyful and merry heart, so that you shall leap 
upon Satan, and say: “The Lord is my light and my salvation: whom then shall I paat. xxvii. 
fear? The Lord is the strength of my life: of whom then shall I be afraid?” “ Though 
an host of men were laid against me, yet shall not my heart be afraid; and though 
there rose up war against me, yet will I put my trust in him.” Again: “ Death is 1 cor. xv. 
swallowed up into victory. Death, where is thy sting? Hell, where is thy victory?" *"* 
The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be unto 
God, which hath given us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 

Epaph. O when will the Lord have mercy on me, and deliver me from the grievous 4 prayer. 
assaults of mine enemies? O Lord, why hast thou forgotten me? Why go I thus Paai. xiii. 
heavily, while the enemy oppresseth me? Up, Lord: why sleepest thou? Awake,’ *"’ 
and be not absent from me for ever. Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and forgettest 
my misery and trouble? My soul is brought low, even unto the dust: my belly 
cleaveth unto the ground. Arise and help me, O Lord, and deliver me for thy mer- 
cies’ sake. 

Chris. Faint not, neither despair you of God’s mercy ; but take a good heart unto Paal. xxvii. 
you, and abide the Lord’s pleasure. Be of like mind with him which prayed on this 
manner unto God, saying: “‘ Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, thou that dwellest in the Psat. exxiii. 
heavens. Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and? as 
the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; even so our eyes wait upon the 
Lord our God, until he have mercy upon us.” “It is good to be quiet,” saith the Lam. iii. 
prophet, “and patiently to abide the saving health of the Lord.” For the Lord will 
not forsake you for ever; but though he punish you now, and suffer Satan to trouble 
you a little while, for the trial of your faith, yet, according to the multitude of his 
mercies, will he receive you to grace again, and not cast you out of his’ heart for ever. 

He is a “Father of mercies, and God of all consolation.” ‘He will not be always 2 cor. i. 
chiding, neither will he for ever be angry with us.” For “like as a father pitieth fenatie 
his own children, even so is the Ihord merciful unto them that fear him. For he 
knoweth whereof we be made: he remembereth that we are but dust.” 

Epaph. Word, be thou merciful unto me. Hide not thyself in a cloud; but shew A prayer. 
me thy loving and gentle countenance, that I may be saved. Send me present help 
from above; or else I perish. For I wrestle not against blood and flesh, but against Eph. vi. 
rule, against power, against worldly rulers, even governors of the darkness of this 


[’ Supplied from the edition of 1561. ] [? So 1561; folio, as, and this.] 


Matt. iv. 


John xiv. 
2 Cor. iv. 


Psal. exxi. 


2 Cor. i. 

The property 
of God in his 
elect. 


John xvi. 


1 Pet. v. 
John viii. 
Matt. xvi. 


1 Pet. [ii-] 


Matt. vii. 


Luke xxii. 


John x, 


160 THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 


world, against spiritual craftiness in heavenly things. This grievous conflict, O Lord, 
is with such an enemy as feared not to assail thee, whom thou thyself callest the 
prince of this world, and thy holy apostle termeth him the god of this world. Arise 
therefore, O Lord, and take my part. Be thou, O God, my defender, my house of 
defence, and my castle. Deliver me out of the snare, which mine enemy hath laid for 
me, that I, being set at liberty, may sing praises to thy blessed name, and magnify 
thee, my Lord God, for ever and ever. 

Theo. Amen. 

Phil. Neighbour, take a good heart unto you, and you shall shortly see the 
wonderful working of God. For “behold, he that keepeth Israel doth neither slum- 
ber nor sleep. The Lord himself is your keeper, the Lord is your defence :” “the 
Lord shall preserve you from all evil; yea, the Lord shall keep your soul.” For as 
he casteth down, so lifteth he up again. As he killeth, so he quickeneth. As he now 
for a little time suffereth Satan to disquiet you, for the exercise, probation, and trial 
of your faith; so likewise will he deliver you out of this agony, and give you again 
a joyful, merry, and quiet conscience. For the nature and property of God is to 
wound before he healeth; to throw down, before he lifteth up; to kill, before he 
quickeneth ; to condemn, before he saveth. Therefore fear not. For the Lord dealeth 
none otherwise with you, than he doth with his other saints. This your trouble he 
will turn to ease, and this your sorrow will he turn to joy, as he saith in the gospel: 
“ Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye shall weep and lament; but contrariwise the world 
shall rejoice. Ye shall sorrow; but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. A woman 
when she travaileth hath sorrow, because her hour is come; but as soon as she is de- 
livered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born 
into the world. And ye now therefore have sorrow; but I will see you again; and 
your hearts shall rejoice; and your joy shall no man take away from you.” In this 
your heavy conflict God seemeth to have withdrawn the glorious beams of his fatherly 
grace from you; but he will straightways lighten his godly countenance upon you, and 
work such joys in your heart through his holy Spirit, as heretofore you felt never the 
like. And this your joy shall never be taken from you. Therefore whatsoever Satan, 
that old cankered enemy of mankind, goeth about to persuade you, believe him not, 
but resist him with strong faith, ever remembering that he is both a liar and a mur- 
derer. You are a member of that congregation which is built upon the rock Christ, 
against whom the gates of hell shall not prevail. You are a living stone of the 
blessed building and spiritual house, whereof Christ is the head corner-stone: though 
the winds blow, the showers of rain descend, and the cruel tempests beat on the house, 
yet it falleth not; for it is grounded, not upon the sand, but upon the rock. Satan 
in this temptation hath desired to sift you, as it were wheat; but Christ hath prayed 
for you, that your faith faileth not. You are one’ of the sheep, which God the 
Father hath given to? his Son Christ ; therefore can you not perish, neither shall any 
creature pluck you out of his hand; but he shall give you everlasting life. 

Epaph. Now perceive I, most gentle neighbour Philemon, that to be true, which 


I have many times heard the godly preachers rehearse in their most comfortable 
sermons. 


Phil. What is that, I pray you? 

Epaph, That one faithful preacher, which is able with the sweet promises of the 
holy scriptures to comfort the weak and desperate conscience, is better than ten 
thousand mumbling massmongers, which promise with their massing mountains of gold, 
but perform mole-hills of glass. I have also many times heard it said, that though 
the company of a learned man be good and profitable at all times, yet chiefly in 
the time of sickness, and when the weak creature is ready to depart from this wicked 
world; forasmuch as then Satan is most busy, and without ceasing laboureth to dis- 
quiet the conscience of the sick man, that by this means he may drive him® into 
desperation, and finally to damnation. 

Phil. What mean you by that? 





[! So 1561; folio, once.} [? So 1561 ; folio, given you to. ] [* Supplied from edition of 1561. ] 


THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 161 


Epaph. I thank God most heartily that such a learned man as you are have 
now vouchedsafe to visit me in this my sickness. 

Phil. No learned man, but a lover of learning, and such one as hath a good-will S¥ 
well to do, and envieth no man that can do better. 

Epaph. Jn the time of this your godly communication had with me, (the Lord my 
God be thanked for it!) I felt* the heaviness, trouble, and disquietness of my conscience 
by little and little to go away, and certain sweet motions of true and inward joy to 
arise in my heart; so that now Satan with his wicked temptations seemeth to have taken 
his flight, and the Holy Ghost with his most godly and comfortable inspirations to 
have entered into my breast. Whereas before methought I was in hell, now me- 
think I am in heaven; so great quietness, rest, joy, and comfort do I find in my 
conscience. St Paul wisheth not in vain to the Philippians this tranquillity and 
quietness of conscience, saying: “‘The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, pnii. iv. 
keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesu.” Again, to the Colossians: ‘The peace Col. iii. 
of God mought rule in your hearts, to the which peace ye are called in one body.” 

For no man knoweth what a precious jewel and heavenly treasure this peace of 
conscience is, but such as feel it. Neither can any man feel it aright, except he hath 

felt afore the grief, pain, and disquietness of conscience. I may now right well say 

with the psalmograph: “O how great and plentiful is thy goodness, which thou hast Psal. xxi. 
laid up for them that fear thee, and that thou hast prepared for them that put their 

trust in thee!” ‘“‘O what great troubles and adversities hast thou shewed me! and Paal. Ixxi. 
yet thou didst turn and refresh me, yea, and broughtest me from the deep of the 

earth again. Thou hast brought me to great honour, and comforted me on every side. 
Therefore will I praise thee and thy faithfulness, O God.” 

Phil. Here see you that fulfilled in yourself which you have full oft read in the 
holy scriptures. ‘The Lord killeth, and maketh alive, bringeth down to hell, and 1sam. ii, 
fetcheth up again.” “Great are the troubles of the righteous ; but the Lord delivereth Psal. xxxiv. 
them out of them all.” 

Chris. The holy man Thoby, in his prayer unto God, saith: “ Whosoever loveth zie IE 
thee and serveth thee aright is sure of this, that, if his life be tempted and proved, ae 
it standeth in the trying; and if he endure in patience, he shall have a reward, and 
be highly crowned; and if he be in trouble, that God, no doubt, shall deliver him ; 
and if his life be in chastening, that he shall have leave to come unto thy mercy. For 
thou hast no pleasure in our damnation. And why? after a storm thou makest the 
weather fair and still: after weeping and heaviness thou givest great joy. Thy name, 

O God of Israel, be praised for ever!” 

Epaph. Amen. 

Chris. The psalmograph also saith: “‘They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. Psal. exxvi. 
He that now goeth on his way weeping, and beareth forth good seed, shall doubtless 
come again with joy, and bring his sheaves with him.” 

Epaph. “Tf the Lord himself had not been of my side, when Satan rose up against Psal. exxiv. 
me, he had swallowed me up quick. But praised be the Lord, which hath not given 
me over for a prey unto his teeth. My soul is escaped, even as a bird out of the snare 
of the fowler: the snare is broken, and I am delivered. My help standeth in the name 
of the Lord, which hath made heaven and earth.” But, neighbour Philemon, it is good 
in the time of calm to provide for tempest. We are taught of Job, that a man’s life Job vii. 
in this world is “a warfare,” or knighthood, and that we therefore ought to ‘watch Matt. xxvi. 
and pray,” that we “fall not into temptation.” The scripture declareth that, after 
Satan had tempted Christ, and was confounded by the word of God, the devil departed Luke iv. 
from Christ “for a season.” Whereof we may learn that he returned afterward unto 
Christ, and tempted him. I fear also, lest that Satan will shortly return unto me, 
and assail me with new temptations. 

Phil. Indeed the property of Satan is, when he cannot get his purpose one way, 
to attempt some other means. But whereof are ye afraid? 

Epaph. Christ saith in the gospel: “If thou wilt enter into life, keep the com- or the law. 


Matt. xix. 





[* So 1561 ; folio, self.] 


[ BECoN, 111. ] HM 


Luke x. 
Rom. ii. 


Deut. xxvii. 


Remedies 
against the 
curse of the 
law. 

John i, 

Of the law 
and the 
gospel. 
Rom. iii. 
Gal. iii. 


2 Cor. iii. 


Why the law 
was given. 


Gal. iil. 


Matt. xi. 


Acts xv. 


John vii. 


Rom. vii. 
Prov. xx. 


Rom. iii. 
Psal. xiv. 


Rom. viii. 
Rom. x. 
Gal, iii. iv. 


1 Cor. i. 


Matt. v. 


Rom. viii. 


162 THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 


mandments.” Again: “Do this, and thou shalt live.” He speaketh of fulfilling the 
law. And St Paul saith: “ Not the hearers, but the doers of the law, shall be justified 
before God.” Moses also pronounceth them cursed which abideth not in all things 
that are written in the law. What if Satan should lay the law against me, and prove 
evidently that I have not fulfilled the law of God, and therefore I cannot enter into 
eternal life, but must needs be damned? 

Phil. The holy scripture of God consisteth of two parts; of the law, and of the 
gospel. If Satan object the law against you, lay you against him straightways the 
gospel. “For the law was given by Moses; but” the gospel, that is, “ grace,” favour, 
remission of sins, “truth,” faithfulness, and everlasting life, ““came by Jesus Christ.” 
The law maketh afraid; but the gospel comforteth. The law troubleth; but the gospel 
quieteth. The law uttereth sin; but the gospel pardoneth and forgiveth sin. The 
law declareth the fierce wrath of God against sinners; but the gospel preacheth the 
great and exceeding mercies of God toward penitent sinners. The law woundeth; but 
the gospel healeth. The law maketh sick; but the gospel maketh whole and strong. 
The law driveth to desperation; but the gospel ministereth consolation and comfort. 
The law killeth; but the gospel quickeneth. The law throweth down to hell; but 
the gospel lifteth up to heaven. Therefore if Satan be busy and lay the law against 
you, and threat unto you death and damnation, answer him with the gospel, which 
bringeth life and everlasting salvation. For the law was not given us of God to justify 
and save us, but to be a doctrine unto us what we should either do or leave undone, 
and to be “a school-master to lead us unto Christ ;’ that of him we might obtain that 
which by no means may be gotten of the law, I mean, the grace, favour, and mercy 
of God, remission and forgiveness of sins, the quietness of conscience, a new life, the 
gift of the Holy Ghost, and everlasting life. Fly you therefore from the heavy burden 
of the law, which depresseth and weigheth down the conscience, and take on you the 
sweet and comfortable yoke of the gospel; and so shall you find rest unto your soul: 
for the “yoke” thereof “is easy, and the burden light.” After this manner even 
from the beginning have all the godly in the conflict of conscience fled from the doctrine 
of the law unto the merciful promises of the gospel; as blessed Peter testifieth, saying : 
““Now why tempt ye God, to put on the disciples’ necks the yoke which neither 
our fathers nor we were able to bear? But we believe that through the grace of the 
Lord Jesu Christ we shall be saved, as they were.” Our Saviour Christ said unto 
the Jews: “ Hath not Moses given you a law; and yet none of you keepeth the law ?” 
The doctrine of the law is such a burden, that the holiest that ever lived (Christ alone 
except) was never able to bear it. No marvel, for “the law is spiritual;’ but we are 
camal. “Who among us all is able to say, My heart is clean, and I am free from sin?” 
The holy scripture pronounceth us all sinners; and our own consciences bear witness 
of the same. And how cometh it to pass, but only that we do not observe the law 
of the Lord our God, but rather are transgressors and breakers of that same; insomuch 
that, if our Saviour Christ had not come in the flesh and fulfilled the law for us, 
even to the uttermost, and so pacified the Father's wrath, we had been damned for 
ever and ever? But Christ is come, and hath fulfilled the law with such perfection 
as the law requireth, even at the full; and his fulfilling is our fulfilling. Whosoever 
believeth this, and taketh Christ to be his “wisdom, righteousness, sanctifying, and re- 
demption,” he cannot perish, but have everlasting life. 

Lpaph. I pray you, declare unto me some comfortable sentences out of the holy scrip- 
ture, that my conscience may be ascertained of Christ’s fulfilling of the law for me. 

Phil. Christ saith in the gospel: “Think not that I am come to destroy the law 
or the prophets: no, I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.” All we are destroyers 
and breakers of the law; but Christ is a perfect fulfiller of the same, not for himself, 
but for us; and his fulfilling is our fulfilling. The holy apostle, in his epistle to the 
Romans, saith: “There is no damnation to them which are in Christ Jesu, which 
walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life through 
Jesus Christ hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law 
could not do, inasmuch as it was weak because of the flesh, that performed God, 
and sent his Son in the similitude of sinful flesh, and by sin damned sin in the flesh ; 


THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 163 


that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, which walk not after the 
flesh, but after the Spirit.” Here see you that, whereas none of us was able to fulfil 
the law, Christ the Son of God hath fulfilled it for us, and by this means delivered 
us from the law of sin and death. Again, in the same epistle: “Christ is the perfect 
fulfilling of the law to justify all that believe.” So many therefore as believe are 
justified ; and for them Christ hath fulfilled the law to the uttermost. To the Ga- 
latians he also saith: “Christ hath delivered us from the curse of the law, inasmuch 
as he was made accursed for our sake. For it is written, Cursed is every one that 
hangeth on a tree,” &c. If Christ by his death and passion hath delivered us from 
the’ curse of the law, how then can the law condemn us? Item, in the same epistle: 
“When the time was full come, God sent his Son, made of a woman, and made bond 
unto the law, to redeem them which were bond unto the law, ‘that we,” through 
election, ‘“‘might receive the inheritance that belongeth unto the natural sons.” If 
Christ became man, and was made bond unto the law, to redeem and deliver us from 
the law, what power then hath the law over us, that it may condemn us? If we 
be through the free choice of God admitted to be the sons of God, then are we no 
more slaves unto the law, nor any more bond to the subjection thereof, that it may 
cast us away as wicked transgressors and heirs of eternal damnation: for it is ful- 
filled for us in Christ. 

To the Ephesians he writeth on this manner. Christ “is our peace, which hath 
made of both one (he speaketh of the Jews and gentiles), and hath broken down 
the wall that was a stop between us, and hath also put away through his flesh the 
cause of hatred, even the law of commandments contained in the law written,” &c. 
Here have we the cause why God was angry with us. Verily, because we fulfilled 
not the law. Now is Christ come, and hath put away the cause of this anger and 
hatred: that is to say, he hath fulfilled the law for us, and reconciled us unto God; 
so that now God the Father, for his sake, hateth us no more, but loveth us, is no 
more angry, but well pleased with us, and accepteth his fulfilling of the law as our 
own fulfilling. Also to the Colossians: “Christ,” saith he, “hath put out the hand- 
writing that was against us, contained in the law written, and that hath he taken 
out of the way, and hath fastened it to his cross, and hath spoiled rule and power, 
and hath made a shew of them openly, and hath triumphed over them in his own 
person.” If Christ, hanging on the cross, hath by the virtue of his passion and death 
put out the hand-writing that was against us, contained in the law, then is our bond 
made frustrate and void, and we set at liberty; forasmuch as Christ by his blood 
hath both paid our debt unto God the Father, and also subdued and brought under 
foot all our enemies. 

The author of the epistle to the Hebrews hath these words: “The commandment 
that went afore is disannulled, because of weakness and unprofitableness. For the 
law brought nothing to perfection, but was an introduction to a better hope, by the 
which we draw nigh unto God.” Here are we taught also, that, forasmuch as by 
the law no man can be made perfect (for who among us fulfilleth the law?) we 
have our perfection in Christ; by whom for our sake the law is fulfilled, and re- 
mission of sins and everlasting life is freely given unto us. This is the hope, profit, 
and liberty, which so many as believe receive in Christ. Let therefore the terrors 
and curse of the law never trouble you, though Satan do never so much lay it unto 
your charge; but remember what the apostle saith: ‘‘ Ye are no more under the 
law, but under grace.” Again: “Now are we delivered from the law, and dead 
unto it, whereunto we were in bondage; that we should serve in a new conversation 


Rom. x. 


Gal. iii. 


Deut. xxi. 


Gal. iv. 


Eph. ii. 


Col. ii. 


Heb. vii. 


Rom. vi. vii. 


of the Spirit, and not in old conversation of the letter.” ‘For if righteousness cometh gat, ii. 


by the law, then died Christ in vain.” ‘ But we know,” saith the apostle, “that a 
man is not justified by the deeds of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ. And 
we have believed on Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, 
and not by the deeds of the law; because by the deeds of the law no flesh shall be 


justified.” Again: “As many of you as are justified by the law are fallen from cai. v. 


[' This word is supplied from the edition of 1561. ] 
l]—2 


164 THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 


grace. We look for and hope in the Spirit to be justified through faith. For in 
Christ Jesu neither is circumcision any thing worth, neither yet uncircumcision; but 
faith, which worketh by love.” Comfort yourself, neighbour Epaphroditus, against 
the assaults of Satan with these sweet sayings of the holy scripture; and so shall 
neither the fear nor the curse of the law hurt you. 
Remedies Epaph. God be thanked, I trust I am now well enarmed against Satan for this 
ar matter. But what if he layeth my sinful hfe onto my charge, and so burden my con- 
science with that, that I know not what to do, but am like to fall unto desperation? 
What shall I answer? How shall I escape? For I confess unto you that I have been 
all my life-time a very grievous sinner, and have greatly offended the Lord my God. 
Phil. Discomfort not yourself, but take a good heart unto you. You are in this 
behalf in none other case than all the saints and faithful people of God have been 


Rom. iii. before you, and are at this day. “ For all have sinned, and want the glory of God.” 

Isai. ii.  “ ATl have gone astray like lost sheep.” “We are unprofitable servants.” ‘“* All our 

Luke xvii a 1» “ . . 

Isai, Ixiv. righteousnesses are as a cloth defiled’. If we say we have no sin, we deceive 
ohn 1. 


ourselves, and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, God is faithful 

and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 

Epaph. What shall I do then, that sin may be no clog unto my conscience ? 
Repentance. Phil. Let it repent you that ever you offended so loving a Father and so gentle 
a Lord. Be heartily sorry for your misdoings. Lament and inwardly bewail your 
wretchednesses, which so wickedly have transgressed and broken the holy command- 
ments of the Lord. For this hearty and unfeigned repentance is a godly preparative 


Matt. ii to salvation; and without it none can be saved. Therefore John Baptist, Christ, and 
Actsii. his apostles, began their preaching of repentance. For whosoever is not brought into 


Matt.ix. the knowledge of himself, he shall never have delight to come unto Christ. “ For such 
as think themselves whole have no pleasure in” a physician, but they that are sick.” 
Epaph. And will God accept this my repentance ? 


Isai. Ixvi. Phil. Hear what God saith by the prophet. ‘Whom shall I regard? Even him 
that is poor and of a lowly troubled spirit, and standeth in awe of my words.” The 
Psal. li. psalmograph also saith : “A sacrifice unto God is a troubled spirit: a broken and a con- 


Psal. xxxiii. trite heart, O God, shalt thou not despise.” Again: “The Lord is nigh unto them that 
are of a troubled heart, and he will save them that are of a broken spirit.” 
A prayer. Epaph. O Word, take away from me that stony heart which cannot repent, and 
a give me that fleshly heart which gladly and willingly lamenteth’ her sins and mise- 
ries, and unfeignedly delighteth in a new life. But what, is repentance enough ? 
Confession of Phil. As you earnestly and from the very heart do repent you of your former 
God. sinful life, so likewise humble yourself in the sight of God, and confess yourself unto 
him a most wicked and miserable sinner. Cry in your heart with David, and say: 
“Have mercy upon me, O God, after thy great goodness. According unto the mul- 
titude of thy mercies, do away mine offences. Wash me throughly from my wick- 
edness, and cleanse me from my sin. For I knowledge my faults; and my sin is 
ever before me. Against thee only have I sinned, and done evil in thy sight.” “O 
tum thy face from my sins, and put out all my misdeeds. Make me a clean heart, 
O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence, 
Lukexv. and take not thy holy Spirit from me.” Cry with that lost son, and say: “O Father, 
T have sinned against heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called 
Luke xviii. thy son.” Cry with the publican, and say: “ O God, be merciful to me a sinner.” 
Matt. vii. Cry with the leper, and say: “O Lord, if thou wilt, thou art able to make me clean.” 
Mark x. Cry with the blind man, and say: ““O Jesu, the son of David, have mercy on me.” 
Matt.xv. Cry with the woman of Canaan, and say: ‘“‘ Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son 
of David: my daughter is grievously vexed of the devil.” Cry with the centurion, 
Matt. vii, and say: “I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof; but speak the 
word only, and my son shall be healed.” 
But unto this your hearty repentance and humble confession of your sins you 
must put mighty and strong faith, believing that God the Father for his promise sake, 


Psal. li. 


Faith. 





[1 Two words are omitted. | [2 So 1561; folio, is, and lamented. ] 


THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 165 


made unto all penitent sinners in Christ’s blood, will freely and mercifully forgive you 

all your sins, be they never so many or grievous. For without this faith all that 

ever you do is nothing worth, as the apostle saith: “ Whatsoever is not of faith is Rom. xiv. 
sin.” Cain repented and confessed his fault, saying: “ My sin is greater than I may Gen. iv. 
deserve to be forgiven:” but because he wanted faith, he fell into desperation, and 

was damned. Judas repented and confessed his sin, saying: “I have sinned, betray- Matt. xxvii. 
ing the innocent blood ;’ yea, he also made satisfaction, such as it was: but notwith- 
standing, because he added not faith unto his repentance, confession, and satisfaction, 

all was in vain. Peter, his fellow-disciple, sinned also grievously ; but because he earnestly Matt. xxvi. 
repented, and also faithfully believed to have remission of his sins by the precious 

blood of his Master, whom he afore had both denied and forsworn, he was forgiven 

and received into favour again. For by faith are we made of the children of wrath Eph. i. 


John i. 


the sons of God. By faith are we married unto Christ. By faith are our hearts Gal. iii. 


Hos. ii. 


purified. By faith Satan is overcome. By faith the world is vanquished. By faith acts xv. 
we are preserved from damnation. By faith we are justified and made righteous. By ‘johny. 
faith the wrath of God is assuaged. By faith we work the will of God. By faith ae 
our prayers are heard and our requests granted. By faith we please God. By faith we Bones 
be made the children of light. By faith we are born anew of God. By faith we are ome 
made the temples of the Holy Ghost. By faith we understand the mysteries of God. 1 cor. iii. 
By faith we prevail against the gates of hell. By faith we are made the heirs of God, Matt. xvi: 
and fellow-heirs with our Lord and Saviour Christ Jesu of everlasting glory. ro 

“ Faith,” as St Austin saith, “is the beginning of man’s salvation. Without faith Lib. de Fide. 
no man can reach or come unto the number of the sons of God. Without faith all 
the labour of man is frustrate and void’.” 

“Faith,” saith St Ambrose, “is the root of all virtues; and whatsoever thou buildest Lib. de Cain 
on this foundation, tee alone profiteth unto the reward of thy work, fruit, and virtue*.” inte 
“Faith,” saith he, “is richer than all treasures, stronger than all corporal power, and 
more healthful than all physicians®.” 

Therefore look that you have this true faith in you, and that you cleave both 
tooth and nail (as they use to say) to the merciful and comfortable promises of God ; 
so may you be sure to have remission and forgiveness of your sins. 

Epaph. I believe, O Lord: help thou my unbelief. O Lord, increase my faith: O The sick 
heavenly Father, my God and my Lord, I, with an assured persuasion of thy good- fesion oft his 
ness toward me, most humbly beseech thee, for Jesus Christ's sake, mercifully to be- Mark ix. 
hold me, a most miserable sinner, and clearly to forgive all those sins and wickednesses 
which I, wretched creature, have Coiinitiod against thee my Lord God from the hour 
of my birth unto this present time. Forgive me all my sins, for thy name’s sake: 
they be both many and great. O remember not the sins and offences of my youth ; Psal. xxv. 
but according unto thy mercy think upon me, O Lord, for thy goodness. O remem- Psal. Ixxix. 
ber not mine old sins; but have mercy on me, yea, and that right soon; for I am 
come to great misery. Help me, O God, for my salvation, for the glory of thy name: 

O deliver me, and be merciful unto my sins, for thy name’s sake. So shall I give 
thee thanks for ever, and magnify thy blessed name, worlds without end. 

Hus. Amen. 

Phil. Doubt not, neighbour Epaphroditus, but that God hath graciously heard 
this your humble suit, and also granted your request. He hath forgiven you all your 
sins. He will never lay them to your charge. He hath cast them away behind his 
back, so that he will never remember them more, as he saith by the prophet: “IJ will Ser. xxxi. 
forgive their misdeeds, and will never remember their sins any more.” Again: “If Ezek. xviii. 
the ungodly will turn away from all his sins that he hath done, and keep all my 
commandments, and do the thing that is equal and right, doubtless he shall live, and 
not die. As for all his sins that he did before, they shall not be thought upon; but 
in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live. For have I any pleasure in the 





[? August. Op. Par. 1679—1700. De Fide ad | Abel. Lib. mu. cap. ix. 28, Tom. I. col. 219. See 
Pet. Lib. 1. Tom. VI. Appendix, col. 19. See | Vol. I. page 207, note 2.] 
Vol. I. page 207, note 1.] [> Id. Op. De Virgin. Lib. cap. xvi. 100. Tom. IT. 
{* Ambros. Op. Par. 1686—90. De Cain et | col. 237. See Vol. 1. page 207, note 3.] 


Of sin. 


Psal. vi. 


Tsai. liii. 
Matt. viii. 
1 Pet. ii. 


2 Cor. i. 


Matt. ix. 


Matt. xi. 


Luke xix. 
Matt. ix. 
Matt. xi. 
Matt. x. 


Luke vii. 


Luke xix. 


Luke vii. 


Luke xviii. 


Luke xv. 


Luke xxiii. 


Zech. i. 


166 THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 


death of a sinner? saith the Lord God; and not rather that he convert and live?” 
Item: “Repent, and turn you from all your wickednesses; so shall there no sin do you 
harm. Cast away from you all your ungodliness that ye have done. Make you new 
hearts and a new spirit. Wherefore will ye’ die, O ye house of Israel? seeing I have no 
pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God. Turn you then, and 
ye shall live.” Therefore fear not, good brother; but continue faithful and repentant 
unto the end, and ye shall surely be saved. 

Epaph. Sin is an heavy burden, and very displeasant unto the Lord our God, 
and maketh sinners to flee from the face of God; forasmuch as they know that God 
hateth sin and all them that do commit it. 

Phil. J confess sin to be an jheavy burden and displeasant unto God; yet, as 
heavy as it is, Christ hath taken it on him and borne it away, as the prophet saith: 
“He hath taken on him our infirmities, and borne our sicknesses.” This witnesseth 
St Peter, saying: ‘‘ Christ himself bare our sins in his body on the tree, that we, being 
delivered from sin, should live unto righteousness.” And whereas ye say that sin 
maketh sinners to flee from the face of God, I answer, it driveth indeed the obsti- 
nate and desperate sinners from God, but not the penitent, which repent in faith, 
and turn unfeignedly unto the Lord their God, being persuaded that he is a 
“Father of mercies and God of all consolation,’ and that he for Christ’s sake will for- 
give them. Do they which feel themself sick and diseased flee and run away from 
the physician? They rather make haste unto the physician, being nothing afraid of 
him, because they are sick and diseased; but rather so much the more do they desire 
to come unto him, to shew him their wounds and to disclose their diseases, that they 
may be made whole. Now is Christ a physician; and all we through sin are diseased : 
shall we therefore run away from Christ, and not rather make haste unto him? What 
physician is so ready to heal the body, as Christ, our physician, is to heal the soul ? 
Who ever came unto him with a faithful and penitent heart, and was refused? Who 
ever sought remedy at his hand, and was not holpen? Who ever opened unto him 
his diseases, and was not cured? He calleth all, without exception, be they never so 
diseased and loaden with the burden of sin, unto him, and promiseth that he will ease 
them of their burdens and make them whole; and is it to be thought that he will 
refuse sinners, when they come unto him? “Come unto me,” saith he, “all ye that 
labour and are loaden; and I will refresh you. Take my yoke upon you, and ye shall 
find rest for your souls.” “For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners unto 
repentance.” “The Son of man came to seek and to save that was lost.” 

How frequented he the company of sinners when he was in this world, and that 
to this end only, that he might call them through his godly sermons unto repentance, 
unto the favour of God, and unto the fellowship of the saints; insomuch that he was 
called a friend of open sinners and whores! How defended he alway the humble and 
penitent sinners against the proud and stiff-necked Pharisees and justiciaries! When 
Zachee, being a sinner and the prince of the publicans, sought to see Christ, how 
lovingly did Christ speak unto him, and friendly came into his house, eat and drank 
with him! When Mary Magdalene, being a grievous sinner, came unto Christ, he 
refused not her company, but talked most gently with her, comforted her, received 
her into his favour, quieted her conscience, healed her diseases, and gave her ever- 
lasting life. When the poor publican, which had* both oft and grievously offended 
the Lord his God, came into the temple to pray, and in his prayers humbled himself 
before the majesty of God and confessed himself a sinner, was he not joyfully received 
into the favour of God, and pronounced more righteous, even by the mouth of Christ, 
than the proud Pharisee, for all his* glistering works? How joyfully was that un- 
thrifty, prodigal, and wasteful son received home again! What friendship found 
that thief, which was crucified with Christ, at the hand of Christ, when he said, 
“‘ Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom!” Did not Christ straight- 
ways answer him and say: “This day shalt thou be with me in paradise?” And 
yet was he both a thief, a seditious person, and a murderer. Christ refuseth none, 
although never so grievous a sinner, if we come unto him. “Turn ye unto me; and 


[} Ye is inserted from 1561.] [2 So 1561; folio, hath, and hie.] 


THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 167 


I will turn unto you, saith the Lord of hosts.” “Thou disobedient Israel, turn Jer. iii. 
again, saith the Lord; and I will not let my wrath fall upon you: I am merciful, 
saith the Lord, and I will not alway bear displeasure against thee; but this I will, 
that thou know thy great blasphemy, namely, that thou hast unfaithfully forsaken 
the Lord thy God, and hast made thyself partaker of strange gods under all green 
trees, but hast had no will to hear my voice, saith the Lord. O ye disobedient children, 
turn again, saith the Lord; and I will be married with you,’ &c. “O ye disobedient 
children, turn again, saying, Lo, we are thine; for thou art the Lord our God; 
and so shall I heal your back-turnings.” Who will not boldly come unto so merciful 
a Lord and most loving Father, seeing he so gently calleth all men unto him, be 
they never so grievous sinners, and promiseth that he will not refuse them, but 
lovingly receive them; never lay their offences unto their charge, but to forget them 
and cast them behind his back; that he will never either remember them, or look 
upon them more ? 

Theo. “The Lord is merciful, gentle, and loving, patient, long-suffering, and Joel ii. 
of much kindness, and ready at all times to forgive ;”’ yea, even when he is at the 
point to punish. “The Lord is loving unto every man; and his mercy is over all Psa. exlv. 
his works.” “The Lord is good and gracious, and of great mercy unto all them Paa. ixxxvi. 
that call upon him.” “The Lord is full of tender compassion and great mercy, Psal. ci. 
long-suffering, and of much goodness. He will not alway be chiding, neither keep- 
eth he his anger for ever. He dealeth not with us after our sins, neither rewardeth 
he us according to our wickednesses. For look, how high the heaven is in comparison 
of the earth, so great is his mercy also toward them that fear him. Look, how wide 
also the east is from the west, so far hath he set our sins from us. Yea, like as 
a father pitieth his own children, even so is the Lord merciful unto them that fear 
him. For he knoweth whereof we be made: he remembereth that we are but dust.” 
“With the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption. And _ he Paal. exxx. 
shall redeem Israel from all his sins.” 

Phil. The great kindness and dear hearty love of God toward us appeareth not 

only in this, that he both willingly and gladly admitteth and receiveth sinners, 
whensoever they repent and turn unto him, but in that he also most diligently seeketh 
them up, fetcheth them home again, and giveth them grace to repent and turn, that 
they may be saved. This thing is very lively described and set forth in the parables 
of the strayed sheep, of the lost groat, of the prodigal son, and of the wounded man. Luxe xv. 
“Herein is love,” saith St John, “not that we loved God, but that he loved us, Tota ie. 
and sent his Son to be the agreement for our sins.” St Paul saith: “God setteth Rom. v. 
out his love toward us, seeing that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. 
Much more then, now we that are justified by his blood, shall be saved from wrath 
through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the 
death of his Son; much more, seeing we are reconciled, we shall be preserved by 
his life.” 

Epaph. I believe that God is a merciful Father for Christ’s sake to all them that 
do truly repent, believe, and convert unto him; but is it not to be feared, that my 
repentance and conversion is too late ? 

Phil. Be on good comfort, neighbour Epaphroditus: there is no repentance and Remedies 
conversion too late in this world, so that it be true, and proceedeth from a contrite Sceaeerd 
heart and humble spirit. For at whatsoever hour a sinner doth mourn and lament Jone 
for his sins, God promiseth that he will so forgive him his iniquities, that he will ota 
never remember them more. And Christ saith: “ Blessed are they that mourn; for mee 
they shall be comforted.” In the holy scriptures God doth very often call us unto 
repentance ; but he appointeth not either this or that time, day, and hour, but he 
willeth us to repent, and promiseth that, whensoever we return unto him, we shall 
be safe, and escape from death unto life. Our Saviour Christ also biddeth all that Matt. xi. 
are diseased come unto him, and promiseth that he will ease them; but he assigneth 
no time, but at all hours he promiseth grace, mercy, favour, help, and comfort. Christ 
is a Saviour for all ages, and refuseth no conversion, although never so late. If we 
come in childhood, in youth, in middle age, or in old age; whensoever we come, we 


Matt. 1. 
Heb. xiii. 


Note. 


Matt. xx. 


Luke xxiii. 


Prov. xxiv. 
Eceles. vii. 
Psal. xiv. 
Matt. xix. 
Isai. lxiv. 


2 Sam. xi. 
Gen. iii. ix. 
x1, kK. 
XXvii. XxXVi. 
XXxXi. XXXIV. 
& xxxvii. 
Exod. ii. 

1 Kings xi. 
Matt. xx. & 
XXVL 

Matt. xviii. 


Luke vii. 


Luke xviii. 


168 THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 


shall be received. Only let us come. It is better late than never. God is alike 
merciful in all ages. Christ is a Saviour able enough to save at all times. He 
ceaseth not to be called Jesus, that is to say, a Saviour; neither ceaseth he at any 
time to save; as the apostle saith: “ Jesus Christ yesterday, and to-day, and the 
same continueth for ever.” If Christ were appointed of God the Father a Saviour 
for certain times, and not for all times, so should he be no perfect Saviour. If he 
could not as effectually save at the hour of death as at the hour of the birth, he were 
unworthy the name of a Saviour. But he abideth a Saviour for all ages, and for 
all kind of people, so that they unfeignedly repent, believe, and turn. 

Set before your eyes the parable which we read in the gospel of them that were 
hired to work in the vineyard. Some came early in the morning, some about the 
third hour, some about the sixth and ninth hour, and some about the eleventh hour. 
And when night once came that they should receive their wages, all had lke reward. 
When they that came first saw that they that came last, and wrought but one hour, 
were equal unto them which had borne the burden and heat of the day, and received 
like reward, one of them murmured and grudged at the matter; but it was answered : 
“Friend, I do thee no wrong. Take that is thine, and go thy way. I will give 
unto this last even as unto thee. Is it’ not lawful for me to do as me listeth with 
mine own goods?” Thus see you, that they which came at the latter end of the 
day, and wrought in the vineyard but an hour, were not refused, but received the 
like reward with them that came first. Only let us be labourers, and no loiterers ; 
only let us come into the Lord’s vineyard, and not run away backward; and at 
whatsoever hour we come we shall be welcome, and receive our reward with the 
first. Again, the history of the thief that hanged on the right hand of Christ, which 
thief was full of wicked deeds, and never turned unto God until the very hour of 
his death, declareth manifestly that there is no conversion in this life too late, if it 
be accompanied with true repentance and unfeigned faith. The thief, hanging on the 
cross, and at the point of death, only said unto Christ, “ Lord, remember me when 
thou comest into thy kingdom;” and Christ, well accepting his conversion, said 
unto him: “Truly I say unto thee, This day shalt thou be with me in paradise.” 
Who will now despair of the good-will and favourable mercy of God; seeing that 
this thief, converting at the very last hour of his death, was not of Christ rejected, 
but received, and made a fellow-citizen with Christ of joyful paradise ? 

Epaph. But I have many times grievously offended the Lord my God, and broken 
his holy commandments. 

Phil. This is no let unto your salvation, so that your conversion be unfeigned. 
“The righteous man sinneth seven times in the day.” “Who liveth and sinneth 
not?” “All go astray.” ‘There is none good, but God alone.” “ All our righteous- 
nesses are as a cloth polluted*.” If God should deal with the most holy and most 
perfect according to their deserts, they should find nothing in themselves but worthy 
of damnation. David, with other very many of the old testament, oftentimes sinned 
and offended God with their wicked acts; yet, forasmuch as they repented and un- 
feignedly turned unto God, they were received into favour, and saved. The disciples 
of Christ, Peter and his fellows, were sinners also, and many times did that which 
is not righteous in the sight of God; yet they, bewailing their miseries, and truly 
returning unto God, were admitted unto the number of God’s elect. God is that Lord, 
which forgiveth not only one talent, but the whole debt of ten thousand talents, if 
we come truly unto him and knowledge our beggary, yea, our nothing. If God would 
that we should forgive one another so oft as we offend, doubtless God will also 
forgive us whensoever we offend, if we unfeignedly turn unto him, be our sins never 
so many and grievous. Mary Magdalene sinned full oft, yet was she forgiven, as 
it is written of her: “ Many sins are forgiven her, because she hath loved much.” 
The publican was without doubt a very grievous sinner, and had many times broken 
the commandments of God; yet, so soon as he humbled himself before the throne 


[' So 1561; folio, it is.] [? Two words are omitted. ] 


THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 169 


of God’s majesty, and appealed unto his mercy, he was received into favour, and 
pronounced of Christ's own mouth more righteous than the Pharisee for all his glis- 
tering works and outward holiness of life. King Manasses in his prayer confessed 
unto God, that he had sinned above the number of the sands of the sea, and that 
his iniquities were innumerable ; yet, after he returned unto the Lord, they were all 
forgiven, and he received into favour. 

If there be not daily remission of daily sins at the hand of God for Christ’s 
sake, why are we commanded daily to pray for the forgiveness of our sins? If the Matt. vi. 
favour of God be promised at all hours to such as unfeignedly turn unto their Lord Seo 
God, and seek him in singleness of heart, then followeth it that, sin we never so eet is 
oft and never so grievously, yet, if hearty repentance come, there is hope of remission 
of sins through the blood of Christ. If Christ be an everlasting Bishop, then is he Pasal. ex. 
able at all times to save even at the full those which come unto God through him. ce 
If Christ go forth to be called Jesus, that is to say, a Saviour, then ceaseth he not Matt. i. 
to save sinners. If Christ be our Intercessor, Mediator, and Advocate unto God the Rom. viii 
Father, even unto the world’s end, then may we be sure through him to have re- ion 
mission and forgiveness of all our sins even unto the end of the world, yea, and that 
at all times, sin we never so oft and grievously, if we repent, believe, and amend. 
Therefore, though you have many times grievously offended the Lord your God, and 
broken his holy commandments, yet despair not, but turn again unto the Lord your 
God; and he will turn unto you, deliver you, and save you. For he is “the Father of 2 cor. i. 
mercies, and God of all consolation.” ‘He is rich enough for all them that call upon Rom. x. 
him.” Ifyou do thus, though your sins be as red as scarlet, yet shall they be as white 
as snow. And though they were like purple, yet shall they be as white as wool. Hear 
what God saith by the prophet: ‘Commonly, when a man putteth away his wife, and Jer. iii. 
she goeth from him and marrieth with another, then the question is, should he resort 
any more unto her after that? Is not this field then defiled and unclean? But as for 
thee, thou hast played the harlot with many lovers; yet turn again to me, saith the 
Lord,” &c. “and I will not let my wrath fall upon you: I am merciful, saith the 
Lord, and I will not alway bear displeasure against thee:” “O turn again; and I will 
be married with you.” Whom would not these words encourage to come again unto 
the Lord his God, and throughly to be persuaded of God’s loving favour toward 
him, and of the forgiveness of his sins, be they never so many and grievous, if he 
repent, believe, and amend ? 

Epaph. These things comfort well my weak conscience. But one thing doth 
greatly discourage me. 

Phil. What is that? 

Epaph. I have no merits, nor plenty of good works, wherewith I may make 
God favourable to me; but I am a barren fig-tree, void of all good fruit. 

Phil. The want of merits ought not to pluck you from coming unto God. For remedies 
God “saveth not us for the righteous works which we have done, Bat for his mer- want of 
cies’ sake.” If our salvation came of works and merits, then were ‘“‘grace no more Tit. oa 
grace.” If everlasting life were gotten by deservings, then were it not “the gift of ee 
God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” But the apostle saith: “By grace are ye saved Eph. ii. 
through faith, and that not of ourselves. It is the gift of God, and cometh not of 
works, lest any man should boast himself.” “If righteousness come of the law, then Gal. ii. 
Christ is dead in vain.” Christ “came not to call the righteous, but sinners to re- Matt. ix. 
pentance.” And we are taught in the gospel that “joy shall be in heaven over one Luke xv. 
sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety-and-nine just persons, which need no 
repentance.” What had the wounded man deserved, that he should be healed? Lukex. 
What had the stray sheep merited, that the shepherd should so lovingly fetch her Luke xv. 
home again? What good works brought Mary Magdalene, when Christ received her Luke vii. 
unto grace, and forgave her her sins? And so likewise of divers other. If God 
should save us because of our merits and good works, so should we choose God by 
our works and merits, and not God us by his favour, grace, and mercy. But 
Christ saith: “Ye have not chosen me; but I have chosen you.” And St John, Jonnxv. 
wondering at this great mercy of God, brasteth out into these words, and saith: 


1 John iii. 
J John iv. 


Eph, i. 


Exod. xxxiii. 


Rom. ix. 


Psal. xviii. 
Psal. lvi. 
(Vulgate. } 


De Verbis 
Apostol. 
Serm. xv. 


Lib. ii. con- 
tra Pelag. 


In Joan. cap. 
jii. 
Hom. xxv. 


De Predest. 
Sanct. 


De Vocat. 
Gent. Lib. i. 
eap. 5. 


Psal. ciii. 


Note. 


1 Cor. xv. 
1 Cor. i. 
Matt. ix. 
Matt. ix. 
Luke xix. 
Matt. ix. 
Matt. xi. 
Matt. i. 
Luke ii. 


Isai. lv. 


170 THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 


“Behold what love the Father hath shewed on us, that we should be called the 
sons of God.” Again: “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved 
us, and sent his Son to be the agreement for our sins.” And St Paul saith, God 
the Father hath “chosen us in Christ, before the foundations of the world were laid.” 
God' therefore did choose us by his grace, and not. we him by our? works 
and merits. ‘JI will have mercy,” said God to Moses, “on whom it pleaseth me 
to have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom it is my pleasure to have 
compassion. It lieth not therefore in a man’s will or running, but in the mercy 
of God.” And the psalmograph saith, speaking of God, and of himself: “ He hath 
saved me, because it was his pleasure to save me.” Again he saith: ‘“ Thou shalt 
save them for nothing.” 

“What is to say,” saith St Austin, “Thou shalt save them for nothing, but that 
thou findest nothing in them wherefore they should be saved, and yet savest thou 
them? Freely dost thou give, freely dost thou save’.” 

And St Jerome, alleging the same sentence against the Pelagians, saith, that “the 
righteous are not saved by their own merits, but by the tender mercy of God *.” 

“If we shall consider our merits,” saith Chrysostom, “we are not only worthy 
no reward, but we are also worthy punishment.” 

‘“‘Tet all men’s merits, which perished by Adam, be still and keep silence,” saith 
St Austin; “and let the grace of God reign, which reigneth through our Lord Jesus 
Christ °.” 

“‘The redemption of Christ’s blood should wax vile and become of no price,” saith 
St Ambrose, “if the justification, which cometh by grace, were due unto merits 
going afore’.” 

David saith in a certain psalm: “ Praise the Lord, O my soul; and all that is 
within me, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not his 
benefits: which forgiveth all thy sins, and healeth all thine iniquities: which saveth 
thy life from destruction, and crowneth thee with mercy and loving-kindness.” 

All good men, from the beginning, have attributed and given the whole glory of 
their justification and salvation, not to their own merits and good works, but to the 
free grace and undeserved mercy of God, “that God may be all in all,” and that 
“he which rejoiceth should rejoice in the Lord.” For the contentation and quiet- 
ness of your conscience in this behalf, remember that Christ came not to call the 
justiciaries, but sinners unto repentance. Remember that “the Son of man came to 
seek and to save that that was lost.” Remember that Christ is a physician, and 
that “the whole hath no need of a physician, but such as are sick.” Remember 
that Christ calleth unto him all such as are diseased and loaden with the burden of 
sin. He requireth no merits: only come: remember that Christ is called a Saviour 
to the end that he should save them which otherwise should perish. Hear also 
what God saith by the prophet: “Come to the waters, all ye that be thirsty, and 
ye that have no money. Come, buy, that ye may have to eat. Come, buy wine 
and milk without any money, or money-worth. Wherefore do ye lay out your money 
for the thing that feedeth not, and spend your labour about the thing that satisfieth 
you not? But hearken rather unto me, and ye shall eat of the best, and your soul 


[! This word is supplied from the edition of 
1561.] 

[? This is the reading of the edition of 1561: 
the folio has your. ] 

[* August. Op. Par. 1679-1700. Serm. clxix. 3. 
de Verbis Apostol. Phil. iii. Tom. V. col. 810. See 
Vol. I. page 73, note 2.] 

[* Pro nihilo, inquit, salvos faciet eos, haud 
dubium quin justos, qui non proprio merito, sed 
Dei salvantur clementia.—Hieron. Op. Par. 1693— 
1706. Lib. 1. Dial. adv. Pelag. Tom. IV. Pars 11. 
col. 523.] 

[5 Av pév yap tiv a&iav tiv ymetéepav Noyiontat 
TLS, ov povoy THS Owpeas imev dvakor’ adda Kal 


KoXdoews UrevOuvor Kat Tiyswpias.—Chrysost. Op. 
Par. 1718-38. In Joan. Hom. xxvi. p. 148.] 

[© Humana hic merita conticescant, que peri- 
erunt per Adam; et regnet que regnat Dei gratia 
per Jesum Christum Dominum nostrum.—August. 
Op. De Predest. Sanct. 31. Tom. X. cols. 810,1.] 

[7 Vilesceret enim redemptio sanguinis Christi, 
nec misericordie Dei humanorum operum przro- 
gativa succumberet, sijustificatio, que fit pergratiam, 
meritis precedentibus deberetur: ut non munus lar- 
gientis, sed merces esset operantis.—Ambros. Op. 
Par. 1614. De Vocat. Gent. Lib. 1. cap. v. Tom. 
IV. col. 523.] 


THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. V1 


shall have her pleasure in plenteousnesses. Incline your ears, and come unto me: 

take heed, I say, and your soul shall live.’ Our Saviour Christ also saith: ‘“ If Jonn vit. 
any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink.” Again, in another place: “I Rev. xxi. 
will give to him that is athirst of the well of the water of life. He that over- 
cometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.” 
Item: “Let him that is athirst come; and let whosoever will take of the water Rev. xxii. 
of life free.” Here is the favour of God, remission of sins, the gift of the Holy 
Ghost, quietness of conscience, and everlasting life, promised freely, without merits 

or deserts, to so many as will come unto Christ with a repentant heart and faithful 

mind. For Christ was sent of God the Father “to preach good tidings unto the Isai. 1xi. 
poor, that he might bind up the wounded hearts, that he might preach deliverance *““°'” 
to the captive, and open the prison to them that are bound, declare the acceptable 

year of the Lord, and comfort all them that are in heaviness.” He “came into this 1 Tim. i. 
world to save sinners.” 

Therefore, let it not dismay you, though you find in yourself plenty of sins, and 
good works very few. Cast rather the eyes of your mind with strong faith on 
Christ and on his righteousness, on his merits, passion, and death, on his blessed 
body-breaking, and his precious blood-shedding. Believe him to be ordained of God 
the Father to be your “wisdom and righteousness, your sanctification and redemp- 1 Cor. i. 
tion; that, as it is written, He that rejoiceth should rejoice in the Lord.” Count all Jer. ix. 
your merits, good works, and righteousnesses vile and of no price, “for the excellency phil. ii. 
of the knowledge of Christ Jesu our Lord.” Labour to “win Christ, and to be found 
in him, not having your own righteousness which cometh of the law, but that 
which is through the faith of Christ, even the righteousness which cometh of God 
through faith;” that you may “know him, and the virtue of his resurrection, and 
fellowship of his passions.” He that through true faith hath gotten Christ, put 
him on his back, with all his righteousness and holiness, he is not altogether with- 
out merits, neither walketh he naked in the sight of God. Unto this exhorteth 
St Paul, when he saith: “ Put ye on the Lord Jesu Christ,” that is to say, clothe Rom. xiii. 
yourself through faith with all the merits and works of Christ. Take his righteous- 
ness, holiness, perfection, praying, fasting, watching, law-fulfilling, miracles-working, 
preaching, passion, death, resurrection, ascension, and all that ever he hath to be 
yours. Believe him to be given you of God, with all that ever he hath: Christ is 
yours; all therefore that ever Christ merited in his flesh is yours also, as the apo- 
stle saith: “God spared not his own Son, but gave him for us all; how can it be Rom. viii. 
then that with him he should not give us all things also?’ If you on this manner 
put on Christ, his merits, and good works, through true faith, you shall not appear 
before God an unfruitful fig-tree, neither shall the curse of God fall upon you. Reece 

Hear what St Austin saith: “All my hope is in the death of my Lord. His m Manual. 
death is my merit and my refuge, my health, life, and resurrection. The tender ~” *~” 
mercy of the Lord is my merit. I am not without merits, so long as that Lord 
of mercies faileth not. And if the mercies of the Lord be plenteous, then am I also 
plenteous in merits. The mightier that he is to save, the better is my state and 
condition, and the more free am I from all danger®.” Here see you that this godly 
man St Austin knoweth none other merits that may do him good, but the merits 
of Christ's death and passion. He counteth Christ’s merits his merits, and saith that 
he is not without merits, so long as that Lord of mercies faileth not. 

In another place he also saith: “All my hope, and assurance of my whole trust, rip. med. 
is in the precious blood of Christ, which was shed for us and for our salvation, ‘*” *'” 
In that is all my comfort; and, reposing the whole affiance of my salvation in that, 

I desire to come unto thee, O heavenly Father, not having mine own righteousness, 
but that righteousness which cometh by thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord’.” 





[® August. Op. Manuale, cap. xxii. Tom. VI. | mihi est in pretioso sanguine ejus, qui effusus est 
Appendix, col. 141. See Vol. I. page 54, note 1. ] propter nos et propter nostram salutem. In ipso 
[° Omnis namque spes et totius fiducie certitudo | respiro, et in ipso confisus ad te pervenire desidero; 


In Cant. 


Of predesti- 


nation. 


Of repent- 
ance. 


Matt. iii. 


Ezek. xviii. 


OF faith. 


John iii. 


John v. 


John vi. 


John xi. 


‘come into damnation, but is scaped from death unto life.” 


172 THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 


Item: “ Brethren, that we may be healed from sin, let us behold Christ crucified. 
For as they that did behold the brasen serpent in the wilderness did not die 
through the stinging of the serpents, so likewise they that do look upon the death 
of Christ with faith are healed from the bitings of sins’.” 

Hereto agreeth the saying of St Bernard: “What is of so mighty force and 
great strength to heal the wounds of the conscience, as the diligent remembrance of 
Christ’s wounds??” 

Again: ‘“‘ When I am troubled and put in fear of my sins, then do I hide me in 
the bloody wounds of Jesus Christ *.” 

Look that you therefore likewise flee unto the merits of Christ’s death and pas- 
sion; and so shall neither sin, death, hell, desperation, law, or any other thing 
hurt you. 

Epaph. I believe that whatsoever Christ did in his humanity, he did it for me, 
and for my salvation. And in thee, O Lord God, is my whole trust: let me never 
be confounded. But, neighbour Philemon— 

Phil. What is your mind, sir? 

Epaph. What if I be not of the number of those whom God hath predesti- 
nate to be saved? 

Phil. Fear you not. God, without all doubt, hath sealed you by his holy 
Spirit unto everlasting life. Your name is written in the book of life. You are a 
citizen of that new, glorious, and heavenly Jerusalem. You shall remain with God 
in glory, after your departure, for ever and ever. 

Epaph. It sore repenteth me that I have at any time offended the Lord my 
God. 

Phil. This repentance is an evident testimony of your salvation, and that God 
hath predestinate and tofore appointed you unto everlasting life. For it is written: 
“Repent you of your former life; for the kingdom of God is at hand.” Again: “If 
the ungodly shall repent him of all his sins that he hath done, &c., doubtless he 
shall live, and not die. As for all his sins that he did before, they shall not once 
be thought upon.” 

Epaph. I have an earnest faith in the blood of Christ, that God the Father will 
forgive me all my sins for Chnist’s sake. 

Phil. You thus believing cannot perish; but this your faith is an undoubted 
assurance unto your conscience that you are predestinate to be saved. For it is 
written: “God hath so dearly loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, 
that all that believe on him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God 
sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world should 
be saved by him. He that believeth on him is not condemned. He that believeth 
on the Son hath everlasting life.” ‘“‘ Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth 
my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not 
“This is the Father's 
will that sent me, that of all which he hath given me I shall lose nothing, but 
raise them up again at the last day. And this is that will of him that sent me, 
that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, have everlasting life. 
And I will raise him up at the last day.” “I am the resurrection and life: he 
that believeth in me, though he be dead, yet shall he live; and every one that 


non habens meam justitiam, sed eam que est in 
Filio tuo Domino nostro Jesu Christo.—Id. Lib. 
Medit. cap. xiv. Tom. VI. Appendix, col. 112. 
This book is most probably not a genuine work of 
Augustine. | 

[1 Interim modo, fratres, ut a peccato sanemur, 
Christum crucifixum intueamur.......Quomodo qui 
intuebantur illum serpentem, non peribant morsibus 
serpentum: sic qui intuentur fide mortem Christi, 
sanantur a morsibus peccatorum.—Id. in Johan. 
Evang. cap. iii. Tractat. xii. 11. Tom. III. Pars 


11. cols. 388, 9.] 

[2 Quid enim tam efficax ad curanda conscientie 
vulnera, necnon ad purgandam mentis aciem, quam 
Christi vulnerum sedula meditatio?—Bernard. Op. 
Par. 1690. In Cant. Serm. Ixii.7. Vol. II. Tom. 
tv. col. 1480. ] 

[3 Can the following be the passage intended? 
Peccavi peccatum grande: turbabitur conscientia, 
sed non perturbabitur, quoniam vulnerum Domini 
recordabor.—Id. ibid. Serm. 1xi. 3, col. 1475.] 


THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 173 


liveth and believeth in me shall never die.” “To him (Christ) give all the prophets acts «x. 
witness,” saith St Peter, “that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall 
receive remission of sins.” “If thou knowledge with thy mouth that Jesus is the Rom. x. 
Lord, and believe in thine heart that God raised him up from death, thou shalt be 
saved. For to believe with the heart justifieth, and to knowledge with the mouth 
maketh a man safe. For the scripture saith: Whosoever believeth on him shall Isai. xxviii. 
not be confounded.” Thus see you, that faith doth assure your conscience of the 
favour of God and of everlasting life. Doubt you not therefore, but that you are 
counted in the number of God’s elect and chosen people, and shall inherit the glo- 
rious kingdom of God. 
Epaph. I was baptized in the name of God the Father, and of God the Son, ofpaptism. 
and of God the Holy Ghost. mains 
Phil. This is also a sure token of the favour of God toward you, and that you 
are predestinate unto everlasting life; seeing that according to your profession you do 
believe, and unto the uttermost of your power frame your life. For it is written: 
“He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.” And St Peter said unto the Jews : Mark xvi. 
““Repent you of your sins, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesu Christ Acts ii. 
for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” And St 
Paul saith: “‘ All ye that are baptized have put on Christ.” And you know, “there is Gal. iii. 
no damnation to them that are in Christ Jesu.” For as when you were baptized, ye art ga 
forsook the devil, the world, and the flesh, with all their works, pomps, and vanities, 
and gave yourself only unto the service of God, taking him for your Lord and Master; 
even so hath God likewise taken you to be his servant, loveth and fayoureth you, and 
will defend you against all your enemies, and never forsake you, until he hath brought 
you unto everlasting life. By baptism is he your Lord God; therefore will not he suffer 
you to perish. By baptism is he your Father, and you are born of him, and so become 
his son; therefore can he none otherwise than love, tender, and favour you, and give 
you the inheritance of his heavenly kingdom. By baptism are you made the brother 
of Christ, heir of God, and fellow-heir with Christ of everlasting glory: then may you 
be certain to be of that number that shall inherit eternal life. By baptism is the Holy 
Ghost given you: then are you the Son of God, and cannot perish. For it is written: 
“They that are led with the Spirit of God are the sons of God.” Baptism is a con- Rom. viii. 
tinual sign of the favour of God toward us, of the free remission of sins, of our recon- 
ciliation unto God for Christ’s sake, and that we be by adoption the sons of God, and 
heirs of everlasting glory. 
Epaph. In times past I have also many times received the mysteries of the Lord’s of the Lora’s 
body and blood in the temples of the Christians, with the congregation of God, wherein)?” 
I confess I have found great comfort, and very much quietness unto my weak and 
sinful conscience. 
Phil. The often coming with a fervent desire unto the Lord’s table by true faith, 
to feed upon the mysteries of the Lord’s body and blood, is a manifest argument that 
God hath chosen you to be his, hath written your name in the book of life, and pre- 
destinate you unto everlasting glory. For in so doing you have not only called unto 
remembrance the most healthful death of our Lord and Saviour Jesu Christ, and so 
been thankful for it, but you have also shewed yourself a lively member of that holy 
body, whereof Christ is the head. You have professed openly in the face of the christian 
congregation, that God the Father is your Father, that Christ is your Lord and Saviour, 
that by the one only oblation of his blessed body on the altar of the cross all your 
sins are put away and forgiven, and you made the inheritor of everlasting glory. When 
you thus came unto the Lord’s table, all the fruits, benefits, and merits of Christ’s 
passion were given you, namely, the favour of God, remission of sins, the Holy Ghost, 
quietness of conscience, new affects, victory over Satan, death, and hell, and, finally, 
everlasting life; so that now ye are incorporated in Christ, and become a true and 
lively member of that mystical body, whereof he is the head, yea, you are flesh of his Eph. v. 
flesh, and bone of his bones, as the apostle saith: “Is not the cup of blessing, which 1 Cor. x. 
we bless, partaking of the blood of Christ? Is not the bread, which we break, par- 
taking of the body of Christ?” &c. 


Of hearin 
God's word. 


James i. 


Luke i. 


John viii. 


Psal. i. 


John x. 


John xviii. 


Luke xi. 


Of prayer. 


Joel ii 
Psal. xci. 


Of the 
certainty of 
God's favour 
toward us, 
and of our 
salvation. 


174 THE SICK MAN'S SALVE. 


Epaph. As I have had many times an earnest and fervent mind to come reverently 
unto the Lord’s table, and to be partaker of the holy mysteries of Christ's body and 
blood with the congregation ; so likewise have I at all times been glad to repair unto 
those places where the word of God hath been preached; and the doctrine that hath 
there been taught I marked diligently, kept it in memory, and to the uttermost of my 
power I laboured to frame my life according unto the same, that I might be “no forget- 
ful hearer, but a diligent doer of those works,” which I learned of the holy scriptures to 
be acceptable unto the Lord my Lord, that I might “serve him in holiness and right- 
eousness all the days of my life.” 

Phil. As there is not a more evident testimony and a surer argument that that 
man is in the state of everlasting damnation, which hath no mind to hear the word of 
God, nor to train his life according unto the doctrine thereof; so likewise is there not 
a more certain sign that any man is predestinate to be saved, than when he hath a 
mind to hear the word of God; as our Saviour Christ testifieth, saying: “‘ He that is 
of God heareth God’s words. Ye therefore hear them not, because yé are not of God.” 
Here see you, how Christ putteth a difference between them that are of God and them 
that are of the devil. They that are the children of the devil have no mind to hear 
the word of God. But they that are the sons of God have a fervent delight and 
singular great pleasure to hear God’s word, yea, and as the prophet saith, to exercise 
themselves in it day and night. In another place our Saviour Christ saith also: “My 
sheep hear my voice; and I know them; and they follow me; and I give unto them 
everlasting life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of 
my hand.” In this sentence ye see, that they which hear the voice of their Shepherd 
Christ are the sheep of Christ, and that they shall never perish, but have everlasting 
life. Christ also said unto Pilate: “‘ Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.” 
You, having a mind to hear the word of God, and to hear the voice of Christ, that 
high Shepherd, have shewed yourself to be of the truth. So being, ye cannot perish, 
but obtain everlasting life. For Christ himself pronounceth them blessed which hear 
the word of God, and keepeth it, that is to say, believe it, and study to frame their 
life according unto the same. 

Epaph. Moreover, I have ever had a desire (I thank the Lord my God for it) to 
pray unto the Lord my God, and to call on his holy name, although, I confess, not so 
fervently as I ought. 

Phil. This thing also doth fully certify your conscience that you are of the number 
of God’s elect, and tofore appointed unto everlasting salvation, For it is written: 
“‘ Whosoever doth call on the name of the Lord shall be safe.” Again: “‘ He hath cried 
unto me; and I will graciously hear him: yea, I am with him in trouble, and I will 
deliver him, and glorify him. With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my 
salvation.” 

Epaph. God be thanked, I am now well quieted in my conscience, and fear Satan 
nothing at all. I think myself at this present so strong and so throughly enarmed 
against the devil and all his wicked army, that I am nothing afraid to enter battle with 
him, but am fully persuaded that, by the help and power of my grand captain Jesu 
Christ, I shall overthrow him. One doubt remaineth, and that’ once dispatched, I trust 
I shall be in some readiness for the Lord my God, whensoever he sendeth for me, and 
calleth me out of this wretched world. 

Phil. What is that ? 

Epaph. 1 have heard many times at the mouth of divers men, which have a good 
opinion of themselves, of their own wit, doctrine, and learning, that no man in this 
world is certain of his salvation, neither can any man say with a safe conscience and 
undoubted faith, I am of the number of God’s elect, I am a vessel of mercy, I shall 
be saved; my name is registered in the book of life, &c.; but all men, even the most 
godly and faithful, must doubt of their salvation, of the remission of their sins, of the 
favour of God toward them, and of everlasting life. 

Phil. This is the doctrine of the papists, both wicked and damnable. The papists 





[! So the edition of 1561: the folio has hath.] 


THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 175 


in teaching this doctrine doth not only trouble, disquiet, make afraid, wound, kill, and 
slay the consciences of the simple people, and of such as credit their devilish doctrine ; 
but, as much as in them heth, they make God a liar, hisholy word false, and our faith 
frustrate, void, and vain. Take away the certainty of salvation from any man; and 
to what point serveth the merciful promise of God, and the faith which apprehendeth 
and layeth hand on the most loving promises of God? This doctrine openeth a very 
path unto hell, and bringeth unto desperation. 

Chris. Yet the papists allege the scripture for them. 

Phil. I think that ; for so is their accustomed property. ?They allege many times The manner 
the scriptures of God to defend and to stablish their errors and heresies, and to blear Paleane 
the simple people’s eyes, which are not able to discern A from B, nor to judge between Hooaa 
truth and falsehood, but are easily led that way whereunto the subtile and wily papist 
persuadeth. If I had leisure to declare unto you what juggling the ungodly papists 
have used, and yet do use, in writhing and wresting, in corrupting and abusing that 
holy word of God, ye would not a little marvel at the matter. But I would gladly 
hear what the papists can allege out of the word of God for the confirmation of their 
wicked opinion in this behalf. 

Chris. The sentence whereunto they stick and cleave, as unto an invincible bulwark, 
is this: “A man knoweth not whether he be worthy love or hatred; but all things kecies. ix. 
are kept uncertain unto the time to come.” 

Phil. The kingdom of the papists is not without a cause called the kingdom of 

lies; and the papists themselves may right well be resembled to that beast which rose Rev. xiii. 
out of the sea, unto whom was given a mouth to speak great things and blasphemy 
against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven, 
&c. But as concerning the text which they allege (although the learned in the Hebrew 
tongue know right well, how greatly this text after the common Latin translation dif- 
fereth from the truth of the Hebrew), it is abused of them and wrested contrary to the 
mind both of the author and of the translator, as the words that immediately follow 
do manifestly declare. When Salomon saith, “a man knoweth not whether he be worthy 
love or hatred,” he speaketh not of the knowledge and judgment of the conscience toward 
God; for who knoweth not that he is worthy hatred, which sinneth against the Lord 
his God? contrariwise, that he pleaseth God and God loveth him, which doth that 
thing that is pleasant in his godly sight? But he speaketh of the outward and car- 
nal judgment and knowledge which men have of themselves, of their own strengths, 
wisdom, or free-will, concerning things which chance to them outwardly. As though 
he should say: If a man should only behold and consider the outward face of things, 
and judge the favour or the disfavour of God toward any man of the things that out- 
wardly chance unto any man, he were not able to affirm and to persuade his con- 
science whether God loveth him or not. For God indifferently, without any respect 
had to either of the parties, giveth as abundantly to the ungodly as to the godly, 
to the unfaithful as to the faithful, to the saints as unto the wicked, his temporal and 
outward gifts; as beauty, strength, riches, health of body, reason, wisdom, eloquence, 
honour, nobility, wealth, glory, &c. Yea, many times the enemies of God have more 
plenteously given unto them of God the riches and pleasures of this life than the 
friends of God. Therefore, if a natural man, not being regenerate nor born anew of 
the Spirit of God, considereth the outward face of things, and judgeth of them the 
favour or disfavour of God, verily so knoweth he not who is worthy God’s love or 
hatred, so is he not certain whom God loveth or whom he hateth. This is the 
aforesaid text of Salomon (as it is translated) to be understand. 

And that this is the meaning of the author, the words that follow manifestly declare. 

“Tt happeneth,” saith he, “unto me as unto another: it goeth with the righteous as Eccles. ix. 
with the ungodly; with the good and clean as with the unclean; with him that 
offereth as with him that offereth not: like as it goeth with the virtuous, so goeth 
it also with the sinner. As it happeneth unto the perjured, so happeneth it also unto 





[? Here the folio introduces Chris. The edition of 1561 rightly assigns the whole to Philemon. ] 


ae 


John iii. 


Psal. exlv. 


Rom. iii. 
Ezek. xxxiii. 


Gal. iii. 


Matt. xi. 


John iii. 


Psal. exlv. 


Mark ix. 


176 THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 


him that is afraid to be forsworn. Among all things that come to pass under the 
sun this is a misery, that it happeneth unto all alike.” 

Of these words it evidently appeareth that Salomon speaketh of the knowledge 
which a natural man hath by the outward gifts of God, whereof, because they be 
indifferently given as well to the good as to the bad, he is not able to judge whom 
God loveth and whom he hateth. Now, whereas the papists wrest this text unto 
the knowledge or judgment of the conscience, which cometh of the Spirit of God and 
of his holy word, and would that christian men in their conscience should doubt whether 
God love them or not, whether they be in the favour of God or not, whether their 
sins be forgiven them or not, whether they shall be saved or not, they teach a devilish 
error, and lead the receivers of their doctrine the right way to hell-fire. For he that 
doubteth of the merciful good-will and favourable grace of God toward him, and 
believeth not that God for Christ’s sake is loving unto him, and forgiveth him all his 
sins, verily he is no true Christian; but, dying in this his doubtfulness and unbelief, 
he shall surely be damned, according to this saying: “He that doth not believe on 
the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” This erroneous 
doctrine of the papists maketh God false of his promise, quencheth faith, blotteth 
out hope, destroyeth love, disquieteth the conscience, filleth the heart with whole seas 
of unrestful and wicked imaginations, and so driveth the doubtful person unto despe- 
ration, and finally unto damnation. O murderers! O soul-slayers! 

If no man can be certain in his conscience whether he be in the favour of God 
or no, whether God for Christ’s sake will forgive him his sins or not, and give him 
everlasting life; to what point serve all the promises of God’s tender mercies made 
to all faithful penitent sinners in Christ’s blood? unto what end doth faith serve? If 
faith certifieth not our conscience of God’s good-will toward us, and so bringeth peace 
and quietness unto it; what is then the office of faith? If a man, whose credit is 
approved, promiseth us any thing, we surely look for it, and nothing doubt of the 
performance thereof; and shall we doubt of the accomplishment of the promises of 
God, which is “ faithful in all his words,” “which cannot lie,” which is not only true, 
but also the self truth? ‘“‘ Let all men be liars, and let God abide true.” God hath 
promised that, at whatsoever hour we turn unto him, he will forgive us all our sins, 
and never remember them more, but so freely favour us, and so tenderly love us, as 
though we had never offended him. This is the promise of him which can neither 
deceive nor be deceived; and shall we doubt of the performance thereof? Shall we 
doubt, whether the Lord our God will be as good as his word? whether our sins be 
forgiven, and we received again into favour, or not? God hath promised, that in 
Christ “all nations of the earth shall be blessed:” and shall we, which look for our 
whole salvation in the blood of Christ, doubt whether we shall be blessed in Christ, 
that is to say, favoured of God the Father for Christ's sake, or not? Christ 
our Lord and Saviour calleth all that labour and be loaden unto him, and promiseth 
that he will ease, remedy, comfort, and help them. And shall we doubt of this his 
promise? what other thing is it to doubt of the promises of God, than to doubt 
whether God be true or no, just and faithful or no, that same in his deed that he is 
in his word or no? O the too much unfaithfulness of the wicked papists! 

The scripture saith: “He that believeth on the Son of God hath everlasting life.” 
The faithful Christians believe on Christ the Son of God, embrace him with strong 
faith as their alone Saviour, Redeemer, Atonement-maker, Intercessor, Mediator, and 
Advocate; and shall they doubt of the inheritance of everlasting life? Either they 
that do believe, and so continue unto the end, have everlasting life at their departure 
out of this life, or else God is not true of his promise. But “God is faithful in all 
his words ;” therefore do the faithful Christians receive according to God’s promises and 
their faith. If “all things be possible to him that believeth,” if all things chance to 
a faithful man according to his faith, with what whorish and shameless forehead dare 
the proud and ungodly papists teach us to doubt of the grace and favour of God, of 
the remission of sins, and of the inheritance of everlasting life? Where doubtfulness 
is, there is no true faith, but rather misbelief; and to such a doubting faith, yea, 
rather no faith, nothing is promised, but the fierce wrath and vengeance of God and 


THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. Vi 


everlasting damnation. See to what point the wicked papists bring their whelps with 

their devilish doctrine. St James saith: “If any man lack wisdom, let him ask it Jamesi. 
of him that giveth it, even God, &c. But let him ask in faith, and waver not. For 

he that doubteth is like a wave of the sea, which is tossed of the winds and car- 

ried with violence. Neither let that man think that he shall receive any thing of 

the Lord. A wavering-minded man is unstable in all his ways.” Are not they that The school- 
profess Christ much bound to the papists, which teach their scholars to doubt of the papists. 
mercy of God, and not to be throughly persuaded in their consciences that God loveth 
them, pardoneth them for Christ's sake, and maketh them inheritors of everlasting 
glory? Is this any other thing than to say, Despair, die, be damned? O devils incar- 

nate! God lighten the eyes of the simple, that they may once see the juggling casts 

of these wily wicked papists, and come unto the unfeigned truth of God’s “ word, Jamesi. 
which is able to save their souls,” which also “is the mighty power of God to save Rom. i. 
every one that believeth.” Zheo. Amen. 

Phil. All the godly, even from the beginning, have believed the promises of God, 
and nothing doubted of them, whether they concerned temporal or spiritual things ; 
and according to their faith so received they. Yea, when God seemed most to be 
angry with them, and utterly to cast them from his favour, even then did they no- 
thing doubt of his merciful goodness, but with strong faith cleaved to the promises of 
God; as a certain man saith: “Though he kill me, yet will I put my trust in him.” Job xiii. 
The psalmograph also saith: “Though an host of men were laid against me, yet Psal. xxvii. 
shall not my heart be afraid: and though there rose up war against me, yet will I 
put my trust in him.” If either Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, or any other saints of the old 
testament had doubted of the promises which God made unto them, so had they never 
found favour at the majesty of God, nor obtained those things which God had pro- 
mised them. For “without faith it is impossible to please God.” He that doubteth Heb. xi. 
of the promises of God shall obtain no good thing at the hand of God. To what 
end are we so often in the holy scripture exhorted to believe God and his promises, 
if it were lawful for us to doubt of them? If to believe and to doubt be one thing, 
why is everlasting salvation promised to the one, and eternal damnation to the other? 
Whosoever therefore will be saved, let him cast away all unbelief and doubtfulness, 
and with tooth and nail (as they use to say) cleave to the promises of God, nothing 
doubting but, according as God hath promised, so shall it chance unto him. If we 
do repent and believe his word, God hath promised us for Christ’s sake to favour us, 
to forgive us all our sins, and to bring us unto everlasting life: let us not therefore 
doubt of this his promise, but with strong and unshaken faith believe it, and look 
for boldly that is promised; so we may be sure to have the grace and favour of God, 
to have remission and forgiveness of our sins, and finally to have everlasting life. “‘ Let Heb. iv. 
us therefore approach with boldness,” and not with doubting and wavering, “unto 
the throne” of God’s majesty, as the apostle warneth, “‘that we may obtain mercy and 
find grace to help in the time of need.” 

Chris. If a man after the papists should doubt of the grace and favour of God 
toward him, with what conscience could he be bold to say the Lord’s prayer, and Matt. vi. 
to desire the forgiveness of his trespasses? or how could he say with a true faith, 

I believe the forgiveness of sins and everlasting life? To believe, is it to doubt of peat 
the promises of God? or rather to be throughly persuaded of the promises of God, 
that, as God hath promised, so shall it undoubtedly chance unto us? 

Eus. When a man believeth the gospel, he is certain of the remission of his 
sins, he is certain of the favour and good-will of God, and he is certain also of 
everlasting life. And he that letteth go this faith, and falleth to doubting, he shall 
never enjoy the aforesaid benefits, but be cast into everlasting damnation. 

Theo. This considered the holy apostle right well, when he without any doubt- 
ing, being throughly persuaded and assured of God’s good-will toward him (set forth 
in his holy promises), said on this manner: “I know and am sure that he (in whom 2mm. i. 
I have put my trust) is able to keep that which I have committed to his keeping 
against that day.” Again: “I have fought a good fight, I have fulfilled my course, 9 yim. iv. 
I have kept the faith. From henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righte- 


[BEcoN, 11. ] <= 


Psal. xxvii. 


Phil. i. 
Acts vii. 


Kom. viii. 


1 John iii. 


John iii. 


Rom. viii. 


2 Cor. iv. 


A prayer. 


178 THE SICK MAN'S SALVE. 


ousness, which the Lord (that is a righteous Judge) shall give at that day, not to 
me only, but unto all them also that love his coming.” 

Phil. When that David said these words, “I believe verily to see the pleasures 
of the Lord in the land of the living,’ doubted he of the inheritance of the heavenly 
kingdom? or was he rather throughly persuaded, by strong faith in the promises of 
God, that he should without all doubt reign with God in glory? If the godly 
apostle St Paul had not been sure of the favour of God, and of a better life after 
this, would he have wished to be delivered from this world, and “to be with Christ ?” 
With what countenance durst the blessed martyr St Stephen have commended 
his spirit unto Christ, if he had not been persuaded of God’s favour toward him, 
and of the joyful inheritance of the everlasting kingdom? And so likewise of all 
the other saints. “The Spirit of God certifieth our spirit,” saith the apostle, “that 
we are the sons of God: if we be sons, then are we also heirs, I mean of God, 
and: fellow-heirs with Christ.” Hereto agreeth the saying of St John: “ Dearly 
beloved, now are we the sons of God; and yet it doth not appear what we shall 
be. But we know that, when it shall appear, we shall be like him: for we shall 
see him as he is.” Again: “ We know that we are translated, and carried from death 
unto life.” Here you see that the holy scriptures teach us to be certain of our sal- 
vation through faith in Christ’s blood, and not to be doubtful of it, as the papists 
trifle. Away therefore with! all doubtfulness, and lay hand by strong faith on the 
promises of God, looking with assured hope for all those heavenly and blessed things, 
that God hath promised us in his holy word. So may we be sure to receive accord- 
ing to our faith. 

Epaph. Without wavering or doubting, I faithfully believe, and am assuredly 
persuaded, that God the Father is a merciful Father unto me, that he hath for- 
given me all my sins, received me into his favour, and made me heir of his ever- 
lasting glory. And all this hath he done unto me, not for my merits and deserts, 
(which are utterly none,) but for Christ’s sake, in whom I believe, whom also I 
confess to be my alone Saviour and Redeemer. 

Phil. Neighbour Epaphroditus, you thus believing cannot perish. Therefore be 
on good comfort, quiet your conscience, and settle your mind. For it is written: “He 
that believeth on the Son of God hath everlasting life.” 

Epaph. Brother Philemon, I thank you, and my other neighbours here, for the 
great comfort which I have received by this your godly communication. I feel my- 
self now in much better case than I was when you came first unto me. I feel 
much quietness and ease in my conscience. The Lord hath driven away mine ene- 
mies, and given me rest in my mind. IfI had not had your company, God knoweth 
to what point my ghostly enemy, the devil, would have brought me. But I praise 
God for you. For by your godly and christian talk God hath wrought in me a 
good and glad will to die. I have in my heart bidden the world and all worldly 
things adieu. My mind is altogether fixed on the Lord my God, and on the joys 
which he hath prepared in his glorious kingdom for all them that love him. I feel 
such inward joy in my heart, and such a fervent desire to see the Lord my God 
face to face, that the pains which I now suffer on my body, although they be very 
grievous indeed, seem little or nothing to disquiet me. “For I am fully persuaded 
that the afflictions of this life are not worthy of the glory which shall be shewed 
upon us;” again, that, “though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is 
renewed day by day ;” and that this our “tribulation, which is short and light, pre- 
pareth an exceeding and an everlasting weight of glory unto us; while we look not 
on the things which are seen, but on the things which are not seen: for the 
things which are seen are temporal; but things which are not seen are eternal.” 

Chris. God keep you in this mind, even unto the end! Hus. Amen. 

Epaph. Confirm and make that perfect, O Lord, which thou hast begun to work 
in me, unto the glory of thy blessed name, and unto the salvation of my soul. 

Theo. Amen. 


[! So the 1682 edition: folio and 1561, without. ] 


THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 179 


Lpaph. Neighbours, I pray you turn me, that I may lie on my right side. 

Chris. The Lord our God grant that ye may sit in his kingdom on the right 
hand of his glory. 

Epaph. Yea, and that shortly. 

Eus. So be it. 

Phil. Sir, how do you now? 

Epaph. Well, God be thanked; but I trust to do better even anon. 

Phil. Wack you any thing, sir? 

Epaph. My pain approacheth nearer unto my heart, whereby I perceive the end 
of my life not to be far off. I beseech you, pray for me, that I may continue 
faithful, constant, and stedfast in the faith of the Lord my God, even unto the 
very end of my life. 

Phil. We will do it gladly. Neighbours, let us kneel down and pray. 

Lord, we most humbly beseech thee, hear our prayer. 

Chris. And let our cry come unto thee. 

Phil. O Lord Jesu Christ, thou only Son of the heavenly Father, our alone a prayer for 
Redeemer and omnisufficient Saviour, we most humbly beseech thee, deliver this sick "®““*"™*" 
and weak person, now being in great pains and at the point to depart out of this 
world, from all ugsome’ and terrible assaults and temptations of the devil, sin, and 
hell. Deliver him, O Lord, as thou deliveredst Noe from the raging waves of the Gen. vii. xix. 
sea, Lot from the destruction of Sodom, Abraham from the fear of the Chaldees, the Gen. xx. 
children of Israel from the tyranny of Pharao, David from the hand of Goliah, the ayo 
three men from the violence of the fiery furnace in Babylon, Daniel from the aon Dan fii vi. 
of the lions, Jonas from the belly of the whale fish, and Peter from the prison of Jonah it 
Herod: even so, O gracious Lord God, deliver the foal of this person, both now ee 
and whensoever he shall depart hence, from all peril and danger. Open unto him, at 
the hour of death, the door of paradise, the gates of heaven, aad the entry of ever- 
lasting life. O Lord Jesu Christ, forgive him all his sins, and lead him with joy 
into the kingdom of thy heavenly Father, even unto the bosom of Abraham, and 
appoint him unto everlasting rest, that he may rejoice with thee, and with all the 
elect children of God, in everlasting life. Hus. Amen. 

Epaph. Neighbours, I thank you. Now will I also pray unto the Lord my 
God, while I may speak ; and I trust he will, for Christ’s sake, graciously hear me. 

Theo. Doubt you not, neighbour: God hath so promised. 

Epaph. Lord, hearken unto my prayer, and give ear to my most humble re- The sick 
quests: O most merciful God, O Father of all mercies, the Father of our Lord and” °?"!*" 
Saviour Jesus Christ, be merciful to me a sinner. Have pity on me, and quickly 
help me, poor wretch, for the most bitter passion and most precious death of Jesus 
Christ, thy only-begotten Son, and our alone Redeemer and Saviour. Enter not into Paal. exliii. 
judgment with thy servant, O Lord. Handle me not according to my deserts and 
merits, neither reward me after mine iniquities; but, for thine infinite and unmea- 
surable bounty and exceeding great mercy, receive me and take me into thy favour. 

I, miserable and weak creature, am in thy hand. I am thy bond-servant and thy mate. xviii, 
debtor. O most gentle God, O most favourable Father, forsake me not, cast me not 
away, poor wretch that I am. For I am thine, with all that ever I can make. No 
man is able to strengthen me, no man is able to deliver me, no man is able to help 
me, but thou alone. Thou art the true helper in adversity. Thou art the most sure 
and present comfort in all necessity. Thou alone art our helper, our bulwark, our 
fortress, and our most mighty and strongly-defenced tower. Thou, O God, art our 
refuge. Thou art our strength. Thou art our helper in all our tribulations. In thee, Psa. xxxi. 
O Lord, do I trust: let me not be confounded. Let me never be put to shame: let 
me not be deceived of my hope; but preserve me for thy righteousness’ sake. Bow 
down thine ear unto me: make haste to deliver me. Be my defender, O God, and 
my strong-hold, that thou mayest save me. For thou art my strength and my 
refuge: yea, thou art my God; and my destinies are in thy hands. Lighten thy 


[? Ugsome: frightful.] 
]2—2 


Gen. iii. 


Of the resur- 
rection of the 


ody. 
Job xix. 


Phil. iii. 


2 Cor. v. 


Sentences 
conceming 
the resurrec- 
tion of the 
body. 


Isai. xxvi. 


Tsai. Ixvi. 


Ezek. 
XXXVii. 


180 THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 


countenance upon thy servant, and save me for thy mercies’ sake, O Lord. And 
forasmuch, O sweet Father, as it is thy godly pleasure to call me now from this 
miserable life and wretched world, I most entirely beseech thee so to defend me in 
this agony of death, that neither Satan nor his ministers prevail against me; but 
that I continue faithful and constant unto the end, in the confession of thy holy 
name, looking for full remission of all my sins in the precious blood of thy well- 
beloved Son and my only Saviour Jesus Christ; and that I, departing in this faith 
and perfect trust, may be placed among thy blessed saints and heavenly spirits, and 
so for ever and ever remain with thee in glory. Grant this, O most merciful Fa- 
ther, for thy dear Son’s sake, Jesus Christ, our alone Mediator and Advocate. 

Chris. Amen. 

Epaph. Methink, good neighbours, I begin to wax very cold and numb in my limbs. 

Eus. Sir, discomfort not yourself. Be content with the good working of God. 
This cold is a present token that the death of your body is not far off. 

Epaph. My flesh is consumed and wasted away. 

Eus. That is the end of all flesh. ‘Earth thou art,” saith God, “and unto 
earth shalt thou return.” 

Epaph. My feeling is gone; and my tasting decayeth. All my senses grow out 
of course. 

Eus. To that end were they given you, that you should lose them again. With 
the body all bodily things decay. 

Phil. Brother Epaphroditus, let the care of the body and of bodily things pass. 
You do believe the resurrection of the body ? 

Epaph. “1 believe that my Redeemer liveth, and that I shall rise out of the earth 
in the latter day, and that I shall be clothed again with this skin, and see God my 
Saviour in my flesh. Yea, I myself shall behold him; not with other eyes, but with 
these same eyes. This hope is stedfastly set in my heart.” 

Phil. Believe this earnestly; and it shall not grieve you to depart from your 
body. For whereas it is now mortal, corruptible, sick, weak, vile, and loathsome, 
it shall at the general resurrection be immortal, uncorruptible, whole, strong, precious, 
and in all points like to the glorious body of our Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus. Hear 
what the apostle saith: “‘Our conversation is in heaven; from whence we look for 
a Saviour, even the Lord Jesus Christ; which shall change our vile body, that he 
may make it like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is 
able also to subdue all things unto himself.” Again: “We know that, if our earthy 
mansion of this dwelling were destroyed, we have a building of God, an habitation 
not made with hands, but everlasting in heaven. For therefore sigh we, desiring to 
be clothed with our mansion which is from heaven; so yet, if that we be found clothed 
and not naked. For we that are in this tabernacle sigh and are grieved; because 
we would not be unclothed, but would be clothed upon, that mortality might be swal- 
lowed up of life. He that hath ordained us for this thing is God, which very same 
hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. Therefore we are alway of good cheer, 
and know that, as long as we are at home in the body, we are absent from God. For 
we walk in faith, not after outward appearance. Nevertheless we are of good com- 
fort, and had rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with God.” 

Epaph. This is comfortable doctrine. I can be content with all my heart to 
make such a change whensoever the Lord’s good pleasure shall be. But, I pray you, 
rehearse some wholesome sayings out of the holy scriptures concerning the resur- 
rection of the body, for strengthening of my faith, and for the comfort and quietness 
of my conscience. 

Phil. Inthe prophet Esay we read on this manner: “The' dead men shall live: 
even with my body shall they rise again. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust. 
For thy dew is even as the dew of herbs; and the earth shall cast out them that be 
under her.” Again: “Your bones shall flourish like an herb.” The prophet Ezechiel 
hath these words: “The hand of the Lord came unto me, and carried me out in 


{! The edition of 1561 has thy.] 


THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 181 


the Spirit of the Lord, and let me down in a plain field, that lay full of bones, and 
he led me round about by them; and, behold, the bones that lay upon the field were 
very many, and marvellous dry also. Then said he unto me: Thou son of man, 
thinkest thou these bones may live again? I answered: O Lord God, thou knowest. 
And he said unto me, Prophesy thou upon these bones, and speak unto them: Ye 
dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord God unto these bones: 
Behold, I will put breath unto you, that ye may live: I will give you sinews, and 
make flesh grow upon you, and cover you over with skin, and so give you breath, 
that ye may live, and know that I am the Lord. So I prophesied as he had com- 
manded me. And as I was prophesying, there came a noise, and a great motion; 
so that the bones ran every one to another. Now when I had looked, behold, they 
had sinews; and flesh grew upon them, and above they were covered with skin; but 
there was no breath in them. Then said he unto me: Thou son of man, prophesy 
thou toward the wind, prophesy, and speak unto the wind: Thus saith the Lord 
God: Come, O thou air, from the four winds, and blow upon these slain, that they 
may be restored to life. So I prophesied as he had commanded me: then came the 
breath into them; and they received life, and stood up upon their feet a marvellous 
great number.” Again: “Thus saith the Lord God: Behold, I will open your 
graves, O my people, and take you out of your sepulchres.” The words of the prophet 
Daniel are these: “‘ Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, pan. xii. 
some to everlasting life, some to perpetual shame and reproof.” God saith by Esdras: 
“Those that be dead will I raise up again from their places, and bring them out 2 Esdr. ii. 
of their graves.” 

Moreover, Christ said to the Sadducees, which denied the resurrection of the body: 

“As touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read what is said unto you of Matt. xxii. 
God, which saith, I am Abraham’s God, and Isaac’s God, and Jacob’s God? God 

is not the God of the dead, but of the living.” Also in another place: “The hour Jonnv. 
shall come, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear the voice of the Son of 

God, and shall come forth; they that have done good unto the resurrection of life, 

and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation.” Martha said unto 

Christ of her brother Lazarus, when he was dead: “I know that my brother shall Jom xi. 
rise again at the latter day.” The holy apostle St Paul is plenteous in the doctrine 

of the resurrection of the dead. I will rehearse one or two of his sentences, and bid 

the other farewell. “The trump,” saith he, “shall blow; and the dead shall rise 1 Cor. xv. 
incorruptible ; and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption ; 

and this mortal must put on immortality.” Again: “The Lord Jesus shall change phit. iii. 
our vile bodies, that they may be fashioned lke unto his glorious body.” Also in 
another place: “I would not, brethren, have you ignorant concerning them which 1 Thess. iv. 
are fallen asleep, that ye sorrow not, as other do which have no hope. For if we 
believe that Jesus Christ died and rose again, even so they also which sleep by Jesus 

will God bring again with him.” 

Divers examples of the resurrection of our bodies have we both in the old and new 
testament. Helias the prophet raised up from death unto life the son of the widow of 1 Kings xvii. 
Sarepta. The like thing read we of Heliseus the prophet. Christ raised from death 2 Kings iv. 
the daughter of a certain ruler, the son of a certain widow, and Lazarus, with many Take ail 
other. Christ rose again; and the bodies of many saints which slept arose also, and Mate savil 
came out of their graves after their resurrection, and came into Jerusalem, and appeared Makers 
unto many. Peter raised up Tabitha from death. St Paul restored unto life a certain aon 
young man named Eutychus. All these are evident examples of our resurrection. 
Therefore, good brother Epaphroditus, fear not to give over this your body, and 
freely to commend it unto the earth. At the great day of the general resurrection 
you shall receive it in a far better case than ever you had it in this world. 

Epaph. 1 leave this my vile body willingly, yea, and that with this hope, that 
at the last day I shall take it again immortal and uncorruptible. I believe the resur- 
rection of the flesh. I wish to be loosened from this body, and to be with Christ. Phil. i. 

Eus. You doubt nothing of the blessed state of the godly departed, and of the Of the im- 


mortality of 
immortality of the soul? the soul, and 


of the blessed 
state of the 
faithful after 
this life. 


1 John i. 
Heb. ix. 


Rom. viii. 


Psal. xxxii. 


Rev. xxi. 
Matt xiii. 


Isai. lxvi. 


Luke xvi. 


Num. xxiii. 


Psal. Ixxxiv. 


Isai. li. 


Tsai. xxxii. 


Isai. xlix. 


Isai. Ixy. 


Dan. xii. 


2 Esdr. ii. 


182 THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 


Epaph. 1 believe everlasting life. 

Theo. You are not of the opinion of the papists, which say that the souls of the 
faithful go not straight unto heaven, but unto purgatory, there to be boiled in the 
fiery furnace of the bishop of Rome, till they have made satisfaction for their sins, 
either by themselves, in suffering (say they) the most bitter pains of purgatory, or 
else by their friends in this world, through masses, pardons, pilgrimages, &c. 

Epaph. I believe that there is none other purgatory for my soul-health, but 
only the precious blood of my Lord and Saviour Christ Jesu. And I believe that 
Christ, through his innocency of life, and the most grievous pains that he suffered on 
the cross, hath abundantly satisfied for all my sins, and hath unto the uttermost 
paid all the debt that I ought unto God the Father; so that now, through faith in 
the blood of Christ, I walk with a clear conscience before God; forasmuch as “there 
is no damnation to them that are in Christ Jesu,’ and that they also are “ blessed 
whose sins are remitted, whose iniquities are covered, and unto whose charge God 
layeth no wickedness.” 

Chris. Ye agree not with such in opinion, as affirm that the souls of both the 
faithful and unfaithful sleep until the day of judgment, and then shall awake out of 
sleep; so that then the faithful shall go unto everlasting glory, and the unfaithful 
unto eternal damnation ? 

Epaph. 1 believe that the soul sleepeth no more than this my bedstead waketh 
and talketh with us. I am fully persuaded that, so soon as the souls of the faith- 
ful are departed from the bodies, wherein they were as in a prison inclosed, they 
are straightways placed in the glorious kingdom of God. And, contrariwise, the souls 
of the unfaithful go straight unto the devil, even unto hell-fire, unto that “lake 
that burneth with fire and brimstone,” where weeping and gnashing of teeth is, where 
the worm that gnaweth their conscience never dieth, and the most grievous fire, where- 
with they are without ceasing intolerably tormented, is never quenched. Is it not 
thus, neighbour Philemon ? 

Phil. Yes, verily, sir. For so are we taught in the holy scriptures, as the 
history of the rich glutton and of poor Lazarus, with divers other, do manifestly 
declare. 

Epaph. I faithfully believe, that immediately after my departure out of this world 
I shall have a place in the kingdom of God, and see the glorious majesty of God 
face to face. And I pray you, good neighbour Philemon, rehearse unto me some com- 
fortable places out of the holy scripture concerning the joyful and blessed state of the 
faithful souls after this life, that I may be confirmed in my faith and be the more 
willing to depart. 

Phil. I will do it gladly. Balaam said: “I pray God that my soul may die 
the death of the righteous, and that my last end may be like unto theirs.” The 
psalmograph saith: “QO how amiable are thy dwellings, thou Lord of hosts! My 
soul hath a desire and longing to enter into the courts of the Lord: my heart and 
my flesh rejoice in the living God.” “Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: 
they will be always praising thee.” ‘One day in thy courts is better than a thou- 
sand. I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the 
tents of the ungodly.” The prophet Esay saith: “The redeemed of the Lord shall 
turn again and come with joy unto Sion, there to endure for ever, that mirth and 
gladness might be with them, that sorrow and wo might flee from them.” “ My 
people,” saith God, “shall dwell in pleasant peace and in safe holds, and shall have 
continual rest without disturbance.” ‘They shall neither hunger nor thirst: heat nor 
sun shall not hurt them. For he that favoureth them shall lead them and give them 
drink of the spring wells.” “They shall eat, drink, be merry, and rejoice for very 
quietness of heart.” Yea, their gladness and their joy shall continue for ever and ever. 
Daniel saith: “The wise (such as have taught other) shall glister as the shining of 
heaven, and those that have instruct the multitude unto godliness shall be as the stars 
world without end.” 

Esdras saith: “ Be ready to the reward of the kingdom ; for the everlasting light 
shall shine upon you for evermore. Flee the shadow of this world, receive the joy- 


THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 183 


fulness of your glory. O receive the gift that is given you and be glad, giving thanks 

unto him that hath called you to the heavenly kingdom.” The author of the book 

of Wisdom saith: “The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God; and the pain Wisd. iii, 
of death shall not touch them. In the sight of the unwise they appear to die; and 

their end is taken for very destruction: the way of the righteous is judged to be utter 
destruction ; but they are in rest. And though they suffer pain before men, yet is their 

hope full of immortality. They are punished but in few things ; nevertheless in many 
things shall they be well rewarded. For God proveth them, and findeth them meet 

for himself: yea, as the gold in the furnace doth he try them, and receiveth them as 

a brent-offering ; and when the time cometh, they shall be looked upon. The righteous 

shall shine as the sparks that run through the reed bush. They shall judge the nations, 

and have dominion over the people; and their Lord shall reign for ever.” Again: 
“The faithful are counted among the children of God; and their portion is among Wisd. v. 
the saints.” “The righteous shall live for evermore: their reward also is with the 
Lord, and their remembrance with the Highest. Therefore shall they receive a glori- 

ous kingdom and a beautiful crown of the Lord’s hand.” The holy father Toby 
prayed on this manner to God: “O Lord, deal with me according to thy will, and Tob. iii. 
command my spirit to be received in peace.” ‘For more expedient were it for me 

to die than to live.” 

The preacher saith: “The day of death is better than the day of birth.” For gcctes. wi, 
“precious and right dear in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.” Our psai. cxvi. 
Saviour Christ saith: “The righteous shall shine as the sun in the kingdom of their Matt. xiii. 
Father.” They shall have the inheritance of “everlasting life.” They shall have “a matt. xix. 
kingdom which was prepared for them from the beginning of the world.” “They Mukai 
shall be as the angels of God.” They shall be “in the bosom of Abraham.” They Luke xvi. 
shall have such joy as “no man shall be able to pluck it from them.” They shall John xvi. 
“eat and drink in the kingdom of God the Father.” They shall be where Christ is, Luke xxii. 
and see his glory. The holy apostle St Paul saith: “The eye hath not seen, and 1 Cor. ii. 
the ear hath not heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which 
God hath prepared for them that love him.” He saith also, that “if our earthy man- 2 cor. v. 
sion of this dwelling were destroyed (he meaneth the body), we have a building of 
God, an habitation not made with hands, but everlasting in heaven.” We shall “ be Phil. i. 
with Christ.” “We shall be with the Lord for ever.” We shall be “vessels unto 1 Thess. iv. 
honour.” We shall have the “crown of righteousness.” We shall “come to the city 2 Tim, iv 
of the living God, the celestial Jerusalem, and to an innumerable sight of angels, and pc 
to the congregation of the first-born sons which are written in heaven, and to God 
the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just and perfect men, and to Jesus the Medi- 
ator of the new testament.” We shall “receive the crown of life,” saith St James, James i. 
“which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.” “ When Christ the chief 1 ret. v. 
Shepherd shall appear,” saith St Peter, “ye shall receive an incorruptible crown of 
glory.” “We are now the sons of God,” saith St John; “ and it hath not yet ap- 1 Jom iii. 
peared what we shall be. We know that, if it once appear, we shall be like unto 
him; for we shall see him as he is.” 

In the Revelation of St John we find these sentences concerning the blessed state 
of the faithful after this life: “To him that overcometh I will give to eat of the tree Rev. ii. 
of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.” “Be faithful unto the death ; 
and I shall give thee the crown of life.” “Him that overcometh will I make a Rev. iii. 
pillar in the temple of my God; and he shall go no more out,” &c. “To him that 
overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my seat.” The twenty-four elders that Rev. iv. 
sat upon the seats were clothed in white raiment, and had on their heads crowns of 
gold. ‘They are in the presence of the seat of God, and serve him day and night Rev. vii 
in his temple; and he that sitteth on the seat will dwell among them. They shall 
hunger no more, neither thirst, neither shall the sun light on them, neither any heat. 
For the Lamb, which is in the midst of the seat, shall feed them, and shall lead them 
unto fountains of living water; and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.” 
“They follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth.” ‘They are without spot before Rev. 
the throne of God.” “I heard a voice from heaven, saying unto me, Write, Blessed 


S: 


* 
< 
. 


Rev. xix. 
Rev. xxi. 


Isai. xxv. 


Isai. Ixv. 


The descrip- 


tion of the 
new and 
heavenly 
Jerusalem. 
Rev. xxi. 


Isai. Ix. 


Rey. xxii. 


1 Cor. ii. 


184 THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 


are the dead which die in the Lord. Even so saith the Spirit, that they rest from 
their labours; but their works follow them.” “Blessed are they which are called unto 
the supper of the Lamb’s marriage.” “I saw a new heaven and a new earth. For 
the first heaven and the first earth were vanished away; and there was no more sea. 
And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, come down from God out of heaven, 
prepared as a bride garnished for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of 
heaven, saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men; and he will dwell with 
them. And they shall be his people; and God himself shall be with them, and be 
their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. And there shall be 
no more death, neither sorrow, neither crying, neither shall there be any more pain ; 
for the old things are gone. And he that sat upon the seat said, Behold, I make all 
things new. And he said unto me, Write; for these words are faithful and true.” 

And the angel “carried me away in the spirit to a great and an high mountain, and 
he shewed me the great city, holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having 
the brightness of God. And her shining was like unto a stone most precious, even 
like a jasper, clear as crystal, and had walls great and high, and had twelve gates, 
and at the gates twelve angels, and names written, which are the names of the twelve 
tribes of Israel. On the east side three gates; and on the north side three gates; and 
towards the south three gates; and from the west three gates; and the wall of the 
city had twelve foundations, and in them the twelve names of the Lamb's twelve 
apostles. And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city withal, 
and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof. And the city was built four-square, and 
the length was as large as the breadth; and he measured the city with the (golden) reed, 
twelve thousand furlongs, and the length and the breadth and the height of it were 
equal. And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty-four: the measure that 
the angel had was after the measure that man useth. And the building of the wall of it 
was of jasper. And the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. And the foundations 
of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first 
foundation was a jasper; the second, a sapphire ; the third, a chalcedony ; the fourth, 
an emerald; the fifth, a sardonyx; the sixth, a sardius; the seventh, a chrysolite; 
the eighth, a beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a 
jacinth ; the twelfth an amethyst. The twelve gates were twelve pearls; every gate 
was of one pearl; and the street of the city was pure gold, as through shining glass. 
And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the 
temple of it. And the city hath no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to lighten 
it: for the brightness of God did light it; and the Lamb was the light of it. And 
the people which are saved shall walk in the light of it. And the kings of the earth 
shall bring their glory (and honour) unto it. And the gates of it are not shut by 
day. For there shall be no night there.” ‘And there shall enter into it none unclean 
thing, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh lies; but they only which 
are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” ‘And he shewed me a pure river of 
water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the seat of God and of the Lamb. In 
the midst of the street of it, and of either side of the river, was there wood of life, 
which bare twelve manner of fruits, and gave fruit every month; and the leaves of 
the wood served to heal the people withal. And there shall be no more curse; but 
the seat of God and the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him. And 
they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall 
be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord 
God giveth them light; and they shall reign for evermore. And he said unto me, 
These things are faithful and true.” 

Epaph. God be praised for that true joy and singular comfort which the faithful 
find in his holy word. It is not without a cause said of the holy apostle: “The 
eye hath not seen, and the ear hath not heard, neither have entered into the heart 
of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” My heart 
is now so inflamed with the desire of those heavenly and blessed treasures which you 
have named to me out of the infallible and true word of God, that I most entirely 
wish to be loosened from this life, and to enjoy these joyful pleasures. O who would 


THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 185 


not be glad to change lead for silver, copper for gold, transitory, mortal, and cor- 
ruptible things for certain, immortal, and uncorruptible thing’, earth for heaven, sin 

for godliness, darkness for light, fear for security, travail for quietness, sickness for 
health, death for life, the company of men for the company of the most high God, 

his heavenly angels, and blessed spirits, the vile pleasures of this world for the in- 
estimable joys of the glorious kingdom of God! Oh! “like as the hart desireth the Psal. xiii. 
water-brooks, so longeth my soul after thee, O God. My soul is athirst for God; 

yea, even for the living God. O when shall I come to appear before the presence 

of my God?” “QO God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee. My soul thirsteth Psal. 1xiii. 
for thee, my flesh also longeth after thee, in a barren and dry land, where no water 

is. Thus have I looked for thee in thy holy place, that I might behold thy power and 

glory. For thy loving-kindness is better than life itself: my lips shall praise thee. As 

long as I live will I magnify thee on this manner, and lift up my hands in thy name.” 

Hus. We rejoice, good brother Epaphroditus, and give God most hearty thanks, 
that he hath by his holy Spirit wrought so good and glad will in you to die, and to 
leave this wretched world. 

Epaph. 1 most heartily wish to be loosed from this life, and to be with Christ. Phil. i. 
“Tt grieveth my soul longer to live in this mortal body.” And “now, O Lord, deal ae 
with me according to thy will, and command my spirit to be received in peace.” “ For 
more expedient were it for me to die than to live.” 

Chris. Sir, how do you feel yourself? 

Epaph. In my body weaker and weaker; but I trust in my soul stronger and 
stronger. I pray you, lay me up higher in my bed. For I begin to wax very faint ; 
and my wind decreaseth and waxeth shorter. I thank you: it is well. Neighbours, 

I am troublesome unto you; but I trust I shall not be so long. 

Theo. It is unto us great joy and comfort to be with you, being so godly-minded. 
For in you, as in a clear mirror, we behold ourselves, and see what shall become of 
us hereafter. Of you, as of a lively school-master, do we learn how we shall behave 
ourselves when God layeth the cross on us. And we most humbly beseech God to 
give us the like patience and thankfulness. 

Epaph. “The spirit is willing; but the flesh is weak.” Forasmuch as I feel in Matt. xxvi. 
myself present tokens of death, and am not certain how long the Lord will suffer me 
to live, or to enjoy the use of speech, I think it convenient to pray again unto the 
Lord my God, and to commend my sinful soul into his merciful hands. 

Phil. Godly, forsooth. 

Epaph. Lord, vouchsafe, I most humbly beseech thee, to hear me, sinful creature. The sick 

Chris. “The Lord is nigh unto all them that call on him; yea, that call on him Pal cdv. 
in truth.” 

Epaph. O Lord Jesu Christ, which art the only health of all men living, and 
the everlasting life of them which die in thy faith, I, wretched sinner, give and sub- 
mit myself wholly to thy most blessed will. And I, being sure that the thing can- 
not perish which is committed unto thy mercy, most humbly beseech thee, O Lord, 
to give me grace that I may now willingly leave this frail and wicked flesh, in hope 
of the resurrection, which in better wise shall restore it to me again. I beseech thee, 

O most merciful Jesu Christ, that thou wilt by thy grace make strong my soul against 
all temptations, and that thou wilt cover and defend me with the buckler of thy 
mercy against all the assaults of the devil. I see and knowledge that there is in 
myself no help of life and salvation; but all my confidence, hope, and trust, is in 
thy most merciful goodness. I have no merits nor good works which I may allege 
before thee. Of sins and evil works, alas! I see a great heap: but through thy mercy 
I trust to be in the number of them, to whom thou wilt not impute their sins, but 
take and accept ine for righteous and just, and to be the inheritor of everlasting glory. 
Thou, O most merciful Lord, wast born for my sake. Thou didst suffer both hunger 
and thirst for my sake. Thou didst preach and teach, thou didst pray and fast for 
my sake. Thou didst all good works and deeds for my sake. Thou sufferedst most 





[! The edition of 1561 has things. ] 


The Flower 
of Godly 
Prayers. 


Matt. ix. 
Luke ix. 


Prov. xx. 
Matt. ix. 
Matt. xi. 


1 Tim. ii. 


Rom. x. 
Gal. iii. 


Heb. ii. 
Hox. xiii. 
1 Cor. xv. 


186 THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 


grievous pains and torments for my sake. And, finally, thou gavest thy most precious 
body to die, and thy most blessed blood to be shed on the cross for my sake. Now, 
most merciful Saviour, let all these things profit me, which thou freely hast given 
me, which hast given thyself for me. Let thy blood cleanse and wash away the spots 
and foulness of my sins. Let thy righteousness hide and cover my unrighteousness. 
Let the merits of thy passion and blood be the satisfaction for my sins. Give me, 
Lord, thy grace, that my faith and persuasion in thy blood waver not in me, but 
ever be firm and constant; that the hope of thy mercy and life everlasting never de- 
cay in me; that charity wax not cold in me; finally, that the weakness of my flesh be 
not overcome with the fear of death. Grant me also, O most merciful Saviour, that 
when death hath shut up the eyes of my body, yet that the eyes of my soul may 
still behold and look upon thee, and that, when death hath taken away the use of 
my tongue and speech, yet that my heart may cry and say unto thee, O Lord, into 
thy hands I give and commit my soul. Lord Jesu, take my spirit. 

Theo. Amen. 

Eus. Sir, how is it with you now? 

Epaph. Even as with a ship which is tossed with the waves of the sea. I trust 
shortly to come unto the haven, and then shall I be quiet and without all danger. 
I pray you, pray for me. 

Phil. Most gladly. Let us kneel down, neighbours, and beseech the Lord our 
God for his tender mercies to preserve this our sick brother from the assaults of Satan, 
and to keep him constant and stedfast in his faith unto his life’s end, that he may 
give up a good and a faithful soul into the merciful hands of God. Give me hither 
“The Flower of Godly Prayers,” that I in the name of us all may read that prayer’ 
which is to be said for them that lie at the point of death. 

Theo. Here is it. 

Phil. O most loving Saviour, and gentle Redeemer, which camest into this world 
to call sinners unto repentance, and to seek up that was lost, thou seest in what case 
this our brother lieth here visited with thy merciful hand, all weak, feeble, sick, 
and ready to yield up his soul into thy holy hands. O look upon him, most gentle 
Saviour, with thy merciful eye: pity him, and be favourable unto him. He is thy 
workmanship: despise not therefore the work of thine own hands. Thou sufferedst 
thy blessed body and thy precious blood to be shed for his sins, and to bring him 
unto the glory of thy heavenly Father: let it not therefore come to pass that thou 
shouldest suffer so great pains for him in vain. He was baptized in thy name, and 
gave himself wholly to be thy servant, forsaking the devil, the world, and the flesh: 
confess him therefore before thy heavenly Father and his blessed angels to be thy 
servant. His sins, we confess, are great; (for who is able to say, My heart is clean, 
and I am free from sin?) but thy mercies, O Lord, are much greater. And thou camest 
not to call the righteous, but sinners unto repentance. To them that are diseased 
and overladen with the burden of sin dost thou promise ease. Thou art that God 
which willest not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should turn and live. Thou 
art the Saviour which wishest all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of 
thy truth. Withdraw not therefore thy mercy from him because of his sins, but 
rather lay upon him thy saving health, that thou mayest shew thyself toward him 
to be a Saviour. What greater praise can there be to a physician than to heal the 
sick? Neither can there be a greater glory to thee, being a Saviour, than to save 
sinners: save him therefore, O Lord, for thy name’s sake. 

Again: let the law be no corsive to his conscience, but rather give him grace even 
in this extreme agony and conflict of death to be fully persuaded that thou by thy 
death hast taken away all his sins, fulfilled the law for him, and by this means 
delivered him from the curse of the law, and paid his ransom; that he thus being 
fully persuaded may have a quiet heart, a free conscience, and a glad will to forsake 
this wretched world, and to go unto his Lord God. Moreover, thou hast conquered 
him that had rule of death, even Satan: suffer him not therefore to exercise his tyranny 


[! See before, page 68.] 


THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 187 


upon this our sick brother, nor to disquiet his conscience with the terrors of sin and 
pains of hell. Let not Satan nor his infernal army tempt him further than he 
is able to bear; but evermore give him grace even unto his last breath valiantly to 
fight against the devil with strong faith in thy precious blood, that he may fight 
a good fight, and finish his course with joy, unto the glory of thy name, and the health 
of his soul. O Lord, so work in him by thy holy Spirit, that he with all his heart 
may contemn and despise all worldly things, and set his mind wholly upon heavenly 
things, hoping for them with a strong and undoubted faith. 

Again: let it not grieve him, O sweet Saviour, to be loosened from this vile and 
wretched carcase, which is now so full of sorrow, trouble, anguish, sickness, and pain ; 
but rather let him have a bent and ready will, through thy goodness, to put it off, 
yea, and that with this faith, that he at the last day shall receive it again in a much 
better state than it is now or ever was from the day of his birth; even a body un- phi. iit. 
corruptible, immortal, and like to thy glorious body. Let his whole heart and mind’ °°" **: 
be set only upon thee. Let the remembrance of the joys of heaven be so fervent in 
his breast, that he may-both patiently and thankfully take his death, and ever wish 
to be with thee in glory. 

And when the time cometh that he shall give over to nature, and depart from 
this miserable world, vouchsafe, we most humbly beseech thee, O Lord Jesu, to take 
his soul into thy hands, and to place it among the glorious company of thy holy 
angels and blessed saints, and to keep it unto that most joyful day of the general 
resurrection, that, both his body and soul through thine almighty power being knit 
again together at that day, he may for ever and ever enjoy thy glorious kingdom, 
and sing perpetual praises to thy blessed name. Chris. Amen. 

Epaph. O God, be merciful unto me, and bless me: shew me the light of thy Psal. ixvii. 
countenance, and deal favourably with me. “ Lighten mine eyes, that I sleep not Psa. xiii. 
in death; lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him. For if I be cast down, 
they that trouble me will rejoice at it. But my trust is* in thy mercy; and my heart 
is joyful in thy salvation.” 

Phil. Sir, how do you? 

Epaph. My bodily sight is gone. 

Phil. “The Lord gave” it you, “and the Lord hath taken” it away again. Jobi. 
“As it hath pleased the Lord, so is it come to pass: blessed be the name of the 
Lord.” Now that God hath taken away the sight of your corporal eyes, behold 
the Lord your God with the eyes of your faith; and doubt you not but that shortly 
you shall see the glorious majesty of God with the eyes of your soul, even as he is, 
face to face, which shall be unto you such joy and so great comfort, that no tongue 
is able to express, nor no heart able to think it. 

Epaph. “1 believe and am assuredly persuaded that I shall see the pleasures Psa. xxvii. 
of the Lord in the land of the living.” 

Phil. Continue in this faith unto the end, and you shall surely be saved. 

Epaph. As God hath taken away my sight, so do all my other senses decay. 

Phil. Though by the appointment of God you lose your bodily speech, yet shall 
your soul in the heavenly kingdom sing, praise, and magnify the Lord your God, 
worlds without end. And albeit the bodily hearing be taken away from you, yet 
shall your soul in the kingdom of God hear such sweet, pleasant, and delectable 
things, as never mortal man heard, nor may hear the like. Again, although your 
going, and the use of your whole body be taken away from you, and your body 
return unto the earth, from whence it came, yet doubt you not but your soul, being 
once delivered out of the prison of your body, shall serve the Lord your God perfectly, 
and joyfully “follow the Lamb” Christ, “whithersoever he goeth.” Rev. xiv. 

Epaph. O Word, deliver my soul out of the prison of the body, that I may come Psa. extii. 
unto thee, and glorify thy holy name. “Command my spirit to be received in peace.” Tob. iii. 
“For more expedient were it for me to die than to live.” 

Phil. Be on good comfort, sir. God in this your trouble and bitter agony of 





[? This word is inserted from the edition of 1561.] 


Psal. xxii. 


Psal. xxxi. 


Psal. xxxiv. 


Psal. xci. 
Heb. i. 


The sick 
man's prayer. 


An exhorta- 
tion to the 
sick man. 


Matt. xxiv. 


Rev. il. 


Rev. ili. 


Rev. iii. 


188 THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 


death is present with you, and, when he seeth convenient time, he will deliver you 
out of all your pains, take you unto him, and place you in his glorious kingdom. 

Epaph. ‘“‘O Lord, deliver my soul from the sword, my dearling from the power 
of the dog. Save me from the lion’s mouth.” “Bow down thine ear to me: make 
haste to deliver me. Be thou my protector, O God, and house of defence, that 
thou mayest save me. Be thou my strong rock, and my castle. Be thou my guide, 
and lead me for thy name's sake. Draw me out of the net that they have laid 
privily for me; for thou art my strength. Into thy hands I commend my spirit; 
for thou hast redeemed me, O Lord, thou God of truth.” 

Phil. Fear not, brother Epaphroditus: God is your loving Father and most gentle 
Saviour. He hath heard your humble requests, and granted your petitions. He 
hath and will defend you from all evil even unto the end. He will not suffer you 
to be devoured of that hellish lion and cruel dog the devil. He hath sent his holy 
angels hither unto you, even into this your chamber. They are here present for 
your great comfort. They have pitched their tents round about you, that they may 
keep you harmless and safe from the devouring teeth of Satan. They wait upon 
you diligently for your defence, and will never depart from you, till they receive your 
soul, and carry it up lovingly as a most precious relique into the kingdom of heaven, 
and most joyfully present it unto the glorious throne of God’s majesty. Fix the 
eyes of your faith on Christ and Christ’s merits, on Christ’s passion and death, on 
Christ’s blessed body-breaking, and his most precious blood-shedding, on his triumph 
and victory over Satan and his hellish army: believe Christ to be your alone Saviour, 
and all his works to be your good works; and so shall ye not perish, but have ever- 
lasting life. 

Epaph. Waste thee, O Lord, to deliver me; for it is high time. In thee, O Lord 
Christ, my most merciful Saviour and only Redeemer, in thee, in thee alone is all 
my trust: let me never be confounded. O Jesu, mercy! Jesu, mercy! O Christ, 
mercy! Christ, mercy! O God the Father, O God the Son, O God the Holy Ghost. 
O most blessed Trinity, three Persons and one God, have mercy on me. Receive 
my soul into thy hands. Place it for thy mercies’ sake in thy heavenly kingdom, 
among thy holy angels and blessed saints. O my good God. O Father, O my most 
merciful Father. Mercy, mercy! 

Phil. God the Father, which made you, bless you. God the Son, which redeemed 
you, preserve you. God the Holy Ghost, which sanctifieth you, confirm and strengthen 
you. The blessing, defence, and saving health of the Almighty God, the Father, and 
the Son, and the Holy Ghost, preserve you from all evil, and bring you unto ever- 
lasting life. Chris. Amen. 

Kus. Methink he hath given up the ghost. 

Theo. No, he is yet alive. God comfort him. Lord, shew him the light of thy 
loving countenance. 

Epaph. When shall I come to appear before the presence of my God? 

Phil. God be thanked, he yet speaketh, yea, he godly speaketh. Brother Epa- 
phroditus, take a good heart unto you, shrink not. Fight a good fight. Be not dis- 
couraged, neither with the terrors of Satan, nor with the pains of death. God is on 
your side. God is your grand captain. You fight under the banner of that most 
mighty and victorious Emperor Jesus Christ. Only continue as you have begun; and 
the day is yours. Satan, with all his army, like miserable cowards, shall be put to 
flight and vanquished. You shall have a joyful victory over them. The pain of the 
battle is short and light; but the glory of your triumph shall abide for ever and ever. 
Hear what your grand Captain saith: “He that continueth unto the end shall be 
saved.” “To him that overcometh I will give to eat of the tree of life, which is in 
the midst of the paradise of God.” “Be faithful unto the death; and I shall give thee 
the crown of life.” ‘“‘ Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my 
God; and he shall go no more out.” Yea, “to him that overcometh will I grant to 
sit with me in my seat.” Here see you what precious and most noble rewards are 
set forth unto you, if you go forth valiantly to fight against your enemies, which seek 
your destruction. Only believe, only fix the eyes of your faith on Christ crucified. 


THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 189 


Only engrave in your heart deeply a sure and undoubted confidence in the merciful 
promises of God the Father, which he hath made unto you in the precious blood of 
his dearly-beloved Son and our alone Saviour Jesus Christ, and you shall most cer- 
tainly have the victory, and obtain the reward of joyful immortality. Hear what your 
grand Captain Christ saith: “‘God hath so dearly loved the world, that he gave his 
only-begotten Son, that every one that believeth on him should not perish, but have 
everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but 
that the world should be saved by him. He that believeth on him is not damned.” 
John Baptist saith: “ He that believeth on the Son of God hath everlasting life.” “ My sonnx. 
sheep,” saith Christ, “hear my voice; and I know them; and they follow me; and I 
give them everlasting life; neither shall they perish for ever, nor yet shall any man 
pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them to me, is greater than 
all; and no man can pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father am one.” 
Again: “J am the resurrection and life. He that believeth in me, though he were jonn xi. 
dead, yet shall he live. And every one that liveth and believeth in me shall never 
die.” “JI am the way, the truth, and the life.” Follow Christ, and you cannot err, john xiv. 
nor go out of the way; for he is the way. Believe Christ, and you cannot be deceived ; 
for he is the truth. Abide and remain in Christ, and you cannot die the death ever- 
lasting ; for he is the life. Wherefore, 0 most dear brother, cleave with strong faith 
to these most sweet and comfortable promises of Christ your Saviour. Believe to 
obtain whatsoever is promised. So may you be sure to be God’s son, and heir of his 
everlasting kingdom, never to perish, but to have eternal life. 
Epaph. I believe to have remission of all my sins through faith in Christ’s blood. 
Lord Jesu, take my spirit. O heavenly Father, I commend my spirit into thy Acts vii. 
hands. Luke xxiii. 
Phil. This faith, dear brother, maketh you the son of God and heir of his Faith. 
glorious kingdom: yea, it maketh you Christ’s brother, and fellow-heir with him of 
everlasting glory. It purchaseth for you favour at the hand of God, and forgiveness 
of all your sins. It bringeth unto you peace and quietness of conscience. It maketh 
a perfect reconciliation and an everlasting agreement between God and you. It delivereth 
you from death, and bringeth you unto eternal glory. It maketh you a citizen of 
the new and heavenly Jerusalem, where (if you continue stedfast in this faith) you 
shall remain for ever and ever in a most blessed and joyful state, having the fruition 
of God's’ glorious majesty in perfect glory, worlds without end, unto your exceeding 
joy and unspeakable comfort. 
Eus. Sir, behold, the life of this our brother beginneth to draw unto an end. 
Phil. Yea, rather he now beginneth to change a mortal life for an immortal life, 
The life that is led in this world is rather a shadow of a life, than a very life in- S# 
deed. Now, brother, be strong in the faith of Christ. Remember Christ crucified. an exhorta. 
Remember Christ to be your alone Saviour. Remember God the Father to be your Sop ite 
merciful Father. Forget not that all your sins are washed away in Christ’s precious 
blood, and that by the virtue of his death and passion you are made heir of ever- 
lasting salvation. Brother, if you can speak, answer. If you cannot speak, shew some 
outward sign and token, that it may be a testimony unto us of your faith and godly 
departure. 
Chris. Lo, he holdeth up his hand. Hus. God be thanked. Pil. He seemeth 
yet to hear. 
Persuade yourself, most dear brother, that God even now calleth you out of this 
vale of wretchedness unto the joyful inheritance of his everlasting kingdom, where you 
shall not live miserably with sinful men (as you have done in this world), but you 
shall gloriously reign with that most mighty God, and with his holy angels and 
blessed saints. Now begins your joy, your solace, your comfort. Now beginneth your 
true life, which shall be everlasting. Now is the end of all your sorrows come; and 
now beginneth your unfeigned joy and true felicity. Now shall ye see the glorious 
majesty of God face to face. Now shall you behold and perfectly know all the godly 


{ From the edition of 1561 ; folio, God.] 


190 THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 


that have been from the beginning of the world, and be merry and rejoice with them. 
Now shall you see your Saviour and elder brother Christ as he is. Now shall you 
be clothed with the white garments of immortality. Now shall you have a crown 
of gold set upon your head. Now shall ye eat of the tree of life which is in the 
midst of the paradise of God, and drink of the fountains of living water. Now shall 
you be a pillar in the temple of your God, and sit with him on his seat. And these 
your joys shall be everlasting, and never have end. Unto these joys shall you straight- 
ways go, and for evermore enjoy them. 

Theo. Our brother is even now departed from this world unto the Lord our God, 
as you spake these words: “ Unto these joys shall you straightways go, and for ever- 
more enjoy them;” he gave up the ghost, and now resteth in the Lord. 

Se a Phil. The Lord our God be praised. Our brother hath made a godly end. He 

man depart- hath given up @ good spirit into the hands of the living God. He is, I doubt not, 

Psal. exvi. Of the number of them of whose death it is written: ‘‘ Precious in the sight of the 

Rev.xiv. Lord is the death of his saints.” ‘‘ Blessed are they that die in the Lord.” His life 
before men was unrebukable and blameless. He lived' justly and uprightly with his 
neighbours. He was friendly to all godly men, and enemy to no man. He was both 
a sincere favourer and a diligent follower of God’s most holy word. He abhorred all 
sects, papists, anabaptists, libertines, &c.; notwithstanding, alway praying for their 
amendment, that they, knowledging their errors, might with us confess one God, and 
one truth in the unity of the Spirit. He was a dear friend to such as were studious 
of good letters, to widows, to fatherless children, to poor young maids’ marriages, to 
young men that had not wherewith to set up their occupations, to the prisoners, to 
those poor people which were not able to get their living, to poor householders, to 
the repairing of high-ways, and such-like. What a will he made, ye know. His 
end also ye know. 

Chris. A christian and godly end made he. God give us all grace to make the 
like! 

Phil. Of a good life cometh a good death, if the departure of the godly may be 
called a death, and not rather a passage unto a better life. Well, his body now sleepeth 
in the Lord; and his soul reigneth in glory with God. 

Eus. God grant him and us all a joyful resurrection! Theo. Amen. 

Phil. Neighbours, before we depart, let us all kneel down and give God the 
Father thanks for the godly departure of this our christian brother. Chris. It is 
convenient so to do. 

The Flower Phil. Give me hither “The Flower of Godly Prayers.” I will rehearse the thanks- 
ey giving? unto God for the departure of the faithful out of this world. ws. Lo, here 
is the book. 

Phil. The name of the Lord our God be glorified. 

Chris. Both now and ever. Amen. 

Phil. O how can we, most loving Father, render unto thee sufficient thanks for 
thine inestimable goodness toward thy faithful servants, whom thou, calling out of 
this wretched world, vouchestsafe to place in thy heavenly kingdom, among the glorious 

Psal. xvi. company of thy holy angels and blessed saints. O full precious is the death of the 
faithful in thy sight! Blessed are the dead that die in thee, O Lord! For they are 
Wisd. iii, at rest from their painful travails and labours. The souls of the righteous are in thy 
hand, O God; and the pain of death shall not touch them. In the sight of the 
unwise they appear to die, but they are in peace. They shine as the sparks that 
run through the reed bush. They glister as the shining of heaven. They are as the 
Rev.xiv. stars world without end. They are as the angels of God. They are clad with white 
garments, and have golden crowns upon their heads. They do service day and night 
before the glorious throne of thy divine majesty. They neither hunger nor thirst any 
more, neither doth the sun or any heat fall upon them; for the Lamb which is in 
the midst of the throne governeth them, and leadeth them unto the living fountains, 
Isai. Ixiv. of waters. They follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. They have such joys as 


[) So 1561 ; folio, liveth.] [? See before, page 69.] 


THE SICK MAN’S SALVE. 191 


eye hath not seen, nor ear hath heard, neither is there any heart able to think them. 
Infinite and unspeakable are the treasures, O Lord, which thou hast laid up for them 
that depart in thy faith. For these thy fatherly benefits toward the souls of the 
faithful, and for that it hath pleased thee to call this our christian brother from this 
vale of misery unto thy heavenly kingdom, we give unto thee most hearty thanks, 
humbly beseeching thee, that thou wilt take like care for us, and so govern us with 
thy holy Spirit, both in sickness and in health, that we may live a good and godly 
life in this present world, and, whensoever it shall be thy good pleasure to call us 
hence, we may, with strong faith in thee and in thy Son Christ Jesu our Lord, com- 
mend both our bodies and souls into thy merciful hands, and through thy goodness 
be placed in thy glorious kingdom, among thy faithful chosen people, and so for ever 
and ever praise and magnify thee our heavenly Father; to whom with thy dearly- 
beloved Son Jesu Christ our Lord and Saviour, and the Holy Ghost, that most sweet 
Comforter, be all glory and honour world without end. Theo. Amen. 

Phil. Rise, let us go and comfort our friends, that they do not too much sor- 
row for the departure of this our most dear brother, which now resteth in joyful 
peace. That done, neighbour Christopher, repair you unto some godly learned man, 
and desire him to prepare a sermon for the burial of this our brother against to- 
morrow about the ninth hour. Chris. It shall be done. 

Phil. Neighbour Theophile and neighbour Eusebius, go ye your way, and pro- 
vide all things necessary for the comely furniture of the burial, that nothing be 
wanting when the time cometh. Hus. We will do it gladly. 

Phil. “The very God of peace sanctify us throughout, and so wholly preserve 1 Thess. v. 
us, both spirit and soul and body, that we may be blamed in nothing at the coming 
of our Lord Jesu Christ.” Zheo. Amen. 

Phil. “Our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father (which hath loved 2 thes. ii. 
us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace), comfort 
our hearts, and stablish us in all good saying and doing.” Hus. Amen. 

Phil. “ Peace be unto the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father gpn. vi. 
and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all them which love our Lord Jesus 
Christ unfeignedly.”. Chris. Amen. 

Phil. “Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanks, and honour, and power, Rev. vii 

and might, be unto our God for evermore.” 
Theo. Amen. Amen. 


Give the glory to God alone. 





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COMFORTABLE EPISTLE 


TO THE AFFLICTED PEOPLE OF GOD. 


IBD 


THOMAS BECON. 


[BECON, 11. | 13 


Gen. iv. 


Rev. iii. 


Heb. xi. 


1 John iii. 


Gen. iii. 


Gen. xxv. 


Gen, xxi. 


Gal. iv. 


John iii. 


TO THE 
RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD, 


ROBERT’, BISHOP OF WINCHESTER, 


AND HIS VERY GOOD LORD, THOMAS BECON WISHETH LONG LIFE, 
CONTINUAL HEALTH, AND PROSPEROUS FELICITY. 


Trey have not erred nor judged amiss, right reverend father, and my singular 
good lord, which have taught that the two children of Adam, that is to say, Cain 
and Abel, were figures of the two churches that are in this world; namely, the church 
militant, and the church malignant; that is, of the church of Christ, and of the 
church of antichrist, which St John calleth “the synagogue of Satan.” For as Cain, 
which was the figure of the malignant church, never loved his brother Abel, which 
was the figure of the militant church, nor favoured his doings, but extremely hated 
him, persecuted him, and at the last most cruelly slew him, yea, and that without 
any occasion given of his brother, which was a righteous man, and pleased God 
both with his offerings and doings for his faith’s sake; as St John saith, “Cain 
was of that wicked, and slew his brother; and wherefore slew he him? because 
his own works were evil, and his brother’s good:” even so the synagogue of Satan, 
that malignant church of the devil and antichrist, ever hateth and most tyrant-like 
persecuteth the congregation of God, that militant church of Christ here in earth. 
And yet no cause given of God’s people, why the children of the devil should thus 
most wickedly persecute and slay them, as persons altogether given to godliness and 
to the study of true innocency. 

This thing also is set forth in the words which God spake to Satan in paradise 
after the fall of Adam: “TI will set enmity between thee and the woman, between 
thy seed and her seed. The same (seed) shall tread down thy head, and thou shalt 
tread upon his heel.” This in like manner was figured in the two brethren Esau 
and Jacob; which Esau, being the image of the malignant and malicious church, even 
from the beginning hated good Jacob, persecuted him, and sought all means possible 
to destroy him. Neither was this thing obscurely set forth in the two brethren 
Ismael and Isaac, Abraham’s two sons; the one being begotten of a bond-woman 
(I mean Ismael), the other of a free-woman, that is, Isaac; of whom St Paul speaketh 
on this manner: “As then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that 
was born after the Spirit, even so is it now.” 

All these histories do evidently declare, that they which are of the malignant 
church, and of the synagogue of Satan, do alway persecute the militant church and 
faithful congregation of Christ; not that they deserve any such cruelty, but because 
the works of the one sort are good and godly, and the works of the other are wicked 
and ungodly. “Every one that doeth evil,” saith Christ, “hateth the light, neither 
cometh he unto the light, lest his works should be reproved.” 





[? Robert Horne was a native of the county 
of Durham (or, according to another authority, 
of Cumberland), and was educated at St John’s 
College, Cambridge, of which house he became 
a fellow in 1536. He was preferred successively 
to the vicarage of Matching, Essex, the rectory 
of All-hallows, Bread Street, London, the preben- 
dal stall of Bugthorpe in York Cathedral, and 
the deanery of Durham, to which he was advanced 
in the reign of Edward VI. In the persecution 
which ensued he fled into Germany, and, fixing 
his residence at Frankfort, became the head of the 


episcopal party among the exiles there. He returned | 


to England on the accession of queen Elizabeth, and 
was consecrated bishop of Winchester, Feb. 16, 1561, 
being then 47 years of age. He died at his palace in 
Southwark, June 1, 1580, and lies buried in his own 
cathedral beneath a flat stone near the pulpit, on 
which is inscribed the following epitaph: Robertus 
Horne Theologiz Doctor eximius, quondam Christi 
causa exul, deinde Episcopus Winton. Pie obiit in 
Domino Jun. 1, 1580. Episcopatus sui An°. 19. 
He was a sagacious and learned man, a frequent 
preacher, and an excellent disputant. Bishop Horne 
left only daughters. } 


THE PREFACE. 195 


But not only in these figures, but also in evident practices, hath this matter been 
set forth in all ages; as we may see both in the old and new testament, and also 
in ecclesiastical histories. Behold the Israelites, which were the people of God; how Exoa. i. v. 
unmercifully dealt the Egyptians with them, seeking all means possible not only 
to oppress them with great burdens and intolerable labours, but also utterly to de- 
stroy them and their seed for ever! Behold also the prophets, which spake in the 
name of the Lord, and other godly men likewise, which were before the coming of 
Christ; how were they handled and extremely persecuted of Satan’s synagogue, of 
the malignant church, of the children of the devil! Again, consider the people of 
the new testament, that were good and godly; what crosses suffered they! Christ, 
our elder brother, and head of God’s church, escaped not the cross, but suffered at 
the hands of the malignant church most cruel things, and at the last death, yea, 
even the most vile death of the cross; to declare that his inferior and younger brethren 
shall not in this world be altogether free from the cross. Proved not his apostles the 
like gentleness at the hands of the wicked worldlings? And after their death many holy 
and blessed martyrs in all ages? Who ever professed God aright, and laboured to serve 
him according to his word, which hath at all times delicately and pleasantly lived 
in this world without cross, without trouble, without persecution? And what other 
thing, even at God’s own mouth, is promised to the faithful congregation? ‘ Behold,” mate. x. 
saith he, “I send you forth as sheep among wolves.” ‘They shall deliver you up 
to the councils, and shall scourge you in their synagogues. Ye shall be brought to 
the head rulers and kings for my sake.” “Ye shall be hated of all men for my 
name's sake.” They shall put you to trouble, and shall kill you. “The disciple 
is not above the master, nor the servant above his lord: it is enough for the 
disciple that he be as his master is, and that the servant be as his lord is. If 
they have called the lord of the house Belzebub, how much more shall they call 
them of his household so!” “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me Jonnxv. 
before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love that is his own: 
howbeit, because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, 
therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The 
servant is not greater than the lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also 
persecute you.” ‘They shall excommunicate you. Yea, the time shall come, that John xvi. 
whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God good service.” ‘‘ In the world shall 
ye have trouble.” St Paul saith: “ By many tribulations must we enter into the Acts xiv. 
kingdom of God.” “All they that will live godly in Christ Jesu shall suffer per- 2 tim. ii. 
secution.” 
Thus see we that all the scriptures of God promise to the faithful Christians in 
this world cross, trouble, persecution, imprisonment, chains, fetters, stocks, fire, fagot, 
sword, halter, death, ignominy, &c.; as the psalmograph saith: “ Many are the troubles psa. xxxiv. 
of the righteous; but the Lord shall deliver them from them all.” Now, that the church 
of God is thus afflicted, the cause is the wickedness of the malignant church, which 
cannot abide the godliness of God’s holy congregation; as St John writeth of Cain, 
“which was of that wicked, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him ? 1 Johniii. 
Because his own works were evil, and his brother's good.” Where minds be distract 
unto contrary purposes, there can be no amity, no quietness, no concord. “* For what 2 cor. vi. 
fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? Or what company hath light 
with darkness? Or what concord hath Christ with Belial? Or what part hath he which 
believeth with an infidel? Or how agreeth the temple of God with images?” There 
is not one thing in all the world that is so contrary to another thing, as the syna- 
gogue of Satan is contrary to the church of Christ, both in doctrine and life: which 
thing we will attempt to set forth by certain comparisons, which now follow. 
1. The church of Christ laboureth to serve God according to his word and ordi- SS 
pies. Christ and 
The synagogue of Satan deviseth strange worshippings of God, nowhere mentioned tears 
in God's holy law. SEES: 
2. The church of Christ honoureth God “in spirit and truth.” John iv. 


The synagogue of Satan honoureth God with surplices, copes, vestments, bells, 
13—2 


Psal. 1. 
John xvi. 


1 Tim. ii. 
1 John ii. 
Rom. viii. 
Heb. ix. 


Eph. i. v. 
Col. ii. 


Heb. ix. x. 


Rom. iii. 


Gal. ii. 


Deut. xii. 
Matt. xv. 


John viii. x. 


2 Tim. iii. 


Matt. xxvi. 
1 Cor. xi. 


Matt. xxvi. 


196 A COMFORTABLE EPISTLE, ETC. 


organs, censers, candles, candlesticks, fire, palms, ashes, bread, water, oil, cream, 
building of monasteries, free chapels, chantries, &c. 

3. The church of Christ in all their necessities calleth only upon God in the name 
of the Lord Jesu. 

The synagogue of Satan in all their troubles and adversities invocateth and calleth 
upon creatures and saints departed. 

4, The church of Christ knoweth and knowledgeth no mediator, advocate, and 
intercessor unto God the Father, but only the man Jesus Christ, that righteous One. 

The synagogue of Satan maketh dead men their mediators, advocates, and intercessors, 
whereof notwithstanding some, we know not whether they be saints in heaven, or 
devils in hell. 

5. The church of Christ knoweth no head, but Christ Jesu alone. 

The synagogue of Satan knowledgeth the Romish bishop to be head of the universal 
church of Christ throughout the world. 

6. The church of Christ granteth no sacrifice for sin, but death of Christ alone. 

The synagogue of Satan defendeth with tooth and nail the popish mass to be a 
sacrifice for sin, of the same price and dignity that the death of Christ is. 

7. The church of Christ holdeth that faith alone justifieth. 

The synagogue of Satan affirmeth that faith alone justifieth not, except charity 
and works be added thereunto. 

8. The church of Christ knoweth none other good works, but those only which 
are commanded of God in his holy word. 

The synagogue of Satan, not contented with such works as God hath prescribed, 
daily inventeth new and strange works of their own brain, and teacheth that those 
also are necessary to be done under pain of deadly sin, and that in the keeping of 
them there is great mede’. 

9. The church of Christ receiveth no strange doctrine, but embraceth the word 
of God only, and whatsoever is agreeable to the same. 

The synagogue of Satan receiveth the doctrines of men, not only beside, but also 
contrary to the word of God, as unwritten verities, antichrist’s decrees, constitutions, 
ordinances, traditions, &c. 

10. The church of Christ affirmeth that the holy scripture is a sufficient doctrine 
unto the uttermost for the salvation of faithful Christians. 

The synagogue of Satan holdeth that it is a rude, insufficient, and unperfect doctrine, 
and hath need of general councils, constitutions provincial, unwritten verities, &c., to 
make it absolute and perfect. 

11. The church of Christ ministereth the sacraments as Christ instituted and left 
them. 

The synagogue of Satan mangleth and corrupteth them, now adding unto them, now 
plucking from them. 

12. The church of Christ, according to Christ’s institution, administereth the Lord’s 
supper under both kinds to the faithful communicants. 

The synagogue of Satan taketh away the cup of the mystery of Christ’s blood from 
the laity, and giveth them only the sacramental bread. 

13. The church of Christ reserveth not the sacramental bread, but eateth it, ac- 
cording to this commandment of Christ: “Take ye, eat ye.” 

The synagogue of Satan reserveth the sacramental bread, putteth it in a pix, 
hangeth it up with a rope, carrieth it about in solemn pomps and general processions, 
and many times keepeth it so long that it waxeth mould, that it stinketh, that the 
worms eat it and consume it. 

14. The church of Christ hath a special regard and a singular respect unto the 
commandments of God, that they may fulfil and do them. 

The synagogue of Satan hath a special eye unto the observations of men’s tra- 
ditions, and standeth in more fear of breaking them than in transgressing the whole 
law of God. 


[’ Mede, or meed: reward. ] 


THE PREFACE. 197 


15. The church of Christ prescribeth no day to be fasted more than other (ex- 
cept public necessity requireth it, and then they add general prayer unto it for appeas- 
ing of God’s wrath, or for the obtaining of some good thing at the hand of God), 
but exhorteth all men unto continual temperance and sobriety, and unto the avoid- 
ing of surfeiting and drunkenness, according to this commandment of Christ: ‘Take 
heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcome with surfeiting and 
drunkenness,” &c. 

The synagogue of Satan straitly chargeth and commandeth this day and that day, 
this saint’s even and that saint’s even, this vigil and that vigil to be fasted, in pain 
of deadly sin. 

16. The church of Christ on fasting days giveth liberty to the Christians to eat 
either fish or flesh, so that they always be mindful of christian sobriety. And if 
they at any time appoint fish to be eaten certain days, as in the time of Lent, they 
do it not for religion, but for policy sake. 

The synagogue of Satan commandeth that on fasting days no flesh be tasted, but 
fish eaten only, under pain of damnation. 

17. The church of Christ freely permitteth unto all men that cannot contain to 
marry. 

The synagogue of Satan denieth marriage to subdeacons, deacons, priests, bishops, 
monks, friars, canons, nuns, anchors, anchoresses, vowers, vowesses, &c. 

18. The church of Christ is content with the sacraments that Christ hath or- 
dained. 

The synagogue of Satan augmenteth and increaseth the number of the sacraments, 
racking the number of two unto the number of seven. 

19. The church of Christ holdeth that sacraments of themselves give not grace, 
but are the holy signs and seals, the testimonies and witnesses of God’s singular favour 
and great grace toward all them that believe and receive the same sacraments accord- 
ing to the institution of Christ. 

The synagogue of Satan affirmeth that sacraments of the new testament are not 
only signs of grace, but they also confer and give grace. 

20. The church of Christ suffereth no tongue or language to be used in the tem- 
ples of the Christians, but that only which is understanded of all men, that all may 
be edified. 

The synagogue of Satan hath a great desire to keep the people in ignorancy and 
blindness ; for then goeth it well with their kingdom: and therefore they sing, they 
say, they mumble, they pray, and all in Latin, that the people may go home more 
fools than they came out. Only they curse in English. The apostle saith: ‘“ Let 
all things be done unto edifying.” 

21. The church of Christ knoweth none other purgatory for the sins of sinners 
that repent in faith, but the blood of Christ only and alone. 

The synagogue of Satan teacheth that there is another purgatory after this life, 
where the souls of such as have not done due penance, and made sufficient satisfaction, 
must be purged with fire, yea, such fire (ah, silly souls!) as is in heat, pains, and 
torments, nothing inferior to the unquenchable fire of hell; wherein the damned souls 
are tormented, till either they themselves by suffering condign punishments have satis- 
fied the justice of God, or else their deliverance be wrought by the sacrifice of the 
mass, or by the prayers and good deeds of their friends in this world, &e. 

22. The church of Christ counteth it great wickedness, and a thing contrary to 
the authority of holy scripture, to set up images in the temples or oratories where 
christian men come together to pray, to hear the Lord’s word, and to receive the 
sacraments. 

The synagogue of Satan stuffeth their temples full of images, idols, puppets, and 
mawmets; painteth, gildeth, decketh, trimmeth, and garnisheth them with sump- 
tuous vestures and precious jewels; censeth them, offereth to them, kisseth them, 
setteth up brenning candles before them, kneeleth unto them, calleth upon them, goeth 
on pilgrimage unto them, voweth unto them, asketh all good things of them, maketh 
them their patrons, &c. 

23. The church of Christ teacheth that we ought to confess our sins to God 


Luke xxi, 


Matt. xix. 
1 Cor. vii. 
Heb. xiil. 


1 Cor. xiv. 


1 Cor. xiv. 


1 John i. 
kev. 1. 


Isai. Ixvi. 


Exod. xx. 
Deut. v. 


1 John i. 


Isai. xliii. 


Matt. ix. 
Mark ii. 
Luke v. 


Rom. i. 
1 Cor. vi. 
1 Pet. i. 


2 Tim. 1. 


2 ‘Yim. iv: 


Eph. vi. 
1} Pet. v- 


Eceles. v. 


1 Cor. vii. 


Heb. xiii. 


198 A COMFORTABLE EPISTLE, ETC. 


with a penitent heart, and sure faith to obtain remission of the same for his Son 
Christ’s sake. 

The synagogue of Satan commandeth, yea, and enforceth men to make their con- 
fession to a priest, charging them to declare all their sms with all the circumstances, 
how, where, whom, how oft, with whom, &c., to their own curate once in the year at 
the least, under pain of deadly sin, and to receive at his hand penance and absolution. 

24. The church of Christ affirmeth plainly that God alone forgiveth sin. 

The synagogue of Satan sendeth men for the absolution of their sins unto popish 
priests, unto the pope’s pardons, and such other trumpery. 

25. The church of Christ knoweth none other saints but those which in this 
world are sanctified by the Holy Ghost, purified with the blood of Christ, study to 
lead an innocent life, and at the last die in the Lord. 

The synagogue of Satan granteth those and none other to be saints, whom the 
pope either for lucre or for favour canonizeth and alloweth to be saints; which his 
saints he commandeth men to honour and to worship, to invocate and pray unto, to 
make their mediators, advocates, and intercessors, to trust in their intercessions and 
merits, to ask the kingdom of heaven for their dignity and worthiness, for their 
blood and martyrdom, &c. 

26. The church of Christ knoweth none other reliques of saints to be had in 
estimation and reverence than the following of their faith, love, patience, mercy, liber- 
ality to the poor, &c., and their godly treatises and works which they have left behind 
them for the profit of their posterity. 

The synagogue of Satan knoweth none other reliques of saints than rotten bones, 
old shoes, torn breeches, filthy clothes, scurvy combs, hairy shirts, worm-eaten bowls', 
withered skin, dried flesh, &c. These they set forth to the simple people to worship, 
to honour, to reverence, to kneel unto, to kiss, to buy for great sums of money, as 
things most worthy, most noble, most precious, and most full of virtue, 

27. The church of Christ teacheth that all men ought through faith in Christ 
to be certain of their salvation, and by no means to doubt of it. 

The synagogue of Satan holdeth the contrary, and teacheth that all men ought 
to doubt of their salvation, as being uncertain whether hell or heaven shall be their 
portion after this life. 

28. The church of Christ knoweth none other armours against Satan, but faith, 
prayer, and the word of God. 

The synagogue of Satan teacheth that, if any man will fight and prevail against 
Satan, he must flee for succour unto holy bread, holy water, holy palms, holy candles, 
holy bells, holy beads, holy laces, &c. 

29. The church of Christ teacheth that all foolish and unfaithful vows displease 
God, and that therefore they are to be broken. 

The synagogue of Satan hath decreed, and stiffly maintaineth the same, that the 
monastical vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience are by no means to be broken, 
as vows equal with the vow of baptism, although having no ground on the word of 
God, yea, being contrary to the word of God. 

30. The church of Christ holdeth that “it is better to marry than to burn.” 

The synagogue of Satan are such and so great enemies to matrimony, that they 
had rather have their subdeacons, deacons, and priests, their monks and friars, their 
canons and nuns, their anchors and anchoresses, their vowe[r|s and vowesses, to be most 
filthy fornicators, abominable adulterers, stinking sodomites, and to be defiled with all 
kind of beastly and unnatural uncleanness, than once to suffer them to embrace holy 
wedlock, which is ‘‘honourable among all persons, and the bed undefiled.” 

31. The church of Christ suffereth matrimony, as a thing most pure, most clean, 
at all times in the year freely to be solemnized between lawful persons in the tem- 
ples of the Christians. 

The synagogue of Satan forbiddeth matrimony to be celebrated either secretly or 





[! In another treatise, ‘‘ The Monstrous Mer- | a ‘‘ pardon bowl” kept in the monastery of St Ed- 
chandize of the Romish bishops,’’ Becon speaks of | mundsbury. Such perhaps are here referred to. ] 


THE PREFACE. 199 


openly divers times in the year; and commandeth that, if contrary to the decrees of 
the pope any persons presume to marry, their matrimony should be taken as of 
none effect, but rather judged and taken for adultery. Notwithstanding this strait 
inhibition, if any man bring money, he shall easily obtain a dispensation to marry 
where he will and when he will, yea, if it be on Good-Friday, when men creep to 
the cross. 

32. The church of Christ forbiddeth no degrees to contract matrimony together, Lev. xviii. 
save those only which are forbidden in the Levitical law. 

The synagogue of Satan restraineth divers degrees for marrying together, which are 
at liberty by the law of God; and yet in this behalf they agree not among themselves. 

33. The church of Christ suffereth those that be god-fathers and god-mothers (as 
they term them) to one child at baptism to marry together, if they be loose and at 
liberty, and not forbidden by the law Levitical. 

The synagogue of Satan plainly forbiddeth this thing, and maketh the matter a 
spiritual consanguinity and a ghostly kindred, of much more force and strength than 
any carnal or fleshly consanguinity is; so that by this means christian gossips (as 
they are called) may not marry together, no, nor yet their children. If they do, 
their marriages must be dissolved as unlawful and wicked. 

34. The church of Christ requireth the consent of parents in setting forth chil- cen. xxiv. 
dren unto marriage. gies 

The synagogue of Satan careth not for the consent and good-will of the parents 
in placing their children in the holy state of honourable wedlock, but saith it is 
sufficient if the parties between themselves contract matrimony. 

35. The church of Christ admitteth none unto their congregation, but such only 
as walk after the rule and doctrine of Christ and of his apostles. All other they see 
excommunicate and put out of their company, till they have done worthy repentance, , 
and satisfied the congregation of God. 

The synagogue of Satan receiveth into their synagogues and churches all filthy 
persons, extortioners, adulterers, fornicators, sodomites, covetous persons, cursed speak- 
ers, swearers, dishonourers of fathers and mothers, drunkards, false-witness-bearers, 
and all swarms of wicked and ungodly people. 

36. The church of Christ admitteth unto the ecclesiastical ministry honest mar- 17im. ii. 
ried men, such as have ruled well their own houses, having honest, sober, and faithful oa) 
wives, having also children which are not slandered of riot, neither are disobedient, 
but are in subjection with all reverence. 

The synagogue of Satan receiveth none unto their priestish orders, except he be 
wifeless and free from marriage, and also voweth that he shall never marry, but lead 
a single life, st non caste, tamen caute. 

37. The church of Christ knoweth their ministers by their wholesome doctrine 
and honest conversation, and by such godly and virtuous qualities as St Paul in his 
epistles to Timothy and Titus’ rehearseth. 

The synagogue of the Satan will have their priests known by shaven crowns, 
long gowns, flaring tippets, saying of mass, singing for souls departed, hallowing of 
bread, water, salt, candles, palms, fire, ashes, &c. 

38. The church of Christ, in the admission of their ministers, useth fasting, acts xiii 
prayer, and imposition of hands, according to the use of the apostles. 

The synagogue of Satan useth cutting of hair, shaving of crowns, anointing of 
fingers, wearing of albs, copes, vestiments, surplices, ringing of bells, and such other 
childish and beggarly ceremonies. 

39. The church of Christ gladly and willingly heareth the voice of their Shep- 
herd Christ, according to this his saying: “My sheep hear my voice.” Again: Johnx. 
“He that is of God heareth the words of God.” ei 

The synagogue of Satan hath a great delight to hear the voice of strangers, and 
to be occupied many hours in hearing Latin matins, Latin masses, Latin even-songs, 
Latin diriges, Latin commendations, with narrations out of English Festival *, saints’ 


[? and it, folio.] [* For an account of this book, see Strype, Eccles. Memor. Vol. I. chap. xviii.] 


John viii. 


John xv. 
2 Cor. iii. 
John viii. 


2 Cor. iii. 
Phil. ii. 


John vii. 


Luke xvii. 


Gen. xxxii. 


Rom. vi. 


Col. iii. 
Phil. iii. 


Phil. iii. 


Eph. ii. 


200 A COMFORTABLE EPISTLE, ETC. 


lives out of Legenda Aurea, and sermons out of Dormi Secure’. ‘Ye hear not the 
words of God,” saith Christ, ‘because ye are not of God.” 

40. The church of Christ acknowledgeth all their liberty and power, either of 
thinking or doing well, to come altogether of him which saith, “ Without me ye 
can do nothing ;” and that otherwise they are not able to think a good thought of 
themselves; as Christ saith: “If the Son make you free, then are ye free indeed.” 
Again: “‘ Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” Item: “It is God that 
worketh in us both the will and the deed.” 

The synagogue of Satan attributeth so great virtue to the strengths of free-will, 
that they affirm that man of his own power is able both to think well and to do 
well, yea, and to fulfil the law of God, contrary to this saying of Christ: “‘ Hath 
not Moses given you a law; and none of you all fulfilleth it ?” 

4]. The church of Christ worketh good deeds to shew their obedience to the 
will of God, and to declare before men that their faith, which is only known to 
God, is true and lively, and not to be justified by them. 

The synagogue of Satan worketh to this end, that with their works they may 
deserve remission of sins, justification, the grace of God, the gift of the Holy Ghost, 
and, in fine, the heavenly inheritance. 

42. The church of Christ, when they have done all that they are able to do, 
confess themselves unprofitable servants, and unworthy of the lessest of God’s mercies. 

The synagogue of Satan doth so brag and boast of their good works and merits, 
that they shame not to say that they have good deeds not only sufficient for their 
own salvation, but also with them to save other. And these works they call Opera 
supererogationis. They might more justly be termed Opera superarrogantie. 

43. The church of Christ believeth to have remission of sins and everlasting life 
for Christ’s sake alone. 

The synagogue of Satan looketh for the kingdom of God for the dignity of their 
own works, watchings, prayings, fastings, vowings, men’s traditions-keepings, inter- 
cessions of saints, merits of monks, friars, canons, nuns, &c., the masses of soul-priests 
and purgatory-rakers, good deeds done for them after their death by their friends, &c. 

44. The church of Christ reposeth all her delectation in godliness, virtue, and 
innocency of life. 

The synagogue of Satan delighteth im vice, sin, ungodliness, and wickedness of 
life. 

45. The church of Christ setteth all her delight and pleasure in spiritual and 
heavenly things. 

The synagogue of Satan hath all her delectation in worldly riches and fleshly 
pleasures. 

46. The church of Christ studieth how to please God, and to do good to their 
neighbour. 

The synagogue of Satan imagineth how to please the world, and to fill their own 
paunches, being indeed that filthy swarm, “whose God their belly is.” 

47. The church of Christ inventeth no new works to please God with in their 
life and conversation; but seeketh to perform and fulfil those “good works, which 
God hath prepared that they should walk in them.” 

The synagogue of Satan deviseth new works, nowhere prescribed of God in his 
holy word, compelleth men to do them, promising them salvation both of body and 
soul if they do them; and, contrariwise, threatening them death and damnation if 
they do them not. 

48. The church of Chnist, if they at any time fall from the ordinances of God 
through the frailty of man’s nature, sorroweth and lamenteth from the very heart 


[' A collection of sermons, the nature of which | qui alio nomine dormi secure vel dormi sine cura 
will be sufficiently understood from the title, which | sunt nuncupati eo quod absque magno studio facili- 
runs as follows: Sermones dominicales cum exposi- | ter possint incorporari et populo predicari. There 
tionibus evangeliorum per annum satis notabiles et | were several editions. ] 
utiles omnibus sacerdotibus, pastoribus et capellanis; 


THE PREFACE. 201 


their weaknesses and imperfections, and riseth up again by true repentance and fer- 
vent faith in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

The synagogue of Satan rejoiceth when they do evil, and have pleasure in their 
sins. Their rising up consisteth in popish penance, in feigned contrition, in earish 
confession, in presumptuous satisfaction, &c. 

49. The church of Christ, after through frailty they have fallen, lieth? not 
weltering in their sin, but through the mighty hand of God riseth up again, and for 
ever after is made the more circumspect and ware, that it falleth not again into the 
like negligences and trespasses; as the wise man saith: “The righteous falleth seven 
times, and riseth up again.” 

The synagogue of Satan goeth forth, without faithful repentance and true conver- 
sion unto the Lord God, to walk in all kind of sin, thinking themselves then most 
blessed, when they most of all tumble themselves into all manner of filthy and fleshly 
pleasures. To forsake their beastly life is more than a double death. 

50. The church of Christ, knowing that in this world they have no dwelling 
city, but look for one to come, wisheth and desireth nothing so greatly as to be 
loosed from this mortal and corruptible body, and to be with Christ in the glory of 
God his Father. 

The synagogue of Satan hath all delectation and pleasure in the things of this 
world, wishing and desiring to remain in this life continually, yea, and that on this 
condition, that they might never come unto the celestial joys, so that they might 
enjoy these earthy pleasures and worldly goods, and live here after the flesh for 
ever; so little sweetness feel these epicures and belly-gods in the heavenly joys that 
are promised in the life to come to all them that love the Lord Christ and keep 
his word. 

Who seeth not now what great diversity there is between these two churches, 
both in doctrine and life? May there be any hope that these two churches shall 
at any time agree, enter friendship one with another, and shake hands together? 
Sooner shall hell be heaven, darkness light, Christ Belial, than this thing shall 
come to pass. Therefore, as there’ hath been always from the beginning, so is there 
now and ever shall be perpetual contention between the church of Christ and the 


Prov. ii. 


Prov. xxiv. 


Heb. xiii. 
Phil. i. 


synagogue of Satan, neither shall it have any end, till that time come when “there John x. 


shall be one Shepherd and one sheep-fold ;” again, when the Lord with his glorious 
appearance at the great day of judgment shall destroy “that son of perdition,” which 
is the head of this synagogue of Satan, and “sitteth in the temple of God, boasting 
himself to be God.” 


2 Thess. ii. 


But it is to be noted, that the malignant church is figured by the elder brother, 5% 


as Cain, Esau, Ismael, &c., and the church militant by the younger brother, Abel, 
Jacob, Isaac, &c.; which thing wanteth not his mystery. For as the elder brother is 
always reputed and taken to be of highest authority, of most power, of greatest sub- 
stance and riches in this world, so that in comparison of him the younger brother 
is as an underling, a thing of no reputation, honour, glory, wealth, &c.; even so the 
church malignant in this vale of misery hath always the upper hand, excelleth in 
power, authority, riches, and dignity, so that it keepeth down the militant church 
as an underling, and oppresseth it most miserably, being continually laden with the 
cross, poverty, misery, ignominy, &c. And forasmuch as the synagogue of Satan is 
of such force and strength, of such riches and wealth, of such honour and dignity ; 
therefore hath it many friends and adherents, which maintain her in her glory unto 
the uttermost, and set to hand cruelly to persecute the church of Christ, seeking all 


means possible utterly to destroy it. But all in vain. For “the gates of hell shall matt. xvi. 
not prevail against it.” For it is that house which is built upon the sure rock, Matt. vii. 


namely Christ; insomuch that, although showers of rain descend, floods come, winds 


blow, and beat upon it, yet can all these things do it no harm. Notwithstanding, Note well. 


here may all men note by the way, that that church which persecuteth is of the 
devil; but, contrariwise, the church that is persecuted is of God. But the malignant 





[? Folio, lyghteth.] [? Folio, they.] 


In Matt. 
cap. Vil. 
Hom. xix. 


Persecution 
a sign of 
antichrist’s 
church. 


In Babyl. 
Martyr. 


Luke ix. 


2 Kings 1. 


2 Cor. x. 


Rev. xvii. 


Rev. xviil. 


Rev. xii. 


John xvi. 


Ecelus. ii. 


Matt. xvi. 


202 A COMFORTABLE EPISTLE, ETC. 


church continually persecuteth the militant church, which is the church of Christ: 
therefore is the malignant church of the devil, even as Cain, Esau, Ismael, &c., were 
of the devil, which were figures of the malignant church. For Abel persecuted not 
Cain, nor Jacob Esau, nor Isaac Ismael; but Cain persecuted Abel, Esau Jacob, 
and Ismael Isaac; which Abel, Jacob, and Isaac were figures of the militant church. 
None of God’s people from the beginning ever persecuted, but they themselves suf- 
fered persecution; as we may see in Moses and the prophets, in Christ and his apo- 
stles, in the fathers and preachers after the apostles’ time, and so from age to age, 
and in these our days also. “Mark,” saith St John Chrysostom, “doth the sheep 
persecute the wolf at any time? No, but the wolf the sheep. For even so Cain 
persecuted Abel, and not Abel Cain. So Ismael persecuted Isaac, not Isaac Ismael. 
So likewise Esau persecuted Jacob, not Jacob Esau. The Jews persecuted Christ, 
not Christ the Jews. The heretics persecuted the Christians, not the Christians the 
heretics. Therefore by their fruits shall ye know them"'.” 

Verily, there is not a more open fruit, nor a more manifest token of antichrist’s 
church, or Satan’s synagogue, than persecution, blood-shedding, and killing the saints 
of God; which thing is not found in the church of Christ. For, as Chrysostom saith : 
“Tt is not lawful for christian men with violence and tyranny to subvert and over- 
throw errors. With persuasion and with the word of God and with gentleness is 
the salvation of men to be sought®.” 

Therefore when James and John would have had fire come down from heaven, 
after the example of Helias, to consume the Samaritans, because they would not re- 
ceive Christ and his disciples, Christ rebuked them, saying: “ Ye wot not what man- 
ner of spirit ye are of. For the Son man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but 
to save them.” “The weapons of our warfare,” saith the apostle, “are not carnal 
things, but things mighty in God to cast down strong-holds ; wherewith we overthrow 
counsels and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and 
bring into captivity all imagination to the obedience of Christ.” Again: “The 
Lord hath given us power and authority to edify, and not to destroy.” Therefore 
this synagogue of Satan is justly compared to the whore of Babylon, of whom St 
John writeth in his Revelations, that blasphemous bawd, that stinking strumpet, that 
murdering mother of whoredom and abominations of the earth, which is drunken with 
the blood of saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesu. ‘In her was found,” 
saith St John, “the blood of the prophets, and of the saints, and of all that were 
slain upon the earth.” But the church of Christ is resembled, likened, and compared 
of that same St John to a woman that was ready to be delivered of child, before 
whom a dreadful “dragon stood ready to devour the child, as soon as it were born.” 
“But her son was taken up unto God, and unto his seat. And the woman fled into 
wilderness,” &c. 

Now, forasmuch as the church of Christ is always of the suffering side, subject 
to the cross, persecuted and hunted of the synagogue of Satan, and many of her 
members slain of the same, so that in this world she findeth no rest, but trouble; 
no joy, but sorrow; no pleasure, but misery; no wealth, but poverty; no promotions, 
but afflictions; according to this saying of Christ, “‘In the world ye shall have tribu- 
lation:” again: “ Ye shall weep and lament ; but, contrariwise, the world shall rejoice:” 
it is meet and convenient that the true Christians, casting away all carnal security and 
fleshly quietness, prepare themselves unto the cross, as the wise man saith: “My son, 
if thou wilt come into the service of God, stand fast in righteousness and fear, and 
arm thy soul unto temptation.” Our Saviour Christ saith also: “If any man will 


[! Deinde vide, Numquid ovis lupum persequitur 
aliquando? non, sed lupus ovem. Sic enim et Cain 
persequutus est Abel, non Abel Cain. Sic Ismael 
persequutus est Isaac, non Isaac Ismael: sic et 
Esau Jacob, non Jacob Esau: Judzi Christum, 
non Christus Judeos: heretici Christianos, non 
Christiani hereticos. Ergo ex fructibus eorum cog- 
noscetis eos.—Chrysost. Op. Par. 1718—38. Opus 


Imperf. in Matt. Hom. xix. ex cap. vil. Tom. VI. 
p. xciv. | 

[2 OvdE yap Oéuis Xprotiavots avayKny Kai Bia 
KaTactpépew THy mwAavny, adda Kai reboot Kat 
Aéyw kal rpocnveia THY THY avOpTrwy EpyalerBat 
cwtnpiav.—ld. Lib. in Sanct. Babyl. cont. Jul. et 
Gent. Tom. II. p. 540.] 


THE PREFACE. 203 


follow me, let him forsake himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” For he 
that looketh daily for the cross, and counteth that day won when it cometh not, is 
not dismayed nor out of comfort when it come, because it cometh not unlooked for. 
For less hurteth that which is aforeseen, than that which oppresseth a man suddenly 
and without his expectation. 

The patient and thankful bearing of the cross, when it cometh, declareth evidently 
who is a true member of the church of Christ, and who is a rotten member and an S$ 
hypocrite. The true Christian gladly and willingly suffereth the cross, whensoever God 
sendeth it. He murmureth not, nor yet grudgeth against God, but knoweth that 
“all things chance for the best unto him that loveth God ;” so that whether he liveth Boe 
or dieth he is the Lord’s. And therefore he starteth not inde neither fleeth he from” 
his Lord, but standeth by his Captain stoutly, and fighteth valiantly against the 
enemies, under the standard of his Emperor, come life, come death. As tofore in the 
time of prosperity he swelled not, neither waxed proud; so likewise now in adversity 
he casteth not away his courage, but sheweth himself always one, knowing that, if 
death come, it is unto him avantage, forasmuch as he is assured of a better life to come. Phil. i. 
But the hypocrite and false Christian in the time of prosperity seemeth to rejoice 
in the truth of Christ’s gospel, and greatly to favour the doctrine of the same: not- 
withstanding, when adversity cometh, when the cross approacheth, when trouble brasteth 
in, then fleeth he back, then forsaketh he his Lord and Master, then runneth he out 
of the field like a coward; yea, then doth he not only deny his Master, but 
also blasphemeth the truth and doctrine of his Master, as schismatical, seditious, here- 
tical, slanderous, blasphemous, &c., openly protesting that in his heart he never favoured 
that kind of religion, although he obeyed the time, and outwardly followed public orders. 

Such hypocrites are like to the ungodly Jews, which, when they saw Christ to be 

in estimation with the people, and few or none against him, cleaved unto Christ, 
honoured and magnified Christ, became Christ’s disciples, followed Christ, set forth 
Christ’s praises to the uttermost, with Osanna Filio David: “Good luck be to the Se 
Son of David: blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord ;” and many good Luke xix. 
morrows. But when bishop Annas frowned upon Christ, my lord Pilate scowled upon 
Christ, king Herod grinned and gnashed his teeth at Christ, the bishops, the priests, 

the scribes, the Pharisees, the Sadducees, the lawyers, the rulers of the people, &c., 
wagged their heads at Christ, and the whole world began to despise and forsake 
Christ ; then turned they their backs, went away from Christ, joined amity with 
Christ’s adversaries, crying out with a loud voice: Crucifigatur, crucifigatur: “To Matt. xxvii. 
the gallows with him, to the gallows with him.” Si hunc dimittis, non es amicus ; 
Cesaris: “If thou let him go, thou art not the emperor's friend.” “If he were not 

a naughty pack, we would never have delivered him unto thee.” All this do the 
hypocrites for to avoid the cross, that they may live after the flesh, all in pleasure, 

all in joy, and be “hail-fellow, well met,” with the wealthy worldlings. 

But it is far otherwise with the true Christians, which rejoice in trouble, and are Matt. v. 
glad when they suffer any rebuke for the name of the Lord Jesu, knowing that “by Acts v. 
many tribulations they must enter into the kingdom of God;” comforting themselves Acts xiv. 
also with this, that if they suffer with Christ, they shall reign with Christ; if they 2 Tim. i 
die with Christ, they shall live with Christ; if they confess Christ, Christ will con- Matt. x. 
fess them before his heavenly Father; but, contrariwise, if they be ashamed of Christ Mark viii. 
and of Christ’s gospel before this sinful and whorish generation, Christ will also be 
ashamed of them when he shall come in the glory of his Father, accompanied with 
heavenly angels and blessed spirits. Therefore do they prepare themselves at all times 
unto the cross, not weighing the afflictions of this life, which are short and of no Rom. viii. 
continuance ; but having an eye unto the joys of the life to come, which joys are con- 
tinual and everlasting. 

This cross, whereof we have hitherto spoken, was laid upon the true Christians of Persecution 
this our realm not many years past, insomuch that divers of our countrymen were for God's 
most grievously persecuted, most cruelly apprehended, imprisoned, stocked, chained, “ ir 
manacled, brought forth, accused, condemned, burnt unto ashes; divers were secretly 
famished and murdered in prison; divers spoiled of all their goods; divers exiled and 


Psal. Ixxxiv. 


204 A COMFORTABLE EPISTLE, ETC. 


banished into strange countries: in whose number your honour was, which for the con- 
fession of God’s truth suffered not only banishment, but also loss of all your goods and 
promotions, wishing “rather to be a door-keeper in the house of the Lord, than to 
dwell in the gorgeous and glorious palaces of the ungodly,” and to bear the cross with 
Christ, than in glory and riches to reign for a season with antichrist; by this means 
declaring to the world that your faith was pure, your conscience clear, your doctrine 
uncorrupt, and all your travails in the gospel of Christ true, godly, and com- 
mendable. 

I, at that time being partaker of that exile and banishment, after long and that 
most miserable imprisonment (as I may let pass my other afflictions wherewith I 
was daily accumbered, besides the deceitful assaults of Satan and of his ministers, 
wherewith I was without ceasing troubled and disquieted, not only outwardly, but also 
inwardly), oftentimes called unto remembrance the most wretched and pitiful state of 
England, sometime flowing with the knowledge of God’s word as the sea with waters, 
but then wrapped full of blind ignorance and ignorant blindness. I considered with 
myself what I might do to help the miseries of my poor countrymen, specially such 
as were afflicted for the gospel’s sake. Not knowing how otherwise to gratify them, 
I wrote an epistle and sent it to certain godly brethren, declaring in it the causes 
of all the miseries and calamities that were fallen upon England; again, how they 
might be redressed; and, finally, what a merciful Lord our God is to all faithful 
penitent sinners that unfeignedly turn unto him. This epistle was not read of the 
brethren without fruit. I added to this epistle an humble supplication unto God for 
the restoring of his holy word to the church of England; wherein the devout Christian 
complaineth his grief and sorrow to the Lord for taking away the light of Christ’s 
gospel, and, most humbly knowledging his fault and worthy punishment, most heartily 
wisheth the subversion of antichrist’s kingdom, and the restitution of Christ’s most 
glorious kingdom to this realm of England. 

These two treatises I thought good to publish with my other works, and, in pub- 
lishing them, to dedicate them to your lordship, partly that they may be a testimony 
of my thankful heart to your honour for the benefits heretofore bestowed upon me in 
the time of my misery and poverty; partly that the godly readers may have the 

more affection to read them, when they shall see them offered to your lord- 

ship’s name, which with all the true Christians of this our realm is 
had in great reverence and singular estimation, both for the purity 
of your doctrine, and for the godliness of your conversa- 
tion; most humbly beseeching your honour, according 
to your accustomed goodness, to take in good 
part whatsoever this little gift is, as 
the present of him which wish- 
eth to your lordship all 
good and prosper- 
ous things. 


Christ, that high and everlasting Bishop, preserve your good lord- 
ship in continual health, with daily increase of ho- 
nour, unto the glory of God, and unto 
the profit of his holy and 
christian congregation. 
Amen. 


From Cantorbury, October 6, in the year of 
our Lord 1563. 


THE EPISTLE. 


The First Chapter. 


To the faithful Christians, wheresoever they be dispersed throughout the realm 
of England, Thomas Beacon wisheth grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, 
with perfect knowledge of his dearly-beloved Son Jesu Christ our Lord and alone 
Saviour, through the hallowing of the Holy Ghost, unto the true and unfeigned obe- 
dience of God’s most blessed will, with an earnest faith in the merciful promises of 
God, and assured hope of obtaining the same unto everlasting life. Amen. 


It greatly rejoiceth me, most dear brethren, to hear of this your constancy and Constancy in 
stedfastness in believing and confessing the glorious gospel of our Saviour Jesus Christ, eae: 
which, as the apostle saith, “is the power of God to save so many as believe ;” Rom. i. 
namely in these perilous and troublesome days, wherein we see so many start back 
and run away from the confession of God’s truth (which, when the weather was 
calm, they seemed constantly to profess), and follow the fond fantasies of men that 
speak not God’s word, but their own drowsy dreams and idle imaginations, brought 
into the church of Christ by subtile Satan and his marked merchants, unto the 
great disturbance of the christian commonwealth, so that, if it were possible, the Matt. xxiv. 
very elect and chosen people of God, through their juggling, might be seduced and 
led from the way of truth. As ye have godly begun, so manfully go forth unto 
the end, that ye may receive a full joy and a perfect reward of the Lord your God 
“in that day, when he gloriously shall appear and render to every one according to Rom. ii. 
his deeds, that is to say, praise, honour, and immortality to them which continue in 
good doing and seek eternal life; but unto them that are rebellious, and disobey the 
truth, and follow iniquity, shall come indignation and wrath, tribulation and an- 
guish.” 

But be it known unto you, dear brethren, that this thing that hath happened 
unto us in this realm of England (I mean the taking away of God’s true religion, 
and the thrusting in of papistry in the stead thereof, unto the great and unspeakable signstofore 
sorrow of all true christian hearts) ought not to seem unto you new, strange, and Te Saieaar 
unlooked for; but rather such a thing as hath hitherto many times been declared toe ce Ra 
unto you by the preachers, and ye yourselves, godly considering the corrupt manners ™ re 
and unlucky chances of this realm, did right well the same aforesee and greatly lament. 

For divers signs had we long before, besides the godly admonitions of the faithful 
preachers, which plainly declared unto us an utter subversion of the true christian 
religion to be at hand, except it were prevented by hasty and hearty repentance. 

What shall I speak of that godly and mighty prince Edward, duke of Somerset, the duke of 
which in the time of his protectorship did so banish idolatry out of this our realm, aoe 
and bring in again God’s true religion, that it was wonder so weighty a matter to 
be brought to pass in so short a time? Was not the ungentle handling of him, and 
the unrighteous thrusting him out of office, and afterward the cruel murdering of him, 

a man, yea, a mirror of true innocency and christian patience, an evident token of 

God’s anger against us? The sudden taking away of those most goodly and virtuous 

young imps, the duke of Suffolk and his brother’, by the sweating sickness, was The duke of 
it not also a manifest token of God’s heavy displeasure toward us? The death of poy Kand 
those two most worthy and godly-learned men, I speak of M. Paulus Fagius, and ™. Pautus 
of D. Martin Bucer', was it not a sure prognostication some great mishap concerning D. ‘Martin, 
christian religion to be at hand? But, as I may pass over many other, and at the“ ” 





[} See Strype, Eccles. Memor. Vol. IJ. Book 1. chap. xxix. 11. iv. and Burnet, Hist. Ref. Part II. Book 1. ] 


206 A COMFORTABLE EPISTLE 


last come unto that which is most lamentable, and can never be remembered of any 
true English heart without large tears, I mean the death of our most godly prince 


King Edward and christian king, Edward the VI., that true Josias, that earnest destroyer of false 


the sixth. 


Gross gospel- 
lers. 


Psal. cix. 


England 
blessed 
sometime. 


James iv. 


Matt. xxi. 


Tsai. v. 


Examples of 
God’s anger. 
Gen. vii. 

od ze li. 
The people 
of he old 
world. 

Gen. xix. 

2 Pet. ii. 
The Sodom- 
ites. 

Exod. xvii. 
The Israel- 
ites. 


2 Kings xxv. 
The Jews. 


Matt. xxi. 
Mark xii. 
Luke xx. 


Matt. xxiii. 
Acts vii. 


Plagues fol- 
lowing the 

contempt of 
God’s word. 


religion, that fervent setter up of God's true honour, that most bounteous patron of 
the godly-learned, that most worthy maintainer of good letters and virtue, and that 
perfect and lively mirror of true nobility and sincere godliness; was not the taking 
away of him (alas for sorrow!) a sure sign and an evident token that some great evil 
hanged over this realm of England ? 

Who, considering these things (as I may speak nothing of the wickedness of those 
men which made the word of God a cloak of their naughtiness, of their insatiable 
covetousness, of their intolerable pride, of their voluptuous and wanton living, &c.), 
perceived not a shipwreck of the christian religion to be at hand, as it is (alas for 
pity !) come to pass at this day? All good men feared the decay of God’s true honour 
in this realm: that we feared, that hath chanced; how could it otherwise come to 
pass? God’s blessing was offered unto us; but we through our wicked and unthank- 
ful life refused it. Shall not therefore blessing be taken away, and cursing come in 
the place thereof? as it is written: “‘ He would not have the blessing; it shall there- 
fore be far from him.” 


The Second Chapter. 


Ir the kingdom of God be proffered unto us, and we set not by it, are we not 
worthy to lose it? What realm since the apostles’ time was ever so abundantly re- 
plenished with the knowledge of Christ’s gospel, yea, and that in so few years, as 
this realm of England was? But, alas! how was it regarded? Who repented? Who 
knowledged his sin from the very heart? Who called on the name of God in spirit 
and truth? Who framed his life according to his knowledge? It is therefore come 
to pass, as our Saviour Christ long before threatened: “The kingdom of God shall 
be taken from you, and shall be given to a nation that bringeth forth the fruits thereof.” 
God planted in this realm of England a pleasant and goodly vineyard, dressing and 
trimming it after the best manner, looking continually to have some worthy fruit 
thereof; but when in the stead of natural grapes it brought forth wild berries, un- 
wholesome and unnatural, was it not worthy to be laid waste, to be trodden under 
foot, and to be devoured of wild beasts ? 

Were not the people of the old world worthy to be overwhelmed with waters, 
which, being of righteous Noe so oft afore admonished, would not repent and make 
provision for the avoiding of that plague? Were not the filthy Sodomites worthy to 
be consumed with fire and brimstone from heaven, which, being afore told of their 
destruction, would not cease through their abominable living to provoke the heavy 
wrath and fierce vengeance of God against them? Were not the Israelites worthy to 
be plagued even unto the death, when they, despising, loathing, and abhorring manna, 
which came down from heaven, lusted after the vile flesh of the earth? Were not 
the Jews worthy to be led away miserable captives and wretched prisoners, to serve 
strange princes in foreign countries, which would not serve their Lord God in their 
own country, “a land that floweth with milk and honey?” Was it not convenient 
that the people of Juda should be oppressed, yea, destroyed, both they and their cities, 
of their enemies the Romans, which refused Jesus Christ, their true liege and sove- 
reign Lord, to reign over them, and most cruelly put him to death? Were they not 
worthy to be seduced of a sort of false rabbins, as they are at this day, which would 
never give ear to the true prophets of God, but miserably killed them? Was it not 
also meet that they like vagabonds should wander throughout the world, without 
priesthood, kingdom, or commonweal, that would never truly serve him which before 
all other nations did choose them to be his peculiar people, giving them a land that 
floweth with the abundance of all things? 

Are they not worthy to walk in darkness, which willingly despise the light? to 
taste sour things, which abhor the sweet? to wander out of the way, which refuse the 
plain path? Even so is it come to pass likewise with us at this day. We abhorred 


TO THE AFFLICTED PEOPLE OF GOD. 207 


the light of God’s word; therefore are we now justly overwhelmed with the dark- 
ness of men’s trifling traditions and devilish decrees. We lightly esteemed the godly 
prayers and thanksgivings in our English tongue, whereby we might have been greatly 
edified; therefore are we now fed with Latin service, which we know not whether Latin service. 
it be blessing or cursing. Certain are we that it is altogether without edifying, and 
clean contrary to the commandment of God, and the doctrine of the holy apostle, which 
would nothing in the congregation, but in such a tongue as all the people understand, 1 Cor. xiv. 
that all may be edified. We set nought by the ministration of the holy and blessed 
communion of the body and blood of Christ: therefore this plague is worthily come 
upon us, that in the stead of the Lord’s supper we have most wicked and abominable 
masses set up, invented by the devil, brought in by antichrist, practised by his shorn Masses. 
shavelings, maintained by such as have received the beast’s mark, full of superstition, 
idolatry, blasphemy, spiritual whoredom, and of all that displeaseth God, and is hor- 
rible in the judgment and sight of all good men. We regarded not the godly-learned 
and fatherly bishops, nor the faithful and virtuous ministers of God’s word, which 
fed us with the pure wheat of Christ’s gospel, and taught us the holy ordinances of 
God, repentance, faith, love, invocation of the name of God, mortification of the old 
man, brotherly charity, patience, long-suffering, obedience, joy in the Holy Ghost, 
the true and christian good works, and such other fruits of the Spirit, whereby we 
might learn to serve the Lord our God “in holiness and righteousness all the days Lukei. 
of our life:” therefore, all those men of God being put to silence, some out of office, 
some in exile, some in prison, abiding the good pleasure of God, and “even as sheep Paal. xiiv. 
appointed to be slain,” we are compelled daily to hear such antichristian trumpet- "ga ae 
blowers, such cankered cormorants, such Caim-like caterpillars, such idle idols, such 
loitering lordennes', such lecherous lubbers, and such devilish destroyers of christian 
men’s souls, as fie! ears of a good Christian abhor for to hear, the eyes to behold, the 
feet to go unto. 

O misery passing all miseries! That flock, which the high Bishop Christ purchased Acts xx. 
with his most precious blood, to be scattered, rent, torn, and devoured of those cruel 
lions and ravening wolves, who lamenteth not? those people, whom God hath chosen 
for his inheritance, to be seduced and led out of the way by such ministers of Satan, 
as clothe themselves outwardly with sheep’s apparel, and inwardly are ravening wolves, Matt. vii. 
full of hypocrisy, ravine, deceit, and of all filthiness, whose heart distilleth not drops syeaaa 
of blood to consider? O too much lamentable case! 


The Third Chapter. 


For what other thing do the lying and bloody papists teach at this day, than Tig henn 
the very lies, dreams, and fantasies of antichrist the bishop of Rome and his adhe- pists. 
rents? as setting up of altars, tabernacles, images, and rood-lofts, hanging up of the 
pix, setting up of candles before idols and mawmets, hallowing of bread, salt, water, 
palms, fire, ashes, oil, chrism, rings, candles, &c., lady’s psalters, St Katherine knots, 
intercessions and merits of saints, purgatory, ween for the dead, trentals, diriges, com- Dregs and 
mendations, masses of Requiem, masses of Scala coli, masses of Recor. dare, masses of Si for aia 
tmiquitates, masses for all diseases, masses for all things, good or bad, auricular con- met 
fession, creeping to the cross with candles, eggs, money, &c., justification of works, 
free-will, popish fasting, prayers without understanding, faith without knowledge, de- 
votion without the spirit, satisfactory masses, propitiatory sacrifices done by sodomitical 
priests, transubstantiation, adoration of the sacramental bread, the real, corporal, sub- 
stantial, carnal, and natural presence of Christ in the sacrament, so that we break him 
on pieces with our hands, tear him with our teeth, and swallow him into the maw, 
and so digest him, and send him I cannot tell whither; with an whole sea of like 
errors and ee which the pilled, peevish, prattling Pte teach without the authority 


of God’s word, even of their own brain and fantasy, unto the great dishonour of 





[* Lordennes, or lourdanes: a term of reproach from lord Danes. } 


The cause of 
taking away 
the true reli- 
ion from us. 
um, xi. 


Psal. 1xxxi. 
2 Thess. ii. 


John iii. 


aS 


Psal. Ixvii. 


How the 
christian re- 
ligion may 
be recovered. 


Sin. 


Tsai. lix. 


Remedies 
against the 
wrath of God. 


Psal. v. 


208 A COMFORTABLE EPISTLE 


God, and the utter damnation of their souls which hear, believe, and follow the 
doctrine of those antichrists. 

And whence cometh it to pass that we, which before were blessed of God with 
so many heavenly benefits, are now most miserably compassed about with all kind 
of evils, and become the very bond-slaves of these antichrists and spiritual shameless 
shavelings, and as men wholly estranged from God, and utterly banished from the 
christian commonweal of the true Israelites? Verily our ingratitude, our unthankfulness, 
our unkindness, yea, our churlishness toward God and his holy word, hath caused all 
these miseries worthily to fall upon us. We were weary of the heavenly manna, and 
had a pleasure to return unto Egypt, where we might sit among the greasy flesh-pots, 
eating beef and brewis' knuckle-deep, and have our dainty fishes, our melons, our 
cucumbers, our onions, our garlic, our leeks, &c. Therefore according to the filthy 
lusts of our wicked hearts hath God dealt with us, and sent us again into the 
popish Egypt, to feed upon the pestilent leaven of the papistical Pharisees, even the 
beggarly ceremonies, trifling traditions, and dirty decrees of men, instead of God’s 
holy word, unto the horrible and dreadful damnation of our souls; as he saith by 
the psalmograph: “My people would not hear my voice, and Israel would not obey 
me: therefore gave I them up unto their own hearts’ lust, and let them follow their 
own imaginations.” Hereunto agreeth the saying of St Paul: “ Because they received 
not the love of the truth, that they might be saved, therefore will God send them 
a strong illusion, to believe lies.” Is not this the saying of our Saviour Christ? “This 
is condemnation, that light is come into the world; and men have loved darkness more 
than light; for their works were evil.” 

The thing therefore, that brought this condemnation, this darkness, this blindness 
upon us, is the hating of the light of God’s word, our unthankfulness for the benefits 
of Christ’s gospel, and our sinful life replenished with all kind of wickedness. These 
things, these things made God to withdraw the most pleasant and comfortable light 
of his loving countenance from us, and to suffer the prince of darkness to shadow us 
with his wings of hellish ignorancy and devilish blindness, unto our great discomfort and 
continual sorrow. ‘‘God have mercy on us, and bless us, and shew us the light of 
his countenance, and be merciful unto us; that we may know his way upon the earth, 
and his saving health among all nations.” Amen. 


The Fourth Chapter. 


But what is now to be done? Shall we cast away all hope? Shall we yield 
ourself to the prince of darkness? Shall we suffer ourselves continually to be wrapped 
and covered in with the dreadful clouds of popish blindness? God forbid! Yea, rather 
let us with a lusty courage and bold spirit hunt out and seek some means, whereby 
we may be despatched of this most miserable plague, wherewith we are at this present 
justly stricken for our unthankfulness and wicked life; and so recover the favour of 
God, that we may once again walk in the heavenly light of his most glorious coun- 
tenance. Sin, as we heard afore, drove away from us the benefit of God’s most blessed 
word, and of his true religion; as the prophet saith: ‘‘ Your wickednesses have made 
a wall between you and your God, and your sins hide his face from you.” 

Now must we therefore seek how to appease the wrath of God kindled against 
us. Verily, the mean how to make God merciful unto us is from henceforth to avoid 
that which was the cause of God’s displeasure against us, and of the taking away 
of his blessed word from us, I mean sin. Sin must be taken away from among us, 
or else can we never be reconciled unto God, nor obtain his favour; so far is it off 
that we shall recover the heavenly benefit of his glorious gospel. ‘For the Lord 
our God is such a God as abhorreth wickedness. The evil cannot dwell by him, 
nor the unrighteous abide in his sight.” Sin therefore, which drove God out of our 
host, and with him the light of his blessed word, must be weeded out both of our 


[! Brewis or brose: a kind of pottage. ] 


TO THE AFFLICTED PEOPLE OF GOD. 209 


heart and life, that we may be pure before the Lord our God, and glorify him in 

spirit and body. So shall we be made meet temples for his godly majesty to dwell 1 cor. vi. 
in; whom if we once receive into our hearts, with him we may be sure to enjoy 

all good things. 

Now to put away sin, the first remedy is earnest and unfeigned repentance. Let Repentance. 
us all even from the very heart be inwardly sorry for our unthankfulness and dis- 
obedience against God’s most blessed will. Let us even with tears, as Peter and Matt. xxvi. 
Magdalene did, lament and bewail our wretchednesses, being most heartily sorry that 
we ever offended so loving a Father and so merciful a Lord. For this unfeigned 
repentance and hearty bewailing of our sins is an acceptable sacrifice unto God; as 
David saith: “ A sacrifice unto God is a troubled spirit: a broken and humble heart Psal.1i. 
God will not despise.” Yea, God himself saith by the prophet: “ Unto whom shall tsai. 1xvi. 
I look, but unto him that is low brought, and of a broken spirit, and standeth in 
awe of my words?” This way of epaaie God’s favour taught Moses and all the Isai. ly 
prophets, John Baptist, Christ, and all his disciples; as the holy scriptures testify. Frck. xvii. 
For without repentance nothing is to be had of God but wrath, displeasure, and } Mark i 
everlasting damnation; as our Saviour Christ saith: “ Except ye repent, all sort of Luke xiii. 
you shall perish.” But where true repentance cometh, and an earnest hate of sin, 
with a fervent study of innocency and amendment of life, there lie the grace, mercy, 
favour, and good-will of God, bent out for the penitent sinner; as God himself saith 
by the prophet: “If the ungodly turn away from all his sins that he hath done, kzek. xviii. 
and shall keep all my statutes, and do judgment and righteousness, he shall surely 
live, and not die. All his offences shall no more be laid before him; but in his right- 
eousness that he hath done shall he live. For I have no pleasure in the death of a 
sinner, saith the Lord God; but rather that he turn from his wicked ways, and live.” 

Again: “As surely as I live, saith the Lord God, I have no delight in the death of Faek. xxxiii, 
a sinner; but rather that he should turn from his ways, and live. Turn ye, turn 
ye from your evil ways; and why will ye die, O ye house of Israel?” 

Divers examples have we hereof in the holy scripture, as the children of Israel, Examples of 
the Ninivites, David, Manasses, Peter, Magdalene, the thief, and such other; which, a corer 
after they repented, oad favour at the merciful hand of God. As we have eilawed 
them in sinning and doing evil, so let us follow them in repenting and doing well. 

Then may we be sure to find like favour with them. For it is written: “The Lord Psal. xxxiv. 
is at hand for them that are of a troubled heart; and the broken in spirit will he 
heal and save.” 


The Fifth Chapter. 


SeconpLy, to this hearty repentance must a true and christian faith be annexed, Faitn. 
which apprehendeth and layeth hand on the merciful promises of God freely set forth 
to all faithful penitent sinners in Christ's dear heart-blood. For without this faith repentance 
and perfect persuasion of God’s favour toward us repentance is vain; as the histories aie 
of Caim, Esau, Saul, Achab, Judas, and of such other do ranihetly declare. In "8° 
Peadenaton whereof our Sannue Christ, when he began to preach, said not only 
to his hearers, “‘ Repent;’ but he added, “‘ And believe the gospel ;” teaching that true Mark i. 
repentance must be joined with christian faith, or else it profiteth nothing. An example 
hereof, besides many other, have we in the history of the sinful woman in the gospel Luke vii. 
of St Luke, which did not only repent earnestly, as her bitter tears, sorrowful sobbings, 
and deep sighings do plainly declare; but she also faithfully believed, being constantly 
persuaded that she, although a most wicked sinner, should obtain remission of all her 
sins at God the Father's hand for Jesus Christ’s sake, his dearly-beloved Son, whose 
feet at that present she ceased not to kiss, whose feet she washed with her tears, wiped 
with her hair, and anointed with most precious pleasant oil. Our Saviour Christ there- 
fore, beholding her true repentance conjoined with undoubted faith, said not only to 
her, “Thy sins are forgiven thee ;” but he added, “Thy faith hath saved thee: depart Note. 
with peace ;” that is to say, with a quiet, free, joyful, and merry conscience. 

Let us bring forth this faithful repentance and repentant faith, and with all humility 
14 


[BEcon, 111.] 


210 A COMFORTABLE EPISTLE 


pour out our sins before the gracious throne of God's majesty, and heartily crave re- 
mission and forgiveness of all our sins in the precious blood of our Saviour Jesu 
Christ ; and without all doubt God will be favourable unto us, have pity on us, and 
lighten his cheerful countenance once again upon us, that we on the earth may know 
Psal. ci. his ways and his saving health among all nations. For “the Lord our God is full 
of compassion and mercy, long-suffering, and of great goodness. He will not alway 
be chiding: neither keepeth he his anger for ever. He will not deal with us after 
our sins, nor reward us according to our wickedness. For look, how high the heaven 
is in comparison of the earth, so great is his mercy also toward them that fear him. 
Look, how wide also the east is from the west, so far will he set our sins from us. 
Yea, like as a father pitieth his own children, even so will the Lord be merciful unto 
Lai. xxviii them that fear him.” All our sins will he cast behind his back: into the bottom of 
‘the sea will he throw them, and never remember them more: yea, if our sins, as the 
Isai. i. prophet saith, “be as red as scarlet, yet shall they be made whiter than snow; and 
if they were like purple, yet shall they be like white wool,” if we unfeignedly repent, 
turn unto the Lord our God, believe his promises, and crave mercy of him for Christ’s 
sake. 


The Sixth Chapter. 


God'a-wonist TuirDLy, earnest diligence must be given that, according to this true repentance 
‘001 


Sees and unfeigned faith, we bring forth good works. For the nature of hearty re- 
The nature of pentance and of christian faith is not to be idle, but mightily to work, to change the 
faith is not penitent creature, and to transform him into a new man, that he may serve the Lord 
to beidle- “his God in holiness and righteousness all the days of his life. If there be not an 


Eph.iv. alteration of life, if the “old man be not put off,” with all his works, and the “new 
g@ man put on, which is made according unto God, through righteousness ;” if those 
Rom. vi. | members, which afore were “servants to uncleanness and unrighteousness,” do not now 


become “servants to cleanness, righteousness, and holiness ;” without all doubt we have 
neither true repentance, nor unfeigned faith, whose nature and property is to bring 
2Cor.v. forth new, spiritual, and godly fruits; as the apostle saith: “If any man be in Christ, 


Gal. v. he is a new creature.” Again: ‘“‘ They that are of Christ have crucified the flesh with 
the affects and lusts thereof.” 

Matt. iii. Therefore the holy preacher John Baptist, that priest’s son, did not only exhort 
his hearers unto repentance, but also unto amendment of life, and unto the bringing 

Matt. iii. forth of such fruits as become true and faithful repentance. “ Bring forth fruits,” 


saith he, “worthy of repentance, &c. For now is the axe laid at the root of the 
trees. Every tree therefore that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn up, and cast 
Matt. vii. into the fire.” And our Saviour Christ saith: ‘Not every one that saith unto me, 
Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doth the will of 
John xv. my Father which is in heaven.” Again: “Ye are my friends, if ye do those things 
John xiv. Which I command you.” Item: “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, 
Matt.v. he it is that loveth me.” Also in another place: “‘ Let your light so shine before men, 
that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” 

4 These fruits of faithful repentance, which are the true good works that God requireth 
of us to be done in the holy scripture, (and not such as good intent, blind zeal, or man’s 
idle imagination fantasieth,) ought to be brought forth, when time requireth, of every 

Note. true christian man, to declare that his faith and repentance is true and unfeigned. 
We may not therefore, if we tender our own salvation, and will recover the favour 
of God, be slack and sluggish in bringing forth these weighty fruits of repentance 
and faith; but so adorn, garnish, deck, trim, and set forth our life with them, that 
it may appear to all men, yea, to the very adversaries of God, that our repentance 
is true, and our faith unfeigned, and that we be true Christians, not only in name, 
but also in deed, and not of the number of those of whom the apostle writeth on this 

Tit. i. manner: “‘ They profess (with their mouth) that they know God; but with their 
deeds they deny him.” 

And albeit at all times it were convenient that the true Christians should bring 


TO THE AFFLICTED PEOPLE OF GOD. 211 


forth the works of repentance and the fruits of faith, and lead a life worthy their 
profession, yet in these our days it is most requisite. For who considereth not with 
how great a number of enemies (I mean the devil and the papists) the true Chris- 
tians are environed and beset in these our days, which do nothing else but dili- 
gently mark what they may find in us worthy to be rebuked, that by this means 
they may slander the good doctrine that we profess, and bring us out of credit with 
all men, that they may go forth the more freely to lie (as they have begun largely 
already) and to sow their abominable, devilish, wicked, popish, superstitious, and anti- 
christian doctrine the more frankly in the hearts of the simple and unlearned people, 
to the great derogation of the glory of Christ’s gospel, and to the Lucifer-like avance- 
ment of their beastly and idle life? It were meet, therefore, that the true lovers of 
God and of his blessed word should, in these our days, seek all means possible so 
to garnish their life with good works, that in all things they may do honour to the 
doctrine of Christ our Saviour, and stop the mouths of the wicked and ungodly ad- 
versaries by well-doing; as St Peter admonisheth, saying: ‘‘ This is the will of God, 
that by well-doing ye should stop the mouths of foolish and ignorant people ; as free, 
and not as having a liberty to be a cloke of naughtiness, but as the servants of 
God.” Again: “Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain 
from fleshly lusts, which fight against the soul; and have an honest conversation 
among the heathen; that, in that they do backbite you as evil-doers, they, judging 
you of your good works, may glorify God in the day of visitation.” Hereto agreeth 
the saying of St Paul: “Do all thing without murmuring and disputing; that ye 
may be faultless and pure, and the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of 
a crooked and a perverse nation; among which see that ye shine as lights in the 
world, holding fast the word of life.” 

For there is nothing that so greatly abasheth the adversaries of God’s word, and 
killeth their courage, striking them even down to the ground, as the godly and vir- 
tuous life of the Christians; and, contrariwise, nothing gladdeth them more than to 
see our life dissolute and swerving from our profession. For then, like hell-hounds, 
yell they out, and say, Behold your protestants. See your new gospellers. Consider 
their life. Note their manners. Mark their conversation. Where is found the like 
pride, covetousness, false bargaining, crafty buying and selling, oppressing of the 
poor, raising of rents, taking of incomes, idle words, vain oaths, superfluous ban- 
queting, contempt of the poor, unmercifulness, breaking of promise, untruth, with all 
that ever set forth a wicked and ungodly life? O what a stumbling-block is this 
to weak consciences! What a dishonour to the word of God! What a slander to 
the christian profession! What a decay to godly religion! What avancement of 
papistry and idolatry! What encouragement to the blind to persevere in their blind- 
ness! What a glory to the wicked papists, and a confirmation to their abominable 
and devilish doctrine! 

Therefore, if we tender the glory of God, the avancement of his true religion, 
and the salvation of our own souls, let us bring forth the worthy fruits of true re- 
pentance and unfeigned faith; that God may have a pleasure in us, rejoice to do us 
good, and delight to bring our enemies and their satanical superstition under foot, 
that his name may be glorified, and his true religion once again flourish among us, 
unto our singular joy and unspeakable comfort. 


The Seventh Chapter. 


Moreover, forasmuch as we are compassed about with daily troubles, and stand 
i continual danger, both of the devil and of his limbs the papists, not being able 
of ourselves to withstand their tyranny, and to rid ourselves out of their hands; it 
shall be expedient that we without ceasing flee unto God with most hearty prayers, 
pouring out with tears before the throne of his divine majesty our cares, sorrows, 
miseries, wretchednesses, and troubles; most humbly beseeching his fatherly goodness 
to have pity on us, to keep us from all evil, to defend us from our enemies, both 
bodily and ghostly, to preserve us from idolatry, papistry, superstition, hypocrisy, and 

]4—2 


An urgent 
cause why 
we ought to 
do good 
works. 


Tit. ii. 


1 Pet. ii. 


Phil. ii. 


5% 


Prayer. 


Psal. xxxiv. 


Papists. 
James i. 


Rom. x. 


John xv. 
xvi. 
Psal. exx. 


Psal. xxii. 


Gen. xxxiii-. 
Deliverance 
by prayer. 
Exod. xvii. 
2 Kings xix. 


Acts xii. 


Acts ii. iv. 


1 Thess. v. 
Vote. 


Continuance 
in prayer. 
Psal. exxiil. 


Hab. ii. 
Heb. x. 


Psal. ix. 


Psal. xii. 


Tsai. XXX. 


Lam. iii. 


Patience. 


212 A COMFORTABLE EPISTLE 


from all false religion, and to keep us in his fear, faith, love, and perfect obedience 
of his most holy law and blessed ordinances, to give his heavenly Spirit for to renew 
our hearts, and to send his holy angels to pitch their tents about us, and to defend 
us from all evil and wickedness; as it is written: “The angel of the Lord pitcheth 
his tent about them that fear him, and delivereth them.” 

This kind of prayer is a sweet-smelling sacrifice unto God, and most highly 
pleaseth him, Therefore was it the daily exercise of all godly people in all ages, 
yea, their whole delight and pleasure. With whatsoever trouble they were accumbered, 
faithful prayer was their only refuge, solace, comfort, and succour. Being grieved 
with any kind of adversity, they hasted not unto saints with Ora pro nobis, as the 
dissembling hypocrites and wicked papists do in their pompous and idolatrous pro- 
cessions, but unto God, from whom alone “cometh every good and perfect gift,” 
which also is “rich enough for all them that call on him;’ and they desired to 
have their prayers accepted, not for the intercession and merits of any saints, nor 
yet for their own dignity and worthiness, but for Jesus Christ’s sake, for his merits, 
worthiness, and excellency; and they were most graciously heard, as David saith: 
“When I was in trouble, I cried unto the Lord; and he mercifully heard me.” 
Again: “Our fathers hoped in thee, O God: they trusted in thee; and thou didst 
deliver them. They called upon thee, and were holpen: they put their trust in thee, 
and were not confounded.” Was not Jacob delivered from the tyranny of his brother 
Esau by prayer? Were not the children of Israel made noble conquerors of the 
Amelechites, when Moses prayed for them? What a wonderful victory had king 
Ezechias over that proud prince Sennacherib, after that he had prayed unto the 
Lord his God, although neither he nor any of his fought one stroke! Was not 
Peter delivered out of prison through the prayers of the faithful congregation? 
Had not the gospel of our Saviour Christ good success at the beginning through 
the fervent prayers of the holy apostles? 

I should want both time, paper, and ink, if I should go forth to rehearse unto 
you all the histories of such as have received singular benefits at the hand of God 
through prayer. 

“ Pray” therefore “continually, and be thankful to God for all things,” in the 
name of Christ; and ye shall shortly see the wonderful works of God in banishing 
again idolatry, papistry, and all false religion, and in restoring unto us the glorious 
gospel of Jesus Christ, his dearly-beloved Son and our alone Saviour, sunto our 


great joy and singular comfort, and unto the utter confusion and destruction of an- 
tichrist and of his kingdom. 


The Eighth Chapter. 


Anp albeit that ye do not perceive remedy straightways, yet cease not to pray; 
but ‘‘as the eyes of servants look to the hands of their masters, and as the eyes of 
a maiden unto the hand of her mistress, even so let your eyes wait upon the Lord 
your God until he have mercy on you.” He will “undoubtedly come, and not tarry,” 
when his godly wisdom seeth the time; yea, and that on such sort as shall make 
most for his glory and your comfort. “For the poor shall not alway be forgotten: 
the patient abiding of the meek shall not perish for ever.” ‘‘The Lord will be a de- 
fence for the oppressed, even a refuge in due time of trouble;” as he himself witnesseth, 
saying: “For the comfortless trouble’s sake of the needy, and because of the deep 
sighing of the poor, now will I up, saith the Lord, and will help every one from 
him that swelleth against them, and will set him at rest.” Remember this saying 
of the prophet Esay: ‘In silence and hope shall your strength be;” and this sen- 
tence also of Jeremy: “It is good with silence to tarry for the saving health of 
God.” 

Murmur not against God, nor appoint him not his time; but patiently abide his 
working, referring all things to his godly pleasure, and submitting your will to his 
blessed will, which always both willeth and doth that thing that is best for his 


TO THE AFFLICTED PEOPLE OF GOD. 213 


glory and for our salvation. ‘In your patience,” saith our Saviour Christ, “shall Luke xxi. 
ye possess your souls.” We are commanded to “hear the word of God with an Luke viii. 
honest and good heart, to keep it fast, and to bring forth the fruit thereof with 
patience.” ‘The trial of your faith,” saith St James, “bringeth forth patience; but James i. 
let your patience have a perfect work, that ye may be perfect and whole and sound 
on every part.” To the Hebrews also it is written: “Cast not away your confidence, Heb. x. 
which hath great reward to recompence. For ye have need of patience, that, after 
ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, 
and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.” 

Pray, therefore, with patience, patiently abiding the good pleasure of God, and his 
most gracious working. Let your faith and hope never depart from God; but when note. 
things be come to most extremity, and reason judgeth havoc utterly to be made, 
and all things to be past remedy, then stick most fast to God and to his promises: 
let not your hold go; but in the midst of death hope for life, and Jook for deliver- 
ance at the Lord’s hand. Be like unto him that said: “Though he killeth me, yet Job xiii. 
will I put my trust in him.” Say with the psalmograph: “The Lord is my light Psal. xxvii. 
and my salvation: whom then shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life: 
of whom then shall I be afraid? When the wicked, even mine enemies and my 
foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though an host of 
men were laid against me, yet shall not my heart be afraid; and though there rose 
up war against me, yet will I put my trust in him.” For Ios ye this to be the God's pro- 
property of God. He first casteth down before he lifteth up; as we may see by ea 
Joseph, David, Daniel, and such other. And when things seem to be past all remedy, $& 
then he setteth to his hand, and marvellously helpeth, that he may shew himself to 
be an almighty Lord, and valiant ruler of all creatures; and that “there is no wWis- Prov. xxi. 
dom, no forecast, no counsel that can prevail against the Lord ;’ as David saith: “The Psal. xxxiii. 
Lord bringeth the counsels of the heathen to nought, and maketh the devices of the 
people to be of none effect, and casteth out the counsels of princes. But the counsel 
of the Lord shall endure for ever, and the thoughts of his heart from generation to 
generation.” 


The Ninth Chapter. 


Tat God sheweth his present help most of all in greatest extremities, divers oe 
histories declare evidently in the holy scriptures, whereof part briefly to touch it pec ety 
shall not be out of the way; that we may learn in the midst of greatest evils not 
to despair of the mighty working of God, but to conceive a sure hope, and to look 
for all good things at the hand of the ierd our God. 

Who knoweth not unto what great extremity the children of Israel were brought ee 
after their deliverance out of Egypt? Came they not to this point in their journey, 
that before them there was no way to go into but the Red Sea, wherein they must 
needs be drowned, if they went forward; and behind them was king Pharao with 
all his army, ready to slay them, if they tarried? Here natural reason saw nothing 
but present death. Before them was the Red Sea, unable to be passed through, and 
behind them their mortal foe with his bloody and cruel host ready to kill them. 

O to what extremity are the Israelites come! Yet behold, that merciful God, 

which is ever true and faithful in his promises, found a way for them to escape, Hobe 
where all reason, wit, wisdom, discretion, experience, and policy of man could do 
nothing in the matter. He cane the sea to divide itself, so that in the midst 
thereof he made a dry path for his people safely to pass through, the sea standing 

on both sides of them like two walls; and, the Israelites being once passed through, 

that which was a safeguard to God’s people was an utter destruction to their ene- 

mies: for the sea, at the commandment of God, closed again together, and drowned 
Pharao with all his company. O the wonderful works of God! 

Again, when they were come into the wilderness, where neither meat nor drink Exod. xvi. 
was to be gotten, and they, judging after natural reason, thought that every one of ™” 


214 A COMFORTABLE EPISTLE 


them should there most miserably have died for want of succour, how did the heavenly 
Father in that extremity provide for his people, by sending them meat from heaven, 
and giving them most pleasant and sweet waters, even out of the hard rock, to drink! 
O the exceeding great riches of the Lord our God! 
Gen. xxxix. To whom is the history of Joseph unknown? who being miserably kept in prison 
pee certain years without just cause, every man despaired of his deliverance at any time. 
But when all things seemed to be past remedy, and the matter brought to utter 
desperation concerning his coming out, God setteth to hand, and doth not only 
Gen. xl. deliver Joseph out of prison, ‘but he also bringeth him to such honour and dignity, 
that he is made chief ruler over all the land of Egypt next unto the king. O the 
singular good-will of the Lord our God toward his faithful and loving servants! 
2Kingsxviii, What shall I speak of that most noble and faithful king Ezechias? which, being 
in most grievous danger, both he and his countries, through the tyranny of Senna- 
cherib, that most proud king of the Assyrians, which was at hand to destroy both 
him and his realm, and not perceiving how he and his people, with all their wit, 
policy, and strength, were able to enter battle with so mighty an enemy, utterly 
despairing of his own might and power, lamented his cause unto the Lord his God, 
2Kingsxix. which so pitied the sorrowful estate of king Ezechias and of his people, that even 
the same night he sent his angel, which slew in the host of the Assyrians an hun- 
dred eighty and five thousand; so that Sennacherib with the rest of his host 
fled; which shortly after, as he was worshipping his false god, was slain of his own 
sons in the idolatrous temple? O the prince-like puissance of the Lord our God in 
defending his faithful people! 
Bath il. Notable is the history contained in the book of Hester concerning the Jews, 
Aye which were the people of God; where we read that wicked Aman, being highest in 
authority with king Ahasuerus, for displeasure that he bare unto Mardocheus the 
Jew, because he would not bow the knee unto him and reverence him, procured of 
the king a commandment to be directed unto all his officers and magistrates, that 
all the Jews that were within the king’s dominions should be destroyed. And as 
for Mardocheus, Aman had prepared for him a new pair of gallows of fifty cubits 
high, purposing to hang him the next day following. Here was nothing at hand nor 
to be looked for, but present death and destruction. All was like to go to havoc; 
all things were brought to such an extremity. The commission is written and sealed 
with the king’s own ring: posts are sent with it into all the king’s lands: the day 
is appointed that all Jews, both young and old, children and women, should be 
destroyed in one day. What is here to be seen but present death? The Jews are 
not an handful in comparison of their enemies; so that utter destruction lieth bent 
out for them, and no way there is to escape it, so far as reason can judge. But 
now behold God’s working, and here shall ye find that thing true which Salomon 
Prov. xxi. saith : “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, like as are the rivers of water: 
Esth. vii he may turn it whithersoever he will.” Aman, which before was so much set by 
Bene TeHte of the king, is now suddenly so far fallen from the king’s favour, that he is com- 
manded to be hanged upon those same gallows that he had set up for good Mardo- 
cheus ; so that Mardocheus was made ruler of all that Aman had, and was exalted 
Psal. xxv. With high dignity, that that may be found true which we read in the psalm: “I said 
unto the fools, Deal not so madly; and to the ungodly, Set not up your horn. Set 
not up your horn on high; and speak not with a stiff neck. For promotion cometh 
neither from the east nor from the west, nor yet from the south. And why? God 
Psal. xxvii, 18 the judge; he putteth down one, and setteth up another.” Again: “The ungodly 
seeth the righteous, and secketh occasion to slay him. But the Lord will not leave 
rsth. viii tx. him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.” Immediately after, also, 
May not God Was a contrary commandment sent out by the posts with all haste from the king, 


thus work in 


the queen's straitly charging all the inhabitants of the king’s dominions by no means to trouble 


faithful ser- | OF to vex the Jews, but to take them as most dear, faithful, and loving subjects of 
shee tte the king; and, if any would withstand the king’s commandment in this behalf, that 
her away, ret the Jews should gather themselves together, and slay their enemies, and take away 


toreignas their goods. Thus suddenly was sorrow turned into joy, heaviness into mirth, sad- 


TO THE AFFLICTED PEOPLE OF GOD. 215 


ness into gladness, slavery into honour, darkness into light, and death into life. O may favour 
the unspeakable power of the Lord our God! paeaee 

To whom is the history of the three young men unknown, which, because they pan. iii. 
would not worship the golden image at the king’s commandment, were cruelly cast Soon 
into an hot brenning oven? Who would not have judged their life utterly lost? But 
God, which helpeth in most extremities, so provided, that the fire did hurt them 
nothing at all; no, not so much as an hair of their head perished with the fire, nor 
no part of their garments. Whole and sound came they out of the brenning furnace, 
unto the great glory of God. O the fatherly care of the Lord our God for all such 
as cleave to his holy and blessed word! 

The history of casting the prophet Daniel into the den of lions, because, contrary pan. vi. 
to the king’s commandment, he prayed unto the Lord his God, is not unknown to“ 
them that read the holy scriptures. Who durst have promised Daniel any life, being 
thus cast down unto the hungry and cruel lions? yet God was present with him, and 
stopped the lions’ mouths, that they did not once hurt him. O the loving-kindness 
of the Lord our God toward all them that call on his holy name, and put their trust 
in him! 

I pass over the histories of the citizens of Bethulia, of Job, of Thoby, of Susan, 
and of divers other contained in the old testament, which, in all their necessities and 
troubles, calling on the name of God, proved his present help, which by no means 
would suffer them to perish. “All these things are written for our learning, that Rom. xv. 
through patience and comfort of the scriptures we should have hope.” 


The Tenth Chapter. 


TAKE one or two examples out of the new testament, for the confirmation of our 
faith in this behalf, that we may learn God to be one and the same loving Father in Ma. iii 
all ages, and never more doubt of his fatherly goodness toward us, but conceive an 
assured hope and perfect trust of his present help, even in the deepest of our adver- 
sities; as he saith: “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I Pasal. xxiii. 
will fear no evil; for thou art with me.” 

When Christ and his disciples were in the ship, Christ at a certain time slept. ee 
In the mean while there arose a great tempest in the sea; insomuch that the ship of Chnst. 
was covered with the waves. The disciples, perceiving themselves to be in great danger 
and peril of drowning, and not knowing what to do, nor how to escape, came unto 
Christ, awoke him, and said: “ Master, save us: we perish.” Christ answered: “‘ Why 
are ye afraid, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the 
sea; and there followed a great calm.” O the tender mercy of the Lord our God 
toward all such as in the time of their trouble fly unto his name as unto a strong 
bulwark! This history teacheth us that, though the seas and the winds, yea, though 48 
the devil and the world rise, roar, rage, and ruffle against us never so much, yet, 
if we fly unto God with hearty and faithful prayer, he will surely help us, so that 
nothing shall hurt us, seem our case never so miserable, and our danger never so 
perilous. “The waves of the sea are mighty,” saith the psalmograph, “and rage Paul. xciii 
horribly ; yet the Lord that dwelleth on high is mightier.” 

The like history read we of Peter, which, when he saw Christ walking on the oe 
sea, said: “Lord, bid me come unto thee on the water. Christ said, Come. And 
when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. 

But when he saw a mighty wind, he was afraid. And when he began to sink, he 
cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus, stretching forth his hand, 
caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt ?” 

O the merciful favour of the Lord our God toward his weak and feeble creatures! 

Tfere find we the saying of the prophet true: ‘“‘ A bruised reed shall he not break, Isai. xiii. 
and smoking flax shall he not quench.” 

But as I may at the last come to the bistory of our Saviour Christ. Who seeth christ. 


Matt. xxvil. 


Papists. 


Matt. xxvi. 
XXVil. 
Note. 


1 Cor. iil. 


gS 


Matt. xxviii. 


Beware, ye 
papists. 


Rom. i. 


1 Sam. ii. 
Matt. xxi. 
2 Tim. iii. 


Rom. xvi. 


Acts xii. 
Peter. 


216 A COMFORTABLE EPISTLE 


not the mighty power of God in raising up Christ crucified and dead, when all reason 
and wisdom of men thought it a thing impossible? The Jews now promised them- 
selves many fair holy-days, great safeguard, much quietness, and continual rest; seeing 
they had brought Christ their head enemy to his long home, as they use to say. 
Even as our papists at this present day promise themself many good morrows, great 
assurance of their wealthy livings, long rest, perfect establishment of their kingdom, 
and sure safety for ever; forasmuch as they have now gotten again their devilish and 
abominable mass, their unfruitful Latin service, their beggarly ceremonies, &c., and 
have so handled the matter that, the true preachers being put to silence, they alone, 
both at Paul’s Cross and elsewhere, are the trumpet-blowers, not of Christ’s gospel, 
but of that Romish antichrist’s dirty, devilish decrees; as their sermons, if they be 
worthy that name, now of late have manifestly declared, unto the great derogation 
of God’s glory, the dishonour of his holy gospel, and the unspeakable sorrow of 
all faithful and christian hearts. 

The Jews, but specially the bishops and the priests, the scribes and the lawyers, the 
Pharisees and the Sadducees, found the means to lay hand on Christ, to bind him, to carry 
him unto the high powers, to accuse him, to condemn him, to crucify him, and to kill 
him. Yea, being buried, and a great stone rolled to the door of the sepulchre, they sealed 
the stone, and set watchmen with bills, halberts, gleyves', staves, spears, pikes, and 
all manner of weapon, to keep Christ down, that he should rise no more and trouble 
the holy, religious, and spiritual fathers with his doctrine, as he did afore. But what 
is the power of this world before God? very weakness, and the wisdom plain foolish- 
ness. For when they thought themselves sure enough of Christ for ever rising again, 
and themselves set in such a goodly stay as no misfortune could chance to them 
and to their kingdom, Christ, by the power of his Godhead, rose again a triumphant 
and victorious conqueror of all his enemies, and reigneth now in the glory of his 
Father for ever and ever. And shortly after the doctrine of Christ, which they sought 
by all means possibly to destroy, and for the which they so hated Christ that they 
thought him unworthy to live, did so arise, spring, grow, increase, prosper, and flourish, 
that it was not only taught in Jewry and Samaria, but also in all the parts of the 
world ; and the Jews, for their unthankfulness and disobedience, after certain years, 
with their country, utterly perished and came to nought. 

After this sort, without all doubt, shall it come to pass with our papists. For 
whereas they think prosperously long to reign by suppressing the word of God, and 
holding down, yea, quenching the glorious light of Christ’s gospel, the gospel of Christ, 
which is ‘the power of God,” shall most triumphantly rise again, maugre the enemies, 
flourish, and prosper ; and they, with all their pomp, pride, vanity, superstition, papistry, 
hypocrisy, idolatry, ceremonies, masses, decrees, constitutions, councils, customs, &c. 
shall perish and come to nought. For God himself saith: “I will honour them that 
honour me, and I will bring them to shame that do dishonour me.” And our Saviour 
Christ saith: “He that falleth upon this stone shall be broken on pieces; but upon 
whomsoever it fall, it shall crush him all to powder.” MHereto pertaineth the say- 
ing of St Paul: “ They resist the truth, being men of a corrupt judgment, and lewd, 
as concerning the faith; but they shall prevail no longer. For their madness shall be 


known to all men.” Again: “The God of peace shall tread Satan under your feet 
shortly.” 


The Eleventh Chapter. 


Moreover, in the Acts of the Apostles we read that, after king Herod had “killed 
James the brother of John with the sword,” “he laid hand on Peter and put him in 
prison, committing him to four quaternions of soldiers to be kept; and intending after 
Easter to bring him forth to the people, and so to kill him. But prayer was made 
without ceasing of the congregation to God for him.” Here Peter was apprehended, 


[’ Gleyves, or glaives: broad-swords, falchions. ] 


TO THE AFFLICTED PEOPLE OF GOD. 217 


cast into prison, bound with chains, warders appointed to keep him, and all things 
so handled that he should by no means escape, but all times be ready at the first 
call to be brought forth unto death. Peter looked continually for present death. Herod 
and the Jews persuaded themselves to be so sure of Peter, to kill him at their plea- 
sure, as though they had slain him already. But behold the mighty power of God, 
which findeth a means to deliver his servants when reason seeth no way to escape. 
The night before that Peter should be brought forth to death, there was a very dili- 
gent watch, because they would be sure of him. Peter himself was bound with two 
chains. Two soldiers also kept him in the prison, one on the one side of him, and 
another on the other side. Besides this there were keepers set before the door to keep 
the prison. All things were as sure as might be. Peter was past all hope of de- 
liverance. He committed the matter unto God, and gave himself to rest, looking the 
next day after to have been slain. And while Peter was asleep, and had given over pote well 
the matter, God wrought, and sent his angel into prison unto Peter, which won- not. 
derfully brought him out of prison, and delivered him from all danger. Read the 
chapter. O the almighty power of the Lord our God, in the deliverance of his 
servants ! 

If God determineth to save alive, who is able to put to death? Here see we the 
saying of our Saviour Christ to be true, that all the hairs of our head are num- Matt. x. 
bered, and that not one of them shall perish without the good-will of our heavenly 
Father. Here is that verified which is spoken by the psalmograph: “The angel of Psal. xxxiv. 
the Lord pitcheth his tent round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.” 
“‘Great are the troubles of the righteous; but the Lord delivereth them out of all. 
He keepeth all their bones; so that not one of them shall be broken.” ‘The Lord 
delivereth the souls of his servants; and all they that put their trust in him shall 
not be forsaken.” The tyrants of this world may threaten, persecute, imprison, chain, Note. 
lock, stock, beat, buffet, &c.: but the life of a christian man can they not take away 
before the time cometh that God hath appointed. 

If the devils could not enter into the swine, and so drown them, before Christ Matt. viii. 
gave them leave, much less can the limbs of the devil kill any faithful man, before God 
giveth them licence. What could Satan do to Job, before God gave him liberty to Job i.ii. 
plague him? and yet could he exercise his cruelness against Job no further than he 
was appointed of God. Saul persecuted David, purposing cruelly to kill him; but 1 sam. xix. 
David escaped his hands. That wicked queen Jesabel threatened and sware to slay 1Kings xix. 
the prophet Helias; but the Lord preserved him; and she afterward was most miser- 
ably slain. The godly woman Susanna, through false accusations of the two wicked Hist. Sus. 
judges, was at the point to be stoned unto death ; but God wonderfully delivered her 
from the hands of her enemies. Esau burned with an immortal hatred against his Gen. xxxiii. 
brother Jacob, “because of the blessing wherewith his father had blessed him,” and 
purposed fully to kill his brother. But Jacob prayed to the Lord, and so mollified 
Esau’s heart, insomuch that, when Jacob thought that both he and his should have 
been slain, his brother Esau came gently unto him, lovingly embraced him, kissed 
him friendly, and for very joy wept; so mighty is God to mollify tyrants’ hearts, 
when it pleaseth him, and to make them gracious and favourable to his servants. 

How oft read we in the history of the gospel, that the Jews went about to kill 
Christ! and yet laid they no hand on him. The evangelist sheweth the cause, say- 
ing: “For his hour was not yet come.” But when the time came that God had John vii. 
appointed from everlasting, then prevailed the wicked against the manhood of Christ, 
laid hand on him, bound him, and finally put him to death; as Christ said unto 
them: “ Ye be come out as unto a thief, with swords and staves. When I was Luke xxii. 
daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hand against me. But this is 
even your hour, and the power of darkness.” ‘Certain of the Pharisees said unto Luke xiii. 
Christ, Get thee out of the way, and depart hence; for Herod will kill thee. Christ 
answered, Go tell the fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and heal the people to-day and 
to-morrow, and the third day I make an end. For it cannot be that the prophet 
perish any other where than at Jerusalem.” Here see we both the time and the place Note. 
appointed where Christ should die, Even so goeth it with the faithful. Where and 


John xix. 
Rev. i. 


Acts xxiii. 


Gen. xxxili. 
Exod. xiv. 
Jonah ii. 
Dan. iii. vi. 
Acts xii. 
XXVili. 


IS 


Psal. exlviii. 
Psal. civ. 


Note. 


Psal. xxxiv. 


Jonn xix. 


Acts iv. 


Ecclus. ti. 


218 A COMFORTABLE EPISTLE 


when God appointeth, the members of Christ likewise should die. For it lieth in no 
tyrant’s power to take away the life of the faithful, till God appointeth both the 
time and place; as Christ said unto Pilate: ‘“ Thou couldest have no power at all against 
me, except it were given thee from above.” God alone hath “the keys of death and 
hell.” Read we not in the Acts of the Apostles, that certain men, about the number 
of forty, conspired Paul's death, and made a vow that they would neither eat nor 
drink till they had killed Paul? Yet for all their solemn vow they were deceived. 
For God delivered Paul out of their hands. Could Esau hurt Jacob, the sea hinder 
the Israelites, the whale destroy Jonas, the fire consume the three young men, the 
lions devour Daniel, the false judges slay Susanna, Herod kill Peter, the venomous 
adder destroy Paul at Milete? Nothing less: God hath the devil, the world, the 
flesh, and all things that are, in his power, and ruleth them all at his pleasure. Look, 
how far he suffer them to go and to do, so far go they and do they, and no fur- 
ther, seem they to rage never so much; as David witnesseth: “‘The Lord hath given 
a commandment; and none shall go beyond it.” “Fire, hail, snow, ice, and vaporous 
stormy winds accomplish his word.” Again: “Thou hast limited the waters their 
bounds, which they may not pass.” 

God gave us our life: no man therefore can take it away without his appointment. 
We are God’s people: he therefore will defend us from all evil. We are the work- 
manship of God’s hands: no man therefore shall destroy us (I speak of our bodies) 
without his fatherly providence. We are sheep of God’s pasture: no wolves there- 
fore shall devour us but at his appointment. The angels of God have charge over 
us: they pitch their tents round about us, and watch continually for the safeguard 
and defence of us: what then can miserable man do against us, be he emperor, king, 
pope, bishop, or any other tyrant? If the devil, the lions, the sea, the fire, the winds, 
the serpents, &c. can do no harm to the faithful, without both the sufferance and 
determination of God, let us not fear the worldly tyrants, although never so mighty, 
fierce, and cruel, which are nothing else but vile flesh, earth, ashes, dust, and dung, 
whose tyranny is like to a staff of reed, whose imaginations, counsels, and devices 
are vain, foolish, and of none effect, when the Lord God taketh part against them, 
and whose glory is as the flower of the field. For they shall do no more against 
the elect and chosen people of God than God both suffereth and appointeth. 

When Pilate, sitting in judgment, said to our Saviour Christ, “ Knowest thou not 
that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to deliver thee?” Christ “‘ answered, 
Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above.” 
Even so may we say of the worldly tyrants, They shall have no power at all against 
us, except it be given them from above. And the holy apostles, in their prayer unto 
God, said that ‘whatsoever Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the gentiles and people 
of Israel did” against Christ, they did nothing but that “the hand and the counsel 
of God had determined before to be done.” No more shall the tyrants of this world 
do any thing against us, but that which God before hath determined to be done from 
everlasting. 

Of this history of Peter, therefore, may we learn two notable things: first, that God 
then most chiefly helpeth, when things be brought to greatest extremities: secondly, 
that the tyrants of this world cannot take away a christian man’s life, nor yet do 
any more against him than the good-will, pleasure, determination, and appointment 
of God is, in whose hand alone, as the wise man saith, is both “prosperity and 
adversity, life and death.” 


The Twelfth Chapter. 


Sremne then that we are taught by so many credible histories that God doth at 
all times help, but chiefly when things be brought unto an extremity; again, that 
no man can take away the life of any faithful man till God appointeth ; let us not 
doubt but that God will both hear our prayers, and help us also, and deliver us, 
although for a season he seemeth to defer his help, and to leave us in the briers. 


TO THE AFFLICTED PEOPLE OF GOD. 219 


He is the “Father of mercy, and God of all consolation.” His “hand is not so 2 cor. i, 
shortened, but that he is able to help; neither is his ear so stopped,” but that he both ** 
can and will hear us. “God is faithful,” saith the apostle, “which will not suffer 1 cor. x. 
you to be tempted above your strength; but shall in the midst of the temptation 
make a way that ye may be able to bear it.” 

Let us not therefore despair, though present help cometh not from God at the 
first calling; but rather go forth to pray unto God, after the example of the Ca- Matt. xv. 
naanite, and not to be weary till we have obtained our request of the Lord 
our God, following the counsel of the psalmograph, which saith: “O tarry thou Psal. xxvii 
the Lord’s leisure: be strong, take a good heart unto thee, and patiently abide the 
pleasure of the Lord.” “In silence and hope,” saith the prophet Esay, “shall tsai. xxx. 
be your strength.” Hereto pertaineth the saying of Jeremy: “It is good with Lam. iii 

silence to abide the saving health of the Lord.” If we on this manner be- 

have ourselves toward the Lord our God, we shall without fail shortly 

behold the wonderful works of God. We shall see the downfall of our 
enemies, with all their tyranny, papistry, idolatry, superstition, cere- 
monies, masses, decrees, councils, customs, &c. We shall see the 
glorious gospel of our Saviour Christ spring again, grow, 
increase, prosper, flourish, and triumph. We shall see 
God truly honoured, not after the fond fantasy 
of men, but according to his blessed will 
and commandment. We shall see anti- 
christ, “that son of perdition,” slain 2 Thess. ii. 
with the breath of the Lord’s 
mouth, and Satan trodden 
under our feet. God 
grant it may 
be shortly! 
Amen. 





A BRIEF REHEARSAL OF THE WHOLE EPISTLE. 


Tuvus have ye heard, most dear brethren, how it came to pass that the true reli- 
gion of our Saviour Christ was taken away from us, and in the stead thereof a super- 
stitious and idolatrous kind of worshipping God placed among us, unto the great 
discomfort and unspeakable sorrow of all faithful Christians. Ye have heard also by 
what means this plague may be turned away, and how the true and sincere doctrine 
of Christ may be restored unto us. The cause of God’s wrath toward us, as ye 
heard, was our ingratitude and unthankfulness, yea, our sinful life and wickedness, 
which was grown up unto such an height that God could no longer dissemble the 
matter, but must needs take away his blessing from us. We were unthankful for 
the heavenly benefit of his blessed word, yea, we in a manner loathed and abhorred 
his godly ordinances, even as the ungodly Israelites were weary of the celestial manna; 
again, our life was nothing agreeable to the holy will of God, but defiled with pride, 
envy, covetousness, fornication, adultery, swearing, gluttony, drunkenness, with all other 
kind of wickedness, unto the great dishonour of the name of God which we profess. 
It therefore could none otherwise but come to pass that God should be avenged of 
these things, take away his holy word, and throw us again into the devilish dark- 
ness of the popish Egypt. For as “he filleth the hungry with good things, so sendeth Luke i. 
he the rich empty away.” And as our Saviour Christ pronounceth them “ blessed Matt. v. 


Num. xi. 


Psal. cix. 


Matt. xxi. 


John iii. 


Zech. i. 


220 THE REHEARSAL OF THE EPISTLE. 


which hunger and thirst after righteousness,” and promiseth that all such “shall be 
satisfied” and have their desire, even so are they cursed which have no delight in 
the word of God; and from such shall the blessing of Christ’s gospel be taken away, 
and the cursed traditions of men shall be thrown upon them; as the psalmograph 
saith : “He would none of the blessing; it shall therefore be taken away from him.” 
Hereto agreeth the saying of our Saviour Christ: “‘The kingdom of God shall be 
taken from you, and shall be. given to a nation that bringeth forth the fruits of it.” 
Again: “This is condemnation, that light is come into the world; and men have 
loved darkness more than light: for their works were evil.” 

Now, to recover the favour of God, and to turn away his heavy displeasure from 
us, that he may once again lighten his glorious and loving countenance upon us, and 
bless us with the most blessed benefit of his Son’s gospel, the means, as ye heard, 
is earnest repentance of our former life, humble knowledging of our sins unto God, 
undoubted faith in the merciful promises of God the Father, set forth unto us in the 
most precious blood .of our Saviour Christ, diligent invocation and constant calling on 
the name of God for remission of our sins, for mercy, grace, favour, peace, rest of 
conscience, &c., patient abiding of the Lord’s leisure, and finally a continual medi- 
tation and practice of a new life. 

If we on this manner return unto the Lord our God, let us not doubt but that 
he will shortly turn unto us, mercifully behold us, and once again bless us with the 
heavenly benefit of his blessed word, that we here on earth may know his ways, and 
his saving health among all nations. ‘Turn unto me, saith the Lord of hosts; and 
I will turn unto you.” 

Remember how favourably God at all times dealt with his people, both when 
they were captives in Egypt, and also in Babylon, yea, and at all other times, 
whensoever they were in any distress. For though he worthily plagued them for 
their wickedness, yet so soon as they unfeignedly returned unto him, he delivered 
them from their enemies, and gave them their hearts’ desire. For God is never so 


aCe angry with his people, but that in the midst of his anger he will remember his 


Tob. iii. 
[Vulgate.] 


1 Cor. xvi. 


Psal. xiii. 


Rev. xxii. 
Rev. xxii. 
Hab. ii 


mercy. And though he sometime punisheth us, yet will he be pleased again, if he 
seeth our unfeigned conversion; as Toby said in his prayer: “After a storm, O 
Lord, thou makest the weather fair and calm. After weeping and heaviness thou 
givest great joy. Thy name, O God of Israel, be praised for ever.” 

Only let us return unto the Lord our God, and become new men, and with- 
out all doubt we shall see out of hand the mighty working of God. Repent 
betimes, therefore, repent: humble yourselves in the sight of God, believe his 
promises, call on his holy name, abide patiently his godly pleasure, become 
new men in life and conversation, walk worthy your profession, and 
so behave yourselves in all things that God may be glorified 
by you. Fare ye well, dear brethren; and, according to 
the admonition of the holy apostle, ‘“‘ watch ye, 
stand fast in the faith, quit you like 
men, and be strong.” The grace 
of the Lord Jesus Christ 
be with you all. 


Amen. 
Man. How long, O Lord? 
Christ. I come quickly. 
Man. O come, Lord Jesu. 


Prophet. He will come, and not tarry. 


Give the glory to God alone. 


THE HUNDRED AND THIRD PSALM, 


MADE IN ENGLISH METRE 


BY THOMAS BECON, 


FOR A THANKSGIVING UNTO GOD, IMMEDIATELY AFTER HIS DELIVERANCE 
OUT OF PRISON, WHOSE IMPRISONMENT BEGAN THE 16th DAY OF 
AUGUST, THE YEAR OF OUR LORD 1553, AND ENDED THE 
22nd OF MARCH THEN NEXT ENSUING. 


PSALM CIII. 


Br thankful, O my soul, unto the Lord, 
And all that within me have their being, 
Laud, praise, and magnify with one accord 
His holy and blessed name above all thing. 


O my soul, once again to thee I say, 
Be thankful unto the Lord evermore, 
And look thou forget not night nor day 
All his benefits that thou hast in store. 


For he it is, yea, he it is alone 

Which pardoneth all thy sins, both more 
and less : 

He delivereth thee from all grief and moan, 

And sendeth thee health in time of sickness. 


He saveth thy life from destruction, 

Which otherwise should perish without 
doubt : 

He of mere grace and tender compassion 

Crowneth thee with loving-kindness round 
about. 


He with good things thy mouth doth sa- 
tisfy, 

To eat and drink giving thee abundance : 

He maketh thee joyful, young, and lusty, 

Even as an eagle that is full of pleasance. 


The Lord doth minister justice and judg- 
ment 

To such as are opprest with violence: 

He defendeth the good and innocent ; 

But the wicked he casteth from his pre- 
sence. 


He shewed his ways unto faithful Moses, 

And his works to the sons of Israel, 

That all his people might know both more 
and less 

In all kind of virtue for to excel. 


O the Lord God, even of his own nature, 
Is bent unto gentleness and mercy : 

Yea, friendly is he above all measure, 
Long-suffering, and eke of great pity. 





For though our sins be both great and 
many, 

Yet will not the Lord be alway chiding, 

Neither will he for ever be angry, 

But shew himself to us both gentle and 
loving. 


After our sins he dealeth not with us, 

Neither according to our wickedness ; 

But like a father, both gentle and gracious, 

He forgiveth all our sins, both more and 
less. 


For look, how high is the heaven supernal 
In comparison of the earth full low, 

So great is his mercy toward them all 
That fear him, and wickedness away throw. 


And look, how wide the east is from the 
west, 

So far hath he set all our sins from us ; 

Because our conscience should be at rest, 

And no more troubled with works odious. 


Yea, like as a father, gentle and tender, 

Pitieth his own children natural, 

Even so is the Lord merciful ever 

Unto them that fear him, both great and 
small, 


For he, being our Maker, knoweth certes 

Of what matter we be made and formed : 

He remembereth we are but dust and 
ashes, 

All of vile and slimy earth created. 


A man in his life is like unto grass : 

His days are few, and but a while en- 
dure : 

Like the flower of the field away he pass, 


Flourishing for a time, but nothing sure. 


For as a flower, with fierce wind assailed, 
Fadeth shortly away and cometh to nought, 
So doth man, of cruel death oppressed, 
Depart hence, and unto nothing is brought. 


222 


But the merciful goodness of the Lord 
Doth continue for ever and ever 

Upon them that fear him with one accord, 
And his justice upon their childer’s childer ; 


I mean upon such as keep his covenant, 
And do themselves diligently apply 

To keep his precepts, and likewise do grant 
To frame their whole life accordingly. 


In heaven hath the Lord a seat prepared 
For himself, both glorious and royal ; 

And his prince-like power is so outstretched, 
That it reigneth and ruleth over all. 


O praise the Lord, all ye angels of his, 
Ye that excel both in strength and virtue ; 


Give the glory 


PSALM 


O BLESSED is the man at each season 
That feareth the Lord God omnipotent, 
For such one hath all his delectation 

To accomplish the Lord’s commandment. 


His seed upon the earth shall be mighty, 
Flourishing aye like the green olive-tree : 
The generation of the godly 

Shall be blessed in every degree. 


Such a man in his house shall have alway 
Of honour and riches great abundance ; 
And his righteousness shall never decay, 
But in all ages have continuance. 


When the other in darkness do remain, 
Unto the godly pleasant light shall shine ; 
For such one doth love mercy to maintain, 
To kindness and justice his heart he incline. 


A good man is bent all unto mercy, 

And gladly lendeth to such as have need : 
As for his talk, he ordereth discreetly ; 
So that his words unto virtue do lead. 


From his place shall he never be moved, 
But alway abide both constant and sure: 


PSALM CXII. 


Ye that do his will without any miss ; 
Ye that hearken to his voice, and that 
ensue. 


O praise the Lord our God omnipotent, 

All ye his hosts and armies supernal : 

Ye servants of his, which always are bent 

To do his will, O praise the Lord above 
all. 


Yea, all things that ever God created, 

Praise ye the Lord, the God of might and 
power ; 

But thou, O my soul, with heart unfeigned 

Look that thou praise the Lord at every 
hour. 


to God alone. 


CXII. 


The remembrance of the just and true- 
hearted 
Shall for ever and ever still endure. 


The righteous shall be nothing afraid 

Of any evil tidings when they be brought ; 

For his heart on the Lord is wholly stayed 

Through strong faith, that God therein hath 
wrought. 


Yea, his heart is so throughly stablished, 
That he will not shrink in no condition, 
Until he seeth his desire satisfied 

On his enemies and their destruction. 


He disperseth abroad plenteously, 

And giveth to the poor their need to sus- 
tain ; 

Remembered therefore continually 

Shall he be, and his praise ever remain. 


The ungodly seeing these things shall wax 
wood, 

Gnash with his teeth, and consume away ; 

Yet shall the ungodly with all his mood 

Shortly come to nought, perish, and decay. 


Give the glory to God alone. 


AN 


HUMBLE SUPPLICATION UNTO 


FOR THE 


RESTORING OF HIS HOLY WORD UNTO THE 
CHURCH OF ENGLAND. 


BY 


TEOMA S: BEC ON. 


GOD, 





casa ta TVVPPTNTOONEPET TTT TOT ATEN CATA TOTTI, 


SX NS TTT se 7 
: 14 












Vasant eg EE a, 


UIETOTTETT TT TTTEO TT TTTTT 









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cation vnto God, for the re-| 


aq storing of his holy vvorde, vnto the PF 
KAR Churcheof Englande,mostemete tobe saydein } 
these our Vapes, cuen with tea- 
res, of curry true and faithful 
English hart, mave bp 
Thomas Becon. 











q Esay. 59. 


q Behold,the Lordeshande is not so shortened, 
that it can not helpe, neyther is hys eare so 
stopped, that it may not heare. 


q Psalme. 94. = ey 
| ¢ Take hede, ye vnwiseamong the people: O ye == ewe 

fooles whenwyl yevnderstand? He that plan-|=— W 
ted the eare, shal he not heare? Or he that == 
made the eye, shal not he see ? 


q Psalme. 50. 


| q Call vpon me in the tyme of trouble so will 
I heare thee, and thou shalt prayse and 
glorifie me. 


q 2. Paralipo. 15. 


WY (| =| q When any Manin his trouble dyd turne vn 
i) to the Lorde God of Israell,andsoughte | 


Zz 


ys 47 Z hym, he was found of them. 
eA TMM AA 













Vee 





LD 





{ 


TTT ss ips! 
77 4 Wi ey 


SS Say 
=H 


—pP 





THE SUPPLICA TION. 


O most dear, gentle, loving, and merciful Father, Maker, Ruler, Conserver, and Gen. i. _ 
Disposer of all things both in heaven and in earth; without whose will, ordinance, SRT 
and commandment nothing is done that is done; in whose hands all the coasts of Pe | 
the earth, and the hearts of princes and of all other thy human creatures are, to be Prov. xxi. 
ruled, ordered, and bent as thy godly wisdom doth appoint ; from whom also, as from 


a most righteous judge, cometh prosperity and adversity, health and sickness, wealth geetus. xi. 


and scarceness, peace and trouble, blessings and plagues, the gift of thy holy word Peeters 
and the taking away of the same, the sending of faithful workmen into thy harvest and a asa 


Ecclus. x. 


the displacing of them again, the appointment of godly magistrates and setting up Job xxxiv. 
of hypocrites and tyrants for the punishment of the disobedient, ungodly, and stiff- 

necked people: we feel, we feel, yea, we Englishmen feel, O Father of mercies and 2 Gor. i. 
God of all consolation, so great a dung-hill of sin within us, such vileness, such cor- Jer. xvii. 
ruptness, such unthankfulness, and such disobedience against thee and thy blessed will, 

that, except thou hadst given us a commandment to pray, and also joined unto the Prayer. 
same a faithful and loving promise that thou wilt hear us whensoever we call on Psal. |. 
thee in the name of Jesus Christ, thy dearly-beloved Son, our Lord and our alone Matt. vii. 
Saviour, we never durst so much as once to lift up our eyes unto thee, and to ap- aed 
proach unto the gracious and merciful throne of thy divine Majesty, for a redress of 

those evils wherewith at this present (alas for sorrow!) we are miserably yet worthily 

plagued, punished, and tormented. 

But, O heavenly Father, and our most benign and gentle Lord, thou, graciously 
considering both our vileness and weakness of conscience, hast notwithstanding given 
us a commandment by thy servant David, not to fear, but frankly to flee unto thee, 
as unto a most strong, mighty, and invincible bulwark, by fervent prayer in all our 
troubles; and hast also promised, ‘“‘ not for any works of righteousness that we have Tit. iii. 
done,” but for thine exceeding great and unspeakable mercy’s sake, to hear us and to 
satisfy our requests, saying: “Call on me in the day of thy trouble; and I will Ps 
deliver thee ; and thou shalt honour me.” Here have we poor wretches, unto our great 
comfort, both a commandment of thee to pray, and also a promise that thou wilt 
hear us. 

And thy most dear and only-begotten Son commandeth us not only to ask, to Matt. vii 
seek, and to knock, but he also promiseth, that whosoever will ask, the same shall 
receive ; whosoever will seek, the same shall find; and to him that knocketh it shall 
be opened; yea, his promise is that, whatsoever we ask of thee in his name, thou John xiv. 
wilt give it us. We, being encouraged, and as it were under-propped with this thy 
gracious commandment to pray and loving promise to be heard, are bold at this pre- 
sent, in the name of Christ, to come unto the merciful throne of thy godly Majesty, 
and before the same to pour out the sorrowful griefs of our most sorrowful hearts, 
most humbly beseeching thee for thy mercies’ sake, for thy promises’ sake, for thy 
name’s sake, yea, for thy dear Christ’s sake, that thou, turning away thine eyes from 
our sins, wilt behold thine holy Anointed, whom thou hast made our Mediator and 1 Tim. ii. 


1 John ii. 


Advocate, for whose sake thou hast openly declared, even from the heavens, that Matt. xvi. 
ark ix.¢ 


thou art well pleased with man, and for his dignity and worthiness graciously hear Luke ix. 
the lamentable petitions and humble requests of our bruised hearts and troubled con- cas 
sciences. 

Ah, most dear Father! great are our miseries ; but greater are our sins: grievous are 
our troubles; but more grievous are the wickednesses which we, most wretched sinners, 
have committed against thy fatherly goodness: intolerable are the plagues that be 


laid upon us; but those through our unthankfulness and wicked living (we freely con- 
[BEcoN, U1. | a 


Jer. xvii. 


Phil. iii. 
The christian 
man’s desire. 


Exod. xx. 


226 THE SUPPLICATION. 


fess) have we most worthily deserved, which have so oft deserved the very torments 
of hell-fire; alas, wretches that we are! and yet are we compelled even of necessity 
(for vain is the help that cometh from man, yea, “cursed be he that putteth his 
trust in man, and maketh flesh his arm”) to flee for succour unto thee, whom we 
have so oft and so grievously offended ; whose righteousness notwithstanding in pun- 
ishing sinners when we behold, we begin to despair and to cast away all hope; but 
when we behold thy mercy, set forth in the precious blood of thy most dear Son 
Christ Jesu our Lord, we take a good heart unto us, and, setting before our eyes 
thy most loving, sweet, and fatherly promises in hearing us for Christ’s sake, we are 
encouraged to believe that, although our sins be never so great and grievous, never 
so abominable and intolerable, and we were never so wicked and filthy sinners, yet 
for thy mercy’s sake, for thy promise sake, for thy name’s sake, yea, for thy dear 
Christ’s sake, thou wilt mercifully hear us and grant us our earnest requests, yea, and 
that so much the more because the matter is not only ours but thine also; again, 
seeing we come not unto thee to desire long life, gold, and riches with the wicked 
worldlings, nor yet to crave at thy hand wealth and pleasure, bishoprics and bene- 
fices, deaneries, prebends, and such other worldly promotions, with the swinish and 
beastly epicures, “‘ whose God their belly is;” but our humble supplication, our earnest 
request, our hearty desire is only that thou wilt consider thine own glory, the hallow- 
ing of thy blessed name, the avancement of thy glorious kingdom, the accomplish- 
ment of thy heavenly will, the honour of thy only-begotten Son, the setting forth of 
his holy gospel, the pureness of the christian religion, the sincere preaching of thy 
lively word, the true administration of thy wholesome sacraments, and the salvation 
of such as thy dearly-beloved Son hath bought from the tyranny of Satan with 
the price of his most precious and dear heart-blood. 

These things, these things, O heavenly Father, do we poor wretches crave and 
beg at thy merciful hand. These things, these things, even with sorrowful groanings 
and lamentable tears, do we miserable captives desire thee to consider, and not so to 
suffer thine adversaries to triumph as though there were no God at all, no Christ, no 
gospel, no faith, no true religion, but whatsoever pleaseth the hypocrites to command 
thy people to believe. 

Thou callest thyself a “jealous God:”’ why then dost thou suffer thy people, thy 
congregation, thy flock, thine heritage, to be thus seduced and led away from thee 


Pestilences of unto all kind of spiritual fornication and abominable whoredom by that antichrist of 


the christian 
common- 
wealth. 


Isai. [| xlii.} 


Abomina- 
ticns. 


Deut. iv. 
Heb. xii. 


Rome, that great Baal, that stout Nemroth, that false prophet, that beast, that whore 
of Babylon, that son of perdition, and by his abominable adherents, cardinals, arch- 
bishops, bishops, suffragans, archdeacons, deans, provosts, prebendaries, commissaries, 
parsons, vicars, purgatory-rakers, priests, monks, friars, canons, nuns, anchors, an- 
choresses, pardoners, proctors, scribes, officials, sumners, lawyers, massmongers, canonists, 
papists, antichrists, mammonists, epicures, libertines, with all the rabble of beastly 
hypocrites that have received the beast’s mark, which do nothing else than seek how 
they may establish their antichristian kingdom by suppressing thy holy word and 
leading the people into all kind of blindness, errors, and lies ? 

Thou callest thyself a Lord, and thou sayest that thou wilt give thy glory to none 
other, nor thy praise unto graven images: how cometh it then to pass that thou suf- 
ferest thy glory so to decay in the realm of England, so many to steal away thy 
praise and honour, by saying their idolatrous and devilish masses, by ministering a 
sort of heathenish and Jewish ceremonies, by praying unto dead saints, by blotting 
out of the temples thy holy law, there written according to thy commandment for 
the edifying of thy people, and by setting up in the stead thereof idols and maw- 
mets, clean contrary to thy blessed word ? 

Thou callest thyself a lion and “a consuming fire,” and threatenest utter destruc- 
tion unto thine adversaries: why sufferest thou then these antichrists thus to rise, 
roar, and rage against the testament of thy most dear Son, to beat down thy truth, 
to call thy holy law heresy, to banish the preaching of the gospel and the true use 


of the sacrament, and to seek the destruction of so many as unfeignedly love thee and 
thy blessed word ? 


THE SUPPLICATION. 227 


Thou promisest that so many as hate Sion, that is to say, thy faithful congre- 
gation, shall be confounded and brought to nought: how cometh it then to pass that 
the wicked now flourish like the green olive-tree, living in all wealth, pomp, and 
pleasure ; and thy people, whom thou hast sealed with thy holy Spirit unto everlast- 
ing life, are most miserably entreated, some banished, some in prison, some cruelly 
murdered, but all in most sorrowful miseries and in miserable sorrows ? 

Thou promisest that thou wilt deliver thy flock from the hand of the wicked 
shepherds, and that thou thyself wilt feed them in most pleasant and sweet pas- 
tures: ah, good God! how cometh it then to pass that, whereas before thy sheep 
were fed with the comfortable meat of thy glorious gospel by the ministry of the 
godly-learned preachers, the faithful shepherds are driven away, and a rabble of raven- 
ing wolves are brast into the sheep-fold, which spare not the flock, but cruelly mur- 
der, not only their bodies by imprisoning, hanging, heading, and brenning them, but 
their souls also, by teaching them wicked and pestilent doctrine ? 

Thy most dear Son both promised and prophesied that “every plant” which 
thou, the heavenly Father, hast “not planted, shall be plucked up by the roots ;” 
but we see it otherwise come to pass in the realm of England. For such plants as 
the devil and his chaplains had planted were, through the diligence and godly zeal 
of thy servants, king Henry the eighth and king Edward the sixth, most blessedly 
plucked up, and thy holy ordinances again planted, unto the great joy and unspeak- 
able comfort of all the faithful. But now, through the tyranny and blind zeal of 
certain, are thy blessed statutes plucked up by the roots, and set in again are the 
damnable decrees and crooked constitutions of antichrist, unto the exceeding great 
grief, sorrow, and pensiveness of all faithful Christians. Ah, Lord God! seem these 
things matters of small importance before the eyes of thy divine Majesty? Can these 
outrageous things be done in earth, and thou wink at them in heaven? Art not 
thou he that keepeth Israel? But “he neither sleepeth nor slumbereth,” saith the 
psalmograph, “that keepeth Israel.” Arise, therefore, O Lord: why sleepest thou ? 
Is thy ear so stopped that thou canst no more hear? and is thy hand so shortened 
that it can no more help? O Lord, arise for thy mercies’ sake, and help us. Haste 
thee to deliver us for thy name sake; for great are our troubles, and intolerable are 
our miseries. Ah, Lord! vouchsafe once again to look down from heaven, and con- 
sider the lamentable state of the realm of England, and of the godly inhabitants 
thereof, which desire nothing so greatly as to see thy true honour perfectly set forth, 
thy holy word truly preached, the christian religion highly advanced, and thy holy 
name sanctified, praised, magnified, and commended for ever. 

Ah, Lord God! heretofore in the time of thy blessing thou gavest to the realm of 
England a man to reign over it, under whom the church was purged of many enor- 
mities and great abuses, and the true religion began to have good success. And when 
it was thy godly pleasure to call him from this vale of misery unto thy heavenly 
kingdom, thou gavest unto us his son to be our king, a prince, although young in 
years and tender in age, yet ancient in the knowledge of thee, of thy Son Christ, and 
of thy holy word, and, as another Josias, altogether bent utterly to weed out all false 
religion, superstition, hypocrisy, papistry, &c., and after a most perfect manner to 
set up thy holy religion and to advance the hearty favourers of the same, unto the 
great and wonderful example of all christian princes. But (alas for sorrow!) this most 
goodly and godly imp, this most christian king, this noble young Josias was, for our 
unthankfulness and wicked living, taken away from us before the time, unto our great 
sorrow and unspeakable heart’s disease: whose death was the beginning, and is now 
still the continuance of all our sorrows, griefs, and miseries. For in the stead of that 
virtuous prince thou hast set to rule over us a woman, whom nature hath formed 
to be in subjection unto man, and whom thou by thine holy apostle commandest to 
keep silence, and not to speak in the congregation. Ah, Lord! to take away the 
empire from a man, and to give it unto a woman, seemeth to be an evident token 
of thine anger toward us Englishmen. For by the prophet thou, being displeased 
with thy people, threatenest to set women to rule over them, as people unworthy to 
have lawful, natural, and meet governors to reign over them. And verily, though we 

15—2 


Psal. exxix. 


Ezek. xxxiv. 


Acts xx. 


Matt. xv. 


King Henry 
the eighth. 
King Edward 
the sixth. 


Psal. exxi. 


Isai. lix. 


King Henry 
the eighth. 


King Edward 
the sixth. 


1 Tim. ii. 


Tsai. iil. 


228 THE SUPPLICATION. 


find that women sometime bare rule among thy people, yet do we read that such 
as ruled and were queens were for the most part wicked, ungodly, superstitious, and 
given to idolatry and to all filthy abominations ; as we may see in the histories of 
1 Kingsxix. queen Jesabel, queen Athalia, queen Herodias, and such-like. Ah, Lord God! we dare 
Matas, not take upon us to judge any creature, for unto thee alone are the secrets of all 
hearts known; but of this are we sure, that since she ruled (whether of her own dis- 
Psal. xxx. position, or of the provocation of a certain wild boar’, successor to Ananias, that 
Acts xxi White-daubed wall, we know not), thy vineyard is utterly rooted up and laid waste, 
thy true religion is banished, and popish superstition hath prevailed, yea, and that 
under the colour of the catholic church and the old ancient faith, when notwithstand- 
ing darkness is not more contrary to light, nor cold unto heat, than their proceedings 
are contrary to the truth of thy holy word, if the practice and doctrine of the true 
catholic church (we speak of the patriarchs and prophets, of Christ and his apostles, 
and of so many godly people as lived from Adam unto the time that antichrist the 
2Thess. ii. bishop of Rome set up his kingdom, and “advanced himself above all that is called 
God”) might be the judge, and go for payment. For besides the giving of the king- 
dom unto the rule of a woman, O Lord, we most humbly beseech thee to consider 
what outrageous floods of most grievous enormities have brast in and overflowed the 
realm of England, unto the utter subversion of the same, except thy merciful good- 
ness doth shortly help. 
Ah, Lord God! heretofore, under the rule of that most christian king Edward the 


Psal. 1. sixth, we were taught according to thy word to flee with our prayers unto thee alone 
Rom. x. in all our troubles and necessities, as a Lord plentifully rich for so many as call on 
isto be thee. But now the antichristian preachers teach that we must also pray to creatures 
ca on. 


that are dead, that they may pray for us; or else we pray unto thee in vain, and 
our prayers shall never be heard. 
1 Tim. ii. Heretofore we were taught that Christ, God and man, is our alone Mediator, 


Kon vii, Advocate, and Intercessor. But now the priests of Baal teach that Mary, James, 


Christ alone ° 
ieouwt Media Peter, John, Paul, Andrew, and we know not who, are also our mediators, advocates, 


or AS’ and intercessors, and that we must call upon them in our troubles and adversities, 
Intercessor. hensoever we will have to do with thee, namely if we will have our matter go 
forward. 
1 John i. Heretofore we were taught that the precious blood of our Saviour Christ is the 
Christ's blood alone and sufficient purgatory for the sins of all them that repent and believe. But 
purgatory of NOW the papists teach that there is a purging-place after this life, where the souls of 
thefathiul. the faithful shall be miserably tormented with fiery flames, till either they themselves 
have made satisfaction for all their sins by suffering due punishment, or else other 
in this world have made amends for them by praying, by singing of trentals, by 
going on pilgrimage, by dealing money, by buying the pope’s pardons for their redemp- 
Wisd. ii. tion, and such-like; when the holy scripture contrariwise teacheth that the faithful, 
““" go soon as they depart from this life, go straightways unto glory, the unfaithful unto 
Lukexvi. everlasting pain and damnation; as we may see in the history of the rich glutton 
and of the poor man Lazarus. 
Christ's one Heretofore we were taught that Christ, thy Son and our alone Saviour, made upon 
and alone : : 
sacrifice suf the altar of the cross, when he suffered and died for us, so sufficient, perfect, abso- 
and ever. lute, and consummate oblation and sacrifice for the sins of the people, that by that 
Heb. vi, one and alone sacrifice grace, favour, mercy, forgiveness of sins, and everlasting life 
1 Pet. i is for ever and ever plentifully obtained of thee for so many as repent and believe. 
ra But now-a-days those Baalite massmongers are not ashamed to reprove that sweet- 
smelling sacrifice of Christ, and to say that it is not so perfect but that they also 
must offer Christ up again daily in their masses for the sins of the people, and that 
their oblation is a propitiatory sacrifice, and of no less virtue, strength, efficacy, might, 
and power, than the passion and death of Christ, than the sacrifice which Christ 


himself offered on the altar of the cross. Our missal sacrifice, say the massing pa- 





{ Gardiner is most probably here meant. ] 


THE SUPPLICATION. 229 


pists, is propitiatory, satisfactory, expiatory, and necessary ad salutem, both for the 0 antichrists. 
quick and for the dead. The people sin daily: therefore must we offer sacrifice 
for the sins of the people daily in our masses. What other thing is this, O hea- 
venly Father, than to defy the death of thy Son, to despise his most healthful sacri- 
fice, to set at nought his wholesome oblation, to tread under foot the blood of the Heb. x. 
everlasting testament, and utterly to deface both the kingdom and priesthood of Christ, 
and to erect and set up a new kingdom and priesthood of their own, a new sacrifice 
and a strange oblation, invented of the devil, brought in by antichrist, confirmed by 
such as have received the beast’s mark, and frequented, used, and sought of all that Rev. xiii. 
have their portion in that “lake that burneth with fire and brimstone,” except they Rev. xxi. 
repent and amend? Is not Christ an everlasting Priest? Doth not his priesthood Psal. ex. 
continue from generation to generation? Hath he not with one oblation made perfect Be 
for ever them that are sanctified? Are we not made holy “by the offering up of the 
body of Jesu, done once for all?’ Did not Christ, after he had offered one sacrifice 
for sins, sit him down for ever on the right hand of God, and from henceforth tarri- 
eth till his foes be made his footstool? Is not “Jesus Christ yesterday, and to-day, 
and the same continueth for ever?” What have we then to do with the sacrificing 
massmongers, or with their missal sacrifice? O heavenly Father, suffer us not to be 
“carried about with divers and strange learning.” Heb. xiii, 
Moreover, heretofore we were taught to beat down the idolatrous and heathenish altars not 
altars, which antichrist of Rome, intending to set up a new priesthood and a strange aioe 
sacrifice for sin, commanded to be built up, as though calves, goats, sheep, and such car 
other brute beasts should be offered again, after the priesthood of Aaron, for the sins 
of the people, and to set in their stead in some convenient place a seemly table, and, christ, his 
after the examples of Christ, to receive together at it the holy mysteries of Christ’s the punitive 
body and blood, in remembrance that Christ’s body was broken and his blood shed pleat tie 
for our sins. But now the sacrificing sorcerers shame not, both in their private talk of the holy 
and in their open sermons, spitefully to call the Lord’s table an oyster-board; and 
therefore have they taken out of the temples those seemly tables which we, follow- 
ing the examples of thy dearly-beloved Son and of the primitive church, used at the 
ministration of the holy communion, and they have brought in again their bloody 
and butcherly altars, and upon those they sacrifice and offer daily, say they, that is, oe 
they kill, slay, and murder thy dear Son Christ for the sins of the people. For, 
as thy holy apostle saith: ‘“ Where no shedding of blood is there is no remission” Heb. ix. 
and forgiveness of sins. If through their massing sins be forgiven, then must the 
sacrifice that there is offered be slain, and the blood thereof shed. If the massmongers 
therefore offer Christ up in their masses a sacrifice unto God for the sins of the people, 
so followeth it that they murder, kill, and slay Christ, yea, and shed his blood at 0 murderers. 
their masses; and so by this means we must needs confess, that bloody altars are 
more meet for such bloody butchers than honest and pure tables. But we are taught 
in the holy scriptures that “Christ, once raised from death, dieth no more. Death Rom. vi. 
hath no more power over him. For as touching that he died, he died concerning sin 
once; and as touching that he liveth, he liveth unto” thee, “God” his Father. If 
Christ therefore dieth no more, then do the papists sacrifice him no more. If they 
sacrifice him no more, then are they but jangling jugglers ; and their masses serve for Masses, why 
none other purpose but to keep the people in blindness, to deface the passion and caitrn 
death of Christ, and to maintain their idle and draffsacked bellies in all pomp and 
honour with the labour of other men’s hands and with the sweat of poor men’s 
brows; so far is it off that they with their abominable massing and stinking sacri- 
ficing put away the sins either of the quick or of the dead, as they make the 
unlearned and simple people to believe. Ah, Lord God and heavenly Father! if 
thou were not a God of long-suffering and of great patience, how couldest thou abide 
these intolerable injuries and too much detestable blasphemies, which the wicked 
papists commit against thee and thy Son Christ in their idolatrous masses at their 
heathenish altars ? 
Heretofore we were taught to receive the mysteries of the Lord’s body and blood the faithful 


. ° . . : ought to 
together, according to the ordinance of Christ. But now no communion is had. For receive the 


230 THE SUPPLICATION. 


sacrament to- the popish and uncharitable massmongers, utterly abusing the Lord’s supper, eateth 

genfearest and drinketh up all alone at his idolatrous altar. 

ae Heretofore we were taught to receive the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ 
e fal u 


ought to under both kinds, according unto Christ’s institution, which saith: “Drink of this, 
receive the 


sacrament all ye.” And as the holy apostle saith: “So oft as ye shall eat of this bread and 


under both 


kind. rink of this cup, ye shall remember the Lord’s death till he come.” But now the 
lcor. x ~Romish sorcerers, contrary to the ordinance and commandment of thy Son, the Master 
Johnxiv. of truth, yea, the self truth, and contrary to the practice and usage of the primitive 
church, like thieves, robbers, and murderers, cruelly take away from thy people the 
mystical cup of Christ’s blood, for the maintenance of their devilish decree, and minister 
after their sort the sacrament of thanksgiving to thy Christians only under one kind, 
yea, and that without the preaching of the Lord’s death, repentance, faith, amend- 
ment of life, &c. And so make they it an idle and dumb ceremony, altogether 
unprofitable and without fruit, which, being rightly ministered, is to the faithful a 
sacrament of great joy and comfort. 
The Lord’s Heretofore we were taught that the Lord’s supper, or breaking of the bread, as 
memorial of the apostles term it, is a memorial of the body-breaking and blood-shedding of our 
ia Saviour Christ ; and that, as we outwardly feed of the bread and wine, so we inwardly 
through faith feed of the blessed body and precious blood of Jesus Christ our Lord, 
The cruelty unto the great and unspeakable comfort both of soul and body. But now the dis- 
mn ieeadne ciples of antichrist, knowing that the whole glory of their kingdom lieth in the 
tom. false opinion and abuse of this sacrament, in all their sermons and private talk labour, 
swink, sweat, and seek all means possible, with tooth and nail, with hand and foot, 
with tongue and pen, with fire and fagot, with sword and halter, to persuade the 
people that, after they have whispered a few Latin words with one breath over the 
bread and wine, and have blessed, crossed, conjured, and handled them after their 
ghostly manner, there remaineth no more bread and wine; although we both see, feel, 
and taste very bread and very wine, yea, and although the holy scripture after the 
words of consecration called the sacrament bread and wine: but, say they, the bread, 
through the virtue of the words which we holy anointed rehearse, is turned into the 
O jugglers, natural substance of Christ’s body, and the wine is changed into the natural blood of 
Christ, only the accidents of bread and wine remaining ; when notwithstanding the 
Mark xvi. holy scriptures teach us in divers places that thy Christ is ascended into heaven, and 
Actsi. " sitteth on thy right hand, and there shall remain, concerning his humanity, till he 


Rom. viii. 


Eph. iv. come to judge the quick and the dead. And after these Capernaites have laboured 
Phil i to persuade the people, that the sacramental bread is the very true, natural, corporal, 
a substantial, real, and sensible body of Christ, even the self-same that was born of Mary 
the virgin, lived upon the earth, was hanged upon the cross, and died for us; then 
Oabomina- exhort they the people with all reverence and humility to knowledge and believe it 
ea to be their Lord God, their Maker and Redeemer, their Saviour and Defender, and 
so to fall down before it, to honour and worship it, to praise and call upon it, to flee 
unto it for succour, and to look for all good things of it, as of the very true and ever- 
lasting God. By these means, O heavenly Father, they bring away thy people, through 
1Tim.i. their vain, fleshly, and sophistical reasons, from the honouring of the alone true, im- 
mortal, invisible, and everlasting God unto the worshipping of a piece of bread, yea, 
Psal. Ixviii. Of a very idol; whereas thou alone oughtest to have all the honour and glory. “O 
Lord, arise, and let thine enemies be scattered: let them also that hate thee flee before 
thee: like as the smoke vanisheth, so drive thou them away; and like as wax melteth 
at the fire, so let the ungodly” papists “perish” and be confounded ; that thy people 
be no longer seduced and led from the way of truth by their subtile and carnal ima- 
John xvii. ginations, but that they, being truly taught, may “know thee to be the alone true 
God, and whom thou hast sent, Jesus Christ.” 
Common Heretofore we had in the temples, when we came together to pray and to give 
Mosinee thanks unto thee, all our prayers and thanksgiving in the tongue that we understood, 


tongue that 


all the people Whereby we received great comfort, and were much edified. But now the papists 
understand. 


i Cor. xiv. (which wish thy people to be more rude than asses, more blind than beetles, more 
ignorant than dastards, that they might make them their riding fools and laughing- 


THE SUPPLICATION. 231 


stocks), contrary to the usage and practice of the primitive church, yea, contrary to 
to thy commandment given by thine apostle, which willeth all things in the congre- 
gation to be uttered in such a speech as all might understand and be edified, or else 
silence to be kept, have brought the matter to this point, that, all English service 
driven out of the churches, they have stablished their popish Latin service, which 
the most part of thy people understand nothing at all. And yet so cruel and mali- 0 tyranny. 
cious are the papists, that they enforce, and with violence compel thy people to come 
unto their Romish, superstitious, blasphemous, and idolatrous Latin service, to hear 
it, to reverence and honour it with their presence, and to call it God’s service, when 
they understand not whether Baal’s priests, that there bleat and mumble, do bless or 
curse, praise or blaspheme. Most certain is this, that thy people are altogether without 
edifying, spend their time in vain, and return home again as unlearned and ignorant 
as they came thither. 

Heretofore we had read in our temples every Sunday, and at divers other times, Homilies in 
a godly and learned homily or sermon, and certain chapters out of the holy bible in aan or 
the English tongue, that all the people might understand what was done or said; which “°”"”™ 
gave them occasion to forsake vice and to embrace virtue, to live in thy fear, and 
diligently to call upon thy blessed name. But now both those godly homilies and 
comfortable chapters have thine enemies the papists banished out of the temples, 
unto the great discomfort of all such as unfeignedly love thee and thy blessed word ; 
and, in the stead of them, they have set up blasphemous collations', singing, ringing, Popish 
piping, censing, holy-water-casting, holy-bread-dealing, palms and candles-bearing, pees 
cross-kneeling, bread-worshipping, ashes-dodding, fire and tapers-hallowing, with an 
infinite number of such-like heathen ceremonies, that the people, being occupied with 
such childish trifles, lousy traditions, and beggarly ceremonies, might forget the whole- 
some food of their souls, which is thy holy and blessed word. Matt. iv. 

Heretofore upon the Sundays, and certain other days in the week, we had the litany The titany in 
rehearsed among us in our English tongue, every one of us kneeling devoutly and heartily sie 
calling on thee for mercy and grace. O heavenly Father, this was set forth in the 
time of thy servant king Henry the eighth, and continued among us until the death 
of that most godly and virtuous prince king Edward the sixth, and a little after, unto 
the singular joy and great comfort of all godly and christian-hearted people. But 
now the 'subtile and fleshly papists have so bewitched the queen’s eyes, that, what- 
soever her father and her brother most godly brought to pass for the advancement 
of thy glory and for the edifying of thy people, that is utterly subverted and taken 
for heresy, yea, and spitefully preached against in open sermons; so that this godly 
and most wholesome litany is not only taken away from us, but in the stead thereof 
we are compelled to go on procession, following an idol, with singing Ora pro nobis, 

Salve festa dies, or some other blasphemous song, unto the great sorrow and inward 
heart-breaking of all thy faithful. 

Heretofore thy sacraments were so ministered unto us, that we received great eesuueue 
comfort by them. But now they are so ministered of these swinish spiritual sorcerers, tered. 
that they are become dumb and idle ceremonies, altogether without edifying or profit. 

For besides that they are ministered in an unknown tongue, how be they defiled with 
men’s traditions and beggarly ceremonies! Unto the sacrament of baptism they put SaaS " 
heathenish jrites and wicked conjurations. For Baal’s priest, before the child can be tism. 
baptized, bewitcheth the water, shutteth the church-door, conjureth the devil out of the 
poor young infant, bespueth the child with his vile spittle and stinking slavering, putteth 
salt in the child’s mouth, smeareth it with greasy and unsavoury oil, &e. And without 
these apish toys they make the people believe that the baptism is nothing worth. Ah, 
good Lord! is this any other thing than a plain laughing to scorn of thy dear Son’s 
institution? Do these papists, by adding their beggarly ceremonies, any other thing 
than set thy Son Christ to school, and avance their own fleshly imaginations above 
the wisdom of the Lord Christ ? 


The sacrament also of thy dear Son’s body and blood, how have the adversaries The sacra- 


Christ's body 
and blood. 


[! Collations: collections, the bringing together, viz. of blasphemous and superstitious ceremonies. ] 


232 THE SUPPLICATION. 


Acomparison prophanated and defiled ! Thy Son both before and after the ministration of the 


between 
Christ and 
the papists In 
the ministra- 
tion of the 
sacrament. 


Bread and 
wine remain 
in the sacra- 
ment after 
the words of 
consecration. 


Transubstan- 
tiation. 


aS 


© intolerable 
blasphemy. 


sacrament preached unto his disciples: the papists preach nothing at all. Thy Son 
spake the words of the institution openly in that tongue that all the disciples under- 
stood: the papists utter all things in a strange language, yea, and that so softly 
that they scarce hear themselves. Thy Son ministered the sacraments without putting 
on of any disguised apparel: the papists deck themselves like hickscorner in game- 
players’ garments. Thy Son ministered the sacrament sitting at the table with his dis- 
ciples: the papists stand at the altar, and give the bread and wine to the people kneeling. 
Thy Son gave the sacramental bread to the disciples in their hands, saying: “Take, eat:” 
the papists thrust the bread into the people’s mouths, as though they had not so much 
wit as to feed themselves. Thy Son ministered the sacrament of his body and blood 
under both kinds to his disciples: the papists do minister it to the lay people only 
under one kind, and like thieves steal the other away from them, and reserve it to 
themselves alone. Thy Son brake the sacramental bread: the papists use no breaking 
of the bread, as Christ and his apostles and all the primitive church did, for to 
declare the mystery of Christ’s body-breaking on the altar of the cross for our re- 
demption; but they put into the people’s mouths a little light white wafer-cake, speaking 
to them a few words in Latin which they understand not. Thy Son did appoint 
the sacramental bread to be broken and eaten: the papists keep it whole, and hang 
it up in the pix, yea, and carry it about for a pageant in their idolatrous, popish, 
pompous processions. 

Thy Son instituted the sacrament to be a memorial of his body-breaking and 
blood-shedding. The papists teach that the bread and wine is turned into the natural 
body and blood of Christ, God and man, even the self-same body that was born of Mary 
the virgin, flesh, blood, and bone, so that there remaineth neither bread nor wine; al- 
though the holy scripture affirmeth plainly that there is both bread and wine remain- 
ing; the doctors of the christian primitive church testify the same in their writings ; 
the Greek church, even from the apostles’ time unto this day, have so received and 
believed, utterly denying the popish article of transubstantiation ; reason also, and all 
the senses of man testify that there remain both bread and wine after the words of 
consecration, as they use to term them ; yea, and experience teacheth that, if the sacra- 
mental bread be long reserved, it will corrupt, putrify, mould, stink, and breed full of 
worms, and the wine likewise will change the colour and wax sour. O heavenly Father! 
such corruption cannot chance to thy dear Son’s body and blood, which is uncorruptible 
and immortal, sitteth on thy right hand, and reigneth with thee in glory for ever and 
ever. This antichristian doctrine, O blessed Lord, was not known in thy holy church, 
until pope Nicholas, pope Innocent, pope Urban, friar Thomas, and such other minis- 
ters of Satan, partly with their tyranny, and partly with their sophistry (as their 
apish adherents do now again in these our days) brought it in, and compelled 
the Christians with fire and sword to believe this their monstrous opinion for the 
maintenance of their belly-kingdom, although it be never so much contrary to the 
articles of our faith, and to the doctrine of the holy scripture, and of all the ancient 
writers. 

Thy Son at his supper willed the sacramental bread and wine to be eaten and 
drunken for a remembrance of that one and alone sacrifice which he offered on the 
altar of the cross for the sins of the people. The papists in their idolatrous and 
abominable masses make of the sacrament a propitiatory, expiatory, and satisfactory 
sacrifice for the sins of the people, necessary ad salutem; affirming that their act 
in the mass is of equal price, dignity, virtue, might, efficacy, and power before the 
eyes of thy divine Majesty with the most healthful and sweet-smelling sacrifice that 
thy Son offered on the altar of the cross, when he gave himself unto the death for 
the sins of the people. Thy Son ordained the sacrament to be a sign and token of 
love, when the godly come together to eat all of one bread, and to drink all of one 
cup. The papists make it a sacrament of dissension, discord, and debate. For if 
any will not agree to their fleshly, wicked, and devilish opinion, confessing their 
error of transubstantiation, and affirming that the bread and wine is the very natural 
body and blood of Christ, God and man, and therefore ought to be kneeled unto, 


THE SUPPLICATION. 233 


worshipped, honoured, and called upon as the only true, living, and immortal God; 
they fall out with them, they call them heretics, they persecute them, they apprehend 
them, they imprison them, and burn them without mercy. And as the wicked papists 
prophanate and unhallow these two aforesaid holy sacraments, so do they like filthy 
swine defile all other mysteries that thy Son Christ hath ordained with reverence to 
be used in thy church. 

Ah, Lord God and our heavenly Father! heretofore we were taught to worship 
thee “in spirit and truth,” and to “pray” unto thee “‘every where, lifting up” our Jonniv. 
“hands without wrath or doubting.” But now the papists teach us to pray unto Eee 
thee and unto all the company of heaven with boaying' and bleating in the quire, 
with playing on the organs, with saying lady’s psalters on beads, with mumbling over 
certain prayers in the tongue that we understand not. 

Heretofore we were taught that thou alone forgivest us all our sins, whensoever God alone 


we earnestly repent, and unfeignedly turn unto thee. But now the papists teach Tea Sith 


that they also have power to forgive sin, and that our sins cannot be forgiven, except aes 
we confess them unto the priest with all circumstances. 

Heretofore we were taught to look for all salvation of thee through faith in the al noaly 
blood of Christ. But now the papists teach to look for salvation in our own good 
works, in the intercession of saints, in prayers and merits of sinful hypocrites and 
beastly belly-gods, in ceremonies, in will-works, in traditions of men, in holy bread, pers 
holy water, holy candles, holy palms, holy ashes, Latin service, idolatrous masses, 
superstitious diriges, trifling trentals, popish fasting, bells, beads, &c. 

Heretofore we were taught to cast out of our temples the idols and mawmets tmages not 
wherewith many committed spiritual whoredom and ran an whoring, and to garnish Ee eniies 
the church with the holy scriptures, that the people might learn to eter and to fear tans 
thee. But now the ungodly papists have brought the matter to this point, that the ek 
sentences of thy blessed law are blotted and utterly wiped out of the temples, and cies aa 
idols are there placed, manifestly and directly against thy blessed commandment, which 
thy enemies call lay-men’s calendars or books: as though, O Lord God, the people 
might be sooner brought unto the knowledge of thee by looking on deformed stocks 
and stones, than by reading thy holy and blessed word. 

Thy Son and our Saviour Christ commandeth us to “search the scriptures,” and not John v. 
to behold idols and mawmets. “He that is of God,” saith he, “heareth the word John viii. 
of God.” He saith not, He that is of God runneth unto images, and seeth what goodness 
he can pick out of them. Again he saith: ‘My sheep hear my voice.” He saith John x. 
not, My sheep hath a delight and pleasure to behold vain idols and Mahound-like 
mawmets. Thy servant David calleth them blessed that search thy testimonies, and Psal. exix. 
have a pleasure to “study in thy law day and night.” For thy holy word is only Deter 
the book wherein thy people ought to look, and not dumb images and carved idols, 
which are cursed of thee in thy holy law, yea, and the makers of them also. Ah, The holy 
Lord God! they that have this procured, that thy holy word should be wiped and Wipe out 


wiped out of 

blotted out of the churches, is it no[t] to be thought that their names are blotted and Saree fag 
wiped out of the book of life also? Yea, is it not to be thought that such antichrists "°°" 
would gladly have both thee and thy holy word, yea, and thy blessed name so blotted 
and wiped out of all men’s hearts, that thou mightest never be remembered more, but 
that they and their devilish decrees might alone reign, rule, ruffle, and triumph, making 
all men, even from the highest to the lowest, their miserable captives and wretched 
bond-slaves? It may right well be said unto them, as our Saviour Christ said unto 
the wicked and stiff-necked Jews: “He that is of God heareth the word of God. Jonn viii. 
Ye therefore hear it not, because ye are not of God.” Again: “Ye believe not, be- Johnx. 
cause ye are not of my sheep.” 

Ah, Lord, these children of Belial have “forsaken thee the alone fountain of lively Jer. ii. 
water, and they have digged to themselves puddles, yea, vile and dirty puddles, that 
are able to hold no water.” They are such people as continually provoke thee unto 
anger. ‘They are lying children, yea, such children as will not hear the law of Isai. xxx. 





[} Boaying: bawling. ] 


The doctrine 
of thepapists. 


Psal. Ixxix. 


The confir- 
mation of 
children. 


The popish 
manner of 
confirming 
children. 


The cate- 
chism both 
in Latin and 
in English. 


Luke i. 
Wisd. v. 
Catechism 
condemned 
for heresy. 


Articles from 
the queen. 


Examples of 
bringing up 
children. 


234 THE SUPPLICATION. 


God. They say to the preachers, Look out of the scriptures no good lesson for us. 
And to the godly-learned they say, Tell not us those things that are right, neither 
rebuke our wickedness and idolatry; but speak unto us pleasant things, and such as 
we delight to hear.” Tell not us of God’s anger, justice, and judgment against the 
stiff-necked idolatrous; but preach unto us false things, fables, lies, errors, saints’ lives 
out of the Golden Legend, narration out of the Festival’, examples out of Vitas Patrum, 
authorities out of sermons Dormi secure*, men’s traditions, laudable ceremonies, com- 
mendable customs, holy rites, ancient usages, good intents, justification of works, 
transubstantiation, the corporal presence of Christ in the sacrament of the altar under 
the accidents of bread, &c., the propitiatory sacrifice of the mass, the receiving of 
the sacrament under one kind, contrary to Christ’s institution, auricular confession, &c. 
“Tread out of the way: go out of the path: away with the Holy One of Israel 
from us.” We are weary of him. It grieveth us to remember him. We can neither 
abide his word truly preached, nor yet his laws written in our churches. Out with 
the scriptures, and in with the idols and mawmets. O Lord God, are not these the 
heathen that have “brast into thine heritage, that have defiled thy holy temple, and 
made Jerusalem an heap of stones?” Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us. 

Heretofore we were taught so to bring up our children in the principles of christian 
religion, that, when they should come to be confirmed of the bishop, they might be 
able to say the articles of the faith, the Lord’s prayer, and the ten commandments, 
and to answer to such questions as are contained in that short catechism, which was 
appointed to be learned of every child before he were brought to be confirmed. But 
now the papists say to such as are witnesses of the child’s baptism, Ye are bound 
by the order of our mother the holy church to see that this child be confirmed so 
soon as is possible, or as soon as ye hear that the bishop cometh within seven mile 
of this town, without any further delay. Of the things contained in the godly catechism 
for the right institution of the child they make no mention. And what is the confirmation 
of the children that is used at this present, but plain sorcery, devilry, witchcraft, juggling, 
legerdemain, and all that naught is? The bishop mumbleth a few Latin words over 
the child, charmeth him, crosseth him, smeareth him with stinking popish oil, and 
tieth a linen bond about the child’s neck, and sendeth him home. O Lord God, what 
a confirmation of the child’s faith is this! Yea, rather, what a delusion and mocking 
is this of the godly ancient custom in confirming children ! 

Heretofore we were taught to bring up our children in the knowledge of thee and 
thy Son Christ, that even from the very cradles they might be instructed in thy 
holy mysteries, and learn to fear thee, to believe in thee, to love thee, to pray unto 
thee, to be thankful unto thee, and to frame their whole life according to thy blessed 
law, that they might serve thee their Lord God “in holiness and righteousness all 
the days of their life.” And for this purpose had we set forth a godly and learned 
catechism, both in Latin and in English, wherein our young ones were most virtuously 
brought up, unto the great joy of their parents, the singular comfort of all godly 
Christians, and the wonderful increase both of thy glory and of all godliness and virtue. 
But now the wicked papists, which alway deal extremely with the righteous, and 
take away their labours, have condemned that christian catechism as heresy, and have 
procured certain antichristian articles from the queen, wherein, among too many other, 
a strait commandment is given that children should so be brought up that they might 
learn to help the priest to say mass; which mass is the very fountain and head-spring 
of all idolatry and spiritual whoredom. Ah, Lord God! thy servants both in the old 
and new testament brought up their children far otherwise ; as the histories of Abraham, 
Isaac, Jacob, Daniel, Toby, Mathathias, the parents of Susanna and of Timothy, Philip 
the evangelist, and such other do declare: and thy holy commandment is not that 
parents should bring up their children in learning to help an idolatrous priest to say 
his abominable and blasphemous mass, but to know thee their Lord God, to believe 
in thee, to fear and love thee, to call upon thy blessed name, to be thankful unto thee, 
and to fashion their life according to thy holy word and commandment. 





[! See before, page 199, note 2. ] [2 See before, page 200, note ae] 


THE SUPPLICATION. 235 


Heretofore we were taught that it is lawful for every man, be he bishop, priest, of the mar- 
deacon, monk, friar, canon, hermit, or any other that have not the gift of continency, ante 
to take unto him a faithful yoke-fellow, and with her to marry in thy fear, and “to 1 Thess. iv. 
possess his own vessel in holiness and honour;” as thine holy apostle saith: “‘To avoid 1 Cor. vii. 
fornication, let every man have his own wife, and every woman her own husband.” 

Again: “ Marriage is honourable among all men, and the bed undefiled. But whore- Heb. xiii. 
mongers and adulterers God shall judge.” But now the wicked papists, those lecherous Papists. 
lubbers, those filthy fornicators, those abominable adulterers, those stinking sodomites, 

those cankered corrupters of maids, wives, and widows, those devilish despisers of all 
shamefacedness, charity, and honesty, those monstrous maintainers of all licentious living, 
whoredom, and dishonesty, and those sinful sinks of all filthy and loathsome abomi- 
nations, have brought the godly and lawful marriage of ministers and their wives unto 

this point, that it is now counted whoredom. ‘The faithful husbands are taken for 
whoremongers, and their honest wives for whores. Yea, unto such an height is their 


furious madness and mad fury grown, that they, against all right and conscience, the tyranny 
of the cruel 


against all truth and honesty, do not only most wickedly divorce them, but they also papists, in ai- 
cruelly compel divers of the ministers which are faint-hearted, and were, as it seemeth, ee ae 
but timelings’, serving rather the time (as the manner of the worldlings is) than marry- Plies 
ing in thy fear, to do open penance before the people, and to confess (O the too much wicked bier 
corrupt manners of this sinful world!) that their marriage was no marriage, but plain joreutane 4 
whoredom. And there those filthy dogs, which are returned unto their vomit most Sean 
wretchedly, couch and kneel down before the people, and desire them to forgive them, ""“° %°" 
and promise that they will never more come in their wives’ company, but from hence- 

forth live like good and catholic men, according to the order of their holy priesthood ; 

that is to say, abstain from honourable wedlock, and defile themselves with all kind 

of whoredom, uncleanness, and dishonesty. 

Ah, Lord God! thou commandest thy priests in the old law not only to marry, S¥ 
but thou also appointest them what wives they should marry; which thing thou }% 


Ezek. xliv. 
wouldest not have done, if the marriage of priests had been so vile and detestable a Prists of the 
thing in thy sight as the wicked and filthy papists make it. mareed: 


In the new law also the men, whom thy well-beloved Son did choose in this vale cnrist’s apo- 
of misery to be his disciples and apostles, to be the preachers of his glorious gospel ee 
and the administrators of his holy sacraments, were not fleshly votaries, as the papists 
are, but honest and godly married men, living with their wives according to thy holy 
ordinances, and bringing up their children in thy fear, and after the doctrine of thy 
blessed word. Neither did the apostles put away their wives after they were called 
unto the ministry, as the lying papists for a colour of their sinful life do most falsely 
feign; but they continued with their wives lovingly and faithfully till death departed 
them; as we may see in ancient histories, and as it may easily be gathered of the manifest 
words of the holy scripture. ‘‘ Have not we power,” saith the apostle, “to lead about, 1 Cor. ix. 

a sister to wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord and Cephas ? 

Kither only I and Barnabas have not power this to do?” Here it is evident that the 

apostles of Christ did not only not put away their wives after they were called unto 

the ministry, as the false papists fable, but they also led their wives about with them, 

as they went abroad preaching the gospel of Christ. Read we not that St Peter Fcc. nist. 
continued with his wife until her dying-day ; and that, when she was led unto the a he 
place of execution to suffer death for confessing Christ to be God, St Peter her husband 
followed her, and exhorted her to be strong in the faith of Christ, and said unto her, 

“O wife, remember the Lord*” ? 

O with what forehead durst Peter have exhorted men to dwell in house together 1 Pet. iii. 
with their wives according to their knowledge, if he, contrary to his knowledge, had 
put away his wife? With what face could the apostle St Paul have made mention 





[* Timelings : time-servers. ] advaxomtoys* émipwvycar O€ ev uaa TpoTpEeTTLKOS 
[* Baci you tov pakapiov Uérpov, Deacduevov | Kat wapakAntiKws é£ dvdmaTos TpocerTOVTa’ jpé- 
Ti EavTOU yuvaika dtrayomnéevny thy ért Oavatw, | punco w attn ToU Kupiov.—Euseb. in Hist. Eccles. 
ijo0jvar pev THS KAjoews Yap Kal THs eis oikov | Script. Amst. 1695—1700. Lib. 11. cap. xxx. p. 82.] 


236 THE SUPPLICATION. 


Phil. iv. of his wife, calling her his “faithful yoke-fellow,” and desiring her to “help the 
women which laboured with him in the gospel,” if he, being unfaithful, had put 
away his wife contrary to his promise and the law of God? If the apostles had 
put away their wives after they were called unto the ministry and preaching of the 

1Cor.ix. gospel, how durst Paul have been so bold as to write unto the Corinthians, that 
they led their wives about with them? Yea, if the apostles had put away their 


Gen. ii. wives, how could they have exhorted other men, according to the law of God, to 
. X1X. . . 
Matt ¥. forsake father and mother, and to cleave unto their wives, and no man to forsake 


his wife for any cause, except it be for fornication? This, therefore, is but a shadow 
of the filthy papists, to blind the eyes of the simple and ignorant. 
The bishops Furthermore, all the holy bishops and ministers of the primitive church were 
of the primi- married men, or at the least were at liberty to marry, if they would. 
were married. Again, the priests among the Greeks, even from the apostles’ time unto this day, 
" have ever been at liberty to marry, neither is their ministry therefore the less 
Heb. xii. esteemed of the godly, which are persuaded by the word of God that “ wedlock is 
g% honourable among all men, and the bed undefiled.” The marriage of priests was 
never forbidden in any place, till antichrist of Rome brought it to pass, partly by 
the tyranny of the secular power, and partly by flattering words, granting priests 
concubines and whores instead of their lawful wives, whom for an yearly pension 
they may at their pleasure either keep still, or put away and take a new. 

But, O heavenly Father, as thy faithful servant Paul prophesied long before, so 
1Tim.iv. it is come to pass. ‘“‘The Spirit speaketh evidently,” saith he, “that in the latter 
rophecy days some shall depart from the faith, and shall give heed unto spirits of error, and 

devilish doctrine of them which speak false through hypocrisy, and have their con- 
sciences marked with an hot iron, forbidding to marry.” This prophecy is fulfilled in 
that antichrist of Rome, and in his whorish generation. For they alone forbid mar- 
a= viage, which thing neither Jew, nor Turk, nor any infidel besides doth. Neither can 
the papists shift off this prophecy from them unto certain heretics, which utterly 
condemned marriage. For the holy apostle prophesieth of such as forbid marriage, 
Note well. and not of them that utterly cast away and condemn marriage as a thing altogether 
unclean and unmeet for a christian man. They therefore that forbid the marriage of 
priests are by the judgment of the most worthy apostle, yea, of the Holy Ghost, 
departed from the faith, and give heed to the spirits of error, and devilish doctrine 
of them which speak false through hypocrisy, and have their conscience marked with 
an hot iron, be they popes, cardinals, bishops, emperors, kings, queens, dukes, or any 

other. Swift damnation bring all such upon themselves, except they shortly repent. 
Godlybishops Heretofore we had such shepherds as were tender fosters of thy flock. They 
ey cherished and made much of the sheep. For such as were weak they tenderly 
cherished, the sick they healed, the broken they bound up together, the outcasts and 
such as ran astray they lovingly brought home again, the lost they diligently sought, 
and restored them to the sheep-fold. None of thy sheep did they willingly suffer to 
perish. Even as a nurse among her children, so lived they among thy people. Not 
with the sour leaven of the Pharisees, but with the heavenly manna of thy blessed 
word, did they feed thy flock. Neither did they give thy sheep drink of the stinking 
Jotniv. and dirty puddles of men’s traditions, but of the fountain of that “living water, 
Wolvish | which springeth unto everlasting life.” But now the shepherds, yea, rather the wolves, 


shepherds. which are brast into thy sheep-fold, and with violence have unjustly thrust out the 
faithful and fatherly pastors out of their cures, are lordly, cruel, blood-thirsty, mali- 
cious, and spiteful against thy sheep. 

Acts xx, They are such “wolves” as “spare not the flock,” but scatter and destroy the 

John x. flock. They are “thieves, robbers,” murderers, and soul-slayers. “They feed them- 


selves with the fattest, and clothe themselves with the finest wool; but thy flock 
they nourish not.” The food wherewith they pasture thy sheep is the drowsy dreams 
and idle imaginations of antichrist. Instead of the preaching of thy lively word, they 
feed thy flock with Latin mumblings, with dumb images, with heathenish ceremonies, 
with vain sights, and such other apish toys. Instead of the ministration of the holy 
and blessed communion, they feed thy sheep with vile, stinking, abominable, devilish, 


THE SUPPLICATION. 237 


blasphemous, and idolatrous masses. And unto these unwholesome and pestilent and 
poisonful pastures they drive the sheep, will they, nill they; and if any of thy flock 

refuse to come and to taste of those their pestilent poisons and poisons full of pes- 

tilences, him they accite’ to appear before that great wolf’, whose face is like unto The deserip- 
the face of a she-bear that is robbed of her young ones, whose eyes continually tain head 
burn with the unquenchable flames of the deadly cockatrice, whose teeth are like to ina bishop's 
the venomous toshes* of the ramping lion, whose mouth is full of cursed speaking ate 
and bitterness, whose tongue speaketh extreme blasphemies against thee and thy holy 
Anointed, whose lips are full of deadly poison, whose throat is an open sepulchre, psai. y. 
whose breath foameth and bloweth out threatening and slaughter against the disciples cts ix. 
of the Lord, whose heart without ceasing imagineth wickedness, whose hands have a Pasa. xiv. 
delight to be imbrued with the blood of the saints, whose feet are swift to shed ae 
blood, whose whole man, both body and soul, go always up and down musing of 
mischief. This wolf, O Lord, is so arrogant, haughty, and proud, seeing the govern- 

ment of the whole realm is committed unto him, that he hath cast away all fear 

of thee. He maketh boast of his own wit, learning, and policy. ‘His ways are Paal.x. 
alway filthy: thy judgments are far out of his sight: he defieth all his enemies. For 

he saith in his heart, Tush, I shall never be cast down: there shall no harm happen 

unto me.” “He sitteth lurking like a lion in his den, that he may privily murder 

the innocent, and suck his blood.” When such, O Lord God, as will not obey their 

popish and devilish proceedings, are brought before that grievous wolf, they are mi- 

serably taunted, mocked, scorned, blasphemed, as thy dearly-beloved Son was in Matt. xxvi. 
bishop Caiphas’ house, and afterward cruelly committed to prison, to the Tower, to Eeeae 
the Fleet, to the Marshalseas, to the King’s Bench, to the Counters, to Lollards’ Tower, 

to Newgate, &c., where they are kept as sheep in a pinfold appointed to be slain. 

And as this cruel and bloody wolf dealeth with the poor lambs, even so do the 
residue of that lecherous litter. He with all other of that wolvish kind hunger and 
thirst nothing so greatly, as the devouring of the bodies and the sucking of the 
blood of thy poor and innocent lambs. 

Ah, Lord, while the ungodly have the overhand, the poor are most wretchedly 
handled: they are preys unto the wolves. “Arise, therefore, O Lord God; lift up Psal. x. 
thine hand: and forget not the poor,” which giveth themselves over into thy hand, 
and committeth him unto thy defence. “Break thou the arm of the ungodly and 
malicious: search out the wickedness which he hath dene, that he may shortly perish 
from the land of the living.” Suffer thy sheep no more to be thus miserably scat- 

’ tered, rent, torn, and devoured of these most cruel, grievous, and insatiable wolves. 
Remember this thy promise: “Behold, I myself will upon the shepherds, and require Ezek. xxxiv. 
my sheep from their hands, and make them cease from feeding of my sheep; yea, the 
shepherds shall feed themselves no more. For I will deliver my sheep out of their 
mouths ; so that they shall not devour them after this, &c. Behold, I will look to 
my sheep myself, and seek them. Like as a shepherd among the flock seeketh after 
the sheep that are scattered abroad, even so will I seek after my sheep, and gather 
them together out of all lands. I will bring them into their own land, and feed 
them upon the mountains of Israel, by the rivers, in all the places of the country. 
I will feed them in right good pastures; and upon the high mountains of Israel shall 
their folds be. There shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they 
feed, even upon the mountains of Israel. I will feed my sheep myself, and bring 
them to their rest, saith the Lord God. Such as be lost will I seek, such as go 
astray will I bring again, such as be wounded will I bind up, such as be weak will 
I make strong, such as be fat and well-liking, those will I preserve, and feed them 
with the thing that is lawful, &c. I will help my sheep; so that they shall no more 
be spoiled.” “I will make a covenant of peace with them, and drive all evil beasts 
out of the land; so that they may dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the 
woods. Good fortune and prosperity will I give them, and unto all that be round 





[? Accite: summon. ] | page 228, note 1.] 
[? Gardiner is doubtless intended. See before, | [% Toshes: tusks. ] 


Preachers 
and ministers 
heretofore 
reverenced. 

1 Tim. v. 


A comparison 
between 
queen Jeza- 
bel’s time 
and ours. 


Priests chief 
in the 
country, and 
throughout 
England. 


Awake, ye 
nobility. 


1 Esdr. iii. 


John vi. 


Luke xii. 


Luke xxii. 


238 THE SUPPLICATION. 


about my hill. A prosperous shower and rain will I send them in due season, that 
the trees in the wood may bring forth their fruits, and the ground her increase. 
They shall be safe in the land, and shall know that I am the Lord which have 
broken their yoke, and delivered them out of the hands of those that held them in 
subjection.” O Lord God and our heavenly Father, have pity on thy poor, afflicted, 
and scattered flock; and according to these thy loving and fatherly promises deal 
with thy people. So shall all men understand that thou art their Lord God and 
Shepherd, and that they are thy people and the sheep of thy pasture, and by this 
means be occasioned to magnify and praise thy holy name for ever and ever. 

Heretofore the preachers of thy holy word, and the faithful ministers of the sa- 
craments, were had in “double honour,” according to the doctrine of the holy serip- 
tures. But now of all men they are most miserable. For besides the too much 
despiteful words wherewith the wicked papists labour to obscure and deface, so much 
as lieth in them, the good name of the godly ministers, how cruelly, and against 
all order of law, are they thrust out of their livings, and deprived of all that they 
had! insomuch that they, and their poor wives, with their young children, are not 
only brought to the state of poverty, but also unto extreme beggary, without house 
or harbour, without meat, drink, and clothe! Yea, many of them, because they 
will not be defiled with the idolatry of antichrist, which is now received again into 
England, and bow their knee unto Baal, are compelled to forsake their native 
country, their parents, their friends, their livings, and to wander abroad in strange 
realms, leading most sorrowful and comfortless lives, but that they have thee their 
good Lord and merciful Father, which comfortest them in all their tribulation, and 
leavest none without succour that put their trust in thee. 

Ah, Lord God, under that most wicked queen Jezabel were not the prophets 
more cruelly handled than thy faithful ministers be now. For, as in the days of 
wicked queen Jezabel the priests of Baal were had in great honour, and were chiefest 
and of highest authority about the queen, none bearing so much rule in the court 
as they, none having so much reverence done unto them as they had; even so now 
is it with the idolatrous priests of England. They alone be chiefest, and of much 
estimation with the queen. They alone ruffle and reign. They alone bear the swing 
in the court. They alone have all things going forward as they desire. They alone 
be capped, kneeled, and crouched to. They alone have the keys of the English 
kingdom hanging at their girdles. Whatsoever they bind or loose, whispering and 
traitorously conspiring among themselves, that same is both bound and loosed in the 
star-chamber, in Westminster hall, in the parliament house, yea, in the queen’s privy 
chamber, and throughout the realm of England. The very nobility of England are 
in a manner brought to such slavery, that they dare not displease the lessest of 
these spiteful spiritual limbs of antichrist. 

It is read that certain men gave their judgments what thing was most mighty 
and strongest upon the earth. ‘The first said, Wine is a strong thing. The second said, 
The king is strongest. The third said, Women yet have more strength: but above 
all things the truth beareth away the victory.” But we may now say (unto such 
an height is the tyranny of the spiritual sorcerers grown), that priests in England are 
mightier than either wine, king, queen, lords, women, and all that is there besides. 
But how agreeth this with the example of Christ, which fled away when the people 
would have made him a king or a temporal governor? Christ refused to meddle 
with any worldly matters; as the history of dividing the inheritance between the two 
brethren doth declare. Christ willed his disciples to refuse all worldly dominion and 
temporal rule. When they strove among them who of them should be taken for the 
greatest, Christ said unto them: “The kings of the gentiles reign over them; and 
they that bear rule over them are called gracious lords. But ye shall not be so. 
For he that is greatest among you shall be as the lessest; and he that is chief 
shall be as the minister.” 

Christ sent not his disciples to be lords of the council, lords of the parliament, 
lord president, lord chancellor, lord bishop, lord suffragan, lord dean, master queen’s 
almner, master comptroller, master steward, master receiver, sir John Massmonger, &c., 


THE SUPPLICATION. 239 


but to be “ministers and disposers of the mysteries of God,” to be preache[r]s of the 1Cor.iv. 
gospel, to be labourers in the Lord’s harvest, to be pastors and feeders of the Lord’s Matt. ix. f 
flock, to be “the salt of the earth” and “the light of the world,” to be “an ensample Matt. ve 
to the faithful in word, and conversation, in love, in spirit, in faith, and in pureness,” ey 
to “feed Christ’s flock so much as lieth in their power, taking the oversight of 1 Pet. v. 
them, not as though they were compelled, but willingly; not for the desire of filthy 

lucre, but of a good mind; not as though they were lords over the parishes, but that 

they be an ensample to the flock, that when the chief Shepherd shall appear, they 

may receive an uncorruptible crown of glory.” 

But these things, O Lord, have they all forgotten. These ambitious antichrists The ambition 
are so drowned in vain-glory, and in the desire of filthy lucre and worldly promo- acne 
tions, that they neither regard God nor the higher powers; that they neither esteem 
their office nor any one point of godliness and honesty ; that they neither think upon 
the dreadful day of judgment, nor yet remember themselves to be mortal. Their whole 
study in the time of this their Lucifer-like pride is nothing else but to suppress thy 
holy truth, and to advance and set up their antichristian kingdom, that they as gods 
may sit alone in the consciences of men. 

But, O Lord God, though thou sufferest these priests of Baal for our unthankfulness comfort. 
awhile to prosper, to reign, to rule, to ruffle, to flourish, to triumph, and to tread 
down thy holy word under their feet, yet are we certain that thou wilt at the last 
arise, defend thine own cause against these antichrists, bring thine enemies unto con- 
fusion, and set thy people (after they have unfeignedly repented) in a quiet and blessed 
state. For thy word, O Lord, abideth for ever. Thy “truth endureth, and is always Isai. x1. 
strong; it liveth and conquereth for evermore, world without end.” And as for the saan © 
wicked doers, “they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and be withered as the Psal. xxxvii. 
green herb.” ‘The wicked doers shall be rooted out.” “* The sword, that they draw out 
to slay the simple and such as go the right way, shall go through their own heart.” 

‘The quivers of the ungodly shall be broken,” “‘ yea, the ungodly shall perish ; and when 
the enemies of the Lord are in their flowers and in their chief prosperity, then shall 
they consume; yea, even as the smoke shall they consume away, and come to nought.” 

Again, as in the days of wicked queen Jezabel the priests of Baal had all the Preachers 

promotions and livings given them that pertained unto the true prophets of God, yea, Tea 
they were fed at the queen’s table at the queen’s costs and charges, and the faithful 
ministers of God were thrust out of their livings, and lived in all misery, poverty, 
and beggary; even so is it now with the idolatrous priests of England. They alone 
be promoted. They alone be advanced unto high dignities. They alone have the 
livings that were appointed for the preachers of God’s word. They alone bear all 
the swing in the queen’s court. They alone may be bold to command what they list 
in every office of the court, and to eat and drink their bellies full at the queen’s cost. 
And as for the godly ministers, they are thrust most cruelly out of their livings, and 
are not suffered to have any portion at all to live on; that they, miserably stricken 
with the sharp dart of poverty, need, and beggary, might by that means be occasioned 
for living’s sake to forsake thee their Lord God, to forswear thy truth, and with 
those antichrists to embrace a strange religion, to commit idolatry, and to blaspheme 
thy holy name. 

As in the days of wicked queen Jezabel the prophets of God were fain to fly and Preachers 
to hide themselves in caves and dens; even so at this time are the faithful preachers foc?!" ° 
of God’s word compelled for the tyranny of the papists to fly their native country, 
to go into strange places, where they may with a free and quiet conscience serve 
thee their Lord God in such holiness and righteousness as is accepted before the 
eyes of thy divine majesty. 

As in the days of wicked queen Jezabel the faithful prophets of God lived with Preachers 
bread and water, when the priests of Baal fared most deliciously, and pampered their fieahie 
idle draffsack bellies with all kind of pleasant wines and dainty dishes; even so now 
the true ministers suffer both hunger and thirst, while the idolatrous bishops and 
massing priests of England live like hogs of Epicure’s flock in all kind of pleasure and 
delicate fare. 


240 THE SUPPLICATION. 


Preachers As in the days of wicked queen Jezabel so many of the prophets of God as re- 

fandled oe buked idolatry, and sought the alone honour of thee, which art the alone, true, living, 

ia everlasting, immortal God, were apprehended and put to death, if the Baalites might 
come by them; even so in like manner now the godly preachers of the gospel (so 
many as the bloody papists can get) are miserably handled, persecuted, thrown into 
prison, threatened with death, and most wretchedly kept as sheep appointed to be 
slain. 

The Lord's As in the days of wicked queen Jezabel the altars of the Lord were cast down, 

outofthe and other altars were reared and set up to Baal; even so now the tables of the Lord, 

‘empic- where the holy communion was most godly ministered, are cast down and broken on 

Dan. xi. [38.} pieces, and idolatrous altars built up to the god Moazim, to Erkenwald, to Grimbald, 
to Caterine, to Modwyne’, &c. 

The papists As in the days of wicked queen Jezabel the idolatrous priests offered strange sacri- 

in their : 

masses offer fices to strange gods, contrary to the commandment of God; even 80 now the idolatrous 

sacrifice. priests of England in their abominable masses offer strange sacrifices directly against 

x. the word of God, manifestly defacing the sweet-smelling sacrifice which Christ thy 
dearly-beloved Son offered once for all on the altar of the cross, for the omnisufficient 
purgation and perfect cleansing of all our sins. 

ae As in the days of wicked queen Jezabel there was a great hunger and drought 

Son eet in the land of Israel; even so is there now in the realm of England a great hunger 

England. and a great thirst, not of bread and water, but of hearing God’s word ; so that, if a man 
seeketh the sincere and true preaching thereof from the east to the west, and from 
the north to the south, he shall not find it at this day in the realm of England. 

ae As in the days of wicked queen Jezabel the true prophets of God were slandered 

accused to and accused to be the troublers of Israel, and the authors of all the plagues and mis- 

of sedition. chiefs that chanced to the realm, when notwithstanding not they, but the wicked 
queen and her ungodly husband, with all the rabble of their retinue and adherents 
were only the occasion of those miseries and plagues, forasmuch as they forsook the 
commandment of the Lord and followed Baal; even so now the true preachers of 
God’s word are called seditious persons, troublers of the commonwealth, heretics, 
schismatics, sacramentaries, despisers of our mother holy church, haters of all laudable 
ceremonies, breakers of all old ancient customs, and the alone authors of all the evils 
wherewith the realm of England heretofore hath been, or now is troubled; when 
the peevish papists themselves through their idolatry, superstition, hypocrisy, false reli- 
gion, abominable life, and disobedience against the law of God, provoke the vengeance 
of God to fall upon the realm, which vengeance without all doubt will shortly so 

Note. oppress our land (except thou, O Lord, be merciful unto us), that the inhabitants 
thereof shall not be able to abide it. 

athe papisis! As in the days of wicked queen Jezabel the prophets of Baal made the queen, 

the king, the lords of the council, the nobility, and the most part of all Israel to believe 

that Baal was a living god, and a god of great might and power; even so now the 
wicked bishops and idolatrous priests in all their sermons, books, and private talk 
do almost nothing else than persuade the queen, the council, the nobility, and all the 
commons of England to believe that the thin wafer-cake, which they hold up above 
their shameless shaven heads, is the alone true living God, able to do all things. 

The papists’ As in the days of wicked queen Jezabel the idolatrous priests did not only fall 

ped. down and worship Baal, but they also prayed unto him, asked petitions of him, and 
exhorted the people so to do; even so now our idolatrous priests do both worship 
their idol of bread, kneel unto it, ask all things of it, and also teach the people of all 
degrees so likewise to do. 


onivaeweir AS in the days of wicked queen Jezabel the prophets of Baal made the queen, 


bellies’ sake, 





[' See before, page 43, note 3. It may be added | religious houses in England, Ireland, and Scotland. 
that Modwina was born in Ireland of royal parentage. | She died in Ireland; but her body was brought to 
Having heard St Patrick preach, she resolved to de- | England for burial ; and her reliques were afterwards 
vote herself to a conventual life. She is said to have | translated to Burton-upon-Trent. | 
wrought many miracles, and to have founded many 


THE SUPPLICATION. 241 


her council, and all the people believe that Baal was a living god, whom they dosoextol 
: : : : their idol of 

served, because they might live the more easily, gloriously, and pompously, be the bread. 

more reverenced and honoured, and be fed with the liberality of the queen and of 

the nobility, and also with the labour of the poor men’s hands and sweat of their 

brows; even so now do the false blasphemous bishops and lying priests make the 

queen, the council, and all the subjects, so much as in them is, to believe that 

they, by whispering these five words, Hoc est enim corpus meum, over the bread, 

make the bread out of hand the very body of Christ, flesh, blood, and bone, sinews’, 

and loins, &c., the bread losing her substance, and altered into the natural flesh of 

Christ, as he was born of Mary the virgin. 

And this do they to this end only, that they may maintain their beastly spiritual 
kingdom, their greasy priesthood, and their idle idol-service, and live in all kind of 
voluptuousness, like beasts of the belly, and be had in the greater honour, not of 
the godly-wise, but of the foolish and ignorant, which refuse the knowledge of God, 
and delight in fables and lies. For who will not gladly reverence such as are able 
to make him that made them, yea, that made heaven and earth, and all things 
contained in them? Who will not think that mortal man worthy of honour, which 
is able to make the immortal God? But let these miserable jugglers first make the Set to hana, 
creatures ; and we shall the sooner be brought to believe that they are able to make eae 
the Creator. Let them make flesh, fish, milk, eggs, and such other victuals, that eee eed 
the poor people may have the more freely to eat; and we shall the easilier suffer our- 
selves to be persuaded that they can make Christ, God and man. But if these 
spiteful spiritual sorcerers cannot do the lessest, we can never believe that they are 
able to do the greatest. He that cannot make a rush cannot make the Maker of 
the rush. He that cannot make milk cannot make the cow that giveth the milk, 
much less him that made both the cow and the milk. 

If these jugglers say they have the words wherewith Christ made the bread his 
body, and by the virtue of the same words they also have power to make of bread 
the body of Christ, we will desire them to shew their commission. If they allege 
this commandment, Hoc facite, we would wish them once to become honest men, 
and no more to follow their master the devil, which never allegeth the scriptures truly; Matt. iv. 
so notable a liar is he, and the father of all lying. Christ said not only, Hoe facite, aces 
but he added, in meam commemorationem: ‘“ Do this,” saith he, “‘in the remembrance arpounded 
of me;” that is to say, When ye are determined to celebrate this holy supper, gather 
yourselves lovingly together, knowledge your sins before the throne of God’s majesty, 
offer your prayers unto God the Father in my name, preach my death and passion, 
break and eat the bread in the remembrance of my body-breaking, pour out and 
drink the wine in remembrance of my blood-shedding for the remission of your sins, 
knit yourselves together in brotherly love, serve one another, do good one to another, 
become new men, be thankful to my heavenly Father, praise and magnify him for 
the benefits which ye receive by my death and passion. This meant our Saviour 
Christ by Hoc facite, and not that the sacrificing sorcerers should make the body of 
Christ anew of bread, and offer him up again unto thee, O Lord, for a sacrifice to 
put away the sins of the people; as the apostle declareth in these words, saying: 

““So oft as ye shall eat of this bread, and drink of this cup, preach,” declare, set 1 cor. xi. 
forth, and call to remembrance “‘the Lord’s death until he come.” 

If the papists have power given them to make Christ by this commandment, 

Hoc facite, then have the laymen and the laywomen (as they are called) power The papists 
also given them to make the body of Christ, if they can rehearse these five words, No teliows 
Hoc est enim corpus meum. For this commandment, Hoc facite, was given to all 4 Sane 
Christians generally, to priests, to ministers, to laymen, to laywomen, and to so many a 

as are meet to come unto the Lord’s table; so that, if the priests by that commission 

can challenge power to make Christ, God and man, all the other Christians, though 

they be neither smeared nor shorn, have the like power so to do. 


If the smeared shavelings and chattering chaplains of lady church can work such ¢ 





[? A word is omitted. } 


[Brcon, m1. ] _ 


Gen. 1. 


Gen. i. 


Weaklings 
and men- 
pleasers. 


The papists 
ascribe all 
things to the 
virtue of the 
sacrament 
and mass. 


242 THE SUPPLICATION. 


monsters with these five words, Hoc est enim corpus meum, because, as they say, 
Christ, God and man, by the virtue of the same made of the bread his natural body, 
we would wish them, for a trial of their power and ability, to attempt other things, 
which are not of so great importance, and to bring them to pass, that we may the 
better credit their doings in the matter of the sacrament, seeing they have the words 
wherewith God made other things also. As for an ensample, at the beginning, when 
darkness was upon the deep, God said, Fiat lux, “ Let there be light ;” and there was 
light straightways. Here have the papists the plain words wherewith God at the 
beginning made the light. Let these wonder-workers step forth at midnight in the 
winter, when the earth is overwhelmed with darkness, and say, Fiat lux, “ Let there 
be light ;’ and if the darkness at their commandment remove, and light come in 
place thereof, we will be the easilier persuaded that with Hoc est enim corpus meum 
they make of bread the natural body of Christ. Again, when the earth was empty 
and unfruitful, God said, Germinet terra herbam virentem, “ Let the earth bring forth 
green grass ;” and it came so to pass. Let the papists likewise in the heat of sum- 
mer, when the poor men’s pastures be dried and bumt up through heat, so that 
they have no food for their cattle, go into the poor men’s pastures, and say there, 
Germinet terra herbam virentem, “ Let the earth bring forth green grass ;” and if the 
pastures, after the words once spoken, be clothed with green grass, so that the cattle 
have straightways whereof to feed, yea, and that by the virtue of the words spoken 
by the papists, we will the sooner be brought to believe that with their Hoc est 
enim corpus meum they turn the bread into the natural body of Christ, God and 
man. 

But if these monstrous miracle-makers with Fiat dux cannot put away darkness 
and make light to shine; if these wonder-workers with Germinet terra herbam vi- 
rentem cannot make the green grass to grow; no more can the false lying papists, 
with their Hoc est enim corpus meum, make the substance of bread to be changed 
into the natural substance of the body of Christ, God and man. If they cannot do 
the lessest thing, they shall never be able to do the greatest. If they cannot make 
the light to shine, nor the grass to grow, neither are they able to make him which 
made both the light, and the grass, and all other creatures, both in heaven and in 
earth. O Lord, make the madness of these vain jugglers known to all men, that 
they may no longer go forth to bewitch thy people, and to drown them in all kind 
of pestilent errors: but, O Lord, so lighten the eyes of thy people, that they, per- 
ceiving the juggling casts of these spiteful spiritual sorcerers, may beware of them, 
and ever after walk in the glorious light of thy most blessed and holy word. 

As in the days of wicked queen Jezabel many of the people of Israel, partly for fear, 
partly for pleasing the queen and her flatterers, and partly for saving their lives and 
goods, helped on both parts, that is to say, worshipped both God and Baal, God 
inwardly with the heart, and Baal outwardly with the body; even so now many of 
the English nation, partly for fear, partly for pleasing the queen and her champions, 
and partly for saving their life and goods, do inwardly serve God after their manner 
with their hearts, and outwardly, against their conscience, with their bodies they 
serve Maozim and the devil, by coming unto the popish mass and worshipping a vile 
idol of bread instead of the living God. 

As in the days of wicked queen Jezabel God gave unto Achab her husband 
many noble victories over his enemies, yea, and that to this end, that he might be 
provoked to beat’ his idolatry, and learn to know that the Lord is God alone, and 
not Baal; and yet afterward neither he nor his gave the glory to the Lord God, but 
to Baal (for there was none at all like Achab that was so utterly given to make 
wickedness in the sight of the Lord, and that because Jezabel his wife pricked him 
forward) ; even so now, if any thing fortunately chance either unto the queen or unto 
the realm, it is straightways ascribed of the papists, not to thee, which art the alone 
living God and givest all good things, but to the sacrament of the altar, and to that 
filthy and abominable idol the mass. 


[) Perhaps the true reading is leave.} 


THE SUPPLICATION. 243 


As in the days of wicked queen Jezabel the godly Israelite Naboth was unjustly Men put to 
accused of treason and put to death, that the king and the queen might the more eae 
freely enjoy his vineyard and his other goods; even so now in these our days many faite" 
be accused of treason against the queen (whom, notwithstanding, they reverence and they he ae 
honour as their lawful magistrate, pray for her, and wish well to her, although the ?"*™ 
love of their country sometime compel them, for the safeguard of it against unnatural 
and tyrannous strangers, to attempt extremities), and for a trifling matter put to 
death, namely if they be Naboths and true Israelites, that is to say, haters of 
papistry and lovers of thy godly truth, that the covetous cormorants may the more 
freely occupy their goods and possessions. 

As in the days of wicked queen Jezabel whatsoever commandment came from phe ohedi- 
her was straightways obeyed and executed, though it were never so directly against [ii in 
the honour of God; even so now, whatsoever the queen commandeth and willeth to Wet 
be done, it is out of hand accomplished of the papists, worldlings, and men-pleasers, 
though it be manifestly repugnant and contrary to the word of God, as the building 
up of the altars, placing of idols in the temples, wiping out of the holy scriptures, 
saying of the common prayer in a strange tongue, praying for the souls departed, 
honouring of saints and praying unto the same, worshipping of a piece of bread in- 
stead of God, receiving of the sacrament under one kind, justification of works, hope 
of salvation in ceremonies, divorcement of priests and their wives, putting out of 
godly married ministers out of their livings, and other wicked inventions and devilish 
articles. 

As in the days of wicked queen Jezabel matters of religion were not rightly dis- the truth 
cussed, indifferently heard, and truly determined, but the verity was ever suppressed Pea 
by the greater multitude, which is for the most part always wicked; even so now pone 
matters concerning christian religion are not egally® heard, godly debated, and truly 
judged; but whatsoever the greatest part holdeth (even many of them against their 
own conscience and knowledge, only to please the rulers, and to keep themselves 
and their livings out of danger, though it be never so wicked and abominable), that 
goeth for payment, that must needs be truth, that is old, ancient, commendable, and 
catholic, though neither the patriarchs nor prophets, Christ nor his apostles, nor 
any of the primitive church had ever knowledge thereof, but was of late years in- 
vented of the devil, and brought in by antichrist the bishop of Rome, and his Lucifer-like 
limbs. 

As in the days of wicked queen Jezabel none could be suffered to preach but the none sut- 
priests of Baal; even so now none may be suffered to preach, or to have any ecclesiastical eacarat 
living, but such as are blasphemous Baalites, idle idolaters, mumbling massmongers, "?** 
solemn sacrificers, filthy fornicators, stinking sodomites, &c. 

As in the days of wicked queen Jezabel both the king and the queen could abide no piatterine 
prophets or preachers to speak before them, but such as were claw-backs, and flattered "> 
them, speaking what they thought might best content the king, the queen, the nobility, 

&c., although at the last (as the end of all flattery is) it rather turned to their dam- 
nation than salvation, to their destruction than preservation; even so now none may 

be suffered to preach before the queen and the nobility, but such as seek rather to 

please than to profit, to destroy than to edify, not to offend than to amend, to win 

love than vices to improve, to encourage them in their naughtiness than to reprehend 

their wickedness, to confirm them in their idolatry than to teach them the right way 

unto true godliness. Such men-pleasers ought to set before their eyes this saying 

of the apostle: “If I should study to please men, so could I not be the servant of Gal.i. 
Christ.” But truly prophesied the holy apostle both of the Thrasos and Gnathos® 

in these our days, saying: “The time shall come when they will not suffer wholesome 2 Tim. iv. 
doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they (whose ears itch) get them an heap 

of teachers, and shall turn their ears from the truth, and shall be given unto fables.” 

But those preachers, O Lord, whom thou sendest, have not men and women in great ee 


reverence for filthy lucre’s sake, neither seek they to please nor to follow the fond God's 
preachers. 





[? Egally: equally.] [? Ter. Eunuch. ] [* Perhaps property. ] 
16—2 


The true 
preachers 
miserably 
handled. 


No truthnow 
but in papists 
only. 


The prisoners 
of God for 
confessing 
his truth. 


All these, 
with many 
more, were 
afterward 
more cruelly 
brent by the 
wicked 
papists. 


None pro- 
moted but 
Baalites. 


The christian 
common- 
wealth of 
England 
miserabl 
deformed. 


244 THE SUPPLICATION. 


fancies of such as be wedded to their own idle and fleshly imaginations; but they, 
setting before their eyes thy fear and thy commandment, without respect of persons 
teach, exhort, improve, rebuke, come lucre, come loss, come life, come death. This 
is not found in the papists, which for advantage sake magnify the rulers and such 
as be in authority; whereof we may easily gather, that they are those false prophets 
of whom the apostle Judas speaketh in his epistle. 

As in the days of wicked queen Jezabel such as held on God’s side, and told the 
king and the queen the truth of God’s word freely and without fear, were miserably 
handled, put in prison, straitly kept, and fed with bread and water; even so now 
they that are enemies to papistry, they that speak against the drowsy dreams and 
idolatrous inventions of men, they that inveigh either by preaching or writing against 
any old ungodly crooked custom, against the new-found god in the box, against the 
blasphemous mass and the abominable sacrifice thereof, against public prayers mumbled 
in the congregation by lewd priests in a strange tongue, against the wicked ceremonies, 
against the receiving of the sacrament under one kind, against the devilish decree of 
the single life of priests, against auricular confession so shamefully abused, &c., are 
straightways apprehended, accused, mocked, scorned, wretchedly handled, committed 
to vile prisons, stocked, locked, chained, fettered, straitly kept, not suffered to speak 
with any man but with their tormentors, miserably fed, beastly lodged, polled and 
picked of all that they have, and in all points so handled as sheep laid upon the 
butcher's stall ready to be slain. 

As in the days of wicked queen Jezabel the false prophets could not abide that any 
should have the spirit of truth but they, and if any taught otherwise than they dreamed, 
that must needs be an untruth, heresy, sedition, conspiracy, treason, &c., and the 
preachers thereof cruelly handled, as we have Micha the prophet with other for an 
ensample ; even so now the popish praters, which in these days only occupy the office 
of preaching, persuade themselves that they alone have the Spirit of God, that they 
alone have the truth on their side, that they alone are to be credited; and if any will 
not consent to their devilish doctrine, but openly and freely speak against it, him they 
entreat more cruelly than if he were either Jew, Turk, Saracen, or any other miscreant; 
as we have at this present for an ensample thy faithful and worthy servants Thomas Cran- 
mer, Hugh Latimer, Nicholas Ridley, John Hoper, John Rogers, John Philpott, John 
Bradforde, Laurence Saunders, with divers other, whom we most humbly beseech 
thee, O heavenly Father, for Christ’s sake to confirm in thy holy doctrine through 
thy heavenly Spirit, and to bring unto good effect that which thou hast gloriously begun 
in them, unto the honour of thy blessed name, the encouragement of all thy faithful, 
and the utter subversion of antichrist and of his wicked kingdom. Amen. 

Finally, as in the days of wicked queen Jezabel none were loved, esteemed, and 
bare rule, but such as followed the ways of Baal, and forsook their Lord God, walking 
after the wicked imaginations of the idolatrous priests; even so now is it come to 
pass in the realm of England. None be made bishops, deans, prebendaries, archdeacons, 
officials, beneficed men, school-masters, &c., none be appointed magistrates, councillors, 
rulers, justices of peace, judges, officers, &c., but such as are content to bow their 
knee to Baal, to worship an idol of bread instead of the living God, to hear the 
blasphemous mass, to be present at the unfruitful popish Latin service, to seek sal- 
vation in ceremonies, to go on procession following an idol, to make their confession 
to a drunken superstitious priest, to receive the sacrament under one kind, contrary 
to Christ’s institution, to pray unto dead saints, to pray for the souls departed, and 
in all points to follow the devilish devices of the spiritual sorcerers. 

Thus seest thou, O most merciful Father, how miserably the face of the christian 
commonweal of England is beyond all measure defaced. Thus seest thou how thy 
godly doctrine and most holy ordinances are utterly abolished, and men’s traditions 
set up in the place of them. Thus seest thou how thy glory, and honour that is 
due to thee alone, is attributed and given to an idol of bread and to their wicked 
mawmets. Thus seest thou how the salvation, which is through faith to be hoped 
and looked for only in the glorious passion, precious death, and triumphant resurrection 
of thy most dear Son and our alone Saviour and Lord Jesus Christ, is now reposed 


THE SUPPLICATION. 245 


in the sinful merits of hypocrites, in the intercession of saints, in ceremonies, in the 
observances of men’s idle imaginations, &c. Thus seest thou how thy holy word is set 
aside, and man’s doctrine hath the uppermost hand. Thus seest thou how thy holy 
mysteries are too much filthily defiled of the swinish papists. Thus seest thou how 
all things in the temples be done without edifying. Nothing is heard in them but 
boaying, bellowing, and delating’. Thus seest thou how the faithful bishops and faithful 
pastors are unjustly put out of their cures, deprived of all that they have, banished, 
and handled like sheep appointed to the slaughter; and in the stead of them white- 
daubed walls, painted sepulchres full of all filthiness and abomination, blind Pharisees, 
subtile hypocrites, unlearned asses, Romish foxes, ravening wolves, lordly tyrants, and 
such-like pestilences, are appointed to rule over thy flock. Thus seest thou how thy 
poor and miserable sheep are most vilely and wretchedly handled of these pastors, yea, 
idols, thieves, robbers, and murderers, while they are compelled, will they, nill they, 
to taste of their pestilent and poisonful pastures, to eat of their pharisaical leaven, and 
to drink of their dirty and miry puddles. Thus seest thou how the honourable marriage 
of the godly ministers is utterly condemned as a thing unlawful and unmeet for the 
ministries of thy word and sacraments, and abominable whoredom freely suffered, borne 
withal, and winked at. Thus seest thou how “the heathen are brast into thine heritage, Psal. ixxix. 
have defiled thy holy temple, and made Jerusalem an heap of stones.” 

Ah, Lord! since the putting down of thy holy religion in England, we that pro- the misery of 
fess thy name, and would gladly serve thee according to thy blessed word, and not hein 
after the fancies of men, which we know to be abominable in thy sight, “ are become Psal. xliv. 
an open shame unto our enemies, a very scorn and derision unto them that are round 
about us. They that hate us spoil our goods. We are eaten up like sheep.” Yea, 
sometime our dear friends and neighbours abhor us and refuse our company; so fear- 
ful are they of life and goods. A very by-word are we among the papists, and the 
ungodly people shake their heads at us. ‘Our soul is brought low, even unto the 
dust ; and our belly cleaveth even unto the ground.” “For thy sake are we killed 
all the day long, and are counted as sheep appointed to be slain. Up, Lord: why 
sleepest thou? awake, and cast us not off for ever. Wherefore hidest thou thy face? 

Wilt thou clean forget our misery and oppression?” ‘‘ Arise, O Lord, help us and 
deliver us for thy mercy sake.” 

Ah, “Lord, how long wilt thou be angry? shall thy jealousy burn like fire for psal ixxix. 
ever? Pour out thine indignation upon the heathen which know thee not, and upon 
the kingdoms that call not upon thy name. For they have devoured Jacob, and laid 
waste his dwelling-place. O remember [not] our old sins; but have mercy upon us, 
and that soon; for we are come to great misery. Help us, O God our Saviour, for 
the glory of thy name. O deliver us, and forgive us our sins, for thy name's sake. 
Wherefore shall the heathen (the papists) say, Where is now their God?” Where 
is now their gospel? ‘O let the vengeance of thy servants’ blood that is shed be 
openly shewed upon the heathen in our sight. O let the sorrowful sighing of the 
prisoners come before thee; and according to the power of thine arm preserve those 
that are appointed to die. Stir up thy power, O Lord, and come to help us.” 

“Turn to us again, and shew us the light of thy loving countenance, that we may Psal. Ixxx. 
be saved. O Lord God of hosts, how long wilt thou be angry over the prayers of 
thy people? How long wilt thou feed them that believe in thee with the bread of 
tears, and give them plenty of sorrows to drink?” How long shall they be a laugh- 
ing-stock to the papists? How long shall thy vineyard be rooted up of the wild 
boar, and be devoured of the beasts of the field? How long shall her hedges be 
broken, that they which go by may pluck up her grapes? How long shall it be 
brent with fire, and lie waste? ‘O turn thee again, thou God of hosts: look down 
from heaven, behold and visit thy vineyard.” 

“Hold not thy tongue, O God: keep not silence: refrain not thyself, O God. For, Psal. ixxxiii. 
lo, thine enemies make a murmuring, and they that hate thee lift up their head. 

They imagine craftily against thy people, and take counsel against thy holy ones. 


[! Delating, perhaps a mistake for bleating. See before, p. 233.] 


Psal. xii. 


Jer. xliv. 


Mal. iii. 


Psal. xii. 
Isai. i. 


Psal. v. 


Psal. xiv. 


Psal. xxviii. 


Psal. cii. 


Psal. li. 


1 Pet. ii. 


Isai. Ixvi. 


Tsai. xlix. 


The christian 
sacrifice. 
Psal. li. 


Psal. lxvii. 


Tsai. xi. 


Psal. exlvii. 
Jer. iii. 


246 THE SUPPLICATION. 


Come, say they, let us root them out from among the people, that the name of Israel 
may be put out of remembrance. or they have cast their heads together with one 
consent, and are confederate against thee” and thy holy word. They shame not to 
say, “ We will have the house of God in possession.” We will have men to believe 
as we list. ‘Our tongue shall prevail. We are they that ought to speak: who is 
lord over us?” “As for the words which” the faithful preachers “‘ speak unto us in 
the name of the Lord, we will in no wise hear them; but whatsoever goeth out of 
our own mouth, that will we do. We will do sacrifice and offer oblations to the 
queen of heaven, like as we and our forefathers, our kings and our heads, have done 
in the cities of Juda, and in the streets and fields of Jerusalem. For then had we 
plenteousness of victuals. Then were we in prosperity; and no misfortune came upon 
us. But since we left to offer and to do sacrifice unto the queen of heaven, we 
have had scarceness of all things, and perish with sword and hunger.” “It is but 
lost labour to serve God.” 

O Lord, keep and preserve us from this generation for ever. For they are “a sin- 
ful people, which are overladen with blasphemies, a froward generation, and wicked 
children. They have forsaken thee, their Lord God: they have provoked the Holy 
One of Israel unto anger, and are gone backward.” “There is no truth in their 
mouths. Their throat is an open sepulchre: with their tongues they deceive: the 
poison of adders is under their lips: their feet are swift to shed innocent blood. They 
eat up and devour thy people as it were bread. Destruction and unhappiness is in 
all their doings; but the way of peace they know not; for there is no fear of God 
before their eyes.” O Lord God and our most merciful Father, look down from thy 
holy hill and consider our miseries. ‘“‘Save thy people, O Lord, and bless thine 
heritage. Govern them with thy holy Spirit, and lift them up above their enemies 
for ever.” 

“Rise up, O Lord, and have pity on Sion; for it is time, yea, it is high time for 
thee to have pity on her.” ‘“O Lord, let it be thy pleasure to deal favourably with 
Sion, that the walls of Jerusalem may be built.” Build up, O Lord, that spiritual 
house with living stones, whereof thy Son Christ is the foundation and head corner- 
stone. Be that same good Lord and merciful God to thy congregation that thou hast 
ever promised to be. Comfort her as the loving mother cherisheth her tender babes. 
As a natural mother cannot forget her young one, but that she must needs have pity 
on the child of her womb; even so, O Lord, pity thou the congregation of England, 
and by no means suffer the godly people thereof to fall out of thy remembrance. 

And although our life be such that it rather deserveth punishment than recon- 
cilement, anger than favour, destruction than preservation, yet, O Lord God, we most 
humbly beseech thee to forgive us our sins, and for thy name’s sake, yea, for thy 
dear Christ's sake, have mercy on us, and deal with us according to thine old accus- 
tomed goodness. We have nothing to offer unto thy fatherly gentleness, but only 
our repentance, our broken hearts, and troubled spirits, our tears, our sighings, and 
our most sorrowful supplications. These we pour out before the merciful throne of 
thy divine majesty in the name of Jesus Christ, our alone Mediator and Advocate, 
most humbly beseeching thee, for his sake, for his dignity and innocency, to have 
mercy on the godly inhabitants of England, and on so many as unfeignedly reverence 
thy holy name, and with true heart love the coming of our Lord Jesus. Let it suf- 
fice, O Lord, that, since the death of our most christian king Edward the sixth, thy 
faithful servant, unto this day, thou hast for our unthankfulness and wicked life taken 
away from us the holy and glorious gospel of thy dear Son Christ, and suffered 
hypocrites to feed us, yea, rather to choke and strangle us with the pestilent doc- 
trine of men’s traditions. Look upon thine holy Anointed, and for his sake have 
mercy on us, bless us, and lighten thy cheerful countenance upon us, that we Eng- 
lishmen here on the earth may once again know thy blessed ways, and thy saving 
health among all nations. Let the realm of England be full of the knowledge of the 
Lord Jesus, even as though the water of the sea overflowed the earth. Let thy 
word run swiftly throughout all the borders of England. Let the people thereof drink 
no more of the dirty and miry puddles of the swinish papists and filthy hypocrites ; 


THE SUPPLICATION. 247 


but let them “ with joy draw water out of the wells” of that alone Saviour which Isai. xii. 
saith, “If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink.” “T will give to Jonnvii 
him that is athirst of the well of water of life freely.” And ‘whosoever shall drink a po 
of the water that I shall give him shall never be more athirst; but the water that 

I shall give shall be in him a well of water springing up unto everlasting life.” 

And, that thy blessed word may have the more free passage, take away from us Preachers. 
those idolatrous massmongers, those idle Latin mumblers, those shaven Madianites, 
those lordly loiterers, those wolves, those thieves, robbers, and murderers, which do Ezek. xxxiv. 
nothing else than poison thy flock, whom thy most dear Son purchased with his most Acts xx. 
precious dear heart-blood, and make havoc of thy silly simple sheep, by leading 
them away from thee through their vain sophistry unto the devil and the pope, from 
thy holy word and blessed ordinances unto the trifling traditions and crooked, yea, 
cankered constitutions of hypocrites: and in the stead of them place thou godly 
bishops, learned preachers, christian ministers, faithful teachers, true spiritual fathers, 
loving pastors, even such as will diligently seek up the lost sheep, whom the wolvish Luke xv. 
papists in the time of their tyranny have most wretchedly scattered abroad, lovingly 
lay them on their shoulders, and faithfully bring them home again unto the sheep- 
fold, “‘ give thy household meat in due season,” “be able to exhort with wholesome Matt. xxiv. 
doctrine, and also to convince and overcome them that speak against it,’ and brent a 
with a fervent and unfeigned zeal toward the setting forth of thy glory and the health 
of thy people. 

Send us again the true ministration of thy blessed sacraments, that we may know Sacraments. 
what they are, what they signify and preach unto us, yea, and that without the cor- 
ruption of men’s traditions, wherewith at this present they are most unworthily de- 
filed of these swinish and filthy papists. Take away from us the Romish Latin Latinservice. 
service, which the smeared shavelings mumble in the temples before thy people with- 
out all edifying, and restore unto us our accustomed common prayers in the English 
tongue, that we may know what we pray, and by this means “worship” thee “in 1 Cor. xiv. 
spint and truth.” Banish out of the congregation that most vile and stinking idol 
the mass, and restore unto us the holy and blessed communion, that we, eating to- Mass. 
gether of one bread, and drinking of one cup, may remember the Lord’s death, and 1 cor. x. 
be thankful to thee. 

Purge our temples of all popish abominations, of ceremonies, of images, of altars, Ceremonies 
of copes, of vestments, of pixes, of crosses, of censers, of holy-water-buckets, of holy- 
bread-baskets, of chrismatories', and above all, idolatrous priests and ungodly ignorant 
curates. 

The propitiatory sacrifice of the popish mass, the wicked opinion of the corporal Abomina- 
presence of Christ in the sacramental bread, the receiving of the sacrament under one ”"~ 
kind, the intercession of saints, the doctrine of the justification of works, the popish 
purgatory, the wicked traditions of the elders, with all ungodly customs and strange 
doctrines, take thou, O good Lord, away from us, and teach us by thy holy Spirit to 
walk only in that way that thou hast appointed, and by no means to turn neither Deut. iv. vi. 


us grace to serve thee our Lord God in such holiness and righteousness as is accepted [Mey 


before thee all the days of our life. 

O heavenly Father and most merciful Lord, preserve and sanctify with thy holy God's congre- 
Spirit thy universal congregation, namely the faithful congregation of England; that *"°™ 
as in their baptism they have given themselves over wholly unto thee, forsaking the 
devil, the world, and the flesh, with all their works, pomps, lusts, and vanities, and 
have sworn to serve thee with all that they are able to make, even so they through 
thy grace may answer to their profession and live according to their promise made in 
their baptism, entangling themselves with no new counterfeit and strange religion, nor 
yet defiling themselves with any unrighteousness, but walking in that only way that 
thou hast appointed. 

And such as through the strength of thy Spirit abide still constant and stedfast in Strong in 


hrist. 





[! Chrismatories: vessels in which the chrism was kept. | 


Psal. xvii. 


Matt. ii. 


Luke ix. 


2 Pet. ii. 


Prov. xxvi. 


Weaklings. 


++ 


God’s pri- 
soners. 
Acts v. 


Rom. viii. 


2 Cor. iv. 


2 Tim. ii. 


Backsliders 
for fear. 


Tsai. xlii. 
Matt. xii. 
Mark ix. 


Matt. xvi. 


Mark x. 


Matt. x. 


248 THE SUPPLICATION. 


the confession of thy truth before the worldly tyrants and bellied hypocrites, O Lord, 
confirm them in thy truth through the Holy Ghost, and give them grace to persist 
and continue in it unto the end, that thou mayest be glorified by them, and that the 
truth of thy holy word may the more earnestly be received, embraced, and believed 
of the christian weaklings. “O hold thou up” their “ goings in thy paths, that” their 
“footsteps slip not.” Thou hast delivered them from stinking Sodom: suffer them no 
more to look back toward it. Thou by thy mighty power and out-stretched arm hast 
brought them out of sinful Egypt, and hast fed them with the heavenly manna: suffer 
them no more so much as once to have a lust to return unto that land of bondage, 
nor to have a desire to sit among the greasy flesh-pots of Egypt, and to eat of the 
fishes, melons, cucumbers, garlic, onions, leeks, &c., wherewith the filthy Egyptians 
are fed. They have visited and seen Christ thy Son and our King: suffer them no 
more to return unto wicked king Herod. They have put their hand to the plough : 
grant that they never look back again, but persevere, continue, and go forward unto 
the end. They have escaped from the filthiness of the world through the knowledge 
of thee and of our Saviour Jesu Christ: suffer them no more to be entangled therein 
and overcome, lest the latter end be worse than the beginning. “ For it had been 
better not to have known the way of righteousness, than after they have known it 
to turn from the holy commandment that is given them. So might it be said of 
them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his vomit again; and the 
sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.” 

The weaklings, and such as are not yet perfectly stablished in thy true religion, 
but like reeds waver with every wind of doctrine, O Lord, confirm thou and make 
them thoroughly strong in the knowledge of thy truth, that they with a constant 
faith and lusty courage may both believe and confess thee before the tyrants of the 
world, that thou alone art the Lord, and that there is no truth necessary unto salva- 
tion but that only which is contained in thy holy scriptures. 

To them that are in bonds for the confession of thy truth give thou grace, O 
most loving Lord, to rejoice that they be counted worthy of thy fatherly goodness to 
suffer rebuke, infamy, imprisonment, loss of goods, &c. for the name of the Lord 
Jesu, and to be “ persuaded that the afflictions of this life are not worthy of the glory 
which shall be shewed” upon the sons of God in time to come; notwithstanding, that 
their “trouble, which is short and light, prepareth an exceeding and eternal weight 
of glory unto them, which look not on the things which are seen, but on the things 
which are not seen;” again, that “if they die with Christ, they shall also live with 
Christ ; and if they suffer with Christ, they shall also reign with Christ.” 

And as for them that, for fear of life or loss of goods, or else for pleasing the 
higher powers, are outwardly gone from thy true religion, and with their body serve 
Baal, yea, and that against their own conscience, when in their hearts they wish all 
idolatrous and strange worshippings utterly to be abolished, that thou alone mightest be 
glorified and honoured; we most humbly beseech thee to pardon their imperfections 
and to forgive their infirmities, which by the prophet speaketh of thy Son concern- 
ing the weak and fearful on this manner: “A bruised reed shall he not break, and 
flax that beginneth to burn he shall not quench.” O Lord, help their unbelief. 
Increase their faith. Make them strong with thy holy Spirit, that that which they 
inwardly believe they may outwardly confess, and work accordingly, though loss both 
of goods and life do ensue. Give them grace always to have before their eyes these 
sayings of thy dear Son and our loving Saviour Christ Jesu: “If any man will 
foliow me, let him forsake himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For 
whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever shall lose his life for 
my sake shall find it. What shall it profit a man though he should win all the 
whole world, if he lese his own soul? or what shall a man give to redeem his 
own soul again withal?” Item: “Verily I say unto you, There is no man that 
forsaketh house, or brethren and sisters, or father and mother, or wife, or children, 
or lands, for my sake and the gospel’s, which shall not receive an hundred-fold now 
in this life, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with 
persecutions, and in the world to come everlasting life.” Again: “‘ Whosoever shall 


THE SUPPLICATION. 249 


confess me before men, him will I confess before my Father which is in heaven.” 

But “whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words among this advouterous Mark viii. 
and sinful generation, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed when he cometh in 

the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” 

Now as touching the enemies of thy word, whereof some sin of ignorance and Enemies to 
for lack of knowledge, some again of obstinate malice and pretensed hate, and make op laee oe 
war against thy true religion, we most humbly beseech thee for Christ’s sake favourably eae 
to behold them that ignorantly and of a blind zeal toward the traditions of their elders, 
and not of a malicious heart, hate the gospel of thy dear Son, and persecute the 
preachers of the same. Bring them, O Lord, into the knowledge of their errors and 
blindness, that they may repent, believe, and amend, which madest Saul of a wolf Actsix. 
a lamb, of a persecutor a preacher, and of a tyrant an apostle. Make them of the 
enemies of thy truth earnest lovers and fervent embracers of thy truth. Turn their 
hard and stony heart into a fleshly, soft, and gentle heart: make them new bottles, Matt. ix. 
apt to receive the new, sweet, and pleasant wine of the gospel. Make them as 
zealous in setting forth the truth of thy word as they have heretofore been in the 
advancement of the blind and unfruitful traditions of men. Be merciful unto them, Psal. Ixvii. 
bless them, and lighten thy countenance upon them, that they may know thy ways 
and thy saving health. Replenish them with thy holy Spirit and with the graces of 
the same, that, as they are thy creatures with us, so they may be saved with us. 

But those, O Lord, which are thy sworn enemies, and of a set purpose, even Enemies to 
against their own conscience and contrary to their knowledge, persecute the glorious pr ealee 
gospel of thy dearly-beloved Son, and the true favourers of the same, and will by 
no means be reconciled nor lean unto the truth, but go forth daily more and more 
to hinder the free and joyful passage of thy holy word, and to withdraw so many 
as they can from believing, receiving, and embracing the same, seeing they sin the 
sin unto death, and are not to be converted, O Lord, haste thee to root them up ! John v. 
from the face of the earth, that they be no more stumbling-blocks to the weak Christians. 
“Destroy thou them, O God: let them perish through their own imaginations. Cast Psal. v. 
them out in the multitude of their ungodliness ; for they have rebelled against thee.” 

Rain thou “snares, fire, brimstone, storm, and tempest upon them: let this be their Psal- xi. 
portion to drink.” ‘Let them be confounded and put to shame, that seek after the 

lives of the faithful. O let them be turned back and brought to confusion, that imagine 
mischief against them. Let them be as dust before the wind, and the angel of the 

Lord scattermg them. Let their way be dark and slippery, and let thy angel, O 

Lord, persecute them.” “Yea, let sudden destruction come upon them unwares, 

and the nets that they have laid privily catch themselves, that they may fall into 

their own mischief.” “Let the swords that they draw out go thorough their own Ps. xxvii. 
hearts, and the bows that they have bended slay themselves.” ‘ Let the arms of the 
ungodly be broken,” and “let the wicked perish and consume as the fat of lambs ; 

yea, as smoke let them consume away.” ‘Destroy them for ever, and pluck them Ps li. 
out of their dwelling, and root them out of the land of the living.” “ Break their 

teeth, O God, in their mouths, smite the jaw-bones of the lions: O Lord, let them 

fall away like water that runneth apace, and when they shoot arrows, let them be 

rooted out: let them consume away like a snail, and be like the untimely fruit of a 
woman, and let them not see the sun.” “Stand up, O Lord God of hosts, thou Psal. lix. 
God of Israel, to visit all heathen, and be not merciful unto them that offend of 
malicious wickedness.” “Pour out thine indignation upon them; and let thy wrathful Psal. Ixix. 
displeasure take hold of them.” ‘‘ Let them be cumbered with shame and dishonour, Psal. lxxi. 
that seek to do thy people evil.” “Do thou to them as unto the Madianites, unto Psal. Ixxxiit. 
Sisera, and unto Jabin, at the brook of Kison; which perished at En-dor, and became 

as the dung of the earth.” In fine: “ Let them be confounded and turned backward, Psal. exxix. 
as many as have evil will at Sion. Let them be even as the grass growing upon 

the house-tops, which withereth afore it be plucked up.” But let all those that love 

thee and thy blessed word be joyful, merry, and glad. Let them continue, prosper, 
flourish, and triumph in thee their Lord God for ever. Let their joy and mirth be 

sound and everlasting, even such joy and mirth as no man shall be able to take 


Rev. xviii. 
Rev. xil. xiii. 
XIX. XXi. 


Rev. vii. 
2 Thess. ii. 


Psal. liii. 


Psal. exxvi. 


Psal. xe. 


250 THE SUPPLICATION. 


away from them. Let stinking Babylon fall down, and let the new and heavenly Jeru- 
salem be built up again. Let the venomous dragon, that filthy beast, that false prophet, 
and that purpled whore of Babylon shortly come to confusion, that all the glory may 
be given to the Lamb that sitteth with thee in the throne. Kill antichrist, that son 
of perdition, with the breath of thy mouth, that thou alone mayest be known to be 
the Lord. 

O most loving Lord and our heavenly Father, “when thou shalt deliver thy people 
out of captivity, then shall Jacob rejoice and Israel be right glad.” Yea, then shall 
the mouth of the faithful be filled with laughter, and their tongue with joy. We 
therefore most humbly beseech thee, O Lord, to “turn our captivity as the rivers in 
the south, that they which sow in tears may reap in joy.” “Turn thee again, O 
Lord, at the last, and be gracious unto thy servants. O satisfy us with thy mercy; 
and that soon: so shall we rejoice and be glad all the days of our life. Comfort us 

again now after the time that thou hast plagued us, and for the years wherein 

we have suffered adversity.” So shall we with joyful hearts and merry 
voices sing continual praises to thy glorious and_ blessed 
name, which, with thy only-begotten Son Jesus Christ, 
our alone Saviour, and with the Holy Ghost, 
that most sweet Comforter, livest and reignest 
one, alone, true, living, immortal, 
and everlasting God, world 
without end. 
Amen. 


Give the glory to God alone. 





THE 


DISPLAYING OF THE POPISH MASS, 


BY 


THOMAS BECON. 













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—r q The Displayeng of 


the popishe Masse: wherein | 
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H Masse is, and what great difference there is be- 
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= in the Popes kyngvame: mave anv 
| noe first of al published by 

Thomas Becon. 


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THE 


DISPLAYING OF THE POPISH MASS. 


Ir I were not led, O ye massing priests, with a natural and fervent affection toward 
this our common country, which as a most tender mother hath tenderly brought me 
forth, and as a most loving nurse hath hitherto sweetly embraced, kindly fostered, and 
carefully kept me up, whose destruction and utter desolation (if provision betimes be not 
made) I see unfeignedly to be at hand; again, if I were not moved with very pity and 
tender compassion toward you my countrymen, greatly lamenting and even from the very 
heart bewailing the miserable and wretched state wherein at this present ye stand, 
perceiving also your dreadful damnation, besides the corporal plagues which with other 
ye shall suffer, not to be far off except ye shortly repent, turn unto the Lord our God, 
and leave your abominable idol-service ; I would choose rather quietly to go forth in 
giving my mind to the study of the holy scriptures according to my profession, and 
in calling on the name of God by fervent prayer for the redress of the great abominations 
which now of late days as most fierce and outrageous floods have violently brast in, 
overflowed, and utterly deformed the christian commonweal of this our realm of England, 
than breaking off my present studies to take upon me at this time to write unto you, 
and specially of such a matter as some brain-sick persons straightways will condemn 
as heretical, but all will judge it superfluous, seeing the matter whereof I intend to 
write doth but a little agree with the common opinion of religion, yea, rather superstition, 
that is now received among us; against the which to strive who will not count it a 
thing of great folly, being so defenced not only with laws and statutes, but also with 
the power of the head rulers, with the wily subtilties of the fleshly hypocrites, and 
with the consent of the gross multitude, as I may speak nothing of the untowardness, 
yea, rather frowardness and malicious madness of a number of you massmongers, to 
whom these my letters be directed, which have been so rooted from the beginning of 
your greasy priesthood in this wicked kind of massing, taking it for most perfect, pure, 
true, sound, godly, and christian religion, and have found so great ease, quietness, 
lucre, gain, and advantage in it, that it shall be more easy, except God setteth to his 
helping hand, to make a man of Inde white, than to pluck many of you from your 
old accustomed and cankered trade; so hard a thing is it to use an old dog to the beam, 
or to cure that disease that is bred by the bone. 
But, notwithstanding, having a good opinion, although not of all, yet of some of 
you, which sin not of obstinate malice against the truth, but of simplicity, ignorancy, 
and blindness offend for lack of better knowledge ; whom also, peradventure, God hitherto 
hath suffered to remain in error, that he now at the last, through the riches of his mercy, 
might bring you into the glorious light of his blessed gospel, and make you of Sauls 
Pauls, of ravening wolves faithful shepherds, of cruel persecutors christian preachers, 
of abominable idolaters true worshippers of God, that by this means ye may believe 
and be saved; I will attempt even for your sakes even to the uttermost of my power, 
as time shall serve, to declare unto you my mind concerning the great abuse, yea, the 
abominable idolatry which ye commit in the most wicked and devilish mass, while The abomi- 
ye take upon you contrary to the word of God to defile the blessed sacrament of Christ’s popish mee 
body and blood; to minister it in your masses unto yourself alone, contrary to Christ’s 
institution ; to offer it for a sacrifice unto God for the sins of the quick and dead; 
to avouch it to be of no less excellency, price, dignity, efficacy, might, virtue, and power, 
than the sacrifice which our Saviour Christ offered on the altar of the cross; and to make 
a shew of it to the people, that they may fall down and worship it as a god, yea, God 
himself, Creator and Maker of all things; that ye, having the knowledge of these your 
errors, may from henceforth cease to offend the Lord our God, give over your idolatrous 


What Christ 
did, when he 
ordained his 
holy supper. 


Matt. xxvi. 
Mark xiv. 
Luke xxii. 
1 Cor. xi. 


John xiii. 


Christ 
reached 
efore his 

supper. 


Acts ii. 


1 Cor. xi. 


Acts Xx. 


254 THE DISPLAYING OF THE POPISH MASS. 


massing, repent you of your former life, and become godly ministers in the church of 
Christ, unto the glory of God, and the profit of his holy congregation. 

And that ye may the better discern the truth from the falsehood, and the profanation 
of the sacrament from the true ministration thereof, I will compare Christ’s doing in 
this behalf and yours together, that, when ye shall perceive how far ye dissent and 
swerve from the truth, ye may forsake your error, and follow no more the trifling 
traditions of antichrist, the bishop of Rome, and of his adherents, but rather embrace 
that godly and faithful order which our Saviour Christ hath set and appointed in his 
holy word for the due ministration of his blessed communion. 

It is not unknown to you that the Lord Jesus, after he had eaten the paschal lamb 
with his disciples according to the law of Moses, that same night wherein he was 
betrayed, knowing that the time appointed of his heavenly Father from everlasting, 
wherein he should offer himself a sweet-smelling sacrifice to God for the sins of the 
world, was at hand, and willing to leave behind him a memorial of his glorious passion 
and precious death to his holy congregation, that the fruits, commodities, and benefits, 
which the faithful penitent sinners have by the offering up of his blessed body, should 
not be forgotten, but had in an everlasting remembrance, first of all preached a most 
fruitful and comfortable sermon to his disciples, and afterward, as he sat at the table 
with them, he took bread into his hands, and, after that he had given thanks to his hea- 
venly Father (as his manner was) for his corporal gifts, but specially for the dear love that 
he of his own mere mercy and free hearty good-will bare toward mankind, he brake bread 
and gave bread unto his disciples, saying: “Take ye, eat ye: this is my body, which is 
betrayed for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And as he took the bread, and 
made it a sacrament, that is to say, an holy sign, figure, token, and memorial of his 
body-breaking; so likewise he took the wine, and made that a sacrament, holy sign, 
figure, token, and memorial of his blood-shedding, and, after thanksgiving to his heavenly 
Father for the benefits aforesaid, he delivered the cup unto his disciples, saying: 
“Drink of this all ye. This cup is a new testament in my blood, which is shed 
for many for the remission of sins. Do this, so oft as ye shall drink it, in the re- 
membrance of me.” And this heavenly banquet once done, they said grace, that is 
to say, they praised God by saying either certain psalms of David, or some other 
thanksgivings, and so departed. Here is the whole institution of the Lord’s supper. 

Now let us compare Christ’s supper with your popish and idolatrous mass, and 
see how well Christ’s doings and yours agree together. If ye be the ministers of 
Christ, and not of antichrist, the servants of God and not of the devil, then will ye 
follow your Master Christ, which saith: “I have given you an example, that as I 
have done, so likewise ye should do.” Let us now then go in hand with the 
matter. 

First, we read that Christ, before he fed his disciples with the mystical food of 
his body and blood, made a sermon unto them, wherewith, as with a certain most 
wholesome preparative, he made meet the minds of his disciples unto so worthy a 
banquet, giving all faithful ministers an example, that whensoever they with the 
congregation come together to celebrate the Lord’s supper, there should be some 
sermon or exhortation made unto the people, that they might the better examine 
themselves, and the more deeply consider the thing that they go about. 

And, according to the example of Christ, not only the apostles, but all the holy 
fathers also of the primitive church used that trade; and so did it continue in the 
church of Christ, till antichrist the bishop of Rome had driven Christ out of place, 
and set up himself as God; again, till he had expulsed the supper of the Lord, 
and set up his own peevish, yea, thievish idolatrous mass, as we may see in the 
monuments of the ancient writers. ‘They continued,” saith blessed Luke, “in the 
apostles’ doctrme and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.” And 
St Paul saith: “ As often as ye shall eat this bread, and drink of the cup, shew,” 
set forth, declare, and preach “the Lord’s death till he come.” A practice hereof 
have we in the Acts of the Apostles: there we read that “upon one of the sabbath- 
days, when the disciples came together for to break bread” (so termeth St Luke the 
receiving of the sacrament of Christ’s body and blood), blessed Paul preached unto 


THE DISPLAYING OF THE POPISH MASS. 255 


them, and-continued the preaching unto midnight. And the sermon ended, they 
brake bread, ate, thanked God, and departed. For if the sacraments of Christ be Note. 
never so comfortable, yet, if they be not known what they are, to what use they 
were instituted, what joyful promises are annexed unto them, what they signify and 
preach unto the faithful receivers, &c., what other thing are they to us than that the 
precious stone was to Esop’s cock? A sacrament ministered without preaching of S¥ 
the word is but a dumb ceremony, a glass offered to a blind man, and a tale told 
to one that is deaf. 

The apostles, before the ministration of any sacrament, preached; and so did the 
holy fathers of the primitive church. St John Baptist, the son of the priest Zachary, Mate. iii. 
preached unto the people before he baptized them. Our Saviour Christ, a little be- 
fore his ascension, said to his apostles: “Go and teach all nations, baptizing them in Matt. xxviii. 
the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” Here is baptism 
and the preaching of the word joined together. And as concerning the blessed sa- 
crament of Christ’s body and blood, did not our Saviour Christ himself preach at John xiii. _ 
the institution and ministration of it? Are we not also commanded by the holy ~’*” *” 
apostle, that whensoever we come together to receive the blessed communion, the } Cor. xi. 
death of the Lord should be preached, declared, and set forth? Did not the apostles 
of Christ, and all the godly bishops of the primitive church, observe the same Ministration 
order? They considered right well, how little the ministration of the sacraments ee 
availeth without the preaching of the word. For, as Paul saith: “How shall they proften  ” 
believe... without a preacher?” “ Faith cometh by hearing; and hearing cometh by Tone 
the word of God.” 

None therefore of the Lord’s sacraments ought publicly to be ministered with- 
out preaching of the word, yea, and that not in a strange tongue, but in such a $8 
speech as the people understand; or else it were as good to speak the words unto 
a sort of sheep or geese, as unto them that are gathered together at the ministration 
of any sacrament. And this meant St Austin, when he said: “Take away the In Jon. 
word; and what is water but water? But let the word be added to the element, a 
and it is made a sacrament’.” Whence hath the water such a power, that it should 
touch the body and wash the heart, but by the virtue of working of the word? 
not because it is spoken, but because it is believed. The word signifieth here not Note. 
only the speaking of Eyo baptizo te, &§c., or, Hoc est corpus meum, &c., pronounced 
by the priest in a strange tongue, but the preaching of the word of God uttered by 
the mouth of the minister in such a language as the people understand; or else how 
shall they believe? It is not the utterance of God’s word in an unknown speech 
that bringeth faith, but when it is so spoken that it is understanded of them that 
hear it, and that faith through the operation of the Holy Ghost ensueth; which 
otherwise is cold, lieth idle, and worketh nothing in the heart of the hearer. For, 
as St Austin saith: “Take away the word, and what is water but water?” That is 
to say, take away the preaching of God’s word from the sacrament of baptism, which 
declareth what baptism is, who instituted it, to what use it was ordained, what 
fruits and commodities we receive by it, &c.; and what doth the water of baptism 
profit? I speak concerning such as are come to the use of reason, or such as are 
present at the ministration of baptism. And so likewise may we say of the sacra- 
ment of Christ's body and blood: Take away the word; and what is bread but 
bread? What is wine but wine? That is to say, Take away the preaching of the 
Lord’s death from the holy communion; and what doth it profit to eat and drink 
the sacramental bread and wine, seeing the mystery is not known nor understanded ? 
But put the preaching of the word to the elements, water, bread, and wine; and so 
are they made holy and honourable sacraments, full of singular joy and great com- 
fort; as St Austin saith: “Let the word be added to the element, and it is made 
a sacrament.” 


[} August. Op. Par. 1679—1700. In Johan. Evang. cap. xv. Tractat. Ixxx. 3. Tom. III. Pars 1. 
col. 703. See Vol. I. page 12, note 1.] 


256 THE DISPLAYING OF THE POPISH MASS. 


What things Therefore, where the Lord’s supper is rightly ministered, there is declared the death 
preached at and passion of Christ; there is shewed forth the misery of man, from the which he 


ticnofthe’ could none otherwise have been released, but only by the death of Christ; there is 
par’ss4P- taught what the sacrament is, what it signifieth, and to what use Christ our Saviour 
did institute it; there are the people exhorted not rashly nor with unwashed feet, as 
they use to say, to come unto the Lord’s table, but to prove, try, and examine themselves, 
whether they come with such faith and love unto that most worthy mystery as they 
ought, lest they eat and drink their own damnation; there are they stirred up unto 
the works of mercy toward the poor, and unto hearty thanksgiving to God the Father 
for the death of his Son Christ; there also are they put in remembrance that, after 
they have tasted these heavenly mysteries and have spiritually fed upon the body and 
blood of Christ, which through faith are there present and truly received in spirit of 
the faithful communicants, and are become one body with Christ, they ought no more 
Luke i. to return unto their old sinful and wicked conversation, but from henceforth to serve 
their Lord God in holiness and righteousness all the days of their life. 
The popish Is there any such thing done in the popish mass? Who preacheth? Who maketh 
nopreaching. the exhortation? Who moveth the people unto repentance, faith, love, amendment of 
life, mutual reconciliation, works of mercy, or unto thanksgiving to God the Father 
for the death of his Son Christ? Who playeth the school-master, and giveth the people 
such exhortations that they go home from your masses better learned than they came 
No goodness thither? What thief ever left his theft, what false lawyer gave over his bribing, what 
the popish whore forsook her whoredom, what wicked man at any time repented him of his wicked- 
ness, by coming unto your mass? Yea, rather, they go from your mass so well instructed, 
that they think, that now they have heard mass, they may do all the day after what 
chemin they will. Amends is made aforehand. If they bribe, poll, pill, steal, he, slander, 
all vies.  blaspheme, kill, murder, run on whoring, play the harlot, fall to drunkenship, to dicing, 
to carding, and do all other unlawful things, it maketh no matter; for they have heard 
mass. They have satisfied for the sin before it be committed. The hearing of mass 
hath dispatched all the matter aforehand. 
And what marvel is it, though such abomination followeth of your massing, seeing 
the people heareth no goodness at it, but rather are confirmed in all kind of ungodliness ? 
The chiefest jewel of all, I mean the preaching of God’s word, is utterly exiled from 
your mass, as all goodness is besides. There is none of you all that stand up in the 
Isai. viii. pulpit, that lift up your voice to declare unto the people either their wickednesses, or 
Mark xvi. preach unto them the most joyful, pleasant, and comfortable gospel of our Saviour 
The bells Christ. If there be any preaching at all, the bells make it when the popish clerk 
Tyee ringeth unto mass. The bells, being hanged up, tell the people somewhat which they 
massers. understand, namely, that there is a popish mass ready at hand, come hear it who list, 
and be never the better when ye have done. But ye speak nothing at all that the 
people understand, and so are ye worse than the bells. 
What good. | O how oft have I seen here in England, at the ministration of the holy communion, 
the ministra- people sitting at the Lord’s table after they have heard the sermon, or the godly ex- 
holycom- hortation set forth in the book of common prayer read unto them by the minister, bitterly 
mune™ weep, heartily repent, and sorrowfully lament their too much unkindness and unthankful- 
ness toward the Lord God, for the death of his Son Christ, and for his other benefits: 
again, their negligence in doing their duty toward their poor neighbours! What free 
and large gifts also have I seen given to the poor men’s box! What laying aside of 
all enmity, and renewing of unfeigned mutual reconciliation! What loving embracing 
and holy kissing of one another! What assurance of hearty friendship, for ever to 
continue, where immortal hatred was afore! What godliness also of life have I seen after- 
ward practised by them that were the communicants! What alteration of manners! 
What newness of conversation! The covetous man to abhor his covetousness, the 
adulterer to leave his adultery, the whore to defy her whoredom, the proud man to 
detest his pride, the usurer to give over his usury, &c. by hearing the word of God 
preached, and by the worthy receiving of the holy communion, hath full oft been seen 
in England, when the doctrine of the gospel flourished among us. 
No man the Never saw I one point of like godliness practised of any man by hearing your 


THE DISPLAYING OF THE POPISH MASS. 257 


popish masses; but, as they have come thither wicked and ungodly, so have they departed better for 
hearig mass. 
again with ihe same wickedness and ungodliness, rather being the worse than the 
better by hearing that your idolatrous mass: and yet (O God, be merciful unto us 
and forgive us our sins!) the glorious and blessed communion is now, through the 
craft and subtilty of the devil, and through the wiliness of his sturdy and stout 
champions, that filthy “synagogue of Satan,” utterly banished out of this realm, unto 
the great dishonour of God and the unspeakable sorrow of all true Christians; and 
that most vile, most stinking, most pestiferous, most abominable, most wicked, most 
devilish, and most idolatrous popish private mass received again, set up, and magnified The mass is 
above the stars, yea, above God and his holy ordinance, when indeed of all idols the horred of all 
mass is most to be abhorred of such as fear and love God. aaa 
But though your mass were never so good, as it is indeed stark naught without 
comparison, yet, forasmuch as it is done without the preaching of the word, and in a 
strange tongue, it is altogether unprofitable, yea, and abominable. Notwithstanding, 
behold the hypocrisy and counterfeit holiness, yea, rather your double dissimulation 
and devilish deceiving of the simple people: when ye have stand awhile pattering 
like a sort of asses ye know not what’ at the lower end of the altar, saying the 
Introite, or office of the mass, as they call it, the Ayries, the Gloria in excelsis, the 
collects, the epistle, the gradual, the alleluia, the tract, or the sequence?,—and all in 
Latin, because such as are there present should keep counsel and not bewray your 
subtile secrets,—ye remove, as men soon weary of a place, from the one end of the altar 
to the other, and like pretty fellows ye take up the mass-book in your hands, making 
the people believe that now ye will speak somewhat whereby they shall greatly be 
edified and well grounded in the knowledge of Christ. 
And because like politic and wise men ye will not stumble in your doings, but 
the better see what ye shall speak, ye have a candle lighted, though the day be never 
so fair, and the sun shine never so bright. Besides this, that ye may be in the 
better readiness to do some great nothing, ye pray to God, or I know not to whom, 
on this manner: Jube me, Domine, benedicere: “*O Lord, command me to speak well.” 
A prayer very necessary for yourselves, which very seldom speak well, but nothing 
meet for the purpose that ye go about. For ye intend to speak nothing to the peo- 
ple whereby they shall take any profit. Neither purpose ye, for all your bragging, 
any more to preach to your mass-hunters, than ye intend with your bird-bolt to shoot 
down the weather-cock of Paul's steeple. 
And because God is not at hand, but far enough from your elbow, and very seldom 
cometh at such men’s callings, ye yourselves take the pain to answer on this manner: 
Dominus sit in corde meo et in ore meo, ad annuntiandum populo sanctum evangelium 
Dei: that is to say, “The Lord mought be in my heart and in my mouth, to set 
forth, preach, and declare to the people the holy gospel of God.” O most vain 
prayer! O wicked dissemblers, both with God and man! Ye wished that the Lord the mas. 
God mought be both in your heart and in your mouth to set forth, preach, and declare dowvie dis 
to the people the holy gospel of God; and ye intend nothing less. For as God is acu 
neither in your heart nor in your mouth, so do ye not preach the holy gospel of God 
to the people; but only ye rehearse a few Latin sentences out of the gospel, which 
neither ye yourselves for the most part, nor yet the simple people understand. And, the people 
notwithstanding, the silly, sheepish, simple souls solemnly stand up and give good ceaieabriit 
ear, as though they should hear some notable thing, and go home the better in- “*~ 
structed; but all in vain: for they learn nothing. Only when ye rehearse the name 
of Jesus, they learn to make solemn courtesy ; and so, a piece of the gospel being once 
read, they stroke themselves on the head and kiss the nail of their right thumb, 
and sit down again as wise as they were afore. And ye yourselves, in the stead of 
your pretty Petronilla®, kiss the book, and turn you to the people, and say: Dominus 





[} Folio, that. ] The authorities need not therefore be given here. ] 

[*? The different parts of the mass are enumerated [? Petronilla is said to have been a daughter of 
more fully,and theorigin ofeach moreexplicitlydetail- | the apostle Peter. The sense in which the term is 
ed, in a subsequent treatise, the ‘‘ Reliquesof Rome.” | here used is evident. ] re 

/ 


[BECON, m1. | 


258 THE DISPLAYING OF THE POPISH MASS. 


vobiscum, “God be with you,” as though ye could tarry no longer, but had some great 
journey to go; and yet do ye tarry there still so long till all good people be weary 
both of you and of your popish mass. Here is all your preaching. Here is the whole 
sum of your exhortations. 
Are not the people well taught? Have ye not played the good school-masters ? 
Have ye not well deserved your dirige-groat and your dinner? Have ye not followed 
Christ aright? Tell me, of good fellowship, whose disciples are ye massmongers? 
Christ’s that preached, or antichrist’s that preach not? Look, whose order ye follow, 
his disciples are ye. But Christ’s order follow ye not; therefore are ye not the dis- 
ciples of Christ, but the vile slaves of antichrist. Here see ye then one foul fault 
which ye massmongers commit in your wicked masses. The best part ye utterly 
leave out, I mean the preaching of the gospel, which our Saviour Christ, his apostles, 
and all true ministers in all ages chiefly practised at the ministration of the holy 
communion. And in this behalf ye agree not with Christ; neither is your mass any 
thing like the Lord’s supper. 
Christ minis) After the sermon Christ came to the table, where he ministered the sacrament 
Sue Ge Ine body and blood to his disciples. Now compare your doings with Christ's. 
foe Christ came to a table to minister his holy supper: you come to an altar for to 
say your popish and idolatrous mass. Christ tabled the matter; and ye altar it. 
O how well-favouredly ye agree! even as Christ and Belial, God and the devil, 
light and darkness, or, as they use to say, “like harp and harrow.” Christ ministered 
Theprimitive hig supper at a table; and so did it continue certain hundred years after in the church 


h used sats : ? 
no altars, but of Christ, who used no altar at all, but a table, at the ministration of the Lord’s 


Pao supper, following the example of Christ, which is the self truth and example-giver of 
nia all perfection and righteousness. But you, following the example of antichrist, like 
bloody sacrificers, fall in hand with altars, as though ye had sheep and oxen to kill. 
Why Christ Christ, willing to declare that all bloody offerings and sacrifices were come to an 
ministered at ° . . : 

a table rather end, which were but. signs, figures, and shadows of him, being the true and alone 
altar. acceptable sacrifice for the sins of the world, came not unto an altar, but unto a 
table, and there ordained and ministered his holy supper ; shewing hereby that not only 
all bloody sacrifices, but also all altars, which were built for bloody sacrifices’ sake, 
do now cease, and are utterly abolished. But ye, whose desire always is to come 
as near unto Christ, or unto his holy ordinance, as the hare covet to come nigh 
ac} unto a tabret, refuse Christ’s order, and despise the table, spitefully calling it an oyster~ 
board; and, like heathenish and Jewish priests, ye build altars, and upon them ye offer 

your vile and stinking sacrifice, not unto God, but unto the devil, and unto antichrist. 
Christ and his apostles, with all the holy bishops and reverend fathers of the 
primitive church, ministered the Lord’s supper at a table; and dare ye, O ye mass- 
mongers, contrary to Christ’s order, whose example in this behalf is as it were a 
commandment, and contrary to the practice of Christ’s apostles and of the primitive 
1Cor.x. church, minister it at an altar? The holy scripture maketh mention of eating’ the 
Lord’s supper at the Lord’s table, but at an altar to have it ministered, not one 


Christ alone Word. We have none altar but one, which is Jesus Christ the Lord; and he is in 


ss ouraltar. heaven only concerning his humanity, and not here in earth (as the idle-brained 
Heb. xiii,  papists dream), upon whom and by whom we do “offer sacrifice of praise always to 

God, that is to say, the fruit of those lips which confess his name.” For he is 
Rom. viii, OUT alone Intercessor, our alone Mediator, and our alone Advocate. Besides this 


1Johnii, altar (Christ) the faithful congregation knoweth none, neither in heaven nor in earth. 
All other altars, therefore, which ye have in your churches, chapels, and oratories, 
are idolatrous and abominable, and by no means to be suffered where God is truly 
honoured, and his holy name faithfully called upon. And what other thing do ye 
by maintaining your altars, than shew yourselves very antichrists, and adversaries to 
God's holy ordinance, and (as much as in you is) declare that Christ is not yet 
come, or at the least have not offered himself a sacrifice to God the Father for the 

sins of the people? 
acs All bloody sacrifices for sin cease now in the new testament, for the which altars 
served : therefore Christ ministered unto his disciples the sacrament of his body and 


THE DISPLAYING OF THE POPISH MASS. 259 


blood not at an altar, but at.a table. But you, although’ all bloody sacrifices for sin 
were not yet gone, have still your altars, and offer sacrifice upon them, as the hea- Abomina- 
thenish and Jewish priests did. They killed and sacrificed brute beasts upon their me 
altars; and you take upon you to sacrifice the Son of God, and to make him meat, 
when it pleaseth you. 

If ye be persuaded that whatsoever Christ did at the ministration of the holy the com- 


: : : see munion of 
communion is best and most perfect, why then do ye not follow him, and minister the body ana 
é . . blood of 
at a table, as he did? Are ye wiser than Christ? Are ye better learned than the christ ought 
to be minis- 


Wisdom of God? Have ye gone so long to school with that Romish antichrist, tered at a 
that ye dare take upon you to teach Christ, the master of all perfection; and to *”” 
find fault in his work, as the cobbler played with Apelles’ picture? I would have 

you remember Apelles’ answer: Ne sutor ultra crepidam. 

Again, if ye believe that all bloody sacrifices be ceased, and that the Lord note. 
Christ, by the once offering up of his body, hath paid a full, sufficient, and perfect 
ransom for the sins of all them that repent and believe, why then do ye stand at 
the altars like Baal’s priests, and take upon you to offer sacrifice for the sins of the 
people, as though all such things were not perfectly ended in the passion and death 
of Christ? If your altars be of God, shew it by the holy scriptures. But this can 
ye not do: therefore are your altars not of God, but of the devil; not of Christ, 
but of antichrist. Is this to walk as Christ hath walked? Is this to do as Christ 
hath given example? Is this to be Christ’s minister, or rather Christ’s controller ? 

God amend you, and once again destroy those your idolatrous and abominable altars! 

When Christ came to the table to minister the holy communion, he came in christ minis- 
such comely apparel as he used daily to wear. But how come ye, in the name of cone pecaeue 
God? that we may see how well ye follow Christ in this behalf also. Ye come ‘“™" 
unto your altar as a game-player unto his stage. And as though your own apparel’, Massing 
or else a fair white surplice, were not seemly enough for the due ministration of ‘icc.’ 
the sacrament, ye first put on upon your head an head-piece, called an amice, to 
keep your brains in temper, as I think. Then put ye on also a linen alb, instead am. 
of a smock, to declare how well ye love women, specially other men’s wives; and 
that alb ye gird unto you for catching of cold, though it be in the midst of sum- 
mer. After this ye cast a stole about your neck, instead of an halter, which signi- stole. 
fieth that ye will persecute and strangle with halter, or else burn with fire, so many 
as speak against your abominable apish mass, and such other wicked traditions. 

Again, upon your left arm ye put on a fannel, much like to a manacle or a fetter. Fannel. 
And this hath also a solemn mystery. For it preacheth, that so many as ye can 

come by that unfeignedly favour the truth of Christ’s gospel, ye will manacle, fetter, 

lock, stock, imprison, chain, and do them all the mischief ye can. Last of all come 

on your fool’s coat, which is called a vestment, lacking nothing but a cock’s comb. Foor's coat, 
This is diversly daubed. Some have angels, some the blasphemous image of the ale aoe 
Trinity, some flowers, some peacocks, some owls, some cats, some dogs, some hares, ae 
some one thing, some another, and some nothing at all but a cross upon the back 

to fray away spirits. This your fool’s coat, gaily gauded, signifieth your pleasant 
fineness and womanly niceness, and your delectation in the verity or change of 
Venus’ pastimes, because ye will not be cumbered with one lawful wife. Thus, as men 

well harnessed for an interlude, ye come forth to play hickscorner’s part with your 
shameless, smooth, smirking faces, and with your lusty, broad, bald shaven crowns, Shaven 


crown. 


antichrist’s brood of Rome; to signify...that ye...above all other, both for your idleness Never none 
evil o at 


and belly-cheer, are most meet...... * to furnish the place per aliwm when per se is out mark for 
ady Yenus 


of the way: such is your unchaste chastity, O ye filthy haters of godly matrimony! __ pastime. 
But whence have ye your game-players’ garments? Of the heathen and idolatrous 


priests? But with such have the Christians nothing to do. Of the Jewish ministers ? What the: 
arments 0 


But that law is abrogated by Christ’s coming, of whose virtues the garments of the the priests in 
ne old law 


a signified, 
(? Although: as though. } Cler. Lib. 1. capp. xxiv. &c. Tom. VI. pp. 7, 8. 
[? A particular description of the various articles | Durand. Rat. Div. Offic. Lugd. 1565, Lib. 11. fol. 
of dress worn by the Romish priests may be found, | 62—82. ] 
Raban. Maur. Op. Col. Agrip. 1626-7. De Inst. {? Part of the sentence is Guat 
17—2 


aS 


Spiced con- 
science. 


Rom. xiii. 


Christ sat at 
his supper. 


Gestures. 


Why the 
Jews stood at 
the eating of 
the paschal 
lamb. 


Psal. xxxix. 
Heb. xiii. 
1 Pet. ii. 


Why Christ 
with his dis- 
opis sat at 
is supper. 
Rey. Lee 


The doctrine 
of Christ is 
perfect and 
sufficient for 
our salvation. 


Note. 


260 THE DISPLAYING OF THE POPISH MASS. 


priests were figures and signs, whereof ye have none at all. Had ye them of the 
devil, and of antichrist of Rome? Send them thither again betimes, lest ye go to 
the devil with them for company. Wheresoever ye had them, certain am I that ye 
have them not of the authority of the holy scripture. Christ and his apostles used 
no such fond coats at the ministration of the sacrament. Christ alloweth no pomp 
nor pride, but all simplicity and plainness. Therefore plainly and simply, without 
any such hickscorner’s apparel, did Christ deliver the sacramental bread and wine to 
his disciples. The more simply, so that it be comely, the sacrament is ministered, 
the nearer is it unto Christ’s institution. 

But I know not whether your gay, gaudy, gallant, gorgeous game-player’s gar- 
ments, which ye wear at the mass, are more to be disallowed than your blind and 
corrupt judgment is to be lamented in the wearing of them. For the most part of 
you have such spiced and nice conscience in the use of them, that, if ye lack but 
the lessest of these fool’s baubles, ye dare not presume to say mass for a thousand 
pound. The laudable order of our mother holy church is broken. Ye cannot consecrate 
aright. Ye have not all your tools. Therefore can ye not play cole under candle- 
stick’ cleanly, nor whip master Wynchard above the board, as ye should do. And 
graciously considered. For what is a workman without his tools? God have mercy 
on you, and give you grace to be better minded, and to lay away such apish toys, 
and to “put on the Lord Jesus Christ,” that ye may know him to be your alone 
Saviour, and garnish your life with his most godly virtues, practising that in your 
ministration whereof ye have him a precedent in his conversation! 

And this is also to be noted, that, when Christ came in his own usual apparel unto 
the table, he did not kneel, as the papists do, nor yet stand, as the Jews did in the 
old law, but he sat down at the table. How do ye agree with Christ at your 
mass in this behalf? Christ sat: ye sometime stand right up, sometime lean upon 
your elbows, sometime crouch downward, sometime kneel ; but sit do ye never, because 
ye will still contrary Christ, and be one ace above him. And although gestures in 
this behalf seem after some men’s judgment to be indifferent, yet the nearer we come 
to Christ’s order, the better it is: for who can prescribe a more perfect trade for 
all things to be done at and about the ministration of the Lord’s supper, than that 
which Christ used himself? 

Indeed the Jews, when they received their sacrament, I mean the paschal lamb 
(which was also a figure of Christ to come and to be slain, as ours is a sign and token 
that he is already come, slain, and gone), stood upon their feet with their loins girded 
and staves in their hands, to signify not only that they were strangers and pilgrims 
in this world, and had here no dwelling-city, but also that there was a further journey 
yet to go in the religion of God, and that other sacraments were to be looked for. 
But Christ and his disciples did sit at their supper, to declare that all things afore 
figured in the law are now perfectly fulfilled in Christ, that Lamb of God, which was 
“slain from the beginning of the world,” and that there are no more sacraments to be 
looked for, nor none other doctrine to be inquired for, neither the Jews’ Talmuth, 
nor Mahomet’s Alkaron, nor the pope’s Decretals, nor yet the emperor's Interim’, but 
that doctrine only which Christ hath already taught and left in writing by the hands 
of his apostles. 

The christian religion, both concerning sacraments and doctrine, is now by Christ 
brought unto such a consummate perfection and perfect consummation, that nothing 
ought to be added as necessary also for our salvation. Therefore doth Christ with 
his apostles sit at the receiving of the sacrament, and not stand, after the manner of 
the Jews; even as they, which, travelling by the way, are come unto their journey’s 
end, are wont to sit down and to take their rest. Here have we an example of 
Christ to sit at the Lord’s table when we receive the holy communion, and not to 
kneel. But this do ye papists neither observe yourselves, nor yet suffer other so to 





[1 This proverbial expression seems to imply de- | temporary regulations, was a system of doctrine laid 
ceitful secrecy. Coll is deceit. See Nares’ Glossary, | before the German diet May 15, 1548, by the emperor 
in Cole-prophet. ] Charles V., and shortly after published. ] 


{? The Interim, so called because it contained 


THE DISPLAYING OF THE POPISH MASS. 261 


do. Ye are like those lewd lawyers, subtile scribes, boisterous bishops, saucy Sad- 
ducees, fine Pharisees, prattling priests, and hollow hypocrites, against whom our Saviour 
Christ thundereth on this manner: “ Wo unto you, scribes and Pharisees, ye hypocrites! Matt. xxiii 
for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven before men: ye neither go in yourselves, neither 
suffer ye them that come to enter in.” There may be no sitting at your ministration, 
though we have Christ for a precedent never so much. The servant may not follow 
his Lord, nor the disciple his Master. Whatsoever Christ practiseth, we may not do; 
but what antichrist deviseth, that must we needs do. Therefore do ye papists, which 
be always enemies to Christ and to his holy ordinances, bind all your captives to 
keeel at the receiving of the sacrament, and so make them plain idolaters in wor- 
shipping the bread for a God. O wicked soul-slayers! 
But why bind ye the people rather to kneel at the ministration of the Lord’s christ is no 


supper than at the ministration of baptism? seeing Christ is no less present at the avepians 


one than at the other, and by his holy Spirit worketh no less effectually in baptism eae 
than he doth in the supper. Why do ye not also compel the people to kneel at 
the preaching of God’s word? seeing it is of no less authority than the sacrament of 
Christ’s body and blood. 
But I know your subtilties right well. Ye will say: The sacrament of the altar (I A" cue 
use your own terms) is God and man in form of bread, and therefore it cannot have 
too much reverence, worship, and honour given unto it. I answer: It is sooner said than 
proved. As the old idolaters in times past had gods of their own making, and wor- Acomparison 


between the 
shipped them; so have ye a god of your own devising, which ye yourselves worship, 0!4 idolatrous 


and compel other so to do likewise. And as the old idolatrous priests, by boasting ous. 
the dignity of their feigned gods whom they served, lived an idle and voluptuous life, 

and were fed of the painful labours of other men’s oak ; so likewise ye new Whe 

and priests of Baal advance, set forth, and blow out at Paul’s Cross and in all other 

places the majesty, excellency, dignity, and worthiness of your new-baken little great 

god, that by this means ye may be had in admiration among the foolish simple idiots, 

and be nourished of the sweat of other men’s brows, you yourselves, like idle, lazy, 
loitering lubbers, and very pestilences of the commonwealth, only born to consume the 

good fruits of the earth*, going idly up and down swinging with your long gowns, 
sarcenet tippets, and shaven crowns, like very caterpillars of Egypt. 

A wonderful god it is that ye set forth to the people to be worshipped. Not The God of 
maay days past it was corn in the ploughman’s barn; afterward the miller ground it rele ny 
to meal; then the baker, mingling a little water oat it, made dough of it, and with 
a pair of hot printing-irons baked it. Now at the last come you, blustering and 
blowing, and with a few words spoken over it, ye charm the bread on such sort that 
either it trudgeth straightways away beyond the moon, and a fair young child, above 
fifteen hundred years old, come in the place of the bread; or else, as the most part 
of you papists teach, of the little thin cake ye make the very same body of Christ 
that was born of Mary the virgin, and died for us upon the altar of the cross, the 
bread being turned into the natural flesh of Christ, and the accidents of the bread 
only remaining, according to the doctrine of pope Nicholas and pope Innocent*. O 
wonderful creators and makers! O marvellous fathers, which beget a child older than 
the father! And, after ye have made him, ye tear him on pieces, ye eat him, ye 
digest him, and send him down by a very homely place. O cruel and unmerciful 
fathers, so to handle your poor young old child! 

And this is the goodly god whom the people may not receive sitting nor stand- 
ing, but kneeling upon their marrow-bones. O false and subtile hypocrites, right 
cousins to the idolatrous priests of Babylon! For as they made the king believe, and g. « pr. 
his nobility with all the commons, that Bel was a living god, and that there must 
be prepared for him every day twelve cakes, forty shcep, and six great pots of wine, 
to eat and drink; so do ye make the queen, her council, the nobility, and commons 
of this realm for the most part believe, that the little thin round white cake, which 
ye hold up above your head at your abominable mass, after ye have once said these 


[* Hor. Epist. 1. ii. 27.] [4 See Vol. Il. page 260, note 2, and page 264, note 3. ] 


262 THE DISPLAYING OF THE POPISH MASS. 


five words over it, Hoc est enim corpus meum, and have blowed, blasted, and breathed 
over it, is straightways both a very living God and a very living man, even Christ, God 
and man, as he was born of Mary the virgin. But full falsely do ye lie and dissemble 
with the queen, with her council, and with the commons of this realm; even as those 
idolatrous priests of Babylon did with the king and with his subjects. For as that 
idol Bel was not a living God, but an image made of clay within, and of metal 
without ; so likewise, for all your consecrating, blowing, blasting, and breathing, your 
little cake is neither a living God nor a living man; but as it was bread before ye 
brought it to your idolatrous altar, so is it when ye both hold it up and eat it. But 
as the idolatrous priests of Babylon taught the people plainly that Bel was a living 
God, that they by that means might live in wealth and idleness; so do ye likewise 
stoutly, both at Paul’s Cross and elsewhere, preach unto the people, that the sacrament 
of the altar is the true, natural, real, corporal, carnal, and substantial body of Christ, 
God and man, even as he was born of virgin Mary, and hung on the altar of the 
cross, flesh, blood, and bone, that ye by this means may maintain your popish king- 
dom, and live idly and pleasantly of the labours of other men’s hands. But, if a 
Daniel might sit at the queen’s table, talk with the nobility, and preach to the commons 
of England, the juggling of the papists should soon be espied. 

God, for his mercies’ sake, and for the dear heart-blood of his most dear Son, send us 
a Daniel, and open the eyes of the queen, of her council, and of all the inhabitants of 
this realm ; that they, perceiving your subtile juggling and crafty daubing, may know 
you to be as ye are, even very antichrists, hiss you out of all honest company, and 
for ever after beware of your pestilent and damnable doctrine! Amen, amen. 

After that our Saviour Christ was set down at the table with his disciples, and 
had eaten the paschal lamb, willing to institute an holy memorial of his passion and 
death, “‘he took bread, and gave thanks,” saith the scripture. Now let us see what 
ye do. 

What the First, ye come solemnly forth in your gay, gallant, game-player’s garments, which, 
ase "as Isidore and Polydore write, was the invention of pope Stephanus, about the year 
ingvest. of our Lord two hundred fifty and six, borrowed, as it may seem, of the Jewish 
ari priests’. Ye come unto the altar with your mass-book, corporass, chalice, and bread, 
Altars. with such other trinkets. Your altars brought into the church first of all pope 
Sixtus the second, about the year of our Lord two hundred three-score and five. 
Hallowing of And pope Felix the first adjoined the hallowing of altars, commanding that no mass 
vais should be sung upon any altar, except it were first hallowed, in the year of our Lord 
Altar-cloths. two hundred and seventy-six. And pope Bonifacius appointed white linen cloths to 
be laid upon the altars, about the year of our Lord six hundred and ten. The 
Corporass.  corporass was the device of pope Sixtus (as Platina and Sabellicus write), about the 
year of our Lord an hundred and twenty-five. The cup, wherein the sacrament of 
Christ’s blood was ministered, which we now commonly call the chalice, was in the 
oe time of the apostles and of the primitive church made of wood; but pope Zepheri- 
Chalices of nus commanded chalices of glass to be used, in the year of our Lord two hundred and 
Croiices of two. And afterward pope Urbanus ordained that the chalices should be made either 
silver orgold. of silver or of gold, in the year of our Lord two hundred and twenty-seven. The 
Bread. bread appointed for the communion was indifferent whether it were leavened or un- 
leavened, till pope Alexander came, which, as they write, in the year of our Lord an 
hundred and eleven commanded that only unleavened bread should be used at the 
Lord’s supper. Notwithstanding, the Greeks, from the apostles’ time unto this day, have 
ever used leavened bread in the ministration of the holy communion, as they use 


Wine with also wine only in their cup; whereas the Latin church customably mingle water with 
mingled wit : . : 
water. the wine, which was also pope Alexander’s device. 


Now standing before the altar, after ye have crossed yourselves upon your fore- 





[* Item ab Hebrais sumptum est, ut vestes sacer- | ea induerent, cum sacris essent- operam daturi. 
dotales cum altarium tegumentis ac reliquis rebus ad | Quod Stephanus pontifex primus apud nostros primo 
usum templi necessariis sacrarentur, et vestimenta | faciendui statuit.—Polyd. Verg. De Invent. Rer. 
ipsa sacerdotibus aliisque initiatis assignarentur, qui | Amst. 1671. Lib. vr. cap. xii. pp. 415, 6.] 


THE DISPLAYING OF THE POPISH MASS. 263 


head and breast, for fear of wicked spirits, ye say the Confiteor, and make your con- Confiteor. 
fession; which was the ordinance of pope Damasus, about the year of our Lord three 
hundred and seventy. But to whom do ye make your confession? To God alone? 
None of that: but to blessed Mary, and to all the saints of heaven, e¢ vobis, ye 
might say, et bobus, well enough. For many times, besides the boy or parish clerk 
that wait upon you, there be in the church as many white bulls and fat oxen as 
there be men or women. But where have ye learned to confess your sins to blessed an error of 
Mary and to all the company of heaven, which hear not one word that ye speak ? eae 
Ye have sinned against God, and ye confess your faults to Mary, Peter, James, cag ie 
Thomas, Adam, Abel, Nohe, Abraham, John Baptist, and I know not to whom 
nor to how many. ‘This is new catholic divinity, found in your portass and missal, 
but in no part of God’s blessed book. Divinity meet for such divines! Again, whom anerror of 
do ye desire to pray for you? Our Saviour Christ, which alone is our Intercessor, eae 
Mediator and Advocate? Nothing less. Ye make no mention of him. He is utterly aire 
forgotten. Ye desire holy Mary and all the saints of God to pray for you. But 
where learned ye this tyrology? For theology is it not. Even of your father, anti- 
christ of Rome. But as Mary and the other heavenly citizens hear your confession, 
so pray they for you. But they hear not your confession, neither do they pray for 
you. O vain babblers and talkers of trifles! Your mass, having so good a beginning, 
must needs have a glorious ending. It beginneth with lies; we shall find it also to The mass is 
proceed with lies, yea, and to end with lies, that it may be proved a monster of lies, apie 
After that ye have made your confession to God and to our lady, and to all 
the holy company of heaven, and have given yourself absolution, for lack of a ghostly 
father, ye approach to the altar, and making a cross upon it, ye kiss it instead of 
some other whom ye love much better. Then fall ye in hand with your massing, The Introite, 
and ye begin the Jntroite, or office of the mass, which pope Celestinus brought in Meier” 
about the year of our Lord four hundred and thirty. That done, ye say the Kyrie, the Kyrie. 
which, as some report, pope Gregorius the first put to the mass about the year of 
our Lord six hundred. Some ascribe it to pope Silvester, which lived about the 
year of our Lord three hundred and thirty. But it seemeth to be borrowed of the 
Greek church; forasmuch as the words be Greek, and sound in English, ‘“‘ Lord, have 
mercy on us.” 
After these things ye go unto the midst of the altar, and looking up to the 
pix, where ye think your god to be, and making solemn courtesy, like womanly 
Joan, ye say the Gloria in excelsis; a godly both thanksgiving and prayer, and very goria in 
fruitful and comfortable, if it were spoken in the English tongue. The author hereof ““'* 
some affirm pope Stephanus to be, who lived in the year of our Lord seyen hundred 
and seventy. Some ascribe it to pope Telesphorus, which was in the year of our the papists 
Lord an hundred and thirty: some to pope Symmachus, who lived in the year of ee Soe 
our Lord five hundred: some to St Hilary, bishop of Pictave*, about the year of our 
Lord three hundred and forty-five. 
These things dispatched out of the way, ye have a pleasure to see who is in the 
church, and how well your mass is frequented; and therefore ye turn you to the 
people, if any be there, and bid them God speed in Latin, with Dominus voliscum, 
because they understand nothing but English. Turning again to the altar, ye say 
certain collects, whereof although some of them be good, yet many of them be very collects. 
superstitious and stark staring naught. For in them ye set forth before God the in- 
tercessions and merits of saints, and ye desire for the dignity and worthiness of them 
to be heard, to have forgiveness of sins and everlasting life. O blasphemous idolaters! 
What is it to rob Christ of his priesthood, if this be not? What spoileth Christ 
of his merits, if this do not? What treadeth under foot the precious blood of our 
Saviour Christ, if the saying of such abominable and blasphemous collects doth it 
not? The author of the collects some make pope Gelasius, which lived in the year 
of our Lord three hundred and ninety’; some pope Gregory, of whom ye heard afore. 
The collects once done, ye read the epistle, but in such a tongue as the people the epistle. 





[? Pictavensis, i. e. of Poitiers. ] [2 Probably an error for four hundred and ninety. ] 


The grail. 


The alleluia. 


The tract or 
sequence. 


The gospel. 


Why the 
people stand 
up at the 
gospel. 


The creed. 


Censing of 
the altars. 


The offer- 
tory. 


A blasphe- 
mous orison. 


Idolatry. 


264 THE DISPLAYING OF THE POPISH MASS. 


understand nothing, as ye do all other things. Some say that pope Telesphorus, of 
whom we spake afore, added the epistle to the mass. Some make Jerome the author 
of it, which lived about the year of our Lord three hundred four-score and seven, 
Then do ye say the grail, whereof they make pope Gelasius the author, of whom 
we spake afore. Immediately followeth the alleluia, which they say pope Gregory 
brought in, of whom also we spake afore. Some say it was borrowed of the church 
of Jerusalem, and so brought into the church of Rome in the time of pope Damasus. 
It soundeth in English, ‘‘O praise ye the Lord.” Here is Latin, Greek, and Hebrew 
in your popish mass, whereof the people understand nothing; but as for English, which 
the people understand, ye meddle nothing withal, because ye will make them your 
riding fools’, and keep them still in blindness. Then follow the tract or the sequence, 
one brought in by pope Telesphorus, the other by abbot Nothgerus, who lived in 
the year of our Lord eight hundred and forty-five. 

After that ye have mumbled over all these things, ye take up your mass-book, 
and away ye go to the other end of the altar to read the gospel. But first of all 
ye uncover the chalice, and look whether your drink be there or no, lest ye should 
chance to be deceived when the time of your repast come. If it be there, ye make 
solemn courtesy to your little idol that hangeth over the altar, and so go in hand with 
the gospel: and all in Latin, because it shall do no man good. The author of 
adding the gospel to the mass some make pope Telesphorus, some St Jerome, of whom 
we spake afore. Pope Anastasius, who lived in the year of our Lord four hundred 
and four, ordained that the people should stand up when the gospel is read, that they 
might hear and understand the doctrine of the gospel, and frame their lives according 
to the same. This use is observed at this day in the popish masses; I mean, the 
people stand up and make courtesy when they hear the name of Jesus, but they un- 
derstand not one word. It were as good to be read on such sort to swine and dogs 
as to the christian people, seeing they understand it not. 

The gospel ended with another kiss upon the book, ye say the creed, which, as 
they write, pope Marcus made about the year of our Lord three hundred and thirty- 
five, and commanded that the clergy and the people should sing it together, for the 
confirmation of their faith. After the creed, upon solemn feasts, ye use to cense the 
altar, which was first brought in by pope Leo about the year of our Lord eight hun- 
dred and seventy-six. These things done with all solemnity, ye turn you again into 
the church to see whether your customers be come or no, and so bidding them God 
speed, ye turn again to the altar, and go forth with your business. 

Then do ye say your offertory, which pope Eutichianus brought in, who lived 
about the year of our Lord two hundred and eighty-five. After the offertory is said, 
ye take the chalice up in your hands, with the little round cake lying upon the 
patine or cover of the chalice, and lifting up your eyes, ye pray on this manner: 
Suscipe, sancta Trinitas, §c.: “Take, O holy Trinity, this oblation, which I, unworthy 
sinner, offer in the honour of thee, of blessed Mary the virgin, and of all thy saints, for 
the salvation of the living, and for the rest or quietness of all the faithful that are 
dead.” The author of this prayer I cannot find. It is so good that, I think, he was 
ashamed to tell his name. But what think ye of this prayer? Be judges yourselves, 
whether any thing may be uttered more unto the dishonour of God, and the utter 
defacing of Christ’s blood, than this your popish and blasphemous orison. First of 
all, what offer ye? Ye must answer, either the little round cake, or else the chalice, 
or the wine and water that is in it. To whom do ye offer it? To God, to Mary 
the virgin, and to all the saints of heaven, because ye will lack no company, but 
gratify a multitude with a thing of nought. Wherefore do ye offer that oblation? 
For the salvation of the living, and for the rest or quietness of all the faithful that 
are dead. Ah, who ever heard of such a sacrifice or oblation? A wafer-cake, which 
is yet but mere bread, and no sacrament, and a chalice with a spoonful of wine 





[! The allusion may be to the “‘ episcopus stul- | pro potu sunt congregati, letanter deportatur.’’ 
torum,’’ who upon his election ‘per consocios | See Du Cange, v. Kalende.] 
elevatur, ac super humeros ad domum, ubi ceteri 


THE DISPLAYING OF THE POPISH MASS, 265 


mingled with two or three drops of water, to be offered for the salvation of the living, 
and for the rest or quietness of all the faithful that are dead! O abomination! O 
intolerable blasphemy! If Adam's posterity might have been saved by such trifling 
oblations, what needed the Son of God to have died for us? If a morsel of bread 
and a spoonful of wine, offered up of an idolatrous priest, be of such virtue that it 
may obtain salvation for the quick and dead, was not Christ greatly overseen to 
suffer so great pains for the redemption of man? If thousands of great oxen, bulls, 
kine, calves, goats, sheep, lambs, doves, &c., in the old law could not take away the 
sins of the people, although they were offered at the commandment of God; is it to 
be thought that a wafer-cake and a spoonful of wine mingled with water, and appointed 
to be offered by antichrist, is a sufficient oblation to purchase salvation for the living, 
and rest and quietness for the dead? O damnable idolatry! 
There is no sacrifice that can save us, but the glorious passion and precious death The death of 


of our Lord and Saviour Christ Jesu alone; as St Paul saith: “God forbid that I atone sacri- 
should rejoice in any thing but in the cross,” that is to say, in the passion and death, ete 
“of our Lord Jesu Christ.” And to whom do ye offer your new solemn sacrifice ? 
To God alone? Nay, but to blessed Mary also, and to all the company of heaven. 
In this also, if your oblation and sacrifice were good, do ye grievously offend: for 
ye may offer sacrifice to none but to God alone. Therefore you, making your oblation sacrifice 
also to Mary, to Peter, to Paul, to Magdalene, to John, to James, to Erkenwalde, Sheet 
to Grymbalde, and I cannot tell to how many thousands more, are abominable idolaters ; Re 
seeing that, as much as lieth in you, ye make of the saints gods, and so do ye rob 
God of his glory. God saith by the prophet: “I am the Lord: this is my name: I Isai. xiii. 
will give my glory to none other.” And the saints themselves cry on this manner: 
“Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to thy name give the glory.” Psal. exy. 
After that your prayer, ye set your chalice down again, saying these words : 
Acceptum sit omnipotenti Deo hoc sacrificium novum: that is to say, “ O that this new 
sacrifice might be thankfully taken of Almighty God!” Why, do ye doubt of the 
matter? Is your prayer so good and your faith so strong, that ye doubt whether 
God will hear you and receive your sacrifice or no? Indeed ye may right well call a new 
it a new sacrifice. For it was never heard of afore, that a wafer-cake and a spoon- a 
ful of wine mingled with water should be an oblation and sacrifice for the salvation 
of the living, and for the rest or quietness of all the faithful that are dead. But 
notable is your doing afterward. When ye have thus sacrificed and offered, ye trudge 
straightways to the altar’s end, and wash your hands: to what end, I know not, washing of 
except it be that ye have defiled yourselves with your new stinking sacrifice, which ""* 
you even now offered unto God, to blessed Mary, and to all the company of heaven, 
for the salvation of the quick, and for the rest and quietness of all the faithful that 
are dead, and think by the writhing of your hands to be cleansed from the abomi- 
nable spiritual whoredom which ye have committed against God. I suppose ye learned 
this washing of your hands of Pilate, which, when for favour of the Jews and for 
fear of Cesar he had unjustly condemned Christ unto death, called for a basin of 
water to wash his hands, and said: “I am clean from the blood of this righteous mate. xxvii. 
man.” But as he, for all his washing, escaped not the vengeance of God, but died a 
most miserable death; even so may ye be sure, though ye wash your hands never so 
oft, not to escape the heavy hand of God for speaking such blasphemies against the 
Lord and his Anointed, except ye out of hand cease from your abominable massing ; 
which is nothing else but very idolatry, mere blasphemy, great dishonour to God, and 
extreme injury to the precious blood of Christ, while ye ascribe that unto bread, wine, 
and water, which only appertaineth unto the passion and death of our Saviour Christ. 
After ye have washed your hands, ye return again to the altar, holding your hands 
before you like maidenly priests, and, mannerly bowing yourselves to your little great 
god that shall be, ye make a cross upon the altar, and kiss it instead of your pretty ¢.,. ing. 
Petronilla ; and then, having peradventure a good mind to behold some she-saint in K'ss"s- 
the church, ye turn yourselves, looking down to the people, and saying: Orate pro yur ana 
me, fratres et sorores: ‘“O pray for me, ye brethren and sistern;’ when many times '™- 
there is nobody in the church but the boy that helpeth you to say mass; and so, 


The secrets. 


The preface. 


The sanctus. 


Kissing. 


The canon 
of the mass. 


The authors 
of the 
canon. 


Crossing. 


The first 
memento. 


A blasphe- 
mous error 
of the pa- 
pists. 


Ringing to 
sacry. 


266 THE DISPLAYING OF THE POPISH MASS. 


making solemn courtesy, like womanly Joan, ye return unto your accustomed patter- 
ing. What ye say, no man can tell. For now come in your subtile secrets. And 
they may right well be called secrets; for they are so secret and so secretly spoken, 
that no man is the wiser for them. But whatsoever they are, good stuff, I warrant 
you, they are. And forasmuch as they be certain collects, they father them upon pope 
Gelasius and pope Gregory, of whom we spake afore. 

When ye have once done with your subtile, solemn, sleepy secrets, ye brast out 
into open words, and exhort the people to lift up their hearts unto God, and to 
consider the mysteries that are now in hand, and to be thankful to God for the 
benefits of their redemption. Ah, would God ye so spake the words that the 
people might be edified by them! But ye speak on such sort that it were much 
better for you to hold your peace, and the people to be at home asleep. For ye 
do nothing else than beat the air with your breath. The people understand nothing 
at all, neither do they consider any thing, but only are there present as vain gazers. 
These admonitions to the people, of lifting up their hearts unto God, and to be 
thankful to him for his benefits set forth in the death of his Son Christ, were used 
in the primitive church; as we may see in St Cyprian’ and St Austin*, The au- 
thor of these godly exhortations is not known. 

Immediately followeth the preface; and because there be divers, they father them 
upon pope Gelasius and pope Gregory, as they do all other things whereof they 
can find no certain author. But this is most certain, that the ancient church used 
but one preface, which is called the quotidian, or daily preface. These things passed 
over, ye fall in hand with the Sanctus, which, lifting up your hands, ye speak with 
a loud voice; and that ended, ye kiss the mass-book, because some other is not at 
hand. The Sanctus, as they say, was brought in by pope Sixtus, which was about 
the year of our Lord an hundred and twenty-five, and commanded to be sung in 
the church. 

Now cometh in your holy mass-canon, whereof be divers authors. For it is an 
hotch-potch, devised and made by a number of popes, and by other also. It is a 
very beggar’s cloke, cobbled, clouted, and patched with a multitude of popish rags. 
And yet the papists affirm it to be the holiest part of your mass. And it may 
soon be: for there is not one part of the mass that can worthily be called good, 
as it is used at this present; all things are so far out of order, without edifying, 
and contrary to God’s holy ordinance. The authors of this their goodly and godly 
canon they make pope Alexander, pope Gelasius, pope Gregory, pope Sixtus, pope 
Leo, and a certain man called Scholasticus, with other. 

And here begin ye wonderfully to cross, and to pray for the universal church ; 
first for our lord pope, secondly for the bishop of the diocese wherein ye dwell, 
thirdly for your king and queen, last of all for all those that be of the catholic faith. 
And now come ye to your first Memento, which serveth for the living; where ye 
stand nodding like a sort of drunkards, and praying (ye say) for all your good 
friends and benefactors, for all that uphold and maintain the kingdom of the clergy, 
and defend our mother holy church against the assaults of the gospellers: and here 
ye allege a sort of saints, and ye desire that, for their merits’ and prayers’ sake, ye 
may be saved and preserved from all evil. O abominable blasphemers! 

This done, ye fall to crouching and beholding the little cake and chalice; and 
speaking a few little good words in Latin, ye bless and cross wonderfully the cake 
and chalice, as though they were haunted with some ill spirits. While ye are thus 
blessing, the boy, or parish clerk, ring the little sacry bell, which biddeth the people 
lay all things aside now, and lift up their heads, behold their Maker, kneel down 


[! Ideo et sacerdos ante orationem prefatione pre- | ccelos quotidie eriguntur. Nam dicente sacerdote, 
missa, parat fratrum mentes dicendo, Sursum corda; | Sursum corda; securi respondent, Habemus ad 
ut dum respondet plebs, Habemus ad Dominum, | Dominum.—August. Op. Par. 1679-1700. Serm. 
admoneatur nihil aliud se quam Dominum cogitare | cxii. 4.de Verb. Apost. Tom. V. Appendix, col. 205. 
debere.—Cypr. Op. Oxon. 1682. De Orat. Domin. | The Benedictine editors, but perhaps without suffi- 
p. 152.] cient reason, pronounce against the authenticity of 

[? Quia corda fidelium ccelum sunt, quia in | this sermon. } 


THE DISPLAYING OF THE POPISH MASS. 267 


and worship their Lord God, which sir John shall straightways make with as much 

speed as may be, and shew him unto them above his head. Before it was Sursum 

corda, “ Lift up your hearts,” unto the Lord; but now is Sursum capita come in, 

“Lift up your heads,” and look upon your Maker between the priest’s hands, with his Why the 
back* turned toward you, because no woman at that present shall be enamoured turneth his. 
with his sweet and loving face. Come off, kneel down, look up, knock your breast, penple: a 
behold the apple-maker of Kent, and mark well him that killed thy father*. This 

is the Lord thy God. Let us fall down and worship him. O unsufferable idolatry ! taolatry. 
Notable is the doctrine of Nicene council, which commandeth that we shall not di- The council 
rect our minds downward to the bread and cup, but lift them up to Christ by gee 
faith °®, which is ascended up into heaven really and corporally, and not present car- An error of 
nally in the sacramental bread, as the papists teach. Christ, while we live in this pee 
world, is not to be seen with the eyes of this body, but of the spirit by faith. If 

we will see and worship Christ aright, we must see and worship him in spirit, 

sitting in his glory and majesty above in heaven at the right hand of God his 
Father; and not behold him in the sacramental bread with the corporal eyes, where 

nothing is to be seen, felt, tasted, or received with mouth, but bread only. 

But before we come to your consecration, to your sacring, and to the lifting up what christ 
of your little great, young old god, we will first see what Christ did, and after- at 
ward compare your doings with his. 

Christ, sitting at the table, took bread, and, after he had given thanks, he brake A compari- 
the bread, and gave it to his disciples for to eat. Christ sat at the table: ye stand Christand 
at an altar. Christ took bread to make it a sacrament of his body: ye take a little mongers. 
thin round cake, or rather a thin piece of starch, to make it the natural body of 
Christ, God and man, and to offer it a sacrifice for the sins of the quick and dead. 

Christ delivered the bread to his disciples, to eat it in the remembrance of his 

death: ye take the bread, and hold it up above your head, and make a shew of it 

to the people, and when ye have once so done, ye alone devour and eat it up. 

Christ brake the bread, signifying thereby the breaking of his body on the altar of 

the cross for the salvation of the world, according to this his promise in the gospel 

of John: “I am that living bread which came down from heaven. If any man Jonnvi. 
eateth of this bread, he shall live for ever. And the bread that I will give is my 

flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” Ye break the bread also, 

which, ye say, is the natural body of Christ, flesh, blood, and bone. But very Breeking of 
fondly ye break it. For ye break your host (I use your own terms) in three parts, eS 
holding it over the chalice while ye break it, I think, because ye would lose none 

of the blood that should® issue out of the body, which ye newly have made, and now 
suddenly ye break and destroy again. When ye have broken your new-formed god 

in three parts, two pieces ye keep still in your hands for flying away, and the third 

ye let fall down into the chalice, to lie there awhile a sleeping, or to put you in 
remembrance of your nappy ale’ and toast, which your pretty Parnel hath full lovingly 
prepared for you against your mass be done, lest ye should chance to faint for taking 

so great pains at your butcherly altar. 

Many significations have the papists invented for those three broken pieces of the Whatthe 
cake, which all here to rehearse were too too long. I will rehearse one; and, if ye desire the host sig- 
to know more, inquire of your brethren the papists; and they shall easily teach you. Heme 
The first part, say they, which is both the longest and the greatest, doth not only 
signify, but also is a sacrifice of thanksgiving to God the Father, for his benefits 
declared to mankind in the death of Christ his Son. The second is a sacrifice pro- 
pitiatory for the sins of the people that be living in this world, but specially for 
the sins of such as have bought the mass for their money, that they may be de- 


livered a pena et culpa toties quoties. The third piece, which is let down into the 





[? A word is substituted. ] [° Gelas. Hist. Concil. Nic- in Concil. Stud. 
[* The editor regrets his inability to explain this | Labbei. Lut. Par. 1671-2. cap. xxx. Tom. II. 
and two or three other proverbial allusions occurring | col. 233. See Vol. Il. p. 295, note 11.] 
in this treatise. | [° Folio, shed. ] [7 Folio, noppy nale. | 


268 THE DISPLAYING OF THE POPISH MASS. 


chalice, is a satisfactory sacrifice for the souls that lie miserably puling in the hot 
fire of purgatory, to deliver them from the bitter pains and grievous torments that 
they there suffer, and through the virtue and merits of that sacrifice to bring them 
unto everlasting glory. O intolerable abomination! Here is the breaking of your 
host, with the goodly mysteries thereof. 
Christ, say the evangelists, took bread, brake it, and gave it to his disciples, 
Matt. xxvi, saying: “Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you. Do this in the remem- 


lke ani. brance of me.” Ye also take bread and break it; but ye give it to yourselves. But 


Avwintot as Christ gave the bread to his disciples, willing them to eat it in the remembrance 

lla: of his passion and death; so ought ye to do to the faithful congregation that are 
present, and not like swinish beasts to eat and drink up all alone yourselves, and 
afterward to bless the people with an empty cup, as ye do at your high and solemn 
feasts. But this do ye not; therefore are ye plain antichrists. Take this bread, saith 

Handling of our Saviour Christ: take it in your hands. Hand off, say ye papists: gape; and 

mentalbread. We Will put it in your mouths, and feed you, as children use to feed their jackdaws. 
Handle so precious a relique? Marry, sir, God forbid! The woman, peradventure, hath 
lien with her husband all night, or the husband with his wife; and shall such touch 
the precious body of our Lord with their hands? Marry, sir, God forbid! That 
were a piteous case. But ye abominable whore-masters, ye filthy fornicators, ye 
stinking sodomites, ye deceitful deflowerers of maids, ye devilish defilers of men’s 
wives, ye cankered corrupters of widows, and ye lecherous locusts, may lie with your 
whores and harlots all night, and the next day after go to mass, consecrate, make, 
touch, handle, break, eat, and devour your god; and yet ye defile the sacrament 
nothing at all. O abominable whore-hunters! O monstrous massmongers! Honest 
matrimony, after your corrupt judgments, defileth the sacrament of Christ's body and 
blood; but filthy fornication, abominable adultery, wicked whoredom, and _ stinking 
sodomitry advanceth the dignity thereof. O right chaplains of that filthy idol 
Priapus ! 

Of the hand But come off, I pray you, what hath the hand more offended than the mouth, 

sacar ita may not touch the sacrament? Are they not both the good creatures of 
God? Are they not made both of one substance? And, to say the truth, there 
cometh not so much evil from the hand, as there doth out of the mouth. For out 
of the mouth come blasphemies, cursed speakings, evil reports, bannings, slanders, lies, 
malicious words, filthy tales, idle talk, singing of bawdy ballads, &c. But from the 
hand cometh virtuous occupation, honest labour, painful travail, getting of thy living, 
helping of our neighbours, and alms-giving to the poor. 

But ye are always like yourselves, that is to say, very antichrists: for ye are 
evermore contrary to Christ. Christ delivered the sacrament into his disciples’ hands ; 
and you put it into the communicants’ mouths, as though the people were not so 
wise as to put a morsel of bread in their own mouths. The people are much bound 
to you that have so good opinion of them. Ye make them momes indeed, asses, 
louts, and your very riding fools. God once open their eyes, that they may perceive 
your juggling! Ye are well worthy to have your tithes and offerings truly paid, ye 

Beware, ye do your duty so well. Verily they that give ought to find you massmongers withal, 

that maintain and +o maintain you in your abominable massing, do nothing else than offend God, 

ae dishonour Christ, tread under foot the precious blood of Christ, make Christ’s death 
of no price, maintain idolatry, defy the holy communion, destroy the christian com- 
monweal, uphold antichrist’s brood, cherish Satan’s chaplains, pamper Priapus’ pilled- 

ote: pates, make fat Venus’ stout stallions, enrich Bacchus’ sacrificers, and nourish such 
monsters as do nothing else than murder, kill, and slay the souls of so many as fol- 
low your damnable doctrine, and haunt your idolatrous masses. Let the Christians, 
therefore, beware, how and upon whom they bestow their goods, lest by giving to 
massing priests they get to themselves everlasting damnation. The doer and the 
maintainer shall receive like punishment. 

He that readeth the practices of the ancient church shall evidently see that the 
manner of the godly ministers at that time was not to put the sacramental bread 
into the people’s mouths, as ye do at this present, but to give it them into their 


THE DISPLAYING OF THE POPISH MASS. 269 


hands. For it was not then taken and honoured for a God, as it is now; but it 
was reverently used and taken as an holy and worthy sacrament of Christ. 

But what marvel is it though ye will not suffer the people to handle the sacra- 
mental bread, seeing ye will not suffer the communicants to touch your pope-holy touching of 
chalice ; wherein, notwithstanding, is not the sacrament of Christ’s blood, but only aes 
mere wine, dedicate and appointed to no godly use? Ye are contrary to Christ in 
all things. God amend you! 

“Take, eat,” saith our Saviour Christ. Nay, say ye massmongers, neither take 
ye nor eat, but come and hear mass devoutly, and see us take and eat up altogether ; 
and it is enough for you. Fall down, kneel, and worship your Maker that we shew taolatry. 
unto you. Honour your God that is hanged up in the pix over the altar; and so 
shall ye be good catholics and dear children of our mother holy church. If ye come Houseling at 
at Easter, according to pope Zepherinus’ commandment, and then receive your Maker sa 
devoutly, it is enough for you. At all other times we will receive the sacrament for A point of 
you; and it shall do you as much good as though ye had eaten it yourself. O false fellowenip. 
and subtile hypocrites! O wicked corrupters of the Lord’s blessed testament! If “*"°™* 
other men should eat up your dinners and suppers in your stead, as ye eat up the 
sacrament from the people, ye should not have so fat paunches as ye have, nor yet 
so fry in your grease as ye do. Christ delivered the sacramental bread to his dis- 
ciples, and bade them eat; but ye eat up all yourselves, and will give no man part 
with you. O cankered carls! O churlish chuffs! 

And here may we note by the way, to what end the sacramental bread is or- why the 
dained ; not that it should be kneeled to nor honoured as a God, nor gazed on, nor dene sete ee 
carried about in popish pompous processions, nor offered up for a sacrifice for the“ 
sins of the quick and dead, nor yet to reserve it and to hang it up in the pix over 
the altar, as ye papists do; but that it should be received and eaten of the faithful 
communicants at the Lord’s supper in the remembrance of Christ’s death. ‘Take, 
eat,” saith our Saviour Christ. 

Hitherto have we heard that your peevish, popish, private pedlary pelting mass 
agreeth with the Lord’s blessed supper and holy communion nothing at all. Let us 
now see how well ye behave yourselves in the words of consecration, as ye call them, 
wherein, after your opinion, hangeth all the matter. 

Christ said: “This is my body, which is betrayed for you. Do this in the remem- 
brance of me.” Now let us behold your consecration. Taking the little cake in your hands, Consecration. 
ye say these words: “The day before he suffered he took bread into his holy and wor- 
shipful hands, and lifting up his eyes unto heaven to thee God his Father Almighty, 
and giving thee thanks, he blessed, brake, and gave to his disciples, saying, Take and 
eat of this, all ye. For this is my body.” The author of these words, as they be 
here recited, was pope Alexander, about the year of our Lord an hundred and twelve. 

Here do ye not rehearse the words truly as our Saviour Christ spake them. Some Juggling. 
words ye added, and some ye have taken away. 

But I much marvel of your gross ignorancy in this-one thing. Ye put a difference Ignorancy. 

between blessing and thanksgiving. For when ye rehearse this word, benedixit, “he plessing sig- 
blessed,” ye cross and bless the bread with your greasy fingers; as though Christ’s canis laine: 
blessing in that place were the wagging of his fingers, and not rather thanksgiving. 
For where St Mark hath, cum benedixisset, “when he had blessed,’ St Matthew, 
Luke, and Paul hath, cum gratias egisset, “ when he had given thanks.” So that 
to bless, after Mark’s phrase, is nothing else than to give thanks, to praise, and to 
magnify. And so is it taken in divers places of the holy scriptures, both in the old 
and new testament. 

Again, ye put to these four words of Christ, Hoc est corpus meum, this word 
enim, and ye say, Hoc est enim corpus meum, one word more than ever Christ put nim. 
in, because ye may be found still as ye are, even abominable liars. But for putting 
in of this one word enim (which is of so great virtue, say ye, that without it there 
can be no perfect consecration ; and then what is to be thought, I pray you, of Christ 
and of his apostles, of the primitive church, and of the Greeks at this day, which Corrupters of 


: “Vs : Christ's testa- 
never used that word?) being your own superfluous addition, ye most wickedly leave ment. 


Note well. 


Antichrists. 


Matt. x. 


Corrupters. 


Idolatry. 


Sacring or 
levation. 


The sacring 
is the most 
abominable 
part of the 
mass. 


270 THE DISPLAYING OF THE POPISH MASS. 


out these most necessary words that Christ spake: “ Which is betrayed for you: Do 
this in the remembrance of me.” This joyful promise, that Christ’s body was betrayed, 
given, and broken for us, with the residue,-ye leave clean out, as a thing pertaining 
nothing to the purpose. And yet are they so necessary, that without the knowledge 
of them the sacrament profiteth nothing at all. If I receive the sacrament a thousand 
times, and yet if I know not to what use it was instituted of Christ, what profits 
and benefits I have by the worthy receiving of it, if I do not set before the eyes 
of my mind the death of Christ, and faithfully believe to have remission and forgive- 
ness of all my sins by the breaking of Christ’s body and by the shedding of his most 
precious blood, &c., it profiteth me no more than the precious stone did profit Esop’s 
cock. 

Again, those words which Christ spake openly to his disciples, unto their great joy 
and comfort, ye partly leave out and partly whisper in hocker-mocker to yourselves, 
that no man may be the better for your doings, and that the people may be kept 
still in blindness. Our Saviour Christ saith: “‘ What I tell you in darkness, that 
speak ye in light; and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye in the house-tops.” 
But ye do clean contrary. For that which Christ spake openly to his disciples, ye 
mutter it softly to yourselves. O cruel soul-slayers and bloody murderers! But is 
this your dexterity, uprightness, and true dealing with the word of God? So to 
corrupt and mangle the words of the glorious testament of the Son of God! It is 
not lawful to alter a mortal man’s testament; and dare ye presume, O ye antichrists, 
to alter and change the blessed testament and heavenly will of the King of glory? 
Are ye faithful ministers, which deal so unfaithfully with your Lord and Master? 
Ye that deal so wickedly with God, how will ye deal with man? God keep all 
faithful people out of your claws! 

After ye have once spoken these five words, Hoc est enim corpus meum, over the 
bread, and have blasted, breathed, and blowed upon it, ye kneel down to it and wor- 
ship it, like abominable idolaters ; and afterward ye hold it up above your pestilent, pilled, 
shaven, shameless heads, that the people by looking upon it and worshipping it may 
be partakers also of your abominable idolatry, not being contented with your own 
damnable estate, except ye bring other also into the same danger. 

The author of your levation and lifting up the bread above your head was pope 
Honorius the third, about the year of our Lord one thousand two hundred and ten, 
which commanded that the host should be lifted up above the priest’s head at mass, 
and that all the people should fall down and worship it. O antichrist! Here may 
all men see how ancient a thing your holy sacring is, which is counted the best 
and chiefest part of your mass, when notwithstanding it is the most wicked and most 
abominable part of your idolatrous mass. Verily it is not much more than three hun- 
dred years old. Let the lying papists therefore be ashamed to brag that their 
devilish mass came from the apostles; seeing it is proved to be a new and late in- 
vention of antichrist. 

And although the whole mass of the papists be utterly wicked and abominable, 
yet this part, which they call the sacring, is most wicked and abominable ; forasmuch 
as it provoketh the people that are present to commit most detestable idolatries. For 
the people take it to be their God. They believe that bread which the priest heaveth 
above his head to be Christ, perfect God and perfect man. Therefore kneel they 
down unto it, knock their breasts, lift up their hands, worship and honour it. When 
the bell once rings (if they cannot conveniently see), they forsake their seats and run 
from altar to altar, from sacring to sacring, peeping here and touting there, and 
gazing at that thing which the pilled-pate priest holdeth up in his hands. And if 
the priest be weak in the arms, and heave not up high enough, the rude people of 
the country in divers parts of England will cry out to the priest : “Hold up, sir John, 
hold up; heave it a little higher.” And one will say to another: “Stoop down, 
thou fellow afore, that I may see my Maker: for I cannot be merry except I see 
my Lord God once in a day.” O abomination! Ah, wo worth you, ye massmongers, 
that are the authors of this abominable idolatry, and through your wicked massing send 
thousands to the devil, except the mercy of God be the greater. Better were ye 


THE DISPLAYING OF THE POPISH MASS. 271 


massmongers to leave your fat benefices, your rich prebends, your wealthy deaneries, 
your honourable chaplainships, your long gowns, your sarcenet tippets, and your 
shaven crowns, and to become water-tankard-bearers in London, or to cobble a shoe, or 
to go to plough and cart, yea, to have a mill-stone tied about your neck and to be Matt. xviii. 
cast into the bottom of the sea, than through your most stinking, wicked, and vile 
massing to provoke so many people unto idolatry, and to bring the wrath of God 
and everlasting damnation upon them, except they repent and amend. “Verily I say mate. x. 
unto you, it shall be easier for the land of Sodom at the day of judgment, than for 
you.” 

But I know what ye will say: That we hold up is the very natural body of Christ, The opjec- 


.. tions of the 


God and man; therefore may we all justly worship it. I ask you: How prove ye it papists con- 
cerning 


to be the natural body of Christ? Ye answer: By the virtue of these words, Hoc christs 


est enim corpus meum. I reply: Christ spake these words of the bread, as the holy Seer 
scriptures and all ancient writers do witness; and so then followeth it that bread is as 
Christ’s body, and Christ’s body is bread. And by this means it must needs be 
granted that Christ hath two bodies, one made of bread, and another of flesh which an av- 
he received of Mary the virgin. cet 
But ye answer: Christ’s calling is making. Christ called the bread his body ; 
therefore is it made his body. I answer again: Christ called himself a “vine,” a sg 
“door,” a “shepherd,” and called his heavenly Father a “ ploughman :” is Christ there- Jo! *¥- *- 
fore made a natural vine, a material door, a rustical shepherd, and his Father an 
husbandman of the country? Christ called John Baptist Helias: is John therefore yjate. xi. 
made that Helias the Thesbite, which preached in the time of wicked king 1 Kings xviii. 
Achab? Christ called John the evangelist Mary’s son, and called Mary his mother: is Jom xix. 
John therefore made the natural son of Mary the virgin, Christ’s mother? and is 
Mary made the very true and natural mother of John the evangelist? I am sure 
ye will not so say. No more is the sacramental bread Christ’s natural body, al- note. 
though Christ called it his body, but his body in a mystery and in a figure; as the 
old writers testify. 
Tertullian, that most ancient doctor, saith: “Jesus, taking bread and distributing see 
it among his disciples, made it his body, saying, ‘This is my body,’ that is to say, a Marcion. 
figure of my body".” 
Hereto agreeth the saying of St Austin: “Christ did not stick to say, ‘This is Contra 
. : : Adimant. 
my body,’ when he gave the sign of his body’.” 
And St Hierome saith, that Christ did represent the truth of his body and blood Im Matt. 
by the bread and wine’®. a 
An infinite number of like sentences concerning this matter are found in the an- 
cient authors, which prove evidently that this saying of Christ, Hoc est corpus 
meum, “This is my body,” is a figurative speech. Signs or sacraments in the holy 
scripture are called by the names of the things whereof they be sacraments and signs ; 
as we read of the ark, of circumcision, of the paschal lamb, of the sacrifices of the old 
law, of baptism, which St Paul calleth “the laver or fountain of regeneration, and the rit. iii. 
receiving of the Holy Ghost.” And after this sort is the sacramental bread called by 
the name of Christ’s body, because it is the sacrament, sign, and figure of his body. 
“Those things which do signify,” saith St Cyprian, “and those things which be Serm. de 
signified by them, may be both called by one name*.” a 
And St Austin, rehearsing divers sentences which were spoken figuratively, number- contra 
eth among them these words of Christ, Hoc est corpus meum, ‘This is my body?;” rea 
whereby he declareth plainly that Christ spake these words figuratively, not meaning 


that the bread was his body by substance, but by signification. 





[! Tertull. Op. Lut. 1641. Advers. Marcion. | in Matt. cap. xxvi. Tom. IV. Pars 1. col. 128. See 
Lib. rv. 40, p. 571. See Vol. II. page 285, | Vol. IT. page 285, note 9.] 
note 5. ] [* Cypr. Op. Oxon. 1682. De Unct. Chrism. 
[? August. Op. Par. 1679—1700. Cont. Adi- | (Arnold.) Appendix, p. 48. See Vol. II. page 285, 
mant. cap. xii. 3. Tom. VIII. col. 124. See Vol. | note 12.) 
IL. page 282, note 3.] [° See above, note 2.] 
[? Hieron. Op. Par. 1693-1706. Comm. Lib. rv. 


272 THE DISPLAYING OF THE POPISH MASS. 


An absur- Moreover, it is directly against the verity and truth of Christ’s natural body to 

Christ's natu- be in more places at once than in one, as he must be in an hundred thousand places 

ral body can- ; : Pee ° . 

not be but in at once, if your doctrine be true. A stinking sodomite or a wicked whoremonger, 

Snes ae being dressed in his fool’s coat, and standing at an altar with a little thin round cake 
in his hand, shall with these five words, Hoc est enim corpus meum, and with blowing 
and breathing upon the bread, make Christ, the King of glory, to come from the right 
hand of his Father, and to touch’ himself in the accidents of the little cake, till ye 
have eaten him, and then trudge up again to heaven, till Hoc est enim corpus meum 
fetch him down again, if your doctrine be true. O proud Lucifers! And ah, poor 
wretched Christ, which at every filthy massmonger’s commandment art compelled to 
come down from the glorious throne of thy Majesty, and to be handled as the papists 
please, either to be torn asunder with their teeth, or else to be hanged up with an 
halter in their popish pix! But know ye, O ye vile and blasphemous papists, that, 
although ye whisper your five words never so oft at your idolatrous altars, and 
breathe, blast, and blow, till ye be windless, yet shall ye never pluck the Son of 
God from the right hand of his Father, nor make that thin cake of yours Christ's 
natural body. 

The article of our faith is, that Christ “is gone up into heaven, and sitteth on the 
right hand of God the Father Almighty, and that from thence he shall come to judge 
the quick and the dead.” Our Saviour Christ told his disciples full oft, a little before 

John xiv. his passion, that he should leave the world, and go up again unto his Father. St 
Mark xvi. Mark saith that Christ “was taken up into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of 
Luke xxiv. God.” St Luke saith that Christ went away from his disciples, and was carried up 
into heaven. The angels of God said to the apostles, when Christ did ascend up 
Actsi. into heaven: “Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This 
Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, so shall he come, as ye have seen 
him going into heaven.” Of these words of the angels we learn that, as Christ went 
acs up visibly, and was seen with the corporal eyes of the disciples, so likewise, when 
he came’ again from thence, he shall come visibly, and be seen with the corporal 
eyes of men. But never man saw him yet coming down with his corporal eyes; 
therefore never came he down corporally since his ascension. 
Acts vii. St Stephen, indeed, saw Christ even with his bodily eyes; as we read in the Acts 
of the Apostles. But where? Here on the earth, between the priest’s hands? Nay, 
Acts ix. but in heaven, “standing on the right hand of God.” St Paul heard Christ speak ; 
but from whence? From the popish pix? Yea, rather from heaven. St Peter 
Acts iii. saith, as blessed Luke testifieth, that “Jesus Christ must receive heaven till the time 
that all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets 
since the world began be restored again.” This time is till the day of judgment. 
Note. If ye will have Christ therefore bodily at your masses, ye must tarry till the day 
of judgment: for till that time, saith blessed Peter, he must keep heaven. Alas! 
where is your Hoc est enim corpus meum, after your gross understanding, become ? 


Rom. viii. Moreover St Paul, in divers places of his epistles, declareth that Christ is as- 
Corin scended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God, and maketh intercession 
itim ii, for us unto God his Father. So likewise do the other apostles in their writings. 
pea. “Jesus Christ,” saith St Peter, “is on the right hand of God, and is gone 
1Johnii. into heaven.” ‘‘ We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous,” 


saith St John. 
All these authorities of the holy scriptures, with many other, do testify that 
Christ, as concerning his corporal presence, is no more in the earth, but in heaven 
only. Christ hath in him two natures, the nature of God, and the nature of man. 
Note. As concerning his divine nature he is in heaven, in earth, and in every place. But 
as touching his human nature he is in heaven only, and there shall remain till the 
Tract. 50, day of judgment, as St Austin saith: “As concerning the presence of his majesty 
In Joan. ° : : : ° 
we have Christ always; but as touching the presence of his flesh, it was truly said 
to his disciples, ‘Me shall ye not alway have with you.’ For the church had him a 


{‘ Perhaps couch, and come. ] 


THE DISPLAYING OF THE POPISH MASS. 273 


few days after the presence of the flesh; but now it holdeth him by faith, and 

secth him not with the eyes.” Again he saith: “God and man is one person, and Ad Dardan. 
both is one Christ Jesus, in every place in that he is God, but in heaven in that 

he is man*.” Also in another place: ‘“‘ Where and after what manner Christ is in De Fide et 

heaven, it is a vain and superfluous thing to ask or demand; but we must surely iphe es 
believe that he is only in heaven *.” 

If he be only in heaven as concerning his corporal presence, as both the holy 
scriptures and St Austin affirm, how then is he either in your round cake at mass, 
or else hanging up in your popish pix over the altar with an halter? 

But let us hear what the ancient doctor Vigilius writeth concerning this matter: 

“The Son of God,” saith he, “as concerning his humanity, is gone away from us; Lib. i. contra 
but as touching his divinity he saith unto us, Behold, I am with you always, unto ace 
the end of the world®.” Again: “Forasmuch as the word is every where, and his Lib. iv. e-n- 
flesh is not every where, it appeareth that one and the same Christ is of both na- ie eou 
tures; and that he is in every place as concerning the nature of his Godhead’®:” 

Again, that “he is contained in a place as touching the nature of his manhood.” 

Of these authorities doth it manifestly appear that Christ, inasmuch as he is 
God, is in every place; but having respect to that he is a man, he is only in one 
place, that is to say, in heaven. If he be only in heaven inasmuch as he is man, 
then consider ye what is to be thought of the doctrine of the papists, which teach 
that Christ’s natural body is in every place, wheresoever his Godhead is. O anti- 
christs! If this be not to play the heretic Marcion’s part, and utterly to destroy the The papists 
verity of Christ’s human nature, or of his natural body, what is it? Mat iui: 

But St Austin saith very well in this behalf: “We must take heed,” saith he, Ad Dardan. 
“that we do not so set forth, maintain, or affirm the Godhead of the man (Christ) Note well. 
that we take away or destroy the truth of his body. For it doth not follow that 
that which is in God should be every where as God. Christ, inasmuch as he is 
God, is every where; but being man, he is only in heaven’.” 

But ye will object, according to your old wont, the omnipotency or almighty The omni- 
power of God, and say that, forasmuch as he is omnipotent and almighty, he may ae 
both make the bread his body, and also be in as many places concerning his corporal ee 
presence as he list, that is to say, in infinite places at once. I answer: God is not Why Goa 
called almighty because he can do all things, but because he is able to do whatso- anuanee 
ever his godly pleasure is to do. For there are certain things which God cannot 
do; as, for an example, he cannot deny himself, he cannot lie, he cannot save such as 
die in infidelity, he cannot make another of like power with himself, he cannot save 
the reprobate, nor condemn the elect, which have their names written in the book of 
life, &c. Whatsoever is contrary to his word, that cannot God do; but it is contrary 
to the word of God for Christ’s body to be in more places at once than in one, yea, 
to be both in heaven sitting on the right hand of God the Father, and here also 
in earth at your popish masses, in a thousand thousand places at once: therefore is 
not God able to make his body to be in so many places at once, as ye feign; for- 
asmuch as the nature of God only is infinite, and the nature of all creatures is con- 
tained in some certain one place at once. 

But here again ye will bring forth these promises of Christ: ‘‘ Wheresoever two the promises 


or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” tee ee 


Again: “I am with you always, unto the end of the world.” These promises, and fate xviii. 
such-like, are to be understanded, not of the corporal presence of Christ here in “* **"" 
earth, but of his spiritual presence by grace; as the doctors themselves do declare. 

“Tt is to be marked, noted, and considered,” saith Cyril, “that, although Christ m Joan. Lib. 


hath taken away the presence of his body from hence, yet by the majesty of his‘ “” Os 


[? August. Op. Par. 1679-1700. In Johan. | 157. See Vol. II. page 278, note 6.] 


Evang. cap. xii. Tractat. 1.13. Tom. II]. Pars 1. [> Vigil. adv. Eutych. in Cassandr. Op. Par. 
col. 634. See Vol. II. page 274, note 1.] 1616. Lib. 1. p. 518. See Vol. II. page 275, note 9.] 
[* Id. Lib. ad Dard. seu Epist. elxxxvii. 10. [® Id. Lib.1v. pp. 546, 7. See Vol. 11. page 279, 
Tom. II. col. 681. See Vol. II. pages 277, 8, note 4.] | note 10.] 
[* Id. Lib. de Fid. et Symb. 13. Tom. VI. col. [7 See above, note 2.] 


[ercon, 01. ] 18 


Matt. xxviii. 


Idolatry. 


2 Kings xviil. 


England pro- 
voked unto 
lepentance, 


The doctrine 
of the papists 
concerning 
ue resence 

hrist in 
a sacrament 
is new. 


The feast of 
Corpus 
Christi. 


274 THE DISPLAYING OF THE POPISH MASS. 


Godhead he is always present, as he at his departure promised his disciples. ‘ Be- 
hold, saith he, ‘I am with you always, unto the very end of the world.’'” The 
like saying of St Austin heard we afore’. 

Of all these things heretofore spoken is it evident, that the natural body of 
Christ is not here in earth, as ye massmongers would gladly make us believe, but 
in heaven only, and there shall remain unto the day of judgment, Christ in the 
mean season being here present with us by his Spirit and grace. 

Seeing then that the sacramental bread is not the natural body of Christ, God 
and man, but a figure, sacrament, and holy sign of his body, with what forehead 
dare ye either affirm that your little thin round cake, after five words pronounced 
over it, and you breathing, blasting, and blowing upon it, to be the true, natural, 
real, corporal, and substantial body of Christ, God and man, as he was born of Mary 
the virgin, and suffered for us on the altar of the cross; or worship it yourselves, or 
yet provoke other so to do, according to pope Honorius’ decree, and not after Christ's 
institution? What is idolatry, if this be not idolatry? To worship a piece of bread 
for God, what heathen idolater ever so doated? If good king Ezechias lived in 
these our days, he would rather play with the sacrament of Christ's body and blood, 
as he did with the brasen serpent, than he would suffer such abominable idolatry to 
be committed at the ministration of it, unto the great dishonour of God, the utter 
defacing of Christ’s passion, blood, and death, and unto the dreadful damnation of 
innumerable souls. 

O England, England! tears, yea, tears of blood mayest thou well weep, which, in 
the prosperous time of that most godly king, Edward the sixth, wast blessedly purged 
of all superstition, idolatry, and popish doctrine, and hadst restored unto thee the 
true gospel of thy salvation, and the right ministration of the Lord’s sacraments: 
but now, for thine unthankfulness toward the Lord thy God, all these heavenly 
treasures are taken away from thee, and the stinking dung of the pope most miser- 
ably cast upon thee. Lament thy sins, O England, lament, lament! Return to the 
Lord thy God, and most humbly beseech him once again to look upon thee with 
his merciful countenance, to take away these popish dregs, to restore unto thee his 
lively word, and to bless thee again with the true ministration of his holy sacra- 
ments, that thou mayest serve the Lord thy God in holiness and righteousness all 
the days of thy life. 

This doctrine, that the sacrament of the altar, as ye term it, is the true, natural, 
real, carnal, corporal, and substantial body of Christ, is the dream of antichrist the 
bishop of Rome, and was never received in the church till pope Leo, pope Nicholas, 
pope Innocent, pope Honorius, and pope Urban, through their tyranny brought it 
in, and compelled the Christians with fire and fagot (as the manner of the tyran- 
nical papists is) to receive their abominable doctrine: and yet in all ages God stirred 
up some to confess the true doctrine of the sacrament against antichrist, even unto 
the death. Neither is this popish doctrine so ancient as the papists brag. For it 
is not much more than five hundred years since their gross opinion of the sacrament 
began first to be attempted. And although pope Nicholas the second did much in 
the matter, yet was it not thoroughly received nor agreed upon till pope Innocent 
the third came, which, about the year of our Lord a thousand two hundred and 
fifteen, kept a council at Rome, called Latronense, (I would say, Lateranense conci- 
lium,) where were gathered together a swarm of papists about the number of thirteen 
hundred pilled-pates, of the which number eight hundred and odd were monks, 
canons, and friars, chickens of the pope’s own brood. Last of all came pope Urban 
the monk, in the year of our Lord one thousand two hundred and sixty-four, and 
he made up all the market: for he ordained a feast, called Corpus Christi, in the 





[’ Sed diligenter hic animadvertendum, quod etsi | Cyril. Alex. Op. Lat. Par. 1604-5. In Joan. Evang. 
corporis sui presentiam hinc subduxerit, majestate | Lib. vr. cap. xiv. Tom. I. p. 562. See Vol. II. 
tamen divinitatis semper adest: sicut ipse a disci- | page 273, note 2, where by an error, afterwards cor- 
pulis abiturus pollicetur: Ecce ego vobiscum sum | rected, a different passage is given. ] 
omnibus diebus usque ad consummationem seculi.— [? See before, pages 272, 3, note 2.] 


THE DISPLAYING OF THE POPISH MASS. 275 


honour of the sacrament; so that ever after that time the sacrament was no more 
taken for a sign, figure, and token of Christ’s body, but for Christ himself, God and 
man; and therefore was it reverenced, worshipped, honoured, censed, and kneeled 
unto, as ye teach the people to do at your unsacred sacrings; and so are ye their 
school-masters, to learn them to commit idolatry against their Lord God. But let us 
go forth with our matter. 

After our Saviour Christ had delivered the sacramental bread to his disciples for 
to eat, “he took the cup, and thanked, and gave it them, saying, Drink ye all of Matt. xxvi. 
this: for this is my blood (which is of the new testament) that is shed for many 
for the remission of sins.” “ This do, as oft as ye drink it, in the remembrance of 
me.” Here Christ delivered to his disciples holy wine (I call it holy, because it 
was dedicate and appointed to an holy use), which he made a sacrament of his 
blood. ‘And they all drank of it.” And here is to be marked by the way, that our The sacra- 
Saviour Christ, aforeseeing that there should arise false anointed, that would take ie eal 
away from the people the sacrament of his blood, bade them all drink of it. All, { pcut??"’ 
all, without exception, even so many as believe on him, spiritual or temporal, as “"* 
they call them. Are not ye popish shavelings these false anointed? Have not you 
taken away the cup of the Lord’s blood from the lay people, and reserved it to sacrilege. 
yourselves alone? Do not ye minister the sacrament of Christ's body and blood to 
the lay people under one kind only, clean contrary to Christ’s institution? O God- 
robbers! spoilers of christian men’s souls! Neither can ye abide that the people 
should touch your pope-holy chalice when they drink the wine, but ye yourselves, 
holding the chalice in your own hands, give them drink; as though they were babes 
of fie days old, and could not put the cup to their Teh oO tender and jealous 
nurses! In the primitive church, and many hundred years after, as we may see in 
the monuments of learned men, the sacrament, according to Christ’s institution, was 
received of the people under both kinds, until antichrist, the bishop of Rome, by his 
devilish decree determined the contrary at the council of Constance, not faa MOFe The council 
than an hundred years past®. Pope Gelasius made a godly decree, that those people Gelasus 
which would not receive the sacrament under both kinds should receive none at all, ““"* 
but be put away from the Lord’s table*. The Greeks and Bohemes, with all other ‘me Greeks 
that be not under the tyranny of the pope of Rome and of his wicked laws, receive ““! ¥°""* 
the sacrament under both kinds at this day, according to Christ’s institution®. Where 
the contrary is used, there reigneth the devil and the pope, and not Christ and his 
holy word. But now let us behold your doings. 

After that ye have committed idolatry with the sacramental bread (if it be worthy jaolatry. 
of that name), ye fall in hand to consecrate (I use still your own terms) the wine 
with these words: “In like manner, after supper was done, he took this noble chalice 
(that is a lie, for Christ never handled that chalice) into his holy and worshipful a tie. 
hands ; and after he had given thanks to the Father, he blessed (here fall ye to crossing crossing. 
again) and gave it to his disciples, saying, Take ye, and drink ye all of this: for 
this is the cup of my blood, a new and everlasting testament, a mystery of faith, 
which shall be shed for you and for many for the remission of sins. So oft as ye 
shall do these things, ye shall do them in the remembrance of me.” How many 
words ye have put in here of your own brain ye shall easily perceive, if ye com- 
pare them with the words which our Saviour Christ spake. But forasmuch as they 
do not greatly disagree from the truth of God’s word, I will not strive with you in 
this behalf, although I would wish you once to deal faithfully and truly in all your 
doings, but specially when ye have to do with God, seeing it is written: “ Put Prov. xxx. 
nothing to the words of God, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.” 

After the aforesaid words, spoken in hocker-mocker, ye breathe and blow and 
shake your head over the chalice; and then ye kneel down, lift up your hands, and 
honour it, like most abominable idolaters. After that ye stand up again, like pretty taolatry. 


[* Concil. Constant. in Concil. Stud. Labbei. | 1624. Decret. Gratiani, Decr. Tert. Pars, De Con- 
Lut. Par. 1671-2. Sess. xiii. Tom. XII. col. 100. | sect. Dist. ii. can. 12, col. 1918. See Vol. 1]. page 


See Vol. IT. page 244, note 3.] 243, note 2.] 
[* Gelas. Papa in Corp. Jur. Canon. Lugd. | [® See Vol. II. page 245. ] 
18—2 


Kissing. 


The second 
memento. 


Praying for 
the souls de- 
parted. 


The holy 
scripture 
teacheth not 
praying for 
the dead. 


Prayer. 


Rom. xiv. 
1 John v. 


1 Kings xviii. 


ae 


Note. 
Luke xvi. 


John iii. 


Fecles. xi. 


276 THE DISPLAYING OF THE POPISH MASS. 


fellows and well appointed, and taking the chalice in your hands, ye hold it up with 
heave and howe above your heathenish heads, that the people also may worship it 
and be fellow idolaters with you, and fall into the like danger of everlasting dam- 
nation. This done, ye set the chalice down again upon the altar, and ye cover it 
with your corporass-cloth for catching of cold. Then once again kneel ye down, and 
up again, like dive-doppels', and kiss the altar, and spread your arms abroad, as 
though ye would embrace some she-saint. 

After all these things (as I may let pass your crossings and blessings, your 
crouchings and noddings, with many other apish toys), ye fall again to your solemn 
prayers; and among all other ye stand nodding and praying in your Memento for 
the souls departed, which was put to the mass by pope Pelagius, about the year of 
our Lord five hundred and three-score. 

And here in your mind and thought (for now ye play mum-budget and silence- 
glum) ye pray for Philip and Cheny, more than a good meany, for the souls of 
your great grand Sir and of your old beldam Hurre, for the souls of father Prin- 
chard and of mother Puddingwright, for the souls of good-man Rinsepitcher and good- 
wife Pintpot, for the souls of sir John Huslegoose and sir Simon Sweetlips, and 
for the souls of all your benefactors, founders, patrons, friends and well-willers, which 
have given you either dirige-groats, confessional-pence, trentals, year-services, dinner 
or supper, or any thing else that may maintain you, our lady’s knights. 

But, I pray you, how can ye with an assured conscience and true faith pray 
for such as are departed out of this world? If these your prayers be of faith, then 
do your faith hang on God’s word. If ye have the word of God for you so praying, 
bring it forth, of good-fellowship; and we will hear you. Have ye none? Alas, 
silly souls! Then put up your pipes, and lay you down to sleep. Trudge with your 
diriges, and pack up your masses of Requiem. Do ye allege pope Pelagius and old 
fathers or ancient customs? We have nothing to do with them, except they bring 
the word of God in their mouths. Prayer is a matter of faith; and faith always 
leaneth upon the word of God solely and fully. If ye have not the word of God 
for your prayer, then can ye not pray of faith. If ye pray not of faith, then are 
your prayers abominable in the sight of God; so far it is off that they be heard; as 
the apostle saith: “‘ Whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” St John saith: “This is the 
trust that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth 
us.” But how do ye ask according to the will of God, when ye have not one tittle 
of the holy scripture to declare that ye ought to pray for the dead? Think ye to 
be heard of God? Even as Baal’s priests were when they cried, “O Baal, hear us; 

Baal, hear us.” If ye would leap upon your altars, yea, and cut yourselves with 
knives till ye be all on a gore-blood, as their manner was, yet shall ye never be 
heard of God. For ye pray without faith; seeing ye have not the word of God for 
you. 
Do ye allege charity, and say it is a charitable deed to pray for them that are de- 
parted? I answer: Ye are very antichrists, that turn the roots of trees upward. Will 
ye have charity before faith? Is not faith the mother of all virtues? Is not charity 
the daughter of faith? How dare the daughter move you to do that whereof the 
mother knoweth nothing at all? It is not charity that moveth you to pray for the 
departed, but blind affection, corrupt zeal, cankered custom, and hope of gain. 

After the departure from this life all go straightways either unto eternal glory, or 
else unto everlasting pain; as the history of the rich glutton and of the poor man 
Lazarus evidently declareth. Our Saviour Christ saith: “He that believeth on the 
Son hath everlasting life. But he that believeth not on the Son shall not see life; 
but the wrath of God abideth on him.” Here also are reckoned but two kinds of 
persons, faithful and unfaithful: the one sort after their departure go immediately unto 
everlasting life, the other unto eternal damnation. And the preacher saith: “ When 
the tree falleth, whether it be toward the south or north, in what place soever it fall, 
there it lieth.” As we depart, so shall we have our place. If we depart in faith, 





[} Perhaps the bird called dive-dapper, or dab-chick, is meant. See Nares’ Glossary.] 


THE DISPLAYING OF THE POPISH MASS. 277 


heaven is appointed for us; but if we die in infidelity, unfaithfulness, or misbelief, hell 
is ready at hand. Therefore your prayers for the dead are in every condition frustrate 
and vain, superfluous and unprofitable: heaven needeth no prayer, hell refuseth all 


prayer. 
Notable is this sentence of St Austin. 


“Know ye,” saith St Austin, “that so Ad Fratres in 


soon as the soul is departed from the body, it is straightways either for the good serm. Iii 
merits placed in paradise, or else for the sins thrown headlong into the deep dungeon 


of hell?.” 


For there are but two places; and there is no third place for any. 


Again in another place he saith: “ Brethren, let no man deceive*® himself. serm. de 


Temp. Hom. 


He that hath xvii. 


not deserved to reign with Christ (in this world) shall without doubt (in the world 


to come) be damned with the devil *.” 


And St Cyprian saith: “When we depart hence there is no place of repentance. 3 


Life is here either lost or gotten®.” 


Contra 
Demet. 


But I marvel much of this one thing concerning this matter, that ye pray God 
the Father that he will mercifully give to all such as rest in Christ a place of re- 


freshing, of light, and peace. 


As though those that rest in Christ could want any of 


them all. Can any man that rests in Christ be tormented in pains, darkness, and dis- 


quietness, trouble, or grief? 


purgatory (if there were such a place, as the papists feign), but to reign with Christ 


To rest in Christ after this life is not to be pained in whatitis to 


rest in Christ 
after this life. 


in glory, to possess® everlasting joy, and to have the fruition of God’s glorious majesty 
with the heavenly angels and blessed spirits; as it is written: ‘ Blessed are the dead Rev. xiv. 


which die in the Lord. 


For the Spirit saith that from henceforth they rest from 


their labours.” And David calleth the “death of the saints” “ precious and right dear Psal. exvi. 
in the sight of the Lord.” Doth not the wise man also say, that “the souls of the Wisd. iii. 
righteous are in the hand of God; and that no grief, pain, nor torment shall touch 
them?” “They are in peace,” saith he. If these things be true, as nothing is more 
true, what need you then to stand nodding in your Memento, praying for the dead ? 
Ye might as well pray for dead swine: for ye have as good authority of the holy 
scriptures for the one as for the other. But this praying for the dead hath made your 
kitchens warm, your pots to seethe, and your spits to turn merrily. It hath fed your 
idle bellies with the fattest of the flock, and caused you to live in all joy, pleasure, 


and quietness, without any labour, pain, or travail. 


Therefore no marvel though such 


things be placed in your mass. Take away the praying for the dead, and ye pur- 
gatory-rakers may pick your meat upon Newmarket-heath: for your dirige-groats, 
your trentals, your month-minds, your anniversaries, your bead-rolls, your soul-mass- 


pence, and all such other pelf, falleth to the ground straightways. 


And then welcome 


home again hard fare, greasy cap, threadbare gown, broken shoe, torn hose, empty 


purse, and all that beggarly is. 


Make much, therefore, of praying for the dead, and 


wish that your mass, which of late ye have to your great joy recovered again, may 
long continue in her prosperity ; or else your cake is dough, and all your fat lie in 


the fire. 


What shall I speak of dancing of your little great god® about the chalice, with The second 


- Sacring, 


per ip, et cum ip, et in ip, sum, which followeth the praying for the dead? That is otherwise 


called God's 


so holy a thing that it is called the second sacring, and may by no means be left hoppin 


undone. 
chance to sleep too long. 


Your child must needs be dandled and played withal a little while, 


about the 
lest he chalice. 


After that ye have laid your young god to rest again, ye say your Pater-noster, like The Pater- 


good devout men: that done, ye take up the patine off the chalice, and kiss it, and 


[? Scitote vero quia anima cum a corpore evelli- 
tur, statim aut in paradiso pro bonis meritis, aut 
certe pro peccatis in inferno continuo precipitatur.— 
August. Op. Par. 1679-1700. De Rect. Cathol. 
Cony. Tractat. 21. Tom. VI. Appendix, col. 274. 
This treatise is with great probability attributed to 





Eligius. Nearly all the sermon entitled Ad Frat. 
in Erem. lvii. is contained in it.] 

[® Folio, receave, and professe. | 

[* Nemo se decipiat, fratres: duo enim loca sunt, 


noster. 


et tertius non est ullus. Qui cum Christo regnare 
non meruerit, cum diabolo absque dubitatione ulla 
peribit.—Id. Serm. cexcv. 5. Tom. V. Appendix, 
col. 495. This Sermon is very probably the pro- 
duction of Cesarius. ] 

[° Cypr. Op. Oxon. 1682. Ad Demetr. p. 196. 
See Vol. I. page 327, note 1.] 

[®° Crosses were here made with the host about 
and within the clialice. ] 


278 THE DISPLAYING OF THE POPISH MASS. 


afterward ye cross yourselves withal both upon your breasts and upon your bald 
crowns, and lay it down again. I think ye do this either to fray away spirits, or else 
to enarm yourselves with the sign of the cross, that ye may be the more able to 
bring to pass your butchery that is now at hand. For straightways ye strike 
up your sleeves, ye uncover the chalice, ye lay down the corporass-cloth, ye take up 


The breaking your little god, ye hold him up over the chalice, and ye cruelly tear, pluck, and 


of the host in 


three parts, 


The Agnus. 


Idolatry. 


An history of 


a certain 
emperor of 
Turkey. 


The petty 
degree of the 
papists’ god. 


break him in three pieces, according to pope Sergius’ commandment, about the year 
of our Lord seven hundred. When ye have once so done, ye keep two parts of your 
Christ’s body, which ye yourselves made, and have now destroyed again, in your 
hands, holding them over the chalice; and the third part ye let down into the wine, 
that it may be the tenderer when ye eat it. The mystical mysteries hereof I declared 
a little afore. 

Then do ye say the Agnus, which pope Sergius also commanded that it should 
be said at mass, a little before the receiving of the host. And here again ye play the 
abominable idolaters. For looking upon the bread ye look yourselves and worship 
it, saying in Latin: Agnus Dei, qui tollis, §c.: “O Lamb of God, that takest away 
the sins of the world, have mercy upon us.” Thrice do ye call that bread which ye 
hold in your hands, “the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the world.” 
O intolerable blasphemy! Was there ever idolater that worshipped a piece of broken 
bread for God? What marvel is it though the Jews, the Turks, and all other infidels 
be so loth to come unto christian religion, when they see so manifest idolatry com- 
mitted 2? when they behold a piece of a thin wafer-cake honoured for God? Cer- 
tainly this abominable idolatry, which ye massmongers maintain and commit at 
your mass, hath been and is the occasion that innumerable thousands of souls have 
been and are daily damned. 

Yea, these your wicked doings are the cause why so many do abhor the christian 
religion, and defy the name of Christ; as we read of a certain emperor’ of Turkey, 
which, when he was demanded why he and his people did so greatly abhor the re- 
ligion of Christ, answered, that he could by no means approve nor allow the religion, 
service, and honour of that God whom men at their pleasure do make, and straight- 
ways eat him when they have done. Better were it for you, O ye massmongers, to 
have a mill-stone tied about your necks, and to be cast into the bottom of the sea, 
than thus with your abominable massing and wicked god-making to drive so many 
from Christ, and to provoke so great multitudes unto idolatry, and finally unto ever- 
lasting damnation. 

And with what a conscience can ye say to that bread, which is a dumb and 
an insensible creature, without all life or spirit, “O Lamb of God, that takest away 
the sins of the world, have mercy upon us?” Is that bread, which a little afore 
was corn in the ploughman’s barn, meal in the miller’s trough, flour in the baker's 
boulting-tub, and afterward tempered with a little water and baken of the wafer-man 
between a pair of hot printing-irons, come now suddenly through your charming unto 
such dignity that it is “the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the world?” 
and that men must pray unto that to have mercy and forgiveness of sins? O Lord, 
thou living God, have mercy upon us, and destroy this abominable idol the mass! 
In the worshipping of Baal, Astaroth, Moloch, Bel Peor, Melchom, Moazim, Dagon, 
Chames, the queen of heaven, Saturnus, Jupiter, Priapus, Juno, Venus, Vesta, and 
such other idols, was never so great a blasphemy and dishonour to God as is the 
setting up of this broken bread to be worshipped for a God. And the matter is so 
much the more to be abhorred, because ye colour your abominable idolatry with God's 
word, ‘ Feigned holiness,” saith St Gregory, “is double iniquity.” 

Ah! is that the polluted and defiled bread the “Lamb of God, that taketh away 
the sins of the world?” Then was that your bread also born of Mary the virgin, 
and nourished with the milk of her breasts. Then did that bread live, and walk 
upon the earth, speak, eat, drink, sleep, preach, work miracles, &c. Then was that 





: {} Probably the Arabian philosopher, Averroes, | tiani quod colunt, sit anima mea cum philosophis.— 
is meant, who said: Quandoquidem comedunt Chris- | See Bingham, Orig. Eccles. Book xv. chap. v. 5.] 


THE DISPLAYING OF THE POPISH MASS. 279 


bread betrayed, accused, beaten, buffeted, spitted on, crowned with a crown of thorn, Note. 
clad with a garment of purple, crucified, and nailed to the cross. Yea, then did that bread 

offer himself on the altar of the cross a sacrifice to God the Father for the sins of the 
world, “died, and rose again for our justification.” Hath your broken bread done all Rom. iv. 
these things? Christ, the “Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world,” 

hath done all these things alone, alone. Be ashamed once, O ye wicked papists, thus 

to blaspheme God, and to deceive the people through your abominable massing. Again, 

is grace, mercy, favour, and remission of sins to be craved of these fragments of bread 
which ye hold in your hands? So is it that true, living, immortal, and everlasting God, 
which hath been without beginning, which made heaven and earth, and all things con- 
tained in them: for none can forgive us our sins but God alone. Hath your broken Matt. ix. 
bread been without beginning? Hath it made all things? Yea, it is a creature itself, Luke v. 
vile and devilish, as ye use, or rather abuse it. Be ashamed, O ye shameless hypocrites, 

thus to deface the glory of God, and to lead the people in damnable blindness. 

Shortly after the Agnus ye kiss the paz, which was the ordinance of pope Inno- The pax. 
centius, in the year of our Lord four hundred and ten. And while the boy or parish- 
clerk carrieth the paa about, ye yourselves alone eat up all and drink up all. Ah, 
what riding fools and very dolts make ye the people! Ye send them a piece of wood ee 
or of glass or of some metal to kiss, and in the mean season ye eat and drink up fellowship. 
altogether. Is not this a pageant of hickscorner? Is not this a toy to mock an ape 
withal? Is this Christ's Accipite et edite, “Take ye, and eat ye;” speaking to many, 
and not to one alone? Is this Christ’s Bibite ex eo omnes, “ Drink of this, all ye?” 

Did Christ eat the sacrament alone? Did he not rather give it to his disciples, and 
commanded all faithful ministers so to do? Why then do ye, O ye antichrists, eat 
and drink up all alone, contrary to Christ’s institution and commandment? And yet 
behold how ye shame not to lie even to God’s face. Ye say at your post-commu- 
nion these words: Quod ore sumpsimus, Domine, Sc.: ‘That which we have taken Hees 
with our mouth, O Lord, grant that we may receive it with a pure mind, and that , 
it may be made unto us of a temporal gift an everlasting remedy.” Again: Hae nos 
communio purget a crimine, §c.: “This communion mought purge us from sin, and 
make us partakers of the heavenly remedy.” And in another place ye desire God, 
that so many as shall receive the holy body and blood of Christ may be filled with 
all heavenly blessing and grace. Ye tell God that you with the rest of the congre- 
gation have received, even with your mouths, the sacrament of Christ’s body and blood ; 
and ye lie most abominably. For ye yourselves have eaten and drunken up altogether 
alone, and like churlish carls ye have given no man part with you. Again, ye call 
it a communion, which is a partaking of many together; but ye might right well call 
it an union’: for no man eateth and drinketh of the bread and wine but you alone. 
Item, ye desire God that so many as shall be communicants may be filled with the 
heavenly blessing and grace; and no man do receive but you alone. What a mocking 
is this of God, and a deceiving of the people! God have mercy on us, and once 
again deliver us from this most lying, wicked, abominable, and devilish idol the mass, 
and restore unto us the holy and blessed communion ! 

Christ’s ordinance is, not that one standing at an altar should eat, devour, and chris's _ 
munch up altogether alone; but that a multitude should receive the sacramental bread Gatihe 
and wine together. “Take ye,” saith our Saviour Christ, “eat ye, and drink yevallcnanidte. 
of this.” He saith not, Take thou, sir John, eat thou, and drink thou all alone, Seed dare 

In the Acts of the Apostles we see that a multitude of the Christians came together rose 
to break the bread, and not that one alone did eat all alone, turning his back® to 
the people, as ye massmongers do. St Paul saith: “The bread which ye break, is 1 Cor. x. 
it not the partaking of the body of Christ?” He saith not, the bread which Z break, 
but which we break, speaking of many, and not of one. Again: “We all be partakers 
of one bread and of one cup.” Indeed we be, or we ought to be. But we be not: 
therefore ye massmongers do us the more wrong. Where the blessed apostle en- 
treateth of the Lord’s supper, he saith: ‘My brethren, when ye come together to 1 cor. xi. 


[? Union: unity, oneness, wherein there is but a single person. ] [? A word is substituted. ] 


280 THE DISPLAYING OF THE POPISH MASS. 


eat (he meaneth the holy communion or the Lord’s supper), tarry one for another.” 
He saith not, When ye come together to see the priest say mass, and to eat and 
drink up altogether alone, standing at an altar, and turning his back toward you, as 
The papists One full of little good manners. He saith also: “'Tarry one for another.” But ye 
atthevvne tarry for no man; but, having a boy to help you say mass, ye go to your mingle- 


in receiving 
the sacra- 


ment tarry mangle, and never call purre’ to you. For ye eat and drink up altogether alone, 
ee as being much worse than the swine-herds. 
ean tie We read in the ancient canons, that such as would not communicate should be 


his convent. excommunicate and driven out of Christ’s congregation, and not be reputed or taken 
The private 


as members of Christ’s body®. Whereof we may easily and truly gather, that this pri- 
Aa aoaaee vate massing which ye massmongers use at this present is not of God, but of the 
ee devil ; and was not practised of the holy ancient fathers in their churches, but of late 
years brought in by antichrist and his shameless shavelings, which in their private 
masses do nothing else than prophanate, defile, and corrupt the Lord’s supper, and 
make merchandise of it; while they take upon them to receive the sacrament for 
other, and to make it a sacrifice for the sins of such as hire them for their money, 
that they, of the labour of other men’s hands and of the sweat of other men’s brows, 
may live an idle and voluptuous life, as epicures and belly-beasts, born only to con- 
sume the good fruits of the earth. 

But as ye massmongers cannot be baptized nor believe for other, no more can ye 
receive the sacrament for other. As every man is baptized for himself, so must he 
eat and drink the mystery of the Lord’s body and blood for himself. Can my eating 
slake your hunger? No more can your eating of the sacrament do me good. “The 
righteous man,” saith the prophet, “shall live by his own faith.” The priest's eat- 
ing therefore of the sacramental bread for other is abominable, and in all points con- 
trary to Christ’s holy institution, which ordained his blessed supper not to be received 
of one alone for all the congregation, but that every one should receive it for him- 
self, that by the worthy receiving thereof his troubled conscience might be quieted, 
and his faith confirmed. 

We read that when St Anthony, which lived about the year of our Lord three 
hundred and fifty, was in the wilderness, he saw a vision, which was this. He be- 
held a number of altars suddenly built up, and covered with white linen cloths, with 
bread and wine set upon them, and a great sort of unclean and filthy swine standing 
at them, and slovenly devouring all that ever was set upon the altars. St Anthony, 
being wonderfully amazed at this strange sight, cried unto God, and said: “O Lord God, 
what mean these foul ill-favoured sights?” God said unto him: “These filthy swine, 
which thou seest standing at the altars, are the lecherous priests which after thy days 
shall arise, and, driving away the holy communion out of churches, which I instituted 
to be received of many, shall eat and drink all the sacramental bread and wine alone, 
giving no part thereof to the residue of my people, whom I redeemed with my pre- 
cious blood, and for whose sake I ordained my holy supper to be received of them 
also*.” Are not ye lecherous priests these filthy swine? Have not ye cast away the 
Lord’s table, and set up idolatrous altars? Do not ye at your masses eat and drink 
up all alone, like hungry hogs, and give no part to God’s faithful people ? 
right well be compared to filthy swine: 
any other to eat with them, but would 


Every man 
ought to 
receive the 
sacrament 


The vision of 
St Anthony. 


Note well. 


Ye may 
for as these brutish beasts cannot abide 
fain eat up all alone themselves; even so 





{} Purre, or pur: a word of invitation to hogs. 
Thus Latimer, in his 4th Sermon before Edward VI. 
observes: ‘‘ They say in my country, when they 
call their hogs to the swine-trough: Come to thy 
mingle-mangle: come pur, come pur.’’] 

[? See Vol. II. page 258, note 2.] 

{? The following account, though not precisely 
that described by Becon in the text, may possibly 
be that intended: Mé\Xer tH éexkAnoiav dpyij Ka- 
tahapBaver, Kat wé\Act Tapadidocba dvbpwrots 
opotos dXOyows KTHVETW. Eldov yap THY TpaTreECav 


TOU KUptaxov, Kal wept avTHY EaTwTaS HusovoUS 
KUKAw qavtaydbev, Kai axti{ovtas ta evdov 
oUTwWS, WS GV aTadKTWS oKIpTWYTWY KTHY@Y Yé- 
pnoi, 
mas éorévatov, Kovca yap pwns eyovons, 
Boeduxbijcetat TO Ovotactypiovy pov. TavTa eidev 
6 yépwv. Kal peta dto ern yéyovev 7 viv Edodos 
tov ’Apecavav, Kal 4 apwayn Tav éexxX\noLtwv.— 
Vit. S. Anton. Eremit. a D. Athanas. Aug. Vindel. 
1611. p. 108. See also Soz. in Hist. Eccles. Script. 
Amst. 1695-1700. Lib. vr. cap. v. p. 523.] 


voito AaKricouata. Tavtws o& aoblecbe, 


THE DISPLAYING OF THE POPISH MASS. 281 


play ye. At your idolatrous masses, like a sort of beastly hogs, ye eat and drink 
up all alone, giving no man part with you, clean contrary to Christ’s institution. 
And ye may justly be called lecherous priests. For ye abhor godly and lawful matri- 
mony, and ye defile yourselves with all kinds of stinking whoredom and abominable 
sodomitry. Maids ye deflower, men’s wives ye defile, and widows do ye corrupt, be- 
sides much other abomination, which chaste ears abhor to hear. Men meet to conse- 
crate such a God, and fit champions to say such devilish masses! God give you 
grace once to leave this most detestable wickedness ! 

Moreover, was not the sacrament of Christ’s body and blood ordained to move 
and stir all men to friendship, love, and concord, and to put away all hatred, vari- 
ance, and discord, and to testify a brotherly and unfeigned love between them that 
be the members of Christ? But what friendship or love can be maintained at that 
ministration of the sacrament, where one eateth and drinketh up all alone; as ye do at 
your masses? If it be a sacrament of charity and love, then ought the members of 
Christ charitably and lovingly to eat and drink at the Lord’s supper together; as the 
apostle saith: “We all are partakers of one bread,” and of one cup, and not one to 
devour all alone. For charity consisteth not in one alone, but in many. And the 
Lord’s supper is called a communion, and not an union. Therefore ye massmongers 
grievously offend, which, contrary both to the commandment of Christ and to the 
order of charity, at your masses eat and drink up all alone; and by this means ye 
make the Lord’s supper a sacrament rather of hate and dissension than of love and 
unity. 

And here cometh into my remembrance an history of a Christian and of a Jew. 
The Christian, perceiving the Jew to be an honest civil man, faithful in his promise 
and upright in his dealing toward all men, sorrowed greatly in his heart that he 
was not also of the christian belief. The Christian, thinking that the most ready 
way to bring the Jew unto Christ was to lead him to church, that he might there 
hear and see how well God was served among them, desired the Jew, upon a certain 
sabbath-day, to go with him unto the temple of the Christians, nothing doubting 
but if he would so do he should be allured to give over his Jewish opinions, and 
to become a christian man. The Jew consented, and went with him to church, 
where he quietly saw and beheld all things. He heard jolly ringing, pleasant sing- 
ing, and merry organs playing. He beheld a sort of gay gaudy mawmets, and a 
number of merry fellows in the quire, singing sometime high, sometime low, sometime 
in a mean, and sometime nothing at all. He saw also a fellow with a shaven crown 
going up and down in the church, and casting water in the people’s teeth, and 
afterward, having a jolly coat upon his back, he saw him go about the church-yard 
after an image, all the people following him. After all these things he saw that 
shaveling cast off that gay coat again, and put on other game-player’s garments, and 
so to address himself unto an altar, covered with white linen cloths, whereupon was 
set (as he thought) meat and drink; for he saw the cup there. After much singing 
and piping he saw the sacrificer that stood at the altar lift up a little thin round 
cake and a cup of drink above his head. Here will be good cheer, thought the Jew, 
anon; for here are jolly signs and proffers. But when he saw the people fall down 
and worship the bread and cup, he marvelled greatly at their madness. Mass ended, 
he looked always when the people should have been called to eat and drink with 
hickscorner that heaved the bread and cup over his head; but no man had _ part 
with him: he devoured all alone, like Sim Slap-sauce. When they were departed 
out of the church and going homeward, the Christian, willing to prove how the Jew 
was affected toward the christian religion, said unto him: “Sir, how like ye our 
religion and serving of God?” To whom the Jew answered: “ Ye have in the tem- 
ples many things that would make a sad man glad, and one that is sorrowful 
cheerful. I mean your thundering of bells, your playing on the organs, your merry 
singing, the casting of water in the people’s teeth, and your running one after an- 
other about the church-yard, like the prior of Pricklingham and his convent. All 
these things seem to be matters of mirth, used among you, as I think, only to make 
you merry. But the having of idols in your temples I do not allow. I see you 


The Lord's 
supper is a 
sacrament of 
love and 
concord. 


1 Cor. x. 


An history 
of a Christian 
and of a Jew. 


282 THE DISPLAYING OF THE POPISH MASS. 


also fall down and worship a piece of bread and a silver cup, which I judge high 
abomination and damnable idolatry. And another thing there is used in your tem- 
ples, which I also do nothing like.” “What is that?’ quod the Christian. “TI will 
tell you,” said the Jew. “Ye talk, crack, and boast much of charity; but I say 
right well that there is little used among you. For there was an altar spread with 
fair white cloths, and meat and drink, as I suppose, set upon it. I always looked 
when ye should have been called to eat and drink together, according to the order 
of charity; but that shaveling, that stood at the altar in the gay coat, did both eat 
and drink all alone, giving you no part with him, which is a token of small charity 
and friendship among you. Certes ye shall redress these great evils, and have more 
charity among you, before I become one of your order.” And so the Jew refused to 
be made a Christian. 

God have mercy on us! Among many other notable faults which the Jew perceived 
in our temples, this was not the least ; that one, standing with his back toward the 
people at an altar, did eat and drink all alone, giving no man part with him, which 
is a token of small charity and friendship, as the Jew said. Verily the private mass, 
wherein the sacrament of Christ’s body and blood is too much abused, hath been 
and is the cause that many at this day do abhor the name of Christ, and utterly 
condemn the christian religion. God, for his mercy, drive that idolatrous mass out 
of this realm once again, and restore unto us the true use of his holy supper! 
Amen, amen. But let us see what followeth in your popish mass, and make an 
end. 

Dank and When the boy or parish-clerk cometh again with the paz, ye hold forth your 
still drink. Chalice, like sir Ralph Rinsepitcher, for a little more drink. And when ye have once 
drunken up that, ye hold forth your goddard’ yet once again, to have a little more 
Rinsingof Will. No marvel. For, peradventure, ye fell the night before into a great heat, 
the chalices while ye kept company with your toying Thais; and therefore no marvel, silly souls, 
though ye drink solemnly. But, O good Lord, what wiping of the mouth and 
licking of the fingers is there then! It would do a woman good to see how cleanly 
Washingof sir John Sweetlips is. And yet, not so contented, ye go to the altar’s end, and 
thehant- there once again ye wash your hands, to shew how minion, trim, fine, neat, and 
white-fingered gentlemen ye are in all your doings, but specially in matters per- 
taining to lady Venus’ court. 
Licking of After this ye return to the altar, and take another lick or two of the droppings 
eee elt chalice, because ye would be loth to lose any thing; and, taking up your book 
What the in your hand, ye come again to the altar’s end, where ye began your popish and 


coming again . 4 
tothe altars idolatrous mass, to declare that as good never a whit as never the better, and to 


fain shew that the matter for the which ye said mass is as far forward now as though ye 
had said none at all. 

After a few collects mumbled over ye turn you to the people, and say, Dominus 
cobiscum, bidding them adieu; and, with Jie missa est, ye bid them go home, and tell 
them mass is done: and all in Latin, because the people understand nothing but 
English. Then fall ye once again to kneeling down at the altar; and, because ye 

Anorison for are our lady’s knights, ye salute her most humbly with some devout orison. That 
ay BRE done, ye rise up again, like tall fellows, and, saying the beginning of St John’s gos- 
ars pel, ye bless you and cross you, as though a thousand devils were about you. 

After all these things ye truss up your trinkets, ye shut your book, ye fold up 

God give you your corporass-cloth, ye wind up your chalice, ye put off your fool’s coat, your 
Be Ae vestment, your stole, your fannel, your girdle, your alb, and your amice; ye put 

out the candle, and solemnly making courtesy to your God, that hangeth over the 

altar, ye trudge out of the church, either home, or else to the ale-house, being now 
Howthe at liberty all the whole day after to do what ye list with a safe conscience, to dice, 
Seale eee to card, to hunt, to hawk, to bowl, to bib’, to make good cheer, to play revel- 
ailuae rout, to drink them all out, to set cock on the hoop, let the devil pay the malt- 
man, to fish in Venus’ pond, to sacrifice to Bacchus, and what not! 


[! Goddard : a cup or goblet. See Nares’ Glossary.] [? Bib: to drink.] 


THE DISPLAYING OF THE POPISH MASS. 283 


And here is your goodly godly massing, wherewith ye bewitch the ignorant, and 
make the simple people to doat. I pass over your monstrous and apish toys, your Good stuff. 
inclinations and prostrations, your complications and explications, your elevations and Work for 
extensions, your incurvations and genuflexions, your inspirations and eposculations *, peipanas 
your benedictions and humiliations, your pulsations and pausations, with your con- 
signations and all other abominations. 

What christian heart can abide either to say, hear, or see such a devilish and 
abominable kind of massing as ye use at this day? Ye do nothing at all in your 
mass that agreeth with Christ’s institution. The Lord’s supper and your peevish 
popish private mass do agree together like God and the devil, Christ and Belial, 
light and darkness, truth and falsehood, and, as the common proverb is, “like harp 
and harrow,” or “like the hare and the hound.” Sour and sweet are not so con- 
trary one to another as your mass is contrary to Christ’s holy communion; as ye 
have abundantly heard heretofore. 

For whereas Christ preached at the ministration of his holy supper, ye preach A comparison 

. pwc . between the 

nothing at all at your mass. Whereas Christ ministered his blessed supper at a Lord's sup- 
table, ye say your popish mass at an altar. Whereas Christ did sit while he gave popish mass. 
the sacrament of his body and blood to his disciples, ye stand, and by no means 
will sit, when ye receive it. Whereas Christ did use none other apparel but his 
usual garments, ye disguise yourselves with such gear as is more meet for a game- 
player than for a sober minister. Whereas Christ at his supper both prayed and 
gave thanks to his heavenly Father in that tongue which those that were present 
did understand, ye at your mass speak all things in such a speech as ye your- 
selves for the most part understand not; and so are they that are present unedified. 
Whereas Christ in his holy supper gave the sacrament of his body and blood to all 
his disciples, ye in your abominable masses give it to none, but ye yourselves eat 
and drink up altogether alone. Whereas Christ at his maundy gave to his disciples 
holy bread and holy wine to be figures, signs, and memorials of his blessed body- 
breaking and of his precious blood-shedding, ye at your masses take upon you to 
eat and drink, not spiritually, but corporally and naturally, the corporal and natural 
body and blood of our Saviour Christ, as he was born of Mary the virgin and hung 
on the cross. 

Whereas Christ ministered with true and perfect bread, ye minister with starch, 
or with a thin wafer-cake. Whereas Christ delivered the cup containing wine only in 
it, ye in your chalice put both wine and water mingled together. Whereas Christ 
gave the sacrament of his body and blood to his disciples sitting at the table, ye give 
the sacrament to such as kneel before the altar. Whereas Christ gave his disciples 
the sacramental bread and the cup into their hands, ye put the bread into the mouths 
of the communicants, and by no means will ye suffer them to touch your pope-holy 
chalice. Whereas Christ delivered the sacrament of his body and blood under both 
kinds to his disciples, and so commanded it to be observed in his holy congregation, 
ye, contrary to Christ’s institution and ordinance, minister it to the common people 
under one kind only. Whereas Christ did institute his holy supper to be eaten and 
drunken in the remembrance of his blessed passion and precious death, ye reserve the 
sacramental bread, and hang it up in your pixes, and carry it about for a pageant at 
your pompous popish processions. Whereas Christ ordained his blessed supper to be 
a sacrament of thanksgiving, ye make your mass to be a sacrifice propitiatory, satis- 
factory, and expiatory for the sins both of the quick and the dead. Whereas Christ 
at his supper gave the sacrament of his body and blood freely to his disciples, ye sell 
your masses, and make merchandise of the sacrament, as the costardmonger doth of 
his costards* and of his other fruits. 

To conclude, whereas Christ appointed the sacrament of his body and blood to 
put us in remembrance of his blessed body-breaking and precious blood-shedding, and 
to stir us up unto mutual love and unto thanksgiving to his heavenly Father for the 


benefits received by the death of his Son Christ, ye apply your masses to a thousand The virtues 
of the mass. 





[? Eposculations: kissings. ] {* Costard: a species of apple.] 


The mass 
serveth for 
all purposes. 


Note in how 
damnable 
state the 
massmonger 
is. 


An exhorta- 
tion to cease 
from mass- 
ing. 


Exod. xii. 


2 Sam. vi. 


Matt. xxii. 


John xiii, 


1 Cor. xi. 


284 THE DISPLAYING OF THE POPISH MASS. 


sundry purposes clean contrary; as to the getting of fair weather, rain, health, long 
life, riches, victory in battle, overhand of enemies, &c.; to driving away of devils, 
chasing away of agues, putting back of pestilences, curing of measled swine, healing 
of sick horses, helping of chickens of the pip, making whole of a Winchester goose’, 
restoring of a good name, procuring of friends, preserving from evil chances, bringing 
of good luck, pacifying of God's wrath, obtaining of remission of sins, delivering of 
souls out of purgatory, yea, out of hell, and placing them in everlasting glory. 

What thing is it, either in heaven, earth, or hell, for the which the mass is not 
profitable and serveth for the purpose, if it please you to apply it? It is a sauce for 
all meats, a salve for all sores, a remedy for all diseases, a maintenance of all pros- 
perity, and a defence against all adversity. Proteus never turned himself into so many 
forms, shapes, and fashions, as your mass hath virtues. O blessed mass! O holy 
mass! © virtuous mass! yea, O most vile, stinking, and abominable idol! 

Now judge ye, O ye massmongers, what is to be thought of the peevish, popish, 
prattling, private mass, which the papists, and the most part of you that are mass- 
mongers, do so highly praise, commend, advance, extol, magnify, and set forth, not 
as God only, but in a manner above God. For what thing is it that we desire to 
have, for the which we do not rather resort unto the mass than unto God? And is 
this any other thing than mere idolatry, and a very robbing of God and stealing 
away of his glory? Which thing whosoever doth, is he not God's enemy? Is he 
not an adversary to the true christian religion? Doth he not tread the precious blood 
of our Saviour Christ under his foot? Doth he not defile the holy mysteries of God, 
and blaspheme the name of the Lord? Doth he not give himself from God to the 
devil, and become the child of wrath, a vessel of vengeance, a fire-brand of hell, and 
heir of everlasting damnation? God have mercy on us! 

Behold now the miserable state wherein ye stand, and so many as cleave to your 
abominable massing. Cease, therefore, cease betimes to be haters of God, blasphemers 
of his holy name, enemies of Christ’s blood, polluters of the christian religion, defilers 
of God’s most holy sacraments, corrupters of his blessed mysteries, seducers of the 
people, destroyers of men’s souls, pestilences of the christian commonweal, and ministers 
of Satan. Forsake your abominable kind of massing: forsake it, forsake it, and defile 
yourselves no more with idol-service, lest ye provoke the fierce wrath and hot ven- 
geance of God to fall both upon you the massmongers, and upon all them also that 
are the mass-hunters, and, finally, for your wickedness, upon the whole realm. For God 
cannot always abide his holy sacraments thus to be abused and defiled. If they 
escaped not unpunished that did eat leavened bread, while the feast of the Lord’s 
passover did endure ; if Uzia went not away unplagued, but was stricken with sud- 
den death, because he touched the ark of the Lord; if he that came to the marriage, 
because he had not the wedding-garment, was taken from the table, bound hand and 
foot, and cast into utter darkness, where weeping and gnashing of teeth shall be; if 
the devil entered into Judas, after he had received the Lord’s bread unworthily; if 
the Corinthians were grievously plagued, yea, and that many unto the death, because 
they did abuse the Lord’s supper, and unreverently behave themselves at the minis- 


_ tration of it; if these, with many other, escaped not unplagued for abusing the Lord’s 


mysteries, think not that ye, which daily defile the honourable sacrament of Christ's 
body and blood in your most wicked, damnable, devilish, idolatrous, heathenish, vile, 
stinking, blasphemous, detestable, and abominable massing, shall escape free from punish- 
ment, neither ye yourselves nor the consenters to your idolatry. 

Therefore, if there be any love in you toward God, any hearty good-will toward 
Christ our Saviour, any fervent affection toward God’s most holy word, any godly 
zeal toward the christian commonweal, any desire of goodness toward this our native 
country, any spark of well-willing toward the salvation either of our own souls or of 
others; I exhort you all by the tender mercies of God and by the precious blood of 
our Saviour Christ Jesu, that ye without tarriance give over your abominable massing, 
which, without all doubt, is not the acceptable service of God (as the blind sort of 


[! Winchester goose : swelling produced by a certain disease. See Nares’ Glossary. ] 


THE DISPLAYING OF THE POPISH MASS. 285 


people judge), but the very vile blasphemous bondage of Satan, invented by the devil, 
brought in by antichrist, confirmed and established by such as have received the Rev. xx. 
beast’s mark, whose inheritance shall be in that lake that burneth with fire and 
brimstone. 

Neither let any thing move you, that the idolatrous mass, which before was wor- 
thily banished out of the realm, is now again restored by act of parliament; but 
rather hear what the apostles say: ‘‘We must obey God more than men.” In all Note. 
matters of religion the will of God is to be considered before the commandment or rot 
act of any mortal prince. Pharao was a king; yet the godly midwives obeyed not Exoa. i. 
his ungodly commandment in killing the male children of the Israelites. Nabuchodo- Dan. iii. 
nozor was a king; yet the three young men would not obey his wicked proclamation 
in worshipping his golden idol. Antiochus was a king; yet the faithful Jews would i Mace. i. 
not observe his abominable laws in sacrificing to idols, and in eating unclean flesh. 
Maacha was a queen, and made an abominable idol of Priapus, and offered sacrifice 2 chron. xv. 
unto it, and exhorted other without doubt to do so likewise: but so many as feared 
God abhorred her doings and defied her idolatry; insomuch that king Asa her son 
put her down because she had made images in groves, and brake down her idols, and 
stamped them, and burnt them to ashes at the brook Cedron. 

Jezabel was a queen and an abominable idolatress, promoting and making much 1 Kings 
of Baal’s priests, and feeding them even at her own table, but imprisoning and mur- ie 
dering the prophets of God. She worshipped Baal, and caused many other so to do. 

But those that loved God abhorred her idolatry, and by no means would follow her 

wicked steps, but choosed rather to worship God according to his word. The prophet 

Helias slew all her prophets that did service to Baal; and queen Jezabel herself came 2 Kingsix. 
to a most miserable end. She was thrown down to the ground from an high window ; 
insomuch that the wall was sprinkled with her blood, and the horses trod her under 

their feet, and the dogs came and eat up her flesh; so that there was nothing left 

of her but her skull, her feet, and the palms of her hands. Athalia was a queen and 2 Kings xi. 
a great idolatress. She worshipped Baal, and enticed her son Ahaziahu to do so 
likewise. Notwithstanding, such as feared God obeyed in this behalf neither the king 

nor his mother, but walked after the commandments of God. Both the mother and 

the son were slain miserably. 

The bishops, the priests, the lawyers, the scribes, the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and 
such other were great rulers in Jewry, and they commanded the apostles that they should 
no more preach in the name of Jesu; but they obeyed them not, but stoutly answered : 
“Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, Aets iv. 
judge ye. For we cannot but speak that which we have seen and heard.” Rulers How far the 
are so far to be obeyed as the limits of God’s word do suffer. If their laws and trtecarto 
acts agree with the word of God, they are to be obeyed: if they be contrary to the °° ** 
commandment of God, it is to be answered with the apostles: ‘“‘We must obey God actsv. 
more than men.” 

Furthermore, if ye be afraid of losing your livings, and by that means of falling Poverty. 
into beggary, remember that he for whose sake ye forsake your idolatrous massing, 
that ye may serve him with a pure conscience according to his word, will never for- 
sake you, nor leave you succourless and unprovided for. Sooner shall God deal with 
you as he did with the children of Israel in the wilderness, with Helias, with the kxod. xvi. 
widow of Sarepta, with Daniel, with the people whom Christ fed in the desert, as B & Dr. 
we read in the history of the gospel, and with such other as unfeignedly feared God, ““*"” 
than ye shall want any good thing. Hear what David saith: “They which seek Psal. xxxiv. 
after the Lord shall want no manner of thing that is good.” Again: “I have been Psal. xxxvii. 
young, and now I am old; and yet saw I the righteous never forsaken, nor their seed 
begging their bread on the earth.” Our Saviour Christ also saith: “There is no man Mark x. 
that hath forsaken house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or 
children, or lands, for my sake and the gospel’s, but he shall receive an hundred-fold 
now in this life, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and 
lands, with persecution ; and in the world to come everlasting life.” And God himself 
saith: “I will not leave thee, nor forsake thee.” Josh. i. 


Rom. viii. 


2 Cor. xiii. 


Psal. xiii. 
Rev. xxii. 
Rev. xxii. 


286 THE DISPLAYING OF THE POPISH MASS. 


Having these loving promises of God, fear ye not the loss of your livings, nor 
the hatred of the wicked worldlings. If God provideth for you (as undoubtedly he 
doth), what can ye want? If God be your friend, your buckler, and shield, who 
can hurt you? As St Paul saith: “If God be on our side, who can be against 
us 2” 

Now have ye heard how far the mass dissenteth from the Lord’s supper. Ye 
have heard what manifest blasphemies and intolerable untruths be contained in the 
mass. Ye have heard that the mass is the invention of the devil, the nurse-child of 
antichrist, and the well-beloved darling of all them that have received the beast’s 
mark. Ye have heard that no christian man can either say mass or hear mass with 
a good conscience. To end, ye have heard that the mass is the fountain, well, head- 
spring, and original of all idolatry, superstition, wickedness, sin, and abomination ; 
and that it is not God’s worship, but idol-service. Considering therefore these things, 
if ye tender the glory of God, your own salvation, and the peace, quietness, and 
safeguard of our country, flee idolatry, forsake your abominable massing, and serve 
the Lord our God according to his holy word. So shall God bless you with all 
good things, both in this world and in the world to come. Fare ye well. “The 
grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the 
Holy Ghost be with you all. Amen.” 


Man. How long, O Lord? 
Christ. I come quickly. 
Man. O come, Lord Jesu. 


Give the glory to God alone. 


THE 


COMMON-PLACES OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURE. 


BY 


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THE CONTENTS 


OF GOD. 


TuatT God alone freely saveth the faithful. 

That God alone forgiveth sins. 

That God alone is to be worshipped, yea, and that 
according to his word, that is to say, in spirit and 
truth. 

That God alone by prayer is to be called upon, yea, 
and that in the name of Christ only. 

That we ought to obey God more than men. 


OF CHRIST. 


That Christ is the alone and only author of our 
salvation. 

That Christ is the alone and only head of the catho- 
lic and apostolic church. 

That Christ is the alone and only Mediator, Recon- 
ciliator, Advocate, and Intercessor of the faithful. 

That Christ by his blood hath not only cleansed us 
from original sin, but also from all other sins, yea, 
and that both from the pain and fault. 

That the death of Christ is the only and alone pro- 
pitiatory, expiatory, and satisfactory sacrifice for 
all the sins of the world. 

That Christ is the alone and only teacher of truth. 

That Christ, as concerning his human nature, is not 
(as the papists dream) in every place, but only in 
heaven, sitting on the right hand of God. 


OF ELECTION. 


That God’s election is certain and unchangeable. 
That God’s election is free and undeserved. 
That God’s elect and chosen cannot perish. 


OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURE, 


That the holy scripture is a doctrine sound, certain, 
true, and in all points absolutely perfect; in the 
which, as in a most plentiful and rich storehouse, 
thou mayest abundantly find whatsoever is, even 
unto the uttermost, sufficient and necessary unto 
salvation and everlasting life. 


OF THE CHURCH. 


That the true, holy, catholic, and apostolic church 
doth not lean unto the decrees of men, but unto 
the doctrine of Christ. 


OF THIS BOOK. 


OF MEN’S TRADITIONS. 


That men’s traditions, which fight with the word of 
God, ought to be banished out of the congregation 
of the true Christians. 


OF MAN. 


That all men by nature are sinners, and the children 
of wrath. 


OF FREE-WILL. 


That free-will without the grace of God can do no- 
thing in matters of faith and everlasting salvation. 


OF JUSTIFICATION. 


That so many as are justified and saved are justified 
and saved only by the alone and free mercy of 
God through faith. 


OF FAITH. 


That faith alone justifieth before God. 
That the true and christian faith is not idle, but 
fruitful and plenteous in doing good works. 


OF GOOD WORKS. 


That good works justify no man before God. 
That good works ought diligently to be done of all 
true Christians. 


OF THE CHRISTIAN LIBERTY. 


That the Christians are enfranchised and made free 
through Christ Jesus from the ceremonies of 
Moses, from the choice of meats and days, from 
the curse of the law, from the tyranny of Satan, 
from the power of sin and death, from the wrath 
of God, &c., and that they also, for the same 
Christ’s sake, are endued with everlasting right- 
eousness, light, life, and glory. 


OF THE CROSS, 


That the true Christians are seldom free from the 
cross in this world. 

That the cross is laid upon the true Christians by 
God himself, and cometh not unto them by for- 
tune or chance. 

That the cross ought to be borne of the true Chris- 
tians patiently and thankfully. 

That pleasures and joys, yea, and those true, sound, 
perfect, and everlasting, follow the cross. 





[BEcon, m1. ] 


19 


Col. iii. 
1 Tim. i. 


Acts xx. 


1 Thess. i. 
2 Pet. i. 


1 John ii. 


Matt. v. 


The nature 
of salt. 


TO MY 


DEAR COUNTRYMEN AND FAITHFUL MINISTERS 


OF THE GOSPEL OF JESU CHRIST, WATCHING AND ATTENDING UPON THE 
LORD’S FLOCK IN THE PARISHES OF NORFOLK AND SUFFOLK, 
THOMAS BECON WISHETH ABUNDANCE OF GOD’S SPIRIT, 
PERFECT KNOWLEDGE OF HIS BLESSED WILL, A 
WELL-WILLING HEART TO SET FORTH 
THE SAME, AND A COURAGEOUS 
STRENGTH TO CONTINUE 
THEREIN UNTO THE 
END. AMEN. 





A.tHoucH, most dear brethren, and fellow-labourers in the Lord’s harvest, 
through God’s good providence and singular appointment, I am placed far from my 
native country to serve in the ministry of the glorious gospel of his most dearly- 
beloved and only-begotten Son Christ Jesus our Lord and alone Saviour, so that by 
this means I am absent from you in body, albeit present in spirit; yet my hearty 
love and ready bent good-will toward you is such and so great, that I desire nothing 
more than to have an occasion offered unto me whereby I may be provoked in any point 
to gratify and pleasure you, specially in those things that concern our common pro- 
fession. For although christian charity, which is “the bond of perfection,” issuing 
“out of a pure heart, out of a good conscience, and out of a faith unfeigned,” be of 
such nature and strength that it easily linketh together the minds of all such as have 
drunken in one spirit, and be of the same profession and ministry; yet the native 
country, coupled with the same godly love, even by a certain special prerogative 
seemeth so to bind me unto you, that I can none otherwise than freely confess that 
I owe you not my good-will and love only, but also whatsoever besides I am 
able to do. 

And to shew this my good affection toward you, albeit ye have no need of my 
exhortations, being of your own pe inclined and bent to seck the glory of 
God and the health of Christ’s flock, “upon whom the Holy Ghost hath made you 
overseers ;” yet christian charity and dear love enforceth me somewhat to put you in 
remembrance of those things which specially concern your profession and ministry, 
after the ensample of the blessed apostles, which ceased not to put the faithful con- 
gregations in remembrance, both by preaching and writing, of their duties, although 
godly instructed, and of such and so excellent knowledge that they had no need that 
any man should teach them. 

And what shall I write, dear brethren, in this behalf? Remember that there 
are two names specially appointed unto you in the holy scripture, yea, and that by the 
mouth of our Saviour Christ. The first is, ye are called “the salt of the earth ;” 
secondly, “the light of the world.” If ye have these two names alway before your 
eyes, it shall easily put you in remembrance of that duty which ye owe to God and 
to his congregation. 

This name, “salt of the earth,” admonisheth you of the doctrine which ye owe 
to the flock of Christ, and putteth you in remembrance that ye ought to take upon 
you the nature of salt, whose property is both to suck out the corruption and gross 
matter of such victuals as it is applied unto; and also, the unsavoury humours sucked 
out, to conserve and keep them in such state that they may at all times be whole- 
some food to the eater. After this manner ought ye to do. 

First of all, forasmuch as through the wicked doctrine which before few years 
crept into this realm of England by the wiliness of the hypocrites, it is to be feared 
that many of your parishioners were seduced from the simplicity of the christian 
faith and from the true doctrine of God’s word, and brought into divers errors and 


THE PREFACE. 29] 


heresies; it is your duty here to take upon you the nature of salt, and through your 
wholesome exhortations to suck out of their breasts these most wicked and damnable 
persuasions, these most pestiferous errors and devilish heresies. As for an ensample: 

In these late wicked days the doctrine of the papists was, that faith alone (I speak og the justis- 
not of the historical faith, namely such as the Jews and Turks have of Christ, but fan” 
of the true and lively faith, which, as the apostle saith, “worketh by charity” or Gal. v. 
love) did not justify; but unto perfect justification our works, say they, are also 
necessarily required ; so that by faith and works joined together we be justified and 
counted righteous before God. This wicked doctrine greatly obscureth not only the 
dignity of faith, but also the price of our redemption, which was brought to pass by 

the blood of Christ. 

Against this unsavoury and gross humour must ye take upon you the nature of 
salt, and never cease till ye have sucked out this venom out of your parishioners’ 
breasts, proving by the manifest scriptures of God that faith only justifieth before 
God, yea, and that without works; as St Paul saith: “‘ We hold that a man is justi- nom. iii. 
fied by faith without the works of the law.” Also in another place: “ We, being Rom. v. 
justified by faith, have peace toward God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Again: 

**'We know that a man is not justified by the deeds of the law, but by the faith of Gal. ii 
Jesus Christ. And we have believed on Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by 

the faith of Christ, and not by the deeds of the law; because by the deeds of the 

law no flesh shall be justified.” Once again: “ If righteousness come of the law, then gay. ii. 
Christ is dead in vain.” Item: “That no man is justified by the law in the sight Hap. ii. 
of God, it is evident. For the just shall live by faith.” 

These and such-like authorities of the holy scripture, dear brethren, shew mani- 
festly that by faith alone we are justified before God, and not by works. Works are o¢ good 
the fruits of faith, and good testimonies unto our conscience that our faith is true “7 
and unfeigned ; but helpers unto our justification or salvation they are not. For this 
cometh only by the alone faith in the merciful promises of God, made to all faithful 
penitent sinners in the blood of Christ; as the apostle saith: ‘By grace are ye saved Eph. ii. 
through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, and cometh not of 
works, lest any man should boast himself.” 

The tree must first be good before it can bring forth good fruit; as our Saviour 
Christ saith: “Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so eVery Matt. vii. 
good tree bringeth forth good fruits; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruits. 

A good tree cannot bring forth bad fruit; neither can a bad tree bring forth 

good fruit.” Again he saith: “A good man out of the good treasure of the heart Matt. xii. 
bringeth forth good things; and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth 

evil things.” A christian man that is justified by faith is compared in the holy 
scripture to ‘“‘a tree planted by the river-side, which bringeth forth his fruit in due Psal. i. 
season.” As the sun cannot be without light, nor the fire without heat; no more 

can the true and christian faith be without good works, whensoever occasion is offered 
either for the glory of God or for the profit of our neighbour. If faith ceaseth to 2% 
work, then is it not an evangelical, but an historical faith; yea, then is it that faith 
whereof St James speaketh, saying: ‘As the body without the spirit is dead; so Jamesii, 
likewise is faith without works dead.” For, as the apostle saith: “We are the work- gph. ii. 
manship of God, created in Christ Jesu unto good works, which God hath prepared 

that we should walk in them.” 

The papists also taught, and with their wicked teaching infected the breasts of of the inter- 
many, that not Christ Jesus alone, that most bright and everlasting Bishop, is our saints. a 
Mediator, Advocate, and Intercessor, but also the saints in heaven; and that we must 
pray unto them, that they may pray for us unto God, if we will have our prayers 
heard. This doctrine is a dream of their own heads, nowhere mentioned or taught in 
the word of God, but rather reproved and cast away. For the holy scripture, with 
plain and evident words, teacheth plainly and evidently that, as we have but one 1 tim. ii. 
God, so have we but one Mediator, Advocate, and Intercessor, even Christ Jesus that 1 John ii. 
righteous one, which liveth for ever, and sitteth on the right hand of God on high, Heb. ix.” 
making intercession for us; whose office now in the kingdom of his Father is properly, 

19—2 


John xvi. 


Of the aacri- 


fice of the 
mass. 


Heb. vii. ix. 


x. 


John xvii. 


Gal. vi. 


The nature 
of salt. 


Jer. i. 


Tit. L 


Matt. xxiv. 


1 Pet. v. 


] Cor. iv. 
1 Tim. i. 


1 Tim. iv. 


1 Tim. v. 


292 THE COMMON-PLACES OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURE. 


even unto the day of judgment, to offer our prayers for us unto the majesty of God, 
and continually to make intercession for us. That we shall be heard praying in the 
name of Christ, we have most manifest and certain promises: but that we shall be 
heard praying in the name of other, or praying unto other, we have no promise at 
all out of the mouth of God. Therefore, if this gross and corrupt humour occupy 
the breasts of any of your parishioners, suck it out with the sponge of God’s word, 
teaching them to offer, with high confidence and unshaken faith, their prayers unto God 
the Father only in the name of Jesus Christ. 

Moreover, this was the papists’ doctrine of late days, that by the sacrifice of the 
popish mass the sins of the living and of the dead are no less put away than by 
that most sweet, pleasant, and healthful sacrifice which the Lord Christ offered upon 
the altar of the cross for the sins of the whole world, done once for all; when, not- 
withstanding, the holy scripture teacheth plentifully that Christ Jesus, that high and 
everlasting Priest, hath “with one only oblation made them perfect for ever that are 
sanctified.” Yea, to erect and set up another sacrifice for sin than the one and alone 
sacrifice of Christ’s death, is not only wicked, but also the self wickedness, yea, most 
high abomination before the Lord our God, and an utter treading down of the blood 
of Christ under our feet. 

This corrupt and poisonful humour must ye also suck out of the minds of your 
parishioners, proving unto them by the word of God (which is the alone truth) that 
there is no sacrifice by the virtue and power whereof our sins may be put away, but 
that one, only, and alone sacrifice of Christ’s death; as St Paul saith: “God forbid that 
I should rejoice in any thing but in the cross,” that is to say, in the passion and death, 
“of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Both the missal sacrifice, and whatsoever the adversaries 
have invented besides for the putting away of sins, is mere idolatry and high abomi- 
nation before the majesty of God. 

With these and such-like many pestiferous humours have the papists in times past 
infected the minds of the simple Christians. To purge them of these infections it is 
your duty to labour, alway remembering that to this end ye are called of the high 
Shepherd Christ “the salt of the earth.” 

Furthermore, as the nature of salt is not only to suck out and dry up evil and 
corrupt humours, but also to conserve in good state those meats whereunto it is applied; 
so likewise know ye, that it is not sufficient that ye purge and cleanse the breasts of 
your parishioners from the papistical errors, except ye also endeavour yourselves for 
ever after to keep them safe and sound in the true, sincere, and pure doctrine of the 
Lord Jesu, that they afterward be no more corrupt with the pestilent leaven of the 
most pestilent Pharisees. Ye may not only make them new bottles; but ye must 
also put new wine into them. Ye may not only bring them out of darkness; but ye 
must also lead them into the light. Ye may not only restrain the flock of Christ 
from pestiferous and hurtful feeding; but ye must also drive them unto most sweet, 
most pleasant, and most wholesome pasture. And this is that which God spake to 
Jeremy the prophet, saying: “Behold, I put my words in thy mouth; and behold, 
this day I set thee over the people and kingdoms, that thou mayest root out, break 
off, destroy, and make waste, and that thou mayest build up and plant.” St Paul 
also requireth of a spiritual overseer that he be “able both to exhort by wholesome 
learning, and also to improve them that say against it.” 

Thus see ye, in few words, why ye are called “the salt of the earth.” 

Now, to shew yourselves to be “the salt of the earth,” not only in word’, but also 
in work, consider that it is your duty to give the Lord’s household meat in due 
time; to “feed the flock of Christ, so much as lieth in your power;” to be faithful 
ministers of Christ, and diligent “‘ stewards of the secrets of God ;” to provide that your 
parishioners follow no strange doctrine, “neither give heed to fables and endless genea- 
logies, which breed doubts more than godly edifying, which is by faith;” to “ give atten- 
dance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine,” and to continue therein ; not rigorously 
to “rebuke an elder, but to exhort him as a father, the young men as brethren, the 


[) Folio, inwarde. | 


THE PREFACE. 293 


elder women as mothers, the younger as sisters with all pureness;” “the good thing 21m. i. 
which is committed to your keeping to hold fast through the Holy Ghost, which 
dwelleth in you;” to study to shew yourselves praiseworthy unto God, “ workmen 
that need not to be ashamed, distributing the word of God justly ;” to “be gentle 
unto all men, apt to teach, and such as can suffer the evil with meekness, and can 
inform them that resist (the truth), if that God at any time will give them repent- 
ance for to know the truth;” to “preach the word, to be fervent in season and out 2 Tim... 
of season, to improve, to rebuke, to exhort with all loving, suffering*, and doctrine ;” 

to “watch in all things, to suffer afflictions, to do the work throughly of an evan- 
gelist ;” to fulfil your office unto the uttermost; to “stop the mouths of them with Titi. 
wholesome doctrine which pervert whole houses, teaching the things which they 
ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake;” to “rebuke the adversaries sharply, that they may 

be sound in the faith, not taking heed to Jews’ fables and commandments of men, 

that turn away the truth;” to “speak the things which become wholesome learn- Tit. ii 
ing ;” to “exhort the elder men that they be sober, sage, discreet, sound in the faith, in 

love, in patience; the elder women likewise, that they be in such raiment as becometh 
holiness, not being false accusers, not given to much wine, but that they teach honest 
things, to make young women sober-minded, to love their husbands, to love their 
children, to be discreet, chaste, housewifely, good, obedient unto their husbands, that 

the word of God be not evil spoken of;’ to “exhort the young men that they be 
sober-minded ;” to “exhort servants that they be obedient unto their own masters, 

and to please them in all things, not answering again, neither to be pickers, but that 
they shew all good faithfulness, that they may do worship to the doctrine of God our 
Saviour in all things;” again, to “warn the subjects that they submit themselves to Tit. iii. 
rule and power, that they obey the officers, that they be ready unto every good work, 

that they speak evil of no man, that they be no fighters, but gentle, shewing all 
meekness unto all men;” and, in fine, to “‘take heed to all the flock upon whom the 
Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to rule the congregation of God, which he hath 
purchased with his blood.” 

And, in thus feeding and governing the people of God, ye may not only have an 
eye to the wicked doctrine of the papists, to pluck that up by the roots, that it may 
bring no more infection to the sheep of Christ; but ye also must have good respect 
to the pernicious and damnable heresies of the most damnable and heretical sectaries, 
as Arians, anabaptists, Davidians, libertines, free-will-men, epicures, and such other 
ministers of Satan, which change themselves into angels of light, and by this means, 
through a certain counterfeit holiness, coupled with feigned simplicity, go about craf- 
tily to draw disciples after them, promising their adherents great liberty of spirit, 
when they themselves are most miserable captives and bond-slaves of the flesh, cor- 
rupt both in body and mind, presenting® outwardly a certain kind of godliness, and 
inwardly full of all hypocrisy, simulation, wickedness, &c. Of these pestilent sects, and 
of their errors and heresies, see that ye diligently warn the congregation of God. Yea, 
not only warn, but also enarm ye your sheep, yea, rather Christ’s sheep, with the 
armature of God’s word, that they may be able to resist the fiery darts of Satan and 
of his antichristian army, and by no means be overcome of them, yea, not so much 
as once stricken or wounded. 

Against these false prophets ye ought so much the more diligently to watch, 
because they are wolves in sheep’s clothing, and through their fleshly persuasions Matt. vii. 
easily deceive the hearts of the simple; of the which vain teachers both Christ and Rom. xvi. 
his apostles have tofore oftentimes admonished us. Thus much of doctrine, in that 
ye are called “the salt of the earth.” 

But ye have not forgotten, most sweet and dearly-beloved brethren, that our 
Saviour Christ doth not only term you “the salt of the earth,” but also “ the Matt. v. 
light of the world ;” whereby ye learn that it is your duty not only not to be dumb 
dogs, unable to bark, yea, rather to lift up your voice like a trump, to shew unto 
the people their sins, to preach the glorious gospel of Christ to the church of God, matt. xxviii 


Mark xvi. 





[? So folio: perhaps it should be long-suffering.] [* Folio, preuenting.] 


Phil. ii. 
Tit. ii. 


Luke iv. 
Rom. ii. 


294 THE COMMON-PLACES OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURE. 


&c.; but also to shine as great lights in the midst of a froward and crooked nation; 
in your life to be blameless, as it becometh the stewards of God; to “be unto them 
that believe an ensample in word, in conversation, in love, in spirit, in pureness ;” 
in all things to shew yourselves “an ensample of good works in the doctrine with 
honesty, gravity, and with the wholesome word, which cannot be rebuked, that he 
which withstandeth may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you;” and, 
in fine, to be indeed as Christ calleth you, even “the light of the world,” that it 
may not worthily be said unto you, “Physician, heal thyself.” ‘Thou which teachest 
another teachest not thyself. Thou preachest a man should not steal, and yet thou 
stealest. Thou sayest a man should not commit adultery, and thou breakest wed- 
lock. Thou abhorrest images, and robbest God of his honour. Thou rejoicest in the 
law, and through breaking the law dishonourest God.” 

If the word which ye preach be never so pure and uncorrupt, yet if your life 
which ye lead be unpure and corrupt, look, what ye edify by word, that destroy ye 
by work. For not the word, but the work is the best persuader. But if both the 


a= word and the work go together, then are ye praiseworthy workmen both before God 


Matt. v. 


Psal. I. 


Tit. i. 
1 Pet. v. 


Matt. v. 


and man, and shall be blessed in this your act; as our Saviour Christ saith: “ Who- 
soever doeth and teacheth, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” 
The ministry of such can by no means please God, which throw down in work that 
they set up in word. Neither can any man with a good conscience rebuke that in 
another, whereof he himself is guilty. 

Far from all vice ought he to be, which taketh upon him to blame other for 
their dissolution of life. And, to say the truth, God by no means can abide that 
any notable and famous offender should be the preacher of his holy word; as these 
his words by the psalmograph manifestly declare: “Unto the ungodly said God, 
Why dost thou preach my laws, and takest my covenant in thy mouth? whereas thou 
hatest to be reformed, and hast cast my words behind thee. When thou sawest a 
thief, thou consentedst unto him, and hast been partaker with the adulterers,” &c. 

God commanded in the old law, that such as minister before him should not be 
deformed or maimed in any part of their body, but that all their members should be 
whole, perfect, and sound. What other thing taught the Lord our God by this 
than to signify unto his people, that such as should be his ministers ought to be 
sound and perfect both in doctrine and life, that no man in this behalf may have 
thereof justly to accuse them? as the apostle saith: “A bishop must be faultless and 
blameless, as the steward of God.” And St Peter requireth in spiritual pastors such 
integrity and pureness of life, such innocency and uncorruption of manners, that they 
may be an ensample to the flock. 

Thus see ye, most dear brethren, that there is required of you not only sincerity 
of doctrine, but also innocency of life, that ye may be teachers both in doctrine and 
life, both in word and work, according to these your names, “salt of the earth,” and 
“light of the world.” 

Ensamples hereof ye have not only in the holy scriptures many and divers, as 
Moses and the prophets, Christ and his apostles; but also in ecclesiastical histories 
the reverend bishops and godly ministers, which excelled both in purity of doctrine 
and life, unto the great beautifying of Christ’s church then living, and unto the good 
ensample of us that now presently live. Yea, at home at your own doors ye have 
a perfect mirror and clear glass, in whom, as in the lamp of Phebus, ye may 
at all times behold and see the golden beams of godly doctrine and christian life,— 
I mean your bishop, that most reverend father and worthy prelate’, whom God, of 
his singular mercy and great goodness toward you and your country, hath appointed 
your chief pastor and overseer, to govern his holy congregation inhabiting in the coun- 
tries of Norfolk and Suffolk. This your pastor and reverend father ought ye to follow 
in doctrine and life, and lively to express, both in your teaching and living, whatso- 
ever ye behold in so worthy a mirror of knowledge and virtue, and by no means to 
suffer yourselves to be wrapped and closed about with the dark mists and cloudy 


{! Parkhurst, bishop of Norwich. ] 


THE PREFACE. 295 


shadows of blind ignorance and wicked conversation; ever setting before your eyes 

that ye are called of the high Bishop “the salt of the earth,” and “the light of the Matt. v. 
world.” Now saith that high and everlasting Bishop, Christ Jesus: “If the salt be 
unsavoury, and have lost the saltness, what shall be seasoned therewith? It is thence- 

forth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden down of men.” A 
grievous sentence against unsavoury and unlearned ministers, worthy, even by the 
righteous judgment of the most righteous Judge, to be cast down from so high and 
excellent an office and ministry, and to be placed among the most inferior and basest 
persons, as men altogether unworthy of any ecclesiastical dignity, authority, and power. 

For as they be “worthy of double honour which rule well, and specially such as 1Tin. v. 
labour in word and doctrine ;’ even so are they worthy of no honour at all which 

rule evil, and labour not in word and doctrine. And as “the labourer is worthy of 

his reward ;” so likewise is the loiterer worthy of no reward at all; according to this 
sentence of the apostle: “He that laboureth not ought not to eat.” Yea, against 
those shepherds which feed themselves, and not the flock, and yet live with the milk 

of the flock, and are clad with the wool of the flock, God thundereth on this manner 

by the prophet, saying: ‘“ Wo be unto the shepherds of Israel that feed themselves ! Ezek. xxxiv. 
Should not the shepherds feed the flocks? Ye have eaten up the fat, ye have clothed 

you with the wool, the best fed have ye slain; but the flock have ye not nourished. 

The weak have ye not holden up, the sick have ye not healed, the broken have ye 

not bound together, the outcasts have ye not brought again, the lost have ye not 
sought ; but churlishly and cruelly have ye ruled them,” &c. 

And whereas ye are called “the light of the world,’ remember what our Saviour 
Christ saith: “A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid: neither do men light a matt. v. 
candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick ; and it giveth light unto all 
that are in the house. Let therefore your light so shine before men, that they may 
see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Here do ye see 
plainly expressed and set forth before your eyes, that ye, which are pastors of the 
Lord’s flock, are no private persons, but public ministers, and rulers of the christian 
congregation, upon whom the eyes of all men are set, whose facts and deeds are above 
all others noted, and whose life and conversation is taken to be a rule whereby all 
other ought to govern their life; so that to find any thing culpable in your manners, 
which ought to be a guide unto the blind, and a light to them which are in darkness, Rom. ii. 
and an informer of them which lack discretion, is not only wicked, but also the self 
wickedness, and bringeth double dishonour to the name of God ; as it is written: “The Isai. 
name of God is evil spoken of among the gentiles through you.” Verily the life of aes 
spiritual ministers ought to be so pure, unspotted, and blameless, that every one of 
them might with a good conscience say: “ Which of you can reprove me of sin?” John viii. 
“Ye are witnesses, and so is God, how holily, and justly, and unblameably we be- 1 Thess. ii. 
haved ourselves among you that believed,” &c. 

Remember these things, dear brethren, whereof I have put you in remembrance, 
and diligently labour to be that which ye are called, that is to say, “the salt of the Matt. v. 
earth” in doctrine, without any intermixtion of men’s idle inventions, trifling traditions, 
drowsy dreams, crooked constitutions, devilish decrees, popish prattlings, &c., with 
all sincerity and pureness of sound learning, whereby ye may be “able both to exhort Titi. 
by wholesome doctrine, and also to improve them that speak against it;” and also “the 
light of the world” in life, in conversation, in behaviour, in manners, that whosoever 
behold you may seem to see nothing else than mirrors of virtue and godliness, and 
glorify God in you, and the more be provoked to embrace, receive, believe, follow, 
and practise the good doctrine, which through the Spirit of truth proceedeth out of 
your mouth, unto the glory of God, and unto the salvation of their own souls. 

If ye study earnestly to do these things according to your profession and calling 
(as I nothing doubt of your faithful diligence in this behalf), it shall not only come 
to pass that in this world ye shall be counted before God and men laudable and 
praise-worthy workmen, but also, ‘‘ when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive 1 Pet. v. 
an uncorruptible crown of glory,” every one of you hearing these most sweet and com- 
fortable words out of the mouth of that most high and everlasting Bishop: ‘ Well, matt. xxv. 


Dan. xii. 


Acts xx. 


Heb. iv. 


2 Cor. x. 


Matt. vii. 


Col. ii. 


Col. it. 


296 THE COMMON-PLACES OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURE. 


thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over few things; I will make 
thee ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of the Lord.” For so wniteth the 
prophet Daniel. ‘The wise,” saith he, “even such as have taught other, shall glister 
as the shining of heaven; and those that have instruct the multitude unto godliness 
shall be as the stars world without end.” 

Now to further your godly travails, which ye take about the Lord’s flock, “over 
whom the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers;” although ye have no need of my 
studies and labours in this behalf, as men godly disposed and virtuously bent to accom- 
plish your office and duty, that ye may finish your course with joy, and fulfil the 
ministration of the word which ye have received of the Lord Jesu, to testify the gospel 
of the grace of God ; yet, for our common country’s sake, which besides christian charity 
hath after a secret manner linked me unto you, and bound me with an unlooseable 
knot, I thought it my bounden duty to make you partakers of my studious travails 
and travailing studies, that they may be unto our posterity testimonies of my dear 
love and singular good-will toward you my countrymen. 

Before few days past I, considering of what great efficacy, virtue, pith, power, and 
might the word of God is, (“The word of God,” saith St Paul, “is quick and mighty 
in operation, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and entereth through, even unto the 
dividing asunder of the soul and the spirit, and of the joints and the marrow,”) “ mighty 
in God to cast down strong-holds, and to overthrow counsels and every high thing 
that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and to bring into captivity all 
imagination to the obedience of Christ,” gathered certain common-places out of the 
holy scripture against all such errors and heresies as the antichristian ministers of 
Satan have in times past brought into the church of Christ, greatly seducing, deceiving, 
and bringing into error by this means the simple Christians, which through the devilish 
doctrine of the adversaries embraced error for truth, superstition for pure religion, 
man’s doctrine for the blessed will of God, men’s traditions for the holy commandments 
of the Lord; that the readers of these my collections should easily perceive the wicked 
doctrine of the papists, and how contrary and in all points repugnant to the word of 
God it is, and from henceforth be no more deceived of these wolves, which, apparelling 
themselves with sheep’s clothing, and decking themselves with the names and titles 
of the church, of antiquity, of fathers, of general councils, of ancient customs, of old 
usages, of succession from time to time, &c., blear and blind not only the eyes and 
judgments of the simple and ignorant, but also many times of the wise and prudent ; 
so subtile a serpent is dame hypocrisy, secretly sliding into the hearts of men before 
they be aware'; so that it was not without a cause said of the apostle: “ Beware 
lest any man come and spoil you through philosophy and deceitful vanity, through 
the traditions of men and ordinances of the world, and not after Christ.” Again: 
“Let no man make you shoot at a wrong mark, which after his own imagination 
walketh in the humbleness and holiness of angels, things which he never saw, causeless 
puffed up with his fleshly mind, and holdeth not the head, whereof all the body by” 
joints and couples receiveth nourishment, and is knit together, and increaseth with 
the increasing that cometh of God.” 

These common-places, most dear countrymen and fellow-labourers in the Lord’s 
harvest, I dedicate and send unto you, wishing you diligently to peruse and read 
them, that through the meditation of them ye may not only confirm yourselves, but 
also your auditors® in these necessary truths which they contain, being well enarmed 
through the power of them against the furious armies of Satan and antichrist, that 
ye may be able to stand in the evil day, and not fear the very gates of hell, which 
the Lord our God shall shortly break and destroy. Fare ye well in our Saviour 
Christ, and never forget these your names: “The salt of the earth,” and “the light 
of the world.” The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all! Amen. 

From Canterbury, the tenth of June, in the year of our Lord 1562. 

Your brother in Christ. 
Thomas Becon. 





[' Folio, away. | [? Folio, be.J [3 Folio, auncitowres, i.e. uncestors. | 


THE 


COMMON-PLACES OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURE. 


OF GOD. 
That God alone freely saveth the faithful. 


Probations out of the holy scripture. 


“Tue Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king, and Isai. xxiii. 
he himself shall be our Saviour.” 
“Thou art my servant. I have chosen thee, and will not cast thee away: be not tsi. xii. 
afraid ; for I am with thee. Melt not away as wax; for I am thy God to strength 
thee, to help thee, and to keep thee with this right hand of mine.” 
“T am, even I am the only Lord; and beside me there is no saviour.” “I am, Jsai. xiii. 
yea, I am he alone, that for mine own self’s sake do away thine offences, and forget 
thy sins, so that I will never think upon them. Put me now in remembrance (for we 
will reason together), and shew what thou hast for thee to make thee righteous. Thy 
first father offended sore; and thy rulers have sinned against me.” 
“Consider this, O Jacob and Israel; for thou art my servant. I have made thee, Isai. xiiv. 
that thou mightest serve me. O Israel, forget me not. As for thine offences, I 
have driven them away like the clouds, and thy sins as the mist: turn thee again 
unto me. For I have redeemed thee.” 
‘“‘Tsrael shall be saved in the Lord, which is the everlasting salvation.” “I am Isai. xiv. 
the Lord, beside whom there is none other God; the true God and Saviour; there 
is none else but I. And therefore turn you unto me, all ye ends of the earth, that 
ye may be saved; for I am God, and there is else none.” “In the Lord is my 
righteousness and strength. To him shall men come; but all they that think scorn 
of him shall be confounded. And the whole seed of Israel shall be justified and 
make their boast in the Lord.” 
“G come to the waters, all ye that be thirsty, and ye that have no money. Isai. tv. 
Come, buy, that ye may have to eat. Come, buy wine and milk without any money 
or money-worth. Wherefore do ye lay out your money for the thing that feedeth 
not, and spend your labour about the thing that satisfieth you not? But hearken, 
yea, rather hearken unto me, and ye shall eat of the best; and your soul shall have 
her pleasure in plenteousness. Incline your ears, and come unto me: take heed, I 
say ; and your soul shall live.” 
“The health of Israel standeth only upon God our Lord.” Tae de 
“JT will pour clear water upon you; and ye shall be clean: yea, from all your Ezek. xxxvi. 
uncleanness, and from all your idols shall I cleanse you. A new heart also will I 
give you, and a new spirit will I put into you. As for that stony heart, I will 
take it out of your body, and give you a fleshy heart. I will give my Spirit among 
you, and cause you to walk in my commandments, to keep my laws, and to fulfil 
them. And so ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your forefathers; and ye 
shall be my people, and I will be your God. I will help you out all your un- 
cleanness. I will call for the corn, and will increase it, and let you have no hunger. 
I will multiply the fruit of the trees and the increase of the field for you; so that 
ye shall bear no more reproof of hunger among the heathen. Then shall ye remem- 
ber your own wicked ways, and your imaginations which were not good; so that 
ye shall think that -ye were worthy to be destroyed for your sins and abominations. 
But I will not do this .for your sakes, saith the Lord, be ye sure of it.” 


Hos. xiii. 


Psal. iii. 
Psal. vii. 


Psal. ix. 


Psal. xviii. 


Psal. xxii. 


Psal. xxv. 


Psal. x xxiii. 


Psal. xxxiv. 


Psal. Ixii. 


Psa]. Ixxiii. 


Psal. xciv. 


Psal. exxx. 


Psal. exlv. 


Psal. exlvi. 


Wisd. xv. 


Wisd. xvi. 


298 THE COMMON-PLACES OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURE. 


“T am the Lord God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, that thou 
shouldest know no god but me only, and that thou shouldest have no saviour but 
only me.” “QO Israel, thine iniquity hath destroyed thee; but in me only is thy 
help.” 

“Salvation belongeth unto the Lord.” 

“My help cometh of God, which preserveth them that are true of heart.” 

“The Lord will be a defence for the oppressed, even a refuge in due time of 
trouble. And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee; for thou, O 
Lord, hast never failed them that seek thee.” 

“The Lord is my stony rock, and my defence, my Saviour, my God, and my 
might, in whom I will trust, my buckler, the horn also of my salvation, and my 
refuge.” ‘The Lord is the defender of all them that put their trust in him. For 
who is God but the Lord? or who hath any strength except our God?” 

‘Our fathers hoped in thee: they trusted in thee; and thou didst deliver them. 
They called upon thee, and were helped: they put their trust in thee, and were not 
confounded.” 

“‘Mine eyes are ever looking unto the Lord; for he shall pluck my feet out of 
the net.” 

“‘Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, and upon them that 
put their trust in his mercy; to deliver their souls from death, and to feed them in 
the time of dearth.” 

“OQ taste and see how gracious the Lord is: blessed is the man that trusteth in 
him.” “The righteous cry; and the Lord heareth them, and delivereth them out of 
all their troubles. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a contrite heart, and will 
save such as be of an humble spirit. Great are the troubles of the righteous; but 
the Lord delivereth him out of all. He keepeth all his bones, so that not one of them 
is broken.” “The Lord delivereth the souls of the servants; and all they that put 
their trust in him shall not be left succourless.” 

“My soul truly waiteth upon God; for of him cometh my salvation. He verily 
is my strength and my salvation: he is my defence, so that I shall not greatly fall.” 
“In God is my health and my glory, the rock of my might, and in God is my 
trust. O put your trust in him alway, ye people, pour out your hearts before him ; 
for God is our hope. As for the children of men, they are but vain: the child- 
ren of men are deceitful upon the weights: they are altogether lighter than vanity 
itself.” 

“Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire 
in comparison of thee. My heart and my flesh faileth; but God is the strength of 
my heart, and my portion for ever. For lo, they that forsake thee shall perish: thou 
hast destroyed all them that commit fornication against thee. But it is good for me 
to hold me fast by God, and to put my trust in the Lord God.” 

“Tf the Lord had not helped me, it had not failed but my soul had been put 
to silence. But when I said, My foot hath slipped; thy mercy, O Lord, held me 
up. In the multitude of the sorrows that I had in my heart thy comforts have 
refreshed my soul.” 

“© Israel, trust in the Lord; for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is 
plenteous redemption. And he shall redeem Israel from all his sins.” 

“The Lord is gracious and merciful, long-suffering, and of great goodness. The 
Lord is loving unto every man; and his mercy is over all his works.” 

“O put not your trust in princes, nor in any child of man; for there is no help 
in them. For when the breath of man goeth forth, he shall turn again to his earth ; 
and then all his thoughts perish. Blessed is he that hath the God of Jacob for his 
help, and whose hope is in the Lord his God.” 

“To know thee, O God, is perfect righteousness; and to know thy power is the 
root of immortality.” 

“Neither herb nor emplaster hath healed them, but thy word, O Lord, which 
healeth all things. Thou hast power of life and death: thou leadest down to hell, and 
bringest up again.” 


OF GOD. 299 


“God hath so dearly loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, to John iii. 
the end that whoso believeth on him perish not, but have everlasting life.” 

“This is everlasting life, even to know [thee] the alone God, and whom thou John xvii. 
hast sent, Jesus Christ.” 

“God setteth out his love toward us, seeing that while we were yet sinners Christ Rom. v. 
died for us: much more then now we that are justified by his blood shall be saved 
from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God 
by the death of his Son, much more, seeing we are reconciled, we shall be preserved 
by his life.” 

“God, which is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even £ph. ii. 
when we were dead by sins, quickened us together in Christ (by grace are ye saved), 
and raised us together with him among them of heaven in Christ Jesu. For by grace 
are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, and 
cometh not of works, lest any man should boast himself.” 

“ After that the kindness and love of our Saviour God to man-ward appeared, not Tit. iii. 
by the deeds of righteousness which we wrought, but according to his mercy he 
saved us, by the fountain of the new birth, and renewing of the Holy Ghost, which 
he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that we, justified by 
his grace, should be made heirs according to the hope of everlasting life. This is a 
true saying.” 

“Behold what love the Father hath shewed on us, that we should be called the 1 Jomn ii. 
sons of God.” 

“In this appeared the love of God to us-ward, because that God sent his only- 1Johniv. 
begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not 
that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the satisfaction 
for our sins.” 


That God alone forgiveth sins. 


Probations out of the holy scripture. 


“T am, yea, I am he alone, that for mine own self’s sake do away thine offences, Isai. xliii. 
and forget thy sins, so that I will never think upon them. Put me now in remem- 
brance (for we will reason together), and shew me what thou hast for thee to make 
thee righteous.” 

“O Israel, forget me not. As for thine offences, I have driven them away like the tsai. xliv. 
clouds, and thy sins as the mist: turn thee again unto me; for I have redeemed 
thee.” 

“This shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after Jer.xxxi. 
those days, saith the Lord. I will plant my law in the inward parts of them, and 
write it in their hearts, and will be their God; and they shall be my people. And 
from thenceforth shall no man teach his neighbour or his brother, and say, Know the 
Lord. But they shall all know me, from the lowest to the highest, saith the Lord. 

For I will forgive their misdeeds, and will never remember their sins any more.” 

‘From all misdeeds wherein they have offended against me I will cleanse them; Jer. xxxiii. 
and all their blasphemies which they have done against me, when they regarded me 
not, I will forgive them.” 

“Where is there such a God as thou, that pardonest wickedness, and forgivest Mic. vii. 
the offences of the remnant of thine heritage? He keepeth not his wrath for ever. 

And why? his delight is to have compassion: he shall turn again, and be merciful 
to us. He shall put down our wickednesses, and cast all our sins into the bottom 
of the sea.” 

““Who can tell how oft he offendeth? O cleanse thou me from my secret Psal. xix. 
faults.” 

“J said, I will confess my sins unto the Lord; and so thou forgavest the wick- Psal. xxxii. 
edness of my sin.” 

“Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits; which forgiveth all psal. ci, 


Psal. ciii. 


Mark ii. 


1 John i. 


1 John ii. 


Deut. v. 


Deut. vi. 


Deut. x. 


Deut. xi. 


Deut. xii. 


1 Sam. xii. 


Matt. iv. 


Matt. xv. 


John iv. 


300 THE COMMON-PLACES OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURE. 


thy sin, and healeth all thine infirmities; which saveth thy life from destruction, and 
crowneth thee with mercy and loving-kindness.” ‘The Lord is full of compassion 
and mercy, long-suffering, and of great goodness. He will not alway be chiding: 
neither keepeth he his anger for ever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins, 
nor rewarded us according to our wickednesses. For look, how far the heaven is in 
comparison of the earth, so great is his mercy also toward them that fear him. 
Look, how wide also the east is from the west, so far hath he set our sins from 
us. Yea, like as a father pitieth his own children, even so is the Lord merciful 
unto them that fear him. For he knoweth whereof we be made: he remembereth 
that we are but dust.” 

“Who can forgive sins, but God alone?” 

“If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to 
cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 

‘“‘ Babes, I write unto you, how that your sins are forgiven you for his name's 
sake.” 


That God alone is to be worshipped, yea, and that according to his 
word, that is to say, in spirit and truth. 


Probations out of the holy scripture. 


“Take heed that ye do indeed as the Lord your God hath commanded you, 
and turn not aside either to the right hand or to the left, but walk in all the ways 
which the Lord your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may 
go well with you.” 

“Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God is Lord only; and thou shalt love the Lord 
thy God with all thine heart; and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.” “ Thou 
shalt fear the Lord thy God, and serve him.” ‘Keep the commandments of the Lord 
your God, and his witnesses and ordinances which he hath commanded thee, and thou 
shalt do that which is right and good in the sight of the Lord, that thou mayest 
prosper.” 

“Now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord 
thy God, and to walk in all his ways, to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God 
with all thine heart and with all thy soul, and that thou keep the commandments 
of the Lord, and his ordinances, that it may go well with thee?” ‘ Circumcise the 
foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiff-necked.” ‘Thou shalt fear the Lord thy 
God, and him only shalt thou serve: to him shalt thou cleave.” 

“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, and keep his observances, his ordinances, his 
laws, and his commandments always.” ‘‘ Behold, I set before you this day a bless- 
ing and a curse: a blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the Lord your God, 
which I command you this day; and a curse, if ye will not obey the command- 
ments of the Lord your God, but turn out of the way which I command you this 
day, to go after strange gods, which ye have not known.” 

“Ye shall not do every man what seemeth him good in his own eyes.” “ What- 
soever I command you, that take heed ye do; and put nought thereto, nor take 
ought therefrom.” 

“Fear ye the Lord, and serve him in truth, and with all your hearts, and con- 
sider how great things he hath done for you.” 

“Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him alone shalt thou serve.” 

“This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with 
their lips; howbeit their hearts are far from me. But in vain do they serve me, 
teaching the doctrines and precepts of men.” 

““The hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father 
in spirit and in truth. For such the Father also requireth to worship him. God 
is a Spirit; and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” 

““God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit.” 


OF GOD. 301 


“Be ye filled with the Spirit; speaking among themselves in psalms, and hymns, Eph. v. 
and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts, giving 
thanks alway for all things unto God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus 
Christ.” 


That God alone by prayer is to be called on, yea, and that in 
the name of Christ only. 


Probations out of the holy scripture. 


Enos “began to call on the name of the Lord.” Beas. 
Abraham “building an altar unto the Lord, did call on the name of the Lord.” Gen. xii, 
“Abraham planted a wood in Beer-Seba, and called there on the name of the Gen. xxi. 
Lord the everlasting God.” 
“Seek the Lord while he may be found, and call upon him while he is nigh.” Isai. w. 
“Ye shall cry unto me, ye shall go and call upon me; and I will hear you. Yee Jer. xxix. 
shall seek me, and find me. Yea, if so be that ye seek me with your whole heart, 
I will be found of you, saith the Lord, and deliver you.” 
“Whosoever calleth on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Joel ii. 
“They cried unto God; and he heard them, because they put their trust in him.” | chron. v. 
“T called upon the Lord with my voice; and he heard me out of his holy hill.” Psa. iii. 
“Lord, thou hearest the desire of the poor: thou preparest their heart ; and thine Psal. x. 
ear hearkeneth thereto.” 
“Call upon me in the time of trouble: so will I hear thee; and thou shalt praise Psal.1. 


» 


me. 

“T will call unto God; and the Lord shall save me. In the evening, and morn- Paai. tv. 
ing, and at noon-day will I pray, yea, and that instantly; and he shall hear my 
voice. 

“Thou, Lord, art good and gracious, and of great mercy unto all them that call Psal. ixxxvi. 
upon thee.” 

‘Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore shall I deliver him. I shall set peat xci. 
him up, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me; and I will hear 
him: yea, I am with him in trouble, I will deliver him, and bring him to honour. 
With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.” 

“When they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, he delivered them out of their psa. 
distress.” 

“What reward shall I give unto the Lord for all the benefits that he hath done Psal. exvi. 
unto me? I will receive the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the 
Lord.” 

“When I was in trouble, I called upon the Lord; and he heard me.” Psal. exx. 

“The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, yea, all such as call upon Pasa. 
him faithfully. He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear 
their cry, and will help them.” 

“Be alway thankful unto God, and beseech him that he will order thy ways, tov. 
and that whatsoever thou devisest or takest in hand it may remain in him.” 

“The name of the Lord is a strong castle: the righteous flieth unto it, and is prov. xviii. 
in safeguard.” 

“When ye pray,” saith Christ, “say, Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed Luke xi. 
be thy name,” &c. 

“TI bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” “‘ Unto him that gph. ii. 
is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the 
power that worketh in us, be praise in the congregation of Christ Jesus, through all 
ages, world without end. Amen.” 


“ Be careful’ for nothing; but in all prayer and supplication let your petitions be pnit iv. 
manifest unto God with thanksgiving.” 


evii. 


exlv. 


lv. 


[} Folio, joyful] 


James i. 


John xiv. 


John xv. 


John xvi. 


Heb. xiii. 


Exod. i. 


1 Sam. xv. 


1 Kings 
Xviil- 


1 Kings 
XViii. 


302 THE COMMON-PLACES OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURE. 


“Tf any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of him that giveth it, even God, which 
giveth to all men indifferently, and casteth no man in the teeth; and it shall be 
given him. But let him ask in faith, and waver not.” 

“ T am,” saith Christ, “the way, and the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto 
the Father, but by me.” ‘ Whatsoever ye ask in my name, that will I do, that the 
Father may be glorified by the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will 
do it.” 

“If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask what ye will, and it shall 
be done for you.” “Ye have not chosen me; but I have chosen you, and ordained 
you to go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain ; that, whatsoever 
ye ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.” 

“ Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, 
he will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name. Ask, and ye shall 
receive, that your joy may be full.” 

“ By him (Christ) do we offer sacrifice of land and praise always to God, that 
is to say, the fruit of those lips which confess his name.” 


That we ought to obey God more than men. 


Probations out of the holy scripture. 


Pharao, king of Egypt, commanded the women that were the midwives of the 
Hebrews’ women, that, when they did the office of a midwife to the women of the 
Hebrews, if they did perceive in the birth-time that it was a boy, they should kill 
it; but if it were a woman-child, it should live. Notwithstanding, the midwives 
feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men- 
children. And God therefore dealt well with the midwives. 

Samuel said unto Saul, which contrary to the commandment of Ged had spared 
Agag the king of the Amalekites, and all the best, but specially the fattest of the 
sheep, goats, and oxen: “When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not 
made the head of the tribes of Israel? And the Lord anointed thee king over Israel. 
And the Lord sent thee on a journey, and said, Go and utterly destroy those sin- 
ners the Amalekites', and fight against them until thou utterly destroy them. And 
wherefore hast thou not hearkened unto the voice of the Lord, but hast turned 
to the prey, and hast done that which is wicked in the sight of the Lord? And 
Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have hearkened unto the voice of the Lord, and have 
gone the way which the Lord sent me unto, and have brought Agag the king of 
Amalech, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. But the people took of the 
spoil sheep, oxen, and the chiefest of the things which should have been destroyed, 
to offer unto the Lord thy God in Gilgal. And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as 
great pleasure in burnt sacrifices and offerings, as when the voice of the Lord is obeyed ? 
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken is better than the fat of rams. 
For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as the wickedness of 
idolatry. Because thou hast cast away the word of the Lord, therefore hath the Lord 
cast away thee also from being king. And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned ; 
for I have gone further than the saying of the Lord, and thy words ; because I feared 
the people, and obeyed their voice.” 

The prophet Helias did not obey wicked king Achab, nor his wicked law; but 
when the king said unto him, “ Art thou he that troublest Israel?’ he stoutly and 
boldly answered the king again: “I trouble not Israel, but thou and thy father’s 
household, which have forsaken the law of the Lord, and follow Baal.” 

The same prophet said unto the Israelites, which inwardly persuaded themselves 
to serve the Lord, although outwardly they obeyed the wicked laws of the most 
wicked king Achab, on this manner: “How long will ye halt on both knees? If 
the Lord be God, follow him ; if Baal be he, follow him.” 





[! Folio, anabaptistes. } 


OF GOD. 303 


When king Nabuchodonozor commanded all his subjects, even from the highest to 
the lowest, to worship the golden image that he had made, the true servants of God, 
Sidrach, Misach, and Abednago utterly refused to obey the commandment of the 
king ; insomuch that, when he threatened to cast them into an hot burning oven, 
except they with all expedition shewed themselves obedient to his law, they answered 
and said: “O Nabuchodonozor, we ought not to consent unto thee in this matter. 
For why? Our God, whom we serve, is able to keep us from the hot burning oven, 
O king, and can right well deliver us out of thy hands. But if he will not, yet 
shalt thou know, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor do reverence to the 
image which thou hast set up.” 

King Darius, through the procurement of his lords and princes for the destruc- 
tion of the prophet Daniel, whom they greatly envied both for his excellency and 
knowledge, and also for the great favour that the king bare toward him passing all 
other of his nobility, made a law that whosoever desired any petition either of any 
god or man within thirty days next ensuing, except it were only of him, the same 
person should be cast into the lions’ den. This law made the king at the request 
of his lords, not understanding their craft and subtilty, their envy and malice against 
good and faithful Daniel. But Daniel by no means would obey this commandment 
of the king. For he wished rather to be devoured of the wild beasts for disobeying 
the ungodly commandment of the prince (if God’s will so were) than to cease so 
long time from praying unto the Lord his God. Therefore, as tofore, so likewise now, 
notwithstanding the king’s commandment and the penalty of the law, he goeth forth 
daily at his accustomed hours to offer unto God his prayers and praises, yea, and 
that not secretly, but openly. 

King Antiochus’ servants, which he had sent unto the Jews to compel them to 
forsake God’s laws, and to follow the wicked ordinances of the heathenish idolaters, 
came also into the city of Modin, to compel such as were fled thither for to do 
sacrifice, and to burn incense unto idols, and to forsake the law of God. So many 
of the people of Israel consented and inclined unto them. But Mathathias and his 
sons remained stedfast. “‘ Then spake the commissioners of king Antiochus, and said 
unto Mathathias, Thou art a noble man, of high reputation, and great in this city, 
having fair children and brethren. Come thou therefore first and fulfil the king’s 
commandment, like as all the heathen have done, yea, and the men of Juda, and 
such as remain at Jerusalem; so shalt thou and thy children be in the king’s favour, 
and enriched with gold, silver, and great rewards. Mathathias answered and spake 
with a loud voice, Though all nations obey the king Antiochus, and fall away 
every man from keeping the law of their fathers, though they consent to his com- 
mandments, yet will I and my sons and brethren not fall from the law of our 
fathers. God forbid we should: that were not good for us, that we should forsake 
the law and ordinances of God, and to agree unto the commandment of king An- 
tiochus. Therefore we will do no such sacrifice, neither break the statutes of our 
law, to go another way. And when he had spoken these words, there came one of 
the Jews, which openly in the sight of all did sacrifice unto the idols upon the 
altar in the city of Modin, according to the king’s commandment. When Matha- 
thias saw this, it grieved him at the heart; so that his reins shook withal, and his 
wrath kindled for very zeal of the law. With that he start up, and killed the Jew 
beside the altar, yea, and slew the king’s commissioner that compelled him to do 
sacrifice, and destroyed the altar at the same time; such a zeal had he to the law 
of God; like as Phineas did unto Zambri the son of Salomi.” 

‘“‘Eleazar, one of the principal scribes, an aged man, and of a well-favoured coun- 
tenance, was constrained to gape with an open mouth, and to eat swine’s flesh. 
But he, desiring rather to die gloriously than to live with shame, offered himself 
willingly to the martyrdom.” Now when he saw that he must needs go to it, he 
took it patiently; for he was at a point with himself that he would consent to do 
no unlawful thing for any pleasure of life. “They that stood by, being moved with 
pity, but not aright, for the old friendship of the man, took him aside privily, 
and prayed him that he would let such flesh be brought him as were lawful to 


Dan. iii. 


Dan. vi. 


1 Mace. ii. 


2 Mace. vi. 


2 Mace. vii. 


Matt. x. 


Mark viii. 


Acts iv. 


Acts v. 


Acts v. 


304 THE COMMON-PLACES OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURE. 


eat, and then to make a countenance, as though he had eaten of the flesh of the 
sacrifice, like as the king commanded; for so he might be delivered from death; and 
so for the old friendship of the man they shewed him this kindness. But he began 
to consider his discreet and honourable age, his noble and worshipful stock, and how 
that from his youth up he had been of an honest and good conversation, yea, and 
how constantly he had kept the ordinances and laws commanded by God; wherefore 
he gave them this answer and said, Yet had I rather first be laid in my grave. 
For it becometh not my age, said he, in any wise to dissemble, whereby many 
young persons might think that Eleazar, fourscore and ten year old, were now gone 
to a strange life; and so, through mine hypocrisy for a little time of a transitory 
life, they might be deceived: by this means also should I defile mine age and make 
it abominable. For though I were now delivered from the torments of men, yet 
should I not escape the hand of Almighty God, neither alive nor dead. Wherefore 
I will die manfully, and do as it becometh mine age; whereby I may, peradventure, 
leave an example of stedfastness for such as be young, if I with a ready mind and 
manfully die an honest death for the most worthy and holy laws. When he had 
said these words, immediately he was drawn to a torment. Now they that led him, 
and were mild a little afore, began to take displeasure because of the words that 
he said; for they thought he had spoken them of an high mind. But when he was 
in his martyrdom, he mourned and said: Thou, O Lord, which hast the holy 
knowledge, knowest openly, that whereas I might be delivered from death, I suffer 
these sore pains of my body; but in my mind I am well content to suffer them, 
because I fear thee. Thus this man died, leaving a memorial of his death for an 
ensample, not only unto young men, but unto all the people, to be stedfast and 
manly.” 

Read the next chapter that followeth, which entreateth of the seven brethren, 
and of their mother; for they did rather choose to suffer most cruel torments than 
to obey the king’s commandment, being contrary to the will of God. 

“Fear ye not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul. 
But rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body into hell. Are 
not two little sparrows sold for a farthing? And one of them shall not light on 
the ground without your Father. Yea, even all the hairs of your head are num- 
bered. Fear ye not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows. Every 
one therefore that shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my 
Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I 
also deny before my Father which is in heaven.” 

“Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod.” 

The rulers of the people and the high priests “commanded the apostles that 
they should speak no more, nor teach in the name of Jesu. But Peter and John 
answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken 
unto you more than to God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak that which we 
have seen and heard.” 

“‘When the apostles stood before the council, the chief priest asked them, saying, 
Did not we straitly command you, that ye should not teach in this name? And, 
behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s 
blood upon us. Peter and the other of the apostles answered and said, We ought 
more to obey God than men.” The rulers and the high priests, “after they had 
called the apostles before them, beat them, and straitly charged them that they 
should no more speak in the name of Jesu; and so they let them go. And they 
departed from the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer rebuke 
for his name. And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to 
teach and preach Jesus Christ.” 


OF CHRIST. 305 


OF CHRIST. 
That Christ is the alone and only author of our salvation. 


Probations out of the holy scripture. 


“T will put enmity between thee and the woman, between thy seed and her Gen. ii. 
seed. The same (seed) shall tread down thy head; and thou shalt tread upon his 
heel.” 
“In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.” Gen. xxii. 
“As for death, he (Christ) shall destroy it for ever. And the Lord God shall isai. xxv. 
Wipe away tears from all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away 
out of all the earth: for so the Lord hath said. And in that day it shall be said, 
Lo, this is our God: we have waited for him; and he shall save us. This is the 
Lord in whom we have hoped: we will be merry and rejoice in the salvation that 
cometh of him.” 
“TJ have trodden the press myself alone ; and of all people there is not one with me.” Isai. Ixiii. 
“TY will deliver them from the power of hell: from death I will defend them. os. xiii. 
O death, I will be thy death. O hell, I will be thy destruction.” “O Israel, thy 
destruction cometh of thyself; but of me only cometh thy salvation.” 
“Thou, through the blood of thy covenant, shalt let thy prisoners out of the Zech. ix. 


pit, wherein is no water.” 
“She shall bring forth a Son; and thou shalt call his name Jesus; for he shall Mate. i. 


save his people from their sins.” 
“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are Jaden; and I will ease you. Take Mate. xi. 
my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye 
shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” 
“Be not afraid; for, behold, I bring you tidings of great joy, that shall come Luke ii. 
to all people; for unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which 
is Christ the Lord.” 
“The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Rule cir? 
“Of” Christ's “fulness have all we received, even grace for grace. For the law Jonni. 
was given by Moses; but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” ‘ Behold the 
Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world.” 
“As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man John ii. 
be lifted up; that whosoever believeth in him perish not, but have everlasting life. 
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever 
believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his 
Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might 
be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned; but he that believeth not 
is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only-be- 
gotten Son of God.” “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life; but he 
that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” 
“Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him,” saith Christ, ‘shall Jonniv. 
never be more athirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well 


of water springing up into everlasting life.” 
“As the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son Johnv. 


quickeneth whom he will.” 

“YT am the bread of life. He that cometh unto me shall never hunger; and he John vi. 
that believeth in me shall never thirst.” “This is the Father’s will which hath sent 
me, that of all which he hath given me I shall lose nothing, but raise them again 
at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which 
seeth the Son, and believeth on him, have everlasting life. And I will raise him up 
at the last day.” “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath 
everlasting life.” 
20 
[ BECON, II. ] 


John viii. 


John x. 


John xi. 


John xii. 


John xvii. 


John xx. 


Acts iv. 


Acts x. 


Acts xiil. 


Acts xv. 


Rom. iii. 


Rom. viii. 


Rom. x. 


1 Cor. i. 
Jer. ix. 


2 Cor. viii. 


Gal. ii. 


Gal. iL 


Eph. i. 
Eph. ii. 


Eph. iii. 
Eph. iv. 


Col. 1. 


1 Thess. i. 


Piney 


306 THE COMMON-PLACES OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURE. 


“Except ye believe that I am, ye shall die in your sins.” “If the Son shall 
make you free, then are ye free indeed.” 

“JT am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be safe, and shall go in 
and out, and find pasture.” “I am come that they might have life, and that they 
might have it more abundantly.” ‘“ My sheep hear my voice; and I know them; 
and they follow me; and I give unto them everlasting life; and they shall never 
perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” 

““T am the resurrection and the life. He that believeth on me, yea, though he 
were dead, yet shall he live; and whosoever liveth and believeth on me shall never die.” 

“JT am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not 
abide in darkness.” 

“This is everlasting life, that they might know thee the only true God, and 
Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” 

“These things are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is Christ, the Son 
of God, and that in believing ye might have life through his name.” 

“There is salvation in none other. For among men under heaven there is given 
none other name wherein we must be saved.” 

“To him (Christ) give all the prophets witness, that through his name whoso- 
ever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.” 

“Be it known unto you, ye men and brethren, that through this man (Christ) 
is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins; and that by him ‘all that believe are 
justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses,” 

“We believe to be saved by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.” 

“There is no difference. For all have sinned, and want the glory of God, but 
are justified freely by his grace through our redemption that is in Christ Jesu; 
whom God hath set forth to be the obtainer of mercy through faith by the means 
of his blood, to declare his righteousness, in that he forgiveth the sins that are past, 
which God did suffer to shew at his time his righteousness; that he might be 
counted just, and the justifier of him which believeth on Jesus.” 

Christ “died for our sins, and rose again for our justification.” 

“We, being justified by faith, are at peace with God through our Lord Jesus 
Christ; by whom also it chanced unto us to be brought in through faith unto this 
grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” 

“ Everlasting life is the gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” 

“There is no damnation to them which are in Christ Jesu, which walk not after 
the flesh, but after the Spirit.” 

“Christ is the fulfilling of the law to justify all that believe.” 

“Christ of God is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, and holiness, and deliver- 
ance; that, as it is written, He which rejoiceth should rejoice in the Lord.” 

“Ye know the liberality of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, 
yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be made rich.” 

“Tf righteousness come by the law, then died Christ in vain.” 

“Christ delivered us from the curse of the law, which he was made accursed 
for us.” 

By Christ “we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.” 

Christ is “our peace.” 

By Christ “we have boldness and entrance with the confidence, which is by 
faith that we have in him.” 

“When” Christ “went up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.” 

“It pleased the Father that in Christ all fulness should dwell; and by him to 
reconcile all things unto himself', and to set at peace by him through the blood of 
his cross both things in heaven and things in earth.” 

Jesus Christ “delivereth us from the wrath to come.” 


“This is a true saying, and worthy to be embraced, that Jesus Christ came 
into the world to save sinners.” 





[? Folio, herse/f.] 


OF CHRIST. 307 


“There is one God, and one Mediator between God and man, even the man 1Tim. ii 
Christ Jesus, which gave himself a ransom for all men.” 

“The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John i. 

Christ “appeared to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.” “For this 1Jonnii., 
purpose appeared the Son of God, even to loose the works of the devil.” 

“In this appeared the love of God to us-ward, because that God sent his only- 1 Johniv. 
begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not 
that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the agreement for 
our sins.” 

Christ “hath by his own person purged our sins, and sitteth on the right hand Heb. i. 
of the Majesty on high.” 

Christ “by death expelled him that had lordship over death, that is to say, the Heb. ii. 
devil, and delivered them which through fear of death were all their life-time subdued 
unto bondage.” 

“ With one only oblation” Christ “hath made them perfect for ever that are sanc- Heb. x. 
tified.” 

Christ hath “loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and made Rev. i. 
us kings and priests unto God his Father: to whom be glory and dominion for ever. 
Amen.” 

Christ is that “Lamb which is in the midst of the throne,” and “shall feed us, and Rev. vii. 
lead us unto the fountains of the living water, and shall wipe away all tears from 
our eyes.” 

Christ giveth “to every one that thirsteth the water of life freely.” Christ is “ Alpha rev. xxii 
and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end” (of our salvation). 


That Christ is the alone and only head of the catholic and apostolic 
church. 


Probations out of the holy scripture. 


“Desire of me; and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the Psat. ii. 
uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt bruise them with a rod 
of iron, and break them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.” 

“Thou shalt deliver me from the strivings of the people, and thou shalt make peat xviii. 
me the head of the heathen. A people whom I have not known shall serve me: 
as soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me.” 

“David my servant shall be their king; and they all shall have one shepherd kzek. xxxvii. 
only.” 

“The children of Juda and the children of Israel shall be gathered together again, Hos. i. 
and choose themselves one head.” 

God “hath put all things under” Christ’s “feet, and hath made him above -all gpn.i. 
things the head of the congregation, which is his body, and the fulness of him that 
filleth all in all.” 

“ Let us henceforth be no more children, wavering and carried about with every Eph. iv. 
wind of doctrine, by the wiliness of men, through craftiness, whereby they lay await 
for us to deceive us. But let us follow the truth in love, and in all things grow in 
him which is the head, even Christ; in whom if all the body be coupled and knit 
together throughout every joint, wherewith one ministereth to another, according to 
the operation, as every part hath his measure, he increaseth the body unto the edifying 
of itself through love.” 

“The husband is the wife’s head, even as Christ is the head of the congregation ; Eph. v. 
and the same is he that ministereth salvation to the body.” 

“ All things were created by him (Christ) and for him; and he is before all things, col. i. 
and by him all things have their being. And he is the head of the body, even of 
the congregation.” 

20—2 


~ 


Col. ii. 


Matt. xxviii. 


Matt. xi. 


John x. 


John xiv. 


Acts lv. 


Rom. iii. 


Rom. v. 


Rom. viii. 


Eph. ii. 


Eph. iii. 


1 Tim. ii. 


1 John ii. 


Heb. iv. 


Heb. vii. 


Heb. viii. 


308 THE COMMON-PLACES OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURE. 


“In” Christ “dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead corporally; and ye are 
perfect in him, which is the head of all rule and power.” 

“ All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” “Behold, I am with you 
alway, even until the end of the world.” 


That Christ is the alone and only Mediator, Reconciliator, Advocate, 
and Intercessor of the faithful. 


Probations out of the holy scripture. 


“ All things are given over unto me of my Father. And no man knoweth the Son 
but the Father: neither knoweth any man the Father save the Son, and he to whom- 
soever the Son will open him. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are laden, 
and I will ease you. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek 
and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, 
and my burden is light.” 

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All, even as many 
as come before me, are thieves and murderers; but the sheep did not hear them. 
I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be safe, and shall go in and 
out, and find pasture.” 

“J am the way, and the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the Father, 
but by me.” 

“There is salvation in none other. Neither is there any other name given unto 
men under heaven, wherein they may be saved.” 

“There is no difference; for all have sinned, and want the glory of God, but 
they are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesu ; 
whom God hath set forth to be the obtainer of mercy through faith in his blood, to 
declare his righteousness, in that he forgiveth the sms that are past, which God 
did suffer, to shew at his time his righteousness; that he might be counted just, and 
the justifier of him which believeth on Jesus.” 

“ We, being justified by faith, are at peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ : 
by whom also it chanced unto us to be brought in through faith unto this grace wherein 
we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” 

“‘ Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s chosen? It is God that justifieth : 
who is he that can condemn? It is Christ which died, yea, rather, which is risen 
again, which is also on the right hand of God, and maketh intercession for us.” 

“By the means of Christ Jesu ye, which sometime were far off, are made nigh 
by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace.” 

“By” Christ Jesu “we have boldness and entrance (unto the Father) with the 
confidence which is by the faith of him.” 

“ There is one God, and one Mediator between God and man, even the man Christ 
Jesus, which gave himself a ransom for all men.” 

“Tf any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 
He it is that obtaineth mercy for our sins; not for our sins only, but also for the sins 
of all the world.” 

“We have a great High Priest, which is entered into heaven, even Jesus the Son 
of God. Let us hold the profession. For we have not an High Pnest which cannot 
have compassion on our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are, 
but yet without sin. Let us therefore go boldly unto the seat of grace, that we may 
obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” 

“This man (Christ), because he endureth ever, hath an everlasting priesthood. 
Wherefore he is able also ever to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by 
him ; seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for us.” 

“Christ hath obtained a priesthood so much the more excellent, as he is the Me- 
diator of a better testament, which was confirmed in better promises.” 


OF CHRIST. 309 


“Christ is not entered into the holy places that are made with hands, which are Heb. ix. 
similitudes of true things, but is entered into very heaven, for to appear now in 
the sight of God for us.” 

“By the blood of Jesu we have liberty to enter into the holy place, by the new Heb. x. 
and living way, which he hath prepared for us through the veil, that is to say, by 
his flesh.” 

“Ye are come...unto Jesus the Mediator of the new testament, and unto the Heb. xii. 
sprinkling of blood, that speaketh better than the blood of Abel.” 

“By” Christ “do we offer sacrifice of praise always to God, that is to say, the Heb. xiii 
fruit of those lips which confess his name.” 


That Christ by his blood hath not only cleansed us from original sin, but 
also from all other sins; yea, and that both from the pain and fault. 


Probations out of the holy scripture. 


“Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: which forgiveth Psat. ciii. 
all thy sins, and healeth all thine infirmities: which saveth thy life from destruction, 
and crowneth thee with mercy and loving-kindness.” 
“He (Christ) was wounded for our offences, and smitten for our wickedness. For Isai. tii, 
the chastisement of our peace was laid upon him; and with his stripes are we healed. 
As for us, we have gone all astray like sheep: every one hath turned his own way. 
But the Lord hath heaped together upon him the iniquity of us all.” “ His punishment 
did go upon him for the transgression of my people, which indeed had deserved 
that punishment.” “He shall justify the multitude; for he shall bear away their 
sins.” “He hath taken away the sins of the multitude, and made intercession for 
the misdoers.” 
God “shall put down our wickednesses, and cast all our sins into the bottom of Mic. vii. 
the sea.” 
‘Thou shalt call his name Jesus. For he shall save his people from their sins.” Matt. i. 
“The Son of man came to save that was lost.” Matt. xviii. 
“This is my blood of the new testament, that is shed for many for the remis- Matt. xxvi. 
sion of sins.” 
“The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give Markx. 
his life for the redemption of many.” 
“The Son of man did not come to destroy, but to save the lives of men.” — Lukeix. 
“Behold the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world.” John i. 
“TY am that living bread which came down from heaven, whereof whosoever John v.. 
eateth shall live for ever. The bread which I shall give is my flesh, which I shall 
give for the life of the world.” 
“T am a good shepherd. A good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.” John x. 
Christ “died for our sins, and rose again for our justification.” Rom. iv. 
“The gift is not over one sin, as death came through one sin of one that sinned. Rom. v. 
For damnation came of one sin unto condemnation; but the gift came to justify from 
many sins. For if by the sin of one death reigned by the means of one, much 
more they, which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness, shall 
reign in life by the means of one, even Jesus Christ. Likewise then as by the sin 
of one there springeth up evil on all men to condemnation, even so by the righte- 
ousness of one springeth good upon all men to the righteousness of life. For as by 
one man’s disobedience many became sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many 
be made righteous.” 
“Everlasting life is the gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Rom. vi. 
“Christ died for our sins.” 1 Cor. xv. 
“Our Lord Jesus Christ gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from Gal. i. 
this present evil world.” 


Gal. ii. 


Gal. v. 


Gal. v. 


Gal. vi. 


Eph. i. 


Eph. ii. 


Iiph. v. 


Phil. iti. 


Col. i. 


Col. ii. 


1 Thess. v. 


1 Tim. i. 


1 Tim. ii. 


Tit. ii. 


1 Pet. i. 


1 Pet. ii. 


1 Pet. iii. 


1 John i. 


310 THE COMMON-PLACES OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURE. 


“T refuse not the grace of God. For if righteousness come by the law, then died 
Christ in vain.” 

“Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and wrap not 
yourselves again in the yoke of bondage.” “Christ is become but in vain unto you: 
as many of you as are justified by the law are fallen from grace. We look for and 
hope in the Spirit through faith. For in Jesu Christ neither is circumcision any thing 
worth, neither yet uncircumcision, but faith which worketh by love.” 

“God forbid that I should rejoice, but in the cross (that is to say, in the passion 
and death) of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 

“In Christ we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.” 

“Now by the means of Christ Jesu ye which sometimes were far off are made 
nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, which hath made of both one, 
and hath broken down the wall that was a stop between us, and hath also put away 
through his flesh the cause of hatred, even the law of commandments contained in 
the law written; for to make of twain one new man in himself, so making peace, 
and to reconcile both unto God in one body through the cross, and slew hatred 
thereby, and came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that 
were nigh. For through him we both have an entrance in one Spirit unto the 
Father.” 

“ Christ loved us, and gave himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice of a sweet 
savour to God.” 

“The things that were vantage unto me, those I counted loss for Christ’s sake. 
Yea, I think all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesu 
my Lord; for whom I have counted all things loss, and do judge them but vile, that 
I may win Christ and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness of the 
law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, even the righteousness which 
cometh of God through faith; that I may know him, and the virtue of his resurrec- 
tion, and the fellowship of his passions.” 

“Tt pleased the Father that in Christ all fulness should dwell; and by him to 
reconcile all thing unto himself, and to set at peace by him through the blood of his 
cross both things in heaven and things in earth.” 

“When ye were dead through sin, and through the uncircumcision of your flesh, 
God quickened you with Christ, and hath forgiven us all our trespasses, and hath 
put out the hand-writing that was against us contained in the law written; and 
that hath he taken out of the way, and hath fastened it to his cross, and hath 
spoiled rule and power, and hath made a shew of them openly, and hath triumphed 
over them in his own person.” 

“God hath not appointed us unto wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord 
Jesu Christ, which died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live to- 
gether with him.” 

“Tt is a true saying, and worthy to be embraced, that Christ Jesus came into 
the world to save sinners.” 

“The man Christ Jesus gave himself a ransom for all men.” 

“Our Saviour Jesus Christ gave himself for us to redeem us from all unrighte- 
eae and to purge us a peculiar people unto himself, fervently given unto good 
works. 

“Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your 
vain conversation, which ye received by the tradition of the fathers, but with the 
precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb" undefiled and without spot.” 

Christ “bare our sins in his body on the tree, that we, being delivered from 
sin, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. For ye were 
as ae going astray ; but ye are now turned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your 
souls. 

“Christ hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, to bring us unto God.” 

“The blood of Jesu Christ cleanseth us from all sin.” 


[1 Folio, lampe.] 


OF CHRIST. 311 


Christ “ obtaineth mercy for our sins, not for our sins only, but also for the iJonnii. 
sins of the whole world.” 

“Ye know that Christ appeared to take away our sins, and in him is no sin.” 1 John iii. 
‘For this purpose appeared the Son of God, to loose the works of the devil.” 

“Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son 1 John iv. 
to be the agreement for our sins.” 

“Tf the blood of oxen and of goats, and the ashes of a young cow when it was Heb. ix. 
sprinkled, purifieth the unclean, as touching the purifying of the flesh; how much 
more shall the blood of Christ, which through the eternal Spirit offered himself without 
spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works for to serve the living God ?” 

“ Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and made Rev. i. 
us kings and priests unto God his Father, be glory and dominion for ever. Amen.” 


That the death of Christ is the only and alone propitiatory, expiatory, 
and satisfactory sacrifice for all the sins of the world. 


Probations out of the holy scripture. 


“What is he that cometh from Edom, with red-coloured clothes of Bosya (whicl: Isai. Ixii. 
is so costly cloth), and cometh in so mightily with all his strength? I am he that 
teacheth righteousness, and am of power to help. Wherefore then is thy clothing red, 
and thy raiment like his that treadeth in the wine-press? I have trodden the press 
myself alone; and of all people there is not one with me.” 


“T will take away the sin of the land in one day.” weit, Ai 
“TJ have finished the work, O Father, which thou gavest me to do.” John xvii. 
* As soon as Jesus received of the vinegar, he said, It is finished.” John xix. 


“God setteth out his love toward us, seeing, while we were yet sinners, Christ Rom. v. 
died for us. Much more then now we that are justified by his blood shall be saved 
from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God 
by the death of his Son, much more, seeing we are reconciled, we shall be preserved 
by his life.” ‘As by the sin of one there spring up evil on all men to condem- 
nation, even so by the righteousness of one springeth good upon all men to the 
righteousness of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many became sinners, so 
by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.” 

God “made” his Son “to be sin (that is to say, a sacrifice for sin) for us, which 2 Cor. v. 
knew no sin; that we by his means should be that righteousness which before God 
is allowed.” 

Christ, “‘ because he endureth ever, hath an everlasting priesthood. Wherefore he ueb. vii. 
is able also even to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, 
seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for us. For such an High Priest it became 
us to have, which is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, made higher 
than heaven; which needeth not daily, as yonder high priests, to offer up sacrifice, 
first for his own sins*, and then for the people’s. For that did he once, when he 
offered up himself.” 

“Christ, being an High Priest of good things to come, came by a greater and Heb. ix. 
more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building ; 
neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into 
the holy place, and found eternal redemption. For if the blood of oxen and of goats, 
and the ashes of a young cow when it was sprinkled, purifieth the unclean, as 
touching the purifying of the flesh ; how much more shall the blood of Christ, which 
through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience 
from dead works for to serve the living God? And for this cause is he the Mediator 
of the new testament, that through death, which chanced for the redemption of those 
transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive 
the promise of eternal inheritance.” “ Without shedding of blood there is no remis- 





[? Folio, for our sins. ] 


Heb. ix. 


Heb. x. 
Psal. x}. 


Heb. x. 


Jer. xXXxi. 


1 Pet. iii. 


Deut. xviii. 


Isai. li. 


[Isai. xi.] 


312 THE COMMON-PLACES OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURE. 


sion.” “Christ is not entered into the holy places that are made with hands, which 
are similitudes of true things, but is entered into very heaven, for to appear now 
in the sight of God for us: not to offer himself often, as the high priest entereth 
into the holy place every year with strange blood; for then must he have often 
suffered since the world began. But now in the end of the world hath he appeared 
once to put sin to flight by the offering up of himself. And as it is appointed 
unto all men that they shall once die, and then cometh the judgment, even so Christ 
was once offered to take away the sins of many; and unto them that look for him 
shall he appear again without sin unto salvation.” 

“The blood of oxen and of goats cannot take away sins. Wherefore when he 
(Christ) cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not 
have, but a body hast thou ordained me. Burnt-offerings also for sin hast thou 
not allowed. Then said I, Lo, I am here. In the beginning of the book it is written 
of me, that I should do thy will, O God. Above when he saith, Sacrifice and 
offering and burnt sacrifices and sin-offerings thou wouldest not have, neither hast 
thou allowed them (which yet are offered by the law), then said he, Lo, I am here 
to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first to stablish the latter; by which 
will we are made holy, even by the offering of the body of Jesu Christ once for all. 
Every priest is ready daily ministering, and offering oftentimes one manner of oblation, 
which can never take away sins. But this man, after he hath offered one sacrifice 
for sins, is set down for ever on the right hand of God, and from henceforth tar- 
rieth till his foes be made his foot-stool. For with one offering hath he made perfect 
for ever them that are sanctified. The Holy Ghost himself also beareth us record, 
even when he told before, This is the testament that I will make unto them after 
those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws in their hearts, and in their minds 
will I write them; and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. And 
where remission of these things is, there is no more offering for sin.” 

“Christ hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, to bring us to God.” 


That Christ is the alone and only teacher of truth. 


Probations out of the holy scripture. 


“J will raise up a prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee’, and I 
will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall 
command him. And whosoever will not hearken unto the words which he shall 
speak in my name, I will require it of him.” 

“Tt shall be in the last day, that the hill where the house of the Lord is 
builded shall be the chief among hills, and exalted above all little hills. And all 
nations shall press unto him, and the multitude of people shall go, speaking thus 
one to another, Up, let us go to the hill of the Lord, and to the house of the God 
of Jacob, that he may shew us his way, and that we may walk in his paths. For 
the law shall come out of Sion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem, and 
shall give sentence among the heathen, and shall reform the multitude of people. 
They shall break their swords also into mattocks, and their spears to make scythes. 
And one people shall not lift up a weapon against another, neither shall they learn 
to fight from thenceforth.” 

“There shall come a rod forth of the kindred of Isay, and a blossom shall 
flourish out of his root. The Spirit of the Lord shall light upon him, the spirit of 
wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and strength, the spirit of know- 
ledge and of the fear of the Lord, and shall make him fervent in the fear of God. 
For he shall not give sentence after the thing that shall be brought before his eyes, 
neither reprove a matter at the first hearing; but with righteousness shall he judge 
the poor, and with holiness shall he reform the simple of the world. He shall smite 
the world with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his mouth shall he 
slay the ungodly,” &e. 


[! Folio, them.] 


OF CHRIST. 313 


“Behold, this is my servant, upon whom I lean, my elect, in whom my soul is Isai. xiii. 
pacified. I have given my Spirit, that he may shew forth judgment and equity 
among the gentiles. He shall not be an outcrier, nor lift up his voice. His voice 
shall not be heard in the streets; and a bruised reed shall he not break, and the 
smoking flax shall he not quench: but faitlifully and truly shall he give judgment, 
not be pensive nor careful, that he may restore righteousness unto the earth; and the 
gentiles also shall keep his laws.” “I will defend thee, and give thee for a covenant 
of the people, and to be the light of the gentiles, that thou mayest open the eyes 
of the blind, let out the prisoners from their bonds, and them that sit in darkness 
out of the dungeon-house.” 

“IT am the Lord thy God, which teach thee profitable things, and lead thee the Isai. xviii. 
way that thou shouldest go.” 

“T have made thee the light of the gentiles, that thou mayest be my health Ii. xlix. 
unto the end of the world.” 

“The Lord hath given me a well-learned tongue; so that I can comfort them Isai.1. 
which are troubled, yea, and that in due season.” 

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me; for the Lord hath anointed me, and sent Isai. Ixi. 
me to preach good tidings unto the poor; that I might bind up the wounded hearts, 
that I might preach deliverance to the captive, and open the prison to them that 
are bound; that I might declare the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of 
the vengeance of our God; that I might comfort all them that are in heaviness,” &c. 

“T will raise up unto my sheep one only shepherd, even my servant David: he Ezek. xxxiv. 
shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd. I the Lord will be their God; and 
my servant David shall be their prince. Even I the Lord have spoken it.” 

“This is my dearly-beloved Son, in whom [ have a singular delight: hear ye him.” Matt. xvii. 

“Let us go,” saith Christ, “into the next towns, that I may preach there also; Marki. 
for therefore am I come.” 

“T must preach,” saith Christ, “the kingdom of God to other cities also: for Luke iv. 
therefore am I sent.” 

““No man hath seen God at any time. The only-begotten Son, which is in the Johni. 
bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.” 

“ Master, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man could John iii. 
do such miracles as thou dost, except God were with him.” 

““ Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God truly, nei- Matt. xxii. 
ther carest thou for any man; for thou regardest not the outward appearance of men.” 

“We know,” said the woman of Samaria, “that Messias shall come, which is John iv. 
called Christ. When he is come, he will tell us all things. Jesus said unto her, I 
that speak unto thee am he.” 

“The words that I speak unto you are spirit and life.” “ Jesus said to his twelve John vi. 
disciples, Will ye also go your way? Simon Peter answered, Lord, unto whom should 
I go? Thou hast the words of everlasting life; and we believe and know that thou 
art Christ, the Son of the living God.” 

“My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. If any man will be obedient John vii. 
to his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak 
of myself. He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own praise. But he that seeketh 
his praise that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.” 

“JT am the light of the world. He that followeth me walketh not in darkness, Jonn vii. 
but shall have the light of life.” “ He that sent me is true. And I speak in the 
world those things which I have heard of him.” “As my Father hath taught me, 
even so I speak.” “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my very disciples, and 
ye shall know the truth; and the truth shall make you free.” ‘ Which of you re- 
buketh me of sin? If I say the truth, why do not ye believe me? He that is 
of God heareth God’s words. Ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.” 

* All, even as many as came before me, are thieves and murderers; but the Johnx. 
sheep did not hear them.” ‘I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and 
am known of mine.” ‘‘ My sheep hear my voice; and I know them; and they follow 
me; and I give them everlasting life.” 


John xii. 


John xiv. 


John xvii. 


John xviii. 


Gal. i. 


1 Tim. vi. 


2 John. 


Psal. xlvii. 


Psal. Ixviii. 


Matt. xxiv. 


Matt. xxviii. 


314 THE COMMON-PLACES OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURE. 


“T am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not 
abide in darkness. And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him 
not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. He that refuseth 
me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him. The word that I have 
spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. For I have not spoken of my- 
self; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, 
and what I should speak. And I know that his commandment is life everlasting. 
Whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father bade me, so I speak.” 

““T am the way, and the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the Father, 
but by me.” “If aman love me, he will keep my sayings; and my Father will love 
him; and we will come unto him, and dwell with him. He that loveth me not 
keepeth not my sayings. And the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's 
which sent me.” ‘The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom my Father will 
send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your re- 
membrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” 

“JT have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have re- 
ceived them.” 

“For this cause was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I 
should bear witness unto the truth. And all that are of the truth hear my voice.” 

“Though we ourselves, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto 
you, than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said 
before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that 
ye have received, let him be accursed.” 

“Tf any man follow other doctrine, and incline not unto the wholesome words of 
our Lord Jesu Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness, he is 
puffed up, and knoweth nothing, but wasteth his brains about questigns and strife 
of words, whereof spring envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, vain disputation of 
men that have corrupt minds and that are robbed of the truth, which think that lucre 
is godliness. From them that are such separate thyself.” 

“Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. 
He that endureth in the doctrine of Christ hath both the Father and the Son. If 
there come any unto you, and bring not this learning, him receive not to house, nei- 
ther bid him God speed. For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his 
evil deeds.” 


That Christ, as concerning his human nature, is not (as the papists dream) 
in every place, but only in heaven, sitting on the right hand of God 
the Father. 


Probations out of the holy scripture. 


“God is gone up with a merry noise, and the Lord with the sound of the trump.” 
“God reigneth over the heathen: God sitteth upon his holy seat. The princes of 
the people are joined unto the people of the God of Abraham; for God, which is 
very high exalted, doth defend the earth, as it were with a shield.” 

“Thou art gone up on high: thou hast led captivity captive, and received gifts 
for men.” 

“Tf any man say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For 
there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great miracles and 
wonders ; insomuch that, if it were possible, the very elect should be deceived. Be- 
hold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they say unto you, Behold, he is in the 
desert ; go not ye forth: behold, he is in the secret places; believe it not: for as the 
lightning cometh out of the east, and appeareth in the west, so shall the coming of 
the Son of man be.” 

“The angel said to the women, Fear ye not. For I know that ye seek Jesus, 
which was crucified. He is not here. He is risen, as he said. Come, see the place 


OF CHRIST. 315 


where the Lord was laid. And go quickly and tell his disciples that he is risen 
again from the dead. And, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee: there ye shall 
see him. Lo, I have told you.” 

“When the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received into heaven, and is Mark xvi. 
set on the right hand of God.” 

“Tt came to pass that, when Jesus had blessed them, he departed from them, Luke xxiv. 
and was carried up into heaven.” 

“Ye shall have the poor alway with you; but me ye shall not have alway.” John xii. 

“JT go to prepare a place for you. And if I go to prepare a place for you, John xiv. 
I will come again, and receive you even unto myself; that where I am, there 
may ye be also.” “If ye loved me ye would rejoice, because I said that I go to 
the Father.” 

“ Now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me whither John xvi. 
I go. But because I have said such things unto you, your hearts are full of sorrow. 
Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is expedient for you that I go my way. For 
if I go not away, that Comforter will not come unto you: but if I depart, I 
will send him unto you.” “I went out from the Father, and came into the world. 
Again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.” 

“When” Christ “had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up Actsi. 
on high; and a cloud received him up out of their sight. And while they looked sted- 
fastly up toward heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel ; 
which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same 
Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come even as ye have seen 
him going up into heaven.” 

“ Jesus Christ...must receive heaven until the time of all things, which God hath Actsiii. 
spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began, be restored 
again.” 

“The Most Highest dwelleth not in temples made with man’s hand.” Stephen, Acts vii. 
“full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly with his eyes into heaven, and saw 
the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, and said, Behold, 

I see the heavens open, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.” 

“Tt is Christ which died, yea, rather, which is risen again; which is also on the Rom. viii. 
right hand of God, and maketh intercession for us.” 

“As often as ye shall eat this bread, and drink of this cup, ye shall shew the 1 Cor. xi. 
Lord’s death till he come.” 

God “raised Christ from the dead, and set him on his right hand in heavenly Fph.i. 
things, above all rule, and power, and might, and dominion, and above every name 
that is named, not in this world only, but also in the world to come.” 

“Tf ye be risen again with Christ, seek those things which are above, where coi. iii. 
Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.” ‘‘ Whensoever Christ, which is our life, shall 
shew himself, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.” 

“Our conversation is in heaven; from whence we look for the Saviour, even the phil. iii. 
Lord Jesus Christ ; which shall change our vile body, that he may make it like unto 
his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able also to subdue all things 
to himself.” 

“The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, and the voice of the 1 Thess. iv. 
archangel, and trumpet of God.” 

“God was shewed in the flesh, was justified in the Spirit, was seen among the 1 rim. iii. 
angels, was preached unto the gentiles, was believed on in the world, and received 
up in glory.” 

Christ “hath by his own person purged our sins, and sitteth on the right hand Heb. i. 
of the Majesty on high.” 

“This man (Christ), after he hath offered one sacrifice for sins, is set down for Heb. x. 
ever on the right hand of God, and from henceforth tarrieth till his foes be made 
his foot-stool.” 

“Let us run with patience unto the battle that is set before us, looking unto Heb. xii. 
Jesus, the captain and finisher of our faith; which for the joy that was set before 


1 Pet. iii. 


Num. xxiii. 


1 Sam. xv, 


Job xxxiii. 


Isai. xiv. 


Tsai. xl. 


Mal. iii. 


Psal. xxxiii. 


Rom. xi. 


1 Cor. i. 


1 Thess. v. 
2 Thess. iii. 


2 Tim. ii. 


Exod. xxxiii. 


Deut. vii. 


1 Sam. xii. 


Isai. x1 viii. 


Jer. i. 


Ezek. xxxvi. 


316 THE COMMON-PLACES OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURE. 


him abode the cross, and despised the shame, and is set down on the right hand of 
the throne of God.” 

“Jesus Christ is on the nght hand of God, and is gone into heaven, angels, 
powers, and might subdued unto him.” 


OF ELECTION. 
That God’s election is certain and unchangeable. 


Probations out of the holy scripture. 


“God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should 
repent. Should he say, and not do? or should he speak, and not make it good ?” 

“The Strength of Israel will not beguile nor repent. For he is not a man, that 
can repent.” 

When God doth once command a thing, there should no man be curious to search 
whether it be right. 

“If the Lord of hosts determine a thing, who is able to disannul it? And if he 
stretch forth his hand, who may hold it again?” 

“The word of our God endureth for ever.” 

“T am the Lord, that change not.” 

“The counsel of the Lord shall endure for ever, and the thoughts of his heart 
from generation to generation.” 

“Verily the gifts and calling of God are such that it cannot repent him of 
them.” 

“God is faithful, by whom ye are called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus 
Christ our Lord.” 

“Faithful is he which called you, which will also do it.” 

“‘ All men have not faith. But the Lord is faithful, which shall stablish you, 
and preserve you from evil.” 

“The sure ground of God standeth still, and hath this seal, The Lord knoweth 
them that are his.” 


That God’s election is free and undeserved. 


Probations out of the holy scripture. 


“T will shew mercy to whom I will shew mercy, and will have compassion on 
whom I will have compassion.” 

“The Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a several people unto himself, above 
all nations that are upon the earth. It was not because of the multitude of you 
above all nations, that the Lord had lust unto you and chose you; seeing ye are fewest 
of all nations: but because the Lord loved you, and because he would keep the 
oath which he had sworn to your fathers.” 

“The Lord will not forsake his people because of his great name’s sake; because 
it hath pleased the Lord to make you his people.” 

“T knew that thou wouldest maliciously offend: therefore have I called thee a 
transgressor even from thy mother’s womb. Nevertheless for mine own name’s sake 
I will withdraw my wrath; and it shall be for my honour’s sake, if I patiently for- 
bear thee, and root thee not out. Behold, I have purged thee, yet not as silver. I 
have chosen thee in the fire of affliction, and that only for mine own sake: yea, even 
for mine own sake will I do this.” 

“Before I fashioned thee in thy mother’s womb, I did know thee; and or ever 
thou wast born, I sanctified thee, and ordained thee to be a prophet unto the 
people.” 

“Thus saith the Lord God, I do not this for your sake, O house of Israel, but 
for my holy name’s sake.” 


OF ELECTION. 317 


“T thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these Matt. xi. 
things from the wise and prudent, and hast shewed them to babes. Verily, Father, 
even so was it thy good pleasure.” 

“Fear not, little flock ; for it is your Father's pleasure to give you the kingdom.” Luke xii. 

“Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you to go and Johnxv. 
bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain.” 

“Rebecca was with child by one, even by our father Isaac. For before the Rom. ix. 
children were born, when they had neither done good, neither bad, that the purpose 
of God by election might stand, it was said unto her, not by the reason of works, 
but by the caller, The elder shall serve the younger; as it is written, Jacob have Gen. xxv. 
T loved, but Esau have I hated. What shall we say then? Is there any unrighteous- ree 
ness with God? God forbid. For he saith to Moses, I will shew mercy to whom- 
soever I shew mercy, and will have compassion on whomsoever I have compassion. So 
lieth it not then in a man’s will, or running, but in the mercy of God. For the 
scripture saith unto Pharao, Even for this same purpose have [I stirred thee up, to Exod. ix. 
shew my power on thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the 
world. So hath he merey on whom he will, and whom he will he maketh hard- 
hearted. Thou wilt say then unto me, Why then blameth he us yet? for who 
hath been able to resist his will? But, O man, what art thou which disputest with 
God? Shall the work say to the workman, Why hast thou made me on this Isai. xlv. 


Xiv. 


fashion? Hath not the potter power over the clay, even of the same lump to make Eeclus. 
one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? Even so God, willing to shew seri 
his wrath, and to make his power known, suffered with long patience the foe of 

wrath ordained to damnation; and to declare the riches of his glory on the vessels 

of mercy, which he had prepared unto glory, whom also he called, not of the Jews 

only, but also of the gentiles,” &c. 

“At this time is there a remnant (of the Israelites) left according to the election Rom. xi. 
of grace. If it be given of grace, then is it not now of works: for then grace is no 
more grace. But if it be of works, then is it now no grace: for then were deserving 
no more deserving. What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh; 
but the election hath obtained it: the remnant are blinded.” “O the deepness of the 
riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judg- 
ments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord ? wisa. ix. 
or who hath been his eoeeelige? Either who hath given to him first, and he shall Hees 
be recompensed again? For of him, and through him, and for him, are all things. 

To him be glory for ever. Amen.” 

** Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which hath blessed us Ep®-i- 
with all manner of spiritual blessing in heavenly things by Christ, according as he 
had chosen us in him before the foundations of the world were laid, that we should 
be holy and without blame before him through love. Which ordained us before through 
Jesus Christ to be heirs’ unto himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to 
the praise of the glory of his grace, wherewith he hath made us accepted through 
the Beloved: by whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness 
of sins, according to the riches of grace.’ 

“We were by nature the children of wrath, even as well as other. But God, gpn. ii 
which is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were 
dead by sins, quickened us together in Christ (by grace are ye saved), and raised us 
up together with him, and made us sit together with him among them of heaven in 
Christ Jesu.” “By grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves. 

It is the gift of God, and cometh not of works, lest any man should boast himself.” 

“We are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the 2 Thess. ii. 
Lord, for because that God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through 
sanctifying of the Spirit, and through believing oa the truth; whereunto he called 
you by our gospel, to obtain the glory of our herd Jesu Chet i 


“God hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our deeds, 2 Tim. i. 





[} Folio, hearers. ] 


2 Tim. ii. 


Tit. ili. 


James i. 


1 Pet. i. 


1 John iii. 


1 John iv. 


Psal. Ixv. 


Isai. xiii. 


Isai. xlix. 


Isai. 1. 


Tsai. liv. 


Matt. xvi. 


318 THE COMMON-PLACES OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURE. 


but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us through Christ Jesu 
before the world began, but is now declared openly by the appearing of our Saviour 
Jesu Christ, which hath put away death, and hath brought life and immortality unto 
light through the gospel.” 

“The sure ground of God standeth still, and hath this seal, The Lord knoweth 
them that are his.” 

““Not by the deeds of righteousness which we wrought, but according to his mercy 
hath he saved us.” 

“Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be the first- 
fruits of his creatures.” 

“‘God...according to his abundant mercy begat us again unto a lively hope, by that 
that Jesus Christ rose again from death, to an inheritance immortal, and undefiled, 
and that perisheth not, reserved in heaven for you, which are kept by the power of 
God throngh faith unto salvation.” 

“‘ Behold, what love the Father hath shewed on us, that we should be called the 
sons of God.” 

“Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son 
to be the agreement for our sins.” 


That God’s elect and chosen cannot perish. 


Probations out of the holy scripture. 


“‘ Blessed is the man whom thou choosest and receivest unto thee: he shall dwell 
in thy court, and shall be satisfied with the pleasures of thy house, even of thy holy 
temple.” 

“The Lord that made thee and fashioned thee, O Israel, saith thus, Fear not; 
for I have redeemed thee: I have called thee by name: thou art mine own. If thou 
goest through the water, I will be with thee, that the strong floods should not pluck 
thee away. And if thou walkest through the fire, it shall not burn thee; and the 
flame shall not kindle upon thee. For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of 
Israel, thy Saviour.” 

“Rejoice, ye heavens ; and sing praises, thou earth. Talk of joy, ye hills; for God 
hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his that be in trouble. But 
Sion said, God hath forsaken, and my Lord hath forgotten me. Will a wife forget 
the child of her womb, and not pity the son whom she hath borne? And though 
she do forget, yet will not I forget thee. Behold, I have written thee up upon my 
hands: thy walls are ever in my sight.” 

“He is at hand that justifieth me: who will then go with me to law? Let us 
stand one against another: if there be any that will reason with me, let him come 
here forth to me. Behold, the Lord God standeth by me: what is he then that can 
condemn me? Lo, they shall be like as an old cloth: the moth shall eat them up.” 

“Fear not; for thou shalt not be confounded. Be not ashamed; for thou shalt not 
come to confusion. Yea, thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not re- 
member the dishonour of thy widowhead. For he that made thee shall be thy Lord 
and husband, whose name is the Lord of hosts; and thy Redeemer shall be even the 
Holy One of Israel, the Lord of the whole world. For the Lord hath called thee, 
being as a desolate sorrowful woman, and as a young wife that hath broken her 
wedlock, saith thy God. A little while have I forsaken thee, but with great merci- 
fulness shall I take thee up unto me. When I was angry, I hid my face from thee 
for a little season; but through everlasting mercy have I pardoned thee, saith the 
Lord thy Redeemer.” ‘The mountains shall remove, and the hills shall fall down; 
but my loving-kindness shall not move, and the bond of my peace shall not fall 
down from thee, saith the Lord, thy merciful lover.” 

“Thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my congregation: and the 
gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” 


OF ELECTION. 319 


“ All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to Jonnwi. 
me I cast not away. For I came down from heaven not to do that I will, but that 
he vill which hath sent me. And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that 
of all which he hath given me I shall lose nothing, but raise them again at the last 
day.” 
“My sheep hear my voice; and I know them; and they follow me; and I give Jonnx. 
unto them everlasting life: and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck 
them out of my hand. My Father which gave them me, is greater than all; 
and no man is able to take them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father 
are one. 
“When Jesus loved his which were in the world, unto the end he loved them.” John xiii. 
“Those that thou gavest me have I kept; and none of them is lost, but that lost John xvii. 
child, that the scripture might be fulfilled.” 
“When the gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord, Acts xiii. 
and believed, even as many as were ordained unto everlasting life.” 
“We know that all things work for the best unto them that love God, which Rom. viii. 
also are called of purpose. For those which he knew before, he also ordained before, 
that they should be like-fashioned unto the shape of his Son, that he might be the 
first-begotten Son among many brethren. Moreover whom he appointed before, them 
also he called ; and whom he hath called, them also he justified ; and whom he justified, 
them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God be on 
our side, who can be against us? Which spared not his own Son, but gave him- 
self for us all; how can it be that with him he should not give us all things 
also? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s chosen? It is God that jus- 
tifieth : who is he that can condemn ?” 
“The sure ground of God standeth still, and hath this seal, The Lord knoweth 2 Tim. ii. 
them that are his.” 
“They went out from us; but they were not of us. For if they had been of us, 1Johnii. 
they would no doubt have continued with us; but that it might appear that they 
were not of us.” 


OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURE. 


That the holy scripture is a doctrine sound, certain, true, and in all points 
absolutely perfect: in the which, as in a most plentiful and rich store- 
house, thou mayest abundantly find whatsoever is even to the uttermost 
sufficient and necessary unto salvation and everlasting life. 


Probations out of the holy scripture. 


“Ye shall put nothing to the word which I command you, neither do ought Deut. iv. 
therefrom, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God, which I 
command you.” 

“Take heed that ye do indeed as the Lord your God hath commanded you, and Deut. v. 
turn not aside either to the mght hand or to the left, but walk in all the ways 
which the Lord your God hath commanded you; that ye may live, and that it may 
go well with you, and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall 
possess.” 

““Whatsoever I command you, that take heed ye do; and put thou nought thereto, Deut. xii. 
nor take ought therefrom.” 

“Take ye heed, and do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, Josh. xxiii. 
that ye bow not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left.” 

“The law of the Lord is an undefiled law, converting the soul: the testimony Psal. xix. 
of the Lord is sure, and giveth wisdom to the simple. The statutes of the Lord are 
right, and rejoice the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, and giveth light 
unto the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, and endureth for ever: the judg- 


Psal. exix. 


Prov. xxx. 


Tsai. viii. 


Isai. xxx. 


Jer. vii. 


Jer. xxiii. 


Ezek. xx. 


Luke xvi. 


John iy. 


John v. 


John viii. 


John x. 


John xiv. 


John xvi. 


John xx. 


Acts xvii. 


Acts xx. 


320 THE COMMON-PLACES OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURE. 


ments of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they 
than gold, yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honey-comb. 
Moreover, by them is thy servant taught; and in keeping of them there is great 
reward.” 

“Thy word, O Lord, is a lantern to my feet, and a light to my path-ways.” 

“ All the words of God are pure and clean; for he is a shield unto all them that 
put their trust in him. Put thou nothing to his words; lest he reprove thee, and 
thou be found a liar.” 

“Tf they say unto you, Ask counsel at the soothsayers, witches, charmers, and 
conjurers ; then make them this answer, Is there a people any where that asketh not 
counsel at his God? Should men run unto the dead for the living? If any man 
want light, let him look upon the law and the testimony, whether they speak not 
after this meaning. If he do not this, he stumbleth and suffereth hunger. And if 
he suffer hunger, he is out of patience, and blasphemeth his king and his God.” 

“This is the way: walk ye in it. Turn not aside, neither to the right hand nor 
to the left.” 

‘““Hearken, and obey my voice; and I shall be your God; and ye shall be my 
people ; so that ye walk in all the ways which I have commanded you, that ye may 
prosper.” 

“What hath chaff and wheat to do together? saith the Lord. Is not my word 
like a fire? saith the Lord; and like an hammer that breaketh the hard stone?” 

“JT gave them my commandments, and shewed them my laws, which whoso 
keepeth shall live in them.” 

“They have Moses and the prophets: let them hear them.” 

“T know that Messias shall come, which is called Christ. When he is come, he 
will tell us all things.” 

“ Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him 
that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into damnation, but is escaped 
from death unto life.” 

“T am the light of the world. He that will follow me shall not walk in dark- 
ness, but he shall have the light of life.” “If ye continue in my word, then ye are 
my very disciples, and ye shall know the truth; and the truth shall make you free.” 
“He that is of God heareth God’s words. Ye therefore hear them not, because ye 
are not of God.” 

“My sheep hear my voice; and I know them; and they follow me; and I give 
unto them everlasting life.’ “A stranger they will not follow, but will fly from 
him ; for they know not the voice of strangers.” 

“T am the way, the truth, and the life.” “The Holy Ghost, whom the Father 
shall send in my name, he shall teach you all things.” 

“When he shall come, which is the Spirit of truth, he shall lead you into all 
truth.” 

“These things are written, that ye may believe that Jesus is Christ the Son of 
God, and that ye believing may have life through his name.” 

“These were the noblest of birth among them of Thessalonica, which received the 
word with all diligence of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those 
things were even so.” 

“T take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. For 
I have spared no labour, but have shewed you all the counsel of God.” 

“YT am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ; for it is the power of God unto 
salvation to every one that believeth.” 

“Faith cometh by hearing; and hearing cometh by the word of God.” 

““Whatsoever things are written aforetime, they are written for our learning, that 
we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.” 

“Though we ourselves, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto 
you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said 
before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that 
ye have received, let him be accursed.” 


OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURE. 321 


“Though it be but a man’s testament, yet, if it be allowed, no man despiseth it, Gal. iii 
or addeth any thing thereto.” 

“As many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy.” [Gal. vi] 

‘Now ye are not strangers and foreigners, but citizens with the saints, and of the kph. ii. 
household of God, and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, aor 
Jesus Christ himself being the head corner-stone; in whom what building soever is 
coupled together, it groweth into an holy temple in the Lord: in whom ye also 
are built together to be an habitation of God through the Holy Ghost.” 

“If any man follow other doctrine, and incline not unto the wholesome words of ! Tim. vi. 
our Lord Jesu Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness, he is 
puffed up, and knoweth nothing, but. wasteth his brains about questions and strife 
of words; whereof spring envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, vain disputation of 
men that have corrupt minds, and that are robbed of the truth, which think that 
lucre is godliness. From them that are such separate thyself.” 

“* Continue thou in the things which thou hast learned, which also were committed 2 Tim. iii. 
unto thee, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; and forasmuch also as thou of 
a child hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee learned unto 
salvation through the faith which is in Christ Jesu. All scripture given by inspiration 
of God is profitable to teach, to improve, to amend, and to instruct in righteousness; 
that the man of God may be perfect, and prepared unto all good works.” 

“* Lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of maliciousness, and receive with meek- James i. 
ness the word that is graffed in you, which is able to save your souls.” 

** Lay aside all maliciousness, and all guile, and feignedness, and envy, and all back- 1 Pet. ii. 
biting ; and as new-born babes desire ye that milk (not of the body, but of the soul) 
which is without deceit, that ye may grow thereby (unto salvation).” 

“We have a right sure word of prophecy; whereunto if ye take heed, as unto a 2 Pet.i. 
light that shineth in a dark place, ye do well, until the day dawn, and the day-star 
arise in your hearts; so that ye first know this, that no prophecy in the scripture 
hath any private interpretation. For the scripture came never by the will of man; 
but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” 

“* Whosoever transgresseth, and bideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. 2 John. 
He that endureth in the doctrine of Christ hath both the Father and the Son. If there 
come any unto you, and bring not this learning, him receive not to house, neither bid 
him God speed. For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.” 

“The word of God is quick, and mighty in operation, and sharper than any two- Heb. iv. 
edged sword, and entereth thorough even unto the dividing asunder of the soul and 
the spirit, and of the joints and the marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and 
of the intents of the heart.” 

“T testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, Rev. xxii. 
if any man shall add to these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are 
written in this book. And if any man shall minish of the words of the book of this 
prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy 
city, and from the things which are written in this book.” 


OF THE CHURCH. 


That the true, holy, catholic, and apostolic church do not lean unto the 
decrees of men, but unto the doctrine of Christ. 


Probations out of the holy scripture. 


“Up, let us go to the hill of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob ; that tsai. ii. 
he may shew us his way, and that we may walk in his paths.” 

“No man shall do evil unto another: no man shall destroy another in all the hill tai. xi. 
of my holiness. For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, even as 
the sea floweth over with water.” 

“Though all this be come upon us, yet do we not forget thee, nor behave our- pasa. xiiv. 


selves frowardly in thy covenant. Our heart is not turned back, neither our steps 


[BECON, 111. ] a) 


Psal. Ixxxiv. 


Psal. xxvi. 


Psal. exix. 


322 THE COMMON-PLACES OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURE. 


gone out of their way. No, not when thou hast smitten us into the place of dragons, 
and covered us with the shadow of death. If we have forgotten the name of our 
God, and holden up our hands to any strange god, shall not God search it out? 
for he knoweth the very secrets of the heart. For thy sake also are we killed all 
the day long, and are counted as sheep appointed to be slain.” 

“¢ Blessed are they that dwell in thy house, O Lord; for they will be alway praising 
thee. Blessed is that man whose strength is in thee; and in whose heart are thy ways.” 
“One day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a door-keeper in 
the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of ungodliness. For the Lord God 
is a light and defence: the Lord will give grace and worship; and no good thing 
shall he withhold from them that live a godly life. O Lord God of hosts, blessed 
is the man that putteth his trust in thee.” 

“Thy loving-kindness is ever before mine eyes; and I will walk in thy truth. 
I have not dealt with vain persons; neither will I have fellowship with the de- 
ceitful. I have hated the congregation of the wicked, and will not sit among the 
ungodly.” 

“Thy words have I hid' within my heart, that I should not sin against thee.” 
“With my lips have I been telling of all the judgments of thy mouth. I have had 
as great delight in the way of thy testimonies as in all manner of riches. I will talk 
of thy commandments, and have respect unto thy ways. My delight shall be in thy 
statutes; and I will not forget thy words.” ‘‘ Cursed are they that depart from thy 
commandments.” “Thy testimonies are my delight, and my counsellors.” ‘“ Take 
away from me the way of lying; and cause thou me to make much of thy law. I 
have chosen the way of truth; and thy judgments have I laid before me. I have 
sticken unto thy testimonies: O Lord, confound me not.” ‘Behold, my delight is in 
thy commandments: O quicken thou me in thy righteousness.” ‘I will speak of 
thy testimonies also even before kings, and will not be ashamed. And my delight 
shall be in thy commandments, which I have loved. My hands also will I lift up 
unto thy commandments, which I have loved; and my study shall be in thy statutes.” 
‘““Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage.” “I am a com- 
panion of all them that fear thee, and keep thy commandments.” ‘The law of thy 
mouth is dearer unto me than thousands of gold and silver.” “If my delight had 
not been in thy law, I should have perished in my trouble.” ‘O Lord, what love 
have I unto thy law! all the day long is my study in it.” “I have refrained my 
feet from every ill way, that I may keep thy word. I have not shrinked from thy 
judgments; for thou teachest me. O how sweet are thy words unto my throat! 
yea, sweeter than honey unto my mouth. Through thy commandments I get under.. 
standing; therefore I hate all wicked ways. Thy word is a lantern unto my feet, 
and a light unto my paths. I am sworn, and am stedfastly purposed to keep thy 
righteous judgments.” ‘‘'Thy testimonies have I claimed as mine heritage for ever ; 
for they are the very joy of my heart. I have applied mine heart to fulfil thy statutes 
alway, even unto the end. I hate them that imagine evil things; but thy law do 
I love.” ‘‘ Away fro me, ye wicked: I will keep the commandments of my God.” 
“Thou hast trodden down all them that depart from thy statutes; for they imagine 
but deceit. Thou puttest away all the ungodly of the earth like dross; therefore love 
I thy testimonies.” “I will deal with the thing that is lawful and right: O give 
me not over to mine oppressors. Make thou thy servant to delight in that which 
is good, that the proud do me no wrong.” “TI love thy commandments above gold 
and precious stone.” ‘Therefore hold I straight all thy commandments; and all false 
ways I utterly abhor.” “When thy word goeth forth, it giveth light and understanding 
even unto the simple.” “O deliver me from the wrongful dealings of men; and so 
shall I keep thy commandments. Shew the light of thy countenance upon thy servant ; 
and teach me thy statutes.” ‘The testimonies that thou hast commanded are exceeding 
righteous and true. My zeal hath even consumed me, because mine enemies have for- 
gotten thy words.” “Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness; and thy law 





[! Folio, heard. ] 


OF THE CHURCH. 323 


is the truth.” “Health is far from the ungodly; for they regard not thy statutes*,’ 
“It grieveth me when I sce the transgressors, because they keep not thy law.” “ I 
am as glad of thy word as one that findeth great spoils. As for lies, I hate and 
abhor them; but thy law do I love.” “Great is the peace that they have which 
love thy law; and they are not offended at it.” 
“‘ This is my well-beloved Son, in whom I have a singular delight: hear ye him.” Matt. xvii. 
“Teach all nations to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. And, Matt. xxviii. 
lo, I am with you alway, even until the end of the world.” 
“This people honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me: howbeit Mark vii. 
in vain do they serve me, teaching the doctrines and commandments of men.” “For ye 
lay the commandment of God apart, and observe the constitutions of men.” 
“The seed that fell in the good ground are they which with a pure and good heart Luke viii. 
hear the word of God, and keep it, and bring forth fruit through patience.” 
“He that is of God heareth God’s words. Ye therefore hear them not, because John viii. 
ye are not of God.” 
“My sheep hear my voice; and I know them; and they follow me; and I give Jom x. 
them everlasting life,” &c. ‘A stranger will they not follow, but will fly from him ; 
for they know not the voice of strangers.” 
‘*Tf a man love me, he will keep my saying; and my Father will love him; and we will Jom xiv. 
come unto him, and dwell with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings.” 
“ All that are of the truth hear my voice.” John xviii. 
“ All that believed kept themselves together, and had all things common, and sold Actsii. 
their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. 
And they continued daily with one accord in the temple, and brake bread from house 
to house, and did eat their meat together with gladness and singleness of heart, praising 
God, and had favour with all the people.” ‘‘ They continued in the apostles’ doctrine 
and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.” 
“‘T beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause division and give occasion of Rom. xvi. 
evil contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that 
are such serve not the Lord Jesus Christ, but their own bellies; and with sweet and 
flattering words deceive the hearts of the innocents.” 
“Ye are dearly bought: be not ye the servants of men.” 1 Cor. vii. 
“Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and wrap not Gal. v. 
yourselves again in the yoke of bondage.” 
“Ye are not strangers and foreigners, but citizens with the saints, and of the Eph. ii. 
household of God, and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, 
Jesus Christ himself beg the head corner-stone.” 
“Tet no man trouble your conscience about meat and drink, or for a piece of an Col. ii. 
holy-day, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath-days; which are shadows of things 
to come; but the body is in Christ. Let no man make you shoot at a wrong mark, 
by the humbleness and holiness of angels, in the things which he never saw, being 
causeless puffed up with his fleshly mind, and holdeth not the Head, whereof all the 
body by joints and couples receiveth nourishment, and is knit together, and increaseth 
with the increasing that cometh of God. Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from 
the ordinances of the world, why, as though ye yet lived in the world, are ye led 
with traditions, (Touch not; taste not; handle not; which all perish through the 
very abuse,) after the commandments and doctrines of men? Which things outwardly 
have the similitude of wisdom by superstition and humbleness of mind, and by hurting 
of the body, and in that they do the flesh no worship unto the need thereof.” 
“ Command that they follow no strange doctrine, neither give heed to fables,” &c. 1 Tim. i. 
“The Spirit speaketh evidently, that in the latter time some shall depart from the 1 Tim. iv. 
faith, and shall give heed to the spirits of error, and devilish doctrines of them which 
speak false through hypocrisy, and have their consciences marked with an hot iron; 
forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created 
to be received with giving thanks of them which believe and know the truth. For 





[? This verse is repeated in the folio.] 


2 Tim. iii. 


2 Tim. iv. 


Heb. xiii. 


1 John iv. 


Deut. iv. 


Deut. v. 


Deut. xii. 


Isai. v. 


Isai. x. 


Isai. xxx. 


Isai. lix. 


324 THE COMMON-PLACES OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURE. 


all the creatures of God are good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with 
thanksgiving. For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. If thou put the 
brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesu Christ, 
which hast been nourished up in the words of the faith and of good doctrine, which 
thou hast continually followed. But cast away unghostly and old wives’ fables. Exercise 
thyself rather unto godliness.” 

“Continue thou in the things which thou hast learned, which also were committed 
unto thee, knowing of whom thou hast learned them ; and forasmuch also as of a child 
thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee learned unto salvation 
through the faith which is in Christ Jesu.” 

“The time will come when they shall not suffer wholesome doctrine ; but after their 
own lusts shall they whose ears itch get them an heap of teachers, and shall with- 
draw their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in 
all things, suffer afflictions, do the work throughly of an evangelist, fulfil thine office 
unto the uttermost.” 

“Be not carried about with diverse and strange learning.” 

“They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world; and the world heareth 
them. We are of God. He that knoweth God heareth us: he that is not of God 
heareth us not. Hereby know we the spirit [of truth, and the spirit of error ].” 


OF MEN’S TRADITIONS. 


That men’s traditions, which fight with the word of God, ought to be banished 
out of the congregation of the true Christians. 


Probations out of the holy scripture. 


“Ye shall put nothing to the word which I command you, neither do ought’ 
therefrom, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord our God, which I com- 
mand you.” 

“Take heed that ye do indeed as the Lord your God hath commanded you: 
and tur not aside, neither to the right hand or to the left; but walk in all the 
ways which the Lord your God hath commanded you; that ye may live, and that 
it may go well with you.” 

“ Whatsoever I command you, that take heed ye do; and put thou nought thereto, 
nor take ought therefrom.” 

“ Wo be unto them that call evil good, and good evil; which make darkness 
light, and light darkness; that make sour sweet, and sweet sour! Wo be unto them 
that are wise in their own sight, and think themselves to have understanding !” 

“Wo be unto them that make unrighteous laws, and devise things which be too 
hard for to keep!” 

“ Alas for those disobedient children, saith the Lord, that they will take counsel 
without me! Alas, that they will take a secret advice, and not out of my Spirit; 
and therefore add they sin unto sin!” 

“Your lips speak leasings, and your tongue setteth out wickedness. No man 
regardeth righteousness, and no man judgeth truly. Every man hopeth in vain 
things, and imagineth deceit, conceiveth weariness, and bringeth forth evil. They 
breed cockatrice’s eggs, and weave the spider's web. Whosoever eateth of their eggs 
dieth. But if one tread upon them there cometh up a serpent. Their web maketh 
no cloth; and they may not cover them with their labours. Their deeds are the 
deeds of wickedness; and the work of robbery is in their hands. Their feet run to 
evil; and they make haste to shed innocent blood. Their counsels are wicked coun- 
sels: harm and destruction are in their ways; but the way of peace they know not. 





[! Folio, oft. ] 


OF MEN’S TRADITIONS. 325 


In their goings is no equity: their ways are so crooked that whosoever goeth therein 
knoweth of no peace.” 

“Be astonished, O ye heavens; be afraid and abashed at such a thing, saith the Jer. ii. 
Lord. For my people hath done two evils. They have forsaken me, the well of the 
water of life, and have digged them pits, yea, vile and broken pits, that can hold 
no water.” 

“The Lord of hosts giveth you this warning. Hear not the words of the pro- Jer. xxiii 

phets that preach unto you, and deceive you: surely they teach you vanity. For 
they speak the meaning of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the Lord.” 
““T have not sent these prophets, saith the Lord; and yet they ran. I have not 
spoken to them; and yet they preached. But if they had continued in my counsel, 
they had opened to my people my words; and they had turned my people from their 
evil ways and wicked imaginations.” ‘I have heard well enough what the pro- 
phets say, that preach lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed. 
How long will this continue in the prophets’ hearts to tell lies, and to preach the 
crafty subtilty of their own heart? whose purpose is with the dreams that every 
one tell, to make my people forget my name, as their forefathers did, when Baal 
came up.” “Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will upon the prophets that steal 
my word privily from every man. Behold, here am IJ, saith the Lord, against the 
prophets that make tongues tender to speak, and say, The Lord hath said it. Be- 
hold, here am I, saith the Lord, against those prophets that dare prophesy lying 
dreams, and deceive my people with their vanities and miracles, whom I never sent, 
nor commanded them.” 

“Hear, O my people, and I will assure thee, O Israel: if thou wilt hearken Psal. Ixxxi. 
unto me, there shall no strange god be in thee; neither shalt thou worship any 
other god. I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: 
open thy mouth wide, and [J shall fill it. But my people would not hear my 
voice, and Israel would not obey me. So I gave them up unto their own hearts’ 
lust, and let them follow their own imaginations.” 

*“* All the words of God are pure and clean; for he is a shield unto all them Prov. xxx. 
that put their trust in him. Put thou nothing unto his words, lest he reprove thee, 
and thou be found a liar.” 

“Except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, Matt. v. 
ye cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven.” 

“‘ Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly Matt. vii. 
they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits.” 

“In vain do they serve me, teaching the doctrines and precepts of men.” “ Every Matt. xv. 
plant that my heavenly Father hath not planted shall be plucked up by the 
roots.” 

“Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.” VATS Se 

“This is my well-beloved Son, in whom I have a singular delight: hear him.” — Matt. xvii. 

“They bind together heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on Matt. xxiii. 
men’s shoulders ; but they themselves will not heave at them with one of their fingers.” 

“Teach them to do those things which I have commanded you.” Ae 

“Ye lay the commandment of God apart, and observe the constitutions of men.” Mark vii. 
“Ye cast aside the commandment of God to maintain your own constitutions.” 

“Tf ye continue in my word, then are ye my very disciples; and ye shall know John viii. 
the truth.” 

“TI beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause division and give occasions of Rom. xvi. 
evil contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that 
are such serve not the Lord Jesus Christ, but their own bellies, and with sweet and 
flattering words deceive the hearts of the innocents.” 

“Ye are dearly bought: be not ye the servants of men.” 1 Cor. vii. 

“Though we ourselves, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto Gal. i. 
you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said 
before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that 
ye have received, let him be accursed.” 


Gal. v. 


Eph. iv. 


Phil. ii. 
Col. ii. 


2 Thess. ii. 


1 ‘tim. vi. 


ites. 


1 Pet. iv. 
2 John. 


Heb. xiii. 


Rev. xxii. 


Job 1x. 


Job xv. 


Job xxv. 


Psal. xiv. 


326 THE COMMON-PLACES OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURE. 


“Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and wrap not 
yourselves again in the yoke of bondage.” 

“Let us henceforth be no more children, wavering, and carried about with every 
wind of doctrine, by the wiliness of men, through craftiness, whereby they lay a wait 
for us. But let us follow the truth in love, and in all things grow in him which 
is the head, even Christ.” 

“See that ve shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life.” 

“ Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and deceitful vanity, after 
the tradition of men, and after the ordinances of the world, and not after Christ. 
For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily; and ye are complete in 
him.” “If ye be dead with Christ from the ordinances of the world, why, as though 
ye yet lived in the world, are ye led with traditions?” 

“ Because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved, therefore 
God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe lies; that all they might 
be damned which believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” “ Bre- 
thren, stand fast, and keep the ordinances which ye have learned, whether it were 
by our preaching, or by epistle.” 

“Tf any man follow other doctrine, and incline not unto the wholesome words of 
our Lord Jesu Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness, &c.; from 
them that are such separate thyself.” 

“Rebuke thou them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith; not taking heed 
to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn away the truth.” 

“Tf any man speak, let him talk as the words of God.” 

“Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not 
God. He that endureth in the doctrine of Christ hath both the Father and the Son. 
If there come any unto you, and bring not this learning, him receive not to house, 
neither bid him God speed. For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his 
evil deeds.” 

“ Be not carried about with diverse and strange learning.” 

“T testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, 
If any man shall add to these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are 
written in this book. And if any man shall minish of the words of the book of this 
prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy 
city, and from the things which are written in this book.” 


OF MAN. 
That all men by nature are sinners and the children of wrath. 


Probations out of the holy scripture. 


“Tf I will justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me. If I will put 
forth myself for a perfect man, God shall prove me a wicked doer.” “If I wash 
my feet with snow-water, and make my hands never so clean at the well, yet shalt 
thou dip me in the mire; and mine own clothes shall defile me.” 

‘“* What is man, that he should be clean? What hath he which is born of a woman, 
whereby he might be righteous? Behold, he doth not trust his saints; yea, the very 
heavens are not clean in his sight. How much more then an abominable and vile 
man, which drinketh wickedness like water!” 

“low may a man compared unto God be justified? or how can he be clean 
that is born of a woman? Behold, the moon shineth nothing in comparison to him ; 
and the stars are unclean in his sight. How much more then man, that is but cor- 
ruption, and the son of man, which is but a worm!” 

“The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there 
were any that would understand, and seek after God. But they are all gone out of 


OF MAN. 327 


the way: they are altogether become abominable: there is none that doth good, no, 
not one.” 
“Behold, I was shapen in wickedness ; and in sin hath my mother conceived me.” Peal. Ii. 
“Tf thou, Lord, wilt be extreme to mark what is done amiss, O Lord, who may Pal. exxx. 
abide it?” 
“Enter not into judgment with thy servant, O Lord; for in thy sight shall Psal. exiiii 
no man living be justified.” 
“Who can say, My heart is clean, I am innocent from sin?” Prov. xx. 
“The first Adam bare a wicked heart, transgressed, and was overcome; and so 2 Esdr. iii. 
be all they that are born of him. Thus remained weakness with the law in the heart 
of the people, with the wickedness of the root; so that the good departed away, and 
the evil abode still.” 
“They are altogether hypocrites and wicked; and all their mouths speak folly.” Isai. ix. 
“T knew that thou wouldest maliciously offend; therefore have I called thee a Isai. xtviii. 
transgressor even from thy mother’s womb.” 
“We all have gone astray like sheep: every one hath turned his own way.” Isai. Iii. 
“We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as the clothes Isai. Ixw. 
stained’: we fall every one as the leaf; for our sins carry us away like the wind. 
There is no man that calleth upon thy name, that standeth up to take hold by 
thee.” 
“Though thou wash thee with Nitius, and make thyself to savour with that Jer. ii. 
sweet-smelling herb of Borith, yet in my sight thou art stained with thy wickedness, 
saith the Lord.” 
“ Among all things man hath the most deceitful and stubborn heart. Who shall ser. xvii. 
then know? Even I the Lord search out the ground of the heart, and try the reins, 
and reward every man according to his ways’, and according to the fruit of his 
works.” 
“There is not a godly man upon earth: there is not one righteous among men. Mic. vii. 
They labour to shed blood; and every man hunteth his brother to death; and yet 
they say they do well, when they do evil.” 
“Why callest thou me good? There is none good but one, and that is God.” — Matt. xix. 
“When ye have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are Luke xvii. 
unprofitable servants.” 
“*That which is born of the flesh is flesh.” John iii. 
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.” John viii. 
“There is no difference. For all have sinned, and are destitute of the glory of Rom. ii. 
God.” 
“As by one man sin entered into the world, and death by the means of sin; Rom. v. 
even so death also went over all men, insomuch as all we have sinned.” 


“T know that in me, that is to say, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing.” Rom. vii. 
“God hath wrapped all nations in unbelief, that he might have mercy on all.” Rom. xi. 
“By nature we are the children of wrath, even as well as other.” Eph. ii. 

“Tn many things we sin all.” James iii. 


“Tf we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves; and the truth is not in us.” 1 Jonni. 
“Tf we say we have not sinned, we make God a har; and his word is not in us.” 

“He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth.” 1 John iii. 

“Thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing ; Rev. iii 
and knowest not how thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and 
naked. I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich, 
and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, that thy filthy nakedness do not 
appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayest see.” 





[! Six words are omitted. ] [? Such is doubtless the true reading: the folio has waues.] 


Gen. vi. 


Gen. viii. 


Prov. xvi. 


Prov. xix. 


Prov. xx. 


Prov. xxi. 


Jer. x. 


Jer. xiii. 


Jer. xxiv. 


Jer. xxxi. 


Lam. v. 


Ezek. xxxvi. 


Hos. xiii. 


Matt. xii. 


Matt. xvi. 


Luke viii. 


John i. 


John iii. 


John vi. 


John xv. 


328 THE COMMON-PLACES OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURE. 


OF FREE-WILL. 


That free-will, without the grace of God, can do nothing in matters of faith 
and everlasting salvation. 


Probations out of the holy scripture. 


“My Spirit shall not alway strive in man; because he is flesh.” “The malice of 
man is great in the earth; and all the imagination of the thoughts of his heart is 
only evil every day.” 

“The imagination of man’s heart is evil, even from his youth.” 

“A man may well purpose a thing in his heart; but the answer of the tongue 
cometh of the Lord.” ‘A man deviseth a way in his heart; but it is the Lord that 
ordereth his goings.” 

‘“‘There be many devices in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord 
shall stand for ever.” 

“The Lord ordereth every man’s goings: how may a man then understand his 
own way?” 

“The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, like as are the rivers of water: he 
may turn it whithersoever he will.” 

“T know, O Lord, that it is not in man’s power to order his own ways, or to 
rule his own steps and goings.” 

““May a man of Inde change his skin, and the cat of the mountain her spots? 
No more may ye that be exercised in evil do good.” 

““T will give them an heart to know how that I am the Lord: they shall be my 
people; and I will be their God. For they shall return unto me with their whole 
heart.” 

**'This shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after these, 
saith the Lord. I will plant my law in the inward parts of them, and write it in 
their hearts, and will be their God; and they shall be my people.” 

“OQ Lord, turn thou us unto thee; and so shall we be turned.” 

“A new heart will I give you, and a new spirit will I put into you. As for 
that stony heart, I will take it out of your body, and give you a fleshly heart. I 
will give my Spirit among you, and cause you to walk in my commandments, to keep 
my laws, and to fulfil them.” 

“Thy destruction, O Israel, cometh of thyself; but thy salvation cometh only 
of me.” 

“ Kither make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree evil, and 
his fruit evil: for the tree is known by his fruit. O generation of vipers, how can ye 
speak good things, when ye yourselves are evil?” 

“Blessed art thou, Simon the son of Jonas; for flesh and blood hath not opened 
that unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.” 

“Tt is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to 
other by parables; that when they see they should not see, and when they hear they 
should not understand.” 

““As many as received him (Christ), to them gave he power to be the sons of 
God, even them that believed on his name; which were born, not of blood, nor of 
the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” 

“Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, 
he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh ; 
and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” 

“All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to 
me I cast not away.” ‘No man can come unto me, except the Father which sent 
me draw him.” 

“As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more 
can ye, except ye abide inme. I am the vine; ye are the branches. He that abideth 


OF FREE-WILL. 329 


in me, and I in him, the same bringeth much fruit. For without me can ye do nothing. 
If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather 
them, and cast them into the fire; and they burn.” 

“T am carnal, sold under sin; because I allow not that which I do. For what Rom. vii. 
I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.” “I know that in me, that is 
to say, in myself, dwelleth no good thing.” 

“They that are carnal are carnally minded; but they that are spiritual are spiri- Rom. viii. 
tually minded. To be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and 
peace: because that the fleshly mind is enmity against God; for it is not obedient to the 
law of God, neither can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.” 

“What hast thou that thou hast not received? If thou have received it, why 1 Cor. iv. 
rejoicest thou, as though thou hadst not received it?” 

“‘ By the grace of God I am that I am.” 1 Cor. xv, 

“We are not sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but if we 2Cor. iii. 
be able unto any thing, the same cometh of God.” 

“T live; yet now not I, but Christ liveth in me. The life which I now live in Gai. ii. 
the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, which loved me, and gave himself 
for me. I despise not the grace of God.” 

“Unto you it is given not only that ye should believe in Christ, but also that pnil.i. 
ye should suffer for his sake.” 

“Tt is God which worketh in you both the will, and also the deed, even of Phil. ii. 
good-will.” 

“Do not err, my dear brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from Jamesi. 
above, and cometh down from the Father of lights.” 

“The God of peace, that brought again from death our Lord Jesus, that great Heb. xiii. 
Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting testament, make you per- 
fect in all good works to do his will, and bring to pass that the thing which ye do 
may be pleasant in his sight, through Jesus Christ ; to whom be praise for ever while 
the world endureth. Amen.” 


OF JUSTIFICATION. 


That so many as are justified and saved are justified and saved only by the 
alone and free mercy of God through faith. 


Probations out of the holy scripture. 


“The Lord our God is merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in Exod. xxxiv. 
goodness and truth, and keeping mercy in store for thousands, forgiving wickedness, 
ungodliness, and sin.” 

“Speak not thou in thine heart, after that the Lord thy God hath cast thine Deut. ix. 
enemies out before thee, saying, For my righteousness the Lord hath brought me 
in to possess the land. Nay, but for the wickedness of those nations the Lord hath 
cast them out before thee. It is not for thy mghteousness’ sake, or for thy right heart, 
that thou goest to possess their land; but for the wickedness of those nations the 
Lord thy God doth cast them out before thee, even to perform the word which the 
Lord thy God sware to thy fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Understand there- 
fore, that it is not for thy righteousness’ sake, that the Lord thy God doth give thee 
this good land to possess it; seeing thou art a stiff-necked people.” 

“We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what thou Pasal. xliv. 
hast done in their time of old; how thou hast driven out the heathen with thy 
hand, and planted them in; how thou hast destroyed the nations, and cast them 
out. For they gat not the land in possession through their own sword, neither 
was it their own arm that helped them; but thy right hand, and thine arm, and 
the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them.” “Through 
thee shall we overthrow our enemies; and in thy name shall we tread them under 
that rise up against us. For I will not trust in my bow: it is not my sword 


Psal. xxxii. 


Psal. li. 


Psal. ciii. 


Psal. evi. 


Psal. exxx. 


Isai. xliii. 


Isai. xviii. 


Jer. iii. 


Hos. xiv. 


Luke xii. 


Rom. iii. 


Rom. iv. 


Gen. xv. 


Psal. xxxii. 


Rom. v. 


330 THE COMMON-PLACES OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURE. 


that shall help me. But it is thou that savest us from our enemy, and puttest them 
to confusion that hate us. We make our boast of God all the day long, and will 
praise his name for ever.” 

“‘Blessed are they whose unrighteousness are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. 
Blessed is that man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.” 

“Have mercy upon me, O God, after thy great goodness; and according unto 
the multitude of thy mercies do away mine offences.” 

“ Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits; which forgiveth all 
thy sin, and healeth all thine infirmities; which saveth thy life from destruction, 
and crowneth thee with mercy and loving-kindness.” ‘The Lord is full of compas- 
sion and mercy, long-suffering, and of great goodness. He will not alway be chiding, 
neither keepeth he his anger for ever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins, nor 
rewarded us according to our wickedness. For look, how high the heaven is in com- 
parison of the earth, so great is his mercy also toward them that fear him. Look, 
how wide also the east is from the west, so far hath he set our sins from us. Yea, 
like as a father pitieth his own children, even so is the Lord merciful unto them that 
fear him. For he knoweth whereof we be made: he remembereth that we are 
but dust.” 

“ Remember me, O Lord, according to the favour that thou bearest to thy 
people: O visit me with thy salvation; that I may see the felicity of thy chosen, 
and rejoice in the gladness of thy people, and give thanks with thine inheritance.” 

“Tf thou, Lord, wilt be extreme to mark what is done amiss, O Lord, who may 
abide it? But there is mercy with thee.” ‘O Israel, trust in the Lord; for with 
the Lord there is mercy and plenteous redemption. And he shall redeem Israel from 
all his sins.” 

“JT am, yea, I am he only, which for mine own selfs sake do away thine 
offences and forget thy sins, so that I will never think upon thee’. Put me now in 
remembrance (for we will reason together), and shew what thou hast for thee to 
make thee righteous.” 

“‘T knew that thou wouldest maliciously offend ; therefore have I called thee a trans- 
gressor even from thy mother’s womb. Nevertheless for my name’s sake I will 
withdraw my wrath; and it shall be for mine honour’s sake, if I patiently forbear 
thee, and root thee not out. Behold, I have purged thee, yet not as silver. I have 
chosen thee in the fire of affliction, and that only for mine own sake, yea, even for 
mine own sake.” 

“The health of Israel standeth only upon God our Lord.” 

“JT will heal their sores. Yea, with all my heart will I love them; so that my 
wrath shall be turned from them.” 

“Fear not, little flock ; for it is your Father’s pleasure to give you a kingdom.” 

“The righteousness of God is declared without the law; forasmuch as it is allowed 
by the testimony of the law and of the prophets. The righteousness of God cometh 
by the faith of Jesus Christ unto all, and upon all them that believe.” “It is God only 
which justifieth the circumcision that is of faith, and uncircumcision through faith.” 

“Tf Abraham were justified by deeds, then hath he wherein to rejoice, but not 
with God. For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God; and it was counted 
unto him for righteousness. To him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of 
favour, but of duty. To him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth 
the ungodly, is his faith counted for righteousness. Even as David describeth the 
blessedness of that man unto whom God imputeth righteousness without deeds: Blessed 
are they whose unrighteousness are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is 
that man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.” 

“God setteth out his love toward us, seeing that, while we were yet sinners, 
Christ died for us. Much more then now we, that are justified by his blood, shall 
be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were recon- 
ciled to God by the death of his Son; much more, seeing we are reconciled, we 





{? Perhaps a misprint for them.] 


OF JUSTIFICATION. 331 


shall be preserved by his life. Not only this, but we also joy in God by the means 
of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now obtained the atonement.” 

“Everlasting life is the gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Rom. vi. 

“Tf God be on our side, who can be against us? which spared not his own Son, Rom. viii. 
but gave him for us all: how can it be that with him he should not give us all 
things also? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s chosen? It is God 
that justifieth : who is he that can condemn 2” 

“J will shew mercy to whomsoever I shew mercy, and will have compassion on Rom. ix. 
whomsoever I have compassion. So lieth it not then in a man’s will or running, =~ 
but in the mercy of God.” 

“God, which is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even Eph. ii. 
when we were dead by sins, quickened us together in Christ (by grace are ye saved), 
and raised us up together with him, and made us sit together with him among 
them of heaven in Christ Jesu; that in time to come he might shew the exceeding 
riches of his grace in kindness to us-ward through Christ Jesu. For by grace are ye 
saved through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, and cometh 
not of works, lest any man should boast himself.” 

“Tt is God which worketh in you both the will and also the deed, even of good- phil. ii. 
will.” 

“We are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the 2 Thess. ii. 
Lord, for because that God hath from the beginning chosen you unto salvation through 
sanctifying of the Spirit, and through believing of the truth.” 

“God saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our deeds, 2 Tim. i. 
but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us through Christ Jesu 
before the world began.” 

““We ourselves also were sometime foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts Tit. iii. 

and voluptuousness, living in maliciousness and envy, full of hate, hating one another. 
But after that the kindness and love of our Saviour God to man-ward appeared, not 
by the deeds of righteousness which we wrought, but according to his mercy he 
saved us, by the fountain of the new birth and renewing of the Holy Ghost, which 
he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that we, justified by 
his grace, should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. This is a true 
saying.” 

** Behold, what love the Father hath shewed on us, that we should be called the ! Johniii. 
sons of God.” 

“Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son 1 John iv. 
to be the agreement for our sins.” 

“JT will give to him that is athirst of the well of the water of life freely. Rev. xxi. 

“Let him that is athirst come. And let whosoever will take of the water of Rev. xxii. 
life freely.” 


OF FAITH. 
That faith alone justifieth before God. 
Probations out of the holy scripture. 


** Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for nghteousness.” Gen. xv. 
“Put your trust in the Lord your God, that ye may be found faithful. Give Pete 
credence to his prophets, and so shall ye prosper.” er cas 
“‘ Blessed are they that put their trust in God.” Psal. ii. 
God “will be found of them that tempt him not, and appeareth unto such as Wisd.i. 

put their trust in him.” 
“Wo be unto them that are loose of heart! which put not their trust in God; kcetus. ii. 
and therefore shall they not be defended of him.” 


“In all thy works put thy trust in God from thy whole heart; for that is the Ecclus xxxii. 


Jer. xvii. 


Hos. ii. 
Hab. ii. 


Matt. viii. 


Matt. ix. 


Matt. xv. 


Matt. xxi. 


Mark v. 
Mark xvi. 


Luke vii. 
Luke viii. 


John i. 


John iii. 


John v. 


John vi. 


John vii. 


John xi. 


John xii. 


John xvii. 


John xx. 


Acts x. 


332 THE COMMON-PLACES OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURE. 


keeping of the commandments. Whoso believeth God’s word taketh heed to the 
commandments ; and he that putteth his trust in the Lord shall want nothing.” 

““O blessed is the man that putteth his trust in the Lord, and whose hope is 
the Lord himself. For he shall be as a tree that is planted by the waters’ side, 
which spreadeth out the root unto moistness, whom the heat cannot harm when it 
cometh, but his leaf shall be green. And though there grow but little fruit be- 
cause of drought, yet is he not careful; for he never leaveth off to bring forth 
fruit.” 

“In faith will I marry thee unto myself; and thou shalt know the Lord.” 

“ Behold, the unrighteous thinketh himself in safeguard, as in a strong-hold ; but 
the just shall live by his faith.” 

“ Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou believest, so be it unto 
thee.” 

“When Jesus saw the faith of them, he said to the sick of the palsy, Son, be 
of good cheer: thy sins be forgiven thee.” 

“OQ woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt.” 

“Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do 
this that is happened unto the fig-tree, but also, if ye shall say unto this mountain, 
Remove, and cast thyself into the sea, it shall be done. And all things whatsoever 
ye ask in prayer (if ye believe) ye shall receive them.” 

“Be not afraid: only believe.” 

“He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. But he that believeth not 
shall be damned.” 

“Thy faith hath saved thee: go thy way in peace.” 

“Fear not: believe only; and she shall be made whole.” 

“As many as received him, to them gave he power to be the sons of God, even 
them that believed on his name; which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of 
the flesh, nor yet of the will of man, but of God.” 

As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man 
be lifted up; that whosoever believeth in him perish not, but have everlasting life. 
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever 
believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God sent not his Son 
into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be 
saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned. But he that believeth not is 
condemned already; because he hath not believed in the name of the only-begotten 
Son of God.” “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life. He that believeth 
not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” 

“ Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him 
that sent me, hath everlasting life, and he shall not come into damnation; but he is 
escaped from death unto life.” 

“This is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and 
believeth on him, have everlasting life. And I will raise him up at the last day.” 
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth in me hath everlasting life.” 

‘Tf any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, 
as saith the scripture, out of thy belly shall flow rivers of water of life.” 

“JT am the resurrection, and the life. He that believeth on me, yea, though he 
were dead, yet shall he live; and whosoever liveth and believeth on me shall never 
die.” 

“While ye have the light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of 
the light.” “I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me 
should not abide in darkness.” 

“This is everlasting life, that they might know thee the only true God, and 
Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” 

“These things are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is Christ, the Son of 
God; and that in believing ye might have life through his name.” 

“To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth 
in him shall receive remission of sins.” 


OF FAITH. 333 


“Be it known unto you, ye men and brethren, that through this man (Christ) Acts xiii. 
is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins; and that by him all that believe are 
justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.” 

God “with faith purifieth our hearts.” ‘“ We believe that through the grace of Acts xv. 
the Lord Jesu Christ we shall be saved.” 

“Believe on the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved.” een 

“The just shall live by faith.” Rom. i. 

“The righteousness of God cometh by the faith of Jesus Christ unto all and Rom. iii. 
upon all them that believe. There is no difference; for all have sinned, and are 
destitute of the glory of God, but are justified freely by his grace through the 
redemption that is in Christ Jesu; whom God hath set forth to be the obtainer of 
mercy through faith by his blood, to declare his righteousness, and that he forgiveth 
the sins that are past, which God did suffer, to shew at this time his righteous- 
ness; that he might be counted just, and the justifier of him which believeth on 
Jesus.” ‘ We hold that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.” 

“Tf Abraham were justified by deeds, then hath he wherein to rejoice, but not Rom. iv. 
with God. For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God; and it was Gen. xv. 
counted unto him for righteousness.” ‘To him that worketh not, but believeth on Rom. iv. 
him that justifieth the ungodly, is his faith counted unto him for righteousness.” 

“We, being justified by faith, are at peace with God through our Lord Jesus Rom. v. 
Christ ; by whom also it chanced unto us to be brought in through faith unto this 
grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” 

“Christ the fulfilling of the law to justify all that believe.” Rom. x. 

“ Whatsoever is not of faith, that same is sin.” Rom. xiv. 

“We know that a man is not justified by the deeds of the law, but by the Gal. ii. 
faith of Jesus Christ. And we have believed on Jesus Christ, that we might be 
justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the deeds of the law; because that by 
the deeds of the law no flesh shall be justified.” “I live by the faith of the Son 
of God, which loved me, and gave himself for me. I despise not the grace of God. 

For if righteousness come of the law, then Christ is dead in vain.” 

“Ye know that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.” Gal. iii. 

“They which are of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham. For as many as are 
of the deeds of the law are subject to the curse. For it is written, Cursed be Deut. xxvii. 
every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the 
law, to fulfil them. That no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it 
is evident: for the just shall live by faith.” “If there had been a law given Ga. iii. 
which could have given life, then no doubt righteousness should come by the law. 
But the scripture hath concluded all things under sin, that the promise by the faith 
of Jesus Christ should be given unto them that believe. But before that faith came, 
we were kept under the law, and were shut up unto the faith which should after- 
ward be declared. Wherefore the law was our school-master unto Christ, that we 
should be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under 
the school-master. For ye are all the children of God, because’ ye believe on Christ 
Jesu.” 

“Christ is become but in vain unto you. As many of you as are justified by gai. v. 
the law are fallen from grace. We look for and hope in the Spirit, to be justified 
through faith. For in Jesu Christ neither is circumcision any thing worth, neither 
yet uncircumcision, but faith which worketh by love.” 

““ By grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is the Eph. ii. 
gift of God, and cometh not of works, lest any man should boast himself.” 

““ Above all, take to you the shield of faith, wherewith ye may quench all the gpn. vi. 
fiery darts of the wicked.” 

“YT think all things but loss for the excellency of the knowlege of Christ Jesu pniy, ii, 
my Lord; for whom I have counted all thing loss, and do judge them but vile, 
that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness 
of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, even the righteousness 
which cometh of God through faith.” 


Heb. xi. 


1 Pet. i. 
] John v. 


Psal. i. 


[Psal. lii.] 


Psal. xxxvii. 


Psal. xcii. 


Psal. exvi. 


Wisd. iii. 


Eccelus. 
XXXil. 


Jer. xvii. 


Matt. xii. 


Matt. xiii. 


John vii. 


John xv, 


334 THE COMMON-PLACES OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURE. 


“Without faith it cannot be that any man should please God. For he that 
cometh to God must believe that God is, and that he is a rewarder of them that 
seek him.” 

“ Ye are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.” 

“ All that is born of God overcometh the world. And this is the victory that 
overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcometh the world, but 
he which believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?” “He that believeth on the Son 
of God hath the witness in himself. He that believeth not God hath made him a 
liar; because he believed not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is the 
record, how that God hath given unto us eternal life; and this life is in his Son. 
He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not 
life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of 
God; that ye may know how that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe 
on the name of the Son of God.” 


That the true and christian faith is not idle, but fruitful and plenteous in doing 
good works. 


Probations out of the holy scripture. 


“He (the faithful man) is like a tree planted by the rivers’ side, that bringeth 
forth his fruit in due season. His leaf also shall not wither; and look, whatsoever 
he doeth, it shall prosper.” 

““T will be like a green olive-tree in the house of God.” 

“Put thou thy trust in the Lord, and be doing good.” 

“The righteous shall flourish like a palm-tree, and shall spread abroad like a cedar 
in Libanus. Such as be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts 
of our God. ‘They also shall bring forth more fruit in their age, and shall be fat 
and well-liking.” 

““T believed, and therefore have I spoken.” 

“They that put their trust in him shall understand the truth; and such as be 
faithful will agree unto him in love; for his chosen shall have gifts and peace.” 

“Tn all thy works put thy trust in God from thy whole heart; for that is the 
keeping of the commandments. Whoso believeth God’s word taketh heed to the 
commandments; and he that putteth his trust in the Lord shall want nothing.” 

“‘O blessed is the man that putteth his trust in the Lord, and whose hope is the 
Lord himself. For he shall be as a tree planted by the water-side, which spreadeth 
out the root unto moistness, whom the heat cannot harm when it cometh, but his 
leaf shall be green. And though there grow but little fruit because of drought, yet 
is he not careful; but he never leaveth off to bring forth fruit.” 

“‘ Kither make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree evil, and 
his fruit evil. For the tree is known by his fruit. O ye generation of vipers, how 
can ye speak good things, when ye yourselves are evil? for out of the abundance 
of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart 
bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth 
evil things.” 

“He that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and 
understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundred-fold, 
some sixty-fold, some thirty-fold.” 

“He that believeth on me, as the scripture saith, out of his belly shall flow rivers 
of water of life.” 

““T am the vine; ye are the branches. He that abideth in me, and I in him, the 
same bringeth forth much fruit. For without me ye can do nothing.” “Ye have 
not chosen me; but I have chosen you, and ordained you, to go and bring forth fruit, 
and that your fruit should remain.” 


OF FAITH. 335 


“Tf any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things are passed away : 2 Cor. v. 
behold, all things are become new.” 

“In Christ Jesu neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is any thing worth, but Gal. v. 
faith which worketh by love.” ‘They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with 
the affections and lusts.” 

““We are the workmanship” of God, “created in Christ Jesu unto [good] works, Eph. ii. 
which God ordained that we should walk in them.” 

“Let ours learn to excel in good works, as far forth as need requireth, that they Tit. iii. 
be not unfruitful.” 

“Our Saviour Jesu Christ gave himself for us, to redeem us from all unrighteousness, Tit. ii. 
and to purge us a peculiar people unto himself, fervently given unto good works.” 

“Hereby we are sure that we know God, if we keep his commandments. He 1 Johnii. 
that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar; and the truth 
is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him is the love of God perfect in- 
deed: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought 
to walk even as he walked.” 

“* As many as abide in him sin not. Whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither 1 John iii. 
known him. Babes, let no man deceive you. He that doth righteousness is righteous, 
even as he is righteous. But he that committeth sin is of the devil.” .‘‘ Whosoever 
is born of God sinneth not; for his seed remaineth in him; and he cannot sin, because 
he is born of God. In this are the children of God known, and the children of the 
devil. Whosoever doth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not 
his brother.” 

“We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not. But he that is begotten [1 Jom v.} 
of God keepeth himself; and that wicked toucheth him not.” 


OF GOOD WORKS. 
That good works justify no man before God. 


Probations out of the holy scripture. 


“Know ye, that it is not for your righteousness’ sake that the Lord your God Deut. ix. 
giveth you possession of that good land.” 

“Tf I will justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me. If I will put forth sop ix. 
myself for a perfect man, he shall prove me a wicked doer.” “If I wash myself with 
snow-water, and make mine hands never so clean at the well, yet shalt thou dip me 
in the mire; and mine own clothes shall defile me.” 

“What is man, that he should be clean? what hath he which is born of a woman, Job xv. 
whereby he might be righteous? Behold, he doth not trust his saints: yea, the very 
heavens are not clean in his sight. How much more then an abominable and vile 
man, which drinketh wickedness like water!” 

“Enter not into judgment with thy servant; for in thy sight shall no man living psai. ext 
be justified.” 

“We are all as an unclean thing; and all our righteousnesses are as the clothes Isai. Ixiv. 
stained' ; and we all fall every one as the leaf; for our sins carry us away like the wind.” 

“ Though thou wash thee with Nitius, and make thyself to savour with that sweet- Jer. ii. 
smelling herb of Borith, yet in my sight thou art stained with thy wickedness, saith 
the Lord God.” 


““When ye have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are Luke xvii. 
unprofitable servants.” 

“‘ Moses gave you a law; and yet none of you keepeth the law.” Tie 

“‘ By the works of the law no man shall be justified before God.” “ Where is Row. iii. 
the rejoicing? It is put out. By what law? Of works? Nay, but by the law 
of faith. We hold therefore plainly, that man is justified by faith without the works 


of the law.” 





[' See p. 327.] 


1 Cor. iv. 


Gal. ii. 


Gal. iii. 


Eph. ii. 


2 Tim. i. 


Tit. iii. 


Rev. iii. 


Gen. xvii. 


Deut. vi. 


Deut. x. 


Psal. xxxiv. 


Psal. xxxvii. 


Isai. i. 


Isai. lviii. 


Zech. vii. 


336 THE COMMON-PLACES OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURE. 


“TI know nought by myself; yet am I not thereby justified.” “ What hast thou 
that thou hast not received? If thou hast received it, why rejoicest thou as though 
thou hadst not received it?” 

“We know that a man is not justified by the deeds of the law, but by the 
faith of Jesus Christ. And we have believed on Jesus Christ, that we might be 
justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the deeds of the law; because by the 
deeds of the law no flesh shall be justified.” “If righteousness come of the law, then 
Christ is dead in vain.” 

“That no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for 
the just shall live by faith.” “If there had been a law given which could have given 
life, then no doubt righteousness should come by the law. But the scripture con- 
cluded all things under sin, that the promise by the faith of Jesus Christ should 
be given unto them that believe.” 

“‘ By grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift 
of God, and cometh not of works, lest any man should boast himself.” 

“God hath called us with an holy calling, not according to our deeds, but ac- 
cording to his own purpose and grace, which was given us through Christ Jesu before 
the world began.” 

“Not by the deeds of righteousness which we wrought, but according to his 
mercy he saved us.” 

“T have not found thy works perfect before God.” ‘Thou sayest, I am rich, 
and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not how thou art 
wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. I counsel thee to buy of 
me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou 
mayest be clothed, that thy filthy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes 
with eye-salve, that thou mayest see.” 


That good works ought diligently to be done of all true Christians. 


Probations out of the holy scripture. 


“T am the Almighty God: walk before me, and be thou perfect.” 

“Keep the commandments of the Lord your God, and his witnesses and ordi- 
nances which he hath commanded thee; and thou shalt do that which is right and 
good in the sight of the Lord, that thou mayest prosper.” 

“Now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord 
thy God, and to walk in all his ways, to love him, and to serve the Lord thy 
God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, namely, that thou keep the com- 
mandments of the Lord, and his ordinances, which I command thee this day for thy 
wealth 2?” 

“What man is he that lusteth to live, and would see good days? Keep thy 
tongue from evil, and thy lips that they speak no guile. Eschew evil, and do good: 
seek peace, and ensue it.” 

“Put thou thy trust in the Lord, and do good.” 

“Cease from doing evil: lea to do right. Apply yourselves to equity: deliver 
the oppressed: help the fatherless to his right: let the widow’s complaint come be- 
fore you.” 

“Break thy bread to the hungry, and bring the poor wandering home into thy 
house. When thou seest the naked, cover him; and hide not thy face from thy 
neighbour, and despise not thine own flesh. Then shall thy light break forth as the 
morning, and thy health flourish right shortly: thy righteousness shall go before thee ; 
and the glory of the Lord shall embrace thee. Then if thou callest, the Lord shall 
answer thee; if thou criest, he shall say, Here I am.” 

‘Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Execute true judgment: shew mercy and loving- 
kindness every man to his brother. Do the widow, the fatherless, the stranger, and 
poor no wrong; and let no man imagine evil against his brother in his heart.” 


OF GOOD WORKS. 337 


‘Bring forth the fruits that belong to repentance.” ‘Now is the axe put to the Mate. iii. 
root of the trees; so that every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, 
and cast into the fire.” 

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and Matt. v. 
glorify your Father which is in heaven.” 

“Whosoever heareth of me these words, and doth the same, I will liken him Mate. vii. 
unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock ; and a shower of rain descended, 
and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not; 
because it was grounded on the rock.” 

“A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things.” — Mate. xii. 

“Tf thou wilt be perfect, go and sell all that thou hast, and give to the poor, Matt. xix. 
and thou shalt have treasure in heaven.” 

“If ye were the sons of Abraham, ye would do the works of Abraham.” John viii. 

“We be sure that God heareth not sinners. But if any man be a worshipper Jonn ix. 
of God, and obedient to his will, him heareth he.” 

“He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me.” Jonn xiv. 
“Tf a man love me, he will keep my sayings; and my Father will love him; 
and we will come unto him, and dwell with him. He that loveth me not keepeth 
not my sayings.” 

“ Of a truth I perceive that there is no respect of persons with God ; but in all Acts x. 
people he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.” 

** Not the hearers, but the doers, of the law shall be justified before God.” Rom. ii. 

“There is no damnation to them which are in Christ Jesu, which walk not after kom. viii. 
the flesh, but after the Spirit.” “We are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the 
flesh: for if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die; but if ye through the Spirit do 
mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.” 

“TI beseech you, brethren, by the mercifulness of God, that ye make your bodies Rom. xii. 
a quick sacrifice, holy, and acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable serving of 
God. And fashion not yourselves like unto this world; but be ye changed in your 
shape by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what thing that good, and 
acceptable, and perfect will of God is.” ‘ Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil 
with goodness.” 

“They that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If Gal. v. 
we live in the Spirit, let us walk in the Spirit.” 

“We are” God’s “ workmanship, created in Christ Jesu unto good works, which Eph. ii. 
God ordained that we should walk in them.” 

“IT exhort you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, Eph. iv. 
with all lowliness and meekness, with humbleness of mind, forbearing one another 
through love; and be diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of 
peace, being one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your 
calling.” 

“Be ye followers of God, as dear children; and walk ye in love, even as Christ Eph. v. 
loved us, and gave himself for us an offering and a sacrifice of a sweet savour to 
God.” “ Walk as the children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit consisteth in all 
goodness, and righteousness, and truth), searching what is acceptable unto the Lord; 
and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather rebuke 
them.” 

‘Let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ.” Phil. i. 

“‘Be such as no man can complain on, and unfeigned sons of God, without rebuke pni. ii. 
in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom see that ye shine as 
lights in the world, holding fast the word of life.” 

“Walk worthy of the Lord, that in all things ye may please him, being fruitful Col. i. 
in all good works, and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all 
might through his glorious power, unto all patience and long-suffering with joyful- 
ness ; giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of 
the inheritance of saints in light.” 

“If ye be risen again with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ Col. iii 


22 
[BECON, 111. | 


2 Thess. iii. 


1 Tim. iv. 


1 Tim. vi. 


2 Tim. ii. 


Tit. 1. 


Tit. iii. 


James i. 


1 Pet. ii. 


1 Jolin iii. 


1 John ii. 


1 John iii. 


3 John. 


Heb. xiii. 


338 THE COMMON-PLACES OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURE. 


sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on heavenly things, and not 
on' earthy things. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When- 
soever Christ, which is our life, shall shew himself, then shall ye also appear with 
him in glory. Mortify therefore your earthy members; fornication, uncleanness, un- 
natural lust, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is worshipping of idols; for 
which things’ sake the wrath of God useth to come on the disobedient children.” 

“‘ Brethren, be not weary in well-doing.” 

“Be unto them that believe an ensample in word, in conversation, in love, in 
spirit, in faith, in pureness.” 

“Thou man of God, follow righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. 
Fight the good fight of faith. Lay hand on eternal life.” 

“Study to shew thyself laudable unto God, a workman that needeth not to be 
ashamed.” ‘The sure ground of God standeth still, and hath this seal, The Lord 
knoweth them that are his. And let every man that calleth on the name of Christ 
depart from iniquity.” 

“The grace of God, that bringeth salvation unto all men, hath appeared, and 
teacheth us that we should deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and that we should 
live soberly, and righteously, and godly in this present world; looking for that blessed 
hope, and appearing of the glory of the great God and of our Saviour Jesu Christ, 
which gave himself for us, to redeem us from all unrighteousness, and to purge us 
a peculiar people unto himself, fervently given unto good works.” 

“Tet ours learn to excel in good works, as far forth as need requireth, that 
they be not unfruitful.” 

“Lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of maliciousness, and receive with meek- 
ness the word that is graffed in you, which is able to save your souls. And see 
that ye be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For 
if any man hear the word, and declareth not the same by his works, he is like unto 
a man beholding his bodily face in a glass. For as soon as he hath looked on him- 
self, he goeth his way, and forgetteth immediately what his fashion was. But whoso 
looketh in the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, if he be not a forgetful 
hearer, but a doer of the work, the same shall be happy in his deed.” 

“Dearly beloved, I beseech you, as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly 
lusts, which fight against the soul; and see that ye have honest conversation among 
the gentiles, that, whereas they backbite you as evil-doers, they may see your good 
works, and praise God in the day of visitation.” ‘This is the will of God, that 
with well-doing ye may stop the mouths of foolish and ignorant men; as free, and 
not as having the liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but even as the servants of 
God.” 

“Tf we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and 
do not the truth. But and if we walk in light, even as he is in light, then have 
we fellowship with him; and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from 
all sins.” 

“Hereby are we sure that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He 
that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth 
is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him is the love of God perfect in 
deed. Hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him 
ought to walk even as he walked.” 

“ Babes, let no man deceive you. He that doth righteousness is righteous. He 
that committeth sin is of the devil: for the devil sinneth even from the beginning.” 

“Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doth 
well is of God. But he that doth evil knoweth not God.” 

“ Let your conversation be without covetousness ; and be content with such things 
as ye have already. For he hath said, I will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: so 
that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper; and I will not fear what man 


[} Folio, no.] 


OF GOOD WORKS. 339 


may do unto me.” “To do good and to distribute forget not ; for with such sacri- Heb. xiii, 
fices God is pleased.” 
“Hold that which thou hast, that no man take away thy crown. Him that over- rev. iii. 
cometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God; and he shall go no more out. 
And I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my 
God, even new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God; and I 
will write upon him my new name.” “ He that overcometh shall be clothed with white 
array; and I will not put out his name out of the book of life, and I will confess 
his name before my Father and before his angels.” 
“The time is at hand. He that doth evil, let him do evil still; and he which Rev. xxii. 
is filthy, let him be filthy still; and he that is righteous, let him be more nghte- 
ous; and he that is holy, let him be more holy. And, behold, I come shortly ; and 
my reward is with me, to give every man according as his deeds shall be.” 


OF CHRISTIAN LIBERTY. 


That the Christians are enfranchised and made free through Christ Jesus from 
the ceremonies of Moses, from the choice of meats and days, from the 
curse of the Lord’, from the tyranny of Satan, from the power of sin 
and death, from the wrath of God, &c.; and that they also for the 
Son Christ’s sake are endued with everlasting righteousness, light, life, 
and glory. 


Probations out of the holy scripture. 


“ Verily, verily, I say unto you, That whosoever committeth sin is the servant of John viii. 
sin. And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. 
If the Son therefore shall make you free, then are ye free indeed.” 

“Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and wrap not Gal. v. 
yourselves again in the yoke of bondage.” ‘“ Brethren, ye were called into liberty ; 
only let not your liberty be an occasion to the flesh; but by love serve one an- 
other.” 

“The Lord is a Spirit. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” 2 Cor. iii. 

“ As free, and not as having the liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but even 1 Pet. ii. 
as the servants of God.” 


OF THE CEREMONIES OF MOSES. 


“Hear, O my people, and I will speak: I myself will testify against thee, O Psal. 1. 
Israel; for I am God, even thy God. I will not reprove because of thy sacri- 
fices, or for thy burnt-offerings; because they were not alway before me. I will 
take no bullock out of thy house, nor he-goats out of thy folds. For all the beasts 
of the forest are mine, and so are the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the 
fowls upon the mountains; and the wild beasts of the field are in my sight. If I 
be hungry, I will not tell thee; for the whole world is mine, and all that therein 
is. Thinkest thou that I will eat bulls’ flesh, and drink the blood of goats? Offer 
unto God thanksgiving, and pay thy vows unto the most Highest. And call upon 
me in time of trouble: so will I hear thee; and thou shalt praise me.” 

“Whom shall I regard? Even him that is poor, and of a lowly troubled spirit, Isai. ixvi. 
and standeth in awe of my words. For whoso slayeth an ox for me doth me so 
great dishonour as he that killeth aman. He that killeth a sheep for me knetcheth 
a dog. He that bringeth me meat-offerings offereth swine’s blood. Whoso maketh 
me a memorial of incense praiseth the thing that is unright,” &c. 


[? Probably, law. ] 


Jer. vii. 


Mice. vi. 


Amos y. 


John iv. 


Gal. v. 


Heb. vii. 


Gen. ix. 


Matt. xv. 


Luke x. 
Acts x. 


Rom. xiv. 


340 THE COMMON-PLACES OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURE. 


“Thus saith the Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel: Heap up your burnt- 
offerings with your sacrifices, and eat the flesh. For when I brought your fathers 
out of Egypt, I spake no word unto them of burnt-offerings and sacrifices: but this 
I commanded them, saying, Hearken, and obey my voice; and I shall be your God ; 
and ye shall be my people; so that ye walk in all my ways which I have com- 
manded you, that ye may prosper.” 

“What acceptable thing shall I offer unto the Lord? Shall I bow my knee to 
the high God? Shall I come before him with burnt-offerings, and with calves of a 
year old? Hath the Lord a pleasure in many thousand rams, or innumerable 
streams of oil? Or shall I give my first-born for mine offences, and the fruit of my 
body for the sin of my soul? I will shew thee, O man, what is good, and what 
the Lord requireth of thee; even to do right, to have pleasure in loving-kindness, to 
be lowly, and to walk with thy God.” 

“T hate and abhor your holy-days; and, whereas ye cense me when ye come to- 
gether, I will not accept it. And though ye offer me burnt-offerings and meat- 
offerings, yet have I no pleasure therein. As for your fat thank-offerings, I will 
not look upon them. Away with that noise of thy songs: I will not hear thy 
plays of music: but see that equity flow as water, and righteousness as a mighty 
stream.” 

“Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, 
nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye wot not what: we 
know what we worship. For salvation cometh of the Jews. But the hour cometh, 
and new is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth. 
For such also the Father requireth to worship him. God is a Spirit; and they that 
worship him must worship him in spirit and truth.” 

“Behold, I Paul say unto you that, if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you 
nothing at all.” 

“The commandment that went afore is disannnlled, because of weakness and un- 
profitableness. For the law bringeth nothing to perfection, but was an introduction 
to a better hope, by the which we draw nigh unto God.” 


OF THE CHOICE OF MEATS. 


“Every thing that moveth itself and that liveth shall be meat for you: even as 
the green herb have I given you all things.” 

Jesus “called the people unto him, and said unto them, Hear, and understand. 
That which goeth into the mouth defileth not the man; but that which cometh out 
of the mouth defileth the man.” 

“at and drink such as shall be set before you.” 

‘Peter went up upon the top of the house to pray about the sixth hour. And 
when he waxed an hungered, he would have eaten. But while they made ready he 
fell into a trance, and saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel come down unto him, 
as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and was let down to the earth; 
wherein were all manner of four-footed beasts of the earth, and vermin, and worms, 
and fowls of the air. And there came a voice to him, saying, Rise, Peter: kill, and 
eat. But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common 
or unclean. And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath 
cleansed, that call not thou common. This was done thrice; and the vessel was re- 
ceived up again into heaven.” 

‘One believeth that he may eat all thing: another, which is weak, eateth herbs. 
Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth 
not judge him that eateth. For God hath received him.” “I know, and am full 
certified by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing common of itself; but unto him that 
judgeth it to be common, to him is it common.” “The kingdom of God is not 
meat and drink, but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. For he 
that in these things serveth Christ pleaseth God, and is commended of men.” 


OF CHRISTIAN LIBERTY. 341 


“Meat maketh not us acceptable to God. Neither if we eat are we the better ; 1 Cor. viii. 
neither if we eat not are we the worse.” 

“Whatsoever is sold in the flesh-market, that eat, and ask no question for con- 1 cor. x. 
science sake. For the earth is the Lord’s, and all that therein is.” 

“Let no man trouble your conscience about meat and drink.” Col. ii. 

“The Spirit speaketh evidently, that in the latter times some shall depart from 1 tim. iy. 
the faith, and shall give heed unto spirits of error, and devilish doctrines of them 
which speak false through hypocrisy, and have their consciences marked with an hot 
iron ; forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath 
created to be received with giving thanks of them which believe and know the truth. 
For all the creatures of God are good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received 
with thanksgiving. For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. If thou put 
the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus 
Christ.” 

“Unto the pure all things are pure; but to them that are defiled and unbelieving Tit.i. 
is nothing pure; but even the mind and conscience of them is defiled.” 


OF THE CHOICE OR DIFFERENCE OF DAYS. 


“T may not away with your new moons, your sabbaths, and gathering together Isai. i. 
at the solemn days. I hate your new-moon days, and solemn feasts, even from my 
very heart. I cannot away with such vanity and holding in of the people. They 
lie upon me as a burden; and I am weary of bearing them.” 

“ At a certain time Jesus went on the sabbath-days through the corn; and his Matt. xii. 
disciples were an hungered, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat. But 
when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which 
is not lawful to do upon the sabbath-day. But -he said unto them, Have ye not 1 sam. xxi. 
read what David did, when he was an hungered, and they that were with him ? 
How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shew-breads, which were 
not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with them', but only for the 
priests? Or have ye not read in the law how that on the sabbath-days the priests 
in the temple break the sabbath, and are blameless? But I say unto you that in 
this place is one greater than the temple. Wherefore if ye wist what this meaneth, 

I require mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned innocents. For the Hos. vi. 
Son of man also is Lord even of the sabbath-day.” 

“The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath. Therefore is Mark ii. 
the Son of man Lord also of the sabbath.” 

“ Now, after that ye have known God, yea, rather are known of God, how is it Gal. iv. 
that ye turn again unto the weak and beggarly ordinances, whereunto again ye de- 
sire afresh to be in bondage? Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. 

I am in fear of you, lest I have bestowed on you labour in vain.” 

“‘Let no man trouble your conscience about meat and drink, or for a piece of an Col. ii. 
holy-day, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath-days, which are shadows of things 
to come; but the body is in Christ.” 


OF THE LAW. 


“Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets: no, I am not Matt. v. 
come to destroy, but to fulfil.” 

“ Be it known unto you, ye men and brethren, that through this man (Christ) Acts xiii. 
is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins, and that by him all that believe are 
justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.” 

“Now why tempt ye God to put on the disciples’ necks the yoke which neither acts xv. 
our fathers nor we were able to bear? But we believe, that through the grace of 
the Lord Jesu Christ we shall be saved, as they do.” 

“The law of the Spirit of life, through Jesus Christ, hath made me free from the Row. viii. 





[' So folio; probably, him.]} 


Rom. x. 


Gal. iii. 


Deut. xxi. 


Gal. iv. 


Eph. ii. 


Hos. xiii. 


Gen. iii. 


John xii. 


Col. ii. 


Heb. ii. 


1 John iii. 


Hos, xiii. 


John xi. 


1 Cor. xv. 


2 Tim. i. 


Heb. ii. 


Isai. xliii. 


Isai. liii. 


342 THE COMMON-PLACES OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURE. 


law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, inasmuch as it was weak 
because of the flesh, that performed God, and sent his Son in the similitude of sinful 
flesh, and by sin damned sin in the flesh; that the righteousness of the law might 
be fulfilled in us, which walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” 

“‘Christ is the fulfilling of the law, to justify all that believe.” 

“Christ hath delivered us from the curse of the law, inasmuch as he was made 
accursed for us. For it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on tree.” 

“When the time was full come, God sent his Son made of a woman, and made 
bond to the law, to redeem them which were bond to the law, that we, through 
election, might receive the inheritance that belongeth unto the natural sons.” 

Christ “is our peace; which hath made of both one, and hath broken down 
the wall that was a stop between us, and hath also put away through his flesh 
the cause of hatred, even the law of commandments contained in the law written ; 
for to make of twain one new man in himself, so making peace, and to reconcile both 
unto God in one body through the cross, and slew hatred thereby.” 


OF THE DEVIL. 


“TY will defend them from the power of hell, and deliver them from death. O 
death, I will be thy death. O hell, I will be thy destruction.” 

“T will put enmity between thee and the woman, between thy seed and her 
seed. The same (self seed) shall tread down thy head; and thou shalt tread upon 
his heel.” 

“* Now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And if I were lift up from the 
earth, I will draw all men unto me.” 

Christ “hath spoiled rule and power, and hath made a shew of them openly, 
and hath triumphed over them in his own person.” 

“Forasmuch as the children are partakers of flesh and blood,” Christ “also him- 
self likewise took part with them, that through death he might expel him that had 
lordship over death, that is to say, the devil; and that he might deliver them which, 
through fear of death, were all their life-time subdued unto bondage.” 

“ For this purpose appeared the Son of God, even to loose the works of the devil.” 


OF DEATH. 


“T will deliver them from death. O death, I will be thy death.” 

“T am the resurrection and the life. He that believeth on me, yea, though he 
were dead, yet shall he live; and whosoever liveth and believeth on me shall 
never die.” 

“Death is swallowed up into victory. Death, where is thy sting? Hell, where is 
thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But 
thanks be unto God, which hath given us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 

“Our Saviour Jesus Christ hath put away death, and hath brought life and im- 
mortality unto light through the gospel.” 

Christ, by his death, “deliver them” from death, “which, through fear of death, 
were all their life-time subdued unto bondage.” 


OF SIN, OF THE WRATH OF GOD, OF DAMNATION, &c. 


“T am he, I am he, that put away thy sins, yea, and that for mine own sake; 
and I will remember them no more.” 

“He (Christ) only hath taken on him our infirmities, and borne our pains. Yet 
we judged him as though he were plagued, and cast down of God, and punished ; 
whereas he, notwithstanding, was wounded for our offences, and smitten for our 
wickedness. For the chastisement of our peace was laid upon him; and with his 


OF CHRISTIAN LIBERTY. 343 


stripes are we healed. As for us, we have gone all astray like sheep: every one 
hath turned his own way. But the Lord hath heaped together upon him the in- 


iquity of us all.” “ He hath taken away the sins of the multitude.” Isai. iii. 
‘** He shall save his people from their sins.” Matt. i. 
Christ “died for our sins, and rose again for our righteousness.” Rom. iv. 


“God hath reconciled us unto himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the 2Cor. v. 
office to preach the atonement. For God was in Christ, and made agreement be- 
tween the world and himself, and imputed not their sins unto them.” “God made 
Christ to be sin (that is to say, a sacrifice for sin) for us, which knew no sin; 
that we by his means should be that righteousness which before God is allowed.” 

“Our Lord Jesus Christ gave himself for our sins, to deliver us from this present Gal. i. 
evil world.” 

By Christ “we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.” Col. i. 

“This is a true saying, and by all means worthy to be received of us, that 1Tim.i. 
Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” 

“Jesus Christ gave himself for us, to redeem us from all unrighteousness, and to Tit. ii. 
purge us a peculiar people unto himself, fervently given unto good works.” 

Christ Jesus “his own self bare our sins in his body on the tree, that we, being ! Pet. ii. 
delivered from sin, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.” 

“The blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, cleanseth us from all sins.” 1 Johni. 

“If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the 1 John ii. 
righteous. And he it is that obtaineth grace for our sins.” 

Christ hath “by his own person purged our sins, and sitteth on the right Heb. i. 
hand of the Majesty on high.” 

“The blood of Christ, which through the eternal Spirit offered himself without web. ix. 
spot to God, hath purged our conscience from dead works, for to serve the living 
God.” 

“Behold,” saith Christ, “I am alive for evermore, and have the keys of hell and Rev. i. 
death.” “Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, 
and made us kings and priests to God his Father, be glory and dominion for ever. 
Amen.” 


OF EVERLASTING RIGHTEOUSNESS, LIGHT, LIFE, AND GLORY, FOR CHRIST'S SAKE. 


“As for death, he hath destroyed it for ever. And the Lord God shall wipe away Isai. xxv. 
tears from all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away out of all the 
earth. For so the Lord hath said. And in that day it shall be said, Lo, this is our 
God: we have waited for him; and he shall save us. This is the Lord in whom we 
have hoped: we will be merry and rejoice in the salvation that cometh of him.” 
“The law was given by Moses; but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” — Johni. 
“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life.” John iii. 
“Tam the light of the world. He that followeth me doth not walk in darkness, John viii. 
but shall have the light of life.” 
“JT am the way, and the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the Father, Jonn xiv. 
but by me.” 
““There is salvation in none other. For among men under heaven there is given Acts iv. 
none other name wherein we must be saved.” 
“* Everlasting life is the gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Rom. vi. 
Christ “of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctifying, and 1 Cor. i. 
redemption; that, according as it is written, He that rejoiceth should rejoice in the 
Lord.” 
“God, which is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even Eph. ii. 
when we were dead by sins, quickened us together in Christ (by grace are ye saved), 
and raised us up together with him, and made us sit together with him among them 
of heaven in Christ Jesu.” 
“Tt pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell, and by him to recon- col. i. 


1 Thess. v, 


1 Pet. i. 


1 John v. 


Psal. xxxiv. 


Psal. xliv. 


Ecelus, ii. 


Wisd. iii. 


Judith viii. 
(Vulgate. } 


Tob. xii. 
[Vulgate. ] 


Matt. x. 


Matt. xvi. 


344 THE COMMON-PLACES OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURE. 


cile all things unto himself, and to set at peace by him, through the blood of his 
cross, both things in heaven and things in earth.” 

“God hath not appointed us to provoke wrath unto ourselves, but to obtain 
salvation by the means of our Lord Jesu Christ.” 

“God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant 
mercy begat us again unto a lively hope by that that Jesus Christ rose again from 
death, to an inheritance immortal, and undefiled, and that perisheth not, reserved in 
heaven for you, which are kept by the power of God through faith unto salva- 
tion.” 

“God hath given unto us everlasting life; and this life is in his Son. He that 
hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” 


OF THE CROSS. 
That the true Christians are seldom free from the cross in this world. 


Probations out of the holy scripture. 


“Great are the troubles of the righteous; but the Lord delivereth him out of 
all. He keepeth all his bones; so that not one of them is broken.” 

“For thy sake are we killed all the day long, and are counted as sheep appointed 
to be slain.” 

“My son, if thou wilt come into the service of God, stand fast in righteousness 
and fear, and arm thy soul unto temptation: settle thine heart, and be patient: bow 
down thine ear, receive the words of understanding, and shrink not away when 
thou art enticed. Hold thee fast upon God. Join thyself unto him, and suffer, that 
thy life may increase at the last. Whatsoever happeneth unto thee, receive it: suffer 
in heaviness, and be patient in thy trouble. For, like as gold and silver are tried 
in the fire, even so are acceptable men in the furnace of adversity.” 

“God proveth the righteous, and findeth them meet for himself; yea, as the gold 
in the furnace doth he try them, and receiveth them as a burnt-offering. And when 
the time cometh, they shall be looked upon.” 

“Our father Abraham, being tempted and tried through many tribulations, was 
found a lover and friend of God. So was Isaac, so was Jacob, so was Moses; and 
all they that pleased God, being tried through many troubles, were found stedfast 
in faith.” 

“Because thou wast accept and beloved of God,” said the angel to Tobias, “it was 
necessary that temptation should try thee.” 

“Behold, I send you forth as sheep among wolves. Be ye therefore wise as ser- 
pents, and innocent as doves. But beware of men; for they shall deliver you up 
to the councils, and shall scourge you in their synagogues; and ye shall be 
brought to the head rulers and kings for my sake, in witness to them and to the 
gentiles,” &c. “The brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father 
the son; and the children shall arise against their fathers and mothers, and shall put 
them to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake. But he that 
endureth to the end shall be saved.” “The disciple is not above the master, nor the 
servant above his lord. It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master is, 
and that the servant be as his lord is. If they have called the lord of the house 
Belzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household so? Fear them not 
therefore.” “Fear ye not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the 
soul. But rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body into hell. 
Are not two little sparrows sold for a farthing? And one of them shall not light on 
the ground without your Father. Yea, even all the hairs of your head are num- 
bered. Fear ye not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.” 

“Jesus said unto his disciples, If any man will follow me, let him forsake him- 
self, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall 


OF THE CROSS, 345 


lose 1t: again, whoso doth lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what doth 
it profit a man, if he’ win all the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a 
man give to redeem his soul again withal ?” 

“They shall put you to trouble, and shall kill you; and ye shall be hated of all Matt. xxiv. 
nations for my name’s sake.” 

“Take ye heed to yourselves. For they shall bring you up to the councils, and Mark xiii. 
into the synagogues; and ye shall be beaten, yea, and shall be brought before rulers 
and kings for my sake, for a testimonial unto them.” 

“Tf a man come to me, and leave’ not his father, and mother, and wife, and Luke xiv. 
children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my dis- 
ciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my 
disciple.” 

“Tf the world hate you, know ye that it hated me before it hated you. If ye Johnxv. 
were of the world, the world would love his own. Howbeit, because ye are not of 
the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. 
Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than the lord. 

If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you.” 

“They shall excommunicate you: yea, the time shall come, that whosoever killeth jJonn xvi 
you will think that he doth God service. And such things will they do unto you, 
because they have not known the Father, neither yet me.” “ Verily, verily, I say 
unto you, Ye shall weep and lament; but contrariwise the world shall rejoice. Ye 
shall sorrow ; but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.” ‘In the world shall ye have 
tribulation. But be of good cheer: I have overcome the world.” 

“Through many tribulations must we enter into the kingdom of God.” Acts xiv. 

““We are troubled on every side, yet are we not without shift: we are in poverty, 2 Cor. iv. 
but not utterly without somewhat: we suffer persecution, but are not forsaken therein : 
we are cast down, nevertheless we perish not. We always bear about in the body the 
dying of our Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesu might also appear in our body. For 
we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake; that the life also of 
Jesu might appear in our mortal flesh.” 

“As then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after Gal. iv. 
the Spirit, even so is it now.” 

“We thought it good to send Timothy, our brother and minister of God, and the 1 Thess. ii. 
helper forth of our labour in the gospel of Christ, to stablish you, and to comfort 
you concerning your faith; that no man should be moved in these afflictions. For 
ye yourselves know that we are appointed even thereunto. For when we were with 
you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, 
and as ye know.” 

“Suffer thou afflictions, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth 2 Tim. ii. 
entangleth himself with worldly business; and that because he may please him which 
hath chosen him to be a soldier. And though a man strive for a mastery, yet is he 
not crowned, except he strive lawfully.” 

“ All they that will live godly in Christ Jesu shall suffer persecution.” 2 Tim. iti. 

“Let us lay away all that presseth down, and the sin that hangeth so fast on. Heb. xii 
Let us run with patience unto the battle that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the 
captain and finisher of our faith ; which, for the joy that was set before him, abode 
the cross, and despised the shame, and is set down on the right hand of the throne 
of God. Consider therefore, how that he endured such speaking against him of 
sinners, lest ye should be wearied and faint in your minds.” 

“The time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God. If it first 1 Pet. tv. 
begin at us, what shall the end be of them which believe not the gospel of God? 

And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear ? 
Therefore let them that are troubled according to the will of God commit their souls 
to him with well-doing, as to a faithful Creator.” 





[' Folio, ye, and have.j 


Deut. xiii. 


Jobi. 


Job ii. 
Job v. 


1 Sam. ii. 


Psal. Ixvi. 


Prov. iii. 


Jer. xlvi. 


1 Cor. xi. 


1 Pet. iv. 


Heb. xii. 


Rev. iii. 


Jobi. 

Job ii. 
Tob. ii. 
[Vulgate.] 


346 THE COMMON-PLACES OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURE. 


That the cross is laid upon the true Christians by God himself, and 
cometh not unto them by fortune or chance. 


Probations out of the holy scripture. 


“The Lord your God proveth you, to wit, whether ye love the Lord your God 
with all your heart, and with all your soul.” 

“The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away: even as it hath pleased the 
Lord, so is it come to pass. Blessed be the name of the Lord.” 

“‘ Shall we receive prosperity at the hand of God, and not receive adversity ?” 

“Behold, happy is the man whom God punisheth; therefore refuse not thou the 
chastening of the Almighty. For though he make a wound, he giveth a plaster; though 
he smite, his hand maketh whole again.” 

“The Lord killeth, and maketh alive; bringeth down to the grave, and fetcheth 
up again. The Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich; bringeth low, and heaveth up 
on high.” 

“Thou, O God, hast proved us: thou also hast tried us like as silver is tried. 
Thou broughtest us into the snare, and laid trouble upon our loins. Thou sufferedst 
men to ride over our heads: we went through fire and water; and thou broughtest 
us out into a wealthy place.” 

“My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord, neither faint thou when thou 
art rebuked of him. For whom the Lord loveth, him he chasteneth, and yet delighteth 
in him as a father in his own son.” 

“JT will not consume thee, but chasten thee and correct thee, yea, and that with 
discretion: neither will I spare thee, as one that were faultless.” 

“Tf we had judged ourselves, we should not have been judged. But when we 
are judged of the Lord, we are chastened, that we should not be damned with the 
world.” 

“Tet them that are troubled according to the will of God commit their souls to 
him with well-doing, as unto a faithful Creator.” 

“My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, neither faint when thou 
art rebuked of him. For whom the Lord loveth, him he chasteneth ; yea, he scourgeth 
every son that he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God offereth himself unto you 
as unto sons. What son is he whom the father chasteneth not? If ye be not under 
correction, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Therefore, 
seeing we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence ; 
shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? And 
they verily for a few days nurtured us after their own pleasure; but he nurtureth 
us for our profit, to the intent that he may minister of his holiness unto us. No manner 
chastising for the present time seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless, after- 
ward it bringeth the quiet fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.” 

“As many as I love I rebuke and chasten.” 


That the cross ought to be borne of the true Christians patiently 
and thankfully. 


Probations out of the holy scripture. 


“The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away: blessed be the name of the Lord.” 

“‘ Shall we receive prosperity at the hand of God, and not receive adversity ?” 

“Tt happened upon a day that Tobias had buried the dead, and was weary, came 
home, and laid him down by the wall, and slept. And while he was asleep, there fell 
down upon his eyes warm dung out of the swallows’ nest, so that he was blind. This 
temptation did God suffer to happen unto him, that they which came after might have 
an example of his patience, like as of holy Job. For, insomuch as he ever feared God 


OF THE CROSS. 347 


from his youth up, and kept his commandments, he grudged not against God that 
the plague of blindness chanced unto him, but remained stedfast in the fear of God, 
and thanked God all the days of his life.” 

“T should utterly have fainted, but that I believe verily to see the goodness of the Ps! xxvii. 
Lord in the land of the living. O tarry thou the Lord’s leisure: be strong; and he 
shall comfort thy heart: O put thy trust in the Lord.” 

“My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord, neither faint thou when thou Prov. iii. 
art rebaked of him. For whom the Lord loveth, him he chasteneth, and yet delighteth 
in him as a father in his own son.” 

“The good man with stillness and patience tarrieth for the health of the Lord. Lam. iii. 

O how good is it for a man to take the yoke upon him his youth up! He sitteth 
alone, he holdeth him still, and dwelleth quietly by himself. He layeth his face upon 
the earth, if percase there happen to be any hope. He offereth his cheek to the smiter: 
he will be content with reproofs. For the Lord will not forsake for ever. But though 
he punish him, yet according to the multitude of his mercies he receiveth to grace again. 
For he doth not plague and cast out the children of men from his heart.” ‘“ What 
is he that saith, There should some thing be done without the Lord’s commandment ? 
Out of the mouth of the most Highest goeth not evil and good? Wherefore then mur- 
mureth the living man? Let him murmur at his own sin. Let us look well upon our 
own ways, and remember ourselves, and turn again unto the Lord. Let us lift up 
our hearts with our hands unto the Lord that is in heaven. We have been dissemblers, 
and have offended.” 

“OQ thou enemy of mine, rejoice not at my fall. For I shall get up again. And Mic. vii. 
though I sit in darkness, yet the Lord is my light. I will bear the punishment of 
the Lord. For why? I have offended him.” 

“‘In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer: I have overcome John xvi. 
the world.” 

The apostles “departed from the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy Act. 
to suffer rebuke for the name of Christ.” 

Paulus and Silas being grievously beaten, scourged, and whipped, and cast into Acts xvi. 
prison, even at midnight prayed and praised God with merry and cheerful hearts. 

“Now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things Acts**. 
that shall come on me there; but that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying 
that bands and trouble abide me. But none of these things move me: neither is my 
life dear unto myself, so that I may fulfil my course with joy, and the ministration, 
which I have received of the Lord Jesu, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.” 

“ Paul said, What do ye, weeping and vexing my heart? I am ready not to be Acts xxi. 
bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesu.” 

“God is faithful; which shall not suffer you to be tempted above your strength, 1 Cor. x. 
but shall in the midst of the temptation make a way, that ye may be able to bear it.” 

“7 rejoice in those things which I suffer for you.” Col. 1: 

** My brethren, count it for an exceeding joy when ye fall into divers temptations ; James. 
knowing this, that the trying of your faith gendereth patience. And let patience have 
her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and sound, lacking nothing.” 

“Take, my brethren, the prophets for an ensample of suffering adversity, and of James v. 
patience, which spake in the name of the Lord. Behold, we count them happy which 
endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have known what end the Lord 
made. For the Lord is very pitiful and merciful.” 

“Happy are ye if any trouble happen unto you for your righteousness’ sake. Be } Pet. iii. 
not ye afraid for any terror of them, neither be ye troubled; but sanctify the Lord 
God in your hearts.” 

“ Dearly beloved, marvel not that ye are tried by fire (which thing is to prove you), 1 Pet. iv. 
as though some strange thing happened unto you; but rejoice, inasmuch as ye are 
partakers of Christ’s passions; that, when his glory appeareth, ye may be merry and 
glad. If ye be railed upon for the name of Christ, happy are ye. For the glory and 
the Spirit of God resteth upon you. On their part he is evil spoken of, but on your 


Heb. x. 


Wied. iii. 


Psal. xci. 


Matt. v. 


Mark x. 


John xii. 


John xvi. 


Rom. viii. 


2 Cor. iv. 


348 THE COMMON-PLACES OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURE. 


part he is glorified. See that none of you be punished as a murderer, or as a thief, 
or an evil-doer, or as a busy-body in other men’s matters. If any man suffer as a christian 
man, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. For the time is 
come that judgment must begin at the house of God. If it first begin at us, what 
shall the end be of them which believe not the gospel of God? And if the righteous 
scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinful appear? Wherefore let them 
that are troubled according to the will of God commit their souls to him with well- 
doing, as unto a faithful Creator.” 

“Ye took in worth the spoiling of your goods, and that with gladness, knowing 
in yourselves how that ye have in heaven a better and enduring substance. Cast not 
away therefore your confidence, which hath a great recompence of reward. For ye 
have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the 
promise. For yet a very little while; and he that shall come will come, and will not 
tarry. But the just shall live by faith. And if he withdraw himself, my soul shall 
have no pleasure in him. It is not we that withdraw ourselves unto damnation ; but 
we pertain unto faith, to the winning of the soul.” 


That pleasures and joys, yea, and those true, sound, perfect, and everlasting, 
follow the cross. 


Probations out of the holy scripture. 


“The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God; and the pain of death shall 
not touch them. In the sight of the unwise they appeared to die; and their end is 
taken for very destruction. The way of the righteous is judged to be utter destruc- 
tion; but they are in rest. And though they suffer pain before men, yet is their 
hope full of immortality. They are punished but in few things; nevertheless in many 
things shall they be well rewarded. For God proveth them, and findeth them meet 
for himself: yea, as the gold in the furnace doth he try them, and receiveth them 
as a brent-offering ; and when the time cometh, they shall be looked upon,” &c. 

“T am with him in trouble: I will deliver him, and bring him to honour. With 
long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.” 

“Blessed are they which suffer persecution for righteousness’ sake: theirs is the 
kingdom of heaven.” ‘Blessed are ye when men revile you, and persecute you, and 
shall falsely say all manner of evil sayings against you for my sake. Rejoice and 
be glad; for great is your reward in heaven. For so persecuted they the prophets, 
which were before you.” 

“‘ Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath forsaken house, or brethren, 
or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake and the 
gospel’s, but he shall receive an hundred-fold now in this life, houses, and brethren, 
and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions, and in the world 
to come eternal life.” 

“He that loveth his life shall destroy it; and he that hateth his life in this 
world shall keep it unto life everlasting.” 

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye shall weep and lament; but contrariwise the 
world shall rejoice. Ye shall sorrow; but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. A 
woman when she travaileth hath sorrow, because her hour is come. But as soon 
as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that 
a man is born into the world. And ye now therefore have sorrow; but I will see 
you again; and your hearts shall rejoice; and your joy shall no man take from you.” 

“TI suppose that the afflictions of this life are not worthy of the glory which 
shall be shewed upon us.” 

“Though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. 
For our tribulation, which is short and light, prepareth an exceeding and an eternal 


OF THE CROSS. 349 


weight of glory unto us; while we look not on the things which are seen, but on 
the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal; but the 
things which are not seen are eternal. For we know that if our earthy mansion 
of this dwelling were destroyed, we have a building of God, an habitation not made 
with hands, but eternal in heaven. For therefore sigh we, desiring to be clothed 
with our mansion which is from heaven; so yet, if that we be found clothed, and 
not naked. For we that are in this tabernacle sigh and are grieved, because we would 
not be unclothed, but would be clothed upon; that mortality might be swallowed up 
of life.” 

“Tt is a true saying, If we be dead with Christ, we shall also live with him. 
If we suffer with him, we shall also reign with him. But if we deny him, he will 
deny us also. If we believe not, yet abideth he faithful: he cannot deny himself.” 

“Blessed is the man that suffereth temptation; for when he is tried he shall 
receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.” 

“Behold, we count them happy which endure.” 

“Jt is thankworthy if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, and suffer 
wrong undeserved. For what praise is it if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye 
take it patiently? But and if, when ye do well, ye suffer wrong, and take it patiently, 
then is there thank with God.” 

“Happy are ye if any trouble happen unto you for righteousness’ sake. Be not 
ye afraid for any terror of them, neither be ye troubled; but sanctify the Lord God 
in your hearts.” 

“Dearly beloved, marvel not that ye are proved by fire (which thing is to try 
you), as though some strange thing happened unto you; but rejoice, inasmuch as ye 
are partakers of Christ’s passions; that, when his glory appeareth, ye may be merry 
and glad. If ye be railed upon for the name of Christ, happy are ye. For the 
glory and the Spirit of God resteth upon you.” “See that none of you be punished 
as a murderer, or as a thief, or an evil-doer, or as a busy-body in other men’s 
matters. But if any man suffer as a christian man, let him not be ashamed; but 
let him glorify God in this behalf. For the time is come that judgment must begin 
at the house of God. If it first begin with us, what shall the end be of them 
which believe not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, 
where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Wherefore let them that are troubled 
according to the will of God commit their souls unto him with well-doing, as unto 
a faithful Creator.” 

“No manner chastising for the present time seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: 
nevertheless, afterward it bringeth the quiet fruit of righteousness unto them which 
are exercised thereby.” 

“JT saw under the altar the souls of them that were killed for the word of God, 
and for the testimony which they had; and they cried with a loud voice, saying, 
How long tarriest thou, Lord, holy and true, to judge and to avenge our blood on 
them that dwell on the earth? And long white garments were given unto every one 
of them. And it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, 
until the number of their fellows and brethren, and of them that should be killed 
as they, were fulfilled.” 

“One of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed 
in long white garments? and whence came they? And I said unto him, Lord, thou 
wottest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, 
and made their garments large, and made them white by the blood of the Lamb: 
therefore are they in the presence of the seat of God, and serve him day and night 
in his temple; and he that sitteth in the seat will dwell among them. They shall 
hunger no more, neither thirst; neither shall the sun light on them, neither any heat. 
For the Lamb which is in the midst of the seat shall feed them, and shall lead 
them unto fountains of living water; and God shall wipe away all tears from their 
eyes.” 

“‘T heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which 


2 Cor. v. 


2 Tim. ii. 


James i. 


James v. 


1 Pet. ii. 


1 Pet. iii. 


1 Pet. iv. 


Heb. xii. 


Rev. vi. 


Rev. vii. 


Rev. xiv. 


350 THE COMMON-PLACES OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURE. 


die in the Lord. Even so, saith the Spirit, that they rest from their labours. But 
their works follow them.” 

Rev. xx. ““T saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesu, and for the 
word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither 
had taken his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived 
and reigned with Christ a thousand years, &c. On such shall 
the second death have no power; but they shall be 
the priests of God and of Christ, and 
shall reign with him 
a thousand 
years.” 


Give the glory to God alone. 


COMPARISON 


BETWEEN THE LORD’S SUPPER AND THE POPE'S MASS. 


18) 3% 


THOMAS BECON. 


A Comparison betwene the Lordes Sup- 


per, and the Popes Masse: newly made, and now first of al 
published by Thomas Becon. 


Ieremy. 2. 


Be astonished (O ye heauens) be afrayd and abashed at such a thing, sayth the 
Lord. For my people hath done tvvo euilles. They hane forsaken me, the 
vvell of the vvater of lyfe, and dygged them pittes, yea vile and 
broken pittes, that can holde no vwvater. 


1. Cor. 10. 


I vvould not, that ye should haue felovvship vvith deuils. Ye can not 
drynke of the cuppe of the Lord, and of the cuppe of deuils. 
Ye can not be partakers of the Lordes table, and 
of the table of deuils. 


De Missa apud Anglos per Euangelium 
iam e medio sublata. 


Missa, malum, peius quo secula nulla tulerunt, 
Istud propudium, dedecus, exitium, 

Fel, odium, sacrilegium, monstrum scelus, vlcus, 
Prostibulum, virus, eacedium, barathrum, 

Spectrum, flagitium, tormentum, nausea, labes, 
Quisquilia, tenebre, carnificina, metus, 

Naufragium, latrocinium, vis, prada, tyrannis, 
Clades, pena, dolor, mors, furor, horror, onus, 

Nequitia, insidie, impostura, infamia, terror, 
Illuuies, sanies, merda, cloaca, putor, 

Larua, superstitio, impietas, iniuria, nullo 
Missa, inquam, inuiso nomine nota satis, 

Nec cruce, nec ferro, nec peste, nec igne, nec onda, 
Sed sola Christi voce perempta iacet. 

Que uisa est orbis secum tractura ruinam, 
Si rueret, uelut fumus inanis abit. 

Nullus honos, nullee exequice, nullumg: sepulchrum: 
Nam superest evus nil nisi nomen iners. 

Aurea iam redeunt veteris primordia mundi : 
Nam capite extincto, crimina cuncta ruunt. 

Quisquis amas uerumg: Deum, ueramg: salutem, 


Viue, Vale, Ride, Plaudeq: Missa fuit. 


Matth. 15. 


Omnis plantatio, quam non plantauit Pater meus ccelestis, eradicalitur. 


TO HIS 
SINGULAk AND DEAR FRIEND, 


MASTER WILLIAM GYBBES|, 


THOMAS BECON WISHETH LONG LIFE, CONTINUAL HEALTH, 
AND PROSPEROUS FELICITY. 


Ir is greatly to be lamented, most gentle master Gibbes, that in this so clear and 
open light of Christ’s gospel (which through the singular benefit of God shineth in 
these our days almost throughout the whole world, so that not only those nations 
which profess Christ, but also the rude, savage, barbarous, and heathenish people, as 
the Moors, the Turks, the Saracens, and such-like, begin to walk in the same, unto 
their great comfort and solace, unto their singular joy and unoutspeakable delight, yea, 
and daily more and more spreadeth forth and stretcheth out his golden and glistering 
beams even unto the furthest and uttermost parts of the earth, that this prophecy of 
our Saviour Christ in these latter days and last age of this old and crooked sinful 
world may be verified, ‘This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the mutt. xxiv. 
world, for a witness unto all nations, and then shall the end come,”) there are so 
many found, which of an obstinate and malicious blindness choose rather to tumble 
and wallow in the cloudy constitutions and dark decrees of antichrist, unto the great 
danger of their souls’ health, than joyfully and pleasantly to walk in the most joy- 
ful and pleasant light of the most sweet and comfortable doctrine of our most loving 
Lord and sovereign Saviour Jesu Christ, unto the undeceivable and sure state of their 
everlasting salvation. 

Verily, when I consider this their careful case and woful state (I consider it often, 
yea, and that not without troublous tears), I can none otherwise than lament and sor- 
row this their too much miserable and damnable condition, into the which they are cast, 
not by God’s appointment, nor by his determinate counsel, which “ will not the death kzek. xviii. 
of a sinner, but rather that he turn and live,” which also “will have all men to be 1 Tim. ii. 
saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth,” but through the envy of the 
devil, and through their own wilful, obstinate, froward, and malicious blindness, while 
they rather choose to be deceived with the false persuasions of the most false and 
fleshly hypocrites, than to lean, to consent, and to agree to the manifest truth of 
God’s most blessed word ; yea, and that so much the more, because it is thus written 
by the apostle: “If our gospel be yet hid, it is hid among them that are lost; in 2Cor. iv. 
whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest 
the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, which is the image of God, should 
shine unto them.” Likewise saith our Saviour Christ: “This is the condemnation, that Jonn iii. 
light is come into the world; and men have loved darkness more than light, because 
their deeds were evil. For every one that evil doeth hateth the light, neither cometh 
he to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that docth truth cometh 
to the light, that his deeds may be known, how that they are wrought in God.” 
Again: “If ye were blind, ye should have no* sin. But now ye say, We see; there- Jonn ix. 
fore your sin remaineth.” Once again: “If I had not come and spoken unto them, Jonn xv. 
they should have had no sin; but now have they nothing to cloke their sin withal.” 


[? Various branches of the family of Gibbe or 
Gibbes were settled in the counties of Devon, Somer- 
set, Warwick, and Kent, and were descended from 
ancestors existing in Britanny or Normandy before 
the conquest. The William Gybbes, who most 
probably was addressed in the dedication of this 
treatise by Becon, appears to have been of the 
Kentish branch, seated at Folkestone in the time of 
Henry VII. He purchased the manor of Elmstone 


[BEcon, m1. ] 


in that neighbourhood, with the advowson of the 
church appendant to it in the beginning of queen 
Elizabeth’s reign. Property formerly belonging to 
the abbey of St Rhadegund was also for a time in 
the possession of this family. By his wife Jane, 
daughter of — Gason, William Gybbes had four 
sons ; all of whom married and had issue. ] 
[® Folio, so.] 


Isai. xxx. 


Job [xxii.] 


Jer. xliv. 


Matt. viii. 


1 Cor. i. 


Isai. xxix. 
1 Cor. i. 


354 A COMPARISON BETWEEN THE LORD’S SUPPER, &c. 


These owls and light-flying birds are like to those kind of people which by the 
prophet speak to the prophets and preachers of God’s truth on this manner: “See 
not, say they unto the seers; and to them that be clear of judgment they say, Look 
not out right things for us, but speak fair words unto us, look our errors, get 
you out of this way, depart out of this path, and turn the Holy One of Israel 
from us.” And, as it is written in Job: “ Depart thou from us; for we will not have 
the knowledge of thy ways.” They are like to those obstinate and stiff-necked people 
which said to Jeremy the prophet: “ As for the words that thou hast spoken to 
us in the name of the Lord, we will in no wise hear them; but whatsoever goeth 
out of our own mouth, that we will do. We will do sacrifice and offer oblations unto 
the queen of heaven, like as we and our forefathers, our kings, and our heads have 
done in the cities of Juda, and in the streets and fields of Jerusalem. For then had 
we plenteousness of victuals; then were we in prosperity; and no misfortune come 
upon us. But since we left to burn incense and to do sacrifice unto the queen of 
heaven, we have had scarceness of all things, and perish with the sword and hunger,” 
&c. They are like to the gross Gergesites, which, hearing that their filthy swine were 
drowned, and that Christ was coming toward them, “went out to meet Jesus, even 
the whole city of them; and when they saw him, they besought him that he would 
depart out of their coasts.” They esteemed their filthy swine more than all the sweet, 
pleasant, comfortable, and healthful words of Christ, yea, more than their salvation. 

After this manner be many people affected among us at this present day, yea, and 
that in this so clear light of the gospel, that I can none otherwise than marvel at this 
their blindness. But who is more blind than he which will not see? They have such 
and so great delight in their filthy swine, (I mean their popish ceremonies and trifling 
traditions of men,) that they regard nothing at all the truth of God’s word. Of this 
sort are not only many of the simple, but also divers of such as will be counted wise 
and learned: which thing is the chief occasion that many in this our age do so stub- 
bornly resist the Lord’s truth, and by no means will learn, consent, and agree unto 
it; so truly is it said of the apostle: “‘ Not many wise men after the flesh, not many 
mighty, not many of high degree, are called.”. And God himself saith: “I will destroy 
the wisdom of the wise, and will cast away the understanding of the prudent.” 

And albeit divers sorts of divers people be of set malice and wilful blindness given 
to all kind of papistry, their minds utterly estranged from all love of God’s truth, yet 
have they the popish mass in such reverence and in such admiration, that they think 
that mass to be the most high and principal service of God, and nothing in this world 
so greatly to please God as this popish mass; when, to say the truth, nothing done 
among the Christians doth so greatly displease God, and obscure the glory and honour 
of his most glorious and most honourable name, as this vile and idolatrous mass, be- 
ing the puddle of all evil, the fountain and well-spring of all idolatry, superstition, 
false worshipping of God, hypocrisy, counterfeit religion, &c., and in all points so 
repugnant and contrary to the holy institution of the Lord’s supver, that darkness is 
not more contrary to light, truth to falsehood, sickness to health, Christ to Belial, 
righteousness to unrighteousness. 

Now, that all true English hearts may understand and perceive how greatly the 
greatest part of all them that are called Christians have been in times past, as many 
yet are, seduced and deceived by this glorious strumpet and gallant harlot the mass, 
while they only beheld and considered the outward gorgeous apparel of that Babylo- 
nical whore; I have plucked from her all that her glorious array, and disclosed her 
filthy nakedness, and set her forth to the eyes of all men even as she is; so that 
from henceforth none needeth to be deceived by her, except they will willingly cast 
themselves into her danger, and again be entangled and snarled with her whorish and 
filthy love, unto the great danger, yea, loss of their salvation. 

And because the truth of this matter should the more evidently and plainly ap- 
pear even to the mean-sighted, and to such as be of most gross judgment in matters 
of God, I have made a comparison between the Lord’s supper and the pope’s mass, 
in the which I have so set forth their contrarieties, that it shall for ever after be no 
hard thing to the diligent reader or hearer, on the one side, to see the truth of the 


THE PREFACE. 395 


Lord’s supper, and, on the other part, the falsehood of the pope’s mass, with the 
doctrine of them both, and by this means easily judge what is to be thought of this 
wicked idol the mass, that glorious and gorgeous strumpet, “of whose wine of the 
wrath of her fornication all nations have drunken, and with whom the kings of the 
earth have committed whoredom,” and so for ever avoid and flee from her, as from 
a most extreme pestilence, yea, as from death, devil, and damnation, according to 
this most wholesome admonition of God: “Come away from her, my people, that ye 
be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins 
are gone up to heaven; and God hath remembered her wickedness,” &e. 

This my labour in framing this comparison between the Lord’s supper and the 
pope’s mass I dedicate unto you, most gentle master Gybbes, partly that it may be 
unto our posterity a memorial of my singular love and right hearty good-will to- 
ward you, partly for the good affection that you have ever borne, even from your 
tender years, both toward the true religion of God and toward good letters, with 
the knowledge whereof God hath also, through the power of his Spirit and the work- 
ing of his grace, abundantly enriched you ; which thing you do both in your daily 
conversation, which is most honest, godly, virtuous, and quiet, practise, and also in 
the godly and comely education and bringing up of your children not only in the 
doctrine of true religion and good letters, but also in the right institution of virtuous 
manners; as I may speak nothing at this present of the most loving life between 
you and the virtuous gentlewoman your wife, of the commendable order used in 
your house among your servants, of the friendly and gentle entertainment of all 
men that come unto you, and of your liberality toward them that be of the house- 

hold of faith. Go forth, as ye have begun, to bring forth these fruits of 
God’s Spirit, and labour daily more and more to excel in them, that 
God also may go forth to have pleasure and delight in you, and to 
enrich you from day to day abundantly more and more with 
his graces and gifts; that you, enjoying his favour in this 
world, may here obtain at his hand many and joyful days, 
unto the great joy of all your friends and hearty good- 
willers, and after this life have the fruition 
of his most glorious Majesty: which God 
grant us all for his dear Son’s sake, 
Christ Jesus our Lord and alone 
Saviour! Fare ye well, and 
pray that God may short- 
ly tread down Satan 
under our feet. 
Amen. 





Rev. xviii. 


A COMPARISON 


BETWEEN THE 


LORD’S SUPPER AND THE POPE’S MASS. 


John xiii. Cnrist, before he delivered to his disciples the holy signs of his body and blood, 

xlv. xv. xvii made openly unto them an heavenly and godly sermon, of most heavenly and godly 
matters, wherewith he did allure, stir up, and inflame their minds unto true god- 
liness. 

The massmonger, making none end of massing, never preacheth, neither declareth 
he the word of God and the true use of the sacraments, that by this means he may 
kindle and stir up them that stand by, and such as hear him, unto pure religion and 
unto a life worthy of Christ. 

Matt. xxvi. 2. Christ, when he should minister the mysteries of his body and blood to his 
Lukeswi. disciples, sat at a table, beholding and looking upon them most friendly and familiarly. 

The massmonger, altogether unhonestly and ungently turning himself from the 
people, standeth at an altar after the manner of Aharon, the unclean parts of his 
body turned to the people. 

3. Christ, going about to celebrate his mystical supper, called upon God his 
Father with a devout and thankful mind. 

The invoca- The massmonger, handling his scenical and stage-like supper, calleth upon the dead 


ane very busily, and desireth their help, when notwithstanding he is not certain whether 


fees | ahs greatest part of them be in heaven or in hell. And what other thing is this, 
I pray you, than plain idolatry and a mere worshipping of idols, utterly to be ab- 
Rom.x.  horred of all godly persons? ‘“* How shall they call upon him,” saith Paul, “on whom 
Psal. |. they have not believed?” ‘Call upon me,” saith the most Highest, “in the time of thy 
Psal. exvi. trouble.” That prince-like prophet saith also: “‘ What reward shall I give again to 
the Lord for all the benefits that he hath done unto me? I will take the cup of 
saving health, and I will call upon the name of the Lord.” 
St Austin doth witness that the ministers of the church in the old time did call 
upon God, and not upon the saints departed, when they were about the ministration 
De Civ. Dei of God’s blessed sacraments, or doing any other service in the temples. “‘ Unto the 
cap. 10.‘ Martyrs,” saith he, “we do not offer our sacrifice, but unto God alone, which is the 
God both of the martyrs and of us, do we offer our sacrifices: at the time of the 
which sacrifices they, as the men of God which in confession of him have overcome 
the world, are named in their place and order; howbeit they are not prayed unto 
nor called upon by the priest'.” 
For God alone is to be called upon, and to be prayed unto, yea, and that only 
Lib. de Isaac IN the name of Christ, ‘who is our mouth,” as St Ambrose saith, ““by whom we 
et Anima ‘speak to the Father; our eye, by the which we see the Father; our right hand, 
by the which we offer unto the Father; which Christ except he maketh intercession 
ae for us, neither we nor any of the saints have any thing to do with God’.” 
‘For the prayer which is not made in the name of Christ can not only [not] put 
away sin, but even the self-same prayer also is very sin®*,” as St Austin writeth. 


{' Nec ibi erigimus altaria, in quibus sacrificemus | Dei, Lib. xxu. cap. x. Tom. VII. cols. 673, 4.] 


martyribus, sed uni Deo et martyrum et nostro: ad [2 Ambros. Op. Par. 1686—90. De Isaac et 
quod sacrificium, sicut homines Dei, qui mundum in | Anim. Lib. cap. vill. 75. Tom. I. col. 380. See 
ejus confessione vicerunt, suo loco et ordine nomi- | Vol. I. page 150, note 2.} 

nantur; non tamen a sacerdote, qui sacrificat, invo- [? August. Op. Enarr. in Psalm. evili. v. 7. 


cantur.—August. Op. Par. 1679—1700. De Civ. | Tom. LV. col. 1219. See Vol. I. page 149, note 3.] 


A COMPARISON BETWEEN THE LORD’S SUPPER, &c. 357 


Therefore saith Christ himself: “ Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye John xvi. 
shall [ask] the Father in my name, he shall give it you.” 

4. Christ, in delivering the mystery of his body to his disciples, said: “This is Luke xxii. 
my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 

The massmonger, in his conversation*, as they term it, corrupting and depraving 
the words of Christ, sometime addeth, sometime diminisheth, and sometime utterly 
omitteth and speaketh of them nothing at all. For in the conversation* of the bread 
this word enim is added, which word in that place is neither found in the evangelists 
nor in Paul; to the which word, notwithstanding, some papists do attribute and give 
so much that they plainly affirm that the conversation‘ is imperfect, and that the 
body of Christ can by no means be made at mass, if the priest leave it out. And 
here the massmonger committeth [no] small offence against God; seeing that he is nothing 
afraid to add rashly unto the word of God, not considering that he hath this com- 
mandment given of God: “ Ye shall not add any thing to the word which I command peut. iv. 
you, neither take ought therefrom.” Hereunto agreeth this saying of Salomon: “ Put Prov. xxx. 
nothing unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.” But if this 
one word enim be so necessary unto the consecrating and making of the body of 
Christ, is not Christ rightly and worthily to be accused of oversight and ignorance; 
seeing that, in so earnest and weighty a matter, he hath shewed himself so unadvised 
and so negligent? Besides this, what is to be thought of those churches and of their 
ministry, which, rejecting and laying aside the popish religion, recite the words of 
the Lord’s supper, not out of men’s decrees, but only out of the holy bible? What, 
is Christ therefore absent from the supper, which they simply and according to 
the institution of Christ do celebrate, because this word enim is absent? Moreover, 
in the consecration of the bread that promise, which is the whole substance of your 
salvation, even this, “ Which is given for you,” the massmonger utterly omitteth 
and leaveth out, making no mention at all of it, as though it appertained nothing 
unto your salvation; when, notwithstanding, we must freely confess, that although 
the body of Christ were never so much given, betrayed, delivered up, broken, scourged, S¥ 
and lifted up on the altar of the cross, yet doth that profit us nothing at all, except 
we most constantly and most assuredly believe that he suffered those most cruel 
torments and that most despiteful death for us, for our health, liberty, freedom, 
wealth, comfort, joy, commodity, and profit. And here also doth the massmonger 
not a little offend, while he taketh and plucketh away so wholesome and _ fruitful 
words from the Lord’s supper: yea, he committeth sacrilege, and is a plain soul-slayer, 
which craftily and like a thief stealeth away from the christian people a promise full 
of so great comfort and sweetness. 

5. Christ, delivering the cup of the mystery of his blood to his disciples, said: 
“Drink ye all of this. This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed Matt, xxvi. 
for you and for many into the remission of sins.” 

The massmonger, in the consecration of the wine, useth not altogether the very 
same words which Christ used, but he addeth and bringeth other words of his own, 
as though (if I might so say) the consecration of Christ were mangled and unperfect. 
These are the massmongers words: “ Verily this is the cup of my blood, a new 
and everlasting testament, the mystery of faith, which shall be shed for you and many 
into the remission of sins*.” Albeit in this adding and heaping of words together no 
great evil and deceit is hidden, yet doth it not become a mortal man, whose property 
it is to fall, to err, to deceive, and to be deceived, who also is flesh, earth, ashes, and Isal. x1. 
dust, to add to the words of Christ, which is the everlasting Wisdom of the Father, 
and “in whom all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge,” as Paul saith, “are hidden.” ol. ii. 
If any man shall add any thing to the testament of any mortal man, or shall take SB 
any thing from it, he for ever after is so evil departed with all men, that he is never 
credited nor believed after. What therefore is to be thought of them which either 


[* In all these places the true reading is most [5 Missal. ad Us. et Consuet. Sar. Par. 1527. 
probably either conversion or consecrution. Compare | Canon Missx, fol. 168. See Vol. Il. page 456, 
Ny 73) | note 2.] 


What is to 
be done at 


the celebra- 


tion of the 
Lord’s 
supper. 


Tsai. lvi. 


Matt. xxvi. 
John xviii. 


358 A COMPARISON BETWEEN THE 


do change, corrupt, or deprave the everlasting testament, not of a mortal man, which 
soon dieth and cometh to an end, but of the immortal God, which liveth and abideth 
for ever? wherein not earthly but heavenly treasures, that is to say, the favour of 
God, remission of sins, quietness of conscience, everlasting life, &c.; not worldly, un- 
certain, and deceivable, but divine, sure, and constant, or stedfast treasures are given 
and bequeathed to the faithful: which testament also is not sealed with soft and 
changeable wax, but with the precious and inestimable blood of our Lord and Saviour 
Jesu Christ. To alter, to corrupt, to deprave, to alienate, or to abolish this, this, 
I say, divine and heavenly testament, is so mischievous and cruel a deed, yea, so 
cursed and wicked an act, that nothing in the world either more villanous or more 
filthy can be spoken or imagined against the glory of God and the salvation of mankind. 

6. Christ commanded his disciples that, whatsoever he did in his supper, they 
should do the same afterward diligently in the administration of the supper, and that 
they should observe the same for ever; that is to say, that they should preach the 
word of God, exhort the christian congregation earnestly unto correction and amend- 
ment of life, unto faith, unto mutual love, unto good works, unto the cross, unto 
patience, unto peace, unto gentleness, unto godliness, unto continency and pureness 
of life, unto perseverance, and unto such other like fruits of God’s Spirit; that they 
should sharply call them back from vices and wickedness; that they, calling upon 
the heavenly Father, should distribute the bread and wine to the godly company 
of the faithful in remembrance of his death and passion; that they should give con- 
tinual praises to God the Father for his exceeding great and innumerable benefits 
granted and given to mankind through his only Son; finally, that they should travail, 
endeavour themselves, and earnestly labour to obey his will, and unto the uttermost 
of their life frame their life according to his holy word, not by themselves only, but 
also exhort other to do the same. 

The massmonger is so far off from doing any of these things, that he doth not 
so much as once think on them in his dream, having other things clean contrary to 
look unto. First, as concerning the preaching of God’s word, he is so far from doing 
that, that he may worthily be numbered among them of whom the prophet Esay 
speaketh on this manner: “ His watchmen be all blind: they are altogether without 
knowledge: they are dumb dogs, not able to bark; looking after vain things; sleepy 
and sluggish are they; yea, like most impudent and shameless dogs are they, that 
never have enough: the very shepherds have no understanding; they are all gone 
astray ; every one followeth his own covetous affection, even from the highest to the 
lowest. Come, say they, let us fill in the wine, and drink drunk ; and as we do this 
day, so will we do to-morrow, yea, double and treble.” 

Verily the massmonger doth not exhort the christian people unto true faith 
and innocency of life; but to give, and to pay their offerings and tithes, he is 
open-mouthed enough. 

Moreover, he calleth not upon God in the name of Christ, that he would vouch- 
safe to be present at his ministry, that all things may be done unto the praise of 
his holy name, and unto the profit of the christian congregation. 

Furthermore, he giveth not the bread and wine to them that are present in the 
remembrance of Christ’s death ; but he himself devoureth altogether alone. 

Again, he giveth not earnest and hearty thanks to God the Father for the recon- 
ciliation of the world through the blood of Christ; yea, he rather proudly setteth 
out, braggeth, and boasteth, that he also in his mass offereth up such a sacrifice as 
is able ea opere operato, that is to say, of the work wrought, easily to purge, cleanse, 
and put away the sins of the whole world. 

In fine, how quick and vehement exhorter of other men he is unto the fulfilling 
of God’s will, his life doth too much abundantly declare, being indeed most corrupt, 
and stuffed with all kind of wickedness. 

7. Christ, after that he had finished that mystical supper and given thanks, pre- 
pared and made ready himself straightways unto the cross and death. 

The massmonger, after that he hath once done his altar-sacrifice, maketh haste, and 
with all possible expedition hieth him unto such houses as are stuffed full of dicers, 


LORD’S SUPPER AND THE POPE'S MASS. 359 


carders, table-players, gluttons, drunkards, riotous persons, bawds, whores, strumpets, 
railers, rufflers, rufhans, swearers, quarrel-pickers, scolders, fighters, chiders, &c. 

8. Christ in that his mystical supper did break common and usual bread. 

The massmonger in his player-like supper useth I know not what cakes: round 
I am sure they are, and deformed with divers images. 

9. Christ in that his most holy banquet delivered to his disciples mere pure 
and unmixed wine, to be the sign of the shedding of his blood. “I will not drink 
hereafter,” saith he, “of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I shall drink it 
with you new in the kingdom of my Father.” “Christ,” saith Chrysostom, ‘ when 
he gave this mystery, gave wine; yea, and after his resurrection, in the bare table 
of the mystery, he used wine. ‘Of the fruit of the vine, saith he, which bringeth 
forth wine, not water’.” 

The massmonger useth not pure wine in his sacrifice, but wine mingled with 
water, contrary to the institution of Christ, according to the decree of pope Alexander 
the first’ ; Clement in his canon utterly forbidding that the priest in his mass should 
offer any liquor but wine only*. Chrysostom writeth that the Lord Jesu after his 
resurrection did not drink water, but wine, that he might destroy and utterly pluck 
up by the roots the heresy of them which use water in the mysteries *. 

10. Christ delivered to his disciples that mystical bread and sacramental wine 
to be eaten and drunken. 

The massmonger doth utterly abuse those holy mysteries, while he in his most, 
abominable mass lift them up as the calf of Aharon, according to the decree of pope 
Honorius the third’, and sheweth them to the people both to be gazed upon and to 
be worshipped: which thing, what other is it than to speak unto them that are 
present on this wise: Behold your Maker: down upon your marrow-bones before 
this your god: reverence him, worship him, honour him, call upon him, offer sacri- 
fice unto him, give thanks unto him? What marvel is it, seeing that the sacrificer 
himself, kneeling down before this his new god humbly and reverently, and looking 
upon him with a demure countenance, speaketh unto him, as it is read in the very 
canon of the mass, on this manner: “I worship thee, I glorify thee, I praise and 
pray thee with the whole intent of my mind and heart®,” &c.; when notwithstanding 
it is written: “I am the Lord, this is my name: I will not give my glory to another, 
nor my praise to graven images?’ Again: “Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, 
and him alone shalt thou serve.” Verily, our Saviour Christ did not institute those 
godly mysteries that we should worship them, but that we should eat and drink them 
for a remembrance of his death. ‘ Take,” saith he, “eat, drink.” 

It is godly said of Erasmus: “ Christ,” saith he, “is in the sacrament under the 
form of meat and drink, that he might be received with high pureness of mind, and 
not that he should be shewed and heaved up, or carried about in plays and open 
pomps, nor that he should be carried upon horseback from place to place, or about 
the fields. For this was not the order of the ancient church; but in this behalf the 
affection of the multitude have been too much served’.” Again he saith: “Some 





[? Kat rivos Evexev obx tdwp emiev dvactas, | secr. Dist. ii. can. 1. cols. 1911, 2.] 


aN’ olvov; anv alipeoiw Tovnpav wpoppiCov ava- 
ommy. émeldy yap tives eloiv év Tots puoTnplos 
Udate Kexpnuévor, Seckvis Sti rjvixka Ta puoTHpLa 
Tapédwkev olvoy tTapédwKe, Kal avixa dvactds 
Xwpis pustnpiwy Yiryv cpaweCav maperibeto, 
olvw EKEXPNTO EK TOU YevyNnuartds, not, THS ap- 
médov. auteos dé olvov, ody Vdwp, yevva.—Chry- 
sost. Op. Par. 1718—38. In Matt. Hom. lxxxii. 
Tom. VII. p. 784.] 

[?...Repulsis opinionibus superstitionum, panis 
tantum et viaum aqua permistum in sacrificium of- 
ferantur. Non enim debet (ut a patribus accepimus, 
et ipsa ratio docet) in calice Domini aut vinum so- 
lum aut aqua sola offerri, sed utrumque permistum : 
quia utrumque ex latere ejus in passione sua proflux- 
isse legitur.—Alexand. in Corp. Jur. Canon. Lugd. 
1624. Decret. Gratiani, Decr. Tert. Pars, De Con- 


[? This is mentioned by Lorichius: Clemens in 
canone vetat ne sacerdos alium liquorem quam vini 
in missa offerat.—Ger. Lorich. De Miss. Publ. Pro- 
rogand. 1536. Lib. 1. cap.i. p. 5. Perhaps the third 
of those commonly called the apostolical canons is 
intended. | 

[* See above, note 1.] 

[> Hon. ILI. in Corp. Jur. Canon. Decretal. 
Greg. IX. Lib. ur. De Celebr. Missar. Tit. xli. 
cap. x. col. 1378. See Vol. II. page 253, note 9.] 

[& Hic inclinet se sacerdos ad hostiam dicens, Te 
adoro, te glorifico, te tota mentis ac cordis intentione 
laudo, et precor: &c.—Missal. ad Us. et Consuet. 
Sar. Par. 1527. Canon Missa, fol. 162.] 

[7 Des. Erasm. Op. Lugd. Bat. 1703—6. De 
Amab. Eccles. Concord. Enarr. Psalm. |xxxii. Tom. 
V. cols. 503, 4. See Vol. II. page 253, note 8.] 


Matt. xxvi. 


In Matt. cap. 
XXXVI. 
Hom. 83. 


Isai. xlii. 


Deut. vi. 
Matt. iv. 


Lib. de Ama- 
bili Ecclesiz 
Concordia. 


Ibidem. 


Luke xviii. 


Johni 
Mark xvi. 
Rom. viii. 


Col. iii. 


Serm. 44, 
de Temp. 


In Serm. de 
Orat. Dom. 


Matt. xxiv. 
In 1 Cor. 
cap. x. 
Hom, 24. 


iS 


De Consecrat. 
Dist. 2, ec. 
Ego Beren- 
garius. 


360 A COMPARISON BETWEEN THE 


seem to themselves to be very devout, if so oft as the priest suffer them to behold 
the body of the Lord, they run to him on every side, and with stedfast eyes look 
and behold him. How much more holy were it with the publican to stand far off, 
and, the body lying prostrate upon the ground, to worship him in mind that was 
crucified! No man is so foolish to worship the human nature of Christ for his 
divine nature, nor to worship the bread and the wine for Christ'.” Item: “In times 
past the people did not run to see that which the priest did shew, or heave up 
above his head; but, their bodies being prostrate on the ground, and their minds lifted 
up into heaven, they gave thanks to Christ their Redeemer, which washed us with 
his blood, and redeemed us with his death °*.” 

And this worshipping of the sacramental bread and wine was utterly unknown 
to the old and pure church of Christ; or else would it never have consumed with fire 
the pieces of the sacramental bread that remained; neither would it have delivered 
the same bread to children, to laymen and women to carry unto other; neither would 
they have admonished the communicants that they should not too much fix and set 
their minds or eyes upon the bread and cup, that is set upon the holy table, but 
rather that they should lift up their minds and hearts, and consider, behold, honour, 
and worship Christ, that ‘“‘ Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world,” and 
sitteth on the right hand of the heavenly Father: all which things godly antiquity did 
most diligently observe and practise, as the monuments of antiquity do evidently declare*. 

What other thing meaneth this saying, Surswm corda, “Lift up your hearts,” which 
the old fathers in celebrating the holy mysteries of the Lord’s supper were wont dili- 
gently to rehearse, than’ that the godly guests should direct all their thoughts, 
meditations, mind, heart, and faith, not unto the signs, that is to say, bread and 
wine, but unto the things signified, that is to say, the true body and blood of Christ, 
“seeking after the things that are above, and not the things on earth, where Christ 
is sitting on the right hand of God ?’—as St Austin writeth: “The hearts,” saith he, 
“of the faithful are in heaven, because they be daily lifted up unto heaven; the priest 
saying, ‘Lift up your hearts, they with quiet minds answer, ‘We lift them up 
unto the Lord’.®” 

St Cyprian also saith: “The priest before the prayer maketh as it were a pre- 
face, by that means preparing the minds of the brethren, and saith, ‘Lift up your 
hearts, that, while the people answer, ‘We lift them up unto the Lord, they may 
be admonished that they ought to think upon none other thing than upon the Lord®.” 

But if they had thought that the body of Christ should have been sought in the 
bread, without doubt the godly fathers would not have said, Sursum corda, but Deor- 
sum corda, “Lift up your hearts,” but rather, “Down with your hearts.” It is very 
aptly said of Chrysostom: “‘‘ Where the dead carcase is,’ saith Christ, ‘thither do the 
eagles resort. This dead carcase is the body of the Lord, through death: for 
except he had fallen, we had never risen again. He calleth them eagles to declare, 
that he which cometh to this body must aspire, contend, and labour unto high 
things, and that he ought to have nothing to do with the earth, nor to be drawn 
and to creep unto things here beneath, but always to fly unto things that are above, 
and diligently to look upon the Sun of righteousness, and to have the most quick 
sight of the mind set upon that. For this is a table of eagles, and not of jays’.” 

But certain bishops of Rome were the first authors of this new god to be wor- 
shipped, as Nicolas the second, which, refusing and condemning as heretical and un- 
sound the sound doctrine, and never tofore of the holy fathers disallowed, of the 


[? Quidam sibi valde pii videntur, si quoties sa- 
cerdos sinit videri corpus Domini, undique accurrant 
ac e proximo defixis oculis intueantur. Quanto reli- 
giosius erat cum publicano procul a cancellis absti- 
nere, et corpore humi fuso, mente adorare crucifix- 
um. Nullus est tam stolidus, ut humanam Christi 
naturam adoret pro divina, aut ut panem et vinum 
adoret pro Christo.—Id. ibid. col. 504.] 

{2 Nam id temporis olim populus non cursitabat 
ad videndum id quod sacerdos ostendit, sed prostratis 


humi corporibus, animis in ccelum erectis, gratias 
agebat Christo Redemtori, qui nos suo sanguine la- 
vit, sua morte redemit.—Id. ibid. cols. 502, 3.] 

[3 See Vol. II. p. 252, notes 2,3; p. 295, note 11.]} 

[* Folio, them.] 

[5 See before, page 266, note 2.] 

[® See before, page 266, note 1. ] 

[7 Chrysost. Op. Par. 1718—38. In Epist. 1. ad 
Cor. Hom. xxiv. Tom. X. p. 216. See Vol. II. page 
295, note 10.] 


LORD’S SUPPER AND THE POPE'S MASS. 36] 


godly and learned man Berengarius (which taught that the substance of bread and 

wine remain in the sacrament, and that Christ is present in the supper, not after a 
corporal, but spiritual manner, and so received of the faithful), decreed, that the bread 

and wine which are set on the altar are not only after the consecration a sacrament 

or holy sign, but also the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, and that 

not only the sacrament sensibly, but also that the very body of Christ is in truth ake: 
with the hands of the priest handled and broken, yea, and torn on pieces with the doctrine 
teeth of the faithful®. In the year of our Lord 1061. 

Moreover, Innocent the third, which, with the consent of the council Lateronense, 
placed among the articles of the christian faith the conversion or turning of the 
sacramental bread and wine into the true and natural body of Christ: at the which 
council, besides the emperors of Rome and Constantinople, and the orators and em- 
bassadors of the kings of Jerusalem, France, Spain, England, Cyprus, and of other 
princes and cities, there were present the patriarchs of Jerusalem and Constantinople, 
archbishops and metropolitans 70, bishops 400, abbots 12, priors of convents 800 ; 
that it might be called a most general council, with the pope and all the clergy 
of Rome “ gathered together against the Lord and against his Anointed®.” In the Psal. ii 
year of our Lord 1205, 

Furthermore, Honorius the third, which ordained that the sacramental bread with Idolatry. 
the chalice should be lifted up at mass of the massing priest, and that the people 
in the mean season should bow themselves reverently unto it, and worship it!’ In 
the year of our Lord 1216. 

Also Urbanus the fourth, which, because nothing should want unto the honouring 
and worshipping of so great and so mighty a god, as a new Aharon in the desert 
of Sinai, instituted a feast of the body of Christ, with large pardons a pena et a 
culpa, both from the pain and from the fault, toties qguoties, so oft as ever it cometh". 

In the year of our Lord 1263. 

So that now we have a new god, whom the patriarchs, prophets, apostles, and the 
old ecclesiastical fathers never knew, whom the holy prophet notwithstanding, yea, rather 
God himself by the prophet, crieth: “Hear, O my people, and I will give thee a Psal, 1xxxi. 
charge: O Israel, if thou wilt hear me, there shall be no strange nor new-found god 
in thee; neither shalt thou worship any foreign god. For I am the Lord thy God.” 

Very notably did our Saviour Jesus Christ tofore warn us of these false prophets, and matt. vii. 
of their pestilent, mischievous, and poisonful doctrine; unto whom would God that era 
we at the last would give ear! that, this horrible idolatry utterly set aside and for 

ever cast away, we, being earnestly and from the very heart converted and turned 

unto the living God, may (as it is most meet) honour, worship, and serve him “in Jonniv. 
spirit and truth,” “in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life.” “If any Lukei._ 
man,” saith he, “shall say unto you, Behold, here is Christ, or there is Christ ;"““* cae 
believe him not. For there shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and they 

shall give great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, the very elect 

should be seduced and brought into error. Behold, I have told you before. If there- 

fore they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the wilderness; go not forth: Behold, 

he is in the secret places; believe it not.” 

1]. Christ, in the administration of his most holy supper, used his common and 
daily apparel. 

The massmonger, like hickscorner, being dressed with scenical and game-player’s The apparel 
garments, as with an humeral or ephod, with an alb, with a girdle, with a stole, ten 
with a maniple, with an amice, with a chesible, with a fannon'’, &c., cometh unto 
the altar with great pomp, and with a solemn pace, where it is wonderful to be the gestures 
spoken how he setteth forth himself, to all godly men to be lamented and pitied, and Mcins 


massmongers 
use in their 
mass. 





[® Corp. Jur. Canon. Lugd. 1624. Decret.Gra- | II. page 260, note 2. 1205 seems an error for 1215.] 
tiani, Decr. Tert. Pars, De Consecr. Dist. ii. can. [?° See before, page 359, note 5.] 
42. cols. 1932, 3. See Vol. II. page 264, note 3. ] [1! Stella, Vit. Pontif. Basil. 1507. Urban. IV. 
(° Id. Decretal. Greg. JX. Lib. 1. De Summ. | fol. H. 3.] 
Trin. et Fid. Cath. Tit. i. cap. 1. col. 10. See Vol. [!? See before, page 259, note 2.] 


The mass- 
Tmonger’s 
trinkets. 


Lib. ii. Offic. 
cap. 28. 


a= help when need is. For what doth it profit to keep that which serveth to no use 


1 Cor. xiv. 


362 A COMPARISON BETWEEN THE 


to children even to be derided and to be laughed to scorn; while, like another Roscius, 
with his foolish, player-like, and mad gestures, the poor wretch writheth himself on 
every side, now bowing his knees, now standing right up, now crossing himself, as 
though he were afraid of spirits, now stooping down, now prostrating himself, now 
knocking on his breast, now censing, now kissing the altar, the book, and paten, 
now stretching out his arms, now folding his hands together, now making charac- 
ters, signs, tokens, and crosses, now lifting up the bread and chalice, now holding 
his peace, now crying out, now saying, now singing, now breathing, now making no 
noise, now washing of hands, now eating, now drinking, now turning him unto the 
altar, now unto the people, now blessing the people either with his fingers or with 
an empty cup, &c.: when it evidently appeareth by the histories, that the ministers 
of Christ’s church in times past, when they ministered the holy sacraments either of 
baptism or of the Lord’s supper, used none other than their common and daily apparel ; 
yea, and that unto the time of pope Stephen the first, which first of all (as Sabel- 
licus testifieth) did forbid that from thenceforth priests in doing their divine service 
should no more use their daily array, but such holy garments as were appointed unto 
that use!. This bishop lived in the year of our Lord 260. 

12. Christ simply and plainly, and without any decking or gorgeous furniture, 
prepared and ministered that heavenly banquet. 

The massmonger with a marvellous great pomp and wonderful gay shew setteth 
forth his merchandise. For he hath an altar sumptuously built, yea, and that is 
covered with most fine and white linen cloths, so likewise richly garmished, decked, 
and trimmed with divers gorgeous pictures and costly images. He hath also cruets 
for water and for wine, towels, coffers, pixes, phylacteries, banners, candlesticks, wax 
candles, organs, singing bells, sacry bells, chalice of silver and of gold, patens, cen- 
sers, ship*, frankincense, altar-cloths, curtains, paxes, basins, ewers, crosses, chris- 
matory, reliques, jewels, ouches, precious stones, mitres, cross-staves, and many 
other such-like ornaments, more meet for the priesthood of Aharon than for the 
ministery of the new testament. 

It is nobly said of St Ambrose: “The sacraments require no gold, neither do 
they delight in gold, which are not bought for gold. The garnishing of the sacra- 
ments is the redemption or deliverance of the captives and prisoners. And verily 
those are precious vessels which redeem souls from death. That is the true treasure 
of the Lord, which worketh that that his blood hath wrought*.” Again he saith: 
“The church hath gold, not that it should keep it, but that it should bestow it, and 

49” 

13. Christ did plainly recite and openly pronounce the words wherewith he did 
institute the reverent memorial of his passion and death, using that speech only which 
was most known to his disciples. 

The massmonger in going about his profane sacrifices either altogether keepeth 
silence, or else with a soft buzzing runneth over all, or else, whatsoever he babbleth 
out, he poureth it out in that tongue which is altogether unknown to the common 
people, and of himself stoutly® well understanded; when, notwithstanding, the apostle’s 
commandment is, that “all things should be done in the congregation of the faithful 
unto edifying.” He also plainly forbiddeth that nothing at all should be recited in 
the congregation, except there be an interpreter, although it be never so godly and 
holy, which may not be understanded of all men. 

“Now, brethren,” saith he, “if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what 
shall I profit you, except I speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or 
by prophesying, or by doctrine? Moreover, when things without life give sound, 
whether it be a pipe or an harp, except they make a distinction in the sounds, how 





[! See before, page 262, note 1.] thesaurus est Domini, qui operatur quod sanguis ejus 
[? Folio, shyppe.] operatus est.—Ambros. Op. Par. 1686—90. De Of- 
[? Aurum sacramenta non querunt: neque auro | fic. Ministr. Lib. 1. cap. xxviil. 138. Tom. II. col. 
placent, que auro nonemuntur. Ornatus sacramen- | 103.] 
torum redemptio captivorum est. Vere illa sunt vasa [* Id. ibid. 187. See Vol. I. page 23, note 6.] 
pretiosa, que redimunt animas a morte. Ille verus [° So folio ; perhaps scantly.] 


LORD’S SUPPER AND THE POPE'S MASS. 363 


shall it be known what is piped or harped? For if the trump give an uncertain 
voice, who shall prepare himself to the war? Even so likewise when ye speak with 
tongues, except ye speak words that have signification, how shall it be understand 
what is spoken? for ye shall but speak in the air. Many kinds of voices are in 
the world, and none of them are without signification. If I know not what the 
voice meaneth, I shall be unto him that speaketh an alien; and he that speaketh shall 
be an alien to me. Even so ye, forasmuch as ye covet spiritual gifts, seek that ye may 
excel unto the edifying of the congregation. Wherefore let him that speaketh with 
tongue pray that he may interpret also. For, if I pray with tongue, my spirit prayeth, 
but my understanding doth no good. What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, 
and will pray with the understanding, and will sing with the spirit, and will sing 
with the understanding. For else, when thou blessest with the spirit, how shall he 
that occupy the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy thanksgiving, seeing he un- 
derstandeth not what thou sayest? Thou verily givest thanks well; but the other 
is not edified. I thank my God that I speak with tongues more than ye all. Yet 
had I rather in the congregation to speak five words with my understanding, to the 
information of other, than ten thousand words with the tongue. Brethren, be not ye 
children in wit: howbeit as concerning maliciousness be children, but in wit be perfect. 
In the law it is written, With sundry tongues and with sundry lips will I speak unto tei. xxviii. 
this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord. Wherefore 
tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not. Con- 
trariwise, prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe. 
If therefore when all the congregation is come together, and all speak with tongues, 
there come in they that are unlearned, or they which believe not, will they not say 
that ye be out of your wits? But and if all prophesy, and there come in one that 
believeth not, or one unlearned, he is rebuked of all men, and is judged of every man; 
and so are the secrets of his heart opened; and so falleth he down on his face and 
worshippeth God, and saith that God is in you of a truth. How is it then, brethren? 
As oft as ye come together, every one of you hath a song, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, 
hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.” 

But in the popish church the matter is far otherwise, where all holy things, as 
concerning the public prayers and the administration of God’s mysteries (which things 
verily ought of right to be known of all men), are not handled and done in the vulgar, 
common, and native speech, but in a tongue which is utterly foreign, strange, and 
altogether unknown to the common people; so that they which stand by and hear 
receive no profit at all (for, as Theodoretus saith : ““ When such as are present understand In1 Cor. 
not what is spoken, the words are poured forth into the air vainly and without fruit®”) ; re 
when it is sufficiently evident and plain enough that all the godly, both Hebrews, 
Greeks, Romans, and barbarous, even from the beginning of the christian religion, did 
use none other tongue in the administration of the divine mysteries than their own 
country and common speech; an experiment whereof is yet to be had even at this 
present day in those churches which were never subject to the most cruel, bitter, and 
intolerable yoke of that Romish antichrist, but have remained unto this our time constant 
and stedfast in that holy faith, true religion, and christian liberty, which they received 
of the apostles of the Lord Jesu ; as I may speak nothing of those godly congregations 
which in this our age have shaken off the tyranny of that Italian bishop, and have 
most happily and blessedly called again unto them the true, ancient, and old religion 
of God, heretofore taught and set forth by the prophets and apostles. 

14. Christ delivered unto his disciples, even in their very hands, the sacramental 
bread, being the holy sign of his most holy body. 

The massmonger, by no means suffering that the laymen (for so are the common 
people, and also the nobility, yea, so many as are not of the number of those greasy 
and shaven epicures, called) should take the sacramental bread with their hands, thrust 
it and cram it into the mouths of the communicants; as though they were either so 
foolish and childish that they could not put meat in their own mouth, or else so 


[° Tov yap mapovtwy ov cuvidvtwy, eis aépa | Par. 1642—84. In Epist. 1. ad Cor. cap. xiv. vv. 9, 
pathy dtaxettat Ta piuata.—Theodoret. Op. Lut. | 10. Tom. III. p. 190.] 


1 Cor. vii. 


Matt. xxvi. 
Mark xiv. 
1 Cor. xi. 


1 Cor. x. 


Luke xxii. 


1 Cor. x. 


Altars. 


Note. 


Exod. xxvii. 


364 A COMPARISON BETWEEN THE 


filthy and unpure that it may seem a thing altogether unworthy and intolerable, a 
mystery so holy and so divine to be defiled and handled with the hands of so profane 
and unclean persons. Neither is it any marvel, seeing that the popish law forbiddeth 
that any of the laity should come unto the Lord’s supper, except he be free from 
lying with his wife three or four days before, and so to continue five or seven days 
after that he hath received the communion of the body and blood of Christ’; teaching 
moreover that for the man to “give unto his wife the due benevolence” (as Paul speaketh), 
or (as the papistical ribalds, such and so great is their own impudency and unshamefaced- 
ness, bark in their decrees’) to have carnal company with his wife, is none other thing 
than to be defiled with carnal concupiscence of fleshly lust, than to give themselves to 
chambering and wantonness, than to be in the flesh, than to be drowned with the 
lusts of lechery, than to be given to the pleasures of uncleanness, than to set all their 
minds on filthy desires, and at the last, what not! 

15. Christ gave to his disciples the mystery not only of his body, but also of 
his blood, saying: “ Drink of this, all ye.” “And they all drank of it,” saith Mark. 
Likewise saith Paul: “So oft as ye shall eat this bread, and drink of the cup, ye 
shall call to remembrance the Lord’s death till he come.” Again: “ The cup of thanks- 
giving, for the which we give thanks, is it not the partaking of the blood of Christ? 
The bread which we break, is it not the partaking of the body of Christ?” Here 
see we, that the holy mysteries of Christ’s body and blood are joined together, and 
commanded to be received together of the faithful communicants. 

The massmonger, the Lord’s cup clean taken away from the communion of the 
faithful, (O sacrilege worthy the curse of all godly persons!) and Christ’s commandment 
utterly neglected, contemned, despised, and set at nought, bringeth forth and delivereth 
unto them the bread only; as though the lay persons were altogether unworthy to 
be partakers of such and so great a mystery. 

16. Christ did minister the sacrament of his body and blood to his disciples sitting 
at the table. ‘‘ When the time was now come,” saith Luke, “Jesus sat down, and 
his twelve disciples with him.” 

The massmonger delivereth the bread and wine to his guests kneeling before the 
altar. In distributing the mysteries of his body and blood Christ the Lord used 
not an altar, after the manner of Aharon’s priests, whom the law of Moses appointed 
to kill and offer beasts; but he used a table, as a furniture much more meet to get, 
defend, confirm, increase, and continue friendship. But the massmonger, as one always 
desirous to shed blood, standeth at an altar, and so delivereth the communion to his 
people; when as the apostle speaking of the holy banquet maketh mention not of 
an altar, but of a table, saying: “ Ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table and 
of the table of the devils.” Neither did the ancient and old church of Christ allow 
these Aharonical and Jewish altars. For they used a table in the administration of 
the Lord’s supper, after the example of Christ; as it plainly appeareth both by the 
holy scriptures, and also by the writings of the ancient fathers and old doctors. For, 
the sacrifices taken away, to what use, I pray you, should altars serve among the 
Christians? except ye will call again and bring in use the Jewish, or rather idolatrous 
sacrifices. Truly altars serve rather for the killing of beasts than for the distribution 
of the pledges of amity or friendship; neither do those altars more agree with the 
christian religion than the caldron, the fire-pan, the basin, the sholve’, the flesh-hook, 
the gridiron, and such-like instruments, which the priests of Aharon used in preparing, 
dressing, and doing their sacrifices. 

For unto the honest, seemly, and worthy celebration of the holy banquet of the 
body and blood of Christ, we have need, not of an altar, but of a table; except ye 
will say that the primitive church, which more than two hundred years after Christ’s 
ascension used tables at the celebration of the divine mysteries, yea, except ye will 
say that Christ himself, the author of this most holy supper, did doat and was out 
of his wits, which, not standing at an altar, like Aharon’s priest, but sitting at 


[! See Corp. Jur. Canon. Lugd. 1624. Decret. [? Folio, degrees.] 
Gratiani, Decr. Tert. Pars. De Consecr. Dist. ii. [? Shovel appears to be the word meant. | 
can. 21. cols. 1920, 1.] 


LORD'S SUPPER AND THE POPE'S MASS. 365 


a table, as a minister of the new testament, did both ordain and minister this holy 
and heavenly food. For who is so rude and ignorant of antiquities, which knoweth 
not that pope Sixtus the second, about the year of our Lord two hundred three- Whenaltars 


score and five, brought in the altars first of all in the church*, utterly forbidding ‘to the 
tables any more to be used from thenceforth at the ministration of the Lord’s supper? 
when, notwithstanding, from Christ’s ascension unto that time the Lord’s supper was 
alway ministered at a table, according to the practice of Christ, of his apostles, and 

of the primitive church. But there is but one only altar of the Christians, even 
Jesus Christ, the Son of God and of the virgin Mary, of whom the apostle 
speaketh on this manner: “ We have an altar, whereof it is not lawful for them to Heb. xiii 
eat which serve in the tabernacle.” Our altar is not of stone, but of God; not 
worldly, but heavenly; not visible, but invisible; not dead, but living: upon the 
which altar whatsoever is offered unto God the Father, it can none otherwise be 

but most thankfully and most acceptable. 

And like as Christ, administering the most holy mysteries of his body and blood 
to his disciples, sat down at the table; so likewise his guests, that is to say, his 
apostles, sitting at the same table, received that heavenly food sitting. But the 
massmonger delivereth not the sacramental bread unto the communicants, except they 
first of all kneel down with great humility and reverence, that they may° by this 
their gesture declare and shew evidently to such as are present, that they worship 
and honour that bread for a god; which is so great and so notable wickedness, as 
none can exceed; when it is plain and evident by the ancient writers, that the 
guests of the Lord’s supper, long and many years after Christ’s resurrection, sat at 
the table®; so far is it off that they either, after the manner of the Jews, stood 
right up, or, after the custom of the papists, kneeled, when they should receive the § 
holy mysteries of the body and blood of Christ. 

17. Christ, celebrating that most holy banquet, gave unto his disciples both 
heavenly and earthy things. 

The massmonger giveth nothing at all to them that stand by. The ravener 
taketh all to himself, and the glutton alone devoureth altogether (not unlike to the 
daughters of the blood-sucker, “ Bring hither, bring in”), always having this saying in Prov. xxx. 
his mouth: “‘ Thou shalt not appear empty-handed before the Lord thy God.” 

18. Christ, without any constraint, both willingly and freely gave his supper 
unto his disciples. 

The massmonger, except he be hired, goeth with as evil will unto the altar as 
the swine unto the sty. He hath wares to sell; but, God knoweth, counterfeit, 
false, and deceitful: which evil wares, notwithstanding, he setteth forth and sheweth 
for true and perfect wares. He masseth it not gladly, except well rewarded. For 
money he doth whatsoever he doth. He sacrificeth for no man, except he hath rhe mass. 
money, according to this common proverb, “No penny, no Pater-noster:” again, ail ites fad 
“Nought hath no savour:” once again, “I had as leave sit for nought as go for™°”™ 
nought ;” insomuch that the very souls in purgatory, although (as the papists feign) 
most miserably tormented, and suffering most bitter pains, he will by no means help, 
comfort, and release, except he hath money. If money come, look, whatsoever is holy 
he will make it unholy, and whatsoever is unholy he will make it holy; so truly 
is it said of the Greek poet: “Gold openeth all things, yea, the very gates of 
hell””. Money beareth so great rule with the mass, that, except that be present, it 
can do no good. The great substance of the rich men doth wonderfully commend 
and set forth these masses; yea, it is the whole strength of them, so necessary that, 
if that want, thou shalt in no place of the world either find masses or massmongers. 

For, as Damascenus saith, although in another sense: “ When the market is once 
done, there is then no more merchandise to sell *.” 


[* See Stella, Vit. Pontif. Basil. 1507. Sixtus II. [7 Xpucos 6 avotye: wavta x’ ’Atdov midas.— 
fol. B.] Menand. et Philem. Relig. Meinek. Berol. 1823. 
[° Folio, be.] Sent. Sing. 538. p. 334.] 


[° See Vol. IT. page 299, note 3.] [® Nemo solutis nundinis negotiatur.—Jo. Da- 


Gerhardus 
Lorichius, 

de Missa Pub. 
Proroganda. 


Rev. xviii. 


The fruits of 
the popish 
mass. 


366 A COMPARISON BETWEEN THE 


And here may that be very aptly and in place recited, that a certain man, al- 
though a rank papist, writeth on this manner: “First they do abuse the mass, 
which is a public sacrifice and a continual remembrance of the death and only sa- 
erifice of Christ, which change it into a private sacrifice, and make merchandise of 
it. This abuse of the mass, as a sink of all evils, is most pernicious and hurtful. 
Hereof come the locatory applications of masses: hereof cometh the fat sale of the 
justifying masses, ea opere operato: hereof come those seven golden masses, which 
being bought for a piece of gold, certain souls are delivered, as some believe, out 
of purgatory: hereof come trentals of masses: hereof come altars and chapels: hereof 
come revenues and yearly stipends: hereof cometh the error, whereby the mass is 
only read to consecrate profane and unholy things: hereof come simonies, yea, and 
the fountain and well-spring of all evils. Verily that error doth so far stretch out 
itself, that even the sons of the most noble, worthy, and excellent kings and princes 
of the world doat, and are deceived therewith. This is that power of delicates and 
riches, wherewith, as John saith, ‘all the merchants of the earth are enriched.’ 
This is that common harlot, which, with her decking and flattering, hath allured all 
people unto her. This is that whorish deceit which hath blinded and bewitched, 
yea, even them which be the wisest of the world. This gallant and finely decked 
superstition reigneth upon the waters, that is to say, upon many nations, as the same 
John saith?.” Thus far are his words. 

19. Christ, in that holy feast of his body and blood, did sacrifice unto his heavenly 
Father with thanksgiving. 

The massmonger stoutly holdeth, and mainly defendeth, that he in his mass offereth 
unto God a propitiatory sacrifice for the purging, cleansing, and satisfaction of the 
sins of the world: which is so injurious and despiteful against the one only and 
everlasting sacrifice of Christ, offered and done once for all on the altar of the cross 
for the perfect reconciliation of mankind to God the Father, that nothing can be 
compared unto it. 

20. Christ, by breaking the bread and dividing the cup, did draw and allure the 
minds of his disciples unto that point, that they, beholding the mystical breaking of 
his body and the shedding of his blood, were wonderfully excited, moved, stirred, and 
kindled, patiently and thankfully to suffer any kind of torments, although never so 
grievous and sharp, although never so cruel and intolerable, for the glory of God 
and his holy truth. 

The massmonger doth so handle his unsacred sacrifices, that, when he hath once 
done mass, both he and his waiting-men depart and go away the more prepared and 
instructed to attempt, to assay, and to do all most villanous acts and mischievous 
deeds. For so soon as the popish mass is once ended, what dare not the papists 
take in hand? To play at dice, to run on whore-hunting, to drink drunk, to commit 
usury, to poll, to pill, to steal, to rob, to swear, to forswear, to lie, to scold, to fight, 
to murder, and what else dare they not do? They have such confidence and trust 
in the sacrifice of the mass, that they dare do all things. For they persuade themselves 
that by the virtue of the mass all their sins, be they never so wicked, horrible, and 
detestable, are easily purged and put away. 


masc. Op. Par. 1619. Parallel. Lib. 11. cap. xvii. p. 
105. This is quoted by Damascenus from Basil, Op. 
Par. 1721—30. Hom. in Divit. Tom. II. p. 60. See 
Vol. II. page 396, note 3. ] 

[' Principio missa, que publicum est sacrificlum 
et jugis commemoratio mortis atque adeo unici sacri- 
ficii Christi, abutuntur, qui eam in privatum idque 
venalitium sacrificium mutant. Hic abusus misse, 
tanquam lerna malorum, omnium est perniciosissimus. 
Hine missarum locatorie applicationes, hine venali- 
tium opus operatum, hine misse auree septem ille, 
quibus aureo nummo emptis certe anime e purgato- 
rio liberari creditum est, hine tricenarius missarum, 
hinc altaria et sacella, hinc census et stipendia anni- 


versaria, hinc error quo missa saltem legitur ad con- 
secrandas res prophanas, hinc simoniz atque adeo 
omnium malorum fons et origo. Adeo se error ille 
extendit ut etiam quoslibet clarissimorum regum et 
mundi principum filios occupet. Hee est illa vis 
deliciarum et divitiarum, qua (ut Joannes dicit) mer- 
catores terre locupletati sunt omnes. Hoc est illud 
prostibulum quod suo ornatu et blanditiis omnes ad 
se allexit populos; hic est fucus meretricius qui ex- 
cxcavit et dementavit etiam sapientissimos quoslibet ; 
hec superstitio compta regnat super aquas, id est, 
gentes multas, ut idem Joannes dicit cap. 17.—Ger. 
Lorich. De Miss. Publ. Prorogand. 1536. Lib. 1. 
cap. il. p. 21.] 


LORD’S SUPPER AND THE POPE'S MASS. 367 


21. Christ did not eat that mystical supper alone; but, as Chrysostom writeth, In Matt, 
“he did participate those holy mysteries of his body and blood with his disciples, lest that cap. 36. ’ 
they, hearing these words, ‘ Take ye, and eat: this is my body: ‘Take ye, and drink: 
this my blood, should say, What, drink we blood, and eat we flesh? and so should 
be troubled ; as we read of some which were offended for the like words. Therefore Jonn vi. 
lest,” saith he, “this thing should then have happened, he himself did this first of 
all; that is to say, he did eat and drink of these holy mysteries, that by this means 
he might induce them with a quiet mind unto the receiving of so worthy mysteries? :” 
but he did minister those mystical meats unto other also. 

The massmonger eateth and drinketh up all alone, giving no man part with him, 
when the commandment of Christ is this, “ Take ye, eat ye;” not, Take thou, eat thou. Matt. xxvi. 
Again: “Drink ye all of this:” not, Drink thou massmonger alone. For the supper 
of the Lord is a common banquet, and not a private repast ; instituted, ordained, and 
appointed for many, and not for one alone. It is excellently said of Paul: “ When ye 1 Cor. xi. 
come together to eat the Lord’s supper, tarry one for another.” It is his own, not S58 
the Lord’s supper, when any man eateth and drinketh alone in the congregation. 
Wherefore they are mere deceits, and very jugglings of Satan, whatsoever the massing 
priest standing at the altar imagineth and doth. For he doth nothing else than deceive 
and beguile the minds of the simple with the glistering visor of false religion and 
feigned holiness. 

22. Christ, celebrating that heavenly feast, told his disciples before, that his body 
should be broken and his blood shed for many unto the remission and forgiveness of 
sins; sins, I mean all sins, both those which have been committed hitherto from the 
beginning of the world, and those also which shall be committed unto the world’s end, 
according to this prophecy of Esay: ‘He only hath taken upon him our infirmi- tsi. iii. 
ties, and he hath borne our pains. Yet we did judge him as though he were plagued, 
and cast down of God, and punished: whereas he, notwithstanding, was wounded for 
our offences, and smitten for our wickedness. For the chastisement of our peace 
was laid upon him; and with his stripes are we healed. As for us, we have gone all 
astray like sheep: every one hath turned his own way. But the Lord hath heaped 
together upon him the imiquity of us all.” And a little after: “He which is my 
righteous servant shall justify the multitude; for he shall bear away their sins.” The 
same thing doth Micheas teach, saying: ‘‘ He shall put down our wickednesses, and mic. vii. 
cast all our sins into the bottom of the sea.” ‘“ Praise the Lord, O my soul,” crieth sal. ciii. 
that prince-like prophet, “and all that is within me, praise his holy name. O praise 
the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits; which forgiveth all thy sins, 
and healeth all thine infirmities; which saveth thy life from destruction, and crowneth 
thee with mercy and loving-kindness.” ‘* Thou hast cast behind thy back,” saith sai. xxxviii. 
that holy king Ezechias, “all my sins.” 

Christ alone is that purging, satisfying, and sanctifying goat, upon whose head tey. xvi. 
all the trespasses of the children of Israel and all the offences of sinners are laid 
and heaped, which also carrieth away all their misdeeds into the wilderness. Christ 
alone is “the Lamb of God which taketh away (he taketh away, I say, daily, he Jonni. 
taketh away always, he taketh away continually) the sin (that is to say, whatso- 
ever is comprehended under the name of sin) of the world,” that is to say, of all men 
which earnestly and from the very heart repent, believe, and amend their life; as St 
John witnesseth: “If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus 1Johnii. 
Christ that righteous one. He is the satisfaction for our sins; not for our sins only, 
but also for the sins of the whole world.” Christ alone is that only and most dear 
Son of God, for whose sake God the Father is well pleased with man. Christ alone matt. iii. 
is that sweet-smelling sacrifice, by the power whereof “we have redemption through Coli. 
his blood, even remission of sins.” Christ alone is that only ‘“ Mediator between God 1 Tim. ii. 
and man, which gave himself a ransom for all men.” Christ alone is that good shep- John x. 
herd, which bestowed his life for his sheep, which also “bare our sins on his body 1 Pet. ii. 
upon the tree, that we, being dead unto sin, might live unto righteousness.” Inso- 
much that he alone, alone, I say, hath abundantly and unto the full, yea, even unto 





[*? This passage will be given more fully afterwards. See the Index.] 


Tit. ii. 


1 John i. 


Heb. x. 


2 Thess. ii. 


Rev. xiii. 


Heb. x. 


Heb. vii. 


Heb. ix. 


Heb. x. 


1 Cor. xi. 


Zech. iii. 


368 A COMPARISON BETWEEN THE 


the uttermost satisfied for all our sins without exception, whether they be original, 
or actual, or mortal, or venial, or any other committed either in thought, word, or 
deed; as St Paul writeth: ‘Christ Jesus gave himself for us to redeem us from all 
iniquity.” Also St John: “The blood of Jesus Christ purgeth and cleanseth us from 
all sin.” 

The massmonger is become so impudent and without shame, that he feareth 
nothing most ungodly and wickedly to affirm, teach, and hold that Christ by his death 
did only put away original sin; and as for all other sins, saith he, they must be 
purged, cleansed, and put away by the sacrifice of the mass: which is so great a 
blasphemy against the Son of God, against his one and alone everlasting sacrifice, 
against his passion, death, and blood, whereby alone we are for ever and ever sanc- 
tified, made holy, and sealed up unto everlasting life, that none of Satan himself can 
be devised or imagined greater or more heinous. Christ, that most innocent Lamb of 
God, by his most dear and precious blood to take away one sin only, and the mass- 
monger by his missal sacrifice to take away many, yea, infinite sins! O blasphemy 
passing all blasphemies! Is not this to “tread under foot the Son of God, and to count 
the blood of the testament, wherewith we be sanctified, as an unholy thing, and to do 
dishonour to the Spirit of grace?” Is not this to be that “son of perdition, which is 
an adversary, and is exalted above all that is called God, or that is worshipped, for 
that he doth sit in the temple of God, boasting himself to be God?” Is not the 
massmonger that beast which “opened his mouth unto blasphemy against God, to 
blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven?” God once 
destroy antichrist and his kingdom! 

23. Christ “with one only oblation hath made them perfect for ever that are 
sanctified,” yea, and that so abundantly, perfectly, and, as the apostle saith, unto the 
full, that there is no need at all to repeat and renew the same, seeing that “he, once 
for all entering by his own blood into the holy place, hath gotten an everlasting re- 
demption,” and hath also “purged our conscience from dead works, that we should 
serve the living God.” “Christ,” saith Paul, “is not entered into the holy places 
that are made with hands, which are similitudes of true things, but is entered into the 
very heaven, for to appear now in the sight of God for us; not to offer himself 
often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every time with strange blood ; 
for then must he have often suffered since the world began. But now in the end 
of the world hath he appeared once to put sin to flight by the offering up of him- 
self. And as it is appointed unto all men that they shall once die, and then cometh 
the judgment; even so Christ was once offered to take away the sins of many; and 
unto them that look for him shall he appear again without sin unto salvation.” 
Again he saith: “We are sanctified by the oblation of the body of Jesus Christ, 
done once for all.” Of this one and alone oblation we celebrate a most holy and wor- 
thy memorial so oft as we come together and eat the Lord’s supper according to the 
institution of Christ. 

The massmonger, heaping daily more and more mass upon mass, and mass for a 
vantage, for the sins of the quick and of the dead, maketh no man perfect, getteth 
for no man the favour of God, forgiveness of sins, quietness of conscience, the Holy 
Ghost, and, in fine, everlasting life. He is not much unlike to the priests of Aharon, 
which were always sacrificing and offering up of oblations; and yet could those sa- 
crifices and oblations never take away sin, neither their own sins, nor the sins of 
the people. For if the missal sacrifice of the massmonger were of such power to 
take away sin, what need we to have daily so many thousands of masses for one 
man, quick or dead? when the Lord of hosts, speaking of his Messias by Zachary 
the prophet, saith on this manner: “I will take away the wickedness of that land 
in one day.” Yea, verily, the massmonger with his wicked sacrifices, wherewith 
he is beyond all measure injurious, contumelious, hateful, and despiteful (alas, for 
sorrow!) against the precious blood of Christ, exciteth, stirreth up, and provoketh 
the great wrath and hot vengeance of God both against himself and against his 
maintainers (yea, I pray God that he do it not against all mankind), while he 
erecteth and setteth up a new idolatrous sacrifice after the manner of Jeroboam to 
pacify God, and to appease his anger; so far is it off that he with missal sacri- 


LORD’S SUPPER AND THE POPE'S MASS. 369 


fices can put away either his own or other men’s sins, or yet quiet the anger of 
God stirred up against mankind for their wickedness; which thing, what other 
is it than utterly to abrogate, to make void, and to blot out the former sacrifice 
of Christ, for the infirmity, weakness, unperfection, inability, and unprofitableness 
thereof ? 

24. Christ did distribute and give true and perfect bread made of wheat, and 
very wine, the true fruit of the vine, unto his disciples at that mystical supper, yea, 
and that after the words of consecration (as the papists speak), no mutation, change, 
or alteration of the bread and wine being made, but only sacramental, the very sub- 
stances of the bread and wine remaining still in their proper nature and kind. 

The massmonger utterly denieth that there remaineth any substance of bread and Transubstan- 
wine after that the words of the Lord’s supper be once recited ; stoutly affirming, ee 
and with tooth and nail defending, that the very substance of feed is turned and of Goa 
changed into the true and natural body of Christ, and the substance of wine into 
the very natural blood of Christ, shed for us on the altar of the cross; insomuch that 
no substance of bread or wine do remain, but the accidents thereof only, whole 
Christ, God and man, lurking and being hidden under the forms of bread and 
wine. But the word of God in every place resisteth and striveth against this doc- 
trine, wherewith the papists do maintain and defend this their wicked and monstrous 
dream of transubstantiation. For thus read we in the evangelists: “As they were matt. xxvi. 
eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and gave it 
to his disciples, and said, Take ye, eat ye: this is my body.” That there was here 
no transmutation, or, as the adversaries in their doctrine term it, transubstantiation, of 
the bread into the natural body of Christ, it manifestly appeareth of the self words; 
as I may at this time nothing speak of the judgment of the ancient fathers of Christ’s 
church, which never knew nor taught any such kind of monstrous doctrine ; as it is 
evident enough by their own works. For what Christ took in his hand, that brake 
he; and what he brake, that gave he to his disciples; and what the disciples received, 
that did they eat. Now who is so ignorant, which knoweth not that Christ took 
in his hands bread, brake bread, delivered bread? That therefore which the disciples 
did eat was bread, and not the accidents of bread only, as the papists feign, the sub- 
stance of bread being changed into the natural body of Christ. If the adversaries 
object these words of Christ, as they have nothing else to object, “This is my body ;” 
let them know that the old fathers of Christ's church do grant and confess that 
these words of Christ are figuratively to be understanded, and not nakedly and simply 
as they sound; which is no new thing in the holy scriptures when mention is made 
of signs or sacraments. 

“Christ,” saith Tertullian, “took bread, and distributed it to his disciples, Advers. 
making it his body by saying, ‘This is my body,’ that is to say, a figure of my ees 
body'.” 

St Austin also saith: “The Lord did not doubt to say, ‘This is my body,’ contra 
when he gave the sign of his body’.” Again: “The Lord did admit Judas unto the cp xu.” 
feast, at the which he did give and deliver to his disciples the figure of his body ™ ?S:" 
and blood®.” 

What can be spoken more plainly? The like phrases and manners of speaking use 
the other ancient fathers of Chnist’s church also ; so far is it off that they ever either 
taught or believed any such monstrous doctrine as the papists at this time teach 
concerning transubstantiation. 

Now, as concerning the wine, the matter is more manifest, clear, evident, and 
open than any man need to doubt of it. For after the words of consecration (as I 
may speak after the manner of the papists) Christ calleth the sanctified wine the 
fruit of the vine. He would surely not so have termed it, if there had been such a 





[? Tertull. Op. Lut. 1641. Advers. Marcion. | cap. xi. 3. Tom. VIII. col. 124. See Vol. IT. 
Lib. rv. 40. p. 571. See Vol. II. page 285, note | page 282, note 3.] 
5.] [? Id. Enarr. in Psalm. iii. 1. Tom. IV. col 
(? August. Op. Par. 1679-1700. Cont. Adimant. | 7. See Vol. II. page 285, note 11.] 


24 


[BEcon, 111. ] 


Matt. xxvi. 


Acts ii. 


Acts xx. 


1 Cor. x. 


1 Cor. xi. 


Acts iii. 


1 Cor. xi. 


In 1 Cor. 
cap. xi. 


Lib. de Corp. 
et Sang. 
Christi. 


370 A COMPARISON BETWEEN THE 


transubstantiation as the monstrous papists feign: “I will not drink after this,” saith 
he, “of this fruit of the vine-tree, until that day when I shall drink it new with you 
in my Father's kingdom.” 

But let us hear more testimonies of the holy scripture. ‘They continued daily 
with one accord,” saith blessed Luke, “in the temple, and brake bread.” Again: 
“They continued in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, 
and in prayers.” Also in another place: “Upon one of the sabbath-days, when the 
disciples came together for to break bread.” Likewise saith St Paul: “The bread 
which we break, is it not the partaking of the body of Christ? Forasmuch as we 
being many are one bread and one body: for we all eat of one bread.” Again: 
“So oft as ye shall eat this bread, and drink of the cup, ye shall shew the Lord’s 
death till he come. Therefore whosoever shall eat this bread, or drink of the Lord’s 
cup unworthily, he shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. Let a man 
prove himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of the cup.” Here hearest 
thou, that that figurative body of Christ is every where of Luke and Paul, the most 
faithful and constant both interpreters of the evangelical truth, called “bread.” With- 
out doubt these men of God would have ennobled and set forth this sacramental 
bread with more goodly and glorious titles, if they had learned either of Christ or 
of the apostles that there had been such transmutation or change as pope Innocent 
the third and his adherents dream; so far is it off that they would have spoken so 
basely and homely of a thing of such and so great excellency. 

25. Christ, the time being come that he should take away his body from the 
earth, which notwithstanding is here nevertheless always present with his in Spirit and 
grace, lest the wonderful great benefits which he had most largely and liberally given 
unto us in his body should be forgotten of us, ordained the sacraments of his body 
and blood, that we by the exercise of them should call unto our remembrance all his 
benefits, but namely of his passion and death, yea, and that no less effectually than 
if he were here present and openly before our eyes. 

The massmonger, nothing at all regarding the remembrance of Christ’s benefits, 
crieth out mainly that he, through the virtue of certain words of consecration, hath 
present, yea, and in his hands, the self-same natural body of Christ, that through 
the power of the Holy Ghost was born of the virgin Mary, crucified, dead, rose again, 
ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God; insomuch that he doth 
not only with his greasy fingers touch and handle that very self-same body, but he 
doth also break it, crush it asunder with his teeth, eat it, swallow it down, devour 
it, &c.; when, notwithstanding, the holy scriptures testify in every place that Christ, 
as concerning his corporal presence, hath left the world, is gone up into the heavens, 
and sitteth on the right hand of God’s majesty in the highest, where he liveth, 
reigneth, and triumpheth, always making intercession for us, where he shall remain 
unto the day of judgment. “Jesus Christ,” saith Peter, “must receive heaven until 
the time that all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy pro- 
phets since the world began, be restored again.” That the sacramental bread and 
wine, being the holy mysteries of the most holy body and blood of Christ (Christ, I 
say, absent in flesh, but present in Spirit, power, and grace), are not the very natural 
body and blood of Christ, as the papists madly and rashly affirm, Paul doth evidently 
and plainly shew by these words: ‘So oft as ye shall eat this bread, and drink of 
the cup, ye shall shew the Lord’s death till he come.” 

The apostles had put in these words, “till he come,” (that is to say, unto the 
judgment,) in vain, if Christ’s natural body were present in the supper. For “after 
his coming,” saith Theodoretus, “we shall have no more need of symbols, signs, or 
sacraments, when his very body shall appear: and therefore said he, ‘till he come’’.” 

Hereto belongeth this saying of Bertram: “When we shall once come unto the 
sight of Christ, we shall have no need of such instruments to put us in remembrance 


[' Meta yap on Hv ab’tod mwapovciav, oixétt | 2XOy.—Theodoret. Op. Lut. Par. 1642—84. In 
Xpela TMV cuUBdAwY TOU GuwmaTos, al’TOU dpavo- | Epist.1. ad Cor. cap. xi. v. 26. Tom. III. p. 175.] 
févou TOU cwWuaToS. Ova TOUTO Elev, AXpLs OU a 


LORD'S SUPPER AND THE POPE'S MASS. 371 


what the exceeding great kindness of Christ hath suffered for us. For we, beholding 
him face to face, shall no more be put in remembrance by the outward admonition 
of temporal things; but by the contemplation of the self truth we shall see how we 
ought to give thanks unto the author of our salvation*.” 

Moreover, Christ himself might worthily be accused and reproved of lightness and 
vanity, if either under the forms of bread and wine, as the papists doat, or, as other 
no less fondly trifle, with, under, or in the bread and wine, he were there lurking 
and hid alive and corporally, which so oftentimes, both before and after his death, 
had told his disciples that he must leave the world, and go unto his Father. But 
let God be true, and “all men liars.” Are not these the words of Christ? “ The Psal. exvi. 

: Matt. xxvi. 

poor ye have always with you, but me ye have not always.” “TI go to prepare John xiv. 
you a place. And if I go away to prepare you a place, I will come again, and take 
you unto myself; that where I am ye also may be.” “If ye loved me, ye would 
surely rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father.” “But now I go unto him John avi. 
that sent me; and none of you asketh me whither I go. But because I have spoken 
these things to you, your heart is heavy. But I tell you the truth, it is profitable 
for you that I go. If I go not away, that Comforter shall not come unto you; 
but if I go away, I will send him unto you.” “I went out from the Father, and 
came into the world: again, I leave the world, and I go unto the Father.” “TI go John xx. 
up unto my Father and your Father, and unto my God and your God.” “Then if Mate. xxiv. 
any man shall say unto you, Behold, here is Christ, or there is Christ; believe him 
not. For there shall arise many false Christs and false prophets, and they shall shew 
great signs and wonders; that, if it were possible, the very elect should be brought 
into error. Behold, I have told you before. If they therefore shall say unto you, 
Behold, he is in the wilderness; go not out: Behold, he is in the secret places; be- 
lieve it not.” 

Hereto belong these sentences also: “ After the Lord Jesus had spoken unto them, Mark xvi. 
he was taken up into heaven, and is set down on the right hand of God.” “ And Luke xxiv. 
it came to pass that, when he had blessed them, he departed from them, and was 
carried up into heaven.” “And he thus speaking, they beholding him, was taken Aetsi. 
up on high; and a cloud received him up out of their sight. And while they looked 
stedfastly up toward heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white 
apparel, which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? 
This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come even as 
ye have seen him go into heaven.” “It is Christ which died, yea rather, which is Rom. vii. 
risen again, which is also on the right hand of God, and maketh intercession for 
us.” God “raised up Christ from the dead, and set him on his right hand in hea- Eph. i. 
venly things, above all rule, and power, and might, and dominion, and above every 
name that is named, not in this world only, but also in the world to come,” &c. 
“Tf ye be risen again with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ col. iii. 
sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on heavenly things, and not 
on® earthy things. For ye are dead; and your life is hid with Christ in God. 
Whensoever Christ, which is our life, shall shew himself, then shall ye also appear 
with him in glory.” “The Lord himself shall come down from heaven with a shout, ! Thess. iv. 
and the voice of the archangel, and trump of God,” &c. “God was shewed in the 1 Tim. iii 
flesh, was justified in the Spirit, was seen among the angels, was preached unto the 
gentiles, was believed on in the world, and received up in glory.” Christ “hath in Heb. i. 
his own person purged our sins, and is set on the right hand of the Majesty on 
high.” “This man (Christ), after he hath offered one sacrifice for sins, is set down Heb. x. 
for ever on the right hand of God, and from henceforth tarrieth till his foes be 
made his foot-stool.” ‘“ Let us look unto Jesus, the captain and finisher of our faith, Heb. xii. 
which for the joy that was set before him abode the cross, and despised the shame, 
and is set down on the right hand of the throne of God.” “Jesus Christ is on the 
right hand of God, and is gone into heaven, angels, powers, and might subdued 
unto him.” 





[* See below, page 448, note 2, where this passage is more fully given. ] [° Folio, no.] 


24—2 


Luke xxii. 


1 Cor. xi. 


The mass is 
a salve for 
all diseases. 


Dan. xi. 
(38, margina 
reading. | 


Luke xxii. 
1 Cor. xi. 


Heb. ix. 


The popish 
mass is like 
to Esop’s 
crow. 


372 A COMPARISON BETWEEN THE 


By these sentences of the holy scripture, which are the most certain oracles and 
speeches of the most true and ever-living God, it evidently appeareth that the cor- 
poral presence of Christ in the supper is neither comprehended under the forms of 
bread and wine, nor under, with, or in the bread and wine; which corporal presence 
the holy scriptures in every place plainly teach and declare that it is only contained 
in heaven, and there, and in none other place, shall remain unto the great day of 
judgment ; as we have heretofore heard. 

26. Christ, for a remembrance of himself, that is to say, of his passion and 
death, prepared and ordained the heavenly meat of his supper, saying: “ Do this in 
the remembrance of me.” Likewise saith St Paul: “As oft as ye shall eat this 
bread, and drink of this cup, ye shall shew the Lord’s death till he come.” 

The massmonger masseth it thoroughly for all estates, for the emperor, for the 
king, for the pope, for the bishop, for all catholic people, for all degrees of ecclesi- 
astical persons, for all travellers by land or by water, on horseback or on foot, for 
mariners, for prisoners, for the sick, for the dead, for the penitent, for a woman 
big with child or going on her labour, for a barren woman, for them that are dis- 
eased of an ague, for such as are possessed with the devil or with a wicked spirit, 
for benefactors, for them that lie buried in the church-yard, for many dead men in- 
differently, for one dead man, &c.; also for all other manner of things, for the salvation 
of the quick and of the dead, for peace, for victory, for concord, for new fruits, for 
riches, for fair weather, for rain, for the compunction of the heart, for the petition of 
tears, for the defence and assurance of some place in the time of adversity, for tribu- 
lation or persecution of the enemies, for the temptations of the invisible enemies, 
for the unclean thoughts of the hearts, for the mortality of men’, for the English sweat, 
for the pestilence of beasts, or against the murrain of cattle, &c. There is no evil, 
be it never so dangerous, hurtful, pestiferous, and poisonful, which is not easily and 
out of hand done away and utterly dispatched by the virtue, might, and power of 
the mass. O the marvellous virtues of the mass! What science or art, active or 
speculative, what work of men, what thing either in heaven or in earth may 
justly be compared with the most mighty mass, the doer of all good things, and the 

, destroyer of all evils? If this be not the god Mauzim, spoken of before by Daniel 
the prophet, who shall it ever be? 

27. Christ delivered unto his church one manner, simple, plain, and uniform 
order of celebrating his supper, yea, and that for ever to be kept and continued. 

The massmonger hath many-form and almost innumerable kinds of masses. Some 
are called canonical, some special and private, some golden. There is also a certain 
mass, as Durandus saith, which is called Missa sicca*, that is to say, “The dry 
mass,” being so called because the body and blood of Christ is not made in it. 

28. Christ in his supper instituted not a sacrifice, but a memorial of that sacri- 
fice, which he himself the next day after should perform and finish on the altar of 
the cross. 

The massmonger cracketh and boasteth, that he in his mass doth not only cele- 
brate a memory of the passion and death of Christ, but that he also offereth Christ 
himself to God the Father for the sins of the quick and the dead; when the holy 
scripture testifieth plainly that ‘‘Christ through the everlasting Spirit offered him- 
self a pure and undefiled sacrifice to God” his Father for the sins of the whole world, 
and “found eternal redemption.” 

29. Christ alone did ordain and prepare his holy and blessed supper. 

The massmonger celebrateth mass, which truly is a beast of many heads, a rude, 
confused, inordinate, prodigious, and monstrous matter, an hotch-potch, cobbled and 
clouted together of many and divers popes; in the fore part a lion, in the back 
part a dragon, and in the midst a very chimera, and a monster of all mon- 
sters. 

30. Christ, when the banquet was done, did not command his disciples that 





[’ Four words are omitted. ] 
[? Durand. Rat. Div. Offic. Lugd. 1565. Lib. iv. cap. i. 23. fol. 89.] 


LORD’S SUPPER AND THE POPE'S MASS. 373 


they should gather up and keep in store the fragments that be left and remained of 
the sacramental bread; which thing, notwithstanding, we read that he did often Matt. xiv. 
before concerning the common bread. aa 

The massmonger, according to the constitution and ordinance of pope Innocent the ars 
third*, doth continually keep his new god in the temples (but “the most Highest dwell- 1 Kings viii 
eth not in temples made with man’s hand”), yea, and that under lock, key, and bolts, reg 
that no evil should chance to so mighty a god through these our new feels 
yea rather, lest that so valiant a Jupiter should be carried away, rent, torn on pieces, and 
devoured of mice, rats, cats, owls, and dogs. ‘‘ There is a certain canon of the council In Annot. 
Turonense in Burchardus, eran of Borbetomage’,” saith Beatus Rhenanus, “that every de aaa 
priest should have a pix, or vessel worthy of such a sacrament, where the body of rier 
the Lord should be diligently laid up for a necessary victual to them which go out 
of this world. Which holy oblation ought only to be dipped in the blood of Christ, 
that the priest may truly say to the sick man: ‘The body and blood of the Lord S# 
might profit thee,’ &c. The same canon teacheth, that the eucharist or sacrament 
of the body and blood of Christ was wont to be kept under the altar, and not in 
such boxes and pixes, as the use is now-a-days: for it followeth: ‘And let it be 
always locked under the altar, because of mice and wicked people. Neither was it 
then so long kept as the use is now: for it followeth in the same canon: ‘And from 
week to week let it be alway changed, that is to say, let the former be received of 
the priest, and the other which is that day consecrate be put in the place of it, lest 
peradventure, if it be long locked up, it become (which God forbid!) musty and 
fusty’®.” But in the primitive church, if any thing remained of the sacramental bread, 
it was straightways distributed and given to the poor and needy people. In the time 
of Origen and of Hesychius the bread which remained after the communion was con- 
sumed with fire, and burnt unto ashes®. The godly old church of Christ never admitted 
any such reservation of the sacramental bread. It is a new invention, imagined of 
the devil, and published and confirmed by pope Innocent the third, in the year of 
our Lord a thousand two hundred and fifteen. 

31. Christ did institute the holy banquet of his body and blood, that it should 
be an everlasting token and memory of his passion and death. 

The massmonger doth utterly abuse it, while he dedicateth and consecrateth the 
mystical bread and wine unto saints that are departed. Hereof come so many masses 
in the honour of the angels, of the archangels, of the apostles, of the confessors, of 
the martyrs, of the monks, of the virgins, &c. 

32. Christ ordained the sacrament of his body and blood, not only that it should 
be a memorial of his passion and death, but also a continual token among his of most 
high amity, singular friendship, incredible love, and of unlooseable and immortal society 
or fellowship ; that, when they which are called Christians enjoy this sacrament together, 
they may be admonished of the mutual charity, and exceeding great love, and hearty 
friendship that one of them ought to have toward another, and by this means be 
the more inflamed and moved to do good one to another with great and fervent readiness 
of mind, being certainly persuaded that they are one body, even as they are all partakers 
of one bread, as St Paul writeth: “ We being many are one bread and one body; 
for we all eat of one bread.” 


1 Cor. x. 


1 Cor. x. 





[? Concil. Lat.1v. cap. xx. in Concil. Stud. Lab- 
bei. Lut. Par. 1671—2. Tom. XI. Pars 1. col. 172. 
See Vol. II. page 253, note 7. ] 

[* Borbetomagus, i. e. Worms. ] 

[° Nam extat apud Burchardum Borbetoma- 
gensem episcopum [Burchard. Decret. Lib. xx. 
Par. 1549. Lib. v. cap. ix. fol. 135. 2.] ejusmodi 
canon concilii Turonensis, Ut omnis presbyter ha- 
beat pyxidem aut vas tanto sacramento dignum, 
ubi corpus dominicum diligenter recondatur ad 
viaticum recedentibus aseculo. Que tantum sacra 
oblatio intincta debet esse in sanguine Christi, ut 
veraciter possit dicere infirmo, Corpus et sanguis 


Domini proficiat tibi, &c. Idem canon docet eu- 
charistiam sub altari solitam asservari, non propriis 
sacellis, ut apud nos hodie. Nam sequitur, Sem- 
perque sit obserata sub altari propter mures et 
nefarios homines. Nec vero tamdiu servabatur ut 
nunc fieri solet. Nam sequitur in eodem canone: 
Et de septimo in septimum diem semper mutetur, 
id est, a presbytero illa sumatur, et alia que eodem 
die consecrata est in locum ejus subrogetur, ne forte 
diutius obserata mucida, quod absit, fiat.—Beat. 
Rhen. Annot. in Lib. de Cor. Mil. ad calc. Tertull. 
Op. Franek. 1597. p. 42.] 
[® See Vol. II. page 252, note 3.] 


Col. iii. 


1 Cor. xi. 


James v. 


Mark xvi. 


Lib.deAmab. 
Eccles. Con- 
cordia. 


374 A COMPARISON BETWEEN THE 


The massmonger doth so handle his mass that it may worthily and justly seem 
to be an occasion of enmity than of amity, of discord than of concord, of evil will 
than of good will. For he standeth alone at the altar, he playeth the whole pageant 
alone, he speaketh alone with himself, yea, and that in a strange tongue, he eateth 
and drinketh alone, he is merry alone. There is no sign of love, no token of christian, 
no, not of heathen-like charity, no shew of human fellowship. 

33. Christ instituted the holy signs and mysteries of his body and blood, not that 
we should continually look upon that bread and wine, but that we, beholding them 
as it were by the way, or overly’, should straightways be admonished of the passion 
and death of Christ, and so removing the eyes both of the body and mind from the 
earthly things, lift them up out of hand thither “where Christ is sitting on the right 
hand of God.” 

The massmonger, as one altogether set upon earthly and worldly things, inflameth 
and stirreth up such as be present unto earthly, and not unto heavenly things, while 
that they, lifting up the bread and the wine above their pates, most wickedly set them 
forth to the people instead of God, to be honoured and worshipped. 

34. Christ ordained the sacraments of his body and blood, that the faithful using 
them in the holy congregation openly, might with high consent of minds, with most 
hearty thanksgiving, and with exceeding great congratulation and rejoicing together of all 
degrees, call to remembrance, shew, declare, set forth, and celebrate, the unoutspeakable 
benefits of his passion and death. 

The massmonger delivereth the sacrament privately to them that are ready to depart 
out of this life, yea, and that at such time for the most part when they be scarcely 
able to breathe, the strengths and powers of their body and mind not only greatly 
weakened and enfeebled, but also utterly extinct, quenched, and gone. St James in 
his epistle, making mention of them that are sick, speaketh nothing at all of the 
sacrament of the body and blood of the Lord to be delivered privately to such as are 
sick and in danger of death. Of anointing the sick with oil (the manner among the Jews 
at that time was to anoint the bodies of such as were diseased with a certain oil 
that they had, being indeed very wholesome to put away many and sundry diseases), 
and of prayers to be made for them, he admonisheth diligently, and giveth certain 
exhortations; but as concerning the deliverance of the sacrament privately to the sick, 
according to the decree of pope Innocent the third, he maketh no mention at all. More- 
over, our Saviour Christ when he was ready to ascend up unto his heavenly Father, 
he spake of laying hands upon the sick; but of the administration of the sacrament 
to the sick he spake not one word. 

35. Christ appointed the sacramental bread to be eaten of the faithful. “Take 
ye,” saith he, “eat ye.” 

The massmonger hideth, coucheth, and hangeth up the bread in a pix, as they 
call it, and many times keepeth it so long that it mouldeth, putrifieth, rotteth, cor- 
rupteth, stinketh, and breedeth full of worms; insomuch that, according to the pope's 
decree*, he is compelled to burn it, and the ashes thereof reverently to bury under the 
altar in the holy place (so spake the papists): moreover, that sacramental bread is 
carried about with great pomp like a puppet of that thrasonical, boasting, and glorious 
knight®. Verily Christ did give the mystery of his body to be eaten, and not to be 
shewed, not to be heaved up, not to be honoured and worshipped as a god, not to 
be carried about in processions, or to be reserved in boxes and pixes. For he saith: 
“Take, and eat.” He saith not, Take and shew it to the people, heave it up above 
your heads, honour and worship it as a god, carry it about like a puppet or pageant 
in your processions, or reserve and keep it in store in your: pixes and boxes. 

It is godly said and very devoutly of Erasmus: “Christ is in that sacrament 
under the manner of meat and drink, that it should be received with great purity 


[? Overly : superficially, cursorily. | Ex concil. Aurel. cap. 5, Lib. v. cap. 1. fol. 140.2. 
(2 Omne sacrificium sordida vetustate perditum, | See also ibid. capp. li. lii. pp. 140. 2, 141. 1.] 
igne comburendum est, et cinis juxta altare sepe- {? Ter. Eunuch. ] 


liendus.—Burchard. Decret. Lib. xx. Par. 1549. 


LORD’S SUPPER AND THE POPE'S MASS. 375 


of mind; not that it should be shewed abroad, or carried about in plays and common 
pomps or pastimes, or yet borne about the fields on horseback. That was not the 
custom in the primitive church: but in this point the foolish fantasies of the common 
people have been too much followed and obeyed*.” 

36. Christ ordained and prepared the godly food of his body and blood, that every 
one, enjoying the same severally by and for himself, might remember his passion and 
death, and give immortal thanks to God the Father for so many and for so great benefits 
freely given to mankind through the death of his only Son. 

The massmonger yelleth and crieth that his eating and drinking alone at the 
altar of that bread and wine, privately done, and without any participation to other, 
doth no less profit them that are present (yea, them that are absent also, but specially 
all such as give money that the missal sacrifice may be offered, that by the virtue, 
might, and power thereof all their sins may be purged, Deemed and utterly put 
away), than if they themselves did eat and drink the Lord’s Supper ; when the prophet 
saith plainly that “the righteous shall live by his own faith,” and not by another yap. ii 
man’s. And St Paul saith: “ We must all appear before the Paden of Christ, that 2 Cor. v. 
every one may receive according to that which he hath wrought in his own body, whether 
it be good or bad.” Again: ‘‘ Every man shall render an accompts to God for himself.” Rom. xiv. 
Item: “ Every man shall bear his own burden.” Once again: “ Every man shall receive Gal. vi. 
his reward, according to his own labour.” He saith not, according to another man’s Pak 
labour. “Their own works follow them,” saith St John: he aah not, other men’s Rev. xiv. 
works. For as another man’s faith profiteth me nothing at all, when I myself am without 
faith ; so likewise the receiving of the sacrament done by another profiteth me nothing 
in the world, if I myself do not communicate. Certes, as every man is bound to receive 
baptism for himself, so likewise ought he to take the Lord’s supper for himself, that 
he by this means may truly and profitably through his own faith apply unto himself 
the merits and benefits of the passion and death of Christ. For, as Valentinus Vannius Lib. de 
saith: “Look, how much it profited hungry Lazarus when he saw the rich man fare ~~ 
daintily and costly, he himself having nothing to eat; or on the contrary part, look, 
how much it helped the glutton, being in the most horrible pains of hell-fire, to see 
Lazarus in joy and glory; even so much shall it profit him that is present at 
mass, if the massmonger receive the sacrament for him®.” And as little as another 
can be born, live, be baptized, and at the last die for me; even so little also shall 
it profit me, when any other man use and receive the sacrament for me. For as “the nab. ii, 
righteous man shall live by his own faith,” and not by another man’s faith ; so likewise 
must and ought every man with his own eating of the sacrament to apply unto himself 
the merits of Christ. But by and through ite wicked and antichristian persuasion Wolf. Mus- 
many thousands of mass-priests are sprung up, and have overrun the whole world; fleschice” 
yea, and that exceeding great and outrageous sea of monkish superstition, seeds ne 
are wonderful and marvellous creeping beasts without all measure, hath also brast in 
and overflowed the earth; as I may speak nothing of that most fat frank® of whore- 
mongers, adulterers, sodomites, players, dicers, carders, hunters, hawkers, and such 
other idle beasts, whom a man may justly and worthily call unprofitable clods of 
the earth, only born to consume idly and wastefully the good fruits of the earth; 
which all live and are nourished of the church goods, whereof the greatest portion is 
gathered together by bribery, usury, and extortion, unto the great reproach and un- 
blottable infamy of the christian name. 

37. Christ ordained his supper, that so many as are ennobled with his name, and 
of Christ are called Christians, being together partakers thereof, should openly before 
the world testify, publish, protest, and with one consent stoutly and boldly, constantly 
and earnestly confess, that they appertain unto the Lord Christ, and that they have 


[* Des. Erasm. Op. Lugd. Bat. 1703-6. De [® The Editor has not been able to meet with the 
Amab. Eccles. Concord. Enarr. Psalm. Ixxxiii. | work of Vannius. ] 
Tom. V.cols. 503, 4. See Vol. II, page 253, note 8.] [® Frank : a place to fatten boars in, a sty. ] 


376 A COMPARISON BETWEEN THE 


so holily and devoutly, both with one mind and with one voice, sworn and conspired, 
yea, and consented together into his doctrine and religion, that they had a thousand 
times rather suffer the most bitter and shameful death than to go away, according 
to the common proverb, so much as a nail-breadth from the doctrine of Christ; as 


In Apologia Justinus Martyr writeth: “And this meat with us,” saith he, “is called ‘thanksgiving,’ 


secunda. 


of the which it is lawful for none other to be partaker, but for such one only which 
both believeth that those things are true we speak, and is also cleansed with that 
water which is given for the remission of sins, and for regeneration or new birth, 
and, in fine, so liveth as Christ hath appointed.” 

The massmonger doth so patch up his mass, that the beholders thereof are rather 
allured and moved unto antichrist than unto Christ; neither do they swear into the 
doctrine of Christ, but into the decrees of the pope, while they wickedly remove the 
faith, that ought to be reposed and set in the only sacrifice of Christ, unto the work 
of an unclean and wicked man: unto the which mass, notwithstanding, although the 
sinful sink of all evils, and the whirlpool of all mischief and wickedness, many men 
(the devil by his antichristian chaplains moving them thereto) are so addict and 


& given over, that they think that alone (alas for sorrow, and lamentable is the blindness 


Tit. ii. 


of these most blind people!) to be the true, natural, and right worshipping of God ; 
neither do they suffer themselves by any means to be removed from that most wicked 
and foolish persuasion either with scriptures or with arguments ; so fast do evil opinions, 
drunken in and conceived in the tender years, stick, abide, remain, and continue in 
the minds of men; when, notwithstanding, no superstition, although never so barbarous, 
false, and counterfeit, no worshipping, although never so strange and deceitful, hath 
at any time or in any age so obscured the glory of God’s majesty as that popish mass, 
worthy to be eschewed, abhorred, and detested of all godly hearts. And yet wonderful 
is it to see how for the continuance and abode of the same vile and idolatrous mass, 
even as for matters of greatest importance, the mighty princes of the world, as mad 
and furious lions, through the wicked counsel and setting on of certain most wicked 
hypocrites, do strive and fight, yea, and that not without the exceeding great danger 
both of their own salvation and of their citizens’ also. 

38. Christ prepared the heavenly food of his body and blood, that all that be 
partakers thereof, stedfastly beholding and diligently considering the heavenly and im- 
mortal benefits of God bestowed upon mankind by the death of his only Son, and 
giving unto his divine majesty most humble and hearty thanks for the same, should 
prepare themselves and labour unto this end, that they may lead a life worthy the 
gospel of Christ; that is to say, that they, “forsaking ungodliness and worldly lusts, 
might live in this world soberly, righteously, and godly, looking for the blessed hope 
and glorious appearance of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ ; which gave 
himself for us, to redeem us from all iniquity, and to purify unto himself a peculiar 
people, even such as should be zealous and earnest followers of good works.” 

The massmonger doth so pass over his mass, that whosoever come unto it, they 
depart and go away never the better, nor any thing at all amended, but rather the 
worse, and the more disposed unto lewdness. Neither is it any marvel; seeing that 
the popish mass is a very shop and store-house of wickedness and of all ungraciousness, 
instituted of the devil and antichrist (as it may seem) unto this end, not that it should 
fray and drive away unthrifts and naughty packs from their evil and wicked behaviour, 
but rather that it should nourish, strengthen, and confirm them in all kind of mischief. 
For there is no act so heinous, so vile, so uncomely, so to be abhorred, from the which 
the ungodly papists do greatly abhor when they have once heard mass, having their 
whole confidence and trust in the popish sacrifice of the mass, unto the which, as unto 
an holy author’, they with sails and oars, as they use to say, flee and make haste 


1 Tee . ” = Pa ie ’ Ae > , X Nt ep - 

[} Kai » tpod:} atitn xadetrac wap’ riuiv eb- | Kal eis dvayévynow NovTpdv, Kai otTws BLouvTe ws 
Xapictia® is obdevi d\Xw peTtacyeiv éEdv Ect, | 6 Xpiotds wapédwxev.—Just. Mart. Op. Par. 1742. 
) T@ TrotevovTe nO civarc Ta dedidaypéeva bp | Apol.i. p. 83.] 


pov, Kal Aovcapevw TO UTEP KecEews MapTLaV [2 So folio: the true reading probably is altar. ] 


LORD'S SUPPER AND THE POPE'S MASS. 377 


for the putting away of their sins, utterly neglecting, contemning, and despising the 
most holy and most noble sacrifice of Christ’s death; whereas all good and godly 
men, that love the true worshipping of God, do not only utterly detest and abhor this 
popish mass, but also they eschew it, and flee from it, as from a most cruel and per- 
nicious monster, reposing all their affiance, confidence, and trust in the alone sacrifice 
of Christ, which he once for all suffered on the altar of the cross, and by that only 
“hath he made perfect for ever them that are sanctified.” Heb. x. 
39. Christ appointed the sacrament of his body and blood, not that the celebration 
thereof should be a daily offering and sacrifice for the quick and for the dead, (for then 
must Christ in the very action of the supper have been crucified, his blood shed, yea, 
and also have died; for “without shedding of blood,” and suffering of death, “ there Heb. ix. 
is no forgiveness” of sins ;) but it should be a most famous and everlasting memory 
of that sacrifice that was once for all done on the altar of the cross for the salvation 
of the faithful ; as these sentences of the holy scripture abundantly testify: “ Do this,” Luke xxii. 
saith Christ, “in the remembrance of me.” Likewise saith Paul: “So oft as ye 1cor. xi. 
shall eat this bread, and drink of the cup, ye shall shew the Lord’s death till he 
come.” 
The massmonger is so impudent and mad that he shameth nothing at all openly 
to teach, and to blow into all men’s ears, that his satanical supper (I mean the 
mass) is a perfect, full, consummate, and an heaped up sacrifice, both for the quick 
and for the dead; and again, of so great worthiness and perfection (O intolerable 
blasphemy!) that it is no less healthful, profitable, and necessary for the salvation of 
mankind, than the very passion and death of Christ: (“The second cause,” saith In Lib. de 
Thomas of Aquine, “of the institution of the sacrament of the altar is the self sa- Biecniedia 
erifice of the altar against a certain daily robbery of our sins, that, as the body of “ita 
the Lord was once offered on the cross for original sin, so likewise it should be 
offered continually for our daily sins upon the altar, and that the church should 
have in this behalf a gift to pacify God, precious and acceptable above all the sa- 
crifices of the law*:”)—which doctrine, how horrible it is, how uncomely it is, and 
too much contrary to the doctrine of Christ, yea, what a most pernicious pestilence 
it is to the salvation of mankind, who is so blind that seeth not? who is so far 
estranged from all sense and reason that understandeth not ?—moreover, that it is that 
everlasting and continual sacrifice whereof Daniel speaketh ; again, “that pure oblation” pan. viii. 
and clean offering, which should be sacrificed and offered up in all places to the Lord aes 
God, according to the prophecy of the prophet Malachy, through the virtue and 
power whereof all the quotidian and daily sins of men should be taken away, forasmuch 
as that sacrifice is daily offered ; and again, that the ofter that missal sacrifice is offered, 
the more amply and largely are the sins of them put away for whom it is offered 
and sacrificed. 
40. Christ instituted his supper that it should be a most certain and sure pledge 
and token of God’s singular good-will toward us; and that, so oft as we enjoy it 
with thankful minds, we should plainly and fully persuade ourselves, that God for 
the death of his Son is reconciled unto us, loveth us, favoureth us, highly regardeth 
us, forgiveth us our sins, giveth us all good and godly things; yea, and that before 
the foundations of the world were laid he had so appointed us in Christ Jesu his 
sons and heirs of everlasting life, that we, being engraffed in Christ Jesu, and walking not 
in the flesh, but in the Spirit, can no more be subject unto everlasting damnation ; 
as the apostle saith: “There is no damnation to them that are in Christ Jesu, which Rom. viii. 
walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” 
The massmonger doth daily mass, and handle the divine mysteries, yet so unprofitably 
that the weak consciences, and trembling with the terror of God’s judgment, and 


[® Secunda causa institutionis est sacrificium | habeat in hoc ecclesia munus ad placandum sibi 
altaris contra quandam quotidianam delictorum nos- | Deum super omnia legis sacrificia pretiosum et 
trorum rapinam, ut sicut corpus Domini semel ob- | acceptum.—Thom. Aquinat. Op. Venet. 1595. De 
latum est in cruce pro debito originali, sic offeratur | Sacrament. Altar. Opusc. cap. i. Tom. XVII. p. 
jJugiter pro nostris quotidianis delictis in altari, et | 567.] 


378 A COMPARISON BETWEEN THE 


oppressed or overladen with the great and intolerable weight and burden of sins, find, 
feel, and perceive no consolation, no comfort, no peace, no rest, no joy, no quietness 
thereof. What marvel? When the popish mass, which hath utterly degenerated’ and 
grown out of kind, and estranged itself from the Lord’s supper, is none other thing 
than a dumb fable or play, full of trifling and hickscorner-like gestures. As touching 
Christ and his death, the hearers hear nothing at all, that by this means they might 
lift up and confirm their faith toward God. That massing priest mumbleth all things 
secretly and in a strange tongue; so that the congregation is nothing edified, nor hath 
any profit at all. Hereof cometh it to pass that, as idle gazers and vain lookers-on, 
the miserable and hungry people at the last goeth most miserably away from that 
massing monster without doctrine, without exhortation, without all consolation and 
comfort; whereby it many times chanceth that the consciences of the weak, being 
stricken, shaken, weakened, broken, and almost cast down with the weight and great- 
ness, with the multitude and variety of sins, do fall (alas for sorrow, and wo is 


a me for it!) into the pernicious pit of damnable desperation. For there is no certain 


Rom. i. 


Psal. xix. 


John vi. 


John vi. 


rest nor sure quietness in the doctrines of men, whereunto the mind, that is troubled, 
and shaken, and feared with the terrors of God’s law and judgment, may lean and 
stick unto. The alone rest and quietness of the mind is in the alone doctrine and 
faith of the gospel of Jesu Christ; which is “the power of God unto salvation 
for so many as believe.” Without this faith and doctrine there is no rest, no peace, 
no quietness, no joy, no consolation, no comfort, no health, no salvation to troubled 
consciences, though all the world should flow and overflow with masses, ceremonies, 
and works. “The word of the Lord,” saith David, “maketh the heart merry ;’ 
“‘yea, it is more sweet than the honey or the honey-comb, and worthy more to be 
desired than gold and precious stone.” 

41. Christ ordained the mysteries of his body and blood, that the godly and 
faithful might have in that holy and heavenly banquet food both for body and for 
soul. For as the body is fed in that holy supper with the outward signs, so likewise 
doth the mind of a true Christian use and eat through faith the very body of Christ, 
and drink his blood, unto the exceeding great and unbelievable comfort, joy, and mirth 
of the whole man, both body and soul; as Christ himself testifieth, saying: “I am 
that bread of life. He that cometh unto me shall never hunger, and he that believeth 
in me shall never thirst.” 

The massmonger denieth that there remaineth any substance of bread and wine after 
the words of consecration, as they call it, wherewith the bodies of the communicants 
may be nourished or sustained, affirming plainly that the very bread and wine is turned 
into the natural body and blood of Christ. He saith moreover, that not only the 
godly and faithful eat the body of Christ in the supper, but also the ungodly and 
misbelieving ; yea, the cats, rats, mice, dogs, owls, flittermouses, and such other un- 
reasonable creatures, whether they be birds, or four-footed beasts, or serpents, &c., 
if at any time it so chance that, through the negligence of the priest, it be so left 
that they devour it. But how false, corrupt, lying, and full of error this doctrine 
of the massmonger is, it plainly and evidently appeareth by these words of Christ: 
‘““He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath everlasting life; and I will 
raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is very meat; and my blood is very 
drink. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in 
him. As my living Father sent me, and I live for the Father; so he that eateth 
me shall live for me.” 

These words of Christ prove sufficiently that the godly and they that believe in 
Christ do only eat the flesh of Christ and drink his blood ; forasmuch as to them alone 
it is given and granted of God to obtain everlasting life, to dwell in Christ, and to 
have Christ dwelling in them, to live for Christ, and to be raised up unto honour at 
the last day: which commodities, all of them without exception, the ungodly and 
misbelieving should also enjoy, if they might eat the flesh of Christ, and drink his 
blood; and so must it needs follow that the ungodly and disobedient to God and 


[! Folio, regenerated. ] 


LORD’S SUPPER aND THE POPE'S MASS. 379 


to his holy word should be saved, yea, and that without faith, when it is manifest 
by the word of God that “it is not possible to please God without faith.” It must Heb. xi. 
needs follow also, moreover, that not only the wicked and unfaithful, but also the un- 
reasonable creatures, if perchance they should eat the sacramental bread, should have 
everlasting life, dwell in Christ, have Christ dwelling in them, live for Christ, and 
at the last day to be raised up unto glory: which fancies, or rather madnesses, are 
such and so great, so unsavoury, so lewd, so incredible, and so far estranged from truth 
and reason, that it is marvel that any man, although never so much a dolt and dastard, 
can be persuaded to believe such devilish dreams and idle inventions of the papists. 
But what doth not old custom bring to pass, specially if it be set forth to the blind custom. 
eyes of a carnal man with the glistering visor of hypocrisy and feigned holiness ? 

42. Christ did institute his holy supper, that it should be done and frequented 
with great solemnity, and in the sight of all men. 

The massmonger, going aside into some corner, as into a nursery of women, and 
separating himself from all men, falleth in hand with his massing, haying many times 
only the company of one little boy to help him to say mass, as the common saying 
is; when, notwithstanding, the commandment of Christ is this: Hoc facite, “Do ye 
this ;’ and not, Hoc fac, Do thou this. The celebration of the Lord’s supper appertaineth 
to many, and not to one alone. ‘Who will not think this,” saith a certain man, Gerardus 
“a matter worthy to be laughed at, when the priest, reading his private mass alone, nus. 
saluteth the walls or the images in the churches, in saying: Dominus vobiscum, ‘The 
Lord be with you; again, Orate pro me, fratres et sorores, ‘Pray for me, ye brethren 
and sistern®’?” 

43. Christ instituted the signs of his body and blood, that they should be exercises 
of faith unto the living, and unto such as believe, wherewith they being admonished 
and put in remembrance of the singular good-will, loving benefits, liberality, and bounty 
of God toward them, and cleaving most constantly and surely to God’s most merci- 
ful promises, might persuade themselves without any doubting that they appertain and 
belong unto that blessed company or fellowship which knowledgeth, confesseth, and 
granteth Christ to be their alone Saviour, Defender, and Head, for whose salvation he 
gave himself a most healthful “offering, and sweet-smelling sacrifice to God _ his Eph. v. 
Father,’ “that he might make it unto himself a glorious congregation, without spot 
or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and blameless.” 

The massmonger applieth the sacrament of Christ’s body and blood unto the dead, 
while in his masses he goeth about to pluck them out, and to save them both from 
their sins and from the pains of purgatory, if there be any such place; when as the 
supper of the Lord appertaineth no more unto the dead than baptism doth. For as 
he may worthily be reproved of fond foolishness and of mere madness, which would 
offer himself to be baptized for a dead man, thinking by this means to procure sal- 
vation unto him; even so doth he no less doat and play the madman, which receiveth 
the Lord’s supper for him that is departed and gone out of this life. Verily the 
holy scriptures teach plainly in every place, that all the sins of men are purged, Johns: 
cleansed, and put away by the precious blood of Christ, and not by the sacrifice of Rev. i. 
the popish mass, nor by another man’s participation of the Lord’s supper. Neither 
is the place, state, and condition of the dead such that they have need of our help, 
which are either in continual torments, or else in everlasting joy: there is no third 
place; as the history of the rich glutton and of the poor Lazarus evidently proveth. Luke xvi. 
““ When the tree falleth,’ saith the preacher, “whether it be toward the south or Eccles. xi. 
north, in what place soever it fall, there it lieth.” 

44, Christ ordained the holy symbols and tokens of his body and blood, that 
they should be continual and most certain testimonies and seals of God’s good-will 
toward us; whereby also, so oft as we behold them, we might be excited, stirred 


(? Cui enim non joculare videatur, cum sacerdos | p. 100. Nam cum sacerdos sacrificans secretum 
solus privatam missam legens, parietes aut statuas | agit, dicere non potest, Orate pro me, fratres et 
salutet dicendo, Dominus vobiscum ?—Ger. Lorich. | sorores, ut meum et vestrum sacrificium sit Deo 
De Miss. Publ. Prorogand. 1536. Lib. 1. cap.i. | omnipotenti.—Id. ibid. pp. 119, 20. 


Cor. iii. 


James i. 


Luke xxii. 


1 Cor. xi. 


Hom. 27. de 
Regressu S. 
Joan. de Asia. 


De Consecr. 
Dist. 2. 


380 A COMPARISON BETWEEN THE 


up,’ inflamed, and kindled to cleave unto God with unshaken faith and assured hope, 
and without all doubting to believe his promises, being certainly persuaded that God 
will for ever and ever be the same to u. that the holy sacraments do declare, shew, 
and testify him to be. 

The massmonger prateth and babbleth that the sacraments of the new law, that 
is to say, baptism and the Lord’s supper, are of such virtue, strength, might, and 
power, that they are not only signs and tokens of God’s grace, but also to him that 
putteth not an object’ or let (I use the school-men’s words), that is to say, to him 
that hath no actual purpose of deadly sin, that they give grace, righteousness, for- 
giveness of sins, the Holy Ghost, yea, and that ex opere operato, that is, of the 
work wrought, without any good motion of the user, that is to say, without faith ; 
insomuch that they sanctify and justify the receivers, deliver them from sins, advance 
them unto virtue, conserve and keep them in goodness, and at the last bring them 
unto everlasting life: which doctrine, as it doth corrupt, yea, utterly destroy the true 
use of the sacraments, so likewise doth it greatly obscure, extenuate, diminish, and 
utterly take away the free goodness and mercy of God; when it is most certain and 
evident that the sacraments by themselves can work nothing at all (as “neither he 
that planteth is any thing worth, nor he that watereth, but he that giveth the in- 
crease, that is to say, God”), but so far as they testify, represent, and seal the 
good-will of God to us, and set that thing before our eyes concerning the most lov- 
ing, sweet, and comfortable promises of God, which the holy scriptures do so oft 
inculk and beat into our ears; so far is it off that they bring and give the self 
things whereof they be signs, tokens, and pledges. For God alone, from whom 
“every good gift and every perfect gift descendeth and cometh down,” God, I say, 
alone giveth grace, forgiveth sins, quieteth the mind, maketh glad the conscience, 
sanctifieth, justifieth, keepeth, saveth, benefiteth, pleasureth, and endueth with all 
heavenly blessings, being indeed of all our salvation both the beginner and finisher. 

45. Christ appointed no certain and singular time when his people should cele- 
brate and receive the Lord’s supper, which plainly appeareth by these words of 
Christ: “So oft as ye shall do this, do it in the remembrance of me.” Hereto be- 
longeth this saying of St Paul: “So oft as ye shall eat of this bread, and drink of 
the cup, ye shall shew the Lord’s death till he come.” The very same thing teacheth 
Chrysostom, saying: “‘ We are not like the Jews: we serve not the place, neither are 
we subject to the necessity of the time, being assured in this behalf by the Lord’s 
voice, which saith: ‘So oft as ye shall eat this bread, and drink of this cup, ye 
shall shew the Lord’s death.’ Verily we shew the death of Christ this day; but then 
was the feast, and this day is the feast’,” &c. 

The massmonger declareth and saith that Easter is the time when the common 
people should come flockingly together to celebrate the Lord’s supper, or, as the 
papists term it, to take their hushel, or to receive their Maker; when, notwith- 
standing, the very decrees of the bishop of Rome knowledge them not for catholics 
which are not partakers of the Lord’s table thrice at the least in the year. “ Al- 
though not often[er],” saith pope Fabian, “yet thrice at the least in the year let 
men communicate (except some man peradventure be hindered and letted through 
some grievous offence), that is to say, at Easter, at Whitsuntide, and at the feast 
of Christ’s nativity®.” 

The very same thing teacheth also the council Agathense: “The secular men which 
do not communicate at the nativity of our Lord, at Easter, and at Whitsuntide, let 


4” 


them not be counted catholics, nor let them not be taken among the catholics‘. 


[! Object: obstacle. ] 

[? Judezorum similes non sumus: non servimus 
loco, nec subditi sumus necessitati temporis, dominica 
voce firmati. Quotiescunque, inquit, manducaveritis 
panem istum, et hunc biberitis calicem, mortem Do- 
mini annunciabitis. Annunciamus namque _ hodie 
mortem Christi. Sed tunc quidem festivitas. Et 


hodie festivitas.—Chrysost. Op. Par. 1718-38. Hom. 
de Regress. de Asia. Tom. IJI. p. 412.] 

[? Fabian. in Corp. Jur. Canon. Lugd. 1624. 
Decret. Gratiani, Decr. Tert. Pars, De Consecr- Dist. 
ii. can. 16. col. 1919. See Vol. II. page 259, note 16.] 

[* Concil. Agathens. can. 18. in eod. can. 19. col. 
1920. See Vol. II. page 259, note 17.] 


LORD’S SUPPER AND THE POPE'S MASS. 381 


Christ requireth of his people an often repetition of his death, and a diligent coming 
unto his holy supper. But the massmonger provoketh and moveth the christian 
people once in the year unto the partaking of so worthy and heavenly mysteries. But 
the holy fathers in times past were otherwise minded. 

For in the time of St Austin, his writings declare evidently that the Lord’s 
supper was wont more often to be celebrated and received of the Christians than the 
use is now in the kingdom of the pope. Unto Januarius he writeth on this manner: 
“Some,” saith he, “receive daily the communion of the body and blood of Christ ; Epist. 12. 
some receive it on certain days; in some place there is no day but that it is received ; 
in some place men communicate only on the Saturday and Sunday ; and in some place 
they receive only upon the Sunday’.” Again: “The sacrament of this thing, that I» Joh. cap. 
is to say, of the unity of the Lord’s body, in some place daily, in some place at 
certain times appointed, is prepared on the Lord’s table, and from that table is re- 
ceived of some unto life, and of other some unto death®.” 

Moreover we read that pope Leo was wont many times in one day to commu- Beatus _ 
nicate seven or eight times®. ae 

Among the Greeks this is the order: if any man absenteth himself from the com- Eras. Sarcer. 

: : . in Loc. Com. 
munion by the space of fourteen days, he is excommunicate, except he can declare 
to the congregation of God some reasonable cause of his absence’; so great a fault is 
it counted among them, if any any long time do estrange themselves from the par- 
ticipation of the holy mysteries of the body and blood of the Lord. 

46. Christ did not admit all kind of persons, but the apostles only, unto the re- 
ceiving of the mysteries of his body and blood, whom he knew right well to be as 
fervent embracers of his doctrine, so likewise spotted with no kind of notable vice. 

For as concerning Judas the traitor, it is not yet fully determined among the learned 
men that he was present at the holy supper, wherein we read that Christ the Lord 
did distribute to his disciples the heavenly mysteries of his body and blood; albeit 
the evangelical histories do abundantly testify that Judas also was present and did 
eat of the paschal lamb. For St John maketh mention how that, “as soon as Judas John xiii. 
had received the sop, he went immediately out.” Now that that sop was the 
sacrament of Christ’s body, who dare affirm? seeing that St John a little before 
writeth that Christ wet that bread before he gave it to Judas. He wet it without 
doubt in the dish that was full of those herbs which God commanded the Jews to 
eat with the paschal lamb or kid, as we read in the second book of Moses. Theodo- Exod. xii. 
rius Bibliander, a man of great judgment in divine matters, and of singular knowledge 
in the Hebrew tongue, saith that the Jews in eating the paschal lamb, as the rabbins 
declare, used five sundry herbs, yea, and those not sweet and pleasant, but tart and sour. 
And so sound the words of the law: “They shall eat the flesh of the lamb the Exod. xii 
same night, roast with fire, and with unleavened bread ; and with sour herbs they shall 
eat it.” Into the dish wherein these herbs were did Christ dip the sop which he 
gave unto Judas; whereof it necessarily followeth that it was not the sacramental 
bread, as some take and understand that place. No, verily ; for it is evident enough 
that this was done while Christ did eat the passover with his disciples, yea, and that 
before the institution of the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ ; which thing 
no man that is of any judgment in divine matters can either justly call into contro- 
versy, or yet deny. Now if it be true that St John writeth, as it must needs be 
most true, I mean, that Judas went straightways and immediately out from the com- 
pany of Christ and of the disciples so soon as he had taken the sop of Christ’s hand, 
who seeth not then that he (Judas, I say) was not present, neither at the institution 
nor at the partaking of the holy mysteries of the most holy body and blood of 
Christ? For when the Jewish passover was once done and finished, then at the 


[° August. Op. Par. 1679-1700. Ad Inquis. [® Leo papa, sicut ipse fatebatur, una die sep- 
Januar. Lib. 1. Epist. liv. 2. Tom. II. col. 124.— | ties vel octies missarum solennia sepius celebrasse 
Id. In Johan. Evang. cap. vi. Tractat. xxvi. 15. | legitur.—Beat. Rhenan. Annot. in Lib. de Cor. 
Tom. III. Pars 1. col. 500. See Vol. 11. page 258, | Mit. ad calc. Tertull. Op. Franck. 1597. p. 42.] 
note 3.] | [7 See Vol. 11. page 258, note 6. ] 


In Matt. 
cap. XXX. 


In Matt. 
cap. xxvi. 


Matt. xiii. 
Matt. xxi. 
Luke xx. 
John vi. 
John xviii. 


Matt. vii. 


Matt. x. 
John xii. 
John vi. 
John xvii. 


Exod. xii. 


Eph. ii. 


Acts vii. 


Lev. xxiv. 


1 Chron. xiii. 


Psal. 1. 


382 A COMPARISON BETWEEN THE 


last did the Lord Jesus Christ ordain, prepare, and set forth that heavenly banquet, 
delivering to his disciples holy bread and holy wine, in the remembrance of his blessed 
body-breaking and his precious blood-shedding ; at the which most holy banquet Judas 
Iscarioth was not present, yea, and that by the testimony and witness of St Hilary, 
a writer as most grave, so likewise most ancient, whose words here to interlace it 
shall not be out of the way for our purpose. 

‘“‘Judas,” saith he, “the traitor is judged, without whom the passover is made, 
the cup being taken, and the bread broken. For he was not worthy of the everlast- 
ing sacraments. For hereby we may right well perceive that he immediately went his 
way, because it is expressed that he returned with the company. Neither truly could 
he drink with him that which he should not drink with him in his kingdom, seeing 
he promised that all that drunk then of the fruit of that vine should afterward drink 
with him'.” Hitherto have I rehearsed the words of St Hilary. , 

And Theophylact affirmeth plainly that many other learned men were of this mind 
with St Hilary. His words are these: “Some say that, when Judas was gone out, 
Christ delivered the sacrament to the other disciples. Therefore ought we likewise so 
to do, and to restrain the wicked from the sacraments’.” 

And verily it seemeth not to me to be a thing like the truth (howbeit let every 
man use his judgment: I am well content), neither do I think it to be true that 
Christ in so earnest. a matter, that is to say, in distributing and delivering the holy 
mysteries of his body and blood, should be so negligent, and lightly let that pass 
over, which at other times he was wont most highly to regard, as it is mentioned in 
the holy scriptures. For how oft did he speak to them that stood by and heard 
him by parables or similitudes! How oft did he object and set questions against 
the questions of his adversaries! How oft went he away and left the multitude alone! 
How oft held he his peace, because he would publish, declare, and set forth, yea, 
because he would not betray and make common the heavenly mysteries of God to 
the unworthy and unfaithful! Doth not Christ forbid to give that is holy to dogs? 
and to set pearls before hogs? What, is it to be thought that Christ himself will 
violate and break that which he commanded his people so diligently to observe? 

Who knoweth not that Judas in the scriptures of God is judged, pronounced, 
and condemned of the Holy Ghost to be a traitor, a thief, an hypocrite, a covetous 
person, a devil, the son of perdition, &c.? Would Christ himself deliver to such 
and to so wicked a monster the most pure and honourable mysteries of his body 
and blood, which he by no means can abide that any of his should enterprise the 
like attempt? yea, which hath given a plain commandment to the contrary? “Give 
not that is holy,” saith he, “to dogs, nor cast not your pearls unto hogs.” He that 
commanded that no stranger or uncircumcised person should eat of the Jewish pass- 
over, would he admit Judas, that traitor, that thief, that hypocrite, that covetous 
person, that devil, that son of perdition, that vessel of wrath, that monster of wicked- 
ness, altogether estranged from the true Israelitish public weal, and uncircumcised in 
heart and ears, unto that most blessed and heavenly passover, even the most precious 
and delicious banquet of his body and blood? He that commanded that the shew- 
bread should be eaten of no man, but of the priests only, would he deliver the holy 
bread and cup, the most honourable mysteries of his body and blood, unto an out- 
east and enemy of God and of all godliness? He which killed Uza for touching the 
ark, would he give unto Judas, his most and greatest enemy, the most noble mys- 
teries of his passion and death to be touched and to be defiled? He which rebuketh 
the wicked, and grievously plagueth him, because he declareth his ordinances, and 


[{} Post que Judas proditor indicatur, sine quo 
pascha accepto calice et fracto pane conficitur : dig- 
nus enim zxternorum sacramentorum communione 
non fuerat. Nam discessisse statim hinc intelligitur, 
quod cum turbis reversus ostenditur. Neque sane 
bibere cum Domino poterat, qui non erat bibiturus 
in regno: cum universos, tunc bibentes ex vitis 
istius fructu, bibituros secum postea polliceretur.— 


Hil. Op. Par. 1693. Comm. in Matt. cap. xxx. 2. 
col. 740.] 

[? Twés 6& paciv bre é€eABovTos Tov "lovda 
peTédwke THY puoTypiwy Tots aos pabyntats* 
ovKOUY Kal 1}uEts OUTW ToLEetvy ddeihopev, Kai Tovs 
Tovnpol’s ameipyew TeV puotnpiwv.—Theophyl. 
Op. Venet. 1754-63. In Matt. Comm. cap. xxvi. 
Tom. I. p. 146.] 


LORD'S SUPPER AND THE POPE'S MASS. 383 


hath the Lord’s covenant in his mouth, will he suffer that such and so great mon- 
ster of wickedness, being in all points most fierce, most cruel, most filthy, most 
unclean, should taste, receive, and devour with his most vile, unpure, and stinking 
mouth, food so holy, so heavenly, so godly? He that could not abide that guest att. xxii. 
which came unto the marriage without the wedding-garment, but commanded his 
servants straightways to “take him from the table, to bind him hand and foot, and 
to cast him into utter darkness, where weeping and gnashing of teeth shall be,’ would 
he vouchsafe to place at his heavenly table that beast which was most wicked, most 
lewd, most false, most traitorous, and feed him with the most blessed mysteries of 
his body and blood? Is not this to give that is holy to dogs? and to set pearls Matt. vii. 
before hogs? yea, and to take the bread of children and to cast it to the masty! matt xv. 
curs? But “what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness 2? What hath 2 cor. vi. 
light to do with darkness? What concord is there between Christ and Belial? What 
agreement is there among the faithful and unfaithful? What hath the temple of God 
to do with images?” And what hath that traitor Judas to do with the divine mysteries 
of Christ’s most healthful passion and alive-making death, which, utterly forsaking 
the Lord, and giving himself over to the devil as “Si: most afees: and wretched 
captive, and ready out of hand with too much shame to hang up himself, and so in Actsi. 
most deep desperation most wretchedly to finish this his most damnable life, should 
now be cast into “that lake that burneth with fire and brimstone,” and have his Rev. xx. 
portion with the hypocrites ? 

Verily it is not to be thought that Christ, which is the most high and most per- 
fect example of all shepherds, whose action, as a certain man saith, is our instruc- 
tion, did admit such and so great monster of wickedness, and so unworthy an hell-hound, 
unto those mystical dainties; but rather that when that traitor was once gone he 
ordained, prepared, and set forth that holy and heavenly banquet; teaching plainly 
by this his [action], that all such as be ungodly, not sound in christian doctrine, 
and in conversation of life vicious and unpure, ought by no means to be received 
and admitted unto the holy table of the Lord, but rather utterly to be expelled and 
thrown out of the company of the faithful Christians, till they amend, correct their 
manners, and lead a life worthy the gospel of Christ; as the apostle commandeth, 
saying: “If any man that is called a brother be an whoremonger, or a covetous1 Cor. v. 
person, or a worshipper of images, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with 
such see that ye eat not.” Likewise saith St John: “If any man come unto you, 2 John. 
and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, nor bid him once God 
speed. For he that saith unto him God speed is partaker of all his evil deeds.” 

The massmonger repelleth and putteth back no man from his mass, although 
he be never so wicked, ungodly, and evil reported; but he rather allureth, inviteth, 
biddeth, and admitteth without exception all that come, although never so corrupt 
both in life and doctrine, as worshippers of images, haters of God, enemies of virtue, 
lovers of pleasure, ungodly, setters forth of men’s traditions, “having an outward 2 Tim. iii. 
appearance of godliness, but utterly denying the power thereof,’ “ arrogant, proud, 
lovers of themselves, standing in their own conceit, puffed up, unthankful, unkind, 
disobedient and stubborn against their parents, boasters, men-haters, unmerciful, covet- 
ous, bargain-breakers,” extortioners, evil-doers, oppressors of the poor, thieves, robbers, 
prey-takers, sacrilege-committers, perjurers, liars, deceivers, back-biters, slanderers, truce- 
breakers, whisperers, full of envy, wrath, murder, strife, scolding, hatred, wickedness, 
unrighteousness, tyranny, frowardness, feigning, hypocrisy, &c., unchaste whoremongers, 
unclean persons, adulterers, whores, bawds, brothels, sodomites, wanton maskers, and 
such as are given to drunkenness, to bibbing, to banqueting, to feasting, and at the 
last whom not? ‘That this proverb may be found no less true than old: “ Like will 
to like, quod the devil, when he danced with the collier.” Moreover this God-robber 
doth not only gladly admit for money’s sake all kind of naughty packs, and such as 
are unworthy to live or once to breathe upon the face of the earth, unto his mass, 
but also unto the very partaking of the holy and blessed mysteries of the body and 


[° Masty: full of mast, or perhaps eating mast. But possibly the word is a misprint for nasty.] 


Matt. xxvi. 


Matt. vii. 


1 Cor. xi. 


What it is 
to prove 
ourselves. 


1 Cor. xi. 


1 Cor. xi. 


John xiii. 


384 A COMPARISON BETWEEN THE 


blood of Christ; not unlike in this behalf to Judas Iscarioth, which for lucre’s sake 
betrayed his most godly Master to the most ungodly and wicked tyrants. The holy 
bread of children he casteth to the dogs, and the most precious pearls he setteth 
before the hogs; so that those most pure and most holy mysteries of the body and blood 
of Christ, which the holy fathers gave and delivered to none but to them only which 
were replenished with the knowledge of God’s will, with all wisdom and spiritual 
understanding, and so behaved themselves in all their life and conversation as it be- 
cometh them that profess the gospel of God our Saviour, the massmonger without 
all consideration traitorously giveth and wickedly delivereth to all men, although never 
so greatly defiled with all kind of sin and abomination, not without (alas for sorrow !) 
the great infamy and slander of the christian religion. 

47. Christ by the apostle commandeth that before we come and sit down at 
the Lord’s table we should prove ourselves, that is to say, examine and try whether 
we be endued with that faith wherewith we earnestly and with our whole heart believe 
that Christ suffered death for us, and that, with the one oblation and only sacrifice 
of his body done once for all on the cross, he hath abundantly and unto the utter- 
most satisfied for all our sins, reconciled us to God the Father by his blood and 
death, and made us inheritors of the heavenly kingdom, so that, besides this Christ, 
we believe, knowledge, and confess none to be our saviour, redeemer, mediator, advo- 
cate, intercessor, neither do we trust on any other sacrifice, but on that one only 
sacrifice which he made on the tree; again, whether we have that love in us toward 
our neighbour that is required of us, so that we love him as ourselves, being at all 
times ready no less to serve his commodity than our own, yea, if the matter so 
require, gladly to bestow even our very life, after the example of Christ, to do him 
good, although he be our utter foe and most extreme enemy; to conclude, whether 
even from the very heart we do repent us of our former wicked life; whether we do 
so hate and abhor with our whole heart all kind of sin, that we desire nothing more 
than to amend our life, than to take upon us new manners and new conditions, yea, 
and those godly and spiritual, and in all points lead a life worthy the gospel of Christ 
for ever after. And this meaneth St Paul, when he saith: “ Let a man prove him- 
self, and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup. For he that eateth or 
drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh his own damnation; because he maketh no 
difference of the Lord’s body.” 

The massmonger cometh unto the altar as the swine unto his sty, no trial or 
examination of himself tofore had, except peradventure, as his common wont is, he 
perbreaketh', evomiteth, and spueth out most filthily unto another not altogether un- 
like himself his whoredoms, his adulteries, his nocturn pollutions, his unclean thoughts, 
his fleshly imaginations, his carnal delectations, his surfeitings, his drunkennesses, his 
wine-bibbings, his fleshly feastings, &c. Of the true and right faith in God, of the 
earnest amendment of his manners, of the studious and diligent meditation of the 
passion and death of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, of praises to be given to 
God the Father for his goodness and liberality toward mankind, with all humility 
and reverence, of the fervent love and singular good-will toward his neighbour, and 
of the other offices and duties of a christian man, he thinketh nothing at all; as it evi- 
dently appeareth by his life, which passing all other is most vile, most corrupt, most 
wicked, most ungodly. For he goeth forth ever to be like himself; so rare a thing 
is it for a massmonger to creep out of the filthy puddles of ungodliness and unclean- 
ness, and to become an honest and godly man. 

48. Christ, by no means suffering the profanation, unhallowing, and unreverent 
handling of the mysteries of his body and blood, was grievously offended with the 
Corinthians, as Paul writeth, and punished them with most bitter pains, some with 
divers sicknesses and diseases, some with most horrible, miserable, and sudden death ; 
as we read of Judas, into whom, after Christ had given him the sop, the devil 
entered straightways. 

The massmonger ceaseth not to stir up and provoke God’s anger against us, while 


{} Perbreaketh, or parbreaketh: breaketh forth, ejecteth.] 


LORD’S SUPPER AND THE POPE'S MASS. 385 


with his idolatrous and wicked masses he profaneth, unhalloweth, and defileth daily the pro 
the holy mysteries of the body and blood of Christ. For what profanations of the pedi tnts 
Lord's supper doth not the massmonger admit and commit with his ungodly massing ? eras 

1 The sacramental bread and wine he eateth and drinketh alone. 

2 The mystical bread and wine he teacheth plainly to be turned and changed into 
the true and natural body and blood of Christ, which he received of Mary the 
virgin. 

3 The sacrament of the body and blood of Christ he heaveth up above his head, and 
sheweth it to the people to be worshipped as God. 

4 The sacramental bread he daily offereth to God, that it may be a propitiatory, 
expiatory, and satisfactory sacrifice for the sins both of the quick and of the dead ; which 
doth so weaken, enfeeble, and make of no valor the sacrifice of Christ’s death, and 
the virtue, perfection, glory, dignity, praise, and honour of the same, that nothing 
can do it more; when the holy scriptures do abundantly testify that Christ “with one 
only oblation hath made them perfect for evermore that are sanctified.” 

5 Moreover, he receiveth the holy mysteries of Christ's body and blood for other, 
making the Christians believe that his eating and drinking of the sacrament doth them 
as much good, and is as profitable for their salvation, as though they themselves had 
bodily received it. 

6 The sacrifice of the mass he applieth at his pleasure to all men, whether they be 
absent or present, quick or dead, on land or on water, on horseback or on foot, in 
purgatory or in heaven, sound or sick, in riches or in poverty, &c. 

74 There is nothing for the which the mass serveth not. 

8 In saying his mass he useth a strange tongue, the people hearing and yet nothing 
understanding, and so are they there present without profit; when, notwithstanding, 
God commandeth by the apostle, that in the assemblies of the Christians all things 
should be done unto edifying; yea, the blessed apostle St Paul commendeth more 1 Cor. xiv. 
five words so spoken that the congregation of God may be edified by them, than 
ten thousand uttered in a strange tongue that the people understandeth not. 

9 Of our deliverance by the death of Christ, of true faith, hope, and love, of humble, 
hearty, and earnest thanks to be given to God for his benefits, of unfeigned repentance, 
of true conversion unto God, of amendment of life, he speaketh not a word. 

10 Furthermore, like a God-robber he stealeth away the cup of the Lord’s blood from 
the communion of the faithful lay-people. He reserveth and hangeth up in a pix the 
sacramental bread, contrary to the commandment of Christ, and contrary also to the 
use of the primitive and ancient church. 

11 He masseth without the preaching of God’s word, never declaring the true and 
right use of the sacrament. 

12 He mingleth water with the wine, contrary to the institution of Christ and the 
practice of his apostles. 

13. He corrupteth the words of the Lord’s supper, sometime adding to them, and 
sometime plucking from them. 

But what do I? Verily I shall almost as soon number the stars of the air, and 
the sands of the sea, as I shall be able to recite and to declare all the errors, abuses, 
superstitions, deceits, blasphemies, jugglings, crafty daubings, abominations, sacrileges, 
wickednesses, ungodlinesses, idolatries, vain worshippings, incantations, conjurations, 
profanations, invocations of the dead, &c., which are used in the popish mass; as lL 
may speak nothing of their masking apparel, albs, girdles, vestments, copes, tunicles, 
deacon, sub-deacon, censers, bells, candles, candlesticks, paxes, pixes, corporasses, cor- 
porass-cloths, superaltars, altars, altar-cloths, chalices, cruets, napkins, besides their 
duckings and loutings, their turnings and returnings, their gaspings and gapings, their 
kneelings and crouchings, their winkings and starings, their mockings and mowings, 
their crossings and knockings, their kissings and lickings, their noddings and nosings, 
their washings and weepings, their boings and bleatings, their mumblings and tum- 
blings, with their prostrations and inclinations, with their commemorations and his- 
trionical gesticulations, with their confessions and absolutions, with their consecrations 
and conjurations, with their pausations and exhalations, &c., which also besides many 


[BEcon, 11. ] ae 


1 Cor. xi. 


Rey. xxi. 


386 A COMPARISON BETWEEN THE 


other apish toys and brainless gestures, the mad massmongers use in their marvellous 
monstrous masses. I let pass also the bargainings, the buyings and sellings, the choppings 
and changings, the hirings and desirings, and such other monsters as are nourished 
through the popish mass and her massing chaplains. Verily there was never idol, 
nor yet at this present is, which at any time hath brought, or do bring so great dis- 
honour to the majesty of God and to his holy and pure religion, as this most abominable 
idol the popish mass, that sink of all evils and shipwreck of all godliness, hath done, 
and yet doth, where it is used. Neither is it to be thought that all the calamities 
and miseries, that all the plagues and pestilences wherewith (alas for sorrow!) we 
are in this our age most grievously, yet most worthily, on every side grieved and af- 
flicted, do rise, spring, and come forth of any other thing than of the horrible profanation 
of the Lord’s supper; which without doubt is grown up unto such an height of wicked-. 
ness, that it must needs shortly have generally a downfall, that all the glory may be 
given to the Lord our God, and that Satan, with antichrist his chaplain and all his 
counterfeit and feigned religion, may be trodden down under our feet. For so great 
abomination can the Lord God of the faithful abide no longer. 

Certes, the errors of the Corinthians (which notwithstanding God most grievously 
punished) in comparison of our manifold wickednesses concerning the abuses of the 
Lord’s supper may justly be counted points of godliness; so far from the true use 
is the Lord’s supper fallen in the kingdom of the pope. 

Neither is there any thing used at this present day among the Christians which 
doth so fray and drive away the Turks and Jews, and the other infidels, from the 
embracing and receiving the religion of Christ, as the profanation of the Lord's supper ; 
while they see us fall down, worship, honour, invocate, and pray unto bread and wine 
instead of God. 

Moreover, there is no hope of coming again into the favour of God, except we first 
of all pluck up by the roots and banish far and wide out of the bounds of the christian 
public weal these so many, so great, and so monstrous errors and abuses, and restore 
again the holy supper of the Lord to the former integrity, dignity, pureness, honour, 
and glory: which thing by no means can be brought to pass, except we will utterly 
shake off, dispatch, abrogate, put away, pluck up by the roots, and banish for ever 
and ever the popish mass, never more to have to do with it, but at all times to flee 
from it, as from the plague and pestilence, from the devil and damnation. 

And verily unto this end ought all Christians with all their counsel, riches, and 
power, to labour, and to do their uttermost endeavour, that this thing with all expe- 
dition may be brought to pass; even so many as unfeignedly thirst the glory, honour, 
and praise of God, and from the very bottom of the heart wish and desire that the 
true religion of Christ may be renewed, restored, and published to the whole world, 
that we here in the earth may know the ways of the Lord, and his “saving health 
among all nations:” which thing if we shall neglect and little regard, or else go forth 
to maintain and defend these so manifest errors and abuses against the truth of God, 
or shall either openly assent and consent to them which with their wicked masses 
contaminate, defile, profane, and unhallow the Lord’s supper, or privately wink at 
their such and so great wickednesses, without doubt that most high avenger, God, 
that consuming fire, God, that jealous one, and such as can abide no companion, 
shall arise out of hand, and shall not only plague us in this life with many and 
sundry, yea, and those most bitter punishments and sharp diseases, as fire, pestilence, 
sword, battle, civil war, dearth, banishment, loss of goods, fed sickness, sudden death, 
&c., but also, rooting us out of the most pleasant land of the living, he shall surely 
cast us down headlong into the deep dungeon of hell, where we shall have our por- 
tion with the hypocrites “‘in that lake that burneth with fire and brimstone.” But 
contrariwise, if we labour to expel false doctrine, to banish strange religion, to weed 
out wicked opinions, to drive away idolatry and false worshipping of God, and in- 
stead of these, if we do our diligence to plant true doctrine, christian religion, right 
opinions, and to worship the Lord our God according to his holy and blessed word, 
he will in this world so bless us that we shall want no good thing necessary either 
for body or for soul, and after our departure from this vale of misery he will place 


LORD’S SUPPER AND THE POPE'S MASS. 387 
us in his most glorious kingdom, according to this his promise: “Them that glorify 1 sam. ii. 
me I will glorify; and they that despise me shall come to shame.” 

God for his dearly-beloved Son’s sake tread down Satan shortly under our feet, 
and “lighten his countenance upon us,” that his “saving health may be known 
among all nations!” Amen. 


THE AUTHOR TO THE GODLY READER. 


HirHerto, good reader, have we compared the holy supper of our Lord Jesus the aiser- 
Christ with the pope’s mass, that by this means thou mayest plainly perceive and eters 
evidently see, as in a most clear and pleasant glass, what difference there is between ihepoes, 
them. Verily there is so great difference between them, as thou hast now heard, ™** 
as there is between Christ and Belial, between light and darkness, and between right- 
eousness and unrighteousness. 

For as the Lord’s supper containeth in it an unmeasurable sea of good things; 

so is the pope’s mass a sink of wickedness, and an habitation of all ungracious acts. 
As the Lord’s supper is healthful and marvellously profitable to them that come 
godly unto it; so is the pope’s mass to so many as come thereunto poisonful and 
pestiferous. As the Lord’s supper doth wonderfully stir up, strengthen, and confirm 
the faith of her guests toward God; so likewise doth the popes mass beyond all 
measure obscure, quench, and destroy the faith of the Christians. As the Lord’s supper 
doth maryellously kindle and largely set abroad the love toward the neighbour of them 
that godly come unto it; so likewise the pope’s mass abateth the christian charity, and 
utterly quencheth it. As the Lord’s supper doth exceedingly move and stir up the 
minds of the godly unto the consideration of heavenly things; so likewise the pope’s 
mass doth continually depress and cast down men’s minds unto the contemplation of 
all earthly things. 

And' the Lord’s supper doth set forth and evidently express to them that sit at 
the Lord’s table heavenly and spiritual things, as the favour of God toward mankind, 
forgiveness of sins, quietness of conscience, destruction of Satan’s kingdom, overthrowing 
of death’s tyranny, desolation of hell, dissolution of the Lord’s curse, and most perfect 
satisfaction and full accomplishment of the same through Christ; again, renewing of 
our old strength, the gift of the Holy Ghost, the resurrection of the body, the im- poy, xxi, 
mortality of the soul, the opening of heaven-gates, that new and heavenly Jerusalem, pep. xii. 
“‘the city of the living God, the company of innumerable angels, the fellowship of the 
first-begotten, and of the blessed spirits which are written in heaven,” the most glorious 
and beautiful sight of God’s majesty, and, in fine, everlasting life: so likewise doth 
the pope’s mass bring forth and set before the eyes of them that be present things to 
be laughed at, things meet for hickscorner, things well serving for a Christmas play, 
things childish, things unprofitable, things of naught, and would God I might not 
justly say, things poisonful, things pernicious, things pestiferous ! 

What should I tarry long in this matter? As the Lord’s supper is a most rich 
and plentiful treasure-house of all godly and heavenly things, (for it is called of 
Ignatius “a medicine of immortality, and a present remedy against death’ ;” of Dionysius qn gpist. ad 
Areopagita, “an wholesome sacrifice and divine communion’; of Justinus Martyr, eee 


“a thanksgiving‘ ;” of Origen, “the bread of life, the banquet of salvation, an uncorrupt jn3 Acoi, 


food’,” &c.; of Optatus, “a pledge of everlasting salvation, a defence of faith, and q7,x"Ss. 
In Matth. 
Hom. 5. 
Lib. vi. 


[' So folio : perhaps it should be as or and as. } 

[? ...€va adptov KA@yTes, Os éoTiIW app_aKov 
a8avacias, avTidotos Tov pr) dToOavetv adda Cyv ev 
*Incov Xpict@ dia wavtds.—Ignat. Epist. ad Ephes. 
cap. xx. in Patr. Apost. Oxon. 1838.Tom. II. p.294.] 

[? Meracywy 6& kat petadods tHs BeapxiKis 
Kowwvias....elTa THS Peopiuntov TavTNS Lepoupyias 
aé.os aityoas yevéo8ar.—Dionys. Areop. Op. Anty. 


pp. 284, 98.] 

[* Just. Mart. Op. Par. 1742. Apol. i. p. 83. 
See Vol. II. page 239, note 2.] 

[® ..-si non comedimus panem vite...—Orig. Op. 


Par. 1733-59. In Luc. Hom. xxxviii. Tom. III. 


p. 977. Quoniam panis est verbum justitie, quam 
manducantes anime nutriuntur ... Si ergo et nos vo- 


lumus panem benedictionis accipere ab Jesu.—Id. 


in Matt. Comm. Ser. 85, 6. pp. 898, 9.] 
25—2 


Lib. iv. 
cap. 17. 


In Liturgia. 


Cont. Ju- 
lian. 

Orat. 2. 

In 1 Cor. 
cap. x. 

In Hom. ad 
Pop. Anti- 
och. 

In 1 Cor. 

cap. xi. 

Lib. i. ad 
Oxor. 

Cont. Mare. 
In Serm. de 
Laps. et de 
Cena Dom. 
Lib. viii. 
Lib. iv. cap. 
35. 

De Pece. 

in Spir.Sanct. 
In Psal. xxii. 
Lib. vi. cap. 
99 


In Lue. cap. 
XXiv. 


388 A COMPARISON BETWEEN, ETC. 


hope of the resurrection’ ;” of Cyrillus, “a table not only driving away death, but also 
all diseases, yea, and also the law which rageth in our members, a table that strengthen- 
eth godliness, quencheth the troublous affections of the mind, healeth the sick, maketh 
them whole again that were fallen, and that stayeth us from all falling’,’ &c.; of 
Basilius Magnus, “ divine, undefiled, immortal, heavenly, and alive-making sacraments® ;” 
of Gregorius Nazianzenus, “a table prepared against them that trouble us, wherewith 
we appease all rebellion of passions*;” of Chrysostom, “the power of our soul, the 
sinews of the mind, the bond of boldness, the table that sendeth forth spiritual floods, 
the wonderful mysteries of the church, the partaking of the Lord’s body, the mystery 
of peace,” &c.; of Theodoretus, “an healthful sacrament, the symbols or signs of the 
body of Christ®;” of Tertullian, “the Lord’s banquet, and the figure of Christ’s body’;” 
of Cyprian, “the holy thing of the Lord, the healthful grace, the nourishment of im- 
mortality, the defence to them that receive it, the safeguard of the Lord’s fulness, the 
portion of everlasting life®,”’ &c.; of Hilarius, “the Lord’s meat®;”’ of Ireneus, “the 
bread of thanksgiving, and a new oblation of the new testament” ;” of Athanasius, “the 


conservatory or store-house unto the immortality of everlasting life"; 


";” of Euthymius, 


“the table upon the which lieth the mystical supper of Christ’’;” of Hesychius, “the 


Lord’s mystery“ ;” 


[} ...altaria Dei...unde a multis et pignus salutis 
zterne, et tutela fidei, et spes resurrectionis accepta 
est.—Optat. De Schism. Donatist. Lut. Par. 1700. 
Lib. vr. i. p. 90.] 

[? Ovxoty AoyiW pev eboeBéctepov civvopov 
émitydeiew Biov, petarti yy 66 otTw Tis eboyias, 
ov Oavatou povov adX@ Kai Toy Ev 1j41v vVoonmaTwv 
a@moKpovoTikyy €lvat TioTevoas’ KaTakolmiCer yap 
év 1}uiv yeyovws 6 Xpiotos Tov év Tois péeot TIS 
capkos aypliaivovTa vopov, Kai avaCwirupet pev THY 
eis Oedv elA\adBerav, amovexpot O& Ta Taby, wy 
AoyiGopevos nuiv ta ev ols éopev TapaTTuwpata, 
Gepatrevwy 6& wadXov, ws vevoonkoTas. KaTadecmot 
yap TO cuvTeTpimpevov, éyelper TA TWeTTWKOS, WS 
Touujy ayatos, Kal thy Wuynv éavTov Teberkws 
imép Tov mpoBatwv.—Cyril. Alex. Op. Lut. 1638. 
Comm. in Joan. Evang. Lib. 1v. cap. ii. Tom. IV. 
pp. 365, 6. ] 

[3 ...Katakiwoov adkataKpitws peTacyXety THY 
aXpavTwy cov ToUTwY Kal CwoTrol@y puoTnpiwy... 
eVXaploTOUMEeY Gol...ewL TH peTady er THY ayiwy, 
axpavTwy, cdavaTwv, Kat-éToupaviwy cov puoTnpl- 
wv.—Div. Miss. Basil. in Rit. Grec. Op. Jac. Goar. 
Lut. Par. 1647. pp. 174, 5.] 

[4 “Exw kal tpdmeCav tiv mWvevpatiKyy TAVTHY 
Kal evOeov, iv jToimacé por Kupros éEevavtias Tay 
OAL BovTwv pe, 7) Tpocavatravomar Kal TpvPH, Kal 
ovdéy é€uBpifw dud tov Kdpov, ahAE Kai Koipifw 
wacav Talay éravactaciv.—Gregor. Nazianz. Op. 
Par. 1778-1840. Orat. v. Sec. in Jul. 35. Tom. I. 
p- 171.] 

[> Attn yap 4 Tpame{a THs Wuy7s nav Ta 
vevpa, THS Siavoias 6 cvvdecuos, THS Tappnoias 4 
vmolecis, 1) éAmis, 7 CwTnpia, TO Pas, 1) Gwrj.— 
Chrysost. Op. Par. 1718-38. In Epist. 1. ad Cor. 
Hom. xxv. Tom. X. p. 218. @pixta dvtws ta 
puoTypla THS ExkAnolas...a7o THS TpaTEeCns Tav- 
TNS aVELoL THY, ToTamovs Adpieica WvevpaTiKovs. 
—lId. in Joan. Hom. xlvi. Tom. VIII. p. 273. THoA- 
ods Op@ Tos cupatos Tov XpioTov peTéxovtas 
am\@s.—Id. in Epist. ad Ephes. Hom. iii. Tom. XI. 
p. 22. See also Op. Lat. Basil. 1547. De Sac. 
Part. Myst. Hom. ad Pop. Ant. Ixi. Tom. V. cols. 
401, 2. in which homily the two last quoted passages 
may be found. } 

[® ...rou témov TO apyxétuTov EderEe, Kal Tou 
cwTnypiov pvotynpiov Tas Bvpas avewke...ueTa yap 


of Theophylactus, “the blessed bread’ ;” of Arnobius, ‘“‘the divine 


6) Tiv abtov wapovciay, obKért Xpeia THY TUUBO- 
Awy TOU cwWpaTos, a’TOU pawopévou TOU GwpaTOS, 
—Theod. Op. Lut. Par. 1642-84. In Epist. 1. 
ad Cor. cap. xi. vv. 24-26. Tom. III. p. 175.] 

[7 Quis ad convivium illud dominicum, quod 
infamant, sine sua suspicione dimittet ?—Tertull. Op. 
Lut. 1641. Ad Ux. Lib. mu. p. 189. Id. Advers. 
Marcion. Lib. rv. 40. p. 571. See Vol. II. page 
285, note 5.] 

[8 ...sanctum Domini edere, et contrectare non 
potuit...nec immerentibus ad salutem prodesse quod 
sumitur, quando gratia salutaris in cinerem sanc- 
titate fugiente mutetur.—Cypr. Op. Oxon. 1682. 
De Laps. p. 133. ...immortalitatis alimonia datur, a 
communibus cibis differens, corporalis substantiz 
retinens speciem, sed virtutis divine invisibili ef- 
ficientia probans adesse presentiam...panis iste su- 
perstantialis, et calix benedictione solenni sacratus, 
ad totius hominis vitam salutemque proficit...Hoc 
sacramentum...aliquando panem Christus appellat, 
portionem vite xterne.—Id. De Coen. Dom. (Ar- 
nold.) Appendix, pp. 39, 40.] 

(? Sienim vere Verbum caro factum est, et vere 
nos Verbum carnem cibo dominico sumimus; quo- 
modo, &c.—Hilar. Pict. Op. Par. 1693. De Trin. 
Lib. vu. 13. col. 954.] 

[2° ...novi testamenti novam docuit oblationem ; 
quam ecclesia ab apostolis accipiens, in universo. 
mundo offert Deo, &c.—Iren. Cont. Heres. Par. 
1710. Lib. rv. capp. xvii. 5. Id. ibid. xvii. 5. pp. 
249,51. See Vol. II. page 267, note 4. ] 

[}! Athanas. Op. Par. 1698. Epist. iv. 19. ad 
Serapion. Tom. I. Pars 11. p. 710. See Vol. II. 
page 289, note 12.] 

[}? ...) Kai tTHv TOU BuvcLtacTypiov TpaTre av, ed’ 
is WpoKertat O Oettvos 6 pvotikos.—Euthym. Zi- 
gab. Comm. in Psalm. ad calc. Theophyl. Op. 
Venet. 1754-63. Psalm. xxii. Tom. IV. p. 459. ] 

['3 Ergo quinta ejus super ipsum, sermo est, qui 
prolatus est ab ipso Christo, super dominicum 
mysterium.—Isych. in Levit. Basil. 1527. Lib. vi. 
in cap. xxii. fol. 132. 2.] 

(14 Alvivrerar dé Tt Kai Erepov, OTL Tots jme- 
TahapBavover Tov evAoynpéevou apTou d.avotyovrat 
ot Op0ahpol eis TO érvyv@vac av’tov.—Theophy]l. 
Op. In Luc. Comm. cap. xxiv. Tom. I. p. 495.] 


THE AUTHOR TO THE GODLY READER. 389 


aoe “‘a spiritual medicine, manich, being reverently received, In Psal. 


sacraments of Ambrosius, 
purifieth ‘he godly communicant”’ ;” of Hieronymus, “a christian mystery, hallowed In 1 Cor. 

in the body and blood of Christ our Saviour’’;” of Augustinus, “the partaking of ‘nd Marcel. 
the body and blood of the Lord",” &c.: I pass over the other fathers, all which '?°™"** 
with one voice have wonderfully garnished and set out this holy banquet of the 

Lord with true and godly praises, and have also both honourably and gravely set 

forth, published, and declared the virtue and dignity thereof,) out of the which the 

godly and faithful guests may at all times take true and sound comforts, re- 

ceive pure and immortal pleasures, and drink in such and so sweet and heavenly 
delectations as never shall perish and come to an end, unto the singular commo- 

dity, exceeding great comfort, and unoutspeakable joy of the man of God; so like- 

wise the pope’s mass is the sink of all evils, out of the which flow forth with the fits 
great abundance false religion, heathenish superstition, idolatry, evil opinions, ungodly ae ie 
worshippings, infinite and intolerable errors, unworthy and by no means to be suf- 

fered blasphemies against Christ and his innocent blood, ignorance of God, invocation 

of dead saints, confection"*, consecration, application, and oblation of the body and blood Mass. 

of Christ for the salvation both of the living and of the dead, transubstantiation, ado- °"""” 
ration, ostentation, circumgestation, inclusion, and reservation of the sacramental bread, 
satisfaction for the miserable souls of them that are departed, most miserably tor- 

mented in purgatory, and the deliverance of them from their woful state, taking 

away of the Lord’s cup from the communion of the lay-people, usurpation of a strange 

tongue in the execution of the divine mysteries, profanation of the holy mysteries, 

manifest irrision of the christian people, and the wicked polling and pilling of their 

goods, while they be compelled, will they nill they, to nourish such so great and so 
unworthy monsters, and, as the poet saith, unprofitable clods of the earth”, “whose god Phil. iii 
their belly is,” even hypocrites that devour widows’ houses, yea, and that under the Matt. xxiii. 
pretence of long prayer; false prophets, outwardly clad with sheep’s clothing, but in- Matt. vii. 
wardly ravening wolves; blind guides of the blind; painted sepulchres, outwardly Matt, xi 
appearing beautiful, and inwardly full of all stench ead filthiness ; dissemblers, and ike 
such as walk in long robes, loving salutations in the markets, the ciaet places in the 

temples, and the highest seats at the table; thieves and robbers, hereto only bent Jonn x. 
that they may steal, kill, and destroy; cruel wolves, not sparing the flock; men Acts xx. 
speaking froward things, that they may seduce the disciples to follow them; men that Rom. xvi. 
serve not the Lord Jesu Christ, but their own belly, deceiving the simple people with 

their flattering and enticing words; false apostles; deceitful workmen; ministers of 2Cor. xi. 
Satan, so transfiguring themselves that they appear to be ministers of righteousness, 

which shall have an end worthy of their deeds; enemies of the cross of Christ; men Phil. iii. 
lovers rather of pleasure than of God; having an outward appearance of godliness, 2Tim. ii. 
but utterly denying the power thereof; which also creep into houses and make women 

captive, which women are laden with sin, and led with divers lusts, ever learning, 

and never able to come unto the knowledge of the truth; men that resist the truth, 

corrupt in mind, lewd about the faith; sluggish bellies; false masters, bringing in 2 Pet. ii. 
damnable sects, and denying the Lord that redeemed them ; mockers, and such as are 
altogether given to their own filthy lusts; men that tread under foot the Son of God, 
and count the blood of the testament, wherewith we are sanctified, as an unholy 
thing, and do dishonour to the Spirit of grace; men that say they be Jews, that is Rev. ii. 


Heb. x. 





['8 In hoe vero cibo et potu, id est, corpore et 
sanguine Domini, non ita est...hoc...valeat...ut car- 
nem Christi et sanguinem Christi non edamus tantum 
in sacramento...Mensa potentis que sit, nostis ; ibi 


['® ...aut quid tam magnificum quam sacramenta 
divina conficere?—Arnob. Afr. Comm. in Psalm. 
Argent. 1522. In Psalm. ecxxxix. fol. y.] 

['® ...medicina enim spiritalis est, que cum reve- 


rentia degustata, purificat sibi devotum.—Ambros. 
Op. Par. 1686-90. Comm. in Epist. ad Cor. prim. 
cap. xi. Tom. II. Appendix, col. 149.] 

{'7 ...qui [Melchisedec] jam tunc in typo Christi 
panem et vinum obtulit, et mysterium christianum 
in Salvatoris sanguine et corpore dedicavit.—Hieron. 
Op. Par. 1693-1706. Epist. xliv. (Paul. et Eus- 
toch.) ad Marcell. Tom. IV. Pars 11. col. 547.] 


est corpus et sanguis Christi.August. Op. Par. 
1679-1700. In Johan. Evang. capp. vi. x. Tractat. 
xxvi. 15. xxvii. 11. xlvii. 2. Tom. III. Pars 1. 
cols. 500, 506, 607. ] 

[?9 Confection: the making, i.e. of the body and 
blood of Christ, the act of consecration. | 

[2° Hor. Epist. 1. ii. 27.] 


Rev. ix. 


Rey. xvili. 


Old custom. 
Cyprian. ad 
Pompeium. 


Aug. de 


Bapt. Parvu- 
lorum. 


Dist. 8. cap. 
Veritate. 


Lib. iii. de 
Bapt. 
Dist. 2. cap. 


Si consue- 
tudo. 


Fathers. 


In Jer. 


390 A COMPARISON BETWEEN, ETC. 


to say, faithful, and the church of God, when, notwithstanding, they are indeed the 
very synagogue of Satan; locusts that came out of that stinking bottomless pit; 
merchants which committed whoredom with that great and famous harlot, that whore 
of Babylon, that mother of all fornication and uncleanness, and were enriched with 
the abundance of his pleasures; those filthy and stinking hogs whom St Anthony in 
a vision saw standing at altars throughout the world in every place, and unworthily 
handling the holy and blessed mysteries of the Lord’s body and blood’. 

“T have read,” saith Melancthon, “‘a vision of a certain godly man, written before 
two hundred years, to whom Christ appeared, as one all rent and torn with whip- 
ping and scourging, full of wounds and of blood running throughout all his body. 
The man, being at the first afraid and utterly abashed with so strange a sight, after 
that he came again to himself, perceived and acknowledged that some singular con- 
tumely and exceeding great despite and reproach was signified thereby, wherewith 
Christ was greatly dishonoured and evil entreated. And when he demanded what 
these wounds signified, Christ answered, that he was so rent and torn of them which 
pollute and defile his body through the abuse of the sacrament and of the masses*.” 

Seeing then that the pope’s mass doth so extremely and in all points fight with 
the holy supper of Christ the Lord, who would not with all his heart wish that such 
and so great pestilence might utterly be expulsed and banished far from the bounds 
of the christian commonweal, and of that most holy banquet of the body and blood 
of Christ might out of hand be restored to the old dignity, and so be again exhibited, 
presented, and given to the congregation of the godly; except peradventure any man hath 
a pleasure stoutly to defend false opinions, troublous errors, and very old wives’ super- 
stitions, and, after the manner of the giants, continually to be at war with true and 
right godliness, and without ceasing to be at enmity with the best and greatest God? 

Let no man object and lay in my dish old custom. “For what other thing is 
old custom, without truth,” as a certain man saith, “than an old error? Which error 
being left and utterly forsaken, we ought to follow the truth*,” specially “ when Christ 
saith in the gospel, ‘I am the truth.’ He said not, ‘I am the custom.’ When the 
truth is once opened,” saith St Austin, “let custom give place. For who doubteth but 
that custom ought to give place to the open truth? Let no man set more by custom 
than by reason and truth. For reason and truth excludeth custom alway*.” Again: 
“Seeing that Christ is the truth, we ought rather to follow the truth than the custom’®.” 
Gregory also saith: “If thou peradventure allegest custom against me, we must take 
heed to that the Lord saith: ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. He said not, 
I am the custom, but the truth®.” 

Neither let any man cast in my teeth the fathers, although never so old, holy, 
and learned, if they err, dissent, and go away never so little from the doctrine of 
Christ. For they, both of themselves and of their own writings, and also of other 
men’s works, pronounce on this manner. 


Origen saith: ‘“‘We must needs call the holy scriptures unto witness. For our 





[? See before, page 280, note 2.] 
[? Dicunt S. Antonium habuisse visionem de 
postremo tempore ecclesiw, ubi inter cetera est 


manifestata, cedat consuetudo veritati- Plane quis 
dubitet veritati manifestate debere consuetudinem 
cedere ?...nemo consuetudinem rationi et veritati pre- 


imago, quod viderit stantes porcos ad aras, et cele- 
brare missas. An non respondit res ipsa huic visioni? 
Postrema xtas mundi habet episcopos, canonicos, 
sacrificulos, monachos, qui missam in questum con- 
tulerunt, et ut porci ventri serviunt, propter ventrem 
et opescelebrant. Dicitur et Brigitte species Christi 
apparuisse, flagris lacerati et cruore stillantis: exter- 
rita Brigitta interrogavit, quid significaret hee spe- 
cies? Respondit visio, Christum sic lacerari abusu 
missarum.—Melancth. Op. Witeb. 1601. De Coen. 
Dom. Pars. IIT. p. 237. ] 

[? Cypr. Op. Oxon. 1682. Epist. Ixxiv. p. 215. 
See Vol. I. page 3765, note 2.] 

[* In evangelio Dominus, Ego sum, inquit, veri- 
tas: non dixit, Ego sum consuetudo. Itaque veritate 


ponat; quia consuetudinem ratio et veritas semper 
excludit.—August. Op. Par. 1679-1700. De Bapt. 
cont. Donat. Lib. 11. 9, 11. Tom. IX. cols. 111, 2.] 

[5 Id. ibid. See Vol. I. page 376, note 3.] 

[®° Greg. Wimund. Aversan. Episc. in Corp. Jur. 
Canon. Lugd. 1624. Decret. Gratiani, Decr. Prima 
Pars, Dist. vili. can. 5. col. 24. See Vol. I. page 
376, note 4. It would have been proper to observe 
in the place where this passage is first quoted, that 
Becon there calls the author St Gregory, as if under- 
standing him to be Gregory the Great. A note in 
Gratian apprises us that in some manuscripts and in 
Ivo the reading is Gregory VII. And certainly it 
was in the time of this latter pontiff that Wimundus 
Aversanus wrote on the body and blood of Christ. ] 


THE AUTHOR TO THE GODLY READER. 


391 


senses and expositions without these witnesses have no faith, or are not to be 


credited’.” 


St Ambrose saith: “ All new things that Christ hath not taught we even justly De Virg. 


and of right condemn ; for Christ is the way to the faithful. 


ract. 4. 


If therefore Christ hath 


not taught that we do teach, even we ourselves also do judge that detestable and 


utterly to be abhorred®.” 


St Austin saith: “I cannot deny, nor I ought not, that as in my forefathers, aq vincent, 


so likewise in so many my works there are many things which may with righteous 


Viet. Lib. ii. 


judgment and with no rashness be reproved’.” Again he saith: “We ought not to aa vincent. 


Donast. 


have the disputations of any men, although never so catholic and praise-worthy, as gpist. 4s. 
the canonical scriptures; as though we might not (that honour saved which is due 
to those men) reprove and refuse any thing of their writings, if peradventure we find 
that they have judged otherwise than the truth is, by the help of God, understanded 
either of other or of us'’.”. I am such in the writings of other as I would other 


to understand mine. 


Theophylact also saith: “They that bring any thing contrary to the doctrine and tn Rom. 


teaching of the apostles bring in slanders, heresies, and dissensions"’. 


11» cap. ult. 


Chrysostom saith: “Out of the very true churches there go many times deceivers ; tn Matt. 


Hom. 49. 


therefore neither ought we to believe them, except they speak or do those things which cap. xxiv. 


are agreeable to the scriptures’’.” 


“ Whatsoever savoureth against the truth, 


” 


saith Tertullian, “that shall be heresy, zip. ae virg. 
Velandis. 


yea, though it be old custom"’.” Again he saith: ‘“‘ We may not follow our own fantasies, [ih Ge Pre- 


neither may any man choose that he thinketh best. 


script. Hzre- 
d tie. 


We have the apostles of the Lor 


to be our authors, which neither they did choose any thing of their own head, but °* 
they did faithfully set forth to the people the doctrine which they had received of Christ. 
Therefore, though an angel from heaven should preach any other gospel unto us, we 


ought to hold him accursed™*.” 


Likewise saith St Hierome: ‘That is affirmed of us must be afhrmed with the aa Ctesi- 


testimonies of the holy scriptures, in the which God daily speaketh to the believers”. 


15 »» phontem. 


Again: “Without the authority of the scriptures prattling is not to be credited’®.” Id Bp. ad 


Titum. 


Also in another place: ‘That which hath not authority of the scriptures is as easily In Matt. 


despised as it is proved’’.” 


cap. Xxiil. 


Thus we see that all the godly ancient fathers desire neither themselves nor their 
writings to be further believed than the word of God doth allow them and _ bear 


witness with them. 


God saith by the prophet: “Walk not in the steps of your Bzk. xx. 


forefathers, neither be ye polluted and defiled with their idols.” 
Neither let them lay in my way councils, either national’* or general, either private Councils. 





[7 Orig. Op. Par. 1733-59. In Jer. Hom. i. 
Tom. III. p. 129. See Vol. II. page 261, note 6.] 

[® Ambros. Op. Par. 1686-90. De Virgin. Lib. 
cap. vi. 28. Tom. II. col. 220. See Vol. II. page 261, 
note 3.] 

[° Neque enim negare debeo, sicut in ipsis mori- 
bus [alii majoribus], ita multa esse in tam multis 
opusculis meis, que possint recto judicio et nulla 
temeritate culpari.August. Op. De Anim. et Ej. 
Orig. ad Vincent. Vict. Lib. 1v. 1. Tom. X. col. 
386. ] 

[7° ... hoe genus litterarum ab auctoritate canonis 
distinguendum est. Non enim sic leguntur, tamquam 
ita ex eis testimonium proferatur, ut contra sentire 
non liceat, sicubi forte aliter sapuerunt quam veritas 
postulat.—Id. ad Vincent. Rogatist. Epist. xciii. 35. 
Tom. II. col. 245.] 

[!! Theophyl. Op. Venet. 1754-63. Comm. in 
Epist. ad Rom. cap. xvi. v.17. Tom. II. p. 116. 
See Vol. I. page 88, note 3. ] 

[!? Ostendens per hac, quomodo ex ipsis ecclesiis 
veris frequenter exeunt seductores : propterea nec 
ipsis omnino credendum est, nisi ea dicant vel fa- 





ciant, que convenientia sunt scripturis.—-Chrysost. 
Op. Par. 1718-38. Opus Imperf. in Matt. Hom. xlix. 
ex cap. xxiv. Tom. VI. p. ceix.] 

[13 Quodcunque adversus veritatem sapit, hoc 
erit heresis, etiam vetus consuetudo.—Tertull. Op. 
Lut. 1641. De Virg. Veland. 1. p. 192.] 

['4 Nobis vero nihil ex nostro arbitrio inducere 
licet, sed nec eligere quod aliquis de arbitrio suo 
induxerit. Apostolos Domini habemus auctores, 
qui nec ipsi quicquam ex suo arbitrio, quod indu- 
cerent, elegerunt; sed acceptam a Christo disci- 
plinam fideliter nationibus adsignaverunt. Itaque 
etiamsi angelus de ccelis aliter evangelizaret, ana- 
thema diceretur a nobis.—Id. De Prescript. Heret. 
6. p. 232.] 

['5 Hieron. Op. Par. 1693-1706. Epist. xlii. ad 
Ctesiphont. adv. Pelag. Tom. IV. Pars 11. col. 483. 
See Vol. I. page 88, note 1.] 

[16 Id. Comm. in Epist. ad Tit. cap. i. Tom. IV. 
Pars 1. col. 420. See Vol. II. page 264, note 1.] 

f17 Id. Comm. Lib. tv. in Matt. cap. xxii. Tom. 
IV. Pars 1. col. 112. See Vol. II. page 263, note 2. ] 

['® Folio, rational. ] 


Isai. xxx. 


Psal. xxxili. 


In Epist. ad 
Galat. 


De Elect. 


cap. Signifi- 


casti. 


Church. 


John x. 


Eph. v. 
1 Tim. iii. 


ge living God, the pillar and ground of truth.” 


392 A COMPARISON BETWEEN, ETC. 


or public. For neither have those any authority, except they be confirmed and es- 
tablished by the word of God, although they be never so greatly garnished with the 
presence of most noble princes, and with the company of pope, cardinals, patriarchs, 
archbishops, metropolitans, bishops, archdeacons, commissaries, officials, abbots, priors, 
monks, canons, friars, priests, sub-deacons, deacons, &c. Against all wicked councils 
thundereth God by the prophet on this manner: “Wo be unto you, O disobedient 
children, saith the Lord, that ye will make a council, and that without me, and begin 
a web, and not through my Spirit; that ye should add sin unto sin!” And the 
psalmograph saith: “The Lord bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought, and 
maketh the devices of the people to be of none effect, and casteth out the counsels of 
princes. But the counsel of the Lord shall endure for ever, and the thoughts of his 
heart from generation to generation.” 

Of men’s councils St Hierome speaketh on this manner: “The doctrine of the 
Holy Ghost is that which is expressed and set forth in the canonical letters; against 
the which if councils determine any thing, I count and judge it wicked’.” A council 
may not enact any thing against the word of the Lord ; for it is a plain error, whatsoever 
is determined against the scripture. For we may not give heed to the trifles of men, 
but to the doctrines of the Holy Ghost. 

Panormitanus also saith: ‘‘ We ought more to believe a plain simple layman, alleging 
the scriptures, than the whole council, not having the word of God on their side.” 
“In matters concerning faith the saying of one private person is more to be regarded 
than the saying of the pope, if he be moved with better authorities of the new and 
old testament than the pope is’.” 

Hereto agreeth Gerson, saying: “We ought more to believe a man that is well 
learned in holy letters, and bringeth forth the catholic authority, than a general council.” 
Again: “We ought more to believe the saying of a doctor, defended* with canonical 
authority, than the declaration of the pope. All manner of councils therefore ought 
to give place to the word of God; neither are they of any power, if they be not 
confirmed with the authority of the holy scriptures*.” 

Neither let them bring against me the church, as their manner is. For it is “the 
synagogue of Satan,” and not the church of Christ, if it either receive or set forth any 
other doctrine but that only which is contained in the canonical scriptures. ‘“ My 
sheep hear my voice,” saith Christ, “and I know them; and they follow me; and I 
give to them everlasting life; and they shall never perish; neither shall any man pluck 
them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and 
no man is able to take them out of my Fathers hand.” “A stranger they will not 
follow, but will fly from him; for they know not the voice of strangers.” That 
church which is the true church -is the spouse of Christ, “the congregation of the 
Now, as she that is a true wife heareth 
not the voice of adulterers and whoremongers, but is fully content with the voice 
and love of her own husband; so likewise that church which is the true spouse of 
Christ heareth not the voice of strangers, that is to say, the doctrine of papists, ana- 
baptists, Arians, libertines, and such other wicked sectaries and heretics, but holdeth 
itself gladly and well content with the voice and doctrine of her husband Christ Jesu. 
And as that woman is an whore or an harlot that gladly giveth ear to the persuasions 
of unclean persons, keepeth them company, giveth herself over unto them, and suffereth 


[! Id. in Epist. ad Gal. in Catal. Test. Verit. 
Genev. 1608. col. 201. See Vol. II. page 261, 
note 4. ] 

[? Panorm. in eod. col. 1889. Id. sup. Decretal. 
Lib. Venet. Nur. et Basil. 1476-8. Lib. 1. Tit. vi. 
Tom. I. fol. k. 2. See Vol. Il. page 261, note 5.] 

[° Folio, descended. } 

[* Jungatur huic considerationi cum sua decla- 
ratione duplex veritas. Prima, staret quod aliquis 
simplex non auctorisatus, esset tam excellenter in 
sacris litteris eruditus, quod plus esset credendum in 


casu doctrinali sue assertioni, quam pape declara- 
tioni; constat enim plus esse credendum evangelio 
quam pape: si doceat igitur talis eruditus veritatem 
aliquam in evangelio contineri, ubi et papa nesciret, 
vel ultro erraret; patet cujus preferendum sit ju- 
dicium. Altera veritas, talis eruditus deberet in 
casu, si et dum celebraretur generale concilium, cui 
et ipse presens esset, illi se opponere, si sentiret 
majorem partem ad oppositum evangelii malitia 
vel ignorantia declinare.—Gerson. Op. Antw. 1706. 
De Exam. Doctr. Pars1. Consid. v. Tom, I. col. 11.] 


THE AUTHOR TO THE GODLY READER. 393 


herself to be abused by them; so in like manner is that an adulterous and whorish 
church, yea, the plain synagogue of Satan, which, fleeing from the voice of Christ, 
which is the husband and head of the true church, followeth the voices of strangers, 
embraceth their doctrine, and entangleth herself with the idle inventions, trifling tra- 
ditions, crooked constitutions, and devilish decrees of men. 

Of this church speaketh David on this manner: “I hate the church of the malignant; psal. xxvi. 
and with the ungodly will I keep no company.” And in the Revelation of St John 
it is written: “They say that they are Jews,” that is to say, the church of God, “and Rev. iii. 
they are not, but they lie:” for they are of “the synagogue of Satan.” They that 
thus cry, The church, the church, are not unlike the old wicked and idolatrous 
Jews, which had always in their mouth against the true prophets and preachers of 
God’s word this saying: Templum Domini, templum Domini, templum Domini ; 
“The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord.” Even Jer. vii. 
so cry our adversaries, Our mother holy church, our mother holy church, our mother 
holy church; when no kind of people be further and more estranged from the true 
church, which is the mother of the faithful, than they are; and yet under the pretence 
of the church they deceive the simple people, and most cruelly persecute the true children 
of our mother holy church. Of this wolvish sect our Saviour and true Pastor Christ 
tofore warned us, saying: “Beware of false prophets, which come unto you in sheep’s Matt. vii. 
clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves. By their fruits ye shall know them.” 
Yea, these are those “‘ deceitful workers, which fashion themselves,” as the apostle saith, 2 Cor. xi. 
“like unto the apostles of Christ. And no marvel,” saith he; ‘for Satan himself is 
changed into the fashion of an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing though 
his ministers fashion themselves as though they were the ministers of righteousness ; 
whose end shall be according to their deeds.” 

The true, christian, and faithful church, which, as we heard before, is the spouse kph. v. 
of Christ, “the congregation of the living God, the pillar and ground of truth,” we 1 tim. iii. 
honourably receive, reverently embrace, and humbly obey, following her doctrine and 
exhortations in all points ; forasmuch as we know that her doctrine is the doctrine of her 
husband Christ, whose voice she only heareth and followeth, and that her exhortations Jonn x. 
are “grounded upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets.” And this is no Eph. ii. 
new and yesterday church, having her beginning at Rome, and built upon the foun- 
dation of popes, cardinals, bishops, priests, monks, friars, canons, &c., and of their 
unwritten verities, good intents, popish decrees, constitutions provincial, will-works, 
counterfeit religion, false worshipping of God, beggarly ceremonies, &c., but most 
old and most ancient, having her beginning more than five thousand years past, even 
in paradise, and so, through the mighty power of God, and through the assistance 
of his Spirit, it hath remained unto this day, and shall continue unto the world’s 
end; as our Saviour Christ saith: “ Behold, I am with you continually, even unto matt. xxviii. 
the world’s end.” Where this church is gathered together, or any members of the Matt. xviii. 
same, there is Christ in the midst of them. Whatsoever this church either bindeth matt. xvi. 
or looseth upon earth, the same is bound and loosed in heaven. Against this church John xx. 
the very “gates of hell shall not prevail ;” insomuch that although showers of rain gate. xvi. 
descend, the floods come, the winds blow, and beat upon it, yet fall it not down ; mate. vii. 
for it is grounded on the Rock, which is Christ Jesus. This church erreth not, neither ; cor. x. 
in doctrine nor in the true administration of the holy sacraments; for it is governed Jonn xiv. 
of the Holy Ghost, and only heareth the voice of the true Shepherd Christ. This jon x. 
church is so dear in the eyes of the living God, that whosoever is not a member 
of the same, and continueth therein unto the end, he shall perish, and never be saved ; 
even as all living creatures that were not in the ark of Noah were at that time Cen. vii. 
drowned, and perished with the sin-flood. 

This church is so registered in God’s book, and hath the names of all her child- 
ren so written in the book of life, that neither Satan, neither hell, neither sin, neither 
curse of the law, shall ever be able to rase them out of the book of life; as it is 
written: “My sheep hear my voice; and I know them; and they follow me; and 1 johnx. 
give unto them everlasting life; and they shall never perish; neither shall any man 
pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; 


John vi. 


John xvii. 
Psal. cix. 


2 Tim. iy. 


2 Tim. i. 


Eph. v. 
1 Tim. iii. 


Rev. xviii. 


Psal. xxvi. 


Matt. xvii. 


Gal. i. 


2 John. 


Lib. ii. 
Ep. 3. 


John xv. 


Matt. xvii. 


394 A COMPARISON BETWEEN, ETC. 


and no man is able to take them out of my Father's hand.” Again: “All that the 
Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I cast not away. 
For I came down from heaven, not to do that I will, but that he will which hath 
sent me. And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he 
hath given me I shall lose nothing, but raise them again at the last day.” Also 
in his prayer, which our Saviour Christ made unto his heavenly Father a little be- 
fore his passion, he hath these words: “ Those that thou gavest me have I kept; and 
none of them is lost, but that lost child; that the scripture might be fulfilled.” 
St Paul, that most worthy apostle, being certainly persuaded in his conscience, 
through the Holy Ghost, that he was a member of Christ’s church, and therefore 
also certain and sure of his everlasting salvation in Christ Jesu, a little before his 
death wrote on this manner to his disciple bishop Timothy: “I am now ready to 
be offered, and the time of my departing is at hand. I have fought a good fight: I 
have fulfilled my course: I have kept the faith. From henceforth there is laid up 
for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, that is a righteous Judge, shall 
give me at that day; not to me only, but unto all them also which love his coming.” 
Again: “I know and am sure that he, in whom I have put my trust, is able to 
keep that which I have committed to his keeping against that day.” 

This holy and apostolic church we reverence, honour, hear, and obey with all hu- 
mility, as the spouse of Christ, “the house of the living God, the pillar and ground 
of truth,” and the treasurer and keeper of God’s mysteries, that is to say, of his 
holy word and blessed sacraments. But the church of the malignant, which is the 
synagogue of Satan, the spouse of the devil, the house of all foul and unclean birds, 
the pillar and ground of falsehood, the treasurer and keeper of men’s traditions, we 
knowledge not, neither do we receive or admit, but extremely abhor, hate, and de- 
test; as the psalmograph saith: “I hate the church of the malignant ; and with the 
ungodly I will keep no company.” Let the adversaries cease to object and to lay 
against us old customs, ancient fathers, general councils, mother holy church. We 
must rather give ear to one Christ Jesu our Lord, of whom the heavenly Father 
hath thus pronounced, “This is my well-beloved Son, in whom I have a singular 
delight ; hear him,” than to all the customs, fathers, councils, &c. of the world, yea, 
than to all the angels in heaven, or any other most noble creatures, if they bring forth 
that unto us which is repugnant and contrary to the most holy decrees and doctrines 
of Christ; as the apostle saith: “Though we ourselves, or an angel from heaven, 
preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let 
him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach unto 
you any other gospel than that ye have received, let him be accursed.” Likewise 
saith St John: ‘‘ Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, 
hath not God. He that continueth in the doctrine of Christ hath both the Father 
and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this learning, him receive 
not to house, neither bid him God speed. For he that biddeth him God speed is 
partaker of his evil deeds.” 

Notable is this saying of St Cyprian: “If in the sacrifice, which is Christ, none 
is to be followed but Christ, then verily must they hear and do that which Christ 
hath done and hath commanded to be done; seeing that he saith in his gospel: 
‘If ye do that I command you, I will then call you no more servants, but friends.’ 
And that Christ alone ought to be heard, the Father even from heaven testifieth, say- 
ing: ‘This is my well-beloved Son, in whom I have a singular delight: hear him.’ 
Wherefore if Christ alone be to be heard, we ought not to consider what any man 
before us have thought good to be done, but what Christ, which is before all men, 


1» 


hath first done. For we may not follow the custom of man, but the truth of God’. 


What then remaineth, but that that popish mass be out of hand in all places utterly 
overthrown, forsaken, and put to flight, with all her game-player’s garments and ges- 
tures, with her feigned propitiatory sacrifice, with her transubstantiation, circumgestation, 





[? Cypr. Op. Oxon. 1682. Epist. Ixili. ad Cecil. pp. 154,5. See Vol. I. page 376, note 1.] 


THE AUTHOR TO THE GODLY READER. 395 


adoration, ostentation, impanation, inclusion, reservation, and such other monstrous Rev. xviii. 
monsters of the most monstrous whore of Babylon, that “great bawd,”’ and “ mother 

of all the whoredom and abominations of the earth,” that “inhabitation of devils, 

that hold of all foul spirits, and cage of all unclean and hateful birds ;’ and with 

most fervent prayers humbly beseech that best and greatest God, that all which pro- 

fess the name of Christ (all dissension, enmity, controversy, and parts-taking utterly 

set aside and appeased) may godlily and holily conspire and consent together into 

one true persuasion, faith, doctrine, truth, and religion, being of one mind and of one 
judgment (according to this saying of the apostle: “I beseech you, brethren, by 1 cor.i. 
the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak one thing, and that there be 

no dissension among you; but that ye be a whole body, of one mind, and of one 
meaning”), that we, godly and devoutly using the holy mysteries of the Lord’s supper, 

being the true figures and signs of the most true body and blood of our Lord and 
Saviour Christ Jesu (at the partaking whereof we do not only receive Christ the Theodoret. 
Lord*, unto the exceeding great consolation and comfort both of our soul and body, cap. xiv. 
yea, and that truly, not feignedly, perfectly, not colourably, in the holy and heavenly 
banquet; as Paul saith: “The cup of thanksgiving, for the which we give thanks, is 1 Cor. x. 
it not the partaking of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not 

the partaking of the body of Christ?” but also after a certain manner touch, handle, 

and behold him), may in time to come no more “as in a glass,” or in a dark speaking, 1 Cor. xiii. 
but presently, “face to face,” see and behold him, with the Father, and with the 

Holy Ghost, singing to that most glorious Trinity most godly and everlasting praises, 

which alone is the only true, living, immortal, invisible, eternal, and wise God, King 

of kings and Lord of lords, to whom be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen. 


Give the glory to God alone. 


EPITAPHIUM MISS. 


Preteriens hospes vacuum mirere sepulchrum, 
Et quenam maneat funera, forte roges. 
Cunctorum genitria et nutrix missa malorum 
Debuit hac condi, dum moreretur, humo. 
E nostro tamen hac adeo disparuit orbe, 
Ut reliquum videas illius esse nihil. 
Hinc egrum patulo papatum expectat hiatu, 
Fallere quem simili nos ratione velim. 


2 Thess. ii. 


Revelabitur iniquus ille, quem Dominus conficiet spiritu oris sui, 
et abolebit claritate adventus sui. 


[2 It does not seem clear what quotation from | pev tw Aeororn, ob Kal TO cHma elvat Kal TO aipa 
Theodoret, or reference to him, Becon intended here | pauév ;—Theod. Op. Lut. Par. 1642-84. In Epist. 
to make. Perhaps it may be the following: Tay | 1. ad Cor. cap. x. vv. 16, 17. Tom. III. p. 168.] 
icp@v amo\avovTes puocTypiny oVK a’Tw KoLVwVOU- 


FINIS. 


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q Thus sayth the Lord: Go into the stretes, 
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CERTAIN 


ARTICLES OF CHRISTIAN RELIGION 


PROVED AND CONFIRMED, 


BY 


THOMAS BECON. 


The holy 
scripture. 


The doctors. 


The church. 


Councils. 


Men’s tradi- 
tions. 


Custom. 


I. TIMOTHY VI. 


“Tr any man follow other doctrine, and incline not unto the wholesome words of 
our Lord Jesu Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; he is 
puffed up, and knoweth nothing, but wasteth his brains about questions and strife 
of words, whereof spring envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, vain disputation of men 
that have corrupt minds, and that are robbed of the truth, which think that lucre 
is godliness. From them that are such separate thyself.” 


AMBROS. TRACT. IV. DE VIRGINIBUS. 


“We utterly condemn all new things, that Christ hath not taught; for Christ is 
the way to the faithful. If Christ therefore hath not taught that which we teach, 


17 


even we ourselves judge it abominable and detestable’. 


IRENAUS, LIB. III. CAP. IV. 


“Tf there be a doubt concerning any question, must we not have recourse unto 
the most ancient churches, wherein the apostles lived, and of them to take concerning 
the present question that which is certain, plain, and evident? But what if the 
apostles had not left the scriptures unto us, ought we not to follow the order of 
the tradition which they delivered them to whom they committed the congregations 
or churches? ?” 


HIERONYMUS, IN GALAT. CAP. V. 


“That is the doctrine of the Holy Ghost which is set forth in the canonical 
scriptures; against the which doctrine if the councils enact any thing, I judge it 
wicked and unlawful’®.” 


CYPRIANUS, EPIST. VIII. LIB. I. 


“Tt is adulterous, it is ungodly, it is plain sacrilege, whatsoever is ordained and 
4% 


appointed at man’s madness to this end, that God's ordinance may be broken*. 


TERTULLIANUS, LIB. DE VIRG. VELANDIS,. 


“‘Whatsoever savoureth against the truth, that is plain heresy, yea, though it be 


old custom ®.” 


[! Ambros. Op. Par. 1686-90. De Virgin. Lib. | ordinem sequi traditionis, quam tradiderunt iis quibus 
cap. vi. 28. Tom. II. col. 220. See Vol. II. page | committebant ecclesias?—Iren. Cont. Hzr. Par. 
261, note 3.] 1710. Lib. 111. cap. iv. p. 178.] 

[2 Quidenim? Et side aliqua modica questione [® Hieron. in Epist. ad Gal. in Catal. Test. Verit. 
disceptatio esset, nonne oporteret in antiquissimas | Genev. 1608. col. 201. See Vol. II. page 261, 
recurrere ecclesias, in quibus apostoli conversatisunt, | note 4.] 
et ab eis de presenti questione sumere quod certum [* Cypr. Op. Oxon. 1682. Epist. xliii. p. 83. 
et re liquidum est? Quid autem si neque apostoli | See Vol. II. page 261, note 7.] 
quidem scripturas reliquissent nobis, nonne oportebat [® See before, page 391, note 12.] 


A REGISTER OF THE ARTICLES 


IN THIS 


THE FIRST ARTICLE. 


TuHatT public prayers, used in the temples of the 
Christians, ought to be uttered, not in a strange 
tongue, but in that speech which the common 
people understand. 


THE SECOND ARTICLE. 


That the sacramental bread ought to be delivered to 
the communicants in their hands; not only to 
the clergy, but also to the laity, as they call them. 


THE THIRD ARTICLE. 


That the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ 
ought to be ministered equally to all Christians 
under both kinds. 


THE FOURTH ARTICLE. 


That the Lord’s supper is a public and common 
banquet, and not a private and secret repast. 


THE FIFTH ARTICLE. 


That Christ by his death hath not only delivered us 
from original sin, but also from all other sins. 


THE SIXTH ARTICLE. 


That the one only sacrifice of Christ, done once for 
all on the altar of the cross, is of so great and of 
so unmeasurable virtue and power that it is suffi- 
cient abundantly, and even unto the uttermost, so 
long as this world endureth, te take clean away 
all the sins of the whole world, yea, and that 
without repetition or renewing thereof. 


THE SEVENTH ARTICLE. 


That the substance of bread and wine in the sacra- 
ment is not changed into the true and natural sub- 
stance of the body and blood of Christ, but re- 
main and continue still in their own nature, pro- 
perty, and kind, yea, and that after the words of 
consecration, as they call it. 


THE EIGHTH ARTICLE. 
That Christ is truly present in the supper, that is to 
say, in spirit, grace, virtue, and power; not in 
body and human nature, as the papists dream. 





THE NINTH ARTICLE. 


That the body and blood of Christ in the holy mys- 
teries of the Lord's supper is not received of the 
faithful with the mouth of the body, but only with 
the mind and heart through faith. 


CONTAINED 
BOOK. 


THE TENTH ARTICLE. 


That the words of the Lord’s supper, that is to say, 
“« This is my body,”’ “this is my blood,” are not 
properly, but figuratively to be understanded. 


THE ELEVENTH ARTICLE. 


That the true and natural body of Christ, being in 
heaven, is not in all places, neither at one and the 
same time doth occupy many and sundry places, 
but remaineth only in heaven till the day of 
judgment. 


THE TWELFTH ARTICLE. 


That the sacramental bread was not reserved in 
boxes and pixes among the ancient Christians, as 
it is now-a-days in the temples of the papists. 


THE THIRTEENTH ARTICLE. 


That the popish mass is no propitiatory, expiatory, 
and satisfactory sacrifice for the sins either of the 
quick or of the dead. 


THE FOURTEENTH ARTICLE. 


That the state of the dead is not such that, whether 
they have lived godly or ungodly, they can be de- 
livered either from their sins or from their pains 
by the popish masses or by the good works of 
other. 


THE FIFTEENTH ARTICLE. 


That the wicked, ungodly, and faithless people do 
not eat the body of Christ nor drink his blood. 


THE SIXTEENTH ARTICLE. 


That the sacraments of the new law, that is to say, 
baptism and the Lord’s supper, do not confer and 
give grace, righteousness, remission of sins, the 
Holy Ghost, &c., but only shew and set forth to 
us those things which God of his goodness give to 
the faithful, and seal, confirm, and testify God’s 
good-will toward us. 


THE SEVENTEENTH ARTICLE. 
That we ought oftentimes, with great reverence, and 
high integrity, and pureness of mind, to come 
unto the Lord’s table. 
THE EIGHTEENTH ARTICLE. 


That wicked and notorious offenders ought to be re- 
pelled and put away from the table of the Lord. 
THE NINETEENTH ARTICLE. 


That none ought to be present at the ministration of 
the Lord’s supper but the communicants only. 


Gen. iv. 
1 John iii. 


Gen. vi. 
Gen. vii. 
2 Pet. ii. 


Gen. xix. 
2 Pet. ii. 


Gen. xii. 
XXiv. XXVIll. 


xi. xil. 

Judg. iii. iv. 
Vi. vii. xi. 

2 Sam. vi. vii. 
1 Kings v. vi. 
vii. vill. 

1 Kings xv. 

1 Kings xxii. 
2 Kings xiv. 


Xv. 

2 Kings xxii. 
1 Kings xviii. 
1 Kings xxii. 
Luke 1. 


Luke ii. iii. 
Matt. ii. 
Psal. ii. 


Acts iv. 


Matt. iv. | 
John iii. xi. 
Matt. xxvil. 
John vil. 
Matt. xxvi. 
XXVilL. 


Phil. ii. 


TO THE 
RIGHT REVEREND FATHER, AND HIS SINGULAR GOOD LORD, 
EDMUND, BISHOP OF LONDON’, 


THOMAS BECON WISHETH LONG LIFE, CONTINUAL 
HEALTH, AND PROSPEROUS FELICITY, WITH 
DAILY INCREASE OF HONOUR. 


TueErE is an old proverb used among us, yea, and that no less true than old, which 
is this: ‘““Wheresoever God buildeth his church, there the devil also buildeth his chapel.” 
This proverb hath been found true in every age, even from the beginning of the 
world, as is also found true at this present day. 

For as God began to build his church in righteous Abel; so likewise did the 
devil begin to build his chapel in that most wicked Cain, the brother of Abel. 

As God did build his church in Noah and his family; so in like manner did the 
devil build his chapel in the people of the old world that lived in the days of Noah, 
which for their wicked and ungodly behaviour perished all in the sin-flood. 

As God did build his church in Lot and his household; so [did the] devil build 
his chapel in the stinking Sodomites and filthy Gomorrians, among whom Lot lived, 
which for their unnatural lusts and corrupt life were consumed with fire and brim- 
stone from heaven. 

As God did build his church in Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and in their godly 
and faithful posterity; so likewise did the devil build his chapel in the Egyptians, 
Pheresites, Ammonites, Amalechites, Cananites, Amorites, Moabites, Hethites, Girgosites, 
Hevites, Madianites, and in such other wicked and ungodly people, which according 
to their divers sins were diversly punished with divers plagues. 

As God did build his church in the godly kings, David, Salomon, Asa, Amasias, 
Azarias, Esechias, Jehosaphat, Josias, &c.; so in like manner did the devil build his 
chapel in Jeroboam, Achab, Sedechias, &c. 

As God did build his church in his holy prophets; so in like manner did the 
devil build his chapel in the priest[s] of Baal, and in such other false prophets. 

As God at the coming of his Son Christ into the flesh did build his church in 
Mary the virgin, in Joseph her husband, in Zachary the priest, in Elizabeth his wife, 
in the shepherds, in the wise men, in John Baptist the priest’s son, in Anna the 
widow, in Symeon, that most worthy and ancient father, &c.; so in like manner did 
the devil build his chapel in Herod, in his bloody army, in Archelaus his son, in 
the wicked and unthankful Jews, in the heathen, and such other ungodly people, 
which stood up with javelin, spear, and bow, and came together hurly-burly against 
the Lord and against his Anointed. 

As God did build his church in the disciples of Christ, in Nicodemus, in Lazarus, 
in Martha, in Mary Magdalen, in Joseph of Arimathia, &c.; so likewise did the 
devil build his chapel in the glistering hypocrites, the fine Pharisees, the saucy Sad- 
ducees, the subtile scribes, the lusty lawyers, &c., and in the tyrants of this world, 
which through their furious madness and mad fury never ceased to persecute the 
Lord Jesus, till they had brought him to the death, even “the death of the cross.” 

As God did build his church after his Son’s most glorious resurrection in the 
apostles of Christ, in Gamaliel, in Paul, in Luke, in Timothy, in Titus, in Priscilla, 
in Aquila, in Apollo, and in many thousands more throughout the world in every 
nation and country; so in like manner did the devil build his chapel in king 


[{} Grindal, afterwards archbishop. ] 


THE PREFACE. 401 


Herod, in bishop Annas, in Caiphas, in Joannes, in Alexander, in Ananias, in 
Saphira, in Simon Magus, in Barjesum, in Tertullus, and in such other limbs of 
antichrist. 

As God did build his church in Ignatius, in Polycarpus, in Spiridion, in Justinus 
Martyr, in Athanasius, in Chrysostomus, in Augustinus, and in many other ancient 
godly and learned fathers and most worthy doctors of Christ’s church; so likewise 
did the devil build his chapel in Ebion, in Cerinthus, in Paulus Magus, in Menan- 
der, in Basilides Alexandrinus, in Saturninus Antiochenus, in Valentinus, in Cerdon, 
in Marcion, in Carpocrates, in Montanus, in Apelles, in Severus, in Tatianus, in 
Hierarchas, in Berillus, in Novatus, in Sabellicus, in Paulus Samosatenus, in Manes, 
in Eutachus Armenius, in Arius, in Macedonius, in Photinus, with an innumerable 
swarm of heretics and sectaries more’. 

In fine, as God in these our days doth build his church in many godly princes, 
in many virtuous rulers, in many holy and reverend bishops, ministers, deacons, &c., 
in many learned and eloquent writers and preachers, whom the enemies of God call 
Lutherians, Zuinglians, Cicolampadians, Calvinists, heretics, schismatics, teachers of 
new learning, troublers of our mother holy church, confounders of all good order, 
despisers of all laudable customs, &c.; so likewise the devil at this present ceaseth 
not to build his chapel in the papists, in the anabaptists, in the Arians, in the Da- 
vidians, in the free-will men, in the libertines, in the adiaphorists, in the interimists, 
in the neutrals, in the epicures, and in such other most horrible monsters of wicked- 
ness; so that this common proverb is found true in every age: “ Wheresoever God 
buildeth his church, there the devil also buildeth his chapel.” This thing is no less 
cunningly than aptly set forth of our Saviour Christ in a certain parable of the good Matt. xiii. 
seed and of the tares; wherein we read that, in what field the householder had 
sown his good seed, even in the very same field did the enemy and envious man sow 
his tares: whereby we may evidently perceive that this proverb was not without 
cause used of our ancestors and forefathers: ‘‘ Wheresoever God buildeth his church, 
there the devil also buildeth his chapel.” 

And albeit this old subtile satanical serpent, which, as St Peter saith, “ goeth about 1 Pet. v. 
like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour,” hath at all times and in all ages 
not ceased, both by the tyrants of this world, and also by the heretics and glister- 
ing hypocrites, and by other his Lucifer-like limbs, to sow his tares and to build his 
chapel ; yet in this our age (forasmuch as his kingdom beginneth to draw to an end) 
he carketh and careth, he swincketh and sweateth, he fumeth and foameth, he rageth 
and roareth, and like a right devil bestirreth himself unto the uttermost of his power 
to build his chapel more ample and more large, not only among the infidels, but also 
among them that are called Christians; which is so lamentable as nothing can present 
itself more worthy to be lamented. As I may let pass the great swarm of sectaries 
which have almost overflowed the whole world, like to the flies of Egypt, being in- Exod. viii 
deed those very locusts which came out of the bottomless pit, unto the great dis- Rev. ix. 
turbance of the christian commonweal, and (alas for pity!) increase daily more and 
more; what shall I here recite how great and how wide a chapel, how ample and 
how large a synagogue, the devil hath built him in the satanical sect of the pernicious eS 


papists, which are so much the more pestiferous to the true church of Christ, be- isamost 
grievous ene- 


cause that they, being inwardly grievous and ravening wolves, clothe themselves out- my to the 
wardly with sheep’s apparel, that is to say, use all one sacraments with the faithful ofchrst, 
and true Christians, are called by one name, profess one bible, confess one faith, look 
for one heavenl,- inheritance, &c.? when, notwithstanding, no sect that ever Satan 
brought into the world is more injurious to the blood of Christ, more despiteful to 
God’s word, more cruel to the saints of the Lord, more hurtful to the true religion 
of Christ, than the sect of the papists is. 

But of this wolvish and damnable sect, and of such-like, Christ, the Wisdom of 
the Father, hath tofore warned us, saying: ‘‘ Beware of false prophets, which come Matt. vii. 
to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know 





[? See Vol. I. page 278, notes 1,3; and the references there given to Mosheim.] 


[ BECoN, 11. ] 28 


Acts xx. 


1 John iv. 


Mark vii. 


Rey. xvii. 


Matt. iv. 


Jer. vii. 


1 Cor. iii. 


Tsai. viii. 


John v. 


1 Thess. v. 
Acts xvil. 


Note. 


402 ARTICLES OF CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 


them by their fruits.” Likewise St Paul: “Take heed to yourselves and to all the 
flock among whom the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to rule the congrega- 
tion of God, which he hath purchased with his blood. For I am sure of this, that 
after my departure shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. 
Moreover of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw disci- 
ples after them. Therefore awake.” In like manner saith St John: “ Dearly beloved, 
believe not every spirit, but prove the spirits whether they are of God or not. For 
many false prophets are gone out into the world.” 

This wicked sect of the most wicked papists hath through pestilent glosses and 
false expositions corrupted the sincerity of God’s word, added many false doctrines, 
and brought in divers and almost innumerable customs, traditions, constitutions, cere- 
monies, &c., which they command under pain of deadly sin to be observed and kept, 
having not only no authority in God’s word, but also being directly repugnant and 
contrary to the same, that this saying of our Saviour Christ may be fulfilled: “ Ye 
lay the commandment of God apart, and observe the constitutions of men.” 

And among all other pestilences, which be almost infinite, wherewith the papists 
have infected the church of Christ, who knoweth not what horrible errors and most 
damnable heresies they have brought in about the doctrine of the holy sacrament of 
the body and blood of Christ ? 

And notwithstanding, to colour and cloke this their antichristian doctrine, and to 
blear the eyes of the simple and ignorant, they cry continually, Fathers, fathers; when 
they have none so much their adversaries as the fathers, I mean the ancient fathers 
of Christ’s church, and holy doctors, which wrote before Satan was let loose, and be- 
fore that whore of Babylon had poisoned the whole world almost with the pestiferous 
cup of her wicked whoredom and antichristian adultery. These holy fathers approve 
not, but rather reprove their devilish doctrines; and yet the papists (such is their 
impudency) shame not to cite and allege their authorities, too much miserably wrested 
and mangled, for the confirmation and maintenance of their abominations, verily none 
otherwise than as the devil handled the scriptures when he tempted Christ; and, so 
alleged, they are not the authorities of the holy fathers, but their own crooked cor- 
ruptions and devilish depravations, insomuch that, if the authors now lived, they would 
not confess those sentences so writhed' and wrested, and so miserably abused, yea, 
and that unto so vile and wicked purposes, to be any part of their writings: and yet 
cease they not to cry, Fathers, fathers, when none be greater enemies to their doctrine 
than the very ancient fathers; in this behalf being not unlike their old fathers, which 
had ever in their mouths these words: “The temple of the Lord, the temple of the 
Lord, the temple of the Lord;” when in very deed none were more and greater 
enemies to the Lord’s temple than they themselves were; even as none be greater 
adversaries to the true old fathers than the papists are, which so abuse the autho- 
rity of so worthy and noble writers to maintain their beastly inventions. 

But let it be granted that the fathers so taught as the adversaries allege: is it 
therefore straightways to be received as an oracle from heaven, and an undoubted 
truth? We reverence antiquity, and give the old writers that which is due to so 
worthy organs of Christ’s church ; notwithstanding, this honour owe we only to the 
word of God, even faithfully and without doubting to receive and believe whatso- 
ever is contained in the holy bible. Whatsoever man writeth, we examine it by the 
touch-stone, which is the word of God; and we try it by that fire which purgeth 
corrupt from pure doctrine, and evidently sheweth whether it be “gold, silver, pre- 
cious stone, or timber, hay, stubble,” &c., according to this admonition of the prophet : 
“Tf any man want light, let him look upon the law and the testimony, whether 
they speak not after this meaning. If he do not this, he stumbleth, and suffereth 
hunger.” When we have thus tried every doctrine that cometh from man according 
to the commandment of God and practice of the noble men of Thessalonica, if we find 
it consonant and agreeable to the word of God, we approve and allow it, not because 
the fathers have so judged, taught, and written, but because it consenteth with the 





[? Foho, withred.] 


THE PREFACE. 403 


truth of the holy scriptures ; if otherwise, we hate it as an extreme pestilence, accord- 
ing to this saying and admonition of St Paul: “Though we ourselves, or an angel 
from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached 
unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man 
preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.” 


Gal. i. 


Likewise saith St John: ‘ Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of 2 John. 


Christ, hath not God. He that endureth in the doctrine of Christ hath both the 
Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, him 
receive not to house, neither bid him God speed: for he that biddeth him God 
speed is partaker of his evil deeds.” 

Neither do the fathers themselves in their writings require any further to be be- 
lieved than their sayings be grounded and founded on the word of God. If they 
themselves have written any thing contrary to that, even they themselves do utterly 
condemn it; so far is it off that they would have their writings to be esteemed of 
equal authority with the word of God, to the which all kind of writings, although 
never so learned and eloquent, ought to give place, even as hand-maids to their lady 
and mistress. 

Are not these the words of the most ancient author Tertullian? “It is not lawful 
for us to devise any thing after our own fancy; neither may any man set forth that 
which he in his own judgment thinketh good. We have the apostles of the Lord for 
our authors in this behalf, which taught nothing as they themselves fantasied or imagined ; 
but the doctrine which they received of Christ they faithfully published and set forth 
to the people. Therefore, though an angel from heaven should preach contrary to 
that doctrine of Christ, we ought to hold him accursed’.” 

Likewise saith St Austin, writing to St Hierome: “I confess to thy love or 
charity, that I have learned to give this fear and honour to those books alone of the 
scriptures which are now called canonical, that I believe most assuredly that none of 
the authors of them did err any thing at all in writing them. But if I find any 
thing in those letters that may seem contrary to the truth, I doubt nothing at all but 
that either the book is false, or the interpreter hath not done his duty, or else that 
I understand not the place. As for all other writers, I so read them that although 
they do never so greatly excel®* in holiness and doctrine, yet I do not therefore think 
it to be true because they have so thought and judged, but because they were able 
to persuade me, either by the very canonical authors, or else by probable reason, that 
it dissenteth not from the truth. Neither do I think, O my dear brother, that thou 
art of a contrary opinion. For I can by no means be persuaded that thou wilt have 
thy books so to be read as the books of the prophets or of the apostles, of whose 
writings to doubt that they be without all error, it is a point of plain wickedness*.” 
Again he saith: “Who knoweth not that the holy canonical scripture, both of the 
old and new testament, is contained in her certain limits? and again, that that holy 
scripture is so to be preferred before all the latter writings of the bishops, that no 
man ought to doubt or to reason of that im any condition, whether it be true or 
right, whatsoever is written in it? But, as concerning the writings of the bishops, 
which either were written or are written after the canon confirmed, who knoweth not 
that, if any thing be found in them contrary to the truth, it may lawfully be re- 
proved both by the wise speaking of some man which is more cunning in that matter, 





[? See before, page 391, note 13.] 

[* Folio, expell. ] 

[* Ego enim fateor caritati tue, solis eis scriptu- 
rarum libris, qui jam canonici appellantur, didici 
hunc timorem honoremque deferre, ut nullum eorum 
auctorem scribendo aliquid errasse firmissime credam. 
Ac si aliquid in eis offendero litteris, quod videatur 
contrarium veritati; nihil aliud, quam yel mendosum 
esse codicem, vel interpretem non assequutum esse 
quod dictum est, vel me minime intellexisse, non am- 
bigam. Alios autem ita lego, ut quantalibet sancti- 


tate doctrinaque prepolleant, non ideo verum putem, 
quia ipsi ita senserunt; sed quia mihi vel per illos 
auctores canonicos, vel probabili ratione, quod a vero 
non abhorreat, persuadere potuerunt. Nec te, ini 
frater, sentire aliud existimo: prorsus, inquam, non 
te arbitror sic leg: tuos libros velle, tamquam prophe- 
tarum vel apostolorum: de quorum scriptis, quod 
omni errore careant, dubitare nefarium est.—August. 
Op. Par. 1679-1700. Ad Hieron. Epist. Ixxxii. 3. 
Tom. II. cols. 190, 1. ] 


26—2 


In Prescript. 
eret. 


Epist. 19. 


De Baptismo 
contra Dona- 
tistas, 

Lib. 1. 

cap. lil. 


Ambros. 
Tract. iv. de 
Virginibus. 


In Matt. 
eap. Xxiil. 


In Epist. ad 
Tit. Hom, i. 


Psal. exlv. 
Rom, iii. 


404 ARTICLES OF CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 


and by the grave authority of other bishops, and by the wisdom of the learned, yea, 
and by councils*?” 

Hereto belongeth the saying of St Ambrose: “ We utterly condemn all new things 
that Christ hath not taught; *for Christ is the way to the faithful. If Christ there- 
fore hath not taught*’ that which we teach, even we ourselves judge it abominable and 
detestable*.” 

St Jerome saith: “That which hath not his authority of the scriptures is as 
easily contemned and despised as it is proved*.” 

Notable is this saying of St John Chrysostom: “The gospel containeth all things, 
both present and to come, honour, godliness, faith, all things together hath it com- 
prehended or concluded in the word of preaching. For as a crier in the market-place 
preacheth and teacheth to so many as are present in the market-place, even so likewise 
we, saith the apostle, preach openly, yet so that we add nothing, but only preach 
and set forth those things which we have heard; for that is the office of a crier, 
even truly to declare all those things which are committed unto him, not to add, not 
to change, nor to take away any thing’.” 

These and almost infinite such-like sentences are found in the writings of the holy 
fathers, which declare plainly that whatsoever they have written, they will have it 
no further to be credited and believed than it is consonant and agreeable to the word 
of God. The fathers were men, and as men have erred in some points, as the learned 
know ; that we may learn in all matters, specially in matters of religion, to depend and 
hang on God only, and on his truth, which is published and set forth in the holy 
scriptures. Therefore, whatsoever we find in the fathers’ writings agreeable to the 
doctrine of God, we gladly and joyfully receive it with thanksgiving unto God, and 
by this means celebrate a worthy memory of them; but contrariwise, whatsoever we 
read in the books of the fathers and ancient writers contrary to the information of 
the holy scripture, we leave it and pass it over with silence, confessing that God alone 
is true and faithful in all his words. 

But that the world may see how falsely and unjustly our adversaries the papists 
cry, Fathers, fathers ; as though the fathers were their alone friends and our enemies, 
maintainers of their doctrine and condemners of ours, I have gathered together cer- 
tain articles of christian religion, condemned of the papists as errors and heresies, 
adding to every one of them certain faithful testimonies of the old approved doctors 
and ancient fathers, to declare and to shew that the doctrine which they have many 
years condemned for heresy is no heresy, but true, sound, and perfect doctrine; again, 
that it is no new, strange, and yesterday doctrine, brought forth lately in Germany, 
and now fostered and nursed in England by a sort of new-fangled and idle-headed 
brethren, as the papists prattle, but old and ancient, begotten and born in heaven, 
nursed by the holy and reverend patriarchs, Moses, the prophets, Christ, his apostles, 
confessors, martyrs, holy fathers, honourable bishops, reverend ministers, sage matrons, 
undefiled virgins, and all other kind of virtuous and godly people. 

These articles concern only those errors and heresies which the papists have brought 





[! Quis autem nesciat sanctam scripturam canon- 
icam, tam veteris quam novi testamenti, certis suis 
terminis contineri, eamque omnibus posterioribus 
episcoporum litteris ita preponi, ut de illa omnino 
dubitari et disceptari non possit, utrum verum vel 
utrum rectum sit, quidquid in ea scriptum esse con- 
stiterit : episcoporum autem litteras, que post confir- 
matum canonem vel scripte sunt vel scribuntur, et 
per sermonem forte sapientiorem cujuslibet in ea re 
peritioris, et per aliorum episcoporum graviorem auc- 
toritatem doctioremque prudentiam, et per concilia 
licere reprehendi, si quid in eis forte a veritate devia- 
tum est.—Id. De Bapt. cont. Donatist. Lib. m. 4. 
Tom. IX. col. 98.] 

[° Folio repeats the words between asterisks. ] 

[? Ambros. Op. Par. 1686-90. De Virgin. Lib. 


cap. vi. 28. Tom. II. col. 220. See Vol. II. page 
261, note 3.] 

[4 Hieron. Op. Par. 1693-1706. Comm. Lib. rv. 
in Matt. cap. xxiii. Tom. IV. Parsi. col. 112. See 
Vol. II. page 263, note 2.] 

[> Tovrto yap ta mwavta elxye TO evayyéXuov, 
kat Ta évrav0a, Kai wédXovTa, THY Cw, THY Eboé- 
Bevav, tTHv wiotw, TavTa Opov. ev Knpvypate 
TovTéctl, pavepws, peTa Tappyoias. TovTO yap 
éore TO, év KnpUymaTL. WoTep yap 6 KipvE TavTwY 
qmapovtwy év T@ Yeatpw KnpUTTEL, OUTW Kai 1jmets 
KnptvTTopev, Wate pndev Tpocbeivat, ar’ aiTa a 
nKovoapev elzetv. 1} yap TOU KypuKos apeTy ev TO 
Tao eitely éoTt TO yeyouves, ovK év TH TpoaUetvat 
twa Kal édpedetv.—Chrysost. Op. Par. 1718-38. In 
Epist. ad Tit. cap. i. Hom. i. Tom. XI. p. 782. ] 


THE PREFACE. 405 


into the church about the doctrine of the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ: tne errors 


as for an example, the papists teach that the holy communion of Christ’s body and Bf the jap 


blood ought to be received of the laity only under one kind; so that whosoever deoaimat 
teacheth or presumeth to do the contrary, he is an heretic, a schismatic, an apostata, near ertne 


a forsaker of our mother holy church, and at the last what not? The papists hold pmaior 


that the private mass is a sacrifice propitiatory for the sins of the quick and the es 
dead. The papists affirm that after the words of consecration, as they term them, 

the substance of bread and wine is turned into the substance of the natural body and 
blood of Christ, which he received of the virgin Mary. The papists set forth in their 
doctrine that the sacramental bread ought to be reserved and kept in the temples 

of the Christians. The papists teach that the wicked and unfaithful people eat also 

the body of Christ and drink his blood. 

These and divers other errors and heresies, as it shall appear in this treatise fol- 
lowing, have the devil brought into the church of Christ by the papists about the 
doctrine of the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ; and the papists (such is 
their impudency and whorish forehead) shame not to father them upon the word of 
God, and upon the true old fathers and catholic doctors of Christ’s church ; when both 
the word of God and the writings of the ancient fathers are most extreme enemies 
to this devilish doctrine of the papists, as it shall most evidently appear to them 
which with attent minds read and consider the testimonies and authorities of the old 
writers truly and faithfully alleged upon every article in this book following. And 
I have shewed this diligence in gathering these testimonies of the fathers so much the 
more gladly, that such as have any indifferency of judgment in them may’° plainly 
and evidently see what impostors, jugglers, and deceivers of the people the papists 
are and ever have been; again, how little, yea, rather, how nothing they are ashamed 
to boast, and to persuade the simple and unlearned people, that the doctrine which 
they teach is old, ancient, catholic, taught of Moses and the prophets, set forth by 
Christ and his apostles, received, believed, and confirmed of the ancient Christians, 
and so from time to time hath continued in the church of Christ unassaulted and 
unremoved, till now in these last days a sort of schismatics, which have divided them- 
selves from our mother holy church (so do the ungodly papists most falsely and un- 
justly term them that labour to purge the church of Christ, and to abolish all wicked 
traditions of men which fight with the word of God), have brought in new and strange 
opinions contrary to the decrees of our mother holy church, and contrary to all laudable 
customs and usages; when notwithstanding, to say the truth, neither Moses nor the 
prophets, neither Christ nor his apostles, nor yet any among the ancient faithful 
Christians and true old fathers did ever so much as once dream of this their anti- 
christian doctrine, being altogether new and unseasoned ; so far is it off that they did 
teach it and publish it to other in writing. 

But this is no new practice of Satan to change himself into an angel of light, 
from whose nature his ministers also do nothing dissent; for, as the apostle saith, 
such false prophets are “deceitful workers, and fashion themselves like unto the apostles 
of Christ. And no marvel,” saith he; “for Satan himself is changed into the fashion 
of an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing though his ministers fashion 
themselves as though they were the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be 
according to their deeds.” Horrible also is this saying of the apostle: “If our gospel 
be yet hid, it is hid among them that are lost; in whom the god of this world hath 
blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of 
Christ (which is the image of God) should shine unto them.” 

God for his mercy lighten the blind, call again into the right way them that err, 
teach the ignorant, and inform the unwise, and, in fine, tread Satan under our feet, 
yea, and that shortly, that with one mouth and with one mind we may glorify God 
the Father in the truth of his dearly-beloved Son’s gospel! Amen. 

This my labour in gathering together these authorities of the holy fathers and 
ancient writers for the confirmation of certain christian articles, which the papists in 


[° Folio, more. ] 


406 ARTICLES OF CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 


their doctrine have condemned as erroneous and heretical, because they dissent from 
their brainless babblings, trifling traditions, and idle inventions, although otherwise well 
allowed and justly proved by the authorities both of the holy scripture and of the 
true old catholic doctors and fathers of Christ’s church, I dedicate to your lordship, 
as a testimonial of my reverent humility and humble reverence toward your honour; 
partly to signify my hearty and unfeigned rejoicing, in that it hath pleased the Lord 
our God, after so many grievous and terrible storms, yea, after so many bloody and 
horrible murders and killings of the dear and constant martyrs of Christ, to give us 
fair and calm weather, and to set his holy church at liberty from the ravening teeth 
of the wicked hypocrites and worldly tyrants ; again, to place such worthy and noble 
personages in all kind of virtue, wisdom, knowledge, learning, discretion, and policy 
over his congregation, as your lordship is, even by the testimony of all good and 
godly people that have experience of the most godly and necessary travails ; partly to 
submit this and all my other labours to the judgment of you and of all the other godly- 
learned in this our realm of England, that, as we profess one truth, so we may walk 
in an uniformity of doctrine without all contention or strife, being moved thereunto 
by that Holy Spirit which leadeth into all truth, and leadeth away from all error. 
Christ, that high and everlasting Bishop, preserve your lordship 
long in health, with increase of honour, unto the 
glory of his holy name, and the profit 
of his christian congre- 
gation! Amen. 


CERTAIN 


ARTICLES OF CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 





THE FIRST ARTICLE. 


That public prayers used in temples of the Christians ought to be uttered 


not in a strange tongue, but in that speech which the common people 
understand. 


Probations out of the old fathers. 


‘““Wuen the prayers and thanksgiving are once done, all the people that are pre- Iustinus 
Mart. in 


sent praise God, and say, Amen’.” Apol. 2. 
“The priest before prayer, making a preface, prepareth the minds of the brethren cyprian. in 
: . . . Serm. de 
by saying, ‘ Lift up your hearts, that, while the people answer, ‘ We lift them up unto orat. Dom. 
the Lord, they may be admonished and put in remembrance that they ought to do 
nothing else than to think upon the Lord.” 
“God is both to be sought and also to be prayed unto in the very secret parts ee. 
of a reasonable soul, which is called the inward man: for these would he to be his cap. i. 
temples. Wherefore when we pray, we need not speak, I mean with open words, 
except peradventure as the priests do, for to signify and to make open their mind, 


not that God, but that men might hear, and with a certain consent be moved and 


ravished by the rehearsal thereof*.” 


“In the sacraments of the faithful it is said that we should lift up our hearts, avgust. 


which is the gift of the Lord; for the 


de Dono 


which gift they are put in remembrance of Persever. 


Lib. il. 


the priest after this voice, to whom it is said that they should ‘give thanks to the cap. xv. 


Lord our God’; and they answer that ‘it is meet and right so to do’’.” 
“The faithful do know where and when it should be said, ‘Let us give thanks 


to the Lord our God.’ 
heart unto the Lord’?” 


August. 


For who giveth thanks to God, but he that lifteth up his a alla 


Lit. cap. x1. 


“The ignorant person, hearing that he understandeth not, knoweth not the end of Ambros. in 
the prayer, and answereth not Amen, that is to say, So be it, that the blessing, ee 
prayer, or thanksgiving may be confirmed. For by them is the confirmation of the 
prayer made perfect, which answer Amen, that all the sayings by the testimony of 
the truth might be confirmed in the minds of the hearers®.” 

“Verily, if ye come together to edify the congregation, those things ought to be inidem. 
spoken which the hearers may understand. For what doth it profit that any man 


[1 06 [tov ampoecta@tos| cuvtedécavTos Tas 
evxds Kal Tiy evxapiotiav, was 6 Tapwy ads 
érevpnpet Néywv, auynv.—Just. Mart. Op. Par. 
1742. Apol.i. p. 82.1! 

[? See before, page 266, note 1.] 

[? August. Op. Par. 1679-1700. De Magist. 
Lib. cap. i. 2. Tom. I. cols. 541, 2. See Vol. I. 
page 134, note 1.] 

[* Quod ergo in sacramentis fidelium dicitur, ut 
sursum cor habeamus ad Dominum, munus est Do- 
mini: de quo munere ipsi Domino Deo nostro gra- 
tias agere, a sacerdote post hance vocem quibus hoc 
dicitur admonentur; et dignum ac justum esse re- 
spondent.—Id. De Don. Persev. cap. xiv. 33. Tom. 
X. col. 839.] 

[® There is an error in the reference as given 
above. Augustine does indeed say in the place indi- 








cated, Unde et in ipso verissimo et singulari sacri- 
ficio, Domino Deo nostro agere gratias admonemur; 
(Lib. de Spirit. et Lit. cap. xi. 18. Tom. X. col. 
94;) but the passage quoted is the following: Norunt 
fideles ubi et quando dicatur, Gratias agamus Domino 
Deo nostro. Quis autem gratias agit Deo, nisi qui 
sursum cor habet ad Dominum ?—Jd. Serm. Ixviii. 5. 
De Verb. Evang. Tom. V. col. 379.] 

[® Imperitus enim audiens quod non intelligit, 
nescit finem orationis, et non respondet, amen, id est, 
verum ; ut confirmetur benedictio. Per hos enim 
impletur confirmatio precis, qui respondent, amen ; 
ut omnia dicta veri testimonio in audientium mentibus 
confirmentur.—Ambros. Op. Par. 1686-90. Comm. 
in Epist. 1. ad Cor. cap. xiv. v. 16. Tom. II. Ap- 
pendix, col. 157.] 


Ibidem. 


Basil. Mag- 
nus, Epist. 
63. 


Chrysost. in 
1 Cor. cap. 
xiv. 


Hom. 35. 


408 ARTICLES OF CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 


should speak with a tongue which he alone understandeth, so that he that heareth 
have no profit? Therefore ought he to hold his peace in the congregation, that they 
may speak which are able to profit the hearers’.” 

“When he understandeth and is understanded, the unfaithful or unlearned, hearing 
God to be praised and Christ to be worshipped, doth well see and perceive that the 
religion of Christ is true and worthy to be had in reverence; seeing that in it he 
seeth that nothing is done covertly, nothing in darkness, as it is among the pagans 
and ethnicks, whose eyes are shadowed or dimmed, lest that they, seeing those things 
which they call holy, should perceive that they be mocked with divers vanities. For 
all deceit or juggling requireth darkness, and sheweth false things for true. There- 
fore with us nothing is done secretly, nothing under a veil; but simply and plainly 
one God is praised, of whom all things are, and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom 
are all things. For if there be none which can understand, or of whom he may be 
discussed, tried, or proved, he may say that it is a certain seducing (of the people) 
and a very vanity; which therefore is sung in tongues, because it would turn to 
their shame if it were revealed and made open’.” 

“The customs which are now in use in all congregations are agreeable and con- 
sonant. For with us the people rise together in the night unto the house of prayer, 
and in labour and tribulation and continual tears maketh their confession to God, 
or, [at] the last rising up from prayers, they come unto the singing of psalms. And they 
now, being divided into two parts, sing among themselves in an orderly course, con- 
firming and strengthening thereby the meditation of the holy scriptures, and also 
getting to themselves both attention and intention of the heart utterly estranged from 
other things. Then they, suffering one to begin the song, the residue to follow, and, 
passing over the night with singing of divers psalms interlaced with prayers, when 
the day beginneth to spring, all together, even as out of one mouth and one heart, 
bring forth a psalm of thanksgiving to the Lord*” 

“‘Except I speak that which easily and plainly may be understanded of you, but 
only shall shew myself to be endued with the gift of tongues, I believe ye shall go 
away without any fruit concerning those things which ye understand not. For what 
profit can come of a voice not understanded*?” 

“The apostle calleth the common people the unlearned or idiot, and declareth 
that it is no small inconvenience if he cannot say Amen. And that which he saith 
is on this wise: If thou givest thanks in a strange tongue, which neither thou un- 
derstandest, neither interpretest to other, the common person cannot say Amen; and 
this, ‘ Worlds without end, which is the end of the prayers, when he heareth he shall 
not say Amen unto it®.” 





[* Id. ibid. v.17. See Vol. II. page 254, note 2.] 

[? Cum enim intelligit et intelligitur, audiens 
laudari Deum, et adorari Christum, pervidet veram 
esse et venerandam religionem, in qua nihil fucatum, 
nihil in tenebris videt geri, sicut apud paganos, qui- 
bus velantur oculi; ne que sacra vocant perspi- 
cientes, varlis se vanitatibus cernant illudi. Omnis 
enim impostura tenebras petit, et falsa pro veris os- 
tendit: ideo apud nos nihil astute, nihil sub vela- 
mine: sed simpliciter unus laudatur Deus, ex quo 
sunt omnia, et unus Dominus Jesus, per quem omnia. 
Si enim nullus sit, qui intelligat, aut a quo ipse dis- 
cutiatur, potest dicere seductionem esse quamdam et 
vanitatem, quz ideo linguis canitur, quia pudoris est, 
si reveletur.—Id, ibid. vv. 24, 25. col. 158.] 

[? ... Ta viv Kexpatynkéta €0n mdoas Talis TOU 
Gcou éxkAnciats civwod éort. Kal cbudpwva, éx vUK- 
TOs yap opOpifer wap’ rjuiv 6 ads emi Tov olKov 
THS TposevxX7ys, Kai év wovw Kai OAiwer cal cuvoxH 
Saxptwv éfouooyotpmevor TH Ow, TeevTaiov é£a- 
vactavtes TwY Tpocevywv, els THY Wadpwoiav 
Kaioravtat. Kal vov péev Orx7n dtavennbévtes, avti- 
Wardovew a@AXrjAors, Omod péev Ty perXeTHY THY 





Novyiwy évredbev kparivovtes, dpov O& Kal THY TpoT- 
oxy Kal Té dueTewpioTov THY Kapdi@v EavTots 
Ototkobmevor. Ewerta Wad. émiTpéeavTes Evi KaT- 
apxew Tov pédous ot ovroi banXovot* Kai ovTwS 
évy TH Toikitia TAS Wahpwoias, THY viKTa dLevEey- 
KovTes meTakY TpocEevXOMEVOL, 1}mEpas On bTOKGE- 
Tovcns, WAaVTES KOH, WS EE EvdS OTGmaTOS Kal uLas 
Kapdlas, Tov THs éLopodoynoews Wahpov dvadé- 
povot t@ Kupiw, idva éauT@y ExacTos Ta pijpaTa 
THS meTavotas to.ovmevor.—Basil. Op. Par. 1721- 
30. Epist. cevii. Tom. III. p. 311.] 

[* Chrysost. Op. Par. 1718-38. In Epist. 1. ad 
Cor. Hom. xxxv. Tom. X. p. 323. See Vol. II. 
page 255, note 3.] 

[5 Iduiryv 0€ Tov Naixov Eye, Kai deikvvar Kat 
airov ov pixpav UmopuévovTa THY Cnpiav, OTav TO 
dyajv elwetv prj dvvntat. 0 dé héyer TOUTS éoTLV* 
av evoyijons TH THY BapBapwv pwr7, odK eidws Ti 
héyers, ode Epunvevoar duvamevos, ob divaTat UTro- 
pwvicat TO dyajv 6 Naikds. ob yap dkovwy TO, eis 
Tovs ai@vas Tay aiwvwy, OTEp éoTi TEXos, ov Lever 


70, aunv.—ld. ibid. p. 325.] 


THE FIRST ARTICLE. 409 


‘“‘Even as the sound of an harp or shawm is unpleasant, except it maketh some Ipidemin 
distinct noise; so likewise the voice of a preacher or teacher profiteth nothing, neither .{°" ” 
delighteth the hearers, if they understand not those things which he speaketh®.” 

“Your speech ought to be understanded, that the soldier may prepare himself unto 
the spiritual battle of Christ’.” 

“The word that is not understanded is spoken in vain. For we must not only 
sing the psalms, but also understand them. For no man doth any thing wisely which 
he understandeth not*.” 

““When the priests pray, the people answer Amen, that the godly intention of Gloss. Ord. in 
the priests and the sound devotion of the people may agree together in the prayers, Sioa 
according to this saying: ‘If two of you consent together upon the earth, whatso- Matt. xviii. 
ever they ask they shall have it’*.” 

“We do command that all bishops and priests do celebrate the holy oblations, and Justin. imp. 
the prayers used in the holy baptism, not after a secret manner, but with a loud voice, Const. 125 
that may be well heard of the faithful people; that by that means the minds of 
the hearer may be lifted up with the greater’® devotion in setting forth the praises of 
the Lord God. For so teacheth the holy apostle in his first epistle unto the Corinthians, 
saying: ‘If thou only blessest with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room 1 cor. xiv. 
of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understand not what 
thou sayest? Thou verily givest thanks well; but the other is not edified’ And in 
his epistle to the Romans he saith thus: ‘ With the heart it is believed unto righte- Rom. x. 
ousness; but with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.’ Therefore for these 
causes it is convenient that, among the other prayers, those things also which are said 
in the holy oblation be pronounced and spoken with an open voice of the most devout 
bishops and priests to our Lord Jesu Christ, one’’ God with the Father and the 
Holy Ghost. Let the godly priests know that, if they neglect any of these things, 
they shall give an accompts thereof in the dreadful judgment of the great God and 
our Saviour Jesus Christ; neither shall we, having knowledge thereof, wink at the 
matter, and suffer it to escape unpunished’’.” 

“‘ Forasmuch as in divers parts within one city and diocese people of divers languages mnoc. 111. 

de Office. Jud. 
are mingled together, having under one faith divers rites and manners, we straitly ord. cap. 
command that the bishops of such cities and dioceses provide meet men, which, ac- pg ee 
cording to the diversities of the customs and languages, may celebrate unto them 
the divine service, and minister the ecclesiastical sacraments, by instructing them both 
in word and in example™.” 

“We command by the apostolic authority, that while the holy gospels are read De Consecr. 
in the church, the priests and other, not sitting, but reverently standing at the time ae 
of the panels do diligently hear and faithfully worship the words of the Lord.” 


[® The following is probably the passage in- 
tended: Kai yap & tois diyos dpydvos tis 
fovoikys ToUTO idot Tis av’ elite yap aidés, cite 
KiOdpa ein, Kai unde pvbua, unde dpmovia TH Tpocn- 
kovon, @\Aa@ ouvyKexuuévws Kal amos KpovoltTo 
Kal éumvéotto, ovdéva Wuyaywynoe: TOV dkovdvTwY 
s+ TOANW padAov év Tots éuiyous Kai oytKors 
avOpwros Kai éy Tols TvEevpaTikols Yapicpact TO 
eVonmov d.wkew Oet.—Id. ibid. p. 323.] 

[7 Haymo in Div. Paul. Epist. Interp. 1528. Ad 
Cor. 1. cap. xiv. fol. A.v. See Vol. II. page 255, 
note 5.] 

[® Cassiodor. Op. Rotom. 1679. Expos. in Psal. 
xlvi. v. 7. Tom. II. p. 157. See Vol. II. page 255, 
note 4.] 

[° Sicut hodie orantibus sacerdotibus respondetur 
amen: ut concordet in precibus pia sacerdotum in- 
tentio, et populisana devotio secundum illud: Amen 
amen dico vobis, quia si duo ex vobis consenserint 
super terram ex omni re quacumque petierint fiet 
illis, &c.—Bib. cum Gloss. Ord. et Expos. Nic. de 
Lyra. Basil. 1502. 1 Par. xvi. Pars 11. fol. 205. ] 

[{’° Folio, greate.] 


[?! Folio, our.] 

[}2 Justin. Princ. Novell. Constit. Basil. 1561. 
Const. exxxvii. (al. cxxili.) pp. 409,10. See Vol. II. 
page 255, note 6. ] 

['3 Quoniam in plerisque partibus intra eandem 
civitatem atque dicecesim permixti sunt populi di- 
versarum linguarum, habentes sub una fide varios 
ritus et mores: districte precipimus, ut pontifices 
hujusmodi civitatum sive dicecesum provideant viros 
idoneos, qui secundum diversitates rituum et lingua- 
rum divina illis officia celebrent, et ecclesiastica 
sacramenta ministrent, instruendo eos verbo pariter et 
exemplo.—Corp. Jur. Canon. Lugd. 1624. Decret. 
Greg. IX. Lib. 1. De Offic. Jud. Ord. Tit. xxxi. cap. 
14. col. 413.] 

[4 Apostolica auctoritate mandamus, dum sancta 
evangelia in ecclesia recitantur, ut sacerdotes et 
ceteri omnes presentes, non sedentes, sed venera- 
biliter curvi, in conspectu evangelii stantes dominica 
verba intente audiant, et fideliter adorent.—Anastas. 
in eod. Decret. Gratiani, Decr. Tert. Pars, De 
Consecr. Dist. i. can. 68. col. 1909. ] 


Erasm. in 
An. in 1 Cor. 
cap. Xiv. 


Ibidem. 


Joan. Eck. 
in Loe. Com. 


7Eneas 
Sylvius in 
Hist. Bohem. 
cap. xiil. 


Aventin. 
Annal. Bo. 
Lib. iv. 


Bapt. Palat. 
de Moribus 
Selavorum. 


410 ARTICLES OF CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 


“Why doth the church doubt to follow so worthy an author (Paul)? Yea, how 
dare it be bold to dissent from him? What other thing is heard in monasteries, in 
colleges, in temples almost generally, than a confused noise of voices? But in the 
time of Paul there was no singing, but saying only. Singing was with great diffi- 
culty received of them of the latter time, and yet such singing as was none other 
thing than a distinct and plain pronunciation, even such as we have yet among us when 
we sound the Lord’s prayer in the holy canon; and the tongue wherein these things 
were sung the common people did then understand, and answered Amen. But now 
what other thing doth the common people hear than voices signifying nothing? And 
such for the most part is the pronunciation, that not so much as the voices are heard’: 
only the sound beateth the ears’.” 

“This custom, that the common people should answer in the congregation, was 
still in use, and continued in the time of Jerome at Rome, as he witnesseth in the 
preface unto the second book of his Commentaries upon the epistle unto the Galatians, 
saying: ‘ Where doth Amen so sound like unto an heavenly thunder ?’*” 

“The title fastened or nailed to the cross of Christ declareth that there were 
three chief and principal tongues or languages in the time of Christ, that is to say, 
the Hebrew, the Greek, and the Latin, in the which God is not without a cause 
praised, and the divine services are chiefly done in these tongues. Notwithstanding 
we do not deny that it is permitted and suffered to the South Indians to do their 
divine service in their own tongue, which thing their clergy observeth even at this day*.” 

“They say that Cyrillus, bishop of the Moors, when he was at Rome, desired the 
Romish bishop that in doing his divine service he might use the Slavon tongue among 
the people of that nation whom he had baptized. While they were disputing of 
this matter in the holy senate, and there were not a few that spake against it, there 
was a voice heard, as it were from heaven, saying on this manner: ‘ Let every spirit 


praise the Lord, and let every tongue give praise unto the Lord,’ 


was granted unto Cyrillus*.” 


And thereupon it 


“The priests of Liburnia, which (Liburnia) in this our age is in subjection to 
the chief duke of Norike, are yet now ignorant of the Latin tongue, and do all their 
service after the manner of the country in the Slavon tongue’.” 

“Tt is to be known that the common speech of them (that is to say, of the 
Illyrickes and Slavonians) is even the very same which they continually use in their 
divine service; and all the people understandeth it even as well as we understand our 


common speech®.” 


[) Cur dubitat ecclesia tantum auctorem sequi? 
Imo cur audet ab eo dissentire? Quid aliud auditur 
in monasteriis, in collegiis, in templis ferme omnibus, 
quam vocum strepitus? Atqui ztate Pauli non can- 
tus erat, sed pronunciatio duntaxat. Vix a posterio- 
ribus receptus est cantus, sed talis ut nihil aliud 
esset, quam distincta modulataque pronunciatio, cu- 
jusmodi superest etiamnum apud nos, qua sonamus 
in canone sacro precationem dominicam: et linguam, 
qua hc canebantur, vulgus adhuc promiscuum in- 
telligebat, respondens Amen. Nunc vulgus quid 
aliud audit quam voces nihil significantes? et talis 
est fere pronunciatio, ut nec voces exaudiantur, soni- 
tus tantum aures feriat—Des. Erasm. Op. Lugd. 
Batav. 1703-6. In Epist. ad Cor. prim. cap. xiv. 
v. 26. Tom. VI. col. 731.] 

[2 Mos hic, ut promiscua plebs responderet in 
ecclesia, durabat adhuc Hieronymitemporibus Rome, 
ut testatur preloquens in secundum librum Commen- 
tariorum in epistolam ad Galatas, Ubi, inquiens, sic 
ad similitudinem ccoelestis tonitrui Amen reboat. 
[Hieron. Op. Par. 1693-1706. Comm. Lib. 1m. in 
Epist. ad Gal. Pref. Tom. IV. cols. 255, 6.]—Id. 
ibid. v. 16. col. 730. ] 

[? Harum omnium linguarum novi testamenti 
tempore, tribus linguis, Hebraice utique et Latine et 
Grece, principatus committitur, quia in eis crucis 


Christi titulus literis Hebraicis Grecis et Latinis 
scriptus evangelica auctoritate perhibetur.—Kck. 
Enchirid. Loc. Com. Col. 1532. cap. xxxiv. This 
may be the passage intended ; but it appears to be 
quoted by Eckius from a treatise falsely ascribed to 
Augustine.—August. Op. Par. 1679-1700. De 
Mirab. Sac. Script. Lib. 1. cap. ix. Tom. III. Ap- 
pendix, col. 8.] 

[* Referunt Cyrillum, cum Rome ageret, Ro- 
mano pontifici supplicasse, ut Sclavorum lingua, ejus 
gentis hominibus, quam baptizaverat, rem divinam 
faciens uti posset. De qua re dum in sacro senatu 
disputaretur, essentque non pauci contradictores, au- 
ditam vocem tanquam de ccelo in hee verba missam : 
Omnis spiritus laudet Dominum, et omnis lingua con- 
fiteatur ei. Indeque datum Cyrillo indultum.—/n. 
Sylv. Op. Basil. 1571. Hist. Bohem. cap. xiii. p. 91.] 

[® Sacerdotes Liburnie, que archiduci Nori- 
corum nostro evo paret, adhuc ignari sunt Romane 
lingue, sacrificia patrio more, nempe Sclavorum, pro- 
curant.—Avent. Annal. Boior. Lib. 1v. in Cassandr. 
Op. Par. 1616. Liturg. cap. xxxv. pp. 87, 8.] 

[© Sciendum est quod vulgaris ipsorum sermo 
idem iJle est, quo continue utuntur in officiis divinis, 
et universus populus intelligit, haud secus atque nos 
intelligimus vulgarem sermonem nostrum.—Bapt. Pa- 
lat. De Rat. Scrib. de Illyr. sive Sclav. in eod. p. 88. ] 


THE FIRST ARTICLE. 41] 


“ All the public prayers and ministration of the sacraments are done among the Siem: Lib. 
Moscovites in their common and vulgar tongue. Moreover, the epistle and the gospel Moscovit. 
according to the time are read and recited to the people that are present with a loud 
voice, without the quire, that they may the better be perceived of the people’.” 

“So many as stand by the priest that saith the divine service among the Pet, Bellon. 
Armenians answer him again, singing in their own tongue. When the priest re- Armeni- 
hearseth the gospel, they that stand by do kiss one another both on the right and” ” 
left hand. For all the people understand the Armenical tongue, which the priest 


doth use*.” 


THE SECOND ARTICLE. 


That the sacramental bread ought to be delivered unto the communicants 
in their hands, not only unto the clergy, but also to the laity, as 
they call them. 


Probations out of the old fathers. 


“How wilt thou put forth thy hand (said Ambrose unto Theodosius the emperor, Tripart. Hist. 
which had slain seven thousand at Thessalonica), out of the which even yet unrighte- ae a 
ous blood doth drop? How wilt thou with such hands take the holy body of the 
Lord? With what rashness wilt thou receive with thy mouth the cup of the pre- 
cious blood ; seeing that so much blood is unjustly shed through the madness of thy 
words*?” 

“Took, with what carefulness we take heed when the body of Christ is minis- august. 
tered unto us, that nothing of it fall out of our hands unto the ground; even with rata aah 
as great diligence ought we to beware that the word of God which is distributed 
unto us do not perish from our body, while we think or speak some other thing. 

For he shall be no less guilty that negligently heareth the word of God than he 
which, through his negligence, suffereth the body to fall down upon the ground”.” 

“While thou beholdest the Lord offered, the priest diligently occupied about the chrysost. 
sacrifice, and pouring out prayers from above, again, the people round about to be $%°3%"" 
dyed and made red with that precious blood, dost thou think that thou art con- “|” 
versant among mortal men, and that thou art in the earth? or rather dost not thou 
cast away all imagination of the flesh, and with a naked mind and pure heart con- 
sider those things which are in heaven? O how great is the good-will of God 
toward mankind! Behold, he that sitteth above with the Father even in that very 
present time is handled with the hands of all men, and he giveth himself to be em- 


braced even of so many as will receive him"'.” 





[7 Ceterum totum sacrum, seu missa, gentili ac 


[2° Et ideo quanta sollicitudine observamus, quan- 
vernacula lingua apud illos peragi solet. Epistola 


do nobis corpus Christi ministratur, ut nihil ex ipso 


preterea, evangelium pro tempore, quo magis a 
populo percipiantur, extra chorum, populo astanti 
clara voce recitantur.—Rer. Moscov. Comm. Sigis. 
Lib. Bar. in Herb. Basil. 1571. p. 46.] 

[® Quotquot astant sacerdoti, respondent cantando 
Armenice. Cum presbyter Armenicus dicit evange- 
lium, assistentes invicem se dextra sinistraque deos- 
culantur. Omnes assistentes linguam Armenicam, 
qua utitur sacerdos, intelligunt.—Bellon. Lib. Ob- 
serv. Lib. 1. cap. 12. Cassandr. Op. Liturg. cap. 
xiii. p.31.] 

[° Quomodo manus extendes, de quibus adhuc 
sanguis stillat injustus? quomodo hujusmodi mani- 
bus suscipies sanctum Domini corpus? qua teme- 
ritate ore tuo poculum sanguinis pretlosi percipies, 
quando furore verborum tuorum tantus injuste est 
sanguis effusus?—Hist. Trip. in Auct. Hist. Eccles. 
Basil. 1539. Lib. rx. cap. xxx. p. 526.] 


de nostris manibus in terram cadat; tanta sollicitu- 
dine observemus, ne verbum Dei quod nobis ero- 
gatur, dum aliud aut cogitamus aut loquimur, de 
corde nostro depereat : quia non minus reus erit qui 
verbum Dei negligenter audierit, quam ille qui cor- 
pus Christi in terram cadere negligentia sua per- 
miserit—August. Op. Serm. cece. 2. Tom. V. Ap- 
pendix, col. 504. This sermon is probably not 
Augustine’s: it has been ascribed to Cesarius. ] 
[)) “Orav yap tdns tov Kipiov rebvpévov, Kai 
Kelwevoyv, Kal Tov Lepéa Epeotota TH BUmaTt, Kai 
éTEVXOMEVOV* Kal TavTas éxeivw TW Timiw o.vic- 
dpa tt peta avlpwrwy elvar 
vomiters, Kal éml Tis yrs éordva; 


comevous aiuate* 
aX’ ovK ev- 
Oéws éri To’s o’pavols pmeTavicoracal, Kal Tacay 
capkikiyy diavoray THs Wuyxiis éxBad\wv, yuna TH 
Wuxn Kai Tw vo Kabap@ TepiPBdeTrets Ta ev obpa- 


vots; ® Tov Batmatos’ w THs TOU Oeov Piravipw- 


Tbidem in 
Heb. cap. x. 
Hom. 17. 


Chrysost. in 
Eph. cap. i. 
Serm. 3. 


Cyrillus in 
Joan. Lib. 
xii. cap. i. 


Lib. vi. 
cap. xxxiii. 


In Lib. 
Tertull. de 
Corona 
Militis. 


Dionys. 
Areop. de 
Eccles. 
Hierar. 


412 ARTICLES OF CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 


“Tf the king of Babylon did choose of all those young men that were taken 
prisoners such as were most comely in stature and beautiful in face, much more 
ought we to be, that stand at the King’s table, beautiful in the face of our soul, 
having on a golden garment, clean apparel, prince-like shoes, a beautiful countenance 
of the soul. It must be clothed with a vesture of God, and have the girdle of truth. 
Let such a one come and touch the King’s cup'.” 

“ How wilt thou stand or appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, which darest 
touch his body with unpure hands and lips’?” 

“When they receive baptism, because men believe that the Holy Ghost dwelleth 
in them, they are not restrained from the touching and partaking of the healthful 
body of Christ. Therefore to them that come unto the mystical benediction or thanks- 
giving the ministers of the mystery cry out with a loud voice, ‘ Holy things to them 
that are holy,’ signifying that the handling and sanctification of Christ's body is meet 


for them only which are sanctified in spirit®.” 
Eusebius in his ecclesiastical history witnesseth that the eucharist, or sacrament 
of thanksgiving, was given to the laymen in their hands in the time of Novatus*. 
“Tt is evident and plain enough by the reading of the ancient writers,” saith 
Beatus Rhenanus, “that the eucharist was in times past touched with the hands of 


the lay-people. 


But the second canon of the council Rotomagense forbiddeth this, 


teaching that the eucharist should no more be delivered into the hands of the lay- 


man or the laywoman, but only from henceforth put into their mouths’®, 


5 


THE THIRD ARTICLE. 


That the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ ought to be ministered 
equally to all Christians under both kinds. 


Probations out of the old fathers. 


“Verily, the reverend prelate openeth the covered and undivided bread, cutting it 
in pieces, and, distributing the singular cup to all the people, he multiplieth and 


dealeth the unity notably ; and in these things he finisheth the heavenly mystery”®. 


629 





qmias* 6 peta Tov Ilatpos avw Kxabrjpuevos, Kata’ 
THY Wpav éxelvnvy TOV aTdvTwY KaTéxXETaL XeEpoi, 
kal didwow aitov Tots BovAopévois TepitTiEacbar 
Kal qepiiaPetv.—Chrysost. Op. Par. 1718-38. De 
Sacerdot. Lib. 11. 4. Tom. I. p. 382.] 

[} Ei yap 6 BaBvAwyios Baoiheds, ard Tijs 
aixpahwoias éx\eyouevos Tovs veavicxous, Kadovs 
T@ elder, Kal wWpatous TH oer &EehéEaTo* Twok\ho 
padXov tiuads Tapiotapévous TH TpaTwe{(n TH Ba- 
oudiky, Kadol’s Tw Elder Elvar del TW THS WuyxAs, 
Tov KOgpov ExovTas YpucouV, THY cToAHV Kabapar, 
tad bTrodnpata Bacitka, TO Tpdcwrov THS WuXns 
eUmoppov, Tov Kocpov av’TH TepiKketobar TOV Xpv- 
couv, THv Gwvnv tHS adnleias. 6 ToLoUTOS Tpoc- 
itw, Kai wotnpiwy drtécbw Baoiixe@v.—ld. in 
Epist. ad Heb. cap. x. Hom. xvii. Tom. XII. p. 
aye 

[? Kai ras wapacticy TH Pijmate Tov Xpi- 
OTOU, plapais Xepoi Kal yeiheot KaTaToAp@v av- 
Tov TOU cwpuatos ;—Id. in Epist. ad Ephes. cap. i. 
Hom. iii. Tom. XI. p. 22.] 

[8 ’Esray 6& Tov ayiov mvebmatos atroderyOetev 
Métoxol, TOTE Kal amTEsbar TOU LwTHpos 7pav 
Xpiorov TO kwAUov ovdév. TOLYapToL Kal Tots peTa- 
oxetv eéXovow eddoyias THS puaTLKHS, ol THY 
Geiwy puctnpiwy mporpwvovcr Nertoupyol, Ta &yia 
tots ayiow, mpewwdeoTtaTny elvar dLdadcKovTes THY 
adylwy tiv pébeEw tots yytacpévors év mvevmare. 


Cyril. Alex. Op. Lut. 1638. Comm. in Joan, Evang, 
Lib. xr. cap.i. Tom. IV. p. 1086. Becon, as ob- 
served Vol. II. page 288, note 8, quoted here from 
the Latin version, which commences: Unde cum 
baptismum receperint, quia Spiritus sanctus habitare 
in illis creditur, &c.] 

[{* Tloujcas ydp tas mpoopopas, Kal diavéuwv 
éxdoTw TO pépos, Kal émdidods TOUTO GuviEW avTi 
Tov evAoyeiv Tovs TadaTupous avOpwrous avay- 
Kaer, Katéxwv aupotépats Tats Xepol Tas Tov 
NaBovtos, Kal py dels or’ av duviovTes Eitwot 
rTavta.—Euseb. in Hist. Eccles. Script. Grec. Amst. 
1695-1700. Lib. vr. cap. xliii. p. 199.] 

[® Satis autem liquet ex antiquorum lectione 
eucharistiam manibus laicorum olim attactam. At 
hoc prohibet Rotomagensis concilii canon secundus, 
nulli laico aut foemine docens eucharistiam in manus 
ponendam, sed tantum in os ejus.—Beat. Rhenan. 
Annot. in Lib. de Cor. Mil. ad cale. Tertull. Op. 
Franek. 1597, p. 42.] 

[® Tov yap éyxexaduppévov Kat advaipetov ap- 
Tov avakadiwas, Kai eis Todda dvedwv, Kai TOV 
éviaiov Tov ToTyplov Tact KaTapeploas, cupuPo- 
Aika@s tiv evdtnta wAnOiver, Kal dtavéuer, Tav- 
ayeotatny év TovTos tepouvpyiav tehwv.—Dionys. 
Areop. Op. Antv. 1634. De Eccles. Hierarch. cap. 
ill. Tom. I. p. 299.] 


THE THIRD ARTICLE. 413 


“How do we teach or provoke them to shed their blood in the confession of the cyprian. 
name of Christ, if we deny them, when they should go to the battle, the blood of a 
Christ? Or how make we them meet unto the victory of martyrdom, if we do not 
first admit them in the congregation to drink of the Lord’s cup, that they may 
rightly communicate’ ?” 

“The priests, which minister the eucharist, and divide the blood of the Lord to Hieron. in 
his people, do wickedly against the law of Christ*,” &c. cap. iii. 

“That which we receive is profitable unto the tuition and defence of the body ambres. in 
and soul; for the flesh of Christ is offered for the salvation of the body, and the rag 
blood ee our soul, as Moses did prefigure and tofore signify. The flesh, saith he, is 
offered for the body, the blood for your soul’.” But yet is that received under both 
kinds which is profitable unto both; for under both is whole Christ received. If 
he were received only under one kind, it should be signified that he was profitable 
only unto the tuition of the one part, that is to say, of the soul or of the body, 
and not of both together. 

“Not as in the old law, the priest did eat one part and the people another chrysost. in 
part; but to all is one body and one cup set forth. The things which appertain unto vit Hom. 
the eucharist or sacrament of thanksgiving are all common between the priest and 
the people’’.” 

** While the host is broken, while the blood is poured out of the cup into the Prosper. 
mouths of the faithful, what ther thing is signified than the offering of the Lord’s ae 
body on the cross, and the shedding of his blood out of his side’?” 

“Ye after slices fastings, after labours, after humility and contrition, in the name oe dee 
of Christ, are now come as unto the cup of Christ, and there are ye in the table, and cap. Quia. 
ye are with us in the cup; for we receive this together: we drink together, because 
we live together’’.” 

** Although whole Christ be under both kinds, yet is he not given in vain under sa 
both kinds; for this is the true use of the sacrament, that the body of Christ should Note weil. 
be given Eyenily to the faithful to be their meat, and the blood to be their drink ; 
for the body is given for the salvation of the body, and the blood for the salvation 
of the soul’*.” 

“We understand that some, when they have received only a portion of the holy ae 
body, abstain from the cup of the holy blood; which without doubt (for I know not cones 
with what superstition they be led) either let them receive the whole sacrament, or else Te 
be repelled and put back from the whole. For the division of one and of the same 
mystery cannot come forth without great sacrilege’*.” 

‘Neither is the sacrament superfluously received under both kinds. For the kind « 
of bread is referred unto the flesh, and the kind of wine unto the soul, when one is 
the sacrament of blood, wherein the seat of the soul is. And now it is received under 
both kinds, that it might be signified that Christ took unto him both, that is to say, 


flesh and soul; and that the participation is profitable as well for the soul as for the 


[7 Cypr. Op. Oxon. 1682. Epist. lvii. ad Cornel. 
p. 117. See Vol. II. page 243, note 1.] 

[® Sacerdotes quoque qui eucharistiz serviunt, et 
sanguinem Domini populis ejus dividunt, impie agunt 
in legem Christi, putantes, &c.—Hieron. Op. Par. 
1693-1706. Comm. In Sophon. Proph. cap. iii. 
Tom. III. col. 1671.] 

[2 Ambros. Op. Par. 1686-90. Comm. in Epist. 1. 
ad Cor. v. 26. Tom. II. Appendix, col. 149. See 
Vol. II. page 244, note 2.] 

[2° Chrysost. Op. In Epist. m. ad Cor. Hom. 
xviii. Tom. X. p. 568. See Vol. Il. page 245, 
note 7.] 

{1 Cum frangitur hostia, dum sanguis de calice 
in ora fidelium funditur, quid aliud, quam dominici 
corporis in cruce immolatio, ejusque sanguinis de 
latere effusio designatur?— August. in Lib. Sent. 


Prosp. in Corp. Jur. Canon. Lugd. 1624. Decret. 
Gratiani, Tert. Pars, De Consecr. Dist. ii. can. 37. 
col. 1930.] 

[}2 Et vos post illa jejunia, postlabores, post hu- 
militatem et contritionem cordis jam in nomine 
Christi, tanquam ad calicem Domini venistis : et ibi 
vos estis in mensa, et ibi vos estis in calice, nobiscum 
vos estis. Simul enim hoc sumimus, simul bibimus, 
quia simul vivimus.—lId. in eod. ibid. can. 36. col. 
1929. ] 

[3 Thom. Aquinat. Op. Venet. 1595. Summ. 
Theol. Tert. Pars, Quest. Ixxvi. Art. 2. Tom. XII. 
fols. 245, 6. See Vol. Il. page 244, note 1. ] 

['* Gelas. Papa in Corp. Jur. Canon. Decret. 
Gratiani, Decr. Tert. Pars, De Consecr. Dist. ii. can. 
12. col, 1918. See Vol. II. page 243, note 2.] 


Gregor. in 
Hom. Pasch. 


De Consec. 
Dist. ii. 


Ibidem. 


Cyprian. ad 
Cornel. Pap. 
Epist. 2. 


Gregor. in 
Hom. Pasch. 


Durand. in 
Rat. Div. 
Offie. Lib. iv. 


Ibidem. 


Lombard, 
Lib. iv. 
Dist. 12. 


Hieron. in 
1 Cor. cap. xi. 


In Can. 2. 


414 ARTICLES OF CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 


body ; so that, if it should be received under one kind only, it should be signified that 
it is profitable only unto the tuition or defence of one’ part only*.” 

“The blood of Christ is not now poured into the hands of the unbelievers, but it 
is poured into the mouths of the faithful®.” 

“If a man’s sins be not so great that he ought to be excommunicate, he ought 
not to separate himself from the medicine of the body and blood of the Lord*.” 

“They that eat and drink Christ eat and drink life. To eat him is to be re- 
freshed, to drink him is to live.” The gloss addeth: “That is to say, in the kind of 
bread and wine’.” 

“Let us not leave them, being ready to die, unarmed and naked, but let us for- 
tify them with the protection and defence of the blood and body of Christ*.” 

“What the blood of the Lamb is ye have learned, not now by hearing, but by 
drinking ; which blood is laid upon both posts, when it is received not only with the 
mouth of the body, but also with the mouth of the heart’.” 

“In the primitive church all that were present at the celebration of the Lord’s 
supper were wont daily to communicate, because all the apostles did drink of the 
cup; as the Lord saith: ‘Drink ye all of this®’” 

“‘In times past all the faithful every day were partakers with the priest of Christ’s 
body and blood’®.” 

“Christ is received under two kinds, that it might be declared that he took upon 
him the whole nature of man, that he might redeem the whole. For the bread is 
referred unto the flesh, and the wine unto the soul; because wine worketh blood, 
wherein the seat of the soul is thought to be of such as be seen in natural things. In 
consideration whereof (the sacrament) is celebrated under two kinds, that the taking of 
the soul and flesh in Christ, and the deliverance of them both in us may be signified'°.” 

“The Lord’s supper ought to be common to all men; for he delivered the sacra- 
ments alike to all the disciples that were present"’.” 

In the council Toletane the third it was determined that “all the congregations 
of Spain and Gallicia, at every time of the sacrifice before the communion of the body 
and blood of Christ, should with one mind openly recite the most holy articles of 
the faith, that the people first of all might confess and declare what faith they hold, and 
so exhibit and present hearts purified by faith to receive the body and blood of Christ’.” 


The council of Constance, holden in the year of our Lord 1415, the fifteenth day 


{? Folio, our. ] 

|? Ibid. See Ibid. note 3.] 

[? Ejus quippe ibi corpus sumitur, ejus caro in 
populi salutem partitur, ejus sanguis non jam in 
manus infidelium, sed in ora fidelium funditur.— 
Gregor. Magni Pape I. Op. Par. 1705. Dialog. 
Lib. 1v. cap. lviii. Tom. II. col. 472.] 

[* Si non sunt tanta peccata, ut excommunice- 
tur quis, non se debet a medicina corporis, et san- 
guinis Domini separare.—Hilar. in Corp. Jur. Canon. 
Lugd. 1624. Decret. Gratiani, Decr. Tert. Pars, De 
Consecr. Dist. ii. can. 15. col. 1919.] 

[> Qui manducant et bibunt Christum, vitam 
manducant et bibunt. Illum manducare est refici: 
illum bibere est vivere.—August. in eod. ibid. can. 
58. col. 1948. Op. Par. 1679-1700. Serm. ecxxxi. 1. 
Tom. V. col. 641. The gloss adds, In sacramento. 
Id est, in specie panis et vini visibili. ] 

[® ...nec morientibus, sed viventibus communi- 
catio a nobis danda est, ut quos excitamus et hor- 
tamur ad proelium, non inermes et nudos relinqua- 
mus, sed protectione sanguinis et corporis Christi 
muniamus.—Cypr. Op. Oxon. 1682. Epist. lvii. ad 
Cornel. p. 117.] 

[7 Quis namque sit sanguis agni, non jam au- 
diendo, sed bibendo didicistis. Qui sanguis super 
utrumque postem ponitur, quando non solum ore 
corporis, sed etiam ore cordis hauritur.—Gregor. 
Magni Pape J. Op. In Evang. Lib. u. Hom. xxii. 


7. Tom. I. col. 1533. ] 

[® Durand. Rat. Div. Offic. Lugd. 1565, Lib. rv. 
cap. lili. 3. fol. 199. See Vol. II. page 239, note 6. ] 

[2 See the last note: also ... pro eo, quod singulis 
diebus communicabatur, singulis diebus osculum 
pacis daretur.—Id. ibid. ] 

[2° Sed quare sub duplici specie sumitur, cum sub 
alterutra totus sit Christus? Ut ostenderetur totam 
humanam naturam assumpsisse, ut totam redimeret. 
Panis enim ad carnem refertur, vinum ad animam: 
quia vinum operatur sanguinem in quo sedes anime 
a physicis esse dicitur. Ideo ergo in duabus spe- 
ciebus celebratur, ut anime et carnis susceptio in 
Christo, ut utriusque liberatio in nobis significetur. 
—Pet. Lomb. Lib. Sentent. Col. Agrip. 1576. Lib. rv. 
Dist. xi. F. fol. 354.] 

[2) Hieron. Op. Par. 1693-1706. Comm. in Epist. 
1. ad Cor. xi. Tom. V. col. 997. See Vol. II. page 
240, note 6.] 

[}2 ... sancta constituit synodus, ut per omnes ec- 
clesias Hispanie, vel Galleciz, secundum formam 
orientalium ecclesiarum concilii Constantinopolitani 
... ut priusquam dominica dicatur oratio, voce clara 
a populo decantetur ; quo et fides vera manifestum 
testimonium habeat, et ad Christi corpus et sangui- 
nem prelibandum pectora populorum fide purificata 
accedant.—Concil. Tol. 111. in Concil. Stud. Labbei, 
Lut. Par. 1671-2. cap. ii. Tom. V. cols. 1009, 10.] 


THE THIRD ARTICLE. 415 


of June, and the thirteenth session (of the which Gabriel Biel writeth on this man- In Canon, 
ner: “In times past that question, whether the faithful people, when they should Lect. 8. 
receive the eucharist or sacrament of the body and blood of Christ, were bound to 
receive it under both kinds, might be doubtful. But now, after the’ determination of 

the council of Constance, which hath determined the catholic verity, it is heresy to 

say that the communion under both kinds is of the necessity of salvation to every 
faithful man: it is heresy, I say, there openly condemned’*”) did first of all gene- 

rally forbid the receiving of the sacrament under both kinds to be ministered to lay- 

men and laywomen™. But the council of Basil contrariwise decreed, that it should 

be lawful for the Bohemes to receive the sacrament under both kinds: which at the 

last was there obtained after long and large disputation, as the letters of the afore- 

said council, and the chronicles, which are yet extant, do evidently declare and shew”. 

“Tt is not authentic or a thing of antiquity that some do dip the body of the Bernardus 
Lord, and being so dipped (in the mystical wine) they distribute it to the people giens de 
for a perfect communion. For the order of Rome speaketh against it, which com- cap.2. 
mandeth to consecrate upon Good Friday the wine not consecrate with the Lord’s 
prayer, and with the putting in of the Lord’s body, that the people may communi- 
cate fully. Which thing verily it should command in vain, if the Lord’s body being 
the day before dipped should be kept, and so being dipped should seem to suffice 
for the communion of the people. Also Julius the pope, in order thirty-six, writing Ibidem. 
to the bishops of Egypt, doth utterly forbid such intinction or indipping, and com- 
mandeth that the cup should severally be taken by itself, according to the Lord’s 
institution and ordinance. Blessed Gelasius the pope, in order fifty-one, writing to 
certain bishops, commanded them to be excommunicate, which, when they had once 
received the Lord’s body, abstained from the partaking of the cap.” 

““T cannot,” saith Beatus Rhenanus, “hide this from them that be studious of In Annot. 
christian antiquity, that the laymen in times past were wont with a reed or pipe Tertul de 
to suck or draw out the Lord’s blood out of the chalice, &c. And even at this pie 
present the bishop of Rome, so often as he saith mass openly, sucketh the Lord’s 
blood out of the chalice with a golden quill, with the deacon and subdeacon”.” 


THE FOURTH ARTICLE. 


The Lord’s supper is a public and common banquet, and not a private and 
secret repast. 


Probations out of the old fathers. 


“The godly chief minister of the holy mysteries, uncovering the hidden and undi- pion. 


vided bread, and cutting it into divers pieces, and distributing that which is con- eee 


Hierarch. 





[’> Olim questioilla poterat esse dubia: sed nunc | seorsum panem, et seorsum calicem, juxta domini- 
post determinationem concilii Constantiensis verita- | cam institutionem, sumenda docet. Unde et beatus 
tem catholicam determinantis, dicere communionem | Gelasius papa in ordine 51. scribens quibusdam epi- 
sub utraque specie esse de necessitate salutis omni | scopis, excommunicari illos precepit, quicunque 
fideli, est heresis ibidem publice condemnata.—Gab. | sumpto corpore dominico, a calicis participatione se 
Biel. Sacr. Canon. Miss. Expos. Lugd. 1517. Lect. | abstinerent. [Corp. Jur. Canon. Decret. Gratiani, 
Ixxxiv. fol. 181.] Decr. Tert. Pars, De Consecr. Dist. ii. cans. 7, 12. 

[’* Concil. Constant. in Concil. Stud. Labbei. | cols. 1914, 5,8. See Vol. II. page 243, notes 2, 4.] 
Sess. xiii. Tom. XII. col. 100. See Vol. II. page | —Microlog. De Eccles. Observat. in Max. Biblioth. 


244, note 3.] Vet. Patr. Lugd. 1677. Tom. XVIII. p. 477. Ber- 
["> See Vol. IT. page 245, note 5.] noni Abbati Augiensi suppositus et liber Microlo- 
[** Non est autem authenticum, quod quidam | gus ... non potest tamen verisimiliter Bernoni tribui 

corpus Domini intingunt, et intinctum pro comple- | Micrologus.—Ex P. Theoph. Raynaud. in Erotem. 

mento communionis populo distribuunt. Nam ordo | de Bon. et Mal. Libr. in eod. p. 471.] 

Romanus contradicit, quia et in Parasceve vinum [}7 Porro non possum celare studiosos antiqui- 

non consecratum cum dominica oratione et domi- | tatis christiane, laicos olim canna solitos haurire 





nicl Corporis immissione jubet consecrare, ut populus } dominicum sanguinem e calice ... Siquidem etiam- 
plene possit communicare. Quod utique superfluo | num Romanus pontifex quoties publice sacrificat, 


preciperet, si intinctum dominicum a priori die cor- | aureo calamo sugit sanguinem dominicum e calice 
pus servaretur, et ita intinctum populo ad commu- | cum diacono et subdiacono.—Beat. Rhenan. Annot. 
nicandum sufficere videretur. Julius quoque papa, | in Lib. de Cor. Mil. ad calc. Tertull. Op. Franek. 


in ordine trigesimus sextus, episcopis A°gypti scri- | 
bens, hujusmodi intinctionem penitus prohibet, et 


1597, pp. 41, 2.] 





Justinus_ 


Martyr. in 
sec. Apol. 


Chrysost. in_ 
1 Cor. cap. xi. 
Hom. 27. 


a 


Chrysost. in 
Eph. cap. i. 
Hom. 26. 


Clemens Pap. 
Epist. 2. 


Anacletus 
Pap. de 
Consecr. 
Dist. i. 
Canon. 
Apost. 


Concilium 
Antioch. 


416 ARTICLES OF CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 


tained in one cup unto all, multiplieth and distributeth the unity figuratively, in 
these things accomplishing the administration of the most holy mysteries'.” 

“‘ After that both he which is chief minister hath given thanks, and all the people 
hath praised God, they which with us are called deacons do give to every one of them 
that are present bread, wine, and water to receive, which are consecrate with giving 
of thanks, and they bear them unto them which are absent. And this meat is called 
with us eucharistia, that is to say, giving of thanks; whereof none other may be 
partaker but such one only as both believeth that those things are true which we 
say, and is cleansed with the water of regeneration which is given for the remission 
of sins, and in token of a new birth, and so liveth as Christ hath appointed’?.” 

“ Forasmuch as it is the Lord’s supper, that is to say, it belongeth to the Lord, 
it ought to be common. For the things that are the Lord’s, they are not proper to 
this or that servant, but they are common to all. That therefore which is the Lord’s 
is common. For if it be thy Lord’s, as truly it is, thou oughtest not to take them 
unto thee as thine own, but to set them forth as the things of the Lord commonly 
to all; for it is the Lord’s. But now thou sufferest it not to be the Lord’s, when 
thou suffer it not to be common, but eatest it to thyself*.” 

“Tt was not said unto him which dishonested the feast, Why didst thou sit 
down? but, Why camest thou in? Whosoever is not partaker of the mysteries, he 
is lewd and impudent, because he standeth here. I beseech you, if any man being 
called unto a feast do come, wash his hands, sit down at the table, and seem to 
prepare himself to eat, and yet eat nothing at all, shall he not dishonest both the 
feast and the feast-maker? So thou in like manner, standing among them which by 
prayer prepare themselves to receive the holy mysteries, hast confessed thyself to 
be one of their number, in that thou didst not depart, and in the end thou art not 
partaker with them: had it not been better for thee not to have appeared? I am 
unworthy, thou sayest. Then wast thou not worthy the fellowship of prayer, which 
is a preparation to receive the holy mystery*.” 

“Verily, let so many sacrifices be offered on the altar as may seem to suffice the 
people®.” 

“The consecration finished, let all communicate that will not be excommunicate. 
For even so did the apostles ordain, and the holy church of Rome doth keep it®.” 

“¢ All the faithful which enter into the church and hear the scriptures, and continue 
not in prayer, nor receive the holy communion, it is meet that they be deprived 
of the christian fellowship, as men moving disquietness to the congregation’.” 

“All that enter into the church of God, and hear the holy scriptures, and do not 
communicate with the people in prayer, but for a certain intemperancy turn away 
themselves from the receiving of the holy communion, let them be removed and put 
away from the congregation till by confession they shew fruits of repentance, and 


obtain forgiveness by prayers*.” 


[* See before, page 412, note 6.] 

[? Just. Mart. Op. Par. 1742. Apol.i. p. 83. See 
Vol. II. p. 239, note 2, and before, page 376, note 1. ] 

[® Chrysost. Op. Par. 1718-38. In Epist. 1. ad 
Cor. Hom. xxvii. Tom. X. p. 244. See Vol. II. 
page 239, note 4.] 

[* O¥ yap elite, dia Ti KatTeKdibns; adAda, Ti 
elon\Oes 5 TaVTa Kal vUY Teds aTrayTas Has éLa- 
Aéyetat Tovs avaicxivTws Kai itauw@s EoToTas. 
Tas yap O pj meTEXwWY THY pvoTHpiwy, avaicxuv- 
Tos Kai iramas EoTyKUWs ... elré pot, El TLS Eis EaTL- 
ao. KAnfeis, Tas Xetpas viipatto, Kai Kataxhibein, 
Kal éTolmos yévorto mpos THY TpaTECav, ciTa py 
petéxor, obx UBpifer Tov KaXécavta; ov BéATLOV 
TOV ToLOUTOY poe Tapayevecbar; otTw dy Kal ob 
Tapayéyovas’ Tov Uuvov joas, MeTa TAaVTWY WhLO- 
Aoynoas elvac THY aLiwy, TH pi) weTa THY avaki- 
wy dvakexwpnkévar’ TWws Ewewas, Kat ov peTEXELS 
THs TpaTéeCns ; avak.os ciut, pynoiv ov’KovY Kal THS 
Kolvwvias éxeivns THS EV Tats evyats.—Id. in Epist. 


ad Ephes. cap. i. Hom. uli. Tom. XI. p. 23.] 


[> Clement. Papz I. Epist. 11. ad Jacob. in Epist. 
Decret. Sum. Pont. Rom, 1591. Tom. I. p. 16. See 
Vol. II. page 251, note 10.] 

[® Anaclet. Papa Epist. i. in Corp. Jur. Canon. 
Lugd. 1624. Decret. Gratiani, Decr. Tert. Pars, De 
Consecr. Dist. ii. can. 10. col. 1917. See Vol. II. 
page 238, note 1.] 

[7 Ilavras tovs ciowvtas TioTovs, Kai TwY ypa- 
pov axovovtas, uy Tapaméevovtas O& TH TpocevyH 
Kat TH ayia petadywWe, ws atakiav éutotouvtas 
TH éxkKAnoia, apopifecbar xpyj.—Concil. Stud. Lab- 
bei. Lut. Par. 1671-2. Can. Apost. ix. Tom. I. col. 
28.] 

[® Ilavras rovs eiotdyras eis THY éxkAnoiay Tou 
Ocov, Kai Twy iepwv ypapwy dkovovTas, py KoLWw- 
vouvtas O€ evx7As dua TH Law, 1} a€TOoTPEpouévous 
THY meTaANWLY THs EVXapLoTias KaTa TWaadTatiapy, 
TovTous aToBAiTous yiverBar THs ExKANnTias, Ews GV 
é£ouooynodpevor kal dciEavtes Kaptrovs meTavoias, 
Kal japakahécaytes, Tuxely duvvybwot cvyyvupns. 


—Concil. Antioch. in eod. Can. ii. Tom. II. col. 561.] 


THE FOURTH ARTICLE. 417 


“‘Let the deacons receive in order, after the priests, the holy communion of the 
bishop or of the priest’.” 

“Tf any bishop, or elder, or minister, or any of the number of priests, when the 
oblation is made, do not communicate, let him shew the cause ; and, if it be agree- 
able to reason, let him be pardoned. But if he can allege no cause, let him be 
separated, as one which is become a stumbling-block to the people, and hath moved 
suspicion against him which offered’®.” 

“In the primitive church all that were present at the celebration of the Lord’s 
supper were accustomed every day to receive the communion ; because all the apostles 
did drink of the cup, according to the Lord’s saying: ‘Drink ye all of this.’ For they 
offered a great loaf, and such one as was sufficient for all: which thing the Grecians 
are reported to observe at this day'’.” 

““In the old time all the faithful every day were partakers of the body and blood 
of Christ with the priest; but now-a-days the priest alone eateth all the parts of the 
host. Notwithstanding, in some churches the priest taketh one part, and the other 
half of the eucharist he layeth upon the paten, and divideth it into two parts, which 
he giveth to eat unto the ministers, that is to say, to the deacon and to the sub- 
deacon, bringing that to remembrance which Luke mentioneth, that Jesus in Emaus 
took bread, and brake it upon the table; and, as some say, he did eat before the two 
disciples, and the residue he gave unto them. He also afterward did eat part of 
the broiled fish and of the honey-comb, and gave the residue also unto them. And 
therefore, after the deacon and sub-deacon have communicated, the clerks and the reli- 
gious come to receive, that they also may have part of the holy communion. A fter- 
ward the people doth communicate, because Christ did not eat only with a few 
apostles, but also, when he should ascend into heaven, he did eat with a multitude 
of disciples’*.” 

“First, the use was that all that met together in the church should communi- 
cate. But when through the great increase of the multitude this could not conve- 
niently be kept, it was ordained that they should communicate on the Sundays. 
But when this neither could well and orderly be observed, it was determined that 
they should communicate three times in the year, according to the law, Exod. xxiii. 
that is to say, at Easter, Pentecost, and, in the stead of the feast of the tabernacles, 


at the nativity of our Lord’’,” &c. 


“They that had joined themselves to the number of the disciples did persevere and 





[? AapBavétwoav dé [oi dtdkovor] kata tH 
Tab Ty evxapiotiay peta Tol’s mpecPuTépous, 
1] TOU é€mLtoKOTroU OLddvTOS avTOIs, 7) TOU TpEecfu- 
vépov.—Concil. Nic. in eod. can. xviii. ‘Jom. II. 
col. 37.] 

[1° Ei tis émicKomos, 1) mpecButepos, 7) OtaKo- 
vos,  €K TOU KaTahdyou Tov LepaTiKov, Tpoapo- 
pas yevouevns prj weradaBor, tTHv aitiav eimaTw. 
kat éav eU\oyos 7, cuvyyvwuns TUyXavEeTw. Ei O€ 
py A€ver, apopiCécbw, ws aitios BAaBns yevopuevos 
Tw aw, Kal Urovotay Toujous Kata TOU Tpoc- 
evéy«xavtos.—Can. Apost. vill. in eod. Tom. I. cols. 
26, 8.] 

['! Durand. Rat. Div. Offic. Lugd. 1565. Lib. 1v. 
cap. lili. 3. fol. 199. See Vol. II. page 239, note 6.] 

['? Sane sacerdos ipse omnes partes hostiz come- 
dit. In quibusdam tamen ecclesiis ipse unam par- 
tem sumit: et reliquam eucharistie medietatem 
super patenam in duas partes dividit, quas ministris, 
scilicet diacono et subdiacono, comedendas impendit, 
insinuans illud quod Lucas commemorat, quia Jesus 
in Emaus accepit panem, et fregitsupermensam. Et 
etiam (ut aiunt quidam) comedit coram duobus dis- 
cipulis: sumensque reliquias dedit illis. Ipse quoque 
postmodum partem piscis assi et favum mellis man- 


[BEcoN, 1. | 


ducavit, et reliquias discipulis dedit ; et ideo post- 
quam diaconus et subdiaconus communicarunt, 
clerici et religiosi ad communicandum accedunt: 
ut ipsi partem sancte communionis accipiant. Post- 
modum communicat populus: quia Christus comedit 
non solum cum paucis apostolis; verum etiam as- 
censurus in ccelum, comedit cum multitudine dis- 
cipulorum. Unde et sumptio corporis, ascensionem 
significat Salvatoris.—Id. ibid. cap. liv. 3. foll. 200, 
ibs) 

['3 Primum enim institutum fuit quod omnes in 
ecclesia convenientes omni die communicarent. Cum 
autem hoc excrescente multitudine fidelium non satis 
idonee servari posset, constitutum est ut communi- 
carent in diebus dominicis. Cum autem et hoc rite 
non servaretur, constitutum est ut communicarent 
tribus vicibus in anno juxta legem Domini Exodi 
XXxilll. que dicit quod omne masculinum tribus vici- 
bus in conspectu Domini appareat, in pascha et 
penthecoste et scenophegia et loco, ejus quod dixit 
scenophegia constituit ecclesia quod communicarent 
in nativitate.—Albert. Mag. Opus Tripartit. Col. 
1503. Summ. de Offic. Misse, ‘lract. m1. cap. xxi. 
fol. 39.] 


27 


Canon 
Nicenus. 


Canon 
Apost. 9. 


Durand. in 
Rat. Div. 
Offic. Lib. iv. 


Ibidem. 


Luke xxiv. 


Albertus de 
Misse 
Mysteriis. 


Eras. Rot. 
in Para. 


Eras. Sarcer. 
de Consensu 
Eccles. 


Ibidem. 


August. de 
Pece. Mer. et 
Rem. cap. 
xiii. Lib. i. 


August. de 
Pece. Mer. 
et Rem. 
Lib. ii 
cap. Xx. 


August. ad 
Hilar. contra 


418 ARTICLES OF CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 


continue in the doctrine of the apostles, and in taking the symbol or sign of that 
unloosable bargain which they call the communion. That was delivered of the Lord 
on this sort. The bread was broken; and a portion thereof was given to every man. 
And they, doing this in the remembrance of the Lord’s death and passion, gave thanks 
to the goodness of God, which by the blood of his only Son had cleansed them from 
their sins ; which, by the undebted death of the same his Son, had chosen them into 
the inheritance of everlasting life'.” 

“In the Greek churches, not at this day are iene any private masses, but one 
public mass, yea, and that only on the Sundays and holy-days; in the which mass 
the ee and the people do communicate together, yea, and that under both 
kinds’.” 

“Before pope Gregory the first there is no mention made of the private mass in 
the ancient writers*.” 


“The old fathers called the Lord’s supper synawin, that is to say, a communion 
of many*.” 


THE FIFTH ARTICLE. 


That Christ by his death hath not only delivered us from original sin, but 
also from all other sins. 


Probations out of the old fathers. 


“We did not receive of Adam, in whom all we have sinned, all our sins, but 
only the original sin. But in Christ, in whom all we are justified, we obtain remission 
not only of that original sin, but also of the other sins which we have added. Therefore 
the gift is not over one sin, as death came through one sin of one that sinned. For 
damnation out of one sin, that is [to] say, original sin, if it be not forgiven, is able 


already to lead unto condemnation ; 


but grace, from many sins being forgiven, that 


is, not only original, but also all other, bringeth unto justification®.” 

“The body of Christ only died without sin, that, his blood being causeless shed, 
the obligations or hand-writings of all faults might be put out, wherein the debtors 
which believe in him were before bound of the devil®.” 

“What is this to say, Of one sin unto condemnation, but that sin wherein Adam 





[) Itaque qui se Junxerant numero discipulorum, 
perseverabant in doctrina apostolorum (nam hinc 
profectus est uberrimus) atque in sumendo symbolo 
foederis nunquam rumpendi, quam illi communionem 
vocabant. Id a Domino traditum erat hujusmodi. 
Frangebatur panis, et ex eo cuique dabatur parti- 
cula: atque hoc agentes in memoriam dominice 
passionis, agebant gratias divine benignitati, qui per 
unici Filii sanguinem ipsos expiasset a peccatis, qui 
per ejusmodi indebitam mortem ipsos cooptasset in 
hereditatem vite wternea.—Des. Erasm. Op. Lugd. 
Bat. 1703-6. Paraph. in Act. Apost. cap. i. Tom. 
VII. col. 674. Becon appears to have trans- 
lated this passage for himself. His version differs 
verbally from that set forth by authority 1549-51. ] 

[? In Grecis parochiis ne hodie quidem fiunt 
private missz, sed fit una publica missa, idque tan- 
tum dominicis et festis diebus. In monasteriis fit 
quotidie missa, sed tantum publica.—Erasm. Sarcer. 
Nov. Method. in Precip. Script. Div. Loc. Basil. 
1546. De Cen. Dom. xv. p. 513.] 

[3 Ante Gregorium papam nulla fit mentio pri- 
vate misse apud patres.—Id. ibid. vu. p. 512. ] 


[4 Veteres ccenam synaxim vocant, hoc est, mul- 
torum communionem.—ld. ibid. v. p. 512. See also 
Vol. II. page’ 240, note 2.] 

[° Ae per hoc ab Adam, in quo omnes pecca- 
vimus, non omnia nostra peccata, sed tantum ori- 
ginale traduximus: a Christo vero, in quo omnes 
justificamur, non illius tantum originalis, sed etiam 
ceterorum que ipsi addidimus peccatorum remissi- 
onem consequimur. Ideo non sicut per unum pec- 
cantem, ita est et donum. Nam judicium quidem 
ex uno delicto, si non remittitur, id est, originali, 
in condemnationem jam potest ducere: gratia vero 
ex multis delictis remissis, hoc est, non solum ori- 
ginali, verum etiam omnibus ceteris, ad justificati- 
onem perducit.—August. Op. Par. 1679-1700. De 
Pece. Mer. et Rem. Lib. 1. 16. Tom. X. col. 10.] 

[® Nostrum ergo corpus mortuum est propter pec- 
catum ; Christi autem corpus solum mortuum est sine 
peccato, ut fuso sanguine sine culpa, omnium cul- 
parum chirographa delerentur, quibus debitores, qui 
in eum credunt, a diabolo antea tenebantur.—ld. 
ibid. Lib. 11. 49. col. 66.] 


THE FIFTH ARTICLE. 419 


offended? And what meaneth this, From many sins unto justification, but that the Pelag. et 
grace of Christ hath not only leecued that sin wherewith the infants, procreated and eo a, 
begotten of that one man, are bound, but also many sins which men in their life- 

time do add through their evil and corrupt manners’ ?” 

“Death, where is thy victory? death, where is thy sting ? 
death, but sin? For the which even now we, that be born again of water and of (0a 
the Spirit, all the sins, whether it be that original sin of Adam, in whom all have 
sinned, or any other sins committed of us, either in deed, word, or thought, which are 
put away in the cleansing of that fountain; yet, because we remain in this mortal life, 
which is a temptation on earth, do worthily say, Forgive us our debts*.” 

““No man taketh away the sins of the world, but Christ alone, which is the august, 
Lamb that taketh away the sins of the world: he taketh them away, both in for- $0)03 
giving those that are done, where the original sin is also contained, and in helping 
that from henceforth they may not be done, and also in bringing unto a life where 
they by no means can be done’.” 

“He that might have been free from death, if he had would, without doubt died august. 
because he would. And therefore he spoiled rule and power, valiantly triumphing oe 
over them in himself. For by his death, that one most true sacrifice offered for us, $i" 
whatsoever sins there were, by the reason whereof rule and power did justly detain @?-*" 
us to suffer punishments, he hath purged, put away, quenched; and by his resur- 
rection he called us that were predestinate to a new life; and being called, he hath 
justified us; and being justified, he hath glorified us’®.” 

“The Lord, being moved with compassion, sent his Son, which, offering himself august. iv. 
for them and destroying death, again, giving to all men remission of sins, might offer eS 
them, being justified, to God the Father™.” saa 

“Christ, being free from the debt of death, and alone without sin, died for sin- august. in 
ners and debtors. The blood of Christ is the ransom of the whole world’.” ee 

“The blood of no martyr was shed for the remission of sins. This was the ee, 
work of Christ alone’’.” enna 

“Christ was wounded for our iniquities, 
wounds. He also was accursed for our sake, that he might deliver us from the Gat iii. 
curse. For ‘cursed is every one that hangeth on tree;’ so that the discipline of our Dent xxi. 
peace is upon him. For that which we ought to have suffered for our sins hath 
he suffered for us, pacifying through the blood of his cross both the things that are Col. i. 
in earth and the things that are in heaven's.” 


What is the sting of august. aa 


that by his wound he might heal our Hieron. in 
Isai. cap. lili. 


(7 Id. ad Hilar. Epist. clvii. 11. Tom. II. col. 
546. See Vol. I. page 337, note 3.] 

[8 Ubiest, mors, victoria tua? ubi est, mors, acu- 
leus tuus? Quid est autem mortis aculeus, nisi 
peccatum? Propter quod nunc etiam renati ex 
aqua et Spiritu, omnibusque peccatis sive originis 
ex Adam, in quo omnes peccaverunt, sive factorum, 
dictorum, cogitationumque nostrarum, in illius lava- 
cri mundatione deletis ; tamen quia manemus in hac 
vita humana, que tentatio est super terram, merito 
dicimus, Dimitte nobis debita nostra.—Id. Lib. ad 
Dard. seu Epist. elxxxvii. 27, 28. Tom. II. col. 687.] 

[? Id. Op. Imperf. cont. Julian. Lib. 1. Ixxxiy. 
Tom. X. col. 986. See Vol. II. page 173, note 4.] 

[2° Nam qui posset non mori si nollet, procul- 
dubio quia voluit mortuus est: et ideo principatus 
et potestates exemplavit, fiducialiter triumphans eas 
in semetipso. Morte sua quippe uno verissimo sacri- 
ficio pro nobis oblato, quidquid culparum erat unde 
nos principatus et potestates ad luenda supplicia jure 
detinebant, purgavit, abolevit, extinxit ; et sua resur- 
rectione in novam vitam nos predestinatos vocavit, 
vocatos justificavit, justificatos glorificavit—Id. De 
Trin. Lib. rv. 17. Tom. VIII. col. 821.] 


[1} ... motus Dominus misericordia, misit Filium 
suum, qui se pro illis offerens, mortem destruens, 
data omnibus remissione peccatorum, Deo Patri illos 
justificatos offerret.—Id. Quest. ex Nov. Test. Quest. 
Ixxxiii. Tom. III. Appendix, col. 78.] 

[12 Qui [Christus] liber a mortis debito, et solus 
absque peccato, pro peccatoribus et debitoribus 
mortis est mortuus. Quod ergo ad magnitudinem 
et potentiam pretii, et quod ad unam pertinet cau- 
sam generis humani, sanguis Christi redemtio est 
totius mundi.—Id. Prosp. pro August. Doct. Resp. 
ad Capit. Object. Vincent. Resp. ad Object. i. 
Tom. X. Appendix, Pars mr. col. 208. It is almost 
needless to say that this is not the work of Augus- 
tine. | 

[}3 Postremo etsi fratres pro fratribus moriantur, 
tamen in fraternorum peccatorum remissionem nul- 
lius sanguis martyris funditur, quod fecit ille pro 
nobis: neque in hoc quid imitaremur, sed quid gra- 
tularemur contulit nobis. —Id. in Johan. Evang. cap. 
xv. Tractat. lxxxiv. 2. Tom.III. Pars mu. col. 
709. | 

(‘4 Ile autem vulneratus est propter iniquitates 
nostras, dicens in Psalmo: Foderunt manus meas 


27—2 


Alcuinus 
de Trinitate, 
cap. xii. 


Damasus 
Papa in 
Hist. Trip. 
Lib. ix. 
Gal. i. 


Chrysost. in 
Rom. cap. 


Ibidem. 


Chrysost. in 
1 Cor. cap. x. 
Hom. 24. 


Col. ii. 


420 ARTICLES OF CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 


“No man without all doubt can have true peace with God but by the Mediator, 
the Lord Christ, which is in two natures, true God and true man, and yet one 
Christ. The same Christ, being both the priest and the sacrifice, came unto us to 
offer for us that he took of us, that he might carry away from us that he found 
in us, that is to say, sins’.” 

“We gave you once a rule, that he which knoweth himself a Christian should 
keep that which is known to be taught of the apostles, the apostle Paul saying on 
this wise: ‘If any man preach unto you any other gospel than that which ye have 
received, hold it accursed.’ For Christ the Son of God, our Lord, through his own 
passion gave to mankind most full and perfect salvation, that he might deliver the 
whole man, subject unto sins, from all sins*.” 

“Sin was able to bring in death and damnation; but grace did not only take 
away that one sin (he speaketh of original sin), but also those sins which entered in 
after that®.” 

*“'The apostle sheweth that not only that sin is taken away by grace, but also 
all other sins; yea, the sins are not only taken away, but righteousness is also given. 
He sheweth moreover, that Christ hath not only profited us so much as Adam hath 
hurted us, but much more, and far more largely®.” 

“ Ask the devil, and say, Whereof tookest thou thy uncurable wound? Whereof 
hast tliou lost thy strengths? Whereof art thou taken? Of whom art thou holden? 
From whom fleest thou? He will answer none other thing, than of the body of 
Christ crucified. By this is his sting® broken: by this is his head trodden down. 
By this his rule and power is restrained. ‘He hath spoiled rule and power,’ saith 
the apostle, ‘and hath made a shew of them openly, and hath triumphed over them 
in his own person. Ask death, and say, By what means didst thou lose thy sting? 
How came thy victory dissolved and broken? How came thy sinews cut on pieces, 
so that now thou art become a laughing-stock both to boys and to girls, which be- 
fore wast feared both of the tyrants and of all the righteous? Death without doubt 


will confess, that this body (of Christ crucified) is the cause of all these things’.” 





et pedes, ut suo vulnere vulnera nostra curaret; 
et attritus est sive infirmatus propter scelera nostra, 
ut factus pro nobis maledictum, nos liberaret de 
maledicto. Maledictus enim omnis homo qui pendet 
in ligno. Unde disciplina pacis nostre super eum 
est. Quod enim nos pro nostris debebamus scele- 
ribus sustinere, ille pro nobis passus est, pacificans 
per sanguinem crucis sue, sive que in terra, sive 
quz in cceelis sunt.—Hieron. Op. Par. 1693 - 1706. 
Comm. Lib. xrv. in Isai. Proph. cap. liii. Tom. III. 
col. 384. ] 

[! Nullus plane veram pacem cum Deo habere 
poterit, nisi per Mediatorem Dominum Christum, 
qui est in duabus naturis, verus Deus verusque 
homo, unus Christus. Idem sacerdos et sacrificium, 
veniens ad nos, offerre pro nobis quod sumpsit ex 
nobis, ut auferret a nobis quod invenit in nobis, id 
est, peccata—Fl. Alb. Alch. Op. Lut. Par. 1617. 
De Fid. Sanct. Trin. Lib. 1m. cap. xii. col. 745. ] 

[? Jam enim semel formam dedimus, ut qui seip- 
sum cognoverit Christianum, illud servet quod ab 
apostolis noscitur esse contraditum, dicente sancto 
Paulo, Si quis vobis annunciaverit preter id quod 
accepistis, anathema sit. Christus enim Filius Dei, 
Dominus noster, humano generi per propriam pas- 
sionem salutem plenissimam condonavit, ut totum 
hominem, delictis obnoxium, peccatis omnibus libe- 
raret.—Hist. Trip. in Aut. Hist. Eccles. Basil. 1539. 
Lib. rx. cap. xv. pp. 514, 5.] 

[® Kai ti word éort TovTO TO Neyopuevov ; Ste 
Tov pev Odvatov Kal TO KaTaKpima loxucey duap- 
Tia pia eloeveyKety’ 4 O€ Xapis ov Ty play éxei- 


vnv duaptiav dvethe povov, adda Kai Tas per’ 
éxeivny émrerceAPovcas.—Chrysost. Op. Par. 1718- 
38. In Epist. ad Rom. Hom. x. Tom. IX. p. 521.] 

[* Between this and the preceding paragraph 
the folio edition, by a manifest error, repeats the 
paragraph just before cited from Damasus, Tripar- 
tite History.] 

[5 Mera tavra édertev OTL ovK éExelvn avnpéby 
podvov  dmaptia dia THs xapiTos, GANG Kai Tacat 
ai oirai’ Kai oly duaptiat dvypébnoay povov, 
a@\Ae@ Kal dikatocivn édd0n. Kal ob TocoUTOV wdé- 
Ance povov 6 Xpioros, dcov EBLawev 6 Addu, d\rAe 
kal joAXW TAetov Kal petfov.—ld. ibid. ] 

[® Folio, string.] 

[7 ‘Epwtnoov cai abtov tov dtaBoXov, kat eimé* 
qwolev Exes THY TWAHYY THY aviatov ; molev ovK- 
ért loxvers ovdév ; Wobev Edhws; Tin Katecxébns 
petywv; Kai obdéy Etepov, 4 TO cHpa épet TO 
octavpwlév. did ToiTov Ta KévTpa av’Tov KaTe- 
kAadoOn* Oia TovTov 1 Kepadyn abTov cuveTpiBn’ 
dua TovTou ai apxai Kai ai é€ovciar ederypatic- 
Oncav. adekdvoacuevos yap, pnot, Tas apxas, kal 
tas é£ovcias, édevypaticev, év wappnoia Opr- 
apuBevous ai’tas év aitw. épwrncov Kat Tov Odva- 
tov, kal eimé* mwdbev avypébn cov tO KévTpov; 
amolev kateXuOn cov TO vikos ; 1obev éLeKomrN cou 
Ta vevpa, Kal Képats Kal qatdios yéyovas KaTa- 
yéhactos, 6 Kai Tupavvots Kal Otkaiuis GTacw wv 
mpd TovTov poPepds; Kal TO capa aittaceTat 
rovto.—Id. in Epist. 1. ad Cor. Hom. xxiv. Tom, X. 
p. 217.] 


THE FIFTH ARTICLE. 421 


“Christ is called the Lamb of God, either because God hath taken the death of Theoph. in 

Christ for our salvation, or else because he hath delivered him unto the death for Paripcie 
us, as we use to say, This is his sacrifice. That is to say, he offered this sacrifice. 
So therefore in like manner the Lord is called the Lamb of God, because God the 
Father, for his love toward us, hath given him to death. He said not, Which hath 
taken away sin, but ‘ Which taketh away,’ in the present tense, ‘our sins. For he 
doth daily take away our sins; some men’s by baptism, and some others by repent- 
ance. As for the lambs which were offered in the old law, they did put away no 
man’s sin at all; but this taketh away and abolisheth the sin of the whole world. 
But wherefore said he not sins, but sin? Peradventure in that he saith sin, he 
spake it generally and of all sins; as we are wont to say, Man hath fallen away, 
that is to say, all manhood, from God. So likewise in this place, saying sin, he 
signified all sins*.” 

“Because man could not make satisfaction for so great an offence, therefore God Bonavent. in 
gave a Saviour and a Mediator, which should satisfy for the offence. Wherefore in the Sent ‘Dist. 
alone faith of the passion of Christ all sin is forgiven, and without the faith thereof ~ aon 
no man is justified®.” 

“Not only one sin, but many sins are forgiven us by the sacrifice of the only- Hesychius 
begotten Son of God’’.” 


a viii. 


THE SIXTH ARTICLE. 


That the one only sacrifice of Christ, done once for all on the altar of the 
cross, is of so great and of so unmeasurable virtue and power, that it is 
sufficient abundantly and even unto the uttermost, so long as this world 
endureth, to take clean away all the sins of the whole world, yea, and 
that without repetition or renewing thereof. 


Probations out of the old fathers. 


“The Father gave our Lord Jesus Christ to be an offering for our salvation, Chrysost. in 
whom he calleth a calf for the sacrifice of his body which was offered. And he Pat. et Du. 


truly called him fat; for he is so fat and well-liking, that he is sufficient for the 
salvation of the whole world, to be a sweet odour, and to send the savour of the 
offering unto God, and to entreat for men.” 





Unde in sola fide passionis 


[® Tov Qeov dé Aéyerar duvds 6 Xpistos, cite 
Tou Qeouv ws TpocdeEauevou Tov ETL Gwrnpia nuav 
@avatov tov Xptorov, cite ws Tov Oeov dovTos 

¢ - ’ 
aitov bmeép rjuav eis Oadvatov. womep ciwlapev 
Aéyewv, Tdde TO Ba TOU detvds Ect, dyTl TOU 
6 d€tva Tu’UTO Tpocriyayev* 
, aes = Mee = Se 
ptos NéyeTat auvos TOU Beov, ws Tov Beov Kat 
Ilatpos dua tHv Tpds nas ayarny ddvtTos abtov 
aes 
els oayny trep juwv. 
e , ’ ze ” hee Teed . » 
duaptiav, a\X’ 6 aipwv, Kal éexdotny yap aiper 


a x i arr 
ouTws ouv Kal 6 Kov- 


us Ee neice : 
ovK ele O€ O apas THY 


Tas auapTias 1juwv, Tas pév dia TOU Barticpatos, 
vas 6€ 61a petavoias’ Kal of pév Gudmevor ev TH 

- ? ‘ 7 S| « , = > , 
qata:@ auvoi oidevds auaptias wavtehws éEnda- 
vitov, ovTos 6 Tov Kécuou TavTos THY auapTiay 
aipet, TovTésTW, apaviter, Ex pécov Totet. 

: ‘ 

6€ Evekev ovK El7rev, auapTias, a\X’ duaptiav ; Taya 


Tivos 


pév Kai Ota Tov duaptiay eiwety KaboXtKkws elev, 
womep ciwlanev eye, OTL atwéotn 6 avbpwros, 
avtTi Tov, Taca 4 avOpwrotns, €7d Oeov" otTws 
ovv kavTav0a thy aduaptiav cimwyv, Tacas Tas 
a@uaptias é6\woev.—Theophyl. Op. Venet. 1754- 
63. In Joan. Comm. cap. i. Tom. 1. pp. 523, 4. ] 
[® Et quia homo non potuit pro tanta offensa 
satisfacere, ideo Deus dedit ei Mediatorem, qui 





satisfaceret pro offensa. 
Christi remittitur omnis culpa, et sine fide ejus nullus 
justificatur.—Bonavent. Op. Mogunt. 1609. In Lib. 
tv. Sent. Dist. xv. Pars 1. Art. 1. Quest. 1. Tom. V. 
pales 

[1° Isych. Presb. Hieros. in Levit. Basil. 1527. 
Lib. 1. in cap. viii. fol. 47. See Vol. I. page 337, 
note 1.] 

[‘! Addidit et vitulum saginatum jugulandum in 
conyivii exhibitione : sine dubio Dominum nostrum 
Jesum Christum, quem dedit Pater in victimam pro 
salute nostra; quem vitulum nominat, propter hos- 
tiam corporis immaculati. Saginatum autem vere 
dixit, quia pinguis et opimus in tantum est, ut pro 
totius mundi salute sufficiens sit ad odorem suavi- 
tatis, et nidorem immolationis ad Deum mittere, et 
pro omnibus exorare.—Chrysost. Op. Lat. Basil. 
1547. Hom. in Loc. qued. Evang. Luc. De Patr. 
et Duob. Fil. Hom. Tom. II. col. 1305. The Bene- 
dictine editors place among the Spuria a Hom. in 
Par. De Fil. Prod. in which a passage somewhat 
resembling the above appears. Tom. VIII. Ap- 
pendix, p. 36.] 


422 ARTICLES OF CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 


“Think not thou, when thou hearest that he (Christ) is a bishop, that he always 
exerciseth the office of a bishop. For once he executed the office of a bishop: from 
henceforth now he sitteth down. Think not that he standeth up, and is a minister. 
Whereby he sheweth that the matter of his dispensation, ministry, or service is finished 
and done. For as he was made a servant, so likewise was he a bishop and minister. 
But as he, being made a servant, remained not a servant; so likewise he, being a 
minister, continued not a minister. For it is not the part of a minister to sit, but 
to stand. This thing therefore doth here signify the greatness of the sacrifice, shew- 
ing that is sufficient, although it be but one, and was but once offered; and that 
it is of so much force and strength, as all other sacrifices were never of the like 
power’.” 

“There is none other sacrifice: one hath purged us; after this fire and hell. And 
therefore he repeateth oftentimes, saying, One priest, one sacrifice; lest any man, 
thinking that there are many, should sin without fear.” 

“If God have forgiven us our sins by one sacrifice, then have we no need of 


Chrysost. 
in Heb 
cap. vil. 
Hom. 33, 


Ibidem. 


Chrysost. in 


Heb. cap. x. os 

Hom. 18. the second’, 

Damasus “Christ the Son of God, our Lord, hath given to mankind by his own passion 
Papa in 


most full and perfect salvation; that he might deliver the whole man from all his 
sins, which was in bondage unto sin*.” 
“Christ hath paid for us much more than we owe; yea, even so much more 


Trip. Hist. 
ib. ix. 


Chrysost. in 

Sera, as the unmeasurable sea excelleth a little drop °.” 

Chrysost. in “The death of Christ hath killed, wounded, and destroyed enmity. He committed 

ph. cap. ii. : z a é 

Serm.6. this business to none other; neither would he do it only, but also suffer it®.” 

eae h “When Christ saith in the gospel, ‘It is my flesh, which I shall give for the life 

fen of the world, we ought by no means to doubt that he gave himself for the whole 

xvi, World, which gave more than the whole world was worth; as blessed John the evan- 
gelist testifieth: ‘He is the propitiation for our sins; not for our sins only, but also 
for the whole world’s’’.” 

Aug.ad Art. —_ “Christ, being free from the debt of death, and alone without sin, died for sin- 

positos. ners and debtors. Therefore, as touching the greatness and power of the price, and 


as concerning the one cause of mankind, the blood of Christ is the ransom of the 
whole world *.” 
“Brethren, that we may be healed from sin, let us behold and look upon Christ 


Aug. in Joan. 


Jonni. crucified. For even as they which did look upon the brasen serpent in the wilder- 
ness perished not with the bitings of the serpents; so they which by faith behold 
the death of Christ are healed from the bitings of sins®*.” 

See “The effusion and shedding of the righteous blood for the unrighteous was so 


mighty unto the privilege, so rich unto the price, that if all the prisoners in the 





[4 See before, page 420, note 2.] 


<ahiee E 
[! My roivuy airdv iepéa dxovcas, det icpacbar 


vouite. awak yap iepacato, Kai Nowrov éxdOicev. 
iva yap py vopions avw éoravar abtov, Kal eL- 
Toupyov elvat, deixvvowy drt olkovopias TO Tpayud 
éoTlv. wotep yap dovKos éyévero, oUTw Kal Lepeds, 
kai Nertoupyds. GX’ Womep Sovdos yevdpuevos, odK 
€uewve dovAos* obtw Kal Nertoupyds ‘yevdpevos, obK 
€ueive Lectoupyds. ov yap Nevroupyou 76 Kabjoba, 
a\Xe@ 76 eoravas. 
tis Ovcias Td peyadeiov’ 7 fipxece pla obca, Kal 
anrat mpocevexfeica, TocovTov Scov ai wacar ovK 
icxvoav.—ld. Par. 1718-38. in Epist. ad Heb. cap. 
vii. Hom. xiii. Tom. XII. p. 134.] 


[2 Oi« éorw @Xn Ovola pia rjuas éxabdpice 


TovTO ovv alvittetat évTavla 


Meta O€ ToUTO, TUp Kai yéevva’ Kal yap Kal dia 
-_ ” 1 , , , o ° s 
TOUTO avw Kal KdTwW oTpéper éywv, Eva lepéa, 
, Pe F F seis ee 
play Ovoiav’ tva prj Tis vomiGwy TodX4s elvat, ddeas 

dpaptavy.—td. ibid. p. 135.] 

[° El roivuy die tas duaprias did THS Las 
Bucias, oixéte xpeia devtépas.—ld. ibid. cap. x. 
Hom. xviii. p. 175.] 


[> TloAA@ yap wrelova wy dpethouev KaTéBa- 
ev 6 Xpicros, Kal TocotbTw Welova, bow Tpos 
pavida pixpav wéAayos adte:pov.—Id. in Epist. ad 
Rom. Hom. x. Tom. IX. p. 522.] 

[§ ‘O Oavaros aitov, not, tiv ExOpav améx- 
Teer, ETpwoe, Kal aTwreEceEV, OVX ETEPW ETITa~aS, 
obd? évepyiicas povov, ad\Ad Kai madwv.—Id. in 
Epist. ad Ephes. cap. ii. Hom. v. Tom. XI. p. 36.] 

[7 Et cum dicat in evangelio, Caro mea est 
quam ego dabo pro mundi vita, dubitare penitus non 
debemus, quod pro toto mundo se impenderit, qui 
plus dedit quam totus mundus valebat. Sicut et 
beatus Joannes evangelista testatur: Ipse est enim 
propitiatio pro peccatis nostris, non pro nostris au- 
tem tantum, sed et pro totius mundi.—Faust. De 
Grat. Dei, et Lib. Arbitr. in Mag. Biblioth. Vet. 
Patr. Col. Agrip. 1618-22. Lib. 1. cap. xvi. Tom. V. 
Pars ui. p. 512.] 

[8 See before, page 419, note 12.] 

[° See before, page 172, note 1.] 


THE SIXTH ARTICLE. 


423 


world did believe on their Redeemer and Deliverer, the tyrannical bonds could hold 


none of them’’.” 


“There is unto us one offering, not many; forasmuch as Christ was once of- Theoph. in 


fered.” 


“Thy passion, O Lord Jesu is the last refuge and singular remedy. 


wisdom faileth, when righteousness sufficeth not, when the merits of holiness fall 


down to the ground, then that thy passion helpeth. 
will not be dismayed, nor cast away my hope. 
take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord’™. 


When my strength faileth, I 


212 


Heb. cap. x. 


When Rernard. in 
ant. 


I know what I shall do: ‘I will Psa. exvi. 


“What is of such force to heal the wounds of the conscience, and also to purge Iiem in 


brance of the wounds of Christ? 2?” 


“T know that my merits are not sufficient for me: 


and cleanse the sight of the mind, as the diligent meditation and calling to remem- hates eeues 


that I lack, I am bold to Idem in 


quodam 


take out of the bowels which do abound with mercy; neither do holes lack, by the Sem. 


which they may gush and flow out’*.” 


“Here doth the apostle shew the greatness of the sacrifice of Christ, that that Haymo in 
being once offered was of such force and strength, as all the sacrifices of the law 


were never like unto it. 


For the sacrifice was one, and once offered, and it suf- 


ficeth for ever and ever to take away all the sins of the faithful’®.” 


THE SEVENTH ARTICLE. 


That the substance of bread and wine in the sacrament is not changed into 
the true and natural substance of the body and blood of Christ, but re- 
main and continue still in their own nature, property, and kind; yea, 
and that after the words of consecration, as they call it. 


Probations out of the old fathers. 


eb. cap. vil. 


“Tf that whatsoever entereth into the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out orig. in 
into the draught ; that meat also which is sanctified by the word of God and by prayer, 
as touching the matter thereof, goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught. 


But by the prayer which is added unto it, through the proportion of faith it is made 


profitable, working that the mind may be quick, ever having an eye unto that which 


is profitable. 


Neither is it the matter of the bread, but the word spoken upon it, 


that profiteth him that eateth it not unworthily the Lord'*.” 
*“* Before the bread be sanctified we call it bread; but, the divine grace sanctifying chrysost. 


Matt. cap. xv. 


ad Cesar. 


it by the means of the priest, it is delivered from the name of bread, and it is Monach. 
counted worthy the name of the Lord’s body; although the nature of bread doth still 


remain in it’’.” 


['° Effusio enim pro injustis sanguinis justi, tam 
potens fuit ad privilegium, tam dives ad pretium, 
ut si universitas captivorum in Redemptorem suum 
crederet, nullum tyrannica vincula retinerent.— 
Leon. Magni Pape I. Op. Lut. 1623. Serm. xii. 
de Pass. Dom. col. 168. 

[2 Kai pia éotiv atitn, od modal, érrerds} 
ana mrpoonvéx6n.—Theophyl. Op. Venet. 1754-63. 
Comm. in Epist. ad Heb. cap. x. Tom. II. p. 719.] 

['* Passio tua ultimum refugium, singulare re- 
medium. Deficiente sapientia, justitia non suffici- 
ente, sanctitatis succumbentibus meritis, illa succurrit. 
... Itaque cum defecerit virtus mea, non conturbor, 
non diffido: scio quid faciam: ‘‘ Calicem salutaris 
accipiam, et nomen Domini invocabo.”—Bernard. 
Op. Paris. 1667. Vol. I. Tom. 11]. p. 35. In Cant. 
Serm. xxii. 8.] 


['3 See before, page 172, note 2. ] 

['4 Ego vero fidenter quod ex me mihi deest, 
usurpo mihi ex visceribus Domini, quoniam miseri- 
cordia affuunt: nec desunt foramina, per que efflu- 
ant.—Id. in Cant. Serm. Ixi. 4. ibid. p. 102.] 

['® Magnitudinem sacrificii Christi hic ostendit, 
quod semel oblatum tantum prevaluit, quantum om- 
nia sacrificia legalia non valuerunt. Unum enim 
fuit, et semel oblatum, et sufficit in sempiternum ad 
tollenda omnia peccata credentium.—Haymo in Diy. 
Paul. Epist. Interp. 1528, fol. Gg. iii. 1.] 

[26 Orig. Op. Par. 1733-59. Comm. in Matt. 


Tom. x1. cap. xv. Tom. III. pp. 499, 500. See Vol. 


II. page 265, note 4. ] 
[17 Chrysost. Op. Epist.ad Cesar. Monach. Tom. 
II. p. 744. See Vol. II. page 265, note 5.] 


Idem in 
Matt. cap. 
XXvi. 


Theod. in 
Dialog. 


Ibidem. 


Trenzus con- 
tra Valenti- 
num, Lib. iv. 
cap. XXxiv. 


Idem Lib. v. 
cap. lvil. 


Cyril. in 
Joan. Lib. iv. 
cap. xiv. 


Cyprian. ad 
Mag. Lib. i. 
Fpist. vi. 


Idem in 
Serm. de 
Coen. Dom. 
Idem in 
Serm. de 
Lapsis. 
Hilarius, 
Dist. 2. 


Ambros. de 
his qui Myst. 
initiantur, 
cap. ult. 


Aug. in 
Serm. ad 
Infantes. 


26. 
Gelasius con- 
tra Eutych. 


424 


ARTICLES OF CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 


“Christ, when he delivered this mystery, delivered wine; yea, after his resurrec- 


tion also he used wine upon the very table of the mystery. 
he, ‘of the vine,’ which bringeth wine, and not water’. 


‘Of the fruit,’ saith 


1» 


“He that called his natural body wheat, and bread, and named himself also a 
vine; even the very same hath ennobled the mysteries that are seen with the name 
of his body and blood, not changing the nature of them, but giving grace unto 


nature®.” 


“The mystical signs after the consecration do not depart from the nature. 


For 


they remain in their former substance, figure, and form, and may be both seen and 


touched as before’.” 


“The bread wherein we give thanks, which is of the earth, receiving the calling 
on God, is then no more common bread, but the bread of thanksgiving, consisting 
of two things, one earthly, and the other heavenly*.” 

“When the mingled cup and the broken bread receiveth the word of God, it is 
made the eucharist, that is to say, the thankful sacrament of the body and blood of 
Christ, whereof the substance of our flesh is increased and doth consist°.” 

“Christ gave to his disciples the fragments of bread, saying, ‘Take and eat: 


*69) 


this is my body. 


“The Lord calleth bread made of many grains his body, and the wine made of 


many grapes his blood’.” 


“The consecrated bread entered into the wicked mouth*.” 
“The drink sanctified or consecrated into the blood of the Lord gushed out of 


the filthy bowels’.” 


“The body of Christ, which is taken from the altar, is a figure, while the bread 
and wine is outwardly seen; but there is a truth, while the body and blood of 


Christ is inwardly believed in truth"®.” 


“Tf such virtue be in the word of the Lord, that things begin to be that which 
they were not; how much more is it able to bring to pass that the things may be 
that they were, and yet be turned into another thing"!” 

“That ye have seen is the bread and cup, and that also which your eyes do 
shew unto you; but that faith asketh to be instructed, bread is the body of Christ, 


and the cup is his blood.” 


“Come boldly: it is bread, and not poison"’.” 
“The sacraments of the body and blood of Christ which we receive are holy 
things, so that through them we are made partakers of the divine nature; and yet 


the substance or nature of bread and wine do not cease to be there still. 


And verily 


the image and likeness of the body and blood of Christ are celebrated in the action 


of the mysteries. 


It is therefore plainly enough shewed unto us, that we must think 


that to be in the Lord Christ which we profess, celebrate, and take'* in the image or 


[! See before, page 359, note 1.] 

[? Theodoret. Op. Lut. Par. 1642-84. Immut. 
Dial.1.Tom. IV. p. 18. See Vol. II. page 288, note6.] 

[? Id. Inconfus. Dial. mn. Tom. 1V. p. 85. See 
Vol. II. page 266, note 2.] 

[* Iren. Cont. Her. Lib. Quinque. Par. 1710. 
Lib. 1v. cap. xviii. 5. p. 251. See Vol. II. page 267, 
note 4.] 

[> Id. Lib. v. cap. ii. 3. p. 294. See Vol. IT. 
page 267, note 5.] 

{® Cyril. Alex. Op. Lut. 1638. In Joan. Evang. 
Lib. rv. cap. i. p. 360. See Vol. II. page 288, 
note 8.] 

[7 Cypr. Op. Oxon. 1682. Epist. Ixix. ad Magn. 
p. 182. See Vol. II. page 267, note 6.] 

[® Id. De Coen. Dom. (Arnold.) Appendix, p. 
39. See Vol. II. page 267, note 7. ] 

[° Id. De Laps. p. 182. See Vol. II. page 267, 
note 8.] 


[° Hilar. in Corp. Jur. Canon. Lugd. 1624. 
Decret. Gratiani, Decr. Tert. Pars, De Consecr. 
Dist. ii. can. 79, col. 1956. See Vol. II. page 286, 
note 3.] 

[' De totius mundi operibus legisti, quia ipse 
dixit, et facta sunt; ipse mandavit, et creata sunt: 
sermo ergo Christi qui potuit ex nihilo facere quod 
non erat, non potest ea que sunt, in id mutare 
quod non erant?—Ambros. Op. Par. 1686-90. De 
Myst. Lib. cap. ix. 52. Tom. II. col. 339.] 

[22 August. Op. Par. 1679-1700. Serm. cclxxii. 
ad Infant. Tom. V. cols. 1103, 4. See Vol. Il. page 
268, note 1. ] 

[}3 Dimittis, dimittetur tibi: securus accede; 
panis est, non venenum.—Id. in Johan. Evang. 
cap. vi. Tractat. xxvi. 11. Tom. III. Pars mu. col. 
498.] 

['4 Folio, are; but the Latin is sumimus. See 
note 16.] 


THE SEVENTH ARTICLE. 425 


likeness of him; that is to say, that, as they go into this divine substance, through 
the working of the Holy Ghost, and yet remain still in the propriety’® of their na- 
ture; so likewise that very principal mystery (whose working and power they do 
truly represent unto us), those things remaining whereof it properly consist, they shew 
that one Christ, because he is whole in all points and true, doth remain’®.” 

“While we receive as well the unleavened bread as the leavened, we are made 
one body of the Lord our Saviour’’.” 

“Because corporal bread strengtheneth the heart, therefore is it very aptly called 
the body of Christ. The wine also is therefore referred unto the blood of Christ, 
because it worketh blood in the flesh’’.” 


Gregorius in 
Registro. 


Fabianus, 
Lib. i. cap. 
Xxxi. 


“Tf that mystery (he speaketh of the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ) pertramus 


be done under no figure, then is it not rightly called a mystery. For that cannot 
be called a mystery, wherein nothing is hid, nothing removed from corporal senses, no- 
thing covered under some shadow. But that bread, which through the ministry of 
the priest is made the body of Christ, sheweth one thing outwardly to the senses 
of man, and declareth another thing inwardly to the minds of the faithful. Out- 
wardly the form of bread, as it was before, is set forth, the colour is shewed, the 
savour is received ; but inwardly another manner of thing, much more precious and 
much more excellent, is set forth: for an heavenly thing, for a divine thing (I mean 
the body of Christ) is shewed, which is not either seen, or taken, or eaten with the 
senses of the flesh, but with the beholding of a faithful mind. The wine also, which 
through the consecration of the priest is made the sacrament of the blood of Christ, 
containeth one thing outwardly, and another thing inwardly. For what other thing 
in outward appearance is there seen than the substance of wine? Taste thou: it 
savoureth wine. Smell thou: it smelleth wine. Look upon it: the colour of wine 
is seen. But if thou consider it inwardly, then not the liquor of wine, but the liquor 
of the blood of Christ, to the minds of the faithful both doth savour when it is 
tasted, and is known when it is seen, and is proved when it is worshipped. Seeing 
then that no man can deny these things to be thus, it is plain and evident that that 


bread and wine is figuratively the body and blood of Christ’’.” 
“ After the substance of the creatures, look, what they were before the consecra- tnidem. 


tion, even the very same do they remain still. 


Bread and wine they were before, 


in the which kind they being now consecrated appear still to remain®.” 





['® Folio, prosperitie. Latin, proprietate. | 

(2° Certe sacramenta que sumimus corporis et 
sanguinis Christi, divina res est, propter quod et 
per eadem divine efiicimur consortes nature, et 
tamen esse non desinit substantia vel natura panis 
et vini. Et certe imago et similitudo corporis et 
sanguinis Christi in actione mysteriorum celebran- 
tur. Satis ergo nobis evidenter ostenditur hoc nobis 
in ipso Christo Domino sentiendum, quod in ejus 
imagine profitemur, celebramus, etsumimus; ut sicut 
in hanc, scilicet in divinam transeant, sancto Spiritu 
perficiente, substantiam, permanente tamen in sue 
proprietate nature, sic illud ipsum mysterium prin- 
cipale, cujus nobis efficientiam virtutemque veraciter 
Tepresentant: ex quibus constat proprie permanen- 
tibus unum Christum, quia integrum verumque per- 
manere demonstrant.—Gelas. adv. Eutych. et Nes- 
tor. in Mag. Biblioth. Vet. Patr. Col. Agrip. 1618- 
22. Tom. V. Pars ut. p. 671.] 

[!? The editor has not succeeded in discovering 
the passage intended. ] 

[8 Fabianus is an error. The passage is found 
Raban. Maur. Op. Col. Agrip. 1626-7. De Inst. 
Cler. Lib. 1. cap. xxxi. Tom. VI. p. 12. See Vol. 
Il. page 287, note 9.] 

[?® Si enim nulla sub figura mysterium illud per- 
agitur, jam mysterium non recte vocitatur; quoniam 


mysterium dici non potest, in quo nihil est abditum, 
nihil a corporalibus sensibus remotum, nihil aliquo 
velamine contectum. Atille panis, qui per sacerdotis 
ministerium Christi corpus conficitur, aliud exterius 
humanis sensibus ostendit, et aliud interius fidelium 
mentibus clamat. Exterius quidem panis, quod ante 
fuerat, forma pretenditur, color ostenditur, sapor ac- 
cipitur : astinterius longe aliud, multoque pretiosius, 
multoque excellentius intimatur, quia cceleste, quia 
divinum, id est, Christi corpus ostenditur; quod non 
sensibus carnis, sed animi fidelis contuitu, vel aspi- 
citur, vel accipitur, vel comeditur. Vinum quoque, 
quod sacerdotali consecratione Christi sanguinis effi- 
citur sacramentum, aliud superficie tenus ostendit, 
aliud interius continet. Quid enim aliud in super- 
ficie, quam substantia vini conspicitur? Gusta, vi- 
num sapit: odora, vinum redolet: inspice, vini color 
intuetur. At interius si consideres, jam non liquor 
vini, sed liquor sanguinis Christi, credentium men- 
tibus et sapit dum gustatur, et agnoscitur dum con- 
spicitur, et probatur dum odoratur. Hee ita esse 
dum nemo potest abnegare, claret quia panis ille 
vinumque figurate Christi corpus et sanguis existit. 
—Ratramn. Lib. De Corp. et Sang. Dom. Oxon. 
1838. capp. ix. x. pp. 4, 5.] 

[*° Id. ibid. cap. liv. p. 27. See Vol. II. page 
268, note 3.] 


de Corpore et 


Sanguine Do- 
mini. 


What can be 
more plainly 
spoken 
against 
transubstan- 
tiation? 


Ibidem. 
Note, ye pa- 
pists, and 
once be 
ashamed of 
your trifling 
transubstan- 
tiation. 


Hesych. in 
Levit. cap. 
viii. Lib. ii. 


In Sent. 
Dist. 11. Lib. 
iv. Quest. 3. 


In Decret. 

de Sum. et 
Fide Cath. 

cap. Firmi- 
ter. 


In Canon. 
Misse, Lect. 
40. 


iS 


426 ARTICLES OF CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 


“Tf the wine, being consecrate by the office of the ministers, be corporally turned 
into the blood of Christ; the water also, which is mingled with it, must needs cor- 
porally be turned into the blood of the faithful people. For where one consecration 
is, there shall also follow one operation; and where a like reason is, there followeth 
also a like mystery. But we see that in the water, as touching the body, nothing is 
turned: it followeth therefore that neither in the wine is there any corporal conversion. 
It is taken spiritually, whatsoever is signified in the water concerning the body of 
the people: it must needs therefore be taken spiritually, whatsoever is set forth in 


the wine of the blood of Christ’.” 
“For this cause commanded he the flesh to be eaten with bread, that we might 
understand that it is called of him a mystery, because it is both bread and flesh’.” 


THE AUTHOR. 


In the council Florentine, under Eugenius the fourth of the name, bishop of Rome, when the 
contention concerning the Holy Ghost between the Greek and Latin church was quieted and peased, 
the pope with his adherents attempted all means possible to allure the Greeks, that they would also 
receive and allow the article of transubstantiation of the sacramental bread and wine unto the natural 
body and blood of Christ (which article pope Innocent the third had before placed among the articles 
of the catholic faith), and so in this thing also consent with the Latin church. But the Greeks could 
not be brought by any reasons, or arguments, or persuasions to receive, admit, and allow a doctrine so 
mad, so foolish, so unsavoury, and so in all points estranged from the writings both of the apostles 
and of the ancient fathers, yea, and so clean contrary to all reason; insomuch that in the letters of 
the mutual consent concerning the proceeding of the Holy Ghost, when they should be made and pub- 
lished, they did utterly forbid and diligently take heed that not so much as any mention of any such 
matter should be made in them, as it plainly appeareth in the bull of Eugenius, which beginneth on 
this manner: Exultent cali, et letetur terra, &c.; the Greeks and all the east church saying fare- 
well to so horrible a monster3. And what marvel, seeing that Joannes Scotus, otherwise called Duns, 
a subtile doctor, doth freely confess that the article of transubstantiation is neither expressed in the 
apostles’ creed, nor in any other of the ancient creeds; but that it was at the last found, declared, 
defined, and set forth of the church (he meaneth the church of Rome) under pope Innocent the third, 
at the council Lateronense, in the year of our Lord a thousand two hundred and fifteen? “ Unto this 
sentence and judgment,”’ saith he, “this thing seemeth principally to move, because we must hold of 
the sacraments as the holy church of Rome holdeth; but it holdeth that the bread is transubstantiated 
and turned into the very substance of the body and blood of Christ.” He saith moreover, that “the 
words of the scripture might be expounded more easily, and more plainly, without transubstantiation ; 
but the church,” saith he, ‘‘did choose this sense, which is more hard*,” &c. 

Gabriel Biel also, one of the chiefest and best among the school-doctors, confesseth the same. 
Writing upon the canon of the mass, he hath these words: ‘It is to be noted that, although it be 
plainly taught in the scripture that the body of Christ is truly contained under the kinds of bread 
and wine, and received of the faithful people; yet how the body of Christ is there, whether by con- 
version of any thing into it, or without conversion it beginneth to be the body of Christ with the 
bread, the substance and accidents of bread remaining still, it is not found expressed in the canon 
of the bible. Notwithstanding, forasmuch as men must hold of the sacraments as the holy church of 
Rome holdeth, as it is written De Hereticis, Ad Abolendam; and the church holdeth and hath 
determined that the bread is transubstantiated into the body of Christ, and the wine into his blood ; 
therefore is this opinion received of all them that be catholic, that the substance of bread remaineth 
not, but is really and truly turned, transubstantiated, and changed into the substance of the body of 
Christ®.” 

The very same thing writeth Cameracensis, plainly disputing that it is much more probable, and 
more agreeable to the truth, if we affirm that in the sacrament of thanksgiving there remain true 
bread and true wine, and not the accidents only; but the church (he meaneth the Romish church) 


hath determined the contrary®. 
To whom is it not now apparent and evident enough, that the doctrine of transubstantiation is utterly 


[' See below, page 447, note 4, where this [* Joan. Duns Scot. Op. Lugd. 1639. In Lib. 
passage is more fully given. | tv. Sentent. Dist. xi. Quest. 3. Tom. VIII. pp. 616, 

[2 ... propterea carnes cum panibus comedi pre- | 18,19. See Vol. II. page 269, note 5.] 
cipiens, ut nos intelligeremus, illud abeo mysterium [° Gab. Biel. Canon. Misse Expos. Basil. 1515. 
dici, quod simul panis et caro est, sicut corpus | Lect. xl. fol. 94.2. See Vol. II. page 269, note 6. ] 
Christi panis vivi, qui de ccelo descendit.—Isych. [& Quest. Pet. de Alliaco Card. Camerac. sup. 
Presb. Hieros. in Levit. Basil. 1527. Lib. rm. in | Lib. Sentent. Par. Lib. rv. Quest. vi. Art. 2. fol. 
cap. viii. fol. 49. 2.] 265. See Vol. II. page 269, note 7.] 


[? See Vol. II. page 266, note 3.] 


THE SEVENTH ARTICLE. 427 


new and an yesterday bird, not taught in the holy scriptures, utterly unknown to the ancient fathers, 
unheard of among the old wholesome councils, lately thrust into the church of-Christ by the bishop 
of Rome and his adherents through violence and tyranny, and now kept and retained still by the 
same with fire and fagot, sword and halter ? 


THE EIGHTH ARTICLE. 


That Christ is truly present in the supper, that is to say, in spirit, grace, 
virtue, and power, not in body and human nature, as the papists dream. 


Probations out of the old fathers, 


“First of all let us inquire of his peregrination or going away, namely because it orig. in Matt. 
seemeth to be contrary to that his journey, which he promiseth of himself to his dis- Hom. 33. 
ciples, saying : ‘ Where two or three shall be gathered together in my name, there am Matt. xviii 
I in the midst of them.’ Again: ‘ Behold, I am with you continually, even unto the end Matt. xxviii. 
of the world.” And that also which the Baptist spake of him, shewing him to be 
in all places: ‘In the midst of you,’ saith he, ‘doth he stand; whom ye know not: Johni. 
he it is that cometh after me.’ Therefore will some man say, If he stand in the midst 
of them that know him not; if, wheresoever two or three be gathered in his name, 
he be among them ; if he be with the disciples continually, even unto the end of the 
world; how is he set forth in this parable to be gone away into a strange country ? 
Entreating of this matter, we must remember that which Paul speaketh of himself: 

“I verily, absent in body, but present in spirit, have determined already, as though I 1 cor. v. 
were present, concerning him that hath done this deed, ,in the name of our Lord 

Jesu Christ, when ye are gathered together and my spirit with you, with the power 

of the Lord Jesus Christ, to deliver him unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, 

that the spirit may be saved in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.’ If the power of 

Jesus do accompany them which are assembled and gathered together in his name, 

then is he not gone away from his, but he is alway present with all his: how do 

his parables bring him to be gone away? See how we may dissolve that which 

is now sought. He said to his disciples: ‘Behold, I am with you unto the end of 

the world.” Item: ‘ Where two or three be gathered together in my name, there am I in 

the midst of them.’ And he that standeth in the midst of them that know him 

not is the only-begotten Son of God, God the Word, and Wisdom, and Righteous- 

ness, and Truth, which is not inclosed with any bodily circuit or inclosure. After 

this nature of his divinity he is not gone away ; but he is gone away after the dis- 8 
pensation of the body of Christ, which he took, according to the which he was both 
troubled and made heavy, saying, ‘ Now is my soul troubled :’ and again, ‘My soul john xii, 
is heavy unto the death.’ We, speaking these things, divide not his humanity, (see- “* **" 
ing it is written of John, ‘Every spirit that divideth Jesus is not of God;’) but: Jonniv. 
we reserve to both his natures their own properties’.” 

“Although Christ hath taken away from hence the presence of his body, yet is cyrit, in 
he alway present by the majesty of his divinity; as he promised when he should sear te 
go away from his disciples: ‘ Behold, I am with you continually, even unto the end 
of the world”.” 

“ After his majesty, after his providence, after his unoutspeakable and invisible Aug. in 
grace, that is fulfilled which was spoken of him: ‘Behold, I am with you unto the Seas 
end of the world.’ But as concerning the flesh which he took in his incarnation, 
as concerning that which was born ie the virgin, as concerning that which was ap- 
prehended the Jews, and was crucified on the tree, taken down from the cross, 


lapped in linen clothes, and buried, and rose again, and appeared after his resurrection, 





[7 Orig. Op. Par. 1733-59. In Matt. Comm. Ser. | note 1.] 
65. Tom. III]. pp. 882, 3. See Vol. I]. page 273, [® See before, page 274, note 1.] 


Idem in 
Joan. 
Tract. 50. 


Idem in 
Joan. Tract. 
102. 


Aug.de 
Essentia Di- 
vinitatis. 


Hieron. in 
Matt. cap. 
XXvVi. 


2 Cor. v. 


Cyril. in 
Joan. Lib. ix. 
cap. XXi. 


428 ARTICLES OF CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 


ye shall not always have me with you. Wherefore seeing that, as concerning the 
presence of his body, he was conversant with his disciples forty days, and, they ac- 
companying, seeing, and following him, he went up into heaven, he is not both here 
(for he sitteth at the right hand of his Father); and yet he is here, for he departed 
not hence as concerning the presence of his divine majesty. As concerning the pre- 
sence of his majesty, we have Christ ever with us; but as concerning the presence 
of his flesh, he said truly to his disciples: ‘Ye shall not ever have me with you.’ 
For as concerning the presence of his flesh, the church had Christ but a few days; 
yet now it holdeth him fast by faith, though it see him not with eyes’.” 

“How shall I hold him that is absent? how shall I reach my hand unto heaven, 
that I may lay hand on him that sitteth there? Send thy faith, and thou hast laid 
hand on him. Thy forefathers have holden him in his flesh: hold him thou in thy 
heart; for Christ, being absent, is also present. Except he were present, he could 
not be holden of us. But forasmuch as it is true that he saith, ‘Behold, I am 
with you continually, even unto the world’s end,’ he is both gone away, and he is 
also here: he is both come again, and he hath also forsaken us. He carried his 
body into heaven; but he hath not taken away his majesty from the world’.” 

“Christ hath left the world by his bodily departure, and is gone unto the Father 
by the ascension of his manhood; and yet hath he not left the world with the go- 
vernance of his divine presence*.” 

“We must believe and confess that the Son of God, as concerning his divinity, 
is invisible, without a body, immortal, and incircumscriptible; but, as concerning his 
humanity, we ought to believe and confess that he is visible, hath a body, and is 
contained in a certain place, and hath truly all the members of a man*.” 

“Why said the Lord unto his disciples after his resurrection, ‘Behold, I am 
with you unto the end of the world;’ and now he saith, ‘ Ye shall not have me 
alway’? I think he speaketh in this place of his corporal presence, that he should 
not be with them after his resurrection on such sort as he was now familiarly living 
with them. Of the which thing the apostle maketh mention, saying: ‘ Although we 
have known Christ Jesus after the flesh, yet now we know him no more so’°.” 

“‘ Christian people must believe that although Christ be absent from us, as con- 
cerning his body, yet by his power he governeth us and all things, and is present 
with all them that love him. Therefore he said: ‘Truly, truly I say unto you, 
Wheresoever there be two or three gathered together in my name, there am I in the 
midst of them.’ For like as when he was conversant here in earth as a man, yet 
then he filled heaven, and did not leave the company of angels; even so being now 
in heaven with his flesh, yet he filleth the earth, and is in them that love him. And 
it is to be marked that, although Christ should go away as concerning his flesh (for 
he is ever present in the power of his divinity), yet for a little time he said he would 


be with his disciples*.” 


[} August. Op. Par. 1679-1700. In Johan. Evang. 
cap. xii. Tractat. 1. 13. Tom. III. Pars 1. col. 634. 
See Vol. IL. page 274, note 1.] 

[° Id. ibid. 4. cols. 630, 1. 
274, note 2.] 

[? Reliquit mundum corporali discessione, per- 
rexit ad Patrem hominis adscensione, nec mundum 
deseruit presentie gubernatione.—Id. ibid. Tractat. 
cii. 6. col. 755. ] 

[* Idcirco eumdem Dei Filium secundum substan- 
tiam divinitatis sue invisibilem et incorporeum et 
immortalem atque incircumscriptum, sicut et Patrem 
et Spiritum sanctum credere et confiteri oportet : 
juxta humanitatem vero visibilem, corporeum, loca- 
lem atque omnia membra humana veraciter haben- 
tem credere convenit et confiteri—Id. De Essent. 
Divin. Lib. Tom. VIII. Appendix, col. 72. This 
treatise is most probably not Augustine’s: it has 
been ascribed to various authors. ] 


See Vol. II. page 





[> Hieron. Op. Par. 1693-1706. Comm. Lib. rv. 
in Matt. cap. xxvi. Tom. IV. Pars 1. col. 126. See 
Vol. II. page 274, note 3.] 

[§ AraxetoBar 6& deiv, avayKatov elvat pnmi, 
Tos olye ppovovow opbas, Kat idpumévny EXovor 
tiv mist, ws él kal aweoTLY ijua@Y TH capKl, THY 
apos Oeov Kai Tlatépa oretAduevos arodnpiav, 
G\N’ otv 7H Oeia duvduer Tepiéemer Ta obuTavTa, 
kal ouumdpect: tois ayam@ow aitov. dia yap 
To. ToUTO Kal Epackev, auijy, aunv, éeyw viv, 
Sarov édv cuvayOévtes wor dio i Tpets els TO Emov 
dvoma, éxet eluc ev péow aitav. wowep yap av- 
Opwros Ett cuvdiarTw@pevos, Kal érl yHs UTapxywv 
meta capkds, érhrpov pév odpavods, cuvay d& TOTE 
Tots cyto adyyéXots, odk dwedeimeTO TE TMV aw 
XWpwv' ottw Kal viv brapxwy év obpavois peta 
THs idtas capKos, TAnpot mev THY YHV, cuveott 6&8 
Tots éavTov yvwpipos. émiTyper d€ Srrws, KaiToL 
Kata pdovny THY capka xwpitecOar mpocdoKwy* ovv- 


THE EIGHTH ARTICLE. 429 


“Christ is not here by the presence of his flesh; and yet is he absent no where Greg. in 


by the presence of his majesty’.” 


“The Word incarnate both tarrieth and goeth away: it goeth away in body, and one 


tarrieth in divinity®.” 

“He that is both God and man was taken up in his manhood, which he received 
of the earth; but, as concerning his Godhead, he abideth with his saints on earth, 
wherewith he filleth both earth and heaven’.” 


Hom. Pasch. 


Pen- 


tecost. 


Beda in 


Hom. Pasch. 


“Christ, after his resurrection ascending into heaven, left them corporally, whom tidem. 


notwithstanding he never forsook with the presence of his majesty'®.” 


in Hom. in 
Vig. Pent. 


“Christ said to his disciples: ‘If ye loved me ye would be glad; for I go unto Vigilius con- 


tra Eutych. 


my Father.’ And again he said: ‘It is expedient for you that I go. For if I go Lib. i. 


not, the Comforter shall not come to you.’ And yet surely the eternal Word of God, 
the Virtue of God, the Wisdom of God, was ever with his Father, and in his 
Father; yea, even at the same time when he was with us, and in us. For when he 
did mercifully dwell in this world, he left not his habitation in heaven; for he is 
every where whole with his Father, equal in divinity, whom no place can contain; 
for the Son filleth all things, and there is no place that lacketh the presence of his 
divinity. From whence then and whither did he say that he would go? Or how 
did he say that he went to his Father, from whom doubtless he never departed ; 
but that to go to his Father, and from us, was to take from this world that nature 
which he received of us? Thou seest, therefore, that it was the property of that 
nature to be taken away and go from us, which in the end of the world shall be 
rendered again to us; as the angels witnessed, saying: ‘This Jesus, which is taken 
from you, shall come again, like as ye saw him going up into heaven.’ For look 
upon the miracle, look upon the mystery of both the natures. The Son of God, as 
concerning his humanity, went from us; as concerning his divinity, he said unto us, 
‘Behold, I am with you all the days unto the world’s end’".” 

“He is both with us and he is not with us. For those whom he left, and from 
whom he went away, as concerning his humanity, those he left not, nor forsook 
them not, as touching his divinity. For as touching the form of a servant, which he 
took away from us into heaven, he is absent from us; but by the form of God, 
which goeth not from us, he is present with us in earth; and nevertheless, both pre- 
sent and absent, he is to us all one Christ™.” 

“If the Word and the flesh were both of one nature, seeing that the Word is 
every where, why is not the flesh every where? For when it was in earth, then verily 
it was not in heaven; and now, when it is in heaven, it is not surely in earth. And 
it is so sure that it is not in earth, that, as concerning it, we look for him to come 
from heaven, whom, as concerning his eternal Word, we believe to be with us in 
earth. Therefore by your doctrine (saith Vigilius unto Eutyches, who defended that 
the divinity and humanity in Christ was but one nature) either the Word is contained 
in a place with his flesh, or else the flesh is every where with the Word. For one 
nature cannot receive in itself two diverse and contrary things. But these two things 
be diverse and far unlike, that is to say, to be contained in a place, and to be 
every where. Therefore, inasmuch as the Word is every where, and the flesh is not 
every where, it appeareth plainly that one Christ himself hath in him two natures, 
and that by his divine nature he is every where, and by his human nature he is 
contained in a place; that he is created, and hath no beginning ; that he is subject to 
death, and cannot die. Whereof one he hath by the nature of his Word, whereby 
he is God, and the other he hath by the nature of his flesh, whereby the same God 





€sTt Yap nuiv TH Guvayer THs DedTnTOs dia wav- | col. 1576. See Vol. II. page 275, note 6. ] 


TOs ETL wtKkpov xXpdvoyv wel’ rjuav Ececbal pnor.— [° Ven. Bed. Op. Col. Agrip. 1612. Hom. Fer. 
Cyril. Alex. Op. Par. 1638. Comm. in Joan. Evang. | Sext. Pasch. Tom. VII. col. 14. See Vol. II. page 
Lib. rx. cap. xiii. v. 33. Tom. IV. p. 747.] 275, note 7. ] 


(7 Gregor. Magni Pape I. Op. Par. 1705. In [4° Id. Hom. in Fest. Sanct. Pentecost. col. 38. 
Evang. Lib. 1r. Hom. xxi. Die Sanct. Pasch. Tom. | See Vol. II. page 275, note 8. ] 
I. col. 1527. See Vol. II. page 274, note 5.] [*! Vigil. adv. Eutych. in Cassandr. Op. Par. 
[® Id. Lib. 1. Hom. xxx. Die Sanct. Pentecost. | 1616. Lib. 1. p. 518. See Vol. II. page 275, note 9.] 


Acts i. 


Matt. xxviii. 
Ibidem. 


Vigilius con- 
tra Eutych. 
Lib. iv. 


Justus Epise. 
Orgelitanus 
in Cantica 
Canticorum. 


Origenes in 
Lev. Hom. 


J ohn vi. 


Chrvsost. in 
Joan, Hom. 
46. 


430 ARTICLES OF CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 


is man also: therefore one Son of God, the self-same was made the Son of man, 
and he hath a beginning by the nature of his flesh, and no beginning by the nature 
of his godhead. He is created by the nature of his flesh, and not created by the 
nature of his godhead. He is comprehended in a place by the nature of his flesh, 
and not comprehended in a place by the nature of his godhead. THe is inferior to 
the angels in the nature of his flesh, and is equal to his Father in the nature of his 
godhead. He died by the nature of his flesh, and died not by the nature of his 
godhead. This is the faith and catholic confession which the apostles taught, the 
martyrs did corroborate, and faithful people keep unto this day?.” 

“Desire not to see me always in my body, whom thou seest better in spirit 
through faith. For unto this end have I gone up into heaven, that I might not 
always appear unto thee that I am contained in a place, which do so fill all things 
with the presence of my divinity, that I am every where, and contain all things, and 


am contained of no place?.” 


THE AUTHOR. 


Now, seeing that it evidently appeareth by these testimonies of the ancient fathers, that Christ 
is truly present at the holy banquet of his most holy body and blood; not in his humanity, but 
in his divinity ; not corporally, but spiritually; not in quality and quantity, but in virtue and majesty ; 
it followeth that Christ in that honourable supper is none otherwise eaten and received of the godly 
communicants than after a spiritual and divine manner; so far is it off that the very, true, natural, 
and glorious body of Christ (which, as St Austin saith, occupieth continually some certain place of 
everlasting joy and bliss’, and is not in all places at one time corporally present) is in truth, as 
the papists speak, with the hands of the priests handled and broken, and torn on pieces with the 
teeth of the faithful people: which thing is manifest and plain, not only by the writings of the old 
fathers, but also by the very doctrines of sundry and divers papists: whereof that the godly and 
equal reader may have a taste, I have thought it not unfitting to add certain testimonies, which may 
plainly teach that the true eating of the body of Christ, and the drinking of his blood in the sacra- 
ment, is not corporal, but spiritual; not done with the mouth of the body, but with the faith of the 


soul. 


THE NINTH ARTICLE. 


That the body and blood of Christ in the holy mysteries of the Lord’s supper 
is not received of the faithful with the mouth of the body, but only with 


the mind and heart through faith, 


Probations out of the old fathers. 


“Except ye eat my flesh, and drink my blood, ye shall not have life in you.” 
“Consider,” saith Origen upon these words, “that these things written in God’s books 
are figures, and therefore examine and understand them as spiritual, and not as carnal 
men. For if you understand them as carnal men, they hurt you, and feed you not. 
For even in the gospels is there found letter that killeth. And not only in the old 
testament, but also in the new is there found letter that slayeth him that doth not 
spiritually understand that which is spoken. For if thou follow the letter or words 
of this that Christ said, ‘Except ye eat my flesh, and drink my blood,’ this letter 
killeth *.” 

“Tf any man understand the words of Christ carnally, he shall surely profit nothing 
thereby. For what mean these words, ‘The flesh availeth nothing?’ He meant not 
of his flesh (God forbid!) but he meant of them that fleshly and carnally understood 


a= those things that Christ spake. But what is carnal understanding? To understand 


[! Id. ibid. Lib. rv. pp. 546, 7. See Vol. Il. [* August. Op. Par. 1679-1700. Lib. ad Dard. 
page 279, note 10.] seu Epist. clxxxvii. 41. Tom. II. col. 692. See Vol. 
{2 Just. Orgel. in Cant. Explic. 137. in Mag. | Ll. page 278, note 1.] 
Biblioth. Vet. Patr. Col. Agrip. 1618-22. Tom. VI. [* Ong. Op. Par. 1733-59. In Levit. Hom. vii. 


Pars 1. p. 515. See Vol. II. page 276, note 1.] 5. Tom. II. p. 225. See Vol. II. p. 287, note 11.] 


THE NINTH ARTICLE. 431 


the words simply as they be spoken, and nothing else. For we ought not so to 
understand the things which we see; but all mysteries must be considered with in- 
ward eyes; and that is spiritually to understand them®.” 

“We must above all things beware that we take not literally any thing that is August. de 
spoken figuratively.” ‘Nor, contrariwise, we must not take for a figure any thing Libs ii ee 
that is spoken properly. Therefore must be declared the manner how to discern a” 
proper speech from a figurative. Wherein must be observed this rule; that, if the 
thing which is spoken be to the furtherance of charity, then it is a proper speech, 
and no figure.” ‘So that if it be a commandment that forbiddeth any evil or wicked 
act, or commandeth any good or beneficial thing, then it is no figure. But if it com- 
mand any evil or wicked thing, or forbid any thing that is good and beneficial, then 
is it a figurative speech. Now this saying of Christ, ‘Except ye eat the flesh of John vi. 
the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye shall have no life in you,’ seemeth to com- 
mand an heinous and a wicked thing; therefore it is a figure, commanding us to be 
partakers of Christ’s passion, keeping in our minds, to our great comfort and profit, 
that his flesh was crucified and wounded for us°.” 


“<Tt is the Spirit that quickeneth ; the flesh profiteth nothing. The words which Athanasius 


I have spoken to you are spirit and life. He spake both these things, that Christi, Qui- 
is to say, the flesh and Spirit, of himself, and made a distinction between the flesh aixerit ver 
um contra 


and the Spirit, that they, not only believing that which was seen, but that also which Filium homi- 
in him could not be seen, might learn that those things also which he spake were ™’ ““ 
not carnal, but spiritual. For how many men could his body have sufficed to 

be eaten, that it might be the meat of the whole world? But for this cause he 
made mention of the ascension of the Son of man into heaven, to pluck them from 
corporal phantasy, that they might learn hereafter that his flesh, whereof he spake, 

was the celestial meat that came from above, and a spiritual food which he would 

give. For ‘those things which I spake to you, saith he, ‘be spirit and life” Which 

is as much to say as, that thing which you see shall be slain and given for the 
nourishment of the world, that it may be distributed to every body spiritually, and 

be to all men a conservation unto the resurrection of everlasting life. So likewise the 
Lord, drawing away the woman of Samaria from sensible things, called God ‘a Johniv. 
Spirit, that she afterward should not think of God corporally, but spiritually’.” 

“There arose once a question, as we read in the gospel of John, concerning the cyprianusin 
strangeness of this speaking; and the hearers were astonied at the doctrine of this Gens Dom. 
mystery, when the Lord said: ‘Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink Jonnvi. 
his blood, ye shall have no life in you.’ Which some, because they did not believe, 
nor could not understand, they departed and went away, because they thought it an 
horrible and shameful thing to eat man’s flesh, thinking that this saying was so to 
be understand, that they were taught to eat his flesh either sodden or roasted, or else 
cut in pieces: when his flesh, if it had been divided into ,pieces, could not suffice all 
mankind ; for, that being once consumed and spent, religion should seem to die, see- 
ing there remained no more sacrifice. But in such imaginations flesh and blood 


[° Chrysost. Op. Par. 1718-38. In Joan. Hom. 
xlvii. Tom. VIII. p. 278. See Vol. II. page 287, 
note 12.] 

[® August. De Doctr. Christ. Lib. 111. 9, 14, 24. 
Tom. III. Pars 1. cols. 47, 9, 52. See Vol. II. 
page 291, note 3. ] 

(7 To wvevpa éott Td Qworroiodyv, 1} capt odk 
wpedet ovdev. Ta pijuata & eyw eXGAnKa bpiD, 
TvEUMa EoTL Kal (wy. Kal évtavla yap auddrepa 
Tept EavToU elpynKe, capka Kal wvevpa’ Kal TO 
Tveu“a THOS TO KaTa capKa OvéoTetley, iva pH 
Hovov TO datvduevov, d\\a@ Kat TO adpatov avTou 
TistevoavTes wadbwowv, OTr Kal @ éyer OvK Eat 
capkixa, d\\a@ TvevpaTikd. TWocoLs yap npKEr gd 
capa mpos Bpaow, iva Kai Tov Koomov TavTos 
ToUTO Tpodi) yévntat; ada dia TovTO THs Eis 
ovpavovs advaBdcews éEuvnudvevce TOU viov Tov av- 


Opwrov, iva THs cwmaTiKAS Eevvoias abtods adeh- 
Kvon, Kat Novrdv tiv elpnuévnv capxa Boao 
dvwlev otpdviov Kal mvevpatixijy Tpodyy map’ 
aitov é.donévny pabwow" a yap AehaAnka, pyoiv, 
Uulv, wvevpa eat Kal Cwr. loov Tw eimeiv, TO 
fev Getkvdpevov Kai Oiddmevov UTEp TIS TOU KOc- 
pov ocwtnpias, éorly 4 cape iv éyw dopa a\X 
aitn vpiv Kal TO TavTHS Giwa Tap’ E“ov Tvevma- 
Tias doOyceTat Tpody, WoTE TVEULATLKA@S ev Exa- 
oTw TavTHY avadioocbat, Kai yiverBar Tact pudak- 
THplov eis avactaciw (wis alwviov. oUTws Kai tiv 
Sayapeiti apéAxwv 6 Kupios ard tay aicbyntwv, 
qmvevpa elpynke Tov Oedv* brép TOV pHKETL Twuc- 
TiKwS aUTHV, @\Aa TveupaTikws dtavoetabar wept 
tov QOcov.—Athanas. Op. Par. 1698. Epist. iv. 19. 
ad Serap. Tom. I. Pars u. p. 710.] 


Ibidem. 


Tbidem. 


Eusebius | 
Emissenus 1n 
Serm. de _ 
Eucharistia. 


August. de 
Consecr. 
Dist. 2. 


August. in 
Joan, Hom, 
26. 


Ibidem. 


1 Cor. xi. 


John xiii. 


432 ARTICLES OF CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 


profiteth nothing; for, as the Master himself did expound the matter, ‘these words 
are spirit and life ;’ neither doth carnal sense reach unto the understanding of so great 
and deep a mystery, except faith come’.” 

“The Master of this tradition said that, except we eat his flesh and drink his 
blood, we should have no life in us; instructing us with a spiritual lesson, and giving 
to us a way to understand so privy a thing, that we should know that the eating 
is our dwelling in him, and our drinking is as it were an incorporation in him, 
being subject unto him in obedience, joined unto him in our wills, and united in our 
affections. The eating therefore of this flesh is a certain hunger, and a certain desire to 
dwell in him’.” 

“So oft as we do this, we make not sharp our teeth to bite, but with pure faith 
we break and divide the holy bread®.” 

“When thou comest to the reverend altar to be filled with spiritual meats, with 
thy faith look upon the body and blood of him that is thy God. Honour him, 
touch him with thy mind, take him with the hand of thy heart, and drink him with 
the draught of thy inward man*.” 

“To what end preparest thou thy teeth and thy belly? Believe, and thou hast 
eaten. For to believe in him is to eat the living bread. He that believeth on him 
eateth him’®.” 

“This is the bread which came down from heaven, that if any man eat of it he 
should never die. But this is to be understand of him which pertaineth unto the 
virtue of the sacrament, and not of him that belongeth unto the visible sacrament ; 
which eateth inwardly, and not outwardly; which eateth with the heart, and not 
with the teeth®.” 

“ Moses did eat manna, and Aharon did eat manna, and Phinees did eat manna, 
and many other besides did eat manna, which pleased the Lord, and died not. Why 
so? Because they did understand the visible meat spiritually: they did hunger spi- 
ritually, they did eat spiritually, that they might be spiritually filled. For we also 
at this day receive the visible meat. But the sacrament is one thing; and the virtue 
of the sacrament is another thing. Very many receive of the altar and die. There- 
fore saith the apostle: ‘He eateth and drinketh his own damnation.’ Was not that 
morsel which the Lord gave to Judas poison unto Judas? And yet he received it. 
And when he received it, the enemy entered into him; not because he received any 
evil, but because that he, being evil, did receive that which was good evil. Take 
heed therefore, brethren: eat ye the heavenly bread spiritually: bring with you inno- 
cency or pureness of life unto the altar’.” 





[! Orta fuerat aliquando, sicut in evangelio Joan- 
nis legitur, de novitate verbi hujus questio; et ad 
doctrinam mysterii hujus obstupuerant auditores, 
cum diceret Dominus: Nisi manduecaveritis carnem 
Filii hominis, et biberitis ejus sanguinem, non habe- 
bitis vitam in vobis. Quod quidam quia non cre- 
debant, nec poterant intelligere, abierunt retro: quia 
horrendum eis et nefarium videbatur vesci carne 
humana ; existimantes hoc eo modo dici, ut carnem 
ejus vel elixam, vel assam, sectamque membratim 
edere docerentur, cum illius persone caro si in 
frusta partiretur, non omni humano generi posset 
sufficere, qua semel consumta, videretur interisse 
religio, cui nequaquam ulterius victima superesset. 
Sed in cogitationibus hujusmodi caro et sanguis non 
prodest quidquam ; quia, sicut ipse magister expo- 
suit, verba hee spiritus et vita sunt: nec carnalis 
sensus ad intellectum tante profunditatis penetrat, 
nisi fides accedat-—Cypr. Op. Oxon. 1682. De Coen. 
Dom. (Arnold.) pp. 39, 40.] 

[? Dixerat sane hujus traditionis magister, quod 
nisi manducaremus ejus carnem, et biberemus ejus 
sanguinem, non haberemus vitam in nobis: spiri- 
tali nos instruens documento et aperiens ad rem adeo 
abditam intellectum, ut sciremus quod mansio nostra 


in ipso sit manducatio, et potus quasi quedam in- 
corporatio, subjectis obsequiis, voluntatibus junctis, 
affectibus unitis. Esus igitur carnis hujus quedam 
aviditas est, et quoddam desiderium manendi in ipso. 
—Id. ibid. p. 41.] 

[2 Ib. ibid. p. 44. See Vol. II. page 295, note 8.] 

[‘ Euseb. Emiss. in Corp. Jur. Canon. Lugd. 
1624. Decret. Gratiani, Decr. Tert. Pars, De Con- 
secr. Dist. ii. can. 35. col. 1928. See Vol. 11. page 
295, note 9. ] 

[5 August. Op. Par. 1679-1700. In Johan. 
Evang. cap. vi. Tractat. xxv. 12. xxvi. 1. Tom. III. 
Pars 11. cols. 489,94. See Vol. Il. page 295, notes 
6, 7.] 

[° Hic est ergo panis de ccelo descendens, ut si 
quis manducaverit ex ipso, non moriatur. Sed quod 
pertinet ad virtutem sacramenti, non quod pertinet ad 
visibile sacramentum : qui manducat intus, non foris: 
qui manducat in corde, non qui premit dente.—Id. 
ibid. Tractat. xxvi. 12. col. 499.] 

[7 ... manducayvit manna et Moyses, manducavit 
manna et Aaron, manducavit manna et Phinees, 
manducaverunt ibi multi qui Domino placuerunt, et 
mortui non sunt. Quare? Quia visibilem cibum 
spiritaliter intellexerunt, spiritaliter esurierunt, spi- 


THE NINTH ARTICLE. 


433 


“Tet us not eat the flesh of Christ and drink his blood only in the sacrament, August. 
which many evil men also do; but let us eat and drink unto the participation of the Tract.97. 
Spirit, that we may abide as members in the body of the Lord, that we may be 
quickened with his Spirit, and not be offended although many now with us do eat and 


drink the sacrament temporally, which shall have in the end everlasting torments’. 
“They that eat and drink Christ do eat and drink life. 
That which is visibly received in the sacra- 


refreshed, and to drink him is to live. 


8» 


ment in very truth is spiritually eaten and drunken’®.” 


““¢ Where the dead carcase is,’ saith Christ, ‘there also will the eagles be.’ : 
dead carcase is the body of the Lord, because he died. For, except he had fallen, Hom: 24. 
He calleth them eagles to declare that he must strive and 


we had not risen again. 


labour unto high things which cometh unto this body, and that he ought to have 
nothing to do with worldly matters, nor to be moved unto base things, and to creep 
upon the ground, but ever to fly unto those things that are above, and to look unto 
the Sun" of Righteousness, and to have the eye of the mind most quick and clear. 


For this table belongeth unto eagles, and not unto jays”. 


1» 


To eat him is to be DeConseecr. 
Dist. 2. 


This Chrysost. in 


I. cap. X- 


“At the Lord’s table let us not embase ourselves to look upon the bread and concilium 
cup that be there set forth; but, lifting up our minds, let us with our faith consider 
that the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world is set upon that holy 
table, which is not offered of the priests after the manner of other sacrifices, and, 
truly receiving the precious body and blood of him, believe that these are the signs 


of our resurrection. 


may know that these mysteries serve not to fulness, but to holiness”. 


For because of this we receive not much, but little, that we 


12 


Nicenum. 


“What is it to eat the flesh of Christ, and to drink his blood, but to be partaker Bemara. 


of his passions, and to follow that conversation which he led in the flesh? 


Where- 


fore that pure and undefiled sacrament of the altar betokeneth this, where we receive 
the Lord’s body, that, as that form of bread is seen to enter into us, so likewise we 
may know by that conversation which he had in the earth, that he entereth into us, 


to dwell in our hearts by faith’’.” 


“He receiveth the meat of life, and drinketh the everlasting cup, which abideth 


in Christ, and Christ in him. 


For he that is at discord with Christ doth neither 


eat the flesh of Christ, nor drink his blood, although without any difference he re- 





ritaliter gustaverunt, ut spiritaliter satiarentur. Nam 
et nos hodie accipimus visibilem cibum: sed aliud 
est sacramentum, aliud virtus sacramenti. Quam 
multi de altari accipiunt et moriuntur, et accipiendo 
moriuntur! Unde dicit apostolus, Judicium sibi 
manducat et bibit. Non enim buccella dominica 
venenum fuit Jude: et tamen accepit, et cum ac- 
cepit, in eum inimicus intravit: non quia malum 
accepit, sed quia bonum male malus accepit. Videte 
ergo, fratres, panem ccelestem spiritaliter manducate, 
innocentiam ad altare apportate.—ld. ibid. 11. col. 
498.] 

{® Hoc ergo totum ad hoc nobis valeat, dilec- 
tissimi, ut carnem Christi et sanguinem Christi non 
edamus tantum in sacramento, quod et multi mali; 
sed usque ad Spiritus participationem manducemus 
et bibamus, ut in Domini corpore tamquam mem- 
bra maneamus, ut ejus Spiritu vegetemur, et non 
scandalizemur, etiam si multi modo nobiscum man- 
ducant et bibunt temporaliter sacramenta, qui habe- 
bunt in fine eterna tormenta.—Id. ibid. Tractat. 
xxvii. 1]. col. 506.] 

[° Qui manducant et bibunt Christum, vitam 
manducant et bibunt. Illum manducare est refici: 
illum bibere est vivere. Quod in sacramento visi- 
biliter sumitur, in ipsa veritate spiritaliter manduca- 
tur et bibitur.—Id. in Corp. Jur. Canon. Decret. 
Gratiani, Decr. Tert. Pars, De Consecr. Dist. ii. can. 


[BECoN, 1. ] 








58. col. 1943. Op. Serm. cxxxi. 1. Tom. V. col. 641.] 

[?° Folio, summe. ] 

[!! Chrysost. Op. Par. 1718-38. In Epist. 1. ad 
Cor. Hom. xxiv. Tom. X. p. 216. See Vol. II. page 
295, note 10. ] 

[22 "Eni ris Bias tpawetns wahw Kavravba py 
TH Tpokemevw apTw Kal TW ToTHpiw TaTEWas 
mpocéxwpev’ aXN bYwoavTes rua@v THY didvoray, 
mister. vonowpev Ketobar emi THS Lepas Eexeivns 
tTparéns Tov duvov Tov OBeov, Tov aipovta Tijv 
duaptiav Tov Kocpov, abUTws UTO TwY iepéwy Bud- 
pevov’ Kal TO Titov alTOU CHa Kal aiwa adnbas 
NapBavovtas mas, WieTeve Ta’Ta elvat Ta THS 
juetépas avactacews ciuBoda. dia TOUTO yap ove 
ao\d AapBavouev, aX’ OXriyov, iva yvwpuev Ott 
obx els TANGMOVHY, aX’ eis aytacudv.—Gelas. Hist. 
Conc. Nic. in Concil. Stud. Labbei. Lut. Par. 1671- 
2. cap. xxx. Tom. II. col. 233.] 

(}3 Quid autem est manducare ejus carnem, et 
bibere sanguinem, nisi communicare passionibus ejus, 
et eam conversationem imitari, quam gessit in carne? 
Unde et hoc designat illibatum illud altaris sacra- 
mentum, ubi dominicum corpus accipimus: ut sicut 
videtur illa panis forma in nos intrare ; sic noverimus 
per eam quam in terris habuit conversationem, ipsum 
intrare in nos, ad habitandum per fidem in cordibus 
nostris.—Bernard. Op. Par. 1690. In Psalm. xci. 
Serm. iii. 3. Vol. I. Tom. ur. col. 832.] 

28 


in Psal. 
Serm. 3. 


Prosper. 
in Sent. Aug. 


August. in 
Joan. Tract. 
26. 


Aug. de Civ. 
Del, Lib. xxi. 
cap. XXVv. 


Clem. Alex. 
in Ped. Lib. 
il. cap. li. 


De Penit. 
Dist. 2. De 
Charitate. 


Bert. de 
Corp. et Sang. 
Dom. 


De Consec. 
Dist. 2. Gloss. 
in cap. Quid 
est. 


De Consec. 
Dist. 2. Gloss. 
in cap. 
Credere. 


Gloss. in cap. 
Forte. 


Bonavent. 
Lib. iv. Dist. 
9. 


434 ARTICLES OF CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 


ceive daily the sacrament of so noble a thing unto the condemnation of his pre- 
sumption’.” 

“To believe in him is to eat the bread of life. He that believeth in him eateth 
him, and is invisibly fed, because he is also invisibly born again. He is an infant 
within, he is new within: where he is new made, there [he] is filled*.” 

“‘ «He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.’ 
He sheweth what it is, not sacramentally, but truly to eat the body of Christ, and 
to drink his blood. Verily this is it, to dwell in Christ, that Christ may dwell in 
him. And this that he spake is as though he should say: He that dwelleth not in 
me, and in whom I dwell not, let him not say or think that he eateth my body, or 
drinketh my blood®.” 

“This is to drink the blood of Jesu, even to be partaker of the uncorruption or 
innocency of the Lord *.” 

“‘<T am that living bread,’ saith Christ, ‘which came down from heaven. If any 
man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever.’ He therefore that liveth not for ever 
shall not eat that living bread for ever. But he that eateth not hath not believed 
in him. For this is to eat that living bread, even to believe in Christ; that is to 
say, by love to be incorporate in him. Seeing then that the reprobate hath not believed 
in him, he hath not eaten him. And so had he not the faith of the Christians, whereby 
sins alone are released*.” 

“Tt is a spiritual meat, and a spiritual drink, spiritually feeding the soul, and giving 
the life of everlasting fulness; as our Saviour himself commending this mystery saith: 
‘It is the Spirit that quickeneth ; for the flesh profiteth nothing’®.” 

“ Christ is eaten two ways: one way sacramentally, which is common, and be- 
longeth to the good and bad: another way, when he is received by faith and love 
working together; and this appertaineth unto the good only’.” 

‘“‘ As in baptism Christ is sometime put on sacramentally only, and sometime unto 
the sanctification of the life (the first is common both to the good and to the bad; 
but the second is proper only to the good), so likewise is Christ eaten sacramentally 
only of the wicked, but of the good both sacramentally and spiritually, and of all the 


faithful spiritually’.” 


“It cannot be that Christ should be devoured with teeth®.” 
*“* As the body is principally nourished with these two meats, that is to say, with 
bread and wine; so is the soul fed principally with that meat, that is to say, the body 


and blood of Christ’’.” 


“¢ Eating is chiefly and properly found in corporal things, and is translated from them 


unto spiritual things. 


And therefore, if we will take that right spiritual eating, we 


have need to transpose ourselves from the proper taking of the word".” 


{1 August. Op. Par. 1679-1700. Prosp. Lib. 
Sent. ex August. cccxli. Tom. X. Appendix, col. 
247. See Vol. II. page 292, note 1.] 

[? Id. In Johan. Evang. cap. vi. Tractat. xxvi. 1. 
Tom. III. Pars 11. col. 494. See Vol. II. page 295, 
note 7. J 

[? Id. De Civ. Dei, Lib. xx. cap. xxv. 4. Tom. 
VII. cols. 646, 7. See Vol. II. page 293, note 10.] 

[* Kal tour’ éort mieiv TO aipa tov "Inaou, 
Tis Kuplaxys petadaBety apbapcias.—Clement. 
Alex. Op. Oxon. 1715. Pedag. Lib. 11. cap. il. 
Tom. I. p. 177.] 

[® Item Dominus, Ego sum panis vivus, qui de 
coelo descendi: si quis manducaverit ex hoc pane, 
vivet in eternum. Qui ergo non vivit in eternum, 
non manducavit panem vivum, quod credere in 
Christum, id est, amando tendere in ipsum. Cum 
ergo reprobus in eum non crediderit, quem non man- 
ducavit, et ita fidem Christianorum (qua sola peccata 
relaxantur) non habuerit, quomodo, &c.—Corp. 
Jur. Canon. Lugd. 1624. Decret. Gratiani, Decr. 


Sec. Pars, De Peenit. Dist. ii. can. 14. col. 1726. 
A reference ought to have been made to this canon 
in Vol. II. page 292, note 1.] 

[® Ratram. Lib. de Corp. et Sang. Dom. Oxon. 
1838. cap. ci. pp. 51, 2. See Vol. Il. page 296, 
note 1.] 

{7 Decret. Gratiani, Decr. Tert. Pars, De Con- 
secr. Dist. ii. Glossa in can. 46. col. 1935. See 
Vol. II. page 296, note 2.] 

[® Id. ibid. Glossa in can. 59. col. 1944. See 
Vol. II. page 294, note 4.] 

[° August. in eod. Dist. ii. can. 72. col. 1951. 
See Vol. II. page 296, note 3.] 

[2° Preterea sicut corpus principaliter his duobus 
cibis nutritur, ita principaliter anima illo cibo, sci- 
licet corpore Christi et sanguine, pascitur.—Glossa 
in can. 48. in eod. col. 1933. ] 

[1 Dicendum quod manducatio primo et proprie 
in corporalibus invenitur, et ab illis ad spiritualia est 
translata: et ideo si velimus accipere rectam mandu- 
cationem spiritualem, necesse habemus ad propriam 


THE NINTH ARTICLE. 435 


“* When Christ giveth his flesh to eat and his blood to drink, he giveth them not Jacobus 


n 


after a carnal and fleshly manner, as they did understand it. For that flesh, that is to sane 
say, that manner of eating his flesh and drinking his blood, profiteth nothing, neither 


was it ever so given to any man. But then doth it profit only, when it is received 


after a divine and such manner as he was then in heayen’’.” 


THE AUTHOR. 


Now, seeing that it is plain and evident by the aforesaid sentences of the old fathers, that, as the 
presence of Christ in the holy mysteries of the Lord’s supper is divine and spiritual, so likewise that 
his body and blood is there none otherwise received than in spirit and faith, it followeth necessarily 
that these words, which Christ pronounced in the institution of his mystical supper, are not to he 
understanded simply and as the letter soundeth, but after a figurative and spiritual manner; which thing 
I will evidently prove and plainly set forth by the very open authorities and testimonies of the ancient 
writers, that all this controversy of the sacrament, which hath so long bitterly and miserably, sharply 
and grievously, vexed, troubled, and disquieted the minds, not only of the ignorant and simple, but 
also of the learned and wise, while some of them strive that the words of Christ are to be taken pro- 
perly, and as the words sound, another sort affirm that they are to be taken figuratively and spiritually, 
may at the last be quieted, quenched, and utterly taken away: except, peradventure, some man be so 
fond, that he will by no means remit and give over his opinion, which he hath once without all 
reason drunken in, and is so graffed in his heart, that it can by no means be plucked out, neither by 
reason, nor by authority, nor by doctrine, nor by truth; according to this common proverb, It is hard 
to pluck that away that is bred by the bone. Notably is it said of St Austin: “ That is a miserable August. de 
servitude and bondage of the soul, to take the signs for the things signified, and not to be able to Lee es 
lift up the eye of the mind above the corporal creature, that it may receive the everlasting life!5.”’ 


< 


THE TENTH ARTICLE. 


That the words of the Lord’s Supper, that is to say, “ This is my body,” 
“ This is my blood,” are not properly, but figuratively to be understanded. 


Probations out of the old Fathers. 


“‘ Christ made the bread, which he took and distributed to the disciples, his body, tertun. aav. 
by saying, ‘This is my body; that is to say, a figure of my body. But it had not See 
been a figure, except there had been a true body. For as for that which is no sub- 
stance, but a phantasy, can take no figure™.” 

“ Christ never refused the water of the Creator, wherewith he washed his disciples, Ibidem adv. 
nor the oil, wherewith he anointed his, nor the use of honey and milk, wherewith he ub 
nurseth his young ones, nor yet bread, wherewith he representeth his very own 
body”*’,” &c. 

“The Lord doubted not to say, ‘This is my body,’ when he gave the sign of his August. cont. 
body?*.” ae 

“The Lord admitted Judas unto his banquet, in the which he gave and delivered aug. in Psal. 


to his disciples the figure of his body and blood’’.” af 


acceptionem vocabuli nos transferre.— Bonavent. 
Op. Mogunt. 1609. In Sentent. Lib. rv. Dist. ix. 
Quest. ii. Art. 1. Tom. V. p. 101.] 

[’? Similiter cum carnem suam dat cibum, et san- 
guinem suum potum, non carnali (quem ipsi intelli- 
gebant) dat modo: caro enim illa, id est, modus ille 
cibi carnis, et potus ille sanguinis, non prodest quic- 
quam, neque unquam cuiquam fuit exhibitus: sed 
tunc solum prodest, cum divino suscipitur, et eo quo 
tune erat in ceelo modo.—Jac. Fab. Stap. Comm. 
Init. in Quat. Evang. Col. 1541. In cap. vi. Evang, 
sec. Joan. p. 558. ] 

[‘* Ea demum est miserabilis anime servitus, 
signa pro rebus accipere, et supra creaturam cor- 


poream oculum mentis ad hauriendum zternum 
lumen levare non posse.—August. Op. De Doctr. 
Christ. Lib. 111. 9. Tom. IIT. Pars 1. col. 47.] 

{)* Tertull. Op. Lut. 1641. Advers. Marcion. 
Lib. rv. 40. p. 571. See Vol. II. page 285, note 
5.] 

[75 Id. ibid. Lib. rr. 14, pp. 439, 40. See Vol. IT. 
page 285, note 6. ] 

[{© August. Op. Cont. Adimant. cap. xii. 3. 
Tom. VIII. col. 124. See Vol. II. page 282, note 
3.] 

[17 Id. Enarr. in Psalm. ii. 1. Tom. IV. col. 7. 
See Vol. II. page 285, note 11.] 


28—2 


Ambros. in— 
1 Cor. cap. x1. 


Ibidem. 


Ibidem. 


Ambros. de 
Sacer. Lib. iv. 
cap. v. 


Idem in 
Myster. 
TInitiandis. 


Idem de Sacr. 
Lib. iv. cap. 
iv. 


Idem de Sacr. 
Lib. vi. cap. 
i. 


Hieron. in 
Matt. cap. 
XXVi. 


Gen. xiv. 


Beda in 
Lucam, cap. 
Xxii. 


Psal. ex. 


436 ARTICLES OF CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 


“* Because we are delivered by the death of the Lord, we, remembering this thing, 
in eating and drinking do signify the flesh and blood, which were offered for us?.” 

‘“* The old testament was instituted in blood, because blood was a witness of God’s 
benefit ; in signification and figure whereof we take the mystical cup of his blood, to 
the fruition of our body and soul?.” 

“The Lord’s supper is a spiritual medicine, which, being received with reverence, 
purifieth him that cometh devoutly unto it. For it is a memorial of our redemption, 
that we, remembering our Redeemer, might deserve to obtain greater things of him*.” 

““ Make unto us this oblation ascript, reasonable, acceptable, which is the figure of 
the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ*.” 

“The sacrament that thou receivest is made by the word of Christ. For it was 
the true flesh of Christ which was crucified, which also was buried: therefore is this 
the sacrament of the true flesh. The Lord Jesus saith: ‘This is my body.’ Before the 
blessing of the heavenly words, or consecration, another kind is named; but after the 
consecration the body of Christ is signified. In like manner saith he, his blood. 
Before the consecration it is called another thing; but after the consecration is sig- 
nified the blood of Christ®.” 

“* As thou hast in baptism received the similitude of death, so likewise dost thou 
in this sacrament drink the similitude of Christ’s precious blood®.” 

“Thou dost receive the sacrament for a similitude of the flesh and blood of Christ. 
But thou dost obtain the grace and virtue of his true nature. And receiving the bread 
in that food, thou art partaker of his godly substance’.” 

“ After that the figurative passover was full finished and ended, and he had eaten the 
flesh of the lamb with his apostles, he took bread, which comforteth the heart of man, 
and passed forth unto the true sacrament of the passover; that, as Melchisedech, the 
priest of the most highest God, had done in the tofore figuring of him, he in like manner 
should represent the truth of his body®.” 

“ When the solemnities of the old passover were ended, which were celebrated and 
solemnly done for a remembrance of the old deliverance out of Egypt, he goeth unto 
the new, which the church desireth to frequent and often to use for a remembrance of 
her redemption or deliverance, that for the flesh or blood of the lamb he substituting 
and placing a sacrament or holy sign of his flesh and blood in the figure of bread and 
wine, should shew himself to be the Son, to whom ‘the Lord sware, and it shall not 


29 99 


repent him, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech’®. 


And a little after he saith: 


“* Because bread strengtheneth the flesh, and wine worketh blood in the flesh, the 
one is referred mystically to the body of Christ, and the other unto his blood®.” 





{? Qui enim morte Domini liberati sumus, hujus 
rei memores, in edendo et potando carnem et san- 
guinem, que pro nobis oblata sunt, significamus 
novum testamentum in his consequuti, quod est nova 
lex que obedientem sibi tradit ccelestibus regnis.— 
Ambros. Op. Par. 1686—90. Comm. in Epist.1. ad 
Cor. cap. xi. v. 26. Tom. II. Appendix, col. 149.] 

[? Testamentum ergo sanguine constitutum est; 
quia beneficii divini sanguis testis est. In cujus 
typum nos calicem mysticum sanguinis ad tuitionem 
corporis et anime nostrz percipimus.—Id. ibid. ] 

[* Medicina enim spiritalis est, que cum reve- 
rentia degustata, purificat sibi devotum. Memoria 
enim redemtionis nostre est; ut Redemtoris me- 
mores, majora ab eo consequi mereamur.—Id. ibid. 
vv. 23—25. ] 

[* Id. De Sacram. Lib. 1v. cap. y. 21. Tom. II. 
col. 371. See Vol. II. page 285, note 8.] 

[° Nam sacramentum istud quod accipis, Christi 
sermone conficitur...Vera utique caro Christi, que 
crucifixa est, que sepulta est: vere ergo carnis illius 
sacramentum est. Ipse clamat Dominus Jesus : Hoc 


est corpus meum. Ante benedictionem verborum 
ceelestium alia species nominatur, post consecra- 
tionem corpus significatur. Ipse dicit sanguinem 
suum. Ante consecrationem aliud dicitur, post con- 
secrationem sanguis nuncupatur.—Id. De Myst. 
Lib. cap. ix. 52, 3, 4. Tom. II. cols. 339, 40.] 

[® Sicut enim mortis similitudinem sumsisti, ita 
etiam similitudinem pretiosi sanguinis bibis.— Id. 
De Sacram. Lib. rv. cap. iv. 20. Tom. II. pp. 
370, 1.] 

[7 Ideo in similitudinem quidem accipis sacra- 
mentum, sed vere nature gratiam virtutemque con- 
sequeris...et tu qui accipis carnem, divine ejus 
substantia in illo participaris alimento.—Id. ibid. 
Lib. vr. cap. i. 3, 4. pp. 380, 1.] 

[® Hieron. Op. Par. 1693—1706. Comm. Lib. 
Iv. in Matt. cap. xxvi. Tom. IV. Pars 1. col. 128. 
See Vol. II. page 285, note 9.] 

[2 Ven. Bed. Op. Col. Agrip. 1612. In Luc. 
Evang. cap. xxii. Lib. vr. Tom. V. col. 424. See 
Vol. II. page 286, note 6. ] 


THE TENTH ARTICLE. 437 


“The Lord gave to his disciples the sacrament of his body for the remission of Christ. _ 
sins, and for the conservation’? and maintenance of love, that we, remembering that Matt. 
his act, should do the same in a figure that he was about to do for them, and not 
forget this his love. ‘This is my body;’ that is to say, in a sacrament or holy sign"’.” 

‘“‘ Wine maketh merry and increaseth blood ; and therefore not unaptly is the blood Ibidem. 
of Christ figured by it. For whatsoever cometh from him maketh glad with a true 
gladness, and increaseth all our goodness"'.” 

“‘ Because corporal bread maketh the heart strong, therefore it is aptly called the Raban. Maur. 
body of Christ ; and wine, because it worketh blood in the flesh, therefore is it referred cap. xiii. 
to the blood of Christ’*.” 

“* Bread and wine, through mystical prayer and pronouncing of the words of Christ, Isidor, tym. 
are consecrate for a remembrance of the Lord’s passion, which he suffered for us’’.” 

Although Constantine the emperor entered into the church of Christ, yet did not Fuseb. keel. 

. ~ 5 a Hist. Lib. ix. 
he straightways receive the sign of the Lord’s death". cap. ix. 
“The Lord at the table, in the which he was partaker of the last feast with his Cyprian. de 
: ; . ; Unet. 
apostles, gave unto them with his own hands bread and wine; but in the cross he Chrism. 
gave his very body to be wounded with the hands of the soldiers, that the sincere truth 
and true sincerity, secretly imprinted in the apostles, might set forth and declare to the 
nations how bread and wine may be the flesh and blood (of Christ), and with what 
reasons the causes might agree with their effects, and diverse names or kinds should be 
brought unto one essence, and that those things which do signify, and those things which 
are signified by them, may be both called by one name’’.” 
“The Lord called bread made of many grains his body, and wine made of many Idem. ad _ 
A Ge Mag. Lib. i. 
grapes his blood"’. cap. vi. 
** It was wine which the Lord called his blood. Water cannot express the blood Idem ad _ 
° Ceeil. Lib. ii. 
of Christ’’.” Epist. v- 

“The body of Christ, which is taken from the altar, is a figure, while the bread Hilar. Dist. 2. 
and the wine is outwardly seen. But there is also a truth of that figure; for the body ie het 
and blood of Christ be of a truth inwardly believed’*.” 

“‘ The heavenly bread, which is Christ’s flesh, after a certain manner is called Christ’s Prosper in 
body, when in very deed it is the sacrament of Christ’s body. And that offering of the Ne 
flesh, which is done by the priest’s hands, is called Christ's passion, death, and crucifying, 
not in very deed, but in a mystical signification '*.” 

“‘ The heavenly bread, that is to say, the heavenly sacrament, which truly repre- De Consec. 
senteth the flesh of Christ, is called the body of Christ, but improperly. Therefore cee in cap. 
it is said, after a certain manner, but not in very deed, but in a mystical signification, erates 


that the meaning thereof should be: it is called Christ’s body, that is to say, Christ's 


body is signified*’.” 


“Tf through negligence any of the blood do drop upon the ground, 
licked up with the tongue, and the place where it fell shall be scraped, &c. 
Of the blood, that is to say, of the sacrament of the blood. For the 


“ Of glass”. 


['° Folio, conversation. ] 

[?? Christ. Druthmar. Expos. in Math. Evang. 
Argent. 1514, fol. 84. See Vol. II. page 286, notes 
7 and 8.]| 

[?? Raban. Maur. Op. Col. Agrip. 1626—7. De 
Inst. Cler. Lib. 1. cap. xxxi. Tom. VI. p.12. See 
Vol. II. p. 287, note 9.] 

[? Isidor. Hispa]l. Op. Col. Agrip. 1617. Orig. 
sive Etymol. Lib. vr. cap. xix. p. 52. See Vol. II. 
page 287, note 10. | 

[** The reference was probably intended to be 
merely of a negative character. Mention is made in 
the chapter noted of Constantine’s invocation of the 
Lord Jesus; but even his baptism he deferred till 
the close of his life. See Euseb. De Vit. Constant. 
in Hist. Eccles. Script. Amst. 1695—1700. Lib. rv. 
cap. Ixii. pp. 460, 1.] 

[}> Cypr. Op. Oxon. 1682. De Unct. Chrism. 


21» 


(Arnold. ) Appendix. p. 48. See Vol. II. page 285, 
note 12. ] 

['® Id. Epist. lxix. ad Magn. p. 182. 
II. page 267, note 6.] 

[)7 Id. Epist. Ixiii. ad Cecil. p. 152. See Vol. 
II. page 286, note 2. ] 

[28 Hilar.in Corp. Jur. Canon. Lugd. 1624. De- 
cret. Gratiani, Decr. Tert. Pars, De Consecr. Dist. 
ii. ean. 79, col. 1956. See Vol. 11. page 286, note 3. ] 

[79 August. in Lib. Sent. Prosp. in eod. ibid. 
can. 48, col. 1937. See Vol. II. page 250, note 1.] 

[2° Gloss. in can. 48. in eod. ibid. See Vol. II. 
page 284, note 4. ] 

[?! Si per negligentiam aliquid de sanguine Do- 
mini stillaverit in terram, lingua lambetur, et tabula 
radetur.—Ex Decret. Pape Pii. in eod. ibid. can. 
27. col. 1924.] 

[22 Probably gloss.] 


See Vol. 


it shall be tbidem. eap. 


Chrysost. in 
Matt. Hom, 


83. cap. xxvi. 


Chrysost. in 


1 Cor. cap. x. 


Chrysost. in 
Opere Im- 
perf. in Matt. 
Hom. 11 


Chrysost. in 
Serm. de 
Euch. in 
Enceniis. 
Chrysost. ad 
Cesar. Mon. 


Chrysost. in 
Joan. Hom. 
46. 


Chrysost. in 
Psal. xxii. 


438 ARTICLES OF CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 


blood of Christ cannot be separated from the body of Christ: therefore it cannot neither 
drop nor spill*.” 

“The Lord himself also did drink of it, lest that the-disciples, hearing these words, 
‘Take, eat; this is my body: drink ye all of this; this is my blood, should say: 
How now? Drink we blood, and eat we flesh? and by this means they should be 
troubled. For when he spake before of these mysteries, many were offended because of 
his words. Therefore, lest that this should now chance also, he first of all did it, that 
he might induce them with a quiet mind unto the receiving of the mysteries. But 
could the old (testament) do this thing also? No, verily. For therefore saith he, ‘ Do 
this, that they might bring them from it. Moreover, if this causeth remission of sins, 
as it doth indeed, then is the other utterly superfluous, and serveth for nothing. But 
as in the old, so likewise in the new (testament), in preparing this benefit, he hath left 
a memory of himself in these mysteries; so that by them we may also stop the mouths 
of heretics. For when they say, Whereof doth it appear that Christ was offered, and 
such other divers mysteries? we, bringing forth these things, put them to silence. For 
if Jesus died not, whose figure and sign is this sacrifice? Thou seest what great care 
he had, that we should alway remember that he died for us?.” 

“ What do I call a communion? Even the very same body are we. What 
doth the bread signify? The body of Christ. But what are they made that receive 
it? The body of Christ®.” 

“If it be jeopardous to transpose and turn these sanctified and hallowed vessels 
unto private uses, wherein the true body of Christ is not, but a mystery of his body is 
contained ; how much more ought we not, as concerning the vessels of our body, which 
God hath prepared to dwell in, to give place unto the devil, to do in them what he 


will* 2” 


“When ye come unto these mysteries, think not that ye receive the divine body 


at a man’s hand°.” 


““ The bread, before it be sanctified, is called bread; but when it is sanctified by the 
means of the priest, it is delivered from the name of bread, and is exalted to the name 
of the Lord’s body, although the nature of bread doth still remain in it®.” 

“If a man understand the words of Christ carnally, he shall gain nothing. What 
then? Doth the flesh profit nothing? He speaketh not of his own flesh. God forbid. 


But he speaketh of them which understand carnally the things that are spoken. 
Simply as the things are spoken, and not to 


is it to understand things carnally ? 


What 


consider any other thing. For the things that are seen must not so be judged; but 

all mysteries are to be considered with the inward eyes, that is to say, spiritually’.” 
“He prepared this table, that he might daily shew unto us in the sacrament 

bread and wine after the order of Melchisedech, for a similitude or likeness of the body 


and blood of Christ*.” 





ig De sanguine. Id est, de sacramento san- 
guinis: sanguis enim Christi a corpore Christi sepa- 
rari non valet: ergo nec stillare nec fluere potest.— 
Ibid. | 

iF Kai aitds ody Emev éE avtou. iva yap pai 
TavUTa akovovTes cimwat, Th ovV; cine mwivopen, kal 
capka eabiouen ; Kal Bopupnbaiet TOTE’ Kal yep OTe 
Tovs Wept ToUTwWY éxiver Adyous, Kal mpds Ta pri 
para aita twodXoi eakavdaN Kora: iy obv pH Kai 
TOTE Ttapaxlact, TPWTOS autos TOUTO éroincey, 
évaywv autous drapaxes els THY KoLVwviav TOV 
puotnpiov. ua TOUTO ovv TO éauTou lee Kal autos 
émuev. Ti obv; KaKeitvo xpy Torety Kal Td WaXatdv 
prow ; obdapios. Sua yap tobTo elare, TovTO motelre, 
iva é€xeivou SE neyT- ai yap TOUTO adeou auap- 
TLV épyacerat, a@omep ouv Kal epyaterat, mepenray 
€KeLvO outro. Bore ovv émi TOY Lauer io, oUTw 
Kal évtavla THS evepyecias éykatéonce TO punpo- 
suvov TH puoTnpiw* KadvTevbev éupattwy Tav 
aipeTiKav Ta oTOmaTa. Stay yap éywot, Wobev 


ojdov Otte étUOn 6 Xpiotds; pera THY adAwY, Kat 
ao Tav pvoTnpiwy adTovs érioTomigouev. el yap 
py awéPavev 6 ’Incots, Tivos ctuBotu Ta TEXOv- 
pevas Opas bon yéyove cove), wate del avapip- 
vyokeoOat Ott avréavev brép tju@v ;—Chrysost. Op. 
Par. 1718—38. In Matt. Hom. Ixxxii. Tom. VII. 
p. 783. ] 

[3 Id. in Epist. 1. ad Cor. Hom. xxiv. Tom. X. 
p- 213. See Vol. II. page 288, note 1.] 

[* Id. Op. Imperf. in Matt. Hom. xi. Tom. VI. 
p. lxiii. See Vol. IT. page 288, note 3.] 

[® Id. De Poenit. Hom. ix. Tom. II. p. 350. 
See Vol. IL. page 288, note 4.] 

[° Id. Epist. ad Cesar. Monach. Tom. III. p. 
744. See Vol. Il. page 265, note 5.] 

[7 Id. In Joan. Hom. xlvii. Tom. VIII. p. 278. 
See Vol. II. page 287, note 12.] 

[8 Id. Op. Lat. Basil. 1547. Expos. Psal. xxii. 
Tom. I. col. 712. See Vol. II. page 288, note 5. ] 


THE TENTH ARTICLE. 439 


“* He that called his natural body wheat and bread, and named himself also a vine, Theod. Dial. 
even he, the very same, in like manner hath honoured the signs which are seen with ” 
the name of his body and blood, not changing the nature, but adding grace unto 
nature®.” 

“Tf the divine mysteries do represent that which is a body indeed, then is the Lord’s Idem Dial. ii. 
body even now a body also, not changed into the nature of his divinity, but replenished 
with divine glory’’.” 

“In giving of the mysteries Christ called the bread his body, and the mingled cup 1dem Dial. i. 
his blood®.” 

“Christ gave to his disciples pieces of bread, saying, 
body’".” 

“* Christ, of that which is round in fashion, and without sense or fecling'? as concerning Epiph. in 
any power, would by grace say, ‘This is my body’. 4 

“Of this host, which is marvellously done in the remembrance of Christ, we may Hieron. in 
eat; but of that which Christ offered on the altar of the cross, no man can eat of it ““" 
as it is™*.” 

“Tt is a foolish thing to seek Chnist in a little or hid place, which is the light of Idem in 
the whole world”’.” oe 

“ And thou, which art come unto the true Bishop, which by his blood made God Orgen fa 
merciful unto thee, and reconciled thee to the Father, abide or stick not in the blood 9. 
of the flesh, but rather learn the blood of the word, and hear him that saith unto thee, 

‘This is my blood which shall be shed for you into the remission of sins’ ’*.” 

“This bread, which God the Word confesseth to be his body, is the nourishing word Idem in 
of the souls; the word proceeding from God the Word, and bread coming from the» 
heavenly aot which is set upon the table, [whereof it is written, ‘Thou hast prepared 
before me a table”] against them that trouble me. And this drink, which God the 
Word confesseth to be his blood, is the word which giveth drink, and pleasantly maketh 
drunk the hearts of the drinkers, which is in the cup, whereof it is written, ‘And thy 
cup, which maketh drunk, is a wonderful pleasant cup.’ And this drink is the fruit 
of the true vine, whereof he saith, ‘I am the true vine. And it is the blood of John xv. 
that vine, which, betng put into the wine-press of his passion, brought forth this drink. 

So likewise the bread is the word of Christ, made of that wheat which falling into Matt. xiii. 
good ground bringeth forth much fruit'’.” 

“The flesh of the Lord is very meat, and his blood is very drink. This goodness Hieron. in 
have we only in this world, if we eat his flesh and drink his blood, not only in a 


‘Take and eat: this is my Cyril. in 
Joan. Lib. iv. 


cap. xiv. 


[° Theodoret. Op. Lut. Par. 1642—84. Immut. 
Dial. 1. Tom. IV. pp. 17, 18. See Vol. II. page 
288, note 6.] 

[°° Ei roivuy rot dvtos cdmaros dvtituTa éort 
Ta Veta wvotipia, copa dpa éoti Kal vov Tov Ae- 
omdrou 76 cma, dk els OedtnTOs Piow peTaBrnBEr, 
@\ie@ Veias d6Ens dvardnobév.—Id. Inconfus. Dial. 
11. p. 84.] 

["! Cyril. Alex. Op. Lut. 1638. In Joan. Evang. 
Lib. 1v. cap. ii. p. 360. See Vol. II. page 288, 
note 8.] 

[?? Folio, healing. ] 

['3 Epiphan. Op. Par. 1622. Ancorat. 57. Tom. 
II. p. 60. See Vol. II. page 288, note 7.] 

['* De hac quidem hostia, que in Christi com- 
memoratione mirabiliter fit, edere licet: de illa vero, 
quam Christus in ara crucis obtulit, secundum se 
nulli edere licet.—Hieron. In Levit. in Catal. Test. 
Verit. Genev. 1608. col. 207. These discourses, as 
not being really written by Jerome, are not included 
in the Benedictine edition of his works.] 

[7° Stultum est itaque eum in parvo loco vel ab- 


scondito querere, qui totius mundi lumen sit.—Id. 


Par. 1693—1706. Comm. Lib. rv. in Matt. cap. xxiv. 
Tom. IV. Pars 1. col. 116. ] 


[?® ...sed tu qui ad Christum venisti, pontificem 
verum, quisanguine suo Deum tibi propitium fecit, 
et reconciliavit te Patri, non hereas in sanguine car- 
nis: sed disce potius sanguinem verbi, et audi ipsum 
tibi dicentem, quia hic sanguis meus est, qui pro 
vobis effundetur in remissionem peccatorum.—Orig. 
Op. Par. 1733—59. In Levit. Hom. ix. 10. Tom. 
II. p. 243.] 

[?7 Panis iste quem Deus Verbum corpus suum 
esse fatetur, verbum est nutritorium animarum, 
verbum de Deo Verbo procedens, et panis de pane 
ccelesti, qui positus est super mensam de qua scriptum 

st: Preparasti in conspectu meo mensam adversus 

eos qui tribulant me. Et potus iste quem Deus 
Verbum sanguinem suum fatetur, verbum est potans 
et inebrians preclare corda bibentium, qui est in 
poculo de quo scriptum est: Et poculum tuum in- 
ebrians quam preclarum est! Et est potus iste 
generatio vitis vere que dicit: Ego sum vitis vera. 
Et est sanguis uve illius, que missa in torcular pas- 
sionis protulit potum hunc. Sic et panis est verbum 
Christi factum de tritico illo quod cadens in terram 
multum reddidit fructum.—Id. in Matt. Comm. Ser. 
85. Tom. III. p. 898. ] 


Ambros. ad 
Bee Epist. 


62. 
John vi. 


August. in 
Serm. ad 
Infant. 


aS 


August. ad 
Bonif. 
Epist. 23. 


440 ARTICLES OF CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 


mystery, but also in the reading of the scriptures. For that is the true meat and drink, 
which is taken of the word of God by the knowledge of the scriptures'.” 

“Thou demandest of me why the Lord God did rain manna to our forefathers, and 
doth not so now to us. If thou considerest the matter well, he doth not rain manna, 
and yet he doth daily rain manna from heaven to them that serve him. And that 
corporal manna even at this day is found in many places; but that is not a thing so 
greatly to be wondered at, seeing that which is perfect is come. That which is perfect 
is the bread that came down from heaven: it is the body which is born of the virgin ; 
whereof the gospel teacheth thee sufficiently. For that manna, that is to say that bread, 
they that did eat are dead; but this bread he that eateth shall live for ever. But 
there is a spiritual manna, that is to say, a spiritual rain of wisdom, which is poured 
from heaven into the wise and such as seek it, and watereth the minds of the godly, 
and maketh their mouths sweet. He therefore that understandeth the infusion of the 
godly wisdom, is delighted ; neither will he require other meat ; neither liveth he in bread 
alone, but in every word of God. He that is somewhat curious demandeth, What thing 
this is which is sweeter than the honey. The minister of God answereth, This is the bread 
which God giveth thee to eat. What this bread is, hear. It is, saith he, the word 
which God hath ordained. This ordinance of God therefore, this food nourisheth the 
soul of the wise, and lighteneth it, and maketh it sweet, shining with the brightness 
of truth, and making it pleasant as with a certain honeycomb, with the sweetness 
of divers virtues, and with the words of wisdom?.” 

““We know from whence our Lord Jesus Christ took his flesh, even of the virgin 
Mary. He being an infant was fed with her milk, he was nourished, he grew, he 
came to man’s age, he suffered persecution of the Jews, he was hanged on the tree, 
he was slain on the tree, he was buried, he rose again the third day; and what time 
it pleased him he ascended unto heaven, he lifted up his body thither, from whence 
he shall come to judge the quick and the dead: there he is now, sitting on the right 
hand of God. How then is the bread his body, and the cup, or that is within the 
cup, how is it his blood? These things, brethren, are therefore called sacraments, because 
one thing is seen in them and another thing is understanded. That which is seen 
hath a bodily form; but that which is understanded hath a spiritual fruit*.” 

‘Many times we speak so, that when Easter is at hand, we say thus: To-morrow 
or this day two days is the Lord’s passion; when he suffered before so many years ; 
neither was ever that passion done but once. Likewise upon Easter-day we say: This 


[! Porro quia caro Domini verus est cibus, et 
sanguis ejus verus est potus, juxta avaywyrjy hoc 
solum habemus in presenti seculo bonum; si ves- 
camur carne ejus, et cruore potemur ; non solum in 
mysterio, sed etiam in scripturarum lectione. Verus 
enim cibus et potus, qui ex verbo Dei sumitur, sci- 
entia scripturarum est.—Hieron. Op. Par. 1693- 
1706. In Eccles. Comm. Tom. II. cap iii. col. 
734. ] 

[? Quezris a me cur Dominus Deus manna pluerit 
populo patrum, et nunc non pluat. Si cognoscis, 
pluit, et quotidie pluit de ccelo manna servientibus 
sibi. Et corporeum quidem illud manna hodie ple- 
risque in locis invenitur: sed nunc non est tanti res 
miraculi; quia venit quod perfectum est. Perfectum 
autem panis de ccelo, corpus ex virgine, de quo satis 
evangelium te docet. Quanto prestantiora hec 
superioribus! Illud enim manna, hoc est, panem 
illum qui manducaverunt, mortui sunt: hunc autem 
panem qui manducaverit, vivet in eternum. Sed 
est spiritale manna, hoc est, pluvia spiritalis sa- 
pientiz, que ingeniosis et querentibus de ccelo in- 
funditur, et irrorat mentes piorum, et obdulcat fauces 
eorum. Qui igitur intellexerit infusionem divine 
sapientiz, delectatur, nec alium cibum requirit, nec 
in solo pane vivit, sed in omni verbo Dei. Qui 


curiosior fuerit, querit quid sit istud quod melle dul- 
cius sit. Respondit illi minister Dei: Hic est panis, 
quem dedit tibi Deus manducare. Quid sit iste 
panis, audi: Sermo, inquit, quem ordinavit Deus. 
Hec ergo ordinatio Dei, hec alimonia alit animam 
sapientis, et illuminat atque obdulcat, resplendens 
veritatis corusco, et mulcens tamquam favo quodam, 
ita diversarum virtutum suavitate et sermone sapi- 
entie.—Ambros. Op. Par. 1686-90. Epist. Ixiv. 1, 2. 
ad Iren. Tom. IT. col. 1049.] 

{? Dominus noster Jesus Christus, novimus unde 
acceperit carnem; de virgine Maria. Infans lac- 
tatus est, nutritus est, crevit, ad juvenilem ztatem 
perductus est, a Judeis persecutionem passus est, 
ligno suspensus est, in ligno interfectus est, de ligno 
depositus est, sepultus est, tertia die resurrexit ; quo 
die voluit, in ccelum adscendit; illuc levavit corpus 
suum ; inde est venturus ut judicet vivos et mortuos, 
ibi est modo sedens ad dexteram Patris: quomodo 
est panis corpus ejus? et calix, vel quod habet calix, 
quomodo est sanguis ejus? Ista, fratres, ideo di- 
cuntur sacramenta, quia in eis aliud videtur, aliud 
intelligitur. Quod videtur, speciem habet corpora- 
lem ; quod intelligitur, fructum habet spiritalem.— 
August. Op. Par. 1679-1700. Serm. celxxii. ad In- 
fant. Tom. V. col. 1104.] 


THE TENTH ARTICLE. 44] 


day the Lord rose from death; where in very deed it is many hundred years since 
he rose from death. Why then do not men reprove us as liars when we speak on 
this sort, but because we call these days so by a similitude of those days wherein 
these things were done indeed? And so it is called that day which is not that day 
indeed, but by the course of the year it is a like day. And such things be said to 
be done that day for the solemn celebration of the sacrament, which things indeed 
were not done that day, but long before. Was Christ feed any more but once? 
And he offered himself: and yet in a sacrament or representation not only every solemn 
feast of Easter, but every day, he is offered to the people; so that he doth not lie that 
saith, He is every day offered. For if sacraments had not some similitude and likeness 
of those things whereof they be sacraments, they could in no wise be sacraments. There- 
fore, as after a certain manner of speech the sacrament of Christ’s body is Christ’s body, 
and the sacrament of Christ’s blood is Christ’s blood, so likewise the sacrament of faith 
is faith. And to believe is nothing else but to have faith. And therefore, when we 
answer for young children in their baptism that they believe, which have not yet the 
mind to believe, we answer that they have faith, because they have the sacrament of 
faith. And we say also that they turn unto God, because of the sacrament of conversion 
unto God; for that answer pertaineth to the celebration of the sacrament. And likewise 
speaketh the apostle of baptism, saying, that ‘by baptism we be buried with him Rom. vi. 
into death.’ He saith not that we signify burial, but he saith plainly that ‘we be 
buried.’ So that the sacrament of so great a thing is not called but by the name of 
the thing itself *.” 

“The thing that signifieth is wont to be called by the name of the thing which August. in 
it signifieth ; as it is written: ‘The seven ears are seven years.’ He saith not, they xvi 3 OF, 
signify seven years. And, ‘The seven oxen are seven years; and many such-like. 

Hereof cometh it that is said, ‘The rock was Christ.’ He said not, The rock sig- 1cora. 
nifieth Christ; but as though it were that thing which indeed by substance it was 
not, but by signification. So in like manner the blood, because it signifieth and repre- 
senteth the soul, therefore in a sacrament or signification it is called the soul®.” 
“Jn sacraments we must not consider what they be, but what they signify. For contra 
6» Maxim. Lib. 
they be signs of things, being one thing, and signifying another’. iii. cap. xxii. 

“The Lord himself and the doctrine of the apostles have delivered certain sacraments Aucust. de 
for many, yea, and those very easy to be done, and most noble to be understanded, Di tivcan” 
and most pure to be kept; as is the sacrament of baptism, and the celebration of ‘oie can 
Lord’s body and blood. Which every man when he receiveth knoweth, being instructed 
to what end they should be referred, that he may not worship them with a carnal 
servitude or fleshly bondage, but rather with a spiritual liberty. For as to follow 
the letter, and to take the signs for the things which are signified by them, is a token 
of slave-like infirmity, so,in like manner unprofitably to interpret the signs is the pro- 
perty of an evil wandering error’.” 

“The flesh and blood of our sacrifice was promised before the coming of Christ by August. 
the sacrifices of similitudes: in the passion of Christ it was performed by the self truth: Lin. eee 
after the ascension of Christ it is celebrated by a sacrament of remembrance®,” rh 

“Hold this most surely, and by no means doubt of it, that the only-begotten Word Angust. ad 
of the Lord, being made flesh, offered himself for us a sacrifice and oblation of a most dy win” 
sweet savour to God, to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost beasts were sacrificed 
of the patriarchs, prophets, and priests, in the time of the old testament ; and to whom 
now, that is to say, in the time of the new testament, with the F siihar and the Holy 
Ghost, with whom he is one God, the holy catholic church throughout the world ceaseth 
not to offer the sacrifice of bread and wine in faith and charity. For in those carnal 





[* Id. Epist. xeviii. 9. ad Bonifac. Tom. II. cols. | Tom. VIII. col. 725. See Vol. II. page 284, note 1.] 


267, 8. See Vol. II. page 283, note 4.] [7 Id. De Doctr. Christ. Lib. 11. 13. Tom. ITI. 
[° Id. Quest. in Heptat. Lib. mr. Quest. vii. 3. | Pars 1. col. 49. See Vol. II. page 291, note 4.] 
Tom. III. Parsr. col. 516. See Vol. Il. page 282, [® Id. Cont. Faust. Lib. xx. cap. xxi. Tom. VIII. 

note 2. } col. 348. See Vol. II. page 249, note 4.] 


[® Id. Cont. Maxim. Arian. Lib. u. cap. xxii. 3. 


Acts xx. 


August. in 
Psal. xeviii. 


August.Cont. 
Adimant. 
cap. Xil. 


August. de 
Trin. Lib. iii. 
cap. iv. 


Augusf. in 
Psal. mae 


August. ad 
Euod. 


John i. 


1 Cor. x. 


442 ARTICLES OF CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 


sacrifices was there a figure of the flesh of Christ, which he being without sin should 
offer for our sins, and of his blood, which he should shed for the remission of our sins. 
But in this sacrifice there is thanksgiving, and a commemoration or remembrance of 
the flesh of Christ which he offered for us, and of his blood which the same God 
hath shed for us. Of this saith blessed Paul: ‘Take heed to yourselves, and to the 
whole flock over whom the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to govern the church 
of God, which he purchased with his blood.’ Therefore in those sacrifices it was 
figuratively signified what should be given to us; but in this sacrifice it is evidently 
shewed what hath been given to us. In those sacrifices, therefore, the Son was tofore 
declared, that he should be slain for the ungodly ; but in this sacrifice he is shewed and 
evidently set forth, that he was slain for the ungodly’.” 

“ Ye shall not eat this body that ye see, nor drink this blood that they shall shed 
which shall crucify me. But I have delivered you a sacrament, which, being spiritually 
understanded, shall quicken you’.” 

“So is blood the soul, as the rock was Christ. And yet doth not the apostle say, 
The rock signified Christ, &c. For the Lord did not doubt to say, ‘This is my body,’ 
when he gave the sign of his body*.” 

‘“ Although it be lawful to preach the Lord Jesus Christ by tongue, by epistle, and 
by the sacrament of his body and blood, yet do we call neither the tongue, nor the 
parchment, nor the ink, nor the signifying sounds expressed by tongue, nor yet the 
signs of the letters written in skins, the body and blood of Christ ; but that only, which, 
being taken of the fruits of the earth, and consecrate by mystical prayer, we receive 
in due order unto our spiritual salvation, for a remembrance of the Lord’s passion, 


which he suffered for us*.” 


“ And Christ was borne in his own hands. 


How was he borne in his own hands ? 


Because when he gave that his body and blood, he took into his hands that which the 
faithful know ; and he bare himself after a certain manner (that is to say, sacramentally), 


25 99 


when he said, ‘This is my body”. 


“* We must above all things take heed that no man believe that the nature of God, 
either of the Father, or of the Son, or of the Holy Ghost, may be changed or turned. 
Neither let this move any man, that sometime the thing which signifieth taketh the 


name of that thing which it signifieth. 


in bodily shape like a dove, and to have remained upon Christ. 
Christ, because it signifieth Christ; for neither is Christ a sensible stone. 


The Holy Ghost is said to have come down 


So is the rock called 
In the 





[' Firmissime tene, et nullatenus dubites, ipsum 
unigenitum Deum Verbum, carnem factum, se pro 
nobis obtulisse sacrifictum et hostiam Deo in odorem 
suavitatis: cui cum Patre et Spiritu sancto a pa- 
triarchis et prophetis et sacerdotibus tempore veteris 
testamenti animalia sacrificabantur ; et cui nunc, id 
est tempore novi testamenti, cum Patre et Spiritu 
sancto, cum quibus illi est una divinitas, sacrificium 
panis et vini in fide et caritate sancta catholica ec- 
clesia per universum orbem terre offerre non cessat. 
In illis enim carnalibus victimis significatio fuit 
carnis Christi, quam pro peccatis nostris ipse sine 
peccato fuerat oblaturus, et sanguinis quem erat 
effusurus in remissionem peccatorum nostrorum: in 
isto autem sacrificio gratiarum actio atque comme- 
moratio est carnis Christi, quam pro nobis obtulit, 
et sanguinis quem pro nobis idem Deus effudit. De 
quo beatus Paulus dicit in Actibus apostolorum, Ad- 
tendite vobis et universo gregi, in quo vos Spiritus 
sanctus posuit episcopos regere ecclesiam Dei, quam 
adquisivit sanguine suo. In illis ergo sacrificiis quid 
nobis esset donandum figurate significabatur : in hoc 
autem sacrificio quid nobis jam donatum sit evidenter 
ostenditur. In illis sacrificiis prenuntiabatur Filius 
Dei pro impiis occidendus: in hoc autem pro impiis 
adnuntiatur occisus, testante apostolo, quia Christus 
cum adhuc infirmi essemus, secundum tempus pro 


impiis mortuus est: et quia cum inimici essemus, 
reconciliati sumus Deo per mortem Filii ejus.—ld. 
De Fide ad Pet. Lib. cap. xix. 62. Tom. VI. Appen- 
dix, col. 30. ] 

[? Id. Enarr. in Psalm. xeviii. 9. Tom. IV. col. 
1066. See Vol. II. page 296, note 5.] 

[? Id. Cont. Adimant. cap. xu. 3,5. Tom. VIII. 
cols. 124, 6. See Vol. II. page 282, note 3.] 

[* Si ergo apostolus Paulus...potuit tamen signi- 
ficando predicare Dominum Jesum Christum, aliter 
per linguam suam, aliter per epistolam, aliter per 
sacramentum corporis et sanguinis ejus: nec linguam 
quippe ejus, nec membranas, nec atramentum, nec 
significantes sonos lingua editos, nec signa litterarum 
conscripta pelliculis, corpus Christi et sanguinem 
dicimus; sed illud tantum quod ex fructibus terre 
acceptum et prece mystica consecratum rite sumimus 
ad salutem spiritalem in memoriam pro nobis do- 
minice passionis.—Id, De Trin. Lib. ur. 10. Tom. 
VIII. col. 798. ] 

[° Et ferebatur in manibus suis: Quomodo fere- 
baturin manibus suis? Quia cum commendaret ipsum 
corpus suum et sanguinem suum, accepit in manus 
suas quod norunt fideles; et ipse se portabat quo- 
dam modo, cum diceret, Hoc est corpus meum.— 
Id. In Psalm. xxxiii. Enarr. ii. 2. Tom. IV. cols. 
215, 6.] 


THE TENTH ARTICLE. 443 


epistles unto the Romans and Colossians we are named to be buried with Christ by rom. vi. 


baptism unto death. He saith not, by baptism we are signified to be buried; but he 
saith plainly, we are buried®.” 


Col. ii. 


“ No man ought to doubt but that every faithful man is then partaker of the body August, in 


and blood of ‘he Lord, when he in baptism is made a member of Christ; and that 
he is not alienated and estranged from the fellowship of that bread and cup, although 
he depart out of this world before he eat that bread and drink of that cup, being 
placed in the unity of the body of Christ. He shall not be deprived of the partaking 
and benefit of that sacrament, when he findeth that in himself which the sacrament 
signifieth’.” 


Serm. 


“When the Lord spake of his flesh, and said, ‘Except a man eat my flesh, he August. in 


Psal. xeviii. 


hath not everlasting life in him,’ his disciples were pfiouadat (peradventure they were the Jonn vi. 


seventy,) and said: ‘This is an hard saying: who can understand this? And they went 
away from him, and walked no more with him.’ It seemed to them hard that he said: 
‘Except a man eat my flesh, he shall not have everlasting life.’ They took that foolishly: 
they considered it carnally ; and they thought that the Lord should have cut certain 
pieces from his body, and give them; and they said: ‘This is an hard saying.’ They 
were hard, not the saying. But he instructed them, and said unto them: ‘ It is the 
Spirit that quickeneth ; the flesh profiteth nothing. The words which I have spoken 
unto you are spirit and life:’ understand it spiritually that I have spoken unto you. 
Not this body which ye see shall ye eat; neither shall ye drink that my blood which 
they shall shed that shall crucify me. I have delivered unto you a certain sacrament, 
which, being spiritually understanded, shall quicken you.” 

7 The same spiritual meat (the padi fathers of the old testament) did eat. 
meaneth this, ‘the same,’ but even that which we also eat? It had been sufficient 
for him to have said: They did eat spiritual meat. ‘The same,’ saith he. I do not 
find how I may understand ‘the same,’ but even that self-same meat which we also 
do eat’.” 

“‘ When they had heard, ‘ Verily, verily, I say unto you, except ye eat the flesh 


What 


August. in 
Lib. de Utili- 
tate agende 
peenitent. 


Cyril. in 


of the Son of man, &c., they supposed that they had been called of Christ unto the en 


cruel manners of wild beasts, and provoked to eat the raw flesh of a man, and to drink 
his Reds which things are horrible even to be heard’®.” 

a hors were eitheud a body, Christ would have given unto thee those gifts 
(which are signified by baptism and the eucharist) nakedly and without a body. But 


PON a in 
Matt. eap. 
xxvi. Hom. 


forasmuch as thy soul is joined to a body, therefore are they delivered unto thee in” 


sensible things to be understanded '!.” 





[® Illud in his maxime cavendum est, ne cuiquam 
Dei natura vel Patris vel Filii vel Spiritus sancti 
commutabilis et convertibilis esse credatur. Nec 
moveat quod aliquando res que significat nomen 
ejus rei quam significat accipit. Spiritus sanctus 
dictus est corporali specie tamquam columba de- 
scendisse et mansisse super eum. Sic enim et petra 
Christus, quia significat Christum.—Id. ad Evod. 
Epist. clxix. 9. Tom. II. col. 606. See also before 
page 441, note 4.] 

{7 Arbitror, sancte frater, disputationem nostram 
preclari doctoris Augustini sermone firmatam, nec 
cuiquam esse aliquatenus ambigendum, tunc unum- 
quemque fidelium corporis sanguinisque dominici 
participem fieri, quando in baptismate membrum 
corporis Christi efficitur, nec alienari ab illo panis 
calicisve consortio: etiamsi antequam panem illum 
comedat, et calicem bibat, de hoc swculo in unitate 
corporis Christi constitutus abscedat. Sacramenti 
quippe illius participatione ac beneficio non pri- 
vatur, quando ipse hee quod illud sacramentum sig- 
nificat, invenitur.—Fulgent. Op. Par. 1623. Epist. 
ad Ferrand. col. 587. ‘This passage is quoted as 
Augustine’s by Lombard, Lib. iv. Dist. ix., and by 
Gratian, De Consecr. Dist. i. can. 36, and Dist. iv. 


can. 131, but it seems rather to be the conclusion 
of Fulgentius from a sermon of Augustine which he 
transcribes. ] 

[® Id. Enarr. in Psalm. xcviii. 9. Tom. IV. cols. 
1065, 6. See Vol. II. page 296, note 5. ] 

[? Eundem, inquit, cibum spiritalem manduca- 
verunt. Quid est, eundem, nisi quia eum quem 
etiam nos?...Suffecerat ut diceret, cibum spiritalem 
manducaverunt. Eundem, inquit. Eundem non in- 
venio quomodo intelligam, nisi eum quem mandu- 
camus et nos.—Id. Serm. ecclii. de Util. Agend. 
Peenit. i. 3. Tom. V. cols. 1364, 5.] 

[°° ’Esreidav yap érnxpowyto Néyovtos, duyy, 
aunv éyw buiv, édv wri paynre tiv odpKxa Tov 
viov tov avOpwrov, kal rinte a’tov 76 aiua, odx 
ExeTe (wry ev EavTois* ciswpdtntd Twa OnpiompeTA 
Kahetobat opas brehauBavov, ws capKopayetv piv 
drwavipurws, aiua 6& poet éwitadttecbat, Kal doa 
Kal movov adkovoat ppikta Tav’Ta ToLely dvayKa- 
feo8ar.—Cyril. Alex. Op. Lut. 1638. In Joan. Evang. 
Lib. 1v. cap. iii. Tom. IV. pp. 374, 5.] 

['? Chrysost. Op. Par. 1718—38. In Matt. Hom. 


Ixxxil. Tom. VII. p. 787. See Vol. II. page 287, 
note 13.] 


Gregor. 
Nazian. in 
Oratione de 
Pascha. 


Theophyl. in 
Joan. cap. vi. 


Ibidem. 


Euseb. Emis. 
De Consec. 
Dist. 2. 


Theod. Dial. 
1. 


John xv. 


Theoph. 
Alex. Lib. i. 
de Pasch. 


Bertram. de 
Corpore et 
Sang. Dom. 


dit ARTICLES OF CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 


“‘ Let us be partakers of the passover, yet still figuratively, although this passover 
be more manifest and open than the old. For truly the passover of the old law (I speak 
boldly) was a more obscure figure of a figure; but a little hereafter we shall enjoy it 
more plainly and evidently, when the Son, the Word himself, shall drink it new with 
us in the kingdom of his Father, opening and teaching those things which now he hath 
but meanly shewed unto us'.” 

‘* See the foolishness of them. For it had been their duty to ask and to learn those 
things which they did not know. But they went back, and expounded nothing 
spiritually, but all things as they outwardly appeared. For inasmuch as they heard 
flesh named, they thought that he would compel them to be devourers of flesh and blood. 
But seeing we understand them spiritually, we are not only no devourers of flesh, but 
we are also sanctified by such meat’.” 

“ Forasmuch as we have oftentimes said, they, expounding carnally those things 
that were spoken of Christ, were offended, he saith, When the things which I speak 
are spiritually understanded, then are they profitable. But the flesh, that is to say, 
carnally and fleshly to expound them, profiteth nothing, but is the occasion of offence, 
&c. The words therefore that I speak are spirit, that is to say, they are spiritual, 
and life, having nothing that is carnal, and bringing everlasting life*.” 

“ Seeing that he would take away from their eyes the body which he took, and 
carry it into the heavens, it was necessary that the day of his supper the sacrament 
of his body and blood should be consecrated for us, that that thing might continually 
be had in remembrance through a mystery, which was once offered for our ransom ; 
that, forasmuch as a daily and continual redemption remained for the salvation of all 
men, there might also be a perpetual offering of that redemption, and that sacrifice live 
and abide for ever in memory, and alway be present in grace; a true, only, and perfect 
sacrifice, by faith to be esteemed, and not by the form, neither to be judged by the 
outward sight, but by the inward affection®.” 

“ Orthodoxus. Our Saviour changed their names, and gave to the body the name 
of the sign or token, and to the token he gave the name of the body. And so, when 
he called himself a vine, he called the blood that which was the token of blood. 
FEranist. Surely thou hast spoken the truth. But I would know the cause where- 
fore the names were changed. Orthod. The cause is manifest to them that be expert 
in true religion. For he would that they, which be partakers of the godly sacraments, 
should not set their minds upon the nature of the things which they see, but by the 
changing of the names should believe the things which be wrought in them by grace. 
For he that called that which is his natural body, corn, and bread, and also called 
himself a vine; he did honour the visible tokens and signs with the names of his body 
and blood, not changing the nature, but adding grace unto nature*.” 

““The mystical waters in baptism are consecrated by the coming of the Holy Ghost ; 
and the Lord’s bread, in the which the body of our Saviour is represented, and the which 
we break for our sanctification, and the holy cup which is set upon the table of the 
congregation, are verily things without life; and yet are they sanctified by prayer and 
by the coming of the Holy Ghost’.” 

“‘'The same author (St Ambrose) addeth: ‘Surely it was the true flesh of Christ 
which was crucified, and which was buried: therefore truly is this the sacrament of 





[! Gregor. Naz. Op. Par. 1778-1840. Orat. lv. 
23. in Sanct. Pasch. Tom. I. p. 863. See Vol. II. 
page 289, note 10.] 

(? Theophyl. Op. Venet. 1754-63. 
Comm. cap. vi. Tom. I. p. 597. 
289, note 12.] 

[? Quia corpus assumptum ablaturus erat ab ocu- 
lis nostris, et sideribus illaturus, necessarium erat, 
ut die coene sacramentum nobis corporis et san- 
guinis sui consecraret: ut coleretur jugiter per mys- 
terium, quod semel offerebatur in pretium: ut quia 
quotidiana et indefessa currebat pro hominum salute 
redemptio, perpetua esset etiam redemptionis oblatio, 


In Joan. 
See Vol. II. page 


et perennis victima illa viveret in memoria, et semper 
presens esset in gratia, vere unica et perfecta hostia, 
fide estimanda, non specie, nec exteriori censenda 
visu, sed interiori affectu.—Euseb. Emiss. in Corp. 
Jur. Canon. Ludg. 1624. Decret. Gratiani, Decr. 
Tert. Pars, De Consecr. Dist. ii. can. 35, col. 1927.] 

[* Theod. Op. Lut. Par. 1642-84. Immut. Dial, 
1. Tom. IV. pp. 17, 18. See Vol. II. page 288. 
note 6. ] 

[© Theophil. Alex. in Mag. Biblioth. Vet, Patr. 
Col. Agrip. 1618-22. Epist. Pasch. i. Tom. IV. 
p- 712. See Vol. II. page 289, note 9.] 


THE TENTH ARTICLE. 445 


that flesh. The Lord Jesus himself saith: ‘This is my body’.” How wisely, how 
diligently, is the distinction or difference made. Of Christ’s flesh, which was crucified, 
and which was buried, that is to say, after the which Christ was both crucified and 
buried, he saith, Surely it was the true flesh of Christ: but of that which is 
received in the sacrament, he saith, Therefore truly is it the sacrament of that flesh: 
distinguishing® or separating the sacrament of the flesh from the truth of the flesh; 
inasmuch as he said that he was both crucified and buried in the truth of that flesh 
which he took of the virgin; but as touching the mystery which is now used in the 
church, he said that it is truly a sacrament of that flesh wherein he was crucified : 
openly instructing the faithful, that that flesh, according to the which he was both 
crucified and buried, is no mystery, but the truth of his nature; but this flesh, which 
now containeth a similitude or likeness thereof in a mystery, is not his flesh in kind, 
but in sacrament or figure. For in kind it is bread, and in sacrament the true body of 
Christ ; as the Lord Jesus himself saith: ‘This is my body’’.” 

“* And afterward he saith: ‘In that sacrament is Christ, because it is the body of 
Christ. Therefore is it not corporal, but spiritual food.’ What is more plain? what 
is more manifest? what is more divine? For he saith, In that sacrament is Christ. 
He saith not, That bread and that wine is Christ. Which thing if he said, he 
should teach (which God forbid!) that Christ is corruptible and subject to mortality. 
For whatsoever in that food is either seen or tasted corporally, it is evident that it is 
corruptible, and subject to corruption. He addeth: Because it is the body of Christ. 
Thou objectest, and sayest, Lo, he openly confesseth, that that bread and that drink 
is the body of Christ. But mark what followeth: Therefore it is not corporal, but 
spirityal food. Bring not hither therefore the understanding of the flesh; for nothing $8 
is here determined according to that. It is indeed the body of Christ; but not his 
corporal, but spiritual body. It is the blood of Christ; but not his corporal, but 
spiritual blood. Therefore nothing is here to be considered corporally, but spiritually. 
It is the body of Christ, but not bodily; and it is the blood of Christ, but not 
bodily *.” 

“The body which Christ took of Mary the virgin, which suffered, which was 
buried, which rose again, was indeed his true body ; even the same that remained visible 
and palpable; that is to say, that might be seen and felt. But the body which is 
called the mystery of God, is not corporal, but spiritual. If that it be spiritual, then is 
it not visible nor palpable. Therefore, saith blessed Ambrose afterward, ‘the body of 
Christ is the body of the divine Spirit’. Now a divine spirit hath nothing that is 
corporal, nothing that is corruptible, nothing that is palpable. But this body, which is 


[® Folio, distinguished.] 

[7 Subjungit idem auctor; ‘ Vera utique caro 
Christi, que crucifixa est, que sepulta est; vere 
ergo carnis illius sacramentum est. Ipse clamat 
Dominus Jesus, Hoc est corpus meum.’ [Ambros. 
Op. Par. 1686-90. De Myster. Lib. cap. ix. 53, 4. 
Tom. II. col. 339.] Quam diligenter, quam pru- 
denter facta distinctio! De carne Christi, que cru- 
cifixa est, que sepulta est, id est secundum quam 
Christus et crucifixus est et sepultus, ait, ‘ vera 
itaque caro Christi;’ at de illa, que sumitur in 
sacramento, dicit, ‘ vere ergo carnis illius sacra- 
mentum est,’ distinguens sacramentum carnis a 
veritate carnis: quatenus in veritate carnis, quam 
sumpserat de virgine, diceret eum et crucifixum 
et sepultum; quod vero nunc agitur in ecclesia 
mysterium, verze illius carnis, in qua crucifixus est, 
diceret esse sacramentum : patenter fideles instituens 
quod illa caro, secundum quam et crucifixus est 
Christus, et sepultus, non sit mysterium, sed veritas 
nature ; hec vero caro, que nunc similitudinem 
illius in mysterio continet, non sit specie caro, sed 
sacramento: siquidem in specie panis est, in sa- 
cramento verum Christi corpus, sicut ipse clamat 


Dominus Jesus, Hoc est corpus meum.—Ratramn. 
Lib. De Corp. et Sang. Dom. Oxon. 1838. capp. 
lyi. Ivii. pp. 28, 29.] 

[® Item consequenter, ‘ In illosacramento Christus 
est, quia corpus Christi est : non ergo corporalis esea, 
sed spiritualis est.” [cap. ix. 58. col. 341.] Quid 
apertius? Quid manifestius? Quid divinius? Ait 
enim, ‘in illo sacramento Christus est!’ Non enim 
ait, ille panis, et illud vinum Christus est; quod si 
diceret, Christum corruptibilem (quod absit) et mor- 
talitati subjectum predicaret. Quicquid enim in illa 
esca vel cernitur vel gustatur corporaliter, corrup- 
tibilitati constat obnoxium esse. Addit, ‘Quia corpus 
Christi est.’ Insurgis et dicis, Ecce manifeste illum 
panem et illum potum corpus esse Christi confitetur ; 
sed attende quemadmodum subjungit: ‘ Non ergo 
corporalis esca, sed spiritualis est.” Non igitur sen- 
sum carnis adhibeas; nihil enim secundum eum hic 
decernitur. Est quidem corpus Christi; sed non cor- 
porale, sed spirituale. Est sanguis Christi; sed non 
corporalis, sed spiritualis. Nihil igitur hic corpo- 
raliter, sed spiritualiter sentiendum. Corpus Christi 
est, sed non corporaliter ; et sanguis Christi est, sed 
non corporaliter.—Id. ibid. capp. lix. lx. pp. 30, 1.] 


1 Cor. x. 


446 ARTICLES OF CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 


celebrated in the church after the visible form, is both corruptible and palpable. How 
then is it said to be the body of a divine Spirit? Verily, according to that that is 
spiritual ; that is to say, according to that that is invisible and impalpable, and by this 
means also incorruptible'.” 

““ By the authority of this great learned man (St Ambrose) we are taught that 
the body wherein Christ suffered, and the blood which hanging on the cross he shed out 
of his side, and this body which is celebrated of the faithful daily in the mystery of 
Christ’s passion, and that blood also which is received with the mouth of the faithful, 
that it may be a mystery of that blood wherewith the whole world was redeemed, are 
with great difference separated’.” 

“ Of which thing blessed Hierome, in his commentaries of St Paul’s epistle to the 
Ephesians, writeth on this manner: ‘The blood of Christ and his flesh is understanded 
two ways; either that spiritual and divine flesh, whereof he saith, ‘My flesh is very 
meat, and my blood is very drink ;’ or that flesh which was crucified, and that blood 
which was shed with the knight’s spear.’ This doctor hath made a distinction of the 
body and blood of Christ with no small difference. For in that he saith that the flesh 
or blood, which are daily received of the faithful, are spiritual things, but the flesh which 
was crucified, and the blood that was shed with the spear of the soldier, are not said 
to be spiritual and divine things, he sheweth evidently that there is so great difference 
between them as there is between spiritual and corporal things, visible and invisible 
things, divine and human things; and, in that they do so differ one from another, they 
are not all one. The spiritual flesh, which is received with the mouth of the faithful, 
and the spiritual blood, which is daily given to the faithful to be drunken, differ greatly 
from that flesh which was crucified, and that blood which was shed with the soldier’s 
spear; as the authority of this man testifieth. Therefore are they not all one. For that 
flesh, which was crucified, was made of the flesh of the virgin, compact and joined 
together with bones and sinews, and distinct with the lineaments of members, quickened 
with the spirit of a reasonable soul unto a very life and movings agreeable. But that 
spiritual flesh, which feedeth the faithful people spiritually, according to the form that it 
beareth outwardly, consisteth of the grains of wheat, through the hand of the workman, 
compact of no sinews and bones, distinct with no variety of members, quickened with no 
reasonable substance, able to exercise no movings of itself*.” 


[? Deus utique Christus, et corpus, quod sump- 
sit de Maria virgine, quod passum, quod sepultum 
est, quod resurrexit, corpus utique verum fuit, id est, 
quod visibile atque palpabile manebat. At vero 
corpus, quod mysterium Dei dicitur, non est cor- 
porale, sed spirituale. Quod si spirituale, jam non 
visibile, neque palpabile. Hine beatus Ambrosius 
subjungit, ‘ Corpus,’ inquiens, ‘ Christi corpus est 

ivini Spiri Divinus autem Spiritus nihil cor- 
poreum, nihil corruptibile, nihil palpabile, quod sit, 
existit; at hoc corpus, quod in ecclesia celebratur, 
secundum visibilem speciem, et corruptibile est, et 
palpabile. Quomodo ergo divini Spiritus corpus 
esse dicitur? Secundum hoc utique quod spirituale 
est, id est, secundum quod invisibile consistit, et 
impalpabile, ac per hoc incorruptibile.—Id. ibid. 
capp. Ixii, lxill. p. 32. ] 

[? Hujus doctissimi viri auctoritate perdocemur, 
quod multa differentia separantur corpus, in quo 
passus est Christus, et sanguis, quem pendens in 
cruce de latere suo profudit, et hoc corpus, quod in 
mysterio passionis Christi quotidie a fidelibus cele- 
bratur, et ille quoque sanguis, qui fidelium ore sumi- 
tur, ut mysterium sit illius sanguinis, quo totus 
redemptus est mundus.—Id. ibid. cap. lxix. p. 34.] 

[? De qua re beatus Hieronymus in commentario 
epistole Pauli ad Ephesios, ita scribit: ‘ Dupliciter 
sanguis Christi et caro intelligitur; vel spiritualis 
illa atque divina, de qua ipse dicit, Caro mea vere 


est cibus, et sanguis meus vere est potus; vel caro, 
quz crucifixa est, et sanguis, qui militis effusus est 
lancea.’ [Hieron. Op. Par. 1693-1706. Comm. 
in Epist. ad Ephes. cap. i. Tom. IV. col. 328.] 
Non parva doctor iste differentia corporis et san- 
guinis Christi fecit distinctionem. Namque dum 
carnem, vel sanguinem, que quotidie sumuntur a 
fidelibus, spiritualia dicit esse; at vero caro, que 
crucifixa est, et sanguis, qui militis effusus est lancea, 
non spiritualia esse dicuntur, neque divina; patenter 
insinuat, quod tantum inter se differunt, quantum 
differunt corporalia et spiritualia, visibilia et invi- 
sibilia, divina atque humana ; et quod ase differunt, 
non idem sunt. Differunt autem caro spiritualis, 
que fidelium ore sumitur, et sanguis spiritualis, qui 
quotidie credentibus potandus exhibetur, a carne, 
que crucifixa est, et a sanguine, qui militis effusus 
est lancea, sicut auctoritas presentis viri testificatur. 
Non igitur idem sunt, Illa namque caro, que cru- 
cifixa est, de virginis carne facta est, ossibus et nervis 
compacta, et humanorum membrorum lineamentis 
distincta, rationalis anime spiritu vivificata in pro- 
priam vitam et congruentes motus. At vero caro 
spiritualis, que populum credentem spiritualiter pas- 
cit, secundum speciem, quam gerit exterius, frumenti 
granis manu artificis consistit, nullis nervis ossibusque 
compacta, nulla membrorum varietate distincta, nulla 
rationali substantia vegetata, nullos proprios potens 
motus exercere.—Id. ibid. capp. lxx-lxxii. pp. 35, 6. ] 


THE TENTH ARTICLE. 447 


“Tt is to be considered also, that in that bread not only the body of Christ, but also 
the body of the people that believe in him, is figured. In consideration whereof it is 
made of many grains of wheat ; for the body of the faithful people is increased through 
the word of Christ with many faithful. Wherefore, as in that mystery that bread is 
taken for the body of Christ, so likewise in the very same mystery are the members of 
the people that believe in Christ expressed and shewed. And as that bread is not called 
the bread of the believing people corporally, but spiritually, so likewise must it needs 
be understanded that it is the body of Christ, not corporally, but spiritually. So in like 
manner in the wine, which is called the blood of Christ, water is commanded to be 
mingled; neither is the one suffered to be offered without the other. For neither is 
the people without Christ, nor Christ without the people; as the head cannot be without 
the body, nor the body without the head. Moreover, water in that sacrament beareth 
the image of the people. Therefore, if that wine, sanctified by the office of the ministers, 
be corporally turned into the blood of Christ, it must also follow necessarily that the 
water, which is mingled with the wine, should also corporally be turned into the blood 
of the faithful people. For where one sanctification is, one operation shall follow; and 
where a like reason is, a like mystery doth also follow. But we see in the water that 
nothing is turned corporally : consequently also is nothing shewed corporally in the wine. 
It is taken spiritually, whatsoever is signified in the water of the people. It must 
needs also be taken therefore spiritually, whatsoever is in the wine of the blood of Christ. 
Item, the things that differ one from another are not one thing. The body of Christ, 
which died and rose again, and is made immortal, dieth no more: death shall have no 
more power over it: it is everlasting, and can no more suffer. But this body, which [is] 
celebrated in the church, is temporal, not everlasting ; it is corruptible, not uncorruptible ; 
it is in the way, not in the country. Seeing they differ one from another, it followeth 
that they are not one*.” 

“ The body and blood of Christ, which is used in the church, differeth from that 
body and blood, which is known to be glorified in the body of Christ through his 
resurrection. And this body is a pledge and a representation; but the other is the self 
truth. This is used, till we may come to the other. When we once come unto that, 
this shall be removed and put out of the way. It is evident therefore, that they differ 
greatly one from another; even as much as there is difference between the pledge and the 
thing that is delivered for the pledge, between an image and the thing whereof it is the 
image, and between a figure and the truth. We see therefore, that the mystery of 
the body and blood of Christ, which is now received of the faithful in the congregation, 
doth very much differ from that body of Christ which was born of Mary the virgin, 
which suffered, which was buried, which rose again, which ascended into heaven, and 
which sitteth on the right hand of the Father. But this, that is used in the way, 
is to be taken spiritually. For faith believeth that it seeth not, and spiritually feedeth 
the soul, and maketh the heart merry, and giveth everlasting life and immortality or 





[* Considerandum quoque, quod in pane illo non 
solum corpus Christi, verum etiam in eum credentis 
populi figuretur ; unde multis frumenti granis confi- 
citur, quia corpus populi credentis multis per verbum 
Christi fidelibus coagmentatur. Qua de re, sicut in 
mysterio panis ille Christi corpus accipitur, sic 
etiam in mysterio membra populi credentis in 
Christum intimantur: et sicut non corporaliter, sed 
spiritualiter panis ille credentium corpus dicitur; 
sic quoque Christi corpus non corporaliter, sed spi- 
ritualiter necesse est intelligatur. Sic et in vino, 
qui sanguis Christi dicitur, aqua misceri jubetur, 
nec unum sine altero permittitur offerri; quia nec 
populus sine Christo, nec Christus sine populo, sicut 
nec caput sine corpore, vel corpus sine capite valet 
existere. Aqua denique in illo sacramento populi 
gestat imaginem. Igitur si vinum illud sanctificatum 
per ministrorum officium in Christi sanguinem cor- 
poraliter conyertitur, aqua quoque, que pariter ad- 


mixta est, in sanguinem populi credentis necesse est 
corporaliter convertatur. Ubi namque una sancti- 
ficatio est, una consequetur operatio; et ubi par 
ratio, par quoque consequitur mysterium. At vide- 
mus in aqua secundum corpus nihil esse conversum ; 
consequenter ergo et in vino nihil corporaliter os- 
tensum. Accipitur spiritualiter quicquid in aqua de 
populi corpore significatur; accipiatur ergo necesse 
est spiritualiter quicquid in vino de Christi sanguine 
intimatur. Item, que ase differunt, idem non sunt: 
corpus Christi, quod mortuum est, et resurrexit, et 
immortale factum, jam non moritur, et mors illi ultra 
non dominabitur; «ternum est, nec jam passibile : 
hoc autem quod in ecclesia celebratur, temporale 
est, non zternum ; corruptibile est, non incorruptum ; 
in via est, non in patria. Differunt igitur a se; qua- 
propter non sunt idem.—Id. ibid. capp. Ixxili-Ixxvi. 
pp. 37, 8.] 


Faith. 


Luke xxiv. 


Luke xxii. 


1 Cor. xi. 


448 ARTICLES OF CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 


uncorruption ; while that is not marked which feedeth the body, which is pressed with 
the teeth, which is broken on pieces, but that is received spiritually in faith. But that 
body in the which Christ suffered and rose again is his very own body, taken of the 
body of the virgin Mary, palpable and visible even after his resurrection; as he said to 
his disciples: ‘Why are ye troubled; and why do thoughts arise in your hearts ? 
Behold my hands and my feet, that it is even I myself. Handle me and see; for a 
spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have’'.” 

“‘ By the testimonies of the holy scriptures, and the sayings of the holy fathers now 
alleged, it is most evidently declared, that the bread which is called the body of Christ, 
and the cup which is named the blood of Christ, is a figure, because it is a mystery ; 
and that there is no small difference between the body, which is in a mystery, and the 
body which suffered, and was buried, and rose again. For this is the very body of 
our Saviour: neither in it is either any figure, or any signification, but a plain declaration 
of the thing known; and the faithful desire the sight of it ; for that is our head, and, he 
being seen, our desire shall be satisfied. For he and the Father are one; not according 
to that, that our Saviour hath a body, but according to the fulness of the divinity which 
dwelleth in the man Christ. But in this body, which is done by a mystery, it is not 
only a figure of the very body of Christ, but also the body of the people, which believe 
in Christ. For it beareth the figure both of the body of Christ, which suffered and rose 
again, and also of the body of the people, which are renewed and born again in Christ 
through baptism, and made alive from dead things. Let us add this also, that this bread 
and cup, which is called the body and blood of Christ, doth represent the memory of the 
Lord’s passion or death; as he said in the gospel: ‘Do this in the remembrance of me.’ 
Which the apostle Paul expounding saith: ‘So oft as ye shall eat this bread, and 
drink of this cup, ye shall shew the Lord’s death till he come.’ We are taught of our 
Saviour, and also of St Paul the apostle, that this bread and this blood, which is set 
upon the altar, is set for a figure or remembrance of the Lord’s death, that it may call 
that presently unto memory which hath been done in times past, that we, remembering 
that his passion, may through it be made partakers of the divine gift, by the which 
we are delivered from death ; knowing that, when we once come unto the sight of Christ, 
we shall have no need of such instruments, wherewith we should be put in remembrance 
what the exceeding great goodness hath suffered for us. For we, beholding him face 
to face, shall no more be put in remembrance by the outward admonition of temporal 
things; but we shall see by the contemplation and beholding of the self truth, how we 
ought to give thanks to the author of our salvation®.” 


cipulis ait, Palpate et videte ; quia spiritus carnem 
et ossa non habet, sicut me videtis habere.—Id. ibid. 
capp. Ixxxvili. Ixxxix. pp. 44, 5.] 


[? Quapropter corpus et sanguis, quod in ecclesia 
geritur, differt ab illo corpore et sanguine, quod in 
Christi corpore jam glorificatum cognoscitur. Et 

P J § 


hoe corpus pignus est et species, illud vero ipsa 
veritas. Hoc enim geretur donec ad illud perve- 
niatur ; ubi vero ad illud perventum fuerit, hoc remo- 
vebitur. Apparet itaque, quod multa inter se dif- 
ferentia separantur, quantum est inter pignus et eam 
rem pro qua pignus traditur, et quantum inter ima- 
ginem et rem cujus est imago, et quantum inter 
speciem et veritatem. Videmus itaque multa dif- 
ferentia separari mysterium sanguinis et corporis 
Christi, quod nunc a fidelibus sumitur in ecclesia, 
et illud, quod natum est de Maria virgine, quod 
passum, quod sepultum, quod resurrexit, quod ccelos 
ascendit, quod ad dexteram Patris sedet. Hoc nam- 
que, quod agitur in via, spiritualiter est accipiendum, 
quia fides, quod non videt, credit; et spiritualiter 
pascit animam, et letificat cor, et vitam prebet 
zternam et incorruptionem; dum non attenditur, 
quod corpus pascit, quod dente premitur, quod per 
partes comminuitur, sed quod in fide spiritualiter 
accipitur. At vero corpus illud, in quo passus est 
et resurrexit Christus, proprium ejus corpus existit, 
de virginis Marie corpore sumptum, palpabile seu 
visibile etiam post resurrectionem, sicut ipse dis- 


[2 Animadvertat, clarissime princeps, sapientia 
vestra, quod positis sanctarum scripturarum testi- 
moniis, et sanctorum patrum dictis, evidentissime 
monstratum est, quod panis, qui corpus Christi, et 
calix, qui sanguis Christi appellatur, figura sit, quia 
mysterium ; et quod non parva differentia sit inter 
corpus, quod per mysterium existit, et corpus, quod 
passum est et sepultum, et resurrexit. Quoniam hoc 
proprium Salvatoris corpus existit, nec in eo vel 
aliqua figura, vel aliqua significatio, sed ipsa rei 
manifestatio cognoscitur, et ipsius visionem credentes 
desiderant ; quoniam ipsum est caput nostrum, et 
ipso viso satiabitur desiderium nostrum; quo ipse 
et Pater unum sunt, non secundum quod corpus 
habet Salvator, sed secundum plenitudinem divini- 
tatis, que habitat in homine Christo. At in isto, 
quod per mysterium geritur, figura est, non solum 
proprii corporis Christi, verum etiam credentis in 
Christum populi. Utriusque namque corporis, id 
est, et Christi quod passum est, et resurrexit, et 
populi in Christo renati atque de mortuis vivificati, 
figuram gestat. Addamus etiam quod iste panis et 
calix, qui corpus et sanguis Christi nominatur, et 


THE TENTH ARTICLE. 449 


THE AUTHOR. 


Hitherto Bertrame, (a man, as Trithemius writeth, ‘‘ in the holy scriptures excellently perfect, and 
in human doctrine notably learned, quick in wit, and in eloquence fine and pleasant, and yet no less 
in life than in learning famous and notable?,”’) in his book of the body and blood of the Lord, which 
he wrote unto Carolus Magnus‘, the emperor: whose words I have so much the more gladly and 
plentifully rehearsed, both because of them we may plainly learn what the ancient writers even from 
the beginning of Christ’s church, and all other in every age from time to time, being of sound judg- 
ment, have thought and judged of the presence of Christ in the supper; and also because his doctrine 
of the sacrament of the body and blood of the Lord was never so much as once suspected of heresy, 
but at all times hath heen highly commended and praised of all good and godly men, and of such as 
have most excelled in the knowledge of God and of his holy mysteries, till those horrible, monstrous, 
and poisonful locusts brast out of that most vile, stinking, and hell-like pit; I mean the papists, 
the sophisters, the school-men, the theologists, the monks, the friars, the priests, the massmongers, 
the purgatory-rakers, the sententionaries, the transubstantiators, the impanators, the flesh-devourers, 


&c., of whom St John speaketh in his book of Revelations. This Bertrame lived in the year of our Chap. ix. 


Lord 840. 


“* A sacrament is called an holy sign, or an holy secret. Many things are done for 
themselves only, and some to signify other things, and they are called and likewise are 
signs. As we may take an ensample of usual things. <A ring is given absolutely for 
a ring, and there is no signification. It is given to endow a man with some inhe- 
ritance, and it is a sign; so that he which took the ring may now well say, Thesring is 
worth nothing, but it is the inheritance which I sought. In like manner the Lord, 
drawing nigh unto his passion, had a care to endow his with his grace, that the invisible 
grace might be given with some visible sign. For unto this end are all sacraments 
ordained; yea, and unto this end also was the sacrament of the body and blood of 


Christ instituted’.” 
“Even unto this present day is the same flesh given unto us, but yet spiritually, and 


not corporally °.” 
“The body of Christ is contained corporally in heaven; but in the host it is sacra- 


mentally contained’.” 
“The bread signifieth the body, and not the blood; and the wine signifieth the 


blood, and not the body’*.” 


existit, memoriam representat dominice passionis, [* Charles the Bald.] 

sive mortis, quemadmodum ipse in evangelio dixit, | {° Sacramentum dicitur sacrum signum, sive sa- 
Hoc facite in mei commemorationem. Quod expo- | crum secretum. Multa siquidem fiunt propter se 
nens apostolus Paulus ait, Quotiescunque mandu- | tantum: alia vero propter alia designanda: et ipsa 
cabitis panem hunc, et calicem bibetis, mortem | dicuntur signa, et sunt. Utenim de usualibus su- 
Domini annunciabitis donec veniat. Docemur a | mamus exemplum, datur annulus absolute propter 
Salvatore, necnon a sancto Paulo apostolo, quod iste | annulum, et nulla est significatio: datur ad inves- 
panis et iste sanguis, qui super altare ponitur, in | tiendum de hereditate aliqua, et signum est, ita ut 
figuram, sive memoriam dominicz mortis ponantur, | jam dicere possit qui accipit: Annulus non valet 
ut, quod gestum est in preterito, presenti revocet | quicquam, sed hereditas est quam querebam. In 
memoriz, ut illius passionis memores effecti, per | hunc itaque modum appropinquans passioni Do- 
eam efficiamur divini muneris consortes, per quam | minus, de gratia sua investire curavit suos, ut invi- 
sumus a morte liberati. Cognoscentes, quod ubi | sibilis gratia signo aliquo visibili prestaretur. Ad 
pervenerimus ad visionem Christi, talibus non opus | hoc instituta sunt omnia sacramenta, ad hoc eu- 
habebimus instrumentis, quibus admoneamur quid | charistie participatio.— Bernard. Op. Par. 1690, 
pro nobis immensa benignitas sustinuerit. Quo- | In Coen. Dom. Serm. 2. Vol. I. Tom. m1. col. 
niam ipsum facie ad faciem contemplantes, non per | 890.] 

exteriorem temporalium rerum admonitionem com- [® Id. In Fest. S. Martin. Serm. Vol. I. Tom. 
monebimur, sed per ipsius contemplationem verita- | 11. col. 1052. See Vol. II. page 286, note 5.] 


tis aspiciemus, quemadmodum nostre salutis Auctori [7 Petr. de Natal. Catalog. Sanct. Lugd. 1508. 
gratias agere debeamus.—Id. ibid. capp. xcvii—c. | De Fest. Corp. J. Christ. Lib. v. cap. xlv. fol. 125, 
pp. 50, 1.] See Vol. II. page 286, note 4. ] 

{® Bertramus presbyter et monachus, in divinis [® Cirea quod notandum est, quod hostia sig- 


scripturis valde peritus, et in literis secularium dis- | nificat corpus Christi, non sanguinem...verum vinum 
ciplinarum egregie doctus, ingenio subtilis et clarus | in calice sanguinem Christi designat.— Durand. 
eloquio, nec minus vita quam doctrina insignis.— | Rat. Div. Offic. Lugd. 1565, Lib. 1v. cap. xxx. 17, 
Catal. Script. Eccles. per Joh. a Trittenheim. Col. | fol. 140.] 

1531, fol. 57.] 





[_BECON, UT. ] 


Bernard. in 
Ser. de Cena 
Domini. 


Idem de S. 
Martino. 


Petrus de 
Natal. in 
Catal. Sanet. 


Guil. Durand. 
in Rat. Div. 
Offic. Lib. iv. 


De Consec. 
Dist. 2. 
Gioss. in cap. 
Hoc est. 


Jacob. Faber 
in Matt. eap. 
XXvi. 


Idemin 
Joan. cap. vi. 


450 ARTICLES OF CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 

“‘ Neither the bread signifieth the blood, nor the wine signifieth the flesh. The 
heavenly sacrament, which is on the altar, is unproperly called the body of Christ; as 
baptism is unproperly called faith’.” 

‘“‘ This sacrifice was then the first-fruits of the true Lamb, but to them that came after 
it is a perpetual memory of this mystery. For then gave he unto them that body 
which shortly after was offered on the cross, but yet after a sacramental and spiritual 
manner, to be eaten under the vail or shadow of bread; and his blood, which shortly 
after should be shed, to be drunken likewise, under the cover and shadow of wine; he 
himself remaining in them impassible*, because it was done after a spiritual and im- 
passible manner, yet outwardly appearing passible. When the disciples therefore did 
receive his body, they received it neither shut or speared, or inclosed on the bread ; 
for they saw him without: neither did they receive him excluded or shut out; for 
they had him within. For his whole body was then sensibly and passibly without, 
and whole within sacramentally and impassibly, and alike truly within and without, 
if not more truly within than without; for within he was after a divine manner, but 
without he was after an human manner®.” 

“When Christ gave his flesh to be meat, and his blood to be drink, he giveth it 
not after a carnal manner, as they understood him. For that flesh, that is to say, 
that manner of meat, even flesh, and that drink of blood, profiteth nothing, neither 
was it ever given to any man. But then only doth it profit when it is received after 
a divine and the very same manner that he was then in heayen*.” 


THE AUTHOR. 


Although it doth plainly appear by the aforesaid sentences of the fathers (which evidently teach 
that Christ, as concerning his corporal presence, hath forsaken the world, is ascended into heaven, sitteth 
on the right hand of God, &c.; again, that he is present with his church now after none other but 
a spiritual and divine manner; moreover, that those words of the Lord’s supper are not to be understanded 
properly, but figuratively), that that popish doctrine concerning the ubiquity of Christ’s body (I must 
use a hew term in a new matter) is unsavoury, not sound; yea, utterly wicked, monstrous; utterly 
unknown to the old and pure church of Christ; manifestly fighting with the truth of Christ’s body ; 
greatly dissenting from the doctrine of the holy scriptures; wholly consenting to the mad doatings and 
false imaginations of that heretic Marcion; and, in fine, altogether overthrowing the marvellous ascen- 
sion of our Lord Jesus Christ; yet notwithstanding, that it may appear to all men more clearly than 
the sun, how far and wide this doctrine of the papists is from the truth, I thought it not unfitting, 
nor out of the way, to allege certain testimonies of the ancient writers, by the which the godly reader 
may easily perceive the faith and doctrine of the true catholic fathers concerning the truth, nature, 
and substance of the body of Christ; which fathers, with one consent, as touching the true and natural 
body of Christ, although never so greatly glorified and endued with immortality, have ever so both judged 
and taught, that they affirm that the true and natural body of Christ is only in heaven, and that it doth 
not occupy at one time diverse and sundry places, but, according to the truth of the body, remain in one 
place only at one time; so far is it off that ever they granted in their writings, that the human 
nature of Christ is in all places at once (which only belongeth unto the divine nature), or that, ac- 
cording to the doctrine of the papists, the natural, real, and substantial body of Christ, even that which 
was born of Mary the virgin, crucified, dead, raised up again, ascended into heaven, glorified, &c., is 
truly, essentially, and presently (I use the words of the papists) in every altar, wheresoever the popish 
massmonger mumbleth his mass. 

But as concerning the natural body of Christ, that that was at one and the same time in many 


[! In 3 parte dicitur, quod cceleste sacramentum, 
quod est in altari, improprie dicitur corpus Christi ; 
sicut baptismus improprie dicitur fides.—Corp. Jur. 
Canon. Lugd. 1624. Decret. Gratiani, Decr. Tert. 
Pars, De Consecr. Dist. ii. Glossa in can. 48. col. 
1936. ] 

[? Folio, impossible. | 

[? Et hoc sacrificium tunc erat primitiz veri agni, 
posteris autem hujus mysterii memoria perennis. 
Nam tune corpus illud quod paulo post fuit immo- 
Jatum in cruce, dedit illis, sed sacramentali et spi- 
rituali modo, sub velamento panis manducandum ; 
et sanguinem paulo post effundendum, sub vela- 





mento vini similiter bibendum ; impassibilis in ipsis 
manens, quia spirituali et impassibili modo, pas- 
sibilis autem exterius apparens. Cum ergo sump- 
serunt corpus ejus discipuli, neque clausum sump- 
serunt, quia extra videbant, neque exclusum, quia 
intra habebant: totum enim extra tunc erat sensi- 
biliter et passibiliter, et totum intra sacramentaliter 
et impassibiliter, et aque vere hic atque illic: si non 
etiam verius hic quam illic, quia hie divino, illic 
humano modo erat.—Jac. Fab. Stap. Comm. Init. 
in Quat. Evang. Col. 1541. In cap. xxvi. Evang. 
sec. Matt. p. 197.] 
[* See before, page 435, note 12.] 


THE TENTH ARTICLE. 451 


and diverse places together, these words of Christ, besides other, do manifestly reclaim and deny: 

‘¢ Lazarus is dead; and I am glad for your sake, that ye may believe, that I was not there.”” And John xi. 
as touching his immortal and glorified body, do not these words of the angel sufficiently prove that that 

also is not in all places at one time: “Fear ye not,” saith he, “I know that ye seek Jesus, which Mark xvi. 
was crucified: he is risen: he is not here. Behold the place where they laid him. He goeth before you 

into Galilee: there shall ye see him; as he said unto you?”’ Here see we, that the ubiquity, that is 

to say, the being every where, for the which the adversaries fight with fire and sword, as it were for 

their altars and houses, as they say, is attributed and applied neither to the mortal nor to the im- 

mortal body of Christ: yea, against this monstrous ubiquity the holy scriptures cry out in every 
place ; constantly teaching that the natural body of Christ, although glorified, occupieth none other 

places than heaven only, and there shall remain unto the very end of the world: at the which time 
Christ, God and man, shall come again to judge the quick and the dead, and shall shew himself 
corporally to be seen of all men, both godly and ungodly. ‘Jesus Christ,” saith St Peter, “‘ must Acts iii. 
receive heaven, until the time that all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy 
prophets since the world began, be restored again.” ‘* Ye men of Galilee,” said the angels to the Actsi. 
apostles, ‘‘ why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into 
heaven, shall so come, even as ye have seen him go into heaven.”’ ‘‘ Our conversation,” saith St Paul, Phil. iii. 
“is in heaven; from whence we look for a Saviour, even the Lord Jesus Christ, which shall change 

our vile body, that he may make it like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby 

he is able also to subdue all things to himself.” Again: ‘* The Lord himself shall come down from 1 Thess. iv. 
heaven with a shout, and the voice of the archangel and trump of God,’? &c. But let us hear the 
testimonies of the fathers. 


THE ELEVENTH ARTICLE. 


That the true and natural body of Christ, being in heaven, is not in all places, 
neither at one and the same time do occupy many and sundry places, 
but remaineth only in heaven till the day of judgment. 


Probations out of the old fathers. 


“ Christ is to be sought neither upon the earth, nor in the earth, but in heaven; Ambros. in 
where he sitteth on the right hand of God’.” Conae 
“Here is the shadow; here is the image; but there is the truth. The shadow Ambros. de 
was in the law; the image is in the gospel; but the truth is in heaven. Before a lamb ap. xWviii. 
was offered, a calf was offered ; but now Christ is offered; but he is offered as a man, 
as one receiving his passion: notwithstanding, he offereth himself as a priest, that he 
might forgive our sins. He is here in an image; but he is there in truth, where as 1 Johnii. 
an advocate he maketh intercession for us®.” 

“ Doubt thou not but that the man Christ Jesus is there, from whence he shall come. Agusta 
And remember well, and faithfully believe the christian confession, that he rose from ae 
death, ascended into heaven, sitteth on the right hand of the Father, and from that 
place, and none other, shall he come to judge the quick and the dead. And he shall 
come, as the angels said, as he was seen go into heaven, that is to say, in the same form Aetsi. 
and substance of flesh; unto the which he gave immortality, but changed not nature. 

After this form we may not think that he is every where. For we must beware that 
we do not so stablish his divinity, that we take away the verity of his body: it followeth 
not, that that which is in God should be in every place as God. For even of us the 
scripture saith most truly, that in him we live, are moved, and have our being; and Acts xvii. 
yet are we not in all places, as he is. But otherwise is the man (Christ) in God ; for 
God is also otherwise in that man, even after a proper and singular manner. For God 
and man is one person, and both is one Christ Jesus, in all places in that he is 


God, but in heaven in that he is man’.” 


[> Ambros. Op. Par. 1686—90. Expos. Evang. | Tom. II. col. 63. See Vol. IT. page 277, note 3.] 
sec. Luc. Lib. x. 160. Tom. I. col. 1538. See Vol. {7 August. Op. Par. 1679-1700. Lib. ad Dard. 
Il. page 274, note 4.] seu Epist. clxxxvii. 10. Tom, II. col. 681. See 

[® Id. De Offic. Minist. Lib. 1. cap. xlviii. 248. | Vol. II. page 277, note 4.] 

299 


August. in 
Joan. Tract. 
30. 


August. in 
Joan. Tract. 
50. 


Matt. xxviii. 


Ibidem. 


Matt. xxvi. 


August. de 
Fide et Sym- 
bol. cap. vi. 


August. in 
Joan. Traet. 
5U. 


August. in 
Joan. Tract, 
102. 


August. de 
Symb. ad 
Catech. Lib. 
ii. 


Matt. xxvi. 


August. de 
Agone Chris- 
tiano. cap. 
xxvi. 


What the 
right hand o: 
God is. 


Eph. ii. 


452 ARTICLES OF CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 


“The Lord is above; but yet his truth is here. His body, wherein he arose, must 
needs be in one place; but his truth is spread abroad every where’.” 

“Whom shall I lay hand on? Him that is absent? But how shall I reach my 
hand into heaven, that I may lay hand on him that sitteth there? Lay hand on 
him with thy faith, and thou hast gotten him. Thy forefathers laid hand on him 
in the flesh: lay thou hand on him in thy heart; for Christ being absent is so present. 
Except he were present, we could not lay hand on him; but, forasmuch as that is 
true which he saith, ‘Behold, I am with you even unto the end of the world; he 
is both gone away, and yet he is here; he is both gone again (into heaven), and yet 
also hath he not forsaken us. He hath carried his body into heaven, but his majesty 
he hath not taken away from the world’.” 

“As concerning the presence of his majesty, we have ever Christ with us; but 
as touching the presence of his flesh, he said truly to his disciples: ‘ Ye shall not ever 
have me with you.’ For as concerning the presence of his flesh, the church had 
him but a few days; yet now it holdeth him fast by faith, though it see him not 
with eyes*.” 

“It is a most curious and vain thing to seek or ask where and how the Lord's 
body is in heaven. That it is only in heaven we must believe; for it pertaineth 
not unto our frail and weak nature to discuss the secrets of heaven; but it is the 
duty of our faith godly and honourably to think of the most worthy body of our 
Lord *.” 

“*¢ Me shall ye not ever have with you. What meaneth this, ‘not ever?’ If thou 
be good, if thou pertainest unto the body of Christ (which Peter signifieth), thou hast 
Christ both at this present, and in time to come. At this present thou hast him by 
faith; thou hast him by a sign. At this present thou hast him by the sacrament 
of baptism: at this present thou hast him by the meat and drink of the altar’.” 

‘Christ hath left the world by his corporal departing ; he is gone unto the Father 
by the ascension of his manhood; and yet hath he not forsaken the world by the 
governance of his presence’.” 

‘Such is the power of thine omnipotency, O Christ, that thou canst do more in 
the faithful when thou art thought to be absent from them in that manhood which 
thou took on thee. Notwithstanding, with the presence of thy majesty thou never 
departest from the hearts of thy faithful people. Peter took upon him to die for 
thee, being absent; whom, being present, he had tofore denied through cowardness’.” 

“Let us not hear them which deny that the Son sitteth on the right hand of the 
Father. For they say: Hath God the Father a right or left side, as bodies have? 
We do not so think of God the Father: for God is defined and concluded or in- 
closed with no shape of body. But the nght hand of God is an everlasting blessedness, 
which is given to the saints; as his left hand is most rightly called a perpetual 
misery, which is given to the ungodly: that not in God himself, but in his creatures 
after that sort as I have spoken, the right and the left hand may be understanded. 
Moreover, the body of Christ, which is the congregation, shall be on his right hand, 
that is to say, in that blessedness; as the apostle saith: ‘He hath raised us up with 





{} Id. in Johan. Evang. cap. vii. Tractat. xxx. 1. 
Tom. III. Pars 1. col. 517. See Vol. II. page 278, 
note 4. | 

[? Id. ibid. Tractat. 1. 4. cols. 630, 1. 
II. page 274, note 2.] 

[* Id. ibid. 13. col. 634. See Vol. II. page 274, 
note 1. | 

[* Id. Lib. de Fid. et Symb. 13. Tom. VI. col. 
157. See Vol. II. page 278, note 6. ] 

[> Me autem non semper habebitis. Quid est 
enim, non semper? Et quid estsemper? Si bonus 
es, si ad corpus pertines, quod significat Petrus; 
habes Christum et in presenti et in futuro: in pre- 
senti per fidem, in presenti per signum, in presenti 


See Vol. 


per baptismatis sacramentum, in presenti per altaris 
cibum et potum.—Id. in Johan. Evang. cap. xii. 
Tractat. ]. 12. Tom. III. Pars 1. col. 633.] 

[© See before, page 428, note 3.] 

|7 Ipsa est virtus omnipotentie tue, ut plus pos- 
sis in ipsis fidelibus, quando absens ab eis in homine 
illo suscepto sentiris. Ceterum prasentia tue ma- 
jestatis de cordibus fidelium tuorum numquam dis- 
GEdiS:.c-.. quz [dona] accepit Petrus ut moreretur 
pro absente, quem desperando negaverat presentem. 
—Id. De Symb. Serm. ii. 16. ad Catech. Tom. VI. 
col. 564. The Benedictine editors doubt the genu- 
ineness of this sermon. ] 


THE ELEVENTH ARTICLE. 453 
him, and made us to sit with him in heavenly things.’ For although our body be 
not yet there, notwithstanding, our hope is there already *.” 

“We must believe and confess that the Son of God, after the substance of his August. de 
godhead, is invisible, without a body, immortal, and not able to be compassed about. Sinn 
Notwithstanding, it is meet and convenient for us to believe and confess that, as 
concerning his manhood, he is visible, hath a body, occupieth a place, and hath un- 
doubtedly all the members of a man’.” 

“If the nature of the Word and of the flesh be one, secing the Word is every Vigilius eon- 

where, why is not the flesh then every where? For when it was in earth, then verily Liv. iv.” 
was it not in heaven; and now, when it is in heaven, it is not surely in earth. And 
it is so sure that it is not in earth, that, as concerning it, we look for him to come 
from heaven, whom, as concerning his eternal word, we believe to be with us in 
earth. Therefore [we] by your doctrine (saith Vigilius unto Eutyches, who defended 
that the divinity and humanity in Christ was but one nature), either the Word is 
contained in a place with his flesh, or else the flesh is every where with the Word. 
For one nature cannot receive in itself two diverse and contrary things. But these 
two things be diverse and far unlike; that is to say, to be contained in a place, and 
to be every where. Therefore, inasmuch as the Word is every where, and the flesh is 
not every where, it appeareth plainly that one Christ himself hath in him two natures, 
and that by his divine nature he is every where, and by his human nature he is 
contained in a place; that he is created, and hath no beginning; that he is subject 
to death, and cannot die. Whereof one he hath by the nature of his Word, whereby 
he is God; and the other he hath by the nature of his flesh, whereby the same God 
is man also. Therefore one Son of God, the self-same was made the Son of man; 
and he hath a beginning by the nature of his flesh, and-no beginning by the nature 
of his godhead. He is created by the nature of his flesh, and not created by the 
nature of his godhead. He is comprehended in a place by the nature of his flesh, and 
not comprehended in a place by the nature of his godhead. He is inferior to angels in 
the nature of his flesh, and is equal to his Father in the nature of his godhead. He 
died by the nature of his flesh, and died not by the nature of his godhead. This 
is the faith and catholic confession which the apostles taught, the martyrs did cor- 
roborate, and faithful people keep unto this day’®.” 

“‘One and the self-same Christ of mankind was made a man, compassed in a place, Fuigentius 
who of his Father is God, without measure or place. One and the self-same person, eee 
as concerning his man’s substance, was not in heaven when he was in earth, and“ 
forsook the earth when he ascended into heaven ; but, as concerning his godly substance, 
which is above all measure, he neither left heaven when he came from heaven, nor 
he left not the earth when he ascended into heaven: which may be known by the 
most certain word of Christ himself, who, to shew the placing of his humanity, 
said to his disciples: ‘I ascend up to my Father and your Father, to my God and John xx. 
your God.’ And when he had said of Lazarus that he was dead, he added, saying: 

‘TI am glad for your sakes, that ye may believe; for I was not there.’ But to shew Jonn xi. 
the unmeasurable compass of his divinity, he said to his disciples: ‘Behold, I am Matt. xxviii 
with you always, unto the world’s end.’ Now how did he go up into heaven, but 

because he is a very man contained within a place? Or how is he present with 

faithful people, but because he is very God, being without measure!'?” 





(® Nec eos audiamus, qui negant ad dexteram 
Patris sedere Filium. Dicunt enim, Numquid Deus 
Pater habet latus dextrum aut sinistrum, sicuti cor- 
porat Nec nos hoc de Deo Patre sentimus: nulla 
enim forma corporis Deus definitur atqué concludi- 
tur. Sed dextera Patris est beatitudo perpetua, que 
sanctis promittitur; sicut sinistra ejus rectissime di- 
citur miseria perpetua, que impiis datur: ut non in 
ipso Deo, sed in creaturis hoc modo, quo diximus, 
intelligatur dextera et sinistra. Quia et corpus 
Christi, quod est ecclesia, in ipsa dextera, hoc est in 
ipsa beatitudine futurum est, sicut apostolus dicit, 


quia et simul nos suscitavit, et simul sedere fecit in 
ceelestibus. Quamvis enim corpus nostrum nondum 
ibi sit, tamen spes nostra jam ibi est.-—Id. De Agon. 
Christ. 28. Tom. VI. col. 257.] 

[° See before, page 428, note 4.] 

[!° Vigil. adv. Eutych, in Cassandr. Op. Par. 
1616. Lib. 1v. pp. 546, 7. See Vol. II. page 279, 
note 10.] 

{" Fulgent. Op. Par. 1623. Ad Trasimund. Lib. 
Ir. Ccap- xvii. cols. 172,3. See Vol. II. page 278, 
note 9.] 


Idem, Lib. 
iii. 


Theodoret. 
in Dialog. 2. 


Ibidem. 


Acts xvii. 


Acts i. 
Matt. xxiv. 


Matt. xxv. 


August. ad 
Dardanum, 
Epist. 57. 


Cyrillus de 
Trinitate, 
Lib. ii. 


Didymus de 
Spit Sanc- 
to, Lib. i. 


Basilius de 
Spiritu Sane- 
to, cap. xxii. 


Hieron. ad 
Damasum. 


454 ARTICLES OF CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 


“The self-same and unseparable Christ according to his flesh alone did rise out 
of the grave: according to the whole man which he took, leaving the earth locally, 
he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God: after the same whole 
man he shall come to judge the quick and the dead, and to crown the faithful and 


godly '.” 

“The body of our Lord, when it rose again, was utterly estranged from all cor- 
ruption and perishing: it was also free from sufferings, immortal, and glorified with 
divine glory, and is worshipped of the heavenly powers: and yet, notwithstanding, 
it is a body, and hath the very same circumscription that it had before*.” 

“JT would not say for the persuasion of man’s reason, nor I am not so arrogant 
and presumptuous to affirm any thing which scripture passeth over with silence; but 
I have heard St Paul cry, that ‘God hath ordained a day when he will judge all 
the world in justice by that man which he appointed before; performing his 
promise to all men, and raising him from death.’ I have learned also of the holy 
angels, that he will come after that fashion as his disciples saw him go to heaven. 
But they saw a nature of a certain bigness, not a nature which had no bigness. I 
heard furthermore the Lord say: ‘Ye shall see the Son of man come in the clouds 


of heaven.’ 


that nature that hath no bigness cannot be seen. 


And I know that every thing that men see hath a certain bigness; for 


Moreover, to sit in the throne 


of glory, and to set the lambs upon his right hand, and the goats upon his left hand, 


signifieth a thing that hath quantity and bigness’. 


3” 


“Take away the spaces of places from the bodies, and they shall be no where; 


and, forasmuch as they shall be no where, then shall they not be at all. 


Take away 


the very bodies from the qualities of bodies, then shall there neither be any place 
where they may be; and therefore must it needs follow that they be not’.” 
“Tf the nature of the godhead were a body, it must needs be in a place, and have 


quantity, greatness, and circumscription’.” 


“The Holy Ghost himself, if he were one of the creatures, should have at the 


least a circumscribed substance, as all things that are made have. 


For although the 


invisible creatures be not circumscribed in a place and bounds, yet are they environed 


with the property of their substance. 


But the Holy Ghost, seeing he is in many 
places, hath not a circumscript substance®. 


“The angel which stood by Cornelius was not also in the same place with Philip ; 
neither did the angel, which spake unto Zachary from the altar, occupy the same time 


his proper place and standing in heaven. 


But the Holy Ghost is believed to work 


at one time both in Abacuk and in Daniel in Babylon, and with Hieremy in prison, 


and with Ezechiel in Chobey’.” 


“Christ rose again the third day, he ascended into heaven, he sitteth on the nght 





[! Idem atque inseparabilis Christus secundum 
solam carnem de sepulchro surrexit: idem atque 
inseparabilis Christus secundum totum hominem, 
quem accepit, terram localiter deserens, ad ccelum 
ascendit, et in dextris Dei sedet, secundum eundem 
totum hominem venturus ad judicandum vivos et 
mortuos, coronaturus fideles et pios.—Id. ibid. Lib. 
Ill. Cap. xxxiv. col. 211.] 

[2 Kai 76 decrorikdy Toryapovv cGpa apbap- 
Tov pev avéorn, Kal drabés, Kai dbavatov, Kai TH 
Qeia Ody dedo~acpEévov, Kal Tapa THY éroupaviwy 
Tpockvveitar duvdpuewv. cma O& Guws éoTl, THY 
apotépav €xov weptypadrjv.—Theodoret. Op. Lut. 
Par. 1642—84. Inconfus. Dial. ii. Tom. IV. p. 82.] 

[2 "Eyo pév odk av painv, dvOpwrivors mwebo- 
prevos Noyiopots. ov yap oUTws eciui Bpacds, wore 
pavat Ti ceorynuevov Tapa TH Veia ypady- jKovca 
pévtot Tov Beiov Tlavd\ov BowyTos, 6TL Eatyoev O 
Oeds tjuépav, ev 4 péder Kpivery THY oikoupmevny 
év duxatocbvy év avépt  wpioe, TicTLY TapacXwD 
Taow, dvactijcas €K vexpav a’Tov. meudbynka o& 
Kal Tapa Tay dyiwy ayyédwy, OTL OUTWS EAEVoETAL 


bv tTpdrov alto etdov of pabytai opevdpevov eis 
Tov opavov. Eldov dé Tepryeypaupevny pvaw, ovK 
adtepiypadov. jkovca oé kal Tov Kupiov Néyovtos, 
bWrecbe Tév vidv Tov avOpwmou éEpXopevoy Eni THY 
vepeA@v TOU ovpavov. Kal oida Wepryeypaupévov 
70 br’ avOputrwv dpwpevov. abéatos yap 1) aepi- 
ypados pvats. Kai mévTo Kat TO Kabicar él Opo- 
vou d0—ns, Kal otHoat TOUS pev apuvods éx deLav, 
tovs Oé épigous é& ehwvipwv, TO Tepryeypaypévov 
énXot.—Id. ibid. pp. 82, 3.] 

[* August. Op. Par. 1679—1700. Lib. ad Dard. 
seu Epist. clxxxvii. 18. Tom. II. col. 683. See Vol. 
II. page 278, note 2. ] 

[> Cyril. Alex. Op. Lut. 1638. De S. Trin. Dial. 
1. Tom. V. Pars 1. p. 447. See Vol. II. page 281, 
note 4.] 

[® Did. Alex. in Biblioth. Vet. Patr. Stud. Gal- 
land. Venet. 1765—81. De Spirit. Sanct. Lib. 6. 
Tom. VI. p. 265. See Vol. IL. page 281, note 2.] 

[7 Basil. Op. Par. 1721—30. Lib. de Spirit. 
Sanct. cap. xxili. Tom. IJI. p. 46. See Vol. Il. 
page 280, note 1.] 


THE ELEVENTH ARTICLE. 455 


hand of God the Father, the very same nature of his flesh remaining in the which 
he was born and suffered, in the which also he rose again. For the substance of his 
humanity is not vanished away, but it is glorified, and for ever shall remain with his 
deity*.” 

We confess that one and the same Christ our Lord, the only-begotten Son of Coneilium 
God, must be known in two natures unconfusedly, unconvertibly, without any nense. 
division, and unseparably ; the diversity of the natures being no where made void for 
the union ; yea, rather the propriety of both natures, being in one® person and substance, 
being safe; not as divided or separated into two persons, but one and the same only- 
begotten Son of God, God the Word, even the Lord Jesus Christ’’.” 

“Christ is not here by the presence of his flesh, and yet is he absent no where Gregorius in 
by the presence of his majesty '’.” 

“We must, dearly-beloved brethren, follow thither in heart where we believe that Idem Hom. 
Christ is ascended in body. And although we be as yet holden with the infirmity or 
weakness of the body, yet let us follow him with the steps of love; for he that went 
up quiet and gentle, shall come again terrible and fearful (to the wicked)”.” 

“He, ascending into heaven after his resurrection, did forsake them corporally, Bedain 
whom notwithstanding he did never leave with the presence of his divine majesty’*.” gilia Pente- 
“The flesh of Christ that he took unto him is neither of heaven, nor of the air, P. Lombard. 


ere Lib. iii. Sent. 
nor of any other nature than of that whereof all men’s flesh is”. i 


THE TWELFTH ARTICLE. 


That the sacramental bread was not reserved in boxes and pixes among 
ancient Christians, as it is now-a-days in the temples of the papists. 


the 


Probations out of the old fathers. 


“So many hosts must be offered on the altar as will suffice for the people. And Clemens, 
if any remain, they must not be kept until the morning, but be spent and consumed Sone 
of the clerks, with fear and trembling”’.” 

“The bread which the Lord gave to his disciples, and said, Take and eat, he origenes in 
spared not, neither did he command that it should be kept until to-morrow.  Per- ae 
adventure this mystery is contained in it, because he commandeth bread not to be sare 
carried in the way, that thou shouldest alway bring forth the new and fresh bread 


of the word of God, and carry them in thee. And therefore those Gabaonites are Josh. ix. 





[® Resurrexit tertia die : ascendit in coelum, sedet 
ad dexteram Dei Patris, manente ea natura carnis, 
in qua natus et passus est, in qua etiam resurrexit. 
Non enim exinanita est humanitatis substantia, sed 
glorificata, et in xternum cum deitate mansura. 
—Hieron. Op. Par. 1693-1706. Symbol. Explan. ad 
Damas. Tom. V. col. 123. The Benedictine Editor 
does not consider this a genuine work of Jerome. ] 

[° Folio, owne.] 

[2° ‘Eardpuevor Toivuy Tots ayiots watpdow, eva 
Kal Tov avTov Omodoyety vidv Tov Kipiov jpav 
*Incouv Xpiorov cuppuwyvws awavtes éExdiddoKomev 
«eva Kal Tov avTOv Xpiotov, vidv, Kupiov, pove- 
yen, ex d0o picewy dovyxXiTws, TpéTTWS, ddLat- 
péTws, GXwpictws yuwpifouevov’ oldanou THs TAY 
picewy dtadopas avypnpévns dia THY Evwow, cw-= 
Couévns dé paddov THs idtdTHTOS ExaTépas Picews, 
kai els €v TpdcwTov Kal piav bTocTacW cuVTpe_- 
Xovons, ovK eis dio Tpdcwma pEpLComevon 1} Otatpov- 
pevov, GAN’ Eva Kal Tov ad’Tov vidv Kal povoyery, 
Ocdv Adyov, Kipiov Incotv Xptordve—Symb. Con- 
stant. in Act. v. Concil. Chale. in Concil. Stud. 
Labbei. Lut. Par. 1671-2. Tom. IV. cols. 566, 7.] 


[1! Gregor. Magni Pape I. Op. Par. 1705. In 
Evang. Lib. 1. Hom. xxi.4. Die Sanct. Pasch. 
Tom. I. col. 1527. See Vol. II. page 274, note 5.]} 

['? Unde, fratres carissimi, oportet ut illuc se- 
quamur corde, ubi eum corpore ascendisse credimus 
...quia is qui placidus ascendit, terribilis redibit 
...et si adhuc hic tenemur infirmitate corporis, se- 
quamur tamen eum passibus amoris.—Id. Ibid. in 
Ascens. Dom. Hom. xxix. 11. cols. 1574, 5. ] 

[3 Ven. Bed. Op. Col. Agnip. 1612. Hom. in 
Fest. Sanct. Pentecost. Tom. VII. col. 38. See 
Vol. II. page 275, note 8.] 

[}* Hanc tamen carnem non ceelestis, non aeriz, 
non alterius cujusque putes esse nature: sed ejus, 
cujus est omnium hominum caro.—Pet. Lomb. Lib. 
Sentent. Col. Agrip. 1576. Lib. un. Dist. iii. A. fol. 
249. Lombard has quoted this passage from the trea- 
tise De Fide ad Pet. See August. Op. Tom. VI. 
Appendix, cols. 21,2; or Fulgent. Op. Par. 1623. 
col. 335.] 

[> Clement. Papz I. Epist.ii. ad Jacob. in Epist. 
Decret. Sum. Pont. Rom. 1591. Tom. I. p. 16. See 
Vol. II. page 251, note 10.] 


August. de 
Trinit. Lib. 
iii. cap. x. 
Hieron. in 

1 Cor. cap. xi. 


Evagrius in 
Ecel. Hist. 
Lib. iv. cap. 
XXXVi. 


Humbert. 
contra Nice- 
tam. 


Paschas. 
Dist. 2. de 
Consecr. 


August. econ- 
tra Faustum, 
Lib. xx. cap. 
Xvlil. 


August. in 


Lib. de Fide 
ad Pet. Diac. 
cap. XVill. 


456 ARTICLES OF CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 


condemned to carry water and wood, because they brought old bread unto the children 
of Israel’.” 

“The bread appointed to this use is consumed in receiving the sacrament’.” 

“ After the communion, whatsoever they left of the sacrifices, they consumed it 
together there in the church, eating their common supper’.” 

“The old custom was this, that when much of the holy parts of the undefiled 
body of Christ our God did remain, that the young children which were wont to 
go to school should be called to eat them*.” 

“We read that the Lord himself did not deliver to his disciples an unperfect, but 
a perfect commemoration and remembrance of his passion and death. For he did 
not only bless, and reserve that which should be broken until to-morrow: neither 
did he only break it and keep it in store; but, when he had broken it, he did 
straightways make distribution of it. In consideration whereof, blessed Alexander the 
martyr, and the first’ pope from the apostle Peter, planting the passion of the Lord 
in the canon of the mass, saith: So oft as ye shall do this, that is to say, bless, 
break, and distribute, ye shall do it in the remembrance of me. For if any of these 
three be done without other, that is to say, either the blessing without the breaking 
and distribution, or the breaking without the blessing and distribution, it doth not 
represent a perfect memory of Christ; as neither doth distribution without the blessing 
and breaking®.” 

“Christ, willing to express the fruit of this sacrament, said: ‘He that eateth my 
flesh, and drinketh my blood, shall live for ever.’ And hereby also Christ willing 
that his disciples should be partakers of the fruit of this sacrament, after he had con- 
secrated his body, he rested not in the consecration, neither did he give it to his disciples 
that they should keep and reserve it honourably ; but he gave it them to use, that is 


to say, to eat it; saying, ‘Take, and eat’’.” 


THE THIRTEENTH ARTICLE. 


That the popish mass is no propitiatory, expiatory, or satisfactory sacrifice 
for the sins either of the quick or of the dead. 


Probations out of the old fathers. 


“The Hebrews, in the sacrifices of beasts which they offered to God many and 
sundry ways, as it was worthy so noble a thing, did prefigure and tofore shadow 
the sacrifice that was to come, which Christ offered. In consideration whereof the 
Christians also now do celebrate a memory of the saine sacrifice that was done, with 
the holy oblation and participation of the body and blood of Christ*.” 

“In those carnal sacrifices the flesh of Christ was figured, which he without sin 
should offer for our sins; and also his blood, which he should shed for the remission 
and forgiveness of our sins. But in this sacrifice there is thanksgiving, and a com- 


{! Nam et Dominus panem, quem discipulis da- 
bat, et dicebat eis, Accipite et manducate, non dis- 
tulit, nec servari jussit in crastinum. Hoc fortasse 
mysterii continetur etiam in eo quod panem portari 
non jubet in via, ut semper recentes, quos intra te 
geris, verbi Dei panes proferas. Denique Gabaonite 
illi propterea condemnantur, et ligni cesores, vel 
aque gestatores fiunt, quia panes veteres ad Israelitas 
detulerunt.—Orig. Op. Par. 1733—59. In Levit. 
Hom. v. Tom. II. p. 211.] 

[? August. Op. Par. 1679—1700. De Trin. Lib. 
i. 19. Tom. VIII. col. 803. See Vol. II. page 252, 
note 1.] 

(? Hieron. Op. Par. 1693—1706. Comm. in 
Epist. 1. ad Cor. cap. xi. Tom. V. col. 998. See 
Vol. If. page 251, note 7.] 

[* Evagr. Schol. in Hist. Eccles. Script. Amst. 


16951700. Lib. rv. cap. xxxvi. pp. 410, 11. See 
Vol. IT. page 252, note 2.] 

[> The true reading is doubtless fifth. ] 

[© Humbert. cont. Nicet. in Mag. Biblioth. Vet. 
Patr. Col. Agrip. 1618—22. Tom. XI. p. 333. See 
Vol. II. page 252, note 5.] 

[? Gab. Biel. Canon. Misse Expos. Basil. 1515. 
Lect. xxxvi. fol. 83. 2. See Vol. II. page 252, 
note 6. ] 

[§ Hebrai autem in victimis pecorum, quas of- 
ferebant Deo, multis et variis modis, sicut re tanta 
dignum erat, prophetiam celebrabant future victime, 
quam Christus obtulit. Unde jam Christiani peracti 
ejusdem sacrificili memoriam celebrant sacrosancta 
oblatione et participatione corporis et sanguinis 
Christi. — August. Op. Cont. Faust. Lib. xx. cap. 
xviii. Tom. VIII. col. 345.] 


THE THIRTEENTH ARTICLE. 457 


memoration or remembrance of the flesh of Christ, which he offered for us, and of 

his blood, which the same God did shed for us. Of the which blessed Paul saith in 

the Acts of the Apostles: ‘Take heed to yourselves and to the whole flock, over whom Aetsxx. 
the Holy Ghost hath made you bishops and overseers, to govern the congregation 

of God, which he purchased with his blood.’ In those sacrifices therefore it was 
signified and set forth in figures what should be given unto us; but in this sacrifice 

it is evidently shewed and declared what is already given unto us. In those sacrifices 

the Son of God was tofore shewed, that he should be slain for the ungodly; but in 

this sacrifice he is declared that he is already slain for the ungodly; as the apostle 
witnesseth: ‘Christ,’ saith he, ‘when we were yet weak, according to the time died Rom. y. 
for the ungodly ;’ and, ‘when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death 

of his Son’’.” 

“The flesh and blood of this sacrifice before the coming of Christ was promised August. con- 
by figurative sacrifices; but in the passion of Christ it was performed by the truth fn, ce esa 
itself; and now, after the ascension of Christ, it is celebrated by a sacrament of re- “*" 
membrance’’.” 

“In Christ there was a sacrifice once offered, able enough to save for ever and ever. Ambros. in 
What then do we? Do not we also offer daily? We offer indeed, but in the remem- prec’ 2 
brance of his death"'.” 

“The oblation, which was given to be offered for them that were cleansed from Justinus 
their leprosy, was a figure of the bread of thanksgiving, which our Lord Jesus Christ ”’” 
commanded us to do in the remembrance of his passion, which he suffered to cleanse 
men in their souls from all vice, that we should give thanks together to God; both 
because he made the world with all the things that are in it for man’s sake, and also 
because he delivered us from vice and sin, wherein we were, and hath most valiantly 
destroyed rule and power through him, which was made passible according to his 
counsel’’.” 

Do not we offer daily? We offer indeed, but yet in the remembrance of Christ’s chrysost. in 
death is that done that we do. And this is one sacrifice, not many. And forasmuch if’ an tx. 
as this sacrifice was once offered, it was offered into the holy places. But this sacrifice 
is a figure of it: we always offer one sacrifice, and not now one, and to-morrow another, 
but alway the same. Therefore this is one sacrifice; or else how is it offered in many 
places? Are there many Christs? Nay, but there is one Christ in all places, being 
full here and there also. For even as he that is offered in every place is one body, 
and not many bodies; so in like manner is there one sacrifice. But he is our Bishop, 
which offered a sacrifice to cleanse us; and we offer the same which, then being offered, 
cannot be consumed. But that which we do, it is done in the remembrance of that that 
was done. ‘Do ye this,’ saith he, ‘in the remembrance of me.’ Not another sacrifice, 
as the bishop of the old law did, but even the very same do we alway; yea rather, 
we work a remembrance of that sacrifice’*.” 

“Tf both the priesthood, which is of the law, be ended, and the priest, which is pheodoret. in 
after the order of Melchisedech, hath offered a sacrifice, and by that means hath brought Bepese a 
to pass that the other sacrifices be not needful; why then do the priests of the new 





[° See before, page 442, note 1.] 

['° Id. Cont. Faust. Lib. xx. cap. xxi. Tom. VIII. 
col. 348. See Vol. II. page 249, note 4. ] 

[*! Ambros. Op. Par. 1614. Comm. in Epist. ad 
Heb. cap. x. Tom. III. col. 651. See Vol. II. 
page 249, note 3. ] 

['? Kain ris ceusddews d& rpoopopa, w dvdpes, 
EXeyov, 1 Urép Tav KabapiLomevwv aro Tis Némpas 
Tpocpéepecbar wapadobetca, tios jv Tov dpToU 
THs EvXapLoTias, Ov Eis dvauvnow Tov maBous ov 
éraley Umrép taHv Kabatpouévwy tas Wuxds amd 
Tans Tovnpias av0pwrwv, Incovs Xpiorés 6 Ki- 
plos jay wapédwKe Toeiv, iva dua Te evxapioTa- 
ev T@ Oew Nrép TE TOU TOV Kocmoy exTLKévat ody 
Tao Tois ev ait@ did Tov dvOpwrov, Kal brip Tov 


dw Tijs kaxias év 7 yeyovapev jevOcpwxévar Huds, 
Kai Tas apyxas Kai tas éfovcias KataXeAvKévar 
Te\eiav KaTadvow ota TOU TabyToU yevouévov Kata 
THv BovrAynv a’tov.—Just. Mart. Op. Par. 1742. 
Dial. cum Tryph. Jud. p. 137.] 

['8 Tioby ; jets Kal’ Exadotny jpépav ob rpocpé- 
popev ; TWoocpepopev méev, AN’ avauvyowy worovmevor 
tov Qavatou ai’tov" Kai pia éstiv airy, Kai ov roX- 
Aai. was pia, Kai ob roddal; érresdr) dak rpocn- 
véxOn, worrep éxeivy 1 cls TA &YLa TeV dyiwy. TOTO 
éxeivns tUTos éotl, Kai ality éxeivns. tov yap 
auTov dei tpocpépopev* od viv wey ErEpov Tpd- 
Barov, adptov dé Erepov, GNX’ dei Td adTo. Wate 
Bia éotiv 1 Oucia. éwei TH Ady TOUTW, éreLdn 
woraxov Tpospéepetat, Kai woANOL Xpratoi; add’ 


Theophylact. 
in Heb. cap. 
x. 


De Consecr. 
Dist. 2. 


Paschasius 


Papa, 
Ibidem. 


Prosper in 
Sententiis. 


Chrysost. in 
Matt. Hom. 
26. cap. viii. 


August. in 
Lib. Quest. 
Ixxxill. cap. 
lxi. 


458 ARTICLES OF CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 


testament use that mystical liturgy or sacrifice? But it is evident to them which are 
instructed in divine matters, that we offer not another sacrifice, but only celebrate a 
memory of that one and healthful sacrifice. For the Lord himself. commanded us so 
to do: ‘Do this in the remembrance of me; that, by the contemplation and diligent 
beholding of the figures, we might remember those passions which he took upon him 
for our sake, and be thankful to him for them, and look for the enjoying of the good 
things to come at his hand*.” 

““We have but one offering, not many; for he was offered but once. We offer 
him alway, yea rather, we do make a memory of that his oblation, even as though 
he were now presently offered. Wherefore it is plain and evident that we have but 
one sacrifice: but the law hath many, which also were many times offered, that 
they might profit much, and many ; but our sacrifice is one only, yea, and that offered 
once for all®.” 

“Christ was once offered in himself, and yet he is daily offered in the sacrament.” 
The Gloss :—‘ He is offered, that is to say, his oblation is represented, and a memory 
of Christ's passion is made*.” 

“‘ Because we daily fall, Christ is daily offered for us mystically : and Christ’s passion 
is set forth in a mystery.” The Gloss :—“The oblation of Christ done for us is re- 
presented and set forth in the sacrament of his body and blood*.” 

“The heavenly bread, which is the flesh of Christ, after a certain manner is called 
the body of Christ; when, to say the truth, it is but the sacrament of the body of 
Christ. And the same oblation of the flesh, which is done by the hands of the priest, 
is called the passion, death, and crucifying of Christ, not in the truth of the thing, 
but in a signifying mystery.” 

“The best keeper of benefits is the remembrance of the benefits, and a continual 
giving of thanks for the same. Therefore those reverend and healthful mysteries, which 
we celebrate when the congregation is gathered together, are called Hucharistia, the 
sacrament of thanksgiving. For they are a remembrance of many benefits, yea, they 
declare and set forth unto us the principal points of God’s dear love toward us°®.” 

“Our Lord Jesus Christ is openly known to be our king. He is also our priest 
for ever after the order of Melchisedech, which offered himself a sacrifice for our sins ; 
and he hath ordained a similitude or representation of that sacrifice to be celebrated 
in the remembrance of his passion, that that thing which Melchisedech offered to God 


we may now see to be offered in the church of Christ throughout the world’.” 


ovdapas* GAN’ els TavTaXoU 6 Xpiotos, kai évTavba 
aAypns dv, Kat éxet Tijpns, Ev c@pa. Woep ody 
To\axXov mpocpepduevos Ev GHpa EoTL, Kai ov 
ToANG cwpara, oUTW Kai pia Busia. 6 apxepeds 
quay éxeivos éotiv 6 Tv Buciay THY Kabaipovcay 
1jmas Tpoceveyxuyv. Eéxelvny Teocpéepouev Kai vuv, 
aTijp TOTE TE TpocEvEeXVEtoav, THY aVahwTOD, K.T-X. 
[See Vol. II. page 249, note 2.J—Chrysost. Op. 
Par. 1718—38. Ad Heb. cap. x. Hom. xvii. Tom. 
XII. pp. 168, 9.] 

[) Ei toivuy Kai 1 kata vopov icepwotvn TO TE- 
Los edéEato, Kal 6 Kata Tagty MeAxXicedéK apxte- 
pes Tv Buciav mpoonveyKe, Kai Ovolias erépas 
avevoceis KabeotyKapev, TL OrjToTE THS Kays OLa- 
OrjKns of iepets TH puotiKiy hectoupyiav ewitedou- 
ow; Gra dqrov Tots Ta Beta TeTadevmEvors, Ws 
ov ddAnv tia Buvciav mpocdépouev, ada TAS 
pas éxelvys Kai cwtnplov iv pvyjpny émiTeoupev. 
rTouTo yap jv avtos 6 Acomotns mpocétage, 
TouTo qwo.eite eis THY Eéuny avauvynow: iva TH 
Oewpia Tov TUTOY TeV UTEP rjpav yeyeunpevav 
dvapipyncxepeba wabnudtwv, Kal trv Tepi TOV 
cvepyétny aydrny Tupcevowper, Kal TOY peANOv-= 
roy ayalav mpocpéevwpev tiv dxd\avow.—Theo- 
doret. Op. Lut. Par. 1642—84. In Epist. ad Heb. 
cap. viii. vv. 4, 5. Tom. III. p. 431.] 


(? Kai pia éoriv arn, ov qoAXai, émwetd) amat 


TpoonvexXOn. Tov yap avTOV det TpoaEepopen, wah = 
Rov O& dvdéuvnsiw THs TpocPopas ExeElvys ToLouMEV, 
Ws vuv ywomévns. wore pia éotiv 4 Buoia.—Theo- 
phyl. Op. Venet. 1754—63. In Epist. ad Hebr. 
cap. x. Tom. II. p. 719.] 

[? August. in Lib. Sent. Prosp. in Corp. Jur. 
Canon. Lugd. 1624. Decret. Gratiani, Decr. Tert. 
Pars, De Consecr. Dist. ii. can. 52. col. 1938. See 
Vol. II. page 250, note 4. ] 

[* Paschas. in Lib. de Corp. et Sang. Christ. in 
eod. ibid. can. 71. col. 1950. See Vol. Il. page 
250, note 5.] 

[5 August. in Lib. Sent. Prosp. in eod. ibid. can. 
48. col. 1937. See Vol. II. page 250, note 1. ] 

[° Pudaxy ydp evepyecias apiotn 4 THs ev- 
epyecias pvijun, Kat dunvenrs evxapiotia. dia 61) 
TOUTO Kal Ta pikusdn puotypla, Kal wodAzjs yéE- 
povra cwrnpias (Ta Kal’ ExadorHy Tedovpeva éyw 
civakiw) evxapiotia Kadettat, OTL TokNWY EoTLV 
evepyeTNMaTwy ayduvyois, Kai TO Kepahatoy THs 
Tov Qceov mpovolas évécixvuTat, Kai STL dia TavTwY 
mapackevater evxapictetv. —Chrysost. Op. In 
Matt. Hom. xxv. Tom. VII. p. 310.] 

[7 Ita Dominus noster Jesus Christus ostenditur 
rex noster. Ipse est etiam sacerdos noster in eter- 
num secundum ordinem Melchisedec, qui seipsum 
obtulit holocaustum pro peccatis nostris, et ejus 


THE THIRTEENTH ARTICLE. 459 


‘That which is offered and consecrated of the priest is called a sacrifice and oblation, » Lombard. 
because it is a memory and representation of the true sacrifice and holy oblation made Dist. 13." 
in the altar of the cross. And Christ died once on the cross, and was there offered in 
himself; but he is also daily offered in the sacrament; because in the sacrament there 
is a erect of that thing which was once done®.” 

“In the altar there is no reiteration or renewing of the sacrifice, but a daily com- Gloss. Ord. 
memoration of that one sacrifice which was once made on the cross, according to this 


saying of Christ: ‘Do this in the remembrance of me’’.” 


THE FOURTEENTH ARTICLE. 


That the state of the dead is not such, that, whether they have lived godly 
or ungodly, they can be delivered either from their sins or from their 
pains by the popish masses, or by the good works of other. 


Probations out of the old fathers. 


“While we are in this world we may help one another, whether it be by prayer Hieron. in 
or by counsel. But when we once come before the judgment-seat of Christ, not Job, aa a 
nor Daniel, nor Noha, shall be able to pray for any man; but every man shall ae 
his own Pein: i 

“Let us not think, that we shall have any mercy shewed unto us, when we shall St in 
come unto the judgment-seat of Christ, which do not so behave ourselves in this Poulos 
world that we may deserve to receive favour and forgiveness of our sins; although 
Abraham, although Noha, although Job, although Daniel should pray for us. Therefore, 
while we have time, let us prepare and get to ourselves much trust to God-ward!}.” 

“He that washeth not away his sins in this life shall find no comfort in the life chrysost. in 
to come. ‘For in hell,’ saith the psalmograph, ‘who shall give thanks unto thee?’ And Hone 
not without a cause. For this is the time of watching and striving with our enemies; 
but the other is a time of crowns, of requitings, and of rewards’.” 

“ As it is not ever in our power to sow, so is it not in our power always to Chrysost. in 
give almose. When we be once gone hence, though we would never so fain, yet shall e 
we be able to do nothing. We have Veiner of this matter, even those five foolish Matt. xxv. 
virgins, which, although they had never so reddy a will, yet, because they went and 
carried no almose with them liberally, they were not suffered to come into the bride- 
groom’s chamber. ‘The rich man also is a witness, which despised Lazarus; who, 
because he was destitute of this help, although he wept and prayed never so greatly, 
obtained mercy neither of the patriarch, nor of any other, but without all pardon 


Luke xvi. 


he continueth for ever in the everlasting torments of hell-fire’*.” 


sacrificii similitudinem celebrandam in suz passionis 
memoriam commendavit, ut illud quod Melchisedec 
obtulit Deo, jam per totum orbem terrarum in 
Christi ecclesia videamus offerri—August. Op. Par. 
1679—1700. Lib. de Div. Quest. Octog. Trib. 
Quest. lxi. 2. Tom. VI. col. 34.] 

[® Pet. Lomb. Lib. Sentent. Col. Agrip. 1576. 
Lib. rv. Dist. xii. G. fol. 357. See Vol. II. page 
250, note 2.] 

[° Bibl. cum Gloss. Ord. et Expos. Nic. de 
Lyra. Basil. 1502. Ad Heb. cap. x. Sext. Pars, fol. 
152. See Vol. II. page 250, note 3.] 

(?° Hieron. Op. Par. 1693-1706. Lib. m1. in Epist. 
ad Gal. cap. vi. Tom. IV. Pars 1. col. 311. See 
Vol. Il. page 394, note 5.] 

[*! Catalog. Test. Gen. 1608. col. 409. See Vol. 
II. page 395, note 6. But see Chrysost. Op. Par. 
1718—38. De Peenit. Serm. ii. Tom. IX. p. 782.] 

['* There is perhaps an error in the reference. 
The passage is quoted Catalog. Test. col. 409 as from 
Hom. iii. de Poenit. ; and in one of the homilies con- 





sidered spurious we find as follows: Nov édv eins 
gov TO TAnpMEAnua, ebpioxers cov THY cvyXwpnow" 
pravipwrias yap 6 wapwv Katpos* év 6& TH Méd- 
Aovtt aiwvt Kai Opnvav avévynta Opnuijcets, kai peta- 
pehdpevos ovK ato\atces THs ovyxapricews. év 
Yap TH Ady Tis eEoporoyicerai cot; ei 6& Kai Sr 
podoyten TO TWAnwMEANUA TéTe, wperyoets cavTov 
ovéév.—Id. De Poenit. Serm. iii. Tom. IX. p. 787.) 

in “Qomep yap ovK adel tov omeipew éopmev 
Kbptot, oUTws ob6E TOU éXeciv. Srav yap évTevOev 
amevexapev, kdv pupidxis BovAnBapev, oddév Tre- 
pavoupev Théov. Kai paptupovew ui ai mapbévor 
T®@ oyu, at pupia mpobuvunbeioa, érerddv daWi7j 
thy éenuocivny odk dnd Bov éxXovcat, .ameKk\ei- 
cOncav tou BURP CavOS kal 6 tov Aa{apov waptduy 
TovoLos* Kai yap Kdxetvos, émretoy Tabrns Epnjos 
nv THS cumpaxias, Kal ddopupdpevos kal ixerevcoas 
To\a ob Tapa tov Tarpidpxou, ov mapa adXou 
TWOS riheciro, aia emeve Ounvexa@s dmornyaviKo- 
Bevos Xwpis cuyyvwuns dadons.—ld. in cap. vi. 
Epist. ad Gal. Comm. Tom. X. p. 726.] 


460 ARTICLES OF CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 


“They are foolish virgins indeed, because they then asked after oil when there 
was no time to work. The wise virgins said: ‘Lest we have not enough for us 
and for you.’ For the good deeds of my neighbour shall scarcely be sufficient to 
defend himself; so far is it off that they can profit me any thing at all. For all men 

shall be justified by their own works, and not by the works of their neighbours'.” 
Jdemin Lue. Yet at the last let us consider whither we must go; and when that day once 
Sttxxv. come, we can no more labour. For then shall it be no time of working; neither 
then shall it be seemly to beg. For they be called foolish virgins that beg?.” 
Basilius in “ But thou sayest, I will enjoy my goods while I live, and when I die I will 
aa remember the poor in my will and testament. Ah! wretch, wilt thou then be merciful 
and liberal when I shall see thee a dead carcase? Shall I call thee then a lover of 
thy brother? No man travaileth when the mart is once done®.” 
Gregor. Nazi-  “¢ This is the time of working; but the time to come is the time of reward*.” 
eres | “ After we be once departed out of this life, there is no more place of repentance ; 
contra De there is no more working of satisfaction. Life is here either lost or won. Everlasting 
salvation is here provided for by the due worshipping of God, and the fruits of faith. 
Let no man be hindered or dismayed either by the reason of his sins, or for long 
continuance in the same, to come unto the obtaining of salvation. For so long as a 
man liveth in this world no repentance is too late for him. The way unto forgive- 
ness of sins is open; and such as seek and are desirous to understand the truth, they 
shall have an easy access unto it. For although thou dost, at thy very departure 
out of this world, and going out of this life, pray unto God, which is one and 
true God, confessing thy sins, and desiring forgiveness of the same, yet mayest thou 
be sure that healthful forgiveness of all thy wickednesses shall be granted unto thee, 
if thou confess thy sins and believe to have remission of them; yea, and that through 
the great mercy of God. Not only that, but also so soon as thou art departed from 
this life, thou shall go unto immortality and everlasting glory*.” 
“Such one as God findeth thee when he calleth thee hence, such one also doth 


Theophylact. 
in Matt. 
cap. XXV. 


Idem in Ser. 

tie" he judge thee°.” 

Ibidem. “The righteous are called unto ease ; but the unrighteous are plucked away unto 
punishment: safeguard is straightways given to the faithful, and pain to the unfaithful®.” 

Aug. de Ee- “ After the Lord’s ascension into heaven the souls of all the saints are with 


cles. Dogmat. Christ; and they departing from the body go unto Christ, abiding the resurrection 
of their body, that they may together be changed with him unto whole and perfect 
blessedness: even as in like manner the souls of sinners are in hell, and with great 
fear and trembling abide the resurrection of their bodies, that they may together 


be thrust down unto everlasting pain’.” 
Aug. ad He- “Took, in what state every man shall be found in the last day of his life, even 
Fpist. 80. so shall he be taken in the last day of the world. For look, what manner a one 
8» 


every man dieth on that day, even such one he shall be judged at the last day®. 
‘Every one sleepeth with his cause, and shall rise again with his cause®.” 


Aug. in 

Joan. Tract. 

Ate “In the world to come we cannot work; but they that have wrought here shall 
Hesychius i 

Looe Lib. be rewarded there’’.” 

cap. xix, 


[! Theophyl. Op. Venet. 175463. In Matt. transitur.—Cypr. Op. Oxon. 1682. Ad Demetr. 
Comm. cap. xxv. Tom. I. pp. 136,7. See Vol. II. | p. 196.] 


page 396, note 1.] [® Id. De Mortal. pp. 161-3. See Vol. II. page 
[? Id. in Luc. Comm. cap. xvi. p. 413. See | 395, note 7.] 

Vol. II. page 396, note 2.] [? August. Op. Par. 1679—1700. De Eccles. 
[3 Basil. Op. Par. 1721—30. Hom. in Divit. Dog. Lib. cap. xlvi. Tom. VII. Appendix, col. 80. 

Tom. II. p. 60. See Vol. IL. page 396, note 3.] See Vol. 11. page 394, note 3.] 
[* Gregor. Naz. Op. Par. 1778—1840. Orat. [? In quo enim quemque invenerit suus novissi- 


xix. 6. Tom. I. p. 367. See Vol. IJ. page 395, | mus dies, in hoc eum comprehendet mundi novissi- 

note 8.] mus dies: quoniam qualis in die isto quisque mo- 
[° See Vol. I. page 327, note 1; where a part of ritur, talis in die illo judicabitur—Id. Ad Hesych. 

this passage is quoted. Cyprian proceeds: Tu sub Epist. excix. 2. Tom. II. col. 743.] 

ipso licet exitu et vite temporalis occasu pro delictis [® Id. in Johan. Evang. cap. xi. Tractat. xlix. 9. 

roges: et Deum qui unus et verus est, confessione et | Tom. III. Pars 1. col. 623. See Vol. Il. page 395, 

fide agnitionis ejus implores. Venia confitenti datur, | note 12.] 

et credenti indulgentia salutaris de divina pietate [2° Isych. in Levit. Basil. 1527. Lib. vr. in cap. 

conceditur; et ad immortalitatem sub ipsa morte | xix. fol. 110.2. See Vol. II. page 395, note 9.} 


THE FOURTEENTH ARTICLE. 


461 


“The catholic faith first of all believeth, yea, and that by the authority of the Aug. Lib. v. 
holy scripture, that there is the kingdom of heaven, &c.; secondly, that there is hell- 
fire, where all backsliders, and such as depart from the faith of Christ, or are es- 


tranged from the same, are tormented. 


none at all; yea, we find not in all the holy scripture that there is any third place 


As for the third place, we utterly know 


ll» 


Hypognost. 
Where is 
purgatory 
then become? 


“‘ There are two dwelling-places ; one in the fire everlasting, the other in that kingdom Aug. de 


that never shall have end’’.” 


erbis 
Apost. Serm. 


“ Prepare and make ready thy works against thy departure, and address thyself ey 


unto thy journey. 


If thou hast taken ought from any man, restore it again, and say 


Hom. 2. 
de Lazaro. 


with Zaccheus: ‘If I have taken any thing from any man, I restore him four times Luke xix. 


as much again.’ 
unto the judge.’ 
the judgment-seat of Christ. 


But so soon as we be gone hence, it lieth no more in us to repent, nor to wash away 


our sins’*.” 


‘If thou be at variance with any man, be reconciled before thou come Matt. v. 
Dispatch all things here, that thou mayest without any grief behold 
While we are in this world, we have a goodly hope. 


“David as a stranger and pilgrim made haste unto the common country of all Ambros. de 


saints; desiring for the filthiness of his tarrying here to have his sins forgiven him 


before he should go out of this life. 
here shall not be there. 


lasting: for life everlasting is remission of sins. 


And therefore he saith: ‘O spare 


214 9» 


me a little, that I may recover my strength before I go hence and be no more’™, 
“The hour shall come when the game-place of this life shall be broken up; and Chrysost. in 


none shall strive after that. 


For there is nothing to do after the end of this life. en 


When this theatre or stage-place be once dissolved, then is there no more deserving 


of crowns. 


reward!5,” 


This is the time of repentance, that of judgment; this of strife, that 
of crowns; this of labour, that of refreshing; this of painful troubles, that of 


Bono Mortis, 


5 cap. ii. 
For he that hath not forgiveness of his sins 
But he shall not be there that cannot come unto life ever- 


Psal. xxxix. 


Serm. de Eu- 
a. in Ence- 
is. 


‘Tell me what these pleasant lamps mean (in the funeral): do we not bring forth chrysost. in 
Pp P ig y 


the dead as valiant wrestlers ? 


What mean these hymns? be they not had unto this 


end, that we should glorify God and give him thanks; because he hath crowned him 
that is now departed, and because he hath now delivered him from all labours and 


travails, from all servitude and bondage, and hath him with himself? 


and hymns recited for this purpose ? 


Are not psalms 


Is not the melody and singing of psalms for 


this cause? All these things are the acts of them that rejoice and be merry**.” 

“Seeing that we know that our brethren, which be delivered out of this world cyprian. 
by the hand and calling of God, are not lost, but sent before, we must not here take 
upon us black gowns; seeing that they have already there put on white garments. 
We must not give occasion unto the heathen, that they may worthily and by good 
right blame us, or lay to our charge that we do lament and bewail them as perished 
and lost, whom we do affirm to live with God, and so reprove with the testimony 
of our heart and breast the same faith that we do profess and set forth by our com- 


munication and talk?’.” 


Heb. Hom, 


4. cap. li. 


in Serm. de 
Mortalitate. 


‘There is none other place to correct our manners and conditions but only in this aug. aa 


['! August. Op. Cont. Pelag. et Cezlest. Hypogn. 
Lib. v. cap. v. Tom. X. Appendix, col. 40. See 
Vol. II. page 394, note 2.] 

[?? Id. Serm. clxi. 4. De Verb. Apost..Tom. V. 
col. 776. See Vol. II. page 394, note 4.] 

[33 Chrysost. Op. Par. 1718—38. De Lazar. 
Conc. ii. Tom. I. p. 730. See Vol. II. page 395, 
note 10.]. 

[!4 Ambros. Op. Par. 1686—90. De Bon. Mort. 
Lib. cap. ii. 5. Tom. I. col. 391. See Vol. II. page 
395, note 11.] 

[}5 ’EdXevcetar yap wpa btav to Oéatpov Tou 
Kécpou TovTOU dtadvOijceTat, Kul OUTWS OK ETL 
Aowrov aywvifecOar’ ok Ect peta Tv Tapodoy 
tov Biov rpayphatevcac0a, odK EoTL META TIv TOU 
Beatpou admod\vow otepavwhjvat. ovTOS 6 Katpos 


peTavolas, éxelvos Kpicews* vUTOS 6 Kalpos TwV 
aywvwv, Ekelvos TaV oTEPavwy" OUTOS KOTOU, EKEl- 
vos dvécews* OUTOS KaaTou, EKElvos dvTaTOOdcEWS. 
—Chrysost. Op. In Peenit. Hom. ix. Tom. II. p. 
350. ] 

[16 Eisé yap por, ti BobNovrar ai Aaprades ai 
patdpai; ovx we abAntas aitols mpotéutromen 5 
vi 0€ of Uuvor ; obXi TOV Oedv doEaTomev, Kai evya- 
pioroupev OTL otTrOv EoTEepavwoe Tov ameOBovTa, 
ott THY TWovwy amndAaEEv, STL THs Oedias ExBawv 
éxet Tap’ EavT@; ov dia TOUTO buvor; ov dia TOUTO 
Warpwolat; tTa’Ta TavtTa yalpovtTwy éotiv.— 
Id. In Epist. ad Hebr. cap. ii. Hom. iv. Tom. XII. 
p- 46.] 

[)7 See before, page 121, note 3.] 


aced. 


Epist. 54. 


Aug. de 
Civit. Dei, 
Lib. xiii. 
cap. 1x. 


Aug. de 
Civit. Dei, 
Lib. i. cap. i. 


Origen. in 
Matt. cap. 
Xv. 


John vi. 


Origen. in 
Levit. cap. vi. 
Hom. 4. 


Cyprian. in 
Serm. de 
Cena Dom. 


Ibidem. 


Hieron. in 
Esa. eap. 
Ix vi. 

John vi. 


Idem in Jer. 
eap. Xxil. 
Idem in 
Oseam, 

cap. Vili. 
Idem in 
Zach. cap. ix. 
John xii. 
John vi. 


1 John ii. 


Psal. civ. 


462 ARTICLES OF CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 


life. For after this life every man shall have that that he hath purchased unto himself 
here in this world*.” 

“The souls of the godly, being separated from their bodies, are in rest; but the 
souls of the ungodly suffer punishment, till the bodies of them do rise again unto 
everlasting life, and the bodies of these unto eternal death, which is called the second 
death *.” 

“The trimming of the dead corpse, the setting out of the burial, and the pomp 
of the funerals, are rather the solaces and comforts of the living, than the helps and 
succours of the dead®*.” 


THE FIFTEENTH ARTICLE. 


That the wicked, ungodly, and faithless people do not eat the body of 
Christ, nor drink his blood. 


Probations out of the old fathers. 


“The Word was made flesh and very meat, which whoso eateth shall surely live 
for ever; which no evil man can eat. For if it could be that he that continueth evil 
might eat the Word made flesh, seeing that he is the Word and bread of life, it 
should not have been written: ‘ Whosoever eateth this bread shall live for ever’*.” 

“ Christ is offered up one, yea, and that a perfect sacrifice. If any man touch 
the flesh of this sacrifice, he is sanctified and made holy out of hand. If he be un- 
clean, he is cleansed: if he be diseased, he is made whole’.” 

“The author of this tradition said, that, except ye eat his flesh, and drink his 
blood, we should have no life in us; instructing us with a spiritual lesson, and opening 
to us a way to understand so privy a thing, that we should know that the eating 
is our dwelling in him, and our drinking is as it were an incorporation in him, being 
subject unto him in obedience, joined unto him in our wills, and united in our affections. 
The eating therefore of this flesh, is a certain hunger and desire to dwell in him®.” 

“No man is partaker of this Lamb but he that is a true Israelite’.” 

“ All that love pleasure more than God eat not the flesh of Jesu, nor drink his 
blood, of the which he himself saith: ‘He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my 
blood, hath everlasting life’*.” 

“‘ Heretics do not eat and drink the body and blood of the Lord’®.” 

“ Heretics eat not the flesh of Jesu, whose flesh is the meat of faithful men’®.” 

“Christ speaketh in the gospel: ‘Except the wheat-corn fall into the ground and 
die, it bideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. Of this wheat is 
that bread made which came down from heaven, and the which maketh strong the 
heart of man. This bread eat they which are strong in Christ, and to whom John 
the evangelist speaketh: ‘I write to you, ye young men, that the word of God dwelleth 
in you; and ye are strong, and have overcome the evil.’ He that is the wheat of the 
elect, or of the young men, he is also the wine which maketh the heart of man merry, 


12» 


and is drunken of those virgins which are holy both in body and in spirit”. 





[* Morum porro corrigendorum nullus alius quam 
in hac vita Jocus est: nam post hance quisque id ha- 
bebit, quod in hac sibimet conquisierit—August. 
Op. Par. 1679—1700. Epist. cliii. 3. ad Macedon. 
Tom. II. col. 525.] 

[2 In requie enim sunt anime piorum a corpore 
separate ; impiorum autem poenas luunt: donec 
istarum ad zternam vitam, illarum vero ad eternam 
mortem, que secunda dicitur, corpora reviviscant.— 
Id. De Civ. Dei, Lib. xu. cap. viii. Tom. VII. 
col. 330.] 

[® See before, page 125, note 5.] 

[4 Orig. Op. Par.1733—59. Comm. in Matt. Tom. 
xt. Tom. III. p.500. See Vol. 11. page 292, note 2.] 

[> Id. in Levit. Hom. iv. 8. Tom, I. p. 208. 
See Vol. II. page 292, note 3. ] 


[® See before, page 432, note 2.] 

[7 Cypr. Op. Oxon. 1682. De Coen. Dom. 
(Arnold.) Appendix, p. 42. See Vol. Il. p. 292, 
note 4. | 

[8 Hieron. Op. Par. 1693—1706. Comm. Lib. 
xvi. in Isai. cap. Ixvi. Tom. III. col. 506. See 
Vol. II. page 293, note 5.] 

[° Id. Comm. Lib. 1v. in Jerem. Proph. cap. 
xxii. Tom. III. cols. 630,1. See Vol. Il. page 
293, note 6.] 

[1° Isti [hzretici] multas immolant hostias et 
comedunt carnes earum, unam Christi hostiam 
deserentes ; nec comedentes ejus carnem, cujus caro 
cibus credentium est.—Id. in Osee Proph. cap. viii. 
Tom. III. col. 1290.] 

[!! Intelligimus Dominum Salvatorem, qui lo- 


THE FIFTEENTH ARTICLE. 


463 


“This meat which thou receivest, this living bread, which came down from heaven, Ambros. de 


ysteriis 


ministereth the substance of everlasting life; and hee eateth this bread he shall ee, 


never die, and it is the body of Christ’’.” 
“ Jesus is the bread, which is the meat of saints; which bread he that taketh dieth Idem de, 


not a sinner’s death. For this bread is the remission of sins’*.” 
“He that did eat manna died. But he that eateth this body shall have remission Idem de 


of his sins, and shall not die for ever™*.” 


“ They cannot be both members of christ! and members of an harlot. 
‘He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, he dwelleth in me, and I in him 


Here he sheweth what it is, not sacramentally, but truly, to eat the body of Christ; 
verily, even to dwell in him. He that dwelleth not in Christ, let him not say or think 


that he eateth the body of Christ; for he is not of his body. 


He is’ not a member of 


Christ, which maketh himself a member of an harlot’’.” 
“He that agreeth not with Christ doth neither eat his body nor drink his blood, tdem Lib. iv. 
although to the condemnation of his presumption he receive every day the sacrament 


of so worthy a thing’’.” 


“‘ Christ is the bread of which he that .eateth liveth for ever ; 


said: ‘And the bread, which I shall give for the life of the world, is my flesh’’’.” 
*“* The apostles did eat bread that was the Lord; yet Judas did eat but the bread of taem in 
the Lord, and not the bread that was the Lord.” 
rs This j is to eat that meat, and to drink that drink, to dwell in Christ, and to Ibidem. 


whom Christ dwelleth not, without doubt he eateth not spiritually the flesh of Christ, 


nor drinketh his blood, 
body and blood of Christ ; 
high a thing unto his damnation”. 


19 » 


although carnally and visibly he eat the sacrament of the 
but he rather eateth and drinketh the sacrament. of so 


Cap. viii. 


pea 


Sacra. Lib. 
iv. cap. v. 
For he saith: Aug. de 
Civit. Dei, 
2 Taibsaxxi: 
cap. XXv. 


> de Trinit. 


of the which he himself Idem aa 


yrenzum. 


Joan. Tract. 
59. 


Tractat. 


have Christ dwelling in him. And therefore he that dwelleth not in Christ, and in 26. 


“The sacrament of this thing, that is to say, of the unity of the body and blood tiaem. 
of Christ, is taken in the Lord’s table of some men unto life, and of some men unto 
death ; but the thing itself, whereof it is a sacrament, is taken of all men to life, 
and of no man to death, whosoever is partaker thereof.” 

“He that is in the unity of the body of Christ, that is to say, in the coupling 
together of the christian members (the sacrament of the which body the faithful com- 
municants are wont to receive from the altar), he it is that truly eateth the body 


of Christ, and drinketh the blood of Christ. 


And therefore heretics and schismatics, 


which are departed from the unity of this body, may receive the same sacrament, 
and yet not profitable, but rather hurtful to themselves*.” 


quitur in evangelio: Nisi granum tritici cadens in 
terram mortuum fuerit, ipsum solum permanet: sin 
autem moriatur, majores fructus affert. De hoc 
tritico efficitur ille panis, qui de ccelo descendit, et 
qui confirmat cor hominis. Hunc panem comedunt, 
qui in Christo robusti sunt; et ad quos Johannes 
evangelista loquitur: Scribo vobis, juvenes, quia ser- 
mo Dei in vobis manet, et fortes estis, et vicistis 
malignum. Qui &c. [See Vol. II. page 293, note 7.] 
—Id. Lib. 1. in Zach. Proph. cap. ix. col. 1763.] 

['? Ista autem esca quam accipis, iste panis 
vivus qui descendit de ceelo, vite zterne substan- 
tiam subministrat; et quicumque hune manduca- 
verit, non morietur in eternum: et est corpus Chris- 
ti.—Ambros. Op. Par. 1686-90. De Myst. Lib. cap. 
vili. 47. Tom. II. col. 337.] 

{18 Id. De Bened. Patriarch. Lib. cap. ix. 38, 9. 
Tom. I. cols. 524, 5. See Vol. II. page 293, note 8.] 

[14 Id. De Sacram. Lib. rv. cap. v. 24. Tom. II. 
col. 372. See Vol. II. page 293, note 9.] 

['® August. Op. De Civ. Dei, Lib. xxr. cap. 
xxv. 4, Tom. VII. cols. 646,7. See Vol. II. page 
293, note 10.] 

[*® There seems to be an error in assigning this 
passage to the work upon the Trinity: it is found 





among the Sentences collected by Prosper, from, it. 


would appear, Tractat. xxvi. in Johan. Evang. Id. 
Prosp. Lib. Sentent. cecxli. Tom. X. Appendix, col. 
247. See Vol. II. page 292, note 1.| 

[7 Christus panis est, de quo qui manducat, 
vivit in eternum: de quo ipsemet dicit, Et panis, 
quem ego dabo, caro mea est pro mundi vita.—Id. ad 
Jren. in Corp. Jur. Canon. Lugd. 1624. Decret. 
Gratiani, Decr. Tert. Pars, De Consecr. Dist. ii. 
can. 57. col. 1943.] 

['8 Id. in Johan. Evang. cap. xiii. Tractat. lix. 1. 
Op. Tom. III. Pars 1. col. 663. See Vol. II. page 
294, note 5.] 

[?9 Id. In Johan. Evang. cap. vi. Tractat. xxvi. 18. 
Tom. III. Pars um. col. 501. See Vol. II. page 
293, note 11.] 

[2° Hujus rei sacramentum, id est, unitatis cor- 
poris et sanguinis Christi...sumitur; quibusdam ad 
vitam, quibusdam ad exitium: res vero ipsa, cujus 
sacramentum est, omni homini ad vitam, nulli ad 
exitium, quicumque ejus particeps fuerit.—Id. ibid. 
15. col. 500.] 

[?! Qui ergo est in ejus corporis unitate, id est, 
in Christianorum compage membrorum, cujus corporis 
sacramentum fideles communicantes de altari sumere 


Idem de 
Civit. Dei, 
Lib. xxi. 
cap. XXv. 


Ibidem. 


Idem ad 
Boniface. 


Hilar. de 
Trin. Lib. 
Vill. 

Cyril. in 
Joan. Lib. iv. 
cap. Xxviii. 


John vi. 


Ibidem. 
cap. xX. 


Cap. xviii. 


Cap. xiv. 


Cap. xvii. 


Prosper in 
Sent. Aug. 
cap. 
CUCXXxiX. 


Rab. Maur. 
Lib. de In- 
stit. Cleric. i. 
cap. Xxxi, 


464 ARTICLES OF CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 
“They judge aright which say, that he eateth not the body of Christ which is 
not in the body of Christ’.” 

“<¢Hfo that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in 
him.’ He sheweth what it is not sacramentally, but truly to eat the body of Chnist, 
and to drink his blood; verily even to dwell in Christ, that Christ may also dwell 
in him. For he hath thus spoken as though he should say on this manner: He that 
dwelleth not in me and in whom I do not dwell, let him not say or think that he 


eateth my body or drinketh my blood*.” 


“The heretics that are without the church may have the sacrament; but the 


matter of the sacrament they cannot have 


3 


“These things taken and received (he speaketh of the body and blood of Christ) 
make that both we are in Christ, and Christ in us*.” 

“Christ is that table upon the which the loaves are set; wherewith all men 
through the participation of his body are nourished unto everlasting life. For saith 
he, ‘I am the bread which came down from heaven,’ and I give everlasting life to 


the world: ‘If any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever 


25» 
. 


“‘Our elders, which did eat manna, died; because they received thereby no strength 


to live for ever: for it gave no life, but only put away bodily hunger. 


But they 


that receive the bread of life, shall be made immortal, and shall eschew all the evils 


that pertain to death, living with Christ for ever®.” 
“‘Forasmuch as the flesh of Christ doth naturally give life, therefore it maketh 


them to live that be partakers of it. 


driveth destruction out of them’.” 


“ When we eat the flesh of our Saviour, then have we life in us. 


For it putteth -death from them, and utterly 


For if things 


that were corrupt were restored by only touching of his clothes, how can it be that 


we shall not live that eat his flesh*?” 


“ As two waxes that be molten together do run every part into other; so he that 
receiveth Christ’s flesh and blood must be needs joined so with him, that Christ must 


be in him, and he in Christ’.” 


“‘ He receiveth the meat of life, and the everlasting cup, which dwelleth in Christ, 


and Christ in him. 


For he that agreeth not with Christ doth neither eat Christ’s 


flesh nor drink his blood, although to the condemnation of his presumption he re- 


ceive every day the sacrament of so high a matter’. 


10 99 


“The table of the Lord is unto some life, and to some death; but the thing it- 


self is to every man life, and to no man death. 


For whosoever is partaker of that 


(he meaneth the body and blood of Christ) shall be coupled a member to Christ 





consueverunt, ipse vere dicendus est manducare cor- 
pus Christi, et bibere sanguinem Christi. Ac per 
hoc heretici et schismatici, ab hujus unitate cor- 
poris separati, possunt idem percipere sacramentum, 
sed non sibi utile, imo vero etiam noxium, quo judi- 
centur gravius, quam vel tardius liberentur.—Id De 
Civ. Dei, Lib. xx1. cap. xxv. 2. Tom. VII. col. 646. ] 

[! Id. ibid. 3. See Vol. II. page 293, note 12.] 

[? Id. ibid 4. cols. 646, 7. See Vol. II. page 293, 
note 10.] 

[? Id. Lib. de Corr. Donatist. seu Epist. ad Boni- 
fac. elxxxv. 50. Tom. II. col. 663. See Vol. II. 
page 293, note 13.] 

[* Hilar. Op. Par. 1693. De Trin. Lib. virr. 14. 
col. 956. See Vol. II. page 293, note 14. ] 

[° Svoynmarifetac yap | Xpioctes] év tpawégns 
tTpdrw TpoKemevous éxovons To’s apTous, dia TO 
év avt@ WavTas eis wry aiwviov amotpépecbat, 
peTacXovTas OndoveTe THs ayias a’ToU capKos, 
Kata TO elpnucvov wap avTou, é&yw eiut 0 apTos 
6 ék Tov o’pavotd KataBds, Kal Cwry didods TO 
kéopw. éav Tis payy éK TOU apToV ToUTOU, CicE- 
rat eis TOV alwva.—Cyril. Alex. Op. Lut. 1638. 
Comm. in Joan. Evang. Lib. 1v. cap. iv. Tom. IV. 





p. 389. The Latin version has, Christus enim mensa 
est. Kc. ] 

[° Id. ibid. cap. ii. p. 351. See Vol. II. page 
294, note 1.] 

[7 ... Stws adbty [capkl] kata tév appyntov Tijs 
Evwcews oyou cupBeBnkws Cworodv amédece, 
xalamwep ovv éott Kata iow aditos. dia TovTO 
Gworrore? Tovs peTéXovTas aVTOU TO cHma Xpiorou" 
éfeXavver yap tov Odvatov, OTav év Tots a7Tro- 
Onjoxovor yévnta, Kai €Lictnor PVopav.—ld. ibid. 
cap. ll. p. 354. ] 

[® Id. ibid. p.361. See Vol. IT. page 294, note 3.] 

[9 "Qorep yap eitis Knpov ETEpw ouvarvere Knpa, 
aavtws Ojmou Kal Erepov év ETENW YEYyoVOTGa KaT- 
dWerat* Tov avTov olwat TpOTOV, Kal O THY GapKu 
dexXduevos TOU YwTHpos juwy Xpicrov, kai wivwy 
aitov TO Tiptov aia, Kaba pyow aitos, Ev as 
mpos altov evpiokeTat cuvavakipvadwevos woTeEp 
Kal dvamryvbpevos a’T@ dia THs peTahi ews, ws 
év Xpictw péev adtov eipicxecOar, Xpiorov dé ad 
addw év aito.—tld. ibid. cap. ii. p. 365.] 

[1° August. Op. Par. 1679—1700. Prosp. Lib. 
Sentent. ex August. cccxli. Tom. X. Appendix, col. 
247. See Vol. II. page 292, note 1.] 


THE FIFTEENTH ARTICLE. 465 


the head in the kingdom of heaven. For the sacrament is one thing, and the virtue 
of the sacrament is another thing. For the sacrament nourisheth the body ; but through 
the virtue of the sacrament the dignity of everlasting life is gotten. In the sacrament 
all the faithful that do communicate make a bond of fellowship and peace; but 
in the virtue of the sacrament all the members are joined and coupled to their 
head, and shall rejoice together in everlasting glory. Therefore as that (the sacra- 
ment) is converted and turned into us when we eat it and drink it; so likewise 
are we converted and turned into the body of Christ, while we live obediently and 
odly’’.” 

: “They that eat and drink Christ eat and drink life. To eat him is to be re- DeConse. 
freshed, and to drink him is to live. That which is received visibly in the sacra- Oui Mandy 
ment is in the self truth spiritually eaten and drunken”.” oe 

“To believe in Jesus Christ is to eat the bread of life. 
and is inwardly fed, because he is inwardly born again. And ‘he that eateth my “” oo 
flesh and drinketh my blood hath everlasting life.’ For through the participation of 
the Son, which is by the unity of the body and blood of Christ, the man that eateth 
liveth: not he that receiveth only in the sacrament (which the evil do), but he that 
receiveth even unto the participation of the Spirit, that he may abide as a member 
in the body of the Lord, and be quickened with his Spirit’’.” 

“As in baptism Christ is put on, sometime by the sacrament only, and sometime Goss. 
as concerning the sanctification of life (the first pertaineth both unto the good and cae 
unto the bad, but the second is common only to the good); so likewise Christ is 
eaten of the evil only sacramentally ; but of the good he is received sacramentally and 
spiritually, and of all the faithful spiritually '*.” 

“*T am the living bread,’ saith Christ, ‘which came down from heaven: if any De Penitent. 

man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever.’ He therefore that liveth not for ever Dechatitate. 
eateth not the living bread at all. But he that eateth not hath not believed in him. 
For this is to eat the living bread, even to believe in Christ; that is to say, by 
love to go into Christ, and to be incorporate in him. Seeing then that the reprobate 
hath not believed in him, he hath not eaten him; and so hath he not had the chris- 
tian faith, whereby alone sins are released and forgiven'’.” 

“<He that eateth my flesh,’ saith Christ, ‘and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in rabanus de 
me, and I in him.’ For except he dwell in me afore, and I in him, he cannot eat fuchanst. 
my flesh nor drink my blood. And what is this then, that all men eat indifferently, 
so oft as they receive the sacraments of the altar? They receive indeed; but one 
eateth spiritually the flesh of Christ and drinketh his blood, and another doth not, 
although he seem to take a morsel at the priest's hand. And what receiveth he, 
seeing there is one consecration, if he receive not truly the body and blood of Christ? 
Forasmuch as he is guilty, and receiveth, as the apostle Paul saith, ‘unworthily,’ he 1 cor. xi 


He that believeth eateth, midem. 





[?? Hujus rei sacramentum, id est unitas corporis 
et sanguinis Christi, de mensa dominica assumitur 
quibusdam ad vitam, quibusdam ad exitium: res 
vero ipsa omni homini ad vitam, nulli ad exitium. 
Quicunque enim ejus particeps fuerit, id est, Christo 
capiti membrum adsociatus fuerit in regno ccelesti, 
quia aliud est sacramentum, aliud virtus sacra- 
menti: sacramentum enim ore percipitur, virtute 
sacramenti interior homo satiatur. Sacramentum 
enim in alimentum corporis redigitur, virtute 
autem sacramenti zterne vite dignitas adipiscitur. 
In sacramento fideles quique communicantes pac- 
tum societatis et pacis ineunt: in virtute enim 
sacramenti omnia membra capiti suo conjuncta et 
coadunata in eterna claritate gaudebunt. Sicut ergo 
in nos id convertitur cum id manducamus et bibi- 
mus, sic et nos in corpus Christi convertimur dum 
obedienter et pie vivimus.—Rab. Maur. Op. Col. 
Agrip. 1626-7. De Instit. Cleric. Lib. 1. cap. xxxi. 
Tom. VI. p. 11.] 


[ BECON, 111. ] 


[?? See before, page 433, note 9.] 

['% Credere in Jesum Christum, hoc est mandu- 
care panem vivum. Qui credit in eum, manducat. 
Invisibiliter saginatur, quia et invisibiliter renascitur. 
Et qui manducat carnem meam, et bibit meum 
sanguinem, habet vitam eternam. Participatione 
enim Filii (quod est per unitatem corporis Christi 
et sanguinis) homo manducans vivit, non sumens 
tantum in sacramento, (quod et mali faciunt,) sed 
usque ad Spiritus participationem: ut in corpore 
Domini tanquaam membrum maneat, et ejus Spintu 
vegetetur.—August. in Corp. Jur. Canon. Lugd. 
1624. Decret. Gratiani, Decr. Tert. Pars, De Con- 
secr. Dist. ii. can. 59. col. 1944. The passages of 
Augustine from which this canon was composed have 
been already given Vol. II. page 295, note 7; and 
before, page 433, note 8.] 

['* Id. ibid. See Vol. II. page 294, note 4.] 

[15 See before, page 434, note 5. ] 


30 


Note well. 


Ibidem. 


Ibidem. 


Innocent. 
Lib. iii. de 
Sacra. Altar. 


August. Lib. 
Quest. iii. 
Quest. 93. 


466 ARTICLES OF CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 


eateth and drinketh his own damnation; because he first of all doth not prove him- 
self, nor maketh any difference of the Lord’s body. Behold what a sinner eateth, 
and what he drinketh. Verily, not the flesh and blood of Christ, which should be 
profitable unto him, but damnation, although he seem with other to receive the sacra- 


1» 


ment of the altar’. 

“These things, which are consecrate to the Lord, are the food of none other than 
of them which are in the Lord; for they alone shall see the Lord.” 

“By baptism we be born again in Christ; and by the sacrament of his body and 
blood Christ is proved to dwell in us, not only by faith, but also by unity of flesh 
and blood. And therefore we now that are the members of Christ eat his flesh, that 
we may be found to be none other thing than his body and blood, whereof we 
live*.” 

“ Judas did eat the bread of the Lord; but he did not eat the bread which 
is the Lord*.” 


THE SIXTEENTH ARTICLE. 


That the sacraments of the new law, that is to say, baptism and the Lord’s 
supper, do not confer and give grace, righteousness, remission of sins, 
the Holy Ghost, &c., but only shew and set forth to us those things 
which God of his goodness give to the faithful, and seal, confirm, and 
testify God’s good-will toward us. 


Probations out of the old fathers. 


“We must note how oft God saith, ‘I am the Lord which sanctify him;’ and, 
when he spake to Moses of the priest, he also said: ‘And thou shalt sanctify him.’ 
How then doth both Moses sanctify, and the Lord also? Verily, Moses did not sanctify 
for the Lord. Moses sanctified with visible and outward sacraments through his 
ministry ; but the Lord doth sanctify with his invisible grace through the Holy Ghost, 
where is in very deed the whole fruit of the visible and outward sacraments. For, 
without this sanctifying of the invisible grace, what do the visible sacraments profit ? 
A question may worthily be demanded, whether this invisible sanctifying without 
the visible sacraments, wherewith man is visibly and outwardly sanctified, doth 
profit nothing? That were truly a great absurdity. A man might better and more 
tolerably say, that this sanctifying of the invisible grace is not without the visible 
sacraments, than to say, that, if it be without them, it profiteth nothing; seeing that 
in this inward sanctifying the whole commodity and profit of them doth consist. 
But this also must diligently be considered, how it may truly be said, that this sancti- 





[! Hinc quoque est quod ait: Qui manducat meum 
carnem, et bibit meum sanguinem, in me manet, et 
ego inillo. Alioquin nisi prius in me maneat, et ego 
in illo, carnem meam manducare non potest, neque 
sanguinem bibere. Et quid est quod manducant 
homines omnes indifferenter, quam szepe sacramenta 
altaris percipiunt? Percipiunt plane, sed alius car- 
nem Christispiritualiter manducat et sanguinem bibit, 
alius vero non, quamvis bucellam de manu sacerdotis 
videatur percipere. Et quid accipit, cum una sit 
consecratio, si corpus et sanguinem Christi non ac- 
cipit vere? quia reus accipit indigne, et sicut aposto- 
lus Paulus ait, judicium sibi manducat et bibit, non 
probans se prius, nec dijudicans corpus Domini. 
Ecce quid manducat peccator, €t quid bibit. Non 
utique sibi carnem utiliter et sanguinem, sed judicium, 
licet videatur cum ceteris sacramentum altaris per- 
cipere.—Rab. de Sacram. Euchar. Col. 1551. cap. 


xiv. pp. 46, 7. ] 

[2 Hec igitur que consecrata sunt Domino, non 
aliorum est cibus, nisi qui sunt in Domino: quia hi 
soli visuri sunt Dominum.—Id. ibid. cap. xix. p. 58. ] 

[® Per baptismum ergo renascimur in Christo, et 
per sacramentum corporis et sanguinis Christus in 
nobis, non solum fide, sed etiam unitate carnis et 
sanguinis manere probatur. Et ideo jam membra 
Christi ejus carne vescimur, ut nihil aliud quam 
corpus ejus, unde vivimus, et sanguis inveniamur.— 
Id. ibid. cap. xxiii. pp. 71, 2. ] 

[* These seem to be the words of Augustine, Op. 
Par. 1679-1700. In Johan. Evang. cap. xiil. Tractat. 
lix. 1. Tom. III. Pars 11. col. 663. See Vol. Il. 
page 294, note 5. But see Innocent. III. Op. Col. 
1575. Myst. Miss. Lib. 1v. capp. xi. xiv. Tom.I. 
pp. 281, 2.] 


THE SIXTEENTH ARTICLE. 467 


fying of the invisible grace cannot be without those visible sacraments. For verily 
the visible baptism did profit Simon Magus nothing at all; seeing that he wanted 
the invisible sanctifying. But whom this invisible sanctifying, because it was present, 
did profit, they also received the visible sacraments, and were likewise baptized. Neither 
is it declared and shewed where Moses, which visibly and outwardly sanctified the 
priests, was himself sanctified with the very sacrifices or with oil. And notwithstand- 
ing, who dare deny that he was invisibly sanctified, seeing he did so greatly excel in 
all grace and virtue? This also may be spoken of John the Baptist. For he baptized 
before he himself-was baptized. Therefore we cannot deny but that he was sanctified ; 
yet find we not that that thing was done in him visibly, before he came unto the 
ministry and office of baptizing. This likewise may be spoken of that thief, to whom, 
being crucified with him, the Lord said: ‘This day shalt thou be with me in para- 
dise. For he was not endowed with so great felicity without the invisible sancti- 
fying. Therefore we gather that some have had the invisible sanctifying without the 
visible sacraments, and that it hath also profited them and done them good: which 
visible sacraments were changed according to the diversity of times; so that now we 
which are under the new law have one kind of sacraments, and they which were 
under the old law had the contrary. Again, we gather that the visible sanctifying 
which is done by the visible sacraments may be present; but yet that it cannot 
profit without this invisible sanctifying. And yet is not the visible sacrament there- 
fore to be despised: for the despiser thereof can by no means be invisibly sanctified. 
Hereof came it to pass that Cornelius and they that were with him, when the Holy 
Ghost invisibly was poured upon them, and they appeared sanctified, were notwith- 
standing baptized; neither was that visible sanctifying counted superfluous, although 
the invisible sanctifying had gone before®.” 

“Not all they that are of Israel are Israelites; neither are all they that are 
washed with water straightways also washed with the Holy Ghost: as, contrariwise, not 
all that are numbered among the learners, and such as have need to be instructed 
and taught before they be admitted unto baptism, are strangers and without the 
Holy Ghost. For I find in the holy scriptures, that many learners called catechumeni 
were counted worthy to receive the Holy Ghost; again, that other which were bap- 
tized were unworthy the grace of the Holy Ghost. Cornelius was a learner; and 
yet before he came unto baptism he deserved to receive the Holy Ghost. Simon 
Magus had received baptism; but, because he came unto it with hypocrisy, he was 
put away from the gift of the Holy Ghost. Think not but that there are now also 
among the company of learners some like to Cornelius, unto whom it may be said, 


[> Advertendum est quoties dicit, Ego Dominus, 
qui sanctifico eum, loquens de sacerdote: cum hoc 
etiam Moysi dixerit, Et sanctificabis eum. Quomodo 
ergo et Moyses sanctificat et Dominus? Non enim 
Moyses pro Domino: sed Moyses visibilibus sacra- 
mentis per ministerium suum ; Dominus autem invi- 
sibili gratia per Spiritum sanctum, ubi est totus 
fructus etiam visibilium sacramentorum. Nam sine 
ista sanctificatione invisibilis gratiz visibilia sacra- 
menta quid prosunt? Merito autem queritur, utrum 
etiam ista invisibilis sanctificatio sine visibilibus sacra- 
mentis, quibus visibiliter homo sanctificatur, pariter 
nihil prosit: quod utique absurdum est. Tolerabilius 
enim quisque dixerit, sine illis istam non esse, quam 
si fuerit non prodesse ; cum in ista sit omnis utilitas 
illorum. Sed etiam hoc, quod sine illis ista esse non 
possit, quomodo recte dicatur, intuendum est. Nihil 
quippe profuit Simoni Mago visibilis baptismus, cui 
sanctificatio invisibilis defuit : sed quibus ista invisi- 
bilis, quoniam affuit, profuit, etiam visibilia sacra- 
menta perceperant similiter baptizati. Nec tamen 
Moyses, qui visibiliter sacerdotes sanctificabat, ubi 
fuerit ipse ipsis sacrificiis vel oleo sanctificatus osten- 
ditur: invisibiliter vero sanctificatum, negare quis 





audeat, cujus tanta gratia preeminebat? Hoc et de 
Johanne Baptista dici potest : prius enim baptizator 
quam baptizatus apparuit. Unde eum sanctificatum 
nequaquam negare possumus : id tamen in eo factum 
visibiliter non invenimus, antequam ad ministerium 
baptizandi venerit. Hoc et de latrone illo, cui secum 
crucifixo Dominus ait, Hodie mecum eris in para- 
diso. Neque enim sine sanctificatione invisibili 
tanta felicitate donatus est. Proinde colligitur invi- 
sibilem sanctificationem quibusdam affuisse atque 
profuisse sine visibilibus sacramentis, que pro tem- 
porum diversitate mutata sunt, ut alia tunc fuerint, 
et alia modo sint; visibilem vero sanctificationem, 
quz fieret per visibilia sacramenta, sine ista invisibili 
posse adesse, non posse prodesse. Nec tamen ideo 
sacramentum visibile contemnendum est: nam con- 
temtor ejus invisibiliter sanctificari nullo modo po- 
test. Hine est quod Cornelius et qui cum eo erant, 
cum jam invisibiliter infuso sancto Spiritu sanctificati 
apparerent, baptizati sunt tamen : nec superflua judi- 
cata est visibilis sanctificatio, quam invisibilis jam 
pracesserat.—August. Op. Quest. in Heptateuch. 
Lib. 111. Quest. Ixxxiv. Tom. III. Pars 1. col. 524.] 


30—2 


Acts viii. 


Luke xxiii. 


Acts x. 


Origen. in 
Nuiner. 
Hom. 3. 
cap. il. 


Acts x. 


Acts vill. 


Acts x. 


Acts xiii. 


Cyprian. de 
Baptismo. 


Ibidem. 


Ambros. in 
1 Cor. cap. iii. 


Idem. de 
Spiritu 
Sancto. Lib. 
i. cap. vi. 


1 John v. 


468 ARTICLES OF CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 


‘Thy almose-deeds and thy prayers are come up into heaven; and again, that there 
are some among the people of the faithful, like to Simon Magus, to whom it may 
be well and truly said: ‘O full of all subtilty and deceitfulness, thou child of the 
devil, thou enemy of all righteousness’’.” 

“Christ came unto baptism, although having no need to be baptized, forasmuch 
as there was no sin in him; even to this end, that he might give an everlasting autho- 
rity to the sacrament, and that no acception of persons should commend and set 
forth the virtue of so worthy a work. For remission of sins, whether it be given 
by baptism or by other sacraments, is properly the work of the Holy Ghost ; 
and the privilege of this work appertaineth to him alone. The solemnity of the 
words, and the invocation of the name of God, and the signs attributed to the mi- 
nistries of the priests by the ordinance of the apostles, do celebrate the visible sacra- 
ment: but the thing itself the Holy Ghost formeth and maketh; and he, being the 
author of all goodness, putteth his hand invisibly to the visible consecrations ; and the 
fatness of the divine unction poureth into sanctifications done in the ministry the ful- 
ness of grace; and by this means he furnisheth and maketh perfect the matter of 
the sacrament.” 

“Whether Judas or Paul baptizeth, it is Christ that washeth, absolveth, and 
putteth away the sin’®.” 

“To forgive sins, and to give the Holy Ghost, it belongeth to God alone: if 
God therefore give the effect of salvation, then is there no glory of man in this be- 
half. For we know that the Holy Ghost hath been given of God without the im- 
position of hands, and that such one as was not baptized hath obtained forgiveness 
of sins*.” 

“There are many which because they be baptized in the water and in the Spirit, 
they think that the nature of the water and of the Spirit differeth nothing at all: 
neither do they mark and understand, that in that element of water we be buried, 
that being renewed by the Spirit we may rise again. For in the water there is the 
image of death, but in the Spirit there is the pledge of life; that by the water the 
body of sin may die, which as with a certain tomb or grave of death includeth the 
body, that by the virtue of the Spirit we may be renewed from the death of sin. 
And therefore these three witnesses are one thing; as John said, ‘water, blood, and 
Spirit ;’ one in mystery, but not in nature. The water therefore is the witness of 
our sepulture or burial: the blood is the witness of death: the Spirit is the wit- 
ness of life. If therefore there be any grace in the water, it is not of the nature of 
the water, but of the presence of the Holy Ghost’.” 





[} Non enim omnes quiex Israel, ii sunt Israelite ; 
neque omnes qui loti sunt aqua, continuo etiam 
sancto Spiritu loti sunt : sicut e contrario non omnes 
qui in catechumenis numerantur, alieni sunt et 
expertes Spiritus sancti. Invenio enim in scripturis 
divinis nonnullos catechumenorum dignos_ habitos 
Spiritu sancto, et alios accepto baptismo indignos 
fuisse sancti Spiritus gratia. Cornelius catechumenus 
erat, et antequam ad aquam veniret, meruit accipere 
Spiritum sanctum. Simon baptismum acceperat, sed 
quoniam cum hypocrisi accessit ad gratiam, repu- 
diatur a dono Spiritus sancti. Nolo dubites et nune 
esse in populo catechumenorum aliquos Cornelios, 
ad quos dici possit, quia misericordie et orationes 
tue ascenderunt in ccelum; et rursum in populo 
fidelium esse aliquos Simones, quibus confidenter 
dicendum sit: O plene omni dolo et fallacia, fili 
diaboli, inimice omnis justitiz.—Orig. Op. Par. 1733- 
59. In Num. Hom. iii. 1. Tom. IL. p. 280.] 

[? Veniebat Christus ad baptismum Joannis, non 
egens lavacro, in quo peccatum non erat, sed ut sa- 
cramento perennis daretur auctoritas, et tanti virtutem 
operis nulla personarum acceptio commendaret : 
quoniam remissio peccatorum, sive per baptismum, 
sive per alia sacramenta donetur, proprie Spiritus 





sancti est, et ipsi soli hujus efficientie privilegium 
manet. Verborum solennitas, et sacri invocatio 
nominis, et signa institutionibus apostolicis sacerdo- 
tum ministeriis attributa, visibile celebrant sacramen- 
tum: rem vero ipsam Spiritus sanctus format et efficit, 
et consecrationibus visibilibus invisibiliter manum 
totius bonitatis auctor apponit, et plenitudinem gratiz 
unctionis divine pinguedo sanctificationibus officia- 
libus infundit, et rem sacramenti consummat et per- 
ficit.—Cypr. Op. Oxon. 1682. De Baptism. Christ. 
(Arnold.) p. 30. 

[? Id. ibid. p. 31. See Vol. II. page 226, note 1.] 

[* Ambros. Op. Par. 1686-90. Comm. in Epist. 1. 
ad Cor. cap. iii. v.6. Tom. II. Appendix, col. 121. 
See Vol. II. page 219, note 3. ] 

[> Sunt tamen plerique qui eo quod in aqua bap- 
tizamur et Spiritu, non putent aque et Spiritus dis- 
tare munera; et ideo non putant distare naturam : 
nec advertunt quia in illo aquarum sepelimur ele- 
mento, ut renovati per Spiritum resurgamus. In aqua 
enim imago mortis, in Spiritu pignus est vite ; ut per 
aquam moriatur corpus peccati, que quasi quodam 
tumulo corpus includit ; et per virtutem Spiritus re- 
novemur a morte peccati, renati in Deo. Et ideo hi 
tres testes unum sunt, sicut Johannes dixit: Aqua, 


THE SIXTEENTH ARTICLE. 


469 


“As concerning the visible and outward ministry, they baptize both good and August. Con- 


bad. But he baptizeth by them invisibly, to whom both the visible baptism and the 
invisible grace belongeth. Both the good therefore and the evil may baptize; but to 


wash the conscience, that can none do but he alone which is always good°®.” 
“The Lord hath granted to many the office of baptizing; but the power and IdeminSeal. 


authority to forgive sins in baptism hath he reserved to himself alone’. 


7» 


“To minister and to dispose the word and sacrament the minister is somewhat ; 
but to cleanse and to justify he is nothing: for this worketh none in the inward man, 


but he alone by whom the whole man was made®. 


8» 


“Tn baptism Peter cleanseth not, Ambrose cleanseth not, Gregory cleanseth not ; 


for not our services, but they are thy sacraments, O Lord. 
It is thy gift, O Lord, and thy Father’s, which spake 
‘I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh’ ’.” 


of man to give godly things. 
by the prophets, saying: 


Neither is it the work 


“That grace, if any be given in the sacraments, is God’s alway, and the sacra- 


ment is God’s also. 


The ministry is only man’s, which man if he be good, he cleaveth 


unto God, and worketh with God; but if he be evil, God worketh by him the 
visible form of the sacrament, but he alone giveth the invisible grace”. 
“Tn this mystery of the body and blood of Christ there is a spiritual working 


which giveth life ; 


they may well fed the body, but they cannot feed the soul’’. 


1 


tra Crescon. 
Lib. ii. cap. 
Xxi. 


Parad. cap. 
iii. 


Idem Contra 
Petil. Lib. ix. 
cap. liv. 


Ambros. in 

rolog. de 
Spiritu 
Sancto. Lib. 
ii. 


Joel ii. 


August. 
Epat. 106. 


Bertramus 
de Corpore et 


without the which working those mysteries profit nothing. For amine 


Domini. 


“We may not say, by any means, that grace is contained essentially i in the sa- Bonavent. 


craments, as water in a vessel, or a medicine in a box; yea, so to judge is 


erroneous. 


But they are said to contain grace, because they signify and represent it, and because, 
except there be a fault of the receiver's part, grace is alway given in them; under- 


standing it on this sort, that grace is in the soul, and not in the visible signs. 
in this respect they are also called the vessels of grace. 

For as that which is in a vessel is not of it, nor by it, but is 
so grace is not of the sacraments, nor from the sacraments, but 


after another sort. 
drawn out of it; 


And 
They may also be called vessels 


it springeth and cometh forth from the everlasting fountain, and from that is it drawn 


of the soul in the sacraments. 


And as a man hath recourse unto the vessel when 


he desireth liquor; so likewise he that seeketh the liquor of grace, and hath it not, 


must resort unto the sacraments’*.” 


“If the sacraments by their own virtue should give grace, then such ministers as 


minister the sacraments should give the Holy Ghost’’. 


379 


“God giveth the sacrament of grace by evil men also; but the very grace wherein 
is remission of sins he giveth not but by himself alone’*.” 





sanguis, et Spiritus: unum in mysterio, nonin natura. 
Aqua igitur testis est sepulture, sanguis testis est 
mortis, Spiritus testis est vite. Si qua ergo in aqua 
gratia, non ex natura aque, sed ex presentia est 
Spiritus sancti.—Id. de Spir. Sanct. Lib. 1. cap. vi. 
76,7. Tom. II. col. 616.j 

[® August. Op. Par. 1679-1700. Cont. Crescon. 
Donatist. Lib. 11. 26. Tom. 1X. col. 423. See Vol. II. 
page 227, note 3.] 

{7 Id. Scal. Parad. Tom. VI. Appendix, col. 164. 
See Vol. II. page 219, note 2.] 

(® Id. Cont. Litt. Petil. Lib. 1m. 66. Tom. IX. 
cols. 331,2. See Vol. II. page 227, note 4.] 

[° Non mundavit Damasus, non mundavit Petrus, 
non mundavit Ambrosius, non mundavit Gregorius ; 
nostra enim servitia, sed tua sunt sacramenta. Neque 
enim humane opis est divina conferre ; sed tuum, 
Domine, munus et Patris est, qui loquutus est per 
prophetas, dicens: Effundam de Spiritu meo super 
omnem carnem, et prophetabunt filii et filie eorum. 
—Ambros. Op. De Spir. Sanc. Prolog. 18. ad Lib. 1. 
Tom. II. cols. 603, 4.] 


[1° Though the whole of the epistle referred to, 
Epist. clxxxvi. (formerly cvi.), is an argument for 
the sovereignty of God’s grace, the exact words as 
quoted do not appear in it. The idea is common in 
Augustine. See In Johan. Evang. cap. i. Tractat. v. 
6, &c.—August. Op. Tom. II]. Pars 11. cols. 322, 
&c. See also before, page 467, note 5.] 

[*? In hoc itaque mysterio corporis et sanguinis 
spiritualis est operatio que vitam prestat, sine cujus 
operatione mysteria illa nihil prosunt ; quoniam cor- 
pus quidem pascere possunt, sed animam pascere non 
possunt.—Ratramn. Lib. De Corp. et Sang. Dom. 
Oxon. 1838. cap. xxxi. p. 17.] 

[?? Bonavent. Op. Mogunt. 1609. 
Sentent. Dist. i. Quest. 3. Tom. V. 
Vol. II. page 219, note 4.] 

['3 See Vol. II. page 219, note 5. ] 

[?* Quia etsi sacramentum gratiz dat Deus etiam 
per malos, ipsam vero gratiam non nisi per seipsum, 
in qua est remissio peccatorum, quam tribuit inter- 
dum etiam per sanctos suos.—Rab. de Sacram. Eu- 
char. Col. 1551. cap. xxxiv. p. 99. ] 


In Lib. rv. 
pp. 7,8. See 


in iv. Lib. 
Sent. Dist. 1 
Quest. 3. 


Francise. 
Maron. in iv. 
Lib. Sent. 


Rabanus de 
Sacrament. 
Eucharist. 


Cyprian. n 
Orat. Dom. 


John vi. 


John vi. 


Ambros. de 


Sacram. Lib. 


Vv. cap. Vi. 


August. de 
Eccles. Dog. 
cap. lili. 


August. 


Epist. 12. 


Cyril. in 
Joan. 


470 ARTICLES OF CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 


THE SEVENTEENTH ARTICLE. 


That we ought oftentimes with great reverence and high integrity and pure- 
ness of mind to come unto the Lord’s table. 


Probations out of the old fathers. 


“(Christ is the bread of life; and this bread is not all men’s bread, but it is our 
bread. And as we say here, ‘Our Father,’ because he is the Father of such as un- 
derstand and believe; so do we call it our bread, because Christ is ours, yea, he is 
our bread, which touch his body. We desire that this bread may be given us daily, 
lest that we, which are in Christ, and daily receive the sacrament of thanksgiving 
unto the meat of salvation, by the reason of some grievous sin, while we abstain 
and do not communicate, be hindered from that heavenly bread, and so be separated 
from the body of Christ; as Christ himself saith: ‘I am the bread of life that came 
down from heaven. If any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever. The bread, 
which I shall give for the life of the world, is my flesh.’ Therefore when he saith 
that, if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever; as it is manifest and evident 
that they live which touch his body, and worthily receive the sacrament of the body 
and blood of Christ; so contrariwise is it to be feared, lest, while a man abstain from 
the communion, he separate himself from the body of Christ, and remain far from 
salvation; as the Lord himself threateneth, and saith, ‘Except ye eat the flesh of 
the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye shall have no life in you.’ And therefore we 
desire that our bread, that is to say, that Christ be given us daily, that we which 
abide and live in Christ may not go away from sanctification and from his body*.” 

“Tf, so often as the blood of Christ is shed, it is shed for the remission of sins, 
I ought alway to receive it, that my sins may alway be forgiven me. Because I 
sin alway, I ought alway to have the medicine’.” 

“Daily to receive the communion of the body and blood of Christ, I neither praise 
it, nor discommend it. Notwithstanding, I counsel and exhort men, that they com- 
municate every Sunday ; yet so, if their mind be without desire of sinning®.” 

“Some receive daily the communion of the body and blood of Christ; some receive 
it on certain days; in some place there is no day but it is received; in some place 
men communicate only on the Saturday and Sunday; and in some place they receive 
only on the Sunday *.” 

“¢Ffe that cometh unto me shall not hunger. What then doth Christ promise ? 
What bringeth he to them that believe? Verily, nothing that is corruptible, but a 
blessing, which we obtain through the communion and partaking of his body and 
blood; whereby we shall be brought fully unto that uncorruption, that we shall not 
need corporal meat and drink. For the body of Christ quickeneth, and through the 
participation thereof bringeth unto uncorruption. For it is not the body of any other, 
but it is the body of him that is the very life, retaining the virtue of the Word incarnate, 





[} Nam panis vite Christus est, et panis hic 
omnium non est, sed noster est: et quomodo dicimus 
Pater noster, quia intelligentium et credentium pater 
est; sic et panem nostrum vocamus, quia Christus, 
noster (qui corpus ejus contingimus) panis est. 
Hune autem panem dari nobis quotidie postulamus, 
ne qui in Christo sumus, et eucharistiam quotidie ad 
cibum salutis accipimus, intercedente aliquo graviore 
delicto, dum abstenti et non communicantes a cce- 
lesti pane prohibemur, a Christi corpore separemur ; 
ipso predicante et monente: Ego sum panis vite qui 
de ccelo descendi: si quis ederit de meo pane, vivet 
in eternum: panis autem, quem ego dedero, caro 
mea est pro seculi vita. Quando ergo dicit in eter- 
num vivere, si quis ederit de ejus pane; ut manifes- 
tum est eos vivere, qui corpus ejus attingunt, et eu- 
charistiam jure communicationis accipiunt; ita contra 


timendum est et orandum, ne dum quis abstentus se- 
paratur a Christi corpore, procul remaneat a salute ; 
comminante ipso et dicente: Nisi ederitis carnem 
Filii hominis, et biberitis sanguinem ejus, non habe- 
bitis vitam in vobis. Et ideo panem nostrum, id est, 
Christum dari nobis quotidie petimus, ut qui in 
Christo manemus et vivimus, a sanctificatione ejus et 
corpore non recedamus.—Cypr. Op. Oxon. 1682. 
De Orat. Domin. pp. 146, 7.] 

[2 Ambros. Op. Par. 1686-90. De Sacram. Lib. 
Iv. cap. vi. 28. Tom. II. col. 372. See Vol. II. 
page 259, note 13.] 

[3 August. Op. Par. 1679—1700. De Eccles. 
Dogm. cap. xxiii. Tom. VIIL. Appendix, col. 78. 
See Vol. II. page 258, note 5.] 

[* Id. Ad Inquis. Januar. Lib. 1. Epist. liv. 2. 
Tom. II. col. 124. See Vol. II. page 258, note 3.] 


THE SEVENTEENTH ARTICLE. 471 


and full of the power of him through whom all things both live and have their being. 
Which things being thus, let the men that are baptized know, and such as are made 
partakers of the divine grace, that, if they come seldom into the church, and refuse 
by a long time for their feigned religion to be partakers of the mystical receiving of 
Christ, they seclude and utterly debar themselves from everlasting life. For such 
refusing, although it seem to come of religion, both causeth slander and maketh other 
to fall into the snare. Wherefore we must, to the uttermost of our power, labour to 
be cleansed from sin, and, the foundations of living rightly laid, run with great assurance 
unto life. But the deceits and subtilties of the devil to deceive are divers and manifold. 
For first of all he enticeth to live filthily ; afterward, when men be laden with evils, 
then he persuadeth them utterly to decline from the glory of Christ, whereby they 
might be called again from the filthiness of pleasure, as from a certain drunkenness. 
Wherefore, I beseech you, let us do our diligence, that, the devil’s bonds being broken 
and torn on pieces, and the yoke of the bondage of sin shaken off, we may serve the 
Lord in fear; and, overcoming the pleasure of the flesh through continency, come unto 
the heavenly grace, and be made partakers of the body of Christ. For thus, yea, 
thus I say, shall we both chase away the devil, and also, being partakers of the 
divine nature, ascend unto life and uncorruption®.” 

“‘ If we will obtain everlasting life, if we desire to have in us the giver of immortality, Ibidem. 
let us gladly run to receive the blessing; and let us take heed lest the devil snarl us 
by making a fair pretence of a counterfeit and hurtful religion. Thou sayest well, 
quod he. Notwithstanding, we know that it is written, that ‘he eateth and drinketh ! Cor. xi. 
his own damnation which eateth of that bread and drinketh of that cup unworthily.’ 
I therefore prove myself, and I find me unworthy. When then, whatsoever thou art, 
wilt thou be worthy? When wilt thou offer thyself to Christ? For if through sin 
thou be unworthy, and now ceasest to sin (for ‘who perceiveth his faults?’ saith the Psal. xix. 
psalmograph), shalt thou utterly be void of this lively sanctification? Wherefore, 
I beseech thee, take godly thoughts unto thee; study to live godly and virtuously, 
that thou mayest be partaker of the blessing; which, believe me, doth not only put 
away death, but also all diseases. For it quieteth and appeaseth, when Christ dwell 
in us, the raging law of our members; it confirmeth godliness; it quencheth the 
troubles of the mind; neither doth it consider in what sins we are, but it healeth 
the sick, it maketh whole the bruised; and, as a good shepherd giveth his life for Jom x. 


his sheep, it preserveth us from all falling*.” 





[5 ‘O 66 ye mpos we Badl{wv ob pi} rewvdon 
TTWTOT Esse eee ti On ov dpa Xpiotés émrayyéAXeTat 5 
@laptov pév ovdev, ebdoyiav 6& paddov tiv ev 
petada We THs dyias capKes Te Kal alpatos, OAoKAT- 
pws eis aplapciav avaxouifotons tov dv0pwrov, 
ws ovdevds émidcicbar tHV boa Tov Tis capKos 
dredatver Oavatov, tpopis dé dnovdti pnpi Kal 
TOT OUceereeeee Cwomoet Tovyapovv Td a&yiov copa 
Xpictov Tovs év ols dv yévorto, Kai cuvéxer mpos 
aplapciav, Tots nuetépois dvakipyauevoy cwpact. 
capa yap ovxX Etépov Twds, GAN’ adTis voetrar 
THs Kata piow Cwis, bXnv éxwy ev EautwH tiv 
tov Evwhévtos oyou divapuiv, Kai wemrowwpévov 
@omwep, «addov d€ On Kat avareTAnopéevov THs 
évepycias ai’tou, dv hs Ta TavTa Wworro.ei tat, Kal 
mpos TO elyat guAaTTeTa. éwetdn 68 Ta’Ta 
ToUTOV EXEL TOV TPOTOV, loTwoav Hon AotTdY oi 
BeBarricpévor, Kai THs Veias dToyevoduevor yapt- 
Tos, OTL BadiCovTes pév dxvnp@s Kal poXd.s Ev Tais 
éxxAnotiais, aopoitwytes 6& cis xpdvous paxpods 
THs ebXoyias THs dia Xpiotov, Kal tiv émiCyprov 
evAadBeray waTTOMEVoL, Oia Tov pr) PBovAEecBar 
peTéxetv alToU puoTiK@s, StL THs alwviov Cwijs 
éautods éxméutrover Qworroetcbar Tapartovmevor. 
Tepitpémetar O€ cis Tayida, Kal cis cKavdadov, 
Kaito. Kapmos ev\aBeias dokovcd Tws élvat Tap’ 
avrots } wapaitnots. xpyv yap 6) wadXov eérel- 


yeoOar Tijv évovcay avtots eloxomifew dtvapmiv Te 
kal wpoOuuiav, Srws av paivowTo yopyot mpos 
a@rokd0apow dpuaptias, Kat wetpaobar paddov 
dorewotatny éemitnocvew Tov Biov THY aywyny, 
tpéxew te otw Roirdv Kal opddpa tebappn- 
Kétws els petadAnWiw tas Cus. aA’ éseimép 
éott Totkidos els awatnv 6 Latavas, cwppovetv 
pév abrovs obdaudbev Ste wpéros AoyiLerIar ovy- 
Xwpel, KaTacmiiwoas 6é Tos KaKois, Kai avTHY 
droppitrew dvareiber tiv xapiv, dv is Hv eiKds, 
womep é& olvov Kai pébns tHs érl pavddTITa 
Kadovons yoovas dvavijpovtas, Td cuupéepov opav 
Te Kal wepisxémrecbar. atoppritavtes Tolvuy TOV 
éxelvou decudv, amoceoauevol Te TOV EK TeEovE- 
Eias ypiv émippipevta Cuydv, dovAcvowpev ev 
poBw te Kupiw, xabd yéypawtat, Kal TaY TIS 
capkés joovav duetvous 1jdn de éyKpateias ava- 
dexvipevot, mpociwuey TH Berg Te Kal obpaviw 
xapitt, Kai els dylav petahnWi avaBaivwnev Tou 
Xpictov" otw yap, oUTw, Kal dratns diaBohiKas 
meprecoucba, Ocias te picews yeyovdTes Kowwwvoi, 
apos Gwiv Kat &pPapciav avaByodpeba.— Cyril. 
Alex. Op. Lut. 1638. Comm. in Joan. Evang. 
Lib. 111. cap. vi. Tom. IV. pp. 324, 5.] 

[8 “AAN’ clarep éopéev THs alwviov {wis Epacrat, 
el tov THs aBavacias yopnyov év EauTots EXEL 
ebxdueOa, py KaTd Twas THY dpuetecTépwy TO 


Chrysost. de 
Non Contem. 
Ecclesia Dei. 


Ibidem. 


1 Cor. xi. 


472 ARTICLES OF CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 

“JT would fain know how they occupy themselves which neglect the communion, 
and refrain themselves from this holy table. Verily I know. For either they talk 
of uncomely and trifling matters, or else they be altogether set upon the cares of this 
life; which both matters are worthy of no favour, yea, they deserve extreme punish- 
ment, &c. And would God it were possible that I could shew and make open or 
disclose their minds unto your eyes! Without all doubt ye should see them full of 
filthiness, evil-favoured, clean out of frame, stuffed full of desperation and infidelity. 
Oh, would God it were possible that we might open, disclose, and bring to light the 
hearts of them that come not unto the communion! Would God ye might pierce 
and go down and see their conscience! Verily, then should ye see how grievously 
wounded they are, and how many thorns they have. For as the earth, except it be 
diligently tilled through the labour of husbandmen, waxeth rough and wild; so likewise 
the mind, lacking spiritual doctrine, bringeth forth thorns and thistles. For if we, 
which daily give attendance to the hearing of the doctrine of the apostles and prophets, 
and with heart and mind do sing songs continually that are taken out of the holy 
scripture, very hardly contain and keep in order our rebelling mind, very hardly refrain 
anger, very hardly cast out the madness of envy, very hardly quiet our conscience, very 
hardly repress our wild and cruel affections; what hope of health shall they have 
which use not this medicine, nor give ear to God’s doctrine? Many are partakers of 
these mysteries once in the year, some twice, and some often. Which of these then 
shall we commend? Them that come once, or them that come often, or them that 
come seldom? Neither them that come once, nor them that come often, nor them 
that come seldom; but them which come with a pure conscience, with a clean mind, 
and a blameless life. They that are such, let them alway come; and they that are 
otherwise, let them not once come: for they receive their own judgment and damna- 
tion. For as food, having the virtue of nourishing by nature, if it chance upon him 
which hath evil concoction and digestion, destroyeth and corrupteth all things, and 
giveth occasion of disease ; so likewise do these dreadful mysteries, &c. For the holy 
apostle saith: ‘He that eateth and drinketh unworthily shall be guilty of the body 
and blood of the Lord: that is to say, he shall suffer the same pain that they 
shall suffer that crucified Christ. For as those murderers are guilty, so likewise are 


they which unworthily are partakers of these mysteries. 


tear on pieces the king’s robe, or tumble it 
the same villany to the king himself that 
they that killed the Lord’s body, and they 
commit a like offence. The Jews indeed 


receiveth it with an unpure mind defileth it. 
yet is the contumely, despite, and reproach, 


And as, if any man should 
in the mire, he should be counted to do 
weareth it; even so likewise here, both 
that receive it with an unpure mind, do 
did break it on the cross; but he that 

Wherefore, although the sins be diverse, 
like and all one?.” 





evAoyetobat mapartwpela, nde wayida Kai Bpo- 
Xov nutvy éEaptvérw THv émiCypioy evAadBeray Oo 
Babis cis wavovpyiav diaBoXos. vai yap yéypa- 
wTTat, pnolv, 6 écbiwy éx Tov dpTov, Kal Tivwy 
€k Tov ToTnpiov dvakiws, Kpiua éavt@ éoBier 
kal wiver’ Ookiudoas 6& Tad Kat’ éuavTov, ovK 
aé.ov dvta B\érmw. WotTe Toivuy akios Eon, 
Kal Tap’ yuwv 6 ToUTO Néywv akovceTaL, TOTE 
cavTov Tupactycers TH XpioT@3 el yap péd- 
Nets adel KatarToeiobar trois éXtcOnpacw, ddt- 
claivwy d€ odk av Tote Tavcyn* Tis yap cuNjoceL 
TaparTw@maTa; KaTa TOV ayLov Wadpwoov" aduéTo- 
xXos ebpebijon mavteX@s Tov aidiws awCovTos 
a@ytacuov; «x. t..—Id. ibid. Lib. 1v. cap. ii. Tom. 
IV. p. 365. For the remainder of the passage, see 
before, page 388, note 2.] 

[! Vellem igitur scire, quibus rebus operam im- 
pendant isti, qui communionem negligunt, quique 
sacra hac mensa sese abstinent. Imo vero scio. Aut 
enim de absurdis et ridiculis rebus colloquuntur, aut 
vite hujus sollicitudinibus affixi sunt: quorum utro- 
rumque studium venia caret, extremamque meretur 
animadversionem ... Utinam quidem fieri posset, ut 





illorum animum oculis vestris ostenderem ! videretis 
sordescentem, squalentem, profligatum, dejectum, 
atque difidentem. Utinam fieri posset ut corda eorum 
qui communione sese abstinent, aperiremus! utinam 
possetis vos in conscientiam ipsorum penetrare! tunc 
sane videretis, quam multis vulneribus referti sint, 
quam multas spinas habeant. Nam quemadmodum 
terra, nisi agricolarum manibus colatur, horrescit et 
sylvescit : sic et animus spirituali doctrina destitutus 
spinas et tribulos producit. Nam si nos qui quotidie 
apostolorum et prophetarum auscultationi intendi- 
mus, et assidua carmina de sacris scripturis desumpta 
affectionibus nostris occinimus, vix tamen excandes- 
centem animum continemus, vix iram frenamus, vix 
invidie tabem ejicimus, vix sedamus concupiscen- 
tiam, vix impudentes feras coercemus ; quam spem 
salutis habebunt illi, qui hac medicina non utuntur, 
neque divinam doctrinam audiunt? Multi semel 
in anno mysteriorum fiunt participes, alii bis, alii 
crebro. Quos igitur de his probabimus? eos qui 
semel? an qui crebro? an qui rarius? Neque qui 
semel, neque qui crebro, neque qui raro: verum 
eos, qui cum pura conscientia, cum puro corde, cum 


THE SEVENTEENTH ARTICLE. 473 


“Do ye not see with what great alacrity and cheerfulness of mind the infants Idem in 
take the paps? how hard they suck? With no less desire let us also come unto xxvi. Hom. 
this table, and unto the spiritual pap of this cup; yea, with a greater and a more i 
fervent desire, as sucking babes, let us suck the grace of the Spirit. Let this be 
our only sorrow, our only grief, if we be deprived of this food’.” 

“Tt was not said to him that disgraced the banquet, Wherefore satest thou down? Idem in 
but, Wherefore enteredst thou in? Whosoever is not partaker of the mysteries is lewd Hom. 26. ji 
and impudent, because he standeth here. I pray you, if any man called unto a banquet 
shall come, shall wash his hands, shall sit down, shall appear to make himself ready 
to eat, and afterward taste nothing at all; shall he not both dishonest the banquet, 
and also the banquet-maker? So thou, in like manner, standing among them which 
by prayer prepare themselves to receive the sacrament, hast confessed thyself to be 
one of the number of them, because thou didst not depart, and yet at the last thou 
art nor partaker with them: had it not been better that thou hadst not come in 
sight? I am unworthy, thou sayest. Then wast thou not worthy of the commu- 
nion of prayer, which is a preparation to receive the holy mystery*.” 

“Make haste to come oftentimes unto the sacrament of thanksgiving and unto the Ignatius in 
glory of God. For when this thing is diligently and continually done, the powers of one 
Satan are expelled, which turneth his acts into fiery darts to move men to sin‘.” 

“Tf the sins be not so great that a man ought to be excommunicate, he ought Hilarius de 


not to separate himself from the medicine of the body and blood of the Lord. For Dist. 2. 
it is to be feared lest that he, which withdraweth himself long from the body of 


Christ, be utterly estranged from salvation. 


him not cease to communicate’.” 


He therefore that hath ceased to sin, let 


“Receive that daily which may profit thee daily ; so live that thou mayest de- 


serve to receive it daily. 
receive it after a year be once past°.” 


“He that hath a wound seeketh a medicine. 


under sin. 


He that deserveth not to receive it daily, deserveth not to 


There is a wound, because we be 


The medicine is that heavenly and honourable sacrament’.” 


‘“‘ Whatsoever brother is not present at the ministration of the Lord’s sacraments, 


it must needs follow that before God he is a forsaker of the Lord’s tents. 


For how 


can he excuse himself which on that day, when the sacraments are ministered, pre- 
pareth a dinner for himself at home, and despiseth the heavenly dinner, and, making 
provision for his belly, utterly neglecteth the physic of his soul*?” 





irreprehensibili vita. Hujusmodi qui sunt, semper 
accedant: qui minus, ne semel quidem: judicium 
enim sibi ipsi accipiunt, atque damnationem. Ut 
enim alimentum natura alendi vim habens, si in eum 
qui male concoquit, incidat, omnia destruit atque 
corrumpit, et morbi occasionem prebet: ita sane et 
horrenda illa mysteria... Ait enim divinus apostolus : 
Qui manducat et bibit indigne, reus erit corporis et 
sanguinis Domini: hoc est, eandem poenam dabit, 
quod supplicium luent ii qui Christum cruci affixe- 
runt. Quemadmodum enim illi jugulatores rei sunt 
sanguinis, ita et hi qui indigne mysteriis participant. 
Sicut enim, sive quis disrumpat regiam purpuram, sive 
luto contaminet, ex 2quo contumelia regem qui eam 
induit, affecerit : ita hic quoque, et qui peremerunt 
corpus Domini, et qui impuro animo id acceperunt, 
juxta ludibrio habent, atque qui regium indumentum. 
Ac Judei quidem cruce id disruperunt: qui vero 
impuro animo accipit, contaminat. Quocirca etsi 
diversa peccata sunt, at par contumelia.—Chrysost. 
Op. Lat. Par. 1588. De Non Contemn. Eccles. 
Orat. Tom. V. cols. 1238, 9.] 

[? Odx opate ta Taidia pel? Sons mpobumias 
Opdosetar TOU pactov; pel’ bons THS Spurs épu- 
mnyviot Ta XeiAn TH ONAR; peta TocabTns Tpoc- 
iwpev kal nuets TH Tpawéelyn TavTH, Kai TH ONT 
ToU ToTnpiov Tov jWvevpatikov' pmaddov é kal 
peta TOANKW® sAeiovos EXkicwpev Tpobvpias ws 
Tala vrouatia Tov IIvetmatos tiv Xap" Kal 


pla iuty Eorw ddtivn, TO py peTacXely Tab’THs THs 
tpopys.—Id. ‘Par. 1718-38. in Matt. Hom. Ixxxii. 
Tom. VII. p. 788. ] 

[® See before, page 416, note 3.] 

[* Ignat. Epist. ad Ephes. cap. xiii. in Patr. 
Apost. Oxon. 1838. Tom. II. p. 284. See Vol. II. 
page 258, note 8.] 

{® Si non sunt tanta peccata, ut excommunicetur 
quis, non se debet a medicina corporis et sanguinis 
Domini separare.—Hilar. in Corp. Jur. Canon. Lugd. 
1624. Decret. Gratiani, Decr. Tert. Pars, De Consecr. 
Dist. ii. can. 15. col. 1919.] 

[®§ Ambros. Op. Par. 1686-90. De Sacram. Lib. v. 
cap. iv. 25. Tom. II. col. 378. See Vol. II. page 
259, note 12.] 

[7 Qui vulnus habet, medicinam requirit. Vul- 
nus est, quia sub peccato sumus: medicina est 
coeleste et venerabile sacramentum.—lId. ibid. col. 
379. This is the passage ascribed before to Bernard. 
See Vol. II. page 259, note 14.] 

[® Quisquis enim frater dominicis non interest 
sacramentis, necessario apud Deum castrorum de- 
sertor est divinorum. Nam quomodo se excusare 
potest, qui sacramentorum die prandium sibi domi 
preparans prandium cceleste contemnit, et ventris 
curam faciens, anime sue negligit medicinam ?—Id. 
Par. 1614. Serm. xix. in Domin. vi. post Epiph. 
Tom. V. col. 24. The Benedictine editors have re- 
jected this sermon as spurious. } 


Ambros. 
Lib. v. de 
Sacram. 


Ibidem. 


Ambros. 
Serm. 1. de 
Grano 
Sinap. 


474 ARTICLES OF CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 
Hieron. in “JT know this to be the custom at Rome, that the faithful people do always re- 
Apotoe' ceive the body of Christ : which thing I neither dispraise nor yet praise’.” 
Theophy]. “Examine and boult out thy conscience, and so come unto those mysteries, not on 
pee the feastful, nor on the unfeastful days only, but at all times when thou findest thy- 
self pure and worthy’.” 
De Consecr. “When the consecration is once done, let all communicate that will not be ex- 
Pacts?” communicate. For so ordained the apostles, and the holy church of Rome keepeth 
still this ordinance*.” 
Platina de “ Anacletus bishop of Rome ordained, that the Christians should receive the sacra- 
‘ie Rom. ment of the body and blood of Christ every day‘.” 
Coneilium “‘ All that enter into the church of God and hear the holy scriptures, and do not 
ntioch. 


communicate with the people in prayer, but for a certain intemperancy turn themselves 
away from the receiving of the holy communion, let them be put out of the congre- 
gation till they confess their sins, and bring forth the fruits of repentance, and by 
making humble supplication obtain forgiveness and pardon®.” 


Durandus in “In the primitive church all that were present at the celebration of the Lord’s 


Libs. supper were wont daily to communicate; because all the apostles did drink of one 
cup; as the Lord saith: ‘Drink ye all of this.’ For they offered a great loaf, and 
such one as was sufficient for all the communicants ; which thing the Greeks are re- 
ported to observe at this day®.” 

In Libro de Blessed Apollonius many times admonished his brethren, that, if it were possi- 

ere ble, they should every day receive the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ ; 
lest if any of them should long withdraw himself from the receiving of so worthy a 
mystery, he might by that means be estranged and plucked away from God’. 

Beatus “Teo, bishop of Rome, was wont many times in one day to communicate seven 

in Tertul. or eight times®.” 


“Among the Greeks this is the order: if any man absent himself from the com- 
munion by the space of fourteen days, he is excommunicate, except he can declare to 
the congregation some reasonable cause of his absence; so great a fault is it counted 
among them, if any long time estrange themselves from the participation of the holy 
mysteries of the body and blood of Christ®.” 


Eras. Sarcer. 
in Loc. Com. 


THE EIGHTEENTH ARTICLE. 


That wicked and notorious offenders ought to be repelled and put away from 
the table of the Lord. 


Probations out of the old fathers, 


“After that he which is the chief minister hath given thanks, and all the peo- 
ple hath praised God, they which with us are called deacons give to every one of 
them that are present bread, wine, and water, to receive, which are consecrated with 
thanksgiving, and they also carry it unto them that are absent. And this meat is 
called with us eucharistia; whereof po man may be partaker but he only which 


Justinus 
Martyr, in 
Apolog. 2. 





[? Scio Rome hanc esse consuetudinem, ut fide- 
les semper Christi corpus accipiant, quod nec repre- 
hendo, nec probo.—Hieron. Op. Par. 1693—1706. 
Fpist. xxx. ad Pammach. pro Libr. adv. Jovin. 
Tom. IV. Pars 11. col. 289. ] 

{? Theophyl. Op. Venet. 1754-63. Comm. in 1. 
Epist. ad Cor. cap. xi. 28. Tom. II. p. 192. See 
Vol. I]. page 259, note 11.] 

[® Anaclet. Papa in Corp. Jur. Canon. Lugd. 
1624. Decret. Gratiani, Decr. Tert. Pars, De Con- 
secr. Dist. ii. can. 10. col. 1917. See Vol. II. page 
238, note 1.] 


[* Plat. De Vit. Pont. Rom. Col. 1568. Ana- 


cletus I. p. 15. See Vol. II. page 258, note 2.] 

[® See before, page 416, note 7.] 

[© Durand. Rat. Div. Offic. Lugd. 1565. Lib. rv. 
cap. lili. 3. fol. 199. See Vol. II. page 239, note 6.] 

[7 He comauded also to his bredern to receyue 
theyr maker | to the ende that they sholde not wyth- 
drawe theym fro the grace of God | For in soo 
doynge theysholde contynuelly remembre the passyon 
of Jhesu Cryste.—Vitas Patr. Westm. 1495. Prima 
Pars, cap. vii. fol. 12. 2.] 

[® See before, page 381, note 6.] 

[? See Vol. Ll. page 258, note 6. ] 


THE EIGHTEENTH ARTICLE. 475 


both believeth that those things are true which we say, and is also cleansed with 
that water which is given for remission of sins and regeneration, and moreover so 
liveth as Christ hath appointed '®.” 

“After these things, the learners called catechwmeni, and with them such as are pionysius 
vexed of unclean spirits, and they also which are penitents, are put out of the Recent.’ 
church. They alone remain within, which deserve to behold and to receive the holy 
mysteries ’".” 

“The holy institution which the priests use suffereth the learners, and them that Inidem. 
are vexed of unclean spirits, and such as are put to penance for their evil life, to 
hear the holy singing of psalms, and the godly reading of the holy scriptures; but 
unto the contemplations following, and unto the beholding of the holy actions, it doth 
not admit them by no means, but such only as are perfect, and worthy to behold the 
sight of so high and worthy a matter’’.” 

“They that are given to pleasures and filthy lusts, or carnal concupiscences, are Ibidem. 
restrained, put back, and driven away, both from the beholding and receiving of the 


most holy mysteries’’.” 


“The ministers of the new testament may not be infected with old leaven. The Cyprian. 
holy banquet requireth pure and undefiled minds“*.” Domini. 


“A natural man,” that is to say, a man not regenerate and born anew of the Ibidem. 
Holy Ghost, “is not admitted among the guests of the Lord’s table’’.” 

“There is but one church, in the which the Lamb is eaten continually: none is Ibidem. 
partaker thereof but he that is a true Israelite’’.” 

“If there be any that cometh to hear the word of God, let him hear what the origen. in 
Lord hath commanded. He that is sanctified ought to come for to hear the word of eae am 
God; he ought also to wash his garments. For if thou bring filthy garments hither, ” 
thou also shalt hear this said unto thee: ‘Friend, how hast thou entered hither, Matt. xxii. 
not having the wedding-garment?’ No man therefore may hear the word of God 
except he be first sanctified; that is to say, except he be holy in body and spirit, 
except he wash his clothes. For he shall immediately after enter in unto the wed- 
ding-supper, he shall eat of the flesh of the Lamb, he shall drink of the cup of 
saving health. Let no man enter unto this supper with filthy garments. This thing 
also hath the wisdom of God commanded in another place, saying: ‘ Let thy garments Eccles. ix. 
be clean at all times’'’.” 

“The Jewish passover was given to none but unto such as were circumcised, Augutt. Lib. 
In like manner they only, which are purified and cleansed with the water of hea- aces! 
venly indulgence or pardon, may receive the meat of the sacrament of the body of 
Christ. For those things which were figures to the Israelites, are confirmed in us; 
and which were images, clouds, and shadows to them, are in us the very self truths'*.” 


[2° Just. Mart. Op. Par. 1742. Apol.i. p.83. See | (Arnold.) Appendix, p. 39.] 


Vol. II. page 239, note 2. and before, page 376, note 1.] 

['! Dionys. Areop. Op. Antv. 1634. De Eccles. 
Hierarch. cap. ii. 2. Tom. I. p. 284. See Vol. II. 
page 256, note 3.] 

[)? Tods & katnxXoupévous, évepyoupévous Te, Kal 
Tovs év petavoia dvtas, 6 Tis ayias ‘lepapxias 
Decpuos Einar pév éeraxovoat THs WadpiKis iepo- 
Aoyias, Kai THs évbéov THY Taviépwy ypadav ava- 
yvwcews* els 0€ Tas E£7js tepoupyias Kai Bewpias ob 
avykadettat TobTous, GANG Tos TeXElous THY TE- 
Aectoupyav opbarpovs.—Id. ibid. 3. p. 289.] 

[13 OvdE yap icov, ws oipat, Tov ravTEdas 
auuijtov, kal tay Oeiwy TeXeTa@Y aKpws aKowwwvy- 
Tov, TO peTovciay Twa THY lepwratwy écynkds 
TeheoTnpiwy, Ett 6& Tais évavTias 4 OéAEcow 7 
Tapaxais évnoxnuévov, a\X\a Kal mpds avTods 1 
Tav Taviépwy Oéa Kai Kowwvia cvoté\NeTaL, Kal 
pada ve eixérws.—ld. ibid. pp. 290, 1.] 

[’* Non oportet esse fermentarios novi testamenti 
ministros : puras sincerasque mentes sanctum querit 
convivium.—Cypr. Op. Oxon. 1682. De Ceen. Dom. 


[1° Inter dominice mensz convivas animalis homo 
non admittitur.—Id. ibid. p. 42.] 

[16 Id. ibid. See Vol. II. page 292, note 4.] 

[27 Si quis est quiad audiendum verbum Deicon- 
veniat, audiat quid precepit Dominus: sanctificatus 
venire debet ad audiendum verbum, lavare debet 
vestimenta sua. Si enim sordida huc detuleris vesti- 
menta, audies et tu: Amice, quomodo huc introisti 
non habens vestem nuptialem? Nemo ergo potest 
audire verbum Dei, nisi prius fuerit sanctificatus: id 
est, nisi fuerit sanctus corpore et spiritu, nisi vesti- 
menta sua laverit. Ingressurus est enim paulo post 
ad ccenam nuptialem, manducaturus est de carnibus 
agni, potaturus est poculum salutaris. Nemo intret 
ad hance coenam sordidis vestimentis. Hoc enim et 
alibi sapientia precepit dicens: In omni tempore 
sint vestimenta tua munda.—Orig. Op. Par. 1733 - 
59. In Exod. Hom. xi. 7. Tom. II. pp. 171, 2.] 

['® The reference here given is so general, that 
the editor has not been able to identify the passage 
intended. } 


Idem in 
Joan. Hom. 
88. 


Basilius, Lib. 
i. cap. ill. de 
Baptismo. 


Chrysost. ad 
Pop. An- 
tioch. Hom. 
60. 

Matt. xxvi. 


Ibidem. 


Chrysost. 
in Matt. 

cap. XXvi. 
Hom. 83. 


Heb. x. 


476 ARTICLES OF CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 


“He that cometh unto this most holy banquet ought to come full of holiness 
and without spot’.” 

““He that cometh unto the body and blood of Christ, for to remember him that 
died for us and rose again, must be not only pure from all filthiness of the flesh and 
spirit, that he eat not or drink his own damnation ; but he must also evidently shew 
and call to remembrance him that died for us and rose again, in that he is mortified 
to sin and the world, and live to God in Christ Jesu our Lord.” 

“Tet no Judas nor any coyvetous man approach unto this heavenly table. If 
any be Christ’s disciples, let him come. For such wicked persons doth not this table 
receive. For he saith: ‘I make my paschal feast with my disciples’*.” 

“Let no unkind person, no cruel and unmerciful man, no filthy and unclean 
person, come hither, &c. Let no Judas, no Simon Magus, draw nigh unto this table: 
for these two perished because of their covetousness. Let us therefore eschew this 
hell. For this mystery commandeth a man not only to be utterly free from extortion, 
but also from all manner of enmity, be it never so little. For it is a mystery of peace*.” 

“Let no cruel man, no unmerciful man, no unpure man, come unto this table by 
I speak this as well unto you that do communicate, as unto you that 
do minister. For I must also speak the same unto you, that ye may distribute these 
gifts with great and diligent care. It is no small pain and punishment that hangeth 
over your heads, if ye know any man to be a notable wicked person, and yet suf- 
fer him to be partaker of this table. For his blood shall be required at your hands. 
Therefore if any duke, if the consul himself, yea, if he that weareth the imperial crown 
come unworthily, put him away and drive him back; for thou hast greater power 
than he. If a most clear and pure fountain of water were committed unto thee to 
keep it untouched for the flock; when thou shouldest see wild and filthy swine to 
come toward it, thou shouldest not suffer them to leap into the waters, nor the 
fountain to be troubled of them: and now, when the most holy fountain, not of water, 
but of the blood and Spirit, is committed unto thee, if thou shalt see men that are 
most filthily defiled with sins to approach unto the Lord’s table, wilt thou not be moved 
at the matter? nor will it not grieve thee? And what pardon shalt thou obtain 
for this thy contempt? God for this purpose hath ennobled you with so great 
honour, even that ye should be most diligent and circumspect in these things. This 
is your dignity, this is your honour, this is your glory; not because ye wear a 
most white and fair vesture, and so walk through the church. But thou wilt say: 
How shall I know this man, or that man, what manner of men they be? I speak 
not this of unknown persons, but of such as be known to be manifest offenders. I 
speak an horrible and dreadful thing, even this: that it is not so evil a thing to 
suffer them that are possessed with the devil to remain here in the church at the 
ministration of the Lord’s supper, as these persons that are polluted with the filthi- 
ness of sins. For of all evils this is the worst, even ‘to tread down Christ,’ as Paul 
saith, and to ‘count the blood of the testament as an unholy thing, and to dishonour 
the grace of the Spirit.” He therefore, that cometh unto the Lord’s table with a 
guilty conscience and sinful life, is worse than he that is possessed with the devil. 


any means. 





ef Tis pun pabntis, Tapaywpeitw. ov 


[’ There is probably an error in the reference: 
no such words appear in Tractat. Ixxxviii. in Johan. 
Evang.] 

[? Act obv Tov TpoctovTa TH cwpaTL Kai TO 
aimutt TOV XpioTou, cis avaduvynow avtov Tov Urép 
njua@v atobavoevtos Kai éyepévtos, un povov Kala- 
pevery ad TavTds wohvopoU capKes Kal mrvetua- 
tos, iva py eis Kkpiua payn kai win, dda Kai 
évepyas Oetkvieww THY UHV TOU UTEP iu@Y aTo- 
Gavovtos Kai éyepbévTos év TH vevexpHobar pév 
7H Guaptia Kal T@ KOopw Kal EauvTo@, Civ 6& To 
Oc@ év Xptot@ “Iqncov tw Kupiw rjuév.—Basil. Op. 
Par. 1721-30. De Baptism. Lib. 1. cap. iii. Tom. IT. 
Appendix, p. 651. The Benedictine editors doubt 
the genuineness of this treatise. ] 

[§ Mndecis toivuy Iovdas mapéctw* pyoeis did- 


apyupos. 
déxeTat Tobs wy ToLovTOUS 7 TpaTEa. peTa yap 
Ttav pabytav pov, pyot, Tow TO TacxXa.—Chry- 
sost. Op. Par. 1718-38. In Matt. Hom. lxxxii. Tom. 
VII. p. 789.] 

[* Tovto yap Td puotipiov od povov aprayrs, 
a@\Aa@ Kal Widijs éxySpas Kabapevew Kerdever dia 
Wavtds. Kal yap eipiyns éoTL fucTipLovy TovTO TO 
puotiplov* ovK adinow avtiToetobar ypnuaTwv 
.-- undets Toivuy “lovdas TabtTn Tpocitw TH Tpa- 
Tél, pndets Liuwy’ Kai yap aduporepor did idr- 
apyupiav ara Xovto otto. piywpmev Toivuy ToUTO 
70 Bdpabpov.—ld. ibid. Hom. 1. pp. 517, 18. The 
60th Homily in the Latin editions is made up of 
these two. ] 


THE EIGHTEENTH ARTICLE. 477 


For they, because they be vexed with the devil, are not punished; but they that 
come unworthily unto these holy mysteries shall be committed unto everlasting tor- 
ments. Therefore let us put away from the Lord’s table, simply and plainly, and 
without any respect of persons, even so many as we perceive to come unworthily 
unto it. Let none receive the communion except he be a disciple. Let none take 
this bread with an unpure mind, as Judas did, lest he suffer the like punishments. John xiii 
This multitude also is the body of Christ: wherefore thou that ministerest these 
mysteries must take heed that thou provoke not the Lord unto anger by not purg- 
ing this body, lest thou give a sharp sword instead of meat. Again, if any ignorant 
person shall presume to come unto the table, be not afraid to put him away. Fear 
God more than man. If thou fear man, thou shalt be laughed to scorn even of him 
whom thou fearest; but if thou stand in awe of God, thou shalt be reverenced 
even of men also. And if thou dare not put away from the Lord’s table such as 
be unworthy, come and tell me; and I will by no means suffer these things to be 
done. I will put my life in jeopardy rather than give the Lord’s body to any un- 
worthy person ; yea, I will suffer my blood sooner to be shed, than I will deliver S¥ 
that most holy blood of Christ to any other than to such one as is worthy. If any 
sinful person shall come unto the table, whom ye know not, and without your know- 
ledge, then are ye blameless. For these things are spoken of manifest and known 
sinners, which being once amended, God will also soon make them known unto us, 
whom we as yet know not: but if we shall receive and admit them whom we know 
to be notorious offenders, wherefore should God open to us such as be yet unknown 
to us? These things have I spoken, not only that we should restrain the unworthy 
from the Lord’s table, but also that we should amend them, and bring them home 
again, and that we should have care for all men. For in so doing we shall both 
make God merciful unto us, and also increase the number of the godly and worthy 
communicants °.” 

“If thou shalt see any man of them which are congregated and gathered together 
with thee, that is an whoremonger, and yet notwithstanding coming unto the mysteries, 
say unto him that is the distributer of them, This man is unworthy of the mysteries; 


suffer not this profane person to be partaker of the Lord’s supper. 


For if such one 





[> Mndcis dravOpwros mpocitw, pndeis wus 
kai avedeijs, undeis OX\ws axabapros. TavTa Tpds 
Uuas Tovs wetadauBavovtas Néyw, Kal mpos bas 
Tos dtakovoupévous. Kal yap dvayKatov Kai mpos 
bas dtadexOjvat, wore peta WoAdis THS oToUdAS 
Otavéuety TavTa Ta dpa. ov puKpa KoAaoLS buiv 
éotiv, el cuverddtes Tivi Tovnpiay, cuyxwpnonte 
peTacyxely TavTHS THS TpaTECns. TO alua avToU 
ek T@Y XElpav ExCnTnOyceTaL THY bweTepwr. Kav 
oTpaTnyos Tis 7, Kav Urapxos, Kav altos 6 TO 
O.adénwa wepikeiuevos, avatiws dé mpocin, KwAUCOV" 
peiQova éxeivov tv éfovciav Exes. od Oé el pév 
anyiv véatos évexetpicOns pu\aTTeL ToLmviw Ka- 
Gapav, cita eldes mpoBatov modi éxi TOU otd- 
patos pépov Tov BopBopov, obK av ciacas émixiWat 
kaTw, Kal GoX\w@oat TO petOpov" vuvi dé ody datos, 
@\X’ aiuatos Kai Tvetmatos mnyny &yKexXetpiope- 
vos, Kai Opa@v Tos BopBopov yakeTwwrépav duap- 
Tiav €XovTas, Kai Tpoc.dvTas, obK ayavaxkTeis, olde 
aneipyeis; Kai tiva av cyxoins cvyyvwunv; dia 
ToUTO Uuas 6 Oeds ETiunoe TavTHY THY TiuAV, iva 
Ta ToLlavTa diaxpivyte. ToUTO buav 7 dEia, TovTO 
9 dopadea, ToUTO 6 otépavos atas, ovyx iva Nev- 
Kov XLTwvicKoV Kai atooTi\BovTa TepiBarddpuevor 
Weptinte. Kai wolev oldad, pyot, TOV deiva Kal Tov 
dciva ; ov TWepi THY ayvooupéevwy, aa TeEpl TaV 
yuupinwy héyw. eirw Te ppikwoéoTepov ; ox ow 
xXaXerov Tobs évepyouuévous Evdov eivat, ws Tob- 
Tous, os pnow 6 Mat\os tov Xpiotév xatara- 
THoal, Kai TO aiva THs dtabyjkns KoLvov rjyjcac8a, 
Kai TOU TvEevmaTos Tiv Xapiv éevuBpicat. datpovav- 





Tos Yap Xeipwyv 6 juapTyKws Kal tpociwy. of péev 
yap éretdn Oaipovaow, ov Ko\aCovrar* ovTtor 6é 
otav avakiws mpociwow, a@lavatw wapadidovtar 
Timwpla. wn Tolvuy TobTOUS ELavywpeEV povov, a\\|a 
TavTas GTas, ods av idwpev avatiws mpoctdvTas. 
Mndeis ov KowwveitTw THY po) pabnTaY. pnéeis 
AauBavérw lovéas, iva wr) ta “lotda wdby. coud 
éott Xpictov Kai tovti TO wARO0s. Spa Toivuv 
© dtaxovobpevos Tois wvoTnpiols, uy Tapottvns Tov 
Acororny, ok éxkabaipwy 6 cama TovTO* wy 
Eitos dws avti tpopas. adXa@ Kav bo avoias éxei- 
vos Epxntar peleEwv, kwAvoov, 1} PoknOas. pofy- 
On7rt Tov Oedv, ur avOpwrov. dv PoBnbys avOpw- 
Tov, Kai bm’ aitou KatayehacOyon’ av dé Tov edn, 
kal av@pwrrors aidéoipos Eon. ci d€ ats ov ToA- 
Bas, €uol Tpdcaye’ ov cUYXwpNow Ta’Ta ToOAMG- 
cat. THS Wuxns drootncouat mpdTepov, Tou 
aiuatos peTadwou Tov deaToTiKed Tap’ a£Fiav. Kai 
TO aia TO EuauTOU Tpocouat TpoTeEpor, 1) peTa- 
6wow-aiuatos o'Tw ppikwéous mapa 76 TpociKov. 
ei O& nryvonoé Tis Tov pavrov Toda TepLepyaca- 
Mevos, ovdev éykAnua. Ta’Ta yap pot wept Tav 
Oj Awy eipytat. av yap TovTous dtopbwowpev, Kai 
Tovs ayLrwTas Taxéws rjuiv 6 Beds yvwpret av dé 
ToUTOUS EdoTwmeEV, Tivos EveKev Nuiv Pavepods NorTov 
€xeivous Toujoet; TavTa dé héyw, oy iva dreipyw- 
bev, ovd’ iva éxTéuvwuev povov, aX’ iva diopbw- 
cavtes ewavayaywuev, va éeripehwpeba. oiTw yap 
Kat Tov Qedv thewv EEomev, Kai ToAOvs Tobs Kat’ 
atiav pwetadauBavovtas ectpjoouev.—ld. ibid. Hom, 
Ixxxii. Tom. VII. pp. 789, 90.] 


Psal. 1. 


Idem in 
Matt. Hom. 
24. 


Id. in 2 Cor. 
cap. viil. 
Hom. 18. 


Idem in Eph. 
cap. lii. 
Hom. 3. 


Theod. in 
Eccl. Hist. 
cap. Xvlil. 
Lib. v. 


478 ARTICLES OF CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 


be not worthy to declare the righteous acts of God, consider with thyself how greatly 
he shall increase punishment to himself if he also should touch the holy table; not 
only to himself, but also unto thee, if thou shouldest cloke him, and not bewray him. 


For the Holy Ghost by the psalmograph said not, Thou committedst whoredom ; but, 


With advouterers thou hadst thy portion, or, thou wast partaker. O good Lord, how 
great an evil is it to hide the wickednesses of other! For he saith, that thou art 
partaker of the punishment that is due unto that fault. And not without a cause. For 
he hath an affection to speak, although this pretence deserve not pardon; but thou 
hast not this. And wherefore then dost thou make thyself companion and partaker 
of the pain, seeing thou hast no pleasure’?” 

“We celebrate the mysteries, the doors being shut and inclosed, and forbid them 
to be present which yet are no perfect Christians; not for this purpose, because we 
perceive any infirmity or imperfection in the mysteries, but because that they whom we 
put out are as yet weak and unmeet to be partakers of so worthy and blessed mysteries*.” 

“We exclude and put them out of the places where the priests celebrate the Lord’s 
supper, because they are not meet to be partakers of the holy table*.” 

“As, when the master is set down at the table, it is not lawful for them that have 
offended him to be among the servants, but they are rather put out of place and driven 
away ; so likewise in this place, while the oblation is offered, while Christ that Lamb 
of God is sacrificed, they that are open and notorious offenders are first of all cast out*.” 

“ At the commandment of Theodosius the emperor seven thousand men were slain 
without judgment. Ambrose, having knowledge of this miserable calamity and wretched 
act, when the emperor was entered into the city called Mediolanum, and was minded, 
after his accustomed manner, to come into the holy temple, prevented him, and met 
with him before he came unto the church, and also forbad him to go any further, 
saying unto him on this manner: ‘Methink, O emperor, that thou knowest not what 
an heinous and most miserable slaughter is committed of thee. Neither is thy wrath 
yet so mitigated, appeased, and swaged, as I think, that reason can move thee to 
expend, weigh, and consider what wicked act thou hast attempted. And peradventure 
the royalty of thine empire suffereth not thee to acknowledge and confess thy sin; 
but power striveth and setteth herself against reason. Notwithstanding, thou oughtest 
to know what our nature is; even that it is mortal, transitory, frail, and soon passeth 
away, and that dust is the beginning of our generation and kind, from whence we 
first of all came, and whither again we must turn. Neither is it meet, fitting, and 
convenient, that thou shouldest deceive thyself because of the gallantness of this purple 
and royal vesture, and so forget the weakness and misery of thy body, which is clad 
and covered with this sumptuous apparel. Thou, O emperor, hast subjects, and yet 
such as be like unto thee both in kind and in service. For there is one Lord and 
Emperor, which is the maker of all things. Therefore with what eyes wilt thou 
behold the house of him which is the Lord of us all? Or with what feet wilt 
thou tread upon his holy pavement? Wilt thou stretch out these hands, which yet 
drop with the blood of them that were unjustly slain, and with them take the most 
holy body of the Lord? Or wilt thou put that precious blood to thy mouth, which, 





[) "Av roivuy idys Twa TwY peTa Gov ayedato- 
pévwy TopvetovTa, Kal puoTnpiows TpocEepXopeEvor, 
elmé TH Otvakovoupevw TH TOUTwY dLavomy’ O deiva 
> Ld es , , x , 
dvatios THY pvoTnpiwy, KwAvoov Tas PePndous 
xetpas. el ydp poe dunyetoOar ta OiKatwmaTa 

i aie , 
d£vos, évvdnoov, ot TpoBiceTar Ta THS KoLacews 
avt®@, Stav Kal THS lepas EmTHTAL TpaTELns’ ovK 

x z \ 
aivtT@ o& pdvov, da Kai TO cvoKidfovTL. ov yap 

: ’ Ee ask , 
clare, Kal éuotyeves, GAAd peta porxav Try pepida 
> , e , > ‘ 4 ’ ~ 
cov érifers. BaBal, nAikov eotl KaKov EK TOU TE- 

~ ” . , vo 
pirté\Nev Twv ad\AwWv Tas oyTEddvas, TOU YE 
kal kowwvov abtov now elvat THs ETL TS TAN 
p bs . 
peArjpmate Tiuwpius, Kal ovK é€X\aTTov 1%} Exkelvos. O 
pév yap Exer TO Wabos eimeiv, ei Kal aovyyvwotos 
ij wpdpacis, Kaba 6 KAéwTHs TOV Aipdv" od é ovddE 


ToUTO. Tivos oUy EvEeKEV THS YOOVAS OLK aTONAUWY 
THs KoAdoews KolvwYEtS Kal peptaoTys yivyn ;—ld. 
Expos. in Psalm. xlix. Tom. V. pp. 2386, 7.] 

[? Kal ydp ta pvotijpra dia TovTo Tas Bbpas 
KANeloavres éwiTeNoUMEV, Kal Tos aduunToUs Etp- 
yomev" 
tTeNoupevwy, GAN’ émetdy atTedéaTEpov ot odo 
mpos avta étt Orakewrat.—Id. ibid. Hom. xxii. 
p- 288. ] 


[% Tladdu éseidav eipEwnev Tay iepwv aept- 


, : Mbps ' = 
ouK eé7redyy aoléveray KaTéyvwuev Tov 


Bodwyv rods ob duvapévous THs iepas petacyetv 
Tpamé ns, éTépav det yevéobar evxijv.—Id. in Epist. 
u. ad Cor. Hom. xviii. Tom. X. p. 568. ] 

[* Id. in Epist.ad Ephes. cap. i. Hom. iii. Tom. 
XI. p.23. See Vol. II. page 257, note 7.] 


THE EIGHTEENTH ARTICLE. 479 


through the words that have proceeded from thy furious mind, hast shed so much 
innocent blood? Wherefore I say unto thee, Depart, and to this thy former wickedness 
add not another that is more wicked; neither disdain thou to take that yoke and 
bond upon thee, which the Lord of all doth approve and blow from above. It is 
verily but a small thing, and yet it bringeth health.’ The emperor, being moved 
with these words, forasmuch as he was brought up in holy doctrine, and knew what 
was the office of priests, and what of emperors, with mourniug and lamenting returned 
unto his palace. A long time after (for eight months were now passed over) came 
the feast of the nativity of our Saviour. As for the emperor, he sat in his palace, 
lamenting and pitifully weeping; which when Ruffinus the emperor's chief officer 
perceived, being a man which for his familiarity that he had with the emperor durst 
the more frankly and freely talk with him, he came unto the emperor, and demanded 
the cause of his weeping. Then the emperor, erying out bitterly, and pouring out 
tears most abundantly, said unto him: ‘O Ruffinus, thou dost but dally, for thou 
feelest not my grief. I mourn, I weep, I lament, considering my miserable, wretched, 
and woful state; seeing that, when slaves and beggars may go into God’s temple, 
and there freely pray unto their Lord, I, being emperor, may not only not go in, 
but also the very heaven is speared up against me. For I remember this voice of 
the Lord, which saith, ‘Whomsoever ye shall bind on earth, he shall also be bound Matt. xvi. 
in heaven.’’ Then said Ruffinus: ‘If it please you, I will run unto the bishop, and 
I will most humbly entreat him to loosen thy bonds.’ ‘He will not be bowed, quod 
the emperor: ‘for I know right well the righteousness of Ambrosius’ sentence: nei- 
ther will he for fear of the imperial power transgress and break the law of God,’ 
Ruffinus was very importune, and with large talk promised the emperor to pacify 
Ambrosius, and to make them friends. The emperor commanded him to go out of 
hand; and, having a good hope of a fortunate success, he followeth shortly after, thinking 
that all things should come well to pass by the reason of Ruffinus’ promises. But 
so soon as St Ambrose saw Ruffinus, he said unto him, ‘O Ruffinus, thou followest 
the impudency and unshamefacedness of dogs: thou, being a counsellor of so great a 
slaughter, hast rubbed thy forehead, and art past all shame. And now that thou hast 
cast away all shame, thou dost not so much as once blush, nor once fear for such 
and so great madness committed and done against the image of God. Ruffinus making 
humble and lowly suit, and saying that the emperor would come straightways, St Am- 
brose, brenning with a godly zeal, said, ‘O Ruffinus, I tell thee plainly that I will not 
admit him to come nigh unto the house of God. If he will change rule into tyranny, 
and become ef an emperor a tyrant, I will with all my heart suffer to be slain at 
his hand’, When Ruffinus had heard these things, he by a certain man certified the 
emperor of the bishop’s mind, exhorting him to keep himself still in the palace. But 
the emperor, receiving this message even in the midst of the market, said, ‘I will go 
and suffer gladly such correction and penance as I have deserved.’ And when he 
was come unto the church-yard, he went not into the church; but coming unto the 
bishop, which sat in a little house by the church-yard, he desired him that he would 
loosen him from his bonds. But Ambrose told him that he came like a tyrant, and 
that he waxed wood against God, and that he did tread under his feet the laws of 
God. Then said the emperor, ‘I do not set myself against the ordinances of the laws, 
neither do I with force and main strive to enter into the holy place; but I most 
humbly pray and beseech thee, that thou wilt loose me from these bonds, and call 
to remembrance the clemency and mercy of him that is Lord of us all, and shut not 
that door against me, which the Lord himself hath opened to all that repent.’ Then 
said the bishop, ‘What repentance hast thou shewed since the time thou hast com- 
mitted so heinous and wicked act? or with what medicine hast thou cured those 
thy most grievous wounds?’ ‘It is thy office,’ said the emperor, ‘to ordain the medicine, 
and to heal those my most grievous wounds; and it is my part to use them when 
they be given me. Then quod St Ambrose, ‘Forasmuch as thou in this thy act 
sufferedst wrath to be judge, and hast not pronounced thy sentence according to reason, 
but after the furor and madness of thy mind; make a law whereby the suffrages and 
voices of anger may be made void and of none effect, and that the tofore appointed 


Psal. exix. 


480 ARTICLES OF CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 


sentences of slaughter and of the confiscation of the goods may remain, and tarry 
the judgment of reason. When those days be once past, let the writers of thy sen- 
tence exhibit unto thee the work that thou commandest. Then, when thy anger is 
once assuaged, reason alone, even by her own judgment, shall be able to weigh, 
ponder, and consider, ~ ‘ther that thy sentence be lawful or unlawful. If that reason 
shall perceive and find it to be unlawful, then shall that prescription be rent and 
torn on pieces; but if it shall find it to be lawful, then shall it be confirmed; neither 
shall the number of the days hinder any thing at all the sentence that is justly and 
truly pronounced.’ The emperor admitted and allowed this order, and commanded 
out of hand that the law should be written; and he straightways confirmed it with 
the subscription of his own hand. Thus at the last St Ambrose loosened him from 
his bonds; and the most faithful emperor, being now bold to enter into the church, 
stood not on his feet when he prayed unto the Lord, neither kneeled he, but falling 
flat down upon the ground, he uttered this saying of David: ‘My soul cleaveth to 
the dust: O Lord, quicken thou me, according to thy word.’ Moreover, plucking 
his hair, and knocking his forehead, and watering the pavement with the drops of 
his tears, he desired to have forgiveness of his sins. Now when the time was come 
that they should offer their gifts at the Lord’s table, the emperor rose up still weeping, 
and so came unto the holy place; and after the oblation, as he was wont to do, he 
stood still within the chancel. Neither did Ambrose, that valiant and mighty bishop, 
hold his peace in this behalf, but shewed unto him the diversities of places; and first 
of all demanded of him what he would have. To whom when the emperor had an- 
swered, that he tarried to be partaker of the divine mysteries, he sent him word by 
the chief deacon, saying, ‘O emperor, the inward places are open to the priests alone ; 
as for all other, they may not come into them: therefore get thee out, and stand 
with the other common people; for purple maketh emperors, and not priests.’ The 
emperor received this admonition also willingly and gladly, and willed the deacon to 
tell the bishop again, that he did not remain in the chancel not of any presumption, 
but because the manner is so at Constantinople. ‘Tell the bishop also,’ saith he, ‘more- 
over, that I thank him likewise for this medicine. With such and so great virtue 
were both the bishop and the emperor noble and famous. For I marvel at them 
both ; at the bishop for his liberty and frank speech; at the emperor for his obedience 
and humility: again, I marvel at the flames of the bishop’s ferventness, and at the 
pureness of the emperor's faith’.” 





[} ‘Eqra yap, ws paciv, avypébncav xiduades 
ob Kpicews nynoapérns......TavTny palwy try ddup- 
p@v Yéu“oucav cundopay “AuBpdo.os éxelvos, ov 
ToXXakis éuvycOnv, adikopevov eis tiv Medid\a- 
vov Tov Bacthéa, Kal cuvnbws eis Tov Detov eiced- 
Qetv Bovdnbévta vewv, VravTncas é€w THY Tpo- 
Gipwv, émwiBjvat Tov tep@v mpoTuAaiwy ToLdde 
Aéywy Exwucev* OK olcba, ws Eoixev, b Bactred, 
THs eipyacuevns plarpovias TO méyebos, ode peTa 
thv Tov Oupov mavAav 6 oyiopos éewéyyw Td 
Ttorpnbév. ok é@ yap icws ris Bacireias 7 
éemlyv@vat THY auaptiav, ad’ 
éEovcia TH oyioum. Xp mévTor eldé- 
vat THY iow, Kal TO Tab’Tns OvynTOv Te Kal 


Ouvacteia é71- 


mpoclet 1 


Ovappéov, Kat Tov Tpoyovoy xovv EE ov yeydva- 
peV, Kai eis Ov Arroppéopev* Kal pn TH avOer THS 
ad\oupytioos atoBouxohovpevov, ayvuety Tov Kadu- 
TTOMEevo’ GwHpaTos Tijv aobeverav. Opopvay apxets, 
eis yap 
anavtwy dectrorTns Kai Bacive’s 6 THY GAwY On- 
puuoupyos. toiois Toivuy opbadpots oer Tov Tov 
Kowwovu OeomoTou vewy $3 Tolots O€ Todi TO OamrEdoV 


@ Baoted, Kai pev 61) Kal opododd\wv. 


2 Y - rs 

éxelvo Watyoes TO aywov; Was O&€ Tas XeElpas 

éxtevets, @TocTalovcas ETL TOV adikov ddvov TO 

> an , ‘ , ails = 

aina; wus O€ ToravTats UrodéEN yYepoi Tov Ae- 
P - = fi 

omoTov TO Tavay.oy c@pa; Was O€ TH oTOmaTL 


mpocoicets TO alua TO Titov, TecoUTOV dia Tov 


Tov Oupov Néyov éxyéas Tapavonws aipas amie 
Toivuv, Kal py Teip@ Tors devTépots THv TpoTepav 
avfew mapuvopiav, Kai d€xov tov decpov, @ O 
Beds 6 TaV SXwy dectréTHs avwOev yiveTar Up- 
Wngos. iatpikds 0€ oUTOS, Kal mpdkevos Uyteias. 
TovTos elfas 6 Bacideds ToIs Adyols* Tots yap 
Geiots Noyiows éEvTebpappévos, yoder capas Tiva péev 
Tav iepéwy, Tiva 6¢ THY Baciéwy dia’ oTEVwWY 
Kal Oakptwv éwavydOev eis ta Baciheta. xXpdovou 
6 svxvov dueXOdvTos, 6KTW yap avadwOnoav paves, 
katéhaBev 7) TOU DBwripos rjpav yevedos EopTy. 
6 6€ Bacitebs év Tots BactNeiots dodupdmevos 
KkaljoTo, THY TaY dakpiwy dvadicxwy AiBada. 
touto Yeacapevos ‘Pouvdivos, paysotpos 6 THVt- 
KavTa fv, Kai woAhjs peTetye Tappyoias, ate Od 
cuvnéatepos wy, tpoce\Owy ypeto THY Sakpiwy 
TO aitLov. 6 O& TWikp@S advoimweas, Kal opodpdTepov 
TpoxXéas TO Oakpuov, ci péev, E—pn, ‘Poudive, maiers* 
TOV yap éuav ovK éwatcbavy Kakav’ éyw O& oTévw 
kal dd\optpomar tiv é“avToU cuudopav oyiCo- 
fevos, ws Tots pév oiKéTas Kal Tots Mpocaitais 
avetos 6 Qeios vews, Kat eloiaciw adews, Kai Tov 
oiketov avtiBodovor Seomornv* émot dé Kal ovTos 
aBatos, kal Wpos TOUTW plot O OUpavos aTroKéK\EL- 
oTal. péeu“ynuart yap THs OeomoTiKHs pwns 7H 
dtappyonv pnoty, ov av dijonte eri THs Yijs, Eorar 
dedepévos Ev Tots ovpavots. O 6€, dpapovpat, Epn, 


THE NINETEENTH ARTICLE. 481 


THE NINETEENTH ARTICLE. 


That none ought to be present at the ministration of the Lord’s supper 
but the communicants only. 


Probauons out of the old fathers. 


“It is to be noted that, as we read in the ancient fathers, the communicants only Microlog. De 
in times past were wont to be present at the celebration of the divine mysteries. servat. cap. 
Thererefore, according to the ecclesiastical canons, the learners, otherwise called cate- 
chumeni, and the penitents, and all such as had not yet prepared themselves to re- 
ceive the communion, were commanded to go out of the church before the ministration 
of the sacrament. This thing also evidently appeareth by the celebration of the 
sacraments, wherein the priest doth not only pray for his own oblation and partaking, 
but also for others, and specially in the prayer after the communion he seemeth only 


to pray for the communicants *.” 





et cot doxet, kai Tov dpxepéa Teicw ArTapijcas, 
Avoai cor Td Oeouad. od TeiceTat, Epyn 6 Bacirels. 
oida yap éyw Tis AuBpociov  Wipov +6 dixatov’ 
ode aidecbeis tis Bactdelas tiv éLovciav, Tov 
Getov mapaPijceta vdpov. ered 6& wWAeloce xpn- 
oapevos 6 ‘Poudivos Adyots, weiVew bwécxeTo TOV 
‘ApBpdorov, aredOeciv abtév d Bactieds kata TAxXOoS 
éxéhevoev. Kai aitos 0& bd THs éXTidos BouKoAN- 
Geis, rjxohotOnoce peta Bpayd, tats trocyécect 
‘Povpivov reobeis. aitixa 6& tov ‘Poudivon idav 
6 Betos AuBpdctwos, Tv THY KUVaV dvaiderav, Edn, 
‘Povpive, {ydots. Toca’eTns yap piaipovias yevd- 
Hevos cbuBoudos, THy aide Tov peTUTWY dméLUCES, 
kal obTe épvpias, ode déd1as, TocOUTOV Kata THs 
Qeias AuTTHcas cixdvos. erred 6& & ‘Poudivos 
quTtBore, Kai Tov Bacthéa Eeyev ijEew, bd Tou 
Geiov Gijdov auproAnbeis AuBpdaios 6 Ceaméctos, 
eyw pév En, @ ‘Poudive, rpodéyw ws Kkwtow TaV 
iep@v abtov mpoBivar rpobipwr. el 6é els Tupav~ 
vida mv Bacirelav pebicrnor, OéEouar kayw ped’ 
yoovais tHy opayiy. tob'Ttwy 6 ‘Poudivos akovcas, 
Eunjvuce dia Tivos TH Bactel Tov TOU apxLEpews 
oKoT Ov" Kai mévew eiow TaV BaoideElwy Tapijvecev. 
o d& Baoiteds, Kata péony tiv dyopdv Tavita 
Mabwy, dreru, Ey, Kai Tas dikaias 6éEouat Tapol- 
vias. émetdy 6é Tobs iepods TepiBddous KaTéAaPev, 
eis wev Tov Beiov ok eloedrjAvbe vewv" 
apXiepéa Tapayevopevos, év dé TH doTacTiKH olKw 
ovtos Kabijoto, éhumaper AvOjAvar Tov decpav. 6 
Oe Tupavurkiy éxddet Tv Tapovciav, Kal Kata Tov 
Ocov peunvévar tov Oeoddciov Edeye, Kai Todds 
€xeivou vouous Tareiv. 6 dé Bacideds, ob Opacd- 
vomat, Eby, Kata TwY KEimévwy vopwn, ode Tapa- 
vouws émiPijvar Tav Lepav TpoWipwy épleuat. GAG 
oé Ncai por THY Cecuav dkL@, Kal Ty TOU KoLVOU 
Acororov piiavOpwriav Noyicacbat, kal py KdeEr- 
cai pot Oipay, iv waor Tols weTapedeia Ypwuévors 
0 Acomorns dvéwEev. 6 6& dpytepeds Epn, Toiav 
oby meTauéXcrav EderEas-peta Tocabtyvy Tapavo- 
Miav ; woiots dé papydkots Ta duciata ebepdrevoas 
Tpavpata; 6 0€ Baciredbs, coy Epyov, eon, TO Kai 
OetEat Kai Kepioat Ta cdppaka, kai ta dvolata 
Qcparevoat €uov cé 76 d€Eacbar Ta tpocHepdpeva. 
TOTE 6 Betos ‘Aupdctos, émr e101) T® Vue, epn, TO 
Oka erv ewiT pers, Kal ovx 0 Roytopds THY Yyva- 
ow, add’ o Oupds expéepet, yeayvov vo_ov TOU Oupov 
Tas Wripous a dpyas To.ouvTa Kal TepitTas, Kal Tpia- 
KovTa@ nuépas ai povevtikal Kal Onuevtixal peve- 
Twcav yvuces éyyeypappevar, THv TOU Aoyirmow 


apos O& TOV 


[ercon, m1.] 


TpocdeXomevat Kpioww* dreMovowy 6& Tav mepav, 
ol ta éyvwopéva yeypapdtes ta TpocteTtay- 
Héva Oetkvitwoav. Kat THviKadTa ToD Guo qe- 
Tavuevou, Kal’ EauTov dixalwv 6 Noyiopos éLeTaoe: 
Ta éyvwopueva, Kai GWera elte ddika cite Gikaa 
ein’ Kal ei pév eUpy adica, prov bre deapprter Ta 
YeYpappeva® el dé ye Oikara, BeBatwoer* Kal 6 Tav 
imepay dpibpds ob Xupaveirat Tots ép0as éyvw- 
ouevors, TadTHy 6 Bacireds deEdueEvos Tily elonyn- 
CW, Kal épiora éxew umokaBwv, edbis ‘yeapavai 
TE TOV vouov éxéheuceE, Kal Tois ‘Tis olKelas Yepds 
€PeBaiwce Yeaupace. TovTou O& ‘yevopevou, dvéhuce 
Tov decor 6 eios AuBpdctos. ottTws 6 TicTOTEATOS 
Baothebs ciaw yevécbar Yappricas gov Qeiov vew, 
ovx Eats Tov Acomdrtny i ixéreven, ovdé Ta yovara 
kXivas* ad\Na@ mpnmnjs érl tov damédou Kelpevos, 
TH Aavitixny adijxe pov EKOAAHON TH eager 
7 Wuxi] pov, Gicov pe Kata Tov Adyov cov: Kai 
Tats Xepoly arotitiwy tas tplxas, Kat TO méTW- 
Tov TEAR On) Kal Tats Tay daxptwy oTayoot TovU- 
dacos KaTappaivey, ovyyvwpuns ur iféher TUXELD. 
émeidy 6& 6 Katpds éxdder TH lepa Tpamety Ta 
Sapa ™poceveyKeiv, advactds peta Tov iswy da- 
Kptwy Tov dvaxropwy em én" TpoceveyKwy O€ Wo- 
Tep eiwler, Evdov wapa tas Kt tykAldas pemevnkev. 
aia radw 6 Méyas ApBpdctos ovuK ealynoey, arn’ 
eEenaideuce THY TOY TOTwY Svapopav, Kal Tpwrov 
HEV 1pETO Ei TLVOs déoLTO. TOU Oé Baciéws elpnns- 
TOS, Ws Tpocuever THY TaV Deiwy puoTnpiwDy meva- 
Anyuw, edn Awoev Umoupy® T® TeV dLraxovwy tryou- 
eve Xpnsapevos, OTe Ta évdov, ray Partha, fovoLs 
éoriv lepevor Bata tots 6 d\XNas Eracw dbuTa 
Te Kal draverra. €£:0¢ toivuv, Kai trois dAXors 
KOWUVEL THS OTUCEWS. @doupyis ydp Bacthéas, ovxX 
lepéas Tovet. Kai tatthv O& 6 mordéTaTos Bact- 
devs aopévws deEduevos tiv cionynow, dvtedyAw- 
sev, ws od BpacitntL Xpwpevos Evdov THY KLyK\i- 
Owy penevnxev, dA’ ev Kwvoravtwovrdder TovTo 
eivar clos pabuiv’ xapuy dé dpeiw, En, Kal Tide 
THs latpeias. Toca’Ty Kal THALKaUTH Kai 6 dpxLe- 
pevs Kai 0 Bactded’s dreXaprov dpeTH. audotépwv 
yap €ywye dyapat, Tou péev tiv TWappyciav, Tov dé 
Kal Tou mey THY TOU CrjAou Bepud- 
THTa, TOV O€ THY THS TicTews KalapdTnTa.— 
Theodor. in Hist. Eccles. Script. Amst. 1695-1700. 
Lib. v. capp. xvii, xvili. pp. 219-23, ] 

[? Microlog. De Eccles. Observat. in Mag. Bi- 
blioth. Vet. Patr. Col. Agrip. 1618-22. cap. li. fom. 
XI. p. 392. See Vol. I]. page 256, note 1.] 


31 


Raters, 
viv evteiberav 


Nic. de Cusa. 


Greg. in Ex- 
pos. Ord. 
Rom. 


Ibidem. 


Ibidem initio 
Lib. ii. 


In Lib. de 
Div.Offie.see. 
Rom. de Of- 
fie Exorcist. 
In Liturg. 
Aithiop. 


In Miss. 
Armen. 


In Liture. 
Chrysost. 


482 ARTICLES OF CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 


“One church had but one priest; and the rigour of the primitive church ceased. 
For, as Dionysius saith, after the gospel all that were not ready to receive the sa- 
crament of the body and blood of Christ were expelled and put out of the church *.” 

“The manner in time past was that, when the sacrament of thanksgiving should 
be ministered, the deacon cried out with a loud vocice, saying: Si quis non commu- 
nicat exeat: that is to say, If any man do not communicate, let him depart and go 
out of the church *.” 

“And for this cause, verily, it is called missa, because they are to be sent out 
of the doors by the deacon, which are not partakers of the sacrifice or holy com- 
munion. Therefore, seeing that Christ is the righteousness of God, and the church 
representeth that righteousness, forasmuch as it is grounded upon Christ, yea, and it 
is also called righteousness, which giveth to every thing his due; seeing this is so, 
I say, how shall it be missa, except it be permitted to have that belongeth unto 
it, I mean, that the deacon cause them to go out which may not be present at the 
holy mysteries *?” 

““We say that the Lord’s supper is called missa, because, when the gospel is 
once read, they are sent out at the voice of the deacon which may not be present 
at the receiving of the divine mysteries, because they do not communicate as other do *.” 

“* All that is done for any purpose is proved so long to be imperfect as it wanteth 
that for the which it is done. But it is called missa for this purpose, because that 
they are commanded to go out and to depart that ought not to be present at the 
ministration of the divine sacraments, &c. Therefore, except such as do not commu- 
nicate be commanded to go out at the voice of the deacon, as the manner also was 
among our forefathers, the office, duty, or service, which is commonly called missa, is 


not done truly and lawfully’.” 


“The exorcist must cast out devils, and say unto the people, that such as° will 
not communicate should give place and depart ’.” 
“So soon as the gospel is done, the deacon saith: Ye that will not receive the 


sacrament, get ye hence, and depart from among us. 


Again, after the creed is sung, 


the deacon saith: Ye that will not communicate, get ye hence; but ye that will 


communicate, embrace and kiss one another 


a» 


“The deacon, a little before the preface, saith: They that are not worthy to re- 
ceive this oblation of God (he meaneth the sacrament of the body and blood of 
Christ), let them go out, and stand before the church-door, and let them pray there *.” 

“Let none of the learners, or such as are not yet perfectly instructed in the 
doctrine of God’s holy mysteries, remain here, but the faithful only ’’.” 





[’ Una autem ecclesia ron habebat nisi unum 
sacerdotem, et cessavit rigor primitive ecclesie. 
Nam, ut dicit Dionysius, post evangelium omnes qui 
non fuerunt parati ad perceptionem eucharistie ex- 
pellebantur ab ecclesia.—Nic. de Cusa Op. Basil. 
1565. Epist. vii. de Amplect. Unit. Eccles. ad Bo- 
hem. Tom. II. p. 854.] 

(? Cassand. Op. Par. 1616. Liturg. cap. xxvi. 
p.55. See Vol. II. page 256, note 2.] 

{® Et propter hoc certe dicitur missa, quoniam 
mittendi sunt foras per diaconum qui non participant 
sacrificio, vel communione sancta. Proinde cum 
Christus sit Dei justitia, ecclesia autem justitiz for- 
ma, utpote super Christum fundata ; verum enimvero 
justitia dicitur, qua cuique sua tribuuntur; cum hoc 
(inquam ) ita sit, quomodo missa erit, nisi id quod 
suum est ei permissum fuerit, scilicet ut diaconus 
faciat exire, quos non oportet sacris mysteriis inter- 
esse? Id. ibid. pp. 55, 6.] 

[* Ibidem initio lib. 2. Missam ideo appellari 
dicimus, quia lecto evangelio foras mittuntur ex pro- 
nunciatione diaconi, qui minime offerendo vel com- 
municando non poterunt interesse sacramentis divini 
mysterii.—lId. ibid. p. 56.] 


[° Ibidem. Omne quod pro re aliqua agitur, tam 
diu imperfectum esse probatur quamdiu deest illi 
aliquid propter quod agitur: sed missa pro eo dicitur 
quo qui divinis interesse sacramentis non debent, 
exire jubentur. Idem est autem exire quod mitti, 
sicut probari potest ex dominica locutione: Et cog- 
noverunt vere quia a te exivi, et crediderunt quia tu 
me misisti. Igitur nisi ad vocem diaconi more ma- 
jorum non communicantes exire precipiantur, offi- 
cium quod usitato nomine missa dicitur, rite non 
perficitur.—Id. ibid. ] 

[® Folio, eies.] 

[7 Id. ibid. See Vol. IT. page 256, note 2. ] 

[® Lit. Com. Athiop. in Liturg. Orient. Coll. 
Stud. Eus. Renaudot. Par. 1716. Tom. I. p. 513. 
See Vol. II. page 256, note 4.] 

[° Ord. Cel. Myst. ex Lit. Armen. in Cassandr. Op. 
Liturg. cap. xii. p. 30. See Vol. II. page 256, note 5. ] 

[29 ‘O dvaxovos. “Ocor kaTnXobpevor mpoebeTe, 
of KaTnXovpevor tpoé\eTe, Soot KaTHXoUMEVOL 
apoé\ ete, fr] TLs THY KATHXOULEVWY, OooL TiaTOl, 
éte Kal Eri év eiprjyy Tov Kupiov denfepev.—Div. 
Miss. D. Joan. Chrysost. in Rit. Grec. Op. Jac. 
Goar. Lut. Par. 1€47. p. 70.] 


THE NINETEENTH ARTICLE. 483 


“The deacon cry, Doors, doors; and straightways the doors are shut''.” qn Liturg. 

“When the ministers fae once read the lesson out of the holy bible, the learners, pionys. in 
and with them such as be vexed of evil spirits, and the penitents, such as tofore *““* 
have been public offenders, and afterward repent them of their former life, are put 
out of the church. They only remain which are worthy both of the sight, and of 
the receiving of the holy mysteries ’”.” 

“We celebraie the mysteries, the doors being shut and inclosed, and forbid them chrys. in 
to be present which re are no perfect Christians, not for this purpose, because we aa 
perceive any infirmity'* or imperfection in the mysteries, but because that they whom 


we put out are as yet weak, and unmeet to be partakers of so worthy and blessed 


mysteries **.” 
“We exclude and put them out of the places where the priests celebrate the 1a. in 2Cor. 
Lord’s supper ; because they are not meet to be partakers of the holy table’.” Hom. 18. 
“After that the mysteries be finished and done, ye may come nigh and BG 5 1d. in Rpist 
but so long as the mysteries are in handling get thee hence. For Hont 3 
thou hast no more to do here than the learner hath'’.” 
Give the glory to God alone. 
[) Kai 6 éidkovos...émicvvarrrer expwvws. Tas [?3 Folio, infynyte.] 
Oupas, Tas Bipas év copia mpdcywpuev.—Div. Miss. ['* See before, page 478, note 2.] 
S. Basil. in eod. p. 165. ] [*° See before, page 478, note 3. ] 
[}? Dionys. Areop. Op. Antv. 1634. De Eccles. [2° Chrysost. Op. Par. 1718-38. In Epist. ad 
Hierarch. cap. iii. 2. Tom. I. p. 284. See Vol. II. | Ephes. cap. i. Hom. ili. Tom. XI. p. 24. See Vol. 
page 256, note 3. ] II. p. 257, note 8.] 


31—2 








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THE DIVERSITY 


BETWEEN 


GODS WORD AND MAN’S INVENTION, 


BY 


THOMAS BECON. 


DEUTERONOMY IV. 


“Ye shall put nothing to the word which I command you, neither do ought 
therefrom, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I 
command you.” 


DEUTERONOMY XII. 


“‘'Whatsoever I command you, that take heed ye do only unto the Lord: put 
thou nought thereto, nor take ought therefrom.” 


JOSHUA XXIII. 


“Take heed, and do all that is written in the book of the law of the Lord, 
that ye blow not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left, but stick fast 
unto the Lord your God.” 


PROVERBS XXX. 


“ All the words of God are pure and clean; for he is a shield unto all them 
that put their trust in him. Put thou nothing unto his words; lest he reprove thee, 
and thou be found a liar.” 


REVELATION XXII. 


“T testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, 
if any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that 
are written in this book. And if any man shall minish of the words of the book 
of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out 
of the holy city,” &c. 


ISAIAH XI. 


“With joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of the Saviour, and then shall 
ye say: Give thanks unto the Lord, call upon his name, declare his counsels among 
the people, keep them in remembrance ; for his name is excellent.” 


JEREMIAH II. 


“Be astonished, O ye heavens, be afraid and abashed at such a thing, saith the 
Lord. For my people hath done two evils. They have forsaken me the well of 


the water of life, and digged them pits, yea, vile and broken pits, that can hold 
no water.” 


TO HIS LOVING FRIEND 
MASTER PAUL JOHNSON’, 


THOMAS BECON WISHETH HEALTH IN CHRIST. 


Curist and all his apostles before many years prophesied that in the latter age Matt. xxiv. 
of this old, crooked, broken-backed, and sinful world, there should arise false Christs 
and false prophets, that is to say, false anointed and false preachers, which earnestly 
and with all diligence, through the wisdom of the flesh, should teach new Christs and 
new Saviours; work great signs and wonderful miracles, so greatly, that, if it were 
possible, the very elect and chosen people of God should be brought into error; like 
grievous wolves, not spare the flock; speak perverse things; lead away the disciples Acts xx. 
after them ; “bring in privily pernicious and damnable sects, denying the Lord that 2 Pet. ii. 
bought them ;” blaspheme the way of truth; and in all points resist the verity of God’s 
word, as Jamnes and Jambres resisted Moses. 

And verily, though this ungodliness and wicked abomination began in Christ’s 
time, and in the days of the apostles, yea, and long before, (for in what age hath 
falsehood ceased to resist the verity, and to obscure it?) as we may evidently per- 
ceive in the books of holy scripture; yet, when the bishop of Rome began to leave 
the office of a shepherd, and began a wolf, rather ready to devour than to feed, to kill 
and slay than to help and relieve, to be a lord rather than a minister, and a persecutor 
than a preacher, it was most chiefly exercised and put in practice. 

For, although before the time of Christ and of his apostles, and in their days also, 
the verity was resisted of the adversaries thereof; yet were there at that present true 
prophets, faithful apostles, and godly preachers, which always defended the truth, 
and preserved it without harm from the ravening teeth of those most cruel wolves. 
But what time the fierce tyranny of that Romish bishop began to spring, to flourish, 
and to have the overhand, and had driven Christ out of his temple, that is, out of 
the hearts of the faithful, which only are the temple of God; as St Paul saith, “The 
temple of God is holy, which ye are;” and the pope began Christ’s vicar, reigning in 
his stead, banishing God’s holy word, and bringing in his own devilish laws, decrees, 
and traditions; then began the mouths of the preachers to be stopped, then was the 
light of the gospel obscured, then was all true godliness exiled. And, although divers 
good men perceived the great abomination that the pope used, and greatly lamented 
the decay of the christian faith and the loss of many souls, yet durst few or none 
rebuke his corrupt manners, so great was his tyranny in all places; so that, in pro- 
cess of time, the greatest part of them that professed Christ by name were utterly 
fallen from Christ and Christ’s religion, and were Christians in name, but papists in- 
deed. What marvel? If the pope had played the open antichrist, and shewed him- 
self to be an extreme adversary to God and to his word, then should his kingdom 
never have continued so long; then had he and all his popery been contemned, re- 
jected, set at nought, and cast away many years before our days. But, forasmuch as 
he transfigured himself into “an angel of light,’ and took on him the person of a 2Cor. xi. 
true apostle, and yet was indeed a false apostle and deceitful worker, pretending always 


2 Tim. iii. 


1 Cor. ill. 


{’ Paul Johnson, a gentleman of respectable 
family and landed property in the county of Kent, 
was the son of John Johnson, who acquired, in the 
Ist of queen Mary, the manor and advowson of Ford- 
wich from Sir Thomas Cheney. This with Upper 
and Nether Court in the isle of Thanet, and other 
possessions, passed, on his death in the 8th of queen 
Elizabeth, into the hands of his son Paul. Paul 
Johnson married Mary the daughter of Peter Hey- 
man, one of the gentlemen of the bed-chamber to 


king Edward VI. By this alliance he was connected 
with that Richard Scott, to whom Becon (see Vol. I. 
page 353, note 1) dedicated his treatise, the ‘‘ Invec- 
tive against Swearing.’’ For his wife’s brother was 
married to Elizabeth daughter of Sir Reginald Scott, 
the brother of Richard. Paul Johnson had, besides 
other children, Timothy, who alienated the manor of 
Fordwich to Thomas Paramour, Esq., and Elizabeth, 
the wife of William, son of Sir James Hales of Ten- 
terden, knt.] 


Psal. exix. 


Matt. v. 


The bishop 
of Rome’s 
usurped 
power. 


Money may 
do all things 
with! the 
bishop of 
Rome. 


The tradi- 
tions of the 
Romish 
bishop more 
regarded 
than the 


word of God. 


Rom. xiii. 


Matt. xv. 


Whence the 
blindness of 
the world 
come. 


2 Cor. vi. 


488 THE DIVERSITY BETWEEN GOD’S WORD, ETC. 


great favour and love to Christ and his word; he under this cloak deceived almost 
all the world, and ruled after his own carnal lusts and beastly pleasures, no man 
once attempting to resist him. 

What cannot hypocrisy and feigned holiness bring to pass? What mastery is it to 
lead men in darkness where there is no light? What great pain was it for the bishop 
of Rome to lead men captive, and to make them miserable slaves, and to tumble 
them in darkness, clouds, and false imaginations, when the lantern of the true light, 
which is the sincere word of God, was closed up and wrapped about with so mani- 
fold mists and clouds; I mean the false and pestilent glosses of the crooked papists? 
What doth the light of a candle profit a man being in a dark house, if it be hid 
and set under a bushel? What commodity cometh to an infant though he have a 
nut, if he cannot come to the kernel for the hard shell? Thus when Christ in his 
word was brought on sleep, the pope, calling himself God’s vicar in earth, and Peter's 
successor, and challenging unto him so much power and authority as Christ had ever 
given him of his eternal Father both in heaven and earth, reigned only as God in 
men’s consciences by his traditions, decrees, and ordinances. He took upon him to 
bless, to curse, to make, to mar, to save, to damn, to wound, to heal, to bind, to 
loose, to build, to destroy, to lift up, to pluck down, to enact, to dispense, to make 
white, to make black, to cast down into hell, to lift up into heaven, to conclude, 
to do all things that any man can devise to be done; so great and mighty was he 
and his authority. 

Proteus never turned himself into so many fashions as that antichrist of Rome 
did. He would now for a little displeasure be as fierce as a ramping lion, and 
straightways (so that money be the advocate and speechman) he would be more 
meek and gentle than a lamb. ‘To transgress one of his traditions was a greater 
offence than to break all the commandments of God. To deny or withhold one penny 
of St Peter’s patrimony was a greater sin than to deny tribute to the temporal powers. 
To strike one of his anointed shavelings was taken for a more grievous offence than 
to resist the king, or to fight against any worldly prince; so little were the high 
powers esteemed, regarded, and set by, to whom, notwithstanding, all men without 
exception ought to be obedient. A priest to take a wife honestly and lawfully in 
the fear of the Lord, according to the word of God, if the gift of chastity be not 
given him, was reputed a more abominable offence than to have a concubine, an 
whore, or an harlot. To eat flesh on one of those days that the pope had inhibited 
was a greater sin than to abuse the blessed name of God by swearing, forswearing, 
or by any other kind of blasphemy ; than to envy our christian brethren; to strike 
father or mother; or to do any other thing that God hath forbidden in his holy 
scripture. His drowsy dreams must needs be observed, though scripture and reason 
prove them naught. Poor Christ’s commandments must give place to the decrees of 
so holy and glorious a father, which attempteth nothing in earth but God confirmeth 
the same in heaven. 

The pope with his sophistical and false persuasions deceived almost all the world, 
and brought them into so great blindness, that they esteemed his traditions above the 
precepts of God, not considering what Christ saith: ‘Ye have destroyed the com- 
mandment of God for the establishment of your traditions.” Again: “They worship 
me in vain, teaching the doctrines and commandments of men.” This hath been the 
cause that darkness, ignorancy, and blindness, hath continued so long in the world. 
This hath been the cause that we have been so greatly deceived these many years. 
This hath been the cause that the wholesome doctrine of God hath been neglected, 
despised, and nothing set by. Yea, this hath been, and at this present is the cause 
of all the hurly-burly, of all the contention and strife, that is among both the learned 
and unlearned ; while one defendeth this, another that. O lamentable case! For as 
Christ cannot agree with Belial, nor light with darkness, nor truth with falsehood ; 
so cannot Christ’s preachers agree with the popish praters, nor the word of God with 
the pope’s traditions. Therefore, when the true preachers, moved with the Spirit of 





{' Folio, useth.] 


THE PREFACE. 489 


God, declare and set forth Christ and his blessed gospel, then come the papistical 
prattlers, and with open mouth inveigh against that holy teaching both by preaching 

and writing ; affirming it to be plain heresy, new doctrine, and that it will be the 

cause of much dissension, if it take place and be received; when, notwithstanding, 

who knoweth not that, where the word of God is truly preached, and faithfully the fruits of 
received of the hearers, there is true faith toward God, fervent love toward our neighbour, ” ° bia: 
hearty obedience toward the temporal rulers, brotherly care for the poor, innocency of 

life, and both the study and practice of all goodness and godliness? But contrari- 

wise, where the word of God is not taught, there is neither true faith toward God, 

nor fervent love toward our neighbour, nor hearty obedience toward the temporal 

rulers, nor brotherly care for the poor, nor innocency of life, nor yet either the 

study or the practice of any point of goodness, but all that ungodly, wicked, and 
devilish is. 

And whence cometh this but only of ignorance, which is the mother and nurse 
of hypocrisy, superstition, idolatry, unpure life, &c.? as Salomon saith: ‘“‘ When the Prov. xxix. 
preaching of God’s word creepeth, the people perisheth.” The treasures of God’s 
word have been hidden in the ground a great space; and men’s traditions have flourished 
in the stead of them. Therefore now, when it cometh again to light, many recompt 
it new learning; some judge it heresy ; another sort disdain to hear it or to read it. 

By this means is God’s holy word evil reported, and getteth few friends; yea, it is 
extremely hated and persecuted not of a few. No marvel. For they know not what 

a noble jewel and precious treasure the word of God is. They feel not the sweet- The word 
ness of it. They savour not the great and exceeding profit that ensueth of the eoor 
knowledge of it: they think the doctrine of the gospel no better, nor yet of greater 
excellency, than the writings of the heathen philosophers. And, seeing they have no 

more delectation and pleasure in it, they continue still in their old baggage and bald 
inventions of men, willing so to remain in their ignorant blindness and blind igno- 
rancy, than once to come unto the knowledge of Christ’s gospel, and to walk in the 
pleasant light thereof. 

But to the intent they may be moved, excited, and provoked unto the love of 
God’s word, and unto the detestation of man’s trifling traditions, I have thought it 
not unfitting, nor out of the way, to describe and set forth, as it were in a short 
table, the diversity of God’s word and man’s invention, that such as read it may 
be the more inflamed to embrace the holy scriptures, and from henceforth cease to 
have in admiration the unprofitable, yea, the noisome inventions and traditions of 
man. This little treatise after I had finished, I thought good to dedicate it to your 
name, and to send it unto you as a testimony of my good-will toward you, which 
from the first time of our acquaintance have not ceased to shew yourself a right dear 
friend to me in all things, yea, and as another myself. 

In this treatise ye shall see what high and inestimable commodities come of the The contents 
most precious word of God; again, what incommodities, yea, what plagues and ST sie 
pestilences arise of the doctrine of men’s trifling traditions and idle inventions, which 
as they be hurtful to the souls and bodies of men, so are they highly detested and 
abhorred of God, namely when for their sake his blessed word is neglected and set 
aside; as these his words pronounced by the prophet declare manifestly : “‘ Be astonished, Jer. ii. 
O ye heavens, be afraid and abashed at such a thing, saith the Lord. For my 
people hath done two evils. They have forsaken me, the well of the water of life, 
and have digged them pits, yea, vile and broken pits, that can hold no water.” 

But the time is at hand, roar devil, rage world, that all the wicked inventions of 

men shall return thither from whence they came, that is to say, unto the devil, ac- 
cording to this prophecy of our Saviour Christ: “Every plant that my heavenly Matt. xv. 
Father hath not planted shall be plucked up by the roots.” 

Christ, which is the “true light” of the world, mought vouchsafe to illumine us Jonni. 
all, through his holy Spirit, with the light of his most holy gospel, that we may 
with one mind embrace his holy word, and bring forth the fruits of the same unto the 
glory of his holy name! Amen. God keep you and all yours in his faith, fear, and 
love unto the end! Amen. 


Heb. iv. 
Ezek. i. 


Psal. exix. 


John viii. 


Phil. ii. 


John vi. 


Rom. viii. 


Gen. iil. 


Rev. ili. 


Acts xiii. 
Heb. iv. 
Luke i. 


Rom. i. 


Wisd. v. 


Heb. iv. 


Eph. vi. 


Mice. v. 


Zeph. ii. 
Rev. i. 

Why the 
word of God 


is calleda 
sword. 


Psal, exvi. 


THE DIVERSITY 


BETWEEN 


GOD’S WORD AND MAN’S INVENTION, 


Gon’s word is lively, and giveth life. It is signified by the wheels which had the 
spirit of life in them. Here cometh it that David oftentimes prayeth to God on this 
manner: ‘‘ Make me alive after thy word:” ‘quicken me according to thy testi- 
monies.” And our Saviour Christ saith: “If any man keep my word, he shall never 
taste death.” So long as we believe this word, and continue in the same, we live; 
but when we believe it not nor remain in it, we can none otherwise but perish, die, 
and be damned. For this cause it is called the word of life. ‘‘ Do all thing with- 
out murmuring and disputing, that ye may be such as no man can complain on, 
and unfeigned sons of God without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse 
nation ; among whom see that ye shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word 
of life,” saith St Paul. And the apostles said to Christ: “Thou hast the words of 
everlasting life.” 

Man’s invention is dead, and bringeth death. For it cometh of the affection and 
wisdom of the flesh, which is death. By this means did Adam with all his posterity 
fall into death, because he, following his own invention and mind, did eat of the for- 
bidden fruit, contrary to the word of the Lord. And therefore it was said to the 
angel, that is to say, the preacher, at Sardis: “ Thou hast the name that thou livest, 
and thou art dead.” For he despised the word of God, and cleaved to his own in- 
ventions. Therefore it is said that he had not full works, that is to say, works 
that were acceptable before God. He could not be alive and acceptable to God, that 
was governed only with the word of death. 

2. God’s word worketh marvellously unto the health of them that believe. And 
therefore in the word of God it is called the word of health, or salvation; as it is 
written: “Ye men and brethren, the children of the generation of Abraham,...the 
word of this health was sent unto you.” Again: “The word of God is lively, and 
mighty in operation.” The knowledge of it is the “knowledge of salvation.” And 
St Paul saith, that “it is the power of God unto salvation for so many as believe.” 

Man’s invention worketh strongly unto the destruction of the unfaithful. So many 
as believe that, it is not possible but they must perish. For what is it but the way 
of perdition? as it is written: “ We are wearied in the way of wickedness and per- 
dition.” 

3. God’s word is the sword of the Spirit; as the apostle saith: ‘The word of 
God is sharper than any two-edged sword, and entereth through even unto the di- 
viding of the soul and the spirit, and of the joints and the marrow, and is the judge 
of the thoughts and intentions of the heart; neither is there any creature invisible 
in his sight.” Again; “Put upon you the helmet of health, and the sword of the 
Spirit, which is the word of God:” with this sword it was prophesied that “seven 
shepherds and eight rulers,” that is to say, all the preachers of the gospel, should feed 
the land of Asure, that is, the gentiles. And with the same sword it was also pro- 
phesied that the Ethiops should be slain. This sword did John see coming out of 
the mouth of the Son of Man. And the word of God is called a sword, because 
it divideth, that is to say, judgeth between all things, yea, and that very truly: 
for there is no judgment certain but that only that cometh from the word of God. 
By that no man, nor flesh, but the Spirit of God judgeth. Furthermore, “ Every 
man” without the Spirit of God “is a liar.” Therefore he calleth that which is 


THE DIVERSITY BETWEEN GOD’S WORD, ETC. 491 


evil, good; and that is good, evil; bitter, sweet; and sweet, bitter ; so that he is cursed Isai. v. 
of the Lord. 

Man’s invention is the sword of the flesh, more cruel, more terrible, and more 
pernicious than all the weapons of iron. For those can do no more but wound and 
slay the bodies; but the other, forasmuch as it maketh them that love it the enemies 
of God, slayeth the souls, yea, and that with the most miserable kind of death. 
From the plagues and tyranny whereof except we be delivered through the gift of 
God, without doubt everlasting death shall follow. Verily all the swords, yea, and 48 
all manner of torments, be they never so horrible and grievous, ought we rather to 
suffer, than we should once be obedient to the cursed traditions of men which pluck 
us away from the word of God. For they worship God without fruit and in vain, matt. xv. 
yea, they worship him not at all, that teach the doctrines and commandments of men. ”“““" 
For that which is mere hypocrisy is nothing less than the worshipping of God. 
Whereof it followeth that they, which serve and honour God after the commandment 
and teaching of man’s brain, do nothing else than labour in vain, and seek their own 
damnation. 

4. God’s word pierceth the heart, and saveth. For it slayeth sin and the most 
pernicious sting of death, and doth nothing less than cause death. 

Man’s invention through the working of Satan pierceth also the heart; but it 
maketh it carnal, wicked, foolish, the enemy of God and of his truth, and the child 
of everlasting damnation. 

5. God’s word judgeth righteously, truly, and faithfully of all things. For it 
never deceiveth any man, nor yet ean. For it was revealed and shewed of God, 
which hath always loved the truth, and destroyeth all them that work iniquity and Paal. v. 
speak lies. 

Man’s invention can have no true, no certain, no right judgment of any thing. 

For it is nothing but deceit, and the lie itself. For it cometh from the father of John viii. 
lies, and calleth good evil, and evil good, and nameth that is righteous unrighteous, Isai. v. 
and the contrary; and that which is profane holy, and the contrary also. To be 

short, the judgment of it in all points is wicked and naught. 

6. God’s word calleth all them that love and use it sincerely from error and 
falsehood. 

Man’s invention can never call any man from error and falsehood, seeing itself is 
both error and falsehood. 

7. God’s word lighteneth all them that receive it; as the psalmograph testifieth, say- 
ing: “The commandment of the Lord is light, lightening the eyes.” Again: “ Thy psai. xix. 
word, O Lord, is a lantern to my feet, and a light to my pathways.” O most %* 
pleasant and comfortable light ! 

Man’s invention blindeth even them also that were lightened afore by the word 
of God through his mercy, if they cast the word away, and embrace the other. For 
all the traditions of men desire nothing but to cast the lovers thereof into dreadful 
shadows and execrable darkness. O most unpleasant and most uncomfortable mists! 

8. God’s word alway lighteneth them more clearly that were lightened before; as 
it is written: “The pathway of the nghteous is as a shining light; it cometh forth prov. iv. 
and increaseth unto a perfect day.” 

Man’s invention augmenteth and increaseth alway perniciously the blindness of 
them that were blind before, and leadeth them from darkness to darkness. 

9. God’s word confirmeth and strengtheneth the heart of him that believeth it. 

It maketh him bold, stedfast, and constant against all temptation, that he be not ypate iy. 
overcome of it; against all sin, that he despair not, but be certain of the remission Ph, 
and forgiveness of his sins ; against death, that he may suffer gladly both it and any 

other trouble for the truth’s sake; and against hell, that he may be sure that he shall 

not be swallowed up of it. 

Man’s invention maketh the heart fearful and wavering, and maketh a man un- 
sure in all things; so unlike is it that it can stablish and make strong any man 
against sin, death, and hell. 

10. God's word is in all points constant, sure, invariable, and cannot be changed ; 


Psal.exvii. 
Psal. exix. 


Isai.xl. 


1 Esdr. iv. 


Psal. xix. 


Psal. exix. 


Prov. xxx. 
Deut. xxxiii. 


aS 


Prov. xxx. 


Psal. xci. 


Psal. i. 


Acts xv. 


Psal, xix. 


2 Cor. vii. 


492 THE DIVERSITY BETWEEN GOD'S WORD 


yea, it abideth for ever and ever; as it is written: “The truth of the Lord abideth 
for ever.” Again: “O Lord, thy word endureth in heaven for ever and ever.” Item: 
“The beginning of thy words is truth: all the judgments of thy righteousnesses are 
for evermore.” Also the prophet Esay saith: ‘‘The word of the Lord abideth for 
ever and ever.” 

Man’s invention is inconstant, uncertain, variable, and mutable, and cannot abide 
stedfast. It must needs fail and come to nought at the time of God tofore appointed ; 
so that the truth at the last shall have the upperhand, which “ truth overcometh all 
things.” 

11. God’s word turneth souls unto the Lord, and turneth them away from all 
deceivable and transitory things. “The law of the Lord is pure, turning souls,” 
saith David. 

Man’s invention turneth away souls from God, and allureth them unto vain things, 
and such as soon flit and pass away. 

12. God’s word is fiery through the Holy Ghost, and kindleth them greatly that 
love it, as David saith: “‘Thy word is marvellous fiery.” And Salomon writeth: 
“Every word of the Lord is fiery.” Also Moses saith: “In his right hand is the 
fiery law.” This law and this word is that fiery gold whereof Christ counselleth the 
angel of Laodicea to buy, that he may be made rich. 

Man’s invention is marvellous cold, because it is without the Spirit of God. There- 
fore it maketh all them that love it cold, sluggish, and idle. 

13. God's word maketh truly rich. For there is none richer than he which is 
rich in God. He is rich in God, in whom God dwelleth as in his temple by his 
Holy Spirit, which writeth in his heart the law of life. 

Man’s invention doth tyrannously and cruelly impoverish men, and deprive them 
of the true and necessary riches of the soul, that is to say, the word of God, his favour, 
the true faith, and the works of the righteousness of faith. 

14. God’s word is a shield to them that believe and trust in the Lord; as Salomon 
saith: ‘‘ Every word of God...is a shield to them that trust in it.” And David saith: 
“His truth shall defend them with a buckler.” 

Man’s invention helpeth and profiteth nothing ; yea, it is rather pestilent, noisome, 
and pernicious. Therefore it is called “the chair of pestilence.” 

15. God’s word maketh a man to use godly and in the Lord worldly riches and 
all other things. 

Man’s invention maketh a man neither to use riches well, nor any other thing. 

16. God’s word is pure and clean. Therefore faith in it purifieth ; as it is written: 
“‘ Purifying their hearts by faith.” 

Man’s invention is in all points unpure and unclean. Therefore it maketh so many 
as lean unto it wicked and unpure. 

17. God’s word maketh men merry and joyful in the Lord. For it is the property 
of it to exclude all feigned mirth, and to bring the true joy of the mind, so that the 
faith be sincere and stedfast in it. 

Man’s invention never maketh men merry and joyful, but heavy and sad in heart. 
For it bringeth only that gladness which is wicked and fleshly, and contrary to the 
will of God. 

18. God’s word exciteth and stayeth up the mind from the abominations of the 
world unto an holy mourning and dolour in the Lord: but forasmuch as the heaviness 
cometh from the Spirit of God, it is temperated and measured always with an inward 
and a very true joy. 

Man’s invention provoketh and driveth, yea, and compelleth men, whether they 
will or will not, unto lewd mournings and wicked sorrows, yea, and that many times 
even unto desperation, without any intermixtion or feeling of true and perfect joy: 
which thing they can right well testify that have therewith been accustomed. 

19. God’s word worketh in man a loving and sweet trust in the Lord alone; 
whose goodness, beneficence, liberality, and carefulness for us, it alway inculketh and 
beateth into our hearts, whereby all trust of works and of human wisdom, or of the 
flesh, is made void, and the carefulness that belongeth to diffidence or mistrust put 


AND MAN’S INVENTION. 493 


away, according to this commandment of the Lord: “ Take no thought what ye shall Mate. vi. 
eat, or what ye shall drink, or wherewith ye shall be clad.” “For your heavenly 
Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. First of all seck the kingdom 

of God, and the righteousness thereof; and all these things shall be cast unto you.” 

Man’s invention excludeth and utterly putteth away the necessary trust that we 
ought to have in the Lord and in his fatherly providence, and bringeth only the 
confidence of the flesh. For it causeth a man to trust unto human provision and 
carefulness, and unto his own labours and works, contrary to this commandment of 
God: “Be careful for nothing. The Lord is at hand.” But “cursed is that man Phil. iv. 
that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and suffereth his heart to go away aay 
from the Lord.” 

20. God’s word maketh a man to dwell in it. For it teacheth him that the Lord 
hath a fatherly care both for him and for all his; and that “of him, by him, and in 1 Pet, x. 
him, all things are ;” and that he defendeth his servants; as it is written: ‘ Whoso Psal. xci. 
dwelleth under the defence of the Most Highest shall abide under the shadow of the 
Almighty. I will say unto the Lord, Thou art my hope, and my strong hold, my 
God: in him will I trust. For he shall deliver thee from the snare of the hunter, 
and from the noisome pestilence. He shall defend thee under his wings, and thou 
shalt be safe under his feathers: his faithfulness and truth shall be thy shield and 
buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for any terror by night, not for the arrow that 
flieth by day, for the pestilence that walketh in the darkness, nor for the sickness 
that destroyeth in the noon-day. A thousand shall fall beside thee, and ten thousand 
at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee, &c. There shall no evil happen 
unto thee, neither shall any come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels 
charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee in their hands, 
that thou hurt not thy foot against a stone.” Again: ‘‘ Except the Lord keep the Psal. exxvii. 
city, he watcheth in vain that keepeth it.” When the faithful knoweth. these things, 
he trusteth unto the goodness and providence of God alone, which maketh him at all 
times to lead a quiet life, and without all fear, and boldly to say with David: “ The Psal. xxvii. 
Lord is my light and my salvation: whom then shall I fear? The Lord is the strength 
of my life: of whom then shall I be afraid? Though an host of men were laid against 
me, yet shall not my heart be afraid; and though there arose up war against me, yet 
will I put my trust in him.” 

Man’s invention discourageth and maketh the heart evermore fearful to all things. 

For how is it possible but that he must needs fear, that feeleth not the great mercy 
or goodness of God? For by no tradition of men can either God or his works be 
so known that any profit can ensue thereof. Therefore, when he is not known, the 
mind is alway afraid, and full of care and thought. For when he knoweth not God, 
he trusteth only to those creatures that he knoweth must needs soon decay and fall 
away. All the strength of the flesh is shortly broken as a reed; and they that cleave 
unto it are alway doubtful, and at the last are shaken down and destroyed. 

21. God’s word is an high solace, and an exceeding" great comfort in all tribulation; $8 
as we may evidently see by innumerable places of the scripture: which thing also every 
faithful man, that knoweth God’s word, feeleth and proveth true in himself. “ Except psai. exix. 
my study had been in thy law,” saith David, “I had perished in my trouble.” 

Man’s invention is profitable for nothing less than truly to comfort them that are 
destitute of help and comfortless. 

22. God’s word is “the word of faith,” which alone must be believed; and they Rom. x. 
only that believe it are faithful and acceptable in God’s sight. 

Man’s invention neither maketh any man faithful, nor yet acceptable in the sight 
of God. 

23. God’s word is the truth. For so is it many times called in the holy scriptures, sonn xvii. 
because in it there is nothing found but truth only; forasmuch as it came from ine 
everlasting Truth; and therefore it maketh them that love it true, and the sons of 
truth. “Of his own free-will,” saith St James, “hath he begotten us with the word Jamesi. 
of truth.” 

Man’s invention is a lie, yea, and that a very manifest lie, and is received and 


Psal. xix. 
exix. exlv. 


Eccelus. i. 


Psal. xix. 


Psal. xxxii. 


Psal. evii. 


Wisd. xvi. 


Rom. viii. 
2 Cor. iii. 


Luke iv. 
John i. 


ae 


Wisd. xiv. 


Tsai. lv. 


Gal. v. 


Psal. exxxix. 
Prov. ix. xi. 
xxx, 

Isai. xi. 


Psal. xix. 


494 THE DIVERSITY BETWEEN GOD’S WORD 


believed of none but of such as have no judgment, but are altogether without the Spirit 
of God. 

24. God’s word is faithful and right. Therefore they that believe it are faithful ; 
and their works are right. 

Man’s invention, as it is altogether unfaithful and wicked, so doth it make so many 
as receive it both unfaithful and wicked. 

25. God’s word is the fountain of wisdom; neither is there any truly wise, which 
drinketh not of the waters of this fountain. ‘The well of wisdom,” saith the wise 
man, “‘is the word of the Most Highest God.” David also saith: “The testimony 
of the Lord giveth wisdom to the ignorant.” 

Man’s invention is the well of foolishness, and it maketh so many as receive it “like 
horses and mules, that have no understanding.” 

26. God’s word healeth all diseases of the soul; as it is written: “‘ He sent his 
word, and healed them.” Again: “Neither herb nor emplasture healed them, but thy 
word, O Lord, which healeth all things.” 

Man’s invention increaseth the diseases of the soul, and never ceaseth till it hath 
brought the lover thereof unto death and damnation. 

27. God’s word is the law of the Spirit, written in the heart of the faithful. 

Man’s invention is the law of the flesh, written in the breasts of the unfaithful and 
misbelieving. 

28. God’s word is the word of grace and favour, making them that believe it 
acceptable to God through Christ. Moreover, it is only written in the hearts of them 
whom the Lord loveth. ‘They marvelled,” saith Luke, “at the words of grace and 
favour that came out of his mouth.” Therefore is Christ called “full of grace and 
truth ;” that thou mayest know that he for this purpose had the fulness of the truth, 
that is, the word, because he was full of grace, that is to say, highly in God’s favour. 
And then shall we receive of his fulness when we have gotten the grace of God through 
him ; and then shall his verities be straightways written in our hearts. And these 
verities be the words of God. 

Man’s invention is the word of hatred and indignation. For God hateth it ex- 
tremely, and so many as receive it; as it is written, “God hateth both the wicked 
and his wickedness.” But this is found only in the unfaithful. 

29. God’s word bringeth forth in the faithful, as in good trees, good fruits. For 
it is never without fruit in some man, wheresoever it be purely preached; as God saith 
by the prophet: ‘“‘ As the rain and snow cometh down from heaven, and returneth 
not thither again, but watereth the earth, and maketh it moist, and causeth it to bring 
forth fruit, even seed to the sower and bread to the eater; so shall my word be that 
shall come forth out of my mouth. It shall not return to me void, but shall do what- 
soever my mind is, and shall prosper in them to whom I sent it.” 

Man’s invention can bring forth nothing but the fruits of everlasting damnation. 
For it is flesh, whose fruits are sour, pestilent, and full of poison. ‘The works of 
the flesh,” saith the apostle, “are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication, 
uncleanness, wantonness, worshipping of images, witchcraft, hatred, variance, zeal, wrath, 
strife, sedition, sects, envying, murder, drunkenness, gluttony, and such-like ;...which 
works they that do commit shall not be inheritors of the kingdom of God.” 

30. God’s word and the knowledge thereof is the science or knowledge of saints 
and of God. Wo therefore, and everlasting damnation, hangeth over their heads that 
will not that the world should be, replenished with this most wholesome science or 
knowledge, that is, with the most pure word of God. 

Man’s invention and the knowledge thereof is the science and knowledge of the flesh 
and of Satan’s synagogue, being in deed mere ignorance and stark blindness. Hereof 
came it to pass that the Lord so oft called the Pharisees blind. For they were ruled 
by man’s invention, which thing also we see now-a-days in the Pharisees of our time. 

31. God’s word is the testimony and witness-bearing of God’s Spint, and of 
his holy will. 

Man’s invention is the testimony and witness-bearing of the flesh and of the 
devil. 


AND MAN’S INVENTION. 495 


32. God’s word refresheth marvellously the faithful: for it is the Lord’s pasture. 

“The Lord is my shepherd: therefore shall I lack nothing. He shall feed me in Psl. xxiii. 
a green pasture, and lead me forth beside the waters of comfort.” The refection of 

this pasture is so strong, that it refresheth not only the soul, but also the body, yea, 

and that so effectually, that for a season it hath no need of. corporal nourishment. 
“Man,” saith our Saviour Christ, “shall not live with bread alone, but with every Deut. viii 
word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” Mark i 

Man’s invention is the meat of the unfaithful, bringing with it unto them not life, aoe 
but death; not salvation, but damnation. 

33. God’s word is a “cup” that maketh men drunk wholesomely and unto sal- Psal. xxiii. 
vation. 

Man’s invention is a cup full of venomous dregs, making drunk damnably, and 
turning a man from his right wits; so that “he cannot perceive those things that 1Cor. ii. 
belong unto the Spirit of God.” This is that cup wherewith the whore of Babylon, Rev. xviii. 
that filthy strumpet, and mother of all abominations of the earth, hath made drunken 
all the inhabitants of the earth. 

34. God’s word is a most righteous and holy rule, yea, it is the only and alone God's word 
rule of the children of the kingdom of God, that is, of the holy congregation, to be the faithful. 
governed by: neither do they admit any other rule but that only and alone, without 
any intermixtion of men’s traditions. For there is but one God, one Christ, one faith, Eph. iv. 
one word: ergo, there is but one rule. Therefore are all the sects of monasteries, Monastical 
fraternities, brotherhoods, colleges, and all other such-like, whatsoever they be, super- 
fluous and damnable; forasmuch as they have divided Christ, and taken on them 
another profession that hath no ground in the word of God, which alone is the rule 
of the faithful. 

Man’s invention is the execrable rule of the children of Satan’s kingdom, that is, 
of the church malignant, which is parted and divided into innumerable sects, of the 
which every one of them have feigned of their own madness for themselves a special 
and peculiar way of salvation, which notwithstanding is the right way unto everlasting 
damnation. 

35. God’s word maketh them blessed that gladly hear, read, or search it; as 
David saith: “Blessed is that man that hath not walked in the counsel of the un- Psal.i. 
godly, nor stand in the way of sinners, nor yet hath sit in the chair of pestilence: but 
his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law will he exercise himself day and 
night.” Again: “Blessed are they that search his testimonies.” Psal. exix. 

Man’s invention is embraced of carnal men; because they are not of God: and 
therefore are they cursed. “Cursed be he that continueth not in all things that are Deut. xxvii. 
written in this book,” saith Moses. And the psalmograph in like manner saith: 
“Cursed be they that go away from his commandments.” Psal. cxix. 

36. God’s word necessarily ought to be loved and kept of all men. Notwith- 
standing, it is only loved heartily and kept diligently of the sons of the Most 
Highest. And they for the glory thereof, if need be, will put themselves in danger 
of all perils, yea, if it were very death. For they know and are fully persuaded 
that God and his truth excelleth all things, yea, their own life. And they are cer- 
tain by the word of God, which they believe, that they should receive better things 
in the world to come; as it is written: ‘Rejoice and be merry; for great is your Matt. v. 
reward in heaven.” 

Man’s invention, even of necessity, ought to be cast away of all men, and to be 
kept of none. Yet is it both loved and kept of the children of the devil, that is, the 
unfaithful, but yet not so that they will put themselves in any great peril or danger 
either of goods, or of death; as we may perceive by the papists, which will not lightly This is weil 
die for the pope’s decrees, which they notwithstanding pretend greatly to love and a ls 
favour, nor yet gladly lose any part of their substance. 

37. God’s word is a sufficient doctrine to the uttermost for the instruction and The suffici- 
salvation of the faithful Christians; and therefore ought nothing either to be added antag y 
unto it, or to be plucked from it; as Moses saith: ‘‘ Ye shall not add to the word Deut. iv. 
that I speak unto you, nor take any thing away from it.” Again: “That I com- Deut. xii. 


Proy. xxx. 


Note. 


Psal. xix. 


496 THE DIVERSITY BETWEEN GOD’S WORD 


mand thee, do that only to the Lord; neither put thou any thing to it, neither pluck 
thou any thing therefrom.” And Salomon saith: ‘“‘ Put nothing to the Lord’s words, 
lest thou be rebuked and found a liar.” 

Man’s invention is altogether insufficient. Therefore the foolish men put unto it, 
take away, correct, alter, change and change again, command and command again ; 
that at the last they may bring that to pass, which shall never come unto any per- 
fection or good effect. This thing appeareth evidently in the monks, which are always 
making of statutes, and yet straightways revoke them; and out of hand they stablish 
them again, so that there is no end in their doings. This also appeareth well in the 
pope, and in all the synagogues of his satanical kingdom, which (so that some new 
lucre may grow unto them) will enact, make void, and stablish again one thing more 
than an hundred times. 

38. God’s word is of so great glory and majesty, that no man is able to 
express it. 

Man’s invention is so vile and of so great wickedness, that no man is able to 
declare the abominations of it, and the unoutspeakable incommodities that issue and 
flow out of it, unto the great danger of all them that delight in such fantasies. 

39. God’s word is most highly worthy to be wished and desired; as the psal- 
mograph saith: “The commandments of the Lord are more worthy to be desired than 
gold and precious stone.” 

Man’s invention is most worthy to be despised and cast away, forasmuch as it is 
nothing else than the lewd imagination of filthy flesh, and by that means hated of 
God and of all good men. 

40. God’s word is the doctrine of righteousness, unity, peace, faith, love, patience, 
mercy, and of all goodness and godliness. 

Man’s invention is the word of unrighteousness, discord, disquietness, unbelief, 
enmity, vengeance, unmercifulness, and of all evil and mischief. 

41. God’s word is the word of the eternal Father, and of his only-begotten Son 


&C= Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour; which word the congregation of God only ad- 


Ie 


Matt. x. 


Psal. eviii. 


mitteth and receiveth to be sound and true doctrine, and will be ruled by it alone ; 
admitting and approving no kind of doctrine but that shall consent and agree with 
this word of God in all points. 

Man’s invention is the word of the devil, the prince of darkness, and of the venom- 
ous snake of human wisdom; which the church malignant, despising God’s word, and 
being blinded and deceived with carnal reasons, receiveth and believeth, and is con- 
tent to be ruled and governed by that alone, unto the endless damnation both of their 
bodies and souls. 


THE CONCLUSION. 


Tuus have we heard, what a precious treasure and heavenly jewel the most sacred 
scripture and holy word of God is, and what incomparable commodities the know- 
ledge thereof bringeth both to the souls and bodies of all such as unfeignedly re- 
ceive it. 

We have heard also, on the contrary part, what a wicked devil, what a grievous 
plague, what a poisonful pestilence, man’s invention is, and how great incommodi- 
ties and evils it bringeth to such as embrace it, whether we respect body or soul. 

It therefore now remaineth that every faithful man be jealous for the word of 
God. Let us all with one consent desire that it may reign in the hearts of all men, 
and do all our endeavour that it may so and soon come to pass. Let us not fear the 
torments and menacing words of the cruel and fierce tyrants, which can do nothing 
but slay the body. Let us rather, for the zeal of God’s glory, for the advancement 
of his holy word, and for the profit of the brethren, be ready to suffer whatsoever 
shall be laid upon us by the bloody tyrants, and boldly say with David: “ My heart 
is ready, O God, my heart is ready.” And while we yet live, for the good per- 
formance hereof, let us cry, preach, teach, exhort, write, and admonish one another, 


AND MAN'S INVENTION. 497 


and stir up all other to do the same; that the execrable and damnable inven- 
tions and traditions of the flesh may be plucked up by the roots, abolished, 
and for ever perish ; again, that the pure word of God, which is our 
alone joy and comfort, our alone mirth and solace, may be faith- 
fully believed, and earnestly obeyed and practised of 
all nations in every place, that the kingdom Rev. xi. 
of this world may be made the king- 
dom of God and of our Lord Jesus 
Christ; to whom alone be all 
honour and glory for 
ever and ever. 
Amen. 


Give the glory to God alone. 





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THE 


ACTS OF CHRIST AND OF ANTICHRIST, 


BG 


THOMAS BECON. 


II. THESS. II. 


“Tet no man deceive you by any means; for the Lord shall not come, except there 
come a departing first, and that that sinful man be opened, the son of perdition, 
which is an adversary, and is exalted above all that is called God, or that is wor- 
shipped ; so that he doth sit in the temple of God, boasting himself to be God.” 

“That wicked shall be uttered, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of 
his mouth, and shall destroy with the appearance of his coming; even him whose 
coming is after the working of Satan, with all lying power, signs, and wonders, and 
with all deccivableness of unrighteousness, among them that perish, because they re- 
ceived not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And therefore God 
shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe lies, that all they might be 
damned which believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” 


I. JOHN Il. 


“Little children, it is the last time; and, as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, 
even now are there many begun to be antichrists already; whereby we know that it 
is the last time. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for, if they had 
been of us, they would no doubt have remained with us.” 


JOHN EPIST. II. 


‘Many deceivers are entered into the world, which confess not that Jesus Christ 
is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.” 


TO THE 
RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD, AND HIS VERY GOOD LORD, 
WILLIAM, BISHOP OF CHICHESTER’, 


THOMAS BECON WISHETH LONG LIFE, CONTINUAL HEALTH, 
AND PROSPEROUS FELICITY. 


Ir we diligently consider the admonitions, either of Moses or of the prophets, 
either of Christ or of his apostles, we shall easily perceive that they were in nothing 
more diligent than in admonishing us to beware of false prophets, false preachers, 
false Christs, or antichrists. 

For they, being plentifully endued with the Spirit of God and with the know- 
ledge of his holy mysteries, did afore-see what plagues, what pestilences, what wicked- 
nesses, what abominations, what infections, what diseases, should come to the flock 
of God through their fleshly persuasions and antichristian doctrines. They were not 
ignorant of the subtilties of Satan, neither was it unknown unto them that the minis- 
ters of Satan commonly use to transfigure and change themselves into angels of light, 2 cor. xi. 
that they may the more easily deceive the simple poor Christians, which are not so 
prudent, wise, and afore-casting in their profession, as the children of this world are Luke xvi. 
in their generation. They know also right well how these grievous and ravening Matt. vii 
wolves are accustomed to clothe themselves in sheep’s apparel, feigning themselves to Acts xx. 
be that they are not, that by this means they may with the less difficulty creep into 
the consciences of men, and breathe into their hearts the pestilent odours of their most 
pestilent doctrines. 

For as they came in their own, that is to say, wolvish apparel, openly defying 
God, manifestly denying Christ, and that salvation which cometh by faith alone in 
his passion and death, and deriding or laughing to scorn the mysteries of the chris- 
tian religion; so could they* never be received, but rather rejected as extreme enemies 
of God and of all godliness. No man would accompany them, but abhor them. 
No man would hear them, but flee from them, yea, and hate them worse, according 
to the common proverb, than the dog and snake. But like crafty, subtile, and deceitful 





[' The family from which bishop Barlow was 
descended enjoyed for several generations equestrian 
rank at Barlow in the county of Lancaster. John 
Barlow, the father of the bishop, was committed to 
the Tower in the reign of Henry VII. for harbouring 
Sir Robert Clifford and his own brother-in-law the 
night before their departure for the court of Margaret 
duchess of Burgundy, and narrowly escaped the 
penalties of high treason. He left, by his wife 
Christian, daughter of Edward Barley of Barley, 
Hertfordshire, four sons and a daughter in a destitute 
condition, his estate being in his troubles wrested 
from him. William Barlow was educated at Oxford, 
and became fellow of Magdalene College there. He 
was afterwards prior of Haverfordwest, and of Bi- 
sham, and at length (27 Henry VIII.) bishop of St 
Asaph, from which see he was, in about two months, 
translated to St David’s. Here he incurred much 
odium for stripping the episcopal palace of St Da- 
vid’s and castle of Llewhaden of their leaden roofs. 
The ground on which he defended these proceedings 
was, that he wished Caermarthen to be the princi- 
pal residence of the see. In 1547 Barlow was trans- 
lated to Bath and Wells, but on the accession of 
queen Mary he was deprived or made to resign, and 
fled to the continent. On the death of Mary he re- 


turned, and was placed in the see of Chichester, 
which he filled about ten years. He was the presiding 
bishop at the consecration of archbishop Parker. By 
his wife Agatha, daughter of John Wellesborne, Esq. 
who had been an abbess, he had, besides sons, five 
daughters, who all became the wives of bishops, 
Anne, of Herbert Westfaling, bishop of Hereford, 
Elizabeth, of William Day, bishop of Winchester, 
Margaret, of William Overton, bishop of Lichfield and 
Coventry, Frances, first of Matthew Parker son of 
the archbishop, secondly of Tobias Matthew, arch- 
bishop of York, and Antonia, of William Wickham, 
bishop of Lincoln, afterwards of Winchester. These 
unions are commemorated in the epitaph on bishop 
Barlow’s lady: 


Hic Agathe Tumulus; Barloi presulis, inde 
Exulis, inde iterum presulis, uxor erat; 

Prole beata fuit, plena annis, quinque suarum 
Presulibus vidit, presulis ipsa, datas. 

Barlow’s wife Agatha doth here remain, 

Bishop, then exile, bishop then again; 

So long she lived, so well her children sped, 

She saw five bishops her five daughters wed. 

FULLER. 


Bishop Barlow died in 1568, and was interred in his 
own cathedral of Chichester. ] 
[? Folio, couldeth. ] 


502 THE ACTS OF CHRIST AND OF ANTICHRIST. 


workmen, craftily, subtilly, and deceitfully they handle the matter, clothing and 
covering themselves with sheep’s apparel, outwardly pretending to be the same in 
word and work, in profession and conversation, that the true Christians are. 

What a goodly sheep’s coat is this, with the true and faithful Christians to confess 
the same God, gospel, faith, law, doctrine, &c., and to receive and use the same sacra- 
ments, &c.! All these things do the false prophets and the antichrists. With us 
they confess one God, one Lord, one faith, one gospel, &c. With us they receive 
and use the same sacraments. Who will not now knowledge them to be sheep, that 
is to say, true and perfect Christians, joim hands with them, and receive them into 
their fellowship? when, notwithstanding, they are grievous and ravening wolves, 
seeing they deny the virtue and power of all things aforesaid. As for an ensample: 
they confess, with the true Christians, that there is but one God, and that this 
one God ought to be honoured of all creatures; but they add that the saints in 
heaven are also to be worshipped, honoured, and called upon. They grant that Christ 
is our Mediator, Advocate, and Intercessor; but they teach that saints in heaven are 
also our mediators, advocates, and intercessors, and that by them, and in their name, 
we must offer up our prayers to God, if we will be heard. They confess the holy scrip- 
ture to be the word of God; notwithstanding, they make antichrist’s decrees and 
laws to be of equal authority with it, and shame not to say also, that we owe as 
much faith to unwritten verities as to the holy word of God, and that they are as 
necessarily to be believed, observed, and kept, as matters manifestly expressed in the 
sacred scriptures. They grant that Christ is our Saviour: they teach, notwithstanding, 
that salvation is to be found in their own works, in the merits of religious persons, 
in the intercessions of saints, in cowls, in caps, in hoods, in masses, in pardons, &c. 
They affirm that we are purged and cleansed from our sins by the blood of Christ: 
they hold plainly, notwithstanding, that there is a purgatory after this life; a place 
of most grievous pains and torments, where the silly souls, that be departed without 
due satisfaction, shall be most painfully pained, till they themselves have satisfied by 
suffering those pains, or else amends be made by other that live in this world. 

They affirm one baptism with us; yet do they mingle with the same their own 
leaven, as exorcisms or conjurations, salt, spittle, cream, oil, candle-light, hallowed 
water, &c. They grant the Lord’s supper, which they commonly call the sacrament 
of the altar; but how miserably they abuse it who knoweth not? Of a memorial of 
Christ’s body they make it the natural body of Christ, and compel the people to honour 
it as God, or else they most cruelly burn them and put them to death. Of a remem- 
brance of Christ’s sacrifice they make it the self-same sacrifice which Christ offered 
in his own person on the altar of the cross for the sins of the world, making the one 
of as great virtue as the other. Again, whereas Christ commanded that the bread 
should be broken in the remembrance of his body-breaking, and the wine drunken in 
the remembrance of his blood-shedding, they hold it up above their heads, as a spectacle ; 
they hang it up with a rope till it be moulded and eaten with worms; they carry 
it about in public processions; and otherwise greatly abuse it, unto the great dishonour 
of God, and unto the high profanation of the holy mystery. They grant that Christ 
is the head of the church: notwithstanding they make an idol of their own appointment 
here in earth Christ’s vicar, Peter’s successor, and supreme head of the universal church 
of Christ throughout the world. They say also, that the secular powers are to be 
obeyed and reverenced ; yet will they acknowledge no obedience to be due to the tem- 
poral rulers any further than the bishop of Rome shall permit and appoint them. If 
any thing be attempted of the civil magistrates contrary to the Romish bishop’s decrees, 
then will they not only not obey, but also resist the higher powers, yea, and move battle 
and war against them, pronouncing the war to be godly and holy, the warriors to be 
God’s knights; insomuch that, if any die in that conflict, they be precious martyrs in 
the sight of God, and their souls placed in heaven before their blood be cold. 

Thus see we by these few things aforesaid (as I may pass over many other matters, 
yea, and those innumerable) what grievous wolves these false prophets and mere anti- 
christs are; so that it is not without a cause that Moses and the prophets, Christ 
and his apostles, do so earnestly and diligently exhort us to beware of false prophets. 


PREFACE. 503 


Of this company even from the beginning of the world there hath been alway great 
abundance, so that they have lacked in no age; as histories both divine and profane 
do manifestly declare. Neither lack we examples in this our time, as I may speak 
nothing of the Arians’, of the Anabaptists, of the Davidians, of the Libertines, of the 
Epicures, of the free-will men, &c. But among all these false prophets and antichrists, 
the papists, more than these eight hundred years, have not occupied the least or the 
last place, being indeed either the inventors or the maintainers of all heresies and 
wicked doctrines; so far is it off that the catholic and apostolic doctrine is to be found 
among them. This sect of antichrist is so much the more pemicious, because it will 
be counted alone the true church of Christ, and condemneth as heretics and schismatics 
so many as agree not with them in doctrine and opinion ; when, notwithstanding, who 
knoweth not that the church of the papists is the right “synagogue of Satan,” and the 
very church malignant, of whom David speaketh on this manner: “I hate the church 
of the malignant ; and with the ungodly I will keep no company”? 

But, to the end that both the popish antichrists, and all other of that affinity and 
sort may the better be known; again, that all men may know where to find antichrist, 
not in one private person, as the dream hitherto hath been, but in multitudes, yea, 
in them that most of all brag of Christ, of Christ’s church, of God and of his godly 
mysteries ; I have thought good, as the shortness of time did serve, to gather together 
the acts of Christ and of antichrist, concerning both their life and doctrine, that the 
diligent reader, perusing this little treatise, may easily perceive where antichrist is to 
be found, and who is the true antichrist, and by this means be occasioned to forsake 
antichrist, with all his wicked and false prophets, and only to cleave to Christ and to 


Psal. xxvi. 


the faithful, true, and uncorrupt preachers of his doctrine, whose word is truth, and John xvii 


abideth for evermore, roar devil, rage world. 

This my little travail, whatsoever it be, I dedicate to your right honourable lordship, 
as a testimony of my serviceable heart and ready bent good-will toward you, not only 
because the love of God’s truth hath joined our minds together in true and christian 
amity before certain years (which may justly seem to be a matter of great force among 
Christians), but also because I have known you long and before many years to be a 
valiant captain in the Lord’s battle, yea, and that not only in the time of peace, but 
also in the midst of strokes, yet, notwithstanding, always harmless preserved from 
the tyranny of the enemy through the puissance and might of our grand captain 

Christ the Lord; so that your honour is of that blessed company, to whom 
“it is given not only to believe in Christ, but also to suffer for Christ.” 
I shall most humbly desire your lordship to take this my labour 
in good part; and I shall during my life pray and be- 
seech God to preserve you and all yours in 
continual health, with daily increase 
of honour, unto the glory of 
God and unto the profit 
of his holy con- 
gregation. 


From Canterbury the first day of August. 
In the year of our Lord 1563. 


[? Folio, Assirians. } 





Isai. x1. 


Psal. ex. 
Matt. iv. 
Luke i. 
Rom. i. 
John iii. 
Eph. ii. 

2 Thess. ii. 


Luke ii. 


Luke ii. 


John i. 


Matt. ii. 


Matt. ii. 


Luke ii. 
Matt. ii. 


Luke ii. 


THE 


ACTS OF CHRIST AND OF ANTICHRIST, 


CONCERNING BOTH 


THEIR LIFE AND DOCTRINE. 


OF THEIR LIFE. 


First. Curist, as touching his deity, is the true and natural Son of the living 
and immortal God; and as concerning his humanity, he is the true and natural son of 
Mary the virgin. 

Antichrist, both body and soul, is the child of wrath and the son of perdition ; 
yea, and that sinful man which is an adversary to God and all godliness, to Christ 
and to all Christianity. 

2. Christ, being born, brought into the world great joy, high peace, and everlast- 
ing salvation; as the angel said to the shepherds: “Behold, I bring you tidings of 
great joy, which shall come to all people; for unto you is born this day in the city 
of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” Again: “Glory be to God on high, 
and peace on the earth, and unto men a good-will.” 

Antichrist, being born, bringeth with him not joy, but grief of mind; not peace, 
but trouble of body; not salvation, but plain destruction both of body and soul to 
so many as embrace him. 

3. Christ, when he should be born,. could have no room in the inn, and there- 
fore was born in a stable; and, being wrapped in poor and homely swaddling-clouts, 
he was laid in a manger. 

Antichrist, before he be born, hath a gorgeous and richly apparelled house pre- 
pared for him, with all such furniture as becometh such a wicked worldling. 

4. Christ, when he was born, was not joyfully received of the world, no, not 
of them to whom he was promised and sent, but rather hated and persecuted most 
cruelly. 

Antichrist, being born, is most tenderly embraced, loved, kissed, and culled ; 
and in all points warily kept and circumspectly attended, that no grief or misfortune 
chance unto him; so dear is he to the children of this world. 

5. Christ, when according to his age he ought to have been both tenderly and 
quietly nourished, was compelled, through the cruelty of tyrants, to be carried from 
country to country, and yet hardly found he rest at any time; so in all points did 
the cross follow him, even from the very cradle, as they use to say. 

Antichrist is both delicately and tenderly fostered and brought up, without all 
noise and disquietness. All epicures and worldlings delight in him. They seek to 
pleasure him. He is free at all times from all cross. 

6. Christ, when he was born, had little resort unto him for to relieve his poor 
and miserable state, beside the shepherds, and the wise men of the cast, with a very 
few other. 

Antichrist hath the whole world flocking to him, which cease not to give and 
offer unto him great and precious gifts, although otherwise overflowing with the 
abundance of all things. 

7. Christ being but twelve years of age was so studious of God’s word, and so 
desirous of the knowledge thereof, that, forgetting his carnal friends and their com- 
pany, he remained in the temple of Salomon at Jerusalem, sitting in the midst of 
the doctors, hearing them and posing them. 

Antichrist hateth the knowledge of God’s word, and so many as favour it, for- 
asmuch as it is contrary to his filthy will and beastly pleasure, and delighteth only 
in that doctrine which serveth his voluptuous appetite. 


OF THEIR LIFE. 505 


8. Christ was obedient to Mary his mother and to Joseph her husband, shew- Luke ii 
ing hereby a good example of submission and obedience to all children. 

Antichrist will obey no man, but rule over all men, giving hereby an example 
of pride and disobedience to all men. 

9. Christ, as some affirm, from the time of twelve years of age till he was thirty 
year old, accompanied Joseph his mother’s husband, which was a carpenter by his 
occupation, and laboured diligently in that art; by this means getting (his living with Noman 
the travail of his hands and with the sweat of his brows, according to the command- mie 7 
ment of his heavenly Father; giving a good example in this behalf to all that pro- ema 
fess his name, that none in a christian commonweal ought to live idly, but every 1 Thess. iv. 
man work some good thing, that he may have not only whereof to live himself, but Gan a 
also to give unto the needy. And hereof cometh it that Christ is called a carpenter Mak 
in the scripture. 

Antichrist is altogether otherwise affected. For he useth no exercise that godly the idleness 
and profitable is, but liveth altogether idly of the labour of other men’s hands and eines 
of the sweat of other men’s brows, contrary to the commandment of God, being in- 
deed a very unprofitable clod of the earth. And as he himself is estranged from all 
godly and virtuous exercises, so likewise doth he enfranchise, and make free from 
all work and labour, all his spiritual smeared shavelings, appointing them, not to 
preach the word of God, nor to administer the sacrament of Christ purely and sin- 
cerely, according to Christ’s institution, but to say matins, mass, and even-song, 
and to set forth his ordinances and decrees, &c., that they may seem at the least to 
do somewhat, although that somewhat indeed be nothing. 

10. Christ as he prospered in age, so likewise did he in wisdom and favour Luteii. 
with God and men. 

Antichrist, the older he waxeth, the worse he is, hated both of God and of all 
godly men. 

ll. Christ disdained not to be baptized of John Baptist, a poor man and a Matt. iii. 
priest’s son. ee 

Antichrist will have nothing ministered unto him but of great princes, mighty pre- 
lates, and such as be famous, honourable, and of great glory in the world. As for 
poor men, he regardeth not; and as touching the lawful children of priests, he can by antichrist 
no means abide them, as a matter puidemendts in his devilish decrees and Lucifer-like Se mange 
laws. of priests. 

12. Christ, although sent down for that purpose, took not on him the office of 
preaching till he was openly called of his heavenly Father, having his vocation con- Matt. iii. 
firmed by a visible sign of the Holy Ghost, which came down from heaven upon him Luke ii. 
in the likeness of a dove. ace 

Antichrist thrusteth himself into the ministry without any certain calling, yea, and 
that not to do good, which is contrary to his nature, but to do evil, even to corrupt 
the congregation of God with his pestilent doctrine and corrupt manners, and unfruit- 
fully to eat the milk of the sheep, and to be apparelled with their wool, by this 
means defrauding both the true ministers and also the poor members of Christ of their 
living; being of the number of them of whom God by the prophet speaketh on this 
manner: “I spake not unto them, and they prophesied: I sent them not, and they Jer. xxiii. 
ran.” 

13. Christ, although called of God unto the office of preaching, and anointed 
“with the oil of gladness,” that is to say, the Holy Ghost, “above his fellows,” fell Psai. xiv. 
not straightways unto preaching, but, sequesting himself from the company of all 
men, gave himself by the space of forty days and forty nights to fasting and prayer, Matt. iv. 
that he might be the more able to fulfil that work whereunto God had called him, Luke iv. 
unto the glory of God’s most glorious name, and unto the profit of his holy congre- 
gation. 

Antichrist, after he hath thrust himself into the ministry, rashly and without any 
advisement, unworthily and without any due preparation unto so worthy mysteries, 
as a filthy sow and vomiting dog, taketh in hand the divine offices, giving himself 
neither to prayer nor yet to fasting, but rather to carnal pleasure and beastly belly- 


Matt. iv. 
Luke iv. 


Matt. iv. 
Mark i. 


Matt. iv. 
Isai. ix. 
Luke ii. 


Matt. xi. 
Luke vii. 
Matt. xxiv. 


Luke iv. 
John iv. 


Matt. x. 
Mark vi. 
Luke vi. 


A swarm of 
hypocrites. 


Matt. viii. 
1 Cor. ix. 
Phil. iv. 
Acts xxi. 


Matt. x. xviii. 
John xx. 


Mark xvi. 
John xv. 


Luke xxiv. 


Matt. x. 
Mark xvi. 
Acts iii. iv. 


Matt. x. 


506 THE ACTS OF CHRIST AND OF ANTICHRIST. 


cheer ; nothing caring for the glory of God, nor for the profit of his people, so that 
he may live wealthily and according to the lusts of the flesh. 

14. Christ, in the time of his fasting and prayer, was grievously tempted of Satan 
and of the infernal army, whom all he mightily and valiantly overcame with the 
most mighty and valiant armours of God’s word. 

Antichrist, as he never fasteth and prayeth aright, so is he never tempted of 
Satan for the probation and trial of his faith and constancy, as one that is already 
in Satan’s nets, and in his possession as a most miserable slave and vile peasant. 
And if at any time he will defend himself against Satan, and such-like wicked spirits, 
he fleeth not unto the word of God, but unto holy water, holy bread, holy palms, 
holy candles, holy fire, &c. 

15. Christ, when he began to preach, preached repentance and faith. 

Antichrist preacheth penance and faith in his pardons and bulls for the remission 
of sins. 

16. Christ by his preaching brought the people out of darkness into light. 

Antichrist through his sermons bringeth his hearers out of the light of God's 
word into the damnable darkness of men’s trifling traditions. 

17. Christ confirmed his doctrine with true and most certain miracles. 

Antichrist ascertaineth his teaching with false signs and feigned wonders. 

18. Christ painfully travelled into many and divers countries to preach God’s 
word, secking the salvation of all men. 

Antichrist sitteth at home in his palace upon his fine cushions and carpets, both 
gorgeously and gloriously, not seeking other men’s salvation, but his own ease and 
promotion. 

19. Christ, that the more with the more expedition might be converted and 
turned unto the faith of God and unto his holy religion, did choose unto him twelve 
disciples. 

Antichrist, to enlarge his kingdom, taketh unto him innumerable swarms of hypo- 
crites, as cardinals, patriarchs, archbishops, bishops, priests, deacons, subdeacons, monks, 
friars, canons, hermits, anchors, archdeacons, commissaries, officials, pardoners, proc- 
tors, doctors, scribes, lawyers, somners, apparitors, inquisitors, accusators, persecutors, 
traitors, condemners, false prophets, lying preachers, relique-sellers, soul-carriers, purgatory- 
rakers, massmongers, saint-worshippers, work-sellers, pilgrimage-goers, idolaters, tran- 
substantiators, bread-honourers, traditionaries, papists, &c. 

20. Christ did choose such to be his disciples and preachers of his heavenly 
Father's will, as were married and had wives and children. 

Antichrist admitteth none unto his priestish orders but such as are wiveless, and 
profess for ever after to lead a single and unmarried life. 

21. Christ choosed disciples to this end, that they should be preachers. 

Antichrist chooseth his shavelings to be massmongers, sacrificers, purgatory-rakers, 
charmers, and conjurors of unclean spirits, of devils, of salt, of water, of bread, of 
wax, of palms, &c. 

22. Christ would have his disciples known by the fruits of the Holy Ghost. 

Antichrist hath his chaplains known by docking and ducking, by smearing and 
shaving, by massing and matin-singLing], by tippeting and gowning, &c. 

23. Christ commanded his disciples to preach repentance and remission of sins 
in his name to all nations. 

Antichrist commandeth his shavelings to say matins, mass, and even-song, to sing 
for souls in purgatory, to hear confessions, to enjoin penance, to give absolution, to 
hallow the font, &c. 

24. Christ confirmed the doctrine of his disciples with working of miracles. 

Antichrist stablisheth the teaching of his chaplains with the terrible and grievous 
thunderbolt of excommunication, with imprisonment, with persecution, with sword, 
fagot, fire, halter, &c. 

25. Christ, sending forth his disciples to preach, commanded them to do their 
office freely, that is to say, to preach and to heal the sick for nothing, saying unto 
them: “Freely ye have received, freely give.” 


OF THEIR LIFE. 507 


Antichrist and his birds are like unto Judas. For they all do so well love the aii for 
purse, that without money a man can get nothing of them. They bless, they curse,” 
they sing, they say, they patter, they pray, they mumble, they rumble, they tumble, 
they jumble, they talk, they walk, they blear, they bleat, they fast, they eat, they 
talk, they walk, and what not? and all for money, according to the common pro- 
verb: No penny, no paternoster. 

26. Christ, when he sent forth his disciples to preach, said unto them: “ Behold, mat. x. 
I send you forth as sheep among wolves ;” for “in the world ye shall have trouble.” John xvi. 

Antichrist sendeth forth his trumpet-blowers as wolves among sheep, ready to kill, 
slay, and murder, if any withstand their antichristian doctrine. The world hateth them Jonn xv. 
not, but loveth them dearly, because they are of the world, and speak of the world. 

27. Christ pronounced them blessed that are poor; and he himself was so poor matt. v. 
that he had not where to rest his head, being in this behalf much inferior to the out vi 


Matt. vill. 
birds of the air, which have their nests, and to the foxes of the earth, which have 


their holes, 

Antichrist, which calleth himself Christ's vicar and Peter's successor, agreeing with 
them in doctrine and manners, as Belial with Christ, and Satan with God, hateth 
and abhorreth such as are poor and without money, as people nothing meet to buy 
his merchandise. Antichrist himself is so rich, and hath such abundance, that he is 
able to compare in substance with worldly princes and earthly potestates. He shameth 
not to say: Rome is mine; Sicilia is mine; Corsica’ is mine: the whole empire is 
mine. And in his lousy laws and devilish decrees he commandeth, that if any man, S$ 
either of low or high degree, presume to take any of the church-goods, he should be 
withstanded not only with the spiritual, but also with the temporal sword. And if 
any chance to die for the defence of mother holy church goods, he affirmeth plainly 
that they die a blessed death, and shall obtain life everlasting. O antichrist! This 
antichrist had rather have the blood of many thousands both most cruelly and un- 
justly shed, than he would lose one of his worldly pelf; so sweet unto him is the 
savour of lucre. 

28. Christ, when they would have chosen him to be their king, fled away alone sohnvi. 
from them into the mountains, and gave himself to prayer and spiritual meditations, Mark xi 
utterly eschewing all worldly pomp, glory, and dignity ; which thing he shewed openly John xin 
in riding simply and plainly upon a borrowed ass; according to the prophecy of 
Zachary, which saith: “ Behold, the king cometh unto thee, meek, simple, lowly, or Zech. ix. 
of poor degree.” ‘‘ He became poor,” saith the apostle, “that we through his poverty 2 Cor. viii. 
should wax rich.” And he said to Pilate: “ My kingdom is not of this world.” 

Antichrist advanceth and lifteth up himself above all kings, princes, rulers, and 
emperors, challenging unto him authority and power both to exalt and depose kings, 
princes, and emperors, at his pleasure ; which thing, as we read, he hath in times 
most cruelly and tyrant-like practised in divers and many noble princes. He ad- 
vanceth himself not only to excel all power and authority, but also to be lord of both 
realms, heavenly and earthly, and that the emperor is his subject, as it is mentioned pit. on. cap. 
in his own decrees and laws*: again, that if the empire at any time be void, he is Peerage 
right heir to the same. And in token that he is lord and king over three realms, 
one more than God himself hath, that is to say, heaven, earth, and purgatory, he 
weareth a triple crown upon his pilled pate. 


John xviil. 


The pope's 

: : . : : triple crown, 
This authority this antichrist received what its. 
nifieth. 


[ Cecilia, Corcia, folio. ] 

[? Si imperator catholicus est, (quod salva pace 
ipsius dixerimus,) filius est, non prasul ecclesie: 
quod ad religionem competit, discere ei conyenit, non 
docere: habet privilegia sue potestatis, qua adminis- 
trandis legibus publicis divinitus consecutus est, ut 
ejus beneficiis non ingratus contra dispositionem cce- 
lestis ordinis nihil usurpet. Ad sacerdotes enim Deus 
voluit, que ecclesiz disponenda sunt, pertinere, non 
ad seculi potestates: quas, si fideles sunt, ecclesia 
sue sacerdotibus voluit esse subjectas. Non sibi 
vendicet alienum jus, et ministerium, quod alteri 


deputatum est: ne contra eum tendat abrumpi, a 
quo omnia constituta sunt, et contra illius beneficia 
pugnare videatur, a quo propriam consecutus est 
potestatem. Non a legibus publicis, non a potes- 
tatibus seculi, sed a pontificibus et sacerdotibus 
omnipotens Deus christiane religionis clericos et 
sacerdotes voluit ordinari, et discuti, recipique de 
errore remeantes. Imperatores christiani subdere 
debent executiones suas ecclesiasticis presulibus, 
non preferre.—Joan. Papa in Corp. Jur. Canon. 
Lugd. 1624. Decret. Gratiani, Decr. Prim. Pars, 
Dist. xevi. can. 11. col. 469. ] 


508 THE ACTS OF CHRIST AND OF ANTICHRIST. 


of the devil for the service that he hath done him, which Christ utterly refused, when 
he said unto him: “ All these things, all the kingdoms of the world and the glory 


Matt. iv. 
of them, will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.” This antichrist 
and his adherents, that so vilely despise’ the higher powers, are spoken of in the epistle 
petit. of St Peter, which saith: “They walk after the flesh, in the lust of uncleanness, and 
despise authority. Presumptuous are they and stubborn, which fear not to speak evil 
of them which excel in worship,” &c. 
Luke xxi 29. Christ came not to be served, but to serve, taking upon him the similitude 
‘e of a servant, and making himself of no reputation, to serve and advance us. 
Antichrist will be served, and suffer kings to give him water, yea, and saith it 
Dist. 86. cap. Were a shame if he should otherwise humble himself; as it appeareth in his own 
Quando. laws and decrees’. 
30. Christ full lowly and meekly washed his disciples’ feet, and taught them so 
Jonn xii, likewise, saying: “I have given you an example, that as I have done to you, so ye 
should do one to another.” 
Cap. Cum Antichrist saith, Emperors and kings shall kneel unto me, and kiss my feet; and 
a is not ashamed to express it in his law*. 
Tohn iv. 31. Christ went on his feet with his disciples both in wet and dry, heat and 
Matt-iv. old, to teach and instruct the people; as it is evident throughout all the gospel. 
The pope is Antichrist keepeth his feet full clean with shoes of gold and silver set with pre- 


no preaching cious stones, and will not preach the word of God, but saith it is sufficient to cause 
other to preach; as it appeareth by his law. Verily after this manner might the Turk 


be pope also. 
32. Christ sat at meat among his disciples full lowly and poorly; and he did not 


Matt. xx. 
Luke xxii. require the highest seat. 

Antichrist sitteth full high in a curious throne, and will be served gloriously with 
great princes and potestates; and he will have men with jagged coats to carve his 
morsels, blaspheming God with oaths, and committing many other vices; as ye may 
daily see. 

Matt. xxi. 33. Christ fasted, and sought for the fruit on the tree to eat when he was hungry, 
and found none thereupon. 

Antichrist hath great provision made in cities and towns to get him of the best 
that may be found, and that must be well dressed and daintily, to make good digestion, 
with spices, and sauces, and syrops coloured out of kind. 

atate vit, BA, Christ day and slept’ imia: boat on "the: hard/boards ‘and’ had sails Sees 
likevii, lains but poor fishers. 

Antichrist licth full soft and easily in beds of down, where he sleepeth sweetly ; 
and no man may wake him until he have slept enough. His chamberlains are men 
of honour, which are full ready with marshals and ushers to keep his chambers from 
noise, and the porter at the gate to keep out the poor. 

Matt sie 35. Christ was in hills weeping and praying, and walked in desert, feeding many 
Johnvi.. thousands both with meat and preaching. 


Antichrist sitteth in his castles and towers, with minstrelsy, laughter, and all kind 
of melody. As for the hungry and poor, they shall die and starve; for food get they 
none of him. He thinketh it great shame for him to follow Christ’s example. As 
touching preaching, he doth not so much as once dream of it. 


[1 Folio, dewise.] the sense which Becon would put upon it. ] 


[2 Quando necessitas discipline minoribus coer- 
cendis dicere vos verba dura compellit, si etiam ipsi 
modum vos excessisse sentitis, non a vobis exigitur, 
ut ab eis veniam postuletis: ne apud eos, quos 
oportet esse subjectos, dum nimia servatur humilitas, 
regendi frangatur auctoritas, Sed tamen petenda est 
venia ab omnium Domino, qui novit etiam eos, quos 
plus justo forte corripitis, quanta benevolentia dili- 
gatis.—August. in eod. Dist. Ixxxvi. can. 4. cols. 
408, 9. This is the canon cited; but it must be ad- 
mitted that, if it be the one intended, it does not bear 


[? There does not appear to be a canon under this 
title. Possibly the following may be meant: Honor, 
fratres, et sublimitas episcopalis nullis poterit com- 
parationibus adequari. Si regum fulgori compares 
et principum diademati, longe erit inferius, quam si 
plumbi metallum ad auri fulgorem compares: quippe 
cum videas regum colla et principum submitti geni- 
bus sacerdotum, et osculata eorum dextera, orationi- 
bus eorum credant se communiri.—Ibid. Dist. xevi. 
can. 10. col. 469. ] 


OF THEIR LIFE. 509 


36. Christ rode poorly and simply on an ass, and had twelve poor men that followed Matt. xxi. 
him on foot. ; 

Antichrist rideth royally on a mule, or on a white palfrey, and hath more than 
twelve following him on horseback to attend and wait upon him, with swords, bills, 
and halberds, as it were men ready to battle. 

37. Christ, as he passed through cities and towns, hunted fiends out of men that Mate. iv. viii. 
they dwelled in, with the words of his mouth. pine 

Antichrist hunteth the wild deer, the fox, and the hare, in his closed parks, with 
great cries and horns blowing, with hounds and ratchetts* running, besides a great 
swarm of Sim Shakebucklers. 

38. Christ, praying to Almighty God his heavenly Father, in his prayer called John xvii. 
him Holy Father. 

Antichrist is called the most holy father of Satan’s children, and like Lucifer taketh 
that name on him. His disciples say that he is God on earth; whereas we are taught 
by Christ’s law that there is but one God. Shee 

39. Christ sat in the midst of the doctors, not thinking scorn to inquire and to Lukeii. 
hear them in the law of his heavenly Father. 

Antichrist sitteth in his glorious throne, and ministereth his own laws and traditions 
to all men, and holdeth a small matter long in pleading, which might soon be determined 
by the law of God, if he would use it. But then his winning should be the less, his law 
without profit, and his consistory cold. 

40. Christ sent the Holy Ghost in fervent love and charity, to teach them which Jonn xiv. xv. 
were the elect and chosen of God all truth necessary unto salvation. ae 

Antichrist sendeth out his commissions all about to curse and ask vengeance on 
them that resist his tyranny, and will for money absolve them clean again, @ pend The virtue 
et culpa totics quoties. All his doctrines have golden tails. For money is ever the *™° 
end. Give him money, and ye have fulfilled all his laws. 

41. Christ fulfilled and kept both the old law and the new, and all righteousness. _Matt. iii. v. 

Antichrist will have his own traditions and laws kept. But as for the law of God, 
it is clean out of his mind. 

42. Christ said that men should know his disciples by their charity, if they loved Jonn xiii. 
one another, as he had loved them. 

Antichrist causeth his chaplains to be known by their habits and vestures, by their How anti- 
long gowns and shaven crowns, and punisheth them if they use not their habits. But Shae 
for their covetousness, ambition, pride, whoredom, and such other wickedness, he never ala 
punisheth them. 

43. Christ promiseth forgiveness of sin and the kingdom of heaven unto them Matt. iv. 
that will repent and amend their lives. Luke xxiv. 

Antichrist saith that no man can be saved except he be first shriven of his priests Cap. Omnes. 
and friars®°, For they bring in money. 

44. Christ would not suffer that doves, sheep, and oxen for the offering, should Matt. xxi. 
be sold in the temple of God, but drave out the buyers and sellers with whips. ae xix. 

Antichrist suffereth his chapmen in the church to sell the sacraments that they aes 
should freely minister to the christian people. In his court also there is selling of 
bishoprics, prebends, free chapels, benefices, dignities, abbotships, offices, &c. And omnia vena- 
all for money. aearet, 

45. Christ lay in a stable, with few clothes, betwixt an ox and anass. For there Lukeii. 
was no place in the inns for his parents, because they were poor. 

Antichrist lieth in rich chambers, with quilts, curtains, carpets, and cushions spread all 
about, with sweet smells, pleasant odours, painted walls, with hangings of cloth of gold. 

46. Christ would have men to visit the poor prisoners, to comfort them, and to 


deliver them. Matt. xxv. 


[‘ Rache, or rachett: a dog that pursues by the | —Corp. Jur. Canon. Lugd. 1624. Decret. Gratiani, 


scent. | Decr. Sec. Pars, De Peenit. Dist. i. can. 37. col. 
[® Alii e contrario testantur, dicentes sine con- | 1680. But see the gloss on this canon.] 
fessione oris et satisfactione operis neminem a pec- [® Juv. Sat. 11. 183, 4.] 


cato posse mundari, si tempus satisfaciendi habuerit. 


Matt. v. 
Luke vi. 


Matt. viii. 
Luke viil. 


Matt. v. 


John viii. 


Luke xii. 


Non. Quest. 
iii. Conques- 
tus. 


Matt. xxvi. 
John xviii. 


Matt. xv. 


Tit. i. 


1 Tim. iv. 


510 THE ACTS OF CHRIST AND OF ANTICHRIST. 


Antichrist hath no pity on the poor; yea, he persecuteth the poor Christians, putteth 
them in prison for the truth’s sake, and in fine, most cruelly murdereth them. 

47, Christ did never imprison or persecute any man, but he commanded his dis- 
ciples that they should love their enemies, and do well to them, yea, and pray for 
them that did persecute them. 

Antichrist, that taketh on him to stand in Christ’s stead, and to follow his example, 
persecuteth, punisheth, prisoneth, and putteth to death them that are disobedient to 
his voluptuous pleasures. See ye not how fast he followeth Christ’s steps? 

48. Christ, healing the sick, and doing many miracles, did for the most part ever 
command that they should tell no man who had healed them. 

Antichrist, altogether desirous of vain-glory, worldly praise, and mortal renown, 
giveth great gifts and large benefices to pardoners, to proctors, to lawyers, to liars, 
to minstrels, to massengers', to friars, to flatterers, and to such-like parasites, to blaze 
his name abroad, his holiness and godliness, that he may have honour and worship 
in this wicked world. 

49. Christ had no courts to plead the matters of his disciples in; for he com- 
manded them that they should not resist evil. 

Antichrist hath his courts and many rich men of law to oppress the poor, and 
to call unto judgment whom he lusteth. For whatsoever cause he will he vexeth 
all manner people without mercy. For forgive he will not. 

50. Christ bade them that he healed to go their way, and to sin no more. 

Antichrist giveth licence to the people to continue in sin, and giveth them licence 
also to keep and maintain stews and bawdy-houses, and receiveth money therefore. 

51. Christ refused to be judge between the two brethren in dividing their inheritance, 
as a matter not incident to his office, which was to preach the will of his heavenly 
Father, but appertaining unto worldly judges and temporal magistrates. 

Antichrist taketh upon him to be judge in all manner of matters, spiritual or temporal, 
ghostly or worldly. There is no cause which he will not take upon him to determine, 
namely if they bring money. He will all men, in matters from all men, to appeal unto 
him and unto his court for sentence, without any resistance or against-saying’. 

52. Christ would not be defended in a righteous matter with martial armours, 
but he commanded Peter to put up his sword into his sheath. “For he that striketh 
with the sword,” saith he, “shall perish with the sword.” 

Antichrist commandeth emperors, kings, princes, and lords, with their subjects, to take 
swords, spears, halberds, and guns, and to help him to slay all such as will not obey his 
tyranny. And this must the emperor do, or else he must be perjured, yea, and also 
deposed, because he is no meet man to reign, forasmuch as he stoutly defendeth not 
the liberties of holy church. After this manner came it to pass that Julius Secundus, 
bishop of Rome, caused to be slain sixteen thousand men in one day*. Was not that 
well pastured 2? Was not this a worthy vicar of Christ, and a noble successor of Peter ? 

53. Christ gave free liberty to all men to eat all meats at all times; forasmuch 
as “that which entereth into the mouth defileth not man, but that cometh out 
of the mouth.” For “all things are pure to them that are pure;” and “nothing is 
to be cast way, if it be received with giving of thanks. For it is sanctified by the 
word of God, and by prayer.” Yea, it is the “doctrine of devils” to forbid that to 
be eaten, which God hath made to be received with thanksgiving. 


[? Probably mass-singers. ] 

[2 Conquestus est apostolatui nostro frater noster 
Sigedodus archiepiscopus Narbonensis, quod clericos 
suos eo invito ad judicium tuum venire compellas, et 
de rebus ad ecclesiam suam pertinentibus, eo incon- 
sulto, quasi jure patriarchatus tui disponas : cum hoc 
nec antiquitas (cui patres sanxerunt reverentiam) ha- 
beat, et auctoritas sacrorum canonum penitus inter- 
dicat: nisi forte pro causis, que apud se terminari 
non possunt, ad te quasi ad patriarcham suum pro- 
vocaverint, vel si episcopus suus decesserit, res ec- 
clesiz suz judicio tuo dispensare voluerint; primates 


enim vel patriarchas nihil privilegii habere pre ce- 
teris episcopis, nisi quantum sacri canones conce- 
dunt, et prisca consuetudo illis antiquitus contulit, 
definimus: ita ut secundum Nicenas regulas sua 
privilegia serventur ecclesiis: preterquam si aposto- 
lica sedes aliquam ecclesiam vel ipsius rectorem 
quolibet speciali privilegio decreverit honorare.—Ni- 
col. Papa Rod. Bituricens. Archiep. in Corp. Jur. 
Canon. Lugd. 1624. Decret. Gratiani, Decr. Sec. 
Pars, Caus. 1x. Quest. ili. can. 8. cols. 875, 6.] 

[° In the battle of Agnadello, in which the Ve- 
netians were defeated, a.p. 1509. | 


OF THEIR LIFE. 511 


Antichrist plainly condemneth all such as presume to eat eggs, milk, butter or Dist. iv. cap. 
cheese, but specially flesh, on those days that he hath commanded to be fasted, and 
denounceth them heretics*. This agreeth with Christ as light with darkness. And 
yet have we been so blinded these many years past through the juggling of our spiritual 
sorcerers, that we could never perceive this antichrist till now in the latter days, 
when “that man of sin must be revealed” and uttered, according to the prophecy of 2 Thess. ii. 
the apostle. 

54. Christ gave authority unto his disciples to bind and to loose, saying: “ What- Matt. xvi. 
soever ye bind in earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever ye louse in earth 
shall be loosed in heaven.” But Christ spake nothing of binding and loosing in pur- 
gatory for money concerning the souls departed. 

Antichrist challengeth greater power and larger authority. For he will loose souls 
out of purgatory, and command the angels to fetch them out; and all for money. 

For without money ye can get nothing of him. 

55. Christ is head of the church, as the holy apostle Paul doth testify ; and also BEB 
he is the stone whereon the church is builded. And this church is the congregation iter iii. 
of faithful christian people, and the very body of Christ. 

Antichrist saith that he is head of the church, and that the see of Rome is the Dist. xix. 
stone whereon the church is builded’, Can any thing be more contrary unto the vero 
honour and glory of God than thus to despoil him of his kingdom, which he so cap. Tea Bo. 
dearly hath bought, shedding his precious blood for it? 

56. Christ gave us a law, which is the holy scripture. This holy scripture, as 2 Tim. fii 
it was given by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, so did the same Spirit infuse it” 
abundantly into the hearts of the apostles, and likewise doth at this present with 
the faithful; and of the same Spirit hath this holy scripture his endurance and true 
interpretation. 

Antichrist is not ashamed to brag that he is lord over the scripture, to allow or Cap. Sic om- 
disallow it: for of me, saith he, it at his full authority®. And for a token of 0 antichrist! 
this, the scripture of Christ is laid under his feet when he is at mass. 

57. Christ commanded by his apostle St Paul, that a bishop should be “‘apt to ee 
teach,” and that he ought to be well learned, “that he may be able by his wholesome =~ 
datirine both to exhort and to overcome all heat that resist and be against the faith.” 

Antichrist will neither teach nor dispute with any man in the holy scripture for aaa 
the maintenance of the christian faith, but only for to augment his own kingdom, pists. 
and to stablish his own laws. And if any will dispute an him, they shall be cast 
first into prison; where he and his ministers have devised and invented proper engines 
to wring their fingers so sore, that the blood shall brast out of their fingers’ ends. 
Moreover, he will pain them and scourge them, and with infinite other torments punish 
them, to make them forsake the truth; and afterward make them swear on a book, 


[* Statuimus, ut septem hebdomadas plenas ante 
sanctum pascha omnes clerici in sortem Domini vo- 
cati a carne jejunent: quia sicut discreta debet esse 
vita clericorum a laicorum conversatione, ita et in 
jejunio debet esse discretio.—Telesphor. in eod. Decr. 
Prima Pars, Dist. iv. can. 4. cols. 11, 2.] 

[° Enimvero, quia in speculum et exemplum 
sancta Romana ecclesia, cui nos Christus praesse 
voluit, proposita est; ab omnibus, quidquid statuit, 
quidquid ordinat, perpetuo et irrefragabiliter obser- 
vandum est.—Steph. Papa in eod. Dist. xix. can. 4. 
cols. 82, 3. 

Ita Dominus noster Jesus Christus humani gene- 
ris Salvator instituit, ut veritas, que antea legis et 
prophetarum preconio continebatur, per apostolicam 
tubam in salutem universitatis exiret: sicut scriptum 
est, In omnem terram exivit sonus eorum, et in fines 
orbis terre verba eorum. Sed hujus muneris sacra- 
mentum ita Dominus ad omnium apostolorum offi- 
cium pertinere voluit, ut in beatissimo Petro aposto- 
lorum omnium summo principaliter ¢ollocaret: ut 


ab ipso quasi quodam capite dona sua velut in cor- 
pus omne diffunderet ; ut exsortem se ministerii intel- 
ligeret esse divini, qui ausus fuisset a Petri soliditate 
recedere. Hune enim in consortium individue uni- 
tatis assumptum id, quod ipse erat, voluit nominari, 
dicendo, Tu es Petrus, et super hance petram edifi- 
cabo ecclesiam meam: ut eterni edificatio templi 
mirabili munere gratia Dei in Petri soliditate consis- 
teret, hac ecclesiam suam firmitate corroborans, ut 
illam nec humana temeritas posset appetere, nec 
porte contra illam inferi prevalerent. Verum hance 
petra istius sacratissimam firmitatem, Domino, ut 
diximus, exdificante constructam, nimis impia vult 
presumptione violare, quisquis ejus potestatem ten- 
tat infringere, favendo cupiditatibus suis, et id, quod 
accepit a veteribus, non sequendo.—Leo Papa I. in 
eod. ibid. can. 7. cols. 84, 5. ] 

[® Sic omnes apostolice sedis sanctiones accipien- 
dz sunt, tanquam ipsius divini Petri voce firmate 
sint.—Agatho Papa in eod. ibid. can. 2. col. 82.] 


Psal. exlvi. 


Matt. xxi. 


Psal. eix. 


John x. 


Zech. xi. 


John xxi. 


Matt. v. xix. 


Luke x. 


Luke xxii. 


Matt. xxiii. 
Mark ix. 


Cap. Tibi 
Domino. 
Dist. 63. 


512 THE ACTS OF CHRIST AND OF ANTICHRIST. 


that they shall tell no man of it. Thus cruelly doth antichrist entreat man for the 
truth’s sake, against all justice. And if he cannot subdue them to his will, then 
either he murdereth them privily in prison, or else he committeth them unto the 
secular power, as unto his hangmen or butchers, to be burned. And thus is the dis- 
putation ended; and antichrist hath gotten the victory. Sed vivit Dominus, qui custodit 
veritatem in seculum seculi, et facit judicium injuriam patientibus. 

58. Christ cursed the fig-tree upon which he found no fruit; and forthwith the 
fig-tree withered, and never bare fruit after. 

Antichrist hath cursed and interdicted lands and realms; and yet did not the people 
die, but they prospered well; and the earth brought forth her fruit and increase 
no less than before, yea, much more abundantly, (thanks be unto God!) that this saying 
may be found true: Maledicent illi, tu autem benedices: “They shall curse; but thou 
shalt bless.” 

59. Christ calleth himself the good shepherd, saying: “I am the good shepherd. 
The good shepherd giveth his life for his sheep.” 

Antichrist saith that he is a good shepherd, and yet he polleth and pilleth, he 
sheareth and scrapeth the sheep so near, that he leaveth not one lock of wool on 
their backs. And think ye not that he is in all points the self-same shepherd of 
whom Zacharias prophesied? which saith in the person of God: “Behold, I will 
raise up a shepherd in the land, which shall not seek after the things that be lost, 
nor care for such as go astray. He shall not heal the wounded: he shall not nourish 
the thing that is whole; but he shall eat the flesh of such as be fat, and tear their claws 
in pieces,” &c. He shall nourish himself, and not the sheep. And this prophet, crying 
out on him, saith: “‘O thou shepherd and idol, forsaking the flock!” As though he 
should say: Thou bearest the name of a shepherd, but thou art an idol and counterfeit. 
Thou art called a shepherd, but thou art a plain murderer. Thou art named a feeder, 
but thou art a destroyer. Is it to be thought that this shepherd will give his life 
for his sheep 2” 

60. Christ chargeth Peter three times to keep well and nourish his sheep. 

Antichrist chargeth his officers to keep well his money: and as for the sheep, he 
himself taketh pains to shear them, and to keep them low with infinite exactions. 

61. Christ gave a commandment, that a man should forsake his wife or put her 
away for no cause, but only for adultery. 

Antichrist, if he be well monied, will make divorces for whatsoever cause a man 
will have him: yea, and for money he will join them together whom the law of God 
by no means suffereth to marry. 

62. Christ, beside the twelve disciples, sent forth to preach seventy and two other 
disciples, which freely promised heaven to them that would believe in the name of 
Christ. 

Antichrist sendeth out his preachers and pardoners, which teach the people to believe 
his power, and to trust to his pardons for their salvation; adding, that they cannot 
otherwise be assoiled, nor come to heaven. And all for money. 

63. Christ took away from his disciples all temporal jurisdiction and worldly power, 
saying unto them: “The kings and princes of the gentiles have rule and power over 
them ;...but ye shall not so have.” 

Antichrist lifteth up himself above all power, and saith, Emperors, kings, and lords, 
be my subjects. This is daily read in his bulls, wherein he commandeth the nobility, 
like as a master doth command his servant. 

64. Christ gave commandment to his disciples, saying: “ Look, which among you 
will be greatest, let him be the lowest of all.” 

Antichrist saith: The emperor must swear unto me, as unto his lord, that he will 
be my subject, and exalt and worship me with honour; as his own law testifieth?. 





[! Tibi domino Joanni pape ego rex Otho pro- ; Domino Romam venero, sanctam Romanam eccle- 
mittere et jurare facio per Patrem, et Filium, et Spi- | siam et te rectorem ipsius exaltabo secundum posse 
ritum sanctum, et per lignum hoc vivifice crucis, et | meum, et nunquam vitam, aut membra, et ipsum 
per has reliquias sanctorum: quod si permittente | honorem, quem habes, mea voluntate aut meo con- 


OF THEIR LIFE. 513 


65. Christ in all places of the holy scripture rejecteth and casteth away men’s 
traditions and decrees: “They worship me in vain,” saith he, “teaching doctrines matt. xv, 
that are the commandments of men.” seer 

Antichrist magnifieth the traditions and decrees of his canon law, 
they ought to be kept as duly as if God himself had commanded them, or as if St Peter 
had preached them himself’. 

66. Christ, wishing no man to err, no man to be deceived, no man to perish or 
to be damned, called himself in his sermons the way, the truth, and the life. “I am,” John xiv. 
saith he, “the way, the truth, and the life.” Believe in me, and follow me in my 
learning, and rule you by the scripture; for that shall be your judge. 

Antichrist saith, Ye shall in all things follow the church of Rome; meaning thereby ashe 
himself and his cardinals; as appeareth in his own Jaw*®. And as for the scripture, , 
saith he, it standeth in my power and authority; for I may make of it whatsoever* Cap. Si Ro- 
pleaseth me’. 

67. Christ loved them that were his enemies, blessed them that cursed, and did Luke xxiil 
good to them that hated him. 

Antichrist cannot find in his heart to 


and saith that cap. sie om- 
nes. Dist. 63. 


love and bless his enemies, nor to do good 





silio, aut meo consensu, aut mea exhortatione per- 
des: etin Romana urbe nullum placitum aut ordi- 
nationem faciam de omnibus, que ad te aut ad Ro- 
manos pertinent, sine tuo consilio: et quidquid de 
terra sancti Petri ad nostram potestatem pervenerit, 
tibi reddam: et cuicunque Italicum regnum commi- 
sero, jurare faciam illum, ut adjutor tui sit ad defen- 
dendum terram sancti Petri secundum suum posse. 
Sic me Deus adjuvet, et hec sancta Dei evangelia.— 
Constit. Othon. in Corp. Jur. Canon. Lugd. 1624. 
Decret. Gratiani, Decr. Prima Pars, Dist. 1xiii. 
can. 33, col. 330.] 

[® See before, page 511, note 5.] 

[? Quis nesciat, aut non advertat, id, quod a 
principe apostolorum Petro Romane ecclesiz tradi- 
tum est, ac nunc usque custoditur, ab omnibus de- 
bere servari? nec superinduci, aut introduci aliquid, 
quod aut auctoritatem non habeat; aut aliunde ac- 
cipere videatur exemplum ? presertim cum sit mani- 
festum in omnem Italiam, Gallias, Hispanias, Afri- 
cam, atque Siciliam, insulasque interjacentes, nul- 
lum instituisse ecclesias, nisi eos, quos venerabilis 
apostolus Petrus aut ejus successores constituerunt 
sacerdotes: aut legant, si in istis provinciis alius 
apostolorum invenitur aut legitur docuisse. Quod 
si non legunt, quia nusquam invenitur, oportet eos 
hoc sequi, quod ecclesia Romana custodit, a qua eos 
principium accepisse non dubium est: ne dum pere- 
grinis sermonibus student, caput institutionum vide- 
antur omittere. Szpe dilectionem tuam ad urbem 
venisse, ac nobiscum in ecclesia convenisse : et quem 
morem vel in consecrandis mysteriis vel in ceteris 
agendis arcanis teneat, cognovisse. Quod sufhfcere 
arbitraremur ad informationem ecclesiz tue, vel re- 
formationem: si predecessores tui minus aliquid aut 
aliter tenuerint, et satis certum haberemus: nisi de 
aliquibus consulendos nos esse duxisset: quibus id- 
circo respondemus, non quod te aliqua ignorare cre- 
damus, sed ut majori auctoritate tuos instituas: vel 
si quia Romane ecclesiz institutionibus errant, aut 
commoneas, aut nobis indicare non differas: ut scire 
valeamus, quisint, qui aut novitates inducunt, aut 
alterius ecclesie, quam Romane, existimant consue- 
tudinem esse servandam.—Innocent. I. ad Decent. 
in eod. Dist. xi. can. 11. cols. 40, 1.] 

[* Folio, whosoever. ] 

{° Si Romanorum pontificum decreto ceterorum 
opuscula tractatorum approbantur, vel reprobantur : 


[BEcon, 11. ] 


ita ut, quod sedes apostolica probavit, hodie teneatur 
acceptum: et quod illa repulit, hactenus ineflicax 
habeatur : quanto potius, que ipsa pro catholica fide, 
pro sanis dogmatibus, pro variis et multifariis eccle- 
siz necessitatibus, et fidelium moribus diverso tem- 
pore scripsit, omni débent honore preferri, et ab 
omnibus prorsus in quibuslibet opportunitatibus dis- 
cretione vel dispensatione magistra reverenter assu- 
mi! Quamquam quidam vestrum scripserint, haud 
illa decretalia priscorum pontificum in toto canonum 
codicis corpore contineri descripta, cum ipsi, ubi hec 
suze intentioni suffragari conspiciunt, illis indifferen- 
ter utantur: et solum nunc ad imminutionem sedis 
apostolic potestatis et ad suorum augmentum pri- 
vilegiorum minus accepta esse perhibeant....Si ideo 
non esse decretales epistolas priscorum pontificum 
Romanorum admittendas dicunt, quia in codice ca- 
nonum non habentur adscripte, ergo nec S. Gregorii, 
nec ullius alterius, qui ante vel post ipsum fuit, est 
aliquod institutum vel scriptum recipiendum, eo 
quod in codice canonum non habeatur adscriptum. 
Ergo doctrinam eorum et sanctiones, que ab omni 
lingua venerantur, quia in codice canonum non ha- 
bentur adscripte, de codicibus suis eradant. Ut 
quid vel membranas occupant, postquam non haben- 
tur accepte? Sed quare multum immoramur, cum 
nec ipsas divinas scripturas veteris et novi testamenti 
jam recipiemus, si istos duxerimus audiendos? Et- 
enim neutrum horum in codice canonum ecclesiasti- 
corum habetur insertum. Sed responsuri sunt isti, 
qui ad resistendum potius, quam ad obediendum 
semper sunt parati, dicentes, quod inter canones in- 
veniatur capitulum sancti 3. pape Innocentii, cujus 
auctoritate doceatur a nobis utrumque testamentum 
esse recipiendum, quamquam in ipsis paternis cano- 
nibus nullum eorum ex toto contineatur insertum. 
Quibus ad hee asserendum est: quoniam si vetus 
novumque testamentum recipienda sunt, non quod 
codici canonum ex toto habeantur annexa, sed quod 
de his recipiendis sancti pape Innocentii prolata vi- 
deatur esse sententia : restat nimirum, quod decretales 
epistole Romanorum pontificum sunt recipiende, 
etiamsi non sint codici canonum compaginatz : quo- 
niam inter ipsos canones unum B. Leonis capitulum 
constat esse permistum: quo ita omnia decretalia con- 
stituta sedis apostolice custodiri mandantur, ut si quis 
in illa commiserit, noverit sibi veniam denegari, &c. 
—Nicol. Papa in eod. Dist. xix. can. 1. cols. 79, Xc. ] 


33 


Matt. v. 


Matt. xvii. 
Mark ix. 


Dist. 93. cap. 


Si cujus. 


Matt. xi. 


Dist. 9. eap. 
Memoriam. 


Matt. xxiii. 


Luke xi. 


Matt. xvii. 
Matt. xxii. 


Rom. xiii. 


Dist. 1. Cap. 
Si quis. 


Matt. vi. & 
Xxiii. 
Hos. vi. 


Matt. xxiii. 


John ii. 


514 THE ACTS OF CHRIST AND OF ANTICHRIST. 


to his adversaries; but such as in any point be against him he curseth with the great 
curse, and will not absolve them till they have made perfect submission, and paid 
great sums of money. 

68. Christ commanded his disciples that they should not resist evil, but, if a man 
strike them upon the one cheek, that they should offer him the other also. 

Antichrist will suffer nothing; yea, he teacheth that he may avenge, and drive 
away force with force. 

69. Christ by open voice from heaven was pronounced of God the Father to be 
his “dearly-beloved Son;” and so many as purpose to be saved, and to be made in- 
heritors of eternal life, are commanded to hear him. 

Antichrist giveth strait commandment, that under pain of everlasting damnation 
we hear him, obey, and observe his decrees and laws’. 

70. Christ laid light burdens and sweet yokes upon his disciples’ necks. 

Antichrist layeth intolerable burdens and most grievous yokes upon men’s shoulders? ; 
and notwithstanding he saith: If any commandment or burden be so heavy that it 
cannot be sustained and borne, yet shall ye obey me. In this behalf antichrist is 
like the old hypocrites among the Jews, of whom our Saviour Christ speaketh on 
this manner: “ They bind together heavy burdens, and grievous to be borne, and lay 
them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not heave at them with one of 
their fingers.” Again: “Wo unto you, ye lawyers! for ye lade men with burdens 
which they be not able to bear, and ye yourselves touch not the packs with one of 
your fingers.” 

71. Christ paid tribute to Cesar, and gave commandment to all his, that they 
should give to the temporal magistrate whatsoever is due unto him; as the apostle 
saith: “Give to every man his duty, tribute to whom tribute belongeth, custom 
to whom custom is due,” &c. 

Antichrist despiseth both this example and doctrine of Christ, and excommunicateth 
all them that ask any toll or tribute either of him or of his. For he hath made them 
all free by his law from all such charges and payments’. 

72. Christ, when he lived in this world, was beneficial, liberal, and plentiful in 
doing the works of mercy to the poor, and exhorted other to do the like; ever com- 
mending mercy above offerings and sacrifices. 

Antichrist hath no pleasure at all in the works of mercy, neither careth he for 
the poor; but his desire is that men should give their money for pardons, for masses, 
for dirges, &c., and bestow their goods upon images-gilding, tabernacles-pointing, chan- 
tries-building, &c.; so that he will no mercy, but all offerings. And he that saith, 
It is better to give our charity to the poor, as Christ saith, is counted half an heretic, 
because he goeth about to mar antichrist’s market. 

73. Christ, the mirror of meekness and example of humility, charged his disciples 
that they should not desire to be called masters nor yet fathers on earth. 

Antichrist will not only be called the lord and master of all Christendom, but also 
the most holy father in earth, God’s vicar in earth, Peter’s successor in earth, and 
head of the church in earth, &c. 

74. Christ disdained not to go unto the marriage, when he was called ; and sanctified 
the same with the first-fruits of his miracles. 

Antichrist despiseth marriage, and commandeth his shavelings by no means to be 
at them, as a kind of life unperfect and unworthy their high perfection, and pure state 
of their vocation or calling. 





[' There is no canon Si cujus in Dist. xciii. 
The argument or rubric of the distinction declares : 
Summo enim pontifici ea debetur ab omnibus obe- 
dientia, ut nulli liceat ei communicare, cui pro 
actibus suis inimicus ipse extiterit: nec in ecclesia 
esse poterit, qui ejus cathedram deserit. See also 
cans. 1, 2. cols. 439-41.] 

[? It is difficult to say what is intended by the 
reference given. There is no canon Memoriam to be 


found in Dist. ix. or, as it appears, in Gratian at all; 
and the ninth distinction concerns matters foreign to 
the present purpose. ] 

[° Here also there is probably a mistake. There 
is no canon Si quis in Dist. i. On the subject of im- 
posts upon the clergy, see Corp. Jur. Canon. Lugd. 
1624. Decret. Gratiani, Decr. Sec. Pars, Causa 
XXII. Quest. vill. cans. 22, &c. cols. 1374, &c. ] 


OF THEIR LIFE. 515 


75. Christ refused not to go wheresoever he was desired, so he might do good Matt. viii 
to other. 

Antichrist is so delicate and fine, and unpatient of labour, that he refuseth to go 
any where, except it be to profit and to do good to himself. 

76. Christ thought no scorn (such was his good-will toward all men) even with Matt. vii. 
his hand to touch the leper when he healed him. 

Antichrist disdaineth once to look upon the poor; so far it is off that he will handle 
and touch the miserable, diseased, and loathsome people with his holy hands. His 
delight is to have to do with the great god Mammon, and with the nice nymphs 
of lady Venus’ court. 

77. Christ had great pleasure and singular delight to be among them that were matt. iv. 
sick and diseased. 

Antichrist hath all his delight and pleasure to be among the minions of the world, 
and the lusty gallants, dicers, carders, minstrels, game-players, and all such as may 
provoke him unto pleasure, mirth, and joy. 

78. Christ kept company with sinners, whores, and publicans, to the end that 
he might allure them from wickedness unto godliness, saying: “They that are whole Matt. ix. 
have no need of a physician, but they that are sick.” ‘For I am not come to call Luke xv. 
the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” 

Antichrist delighteth to accompany the princes and rulers of this world, that he 
may enlarge and increase St Peter's patrimony, and enrich mother holy church, which 
beginneth now to wax old, and hath great need of help. As touching them that are 
run astray from God, he knoweth none other way unto salvation but to exhort them 
to buy his pardons, masses, &c. 

79. Christ in his sermons had no respect of persons, but rebuked all degrees alike Matt. xxii. 
that were rebukable. 

Antichrist preacheth never, prateth oft, great and noble personages he flattereth, 
although never so wicked and ungodly, namely when he hopeth and looketh for gain. 

As touching the poor and miserable, he thundereth at them with the sentence of the 
great curse. 

80. Christ, when his disciples James and John would have had fire come down Lukeix. 
from heaven, as in the days of Elias, upon the Samaritans for their ingratitude and 2 Kingsi. 
unthankfulness, and so to have destroyed them, rebuked them, and said: “Ye wot 
not what manner spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s 
lives, but to save them.” 

Antichrist, when any, although never so little, displeasure is done against him, so 
fumeth and foameth, so brayeth and brawleth, so roareth and rageth, that straightways 
out of his fiery place he casteth out his most grievous thunderbolt of that terrible 
great excommunication. If that will do no good, then provoketh he princes unto wars 
out of hand, and to murder for his sake many thousand of innocent souls; never ceasing 
from his furious madness and mad fury, until he be avenged to the uttermost ; forgetting 
this commandment of God: “ Vengeance is mine; and I will reward, saith the Lord.” _ Deut. xxxii. 

81. Christ alway defended his disciples eae the scribes and Pharisees with Matt. i 
the authorities of God’s word. ame 

Antichrist defendeth his adherents with banning and cursing, with sword and 
spear, with bows and arrows, with gun and pole-axe, and such like martial armours. 

82. Christ took patiently the opprobrious words that were spoken against his 
own person; but the railing blasphemies uttered of the blasphemous enemies of the John viii. 
truth against the glory of God, he could by no means abide, but mightily de- 
fended it. 

Antichrist regardeth not the blasphemies spoken or written against the glory of 
God and the manifest truth of his blessed word; but if any thing be spoken against 
him and his devilish decrees, then rageth he like a madman, and never ceaseth until 
he be revenged, except his fury be appeased with good sums of money. 

83. Christ proved and defended his doctrine against the enemies thereof, with Matt. xxi. 
the testimonies of Moses, of the psalms, and of the prophets. John ii. 

Antichrist proveth and defendeth his decrees and traditions with general councils, 

33—2 


John iv. 


Luke vii. 


The papists 
eannot abide 
any reforma- 
tion. 


John xi. 


Wisd. ii. 


John xi. 


Luke xv. 


Luke x. 


516 THE ACTS OF CHRIST AND OF ANTICHRIST. 


with constitutions provincial, with the authorities of forefathers, with the prescripts 
of old customs, with the sophistical and carnal reasons of the schoolmen; and, if all 
these will not serve, with fire and fagot, with sword and halter. 

84. Christ so travailed in going about from country to country preaching the will 
of his heavenly Father, that he was many times weary of his journey. 

Antichrist taketh his ease, sitting at home in his rich chairs, upon his golden 
cushions and precious carpets. If at any time he will take the air abroad, either 
he is carried upon men’s shoulders as a God of the earth, or else he rideth upon his 
mule gorgeously trapped and harnessed, 

85. Christ, beholding the lamentable tears of the widow whose son was dead and 
carried forth to be buried, had pity and compassion on her, and said unto her, 
“Weep not;” and immediately he delivered her son alive again unto her, that tofore 
was dead. 

Antichrist, evidently seeing great enormities and manifold most grievous abuses 
in the church of Christ, whereof he braggeth himself to be the head, although moved 
and provoked with the humble supplications, fervent desires, and earnest prayers of 
many good and godly men both by writing and otherwise, neither taketh away the 
enormities, nor correcteth the abuses; but rather, as a sworn adversary against God 
and all godliness, he goeth forth daily more and more to stablish and confirm those 
abominations, seeking no redress; as the experience of this our time doth most mani- 
festly declare. 

86. Christ disdained not to come unto Lazarus’ grave, nothing being dismayed 
with the evil savour of the dead corpse, although tofore thereof warned, and to raise 
him up from death unto life. 

Antichrist abhorreth nothing more than evil savours, having his great delight in 
sweet perfumes and pleasant odours, being of the number of those which on this wise 
speak in the book of Wisdom: ‘Come on, let us enjoy the pleasures that there are, 
and let us soon use the creature like as in youth. Let us fill ourselves with good 
wine and ointment; and let there no flower of the time go by us. Let us crown 
ourselves with roses afore they be withered. Let there be no fair meadow but our 
lust go through it. Let every one of you be partaker of our voluptuousness. Let 
us leave some token of our pleasure in every place. For that is our portion; else get 
we nothing.” 

87. Christ wept when he came to raise up Lazarus, considering with himself 
that sin is the cause not only of the death of the body, but also of the death of the 
soul, and of all other evils and plagues. 

Antichrist rejoiceth in evil-doing, and is glad when sin reigneth, flourisheth, and 
triumpheth. For then is his merchandise well bought, as pardons, masses of scala ceeli, 
absolution, &c. 

88. Christ is that loving and gentle Shepherd, which, when one of his sheep was 
gone astray, left the residue, and never ceased till he had found her out. Being found, 
he sweetly laid her upon his shoulder, and tenderly brought her home again with 
great joy and much gladness; and, calling together his lovers and neighbours, he said 
unto them: ‘“‘O rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.” 

Antichrist is of another disposition, and contrary-minded. For if any run astray 
never so little from his lousy laws, trifling traditions, devilish decrees, and crooked 
constitutions, cankered customs, &c., straightways he is excommunicate, and cursed 
as black as a crow with book, bell, and candle, even down to the deep dungeon of 
hell-fire, without redemption, except he will be reconciled to mother holy church, and 
make such satisfaction as shall be thought meet of the most holy father and of his 
devout chaplains. If he will not obey, down with him, accite him, suspend him, 
apprehend him, accuse him, condemn him, to the fort with him, away with him, 
away with him! 

89. Christ is that most loving Samaritan which had pity on the wounded man, 
bound up his wounds, poured in oil and wine, set him on his own beast, brought 
him into a common inn, and made provision for him. 

Antichrist is that abominable thief and cruel murderer, which without all pity 


OF THEIR LIFE. 517 


and compassion robbeth, woundeth, and slayeth both the bodies and souls of men; 
the bodies, with his exactions, oppressions, pollings, pillings, tyranny, murder, death ; 
the souls, with false doctrine, unwritten verities, decrees, constitutions, infidelity, mis- 
belief, superstition, &e. 

90. Christ is appointed of God the Father to be the Physician and Saviour of the Matt. ix. 
world. 

Antichrist is appointed of the devil, the father of liars, to be the corrupter and Jobn vit, 
destroyer of the world. 

91. Christ is the light of the world. Whosoever followeth him and his doctrine Jonni. viii. 
shall never stumble nor err. 

Antichrist is the darkness of the world. He that followeth him and his decrees 
shall never walk the right way unto heaven, but cast himself headlong ‘into utter Matt. xxii. 
darkness, where weeping and gnashing of teeth shall be.” 

92. Christ is that ‘bread of life which came down from heaven. He that eateth Jonn vi. 
of that bread shall never hunger,” but have life everlasting. 

Antichrist is that bread of death which came up from hell. Whosoever tasteth 
of that bread, he shall die the death everlasting. 


93. Christ is our peace-maker. Eph. ii. 
Antichrist is our dissension-maker. 
94. Christ is our “wisdom, righteousness, sanctifying, and redemption.” 1 Cor. i. 


Antichrist is our folly, wickedness, corruption, and destruction. 

95. Christ is that “‘Lamb of God” without spot, “which taketh away the sin Exod. xii. 
of the world.” 

Antichrist is that wolf of Satan, full of all sin and wickedness, which daily increas- 
eth the sin of the world. 


96. Christ is the head of God’s charch. Eph. i. 
Antichrist is the head of Satan’s synagogue. Bev. ti 
97. Christ is our Mediator, Advocate, and Intercessor. 1 Tim. it. 
Antichrist is our disturber, bate-maker, and destroyer. fo wi 
98. Christ is that rock, out of which issueth and floweth forth the water of life: Jol i iv. 
* Whosoever shall drink Hicteot shall never thirst more.’ or 


Antichrist is that vile and stinking puddle: he that drinketh thereof shall die 
everlastingly. 

99. Christ is that seed of the woman which hath trodden down the serpent’s cen. iii 
he ad. Gal. iil. 

Antichrist is that seed of the serpent, which, “like a roaring lion, continually 
seeketh whom he may devour.” 

100. Christ is that blessed seed of Abraham, in whom all nations of the earth Gen. xv. 
are blessed and saved. 

Antichrist is that cursed seed of Satan, in whom and through whom so many 
as lean to his wicked and damnable doctrine perish and are damned. 

101. Christ is Alpha and Omega, that is to say, the beginning and ending of Rev. i. 
all our salvation. 

Antichrist is the author of all mischief and abomination; so that whosoever fol- 
loweth him and his antichristian doctrine may be sure to come unto damnation. 

102. Christ prayed to his heavenly Father that Peter’s faith might not fail. 


Luke xxil. 
Antichrist prayeth that Peter’s patrimony (as they call it) may never fail. 
103. Christ refuseth no pain to do good to his congregation. tee 
Antichrist refuseth no pain so that he may have lucre and gain, en ge 
104. Christ went up willingly to Jerusalem to suffer death for the elect people Mark x. 
of God. John x. 


Antichrist hateth nothing more than the cross. As for God’s people, he regardeth 
them not, except they bring money. 

105. Christ, when he might have escaped and gone away from his enemies, Jonn xviii. 
freely gave himself into their hands to be crucified for the salvation of other. 

Antichrist resisteth his enemies with tooth and nail, with hand and sword, and 
with all that ever he is able to make; neither suffereth he gladly any adversity, ex- 


Matt. xxvi. 
XXXVI. 


Tsai. liii. 
Acis viii. 
1 Pet, ii. 


Matt. xxvii. 
Mark xv. 
John xix. 


Matt. x. 


Luke xxiii. 


Heb ix. 


Matt. xxvii. 


Rom. iv. 
1 Cor. xv. 
John xii. 


518 THE ACTS OF CHRIST AND OF ANTICHRIST. 


cept it be for the maintenance of his own pomp and glory, and for the enrichment 
of St Peter’s patrimony. 

106. Christ was stripped out of his clothes, and was all-to beaten and scourged, 
and false witness brought in against him. 

Antichrist is well clothed with precious garments, and hath change for every day, 
and commandeth other to be beaten and sore punished, and false witness to be brought 
in to testify whatsoever he will have against the poor innocent christian people. 

107. Christ, being most unjustly and wrongfully accused, and having many un- 
truths objected against him, “as a lamb dumb before his shearer, opened not his 
mouth.” ‘When he was reviled, he reviled not again; when he suffered, he threat- 
ened not, but committed the vengeance to him that judgeth righteously.” 

Antichrist, being justly accused both of false doctrine and corrupt manners, and 
admonished to amend, will by no means give ear, but seeketh all means possible to 
be revenged: he will be judge of all men, but judged of none. He will condemn 
whom he lust, and he will not once be touched. His doctrine, although never so un- 
pure, he defendeth with fire and fagot, with sword and halter. Whosoever disdain 
to embrace and maintain it, all them he excommunicateth, cut off from the body of 
Christ, appointeth them unto everlasting damnation, interdicteth their lands, realms, 
and countries, wheresoever they dwell; as experience in these our days teacheth abun- 
dantly. As concerning his life and manners, although never so wicked and detest- 
able, no man may once reprove, except he will feel the bitter bolts of the most 
bitter curse. 

108. Christ had a crown of sharp thorns set upon his head with so great violence 
that the blood run down over all his amiable face, and boisterous nails driven through 
his precious hands. 

Antichrist weareth upon his head three crowns of gold, richly set with precious 
stones, and hath his hands and fingers all royally decked with ouches and rings. 
He passeth poor Christ, far, far. 

109. Christ took the cross of painful affliction upon himself, and commanded his 
disciples likewise to follow him, saying: “ He that will not take his cross and follow 
me is not meet for me.” 

Antichrist taketh the cross of pride, and hath it borne before him, well gilt and 
ameled', to set forth his pride and pomp before the world, like unto Lucifer. As for 
other cross, he knoweth none. 

110. Christ prayed his Father to forgive them that trespassed against him; yea, 
he prayed for them that put him to death. 

Antichrist commandeth both kings and princes and emperors to avenge his quarrel, 
and to slay all them that resist his mind, promising them that, if they die in his 
quarrel, they shall die glorious martyrs in the sight of God, and straightways come 
unto heaven, yea, before their blood be cold. As touching forgiveness, he hath none 
acquaintance therewith. 

111. Christ approved his law, and confirmed it with his own death. 

Antichrist is full busy to destroy the law of Christ, and to maintain his own 
decrees, and that with the death of all them that will say the contrary. 

112. Christ was buried in a poor monument, sepulchre, or grave, without any 
funeral pomp. 

Antichrist is buried in a glorious tomb, well gilt, and very gorgeously set out, 
with many torches and great solemnity, and with angels gloriously portured*, that 
bear his soul to-heaven, when, notwithstanding, it is to be feared that he goeth to 
sup with the devil, whom he hath so diligently served all the days of his life. 

113. Christ suffered death for our sins, and rose again for our justification; or 
else all we should have perished and been damned. 

Antichrist, for the forgiveness of our sins and of our justification, sendeth us to 
his pardons and bulls, to his years of jubilee, and masses of scala cali; yea, he sendeth 
us to a grey-friar’s cowl, and willeth us to be buried in that, promising us by that 


[' Ameld: enameled. ] [2 Portured: portrayed. ] 


OF THEIR LIFE. 519 


means both remission of sins and everlasting life. Is not this to “tread under foot the Heb. x. 
Son of God,” and to “count the blood of the testament as an unholy thing,” yea, 

and “to do dishonour to the Spirit of grace?” Is not this that beast which opened Rev. xiii. 
his mouth to speak blasphemies against the most highest God, and against his most 
glorious name? Is not this that sinful man, that “son of perdition,” that adversary 2 Thess. ii, 
“which exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped, so that 

he doth sit in the temple of God, boasting himself to be God?” O antichrist! 

114. Christ after his resurrection appeared to his disciples, and brought unto Jonn xx. 
them peace and great joy. oie 

Antichrist, when he cometh abroad and sheweth himself unto men, cometh like a 
game-player in his papalibus, full gloriously and gorgeously, and bringeth to the be- 
holders blessings, that is, crossings and waggings of fingers, with such other vain and 
trifling toys. 

115. Christ reproved in his disciples unfaithfulness and hardness of heart. Luke xxiv. 

Antichrist findeth fault with his captives if they be unfaithful and disobedient to “** “ 
his decrees, and slack in paying of money. 

116. Christ sought all means possible to confirm the faith of his disciples in the 1 cor. xv. 
article of his resurrection. 

Antichrist seeketh all manner of ways to plant, confirm, and stablish in the hearts 
of men his authority and primacy above not only all bishops, but also all kings, 
princes, and emperors. 

117. Christ so talked with certain of his disciples by the way, that their hearts Luke xxiv. 
burned within them; so sweetly and lovingly did he open unto them the true and 
right understanding of the scriptures. 

Antichrist doth so talk, and uttereth such doctrine, that it inflameth not, but 
appalleth the hearts of the hearers; it quickeneth not, but rather dismayeth. For it 
is not the word of the Spirit, but of the flesh; not of light, but of darkness; not 
of life, but of death; and in fine, not of conversion and salvation, but of desperation 
and eternal damnation. 

118. Christ breathed upon his disciples, and gave them the Holy Ghost, saying, 

“Take ye the Holy Ghost,” that they, being endued with his Spirit, might bring Jonn xx. 
forth the fruits of the same, and be thereby known to [be] his apostles. 

Antichrist doth breathe the spirit of Satan into his shavelings, and will that they 
shall be known to be his chaplains by their long gowns, shaven crowns, horned caps, 
flaring tippets, &c. 

119. Christ sent forth his disciples for to preach unto all nations. Matt. xxviii. 

Antichrist sendeth forth his chaplains to be massmongers, soul-carriers, purgatory- Takeo. 
rakers, god-makers, conjurors of salt, water, bread, fire, &c. sg sa 

120. Christ commanded his disciples to preach, not men’s traditions, but the 
gospel, that is to say, “‘ repentance and remission of sins in his name” to all creatures. Luke xxiv. 

Antichrist commandeth his praters to set forth to the people his laws and decrees, 
and to intermeddle them with tales out of Legenda Aurea, and narrations out of the 
Festival, Martyrology, &c. He sendeth forth also his pardoners to publish® fables and 
lies unto the people, and thereto granteth he letters and seals, and many days of pardon, 
and all for money. 

121. Christ willed his disciples to say unto their hearers, that “whosoever be- Mark svi. 
lieveth and is baptized, he shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be 
damned.” 

Antichrist commandeth his trumpeters to blow abroad into the ears of the people, 
that whosoever will buy his pardons shall be absolved a pana et culpa toties quoties, 
and then must he needs be saved. And he that teacheth otherwise is an heretic. 

This his bulls and pardons do plainly testify. 

122. Christ charged his disciples diligently to teach the people to observe and Matt. xxviii. 
keep those things that he commanded them; and so doing, he promised to be with 
them unto the very end of the world; meaning not bodily, but ghostly. 


[* Folio, publike. ] 


John xxi. 


aS 


Acts i. 


Luke xxiv. 


Mark xvi. 
Luke xxiv. 
Acts i. 


Rev. xxi. 


John xviii. 
John xvii. 
John xiv. xv. 
Xvi. 


2 Tim. iii. 


John iv. 
Acts xx. 
Unwritten 


verities. 


John vi. 


Isai. liv. 


520 THE ACTS OF CHRIST AND OF ANTICHRIST. 


Antichrist giveth a great charge to his chaplains to inculk and beat into the 
people’s heads, under pain of deadly sin and everlasting damnation, the keeping of his 
canons and laws; and, in so doing, he promiseth to assist them continually with the 
spirit of error and falsehood. 

123. Christ, a httle before his ascension into the kingdom of his Father, gave a 
great charge to Peter and his fellow-apostles, that they with all diligence should feed 
his lambs and sheep with the most wholesome pasture of his most sweet word; say- 
ing: “ Pasce, pasce, pasce: Feed, feed, feed.” 

Antichrist giveth strait commandment to his captives, that they shall poison the 
people with the pharisaical leaven of his law, and by no means teach them the truth 
of God’s word, lest they should spy out his falsehood, and above all things play 
Tolle, tolle, tolle: Poll, poll, poll; Pill, pill, pill. 

124. Christ commanded his apostles “not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait 
for the promise of the Father.” 

Antichrist thrusteth forth into the ministry his greaslings and shavelings without 
any consideration or motion of God’s Spirit. If they can mass it, and matins it, he 
careth for no more. 

125. Christ, when he should depart and go up into heaven, “lifted up his hand 
and blessed” his apostles, that is to say, wished well unto them. 

Antichrist lifteth also up his hand, and blesseth the people, that is to say, wag- 
geth his fingers over them. But whether he curseth or blesseth, that is uncertain. 

126. Christ by the power of his deity ascended into heaven, perfect God and 
perfect man. 

Antichrist, through the multitude of his most detestable sins and vile wickednesses, 
descendeth into hell both body and soul, and hath his portion with idolaters, witches, 
thieves, adulterers, whoremongers, cursed speakers, &c., in that lake that burneth with 
fire and brimstone; where he and all his shall be tormented with most intolerable 
pains, worlds without end. 


Hitherto of the Life of Christ and of Antichrist. 





OF THE DOCTRINE OF CHRIST AND OF ANTICHRIST. 


First, Curist saith that he “came for this purpose into the world, even to testify 
and bear witness of the truth,” and that his word is the truth: again, that the Holy 
Ghost shall lead us into all truth; hereby manifestly declaring that in his holy word 
is contained sufficient doctrine for our salvation; as St Paul saith: “ All scripture 
given by inspiration of God is profitable to teach, to improve, to amend, and to 
instruct in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, and prepared unto 
all good works.” Likewise said the woman of Samaria to Christ: “I know that 
Messias shall come, which is called Christ; when he is come, he shall tell us all 
things.” And the apostle, in his exhortation to the elders of Ephesus, said: “I have 
kept nothing back that was profitable unto you,” &c. Again: “I have shewed you 
all things.” 

Antichrist saith that, though it be truth that is contained in the bible, yet all 
truth necessary unto salvation is not there to be found; but there are other truths as 
necessary to be believed under pain of damnation, as those that be contained in the 
holy scripture, and they be called unwritten verities. He saith moreover, that his 
decrees and laws are required as necessarily to be kept as the commandments of God, 
and addeth moreover, that they be of equal authority with the word of God. 

2. Christ saith that “no man can come” unto him, “except” his ‘“‘ Father draw 
him;” again, that “all shall be taught of God;” signifying hereby that no man 
can understand and perceive the mysteries contained in the word of God, except they 


OF THEIR DOCTRINE. 521 


be revealed and opened unto him by the Spirit of God, which alone is the author 
thereof; forasmuch as “a natural man cannot come unto the understanding of those 1 cor. ii. 
things that belong unto the Spirit of God.” And as St Peter saith that “the scrip- » put. i. 
ture is not of a private interpretation,” that is to say, not to be expounded after the 
judgment of reason, and as every man of his own brain fantasieth, but as God is the 

alone author of the word; so is the true understanding thereof to be begged of God 

alone by fervent prayer and by diligent conference of the scriptures. David, consider- 

ing this, prayed to God on this manner: “Open thou mine eyes, that I may See Psal. cxix. 
the wondrous things of thy law.” “Make me to understand the way of thy com- 
mandments, and so shall I talk of thy wondrous works.” “O learn me true 
understanding and knowledge.” “O give me understanding, that I may learn thy 
commandments,” &c. And St Paul, writing to Timothy, saith: “God give thee 2Tim. ii. 
understanding in all things.” 

Antichrist saith that the interpretation of the scripture hangeth of the judgment 
of the fathers and old ancient writers, and of the authority and consent of the church 
of Rome, which is the true church, and mother of all churches, and can by no means 
err; without the approbation of the which no interpretation of the scripture can be 
good and catholic. 

3. Christ will all men to “search the scriptures,” and to lean unto them in all sonny. 
matters of controversy, as faithful witnesses of the Lord’s truth. Loge 

Antichrist commandeth that, when any question arise about matters of religion, 
men should have recourse unto the canons and general councils, but specially unto 
the see of Rome, where all doubtful matters are to be decided. As for the scripture, 
it hath no more authority than it pleaseth the church, that is to say, the pope and 
his adherents, to give unto it. 

4, Christ teacheth that all men’s traditions ought to give place unto the word Matt. xv. 
of God; and that whatsoever is decreed of men, although of never so great autho- “***" 
rity and wisdom, contrary to the word of God, is utterly to be neglected, rejected, 
and cast away. 

Antichrist teacheth plainly that all such constitutions and ordinances of men as 
be decreed and set forth by the authority of councils and holy fathers (which are 
always gathered together by the instinct and consent of the Holy Ghost), although 
they are not nor cannot be grounded on God’s word, are, notwithstanding, good and 
profitable; and men are bound under pain of deadly sin to obtain and keep them: 
for the church cannot err. 

5. Christ teacheth that there is but one only true, living, and everlasting God, 
which alone is to be honoured, worshipped, and called upon; by whose name also mutt. iv. 
alone we ought to swear. pene 

Antichrist, after a certain sort, confesseth' also one God with us, and that he is 
to be honoured and called upon, but not alone. For he teacheth that the saints in 
heaven both may and ought to be honoured and called upon, yea, and that we may 
also swear by their names. 

6. Christ in his holy law, both by Moses, the prophets, and apostles, forbiddeth Exod. xx. 
to make, set forth, or keep any image to be worshipped. But, above all things, he 
forbiddeth us to make any image of God. 

Antichrist saith it is lawful not only to have images, and to set them up in Images. 
temples, chapels, oratories, &c., but also to worship them, to kneel before them, to 
kiss them, to pray before them, yea, and to them, to kneel before them, to set 
candles before them, to deck and trim them, to offer unto them, to cense them, to 
put off our caps unto them, and at the last what not? Antichrist also diggeth out 
of the ground the old rotten bones or reliques of saints, translateth them, incloseth Reliques. 
them in gold, keepeth them in precious shrines and costly clausures*, and setteth them 
forth to the people to be kissed and worshipped. Moreover, he is not ashamed, con- 
trary to the manifest word of God, to make the image of the blessed Trinity. He the image of 


formeth and frameth God the Father like an old broken-backed man, with a white reser 


[} Folio, confessed. } [* Clausures : inclosures, inclosed places,] 


John iv. 
Matt. xv. 


Matt. v. 


Heb. x. 


Ceremonies. 


John xiv. 
John xvi. 
J Tim. ii. 

1 John ii. 

Rom. viii. 
Rom. v. 


Invocation 
of saints. 


522 THE ACTS OF CHRIST AND OF ANTICHRIST. 


head, wrinkled forehead, hollow-eyed, slender-cheeked, sharp-nosed, toothless, wide- 
mouthed, hanging-down-lipped, crook-chinned, grey-bearded, small-necked, lean-handed, 
and in fine, altogether monstrous. God the Son antichrist setteth forth as a lusty 
young younker, with his yellow locks; and God the Holy Ghost he maketh like a 
young lusty white flickering dove. But this blasphemous image causeth he to be 
set in churches and in all other places, not only to be considered, but also to be 
worshipped, unto the great dishonour of God, the slander of the christian religion, the 
offence of all good men, and unto the glory of all God’s enemies. But what dareth 
not antichrist do? 

7. Christ teacheth that the true worshippers must worship God “in spirit and 
truth ;” again, that they worship God in vain which honour him after the traditions 
of men. 

Antichrist affirmeth that it is lawful to worship God any manner of way, so it 
cometh of a good intent, good mind, good zeal, good devotion, &c. For God casteth 
away the good intent of no man. Antichrist therefore teacheth us to worship God 
with gold, silver, precious stones, sumptuous vestures, candles, palms, ashes, bread, 
water, salt, &c.; with long pattering, curious singing, pleasant piping, loud ringing, 
&c.; with surplices, copes, vestments, caps, cowls, &c.; with massing, with pilgrim- 
age-going, with pardons-buying, with beads-saying, &c. And all these things he 
taught to be more precious and acceptable in the sight of God, than to help the poor, 
or to do any work of mercy: for that is done but to man, the other unto God. 

8. Christ, in his sweet sermon that he made in the mount, saith that he came 
to fulfil the law, that is to say, to accomplish whatsoever was prefigured of him in 
the ceremonies of the old testament; so that by his coming he hath put away and 
utterly abolished all ceremonies, even as the shadow is removed by the entrance of 
the light. For, as the apostle saith: “The law,” he meaneth the ceremonial law, 
was nothing else than “a shadow of good things to come.” The good things are 
now come and given; therefore the shadow ceaseth: whereby we evidently learn that 
the Christians are now free from such cloudy laws and dark ceremonies. 

Antichrist teacheth that, although the ceremonies of the old law be abolished by 
the coming of Christ, yet that hindereth nothing but that the church, which is 
the spouse of Christ, may appoint what ceremonies she will, without any offence 
of her husband Christ, which delighteth in her and in her doings, as in himself; 
yea, and that so much the more, because among the Christians there are many 
rude gross; and they must be rudely and grossly handled, and brought by little and 
little unto perfection through such ceremonies and outward observances; which cere- 
monies and ordinances of Christ’s spouse the church are with no less reverences to be 
observed, than if they had been commanded of Christ her husband. 

9. Christ Jesus in his doctrine teacheth, that he alone is our Saviour, our Re- 
deemer, our Bishop, or Pastor, our Head, our Reconciliator, our Peace-maker, and in 
fine, all our hope and comfort; insomuch that “whosoever believeth in him shall not 
perish, but have everlasting life.” 

Antichrist in his doctrine teacheth, that salvation and remission of sins is to be 
obtained also at his hands, at his pardons, indulgences, years of jubilee, masses, cowls, 
pilgrimages, &c.; again, that he is head of the universal church of Christendom, 
Christ’s vicar, Peter’s successor, the highest bishop, the greatest priest, the most holy 
and most blessed father, to whom above all other the keys of the kingdom of hea- 
ven are committed; so that whatsoever he bindeth in earth is also bound in “heaven, 
and whatsoever he looseth in earth is in like manner loosed in heaven; so that who- 
soever cleaveth unto him cannot perish, but have life everlasting. 

10. Christ taught us that, whensoever we will desire any thing of God the 
Father, we should ask it in his name. For “no man cometh to the Father but 
by” him. And in the writings of the apostles we read, that Christ alone is our Me- 
diator, Advocate, and Intercessor; by whom alone we have free and gracious access 
unto God the Father, and easily obtain of him all good things. 

Antichrist setteth forth unto us other mediators, advocates, and intercessors, even 
the souls and spirits of them that are departed, and commandeth us to call upon 


OF THEIR DOCTRINE. 523 


them, to pray unto them, to make intercession unto them, that they for us may call 
upon God, pray unto him, and make intercession unto him; that by this means our 
prayers may be the sooner heard, and our petitions the more easily granted. Thus 
antichrist goeth about to make Christ Jack out of office. 

11. Christ, hanging on the cross, and ready to give up his spirit into the hands 
of his heavenly Father, said, “It is finished:” signifying hereby, that by the one Jobn xix. 
and alone sacrifice of his passion and death all thing is wrought and perfectly done, 
whatsoever appertaineth unto the salvation of mankind; so that now there remaineth S$ 
no more any sacrifice or oblation for sin; as the apostle saith: “‘ With one only obla- nev. x. 
tion hath Christ made perfect for ever them that are sanctified.” Again: ‘ We 
are sanctified by the offering up of Christ’s body done once for all.” 

Antichrist hath set up divers sacrifices for sins, but namely that vile and abo- the sacrifice 
minable sacrifice of the mass, which he calleth a propitiatory, expiatory, and satis- akees™ 
factory sacrifice for the sins of the quick and the dead, necessary ad salutem. This 
sacrifice he braggeth to be of like dignity and of equal price with that sacrifice which 
Christ the high and everlasting bishop offered on the altar of the cross, yea, to be 
the very same; again, that he and his chaplains, in that sacrifice of that idolatrous 
mass, do daily offer up the Son of God to the Father of heaven for the daily sins 
of the people. Antichrist, moreover, is not ashamed to say that Christ, by the sa- 
crifice of his death done on the altar of the cross, did only put away. original sin ; 
but he and his shavelings, by the sacrifice of their mass, putteth away all other sins 
at all times, both actual, venial, mortal, &c. 

12. Christ in his Hoe testament teacheth that we are purged, cleansed, and Zohn. 
made pure from all sin by his blood. Rev. i. 

Antichrist, for the maintenance of his idle clergy, that they might live of the 
labour and sweat of other men’s hands and brows, hath devised another purgatory Purgatory. 
after this life; wherein the souls of them that have not done due satisfaction for their 
sins in this world must be most miserably tormented, until either they, by suffering 
most grievous pains, have satisfied the justice of God, or else they be delivered by 
the sacrifice of the mass offered for them, or by some other charitable deeds of 
mercy. Is not this to “tread the Son of God under foot?” Is not this to “count Heb. x. 
the blood of the testament as an unholy thing, and to do dishonour to the Spirit 
of grace?” 

13. Christ teacheth that his church, which is the fellowship of saints and com- Eph. ii. 
pany of faithful people, is built upon himself, which is the true rock, is governed 
by his Spirit, heareth his voice, and is ruled by the same. John x. 

Antichrist saith that the church is not built on Christ alone, but also on Peter 
and his successors; again, that it is not only governed by the word of God, but 
also by the decrees of the church of Rome. 

14. Christ saith that they which are his sheep and belong unto his sheepfold, Jonn x. 
that is, unto his holy congregation, hear not the voice of strangers, but flee from 
them ; giving ear only to the voice of their own shepherd. 

Antichrist saith that they which are of the church may not only hear the voice 
of Christ, but also the words of the bishop of Rome, which is Christ’s vicar, and 
knowledge him to be the universal bishop; whose voice to hear, and whose decrees 
to obey, we are bound under pain of everlasting damnation. 

15. Christ ordained in his church, to set forth the gospel of our salvation, and 
to govern his flock, apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers, &c. Eph. iv. 

Antichrist appointeth in his church monks, friars, canons, nuns, anchors, ancho- ris 
resses, recluses, priests, sacrificers, soul-carriers, purgatory-rakers, pardoners, proctors, 
somners, apparitors, commissaries, officials, &c. 

16. Christ in his holy law freely permitteth all spiritual ministers, bishops, The marriage 


ot priests. 
deacons, &c. to marry. ett xi 


Antichrist in his devilish decrees forbiddeth and condemneth the: marriage of Gee 
spiritual ministers. 
17. Christ, by his holy apostle, calleth “marriage honourable,” and “the bed un- Heb. xiii. 


defiled,” yea, and that among all men, none excepted. 


John xx. 


Act vi. 
Deacons. 
Bishops. 


Archdeacons. 


524 THE ACTS OF CHRIST AND OF ANTICHRIST. 


Antichrist shameth not to call the marriage of the spiritual ministers an unclean, 
filthy, and fleshly kind of living. 

18. Christ gave equal power to all the ministers of his church’. 

Antichrist denieth that, and saith that the bishop hath more authority than the 
priest, and the archbishop more than the bishop, and the pope more than they all. 

19. Christ, in his blessed new testament, appointeth deacons to be ministers unto 
the poor, and to see that they lack no good thing; and the bishops, or spiritual 
overseers, he ordained them to preach the word, to instruct the people, to minister 
the sacraments, &c. 

Antichrist ordaineth deacons to say matins of the day, to read the gospel at 
mass, to stand on the priest’s right hand, to help him in all things, to have a 
shaven crown, to live unmarried, &c. Archdeacons he hath also appointed certain 
times in the year to visit the churches, to see if the church and church-yard be in 
good state; if the vestments, altar-cloths, copes, banner-cloths, cross-cloths, curtains, 
towels, boxes, pixes, chrismatories, fonts, holy-water-bucket, holy-bread-basket, bells, 
candlesticks, censers, crosses, cruets, and such-like ornaments of the church, be well 
and sufficiently repaired; again, if the hosts be well kept of the curate, that they be 
not mould, fusty, evil-savoured, cankered, worm-eaten, &c. As for provision-making 
for the poor and needy people, there is no mention. That ought to be collected of 


&C¥ the archdeacons among the merciful Christians, for the aid and relief of the poor 


1 Cor. iv. 
1 Pet. v. 


Sacraments. 
Matt. xxviii. 
Mark xvi. 
John tii. 
Matt. xxvi. 
Mark xiv. 
Luke xxii. 

1 Cor. xi. 


Matt. xxviii. 
Mark xvi. 


Matt. xxvi. 


Luke xxil. 
1 Cor. xi. 


members of Christ in their visitation, is now unfruitfully devoured, spent, and con- 
sumed of the archdeacons themselves and of their officers; so that the office of an 
archdeacon at this time, in the kingdom of the pope, is now become altogether un- 
profitable, and too much chargeable to the church of God. 

20. Christ appointed his apostles to be the ministers and servants of his holy 
church. 

Antichrist ordaineth his priests and prelates to be lords and masters over God's 
people; yea, he maketh them to be of greater authority and power than emperors, 
kings, princes, &c., of higher dignity than all the angels in heaven, or than the 
blessed virgin Mary. Moreover, he doth so greatly advance the dignity of his 
smeared shavelings, that he calleth them the maker of their Maker. And to set 
forth their royal and kingly priesthdod, he maketh them ever to wear a shaven crown. 

21. Christ instituted in his holy testament two mysteries or sacraments, that is 
to say, baptism and the Lord’s supper, which he added to his word as signs and 
seals of his good-will unto us; that they might be the same to the eye that the word 
is to the ear, and, so joined together through the operation of the Holy Ghost, 
bring salvation to the faithful believers. 

Antichrist, not content with so small a number, hath added five more, so that 
now they be seven in number, which are more openly known than they need here 
to be rehearsed. 

22. Christ, as concerning the outward ministery, ordained the sacrament of bap- 
tism to consist of the word and of the water. 

Antichrist, not content with so slender furniture, hath added many things, as the 
exorcisms or conjurations of the devil out of the child, salt, spittle, crossing, hallowing 
of the font, candle-burning, with divers other toys. 

23. Christ, at the institution of the sacrament of his body and blood, used only 
the word, bread and wine. 

Antichrist mingleth wine and water together in his ministration, and miserably 
handleth the words of the institution. 

24. Christ appointed his holy supper to be a sacrament, that is to say, an holy 
sign of his body and blood. 

Antichrist saith plainly, that the Lord’s supper is not only a sacrament and holy 


ae sign of Christ’s body and blood, but it is also the thing itself, that is, Christ's natu- 


ral body and blood; with as good reason as though a man should say, that the 
ivy-bush which hangeth before the tavern is not only a sign that there is wine to 





[1 See Vol. II. page 319, note 1.] 


OF THEIR DOCTRINE. 525 


sell, but also that it is the wine itself. Notwithstanding, whosoever denieth this his 
doctrine must needs be counted an heretic, and judged to be burnt at a stake. 

25. Christ, making the bread and wine sacraments and holy signs of his body Matt. xxvi, 
and blood, altered not the substances of that holy bread and holy wine, but they ae 
remained in their old nature, substance, and property, as tofore. 

Antichrist teacheth in his doating and devilish decree, that after the words of Transubstan- 
consecration, “This is my body,” “This is my blood,” there remaineth no substance ae 
of bread and wine, but the substance of bread is oe miraculously, by the virtue 
of consecrating words, into the substance of Christ's natural body, and the sub- 
stance of wine into the substance of Christ’s natural blood; the accidents of bread 
and wine only remaining, without their proper substances. O prodigious and monstrous 
doctrine ! 

26. Christ ordained his holy supper to be a remembrance of the sacrifice which 
he offered on the altar of the cross for the redemption of the world, that, when we 
behold the sacramental bread and wine broken and shed, we should call to remem- 
brance that Christ’s body was broken and his blood shed for the remission of our 
sins ; as he himself saith: “Do this in remembrance of me.” Item, the apostle: “So Euke xsi 
oft as ye shall eat ge this bread, or drink of this cup, ye shall remember the Lord’s 
death till he come.’ 

Antichrist teacheth that it is not only a remembrance of the sacrifice, but also 
the sacrifice itself, of the same dignity, might, and power. 

27. Christ ordained that all that be partakers of his holy supper should not Receiving of 
only eat of the mystery of his body, but also drink of the mystery of his blood. Tea 

Antichrist taketh away from the communion of the laity, yea, and of the spiri- 
tualty also (except they mass it themselves, and make God’s body), the cup of the Matt. xxvi. 
mystery of Christ’s blood, contrary to the commandment of Christ, and contrary to 
the practice of the primitive church. 

28. Christ, because he would take away his natural body from the earth, and Aetsiii. 
place it until the day of judgment in the glorious kingdom of his heavenly Father, 
ordained the sacrament of thanksgiving to be a memorial of the same. 

Antichrist teacheth plainly, that wheresoever the consecrate host is, though it be The ubiquity 

in infinite places, there is also the body of Christ, even the very same body of abe are 
Christ that was born of Mary the virgin, and hanged on the altar of the cross. 
He saith moreover, that the sacred host, being whole, is but the body of Christ ; 
and the same host being broken in an hundred pieces, every parcel thereof, although 
never so little, is but the body of Christ, even as he hanged on the cross. O doc- 
trine more than twice monstrous! 

29. Christ in his holy word teacheth that the sacramental bread and wine should Luke xxii. 
be eaten and drunken in the remembrance of his body-breaking and blood-shedding. an 

Antichrist commandeth that the sacrament should be heaved and lifted up above 
the priest’s head, that it may be worshipped of the people, hanged up in the pix, 
carried about in solemn procession in pomps and vain pastimes. 

30. Christ teacheth that the next way to heaven is to repent us of our former matt. iv. 
life, and to believe the gospel. ces 

Antichrist saith that the readiest way unto salvation is to buy his pardons, to 
put on a grey-friar’s cowl, to purchase certain masses of scala celi, to trust in the 
prayers and intercessions of saints, to buy the suffrages of the church, to provide to 
be partaker of the monks’ prayers, watchings, fastings, vows, devotions, &c. 

31. Christ declareth in his heavenly rae that there is no satisfaction to God 1 Jonni. 
the Father for our sins but only his healthful and most precious death. Eph. it 

Antichrist saith that the works of penance do satisfy the divine justice, and ap- ae 
pease his wrath kindled against us for sin. 

32. Christ declareth in his doctrine, that when we have offended our heavenly Lute xv. 
Father, and gone astray from the paths of his holy commandments, we should con- Matt, xvii. 
vert and turn unto him, and make our humble confession unto him, and crave tor- Saks 
giveness of our sins at fe hand for his Son Christ Jesus’ sake. 

Antichrist sendeth us unto his priests, commanding us to publish and confess our 


John xi. 


Rom. iii. 


Rom. iii. v. 
Gal. ii. 


Gal. v. 


Matt. xii. 


ace but by his fruits. 


Note well. 


Psalii. 


Luke xiv. 
Ma.t. vi. 


Matt. v. 
James v. 


Cap. Signi- 
ficasti, De 
Elect. 


526 THE ACTS OF CHRIST AND OF ANTICHRIST. 


sins unto him, and take penance and absolution at his hand, with this faith, that so 
doing we are forgiven and delivered from all sin. 

33. Christ saith, that “whosoever believeth on him, although he were dead, yet 
shall he live ;” ascribing our justification and righteous-making to faith alone. 

Antichrist teacheth that not by faith alone, but by faith, hope, charity, and 
works together, we are justified ; when, notwithstanding, the apostle saith, that we are 
“justified by faith without the works of the law.” And the greatest part of the 

ancient writers ascribe justification to faith alone without works. 

34. Christ by the apostle saith that “faith worketh by love,” signifying hereby 
that faith is the mother of charity, and that charity issueth and floweth out of faith, 
as the small rivers out of the great and main fountains. 

Antichrist saith that faith is wrought by charity, and also that charity is the 
parent or mother of faith; so that in the matter of justification charity goeth before 
faith. Is not this that antichrist that should turn the roots of trees upward ? 

35. Christ saith: ‘Either make the tree good, and his fruit good also, or else 
make the tree naught, and his fruit naught also;” meaning that the tree should be 
first good, and then bring forth good fruit. The fruit maketh not the tree good, but 
the tree doth make the fruit good; although we cannot know that the tree is good 
For we can judge nothing but by his outward operation; yet 
God secth the quickness that is in the root, which, in the time that God hath ap- 
pointed him, shall bring forth his fruit ; and approveth the tree to be good, although 
it seemeth dead unto us. The tree is faith, which is the mother of all good works, 
and ever worketh by charity, whensoever occasion is offered. And for this cause 
is a faithful man in the Psalms compared to “a tree planted by the rivers’ side, which 


yieldeth and bringeth forth her fruit in her time.” 
36. Christ commandeth that the poor should be bid to dinner, and that we 
should give to the needy, and so lay up treasure for ourselves in heaven. 
Antichrist summoneth and citeth them, be they never so poor, not regarding their 
let and adversity, but he curseth them if they come not at the time appointed; and 
if they come, they go away sorrier and sicker both in soul and purse than they 


came. 


37. Christ teacheth that we should not swear at all, but that we should use in 


our communication to affirm, yea; and to deny, nay. 


cometh of evil.” 


‘Hor whatsoever is more 


Antichrist saith, If any man will receive any office under us, he shall be sworn 


before that he will be true, faithful, and just unto us. 


If any man also have any 


thing to do in his courts, he must first of all swear by God and by the holy go- 
spel that this or that is true; again, that he shall truly and faithfully answer to 
all such things as shall be required of him". 

38. Christ commanded his disciples to know his law, and bade the Jews “search 





[! Significasti reges et regni majores, admiratione 
permotos, quia pallium tibi ab apocrisiariis nostris 
tali conditione oblatum fuerit, si sacramentum quod 
a nobis scriptum detulerant exhiberet ... Miremur in 
hac causa Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum, qui 
cum ovium suarum curam Petro committeret, condi- 
tionem posuit, dicens: Si diligis me, pasce oves 
meas. Siconscientiarum factor et cognitor secreto- 
rum conditione hac usus est, nec semel tantum, sed 
et secundo, et usque ad contristationem: qua nos 
sollicitudine oportet tantam ecclesiz przlationem 
imponere fratribus, quorum conscientias non vide- 
mus? Aiunt omne jusjurandum in evangelio a Do- 
mino esse prohibitum, nec ab apostolis post Dominum 
nec in conciliis inveniri posse statutum. Quid est 
ergo, quod Dominus subsequenter ait : Quod amplius 
est,a malo est? hoc enim amplius ut exigamus, ma- 
lum nos illo permittente compellit. Nonne malum 
est ab ecclesie unitate et a sedis apostolice obe- 


dientia resilire, et contra canonum statuta prorum- 
pere? quod multi etiam post sacramentum prestitum 
presumperunt ... Hoc nimirum malo ac necessitate 
compellimur juramentum pro fide, pro obedientia, 
pro unitate requirere. Aiunt in conciliis statutum 
non inveniri: quasi Romane ecclesiz legem concilia 
ulla prefixerint : cum omnia concilia per Romane 
ecclesia auctoritatem et facta sint, et robur accepe- 
rint, et ir eorum statutis Romani pontificis patenter 
excipiatur auctoritas ... Cum igitur a sede apostolica 
vestra insignia dignitatis exigitis, que a beati Petri 
tantum corpore assumuntur, justum est, ut vos quo- 
que sedi apostolice subjectionis debite signa solvatis, 
quz vos cum beato Petro tanquam membra de mem- 
bro habere, et catholici capitis unitatem servare de- 
clarant.—Paschal. Panorm. Archiep. in Corp. Jur. 
Canon. Lugd. 1624. Decretal. Greg. IX. Lib. 1. Tit. 
vi. cap. iv. cols. 110-2.] 


OF THEIR DOCTRINE. 527 
the scriptures.” 
young children, and that they should have it bound as a sign in their hands, that 
it might be ever before their eyes; he caused them also to write it on the posts and 
doors of their houses. 

Antichrist saith, It is not meet for the lewd people to know the mysteries of 
God’s word, but to believe as mother holy church teacheth them, without any further 
inquisition ; yea, he maketh it heresy and treason against kings and princes to know 
Christ or his laws. He hath digged cisterns of his own traditions, and hath stop- 
ped up the pure fountains of Christ’s doctrine. He cannot abide that the laity should 
read the scripture, lest they should perceive his juggling ; neither can he suffer that 
the scriptures should be painted either in public temples or in private houses. The 
blinder the people be, the warmer is his kitchen. 

39. Christ taught his disciples on this wise: “If thy brother trespass against 
thee, go and tell him his fault between him and thee alone. If he hear thee, thou 
hast won thy brother. But if he hear thee not, then take yet with thee one or 
two, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every matter may be stablished. 
If he hear not them, tell it unto the congregation. If he hear not the congregation, 
let htm be unto thee as an heathen man and as a publican.” 

Antichrist useth another kind of doctrine. For, if any offend and displease him, 
he will straightways (such is his burning charity) cast them into prison, there to 
remain in hard and cold irons, to make them to revoke the truth, contrary to the 
truth, and contrary also to their own conscience, and so at the last to grant to 
his will. But if any be strong through the Spirit of God (without whom no man 
is able to stand in such a case), and will not forsake the truth, then, after long and 
many most grievous torments secretly ministered to those constant and faithful martyrs 
of Christ, at the last he bringeth forth, accuseth, judgeth, condemneth, and in fine, 
delivereth to the temporal officers, as to their butchers and hangmen, to be burnt at 
a stake unto ashes. As for that charitable reconciliation that our Saviour Christ gave 
in commandment unto as many as take upon them to be his ministers, he utterly 
refuseth, and will none of it. 

40. Christ saith: “If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell all that thou hast, and 
give it unto the poor; and thou shalt have treasure in heaven.” 

Antichrist saith, If thou wilt be perfect, give me thy money, and I will give 
thee a pardon, by the virtue whereof thou shalt be absolved @ pana et culpa, and 
make thee as clean as that day thou were born; yea, I will for thy money give 
thee the keys of heaven-gates, so that thou shalt enter in without any stop. 

41. Christ saith: “Ye are my friends, if ye do those things that I command 
you.” 

Antichrist saith, Ye shall do as I command you. 
rity to make laws; and after them shall ye live’. 

42. Christ saith: ‘‘When ye have done all things that I have commanded you, 
yet say that ye are unprofitable servants.” 

Antichrist saith, Do those things that I command you, and take a sure con- 
science unto you that ye are righteous in the sight of God, and have deserved 
heaven; yea, if ye do all that I command you, ye shall not only have good works 
enough wherewith to save yourselves, but also to save other. And these works are 
called opera supererogationis. As for myself, though I do never so wickedly, so that 


For I have power and autho- 


[? Sunt quidam dicentes Romano pontifici semper 
licuisse noves condere leges. Quod et nos non solum 
non negamus, sed etiam valde afirmamus. Sciendum 
vero summopere est, quia inde novas leges condere 
potest, unde evangeliste aliquid et prophete nequa- 
quam dixerunt. Ubi vero aperte Dominus, vel ejus 
apostoli, et eos sequentes sancti patres, sententialiter 
aliquid definierunt, ibi non novam legem Romanus 
pontifex dare, sed potius, quod predicatum est, usque 


-insidias optime custodierunt. — Urban. 


ad animam et sanguinem confirmare debet. Si enim, 
quod docuerunt apostoli et prophet, destruere 
(quod absit) niteretur, non sententiam dare, sed 
magis errare convinceretur. Sed hoc procul sit ab 
eis, qui semper Domini ecclesiam contra luporum 
Papa in 
eod. Decret. Gratiani, Decr. Sec. Pars, Causa xxv. 
Quest. i. can. 6. col. 1439.] 


And Moses exhorted the Israelites to teach the law of God to their Deut. vi. 


Matt. xviii. 


Matt. xix. 


John xv. 


25 Quest. 
Cap. Sunt 
quidam. 


Luke xvii. 


Dist. 40. 
Si Papa. 


Matt. v. 


Matt. v. 


Luke vi. 


John xvili. 


John vi. 


2 Tim. ii. 


The cruelty 
of the popish 
bishops. 


John xix. 


Matt. xiii. 


Note. 


528 THE ACTS OF CHRIST AND OF ANTICHRIST. 


through my wicked and lewd behaviour I bring many thousands with me into damna- 
tion, yet may no man rebuke me, but call me the most holiest father’. 

43. Christ saith: ‘ Whosoever breaketh one of the least of my commandments, 
he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven.” 

Antichrist roareth out and saith, What have I to do with Christ’s law? I am 
subject to no laws; but all laws are obedient to me and to my power. By this means 
antichrist doth but seldom right, but is alway against the right, yea, and against 
his own law also, as often as men bring him money. For that loveth he above all 
things. 

44, Christ saith: “Blessed are the peacemakers; for they shall be called the 
sons of God.” 

Antichrist saith, Blessed are they that fight and go together by the ears for the 
defence of St Peter’s patrimony; for they shall be called the children of our mother 
holy church. 

45. Christ saith: “Wo be to you that laugh now ; for ye shall weep and lament.” 

Antichrist saith, Blessed are they that make merry and take no thought; for 
they are sure to have a good and joyful portion in this world. 

46. Christ saith: “My kingdom is not of this world.” 

Antichrist saith, My kingdom is of this world. The emperor with his empire, 
the king with his kingdom, the duke with his duchery, and all other with all that 
ever they have are mine, and at my commandment: yea, my kingdom is not only 
in this world, but also in heaven and in purgatory, yea, and in hell also: for even 
out of hell do I deliver damned souls by the virtue of my masses, and the pains of 
divers there also do I mitigate by things done at mine appointment. Thus am I 
lord of heaven, of hell, of earth, of purgatory. 

47. Christ saith that “no man can come” to him, that is to say, believe in 
him, “except his heavenly Father” by his holy Spirit “draw him.” 

Antichrist saith, If any will not believe, fire, fagot, sword, and halter, shall 
make him to believe. 

48. Christ by his holy apostle teacheth that a bishop, which ought to be the 
servant of the Lord Christ, must be quiet and gentle, no fighter nor tyrant, but such 
one as is ready to inform such as do err, and with wholesome doctrine to reduce them 
unto the way of truth. 

Antichrist commandeth that such as are bishops should be stout and sturdy, and 
courageous in the defence of his doctrine. If any be stubborn and will not relent, 
his will is, not that they should reform him by the word of God, whereof the great- 
est part of them hath no knowledge at all, but handle them according to the decree 
of his law, which is to burn them. It may not be considered whether the matter 
be right or not. os habemus legem, et secundum legem nostram debet mort. 

49. Christ commanded in his doctrine that the tares which grow among the 
wheat should not be plucked up, but suffered to grow until the harvest come, when 
the wheat shall be gathered of the reapers into the barn, and the tares shall be burnt 
with unquenchable fire. 

Antichrist clean contrary behaveth himself. For the good wheat he plucketh up 
and burneth, and the tares he suffereth still to grow. By the good wheat I understand 
the true and faithful preachers of God’s word, and so many as unfeignedly embrace and 
profess the sincere and pure religion of Christ. These, as his most extreme enemies, 
antichrist persecuteth, apprehendeth, accuseth, judgeth, condemneth, and giveth over 
to the secular power, with fire to be consumed unto ashes. By the tares 1 mean 
tyrants, persecutors of God’s truth, commonly called inquisitors, canonists, Scotists, 





[! Si papasue et fraterne salutis negligens depre- | quia cunctos ipse judicatarus, a nemine est judican- 


henditur, inutilis et remissus in operibus suis, et in- 
super a bono taciturnus, quod magis officit sibi et 
omnibus, nihilominus innumerabiles populos cater- 
vatim secum ducit, primo mancipio gehenne, cum 
ipso plagis multis in eternum vapulaturus ; hujus 
culpas istic redarguere presumit mortalium nullus: 


dus, nisi deprehendatur a fide devius: pro cujus per- 
petuo statu universitas fidelium tanto instantius orat, 
quanto suam salutem post Deum ex illius incolumi- 
tate animadvertit propensius pendere.—Ex dict. 
Bonifac. Mart. in eod. Prima Pars, Dist. xl. can. 6. 
cols. 194, 5.] 


OF THEIR DOCTRINE. 529 


hypocrites, monks, friars, canons, nuns, anchors, anchoresses, votaries, vowesses, par- 
doners, proctors, promoters, purgatory-rakers, massmongers, pilgrimage-gadders, and 
all other superstitious and ungodly people. These, as his most dear and tender 
friends, he kisseth and culleth, he promoteth and avanceth unto high dignities, pro- 
motions, bishoprics, cardinalships, archdeaconries, prebends, parsonages, &c., and dili- 
gently watcheth, as a most diligent watcher and pastor over his flock, that no cross, 
no adversity, no misfortune, no trouble chance unto them, but all game and glee, all 
sport and comfort, all joy and solace, &c. 

50. Christ taught not his own, but his Father’s doctrine; and what he received Jonn vii. 
of his heavenly Father, that taught he to the people. 

Antichrist setteth nought by the word of God, except it be to colour his wicked 
tyranny withal. He teacheth his own devilish decrees and trifling traditions, and 
enforceth the people even with violence to follow them. 

51. Christ would have his doctrine no further believed than it did consent and Jonny. 
agree with Moses, the psalms, and the prophets. 

Antichrist will have his traditions and constitutions believed and obeyed, though 
Moses and the prophets, Christ and his apostles, should say nay. For they be of no 
further authority than it shall please him to limit and appoint. 

52. Christ saith: ‘‘ Learn of me; for I am humble and meek.” Matt. xi. 

Antichrist saith, Ye that will belong unto me must be stout and lusty. For I, 
your lord, am lusty and stout in all quarters round about; neither will I lout® or 
stoop either to king or Kesar. Yea, whom it pleaseth me I will exalt and advance, 
and at my pleasure will I him again depose. All, without exception, yea, the very 
angels also in heaven, shall obey me, and accomplish my commandment. 

53. Christ, entreating of fasting, appointeth no certain days or times, but leaveth Matt. vi. 
it free to all that profess his holy law, that they may fast when occasion is offered, 
and when the Spirit of God moveth them; yea, and that after such sort as they be 
taught in the word of God, that is to say, to mortify their carnal affects, to subdue The end of 
the body to the spirit, and to spare out of our own bellies, that we may have the sane 
more liberally to give unto the poor, according to this commandment of God by the 
prophet: “Break thy bread to the hungry, and lead the needy wayfaring man into Isai. Wii 
thy house: when thou seest a naked man, cover him, and despise not thy flesh.” 

Antichrist prescribeth certain days to be fasted, yea, and that under pain of ever- 
lasting damnation, as the time of Advent, Lent, embering days, saints’ evens, &c. 

All these days must be fasted of all manner of people that be twelve year old and 
upward. 

54. Christ saith: “‘My house is the house of prayer.” Matt. xxi. 

Antichrist saith, My house is the house of money. He that bringeth not money 
cometh not in there; neither is there any place for him. 

55. Christ saith: “The kingdom of God cometh not with waiting for,” that is Luke xvii. 
to say, with outward observances and external ordinances at the appointment of men: 

“for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.” 

Antichrist saith, Wear this cap or that cowl, this grey habit or that white habit. 
Profess this rule or that rule. Fast this day or that day. Buy this pardon or that 
pardon, &c., and thou shalt be saved. 

56. Christ saith: “If any man say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; be- Matt. xxiv. 
lieve it not. For there shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and shall shew 
great wonders and miracles, insomuch that, if it were possible, the very elect should 
be deceived. Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they say unto you, 
Behold, he is in the desert, go not ye forth; behold, he is in the secret places, 
believe it not.” 

Antichrist saith, Lo, here is Christ at this altar and at that altar, in this priest’s 
hand and that priest’s hand, in this pix and that pix, in this box and that box. 
Come, and see thy maker. Worship him, meekly kneeling upon thy knees. Hold 
up thy hands unto him. This is he that killed thy father. This is the apple-maker 


[? Lout: bow, do reverence to. ] 


34 


[BECON, 11.] 


Matt. xxiv. 


Matt. x. 


Matt. x. 


Peal. ev. 


Luke xt. 


Like xx. 
Matt. xxiii. 


Matt. xxiii. 


530 THE ACTS OF CHRIST AND OF ANTICHRIST. 


of Kent. If thou wilt not believe that this is thy maker, thou shalt burn for it 
without redemption. 

57. Christ saith: “The gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world 
for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” 

Antichrist saith, I and my complices, the cardinals, bishops, priests, monks, friars, 
lawyers, &c., will to the uttermost of our power suppress the preaching of the gospel, 
and so many as either preach it or profess it, that the end of this world may not come. 
And so shall we still continue in pleasure, joy, and mirth: for that is our portion. 

58. Christ saith: ‘‘ Whosoever shall give unto one of these little ones to drink 
a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily, I say unto you, he 
shall not lose his reward.” 

Antichrist saith: What have I to do with the poor? Every man for himself, 
and the devil for us all. Whosoever giveth anything to this fraternity or that fra- 
ternity, to this guild or that guild, to this cloister or that cloister, to this chantry 
or that chantry, to this pardon or that pardon, to this altar and that altar, to this 
morrow-priest’ and that morrow-priest, &c., he shall not lose his reward. And the 
more he giveth, the greater shall be his reward. 

59. Christ saith: “‘ Beware of men; for they shall deliver you up to the coun- 
cils, and shall scourge you in their synagogues. And ye shall be brought to the 
head rulers and kings for my sake,” &c. 

Antichrist saith, Ye my shavelings, with the rest of mine adherents, fear no man 
living ; for they shall not once touch you. Is it not written, Nolite tangere Christos 
meos, et in prophetis meis ne malignemini? Are ye not my greased, my smeared, 
and mine holy anointed? Are not ye my prophets and preachers? Do not ye exe- 
cute my will and pleasure? Who then may be bold to touch you? I have made 
a decree to curse all them that lay violent hand either on priest or clerk, and that 
they shall not be assoiled, but only at my hand, and where I appoint. Therefore 
fear ye not, neither be ye dismayed. And as for any bringing of you before the 
head rulers, take no thought. I have enfranchised you, and made you free from all 
their power and authority; so that they have nothing to do with you in any matter. 
I have made you a peculiar kingdom by yourselves. You may convent’ all men 
before you, and summon them to appear before you in your spiritual courts, to lay to 
their charge whatsoever shall please you; but with you they shall have nothing to 
do. No: they shall reverence you, they shall crouch and kneel unto you. They 
shall ‘* Master” you; they shall ‘“ Lord” you; they shall “Grace” you. Yea, the 
basest among you all they shall salute with Domine, that is to say, Lord, or Sir. 

60. Christ saith: “‘ Blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.” 

Antichrist saith, Blessed are they that hear my decrees, and observe them. 

61. Christ saith: “ Beware of the scribes, which will go in long clothing, and 
love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief 
rooms at feasts, which devour widows’ houses, by feigning long prayers; the same 
shall receive the greater damnation.” 

Antichrist saith, Though my choploches, chaplains, and chapmen, be in this behalf 
like unto the saucy scribes, fine Pharisees, lusty lawyers, pattering priests, bragging 
bishops, lying Levites, satanical Sadducees, and such other which lived among the Jews 
in the days of Christ; so that they also go in long gowns, love greetings in the 
markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts, and 
devour widows’ houses, under the pretence of long prayer, &c.; yet see that ye 
neither contemn nor condemn them, but make much of them, reverence them, worship 
them, and honour them; for they are in dignity more excellent than angels, in honour 
far passing kings, princes, emperors, or any other mortal creature, although never so 
noble: for they are the makers of him that made them and the whole world. 

62. Christ in his sermons cried wreck, wo, and damnation upon those scribes, 
Pharisees, and hypocrites, which “tithed mint and anise and cummin, and left the 
weighty matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith.” 





[' Morrow-priest : one who said mcriow-mass. ] [2 Convent: the same as summon. ] 


OF THEIR DOCTRINE. 531 


Antichrist saith, What have I to do with judgment, mercy, and faith? Bring 
in your tithes. Pay your offerings. Give your dirige-groats, your mass-pence, and 
your confessional-pence, with all your other good and godly devotions. Buy my 
pardons. Give ten shillings for a trental, forty pence to the high altar, twelve pence 
to the sepulchre-light, six pence to the lamps. Ever be giving of somewhat, though 
it be but a cheese or a piece of bacon, to the holy order of sweet St Francis, or to 
any other of my friars, monks, canons, &c. Holy church refuseth nothing, but gladly 
taketh whatsoever cometh. 

63. Christ, by the parable of the ten virgins, whereof five were wise, and five Matt. xxv. 
foolish, declareth two things manifestly. One is that no man hath good deeds 
sufficient for himself: the second is that after this life no good deeds done can 
profit unto salvation. 

Antichrist teacheth the contrary, and saith, Some men in this world grow up 
unto such perfection in doing good works, that they have not only plenty and 
enough for their own salvation, but they have also sufficient for other; whereas we 
be taught in the word of God, that no man living can justify himself in the sight 
of God. He teacheth also, that the good deeds, done of other for them that are 
departed, profit them greatly; either unto the diminishing of their pain, if they be in 
hell; or unto the advancement of their glory, if they be in heaven; or unto the dis- 
patching of their torments, if they be in purgatory. 

64. Christ in his doctrine teacheth, that whosoever believeth in him may be sure 
to have everlasting life; as it is written: ‘He that believeth on the Son of God John ii. 
hath everlasting life. But he that believeth not on the Son of God shall not sce 
life; but the wrath of God abideth upon him.” Again: “Every one that putteth his tsai. xxviii. 
trust in him,” that is to say, Christ, “shall not be confounded.” And our Saviour gi 
Christ himself saith: “I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth on me, John xi. 
yea, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever liveth and believeth in 
me, he shall never die.” St Paul, being certain of his salvation through faith in 
Christ, saith: “I am now ready to be offered; and the time of my departing is at 2 Tim. iv. 
hand. I have fought a good fight. I have fulfilled my course. I have kept the 
faith. From henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the 
Lord, that is a righteous Judge, shall give me at that day; not to me only, but 
unto all them also that love his coming.” Again: “I know, and am sure, that he eg tim.i. 
in whom I have put my trust is able to keep that which I have committed to 
his keeping against that day.” 

Antichrist saith, No man in this world can be certain and sure of his salvation, 
and therefore he ought to doubt, and to stand in fear, whether he shall be saved or 
not, according to that which is written: Nemo novit, an amore vel odio sit dignus, Eccles. ix. 
sed omnia in futurum servantur incerta: “No man knoweth whether he be worthy antichris: 
love or hate; but all things are kept uncertain for the time to come.” Again: Die tate 
Nihil mihi conscius sum: at non in hoe justificatus sum ; “I know nothing by myself; 1 cor. iv. 
yet am I not thereby justified.” 

65. Christ, in the parable of the men that were hired to work in the vineyard, Mat. xx. 
some at one time of the day, some at another, some betimes, some late, and yet, 
notwithstanding, all received like reward at night, seemeth evidently to teach that 
all the saints of God have one and the same full glory in heaven, and that one hath 
not a greater reward than another; but the same joy, the same glory, and the same 
honour is given, without any difference, to all the sons of God alike; forasmuch as it 
cometh not of works, but of grace: again, that there is no respect of persons with 
God. “By grace are ye saved,” saith St Paul, “through faith, and that not of gpn. ii. 
yourselves: it is the gift of God, and cometh not of works, lest any man should 
boast himself.” Again: “Everlasting life is the gift of God through Jesus Christ rom. vi. 
our Lord.” 

Antichrist teacheth that, as there be many mansions in the kingdom of heayen, Jono xiv. 
so are there many diversities and differences of glories and joys in the same for the 
inhabitants thereof. As there is “one manner glory of the sun, and another glcry i cor. xv. 
of the moon, and another glory of the stars (for one star differeth from another in 


34—2 


Matt. xix. 


Jer. iii. 


1 Cor. vii. 


Matt. xix. 


John ii. 


532 THE ACTS OF CHRIST AND OF ANTICHRIST. 


glory”), so is the state of the saints in heaven. One hath an higher place than 
another, one more glory than another, every man according to his degree, every man 
according to his works, merits, and deserts. Hereof it should then follow that there 
is respect of persons with God, and that the heavenly glory is ours, not of mercy, 
but of merit, not through Christ, but through our own works. 

66. Christ saith: ‘“ Whosoever putteth away his wife (except it be for fornication), 
and marrieth another, breaketh wedlock ;” giving here liberty to the guiltless and 
innocent man, having an harlot to his wife, and such one as hath broken her wedding 
vow and promise, and hath joined herself to another man, (by this means cutting 
off herself from the body of her husband, and making herself one flesh with an 
whoremonger,) not only to be divorced from that harlot, sometime his wife, but also 
to marry again, and take another woman to his wife in the fear of God. “It is a 
common saying,” saith Jeremy, “If a man put away his wife, and she, going away 
from him, marrieth another man, shall he resort any more unto her after that? 
Shall not that woman be defiled and unclean ?” 

Antichrist in his law saith, If a man have an whore to his wife, it shall be 
lawful for him to be divorced from her, both from bed and board; but he may by 
no means marry again, live as he may’. 

67. Christ also by his holy apostle giveth liberty to the faithful man or woman, 
being coupled in marriage to such an idolater or infidel as will by no means forsake 
his idolatry or infidelity, but rather goeth about not only to defend it, but also to 
bring his faithful yoke-fellow unto it, so that the faithful cannot live with the un- 
faithful with a good conscience and according to the word of God, to marry again. 
These be the words: “If the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a 
sister is not in subjection to such. But God hath called us in peace.” 

Antichrist will by no means suffer any divorcement so to be made that marriage 
shall follow, although the guiltless person burn never so greatly, and be never so 
much cumbered both in body and conscience’. Take the whore again if ye will, other 
wife get ye none. 

68. Christ saith: “‘ Honour thy father and thy mother ;” in the which command-. 
ment is required of children that they give not themselves to marriage without the 
consent of their godly parents. Therefore read we, that among the people of God 
none were coupled in matrimony but with the consent of the parents. What the 
civil law determineth also in this matter, the learned know”. 

Antichrist, in the bestowing of children in marriage, requireth not the consent 
and good-will of the parents; but, if they themselves marry without the knowledge 
or consent of their parents or tutors, he alloweth it to be well done, and the marriage 
to be lawful. By this means is a great part of that honour taken away from fathers 
and mothers that is due unto them by their children. 

69. Christ, by being present at a marriage with his mother and with his dis- 
ciples, teacheth evidently that matrimony ought to be solemnly and openly proclaimed 
and celebrated, and that it ought not to be done in corners. 

Antichrist, for money, granteth dispensations to all men for to marry where they will, 
when they will, and with whom they will. All things are decent and lawful, if money 
come. All things obey money. 

70. Christ in his doctrine did never forbid marriage to be contracted between 
any persons, except those degrees only which his heavenly Father had tofore forbidden 
by his servant Moses. 

Antichrist in his law prohibiteth many and divers degrees to marry together whom 
God hath set at liberty. He hath decreed also that christian gossips, that is to 
say, those men and women that have been godfathers and godmothers together of 
one child at baptism, may not marry together, nor yet their children. if they do, he 


[! Corp. Jur. Canon. Lugd. 1624. Decret. Gra- [2 Corp. Jur. Civil. Lut. Par. 1628. Digest. 
tiani, Decr. Sec. Pars, Causa xxxi1. Quest. vii. | Lib. 1. Tit.v. De Statu Hom. 11. Tom. I. cols. 13, 4. 
Cans. I- -10. cols. 1633—7. See also Decretal. Greg. | Lib. xxu. Tit. ii. De Ritu Nuptiar. 2. col. 717.] 
IX. Lib. 1v. Tit. xix. capp. 2, 5. cols. 1552—5.] 


OF THEIR DOCTRINE. 533 


proclaimeth their marriage to be incestuous, and that divorcement must be made out 
of hand*. This is to be understanded, except they purchase a licence of him for 
money: for money maketh all things lawful in the court; neither are his laws any 
other thing than nets for money. 

71. Christ freely permitteth marriage to all degrees, none excepted, if they have 
not the gift of continency: neither doth he appoint any time when it shall not be 
lawful to solemnize matrimony, but giveth liberty to all men at all times freely to 
marry. 

Antichrist, as we have tofore heard, denieth marriage to all his clattering clergy, 
rather suffering them to burn and to run a whoring, than he will suffer them to 
have wives of their own, that this prophecy of St Paul may be fulfilled: “The 
Spirit speaketh evidently,” saith he, “that in the latter times some shall depart from 
the faith, and shall give heed unto the spirits of error, and devilish doctrines of them 
which speak falsely through hypocrisy, and have their consciences marked with an hot 
iron, forbidding to marry,” &c. And, as he forbiddeth certain degrees of men to marry, 
so doth he forbid at certain times of the year to celebrate matrimony ; insomuch that 
whosoever presumeth in those forbidden times to marry is not only accursed, but his 
marriage also is not lawful*. Notwithstanding, if any man will bring money and pur- 
chase a licence to marry, he shall easily obtain it, though it were on Good-Friday ; 
so dear and tenderly beloved is that great god mammon in antichrist’s courts. But 
if it be lawful at these times to marry for money, is it not lawful to marry with- 
out money? Doth money make a thing either lawful or unlawful? God destroy 
thy kingdom, O antichrist! “Thy money perish with thee:” “for thy heart is not 
right in the sight of God.” 

72. Christ in his holy gospel commandeth us to pray, but he prescribeth no 
certain time of prayer. 

Antichrist appointeth certain times to pray, which times whosoever doth not ob- 
serve, he is counted grievously to offend. 

73. Christ, by his blessed apostle St Paul, giveth us liberty to “pray in every 
place, lifting up pure hands without wrath or doubting.” And he himself in the 
gospel said to the woman of Samaria: “‘ Woman, believe me,...the hour cometh, and 
now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in the truth. 
For such also the Father requireth to worship him. God is a spirit; and they that 
worship him must worship him in spirit and in the truth.” 

Antichrist teacheth that, though we may pray to God in all places, yet ought 
we most chiefly to pray in such places as his bishops and prelates have consecrated 
and hallowed for money, as oratories worthy for their virtue and holiness, wherein 
our prayers may the sooner be heard and the better accepted. And yet in these 
places appointed of him for prayer one is counted more holy than another, and more 
meritorious to pray in; as the church is holier than the chapel, and the chancel holier 
than them both; and yet the cathedral church, otherwise called the mother-church, 
more holy than them all three. But to pray at the shrines of his canonized saints, 
or in places of pilgrimage, where the devil worketh stiracles, I would say miracles, 
but namely at Rome, at Compostella, at Jerusalem, &c., this passeth all. Prayers made 
in those places with this confidence, that they be the sooner heard and the better 
accepted by the reason of the places, fly to heaven as it were a polled hen. 

74. Christ appointed a certain form of prayer, after the which we should direct 
our prayers unto our heavenly Father; wherein also he declareth what things we 
should specially ask of God the Father. 

Antichrist appointeth divers and many forms of praying, not to God, but to this 
he saint, and to that she saint ; yea, and that for many and sundry causes, to every 
saint for a contrary thing. And thus are men taught to worship the creature instead 
of the Creator, robbing God of his glory, and committing most wicked and damna- 
ble idolatry. 


[* Corp. Jur. Canon. Decretal. Greg. 1X. Lib. 1v. [* Id. Decret. Gratiani, Decr. Sec. Pars, Causa 
Tit. xi. cols. 1491, &c.] XXxuI. Quest. iv. Cans. 8—10. cols, 1817, 8. ] 


1 Tim. iv. 


Acts viii. 


Matt. vi. 


1 Tim. ii. 


John iv. 


Matt. vi. 
Luke xi. 


534 THE ACTS OF CHRIST AND OF ANTICHRIST. 


Matt. vi. 75. Christ saith: “ When thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are; 
for they use to stand praying in the synagogues, and in the comers of the streets, 
that they may be seen of men.” 

Antichrist saith, I will that my chaplains and my quire-men shall pray, sing, 
and say in none other places than in the synagogues, that is to say, in churches and 
chapels, and such other oratories, yea, and specially when the people are most of all 
gathered together, although they understand not one word what is either sung or said, 
or on the organs played. And because they may be seen of men, and have the 
greater assembly of people at their prayers, he commandeth that now one bell shall 
be rung, now two, now three, now all the bells in the steeple, by the which diver- 
sity of ringing men may the better know not only when antichrist’s chaplains and 
their complices may be seen to pray, but also when it is festwm simplex, or festum 
duplex, or festum principale, that is to say, single feast, or double feast, or principal 
feast. 

Matt. vi. 76. Christ saith: “When ye pray, babble not much, as the heathen do. For 
they think it will come to pass that they shall be heard for their much babbling. 
Be ye not therefore like unto them.” 


The long. Antichrist doth so lade and burden his captives with innumerable multitudes of 
papkts, prayers, that they have almost no time to breathe. They have matins of the day, 


and matins of our lady, with prime and hours. They have long nocturns; they have 
long litanies, long seven psalms, long fifteen psalms, with many and divers orisons. 
They have long masses and long commemorations. They have long diriges and long 
commendations. They have evensong of the day, with evensong of our lady, and 
complin to them both. And all these things must be said or sung under pain of 
deadly sin. But how they be mumbled and jumbled up, all the world may see: 
verily, without all godly affection of the mind, the heart goeth one way, and the 
voice another way, so that they agree together as harp and harrow, and come one to 
another as just as Jermyn’s lips. Of such kind of beadmen speaketh our Saviour Christ 

Matt. xv. OM this manner: “‘ This people draweth nigh, and honoureth me with their lips; but 

“oe their heart is far from me. Verily they worship me in vain, teaching doctrines, even 
the commandments of men.” 

77. Christ would have such love among us that be his disciples, that we should 
gladly, willingly, and freely, without money, pray one for another. 

Antichrist willeth his chaplains to pray for none except they have money, accord- 
ing to the common proverb: No penny, no Paternoster. If money come, they will 
be ready at all times to sing and say: if there be no money, then here is the door, 
and there is the way: farewell, gentle Geffrey ; and, as the porters cry in Sturbridge 
fair, A new master, a new, and hang up the old; they will no longer sing or say than 
ye have money for to pay. Bring money, and ye shall have mass of Scala coli, mass 
of Requiem, mass of Recordare, mass of Si iniquitates, with an hundred kind of masses 
besides, for whatsoever purpose ye will. For our massmongers have masses in store 
for all kind of things, good or bad. Only bring money, and ye shall want nothing; 
so desirous are antichrist’s men of money. O mammonists! 

1 Tim. t. 78. Christ by his apostles commandeth that every congregation should have his 
pastor or preacher to feed the christian flock with the most wholesome food of God’s 
word; so that every spiritual minister should attend upon his own cure, and not be 
distract with the care of divers congregations. 

Pluralities of | Antichrist cannot away with this, that one man should have but one benefice and 

Dias atone living; therefore he dispenseth with his chaplains for money, to have as many 
benefices as they can get, never taking thought for the discharge of the cures. He 
granteth them dualities, trialities, pluralities, and tot-quots, to snatch as many as 
they can catch. Though God would have one pastor to have but one flock, and 
one beneficed man to enjoy but one benefice; yet antichrist, contrary to this most 
righteous will of God, granteth to one man for money thorough dispensation to have 
multitudes of benefices, both against all right and conscience, and against the ancient 
practice and usage of Christ’s church. It is more tolerable and praiseworthy that 
two or three pastors should have the oversight of one congregation, being large and 


OF THEIR DOCTRINE. 535 


great in multitude of people (as we read that in the city of Philippos there were 
divers bishops and divers deacons that did attend upon the flock of Christ), than one pnit. i. 
man to have the charge of many parishes. How can one man be in divers places? 

can one man do that which is denied to angels? I mean, to be in many and divers 
places at once. Will they commit the charge of them to other? and hire other to 
satisfy their office? But our Saviour Christ saith: “ A good shepherd giveth his life John x. 
for his sheep. An hired servant, and he that is not the shepherd, neither are the 
sheep his own, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and flieth; and the wolf 
catcheth and scattereth the sheep.” If antichrist’s chaplains be not able to serve so 
many cures (as they are not able indeed), as they place other in their stead, so let 
them resign and give over to their curates and ministers those benefices where they 
serve, and they themselves serve not, that they may be the more able to do their 
duty. And would God such order might be taken, that one benefice might be made S# 
of such valor that it might abundantly suffice one man and such as necessarily ap- 
pertain unto him, that these pluralities of benefices may once be taken away, which 
without doubt hath been the occasion, and yet is, of the destruction of many men’s 
souls! 

79. Christ by his blessed apostle commandeth that such should be chosen to be 
bishops and pastors of God’s flock as be “apt to teach,” that is to say, “to exhort 1 Tim. iii 
by wholesome doctrine, and to improve them that say against it.” es 

Antichrist repelleth and putteth back none from taking cure of souls, if he can 

read his portass and his missal, and be well seen in the pie’. As for preaching 
and teaching, except it be four times in the year to read to the people a general curse, 
or to tell them some narrations out of the Festival, or saints’ lies (lives I should say) 
out of Legenda aurea, he careth not for it, yea, he abhorreth it. Moreover, anti- 
christ is grown up unto such favour and madness, that he is not ashamed for money 
to dispense with boys, and to license them to have cure of souls, and to enjoy 
spiritual promotions, which ought to be the livings of the true and faithful pastors, 
and of such as labour and travail in the Lord’s harvest; whereas the boys are not 
able to have cure of their own souls, being more meet to be taught than to teach. 
O thou antichrist, which burnest with an unquenchable thirst of worldly goods, what 
an whorish forehead hast thou put on, that thou darest commit the cure of souls, 
and the livings appointed for the same, to children, to boys, to such as be like mules 
and horses, that have no understanding! Is it fitting, meet, and convenient, that 
those souls, which were so dearly bought with the precious blood of God’s own Son, 
should be committed to the cure, charge, and oversight of boys and children? Is 
not this to offer the flock of Christ a spoil to the wolf? Is not this to throw men’s 
souls headlong down into the deep dungeon of hell-fire for lack of knowledge? Is 
not this utterly to deface the ministery, and cruelly to spoil the worthy pastors of 
their livings, and the christian people of doctrine and true administration of the sa- 
craments? Wo worth thee, O antichrist, with thy god that wicked mammon! 

80. Christ by his holy apostle chargeth all pastors to “feed their flock” dili-1 Pet. v. 
gently, and to be resident upon their benefices, and not, like an hireling or a thief, to 
forsake the flock, and to have no care thereof. 

Antichrist, contrary to this charge and commandment of Christ, granteth for money 
non-residences to so many as come, not caring for the flock, so he may have the money ; 
nor yet regarding the will of God, so that his pouch may be filled with gold and silver. 
Let the sheep of Christ run astray where they will, hang on every briar, fall into every 
ditch, be devoured of every wolf, yea, sink down into hell, he forceth not. For money 
he licenseth the shepherd to go whither he will, to be where he list, and to do what 
him most delighteth. The pastor, having a good opinion of his dispensation and non- 
residence, is led with no care toward his flock, but doth what he will, and yet gor- 
geously and deliciously, although absent, liveth of the wool and milk of the flock, 
like a thief, which, as our Saviour Christ saith, “cometh not but for to steal, to Johnx. 
kill, and to destroy.” Against these non-residentiaries God crieth out by the prophet, 





[' Pie: the popish ordinal. See Nares’ Glossary. ] 


Ezek. xxxiv. 


Matt. x. 
1 Cor. ix. 


1 Tim. v. 


Against the 
impropri- 
ations of 
benefices. 


Phil. iii. 


536 THE ACTS OF CHRIST AND OF ANTICHRIST. 


and saith: “@O pastor and idol, that forsaketh his flock.” By another prophet God 
crieth out also against those shepherds that feed themselves and not the flock, saying : 
“ Wo be unto those shepherds that feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed 
the flocks? Ye have eaten up the fat: ye have clothed you with the wool: the 
best-fed have ye slain: but the flock have ye not nourished; the weak have ye 
not holden up; the sick have ye not healed ; the broken have ye not bound together ; 
the outcasts have ye not brought again; the lost have ye not sought, but churlishly 
and cruelly have ye ruled them. Thus are they scattered here and there without a 
shepherd: yea, all the beasts of the field devour them ; and they go astray.” 

81. Christ saith: “The workman is worthy of his meat.” And the apostle saith : 
“The Lord hath ordained that they that preach the gospel should live of the gospel.” 
Again he saith: “The elders that rule well are worthy of double honour, most spe- 
cially they that labour in the word and teaching. For the scripture saith, Thou 
shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The 
labourer is worthy of his reward.” 

Antichrist suffereth monsters and unprofitable clods of the earth to live and to wax 
fat of the goods of the church. Moreover, in divers and innumerable places of Chris- 
tendom antichrist taketh away the corn and the best fruits of benefices from the true 
and faithful pastors, wherewith they should live and such as belong to them, and 
be the more able to maintain hospitality, to relieve the poor, to comfort the way- 
faring man, and to succour the poor afflicted Christians ; and he giveth it to monstrous 
monks, to flattering friars, to chattering canons, to pattering priests, and to such-like 
unprofitable members of the christian commonweal: whereby it is come to pass that 
the true shepherds, which watch over those flocks of the Lord, are most miserably 
handled, unjustly and against all right and conscience deprived of their duty, and 
thrown (alas for pity!) into extreme poverty ; hospitality decayeth, the poor are not 
succoured, the needy are not relieved, yea, nothing is done in those parishes by the 
pastors whereby the comfortless may be comforted. No marvel, when the pastors’ 
themselves have not wherewith to relieve their own necessity, but are compelled daily, 
as we may see before our eyes (such is their misery), to leave their flocks, which, as 
sheep destitute of shepherds, wander here and there, and to seek other places where 
they may have whereof to live; whereas, if they had that which is due unto them, 
but otherwise unjustly taken away from them by antichrist’s decree, they should not 
only be able to live themselves, but also abundantly to relieve the poor. 

O antichrist, what devil breathed this wicked affection into thy heart, that thou 
shouldest take away from the painful pastors their right, and give it to idle and 
sluggish monsters, ““whose God their belly is?’ The idolatrous princes in times past 
gave great abundance of worldly possession to their idolatrous priests: and art thou 
nothing ashamed to take that away from the priests of Christ, which both the law 
of God and the law of man hath given them? To rob and spoil a private man of his 
goods hath always been counted an heinous fault and a sin worthy of death; and 
shall it be lawful for thee, O thou antichrist, to take away from the ministers of 
Christ their duty and their right, and to give it where it pleaseth thee, O thou God- 
robber? Is not this to commit sacrilege, and also to deny the workman his meat, 
the labourer his reward, the shepherd his milk, the vine-keeper his wine, the warrior 
his wages, and to muzzle the ox’s mouth that treadeth out the corn? 

And that wicked spirit occupieth their minds also in these our days, which against 
all right and against their own conscience, unto their great damnation, except they 
shortly repent and amend, go forth to keep, hold, and possess these livings and goods 
of the poor pastors. Antichrist, as they themselves confess, neither can they deny 
it, by his devilish decree most unjustly and most tyrant-like took away the best 
portion of the tithes from the true owners, and gave them to a sort of monstrous 
hypocrites: why then are they now retaimed of them that seem to be enemies to 
antichrist, to condemn his antichristian acts, and to wish that all abuses might be 
taken away, and that a perfect reformation might be made according to the word 





[1 Folio, papists.] 


OF THEIR DOCTRINE. 537 


of God? Can there be any greater abuse than, according to antichrist’s law, wrong- 
fully and unjustly to withhold from the true pastor and preacher of the Lord’s word 
that which is properly his due? The wise man saith: “The bread of the needy is keelus. 
the life of the poor: he that defraudeth him of it is a murderer and a manslayer.” ~~” 
What then is to be thought of them which take away from the ministers of the Lord’s 
word the tithe-corn, whereof they should have bread to eat, and to give unto the 
needy? Is not this to play the part of a murderer? The needy pastor and his 
family would gtadly eat bread; and the corn whereof it should be made is taken away 
from them, and unfruitfully consumed and devoured of those which do no good at all to 

the parishes. Is not this to pluck the meat out of the mouths of the pastor and his 
family ? which thing what other is it than to play the murderer? I deserve dam- 
nation if I feed not the needy: shall it then be lawful for me to take away the right 

of theneedy? If I give not of mine own to the hungry, I sin; and shall I be counted 

to do well when I will not suffer other men to enjoy their own, but through the 
pretence of an antichristian decree violently withhold it from them? Verily, it were 
better for such as thus unjustly, by the virtue of antichrist’s law, possess the lawful duties 

of the lawful pastors, to render those duties to the true owners, though their delicate 

fare should somewhat be abated thereby, than to go forth thus wickedly to retain 
that is not their own. 

“What doth it profit a man,” saith our Saviour Christ, “to win the whole world, matt. xvi. 
and to lose his soul?” It is truly said of the wise man: “Better is a little with prov. x 
the fear of the Lord, than great treasure with sorrow.” Again: “Better is a dry Prov. 
morsel with quietness (of conscience), than an house full of fat offerings with strife,” 
that is to say, with grief of mind. Once again he saith: “ Better it is to have a prov. 
little thing with righteousness, than great treasures with sorrow.” Morcover, the 
blessed apostle St Paul, in the description of a bishop or spiritual pastor, sheweth 
that he ought to be “a maintainer of hospitality.” Now what hospitality can there 1 Tim. iii, 
be maintained, where those things are taken away that chiefly uphold and maintain’ ™ 
hospitality, yea, without which no hospitality can be had? Take away corn, whereof 
bread and drink is made, which is the best portion that belongeth unto the mainte- 
nance of hospitality; and what remaineth behind wherewith the pastor may be able 
to keep open his doors, and to relieve either himself or any other? Take away his 
corn, as it is at this day come to pass through antichrist’s decree, and the upholders 
of the same: may not then the spiritual minister be called pastor a pascendo, sicut 
mons a movendo? God have mercy on us, and send us once a redress of this great 
abuse, yea, of this theft, sacrilege, and tyranny! 

Furthermore, God by his prophet commandeth that all manner of tithes should ma. iii. 
be brought into his barn, that there may be meat in his house. Is not the pastor’s 
barn his barn? and is not the pastor's house his house? Now God commandeth that all 
tithes should be brought into the pastor’s barn, that there may be meat in the pastor's 
house. But how can there be meat in the pastor’s house, which God calleth his own 
house, because his poor members are, and ought to be, refreshed in the same, when 
as the chief and principal tithes cannot be suffered, through antichrist’s decree, to be 
brought into the pastor's barn, which God calleth his own barn? God commandeth 
one thing, and antichrist willeth the contrary; and yet the wicked worldlings and 
voluptuous epicures, “whose god the belly is,” go forth to maintain the same, and 
unjustly to possess the goods of the true and faithful pastors; so greatly hath the 
god of this world blinded their eyes, (I mean the devil, and that wicked idol mammon, ) 
that this saying of the apostle may be found true in them: “ All seek their own, 
and not the things which are Jesus Christ’s.” By this wicked decree of antichrist 
is the law of God broken, the true pastors deprived of their living, the poor people 
robbed of their belief, hospitality decayed, parishes left desolate, the pastoral houses 
fall into ruin, the people are untaught, schools are not maintained, the youth is neg- 
lected, both old and young run clean out of order, no degree doth his office, the 
ministery is despised, the word of God neglected, the preachers of God nothing re- 
garded ; and, in fine, an whole sea of evils brasteth into the bounds of the christian 
commonweal; and would God with the same there were not made a shipwreck of 


Vv. 


xvii, 


Xvi. 


Phil. ii. 


Matt. xix. 


John viii. 


Luke xxiii. 


Matt. xii. 


Matt. xx. 
Luke xxii. 


Acts iv. 
1 Cor. i. 
James ii. 


Matt. iv. 


Gal. iv. 


Gal. iii. 


Matt. xx. 
Luke xxii. 


Eph. ii. 
John x. 


John xiii. xv. 


538 THE ACTS OF CHRIST AND OF ANTICHRIST. 


all goodness and godliness! Notwithstanding, who lamenteth these things, and earnestly 
seeketh a redress thereof? God amend all that is amiss, and send corn where none is! 

82. Christ, in all his doctrine teaching humility, when a certain man called him 
good, answered that “no man is good but God alone.” 

Antichrist, being most wicked and most sinful, will be called the best and the 
most holy. 

83. Christ continually studied to do good, both to the bodies and souls of men. 

Antichrist doth his whole endeavour how he may hurt both the bodies and souls 
of men; the bodies, by bringing them and their goods into captivity ; the souls, by 
drowning them in superstition and idolatry. 

84. Christ in all his doings sought the glory of God his Father. 

Antichrist in all his acts seeketh his own glory, and wisheth to be taken of all 
men as a god, calling himself God’s vicar in earth, and supreme head of the universal 
church of Christ throughout the whole world. 

85. Christ promised to the thief hanging by him on the cross paradise freely. 

Antichrist for money promiseth remission of sins, deliverance out of purgatory, 
and everlasting life. 

86. Christ had no great regard of them that were his kinsfolk after the flesh. 

Antichrist hath a special regard unto them, and exalteth them unto most high 
dignities and promotions, although most unworthy. 

87. Christ, when his disciples at any time were at contention, brought them again 
straightways unto unity and concord. 

Antichrist setteth them together by the ears that are at peace, and never ceaseth 
to set kings and princes at variance. For then goeth it best with his kingdom. 

88. Christ did choose such to attend upon him as were homely, simple, and plain. 

Antichrist admitteth none unto his service but such as be full of guile, craft, and 
subtilty. 

89. Christ compelled no man against his will to believe his gospel. 

Antichrist, with suspension and excommunication, with apprehension and persecu- 
tion, with fire and fagot, with sword and halter, enforceth men to receive his devilish 
decrees and trifling traditions. 

90. Christ in all his adversity fled unto prayer. 

Antichrist in his trouble flieth unto armour. 

91. Christ fought against Satan with God’s word. 

Antichrist fighteth against his adversaries with the temporal sword. 

92. Christ made himself subject to the law, when notwithstanding he was Lord 
of the law. 

Antichrist himself will be obedient to no law, and giveth licence for money to 
other also to break laws. 

93. Christ, by fulfilling the law, “delivered us from the curse of the law.” 

Antichrist, through his disobedience unto laws, openeth a window unto all wick- 
edness, and through his evil example provoketh other to fall unto lewdness, and so to 
run into the curse and displeasure of God, unto their great damnation. 

94. Christ in his doctrine taught none other but the law of his heavenly Father. 

Antichrist teacheth laws of his own making, not only not agreeable, but also 
contrary to the word of God, and with violence enforceth men to keep the same. 

95. Christ by no means could abide that his disciples should strive for the su- 
premacy. 

Antichrist challengeth supremacy not only over the clergy, but also over kings 
and emperors, yea, and over the whole world. 

96. Christ by his doctrine and death made the Jews and gentiles, which tofore 
were at variance, one spiritual kingdom. 

Antichrist, through his wicked traditions and devilish laws, hath made the Greek 
and Latin churches, which before were at great unity and concord concerning matters 
of christian religion, to be at variance, one affirming this, another denying the same. 

97. Christ in his last sermon gave a special commandment to his disciples that 
they should love one another. 


OF THEIR DOCTRINE. 539 


Antichrist straitly chargeth his champions, that they strive and fight valiantly 
for the liberties of holy church, and that they by no means love and favour such as 
hate his decrees and laws. 

98. Christ, in the aforesaid sermon, making mention of his corporal departure out John xv. 
of this world, promised to send to his disciples the Holy Ghost, which should lead 
them into all truth. 

Antichrist instead of the Holy Ghost sendeth pardoners, friars, canonists, and 
Scotists, to teach us not the way of truth and salvation, but the way of falsehood 
and damnation. 

99. Christ in his holy gospel teacheth that, although he be absent concerning Matt. xxviii. 
his corporal presence, yet is he alway present with his holy congregation as touching 
his divine majesty, grace, might, virtue, and power. 

Antichrist saith that Christ is not only spiritually, but also corporally with us; 
so that the priest maketh him daily, handleth him daily, breaketh him daily, eateth 
him daily, offereth him daily, &c. 

100. Christ with his doctrine bringeth, to all them that receive it with sure faith, John viii. 
remission of sins and everlasting life. 

Antichrist with his decrees bringeth to all his captives death and everlasting dam- 
nation. 


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CHRIST’S CHRONICLE, 


BY 


THOMAS BECON. 


Psal. i. 
Psal. exix. 
Tob. 1. 
(Vulgate. } 


Hist. Sus. 


TO THE 
RIGHT WORSHIPFUL AND HIS SINGULAR GOOD FRIEND, 
MASTER JOHN KEMPE, CITIZEN OF LONDON’: 


THOMAS BECON WISHETH LONG LIFE, CONTINUAL 
HEALTH, AND PROSPEROUS FELICITY. 


ConsmerinG the singular utility and exceeding great profit that cometh to all 
men by the holy and reverent reading of the most holy and reverend scriptures of 
God, I can none otherwise than marvel with what spirit those men are moved and 
led, which by no means can abide that they which are called the laity should read 
the word of God. 

I would gladly demand of them, if the lay people do not appertain unto the con- 
gregation of God? if they be not the children of God? if they be not redeemed with 
the same price wherewith other be? if they also belong not unto the kingdom of 
heaven? again, if there be any law, statute, or ordinance given by God, that the 
lay people should not read the sacred scriptures, but be content, as some teach, with 
the doctrine that is taught of the preachers, and seek no further knowledge? If the 
lay people be the people of God, and no commandment of God given whereby they 
should be restrained from reading the sacred scriptures, who seeth not then evidently, 
how lewdly those men judge which affirm that the reading of the scriptures apper- 
taineth not unto the laity? Is there any act, decree, statute, or ordinance made by 
any civil magistrate, which ought to be concealed and kept secret from his subjects, 
so that they shall not both hear it and read it? How shall a faithful subject address 
and prepare himself unto the diligent observation and keeping of his liege lord’s hests 
and commandments, if he know them not? And how shall he better know them 
than by reading them himself? Are not men many times deceived by the reports 
of other? Have not men’s idle inventions and trifling traditions been heard in the 
times past out of pulpits, and the people made to believe that it was the word of God ? 

But come off, to whom was the law of God in the old testament given to be read ? 
to Aaron the priest and his son only? or rather to Moses and to all the people of 
Israel no less than to the priests? To what end commanded God that the fathers should 
teach their children his holy laws, and write them on every part of their houses, that 
they might always be in their sight, but that they should read them? Never was 
there any among God’s people in the old law that was forbidden to read the word 
of God. Doth not David pronounce them blessed that study in the law of the Lord 
day and night, and studiously search his testimonies? Did not old Tobias teach his 
son from his youth to fear God, and to refrain from all sin? Did not the parents of 
the most godly and continent matron Susanna bring her up godly, and according to 
the law of Moses? Was not Timothy brought up in the knowledge of the holy 
scriptures from his infancy and tender age? How virtuously and learnedly Philip 
the evangelist brought up his daughters in all knowledge of godly letters, who knoweth 
not? Our Saviour Christ commandeth to “search the scriptures.” St John calleth 
him blessed, not only which heareth, but also “‘readeth” the words of the holy 
scripture. 





[2 Of the individualto whom Becon has dedicated | was of the Kempes of Spain’s Hall. William 


this treatise, nothing can with any certainty be 
affirmed. ‘There was a family of the name settled 
at Spain’s Hall, Finchingfield, in the county of 
Essex, to which he may have belonged. Two mem- 
bers of this family married with that of Appulder- 
field of Kent; and this fact, as most of those to 
whom Becon has inscribed his writings were con- 
nected with that county, may be thought to favour 
ihe conjecture that the John Kempe in question 





Kempe married a daughter of John Colt, and 
sister to the wife of Sir Thomas More, and had by 
her six sons, one of whom bore the christian name 
of John. It is possible that he might be the person 
here named. It may be added, that there were 
Kempes of Dover, and that Sir Reginald Scott's first 
wife (see before, page 487, note 1), was the daughter 
of Sir William Kempe. ] 


THE PREFACE. 543 


Are not all things which are written, written unto our learning, that through 
patience and comfort of the scriptures we may have hope? Are we not commanded 
‘not to believe every spirit,” that is to say, every preacher, but to “ prove the spirits, 
whether they be of God, or not?” But how shall the laity prove the spirits, if 
they have not the word of God to prove them by? Is not a touchstone the trial of 
gold from copper? So is the word of God the touchstone whereby true doctrine is 
discerned from false teaching. With this touchstone the noble and worshipful men of 
Thessalonica proved and tried the doctrine of Paul and Silas. For thus writeth St 
Luke in his chronicle of the apostles’ Acts: “The noblest of birth among them of Thes- Acts xvii. 
salonica received the word with all diligence of mind, and searched the scriptures 
daily whether those things were even so.” And this their act St Paul greatly com- 
mendeth, and willeth them continually so to do, saying: ‘ Despise not prophesyings. 1 Thess. v. 
Examine all things. Keep that which is good.” But how shall the faithful Chris- 
tians examine the doctrines of men, and try whether they be true or false, if the 
touchstone, which is the word of God, be taken from them? The prophet Esay 
saith: “If any man want light, let him look upon the law and the testimony.” 
But how can any man this do, when he may not be suffered to look upon the law? 
Were they all bishops and priests to whom St Paul, with the other apostles, wrote 
their epistles? Or was rather the greatest number of them laymen, as they use to 
call them? If it were lawful for the laity at that time to read the word of God, 
how cometh it now unlawful? St Paul saith: “Let the word of Christ richly 
dwell in you with all wisdom.” But how can the word of God richly dwell in 
them which may not be suffered to read it? 

St John Chrysostom (as I may pass over many of the ancient fathers) in divers 
of his homilies exhorteth his hearers to bring the bible and books of the holy scrip-~ 
ture with them unto the church, and to try his doctrine by them, whether it be 
true or no’. 

No man ever envied the laity the reading of the holy scripture but the brood 
of antichrist only; yea, and that for this purpose only, that they might reign and 
rule after their beastly pleasure, and do what they lust without check. Owls can 
abide no light. And, as our Saviour Christ saith, “Every one that doth evil hateth Jonniii. 
the light, neither cometh he to the light, lest his works should be reproved.” These 
spirits, therefore, cannot be of God, which labour with all main to pluck the holy 
bible out of the laity’s hand, that they may not read it unto their consolation and 
comfort, and by that means be the more provoked to lead a life worthy the kind- 
ness of God. , 

Neither do I here gladly admit their objection, which say, The laity know not 
how to handle the scriptures, and rightly to understand them. I ask, Wherefore do 
the spiritual ministers serve but to instruct the people in the right understanding of 
the scriptures? If the lay people have the scriptures of God freely permitted unto 
them, they will abuse both unto the dishonour of God, and unto the destruction of 
their own souls. I answer, Though some men abuse weapon, shall weapon therefore 
be taken from all men? Many men drink drunk: shall therefore the use of wine, 
ale, or beer, be forbidden all men in a generality? Heresies most chiefly reigned in 
the apostles’ time, and few years after: was the scripture therefore taken away from 
the laity? Were not the people rather encouraged of the holy fathers to read the 
scriptures, that by this means they might be the better enarmed against the heretics 
and schismatics? With an ungodly spirit therefore are they led, which bear so 
heavily that the lay people should read the holy scripture in their mother-tongue. 
I believe, and am assuredly persuaded, that the free having of the scripture in the 





[! The passages are almost innumerable in which | povov émedav évtava mapayivnobe, GAA xai 
Chrysostom inculcates on lis hearers the necessity | oixade meta xeipas AauBavew ta eta PiBria, 
of searching the scriptures. It will be sufficient | Kui wer’ éwimedcias d€éyecbat TeV éyKetmévwy Tijv 
to transcribe a single one: Aca tovto mapakadko@ | wpéderav. Todd yap TO éevTEvbev TiKTSOmeEVOV Kép- 
Kul ouvexws évtaviia BadiCew, Kat peta axpiBelas | dos.—Chrysost.Op. Par. 1718-38. Incap. ix. Genes. 
Tpocéxew TH Tov Vciwy ‘ypapav dvayvwce, py . Llom. xxix. Tom. 1V. p. 28).] 


544 CHRIST'S CHRONICLE. 


English tongue, so that all men may read it, is the cause of true religion toward 
the Lord our God, of faithful obedience toward the higher powers, of fervent love 
toward our neighbours, of right-up dealing with all men, of repentance, of amend- 
ment of life, and, in fine, of all good things, as experience, God be thanked, in not 
a few abundantly teacheth in these our days. 

And verily unto this end ought all good and godly men, but specially the minis- 
ters of God’s word, address all their travails, studies, and labours, that the people 
might daily increase more and more in the knowledge of God’s most blessed word, 
that the earth might be replenished with the knowledge of the Lord', as the sea with 
waters: whereof also, I doubt not, will follow great abundance of good works, which 
thing doth shine in you as in a most clear lamp. Before certain years, most gentle 
Master Kempe, God called you unto the knowledge of the gospel. From that time 
hitherto God by his holy Spirit hath planted in you such faith toward him, such 
love toward the christian brethren, such bent and ready good-will toward all men, 
in doing them good, such patience in adversity, such temperance in prosperity, and 
such a comely behaviour in all your doings, that in your life and conversation you 
are become a mirror of virtue and an example of godliness to so many as know 
you. 

To encourage you to run this race unto the end, and to shew some part of my 
good-will toward you, I thought it not unfitting nor unworthy our unfeigned friend- 
ship, to dedicate unto your name this little work following, entitled Christ’s Chronicle, 
containing in good order, yea, and that very briefly, whatsoever the four evangelists 

both largely and disparsingly have written of the life of Christ, of his doctrine 

and miracles. The book, although little, shall bring great commodity to 
the diligent and earnest reader. This my slender travail, I pray 
you, take in good part; and I shall most humbly desire 
God to keep you, your most gentle and loving 
wife, your young son, with all your family, 
in health, both of body and mind, 
unto his most godly pleasure. 
Amen. 


[‘ Folio, earth.] 





CHRIST’S CHRONICLE. 


“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Johni. 
Word.” When all things were made by the Word, as concerning their creation, the 
Word itself became flesh, that by it all things might be repaired. Therefore, when the 
virgin Mary was espoused to a certain man called Joseph, Gabriel the angel was sent brie i: 
to the espoused virgin, saying, “ Behold, thou shalt conceive, and bring forth a son,” 1sal. vii. 
&c. And she answering said: “ Behold the Lord’s handmaid,” &c. And immediately Luke. 
she conceived by the Holy Ghost. When Joseph her husband perceived that she Matti. 
was with child, and knew not that it was by the Holy Ghost, he was determined 
secretly to go from her. “But while he was thus thinking, the angel appeared unto 
him, saying, Fear not to take thy wife unto thee.” “About that time there came Luke ii. 
forth an edict from the emperor Augustus, that the whole world should be valued ;” 
so that every man went into his own country where he was born. By this means 
came it to pass that Joseph also, with Mary his espoused wife, went up unto Bethlehem, 
where the maid brought forth her child, and laid it in a manger. 

The child being born in the night, a star appeared to the wise men in the east ; Matt. ii. 
and the very same night an angel appeared to the shepherds, shewing unto them great Lukeii. 
joy, namely, that the Saviour of the world was born; which shepherds, coming unto 
Bethlehem, found all things as it was declared unto them. After eight days the child 
was circumcised, and his name was called Jesus. Thirteen days after, the wise men Matt. ii. 
came unto Jerusalem, asking for the King of Jews, that was newly born. And being 
there instructed of the learned men that Christ should be born in Bethlehem, they 
went forth straightways unto Bethlehem, having the star to their guide, which they 
had tofore seen in the east. They, entering into the house, found the child, worshipped 
him, and offered gifts unto him. When the days of Mary’s purifying were fully 
ended, Simeon, a righteous man, which had received an answer of the Holy Ghost, Luke ii. 
that he should not see death before he had seen the Anointed of the Lord, when his 
parents had brought the child into the temple, took him into his arms, saying, “ Now, 
Lord, lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: for mine eyes 
haye seen thy saving health.” Anna also, the daughter of Phanuel, inspired with the 
Holy Ghost, and endued with the spirit of prophecy, gave in like manner witness of 
Christ. When all things were perfectly done according to the law, Joseph with the 
child returned unto Nazareth: at what time an angel appeared to Joseph, saying, 

“« Arise, and take the child and his mother, and flee into Kgypt; for it will come to Matt. ii, 
pass that Herod will seek the child to destroy it. He rose up, and departed into 
Egypt. At that time king Herod slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and 

in all the coasts round about, as many as were two years old and under; not doubting 

with so great a multitude to slay Christ. Joseph with the child and his mother dwelt 

in Egypt seven years. Herod at the last being dead, Joseph, at the commandment 

of the angel, returned with Mary and the child unto Nazareth. The child grew 

and waxed strong, full of wisdom. 

When Jesus was twelve years of age, he went up to Jerusalem with his parents Lukeii. 
unto the feast, and remained at Jerusalem; and his father and mother knew not of it. 
After three days he was found in the temple, sitting among the doctors, to whom 
his mother said, “Son, why hast thou done so to us?” “And he went down 
with them, dwelt with them in Nazareth, and was obedient unto them.” ‘ And he 
increased in age and wisdom before God and men.” 

In those days John preached repentance and remission of sins. At that time there Matt is. 
were three sects among the Jews, which greatly differed from the common life and Luke ih 
opinion of men, and they were called Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essees. The Pharisees ete 


did wear great broad papers on their arms a on their forehead, wherein the tables ais 


35 
[ercon, 11. ] 


Matt. iii. 
John i. 


Luke iii. 
Matt. iii. 
Mark i. 
John i. 


Matt. iv. 
Mark i. 
Luke iv. 


John i. 


John ii. 


John iii. 


Luke v. 


Luke iv. 


Isai. ]xi. 


John iii. 


Matt. xiv. 


Mark vi. 
Luke ix. 


Matt. xiv. 


Mark i. 


Matt. v. 
Luke vi. 


Matt. viii. 


Mark i. 
Luke v. 


Mark i. 
Luke iv. 


Matt. viil. 


Mark i. 
Luke iv. 
Matt. x. 


Luke vii. 


546 CHRISTS CHRONICLE. 


of the ten commandments were written, and they had thorns in the hems of their 
garments, and they affirmed that the souls of the dead did go into other bodies until 
the day of the general resurrection. The Sadducees denied the resurrection of the 
dead, affirming that the souls die with the body. The Essees, being not altogether 
unlike to monks in life, held this opinion, that all the souls were made from the 
beginning, and are committed unto bodies when time require. All these sects John 
reproved, saying, ‘‘O ye generation of vipers, &c.” At that time the Pharisees asked 
him if he were Christ, or Helias, or that prophet; which answered, no, and that 
he was the voice of a crier in the wilderness. 


THE FIRST YEAR OF CHRIST’S PREACHING, AND OF HIS MIRACLES 
WORKING. 


Ar that time Jesus, being about thirty years of age, came from Galilee, and was 
baptized of John; and the heavens were opened upon him, and the voice of the heavenly 
Father was heard, and the Holy Ghost came down upon Christ in the similitude and 
likeness of a dove. After these things he was led of the Spirit into wilderness, 
where he fasted, and was tempted of the devil forty days and forty nights. After- 
ward John saw Jesus walking, and said, “Behold the Lamb of God, that taketh 
away the sin of the world;’ which thing when two of his disciples heard, (one of 
them was Andrew,) they followed Christ. Andrew brought his brother Simon, whom 
Jesus afterward called Cephas. The next day after the Lord found Philip, and said 
unto him, “ Follow me;”’ and he followed him, and brought Nathanael unto him also. 

The third day after there was a marriage in Cana, a city of Galilee, where Jesus 
turned the water into wine, which was the beginning of his miracles that he did 
openly. Shortly after, at the feast of Easter, he went up unto Jerusalem, and did 
cast out of the temple the buyers and sellers in it. And to the Jews, which then 
required signs and miracles at his hand, he said, “Destroy this temple; and I will 
build it up again in three days.” Nicodemus, which was one of the rulers, came 
unto Jesus in the night, whom the Lord taught concerning the spiritual nativity of 
man. When he, departing from thence, walked by the sea of Galilee, and the people 
pressed greatly upon him, he went up into Simon’s boat, and taught the people out 
of the ship; and he bade Peter cast out his net into the sea; and he caught a won- 
derful great number of fish, and falling down on his knees, he said to Jesus: “Go 
from me, O Lord, for I am a sinner.” After these things, Jesus came unto Nazareth, 
where on the sabbath-day he read out of the prophet Esay these words: ‘“ The 
Spirit of the Lord is upon me,” &c. Afterward he went into Jewry; and his disciples 
did baptize. John also baptized in the wilderness, by Salim; and he sent many unto 
Jesus, which was the occasion that John’s disciples were angry, and envied Christ. 
But John reproved them, saying, ‘“‘He must increase, but I must decrease.” 

Shortly after, John reproved Herod for keeping his brother’s wife; and Herod 
therefore threw him into prison. Which thing when Jesus heard, he left Jewry, 
and went again into Galilee, and dwelt in Capernaum, in the coasts of Zabulon and 
Neptalim, preaching openly, and saying, “‘ Repent, and believe the gospel; for the 
kingdom of God is at hand.” And this was the first year of his preaching. Going 
from thence, when much people followed him, he went up into a mount, and calling 
unto him his disciples, he taught them, saying: ‘‘ Blessed are the poor in spirit,” 
&c. Afterward, when he came down from the mount, he healed a leper; and, when 
he came again unto Capernaum, he healed the servant of a certain captain; and 
going there into the synagogue, he cast out of a man an unclean spirit. And en- 
tering into the city Naim, he raised up unto life the only son of his mother. From 
that time Jesus began to be famous in all places; insomuch that all kind of diseased 
persons were brought unto him; and he healed them. After these things, he sent 
forth his disciples to preach, giving them power to cast out unclean spirits, and to 
heal all manner of diseases and sicknesses. 


A certain Pharisee desired him to eat with him; and he, coming into the Pharisee’s 


FIRST YEAR OF CHRISTS PREACHING, &c. 547 


house, sat down at the table, where a certain woman, being a famous sinner, came 

unto him with an alabaster box full of sweet ointment, and kneeling down before 

his feet, she began to wash his feet with her tears, and to wipe them with the hair 

of her head; and Christ forgave her her sins, being many in multitude. And a certain matt. viii 
scribe came unto him, and said, ‘ Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou cas) 
goest.” But Christ said unto him, “‘ The foxes have dens, and the fowls of the air 

have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to rest his head.” And to another he 

said, “Follow thou me;” which said, “Suffer me first to bury my father.” But 
Christ said unto him, “Suffer thou the dead to bury the dead: go thou and preach 

the kingdom of God.” The third said unto him, “I will follow thee; but suffer Luke ix. 
me to bid my friends first farewell.” Jesus said unto him, “ No man that putteth 

his hand to the plough, and looketh back, is meet for the kingdom of God.” 

Then went he up into a ship, and slept; and there rose a great tempest, insomuch Mate vit 
that his disciples did wake him ; and he straightways commanded the wind and the sea Luke vii. 
to be quiet, and there followed a great calm. When he was come over the sea into 
the country of the Gerasens, two that were possessed of devils came running unto 
him, of the which one fell down before him, saying, “‘ What have we to do with 
thee, O Jesu, thou Son of God? Thou art come to vex us before the time.” And 
he cast the devils into the swine. The Gerasens, being moved at the matter, desired 
him to depart from their coasts. One that was delivered from a legion of devils Mark v.— 
desired Christ that he might follow him; to whom Jesus said, “Go home, and tell 
what great things God hath done unto thee: ” which thing he act Jesus, going into Matt. ix. 
a ship, ehamned into his city, that is to say, Capernaum, where he healed a man Luke v. 
diseased of the palsy, let down of four men from the top of the house. 

Jesus, departing from thence, went up into Jewry; and he, seeing Levi the son of Matt. ix. 
Alpheus, called Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom, called him ; and he followed Luke v. 
him. When he returned into Galilee, making his journey through Samaria, he came John iv. 
unto a pit, where he talked with a woman of Samaria. Coming from thence into 
Cana Galilee, he was desired of a certain ruler that he would heal his son; for he 
was at the point of death. To whom the Lord said, “Thy son liveth.” And the 
child was healed at the very same hour. After these things Levi, otherwise called Matt. ix. 
Matthew, the toll-gatherer, prepared a banquet for Christ in his house, where many Luke v. 
publicans and sinners sat at the table with Jesu; which thing greatly displeased the 
Pharisees. The Pharisees also at that time eed Christ’s disciples, because they 
fasted not, as they and the disciples of John did: but Christ defended them. After- 1 Matt. xii 
ward, the Pharisees requiring a sign, Christ said that none should be given unto them Luke xi. 
but the sign of Jonas the prophet. And he brought in the example of the queen 
of the south, and of the Ninivites, to confound their incredulity. He told them also 
a parable of an unclean spirit. As he spake these things, a certain woman of the 
company cried out and said, “‘ Blessed be the womb that bare thee, and the paps 
that gave thee suck.” But he answered, “Yea, rather, blessed are they that hear S# 
the word of God, and keep it:” and, wied a certain man said unto him that his matt. xii. 
mother and his brethren would speak with him: “He that doth the will of my Luke viii 
Father is my mother, brother, sister,” &c. 

As he was yet speaking, a certain prince of the synagogue, called Jairus, came Matt. ix. 
unto him, and made intercession for his daughter; whose request Christ most graciously 1 Duke vii 
heard, and went with him. By the way a certain woman, being many years diseased 
of a bloody issue, touched the hem of Christ’s garment, and was straightways healed. 
Christ, entering into Jairus’ house, raised up his daughter from death unto life. After 
this he restored two blind men to their sight. He delivered also a man that was Mark vii. 
both dumb and deaf from the devil. And when the common people did greatly 
commend and praise Christ for his miracles, the Pharisees imputed all those his Matt. ix. 
noble works to the help of Belzebub, prince of the devils. But Christ mightily Luke xi 
confounded them, and proved that his miracles were done by the mighty power oo. 
God. He spake unto them of a kingdom divided in itself; of a strong armed man ; 
of the sin against the Holy Ghost ; of a tree; of the good and bad treasure, &c. 

After these things he entered into a certain castle, where a certain woman called Luke x. 

3o—2 


Matt. xi. 
Luke vii. 


Luke x. 


Matt. xi. 
Luke x. 


Matt. xii. 
Mark ii. 
Luke vi. 


Matt. xii. 
Mark iii. 
Luke vi. 


Luke vi. 


Matt. xiii. 
Mark iv. 
Luke viii. 


Matt. xili. 
Mark vi. 
Luke iv. 
John iv. 
Luke iv. 

1 Kings xvii. 


Matt. xiv. 
Mark vi. 
Luke ix. 


John vi. 


Matt. xiv. 
Mark vi. 


548 CHRIST'S CHRONICLE. 


Martha made him a dinner; which Martha had a sister called Maria. She gave 
diligent ear to the words of Christ. Immediately after, when John being in prison 
heard the works of Christ, he sent unto him two of his disciples, to demand whether 
he were that Messias that was promised to come, or that they should look for another. 
Christ bade them consider his works. When John’s disciples were gone, Jesus greatly 
commended John both for his gravity and constancy, calling him greater than a pro- 
phet, and an angel sent before his face; again, that among the children of women 
there was none greater than John Baptist. 

After these things the Lord appointed seventy and two disciples, and sent them 
forth to preach, two and two together; which, returning with great joy, told Christ 
that even the very devils were subject unto them. But Christ willed them to rejoice 
not in this, but that their names were written in the book of life. Then Christ, 
greatly rejoicing in the spirit, gave thanks to his heavenly Father that it pleased 
him to open such and so high mysteries to the simple ones, and to conceal and hide 
them from the wise and prudent of this world. After this, the Lord passing through 
the corn-fields on the sabbath-day, his disciples being hungry plucked the ears of the 
corn, and did eat; whom the Pharisees reproved for so doing: but Christ defended 
them by the word of God. On the sabbath-day following he healed a man that had 
a dry and withered hand. For the which his act the Pharisees conspired and took 
counsel together how they might despatch him out of the way. Jesus, knowing this, 
went out into a mountain to pray, where he continued all the whole night in prayer. 
The morning following he called unto him his twelve disciples, whom he called apostles, 
whom he had chosen to be preachers of God’s word. And sitting by the sea-side, 
much people resorted unto him; and he, going up into the ship, taught them many 
things by parables. And, after his sermon was done, his disciples asked him why he 
spake so in parables: he answered, “‘ That they which see may not see, and they that 
hear may not hear.” And he expounded unto them the parable of the sower, &c. 
When the people were departed and gone away, he came into an house, where he 
opened unto his disciples the parable of the tares; rehearsing divers other parables. 

These things did Jesus in the first year of his preaching. 


THE SECOND YEAR OF CHRISTS PREACHING, AND OF HIS 
MIRACLES WORKING. 


In the second year Christ returned into his country; to whom his countryfolk said, 
““How cometh this fellow by such wisdom? Is not this the son of Joseph the car- 
penter?” To whom he answered, “No prophet is accepted and well taken in his 
own country.” And when he had told them the history of the widow of Sarepta, 
unto whom alone in the time of hunger Helias the prophet was sent, they, casting 
him out of their city, led him up into an high mountain, that they might throw him 
down headlong. But Jesus scaped free from among them. 

At that time king Herod beheaded John Baptist, because he reproved him of 
his incestuous life. Herod afterward, hearing of the noble acts which Christ did, 
thought that it had been John Baptist, whom he killed, and that he was risen again 
from death ; and therefore desired greatly to see him. Jesus hearing this departed, 
and went aside into a solitary place; and there followed him much people; and after 
he had preached unto them, he caused them to sit down upon the grass, where with 
five loaves and two fishes he fed five thousand people. But Jesus, knowing that the 
people would make him a king, fled, and went aione into a mountain to pray. The 
disciples were on the sea, and the ship was grievously tossed with the waves; unto 
whom Jesus came in the fourth watch of the night, walking upon the sea; and the 
disciples thought that it had been a spirit. Then Peter, perceiving that it was Jesus, 
went unto him upon the waters; but he, seeing the wind to be great, was afraid, 
and began to sink. But when Jesus came up into the ship, the wind ceased. And 
he with his disciples came into the land of Genezarcth, through Bethsaida; where 
they brought unto him so many as were diseased ; and he healed them. 


SECOND YEAR OF CHRIST’S PREACHING, &c. 549 


The day following the people came unto him, marvelling how he came thither ; Jonn yi. 
and, desiring to be fed of him again, they made mention of manna, which Moses 
gave to their forefathers in the wilderness. But Christ told them that he was the 
bread of life which came down from heaven; again, that except they did eat his flesh 
and drink his blood, they could not be saved. The Jews, being offended with this 
doctrine of Christ (they understood the words of Christ not spiritually, but carnally), 
went their way, and utterly forsook him. When Christ saw that, he asked his disci- 
ples if they also would depart and go their way. The disciples answered and said, 
“Lord, to whom should we go? Thou hast the words of everlasting life; and we 
have believed that thou art Christ, the Son of the living God.” And he said unto 
them, “Have I not chosen you twelve? and one of you is a devil.” He spake 
of Judas Iscariote, that should betray him. 

At that time a certain Pharisee bade him to dinner. And both he and his dis- Luke xi. 
ciples sat them down at the table, and fell to their meat, not washing their hands 
before. The Pharisees found great fault with the matter; but Christ told them that 
that which entereth into the mouth defileth not man, but that which cometh out 
of the mouth. He laid also to their charge, that they were very curious in observ- Matt. xv. 
ing the traditions of their forefathers, but the commandments of God they utterly "“““" 
neglected, and nothing at all regarded. 

From thence he went into the coasts of Tyrus and Sidon, where he healed the matt. xv. 
daughter of the woman of Cananee, which was possessed with a devil. After that, 
many came unto him, bringing with them the dumb, the halt, the lame, the blind, 
the feeble, &c., and cast them at his feet; and he healed them all. And, departing Mark vii. 
from thence, he came through Sidon unto the sea of Galilee, in the midst of the 
coasts of the ten cities, where he healed a man that was both deaf and dumb, by 
putting his fingers into the man’s ears, and by touching his tongue with his spittle, 
and saying unto him, Hfetha, that is to say, “Be opened.” This done, he went up 
unto Jerusalem at the feastful day of Pentecost. 

There was at Jerusalem a pool having five porches, where he healed on the Johnv. 

sabbath-day a man that had been diseased by the space of twenty-eight years. The 
Jews were mad at the matter, and persecuted him because he did this on the sab- 
bath-day. But Jesus defended his act, speaking unto them many things both of his 
Father and of himself. The Jews sought all means possible to kill him, not only 
because he brake the sabbath-day, but also because he said that God is his Father. 
Jesus went from thence again straightways unto the sea of Galilee into a wilderness, Matt. xv. 
where he fed four thousand men with seven loaves and a few fishes. And entering Mate xvi. 
into a ship with his disciples, he came into the parts of Mageddon, where he taught ueee 
them to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees. 

After this, Jesus came into the parts of Cesarea Philippi, and he demanded his Matt. xvi. 
disciples, saying, ““Whom do men say that the Son of man is?” After other an- Shek 
swers, Peter said, “Thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.” Christ com- 
mended Peter greatly for this confession: notwithstanding, he charged his disciples 
that they should tell no man that he was Christ. And he declared unto them that Luke ix. 
he must suffer death, and that he should rise again the third day. Which thing 
when Peter heard, he went about to dissuade Christ from such sufferings. But Christ 
reproved him, and called him Satan; exhorting so many as will follow him to for- 
sake themselves, to take up their cross, and to follow him. And after six days, or, Matt. xvii 
as Luke hath, after eight days, Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them Luke ix. 
into an high mountain, called Thabor, where he was transfigured before them. Com- 
ing down from the mountain, he came to the people. The day following he healed 
a lunatic man, whom his disciples could not heal. 

Afterward he came unto Capernaum, where he sent Peter unto the sea to take Matt. xvii 
fish, and to open the fish’s mouth, where he should find a piece of twelve-pence, 
and to pay that for tribute. At that time the disciples came unto Jesus, asking Matt. xviii. 
him, “ Who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” For they had contended among SS 
themselves before of superiority or primacy. Christ repressed this their ambition, by 
bringing forth a little child among them. And John, coming unto Christ, said unto him, 


Mark ix. 
Luke ix. 


Matt xviii. 


Mark ix. 
Luke xv. 


Matt. xviii. 


Luke xvii. 


Matt. xviii. 


Mark x. 
Matt. xix. 
Mark x. 


Matt. xix. 
Mark x. 


Luke xviii. 


John vii. 


Luke xiii. 


Luke xiii. 


Luke xiii. 


Luke xiii. 


John vii. 


Luke xii. 


John viii. 


550 CHRIST'S CHRONICLE. 


“ Master, we saw a certain man casting out devils in thy name, which followeth not 
us, and we forbad him.” To whom Christ said, “ Forbid him not.” Afterward he 
spake many things of slanders, or offences. He put forth also at that time parables 
of the stray sheep, of the lost groat, and of the riotous son; whereby be concludeth 
that there is in heaven greater joy upon one sinner that repenteth, than upon many 
righteous which need no repentance. After these things he declared what order is 
to be taken with them that offend, and he exhorteth us favourably to forgive such 
as sin against us: and to that end he putteth forth a parable of a servant whom his 
master forgave ten thousand talents, but, because of his ingratitude and unmerciful- 
ness toward his fellow-servant, he called back again all the debt which tofore was 
forgiven; and hereof concludeth that, except we forgive even from the very heart 
them that offend us, our heavenly Father will not forgive us. 

After these things Jesus came into Jewry, over Jordan from Galilee, where he 
healed such as were sick that followed him. At that time the Pharisees came unto 
Jesus, and demanded of him if it were lawful for a man to put away his wife. 
Christ answered that it was not lawful for a man to put away his wife for 
any cause, but only for breaking of wedlock. At that time he made mention also 
of three kinds of eunuchs'; declaring that all men cannot live chaste, but such only 
as have received the gift of God. Then immediately they brought little children unto 
him, whom after he had embraced and blessed, he pronounced that unto such per- 
taineth the kingdom of heaven. This done, he returned into Galilee; because the 
Jews sought to kill him. At that time a certain man affirming himself to be the 
Son of God deceived certain men of Galilee; whom when he had brought forth into 
a mountain, to the end that they might see him ascend and go up into heaven, while 
they did sacrifice unto him, Pilate, coming in the mean season, slew both him and 
the sacrificers. And forasmuch as the Jews thought them to be damned, because they 
were wicked and ungracious, and worse than any other of Galilee, Christ said unto 
them that the Jews were as evil, and that they also should perish and come to 
nought, except they shortly did repent and amend. And unto this end he told them 
a parable of a fig-tree that brought forth no fruit. 

At that time, when he taught on the sabbath-day in the synagogue, he healed a 
woman whom an unclean spirit had made crooked by the space of eighteen years, 
so that she could by no means look upward. And when Christ was reproved of the 
ruler of the synagogue, because he had made her whole on the sabbath-day, he an- 
swered and said unto him: ‘‘O thou hypocrite, every one of you looseth his ox or 
his ass on the sabbath-day, and leadeth him to water; and shall it not be lawful for 
me on the sabbath-day to heal the daughter of Abraham?” Then came certain unto 
him, and said, “ Get thee hence from Galilee; for Herod will kill thee.” To whom 
he said, “Go, and say to that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and heal diseases this 
day, and to-morrow; and the third day I make an end.” Then Jesus went up unto 
the tabernacle-feast, although he had tofore said unto his brethren that he would not 
go up: at which time when he had spoken many things against the Jews, and told 
them that they sought to kill him, they answered that he had a devil, and that no 
man went about to kill him. And they went about to apprehend and lay hand on 
him; but no man toucheth him ; for his hour was not yet come. 

A certain man of the company came unto Jesus, and desired him to divide the 
inheritance between him and his brother. But Christ refused so to do, saying unto 
him, “ Who appointed me judge between you?” And he warned him to beware of 
all covetousness, putting forth a parable of a certain rich man which with great de- 
liberation devised with himself to enlarge his barns, where he might repast? and lay 
up in store his so great substance; to whom it was answered, “O fool, this night 
shall they take away from thee thy life. Whose goods then shall those be which 
thou hast so greedily gathered together?” 

After these things, when he had spoken many things of himself, of his Father, 
of Abraham, and of the Jews, they took up stones to cast at him. But he hid 





[{! Three words are omitted. } [2 Repast: feed, feast ; or, perhaps here, store up.] 


SECOND YEAR OF CHRIST'S PREACHING, &c. 551 


himself, and went out of the temple. And passing forth on his journey, he saw a Johnix. 
man that was born blind, whom he restored unto his sight; the Jews, but specially 
the Pharisees, making not a little ado about the matter. Then as he walked by the Matt. xix. 
way, a certain young man met him, and demanded of him what he should do that Pees 
he might have everlasting life. Christ sent him unto the law, and bade him keep 
the commandments of God. And when the young man answered that he had kept 
them from his youth, Christ said unto him, “ Yet wantest thou one thing. If thou 
wilt be perfect, go thy way home, and sell all that thou hast, and give it to the 
poor; and take up the cross, and follow me.” But he would none of it. For he 
was a man of great substance and many possessions. Then said Christ, that it was 
more easy for a cable-rope to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man 
to enter into the kingdom of heaven. Then said Peter, that he and his fellow-dis- 
ciples had forsake all things and followed Christ; and demanded of Christ what they 
therefore should have. Christ told them that whosoever did forsake anything for his 
sake, should receive in this world an hundred-fold as much, and in the world to 
come life everlasting. When certain covetous persons heard him make this answer, 
they laughed him to scorn: in consideration whereof he put forth a parable of a Luke xvi. 
rich man and of a poor Lazare. And unto his disciples he put forth another parable 
of the unrighteous steward, concluding hereof that we ought liberally bestow our goods 
upon the poor people in this world, that we may receive in the world to come 
everlasting dwelling-places. Afterward he put forth another parable of an householder matt. xx. 
which hired workmen to labour in his vineyard. 

Which parable when he had ended, he entered into the house of a certain noble Luke xiv. 
and princely Pharisee on the sabbath-day to eat bread, where he healed a man dis- 
eased of the dropsy. At that time also, when he saw divers of them that were bidden 
unto the feast strive who should sit highest at the table, he put forth another 
parable, wherein he declared how men should behave themselves when they are bidden 
to any other man’s table, and how they ought to place themselves. This done, he 
taught the Pharisee that had bidden him unto his house, what manner guests he 
should bid unto his feast; not the rich, but the poor; not them that would feast them 
again, but such as were not able to do them the like pleasure; in so doing they 
should be recompensed at the resurrection of the righteous, receiving for mortal and 
transitory things immortal and everlasting things. 

And these were the things which Christ did in the second year of his preaching. 


THE THIRD YEAR OF CHRISTS PREACHING, AND OF HIS 
MIRACLES WORKING. 


Tue feast of the dedication was at Jerusalem, and it was winter; and Jesus walked Jom x. 
in the temple, in Salomon’s porch; and the Jews resorted unto him, demanding of 
him how long he would make them to doubt whether he were Christ or not. 
Jesus bade them consider his works, and reproved them for their infidelity and un- 
belief, declaring that they were none of his sheep, because they would not hear his 
voice. For the property of his sheep is to hear his voice; and they that were his 
sheep should never perish, but have life everlasting. Afterward he called God his 
Father, and said that he and the Father are all one, that is to say, not only in S8 
will, but also in nature, in substance, in deity, in might, in majesty, in power, &c. 
Which thing so moved the Jews and stirred them up unto anger, that they took 
up stones to stone him withal, and moreover sought all means possible to take him. 
But he escaped their hands, and went away again beyond Jordan; where it was declared John xi. 
unto him that Lazarus was sick. Notwithstanding, he abode still in the same place 
where he was two days after. Then after that said he to his disciples, “ Let us go 
into Jewry again.” But they said unto him, “ The Jews lately sought to stone thee ; 
and dost thou go thither again?” And he said unto them, “Are there not twelve S$ 
hours in the day?” After that came he to Bethania, where he raised up Lazarus 
from death unto life. Which thing once known and published abroad, the bishops 


Luke xvii. 


Luke ix. 


2 Kings i. 


Matt. xx. 
Mark x, 


Luke xxii. 


Luke xix. 


Matt. xx. 
Mark x. 
Luke xviii. 
Matt. xxvi. 
Mark xiv. 
John xii. 


Matt. xxi. 
Mark xi. 
Luke xix. 


Luke xix. 


552 CHRISTS CHRONICLE. 


and Pharisees, being not a little grieved at the matter, assembled and gathered a 
council, to consult among themselves what was best to be done, fearing greatly that 
their kingdom should utterly decay if Christ did prosper and go forward either in his 
doctrine or in his miracles working. They said, ““What do we? If we let him escape 
thus, all the world will believe on him; and the Romans shall come and take away 
both our place and the people.” Then said Caiphas, which was the high priest 
that same year, “Ye perceive nothing at all; neither do ye consider that’ it is 
expedient for us, that one man die for the people, and not that all the people 
perish.” 

Afterward as Jesus went up toward Jerusalem, he went through Samaria and 
Galilee. And entering into a certain town, there met him ten lepers, whom when he 
had cleansed from their leprosy, one of them only, being a Samaritan, praised and 
magnified God. The other were Jews, and those unthankful. At that time he sent 
messengers before him into a certain city of the Samaritans to make preparation for 
him. But they were not received. Wherefore James and John, being angry, said 
unto Christ, “ Wilt thou we command that fire come down from heaven and consume 
them, as Helias did?” But the Lord rebuked them, saying, “Ye know not of what 
spirit ye are. The Son of man is not come to destroy the lives of men, but to save 
them.” And he said to his disciples, “Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all 
things shall be accomplished and fulfilled that are written of the Son of man:” he 
told them before of his passion, death, and resurrection. Then the mother of the 
sons of Zebedeus came unto Christ, and desired him that one of her sons might 
sit on his right hand, and the other on the left hand. When the other disciples 
heard this, they had great indignation at the two brethren; insomuch that they fell 
at contention among themselves who should be greatest and of highest authority. 
But Christ rebuked and repressed this their ambition, declaring unto them that the 
kings and princes of the heathen seek after dominion, and bear worldly rule; but they 
should not so do: but whosoever seemeth to be greatest among them, the same 
should become servant to other. For the Son of man himself came’ not that other 
should minister unto him, but that he should minister and do service to other. 

After these things, when the Lord entered into Hierico, Zachee, bemg a man of 
a very little stature, climbed up into a sycomore-tree, that he might see Jesus: to 
whom Christ lovingly and friendly spake, and bade him come down; for he would 
immediately come into his house. Zachee received him with great joy into his house. 
Shortly after Christ restored two blind men unto their sight. 

These things done, he came into Bethania, and remained in the house of Simon 
the leper, whom tofore he had made clean. And there they prepared a supper for 
him. Martha ministered. Lazarus sat at the table with him. Mary anointed Jesus’ 
feet with precious ointment. Wherefore Judas was angry, and said, “It had been 
better that the ointment had been sold for a good sum of money, and given to the 
poor.” He spake not this that he had any regard or care of the poor, but because 
he was a thief, and bare the bag. But Christ defending the woman said, that she 
had wrought a good work; again, that they should have poor people® evermore 
among them, but so should they not have him. 

In the morning, when Christ was come unto Bethphage, he sent two of his disciples 
into Jerusalem to bring an ass and a colt unto him. And sitting on the ass, when 
he drew nigh to the going down of the mount Olivet, many of the people strawed 
their garments in the way. Other cut down branches from the trees, and strawed 
them in the way. Moreover, the people that went before, and they also that came 
after, rejoiced, praised God with a loud voice, saying, “Blessed be the King that 
cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.” But 
Jesus, in the midst of this glory, beholding the city Jerusalem, and afore-seeing the 
grievous plagues and most heavy tokens of God’s wrath and vengeances that should 
fall upon that city, after few years, for the ingratitude and unthankfulness of the 
inhabitants thereof, because they knew not the time of their visitation, neither would 


[! Folio, what.] [? Folio, come. ] [? Folio, poor have penple. ] 


THIRD YEAR OF CHRISTS PREACHING, &c. 553 


they receive it, but resist it, wept most bitterly, more sorrowing for their destruction, 

than rejoicing in his own praise and commendation. When he was come to Jerusalem, Matt. xxi. 
all the city was moved, saying, “Who is this?” And the people said, “This is 

Jesus, the prophet of Nazareth, a city of Galilee.” And he went into the temple, 

and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables 

of the money-changers, and the seats of them than sold doves, and said to them, 

“It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have er Isai. Ivi. 
it a den of thieves.” And he taught daily in the temple. And such as were diseased °™ ‘” 
came unto him in [the] temple, and he healed them. 

The Pharisees and scribes, hearing and beholding these things, were mad, and matt. xxi. 
sought to destroy him; but he conveyed himself from. them, and went out of the city ae 
unto Bethania, and had his abiding there. Returning aoe unto Jerusalem in the 
morning, he was hungry ; and, when he came unto a fig-tree, and found no fruit thereon, 
he cursed it; and the tree straightways withered away. And when he was entered 
into the city, and came into the temple, where he had much ado with the high 
priests and rulers of the people, the scribes and the Pharisees brought unto him a woman John viii 
taken in adultery, that he might give sentence what should be done with her. But 
Jesus, knowing their wicked devices, confounded them; so that they went away one 
after another, leaving the woman and Christ alone. Christ, seeing them all gone, set 
the woman at liberty, charging her to amend her life, and no more to sin. Moreover, mark xii. 
Jesus, beholding them that cast their gifts into the treasury, commended a poor widow *““*** 
that offered two mites, which is but a farthing, more than all the other. And he Luke xviii. 
put forth a parable unto certain men which trusted in their own righteousness, of the 
proud Pharisee and poor publican. The same day Philip and Andrew declared unto Jonn xii. 
Jesus that certain of gentiles would gladly see him. To whom Christ said, “The 
hour is come that the Son of man shall be glorified.” ‘“O Father, glorify thy name.” 

And a voice sounded from heaven on this manner, “I have glorified it, and I will 
glorify it.” And when night came, he returned unto Bethania. ey 

When he returned again on the* morning unto Jerusalem, they saw the fig-tree 
withered away; and Peter said to Christ, “ Behold, the Se is withered away.” Mat:. xxi. 
And the Lord answered, “If ye have faith, ye shall do whatsoever ye will.” “For (jek. 
all things are possible to him that believeth.” And he added that in prayer we 
must have faith, and without ceasing continue in prayer. And unto this end he Luke xviii. 
put forth® a parable of an unrighteous judge and of an oppressed and wronged widow. 

And when he was come into the temple, the elders asked him by what authority Matt. xxi. 
he did those things. And he asked them again another question, concerning John’s Diese. 
baptism, whether it were of God, or of men. And they held their peace, and 
answered nothing. Then he put forth a parable unto them of two sons, of the Matt. xxi. 
which one said that he would not go into the vineyard, and yet he went ; and the other 

said he would go, and went nothing at all. Again, he put forth aati parable, Matt. xxi. 
of an householder which planted a vineyard, and let it out to husbandmen, which pikes.” 
slew not only the householder’s servants, but also his son and heir. He spake also 

of that stone which the builders did refuse, and how notwithstanding it was made Pasal. exviii. 
the head corner-stone. And unto this end he put forth a parable of a king which Matt. xxii. 
ordained marriage for his son. Of the same matter speaketh Luke otherwise on this 
manner: “A certain man made a great supper, and called many,” &c. Luke xiv. 

Then the Pharisees, going about to snarle him in his talk, demanded of him if it Matt. xxii. 
were lawful to pay tribute unto Cesar, or not. The Sadducees also talked with him con- Lvkeo., 
cerning a certain woman which had seven husbands, asking of him whose wife she 
should be at the resurrection. Immediately after, a certain scribe learned in the law 
came unto him, and demandeth of him which was the greatest commandment in the 
law, and what he should do to be saved. To whom the Lord answered that the 
greatest commandment is to love God; and the next is to love our neighbour; and 
added, if he did this, he should live. And when he was demanded who is our Lukex. 
neighbour, he put forth a parable of a wounded man, which fell into thieves, &c. At 


[* Folio, the on.] [* Folio, fayth.] 


John vii. 


John vii. 


Matt. xxii. 
Mark xii. 
Luke xx. 


Psal. ex. 


Matt. xxiii. 


Matt. xxiii. 


Mark xii. 
Luke xx. 


Matt. xxiii. 


Matt. xxiv. 


Mark xiii. 
Luke xxi. 


Matt. xxiv. 


Mark xiii. 


Matt. xxv. 


Luke xix. 


Matt. xxv. 


Matt. xxvi. 


Matt. xxvi. 


Mark xiv. 


Mark xiv. 
Luke xxii. 


John xiii. 


Matt. xxvi. 


Matt. xxvi. 


Matt. xxvi. 


Luke xxii. 


554 CHRIST’S CHRONICLE. 


that time the Pharisees and head-rulers sent their servants to apprehend him; to 
whom he said, “‘ Ye shall seek me, and ye shall not find me ;” with many other things, 
which are recited in the gospel of John. 

Then fell there a dissension and hurly-burly among the people concerning Christ. 
For some said, “He is without all doubt a prophet.” Other said, ‘“ He is Christ.” 
Other asked if Christ should come from Galilee. For this cause, when the Pha- 
risees were gathered together, Christ asked them what they thought of Christ, and 
whose son he should be. And when they had answered, David’s, he objected unto 
them this saying of David: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, Sit on my right hand.” 
Afterward, turning himself to the people, he spake many things unto them of the 
scribes and of the Pharisees, exhorting to do whatsoever they teach, so long as they 
sit in Moyses’ chair, but by no means to do according to their works. He bade the 
people also beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, of their hypocrisy, of their false doc- 
trine, &c. Afterward, turning himself unto the scribes and Pharisees, he crieth out upon 
them, calling them hypocrites, and laying many things to their charge. He crieth out 
also upon Hierusalem for shedding innocent blood, and killing the prophets of God. 

And when he departed out of the temple, his disciples shewed unto him the 
gorgeous and glorious buildings of the temple. And going forth unto the mount Olivet, 
and sitting there right against the temple, he declared to his disciples the signs and 
tokens of the eversion and destruction of the temple and of the city, and also what 
tokens shall go before his coming unto the judgment. And unto this end he put forth 
unto them a parable of a fig-tree. And speaking of the day of judgment, he warned 
them at all times to be ready. For that day shall come suddenly ; no man knoweth 
the certain time thereof, nor yet the angels in heaven, no, nor yet the Son of man 
himself. Therefore he commanded them to watch and to pray, putting forth a similitude 
of a householder, which, if he knew what hour the thief would come, would surely 
watch, and not suffer his house to be broken up: he put forth a parable also of a 
man that took his journey into far countries, which commanded the keeper of his 
house that he should watch. Afterward he added the parable of ten virgins; and 
another of the talents; and another of a certain nobleman, which went away into 
a far country to take possession of a kingdom, and so to return again. He concluded 
with the separation or departing of the good and the bad at the day of judgment, 
as the shepherd separateth the sheep from the goats; where he describeth and setteth 
forth the form and manner of the last judgment. 

When he had finished these his words, he declared aforehand to his disciples that 
he should suffer death after two days. On the Wednesday the high priests and elders 
of the people gathered a council in Caiphas’ house, how they might betray Christ, 
and kill him. The very same day did Judas bargain with them to betray Jesus for 
thirty pence. Jesus all that day remained in Bethania with his disciples. 

On the Thursday! he sent his disciples before into the city, to prepare the pass- 
over, declaring unto them both the host and the parlour where they should make 
ready the paschal lamb. When it was eventide, Jesus with his twelve disciples came 
into the city, and sat down at the table with them. And rising from supper, he 
washed his disciples’ feet, saying, “I have given you an example, that, as I have 
done, so likewise ye should do.” And when he was set down again, he was 
troubled in the spirit, and said, “One of you shall betray me.” And when he saw 
that they were sad for this his speaking, he said, “He that putteth his hand with 
me into the dish, he it is that shall betray me.” Peter beckoned to John that he 
should ask of Christ who it is that should betray him. For he leaned on Christ’s 
breast. And he said to Jesus, “ Lord, who is it?” He answered, “He it is to 
whom I shall give the sop.” Then quod Judas straightways, “Is it I, master ?” 
And immediately Christ took bread, and the cup likewise, and gave them both to 
his disciples, willing them to eat and drink thereof in the remembrance of his passion 
and death. After these things he said unto them, that all they would fall away 
from him that night. Then said Peter, “Though all forsake thee, yet will I abide 





[' Folio, thyrday.] 


THIRD YEAR OF CHRISTS PREACHING, &c. 555 


by thee.” To whom Christ answered, that he should deny him thrice before the cock 

crow once. And immediately after he made a comfortable sermon to his disciples, John xly. xv. 
which beginneth, “ Let not your heart be troubled,” &c. The sermon once done, he John xvii 
made a long prayer unto his heavenly Father, praying both for his disciples and for 

all other that should believe in him and receive his word. 

And rising up from prayer, he went with his disciples into a place called Geth- Matt. xxv. 
semani, over the brook Cedron. And when he was come into the garden, he waxed Bike so. 
very heavy, and falling down on his face, and lying prostrate on the ground, he 
prayed divers times unto his Father that he would remove and take away that cup 
from him. After this he rebuked his disciples because they slept, and willed them 
to watch and pray, that they fall not into temptation. And when he prayed again, 
his sweat was as drops of blood trickling down unto the ground. Then appeared 
there an angel unto him, comforting him. And he rising up came unto his dis- Luke xxii. 
ciples, and he said unto them, “Sleep now, and take your ease. It is enough, rise, sues 
and let us go hence.” 

And as he was yet speaking, behold, Judas came, and with him a great com- Matt. xxvi. 
pany. Jesus, knowing all things that igald chance unto him, went forth and said Luke xxii. 
unto them, “Whom seek ye?” And when he had thus said, they fell down to the 
ground. And he said the second time unto them, “ Whom seek ye?” And straight- 
ways they rose up again. And Judas, ear unto Christ, betrayed him with a 
kiss; and by and by they laid hands on Jesus, bound him, and led him away with them. 

Peter cut off Malchus’ ear, whom the Lord healed, ad said to Peter, “ Put up thy Matt. xxvi. 
sword into his sheath,” &c. Unto the company he said, “ Ye are come out with ies 
your swords, as unto a thief.” And his disciples immediately left him, and fled. 

The ministers led Christ first of all unto Annas, which was father-in-law to Caiphas. John xviit 
A certain young man followed him clad in iter upon his bare; and they laid hand areas: 
on him; but he, leaving his linen garment behind him, fled away naked. Peter fol- 
lowed Christ afar off; but John, which was known to the bishop, led him into the 
hall of the bishop; where he, coming unto the fire, and warming himself, denied the 
Lord at the voice of an handmaid. Then the bishop asked Jesus of his doctrine. 

To whom when he had answered, ‘“‘ What askest thou me? Ask them that have John xviii. 
heard me;” one of the bishop’s servants smote him on the face, and said, ‘ Dost 

thou so answer a bishop?” Jesus said, “If I have evil spoken, bear witness of evil; 

but if I have well spoken, why smitest thou me?” And straightways Annas pea Matt. xxvi. 
him bound unto Caiphas the high priest, where, when Peter had denied him again sierrke 
and again, the Lord looked on him. And he, so soon as he heard the cock crow, 

went out, and wept bitterly. 

When it was morning, they brought forth false witness against Christ to accuse Matt. xxvii. 
him concerning the building again of the temple. Then Caiphas adjured him to tell Take Sa 
if he were Christ the Son ine the blessed God. And when he had answered, “ Ye?" *”™ 
shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and come in Pe clouds 
of the sky,” the high priest rent his clothes: other spat in his face, and buffeted him 
with their fists. And other smote him with the palm of their hands, and afterward 
led him bound into the judgment-hall. When he was thither led, Judas, moved with Matt. xxvii. 
repentance, brought again the money, confessed his fault, and afterward went and 
hanged up himself. And forasmuch as they would not enter into the judgment-hall, Luke xxiii 
because they should not be defiled, Pilate went out to them, saying, ‘‘ What lay 
you to this man’s charge?” They answered, “If he were not a malefactor and a 
naughty pack, we would never have delivered him unto thee. He maketh himself a 
king: he hath set the people in an uproar through his doctrine, even from Galilee 
unto this place. If thou let him go, thou art not Cesar’s friend.” When Pilate 
heard mention made of Galilee, he sent Christ unto Herod. Herod mocked him, put 
a white garment upon him, and with great contempt and despite he sent him again 
unto Pilate. Pilate, sitting in judgment in the place that is called Licostratos*, although matt. xxvii. 
he was accustomed to deliver one prisoner at the feastful day of Kaster, and although 





[? Av8dotpwros, the Greek term for Gabbatha. ] 


Matt. xxvii. 
Mark xv. 
Luke xxiii. 


Luke xxiii. 


John xix. 


Matt. xxvii. 
Mark xv. 


Luke xxiii. 


Matt. xxvii. 
Mark xv. 
Luke xxiii. 
Jolin xix. 


Luke xxiii. 


Matt. xxvii. 
Mark xv. 


John xix. 


Matt. xxvii. 
Mark xv. 
Luke xxiii. 


Matt. xxvii. 


Mark xv. 


John xix. 


Matt. xxvii. 
Mark xv. 
Luke xxiii. 
John xix. 


Matt. xxvii. 


556 CHRISTS CHRONICLE. 


he right well knew that they had betrayed him even for very envy, and although he 
had said, “I find no fault in him;” again, although his wife, called Procula, had 
tofore warned him that he should not meddle with that righteous man; yet, notwith- 
standing, when the Jews cried, “ Away with him: away with him: crucify him, 
crucify him: deliver us Barrabas,” &c., delivered to them Christ, being first scourged, 
to be crucified and put unto death. Then the soldiers, mocking him, wound a crown 
of thorns and put it on his head: they put on him a purple garment, gave him a 
reed in his hand, and, kneeling before him in scorn, said, “‘ Hail, King of Jews ;” and 
they spat on his face, and smote him on the head with a reed. 

After these things done, they put him on his own clothes again, and led him out 
of the city, having his cross on his back. As they were going unto the place of 
execution, they met with a certain man called Simon, and compelled him to bear 
Christ’s cross. Women followed him weeping ; to whom the Lord said, ‘“‘O ye daughters 
of Jerusalem, weep not over me, but over yourselves and over your children:” and 
so they led him into the mount of Calvary, which is called in the Hebrew tongue 
Golgatha, where they crucified him, and two wicked persons with him. 

And when he was fastened to the cross, they gave him wine mingled with gall 
to drink, or, as Mark hath, wine mingled with myrrh ; but he received it not. Hang- 
ing on the cross, he prayed to his Father for his crucifiers and tormentors, saying, 
“Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” After this the soldiers 
divided one of his garments into four parts: upon the other, because it had no seam, 
they did cast lots. In the mean season, Pilate wrote in the Hebrew, Greek, and 
Latin tongue this title: “Jesus of Nazareth, King of Jews;” and caused it to be 
fixed on the cross. The thieves that were crucified with Christ railed on him. Not- 
withstanding, one of them afterward repented, and turned him unto God in his heart, 
saying, “Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.” To whom Jesus 
answered and said, ‘“‘ Verily I say unto thee, this day shalt thou be with me in 
paradise.” And they that passed by said, “A shame on thee, that destroyest the 
temple of God!” Likewise also the high priests mocking him, with the scribes, elders, 
and Pharisees, said, ‘“‘ He saved other: himself he cannot save. If he be the king 
of Israel, let him now come down from the cross; and we will believe him. He 
trusted in God: let him deliver him now, if he will have him; for he said, I am 
the Son of God.” 

There stood by the cross Jesus’ mother, and Mary Cleophee, and Mary Magdalene, 
and John; and he, commending his mother to John, said, ‘“‘ Behold thy mother.” 
And contrariwise to his mother he said, “ Woman, behold thy son.” And shortly 
after he gave up the ghost, saying, “‘O Father, I commend my spirit into thy hands.” 
There was great darkness over all the land. And behold, the veil of the temple did 
rent in twain from the top to the bottom, and the earth did quake, and the stones 
did rent, and graves did open, and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and 
came out of the graves, &c. When the centurion saw these things, he said, “Of a 
surety this was the Son of God.” 

After these things the Jews desired Pilate that their thighs might be broken. 
And when they had broken the thighs of the thieves, coming unto Jesus, and per- 
ceiving him to be dead, they brake not his thighs: but one of the soldiers with his 
spear thrust him into the side; and there ran out both water and blood. 

Now when the even was come, a rich man of Arimathia, named Joseph, came 
unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. And Pilate commanded the body to be 
delivered unto him. And when it was taken down from the cross, Nicodemus came, 
and brought with him an ointment of myrrh and aloes mingled together, about an 
hundred pound weight. Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen 
clothes with the sweet odours, and laid it in a new sepulchre, wherein was never 
man laid. And when they buried him, there was Mary Magdalene, and his mother, 
and other women which followed him from Galilee, and ministered unto him. When 
the Lord was buried, Joseph and Nicodemus went their way from the grave, but the 
women sat against the sepulchre. The next day that followed the day of preparing 
the sabbath, the high priests and Pharisees gat themselves to Pilate, and said, “Sir, 


THIRD YEAR OF CHRIST'S PREACHING, &c. 557 


we remember that this deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I rise 
again. Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest 
peradventure his disciples come and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is 
risen from the dead; and the last error shall be worse than the first.” Pilate said 
unto them, ‘“ Ye have the watch. Go, and make it as sure as ye can.” And they 
went and made the sepulchre sure with a watch, and sealed the stone. 

On the morrow after the sabbath, early in the morning, Mary Magdalene, and Mark xvi. 
Mary Jacobi, and Salome, brought odours, that they might come and anoint Jesus. 

And when they came to the sepulchre, they said one to another, ‘‘ Who shall roll 

us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?” There was a great earthquake ; matt. xxviii. 
for then did the Lord arise from the dead. And the angel of the Lord descended 

from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door: and, when the women 

looked, they saw how the stone was rolled away; they saw also the angel sitting 

upon it. The keepers or watchmen lay as dead for fear of the angel: for his 
countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow; so that for fear of 

him the keepers were astonied, and became as dead men. But to the women the 

angel said, “Fear ye not. For I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. 

He is not here. He is risen.” And when the women were amazed, behold two men Luke xxiv. 
stood by them in shining vestures, saying un[to] them, “ Why seek ye the living among 

the dead? He is not here, but is risen. Remember how he spake unto you when 

he was yet in Galilee, saying that the Son of man must be delivered into the 

hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. Go your way 
therefore, and tell his disciples that he is risen again. And behold, he goeth before 

you into Galilee: there ye shall see him. Lo, I have told you.” 

The women departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy, and did matt. xxviii. 
run to bring his disciples word. Mary Magdalene alone did run, declaring these Jonn xx. 
things to Peter and to John, saying, “‘They have taken away my Lord.” They 
ran therefore, and saw the sepulchre empty, and they believed that to be true which 
the woman spake unto them. And they straightways returned unto their own houses. 

But Mary Magdalene, which came with them, tarried still at the grave, weeping and 
lamenting. And while she wept, she looked into the sepulchre, and saw two angels, Jonn xx. 
which said unto her, “ Woman, why weepest thou?” She answered, “For they 

have taken away my Lord.” Then she, turning herself back, saw Jesus standing, 

and thought him to be a gardener. And when she knew him, she would have em- 
braced his feet ; but he would not suffer her. 

While these things were doing, the keepers declared to the bishops and rulers of Matt. xxviii. 
the people the things that had happened; which corrupted the watchmen with money, 
and made them to say, and to publish abroad, that Christ's disciples came by night 
and stole him away, while they slept. At that time Mary Magdalene went to bear matt. xxviii. 
the disciples tidings of Christ’s resurrection; but, she meeting by the way the woman 
that had been with her, Jesus suddenly met with them all together, saying, “ All 
hail!” And they came and held his feet, and worshipped him; which commanded them 
that they should go and tell his brethren that they go into Galilee, where they shall 
see him. But when the women declared these things to the disciples, they believed sark xvi. 
them not: their words seemed unto them feigned things. Only Peter ran unto Luke xxiv. 
the sepulchre, and looked in, and saw the linen clothes laid by themself, and departed, 
wondering in himself at that which had happened. And when he returned from the Luke xxiv. 
sepulchre thus marvelling, the Lord appeared unto him. 

On the very same day Christ appeared to two disciples as they were going to Luke xxiv. 
Emaus ; which, after they knew him by the breaking of bread, returned unto Jeru- 
salem, and finding the eleven disciples gathered together in one place, they! declared 
unto them the things that had happened. Notwithstanding, some of them did not Luke xxiy. 
believe, of whom Thomas was one. When Thomas was gone out, and it was late 7°" 
in the evening, the doors also were shut, Jesus stood in the midst of them and 
said, “Peace be unto you.” And when they thought that they had seen a spirit, 


[! Folio, theyr.] 


Luke xxiv. 
John xx. 


John xx. 


John xxi. 


Matt. xxviii. 


Mark xvi. 


Matt. xxviii. 


Mark xvi. 


Acts i. 
Luke xxiv. 


Acts i. 


558 CHRISTS CHRONICLE. 


he said unto them, “ Feel and see; for a spirit hath neither flesh nor bones, as ye 
see me to have.” And he shewed them his hands, feet, and side. When they were 
yet marvelling at the matter, and not stedfastly believing, Jesus took a piece of 
broiled fish and an honeycomb, and did eat in their sight. The disciples rejoiced 
when they had seen the Lord. Then said he again, “ Peace be unto you;” and he 
breathed upon them, and said, “ Receive the Holy Ghost. Wéhosoever’s sins ye 
forgive, they are forgiven unto them; and whosoever's sins ye retain, they are 
retained.” 

After this, when the Lord was gone, Thomas came again to the disciples, which 
said unto him, “,We have seen the Lord ;” which answered, that he would not be- 
lieve that Christ was risen from death, except he saw in his hands the print of the 
nails, and put his finger in the print of the nails, and thrust his hand into his side. 
After eight days Jesus came again, when the doors were sbut, and stood in the 
midst of them. And Thomas was there; to whom Christ said, ‘“‘ Peace be unto you.” 
And Jesus said unto Thomas, “Bring thy finger hither, and see my hands; and 
bring thy hand, and thrust it into my side; and be not faithless, but believing.” 
Thomas answered and said unto him, “ My Lord, and my God.” Jesus said unto 
him, “Thomas, because thou hast seen, thou believest. Blessed are they that have 
not seen, and yet believe.” 

After these things Jesus shewed himself again at the sea of Tiberias, where his 
disciples were fishing. Jesus, standing on the shore, commanded them to cast out 
their net on the right side of the ship; which at the commandment of Christ cast 
out their net, and anon they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes. 
Then said John, “It is the Lord.” When Peter heard that, he gird his coat to 
him, and sprang into the sea. The other disciples came by ship unto the shore. At 
that time the disciples were all together at dinner; and Jesus was with them. They 
did eat bread and roasted fish; and none of the disciples durst ask him what he was ; 
for they knew it was the Lord. And when they had dined, the Lord said unto 
Peter, ‘Simon Joanna, lovest thou me more than these?” He said unto him, “ Lord, 
thou knowest that I love thee.” Then said Christ unto him, “Feed my lambs.” 
The second and the third time Christ demanded the same question of Simon Peter, 
and, receiving the same answer of Peter, said twice unto him, “Feed my sheep;” 
Peter being sorry that Christ should so oftentimes ask one and the same question. 
Then said Christ unto him: “ Verily, verily I say unto thee, when thou wast young 
thou girdest thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest. But when thou art old, 
thou shalt stretch forth thy hands; and another shall gird thee, and lead thee whither 
thou wouldest not.” This spake Christ, signifying by what death Peter should glo- 
rify God. Then said Peter to Christ concerning John, “Lord, what shall he here 
do?” To whom Jesus answered and said, “If I will have him to tarry till I come, 
what is that to thee? Follow thou me.” 

Then went the eleven disciples into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had 
appointed them. And when they saw him, they worshipped him. But some of them, 
notwithstanding, doubted if it were he. Therefore he did cast in their teeth their 
unbelief and hardness of heart. 

Immediately after he said unto them: “ All power is given unto me in heaven 
and in earth. Go therefore into all the world, and preach the gospel to every crea- 
ture; baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy 
Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.” “ For 
he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved: but he that believeth not shall 
be damned. And these tokens shall follow them that believe. In my name they 
shall cast out devils: they shall speak with new tongues, and shall kill serpents. 
And if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them. They shall lay their 
hands on the sick; and they shall recover.” 

On that day when Christ should ascend into heaven, he came to his disciples 
in Jerusalem, and spake many things unto them of the kingdom of God, command- 
ing them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the 
Father, that they might be endued with power from above. Then the disciples asked 


THIRD YEAR OF CHRISTS PREACHING, &c. 559 


him, if he would then presently restore again the kingdom to Israel. But he said 
unto them: “It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father 
hath put in his own power; but ye shall receive power of the Holy Ghost, which 
shall come on you. And ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and in 
all Jewry, and in Samaria, and even unto the uttermost parts of the world.” “And Matt. xxviii. 
behold, I am with you alway, even until the end of the world.”. And when he had Luke xxiv. 
spoken these things, he led them out of Jerusalem into Bethany, and, lifting up his 
hands, he blessed them. And it came to pass, as he blessed them, he departed from {csi ; 
them, and was carried up into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God. But 
while the disciples looked stedfastly up to heaven, as he went, behold, two men 
stood by them in white apparel, which said unto them, “ Ye men of Galilee, why Actsi. 
stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into 
heaven, shall so come even as ye have seen him go into heaven.” Then returned Luke xxiv. 
they unto Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple, praising and 
lauding God. 

“There are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they should  Johnxzi. 

be written every one, I suppose the world could not contain the 
books that should be written.” “But these things are John xx. 
written, that ye might believe that Jesus is 
Christ, the Son of God; and that in be- 
lieving this ye might have life 
through his name.” 


Give the glory to God alone. 










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SUMMARY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT, 


BY 


THOMAS BECON. 


[BEcon, m1. ] 36 


Se iris eC ML aa 


THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 


The Gospel of St Matthew, containing twenty-eight chapters. 

The Gospel of St Mark, containing sixteen chapters. 

The Gospel of St Luke, containing twenty-four chapters. 

The Gospel of St John, containing twenty-one chapters. 

The Acts of the Apostles, containing twenty-eight chapters. 

The Epistle of St Paul to the Romans, containing sixteen chapters. 

The first Epistle of St Paul to the Corinthians, containing sixteen chapters. 
The second Epistle of St Paul to the Corinthians, containing thirteen chapters. 
The Epistle of St Paul to the Galatians, containing six chapters. 

The Epistle of St Paul to the Ephesians, containing six chapters. 

The Epistle of St Paul to the Philippians, containing four chapters. 

The Epistle of St Paul to the Colossians, containing four chapters. 

The first Epistle of St Paul to the Thessalonians, containing five chapters. 
The second Epistle of St Paul to the Thessalonians, containing three chapters. 
The first Epistle of St Paul to Timothy, containing six chapters. 

The second Epistle of St Paul to Timothy, containing four chapters. 

The Epistle of St Paul to Titus, containing three chapters. 

The Epistle of St Paul to Philemon, containing one chapter. 

The Epistle of St James, containing five chapters. 

The first Epistle of St Peter, containing five chapters. 

The second Epistle of St Peter, containing three chapters. 

The first Epistle of St John, containing five chapters. 

The second Epistle of St John, containing one chapter. 

The third Epistle of St John, containing one chapter. 

The Epistle of St Jude, containing one chapter. 

The Epistle of St Paul to the Hebrews, containing thirteen chapters. 

The Revelations of St John, containing twenty-two chapters. 


TO 
HIS LOVING FRIEND AND FAITHFUL BROTHER IN CHRIST, 
AND FELLOW-WORKER IN THE LORD’S HARVEST, 


MASTER THOMAS MOORE'!, 
PARSON OF WETHRINGSET 1N SUFFOLK, 


THOMAS BECON WISHETH THE ASSISTANCE OF GOD’S SPIRIT 
UNTO THE END. 


I can none otherwise than offer immortal praises unto God the Father of our 
Lord Jesus Christ, not only that it hath pleased his most merciful goodness in these 
our days to render unto the world the true knowledge of his only-begotten Son 
Jesus Christ, our alone Saviour (whom rightly to know is the right way unto ever- Jobn xvii. 
lasting salvation), but also, in the late cruel and bloody times—when not true religion 
but false superstition, not God’s word but man’s invention, not the preaching of 
Christ’s gospel but the declaring of antichrist’s decrees, not charity but tyranny, not 
works of God commanded but of men prescribed, ruled, reigned, triumphed—to pre- 
serve and keep safe from the ravening teeth of the most ravening wolves certain 
godly and learned preachers, which in the renovation of the evangelic doctrine might 
shew themselves valiant and courageous workmen, unto the confusion of antichrist, 
and unto the utter destruction of his antichristian kingdom; in the company of the 
which preachers and setters of God’s most wholesome doctrine I number you to be 
neither the last nor the least. 

And here see we the marvellous and singular work of God’s providence, both in 
preserving his heavenly doctrine, which shall abide for ever and ever (yea, heaven Isai. x1. 
and earth shall sooner perish, than one jot or tittle thereof shall perish), and also in Takeo 
keeping and defending the true preachers thereof; so that, although the devil roar, the 
world rage, the flesh ruffle, yet with all their tyranny and power they cannot hinder 
or let the determination of God; as Salomon saith: “‘ There is no wisdom, no forecast, Prov. xxi. 
no counsel, no device, that can prevail against the Lord.” “The Lord,” saith David, ?=!- xxxiii. 
“bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought, and maketh the devices of the people 
to be of none effect, and casteth out the counsels of princes. The counsel of the Lord 
shall endure for ever, and thoughts of his heart from generation to generation.” 

“My device,” saith God by the prophet, “shall stand; and what my pleasure is, Is. xIvi. 
that shall come to pass.” 

Wicked king Achab, with his most wicked wife queen Jezabel, made such a slaughter ! Kings xix. 
of the Lord’s prophets, that Helias thought there had been none left alive but he 
only. “I have,” saith he, “been jealous for the Lord God of hosts’ sake. For the 
children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, broken down thine altars, and slain the 
prophets with the sword; and I only am left; and they seek my life to take it away.” 

But the Lord answered the prophet, and said: “I have left me seven thousand in 


[’ Little more than conjecture can be offered in 
respect to the person to whom this treatise is in- 
scribed. The registers of the parish of which he 
was incumbent have most obligingly been searched 
by the Rev. Robert Moore, the present rector ; but, 
though they ascend to an earlier period than that at 
which we might hope to find his name, no trace 
of him can be discovered. A family named Moore, 
or Dela More, was seated at Ivychurch in Kent, 
near Brenzett (of which it will be recollected that 


Becon was once vicar), as early as the reign of 
Henry II. One of the descendants, John Moore, 
had several sons ; from the younger of whom sprang 
the present noble house of Drogheda, and the extinct 
one of Charleville. The eldest son, Walter, was 
father of Thomas Moore of Benenden; by whose 
will, a.p. 1519, it appears that he had three sons, 
John, Edward, and Thomas: it is possible that the 
last-named may have been the friend of Becon. } 


36—2 


1 Kings xviii. 


Zech. ii. 


Matt. x. 
Luke x. 
1 Thess. 1v. 


Psal. xxxiv. 


Acts xii. 


IS 


Ecclus. xi. 


John vii. 


Luke xxii. 


Job i. 
Matt. viii 


Psal. xc. 


Matt. x. 


aS 


564 THE SUMMARY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 


Israel, of which never man bowed his knees unto Baal, nor kissed him with his 
mouth.” Although the reign of wicked king Achab was most bloody, most cruel, 
most tyrant-like, yet in Achab’s palace were there found which feared the Lord 
and preserved his prophets: among whom Obadia, governor of king Achab’s house, 
was one, which, when Jezabel destroyed the prophets of the Lord, took an hundred 
prophets and hid them, fifty men in one cave, and fifty in other, and provided 
bread and water for them. 

The Lord hath a special care and regard over all his people that trust in him, 
but specially over the preachers of his holy word, whom he tendereth as the apple 
of his eye, and can by no means abide that they should be despised or dishonoured. 
“He that despiseth you,” saith Christ, “despiseth me; and he that despiseth me 
despiseth him that sent me.” “He that despiseth” (the preacher), saith the apostle, 
“despiseth not man, but God, which hath sent his holy Spirit among you.” “Great 
are the troubles of the righteous,” saith the psalmograph; “but the Lord delivereth 
him out of all. He keepeth all his bones, so that not one of them is broken. But 
misfortune shall slay the ungodly; and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate. 
The Lord delivereth the souls of his servants; and they that put their trust in him 
shall not be destitute.” 

The tyrants of this world cannot kill whom it pleaseth them, but whom it pleaseth 
God to suffer them. King Herod had Peter the apostle of our Saviour Christ fast 
in prison, and was full determined to have put him to death, as he tofore had done 
James the brother of John: but God, through the prayers of the faithful congregation, 
deceived Herod of his purpose; so that Peter escaped alive, and continued many years 
after an earnest and faithful preacher of Christ’s gospel. How many times was the 
life of the blessed apostle St Paul sought; as it appeareth in the chronicle which 
St Luke wrote of the apostles’ acts! and yet God from time to time wonderfully 
delivered him, that it may manifestly appear that tyrants cannot do to the faithful 
Christians what they will, but what God suffereth and appointeth. “Life and death 
are in the Lord’s hand,” saith the wise man. How oft went the Jews about to lay 
hand on Christ, and to dispatch him of his life, and yet brought their purpose to 
none effect! Why so? ‘“‘ Because his hour,” saith the evangelist, “was not' yet 
come.” Afterward, when, according to the time of his heavenly Father appointed 
from everlasting, Christ was apprehended and brought before the high priests and 
rulers of the temple, and so afterward adjudged to die, spake he not these words 
unto them? “‘ Ye be come out as unto a thief, with swords and staves. When I 
was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against me. But 
this is even your very hour, and the power of darkness.” 

How many be there alive at this present day, even in this realm of England, 
which before few years were imprisoned, and their life most narrowly sought of the 
hypocrites and tyrants of this world, and yet most graciously escaped, being now 
constant and faithful workmen in the Lord’s harvest! The devil could do no more 
to Job than God permitted him. The wicked spirits could not enter into the herd 
of swine, till Christ gave them licence. If the devil himself can do nothing against 
the elect and chosen people of God, but that God permitteth and suffereth him to 
do, what shall his captives and bond-slaves then be able to do against the members 
of Christ, whom God hath promised to defend, and to hide them under the shadow 
of his wings? ‘“‘ Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? And one of them 
shall not light on the ground without your Father. Yea, even all the hairs of your 
head are numbered: fear ye not therefore; ye are of more value than many sparrows,” 
saith Christ. 

As an hunter hath his dogs in a leash, so that the dogs run not when they will, 
but when the hunter giveth them liberty, neither do they kill the hare or the hart 
when they will, but when their master appointeth them, and letteth them loose ; 
even so in like manner God hath the devil and all his devilish slaves in such bondage, 
that they cannot do against the elect of God what they will and desire, but what 








[! Folio, it.] 


THE PREFACE. 565 


God permitted and giveth them liberty to do. Neither shall they rage or range 
further than God hath appointed. 

When “‘certain of the Pharisees came unto Christ and said unto him, Get thee Luke xm. 
out of the way, and depart hence; for Herod will kill thee; he answered them and 
said: Go ye and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and heal the people to-day 
and to-morrow, and the day following; for it cannot be that the prophet perish any 
other where save at Jerusalem.” Here our Saviour Christ sheweth, not only the 
time of his death, but also the place where he must of necessity die. The elect are 
so written up in the hand of God, that nothing chanceth unto them without the 
singular providence and fatherly appointment of God; so that the tyrants of this 
world cannot do what they will against the people of God, but whatsoever God in 
his divine counsel hath appointed; as the apostles have in their prayer: “ Lord, thou art 
God, which hast made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is; which 
by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the 
people imagine vain things? The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers 
came together against the Lord and against his Anointed. For of a truth against 
thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod and also Pontius Pilate, 
with the gentiles and the people of Israel, gathered themselves together for to do 
WHATSOEVER THY HAND AND THY COUNSEL DETERMINED BEFORE TO BE DONE.” There see 
we that nothing was done of the fierce gentiles and cruel Jews to the Lord Christ which 
was not tofore appointed to be done from everlasting of God the Father. And verily 
so is it with the members of Christ. God careth not for the head, and neglecteth 
the members. “ Behold,” saith David, “he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor Psal. exxi. 
sleep. The Lord himself is thy keeper: the Lord is thy defence upon thy right hand; 
so that the sun shall not burn thee by day, neither the moon by night.” 

Hereof cometh it to pass, that through this providence and protection? of God 
so many godly and learned preachers, and so many faithful Christians remain yet 
alive in this our age, unto the great glory of God, and unto the singular beautifying 
of Christ's church ; whom and whose life, notwithstanding, the bloody papists sought 
no less before certain years, than they did the lives of many of our brethren and 
sistern, which valiantly and stoutly, even with their blood, testified the truth of 
Christ's gospel, even unto the death, against antichrist and against his kingdom. 

O how much are we that live bound to give our heavenly Father thanks for 
these his benefits toward us, seeing that he hath not only preserved us in the bloody 
time of antichrist, and kept us harmless and without jeopardy from the grievous and 
ravening wolves, which most cruelly sought our lives, but hath also restored us to 
our country, to our livings, to our dear friends; not only that, but he hath also 
given unto his again his holy word and the true preaching of the same, with the pure 
and uncorrupt administration of the blessed sacraments, which is so great and so sin- 
gular a benefit, as it may justly seem incomparable. What then now remaineth, but 
that we, which live and presently enjoy these so noble benefits at the merciful hand 
of our most merciful Lord and God, unto the great consolation of our bodies and 
souls, do study day by day, and shew all endeavour to the uttermost of our power, 
first of all to be thankful to our heavenly Father for these his so large gifts and great 
benefits, and afterward to walk worthy so exceeding great kindness, that we may be 
found both before God and men not only favourers, but also followers of God’s word ; 
not only lovers, but also livers of Christ’s gospel; not only talkers, but also walkers 
of the holy scriptures; not only professors, but also practisers of God’s true religion ; 
not only worders, but also workers of the Lord’s blessed will in all our life and 
manners, according to this admonition of the blessed apostle St Paul: ‘ Only let our pyit, i. 
conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ,” “that in all points we may be pni. ii. 
such as no man can complain on, the unfeigned sons of God without rebuke, shining 
as lights in the world among a crooked and perverse nation, holding fast the word 
of life”; lest we be found to be of the number of whom St Paul speaketh, saying: 
“With their mouth they profess that they know God, but with their deeds they deny rit. i. 


Acts iv. 


Psa). ii. 





[? Folio, and providence protection. ] 


566 THE SUMMARY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 


acs him?’ For with these two things God is highly pleased, that is to say, with thanks- 


Psal. 1. 


Matt. v. 


giving and with innocency of life. God himself saith by the psalmograph: “ Whoso 
offereth me thanks and praise, he honoureth me; and to him that ordereth his con- 
versation right will I shew the salvation of God.” 

Forasmuch, therefore, as nothing doth delight the Lord our God so greatly as praise 
or thanksgiving for his benefits, and a conversation rightly framed, formed, and fashioned 
according to his blessed word, it remaineth that we, which are ministers of Christ's 
gospel, and called in the scripture “the salt of earth” and “the light of the world,” 
do set forth ourselves in this behalf as lively examples to the people of God, that 
they, not only hearing our holy words, but also seeing our holy life, may thereby be 
provoked to follow our good example both in thanksgiving to our heavenly Father, 
and also in leading a godly and christian conversation. 

Your diligence in this behalf I have known more than these twenty-four years, 
unto the good example of all your parishioners and of so many as know you. And 
what God hath wrought hitherto in you, I doubt not but he will confirm, make 
perfect, and finish the same in you unto the glory of his name. 

This little treatise that ensueth, entitled, “The Summary of the New Testament,” I 
send unto you as a token of mine unfeigned love toward you. The gift, I confess, is 
small in quantity ; yet, if it be diligently considered, it shall be found great 
in utility and profit, namely to those that be studious of the new 
testament, specially for helping of their memory. What- 
soever it is, I pray you take it in good part; and 
the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with 
us all. Amen. 





THE 


SUMMARY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 





THE GOSPEL OF SAINT MATTHEW. 


Saint Matthew in his Gospel doth specially write of Christ’s humanity. And his Gospel containeth 
eight and twenty chapters. 


THE FIRST CHAPTER. 


1. Ir entreateth of the genealogy of 
Christ after the flesh. 

2. Of the espousing of Mary to Joseph 
her husband. 

3. Of Joseph’s determination to depart 
from Mary his wife. 

4. Of the admonition given to Joseph 
of the angel. 


THE SECOND CHAPTER. 


1. Of the wise men that came to see 
Christ. 

2. Of the craft and subtilty of king 
Herod. 

3. Of the slaying of the children. 

4. Of Christ’s fleeing and coming again. 


THE THIRD CHAPTER. 


1. Of the preaching of John Baptist. 
2. Of Christ’s baptism. 


THE FOURTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of Christ’s fasting and temptation in 
the wilderness. 

2. Of his answers, wherewith he over- 
came and repelled Satan. 

3. Of Christ’s coming into Galilee. 

4. Of the vocation or calling of certain 
apostles. 

5. Of healing the sick and diseased. 


THE FIFTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of the true blessedfulnesses, and where- 
in it consisteth. 

2. Of the true and spiritual understand- 
ing of the law, and of the false interpre- 
tation of the Pharisees. 

3. Of anger, of adultery, of swearing, of 
suffering wrong, and of love even toward 
our enemies. 


THE SIXTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of alms, prayer, and fasting, and of 
the true use of them. 
2. Of worldly care to be cast away. 


THE SEVENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of rash judgment. 

2. Of prayer unto God, and that all 
things are to be asked of him. 

3. Of the strait and wide gate. 

4, Of false prophets, and that we ought 
to beware of them. 

5. Of doing the word, and not hearing 
only. 


THE EIGHTH CHAPTER. 


. Of cleansing the leper. 

. Of healing the captain’s servant. 

. Of Peter’s wife’s mother. 

. Of healing the possessed with devils. 
Of them that came to follow Christ. 

Of the stilling the tempest of the sea. 
. Of healing two men possessed of devils, 
and ‘of the Haseenon of the swine. 


STD Or oR OO BO 


THE NINTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of healing the man diseased of the 
palsy. 

2. Of the vocation or calling of Matthew 
from the custom. 

3. Of Christ’s answers for the defence 
of his disciples in that they did not fast. 

4. Of Christ’s eating and company-keep- 
ing with publicans and sinners. 

5. Of healing the woman diseased of an 
issue of blood twelve years. 

6. Of restoring Jairus’ daughter to her 
health and life. 

7. Of restoring two blind men to their 
sight. 

8. Of healing a dumb man possessed of 
a devil. 


568 


9. Of Christ’s preaching and healing all 
diseases. 

10. Of labourers to be sent into the 
Lord’s harvest. 


THE TENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of choosing the twelve apostles, and 
sending them to preach. 

2. Of power given to work miracles. 

3. Of enarming the apostles against per- 
secution, and of divers other good lessons. 


THE ELEVENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of John’s disciples sent to Christ. 

2. Of Christ’s answer to them. 

3. Of Christ's commendation concerning 
John. 

4. Of rebuking the unthankful cities. 

5. Of Christ’s calling all men unto him 
without exception. 


THE TWELFTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of the disciples plucking the ears of 
corn on the sabbath-day. 

2. Of Christ’s excuse for that their act. 

3. Of healing the man that had his hand 
dried up. 

4. Of curing a man that was both blind 
and dumb. 

5. Ofthe Pharisees’ malice against Christ, 
and of his defence against them. 

6. Of the sin against the Holy Ghost. 

7. Of the Pharisees requiring a sign. 

8. Of an unclean spirit, and of his pro- 


perty. 
9. Of Christ’s mother and brethren de- 
siring to speak with him. 


THE THIRTEENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of certain parables ; as of the seed, 
of tares, of the mustard-seed, of the leaven, 
of the treasure hid in the field, of the pearls, 
and of the net. 

2. Of the ingratitude and unthankfulness 
of Christ’s countrymen. 


THE FOURTEENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of John’s imprisonment and death. 

2. Of five thousand men fed with five 
barley loaves and two fishes. 

3. Of the tempest of the sea quieted by 
Christ. 








THE SUMMARY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 


THE FIFTEENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of Christ’s rebuking the Pharisees, 
because they transgress God’s command- 
ments through their traditions. 

2. Of meat, and that it doth not defile 
man. 

3. Of the woman of Cananee, and of 
healing her daughter. 

4, Of healing the multitude. 

5. Of feeding four thousand men, besides 
women and children, with seven loaves and 
a few little fishes. 


THE SIXTEENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of the leaven of the Pharisees and 
Sadducees, and what it is. 

2. Of Peter’s confession concerning Christ 
to be the Son of the living God. 

3. Of the keys of heaven given to Peter 
and to the whole church of Christ. 

4. Of bearing the cross. 


THE SEVENTEENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of transfiguration of Christ in the 
mount. 

2. Of healing the lunatic. 

3. Of paying tribute to Cesar. 


THE EIGHTEENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of humility to be practised of his dis- 
ciples by the example of a child. 

2. Of avoiding offences, or occasions of 
evil. 

3. Of the parable of an hundred sheep. 

4. Of reproving our brother that of- 
fendeth. 

5. Of the power of binding and loosening, 
or of the keys given to the whole church. 

6. Of a parable, whereby we are taught 
one to forgive another even with our hearts. 


THE NINETEENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of the question concerning divorce- 
ment, and of Christ’s answer to the same. 

2. Of three kinds of chastelings’. 

3. Of young children, and how Christ 
layeth his hands upon them. 

4, Of a certain young man, which is 
commanded to sell all that he hath, and to 
give it to the poor, and to follow Christ. 

5. Of the reward which abideth them 
that forsake all things for Christ’s sake. 





[! Chastelings: those who keep themselves chaste, eunuchs. | 


THE SUMMARY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 569 


THE TWENTIETH CHAPTER. 


1. Of labourers hired to work in the 
vineyard. 

2. Of Christ’s passion, death, and resur- 
rection. 

3. Of the mother of Zebede’s children. 

4. Of the disciples’ indignation against 
Zebede’s children. 

5. Of humility to be practised of Christ’s 
disciples. 

6. Of two blind men restored to their 
sight. 


THE TWENTY-FIRST CHAPTER. 


1. Of Christ’s riding to Jerusalem. 

2. Of casting out buyers and sellers out 
of the temple. 

3. Of the fig-tree, which withered. 

4. Of the excellency of faith. 

5. Of the disputation between Christ and 
the high priests concerning his authority. 

6. Of two sons sent into the vineyard to 
work. 

7. Of the parable of the vineyard. 


THE TWENTY-SECOND CHAPTER. 


1. Of the parable of the marriage of the 
king’s son. 

2. Of the subtile question, whether tri- 
bute is to be paid to Cesar, or not. 

3. Of the woman that had seven brethren 
to her husbands; where Christ confuteth 
the opinion of the Sadducees, which deny 
the resurrection of the dead. 

4. Of the doctor of law’s question con- 
cerning the commandments. 

5. Of Christ’s question to the Pharisees, 
whose son Christ is. 


THE TWENTY-THIRD CHAPTER. 


1. Of Christ’s invectives against the 
scribes, Pharisees, and such-like hypo- 
crites. 

2. Of the ingratitude and unthankfulness 
of the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 


THE TWENTY-FOURTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of the destruction of the temple of 
Jerusalem. 

2. Of the end of the world, and what 
signs shall go before it. 

3. Of the sudden coming of Christ unto 
the judgment. 

4. Of Christ’s exhortation to watch, and 


to set ourselves in a readiness against his 
coming. 


THE TWENTY-FIFTH CHAPTER. 


1 Of the parables of the ten virgins. 

2. Of the servants which received the 
talents. 

3. Of the general judgment. 


THE TWENTY-SIXTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of the assembly of the high? priests, 
scribes, &c. to condemn Christ. 

2. Of the supper in Simon the leper’s 
house, where Mary Magdalene anointed 
Christ, whereat Judas had great indigna- 
tion. 

3. Of eating the paschal lamb. 

4. Of the betraying of Christ. 

5. Of the institution of the Lord’s supper. 

6. Of Christ’s tofore telling to his dis- 
ciples that they all should fall away from 
him. 

7. Of the stoutness of Peter. 

8. Of Christ’s praying in the garden. 

9. Of Christ's apprehension, and of the 
smiting off of Malchus’ ear. 

10. Of Peter’s denying Christ. 


THE TWENTY-SEVENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of Judas’ repentance for betraying 
Christ, and of the restitution of the money, 
again, of his most miserable end. 

2. Of Christ’s examination before Pilate. 

3. Of Barrabas’ setting at liberty, and of 
Christ’s condemnation unto death. 

4. Of Christ's passions and sufferings, 
and how he was hanged between two 
thieves. 

5. Of Christ’s death. 

6. Of divers miracles which then were 
done. 

7. Of the confession of the centurion, 
that Christ is the Son of God. 

8. Of the burying of Christ’s body. 

9. Of watchmen keeping Christ’s se- 
pulchre. 


THE TWENTY-EIGHTH CHAPTER. 

1. Of Christ’s resurrection. 

2. Of the women® that went unto Christ’s 
sepulchre, and of the angel’s words unto 
them. 

3. Of the watchmen corrupted. 

4. Of Christ’s appearing to the women’. 

5. Of Christ’s appearing to his disciples, 
and of sending forth them to preach. 





[? Folio, his.] 


[* Folio, woman. ] 


570 


THE SUMMARY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 


THE GOSPEL OF SAINT MARK. 


Saint Mark in his Gospel doth principally treat of Christ’s power and resurrection; and his Gospel 
containeth sixteen chapters. 


THE FIRST CHAPTER. 


. Of John Baptist, and of his' office. 
. Of Christ’s baptism. 
. Of Christ’s fasting and preaching. 
. Of the calling of certain disciples. 
. Of healing a man vexed with an un- 
clean spirit. 

6. Of Peter|’s] wife's mother restored 
to her health. 

7. Of healing the multitude of divers 
diseases. 

8. Of cleansing the leper. 


ore Gb = 


THE SECOND CHAPTER. 


1. Of healing the man diseased of the 
palsy. 

2. Of the vocation or’ calling of Levi, 
otherwise Matthew the customer. 

3. Of Christ’s eating with sinners. 

4. Of Christ’s disciples plucking the ears 
of corn on the sabbath-day; whom Christ 
defendeth against the Pharisees with the 
example of David. 


THE THIRD CHAPTER. 


1. Of healing the man that had a dried 
hand. 

2. Of the conspiracy of the Pharisees and 
of the Herodians against Christ. 

3. Of choosing the apostles. 

4. Of the indurate malice of the scribes, 
which ascribed the power of Christ to Bel- 
zebub, prince of the devils. 

5. Of Christ’s answers to them, refelling 
their wicked sentence. 

6. Of the sin against the Holy Ghost. 

7. Of Christ’s brother, sister, and mother. 


THE FOURTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of the parable of the sower, and of 
the exposition of the same. 

2. Of the parables of the tares, and of 
the mustard-seed. 

3. Of the tempest that rose up in the 
sea. 


[' Folio, hye.] 





THE FIFTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of a man possessed with an unclean 
spirit, and of the herd of swine drowned. 

2. Of the woman diseased long with a 
bloody issue. 

3. Of Jairus’ daughter raised from death 
to life. 


THE SIXTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of Christ’s doctrine, and how he is 
despised of his own country folk. 

2. Of sending the apostles to preach and 
to heal diseases with divers commandments 
and injunctions. 

3. Of king Herod and of John Baptist. 

4. Of feeding five thousand people in the 
wilderness. 

5. Of Christ’s praying on an hill. 

6. Of Christ’s walking on the sea. 

7. Of the sick that touched Christ, and 
were healed. 


THE SEVENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of the Pharisees finding fault with 
Christ’s disciples, that they did eat meat 
with unwashed hands, and walked not after 
the traditions of the elders. 

2. Of Christ’s answer to the Pharisees. 

3. Of meat, and that nothing which 
entereth into the mouth defileth man. 

4. Of a woman which was a Greek out 
of Syrophenicia, and of the healing of her 
daughter. 

5. Of a man that was deaf and dumb. 


THE EIGHTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of the feeding of four thousand with 
seven loaves. 

2. Of the Pharisees asking a sign. 

3. Of the leaven of the Pharisees. 

4. Of rebuking the disciples. 

5. Of a blind man restored to his sight. 

6. Of Peter’s confession concerning Christ 
to be the Son of God. 

7. Of rebuking Peter. 

8. Of bearing the cross. 

9. Of confessing or denying Christ. 


[? Folio, of.] 


THE SUMMARY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 


THE NINTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of the transfiguration of Christ in the 
mountain. 

2. Of the disciples’ demand concerning 
Helias. 

3. Of healing the lunatic. 

4. Of rebuking the disciples for lack of 
faith. 

5. Of faith. 

6. Of the ambition of the disciples. 

7. Of humility to be practised. 

&. Of avoiding offences or occasions of 


9. Of salt. 


THE TENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of divorcement. 

2. Of children brought unto Christ. 

3. Of a certain rich man that came unto 
Christ. 

4, Of the reward that they shall have 
which forsake all things for Christ’s sake. 

5. Of the sons of Zebedeus, and of their 
petition. 

6. Of the indignation of the disciples 
against the sons of Zebedeus. 

7. Of superiority among the disciples of 
Christ forbidden. 

8. Of a blind man restored to his sight. 


THE ELEVENTH CHAPTER. 


. Of Christ’s riding to Jerusalem. 
. Of the honourable receiving of Christ. 
. Of Christ’s return unto Bethania. 
. Of the fig-tree accursed. 
. Of casting out the sellers and buyers 
out of the temple. 
6. Of the power and strength of faith. 
7. Of prayer, and forgiving one another. 
8. Of questions between Christ and the 
Pharisees. 


ote Gb = 


57] 
THE TWELFTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of the parable of the vineyard. 

2. Of paying tribute to Cesar. 

3. Of the Sadducees, which denied the 
resurrection of the dead. 

4. Of a scribe, and of his question con- 
cerning the law. 

5. Of Christ’s question, how Christ is 
the son of David. 

6. Of eschewing hypocrites. 

7. Of the offering of the poor widow. 


THE THIRTEENTH CHAPTER. 


l. Of the end of the world. 

2. Of the signs that shall go before the 
end of the world. 

3. Of the uncertainty of the time con- 
cerning Christ’s coming unto the judgment. 

4, Of watching and setting ourselves in 
a readiness against the coming of Christ. 


THE FOURTEENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of Mary Magdalene’s anointing of 
Christ. 

2. Of eating the paschal lamb. 

3. Of the Lord’s supper. 

4. Of Christ’s apprehension, and of di- 
vers other things appertaining unto the 
history of his passion. 


THE FIFTEENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of the diversity of pains which Christ 


suffered. 
9. Of Christ’s death and burial. 


THE SIXTEENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of Christ’s resurrection. 

2. Of Christ’s appearing to Mary Mag- 
dalene and to the apostles. 

3. Of preaching the gospel throughout 
the world. 

4. Of the signs that shall follow them 
that believe. 





THE GOSPEL OF SAINT LUKE. 


Saint Luke’s Gospel treateth specially of the passion and death of Christ; and it hath four and 
twenty chapters. 


THE FIRST CHAPTER. 


3. Of Mary visiting Elizabeth, wife to 


1. Of the parents of John Baptist, and | Zachary the priest. 


of his conception and birth. 
2. Of Christ’s conception. 


4. Of the songs of Mary the virgin, and 
of Zachary the priest. 


572 
THE SECOND CHAPTER. 


. Of taxing the world. 
. Of the birth of Christ. 
. Of the shepherds. 
. Of the circumcision of Christ. 
. Of Simeon and Anna. 
. Of Christ found among the doctors in 
the temple. 
7. Of Christ’s obedience to Joseph and 
Mary. 


Dor BO bt = 


THE THIRD CHAPTER. 


1. Of John Baptist’s preaching. 

2. Of John’s witness concerning Christ. 
3. Of John’s imprisonment. 

4. Of Christ’s genealogy. 


THE FOURTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of Christ’s temptation and fasting in 
the wilderness. 

2. Of Christ’s victory over Satan. 

3. Of Christ’s preaching. 

4. Of the ingratitude and unthankfulness 
of Christ’s countrymen toward him. 

5. Of a man possessed with an unclean 
spirit. 

6. Of Peter’s wife’s mother. 

7. Of multitudes cured from their diseases. 


THE FIFTH! CHAPTER. 


1. Of Christ’s preaching in the ship, and 
of the diligent attendance of the people. 

2. Of the great multitude of fishes taken 
at the word of Christ. 

3. Of the disciples forsaking all, and fol- 
lowing Christ. 

4, Of a leper cleansed from his leprosy. 

5. Of a man diseased with a palsy. 

6. The vocation of Levi otherwise called 
Matthew. 

7. Of Christ's company-keeping with 
publicans and sinners. 

8. Of fasting. 

9. Of old bottles and new wine. 


THE SIXTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of plucking the ears of corn on the 
sabbath-day. 

2. Of a man that had his nght hand 
dried up. 

3. Of Christ praying on a mountain all 
the night. 

4. Of Christ’s sermon, wherein he ex- 








THE SUMMARY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 


poundeth the law of God, not only after the 
letter, as the scribes and Pharisees did, but 
after the spirit. 


THE SEVENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of healing the captain’s servant. 

2. Of raising up the widow’s son from 
death to life. 

3. Of John’s disciples sent to Christ. 

4. Of John’s commendation and praise. 

5. Of the Pharisees despising the counsel 
of God. 

6. Of the Pharisee that desired Christ to 
eat with him. 

7. Of the woman that anointed Christ’s 
feet. 

THE EIGHTH CHAPTER. 

1. Of Christ and his apostles preaching 
in every town. 

2. Of certain women that followed Christ 
and his apostles for their doctrine sake, and 
ministered unto them of their substance. 

3. Of the parable of the sower, and of 
the exposition of the same. 

4. Of Christ’s mother and brethren. 

5. Of the tempest in the sea. 

6. Of a man poss[ess Jed with a devil. 

7. Of a woman diseased with a bloody 
issue. 

8. Of Jairus’ daughter raised up from 
death to life. 


THE NINTH CHAPTER. 

1. Of sending forth the twelve apostles 
to preach with certain commandments and 
injunctions. 

2. Of the apostles’ return, and of their 
good success. 

3. Of feeding five thousand with five 
barley loaves and two fishes. 

4. Of the divers opinion of the people 
concerning Christ. 

5. Of Peter’s confession concerning Christ 
to be the Son of God. 

6 Of the cross. 

7. Of the transfiguration of Christ. 

8. Of healing the lunatic child. 

9. Of the disputation among the disciples, 
who should be greatest. 

10. Of humility. 

1]. Of the ingratitude and ungentleness 
of the Samaritans. 

12. Of the too hot zeal of James and 
John for not receiving Christ and his com- 


pany. 


[! Folio, aai.] 


THE SUMMARY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 573 


13. Of Christ’s answer to them, wherein 
he forbiddeth vengeance. 

14. Of certain that offered their service 
unto Christ. 

15. Of him that doth not persevere unto 
the end. 


THE TENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of sending forth the seventy disciples 
to preach. 

2. Of certain unthankful cities, and of 
their damnation. 

3. Of the return of the seventy disciples, 
and of their good success. 

4. Of Christ’s most worthy answers to 
them. 

5. Of Christ’s rejoicing in the spirit, and 
thanksgiving to his Father. 
. Of the blessedness of his disciples. 
. Of the question of the lawyer. 
. Of the parable of the wounded man. 
. Of Martha and Mary. 


oOo cost 


THE ELEVENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of the Lord’s prayer. 

2. Of the benefits of prayer. 

3. Of aman possessed with a devil, which 
was dumb. 

4. Of the obstinate malice of certain 
against Christ, his doctrine, and miracles. 

5. Of Christ’s answers. 

6. Of.a certain woman that lifted up her 
voice and praised Christ, and of Christ’s 
answer to the same. 

7. Of them that require signs and tokens. 

8. Of a Pharisee that bade Christ to eat 
with him. 

9. Of Christ’s invectives against the Pha- 
risees, lawyers, and such like hypocrites. 


THE TWELFTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of the leaven of the Pharisees. 

2. Of persecution, and consolation against 
the same. 

3. Of the inheritance to be divided be- 
tween two brethren. 

4. Of Christ’s admonition to beware of 
covetousness. 

5. Of the parable of a certain rich man. 

6. Of dissuasions from the too much care 
of worldly things. 

7. Of watching and setting ourselves in 
a readiness against the coming of Christ. 


THE THIRTEENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of the Galileans whom Pilate slew, 
and of those that died in Siloe. 





2. Of repentance. 

3. Of the parable of the fig-tree. 

4. Of a crooked woman diseased by the 
space of eighteen years, healed on the sab- 
bath-day. 

5. Of the kingdom of God. 

6. Of the little number that shall be 
saved. 

7. Of Christ’s answer concerning Herod. 

8. Of Christ’s tender affection toward 
Jerusalem, and of the ingratitude of the 
same toward him. 


THE FOURTEENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of a man diseased of the dropsy and 
healed of Christ. 

2. Of the sabbath-day. 

3. Of a parable teaching humility. 

4, Of those whom we ought to call unto 
our table. 

5. Of the parable of him that prepared a 
great supper. 

6. Of the cross, and that such as will 
follow Christ must prepare themselves to 
the cross. 


THE FIFTEENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of certain parables, wherewith Christ 
setteth forth the mercy and love of his hea- 
venly Father toward penitent sinners. Of 
the lost sheep. Of the lost groat. And of 
the prodigal and wasteful son. 


THE SIXTEENTH CHAPTER. 


l. Of the parable of the unrighteous 
steward. 

2. Of the mercy to be shewed to the 
poor in this world. 

3. Of the perpetuity and constancy of 
God’s word. 

4. Of divorcement. 

5. Of the rich man, and of the poor 
Lazarus. 


THE SEVENTEENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of the offences or occasions of evil, 
and that they ought to be eschewed. 

2. Of forgiving the offending brother, if 
he repent. 

3. Of the power of faith. 

4, Of our unrighteousness, and that we 
are all unprofitable servants, 

5. Of the ten lepers. 

6. Of the latter days, and of the coming 
of Christ. 


574 


THE EIGHTEENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Ofthe parable whereby Christ teacheth 
that we ought continually to pray, and not 
to be weary. 

2. Of the Pharisee and the publican. 

3. Of children brought unto Christ. 

4, Of a certain ruler that asked Christ 
what he should do to obtain everlasting life. 

5. Of rich men, and that they hardly 
enter into the kingdom of God. 

6. Of the reward that abideth them 
which forsake all things for Christ’s sake. 

7. Of Christ’s passion, death, and resur- 
rection. 

8. Of a blind man restored to his sight. 


THE NINETEENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of Zacheus. 

2. Of a certain nobleman that went into 
a far country. 

3. Of Christ riding into Jerusalem. 

4. Of Christ’s lamentation over the city 
Jerusalem, and of the evils that shall chance 
to her because she hath not known the 
time of her visitation. 


THE TWENTIETH CHAPTER. 


1. Of the disputation between Christ and 
the high priests concerning Christ’s autho- 
rity. 

2. Of the parable of the vineyard. 

3. Of the malice of the high priests 
against Christ. 

4, Of paying tribute to Cesar. 

5. Of the Sadducees whose mouths Christ 
stoppeth. 

6. Of the question how Christ is David’s 
son. 

7. Of the scribes, and that we ought to 
beware of them. 


THE TWENTY-FIRST CHAPTER. 


1. Of the poor widow which cast into 
the treasury two mites. 

2. Of the destruction of Jerusalem. 

3. Of the signs that shall go before the 
day of judgment. 

4. Of surfeiting, drunkenness, and cares 
of this world. 

5. Of watching and praying. 


THE TWENTY-SECOND CHAPTER. 


1. Of the betraying of Christ by his dis- 
ciple Judas for money. 





THE SUMMARY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 


2. Of eating the paschal lamb. 

3. Of the institution of the Lord’s supper. 

4. Of the disciples contending who shall 
be greatest. 

5. Of Peter’s stoutness. 

6. Of prayer. 

7. Of Christ’s fervent praying in the 
mount Olivet. 

8. Of Christ’s apprehension. 

9. Of Christ’s leading into the high 
priest’s house. 

10. Of Peter denying Christ. 

11. Of Peter’s repentance. 

12. Of Christ mocked, stricken, blind- 
folded, and despitefully entreated. 

13. Of Christ brought before the council, 
and of his examination. 


THE TWENTY-THIRD CHAPTER. 


1. Of Christ brought before Pilate and 
Herod. 

2. Of Barrabas’ deliverance, and of Christ’s 
condemnation. 

3. Of the women’ that lamented Christ 
and of Christ’s answer to them. 

4. Of Christ’s praying for his crucifiers 
and tormentors. 

5. Of the conversion of one of the evil- 
doers that were hanged with Christ, and of 
Christ’s answer to him. 

6. Of the wonders done about the time 
of Christ’s death. 

7. Of Christ’s death. 

8. Of Christ’s burial. 


THE TWENTY-FOURTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of Christ’s resurrection. 

2. Of the women’ that came unto Christ’s 
sepulchre. 

3. Of the angel appearing to the women 
and comforting them. 

4. Of Peter’s running to the sepulchre. 

5. Of the two disciples that went unto 
Emaus, to whom Christ appeared. 

6. Of Christ's appearing to the eleven 
disciples gathered together. 

7. Of certain evident tokens of Christ’s 
resurrection. 

8. Of opening the disciples’ wits to 
understand the scriptures. 

9. Of repentance and remission of sins to 
be preached universally. 

10. Of Christ’s ascension into heaven. 

11. Of the disciples’ return unto Jeru- 
salem. 





[' Folio, woman. ] 


THE SUMMARY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 57 


or 


THE GOSPEL OF SAINT JOHN. 


Saint John in his Gospel treateth principally the mysteries of Christ’s divinity ; and in his Gospel are 
contained one and twenty chapters. 


THE FIRST CHAPTER. 


1. Of Christ’s divinity from everlasting, 
and of his incarnation. 

2. Of John Baptist, of his office, and of 
his testimony concerning Christ at Betha- 
bara beyond Jordan. 

3. Of the calling of Andrew, Simon, 
Philip, and Nathanael. 


THE SECOND CHAPTER. 


1. Of a marriage in Cana of Galilee, 
where Christ turned water into wine. 

2. Of driving buyers and sellers out of 
the temple. 

3. Of his death and resurrection, signified 
by the destruction of the temple and 
building up of it again in three days. 

4. Of Christ’s being at Jerusalem at 
Easter. 


THE THIRD CHAPTER. 


1. Of the communication between Christ 
and Nicodemus. 

2. Of the new birth and spiritual regene- 
ration. 

3. Of Christ's passion and death. 

4. Of God’s exceeding great love toward 
the world. 

5. Of the disciples of Christ’s baptism. 

6. Of the question concerning purifica- 
tion. 

7. Of John’s witness concerning Christ, 
and of his preaching of the gospel. 


THE FOURTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of the communication of Christ with 
the woman of Samaria. 

2. Of the true worshipping of God. 

3. Of healing the ruler’s son. 


THE FIFTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of healing a man that had been tofore 
diseased eight and thirty years. 

2. Of the maliciousness of the Jews a- 
gainst Christ for healing the man on the 
sabbath-day. 

3. Of Christ’s answers unto them. 


THE SIXTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of feeding five thousand men with 
five barley loaves and two fishes. 

2. Of making Christ a king. 

3. Of Christ fleeing all worldly pomp 
and dignity. 

4. Of the eating and drinking of Christ’s 
body and blood. 

5. Of the apostles’ faith and confession 
concerning Christ. 

6. Of Judas Iscarioth. 


THE SEVENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of Christ’s being at Jerusalem, where 
he teacheth the Jews and reproveth them. 

2. Of the dissension among the people 
concerning Christ, and of their diverse 
opinion of Christ. 

3. Of sending the Pharisees’ and high 
priest’s ministers to apprehend Christ. 

4. Of Nicodemus defending Christ. 


THE EIGHTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of the woman taken in adultery. 

2. Of the christian liberty or freedom. 

3. Of the Jews falsely accusing Christ, 
and of Christ answering and refuting their 
accusations. 

4. Of the Jews going about to stone 
Christ. 


THE NINTH CHAPTER. 


l. Of a man born blind restored to his 
sight. 

2. Of Christ confessing himself to the 
blind man to be the Son of God. 


THE TENTH CHAPTER.., 


1. Of Christ the true shepherd, and the 
door of the sheep. 

2. Of Christ’s sheep, and that they cannot 
perish. 

3. Of the dissension among the Jews 
concerning Christ. 

4, Of the Jews’ madness against Christ. 


THE ELEVENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of the raising up of Lazarus. 


576 


2. Of the high priests and Pharisees 
taking counsel together to slay Christ. 

3. Of Caiphas’ prophecy concerning the 
death of Christ. 

4. Of Christ conveying hithself from the 
furious Jews. 


THE TWELFTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of Mary Magdalene anointing Christ's 
feet. 

2. Of Judas murmuring for that act of 
the woman. 

3. Of Christ’s excuse for the woman. 

4. Of Christ’s riding to Jerusalem. 

5. Of certain Greeks which came to 
Philip and desired to see Christ. 

6. Of the virtue of Christ’s death. 

7. Of the infidelity of the Jews. 

8. Of Christ’s word. 


THE THIRTEENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of Christ's washing his disciples’ feet, 
shewing an example both of love and also 
of humility. 

2. Of Judas Iscarioth the traitor. 

3. Of love one toward another. 

4, Of Simon Peter. 


THE FOURTEENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of consolation against the cross, and 
of many other godly and goodly sweet 
lessons. 

2. Of the promise of the Holy Ghost. 

3. Of Christ’s corporal departure out of 
this world. 


THE FIFTEENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of Christ the true vine. 

2. Of love one toward another. 

3. Of things to be asked in Christ's 
name. 

4. Of most sweet consolations against 
persecution. 


THE SIXTEENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of persecution. 
2. Of Christ’s corporal departure. 














THE SUMMARY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 


3. Of sending the Holy Ghost. 

4, Of consolation against the cross. 

5. Of prayer to be made in the name of 
Christ. 


THE SEVENTEENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of Christ’s prayer unto his Father for 
all those that receive his word. 


THE EIGHTEENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of the betraying and apprehension of 
Christ. 

2. Of the virtue of Christ’s words where- 
with the soldiers were down to the ground. 

3. Of Peter denying Christ. 

4. Of the examination of Christ concern- 
ing his doctrine before the high priest. 

5. Of Christ’s kingdom. 

6. Of the malice of the Jews against 
Christ. 


THE NINETEENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of the authority of the higher powers. 
2. Of Christ’s crucifying. 

3. Of Mary and John. 

4, Of the death and burial of Christ. 


THE TWENTIETH CHAPTER. 


1. Of Christ’s resurrection. 

2. Of Christ's appearing to Mary Mag- 
dalene, and to his apostles, after his resur- 
rection. 

3. Of Thomas’ infidelity concerning the 
resurrection of Christ. 

4. Of Thomas confessing Christ to be his 
Lord and God. 

5. Of the power of faith. 


THE TWENTY-FIRST CHAPTER. 


1. Of Christ’s appearing to his disciples 
by the sea of Tiberias. 

2. Of the commandment given of Christ 
to Peter and to all spiritual pastors dili- 
gently to feed his sheep. 

3. Of Peter and John. 

4. Of the innumerable miracles and 
works which Christ did. 


THE SUMMARY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 


577 


THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. 


Saint Luke, in this his book, describeth the assumption of Christ, the sending of the Holy Ghost, the 
deeds of the apostles, and the infancy of the church; and the book containeth twenty-eight chapters. 


THE FIRST CHAPTER. 


1. Of the resurrection of Christ confirmed 
by many tokens. 

2. Of the commandment which Christ 
gave to his apostles, that they should not 
depart from Jerusalem. 

3. Of Christ’s ascension into heaven. 

4. Of the election of Matthias instead of 
Judas. 

5. Of the apostles’ prayer before the 
election. 


THE SECOND CHAPTER. 


1. Of the coming down of the Holy 
Ghost upon the apostles. 

2. Of the diversity of tongues wherewith 
the apostles spake after they had received 
the Holy Ghost. 

3. Of Peter’s sermon at Jerusalem. 

4, Of three thousand people that through 
Peter’s sermon were converted unto the 
faith of Christ, and baptized. 

5. Of the godly fellowship of the apostles, 
and of the other faithful, in the beginning of 
Christ’s church. 


THE THIRD CHAPTER. 


1. Of a man born halt restored to the 
perfect use of his limbs. 

2. Of Peter's preaching to the people 
concerning the resurrection and glorification 
of Christ. 


THE FOURTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of the apostles’ apprehension and im- 
prisonment. 

2. Of the examination of the apostles 
before the rulers and high priests. 

3. Of Peter’s answer. 

4. Of salvation in Chrisi alone. 

5. Of no more preaching in the name of 
Christ. 

6. Of Peter and John’s answer, that God 
is more to be obeyed than men. 

7. Of the apostles’ prayer to God. 

8. Of the liberal and free distribution of 
the faithful men’s goodness to the poor and 
needy. 


[BECON, 111. ] 





THE FIFTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of the dissembling of Ananias and 
Saphira, and of their punishment. 

2. Of miracles done by the apostles. 

3. Of healing the multitude. 

4, Of the imprisonment of the apostles ], 
and of the deliverance by the angel of God 
by night. 

5. Of the apostles’ preaching in the tem- 
ple notwithstanding the rulers’ command- 
ment. 

6. Of the apostles brought before the 
head rulers, of their examination and an- 
swers. 

7. Of Gamaliel’s counsel. 

8. Of the apostles’ rejoicing in their trou- 
ble for Christ’s sake. 


THE SIXTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of deacons ordained in the congrega- 
tion to minister unto the poor. 

2. Of Stephen, which is accused of the 
Jews. 


THE SEVENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of Stephen’s answer to his accusa- 
tions, wherein he declareth the acts of the 
ancient fathers in the old law, and mightily 
rebuketh the hard-necked Jews. 

2. He prayeth for his enemies, and is 
stoned unto death. 


THE EIGHTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of persecution against the congrega- 
tion of God at Jerusalem, and of the disper- 
sion of the faithful. 

2. Of the lamentation of the faithful for 
Stephen’s death. 

3. Of Saul persecuting the Christians. 

4, Of Philip’s preaching in Samaria. 

5. Of Simon Magus, and of his baptism. 

6. Of miracles wrought by Philip. 

7. Of the wickedness and dissimulation 
of Simon Magus, and how he was rebuked 
of Simon Peter. 

8. Of the eunuch reading the scriptures, 
of his conversion, and baptism. 


37 


578 
THE NINTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of the conversion of Paul. 

2. Of Paul’s preaching, and confounding 
the Jews. 

3. Of Jews counselling together how to 
kill Paul. 

4, Of Eneas restored to his health by 
Peter. 

5. Of Tabitha raised from death to life 
by Peter. 


THE TENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of the vision that Peter saw. 

2. Of Peter’s coming to Cornelius, and of 
his preaching. 

3. Of Cornelius’ conversation unto the 
faith of Christ. 

4, Of the Holy Ghost given to the gen- 
tiles or heathen, yea, and that before they 
were baptized. 


THE ELEVENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of the Jews reasoning with Peter why 
he went to the heathen. 

2. Of Peter’s answer. 

3. Of the conversion of the gentiles unto 
the faith. 

4. Of Barnabas sent unto Antioch to 
preach, which joined Paul unto him. 

5. Of Agabus prophesying dearth for to 


come. 


THE TWELFTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of king Herod persecuting the con- 
gregation of God. 

2. Of the death of James the apostle. 

3. Of Peter’s apprehension and imprison- 
ment. 

4, Of the faithful congregation earnestly 
praying to God for Peter. 

5. Of Peter's wonderful deliverance by 
the angel of God. 

6. Of the shameful and horrible death of 
king Herod. 


THE THIRTEENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of Paul and Barnabas sent by the 
Holy Ghost’s appomtment to preach the 
gospel to the heathen. 

2. Of Elymas the sorcerer resisting their 
preaching. 

3. Of Paul’s answer to Elymas, which is 
also plagued. 











THE SUMMARY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 


4. Of Paul’s preaching at Phisidia. 

5. Of salvation by Christ alone. 

6. Of the diligent affection of the heathen 
toward the word of God. 

7. Of casting away the Jews for their 
stiff-neckedness. 

8. Of Paul and Barnabas persecuted for 
the word of God. 


THE FOURTEENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of Paul and Barnabas preaching at 
Iconium. 

2. Of division among the people for doc- 
trine sake. 

3. Of Paul healing a certain man that 
was lame in his feet. 

4, Of Paul and Barnabas supposed to be 
gods, and of honour to be done unto them, 
which they refused. 

5. Of Paul stoned, and drawn out of the 
city for dead. 

6. Of tribulation. 


THE FIFTEENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of the variance about circumcision. 

2. Of the determination of the apostles 
in this behalf. 

3. Of the dissension between Paul and 
Barnabas. 


THE SIXTEENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of Timothy circumcised and joined 
to Paul. 

2. Of Paul forbidden by the Holy Ghost 
to preach in Asia. 

3. Of Paul’s departure unto Macedonia 
to preach the word. 

4, Of a certain woman named Lydia, a 
seller of purple. 

5. Of a certain damsel possessed with a 
spirit that prophesied, whom Paul healed. 

6. Of Paul and Silas beaten with rods 
and cast into prison. 

7. Of the keeper of the prison converted, 
with all his family. 

8. Of Paul’s and Silas’ deliverance out of 
prison. 


THE SEVENTEENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of Paul’s coming to Thessalonica, 
and of his preaching there. 

2. Of the malice of the Jews against Paul 
and Silas, and against Jason their host, and 
of an uproar made by them in the city. 


THE SUMMARY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 


3. Of Paul preaching at Athens against 
idolatry, and declaring to the people the 
true and living God. 

4, Of the resurrection of the dead. 


THE EIGHTEENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of Paul preaching at Corinthum, 
where he found Aquilla with Priscilla his 
wife. 

2. Of Paul working for his living on the 
week-days, and preaching on sabbath. 

3. Of Paul’s continuance at Corinthum 
by the space of a year and six months, 
preaching the word of God. 

4. Of Paul’s vow. 

5. Of Apollos. 


THE NINETEENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of Paul’s return unto Ephesus, and of 
his preaching there. 

2. Of miracles wrought by Paul. 

3. Of certain Jews that were exorcists. 

4. Of books burnt at Ephesus. 

5. Of Demetrius the silversmith, and of 
his malice against Paul. 

6. Of the commotion at Ephesus for 
Paul's doctrine. 


THE TWENTIETH CHAPTER. 


1. Of breaking bread on the sabbath- 
day, and of Paul preaching. 

2. Of Eutychus raised up to life by Paul. 

3. Of Paul's exhortation to the bishops 
and elders of Ephesus. 


THE TWENTY-FIRST CHAPTER. 


1. Of Philip the evangelist, and of his 
four daughters. 

2. Of Agabus the prophet. 

3. Of Paul’s journey toward Jerusalem. 

4. Of Paul's receiving at Jerusalem, and 
of the counsel that was given him. 

5. Of Paul purifying himself after the 
manner of the Jews. 

6. Of an uproar made in the temple be- 
cause of Paul. 

7. Of Paul’s deliverance out of the Jews’ 
hands. 


579 
THE TWENTY-SECOND CHAPTER. 


1. Of Paul’s oration to the Jews in the 
Hebrew tongue. 

2. Of the Jews’ malice against Paul. 

3. Of Paul’s deliverance out of bonds. 


THE TWENTY-THIRD CHAPTER. 


1. Of Paul brought before the council. 

2. Of Ananias the high priest, and of his 
ungentle entreating of Paul. 

3. Of Paul’s answer to Ananias. 

4. Of the dissension between the Phari- 
sees and the Sadducees. 

5. Of Paul put in prison, and how God 
comforteth him. 

6. Of certain that conspired Paul’s death. 

7. Of Paul’s deliverance from the con- 
spirators, and of his sending unto Felix. 


THE TWENTY-FOURTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of Paul’s accusation before Felix the 
high deputy. 
2. Of Paul’s answer. 


THE TWENTY-FIFTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of Paul accused of the Jews before 
Festus. 
2. Of Paul appealing unto Cesar. 


THE TWENTY-SIXTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of Paul making his excuse before 
king Agrippa and Festus, wherein he de- 
clareth his vocation. 


THE TWENTY-SEVENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of Paul’s sailing unto Rome, and of 
the shipwreck. 


THE TWENTY-EIGHTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of the viper not hurting Paul’s hand. 

2. Of Publius’ father sick of a fever, re- 
stored to his health by Paul. 

3. Of Paul preaching the kingdom of 
God at Rome. 


37—2 


580 


THE SUMMARY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 


THE EPISTLE[S] OF SAINT PAUL: 
AND FIRST UNTO THE ROMANS. 


The argument of the epistle unto the Romans. 


The apostle calleth the Romans both from the errors of the gentiles, and also from the ceremonies of 
Moses’ law, unto the true faith of Christ, which alone justifieth, and unto those good works which 
proceed out of faith, and are called the fruits of the Spirit. 


THE FIRST CHAPTER. 


1. Of Paul’s vocation or calling unto the 
office of an apostle. 

2. Of Paul’s love and good-will toward 
the Romans. 

3. Of Paul’s desire and purpose to see 
the Romans. 

4. Of the gospel of Christ, and what it is. 

5. Of righteousness, which cometh by 
faith alone. 


6. Of the beastliness of the flesh. 


THE SECOND CHAPTER. 


1. Of the Jews, whom the apostle sharply 
reproveth, and proveth them in sin nothing 
inferior to the gentiles. 


THE THIRD CHAPTER. 


1. Of the preferment and excellency of 
the Jews for the word and promise sake. 

2. Of all men being sinners, both Jew 
and gentile, without exception. 

3. Of our justification by the grace of 
God in Christ through faith alone. 


THE FOURTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of Abraham; by whose example he 
proveth that we are justified by faith alone, 
and not by the works of the law. 


THE FIFTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of the fruit of faith, and of the 
power of our justification. 

2. Of God’s exceeding great love toward 
mankind. 

3. Of Adam and Christ compared to- 
gether. 


THE SIXTH CHAPTER. 


]. Of a new life to be led of them that 
are regenerate in Christ. 

2. Of baptism. 

3. Of the strife between the flesh and 
the Spirit. 

4. Of the mortification of the flesh. 





THE SEVENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of our deliverance from the law and 
death by Christ. 

2. Of the strength of the law, and of the 
power of sin. 

3. Of the great conflict between the out- 
ward man and the inward man. 


THE EIGHTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of the blessed state of them that are 
grafted in Christ Jesu. 

2. Of the law of the Spirit. 

3. Of the imperfection of the law. 

4. Of our fulfilling of the law by Christ. 

5. Of the flesh and of the Spirit, and of 
their diversity. 

6. Of the afflictions of this life. 

7. Of the infirmity of man, which know- 
eth not what to ask in his prayer as he 
ought. 

8. Of God’s elect and chosen people. 

9. Of God's exceeding great love toward 
us. 


THE NINTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of Paul’s sorrow for the stubbornness 
of the Jews, which have not received but 
rejected Christ. 

2. Of God’s predestination and secret 
election. 

3. Of receiving the gentiles because they 
believed, and of the rejecting of the Jews 
because of their unbelief. 


THE TENTH CHAPTER. 


]. Of the unfaithfulness of the Jews. 

2. Of two manner of righteousnesses. 

3. Of the true righteousness which cometh 
by faith alone in Christ. 

4, Of the preachers of the gospel. 

5. Of the calling of the gentiles. 


THE ELEVENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of God’s election. 
2. Of the Jews, and that all of them are 
not cast away. 


THE SUMMARY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 


3. Of Paul’s admonition to the gentiles, 
that they be not high-minded nor despise 
the Jews. 

4. Of God, and that he hath wrapped 
all nations in unbelief, that he might have 
mercy on all. 


5. Of the judgments of God. 


THE TWELFTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of divers godly instructions belonging 
to God, to ourselves, and to our neighbour. 


THE THIRTEENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of obedience toward the high powers. 

2. Of love, which is the fulfilling of the 
law. 

3. Of putting away the works of dark- 
ness, &c. 


581 
THE FOURTEENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of bearing the infirmities of the weak. 

2. Of indifferent things, as days, meats, 
&c., and that all things ought to be done 
without offence. 

3. Of faith. 


THE FIFTEENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of the strong in faith, and that they 
ought to bear the weakness of such as be 
yet weak, after the example of Christ. 


THE SIXTEENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of divers salutations. 
2. Of false teachers, and that both they 
and their doctrine ought to be eschewed. 





THE FIRST EPISTLE OF SAINT PAUL TO THE CORINTHIANS; 


containing sixteen chapters. 


The argument of the same epistle. 


The apostle calleth them home again which were deceived, partly through the crafty persuasions of false 
apostles, and partly under the pretence of the observation or keeping of Moses’ law. 


THE FIRST CHAPTER. 


1. Of thanksgiving unto God for the 
Corinthians’ knowledge. 

2. Of unity and concord. 

3. Of the division among the Corinthians. 

4. Of worldly wisdom. 

5. Of Christ our wisdom, our righteous- 
ness, &c. 


THE SECOND CHAPTER. 


1, Of Paul’s simple doctrine among the 
Corinthians. 

2. Of the blindness of a natural man in 
spiritual things. 


THE THIRD CHAPTER. 


1. Of the diversity of sects among the 
Corinthians. 

2. Of Christ the alone foundation of the 
christian church. 

3. Of fire, whereby is understand afflic- 
tion, trouble, persecution, cross, &c. 

4. Of worldly wisdom. 





THE FOURTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of the preachers of God’s word, and 
what is to be thought of them. 

2. Of the apostles of Christ, and of their 
miserable state in this world. 


THE FIFTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of excommunicating the man that 
committed fornication with his mother-in- 
law. 

2. The manner and form of excommuni- 
cation in the apostle[s’] time. 

3. Of them whose company we ought to 
eschew. 


THE SIXTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of going to law together, yea, and 
that before the heathen. 

2. Of uncleanness, and all other vices to 
be eschewed. 

3. Of meats. 

4. Of whoredom before all other sins to. 
be abhorred. 


582 


THE SEVENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of married folk, of maids, and of 
widows. 


THE EIGHTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of knowledge, and that without cha- 
rity it profiteth nothing. 

2. Of meat dedicate to idols. 

3. Of christian liberty in things indif- 
ferent, and that we ought not to abuse it 
unto the slander and offence of such as are 
weak, and not yet perfectly instructed in 
the way of truth. 


THE NINTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of the apostles, and of their wives. 

2. Of the reward due to the preachers 
of God’s word from their auditors. 

3. Of Paul forbearing that he might law- 
fully require. 

4, Of preaching the gospel. 

5. Of Paul’s behaviour to win all men 
to the gospel. 

6. Of Paul’s exhortation to run forth in 
the course that they have begun. 


THE TENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of certain examples borrowed out of 
the old testament to fray away from sin. 

2. Of temptation. 

3. Of the Lord’s supper. 

4. Of the fellowship of the wicked to be 
avoided. 

5. Of meats freely to be eaten. 


THE SUMMARY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 


THE ELEVENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of Paul rebuking the Corinthians for 
their disorder and abuse about the Lord’s 
supper. 

2. Of the institution of the Lord’s sup- 
per, and of the right use thereof. 

3. Of the Corinthians grievously pu- 
nished of the Lord for abusing the Lord’s 
supper. 


THE TWELFTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of the manifold gifts of God given to 
divers for the edifying of his church. 

2. Of a comparison between the body of 
Christ’s church and a natural body. 


THE THIRTEENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of charity or love, and of the nature 
and property thereof. 


THE FOURTEENTH CHAPTER. 

1. Of prophesying, interpreting, or 
preaching the word of God, and that it 
far excelleth the gift of tongues. 

2. How prophesying and speaking with 
tongues ought to be used. 

3. That all things ought to be done in 
the congregation unto edifying. 


THE FIFTEENTH CHAPTER. 


Of the sum and principal points of 
christian doctrine, and namely of the re- 
surrection of the dead. 


THE SIXTEENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of gathering for the poor. 
2. Of certain salutations. 





THE SECOND EPISTLE OF SAINT PAUL TO THE CORINTHIANS ; 


containing thirteen chapters. 


The argument of the same epistle. 


The apostle comforteth and praiseth them of Corinth for their repentance and amendment of life. 


THE FIRST CHAPTER. 


1, Of tribulation, and of God’s present 
assistance in that behalf. 

2. Of Paul’s love toward the Corinthians, 
and of his excuse that he came not unto 
them. 

3. Of Paul’s troubles, of his constancy, 
and pureness of conscience. 


THE SECOND CHAPTER. 


]. Of Paul’s dear love toward the Corin- 
thians, and of the cause of his absence. 

2. Of forgiving the man that was fallen, 
and of receiving him again into the christian 
fellowship. 

3. Of the purity of Paul’s doctrine. 


THE SUMMARY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 


THE THIRD CHAPTER. 


1. Of human praise. 

2. Of our insufficiency in matters of God’s 
Spirit. 

3. Of the glory of the gospel, and that it 
far surmounteth the glory of the law. 

4. Of the blindness of the Jews. 

5. Of liberty. 


THE FOURTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of the sincerity of Paul’s doctrine. 

2. Of the gospel of Christ. 

3. Of preachers, that they be the ser- 
vants of the faithful. 

4. Of the cross or trouble, and of conso- 
lation in the same. 


THE FIFTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of the reward of them that suffer for 
Christ’s sake. 

2. Of our appearance before the judg- 
ment-seat of God. 

3. Of our reconciliation by Christ. 


THE SIXTH CHAPTER 


1. Of receiving the word of God with 
thankfulness 

2. Of leading a life according to our pro- 
fession. 

3. Of Paul's diligence in the travail of the 
gospel. 

4, Of avoiding the company of the wicked 
and unfaithful. 


THE SEVENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of a virtuous and holy life to be em- 
braced. 
2. Of Paul's innocency. 








983 
3. Of repentance or godly sorrow, and 
of the fruits thereof. 


4, Of the obedience and love of the 
Corinthians toward Paul. 


THE EIGHTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of collections and gatherings for the 
poor. 


THE NINTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of large and glad distribution to the 
poor. 


THE TENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of the christian weapons. 

2. Of Paul’s answer concerning those 
things which were wrongfully laid to his 
charge of the false apostles. 


THE ELEVENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of Paul commending himself, and 
defending his authority against the false 
apostles. 


THE TWELFTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of Paul’s visions and revelations, and 
of his taking up into the third heaven. 

2. Of Paul’s temptations and _ tribula- 
tions. 

3. Of Paul’s excellency and dignity. 

4. Of Paul’s dear love toward the Corin- 
thians. 


THE THIRTEENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of Paul’s coming unto the Corin- 
thians. 

2. Of his exhortations unto faith and 
godliness. 

3. Of salutations. 


THE EPISTLE OF SAINT PAUL TO THE GALATIANS; 


containing six chapters. 


The argument of the same epistle. 


The apostle calleth again the Galatians unto the true faith, which, after they had received the true gospel, 
were notwithstanding deceived of the false apostles, insomuch that they returned and fell back again 


unto the law and unto circumcision. 


THE FIRST CHAPTER. 
1, Of the Galatians rebuked of the apo- 
stle for their backsliding from the gospel. 
2. Of the gospel of Christ, and that none 
other doctrine ought to be reccived of the 


faithful Christians. 

3. Of Paul's conversation. 

4. Of setting forth his office. 

5. Of his journeys and travail in the 
business of the gospel. 


584 


THE SECOND CHAPTER. 


1. Of withstanding Peter in the face. 

2. Of the law and of circumcision, and 
that they are not necessary unto salvation. 

3. Of our justification by faith alone in 
Christ. 


THE THIRD CHAPTER. 


]. Of the unstedfastness of the Galatians. 

2. Of the unperfection of the law. 

3. Of our salvation’ by faith alone in 
Christ. 


THE FOURTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of our deliverance from the curse of 
the law by Christ. 

2. Of the Galatians’ backsliding from 
the gospel of Christ unto weak and beg- 
garly ceremonies. 

3. Of Abraham and his two sons, and of 
the allegory of the same. 

4, Of the persecution of the faithful. 





THE SUMMARY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 


THE FIFTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of the christian liberty to be main- 
tained. 

2. Of circumcision, and of the unprofit- 
ableness thereof. 

3. Of the justifying faith which worketh 
by love. 

4, Of the christian liberty, and that we 
ought not to abuse it. 

5. Of the battle betwixt the Spirit’ and 
the flesh. 

6. Of the works of the flesh, and of the 
fruits of the Spirit. 


THE SIXTH CHAPTER. 


1, Of instructing them that fall. 

2. Of bearing one with another. 

3. Of the auditors or hearers, and what 
they owe to their teachers. 

4. Of good works to be done in our life- 
time. 

5. Of circumcision, and that it ought to 
be eschewed. 

6. Of the passion and death of Christ. 





THE EPISTLE OF SAINT PAUL TO THE EPHESIANS ; 


containing six chapters. 


The argument of the same epistle. 


The apostle praiseth the Ephesians, because they did persevere and continue in the gospel of Christ after 


they had received it. 


He sheweth what we are of ourselves, and what we are by the grace of God 


through faith in Christ. He openeth to divers degrees their office and duty. 


THE FIRST CHAPTER. 


1. Of our election in Christ Jesu. 

2. Of our redemption through the same 
Christ Jesu. 

3. Of the Ephesians’ constancy in the 
word of God. 

4, Of Christ’s dominion. 


THE SECOND CHAPTER. 


1. What we are by nature. 

2. What we are by our regeneration in 
Christ. 

3. Of our salvation by grace alone 
through faith. 

4, Of good works. 

5. Of the great benefits which we have 
received by Christ. 

6. Of Christ our peacemaker and head 
corner-stone. 


[' Folio, salvations. ] 





THE THIRD CHAPTER. 


1. Of Paul’s imprisonment. 

2. Of the gentiles, and that they also 
are heirs of the promise by Christ. 

3. Of Paul’s request, that the Ephesians 
faint not in the business of the gospel be- 
cause of his trouble. 

4. Of Paul’s prayer unto God for the 
Ephesians, that they may be made strong 
and stedfast in his Spirit. 

5. Of thanksgiving unto God. 


THE FOURTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of Paul’s exhortation unto the prac- 
tice of divers virtues. 

2. Of unity and peace to be kept among 
us, that we may grow into one body. 

3. Of divers officers in the church of 


[° Folio, spirits. ] 


THE SUMMARY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 


Christ appointed of God unto the edifying 
thereof. 
4. Of strange doctrine to be eschewed. 
5. Of the old conversation to be put 
away, and a new life to be taken and exer- 
cised. 


THE FIFTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of charity or love. 

2. Of fornication, adultery, covetousness, 
&c., to be avoided. 

3. Of walking in a new life. 

4. Of matrimony, and of the duty of 
the wives toward their husbands, and of 


585 
the husbands’ duty toward their wives. 


THE SIXTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of the duty of children toward their 
parents. 

2. Of the office of fathers and mothers 
toward their children. 

3. Of the duty of servants toward their 
masters. 

4. Of the office of masters toward their 
servants. 

5. Of our battle against Satan and his 
army, and with what armours we ought to 


fight. 





THE EPISTLE OF SAINT PAUL TO THE PHILIPPIANS ; 


containing four chapters. 


The argument of the same epistle. 


The apostle praiseth the Philippians, because they gave no ear to the false apostles, but remained 
constant and stedfast in the faith of Christ. 


THE FIRST CHAPTER. 


1. Of Paul’s good affection toward the 
Philippians. 


2. Of his exhortation unto love and | 


purity of life. 

3. Of Paul’s imprisonment. 

4. Of Paul’s joy that Christ is preached 
by any manner of means. 

5. Of godly conversation, of love, of con- 
cord, of unity, &c. 


THE SECOND CHAPTER. 


1. Of unity and brotherly love to be 
embraced. Of strife, contention, and vain 
glory to be abhorred. 

2. Of Christ, and of his humbleness. 


3. That God worketh in us both the | 


good will and the good deed. 

4, Of pureness of life to be practised 
among God’s enemies. 

5. Of Timotheus and Epaphroditus. 

6. How all seek their own, and not Jesu 
Christ. 

7. Of true preachers joyfully and thank- 
fully to be received. 








THE THIRD CHAPTER. 


1. Of false prophets to be avoided. 

2. Of man’s righteousness to be cast 
away. 

3. Of the righteousness which cometh 
not by the law, but by faith in Christ. 

4, Of perfection, unity, and concord. 

5. Of the enemies of the cross of Christ. 

6. Of Christ’s coming unto the judg- 
ment, and of the transfiguration of our 
bodies. 


THE FOURTH CHAPTER. 


1, Of certain godly women, among whom 
Paul's wife (after the opinion of certain 
learned men) is numbered, whom he calleth 
his faithful yoke-fellow. 

2. Of rejoicing in the Lord. 

3. Of carefulness to be avoided. 

4. Of prayer. 

5. An exhortation unto all godliness and 
virtue. 

6. Of the Philippians’ care for Paul. 

7. Of Paul’s contented mind in all things. 

8. Of certain salutations. 


586 THE SUMMARY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 


THE EPISTLE OF SAINT PAUL TO THE COLOSSIANS ; 


containing four chapters. 


The argument of the same epistle. 


Forasmuch as the Colossians in certain points were prevented, yea, and seduced of false prophets, the 
apostle charitably reproveth them, and exhorteth them to abide stedfast in the gospel of Christ. 
Furthermore, besides divers dehortations from vice, and many exhortations unto virtue, he describeth 
the offices of certain degrees, and concludeth his epistle with friendly salutations. 


THE FIRST CHAPTER. 4, Of our reconciliation and victory over 


]. Of Paul’s thankful heart to God for all our enemies by Christ. ' 
the faith, love, and hope of the Colossians, 5. Of osrernies and of the ordinances of 
and of his fervent prayer unto God for their men, concerning days, meats, clothes, Bc. 
increase in the same. 


2. Of God’s goodness toward us through THE THIRD: Coe 


Christ. 1. Of the spiritual resurrection from sin. 
3. Of our salvation by Christ alone. 2. Of all vice and corrupt living to be laid 
4, What we are by nature, and what we | aside. 

are by Christ. 3. Of innocency of life. 

4, Of the offices and duties of divers 
degrees. 


THE SECOND CHAPTER. 


1. Of Paul's care for all congregations. THE FOURTH CHAPTER. 
2. Of false prophets, and that they are 1. Of the duty of masters. 


to be eschewed. 2. Of prayer and thanksgiving. 
3. Of philosophy, and of the doctrines of 3. Of walking wisely, and of godly talk. 
men. 4. Of certain salutations. 





THE FIRST EPISTLE OF SAINT PAUL TO THE THESSALONIANS ; 


containing five chapters. 


The argument of the same epistle. 


The apostle praiseth the Thessalonians, and greatly commendeth their faith, love, and constancy, and their 
glad and willing sufferings for Christ and his word. He exhorteth them to godly conversation, and 
instructeth them of the coming of Christ unto the judgment, of the resurrection of the dead, of the 
last day, &c. 


THE FIRST CHAPTER. THE THIRD CHAPTER. 
1. Of thanksgiving to God for the Thes- 1. Of Paul’s carefulness for the Thessa- 
salonians. lonians, and of sending Timotheus unto 
2. Of the Thessalonians’ faith, love, good | them. 
works, and constancy in the gospel of Christ. 2. Of Timotheus’ report concerning the 
godliness of the Thessalonians. 
THE SECOND CHAPTER. 3. Of Paul’s prayer to God for the Thes- 
salonians. 


1. Of Paul’s godly conversation among 
the Thessalonians. 


2. Of his doctrine. THE FOURTH CHAPTER. 

3. Of his labour and travail for his own 1. Of Paul’s exhortation unto all godli- 
living. ness and virtue. 

4. Of the Thessalonians’ sufferings for the 2. Of whoredom to be avoided, with 
gospel’s sake. other sins. 


5. Of Paul’s glory in the Thessalonians. | 3. Of brotherly love. 


THE SUMMARY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 


4. Of eschewing idleness. 
5. Of labour. 
6. Of the resurrection of the dead. 


THE FIFTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of the day of judgment, and of the 
coming of the Lord. 
2. Of watching and setting ourselves in 


587 


a readiness against the day of judgment. 

3. Of the preachers of God’s word, and 
that they ought lovingly to be entertained. 

4, Of certain godly exhortations concern- 
ing the unruly, the feebleminded, the weak, 
&c. Item, of patience, of forbearing one 
another, of doing good to all men, of prayer, 
of thanksgiving, &c. 


THE SECOND EPISTLE OF SAINT PAUL TO THE THESSALONIANS ; 


containing three chapters. 


The argument of the same epistle. 


The apostle instructeth the Thessalonians of the last day, and of antichrist. 


THE FIRST CHAPTER. 


1. Of Paul’s thanksgiving to God for the 
Thessalonians’ faith, love, and patience in 
trouble for the gospel’s sake. 

2. Of God’s vengeance against the wicked 
persecutors. 

3. Of Paul’s praying to God for the 
Thessalonians. 


THE SECOND CHAPTER. 


1. Of the coming of the Lord unto judg- 
ment. 

2. Ofantichrist, of his false doctrine, and 
lying or counterfeit miracles, signs, or won- 
ders, and how he shall be slain with the 


breath of the Lord’s mouth, &c. 

3. An exhortation to stand stedfast in the 
doctrine of Christ. 

4. Paul’s prayer. 


THE THIRD CHAPTER. 


1. Of prayer to be made, that the gospel 
may prosper and have free passage. 

2. Of faith. 

3. Of idle persons, and that they ought 
to work for their living. 

4. Of the apostles’ travail and labour 
with their own hands for their living. 

5. Of certain exhortations concerning in- 
ordinate persons, and well-doing, &c. 





THE FIRST EPISTLE OF SAINT PAUL TO TIMOTHY; 


containing six chapters. 


The apostle exhorteth Timothy to be constant and stedfast in the doctrine of the gospel. He instructeth 
him in all matters concerning the office of a bishop or spiritual overseer, adding and interlacing many 


goodly and godly lessons. 


THE FIRST CHAPTER. 


1. Of Paul's exhortation, that Timothy 
should wait upon his office, and see that 
nothing be taught in the church of Christ 
but the sincere and pure word of God. 

2. Of charity or love. 

3. Of false preachers. 

4. Of the law, and of the use thereof. 

5. Of Paul’s former life in the time of his 
Judaism. 


6. Of Christ, and why he came into this 
world. 
7. Of certain persons excommunicate. 


THE SECOND CHAPTER. 


1. Of prayer to be made for all men. 

2. Of Christ our alone Mediator. 

3. Of prayer. 

4. Of women’s apparel, and of their silence 
and subjection. 


588 


THE THIRD CHAPTER. 


1. Of a bishop or spiritual pastor, and 
what manner a man he ought to be. 

2. Of the bishop’s children. 

3. Of the deacons, and what manner 
men they ought to be. 

4. Of the bishops’ and deacons’ wives, 
and what manner women they ought to be. 

5. Of the church of God, and what it is. 

6. Of Christ, God and man. 


THE FOURTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of false prophets that should come in 
the latter time, and of their doctrine. 

2. Of meats. 

3. Of godliness, and of the profit thereof. 

4, Of immocency of life. 

5. Of reading the scripture. 


THE SUMMARY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 


THE FIFTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of divers degrees, and how they ought 
to be entreated. 

2. Of widows, both old and young. 

3. Of the elders of Christ’s congregation, 
and how they ought to be entreated. 

4, Of ministers not rashly to be admitted. 

5. Of sins. 


THE SIXTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of the duty of servants toward their 
masters, 

2. Of them that will not be satisfied with 
God’s word. 

3. Of godliness, and of a contented mind. 

4. Of covetousness. 

5. A good lesson for rich men. 


THE SECOND EPISTLE OF SAINT PAUL TO TIMOTHY ; 


containing four chapters. 


The argument of the same epistle. 


The apostle, as tofore, instructeth Timothy concerning matters of godliness, and telleth him aforehand of 


things that shall come to pass in the latter time. 


THE FIRST CHAPTER. 


1. Of earnestness and stoutness to be 
shewed in preaching God’s word. 

2. Of patience in persecution. 

3. Of Christ, and of his benefits. 

4. Of innocency of life. 


THE SECOND CHAPTER. 


1. Of manly sufferance for the truth’s 
sake. 
. Of Christ’s resurrection. 
. Of consolation in the cross. 
. Of innocency of life. 
. Of the word of God. 
. Of God’s election, and that it is cer- 
tain. 
7. Of certain good exhortations, as tofore. 


& ore & bo 


He maketh mention also of his passion. 


THE THIRD CHAPTER. 
1, Of Paul’s prophecy concerning the 


latter times. 
2. Of hypocrites, and of their falsehood. 
3. Of the holy scripture, and of the suf- 
ficiency thereof. 


THE FOURTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of putting Timothy in remembrance 
of his duty. 

2. Of such as in the latter time will fall 
away, and not abide the doctrine of Christ, 
&e. 

3. Of Paul’s martyrdom. 

4, Of Paul's faithfulness in the gospel of 
Christ, and of his reward. 


THE SUMMARY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 


589 


THE EPISTLE OF SAINT PAUL TO TITUS; 


containmg three chapters. 


The argument of the same epistle. 


The apostle instructeth Titus concerning the appointment of spiritual pastors. 


He treateth many things 


of godly conversation, and at the last of eschewing heretics. 


THE FIRST CHAPTER. 


1. Of the appointment of elders in every 
congregation. 

2. Of an elder, and what manner a man 
he ought to be. 

3. Of a bishop’s office, which is both to 
exhort with wholesome doctrine, and also to 
improve them that speak against it. 

4, Of false teachers, and that they ought 
sharply to be rebuked. 

5. Of all things pure to the pure. 

6. Of mouth-christians. 


THE SECOND CHAPTER. 
1. Of divers degrees, and how or what 
they ought to be taught. 


2. Of the goodness of God toward man 
through Christ. 


THE THIRD CHAPTER. 
1. Of obedience to such as be in autho- 
rity. 
2. Of foolish and unprofitable questions 
to be avoided. 


3. Of sectaries, or heretics. 
4. Of good works. 


THE EPISTLE OF SAINT PAUL TO PHILEMON ; 


containing one chapter. 


The argument and sum of the same epistle. 


1. Of Paul’s rejoicing concerning the 
faith and love of Philemon. 
2. Of Paul’s desire to the aforesaid Phi- 


lemon to receive again his servant Onesi- 
mus, and to forgive him. 





THE EPISTLE OF SAINT PAUL TO THE HEBREWS; 


containing thirteen chapters. 


The argument and sum of the same epistle. 


The apostle, among many other things, sheweth how Christ is the true Bishop and Mediator between God 
and man. 


THE FIRST CHAPTER. 


1. Of the excellency of Christ, and that 
he far passeth the angels, being coequal with 
the Father in power and majesty. 


THE SECOND CHAPTER. 


1. Of obedience to the gospel. 

2. Of the low degree of Christ in his 
manhood ; and, notwithstanding, that we 
ought not to be offended at it. 

3. Of Christ's very humanity, and true 
manhood. 


THE THIRD CHAPTER. 


1. Of obedience to the word of Christ. 

2. Of Christ and Moses, and that Christ 
far excelleth Moses; the one being but a 
servant in the house, the other a son. 

3. Of the punishment of them that are 
hard-hearted against the word of God. 

4, Of infidelity or unbelief. 


THE FOURTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of the sabbath or rest of the Chris- 
tians. 


590 


2. Of the punishment of unbelievers. 
3. Of the nature of God’s word. 


THE FIFTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of the high priest, and of his office. 
2. Of Christ, and that he alone is the 
true bishop. 


THE SIXTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of them that willingly fall from the 
word of God. 

2. Of God, and that he is faithful and 
true in his promise. 


THE SEVENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of the excellency of Christ’s priest- 
hood, being compared with the priesthood 
of Melchisedech. 

2. Of Christ our intercessor. 

3. Of the necessity of Christ’s priest- 
hood. 


THE EIGHTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of the office of Christ, and that it far 
excelleth! the priest’s office of the old law. 

2. Of the old and new testament bar- 
gain, or covenant. 


THE NINTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of the old testament abolished, and of 
the new stablished by Christ. 

2. Of Christ’s priesthood, and of the dig- 
nity thereof. 

3. Of the sufficiency and full perfection 
of Christ’s sacrifice. 

4, Of death, and of the last judgment. 








THE SUMMARY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 


THE TENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of the law, and that it cannot take 
away sin. 

2. Of Christ, and that by the virtue of 
the sacrifice of his body, done once for all, 
sin is taken away. 

[3.] Of wilful falling from the gospel. 

4. Of patience. 


THE ELEVENTH CHAPTER. 


1, Of faith, and of the commendation 
thereof, with divers examples. 


THE TWELFTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of patience and stedfastness in adver- 
sity and trouble. 

2. Of peace and holiness. 

3. Of the grace of God. 

4. Of the new testament. 

5. Of God. 


THE THIRTEENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of love. 
2. Of hospitality. 
3. Of them that are in adversity or trou- 
ble for the truth’s sake. 
4. Of wedlock. 
5. Of whoredom. 
6. Of covetousness. 
7. Of Christ, and that he is an ever- 
lasting Saviour. 
8. Of strange doctrine. 
9. Of meats. 
10. Of suffering rebuke with Christ. 
11. Of our short abode in this world. 
12. Of the sacrifice of praise. 
13. Of doing good to the poor. 
14. Of obedience to our superiors. 


THE EPISTLE OF SAINT JAMES; 


containing five chapters. 


The argument of the same epistle. 


Saint James in his epistle moveth unto patience, teacheth that there is no respect of persons before God, 
declareth that faith without works is dead, openeth the evils of the tongue, forbiddeth discord, reproveth 
the rich men, exhorteth unto virtue, dehorteth from vice. 


THE FIRST CHAPTER. 


1. Of bearing the cross joyfully and pa- 
tiently for the truth’s sake. 


2. Of all good things to be asked of God 


with faith. 

3. Of temptation, trouble, or persecution, 
for the word’s sake. 

4. Of temptation unto evil. 


[? Folio, it ts fur excelleth. } 


THE SUMMARY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 


5. That all good gifts come from God. 

6. OF hearing and speaking. 

7. Of wrath. 

8. Of preparing ourselves to hear God's 
word. 


591 


2. Of prayer. 

3. Of worldly friendship. 

4. Of the works of repentance. 

5. Of backbiting and slandering. 

6. Of the vanity and shortness of this 


9. Of not only hearing, but also doing | life. 


the word. 
10. Of the true religion, or God’s service. 


THE SECOND CHAPTER. 


]. Of respect of persons not to be had. 
2. Of the poor to be regarded. 

3. Of the whole law to be kept. 

4. Of faith and works. 


THE THIRD CHAPTER. 


1. Of the tongue, and of the evils that 
come thereof. 


2. Of the difference between the godly 
and fleshly wisdom. 
THE FOURTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of dissension and strife. 


THE FIFTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of ungodly rich men. 

2. Of defrauding the labourers of their 
hire. 

3 Of patience to be practised of the 
faithful, after the example of Job and the 
prophets. 

4. Of swearing to be avoided. 

5. Of them that are sick, and what is to 
be done. 

6. Of confession or brotherly reconcili- 
ation. 

7. Of prayer. 

8. Of labouring to bring one another from 
error unto truth. 


THE FIRST EPISTLE OF SAINT PETER; 


containing five chapters. 


The argument of the same epistle. 


Saint Peter giveth thanks to God, which by his Son Christ hath saved mankind, and instructeth divers 
states of men how they ought godly to live. 


THE FIRST CHAPTER. 


1. Of our regeneration or new birth in 
Christ. 


2. Of our salvation by Christ, and that | 


it is no new doctrine, but old and ancient. 
3. Of godly conversation worthy of rege- 
neration. 


4. Of our redemption by the blood of | 


Christ. 
5. Of the word of God. 


THE SECOND CHAPTER. 


1. Of vice to be laid aside, and of virtue | 
| hospitality, &c. 


to be embraced. 

2. Of the christian priesthood. 

3. Of the dignity of the Christians. 

4. Of obedience to the higher powers. 

5. Of the behaviour of servants toward 
their masters. 

6. Of suffering affliction or trouble, after 
the example of Christ. 


THE THIRD CHAPTER. 
1. Of the duty of wives toward their 


| 





husbands, and how they ought to behave 
themselves in all points. 

2. Of the duty of husbands toward their 
wives. 

3. Of unity and love. 

4. Of the tongue. 

5. Of suffering trouble patiently for right- 
eousness’ sake, 

6. Of true baptism. 


THE FOURTH CHAPTER. 


]. Of putting off the old conversation. 
2. Of discretion, sobriety, prayer, charity, 


3. Of rejoicing in that trouble which is 
suffered for Christ’s sake. 

4. Of judgment to begin at the house of 
God. 


THE FIFTH CHAPTER. 
1. Of feeding the Lord’s flock. 
2. Of humility, or lowliness of mind. 
3. Of the devil. 
4. Of faith. 


592 


THE SUMMARY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 


THE SECOND EPISTLE OF SAINT PETER; 


containing three chapters. 


The argument of the same epistle. 


Saint Peter in this his latter epistle teacheth faith, exhorteth unto godly conversation, setteth forth the 
doctrine of Christ, uttereth the falsehoods of false prophets, and describeth the coming of Christ 


unto the jwdgment. 


THE FIRST CHAPTER. 

]. Of faith to be confirmed with good 
works. 

2. Of our calling and election to be made 
sure by well-doing. 

3. Of St Peter’s death. 

4. Of Christ, and that he is the natural 
Son of God. 

5. Of the word of God, and of attend- 
ance to be given to the same. 


THE SECOND CHAPTER. 


1. Of false prophets, and what manner 
men they be. 


2. Of the punishment of false prophets. 
3. Of the great danger of them that fall 
away from the way of righteousness. 


THE THIRD CHAPTER. 


1. Of mockers and scorners that shall 
come before the day of judgment. 

2. Of Christ coming unto the judg- 
ment. 

3. Of the new heavens and new earths 
after the day of judgment. 

4. Of Paul’s epistles, and of the hardness 
of them to be understood. 





THE FIRST EPISTLE OF SAINT JOHN; 


containing five chapters. 


The argument of the same epistle. 


Saint John declareth all our salvation to consist in Christ alone, God and man, exhorteth unto love and 
good works, dissuadeth from hearing false prophets and antichrists, and above all things inculketh 
and beateth in true faith in Christ, God’s Son, yea, God himself. 


THE FIRST CHAPTER 


1. Of the Godhead and manhood of 
Christ. 

2. Of sinners, and that they have no fel- 
lowship with God. 

3. Of the blood of Christ, whereby alone 
we are purged from sin. 

4. That no man is without sin. 

5. Of the confession of our sins to God, 
and of the remission of the same. 


THE SECOND CHAPTER. 


]. Of Christ, and that he alone is our ad- 
vocate and mercy-stock. 

2. Of the knowledge of God, and of the 
just trial of the same. 

3. Of brotherly or neighbourly love. 

4. Of the world and worldly lusts to be 
eschewed. 

5. Of antichrist. 

6. Of Christ’s appearance. 


THE THIRD CHAPTER. 


1. Of God’s love towards us. 
2. Of Christ’s satisfaction, and of his in- 
nocency. 
. Of love one toward arother. 
. Of hatred toward our neighbour. 
. Of the world. 
. Of Christ’s love toward us. 
. Of the works of mercy. 
. Of true love toward other. 
. Of prayer. 


Oo COTS Or Pp 


THE FOURTH CHAPTER. 


1. Of the difference of spirits, and how 
they may be known. 

2. Of Christ’s incarnation. 

3. Of the love of God and of our neigh- 
bour. 


THE FIFTH CHAPTER. 


l. Of faith. 
2. Of love. 


THE SUMMARY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 593 


3. Of faith. 6. Of the world. 
4, Of prayer. 7. Of Christ, very God. 
5. Of the sin unto death. 8. Of images. 





THE SECOND EPISTLE OF SAINT JOHN; 


containing one chapter. 


The argument and sum of the same epistle. 


1. He exhorteth unto true charity, and warneth to take heed of heretics or deceivers. 


THE THIRD EPISTLE OF SAINT JOHN; 


containing one chapter. 


The argument and sum of the same epistle. 


He commendeth the godliness of Gaius, and his tender pity and compassion which 
he shewed unto the poor saints of Christ that travelled from country to country. 


THE EPISTLE OF SAINT JUDE; 
containing one chapter. 
The argument and sum of the same epistle. 


1. Of epicures and fleshly livers. the devil for Moses’ body. 

2. Of the punishment of the unbelieving 4. Of the fruits of the epicures and 
Israelites, and of the disobedient angels, | beastly livers. 
and of certain wicked cities for their un- 


5. Of heretics or false prophets. 
cleanness. 


6. A godly exhortation to continue in 
3. Of the battle between Michael and | brotherly love, faith, prayer, &c. 





THE BOOK OF THE REVELATIONS OF SAINT JOHN THE DIVINE; 
containing twenty-two chapters. 


The argument of the said book. 


This book entreateth of the revelations done to Saint John, of the troubles of the church of Christ, and 
of the punishments of the damned, and of the rewards of the chosen. 


THE FIRST CHAPTER. THE SECOND CHAPTER. 
1, Of reading and hearing the word of 


God. Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, and Thyatira, 
2. Of the seven congregations in Asia. unto repentance, and sheweth the reward of 
3. Of seven golden candlesticks, which | him that overcometh. 

signify the seven congregations. 

4. Of seven stars, which are the messen- tes ot i ee 
gers of the seven congregations. 


1. He exhorteth the congregations of 


1. He instructeth the angels, that is to 
2 
[BEcon, 111. ] & 


594 


say, the preachers, of Sardis, Philadelphia, 
and Laodicia, declaring also the reward of 
him that overcometh. 


THE FOURTH CHAPTER. 


1. St John seeth the heaven open, and 
the seat, and one sitting upon it, and four 
and twenty seats about it, and four and 
twenty elders sitting upon them, and four 
beasts praising God day and night. 


THE FIFTH CHAPTER. 


1. He seeth a Lamb opening the book 
sealed with seven seals ; wherefore the four 
beasts and the four and twenty elders praise 
the Lamb. 


THE SIXTH CHAPTER. 


1. The Lamb openeth the six seals; and 
many things follow the opening thereof. 


THE SEVENTH CHAPTER. 


1. St John seeth the servants of God 
sealed in their foreheads out of all nations 
and people, which though they suffer trouble, 
yet the Lamb feedeth them, and leadeth 
them to the fountains of living water; and 
God shall wipe away all tears from their 
eyes. 


THE EIGHTH CHAPTER. 


1. The seventh seal is opened: there is 
silence in heaven: four angels blow the 
trumpets; and great plagues come upon 
the earth. 


THE NINTH CHAPTER. 


1. The fifth and sixth angel blow their 
trumpets: the star falleth from heaven: 
the locusts come out of the smoke. The 
first wo is past: the four angels that were 
bound are loosed; and the third part of 
men is killed. 


THE TENTH CHAPTER. 


1. The angel cometh down from heaven, 
having in his hand a book open, which he 
giveth unto John; and he eateth it up. 


THE ELEVENTH CHAPTER. 


1. The temple is measured: the beast 
cometh out of the bottomless pit; and the 
seventh angel bloweth his horn. 


THE SUMMARY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 


THE TWELFTH CHAPTER. 
1. A woman clothed with the sun ap- 
peareth in heaven: Michael fighteth with 
the dragon, which persecuteth the woman. 


THE THIRTEENTH CHAPTER. 
]. A beast riseth out of the sea with 
seven heads and ten horns: another beast 
cometh out of the earth with two horns. 


THE FOURTEENTH CHAPTER. 


1. The Lamb standeth upon the mount 
Sion, and the undefiled congregation with 
him. The angel exhorteth to the fear of 
God, and telleth of the fall of Babylon. 


THE FIFTEENTH CHAPTER. 


1. He seeth seven angels, having seven 
vials full of wrath. : 


THE SIXTEENTH CHAPTER. 
1. The angels pour out their vials full 
of wrath. 


THE SEVENTEENTH CHAPTER. 


1. He describeth the woman sitting upon 
the beast with ten horns. 


THE EIGHTEENTH CHAPTER. 
1. The lovers of the world are sorry for 
the fall of Babylon; but they that be of God 
have cause to rejoice at her destruction. 


THE NINETEENTH CHAPTER. 


1. Praises or thanks are given to God 
for judging the whore, and for avenging the 
blood of his servants. The angel will not 
be worshipped. The fowls and birds are 
called to the slaughter. 


THE TWENTIETH CHAPTER. 


1. The dragon is bound for a thousand 
years. The dead arise and receive judgment. 


THE TWENTY-FIRST CHAPTER. 


1. The new and spiritual Jerusalem is 
described. 


THE TWENTY-SECOND CHAPTER. 


1. The river of the water of life. 

2. The fruitfulness and light of the city 
of God. 

3. The Lord giveth ever his servants 
warning of things for to come. 

4. The angel will not be worshipped. 

5. To the word of God nothing may be 
added, nor any thing minished and taken 
away therefrom. 


Thus endeth the Summary of the New Testament. 


Give the glory to God alone. 


THE 


DEMANDS OF HOLY SCRIPTURE, 


WITH ANSWERS, 


BY 


THOMAS BECON. 


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nev & Declared the chiefe and principal points Ee 
of Qhristian voctrine: berpe profitable for the right 
bnverstanding of the Holy Scriptures : newly 
comppled and now first of all published 
ty Thomas Becon. 


Matth. 7. F| 

Aske, and itshall be qeuen pou. Seke, andve shall EH 
finde. Knock, and it shall be opened onto pou. B 

Tac. 1]. 

Lf any of you lacke wisevome, let Him aske of hym 
that qeucth it: euen Gov, whiche geueth to all me 
indifferently, and casteth noman in the teeth, and 
it shall be geuen Him. But let him aske in faith, & 
twauer not: for he that Doudteth, is like a waue of EN 

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— with violence. either let that ma thinke, that hes 

shall receaue any thinnge of the Lorde. A waue- 

———_ rpng minded man ts bnstable tn all His wapes. 


1 Pet. 3. i 
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asketh pou a reason of the Hope that is in pou, & 
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science, that where as then backbite pow as euill poco 
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TO THE 
GODLY AND RIGHT WORSHIPFUL SENATE, 
THE MAYOR' AND HIS BRETHREN OF SANDWICH IN KENT, 


THOMAS BECON WISHETH LONG LIFE, CONTINUAL HEALTH, 
AND PROSPEROUS FELICITY. 


So oft as I consider the blessed state of your town, whereof God by his divine 
providence and unsearchable counsel hath made you rulers under the queen’s majesty 
our sovereign and liege lady, I am entirely provoked and stirred up to give most 
entire thanks to the Prince of princes and Lord of lords, that mighty God of hosts, 
for his so great and singular benefits so bounteously and largely poured upon you and 
other the inhabitants of your town. For I do not well know if any thing may any 
where be found meet to beautify a commonweal, that justly may be counted to lack 
in you; so plentifully hath God poured his blessings upon you. 

Who is able to express what a goodly ornament, precious jewel, and noble ouche 
christian doctrine is to a christian commonweal? ‘The sage and prudent philosophers, 
and other wise and expert men of this world, judged these commonweals most blessed, 
happy, and fortunate, most noble, beautiful, and flourishing, where the princes and 
rulers thereof were either philosophers or studious of philosophy. But how much is 
that commonweal to be counted happy and blessed, where not human philosophy, 
whether we respect natural or moral, but divine philosophy brought from the high 
heavens by him which is the Wisdom of the Father, prospereth, flourisheth, triumpheth ; 
where also not vain and curious philosophers, but true, faithful and godly philoso- 
phers, reign and bear rule? Whatsoever the philosophers taught, although never so 
much enforced with sugared eloquence, probable reasons, and apparent arguments, it 
was the fruit of the earth and of man’s brain; but that which Christ delivered unto 
us came out of the bosom of his Father; so that, look how much the noble heavens 
surmount and pass the vile and base earth in height and dignity, so much and in- 
comparable wise more doth the heavenly philosophy, whereof the Holy Ghost alone 
is the author, exceed the earthy philosophy, whereof man is the deviser. ‘He that John iii. 
cometh from an high,” saith that blessed Baptist, “is above all. He that is of the 
earth is earthy, and speaketh of the earth. He that cometh from heaven is above 
all; and what he hath seen and heard that he testifieth, and no man receiveth his 
testimony. He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is 
true. For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God.” What other thing 
is this divine philosophy whereof we now speak than the holy word of God? And 
what other are these faithful and godly philosophers than the true preachers and pro- 
fessors of the sacred scriptures ? 

All these are to be found among you plentifully. The christian philosophy, I 
mean the word of God, reigneth, ruleth, and triumpheth among you; so that accord- 
ing unto it all things are ordered among you in that your town. In other places 
this divine and christian philosophy is counted heresy, new learning, strange doctrine, 
the mother of errors, the cause of rebellion, sedition, insurrection, &c., and the plain 
subversion of commonweals; but with you, and that most justly, it is reputed and 
taken for the alone truth, for the ancient doctrine of the patriarchs, prophets, and 


[) The respectable magistrate, to whom this trea- 
tise is dedicated, was Sir Matthew Mennes or Mennys, 
who served the office of mayor of Sandwich, in 1563, 
1571, 1587, 1600, and 1608. He was the son of 
Andrew Mennes, Esq., whose family was of Scot- 
tish origin. He died in his mayoralty in 1608. Sir 
Matthew Mennes had one son, Andrew, who de- 


ceased during his father’s life-time, leaving several 
children by his two wives, Elizabeth Warham, and 
Jane Blechenden. One of hissons, Sir John Mennes, 
was a great traveller and noted seaman, distinguished 
in the civil wars, and after the restoration made 
governor of Dover Castle.] 


Matt. xiii. 


Amos viii. 


Acts xvi. 


John xiii. 


598 THE DEMANDS OF HOLY SCRIPTURE. 


apostles, for the mother of all godliness and virtue, for the only and alone cause of 
unity, concord, quietness, amity, obedience, and for the alone stay, upholding, and 
maintenance of all christian and well-ordered commonweals; so that, where this is’ 
not, there is a chaos and plain confusion of things. 

This holy word of God among you swimmeth not in your lips only, but it also 
shineth in your life and conversation, unto the good example of all them that are con- 
versant with you. By this word, according to the commandment of God given to 
Josua, ye do not only frame your own life, but ye also govern your town, and judge 
all causes that come before you, as a rule from the which it is not lawful for you 
by any means to depart. Of this word ye reverently talk, commune, confer, sing, and 
have continual meditation, as your chief joy and comfort. This word is unto you 
that noble “treasure hid in the field, the which a man found and hid, and for joy 
thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth the field.” This word is to 
you more sweet than the honey or the honeycomb, and more precious than gold or 
precious stone. 

And, as this most blessed and holy word doth occupy the principal and highest place 
among you, so have you both godly professors and faithful preachers of the same, unto 
the great joy and singular comfort of all the inhabitants of your town. For, as there 
cannot be a greater jewel in a christian commonweal, than an earnest, faithful, and 
constant preacher of the Lord’s word ; so can there not be a greater plague among any 
people than when they have reigning over them blind guides, dumb dogs, wicked wolves, 
hypocritical hirelings, popish prophets, which feed them not with the pure wheat of 
God’s word, but with the wormwood of men’s trifling traditions, and with the sour 
leaven of the papistical Pharisees: as Salomon saith: “‘ When the preaching of God’s 
word faileth, the people perish and come to nought.” 

Verily, as there is not a greater blessing given of God to any nation than the gift of 
his word, so I know not if a greater curse from God can be cast upon any people 
than when the word of God and the true preaching thereof is taken away from them ; 
as these words of God spoken by the prophet do manifestly declare: “ Behold, the 
time cometh (saith the Lord God), that I shall send an hunger into the earth, not 
the hunger of bread, nor the thirst of water, but an hunger to hear the word of the 
Lord; so that they shall go from the one sea to the other, yea, from the north to the 
east, running about to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it.” 

In this behalf therefore are ye, the inhabitants of Sandwich, greatly blessed of the 
Lord our God, which hath not only very richly given you his word to be preached, 
taught, and read among you, but also hearts to receive and believe the same; as if we 
read of Lydia, “ whose heart,” saith blessed Luke, ‘‘ the Lord opened, that she attended 
to the things which Paul spake.” Out of this your fervent zeal and brenning love toward 
this divine and heavenly philosophy, many godly and christian fruits of God’s Spirit have 
issued and plentifully come forth, as brotherly concord and unfeigned amity among 
yourselves ; not yourselves only, but also among all the inhabitants of your town; so that, 
all contention, strife, debate, discord, enmity, variance, tumults, quarrels, lawings, &c. 
banished and avoided, benevolence, love, concord, agreement, unity, amity, friendship, 
gentleness, humanity, and whatsoever maketh unto the bond of peace, ruleth and reigneth 
among you; which godly unity and concord doth so evidently declare you to be of God, 
as nothing more. ‘“ In this shall all men know that ye are my disciples,” saith Christ, 
‘if one of you love another.” 

As discord bringeth all things to havoc, so doth concord conserve, keep in good order, 
and make to increase whatsoever is good and profitable to a commonweal, or to any part 
thereof. As Sallustius saith: “By concord small things increase and grow; but by 
discord mighty and great things decay and come to nought.” It was very wittily and 
learnedly answered of Terence, when the noble senate of the most noble Romans 
demanded of him, after the destruction of Carthage, what he thought to be the cause of 





[! Folio, it.] 
|? Concordia res parva crescunt, discordia maxime dilabuntur.—Sallust. in Bell. Jugurth.] 


THE PREFACE. 599 


the subversion of* so ample, populous, and flourishing city, whether the puissance of the 
Romans, whose force seemed to be incomparable, or the feebleness of the Carthaginenses 
not being able to resist : “ No,” saith he, “neither your valiance nor our want of puissance 
was the subversion of our city, but the discord of the citizens.” The mightiest fortress 
and strongest bulwark, that either city or town can have, is the concord of citizens, 
without the which all puissance, all force, all wit, all policy, all castles, all martial 
armouries *, are vain and unprofitable: verily, in this behalf are ye also greatly blessed 
of God, which both in godly and worldly affairs are of one mind and of one meaning, 
without all dissension among you. O blessed fruit of God’s Spirit! 

Moreover, how [is ] idleness, that chief mistress of vices all, utterly exiled and banished 
out of your town! No man liveth there idly. All degrees of persons are godly, virtuously, 
and profitably occupied, every man according to his vocation and calling. All “study to 
be quiet, and to meddle with their own business, and to work with their own hands, 
that they may not only eat their own bread, according to the commandment of God, 
but also, through those their labours, have whereof they may give unto such as have 
need ;” as Saint John saith: “He that hath two coats, let him give one to him that 
hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.” Certes diligent and vir- 
tuous travail upholdeth the city; but idle and sluggish hands root up the foundations 
thereof. 

Furthermore, who can enough praise and sufficiently commend your studious careful- 
ness and painful travail in making provision for the poor members of Christ, which have 
not of themselves whereof to live? Verily ye have a fatherly care for your poor, that 
none of them should want. Ye count their lack your own lack. Neither are ye less 
moved with their miseries than if ye yourselves were touched with the same, according 
to this saying of Saint John: “He that hath the substance of this world, and seeth his 
brother have need, and shutteth up his compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of 
God in him?” Unmercifulness toward the poor was one of the chief causes why that 
flourishing and too much wealthy city Sodom (as the prophet teacheth) was destroyed 
with fire and brimstone from heaven. Verily, even so, contrariwise, where the works 
of mercy are diligently practised upon the poor, there is the blessing of God, conservation 
of the town or city, increase of goods, and fortunate success in all honest and godly 
travails. As Salomon saith: “He that giveth to the poor shall not want. He that 
lendeth to the Lord, that sheweth mercy to the poor, and it be recompensed him to the 
uttermost.” As our Saviour Christ saith: “Give, and it shall be given unto you: good 
measure, and pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into 
your bosoms.” For he that giveth but a cup of cold water for Christ’s sake shall not 
lose his reward. “If thou wilt break thy bread to the hungry,” saith God by the 
prophet, “and lead the needy wayfaring man into thy house, and cover the naked man, 
and not turn away thy face from the poor; thy light shall break forth as the morning, 
and thy health flourish right shortly: yea, thy righteousnesses shall go before thee; and 
the glory of the Lord shall embrace thee. Then if thou callest, the Lord shall answer 
thee: if thou criest, he shall say, Here I am.” “O blessed is the man,” saith the 
psalmograph, “ that considereth the poor and needy: the Lord shall deliver him in the 
time of trouble. The Lord shall preserve him, and keep him alive, that he may be 
blessed upon earth, and not be delivered into the will of his enemies. The Lord shall 
comfort him when he lieth sick upon his bed, yea, and make his bed in his sickness.” 

Again: what shall I speak of your gentle and loving entertainment of strangers and 
foreigners, which, for the testimony of Christ’s most glorious gospel, and for the quietness 
of their conscience, that they may the more freely serve God with a pure mind, are not 
only content to suffer unworthy banishment with the loss of their goods, but also day and 
night to labour with their own hands for their living, that they may be no burden to any 
man? These most willingly and gladly ye admit, receive, embrace, cherish, entertain, 
and comfort. These ye lodge and place among you, not as strangers, but as citizens, 
not as foreigners, but as your dearly-beloved christian brothers, for whom also ye are no 





[? Folio, if.] [? Folio, armonies.] 


Luke iii. 


1 John iii. 


Ezek. xvi. 


Luke vi. 


Isai. lviii. 


Exod. xxii. 


Levit. xix. 


Matt. xxv. 
Rom. xii. 
Heb. xiii. 
Gen. xix. 


1 Pet. iv. 


Levit. xix. 
and xxiii. 


Deut. xxiv. 


1 Tim. iii. 
Tit. i. 


Jude. 


Matt. xxv. 


Rom. fi. 


Gal. v. 


Eph. ii. 
Tit. iii. 


John xv. 


600 THE DEMANDS OF HOLY SCRIPTURE. 


less careful than for yourselves, that nothing be lacking unto them, but that they may 
have sufficiency of all good and necessary things. This is the true hospitality, I mean 
the gentle entertainment of godly strangers, which are afflicted for the word’s sake. 

Of these speaketh God on this manner: “If a stranger sojourn with thee in your 
land, ye shall not vex him. But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be as one 
of yourselves; and thou shalt love him as thyself.” Of these speaketh Christ on this 
wise: “I was harbourless; and ye took me in.” Of these speaketh St Paul thus: ‘ Dis- 
tribute to the necessity of the saints. Be ready to harbour.” Again: “ Be not forgetful 
to lodge strangers; for thereby have divers men lodged angels unwares.” Of these 
speaketh St Peter on this sort: “ Be ye harbourous one to another, without grudging.” 
Of these speaketh St John on this manner: “Thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou 
doest to the brethren and to the strangers.” Of these God in his law giveth a special 
charge both to the rich men and also to the bishops and spiritual pastors of his congre- 
gation, that they should see to them, and make provision for them, that they lack nothing. 
Highly in God’s favour must the godly strangers be; seeing God giveth to his people so 
great charge over them. Who therefore can otherwise than highly commend the loving 
gentleness and gentle love, the bounteous liberality and liberal bounty, which ye shew 
to the poor scattered members of Christ? These be worthy fruits of the gospel. These 
works shew that ye have not received the grace of God in vain, and that ye be not of 
the company of those gospellers, which “ with their mouth profess God, but with their 
deeds deny him; being abominable, and disobedient, and unapt unto every good work.” 
Such professors, or rather perversers of the gospel, are like to that son which promised 
his father to work in his vineyard, and wrought nothing at all. Yea, they are, as St 
Jude termeth them in his epistle, “ clouds without water, trees without fruit, raging 
waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved 
the mist of darkness for ever; fleshly, having no Spirit,” &c.; and, indeed, like to those 
five foolish virgins, which had lamps, but in their lamps no oil; and not unlike to the 
fig-tree without fruit, which Christ cursed for her barrenness. 

But God, right worshipful and dearly beloved, hath given you another mind, and 
grafted in you a better spirit, that ye do not only know God, but also earnestly 
labour to do his holy and blessed will, that by this means ye may be found not 
only favourers but also followers, not only talkers but also walkers, not only lovers 
but also livers, not only professors but also practisers, not only worders but also 
workers, of the holy scripture, and so become blessed; as our Saviour Christ 
saith: “If ye know these things and do them, blessed are ye. For not every one 
that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that 
doth the will of the Father which is in heaven,” he shall enter into the kingdom of 
heaven. “Ye are my friends if [ye] do those things that I command you.” “ He 
that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me.” For in the 
sight of God, as the apostle saith, “they are not righteous which hear the law; 
but the doers of the law shall be justified.” “If any man be in Christ, he is a new 
creature.” ‘They truly that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections 
and lusts.” ‘We are the workmanship of God, created in Christ Jesu unto good 
works, which God hath ordained that we should walk in them.” ‘“ Let ours learn,” 
saith St Paul, “to excel in good works, as far forth as need requireth, that they be 
not unfruitful.” ‘ Hereifi is my Father glorified,” saith our Saviour Christ, “that 
ye bear much fruit, and become my disciples.” “ Ye have not chosen me; but I 
have chosen you, and ordained you to go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit 
should remain.” 

Go therefore forth, right worshipful and dearly beloved, as ye have begun, in the 
way of righteousnesses. Receive the gospel of Christ, which is the word of your 
salvation and bread of life, with greedy and desirous minds. Call on God daily (as 
ye do) with fervent prayer, and cease not to be thankful unto him for his benefits. 
Be an ensample in life and conversation to them that are under you. Seek the quiet- 
ness and commodity of your town and of the inhabitants of the same, rather than 
your own gainand profit: study rather to be loved than feared. To the wicked and 
sinful be severe and sharp; but to the good and godly be gentle and loving. Con- 


THE PREFACE. 601 


tinue your goodnesses and liberality to the poor strangers which are exiled for the 
testimony of the Lord Jesus, and tender them as yourselves, Suffer not idleness to 
creep within the bounds of your town, but rather provide that all be well and virtu- 
ously occupied. Of the poor have diligent consideration; but as for the sturdy and 
lazy lubbers, which gladly live of the labour of other men’s hands, and hate to be 
well occupied themselves, either compel to work, or else banish them your town. 
Look diligently to the bringing up of your youth, either in good letters, or else in 
some virtuous exercises, that in time to come they be not unprofitable members of 
the commonweal. But above all things, see that they be brought up in the nurture 
and fear of the Lord, and in the knowledge of his holy word, that they may learn 
even from their cradles to serve their Lord God in holiness and righteousness all the 
days of the Lord. 

And that this thing may the more conveniently be brought to pass, as ye have 
earnestly intended, and to that end have provided large sums of money among your- 
selves, so with all expedition provide that your school may be erected and set up for 
the godly and virtuous education of your youth’. So shall you both do a noble 
sacrifice unto God, deserve well of many, and also leave to your posterity a worthy 
monument of a most worthy enterprise. 

And to help forward some point of godly doctrine to be taught in your new- 
erected school, after I had finished this little treatise entitled, “The Demands of Holy 
Scripture,” I thought it not unfitting nor unworthy our friendship to dedicate the 
same to your worships, and so by you to commend it to the christian youth of your 
schoo]. In it they shall learn to know and understand the principal and chief points 
of God’s doctrine, so that by this means they shall be able to render a reason both 
of their faith and doctrine which they profess, and not be like horses and mules that 
have no understanding. The book is little, if the number of the leaves be considered ; 
but if the matter thereof be diligently pondered, it shall be found both great and 
profitable. 

Thus for this present taking my leave of you, I wish to you and to the 
whole town all good and prosperous things, both for your bodies 
and souls; most humbly beseeching God to finish that 
good work which he hath begun in you, unto 
the glory of his name, and unto the 
profit of his holy congregation. 

Amen. 


From my house at Cauntorbury, the First of September, 1563. 


[? Sandwich school was founded and endowed | Manwood, afterwards lord chief baron uf the exche- 
chiefly by the efforts and liberality of Sir Roger | quer. The licence in mortmain issued Oct. 1, 1563.] 


THE 


DEMANDS OF HOLY SCRIPTURE. 


Geni Wuo did create us? God, who also made all the world of nought. 
eet What thing damned us? Sin: insomuch as Adam did eat, by the persuasion of 


Rom». Eva, of the apple forbidden him of God. For sin is the breaking of the command- 


m. Vv. 
Cen ti is, Ments of God. 


Gen. iti, Who redeemed us, and set us in the favour of God again? Jesus Christ, by taking 
1 Tim. ii, Our nature on him. by 

Eph. i. i What is God unto us ? Whereas before he was a severe and strait judge, through 
1 John iit Christ he is become our most loving, tender, and merciful Father. 

Gal. iv. What are we? His dearly-beloved children. 


What Godis. What thing is God? An infinite substance, which only with his word of might 
did create and make all thing, and with his most high and incomparable wisdom go- 
verneth all thing, and of his inestimable goodness suffereth and preserveth all thing. 
I call that infinite both which hath neither beginning nor ending, and that which can- 

Godisinf- not be comprehended nor compassed by man’s brain what thing it is. And in both 

ee these significations God is infinite. Furthermore, that is to every man God or a god 

Exod. xxii. that he loveth, dreadeth, and worshippeth with all his heart. The scripture also call- 


Peal box oth the judges and officers of the earth gods. 
What a What is a strange god, or another god? Whatsoever thing we worship besides 
eee eile very living God. And that also that doth alienate and turneth our heart from 


God’s word is called a strange or another god. 
Whatfaithis. What thing is faith? It is a full and perfit confidence and trust in God through 
Rom.x. | Christ, engendered in our heart by hearing the word of God; and as St Paul defineth 
Heb.xi. faith: “‘ Faith is a sure confidence of things which we look for, and the certainty of 
promises.” 
Whathopeis. § What is hope? A stiff and firm expectation of such things as be promised us 
of the word of God. 
Whateharity What is charity? The principal fruit of faith, a prompt and ready will to do 
Matt.xxv. good to our neighbour. Otherwhiles the works of mercy are called charity. 
Whatthelaw § What is the law? It is the lively will of God, given us by commandment as 
oreed's well in the new testament as in the old, whose work and operation is to shew sin, 
The officeof to shew that God is angry with us for our evil doing and daily transgression of 


the law. 


John vii his commandment ; whose duty is to accuse us in our conscience, to cast us down, 

om. vii. : J : 4 = 

2 Cor. tit and make us seem vile and nought worth in our sight, and by this means either 
. ik 


bringeth us to utter desperation, or else leadeth us (as it were by the hand) to Christ, 

the only true pacifier of the conscience. 

What the What is the gospel? It is a glad tiding. Or else you may call it every pro- 

gospels. mise that God made of Christ, and of other his good benefits, whereby the clouds 
of the conscience be put away, and man’s mind erected and made merry, whether 

Rom. i. these promises be in the [new] testament or in the old. Paul saith, it is “the power 
of God, whereby all that believe are brought to health and safeguard.” 

Whoisgody. | What is it to be a godly man, or who is godly? He or she that hath faith 

and the fear of God before their eyes. 


Who is un- Who is wicked, or ungodly? He or she that believeth not the promises of God, 

atl and that hath not the dread of God before them. 

Who is a Who is a christian man? He that believeth on Christ, and liveth according to 
his word. 

Who is an Who is an ethnick or miscreant? He that useth not those laws and ordinances, 


ethnick. 


THE DEMANDS OF HOLY SCRIPTURE. 603 


and hath not the faith that we have. Or else, he that seeketh to be saved by some 
other means than by Christ. 

Who is an heretic? He which thinketh and stiffly maintaineth any thing against An heretic, 
the doctrine of faith, that is to say, the word of God. Mark here the word of God The word of 
tu be called the doctrine of faith, because faith draweth from no whence else her coun’: 
principles than from the word of God: because she only learneth, marketh, and 
beareth away the word of God. 

What is the kingdom of heaven? It is where the word of God is truly preached The kingdom 
and received, and where it beareth fruit meet for the doctrine, whose King and Lord wie 
is Christ. 

What is the world? An heap and muster of men without the word of God, The world, 
among whom the word of God is despised and persecuted, where is a rabblement of saa 7s 
all vices, whose prince and god is Satan. In some place it is called an hot boiling 
sea, which cannot rest and be assuaged. 

What is the word of God? It is the decreed sentence, word, and will of God, The word of 
expressed and left behind of the prophets and apostles to us in the canonical books 2° ¥'## 
of the new testament and the old; which word he that receiveth (that is to say, 
knowledgeth in his heart to be true and holy, and liveth according to it) receiveth 
God ; and he that refuseth it despiseth God, and as much as lieth in him he maketh 


God a liar. The word of God hath sundry names in scripture; as, “the sword of The names of 


the Spirit,” “a two-edged sword,” a fiery’ sword, an iron wall, a strong-hold, a Ce 
well-fenced tower, “consuming fire.” It is also called wheat, the rod of the mouth Ton, e 


Jer. xxiii. 


of the Lord, the breath of the mouth of the Lord, a mystery, an oracle, the print 2 Thess. ii. 
or secret will of the Lord. 
What are man’s traditions? Whatsoever man’s reason hath or doth imagine with- what men’s 
traditions 


out the word of God, and ordaineth and willeth it to be reputed and taken as good, sre. 
godly, and pleasant in the sight of God. They be called in scripture “cockle” and Matt. xii 


“chaff.” Of these speaketh Christ, where he saith: “They do serve me in vain, Mait xv. 
while they teach such doctrine as are nothing but the commandments of men.” Mate we, 


Who be good? Only God is good. Notwithstanding, because all they that have How men are 
the Spirit of God, and are ruled by his word, be of the flock of God, and under soi 
his keeping; therefore God doth communicate and impart his goodness to them, and 
so they be called good; as their Father, Lord, and Governor, is. 

Who be evil? They that have not [the] Spirit of God, nor be ruled by this word, Who be evil. 
whether they live upright outwardly, and according of the letter of the law, as Cato, 

Socrates, and they that be counted good and virtuous among the Turks and Jews; 

or else they that be open transgressors of the law. For in Christ only is salvation Actsiv. 
and remission of sins. And unto that time that our sins be remitted we be evil, S# 
unclean, and under damnation. And on this fashion we are all evil and sinners Eph. ii. 
by nature. 

Who is just, or righteous? He that hath faith. For through faith we are justi- Whois right- 
fied. To be justified is to have our sins not imputed unto us, but to have them for- What it is to 
given in Christ, and for Christ. Even as David saith: “Blessed are they whose Peal. xxx 
unrighteousnesses are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is that man to” '” 
whom the Lord imputeth no sin.” Now, because the faithful man only receiveth and 
enjoyeth this mercy, forgiveness, and this no imputing of sin through faith, therefore 
he is called just, and we through faith said to be justified. Sometime in scripture Rom. iv. v. 


Who is unrighteous? He that hath no faith. Unrighteous, 
What is everlasting life? It is the taste of the favour and manifold mercies of Evevlasting 
God, the peace of the conscience, a fervent desire of heaven, and to be with Christ, 9?” "*" 
which the Holy Ghost doth kindle in the hearts of the faithful. Otherwhiles ever- 
lasting life is called to know the very living God, and Jesus Christ whom he sent John xvii. 





[! Folio, fyre.] 


604 THE DEMANDS OF HOLY SCRIPTURE. 


iJonny. down. As it is said: “He that hath the Son, and believeth in him, hath everlasting 
life.” 
Hell, orever- | What is everlasting death, or hell? In this life it is the perpetual grudge and 


lasting death, ° : : : : . 
what itis. ” horrible fear of conscience, the distress and tediousness of the mind, dreading the wrath 


of God, which the devil increaseth in the unfaithful; as it is plainly declared. Also 


Hell diverse- hell is taken for extreme temptation, which almost leadeth us down to desperation ; 
isam.ii. as we read: “The Lord leadeth us down to hell, and bringeth us up again.” After 


Ba this life it betokeneth the fire of hell, where the damned souls be. It is called also 
xai'xxv. @ fiery furnace, and the “utter darkness,” where is “wailing and gnashing of teeth,” 


and utter desperation of the mercy of God. 


What the What thing is the blessing of God? It is the favour, the grace, the help, and 
blessing of ° 

God is. beneficence of God, &c. 

What the What is the curse of God? It is the anger, extreme wrath, and the lack of all 
a hapen ae good benefits of God. 

What a good What is a good conscience? It is the peace of the mind, a spiritual joy, and a 
conse Dlain feeling and perceiving of the goodness of God towards us, through faith in Jesus 
Rom.v. Christ, which is described and set out; and is no more to say, but that, when we 
XXXYV. perceive that through faith in Jesus Christ our sins be forgiven, and that we be in 


the favour of God, we be heart-whole, merry, and sound. 

What is an evil conscience? It is an inward boiling heat, and tossing of the mind, 
for a man’s wickedness, and when for pure anguish of the sight and horror of sin the 
heart fainteth and faileth him. It is called in scripture the worm of the conscience. 

What truth What is verity and truth? Christ himself, the word of God, and whatsoever else 
John xiv. agreeth with the word of God. For as Christ saith: “I am the way, the truth, 
John xvii. and the life.” Also: “Thy words be the truth.” There is also a civil truth or 
verity, as it is called, and that is when with that which is said the thing agreeth, 
and when we find words agreeing with the thing itself. 
What false- What is leasing or falsity? Whatsoever thing is enemy and not agreeing to the 
hi truth and the word of God; as man’s traditions or doctrines, that serve not to the 
same word of God. 
The fear of What is the fear of God? Such an humbleness and low behaviour as natural 
ic sons have towards their loving fathers. It is also a ready, glad, and wilful wariness 
§C in ordering ourselves that we do not commit any thing against God and his word, 
for fear lest we should offend so loving and tender a Father. Which fear as it 
{ springeth only out of faith, so it is only in the faithful. Then we fear God wisely, 
when with heart and mind we so endeavour to live and order ourselves, as if we 
had God a witness and looker of all our deeds, words, yea, and of our privy thoughts 
and cogitations. This loving dread engendereth wisdom, and bringeth God’s blessing 
Rom. viii. onus, and driveth out sin out of the breast. The servile and bond fear is the amazing, 
dread, and abashing of the mind that the wicked men have of the wrath of God, 
engendered by laying the law to their evil living. 
What the What is the contempt of God? A despising or a light regarding of the doctrine 
despising of and the commandments of God, proceeding of an unclean heart and wicked mind, a 
; pleasure and delight in sin, and ignorance, the root of all mischief, which fruit of in- 
credulity God never left unpunished; as it appeareth, Exod. and Numb. &c. 
Thanksgiv- What is thanksgiving? It is a remembrance and a thankful acknowledging of 
ing, whatitis. +416 benefits of God; when we surely think all that we have cometh of him. It is 
Psal. 1. called in the scripture “sacrifice of praisegiving.” 
Uiudeiniees What is unkindness and privy murmuring against God? It is to grudge and not to be 
ae against, content with the works of God, and to forget his beneficence. Examples hereof we read. 
Ae i ed What is it to have the Holy Ghost? To be godly disposed, to have an heavenly 


1S 
Exot. xv brenning in the mind, ever upright, whole, sincere, and pure, virtuous, alway judging 


ote Ghent, the best, willing and wishing well to every body; the fruits of whom be all virtues ; 


whats: which ye may see in the Galatians. 
To be evil- What is an evil mind, or to have the devil? It is to have an evil, cankered 
minded, or 


tohavethe mind, to be against God and his word, to be given all to wickedness, to misdeem 


fis”? and judge all to the worst. 


THE DEMANDS OF HOLY SCRIPTURE. 605 


What is a good angel? The messenger of God, or whatsoever ye will, by which A good angel, 
God worketh us, and in us that that is good, profitable, and commodious. 

What is Satan, or an evil angel? An adversary and enemy of God, a worker of Anevil angel, 
all mischief and death unto us. Otherwhiles it is put only for the devil. , 

What is the cross? It is all manner of grievance given to every manner of vocation The cross, 
and kind of life, grounded on faith and the word of God, and when that we do goeth not “"'"* 
forward as we would. It is also the teaching, warning, chastising rod and staff of the 
Lord, which names be for to be seen in the Proverbs and Psalms. The cross of Christ Whatthe 
is his passion and the preaching of the same, and the persecution that followeth the ». 
preachers and believers of the same. 

What is pleasure, and the ease of this life? It is when we have all at will, when wnat tne 
God leaveth us to ourselves, and troubleth us not with any adversity for faith and the degen 
word of God. ara 

What is sin? It is the transgression and breaking of any of God’s commandments. Whatsin is. 
It is also a natural propension and inclination to naughtiness, engendered with us 
at our birth. ‘ Whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” It is also the distrust in God, 
and the ignorance and contempt of him, and a trust and confidence in our own 
works. 

What is original sin? It is the poison and corruption that we have in our birth, Original sin, 
through the infection of our nature in Adam, which doth bring forth in us the fruit” ~~ 
of incredulity, and all wickednesses, and maketh us unable to the works of the law, as 
the law requireth them to be done of us, until Christ and his word hath made us a 
new creature. 

What is original justice? The integrity, wholeness, and soundness of the powers of Original 


justice, what 


the body and the soul, whereby both the soul and the body could verily obey, do, itis. 
and fulfil the law of God. Wherefore, after the poison of sin entered, nature lost her 
integrity and soundness, and the venom of sin made weak, faint, and feeble, the whole 

nature of man; so that it could not in nowise will or do the work that it whole ee 
before could do. And not this only, but it infected and corrupted the flesh and the soul, 

and all the powers of them both, which infection engendered in the nature of man, thus 
feebled, the ignorance and contempt of God, the distrust in God, the murmuring against The corrup- 
God, when he sendeth adversity or sickness. It causeth, furthermore, man to be without eae aes 
the fear of God, to hate the judgment of God, to flee and run away from God, when he” 
chasteneth us, to be angry with him and despair, and to trust in things corruptible, &c. 

These be the horrible boils, sores, pocks, and carbuncles, that disfigure the face of man. 

Which though they be never so high, yet our schoolmen and canonites (I mean the 
professors of the bishop of Rome’s laws) could never see or perceive. These Christ, 
through faith at our baptism, doth suppress and abate their power, and at the last by +8 
death doth utterly vanquish and kill. 

What mean ye by these words, pena and culpa? This word culpa, which is in Bish aie 
English a ‘fault’ or ‘trespass’ properly, in this place betokeneth the guilt (as we call it) or signifieth. 
the trespass, and that which the law punisheth in the deed or fact; as, in an act of felony, 
the law punisheth not the coming to the horse, nor yet the bridling, no, nor the leading 
of the horse from the stable, meadow, or common; for all these may be done without the 
evil and unlawful desire of the horse, and, again, with the owner’s leave. But the law 
punisheth the coming, the bridling, and taking away the horse against the owner's will, 
and with the mind of stealing him, and calleth the fact theft or felony. This word 
pena, which is in English ‘pain’, is the wages and punishment taken for the fault. What this 
And thus some kind of vices, all hurts, damages, sickness, pestilences, perils, errors, and signifieth. 
the lack of God’s word that we have among us, be pains and punishments of sin. That 
God punisheth sin with loss and danger both of body and goods, with sickness, pesti- 
lence, and such other, none I think doubteth ; but that he punisheth sin by sin, and sin 
by errors and heresies, the world cannot so clearly perceive. Howbeit Paul doth 
plainly declare it, where he saith, because the gentiles “turned the glory of God, and Rom.i. 
worshipped the creature more than the Maker, &c.; therefore,” saith he, ““God gave them 
up unto shameful lusts,” &c. Which lusts be there straight after expressed. And this 
punishment (I mean to punish sin by sin) is a very sore punishment. 


Matt. v. 


Note well. 


God punish- 
eth sin in this 
world, not 
after this life 
in pureaicry 
as the papists 
feign. 


1 Cor. xi. 
2 Sam. xii. 


Innocency, 
what it is. 


1 Cor. iv. 
1 John i. 


Exod. xxxiv. 


2 Kings xx, 


What the 
spirit is. 


John vi. 
Psal. el. 
John iii. 


What the 
flesh is. 


John iii. 
1 Cor. ii. 


John vi. 


What the 
new man is. 
John iii. 


606 THE DEMANDS OF HOLY SCRIPTURE. 


He punisheth sin by errors and heresies thus. When the word of God is plenteously 
and sincerely preached, as it is now; and yet men still kick against it, or in case many 
receive it, yet few or none regard it, or live according to it, but with their words make 
on it only for a fleshly liberty; then, I say, God taketh his word away from thence, 
as who be not worthy of it, and letteth the world prevail against his preachers, and 
suffereth antichrist (who must needs succeed Christ) to kill them, so that antichrist 
peaceably enjoyeth his kingdom (as he hath done already this great while) ; and he must 
needs have like doctrine to himself. So did he punish the Jews his own elected people 
at sundry times more than two thousand year, and suffered them to worship false gods, or 
else to set up their own traditions, God’s precepts neglected. So also hath he punished our 
forefathers these eight or nine hundred years. And now, except we thankfully receive his 
word, and live thereafter in the newness of life, according as we are called, no doubt of 
it, he will not only revolve and cast us down again to our old ignorance, captivity and 
bondage, but also shortly take such vengeance on us as he threatened Bethsaida, 
Chorazin’, &c. 

Now God remitteth the crime, guilt, and trespass, to his elect through faith in Christ ; 
but he reserveth (after a certain manner) a little portion of the pain, not to counterpoise 
therewith, or satisfy his justice for the crime (as the bishop of Rome with his complices 
hath taught us this great while), but to chastise their flesh withal, and sometime to be an 
example unto other to forbear like crimes, for fear of like punishment, cr to declare the 
ire of God for such crimes. So that what trouble, vexation, grief, loss, sickness, so- 
ever the best men that be have, they deserve it, with much more. Howbeit -no, 
not thus God would beat, scourge, and try his, and it were not for their own profit 
and avail. For by this means he nurtureth, reineth, and humbleth his elect, that they 
may know themselves the better, and lest they run at large after the world; as it 
appeareth by the advoutry of David, and many other stories in the bible. 

What is innocency? The pureness of the mind; and when the conscience is not 
guilty, or findeth itself culpable in any thing. This innocency only the faith in Jesus 
Christ engendereth in us. In this state was Paul (after many interpreters’ minds) when he 
said: “I know nought by myself,” &c. He said not this, that he thought not himself a 
sinner, and that he trespassed not afore God (for then had he been a liar; for Moyses 
saith to the Lord, “It is thou that takest away trespass, iniquity, and sin, and none 
innocent before thee”), but he meaneth of his conversation. In this state also was 
Ezechias, the good king, when he turned him to the wall and wept. Here we call, 
not to be guilty or culpable, to have the peace of the conscience; and that is when 
we believe through Christ that our sins be hid; for unto that time the law ceaseth 
not to accuse us in our conscience. 

What is the spirit? It is a heavenly sense or understanding, springing out of the 
word of God (or else the self word of God), exceeding the sense of the flesh and 
reason. ‘ The words that I speak unto you they be spirit and life;’ meaning, they 
amount’? and pass the flesh and sense of reason; they be spiritual and heavenly. It 
is sometime put for whatsoever liveth and breatheth, as: “All the spirits, praise ye the 
Lord ;” sometime for the breath and wind. 

What is the flesh? Every affection, the heart, the mind, and thought of man, 
and whatsoever else man doth or can do by all the powers of his reason, destitute of 
the word of God. For Christ saith: ‘ That which is born of the flesh [is flesh]”; 
that is, it understandeth not things that be spiritual. Flesh otherwhile betokeneth the 
letter and fleshly understanding. ‘‘ The flesh profiteth nothing: it is the Spirit that 
quickeneth.” 

What is the new man? It is the man that is renewed and born again by faith and 
the word, through the Spirit of God. ‘Except a man be born anew, he cannot see 
the kingdom of heaven.” To be born anew, he calleth, where as before we were but 
carnal and fleshly, not understanding the mysteries of the Spirit, we must be born 
again in spirit, that is, to become spiritual and more meet to understand spiritual 
things. 


[! Folio, Choram.] [? Amount: surmount. } 


THE DEMANDS OF HOLY SCRIPTURE. 607 


What is the old man? Our affections, appetites, and understanding, according to What the old 
reason, without faith ; even as we be all naturally born of our mother; as it appeareth Peal. i. 
in divers places of the scripture. Also the whole body of sin is eiled the old man oR a 
in scripture; and they live according to the old man, that live in ignorance, and follow 
the lusts of their heart, not walking in the newness of life. 

Who is blessed or happy? Albeit I may answer with Christ, ‘‘ Blessed is he Blessed or 
that heareth and keepeth the word of God ;” yet is he otherwise demeod’ in the scripture : Tee 
as he is to be thought happy, who holdeth himself well content with his fortune, and 
thankfully receiveth Crhiieaeye: God sendeth him, and who is at one with God and all 
creatures, that is, doth not murmur against God, and on the other side, envieth nor 
despiseth any man. 

Who is a wretch, or unhappy? He that holdeth not himself content with that whois un- 
that God hath sent him: he with whom nothing goeth forward, nor agreeth not with BAPEY: 
God nor man. 

Who is poor? He that cannot make no great boasts or cracks of himself, and poor, whois. 
who is destitute of all help; as be they of whom Christ saith: ‘‘ Blessed are the poor matt. v. 
in spirit.” In scripture he is called low, humble, and hungry, and he who is now in 
adversity. 

Who is rich? He is called rich in scripture, which needeth no help concerning Rich, who is. 
his salvation, but hath works enough, and more than enough, to bring him to heaven ; Ba 
and (as a man may call it) full up to the throat of sci) eugene ; as be all boetiee Like aa 
Pharisees, and justifiers of themselves. They also be called rich in scripture which be James v. 
proud, mighty, and drunken with fortune and prosperity, ever polling the poor. 

Who is wise and circumspect? He which knoweth God and his word, which, when wise and cir- 
he doubteth, asketh counsel, and doth all thing thereafter. cir ae 

Who is a fool? He that rashly is carried hither and thither with every motion, a fool, who. 
that considereth nothing, regardeth nothing, nor suffereth himself to be corrected and ¢ 
wamed of his evil doing; but headlong runneth as he began, forcing not whether he 
sink or swim, or what becometh of him; and who, as he knoweth not the word of 
God, so he passeth not on it. The wisdom of God, taken as foolishness before the 
world, is the preaching of the cross of Christ, and the justifying by faith: that is to 
say, though to suffer persecution for the word of God, and to preach that we [be] 
justified by faith, be godly and the wisdom of the Spirit, yet the world laugheth it 
to scorn, and counteth it high foolishness. “ The wisdom of the flesh is foolishness 1 Cor. iii. 
before God.” 

What is a child, or to be a child? A child in scripture is a wicked man, or he 4 cnita, 
that is ignorant and not exercised in godliness and God’s word, be he old, or be he young: “"** 
or he that lacketh spiritual judgment in discerning and choosing things. ‘Wo be to keeles. x. 
the country whose king is a child.” “ And he shall die a child of a hundred year old.” isai. ixv. 

A child also is sometime taken for humble or meek. ‘ Whosoever humble himself as Matt. xviii. 
this child is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” 

What is an old man, ancient, or elder? He which is well taught and instructed what an 
in the word of God, and scavtised therein. He which liveth honestly, and without ““" 
reproof, having hoarness of manners, authority, gravity, and high knowledge in the word 
of God. 

What is Christ? The anointed King and Priest of God, sitting on the right hand What Christ 
of the Father, having full power to defend and warrant his flock, and being a ready * 
Advocate for his at their need. And by him all christian men be anointed kings and Exod. xix. 
priests. They be called kings, when in Christ and through Christ they subdue their Rev. i 
wild affections, the devil, and death. They be called priests and sacrificers, when they $3 
“ offer up their bodies into a lively, holy, and acceptable sacrifice unto God, which is our Rom. xii. 
reasonable serving of God.” 

What is antichrist? The adversary of Christ, and he which goeth about to ob- what anti- 
scure or utterly to abrogate and pull away his glory ; teaching, defining, and determin- © rist is. 
ing that Christ is not the king, priest, and advocate of his flock. 

W hat is prayer? A brenning desire or petition of the mind, lift up and directed Prayer, what 
unto God (springing and coming of the need and lack that we find in our self), as far 


608 THE DEMANDS OF HOLY SCRIPTURE. 


forth as faith and the promise of God suffereth and permitteth us; where mark that 
we ask such things as be honest and lawful. Sometime it is taken for the lifting up 
of the hands, the desire, crying, and sighing of the poor, and such as stand in need. 
And some doth call it more generally the lifting up of the mind to God. 

What is temptation? The proof and trial of our faith, and an exercise and 
practice of the word. Otherwhiles it is called the rod and staff of the Lord, and the 
discipline whereby we see ourselves, and perceive how well we have profited and gone 
forward in the word, which may best be tried then when that we go about doth not 
go forward as we would. 

What is desperation? It is when in temptation and such trying of us (whether 
it be by adversity or any other thing) we fall down, distrust, and cast away all hope 
of the mercy and goodness of God; then, I say, when of no side appeareth any hope 
or succour, and when we be, as seemeth to us, utterly forgotten and cast away of 
God. Of which temptation we may sce a manifest example. To speak properly, 
desperation is the utter and final despair and distrust of help. 

What is vocation or calling? It is the manner of life unto which God hath called 
thee, or else the common consent (as mayors and other officers), or else thou hast 
appointed and purposed thyself unto by thy own accord. Or else ye may call it 
every kind of life in which we exercise faith and charity. To be called to the king- 
dom of heaven is to hear the word of God. To be chosen or elected is to believe it. 

What is predestination? It is the secret election of the wisdom of God to eternal 
life, without our deserving. They be predestinate and called to everlasting life, which 
hear and receive the word of God. 

What is free-will? It is the liberty that man hath in doing outward things, 
and the natural work of man in such things as be not spiritual; as in ordering him- 
self after a civil and political fashion, and outward fulfilling of the moral virtues. 
Howbeit he hath not the power, no, nor yet the will to love God, dread God, and 
to know him, until that he be renewed, and that Christ hath set him at liberty. For 
then, as John saith, “If the Son hath made ye free, then are ye free indeed.” For 
unto that time that we know God, we cannot love him nor dread him. And when 
we love him and dread him, then have we power through him to keep the law. 
Yet when man was in the state of original justice, that is to say, when he had the 
integrity, wholeness, and soundness of the powers of the body and soul, then might he 
obey, do, and fulfil freely the law of God; but after the poison of sin entered, it 
made weak and feeble the whole nature of man. 

What is the temple of God? A pure, clean, and single heart, without all guile, 
fraud, and doubleness. Also the church wherein God is worshipped. 

What is the church or congregation of Christ? It is the company, assemblement, 
and consent of good men on the word of God, and in the faith of Jesus Christ. 

What is the church of Satan? It is the multitude of wicked men conspiring 
against God and his word. 

What is the sabbath-day, or to keep holy-day? It is to abstain from the out- 
ward works of the flesh, and to pray unto God in spirit, hear his word, and to have 
our mind set on his law, after what manner true Christians ever keep the law. You 
may else say, that the holy day is wherein we remember the benefits of God and 
give him thanks for them. 

What is grace? The good-will of God toward us, his favour and bounteous 
goodness freely employed on us without our deserving. 

What be merits and works? They be called and counted in scripture to be the 
refusing and contempt of the favour of God, and a confidence to be saved by a man’s 
own power, strength, and deserts. 

What is the name of God? It is whatsoever pertaineth to God, or else to every 
name which we assign unto God and call him by; as the God of hosts, the strong 
and jealous God, &c. Also his glory, honour, and majesty. To shew the word of 
God is to preach sincerely the gospel, that is to say, that all that believe have their 
sins forgiven them, that they be delivered fram death and bell, and hath given them 
everlasting life freely through Jesus Christ. 


THE DEMANDS OF HOLY SCRIPTURE. 609 


What is it to serve God? To live according to his word, to believe and put To serve God, 
trust in him, to refer all thing unto his glory, and to love and nol our neighbour. “™“'** 
What is it to serve the devil? It is to resist the word, to serve mammon, his To serve the 


belly, his fleshly appetites, the world, and carnal affections. Titra 
What is to worship God? It is not only to pray unto him, but also to shew 1o worship 
and exhibit in the outward gesture honour and reverence unto him. me 
What is to believe in God? It is wholly to commit a man’s own self in all RG, 


matters to him, and to have a sure hope in himself, that whatsoever God promiseth itis. 
shall be performed. 

What is to fast? To beware lest we overlade our body with surfeiting in meats To fast, what 
or drinks, that we live chastely and soberly, to abstain from vice, to keep our body Luke xxi. 
low, giving it that only that is necessary. 

What is it to follow Christ? It is to believe in him, to mark and follow his inlay 
doctrine, and to follow him whithersoever he leadeth us or calleth us, and to suffer itis. 
willingly whatsoever he layeth on our backs. 

What is to leave and forsake all that a man hath, to sell all, and to deny a What itis to 
man’s self? To leave, forsake, and sell, is to repute and reckon such things as we things for 
have as none of ours, yea, gladly to forsake and leavo for Christ's sake (if the matter ">" 
came to that point) wife, children, parents, country, house, land, and all other such ; 
insomuch that (if need required) we would, for Christ’s sake and the gospel’s quarrel, 
offer ourself to all dangers, and death at conclusion. To deny a man’s self is frankly To deny a 
and freely to grant his works and all his other good endeavourings to be unable to what itis. 
his salvation, and utterly to kill the old Adam in him, with all his affections. 

What is it to visit? When it is taken in the good part, it betokeneth that God To visit, what 
looketh upon and sendeth his benefits some whither. ‘The Lord hath visited his iakeya 
people.” When it is taken in the evil part, it betokenecth as much as the Lord 
punisheth and scourgeth wicked and cursed, when he taketh vengeance on them for 
their wickedness: as, “I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the sin of Exod. xx. 
the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hath 
hate me,” &c. 

What is the hand of God? It is the power or strength of the Lord, whereby he pe 
helpeth and doth good unto the godly, and whereby he worketh mischief and taketh is. 
vengeance on the cursed. The arm of God betokeneth the power of him, and Christ The arm of 
himself, whereof ye may read abundantly. The finger betokeneth the Holy Ghost. Isai. Wii, 

What be the eyes of God? The respect, care, and regard that he hath upon the Go God. oer 
good, and his gentleness, mercy, and readiness to defend them. His countenance is The eyes of 
taken for the strait and narrow looking of the wicked to their destruction and per- The counte- 
dition. ‘The eyes of the Lord be on the righteous, and his ears attent unto their Psa xxxiv” 
prayers: but the countenance of the Lord is upon the sinners.” His face betokencth ‘ne face of 
favour, benevolence, and the gladness in the Lord. But ‘as soon as thou hast turned ees 
thy face, they shall be confused, and will turn again unto their earth.” The mouth me moutnor 
of the Lord hath great “ahaa and pith in it; for the prophets, when they will pee 
have their words marked and regarded, say: “The mouth of the Lord hath spoken Isai. i. 
this.” The outward appearance of any thing is also called the face ; as we say, “‘ Judge 
not according to the face and outward sight.” The face of the anger of God is the What the face 
feeling of the curse and wrath of God: also the presence, sight, and judgment of God of God iss 
is called his face; as, “Let all the earth hush, or be still, before the face of the Lord.” Hab. ii. 

“‘ As the wax vadeth' and consumeth in the face of the fire, so shall all sinners perish Psal. xviii. 
before the face of God.” 

What is the eye of man? It is reason, or the wisdom of the flesh. A single eye The eye of 


an, what. 


is reason instructed with the word of God. A wicked eye is reason depraved and A single eye. 


corrupt, and envy engendered against their neighbour for the gifts of God. Other- Matt. xxi. 
whiles the eye, hand, right foot, &c. betoken our kinsmen and best beloved friends. ; 
What betoken ue in copented The feet be and betoken the affections, desire, Ta ley 


and will of the heart. “My foot stood straight forth,” that is to say, I have neither Psal. xxvi: 


{! Vadeth: departeth. ] 


[BEcoN, 11. ] = 


To wash one 
another’s _ 
feet, what itis. 


Slander or 
offendicle, 
what it is. 


Matt. xviii. 


Phil. iii. 


Matt. xiii. 
Xiv. XV. 
Hypocrite. 


Envious 
man. 


Gen. iv. 

1 Sam. xviii. 
2 Sam. xx. 
John iii. 

1 Sam. xviii. 


God to sleep, 
what it is. 
Matt. viii. 


Psal. xliv. 


Men to sleep, 
what it is. 
Matt. xiii. 


Acts vil. 


To be awake. 


Fortune. 


Brother. 
Matt. xxiii. 
Weak 
brother. 
Rom. xiv. 


Neighbour. 


Lord or 
master. 


Mark ii. 


Servant. 


John viii. 


A true and 
faithful ser- 
vant. 

Matt. xxiv. 
A slothful 
and unfaith- 
ful servant. 


Magistrate. 
Hom. xiii. 


610 THE DEMANDS OF HOLY SCRIPTURE. 


hurt any man, nor would hurt. And though perchance I have hurt any, yet I willed 
none evil, or hated any, &c. To wash one another's feet is one to love another, and 
to will well one to another. 

What is a slander, to offend, or to be offendicle’ to any man? It is whereby the 
faith or charity of our brother is offended or hurt. The faith of the brother is offended, 
when any man preacheth and teacheth other things than the word of God. Of this 
kind of slander speaketh Christ: ‘“‘ Whosoever offendeth one of these little ones,” &c. 
The charity of our neighbour is offended or hurt, when we help not the poor, when 
we be not glad of our neigkbour’s prosperity, and sorry in his adversity, &c. It is 
the obstacle and let whereby we fall and stumble in the way of the Lord, that is to 
say, we have not a life upright and worthy the Lord; I mean, when we stagger in 
the faith, or love towards our neighbour, in which two every Christian ought stoutly 
and still to walk; “ forgetting,” with St Paul, “the things that be behind our backs, 
endeavouring to come to the mark set before our eyes.” Otherwhiles slander or offend- 
ing is taken in scripture for the offending whereby the wicked cannot bear the word. 

What is an hypocrite? It is the wicked man coloured and cloaked with godli- 
ness. Wherefore hypocrisy is called feigned holiness. 

What is an envious man? He whose heart for anger burneth at another man’s 
prosperity, nor can suffer (with his will) any other to be enriched with the benefits 
of God. So did Cain envy Abel his brother, Saul David, and Joab Amasas. But 
John -did not envy Christ his successor, when he said, “ He must increase, and I de- 
crease.” Nor Jonathas Saul’s son did not thus hate David, his loyal and trusty 
friend and companion. 

What is for God to sleep? When he seemeth to us to forsake us in our temp- 
tation, nor helpeth us. So slept Christ in the ship, his apostles beg in danger and 
jeopardy. And so doth David call upon God to awake, saying: “Arise and wake, 
Lord: why dost thou sleep so long?” 

What is it for men to sleep? When they, without all care of the word of God, 
slug and sleep in sin and ignorance, when they refuse, contemn, and regard it not. 
To rest and sleep in the Lord is to die in faith, &c. 

What is to be awake? To exercise and put in ure the word of God and our 
faith. 

What is fortune? It is fate or destiny chancing to any man by the will of God, 
without man’s providence. 

Who is my brother? He that hath one father with me, that is to say, God. 

Who is my weak brother? He that hath one faith with me in God, and favoureth 
the gospel, but yet wavereth and doubteth in his conscience of some things, as meats and 
difference of days. 

Who is my neighbour? He on whom I exercise charity and love, or he who 
needeth my help. 

Who is a lord or master? He that hath a servant, governeth and ruleth another : 
as he which keepeth under vices and lewd appetites is lord and master over them; so 
through faith in Jesus Christ we be lords over the devil, death, and sin. Also he 
that useth the sabbath or holy day as he seeth need, that is to say, doubteth not (if 
he see the love of his neighbour requireth the contrary) to break it, that man, I say, 
is the “ lord of the sabbath-day.” 

Who is a servant? He that hath a master, and is not his own man; or else he 
that is at the beck and commandment of another. Thus Paul calleth himself “the 
servant of Christ;” as he that doth and accomplisheth the will of sin, he is “a 
servant to sin.” 

What is a true and faithful servant? He that hath faith, and doth his duty with 
all diligence, according to his vocation and calling. 

What is a slothful and unfaithful servant? He which believeth not in God, negli- 
gently ordereth himself in his vocation, and refuseth to bear his cross. 

What is an officer or ruler? Every lawful power among men, ordained of God to 


{! Offendicle : a stumbling-block.] 


THE DEMANDS OF HOLY SCRIPTURE. 611 


the defence and protection of that that is good, and to prohibit and to punish that that 
is evil, according to right and equity. 

What is a tyrant? An unlawful and unjust ruler, which administereth all thing Tyrant. 
as he list, and layeth great burdens and yokes upon the people, doing against all con- 
science and equity. Such a one was Pharao to the children of Israel. Howbeit such Exod. i. 
be not to be resisted of christian men, but obeyed in all things, save where they will erases 
have us do that that God forbiddeth us, and have us not do that that God biddeth. 

And we must tarry till God deliver us out of such tyrants’ hands; as the children of 
Israel did. 

What is matrimony or wedlock ? The lawful coupling and resort of man and woman, matrimony. 
according to the ordinance and commandment of God. pare: 

What is adultery? The unlawful company of man and woman; as is the marriage Adultery. 
with the mother, sister, aunt, brother’s wife, and such other wherein Moyses treateth. 

To that pertaineth stupre’, incest, fornication, and like abominations touched in the 
foresaid chapters. 

What is properly man’s work, or that man can do? Whatsoever that reason and Man’s work. 
the nature of man can invent and do; as to rule his house well, to govern the common- 
weal, build, and search the nature of things, and dispute and reason upon them. 

What is that that is above man’s power, otherwise called spiritual and heavenly ? Works pass- 
Whatsoever surmounteth reason, and that man cannot attain unto, except God granteth power. 
it, and giveth power to obtain it; as that our sins be forgiven through faith, and that 
we be saved by Jesus that died on the cross; that God is our defender and loving 
Father, yea, in adversity and trouble; that God is just, yea, when he suffereth 
the good men to be persecuted and troubled, and, on the other side, letteth the evil 
men to enjoy and have all their pleasure and will here, and prevail against the good 
men. 

What is flesh and blood? The circumlocution and very description of man. For Flesh ana 


man of himself is nothing but fleshly and carnal. “Blessed art thou, Simon, the son of ie?" 


Jonas; for flesh and blood hath not opened this unto thee, but my Father that is in Mate ev 
heaven,” saith Christ. 

What is care and thought? A plain token of diffidence and distrust in God. It Careana 
is an unfaithful care and pensiveness of the mind for meat, drink, clothing, and such ae 
other necessaries, which in whomsoever you do see it, surely it cannot be denied but that 
he both is destitute® of faith in God, and that his mind is set overmuch to worldly things. 
“Therefore I say unto you, be not careful for the life,” &c. “* After all such things do mate. vi. 
the heathen® seek,” saith Christ. The care and thought of faith is prohibited by God’s 
word. For faith only looketh and leaneth to God’s word and promises. Now to take 
thought and care lest God will not fulfil his word and promises, is to mistrust and not 
believe God, and so, as much as lieth in us, to make God a liar. Wherefore, as I said 
afore, all thought and care of matters pertaining to faith is utterly to be put away. 

The care and sorrow in things belonging to charity and love in every man’s vocation 
is commanded by God’s word, as one to be sorry for another's mischance and misery. 

What is the gladness of the heart? A token of confidence in God, when in ad- Giadness of 

versity, trouble, or affliction, we wail not, frown, or fret within ourselves, but rejoice, [guar 
look stoutly on it, and hold ourselves well apaid, having this ever before our eyes: 
** The son whom God loveth and receiveth he useth to chasten and beat.” Contrari- Prov iii. 
wise, it is also a token of worldly wealthiness and delight in pleasures of the flesh, ee 
whom God threateneth. ‘“ Wo be unto you that laugh here; for ye shall weep and wail,” Luke vi. 
saith Christ. 

What is to sin against the Father, and the Son? It is to resist and persecute Sin against 
the word of God, but yet by ignorance, and of a good zeal; as Paul did before he and the Son. 
was converted. es 

What is the sin against the Holy Ghost? It is when any resisteth the open, mani- Sin against 
fest, and known truth, when any believe not the open and plain promises of God, and Ghost.” 


when any despaireth finally in the mercy of God. 





[? Stupre: rape.] [? Folio, destinate, and heaven then.] 


39—2 


Zeal, what it 
signifieth. 


Jealousy. 


Why God is 
called a 
jealous God. 


The body of 
Christ, what 
it is. 

Eph. i. 

Col. ii. 


To eat the 
flesh and to 
drink the 
blood of 
Christ, what 
it is. 

John viii. 

1 Cor. x. 
Virgin. 


Harlot or 
whore. 


ae 


Virtue. 


1 Cor. iv. 


Vice. 
Rom. vii. 


James i. 


Sacraments, 
what they 
are. 


Gen. iii. ix. 
XVil. 


Baptism. 


Tit. iti. 


The supper 
of the Lord. 


612 THE DEMANDS OF HOLY SCRIPTURE. 


What is meant by this word “zeal” in scripture? Zeal is anger meddled and mixed 
with love ; as, when the loving father is angry with his child for doing amiss, he doth 
it not because he hateth his son, but in doing so he signifieth his fatherly love towards 
him ; willing by that that he shall do no more so, but endeavour to better. For when 
the child is thus chidden or beaten, he taketh heed that he doth not so again, for fear 
of a more grievous punishment. It betokeneth also the anger that chanceth betwixt 
them that love heartily together, &c. From hence cometh jealousy, which springeth out 
of vehement love. God is called in scripture “a jealous God,” not that because any 
should think that any such affections were in God, but that we might learn that God 
doth all the things that are done for nothing else but for their sake only whom he 
loveth so tenderly, even his elect: not because he looketh for any vantage or profit by 
it, but that they may be saved, and enjoy the kingdom prepared for them. 

What is the body of Christ? The congregation of all faithful, and of all that believe, 
wheresoever they be, whose head is Christ himself. In Christ’s body there is more 
flesh than bones, that is to say, there be more weak in the faith than there be 
strong. The body also of Christ is the sacrament of thanksgiving after a certain 
manner. 

What is to eat the flesh and drink the blood of Christ? It is to believe that Christ 
suffered his passion for our sins. All the patriarchs and prophets believed in Christ ; 
and Abraham, as Christ saith, saw his day, and did rejoice in it, &c. And they also 
did eat the flesh and drink the blood of Christ spiritually. 

What is a virgin? In scripture it signifieth any honest, faithful, woman, or the 
spouse of Christ: which spouse is either any soul believing in Christ, and living 
honestly, according to his word, or else the whole congregation and church of the 
faithful. 

What is an harlot or whore? It is the unfaithful soul (whether it be man or woman) 
which seeketh health other where than of Christ, apostatizing’ and running away from 
God’s word, and faith in Christ, unto man’s traditions. False doctrine and man’s 
reason be oftentimes called of the prophets whores and harlots. Besides these, a whore 
or harlot signifieth a woman which committeth adultery with another man. 

What is virtue? A firm readiness of the will to goodness, engendered by the word 
of God, and made easy by oft and great exercise in doing well. The moral virtues 
and the outward fulfilling of the law be also engendered and gotten by often exercising 
them. Some define them thus, saying that virtue is the mean between two excesses, 
which excesses be called vices. Otherwhiles the fruits of the Spirit in scripture be 
called virtues. And here ye must note that all virtues consist in the deed and doing 
of them; as we read: ‘The kingdom of God standeth not in words, but in power,” 
effect, and doing of it. 

What is vice? The fruit and work of our corrupt nature, and the old man, and 
a readiness of the will to naughtiness. ‘There dwelleth not in me (that is to say, 
in my flesh) ought that is good.” Wherefore whatsoever is in us that is good cometh 
of God. 

What be sacraments and signs? Good assurances and confirmation of the word of 
God. Some define them thus: Sacraments be signs and witnesses of the will of God 
towards us, by which he moveth and stirreth our hearts to believe. Such were the skins 
wherewith God clothed Adam and Eva, the rainbow, circumcision, &c. Such be with 
us baptism and the sacrament of Christ’s body and blood. 

What is baptism? The dipping into the water, in token of repentance, and newness 
of life to follow. It is also defined to be the badge and cognizance, whereby not only we 
be known to be of the flock of Christ, but that also we be stablished in our conscience 
that we be in the favour of God, our sins forgiven. It is called the clean and pure water, 
the lavacre’ of our regeneration, or fountain of the new birth. 

What is the sacrament of Christ’s body and blood, or of thanksgiving? An holy 
mystery of the body and blood of Christ, institute of Christ to be eaten of all christian 


@¢S men, in token of remission of sins through Christ; that, even as sure as we take the 





[! Folio, apostasying. ] [? Lavacre: laver.] 


THE DEMANDS OF HOLY SCRIPTURE. 613 


bread and eat it with the mouth of the body, and drink the wine, so verily and certainly, 
even at the same instant, with the mouth of our faith we receive the very body and 
blood of Christ ; and there it doth as actually comfort and sustain the soul, as doth the 
bread and the wine nourish and comfort the heart, and the outward man. And as verily 8 
as the most sovereign plaster and salve, laid to a wound or sore, draweth out the filth 
and healeth it, so verily and really doth the body and blood of Christ, thus received, 
put away the sores and deformities of the soul, and not alonely maketh it whole, but 
also pure, clean, without scar, wrinkle, and spot, and so maketh it a delectable, lovely, 
and fair spouse in the sight of God. Lo, what it is to receive the body and blood of 
Christ in faith. 

What is penitence or repentance? We read of two manner of kind of repentances. Repentance. 
One was a legal, in the old law, used of the Jews and Israelites. This kind of repent- 
ance is a certain contrition of the mind, and hatred and detestation of our sin, with 
a sorrow and compunction of the heart, which springeth and riseth as soon as we begin 
to feel and perceive the abomination of our sin, by laying our deeds and desires of our 
heart to God’s law. Such was the repentance and penitence of the Ninivites, and of Jonah iii. 
Manasses, and of other which were greatly sorry and compunct in their heart, what ae 
by piadamns their offences on one part, and the anger and just wrath of God hanging 
over their head for these offences. The tokens and outward signs of which repentance The signs of 
amongst the Jews was commonly clothing in sackcloth, ermine and casting ashes worse 
upon their hair, and fasting a day, two, or three. This a of penitence may also the 
wicked men have. For Judas that betrayed Christ, afterward, when he perceived how Matt. xxvii. 
wickedly he had done, took such care, sorrow, and pensiveness, that for pure anguish he 
hanged himself. So horrible and dreadful were in his sight hell-gates, the wages and 
payment of his iniquity. There is also an evangelical penitence, which is a continual &¥ 
study, purpose, and endeavourment, and wilful meditation of mortifying our flesh, and 
fashioning our lives to the will of the Lord. And this kind of penitence is only in them 
that are renewed, and unto whom the forgiveness of sin through Christ is given. As for 
this word penance, because the pope’s clergy hath juggled with it so craftily, and deceived 
the poor innocents’ eyes, it is well done to reprove the evil use and handling of it, as the 
maintaining of the same is wicked. 

What signify the latter times in scripture? The prophets signify by them com- sete 
monly the days wherein the prophecies, and the figures of the old testament going they signify. 
on Christ, took effect, and were performed. For when Christ came, both the pro- 
phecies and figures ceased. And ever since, Christ is openly, sincerely, clearly, and 
without all shadows, set out and preached, and so shall continue to the world’s end. 

Paul calleth “the titi days” the time a little before the end of the world, and the 1 Tim. iv. 
day of the judgment of the Lord: in which we be even now. eee 

What is the consummation and end of the world? It is when the state and tTheend of 
form of the world shall pass by; and when this change of winter, summer, and Pegs 
spring, shall cease, when there shall be neither night nor day. 

What is the day of the Lord? The great assemblement, court, and parliament — The day of 

of all men that hath been from Adam to the last man: at what day our ire 
Lord Jesus Christ shall come with great power and majesty, and Matt. xxv. 
pronounce the last sentence and doom both to the good and to 
the evil, adjudging the evil to everlasting punishment 
with the devils, and granting the good and godly 
man everlasting joy and felicity : to the which 
that we may come, God through our 
Saviour Jesus Christ grant, to 
whom be all honour 
and praise! 
Amen. 


Give the glory to God alone. 


Gen. i. 

Jer. x. 
Ececlus. xviii. 
Acts iv. 


John i. 


Matt. iii. 
XXVili, 
1 John v. 


John i. 


Psal. xlii. 
Ecclus. xl. 
Isai. lv. 

1 Pet. ii. 
Psal. exix. 
John x. 
Psal. Ixxx. 
2 Thess..ii. 
John vi. 
Matt. xiii. 
Gen. ii. 
Wisd. ii. 
Ecelus. xv. 
Gen. iii. 
Rom. v. 


Rom. xiv. 


Gal. iii. 
Eph. ii. 
John i. 


Ecclus. xv. 


Rom. iv. 


Gen. iii. 


1 Tim. ii. 


1 Pet. ii. 


1 Pet. ii. 


Eph. 1. v. 
Col. ii. 
Psal. exvill. 


ANOTHER BOOK OF 


DEMANDS OF HOLY SCRIPTURES, 


VERY PROFITABLE TO ALL STUDENTS OF DIVINITY. 





Wuo is the author and maker of the most beautiful frame of this world? God; 
which by his almighty power, wisdom, and goodness doth now also order, govern, 
and preserve the same. 

What is God? An endless, uncreated substance, without both beginning and end- 
ing; which by his word alone first created all things, and now disposeth and ruleth, 
yea, and conserveth all things; one substance, distinguished, but not divided, into three 
sundry Persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, and notwithstanding re- 
maining one alone true and perfect God. 

What is his word, whereby he first created, and now preserveth and governeth 
all things? It is the decreed sentence, appointment, will, power, and wisdom of 
God. The Son is also called the Word, because he is the wisdom and might of his 
Father. The word in the scripture is oftentimes called, by a metaphor or similitude, 
water, wine, milk, a lantern or candle, the voice of the shepherd, the right hand of 
the Lord, the breath of the Lord’s mouth, the bread of life, a pearl or precious 
stone, and such-like. 

In what state did God create man? Perfect, righteous, and good, according to 
his own image and likeness; having fire and water set before him to take which he 
would, being endued with free-will to do evil, or to continue still in goodness. 

What then condemned us? Sin, by the law. 

What is sin? Sin is the transgression or breaking of the whole law, or of any 
one commandment of God. And all that is done without faith is sin; and therefore 
the good works of the infidels do nothing profit them. 

What is the law? A learning, teaching us with authority what ought to be 
done or avoided, in thought, word, or deed, with rewards and punishments for doing 
or omitting of the same. This “law is our school-master” to teach us the way to 
Christ, by whom the violence, sting, power, and the shadows of the law, be taken 
away; in whose place he hath brought in grace and truth. 

How chanced we to sin? By the choice of our free-will, granted to us either to 
do good or evil; whereby we lost both our felicity that we were first placed in, and 
that our free-will also. 

How then were both we and our forefathers reconciled to the favour of God, 
which we lost by our disobedience, being as unfruitful branches of the rotten root 
of Adam? By the performance of the merciful promise of God given to Adam, 
that “the Seed of the woman should break the serpent’s head ;” renewed to Abra- 
ham, that in his Seed all nations should be blessed ; and performed by Christ, which 
by his death paid our ransom: which promise and performance, conveyed unto our 
forefathers and us, and unto all the church by faith, hath been and is the common 
and general mean of salvation; they (that is to say, our forefathers) believing that 
Christ was to come, by whom alone they should be saved, and we with no doubtful 
faith confessing that he is come, died, and rose again for to regenerate us to God, to 
mortify us to sin, the flesh, and the world, to raise up again at the last day, and so 
to take us unto himself, placing us in the glory of his Father. 

Who receiveth this benefit? The church of Christ only. 

What is the church of Christ? The whole number of the faithful believers in Christ’s 
coming, sufferance, and resurrection; members of the mystical body of Christ, grains 
to make one loaf, grapes to make one wine, lively stones to build on a spiritual house, 


THE DEMANDS OF HOLY SCRIPTURE. 615 


in Christ to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through the same Christ Jesus, 
which is the head of the said body, the corner-stone of the said house, the Lord and 
husband to the said church his spouse, married to him by faith. Hos. ii. 

Who bestoweth this benefit upon us? God, through Jesus Christ his Son, by Jonni. 
whom he hath made us his children also, and fellow-heirs with Christ of his glory. Rom. viii. 

What signifieth this name Jesus? A Saviour, which is the chief point of his 
office, and cause of his coming into this world; as appeareth by the words of the 
angel to Joseph: “She,” meaning Mary, “shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt Matt. i. 
call his name Jesus; for he shall save his people from their sins.” 

What signifieth this name Christ? Anointed, whereupon it may be gathered, Christ is our 
that our Saviour Christ is a king, a priest, and a prophet; which three were accus- 
tomed by the law ceremonial to be anointed. A king, because by inheritance he 
being the Son of God, ought to be Lord and ruler of all things, and because he 
hath conquered and subdued unto himself, by death, by bearing our sins, by redeeming Heb. ii. 
us his inheritance out of the power of the devil, all the whole kingdom, power, and 
authority over death, sin, and the devil. A priest, because he once for all hath christis our 
entered in sancta sanctorum, into the most holy and innermost tabernacle of God, and Heb. vii.ix. x. 
hath offered once for all a perpetual sufficient sacrifice to satisfy for all men’s sins, 
and to purchase all men’s redemption, not ceasing now still to be a perpetual Medi- 
ator and Intercessor to God his Father for man, he himself being both God and man, 
making an end of and abolishing all sacrifices and ceremonies, which were but shadows 
and signification, to put the Jews in remembrance of his coming before he came. 

A prophet, for the true and only sufficient doctrine which he preached being here in Christ is our 
earth, and left behind him written by his apostles for our learning, binding our con- ee 
science to be subject to none other doctrine but to his alone. 

By his kingdom, he hath made us kings and heirs of his kingdom by adoption, 1 Pet.ii. 
and conquerors through his most valiant victory of our enemies, sin, death, hell, and ican xy. 
the devil. By his priesthood, with the holy oil of his Spirit he hath made and 
anointed us priests to offer to God the Father acceptable sacrifices through him, which 1 Pet. ii. 
are the sacrifices of righteousness, of praise, of thanksgiving, of an humble and con- Heb. xiii. 
trite heart, of faith, and wholly to crucify and offer up ourselves unto him; and by Rom. xii. 
the same office we, being made partakers by him of the same, may be bold to come 
into the sight of God to offer up our sacrifice and prayer. By the office of his 
prophecy or school-mastership, he doth lighten us with the true knowledge of his 
Father, instructeth us in the truth, and maketh us the disciples of God. By this 
anointment receiveth he these three offices to communicate them with us, whereupon 
we are called Christians. 

What is a king? A rightful magistrate or head power under God among men, Rom. xiti 
ordained of God for the defence of the good, and keeping down of evil, according to 
right and justice. 

What is a priest? An officer appointed and licensed of God to present himself Hep. v. 
to the sight of God, for to obtain his favour by intercession, or to pacify his wrath 
by offering up of sacrifice acceptable to him. 

What is a prophet? A messenger of God to declare the will of God either in 
shewing the threatenings, or opening the promises, or expounding and declaring the 
mysteries contained in his holy word or will to us his children. 

Why dost thou call us his children, seeing that Christ is his only Son? We cnrist by 


nature is the 


are not by nature the children of God, as Christ only is, but by adoption and grace son of God, 
or favour of God. As for Christ, he is of the same substance and essence with his Father. oo 
By what means do we receive at the hand of God these heavenly treasures? or 
by what means are they conveyed unto us? By faith. 
What is faith? An assured confidence and trust in the truth of God, in the 
merits and promises of Christ, conceived through Christ by hearing of his ward, rom. x. 
hoping still for the performance of the said promises, in the mean season not idle, but 
still working by charity; or, as St Paul defineth it in his epistle to the Hebrews : 
‘“‘ Faith is a sure confidence of things that are hoped for, and a certainty of things Heb. xi 
that are not seen.” 


Matt. xxv. 


Luke x. 


Eph. i. 


Rom. viii. 


Eph. i. 


Matt. xi. 


Matt. xxii. 


Matt. xxviii. 
Mark xvi. 
1 Cor. iv. 


Matt. xxviii. 


Mark xvi. 


Matt. xxvi. 


1 Pet. iii. 
Tit. ili. 


John iil. 


616 THE DEMANDS OF HOLY SCRIPTURE. 


What is hope? A constant looking for of those things which we have conceived 
through faith by the word of God. 

What is charity? A godly virtue, a lovely and gentle affection of the mind, 
whereby wé love God above all things, and our neighbour as ourself. Charity also 
is taken for the fruits of faith and works of mercy. 

Who is my neighbour? Any man upon whom I do execute the works of mercy, 
or that standeth in need of my help. 

Were we predestinate by the grace of God through Christ to this vocation, elec- 
tion, justification, and salvation, before the beginning of the world? Yea, verily; so 
saith St Paul: ‘He choosed us in Christ Jesu before the foundations of the world 
were laid.” Again he saith: “ We know that all things work for the best unto 
them that love God, which also are called of purpose. For those which he knew 
before he also ordained before, that they should be like fashioned unto the shape of 
his Son, that he might be the first-begotten Son among many brethren. Moreover, 
whom he appointed before, them also he called; and whom he hath called, them 
also he justified ; and whom he justified, them he also glorified.” 

What is the grace of God? God’s favour, benevolence, and kind mind, that of 
himself without our deserving he beareth toward us, whereby he was moved to bestow 
upon us his Son Christ, and all other his good gifts, with free imputation of his 
goodness and undeserved remission of our sins. 

What is predestination? The secret unchangeable appointment of God, before all 
beginnings, by his counsel and wisdom, to life everlasting concerning his elect and 
chosen people, or any other beginning, ordering, or ending of all things. 

What is vocation? To be called of the Lord to any manner of benefit, office, or 
ministration. There be two kinds of vocation: general, as thus in St Matthew's 
gospel, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are laden; and I will refresh you:” 
particular, as the calling or appointment of kings, prophets, apostles, &c. 

What is election? The choice or appointment of God to any ministration, office, 
dignity, or pre-eminence, which immediately followeth the particular calling; as for an 
ensample: he that heareth the word is called; but he that believeth is chosen. By 
this hearing and believing may this place be expounded: “‘ Many are called, but few 
chosen.” 

What is justification? Of unrighteous to be made righteous by the righteousnesses 
of Christ, which we conceive by faith. 

What is salvation? To enjoy the felicity prepared of Christ for the faithful, to 
be of the number of the glorified saints. 

Whereby art thou certified of this liberality, and of these benefits of God toward 
mankind? By the office of the apostles and preachers appointed for the same pur- 
pose. 

What is the office of the apostles and preachers? To preach the word of God, 
or the gospel of Christ, and to minister the sacraments, which Christ himself hath 
ordained to be used in the church. 

How is that proved? Christ said to his apostles: “Go and teach all nations, 
baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” 
Again: “Go throughout the whole world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” 
And of the supper of the Lord, Christ said: ‘Do this in the remembrance of me.” 

What is the gospel? It is a doctrine containing the promise of free remission of 
sins purchased by Christ alone. 

What is a sacrament? A visible sign of an invisible grace, or an outward ele- 
ment or corporal substance appointed of God to certify our faith, wherewith only we 
receive it, of the promises of God annexed thereunto. 

Of how many parts doth a sacrament consist? Of two parts; that is to say, of 
the element and of the word. 

How many sacraments are there? Two; baptism, and the Lord’s supper. 

What is baptism? The washing of every believing Christian in water that taketh 
upon him to profess the name of Christ; which water certifieth our faith of the 
inward washing and cleansing of our souls by the Spirit of God; a token of our 


THE DEMANDS OF HOLY SCRIPTURE. 617 


regeneration, of the mortification of our flesh, of our burial with Christ, and of our Rom. vi. 
resurrection unto a new life. 

If the believing Christians only be baptized, according to this saying of Christ, 
“‘He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved ;’ why should the infants be bap- Mark xii. 
tized, which for imperfection of age are not able to believe? Though infants have 
not power to believe or to confess their belief, yet have they faith imputed unto 
them for the promise sake of God, because they be the seed of the faithful; as he 
said to Abraham: “I will be thy God, and the God of thy seed.” Seeing then that cen. xvii 
they also have the promise of salvation, why should they be forbidden the promised 8 
pledge or seal of the same promise of salvation? The sacraments of the Jews 
differed nothing from ours in effect, but only in the outward element and form of 
executing the same: why then should our infants be more forbidden baptism than the 
Jews’ infants were forbidden circumcision at the eighth day? Seeing we read that Gen. xvii. 
the apostles baptized sundry households, as of Stephana, Lydia, Onesiphorus, &c. 1 Cor. i. 
(if a man guess at a thing whereof we have no certainty), it is like enough that they 2 2 Thin. i iv. 
baptized some infants also. But to leave all guesses and uncertain conjectures, we 
are sure that the Jews’ infants passed with their parents out of Egypt through the Exod. xii. 
Red Sea and under the cloud, which were tokens of our baptism. Pike 

What if the infants die ae they receive the sacrament of baptism? God's pro- Gen. xvii. 
mise of salvation unto them is not for default of the sacrament minished, or made 
vain and of no effect. For the Spirit is not so bound to the water that it cannot 
work his office where the water wanteth, or that it of necessity must alway be there 
where the water is sprinkled. Simon Magus had the sacramental water, but he had S$? 
not the Holy Ghost, being indeed an hypocrite and filthy dissembler. In the chronicle ““*‘"” 
of the apostles’ Acts we read that, while Peter preached, the Holy Ghost came upon Acts x. 
them that heard him, yea, and that before they were baptized ; by the reason whereof 
Peter brast out into these words, and said: ‘Can any man forbid water, that these 
should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?” True 
Christians, whether they be old or young, are not saved because outwardly they be 
washed’ with the sacramental water, but because they be God’s children by election 
through Christ, yea, and that before the foundations of the world were laid, and are kph. i. 
sealed up by the Spirit of God unto everlasting life; “the gifts and calling of God Rom. xi. 
being such that it cannot repent him of them.” Notwithstanding, the sacrament of Note well. 
baptism ought not therefore to be neglected, but with all reverence to be embraced 
both of old and young. For he that despiseth the sacrament despiseth not the sacra- 
ment only, but the author of the sacrament, which is Christ Jesus the Lord. 

What is the supper of the Lord, or the sacrament of the body and blood of 
Christ? Bread and wine consecrated, that is to say, made and appointed of God to 
be a sacrament to put us in remembrance that, as the bread is broken and the wine 
poured out, so Christ's body was broken and his blood shed for our redemption. 
And as the bread, received through our mouth and digested in our stomach, driveth 
away our hunger and nourisheth our body, the wine likewise received and digested 
quencheth our thirst and quickeneth our blood; so Christ’s body and blood, received 
by faith, digested with worthy continuance therein, not disagreeing from the right 
receiving thereof, slaketh our hunger and thirst, that is to say, our emptiness of grace 
and dryness of faith, nourisheth and quickeneth both our body and soul, making us 
partakers of the whole merits and dignity of the body and blood of Christ. And as 
the bread of many grains is made one loaf, and the wine pressed together of sundry 1 cor. x. 
grapes, so we, being many, are one body in Christ; and, because we are of his body, 
we must needs also be quickened by his blood, and live of his Spirit. 

Remaineth there the substance of bread and wine after the words of consecration (as 
they term them), or but the accidents of them only as the authors of transubstan- 
tiation have heretofore taught? If the substance of bread and wine should be denied S% 
to remain in the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ, so should it cease to 
be a sacrament. For every sacrament, as we have tofore heard, consisteth of the 





[! Folio, washeth.] 


1 Cor. x. xi. 


Acts ii. xx. 


Matt. xxvi. 
Mark xiv. 
Luke xxii. 


Gen. ii. 


Matt. xix. 


1 Cor. vii. 


1 Tim. v. 


Psal. li. 


618 THE DEMANDS OF HOLY SCRIPTURE. 


word and of the element. Now, if we take away water from baptism, so is there 
no sacrament; verily, even so in like manner take away bread and wine from the 
Lord’s supper, so ceaseth it to be [a] sacrament. To declare that bread remaineth 
after the words of consecration, St Paul calleth it bread divers times; as we may see 
in his first epistle to the Corinthians. St Luke also, in his chronicle of the apostles’ 
Acts, whensoever he maketh mention of the Lord’s supper, calleth it the breaking of 
bread. And is it to be thought that so worthy learned men would have presumed 
to call so honourable a mystery bread, if there had been no bread remaining, but only 
the accidents of bread; as our transubstantiators teach? Doth not our Saviour Christ, 
after the words of consecration, call the mystery of his blood “the fruit of the vine?” 
And who is so far estranged from the right rule of reason, which knoweth not that 
the fruit of the vine is wine? Here doth it evidently appear, by the authority of 
God’s word, that in the sacrament of Christ's body and blood there remaineth after 
the words of consecration the substance both of bread and wine: whereof it truly fol- 
loweth that the popish doctrine of transubstantiation is nothing else than a vain 
dream and foolish fancy brought in by antichrist, never known of the ancient fathers 
of Christ’s church, nor yet received of the Greeks unto this day. 

Why sayest thou there be but two sacraments, when we have heretofore been 
taught that there are seven sacraments? Because Christ in the new testament left 
no more to be occupied in his church. As there were given to the people of the 
old law but two sacraments, that is to say, circumcision and the passover; so like- 
wise in the new testament Christ appointed but two sacraments, that is, instead of — 
circumcision baptism, and in the place of the passover the Lord’s supper. Therefore 
as for the rest, they be not aptly called sacraments. They be honest trades, godly 
orders of life and virtuous, meet to be exercised of Christians, as matrimony, order, 
penance, confirmation, and extreme unction. 

What is matrimony? <A lawful joining together of one man and one woman to 
live chastely together, forsaking all other, for to bring forth children in the fear of 
God, and to avoid fornication, containing an unseparable fellowship of life together. 

What is order? Order hath been wrongfully taken both for a sacrament, and for 
the anointed order of priesthood, which Christ took away. But indeed a godly, 
holy, and reverend state of ministers, preachers, pastors, or apostles, is of Christ al- 
lowed in the new testament to be lovingly and reverently received of us as shepherds 
of the flock; of whom saith St Paul: ‘‘ They that rule well are worthy of double 
honour, but namely they that labour in word and doctrine.” 

What is confirmation? A godly allowance by the bishop or preacher of the chil- 
dren, when they come to age, into the congregation of Christ, after a due examination 
or trial of their continuance in the same faith which their godfathers or sureties in 
their name professed and promised for them at their baptism to keep. And this 
confirmation is as it were a discharge of the godfathers’ bounds’. 

What is penance or repentance? A sorrow conceived by the feeling of the law 
in the heart or conscience because of sin, without desperation, joined with a full 
determined purpose to amend; which cometh not of the law, but of the grace of 
God. This penance or repentance consisteth of contrition, faith, confession, and cor- 
rection. 

What is contrition? A passion or grief of the conscience, which it suffereth by 
the moving and pricking of the law, we being not able to fulfil it. This contrition 
is an acceptable sacrifice to God ; as David saith: “A contrite and humble heart, O 
God, thou wilt not despise.” 

What is faith? A sure persuasion of enjoying the benefits which God the Father 
hath most mercifully promised, for Christ's sake, to all sinners without exception, 
that repent in faith. 

What is confession? An humble acknowledging of our sins to God, hoping for 
forgiveness ; to man, seeking for good counsel and help of prayer; not denying them, 


{1 Bounds: bonds, engagements. | 


THE DEMANDS OF HOLY SCRIPTURE. 619 


or stoutly standing to the defence of them, but humbly submitting ourselves to the 
mercy of God. 
What is correction? An amendment of our former evil life, taming of our carnal 
will, mortifying of our flesh, applying of ourselves to the commandment, will, and 
example of Christ, to take away and banish the evil, to bring in and establish the 
good; as David saith: “ Eschew evil, and do good.” Psal. xxxiv. 
What is extreme unction? Extreme unction ought to be the preaching of the’ ***™ 
word of God, to be declared to the patient by the spiritual minister. And to this 
preaching ought prayers also for the sick to be joined. As touching the anointing james y. 
of the sick with oil, it is but a Jewish custom, whereunto the true Christians are 
not bound. The minister outwardly anointeth the patient with the merciful promises 
of God: God inwardly anointeth him with his holy Spirit; whereby he is comforted 
and made strong both patiently and thankfully to bear his cross, to call upon the 
name of God, and in all points to give himself over to the blessed will of God, with- 
out any resistance. 
Well, thou hast hitherto declared the great kindness of God toward us; tell me Ofour duty 
now what is our duty toward him? To love him, fear him, honour hin, follow 
him, serve him, believe in him; to fight under his standard with all faith, charity, 
truth, despising of worldly things, thanksgiving, innocency, fasting, prayer, obedience, 
humility, and patience; to put off the old man and do on the new; to deny our- 
selves; to take the cross upon us; to forsake all that we have for his sake; and to 
set forth the glory of his name; that we may become a worthy temple for the Holy 
Ghost, and meet heirs for the kingdom of heaven, that true land of promise, flowing 
with milk and honey. 
What is it to love God? To cast our whole mind and affection upon God with 
all reverence, and earnestly desire to follow his will. 
What is it to fear God? The fear of the Lord is a like reverence as children 
owe to their parents; a willing and faithful heed that we commit nothing against 
him or his word, that we offend not so loving a Father, but rather diligently apply 
ourselves to live according to his commandment, alway thinking that God doth pre- 
sently see and behold all our deeds, words, yea, and thoughts. This fear is “the Prov.i. 
beginning of wisdom”. This fear maketh him blessed that hath it. This fear is “the Ecclus. xxv. 
fountain of life.” This fear “keepeth us from sin.” And besides a number of other Beelus. i. 
commodities, this fear maketh us more warily to take heed of the craft of Satan. 
The fear of the Lord is also taken for the worshipping of the Lord; as it is written: 
“They fear me in vain with the commandments of men.” Jonas the prophet also Isai. xxix. 
said: “I am an Hebrew, and fear the God of heaven.” Jonah i. 
If these many profits and commodities come of the fear of God, how chanceth 
it that the devils do not enjoy the same, which fear the Lord as much as we? As Jamesii. 
much indeed, but not as well. For there be two kinds of fear: a childish or reverent coe meas 
fear, whereof I have already spoken; and a servile, bond, or slavish fear. The fear 
of the ungodly by the consideration of the law, and fear of punishment, as likewise 
is the fear of the devils, is bond, servile, and thrall. Of this fear speaketh St John 
in his epistle on this manner: “Fear is not in charity; but perfect charity casteth 1 John iv. 
fear out of the doors.” This fear is called a mighty fear in the psalm; because all Psal. xe. 
things by it are done in unfaithfulness, in such ignorance and lack of knowledge of 
the mercy of God, as though? God were no natural fatherly God, but a severe nar- 
row-eyed judge, or cruel tyrant. These two kinds of fear are well described of the poet 
Horace on this manner: 


Oderunt peccare boni virtutis amore : 
Oderunt peccare mali formidine poeene®. 


which may thus be translated into English: 


Good men do well of a virtuous intent: 
Evil men do well for fear of punishment. 


[? Folio, thought.] [ Epist. 1. xvi. 52, 53.] 


Matt. xi. 


1 Jchn v. 


John xiv. 


John xvii. 


Eph. iv. 


Zech. viii. 


1 Pet. i. 
Tsai. xl. 
James i. 
Heb. xiii. 
1 Tim. vi. 


Row. v. 


Luke xxi. 


620 THE DEMANDS OF HOLY SCRIPTURE. 


What is it to honour and worship God? Both with our whole mind and strength 
thereof, and with the body and power thereof, as subject to the mind, and both to 
God, to reverence and praise God, to declare our love and fear toward him. 

What is it to follow God? To believe in him, to keep his doctrine and obey 
it, to follow him whithersoever he leadeth or calleth us, to bear what burden soever 
he layeth upon us, to do as he hath done before us, and given us an example to do 
after him. 

What is it to serve God? To live according to his word, to believe in him, to 
refer all things to his glory, to help our neighbour, to obey him as our Lord and 
Master, whose service is no bondage but freedom, whose burden is light, whose yoke 
is pleasant; as Christ saith: “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am 
meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest to your souls. For my yoke is 
easy, and my burden is light.” St John also saith: “His commandments are not 
grievous.” 

What is it to believe in God? To receive his seed and doctrine into our heart, 
to commit ourselves wholly unto him in all things, and certainly to assure our- 
selves that all things are true, and shall undoubtedly be performed, which he hath 
promised. 

What is it to fight under his standard? To follow the example of our Captain 
Christ. As he by death hath conquered sin, death, hell, and the devil, so we 
by mortifying of our flesh ought to suppress, subdue, and conquer the same, with 
the help of our Saviour and Captain; whose standard, the cross, unless we follow, 
we perish and become a prey to our enemies, never to be redeemed, if he do not 
ransom us. 

What is truth? Christ himself, the Word of God, and whatsoever agreeth with 
him, which can neither deceive, nor be deceived. “I am the way, the truth, and 
the life,” saith Christ. And in his prayer to God the Father he saith: “Thy word 
is the truth.” The civil truth is an agreement of words and deeds, to say as the 
thing is, and as we know it to be. Of this truth speaketh the apostle in his epistle 
to the Ephesians, saying: “Put away lying, and speak every man truth unto his 
neighbour; forasmuch as we are members one of another.” Also the prophet Zachary : 
“Speak every man the truth to his neighbour:...let none of you imagine evil in his 
heart against his neighbour, and love no false oaths,” &c. 

What is it to despise worldly things? Wholly to set our mind upon heavenly 
things, not regarding the transitory and uncertain vanities of this world, according to 
the words of St Peter: “ All flesh is as the grass, and all glory of man as the flower 
of the grass,” &c.; knowing and acknowledging with St Paul, that “we have here 
no certain abiding-place, but seek for one to come:” again, that, as “we brought 
nothing into the world, so shall we carry nothing out of it ; but, having meat, drink, 
and clothe, we ought to be content,” and abundantly satisfied; forasmuch as “ godliness 
is great riches, if a man be content with that he hath.” 

What is thanksgiving to God? To remember the benefits of the Lord, confessing 
and acknowledging all to come of him, offering him our whole heart, love, and service 
for the same. 

What is innocency? A mind or conscience guilty of no sin, which cometh through 
faith in Jesus Christ; as the apostle saith: ‘“‘ We, being justified by faith, are at 
peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ; by whom also it chanced unto us 
to be brought in through faith unto this grace, wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope 
of the glory of God.” 

What is fasting? To beware that we oppress not the body, and so by that 
means the mind also, with surfeiting, drunkenness, and excess; as our Saviour Christ 
saith: “Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcome with 
surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life,” &c. Again, to live chastely, purely, 
and soberly, to abstain from vices, to bring our body into bondage to the spirit, and 
the spirit to God, to minister to the body only that that is necessary, to mortify 


gs the flesh with the affections and lusts of the same. The right abstinence from meats, 


taken as a way or help to the abstinence from sin, cunsisteth not in the quality, but 


THE DEMANDS OF HOLY SCRIPTURE. 621 


in the quantity of the meat, not what, but how much meat and drink thou receivest. 

For whether fasteth more aright, he that moderately receiveth of flesh, or he that 
cloyeth himself with fish? ‘All things are pure’ to them that are pure,” saith the Tit. i. 
apostle. ‘All the creatures of God are good, and nothing to be refused, if it be 1Tim. iv. 
received with thanksgiving: for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.” 

Why then is this law so earnestly established with such penalty upon it, that, 
we eat no flesh on Fridays, or other days appointed to abstain from the same? I 
take that as a civil positive law, like to the acts of parliament made for sundry and 
divers purposes concerning the state of a realm, and for the wealth of the same. 

For if it were any law of God binding our conscience, no king nor pope might dis- 
pense with the breaking of it. 

What is prayer? To call upon the name of the Lord, assuredly trusting to ob- 
tain that we require, so that we ask of him in his Son’s name and none other, that 
thing which he will to be required and none other, that either for obtaining of good 
things, avoiding of evil, or releasing and forgiveness of evil and sins past. ‘ Whatso- John xiv. 
ever ye ask in my name,” saith Christ, “that will I do, that the Father may be 
glorified by the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.” Again: 
“Verily, verily I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, John xvi. 
he will give it you.” And St John in his epistle saith: “‘ This is the trust that we 1 Jobnv. 
have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us. And 
if we know that he heareth us, we know that we have the petitions that we desire 4% 
of him.” 

What is obedience? A lowly and hearty submission of ourselves to God, and 
afterward to our parents, to the magistrates, to our superiors, and to all those to 
whom God hath committed the rule and governance of his flock and people in this 
world, or in just causes to all them to whom we be by any title inferior. 

But what if our superiors will enforce us to obey them in unjust causes? In 
this behalf we owe them no obedience. God is the highest magistrate. If any in- 
ferior magistrate commandeth any thing contrary to his godly commandment and 
blessed will, we must answer with the apostles: Oportet Deo magis obedire quam Acts v. 
hominibus ; “ We must obey God more than men.” Examples hereof we have many 
and diverse both in the old and in the new testament. 

What is humility? A subjection of the proud haut* courage of our mind, shew- 
ing ourselves inferior to all men, presuming in nothing, esteeming ourselves worse than 
all men in our own conceits. And this is that which the apostle saith: “In giving Rom. xii. 
honour go one before another.” Again: “Be not high-minded, but make yourselves 
equal to them of the lower sort. Be not wise in your own conceits.” Hereto agreeth 
the saying of St Peter: “Submit yourselves every man one to another. Knit your- 1 Pet. v. 
selves together in lowliness of mind. For God resisteth the proud, and giveth gTace 
to the humble. Submit yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he 
may exalt you when the time is come.” 

What is patience? Willingly, without resistance, either in thought, word, or deed, 
to suffer undeserved punishment, after the example of Christ, which prayed for them Luxe xxiii 
that persecuted and most cruelly tormented him. This patience is described of St 
Peter in his first epistle, where he saith: “Servants, obey your masters with fear, not 1 Pet. ii. 
only if they be good and courteous, but also though they be froward. For this is 
thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, and suffer wrong un- 
deserved. For what praise is it if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye take it 
patiently? But and if, when ye do well, ye suffer wrong, and take it patiently, then 
is there thank with God. For hereunto verily were ye called ; for Christ also suffered 
for us, leaving us an example that we should follow his steps; which did no sin, 
neither was there guile found in his mouth; which, when he was reviled, reviled not 
again; when he suffered, he threatened not, but committed the vengeance to him that 
judgeth righteously,” &c. 

What is the old man that we must put off? The naughty, corrupt, and rotten 





[' Folio, put. ] (? Haught or haut: haughty.] 


John iii. 


Eph. iv. 


Col. iii. 


John iii. 
Eph. iv. 


Col. ili. 


Matt. x. 


Luke xiv. 


John iv. 


1 Cor. iii. 


1 Pet. ii. 


Matt. xvi. 


622 THE DEMANDS OF HOLY SCRIPTURE. 


nature which sithence the fall of Adam we have lineally’ at our first generation re- 
ceived of our parents through the corruption of the first root Adam. Or thus: the 
naughty concupiscence, lust to sin, and affection of our flesh, without faith. Of this 
old man speaketh our Saviour Christ on this manner: “That which is born of flesh 
is flesh.” And, “Except a man be born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of 
God.” Also the apostle: “Lay from you the old man, which is corrupt according to 
the deceivable lusts.” Again: “Put off the old man, with his works.” 

What is the new man that we must do on? The renewing of man by faith and 
the word of God; the Spirit of God given by Christ our spiritual and second Adam: 
again, to tame the old man, our fleshly and first father Adam, to beget us again 
and adopt us to God; which Spirit we receive by Christ at our regeneration. Of 
this new man speaketh our Saviour Christ thus: “That which is born of the Spirit 
is spirit.” Also St Paul: “Be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the 
new man, which after God is shapen in righteousness and true holiness.” Again: 
“Put on the new man, which is renewed in the knowledge and image of him that 
made him.” 

What is it to deny ourselves? Plainly to profess that all our labours and works 
profit nothing unto salvation; to slay the old Adam, with all his lusts and affections. 

What is it to forsake all that we have for Christ’s sake? To esteem all that we 
have not to be ours for his sake, and willingly (if need so require) for the profession 
of his name to depart from wife, children, parents, friends, country, house, lands, and 
all things else that we do or may enjoy, yea, and to put ourselves in danger of all 
peril for the name of Christ and profession of the gospel. “He that loveth father or 
mother more than me,” saith Christ, “is not worthy of me. And he that loveth son 
or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross 
and followeth me is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it; and he 
that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.”. Agam: “If a man come to me, and 
hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, 
and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his 
cross and come after me, cannot be my disciple.” 

What is the cross that we must take upon us? Any sorrow or pain, that belongeth 
to any vocation or trade of life, for the trial and proof of our faith and patience. 
Also, it is the correction, chastening, rod, and staff of the Lord, wherewith he punisheth 
them whom he loveth, not to their damnation or utter casting away from his favour, 
but to salvation, and to teach us to fly unto him in our trouble and adversity, as 
children to our most dear and loving father. 

What is meant by the name of the Lord, whose glory we must set forth? The 
glory, praise, wisdom, might, power, worship, honour, and majesty of the Lord. Or, 
the knowledge, preaching, and advancement of his holy word. 

What is the temple of the Holy Ghost? An honest, godly, and faithful christian 
heart, in the which God is rightly worshipped “in spirit and truth ;” wherein are 
offered spiritual sacrifices of praise, innocency, thanksgiving, of an humble and contrite 
heart, whose chief corner-stone is Christ. ‘‘ Know ye not,” saith St Paul, “that ye 
are the temple of God, and how that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any 
man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy. For the temple of God is 
holy; which temple ye are.” St Peter also saith: “Ye as living stones are made a 
spiritual house, an holy priesthood, for to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to 
God by Jesus Christ.” 

What is the kingdom of heaven? The kingdom of heaven is diversly taken in 
the scriptures. First, for the holy gospel and word of God; because that is the sceptre 
and iron rod whereby God ruleth, reigneth, and dwelleth in the hearts of the faithful. 
Of this kingdom speaketh Christ in the gospel on this wise: “I will give thee the 
keys of the kingdom of heaven:” that is to say, I will commit unto thee the office to 
preach the gospel of salvation, which openeth and unlocketh unto men the way and 
door by the which they may be saved and enter into the kingdom of heaven. Item: 





[! Folio, lueally.] 


THE DEMANDS OF HOLY SCRIPTURE. 623 


“The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a2 woman took and hid in three matt. xiii. 
pecks of meal, till it were all leavened.” 

Secondly, the kingdom of heaven is taken for faith itself; as St Paul saith: “ The Rom. xiv. 
kingdom of heaven is not meat and drink, but righteousness, and peace, and joy in 
the Holy Ghost.” 

Thirdly, the kingdom of heaven is expounded the whole congregation of the faith- 
ful abiding in this life, in whom the Lord by his word and Spirit doth invisibly 
dwell and reign. Of this kingdom speaketh Christ in the gospel on this manner : 
“The kingdom of heaven is like to ten virgins which took their lamps and went to Matt. xxv. 
meet the bridegroom. Five of them were wise; and five were foolish,” &c. 

Fourthly, the kingdom of heaven is taken for the joy, felicity, and pleasure which 
the souls of the believers enjoy when they are departed out of this world, and their 
bodies also joined with the souls at the day of judgment shall enjoy even in that 
place which Christ hath prepared for them to possess; where they shall be comforted 
with the sight of his majesty and Godhead, and with the fruition of his perpetual 
felicity with him. Of this kingdom speaketh Christ in the gospel: ‘‘ When ye shall Luke xiii. 
see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you 
to be driven out of the doors.” 

Finally, the kingdom of heaven is wheresoever God’s word is preached, from which 
kingdom they only are excluded which believe not the word, according to this say- 
ing of Christ: “He that is of God heareth the words of God. But ye hear not, Jon viii. 
because ye are not of God.” Again: ‘‘ My sheep hear my voice.” Item: “ Every soars 
one that is of the truth heareth my voice.” 

What meanest thou by a land that floweth with milk and honey? Pleasant abundance 
of all things, both sweet and profitable. By the honey is understand sweetness, joy, 
gladness, and pleasure: by the milk, pure nourishment, whereby we still continue, 
grow, and increase in faith and godliness unto the measure of Christ. 

When shall we enter upon and enjoy this kingdom, this promised land that floweth 
with milk and honey? The church militant in this world, governed by the Spirit of their 
most mighty, valiant, victorious, and triumphant captain Christ, already enjoyeth after 
a certain manner in spirit through faith this kingdom and blessed land ; as it is written: 
“‘ He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: he that believeth not on the Jonnii. 
Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth upon him.” But when they are 
joined together both body and soul with the rest of the faithful congregation, which 
are departed out of this world in the faith of Christ, to make one whole triumphant 
congregation, when they have by the power of Christ conquered the malignant church 
of the devil, which shall be at the last day of judgment, which we do daily look for 
now in these latter times; then shall they truly and perfectly enjoy and possess all 
the joys and pleasures of that most joyful and pleasant land; whereof David speaketh 
on this manner: “I believe to see the good things of the Lord in the land of the Paal, xxvii. 
living.” “‘ Now we see in a glass,” saith the apostle, “even in a dark speaking, but 1 oor. xiii 
then shall we see face to face.” And, as St John saith: “It doth not yet appear 1Johniii 
what we shall be. But we know that, when it shall appear, we shall be like him; 
for we shall see him as he is.” “The eye hath not seen, and the ear hath not1 cor. i. 
heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath pre- 
pared for them that love him.” And all these things shall the elect congregation 
of God enjoy and possess immediately after the end of these latter times wherein 
we now live. 

What callest thou the latter times? The first times were under the law of nature 
till the law of Moses. The second under thé law of Moses till (the kingdom thereof 
abolished) Christ entered into this world. Now the third and last time is and hath 
been sithence the entering of Christ into this world to take our flesh upon him, by 
joining in him together both Godhead and manhead with an unseparable knot, to 
reconcile and knit together God and man, now that all the prophecies and figures of 
Christ be brought to an end. The last times also are the times that go immediately 
before the day of the Lord and end of the world. St John saith: “ Little children, 1 Jonn ii. 
it is the last time.” St Paul saith: “We are they whom the ends of the world are 1 cor. x 


James v. 


Rey, xxii. 


Matt. xxiv. 


Acts i. 
1 Thess. v. 


Matt. xxiv. 


Luke xvii. 


Matt. xxiv. 


Matt. xxv. 


624 THE DEMANDS OF HOLY SCRIPTURE. 


come upon.” St James saith: “The coming of the Lord draweth nigh.” “The Judge 
standeth before the door.” And our Saviour Christ himself saith: “The time is at 
hand.” ‘Behold, I come shortly, and my reward is with me, to give every man 
according as his deeds shall be.” 

How far thinkest thou that day to be hence? No man can pronounce any cer- 
tainty of the time when that day shall be; as our Saviour Christ saith: “‘Of that 
day and hour knoweth no man; no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.” 
Again: “It is not for you to know the times and seasons, which the Father hath 
put in his own power.” St Paul saith that “the day of the Lord shall come even 
as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace, peace, all things are safe, 
then shall sudden destruction come upon them, as sorrow cometh upon a woman 
travailing with child, and they shall not scape.” Notwithstanding, although the holy 
scriptures do pass over with silence the certainty of the time when Christ shall come 
to judge the world, as a thing more curious than profitable for our salvation, that by 
this means we might set ourselves in the more readiness against his coming, because 
we are not certain of the day and hour; yet we may plainly perceive that it is not 
far off, both by the comparison of our days with the days of Noe (for thus saith 
Christ : “ As it happened in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the 
Son of man: they did eat and drink, they married wives and were married, even 
unto the same day that Noe went into the ark, and the flood came and destroyed 

them all, &c.: even so shall it be in the day when the Son of man shall appear”), 
and by the shortening of the days promised in the scripture for the elect’s sake, 
and divers other arguments besides. Now, when that day shall once come, 
which undoubtedly shall come out of hand, then shall the Lord sepa- 
rate the sheep from the goats, reward the ungodly with punishment 
due to their unbelief, and the godly he shall put in possession 
of that most glorious and blessed kingdom which he pur- 
chased for them by the crucifying of his body and 
shedding of his blood. To this Lord Christ our 
alone Saviour, with the Father and the 
Holy Ghost, be all honour and 
praise both now and 
ever. Amen. 


Give the glory to God alone. 





INDEX. 


ACCITE: summon, 237. 

Acts of the Apostles, summary of the, and contents 
of each chapter, 577, &c. 

Adultery, what it is, 611. 

Adversaries, of God’s truth, prayer for, 38, &c.; 
they are many, 39; spiritual, how we are to fight 
against, 91. 

Eneas Sylvius speaks of Cyrillus obtaining leave to 
do divine service in the Slavon tongue, 410. 

Agasse, we are taught by God’s word not to trust 
in, 43. 

Agatho, pope, his decree for the authority of the 
bishop of Rome’s canons, 511, 3. 

Agde, council of, 380. 

Agnadello, battle of, 510, x. 

Agreement in matters of christian religion, prayer 
for, 40, &c. 

Albertus says that in times past all that came to- 
gether to the church communicated together, 417. 

Alcuin declares that no man can have peace with 
God but by Christ, 420. 

Alexander, bishop of Rome, prescribes the mixing 
of wine and water in the eucharist, 359. 

Alliaco, P. de (Cameracensis) allows it to be more 
agreeable to the truth of God’s word to suppose 
that in the eucharist very bread and very wine re- 
main, 426. 

Altars, not tolerable among Christians, 229; the 
ptimitive church used none, but tables at 
the Lord’s supper, 258; Christ alone is our 
altar, ib.; when they were first brought into the 
church, 262, 365; when hallowing of them was 
introduced, 262; when censing of them was 
brought in, 264; not needed for the celebration 
of the communion, 364, 5; of the cross, 138, 9, 253. 

Altar-cloths, by whom they were appointed, 262. 

Although : as though, 259. 

Ambrose, history of his leaving a rich man’s house 
who never tasted adversity, 103 ; calls faith the 
root of all virtues, 165; exclaims that faith is 
richer than all treasures, i.; says that the re- 
demption of Christ’s blood would wax vile, if 
justification were due unto merits, 170; declares 
that, except Christ be our Intercessor, neither we 
nor all the saints can have any thing to do with 
God, 356 ; says that the sacraments do not require 
gold, 362; declares that the church has gold not 
to hoard but to bestow upon the poor, ib.; calls 
the sacrament of the Lord’s supper a spiritual 
medicine, 389; declares that we lawfully con- 
demn all new things which Christ has not taught, 
391, 8, 404; says that, if an ignorant person 
hears that he does not understand, he does not 
answer Amen, 407; asserts that those things 
ought to be spoken which the hearers may under- 
stand, ib., 408 ; says that the unlearned when he 
understands perceives the truth of the christian 


[BEcon, 111. ] 


religion, 408 ; declares that the flesh of Christ is 
offered for the salvation of the body, and the blood 
for our soul, 413; speaks of the word of the Lord 
causing things to be that they were, and yet be 
turned into another thing, 424; says that in eating 
and drinking we signify the flesh and blood which 
were offered for us, 436; shews how in significa- 
tion and figure of the divine benefit we take the 
mystical cup, ib. ; calls the Lord’s supper a spi- 
ritual medicine, and memorial of our redemption, 
ib. ; terms the oblation the figure of Christ’s body 
and blood, ib.; says that after the consecration 
the body and blood of Christ are signified, @b. ; 
speaks of drinking the similitude of Christ’s blood, 
ib. ; says the sacrament is received for a similitude 
of the flesh and blood of Christ, id.; contrasts the 
manna with the bread which God now gives, 
that is, the word which he has ordained, 440; dis- 
tinguishes between the flesh which was crucified, 
and the sacrament of that flesh, 444, 5; says the 
sacrament is not corporal but spiritual food, 445 ; 
calls the body of Christ the body of the divine 
Spirit, ib., 446; warns against seeking Christ in 
the earth, or after the flesh, 451; says that Christ 
here in image is there in truth, where as an advo- 
cate he intercedes for us, id.; declares that we 
offer unto the remembrance of Christ’s death, 457 ; 
asserts that he who receives not remission of his 
sins here shall not have it in another life, 461 ; 
says that whosoever eats the living bread shall 
never die, 463; calls the bread the meat of saints, 
ib. ; declares that he who eats this body shall not 
die for ever, ib.; says that to forgive sin and to 
give the Holy Ghost is only in the power of God, 
468; argues that, if there be any grace in the 
water (of baptism), it is not of the nature of the 
water, but of the presence of the Holy Ghost, éd., 
469 ; shews that in baptism the minister cleanses 
not, 469; says that, insomuch as he always sins, 
he ought always to have the medicine, i.e. the 
sacrament, 470; exhorts to receive the Lord’s 
bread daily, 473; urges to receive the sacrament 
as the medicine of the wound of sin, éb.; calls 
him whois not present at the sacraments a forsaker 
of the Lord’s tents, i). ; repelled Theodosius from 
the church, 478, &c. ; extols the episcopal power, 
508, n. 


Ameled : enameled, 518. 
Amount: surmount, 606. 
Anabaptists, and other heretics, the devil builds his 


chapel in, 401. 


Anacletus, bishop of Rome, commands all to com- 


rounicate that will not be excommunicated, 416, 


74. 


Anastasius, bishop of Rome, commanded that, while 


the gospels were read, the people should stand 
and diligently hear the Lord’s word, 409. 
40 


626 


Ancient father, a saying of one, 104. 

Angels, prayer to God for their help, 84; a good 
angel what, 605 ; an evil what, ib. 

Annesse, we are taught by God’s word not to trust 
in, 43. 

Anthony, his vision, 280, 390. 

Antichrist, the miserable condition of those who 
wallow in his decrees, 353; his life as contrasted 
with that of Christ, 504, &c.; he cannot abide 
the marriage of priests, 505, 23, 33; his swarm 
of hypocrites, 506; he will do every thing for 
money, 507, 9, 31, 5; his haughtiness, pride, 
and tyranny, 507, 8, 15, 8, 9,38 ; how his chap- 
lains are known, 509 ; he exempts those belong- 
ing to him from toll and tribute, 514 ; he cannot 
abide reformation, 516; his doctrine as contrasted 
with that of Christ, 520, &c.; he teaches to 
honour images and reliques, 521, 2; he sets forth 
saints as mediators, 522, 3; he has set up the sa- 
crifice of the mass, 523; he devised purgatory, 
ib. ; he has added five more to the two sacraments 
so as to make seven, 524; his abuses of the 
eucharist, 524, &c.; his cruelty, 527, 8; he as- 
sumes power to make laws, 527; he requires his 
chaplains to be reverenced, 530; he wrests texts 
of scripture against the certainty of salvation, 
531; he will not suffer such divorces as that mar- 
riage may follow, 532; he requires not the con- 
sent of parents to marriage, ib.; he forbids the 
marriage of christian gossips, ib., 533; he would 
have prayers made at the shrines of saints, 533 ; 
he imposes long prayers, 534; he dispenses with 
pluralities of benefices, 7., 505; he commits the 
cure of souls to boys, 535; he is the author of 
impropriations of benefices, 536, 7 ; he brings his 
captives to destruction, 539 ; what he is, 607. 

Antioch, council of, 416, 74. 

Apelles, a heretic, 401. 

Apolline, we are taught by God’s word not to trust 
in, 43. 

Apollonius admonished his brethren to communi- 
cate every day, 474. 

Apostles, the, were married men, 235 ; and preachers, 
what their office is, 616. 

Apostolical canons, the, 359, x.; they command all 
that enter the church and do not communicate to 
be excommunicate, 416; they censure the clergy 
who do not communicate, 417. 

Aquinas, Thomas, 232 ; he speaks of the sacrament 
of the altar as a sacrifice and gift to pacify God, 
377; says that, though whole Christ be under 
both kinds, yet is he not given in vain under 
both kinds, 413. 

Arnobius calls the sacrament of the Lord’s supper 
divine, 388, 9. 

Arnold, 271, 2.; 388, 7. ; 424, n.; 432, 2. ; 437, 7.3 
462, n.; 468, n.3 475, x. 

Arius, a heretic, 401. 

Arow: in a row, successively, 11. 

Articles, antichristian, were procured from queen 
Mary, 234; of christian religion, list of, 399. 

Ascension of Christ, why it was, 139, &c. 

Asleep, what it is to be, 610. 

Assyrians, their monarchy fallen, 9, 10. 

Athanasius, his life of St Anthony referred to, 280, 
n.; calls the sacrament of the Lord’s supper the 
conservatory to the immortality of everlasting life 





> 


INDEX. 


388; explains the distinction between the flesh 
and the Spirit, and speaks of Christ's flesh as 
called celestial meat and spiritual food, 431. 
Augustine prayed for tribulation in this world, that 
he might be spared hereafter, 104; says the bodies 
of the dead, specially of the faithful, are not to be 
despised or cast away, 125; cautions against the 
supposition that sumptuous burials are profitable, 
ib., 462; says faith is the beginning of man’s 
salvation, 165; shews that salvation is the free 
gift of God, 170; says that all men’s merits must 
be still, and the grace of God reign, ib.; de- 
clares that his merit is the mercy of the Lord, 
171; reposes all his hope in the precious blood 
of Christ, id.; invites to behold Christ that we 
may be healed from sin, 172, 422; says a sacra- 
ment is a visible word, 255; shews that the 
admonition to the people to lift up their hearts at 
the communion was in use in the primitive 
church, 266, 360; says Christ did not stick to 
say, ‘ This is my body,’ when he gave the sign 
of his body, 271, 369, 435, 42; proves that as 
concerning Christ’s flesh he is not here, 272, 3, 
4, 427, 8, 52; asserts that Christ is in every 
place in that he is God, but in heaven in that he 
is man, 273, 451; declares that we must believe 
that Christ’s body is only in heaven, 273, 452 ; 
asserts that as soon as the soul is departed from 
the body it is placed in paradise, or thrown down 
to hell, 277; says that there are but two places 
after this life, ib.; declares that the church offers 
sacrifice not to martyrs, but to God alone, 356 ; 
says that the prayer which is not made by Christ 
is very sin, ib.; asserts that Christ in the supper 
delivered the figure of his body and blood, 369, 
435; speaks of the frequency of communicating 
in his time, 381; calls the sacrament of the Lord’s 
supper the partaking of the body and blood of the 
Lord, 389 ; says custom must give place when the 
truth is once opened, 390; commands to follew 
the truth rather than the custom, 390; acknow- 
ledges that there are many things in his works 
which may justly be reproved, 391; warns against 
regarding the disputations of any men as the ca- 
nonical scriptures, 2b. ; expresses his belief in the 
infallible authority of the writers of the scriptures, 
which is not to be attributed to other authors, 
403; asserts that, whereas no man may doubt of 
holy scriptures, later writings may be reproved by 
better authority, i., 404; says that God is to be 
sought and prayed unto in the secret places of a 
reasonable soul, 407; declares that in the sacra- 
ments it is said that we should lift up our hearts, 
to which the people respond, ib. ; says that the 
faithful know when it is said, Let us give thanks 
to the Lord our God, ib.; quoted by Eckius, 
410, n.; a testimony from him that the sacrament 
was anciently delivered into the hands of the com- 
municants, 41]; speaks (Lib. Sent. Prosp.) of the 
blood being poured out of the cup into the mouths 
of the faithful, 413; addresses (id.) the com- 
municants as receiving the cup of Christ together, 
ib. ; says that they who eat and drink Christ eat 
and drink life, 414, 33, 65; asserts that, though 
we receive only original sin of Adam, yet in Christ 
we obtan remission of all sins, 418; declares that 
Christ’s body died without sin, that the obligations 


INDEX. 627 


of all faults might be put out, ib. ; expounding 
Rom. v. 18, says that the grace of Christ has 
loosened not only the fault of infants, but many 
afterwards added, ib., 419; explains how the 
Christian, though all his sins are put away, yet 
says, ‘ Forgive us our debts,’ 419; asserts that no 
man takes away the sins of the world but Christ 
alone, ib. ; says that Christ by his death, that one 
true sacrifice, has put away whatsoever sins there 
were, ib.; declares that the Lord sent his Son, 
who giving to all remission of sins might offer 
them being justified to God, ib.; calls (Prosp.) 
the blood of Christ the ransom of the whole world, 
ib., 422 ; denies that the blood of any martyr was 
shed for the remission of sins, 419; says that 
which we see (in the sacrament) is the bread and 
the cup, 424 ; exclaims, Come boldly, it is bread, 
and not poison, id.; says that to lay hand on 
Christ, who has carried his body into heaven, we 
must send up our faith, 428, 52; declares that 
Christ has left the world by his bodily departure, 
but not with the governance of his divine presence, 
428, 52; asserts that the Son of God as concern- 
ing his divinity is incircumscriptible, but as 
concerning his humanity he is contained in a 
certain place, 428, 53; says that Christ’s body 
occupies a certain place in heaven, 430; explains 
how to distinguish literal from figurative ex- 
pressions of scripture, 431; says if we believe we 
have eaten Christ, 432; speaks of eating the 
bread inwardly and not outwardly, zb.; shews 
that the visible meat must be understood spi- 
ritually, since the sacrament is one thing and the 
virtue of it another, i3., 433; advises not to eat 
the flesh and drink the blood of Christ only in 
the sacrament, which many evil men do, 433; 
declares (Lib. Sent. Prosp.) that he that agrees not 
with Christ neither eats his flesh, nor drinks his 
blood, ib., 434, 63, 4; declares that he that believes 
in Christ eats him, 434; distinguishes between 
sacramentally and truly eating the body of Christ, 
which is to dwell in him, id., 463, 4; declares 
that Christ cannot be devoured with teeth, 434 ; 
Says it is a miserable servitude to take the signs 
for the things signified, 435 ; affirms (Lib. Sent. 
Prosp.) that the heavenly bread is called the 
body of Christ, when it is indeed the sacrament 
or holy sign, 437, 58; explains how the bread is 
Christ’s body and the cup his blood, one thing 
being seen and another understood, 440 ; instances 
how, the sacraments having the name of the things 
whereof they are sacraments, the sacrament of 
Christ’s body is Christ’s body, ib., 441; shews 
how the thing which signifies is wont to be called 
by the name of that thing which it signifies, 441 ; 
says that sacraments are signs of things, being 
one thing and signifying another, ib.; teaches 
that the sacraments must be venerated not with 
a carnal bondage, but with a spiritual freedom, 
ib. ; shews how the flesh and blood of Christ’s 
sacrifice was promised, performed, and celebrated, 
ib., 457 ; draws a comparison between the sacri- 
fices of beasts in the old dispensation, and the 
sacrifice of bread and wine in the new, 441, 2, 
56, 7; shews how the eating of Christ’s flesh in 
the sacrament must be spiritually understood, 
442, 3; explains what it is that we call the body 


and blood of Christ, 442; shews how Christ bare 
himself (sacramentally) in his own hands, ib. ; 
warns against believing that the nature of God 
may be changed, since sometimes the thing which 
signifies takes the name of the thing which it 
signifies, ib., 443 ; says (Fulgentius) that a faith- 
ful man is partaker of the body and blood of 
Christ in baptism, 443; asserts that the godly 
fathers of the old testament did eat the same 
spiritual meat which we eat, ib.; proves that 
after the form of Christ’s human nature we may 
not think that he is every where, 451; says that 
Christ’s body must be in one place, 452; ex- 
plaining John xii. 8, shews how we at present 
have Christ, ib. ; speaks of Christ being absent in 
his manhood, ib. ; warns against listening to those 
who deny that Christ sits at the right hand of 
God, ib. 453 ; asserts that bodies must be in some 
certain places, and cannot be separated from their 
qualities, 454; referred to for a treatise ascribed 
to him, 455, ”.; says the bread is spent in re- 
ceiving the sacrament, 456; speaks of Christians 
celebrating a memory of the sacrifice that was 
done, tb. ; affirms (Lib. Sent. Prosp.) that Christ 
was once offered in himself, and yet is daily 
offered in the sacrament, 458; speaks of Christ 
ordaining a similitude or representation of his 
sacrifice, 458, 9; declares that the souls of saints 
go straightway to heaven, and of sinners to hell, 
460 ; says that in what state every man shall be 
found the last day of his life, so shall he be taken 
the last day of the world, ib. ; asserts that every 
one sleeps with his own cause, and with his 
own cause shall rise again, ib. ; says the catholic 
believes there are but two places after this life, 
and knows no third, 461; asserts that there are 
two dwelling-places, the one in fire, the other in 
the eternal kingdom, ib. ; declares that there is no 
other place to correct our manners but only in this 
life, ib., 462; says the souls of the godly are in 
rest, while those of the ungodly suffer punish- 
ment, 462; calls Christ the bread of which he 
that eats lives for ever, 463; declares that Judas 
did eat the bread of the Lord, and not the bread 
that was the Lord, i)., 466; says that he that 
dwells not in Christ neither eats spiritually his 
flesh nor drinks his blood, 463; declares that the 
thing of the sacrament is taken of all men to life, 
ib. ; says that he who is in the unity of the body 
of Christ truly eats his body and drinks his blood, 
ib., 464; affirms the judgment of those who say 
that he eats not the body of Christ, who is not in 
the body of Christ, 464; says that heretics may 
have the sacrament, but the matter of it they 
cannot have, 2b. ; asserts that to believe in Christ 
is to eat the bread of life, for through the par- 
ticipation of the Spirit the man that eats lives, 
465; declares that without the sanctifying of the 
invisible grace the visible sacraments do not profit, 
466, 7 ; asserts that good and bad baptize visibly, 
but God baptizes invisibly by them, 469; de- 
clares that God has retained to himself alone the 
power in baptism to forgive sins, ib. ; says that 
to minister the word and sacrament the minister 
is somewhat, but to make clean and justify he is 
nothing, 7b. ; argues that, if any grace be given in 
the sacraments, it is God’s alway, ib. ; exhorts to 


40—2 


628 


communicate at least every Sunday, 470; speaks 
of the frequency of communicating in his time, 
ib. ; shews that those only who are cleansed may 
receive the meat of the body of Christ, 475; 
admonishes that he that comes to the holy ban- 
quet must come full of holiness, 476; prescribes 
a rule of discipline in reproving inferiors, 508, n. 

Aventinus speaks of the priests of Liburnia using 
the Slavon tongue, 410. 

Averroes, 278, 2. 

Awake, what it is to be, 610. 


Baalites, none but those who were, promoted in 
queen Mary’s time, 244. 

Babylon, prayed against, 22. 

Backsliders, intercession for, 248. 

Baptism, a token of God’s favour, 173; blessings 
received in it, ib. ; ceremonies added to it by the 
papists, 231, 524; what it is, 612, 6, 7; why 
infants are baptized, 617; whether if they die 
before receiving baptism the omission is fatal, 
617. 

Barbary: barbarity, barbarism, 42. 

Barlow, bishop, dedication to, 501 ; account of him, 
ib., nN. 

Barnes, Dr, burned, 11. 

Basil, 366, n.; calls the sacrament of the Lord’s 
supper divine, undefiled, heavenly, 388; describes 
the customs used in worship in all christian con- 
gregations, 408 ; says that the Holy Ghost is at 
one time in different persons, which angels cannot 
be, 454; rebukes covetous rich men, who while 
alive will give nothing, but at their death be- 
queath largely to the poor, 460; says that he that 
comes to the body and blood of Christ must be 
pure from filthiness, 476; reference to the liturgy 
ascribed to him, 483. 

Basil, council of, 415. 

Basilides, a heretic, 401. 

Beatus Rhenanus refers to canons respecting the re- 
servation of the sacrament, 373; says that pope 
Leo was wont to communicate seven or eight times 
in one day, 381, 474; declares it evident that the 
eucharist was in times past touched with the 
hands of the lay-people, 412; says that laymen 
in times past used with a reed to draw the Lord’s 
blood from the chalice, 415. 

Becon predicts the removal of the gospel from Eng- 
land, 12; his exile, 204. 

Bede says that Christ was taken up in his humanity, 
but concerning his divinity he abides still on the 
earth, 429; declares that Christ forsook those 
corporally, whom concerning his divine majesty 
he never left, 2b., 455; speaks of Christ institut- 
ing the sacrament of his flesh and blood in the 
figure of bread and wine, 436. 

Believe, what it is to, 177. 

Bellon., P., speaks of priests using the Armenian 
tongue in divine service, 411. 

Bells, they are better preachers than the massers, 
256. 

Benefices, pluralities of, antichrist dispenses with, 
534, 5; impropriations of, evils of, 536, 7. 

Benefits, thanksgiving for all God’s, 68, 85. 

Berengarius, his doctrine condemned, 361. 

Berillus, a heretic, 401. 


Bernard asks what is of so mighty force to heal 





INDEX. 


the wounds of the conscience as the remembrance 
of Christ’s wounds, 172, 423; says that when 
troubled he hides himself in the wounds of Christ, 
172; calls the passion of Christ the last refuge 
and singular remedy, 423; declares that what he 
lacks he is bold to take out of the bowels which 
abound with mercy, ib.; asks what it is to eat the 
flesh of Christ and drink his blood, but to be par- 
taker of his passions and follow his conversation, 
433 says a sacrament is called a holy sign, the 
invisible grace being given with a visible sign, 
449 ; declares that the flesh of Christ is given to 
us spiritually, not carnally, ib. 


Bernard, or Berno, Abbas Augiens., a work untruly 


attributed to him. See Micrologus. 


Bertram says that, when we shall come to the sight 


of Christ, we shall have no need of instruments 
to put us in remembrance of his kindness, 370, 
1, 448 ; argues that, if the mystery (of the sa- 
crament) be done under no figure, it is not then 
rightly called a mystery, 425; says that after the 
substance of the creatures they remain after conse- 
cration what they were before, ib. ; argues that, if the 
wine when consecrated be turned into the blood of 
Christ, the water must be turned into the blood 
of the people, 426, 47 ; calls the body and blood 
of Christ a spiritual meat and a spiritual drink, 
434 ; expounds the distinction made by St Am- 
brose between the flesh that was crucified and 
the sacrament of that flesh, 444, 5; argues from 
Ambrose that the sacrament is not corporal but 
spiritual food, 445 ; insists that the body of Christ 
in the sacrament is not visible nor palpable, ib., 
446; maintains on the authority of St Ambrose 
the difference between the body of Christ which 
suffered, and that which is received of the faithful 
in the sacrament, 446; argues from St Jerome 
that the flesh and blood of Christ are understood 
two ways, ib.; says that the body and blood of 
Christ used in the church differs from that known 
to be glorified in his body through his resurrection, 
447, 8; calls the bread and cup a figure, 448. 9; 
character of him by Trithemius, 449; declares 
that without the spiritual working the mysteries of 
the body and blood of Christ profit nothing, 469. 


Bib: to drink, 282. 

Bible, the, condemned and burned, 65. 
Bibliander, T., 381. 

Bibliotheca, Max. Vet. Patr., 415, x. 


Mag. 
n. 3; 496, n.; 481, 2. 
Vet. Patr. Galland., 454, n. 


422, n. ; 425, 2.5; 444, 


Biel, Gabriel, declares it, after the council of Con- 


stance, heresy to say that the communion of both 
kinds is of the necessity of salvation, 415; says 
that how the body of Christ is under the kinds of 
bread and wine is not found expressed in the 
bible, 426; Paschasius cited in, 456, n. 


Bilney burned, 11. 


Bingham, 278, n. 

Bishops and ministers, prayer for, 21, &c.; peti- 
tions for, 36, 7; those of the primitive church 
were married, 236; how godly they were under 
the reformation, ib. See Pastors, Preachers. 
Romish, see Pope. 

Blessing (in the consecration of the eucharist) sig- 
nifies thanksgiving, 269. 


INDEX. 629 


Blindness, of the papists, 354 ; of the world, whence 
it comes, 488. 

Boaying : bawling, 233. 

Body and blood of Christ, the faithful only eat and 
drink, 378, 9. 

Boemus, 123, n. 

Bonaventure says that by the alone faith of the 
passion of Christ all sin is forgiven, 421; ex- 
plains how eating, properly found in corporal 
things, is translated from them to spiritual things, 
434, 5; says that grace is not contained in the 
sacraments essentially as water in a vessel, 469. 

Boniface, his decree that the pope is to be judged by 
no one, 527, 8, n. 

Bounds : bonds, engagements, 618. 

Brand, 126, n. 

Bread and wine are figures of Christ’s body and 
blood, 54, 274; why they are called Christ’s 
body and blood, 67; they remain in the sacra- 
ment after the words of consecration, 232, 617, 8; 
by whom leavened bread at the eucharist was in- 
troduced, 262; to handle it is forbidden by the 
papists, 268; it was not put into the people’s 
mouths in the primitive church, ib., 269 ; proba- 
tions from the old fathers that the substance 
thereof is not changed into the natural body of 
Christ, 423, &c. 

Brewis or brose: a kind of pottage, 208. 

Brigit, St, a legend of, 390, x. 

Britons, Gildas warned them to repentance and 
amendment of life, 10, 1. 

Brother, who is our, 610; weak, who, éd. 

Bucer, M., his death, 205. 

Burchard, referred to, 373, 2.; recites a decree for 
burning the sacrament when it is mouldy, 374, x. 

Burial, superstitions not to be allowed at it, 124, 5. 

Burnet, 205, n. 


Cesarius, 411, n.; 277, 7. 

Calling or vocation, what it is, 608, 16. 

Cameracensis. See Alliaco. 

Care and thought, what, 607. 

Carpocrates, a heretic, 401. 

Cassander, Vigilius in, 273, n.; 429, n.; 430, n. ; 
453, n.; Aventinus in, 410, .; B. Pal. in, ib., 
n.; P. Bell. in, 411, x.; Gregory in, 482, n.; 
Armen. Lit. in, id., 7. 

Cassiodorus says we must not only sing the psalms 
but understand them, 409. 

Catalogus Testium, 392, n.; 398, n.; 439, n.; 
459, n. 

Catechism, a godly, taught the children under the 
reformation, 234; it was afterwards condemned 
for heresy, ib. 

Caterine, idolatrous altars builded to her, 240. 

Catholics, men are not to be counted as such who 
are not partakers of the Lord’s supper thrice in the 
year, 380. 

Cato, 154. 

Cerdon, a heretic, 401. 

Ceremonies, petitions against popish, 247. 

Cerinthus, a heretic, 401. 

Certainty of God’s favour toward us, it is allowable 
to have, 174, &c.; examples of those who have 
had it, 177, 8. 

Chalcedon, council of, 455. 


Chalices, by whom introduced, 262; the papists 
forbid the people to touch them, 269. 

Charity, christian, how good a thing, 42 ; prayer for, 
46, 7, 81; the badge of Christ’s disciples, 81; 
what it is, 602, 16. 

Charles the Bald, Bertram’s book written for him, 
449. 

Chastelings: those who have kept themselves chaste, 
eunuchs, 568. 

Chastisement, God’s is loving, 94, &c. 

Children, prayer for, 29, 30; petition for, 37; 
prayer to be said by them, 77; the sick man’s 
exhortation to his, 131, 2; examples of bringing 
them up, 234; what a child is, 607. 

Chrismatories: vessels in which the chtism was 
kept, 247. 

Christ, a confession of sins to, 16, &c.; his blood 
the only purgatory, 66, 228; prayer to, 76; 
what the name means, and why he is so called, 
136, 615; why he is called Lord, 137; of his 
humanity, ib.; he, by his death, is the only sacri- 
fice for sin, 138, 9, 265; his death, 139; his 
going down to hell, ib.; his resurrection and 
ascension, i)., 140; he is a sufficient Mediator 
and Advocate, 140; his coming to judgment, 141; 
his congregation always persecuted by the syna- 
gogue of Satan, 194, 5; comparison between his 
church and Satan’s synagogue in respect of doc- 
trine, ceremonies, &c., 195, &c.; what he did 
when he ordained his holy supper, 254; he 
preached before it, ib., 356; his one and alone 
sacrifice suffices for ever, 258; he ministered his 
supper at a table, 259, 356; and without cope 
or vestment, 259; his doctrine is perfect and suffi- 
cient for our salvation, 260; he is not less present 
at baptism than at the supper, 261; comparison 
between him and the massmongers, 267 ; objec- 
tions made by the papists concerning his corporal 
presence in the sacrament, 271, &c.; his natural 
body cannot be in more places than one at once, 
272, &c.; his promises concerning his presence, 
273; what it is to rest in him after this life, 277; 
his ordinance that the congregation should receive 
the sacrament together, 279 ; he is the alone author 
of salvation, with probations out of scripture, 305, 
&c.; the alone head of the catholic and apostolic 
church, with ditto, 307, 8; the alone Mediator 
and Intercessor of the faithful, with ditto, 308, 9; 
by his blood he cleanses not from original sin 
only, but from all sins, and from both pain and 
fault, with ditto, 309, &c.; he is the only pro- 
pitiatory sacrifice for all the sins of the world, 
with ditto, 311,25 he is the alone teacher of truth, 
with ditto, 312, &c.; as concerning his human 
nature he is not in every place but only in heaven, 
with ditto, 314, &c.; he called devoutly upon 
God his Father at his supper, 356; his words in 
ministering the supper, 357; what he commanded 
to be done in the administration of it, 358; after 
the supper he prepared for death, ib.; he used 
common bread and wine, 359; he delivered bread 
and wine to his disciples, ib.; he used his daily 
apparel, 361; and ministered without gorgeous 
furniture, 362 ; he pronounced the words plainly, 
ib.; he delivered the bread into the disciples’ 
hands, 363; he gave also the mystery of his 
blood, 364; he ministered to his disciples sitting, 


630 INDEX. 


ib.; he gave heavenly and earthly things to his 
disciples, 365; and gave freely to them, id.; he 
sacrificed with thanksgiving to God, 366; he 
allured his disciples to suffer for the glory of God, 
ib. ; he did not eat the supper alone, 367 ; he de- 
clared that his body was broken and his blood shed 
for the remission of sins, ib., 368 ; with one only 
oblation he makes perfect, 368; he gave true 
bread and very wine, 36); he ordained the sacra- 
ment for a remembrance of his benefits, 370; 
proved to have left the world in bodily presence, 
371, 2; he prepared the meat of his supper for a 
remembrance of himself, 372; he delivered one 
manner of celebrating his supper, ib. ; he insti- 
tuted not a sacrifice but a memorial, #b., 377; he 
alone ordained his supper, 372; he did not com- 
mand the fragments to be kept, #b., 373 ; he insti- 
tuted the sacrament as an everlasting token of his 
passion and death, 373; and as a token of love a- 
mong his people, id. ; he instituted the holy signs 
that we should look upwards to heaven, 374 ; or- 
dained the sacraments to be used openly, ib. ; ap- 


pointed the sacramental bread to be eaten of 


the faithful, 2b.; and that each might enjoy by 
and for himself, 375 ; he ordained his supper that 
all should openly testify that they belong to him, 
ib., 376 ; and that they might lead a life worthy 
his gospel, 376; he instituted his supper as a 
token of God’s good-will, and to assure and stir up 
our minds to faith, 377, 9, 80; also that the faith- 
ful might have food for body and soul, 378 ; and 
that it should be frequented in sight of all men, 
379 ; the signs to be exercises of faith to the liv- 
ing, ib.; he appointed no certain time to receive 
the supper, 380 ; but requires an often partaking, 
381; he did not admit all kinds of persons but 
only apostles to receive, ib., 382; his action is our 
instruction, 383 ; he commands to prove ourselves 
before coming to the table, 384; he does not suffer 
the profanation of the mysteries, ib. ; probations 
out of the old fathers that by his death he de- 
livered from not original only but also all sins, 
418, &c.; ditto, that his only sacrifice is sufficient 
without repetition to take away the sins of the 
world, 421, &c. ; ditto, that he is truly present in 
the supper in grace and not in body, 427, &c.; 
ditto, that he is received of the faithful with the 
heart through faith, 430, &c.; ditto, that his 
words, ‘This is my body,’ &c. must be figura- 
tively understood, 435, &c. ; ditto, that his natu- 
ral body being in heaven is not in all places, 451, 
&c.; ditto, that the ungodly do not eat his body 
or drink his blood, 462, &c. ; his life as contrast- 
ed with that of antichrist, 504, &c. ; his doctrine 
as contrasted with that of antichrist, 520, &c.; 
history of the first year of his preaching and mira- 
cles working, 546, &c.; ditto, of the second, 548, 
&c.; ditto, of the third, 551, &c.; what he is, 
607; what it is to follow him, and leave all for 
his sake, 609, 22; what the body of is, 612; 
what it is to eat his flesh and drink his blood, 
ib. ; what his church is, 614, 5; he is our king, 
priest, and prophet, 615; he makes us kings, 
priests, and disciples of God, ib. ; he is the Son 
of God by nature, we by adoption, ib. 

Christian prayer, to be said by all, 79, 80; the 
Christian’s desire, 226 ; a Christian and Jew, story 


of, 281, 2; christian faith, the corruption and 
decay of, was predicted, and occurred, 487 ; 
christian doctrine or philosophy, its excellence 
to a christian commonwealth, 597; in some places 
called heresy, ib. ; honoured at Sandwich, ib., 
598; who is a Christian, 602. 


Chrysostom censures superfluous cost at funerals, 


125; says he that washes not away his sins in 
this life shall find no comfort afterward, 129, 
459; cautions against thinking that mercy will 
be granted us in another world at the prayers of 
any, if we do not behave ourselves so as to deserve 
to receive forgiveness, 129, 459; says that if we 
consider our own merits we are worthy of punish- 
ment, 170; shews that, as the sheep does not 
persecute the wolf, the Christians do not perse« 
cute the heretics, but are persecuted by them, 
202; declares it unlawful for Christians with 
violence to overthrow errors, ib. ; says that when 
Christ gave the mystery of the sacrament he gave 
wine, 359, 424; admonishes that he who comes to 
the body of the Lord must climb up on high, 360, 
433 ; says that Christ participated in the myste- 
ries of his body and blood, in which is a memory 
of himself, to induce his disciples to receive with 
a quiet mind, 367, 438; declares that we are 
not, like the Jews, subject to the necessity of 
time (in regard to the Lord’s supper), 380; calls 
the sacrament of the Lord’s supper the power of 
our soul, the sinews of the mind, &c., 388 ; warns 
against believing those who do not speak things 
agreeable to the scriptures, 391; declares that the 
gospel contains all things both present and to 
come, 404; says there can be no profit of a voice 
not understood, 408; cites St Paul as thinking it 
no small inconvenience if the unlearned cannot 
say Amen, ib.; considers that the voice of a 
teacher profits nothing, if the hearers do not 
understand him, 409; speaks of Christ being 
handled in the sacrament with the hands of all 
men, 411; declares that those ought to be pure 
who touch the King’s cup, 412; asks how any 
can touch Christ’s body with impure hands, ib. ; 
says the things which belong to the eucharist, 
diverse from the old law, are all common between 
the priest and the people, 413; declares that the 
Lord’s supper ought to be common, 416; re- 
proves those who being present do not partake of 
the sacrament, ib., 473; speaks of grace taking 
away all sins, 420; explains how Christ has 
profited us more largely than Adam hurt us, ib. ; 
shews that the devil and death have lost their 
sting by the body of Christ crucified, ib. ; says 
that the Father gave Christ an offering sufficient 
for the salvation of the whole world, 421; speaks 
of the greatness of the one sacrifice once offered of 
Christ, 422; declares that there is none other 
sacrifice, one hath purged us, ib. ; argues that if 
God have forgiven us our sins by one sacrifice we 
have no need of the second, id.; asserts that 
Christ has paid for us much more than we owe, 
ib.; says that the death of Christ has destroyed 
enmity, ib.; declares that the nature of bread 
tarries in the eucharist after it is sanctified, 423, 
38; cautions against understanding the words of 
Christ carnally, for that mysteries must be con- 
sidered with inward eyes, 430, 1,8; speaks of the 


INDEX. 


bread and the receivers being or signifying the 
body of Christ, 438; says that not the true 
body but a mystery of Christ’s body is contained 
in the hallowed vessels, ib. ; warns against the 
idea that the divine body is received at the hand 
of man, ib.; speaks of bread and wine being 
shewn for a similitude of the body and blood of 
Christ, #b.; explains why the gifts signified 
in the sacraments are delivered not nakedly 
but in sensible things, 443; declares that when 
we offer that we do is to the remembrance of 
Christ’s death, 457, 85; calls the eucharistic 
mysteries a remembrance of many benefits, 458 ; 
calls this the time of watching and striving, 
the other a time of requitings, 459; says that 
when we be once gone hence, though we would 
never so fain, yet shall we be able to do nothing, 
ib.; advises men to prepare their works against 
their departure, as, when they are once departed, 
it lies not in their power to repent or put away 
their offences, 461; says there is nothing to do 
after the end of this life, this is the time of re- 
pentance, that of judgment, id.; explains that 
lamps and funeral hymns are because God has 
delivered the dead person from all labours, ib.; 
exhorts those that come with a pure conscience 
and clean mind to come always to the holy table, 
472, 3; urges to come with great desire to this 
table, 473; warns that no Judas or unclean 
person come to the holy table, 476; charges 
ministers to repel impure persons from the sacra- 
ment, ib., 477 ; shews that the admission of evil 
men to the mysteries is sinful in those that do not 
repel them, 477, 8; says we forbid those to be 
present who are no perfect Christians, 478, 83; 
speaks of the exclusion of those who are not 
meet to be partakers, 478, 83; says that those 
who are notorious offenders must be cast out, 
ib. ; reference to the liturgy ascribed to him, 482; 
shews that none who do not communicate must 
be present at the sacrament, 483; exhorts his 
hearers to read the scriptures, and try his doc- 
trine by them, 543. 

Church, whatit is, 143, 608, 14, 5; out of it there 
is no salvation, 144; that which persecutes is of 
the devil, that which is persecuted, of God, 201; 
probations out of scripture that the true holy 
catholic and apostolic does not lean to the decrees 
of men, but to the doctrine of Christ, 321, &c.; 
the authority of it is not to be objected in favour 
of the mass, 392; distinction of the true from the 
false, ib., 393; the character of the true, 393, 4; 
this is to be honoured, 394; where God builds 
his, the devil builds a chapel, 400, &c.; of 
Christ, and of Satan, what, 608. 

Cicero, 148, 54. 

Civil law referred to in regard to consent of parents 
to children’s marriage, 532. 

Clausures: inclosures, inclosed places, 521. 

Clement, of Rome, in a canon forbids that the priest 
should offer any liquor but wine, 359 ; commanded 
that as many hosts should be offered on the altar 
as would suffice the people, 416, 55. 

Clement, of Alexandria, says that to drink the blood 
of Jesus is to be partaker of the uncorruption 
of the Lord, 434. 

Clergy. See Ministers, Preachers. 


631 


Cleve, Ann of, dedication to, 74; account of, ib., n. 

Cole under candlestick implies deceitful secrecy, 
260. 

Collations: collections, the bringing together, viz. 
of blasphemous and superstitious ceremonies, 
231. 

Colossians, summary of the epistle to the, and 
contents of each chapter, 586. 

Commons, prayer for the, 26; prayer to be used 
by them, 77. 

Communion, prayer before receiving, 53, &c.; 
thanksgiving after receiving, 55; prayers at the 
receiving, 56. See Supper, or Lord’s Supper. 

Concord preserves a commonwealth, 598. 

Confection : the making, i. e. of the body and blood 
of Christ, the act of consecration, 389. 

Confession of sins, to God the Father, 15, 6; to 
Jesus Christ, 16, &c.; to the Holy Ghost, 18 ; 
error of the papists concerning, 263; what it is, 
618, 9; of faith, see Faith. 

Confirmation of children, 234; the popish manner 
of confirming, i). ; what it is, 618. 

Congregation, petition for the preservation of God’s, 
247, 8. 

Conscience, prayer for a quiet, 81 ; a good, what it 
is, 604; an evil, what, id. 

Consecration, the Romish mode of, 269. 

Constance, council of, 275, 414, 5. 

Constancy in God’s truth commendable, 205. 

Constantine, 437. 

Contrition, what it is, 618. 

Convent : the same as summon, 530. 

Corinthians, argument of the epistles to the, and 
contents of each chapter, 581, &c. 

Corporass, by whom devised, 262. 

Corpus Christi, by whom the feast was instituted, 
274. 

Correction, what it is, 619. 

Corruption of man’s nature, 605. 

Corsive: corrosive, 69. 

Costard : a species of apple, 283. 

Council, the king’s, prayer for, 20. 

Council of Nice admonished not to look down to 
the bread and cup, 267, 433; of Lateran, tran- 
substantiation received at, 274, 361, 426; of 
Constance decreed that the sacrament should be 
ministered to the laity under one kind, 275, 414, 
5; of Lateran, ordained that the sacrament should 
be reserved, 373, n.; of Tours, referred to, for 
providing a pix, ib.; of Orleans, referred to for a 
decree to burn the sacrament when mouldy, 374; 
of Agde decreed that catholics should communi- 
cate thrice a year, 380; of Rouen forbade that 
the eucharist should be delivered into the hands 
of the laity, 412; of Toledo 111. prescribed that 
the articles of faith should be recited that the 
people might present hearts purified to receive 
the body and blood of Christ, 414; of Basil 
allowed the Bohemians to receive the sacrament 
under both kinds, 415; of Antioch commanded 
those that do not communicate to be excommu- 
nicated, 416, 74; of Nice prescribed how the 
deacons should receive the communion, 417; of 
Florence, the Greeks would not consent in it to 
allow transubstantiation, 426; of Chalcedon con- 
firmed the Constantinopolitan creed as to the two 
natures of Christ, 455. 


632 INDEX. 


Councils have no authority except as they are con- 
firmed by the word of God, 391, 2. 

Covetousness, prayer against, 59, 60; its preva- 
lence, ib. 

Cromes: hooks, 150. 

Cross, the, is the way to enter glory, 95, &c.; 
what is meant by it, 95, 605, 22; Christ entered 
glory by it, 96; examples out of scripture of 
men bearing it, and the good end thereof, 97, 
&c.; it is promised in the scripture to Christians, 
195; the patient bearing of it declares who is 
a true member of Christ’s church, 203; Chris- 
tians prepare themselves unto it, 2b. ; probations 
out of scripture that true Christians are seldom 
free from it, 344, 5; ditto, that it is laid on them 
by God, 345 ; ditto, that it ought to be borne of 
them patiently, 346, &c.; ditto, that pleasures 
and joys follow it, 348; of Christ, what it is, 605 ; 
altar of the cross, 138, 9, 253. 

Culpa, what it signifies, 605. 

Curse of God, what it is, 604. 

Cusa, N. de, quotes Dionysius for the practice of 
the primitive church in not allowing non-com- 
municants to be present, 482. 

Custom, its evil influence, 379; it is not to be 
objected in favour of the popish mass, 380. 

Cyprian speaks of the profit of going out of the 
world, 121; declares that departed brethren ought 
not to be mourned for, since they live with God, 
ib., 461; shews that we should not moum for 
those that are deceased as though they were lost, 
121, 2; says that repentance after death shall 
be without fruit, 129; declares that, when we go 
once out of this world, there is no more satis- 
faction to be made, ib., 277, 460 ; shews that the 
admonition to the people to lift up their hearts 
at the communion was in use in the primitive 
church, 266, 360, 407; says that the things 
which signify and those which are signified may 
both be called by one name, 271; calls the sacra- 
ment of the Lord’s supper the holy thing of the 
Lord, &c., 388; calls custom without truth an 
old error, 390; counsels not to mark what any 
men before us thought best to be done, but what 
Christ did first, 394; pronounces it sacrilege that 
by the appointment of man God’s ordinance 
should be broken, 398; resists the attempt to 
take away the mystery of the Lord’s blood from 
the communion of the laity, 413 ; warns against 
leaving the Christians without the defence of the 
body and blood of Christ, 414; says the Lord 
called the bread his body and the wine his blood, 
424, 37 ; declares that the hallowed bread entered 
into the wicked mouth of Judas, 424; says drink 
sanctified into the blood of Christ burst out of the 
defiled bowels, 2b. ; censures the unbelief of those 
who understood in a carnal sense the expressions 
of our Lord about eating his flesh, 431, 2; says 
that the eating is our dwelling in Christ, and an 
incorporation in him, 432, 62; declares that in 
the sacrament we whet not our teeth to bite, but 
with pure faith we break the holy bread, 432 ; 
says that Christ gave bread and wine at the table, 
437; declares that the Lord called wine his 
blood, since water cannot express the blood of 
Christ, 2b. ; says such as God finds men when he 
calls them, such does he judge them, 460 ; asserts 


that none but such as be true Israelites eat of 
this Lamb, 462, 75; declares that remission of 
sins, by whatever sacrament given, is the work 
of the Holy Ghost, 468; says that, whether 
Judas or Paul baptizes, Christ puts away the 
sin, ib.; expounding a petition of the Lord’s 
prayer, shews the necessity of frequent commu- 
nion, 470; says the holy banquet requires pure 
minds, 475; declares that a natural man is not 
admitted among the guests of the Lord’s table, 
ab. 


Cyril, of Alexandria, declares that Christ took away 


the presence of his body, though in the majesty of 
his Godhead he is ever here, 273, 4, 427; calls 
the sacrament of the Lord’s supper a table driv- 
ing away all diseases, &c., 388; says that the 
handling and sanctification of Christ’s body is 
meet for those only who are sanctified in spirit, 
412; declares that Christ distributed bread, 
calling it his body, 424, 39; says that Christ 
is absent from us as concerning his body, but 
by his power is present with all that love him, 
428, 9; observes that the disciples thought they 
were called to eat raw flesh, which is a horrible 
thing, 443; says that, if the nature of the god- 
head were a body, it must needs be in a place, 
454; declares that through the participation of 
Christ’s body men are nourished unto everlasting 
life, 464; says they that receive the bread of 
life shall obtain immortality, ib. ; asserts that the 
flesh of Christ makes them to live that be par- 
takers of it, ib.; declares that when we eat the 
flesh of Christ we have life in us, ib.; says that, 
as two molten waxes run into each other, so he 
that receives Christ’s flesh and blood is joined 
with him, id.; warns that, if men come seldom 
to church, and refuse to partake the mystical 
receiving of Christ, they debar themselves from 
everlasting life, 470, 1 ; exhorts that, if we will 
obtain everlasting life, we gladly run to receive 
the blessing (in the sacrament), 471, 2. 


Damascenus says, when the market is once done, 


there is no more merchandise to sell, 365. 


Damasus speaks of Christ, as having through his 


passion given to mankind full and perfect sal- 
vation, 420, 2. 


Daughter, the sick man’s exhortation to his, 133, 4. 
Day of the Lord, what it is, 613. 
Dead, the, probations out of the old fathers that their 


state is not such that they can be delivered by 
popish masses, or the good works of others, 459, 
&e. 


Death, prayer for such as are at the point of, 68, 9; 


that of those who die in the Lord is not to be 
mourned, 120, &c.; the heathen took that of 
their friends patiently, 123; its universal pre- 
valence, 147; the heathen feared it not, 148; 
neither the Jews and godly men of old, ib., 149; 
remedies against the fear of it, 149, 50; remedies 
against the pains of it, 150; remedies against 
thought-taking in departing from worldly goods in 
it, 151; and worldly friends, ib., 152 ; everlasting, 
what it is, 604. 


Decretal. Gregory IX., referred to for decree of 


Honor. III., 359, n.; 361, ~.; for decree of 


INDEX. 


Innoc. III. in council of Lateran, ib. ; Innoc. III. 
in, 409; Paschal in, 526; referred to for pro- 
hibition of marriage after divorce, 532, n.; of 
marriage of gossips, 533, n. 

Degrees and states of men appointed by God, 36. 

Delating, 245. 

Deny a man’s self, what it is to, 609, 22. 

Desperation, remedies against, 156; exhortations 
to the reformed against, 217, 8, 9; what it is, 
608. 

Devil, the, his rage, 401 ; to have, what it is, 604; 
why the devils who fear God do not enjoy profit 
thereby, 619. 

Didymus, Alex., proves that the Holy Ghost is 
God, because he is in many places at one time, 
which no creature can be, 464. 

Dinner, prayer before, 18, 9; thanksgiving after, 
19. 

Dionysius, Areop., calls the Lord’s supper a whole- 
some sacrifice and divine communion, 387 ; speaks 
of the cup as well as the bread being delivered in 
the sacrament to all the people, 412, 5,6; says 
that all that did not communicate were anciently 
not suffered to be present, 475, 83; declares that 
the holy institution admits only those that are 
perfect (to the sacrament), 475; speaks of those 
who are given to filthy lusts being put back from 
the holy mysteries, ib.; quoted by N. de Cusa, 
482. 

Discord brings all things to havoc, 598. 

Distained : stained, polluted, 137. 

Dive-doppel: dive-dapper, or dab-chick, 276. 

Divisions, the evil of, 41. 

Divorce, not so suffered by the papists as that the 
parties may marry again, 532. 

Doctrines, comparison of those taught by the re- 
formers with the popish, 227, &c.; those con- 
demned by the Romanists are no new or yesterday 
doctrines, 404. 

Dormi secure, a collection of sermons, 200, 34. 

Doubtfulness, no true faith where this is, 176, 7. 

Druthmarus, Christ., speaks of Christ instituting 
the sacrament that the disciples might do that in 
a figure which he should do for them, 437; says 
the blood of Christ is aptly figured by wine, id. 

Du Cange, 264, n. 

Duns Scotus says the words of scripture might be 
expounded more easily without transubstantiation, 
426. 

Durandus referred to for accounts of articles of dress 
worn by Romish priests, 259, 7. ; referred to for the 
mass called missa sicca, 372 ; explains how in the 
primitive church all that were present were wont 
to communicate, 414, 7, 74; says that in times 
past all the faithful every day were partakers with 
the priest, 414, 7; speaks of a practice still ob- 
served in some churches, 417; says the bread 
signifies the body not the blood, and the wine the 
blood not the body, 449. 


Earish confession: confession whispered in the 
ear, 4. 

Earthly things, what it is to despise, 620. 

Ebion, a heretic, 401. 

Eckius speaks of the divine services being chiefly 
done in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, 410. 


633 


Edward VI., commendation of, 3, 4; his death, 
207; called a godly Josias to weed out popery, 
227. 

Egally : equally, 243. 

Elder men and women, petition for, 38; what an 
elder is, 607. 

Elect, the, probations out of scripture that they 
cannot perish, 318, 9; nothing chances to them 
without the singular providence of God, 565. 

Election, probations out of scripture that God’s is 
certain and unchangeable, 316; ditto, that it is 
free and undeserved, ib., &c.; what it is, 616. 

Eligius, 277, x. 

Ellis, Sir H., 126, x. 

Enemies, prayer for, 38; we are commanded to love 
them, ib.; we must fight against our s@iritual, 
49; intercession for those who are enemies to the 
gospel, for lack of knowledge, 249; against those 
of set malice, ib., 250. 

England, the state of, 3, &c. ; its ingratitude for the 
gift of God’s word, 4, &c. ; God’s benefits to, 11, 
2, 206; signs declaring the destruction of true 
religion in it at hand, 205; acknowledgment of 
sin of, 225, &c.; troubles of, ib.; the christian 
commonwealth of deformed in queen Mary’s 
time, 244, 5; misery of English Christians, 245 ; 
intercession for, ib., &c. ; provoked to repentance, 
274. 

Envious man, what, 610. 

Ephesians, argument of, epistle to the, and contents 
of every chapter, 584, 5. 

Epiphanius says that Christ called a senseless loaf 
his body, 439. 

Epist. Decret. Clement in, 416, 55. 

Eposculations: kissings, 283. 

Erasmus says Christ in the sacrament ought not to 
be carried about the fields on horseback, 359, 
74, 5; censures those who deem themselves 
devout for looking at the body of Christ when 
the priest holds it up, 360; says that anciently 
the people did not run to see what the priest held 
up, but lifted their minds to heaven, ib.; com- 
plains that the church does not follow Paul, so 
that the people hear only voices signifying no- 
thing, 410; quotes Jerome for the custom of re- 
sponding in the congregation, ib.; shews how in 
the ancient church the sacrament was commonly 
partaken of, 417, 8. 

Erkenwald, we are taught by God’s word not to 
trust in, 43; account of him, ib., n.; idolatrous 
altars built to him, 240. 

Ethnick, who he is, 602, 3. 

Eugenius IV. attempted in vain at the council of 
Florence to persuade the Greeks to allow transub- 
stantiation, 426. 

Eusebius, 235, 2. ; he is a witness that the sacrament 
was given to laymen in their hands, in the time 
of Novatus, 412; we learn from him that Con- 
stantine did not at once receive the sign of the 
Lord’s death, 437. 

Eusebius Emissenus prescribes that we look upon 
the holy body and blood of our God with faith, 
432; says that the sacrament was consecrated, 
that the thing once offered for our ransom might 
continually be had in remembrance through a 
mystery, 444. 

Euthymius Zigabenus calls the sacrament of the 


634 


Lord’s supper the table on which lies the mystical 
supper of Christ, 388. 

Evagrius testifies that young children were called to 
eat the remains of the sacrament, 456. 

Evening, prayer for the, 14, 75. 

Evil, who be, 603. 

Evil-minded, what it is to be, 604. 

Extremities, God chiefly helps in great, with ex- 
amples thereof out of the old testament, 213, &c.; 
with ditto out of the new, 215, &c. 

Eye of man, what it is, 609; a single eye, what, 
ib. 3 a wicked, what, ib. 


Faber, J. Stap., says that, when Christ gives his 
flesh to eat and blood to drink, he gives them not 
after a carnal manner, 435, 50; declares that 
Christ gave his body to his disciples, but after a 
sacramental and spiritual manner, 450. 

Fabian, bishop of Rome, decreed that all should 
communicate at least thrice a year, 380; errone- 
ously referred to, 425. 

Fagius, P., his death, 205. 

Faith, prayer for, 45, 6, 81; it is such a precious 
jewel in God’s sight that nothing is accepted 
without it, 46; sick man’s confession of his, 135, 
&c.; in God the Father, 135, 6; in Jesus Christ, 
136, &c.; in the Holy Ghost, 141, 2; as regards 
the church, 143, 4; forgiveness of sins, 144; the 
resurrection of the body, ib., 145 ; everlasting life, 
145 ; it is a means to resist the devil, 157 ; recom- 
mended, 164, 5; it is an assurance to the con- 
science of being predestinate to be saved, 172, 3; 
a remedy to put away sin, 209 ; it and repentance 
must go together, ib.; the nature of it is not to 
be idle, 210; it only justifies, 233; probations 
out of the scripture that it alone justifies before 
God, 331, &c.; ditto, that it is not idle, but 
fruitful in doing good works, 334, 5; what it is, 
602, 9, 15, 8. 

Faithful, the, it is in no tyrant’s power to take away 
their lives till God appoints, 218. 

Falsehood, what it is, 604. 

Fast, or fasting, the end of it, 529; what it is, 609, 
20, 1; why the law is enforced for it on Fridays 
and other appointed days, 621. 

Fathers, and mothers, prayer for, 29; petition for, 
37; prayer to be said by them, 77; the old are not 
to be hearkened to, if they dissent from the doctrine 
of Christ, 390; they would not have themselves 
further believed than this, ib., 391, 402, 3; Christ 
built his church in them, 401; though alleged by 
the papists they are really adversaries to them, 
402; they have erred in some points, 404. 

Faustus says we must not doubt that Christ gave 
himself for the whole world, 422. 

Fear of God, prayer for, 45. 

Feeding the flock, three modes of, 23. 

Feet, what they betoken in scripture, 609, 10; what 
it is to wash one another’s, 610. 

Felding, or Fielding, B., dedication to, 89 ; account 
of his family, id., n. 

Festival, the, a book, 199, 234, 519, 35. 

Flesh, what it is, 606; and blood, what, 611. 

Florence, council of, 426. 

Flottereth, fluttereth, or faultereth, 94. 

Flower of godly Prayers referred to, 186, 90. 

Fool, a, who is, 607. 


INDEX. 


Fortune, what it is, 610. 

Fox, 11, 2. 

Frank: a place to fatten boars in, a sty, 375. 

Free-will, probations out of scripture that without 
the grace of God it can do nothing in matters of 
faith and salvation, 328, 9; what it is, 608. 

Friends, the knowledge of in another life, 152, &c. 

Friendship, worldly, no certainty in, 151. 

Fruits of the earth, prayer for the preservation of, 
44, 5. 

Fryth, J., burned, 11. 

Fulgentius, a quotation ascribed to Augustine really 
from him, 443, m.; says that, as concerning his 
man’s substance, Christ was not in heaven when 
he was in earth, and forsook the earth when he 
ascended into heaven, 453; declares that Christ, 
according to the whole man which he took, left 
the earth and sits on the right hand of God, 454 ; 
quoted by P. Lombard, 455, n. 


Galatians, argument of the epistle to the, and con- 
tents of each chapter, 583, 4. 

Gardiner, bishop, referred to, 228, 37. 

Garments, what those of the priests in the old law 
signified, 259, 60. 

Garret, burned, 11. 

Gelasius, Cyzic. Hist. Conc, Nic. 267, . 3 433, n. 

Gelasius, bishop of Rome, decreed that those who 
would not receive the sacrament under both kinds 
should be put away from the Lord’s table, 275, 
413, 5; says that the nature of bread and wine 
in the sacrament does not cease to be there, 424, 
5. 

Gentlemen, prayer for, 24. 

Germany, the preaching of Christ’s gospel driven 
out of the churches there, 10. 

Gerson says we ought more to believe a man well 
learned in holy letters than a council or pope, 
392. 

Gildas, his preaching to the Britons, 10, 1. 

Gladness of heart, what it is, 611. 

Gleyves, or glaives: broad-swords, falchions, 216. 

Gloss, the ordinary speaks of the agreement of the 
people with the priest in their responding Amen, 
409; upon Gelasius affirms the sacrament not to be 
superfluously received under both kinds, 413, 4 ; 
upon Augustine speaks of the sacrament being 
received in the kind of bread and wine, 414; upon 
Augustine explains how Christ is eaten two 
manner of ways, 434; upon Augustine says that 
Christ is eaten of evil persons sacramentally only, 
ib., 465 ; upon Ambrose declares that the soul is 
fed principally with the body and blood of 
Christ, 434; upon Augustine shews how the 
sacramental bread is called the body of Christ, 
when it signifies it, 437 ; upon a decree of pope 
Pius interprets the blood as the sacrament of the 
blood, éb., 438; upon Augustine says that the 
sacrament upon the altar is improperly called 
the body of Christ, 450; upon Augustine ex- 
plains, He is offered, that is, the offering of him 
is represented, 458; upon Paschasius says the of- 
fering of Christ is represented in the sacrament, 
ib.; of Nic. de Lyra declares that in the altar there 
is no doing again of Christ’s sacrifice, 459 ; gloss 
on a canon in Gratian referred to, 509, 2. 


INDEX. 


Gluttony and drunkenness, prayer against, 60. 

Goar, 388, n.; 482, 7. ; 483, n. 

God sends prophets and preachers to exhort to re- 
pentance before inflicting judgments, 6, &c. ; the 
despising of his word and preachers never escapes 
unplagued, 7 ; confession of sins to God the Fa- 
ther, 15, 6; he hides his truth from the wise and 
prudent of the world, 39; his compassion in re- 
mitting sins, 50,1; his kindness in feeding his 
servants, 52; thanksgiving to him for sending 
his Son, 63, &c.; prayer to the Father, 75, 6; 
prayer for his grace and favour, 80; his chastise- 
ments are sent in love, 94, &c., 102, 4, &c.; he 
punishes a Christian in order to his repentance 
and salvation, 105 ; examples of this, 106, &c.; 
examples of his mercy, 110, 1 ; he commands us 
to call on him in sickness, 112, 3; examples of 
the benefit of so doing, 113; his will is to be 
preferred to ours, 2b. ; example hereof in Christ, 
114; he alone forgives sins, « pena et culpa, 144, 
233; his property in his elect to wound before 
he heals, 160, 213; examples of his anger 
against impenitence, 206 ; plagues following the 
contempt of his word, ib., 207; remedies against 
his wrath, 208, 9, 20; he chiefly helps in great 
extremities, 213, &c.; he alone is to be called 
on, 228; his omnipotence, 273; why he is 
called almighty, ib.; probations out of scripture 
that he freely saves the faithful, 297, &c. ; ditto, 
that he alone forgives sins, 299, 300 ; ditto, that 
he only is to be worshipped in spirit and in truth, 
300, 1; ditto, that he alone is by prayer to be 
called on, 301, 2; ditto, that he is to be obeyed 
more than man, 302, &c.; his right hand, what it 
is, 452 ; what he is, 602, 14; what a strange god 
is, 602; what his blessing is, and his curse, 604 ; 
fear of him, what, ib.; what the despising of 
him is, #.; what murmuring against him, id. ; 
how he punishes sin, 605, 6; his temple, what it 
is, 608; what the name of is, ib. ; what to shew 
his word, ib.; what it is to serve and worship 
him, 609, 20; what to believe in him, id. ; his 
hand, arm, &c., what they are, 609; what the 
face of his anger is, ib.; what it is for him to 
sleep, 610; why he is called a jealous God, 612; 
he made the world, 614; what his word is, ib. ; 
in what state he created man, ib. ; how we were 
reconciled to him, ib.; what his grace is, 616; 
our duty towards him, 619; what it is to love 
and fear him, #b. ; what to follow him, and fight 
under his standard, 620; what thanksgiving to 
him is, id. 

Goddard : a cup or goblet, 282. 

Godly life, or godliness, prayer for, 47, 8, 82; the 
necessity of it, 48; who is godly, 602. 

Good, how men are, 603. 

Good deeds or works, no man has sufficient for 
himself, much less for others, 126, &c.; they 
must be brought forth, 210; it is an urgent 
cause to do them to stop the mouths of adver- 
saries, 211; they are the fruits of faith, 291; 
probations out of scripture that they justify no 
man before God, 335, 6; ditto, that they ought 
diligently to be done of all true Christians, 336, 
&e. 

Gospel, the nature of the, 5; why the people stand 
up at the reading of it, 264; what it is, 602, 16. 


635 


Gospellers, gross, censured, 5, 206; put to death 


for trifles, 243. 


Grace, what it is, 608, 16. 
Gratiani Decretum, Gelasius in, 275,n.; 413, 5, 


n.; Alexander in, 359, .; recantation of Be- 
rengarius in, 361,7.; canon in, 364,n; Fabian 
in, 380; council of Agde in, ib., x. ; Gregory in, 
390; Anastasius in, 409; Augustine in (Lib. 
Sent. Prosp.) 413, 37, .; 458; gloss upon Ge- 
lasius in, 413, 4; Hilary in, 414, 24, 37, 73; 
Augustine in, 414, 33, 4, 63,7.; 465, 508; 
glosses upon Augustine in, 414, 34, 437, 50, 8, 
65; Julius in, 415,n”.; Anacletus in, 416, 74; 
Eusebius Emissenus in, 432,n.; 444; canon in 
declares that to eat the living bread is to believe 
in Christ, that is, by love to be incorporate in 
him, 434, 65; gloss upon Ambrose in, 434; 
Pius in, 437; gloss upon in, ib., 438 ; quotation 
from Fulgentius ascribed to Augustine in, 443, 7.5 
Paschasius ? in, 456; Paschasius in, 458 ; gloss 
upon in, #b.; John in, 507; Ambrose in, 508 ; 
canon in, in respect to confession, 509; Nicholas 
in, 510, 3; Telesphorus in, 511; Stephen in, 
ib.; Leo I. in, ib.; Agatho in, ib., 513; Constit. 
Othon. in, 512, 3; Innocent I. in, 513; dis- 
tinction in requires obedience to the pope, 514; 
canons in, in regard to imposts upon the clergy, 
ib. ; Urban in, 527; Boniface in, 528; canons 
in, against marriage after divorce, 532, 7.3; ca- 
nons in, forbidding marriage at certain times, 
533, 7. 

Greeks, the, are in subjection to the Turks, 9, 10; 
their church denies transubstantiation, 232, 426, 
6185 their priests have ever been at liberty to 
marry, 236; no man among them is permitted 
to absent himself fourteen days from the sacra- 
ment, 381, 474; in their churches there are no 
private masses, 418. 

Gregory Nazianzen calls the sacrament of the Lord’s 
supper a divine table prepared against them that 
trouble us, 388; speaks of the passover as partaken 
of in a figure, though more plain than the old 
passover, 444; says the time we have in this 
world is the time of working, the future the time 
of reward, 460. 

Gregory the Great says God spares some in this 
world to torment them afterward, 104, 5; de- 
clares that God’s chosen people shall know in 
heaven the gcod people whom they never saw 
before, 153; says that feigned holiness is double 
iniquity, 278; speaks of the blood of Christ 
poured into the mouths of the faithful, 414; ad- 
dresses communicants as knowing what the blood 
of the Lamb is by drinking, ib. ; speaks of re- 
ceiving unleavened and leavened bread, 425; de- 
clares that Christ, though absent nowhere by the 
presence of his majesty, is not here by the pre- 
sence of his flesh, 429, 55; says the Word goes 
away in his body, but tarries in his godhead, 
429; counsels to follow whither we believe Christ 
to have ascended in body, 455; shews how non- 
communicants must go out before the celebration 
of the eucharist, 482. 


Gregory VII. replies to those who urge the au- 


thority of custom, 390. 
Grindal, abp., dedication to, 400. 


| Grymbald, we are taught by God’s word not to 


636 


trust in, 433; account of him, 2b., n. ; idolatrous 
altars built to him, 240. 

Gybbes, or Gibbes, W., dedication to, 353; ac- 
count of his family, @b., 2. 


Happy, who is, 607. 

Harlot, what, 612. 

Haught, or haut: haughty, 621. 

Haymo says the speech ought to be understood, 409 ; 
speaks of the greatness and sufficiency of the sa- 
crifice of Christ, 423. 

Health of body, prayer for, 83. 

Heart, prayer for a pure and clean, 81. 

Heaven, prayer for the glory of, 84, 5; kingdom of, 
what it is, 603, 22, 3; when to be entered on, 
623. 

Hebrews, argument of the epistle to the, and contents 
of each chapter, 589, 90. 

Hell, what it is, 604; diversely taken, ib. 

Henry VIII. purged the church of many abuses, 
227. 

Heretics, the devil built his chapel in, 401; who is 
one, 603. 

Hermit, a, history of, 103, 4. 

Hesychius, or Isychius, testifies that in his time the 
bread that remained of the sacrament was burned, 
373; calls the sacrament of the Lord’s supper the 
Lord’s mystery, 388; says that not one sin only, 
but many are forgiven us through the sacrifice of 
Christ, 421 ; explains the command ( Levit. viii. 31) 
that bread is to be eaten with flesh, 426; declares 
that in the world to come there is no working, 460. 

Hierarchas, a heretic, 401. 

Hilary did not consider that Judas partook of the 
sacrament, 382; calls the sacrament of the Lord’s 
supper the Lord’s meat, 388 ; warns against sepa- 
ration from the medicine of the body and blood of 
the Lord, 414, 73; explains how there is a figure 
and a truth in the sacrament, 424, 37; speaks of 
the receiving of the body and blood of Christ as 
causing us to be in Christ, and Christ in us, 464. 

Hist. 'Tripart., 411, 20, 2. 

Hoc facite, expounded, 241. 

Holy-day, to keep, what it is, 608. 

Holy Ghost, confession of sins to, 18; prayer to 
him, 76; prayer for his gifts, 80; his dignity 
and work, 141, 2; what it is to have him, 604 ; 
what the temple of is, 622. 

Homilies put forth and read in English, 231. 

Honorius III., decree of, 274, 359, 61. 

Hope, what it is, 602, 16. 

Horace, 261, 389, 619. 

Horne, bishop, dedication to, 194; account of him, 
ib., n. 

Hospitality of the inhabitants of Sandwich com- 
mended, 599, 600. 

Host, the, broken into three parts at the celebration 
of mass, and why, 267, 8, 78. 

Householders, prayer to be said by, 79. 

Housel, or hushel : the eucharist, 4. 

Houseling at Easter, 269. 

Humbertus says that, for a perfect remembrance of 
Christ, there must be distribution as well as bless- 
ing and breaking of the bread, 456. 

Humbling of oneself before God, an argument and 
token of salvation, 100, 15. 

Humility, prayer for, 82; what it is, 621. 











INDEX. 


Humours, the pestiferous of papists, to be purged 
out, 290, &c. 

Husbands, petition for, 37 ; prayer to be said by, 79. 

Hypocrites in time of persecution fall away, 203; 
what a hypocrite is, 610. 


Idle, no man ought to be in a christian common- 
weal, 505. 

Idleness, prayer against, 60,15 it is the occasion of 
much evil, 60; that of the popish spiritualty 
censured, 505; it was exiled from Sandwich, 
599. 

Idolatry, prayer against. 56; worshipping the host 
incurs the guilt of it, 274, 5, 8. 

Ignatius calls the Lord’s supper a medicine of im- 
mortality, 387; exhorts to come often to the 
eucharist, 473. 

Ignorance is the mother and nurse of hypocrisy, 
489. 

Illyricus Flac. See Catalogus Testium. 

Images are not tolerable in christian churches, 238 ; 
antichrist maintains the lawfulness of bowing to 
them, 521; of the Trinity, 1b., 522. 

Immortality of the soul, and blessed state of the 
godly departed, 18], &c. 

Impropriations of benefices, evils resulting from 
536, 7. 

Innocency, what it is, 606, 20. 

Innocent I., his decree for the authority of the church 
of Rome, 513, n. 

Innocent III., his decree for transubstantiation, 232, 
61, 74, 361, 73, 4,426; he commmands that meet 
men may be provided to minister according to 
the diversities of languages, 409 ; refers to Judas 
receiving the sacrament, 466. 

Intercession of saints, error of papists concerning, 
263; the doctrine of, a dream of the Romanists, 
291, 2. See Invocation. 

Interim, 260; explanation of it, éb., n. 

Invention, man’s, the evil of it contrasted with God’s 
word, 490—6. 

Invocation of saints, God’s word is opposed to, 43 ; 
it is wicked, 356; it is commanded by antichrist, 
522, 3. See Intercession. 

Irenzus calls the sacrament of the Lord’s supper the 
bread of thanksgiving, and a new oblation of the 
new testament, 388 ; recommends in case of doubt 
to have recourse to the ancient churches where the 
apostles lived, 398 ; says the bread of the eucha- 
rist consists of two things, earthly and heavenly, 
424; declares that of the eucharist the substance 
of our flesh is stayed and increased, ib. 

Isidore, 262; he speaks of the bread and wine as 
consecrate for a remembrance of the Lord’s pas- 
sion, 437. 


James, St, martyred, 8; argument of his epistle, 
and contents of each chapter, 590, 1. 

Jealousy, what it springs from, 612. 

Jerome says the righteous are not saved by their own 
merits, 170; speaks of Christ in the sacrament as 
representing the truth of his body and blood, 271; 
calls the sacrament of the Lord’s supper a chris- 
tian mystery, 389 ; says that what we affirm must 
be established with testimonies of the scripture, 


INDEX. 


391; declares that without authority of the scrip- 
tures prattling is not to be credited, ib. ; says that 
that which has not authority of the scriptures 
is despised with the same easiness with which it 
is proved, ib., 404; judges what councils may 
establish against the doctrine contained in the 
canonical letters a wicked error, 392, 8; quoted 
by Erasmus as mentioning the custom of loud 
responding in the congregation, 410; speaks of 
the priests dividing the blood of the Lord to the 
people, 413; says the Lord’s supper ought to be 
common to all, 414; speaks of Christ being 
wounded to heal our wounds, 419, 20; expounds 
Matt. xxvi. 11, of Christ’s corporal presence, 
428 ; speaks of Christ in the sacrament as repre- 
senting the truth of his body and blood, 436; 
says that of the host marvellously done in the re- 
membrance of Christ we may eat, but not of the 
body offered on the cross as it is, 439; calls it 
foolish to seek Christ in a little or hid place, id. ; 
speaks of eating Christ’s flesh and drinking his 
blood not only in a mystery, but also in the read- 
ing of the scriptures, ib., 440; says that the 
blood of Christ and his flesh are understood two 
ways, the spiritual, and that which was crucified, 
446; speaks of Christ sitting at the right hand of 
God, the same nature of his flesh remaining in 
which he suffered, 454, 5; testifies that what- 
ever remained after the communion was consumed 
in the church, 456; shews that while in this 
present world we may help one another, but not 
before the judging-place, 459; says lovers of 
pleasure eat not Christ’s flesh nor drink his blood, 
462; declares that heretics eat not the body and 
blood of the Lord, ib.; says that Christ’s flesh is 
the meat of faithful men, ib.; describes the strong 
in Christ as eating this bread, and virgins (i.e. 
holy) as drinking this wine, b., 463; was aware 
of the custom at Rome of the faithful always to 
receive the body of Christ, 474. 

Jerome, (in Henry VIII’s. reign,) burned, 11. 

Jerusalem, the taking of it, 8, 9; description of the 
new, 184. 

Jesus, what the name means, 136, 615. 

Jews, their punishment, 9; a Jew anda Christian, 
story of, 281, 2. 

Jezebel, comparison between her time and that of 
queen Mary, 238, &c. 

John, argument of the gospel of, and contents of 
each chapter, 575, 6; ditto of his epistles, 592, 
3; ditto of his Revelation, 593, 4. 

John, pope, his pretension that the emperor is his 
subject, 507. 

Johnson, P., dedication to, 487; account of his 
family, 2b., n. 

Joyful state of the faithful after death, places of 
scripture concerning it, 182, &c. 

Judas did not receive the sacrament, 381, &c. 

Jude, argument of the epistle of, 593. 

Judges, prayer for, 20. 

Julius I. forbids intinction, or indipping of the 
sacramental bread, 415. 

Julius II. caused 16,000 to be slain in one battle, 
510. 

Justice, original, what it is, 605. 

Justification is of the free grace of God, 170, &c. ; by 
faith is a scriptural doctrine, 291; whatitis, 616. 


637 


Justified, probations out of scripture that so many 
as are, are so, and saved solely by the mercy of 
God through faith, 329, &c. ; what it is to be, 
603. 

Justin Martyr calls the sacrament a thanksgiving of 
which it is lawful for only the faithful to he par- 
takers, 376, 87, 416, 74, 5; speaks of the people 
responding Amen to the prayers of the minister, 
407; describes the mode of administering the 
Lord’s supper, 416; speaks of an oblation of the 
Mosaic law being a figure of the bread of thanks- 
giving, which we do in the remembrance of Christ’s 
passion, 457. 

Justinian, his law commanding ministers to speak 
in a clear voice, 409. 

Justus Orgelitanus shews how Christ is not always 
to be seen in the body, 430. 

Juvenal, 509. 


Kempe, J., dedication to, 542; account of his fa- 
mily, ib., 2. 

King, prayer for the, 19, 20; prayer for his council, 
20: what he is, 615. 

Knowledge, prayer for, 80; ditto for a life agreeable 
to, 83; of one another after this life, proof that we 
shall have it, 152, &c.; the heathen doubted not 
thereof, 154. 


Labbe, 267, n. ; 275, n. ; 373, 7. ; 414, n. 3 415, n.; 
416, n.; 417, 2.3; 433, n.; 455, n. 

Labour, man is born to, 25. 

Labourers, prayer for, 25. 

Landlords, prayer for, 24. 

Lateran, council of, 274, 361, 73, n., 426. 

Latimer, bishop, 280, 7. 

Latin service, restoration of, under queen Mary, 
207; requests that it may be taken away, 247. 
Latter end, the remembrance of is a bit to bridle 
carnal affections, 90;—time, what is signified in 

scripture by, 613, 22, 4. 

Lavacre: laver, 612. 

Law, the, the doctrine of makes none perfect, 15; 
Satan lays it against the conscience, 161, 2; re- 
medies against the curse of it, 162, &c.; why it 
was given, 162; proofs that Christ has fulfilled it 
for his people, 162, &c.; Christians are freed from 
that of Moses, 339, &c.; of God, what it is, 602, 
14; its office, 602. 

Lawyers, prayer for, 25. 

Lay-people, profit of the scriptures being read by, 
542, &e. 

Legenda Aurea, 200, 34, 519, 35. 

Leo, bishop of Rome, was wont to communicate 
seven or eight times in one day, 381, 474; 
speaks of the shedding of Christ’s blood as suf- 
ficient to deliver all the prisoners in the world, 
422, 3; his decree for the authority of the Roman 
church, 511, 2. 

Liberty, christian, probations out of scripture that 
Christians have it from the law of Moses, 339, 
&c.; from the Mosaic ceremonies, 339, 40; from 
the choice of meats, 340, 1; from the choice or 
difference of days, 341; from the law, ib., 342; 
from the devil, 342; from death, ib. ; from sin, 
the wrath of God, &c., ib., 343; so that they 
have everlasting righteousness, 343, 4. 

Life, the uncertainty of, 89, 90, 2, 3, 118; men 


638 


presume upon it, 90; the miserable end of a 
wicked life, ib., 91; everlasting, what it is, 603 ; 
what the pleasure and ease of this is, 605. 

Light of the world, how ministers are to be, 293, &c. 

Litany in English, used under the reformation, 231. 

Liturgies referred to shew that those who did not 
communicate were obliged to go out from the 
celebration of the Lord’s supper, 482, 3. 

Living, prayer for a competent and necessary, 51, 
2, 83. 

Lombard, P., explains why Christ is received under 
two kinds, 414, 443, 2.5; says (quoting Ful- 
gentius) that the flesh of Christ is of the same 
nature whereof all men’s flesh is, 455; shews that 
that which is consecrated of the priest is called a 
sacrifice, because it is a remembrance and repre- 
sentation of the true sacrifice, 459. 

Lord, or master, who is, 610. 

Lord’s supper.—See Supper. 

Lordennes, or lourdanes: a term of reproach from 
lord Danes, 207. 

Lorichius, G., 359, m.; censures the abuses of the 
mass, 366; declares it a thing worthy to be 
laughed at when the priest reading his mass alone 
speaks as to a congregation, 379. 

Lout: bow, do reverence to, 529. 

Love, or charity, we are known to be God’s dis- 
ciples by, 46, 7; that of God in giving his Son, 64. 

Luke, argument of the gospel of, and contents of 
each chapter, 571, &c. 

Lyra, N. de, 459, x. 


Macedonius, a heretic, 401. 

Magistrates, prayer for, 20, 1; petition for, 36; 
prayer to be said by them, 76; how far the civil 
are to be obeyed, 285; what a magistrate is, 
610, 11. 

Maids, prayer to be said by, 78. 

Man, his sinfulness, 15, 137; probations out of 
scripture that every man is by nature a sinner and 
a child of wrath, 326, 7; for him to sleep what 
it is, 610; what his work is, 611; what work 
passes his power, 2b.; in what state God created 
him, 614. 

Manes, a heretic, 401. 

Manwood, Sir R., 601, x. 

Marcion, a heretic, 401. 

Marcionists, the papists plain, 273, 450. 

Mariners, prayer for, 33. 

Mark, argument of the gospel of, and contents of 
each chapter, 570, 1. 

Maronis, F. de, denies that the sacraments of their 
own virtue cause grace, 469. 

Marriage, God is the author of, 27; of old doting 
widows objectionable, 131; exhortation for a 
right choice init, 133; that of priests lawful, 235, 
&c.; antichrist cannot abide this, 198, 505, 23, 4, 
33 ; it must be with consent of parents, 199, 532; 
prohibited degrees of it, ib., 5335 certain times 
forbidden for it, 198, 9, 533; what it is, 611, 18. 

Married, the, prayer for, 27, 8. 

Mary, queen, question if God would change her 
heart or take her away, 214, 5. 

Mass, defended by the synagogue of Satan to be a 
sacrifice for sin, 196, 232; the sinfulness of 
masses, 207 ; why they serve, 229; the papists 
ascribe all fortunate events to the virtue of the 





INDEX. 


mass, 242; the abomination of it, 253; it has 
no preaching, 256; no goodness is learned at it, 
ib. ; it is the nurse of all vices, ib. ; no man is the 
better for hearing it, ib., 257 ; it is to be abhorred 
of all good men, 257; the parts of it, ib.; the 
people are mocked at it, 2b., 258; apparel worn at 
it, 259, 361; gestures used in it, 260, 5, 75, 6, 82, 
3, 361,2; what the papists do at it, 262, &c. ; it 
is a monster of lies, 263; by whom the different 
parts of it were introduced, ib., &c.; the idolatry 
of it, 264 ; the canon of it with the authors there- 
of, 266; the private is of the devil and not of God, 
280; comparison or difference between the Lord’s 
supper and it, 283, 4, 356, &c., 387, &c.; the 
virtues of it, 283,45 it serves for all purposes, 
284; exhortation to cease from it, ib., &c.; it is 
admired by the people, 354 ; the fruits of it, 366, 
89; it ought to be overthrown, and the true use of 
the Lord’s supper restored, 394, 5; no mention 
made of private before pope Gregory, 418; pro- 
bations out of the old fathers that it is no propiti- 
atory or expiatory sacrifice for the sins of the 
quick or dead, 456, &c.; it is set up by anti- 
christ, 523. 

Massmongers are double dissemblers, 257 ; compa- 
rison between them and Christ, 267; the fear- 
ful state the massmonger is in, 284; he never 
preaches, 356; he stands at an altar, id.; he in- 
vokes dead saints, ib.; depraves Christ’s words, 
357, 8; does nothing of that which Christ com- 
manded, 358; frequents houses filled with evil 
company, ib., 359 ; uses cakes and wine mingled 
with water, 359; lifts up the sacrament to be 
gazed at and worshipped, ib., &c. ; uses gorgeous 
furniture, 362; ministers in an unknown tongue, 
ib., 363 ; suffers not the people to take the bread 
into their hands, 363, 4; takes the cup away 
from the laity, 364; distributes to persons kneel- 
ing at an altar, ib.; gives nothing to those that 
stand by, 365, 7; masses not except well re- 
warded, 365, 6; declares that he offers a propiti- 
atory sacrifice, 366; goes away prepared for any 
evil, ib. ; declares that Christ’s death puts away 
only original sin, 368; heaps mass on mass, 7b., 
369; denies that the substance of bread and wine 
remains after consecration, 369, &c., 378, 9; 
makes the mass a salve for all diseases, 372; has 
innumerable kinds of masses, ib. ; boasts that he 
offers Christ for the sins of the quick and dead, 
ib., 377; celebrates mass put together by divers 
popes, 372; reserves the sacrament, 373, 4, 5; 
consecrates the bread and wine to saints departed, 
373; handles his mass so as to be an occasion of 
enmity, 374; inflames to earthly not heavenly 
things, ib.; delivers the sacrament privately, 2b. ; 
insists that the eating of the priest alone profits 
others, 375 ; so patches up his mass as to allure 
rather to antichrist than to Christ, 376; so that 
those who hear go away the more disposed to 
sin, 1b., 377; neither have weak consciences any 
consolation, 377, 8; he asserts that the unfaithful, 
and even animals may eat the body of Christ, 
378, 9; celebrates in a corner privately, 379 ; ap- 
plies the sacrament to the dead, ib. ; declares that 
the sacrament gives grace ex opere operato, 380; 
that Easter is the time to receive the Lord’s sup- 
per, moving the people to partake but once a 


INDEX. 


year, ib., 381; he puts back no man however 
wicked from his mass, 383, 4; comes to the altar 
with no previous examination of himself, 384 ; 
provokes God’s anger by his many profanations of 
the mysteries, ib., &c.; the character of mass- 
mongers, 389, 90. 

Masters, prayer for, 30 ; petition for, 37 ; prayer to 
be said by them, 78. 

Masty : full of mast, or eating mast, 383. 

Matrimony. See Marriage. 

Matthew, argument of the gospel of, and contents of 
each chapter, 567, &c. 

Mede, or meed : reward, 196. 

Melancthon, P., relates a vision he had read of, 390. 

Menander, 365. 

Menander, a heretic, 401. 

Mennes or Mennys, Sir M., account of his family, 
597, n. 

Merchants, prayer for, 25. 

Mercifulness, prayer for, 82. 

Merits, remedies against the want of, 169, &c.; 
there are none in man, 170, &c.; and works, what 
they are, 608. 

Micrologus declares it not a thing authentic that the 
bread should be dipped in the wine and so dis- 
tributed for a perfect communion, 415; describes 
how communicants alone were wont to be present 
at the divine mysteries, 481. 

Ministers, prayer to be said by, 77; of Norfolk 
and Suffolk, dedication to, 290; they are to be 
the salt of the earth, 290, &c.; and the light 
of the world, 293, &c. 

Missa, verses on, 352; sicca, 372; epitaph of, 395; 
why so called, 482. 

Missal, referred to, 279; shews that the papists 
have changed the words of consecration, 3857; 
quoted for the worship of the host, 359. 

Missal sacrifice, popish doctrine of the, 228, 9. 

Moazim, altars built to, 240. 

Moédwine, altars built to, 240 ; account of her, id. n. 

Montanus, a heretic, 401. 

Months’ minds, and years’ minds, explained, 126,n. 

Monstrous Merchandise of the Romish Bishops re- 
ferred to, 198, n. 

Moore, T., dedication to, 563; account of a family 
to which he may have belonged, ib.,x.; his 
diligence, 566. 

Morning, the, prayer for, 14, 75. 

Morrow-priest : one who said morrow-mass, 530. 

Mosheim, 401, x. 

Mourning gowns, commonly used at funerals, 120 ; 
not meet to be worn for those faithful who have 
entered the kingdom of God, id., &c. 

Musculus, W., 375. 


Name, prayer for a good, 83; of the Lord, what 
is meant by it, 622. 

Nares, 260, 2.3; 276, n.; 282,n.; 284,7.; 535, 7. 

Natalibus, P. de, 103, ”.; says the body of Christ 
contained corporally in heaven is contained sa- 
cramentally in the host, 449. 

Neighbour, who is our, 610, 6. 

New man, what it is, 606, 22. 

Nice, council of, 267, 417, 33. 

Nicholas, pope, 232, 61, 74, 360; reproved Sige- 
dodus for assumption of judicial power, 510, n. : 
his decree in regard to the decretals, 513, n. 


639 


Novatus, a heretic, 401, 12. 


Obedience, what it is, 621. 

Object: obstacle, 380. 

Offendicle : a stumbling-block, 610. 

Oil, the anointing of the sick with, 374. 

Old man, what it is, 607, 21, 2. 

Opera supererogationis, 200, 527. 

Opere operato, ex, the massmonger maintains that 
he offers a sacrifice which is thus available to put 
away sin, 358, 80. 

Optatus calls the sacrament of the Lord's supper a 
pledge of everlasting salvation and hope of the 
resurrection, 387, 8. 

Order, what it is, 618. 

Ordo Romanus, 482. 

Origen, in his time the bread that remained of the 
sacrament was burned, 373; calls the Lord’s 
supper the bread of life, and banquet of sal- 
vation, 387; says that without the witness of 
scripture our expositions are not to be believed, 
390, 1; speaks of the bread in the sacrament re- 
maining as material substance, 423; proves that 
Christ as to his divinity is present every where, as 
to his humanity gone from us into heaven, 427 ; 
declares that the words of eating Christ’s flesh 
and drinking his blood must be understood 
spiritually, 430 ; cautions against abiding in the 
blood of the flesh, 439 ; says that the bread which 
God the Word confesses to be his body is the 
nourishing word of the souls, ib.; asserts that 
the Lord did not command the bread he gave 
to be reserved till the morrow, 455, 6; says it 
cannot be that he that continues evil may eat the 
Word made flesh, 462; asserts that, if any man 
touches the flesh of Christ’s sacrifice, he is made 
holy straightways, ib.; shews that the grace of 
the Holy Ghost does not always accompany bap- 
tism, 467, 8; warns against entering to the holy 
supper with filthy garments, 475. 

Original sin, what it is, 605 ; justice, what, id. 

Orleans, council of, 374. 

Otho, emperor, his oath to the pope, 512, 3, x. 

Overly : superficially, cursorily, 374. 


Palat. Bapt. testifies that the Illyrians and Slavo- 
nians use their common tongue in divine service, 
410. 

Panormitan (N. de Tudesch.) prefers a layman 
alleging scripture to a council or pope, 392. 

Papists, their stubborn opposition to God’s word, 
5, 6; they maintain that men must doubt of their 
salvation, 174, &c.; their manner of alleging the 
scripture, 175; their doctrine, 207, 34; warned 
that the gospel of Christ would rise again, 216 ; 
their cruelty in defending their kingdom, 230, 
511, 2, 27, 8; their tyranny in divorcing priests 
and their wives, 235; their ambition and security, 
239; they offer in their masses a strange sacri- 
fice, 240; their god, 240, 61, 2; they extol for 
their bellies’ sake their idol of bread, 240, 1; 
they ascribe all things to the virtue of the mass, 
242; their obedience in wicked matters, 243; 
none suffered to preach but they, il. ; what they do 
at mass, 262, &c.; their errors, 263; they can- 
not agree in what they assert, ib.; they are cor- 
rupters of Christ’s testament, 269, 70; they are 


640 INDEX. 


Marcionists, 273; their doctrine concerning the 
presence of Christ in the sacrament is new, 274; 
they do not tarry in the eucharist for the people, 
280 ; they are grievous enemies to Christians, 401 ; 
they have corrupted God’s word and brought in 
heresy about the sacrament, 402, 5; their inter- 
mixture of false doctrine with true, 502; they 
cannot abide reformation, 516; their long prayers, 
534. 

Pardon-bowl, 198, x. 

Parishioners, petition for, 37. 

Parkhurst, bishop, 294, x. 

Parsone, A., burned, 11. 

Paschal, pope, his decree for the authority of the see 
of Rome, 526, n. 

Paschal lamb, why the Jews stood at the eating of 
it, 260. 

Paschasius, (wrongly cited) affirms that Christ did 
not give his bedy to be reserved, 456; says that 
Christ mystically is offered for us daily, 458. 

Patience, prayer for, 81,2; what it is, 621. 

Paul, argument of the epistles of, and contents of 
each chapter, 580, &c. 

Paulus Samos., a heretic, 401. 

Peace and quietness of realms, prayer for, 42, 3. 

Perbreaketh, or parbreaketh: breaketh forth, eject- 
eth, 384. 

Persecution of Christians by the world, 194, 5; it 
is a sign of antichrist’s church, 202 ; in England 
for God’s word, 203, 4. 

Peter, argument of the epistles of, and contents of 
each chapter, 591, 2. 

Petronilla, 257, 65. 

Philemon, argument of the epistle to, 589. 

Philippians, argument of the epistle to the, and con- 
tents of each chapter, 585. 

Photinus, a heretic, 401. 

Pie: the popish ordeal, 535. 

Pius, pope, in a decree prescribes what must be done 
if in the eucharist any of the blood drop upon the 
ground, 437. 

Platina, 282, 474. 

Pluralities of benefices, antichrist dispenses with, 
534, 5. 

Pena, what it signifies, 605. 

Polydore Verg. gives an account of the origin of 
vestments used in the mass, 262. 

Pomander : a ball made up of several sorts of per- 
fumes, 75. 

Poor people, prayer for, 26; provision made for 
them at Sandwich, 599; who is so, 607. 

Pope, the, his pedlary, 4; those by whom the parts 
and ceremonies of the mass were introduced, 262, 
&c.; he is a false apostle and deceitful worker, 
487, 8; his usurped power, 488; money can do 
all things with him, éd.; what his triple crown 
signifies, 507; he is no preaching prelate, 508 ; 
he pretends that he is to be judged by no one, 
though he carries thousands with him to hell, 
527, 8. 

Popery, intercession for the removal of, 247, &c. 

Popish spiritualty, idleness of the, 505. 

Portured : portrayed, 518. 

Poverty is God’s gift, 26. 

Prayer is necessary for Christians, 12 ; it adorns the 
state of a commonwealth, ib.; for the morning, 
14, 75 ; for the night, ib. ; before dinner, 18, 9 ; 


before supper, 19; for the king, ib., 20; the 
council, 20; judges, id.; magistrates, ib., 21; 
bishops and ministers, 21, &c.; gentlemen, 24; 
landlords, ib.; merchants, 25; lawyers, ib.; la- 
bourers and men of occupation, ib. ; rich men, b., 
26 ; commons, 26; the unmarried, 27; the mar- 
ried, ib., 28; women with child, 28; parents, 
29 ; children, id., 30'; masters, 30; servants, ib., 
31; sick persons, 31, 2; soldiers, 33; mariners, 
ib., 34; travellers by land, 34; a faithful man 
being in trouble, i)., 35; that all may walk in 
their vocation and calling, 36, &c.; for enemies, 
38; adversaries of God’s truth, ib., &c.; for 
agreement in matters of christian religion, 40, &c. ; 
peace and quietness of realms, 42, 3 ; preservation 
from plague and other diseases, 43, 4; to preserve 
the fruits of the earth, 44, 5; for the fear of God 
before our eyes in all our doings, 45 ; for faith, ib., 
46, 81; charity, 46, 7, 81; a godly life, 47, 8; 
against the temptations of the devil, the world, 
and the flesh, 48, &c., 84; for the remission of 
sins, 50, 1, 75; for competent and necessary liv- 
ing, 51, 2, 83; before sermon, 52, 3; before re- 
ceiving the communion, 53, &c.; at receiving the 
mystery of Christ’s body, 56; of his blood ib. ; 
against idolatry, ib. ; swearing, 57 ; pride, ib., 58 ; 
whoredom, 58; covetousness, 59, 60; gluttony 
and drunkenness, 60; idleness, 2b., 61; slander- 
ing and backbiting, 61, 2; generally for avoiding 
of all sin, 62, 3; for such as lie at the point of 
death, 68, 9, 186; to God the Father, 75, 6; the 
Son, 76; the Holy Ghost, ib.; to be said by ma- 
gistrates, 2b. ; ministers, 77 ; subjects or commons, 
ib; parents, 7b. ; children, 2b.; masters, ib.; ser- 
vants, 78; maids, id.; single men, ib., 79; 
husbands, 79; wives, 2b.; householders, ib. ; all 
Christians, ib., 80; for the grace and favour of 
God, 80; for the gift of the Holy Ghost, ib. ; 
knowledge of ourselves, ib.; a pure and clean 
heart, 81; a quiet conscience, ib.; patience, ib., 
682; humility, 62; mercifulness, i).; true god- 
liness, ib. ; understanding of God’s word, ib., 83; 
a life agreeable to our knowledge, 83; health of 
the body, ib.; a good name, ib.; a patient and 
thankful heart in sickness, ib., 84; help of God’s 
holy angels, ib. ; the glory of heaven, ib., 85; of 
the sick man, 100, 14, 5, 6, 30, 55, 8, 9, 64, 78, 
9, 85, 7, 8; for the sick man, 146, 55, 8, 79; our 
will ought to be submitted to God’s will in it 
for temporal things, 114; it is a means to resist 
the devil, 157 ; certifies the conscience of being in 
the number of the elect, 174; is a remedy against 
God’s wrath, 211, 2; examples of deliverance 
thereby, 212; continuance in it, ib., 213; com- 
mon ought to be in a tongue understood by the 
people, 230, 1 ; probations out of the old fathers 
of this, 407, &c. ; what it is, 607, 8, 21. 


Preacher, one faithful is better than ten thousand 


massmongers, 160; the popish are wolvish shep- 
herds, 236; those under the reformation were re- 
verenced, 238 ; afterwards (in queen Mary’s days) 
they were thrust out of their livings and compelled 
to flee, 239; were miserably handled for speaking 
truth, 240, 4; were accused to be authors of 
sedition, 240; those that flatter alone suffered to 
preach, 243; the property of those of God, ib., 
244; prayer for the restoration of them, 247; 


INDEX. 


the scriptures admonish us to beware of false ones, 
501; their craft and subtilty, ib., 502; their in- 
termixture of false doctrine with true, 502 ; certain 
godly ones were preserved in persecution, 563, 
&c.; God has special care over them, 564; a 
faithful one is a great jewel to a christian com- 
monwealth, 598. 

Preaching, the true of God's word banished in 
England, 240. 

Predestinate, the, petition to be of the number of, 
84; fear expressed in regard to being in this 
number, 172. 

Predestination, what it is, 608, 16. 

Pride, prayer against, 57, 8; the folly of it, id. 

Priests, in the old law were married, 235; they 
were the chief in the country in queen Mary’s 
days, 238; comparison of old idolatrous ones and 
ours, 261; how they spend the day after saying 
mass, 282 ; priest and prophet, what, 615. 

Primer, king Edward’s, 20, n. 

Prisoners, abp. Cranmer and others were for con- 
fessing God’s truth, 244; intercession for them, 
248. 

Profanation of the Lord’s supper, 231, 2, 385. 

Prophecy of St Paul (1 Tim. iv.) fulfilled, 236. 

Prosper, 413, 9, n.; 422, n.; 433, 4, n.; 437, 58, 
63, n.; 464. See Augustine. 

Proverbial allusions, 269, n. 

Psalm ciii., metrical translation of, 221; ditto of 
cxii., 222. 

Purgatory, there is none but the blood of Christ, 
126; itis a place of the papists’ devising, 129, 
523. 

Purgatory-rakers censured, 119. 

Purre, or pur: a word of invitation to hogs, 280. 


Quod : the past tense of quoth, 121. 


Rabanus Maurus referred to for an account of articles 
of dress worn by Romish priests, 259, x. ; shews 
why bread is called the body of Christ, and the 
wine referred to his blood, 425, 37; says that 
the thing itself of the sacrament is to every man 
life, the sacrament being one thing and the virtue 
of it another, 464, 5 ; proves that, though all men 
receive, one eats spiritually Christ’s flesh, another 
does not, 465, 6; says that the things which are 
consecrate to the Lord are the food only of them 
which are in the Lord, 466; declares that by the 
sacrament of his body and bloed Christ is proved 
to dwell in us, ib.; says that, though God gives 
the sacrament of grace by evil men, the very grace 
he gives not but by himself alone, 469. 

Rache, or rachett: a dog that pursues by the scent, 
509. 

Raynaud, The., 415, 2. 

Reformation, the papists connot abide, 516. 

Religion, the cause of taking away the true, 208; 
how it may be recovered, ib. 

Religious orders and their founders, 40, 1. 

Reliques of Rome referred to, 41,7. ; 257, 7. 

Reliques, antichrist digs out and honours, 521. 

Renaudot, 482, n. 

Repentance, where it and faith are, there is God’s 
mercy, 108, &c.; recommended as acceptable to 
God, 164; remedies against late, 167, &c. ; it is 
a testimony of salvation, 172; a remedy to put 


- [BEcon, 01.] 





641 
away sin, 209; examples of it, ib.; it and faith 
must go together, ib.; what it is,613, 8; signs 
of it, 613. 

Resurrection of the body, an article of faith, 144, 
5; the certainty and proofs of it, 180, 1. 

Revelation, argument of the book of, and contents 
of each chapter, 593, 4. 

Rhodes, subjugated to the Turks, 10. 

Rich men, prayer for, 25, 6 ; who is so, 607. 

Riches are God’s gift, 25; the true use of them, 
116, 7. 

Riding-fools, allusion explained, 264, n. 

Righteous, who is, 603. 

Righteousness of Christ, its virtue, 15. 

Roch, we are forbidden by God’s word to trust in, 
43. 

Romans, argument of the epistle to, and contents 
of each chapter, 580, 1. 

Romish hypocrites the pestilences, of the christian 
commonwealth, 226. 

Rouen, council of, 412. 


Sabellicus, or Sabellius, a heretic, 401. 

Sacrament, (of baptism) ceremonies added to it by 
the papists, 231; (of the Lord’s supper) the 
faithful ought to receive together, and not the 
priest alone, 229, 30, 80; and under both 
kinds, 230, 75; profanation of it by the pa- 
pists, 231, 2, 385; comparison between Christ 
and the papists in the ministration of it, 
232; petition that the true ministration thereof 
might be restored, 247; ministered without 
preaching it profits little, 255; objections of 
papists concerning Christ’s corporal presence in 
it, 271, &c.; decrees for its being received in 
both kinds, 275; the Greeks and Bohemians so 
Teceive it, ib.; probations out of the old fathers 
that it should be ministered under both kinds, 
412, &c. ; ditto, that the sacraments of the new 
law do not confer grace, but set forth the things 
which God gives to the faithful, 466, &c.; anti- 
christ has added five more to the two instituted 
by Christ, 524, 618; what they are, 612, 6; 
how many parts they consist of, 616; how many 
there are, ib. See Baptism and Supper. 

Sacramental bread, worshipping of, was unknown 
in the old church of Christ, 360; probations out 
of the old fathers that it ought to be delivered to 
the laity into their hands, 411, 2; ditto, that it 
Was not reserved in boxes among the ancient 
Christians, 455, 6. 

Sacrifice, what the christian is, viz. sighs, tears, 
&c., 2463 it is to be offered to God only, 265; 
the death of Christ is the alone sacrifice for sin, 
ib. ; the papists have made a new one, ib. 

Sacring, the worst part of the mass, 270; the 
second, or God’s hopping about the chalice, 277. 

Sacry, ringing to, 266. 

Saints, the invocation of is wicked, 263, 8, 356. 

Sallust, 598. 

Salt, of the earth, ministers are to be, 290, &c. ; 
the nature of it, b., 292. 

Salvation, what it is, 616. 

Sandwich, dedication to the mayor, &c. of, 597; 
commendation of the people of, ib., &c.; the 
school of, 601. 

Sarcerius, E., 381, 418, 74. 

4] 


642 


Satan labours to banish peace and introduce dis- 
cord, 33; his power and malice, 48, 9 ; remedies 
against his temptations, 156; how to resist him 
with faith, prayer, and the word of God, ib., 
157; he changes himself into an angel of light, 
405. 

Saturninus, a heretic, 401. 

Scriptures, the true use of reading, 107; they are 
wiped out of the temples by the papists, 233 ; pro- 
bations out of scripture that there is therein a 
doctrine sound and in all parts perfect, 319, &c. ; 
the profit of their being read by the lay-people, 
542, &c. 

Sect of antichrist, the most pernicious, 503. 

Sectaries, anabaptists, &c., their licentiousness cen- 
sured, 6; ministers must warn against them, 
293; their prevalence, 401. 

Sermon, prayer before, 52,3; thanksgiving after, 
53. 

Servants, prayer for, 30, 1; petition for, 37 ; prayer 
to be said by, 78; exhortation of the sick man to 
his, 134,6; the duty of a good one, ib.; who is 
one, 610; a true and faithful, what, ib. ; a sloth- 
ful, what, 2d. 

Severus, a heretic, 401. 

Shepherd, a true one described, 21, 3. 

Ship, a vessel or small dish, so called from its re- 
semblance to a boat or little ship (navicula), 362. 

Sick, prayer for the, 31, 2. 

Sick man, complaint of, 94; exhortation to him, 130, 
&c.; his determination to make his will, 116, 
&c.; his confession of his faith, 135, &c.; his 
farewell to wife, children, and servants, 145, 6; 
exhortation to him, to die willingly, 147, &c.; his 
confession of his sins, 165; his good-will to die, 
178, 85; exhortation to him when at the point of 
death, 188, 9; his death, 190; commendation of 
him when departed, 190. 

Sick Man’s Salve, popularity of the, 92, n. 

Sickness, and adversity, why sent, 31, 2; prayer for 
a patient and thankful heart in it, 83, 4. 

Sigismund speaks of the Muscovites using their 
common tongue in divine service, 411. 

Sins, confession of to God the Father, 15,6; to 
Jesus Christ, 16, &c.; to the Holy Ghost, 18, 
9; sin caused the pains of child-birth, 26 ; prayer 
for remission of, 50, 1,75; general prayer for the 
avoiding of all kinds of it, 62, 3; sins cannot be 
forgiven after this life, 126, &c.; they are for- 
given by God alone, 144; remedies against sin, 
164, &c.; confession thereof to God recommend- 
ed, 164; made by the sick man, 165; it is a 
heavy burden, 166; Christ’s readiness to forgive 
it, ib., &c. ; what it is, 602, 5, 14; what original 
is, 605 ; how God punishes it, 1b., 606; in this 
world not in purgatory, 606; against the Father 
and the Son, what it is, 611; against the Holy 
Ghost, what, ib.; it condemned man, 614; how 
we chanced to commit it, ib. 

Sinfulness of man, 15, 61, 2, 100, 1; acknowledg- 
ment thereof by holy men of old, 101. 

Single men, prayer to be said by, 78, 9. 

Slandering and backbiting, prayer against, 61, 2; 
what slander is, 610. 

Socrates, 154. 

Soldiers, prayer for, 33. 

Somerset, duchess of, dedication to, 3; account of 


INDEX. 


her, #b., n.; prayer and thanksgiving used for the 
duke of, 34, n.; his execution, 205. 

Son, the sick man’s exhortation to his, 132, 3. 

Souls departed, the praying for at the mass, 276; 
a practice not taught by the scriptures, ib.; why 
the papists cherish it, 277. 

Sozomen, 280, x. 

Speech, gift of, its abuse, 61. 

Spirit, what it is, 606. 

Spiritual and most precious Pearl, referred to, 34, 7. 

Stella, 361, 7.; 365, 7. 

Stephen, pope, his decree for the authority of the 
Roman church, 511. 

Strange tongue, the massmonger ministers in a, 362, 
35; probations out of the old fathers that public 
prayers ought not to be init, 407, &c. 

Strength against the devil, the world, and the flesh, 
prayer for, 84. 

Strype, 199, .; 205, n. 

Stupre: rape, 611. 

Subjects, petition for, 36; prayer to be said by 
them, 277. 

Suffolk, death of the dukes of, 205. 

Supererogationis opera, 200, 527. 

Superstitions prevalent in popish times, 66; at 
burials, 124. 

Supper, prayer before, 19; thanksgiving after, ib. 

Supper, the Lord’s, the coming to without faith 
profits nothing, 55; why the bread and wine in 
it are called Christ’s body and blood, 67; the 
coming with faith to it is an argument of God’s 
choice of us to be his, 173; it is a memorial 
of Christ’s death, 230; what Christ did when 
he ordained it, 254, &c.; he preached before it, 
254; what things ought to be preached at the 
ministration of it, 256; what goodness followed 
the ministration of it in king Edward’s days, ib. ; 
Christ ministered it ata table, and why, 258; it 
ought to be ministered at a table, 259; Christ sat 
at it, and why, 260; why it was instituted, 269 ; 
it is a sacrament of love and concord, 2813 com- 
parison or difference between it and the mass, 
283, 4, 387, &c.; it belongs to the dead no more 
than baptism, 379; the profanation of it by the 
massmongers, 385,6; the abuses and errors intro- 
duced into it should be removed, 386; names 
given to it by the ancient fathers, 367, &c. ; pro- 
bations out of the old fathers that it is a public 
banquet, 415, &c.; ditto, that none should be 
present at it but communicants only, 481, &c. ; 
what it is, 612, 3, 7. 

Swearing, prayer against, 57. 

Synaxis, a name given to the Lord’s supper by the 
old fathers, 418. 


Table of Flower of godly Prayers, 71; ditto, of Po- 
mander of Prayer, 86; Christ, the apostles, and 
primitive church used one at the communion, 229 ; 
the Lord’s was cast out of the temples by the 
papists, 240; probations out of the old fathers 
that we ought oftentimes to come to it, 470, &c. ; 
ditto, that wicked and notorious offenders ought 
to be put away from it, 474, &c. 

Tatianus, a heretic, 401. 

Telesphorus, his decree about fasting, 511. 

Temple of God, what it is, 608. 

Temporal punishment, why sent by God, 34. 


INDEX. 


Temptations of the devil, the world, and the flesh, 
prayer against, 48, &c., 84; what temptation is, 
608. 

Terence, 243, 374, 598, 9. 

Tertullian says, Christ called the sacramental bread 
his body, meaning a figure of his body, 271, 
369, 435; calls the sacrament of the Lord’s 
supper the Lord’s banquet, 388 ; says that what- 
ever savoureth against the truth is heresy, even 
though it be old custom, 391, 8; warns against 
following our own fantasies instead of the doc- 
trine of Christ, 391, 403; speaks of bread as 
representing Christ’s body, 435. 

Testament, new, list of the books of, 562. 

Thanksgiving, after dinner, 19; after supper, id. ; 
for the deliverance of a woman with child, 28, 9; 
of a faithful man being in trouble, 35, 6; after 
sermon, 533 after receiving the communion, 55 ; 
for bringing out of the darkness of men’s tra- 
ditions, 65, &c.; for all God’s benefits, 68, 85 ; 
for the departure of the faithful out of this world, 
69, 70, 190, 1; what it is, 604, 20. 

Theodoret condemns the words that are not under- 
stood, 363; explains, on 1 Cor. xi. 26, the words 
‘< till he come,” 370; calls the sacrament of the 
Lord’s supper a healthful sacrament, 388 ; speaks 
of having communion with the Lord in the sa- 
crament, 395, 7. ; says that Christ honoured the 
symbols, or mysteries that are seen, with the 
names of his body and blood, not changing the 
nature, but adding grace to the nature, 424, 39, 
44; declares that the mystical signs after the 
consecration depart not from their nature, 424; 
speaks of the divine mysteries representing that 
which is a body indeed, 439; says that Christ 
called the bread his body and the mingled cup 
his blood, ib.; declares that the Lord’s body, 
though free from suffering when it rose, has the 
same circumscription it had before, 454; proves 
that Christ’s body must be a nature of a certain 
bigness, ib. ; says that we offer not another sacri- 
fice, but celebrate a memory of the one healthful 
sacrifice, 457, 8; referred to for history of Am- 
brose’s reply to Theodosius, 478, &c. 

Theodosius repelled by Ambrose, 478, &c. 

Theophilus (Alex.) speaks of the Lord’s bread as 
that wherein the body of our Saviour is repre- 
sented, 444. 

Theophylact says that the virtue of our neighbour 
cannot be sufficient for us, for each must be 
justified by his own works, 128; declares that 
some thought Judas was not present at the sa- 
crament, 382; calls the sacrament of the Lord’s 
supper the blessed bread, 388; declares that 
heresies are brought in by those who bring in 
any thing besides the doctrine of the apostles, 
391; explains why Christ is called the Lamb of 
God which taketh away the sins of the world, 
421; says we have one offering, not many, 423; 
shews that Christ’s words must be understood 
spiritually, for we are no devourers of flesh, 444 ; 
says that Christ was offered but once, and we 
make a memory of his oblation, 458; declares 
that the virtue of our neighbour cannot be suffi- 
cient for us, for each must be justified by his 
own works, 460; asserts that there (in another 
world) it will be no time to work, nor honest to 





643 


beg, ib.; admonishes to frequent communion, 
474. 

Thessalonians, argument of the epistles to the, and 
contents of each chapter, 586, 7. 

Thomas. See Aquinas, 232. 

Thracians, their custom at birth and death, 123. 

Timelings: timeservers, 235. 

Timothy, argument of the epistles to, and contents 
of each chapter, 587, 8. 

Titus, argument of the epistle to, and contents of 
each chapter, 589. 

Toledo, council of, 414. 

Toll or tribute, antichrist exempts his from, 514. 

Toshes: tusks, 237. 

Tours, council of, 373. 

Traditions, thanksgiving to God for bringing us out 
of the darkness of men’s, 65, &c. ; probations out 
of scripture that those which fight with the word 
of God ought to be banished out of the con- 
gregation of true Christians, 324, &c.; what they 
are, 603. 

Transubstantiation condemned, 369, 70; a plain 
speech against it, 425; the papists called to be 
ashamed of it, 426; rejected by the Greeks, ib. 
618; utterly unknown to the ancients, 426, 7; it 
was introduced by antichrist, 524. 

Travellers by land, prayer for, 34. 

Tripart. Hist., 411, 20, 2. 

Trittenheim, Joh. a, or Trithemius, his commenda- 
tion of Bertram, 449. 

Truth, suppressed by the multitude in queen Mary’s 
days, 243; prisoners for confessing that of God, 
244; what it is, 604, 20. 

Turkey, history of an emperor of, 278. 

Tyndale, W., burned, 11. 

Tyrants cannot kill whom it pleases them, 564; what 
one is, 610. 


Ubiquity of Christ’s body, the popish doctrine of, 
heretical and consenting to Marcion, 450; intro- 
duced by antichrist, 524. 

Ugsome : frightful, 179. 

Unction, extreme, what it is, 619. 

Ungodly, who is, 602. 

Unhappy, who is, 607. 

Union, prayer for, 40, &c.; it is almost banished, 
49, 1. 

Union : unity, oneness, wherein there is but a single 
person, 279. 

Unmarried, prayer for, 27. 

Unrighteous, who is, 603. 

Urban, pope, 232, 74, 361; his decree that the 
Roman pontiif has power to make new laws, 527. 


| Vadeth: departeth, 609. 


Valentinus, a heretic, 401. 

Vannius declares that the sacrament received by the 
massmonger cannot profit him that is present, but 
does not receive, 375. 

Verities unwritten, maintained by antichrist, 520. 

Verses, old, 128. 

Vestments, origin of the priest’s massing, 262, 3. 

Vigilius says that the Son of God touching his 
humanity is gone, but touching his divinity he is 
with us, 273, 429; declares that Christ by his 
divine nature is every where, and by his human 
nature is contained in a place, 273, 429, 30, 53. 


644 


Virgin, what, 612. 

Virtue, what it is, 612. 

Visit, what it is to, 609. 

Vitas Patrum, 234, 474. 

Vocation, and calling, prayer that all may abide in 
their, 36, &c.; what it is, 608, 16. 


Watchfulness enforced, 89. 

Whoredom, prayer against, 58. 

Wife, the sick man’s exhortation to his, 130, 1; 
farewell to her, 145, 6. 

Will, the determination of the sick man to make his, 
116; his provisions as to his body, 117 ; his soul, 
ib.; for his wife, ib. ; his son, 118; his daughters, 
ib. ; his servants, 2b.; his debtors, ib. ; scholars of 
Cambridge and Oxford, ib., 119; the poor, 119; 
the highways, ib. ; sermons, ib. 120; mourning 
gowns, 120, 4; he appoints in it his wife execu- 
trix, 124; to be buried simply in the church- 
yard, #b., 125; rejects months’ minds and years’ 
minds, 126. 

Wimundus Aversanus, 390, n. 

Winchester goose: swelling produced by a disease, 
284. 

Wine, by whom it was first mingled with water in 
the eucharist, 262. 

Wise, who are, 607. 


INDEX. 


Wives, petition for, 37; prayer to be said by them, 
79. 

Wolf, description of a head, 237. 

Woman, with child, prayer for, 28; thanksgiving 
for the deliverance of, 2b., 29; the rule of one a 
token of God’s anger to England, 227, 8. 

Word, prayer for the true understanding of God’s, 
82,3; it is a means to resist the devil, 158; a 
mind to hear it is a token of predestination to 
salvation, 174; plagues following the contempt of 
it, 206, 7; the efficacy of it, 296; the fruits of it, 
489 ; its excellence as contrasted with man’s in- 
vention, 490, &c.; every faithful man must be 
jealous for it, 496, 7; the preaching of it with the 
due administration of the sacraments restored 
under queen Elizabeth, 565 ; it is a great bless- 
ing to a nation, 598; it is the doctrine of faith, 
603; what it is, ib., 614; the names of it, 603; 
what it is to shew it, 608. 

World, the, whence the blindness of it comes, 488 ; 
what it is, 603 ; what the end of it is, 613; how 
far the end is off, 624. 

Wyclitte, his books burned, 11. 


Younger men, petition for, 38. 


Zeal, what it signifies, 612. 











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