¶ A notable Sermon concerning the right use of the lords supper and other things very profitable for all men to know preached before the Kings most excellent majesty and his most honourable counsel in his court at Westmynster the 14. day of March, by Master john ponet Doctor of dyvinity. 1550. Matth. 11. Come unto me all ye that labour and are laden, and I will refresh you. They be to be sold in Paul's churcheyard, next the great School, at the sign of the spread Egle. ¶ A notable Sermon, concerning the right use of the lords supper, and other things very profitable for all men to know: Preached before the kings most excellent May-stye, and his most honourable counsel in his court at Westmynster the xiiij day of March, by Master john Ponet, Doctor of Divynytye. 1550. Math. xiii. Alia quidem cecideruntiuxta viam. Some fell by the ways side. IN my last sermon (most noble audience) entering this piece of the parable whereas our Saviour Christ saith the sum of the seed fell by the ways side: Matthe xiii. a. Marce. iij. a. Luke. viii. a. I promised the declaration of four things. First what was meant by this word way. secondarily what it was that hath so hardened, that thing which is figured by this word way. Thirdly what seed it is that hath been lost in this way. And four what birds they be and what men they be that hath devowerid, & trodden the same seed. Of the two first points I said somewhat my mind the last time when I was in this place. And I am come at this present to perform my promise touching the two latter points. Whereof the first is, touching what seed it is that hath been lost in this way. For declaration whereof ye shall understand that it is the doctrine of the heavenly banquet where with our heavenly father feedeth all his elect and chosen people with the very body and blood of his son our saviour jesus Christ, which doctrine is so necessary, that without the comfort thereof it is impossible, that any man should be saved. It is not enough for a man to have a knowledge of this doctrine: but also so many as shallbe saved, must have a practise and a lively feeling of it in his heart, and a pleasant taste of the sweetness of this heavenly comfort. The scripture saith not that he which knoweth the doctrine of eating of Christ's flesh and drinking of his blood shallbe saved, but it saith. Nisi ederitis et biberitis. joh. vi. (that is) unless ye have the act of eating of Christ's flesh & of drinking his blood. Non habetis vitam in vobis. Ye have no life in you, So that here is not only a knowledge & an understanding, but also an act & a work required at every man's hand. Forasmuch therefore as it standeth upon every man's salvation & damnation everlastingly to have or lack the inward feeling of this comfort, it is very expedient & necessary that all such as be called to this office of preaching gods most holy word should instruct & lead every man into the true knowledge thereof especially for that it is a doctrine which hath not been received, but been a lost & cast away seed upon the most sorts of people thus many years. Therefore for declaration of this doctrine of the heavenly banquet, ye shall understand that it is our heavenly father which make the this heavenly banquet as it appeareth by the parable in the 22. of Mat. and the 14. of Luc. Matthe xxij. a. Luke. xiv. b. Apoca. nineteen. b. And so so desirous he is to have all men come and feed upon this banquet, that after his preparation of all things in a readiness, he sendeth fourth his servants to bid not some men only, but all men to come to his feast. And even as there is no liberal hearted gentleman that maketh a feast but he is desirous the his gests should have a lusting greedy & hungry stomach Even so our heavenly father is desirous, that all men which are bidden to this feast should have hungringe & thurstinge stomachs. Nota. But here ye must note that as this banquet whereunto our heavenly father biddeth us, is a banquet for our soul & not for our body, even so must this hungering & thirsting, be hunger and thirst of the soul and not of the body: Wherefore it is convenient that first and foremost I declare unto you, how the soul of man is made hungry & thirsty, & also when it is hungry & thirsty. Which lesson shall give a great light to all the rest of our purpose. For declaration whereof ye shall understand that the soul of man is made hungry and thirsty by the means and working of the law, and that after this sort as I shall declare unto you. The law worketh four Ro. iij. b seven. things for and in the soul of man, first and foremost the Gal. iij. Heb. seven. law maketh the soul of man know and see her offences and sins committed and done against the majesty of almighty god. And it showeth them as lively to the eye i Co. xiii. jac. i c. of the soul, as a glass showeth the spotes and marks of man's face unto his bodily eye. And if the law did not show to our souls, our sins after this sort, we should not know that we be sinners (as Saint Paul witnesseth to the romans. Peccatum non cognovissem nisi per legem, I had not known sin but Ro seven. b by the law. Therefore is this one office and work of the law to make man's soul know here offences. The second thing that the law worketh for the soul of man is, that it showeth unto man god's displeasure & god's punishment for sin, & everlasting death & hell fire for her offences. Stipendium peccati mors the reward of sin is death. Ro. v. b. vi. c. The third office & work of the law is to make man despair quiet of himself. For when the law of God hath given thus much knowledge to the soul of man, then doth man's soul begin, to despair and to think verily that there is no way with her but one which is everlasting damnation. Now when man's soul seeth herself in such great danger, then is man in a wonderful agony and sorrow, & quiet out of all comfort, and is driven to seek some other means for help then at the hands of the law which showeth no mercy Deut. xxvij. c. xxviij. b. je. xi. a. but extreme punishment. And for this forssing that the law straineth man with all, the law is called pedagogus ad christum a sholemaster which teacheth man to go to christ for help & Gal. iij. this is the fourth office of the law but all men cannot by & by se christ in this agony, man's nature is so naturally by reason blinded the first man seeketh all other means for help and comfort before it seek for the true and right help. For declaration whereof ye shall understand that when man's soul seeth herself in such danger, first and foremost peradventure man will fall to abstinence from this or that kind of meat, and once or twice a week, or else at some such time in the year when as the pleasantenes of the blood increaseth see whether he can pacify God the father, by that means for that thing wherewith the law doth charge his conscience or not. But the law replieth unto him and telleth him that that abstinence which he now useth will not satisfy and make amends for his former offending almighty God. And the law telleth him that in abstaining now he doth no more but his duty. For if abstaining from this or that kind of meat were acceptable in the sight of God for itself, than should man be always bound to asteine from this or that kind of meat, because, that man is always bound to do that thing which is acceptable in the sight of God. And so man doing that thing which seemeth to him acceptable in the sight of almighty God, doth nothing else but his duty. So that this abstinence now can not be a recompense for his former offences. Then the soul of man being thus thwartid and charged by the law doth remain and stand still in her former fear, thinking verily that she shallbe dampened not withstanding all here abstinence. Well when it will not be this way them peradventure this soul of man moveth him to wear a shirt of hair or to wear no linen next his body or to lie without a bed upon the ground either in straw only or upon the hard stones or else to forsake the company of men and to go into wilderness, or else to wyppe and beat with rods and scourges that body which hath offended & hath brought him in to such distress and misery: All this notwithstanding the law layeth damnation to men's charge, Ro. seven. and telleth man that he is a sinner though he have committed but one sin, And that he is not only bound to have so much care for himself only and for his own salvation, but he must have the like care for the salvation of the soul of his brother, Mat. v. yea even of his very enemy, by means whereof man standeth still in his comfortless estate considering his negligence either in that or else in sum other point. When all this will not serve then falleth man to ask counsel, and here almighty God knoweth that it is most men's chances to light i Reg. xxviij. upon naughty counsellares, for when man cometh to his ghostly father as they call him have his conscience loused from those bounds wherein the law hath bound it, The bishop, person, vicar, parish priest, or other usual ministers thereunto appointed, commonly hath not the key of knowledge, wherewith to open and lose theresaied consciences, and deliver them from the charge of the law, And therefore of custom such blind counsellars, which men call confessors, send man being in this agony, to fasting, praying, and giving of alms, & to other works of man's own hands. But alway the law is at hand and telleth man that this can be no satisfaction for the former offences, For in so doing he doth nothing else, but his duty if it stand with God's glory. When all this will not serve man is so afraid of almighty God, that he dareth not go immediately unto him for help, but thinketh that he shall find more mercy at S. Peter his hand or S. Paul's hand, or S. james hand, or S. john's hand, or at the blessed virgin Mary's hand, then at the hand of almighty God, by means whereof man falleth on calling upon some or many of them trusting to have some help that way. But when man perceiveth not that way to be allowed in scripture, but in considering findeth that this coming first to saints before he cometh to god, seemeth rather to include a distrust in almighty god, then to be a fruit of a sure belief in him, still she remaynet in his former agony & unquietness, and hearkeneth to the saying of Saint. johan. Si dixerimus quia peccatium non habemus mendaces sumus & veritas in nobis non est. i joh. i. If we say that we have no sin we belyars and there is no truth in us. Thus man's soul travellith from one devise to another devise, and so to the third, & so to the fourth and so forth searching if she can help herself or not. And in conclusion she perceiveth well that she can not help herself with all the wits that she hath. Even as a man who by chance is fallen into a deep dry pit far from succour can not by any means possible help himself out unless, some man come with some ladder or other instrument to help him out: desireth to be delivereid out of the pit, but by his own wit he can not tell how: even so the soul of man desireth to be delivered of this sorrowful agony, but she can not tell how. This earnest desire that the soul of man hath to be made righteous again when she is fallen from god by sin is the four office & working of the law. And it is called in scripture the Psal. xiii. hungering & thurstinge of the soul. And that thing which doth satisfy that desire, and doth comfort the soul in this agony is called in the scripture meat and drink, joh. seven because of the similitude and likelihood that it hath with meat and drink. For even as that thing which comforteth the desireful body in extreme hunger and thirst is called meat and drink. Even so the same thing which comforteth the desierfull soul in this extreme agony and misery is called meat and drink. So doth our saviour Christ himself in the fift of Matthew & in the sixth of Luke. Mat. v. Luk. vi. Term and name the desire of the soul, calling this desire hungering and thirsting in these words. Beati qui esuriunt & sitiunt justitiam, quoniam ipsi saturabuntur. Mat. v. Happy be they that hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shallbe filled: By the which words it is evident, that Christ calleth the desiring of the soul for righteousness a hungering and a thirsting. So is this desire called hungringe and thurstinge in sundry other places of the scripture. As the desire to hear God's words, is called hunger in the eight of Amos. Mirtam famem in terram, non famem panis, neque Amos. viii. sitim aquae, sed audiendi verbum Domini. I will send a hunger into the earth, not a hunger for bread, but a hunger for hearing of the word of the lord. Here ye see that the desire to hear God's word is called hunger. And in the, 55. cha. of isaiah. Omnes sitientes, venite ad aquas, Venite emite absque isaiah. lv. argento. Al ye that be thirsty come to the waters, Eccls. lv come & obey it without money. Thirsting in this place is a desire of comfort & salvation. And also in the first of Luke. in the hymn of the blessed virgin Mary. Luk. i. v 〈…〉 Esurientes implevit bonis, & divites dimisitinanes. He filled them that were hungry with good things, That is to say, he satisfied the desire of them, which instructed themselves and there own works, and did put there hole trust in him only. But contrariwise, such as did put some trust in themselves, and were not so desirous of Christ, as the other were, not so hungry as the other were, them he sent away empty, leaving them to themselves. And in the seventh of Saint john. joh. seven. This desire is likened to a thirsting. Si quis sitiat, veniat ad me & bibat. If any man be a thirst, that is to say, if his soul be desirous to have remission of sin, let him come to me and drink. And also in the .21. chapter of the Apocalypse. Ego sitienti dabo de font aque vite. Apo. xxi A will give to him that is thirsty the water of life. By all these places it is plain, that the desire which the soul of man hath to have forgiveness of her sin, is called in scripture hungering and thirsting. Now then again, the scripture calleth that thing which doth comfort and satisfy this desire of the soul, meat and drink. And when the soul of man hath that same thing given unto her that she desired and longed for so sore, them is she fed. For a proof where of Matthew and the rest of the Evangelists doth use these terms, faturabuntur, & aqua & cibus. And in the .4. of S. john's Gospel. joh. iiii. Christ was desirous to satisfy the will of his father, and he called the satisfying of that desire his meet. Meus cibus est, ut faciam voluntatem patris mei. My meats (sayeth he) is to do the will of my father. His hunger and his thirst that he had, was the desire that he had to do the will of his father: And the doing of it, was his meat and drink, as it appeareth before in this text, when as answering to his disciples he said, Ego habeo alium cibum comedendum, quem nos nescitis. I have other meat to eat, which ye know not. Thus far I have declared unto you, most noble audyens, how the soul of man is made hungry and thirsty by the working of the law, And also how that thing which doth satisfy this desire of the soul, is named in the scripture mete. Let us now then proceed to the declaration of the heavenly banquet, whereby our heavenly father doth feed & comfort the soul of man which is made hungry and comfortless by the law. When our heavenly and most merciful father perceiveth that his law hath wrought her feat in the soul of man, and hath brought man even to very desperation. Ad inferos ducit & reducit. Then he feedeth and comforteth man's soul & soweth the seed of salvation upon him in this wise. Here I must desire you to licence me most noble audience to change my parson, & to speak in the name of god the father, who calleth all men to feed & comfort there hunger & thirsty souls with such meat & drink as he hath prepared in his most heavenly banquet for them. Thus saith our heavenly father to that man & all men which be comfortless and afraid of eternal damnation for their offences. Man despair not for thy sins that thou haste committed. God the father speaketh to the solve of man. Follow my counsel & although thy sins be never so great and manifold, yet shall they not damn the. Be sorry for thine offences, even from the bottom of thine heart and purpose earnestly to amend thy former life, & believe that my son Christ jesus hath taken the pains upon him, that thou hast deserved for thy sins, and thou shalt not be dampened, but thou shalt have life everlasting. Let his death ease thy stomach, comfort thy fearful and sorrowful hungringe soul with the punyshing of his body, and the shedding of his precious blood. And even as meat doth comfort thy body, when it is hungry, & drink when it is thirsty, even so let his punishment, comfort thy soul, For I assuer the that his pains, his punishment and death is able to save both the and all the whole world from eternal damnation. I will no more be angry with thee, for the sins that thou haste done, If my son Christ will take upon him to answer for thee, as no doubt he if thou wilt come to him, & put thy hole trust in him. Feed thy hungry stomach with this meat, that I have prepared for thee, and thou shalt have remission of all thy sins. Fear not any of those dangers that sin, that flesh, the world, or the devil hath brought the into, for my son hath for thy sake overcome all his and thine enemies, whom otherwise thou waste not able to overcome with all the wits thou hadst. first and foremost he hath overcome sin for thy sake, in that he hath paid his death to me, not for his own sins, but for thy sins, and for the sins of all the world, so that although thou hast commit-may so be that he will tempt thee, as in deed he doth daily tempt all such as I have chosen to possess my kingdom, but of this thing thou mayest be well assuerid, that he can not hurt thee, because my son hath made him, both his and thy bond servant with his death. The devil in tempting the shall be my servant, for I will use him as an instrument to try thy faith, and to exercise thy belief from time to time. So that for this purpose I suffer him to tempt the from time to time, that by that means thou shouldst wax stronger in thy faith and stronger. Now seest thou that where as before time thou waste afraid of the devil fearing that he had rule and power over thee: Now my son Christ and I do use him for our slave and bond servant, to exercise the faith of the good by daily temptations, & to punish the wicked with continual affliction and misery. My son also hath for thy sake overcome death, and yet not after such a sort as though it were utterly taken away, but he hath so taken it away, that it can not hurt the. For whereas before such as hath died without belief in my son, went out of this life into eternal death: Now shall death be a door for the and them to everlasting life, in so much that thou shalt confess in thine heart, that which is written in the first to the Philippians, saying: Phil. i Mihi vita Christus est, & mori lucrum. Christ is my life, and it is advantage for me to die. Death shall no more be unto thee, neither unto any of my chosen bitter, but sweet: not so rowfull but joyful: not loss but gain, not to be feared, but to be desired, death shall not be worthy to have the name of death, but rather of the way and entry unto eternal life. Death shall have no power to hurt the for his sting is cut of according to my promise. O mors, Oze. xill. Ero mors tua. O death, i Cor. xv I will by thy death. Thus hath my son for thy sake overcome sin, he hath overcome death, he hath overcome the devil, and all thine enemies and mine: and when he made an end, he said, Consummatum est, now all finyshed: joh. nineteen. He hath done all those things that I required at thy hands to have done. Despair not therefore comfort thyself with this death of my son. Trust that this death and bloodshedding is a sufficient ransom and recompense for thy sins. Comfort thy hungry stomach with this restoretish dish, (which may so be well called, for that it hath restored thee, & all such as believe in him, again into my favour.) Whosoever comforteth his hungry soul with this dish, shall have remission of all his sins. Whosoever feedeth with a sure faith and eat thereof heartily, not doubting but that Christ is sufficient to save his soul, that Christ is sufficient to slaake his hunger, and to quench his thirst, he shall not need of any other dishes devised by men to feed upon: but he shall be sure, that the death and bloudshedinge of mine only begotten son, is sufficient to comfort his penitent hungry soul so, that it shall not be famishid, it shall not starve, nor perish, but have life everlasting. This is the joyful tidings the comfortable doctrine, the seed of gods most holy word, (most noble audience) which hath been so long trodden and cast away underneath the foot of the people. This is the lost seed which when it was sown, would not, this many years, enter into the hearts, and understandings of men. But here I most humbly desire you, Nota. to note, that it is not meant by these words, (eating of Christ's flesh, and drinking of his blood, and feeding upon Christ,) that ye should so feed of Christ, as ye would feed of a piece of motton, a piece of beef, or a piece of venison: For that kind of cating, profetteth nothing at al. Caro non prodest quicquam. joh. vi The flesh profeteth nothing at all. This gross kind of feeding upon Christ, profeteth nothing at all: But it is meant, that even as ye comfort your earthly and corruptible body, with bread, and meat when it is hungry, and with ale, bear, or wine when it is thirsty: Even so doth the soul of man, (when the law showeth to her, her faults and eternal damnation, and the dreadful judgements of God for her offences,) comfort herself in her great hunger and thirst: believing that almighty God, hath forgiven her sins, for Christ's sake. So that where as before she was hungry, and comfortless, and afraid of eternal damnation: Now is she fed, and comforted, with thassurance, that her sins be forgiven her of god, for Christ's sake her saviour. It is an unreverent, and an ungodly opinion, and void of all Godly religion, to say or think, that we must eat and chame with our corporal teeth, or that we must swallow with our corporal throat, Christ's blessed flesh and bones, after so gross a sort, as we eat other kinds of meat. Yea, and it is a thing abhorred of nature, that man's should feed of man's flesh, hide the same flesh of man in pastes or culles or by any means otherwise never so cunningly. Man detesteth and abhorreth to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is to say a man eater. The centurion of a religious mind, and of a godly fear, thought himself unworthy, that our saviour Christ should enter into his house, mat. viii saying: Non sum idoneus, ut tectum meum subeas. And S. Peter in the Luk. v .v. of Luke, had a certain religious, & a godly fear to come nigh to Christ, and said unto him. Discede a me Domine, quia homo peccator sum; Depart from me O lord, for I am a sinner. Even so all such as have any jote of Godly religion in their hearts, should be ashamed once to desire, to bruise with there teeth, to eat raw, and to swallow the flesh, blood, and bones of our saviour Christ, even as it was borne of the blessed virgin Mary. S. Austen witnesseth that the Capernaites took our Saviour Christ after that sort, when he said, Nisi quis manducaverit meam carnem, & biberit meum sanguinem, joh. vi non habebit vitam eternam. Unless a man eat my flesh, and drink my blood, he shall not have everlasting life. They took him (saith he) grossly, as it appeareth by their question that they demanded immediately, saying: How can this fellow give us his flesh to eat? Is not he the son of joseph? This gross opinion of there's, Saint Austen calleth heresy, as it is a plain heresy in deed to say, that we must eat of necessity. Christ after such a gross sort. They thought that Christ had offered his body to be eaten, as flesh that hangeth in the bucherye, so that the flesh of his arms, and sides that stood there before them, should be chewed and swallowed of them. But (saith Saint Austen, that was not his meaning: For that kind of eating of Christ's flesh, profeteth nothing at all.) Caro non prodest quicquam: But that they which were made sorrowful and hungry by the terror of the law, should be fed, and comfortedwith the death of his flesh, and with his blessed bloodshedding. And he that feedeth not his soul after this sort with Christ's flesh, and blood, is not alive in Christ, but he is in desperation, Manet in morte. He dwelleth in death. joh. iii. v. xi. yea being alive in this world, he hath a taste of hell, because his conscience is comfortless, and the worm biteth him continually, so that he hath devil in his conscience. And he is altogether comfortless, because there is none other meet & comfort, that can comfort our souls, but only the comfort that we have by Christ. And whosoever eateth this flesh, and drinketh this blood with the mouth of belief, that this very flesh of Christ was put to death for him, and this very blood was once shed for him: He shall have everlasting life, and the lord will raise him again at the latter day. And he had a taste of the kingdom of God, joh. vi even being alive. He hath peace and quietness in his conscience. Which is Gaudium & pax in spiritum sanctum. And this kind of eating, Ro. xiii. is called of learned men, an of Christ, Spiritualiter (that is to say) a comforting with our souls with Christ spiritually. And as oft as we comfort our souls of this sort, we have a sure knowledge, and a feeling that the wrath of god the father against us is pacified, and so be we of our for more hunger eased. There is another kind of eating of Christ's body, and drinking of his blood, & that is called eating and drinking Sacramentaliter. Sacramentally. And we eat Christ on this fashion, as oft as we join the outward signs of bread and wine, (that is to say) the sacrament of the holy communion, with our faith and inward belief, receiving a visible testimony of our inward belief in the face of the congregation. And if it chance any man, to receive this outward pledge and testimony of the lords death, & have not this inward belief: the same man, in taking of that visible Sacrament in the face of the congregation, maketh a lie to the holy ghost, because he showeth himself outwardly as though he comforforted his soul inwardly with Christ, and yet in deed he doth not and therefore when he taketh this heavenly Sacrament, his conscience condemneth hum, and telleth him that he is not inwardly so affected, and disposed as his outward receiving of the Sacrament doth pretend. Wherefore saint Paul giveth sentence of every such man, and saith. i Cor. xi. judicium sibi manducat et bibit. He eateth and drinketh his own condemnation and judgement which is an unworthy kind of eating. Quia non diiudicat corpus domini. Because he hath no consideration why he eatith of that bred and drinketh of that cup, whereof he eatith & drinketh for an outward Sacrament and testimony before the hole congregation, that he is inwardly fed and confortith by Christus death, but inwardly indeed he feeleth no such comfort. Wherefore thus I may conclude, he that believeth, eateth: And he that believeth not, eateth not, although he eat the Sacrament every day in the week. And S. Austen being of the same mind, saith: Quid paras dentem & ventrem, crede & manducasti. Why dost thou prepare thy teeth, and thy belly, believe and thou hast eaten. Therefore should man prove himself (as S. Paul saith) and examen diligently his own conscience, within his breast, and way with himself well, before he come to this holy communion, whether he be endued with the spirit of god, and lively faith in Christ or not. And if he perceive himself to be a fleshly & a sensual man, without faith, and without the spirit of almighty god he ought not to receive this holy sacrament: but to withdraw himself until such time, as almighty God shall more plentifully endue him with his most heavenly grace. But if he perceive by his faith that he is knit holly to Christ, and that he is a lively member of him, let him then go forward and eat of this bread & drink of this cup to his most heavenly comfort. And let him say to himself on this wise, when he goeth to receive the communion. I go now to make a solemn profession before God and his congregation of my faith, and to receive that comfortable Sacrament and mystical pledge that Christ hath appointed. And besides the quyeting of mine own conscience, to declare to other of the flock of Christ, that I believe assueredlye, that our saviour Christ shed his precious blood, and died for the remission of my sins, And that he, and none but he, hath given me a wisdom, whereby I am returned again into the favour of God. The law told me, that I was not able of myself (searching all the wits that I had) to return again to God, but Christ. Factus est mihi sapientia a Deo. Hath given me a wisdom and a knowledge how to come with his help again to God. I was altogether wicked and unholly and he hath made me holy in that he hath made me partaker of his holiness. I was altogether unrighteous, and he hath made me righteous, in that it pleaseth him to make me partaker of his righteousness. By means whereof my former offences shall not be imputed unto me. I thought that I could by no means have pacified the wrath of God the father, and have made amends for mine offences, but now I am sure, that Christ is become my redeemer, and hath made a quietness & an atonement between almighty god & me. So that I feel and perceive this, to be true that Christ is god & man. Factus est mihi sapiencia a Deo. justiciaque sanctificatio & redemtio. Christ is become my wisdom from God my righteousness my holiness and my redemption: In witness whereof I will eat of this bred and drink of this cup, that our saviour Christ hath appointed me to eat & drink of to my most heavenly comfort and consolation. After this examination, our conscience will tell us whether we be apt or not to receive this holycommunion, according to Christ's right institution. Which is appointed for us to perpetual memory of his death, until his coming again in glory. For this end was the holy sacrament first instituted, and not to be holden up in the hands of the priest over his head: not to be hanged up in the church to be worshipped with a goodly honour of the people, not that the minister thereof, should by the ministration thereof, purchase remission of sins for the quick and the dead, not that he should get rain thereby or fair whether, not that he should cleanse the air thereby from evil infections, no more that the receiver thereof should be the better for the receiving thereof, (that is to say for the doiing of that work) but rather the worse, if he were not a goodly believing man before. The right use of this holy sa Sacrament is as often as it is taken for a heavenly means to put us in rememberanrce of the death and bludshedinge of our Saviour Christ. Which right use being once truly and plainly perceived of the people, all vain uses will fall away of themselves, even as falsed faileth when truth cometh, and as darkness giveth place when light cometh. And at the last the maintainers of these fond devices will be ashamed of their ignorance when all the world shall see the truth to there open confusion, and perceive sensibily how blind buzzards they be, & what shift they make, both to live themselves, and also to bring up and confirm other in blindness. It is a sport to here these ignorant blyndlynges what shifts they make, when they be driven to their answer, either concerning the Sacrament itself, or else concerning the presence of Christ's body in the Sacrament. Some say that Christ is in this Sacrament realiter et substancialiter but not naturaliter: (that is to say) really & substantially: but not naturally: And of this opinion be the most part of the school Doctors. Some other hold that, that opinion is false, and will in any wise have this word naturally, saying that Christ his body is there naturally which term I marvel much where they find. saying that it is not used either of Saint Austen saint Ambrose saint Hierom or of any other of the old ancient doctors & writers, either in greek or latin, old or new. And yet is there one who hath of late written a book called the detection of the devils Sophistry, which used this term naturally twice or thrice in his book, belike he learned this term in that school whereas he learned the devils Sophistry (that is to say) in the school of lies, of whom the devil is the chief schoolmaster. Some say that he is there. jisdem dimencionibus quibus pendebat in cruce. Even of the same length breadeth and thickness as he did hang upon the cross. Some say that the bread is transubstantiated, (that is to say) that the substance of the bread is gone and the qualities only of the bread doth remain which opinion is an heresy in logic, to say that accidens may be sine subiecto. Some say the bread is the body, and some say, the body is under the bread. And if a man allege unto them the article of our Crede & say, that that body which was borne of the blessed virgin Mary, & lived here in earth xxxiii year & suffryd under pontius pylat, and that hung upon the cross, and that was dead and buried. That theselfe same body arose again the third day from death, no fantastical body but even the same flesh and bone and the self same body that was felt of Thomas, and that it remaineth here xli days with his disciples after his resurrection from death, and that the self same body is ascendit into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God the father (that is to say) in the glory of the father, and that he shall not come again until the latter day, when he shall come to judge the quick and the dead, and to restore all things which were spoken of by the prophets accordingly Act. iij. as we read in the third of the acts: they will say constantly that all this gear is plain false. For (say they) a pressed may fetch Christ his manhood down from heaven when he will before the latter day come, with saying. Hoc est corpus meum. Be he never so viciose a gentleman that saith the words, he hath Christ's body at his beck and commandment to bring him down when him lusteth. And for the maintenance of this there erroneus and Anthechristian opinion they will not stick to say, that Christ's body may be in sundry places at one time granting, that it may be at Rome, at Paris, in London, in Canterbery, and in a thousand other diverse places at once. Whereas if ye read the scriptures through ye shall never find, that Christ's body was in two places at one time, or that after his resurrection it appeared in two sundry places at one time. This devilish opinion of there's openeth a door to Martion and the Manicheis, who defied Christ's body after such a sort, that they denied it to be of like substance as other men's bodies be: Against which doctrine S. Austen giveth this rule. Cavendum est, Epla. ad Dardanum. lvij ne it a divinitatem astruamus hominis, ut veritatem corporis auferamus. We must take heed (sayeth S. Austen) that we do not so affirm the divinity of his manhood, that we take away thereby of the truth of his body. And Saint Austen doth plainly affirm that this body must be in one place of heaven, whereas it pleaseth his divine majesty to be. And he sayeth in the .30. treatise upon john xvi Corpus enim in quo resurrexit in uno loco esse oportet. The body wherein he did rise must be in one place. I am not ignorant that the printed copy of saint Austen hath in that place, uno loco esse potest. (that is) may be in one place. But I pray you what is he that doubteth of that thing, that Christ's body may be in one place. surely Saint Austen would never have used so vain a sentence in so weighty a matter, and it is plain in the decrees. De consecratione, distinctionei. ca Prima quidem heresis. And in the master of the sentence in the fourth book distinctione decima, that S. Austen is faslye printed in that point. For in both these places ye shall have these plain words. Corpus enim in quo resurrexit in uno loco esse oporter. The body of Christ, in which he arose, must be in one place. These two of there own school be sufficient witnesses to me, and to all men, that S. Austen was plainly of this opinion, that Christ's body must be at one time in one place, and can not be at one time in sundry places. In uno loco esse oportet. It must be in one place. The best way to confute this sort of men, is to set the one of them against another, him that saith that Christ's body is there naturaliter, naturally against them that say, it is the natural body of Christ, but not naturallyter. And them which sayeth that there is a transubstantiation in the Sacrament against them that say, that there is the body and the bread together. And them that say, the mouse may eat the Sacrament, against them that say, the mouse can not eat it. And them that say it may mole against them that say it can not mole. And so shall we ease ourselves of a great deal of pains, in suffering the one of them to confute the other, who as they have many heads so have they many wits, and their is even as great a confusion amongst them, as their was amongst the tongues in babylon, wherefore when they strive to hit the matter, they lightly always miss even as men that threshe heynes blyndfyld. But ye will say to me. Sir ye have told us what some say, but what say you? Forsooth, Sir I say as I have sayeth, that Christ's blessed body is not eaten with our teeth so grossly and so carnally as they take it to be. But I believe that that very body which was borne of the virgin Mary, and was crucified, dead, and buried, and that very body which arose again the third day, and that was felt of Thomas after Christ's resurrection, that it had flesh and bones otherwise then spirits hath, & that which did eat and drink with the duciples after his resurrection, Io. xxi. And that which was seen of the Act. x. disciples when it ascended into heaven, and that which sitteth at the right hand of God the father according to the article of our Creed: I believe (I say) that that body is in heaven only, and is not in the earth accordingly as Saint Augusten August. tract. L. in Io. saith in the 50 treatise upon john. Conuersatus est secundutu corporis presentiam quadragintaa diebus cum discipulis suis, & eye deducentibus videndo ac sequendo ascendit in celum: & non est hic, ibi enim sedet ad dextram patris. That is to say. He was here conversant with the presence of his body forty days with his disciples, and they going with him, and following him, he ascended into heaven in their sight: and he is not here, for he sitteth there on the right hand of his father. By his divinity, his godhead, his divine majesty, his power, and his providence, he is here and every where. But his manhood is a creature and is in heaven only, and there shall he remain until the latter day. And yet is it true that Christ's very body is present at the ministration of the lords supper. Yea even flesh blood and bone as he was borne of the virgin Mary. Why but what mean I to say so? This gear seemeth to be quiet contrary, to all that ever I have saith before, his body is in heaven, and his body is present at the ministration of the Sacrament of his Supper, These sayings seem to be directly repugnant the one of them to the other. To put you out of doubt in this point, ye shall understand, that even as the son which is far of dystand, is absent from mine eye and yet is present to my sight even so is Christ's body absent from my mouth, and yet present to my belief. For my belief ascendith in to heaven, even to that body of Christ, which sitteth there at the right hand of God the father, which is his very true and no fantastical body flesh blood and bone as it was borne of the virgin Mary. And when I receive the holy communion, Mea conversatio est in celis. My conversation is in heaven. Where Christ's body is even so present to my faith as the son is present to my sight and as the bred and wine bepresent to my mouth. So that if I have no faith Christ is not present to me when I receive the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ: If I have faith Christ's body being in heaven in one only place is present to my faith: and when I receive the holy communion I inbrase him by faith, even flesh blood and bone as he was borne of the virgin Mary. And so doth all men through out the hole world hang upon him and comfort themselves with that only body, being in one place of heaven, though they be dispersed into never so many sundry places through out the world. Thus far I have declared unto you (most noble audience) The heavenly banquet that all mighty god hath prepared for the ronfort of the soul of man, which notwithstanding that it is so comfortable a doctrine, yet this many years it could not be received of the people, & therefore may it well be likened to that seed, which hath been lost in the way, & couldnot enter to take rote, grow & bring forth fruit, according to the expectation of the seed sour. Now because I have determined to speak somewhat of the fourth paint for the satisfying of my promise, I will leave & make an end of my for more matter. and proceed to the latter piece of my purpose this day. Which is concerning what birds they be, & what men they be, that hath trodden and devowered this seed. As touching the birds our Saviour Christ maketh it plain saying, that they figure the devil, who inveigleth & enchanteth so the ears and hearts of many people with heretical doctrines and false opinions, that the good seed of Gods most holy word can find no place there, to take rote grow, and bring forth fruit. But assoon as it is sown, it is by & by forgotten, and (as it were) drowned and swallowed up amongst wicked opinions of the martians, the manycheiss the arrians, the Pellagyans the Libertines, the Annabaptistes, and so fort. These and such like hath been the devils instrument, the devils throat, whereby he hath devoureth the seed of Gods most holy word. And as touching the treading of the same word underneath the feet of the people. The chief & arch capitain tread word is the Antichristian Biishope of Rome who (as they report) never saith mass but he treadith the holy bible underneath his feet in token that he & his ministers have an authority greater than is thauthority of the scripture: or rather that he and his ministers willbe alway ready to tread down the word of god underneath their feet, and with their wicked doctrines, stop up the hearts of the people that they shallbe made unapt to receive it. There be a great number (god knoweth) that stamp and tread down gods word underneath their feet. And very hard they be to be known. Yet shall ye know them by two tokens commonly whether they be stampers and treaders of God's word underneath their feet or not. The one is by their talks, and the other is by their life. As touching their talks, they be of many sorts, yet all tend to this one end, that is to say to the pulling down of Christ, and to the setting up of Anthechrist. And Amongst sundry other of there talks this is one. Christ say they is not sufficient but we must have some other buy merits, and buy satisfactions not meaning civil satisfactions between man and man, but satisfaction to god the father for their offences. And they contend plainly that god can not save man except man help him. And for this they bring out a place of Saint Austen. Which in deed is in his xu de verbis apostoli sermone xv. sermon de verbis Apostly and these be his words. Qui fecit te sine te, non saluabit te fine te. (That is to say) he that made the without thee, shall not save the without the. But the living almighty god he knoweth that holy S. Austen myndyd no thing less, then by this or any other sentence in his works, to rob be god of his omnipotentie, as though he were not able as well to save man, without man's help as he was able to make man without man's help. But for the defence of this holy doctor Saint Austen, Theridamas is one who hath written a tragedy. De libero arbitrio. In the Italian tongue, and is not translated into any other thong to my knowledge: he is an ytalian and seemeth to be singularly well learned. He saith that at Rome in that worthy library (most unworthy to be in so wicked a place) named, Biblioteca Vaticana. Their remaineth an old written copy of Saint Augusten, where in the same sentence, is word by word, as I have rehearsed it unto you: but in the end of the sentence (he saith) that there is an interogatif point, that so it is not a determining sentence, but a question. Thus. Qui fecitte sine te, non saluabit te sine te? He that made the without thee, shall he not save the without thee? Oh lord what a change here is now in this sentence. How small advantage now can our merit preachers, & our satisfactioners take of this doctrine? Truly none advantage at all, for the words sound now to thesittingforth of gods omnipotency, and they declare that God is even as able to save man without man's help, as he was to make man without man's help Saint Augusten confuteth this opinion of thy merits no man more, and namely in his works against the pellagians. Ambro. 1. Cor. x. And Saint Ambrose upon the first Epistle to the corinths utterly condemneth that opinion of other satisfactions besides Christ, saying. Hoc est constitutum a Deo, ut qui credit inchristum saluus sit sine opere, sola fide, gratis accipiens remissionem peccatorum. This is thapointement of god, that he that believeth in Christ, shallbe saved without work, by faith only, freely receiving remission of his sins. So that although our works declare our at tonement with almighty god, yet do they not make satisfaction & atonement between god and us. Such as use this talk of satisfactions besides Christ for their sins be stampers & treders of Christ and his word under their feet with their talk. Another talk there is, whereby ye shall know them to be treaders down of god's word, which is the same in effect as the other was but in words diverse: They say that we shall be saved & justified in the sight of god by our works, & not by faith only. & here they condemn all prechars, which teach the doctrine of the kings Mai. homilies of salvation, & of good works, saying wrongly of them, that they condemn all good works, which thing is very untrue. For the true preachers of gods most holy word, (whom they take for this point as heretics) do not condemn good works, but they set faith in her place, and good works in their place, teaching a diverse office of the one, from the other (the is to say) that faith maketh a man just in the sight of god, & good works doth declare a man just in the sight of god that faith maketh a man a good tree, & works declare a man to be a good tree. And therefore the prophet david likeneth the good man to the Psal. 1. a tree that is planted by the water's side, jere. xvii. which bringeth forth his fruit in season convenient. That man saith, he hath faith, and liveth ungodly, he saith, untruly for faith can not be fruitless, no more than fire with out heat. And therefore is faith in the scripture always lykned not to barren and fruitless trees, but to hearing, and fruitful trees, as to the fig tree the olive, joh. xv. and the vine, which exede in plentifulness of fruit above other trees. In the xxi Mat. xxi. of saint Math. gospel our saviour Christ cursed the fig tree when he found no fruit upon in why? Not because the fig tree had offended, but to give us example that all such as be fruitless trees be accursed of God. Wherefore ye see that all good men wyldoe good works even as a good tree will bring forth good fruits, they will clothe the naked, feed the hungry, house the harbolles, help to deliver the prisoner, visit the seek. yea and their heart is at newgat, and at ludgat, and so forth giving alms though they have never a penny in their purse, so that when they be of ability, they will bring forth fruit and give alms and do all other good works accordingly. This is the doctrine of the true preachers whom these that tread down gods word, & hinder the going forward of it with their talk, impeach as teachers of false, and arroneus doctrine, to the intent to make the people unapt to receive the seed that is sown. I beseech god stop them of their talk when it shallbe his pleasure. Another talk there is whereby ye shall know such as tread the seed of Gods most holy word, under their feet. I can say (say they) my pater noster, mine ave marry, and my creed, and the ten commandements, and that is enough for me. Let them preach and teach, as much as they will I care for none of them all. But S. Paul saith that ye must feel a certain quickness in your hearts of your belief, which quickness shall make you confess Christ with your mouth when so ever time and occasion shall serve, So that it is not enoge to say these lessons of our faith with out the book, but these lessons must proceed out of a quick faith, without which, it is impossible to please almighty God. Another talk there is whereby they tread the seed of gods most holy word under their feet, which is this. Believe say they as your fore fathers hath done before you. And in this mind they counsel all men to stand and remain still stiffly without searching any further. To these I say that if it were a sufficient excuse for men to say: We believe as our fathers hath belefet, then had the jews, the Turks, and all infidels a sufficient excuse, saying that they believe as their forefathers belefet before them. And by this reason, if our fore fathers denied Christ, we must also deny Christ: if our forefather's acknowledged the bishop of Rome, to be the supreme head of the church, we must do the like, and so forth of the popish mass, and all such like trumpery, which is to great an inconvenience to grant. Therefore for Christ's sake good people from henceforth, give no ear to such talkers, as say they will do as their fathers hath done before them. Some other say, look how most men do, and so will I. For he that doth as most men doth shallbe blameless. This saying also being blown abroad into the ears of the people. Doth stay them from the hearing and receiving of God's most holy word. For a confutation of this found talk, ye shall understand, that the great multitude and number of men be ignorant, then if we should follow most men we should follow the ignorant sort. Again if the good men should follow the most part, then should the good men become nought, for the most part of all the world is nought. And again if such men as have their faith grounded upon the multitude had been in the th'apostles time, they would not have received Christ, for the multitude of the people would not receive him. But cried Crucifige, crucifige eum. crucify him, Crucify him. Moreover if such men as use this sentence in their mouth, dwelled in Turkey, thynkye not but that they would do as most men doth? What is that? For sooth worship mahometh, for so doth the most men ther. Yea and if the matter went by the greatness of the number and followeth the multitude: Then should the Turks, the jews the heathen and all infideles be saved, for they be most in number. But our Saviour Christ saith: Multi sunt vocati pauci vero electi. Mat. xx. Many be called but few be chosen. And in the xiii of Saint Luk. Pauci sunt qui saluabuntur. They be but few in number that shallbe saved. Luc. xiii. Yesee, that this sentence is an unmett saying to be in a Christian man's mouth. Wherefore for Christ's sake let us both shun it ourselves, and advertise and counsel all other to take head, that they use it not. Another saying and talk they have whereby they occupy the ears, and deceive the hearts of the people, and make them unapt to receive the seed of god's word, by means whereof the good seed is lost, trodden, and cast away: and that is this. I believe say they as the Church believeth, then ask them, how the church believeth? & they say as I believe, and so they teach all men to make answer, as it were in a circule. Truly this answer might peradventure be borne and allowed, if they meant by this word church, none but the chosen flock of Christ. Which church in deed can not err. But they mean the church of Rome, by this word church, though they pretend otherwise. notwithstanding for the confutation of there tread word talk, I will use there general division of the church which is this. They divide the church into the Greek, and into the latin church. Now if I can prove, that both these members of the church have erred, then have I proved, that such as say they will believe as the church believeth (meaning either the greek, or the latinchurch) may be deceived. first then touching the Greek church, it is manifest, that it did err in saying, that the holy ghost proceeded from the father only, and not from the father, and the son, Libro. l. dist. xi. as it appeareth by the master of the sentence, & bysundry places, in basil, and Nazianzen, and especially by the creed which was made in the Nicen counsel, whereas these words be. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And I believe in the holy ghost, the lord and giver of life, which proceedeth from the father. This opinion is utterly condemned, and Nicen Creed is amended with an addition, that the holy ghost proceedeth from the father, & the son. So that it can not be denied, but that the Greek church was in a manifest error in this point. Now as touching the latin church, whosoever saith that it can not err, let him consider well the scriptures, which give justly and truly unto the kings Majesty his title of the supreme head of the church: and he shall perceive, that he is both an heretic, and a traitor. And that may be proved by two reasons, which be of such strength, that they can not be avoided, And this kind of reasoning the Logicians call Syllogismus, it was my chance to use them once in a like argument at Paul's cross. The first of them is this. Who soever concluded that the kings majesty is not supreme head of the church he is a traitor: but whosoever saith the latin church can not err concludeth that the kings majesty is not supreme head of the church. Ergo. Whosoever saith that the latin churcche can not err he is a traitor. And again: Whosoever concludeth the bishop of Rome to be supreme head of the church he is an heretic, but whosoever saith that the latin church can not err concludeth that the bishop of Rome is supreme head of the church, Ergo. Whosoever say't that the latin church can not err is an heretic. The parts of this Syllogism be so true, and the consequentes doth follow, insuche a dialectical form that all the Sophistry in christendom cannot reprove them. Then good Christian audience, let not this carnal saying, and Anthechristian talk divisyd by romish ministers any more blind you. No it is not enoge for you to say that ye believe as the church of the elects and chosen of god doth believe, whiles ye know and feel in your hearts what thing it is that the church believeth. Your faith must not be grounded upon any other man's fait, but upon Christ only. Yet is necessary for every man to have eyes of his own, whereby he may discern the true church from the false, and the good doctrine from the bad, the spiritual preacher from the carnal, Christian learning from Papystry, and Christ from Antychrist. Wherefore search the scriptures yourselves, that ye be not deceived, and try whether your faith be a true faith or not. Use your own eyes, in reading, use your own knowledge in judging, lean not upon any other man's faith, and so shall ye not be deceived. Do ye as the people of Berrheadyd as it appeareth in the acts. Erant quotidie scrutantes scripturas in Act. xvij templo num haec ita se haberent. They did daily search the scriptures in the temple to try Paul's doctrine, whether it were true or not. Believe not the doctrine because I or any other preacher doth preach it unto you: but believe it to be true: because your own faith doth assuer you it to be true, as the people of Samaria said to the woman: jam non propter tuam orationem credimus, joh. iiij ipsi enim audivimus, & scimus quod hic vere est salvator mundi. Now said they, we believe that Christ is the saviour of the world, not because thou hast said so, but because we know it ourselves to be true. These and such like talk cause the people to contemn, & to tread the seed of gods most holy word, underneath their feet, wherefore they must be shunnyd of all them that mind to be true followers of Christ, and to receive the seed of Gods most holy word, according to the intent of our Saviour Christ. And here is a question, By what means chiefly hath these talks been sown abroad, and bruited amongst the people? Forsooth by the judges in there circuits, and the justices of peace that be popishely affected. By bishops and there officers in there synods, and other meetings of ecclesiastical parsons, by School Masters in their grammar Scholes, be stuwardes when they keep their courts, by priests when they sit to here auricular confession and such like as mind nothing else but the plain subversion of the kingdom of Christ, and all Christian doctrine and setting up again of the doctrine and kingdom of the romish Antichrist to God's greath dishonour. The judge in his circute in times past when the people hath been assembled, hat persuaded the people to do as their forefathers hath done before them, And to do as the most men doth, and so they shall be most in quiet. And to be content with such godly doctrine as was contained in the six articles, and so forth. The bishop and his officers persuade the priests of the country that they shall also follow ancient customs and usages in the church, and to believe and do as the church believeth, and hath thought them: meaning by the church, the church of Rome though they say not so expressly. Now here hath all the justices of peace and gentle men and other which were at the cessions: and all the priests and other that were at the synod, learned their lessons how they shall talk to their neighbours when they come home. In so much that the Schoolmaster in the grammar, school hearing of it will power this talk into the ears of his scholars. Oh what hurt these popish Schoolmasters doth. They will sharsly suffer any good doctrine to be talked on in their Schools. Yea if there be a child that have his father honestly and godly affected toward god's word, they will pyk sum such matters against him that he shall be sure to be thrice breched against his fellows once. They mar all most noble prince, poysining the childer's ears with popry in their youth. For redress whereof I would wish (most noble prince) that there might be a catechism made in the Latin tongue, which should be red by commandment in all grammar Scholes through out your noble realm, and so should the brood of this most noble realm, not be brought so popishely up as tey be. They shall live and enjoy the same land which we now possess and inhabit, if they be brought up in popry, they will alter & mar as much in one year as your grace shall make and amend in forty The good education of them in true religion, shall be a fortress to all your graces most godly proceedings. The evil deducation of that brood of England in popry and superstition shall inconclusion be an overthrow to all your graces most godly proceedings. Wherefore for God's love and the wealth of this your realm most noble prince. I wish that they should be remembered. The stewards of the courts abroad in the country hang upon the sleeves of the judges and justices of the peace and other gentlemen in the country. So that they dare do none other but as they see and here there elders and chief captains in the law do before them. And as the stewards of courts learn their lesson at the sessions, so doth the popish priest at the Synod. When he getteth once a poor simple man in the country under his benedicite. O lord what stuf he whistelleth in to his ear there lacketh no treadword talk, I will warrant you he hath all in a readiness and more to. He wanteh none of these communications whereby the simple people be seduced, when this confessioner hath him there upon his knees he handleth him, as him lystith, & maketh him believe that the laying of his hand upon his head is a sufficient recompense for his sins. Yea and they bear the poor man in hand that that laying of his hand upon their head, is their quytaunce. Oh pestilent generation. What shall I say by the throats of these people? Forsote I will say as the prophet David saith, as Saint Paul reciteth. Ro. 3. Rom. iij Sepulchrum apertum est guttur eorum, Psal. v. linguis suis ad dolum usi sunt venenum aspidum sub labijs eorum. Quorum os execracione & amaerulentia plenum est veloces pedes eorum ad effundendum sanguinem. Contritio & calamitas in vijs eorum & viam pacis non cognoverunt, non est timor dei ante oculos eorum. The throat of such slanderous talkers, of such judges, justices, bishops and their officers, of such Schoolmasters, stuerdes, confessioners and so forth: There throt (I say) is an open sepulchre. They have used there tongues to deceit the poison of serpents is underneath their lips. Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness their feet are swift to shed blood. They are very wretches in their doings, they know not the way of peace, the fear of god is not before their eyes. These be they that tread down the good seed of gods most holy word with their talk through out this realm most noble prince. Some also tread this seed down with their unamended life. For when they be told and cried out upon for their adultery they live in adultery still when they be cried out upon for their popery they be popish still. When they be cried out upon for their extorsion and oppression of the poor, they continue in their extorsion and oppression still. When they be cried out upon for there disobedience, they nourish rebellious hearts in there breasts still. When they be cried out upon for their slanderose tongues they leave not their slander & their blasphemy. These be they that tread the seed of God's most holy word underneath their feet with their unamended life. I beseech almighty God amend all our talks, and lives that the seed of his most holy word be not cast away upon us as the seed which is cast by the ways side is lost devoured and cast away, trodden and destroyed with the burds of the air, and the feet of the people. That almighty God may be glorified with the Godliness of our talk and with the amendment of our lives unto whom be all honour & glory world without end. Amen. A prayer against the pope and Turks, which be the mortal enemies of Christ, his word, and his church. Heavenly father, full well have we deserved, to be corrected of the. But correct us Lord thyself according to thy mercy, and not after thy fury. Eccli. ij. It is better for us to give ourselves into the correction of thy hands, Dan. xiii. than into the hands of men which be the enemies of thy word, Susan. v as David prayed also. ij. Regum xxiv. For great is thy mercy. We have sinned against thee, & have transgressed thy commandments. But thou God almighty father knowest, that we have not sinned against the devil, Pope, or Turks. And that they also have no authority nor power us to correct. How be it thou canst and mayest use them, as thy fearful scourge, against us, which against the have offended & deserved all michief. Yea dear God, heavenly father, we have done no sin against them, wherefore they might lawfully punish us. but much rather would they, that we with them most abhominablye should sin against the. For they regard it not, if we to the were disobedient, blasphemed thee, used all manner of Idolatry (as they do) and went about with false doctrine, false faith, and with lies, and committed against the adultery, uncleanliness, murder, theft, robbery, Sorcery, and all manner of evil. But this is our trespass against them, that we preach, believe, and knowledge thee, God the father to be the only true God, and thy well-beloved son, our Lord jesus Christ, & the holy ghost, to be one only God, yea this is the sin that we commit against them, but if we should deny thee, then should the devil, world, pope and Turk fulwel leave us in rest, according to the saying of thy dear Son, if ye were of the world, the world would love her son. joh. xv. etc. Here show thy mercy, O merciful father over us, and earnest judge over our enemies, for they are more thine enemies than ours. Because that when they persecute & strike us, then do they persecute and strike thy for the word, which we preach, believe and knowledge, is not ours, but thine, and the work of thy holy ghost in us. The devil will not suffer, such things, but in stead of the he will be our god, Gen. iij. in stead of thy word he will stablish lies in us. joh. viii. The Turk will set his Marchometh in the room of thy dear son jesus Christ For he speaketh evil of him, and saith: That he is no right God, and that his Machomet is higher and better than he. If it be sin, that we hold, knowledge and boast and father, and the Son, and the holy ghost, for the true only God. Then art thou the sinner thyself, which workest this in us, and commandest us to do it. Therefore do they hate, strike, and correct thyself, when they for such matters, do hate strike or punish us. Wherefore awake O Lord God, and sanctify thy name, whom they blaspheme, strengthen thy kingdom, which they distourbe in us, and let thy will be done, Mat. vi which they will quench in us, Luk. xi. and suffer not thyself so to be trodden under feet for our sins sake, of them, that do not correct ouresynnes in us, but would quench in us thy holy word, name, and work, to th'intent, that thou shouldst be no God, and have no people to preach, believe, and knowledge the. Uouchesafe O Lord gratyouslye to hear this our petition, Ps. iiij. v xvij & do according to our believe and trust. By the dear Son our Lord jesus Christ, which liveth and reigneth, with the and the holy ghost world without end. Amen. Imprinted at London for Gualther Lynne, dwelling on Somers Kaye, by Byllynges gate. In the year of our Lord. 1550. ¶ And they be to be sold in Paul's church yard, next the great School, at the sign of the spread Egie. Cum privilegio ad Imprimendum solum.