HOnorable , worshipfull , and deuout christian audience , the holy prophet Dauid , in his hundreth and xvii psalme ( whence the wordes of my theme are taken out ) dothe in treate of foure pointes moste mete to bee duety considered , and effectually of vs all practiced at this present . Fyrst he declareth that himselfe had been in extreme perill and daunger of life , and in great affliction & tribulation of mynde . Secondely , he acknowledgeth that God of his infinite mercye and goodnes did delmer him . Thirdelye that he doeth esteme those daungers and vexacions as a scourge for synne . Fourthlye and laste he geueth thankes vnto GOD his deliuerer , and exhorteth al other to do the like .

Concerning the perill he was in , he sayth : Circundantes circundederunt me sicutapes . My enemies compassed me round about as thicke as it had ben a swarm of Bees . And againe within a while after . Impulsus euersus sum ut caderem , I was thruste at so sore , that I was lyke to be ouer-throwne : and after that he calleth him selfe , lapidem quem reprobauerunt ędificātes . A ston which the builders did refuse and cast awaye : meaning in those .iii. places , the persecution whiche he susteyned at the handes of wicked Saul , who ( as it is written in the fyrst booke of the kinges ) sometime threwe a darte at Dauid : sometyme sent men sodenlye Dauids house , to take him in his beed and bringe him vnto him , that he might be slain : somtime persecuted him with an open armye . Concerning the seconde pointe , whiche is how Dauid in the forsaied Psalme dothe confesse and acknowledge that god of his mere goodnes miraculous lye protected and deliuered hym , it is there written . Dominus suscepit me , God was my help . Fortitudo & laus mea dominus , & factus est mihi in salutem , God is my strength & my reioysing , and is become my saluation . Dextera domini fecit uirtutem , dextera domini exaltauit me , dextera domine fecit virtutem . The ryght hande of God hathe done myghtelye , the right hande of God hath exalted me , the right hande of God hath done myghtely . Concerning the thirde pointe , whiche is that the prophet Dauid counteth his troubles persecutions as a chastisement for sinne , he sayth . Castigans castigauit me dominus . God hathe chastened & corrected me . The laste and fourthe pointe is thankes geuing & prouoking all other to the like . This point is to be found in many places of the Psalme , but most notably in the wordes of my theme when he saieth : Constituite diem solennem in condensis vsoque ad cornu altaris . Appoint you to kepe a solempne feaste , in great frequencies or multitudes , & concourse of people euen reachinge to the corners of the alter . It was commaunded in the old lawe that at solempne feastes the people should bringe Oxen , Calues , lambes , or Goates , to be offred vp vpon the aulter in sacrifice , and that the preist shoulde sprynkell of the bloude vpon the corners of the aultar : & he nowe exhorteth them so to do , in geuynge thankes to God , for that he had deliuered him out of the handes of Saul : and he moneth them to kepe a newe solemnetie for this purpose , besides the accustomed feastes cominaunded in the lawe . Accordynge to this example geuen vs by kynge Dauid , it is our parte to vse our selfes this present daye . First to remember what miserable and parilous case we were in of late yeres . Nexte to consider howe God by his myghtye hande , and thoroughe hys infinite mercye hathe deliuered vs . Thirdlye to perswade oure selues , that wee worthely suffered those miseries for oure synnes . Fourthlye to be thankefull , and induce other to thankes geuing for our deliuery . Whiche that ye may the rather do , I intende by Goddes grace and your patience , to stande vpon the twoo fyrste pointes , and to set forth the excedinge greate benefite of oure reconciliation to the vnitie of the catholike churche , and the horrible miseries which we were in , in the tyme of schisme and diuision , & then no more , but touche the other two partes , and so committe you to God . And that the thinges to be vttered at this presente by me , may be to Gods honour , to your edification and comforte , I desyre you fyrste to helpe me with your prayers .

The prayers .

I Fynde in holye scripture that there wer two comen weales , instituted , ordeined , and appoynted by God him selfe . The one emonge the chyldren of Israell , the other emong the christians . The common weale of the Israelites or Iewes , was in tyme before the comminaltie of christendome . But this in worthines is farre before it . For the thinges belonging to that estate , were figures , types , and shadowes of thynges belonginge too christianitie . The children of Israel were vnder cruel Pharao , in great captiuitie & thraldom , until such time as god of his goodnes called them outs of Egypte , and drowned their enemyes in the redde Sea : lykewise is all mankinde thrall to the spiritual Pharao , that is the deuil , before they comme to passe thoroughe baptisme , whiche because it taketh his force and strength of the bloud of our sauiour , and is ministred in water , maye well be lykened to the read Sea , and in it all power of the deuill is quite ouer whelmed and destroyed . The chyldren of Israell hauing passed the read Sea , were not furth with directly conueied to the lande of promise : but were faine to traueill in the baren & vnpleasaunt wyldernes , a longe space , there abiding muche trouble and vexation . Euen so christen people after their Baptisme are left in this vale of miserie , here to endure many sharp & perilous stormes , and are not immediatly from the Font , had vp to the lande of the liuyng , whiche is the lande promised to the iust . In many other pointes the laws of Moyses was a shadowe of christianitie , but moste especially in the kynd & maner of gouernement , is liuely represented the gouernment vsed in Christes churche : whiche is the matter I specially purpose to set furth vnto you , & therfore desire you to geue good eare vnto it . The commen weale of the Iewes , in that their passage from Egypt to the lande of promise , hadde twoo milers , by Gods own appointment set ouer them , Moyses and Aaron both preistes : but the one , that is Moyses , which was the higher , made preist immediatly by God , the other , that is Aaron , made preist at Goddes commaundement by Moyses . Of those two rulers , the higher and worthier receiued at Gods hande all that God woulde haue sayed to the people , and he deliuered it to Aaron , and then Aaron deliuered if to the people , or at the least instructed the people therin . Contrariwise when the people would haue any question demaunded of God , Aaron did moue that question to Moyses , and Moyses to God : So that Moyses was Aarons mouth , in thinges to be moued from the people to God : and Aaron was Moyses mouthe in thinges to be reueled from God to the people : as it is written in the .iiii. of Exodus , where god speketh thus to Moyses . Ipse loquetur pro te ad populum & erit os tuum . Tu autem eris ei in his quae ad deum pertinent , that is . Thy brother Aaron shal be thy spokesman to the people , he shal be thy mouthe . And thou shalte be hys spokesman , and hys mouthe in thinges that come from GOD . Againe Moyses went vp to the toppe of mount Sinay , & there talked face to face with GOD : but Aaron in the meane season taried beneth at the foote of the hyll emonge the people to instructe and guyde them . These iii. pointes in Moyses & Aaron , as they were thinges fulfilled in dede in their persons , so were they significations of thynges to come , in the state of christianitie . For as S. Paule saieth in the first to the Corinthyans the tenth chapitre . Haec omnia in figura contingebant illis , All these thinges chaunced to the Iewes in a type or figure . And in the tenthe to the Hebreues heal soo saieth , Vmbram habens lex futurorum non ipsam imaginem rerum . The lawe of Moyses hadde but a shadowe of thinges to come , & not the true shape of those thinges in dede . To come therfore to the publike weale of Christendome , and the gouernement therof : There are in the churche of Christ alwayes two head rulers , bothe preistes , that is , Christ oure hyghe preist made by God the father immediatlye , accordinge as we reed in the hundreth and ninth psalme , Tu es sacer dos ineternum secundum ordinem Melchisedech . The other preist inferior to Christ , and yet gouernour of the whole church , first was saint Peter , and now is his successor . Now Peter was made preist by Christ , as Aaron was by Moyses ; and his successours are made preistes by men as Aarons successours were . Christe is Peters spokesman to God , and Peter was Christes mouthe to the church as appeareth in the .xxii. of Luke , in these wordes , Simon , Simon , ecce Sathanas experiuit uos , ur cribraret , sicut triticum , Ego autem rogaui pro te ur non deficiat fides tua . Tu autem aliquando conuersus , confirma fratres tuos . Simon , Simon , behold Sathan hathe desired you to sifte you as it were wheate : but I have prayed for the , that thy faieth faile not : & when thou shalt be conuerted , confirme thy brethren . In that Christe praieth for Peter to God the father , that Peters faieth shoulde not faile , he is Peters mouth to god ward , as Moyses was Aarons . Agayne in that Peter confirmeth his brethren , in the trueth of christes religion , he is christes mouthe to the people . Christ is ascended in to the highe mount of heauen , Vt appareat nunc vultui dei pro nobis . That he might appeare before the face of God for vs . But the other ruler that is christes vicar , remaineth here on earth , to gouerne the churche militaunt , as did Aaron emong the Israelites , as shall anone appere mooste euidently by ineuitable authorities of the new testament . Now when God had placed those two priestes in the gouernment of the Iewes , hee would such obedience to be giuen vnto , them of the whole people , that none might once repine againste the authoritie of either of them , as is euident in the .xvi. of Numbres , where Chore , Dathan , and Abiron , for making rebellion against Moises , and Aaron , were swalowed vp in to the earth aliue , and most terribly perished , that the rest myght by their example , feare at any time to attempt the like . And in the .xvii. of Numbres , GOD to declare , that hee had appointed Aaron as wel as Moises , to be rular ouer the Israelites , caused euery captain of the twelue tribes to bring in a rodde to Moyses , and al the twelue roddes to bee layed in the tabernacle all night , and whose rodde shoulde burgin on the morowe , that he was the chefe gouernour vnder Moyses . Which being done , on the morow , Aarons rodde was founde with buddes on it . The same authoritie that was in Aaron at that time , and thus confirmed miraculously , remained in the high priest , Aarons successour from tyme to tyme so long as the estate of that common weith endured . Euen so is it ut Christendome . Peter fyrst was placed in the chief gouernement vnder Christ , and after Peter his successours continue in the same , and haue the rule of the whole church . But you wil peraduenture require farther proofe hereof , and woulde gladly here whether this may be established by the ghospel , and the auncient fathers : wherin for your contētacion I will somwhat say . And fyrst touching Peter and his authoritie wee reade in the .xvii. of Mathew , how the gatherers of the tribute money came to aske the tribute of Christ , and how Christ bade Peter cast hys angle into the see , & looke what fishe he tooke first , he tolde him that in his mouth he should find so much money as two men were bound to pay and said , da eis pro me et te . Paye that money to them for me and thy selfe . Vpon this facte of Christe S. Augustine saith Didrachma capitum solutio intelligitur . Saluator cum pro se et Petro dari iubet , pro omnibus exoluisse videtur : quod sicut in saluatore erant omnes causa magisterii , ita et post saluatorem in Petro omnes continentur : ipsum enim constituit caput eorum : that is to say , The tribute money was hed money or paiment which euery hed or ruler was bound to pay . Wherfore when our sauiour commaunded the tribute to be paied for himself and for Peter , he semeth to haue paied for them all . For as they were all in our sauiour by reason he was their maister , so after our sauiour they were all conteined in Peter . For he had made Peter their hed or ruler . The same S. Austine writing vpon that place of S. Luke in his .xxii. chapter where Christ saieth that he praied for Peter , hath these wordes , Non orauit pro Iacobo et Ioanne et reliquis , sed pro Petro in quo reliqui continentur , Christe did not pray for Iames and Iohn and for the rest of his Apostles , but for Peter , in whome the rest are contained . In the .xxi. of Mathew we finde how our sauiour sayed vnto Peter in most speciall and earnest maner , pasce agnos , pasce agnos , pasce oues , fede my lambes fede my lambes , fede my shepe : And though certen of the other apostles , & thei also the most nota blest , were then present , Yet he gaue the charge onely to Peter . Wherupon Ciprian , Chrisostome , Ambrose , Austine , gather that Peter was made rular aboue & ouer them all . Now as concerning Peters successours , where they are to be found and of their authoritie writeth the auncient father Ireneus , in his third boke against the ; heresies of Valentinus , and other heretikes , and in the thirde chapiter of the same boke in this maner . Quoniam valde longum est omnium ecclesiarum enumerare successiones , maximae et antiquissemae et omnibus cognitae a gloriosissimis duobus Apostolis Petro et paulo Romae fundatae et constitutae ecclesiae , eam quam habet ab apostolis traditionem et annunciatam hominibus fidem per successiones episcoporum peruenientem vsque ad nos , indicantes confundimus eos omnes qui quoquo modo vel per sui complacentiam malam , velvanam gloriam , vel per caecitatem et malam sententiam , preterquàm oportet colligunt . Ad hanc enim ecclesiam propter potentiorem principalitatem necesse est omnem conuenire ecclesiam , hoc est eos qui sunt vndique fideles , that is to say . Forasmuch as it were a long processe to recite the succession of all christen seas , we showe the succession of Bishoppes in the greatest , the most aunciente , and the moste knowen sea , founded and stablished at Rome by the most gloria apostles Petre & Paule : and we declare what is the tradicion , which that sea hath receiued from the apostles and what faith hath ben preached to men there , and is comen by succession of byshoppes euen vnto vs , and so doing we confound and put to sylence al those , which by any meanes either by standing to muche in their own conceite , or for vaine glorye , or through blinde ignoraunce , or throughe wrong opinion , dooe gather otherwise in matters of religion then is behouable . For vnto this sea , by reson of the higher gouernment , euery sea , that is , all faithful , whersoeuer they dwel , must nedes haue recourse . The like is also in Sainct Austine in hys , cxlv . epistle , where he improuing the secte of the Donatistes writeth in this maner , Si ordo episco porum sibi succe dentium considerandus est , quanto citius et vere salubri ter ab ipso Petro numeramus , cui totius ecclesiae figuram gerenti dominus ait . Tu es Petrus , et super hanc Petram aedificabo ecclesiam mean , If the order of Bishops succeding one a nother is to be considered , howe much more soner & in dede more wholsomly doe we recken from Peter himself , vnto whom bearing the figure of the whole church , our lord saith : Thou art Peter , and vpon this rocke will I builde my churche : And within a litle after he saith In hoc ordine successionis nullus Donatista inuenitur . In this order of succession no Donatist is founde . Thus concerning the primacye of S. Peter and hys successours , we haue matter sufficient both in scripture and in the fathers to content vs . But it may not here be omitted , that though in the numbre of many successours of Sainct Peter it might somtime chaunce some one or mo to be euil : yet that nothig can preiudicate to the authorite nor men ought therfore to withdraw their obedience . And that in this point also ye may se good mater to content you : I shal recite a notable sayeng of Sainct Austin in his forsaied epistle to this effecte , where he writeth in this maner . In illum autem ordinem episcoporum qui ducitur ab ipso Petro vsoque ad Anastasium , qui nunc eandem sedet cathedram , etiam si quisquàm traditor per illa tempora surrep sisset , nihil praeiudicaret ecclesiae , et innocentibus christianis , quibus duns prouidens ait de praepositis malis : Quae dicunt facite , quae autem faciunt nolite facere . Dicunt enim & non faciunt , vt certa sit spes fidelis quae non in homine , sed in deo collocata nunquàm tempestate sacrilegi scif matis dissipetur , that is to saye . Thoughe some traitour had by these days crept into that order , or numbre of Bishoppes , which is reckened from Peter vnto Anastasius , which now sitteth in that sea , yet were it not preiudicial to the church , and to the innocent christen folke , for whom our lord prouiding saieth . Doe the thinges which they say , but that they do , do ye not : for they saye and doe not , that the hope of a christen man might be sure , and being set not on man , but on god , should neuer be shaken with any tempest or storme of wicked scisme . Nowe that ye haue heard how necessarye it is for al christendome to be vnder the gouernement of the Apostolike sea , and thereby must needes perceiue that the benefite of our reconciliation and reduction to that sea , is a most excellent and exceadyng gret benefit : I think good to note vnto you the circumstances incident with the same , wherby the benefit is made the more notable . This most ioyful reconciliation came vnto this realme on the first feastiual day in the whole yeare , by the order of the ecclesiasticall seruice , that is , on sainct Andrewes day . It came in the feast of S. Andrew brother to S. Peter , to whose sea we are reconciled , in the day of such a saint as was crucified , as bothe Peter was , the firste that enioyed this autoritie , and as Christe was , whoe gaue the autoritie vnto Peter . It chaunced in the tyme of a parliament , and by the full consent and glad approbation of the whole realme , in that parliament represented : It came vnto vs by oure owne countrey man the most honorable lorde Legates grace , who neuer swarued from that sea : In the raigne of our soueraines kynge Phylip and quene Mary , who alwayes continued in their obedyence to that supremicye . It came by see vnto vs , a mete passage for the authoritye of hym , whiche was called to that autoritie frome the see , and in his feast , who was made an apostle from the see , that is of a fyssher . I shall not nede muche to speake of the great euils that this realme is ryd from by this benefit . Euery man feleth in him self the great relife , that he hath by his reconciliation : I meane not onely for the temporall cruelte , myserye , tumult , feare , and tyrannye , whiche ceasse by this benefyte , but most of all for the inwarde ghostly relyfe , of which saincte Paule speakynge in the seconde chapiter of his first epistle to the Corinthians , sayeth : Quisscit hominum quae sunt hominis , nisi spiritus hominis qui ipso est ? Ita et quae dei sunt nemo nouit nisi spiritus dei , what man knoweth the thinges whiche are in man , but the spirite of manne whiche is within him ? Euen so those thinges whiche longe to god , none knoweth but onely the spirite of god . In whiche wordes saincte Paule geueth vs to wete , that who so hath not the spirite of god in him , knoweth not gods truth . Now the spirite of god can not be but in them that are of the body , whiche is gouerned with goddes spirite , and this bodye is the Churche : whereof they are not , whiche deuyde theim selues from the gouernment appointed by god to be in the churche , whiche gouernment is as you haue hearde , the obedience to the sea of Rome , from whiche we haue deuided our selues of late yeres : and wher vnto we were by thys dayes benefit vnited and reconciled againe . We were I say rid from that mysery , which sainct Paule speaketh of in the second chapiter of his Epistle to the Ephesians , sayinge : Eratis illo in tempore sine christo , alienatia conuersatione Israel , et hospites testamentorum , promissionis spem non habentes , et sine deo in hoc mundo . Ye were at that tyme without Christe : Ye were straiinge from the conuersacion of Israel , ye were strangers from the testamentes hauyng no hope of the promysse , and men without god in this worlde . Yf wee nowe perceaue these two pointes whiche I haue declared , the one of goddes singular benefyte as this day conferred and bestowed vpon vs , the other touching the dredfull daungers we were in before , we haue then a thirde parte to playe with kynge Dauyd , that is , to acknoweledge these miseries to haue comen vppon vs for oure offences in sayinge euery one of vs . Castigans castigauit me dominus , et morti non tradidit me . God hath chastened me , but he hath not delyuered me into death . The fourthe poynt also is to be ioyned to the other three , that is to giue thankes as Dauid dyd , and to exhort all other to do the same , whithe for my parte I shall do with the wordes of my theme , sayinge unto you . Constituite diem solennem in condensis vsque ad cornu altaris . Of late men pulled downe aultars , contempned the seruice and sacrifice of the aultar , but now we must come in gret multitudes to the aultar , to the seruice of the aultar , and the sacrifice of the aultar , I meane to the Masse . And in consideration of the highe worke of god done on the aultar , we must make great solempnity , specially on this day And beholde besides the benefyt of our reconciliacion chauncyng on this daye , we haue yet by S. Andrewe a confirmacion of our beliefe in the sacrament and sacrifice of the aulter by that hee saide and did this daye . For amonge other aunsweres whiche the blessed apostle S. Andrewe made to the cruel Aegeas , he said : Omnipotenti deo qui vnus & verus est , ego omni die sacrifico . Non thurisfumū nec taurorum mugientium carnes , nec hircorum sanguinem , sed immaculatum agnum quotidle in altari sacrifico cuius carnes posteaquàm omnis populus manducauerit , & sanguinem eius biberit , tamen integer parmanet & immaculatus , that is . I do offer sacrifice euery day to God almighty , not the smoke of franckencens , nor the fleshe of roring bulles or the blood of goates , but I sacrifice euery daye on the aultar the immaculate lambe , whose flesh after that al the people hath eaten and hath dronke his bloud , yet he abideth whole and immaculate . What can bee plainer spoken either of the presence of Christes body & bloud in the sacrament of the aultar , or of the sacrifice of the Masse , then here is spoken ? And as plainely the same blessed apostle vttereth in that that foloweth , a nother point worthy to be considered . For when Aegeas maruailinge at his talke saied vnto him : Quomodo potest hoc fieri : howe can this bee done ? S. Andrewe aunswered . Sivis scire quomodo potest fieri , assume formam discipuli vt possis discernere quod quaeris , It thou wilt know how it may be done , take vpon thee the shape or fourme of a disciple or lerner , that thou may discerne the thing that thou askest . Which because Aegeas would not do , he could not vnderstand the mistery , as in our days , so many as would pre supteously teache themselfes , & not lerne of Christes church , erred in the truthe of Christes sacraumentes . Wherfore I ethorte you with the woordes of my theme : kepe this day a solemne day : kepe solempne procession , make great solennitie , so as your deuotion may stretch euen to the aultar : or rather the prophete Dauid foreseyng in spirite the benefite of christian vnitie , doth exhort you therto , and with the prophete Dauid , S. Peter the prince of the Apostles ( to whose authoritie wee are recouered ) exhorteth you , and with Dauid & S. Peter , Peters brother saint Andrewe , whose feast we kepe , exhorteth you : and with the , & aboue them , Christ our sauiour exhorteth you , to reioyce and be thankeful for the great benefite of god comen this day vnto you , that we keping our selues with in his folde on earth , maye bee found in the numbre of those lambes , which srāding on his right hand at the daye of Dome shall heare our lorde say vnto them . Come ye blessed children of my father possesse the kyngdome which was prepared for you from the beginning of the worlde . Which send vnto vs al , the father , the sonne , and the holy ghost , to whome be al honour & glory world without ende .