in old time he shal not finde in â—he celebration of CircumcisioÌ„ the feast of the Passeouer sacrifices any words to haue ben spoken or pronounced wherby thei were formed as it were created sacramentes were made effectuall To which belongeth this that Iohn Baptist did not only baptise the common people without respect of person but the Lord Iesus himself also in the water of Iordane no words in the mean while béeing pronounced wherby he called drew down the heauenly grace ouer or vpon the water of baptisme Againe whiles Christe our high bishop did institute his supper in the gospell he coÌ„maunded nothing to be spokeÌ„ or pronounced by vertue of which spéech or pronuntiation the elementes might either be chaunged or the things signified béeing drawen down from heauen should be present with or ioyned to the signes but what the lord hath simply done what his wil was we should doe after what maner to what end he instituted his supper the Euangelists haue declared We read in no place that the Lord said As often as ye speake or pronounce these my wordes This is my body this is my bloud it shall come to passe by the vertue of my words that the substance of the signe shal be made void that in the same prick of time wherin the words are spoken it shâ—l begin to be the true bodie and the true bloud of the lord vnder y formes or likenesses of bread wine or that the formes or likenesses the truth of y signe remaining it shal begin at once with the bread and wine to be the very body and blood of Christ Wherfore in the pronouÌ„cing or speaking of that words of the lord in the supper there is no power or vertue either to cal down the things signified or to change that things preseÌ„t These imaginations do rather séem more to mainteine superstition than religion As though the words pronouÌ„ced according to the forme conceiued had power to call down out of heaueÌ„ to bring froÌ„ one place to another to restore health to draw to to put from or to transforme or change S. Au. reconeth vp amonge superstitions vanities those things which for remedies of diseases are tyed or fastened about the body which also physick maketh no account of whether it be in charmings or in certein signes called characters or in hanging certeine thinges about some parte of the body The place is to be séene Cap. 20. Li. De doct Christ 2. And Chrysost béeing very angry with them that hang the writeÌ„ gospel about their neck hath these words vpon Mat. 23. cha Wherin consisteth the force or power of the gospel in the forme and figure of the letters or in the vnderstanding of the meaning and sense of the same If in the forme of letters thou dost wel to hang it about thy neck but if in the vnderstanding of the meaning it is better they were laid vp in thy hart Thus saith he But there is the same reason of the figures and of the pronuntiatioÌ„ of the letters or words of the gospel For as the figure of the letters is of power to doe nothing euen so is there no force or vertue either in the pronuntiation or sounde of words Plinie an hethenish writer alledgeth many heathenish examples wherin he declareth that words are effectual but yet among other thinges which he bringeth he hath this It is a queâ—â—io 〈◊〉 he whether words or inchanting speeches are of any force but euerye one that is wise is so far from beleeuing it that euen man by man they vtterly denye it The place is to be séene Lib. 28. Cap. 2. But most worthily is the true word of God it self preferred before al these the which by Moses Deu 18. with great seueritie forbiddeth and condemneth all kinde of superstitions and inchantments I knowe what the aduersaries wil here obiect vnto me namelie that it is a blessing or consecration and not a superstition which they vse Besides this they bring many examples out of the scripture set downe in their Canonicall decrées whereby very foolishly most vnaptlie doutlesse they go about to proue that by blessing or consecration as they say the natures of the things are chaunged whervpon they also gather that the breade by the wordes of blessing or consecrating is turned into flesh Their examples are these and of this sorte The water flowing out of the rock after it was smitteÌ„ with Aarons rod the riuer Nilus turned into bloud the water at the marriage in Cana of Galile turned into wine the bitter waters of Marath chauÌ„ged into swéet water Moses his rod turned into a serpent But I beséech you what make these to the Lords supper wherwith they haue no maÌ„ner of similitude or likenes so that this must néeds be a very vnapt coÌ„parison a doltish which they make The riuer Nilus was turned into blod therfore the bread is turned into flesh the water at the mariage in Cana was changed into wine therefore the wine in the lords supper is changed into the blood of Christ For while that the water gushâ—d out of the rock when it was smitteÌ„ while the riuer Nilus was turned into blood while that water at the mariage was chaged into wine while the bitter waters of Marath becaÌ„e swéet while Moses rod was turned into a serpeÌ„t the water truly the blood the wine the swéet water the serpeÌ„t so turned chaÌ„ged were not vnder y forme or likenesse of 〈◊〉 things which they were before 〈◊〉 were they at once that whiche they were before that which thei were theÌ„ made but y water of Nilus was very bloud not water bloud together nether was there inuisible bloud vnder the visible forme of water And so standes the case also in the other examples therfore they do nothing agrée with the sacramental signes but are so farr from béeing like them that they are altogether vnlike them Moreouer who can wel tell by what pronuntiation of wordes Moses made water brust out of the hard rock turned the riuer Nilus into bloud changed the bitter waters into swéete Who knoweth what forme also of wordes the lord vsed when he changed water into wine Therefore very vnfitly do they apply these examples to their blessing or consecration changing the natures of thinges since it cannot be shewed what maner blessings y saints or holy men vsed Likewise we reade not that Moses Iosue pronouÌ„ced any wordes of blessing wherby they diuided the chanell of the Erithean sea the riuer Iordan Eliseus is read to haue vttered no words of blessing when he made y are to swim reached it out of the water by the helue In al these things the power of God did worke But we must not imagine what we list to procede from it For it is weakenes and not power which is repugnant to iustice taketh things in hande which are contrary to gods trueth But the
of the inuisible grace whiche by faithe onely is receiued Whervpon yet againe it followeth that the signe is not confounded with the thing signified but bothe of them do reteine their substance and nature distinguished What doth not the scripture expressely pithily make a difference betwéene the outward ministerie of man and God the inward worker and giuer of spirituall gyfts For Iohn Baptiste saith I baptise you with water But he Christ shall Baptise you with the holy Ghoste Wherewith agréeth that saying of Peter Baptisme saueth vs not the putting away of the filth of the flesh but in that a good conscience maketh request to God. To this nowe pertcineth that euident testimonie of saint Augustine which is read 3. Quest lib. in Leuit. Quest. 83. In these wordes Wee must diligently consider as often as he saith I the Lord which sanctifie him that he speaketh of the priest when he also spake this to Moses thou shalt sanctifie him Howe therefore doth both Moses and God also sanctifie for Moses doth not sanctifie for the Lord but Moses doeth sanctifie in the visible sacraments by his ministerie and the Lorde by inuisible grace by his holy spirit where the whole fruit of visible sacraments also is For without this sanctificatioÌ„ of inuisible grace what profite haue we by visible sacraments Thus farre August As Iohn Baptist made distinction betwéene his owne ministerie in Baptisme and the power of Christ euen so maketh he distinction betwéen the ministerie of preaching the drawing of the spirituall teacher I am saith he the voyce of a crier in the wildernes make streight the way of the Lord. And againe He that commeth from on high is aboue all he that is of the earth is earthly speaketh of the earth he that coÌ„meth from heauen is aboue all and what he hath sene and heard that he testifieth c. Saint Paule also agréeing therevnto sayth Who is Paule What is Apollos but ministers by whom ye beleeued euen as the Lorde gaue to euerie man I haue planted Apollos watered but god gaue the increase So that neither is hee that planteth any thing neither he that watereth but God that giueth the increase Albeit the comparison of ministers with the signes agrée not altogether and in euerie part which I told you before â–ª because ministers are fellowe labourers with Christ according to their office but the signes which are without life are not so vnlesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we translate vnto them that whiche is the ministers yet by other proofes I suppose it to be made plaine that the signe thing signified do reteine their natures distinguished in the sacraments These things doe specially disproue and conuince those who are persuaded of that papisticall traÌ„substantiation of bread and wine into the substance of the bodie bloud of Christe For these men vtterly denie that the breade and wine béeing consecrated in the mysteries do remaine in their owne substances For they contend that these substaÌ„ces of bread wine are annihilated turned into the verie bodie and bloud of the Lord so that after the consecration the accidents of bread and wine doe remaine and no part of the substance thereof at all For they say that the Lorde in expresse words pronounced ouer the bread wine This is my bodie This is my bloud that the Lord can easily bring to passe by his own omnipotencie that that which he said may be as he said For proofe wherof they alledge these such like places that the Lord for soothe fashioned man out of the clay of the earth by by of the rib of man made woman also turned Lots wife into a piller of salt therfore y he by the selfe same his power can make of bread his bodie of wine his bloud And these truely are their bulworkes But we in another place haue plentifully disputed of the meaning of the Lords words This is my bodie So that it is superfluous to make long repetition of them I haue also tolde you y of the omnipotencie of God we muste not gather determine whatsoeuer commeth into our braine also that Gods power doth nothing against trueth neither against it selfe and that no Godly man ought to take that in hand vnder pretence of the power of God whiche is repugnant to the plaine Scriptures and the articles of the catholique faith Now it is euident and plaine that after consecration there remaineth in the sacrament the substaÌ„ce of bread wine And herein we néed no other witnesses than our verie senses whiche perceiue sée taste and féele no other thing than bread and wine but while clay was turned into a mans bodie the ribb into a woman Lots wife into a piller of salte they were not as the sacrament of the supper that which they were before neither did there appeare vnto the senses any iotte of the clay of the ribbe of Lots wife Verie foolishly therefore and vnaptly are these examples applyed to the mysterie of the Lordes supper wherewith they nothing agrée whiche thing also we touched before The Gospel verie diligently describing the moste holy institution of the Lordes supper and the maner thereof maketh no mention of miraculous transubstantion but calleth the bread and wine whiche the Lord tooke and distributed to his disciples and which they also receiued by the names of bread wine as wel after the words of consecration as they tearme it were spoken as also before consecration Doeth not the Lorde in the 26. cha of Mat. call the wine being coÌ„secrated not wine only but the fruit of the vine after a more vehement and significatiue kinde of spéeche lest any shold be ignorant that the wine was wine in déede and so remained In Marke we reade this of the Cuppe And he tooke the Cuppe and when he had giuen thanks he gaue to them And they dranke of it and he saide vnto them This is my bloud of the new Testament c. Loe they dâ—anke all sayth he of the Cuppe before the words of consecratioÌ„ as they terme it were spoken therefore they dranke wine Nowe if so be they answere that this place of the Euangelist is to be expounded by the figure Hysteroâ—protero that is wheÌ„ any thing is declared out of order preposterously theÌ„ admitt they tropes figures in the celebration of the supper which notwithstandinge they haue contended ought simplie to bee vnderstoode without the help of tropes or figures But Paule also the Apostle in the 1. Cor. cap. 10. calleth the bread of the Lorde beeing nowe in the verie holy vse and that I may so say consecrated by the name of bread And in the 1. Cor. 11. chap. the thirde time hee calleth it bread To this apperteyneth that the Actes of the Apostles doe testifie how that the Churche of the Apostles do call the whole mysticall action The breaking of breade not The breaking of
his bodie or distribution of his bloud It is manifest therefore that the substance of bread and wine in the Sacrament of the Lordes supper doe remaine in their owne nature and that transubstantiation is a sophistical imagination This also is a sophistical and a notable papisticall forgerie in that they say that the bread and wine consecrated in the Supper is therefore called of the Apostles breade and wine béecause they were bread and wine before For that is nowe done whiche is reade in Erod to haue béene done in times past where Araons rodde is saide to deuoure the Inchaunters rods which neuerthelesse then were not roddes but Serpentes but now they are named roddes because they were rods before they were so chaunged which now are serpents and not rods But againe who doth not sée this example hathe no similitude or likenesse with the breade and wine of the Lord For the rod truely was called a rod. But in the meane while it was and séemed plainly to be not now a rod but a serpént but the bread is called bread neither doeth it appeare to be any thing else but bread here is no forme of flesh séene as was séene there the fourme of a serpent Beside this the rod is saide to be turned into a serpent is shewed for a wonder or miracle but ye shal read in no place that the breade was turned into flesh by any miracle but a sacrameÌ„t is instituted which in déed looseth the name nature of a sacrament when the substance of the signe beeing annihilated made voide nothing remaineth there but the thing signified for the which they triflingly say of accidents myraculously subsisting without their subiect remayning in sted of the signe is to no purpose If we shuld go about to boast of our dreames for miracles there will be nothing so absurde foolish which we shal not colour with our fansies lyes What if this word transubstantiatioÌ„ doth manifestly proue that this whole trifling toy is not fetcht from the simple plaine doctrine of the Apostles but froÌ„ the subtile schole of quarelling sophisters But the Apostle Paule giueth vs in charge to beware both of Philosophie and straungenesse of wordes though at this present we do not only intreate of new wordes but also of new matter and new doctrine contrary in all pointes to the Apostles For this doctrine of transubstantiation is cleane coÌ„trary both to the doctrine of the Apostles Euangelistes touching the true incarnation of our Lorde and the true nature and propertie of his humane body and also the true raising vp againe of our bodies For they are constrayned to forge many thinges altogether myraculous as of the inuisible body of Christ of the subtile body of Christ pearcing by his subtility through the gate the stone I meane that which couered his sepulchre or the Lordes very body béeinge altogether and at one time in many places and filling all thinges and other innumerable which are of this stampe absurde and wicked Nowe also Ioan. Scotus a subtile doctour in his woorke Sentent Distinct 11. Lib. 4. quaest 3. saith That the article of Transubstantiation is neyther expressed in the créede of the Apostles neyther in those créedes of the auncient fathers but that it was brought in and inuented of the Churche so sayth he meaning the Romishe Churche vnder Innocentius the thirde in the Counsel of Lateran Whereby we gather that the doctrine of Transubstantiation is of late time and newely start vp the historie whereof we haue elsewhere more largely compyled But by this that I haue sayde I thinke it playnely and effectually enoughe declared that the signes are not mingled with the things signified or chauÌ„ged into them but that eache of them remaine in their seuerall natures But albeit eyther of the parts without myxture doe reteine their owne nature yet those two agrée in one sacrament and being ioyned together and not diuided do make one perfect and lawfull Sacrament For water alone both priuately and ordinarily sprinckled is no sacrament vnlesse it be applyed and vsed according to the institution of Christ Purifying also or washing away of sinnes and the ingraffing or receiuing into the league and fellowshippe of God and all Saintes of it selfe is no Sacrament vnlesse there be also a sprinckling of water in the name of the blessed Trinitie In like maner it is no Sacrament if we eate bread in a common assembly and drinke wine of the selfe same cuppe after the common manner neyther is it a Sacrament if through a faythfull remembraunce thou consider that the Lordes body was betrayed for thée and his bloude shedde for thée for the which also thou giuest thankes but so farre fâ—â—rth as they are all mysteries of God and our saluation they are generally termed sacramentes that is secrete and spirituall mysteries of GOD and oure saluation For in a perfect and lawfull Sacramente there must néedes goe together both the holy action corporall or sensible and the spirituall celebration thereof for the whiche this sacramentall action was inuented and put in practise But here some moue many and diuers questions touching the sacramentall vnion whether it be personall reall or rationall I bycause I sée nothing of this matter doubtfully deliuered of the Apostles and that the thing being playne of it selfe by such maner of sophisticatioÌ„s is made dark doubtful difficult and obscure simply and playnely saye that the signe and the thing signified are ioyned together in the Sacramentes by Gods institution by faythfull contemplation and vse to be shorte in signification and likenesse of the thinges but I vtterly denye that those two are naturally vnited together so that the signe in the Sacrament beginneth to be that whiche the thing signified is in his owne substaunce and nature I denye that the thing signified is ioyned corporally with the signe so that the signe remayneth still in his owne substaunce and nature and yet neuerthelesse in the meane time hath the thing signified corporally ioyned vnto it that thereby who so euer is partaker of the signe shoulde be also by the signe or with the signe partaker of the thing it selfe The reason why I do so constantly denie that appeareth I thinke sufficiently by those examples whiche I haue hetherto declared and whiche hereafter shall be declared Furthermore I say that the signe and the thing signified are coupled together by Gods institution bycause he whiche instituted the Sacrament of baptisme and the Supper instituted it not to this ende that with water we might washe awaye the filthe of the body as the custome is to doe by daily vse of bathes neyther that wee should take oure fill of the breade and wine but that vnder visible signes he might commend vnto vs the mysteries of our redemption and his grace and to be shorte of our saluation by represeÌ„ting them to renue them and by sealing them to confirme theÌ„ My saying is that they are
two speciall and principall markes The sincere preaching of the word of GOD and the lawfull partaking of the sacraments of Christ Wheras some add vnto these the study of godlinesse and vnitie patience in affliction and the calling on the name of God by Christe but we include them in the setwaine that we haue set downe S. Paule writing to the Ephestians saith Christ gaue him selfe for the congregation that he might sanctifie it and clense it in the founteine of water through the worde Ye haue in this testimonie of the Apostle the markes of the Church to witt the Worde and the Sacrament by the which Christe maketh to him selfe a church For with his grace he calleth with the bloud of Christ he purifieth that which he sheweth by his worde to be receiued by faith and sealeth with sacraments that the faithfull shoulde doubt of nothing touching their saluatiō obteined through Christ And these things truly do properly belong vnto the faithfull and the holy members Whereas hypocrits are not purified the faulte lieth in themselues and not in God or his holy ministerie They are surely sanctified visibly wherevppon they are counted holy amongst men and these things doe improperly belonge vnto them S. Peter in this pointe differeth not a whitt from S. Paule who when he preached the worde of God to the people of Ierusalem and they demaunding what they should doe Peter aunswered Repent and be ye euery one baptised in the name of Iesus Christ for the remissiō of sinnes S. Peter therefore ioyned baptisme with doctrine the sacrament with the worde Which thinge he had learned of our sauiour him selfe in the gospel written by S. Matth. saying Teach ye all nations baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holie Ghoste So that ye reade in the Acts no other mysteries of the Word and Sacraments of the Church than are recited in these wordes They continued in the doctrine of the Apostles and in doing almes deeds and in breaking of bread and prayer where ye may sée the supper of the Lorde an other sacramente adioyned to the sacramēt of baptisme also the desire and studie of vnitie and loue and the calling vpon the name of God. These things béeing thus sufficient plaine and firme enough yet notwithstanding I will add other testimonies out of the holie Scriptures Concerning the token of Gods worde or the preaching of his Gospel the Lord him self speaketh by Esaie the Prophet saying I will make this couenant with them My spirite that is come vppon thee the church and my words which I haue put in thy mouth shall neuer go out of thy mouth nor out of the mouthe of thy childers children saith the Lord from this time foorth for euermore For in the gospel also the Lord Iesus saith He that is of God doeth heare the word of God. Againe My sheepe heare my voice and I knowe them and they followe me and I giue to them euerlasting life and they shall not perishe for euer And againe He that loueth me will keepe my commaundements he that loueth mee not will not keepe my commaundements Againe Who so is of the truth wil heare my voice Now as touching the markes and tokens of the Sacramentes Saincte Paule speaking of holie Baptisme saith Through one spirite we are all baptised in one body And he also speaking of the Lords supper saieth Though we be many yet are we one bread one body for we are all partakers of the same bread Is not the cup of blessing which we blesse partaking of the bloud of Christe It is moste certeine therefore for that it is approued by testimonies of holie Scriptures that the outwarde markes and tokens of the church are the word and the Sacrament For these bring vs into the societie of one ecclesiasticall bodie and kéepe vs in the same All these testimonies properly as I said a little before doe belong vnto the elect members of GOD beeing endued with faith true obedience but vnto the hypocrites whiche are voide of faith and due obedience they nothing at all béelong notwithstanding because these also doe heare the voice of the shepheard outwardly and insue vertue and opēly or outwardly are annexed to the elect and true beléeuers in the partaking of the sacraments yea vnto the true body of christ for those outwarde signes sake they are accoūted to be in the church so long as they departe not from it In which pointe for perspicuitie sake hauing treated of the markes of the Church we must add this therevnto that by common order these markes doe declare and note the members of the Church For there are certeine speciall members who although they want these markes yet are they not excluded from the societie and communion of the true churche of Christe For it is moste euident that there are many in the world which doe not heare the ordinarie preaching of Gods worde neither doe come into the congregation and companye of them that call vpon God or that receiue the Sacraments not for that they despise them or that it is a delight vnto them to be from Sermons and the preaching of Gods worde but because through necessitie as imprisonmēt sicknes or being let by sōe other vrgent cause they cannot attaine vnto that whiche they earnestly desire and yet for all that they are the true and liuely members of Christe and of the Catholique church In times past the Lord instituted or appointed to the people of Israel a visible Churche whiche he established by a certeine lawe and set it foorth by visible signes If any man had despised this Church or refused when he might to heare the doctrine of the Church and to enter in among the holie companie and to doe sacrifice or else had railed at it or in sted of the order of worshipping GOD that was appointed had embraced any other kinde truly he was not accoūted at al to be of the order number of the people of god And yet it is certeine that there were an innumerable company of men dispearsed throughout the whole world among the Gentiles who neuer did nor could communicate with this visible companie and congregation of Gods people and yet notwithstanding they were holy mēbers of this societie and communion and the friends of the almightie god There were a great many of the children of God with Ioachim and Iechonias taken prisoners by Nabugodonosor and brought captiue into Babylon to whome it was no preiudice neyther did it hurt them that they were separated from the people of God the Church and worshipping of God being then visibly vpholden by Zedechias at Ierusalem euen as in very déede it did little auayle a great manye to be in the visible assemblies and congregations with the people of GOD in Gods temple when their mindes and hearts were not sounde and perfect We may in these dayes finde out a great many of the
name of IESVS CHRISTE for the remission of sinnes and yee shall receiue the gifte of the holie Ghoste Therefore in baptisme water or sprinckling of water in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holie Ghost and al that which is done of the church is a signe rite ceremonie outwarde thing earthly sensible lying opē made plaine to the senses but remission of sinnes partaking of euerlasting life fellowshippe with Christ and his members and gifts of the holy ghoste which are giuen vnto vs by the grace of God through fayth in Christ Iesus is the thing signified the inward and heauenly thing and that intelligible thing whiche is not perceiued but by a faythfull mynde After the same manner the Scripture bearing witnesse also of the Supper of the Lord which is the other sacrament of the Church sayth The Lord Iesus when hee had taken breade hee gaue thankes and brake it and gaue it to his disciples and sayde take ye eate ye this is my body whiche is giuen for you Likewise he tooke the cuppe and gaue it to them saying drinke ye all of this for this is my bloud of the newe Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sinnes doe this in remembraunce of me Nowe therefore all that action which is done of the Church after the example of Christ our high Prieste I meane breaking of bread the distribution thereof yea and the banquet or receyuing of breade and wine is the signe rite ceremonie and the outwarde or earthly thing and also that selfe same sensible thing which lyeth open before the senses but the intelligible thing thing signified the inward and heauenly thing is the verie body of Christ giuen for vs and his bloud shed for the remission of sinnes and oure redemption and fellowship which we haue with Christe and all the Saintes yea whiche he chiefly hath with vs. By these things it shall be easie to determine certeinely of the names or termes nowe giuen to the sacramēts For they are called external or outward signes bicause they are corporall or bodily entring outwardly into those senses whereby they be perceyued Contrariwise we call the thing signified inwarde thinges not that the thinges lye hidde included in the signes but bycause they are perceiued by the inwarde faculties or motions of the mynde wrought in mē by the spirit of god So also those signes are termed both earthly and visible bycause they consist of thinges taken from the earth that is to wit of water breade and wine and bycause they are manifestly séene in these likenesses To be short the thinges signified are called heauenly and inuisible bycause the frute of them is heauenly bicause they are discerned with the eyes of the mynd or of faith not of the body For otherwise the same body and bloude of our Lorde Iesus Christ which in the supper are represented to the faythfull by the fourme of breade and wine are not of their owne proper nature heauenly or inuisible For the body of our Lord touching his substaunce and nature is consubstantiall or of the same substaunce that our bodyes are of Now the same is called heauenly for his deliueraunce from corruption and infirmitie or else bycause it is clarified not by reason of the bringing to nought or laying aside of his owne nature The same body of his owne nature is visible not inuisible resident in heauen howbeit it is séene of the godly celebrating the supper not with the eyes of the body but with the eyes of the mynde or soule therefore in respect of vs it is called inuisible which of it selfe is not inuisible Now the worde in the sacraments is called and is indéede a witnessing of Gods will and a remembraunce and renuing of the benefits and promises of God yea and it is the institution and commaundement of God which sheweth the author of the sacrament with the manner ende of the same For the word in baptisme is the verie same that euen now we haue recited Goe ye into all the worlde c. In the supper of the Lord this is the word of God Iesus tooke breade c. And the rite custome and manner howe to celebrate the supper is to be sought out of the example of the lord going before in the holy action wherein we comprehend bothe prayers and those things which are recited out of the worde of Christ For as he brake breade and diuided it and in like maner the cuppe so likewise with holy imitation and sacramentall rite we follow the same in this holy action As he gaue thankes so also wee doe giue thankes wee by certeine prayers in baptisme doe request the assistaunce and grace of the Lorde we recite certeine places out of the gospell which we know to be requisite in the administration of baptisme and we are woont to doe the same also in the celebration of the Lordes supper But it is not my intent at this presente to speake largely and exactly of the rites of the Sacrament which notwithstanding we holde to bee beste that are taken out of the holie scripture and doe not excéede of whiche shall be spoken in theire place Some in stead of the word doe put promise and in stead of rite ceremonie And truely in the word ceremonie I sée no daunger at all if by ceremonie be vnderstood the outwarde comelines and rite which the Lorde him selfe hath commended to vs by his example and left to be vsed in the celebration And in verie deede Sacramentall signes are not simple or bare signes but ceremonies or religious actions so also there séemeth to bee no daunger in the worde promise so that by promise wee vnderstand the preaching of the gospel the commemoration or remembrance of Gods promises which we often vse in the preching of the gospell and celebration of the sacraments that is to say that God doeth receiue vs into his fellowship for Christe his sake through faith doeth wash away our sinnes endeweth vs with diuerse graces that Christe was giuen for our sinnes shed his bloud to take away the sinnes of all faithfull For in celebrating of Baptisme we vse these wordes of the Lord Suffer little children to come vnto mee for vnto such belongeth the kingdome of heauen c. In the celebration of the banquet of Gods holie children we vse these holie wordes of our Lord And after supper Iesus tooe bread and after he had giuen thanks he brake it gaue it to them saying take ye eate ye this is my bodie whiche is giuen for you This is my bloud which is shed for you for the remission of sinnes this do in the remembrance of me c. For those remembrances and rehersalls are promisses of the Gospel promising forgiuenesse of sinnes to the beléeuers shewing that the Lords bodie is giuen for them and his bloud shed for them whiche faith verilie is the onely and vndoubted meane to
obteine life and saluation Christe is the strength and substance of the Sacramentes by whome onelie they are effectuall and without whome they are of no power vertue or effecte But if any man by promise doe vnderstand couenaunt whereby the Lorde doeth singularly binde or as you would say tye him selfe to the signes in which or with whiche he would be present bodily essentially and really therein hee saith more than hee can shewe or proue by the Scriptures For in no place hath Christe promised to be present corporally that is with his true bodie in the signes or with the signes other wise I am not ignoraunt how God appeared sometimes to our fathers vnder a bodily figure that is in some visible forme or shape as when he shewed him selfe to Iacob whiche was named Israel leaning on a ladder and to Moses in the hole of a rock as it were in a glasse But these do not properly perteine to this purpose where we entreate of the corporall presence of Christe and of the sacramentall signes But because many wrest these wordes of the Lord This is my body This is my bloud to proue a corporall presence of the Lordes bodye in the Supper I aunswere that those wordes of the Lord are not roughly to be expounded according to the letter as though bread and wine were the bodie and bloude of Christe substantially and corporally but mystically and sacramentally so that the bodie and bloud of Christ doe abide in their substance nature in their place I meane in some certeine place of Heauen but the bread and wine are a signe or sacrament a witnesse or sealing and a liuely memorie of his bodie giuen and his bloud shedd for vs but of this thing in place conuenient we wil intreate more at large By these thinges whiche we haue spoken of it appeareth sufficiently howe Sacraments consist of two things the signe and the thinge signified of the worde of God and the rite or holie Ceremonie There are some notwithstanding whiche thincke there is suche force graffed of God into the words that if they bee pronounced ouer the signes they sanctifie chaunge and in a manner bring with them or make presente the thinges signified and plante or include them within the signes or at the leaste ioyne them with the signes For here-vppon are these kinde of spéeches hearde That the water of Baptisme by the vertue of the wordes doeth regenerate and that by the efficacie of the wordes the breade it selfe and the wine in the Supper are made the naturall fleshe and bloud of the Lorde But the Sacramentes of Christe and his Churche doe consiste of the worde and the signe But it séemeth that we must diligentlie searche out what muste be vnderstoods by The worde I saide euen now that ▪ The worde in the Sacramentes was a witnesse-bearing of Gods will and the commaundement of God it selfe or institution of God whiche declareth vnto vs the author manner and end of a Sacrament By this word I say and Commaundement of GOD by this will and institution of God the Sacramentes are sanctified not that the wordes are so pronounced of the ministers as they ar read afore to be recited of the Lord him selfe or deliuered by his Apostles ▪ but because God so would so did and commaunded his Apostles to doe For whatsoeuer GOD doeth or commaundeth to doe is sanctified by the very commaundement or déede of god For all thinges which hee hath done are excéeding good therefore these things which he commaundeth to doe cannot choose but be holie because he is holie and the onelie sanctifier Wherefore by the nature will déede and commaundement of God and not by the pronuntiation of any wordes are the Sacramentes sanctified To which wil of GOD that it may bee applyed vnto man and doe him good the faithfull obedience of men is necessarily required whiche altogether should make vs putt our trust and confidence in the mercie and power of God who in no wise should despise or cast behinde vs the institution of God although it séeme in outwarde appearaunce base and contemptible This will appeare more plainlie in the example of Naaman the captaine of the King of Syria his bande ▪ He heard of the Prophet vndoubtedly at the Lords commaundement that he should washe him selfe seuen times in Iordane For so it should come to passe that he should bee cleansed from his Leprosye Héere thou doest heare the worde the will I say and commaundement of God but thou dost not heare that any wordes were rehearsed either ouer Iordane or ouer Naaman or that any words were prescribed of the prophet to Naamā that he should repeate wherby forsooth there might be any force of purifying or clensing giuen to the water Naaman by faith obeyeth the commandement of God and is clensed frō his leprosie not by his owne merit or by the benefite of the water of Iordane but by the power of GOD and faithfull obedience Lepres also in the Gospel and that not a fewe are clensed by the power and will of Christ and through faith and not by pronouncing or speaking of words The Lorde indéede said I will be thou cleane but if any man at this day shoulde haue recited the same wordes a hundred times ouer any Lepre he should haue preuailed nothing Whereby it is manifest that to words there is no force giuen of working health if they be pronounced The Apostles indéede saide to the sick féeble and lame In the name of the Lorde Iesus arise and walke and they rose vpp and were healed but they were not healed by the benefite of the words but by the name by the power I meane and vertue of Christe For Peter whiche saide vnto the lame man in Hierusalem In the name of Iesus Christe of Nazareth arise and walke saide in the middes of the counsell of Hierusalem If wee this day bee examined of the deede done to the sick-man by what meanes he is made whole be it knowen vnto you all that in the name of Iesus Christe of Nazareth this man standeth heere whole And to the same people hee sayeth And his name through faith in his name hath made this man sounde whome yee see and knowe and the faith which is by him hath giuen to this man health Beside these we read in the Actes of the Apostles that y sonnes of one Scaeua a priest being exorcists or cōiurers did call on the name of the Lord Iesus ouer thē that had euil spirits but these were so farr off from giuing place to their exorcismes and coniuringes that they ranne on them and ouercame them so that they had muche a doe to escape aliue Where it is moste apparaunt that those Exorcistes vsed the same forme almoste in their inchantmentes whiche the Apostle vsed for in the name of the Lord Iesus they proued to caste out the foule spirit But sith these were not able so to do who cannot sèe and perceiue that
coupled together in a faythful contemplation bycause they which partake the Sacramentes religiously doe not fasten their eyes on sensible thinges onely but rather on thinges insensible signified and heauenly so that the faithfull haue in them selues both twaine coupled together which otherwise in the signe or with the signe are knit together with no bonde For corporally sensibly they receiue the signes but spiritually they possesse comprehend renue and exercise the thinges signified In signification and likenesse of the thinges I say they are coupled together bycause the signe is a token of the thing signified And vnlesse signes haue likenes with those things whereof they are signes then coulde they be no signes They haue therefore most apt and verie neare affinitie betwéene them selues For as water washeth away the filthe of the body as breade and wine satisfieth and maketh merrie the hart of man euen so by the grace of God the people of God are purified euen so the body and bloude of the Lorde which was giuen for vs being apprehended by fayth doth both satisfie and make merrie the whole man that he maye yealde him selfe wholy vnto thankesgiuing and obedient to Godwarde I would speake here more largely of the Analogie or of the signe and thing signified but that I sée I maye doe the same hereafter in place more conuenient But I thinke I shall not néed any more places out of the scripture to open these thinges more euidently since they followe of their owne accorde vppon that which we haue hitherto by testimonies of scriptures confirmed and will hereafter more at large confirme Moreouer in respect of the likenesse of the signe and the thing signified the name of the one is giuen to the other as I will proue by most euident testimonies of Scripture In Genesis 17. the Lorde sayth thus to Abraham Thou shalt keepe my couenaunt therefore bothe thou and thy seede after thee in their generations This is my couenaunt whiche ye shall keepe betweene me and you Euerie man-child among you shall be circumcised Ye shall circumcise the fleshe of your foreskinne and it shall be a token of the couenaunt betweene me and you The mouthe of the Lorde hath spoken this Who will gainesay the worde of GOD The worde of GOD calleth Circumcision a couenaunt therefore the name of the thing signified is giuen to the signe For in verie déede Circumcision is not the couenaunt it selfe For the couenaunt is the bargaine and agreement betwéene GOD and men whiche hath certeine conditions and articles Wherfore afterwarde by interpretation the same Circumcision is called A token of the couenaunt And who will finde fault with this interpretation of GOD The signes therefóre yea GOD béeing the interpreter take the names of the thinges signified So you may reade in the twelfth chapter of Exodus Yee shall eate the lambe in hast for it is the Lords Passeouer Againe And the bloud shall be vnto you a signe in the houses wherein you are c. And againe This day shall be vnto you a remembraunce c. What can be spoken more plainely than that the Lambe is called the Passeouer But what is the proper meaning of the Passeouer Let vs giue eare to the Lorde here agayne expounding him selfe and saying I will pasle through the lande of Aegypte this same night and will smite all the first borne of Aegypt from man to beast and when I shall see the bloude of the Lambe I will passe ouer you and the plague shall not bee vppon you to destroye you Beholde the Passeouer GOD him selfe so interpreting it is that passing ouer whereby the Angel of GOD passing ouer the houses of the Israelites whiche were marked with the bloude of the Lambe spared their firstborne slue the first borne of the Egyptians If thou art ignoraunt what and what manner of Lambe it was listen againe to the Lorde instructing thée and saying In the tenth day of this moneth euerie man take vnto him a Lambe according to the housholde and let your Lambe be without blemishe a male of a yeare olde which yee shall take out from among the sheepe and from among the goates And here the Lambe is playnely called the Passeouer And who dothe not sée that the Lamb is not the Passeouer yet bycause it is a signe or remembrance of the passeouer as the mouth of the Lorde sayth surely it taketh the name of the Passeouer or passing by Againe you reade in the nintenth of Num. Thus spake the Lorde vnto Moses Speake vnto the children of Israel that they bring thee a red cow without blemishe And ye shall giue her vnto Eleazar the Priest that he may bring her without the hoast and cause her to bee slayne before his face and to bee burnt whole And a man that is cleane shal gather vp the ashes of the cow and lay them without the hoast in a cleane place And it shall bee kept for the multitude of the children of Israel for a water of separation or sprinckling For it is sinne Marke againe the manner of the speaking of the Scripture A heifer or cow is sinne that is a sacrifice for sinne as Christe is sayde to be made sinne for vs that for or by sinne he might condemne sinne whiche is that by the one oblation of his body he might cleanse and purge vs from sinne Hitherto also belongeth that whiche the Apostle speaking of sacrifices vnto the Hebrues sayth But in these sacrifices there is mention made of sinnes euerie yeare for it is not possible that the bloude of bulles and goates should take awaye sinnes As often therefore as sacrifices as Heifers Goates Bulls and Lambs are called sanctifications cleansings or sinnes the signes take the names of the thinges signiâ—ied For these were certein types and figures of the Prieste whiche was to come and of Christe vppon whome all our sinnes are layd For He truly is the Lambe of GOD whiche taketh away the sinnes of the worlde Nowe we are come also to the sacramentes of the newe Testament whose signes also beare the names of the thinges signified For Peter saythe Actes 2. Let euerie one of you bee baptised in the name of Iesus Christe for the remission of sinnes And Paule also in the Actes of the Apostles heareth Arise and be baptised and washe away thy sinnes by calling on the name of the Lorde Therefore truely baptisme is called a cleansing or washing awaye of sinnes And Peter also elsewhere saiths Baptisme saueth you not that therby the filthe of the fleshe is put awaye but in that a good coÌ„science maketh request vnto God. And Paule also saith Ye are washed ye are sanctified ye are iustified in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the spirite of our GOD. Therefore the due and right coÌ„paring of these places betweene them selues doth manifestly proue that to the signe of baptisme whithe is water is giuen the name of the thing signified
After the same manner is it to be séene in the institution of the Lordes Supper or Euchariste The broade is called the body of Christe and the wine the bloude of Christe But since the right faythe beléeueth that the true bodye of Christe ascended out of this world liueth and is nowe in heauen and that the Lorde returneth no more into this worlde vntill he come in the cloudes of heauen to iudge the quicke and deade euerie man vnderstandeth that to the signe to wit breade and wine the names of the thinges them selues to witte the bodye and bloude of Christe are giuen throughe the communicating of names Many other speaches vsed in the Scripture and in oure dayly talke are not muche vnlike to the speaches vsed in the Sacrament We reade that Christe is and is called a Lyon a Lambe a Shepehearde a Vine a doore a waye a Ladder the Day the Lighte the Sunne the Water the bread a Spring and a Rocke which if at this day any shuld roughly vrge contending that Christe is a Lambe in deede a doore in substaunce a naturall vine or suche like who I pray you coulde abide him so reasoning We woulde hisse and driue out from amonge vs suche a one as a madde man and a peruerter of GODS oracles Wee reade in déede And that rocke was Christe In the meane time it is to bee considered what shoulde followe For if that rocke really and in vâ—rye déede had béene Christe none of them that dranke of that rocke had béene reprobates For they are acceptable vnto GOD which are partakers of Christe But in many of them that dranke of the rocke the Lorde had no delight For they were stayne in the wildernesse therefore they whiche dranke of the rocke which was Christe were not made partakers of Christe Therefore the rocke was not Christe really and in verie deed We also séeing the standards of kings princes and cities we call the signes by the names of the kings princes and cities for we say This is the king of Fraunce This is the prince of Germanie this is Tigure this is Berne So if we sée the marriage ring or the image of any prince we call it the fayth and trothe of wedlocke or man and wife yea and we saye by the Image This is the prince For matrones shewing their wedding ring say this is my husband When we shewe to any man the picture or image of the duke of Saxonie we say This is the duke of Saxonie If any should goe on obstinately to affirme that the signe in verie déede is the thing signified bycause it beareth the name thereof woulde not all men crye out that suche a one were without with or reason and that he were to be abhorred by all meanes as an obstinate brawler Those therefore that are skilfull in the things vnderstand that that is hath béene Catholique receiued of all men and also sounde which we shewed euen nowe at large to witte that the signes doe borrowe the names of the thinges and not turne into the thinges whiche they signifie And therefore the auncient fathers moued no strife nor contentions about the Sacramentes as are at this day among vs For as they did beautifie the signes with the names of the thinges signified so did they acknowledge the kynde of speache neyther did they roughly vrge the wordes as though the verie signes were really corporally that selfe same thing which they signified Therefore this canon or rule is so often repeated and beaten vppon by Aulerius August That the signes do take or borrowe the names of thinges signified By the same canon or rule he maketh playne certein darke places of which thing we will nowe set downe some testimonies In this epist. 23. ad Bonifacium de paruuloruÌ„ baptismate he sayth If sacraments had not some likenes with those thinges whereof they are sacraments no doubt they were no sacramentes for of this likenesse for the most part they take the names of the thinges them selues As also the Apostle speaking of baptisme sayth Wee are buried with Christe by baptisme into his death He doth not say We signifie the burial but he doth flatly say We are buried Therefore he called the sacrameÌ„t of so great a thing no otherwise but by the name of the selfe same thing And in Tract super Ioan. 63. When the vncleane person is gone all which remaine are cleane Such a like thing shall there be when the world being ouercome of Christ shall passe awaye and there shall no vncleane person remayne among the people of God when the tares being separated from the wheate the iust shall shine like the sunne in the kingdome of their father The Lord foreséeing this woulde come to passe and nowe witnessing that it was signified when Iudas fell awaye as tares separated the holie apostles remaining as wheat he sayth Now is the sonne of man glorified as if he had sayde Beholde what shall be when I am glorified where there shall be no wicked person and where no good man shall perishe For he saith not thus Nowe is the glorifying of the sonne of man signified but he sayth Nowe is the sonne of man glorified As it is not said The rock signified Christ but The rocke was Christe neyther is it sayde the good séede signifieth the childreÌ„ of the kingdome but he saith the good séde these are the children of the kingdome and the tares the children of the wicked As the scripture therefore is wont to speake calling the thinges which signifie as the thinges that are signified euen so spake the Lord saying Now is the Sonne of man glorified after that wicked Iudas was separated and his holy Apostles remayning with him his glorification was signified when the wicked being diuided he shal remaine eternally with the saintes The same Aurelius Agust in his Epistle to Euodius 102. saythe The sounde of the voyce and the bodily shape of a doue clouen tongs like vnto fire which came vppon euerie one of them as those thinges in mount Sina whiche were done after a moste fearefull manner and as that piller of the cloud by day and that piller of fire by night were ordayned and set for some operation which they signified Héerein we must specially take héede of this that none be persuaded or beléeue that the nature and substaunce of the Father or of the Sonne or of the holie Ghoste is chaungeable or maye be turned Neyther let any man be moued for that sometime the thing which signifieth taketh the name of that thing which it signifieth The holie Ghoste is sayde to descend and remayne vpoÌ„ him in the bodily shape of a doue For so also is the rocke Christe bycause it signifieth Christe By these examples alledged oute of the Scripture it is playne that the signes doe borrowe the names of the thinges and not their natures and substaunces Wherevpon it is vndoubtedly true that they erre as farre as heauen is wyde
whiche are persuaded that the sacramentall speaches are not to be expounded as figuratiue and borrowed but most properly and literally so that by that meanes the water bread and wine are not nowe signes and tokens onely of regeneration and of the body of Christe giuen and of his bloude shed for vs but regeneration it selfe and the verie substantiall body and bloude of oure Lorde Iesus For being of this opinion they are offensiue vnto the common manner both of speaking and interpreting vsed in all ages they are also repugnaunt to true fayth yea to common sense Whereby it commeth to passe that by their confounding of the signe with the thing signified they bring in a seruile weaknesse that I may vse S. Aug. words A carnall bondage For he Li. 3. de doct Ch. ca. 9. intreating of the Sacramentes of Christians sayth The Lorde him selfe and the Apostles in their doctrine haue left vs fewe thinges in steade of many and those most easie to be done most reuerend in vnderstanding and moste pure in obseruing as is baptisme and the celebration of the body and bloud of the Lorde Which Sacramentes euerie man when hee receyueth being instructed acknowledgeth wherevnto they are referred that wee should not worshippe them with carnall seruitude or bondage but rather with spirituall freedom or libertie And as to folow the letter and to take the signes in stead of the thinges which are signified by them is a point of seruile weaknesse so to expound the signes vnprofitably is a point of euill wandering error And yet he speaketh more plainly chapter 5. First of all you must beware leâ—t you take a figuratiue spech according to the letter For to this agreeth that which the Apostle saith The letter killeth but the spirite giueth life For wheÌ„ that which is figuratiuely spoken is taken as though it were spoken properly it is carnally vnderstanded Neyther is there any thing that may more agreably be termed the death of the soule then wheÌ„ that wherein we excell beasts which is vnderstanding or knowledge is made subiect to the fleshe by following the letter For he that followeth the letter vnderstandeth words translated or borrowed as proper or naturall neither doth he referre that which is signified by a proper worde to another signification but if for an example he shall here mention of the Sabbaoth he vnderstandeth it no otherwise but as one day of the seueÌ„ which by continuall course come goe And when he heareth mention made of sacrifice it wil not out of his heade but that this is ment of that whiche was wont to be done aboute offering of beastes and fruites of the earth To be shorte this is the miserable bondage of the soule to take the signes for the things them selues and not to bee able to lifte vp the eyes of the mynd aboue the bodily creature for the obteyning of euerlasting light Thus farre August By these wordes of Augustine we doe gather that they reuereÌ„ce the sacraments by spirituall libertie which neither stick to the letter neither worship and reuerence the visible thinges and elements as water breade and wine in steade of the thinges signified but being rather admonished and stirred vp by the signes they are lifted vp in their mindes to behold the things signified The same Augustine in the same booke chapter 15. teaching when and after what manner a trope or figure is to be receiued or acknowledged sayth In figuratiue speaches this manner of rule shall be kept that so long you viewe with diligent consideration what is read vntill the interpretation come vnto the rule of charitie For if it be not repugnaunt to charitie thinke not that it is a figuratiue speach And yet more plainly hee addeth in the 16. chapter following If it bee an imperatiue speache eyther forbidding any haynous offence or wicked deede or coÌ„maunding any profitable or good deede it is no figuratiue speach But if it commaund any wicked deede or forbid any deede of charitie then it is figuratiue Except ye eate the fleshe of the sonne of man and drinke his bloude ye haue no life in you Hee seemeth to commaund some horrible offence or wicked deede therefore it is a figuratiue speache commaunding vs to communicate with the passion of Christe and comfortably and profitably to lay vp in our remembraunce that his fleshe was crucified and wounded for vs The Scripture sayth If thine enimie hunger feede him Heere no man doubteth but hee commaundeth well doing but that whiche followeth For in so doing thou shalte heape coales of fire vppon his head A man would thinke that a wicked and euill deede were commaunded therefore doubt not but that it is figuratiuely spoken And so foorth All these thinges doe conuince their errour whiche interprete sacramentall speaches as proper and reiect al figures and tropes especially in the institution of the supper Neuerthelesse I am not ignoraÌ„t what they set againste this last testimonie of S. Augustin that the words of our sauiour in the sixte of Iohn doe make nothing to the interpretation of the ministration of the sacrament and therefore that the place of S. Augustine doth nothing agrée to our purpose But it is manifest that in the same booke S. Augustine disputeth of signes and of the sacramentall speaches And that is manifest also by many other places oute of S Augustine that he often alledgeth these wordes of our sauiour out of the sixte of Iohn to expounde the celebration of the supper But why doe they nothing perteyne to the celebration of the Supper Doth he speake of one body in the Supper and of an other in the 6. chap. of Iohn shal we beleue that the Lorde had and hath two bodies Our Lorde Iesus hath but one body the whiche as it profiteth nothing being eaten corporally according to S. Iohn 6. chapter euen so that body being corporally eateÌ„ doth nothing auaile according to S Mat. 26. chapter But this matter we haue elsewhere handled And of as little force is this vnsauourie obiection of theirs which is that the consequence is false when we argue thus Circumcision is the couenant the lambe is the Passoeuer Sacrifices are sinnes and sanctifications or cleansings are sacramentall speaches mysticall and figuratiue therefore this also This is my body is a mysticall and figuratiue speache For since in Sacramentes there is the like reason why may wee not frame arguments from the one to the other And that sacraments haue the like reason it is receyued of all them whiche acknowledge the trueth aright and it shall be proued hereafter to the full But if it be not lawfull to reason froÌ„ the sacraments of the olde testament and by them after a certeine comparison to interprete ours and by ours to make them plaine truely then the Apostle did not well who by a false consequent by comparison we reade to haue argued from their sacrameÌ„ts vnto ours in the 1. Cor. 10. and to the Coloss
2. chap. But now we returne to oure purpose That we may yet at lengthe make an ende of this place they are sacramentall and figuratiue speaches when we reade and heare that the breade is the body of Christe and the wine the bloud of Christ and that they do eate and drinke the body and bloude of Christe which eate and drinke the Sacramente of the body and bloude of the Lord also that they are purged from their sinnes and regenerated into a newe life which are baptised in the name of Christe and that baptisme is the washing awaye of all our sinnes And after this manner speaketh the scripture and this fourme of speache kept the olde doctours of the Churche whome for so doing none that is wise dothe dispraise neyther can one discommend any man whiche speaketh after this manner so that he also abide in the same sinceritie wherein it is manifest that those holy men of god did walke For as they did willingly and simply vse those speaches so did they not roughly rigorously strayne the letter and speaches they did interprete them in suche sorte that none was so vnskilfull but that he might vnderstand that the signs were not that thing it selfe whiche they signified but that the signes doe take the names of the things therfore they vsed words significatiuely sacramentally mystically and figuratiuely Nowe whereas some will not haue the Sacramentall speaches to be expounded as though being not expoūded they were of more authoritie maiestie and worthines this draweth after it a soare daunger and giueth a most gréeuous offence and is repugnant to the rule of the Apostles to sounde reason and to the custome of them of old For when these kinde of spéeches are set forth and vttered to the simple sort béeing not expounded to witt The bread is the bodie of Christe When thou drinckest the wine of the Lord thou drinckest the verie bloud of the lord Baptisme saueth vs c. what other thing I pray you is set forth than a snare of carnall bondage and a most daungerous offēce of idolatrie Many words néede not in this matter since experience doeth aboundantly enoughe sett forthe in this place what hath béene done and what at this day is done The rule of the Apostles commandeth the diuine oracles to be expounded in the Church and to lay forth all the mysteries of the scripture that they may be soundly vnderstanded as wée may sée 1. Corinth 14. And reason it selfe teacheth vs that the mind of mā is litle or nothing moued if the things themselues be not vnderstoode What fruite therefore shall the simple sorte receiue by the Sacraments vnto whom the meaning of the sacramentes hath not béene opened Better therefore did the auncient fathers not onely in expounding all the mysteries of the kingdome of God and especially the sacraments but in teaching also that they ought to be expounded Whiche although it be made plaine inough by those thinges whiche goe before yet will I add two examples out of S. Augustine touching this matter Hee cap. 6. de chatechisandis rudibus sayeth Let the newe Christian man bée taught concerning the sacraments that they bée visible signes of heauenlye thinges and that inuisible things are to be honoured in them neither that the signe after it is blessed and sanctified is so to bee taken as it is daily vsed It must also be tould him what that spéech signifies which he heareth and what thing is giuen in the signe whereof it is a representation Moreouer vppon this occasion hée must bée taught that if he heare any thing euen in the Scriptures that soundeth carnally although he vnderstand it not yet to beléeue that some spirituall thing is signified thereby whiche belongeth to holy manners and to the life to come And as followeth The same Augustine Lib. 4. de doctr Chr. cap. 8. doth vtterly forbid the doctours teachers of the church not to thinke that they ought therefore to speake obscurely of the mysteries of the scripture because they sée that these things are deliuered somewhat intricately and darckely in the scripture but he rather requireth light plainnesse in them If any man desire to heare his wordes they are these If we fetche examples of the manner of speaking out of the writinges of our canonicall authours and doctours which are easily vnderstoode yet wée ought not to thincke that wee should followe them also in those spéeches wherein they haue vsed a profitable and wholesome obscuritie to exercise and as it were to quicken the readers mindes and to take awaye lothsomnes and to stirre vp the studies of the willing learners and also to make the minds of the wicked zealous that they may either bée turned to godlines or else excluded from the mysteries For so they spake that those which came after them and could vnderstand and rightly expound them might reueale a second grace vnlike to the former but yet ensuing in the church of god Therefore they which expounde them ought not so to speake as if they by the like authoritie would offer themselues to bee expounded but in all their kinde of spéeches first let them labour chiefly and first of all to be vnderstanded with as plaine kinde of speaking as they can that he be very dull and slow-witted which doeth not vnderstand or at the least let not the fault of the hardnesse and subtiltie of the thinges which we goe about to open and declare be in our owne spéech whereby that which we speake should be somewhat longer in vnderstanding Thus farre Augustine And let this that I haue hitherto said of sacramentall spéeches be sufficient The Lord be praised Amen ¶ That wee must reason reuerently of Sacraments that they doe not giue grace neither haue grace included in them Againe what the vertue and lawefull ende and vse of Sacramentes is That they profite not without faith that they are not superfluous to the faithful that they do not depend vppon the worthines or vnworthines of the minister ¶ The seuenth Sermon YEsterday déerely beloued I tould you what a sacrament was whoe was the authour of them and for what causes sacramentes were instituted of what thinges they consiste that is to say of the signe and the thinge signified I tould you also what a signe is what the thinge signified and by what names they are termed howe they are consecrated that the signe is not mingled with the thing signified but that both of them remaine in their owne nature and propertie of nature that the signe is not taken away or myraculously turned neither that the thing signified is so ioyned with the signe that whosoeuer is partaker of the one is partaker also of the other To be short I declared howe and after what manner the signe and the thing signified are coupled together to make a full perfect and lawfull sacrament where also I intreated of sacramentall spéeches Now therfore it remaineth that I also cōsequently speake of
bloud of Christ The reason hereof is this As bread nourisheth and strengtheneth man and giueth him abilitie to labour so the bodie of Christ eaten by faith féedeth and satisfieth the soule of man and furnisheth the whole man to all dueties of Godlines As wine is drincke to the thirstie and maketh merrie the heartes of men so the bloud of our Lord Iesus droncken by faith doeth quenche the thirst of the burning conscience and filleth the heartes of the faithful with vnspeakeable ioy But in the action of the supper the bread of the Lord is broken the wine is powred out For the body of oure Sauiour was broken that is by all meanes afflicted and his bloud gushed and flowed plentifully out of his gaping woundes And wée oure selues truely do breake with our owne handes the bread of the lord For we oure selues are in fault that hée was torne tormented Our sinnes woūded him we our selues crucified him that is to say hée was crucified for vs that by his death hée might deliuer vs from death Furthermore we take the bread into our hands we likewise take the cupp into our hands because he sayd Take ye eate ye take ye and diuide it amonge you neither doe we lay them aside or hide them neither do we giue them forthwith to others but when we haue receiued them we eate and drinke them swallowing them down into oure bodies then afterward wée do communicate and offer them to other For they whiche lawefully celebrate the Lords Supper doe not onely beléeue that Christ suffered or that he suffered for other and not for them but they beléeue that Christe suffered for themselues they beléeue that Christe doeth and as it were hath alreadie communicated all his giftes most liberally vnto them Therefore as the sustenance of bread and wine passing into the bowels is chaunged into the substaunce of mans bodie euen so Christe béeing eaten of the godly by faith is vnited vnto thē by his spirite so that they are one with Christe and he one with them And as meate plentifully prepared deintily dressed and onely séene vppon the table doeth not asswage hūger so if thou heare Christ reuerently preached vnto thée and doest not beléeue that Christ with all his good gifts is thine neither the word thoughe reuerently preached nor yet the board though abundantly stoared doe profite thée any thing And it maketh much to the reconciling renuing and mainteyning of friendship that wée are all partakers of one bread that wee offer bread to our brethren and that wee drinke of the cupp which we receiue at our brethrens hand For vpon no other cause the auncient fathers seeme to call the Supper Synaxis A commmunion But of that we wil speake somewhat else-where And thus muche haue I brought for example sake touching the Analogie of the signe and thing signified and would saye more but that I trust to them that bee diligent this is sufficient For I haue ministered occasion to thinke vpon and to finde out more and greater thinges By this short treatise touching the Analogie I thincke it is plaine that sacramentes stirre vpp and helpe the faith of the Godly For whiles oure mind comprehendeth and considereth the benefites of God Christe his blessing oure redemption and other his good giftes while it enioyeth them with great pleasure of the spirite whiles in them it is glad reioyceth Sacraments are nowe also outwardly giuen whiche doe visibly represent those thinges to oure eyes and as it were make them to enter into all our senses whiche the minde inwardlye comprehendeth considereth and meditateth vpon For because the whole action which consisteth of the words the rite or ceremonie is counted with the signe oure eyes sée the signes and all thinges which are done in the whole action of the signes all which do as it were speake Our eares heare the words and institutions of Christ Yea our very touching and tasting they also doe féele and perceiue how swéete and good the Lord is so that now the whole man as it were both body and soule caught vp into heauen doth féele and perceiue that his faith is stirred vp and holpen and to be short that the fruite of faith in Christe is passing swéete comfortable All these things haue place in them that beléeue In them that beléeue not the signes remaine as they are without life therefore these things are brought to passe by the vertue or power of faith and of the spirite working in the lawfull vse of the sacraments without faith the holy Ghost they are not felt or perceiued There is not vnlike efficacie or force also in the preaching of the word of god For when this word by parables by exāples by descriptiō is set forth to the hearers if the spirite and faith shine in their mind by these they séeme not only to heare things expoūded but to sée them with their eyes In consideration whereof I thinke Paul said O foolish Galathians who hath bewitched you that ye shuld not beleeue the truth to whom Iesus Christ was described before your eyes among you crucified for it is certeine y Christe was no where either described or crucified among the Galathiās he speaketh therefore of his plainnesse of preaching the word wherby things in déede are shewed but yet with such force and efficacie as if they were in a maner layed before their eyes There is the same reason also in sacraments which for that cause were called of them of old visible words Of these thinges in this manner intreateth Zuinglius in his booke Ad principes Germaniae contra Eggium saying Doeth not a faithful man desire when hee feeleth his faith like to fall to bee vpholden and restoared to his place and where in the whole world shall he hope to finde that more conueniently thā in the verie actions of the Sacraments so much as belongeth to all sensible thinges For let it bee that all creatures allure prouoke vs to the contemplation or beholding of Gods maiestie yet all that their allurement or prouoking is dum but in the Sacramentes there is a liuelye prouoking speaking allurement For the Lord speaketh and the elements also speake and they speake persuade that to our senses which the word spirit speaketh to our minde Howebeit hitherto all these visible things are nothing vnlesse the sanctification of the spirit go before These things he handleth more at large first in his annotations vppon the 27. cap. of Ieremie and afterward In Expositione Fidei ad regem Christianum Furthermore we read that Sainct Augustine disputinge againste the Maniches Lib. 19. contra Faustum cap. 11. said Men cannot bee gathered together into any name of Religion either true or false vnlesse they be knitt together in some fellowship of visible signes or Sacraments c. Wée acknowledging this opinion of S. Augustine fetchte from the Scriptures doe teach touching the Sacraments that we by them
short which waye you must incline And then hee scattereth certeine groundes of argumentes which they afterward discussing might by their diligence polishe and make perfecte They sayeth he that are partakers of the supper of the Lord in which the bread of the Lord is broken and the cup of the Lord is dronken are of the same communion fellowship or body with the lord For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whiche word Paul vseth héere and which interpreters haue translated Communion or partaking though fellowship is better than partaking as in the Dutch translation Gmeind is better than Gmeind chaffe is not taken actiuely as I may so say for the distributing giuing or reaching out Christes bodie by the minister but passiuely for the fellowship and societie for the bodie I say of the Churche as when the churche is called a communion that is an assemblie a gathering together and societie of saincts or godly Christians Furthermore the Churche is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a communion of the bodie and bloud of Christe beecause it is redéemed by the bodie and bloud of Christ being partaker of Christ liueth by him For he liueth in the godly Christians communicating vnto them all his good gifts of life And that the partakers of the supper of that Lord are the bodie or communion of Christ he declareth by a reason which followeth saying Because we that are many are one bread and one bodie Wherevnto by by hee addeth another more euident reason for interpretations sake saying For we are all partakers of one bread In that we are partakers of one bread sayth he we doe openly testifie that we are partakers of the same bodie with Christe and all his Sainctes In which wordes hée hath a notable respecte to the Analogie For as by vniting together of many graines as Cyprian saith is made one breade or one loafe as of many clusters of grapes one wine is pressed out so out of many members groweth vpp and is made the bodie of the Church which is the bodie of Christ Nowe in the woordes of Paule these thinges offer themselues vnto vs to be marked First for that nowe hée calleth that a multitude or manye by a woorde expressing his minde better whiche before he named a communion A communion therfore is nothing else but a multitude or congregation For he said The bread is the partaking of the bodie of Christe but now he saith We being many are one bread one body We being many sayeth he that is all wée which are a multitude and a congregation or Churche redéemed by the bodie of Christ which was giuen and by his bloud whiche was shedd for vs Afterwards hée saith We being many are one bodie hee doeth not say are made one bodie For wee are not first graffed into the bodie of Christe as wée haue often repeated alreadie by partaking of the sacramentes but wée whiche were before ingraffed by grace inuisiblye are nowe also visibly consecrated Againe by the like reason of Sacraments or by an example of the scripture taken from the Sacramentes of the people of the old Testament hee sheweth that the partakers of the sacramentes are one bodie both with him to whome they offer and with them with whome they offer or with whome they eate of thinges offered to idols Behold saith hee the Israelites whiche offer sacrifices after the flesh Are not they that eate the sacrifices 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say communicants fellowes or partakers of the thinges of the temple or of the altar For vnder the word of the things of the temple or of the altar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is his word he comprehendeth whatsoeuer doth belong to the worshipp and religion of the God of the Iewes so that the sense or meaning may be this Are not all they one bodie one communion one people both with the God of Israel and with his people which eate of the sacrifices offered to the God of Israel by the Israelitish people As if hee had said There is none that is ignoraunt of it or that can denie it since it is confessed and manifest amonge all men By these thinges hée leaueth to the Corinthians of their owne accord thus much to be gathered Therefore they that are partakers of the sacramentes of the Gentiles are one bodie and one fellowship with the Gods of the Gentiles and the Gentiles which do sacrifice Nowe by the figure Occupatio which is when in aunswearing we preuent an obiectiō that may bee made hée placeth these woordes betwéene What saye I then That the idol is any thinge Or that that whiche is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing Wherevnto by and by he addeth But this I saye that the thinges whiche the Gentiles offer in sacrifice they offer to diuels and not to God. Herevpon he might lawfully haue inferred Therefore if you continue to bée partakers of thinges offered to idols ye shall verilie be one bodie and one fellowshippe both with the diuell him selfe and all his members But béecause this might haue béene taken of many to haue béene bitterly spoken hée addeth another sayinge some-what more milde and gentle and sayeth And I would not that yee should bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is communicants or partakers haue fellowship with diuels After which woords by comparing the contrarie partes hée bringeth in the summe of the whole matter to whiche he directed all his reasons and sayeth Yee cannot drincke the cupp of the Lord and the cupp of diuels ye cannot bee partakers of the Lords table and of the table of diuels And so forth The Sacramentes therefore doe separate vs from all other worshippinges and religions and doe binde and consecrate yea and also as it were make vs of the same body with one true GOD and sincere Christian Religion béecause wée béeing partakers of them doe openly professe that wée be the members of Iesus Christe whiche no man that is well in his wittes will take and make them the members of fornication and of idols That which Zuinglius that learned man hath In expositione fidei Christianę ad regem Christianum is not impertinent to this purpose Sacramentes sayeth hée are in steede of an oathe For Sacramentum with the Latines is vsed also for an oathe For they that vse one and the selfe-same Sacramentes are one peculiar nation an holy sworne cōgregation they are knitt together into one body and into one people whome whoso betrayeth shall perishe Therefore the people of Christe since by eating his bodye sacramentally they are knit into one bodie Now he that is faithlesse and yet dare be so bould as to make himselfe one of this societie or fellowship betrayeth the body of Christe as well in the head as in the members c. Thus farre he By this it is easie to vnderstand that sacramentes put vs in minde of oure duetie especially if wée marke in the writings of the Apostle how considering the maner of sacraments
the Apostles frame their exhortations Where againe the Analogie beeinge considered it hath very much light and force in it Trées are pruned and all that which is drie barren and superfluous in them is cutt away And so by circumcision they that were circuÌ„cised were put in minde to cutt away with the knife of the spirite whatsoeuer grewe vpp in the flesh against the lawe of god Herevnto had Moses respecte when he said in Dent Circumcise therfore the foreskin of your heart and bee no more stiffenecked Whome Ieremie following in the 4. Cap. sayeth Be ye circumcised in the Lord and cut away the foreskinne of your hearts c. Those thinges which the Apostle hath taught touching the celebration of y Passeouer are more plaine than that they néede héere to be rehearsed And I haue alreadie intreated of them at large in the sixte Sermon of my third Decade The verie same Apostle in his Epistle to the Romanes saith Knowe ye not that all wee which haue beene baptised into Iesus Christ haue beene baptised into his death Weare buried then with him by baptisme into his death that likewise as Christ was raised vp from the dead by the glorie of the father euen so wee should walke in newnesse of life c. So wee are put in minde by that mysterie of baptisme to renounce forsake Sathan and the world to mortifie and subdue the fleshe and to burie the old Adam that the new man may rise vp againe in vs thorough Christ Furthermore the supper of the Lord doth admonishe vs of brotherly loue charitie of the vnitie that wee haue with all the members of Christe it warneth vs also of puritie and sinceritie in faith that because wee haue openly professed that wée are vnited to Christe and to all his members wée should haue a special care and regard that we be not found faithles and vntrue to our lord Christ and his church that wee should not defile oure selues with forreigne and strange sacrifices Wée are also admonished of thanckefulnesse to magnifie the grace of God who hath redéemed vs according to that saying As often as ye shal cate of this bread and drinke of this cupp ye shal shewe forth the Lords death vntill he come Thus farre haue I intreated of the force the ende and the effecte of sacramentes vnto the which I haue as I thincke attributed no more nor no lesse than I ought that is as much as may be proued out of the scripture to be due vnto them They are the institutions of Christ therefore they care not for counterfeite and strange praises They haue praise sufficient if they haue those praises whiche hee that instituted them namely GOD and Christ Iesus the high priest of the Catholique Church vouchsafed to attribute vnto them Nowe because there is mention made verie ofte of faythe in this whole booke I will further shewe also that without faith sacraments profite nothing and againe that to those which receiue them by fayth they are not superfluous or vaine For this séemeth as yet to belong to the â—ull exposition and coÌ„sideration of Sacraments That Sacramentes without fayth profite not it is easily proued For it is sayde that SacrameÌ„ts are seales of the preaching of the Gospell and things apperteyning to the same For if the preaching of the Gospell be hearde without fayth it doth not onely profite nothing vnto life but it turneth rather vnto iudgement to him that heareth the lord him selfe bearing witnesse and saying If any man heare my wordes beleeue not I iudge him not for I came not to iudge the worlde but to saue the world the worde that I haue spoken the same shall iudge him in the last day To that saying of the Lorde agréeth this of the Apostle For vnto vs was the Gospell preached as well as vnto the fathers but the worde which they hearde did not profit theÌ„ bicause it was not coupled with fayth to them that heard Who now is such a dorhead which can not gather that sacrameÌ„ts without faith are vnprofitable especially since the same Apostle sayth Whosoeuer shal eate this breade drinke this cup of the Lord vnworthily shall be guiltie of the body and bloude of the Lord But all our worthinesse before God doth consist in fayth the same Apostle yet againe witnessing out of the prophete The iust shall liue by fayth And By faith the elders or fathers obteined a good report Wherevnto also belongeth that whiche is read in the Gospell They which were biddeÌ„ were not worthy Whervpon it followeth that worthinesse consisteth in faithfull obedience Herevnto also may be referred I thinke thoâ—e examples whereof mention hath béene made more than once already before Al our fathers were baptised and did all eate of one spirituall meate but in many of them God had no delight And Paule againe saythe Without faith it is impossible to please God therefore without faith Sacraments profite nothing The examples of Simon Magus and Iudas the traytor are verie well knowne of which one was baptised the other admitted to the Supper and yet had no fruite of the Sacramentes bicause they wanted true faith To these pithy and diuine testimonies of God we will nowe adde some places of S. Augustine out of his ninetenth booke against Faustus and twelfth chap. Peter sayth Baptisme saueth vs and least they shuld thinke the visible Sacrament were sufficieÌ„t by which they had the forme of godlinesse and through their euill manners by liuing lewdly and desperately shuld denie the power therof by by he addeth Not the putting away of the silth of the flesh but in that a good coÌ„science maketh request to god Againe Lib. 2. contra literas Petiliani cap. 7. he saith They are not therfore to be thought to be in the bodie of Christ which is the Church or congreagation bicause they are corporally partakers of his Sacraments For they in such are also holy but to them that vse and receiue them vnworthily they shal be forceable to their greater iudgement For they are not in that societie of Christes Church whiche in the members of Christe by being knit together and touching one an other doe growe into the fulnesse of god For that Church is builded on a rocke as sayth the Lorde Vpon this rocke will I builde my Church but they builde on the sande as the Lord also sayth Hee that heareth my wordes and doth them not I will liken him to a foolish man. And again in his treatise vpon Iohn 13. The syllables of Christes name and his Sacraments profite nothing where the faith of Christe is resisted For fayth in Christe and his Sacraments is to beléeue in him which iustifieth the vngodly to beléeue in the mediatour without whose intercession we are not reconciled vnto god Thus farre Augustine An obiection is made If Sacramentes doe nothing profite without our fayth then they depend on oure
not of the bread Eate yee all of this But when he tooke the cup he added Drinke yee all of this Saint Marke also adioyneth herevnto not without déepe iudgement And they drank all thereof Herevnto also apperteineth that which the Lord speaketh in S. Luke Take this and diuide it among you S. Paul the Apostle hauing a special regard vnto this excelleÌ„t plaine institutioÌ„ of Christ thrée or foure times ioyneth the cup to the bread saying As often as you shal eate of this bread and drinke of this cup you shall expresse the Lords death Againe Whosoeuer eateth of this bread or drinketh of the Lords cup vnworthily he shall be guiltie of the bodie and bloud of the Lord. And againe he saith Let a man examine himselfe and then let him eate of the bread and drinke of the cup Againe Who so eateth and drinketh vnworthily c. These testimonies are manifolde and worthie absolutely to be beléeued vnto which al traditions of all men whatsoeuer should giue place The Lord hath instituted the cup of the supper vnto all the faithfull wherfore the Apostles exhibited the same vnto all the faithfull For if the sacrament of the bloud of Christ were giueÌ„ to the Apostles only surely then the thing it selfe to wit the remission of sinnes which is obteined through Christes bloud belongeth only vnto the Apostles Howbeit the Lord saith plainly This is the bloud of the new Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sinnes It is also in other places of the scripture manifestly set downe the Christs bloud was shed for the remission of the sinns of al the faithful Wherfore if the Laitie be capeable of the thing how muche more of the signe Now if our aduersaries procéede further and say that the Apostles only sate at the supper who represented the figure of the priestes and that the vse of the cuppe was graunted vnto them only and not to be graunted vnto other but to such only as were present at the first supper then doe we demaunde of them by what authoritie they giue the Lordes bread to the Laitie or by what right they do admitte simple women vnto the Lordes supper since it is manifest that neither the one nor the other according vnto their speaking in this matter sate at the Lords table And in this point they being taken tarde can goe no further But they obiect the daunger of the cup which if it be giuen vnto all without exception it would come to passe through the follie negligence of men there might some great offence be committed in letting it fall or powring it on the floore As who shuld say the eternal prouidence hath not foreséen so great an offence which these wisemen doe well perceiue nowe at length in the end of the world and do amend that wherein the Sonne of God did amisse For they crie out that one kinde is enough for the lay people for asmuch as by a necessarie coherence it foloweth that where the bodie of Christ is there is his bloud also and thus must it then followe that the one kinde is instituted in vaine But the lord distinctly first offered the bread and afterward the cup the Lord instituted nothing in vaine therefore both kinds since the Lord hath so coÌ„manded ought to be parted among all the faithful which as many as haue read the writings of the ancient fathers wil report was obserued euer before euen almost vnto the time of the counsell of Constance Of whom many haue not beene afraide to say that the diuiding of this sacrament after this maÌ„ner could not be done without sacrilege The matter substaÌ„ce of the supper being declared there is lightly some question moued concerning the forme or of the consecration of the breade and wine But for asmuch as I haue intreated hereof in the generall consideration of the sacraments there is no cause why I should with lothesomnesse to the bearers repeate the selfe same thing againe We do not acknowledge any transubstantiâ—tion to be made by force of wordes or characters but we affirme that the bread and wine remaine as they are in their owne substances but that there is added vnto them the institution will and worde of Christ and so become a sacramente and so differ muche from common bread and wine as we haue saide in place conuenient Consequently insueth the question touching this point Who should administer the Supper that is to say Whether any one of the congregation ought to be chiefe in the celebrating of the supper then Who the same should be Surely the thing it selfe requireth and nature also commaundeth that euery thing bee done decently and in good order and religion requireth that all thinges apperteining to the supper bee done according to Christs example But he was the chiefe dealer in the supper And he likewise hathe appointed ministers of the Churche by whom he will haue the sacraments to be administred Wherefore like as euerie man doth not baptise but the lawfull minister of the church so apperteyneth it not vnto euerie man to prepare minister the holy supper but to the minister which is ordeyned by god Herein now we disproue the Papistical doctrine which alloweth of priuate Masses teacheth that the prieste offreth vp the bodie and bloud of our Lord for the standers by and that by the Masse he applteth the merite of redemption vnto them that with deuotion come to that sacristce For as there is no one worde of the Lord extent that commaundeth the priestes to sacrifice or priuately to apply the supper for others or that promiseth any thinge vnto them that stande by and looke on it for he sayth Doe this eate yee and drinke ye all in the remembraunce of me he sayeth not Looke vppon the priests onely while they be eating and drinking for you so Christ is not bodily present in the breade and wine he is ioyned vnto our heartes and mindes by his spirit For it were to none effect that he remained in the breade And if he were present there in déede yet coulde he not be sacrificed both for that he hath offered vp him selfe once vppon the crosse neither can the moste worthy and onely begotten sonne of God be offered vp againe to God the father by a sinnefull man as also for that there is no néede for him to offer againe For S. Paule saith Christ beeing one onely sacrifice offered vp for sinne sitteth for euer at the righte hand of God looking for that which is yet to come vntill his enimies bee made his footestoole For by one oblation hee hath made them for euer perfect that are sanctified And againe he sayeth Whereas is full remission of sinnes there is no more oblation for sinne But we haue full remissioÌ„ of sinne by the death which Christ once suffered Therfore there is no sacrifice in the church for sinne In déede the Churche doth celebrate the memoriall of the sacrifice which
treatise of the sacramēts therefore at this presēt we will do no more but touche them briefly for memories sake meaning to handle those things somewhat more largly which shall by occasion arise as they are intreated vppon But this word Cōmunion I meane the societie cōiunction or partaking of the lord Christ by the which through his spirit he doth wholy knitt and ioyne himselfe to vs and wee are made partakers of him by faith are coupled vnto him so that being by him deliuered from sinn and death we may liue in him being made heires of euerlasting life and that hée maye liue in vs and bee wholie ours as we be wholie his Neither doe wée say that the communion of the Lords body bloud is any thing else For by his body which was deliuered ouer to death for vs and by his bloud whiche was shed for the remission of our sinns it is come to passe that we being purged from oure sinnes are made his members and he now quickeneth vs and susteineth vs as food which giueth life wherevppon wee are also said to eate and drinke him as the meate and drinke of life The promise therefore wherof we made mention euen now is none other than the woord of God which declareth vnto vs that life is in Christ only For Christ deliuered his body to the death and shedd his bloud for the remission of our sinnes that we beléeuing in him maye haue life euerlasting But this promise communion of Christ is not nowe first of all giuen in the supper or by the supper For the Lord our God immediatly after the creatiō of the world promised life and remission of sinnes vnto Adam his séed through Christ afterward renued the same promise w Noe Abraham Moses Dauid and the other fathers And that the fathers did communicate with Christ were partakers of his goodnes Paul the Apostle w the whole scripture is a witnes But this so great goodnes happened not to the fathers onely For the promise was made vnto vs also and the communion of Christ was conueyed vnto vs is conueyed particularly vnto euery one of vs in holy baptisme also in the manifest preaching of the Gospel moreouer we receiue the same by faith by which we are ioyned to Christ and are made his members Therfore as we are not void without Christ before the supper but are quickened by him made his members or partners so in the verye action or celebration of the supper the promise is renued vnto vs and we renue continue that fellowship which we haue with Christ by the body and bloud of Christe spiritually truly participating his life and all his good giftes through faith And by this meanes we eate the Lords body and drinke his bloud Moreouer the Lord doth visibly declare scale vnto vs the spirituall cōmunion promise of life made through Christ by visible signes to wit the banquet of bread and wine ioyned to his word or promise namely that he is the quickening bread and drinke that we hauing receiued the signes by faith and obedience beeing therto sealed do take vppon vs the promise communion of Christe by imprinting or transferring into our bodies the seale or sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ Of which thing the Apostle hath also intreated in the first Corinth cap. 10. And also to the Rom. cap. 4. we also haue said more thereof in the generall treatise of the sacraments But before I intreate further of other ends of the supper consisting in the description thereof I wil recite what othersome allege of the promise and communion of Christ They condemne our doctrine as hereticall For they contend that the lord promised the hee would giue vnto the faithfull his very body bloud to be eaten dronken vnder the forme of bread wine therfore it must by al meanes and without al contradiction be beléeued that the bread is the Lords naturall body and the wine his bloud that these ought to be eaten and dronken not only spiritually but also corporally vnto life euerlasting And that Christ is bodily present in the supper and the the bread is his body the wine his bloud thus they proue That which the lord speaketh cānot be false for he is the trueth it selfe But he saith that the bread is his body the wine his bloud Therefore the bread and wine of the sacrament are verily really and essentially the body bloud of Christ Whiche trueth they say must simply he beléeued although reason it selfe the whole world all senses and nature it selfe be against it We answere the in déede all things are very true which the Lord hath spoken who is truth it selfe but in that sense which he himself said and vnderstood not in that meaning which we wil inforce vpō his words Wherfore before all things we must search out the true sense of the Lords words in the supper This is my body This is my bloud c. These men crye out saying that the Lords words ought to be expounded simply according to the letter For they are wordes of the testament and the same would not haue his words to be taken by a trope of figure But wee say that all the Euangelical and apostolical bookes are numbered vnder the name of the testament therefore throughout all and euery place of the Scripture nothing must be corrupted nothing added nothing taken away vnlesse we will be subiect to the curse Wée are also constreined to confesse that there be infinite sentences in the holy scripturs which if we will procéede to expound simply according to the letter we shall ouerthrow the whole scripture the true faith or we shall séeme to goe about to reproue the scriptures of lyes or contradictiō I wil bring forth one of two examples of this sort The Euāgelist S. John writeth The word became flesh Now if we wil cleaue to the very words then must we say that God was chaunged into man But forasmuch as this sense is contrary to the faith and the scriptures For God is immutable and Christ is perfect God and man without all mingling or conuerting of naturs but remayning stil in their ownepropertics and so do we admit this exposition which declareth that the word toke flesh and that God was made man And this sense is not against scripture For Paul saith that the sonne of God neuer toke vpon him the nature of angels but the séede of Abraham And therefore the eatholique fathers together with the apostle doe expoūd this word Est is by this word Assumpsit toke vppon him Whereof Theodoret hath intreated at large in his Polymorphus Dialog 1. Againe the Lord saith in the same John The father is greater than I we should make an inequalitie in adoring the Trinitie if wee should contend that the Lordes words are simply to be vnderstood without interpretation But by cōference of other
places taking aduise of faith we say that the sonne is equall with the father touching his diuinitie but inferiour vnto him in respect of his humanitie according to that saying of the prophete which is alleged by the Apostle to that purpose Thou hast made him litle inferiour to the angels We read in the Eospell that Christ our lord had brethren and that S. John the Apostle was called the sonn of Marie Marie called the mother of John. But who vnlesse he were infected with the heresie of Heluidius wil stand herein that these places are to be expounded according to the letter specially since other places of the scripture do manifestly proue that they were called brethren which in déede were brothers sisters children cousen germans kinsmen or néere of bloud also the circumstāces of the place in the 19. cap. of S. John proue that Marie was committed to John as a mother to her sonne Wherefore if they haue a desire stil to wrangle as hetherto at their owne pleasures wee haue by proofe founde them to doe crying out and in crying to repeate This is my bodie This is my bloud This is This is This is This is Is Is Is Wée will also repeate The woord was made was made was made flesh The father is is is greater than I. Christ hath brethren I say he hath brethren hee hath brethren The scripture hath so The trueth sayeth so But tell mee nowe what commoditie shal there redound to the Church by these troublesome odious outcries and most froward contentions Howe shall the hearers be edified Howe shal the glorie of God be enlarged How shal that truth be set forth Necessitie therfore cōstreyneth vs to confesse that in some places wée must forsake the letter but not the sense and that sense is to be allowed which faith it selfe w other places of scripture conferred with it and finally the circumstances of the place the first being compared with the last do yeld as it were of their owne accord Howbeit we also cry out and repeate againe and againe that we ought not without great cause to goe from the simplicitie of the word But when as the absurditie not of reason but of pietie and the repugnancie of the Scriptures and contrarietie to the articles of oure faith doe inforce vs then we say affirme and cōtend that it is godly yea necessarie to departe from the letter and from the simplicitie of the words And that these places which we alledged euen now doe constreine vs to depart from the letter in these words of the Lord This is my bodie This is my bloud wée will proue by most sound arguments taken out of the sciptures when I haue first briefly declared the true auncient sense meaning of those vsuall and solemne words The Lord sitting at the selfe same table with his disciples reached the bread vnto them with his owne hand And he hauing only one true humane and natural body with the very same bodie of his deliuered bread vnto his disciples and not a body either of any other mans or that of his owne Neither doeth that trouble vs whiche S. Augustine reciteth of Dauid in expounding the 33. Psalm And he was borne in his owne hands where vnto he addeth immediatly Who is borne in his owne handes A man may bee borne in the hands of other men but none can be borne in his owne This is therefore ment of Dauid not of Christ For Christe was borne in his owne handes when as commending his very body vnto them he said This is my body For that body was borne in his owne handes For by these wordes S. Augustine doth not feigne that Christ hath two humane bodies but he meaneth that the humane body bare in his handes the Sacramentall bodie that is to say the bread which is the sacrament of the true body For he speaketh plainely saying He cōmending his body bare that body in his owne hands For in the second sermon almost in the same words being but a litle chaunged he saith How was he borne in his owne hands For whē he had commended his body bloud he toke that in his handes whiche the faithful know and after a sort he bare himselfe when he said This is my bodie By which words he manifestly de clared that he ment not that Christ in his naturall body deliuered his naturall body to his disciples but the which the faithful do know to wit the sacrament or mysterie For it followeth And hee bare himselfe after a sort I pray you marke this saying After a sort when hee said this is my body Wherfore those solemne words This is my body whiche is broken for you And likewise this is my bloud which is shedd for you can haue none other sense thā this This is a cōmemoration memoriall or remembrance signe or sacrament of my bodie which is giuen for you This cup or rather the wine in the cup signifieth or representeth vnto you my bloud whiche was once shed for you For there followeth in the Lords solemne words that which notably confirmeth this meaning Do this in the remēbrance of me As if he should say Now am I present with you before your eyes I shall die ascend vp into heauen then shall this holy bread wine be a memorial or token of my body and bloud giuen shed for you Then breake the bread eate it distribute the cup and drink it and do this in the remembrance of me praysing my benefits bestowed on you in redéeming you giuing you life Althoughe this interpretation bee most slaunderously reuiled and become abhominable in the sight of many yet is it manifest to be the true proper and most auncient interpretation of all other Tertul. lib. 4. contra Mart. saith Christ taking the bread and distributing it to his disciples made it his bodie in saying This is my body that is to say the figure of my bodie Hierom vpon S. Matt. Gospel saith That like as in the prefiguring of Christ Melchisedech the priest of almightie God had done in bringing forth bread wine so he might represent the truth of his bodie Chrysostome also in his 83. homilie vpon Matt. If Iesus be not dead saith he whose token signe is this sacrifice Ambrose vppon the first to the Corinthians cap. 11. Because wee be deliuered by the Lords death saith he being mindeful thereof in eating drinking we do signifie the flesh and the bloud whiche were offered for vs Au. Aug. also in many places heapeth vpp many speaches like to this same kind of speach The bloud is the soule The rock was Christ And This is my body Let vs heare then what he saith of these speaches that we may vnderstand what he thinketh of the true interpretation of this text This is my body In the 3. booke of Questions in the 57. question vppon Leuiticus hee saith It remayneth that that be called the soule whiche signifieth the
soule For the thing that signifieth is wont to be called by the name of that thing whiche it signifieth as it is written The seuen eares of wheate are seuen yeares He said not doe signifie seuen yeres And seuen oxen are seueÌ„ yeres and many such like In like sort it is said The rocke was Christ Hee said not The rock signifieth Christ but as though it were so in deede whiche is not the same in substance but by signification So likewise the bloud beecause thrugh a certeine vital substaÌ„ce in it signifieth the soule in the sacraments is called the soule Thus far he The same Augustine also against Adimantus cap. 12. saith So is bloud the soule like as the rock was Christ And againe in the same place he saith I may also expouÌ„d that that precept of the bloud and soule of the beast c. consisteth in the signe For the lord douted not to say This is my body when he gaue the signe of his body Thus much Augustine There is no foole so doultish that will say that these wordes of Augustine are darcke or doubtfull Who so liste maye add here vnto that which the same authour hath plainely written concerning figuratiue spéech Libro 2. Contra Aduers Legis Cap. 9. But let vs leaue off to cite mens testimonies coÌ„cerning the proper and most auncient exposition of Christes wordes This is my bodie Let vs rather procéede to alledge sounde arguments out of the scriptures as we promised to do thereby to proue that wée must sometime of necessitie depart from the letter that Christes words are accordingly as I haue said to bée expounded by a figure First it is euident that the Lord at this present instituted a Sacrament whereby it is manifest that the Lord spake after the same manner as he is wont to speake in other places of the scripture concerning sacraments as when he saith that circumcision is the Lords couenaunt the lambe the Lords Passeouer that sacrifices are sinnes and sanctifications baptisme the water of regeneration But we declared in the sixt sermon of this Decade that all these kindes of speaches remaine to be expouÌ„ded This saying or spéech therefore is to be expounded This is my bodie This is my bloud because it is sacramentall For it receiued the common interpretation whiche most truly and for certeinty was vsed and receiued by the catholique church euer since the time of the Apostles yea and euer since the time of the Patriarches vnto this day to wit that signes do receiue the termes and names of those things that are signified so that thereby they receiue no part of their substance but do stil continue remaine in their owne proper nature For this cause it coÌ„meth to passe that our Lord Christe in the Gospell written by S. Luke did ioyne the banquet of the Passeouer with this our lordes supper in such sort that he substituted this in the place of the other that it should not séeme straunge if he said in this our supper This is my body for in the solemnizing of the feast of Passeouer it is thus said The lambe is the Lords Passeouer Which kind of speach was not darke to be vnderstoode by the Apostles who vnderstoode that this lambe was a remembrance of the passage once past By that meanes also they vnderstood that the Lords bread giuen vnto them by the Lord is a remembrance of his body For in other matters of much lesse weight they diligeÌ„tly questioned and inquired of the Lord touching the proper sense signification of the words But of these woordes they neuer once doubted or asked any question For al sacramental spéeches were to the holy fathers very wel knowen Moreouer if we continue to vnderstand the words of the supper simply according to the letter it followeth that the Lord hath deliuered vnto vs his body and bloud corporally to be receiued And I pray you to what ende should hee deliuer them but that we receiuing them corporally might liue But the vniuersal canonical scripture teacheth that our life or saluation our iustificatioÌ„ coÌ„sisteth in faith only which we repose in the body which was giuen the bloud shedd for vs which is the spiritual eating not in any work of ours much lesse in the bodily eating of Christes body whiche he sheweth in another place to be nothing auaileable Then since there is but one meanes and that most simple wherby to obteine life and iustification to wit by faith only not by the work of our eating neither is the scripture repugnant to it selfe surely the Lord hath not instituted any such worke of eating therefore the solemne words of the supper do admit some other exposition If the bread were the lords true and natural body it must néeds follow the euen the wicked being partakers of this bread shuld eate Christs body that verily his flesh shuld be meate to feed the bellie since they that eate it lack both mindes faith But all holy men abhorre that thought as absurd most vnworthie of whiche matter I will intreate more hereafter Therfore the saying of Christ This is my body admitteth an expositioÌ„ The whole vniuersal canonical scripture witnesseth that our Lord Iesus Christ toke a body of the vndefiled virgin consubstantial in al poincts vnto our bodies that is to say an humane bodie yea that hee was made like to vs in all respectes except sinne Nowe it is manifest that he spake of his true sensible bodie when he sayeth This is my body For he addeth Whiche is broken or giuen for you But the true natural sensible or humane body was deliuered and died for vs But this appeareth not in the bread or vnder the bread Wherefore the Lords words must be expounded Surely if it had béene the Lords will to make his body of bread his bloud of wine according to the power wherby he made all thinges with his word as soone â—s euer he had said This is my body the bread had béene the body of Christ and that very body whereof he spake mortall passible to be felt and séene For he spake the word and they were made he commaunded and they were created He said let ther be light and light was made and such kind of light as might be perceiued and did shine But in the supper we sée nothing in Christes hands but bread no body And therfore it was not our sauiours meaning by these words This is my bodie to create or make his body of the bread For if he had ment so to do surely it had béene done Neither is there any cause why they should here as it were casting their mistes before our eyes and applie their coloured interpretations vnto a rotten construction vsing wordes vnspeâ—keably supernaturally inuisibly not qualitiuely not quantiuely not as in a place For by these termes they intending in the meane while to bring some other thing to passe doe by the wonderfull iudgement of God quite subuert and ouerthrow
all that is their owne For if this their mysterie be vnspeakable why then do they vse these termes essentially substantially really corporally For they that speake so doe â—â—ter truly and set down the manner of his presence If the bread be supâ—rnaturally the body of Christ why thâ—â— do they ad naturally And if the bread be Christes bodie inuisibly then can it not be corporally neither can it be a true body whose propertie is to be visible Who would not laugh if hee should heare that fire burnt and gaue no heate and that light did shine and gaue no light If he be not present in qualitie quantitie and as in a place then is he not corporally present For I pray you are not qualities quantities and place belonging to the body Hearken what Augustine saith vnto Dardanus touching the presence of God Take saith he space of place froÌ„ bodies and they shal be no where and because they shal bee no where they shal not be at al. Take the bodies theÌ„selues from the qualities of bodies they shal be no where and therfore it must needes be they cannot be at all Let not vs therfore robb or spoile the Lords bodie of the properties thereof and so denie the trueth of his bodie Againe that we bring not so many contrary and absurd things into one and the same opinion we interprete the words of the Lord This is my bodie this is a memorall or remembrance of my body or else This signifieth my body Moreouer if this word Est Is be to bée vnderstoode substantiuely in the Lordes words This is my body it followeth then that the breade is chaunged into Christes body But that this is not so all our senses doe witnesse the verie substance remayning not onely the accidentes of the breade It is necessarie therefore that our aduersaries doe vnderstand that in this with this or vnder this is Christes body But so are they gone from the simplicitie of the Lordes wordes who sayde This is my body and not vnder this is my body Againe if we we be so tyed to the words aboue recited that vpon paine of sacrilege we may not starte from them an haires breadth I beséeche you then how durst Luke and Paule recite the words which belong to the cup farre otherwise than Matthewe and Marke For these two doe sette downe the wordes belonging to the cup in this sorte This is my bloude which is of the new Testament whiche is shead for manye for remission of their sinnes But they two recite them thus This cup beeing the newe Testament through my bloud whiche is shead for you And This cuppe is the newe Testament in my bloud But shal we thinke that there is no difference betwéene the bloude of Christe and the newe Testament S. Paule defineth the newe Testament after Ieremie to be a full remission of all sinnes And the self same sayth that this remission of sinnes is obteined through the bloud of Christ But who will so impudently contend as will dare to affirme that the verie cup or the wine in the cup is really and substantially the remission of sinnes What cause is there if wee holde on and sticke precisely to the letter why we should be forced to confesse that the cuppe not the wine nor the drinke is eyther the bloude of Christ eyther the newe Testament or the remission of sinnes For the Lord sayth not This wine but This cup. Howbeit in this place to avoyde absurditie wee willingly admitte a trope wherfore theÌ„ are we not indiffereÌ„t in a matter of equal importaÌ„ce Therfore like as the cup or the wine is the Testament or remission of sinnes so likewise the cup or the wine is Christes bloude and in like maner also the breade is Christes body But the cup is not substantially the remissioÌ„ of sinnes or bloud but the sacrament of Christes bloude whereby the new Testament was dedicated full remission of sinnes obteyned for vs therefore the breade is the bodye of Christe bycause it is the sacramente of the body of Christ Surely it is a strong and firme argumente that wee haue brought foorth and of no lesse force and strengthe we hope is that behinde whiche we will nowe bring foorth The Lord at the celebrating of the holy supper sayth Doe ye this in the remeÌ„brance of me These wordes do not import that we should determine them to be really present whome we ought to remember For who shall be sayde to remember those things which he beholdeth before him in presence But we must not goe from the simple signification of remembrance or memorie specially since Paule sayth Declare the Lords death vntill he come For thus wee gather thereby Hee whose remembrance is repeated vntill hee come or returne hee surely is not counted to be present but is looked for to come therfore the Lords body which was giuen for vs the remembraunce whereof is celebrated in the mysticall Supper is not present but is looked for to come Now those places touching Christes leauing the world and departing hence doe not simply admit the interpretation of the words of the supper It is expedient for you saith he that I depart For if I goe not away the coÌ„forter shal not come vnto you But if I depart from you then will I send him vnto you Also I went from the father and came into the worlde Againe I leaue the world and go to the father And againe And hencefoorth I am not in the worlde but these are in the worlde and I come vnto thee These sayinges truely are repugnaunt That he went hence That he is no longer in the world That he left the worlde and that his natural body is in the world and that verily it is giuen and receyued really and substantially in the Supper Neyther is it lawfull figuratiuely to interpret the testimonies whiche are brought foorth of Sainte Iohns Gospel concerning Christes departure For the Apostles doe confesse that the Lord spake plainely or simply without any parable In so much therefore as the Apostles do testifie that this speach of the Lord was simple and simply pronounced it is needeful that those other wordes whiche are contrarie vnto these This is my body be expounded by a figure that the Scripture be not repugnant Moreouer those places whiche to it selfe beare recorde that Christes bodie after the resurrection was circumscribed by place seene and felt which also doe make a difference betwéene Christes body clarified and the angelicall spirites where by the way we may sée that here is no place left for the deuice of the definitiue meane do not admit the bare interpretation of the solemne wordes of the Lorde The Angels say He is risen he is not here Beholde the place where they layde him Also He shall goe before you into Galilee there shall you see him And againe he him selfe saythe to his disciples Feele me and see A spirite hath not fleshe and bones as you see mee haue
after the supper did beate vpon nothing so muche as the very same thing against which they set shoulder to wit that Christe would be absent in body but present in spirit that this presence wold be more profitable to the church than his bodily presence Do they not also vnderstande wherefore he tooke fleshe and was nayled on the Crosse that is to say what the effect and vse is of Christes body to wit that the sacrifice of his body being once offered for vs vppon earth he might carrie the same vppe into heauen in token that both oure bodies and soules after oure death shall through his merite be also carried thither Therefore after that the Lordes body had fulfilled on earth that whiche it came to fulfill there is no cause why it should doe any thing else vpon earth He nowe sitteth and ought to sit at the right hande of the father that he may drawe all vs thither vnto him If there be any that doth not yet fully beléeue that which we say let him reade the doctrine of Sainte Paule the Apostle in the ninthe and tenthe Chapters of his Epistle to the Hebrues Let him also reade the fourtéenth and sixtéenth chapters of Saint Iohns Gospell But if it be a pleasure to them to hale at the gable of contention and to sticke precisely as well to these wordes of the Lorde I am with you vnto the worldes ende as to these This is my body This is my bloud let them then expound to me these holy testimonies of the holy Scripture Paule sayth that Christe dwelleth in our harts and that Christ liueth in him and he in Christe The Lorde saythe to the théefe This day shalt thou bee with me in Paradise And the Euangelist saith of the Lord being dead They layde him into the sepulchre The Scripture sayth not They layde fleshe and bones into the sepulchre but They layde him into the sepulchre The Lorde sayde not to the théefe Thy soule shall be with my spirite or soule in Paradise But Verily I say vnto thee this day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Neyther dothe Sainte Paule say that Christes spirite and life doth liue in him or dwell in our heartes But he sayth simply That Christ doth dwell in our heartes But who is so foolishe and giuen to contention that for these wordes and places of the Scripture will contend that Christes diuinitie was buryed with his body that Christes body was with his soule that same daye in Paradise in which either of thē departed this life that Christes body together with his spirit dwelleth in the harts of the faithful liueth in Paul that Paule liueth in Christes flesh Al men doe willingly admit the catholique sense of the catholique Churche gathered out of the word of god namely that Christ in his spirite is present in his Churche euen to the worldes ende but absent in body and that the théefes soule was that day present in Paradise with Christes soule not with his bodye So iudgeth it also of the residue But if any man mistrust myne interpretation let him heare S. August in his treatise vpon Iohn saying thus He speketh of the presence of his body when hee sayth the poore you shal always haue with you but mee shall you not haue alwayes For in respect of his maiestie of his prouidence of his vnspeakable grace is that fulfilled which hee spake Behold I am with you always euen to the worldes end But in respect of the fleshe which the woorde tooke vpon it in respect that he was borne of the virgine that he was takē by the Iewes that hee was nayled to the Crosse that hee was taken downe from the Crosse that hee was woond in a sheete that he was layde into the sepulchre that hee was manifested in the resurrection you shall not haue me with you alwayes And why so Bycause hee was conuersant as touching his bodily presence fourtie dayes with his disciples and they accompanying him but not following him hee ascended into heauen And is not here For there he sitteth at the right hand of the father And hée is héere For hee is not gone hence in respect of the presence of his maiestie Thus farre Sainte Augustine But if they yet procéede not regarding all this that we haue sayd to vrge that saying of the Lorde out of Matthewe Behold I euen I I say am 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with you we will also obiect againste them this saying of the Lord and the same out of the Gospel It is expediēt for you that I we here they haue also this worde I doe depart we obiect also against them this testimonie of the angels out of Luke This Iesus which is takē vp 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from you into heauen c. They shal be at lengthe constreyned whether they will or no to reconcile such places as séeme to be repugnant and to admitte the generall vnderstanding whiche we haue alledged and defended hitherto Neyther is there here any daunger of diuiding Christe neyther diuide we Christes person with Nestorius since we defend the proprietie of bothe natures in Christe against the Eutychians While Christ our Lorde in body was yet conuersant vpon the earth hee him selfe witnesseth in the Gospell that neuerthelesse he was also in the heauens And in déed Christ who was bothe God and man all at one time was then in heauen when he was crucified and conuersant vpon earth although his body was not crucified in the heauens But as Christ diuided not him selfe although being in heauen he was notwithstāding conuersant and crucified in body vpon earth not in heauen so neyther do we diuide Christe who is both God and man although we say he is present with vs when we celebrate the supper and that we communicat with him yet neuerthelesse we affirme that in his body he remayneth in heauen where hee sitteth at the right hand of the father and so let vs keepe our selues within the compasse of the Scripture Of this matter I haue reasoned at large where I haue intreated of one person and of bothe natures in Christ vnpermixed Hitherto haue I spoken of the naturall meaning of the wordes of the Lordes Supper as briefly and plainly as possibly I could Touching the place of Paule in the first to the Corinthians chap. 10. The cup of blessing which we blesse c. with suche other textes which are alledged to proue bodily presence I shal not néed to vse many wordes for wee haue handled that place already once or twise It remayneth therefore that wee examine and weyghe what they deliuer vnto vs touching the eating of Christes body and also what the Canonicall scriptures doe teache to be thought of that eating What say they the lord hath promised the same most surely and fully he performeth They adde But he promised that he would giue vs his true body and very bloude to be eaten and brunken in the fourme of breade and wine
vnto euerlasting life They gather Therefore he hath giuen his verie body and bloude to the saythfull vnder the forme of breade and wine for meate and drinke to euerlasting life Whervpon it must be eaten corporally as it is corporall To the confirmation whereof they alledge the Lordes words as they are written in the 6. chapter of Iohns Gospell We answere God most perfectly and fully perfourmeth that which hee hath promised but wee adde that he perfourmeth not according to that meaning that we deuise but as his worde truely importeth We must therfore sée first of all in what sense the Lord promised to giue his flesh for breade and his bloud for drinke to the faithfull and next how we ought to eate his flesh and how to drink his bloud These thinges truly which the Lord promiseth heere are wel-nigh all allegories Parables The Lorde promiseth that he wil giue vs his sleshfor bread or meat his bloud for drink But because meate and drincke are ordeined and giuen vnto men to preserue their bodily life and the Lorde in the 6. chapter of Iohn speaketh not of the life of the bodie but of the soule there is a passage made from bodily thinges to spirituall thinges When therefore the lorde promised that hée woulde giue vs his fleash for breade or meate and his bloude for drink what other thing did he promise vs than that hée woulde giue his bodie to the death and shed his bloude for the remission of sinnes For by the death of Christe wee are as it were by meate preserued and deliuered from death By Christes bloude wee are washed from sinne our soules are as it were with drincke spiritually drunken Therefore the Lorde speaketh nothing héere of the bread of the lords supper neither doth he promise that at the supper hee will make of bread his fleash or that he would giue his bodie in fourme of bread Then let this mine exposition of Christes wordes concerning the giueing of Christes bodie or fleash in the fourme of bread c be false and â—eigned vnlesse I confirme the same by the wordes of Christe The Lorde said in the Gospell Seeke for the meate that perisheth not but remayneth to life euerlasting whiche the sonne of man shall giue vnto you A little after by interpretation hee addeth And the bread which I will giue vnto you is my fleash which I will giue for the life of the worlde I said that I would giue you breade or meate For this worde bread is after the Hebrue manner vsed by the Lorde for meate and all manner of sustenaunce but saith he this bread or this meate is my flesh and therefore I promise to giue you my fleashe when I promise to giue you The Breade of Life Héere haste thou expressely to vnderstande that the Lorde by breade did not meane bodily bread or the breade of the supper But how doeth hée promise to giue his fleash for bread that is to say to be meate for vs or to quicken vs The Lorde repeateth this worde I will giue and saith Whiche I will giue for the life of the worlde I will giue it that is to say euen to the death that through my death I may quicken you By dying therefore my fleash shall féede that is to say shall quicken Thus muche concerning the promise of his fleash for breade héereafter followeth of the eatinge thereof Like as the holy Scripture setteth downe in euery place without trope or allegorie that wee are made partakers of Christes death or of his body which was giuen for the worlde vnto life through faith so also in this presente place by a trope or allegorie hee biddeth vs to eate and drink the fleash and bloud of Christe vnto euerlasting life Therefore to eate Christes fleash and drinke his bloud is nothing else but to beléeue that Christs body was giuen for vs and his bloud shâ—d for vs to the remission of sinnes and consequently that were maine in Christ and haue Christ remaining in vs For the faith whereof wee spake is not onely an imagination or thoughte concerning things past excéeding our capacitie but a most certeine assurance a féeling of heaue â–ª ly things receiued within vs to our great commoditie For therefore not only faith but also the vertue force of faith is by the Lord signified in Iohn by the allegorie both of eating and drinking Meat passeth not into the substaunce of our body without delight so also by faith thorough a greate desire of the spirite wee are ioyned with Christe that he may liue in vs and wee may liue in Christ be partakers of all his good giftes This is the spiritual eating of Christ who neuer thought no not somuch as once dreamed in this place of the grosse and bodily eating which is indéede vnprofitable But for asmuche as the whole point of the controuersie consisteth in these wordes of eating and drinking the flesh and bloud of the lord they interpreting the same words bodily and we spiritually it séemeth good to be shewed that by the words of eating drinking the Lord ment no other thing than to beléeue and consequently to abide in Christe and to haue Christ abiding in vs we will therefore by conference of places of the scripture bring foorth sire euident testimonies in confirmation of our assertion I am sayth the Lord that Bread of life Who so commeth to me shall not hunger and who so beleeueth in me shall not thirst for euer But who wil deny that there is relation betwéene to eate and not to hunger to drink not to thirst Because therfore y Lord said â–ª He shal not hunger he should first haue saide Whoso eateth me But he rather vsed y word of comming and sayed Whoso commeth to me shall not hunger To eate therfore is to come and to come is to eate And what it is to come to him he expoundeth immediatly saying Whosoeuer hath heard from the father hath learned he it is that commeth to me y is to say receiueth me beléeueth in me For Paul also sayeth Whosoeuer will come to GOD must beeleue These testimonies without contradiction doe proue that to eate is nothing else but to beléeue Yet that followeth whiche is more manifeste And whoso beleeueth in me shall neuer thirst And Whoso drinketh shall not thirst therefore to drink he hath put for to beleeue Therfore to drink is to beléeue For faith satisfieth pacifieth our mindes Héere they haue an answer y make this obiection Whether the Lord himselfe had not words whereby he might declare his minde if so be by eating drinking hee had ment beléeuing They haue I say an open testimonie wherby he vseth the one for the other Againe in the same treatise y Lord saith Whoso eateth my flesh drinketh my bloud hath euerlasting life and I will raise him at the latter day And again in y same tretise he saith This is the wil
but spirituall not that the fleash is conuerted into the spirit but for that it oughte to be receiued spiritually not bodily But it is eate ▪ spiritually by faith not with the bodily mouth For as chewing or eating maketh vs partakers of the meate so are we made partakers of the body and the bloude of Christe through faith But thou wilt say Howe commeth it to passe that séeing breade whereof mention is made in the 6. chapter of Iohn doeth not signifie the bread of the supper that allmoste all the doctours interpretours and ministers of the Churches do apply these wordes to the Lordes supper I answere that these wordes of the Lorde may be applyed to the matter of the Lordes supper for other causes although the breade signifie not the breade of the sacrament Yea I confesse that these words of the Lord of the eating his fleashe and drinking his bloude do bring great light to the matter of the Lordes supper S. Augustine Lib. De Consensu Euangelistarum tertio Capite primo sayeth Iohn saide nothinge in this place Iohn the. 13. of the bodie and bloud of the lord but plainly witnesseth that the lord hath spokē more at large therof in another place This much sayth hée speaking vndoutedly of the 6. of Ihon. Since therefore it is one the selfe same flesh the same bodie of our Lorde whereof hée speaketh in bothe places in the 6. of S. Iohn and the 26. of Matthewe and the selfe same is sayed in both places to haue béene deliuered to the death for vs or for our life and like-wise because there is but one meanes to be partaker of Christe whiche is by faith in his body whiche was deliuered and his bloude shed and finally bicause it is the catholique or vniuersall and vndoubted doctrine that Christes fleashe beeing bodily eaten auaileth nothing surely the thinges before written in the 6. Chapter of Iohn are agréeable and doe fully open the matter of the Lords supper And to the intente that this yet may be the better vnderstoode I will recite what testimonyes haue béene alwayes alleadged in the Churche out of the holie Scriptures concerninge the two kindes of eatinge of Christe Christes body is eaten and his bloud dronken spiritually it is also eaten dronken sacramentally The spirituall manner accomplished by faith whereby béeing vnited to Christe we be made partakers of all his goodnesse The sacramentall manner is only perfourmed in celebrating the Lords supper The spirituall eating is perpetuall vnto the godlie because faith is to them perpetuall They communicate with Christe bothe without the supper and in the supper and by it they doe more increase and continue their newe beginnings as wee haue also shewed before and now by adioyning of the holie action althings are done more manifestly and plainely As for the vnbeléeuers and hypocrites with their captein Iudas they neuer communicate with Christe neither before the supper nor in the supper nor after the supper in asmuche as they continue in their vnbeliefe but they of the Lordes Sacraments to their owne iudgement and condemnation I knowe héere what some doe teach and how they deuise a certeine third kinde of eating Christe whiche is neither spirituall nor yet sacramentall but altogether compounded of sacramentall and corporall For they holde opinion also that the true and naturall bodie of Christe is receiued bodily by the vnbeléeuers in the formes of the sacrament How be it it shall easily appeare by certein sound argumentes of the Scripture that this is but a deuise of mā which arguments we wil apply to the traitour Iudas that by this one example all the godly may learne what they eate and drink at the Lords supper For that the iudgement whiche is made of the head béeing reuealed vnto vs it shal be easier for vs to pronounce of the members Some truly do make a doubt whether Iudas were present at the supper when the Lorde distributed the holie mysteries among whome is S. Hilarie Howbeit the Euangelicall historie sayeth plainly that the Lord sat downe to meate with the twelue yea Luke so handleth his narration that we cannot dout but that Iudas did communicate of the mysteries with the rest of the Apostles which Saint Augustine also auoucheth Libro De Consensu Euangelistarum tertio Capitulo primo And likewise in the 62. treatise vpon Iohn and vpon the 10 Psalme and in his 163. Epistle Yea moreouer Aquinas also aunswering in this pointe to S. Hilarie approueth the same with vs Parte tertia Quaesti 81. Art. 2. Now therefore béeing manifest that Iudas was at supper with the rest of the Apostles it séemeth néedeful that it were knowen what he receiued of the Lorde He receiued the sacramēt of Christes body as the other disciples did but because hee had not faithe as the other had he partaked not of Christe neither did he eate and drink the Lords bodie and bloud For as many as eate the Lords body and drinke his bloud doe not hunger nor thirst for they dwel in Christe and Christe in them they are Christes members and they neuer dye The contrarie altogether appéereth in Iudas and all his fellowes wherefore the vnbeléeuers doe neither eate the Lords body nor drink his bloud Moreouer it is out of all doubt that there is no agréement betwéene Christ Belial For this hath the Apostle pronounced out of that general consent of the scriptures But Iudas is by Christe him selfe called sathan therefore Iudas did not communicate with Christe Now if we will contend absolutely that Iudas did eate the Lords body truly we shal be constrained wickedly to affirme that it is not onely an vnprofitable but also an hurtfull meate howbeit godlinesse teacheth vs that Christe is an holsome meate all wayes to all them that eate him truely S. Augustine also denyeth that Iudas did eate the Lords body or drink his bloud In the 59. treatise vpon S. Iohn The Apostles saith he did eate the bread which was the lord but Iudas did eate the Lords breade againste the lord They did eate life but hee punishment Againe in the 26. treatise Whoso dwelleth not in Christe nor Christe in him doutlesse he neither eateth his fleash spiritually nor drinketh his bloud although carnally and visibly hee breake in his teeth the sacrament of the body and bloude of Christ but he rather eateth drinketh the sacrament of so greate a matter to his condemnation c. The like also and almoste playner doeth he write in the 21. booke and 25. chapter De Ciuitate Dei. Against these they obiecte the authoritie of Paule saying That they whiche eate vnworthily are not guiltie of the bread and cupp whiche they haue eaten and drunken of but of the Lords body and bloud and also that they doe eate and drink their owne damnation for that they make no differente of the Lordes bodye wherby it followeth necessarily that they haue eaten drunken the Lords body vnworthily
not onely the sacramentes of the bodie and bloude of Christ We answere that Paule saieth thus in plaine wordes Who soeuer eateth of this bread and drinketh of the Lords cup. c. Marke this he sayeth Who so eateth this bread drinketh of this cup vnworthily hee saith not Who so eateth the flesh and drinketh the bloud vnworthily For they whiche eate the Lorde are not without faith and Christe dwelleth in them and they in him If thou yet meruaile how the vnbeléeuers can bée guiltie of the Lordes body and bloud being eaten but sacramentally learne this out of other places of the Scripture The Lord saith in Iohn Verilie verilie I say vnto you he that receiueth whomsoeuer I shall send receiueth me and whoso receiueth me receiueth him that sent mee Wherfore whose receiueth not an apostle trespasseth not against y Apostle but against God himself although in y mene while he hath not séene god nor will not séeme to haue repelled him Wee read how y the iudge will say to them that are on his left hand Departe from me you wicked into euerlasting fire For I was hungrie and you gaue me no meat I was thirsty you gaue me no drink c. But harkeÌ„ now how the reprobate wil make exceptions againste thus sentence of the Iudge Lord when did we se thee hungrie or thirstie and ministred not vnto thee TheÌ„ heare again what the iudge wil answere Verily I say vnto you in that yee did it not vnto one of the least of these ye did it not to mee wherfore like as he that sinneth against a minister or a begger sinneth agaiÌ„st Christ himselfe although in y meane while he hath not hurt Christes person in any point so is he also giltie of the body bloud of Christ whosoeuer receiueth the sacrament of the body bloud of Christ vnworthily although in the meane seasoÌ„ he haue not receiued the very body bloud of the lord Paul saith in another place that reuolters do crucifie againe vnto them selues the sonne of god He also denieth in an other place by all manner of meanes that it is possible for Christe to be crucified or to dye any more Therefore Christ cannot be crucified againe by the Apostataes or reuolters how beit their shamefull falling away from him is so estéemed of as if they had crucified the Sonne of God. Although therefore the wicked doe not eate the Lordes verie bodie nor drinke his bloude neuerthelesse they are guiltie of betraying the Lords body and bloud as farre as in them lyeth If a rebell treade vnder his foote y seale or letters of the Prince or Magistrate although hee touche not the Magistrate him selfe nor treade him vnder his foote yet is hee sayde to haue troaden the magistrate vnder his foote and is accused not for hurting the seale or defiling the letters but hee is charged of treason and accused for treading the Prince vnder his féete What meruaile then if we heare it said that they which do eate the Lords bread vnworthily are guiltie of the body and bloud of Christ For the bread and the mysticall cup are a sacrament and seale of it Hetherto haue we disputed of the eating of the bodie of Christe and of drinking of his bloud haÌ„dling euery one point therof with asmuch breuitie as we could Now we go to knit vp the other endes of the Lords supper béeing placed in the description of the supper We said that the supper was instituted by the Lord that it might represent visibly the gifts of God vnto the Church and lay them foorth before the eyes of all men But we haue learned by the whole discourse of this matter that Christ him selfe is a most full rich treasure of all the giftes of God as namely froÌ„ whom béeing deliuered for vs vnto death we haue all things belonging to life remission of sinnes life euerlasting Since these things be inuisible gotten by faith they be also visibly that is to say by sacraments represented almost vnto all the senses to the sight to hearing to tasting and to féeling to the intent that man béeing wholy therwith moued bothe in body and soule may celebrate this moste comfortable mysterie with greate reioycing in heart Héere vnto now apperteyneth that analogie whereof I haue spoken before in the 7. Sermon of this Decade whereby I would haue these things to be better learned Furthermore we haue said that the supper was instituted of the lord that he might visibly gather together into one body all his members which were in a maÌ„ner dispersed throughout all parts of the world Whervppon we haue said that the holie men some where else did call the supper a league or confederacie We are knitt inuistbly with Christe and all his members by vnitie of faith and participation of one spirit but in the supper we are ioyned together euen by a visible coÌ„iunctioÌ„ For now not by words but by déedes also but by mysterie but by sacrament we are very néerly knit and ioyned together opening and declaring to all men by celebrating the supper that we are also of the number of them that beléeue that they are redéemed by Christ and that they are Christes members and people But we binde our selues together vnto Christe and the Church bothe that we will kéepe the sincere faith and promising that wee will vse good déedes and charitie towards all men Looke for more touching this matter in the seuenth Sermon of this Decade Héerevppon truely did S. Paule proue that it is not lawfull for them whiche receiue together at the Lords table to eate of meate offered to Idols and to take parte of prophane sacrifices Which thing if at this day many would rightely weigh and consider they would not séeme to be séene so busie in straunge and for reigne sacrifices We said also that the Lord instituted the Supper that thereby hee might kéepe his death in memorie so that it should neuer be blotted out with obliuion For Christes death is the summarie of all gods benefits He wold haue vs therfore to kéep in memorie the benefite of his inâ—arnatioÌ„ passion redemption and of his loue And although the remembrance of a thinge that is past bee celebrated to wit of his death yet the same belongeth greatly vnto vs quickneth vs. Neither most we thinke that this is the lest end For there is none so diligently expressed as this is For the Lorde repeateth this saying Doe this in the remembraunce of me But the holy rite or holy actioÌ„ béeing ioyned with the word or with the preaching of Christes death the redemption of mankind how mauelously doth it renue from time to time that benefit and suffereth it not to be forgotten Last of al we said that the supper was ordeined of the lord that therby we might be admonished of our duety praise thanksgiuing It is our dutie to be sincere in the faith of Christ to imbrace all our brethren
wil not receiue it Furthermore since by experience we finde euerie day the there are many thinges wanting vnto our faithe by meanes whereof diuerse vices spring vppe among vs whereof our vnworthines is the hightest or lest of all which the Lord of his grace may easily washe away almost wipeth away by sending his crosse vpon vs not imputing such infirmities to vs to our condemnation For the Apostle in another place â—aith that there is no condemnation for them whiche are graffed into Christ Iesus walk not after the flesh but after the spirit Neither with equall punishment doth our most iust lord punish these sundry sortes of vnworthinesse Let vs therefore sée what the blessed Apostle teacheth vs concerning the punishmente of those y eate vnworthily Therefore he sayth Who so eateth this bread or drinketh of the lords cup vnworthily the same shal be gyltie of the Lords bodie and bloud By whiche wordes verily he meaneth that chiefe and moste â—owle vnworthines of al other to wit vnbeléefe For he is guiltie of the lords body bloud to whom the fault of the lords death is imputed that is to say to whome Christes death becommeth death and not life as it also happened vnto them who through vnbeléefe wickednes did crucifie Christ For vnto them Christes bloud séemed prophane as it had béen the bloud of some beast murtherer or wicked person as being worthily 〈◊〉 for his offences And I pray you what else doeth he thinke than the Christes bloud is prophane who beléeueth not that the same was shed for the sinnes of the worlde And yet he dareth take part of the lords supper the he may worthily be saide to be guiltie of the Lords bodie bloud It is a verie great offence to eate the Lords bread and to drinke of his cup vnworthily through vnbeléefe which thing by the example of Iudas is laid before our eyes He beléeued not in the Lord Iesus yea he inuented howe to deliuer him into the hands of théeues and murtherers yet neuerthelesse he sate down to meate tooke part of the Lords supper therfore in the end the diuel worthily chalenged him wholy vnto him For S. Iohn witnesseth that about the end of the supper the diuell entred into Iudas not the he was not in him before that he came to the supper for he had begonne before to dwell in him to stir him forward but for that after so many admonitioÌ„s of our lord Christ after that he had prophaned the mysteries of Christ as it were troden them vnder foote he wholy entred into him and fully possessed him The same Apostle Paule threateneth damnation to them that make no difference of the Lords bodie who are placed as it were in another degree of vnworthinesse saying For who so eateth and drinketh vnworthily eateth and drinketh his owne damnation The reason hereof he setteth down in this sentence to wit why we wee oughte not rashly and carelesly to come to the Lords table for that we approche then to our condemnation But condeÌ„nation or iudgment is the paine or punishment which the Lord laieth vpon his faithfull people when they sin not in another world truly as he doth vpon the vnbeléeuers but in this world For it followeth in the words of the Apostle which ministreth vnto vs the same sense For this cause many are weake and feeble among you and many slepe For if we had iudged our selues we should not haue bene iudged But when we are iudged we are corrected by the Lord that wee should not bee condemned with the world The Apostle plainelie distinguisheth betwéene the vnworthie eaters that are subiecte to Gods correction worldly men that is to say vnbéeléeuers whose punishment the Lord deferreth to that other world but vpon his faithful people who yet offende through the negligence come to the supper not sufficiently instructed he layeth diuers sundrie afflictions as pestilence famine sicknes such like to shake off their drousinesse For it foloweth If we had iudged our selues that is if we our selues had restrained our vices separated our selues from euil we had not bene iudged that is to say punished and corrected For immediatly he addeth But when we are iudged we are chastised of the Lord. To bee iudged therefore is to be chastised But hereby we learne from whence there do flow so many mischiefes into the Church to wit by the vnworthie vse of the Lords supper But some man wil answer here if the matter be so it were better wholy to absteine from the lords supper But if any absteine wholie he also therby sinneth againste the Lorde and that grieuously For hee setteth at nought the Lordes commandement who saieth Do this yea he setteth at nought both the Lords death and all the gyfts of god Wherefore he hath not escaped daÌ„ger who hath omitted to celebrate the supper which thing also we haue said before Thou must go an other way to worke if thou desire to auoide both danger sin Heare the counsel of Paule very coÌ„pendiously saying Let a man examine himselfe and so let him eate of that bread and drinke of that cup. And wee muste mark that in this examination he sendeth no man to another but euerie man to him selfe The Papistes bidd thée Goe to an auricular confessour there to confesse thy selfe to receiue absolution and to make satisfaction for thy sinnes accordinge to the fourme that is coÌ„maunded thée And so they bid thée as sufficiently clensed to go to the Lordes table But Paule the doctour of the gentiles and the vessell of election speaketh not a word of those things but saith simply Let a man examine himselfe so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup. For like as God is the searcher of the hartes requireth the affection of the minde hateth hypocrisie so none knoweth what is in the hart of man or what affections wee beare to godward but we our selues do therfore he willeth vs our selues to examine euery thing in ourselues that is to say he willeth euerie man to descend into himselfe and to examine him selfe This examination cannot bee made without faith and the light of gods word But the faithfull man haueing the light of Gods worde shining before him and faith extendinge her force and power inquireth of himselfe whether hee doth acknowledge al his sinnes whiche he hath manifoldly committed against God and whether he be sorte for them being committed and whether with sincere fayth of hart he beleeue that Christ hath washed away and forgiuen al his sinnes and whether he confesse fréely with his mouth as he beléeueth in his hart that life saluation consisteth in Iesus Christ onely and in none other whether he haue determined with himselfe to die in this confession and whether he meane diligently and earnestly to applie himselfe to innocencie and holines of life and whether he be readie to loue helpe all the
wine In celebrating the supper nothinge to be followed but that which we haue receiued of Christ Of both kindes to be giuen and receiâ—ed in the â—upper Of the coÌ„sâ—eratioÌ„ of the breade and wine Whether there must be one chiefe dealer in the action of the supper Hebr. 10. Of the place wher the supper is to be celebrated Actes 20. Of the lords altar or table Of vessels belonging to the Lords supper What garment is to be worne at the supper What tongue is to be vsed What gestures Of taking it in the handes The remnantes of the supper Whether to be shut vp and adored Coloss 3. what time to be celebrated How ofteÌ„ to be celbrated For whom the supper is instituted The supper was not instituted for infantes Whether it be to be celebrated against imminent dangers The supâ—er not to â—e celebraâ—ed at 〈…〉 priuaâ—â—â—e for the â—icke nor whole Iames. 5. Actes 2. Deut. 16. The sacrament not to be offered for the dead Sacrifices of 2. sortes of expiatioÌ„ and confession Of the endes of the Lords supper The Lord witnesleth vnto vs his promise coÌ„munion OpinioÌ„ of bodilie presence confuted of the true vnderstandinge of the Lordes wordes This is my bodie When to depart froÌ„ the letter The auncient exposition of the words of 〈…〉 bodie A demonstration of the figuratiue words of the supper This is my bodie Iohn 16 Mark. 16. Luke 24. 1. Cor. 15. 1. Cor. 15. To ascend â—nto heauen Actes 1. Iohn 14. Matth. 24. Heb. 9. Miracles and the omnipotencie of God. O' Chrstes presence in the supper Matth. 28. Christ is not diuided Of the true eatinge of Christes bodie Howe christ hath giuen his flesh vnto â—s for bread that is to say to bee meate for vs. How Christes bodie is eaten and his bloud dronken 1 Heb. 11. 2 3 4 Iohâ— 4. 5 6 The fleshe profiteth nothing The lords wordes in Iohn 6. arfitlie to be applied to the matter of the supper Of two kindes of eating the Lords supper The third kinde of eatinge That Iudas was present at the Lordes supper What Iudas receiued of the Lord at the supper 2. Cor. 6. How the vnbeleuers are made guiltie of Christes bodie and bloud Iohn 13. Matth. 2â— Heb. 6. Of the other endes of the Lords supper 1. Pet. 2. Of worthily and vnworthilie eating and drinkinge the Lords supper Actes 13. Actes 15. To make difference of the Lords bodie The punishment of those that eate vnworthily Iohn 13. Luke 22. Howe we shoulde prepare our selues to the Lordes supper A comfort or afflicted consciences Matth. 26. Luke 22. The Lorâ— hath not burdened his church with infinite lawes The chiefest points of true godlinesse in the Churche Actes 2. Of scholes Gouernoures of Scholes 1. Sam. 10. 4. Reg. 2. 4. cap. Amos. 7. Amos. 2. Actes 15. Actes 2. Actes 22. Actes 6. Christe his Apostles do institute Scholes Titus 3. Scholes apperteine to the preseruation of the ministerie 1. Tim. 6. The corruption of Scholes The true ende of Scholes Discipline in scholes Of Ecclesiasticall goodes The câ—urche of the new testament hath goodes reuenues Luke 8. Matth. 10. Actes 4. Howe in olde time the church goodes were bestowed Ministers of Churches ought to be rewarded Matth. 10. Iohn 13. 1. Cor. 9. 1. Tim. 5. 1. Cor. 9. The Apostles receiued wagis Marke 6. S. Paule receiued no wages 2. Cor. 11. thess. 3. 1. thess. 5. Studentes to be mainteined by wages of the Churche The poore to de reliâ—ued by the Churche goodes The pore not to bee defrauded of theire portion Ezech. 16. Isai 16. 1. Iohn 3. Ezech. 16. Isai 16. Matth. 25. Mark. 14. Gala. 6. 1. Tim. 5. 1. Tim. 6. Heb. 13. Actes 6. Reformation of churches to bee made Holy buildinges Temples of christians Towarde what part of the worlde we must pray Churches not to bee builded to Sainctes Holy Instruments Abuse of the church goodes Holy time Discipline and correction of ministers 〈◊〉 1. Tim. 5. Of Synodes Ecclesiâ—sticall admonition correctioÌ„ 2. Cor. 5. 2. thess. 3. 2. Cor. 12. Matth. 13. 1. Cor. 2. Of Christian matrimonie Hebr. 13. 1. Tim. 4. 1. Tim. 5. Titus 1. 1. Cor. 9. 1. Cor. 7. Hebr. 13. CoÌ„tractes of mariage to bee soberly made 2. Cor. 6. 1. Pet. 3. Diuorcement I. Cor. 6. Of wiâ—ower Of virgins 2. Tim. 5 De bono viduitatis cap. 9. Of monasteries and â—onkes 1. Cor. 3. Of monasâ—ical vowes 1. Cor. 7. How the Church sealeth with the sicke Iames. 5. Annoynting with oyle Last annoyling Of funerals and buriall The churche hath â—o neede of the leagal instrucâ—ion Actes 15. Galath 4.
FIFTIE GODLIE AND LEARned Sermons diuided into fiue Decades conteyning the chiefe and principall pointes of Christian Religion written in three seuerall Tomes or Sections by Henrie Bullinger minister of the Churche of Tigure in Swicerlande WHEREVNTO IS ADIOYNED A TRIPLE or three-folde Table verie fruitefull and necessarie Translated out of Latine into English by H. I. student in Diuinitie ET INVENTA EST PERIIT MATTHEWE 17. This is my beloued Sonne in whome I am well pleased Heare him ¶ IMPRINTED AT LONDON BY RALPHE Newberrie dwelling in Fleete-streate a little aboue the Conduite Anno. Gratiae 1577. A Praeface to the Ministerie of the Church of England and to other wel disposed Readers of GDOS woorde WHat iust cause there is that all spiritual sheepeherdes and especially these of our time should see carefully to the feeding of the flockes committed to their charge may easily appeare to him that shal but a litle stay his consideration vpon this matter For first the commaundementes of the Almightie touching this thing are verie earnest the authoritie of whiche shoulde greatly inforce Secondly the rewardes which hee proposeth to vigilant and carefull pastours are large and bountiful the sweetenesse of which should muche allure Thirdly the plagues and heauie iudgementes whiche hee denounceth against slouthful and carelesse shepeheards are grieuous and importable the terrour whereof shoulde make afraide Then the nature and condition of the sheepe ouer whom they watche the vigilancie of the wolfe againste whome they watche the conscience in taking the fleece for whiche they watche and this time and age wherein they watche being rightly considered will giue them to vnderstand sufficiently that they haue good occasion to watch Howe earnestly God commaundeth appeareth Esaie 58. Where he sayth Crie aloude spare not lift vp thy voice like a trumpet shewe my people their transgressions and the house of Iacob their sinnes And Esaie 62. I haue set watchmen vpon thy walles O Hierusalem which all the day and al the night continually shal not ceasse ye that are mindfull of the Lord keepe not silence And Iohn 21. Feede my lambes Feede my sheepe and if ye loue me Feede And 2. Tim. 4. Preache the woord be instant in season out of season improue rebuke exhorte c. Howe sweetely with rewardes he allureth doth appeare in the 12. of Daniel They that be wise shal shine as the brightnesse of the firmament and they that turne many to righteousnes shal shine as the starres for euer and euer And â— Tim. 4. Take heede to thy selfe and to doctrine in them occupie thy selfe continually For in so dooing thou shalt saue thy selfe and them which heare thee How fiersly also he vrgeth and driueth on the sluggish and carelesse sheapheards with terrible plagues and whips threatened vnto them appeareth Ezechiel 3. Where he sayth Sonne of man I haue made thee a watche-man vnto the house of Israel therefore heare the woord of my mouth and giue them learning from me When I shal say vnto the wicked thou shalt surely dye and thou giuest him not warning nor speakest to admonish the wicked of his wicked way that he may liue the same wicked man shal dye in his iniquitie but his bloud wil I require at thy hand And Ieremie 1. ver 17. Thou therefore trusse vp thy loynes and arise and speake vnto them all that I commaund thee bee not afraide of their faces least I destroy thee before them And 1. Cor. 9. ver 16. Though I preache the Gospel I haue nothing to reioyce of for necessitie is laide vpon me and woe is vnto me if I preach not the Gospell for if I doe it willingly I haue a rewarde but if I doe it against my will notwithstanding the dispensation is committed vnto me Nowe the sheepe whereof spiritual sheepheards haue vndertaken charge are not beastes but men the verie Images of God himselfe endued with euerliuing soules Citizens with the saintes and blessed angels cloathed with Gods liuerie beautified with his cognisance and all the badges of saluation admitted to his Table to no meaner dishes than the bodie bloud of the vndefiled lambe Christ Iesus bought also and redeemed out of the wolues chawes with no lesse price than of that same bloud more precious than any Golde or siluer Sheepe also of that nature they are that being carefully fed and discreetely ordered they proue gentle and louing towardes their sheepherds and seruiceable towards the chief sheepherd Iesus Christ but being neglected left to theÌ„ selues they degenerate into bloudie wolues watching euer opportunitie wheÌ„ they may rent in peeces their sheepherds and all other sheepe which are not degenerated into their woluishe nature As for the spirituall wolfe against whom they watch which is Satan He as the Apostle Peter witnesseth 2. Epistle cap. 5. Neuer resteth but as a roaring Lyon walketh about seeking euer whom he may deuour And for that cause also is he called Apoc. 20. ver 2 A dragon Which beast naturally is verie malicious craftie and watchfull so then if the spiritual sheepheard must watche whiles the spirituall wolfe doth wake he can promise vnto him selfe no one moment of securitie wherein he may be carelesse God by his Prophet Ezechiel cap. 34. saith Woe be vnto the sheepherds of Israel that feede themselues should not the sheepherdes feede the flockes ye eate the fatte and ye cloathe you with the wooll ye kill them that are fedde but ye feede not the sheepe This sentence should awake the sleepie and carelesse consciences of many sheepherds For as the priest that serueth the altar is worthie to liue vpon the offeringes and the souldier that ventereth is worthie his wages and the husbandman that toyleth is worthie the haruest and the sheepheard that feedeth the flocke is worthie to be fedde with the milke and cloathed with the wooll so questiâ—nlesse the priest that serueth not is worthie no offerings the souldier that fighteth not is worthie no wages the husbandman that loytereth is worthie of weedes and the sheepherd that feedeth not can with no good conscieÌ„ce require either the milke or the fleece but his due rewarde and iust recompence is punishment for that through his default the sheepe are hunger-sterued and destroyed of the wolfe But let the ministers of our time well weighe the condition and manner of the time and then no doubt they shall see that it is highe time to bestyrre them to the doing of their dueties This time succedeth a time wherein was extreame famine of all spiritual foode so that the sheepe of this time can neuer recouer themselues of â—hat feeblenesse whereinto they were brought but by some great and extraordinarie diligence This time succedeth a time wherein the multitude of wolues and rauenous beastes was so great and their rage and furie so fell in euery sheepfolde that the good sheepherdes were either put to flight or pitifully murthâ—red so that the sheepe being committed to wolues did
c. 6â—â— 2 Let euery one that calleth vpâ—â— the name of the Lord depart froâ— iniquiâ—ie c. 6â—â— 2 No man whiche goeth a 〈◊〉 fare intangleth himseâ—fe with 〈◊〉 affaires c. 9â—â— 2 Studie to shewe thée selfe approued vnto God A worke-man not to be ashamed c. 908 2 Remember that Iesus Christ of the séede of Dauid was raised c. 294 2 It is a faithful saying For if we be dead with him we shal also liue c. 469 3 All Scripture giuen by inspiration of God is profitable to teache c. 17. 542 4 Paul could not deale against diseases as hee would example of Trophimo whome hee left sicke at Miletum c. 838 4 Bée thou vnto them that beléeue an ensample in word in conuersatioÌ„ c. 901 4 The time shall come that they shall not abide to heare sound doctrine c 324 4 I charge thée therefore before GOD and before the Lord Iesus Christ c. 908 4 Till I come giue attendaunce to reading to exhortation and doctrine c. 911 4 I haue fought a good fight I haue fulfilled my course I haue kept the faith c. 468 ¶ Out of the Epistle of S. Paule to Titus 1 REbuke them sharpely that they may be sound in the faith c. 109. 1 For this cause I left thée in Creta that thou shouldest ordeine c. 894. 895 1 Who can denie that to the cleane all thinges are cleane c. 226 1 That the mouthes of vaine â—alkers stirrers of minds must be c. 908 1 In words they confesse that they knowe God but in their déeds they denie him c. 570 2 Exhort seruants to be obedient vnto their owne maisters and to please c. 273 2 Speake to the elder women that they may teach honest thinges c. 225 2 The grace of God that bringeth saluation hath appeared c 61. 546 3 God according to his mercie hath saued vs by the founteine of regeneration c. 629. 973. 1064 3 Warne them to be subiect to rule and power and to obey magistrates c. 170 3 Touching an heretique obiectons made out of S. Paule c. 203 5. Bring diligeÌ„tly Zenas the lawyer and Apollo vpon their way that they may want nothing c. 1115 ¶ Out of the Epistle of S. Paule to the Hebrues 1 GOD in times past at sundrie times and in diuers maners spake vnto c. 527 1 Are they not all ministring spirits c. 714. 732 1 God by his sonn hath made the worlds and doth rule and vpphold them with the word of his power c. 638 2 For as much then as the children are partakers of flesh and bloud he also himselfe likewise toke part with them c. 448. 691 2 Thou madest him litle inferiour to the angels c. 696 2 It became him in all thinges to be made like vnto his brethren c. 61. 687 2 He doeth no where take on him the Angels but the séed of Abraham c. 63. 687. 691 3 Exhort yee one another daily while it is called to day least any of you be hardened c. 710 4 To vs was the Gospel preached as wel as vnto them but the word c. 983. 1026 5 No man taketh the honour to himselfe but hee that is called of God as was Aaron c. 704. 893 5 In the dayes of his flesh when he did offer vp prayers supplications with strong crying and teares c. 707 6 It cannot bee that they whiche were once illuminated if they fall away c. 27. 518 6 Men verily sweare by the greater and an oath for coÌ„firmation c. 132 7 Christ euer liueth to make intercession for vs c. 662 7 And amonge them many were made priestes because they were not suffered to endure by reason of death c. 707 7 Christ for that he endureth for euer hath an euerlasting priesthoode c. 663 7 Our high priest had no néede as those high priestes had first to c. 373 7 The forerunner is for vs entred into heauen after the order of Melchisedech made a priest for euer c. 704 8 Because I will be mercifull to their vnrighteousnesses and I will no more c. 438 8 Christ were no priest if he were on earth c. 706 9 Christ entred not into the Tabernacle made with hands but into the very c. 373. 708 9 If the ashes of a younge cow sprinkled doeth sanctifie them c. 377. 9 Christ appeared once before the end of the world to put away sinne by offering vp himselfe c. 1094 10 Euery priest appeareth daily ministring and oftentimes offereth one maner of offering c. 708 10 Christ being one onely sacrifice offered vp for sinn â—â—tteth for euer at the right hand of GOD c. 569. 1069 10 Ye haue néede of patience that after ye haue done the will of God c. 469 10 If we sinne willingly after we haue receiued the knowledge of the trueth c. 518 10 Cast not away your confidence which hath great recompence of reward c. 304 11 Whosoeuer will come to God must beléeue c. 1099 11 And all these holy fathers hauing through hope obteined good report c. 433 11 They wandered about in shéepe skinnes and goate skinnes being c. 312 11 Faith is the substance of things hoped for the euidence of thinges c. 30 11 These through faith did subdue kingdomes wrought righteousnes c. 150 12 Ye are come into the citie of the liuing God the heauenly Hierusalem and to an innumerable companie of Angels c. 737 12 God speaketh to you as to his sonnes My sonne despise not thou the chastening of c. 307 12 The fathers of your flesh did for a fewe dayes chasten you after their owne c. 310 12 Ye came not vnto Mount Sina to a fire to a whirlewinde astormie c. 814 13 To doe good and to distribute forgett not for with such sacrifice God is pleased c. 1125 13 By Christ we offer the sacrifice of praise alwayes vnto God that is the fruite of lippes whiche confesse his name c. 659. 710. 952 13 Hée suffered without the gate and offered himselfe a liuely and most holy sacrifice c. 706 13 Be mindefull of them that are in bonds as bound with them c. 97 13 Wedlock is honourable among all and the bedd vndefiled c. 223. 226. 1132 13 Obey them that haue the rule ouer you and giue place vnto them c. 154 13 The bodies of those beastes whose bloud is brought into the holy place c. 374 ¶ Out of the Epistle of S. Iames. 1 If any of you lacke wisedome let him aske of God c. 16. 304 1 Euery good guieing euery perfect gift c. 918 1 Let no maÌ„ say when he is tempted he is rempted of God c. 485 1 For when he is cried he shall receiue the crowne of life
443. 445. 446. Frée 444 Fréemen of Christe abuse not their libertie 445 Fruits that become repentance 593 Fulgentius 74 Furniture of them that would haue accesse to God. 922 G. Gardiansor ouerséers of fatherlesse children 145 Garment to be worne at the Lords supper 1071 Gentiles 102. 104. 105. 106. 148. Gesture in prayer 928 Gestures at the Lords supper 1071 Gospel 326. 527. 526. 528. 558. 530 547. 1010. Giftes of the holy Ghost 729 Giftes of the new testament 438 GOD. 481 God being good created all thinges good 481 God is said to make men blinde 492 God is said to hardeÌ„ in what sense 492 God sometimes afflicteth them whose sinnes hee hath forgiuen 584. God gouernour of all things 637 God is one in substance and thrée in persons 56 God a father 57 God the maker of heauen and earth 58 God almightie 57 Gods sonne 59 God alone forgiueth sinnes 83 God alone to be loued 94 God will not be likened to any thing 118 God a rewarder of his true worshippers 125 God is all in all to his confederats 357 God did forbeare the fall of man. 488 God doth punish sinners iustly 520 God exhibiteth grace by in Christ 532 God shadowed in visions 616 God giueth his giftes fréely 616 God sheweth himselfe to Moses 617 God what he is 618 God doeth euidently open himselâ—e in Christ 618 God is knowen by his works 620 God is shadowed to vs by comparisons 622 God is one in essence or being 623 Gods good will learned by his prouidence God draweth by meanes those that the preâ—estuiared to life 645 God onely alone is to be worshipped 6â—6 God only to be serued 671 God hâ—th his church 855 God present in the ministerie to the worlds end 919 God is moued with the prayers of the 〈◊〉 God deâ—â—â—reth to heare once petitions 919 Godhead and manhoode of Christe mitted 691 Godlinesse 18. 43 Goode of the church 156 Goods of other man ought not to remaâ—ne in thy possession 280 Goods serue to supplye our necessitie 283 Goodes muste serue to relieue the poore 288 Good to whom it must be done 289 Good how we ought to do it 290 Good 〈◊〉 515. 457 Godly 〈◊〉 falsly charged to frussleare the sacramentes 1008 Gouernours of scholes 1114 Grace 529. 530. 531. 360. 1000. 1003. 1006. Gâ—atian Emperour 181 Guiltinesse punishment therof 397 H. Halowed be thy name expounded 943 Herode and Antiochus eaten of wormes aliue 218 Heretikes and false prophets 397 Head of the church 864 Heauen the seate throne or pallace of our king Historie of the Lordes tabernacle 342. 343 Historie of Anabaptisme 1057 Housholder his charge or office 138 141. Honour 146. 147. 149. 151. 153. 154. 155. Honestie 226 Hospitalitie 286 Hope of the faithfull vpholdeth Christian patience 304 Hopâ— 503. Holy day 350 Holy things 391 Holocaustum the burnt offring 368 How God guieth men ouer to a reprobate mynde or sense 491 Howe God is saide to do euill 493 How Christ is receyued 547 Howe often the Lordes supper is to be celebrated 1016 Holinesse that is perfect whence it proceedeth 813 Holy church how to be vnderstanded 814 Holy time 1129 Holy buildings 1126 Holy instruments 1127 Holy Ghoste 715. 716. 718. 719. 722. Holy Ghost is called a comforter 723. 724. Holie Ghoste compared to water fire 〈◊〉 a done 725. 1016 Hoares Canonicall 936 Howe Christ hath giuen his fleshe to be meare 1098 Howe Christes bodie is eaten and his bloud drunken 1098 Howe the vnbeleeuers are made guiltie of Christes body bloud 1104 How we should prepare our selues to the Lords supper 1109 Humanitie of Christ 687 Humbling and acknowledging of sinnes 564 Hart of all kyndes and sortes forbidden 166 Hirelings wages 397 Hire is due but Heritage procéedeth of the parents good will. 469 Hypocrites how they are or may be counted of in the churche of God. 817 I. Iacob 4 Iames defended 426 Iames no patrone of auricular coÌ„fession 580 Idols teach not 122. 266 Idolatrie 392 Idlenesse condemned 266 Iesus the name of the onely begotten sonne 60 Iesus is Christ the looked for Messias 537 Iewes denie that Christe is come or that Iesus is Christ 540 Images 117. 120. 121. 122 Image of patience 303. Image of god 614. 489 Image of the diuell 560 Imperiall lawe against the Anabaptistes 1058 Impenitents are vnhappie 597 Incest 236 Infelicitie of the vngodly 299 Institution of a king and of princes 390 Inheritaunce 393 Incarnation of Christ 687 Indulgences 585 Infants not beléeuing are baptised 1014 Infantes departing without baptisme are saued 1044 Infantes confessing or beléeuing 1052 Infants vnderstande not the mysterie of baptisme 1054 Infants baptised from the time of the Apostles 1057 Intercessour 660 Intercession of Christ 665 Inuocation 185. 586. 656 Inward markes of the church 824 Interpreting to whome it perâ—eyneth 907 Interpreret or teacher what he must not seeke 908 Institution of baptisme by whome 1033 Institution of sacraments 965 Ioas. 254 Iosaphat 253 Ioram 253 Iothan 254 Iosias 255 Ioiada 254 Iudas was present at the Lordes Supper 1103 Iustification 44. 52. 457 Iustifie 45. 1006 Iustified 49. 50. 51. 406. 532 Iudge Iudgement and to Iudge 74. 191. 192. 193. 194. 295. 388. 389. Iudiciall lawes 389. 397 Iubilie Romishe 417 Iustiman Emperour 129 K. Kaliad the grandfather of Moses 4 Keyes of the kingdome of heauen 558 Keyes of the church 901 Keyes are the ministerie of preaching the Gospell 902. 903 Kinsmen and Cousens 146 Killing and to Kill 166. 175. 198 Kindes of Bishops 885 Kindes of prayer 914 Kindes of punishment 199 Kings Kingdomes 218. 252. 256 257. 390. 699. 700. 701. 702. 703. 944 L. Labour commended 266 Lambe a type of Christ c. 365 Lawe and Lawes c. 100. 101. 102 303. 107. 108. 109. 110. 166. 186. 188. 189. 190. 400. 403. 404 405 408. 409. 411. 446. 447. 448. 578 Lauer of brasse 349 Legion of Thunder 215 League 6. 355. 356. 331. 357. Learners two sortes in the church 907 Leuites 331. 332 Libertie of Christians or Christian Libertie 408. 440. 443. 448 591 Light clearest of the first worlde were nine men 3 Lie Lying and kinds of Lyes 320 Licentiousnesse 449 Life eternall and the day of iudgement 6 Life euerlasting 90 Life promised to them that kéep the lawe 408 Likenesse and difference of the â—lde and newe testament and people 428 Loue and Charitie 92. 93. 95 The Lorde hath not burthened his Church with infinite lawes 1112 Lords prayer expounded 941 M. Maiestie and dignitie of the moral lawe 112 Magistrats or rulers 145. 168. 169 170. 171. 172. 175. 177. 178. 187 188. 198. 216 Magistracie thrée kindes 169 Marriage and Married folke 222 227. Marriage 228. 229. 230. 231. 392 Martyrs 724 Manasses 255 Manner of ordeyning those that be called to the ministerie 896 Manner of the auncient singing in the auncient church 933 Manner of prayer 938 Manner of Christes death 64 Mans last day 779 Man old and newe what it is 588 Man conuinced of sinne
the Father from whence it shall come to iudge the quicke and the deade and let vs thinke that the Lord speaking of the Sacrament woulde haue vs to expounde the words of the Sacrament Sacramentally and not Transubstancially Also in reading that saying of the Apostle Fleshe and bloud can not inherite the kingdome of God let vs not by and by vppon these wordes take it simply as the words do séeme to signifie but sticking to the Article of our sayth I beleeue the resurrection of the body let vs vnderstand that by fleshe and bloud are ment the affectiōs infirmities not the nature substance of oure bodies Furthermore we reade in the gospell that the Lorde doth gather a sum of the lawe and the Prophets saying Thou shalt loue the Lorde thy God with all thy heart with all thy soule and with al thy mind this is the chief and great commaundement And the second is like vnto it Thou shalt loue thy neighbor as thy selfe In these two commaundemēts hangeth the whole law and the Prophets Math. 22. Vpon these words of the Lorde that holy man Aurelius Augustinus in the. 36. Chapter of his firste booke De doctrina Christi sayth ▪ Whosoeuer doth seeme to himself to vnderstād the holy scriptures or any part thereof so that that vnderstanding he dothe not worke these two points of charitie towardes God his neighbor he yet doth not vnderstande the scriptures perfectly But whosoeuer shall take out of them such an opinion as is profitable to the working of this charitie and yet shall not say the self samethig which shal be proued that he did meane whome he readeth in that place that mā doth not erre to his own destruction nor doth altogether by lying deceiue other mē Thus much writ Augustin We must therefore by all meanes possible take héede that our interpretations doe not tende to the ouerthrow of charitie but to the furtherance and commendatiō of it to al men The Lord sayth Striue not with the wicked But if we affirme that he spake this to the Magistrates also thē shal charitie towards our neighbours the safetie of them that are in ieopardie defence of the oppressed be broken and cleane taken away For théeues vnruly persons robbers and naughtie fellowes will oppresse the widowes the fatherlesse and the poore to that all iniquitie shall reigne and haue the vpper hande But in a mattter so manifestly knowen I suppose it is not néedefull to vse many examples Moreouer it is requisite in expounding the Scriptures and searching out the true sense of Gods worde that we marke vpon what occasion euery thing is spoken what goeth before what followeth after at what season in what order and of what person any thing is spoken By the occasion and the sentences going before and comming after are examples and parables for the moste parte expounded Also vnlesse a man do alwayes marke the manner of speaking throughout the whole Scriptures and that verie diligently too he can not choose in his expositions but erre very muche out of the right way Sainte Paule obseruing the circumstaunce of the time did thereby conclude that Abraham was iustified neyther by Circumcision nor yet by the Lawe The places are to be séene in the fourth to the Romanes and the thirde to the Galathians Againe when it is sayde to Peter Put vp thy sword into thy sheath He that taketh the sworde shall perishe with the sworde We must consider that Peter bare the personage of an Apostle and not of a Magistrate For of the Magistrate we reade that to him is giuen the sworde to reuengement But it woulde be ouer tedious and too troublesome to rehearse more examples of euery particular place There is also beside these another manner of interpreting the worde of God that is by conferring together the places whiche are like or vnlike and by expounding the darker by the more euident and the fewer by the more in number Wheras therfore the Lorde sayth The father is greater then I we must consider that the same Lorde in another place sayth My father and I are all one And whereas Iames the Apostle sayth That Abraham and we are iustified by workes there are many places in Saint Paul to be set againste that one And this manner of interpreting did Peter the Apostle allowe where he sayth We haue a right sure worde of prophesie wherevnto if ye attend as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place ye doe well vntill the daye dawne and the daye starre arise in your heartes That auncient writer Tertullian affirmeth that they are heretiques and not men of the right fayth which drawe some odde thinges out of the Scriptures to their owne purpose not hauing any respecte to the rest But doe by that meanes picke oute vnto them selues a certaine fewe testimonies which they woulde haue altogether to be beleeued the whole Scripture in the meane season gaine-saying it bycause in deede the fewer places muste be vnderstoode according to the meaning of the more in number And finally the moste effectuall rule of all whereby to expounde the worde of God is an heart that loueth God and his glorye not puffed vp with pryde not desirous of vayne glorye not corrupted with heresies and euill affections but whiche doth continually praye to God for his holy spirite that as by it the scripture was reuealed and inspired so also by the same spirite it maye be expounded to the glorye of God and safegarde of the faythfull Let the mynde of the interpreter be set on fire with zeale to aduaunce vertue and with hatred of wickednesse euen to the suppressing thereof Let not the heart of suche an expositor call to counsell that subtile Sophister the deuill least peraduenture nowe also he doe corrupt the sense of Gods worde as heretofore he did in Paradise Let him not abide to heare mans wisedome argue directly against the worde of god This if the good and faythfull expositor of Gods worde shal doe then although in some pointes he doe not as the prouerbe sayth hit the very head of the nayle in the darker sense of the Scripture yet notwithstanding that errour ought not to be condemned for an heresie in the authour nor iudged hurtfull vnto the hearer And who so euer shall bring the darker more proper meaning of the Scripture to light he shall not by and by condemne the vnperfect exposition of that other no more then he whiche is authour of the vnperfect exposition shall reiect the more proper sense of the better expositour but by acknowledging it shall receiue it with thankes giuing Thus muche hytherto haue I said touching the sense and exposition of Gods worde which as God reuealed it to men so also he would haue them in any case to vnderstand it Wherefore there is no cause for any man by reason of a few difficulties to despaire to attaine to the true vnderstanding of the Scriptures The Scripture
rose againe from the dead But now this worde fleshe doth a great deale more significantly expresse the resurrection of this flesh then if wee should say the resurrection of the bodie Verily Cyprian saith that in some Churches of the Easte this article was thus pronoūced I belieue the resurrectiō of this flesh And Augustine also in the tenth chap. of his booke De fide Symbolo sayth Wee must without doubting belieue that this visible which is properlie caled flesh shall rise againe The Apostle Paule doth seeme as it were with his finger to point at this flesh when hee saith This corruptible must put on incorruption When hee saith This hee doth as it were put out his finger vnto this flesh This hath Augustine Moreouer Sainct Hierome compelleth Iohn Eishoppe of Hierusalem openly to confesse the resurrection of the flesh not of the bodie onely Fleshe saith he hath one definition and the bodie an other Al flesh is a bodie but euery body is not fleshe That is flesh properlie which is compacte of bloud veynes boanes and synewes A bodie althoughe it be called fleshe yet sometime is said to be of like substance to the firmamēt or to the ayre which is not subiect to touchinge or seeing and oftentimes too maye be both touched and seene A Wall is a bodie but it is not fleshe Thus much out of Hierome Let vs therefore belieue that mens bodies which are taken of the earth and which liuinge men beare aboute wherein they liue and are which also die and turne into dust and ashes That those bodies I say are quickned and liue againe But thou demaundest howe this fleshe beinge once resolued into duste and ashes and so into nothing can rise againe in the former shape and substaunce as when it is torne with the teeth of beastes or consumed to nothing with the flame of fyre and whē in the graue there is to be founde but a small and little quantitie of dustie powder I referre thee to the omnipotencie of God which the Apostle spake of where hée sayth Christ hath transformed this vile bodie of ours to make it conformable to his glorious bodie by the power wherein hee can make all things subiecte to himselfe Wherefore hee that in the beginning when as yet there was not a man in the world could bring forth man oute of the duste of the earth although the same man be again resolued into that out of which hee was taken I meane into earth as the saying is Dust thou art and into dust shalt thou retourne againe Yet notwithstandinge the same God againe at the ende of the world is able to rayse man out of the earth For the Lorde in the Gospell saith plainely The houre shall come wherein all they that are in the graues shall heare the voyce of the sonne of God and shal come forth they that haue done good to the resurrection of life and they that haue done euill to the resurrection of iudgement And now by fayth wee are throughly persuaded As the Apostle sayth that he that hath promised is able also to per forme There are moreouer liuelie examples of this matter and moste euident testimonies of the holie Scripture Ionas is swallowed vp of the Whale in the Syrian sea but the third daye after hee is caste vppe againe alyue vppon the shoare out of the beastes entrailes which is a token that the fleshe shall verily rise againe Wherefore that is not harde to be belieued that in the Apocalipse is said that The Sea casteth vp her dead The force of fyre had no force to hurte the three companions of Daniel yea the rage of wilde beastes contrary to nature absteyned from bytinge Daniell himselfe What marueile is it therefore if at this day neither the force of fyre nor rage of wielde beasts is able to resiste the power of God being disposed to raise his creatures vp againe Did not our Lord Christ rayse vp Lazarus when he had lyen thrée dayes in the graue yea and stancke too to life againe Did not hée himself hauing once brokē the tyrannie of death rise vp againe the thirde day from the deade did he not rise againe in the same substaunce of fleshe and forme of bodie wherein hée hanged on the Crosse and beinge taken downe from the crosse was buried Not without good cause do wée looke back to Christe which is called the first begottē among the dead so often as we thincke in what maner the resurrection of our fleshe shall bee For the members shall rise againe in the same order that the heade is risen vp before them in Wee verilie shall not rise againe the thirde daye after our death but in our maner and order shall wee rise at the last daye yea and that too in the very same body wherin now wée liue I will adde a fewe testimonies to proue the resurrection of oure fleshe Iob confessing his faith touchinge the resurrection of the deade in his greate weakenesse affliction and sicknesse sayth I knowe that my redeemer lyueth and that in the laste day I shall rise out of the earth and shal be clad againe with my skinne in my flesh I shall see God whom euen I my selfe shall see and my eyes shal behold and none other This hope is layde vp in my bosome This testimonie is so euident as that it néedeth no larger an exposition No lesse euident are those testimonies oute of Esaie Cap. 26. Ezech. 37. Psalm 15. Matth. 22. Iohn 5. 6. 11. Throughout the Actes in euerie place is often repeated the resurrection of the dead S. Paule in the 15. Chap. of his first Epistle to the Corrinthians doth make a ful discourse of this resurrection In the fourth Chapter of his 2. Epistle hée sayth Wee which liue are alwayes deliuered to death for Iesus sake that the life of Iesus also mighte appeare in our mortal fleshe Sée now what coulde be spoken more plainlye then that the lyfe of Christe shal be made to appeare in this mortall flesh of ours For by and by after hee saith We know that hée that raysed vp the Lorde Iesus shall rayse vs vp also by the meanes of Iesus And in the fifth Chapiter againe Wee must all appeare before the iudgemente seate of Christe sayth hee that enerye man may receiue the woorkes of his body according to that he hath done whether it be good or euill Therefore these verie bodyes of ours shall rise againe in the day of iudgement And now déerely beloued I haue to declare vnto you in what manner our bodyes shall rise againe and of what sorte they shal be in the resurrection In the shuttinge vppe and ende of all ages or of this world our Lord Iesus Christe shall come to iudgement with great maiestie and then whomsoeuer that day shall finde alyue they shall in a momente of time be chaunged and first I saye shall all they that dyed from the firste Adam to the laste that shall dye ryse vppe
to stretche to that expence then did he offer a Lambe or a Kidde and yet againe if he could not offer that by reason of his pouertie it was lawful for him to sacrifice birdes not Géese or Cockes or other vncleane foules but Turtels and Doues and suche kinde of cleane birdes Nowe the manner of making this burnt sacrifice was in this order The beast that was to be offered was placed at the one side of the altar vppon which the priest did presently lay his handes and cut the throte of it The bloud was saued to be sprincled round about the altar the skinne was flayed from the slaughtered beast and that alone was all the fées that fel to the portion or share of the priest The legges were chopped off and washed together with the purtenance Immediately after a fire was made vppon the altar whereuppon was layde the whole sacrifice to wite the head the bodie y legges and the purtenance and were altogether burnte vppon the altar before the Lorde But if so be it happened that a Turtle or a Doue were offered for a sacrifice then did the prieste with his finger wreathe about and breake the necke thereof and the bloud was let droppe about the sides of the altar The fethers also were cast at the one side of the altar into a place where ashes laye the winges were ioynted and last of all the whole bodie was burnt vppon the altar This was the manner of the sacrifice or oblation which they did commonly call a burnte offeringe the signification whereof was moste chéerefull pleasant to them which were persuaded that by the burnt offering was prefigured the verie sonne of God to be incarnate of the vnspotted virgine and to be sacrificed once for the cleansinge of all the sinnes of the whole worlde For they in the glasse of that sacrifice did beholde the crosse and passion of the Lorde which tooke our sinnes vppon him selfe and beeing slaine did shead his bloud for the remisson of sinnes offeringe him selfe wholye to God the father in the fire of charitie heauenly zeale The verye same Christe is the Turtle or Pigeon Moreouer beside these ceremonies in the burnt sacrifice it was required that no burnte sacrifice of beastes should at any time bee made without that kinde of offering which they called Minha that oblation was an handfull of corne or of meale or else of crustie bread sodde in a caldron or a bowed piece of bread which we call a Cracknell baked in an ouen or in a frying panne which was burnte with oyle and frankincense vppon the altar of burnt sacrifices And Christ verily is the bread of life who by the eternall spirite as saith the Apostle did offer him selfe to God the father for vs to be the meate and preseruation of our life In the number of burnt sacrifices are reckoned the dayly sacrifices that were offered euery morning and euery euening and the sacrifices of the annoynting or consecrating of priestes Of the daily sacrifice a large exposition is made in the 29 of Exodus and the sixte Chapter of Leuiticus It was called the daily offering beecause euery morning and euening two Lambes were offered to wite one in the morning and another at the euening In these Lambes was Christ most manifestly prefigured who is that lambe of God that taketh awaye the sinnes of the worlde whose vertue is alwayes effectuall and of power to take awaye the sinnes of the faithfull For that Lambe was killed frō the beginning of the worlde he was once slaine vppon the crosse but yet his merite and effectuall power endureth still and doth absolue all them that are deliuered from their sinnes Nowe the sacrifices of consecrating I meane of the priestes of the tabernacle and of all the vessels or instrumentes belonginge to the holie ministerie are in many pointes all one with the burnt offeringes and in some things differing from them as is fully to be séene in the 29 of Exodus and the eighth of Leuitic And Christe our Lord did first beginne the priesthood by his passion and after that hallowed all the faithful to be priests vnto him selfe The second kinde of sacrifices was the oblation which they called Minha a gift reward or sacrifice of a wheaten cake and by another name was called a meate offering This sacrifice was of the fruite of the earth was not offered alwayes after one sorte for there are reckoned thrée kindes of this sacrifice For there was offered either parched wheate sticking in the eares or wheate out of the eares or else cleane meale vnbaked or at least wise meale made vppe into bread which breade againe was made thrée sundrie wayes and in thrée sundrye facions For either it was baked in an ouen or fornace or else sodde in a pott or a caldron or else fryed in a frying panne like vnto cakes To these there was added as sauce to the sacrifice salte oyle frankincense Honie and leauen were by a generall rule vtterly barred from all sortes of sacrifices For cakes made with honie were neuer allowed of nor admitted in their offerings Yet in the feast of thankes giuing they did eate leauened bread Therefore when any man did offer wheate it was first annoynted by the prieste with oyle then seasoned with salte and last of all had frankincense put vpon it after that the priest tooke one handfull from out of all but in the sacrifice for the prieste all was burnt and burnt it vppon the altar the rest hee did reserue as a share to him selfe And in al meate offerings frankincense was alwayes vsed except in the sacrifice for sinne and in the sacrifice of ielousie as is to bee séene in the fifth of Leuiticus and the fifth of the booke of Numbers The rest that belongeth to the full rites and ceremonies of the meate offerings whosoeuer is desirous to knowe hee shall finde them in the seconde Chapter of Leuiticus For I meane not here particularly to repeate euery iott and title of their accustomed ceremonies Nowe euen as Christ was before prefigured in beastes and birdes so also is he represented in this bread or cakes For he is the bread of life and hath sundry facions of infirmitie and glorie In Christ thou shalt not finde any leauen that is sinne vncharitablenesse hypocrisie or pride There is in Christe no swéetenesse nor honnylike taste of worldly or wicked pleasures But salte thou mayst finde in him a well seasoned temperature altogether heauenly and moste absolute wisedome because of Christe for his sake all things of ours are acceptable vnto God for Christe his sake our prayers are heard of God the father vppon Christ therefore there is a swéete smelling frankincense in the nose of God the father And in these ceremonies are also shadowed the maner and matter of our sacrifices to wite that they should be without hypocrisie bitternesse hatred enuie fleshly pleasure and should be seasoned with godly continual prayers With the
him and did become like vnto vs being cladde as it were in the vsuall garment of vs men yet notwithstanding his fleshely garment I meane his bodie that was like to ours was altogether frée from corruption and cleane without all spottes of sinne Aaron did first of all kill a stéere for him selfe and his familie whereby he declared that hee was not the verie true high Priest but the type of him that was the true Priest For Paule saith Our high priest had no neede as those high priestes had first to offer sacrifices for their owne sinnes then for the sinnes of the people For he did that once when he offered vpp him selfe Afterwardes Aaron drewe lottes at the doore of the tabernacle to trye betwixt the two goates whiche should be slaine for the sacrifice and which shoulde bee sent awaye as the scape goate into the desart The two Goates do signifie Christ our Lorde verie God and verie man in two natures vnseparated He is slaine and dyeth in his humanitie but is not slaine nor dyeth in his diuinitie Yet he being one and the same Christ vnseperated is the sauiour of the world and doth worke the redemption of vs mortall men So in the two Goates was a mysterie hidden And for because as Solomon saith the lotts are guided by the Lordes will it was not without the especiall will of the father that the sonne was sacrificed and killed on the crosse Moreouer the high Priest did take the bloud firste of the bullocke then of the slaine goate and a Censer in his hande and went within the vaile where with the incense he did make a cloude of smoke before the mercie seate and with his finger did sprincle the bloud seuen times toward the mercie seate All which the Apostle Paule expoundinge in the 9 to the Hebrewes saith that Christ entred not into the Tabernacle made with handes but into the verie heauens not with the bloud of a bullocke or a goate but with his owne bloud and found for vs a perpetuall cleansing remission of our sinnes For he is our propitiation not for our sinnes onely but also for the sinnes of all the worlde And herevnto did the Apostles allude as ofteÌ„ as they called Christ our propitiation as S. Paule did in y third to the Romans and Sainct Iohn in the seconde and fourth Chapter of his first Epistle Nowe the seuen times sprinckling of the bloud betokened the ful perfection or perfect fulnesse of the cleansinge We haue néede also to be sprinckled with the finger not of man but of Christ Iesus our Lorde and Sauiour whose finger is the holie Ghoste by whome our cleansing doth come vpon vs. To the sprinckling of the bloud is also added swéete smellinge incense For as the Apostle testifieth Christe our high priest did offer prayers for vs with teares and was heard in that which he feared Whereupon by the cloude of smoke that is by the greate quantitie of smoke was noted the greate efficacie of earnest prayers When that was don the high priest went againe into the Sanctum sett the bloud vpon the golden altar of incense For in the worke of our redeÌ„ption both innocent bloud and earnest prayer for vs must bee ioyned togeather Out of the SanctuÌ„ again he came to the altar of burnt offerings whiche stoode in the court which was called AtriuÌ„ there he gaue the other goate to a conuenient man to be carried away into the wildernesse but in the deliuering of the goate he vsed a precise manner and singular ceremonie For the high priest layed both his handes vppon the Goate and ouer his head did confesse the sinnes of the people who also did them selues confesse their sinnes following the priest clause by clause in all the confession which hée rehearsed and then so soone as all the sinnes were layde vppon the head of the Goate hee was sent awaye that by that meanes he might carie the sinnes of all the people into the desart From this ceremonie did the Gentiles vndoubtedly borrow their kind of cleansinges or purgings of the people called in Gréeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in Latine Pâ—amina For their manner was in extreme periles that one should giue him selfe for all the rest whome they tooke and did either kill burne vppon the altar or cast into the water praying therewithall that al their euil lucke might go with him and that the Gods being pacified w the death of him might againe be fauourable to all the rest But the wretches erred as farre as heauen is wide For Christe the sonne of God was made sinne for vs that is hee was made a sacrifice for sinne yea hee became a cursse for vs that we by him might receiue a blessing For to this had the Prophet Esaie an eye when he saide wee all went astray like sheepe euery one turned after his owne waye But the Lorde hath throwne vpon him al our sinnes Againe He was wounded for our offences and smitten for our wickednesse And againe The paines of our punishment were laide vpon him and he bare our griefes Nowe the Goate did carrie the sinnes into the desart not that the sinnes should not be but that they should not be any more imputed vnto them For in the church verily there is sinne in the Saincts but it is not imputed vnto them Sinne is imputed to all them that are without the church in y desolate wildernesse The conuenient man that should carrie away the scape Goate can be none other than Christ him selfe who in the dayes of his fleshe did obserue the conuenient time and fitt occasion repeating often times that his houre was not yet come but at the last when time conuenient was come for him to dye he saide that then his houre was come And by dying he carried away conueniently the scape Goate I meane the sinne of all the world When this also was thus accomplished the high priest did againe wash him selfe and putting off the common garments of the inferiour priestes did againe put on his high priestes attire Nowe this often and manifolde washing in the holie ceremonie is a shadowe or type of the moste absolute remission of sinnes euen as also the chaunging of the garment is a signe or figure of glorification as is at the full to be séene in the third Chapter of Zacharies prophecie And Christe being glorified did enter into heauen there to appeare in the sight of God the onely and effectuall sacrifice for vs mortall men Therefore did Aaron sacrifice a Ramme for a burnt offering for Christ is the sacrifice which endureth alwayes and purgeth all the faithfull Moreouer Aaron sent the Bullocke the other Goate vnto the holie place without the host that there they might be burned Which thing Paule expoundeth thus saith The bodies of those beastes whose bloud is brought into the holie place by the high priest for sinne was burnt without the tents therefore Iesus also that hee
Cowe sprinckled doeth sanctifie them that are partakers of it to the purifying of the fleshe howe much more the bloud of Christe Therfore both the priest and the cowe did beare the type of Christ The female kinde in the cowe doth note the infirmitie of mans nature the redd colour doth admonishe vs of the Lord his bloud by whiche wee are washed from our vncleannesse There was no spot to be found in Christ for hee was the holy of holies and altogether frée from and without all sinne Hée was not brought to death by the yoke of necessitie For hee offered himselfe vnto it of his owne free will. Yea hee offered himselfe willingly to go to his death and that too without the hoast or walls of the citie in the mount of Caluarie which thing the Apostle Paule doth touch in the 13. to the Hebrues Christ both God and man was whoalie offered in body and soule whose bloud is hoalesome for vs if by the holyghost it be sprinkled in our harts The faithfull also must die with Christ they must be humbled and burne in loue to Godward as redd as Scarlet and that was the meaning of the Cedar wood the Hysope and the Scarlet lace which were cast into the fire Moreouer the ashes which came of the sacrifice were gathered vp and preserued to purifie and cleanse withall Those ashes were nothing else but the type or figure of the effect of Christ his death or sacrifice I meane the verie cleansing and remission of our sinnes For therefore did bloud and water gushe aboundantly out of the pierced side of Christ that wee might learne that out of the death of Christe doeth flowe our cleansing and our life For in bloud life doeth consist and water purgeth and is a signe of cleÌ„sing The ashes were gathered by a man that was cleane who neuerthelesse was made and did remaine vncleane vntill the euening Finally the water was sprinkled with a sprinklar made of Hysope vppon the defiled to the end that thereby hee might bee sanctified or purged The water was kept in an holy place For Margarites and that which is holy ought not to be caste to dogges and filthie swine The Lord also doth require preachers to teache the effecte of Christ his passion and in the coÌ„temptible and lowly preaching of the Gospell to lay before the world our redemption and sanctification in the death and bloud of Christ he doth require I say such holy teachers as are themselues faithfull and cleansed in the bloud of Christ And yet those teachers with the whole Church beside do euen til the euening I meane the ending of their liues pray stil Forgiue vs our trespasses For the Lord himselfe said Hee that is washed is cleane hath no neede but to washe his feete onely To this do appertaine the often washings vsed in this Ceremonie which signifie that by the grace of God all sinnes are purged that the Sainctes haue alwayes an holy care to watch against the assaults of sinne and that those sinnes are clensed none other wayes but by the water of Christ his grace Lastly it is most often earnestly repeated in the law that they al remaine vncleane how many soeuer being once defiled are not again cleÌ„sed with the holy water of separation For the Lord said to Peter Vnlesse I washe thee thou shalt haue no paâ—te with mee My meaning is not to runne through euery particular point of this Ceremonie but to touch the especial matters onely Therefore now I procéede to that which remayneth To these cleansing sacrifices may also be added the sacrifices whereby the bodily defilings which were figures of the defilinges of sinne were purified cleansed of which sort were the defilinges of the séede the eating and touching of vncleane creatures the Leprosie and of the woman in childbedd All which Moses doth largely handle from the 12. of Leuiticus vnto the 16. of the same And in al this there is nothing else prefigured to the Church of God but our naturall corruption and originall wickednesse with the frée cleansing of the same by the grace of God in the bloud of Christ our Sauiour With these we may also number the sacrifice of iealousie which is thoroughly treated of in the 5. Chapter of Numeri although the maner and order thereof seemeth rather to belonge vnto the Iudiciall lawes of God. The fourth kinde of sacrifices was the sacrifice of thanckesgiuing whiche they called Schelamim or Schlomim the sacrifice of health or the peace offering For it was offered to giue thankes withall to witt either for the recouerie of health or for felicitie and prosperitie I meane when they had receiued some good turne at the handes of God or else by his ayde had escaped the brunt of some mishapp or euil fortâ—ne In this sacrifice they vsed a bâ—aste either of the heard or of the fould It was not lawfull to oâ—fer birds for it was done either â—â—th a vnllocke or an hâ—ffar with a male or a female lamâ—e or with an hée or a shee goate It was 〈◊〉 before the Atrium The â—ide or skinne therof was the priestes fee. The bloud was sprinckled about the altar The kidneys the call of the lyuer the rumpe of the lambe and all the fatt was burnt vppon the altar of burnt offerings The right shoulder was heaued the breast was waued toward the endes of the world For Thruma and Thnupha that is the heauing and wauing were not kinds of sacrifices but ceremonies onely which the priestes did vse in making their sacrifices and oblations By the heauing was signified that Christe should be heaued or lifted vp and that he being once lifted vp should drawe all men vnto him The wauing of the breast toward euery part of the world was a token that the preaching of Christ should be spread in euery corner of the world The breast and the shoulder were both the priestes portion together with the iawe done and the paunch or bellie The rest of the fleshe returned to him that made the oblation and was eaten by him in an holie banquet The remnaunt of Ceremonies belonging to this sacrifice are to be found in the third Chapter of Leuiticus For if it were Thoda a confession a praise or a protestation then was added to the sacrifice a cake of pure wheat floure and salt steeped in oyle or sodden cracknells or bread baked in pannes part whereof was heaued and fell to the priestes share the rest returned to the offerer euen as also leauened bread was allowed to be eaten in the banquet Nowe in this kinde of sacrifice also Christ was preached with the effect â— power of his death and passion and in it was shewed the whole maner and order of giuing thankes to God for his good benefits There are sondry sorts of benefits If a man receyued a good turne if an ill 〈◊〉 had not be fâ—lne him if he had receuered his health or had escaped some misfortune
Rabbines do sticke and cannot tell certeinly what creatures they bée that the Lorde did forbid them To this belongeth that euen before the lawe in the time of Noah God did forbidd to eate the bloud and the fleashe with the bloud of any thing torne by wilde beastes or strangled Before the deluge the fathers did eate the hearbes and fruites of the earth After the floud they had leaue giuen to eate the fleash of lyuinge creatures but so yet that they should cut the throat off and drayn the bloud out of the bodie The place is extant in the ninth Chapter of Genesis Moreouer in the lawe the Lord with greate seueritie saith Whatsoeuer man it be of the house of Israel or of the straungers that soiourne among you that eateth any manner of bloud I will set my face against that soule and wil cut him off from amonge his people Leuiticus 17. And the same lawe is repeated in the ninetéenth Chapter of the same booke and in the 12 and 15 Chapter of Deuteronomie It is againe rehearsed in the thirde and seuenth Chapter of Leuiticus Neither is it without verie iust and great causes that he did so seuerely forbidde the eating of bloud For first of all after the wordes aboue rehearsed he addeth immediately For the life of the flesh is in the bloud I haue giuen it vnto you vpon the altar to make an attonement for your soules For bloud shall make an attonement for the soule Therfore I saide vnto the children of Israel Let no soule among you eate bloud c. Lo in these wordes a moste euident reason is giuen why it was not lawfull to eate bloud because bloud was the most excellent and precious thinge as that which was ordeined for the sanctification of mankinde For God gaue bloud to be as the price wherewith sinnes should be cleansed to bee I saye the price of redemption whereby men should be absolued of their sinnes Bloud also is the life that is the nourishment of life The bloud therefore was a signe of the bloud of Christ that was to bée shedd vppon the crosse by which as by a moste full and absolute attonement the faithful are cleansed and thoroughly sanctified and in which is the nourishment of the soule to life euerlasting and as it was not lawfull to eate of the flesh of the sacrifices whose bloud was carried into the Sanctum for sinne but to burne it without the hoaste so it was vnlawful to eate the bloud which was the cleansing for their sinnes He therefore did eate bloud which attributed to his owne strength or workes the attonement which was made by the bloud of Christ estéeming his bloud to be prophane and not attributing vnto it the full satisfaction for all sinnes Againe he did not eate but powre the bloud downe at the altar who did ascribe the benefite of our redemption to the onely merite of Christe did estéeme it of so greate valure as it ought by right to be estéemed Lastly God would haue it déeply printed in the mindes of men that no man should shead anothers bloud nor liue of the bloud and bowels of other men as mercenarie souldiours couetous persons vsurers and couseners do in sucking out and sheadinge the bloud of sillie people with subtile fleightes and open iniurie And God talking with Noah did with terrible threates beate into all murtherers an horrible feare saying If men bee slacke I will take vengeance vppon the sheading of bloud For mā was made to the image likenesse of God howe can God choose then but take the reproche as done to him selfe whiche is done vnto his image For whosoeuer casteth downe the image of the king he offendeth against the king is accused of treason But nowe touching strangled this lawe was giuen Eate not with bloud And againe Eate not of that which dyeth of it selfe nor of that which is torne with wilde beastes c. But by strangled carrion that dyeth of it selfe are signified the dead woorkes from which he is bidden to purge him selfe whosoeuer desireth to get Gods fauour Hee therefore did eate strangled whosoeuer did liue in wickednesse without repentance not regarding the bloud of Christ his Sauiour Now also the touching of vncleane thinges is sett downe in the lawe by these thrée notes as if thou fouchest an vncleane thing or if thou beare it or if it fall by chaunce into some vessell or garment of thine He verily is defiled by the falling of a thing whosoeuer sinneth vnwittingly But hée sinneth more heynously whosoeuer sinneth willingly and of a set and pretended purpose But he sinneth most grieuously of all that vpholdeth wickednesse and compelleth other to committ the same But whereas in touchinge and in other places it is saide that the vncleanenesse shall abide till eueninge that is an euident prophecie of Christ to wite that the Messiah should come at euening that is in the ende of the worlde to purge the sinnes of all the earth I haue ynough and long ynough thus farre by two whole sermons I praye God it may bee to your profite dearely beloued stayed in and stucke vppon the ceremoniall lawes therefore that I may nowe come to an end I will bring the chiefe pointes wherof I haue spoken into a brief summe I did diuide the whole treatise of the ceremoniall lawes into thrée especiall braunches For I spake of the holie persons of the holie time and place and of the holie thinge which the holie persons did exercise in the sacred place I meane the sacraments the sacrifices and other holie ceremonies The holie persons are the priestes I shewed you their firste beginning their ordering their mysticall apparaile their sundrie offices When I spake of the holy time and place I did describe vnto you the Tabernacle and noted vnto you what was within the Tabernacle to wite the Arke of the couenant the golden table the golden candlesticke the altar of incense the altar of burnte sacrifices and the brasen lauer the mysteries of all which I declared vnto you In the treatise of the holy time I touched all the kindes of holy dayes and solemne feastes dayes with all their certeine and vncerteine holy dayes Last of all in our discourse vpon the holy things I tolde you of the two Sacramentes of the olde church Circumcision and the Passeouer and also of the sacrifices whereof some were burnte offeringes some meate offeringes some peculiar and some of thankesgiuing wherein we spake somewhat also touching frée will offeringes and vowed sacrifices finally of vowes of the discipline of the Nazarites of cleane and vncleane creatures of the choice of meates of bloud and strangled of the touching of vncleane thinges The Lorde Iesus enlighten your heartes that all this may tende to the glorie of his name and the health of yours soules Amen ¶ Of the Iudiciall lawes of God. The seuenth Sermon IN prosecuting the treatise of Gods laws I haue now lastly to speake of that
other yeere of Iubilie In the auncient Iewish yeare of Iubilie there is to be considered the meaning of the letter and of the spirite * According to the letter bondmen were set at libertie and lawful heires did receiue againe their patrimonie and possessions which either was chaunged awaye or otherwise gone from them The meaning of that order as it could not be brought againe into all kingdomes in these latter dayes without the trouble of all estates so is it little set by and the care of the oppressed vterly neglected by the holy popes who nowe of late brought in the yeare of Iubilie and preached it vnto the foolish worlde not for any zeale they had to helpe the oppressed but for the desire they had by robbing the world to augment their owne treasures * The spirituall and hidden mysterie of the Iubilie did cōmende vnto them of olde the frée remission of all sinnes through Christe by faith in Christe which frée grace cannot without reproche to Christe bee otherwise preached than it hath béen alreadie taught by the holie Gospell Therefore the church was without the obseruation of any yeare of Iubilie by the space of one thousande three hundreth yeres after Christ his incarnation At laste vp start Bonifacius the eyghth of that name byshop of Rome who firste of all inuented that wicked ordinaunce For Platina in the life of that Bonifacius saith This is he that first brought in the Iubilie in the yeare of Christe 1300. wherin he graunted full remission of all their sinnes to as manie as visited the See apostolicall And the same did he ordeine to be obserued euery hundreth yeare So then the church of Christ was without this Iubilie without peril of saluation by the space of one thousand thrée hundreth yeres And therefore may wee also be without it without all peril and damage yea to our great profite commoditie For if our Romanists go on to obtrude it to the worlde as a thinge necessarie to saluation then shal they condemne the vniuersal church which was before Pope Boniface his time who first brought in this vnacquainted Iubilie Thus we are so farre frō not being able to be without it that we ought by all meanes possible to detest and abhorre it as a verie wicked and blasphemous ordinance considering that wee haue to beléeue that the Iubilie is vtterly abrogated by Christ and also y al sinnes are fréely through Christ forgiuen to all that beléeue in what place of the world so euer they liue and are conuersant in This Pope Boniface doth to his moste false promise and vnpure place annexe the remission of sinnes Nowe I doubte whether this blasphemous antichriste could do any thing more horrible and more against the honour of the Sauiour For therein is defiled the glory of the onely begotten sonne of God who is the onely health of all the world Therein is defiled the saluation of many thousands for which Christ died vpon the crosse And therein also is defiled the glorie of Christian faith by which alone we are made partakers of eternall saluation This vngratious wicked Pope was he of whome that common prouerbe runneth Hee entred like a woolfe he reigned like a Lyon and dyed like a dogge For verily so blasphemous an ordinaunce was worthie of such an author So foolishe a people was worthie of suche a pastour And so diuelishe a Pope was worthie of such an ende Platina writeth that in that yeare of Iubilie there came so greate heapes of people to Rome that although the citie were indifferently large ynough yet one man could not for throng passe by an other For the worlde will needes bée deceiued if it were not so they would giue eare vnto the Lord which cryeth O all ye that thirste come to the waters and ye that haue no money drawe nigh Why spend ye your money vpon a thing of naught c. Esaie 55. and Iohn 4. 7. Now all the while that the world was sett thus on madding the righteous Lord was not a sléepe nor yet did dissemble howe much they displeased him with that diuelishe inuention For the verye same yeare he stirred vpp Otthoman the Patriarche and first founder of the Turkish empire by whose meanes he did notably scourge the churche of Rome and the corrupt manners that were crept into Christendom A fewe yeares after succéeded Clement the sixte Paule the seconde and Sixtus the fourth as wicked men as he as is to be found in the histories of their liues who chaunged the yere of Iubilie frō euery hundreth to euery fiftieth yere and so at last to euery fiue and twentieth yere that so they might suck the more aduauntage out of mennes foolishnesse But nowe to the matter againe The Sacraments also of the aunclent Iewes are flatly abrogated and in their places are substituted newe sacramentes which are giuen to the people of the newe couenaunt In stéede of circumcision is baptisme appointed The Apostles in the Synode helde at Hierusalem did oppose them selues against those which were of opinion that circumcision was necessarie vnto saluation and in that counsell they allowed of Paules doctrine who both thought and taught the contrarie For Paule in one place sayth Loe I Paul saye vnto you that if ye be circumcised Christe shall profite you nothinge For I testifie to euery man which is circumcised that he is a debitour to the whole lawe to doe it Christe is made of none effect to you as many of you as are iustified by the lawe are fallen from grace Neither is it right or conuenient that in the churche of Christe there should remaine so bloudie a Sacrament as Circumcision was when once that bloud was shead vppon the crosse which stauncheth and taketh awaye the bloude of the olde testament In stéede of the Paschall lambe is the Lordes supper ordeined which by another name is called the Euchariste or a thankesgiuing For so the Lord him selfe in Luke expoundeth it saying that hee did then eate the laste passeouer with his disciples at the ende whereof he did immediately ordeine the Sacrament of his bodie and bloud which he biddeth them to celebrate in remembraunce of him vntil hee returne to iudgement againe Therefore the Lorde leaft the supper to be an vnchaungeable Sacrament vntill the ende of the worlde Moreouer that all sortes of sacrifices conteined in the lawe are vtterly abrogated no man I suppose will once denye which doeth but consider that both the Temple and the two altars with all the holye Instrumentes are vtterly ouerthrowen and come to nothing I told you that those sacrifices were remembraunces of sinnes and types or figures of the cleansing and attonement that was to be made by Christe Iesus Therefore when Christ was come and offered vpp for the sinnes of all the worlde then verily did all the sacrifices of the auncient Iewes come to their ending For where there is a full and absolute remission of sinnes there is no
longer any sacrifice for sinne But in the newe testament there is a ful remission of sinns therefore in the newe testament there is no longer any sacrifice offered for sinnes For Christ is onely and alone in stéede of all the sacrifices For hee was once offered vpp and after that is offered no more who by the once offering vp of him selfe hath founde eternall redemption so that all which be sanctified are sanctified by none other oblation but that of Christ vpon the crosse made once for all Wherefore Christ being once offered vppon the crosse for the sinnes of all the world is the burnt offering of the catholique church he is also the meate offeringe which feedeth vs with his fleashe offered vpon the crosse vnto eternal life if wee receiue and feede on him by faith Moreouer he is the drink offering of the churche which with his bloud doth quench the thirste of the faithfull vnto life euerlasting He is the purging and daily sacrifice of the church because he is the lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the worlde His death and passion cleanseth all men from their sinnes their errours and iniquities Finally he is y churches sacrifice of thankesgiuinge because by Christ we offer praise to god and by Christe we render thanks vnto the Lorde To conclude the onely supper of the Lorde which wee call the Eucharist conteineth in it all the kindes of auncient sacrifices which are in effect but of two sortes to wite of purging and of attonement as those which were offered for sinne or else of thankesgiuing as those which rendered thankes and offered prayse vnto the Lorde Nowe the supper is a testimonie a sacrament and a remembraunce of the bodie of Christe which was giuen for vs and of his blood that was shedd for the remission of our sinnes For the bodie bloude of our Lord which were but once offered vpon the crosse and neither can nor ought to bee offered any more of men are not sacrificed a freash in the celebration of the supper but in the celebrating of it there is reiterated a remembrance of the thing I meane of the oblation which was but once made and in once offering was sufficient Againe in the supper we render thankes to God for our redemption for which also the vniuersal church doth offer praise vnto his name Wherefore the supper of the Lorde doth comprehend the whole substance and matter which was prefigured in those auncient sacrifices so that in y poynt the church is not destitute of any good or necessarie thing although it doth no longer retaine those sacrifices of the elder church Yea they ought not any longer to be solemnized in the church because when they were nothing else but the figures types and sacraments of Christe to come the church doeth nowe beléeue and that rightly too y Christ is alreadie come and that he hath fulfilled and accomplished all thinges as wée read that he him selfe did testifie when on the crosse he cryed saying It is finished Moreouer all vowes are come to an end because all sacrifices wherin the vowes consisted are vanished gone Likewise the discipline of the Nazarites is nowe decayed because the temple with al the ceremonies belonging thereunto is vaded away There remaineth stil in the church a Christian moderate discipline but not that which is described in y lawe And the Sainctes do perfourme to God the vowes which they haue made in the church not contrary to faith and godlynesse But they are sparing warie and verie religious in making vowes For what haue we to giue to God which we haue not firste receiued at his handes and to the perfourming of which wee were not bounde before in baptisme Christe doth not so distinguish betwixt cleane and vncleane in the Gospel as Moses doth in the lawe That saith hee which entreth into the mouth defileth not the man but that which commeth out of the mouth And the apostle Paule doth flatly say that to the cleane all things are clean And like to this he speaketh muche in the fourteenth to the Romanes and in other places mo In his Epistle to the Colossians hee saith If ye bee dead with Christe from the rudimentes of the world why as liuing in the world are ye led with traditions touch not taste not handle not all which doe perishe in abusing And so forth To Peter also it is said What God hath sanctified that call not thou vnclean Therefore whereas in the Synodall Epistle set forth by the Apostles in the fiftéenth of the Actes both bloud and strangled is forbidden and exempted from the meate of menne that commaundement was not perpetuall but momentanie for a time onely For it pleased the Apostles for charities sake to beare therein with the Iewish nation who otherwise would haue been too stubborne and selfewilled The Iewes at that time did euery daye so rifely heare the reading of the lawe which did expressely forbidde to eate bloud and strangled as if the preaching of the Gospell had not begonne to be sowed among them and therefore they could not but bee greatly offended to sée the Gentiles so lauishly to vse the thinges prohibited Wherefore the Apostles would haue the Gentiles for a time to absteine from the thinges that otherwise were lawful ynough to sée if peraduenture by that meanes they might winne the Iewes to the faith of Christ For the Epistles which Paule wrote a fewe yeares after the counsell at Hierusalem do sufficiently argue that the decree of the Apostles against bloud strangled was not perpetuall But the commaundementes giuen againste thinges offered to idols and against fornication in vsing whereof the Gentiles thought that they did not greately offende are perpetuall because they be morals and of the number of the tenne commaundements But of that matter I haue spokén in another place And nowe because I am come to make mention of the Synodall decree ordeined by the Apostles and elders of the counsell at Hierusalem I thinke it not amisse to recite vnto you dearely beloued as a conclusion to this place the whole Epistle sent by the Synode because it doth beare an euident full and briefe testimonie that the lawe is abrogated after that manner which I haue declared Now this is their Epistle or constitution The Apostles and elders and brethren sende greetings vnto the brethren which are of the Gentiles that are in Antiochia Syria and Cilicia For as much as we haue heard that certeine which departed from vs haue troubled you with wordes and cumbred your myndes saying ye must be circumcised keepe the lawe to whō we gaue no such commaundement it seemed good therefore to vs when we were come together with one accorde to send chosen men vnto you with our beloued Paule and Barnabas men that haue ieoparded their liues for the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ We haue sent therefore Iudas and Silas which shal also tell you the same things by
the remnant and those thinges that are remaining behinde And Sainct Peter saith that Christ suffered for vs leauing behinde him an example for vs that wee might followe his trace and footesteppes Therefore the Apostle affirmeth that he by suffering fulfilled the remnaunt which was behinde After this againe they alledge the wordes of the Apostle Paul where he saith If I haue all faith so that I can remoue mountaines out of their place and yet haue not charitie I am nothing For vpon this they inferre Therefore not faith onely but also charitie yea rather charitie than faith doth iustifie But we say that Paul in this sentence doth neither denye that faith alone doth iustifie nor yet doeth attribute the iustification of the Sainctes to charitie For when we affirm that we are iustified by faith or when wée make faith the cause of iustification which thing must be by often repetition beaten into our memories wee do not vnderstand that faith as it is a vertue in vs doth worke and by the qualitie that sticketh to vs doeth merite righteousnesse in the sight of God but so often as wee make mention of faith wee vnderstande the grace of God exhibited in Christe whiche is through faith freely applyed to vs and receiued as the free gifte of God bestowed vppon vs And in that sense doeth Paule vse the name of faith when he affirmeth that faith doth iustifie But in this place of the thirteenth Chapter to the Corinthians hee doth not so take the name of faith but putteth it for the power of workinge miracles as is manifest by that which followeth where he saith So that I can remoue mountaines That faith doeth not comprehende Christe wholie but onely the power in shewing of miracles And therefore it may be sometime in an vniust man and an hypocrite as it was in Iudas Iscariot to whom the faithe of miracles profited nothing because hee was without the iustifying faith which faith is neuer without but of it selfe ingendreth charitie Againe whereas they obiect that saying out of the Gospell of Saincte Iohn Whosoeuer knoweth my commaundementes and keepeth them he it is that loueth mee and my father will loue him and we wil come to him and make our abidinge in him Therefore for the obseruation of the commaundements that is for our woorkes sake Gâ—d is ioyned to vs we againe alledge this saying of the same Euangeliste and Apostle Iohn By this wee knowe that weabide in him and he in vs because he hath giuen vs of his spirite But that spirit of God is a free gifte Therfore wee are ioyned to God by meere and frée grace It followeth in Iohn And wee haue seene and do testifie that the father hath sent the sonne to bee the Sauiour of the worlde Thou hearest I hope by what it is that the worlde is saued and what Christ the Sauiour of the worlde is Nowe who knoweth not that hee was sent vnto vs of the father by the méere and onely grace of God It followeth nowe howe that Grace is receiued Whosoeuer confesseth that Iesus is the sonne of God God abideth in him and he in God. But in the sixte of Iohn in steede of confesseth is put beléeueth And no merueile since out of a true faith a true confession doth arise By faith therefore are we saued and by faith are wee ioyned vnto god But letting passe these wranglers who will neuer bee without store of such sophistical shifts we do againe returne to our purposed argument to shewe you howe and in what sense life and iustification are attributed to workes They that are well exercised in the reading of the holie Scriptures that they may reconcile the places of scripture that seeme at a blushe to bee at discorde do teache that faith works in verie déede are not separated one from another For the same holie spirite which giueth faith doth therwithall also regenerate the vnderstanding and will so that the faithfull doeth ardently desire and do his indeuour in all things to doe seruice to GOD his maker Therefore for the vnseparable knott betwixt faith and good workes which alwayes kéepe company and attende vpon faith we saye that iustification is somtimes somewhat vnproperly attributed to workes which is somewhat more properly to bee attributed to faith but moste properly of all to be ascribed to Christe apprehended by faith who is in verie deede the foundation subiect of our faith I will yet assaye to make this more manifest In true faith there are two thinges to be considered Reconciliation and Obedience Reconciliation because by faith wee vnderstande and verily beléeue that God is reconciled to vs for Christe his sake by whome wee are adopted into the number of the sonnes of god And Obedience because they that are reconciled doe wholie yelde them selues to him to whome they bee reconciled with carnest desire and zeale to doe his will and pleasure So then wee saye that faith is of two sortes the iustifying and the obeying faith Of the iustifying faith Sainct Paul maketh mention where he saith Beeing iustified by saith we haue peace toward God through the Lorde Iesus Christe by whome wee are reconciled Againe hee maketh mention of the obeying faith where hee saith Knowe yee not that to whome yee giue your selues as seruauntes to obey his seruauntes ye are to whome ye do obey whether it bee of sinne vnto death or of obedience vnto righteousenesse that is to saye which obedience maketh you to doe the thinges that are righteous and to bee the seruauntes of righteousenesse which shall turne to you to eternall life and not the seruauntes of sinne which turneth vnto death Nowe therefore iustification is properly attributed to the reconciling righteousenesse through Christe Iesus and is improperly ascribed to the obeying righteousenesse or righteousenesse of obedience For the obeying righteousenesse is of the reconciling and without the reconciling righteousnesse obedience shoulde not bee called righteousenesse To which this also is to bee added that they which are iustified doe not put any confidence in this obedience as that which is alwayes spotted in this worlde by reason of our fleash To this also agreeth this other explication which I will here annexe The moste proper woorke of faith is purification and sanctification For Sainct Peter doeth expressely saye that by faith our heartes are purified But in sanctification the holie scriptures doe shewe to be two especiall thinges Firste that all the faithfull are fréely purified by the bloud of Christe Iesus For againe the same S. Peter saith Ye knowe that you are redeemed not with transitorie thinges as golde and siluer but with the precious bloud of Christe as of an vnspotted Lambe Sainct Paule saith Ye are sanctified by the will of God through the oblation of the bodie of Iesus Christ once made For with that one oblation he made them perfecte for euer whiche are sanctified Sainct Iohn also saith The bloud of Iesus Christ the sonne of God doth cleanse vs
if he had saide men are iustified for Christ his sake by the méere grace or mercie of God without anye helpe or merite of their owne If so be they do but beléeue that God hath giuen his sonne to the worlde to shedd his bloud and to reconcile the purified sinners vnto his father in heauen In which wordes there are moste fully and plainly declared the whole manner and order of sanctifying purifying and iustifying of sinners But it is good here to repeate the Apostles woordes and more nerely to examine and deepely to consider them They are saith hee freely iustified But wherefore freely because forsooth they are iustified by the meere grace of God without the helpe of their owne workes or merites For all men are sinners and therefore they haue nothinge of them selues to alledge for their iustification wherevppon it followeth that since some are iustified they are iustified freely by the grace of god For the same Apostle in the eleuenth to the Romanes saith If wee bee saued by grace then nowe not of woorkes for then grace is no more grace but if by workes then is it nowe no grace But there followeth in Paule immediately that which doth yet make that argument more manifest which is notwithstanding verie manifest alreadie through the redemption saith he that is in Christe Our righteousenesse and saluation is the worke of méere grace because we are redéemed For in respecte of our selues our workes and merites wee were the seruaunts of death and the diuell in so muche as wee were sinners and subiecte to sinne But God by sending his sonne redeemed vs when as yet beeinge his enimies wee were bounde to the diuell his open aduersarie Therefore hee did fréely redéeme vs as Esaye the Prophet did in his 52. Chapter plainly foretell that it should come to passe But true saluation is not in any other whatsoeuer he bee saue in Christ alone oure true Lorde and Sauiour For the heauenly father did by his eternall counsell set forth his sonne our Lorde Iesus Christe to bee our propitiation to wite that hee might bee our reconciliation for whose sake onely the father being pacified adopteâ—h vs into the number of the sonnes of GOD which is accomplished by none other way but through faith in his bloud that is if wee beléeue that the sonne being sent of the father did shedde his bloud thereby to set vs cleansed iustified and sanctified before his heauenly father Wherin we sée againe that our saluation doth freely consiste in faith in Iesus Christ These poyntes beeing thus vnfolded the Apostle procéedinge to shewe howe farre the benefite of redemption and iustification doth stretche doth immediately adde To declare his righteousnes by the forgiuenesse of the sinnes that are past which GOD did suffer to shewe at this time his righteousenesse God saith he hath set forth Christ to be the onely propitiation that hee might shewe that there is but one and the same righteousenesse of all ages Christ I saye him selfe who is the righteousenesse of all that beleeue Nowe heere hee maketh mention of two seuerall times that auncieÌ„t age of the fathers and this present tyme wherein wee nowe liue The auncient age is that which went before the comming of Christ This latter age of ours is that which beginneth at Christe is nowe at this present and shal bee extended to the ende of the worlde And God verily did of his long sufferaunce beare with and suffer the sinnes of that olde age for Christe his sake by whome and for whome hee hath forgiuen them Neither doeth he set beefore vs at this daye any other righteousenesse saue Christe alone to be receiued and embraced by faith For the Apostle doeth not obscurely afterwarde adde That he might be iust and the iustifier of them that beleeue on Iesus As if he should haue saide nowe the meaninge of all this is that we should vnderstand that all men are vnrighteous and altogether sinners but that God alone is righteous without whome there is no righteousenesse at all and that hee doeth communicate his righteousenesse to all them that do beléeue in Cstriste to wite which do beléeue that for Christ his sake the father is pleased and recoÌ„ciled vnto vs and that for him we are reputed both iust and holie By these woordes of the Apostle there are two verie wicked and blasphemous errours of certeine fellowes notably refuted The one of the twaine is the errour of them whiche saye that oure fathers were iustified not by faith in Christ but by the law and their owne merites affirminge that Christ suffred not for the fathers but for them alone that liued when he was vppon the earth and for them that followed after his death The other errour is theirs which saye that Christ offered vp his bodie for the fathers for originall sinne onely not for vs and all our sinnes and therefore that wee must make satisfaction for our owne sinnes But the Apostle Paule doeth in this place condemne both these opinions And the holie Euangelist Iohn agréeing with Paule doth saye The bloud of the sonne of GOD doeth cleanse vs from all sinne for he is the propitiation for our sinnes not for our sinnes onely but for the sinnes of all the worlde Therefore the merite of Christ his redemption doth extende it selfe to all the faithfull of both the testaments The Apostle Paul procéedeth vpon that which he had saide hee inferreth Where is the boasting it is excluded By what lawe Of woorkes Naye but by the lawe of faith He gathereth by the Euangelicall doctrine hetherto taught that all the boasting of euery mannes owne righteousenesse and all the bragginge of euerye ones merites is vtterly taken away altogether exempted and vanished Not by the lawe of woorkes that is not by the doctrine concerning works which is wont for the moste parte to puffe men vpp and make them swel but by the lawe of faith that is by the doctrine concerning faith which doth emptie and leaue in vs nothinge but an humble confession and acknowledging of our owne lacke of merites attributing all oure helpe to grace in Christ Iesus And at the last gathering the cheefe proposition hee sayth We do therefore holde that a man is iustified without the woorkes of the lawe This is the summe and breuiarie of the whole Gospell that wee are iustified that is to saye absolued from sinnes from the definitiue sentence of death and damnation and sanctified and adopted into the number of the sonnes of God by faith that is by an assured confidence in the name of Christe which is giuen by the father to be our onely Sauiour And here are workes by name excluded to the ende there should be giuen to vs no occasion to entangle faith with workes or to attribute to workes the glorie title due to faith alone or rather to Christe vppon whome our faith is grounded and vphelde This proposition beeing once put foorth he doth presently after coÌ„firme with argumentes shewing withall
bewraye thee and vpbrayd thee for them For thou needest not to confesse them to thy companion that he should bring them abrode but to the Lord whiche hath the care of thee who also is a gentle Physician to him therefore thou shalt shewe thy woundes Moreouer he bringeth in the Lord speaking and saying I compell thee not to come into an open theatre and to make many priuie to thy sinnes tell thy sinne priuately to mee alone that I may heale thy sore Thus much out of Chrysostome Now all this doeth manifestly argue that that Ceremoniall penaunce as it was once vsed in the Church not instituted by God was without any iniurie taken out of the Church not restored againe by the bishoppes that succéeded They doe not altogether in vaine tell vs that some reliques of that rituall repentaunce abided still in the Romane Church But what haue wee to doe what euerye Church hath taken to it selfe either to kéepe or else to lay away Wee rather oughte to inquire what Christe hath deliuered vnto vs and what his Apostles haue taught vs of whose doctrine I haue I thinke spoken enough alreadie The priuate or secrete confession of sinnes was wont to be made when none were bye but the priestes alone For one goeth secretely and whispereth his sinnes into the eare of the prieste that was appointed to heare those secrete confessions and being by him absolued doeth thinke that by the recitall of a fewe ordinarie woordes hee is purged from all his sinnes And therefore I call it Auricular confession This was vnknowen in the Apostles times and although it be now a good sort of yeares agoâ— since it first toke roote yet notwithstanding it was frée from the beginning At last wee reade that it was commaunded and roughly extorted by the Bishoppe of Rome when the state of the Churche was most corrupted about the yeare of Grace 1215. And yet it was about 80. yeares or more in controuersie before it was by decrée layed vppon all menns neckes Whether it were enough for a man to confesse himselfe to God alone or else to a priest also for the purging of his sinnes Hugo in his booke of the Churches power to binde and loose doth say I dare boldly say if before the priestes absolution any man do come to the Communion of the body and bloud of the Lord that hee doeth assuredly eate and drincke his owne damnation although he repent him neuer so much and doth neuer so greatly lament his offences This did Hugo say boldly without his warrant vnlesse the word of God doth instructe vs falsly He liued about the yeare of our Lord 1130. Within a little while after him vppstarted Peter Lombard commonlye called the Maister of Sentences beecause he gathered together the sentences of the fathers and layed forth their doctrine as it were in a Summarie of whose woorke I meane not heere to tell my iudgement what I thincke It is thought that hee flourished about the yeare of Christ 1150. Hée Sententiarum lib. 4. Dict. 17. 18. doeth by the authoritie of the fathers shew first that it sufficeth to make the confession of sinnes to God alone Then hée annexeth other sentences which teach the contrarie And lastly concludeth of himselfe and sayeth By these it is vndoubtedly proued that wee must offer our confession first to GOD then to the priest and that otherwise wee cannot enter into Paradise if we may haue a priest Againe It is certified that it is not sufficient to confesse to GOD without a priest neither is hee truely humble and penitent that doeth not desire the iudgment of a priest Gratian that gathered the Decretalls together was somewhat honester than Peter Lombard who liued and flourished at the same time with Lombard Hée determineth nothing definitiuely but shewinge sentences for either side both that wée must confesse our sinnes to the priest and not coÌ„fesse them doth leaue it indifferently vnto the readers iudgement For thus he concludeth Vpon what authorities and reasons both the opinions of confession and satisfaction are grounded we haue briefely here declared But to which of these wee ought rather to sticke that is reserued for the reader to choose For both partes haue wise and religious men to their fautours defenders Thus saith Gratian about the ende of the first distinction of penaunce About fiftie yeares after followed Lotharius Leuita a doctor of Paris the Scholer and earnest follower of Peter Lombard He being once made Bishop of Rome and named Innocent the thirde called together at Rome a generall counsell called Lateranense in which he made a lawe which Gregorie the ninthe reâ—iteth in his Decretall of Penaunce and Remission Lib. 5. chap. 12. almost in these verie wordes Let euery person of eyther sexe after they are come to the yeres of discretion faithfully coÌ„fesse alone at least * once in a yeare their sinnes vnto their owne proper priest and doe their indeuour with their owne strength to doe the penaunce that is inioyned them receiuing reuerently at Easter at the least the Sacrament of the Euchariste vnlesse peraduenture by the counsel of their own priest for some reasonable cause they thinke it good for a time to absteine from receiuing it Otherwise in this life let them be prohibited to enter into the churche and when they are dead to bee buried in Christian buriall This is that newe lawe which conteineth many absurd and wicked blasphemies And to let passe verie many of their absurdities I wil recite vnto you not past one or twaine of the foulest of them Is it not a wicked thinge to sende a sinner to I wot not what kinde of priest of his owne when Christe hath giuen but ministers and preachers to his Church only being still him selfe the vniuersall prieste and proper prieste to euery one in the churche euen vntil the ende of the worlde to whome alone all the faithfull ministers doe sende sinners from them selues for to confesse their sinnes to him For Iohn saide I am not Christ but am sent before him to beare recorde of him What may bee saide to this moreouer that it is a detestable blasphemie to attribute the remission of sinnes to our owne confession and the priestes absolution as to the workes of mortall men And who I pray you is able to reckon vp all his sinnes vnto the prieste doth not Ieremie crie The heart of man is euill vnserchable Doth not Dauid saye Who knoweth his sinnes Cleanse mee from my hidden faultes It is vnpossible for a man to confesse all his sinnes While therefore a man compelled by the lawe doeth consider these reasons and ponder them in him self he cannot choose but must néedes bée drowned in the bottomlesse depth of desperation so greate a burthen is layde vppon the frée neckes of Christ his faithfull people as a thing so necessarie that without it they cannot obteine eternall saluation directly contrary to the Apostles decrée that is to be séene in
thinges doe require that I speake somewhat likewise of the reasonable soule of man wherein I will follow the plainenesse of the scripture and of the interpretours thereof leauing physicall or naturall poyntes vnto them to be expounded vnto whom it belongeth by duetie and profession sauing that we will so farre deale in them as wee cannot want them in this discourse of oures The holy scripture and the interpretours therof neither moue curious questions of the soule of man neither doe they satisfie curious heads when they desire to knowe those thinges whiche cannot be declared or if they coulde yet it would alwayes séeme vnto theÌ„ that nothing were vnto them more aptly spoken for they alwayes stagger they are alwayes learning and yet doubte they neuor come to the knowledge of the truthe with a quiet minde they neuer abide in the plaine trueth when it is found they searche after other many more subtiler matters than they vnderstand But we know that all things whiche are necessarie and for our saluatioÌ„ are simplie plainely deliuered in the holy scripturs that we must simply godlily religiously rest in them therefore those things that are not deliuered in theÌ„ touching that matter of our saluation we know that they are not to be sought after of vs that they hinder not our saluation if we be ignoraÌ„t of them The word Anima whiche we call soule is diuersly taken in the holy scripture First of all Anima that soule is takeÌ„ for euery liuing thing For Moses bringeth in the lord speaking Let the earth bring forth liuing creature after his kinde catel worme beast of the earth after his kinde For who knoweth not that there are reckoned thrée kindes or parts giue me leaue so to speake for instruction sake or thrée principal powers of the souls for there is y soule vegetatiue whiche worketh in plants There is the soule sensitiue which is not without the soule vegetatiue it giueth life to brute beasts and other creaturs indued with life féeling There is also the reasonable soule wherwith men are indued whiche is furnished with many powers or abilities and comprehendeth both y other Hereof Anima the soule is taken in the scripture for breath which men drawe in and let go againe also for the life of maÌ„ or of a liuing creature Thus we read Anima eius c. His life is in him And I wil doe thee no more harme saith Saul to Dauid because Anima mea my life was precious in thine eyes this day The Grecians cal Anima the soule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because by drawing breth it refresheth The Hebricians call it Naephaeseh of comforting Again Anima the soule is taken in the scriptures for the thing it selfe that hath life yea euen for any or rather for the whole man For it is said in the law The soule that worketh with a spirit or that is a southsayer shall die Likewise in Paule we reade Let euery soule be subiect to the higher power And again in Genesis the king of Sodome saith to Abraham Giue me the soules take the substance or goods to thy selfe For the scripture is wont to name the whole by a part For as by the soule he meanes that whole man rehearsing the nobler part so by flesh also he signifies the whole baser part Moreouer since man also other liuing creatures haue an appetitiue or desiring soule is vsed in the scripture for affection wil desire or lust For Ezechiel saith They shal not satisfie their soules In Dutch Sy werdend iren glust nâ—t buffen Noither shal their bellies be filled Lastly Anima y soule signifieth y reasonable soule of man. Whereof we will intreate God assisting at this present Yet here I cannot dissemble that among verie famous writers there is controuersie De anima animo aboute the soule and the minde whether they are one and the selfe same or diuerse and that there are reasons on bothe sides They that make a difference betwéene them say that by the soule we liue and that with the minde we vnderstand which thing Lactantius saith in his eightéenth cha De opisiâ—â—o Dei. I know that all the best moste approued writers vse them bothe indifferently and take the one for the other For we must not thinke that there are two soules in man For verie well haue the schoose definitions defined vttering these wordes in y 15. cha We do not say that there are two soules in one ma as Iacobus certein of the Syrians write one natural wherby the bodie hath life and is mingled with bloud the other spiritual which ministreth reason But we say there is one the selfe same soule in man which both quickneth the body with his felowship ordereth him self by his own reason Therefore we do not think that there is any consideration to be had of them whiche altogether denie that there is a soule For these are as madde as they whiche denie that the sunne shineth For al of vs do sée féele the sunne as also we liue by the benefite of the soule Furthermore what the reasonable soule of man is the wise heades of this worlde could not as yet with one agréement define For they so differ y a man shall hardly find two which say one thing And there are â—pinions not a few contrarie betweene themselues What do not the old interpretours â—f the scriptures doubtingly procéed in deâ—ining the soule Lactantius in his booke De opificio Dei denieth that man can atteine to the reason and nature of the soule Therfore nothing at al did they erre from the truth which thought the soule coulde be comprehended in no absolute definition wherin his nature might be expressed throughly at the ful yet that the nature or disposition of the same might after a sort bâ— shadowed out and that by the workes or actions thereof by such qualities as the scripture doth attribute There are some therfore which haue said that the soule is the spirite of life created after the image of god breathed into the bodie of man One ther is which describes it thus The soule is a spirit whereby the bodie to whiche it is coupled doth liue made apt to the knowlege of God through loue and hereby méete to be ioyned within vnto euerlasting blessednesse Another defineth it after this sort A reasonable soule is an vnderstanding spirite one part of the substance of man neither dyeth it when it is departed froÌ„ the bodie but is immortal Cassiodore defineth it The soule of man is created of God a spirituall and peculiar substance which quickeneth the bodie whose owne it is reasonable in déed and immortal We will setdown a description fetched from the scripture to be weyed considered vpon of the godly to direct rule this our whole discourse The soule
for heauen or the place of blessednesse as the left hande for hell or the place of damnation Therefore this is his meaning When thou art deade thou shalt remaine for euer either 〈…〉 agreeable to the heaueÌ„ly For S. Cypriâ— against Demetrianâ—s sayth When we shall bee departed hence there is then no place of repetance 〈…〉 value Here life is eyther lost or gotten Here is prouision made for eternall saluation by the seruing of god and the fruite of fayth They obiect againe That souls when they depart from the body are purged in déede by the bloud of the sonne of God but not fully for there remaines some filth to be washed away in Purgatoriâ— For they depart out of this worlde not hauing a full and perfect sayth therefore they be not altogether good and again since they haue some fayth they be not altogether euill bicause they are not perfectly good they cannot enter into heauen againe since they are not altogether euil they caÌ„not be daÌ„ned and therefore there remayneth a middle place wherein they may be fully tryed and at the length being purified may be presented â—â—to the sight of god But these mâ—n after their manner 〈◊〉 what they 〈◊〉 But we haue shewed by the holie scriptures that the souls of the faithfull are purged by the onely bloud â—â— the sonne of God through 〈◊〉 and not by purgatorie Nowe will I also shewe in that whiche followeth that the sinnes of all men are puriâ—â—edfully that is to say moste absolutely by the onely sacrifice of Christe and further that by the grace of God in the bloude of Christe is forgiuen in the verie instant of death whatsoeuer infirmitie remnants of sinne are behinde in the soules of the faithfull departing from the body For the Lorde saith in the gospel He that is washed needeth not saue to washe his feete 〈…〉 euery whâ—â— Beholde he 〈…〉 that 〈◊〉 washed by the grace of Christ so that the 〈…〉 of the féete that is to say the infirmitâ—e and imperfection whiche remaineth after regeneration caÌ„not bring him againe into the number of those that are vncleane For the Lord sayth againe in the Gospell And for their sakes sanctifie I my self that they also might bee sanctified through the truth The Lorde gaue vp himselfe to be a sacrifice for oure sinnes to the ende that we might be sanctified that is purged from oure sinnes truly that is to say fully and 〈◊〉 perfectly For Paule sayth For with one offering hath he made perfâ—st for euer them that are sanctified â–ª Mark I pray you y apostles words Christ with one oblatioÌ„ Lo he saith with one hath perfectly sanctified al that are sanctified are made heires of eternall life Herevpon we gather If by the one sacrifice of Christ once offered for vs al soules are purified and that in déede perfectly purified so that there is nothing waÌ„ting to their puâ—â—fying what I praye you findeth Purgatorie to purifie Therefore it is a shamelesse forgerie and horrible blaspheâ—â—ie against the merite of the purifying of IESVS CHRIST the some of god If there séeme any thing to be diminished or wanting vnto the soule nowe departing Christe by his grace performeth and maketh it vp whilest it is yet in the worlde It is a wicked speach and vnworthy to be heard among christian people that by oure sufferings in Purgatorie that is fulfilled whiche was not as yet fully satisfied with the bloud and passion of Christ As if our suffrings were better more effectual than the passion of that sonne of God. Thâ—se men obieâ—te vnto vs the weaknesse of faith in them that dye and we â—n the other side obiect vnto them the mercie of God fully pardoning his faithfull people The father of the Lunatique mentioned in the Gospell requiring helpe of the Lord heareth If thou caÌ„st beleeue to wit that I am able to heale thy sonne al things are possible to him that beleeueth And albeit he felt his fayth not altogether perfect but that therein remayned much weakenesse yet the helpe of God was not hindered by the weaknesse thereof For bycause he humbly submitted him selfe wholy vnto the mercy of the Lorde beséeching and saying Lord I beleeue help my vnbeliefe the Lorde by and by succoured him and without delaye healed his sonne So there is no dout that the most mercifull Lorde will fayle his faithfull people to whom he hath promised most full forgiuenesse acknowledging their weakenesse in the houre of death and therefore also calling for the mercy of God but that vppon the instant of the going out of the soule he forth with perfectly â—anctifieth it with his spirtie for Christes sake and beautifieth it with all kynd of graces that being truely purged from all filthe of sinnes it maye flée vp and deserue to appeare in the presence of god And this shoulde be beaten into the heades of them that are a dying For there are extant most large promises of god there are extant examples of many holy men dying and calling vpon god Furthermore it is certeine by those thinges which we haue already alledged that the death of Christ hath made ful satisfaction for sinnes so that nowe there remayneth nothing further to â—e 〈◊〉 wâ—th the fire of purgatorie Souls after the death of the â—â—dy 〈◊〉 the right 〈…〉 heauen taking nothing 〈…〉 them which â—â— it dâ—th purging Therefore that fire of purgatorie is nothing else in verie déeâ—e than a traâ—â—â—que or merchandize of most couetâ—â—s meÌ„ whereby craftily and cunningly they purge the pursses not the soules both of rich and poore These men by and by vnderprop their purgatorie building which is a falling with two postes The first is this They of olde say they prayed for the saluation of soules separated from the body therfore there is a purgatorie For since in heauen they haue no néed of prayers surely in hel prayers do no good since in hell is no redemption truely there is a middle place left wherein soules are kepte vnto whom the prayers of the liuing doe good that place is Purgatorie Thus in déede they reason howbeit imagining all thinges of their owne heades without the authoritie of the scriptures But this is that they haue to say That they of old prayed for the deade I knowe what Augustine that famous doctour of the Churche what Chrysostome that golden-mouthed man and other auncient and notable men haue lâ—â—t written touching this matter But I aske the question Whether that whiche they did were well done For not all thinges which the holy fathers sayd and did who oftentimes haue suffered somthing of maÌ„s inuention are absolutely to be alowed or followed Those things are not to be allowed and folowed which are set down by them against the decrées of the scripture which thing they theÌ„ selues vnfeinedly confesse but those things onely whiche are vttered and confirmed by the authoritie of holie scriptures which 〈…〉 of godlynesse But thou 〈…〉 nothing in them
of prayer for the â—eade For that whichsome albedge out of â—he second booke of Machâ—beiâ— proueth thing For that booke is not canonicall Which thing it behooued them to haue learned long since euen out of Hierome They adde that prayer for the deade is an vnwritten tradition of the Apostles I heare them But I knowe well enough that the vnwritten traditions of the apostles are not contrarie to their writtâ—n doctrines I knowe well enoughe that the written doctrines of the apostls no where commaunde prayers for the deade and in no place allowe them When Paule the Apostle exhorted the Thessalonians to moderation in lameâ—ting for the dead the time being then verie fitte and most 〈◊〉 to giue commaundement concerning offering of prayers for the soules of the deade if he had thought them any whit profitable and necessarie yet notwithstanding he maketh no manner mention of them yea rather he simply teacheth what they ought to beléeue touching the fouâ—es of the faithfull being separated from their bodies namely that they liue in euerlasting blessednesse with Christ wayting and looking for the reâ—urrection of their bodies But who can not sée that this certeintie and plainnesse of the Apostles doctrine is intangled and perilously shaken with this feigned Apostolique tradition For if we beléeue in Christ let vs beléeue his wordes and promises He him selfe saide that he is the resurrection and life of the faithfull and that the soules of the beléeuing euen immediately 〈…〉 death of the body 〈◊〉 escape and 〈◊〉 into liâ—â— â—f I say we 〈…〉 of the Lord why then doe we aâ— yet being 〈◊〉 for the saluation of the 〈◊〉 of the deade prays and make supplicatioÌ„ for them as though they had not yet obteyned saluation â–ª By these our prayers truely we giue a manifest proofe that we dout of our faith hope not after that as concerning the saluation of our fouls which wedge â—â—th professe with tâ—ung and which also the wordes of Christe and the Apostles commaunde vs to hope after The stedfast faith truely and assured hope of those that beléeue and stay them selues vppon the promises of Christe dâ— forbid vs here to take and weare blacke mourning garments in offerings for the dead whose souls we beléeue to haue already put on white garmentes they forbid vs to giue occasion eyther to vnbeléeuers or to weaklinges in fayth of repreheâ—â—ing vs worthily bycause we 〈◊〉 and lament for them who 〈◊〉 say do liue with God as if they were â—ast into hell fire and busily set our selues a worke with making humble prayers vnto God to deliuer the miserable souls out of torments that is to say bycause the faith which we professe with tong and voyce we condemne by the testimonie of â—ure heart and mynd yea and of our outwarde workes If we goe on after this sorte truely we are double dealers in our hope and in our faith The things whiche we speake séeme to be dissembled false and feigned For it auayleth nothing in words to â—â—â—nt of vertue and with déedes to destroye trueth Therfore let him that wil receiue this 〈…〉 as they caâ—â— it of the Apoâ—â—les touching the offering of prayers for the faithfull departeâ— as for me I meane to receiue nothing repugnant to true â—ayth and 〈◊〉 from the apoâ—â—les doctriâ—e 〈◊〉 doe I persuade any man to receâ—â—â— such â—anitie This also I can not choose but tel you that that which they call the tradition of the apostles S. Augustine calleth the tradition of the fathers reâ—â—iued of the Churche For in his 〈◊〉 〈…〉 apostâ—li 32. he sayth This which the fathers deliuered the whole Church obserueth to wit that prayers shoulde be made for them in the communion of of the body and bloud of Christ wheÌ„ they in their own place are reheâ—â—â—ed at the verie sacrifice and the same is mentioned to be offered for them also And againe 〈…〉 gerendâ— Cap. 4. he saith Supplications or prayers for the soules of the dead are not to bee neglected whiche the church hath receiued to be made for all that be departed in the Christian brotherhod not rehearsing them by name but in a general remembrance of them altogether Thus saâ—e he â–ª Who though in some place he 〈◊〉 the traditioÌ„s of the apostles very say yet by these words this séemethmore expresly to be his meaning y this 〈◊〉 or order of praying for the dead was deliuered to the churche by the fathers and doubtlesse many yeares after the Apostles time was receiued of the church The same August defendeth in more places than one that the receiuing of the Eucharist or sacrameÌ„t of the Lordes supper is as necessarie for infants being newe come forth of their mothers wombe to y attaining of saluation as the sacrament of baptisme The chiefe and notable places wherein â—e hand â—â—th 〈…〉 in his first booke against 〈…〉 his 〈…〉 against y Pelagians Nether doth he 〈◊〉 that opinion with lesse 〈…〉 than the tradition â–ª bicause that 〈…〉 and very vsual in the church in y age But who at this day receiueth y ceremonie as Apostolical Who séeth not that those good fathers otherwise most faithfull pastours in that thing suffered some inuention of man The written doctrine of S. Paule deserueth at this day more to be estéemed than that auncient tradition of the church Paul writeth Let euery man 〈◊〉 himselfe and so let him eatâ— of this â—â—eade and drinke of this cap. Whâ—reby al men vnderstand that y Eucharist or sacrament of the Lords supper is for them to receiue that are of perfect age not 〈…〉 For y cauâ—â— it 〈…〉 for our elder to forsake y tradition and to draw more neare to the scripture Let theÌ„ therefore in this mâ—tter giue vs 〈◊〉 also to depart froÌ„ the vncertein tradition of the fathers to cleane to the moste 〈◊〉 faith doctrine of the apostles But 〈◊〉 say they was condeÌ„ned for this cause for that he beléeued prayers were vnprofitable for the dead I 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 y Aerius was coÌ„deÌ„ned neither do I take vpon me to defend him whom â—hylastrius Epiphanius Augustine do make mention to haue 〈…〉 Arian a man polluted with other â—oule errors But touching prayers for the dead whether they be profitable or vnprofitable there is no doubt that they are catholiques notheretiques who beléeue that which is deliuered â—et downe in the apostles créed For according to the tradition of this créede we beléeue the forgiuenesse of sinnes 〈…〉 life euerlasting They which beleèue these things â—â—tein vndoutedly what soâ—â—er they beléeue For the Lord said to the Contâ—â—ion Go thy way and as tho◠〈…〉 so be it done vnto thâ—â— Therefore who so euer beléeueth forgiuenes of sinâ— life euerlasting hath obteyned forgiuenesse of sinnes surly he shal liue in euerlasting life Which thing if y be true as it caÌ„not be false whith is deliuered vnto vs in the apostles créede what place I pray you shall prayers
the benefite of Christes sanctification not that by her selfe while she is in the flesh she is without spot but for that those spots in déede otherwise cleauing vnto her through the innocencie of Christ to those that imbrace Christe by faith are not imputed sinally for that the selfe same church in the world to come shall be without spot or wrinckle For hauing put off the fleshe cast off all miseries it shal at length be brought to passe that she shall want nothing Besides this it is saide that the church is without spot because of the continuall studie of the church wherby she laboureth and traueileth by all meanes that as farre as it is possible she may haue as fewe spottes as maye be And by that meanes and chiefly by the benefite of imputation the church erreth not but is moste pure and without sinne Moreouer as touching doctrine and faith the church of Christ doth not erre For it heareth the voice of the shepeherd only but the voice of straungers she knoweth not for she followeth her onely shepheard Christ saying I am the light of the world he that followeth me shal not walk in darknesse but shall haue the light of life Paule also to Timothie saith These thinges hitherto haue I writtē vnto thee that thou maist know how thou oughtest to behaue thy selfe in the house of God whiche is the Church of the liuing God the piller and grounde of trueth But the Churche is the piller and ground of truth for that being stablished vppon the foundation of the Prophetes and Apostles Christe him selfe which is the euerlasting truth of God the only strength of the church receiueth this by fellowship which it hath with him that she also mighte be the piller and foundation of the truth For the truth of God is in the church and the same throgh the ministerie of the church is spread abroade and being assaulted and warred againste by the enimies abiding sure is not ouercome so farfoorth as being made one body with Christe she doth perseuere in the fellowship of Christe without whome she can do nothing Againe the same church doth erre in doctrine and faith as oftēn as she turning from Christ and his word goeth after men and the counsels and decrées of the flesh For she forsaketh that thing that hath hitherto stayd that she erred not which is the word of God and Christ I thinke no man will denie that the greate congregation of the people of Israell in the desert was an excellent Churche of God with the whiche the Lord made a couenaunt and bounde him selfe vnto it by Sacraments and ordinances And yet howe shamefully she erred whilest neglecting Gods word Aaron the high priest of religiō not cōstantly earnestly resisting she both made a molten calfe worshipped it as a God no man is ignorant Where also surely it shal be necessary more diligētly to looke into and mark the whole number of the church For many in the church erring it foloweth not that none at all is frée from error For as in the churche of Israell the Lord reserued a rēnant to him selfe I meane Moses Iosua vndoubtedly many moe as wel in the cōgregatiō as else-where without whiche did neuer worship the calfe so there is no doubt althoughe there doe manye erre in the Church but that the Lord through his mercie doeth preserue to himselfe a certeine number who both vnderstād a-right and by whose faithfull diligence errours are destroyed and the wandering flocke of the Lord brought backe againe into the holy fould The Church therfore is said to erre when a parte of it hauing loste Gods word doeth erre and the same erreth not wholie and altogether forasmuch as certeine remnauntes through the grace of God are reserued by whome the trueth maye flourishe againe and may againe be spred abroad in euery place S. Paule called the Churches of the Corinthians and Galathians The holie churches of God yet these erred greatly in doctrine in faith and in manners And yet who doubteth that there were many amonge them who were most sincere followers of the pure doctrine preached by Sainct Paule That holy Church therefore erred so farre forth as it cōtinued not stedfastly in true doctrine and it erred not so farre foorth as it departed not from the truth deliuered by the Apostles From hence it plainly appeareth to the whole world that those are most vaine lyars which commend vnto vs Churches not builded vppon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles but vppon the decrées of men which they shame not to commend vnto vs for most true Churches and such as cannot erre Dauid cryeth out Onely God is true and euery man a lyar Ieremie also cryeth They haue reiected the woord of the Lord and what wisedome is in them Therfore those Churches doe erre neither bee they the true Churches of god The true Church groundeth vppon Christ Iesus and is gouerned by his woorde onelye Vnto this treatise of the woord of God which is the onely rule whereby all thinges are done in the Church the disputation of the power of the church of God in earth of the studies thereof which also are directed according to the word of God is verie like But before I wil bring forth my iudgement that is to say the iudgement deliuered by the Scriptures I will briefly rehearse the summe of those things whiche the Papistes haue lefte in writing concerning this matter and doe vndoubtedly mainteine for sounde doctrine Iohn Gerson not much amisse vnlesse he haue an ill interpreter hath defined Ecclesiasticall authoritie to be a power supernaturally and spiritually giuen of the Lord to his disciples and to their lawefull successours vnto the ende of the world for the edification of the Church Militant according to the lawes of the Gospell for the obteyning of eternall felicitie But Peter de Aliaco the Cardinal sayth that this authoritie is sixe-fould to witt of consecration of administring the sacraments of appointing ministers of the Church of preaching of iudiciall correction and receyuing thinges necessarie vnto this life They call that the power of consecration whereby a priest being rightly ordered maye consecrate the body bloud of Christ on the altar This power they say was giuē to the disciples of the Lord by these words Doe this in the remēbraunce of mee But vnto the priestes in these dayes they thinke it to be giuen of the bishop giuing with the bread the chalice and saying Receiue ye power to offer vp to consecrate Christes bodie both for the quicke and the dead This moreouer they call the power of orders and a marke or character that cānot be wyped out The power of administring the sacraments chiefly of the sacrament of Penance they call the power of the keyes The keyes they make of two sortes The keyes of knowledge that is to say the authoritie of knowledge in the cause of a sinner makinge
fledd away Againe when the fire of the Lord deuoured the vttmost parts of the tents of Israel they cried vnto Moses and Moses againe cried vnto the lord and soudeinly the fire that deuoured them was consumed Againe the people murmured against the Lord and vengeaunce is prepared but Moses by milde continuall prayer quencheth the wrath of god For it is said vnto him I haue let them goe according to thy word Anon after when the people began a fresh to murmur against Moses and Aaron and that the vengeaunce of God had alreadie consumed foureteene thousand seuen hundred men Aaron at the commaundement of Moses burneth incense and standing betwéne the dead and those that were liuing howbeit néere and appointed to death hee pleadeth for and obteineth pardon by prayers Innumerable other of this kinde are read of Moses Iosue Moses successour by prayers made the course of the sunne and moone so long to stay vntil he had reuenged himselfe vpon his enimies Anna without any voyce heard by prayer putteth from her the reproche of barrennes and forthwith is made a fruitfull mother of verie many children Samuel the most godly sonne of godly Anna by prayer vanquisheth the Philistinâ—s and soudeinely in the time of Haruest raised vpp a mightie tempest of thunder and raine Wée doe also read things not vnlike of Helias Ionas in like manner prayed in the Whales bellie and was cast on the shore safe Iosaphat and Ezechias most religious kinges by prayers powred foorth vnto God by faith doe triumphe ouer their most puissaunt enimies Nehemias asked nothing of his king before hee had first prayed to the Lord of heauen therefore hée obteined all thinges The most valiaunt and man-like stomacht Iudith by prayer ouerthrew and slue Holophernes the most proud enimie of Gods people and the terrour of all nations And as Daniel brought all his affaires to passe by prayers vnto God so Hester tooke a déede in hand that was necessarie for Gods people and with thrée dayes fasting and daily prayers bringeth it to an happie end In the most blessed and most desired birth of our Lord IESVS companies of angels are heard singing praises together vnto god What and did not oure Lord when his life was in extreme daunger beetake him selfe to prayer and by and by heard the voice of an angel comforting him The Apostles together with the rest of the church pray with one accord about the third houre of the day and anon they receiue the holy Ghost And when the Apostles were in daungers the church crieth suppliantly for Gods help and presently without delay findeth succour They receiue much libertie to speake woorke very great signes and myracles among the people Peter by an Angel of God is brought out of a verie strong and fenced prison What should I speake of Paule and Silas praying and praysing the Lord in prison Is it not read that the foundations of the prison were all shaken with an earthquake and by that occasion the kéeper of the prison was turned vnto God Examples of which sort truely I could bring innumerable but that I am persuaded that to the Godly these are sufficient And faithfull men doe not attribute these forces effects or vertues to prayer as to a worke of ours but as procéeding from faith and so to God himselfe whiche promiseth these thinges and perfourmeth them to the faithful For the iudgement of Paul touching these is knowen in the 11. to the Hebrues and that all glorie is due to one god Who vouchsafe so to illuminate all our mindes that our prayer may alwayes please him Amen ¶ Of signes and the manner of signes of Sacramentall signes what a Sacrament is of whome for what causes and howe many Sacramentes were instituted of Christe for the Christian Churche Of what things they do consist how these are coÌ„secrated how the signe and the thing signified in the Sacraments are either ioyned together or distinguished of the kind of speeches vsed in the Sacraments ¶ The sixt Sermon THE treatise vppon the sacramentes remaineth which wée heard is ioyned to the woord of God and prayer But in speking of sacraments deliuered by Christ our king and high priest and receiued and lawfully vsed of his holy and catholique Churche I will by Gods grace and assistance obserue this order first to entreate of them generally and thaÌ„ particularly or seuerally And heere before hand I wil determine vppon the certeine signification of a signe or Sacrament wherein if I shal be somewhat longe or tedious I craue pardon déerly beloued therefore for I hope it shal not be altogether fruitlesse Signum a signe the Latine writers call a token a representing a marke and shew of some thing that hath signification So say Tullie and Fabius Fabius sayeth Some call Signum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thoughe some terme it Indicium other some Vestigium a marke or token whereby a thing is vnderstood as slaughter by bloud S. Aurelius Augustine the famous Ecclestastical writer Cap. 4. De magistro sayth We generally call all those things signes which signifie somewhat where also we finde words to bee Againe Lib. 2. de doctrina Christiana cap. 1. he saith A signe is a thing beside the semblance whiche it layeth before our senses making of it selfe somethinge to come into oure mind or thought as by seeing smoke we beleue there is fire The said Aur. August doth diuide signes into signes naturall and signes giuen Naturall he calleth those whiche without any wil or affection to signifie beside theÌ„selues make something else to be knowen as is smoke signifying fire For smoke hath not any will in it selfe to signifie Signes giuen are those which all liuing creatures do giue one to an other to declare as well as they caÌ„ the affections of their mind or any thing which they coÌ„ceiue meane or vnderstand And signes giuen hee diuideth againe by the senses For some belong to the eyes as the ensignes or banners of Capteines mouing of the hands all the members Some againe belong to the eares as the trumpet and other instruments of musicke yea words themselues which are chiefe principall among men when they intend to make their meaning knowen Vnto smelling hee referreth that sweete sauour of oyntment meÌ„tioned in the Gospel whereby it pleaseth the Lord to signifie somewhat To the tast hee referreth the supper of the Lord For saith he by the tasting of the sacrament of his bodie and bloud he gaue or made a signe of his will. He addeth also an exaÌ„ple of touching And wheÌ„ the woman by touching the hemme of his vesture is made whole that is not a signe of nothing but signifieth somewhat In this manner hath Augustine entreated of the kinds differences of signes Other also whose opinioÌ„ doth not much differ from hiâ— distinguish signes according to the order of times For of signes say they some are of thinges present some of thinges past and
finde that they of the old Testament had Sacraments after one kynd and they of the newe Testament Sacraments after an other kind The Sacraments of the people vnder the old Testament were circumcision and the Paschal lambe to which were added sacrifices whereof I haue aboundantly spoken in the thirde Decade and the sixt Sermon In like manner the Sacraments of the people vnder the newe Testament that is to say of Christians by the writings of the Apostles are two in number Baptisme The Supper of the Lorde But Peter Lombard reckoneth 7. Baptisme Penance the supper of the Lorde Confirmation Extreme vnction Orders Matrimonie Him followeth the whole rablement of interpretours and route of scholemen But all the auncient doctours of the Church for the moste part do reckon vp two principall sacraments among whome Tertullian in his first fourth booke Contra Marcionem and in his booke De corona militis very plainly maketh mention but of two onely that is to saye Baptisme and the Eucharist or supper of the Lorde And Augustine also Lib. 3. de doctr Christiana cap. 9. sayth The Lorde hath not ouerburthened vs with signes but the Lorde him selfe and the doctrine of the Apostles haue left vnto vs certeine fewe thinges in steade of many and those most easie to be done most reuerend to be vnderstoode most pure to be obserued as is baptisme and the celebration of the body and bloude of the Lord. And againe to Ianuarius epist. 118. he sayth He hath knit and tyed together the fellowship of a newe people with sacramentes in number verie fewe in obseruing verie easie in signification verie excellent as is baptisme consecrated in the name of the Trinitie and the partaking of Christs body and bloud and whatsoeuer thing else is commended vnto vs in the canonicall scriptures excepte those thinges wherewith the seruitude of the olde people was burdened according to the agreeablnes of their heartes and the time of the prophets Which are read in the fiue books of Moses Where by the way is to be marked that he sayth not And whatsoeuer things else are commended vnto vs in the canonicall scriptures but And what so euer thing else c. which plainely proueth that he speaketh not of Sacramentes but of certeine obseruations bothe vsed and receyued of the Churche as the wordes of Augustine whiche folowe do declare Howbeit I confesse without dissimulation that the same Augustine elsewhere maketh mention of the Sacrament of Orders where neuerthelesse this séemeth vnto me to be also considered that the selfe same authour giueth the name of Sacramentes to Annoynting and to Prophecie and to Prayer and to certeine other of this sorte as well as he dothe to Orders and now and then among them he reckoneth vppe the Sacramentes of the Scripture so that we may easily sée that in his workes the worde Sacrament is nowe vsed one way and sometimes an other For he calleth these Sacraments bicause being holie they came from the holie Ghoste and bycause they be holie institutions of God obserued of all that be holie but yet so that these differ from those Sacramentes whiche are holie actions consisting of wordes and ceremonies and whiche gather together into one fellowshippe the partakers thereof But Rabanus Maurus also Byshoppe of Mentze a diligent reader of Augustins works Lib. 1. de Instit cleric cap. 24. sayth Baptisme and vnction and the body and bloude are Sacramentes whiche for this reason are called Sacraments bycause vnder a couert of corporall thinges the power of GOD woorketh more secretely oure saluation signified by those Sacramentes wherevppon also for their secrete and holie vertues they are called Sacramentes This Rabanus Maurus was famous about the yeare of the Lorde eight hundreth and thirtie so that euen by this we may gather that the auncient Apostolique Churche hadde no more than two Sacramentes I make no mention here of Ambrose although he in his bookes of sacramentes numbereth not so many as the companie of scholemen doe bycause some of those workes sette foorthe in his name are not receyued of all learned men as of his owne doing so I little force the authoritie of the workes of Dionysius whiche of what price and estimation they be among learned and good men it is not needefull to declare But howe so euer the case standeth the holye Scripture the onely and infallible rule of life and of all thinges whiche are to be done in the Churche commendeth baptisme and the Lordes Supper vnto vs as solemne institutions and Sacramentes of Christ Those two are therefore sufficient for vs so that we néede not be moued what so euer at anye time the subtile inuention of mans busie brayne bring against or beside these twaine For why GOD neuer gaue power to any to institute Sacramentes In the means while wee doe not contemne the wholesome rites and healthfull institutions of GOD nor yet the religious obseruations of the Church of Christ We haue declared elswhere touching Penaunce and Ecclesiasticall Order Of the residue whiche latter writers doe authorize for Sacra ▪ mentes we will speake in their conuenient place So haue we also elsewhere so farre foorthe as we thought requisite entreated of the likenesse and difference of Sacramentes of the people of the olde and newe testament Nowe let vs sée in what thinges Sacramentes consiste By the testimonie of the Scripture and of all the godly men they consiste in two thinges to witte in the signe and the thing signified in the worde and the rite in the promise of the Gospell and in the ceremonie in the outwarde thing and the inwarde in the earthly thing I saye and the heauenly And as Irenaeus the Martyr of Christe witnesseth in the visible thing and inuisible in the sensible thing and the intelligible For heerevnto belongeth that whiche Sainte Iohn Chrysostome vppon Matthewe sayth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 CHRIST deliuereth nothing vnto vs that is sensible but vnder visible thinges the outwarde thinges are sensible but yet all spirituall But hee calleth those thinges 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sensible whiche are perceyued by the outwarde senses as by séeing hearing tasting and touching but those thinges he calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intelligible or mentall whiche are perceyued by the mynde the vnderstanding consideration discourse or reasoning of the mynde not of the fleshe but of fayth By the testimonie of the Scriptures this thing shall bée made manifest .. The Lorde sayeth to his disciples in the Gospell Goe into the whole worlde and preache the Gospell to all creatures and he whiche shall beleeue and bee baptised shall be saued Yee shall baptise in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holie Ghoste The same sayeth of Iohn Baptiste Iohn baptised in the wildernesse preaching the baptisme of repentaunce for the remission of sinnes So also Sainte Luke witnesseth that Sainte Peter sayde to the Israelites Repent yee and bee baptised euerie one of you in the
of Sacraments is made through the will institution choyce or commaundement of God and seale of his word Wherfore water bread wine vsed after a cōmon maner or not so as they are chosen and instituted of God the word of God is as it were slaundered and they are altogether common prophane but being only vsed according to the choyce or cōmandement of God holily and the worde or signe being added they begin to be Sacramentes whiche they were not afore The same substaunce remaineth in them still which they had before But they are instituted to another ende and vse for they are sealed with the word and commaundement of God and therefore are hallowed wherevnto may also be added their holy vse by a true faith setting forth the benefite of our redemption and giuing of thanks by faithful praiers to our boūtiful redéemer To this purpose we may fetche examples of ciuil gouernmēt wherin some things for certein newe causes adioyned hauing their substance remaining still are now made that whiche before they were not For siluer or golde being not yet coyned with the Magistrates marke is nothing else but siluer and golde But if by the commandement of the Magistrate a new forme be added by a printe it is made money whiche it was not before althoughe it be the verie same substance whiche it was before Waxe before it be sealed is common and vsuall waxe but when by the kinges will and commaundement that which is ingrauen in the kinges seale is printed in the waxe and is sette to euidences and letters patentes by and by it is so estéemed that who so shall deface the sealed euidence is attached as guiltie of treason Whereby I trust you sée plainely that the true sanctification or consecration of Sacraments doeth consist in the will and institution of God in a certaine ende and holie vse of the same whiche are declared vnto vs in the word Of the whiche peraduenture I haue spoken more at large than some may think néedfull But the godlie Reader will pardon mée this my tediousnesse since my desire is to open all thinges faithfully diligently and at large Now that I haue defended the lawfull vse of the word and declared the vertue of it and opened vnto you as occasion serued the true sanctification or consecration of Sacramentes I will returne to that where I left and because I taught that sacraments consist of two parts the signe and thinge signified it remaineth to shew that those two parts reteine their natures distinguished not communicating properties by declaration whereof bothe to those thinges which go before and to those whiche followe yea and to the whole substance of the sacrament a wonderful light without doubt shal appéere But of communicating of the names or termes I will speake in their conuenient place That eche parte reteineth theire natures distinguished without cōmunicating or mingling of properties it is to be séne hereby that many be partakers of the signe and yet are barred from the thinge signified But if the natures of the partes were vnited or naturallye knit together it must néedes be then that those whiche be partakers of the signes must be partakers also of the thing signified Examples of Scripture as they are ready so are they euident For Simon Magus in the Actes of the Apostles receiued y signe and was baptised but of the thing signified he had not neither receiued so much as one iote And Iudas Iscariot a cruell and faythelesse traytour of his maister did likewise Eate the bread of the Lord but he did not eate bread the Lord. Otherwise he had liued happie iust blessed for euer For he which eateth me saieth the Lord himselfe shal neuer dy But Iudas died euerlastingly therefore he did not eate that foode of life To these euident testimonies of scripture I will nowe adde also certeine of Saint Augustines perteyning to that purpose who in his treatise vpon Iohn 26. saith We receiue this day visible meate but the Sacrament is one thing and the vertue of the sacrament is another Howe many doe receiue of the things vpon the altar and when they haue receiued it doe die Wherevppon the Apostle sayth He eateth and drinketh his owne damnation Was not the morsel poyson which the Lord gaue vnto Iudas and yet he receiued it after he had receiued it the enimie entred into him not because that was euill which he receiued but because he being euil did receiue that good thing vnworthily And immediately after he saith The sacrament of the thing that is of the knitting together of the bodie and bloud of Christ is receiued at the Lords table of some vnto life of other some to destruction but the thing it selfe whereof it is a Sacrament is reteiued of all men vnto life of none to destructiō whosoeuer shal be partakers thereof And againe he sayth He which dwelleth not in Christe nor Christe in him without doubt he neither eateth his flesh nor drinketh his bloud spiritually although earnally and visibly he chawe with his téeth the Sacrament of the bodie bloud of Christ but he doeth rather eate and drinke the Sacramēt of so great a thing to his owne damnation And so forth He hath the like words in his booke De Ciuit. Dei. 21. cap. 25. And in his booke De Doctri Christ. 3. ca. 9. he sheweth that In the Coniunction of natures there had need to be a distinction lest we shuld sticke too muche vpon the outwarde signe Now we come to the proofes of the scripture The Apostle witnesseth in the Cor. 10. chap. that all our fathers were baptised and did all eate of one spirituall meate and did all drinke of one manner of spirituall drinke but the Lord◠in many of them had no delight Whereas if they had eaten that spiritual meate and dranke that spirituall drinke spiritually by faith vndoubtedly the Lorde had delighted in them For without faith as he himselfe saieth it is impossible to please God therefore with them that haue faith GOD is well pleased Wherefore our fathers truely were partakers of visible sacraments but they were destitut of inuisible grace whereby it followeth that the signe and y thing signified do reteine their natures not confounded or mingled but distinguished and separated Besides this the wordes of the gospell haue some affinitie or at the leasfe some likenesse with Sacramentall signes Otherwise the wordes are preferred farre before the signes the Apostle sayinge that he was sente to preach and not to baptise But many heare with their outwarde eares the worde of the Lorde who for all that because they are voyde of faith are also without the inwarde frute of the worde Paule saying yet againe For to vs was the gospell preached as well as vnto thē but the word which they heard did not profite them because it was not coupled with faith For so it commeth to passe that many receiue the visible sacramentes and yet are not partakers
Iesus Christe And whereas in euery place almost they adde Not by the lawe not by ceremonies or other rituall obseruationes do wee thinke that they will admitte Sacramentes to the partaking of suche power and vertue séeing they be cōprehended vnder rites and ceremonies and so accounted Christian faith doeth attribute the grace of GOD remission of sinnes sanctification and iustification fully and wholely to the frée mercie of God to the merite of Christs passion yea in suche sorte doth Christian faith attribute these spirituall benefites vnto it that beside it nothing at all is admitted to take parte with it Therefore whereas Lombard saieth That sacramentes haue receiued power to conferr or giue grace by the merite of the passion of Christe it is of his owne foarging For as Christ giueth not his glorie to any either saint or mortall man muche lesse to a creature without life euen so he that beléeueth to be fully iustified by the death and resurrection of the Lord séeketh no further grace and righteousnesse in any other thing than in Christe only vpon whom he stayeth whome also by faith he féeleth in his hart or minde alreadie to exercise his force by the holy Ghost For herevnto perteyne those sayinges in the Gospel Goe in peace thy faithe hath saued thee And also He whiche drinketh of this water shall thirst againe but whosoeuer shall drinke of that water which I shal giue him shall neuer thirst c. To this perteineth the saying of Paule also Therefore being iustified by faith we are at peace with God thorough our Lorde Iesus Christ By whome also we had an entraunce by faith vnto this grace wherein wee stande and reioyce in hope of the glorie of God. I am not ignorant of the craftie sleightes of some who imagine there is a certeine generall also a speciall faithe The generall faithe they call that whereby we beléeue that we are truely iustified by the deathe and resurrection of Christe but that they call a speciall faith whereby we béeléeue that by the sacramentes and by our owne worke the gyfts of GOD are applied particularly to euery one of vs one by one But to what purpose was it béeing in a lande where they might bee fedde with Manna to looke backe to the potage pottes and vnsauourie léekes of Egypt What I pray you haue Christians to doe with the distinctiōs of subtile sophisters or how will they proue this distinction of theirs vnto vs Verily there is but one faith and the same is no other in the vse of the Sacraments than it is without the vse of them Without the vse of them we beléeue that wee are sanctified by the death and resurrection of Christ In baptisme and the Lordes supper we practise no other faithe than wherby we beléeue that we are purged from our sinnes by the grace and mercie of Christe and that by his body giuen for vs and his bloud shed for vs we are redéemed from deathe and become heirs of eternal life Not the Sacramentes but faithe through the holy Ghost applyeth these thinges vnto vs whiche thing all the writinges of the Apostles doe witnesse but suche feigned gloses do obscure and darken To be shorte there is one GOD and Sauiour of all one Saluation one Redemption and purging one faith whereby wee receiue Saluation offered vnto vs of GOD in Christe through the holie Ghoste The same is declared or preached vnto vs in the worde by the minister and is represented and sealed by the Sacramentes And now who knoweth not that Paule the Apostle in all his writinges onely laboureth to proue that those that beléeue are iustified by faith in the Lorde Iesus and not by any workes Againe who is ignoraunt that the receiuing and celebration of sacramentes are also counted among our workes Wherevnto I will add this that Sacramentes giue not that whiche they haue not themselues but they haue not grace and righteousnesse and heauenly gyftes therfore they doe not giue them But hence springeth vppe another disputation for vs to handle whether the grace of GOD and a certeine heauenly power be put in or included in the Sacramentes and as it were conteined in them so that from them it might be conueyed into the receyuers The whole rable of Priestes and monkes as well in worde as in déede haue bewrayed them selues that they thinke That in the bare signes there is heauenly grace included yea and that God himselfe is comprehended in them For from no other founteine sprang their carefull disputations concerning That the mouse eateth when it eateth the Sacrament of the bodie of Christe Pope Innocent Libro quarto De Sacramento altaris Capite vnde cimo sayth Miraculously doth the substaunce of bread returne againe not that bread which was turned into flesh But it cōmeth to passe that in sted of it other bread is miraculously created which bread is eaten c. Behold here is a certein wittie miraculous kinde of diuinitie I passe ouer of purpose many other whiche are of this kinde And herevnto that by crossinges and certeine secret words gestures and breathings they consecrate the water of baptisme all which things they beautifie with the name of blessinge And among other thinges they sing thus God by the secrete mixture of his light make fruitefull this water prepared to regenerate men with-all that beeing sanctified and borne againe of the immaculate wombe of the heauenly founteine it may come foorth a new creature Let this holy innocent creature be free from all the assaultes of the aduersarie Let him not intrap it in his snare Let it become a liuing founteine a regenerating water a purifying riuer that all that are dipped in this wholesome lauer the holy ghost working in thē may atteine to the excellencie of perfect purificatiō Wherfore ô thou creature of water I blesse or coniure thee by the liuing God by the true God by the holy god by the god which in the beginning feparated thee by his word from the drie lande c. Againe breathing thrice on the water he forthwith vttereth these wordes Thou O Lord blesse with thy worde these waters which make request vnto thee that beside their natural cleannes whiche in washing they may giue to our bodies they may also be effectual to purifie our soules Then the priest taketh a burning waxe candle and putteth it thrice in the water consecrated to baptisme saying Let the power of the holy Ghost come down into this plentifull founteine He addeth And let it make the whole substance of this water fruitefull with the fruite of regeneration And so foorthe All these thinges they vnderstande and expounde to be spoken simplie and without tropes or figures whiche euidently enough declareth what these men attribute to holy or consecrated water and howe they thinke that in the signes the holy thinges themselues are conteyned Aboute this matter Bonauentura hathe woonderfully busied himselfe who in his writing In 4. Magistri
garnished from aboue not naked therefore full not void or emptie For they are holy thinges and not prophane because they are instituted of GOD and for godly men not for prophane persons They are effectual and not without force for in the Churche with the godly and faithfull they worke the same effect and ende wherevnto they were ordeined of god Whereof more hereafter They are also worthily said to be beautified and adorned by God and not bare thinges whiche haue the worde GOD it selfe wherewith they are moste beautifully adorned And therefore also they are full and not emptie sacraments because they haue those things whiche make a perfect Sacrament We will repeate here the parables or similitudes whiche aboue also intreating of consecration for the moste parte we did alledge to the intente to giue more cleare light vnto this treatise All the while that waxe for confirmation and witnesse sake is not hanged on letters patents or other publique instrumentes it is common voide and bare waxe that is to saye nothing else but waxe but when it is sealed and fastened to those publike instruments it is now neither voide nor bare waxe For it is called the testimonie of the truth The armes of a prince or of any coÌ„mon wealthe if it be painted in a windowe or on a wall it is a bare signe but if the same be fastened to writinges or set to letters there is greate difference betwéene this and the other For nowe it declareth and witnesseth the will of the prince or common wealthe therefore it hathe this estimation among all men that who â—o deâ—aceth it or contrarie to the will of the Prince and common weale doeth sette it to any other charter is reputed guiltie of counterfetting of high treason A stone when as yet it is not set for a marke or bound of fieldes it is a bare and voide that is to say a coÌ„mon stone whiche to tread vnder foote or to remoue out of his place is no offence but being set to part the boundes of fieldes it is no more a voide or bare stone but a witnes of lawful diuision and iust possession which to moue out of his place is committed an heynous offence And therefore water bread and wine without the institution and vse of the Sacrament are nothing else but water bread and wine but beeing vsed in the celebration of the sacrament they differ verie far from that they were before are sacraments signed of Christ by his word and ordeined for the saluation of the faithfull Therefore they that are partakers of the sacraments do not recetue nothing as these say vnlesse the institution of god be to be estéemed as nothing He instituted sacramentes to be testimonies of his grace and seales of the trueth of his promises Which thing I will anon declare more at large Therefore as God is true and cannot lye so the seales of his promises are most true He hath promised that he wil be oures and that in Christ he will communicate himselfe vnto vs with al his giftes He therefore of a certeintie sheweth himselfe suche an one and doeth communicate him selfe vnto vs Althoughe hee doe it not nowe firste of all when wée receiue the Saramentes as it he shoulde powre out of himselfe into vs by them as it were by conduite pypes were included in them as in vessels for immediatlie vpon the beginning of the world he promised his grace vnto vs as soone as we first beleeued he begaÌ„ to shew him self such an one vnto vs doth shew him selfe more and more through the whole course of our life we receiue him and comprehend him spiritually and by fayth Therefore when we are partakers of the Sacraments he procedeth to communicate him self vnto vs after a speciall manner that is to say proper vnto sacraments and so we which before were made partakers of Christ do continue and strengthen that communion or fellowship spiritually and by faith in the celebration of the Sacramentes outwardlie sealing the same vnto our selues by the signes Nowe who will hereafter say that they whiche thinke thus of the Sacramentes and are by this faithe partakers of them haue nothing but emptie shewes and receiue nothing in them Albeit we neither include grace in the signes neither deriue it from them But if any man haue any other opinion of God and his ordinaunces that shall no more be falsehode in GOD or accuse him of vntrueth than if any one shoulde charge a iuste man with a lye because he perfourmeth not that whiche he looked for when in the meane time this man promised not the thing whiche he looked for but he throughe his corrupte and false opinion hathe dreamed that it was promised vnto him And thus farr by occasion I haue shewed what agréement and difference there is betweene the Sacramentes of the olde and new Testament and that our Sacraments doe neither conferre nor conteine grace Now we returne to that whiche we beganne I meane to the principall ground of this disputation that forasmuch as we haue taught what they doe not worke so now at length wee may sett downe what they worke in very déede that is to say expounding what is the power ende and lawfull vse of the Sacramente where-vnto they are ordeyned of god We handled indéede the place of the causes why they were instituted in the beginning almoste of the 6. Sermon But now I wil ad other things whiche perteine to this purpose and entreate of eche thing by it selfe more fully and at large The chiefe end of sacramentes is this that they are testimonies to confirme the trueth by which the Lorde in his Church euen visibly doeth testifie that the things now vttered by preaching of the Gospel by the promises assured to the faithful from the beginning of the world are in euery pointe so brought to passe and are so certeinly true as they are declared and promised in the worde of trueth Euen so Baptisme is the heauenly and publique witnesse in the Church of Christe whereby the Lorde testifieth that it is hee whiche receiueth men fréely into fauour and whiche cleanseth from all blemishes and to be shorte maketh vs partakers and heyres of all his goodnesse For after the same manner Circumcision in times past was a publique and heauenly testimonie that it is God that purgeth and adopteth vs For therefore Moses saith Deu 30. The Lorde thy God wil circumcise thine hart the hart of thy seede that thou mayest loue the Lord thy GOD with all thy heart c. After the selfe same manner the Lorde him selfe instituting the holie supper in his Church by the present signes doeth openly beare witnesse that his bodie was certeinely giuen for vs and his bloud truely shedd for the remissioÌ„ of our sinnes that he also is that liuing food that féedeth vs to eternall life Wherefore we read in Chrysost his 83. Homilie vpon Matthew in these wordes As in the olde lawe so in
receiued againe by faithfull repentaunce into the same grace from whence they fel. But to our purpose Baptisme the seale of the righteousnesse of faithe is not sett to parchmente or to the writing of the Gospell but it is applyed to the very bodyes of the Children of God and is as it were marked and imprinted in them For wée are whoâ—â—e dipped with our bodies or wholie sprinckled with the water of Baptisme which truely is a visible sealing confirming that the true God is our God which sanctifieth and purifieth and that purification and euery good gifte of God is due vnto vs as the heyres of god And to the setting foorth of this matter pertayneth that euidente place of Paule which in the Epistle to the Galathians is thus read For yee are all the children of God by faith in Christ Iesus For all ye that are baptised haue put on Christe And so foorth The supper of the Lorde hath the like reason whiche also is a seale of the righteousnesse of faith For the sonne of God dyed hee by his death redéemed the beléeuers also his body and bloud is our meat and drinck vnto eternall life And truely this singular and excellent priuiledge giuen vnto the faithfull is declared and sett downe in writing by the Apostles â–ª but it is consecrated and sealed of the Lorde him selfe by the Sacramente of his bodye and bloude whereby he sealeth vs an assuraunce that we are iustified by faith in the death of Christ and that all the good giftes of Christe are communicated vnto vs and that wee are fedd and strengthened by Christe Moreouer that the sealing might be the more liuely he setteth not the seale to written parchmente but it is brought and also giuen to be eaten of our bodyes that we might haue a witnesse within our selues that Christe with all his giftes is wholy ours if wee perseuere in faith For the Lorde him selfe in the Gospell saith He that eateth me shall liue by the meanes of mee But hee eateth whiche beléeueth For in the same place the Lord saithe I am the bread of life He that commeth to mee shall not hunger and hee that beleeueth in me shall neuer thirst Héereby we gather the summe of the whole matter that the Sacramentes doe seale vpp the promises of God and the gospel and that therefore so often mention is made in the Churche of euidences or letters patents or charters and seales of the preaching of the gospell and the promises of God that the whole mysterie of our saluation is renued and continued as oft as those actions instituted of God I meane Sacramentes are celebrated in the Church Hetherto I think doeth that belong whiche the faithfull minister of Christe Zuinglius vppon the SacrameÌ„ts hath deliuered in these wordes Sacramentes beare witnesse of a thing that hath bene done For al lawes customes and ordinaunces doe shew their authours and beginnings Therefore Baptisme since it setteth foorth in signification the death and resurrection of Christe it must needs bee that those thinges were done indeede These wordes are to be found In Expositione sidei ad regem ChristianuÌ„ The same Zuinglius Ad principes Germaniae contra Eggium saith When that noble man taking his iourney in to a farre countrie distributing bread and wine did farre more liuelie and peculiarly giue him selfe vnto vs when he saide This is my body than if he had said This is a token or signe of my bodide although hee tooke away his naturall bodie and carried it into Heauen Yet neuerthelesse by these wordes in that apperteyneth to faith and grace hee giueth him selfe wholy as if hee had saide Now I goe to dye for you and after a while will wholie departe from hence But I wil not haue you doubt of my loue and care to you warde How much soeuer I am I am altogether yours In witnesse whereof I commend vnto you a signe of this my betraying and testament to the intente you might maintaine the memorie of me and of my benefites that when ye see this bread and this cupp ministred vnto you in the supper of my remembraunce ye may be no otherwise mindfull of me that is that I deliuered vp my self for you than if you should see mee with your eyes face to face as ye now se me bothe to eate with you and by and by shall see me to be led from you to dye for you Hetherto I haue recited Zuinglius his words and anon I wil rehearse other wordes of his againe not that I stay my selfe vppon them or vppon any testimonyes of man but that it may be made manifest that this man did not as some haue falsely thought contemne the sacramentes In the meane while we acknowledge these testimonies of the holie Scripture And God it is which stablisheth vs with you in christ hath annointed vs whiche hath also sealed vs and hath giuen the earnest of the spirite in our harts 2. Cor. 1. And also After ye beleeued ye were sealed with the holie spirite of promise whiche is the earnest of our inheritaunce vnto the redemption of the purchased possession vnto the praise of his glorie Ephesi 1. verse 13. And againe Greeue not the holie spirit of GOD by whome ye are sealed vnto the day of redemption Ephe. 4. Wee acknowledge the trueth of God to be sufficiently sound true and certeine of it selfe neither can wee from else-where haue a better confirmation than out of it For if our minde be not confirmed one euerye side it wauereth God therefore frameth him self according to our weaknesse and by his Sacraments as muche as may bee doeth as it were vpholde vs yet so that we referre all the benefite of our confirmation to the spirite it selfe and to his operation rather than to the element Wherfore as we attribute Confirmation to doctrine and to teachers euen so doe wee Sealing to the Sacramentes We read in the Actes of the Apostles Chapter 14 and 18. The Apostles returned and strengthened the Disciples soules againe and exhorted them to continue in the faithe Againe in the firste to the Thesâ—a 3. Wee haue sent saith Paule Timotheus our Brother and minister of GOD to confirme or stablish you and to comforte you concerninge your faithe Neuerthelesse vnlesse the inwarde force of the spirite doe drawe and quicken the hartes of the hearers the outwarde persuasion of the teacher though it bee neuer so forceable veheÌ„ment shall nothing auayle but if the holie spirit do shew foorth his might and worke with the worde of the Preacher the soules of the hearers are moste mightilie strengthened And so it standeth with the mysterie of the Sacramente For if the inwarde anuoynting and fealing of the holy Ghost be wanting the outwarde action will be counted but a toy to the vnbeléeuers neither worketh the sealing of the Sacramentes any thing at all but when faith the gifte of the holie Ghost goeth before the sealing of the Sacramentes is very strong
and sure Some also haue saide very wel I four mindes be destitute of the holie Ghoste the Sacramentes doe no more profite vs then it doth a blinde man to looke vppon the bright beames of the Sunne But if our eyes be opened through the illumination of the spirit they are wonderfully delighted with the heauenly sight of the Sacramentes And Zwinglius in Libello ad principes Germanil sayth It doeth not offende vs though all those things which the holie Ghoste worketh be referred to the externall Sacrament as long as wee vnderstand them to be spoken figuratiuely as the fathers spake Thus saith he And although Sacraments seale not the promises to the vnbeléeuers because they mistrust thē yet neuerthelesse the Sacraments were instituted of God that they might seale The wicked and vngodly person receiueth not the doctrine of the Gospel yet no man therefore doeth gather that this doctrine was not instituted of God to teache Some one there is that wil not giue credit to a sealed Charter yet doeth it not therfore followe that the sealed charter serueth not to assure or confirme ones faithe Therefore since the doctrine of the Gospel worketh nothing in him that is obstinate and rebellious since the sacramentes doe nothing moue him that is prophane and vnholie neither profite the wicked by any manner meanes that commeth not to passe through him that did institute them or through the worde and sacraments but through the default of the vnbeléeuer In the meane time of them selues they are instituted to profit and to seale and to haue their holie vse end in the holie And thus much haue I said of that principall vertue of sacraments that they be testimonies of gods truth and of his good wil towarde vs and are seales of all that promises of the gospel sealing and assuring vs that faith is righteousnesse and that all the good giftes of Christe perteine to them that beléeue There is also another end and vse of sacramentall signes that is to say that they signifie in signifying do represent which were superfluous to proue by many testimonies since it is moste manifest to all men at least by that which we spake before Now to signifie is to shew and by signes and tokens to declare and pointe out any thing But to represent doth not signifie as some dreame to bring to giue or make that now again corporally present which somtime was taken away but to resemble it in likenes and by a certeine imitation and to call it back againe to minde and to set it as it were before our eyes For we say that a sonne doth represent or resemble his father when after a sort he expresseth his father in fauour and likenes of manners so that he which séeth him may verily think that he seeth his father as it were present And after this manner doe sacraments stir vp help our faith while wee sée outwardely before our eyes that whiche stirreth vpp the minde worketh in vs and warneth vs of our dutie yea that very thing which we a while before comprehended in our minde is nowe after a sorte visibly offered to our senses in a similitude parable type or figure to be viewed and weighed in our minde that mutuallie they might helpe one another The similitude therefore or Analogie of the signe to the thinge signified is héere by the way to be considered I told you before that Analogia is an aptnes proportion and a certeine conuenience of the signe to the thinge signified so that this maye be séene in that as in a loking-glasse The matter shall be made manifest by examples The bountifull and gratious Lord of his méere mercie receiueth mankinde into the partaking of all his good gifts and graces and adopteth the faithfull that nowe they bee not onely ioyned in league with God but also the children of God whiche thing by the holy action of baptisme béeing in stéede of the signe or the verie signe it selfe is most euidētly by representation laid before the eyes of al men For the minister of GOD standeth at the holie fonte to whome the infant is offered to be baptised whom he receiueth and baptiseth into the name or in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holie Ghoste For we maye finde both Into the name and In the name So that to be baptised Into the name of the Lord is to be sealed into his vertue and power for the name of the Lord signifieth power into the fauour mercie and protection of God yea to be graffed and as it were to be fastned to be dedicated and to be incorporated into god To be baptised In the name of the Lord is by the commaundement or authoritie of God to be baptised I meane by the commission or appointment of God the father the sonne and the holie Ghost to be receiued into the companie of the children of God to be counted of Gods household that they whiche are baptised are be called Christians and be named w the name of God béeing called the children of God the father c. His spéech therfore doth somewhat resemble that which we read else-where that The name of God was called vppon ouer some one which is in a maner as if we should say that one is called by the name of God that is to be called The seruaunt sonne of God. They therefore which before by grace inuisibly are receiued of God into the societie of God those selfe same are visibly now by baptisme admitted into the selfe same household of God by the minister of God and therefore at that time also receiue their name that they may alwayes remember that in baptisme they gaue vpp their names to Christ and in like manner also receiued a name After this manner by a most apt Analogie the verie signe resembleth the thing signified To be short baptisme is done by water And water in mens matters hath a double vse For it clenseth filthe as it were renueth man also it quencheth thirst and cooleth him that is in a heate So also it representeth the grace of God when it cleanseth his faithfull ones from their sinnes regenerateth and refresheth vs with his spirite Beside this the minister of Christ sprinckleth or rather powreth in water or being dipped taketh them out of the water whereby is signified that God verie bountifully bestoweth his gifts vpon his faithful ones it signifieth also that wee are buried with Christe into his death and are raised againe with him into newnesse of life Pharao was drowned in the gulfe of the redd sea but the people of God passed throughe it safe For our old Adam must be drowned and extinguished but oure new Adam day by day must be quickned and rise vp againe out of the water Therefore is the mortification and viuification of Christians verie excellently represented by baptisme Now in the Lords supper bread and wine represent the verie bodie and
defende that infantes vpon the pinche of necessitie not béeing guiltie of the contempte of God or wicked negligence are not damned though they die vnbaptised For so saluation should be tyed to the signe and the promise of god shuld be made voide as though that alone without the signe vpon the point of necessitie were vaine could worke nothing and as if the hand of God were shortened boūd as it were to the signe For otherwise I teache by al means that infantes are to be baptised and the baptisme is not to be delaied negligētly or to be put off maliciously but in the meane time if by too too spéedy death they departe vnbaptised I exhort charge that a good hope confidence be had in the trueth mercie of the Lorde who promiseth in the law and the gospel that he is the God of young infantes and that his will is that not so muche as one of his little ones should perishe With Pelagius and Pelagians we haue nothing to doe neither are we ignorant what S. Augustine hath writen vnto Hierome epist. 28. in this behalfe Who so euer shal say sayth he that infants which leaue this life not hauing ben partakers of Christ his sacramente of baptisme are quickened and made aliue in him this man doubtlesse doth sette himselfe both against the preaching of the Apostles condēneth the whole Churche where for this cause they make hast and runne with their children to haue them baptised for that without doubt they beleeue that by no meanes otherwise they coulde be made aliue in Christe And againste the Pelagians epistle 106. The Apostolicall seate dealing against Pelagius accurseth them whiche saide that Infantes vnbaptised haue life euerlasting The same Aug. Lib. 1. de an◠c. ca. 9. to Renatus disputeth against Vincentius Victor who graunted that infants are inthralled to original sinn yet neuerthelesse are saued though they be not baptised against whō he bringeth forth this saying of our sauiour Except a mā be borne of water of the spirit he can not enter into the kingedome of God. But we which cōdemne both Pelagius Pelagiās do affirme both those things which they denie to wit that infantes are borne in originall sinne therfore that the sanctification of Christ is necessary vnto them without which they are not saued Again we defend and maintein that the same infants ought to be baptised if it be possible though by the right of the couenaunt they belong to the bodie of Christ are sanctified by the bloud of Christ Pelagius taught that infants ought not to be baptised for that he helde opinion they are without all fault or any sinne blame offence That wicked vngodly man therfore did not acknowledge either our owne corruptiō or the benefit which God hath performed by in through Christ Yet canst thou find neither of these in our assertion doctrine wherfore we take no part with the Pelagians S. Aug. in that selfe same epistle vnto S. Hierome expressly saith Thou art none of them which say that there is no guilt drawne frō Adam frō which the infant should bee washed by baptisme And against Iulian also Li. 1. ca. 2. he proueth by the sentences of the holy fathers that infants haue original sinne ther-vpon gathereth that therfore infantes ought to be baptised because they haue sinne For the Pelagians gathered cleane contrarie They haue no sinne therefore they are not to be baptised For the counsel of Carthage writeth thus to Innocent The Pelagians denie that infantes are to be baptised For these say they perished not neither is there any thing to be◠saued because there is nothing in them that is corrupt or wicked c. But we in so much as we beleeue that infantes are borne in sinne yea and that they are both borne the children of wrath and are corrupt and wicked moreouer because wee beleeue that the sonne of God was borne without sinne of a pure virgin to fulfill and confirme Gods promises which doe not shut out infantes from saluation but let them in as ioyncte-parteners in the league therefore we holde defende that they are to be baptised And therefore this reason gathered of Augustine we cannot simplie allowe Out of the felowshippe of Christ no man commeth vnto life But by baptisme wee are ioyned as members into the bodie of Christ haue fellowship with him therefore infantes which are not to be baptised are without the fellowship of Christ and therefore are condemned For as we denie not that we are graffed into the bodie of Christe by partaking of the sacramentes as we declared in our last sermon of Sacramentes nexte and immediately going before this so we haue elsewhere shewed and that too oftentimes alreadie verie largely that the firste beginning of our vniting or fellowship with Christe is not wought by the sacramentes but that the same vniting or fellowshipp whiche was founded and grounded vpon the promise and by the grace of God thoroughe the holy Ghost was communicated vnto vs and ours yea before the vse of the sacramentes is continued and sealed vnto vs by the participation or receiuing of the sacraments Although therfore an infant die without baptisme and being shut out by necessitie from hauing felowship with Christ so that he be neither partaker nor yet sealed by the visible signe of the couenant yet he is not altogether an aliant or stranger frō Christ to whom he is fastened with the spiritual knot of the couenant by the vertue whereof he is saued The place of Gen. 17. alledged of cutting off the vncircumcised frō the people of God in consideration of the time it fitly agréeth to those that are of perfect age wel grown in yeres not to babes or infantes which thing is séen in Moses whō the angel of the lord for neglecting circumcisiō or for delaying it longer than was lawfull would haue slaine as he testifieth of himselfe neither am I ignorant that certeine olde interpetours referre y not to Moses but to Eleazar the sonne of Moses But the verie course of the hystorie the circumstances of the same doe sufficiently proue that the danger lay on the fathers not on the sonns necke What if a reason be added in the wordes of the law whiche by no meanes agréeth to infantes Therfore shal the vncircumcised perish saith he because he hath broken my couenant So that if we consider that circumcision in the verie same place was commaunded not only to infantes but to such as were of perfect age as to Abraham Ismael and others desiring visibly to be ioyned into the felowship of god we are not to maruell the destruction is threatened to the disobediēt For if any mā at this day vnderstande knowe the Lords ordinaunce comprehended in these his wordes He which shall beleeue and bee baptised shal be saued wil yet neuertheles not be baptised but boasteth the faith is sufficient for him
vnto saluation that baptisme is superfluous he hath despised the ordinance of God is condemned for a rebell and an enimie to God. Furthermore that place of Iohn 3. is not to be vnderstood of the ourward signe of holy baptisme but simplie of the inward most spiritual regeneration of the holy spirite which when Nicodemus vnderstoode not perfectely the Lorde figured and made the same manifest vnto him by parables of water of the spirit that is to say of the winde or the ayer by elements verie base and familiar For by and by he addeth That whiche is borne of the flesh is flesh c. Again The winde bloweth where it lusteth c. whiche must néedes be ment of the ayer For the other part of the coÌ„parison followeth So is euery one that is borne of the spirite Furthermore he addeth If I tel you of earthly thinges and ye beleeue not how will you beleeue if I tel you of heaueÌ„ly things But the argumeÌ„t which he put forth was not altogether earthly For this is the argument of his whole disputatioÌ„ Except a man be borne from aboue he cannot see the kingdome of God That is to say vnlesse a man be renued as it were borne againe by the spirite of God which is giuen from aboue that is to say powred into him from heauen he caÌ„not be saued The doctrine is altogether heauenly but the meanes wherby he deliuered declared set forthe this heauenly doctrine is earthly For by thinges taken from the earth he shadowed out to man beeing grosse of vnderstanding earthly a spiritual and heauenly thing laid it open as it were euen â—â— the view of his eyes As by water ayre oftentimes the qualities of bodies are changed and as the effecte and woorking of water and the aire in bodies is merueilous in like manner is the working of the holy Ghoste in the soule of man which it changeth purifieth and quickeneth c. For so the Lorde himselfe afterward whiche I tolde you euen now expoundeth an other parable of the spirite And because al olde writers for the moste part by water haue vnderstood sacramentall water that is to say holy baptisme we also receiue this interpretation For we willingly graunte that baptisme is necessarie to saluation as wel in such as are of perfect age as also in babes or infantes so that necessitie constraine not the contrarie For otherwise if we goe forwarde stubbernly with S. August to condemne infantes by this place truely we shal be compelled also to coÌ„demne euen those that are baptised if they departe this life without partaking of the bodie and bloud of Christ For S. Augustine béeing infected with the like errour defendeth that the sacrament of the Lordes supper ought to be put into the infantes mouthe or else they are in daunger of death and damnation because it is written Except ye eate the fleshe of the sonne of man drink his bloud yee haue no life in you Therefore after this same order he placeth these two sentences Except a man be born of water and of the spirite he cannot see the kingdome of God. And Excepte ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man c. So that if thou persist obstinately in S. Augustines sentence verily thou wilt condemne the whole Church at this day which denieth the partaking of the Lordes supper vnto Infantes But if in this thing there be admitted a coÌ„uenient interpretation why are ye so rigorous obstinate in another the like place cause not disagréeable What wil you say if in this opinion Augustine doeth not satisfie no not himselfe in all and euery point To a Lay-man he thinketh it veniall sinne if he baptise in time of necessitie He cannot tell whether it be godlily spoken the baptisme ministred by a lay-man ought to be iterated or done againe But how much better and safer had it béene letting the necessitie of baptisme pas which hath no lawful causes to holde opinion the infantes if they be not preuented by death ought to be baptised of the minister of the church in the church their parents procuring it as opportunitie first serueth that too too spéedie souden death which we cal the pinch of necessitie is no let or hinderance to saluation to them which are not yet broght to be baptised The same Augustine trembleth and is afraide to determine of the punishmente of damned infants for not beeing baptised neither knoweth truly what he might certeinly say In his first booke De anim c. ca. 9. hée saith Let no maÌ„ promise to infantes vnbaptised as it were a middle place of rest or felicity whatsoeuer it be or whersoeuer it be betweene hell and the kingdome of heauen But that sentence is for the most part receiued of all men â–ª whervpon also the infantes are buried in the churchyarde in a certeine middle place betwéene the prophane holy ground And againe the same Aug. contra Iulianum Pelagianum lib. 5. ca. 8. writeth That those infantes of all other shal come in the easiest damnation And immediately bee addeth Which of what maner how great it shal be although I cannot describe yet I dare not say that it were better for them to be as no body thaÌ„ to be there And againe in his Epistle to Sainte Hierome 28. he sayth When I come to determine of the punishments of little infants beleeue me I am driuen into narrowe streightes neyther finde I any thing at all to aunswere Héere also may that be added whiche hee disputeth vppon Lib. 4. contra Donatist cap. 22. 23. touching the théefe whiche was crucified with Christe among other things saying That then baptisme is fulfilled inuisibly when not the contempt of religion but the poynt of necessitie excludeth and shutteth out from visible baptisme Why then should wee not beleeue also that in infantes departing by to to timely death baptisme is inuisibly perfourmed since that not contempt of religion but the extremitie of necessitie whiche can not bee auoyded excludeth and debarreth them from visible baptisme And since verie many at this day doe graunt that any man of perfect age withoute baptisme in the point of necessitie may bee saued so that hee haue a desire of baptisme why then may not the godly desires of the parentes acquite the infantes nowe newly borne from guiltinesse But thus much hitherto Touching this also who are to be baptised both in time past our age there hath bene bitter iarring Pelagius in time past denyed that infants ought to be baptised which we heard euen nowe Before Pelagius time AuxeÌ„tius Arianus with his sectaries denyed that they are to be baptised Some in the time of S. Barnard denied the same as we may gather out of his writings The Anabaptistes at this day a kinde of men raysed vp of sathan to destroy the Gospel denie it likewise But the Catholique trueth whiche is deliuered vnto vs in the holy scriptures
The same also is mentioned in Luke In the Gospel of Iohn the third chapter baptisme is called Purifying In the Actes of the Apostles Peter saith to the people which demaunded what they should do Repent ye and let euery one of you be baptised in the name of Iesus Christe for the remission of sinnes Ananias also sayth to Paule Arise and be baptised wash awaye thy sinnes in calling on the name of the Lord. And now Paule himselfe saith Christ loued the church gaue himselfe for it to sanctifie it when he had cleansed it in the founteine of water in the word Wherefore the promise yea the trueth of sanctification and â—rée remission of sinnes is written and ingrauen in oure bodies when we are baptised For God by his spirite thorough the bloud of his sonne hath newly regenerated and purged againe oure souls and euen now doth regenerate and purge them And baptisme is sufficient and effectual for the whole life of man yea and reacheth and is referred to all the sinnes of all them that are baptised For the promise of God is true The seale of the promise is true not deceiueable The power of Christ is euer effectuall throughly to cleanse and wash away all the sinnes of them that be his Howe often therefore soeuer wee haue sinned in our life time let vs call into oure remembrance the mysterie of holy baptisme wherewith for the whole course of our life we are washed that we might know not doubt that our sinnes are forgiuen vs of the same God and oure Lord yea and by the bloud of Christe into whome by baptisme once we are graffed that he might alwayes woorke saluation in vs euen til we be receiued out of myserie into glorie Neither is there any doubt that Abraham in his whole life had continually in his minde the mysterie of circumcision and rested in God and the séede promised vnto him Yet I thinke that that ought diligently to be marked which S. Augustine pithily plainly hath ofteÌ„ cited That our sinnes are forgiuen or purged in baptisme not that they are no more in vs for as long as we liue concupiscence beareth swaye alwayes breedeth and bringeth forth in vs somewhat like it selfe but that they shuld not be imputed vnto vs neither that wee may not â—inne but that it should not bee hurtfull for vs to haue or had sinned that our sinnes may be remitted when they are committed not suffered to be continued De Fide operib cap. 20. And also many more of this kind Gratian reciteth Distinct 4. de Consecrat Beside that by baptisme wee are gathered together into the fellowship of the people of god Wherevppon of some it is called the first signe or entrie into Christianitie by the whiche an entraunce into the churche lieth open vnto vs Not that before wee did not belong to the church For whosoeuer is of Christ partaker of the promises of God and of his eternall couenaunt belongeth vnto the Churche Baptisme therefore is a visible signe and testimonie of our ingraffing into the bodie of Christ And it is rightly called a planting incorporating or ingraffing into the bodie of Christe For I said in the generall discourse of Sacramentes that wee first by baptisme were ioyned with Christe and afterward with all the members of Christ our brethren For Paul saith All ye that are baptised haue put on Christ But to put on Christ is to bée made one with him as as it were to be ioyned and incorporated in him that he may liue in vs and we in him For hée onely by his spirite regenerateth and renueth vs and most liberally inricheth vs with all manner good giftes which the same Apostle in another place expresseth in these words God saued vs by the founteine of the regeneration renuing of the holy Ghost whiche he shedd on vs richly through Iesus Christ our sauiour Yea and therefore Christ our Lord is baptised in oure baptisme to declare that he is our brother and we ioynte-heires with him Verie well therefore said S. August That baptisme is thus farre forceable that wee beeing baptised are incorporated into Christ and counted his members The same Aug. calleth Baptisme the sacrament of Christian felowship For we are gathered againe visibly by baptisme into the vnitie of one bodie with all the faithfull as many as haue beene are and shal be For Paule also saith By one spirite wee are all baptised into one bodie And it followeth hereby that baptisme serueth for our confession and is rightly called the token of Christian religion For it is a badge or cognizaunce wherby we witnesse and professe that wée consent and are lincked into Christian religion Wée coÌ„fesse that we by nature are sinners and vncleane but sanctified by the grace of God through Christ For if we were cleane by nature what néeded we then any cleansing But now since wee are cleansed who doubteth of the truth of God Therefore when we receiue baptisme wee truely and fréely confesse both our sinne wherein we were borne and also frée forgiuenesse of sinnes Lastly the remembrance and consideration of the mysterie of baptisme putteth vs in minde of the dueties of Christianitie and Godlines that is to say al our life long to weigh diligently with our selues of whose bodie we be made members to denie our selues and this world to mortifie our fleshe with that coÌ„cupiscences of the same and to be buried with Christ into his death that we may rise againe in newnesse of life and liue innocently to loue our brethren as our meÌ„bers with whom by baptisme we are knit together into one bodie to remaine in the bond of concord in the vnitie of the church not to followe straunge religions béeing mindeful that we are baptised into Christ to whome alone we are consecrated and farre separated and diuided from all other Gods worships or religions and to be short from all heresies Let vs thincke also that wée must constantly and valiantly fighte against Sathan and the whole kingdome of Sathan As often therefore as wée remember wée are baptised with Christes baptisme so often are these thinges put into our mindes and wée admonished of our duetie But the Apostle handleth this matter more at large in the sixt Chapter of his epistle to the Romanes where hee expresly maketh meÌ„tion that we by baptisme are made the graftes of Christ that is to say that we might growe out of him as braunches out of the vine and féele in our mindes and bodies both the death and resurrection of Christe For since we are indued with the spirit of Christ which worketh in vs our body verily dieth daily but oure spirite liueth and reioyceth in Christe To whom be glorie for euer and euer Amen ¶ Of the Lords holie Supper what it is by whome when and for whome it was instituted after what sort when and howe oft it is to be celebrated and
of the endes thereof Of the true meaning of the woordes of the Supper This is my body Of the presence of Christ in the Supper Of the true eating of Christes bodie Of the worthie vnworthie eaters therof and howe euerie man ought to prepare himselfe vnto the Lords Supper ¶ The ninthe Sermon VNto the holy baptisme of our Lord Christ is coupled the Sacrament of the bodie bloud of our lord which we call the Lords Supper For those whome the Lord hath regenerated with the lauer of regeneration those doeth hee also féede with his spirituall foode and nourisheth them vnto eternall life wherefore it followeth necessarily that wée intreate nexte of the holy Supper of the Lord. This hath many names euen as hath the feast of Passeouer and is instituted in the place thereof in old time it was called The Passing ouer or the Lords Passeouer whiche was in déede a memorial of the Passeouer also a Remembrance Signe Solemnitie a festiual or holie day a méeting together or an holy assemblie an obseruation of worshipping a ceremonie and sacrifice of Passeouer a sacrifice or offering of which we haue spoken in place conuenient This is called by S. Paule the Apostle The Lords supper because this Ceremonie was instituted by the Lord in his last supper and because therein is offered vnto vs the spirituall banquet The same Paul termeth it and that doubtlesse for none other causes By the same Paule it is also called the Communion not so much for that wee haue communion or fellowship with Christe and hee with vs as that wee being many are one bread one bodie which do partake of the same bread Luke calleth it Breaking of bread naming the whole by a parte And it is euident that our forefathers of old gaue not vnto the receiuers of the Lords supper a morsell but that they brake the bread amongest themselues In time past firme leagues were perfourmed by breaking of bread It is called also a memoriall and remembrance of the Lords passion For the Lord said Doe this in the remembrance of mee It is named a thankesgiuing because when wee celebrate the Lords supper wee thanke him for all his benefites and especially for his death by the whiche wee are redéemed It is called also a Token and a mysterie and a sacrament of the bodie and bloud of the lord Our forefathers did terme it by this word Synaxis Synaxis is a ioyning together a knitting a closing or an agréement For the Church is ioyned and vnited vnto Christe in the holy Supper by a most streight league and to conclude the members themselues are therewith ioyned very fast together Furthermore it is called an assembly of Saincts an holy company and a gathering together For in the old time it was neuer customablye celebrated but in the common assembly of the Church Whiche is plainely to be proued by the words of the Apostle 1. Corinth 2. To conclude we shall offend nothing at all if we call the supper of our Lord The Testament and will of God and of oure lord For herein shalt thou finde all thinges belonging to a full and perfecte Testament For Christe is the Testatour All faithful Christians are appointed heires The Legacie is the forgiuenes of sinnes and life euerlasting obteined by the body of Christ which was giuen his bloud which was shedd The letters or table of this testament or wil be the words of the Lords supper wittnessing as it were by a publique writing that Christ is the foode and life of the faithful The order and doing thereof is as it were the seale Wherefore euen as we do call that a testament whiche hath letters sealed conteyning a testament both by writing and sealing so the Lord himselfe did call his supper a testament For This cupp said hee is the newe testament in my bloud For otherwise the newe testament is not the remission of sinnes Whiche thing Ieremie the prophete doeth plainely testifie in the 31. Chapiter and Paule to the Hebrues in the eighth Chapiter This holy mysterie hath diuerse other names but these for the most part are chiefest and most cōmonly vsed Of the other names wee will speake else-where They doe define for the most part the Lordes supper to bee a spirituall banquet wherewith the Lord doeth both kepe his death in remembrance and also féedeth his people vnto life euerlasting But let me set downe a more large description thereof vnto you The supper of the Lord is an holy action instituted vnto the Churche from God wherein the Lord by the setting of bread and wine before vs at the banquet doeth certifie vnto vs his promise and communion and sheweth vnto vs his giftes and layeth them before oure senses gathereth them together into one body visibly and to be short will haue his death kept of the faithfull in remembrance and admonisheth vs of our duetie and especially of praise and thākesgining First we say that the supper of the Lord is an action or déed For the Lord when hee made his supper did giue thanks vnto God he brake bread and gaue the cupp and said Doe this in the remembraunce of mee Againe it cannot be euery action For at the table where we eate meat we also giue thankes vnto God wée breake bread and giue the cup but it is an holy action because it is from God and instituted vnto the Church Wherefore it farr differeth frō our ordinarie meate suppers as wel for that it is specially instituted by the sonne of God vnto the Church as also because it hath the word of God and the peculiar example of Christ Therefore S. Paul making a difference betwene this and common eating sayeth If any man hunger let him eate at home least that yee come together to your condemnation And againe Haue ye not houses to eate drincke in As though hée might say This supper is mystical Again what maner of action it is it doth forthwith appeare by that whiche felloweth where the Lord by the setting of bread and wine before vs at the banquet doeth assure vs of his promise and communion c. This supper therefore hath his peculiar limites of the whiche although I spake when I entreated generally of the vertue of the Sacraments yet will I repeate certeine of them that make most for this purpose when I shall drawe toward an end of this Sermon But concerning the description of this supper these thinges are chiefly to be consider and declared First who did institute it who is the true authour and maker of the Lords supper not any man but the very sonne of God himselfe the wisedome of the father verie God and man So that wee come not to the table of men althoughe a man being the minister bée the chiefest there neither do wée receiue holy signes at the handes of the minister onely but also at the hand of oure Lord himselfe
was once perfectly finished vppon the crosse but the Churche doeth not offer vppe sacrifice any more either with bloud or without bloud Praise thanksgiuing are a most acceptable sacrifice to the Lord the same the minister offereth not for others but with others Here now therefore we ascribe none other thing to the minister but the ministrie that he bee the president or chief dealer to recite the prayers in the celebration of the supper and after the holy prelection and the pronouncing of the solemne wordes let him after the example of Christ begin to break the lords bread and distribute his cup and let him receiue also the sacrament for himself as the other faithfull people doe as companion of the faith and when the communion is done let him end the holy action with thankesgiuing and some holy exhortatiō Concerning the place where the supper is to be celebrated I finde no contention hathe beéne amongst the most auncient ministers of the church It is read how that our Lord Iesus vsed the hall of a certeine prinate mans house And also the Apostle Paule both preached brake bread at Troas in a certeine dining place The auncient Church which insued immediately after the death of the Apostles almoste vnto the time of Constantine the great had none or verie fewe large publique churches For it was scarce lawfull or safe in so troublesome a time for the Christians to créepe abroade In the meane time they vsed verie honest places in the which they mette together in holy assemblies hauing places of prayer At this present there séemeth no place to bee more worthie or more commodious to celebrate the holy supper in than that which is appointed for doctrine and prayer For so haue we learned of Saint Paule Cor. cha 11. How beit if tyrannicall power wil not suffer vs to haue a church what shal let vs but that we may reueritly celebrate the supper in honest priuate houses Touching the holie instrumentes belonging to the Supper the matter also requireth to speake something in this place In the time that the Apostles liued they iupped at tables sett foorth and furnished for that purpose they knew no fixed altars builded of stone which are more fit to make fire vpō to burne beasts on for a sacrifice A remouing table agréeth better with the example of Christe Notwithstanding we condemne not standing altars so that they serue onely to the lawfull vse of the supper S. Paule in the 1. to the Corinthians calleth the altars of Ethnickes tables so that we néede not to meruaile that the auncient fathers termed our tables altars For it is an easie matter to fall from the one to the other and it should séeme that they alluded vnto the onely altar of the Tabernacle of God. In olde time the tables were couered with some faire cloath with some linnen table-cloth or towell Frō whence perhaps were borrowed those thinges which are called corporalls As for that outwarde brauerie worldly trimming it was not then vsed on the altars of christians We reade how it is forbidden by the law that there muste no altar be builded of hewen stone by which prouiso all cost and branerie in Religion is forbidden Thus it is manifest that in the ancient times there were no precious nor costly vessels vsed at the supper For like as Christe and the Apostles taught that frugalitie should be vsed in all places condemning superfluitie and beatinge into vs the contempte of golde and siluer so in those holie mysteries they haue not ouerthrowne that doctrine of theirs or giuen occasion of excesse After longe persecution when peace was restored to the Churche then began the custume to celebrate in the church w vessels of golds siluer ▪ But th◠also there were some that brought the same againe to his olde frugalitie and simplicitie Chrysostome cryed out as I haue also declared in another place that in receiuing the Lords supper we ought to haue golden mindes not golden vessels And Saint Ambrose sayeth The Sacraments require not golde neither are those things plesaunt in golde which are not bought with golde The ornament of the Sacraments is the redemption of captiues S. Hier. commends S. Exuperius byshop of Toledo who carried the Lords bodie in a basket of wicker and the bloud in a glasse had expelled couetousnesse out of the Churche And truely that canō of the Triburean counsel which is yet extante in the Popes decrées for bidding that no Priest should minister this holie mysterie in wodden vessels doeth proue sufficiently that certeine Churches more than eight hundred yéeres since Christes passion vsed to drink the bloud of Christe in wodden vessels wherefore wodden cups in the supper be of all moste auncient Bonifacius the Archebyshop which example although I haue alleadged elsewhere yet am I inforced to repeat it here again for that it agréeth so fitly with this present matter being asked long since Whether it were lawful to minister the sacramentes in vessels of wood aunswered In olde times sayth he golden priestes vsed wodden cupps but now contrarywise wodden priests vse golden cuppes But if any man bringe vessels made of any other stuffe without excesse and superstition I would not greatly striue with him so that he will also acknowledge that they do not offend which vse the wodden For as touching the forme and matter of the cuppes all are frée and lawfull for the faithful Church toovse Moreouer it is euident that the Lord in the first supper yea and the Apostles also in celebrating the same supper vsed their owne vsuall and decent apparell And therefore it is not disagreable from the first institution if the minister come vnto the Lords table couered with his owne garment so that it be comely and honest Surely the communicants doe weare on them their owne vsuall apparel We must take héede then that there créep in no superstitiō Our forfathers as it semed did weare a cloke cast ouer their common garmentes which they did not after the example of Christe or the Apostles but according to mans tradition At the length that stuffe whiche is vsed at this day was taken vp according to the imitation of the priests garment of the olde law and appointed to be worne by the ministers that would celebrate the supper Neither doth Innocentius the 3. of that name disseble this matter in the 4. Chap. and 4. booke of his worke De Sac. altar mysterio As for vs we haue learned of late that all Leuitical maters are not only put away but not to be brought againe in to the Church by any For as much therefore as we remaine in the light of the gospell and not in the shadowe of the lawe we do vpon good cause reiect that Leuiticall Massing apparell I haue also declared in another place that it hath bene the manner in olde time that euery nation hath vsed their owne natiue vulgar tonge in ministring the
that the people may haue a desire vnto it But they that celebrate it verie oft they suppose it an vnméete thing that good thinges by often frequenting them shuld be despised for the better the thing is the oftener say they it is to be vsed Both these sortes desire to serue the Lorde and would haue that to be done to great and good effecte which the Lord hath left frée Betwéene these if S. Augustine bee made vmpier and Iudge doubtlesse he would pronounce none other iudgment than that which he hath alreadie pronounced of the same cause writing vnto Ianuarius and saying Hee shall best decide this strife beetweene them who so aduised them especially to abide in the peace of christ and that euerie man doe that whiche according to his faithe hee is persuaded to bee good and godly For neither of them dishonoreth the bodie and bloud of our Lorde Onely that meate must not be contemned Now for whome this holy supper is iustituted and to whome it is to be ministred we haue also to consider It séemeth that it is instituted and to bée giuen vnto all faythfull Christian people of what sexe soeuer men and women high lowe Wherfore so great a mysterie is not to be cast vnto swine and dogs to be contemned and troden vnder foote Before it bee ministred all men are earnestly effectually to bee admonished vnto whom this meat apperteineth namely to thē the acknowledg their sins that are sorie for their faults and beléeue in Christe All are to be admonished that euery man descending into him selfe doe proue him selfe and afterwarde so eate of this holie bread and drinke of this holie drink that he eate not and drinke not thereof vnworthily vnto his condemnation But after this seuere admonition if any approch vnto the table and sit down by their sitting down do as it were opēly professe both that they are also desire to remaine true worshippers of Christ by whōe they truste to haue remission of their sinnes surely such are not to be put back by the ministers neither are the holy mysteries to be denied thē For the Lord himselfe who is the searcher of harts seuerely diligently plainly in many words in his last Supper before he distributed the mysteries admonished Iudas being an hypocrit a théef a traitour a murtherer yea a parricide a blasphemer and a forsaker of his maister but béeing admonished when notwithstādinghe departed not from the table but tarried among the Saints the Lord did not violētly put him away nor bad him openly to depart neither withheld he the Lords bread frō him but gaue it vnto him as he did vnto others although he knewe assuredly what he was Which thing the ministers of the church do not alwayes so certeinly know of thē that sit down at the table Neither did the Lord offend any whit at all in so doing neither did he cast that whiche was holie to the dogs For the Lord warned him diligently of all matters whereof he was to be warned he hearing and vnderstanding thē all remaineth notwithstēding among the Saints daunteth himself for one of the faithful not for an hogg and as one of the fathfull taketh parte of the bread of the cup. By which hypocrisie notwithstāding he prouoked the heuy iudgment of god agaīst him euē as also at this day this holy meat this holy drink turneth to the destruction bothe of body soule of all hypocrits Neither did the presence of the hypocrite at the Lords supper defile the other faithfull disciples of Christe which sat at the table like as neither at this day are the faithfull polluted although they sée many hypocrites sit downe at the table with thē For they sup not with them as with hypocrites but as it were with the faithful In the mean while the hypocrite hurteth himselfe not others he falleth and perisheth to his owne destruction he eateth and drinketh his owne damnation but the faithful liueth be his owne faith of which thing we haue intreated in other sermons And although the infants are reputed to be of the church in the number of the faithful yet are they not capable of the supper In this point the auncient fathers shamefully erred which I haue also noted in the sermō of Baptisme Infants are not depriued of euerlasting life although they depart out of this world without receiuing this mysticall meate This was instituted for them that are of lawfull yéeres and not for Infants Let a man examine him selfe sayth the Apostle and let him so eate of the bread and drinke of the Cuppe And the Lorde sayth Doe this in the remembraunce of mee And againe Shewe foorth the Lordes death vntill he come All which sayings take place in people of lawful yéeres not in Infantes Our Children must be diligently instructed from their infancie that they may rightly vnderstand those mysteries and frequente them whiche thinge the Lorde commaunded the children of Israel saying If your children shall say vnto you What manner of worshiping is this you shall aunswere It is the sacrifice of the Lords Passeouer who passed ouer the houses of the children of Israel when he stroke the Aegyptians and deliuered our houses Surely we must not shew our selues to be more slacke in informing our children than they were since we haue receiued a more noble benefite than they haue Of like nature vnto this question are these other Whether the supper be to be celebrated priuatly for euery cause or necessitie Whether it be to bee carryed vnto the sicke and those that keepe their beddes Whether it be to be applyed to the dead that is to saye to bee offered for the dead to obtaine rest for them Touching these matters I knowe what is commonly said and done There hapeneth some pestilence famine warre or tempest and by and by the supper is commaunded to bee celebrated that as it were by this sacrifice the present calamitie may be taken away Againe there is one sick another perisheth with hunger and afflicted for wante of all manner necessaryes the same requireth of the priest to haue the Lords supper ministred vnto him that thereby the disease may be cured as by a most present and approued remedie and his hunger and pouertie released But this is not the due celebration of the supper but a filthye prophanation thereof For the Lord hath not instituted it to bee a cleansing sacrifice against all calamities whereby hee would be pleased but to be a memoriall of his death a dutiful thanksgiuing For whē we be at the supper we offer nothing vnto him for which he should be fauourable vnto vs and turne away such an euil from vs and giue vs such a good thing as we desire of him but we giue thanks for the benefits which we haue receiued It is lawfull otherwise for them that are oppressed with troubles to offer vpp their vowes that is to say their praiers to the Lord but
it is not lawfull to conuerte his holie mysteries to any other purpose than hee hath appointed Neither haue wee any examples to proue the any holie men did euer vse the Lords supper to any such end as these men doe The children of Israel receiued the feaste of the Paschal lamb in remembraunce of their deliuerance out of Egypt and that they should continue thankfull vnto so beneficiall a Lorde how greate an offence had they cōmitted if they had so often-times eaten their banquet as béeing oppressed with calamities they desired to be deliuered desired it by dooing that déed They receiued the Arke of the couenaunte from the Lord in token of his diuine presence and assured help but when contrary to the end wherevnto it was appointed they bare it into the campe to the intent they might obteine the victory thereby they them selues were putt to flight and slaine and the Ark caryed away by the Philistines into captiuitie Againe if the Lords supper bee a publique holie feaste of the whole Church gathered together in one in the whiche there ought to be breaking distributing eating and drinking and thereby the communion of the bodie and bloud of Christe bee declared and sealed it followethe that the Lords supper ought not to be ordeyned neither for any in health or sicknesse neither for any lying sicke in his bed or at the point of death be it either priuatly at home or openly at Church neither can the godly require the Lordes supper vnto any such priuate vses For the institution of Christe our Lord muste not be altered by any humane authoritie or custome Verilie S. Paule requireth a publique assembly of the church and a generall méeting for the due celebrating of the supper When you meete together therfore in one place this is not to take the supper of the Lord that is to say Ye doe not eate the Lordes supper The reason is For euery one when they shoulde eate taketh his owne supper c. Wherefore hee will not that any thing bee done therein priuatly Likewise in the same place hee sayeth that they méete together and eate the Lordes supper to their owne damnation which make haste to the Supper not tarrying for the congregation vntil they doe all méet they eate and drinke together For he sayeth Wherefore my brethren when you meete to eate and drinke tarry one for an other if any man be hungry let him eate at home to wit that he be not constrained to eate before the residue that ye mete not together to your condemnation Wherfore the Lords supper is not a priuate but a publique supper to bee giuen to no man priuatly And forasmuch as that assembly is not publique or generall when foure or fiue doe communicate with the sick their saying is nothing which say that the supper may be ordeined for the sick if so be that others doe sup with them Moreouer who wil denie that the example of Christe and the Apostles is perpetually to be followed But it is euident enough that Christe celebrated his supper in a common dyning place haueing gathered the Churche vnto him as well as it might at that time be gathered Sainct Paule sayeth that in that pointe hée followed the example of the Lorde and that he hath deliuered no other thing to the church than that which he receiued of the Lorde Neither reade we in any place of the Scriptures that the other Apostles of Christe carryed the Sacramente to the sicke and that they ordeyned the holie Supper priuately for euery one to appease his tentation But all the apostles commaund vs in euery place to confirme and strengthen the sicke and afflicted conscience with the Lordes worde they teache vs also to succour the distressed with diligent prayer S Iames hath diligently sett downe in writing how the faithfull shall behaue them selues towardes the sick and them that are departing out of this worlde but as touching the celebrating or carrying the Sacrament vnto them hée speaketh not one worde Neither is it likely that the Apostles the moste faithfull doctours of the Churche would dissemble the matter if so be they had thoughte that it had apperteined chiefly to our saluation They haue warned vs often of thinges of farre lesse importaunce And certeine it is that they haue taught the Churche all thinges that béelong to true godlinesse and saluation but as for this matter they haue not mentioned one worde of it They obiecte out of the Actes of the apostls this authoritie And breaking bread from house to house they eate meate together with gladnesse and singelnes of hart praysing God. But that place is to be vnderstood of the bodily nourishing meat not of the mysticall foode For it followeth They receiued meate or sustenaunce together And therefore as it is read in the 58. Chapter of Esay to breake breade is as much to say as to féede and so it signifieth héere also For the richer sorte gaue foode to the poorer which they did with a chéerfull not with a sorrowfull hearte and they that receiued the benefite praysed god But if any man doe stubbernly contend that the Apostles did sup in priuate houses We answere that it maketh nothinge to the present matter of the sick and of priuate communion For as I haue saide before at that time they vsed priuate houses in stéede of Churches And therefore they supped in priuate houses not to féede the sick with the bread of the sacrament but because the vniuersall church of that place was gathered together in them as it appeareth in the 20. Chapter of the Actes as the maner is in persecutions They obiect moreouer that the auncient fathers sent the sacrament vnto them that were bounde in prison and to them that were departing to féede on vpon the way But I haue declared in place else-where wherefore the ancient fathers did so Héerevnto also we add that mans custome cannot preiudice the word of God. The blessed martyr Irenaeus writeth that the byshops of Rome were wont to send the Sacrament to other byshops whiche come to Rome from other places in token of concorde and agreement But that custome was not vsed by all byshopps neither is it vsed in the Churche at this present Héereof it followeth that many thinges were vsed by the auncient fathers as that whereof wee spake before whiche was in giuing the Sacramentes to infants which notwithstanding are no lawe vnto vs Good men also at this day may suffer a priuate supper for a time for them that do not yet vnderstand the full vse of the supper But who will gather héereof that euery man ought of dutie to doe that which is permitted vnto some vpon sufferaunce But if we continue contentiously to affirme it to be a reliefe for vs in our trauaile it will growe to this whiche wee haue séene receiued already certeine hundred yéeres ago that there shall be hope and confidence putt in the receiuing of the sacramēt as though
the in respect therof wee were acceptable vnto God and when wée departe out of this life wée should flye straight wayes vpp into Heauen but without receiuing the Sacramente bée throwen directly downe to hell There muste also néedes arise sundrye other errours Neither is there any necessitie to constraine vs to minister the sacrament to the sick For as prisoners are absent from receiuing the Lords supper without danger of saluation so likewise are the sick those that are ready to dye For béeing neuertheles by perfect faith gathered to the body of Christe although they be absent in body yet being in minde present with the congregatiō they are also made partakers of all spirituall good things And it is sufficient for thē that as lōg as they haue bene in helth they haue bene alwayes presēt at the holy mysteries The feast of Passeouer was not celebrated euery where but at Hierusalem onely in one place But howe many were there thincke wée the by reason of their bodily health impaired with sicknes for old-age could not trauell to Hierusalem from so large and wide a kingdome And although no man brought them home a péece of the Paschal lambe in their pockets notwithstanding they did cōmunicate with the whole church of Israel And who doubteth but that by the comming of Christ the condition of the Christians is made better Our Lord Christ did not institute his mysticall supper for the dead but for the liuing onely wherefore it is not to be celebrated for the dead and to bee applied to their redēption They that die without faith immediatly fall vnder the iudgment of damnation But they that are dead in Christ are alreadie ioyned vnto the companie of the elders and stand before the Lambe singing Halleluiah for euermore For I haue declared in my sermon of the Soule that the saluation of the faithful soules which are departed by corporal death is most vndoubted And where some obiect that the auncient sathers haue made mētion of offering for the dead we suppose that it apperteineth not vnto vs We beléeue the Canonicall scriptures without contradiction we beléeue not the fathers further than they can proue their owne sayings by the Canonicall scriptures Neither would they haue thē-selues otherwise beléeued And therfore if the fathers thincke that the supper is a sacrifice that it is to be offred to procure rest to the souls departed we do not receiue that opinion as not agréeing with the Canonicall scriptures whiche teache that the Lord instituted not his supper for that purpose and therefore by such abuse of the supper God is rather displeased than pleased yea that there is no work of man be it neuer so good much lesse if it be against Gods word that can sanctifie since that prerogatiue belongeth onely to the merite of the sonne of God and moreouer that the souls departed are not in any such state in the other world that they can or ought to be holpen by any woorkes in this world But if the auncient fathers by oblation or offering doe vnderstand the sacrifice of praise or thanckesgiuing we will not striue against them but that there may be made oblations for the dead that is to say that thanks be giuen to God his goodnes praised who hath called out of this miserable world such as were indued with true faith and hath ioyned them vnto the companies of angels and all the blessed sainctes in the euerlasting kingdome of all ioye and felicitie But surely there is no truth nor godlines that willeth vs to celebrate the supper for the dead And we make a distinction in sacrifice or oblatiō For there is a sacrifice of expiation and there is a sacrifice of confession or praise The sacrifice of expiation is offered to cleanse or purge sinns and also for satisfaction for sinnes This cānot be accomplished without death and bloud as S. Paule the Apostle sheweth plainely in the 9. Cap. to the Hebrues The sacrifice of Christ was such a one the figures of whiche were all the sacrifices of all the holy fathers of the old testament who beeing both priest and sacrifice offered vp himself once to God the father while he suffered vpon the crosse and shedding his most innocent bloud there gaue vpp the Ghost The supper at this day is no such sacrifice but a commemoration of the death or of the sacrifice once offered vpon the crosse For nether ought or can Christe bee sacrificed againe who being once offered is sufficient to cleanse all the sinnes of all ages Why then should hee be sacrificed againe Neither can the sonne of God be sacrificed by any man since that for the same cause he offered vp himselfe once to God as being a priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech Therefore the minister of the Churche doeth not in the Churche sacrifice the body and bloud of Christe in the supper for the liuing but together with the whole Church doeth celebrate the remembraunce of the sacrifice which was once offered vpon the Crosse Of which as I haue said elsewhere the supper may also be called a sacrifice because it is a sacrament or signe of the sacrifice whiche was once offered by Christe as Augustine also hath lefte written The sacrifice of cōfession is of praise thankesgiuing which wée offer to God for the redemption and benefits of god fréely bestowed vpon his Church And since we offer the same alwayes vnto GOD in prayer but chiefly when wée are ioyned in the sacramēt of the Eucharist or celebrating the supper therefore the auncient fathers called it a sacrifice because in the same we giue thanckes vnto God for oure deliuerance from death and for the inheritaunce of euerlasting life which is giuen vnto vs And that this sacrifice is generally offered by the vniuersall Churche in celebrating the supper not by the minister of the church alone for those the liue in the Church we tould you before Now forasmuch as wee haue hetherto discussed certaine circūstances or questions whiche are wont to be moued about the Lords supper so farr forth as the necessitie of the matter séemed to require as muche as our smal abilitie was able to performe it remayneth that we descend further to declare for what cause the Lords supper was by the Lord instituted which place truely is not rashly reckoned among the chiefest For we made mention of the same immediatly vpon the beginning of this sermon For the lord by setting bread wine before vs in the holy banquet would haue his promise and communion testified vnto vs and his gifts represented vnto vs made manifest to our senses would also gather vs visibly into one bodie and reteine the memorie of his death in the hearts of the faithfull and finally put vs in minde of our duetie chiefly of praise thankesgiuing All these thinges haue we seuerally expounded hauing discoursed vpon them at large in the generall cōsideration
These sayinges of the clarified body which is that whiche ascended and sitteth at the righte hande of the father repugne wholy with vbiquitie or being in euerie place and the insensibilitie of Christes body whiche notwithstanding must néedes be graunted if we procéede to inforce the reall presence of Christes bodye out of the wordes of the supper simply vnderstood Whervnto belongeth that whiche the Apostle disputing of the resurrection of the deade sayth If the deade doe not rise neyther is Christe risen But Christe is risen being the first fruites of them that sleepe and therefore shall wee rise also Wherefore by our owne bodies being raysed againe it appeareth what manner of bodye Christes glorious body was or is wherevnto our bodies are made like But our bodyes shall be true bodyes consisting of sinewes veynes fleshe skinne and bones visible not inuisible and remayning in some certeine place in heauen not euerie where wherevpon it foloweth that the lords bodye is not inuisible and euerie where But if any man thinke that to be no good argument whiche is fet from our raysed bodyes to the Lords raysed body or contrariwise let him accuse Saint Paul who hath taught vs this by his example Therefore the Catholique and righte auncient fayth constreyneth vs to expound the wordes of the Supper by a trope or figure Finally when as the Capernaites had hearde the Lord dispute touching the eating of his body and drinking of his bloud and did thinke and imagine of a carnall eating and drinking he sayde that he would ascend into heauen to wit that they shoulde not thinke on the eating of his naturall body since in the selfe same body he would ascend into heauen Neyther is there lefte here any place for the newe and friuolous deuice of certeine men whiche feigne that to ascend into heauen is nothing els than to lay downe the weake state and condition thereof and to receiue a supernaturall For Sainte Luke whome altogether we muste rather beléeue than suche subtile deuises or rather follies saith that the Lord was lifted vp on highe and carried vp into heauen from the sight of his disciples moreouer that his body was receyned by a cloude and that his disciples looked vp into heauen after him vntill they heard the Angels say vnto them that he would returne againe in the verie same manner altogether as they saw him depart away But who knoweth not that he shall come againe in the cloudes of heauē Therfore heauen into which the lord ascended is the name of a place not of a state or condition Also in the gospell he promiseth vs a place with him selfe saying If I go to prepare you a place I will come againe and take you vnto me that where I am there you may be also Yea he layd downe all the conditions and infirmities of a mortall body in his resurrection so that he had no néed to lay them down at his ascension I suppose that there is none of the faythfull that will denye that the Lorde instituted nothing to vs in vaine or without some singular and speciall commoditie to vs But when the Lorde sayde in the Gospell that his fleshe being corporally eaten auayled nothing where he speaketh of none other body than of that verie same whereof he spake in the words of the Supper to wit whiche he gaue for vs it followeth without all contradiction that the Lorde deliuered nothing vnto vs in the Supper but that would profite vs But he should haue deliuered that which would not haue profited vs if hee had giuen vs his body to be eaten corporally It is euident therefore that it is very necessarie the wordes of the Supper shoulde be expounded Herevnto belongeth the notable prophecie and manifest commaundement of oure Lorde Iesus Christe saying in the Gospell Then if they shall say vnto you Loe here is Christe or there is Christe doe not beleeue For there shal arise false Christes and false prophetes and they shall worke greate signes and wonders so that if it were possible the verie elect shall bee brought into errour Beholde I haue tolde you before If therefore they shall say vnto you Beholde where he is in the wildernesse goe not foorth Behold where he is in the innermost parts of the house in the closets or coffers I say For this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth the most secrete and innermost partes of all the house wherein we vse to lay vp those things whiche we would haue safest kept which in Dutche we call Schryn schloss vnd ghalt doe not beleeue For like as the lightning goeth out of the east appeareth euen vnto the west so shall the cōming of the sonne of man bee But although this place is vsed to be expounded by many of the calamities of the Iewes yet that can not be denyed whiche S. Hierome also him selfe confesseth that in the same likewise the destinie of all the worlde is prophecied of euen vnto the end therof Wherefore this place which we haue alledged is concluded with the saying concerning Christes last comming into the worlde at the daye of iudgement And moreouer it cannot be denyed that the Lorde doth absolutely condemne that doctrine that defendeth that Christe remaineth or is presente in diuers places of the world in boxes or close places whiche not only the books of the teachers of transubstantiation are séene to do but also tabernacles whiche are erected vnto Christes body whiche they call meate tentes also chapells with famous temples and monasteries In all and euerie one of those places I say they shewe vs Christe saying Lo here is Christ and there is Christ Behold the breade of Angels Christe is wholy in all these sacrifices and he is fully and wholy in euery parte of them euen in suche sorte as he was when hee was borne of the virgine Marie and houng vppon the crosse Which thing they by and by confirm by myracles and wonders they also set it foorthe with circumstaunce of wordes saying that so greate mysteries are not to be inquired of but simply to be beléeued And that these thinges were wrought vnspeakably and inuisibly by the omnipotencie of God. Neyther did the Lorde dissemble howe muche this errour shoulde increase There shall be suche plentie suche great numbers of people that receiue this errour and running after Christe into the desarts innermost places of the houses the the very elect shal be in danger But in the mean while in so great perill and daunger of thinges what doth Christ teach his elect to do Immediately he addeth Do not beleue What do not beleue That Christe is here or there vppon earth in the wildernesse or in the innermost partes of the house or euen in the middest of the cities or in the fieldes He addeth moreouer Goe not foorth Followe not the multitude which by distance of place séeketh for Christe as if he were yet conuersant vpon the earth Therefore nowe if so be the
with christian charitie for the Lords sake to beware that we defile not our bodies with the filthe of the world since we be cleansed with the bloude of Christe Paule the Apostle sayth So often as ye shall eate of this breade and drinke of the Lords cup declare the Lordes death vntill he come But to declare the Lords death is to praise the goodnes of God to giue thanks for our redemption obteined through his death For the Apostle Peter saith Ye are a chosen generation a royall priesthod an holy nation a people set at liberty that ye shuld shew forth vertues of him that hath called you out of darknes into his meruelous light But hereof we haue spokeÌ„ also in another place Thus much I thought good in fewe words to repeate touching the ends of the supper which euery godly man being instructed by the holy ghost doth diligeÌ„tly coÌ„sider I wold now let you go déerely beloued brethren but that I sée it wil be a coÌ„moÌ„ coÌ„moditie to teach in few words flow euerie one should prepare himselfe to the lordes supper that he come not to it vnworthily But it were not loste labour first of all to search 〈◊〉 who do worthily or vnworthily eate and drinks of the Lords bread and cup. There is no man that can denie that there are degrées in our worthinesse and vnworthines if he rightly examine the iudgements of God and looking narrowly into the nature of our religioÌ„ is able to giue iudgement thereof The chiefest degrée of vnworthines is to come to the holy mysteries of faith without faith He coÌ„meth worthily that commeth with faith vnworthily he that commeth without faith Such are said to be workes worthie of repentaÌ„ce in that gospel as are penitent works or séemly for such as professe repeÌ„taunce But what is more beséeming more méete and iust than that he who is to celebrate the Lords Supper doe beléeue that he is redéemed by Christes death who was offered vp as a price for the whole world and that for that cause is desirous to giue thanks to Christ his redéemer Contrariwise what is more vnséemly vniust thaÌ„ to receiue that pledge of Christes bodie and in the meane while to haue no communion or felowship with Christ To come to thankesgiuing yet not to giue thanks from the bottome of his hart For what vniteth vs to Christe or what maketh vs partakers of all his benefites therwith also to be thankfull but faith What doth separate vs froÌ„ Christe and spoyleth vs of all his gyftes and maketh vs moste loathesome but vnbeliefe Therfore faith or vnbeléefe maketh vs partakers of the Lords table woorthily or vnworthily Paule the Apostle in the Actes sayth to the Iewes who through vnbeléefe did reiect or set at nought the preaching of the Gospell The word of God ought first to bee preached vnto you But bicause you reiect it and iudge your selues vnworthie of euerlasting life beholde we turne vnto the Gentiles How did the Iewes pronounce against theÌ„selues that they were vnworthie of euerlasting life and like Iudges gaue sentence against themselues In setting them selues againste Gods worde through vnbeléefe neither apprehendinge Christ by faith who is the life and righteousnesse of the world Wherefore the chiefe and greatest portion of our worthinesse vnworthinesse is and consisteth in â—aith or vnbeléefe S. Peter witnesseth that our hartes are purified by faith true faith therfore is the cleannes of christians Wherevpon S. Augustine sayth The vnbeleeuer eateth not the flesh of Christ spiritually but rather eateth and drinketh the sacrament of so great a thing to his owne condemnation Because beeing vncleane he hathe presumed to come to Christes sacraments which no man receiueth worthily but he that is cleane Of whom it is said Blessed be the cleane in hart for they shal see God c. Moreouer they eate and drink of the Lords supper vnworthily who although they be not destitute of faith yet by their abusing of it do peruert the right institution of the Lord such séemeth to haue béene the errour of the Churche of Corinth which mingled the priuate and prophane with the Ecclestastical and mystical banquet did put no difference betwéene the Lords bread which is called Christs bodie common meate For Paule saith Who so eateth drinketh vnwoorthily he eateth and drinketh his owne damnation making no difference of the Lordes bodie Therefore to make no difference of the lords bodie is vnworthily to eate the lords bread and to drinke of his cup. For this woorde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to iudge or to make a difference is to weigh and consider of a mater exactly with iudgment to the vttermost of a mans power to iudge of it make a difference betwéene that and al other things Furthermore the Lords bodie is not only that spiritual body of the Lord to wit the church of the faithfull but that verie bodie which the Lord tooke of the virgin offred vp for our redemptioÌ„ that now sitteth at the right hand of the father To be short the bread of the sacrament in the supper is the Lords bodie it is I say the sacrament of the true bodie which was giuen for vs Whosoeuer therfore putteth no difference betwéene this the Lords mystical bread prophane meate but commeth to Christes table as he would to a table of common and grosse meate and acknowledgeth not that this heauenly meats differeth farre from other humane meate neither commeth after that sort as the Lord hath instituted but foloweth his owne reason surely he maketh no difference of the Lords bodie but eateth and drinketh his own damnation Paul againe expoundeth himselfe saying Therefore my brethren when you come together to eate tarrie one for another that yee meete not to condemnation Who so therfore preuenteth the publique supper by eating his own priuate supper that is to say who so suppeth not as the Lord hath appointed the same eateth drinketh vnworthily For before vn worthie eaters drinkers are said to eate and drinke their own damnatioÌ„ here they are said to méete togither to their condemnation the make hast to the supper not tarying for their brethren and they make no difference of the Lords bodie S. Augustine in his 26. treatise vpon Iohn sayth The Apostle speketh of those which receiued the Lords bodie without difference carelesly as if it had bin any other kind of meate whatsoeuer Heretherefore if he be reproued which maketh no difference of the lords bodie that is to say doth not discerne the lords body froÌ„ other meates how then shuld not Iudas be daÌ„ned who came to the lords table feigning that he was a friend but was an enimie c. How much more grieuously doe they séeme to sinne at this day who peruerting the lawfull and first vse the was instituted by the Lord do stablish their own abuse with great contentioÌ„ yea grieuously persecute them that cry out against it
members of Christes bodie of whom he is also a member and be readie to spend his life for them according to the example of Christe and whether he haue remitted or pardoned all anger and enimitie and whether he be desirous to call to minde Christes passion the whole mysterie of our redemption to giue thanks to God for our redeÌ„ption for all other gyftes of God already receiued to be receiued This is the right examining which agréeth with the receiuing of the mystical supper and when we haue done so we may in humblenes and feare of the Lord with gladnesse approche to the supper of our Lord Christ But here the faithful do tremble who are as it were priuie to their owne imperfection infirmitie For they do not finde these thinges to be so perfect in their mindes as otherwise they knâ—w a iust perfection requireth Satan commeth and he casteth in many and great stayes to the intent he may drawe vs backe from the celebration of the supper Therefore we say if any man suppose that none is to be admitted to the supper but he that is purged from al sinne infirmitie surely he shall driue away exclude al men howe many soeuer liue in this world nay he shal altogether depriue theÌ„ of the lords supper as not to be any loÌ„ger for sinful men but for Angels We must remeÌ„ber that this examinatioÌ„ resteth within his own bounds that God here also as euerie where else doth vse this clemencie and mercie towards vs He knoweth our weakenesse corruption with vs can beare our infirmities The Israelits vnder king Ezechias being not fully cleansed tooke part of the paschal lamb But the king prayed and said The Lorde who is good wil haue mercie vppon all men that with al their hart seeke after the God of their fathers will not impute it vnto them that they are not sanctified And herevnto is added in the holy history in 2. Chron â–ª 30. chap And the Lord heard Ezechias and he was pleased with the people The worthinesse which is inquired for by exacte examination is no absolute perfection but a wil and mind instructed by God which humblie acknowledgeth it owne vnworthinesse and therfore humblie prayeth for increase of faith charitie all perfection in Christ only At that first supper the Apostles were Christes guests among these was Iudas but because hee lacked faith and was a traitour yea a murtherer he was made guiltie of the bodie and bloud of the lord The other apostles were also sinners theÌ„selues but not wicked thei beleued in christ thei loued Christ one of theÌ„ loued aother like brethreÌ„ therfore they did not eate of the Lords supper vnworthily as Iudas did Although in the meane time at the same table they shewed tokens of great imperfectioÌ„ For Peter not without great contempt reproch of his brethren preferreth himselfe before them all Moreouer they contend among themselues for honour which of them should seme to be greater than another I will not nowe recite that streightway after they arose from the table they shamefully forsoke their maister and ranne away many wayes behaud them selues vnworthili but al these things were easily washed away for the faith had taken very déepe roote within them Neither will I here sticke to recite worde for worde the comfort of M. Iohn Caluine a godly and learned man who with great commendation teacheth in the church at this day my fellow minister most welbeloued déere brother whiche he hathe sette down for the afflicted in this case Let vs call to remembrance saith he that this holy banquet is a medicine for the sick a coÌ„fort for the sinfull a largesse to the pore which to the whole righteous and rich if there could any such be found would bring small vantage For seing that in this banquet Christ is giuen vnto vs to be eaten we vnderstand that without him we faynt faile and are forsaken Moreouer seeing he is giuen to vs to be our life we vnderstande that without him wee are but dead Wherfore this is the greatest only worthines which we can giue vnto God if we lay before him our own vilenes vnworthines that through his mercy he may make vs worthie of himselfe if we despaire in our selues that we may be coÌ„forted in him if we humble our selues that we may be lift vp by him if we accuse ourselues that we may be iustified by him Moreouer if we attein vnto that vnitie whiche he coÌ„mendeth vnto vs in the supper and like as he maketh vs all to dwel in him so that we may with likewise that ther were one soul one hart one tongue in vs all If we wel wey meditate these things theÌ„ shal these thoughts neuer trouble vs we that ar naked and destitute of all goodnes we that are stayned with spots of sinn we that are halfe deade how shoulde wee worthily eate the Lords bodie Let vs rather think that we being poore doe come to a plentifull giuer we that are sicke come to a Physician we that are sinful come to a sauiour that the worthines which is coÌ„manded by God coÌ„sisteth in faith chiefly which reposeth al in God nothing in our selues secondly in charitie suche charitie as it is sufficient if we offer it vnto God vnperfect that he may increse it to the better seing we cannot performe it absolute as it ought to be Thus farr he This muche haue I saide hetherto of the most holie supper of our lord Iesus Christe the moste excellent wholesome sacrament of Christians for which euen from the very beginning while the Apostles were yet liuing sathan the most deadly enimie to our saluation lying in wayte hath gone about to ouerthrow by many corruptions defilings from whiche being nowe for a time faithfully cleansed yet doth he not so leaue it but intermingles throwes an heap of coÌ„tentions into it being made vnto y churche y token of a couenant neuer to be broken Wherevpon the thing itself our saluation requireth that we bée circumspect giue no place to the temptour but agreing altogether in christ and being ioyned into one body by faithful celebrating of the supper we may loue one another and giue euerlasting thankes to our redéemer and Lorde Christe to whome be praise glory nowe for euer Amen Amen ¶ Of certeine institutions of the Church of god Of Scholes Of Ecclesiastical goodes and the vse and abuse of the same Of Churches and holie instrumentes of Christians Of the admonitioÌ„ correctioÌ„ of the ministers of the church and of the whole Church Of matrimonie Of widowes Of virgines Of monkes What the Church of Christ determineth concerning the sicke and of funeralls and buryall ¶ The tenth Sermon THERE remaine certeine thinges but a fewe truly whiche are to be expounded vnto you déerely beleued the whiche partly apperteine to the institution
be â—ray their â—haltitie Thei were â—aten of vormes aliue and â—â—aâ—cke so horribly that no man could abide theÌ„ The conclusion The nintâ— commauâ—demente The â—ounge Of bearing witnesse 〈…〉 A lye 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of lyes Carying of 〈◊〉 a 〈…〉 to 〈…〉 〈…〉 as 〈…〉 an 〈◊〉 in 〈…〉 the 〈…〉 to 〈…〉 to the 〈…〉 of theâ— whoÌ„ 〈…〉 writiâ—â— by the 〈…〉 〈…〉 Backbyting is 〈◊〉 Flatteriâ— The tenth commaundemente of God. 〈…〉 Concupiscence Man is coÌ„uinced of sinne What 〈…〉 God 〈…〉 What 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 must 〈◊〉 courâ— Ceremonies gene rally what they are Humane ceremonies Diuine â—eremonies The ende whereto ceremonies were ordeined The woshippe oâ— God â–ª 1. Cor. 10. WheÌ„ God liketh and when he mislyketh Ceremonies The knowledge of the ceremonies is not vnprofitable 〈…〉 The priesthoode The beginning of Priesthood I thinke â—is meaning was to haue â—ide Esau â—nd Iacob â—n steede of Caine â—nd Abell Christ the first begotâ—en The Leuites chosen to be the priests Exod. 32. Num. 3. Certaine degrees among the Priestes Among the Leuits 〈…〉 〈…〉 The priests rayment Breeches The close frocke or â—â—ssocke The girdle The 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 The Ephod The Megil The brestlappe or highe priestes Ephod The brestlappe of â—udgemeÌ„t Vrim 〈◊〉 Thummim 〈…〉 That name was Iehouah whiche wheresoeuer the Israelites did â—inde it written they did not cal Iehouah but expressed it by the worde Adonai which signifieth Lorde so greatly did they reuerence the maiestical name of God. The meaning of the Priests apparell The Priestes office Let Priests teache Let 〈◊〉 blesse Num. â— Sacrifices and ministring of the sacramentes was commaunded the priests The priests carried the tabernacle vessels of the Lord. 〈…〉 Truâ—peteâ—s 〈…〉 serues warre 〈…〉 〈…〉 A thousaÌ„d cubites geometrical make one myle thre quarters of a mile and â—00 paceâ— reckoning fiue feete to euery pace A Synagogue was a place for people to assemble themselues togeather in to heare the woord or lawe of the Lorde The holy place The fashion of the tabernacle Whâ—â— thingeâ— were 〈◊〉 in the 〈…〉 The Latin copie here doth square from the words of the 26. of Erodus where wee finde as I haue turned it that the table stoode on the North side wheras the Latine copie saith on the South-side and calleth it pars Australis The meaning of the Tabernacle Heb. 9. 〈…〉 God The historie of the Lords Tabernacle Of Solomons temple 1. Chro. 21 The 〈◊〉 of thâ—â— that sâ—â—â—â—fice 〈◊〉 high pâ—â—ces The signification misterie of the Arke Area is an arke or a coffer and what was layed therein Christe his priesthood compared to Aarons rod. The â—â—cy 〈◊〉 Thâ—â— abuseâ— the 〈◊〉 â–ª The goldeÌ„ table The shewe breade The goldeÌ„ caÌ„dlestick The incense altar Th◠〈◊〉 of 〈…〉 The braseÌ„ lauer The holie time What an holiday is To what end the holy dayes were ordeined 〈…〉 A 〈…〉 holy 〈…〉 Solemne fastings The Sabboth The newe Moone The three yeares metings or asseÌ„blies of the Iewes Passeouer 〈◊〉 The feaste of the seuenth moneth or of the tabernacles The feaste of trumpets The feaste of cleanâ—ing The feaste of tabernacles The congregation The yeare of Iubilie Two Sacraments of the Synagogue Circumcision what it is The originall or beginning of Circumcision Of the league of God and man. 〈…〉 The 〈◊〉 how 〈◊〉 this 〈◊〉 shuld 〈◊〉 The 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 league 〈…〉 God is all an al to his coÌ„federats What is râ—quired of men in the league CircumcisioÌ„ was the signe or zeale annexed â—o the league 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 â—f Cirâ—â—â—cision The mysterie and â—ening of Circumcision The grace â—f God is not tied to â—â—rcumciâ—iâ—n Colos â— By circumâ—isâ—on the circumciâ—ed are gathered 〈◊〉 to one 〈◊〉 1 Sam. â—â— Actes â— Circumâ—â—sioÌ„ 〈◊〉 a man 〈◊〉 myndeâ— his 〈◊〉 Two CircuÌ„cisions one of the spirite the other of the letter Lactantius touching Circumcision The summe of Circumcision Of the Paschal lamb Wâ—at 〈◊〉 Passeâ—â—â—â— was The 〈◊〉 authoâ—â—â— the 〈…〉 time 〈…〉 The Equiâ—octiall is when the day and â—ight is both of on â—ength commeth twice in a â—eare to â—it the 8. â—f April 〈◊〉 8. of October The lewes â—egan to â—ckon froÌ„ 〈◊〉 to 12. 〈◊〉 we beâ—in to reckon from 7. in the morning till 6. at night so it was that our three a clocke was nine a clocke to theÌ„ ouâ— fiue eleuen to them The ninth houre of the Iewes is three a clocke in the afternoone to vs. The place appointed for the eating of the Passeouer Who were the guests at the eating of the lambe The manner or â—itâ— of eating the Passeouer The ende whereto this ceremonie tended The Lords benefite was kept in memorie by the eating of the Passeouer The 〈…〉 GODâ— good◠〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 The Lamb was the type of Christ of his passion redemption The 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 At the 〈…〉 first 〈…〉 the 〈◊〉 The 〈…〉 did 〈◊〉 the coÌ„mâ—icants of their duty Of Sacrifices and their first begiÌ„nings Sacrifices haue some things coÌ„mon and somthings peculiar The â—estal virgins were Nunnes consecrated to the Goddesse Vesta Holoâ—â—â—â—tum the burâ—◠〈◊〉 The daily sacrifice The meate offering The 〈…〉 The sinne offering The verly sacrifice 〈…〉 Heb. 9. The onely sacrifice of Christ is sufficient for all the world This waâ—er was al â—o called â—he water of 〈…〉 they 〈…〉 was 〈…〉 from 〈◊〉 rest of 〈…〉 by 〈…〉 were 〈◊〉 The 〈…〉 Sacrifices â—or the defilings of the body The Sacrifice of â—â—alousie The Sacrifice of thankes giuing Thruma and Thnupha The free will offeâ—â—ng Of vowes 〈…〉 Samson a Nazarite to the lord how greatly he sinned 〈…〉 〈…〉 The constant obedience of certain holiemen who abstaiâ—ed from things vncleane The eating of bloude and strangâ—ed is forbidden Tâ—e toucâ—ing of â—n cleane things The Iudiciall lawes are profitable Most auncient laws He was called Diphyes that is Geminus or duplicis naturae bicause hee first ordeined matrimonie among the Graecians His image was made with two faces or two heads The latine copie hath mentem Dei for the whiche I call the wisedome of God. To â—udge a â—udg◠〈◊〉 and the 〈…〉 what 〈◊〉 be The Iudiâ—iall lawes belong to the tenne commaundements The lawes 〈◊〉 iâ—dges The 〈…〉 King 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 1. Sam. â— Holy thinges â—dolatâ—ie The poore â—â—tnesse 〈◊〉 wiâ—nes â—â—â—rings 〈…〉 〈◊〉 Parents children Of the power and authoritie of fathers Disinheriâ—ing Inheritaunce Whoredomes adulteries Diuorcements The diuisâ—on of goods Buying selling â–ª 〈…〉 pledges Thinges left in câ—stodie Bondage Mancipation Manumissâ—â—n â–ª Plagium Bastardes Theft and deceit â–ª RestitutioÌ„ Sacrilege The hirelings wages The doing and receyuing of damage Weight measure The punishment of the guiltie Wiâ—ches soothsayers Heretikes and false prophetes Rebels slauÌ„derers Murther The sanctuarie Warie ConclusioÌ„ Of the vse and effecte of Gods lawe Absol 〈…〉 perfecâ—â—â— is reqâ—â—â—â—â— of vs 〈◊〉 the laâ—â— No man liuing is perfect and vn spotted The lawe doth make 〈◊〉 sinnes manifest 〈◊〉 bring ouâ— misery to light Moses doth not only slay
substaÌ„ces Iob. 1. Matth. 8 Iohn 8. Marke 1. Matth. 25. What maner of bodies they be whichâ— the diuels takâ— 1. Sa. 28. â— Cor. 1â— The diuâ—â—â— quickâ—â— craftie â—ightie An infinit route of diuels Mark. 16. Matth. 12. Mark. 3 Mark. 3. Diuel A lyer Ioh. 6. Sathan oâ— an aduersarie 1. Pet. 5. Matth. 13. Matth. 4 Matth. â— Gen. 3. â— serpentâ— dâ—agon 1. Tim. 4. 1. Pet. 5. A roaring lion A murtherer A temptâ—â— An euil vncleane spirit 〈◊〉 God 〈…〉 The prince of this world cast out Princes oâ— the world The operations of the diuel Luke 22. Matth. 26. 1. Pet. 5. Gen. 3. Luke â—3 Mark. 9. Iohn 13. Matth. 12 The power of the diuel is definite or limited 1. Cor. 12. 2. thess. 2. We mustâ— fight manfully againste thâ—â—iuel buâ— we mustâ— not feare him â—latth 4. â— Iohn 5. 1. Pet. 5. Ephe. 6. 1. Cor. 10. The word Anima which we call soule is diuerslie taken The soule is breath and life Actes 20. Soule is taken for man. Leuit. 20. Rom. 13. Gen. 14. Soule a â—esire 〈◊〉 7. Soule is the spirite of man. The soule â—nd minde That there is but one soule That there â—s a soule What the soule is That souls are substaÌ„tes Luke 16. Luke 32. Apoc. 6. The soule is bodilesse or a spirit Iohn 10. Iohn 19. Luke 23. Matth. 27. Actes 7. What maÌ„ner of substance the soule of man is The soulâ—â—s neitheâ— God nor parte of God. Of the original of the soule Iob. 10. The operations powers of the soule Out of the 〈◊〉 cap. of Aâ—gust deâ—â—antitate â—â—imae Of the soule separated from the bodie The soule is immortall Of the death of soules 1. Tim. 1. 6. Gal. 1. Testimoâ—ies of the â—â—mortaâ—â—â—e of â—oules 〈…〉 Psal. 61. Eccle. 12. Gen. 3. Matth. 10. Matth. 16. Iohn 8. Iohn 8. Heb. 9. 1. Pet. 4. 1. Tim. 1. Apoc. 6. Wisd 3. All wise men haue thought that soules are immortal In what place soules liue when they are separated from their bodies Luke 16. Phil. 1. Iohn 14. Apoc. 6. â— Pet. 1. The soule returneth to the body but not before iudgment 1. thess. 4 Howe Soules should be translated to their appointed place Iohn 5. Iuke 23. At what time souls be carried vp into heauen Soules separated from their bodies doâ—â— not sleepe Soules 〈…〉 from the bodies are not caried into Purgatorie Soules are purged by the onlie bloud of Christ Iohn 3. Actes 4. 1 Pet. 1. 1. Ioh. 1. Apoc. 10. Ephe. 5. Tit. 3. Heb. 5. Gal. 2. Gal. 6. Eccles 11. That soules aâ— fully purged by the bloud of Christ Iohn 13. Iohn 17. Heb. 10. Marke 9. Of praiers for the dead 1. thess. 4. 1. Cor. 11. Aeriani coÌ„demned Matth. 8. Appearing of Spirits Deut. 18. Isa. 8. Luke 16. That souls separated from their bodies do not waÌ„deâ— in these regions Luke 12. Actes 7. Phil. 1. Gen. 25. Luke 16. Samuel 〈◊〉 his â—ath apâ—eared not 〈◊〉 Sâ—ule Sam. 28. Soules certainlie and immediately after the death of the bodie are blessed Iohn 3. The laste day of man. Iohn 5. Apoc. 14. Ecclesia a church or coÌ„gregation 1. Cor. 15. Actes 22. Synagogue What the church is The catholique church Galathi 3. The distinctioÌ„ of the church The triumphant church Reuela 7. Whence perfect holinesse procedeth 〈◊〉 12. The militant churche The holy churche beeleue â—he holie catholique church â— Cor. 6. The churche doeth comprehend the wicked The particular church Parish and parishe prieste Matth. 18. The church of God hath bene and â—halbe foreuer Matth. 28. Iohn 14. Matth. 16. The church of the diuell and Antichrist Math. 5. 6. 23. Math. 24. Howe hycrites are or may be accounted in the church of God. Matth. 12. 2. Cor. 6. Hypocrits Matth. 13 Matth. 13. Matth. 22. Matth. 3. 1. Cor. 5. 1. Iohn 2. Psal. 5â— Luke 22. Iohn 16. Al that be in the Church be â—ot the Church Rom. 9. Iohn 13. Iohn 6. Iohn 13. The visible and inuisible the outwarde inward Churche Of the outwarde markes of the church of God. Actes â— Matth. 28. Actes 2. Esai 59. Iohn 8. Iohn 10. Iohn 14. Iohn 18. 1 Cor. 12. 1. Cor. 10. How these marks declare the church What maner of Gods worde it ought to be that is the marke of the church After what sorte the SacrameÌ„ts ought to be vsed â— Reg. 12. â— Reg. 6. â—aptised of Hereâ—â—ques 〈◊〉 not reâ—aptised Of the inwarde markes of the church of God. Iohn 7. Iohn â–ª 14. 1. Iohn 2. 1. Iohn 4. Rom. 8. Galath 2. Ephe. 3. 2. Iohn 4. Iohn 6. Iohn 15. 1. Iohn 4. Iohn 1. 13. 1. Iohn 4. Rom. 12. Of the originall oâ— the church Gala. 4. 1. Pet. 1. 1. Cor. 4. Rom. 10. The churche is not builte by the doctrine of men Matth. 16. Galath 1. 1. Cor. 2. Iohn â— Iohn 1â— Iohn 10. Colo. 2. Titus 1. Matth. 15. The churche is preserued by the worde of God. Epâ—â— 4. The propheticall Apostolicall and Or thodoxicall Church Of the coÌ„tinual succession of Bishops Zacha. 11. 1. Cor. 11. Actes 2â— TertulliaÌ„ of the coÌ„tinuall succession of Pastors The doctrine of the auncient church of Rome The churche is not builte by warre or deceipte 1. Cor. 2. 1. Thes 2. Matth. 26. Luke 22. 2. Thes 2 â—sai 49. Actes 21. Actes 23. Whether the church of God â—ay erre Iohn 13. 15 Rom. 7. How the holy church is without spotte wrinkle Iohn â— 1. Tim. 3. The Church is the piller and the grounde of the truthe Exod. 32. Ierem. 8. Of the power of the church Power of consecration The power of the keyes Power of inrisdictioÌ„ Power of preaching Power of iudgment or iudicial correctioÌ„ Power to receiue What power is Luke 9. 2. kindes of power Matth. 28. Reuela 1. Reue. 3. 2. Cor. 12. In what pointes ecclesiastical power consisteth To ordeine ministers of the church â–ª Actes 1. Actes 6. Actes 13. 1. Tim. 3. Power to teach Matth. 28. Mark. 16. Rom. 1. The power of the keyes Matth. 10. 2. Tim. 4 Luke 9. Power to administer the Sacramentes Power to iudge of doctrines 1. Cor. â—4 1. Thes 3. 1. Iohn 4. To call a counsel Actes 15. Power to dispose the affaires of the church â— Cor. 13. Of the â—â—udies of the church There is one holie Church of God. Cant. 4. Ephe 4. Apoc. 22. Matth. 22. Without the church is no light or saluatioÌ„ De simplicitate Praelatorum Institut li. 5. ca. 30. Againste certeine Scismatiques For the diuersitie of doctrin Scisme must not be made 1. Cor. 8. For the vices of the ministers Scisme must not be made â—latth 23. For the diuersitie of Ceremonies scisme must not be made For the impure life of men conuersant in the churche scisme must not be made For the vnworthie partakers of the Lordes supper Scisme must not be made 2. Cor. 11. Vnitie must be kepte and scisme eschued Of the departing from the church oâ— Rome â—ho is an 〈…〉 who a 〈◊〉 A
of the Gospell which Paule hath hitherto preached with vs is sufficient to the obteining of life and saluation We intend not to laye any greater burthen vpon you than the doctrine of the Gospell and abstinence from those fewe things In which sentence they séeme to haue had an eye to the opinion of Sainct Peter who in the counsell saide Ye knowe that I beeing called by God did go to the Gentiles and did preach to them saluatiō through the Gospel Ye know that to the Gētiles being neither circumcised nor keeping the lawe while I preached to them faith in Christ Iesus the holie Ghoste was giuen from aboue so that their hearts wer purified of God him selfe by faith not by the lawe that they were made heires of eternal life And vppon this he inferreth Now therefore why tempt ye God to laye vppon the disciples neckes a yoke which neither wee nor our fathers were able to beare But wee beleeue that through the grace of the Lorde Iesus Christ we shal be saued euen as they Sée here Sainct Peter called the lawe a burthen and a yoke and therfore where the Apostles saye that they will not laye vpō the church any greater burthen they do thereby signifie that the lawe is flatly abrogated They do therefore set the church frée from the burthen of the lawe and do acquite it from all burthens like to y lawe We nowe do gather by those woordes of the Apostles that those burthensome and innumerable ceremonies which the church hath receiued by counsels Synodes since the time of the Apostles were vniustly against the Apostolique spirite then layde vppon the churche and at this daye wickedly reteined and defended in the churche For they in expresse wordes saide It seemed good to the holye Ghoste and to vs to burthen you with no more then these thinges necessarie But if any man obiect and saye that those ceremonies were for the rudenesse of the people layde vpon the churches neckes as a rule or instruction to guide or teache them by Mine aunswere is that that kinde of instruction is cleane taken awaye which whosoeuer goeth about to reduce hee desireth nothing else but to bring in Iudaisme againe God knew verie well what kinde of churche that would be which hee purposed to gather together of Iewes and Gentiles and yet he abolished those external ceremonies Nowe who doth better knowe than God what is expedient or not expedient for his church therefore the things that he abolished were not expedient for the faithfull whereupon the Apostles did rightly verie wel pronounce It seemed good to the holie ghoste and vs not to laye vppon you any greater burthen Let them therefore be ashamed of their doinges which lay so great a burthen vppon the shoulders of the church that otherwise ought to be most free Nowe also heere is added the conclusion of the sentence Than these necessarie things that is to say that ye abstaine from things offered to Idols c. In these wordes they had an eye vnto the sentence of sainct Iames the Apostle and brother of the Lorde for he confirminge and allowing of Sainct Peters opinion touchinge iustification by faith and the not laying of the lawe vpon the Gentiles neckes doth alledge a testimonie of scripture out of Amose who did foretell that the Iewes shoulde bee cut off because of their sinnes and that in their steeds the Gentiles should be taken amonge whome the true church of God should be which was prefigured by the ruine and reparatiō of Dauids tabernacle The same Prophet did also foretell a reason how and a cause why the Gentiles should be receiued into the church not for Circumcisions sake nor yet by the helpe of the lawe but by grace through fayth For he saith The remnaunte of the men shal seeke after the Lorde and all the heathen vpon whome my name is called saith the Lorde which doth all this all these workes of God are knowen to him from before the world beganne Loe here they shall seeke the Lorde and shal be receyued into his fellowship vpon whome his name shal be called This phrase of speech doeth signifie that they whiche are electe shal be the sonnes of god For vpon them the name of the Lord is called which are named the sonnes of God and are his elect Nowe the whole scripture attributeth that to faith By fayth therfore we are made the members of the church and sonnes and heires to God our maker But if any man doe murmur against the counsell of God and say why doth God so Let him thinke that this déede is the déede and worke of God whome it is not lawfull for man to gaynsaye and all whose workes are knowen from the beginninge of the worlde to haue beene donne in iudgement and righteousnesse whervpon it doth consequently follow that this counsell of his is good and righteous whereby he doth through faith in Christ ioyne to himselfe and sanctifie the heathen nations Nowe vppon these wordes of the prophet Saincte Iames subscribing as it were to Sainct Peters opinion doth gather and inferre Wherefore my sentence is that wee trouble not them which from among the Gentiles are turned to God That is to say I thinke that they are not to bee molested or charged with the obseruation of the law But least the Gentiles once hearing y the lawe was abolished should thereby thinke that they might freely doe whatsoeuer they would and so by that meanes abuse their libertie and also against all charitie despise giue offence vnto the Iewishe brethren therefore Iames addeth But I think it best for vs to write vnto them that they absteine from filthines of idols For there were at that time certeine conuerts of the Gentiles who thought it lawfull for them to enter into idol Temples and be partakers of things offered to idols because an idol is nothing since there is but one onely God alone whereuppon they gathered that those sacrifices were nothing that they did neither good nor harme and therefore that Christians might with a safe conscience be partakers of them But sainct Iames and Paule also 1. Cor. 8. 9. 10. wil haue the heathen conuerts to absteine vtterly frō the worship of Idols that is from the idols them selues and from those things which are in the idol temples offered to false and fained Gods. Moreouer he addeth Let them beware of fornication The Gentiles verily did by good lawes forbidde the adulteries and defilings of virgins matrones with verie sharpe punishments suppressing the violent deflowrers of honest women but they thought it a verie light and in a manner no fault at all for such to committ whoredome as did of their owne accordes set their chastitie to sale or if an vnwedded man should haue to doe with a single woman and therefore the Apostle Iames euen as Paule also 1. Cor. 6. and 1. Thessa. 4. doeth verie seuerely require the holy pure vse of the bodie
without all filthie vncleane beastlynesse Last of all hee willeth the Gentiles to be restrayned of eating bloud and strangled He addeth the cause why and saith For Moses of olde time hath in euery citie them that preache him in the Synagogues where hee is read euery Sabboth daye Of which constitution touching bloud and strangled I spake somewhat before that I made this same digression Nowe therefore since the matter is at that pointe it is euident that they are without a cause offended with Sainct Iames which thinke that he did without all right and reason make and publishe this decree and that the fruite of that Synode was verie perillous nothing healesome and flatly contrary to Christian libertie For it is assuredly certeine that the meaning of Iames did in no poynte differ from the minde of Sainct Paule who neuerthelesse did verie well and praisworthily saye Let vs followe the things that make for peace and thinges wherewith we may one edifie an other Destroy not the work of God for meates sake All thinges are pure but it is euil for that man that eateth with offence It is good neither to eate flesh nor to drinke wine nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth or falleth or is made weake c. Romanes 14. It is also moste certeine that Sainct Paule who was so sharpely set to defend the Christian libertie that hee withstood Peter openly at Antioche would not haue beene behinde hand to resist Sainct Iames if he had thought that this constitution either had béen or should bée preiudiciall to Christian libertie Verily hee woulde neither haue preached nor yet commended this tredition of y Apostles to the churches of the Gentiles if hee had not thoughte that it had béene both hoalesome and profitable for them all to embrace But he did preache and commende it vnto the churches as is to be séene in the sixtéenth of the Actes and therfore is sainct Iames without a cause murmured against of some because hee for badd to eate bloud and strangled Finally the conclusion of their Epistle is From which if ye keep your selues ye do well So fare ye well They praise that abstinence and teach it as a good woorke because it is also commended to vs in all the Scriptures Thus haue I digressed not farre I trust from our purpose to speake of the decrée of the apostolique Synode helde at Hierusalem and thus muche at this time touching the abrogation of the ceremoniall lawes It remaineth here for mée to saye somewhat concerning the abrogation of the Iudiciall lawes Nowe therefore the Iudiciall lawes doe séeme to be abrogated in this sense because no Christian common weale no citie or kingdome is compelled to be bound to receiue those verie same lawes which were by Moses in that nation according to the time place state published and set out of olde Therefore euery countrie hath frée libertie to vse such lawes as are best and most requisite for the estate and necessitie of euery place and of euery time and persons so yet that the substance of Gods lawes be not reiected troden downe and vtterly neglected For the things which are agréeable to the lawe of nature and the tenne commaundements and whatsoeuer else God hath commaunded to bee punished must not in anye case bee either cleane forgotten or lightly regarded Nowe the ende whereunto all these lawes do tende is that honestie maye flourish peace and publique tranquillitie be firmely mainteined iudgement and iustice be rightly executed Of which because I haue at large disputed in the exposition of the precept Thou shalt doe no murther I will here be coÌ„tent to be so much the briefer The holie Apostle Paule commaundeth to obey the magistrate he aloweth of the authoritie of the sword which he confesseth that the magistrate hath not in vaine receiued at the hande of god And therefore he did not dissallowe or finde faulte with the election of the magistrate the vse of the sworde the execution of the iudgement and iustice nor with vpright ciuil lawes Now whosoeuer doth conferre the lawes and constitutions of Princes kings Emperours or Christian magistrates which are to be found either in the Code in the booke of Digestes or Pandectes in the volume of newe Constitutions or else in anye other bookes of good lawes of sundrie nations with these Iudiciall lawes of God he must néedes confesse that they drawe verie néere in likenesse and do verie well agrée one with an other Iustinian the Emperour forbad by law either to sel or otherwise to make awaye the possessions of the church things consecrated vnto god For the sincere confessing and pure mainteining of the catholique faith the Emperours Gratian Valentinian Theodosius did make a moste excellent holie law Constantine the great gaue charge to Taurus one of his lieuetenauntes to shutte the idol temples and with the sworde to destroye suche rebeiles as went about to sett them open and to do sacrifice in them That lawes were made for the reliefe of the poore and that kinges and emperours had a care ouer them it is to be séene in more places than one of the Emperours lawes and constitutions It is verie certeine y whosoeuer readeth the Code lib. 1. tit 2. he shal finde much matter belonging to this argument For the honest trayning vp of children and the liberal susteining of aged parents there are verie commeÌ„dable lawes in the bookes of the heathens Concerning the authoritie y parentes haue ouer their childreÌ„ there is mâ—châ— many things to be found in writingâ— likewise of wedlock of incâ—st 〈◊〉 marriages Honoriê° Aâ—cadiê° many other princes haue made verie tollerable laudable decrées where they speake also verie well and wisely of the lawe of diuorcement But if I go on to add or oppose to euery seuerall title of the Iudiciall lawes conteined in this sermon sundrie and peculiar lawes out of the decrées of Christian Princes I shall I knowe be too tedious vnto your patience For then would this treatise passe the time of an ordinarie sermon Let it therefore suffice vs at this time by the declaration of these notes to haue opened and made a way to the diligeÌ„t louers of the truth to come to the vnderstanding of other things which we haue here omitted and that they may beléeue that the substance of Gods Iudiciall lawes is not taken awaye or abolished but that the ordering and limitation of them is placed in the will and arbitrement of good Christian princes so yet that they ordeine and appoinct that which is iuste and equall as the estate of the time place and persons shall best require that honestie and publique peace may be thereby preserued and god the father duely honoured through his onely begotten sonne Christe Iesus to whome all praise is due for euer For we do sée that the Apostles of Christe did neither require nor coÌ„maunde any nation in the administration of politique affaires to binde them selues to