And therefore à godlie man dwelling among the Papistes maie be at them with à safe conscience if so be the daunger of offence maie be shunned and al suspicion of plaieng with both handes auoided For I woulde not haue à man so to flie Scylla that he fal into Charibdis For these two extremes are alike to be auoided namelie papistical impietie and al suspicion of Epicurisme For he that alwaies doeth auoide the meetinges of men where publike praiers bee made of the congregation seemeth not so much to flie papistical wickednes as to folowe them which are of no religion And therefore I woulde haue the godlie abiding among papistes somtime to be at their morning and euening praiers especialie at those wherein neither inuocation is made of the deade nor their little God of bread is offered to be adored as it doth fal out at the feastes of sainctes and at hie festiual daies as they cal them wherein the perfume of frankēcense is blowen before images Now as touching the baptisme of infants the godlie are to doe two thinges Let them both in heart reprooue the papistical toies wherewithal Baptisme after à sort is contaminated and with reuerence meditate vpon the institution of Christ. Which being done I am of opinion the godlie are excused which either doe suffer their children to be baptised of Papistes or otherwise doe come as witnesses vnto the baptisme of infants Because somwhat remaineth there yet of the institution of Christ. Here what shal we saie of the masse wherin distribution is made both of bread wine Because therein somewhat of Christ his institutiō doth remain shal it be lawful for a godlie man instructed aright touching y e idole of the masse to be thereat to cōmunicate with others For if hee maie be present at the baptisme of the Papistes although it bee foulie defiled with manifolde additions because there is somwhat remaining yet of Christ his institution why shal not the same reason be of strength in the communion of the supper This question although it seeme verie intricate yet I wil plainelie tel what I thinke therof leauing the iudgement to the Church that is the true Christians especialie to such as haue felt the crosse and liued among the pikes First therefore I distinguish betwen the masse and the communion in the papacie For I thinke there is as great à difference betwene the masse and that solemne communion celebrated among Papistes on Easter daie as is betweene heauen and hel For in the masse there doth nothing remaine of Christ his institutiō Wherefore as I iudge the masse abhominable and therefore to be shunned as an idole of Satan so I pronounce that holie which remaineth of Christ his institutiō For it is wickednes to think that so great à thing doth depend vpon the worthines of ministers Because indeed the masse the communion or supper be cleane contrarie actions For the Popishe masse being ended the supper of Christe beginneth So that à godlie man abiding among Papistes is bound to shun the idole of y e masse and maie so that both offence al suspitiō of halting be taken heed-of be at the cōmunion and with the elect of God whereof manie out of doubt doe lurke in the Popedome cōmunicate What Shal it therefore bee laweful to communicate vnder one kinde as they cal it Are not the laie people excluded frō the holie cup of the Lordes blood Manie of our side supposing that consecration as they saie is done by reciting the wordes of the institution of the supper doe iudge it à most hainous offence if anie do cōmunicate vnder one kinde The Popish priestes also do thinke that y e laie people shal not be partakers of the Lords cup for the same cause namelie because y e wordes be not mūbled ouer the cup out of which the laitie are drunk-vnto So y t they thinke y e wine is without y e presence of y e Lords blood Now if the case did so stand y t is if so great à matter did depend vpon y e repetitiō of words rather thā of Christ who in his supper reacheth forth the sacrament of his bodie blood I woulde not haue à godlie man cōmunicate with papistes Wherfore hauing these aduersaries it is hard to pronounce anie thing without offēce yet wil I speake what I doe thinke First of al we must consider that to consecrate is not as the Papistes thinke and halfe-Papistes doe imagine by the pronounciation of certaine prescribed or conceaued wordes on magique wise to make à common and vnholie thing sacred and holie but to consecrate indeed is to separate a thing from à common vse to applie it to an holy vse appointed to God with praise thankegiuing to his name That this is a true definition thereof he knoweth that either wil compare the force of the verbe Cadosh which with the Hebrews signifieth to consecrate with the old custome of consecration or consider both the deed of Christ who instituted the supper and the doctrin of Paul touching the blessing of the bread and cup. Seeing then this matter neither dependeth vppon the virtue of wordes nor is hindered by the malice of men which enuie the godlie the participation of y e cup but dependeth vppon the commaundement institution of Christ who according to his promise wil be among the godlie that cal vpon him and thinke vpon and acknowledge the benefits of his death and resurrection I doubt not but the godlie in the popedome doe take part of the bodie and bloode albeit the popish incantation do not defile the cup. For both he that sanctifieth is the sonne of God and he that reacheth his bodie and bloode by the handes of the ministers is the sonne of God whose diuine power and infinit mercy neither is hindred by y e error of mē nor broken through y e malice of enuious persons who suppresse the recitation of y e words touching the supper But some maie obiect Theie which communicate together doe it that theie maie be one in Christ. For so saith Paul For we that are manie are one bread and one bodie because we are al partakers of one bread But the Papists who bring not faith are without the bodie of Christ. For none is in Christ but through faith And therefore it seemeth howe it is vnlawful to communicate with Papistes I answere in the supper there is a double communion One is of the faithful soule of Christ whereof the same Apostle in that place doth speake The cup of blessing which we blesse is it not the communion of the bloud of Christe The bread which we breake is it not the communion of the bodie of Christ Of this communion theie trulie doe participate which bring faith with them vnto the holie supper The other which dependeth vpon the former is of the brethren communicating among themselues This communion is not hindred either by the
And although this couenant be ratified onlie to such as be called and doe beleeue yet least we should thinke that the Fathers before the incarnation of Christe were destitute of the grace of the newe couenant it is good that we make a better and a more distinct explication of this doctrine so necessarie to be knowne First therefore and aboue all we must constantlie beleeue that in al ages euen from the fal of our first parentes the waie to be saued both was and is yet one and the same to wit by the Priest Christe alone of whose righteousnesse theie be partakers and be saued whosoeuer beleeue in him So that as touching the purgation of sinne and attainement of euerlasting life there is but one perpetual couenant or testament of God whereby God doeth binde himselfe to pardon such as doe â—lee vnto Christe And although if you respect the expresse worde there is no mention of this couenant concerning remission of sinnes before the Lord entered thereinto with Abraham yet the thinges themselues which appertaine vnto the substance of this couenant were verie wel knowne to the Fathers before the floud By the thinges I meane both the promise of the restoring of man through Christe and also the faith of this promise For the promise in GOD and the faith in man are the substantial partes as I maie saie of this couenant The couenant betweene GOD and Abraham was this I wil establish my couenant betweene me thee and thy seede after thee in their generations for an euerlasting couenant to be GOD vnto thee and thy seede after thee And somewhat afore in the same Chapter there goeth an oath of GOD Beholde I make my couenant with thee that is as truelie as I liue I wil establish my couenant c. Here first of al would be considered y e matter or foundation of this couenant which is y e promised seed by whose merit intercession there is an attonement made betweene God and men Wherefore whatsoeuer good thing the Lorde doth promise it is ratified in the Sonne who hath reconciled vs and the Father together God was in Christ saith Paule and reconciled the world to him selfe not imputing their sinnes to them and hath committed to vs the worde of reconciliation And for this cause this couenant is called by Isaiah the couenant of peace Secondlie we should cal into mind y e wonderful humilitie of God whereby the diuine maiestie so debaseth it selfe of meere benignitie and good will to manward hauing consideration of our humane frailnesse that not onlie he doth simplie promise free benediction to miserable and wretched sinners but also bindeth himselfe by couenant that we may knowe his fatherlie goodwil to vs ward Thirdlie the immutabilitie and constancie or perpetuitie of this couenant confirmed by an oath would be thought-vpon Whereof the Epistle vnto the Hebrues doth saie When God made the promise vnto Abraham because he had no greater to sweare by he sware by him selfe saieng Surelie I wil abundantlie blesse thee and multiplie thee marueilouslie He addeth à reason saieng So God willing more abundantlie to shewe vnto the heires of promise the stablenesse of his counsel bound him selfe by an oath that by two immutable things wherein it is vnpossible that God should lie we might haue strong consolation which haue our refuge to hold-fast the hope that is set before vs. Fourthlie we are to weigh the largenes of the couenant entred-into with AbrahaÌ„ namelie howe it extendeth vnto the seede of Abraham and that for euer and euer But what is that seede of Abraham Paule both in the 4. and 9. chapters vnto the Romanes and also in the 3. vnto the Galathians defineth the seede of Abraham to be euen al those of what nations soeuer which doe walke in the steppes of the faith of Abraham that al which beleeue the promise of grace as Abraham did Fiftlie when it is saide howe this couenant was entered into with Abraham and his seede for euermore it is meant that God bestoweth immortalitie to such as are linked to him in coÌ„federacie For if by death we should perish the perpetuitie of the couenant could no way stande Nowe on the other side the faith of Abraham and of his seede aunswereth to the couenant of God For when God bindeth himselfe to vs by couenaÌ„t to giue saluation he bindeth vs withall vnto faith and vnto newe obedience which cannot be separated from faith And therefore God saith to Abraham Walke before me to wit in faith and be thou vpright that is serue me syncerelie and preferre obedience toward me before al things This obedience through his faith Abraham declared when he was readie most willinglie to sacrifice at the commaundement of God his beloued sonne Isaac whome he loued aboue al the world Whereby it maie easilie be gathered that the endeuouring of the minde obtaineth the praise of perfection before God Moreouer as this eternal couenant of God with the Church hath for foundation and substance the promised seed So being shadowed by sundrie types in the old lawe at the length it was fulfilled by the comming of Christ into the world and confirmed with the bloud of Christe For the remembrance and ratifieng whereof Baptisme and the Lordes supper be instituted For as Baptisme is a couenant of a good conscience with God depending vpon the bloud of Christ whereby it is purged from dead workes So the Lordes supper is a commemoration of the same couenant touching our redemption established by the bloud of Christ. And therefore it is called the cup of the new Testament or cup of the couenant Wherfore you maie rightlie define this eternal couenant of God if you saie It is a couenant of attonement betwene God and men wherby both God and men are bound together God for his part promising yea by oath remission of sinnes and euerlasting life for the merits of Christe by whose bloud this couenant is confirmed men for their parts do both accept the promise through faith and also doe not onlie promise but also shewe due obedience through their faith Which being so it maie be asked whie in the scripture mention is made of a double couenant or testament namelie an old and a new For both the Lord by the Prophet Ieremiah doth saie so and the auctor also of the Epistle vnto the Hebrues staÌ„deth vpon that same grouÌ„d Behold the daies come saith the Lord that I wil make a new couenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Iudah Not according to the couenant that I made wiâ—h their fathers when I tooke theÌ„ by the hande to bring theÌ„ out of the lande of Egypt c. But this shal be the couenaÌ„t I wil make with the house of Israel After those daies saith the Lord I wil put my lawe in their inward parts and write it
Elders through the red sea by the conduction of Moses but also that the Teachers might admonish the people of the spiritual Passeouer to wit from the kingdome of Satan into the kingdome of God by the conduction of the Messiah there is no doubt but this question was handled betweene Christ and those doctors where-of sprang that admiration and wondering Againe by this deede of his yet in his childe-hoode Christ would teach what their duetie is who haue determined to folowe Christe For as he sate in the Temple so his wil is that such as folowe him should rest in holie thinges and bring if they would profite in his schoole à mind voide of worldlie cares Then from the 12. yeare vntil the 30. yeere of his age he was subiect to his parentes Encreasing in wisedome and stature and in fauour with God with man And thus the whole time of his life was consumed among the poore simple men of heart and this was it which Esaiah saide He hath sent me to preach good tidinges vnto the poore For they alwayes were most in the fauour of God that is theie haue bin more apt to receiue the lawe and commandementes of the Lorde than such as are swollen vp in respect either of their wealth or of their power or of their learning or wit Nowe when he was entered into the 30. yeare of his age Iohn the sonne of Zacharias hauing receaued à commandement from the Lorde concerning baptisme of repentance went forth as à fore-runner and cried Repent for the kingdome of heauen is at hand prepare ye the way of the Lord. And this was it which the Prophet Malachie fore-tolde when he saide Beholde I will send my messenger and he shal prepare the waie before thee and the Lorde whome yee seeke shal speedily come to his Temple euen the messenger of the couenant whome yee desire beholde he shal come saith the Lorde of Hostes. Afterward he was baptized of Iohn and the holie Ghoste descended and lighted vppon him like à doue For so it went before in the figure Moses telleth howe the doue sent out of the ship returned in the euening with an oliue leafe in her bil which was à token of attonement For Noah therebie knewe that the wrath of the Lord was appeaced and that the waters were abated from of the earth After which maner the Doue here doth testifie howe he was present by whome the wrath of the Father was peaced according to the words of the Father This is my beloued sonne in whome I am wel pleased His tentation of the diuel answereth at the lest wise to that which was prophecied in general And thou shalt bruise his head that is the heele of the seed of the woman He fasted fourtie daies and fourtie nightes but the figure of the same went before in Moses and Elias In the three yeeres following he began his raigne by teaching and working miracles according to the fore-saieng of the Prophet Esaiah The spirit of the Lord God is vpon me therfore hath the Lord annointed me he hath sent me to preach good tydings vnto the poore to binde-vp the broken hearted to preach libertie to the captiues to them that are bound the opening of the prison to preach the acceptable yeere of the Lord and the daie of vengeance of our God to comfort al that mourne to appoint vnto them that mourne in Zion and to giue vnto them beautie for ashes the oile of ioie for mourning the garment of gladnesse for the spirit of heauinesse that they might be called trees of righteousnesse the planting of the Lord that he might be glorified And againe Saie vnto them that are fearefull Be you strong feare not behold your God commeth with vengeance euen God with a recompence he wil come and saue you Then shal the eies of the blinde be lightened and the eares of the deafe be opened Then shal the lame leap as an hart and the dumme mans tongue shal sing What plainer thing could be spoken of the doctrine and miracles of the Messiah The Prophet as it were with a finger pointeth to the very person of the Messiah by most euident tokens Yet doe not the miserable Iewes carried-awaie by the stormes of their affections confesse the truth Vnto these tokens declaring the true Messiah he sendeth the two disciples of Iohn who demanded of him saieng Art thou he that should come or shal we waite for an other Go your waie saith he and shew Iohn what things ye haue seene and heard that the blinde see the halt goe the leapers are cleansed the deafe heare the dead rise-againe and the poore receaue the Gospel Hence came that wondering in the blind man Ioh. 9. Doubtles this is à marueilous thing that ye knowe not whence he is and yet he hath opened mine eies The time of his punishment which was appointed for him by the Father drawing nigh he entered into Ierusalem vpon an asse whome much people met and receaued with roial pompe whereof Zacharie doth saie Reioice greatlie ô daughter Zion shout for ioie ô daughter Ierusalem behold thy King commeth vnto thee poore and riding vpon an asse As he came the people shouted and strawed bowes of palme trees in the waie for à signe of an euerlasting kingdome and cried Hosanna the sonne of Dauid blessed be he that commeth in the Name of the Lorde Hosanna thou which art in the hiest heauens The which we read was foretolde also in à certaine Psalme O Lord we praie thee saue nowe blessed be he that commeth in the Name of the Lord binde the sacrifice with cordes vnto the hornes of the altar The daie before he should suffer hauing eaten the Paschal lambe according to the Lawe he instituted the supper of his bodie and bloud à figure whereof as Paule witnesseth went before in the Manna and in the rocke wher-out flowed water in y e wildernes Then after à long sermon in the presence of his disciples and praier as Adam in the garden departed from God so Christ in the garden was betraied of his owne disciple Iudas for thirtie peeces of siluer which thing the Prophets kept not secrete For as Doëg the bewraier of Dauid was à type of Iudas the traitor so Zecharie speaketh of the wages that was paied So they weighed for my wages thirtie peeces of siluer And the Lord saide vnto me caste it vnto the potter à goodlie price that I was valued at of them Straight-waie being taken all his disciples forsooke him whereof Zecharie in his 13. Chapter thus writeth Arise ô sworde vpon my shepheard and vpon the man that is my fellow saith the Lord of hostes smite the shepheard and the sheepe shal be scattered Then folowed scoffinges spittinges buffets contumelies and much vexation after he was taken
of which Isaiah in his 50. Chapter I gaue my backe vnto the smiters and my cheekes to the nippers I hid not my face from shame and spitting After that he was hanged on wood or vpon the crosse For manie times among the Fathers saluation hath come by woode The image and prophecie of this wood was in the arch of Noah and in the wood which Moses threwe into the most bitter waters wherebie they became most pleasant By this figure the virtue of y e crosse of Christ is notablie depainted For as the most bitter waters by the wood throwen there-into were made most sweete and pleasaunt so nothing is there but wil be most comfortable to vs if the wood of Christ his crosse namelie faith on Christ crucified be added as à sause But à more excellent figure is in the wood wheron the brazen serpent was hanged For as Moses at the cōmandement of God in y e wildernes set-vp on high to y e view of al the Israelites the brazen serpent which hong vpon wood y t such as were wounded to the death of serpents might be healed therby So Christ was lifted vp vpon the wood and shewen as it were to al nations that as manie as were wounded vnto the death by the old serpent the diuel might be saued looking and trusting on him So then Christ hong on the crosse and was made à cursse for vs to redeeme vs from the cursse of the serpent which he through sinne brought vpon mankind Therefore it is written Curssed is euerie one that hangeth on tree After this manner Paul vnto the Galathians applieth the type to y e truth Here y e humanitie of Christ seemed most vile worser than the basest sort of men in so much as his verie friendes and familiars did flie awaie being dismaied and abashed Whereof it was prophecied in à psalme But I am à worme and not à man à shame of men and the contempt of the people And in the 88. psal Thou hast put-awaie mine acquaintance far fro me and made me to be abhorred of thē Yea at that time he which was the fairest among men so lost al grace of beautie that it was à verie hard thing to know him according to the prophecie of Isaiah Beholde my seruant shal prosper he shal be exalted and extolled and be verie hie As manie were astonied at thee his visage was so deformed of men and his forme of the sonnes of men so shal he sprincle manie nations the Kings shal shut their mouthes at him for that which had not bene tolde them shal they see and that which they had not heard shal they vnderstande And afterward He hath neither forme nor beautie whē we shal see him there shal be no forme that we shoulde desire him Hee is despised and reiected of men he is à man ful of sorowes and hath experience of infirmities wee hid as it were our faces from him and was despised and we esteemed him not Lo howe playnlie the Prophet hath fore-tolde how it should come to passe that the Iewes in respect of his vile punishment whereof themselues were the autors shoulde contemne the Messiah The high Priestes and the princes of the people spake il and rayled of him nodding their heades at Iesus fastened to the crosse as the Prophet Hosea prophecied I haue redeemed them yet they haue spoken lies against me And Psalme 22. They gape vpon me with their mouthes as à ramping and roaring Lion Againe Doges haue compassed me and the assemblie of the wicked haue inclosed me And again Psalme 35. They had me in derision and gnashed their teeth at mee Zecharie also prophecied of his handes side that were pearced Chapter 12. They shal looke vpon him whome they haue peirced And Psal. 22. They peirced mine hands and my feete In his extreeme tormentes he cried My God my God whie hast thou forsaken me Which thing long afore was fore-told by Dauid in y e 22. Psalme which Psalme is as it were à certain Epitome of y e passion of Christ. When he was about to yeld vp y e Ghost he vsed y e words of Dauid who carried à type of Christ himselfe Into thine hands Lord I commend my spirit as it is in the 31. Psalme His hanging betweene theeues was also foreshewed by the Prophet Isaiah in his 53. chapter where he saith He was counted with the transgressors How Christ praied for his crucifiers Isaiah in the same chapter fore-telleth He bare the sinne of manie and praied for the trespassers As Iesus was vpon dieng there was darkenes ouer al the lande as though the sunne would haue lost his light when as notwithstanding the Moone was at the ful The earth also terriblie did quake according to the prophecie of Ioël The Sunne and Moone shal be darkened and the starres shal with-drawe their light The Lord also shal roare out of Zion and vtter his voice from Ierusalem and the heauens and the earth shal shake And Amos in his 8. chapter doth say And in that daie saith the Lord God I wil euen cause the sunne to go downe at noone and I wil darken the earth in the cleere day The Lord was crucified without the gate euen as the sacrifice that was brought without the campe for the purgation and sanctifiing of the people by the whole multitude of the sonnes of Israël as may appeare Num. 19. For the red kowe in the sight of all was killed and of the blood thereof and of the ashes and water purgations were made Vnto the speedinesse of the Lords punishment who was taken about night and led vnto the hie Priestes the next morning earlie carried vnto the iudgement hal of the president and at noone crucified belongeth the figure of the paschal lambe wherof Christ also is oftentimes called à lambe But that it maie the better appeare howe the bodie aunswereth to the shadowe and the trueth to the figure let vs compare one thing with an other For that paschal lambe doth much resemble our Sauiour Christ yet as the shadowe the bodie and the type the truth 1 As therefore that Iewish lambe was à male of à yeere old and that without spot so Christ à full and perfect man was without sinne 2 As the houses which were sprinckled with the blood of the paschal lambe preserued the inhabitor from destruction so they whose consciences are sprinckled with the bloode of Christe the immaculate lambe shal bee free from the punishment of sinne which is damnation 3 As nothing of the paschal lambe might be eaten that was either rawe or boiled or sodden in water but that which was rosted with fire So there was no part of the Lords bodie but was rosted with great flames of sorowe 4 As the children of Israel
ouer the whole bodie whereof tokens of gladnes doe appeare in the bodie For as the hearte wrong together and the vital spirite kept-in as when we are sad it commeth to passe the rest of the bodie is vnquiet whereof proceeded y t saying My soule is troubled al my bones are greeued So the heart being stretched-out and the spirites spread-abroade the whole bodie is comforted And therefore Salomon doeth saie A ioieful heart causeth good health but à sorowful minde drieth the bones Furthermore for so much as the wordes Hart Flesh are diuerslie taken in the Scriptures I wil here set downe the sundrie significations which theie haue For when words haue manie significations that signification is euermore to be chosen which agreeth best to the sense and circumstance of the place The heart therefore in the Scripture is taken after three waies First and properlie it is taken for one and the most noble intral in man as that which is the beginning and fountaine of life and the first that receaueth life dieth last For in the heart is the vital power as saith Augustine which by drawing-vp and giuing aër to coole the heate of the heart bringeth life and welfare to the whole bodie For through good aër it driueth the purified blood ouer y e whole bodie by the pulses caled arteries Secondlie it is vnderstode metonymicalie For seeing the heart is the receptacle of the minde it is taken for the minde it selfe and for the properties of the same as for reason wil knowledge wit counsel wisdome Wherefore theie are caled Homines cordati that is harted men which haue wit wisdome and vnderstanding Thirdlie it is taken metaphoricalie both for the middle of some thing and also for that which is hid secrete Whether then you respecte the substance of the heart or the minde resting in the same or the natural properties which it hath God is the author thereof who vndoubtedlie made nothing which euil was beeing himselfe moste perfectlie good But the wandering motions in the heart are wicked who proceede not frō God but from y e voluntarie reuolting of man from God The moste wise God so created man y t he had both power to seeke for things necessarie and virtue to desire them and habilitie to defende his state Whereof come those three faculties in man to wit the reasonable concupiscible and irascible the which of thēselues in respect of their creation are good but by an accidental sicknes are become naught and euil Whence it is that the heart of man is oftentimes in the Scriptures saide to be froward and wicked Which thing commeth to passe after this wise First when it is infected with false erroneous doctrine secondlie when it is voide of the knowledge of the truth thirdlie when it is troubled with vncleane affections fourthlie when it assenteth to sin and foloweth the desires of the fleshe it becommeth vnpure and diseased as it were with moste grieuous sickenesse or to speake more brieflie The heart becommeth peruerse euil whē it is either infected with y e plague of erroneous opinions or borne-waie by the stormes of euil affections against reason and righteousnes wherof infinite euils diseases breake-forth But when by the hand of God the heart is reformed then is it deliuered from these noisome diseases and made new not by the alteration of the substance but of the qualitie or habite of the same wherebie it becommeth pure and good Which then cōmeth to passe when y e word of God is harkened-vnto and faith fro the worde is conceaued through the operation of the holie Spirit which worketh in the word For by faith the heartes are purified Wherof it is that we resist affections when theie doe arise and proue better dailie more and more so that our onlie desire is that God maie like and loue vs. Such an heart Dauid requested of God when he saide Create in me à cleane heart and renue à right spirite within me Such an heart Ieremiah exacted when he saith Breake vp your fallowe ground and sowe not among thornes be circumcised to the Lord take awaie the fore-skins of your heartes that is be ye renued and become a new creature casting awaie y e old man put-on the new man which after God is created in righteousnes and true holines He therfore termeth the hart fallowe ground the field y t is capable of Gods word being neither stonie nor dirtie nor thornie y t is not hindred with the thoughtes cares of this world frō being à meete place for the celestial seede Such an hart the Prophet Ezekiel caleth both one also à fleshie hart in these words And I wil giue them one hart I wil put à new spirite within their bowels I wil take the stonie hart out of their bodies I wil giue them an hart of flesh Here he caleth that one hart which cleaueth vnto God alone serueth not God riches or idols to or the cares of this world for it halteth not on both sides As therefore through the corruption of our nature we haue à stonie y t is an vngodlie hardened hart against the word of God which wil not suffer anie reprehension no more than the adamant stone wil yeeld to the striker this was figured by Moses tables of stone So à fleshie hart is pliant obedient and beleeueth wherin the word of God is ingrauen abideth so y t the onlie care which it hath is to obeie the wil of God And hereof theie are said to be without heart who are voide of vnderstanding wisdome and obedience vpon the head do folowe the desires of the flesh So that Dauid when he saith his Hart doth reioice in the liuing God vnderstandeth the new hart created thorough the grace of God in the newe creation Furthermore that our heart deliuered thus from these pestilent diseases renued maie not run againe into those infections it should euermore be occupied in these three thinges to wit In Meditation which is à painefull searching-out of an hidden truth In contemplation which is à ioieful wondering at the manifest truth hence saith the Psalmist Taste ye and see howe gratious the Lorde is and in liuing virtuouslie that is religiouslie towardes God purelie in minde and bodie iustlie and louinglie towardes the world and painefulie in discharging the office calling whiche it hath In like sorte the worde Fleshe is in holie Scripture diuerslie vnderstoode For somtime properlie and naturalie it signifieth the earthlie substance which signification is commonlie knowen as There is one flesh of men and another flesh of beasts and other of fishes and another of birdes Secondlie by the figure Synecdoche it signifieth euery liuing creature as when it is saide Al flesh was in the arch of Noah that is liuing creatures of euerie kinde Hence namelie by à Synecdoche it is also
Mediators doe vnderstand such patrons as by their own merites worthines maie purchase to vs the fauour of God For this is à common principle among them that men liuing in earth do need patrons in heauen in as much as theie are vnworthie to appeare in the sight of God By which saieng beside that theie bereaue Christ our Mediator of his honor theie make themselues guiltie of threefolde impietie For first while theie make the dead intercessors for the liuing theie doe runne beyond the limits of Gods worde and foole hardilie are carried into damnable darkenes and vpon the steepe mountaines of Hel. From whence to returne backe and to aspire aloft that is à labour and à sore paine But what à prophanenes this is the godlie alone do marke who know that darknes is there where the torch of Gods word is not born-afore who know that al is abhominable which God hath not decreed and who consider that al which dust and ashes doth inuent in religion without the direction of Gods worde doth proceede from Satan Secondlie when theie teach howe we must depend vpon the merites of saintes theie depart from the true foundation of saluation and seeke another foundation to builde their saluation vppon without the worde of God For seeing that mortal man by his owne merite can not attaine saluation it is impossible that the merites of Saintes should bring saluation vnto others which merites for al that the Pope faineth to be the treasure of the Church which he dispenseth not gratis but according to their disbursing who acknowledge the Pope to be the treasurer of the Church Thirdlie in forging such fained patrons to themselues theie are drowned the more deepelie in darkenes For theie departe from the first commandement and with cursed impudencie cal vpon Saintes driuen therunto by the diuel himselfe who hath brought into the world the inuocation of Saintes and that for these causes First to bereaue Christ of his honor Secondlie to make the saintes infamous Lastlie that in time to come theie maie bee partakers of his eternal paines who in this life doe cal vpon saintes The fourth The Popish masse is laide open for filthie lucre sake For theie not onelie doe sel Masses for the redemption of soules out of purgatorie but also make them common to be bought for the obteining of anie thing In which of sinns manie sinns do meete together of which I wil recite à few that with à perfect hatred we maie abhor y e most filthie lucre of the Masse For first this gaine striueth against the foundation of our saluation which is free mercie For by grace saith Paul are ye saued throgh faith that not of your selues it is the gift of God Not of workes least anie man should boast Secondarilie it abolisheth the Lordes supper For who is so blind but maie see how it is farre from the Supper of Christe to seeke filthie gaine therebie which supper the Lord would haue to be à notable argument of his inward loue toward the Church and à testimonie of the redemption of the Church by his death which free redemption of his beloued spouse he sealeth in his supper Thirdlie this huÌ„ting after gain doth vtterlie ouerthrow the Prophecies of the prophets concerning y e benefites of the Mediator of the Newe Testament Ho saith Isaiah euerie one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and ye that haue no siluer come buie and eate come I saie buie wine and milke without siluer and without monie By water wine milke the prophet vnderstandeth the benefites of the Gospel which he pronounceth are freelie bestowed For as our bodies are nourished by bread wine water and milke so our soules are nourished and susteined by the doctrine of the Gospel by the holie Ghost by the sacraments and other such free giftes of Christ. Fourthlie the buieng and selling of the Popishe Masse doth make miserable men drunke with carnal confidence For by paieng monie for this feigned purgation as it were for an effectual medicine theie persuade them-selues that theie driue-awaie al diseases of the soule and that without faith repentance And because by Masses purchased theie trust theie be armed against the diuel and death theie goe-on the more boldlie in wickednes and dailie become the more obstinate Fiftlie this gaine of Masses is the ground of Purgatorie For to make their Masses the more vendible the Priestes did teach howe there was a Purgatorie of soules after death wherein the soules of the dead should be deteined vntil theie were purged sufficientlie from the spots of sinnes committed in this life And therefore Masses were appointed to be solde to them who desired that either them selues or their friendes might be deliuered from the fire of purgatorie wherebie theie fained that the paines of purgatorie were brought-out Hencâ— the Patrimonie of Peter as theie cal it was exceedinglie encreased And hence it is that the goodes of miserable men are translated from the true heires vnto balde Priestes and Monkes Sixthe this gaine of the Masse and subtiltie of the Romane baude is the strength of the Papacie that is of the Antichristian kingdome And therefore maruel it is not though the Papistes doe so fiercelie contend and fight for their altars For theie feare much that their chimneies would fal downe if their altars were once ouerthrowen The fifte It is abhominable idolatrie to worship à peece of bread in y e place of Christ. For as à litle aboue we haue touched also the Priest after y e mumbling of the historie concerning the institution of Christ doeth firste of al adore the bread himselfe and then lifteth the same vp that the people maie worshippe it For the Papistes be persuaded that by the virtue of the mumbled wordes of the instituted supper the elementes of breade and of wine be transsubstantiated into the verie bodie and bloode of the Lorde which they lay open to be adored but verie erroneouslie For this transsumbstantiation so stiflie defended by Thomas is contrarie to the nature of a sacrament For as in baptisme it is required that the substance of water doe remaine which while it is sprincled according to Christ his institution is à right sacrament and with that water after à secret sort the verie bloode of Christ whereby the inward man is washed from wickednes yea and putteth-on Christ himselfe is present So it is required that in y e supper of the Lord the substance of breade and wine doe remaine which being reached-forth and taken after the institution of Christ are à verie sacrament and with that bread wine after à secret sorte the verie bodie and bloode of the Lorde whereby the inwarde man is nourished fed and refreshed are present So that before the vse whervnto they be ordeined bread and wine are no more à sacrament than is the water of baptisme And therfore it is as great madnes to worshippe the breade and wine as if Ã
man woulde worship the water either to be sprincled vpon à man to be baptized or sprincled alreadie and reserued for worship sake Nowe whereas the Papistes doe attribute to the reciting of the wordes of the supper virtue to transsubstantiate to speake as they do the elements surelie they haue learned that of the Magicians and witches rather than of Christ. For he alone it is and none other that by his diuine power worketh in the supper by the hands of his ministers reacheth to vs when wee doe communicate his verie bodie and his verie blod after an vnsearchable maner And wheras in reformed Churches the ministers of the Gospel doe pronounce the historie of the institution of the supper with à loude voice in à knowen tongue they doe it not that anie virtue by that reciting shoulde passe-ouer into the elementes but otherwise for à most holie and profitable purpose For they know nothing is more comfortable to the godlie than to heare the historie of the instituted supper which containeth the causes of the institutiō and commendeth to them the greate loue betweene Christ and his Church And therefore as the Papistes by mumbling with themselues the wordes of the supper commit hainous sacriledge by keeping close the doctrine of Gospel the summe whereof is contained in the historie of the institution of the supper So doe I iudge it an intollerable thing sorelie to be punished if anie woulde celebrate the Lord his supper without repeating the historie of the same taken either out of the Euangelistes or out of Paul Here some perchance wil arise saie in the celebration of the supper in the reformed Churches y e bread is cōmonlie adored euen as in y e papacie Herevnto I doe thus answere If anie in our Churches do worship the bread and the cup he sticketh as yet in à papistical error from which he is to be reuoked by the godlie ministers of the Gospel Then I distinguish betwene the worship of the bread and the reuerence towarde the maiestie of Christ present in the supper which reuerence we do testifie by bowing the knee and by outward gestures of the bodie while we are occupied in the celebration of the supper The which reuerence as I iudge it laweful and godlie and commended to vs by the Apostle Paul so I doe thinke the worship of the breade and of the wine is wicked prophane both because we haue no cōmandemēt to doe without which à godlie minde can appoint nothing in religion and also because it is meere presumption as that which is not cōtent with that vse of the sacrament which the Lorde requireth The sixt It is contrarie to the institution and nature of the Lorde his supper that one seueralie by himselfe shoulde haue à banket without moe communicants For thus doeth Paul saie When ye come together into one place this is not to eate the Lordes supper For euerie man when they shoulde eate taketh his owne supper afore Againe as no man can baptise himselfe alone So neither is it lawful for à priest to minister the Lordes supper priuatelie to himselfe alone If then this Lordes supper be not à priuate banket surelie in vaine do those sacrificers vaunt howe with fiue wordes they can pluck-downe the bodie of Christ from heauen vpon their altar For y e bodie blood of Christ is onelie in y t place where the institution of Christ is maintained and the communion according to the institutiō It is needful then that at the least there be one to minister and another to receaue The seauenth By the helpe of this masse the kingdome of Antichrist which was erected by the diuel is augmented established For the storehouse of al vngodlie worshippings whereby the kingdome of Antichrist is vp-holden is the masse Which therefore the more forceablie doeth deceaue because it hath à forme quite contrarie to y e nature therof For it seemeth goodlie whereas nothing is more abhominable The eight The application of the masse for the dead y t they maie be deliuered frō purgatorie is à meere diuelish inuention For no man is forgiuen without he haue faith wherfore they most horriblie deface the glorie of Christ which do faine that that offering doth merite that remission of sinnes for the deade Furthermore al which depart out of this life doe depart either in faith or without faith In in faith they are blessed according to that Blessed are the dead which die in the Lorde And Peter saith The end of faith is the saluation of soules But if they die without faith the sentence of Christ standeth sure He that beleeueth not on the sonne the wrath of God abideth on him So then there is à double waie to wit à waie of saluation which is of the faithful and à waie of death or damnation which is of al such as refuse in this worlde to beleeue on Christ. Where then is purgatorie frō whence the soules by masses be redeemed for monie Notwithstanding albeit the trueth touching the idolatrous masse of Papistes bee not vnknowen to the Church of God yet the Papistes to shew that they haue some ground doe obiect three thinges as buclers for their defence For first they bring-out the deede of Melchizedech Secondlie they oppose à place of Malachie touching the sacrifice to come among the Gentiles with the like Lastlie they doe amplifie the worthines of the people of the new Testamēt But what force they are of let vs brieflie consider The deede of Melchizedech from whence the Papistes do seeke to haue their cause countenanced is thus described Gen. 14. And Melchi-zedek king of Shalem brought-foorth breade and wine and hee was à Priest of the most high God Therefore he blessed him saieng Blessed art thou Abraham of God most high Hence do they most impudentlie inferre that Priestes must offer to God bread and wine for peace offeringes With as good a consequent might one make this argument Philip is in Spaine therefore the sea is sweet For first they doe corruplie reade He offered for He brought-foorth and in place of the particle And they reade For. Wherby they testifie who is their master euē the diuel the corrupter and slanderer of gods worde Secondlie they doe verie naughtilie distinguish the thinges which are to be compounded and mingled the thinges that are to be distinguished For there be two distinct members of the narration in Moses The former is of the king his deed The latter of the priest his deed Melchi-zedek brought-forth bread wine you haue the king and his deed And he was à Priest of the most high God therefore he blessed him Where you haue the priest and his deed Melchi-zedek therefore in bringing forth bread and wine showed himselfe a liberal king whereby he would refresh the wearied host of Abraham And in blessing Abraham he shewed himself a Priest For it was the office of Priestes to blesse the
therefore rightly doth y e Church saie He is the verie lambe of God who hath taken awaie the sinnes of the worlde who by his death hath destroied death and repaired life by rising againe And Ambrose So great was our sinne that vnlesse the sonne of God had died for vs the debters of death wee coulde neuer haue beene saued Wherefore when it is said that the sonne of man hath redeemed vs through the merite of his passion à worke of an infinite price and valor is named to wit the worke of the Sonne of man who is verie God too when it is said howe the death of Christ is à satisfaction an infinite price is proposed euen of that man who also is the onelie begotten Sonne of God And although the God-head neither suffered nor died for howe can it bee that either an vnchangeable thing shoulde suffer or an immortall thing suffer death yet the eternal person which is God hath suffered yet not in the diuine but in the humane assumed nature which coulde suffer Therefore Paul doeth saie God hath purchased the Church with his owne blood And Peter affirmeth how Christ hath suffered in the fleshe that is in the humane nature in soule and bodie And the Epistle vnto the Hebrewes doeth saie that Christ tooke part of bloode and flesh that he might destroye through death him that had the power of death that is the diuel signifying plainlie thereby howe the diuinitie coulde not suffer but flesh did and because the diuine nature could not suffer he tooke y t which could suffer And Theodoret doth saie He therfore tooke flesh that through it which coulde suffer that which could not suffer might sustaine punishment Therefore in respect of the vnion of the diuine and humaine nature in one person the price and merite of Christ his suffering is infinite for time valor and efficacie For if you respect the time it extendeth vnto all ages vnto all generations of men If you marke the valor it is able to purge the sinnes of all mankinde if the efficacie the force thereof is euident in al and with-drawen from none which doe heare the gospel and by faith repent For the death of Christ doeth abolishe alike the sinnes of Adam and of Euah and of Peter and of Paul and of such as haue bene since the time of Christ. And this is it which is saide in the Reuelation where hee is called The lambe which was slaine from the beginning of the worlde As sone therefore as our first parentes gaue credite to this promise The seed of the woman shal bruise the serpentes heade by the power of Christ his death which was then appointed to be in the ende of the world they were iustified sanctified and redeemed from eternal death By this faith Iob erected himselfe in the extreeme miseries when hee saide I am sure that my redeemer liueth And of Abram it is written Abram beleeued the Lorde and hee counted that to him for righteousnesse And Dauid was persuaded his adulterie and murder coulde be washed awaie by the merite of Christe his bloode when hee saide Purge me with Hysop and I shall be cleane And therefore in an other place he saith With the Lorde is mercie and with him is great redeemption It is great in deede because it is infinite and can not bee conteined within the bounds of anie time or estimation So that the vertue of Christ his death extendeth vnto all times and to al ages and is of sufficient force to wipe al the sinnes of al mankinde Because it is the death not of à simple man but of that man who also was the onelie begotten Sonne of God and à verie God too deliuered vnto death for our sakes as Paule doth saie Hee spared not his owne sonne but gaue him for vs all to death CHAP. 36. 1. The horrible ingratitude of man toward God for the so infinite price of his redemption 2. The causes of mans ingratitude with remedies for them THus howesoeuer wee see both of what price the death of the sonne of God is and also for whō Christ the Lorde of glorie hath suffered nowe on the otherside let vs consider howe alas vngratefull the maior part of mankinde is for the same For the Iewes Turkes and manie prophane people can not abide so much as to heare the name of Christ. For the Iewes blinded with enuie couetousnes and ambition doe interprete the benefite of Christ to be their hurt The Turkes possessed with Mahomets furie like mad men are carried tyrannicallie to abolishe the name of Christ. Manie barbarous nations with the auncientnes of error as it were with a leprosie polluted will not permit the gospel to bee founded Others vnder the name of Christe and pretence of religion to fight vnder the ensigne of satan and endeuour by the blood of saincts to hinder the course of the gospel as doth the Pope the Cardinals the mitred Bishoppes Abbats and al the rablement of y e Antichristian kingdome Manie are altogether indifferent looking for the euent that they rise-vp to that part which hath the better hand Who although they becounted gospellers and called defenders of the faith yet in trueth they bee meere Atheistes such as measure the felicitie of man by honor auctoritie wealth and pleasure Among these although some do couer the prophanenesse of their minde by à certaine outwarde ciuilitie◠yet the most part doe imitate Nero and Heliogabalus more truelie thā Christ of whō they haue their name Of this extreeme ingratitude of the world the Lord by the Prophete Isaiah complaineth on this wise I haue nourished and brought vp children but they haue rebelled against me The oxe knoweth his owner and the asse his masters crib but Israel hath not knowen my people hath not vnderstande This ingratitude also the Lord bewayleth when he saith Howe often woulde I haue gathered thy children together as the henne gathereth her chickins vnder her winges and yee would not Againe where hee saith Manie are called but few are choosen By which saying the Lorde both commendeth the infinite mercie of God inuiting all men vnto the knowledge of his sonne that by him they maie be saued and reprooueth the intollerable blindnes and ingratitude of verie manie men who as if they were mad laie violent hande vppon the Phisition that woulde heale and set vpon him as if hee were an enemie rendring for life and celestial promotion offered death and euil wordes This ingratitude is by so much the greater as the benefite is greater that is contemned So that it is worthie the euerlasting hatred of all the chaste Angels and electe of God If you respect y e heaps of wicked men smal is the nūber of them which esteeme the benefites of Christ as they ought Who I beseech you can sufficientlie bewaile with teares this phrensie of mē But of force it must be some detestable euil thing which can with-draw
with his sacrifice taketh awaie all feare of death and maketh à mā no more to dread death than a sweet sleep Whereof it is that a godlie man desireth death euen as à passage out of these miseries vnto euerlasting life Then shal he find the saying of Christ to be true If à man keepe my worde hee shal neuer tast death Hence proceedeth y t willingnes in manie of the Martyrs who had in minde Christ not onelie that died but also y t did rise againe by whose power we shal be raised vnto immortalitie and our soules in the meane space euen vntil the daie of the laste iudgement shal possesse the ioies of heauen with the chast spirits and then ioined to their bodies shal enioie the sight of God immortal glorie for euer and euer And therefore it is not without iust cause said both in the Reuelatiō Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord and also by Dauid Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saincts Thus hitherto we haue spokē concerning the propitiatorie sacrifice of Christians of such things as do seeme to make for the plane declaration of the same nowe wee are brieflie to speake of the other sacrifice of Christians which they cal Euchatistical CHAP. 41. 1. Of the Priestes of the newe Testament howe they be consecrated 2. the couenant betweene God and them 3. The excellencie of the Priesthood 4. What is Eucharistical sacrifice 5. Whie so called 6. The kindes thereof 7. Ministers of the Gospel whie and howe Priestes THE Apostle Peter applied to such as doe conuert both from the Iewes and the Gentiles the promise of the Lorde which is in the 19. of Exodus to this purpose If yee wil heare my voice in deede and keepe my couenant then yee shal bee my chiefe treasure aboue al people though al the earth bee mine Yee shalbe also vnto mee à kingdome of Priestes and an holie nation à peculiar people that yee maie shew-forth the vertues of him that hath caled you out of darknes into his maruelous light Out of these words to omit other places it is manifest that all Christians bee Priestes to offer sacrifices of thankesgiuing and praise vnto God Firste therefore it is to bee noted that as by nature wee bee sinners and the children of wrath So by our owne strength worthinesse and merites wee can chalenge nothing at Gods hande And therefore as by that onelie sacrifice of Christ wee bee reconciled so of his goodnes wee enter into the order of priestes and are consecrated to him for to dedicate our selues and al ours vnto the glorie of God This our inauguration into y e priesthood because it is merlie spiritual internal is wroght by a secrete maner how it maie be declared after à sort by cōparing the truth vnto y e shadow As then they which were to be made priestes out of the tribe of Leui did first of al washe their bodies with water secondlie put vppon them the garmentes appointed of God thirdlie did annoint their heades and fourthlie filled their hands so they which shal be priestes in the newe Testament be spiritual ordained For first the high priest euē Christ doth wash them both with water and bloode Hee cleanseth vs saith Paul by the washing of water throgh the word to wit of God instituting ordaining baptisme Ioh. in the Reuelatiō saith He hath loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes in his bloode and made vs kinges and Priestes vnto God euen his father Secondlie the same Christ adorneth vs with spiritual garmentes much whiter and cleaner than those Leuitical garmentes For so Paul saith Alyee that are baptized into Christe haue put-on Christe And hauing him vpon vs wee seeme white that is righteous and holy in the sight of God Of this apparel the Psalme meaneth where it is said Let thie priests be clothed with righteousnes and let thie saintes reioice Thirdlie theie are annointed not with material fleeting oyle as Leuitical priests but with inward spiritual and immortal Whereof Paul speaketh saieng It is God who establisheth vs with you in Christ hath annointed vs. Who hath also sealed vs and hath giuen the earnest of the spirite in our heartes Of this ointment wherewith Christe annointeth vs we be called Christians and Priests Kinges and Prophets Marueilous is the force of this spiritual vnction For as the nature of the oile wherewithal the Priestes of the olde Lawe were annointed is to shine and to burne so the holie Spirite wherebie we are annointed for Priestes both lighteneth our mindes and setteth our heartes on fire that both the minde maie vnderstand what is good and behooueful and the heart zealouslie couet after the same And this commeth to passe when through faith conceaued by the preaching of the worde we bee rauished wholie with admiration of the great mercie of God who hath called vs out of darkenes into his marueilous light Last of al theie fil their handes that is theie shewe them-selues readie to offer vnto the Lorde For nowe they are no more their owne men but consecrated to God theie surcesse to liue and theie dedicate all the actions of their life vnto the seruice of God And being thus ordained we haue a certaine couenant also concluded betweene God and vs what that is I wil shew out of the words of Malachie The words of the Prophet are these My couenant was with him of life and peace and I gaue him feare and he feared me and was afraid before my name The lawe of truth was in his mouth and there was none iniquitie founde in his lips he walked with me in peace and equitie and did turne manie awaie from iniquitie For the Priestes lips should preserue knowledge and theie should seeke the lawe at his mouth for he is the messenger of the Lorde of hostes And although the Prophete here speaketh of the Leuitical priestes yet it is fitlie applied also to al Christians who are in the sight of God much more excellent priestes being roial than were the Leuitical Out of which wordes of the Prophet the forme of the couenant maie thus be made As the Lorde promiseth life and peace so doth he require also feare through faith For as in al couenantes there is à mutual obligation so here too God promiseth peace and life which two thinges are opposed against the wrath of God and euerlasting death But the partes of the couenant in respect of our selues are manie in this place which naturalie do hang together The first whereof is à syncere feare of God springing of Faith which the Prophete meaneth when he saith The beginning of wisedome is the feare of the Lorde Againe The holie feare of the Lorde endureth for euer The second the lawe of truth in his mouth that is true holie sounde doctrine And although eùerie Christian mà ie not teach