then before seeing the daye of his death was so neere But you will say Whatsoeuer it was it seemes that he could prophecie of things to come for hee foretold Sauls death Can the diuell prophecie This was an easie matter for the diuell to prophecie because he knew that Dauid was annoynted before and therefore Saul must be remooued that he might reigne as he was annoynted Secondly he knew that Samuel had prophecied his confusion and therefore hee must bee degraded that the Prophecie might bee fulfilled Thirdly hee did see the Philistins comming against him and therefore no meruaile if he did aime that his death was neere at hand seeing a man might prophecie the same If any man bee not satisfied with this to beleeue that the soules of the dead doe not walke after their dissolution let mee reason with him thus Is it a soule which thou seest Why a soule is a spirit and cannot bee scene no more then a voyce or an Eccho diddest thou euer see thine own soule though it hath been euer with thee since thou was borne Doest thou thinke it is a bodie Why a bodie cannot walke without a soule for the soule is the life which mooueth the bodie If thou say it is a bodie and soule too then why doth Paul call death a dissolution It is a separation of the soule from the bodie if the bodie and soule bee not dissolued then the man is not dead but liuing still If thou say the soule is come to the bodie and the bodie is risen to the soule for that time then I can say no more to thee but beleeue thine owne eyes If thou thinkest that it is such a mans bodie which thou seest looke in the graue and open the ground and there thou shalt see the bodie where it was laide euen while this vizard walkes in thy sight therefore apparitions are no other then that which appeared to Saul Thus the Diuel hath many wayes to deceiue and this is one a dangerous one to draw vs from the word of God to visions dreames and apparitions vpon which many of the doctrines of the Papists are grounded They had neuer heard of Purgatorie but for these spirites which walked in the night and tolde them they were the soules of such and such which suffered in fire till their masses and almes and pilgrimages did raunsome them out So these night spirits begate Purgatorie and Purgatorie begate trentalles as one Serpent hatcheth another Yet a third question riseth out of these wordes and that is this Whether a Christian may wish for death As Paul desired so may wee desire if wee haue Pauls spirit As Christ told his Disciples when they asked him whether they should pray for fire from heauen as Elias did Christ answered that they knewe not of what spirit they were as if he should say If you were of Elias spirit and did praye with the same mind and to the same end that he did then you might pray as he prayed The wicked wish to die because they would bee rid of the crosse and suffer no more for God as Cain so soone as he was cursed and knew that his life should be a torment he sought to dye to preuent the iust iudgement of God spight him as it were which shuld punish sinnes So doe the people oftentimes which haue not to satisfie hunger the sicke which saint of an incurable disease and the wearie captiues in prison galleis and bonds As for the faithfull if they at any time wish to die they pray for death as the last remedy against sinne and Sathan euen as they pray in the Reuelation for the hastening of Christs comming to iudgement Come Lord Iesus come quickly for the shortening of the daies of sinne least all flesh should perish But they which wish for death in this sorte would dye as the will of God hath ordained and mortifie their flesh to abide these troubles and still by fayth suppresse the doloruos griefe of sin by frequent meditation of inward ioy receiued by grace in Christ and therein reuiue themselues as with the earnest pennie of their inheritance which they shall receiue at the fit time when it shall comfort them much to haue suffered so long Much therefore haue they to answere which are not contented to die in peace and stay till they bee dissolued but as though themselues were the authors of life death from cruell heart giue wrongfull commission to the bloodie hand to cut asunder that which God hath ioyned the louing soule and their body as Iudas Achitophel Saul and Pilate did not one of these was good in life or death Yet the Author of the Macchabees commendeth Raz is most of all for that which was the greatest sinne that euer he did for killing himselfe Man was not borne of his owne pleasure neither must hee die at his owne lust or else it had been good for Iob which suffered more than any Saint except Christ to make away himselfe as Iudas did But why is it commanded then thou shall nor kill If thou maist not kill another much lesse maist thou kill thy selfe As for the example of Sampson Iud. 16. 30. which may seeme to oppose against this in that he killed himselfe when as he pulled the house vpon his owne head and all that were with him vnderstand that hee was a figure of Christ which vanquished moe in his death than in all his life and it appeareth that he had warrant from God in that his strength being taken from him was for the acte in a moment restored to him vpon his prayer And the Epistle to the Hebr. 11. 13. to cleere that fact saith that he did it of faith that is knowing that he had deserued to die and that by these meanes the enemies of God should bee destroyed he submitted himselfe to the good will of GGD like a good Captaine which ventured his life to kill his enemies therefore we must not looke to particultr examples but to the generall law Wherfore let no man doe this euill that any good may come of it but rather follow the aduise of the holy Apostle as it becommeth vs with patience let vs runne out the race which is set before vs. Here I might shew you that they are guiltie of their owne death that kill themselues with surfetting intemperance drunkennesse c. although they loue their life too deare yet they take all meanes to hasten their deaths Thus much of Purgatorie night spirits and praying for death Nowe it remaneth that as the Leuites sanctified their brethren before they did eate the Passeouer so I would prepare you before yee eate this holy Sacrament of which the passeouer was but a signe The Iewes were taught of God before they did eate the Passeouer to put away leauen out of their houses the daie before Exod. 12. 15. Hath God care of leauen No this is it which the Apostle teacheth 1. Corinth 5.
our sinnes are washed with Christes bloud when our bodies are washed they are taken out of the water againe to signifie how we shall be raised from death to life by the resurrection of Christ and how we should rise from sinne to righteousnesse thus we begin our life with a solemne promise to God before the Church to serue him with our bodies and soules till death vs depart Now let vs remember how we haue kept this promise with the Lord or rather how we haue broken promise with him then we gaue our selues to GOD but since we haue giuen our selues to sinne then wee promised to renounce the world but euer since we haue embraced the world therefore now let vs begin to pay that which we ought so long and pray the Lord which hath instituted this Sacrament as a seale of his mercie to receiue this child into his fauour as we receiue it into his Church to baptize it with his spirit as wee baptize it with water and powre vpon it his grace as we giue it the signe of grace FINIS THE PILGRIMS WISH PHILIP 1. 23. I desire to bee dissolued and to bee with Christ. HEere is Pauls desire to be dissolued and the cause that he might be with Christ wherein first you shal see the difference betweene the faithfull and the wicked how one loatheth this life and the other longeth after it Secondly because the Apostle seemes to desire death you shall see whether any man may wish to die Thirdly because after his dissolution hee hopes to bee with Christ you shall see the diuersitie of iudgements betweene Paul and the Papists which think when they are dead that they shall goe on to Purgatorie Lastlie because the soules which are with Christ cannot walke as they did when they liued vpon the earth you shall heare a little of walking spirits which haue beene so much talked of in the time of poperie and were taken for the soules of them which were dead after wee will speake a little of the Sacrament which yee come to receiue and so commit you to God I desire to be dissolued Before Christes comming when the Kings or Patriarches died it is said that they went to their fathers as we read of Dauid and Salomon c. but after Christs comming when the faithfull die they are said to go to Christ as we read of the penitent thief Luke 23. 43. Not because the Patriarches went not to Christ as well as they but because yet Christ was not ascended to heauen therefore they are not to go to Christ although if they went to heauen they must needes go to Christ because Christ touching his Godhead was alwaies in heauen I desire to be dissolued As the wordly long for Christ to come to them so the faithful long to go to Christ for vnlesse we ascend to him as he descended to vs his descending is in vaine because he came downe that we might go vp he descended to take our flesh we ascende to take his kingdom he descended to be crucified we ascende to be glorified he descended to hell we ascend to heauen that is to ioy to glory to blisse to our father to our Sauiour to our comforter to Angels to Saints to eternall life therefore good cause had Paul to desire to be with Christ that he might be at rest for no doubt it was the sweetest voice that euer the theefe heard in this life when Christ said vnto him This day shalt thou bee with me in Paradise Luke 23. chapt vers 45. Besides as Paul persecuâ—ed before so he was after persecuted himselfe as he tels the Corinthians 2. Cor. 11. 24. I was thrise beaten with rods I was once stoned I suffered thrise shipwrake c. Therefore good cause had Paul to desire to be with Christ that he might be out of trouble Yet he wil not dissolue himself but desireth to be dissolued that is that he which brought him into this world would take him out of the world neither doth he wish or pray or make any petitioÌ„ to God to take away his life but tels him his desire desiring to be dissolued to desire is not to pray but shewes what we approue neither doth he desire so to be dissolued as though he were weary of his labors would suffer no more for Christ but he is content to liue as he saith in the 24. vers Neuertheles for me to abide in the flesh were better for you as if he should say to do you good I am content to suffer euil and stay still from Christ whom I long to be with Seeing then that he wil not dissolue himself nor pray to be dissolued but is content to liue stil why doth he say I desire to be dissolued Onelie to shew what he preferreth in his desire if hee might choose life or death for his owne respect he could be content to leaue friends and riches and pleasures and life and all onely to bee with Christ This seemes to be a good lesson for sickemen when they can liue no longer then to be with Christ were better then to be with the glutton which neuer thought of heauen til he was in hell but Paul was not sicke nor sore when he desired to be dissolued therefore this is not onely for the sicke but for the whole If he had wished to liue stay still in the world no man need to be taught to say after him for yong old desire not to be dissolued but few are content to bee dissolued To a naturall man in this life nothing is so sweete as life it selfe and he which is in loue with this world seldome dyeth quietly vpon his bed but to a minde which misliketh this worlde nothing can come so welcome as death because it takes him out of the world This it is which Paul would haue vs learne that nothing in this world is so pretious or pleasant that for it we should desire to liue or stay from God one hower though all may not wish to die yet all must subscribe to this that death is better then life because it leads to Christ which when Paul had throughlie tasted he was satisfied for all things else and desired to liue no longer that he might bee with Christ heerein appeareth the end of mans life which when he hath obtayned he desireth to liue no longer how great riches and honours and friends soeuer he leaue behind him From the time he knoweth Christ crucified and begins like Enoch to walke with God he cryeth euer after with the Apostle I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ who shall deliuer mee from this bodie of sinne death weare to me aduantage Euen as Simeon reioiced that Christ came to him so the faithfull reioice that they shall go to Christ The necessitie of sinne is so irksome to him which knoweth the vilenesse of sinne that the faithfull man but to doe good would not liue
haue to liue wil make vs applie our harts to that which is good The first point is that as euery one had a day to come into this world so he shal haue a day to goe out of this world When Moses had spoken of some which liued 700. yeeres and other which liued 800. yeeres and other which liued 900. yeeres shewing that some had a longer time and some a shortet yet he speakes this of all mortuus est at last comes in mortuus est that is he died which is the Epitaph of euery man We are not lodged in a castell but in an Inne where wee are but guests and therefore Peter cals vs strangers We are not Citizens of the earth but Citizens of Heauen and therefore the Apostle saith we haue here no abiding City but we look for one to come As Christ saith my kingdom is not of this world so we may say My dwelling is not in this world but the soule soareth vpward whence she came the body stoopeth downward whence it came as the tabernacles of the Iews were made to remoue so our tabernacles are made to remoue Euery man is a tenant at wil ther is nothing sure in life but deth as he which wrote this is gone so I which preach it you which heare it one comming in one going out is to all Although this is daily seene yet it had need be prooued nay euery man had need to die to make him beleeue that he shall die When Adam Eue became subiect to death because of their sin to teach them to think on death so soon as they were thrust out of paradise God clothed them with the skins of dead beastes which shewed them that now they were cloathed with death and that as the beastes were dead whose skins they wore so they should die also therefore Dauid saith Man being in honour became like the beasts which perish when he saith that hee did become like the beasts which perish he implieth that man should not perish like the beasts but when he did like a beast hee died like a beast From that day euery man might say with Iob Corruption was my father and the worme was my mother For the rich glutton is lockt in his graue as fast as poore Lazarus Therfore God speaking of kings saith I said ye are Gods but ye shal die like men If kings must die like men then the expectation of men is death therefore when this king was readie to die he said to Salomon that he should go the way of all the earth calling death the way of all the earth to which Esay be ares witnesse crying all flesh is grasse that is it falleth and is cut downe like grasse In paradise we might liue or die in the world we liue must die in heauen she shall liue and not die Before sinne nothing could change vs now euery thing doth change vs. For when winter comes wee are cold when age comes wee are withered when sicknesse comes we are weak to shew that when death comes we shal die The clothes which were vpon our backs the sun which sets ouer our heads the graues which lie vnder our feete the meate which goes into our mouthes câ—ie vnto vs that we shall we are and sade and die like the fishes and foules and beasts which euen now were liuing in their elements and now are dead in our dishes Euery thing euerie day suffers some eclipse and nothing stands at a stay but one creature calles to another let vs leaue this world Our fathers summoned vs and we shall summon our children to the graue first wee wax olde then wee wax drie then wee wax weake then wee wax sicke so wee melt away by drops at last as we caried other so other cary vs vnto the graue this is the last bed which euery man shal sleep in we must returne to our mothers wombe Therefore Iacob called his life but a pilgrimage therfore Paul called his life but a race therfore Dauid calleth him selfe but a worme a pilgrimage hath an end a race hath a stop a worme is but troden vnder foote and dead straight so in a houre we are and are not heere we are now and anon we are separated to morrow one sickneth and the next day another sickneth and all that be here neuer meet againe we may well be called earthen vessels for we are soone broken a spider is able to choake vs a pin is able to kill vs all of vs are borne one way and die a hundred waies As Eliah stood in the doore of the caâ—e when God passed by so wee stand in the passages of this world readie to go out whensoeuer God shall cal We loose first our infancie then our childhood then our youth at last as we came in the roomes of other so other come into our roomes If all our daies were as long as the day of Iosua when the sun stood still in the midst of heauen yet it will be night at last our sun shal set like other It is not long that we grow but when we begin to fall we are like the ice which thaweth sooner then it froze so these little worlds are destroied first and at last the great world shal be destroied too for all which was made for vs shall perish with vs. What do you learne when you thinke of this but that which Moses saith to applie your hearts to wisdome death commeth after life and yet it guides the whole life like the sterne of a ship but for death there would be no rule but euery mans lust should be his law he is like a King which frighteth a far oft though he defer his sessions and stay the execution yet the verie feare that he will come makes the proudest peacock lay downe his feathers and is like a dampe which puts out all the lights of pleasure The second note is that the time of man is set his bounds appointed which he cannot passe therfore Moses praieth the Lord that he would teach him to number his daies as though there were a number of our daies Therefore God is called Palmoni which signifieth a secret number because he knoweth the number of our daies which is secret to vs. As it was said to Balthasar God hath numbred thy kingdome so it may be said to all God hath numbred thy life To this Job beareth witnes saying Are not his daies determined thou hast appoynted his bounds which he cannot passe Again Ieremie saith they could not stand because the day of their destruction was come As there is a day of destruction and a day of death so there is a day of birth a day of marriage a day of honour a day of deliuerance according to that the determinatioÌ„ is made that is God hath determined all things As God appointed a time when
the way for other that they may fall too Therefore Let him that thinketh he standeth take heede lest he fall So earnestly must we call vpon our soules that we be not wearie of well doing for happier are the children that neuer began then Iudas whose ende was worse then his beginning Wisedome and Righteousnesse are angrie with him that leaueth his goodnesse to become worse if thy spouse had committed fornication thou mightest haue diuorsed her but he which leaueth his righteousnes to liue in wickednes forsakes his spouse to commit fornication and is diuorsed from Christ himselfe If thou wert like the Vine or the Oliue or the Figge tree they would not leaue their grapes or their fatnesse or their sweetnesse to get a kingdome but the Bramble did If thou be like the Bramble what wilt thou doe when the fire comes As this is a memorandum to all so especially let him that ruleth and him that teacheth take heede lest he fal for if the Pillers shrinke the Temple shakes as when a great Tree is hewen downe which is a shadowe to the beasts and a nest to the birdes many leaues and bowes and twiggs fall with it so many stande and fall with them whose lampes giue light to others Euen as Ieroboams sinne made Israel to sinne therefore Paul hath giuen you a watchword which euery one should write vpon his table vpon his bed vpon his nayles lest he forget in one houre for he which standes now may fall before night Sinne is not long in comming nor quickly gone vnles God stop vs as he mette Balaam in his way stay vs as he staied the womans sonne when he was a bearing to his graue we runne ouer Reason and tread vpon Conscience and fling by Counsel and goe by the Word and poast to Death as though we ran for a kingdome like a Larke that falles to the ground sooner then she mounted vp at first she retires as it were by steps but when she commeth neerer the ground she falles downe with a iumpe so wee decline at first and wauer lower and lower till we be almost at the worst and then we runne headlong as though wee were sent poast to hell from hot to luke-warme from luke-warme to key cold from key cold to starke dead so the languishing soule bleedes to death and seeth not his life goe till he be at the very last gaspe Woe bee vnto him that is guilty of this murther if the bloud of Abel cried for vengeance against his brother Caine which slew his bodie shall not GOD bee reuenged for the death of the Soule where is thy brother saith God Nay where is thy soule hast thou slaine it which was my spouse my temple mine owne Image If the seruāt which hid his Talent was cast into darknesse what shall be done vnto thee which hast lost thy Talent For he which falles from his righteousnesse dooth not hide his Talent but more he doth lose it Thus if you neuer knewe what good to make of euill this you may learne in the sinners Schoole let them which thinke they stand take heed lest they fall and let them which are downe care to rise and the Lord so direct our steppes that wee may rise againe FINIS THREE PRAYERS ONE FOR THE MORNING ANother for the Euening the third for a sicke man Whereunto is annexed a godly Letter to a sicke friend and a comfortable speech of a Preacher vpon his death bed Anno. 1591. A Morning Prayer O Lord prepare our hearts to praye ETernall God giuer to them which want Comforter to them wich suffer and forgiuer to them which repent we haue nothing to render thee but thine owne If we could giue thee our bodies and soules they should be saued by it but thou wert neuer the richer for them Al is our duetie al of vs cannot performe it therefore thy son died thy spirite descended and thy Angels guide and thy Ministers teach to helpe the weakenes of men All things cal vpon vs to cal vpon thee and we are prostrate before thee before wee know how to worship thee euē since we rose we haue tasted many of thy blessings thou hast begun to serue vs before wee begin to serue thee Why shouldst thou bestow thy health and wealth and rest and libertie vpon vs more then other we can giue no reason for it but that thou art mercifull And if thou shouldst drawe all backe againe we haue nothing to say but that thou art iust Our sinnes are so grieuous and infinite that we are faine to say with Iudas I haue sinned and there stop because we cannot reckon them All things serue thee as they did at first onely men are the sinners in this world Our heart is a roote of corruption our eies are the eyes of vanitie our eares are the eares of follie our mouthes are the mouthes of deceipt our hands are the hands of iniquitie and euery part doth dishonour thee which would be glorified of thee The vnderstanding which was giuen vs to learne vertue is apt now to apprehend nothing but sinne the will which was giuen vs to affect righteousnes is apt now to loue nothing but wickednes The memorie which was giuen vs to remember good things is apt now to keep nothing but euill things There is no difference betweene vs and the wicked we haue doone more against thee this weeke then we haue doone for thee since we were borne and yet we haue not resolued to amende but this is the course of our whole life first we sinne and then we pray thee to forgiue it and then to our sinnes againe as though we came to thee for leaue to offend thee And that which should get pardon at thy hands for all the rest that is our prayer is so full of toyes and fancies for want of faith and reuerence that when we haue praied we had need to praie againe that thou wouldest forgiue our prayers because wee thinke least of thee when wee pray vnto thee what Father but thou could suffer this contempt and bee contemned still Yet when we thinke vpon thy sonne all our feare is turned into ioye because his righteousnesse for vs is more then our wickednesse against our selues Settle our faith in thy beloued and it sufficeth for all our iniquities necessities and infirmities Now Lord we goe foorth to fight against the world the flesh and the diuell and the weakest of our enemies is stronger than wee therefore wee come vnto thee for thy holy spirite to take our part that is to change our mindes and wils and affections which wee haue corrupted to remooue all the hindrances which lets vs to serue thee and to direct all our thaughts speeches and actions to thy glorie as thou hast directed thy glorie vnto our saluation Although we be sinners O Lord yet we are thine and therefore we beseech thee to separate our sins from vs which would separate vs from thee that we may be ready
what passion expelled what sin repented what good performed since we began to receiue thy benefites this day wee must confesse against our selues that all our works words thoughts haue been the seruice of the world the flesh and the diuell we haue offended thee and contemned thee all the day and at night wee pray vnto thee Father forgiue vs all our sins which haue dishonored thee while thou diddest serue vs run from thee while thou didst call vs and forgotten thee whilest thou didst feede vs so thou sparest vs so we sleepe and to morrow we sinne againe this is the course of al our pilgrimage to leaue that which thou commandest and doe that which thou forbiddest Therefore thou mightest iustly forsake vs as we forsake thee and condemne vs whose conscience condemnes our selues but who can measure thy goodnesse which giuest all and forgiuest all Though we are sinfull yet thou louest vs though wee knocke not yet thou openest though we aske not yet thou giuest what should wee haue if wee did serue thee which hast done all these things for thine enemies Therefore thou which hast giuen vs al things for thy seruice O Lord giue vs a heart to serue thee let this be the houre of our conuersion let not euill ouercome good let not thine enemie haue his will but giue vs strength to resist patience to endure and constancie to perseuere vnto the end Instruct vs by thy word guide vs by thy spirite mollifie vs by thy grace humble vs by thy corrections winne vs by thy benefites reconcile our nature to thy will and teach vs to make profite of euery thing that wee may see thee in all things and all things in thee because O most mercifull father we walk between thy mercie and iustice through many temptations gouerne our steps with such discretion that the hope of mercie may preuent dispaire the feare of iustice may keepe vs from presumption that in mirth wee bee not vaine in knowledge we be not proude in zeale we bee not bitter but as the tree bringeth foorth first leaues then blossomes and then fruit so first wee may bring foorth good thoughts then good speeches and after a good life to the honor of thy name the good of thy children the saluation of our soules remembring the time when we shall sleepe in the graue and the day when wee shall awake to iudgement Now the time is come O Lord which thou hast appointed for rest and without thee wee can neither wake nor sleepe which hast made the day and night and rulest both therefore into thy hands we commend our soules and bodies that thou hast bought that they may serue thee restore them O Lorde to their first Image and keepe them to thy seruice and resigne vs not to our selues againe but finish thy work that we may euery day come neerer and neerer to thy kingdome till we hate the way to hell as much as hell it selfe and euery cogitation and speech and action be so many steps to heauen For thy names sake for thy promise sake for thy sonnes sake O Lord wee lift vp our hearts hands voyce vnto thee in his name which suffered for sinne and sinned not Our Father c. A Prayer for a sicke man ALmightie God and all mercifull Father which art the Phisition of our bodies and soules in thy hands are life and death thou bringest to the graue and pullest backe againe we came into this world vpon condition to forsake it whensoeuer thou wouldest call vs and now the Somners are come thy â—etters hold me and none can loose me but he which bound me I am sicke in bodie and soule but he hath stroken me which in iudgment sheweth mercie I deserued to dye so soone as I came to life but thou hast preserued me till now and shall this mercie bee in vaine as though wee were preserued for nothing Who can praise thee in the graue I haue done thee no seruice since I was borne but my goodnesse is to come and shall I dye before I begin to liue but Lord thou knowest what is best of all and if thou conuert me I shall be conuerted in an houre and as thou acceptedst the will of Dauid as well as the act of Salomon so thou wilt accept my desire to serue thee as well as if I did liue to glorifie thee The spirit is willing but the flesh is fraile and as I did liue sinfullie whensoeuer thy spirite was from mee so I shall dye vnwillingly vnlesse thy spirite prepare mee therefore deare father giue mee that minde which a sicke man should haue and increase my patience with my payne and call vnto my remembrance all which I haue heard or read or felt or meditated to strengthen mee in this houre of my triall that I which neuer taught any good while I liued maye nowe teach other how to dye and to beare theyr sicknes patiently apply vnto me all the mercies and merites of thy beloued sonne as if he had dyed for me alone Be not from me when the enemie comes but when the tempter is busiest let thy spirite bee busiest too and if it please thee to loose me out of this prison wheÌ„ I shal leaue my earth to earth let thine Angel carrie vp my soule to heauen as they did Lazarus and place me in one of those mansions which thy sonne is gone to prepare for me This is my mediator which hath reconciled me and thee when thou didst abhorre mee for my sinnes and thou didst send him from heauen to vs to shew that thou art bound to heare him for vs. Therfore in him I come vnto thee in him I call vpon thee O my redeemer my preseruer and my sauiour to thee be all prayse with thy father and the holy spirite for euer Amen What shall stay me from my Father my brother and my Comforter A comfortable speech taken from a godly Preacher lying vpon his death-bed written for the sicke I Owe to God a death as his Sonne died for me Euer since I was borne I haue been sailing to this hauen and gathering patience to comfort this houre therefore shal I be one of those guestes nowe that would not come to the banquet wheÌ„ they were inuited what hurt is in going to Paradise I shal loose nothing but the sence of euil and anon I shall haue greater ioyes then I feele paines For my head is in heauen already to assure mee that my soule and body shall follow after O death where is thy sting why should I feare that which I would not escape because my chiefest happinesse is behinde and I cannot haue it vnles I go vnto it I would go through hell to heauen and therefore If I martch but through death I suffer lesse then I would suffer for God My paines doe not dismay mee because I trauaile to bring forth eternall life my sinnes doe not fright me because I haue Christ my redeemer the iudge doth not
It followeth This is my bodie Here is the fruite of his thankes before hee prayed that the bread and wine might be blessed they were blessed As Isaacks blessing shewed it selfe vpon Iacob whom he blessed so Christ his blessing appeared straight vpon these mysteries for it could not be said before This is my bodie because it was meere bread but now it may be called his bodie because his blessing hath infused that vertue into it that it dooth not onely represent his bodie but conuey his bodie and himselfe vnto vs. The efficacie of this blessing is in this Sacrament euer since sanctifying it vnto vs as well as it did to the Apostles euen as Christs praier staied Peters faith after Christ was dead Now ye haue heard the meaning of these words He tooke bread and blessed it and brake it and gaue it you shall see with what a mysticall resemblance they vnite Christ and vs First as Christ in the Supper tooke bread to feede vs so in his birth he tooke our flesh to saue vs. Secondly as Christ when he had taken the bread blessed the bread to make it a spirituall food so Christ when he had taken our flesh powred foorth most rich and precious graces into it to make it food of life vnto vs. Thirdly as Christ when hee had blessed the bread brake the bread so Christ when hee had filled his bodie with most precious graces brake it vp like a rich treasure house his handes by the nayles his backe by the stripes his head by the thornes his side by the speare that out of euerie hole a riuer of grace and goodnesse might issue flow forth vnto vs. Lastly as Christ gaue the bread when he had broken it so Christ by a liuely faith communicateth his bodie after he hath crucified it Hereby wee are taught that when we see the Minister take the bread to feed vs we must conceiue that Christ being God from euerlasting tooke our flesh to saue vs. When we see the Minister blesse the bread to a holie vse we must conceiue that Christ by vniting the Godhead vnto it sanctified his flesh for our redemption When wee see the Minister breake the bread to sustaine our bodies we must conceiue that Christ in his death brake his bodie to refresh our soules When wee see the Minister giue the bread to our handes we must conceiue that Christ as truly offereth himself to our faith to be receiued of vs. Because vpon these wordes the Papists ground their Transubstantiation that is that the bread is changed into Christs flesh the wine is turned into Christes blood whereby we eate the same bodie which dyed vpon the Crosse drinke the same blood which issued out of his side That you may see the blindnes of this Popish dreame I would haue you but marke euerie word of this scripture how they make against transubstantiation that ye may see them slaine like Goliah with their owne sworde Euen as God made Caiphas speak against himself so the scriptures which heretikes alledge do make against thēselues like the Baalites which wounded their owne flesh I may liken their allegations to Satans when he tempted Christ in the wildernesse he alleadged but one sentence of scripture for himselfe and that Psalme out of which hee borrowed it made so plaine against him that he was faine to picke here a word and there a word and leaue out that which went before and skip in the middest and omit that which came after or else hee had marred his cause the scripture is so holie and pure and true that no word nor sillable thereof can make for the diuell or for sinners or for heretikes yet as the diuell alledged scripture though it made not for him but agaynst him so doe the Libertines and Epicures and heretickes as though they had learned at his schoole Now there is no sentence of the scripture which the wiser Papists alleadge boldly for their Transubstantiation but this that Christ sayd This is my bodie by which they may proue as well that Christ is a doore because he saith I am the doore or a vine because he saith I am a vine for his sayings are like Figuratiue speeches must not be construed literally but this is heretikes fashion If you mark you shall see throughout that all the testimonies which the Papists alledge for their heresies are either tropes or figures or allegories or parables or allusions or darke speeches which when they presume to expound allegoricallie or literallie without conference of other scriptures then they wander and straie from the marke or else it is impossible that the truth should maintaine error that is that the scripture should speake for heresie if it were not peruerted therefore wee see that Eue neuer erred vntill she corrupted the text Now we will enter the lystes with our aduersaries and see whether these wordes doe proue that the bread and wine are turned into Christs bodie Paul saith Iesus tooke bread well then yet it is bread when he had taken it then he blessed it what did he blesse the bread which hee tooke well then yet it is bread when he had blessed it then he brake it what did he breake the bread which hee blessed well then yet it is bread when hee had broken it then hee gaue it what did hee giue the bread which he brake well then yet it is bread when he had giuen it they did eate it what did they eate the bread which hee gaue them well then yet it is bread when they did eat it then he sayd This is my bodie what did hee call his bodie the bread which they did eat well then yet it is bread If it be bread all this while when hee did take it and blesse it and brake it and gaue it and they did eate it when is it turned into his bodie here they stand like the Sadduces as mute as fishes Now that ye may see that not we only say it is bread and wine after the consecration in the 27. verse Christ himselfe doth cal it bread and wine after he had giuen it as hee did before And in Marke he saith I will drinke no more of the fruit of the vine Here Christ saith that it was the fruit of the vine which hee drank but his blood is not the fruit of vines but wine therefore wine was his drinke and not blood Beside if you would heare Paul expound Christ hee sheweth that all our Fathers had the same substance of Christ in their Sacraments that we haue in ours for hee sayth They all did eate the same spirituall meate and al drinke the same spiritual drinke Straight hee saith that this meat and this drinke was Christ Marke that he sayth not onely They did eat the same meat that we eate but he saith that this meat was Christ and not onely so but
beleeueth in the Sonne shall be saued This is not a Cup and yet as though the Cup were the new Testament it selfe it is called the new Testament because it signifieth the new Testament so the bread and wine are called Christes body because they signifie Christs bodie They which knewe that the Lambe is not the Passe-ouer though Christ called it the Passe ouer that Circumcision is not the Couenant though God calleth it the Couenant that Baptisme is not Regeneration though it be called Regeneration that the Cuppe is not the newe Testament though Christ called it the newe Testament could they not as well vnderstand that the bread wine were not Christs bodie though Christ called them his bodie As they vnderstood these speeches so they vnderstood this speech therefore they which say that the bread and wine are Christes bodie because Christ saith This is my bodie may as well say that the Lambe is the Passe-ouer because Christ calleth it the Passe-ouer that Baptisme is Regeneration because Paule calleth it Regeneration that the Cup is the new Testament because Christ calleth it the newe Testament If euerie Sacrament was called by the thing which it signified and yet neuer anie Sacrament was taken for the thing it selfe what reason haue they to take this Sacrament for the thing it selfe more than all the rest It is the consent of all Writers that a Sacrament is a signe therefore not the thing signified no more than the bush at the doore is the wine in the seller If I call the Prince a Phoenix the Vniuersitie a Fountaine the Court a Peacocke the Cittie a Sea the Countrey an Hermite why can the Papistes vnderstand mee and not vnderstand Christ What a darke and straunge and intricate and incredible speech had this bene for them to vnderstand groslie and literallie Would they thinke that they did eate Christs bodie when his bodie stood before them and he had told them before that his bodie was like their bodie Nay this would haue required moe wordes and made them come againe with Master what is the meaning for they were not so instructed yet before the resurrection to beleeue euerie thing without questioning if it were contrarie to sense and reason but as they asked who had giuen him anie meate when he said that he had meate they could see none so they would haue asked what meate is this which we see not How can euery one of vs eat his body yet he hath but one bodie that body is whole when we eat it Loe he standeth before vs saith that his body is like vnto ours yet he takes bread breaks it giues it vnto vs to eat when we eate it This is my body yet his body standeth before vs stil If his body be like ours as he saith how can it be eaten be there for ours cannot Thus they wold haue questioned if they had not bene vsed to such phrases but as they could vnderstand him when he called himself a stone a rock a doore a window a vine so they pickt out his meaning when hee sayd that bread was his bodie for hee had told them before that hee was the bread of eternall life Now the bread of eternall life is not eaten with teeth for the bodie cannot eate spiritually no more then the soule can eate corporally and therefore hee is such a bread as is eaten with faith and so himselfe saith in the Gospell of Iohn Marke this eating by faith and all the strife is ended Flesh and blood indeede neede not faith to chew them for the teeth can chew them well inough Therefore if the bread and wine were the bodie of Christ then we neede not faith to eate it but all which haue teeth might eate Christs bodie yea the Myce might eate it as well as men for they eate the same bread that wee doe as well after it is consecrated as before If this be not inough to batter the ruines of this vpstart Heresie I will come to Interrogatories and see whether they haue learned it by roate or by reason If they grounde their Transubstantiation vpon these wordes of Christ This is my bodie which hee spake to his Disciples I aske them whether they receiue that bodie which was mortall or that bodie which is glorified because one of these bodies they must needes receiue either his mortall bodie or his glorified bodie If they say that it is his mortall bodie the mortall bodie will not profite them for you see that mortall foode is but for this mortal life neither hath Christ a mortall bodie now to communicate vnto them because it is changed to an immortall bodie therefore they cannot receiue the mortall bodie because Christ hath not a mortall bodie to giue vnto them If they saye that they receiue his glorified bodie then they must flie from this Text for at that time Christ had not any glorified bodie When this Sacrament was instituted and Christ sayde This is my bodie his bodie was not glorified because the Sacrament was instituted before his death and his body was glorified after his resurrection Therefore if they receiue the same body which the Apostles receiued as they say they doe they cannot receiue a glorified bodie because then Christ had not a glorified bodie to communicate vnto them Thus the rockes and sandes are of both sides them they receiue a bodie neither mortall nor immortall if Christ hath any such body iudge you Here they stande like a foole which cannot tell on his tale Nabuchadnezzar dreamed a dreame and knew not what it meant Beside I aske them to whom Christ spake when he said This is my bodie Marke sayth hee spake to them that is to his Disciples well then if these wordes This is my bodie were not spoken to the signes but to the persons not to the bread and wine but to the Receiuers as the words which follow Doe this in remembrance of mee if these wordes were not spoken to the bread and wine then it is plaine that they doe not change the nature of the Bread and Wine If the nature of them be not altered then the substance remaineth and then wee receiue no other substance with them because two substances can not be in one place What then is there nothing in the sacrament but bread and wine like a hungry nunscion Nay wee say not that the sacrament is nothing but a bare signe or that you receiue no more then you see for Christ saith that it is his body and Paul saith that it is the communion of Christs body and blood Therefore there is more in sacramentall Bread then in common bread though the nature be not changed yet the vse is chaunged it dooth not onely nourish the body as it did before but also it bringeth a Breade with it which nourisheth the soule for as sure as wee receiue breade so sure wee receiue
them which breake the lawes of men but to suffer and suffer and euer to suffer all that the diuels would heape vpon vs. Then came the mercie of God for Christ which shedde his bloud like an vmpire betweene God and vs and saide as Esay saide to Hezechia Thou shalt not dye but liue loose him let him goe for hee is mine So we were staied like the widdowes sonne when he was carried to his graue This is the benefite of Christes death and this Sacrament is the remembrance of it and therefore whensoeuer we receiue it this addition commeth with it which is shed for the remission of sinnes our fault was so hainous and greeuous that no ransome could counteruaile it vnlesse God himselfe had suffered for vs. Being in this extremitie neither man nor angel offered his life for vs but the prince himselfe which should haue crucified vs came to be crucified of vs for vs y t we might say with stedfast faith I beleeue the remission of sinnes not the satisfaction of sinnes but the remission of sinnes Marke this distinction against Popish merites of workes or penance Christ hath satisfied and not we we are remitted and not Christ therefore we say in our confession I beleeue the remission of sinnes which I may call the mercifull Article because it is the quintessence and sweetnesse of all the twelue Therefore who but Antichrist durst depraue it If there be a satisfaction for our sinnes by our works or by our pilgrimages or by our masses or by our penance let Christ neuer be called a forgiuer but an exchanger like the Pope which selleth his pardons Wretched creatures which will not receiue the Lord when he comes to their doore Christ saith Take for nothing and they say no we will not take but buy Vile base miserable men disdaine to take grace of God without satisfaction but they will cope with the Lord and giue him so many pilgrimages fast so many daies heare so many masses and paie so manie workes for it vntill they haue done as much good as they haue done euill Our sinnes are infinite and God is infinit but our works are finite in number and measure how can they answere then to that which exceedeth number and measure Therefore be content with Iosephs brethren to take your money againe and say that you haue corne for nothing that is you are saued for nothing or else when you say I beleeue the remission of sinnes you lie vnto God because you doo not beleeue the remission of sinnes but satisfaction for sinnes like the Papists It followeth As often as yee shall eate this bread and drinke this cuppe yee shall shewe the Lords death till he come Here are three inuincible arguments against Popish transubstantiation like the three witnesses vnder which euerie word doth stand First we are sayd to eate bread then it is not flesh but bread Secondly we are saide to shew the Lordes death then it is but a shewe or representation of his death Thirdly it is said vntill hee come if hee be to come then he is not come if he be come how can we say vntill hee come The effect of this verse was shewed in these wordes Doe this in remembrance of me For to say Doe this in remembrance of me and to say So oft as you doe this you shew my death is much at one so that if you call this Sacrament a shewe of Christes death as it is called here then it is not Christ or if you call it a remembraunce of Christ as it is called there yet it is not Christ but a shewe or remembrance of Christ but this is such a shew and remembrance that the next verse saith Whosoeuer receiueth it vnworthily is guiltie of the bodie and bloud of Christ Will yee know who receiueth vnworthely In the nine and twentith verse Paul saith he discerneth not the Lords bodie that is which putteth no difference betweene this bread and other but eateth like a childe the meate which hee knoweth not and after the bread seemeth stones to him and the wine poyson because his conscience telleth him I haue receiued vnwoorthelie before I could say like Dauid My hart is prepared My sheepe saith Christ know my voyce as they discerne Christs wordes so they discerne Christes bodie and therefore so often as they come to the Lordes table they seeme to come into the Lords presence there they greete and kisse and embrace one another with affections which none can know but they that feele like Iohn which leaped in the wombe so soone as Christ came neare him Will yee know beside what it is to bee guiltie of the bodie and blood of Christ euen as Iudas was guiltie for betraying him and Pilate for deliuering him and the Iewes for crucifying him so they are guiltie which receiue this Sacrament vnworthily as Pilate and Caiphas and Iudas were If they be guiltie of Christs death they are guiltie of theyr owne death too as if they had committed two murthers and therefore Paul saith after that many of the Corinthians dyed onely for the vnwoorthie receiuing of this Sacrament As the Worde is the sauour of death to them which receiue it vnworthelie so the Sacrament is the sauour of death to them which receiue it vnworthelie it neuer goeth into their mouth but they are traitors ipso facto may say to Hell this day haue I taken possession of thee because I am guiltie of Christes blood Therefore it followeth immediatlie Let a man examine himselfe before hee eate of this bread or drinke of this wine as if he should say If he which receiueth this Sacrament vnworthely bee guiltie of Christes death like Iudas which hanged himselfe if these signes be receiued to saluation or damnation like the Word the next lesson is to examine your selues before you receiue lest you receiue like the sonne of perdition which swallowed the bread and the Diuell together Therefore Let a man examine himselfe and so let him eate that is let him examine first and receiue after for if wee should receiue the bread of the earth reuerentlie how should we receiue the bread of heauen When Iehonadab came to Iehu his chariot hee sayd Is thy heart vpright as my heart is toward thee So when wee come to the Lordes table hee would haue our hearts vpright to him as his heart is to vs for who feasteth his enemies and mockers The golden Ring sitteth highest at our table but the Wedding garment sitteth highest at this table It is safer eating with vnwashen handes than with an vnwashen heart The Iewes were taught to choose the Lambe of the Passe-ouer on the tenth daye of the first moneth in which moneth they came out of Egypt and on the fourteenth daye after they were taught to eate him so they had foure daies respite betweene the choosing and the killing to prepare
religion because the preachers did not agree or because the liues of professors gaue some offence therefore Paul sheweth that there is no cause why they should mislike the word for the Preacher or why they should despise religion for the professor because the word and the religion are not theirs which teach it and professe it but Gods and therefore can not be polluted by them no more than God Then hee concludeth that seeing it is necessarie that there shal be alwayes errours and heresies to trie vs we should also trie them and thereby be prouoked so much the more from errour or heresie or superstition that we abstain euen from the appearance thereof lest we fall into the sinne this is the scope of these words Despise not prophecying This admonition is as it were the keeper of the former for by prophecying the Spirit is kindled and without prophecying the Spirit is quenched and therefore after Quench not the Spirite Paule saith Despise not prophecying shewing that as our sinne doth quench the Spirit so prophecying doth kindle it This you may see in the Disciples that went to Emaus of whom it is sayd when Christ preached vnto them out of the law and the Prophets the spirite was so kindled with his prophesying that their harts waxed hot within them This you see againe in Sauls messengers which were sent for Dauid when they came among the Prophets heard them prophecie their spirite was so kindled that they could not chuse but prophecie also insomuch that Saul came after him selfe and hearing the Prophets as they did the Spirit came vnto him likewise and he prophecied too wherupon it was said Is Saul also among the Prophets This is no maruell that the spirit of man should be so kindled and reuiued and refreshed with the word for the word is called the Food of the soule take away the word from the soule and it hath no foode to eate As if you should take food from the bodie the bodie would pine And therefore Salomon saith Without visions the people perish that is without prophecying the people famish Therefore hee which loueth his soule had no need to despise prophecying for then he famisheth his owne soule and is guiltie of her death therefore that Pastor or that Patron which is the cause why any place doth want preaching is guiltie of their destruction because he which taketh or keepeth away the food doth famish the bodie The Apostle might haue sayd loue prophecying or honor prophecying but he saith Despise not prophecying And why doth hee forbidde to despise Prophecying Why did Christ say The poore receiue the Gospell but to shew that the rich did contemne it Why doth Paul say I am not ashamed of the Gospell but to shew that many are ashamed of it Euen so he saith Despise not prophecying shewing that the greatest honour which we giue to Prophets is not to despise them and the greatest loue which we carrie to the Word is not to loath it If we do not despise the preachers then we thinke that we honour them enough and if wee do not loath the Word then we thinke that we loue it enough therfore the Apostle sayth Despise not prophecying for Honour prophecying Prophecying here dooth signifie Preaching as it dooth in Rom. 1. 14. Wil you know why preaching is called prophecying To adde more honor and renown to the preachers of the word to make you receiue them like Prophetes and then Christ saith You shall haue a Prophets reward that is not such a reward as you giue but such a reward as God giueth Lastly if you marke Paul saith not Despise not Prophets but prophecying signifiing that from the contempt of the Prophets at last we come to despise Prophecying too like the Iewes who when they were offended with the Prophet charged him to prophecie no more Therefore as Christ warned his disciples to heare the Scribes and Pharisies although they did not as they taught so Paule warneth the Thessalonians that if anie prophets among them do not as they teach and therefore seeme worthie to bee despised like the Scribes and Pharisies yet that they take heed that they do no despise prophecying for the Prophets Because the preachers are despised before the word be despised therefore we will speake first of their contempt Christ asked his Disciples what they thought of him so I would aske you what you thinke of Preachers Is he a contemptible person which bringeth the message of God which hath the name of an Angel and all his words are messengers of life Prophets are of such account with God that it is sayd God will do nothing before he reueale it vnto his Prophets so prophets are as it were Gods counsellers Againe Kings and Priests and Prophets were figures of Christ al these three were annointed with oyle to shew that they had greater graces than the rest but especially the Prophets are called Men of God to shewe that all which are of God will make much of Prophets for Gods sake Therefore women are forbidden to take vpon them to prophecie lest that noble calling should become vile and despised by such vnskilfull handlers of it Therfore when the Prophet Elisha would sende for Naaman the leaper to come vnto him these were his wordes Naaman shall know that there is a Prophet in Israel as though all the glorie of Israel were chieflie in this that they had Prophets and other had none as if one Parish should triūph ouer another because they haue a preacher and the other haue none Therefore when this Prophet was dead Ioash the King came vnto his coarse and wept ouer his face and cryed O my Father my Father the Chariot of Israel and horsemen of the same shewing that the Chariots and horses and souldiers doe not so safegarde a Citie as the Prophets which teach it and praye for it Therefore when God would marke the Israelites with a name of greatest reproach hee calleth them A people which rebuke their Priests as if he should say vsurpers of the Priests office for they rebuke their Priests which are appointed to rebuke them How ioyfull and glad was Lydea when she could drawe Paul and Sylas to her house If you thinke me to be faithfull sayth shee come to my house shewing that neuer any guests were so welcome to her house before How tender was the Shunamite ouer Elisha that she built an house to welcome him and to keep him with her thinking all the places in her house too bad for him she built him a new roome to make him staie with her How much did the Galatians make of Paul that he saith they would pull out their owne eyes to doe him good So once a Prophet was esteemed like a Prophet And hath he bid you despise them now which bad you to honour them before No Paule chargeth vs to receiue our teachers as hee
out of heauen no not one hower This made the Martyres so willing to abide any kinde of death that tyrannie could deuise to be rid of their sinfull bands and this corruptible burthen which presseth downe the soule that looks after Christ like his disciples when he ascended to heauen All is trouble and wearines and vanitie to the godly mind whether he eate or drinke or sleepe he counteth it a seruitude vnto the flesh and wisheth with Dauid to be rid from these necessities so the knowledge and loue of God maketh a man forget his owne flesh maketh him despice the whole world taketh away the difference from life and death changeth his nature which hee could neuer ouercome and teacheth him to renounce his deere selfe and say though he should die Not my will but thy will bee done All this appeareth in this example what operation is in the knowledge and loue of Christ it made the world irksome vnto Paul which all men naturally desire it made death pleasant vnto him which all men naturally abhorre although they bee wearie of their life and haue no pleasure from morning to night yet it will not please them to change which they needes must they neuer loath but loue their miseries I will not dye one houre to liue for euer Doe not the wicked themselues prophecie by their feare of death a worse condition of some dreadfull iudgement after this life prepared for sinners and all that contemne GOD when none but they stande in such feare of death Why dooth one wish for it and another tremble to heare of it If it were but a sleepe no man would feare it at all for who feareth to take his rest when the night approacheth If it did take away sence and feeling and make men trees or stones no man would feare it at all for who would feare strokes if hee could feele no more then a stone or who would care for any thing if he had no sence of anything would any man tremble so to bee as the dead creatures which haue no sence of euill They must needes be in better case than the happiest man in this life which is not without the sence of euill Therefore this feare of death which you see in all but the faithfull dooth presage some strange torment some heauie change and sharpe punishment to those men which they begin to tast alreadie before they dye like the spirite which persecuted Saul before his end They desire not to be dissolued but they feare to bee dissolued they goe not to Christ but their departure is an euerlasting departure from Christ to the damned to the diuels to hell without either end or ease or patience to endure it Thus you see that no man is willing to die before his conscience bee quieted towarde God and that he can catch some hope of a better life after this life He which knowes that he shall go to Christ it is impossible that he should die vnwillingly but he which can not hope for a better world must needs leaue this world grudginglie and feare death more then all the terrors of life He had rather to be sicke and cold and hungry and want and beg then go with death because he knoweth what he suffereth here but hee knoweth not what he shall suffer hereafter Therefore he which is not willing to be dissolued hath not â—earned Christ yet as Paul did for no man esteeme this life when he begins to taste of the next but then the loue of the world doth fall from him like the mantle of Elias when he was rapt into heauen The Apostle had seene many good things in his daies and was neuer satisfied willing to be dissolued but thirsted still and no water could quench his thirst vntill hee dranke of the water of life and then hee thirsted no more so nothing can fill the soule which was made for God but God alone Riches and honors pleasures did not make Simeon willing to die but the sight of Christ happie are the eyes which see him for they are as willing to die as Simeon was So soone as Iohn Baptist did see our Sauiour and knew that it was hee hee debased himselfe as if hee had beene nobodie and would not bee accounted of but sought to loose the opinion of the people that Christ might haue all although he was a Prophet and more than a Prophet and not a greater amongst the sonnes of women So when Paul had seene his Sauiour hee forgot all that he loued all that hee desired and all that hee possessed no ioye no glorie no life now but to die All thinges must yeelde to the Sonne and bee content with Iohn that hee increase and wee decrease This is our glorie and life that hee liueth in glorie It is enough saith Iacob for me that Ioseph my sonne liueth it is enough for vs that Iesus our Sauiour reigneth If the head be crowned all the bodie is more honoured therefore let vs glorie that Christ is glorified and reioyce as much that hee is ascended as our fathers reioyced that he descended for where the head is there the body must needes be I desire to be dissolued he calleth his death not a destruction but a dissolution for three causes First he departeth from this life and hath no more societie with them that liue vpon the earth Secondly his soule departeth from the bodie vntill the day of resurrection then she findeth her owne bodie agayne and they reioyce like friends which are met together Thirdly he departeth from this vale of miserie into the paradise of ioy and all felicitie to liue and reigne with God for euer in assurance whereof he saith that he shall bee with Christ so that death is the way to Christ As the Doue found no rest vntill she came to the Arke so the faithfull find no rest till they come to Christ they goe through the wildernesse like other men Vntill the Iewes arriued at Canaan all their life was spent in sinfull Egypt or in the dreadfull desert during the time of their iourney they had no setled rest or continuing pleasure Peace beginneth when the battell endeth there is the prerogatiue of the dead least death should bee too fearefull to vs. The best of Gods blessings are behind that is euerlasting life and the way to it is death thou art going to ioye therefore looke not for it vntill thou come to thy iourneys ende If Canaan the land of peace the land of plentie the land of pleasure bee in the wildernesse stay heere march no further whither doe you goe like the Pilgrims of Israel if Canaan be in the wildernesse But Paul lookes for the crowne at the gole he is not with Christ but trusts to bee with Christ he is not in heauen but he hopes to come to heauen and this hope led him through the wildernesse that he murmured not like the Israelities but only longed for
that day when Christ shall say vnto him as he said to the penitent theefe This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Thus you haue heard the difference betweene the faithfull and the wicked how the one lotheth this life and the other longeth after it Now wee come to our questions Simeon said Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace so Paul saith I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ they doubted not as the Papists doe what should become of them after death for one saith that he goes to Christ the other saith that he goes to peace therefore it seemes that Purgatorie was not yet found when the iust men went to peace This is one of the fruits of a godly life it hath hope saith Salomon in the end in death it warranteth a man of life when the flesh saith feare and the serpent despaire it makes the flesh crouch and the serpent flye the soule reioyce while death is opening the prison doore that she may flie to her countrey from whence she came Therefore what shall I say to Purgatorie if Paul go to Christ Simeon goe to peace Some say that it is in the ayre some say that it is in the earth some vnder the earth some a little aboue hell Thus Nabuchadnezzar cannot assoile his owne dreame You must vnderstand that Purgatorie is like your paynted Sepulchers which are framed more for the liuing then for the dead for you know that the locusts of Rome liue by Trentals and Dirges and Masses for the dead as the Siluersmiths in Ephesus liued by Images and therefore as they were loth that Images should goe downe so they are loth that their Purgatorie should bee quenched for it is the gainfullest lye in all Poperie for out of this lake issue their Masses and Dirges and Trentals for the dead They are sayd for the dead but they make for the liuing For the dead haue no portion of al that is done vnder the sun doe what you will say what you can Masses Dirges or Trentals they haue no portion in it for they haue receiued their reward alreadie and the tree lieth where it fell yet these foolish virgins hope for oyle of the wise virgins and thinke they shall be paied for other mens labours and almes and trentals pilgrimages and Masses as though they neuer read that the iust shall liue by his owne faith that he which beleeueth shal not go to iudgement but passe from death to life that they that die in the Lord rest from their labours how doe they goe presently into Paradise if they stay at Purgatorie and fire torments Hath Christ satisfied for vs must wee now make satisfaction for our selues Whither the glutton and the beggar are gone thither must we all that is to Abrahams bosome or hell fire there are but two kindes of men and therefore but two waies and where then is Purgatorie which the best of the fathers confesseth that he could neuer finde in Scripture Therefore take heed of hell for Purgatorie is but a scarre babe Furthermore when Paul sayth that he shall goe to Christ this seemes to resolue the old question often debated among the simple people once deluded whether the soules of men departed walke after death and appeare vnto men exhorting them to this or that as Gregorie or some counterfeit reporteth in his Dialogues The Apostles before their full groweth might seeme to bee incumbred with this errour because when they saw Christ walking vpon the waters they sayd It is a spirite and when Peter knocked at the doore in the night they sayd to Rhode a Damsell It is his Angel Act. 12. 15. Which errour was drawen from the elusion of Sathan and vulgar opinion receiued from Pythagoras which taught that the soules of men departed did returne into the bodies of other men after death either for correction or for reward if they were good soules then they were preferred to better men if they had been badde soules then they were cast into worse bodies then they had before a fine Philosophicall dreame This deluded Herod when hee heard of Christ he supposed that Iohn Baptist was risen againe whom he had beheaded and the better sort of the people as we reade in Mat. 16. 14. dreamed that Christ was Elias or Iohn Baptist or Ieremie or some of the Prophets risen againe But touching the soule once departed from the body that it returnes not nor can returne into the world many examples and testimonies and reasons the order of our resurrection declareth The soules of the righteous are in the hands of the Lord no man or diuell can take them out of his hands the soules of the wicked are in the hands of the diuell and God will not take them out of his hands and therefore Abraham sayth He which is here cannot come from hence and they which be there cannot come frō thence for then the paines of hell were not euerlasting paynes not the ioyes of heauen euerlasting ioyes but temporal like the paynes and ioyes of this world Therefore it is no soule which walks about How then What is this which I see in the night like such a man and such a man The Diuell which chaungeth himselfe into an Angell of light to deceiue can change himself into the likenes of a man much more that is it which thou seest as Saul sawe Samuel 1. Sam. 28. 8. not Samuel himselfe For could the Witch raise Samuel out of the graue which could not keepe her selfe out of the graue or could the diuell disturbe the Prophet after death Then he should neuer be quiet if the diuell could disturbe him because hee disquieteth the godlie so much while they liue If this apparation bee called Samuel how doth he call it Samuell if it be not Samuel As the Bookes of Caluine are called Caluine as the picture of Beza is called Beza as he which playeth the King vpon a stage is called a King as the golden Myce and Hemerodes which the Philistines layd in the Arke were called Myce and Hemerodes although they were but meere shapes and figures of them so this likenesse of Samuel is called Samuell though it was not Samuel in deede but a counterfeit shape of Samuel For GOD would not answere Saul before by Oracle nor by Priest nor by Prophet and would hee aunswere him by the dead which dooth forbid to aske counsell of the dead No sayth Abraham they haue Moses and the Prophets Luke 16. As if hee should say let them learne of the bookes of the dead for the dead shall not returne vnto them Againe if it had been Samuel himselfe which had taught Saul to worship GOD woulde that holie Prophet haue receiued worship himselfe as this spirit did Againe If it had been Samuel Sauls Schoolemaster which taught him alwayes to repent while hee liued hee would rather haue exhorted him to repentance now
the beginning of his raigne before hee had rebelled a band of men did cleaue to him of whom it is sayd whose hearts God hath touched as though while the Rulers hearts doe stand toward God the peoples hearts should stand toward them and they should carrie them like God to all their desires as it is said of Dauid What soeuer the King did pleased all the people Therefore looking into this Diuine ordinaunce what a power they haue ouer the people which they shoulde neuer haue got from men if GOD had not giuen it them I haue thought it an easie matter to redresse an hundred things which trouble Christendome without reason and none would kicke agaynst it if these Gods would cast downe their Crownes and begin to the rest for all stay vpon them like the alarme which soundeth first to the battell for our experience shewes that there will bee no great good done if the example of the best giue not light vnto the rest Oh woulde that Princely spirite woulde once come vpon them to go before the people which Moses appoynted for the Kings place and not lagge after them like Herod which sayde he would come after the wise men to Christ for if Nicodemus come by night no maruaile though the rest come not at all Thus their name tels them how they should rule and by consequence teacheth how we should obey God calles them Gods therefore he which contemneth them contemneth God God cals them fathers therefore wee must reuerence them like Fathers God cals them Kings Princes Lords Iudges Powers Rulers Gouernours which are names of honor and shall we dishonor them whom GOD doth honour Our first lesson is Feare God the next is Honour the King that is as Paul interpreteth Wee must obey for conscience not against conscience for that were to put a straunger before the King and the King before God which Christ saith haue no power but from God and therefore cannot make themselues Magistrates no more then they can make themselues Gods As none could giue this name but GOD so no man which exalteth himselfe can challenge this honour no more then Simon Magus was great because hee called himselfe a great man But they to whom GOD saith I haue called yee Gods as if he had the naming and appointing of them Euery power is from God for by nature no man can challenge power ouer other but by the Word and therefore euery soule which is subiect to God must be subiect to them for hee which calles them Kings cals vs Subiects this is their patent as the Queene of Sheba sayd to Salomon that God had chosen them kings and set them vpon the throne As he sayd and all things were made so as he saith al things should be Therefore vnles ye heare this I say that ye are Lords Iudges and Magistrates ye are no Lords no Iudges no Magistrates of GOD. And therefore the Pope and his Cleargie to whom God neuer sayd yee are Lords or Iudges or Magistrates are no Lordes no Iudges no Magistrates of GOD but that which the Lorde sayth they are that they are and no more though they put on a triple crowne If they were worthie to bee called as others Pastors Doctors and Teachers wee woulde giue them those titles They which giue them more then the Lord giues them make them proud and insolent and tyrannous more then they which are Lords Iudges and Magistrates indeede But for these vsurped titles and bas-borne honour which they haue encroached from men which puffe them vp and trouble them like Sauls armour they woulde haue intended the duetie of Ministers and Teachers as the Apostles did whereas nowe they are so cumbred and mingled by their vsurping ouer Princes that they are neither good Ministers nor good Magistrates but Linsie wolsie a mingle mangle betweene both nay vtterly falne from both being no shepherds but woolues of whose slaughters all Christian Kingdomes haue been the shambles who seeking a superfluous title they haue for gone all necessarie dueties and but for their formalities a man could not knowe of what profession they are for they neuer preach nor write but to maintaine their kingdome which falles like the Tower of Babel faster then they build Therefore as Naomi sayd Call me no more Naomi which signifieth beautifull but call me Mara which signifieth bitter so they may say Call vs no more Bishops or Pastors or Doctors or Preachers but call vs robbers and sleepers and giants and Pharisies whom we succeed For why should they be called Bishops which doe not watch or Pastors which doe not feede or Doctors which doe not teach or Iustices which doe not Iustice except this bee the reason The Idols were called Gods though they were vnlike God If their bodies had growen as farre out of square since Christs ascension as their titles pompe and honour they might stand in the maine seas and not be drowned for their heads would crowe aboue the water It followeth But yee shall die as a man Heere hee distinguisheth betweene mortall Gods and the immortall God Yee haue seene their glorie now behold their ends They shall all die like others Though they be neuer so rich so goodly so mightie so honourable while their date lasteth yet they may as trulie as Iob call Corruption their father and the worme their mother for the graue shall be the last bed of all flesh As they were borne like men so they shall die like men the same comming in and going out is to all nay if ye respect but the bodie hee might say yee shall die like beastes for Man being in honor saith Dauid may well be compared vnto beasts that perish though hee bee in honour yet he perisheth like the beasts which haue no honour and death will not take his kingdome for a raunsome when GOD dooth but say his time is come When Esay had saide that All flesh was grasse as though hee would correct his speech hee addes and the glorie of it is as the flower of the field As if he should say Some men haue more glorie than other and they are like flowers the other are like grasse no great difference the flower shewes fairer but the grasse stands longer one sieth cuttes both downe like the fatte sheepe and the leane that feede in two pastures but are killed in one slaughter So though the great Man liue in his pallace and the poore man dwelles in his cottage yet both shall meete at the graue and vanish together Euen they which are Lordes and Iudges and Counsailers now are but successors to them which are dead and are neerer to death now than when I beganne to preach of this theame It had been a great Sessions for all other to die but for Magistrates for Princes for Kinges for Emperors to die as they die What a battell is this that leaues no man a liue
Thou art bound by this commaundement to doe it with all thy strength Therefore when Dauid went about the seruice of God he called al his powers together summoning them like a Cryer All that is within me praise the Lorde If euery parte looke to be glorified of GOD it is reason that euery part should glorifie him for this is all that they pay As euery subiect oweth loyaltie vnto his Prince so euerie member oweth a duety vnto his Creator The heart to loue him the tongue to praise him the eye to marke him the eare to attend him the hand to serue him the foote to followe him and euery parte shoulde serue GOD as it serueth vs Nay more than it serueth vs because wee are bound to loue GOD more than our selues For it is saide Loue God aboue all therefore we must giue more to Gods desire than to our owne desire Christ hath a parte in euery parte Nay euery parte is his parte because hee gaue all for all Shall the hande saye to the heart serue thou him or the heart say to the tongue serue thou him or the tongue say to the eye serue thou him or the eye say to the foote serue thou him Nay if Christ bee the head euery part will serue him for all the bodie is ruled by the head and therefore if hee bee the head euery parte of the bodie will serue him like a head Nowe if you will knowe how euery part may be a sacrifice thus it is When thou canst say with the Virgin Mine heart doth magnifie the Lorde then thine hearte is a sacrifice to God When thou canst saie with Samuell speake Lorde for thy seruant heareth then thine eare is a sacrifice to God When thou canst saie with Dauid Mine eies are euer towarde the Lorde then thine eie is a sacrifice vnto God When thou canst say with Dauid All the daye long I stretch out mine hand to thee then thine handes are a sacrifice to GOD. When thou canst say with Dauid as it appeareth in the 25. Psalme and the twelfth verse My foote standeth in vprightnes then thy feete are a sacrifice to God So at length by following of these examples euerie member is a sacrifice Hee which offereth this sacrifice is freely excused of all sacrifices besides For since Christ sacrificed himselfe God hath required none other sacrifice of Iewes nor Gentiles But that they sacrifice themselues Nowe when God doth require of thee to sacrifice thy bodie he doth but require thee to sacrifice the sinnes of thy body as you may picke out of the next wordes Be chaunged that is chaunge thy thoughts chaunge thy wordes chaunge thy workes Let thy tongue speake no more idelly Let thine eies looke no more to vanitie Let thine eares hearken no more to folly Let thine handes worke no more iniquitie and then thou hast Sacrificed thy bodie This seemes a deare sacrifice to sacrifice the bodie yet thou seest it is but a cheape sacrifice for it is nothing but to sacrifice thy sinnes which woulde Sacrifice thee If GOD had required thee to Sacrifice thy Sonne to him as hee required Abraham Genesis the twentie two Chapter and the second verse Wouldest thou not giue him But nowe he requireth nothing of thee but thy sinnes it is as if he should sue vnto thee for thy shame and thy trouble and thy guilt and thy feare that he might haue all which hurtes thee What wilt thou parte from if thou wilt not part from thine hurte Therefore sacrifice thy bodie and thou hast Sacrificed all that hurts thee Heere Christ is the alter and we the sacrifice and the fire which kindleth it the loue of God and the smoake which goeth vp the cōsumption of our sinnes but a worldly man killed and a spirituall man reuiued and the sacrifice is ended This sacrifice goeth vnder three titles liuing holie and acceptable Euerie one perswades with the Apostle that they shoulde offer it for in it is a holie sacrifice it cannot but please because hee is holy which takes it in that it is a liuing sacrifice it cannot lose them any thing because there is no death nor losse in it as there was in the Iewes sacrifices in that it is an acceptable sacrifice it must needs benefite thē for when the sacrifice is accepted the sacrificer is accepted too as Abel pleased when his sacrifice pleased First it is called a liuing sacrifice because the beasts died when they were sacrificed but men liue when they are sacrificed nay they die vnles they be sacrificed As Abraham did not lose his sonne when he was cōtent to sacrifice him to God so mē do not lose their pleasures when they sacrifice thē to God But as Christ saith He which leaueth father or mother for me shall receiue an hundred folde So he which leaueth any cōfort for God shall receiue an hūdred comforts for it For Gods demands are not onely demands but gifts Hee bids thee sacrifice thy bodie that thou mightest partak the sacrifice of his body Here then is but one Sacrifice for an other one body for another a beggers body for a Kings body Well may he require a liuing sacrifice which hath giuen a dead sacrifice Christ died for vs but hee desireth not our death but our life that we would serue him with our life It is called an holy sacrifice because our bodies are the temples of the holie ghost that is if they are not they shoulde be the Temples of the holy Ghost But as the Iewes abused the Temple of stone so we haue abused the Temple of flesh and there is no waie to make it holy againe but for the holy ghost to dwell in it that is to sacrifice it to God then it is holie because as vertue came out of Christ to heale the womans disease so holynes commeth out of Christ to heale euerye mans sinnes and then they are holie As nothing dooth please vs vnlesse it bee some waie like vs and agreeable to our nature so nothing doth please God but that which is like God therefore because God is holy no sacrifice doth please him but the holie sacrifice therefore holie goeth before acceptable to shewe that our sacrifice is not acceptable vnlesse it be holie Aliniug holy and acceptable sacrifice 3 It is called an acceptable sacrifice because no sacrifice is so accepted as when we offer our selues Therefore Sāuel saith obediēce is better than sacrifice that is it pleaseth God better than sacrifice Now if we must sacrifice to God we should doe as we doe to Princes that is offer that which may be accepted that we may be accepted for our gift or els better vndone than done When Caine had sacrificed to God because his sacrifice was not accepted therefore Moses saith that his countenance was cast downe but if wee sacrifice our bodies our countenance neede not bee cast downe for Paul saith that this sacrifice is accepted All other sacrifices
astonish me because the Iudges sonne is my aduocate the diuel doth not amaze me because the Angels pitch about me The graue doth not grieue me because it was my Lords bed Oh that Gods mercy to me might mooue other to loue him for the lesse I can expresse it the more it is The Prophets and Apostles are my fore-runners euery man is gone before me or else he will follow after mee if it please God to receiue me into heauen before them which haue serued him better I owe more thankefulnes vnto him And because I haue deferred my repentance till this houre whereby my saluation is cut off if I should die sodainly Lo how my God in his merciful prouidence to preuent my destruction calleth me by a lingering sicknes which staieth till I be ready and prepareth mee to my end like a preacher and makes me by wholesome paines weary of this beloued worlde least I should depart vnwilling like them whose death is their damnation So he loueth me while he beateth me that his stripes are plasters to salue me therefore who shall loue him if I despise him This is my whole office now to strengthen my body with my heart and be contented as God hath appointed vntill I can glorifie him or vntil he glorifie me If I liue I liue to sacrifice and if I die I die a â—acrifice for his mercy is aboue mine iniquitie Therefore if I should feare death it were a signe that I had not faith nor hope as I professed but that I doubted of Gods truth in his promise whether he will forgiue his penitent sinner or no. It is my father let him doe what seemeth good in his sight Come Lord Iesus for thy seruant commeth I am willing helpe my vnwillingnes Thus the faythful departe in another sort with such peace and ioy round about them that all which see wish that their soules may followe theirs A Letter written to ones friend in his sicknes BEloued I maruel not that you haue paine for you are sicke but I maruel that you couer it not for offence because the wisdome of a man is to bite in his griefe alwaies to shew more comfort in God than pain in suffering Now God calleth to repetitions to see whether you haue learned more constancie than others if sicknes be sharpe make it not sharper with frowardnes but know this is a great fauour to vs when we die by sicknes which maketh vs ready for him that calleth vs â—ow you haue nothing to think vpon but God you cannot think vpon him without ioy your griefe passeth but your ioy will neuer passe Tell me patient how many stripes is heauen worth Is my friend onely sicke it the world or his fayth weaker than others You haue alwayes prayed Thy will be done now are you offended that Gods wil is done How hath the faithful man forgotten that all things euen death turne to the best to them that loue God Teach the happy O Lord to see his happines through troubles Euery pain is a preuention of the paines of hell and euery ease in paine is a fore-taste of the ease and peace and ioyes in heauen Therfore remember your own comforts to others before and be not impatient when there is most neede of patience but as you haue euer taught vs to liue so nowe giue vs an example to die and deceiue Satan as Iob did FINIS ReuereÌ„dum Couerdalum excipio Eccle. 9 9. Gen. 2. 18. Exo. 22. 16. Deu. 22. 28. Why contracts goe before mariage Mat. 1. 18. * That is betweene y e contract the mariage Luke 1. 27. 42. 49. c. What mariage is The parts of the treatise Heb. 13. 4. The excellencie of mariage Act. 7. 53. Heb. 2. 2. Gen. 2. 22. Mariage the first ordinance of God Gen. 3. 15. Luke 1. 25. Deu 32. 2. Christes first miracle at a Mariage Ioh. 2. 8. Mat. 22. 2. Verse 11. Cant. 5. 9. Three mariages of Christ Reue. 19. 7. Reu. 21. 9. Reu. 17. 1. By mariage the womans curse turned into two blessings Gen. 3. 16. Gen. 1. 28. Ioh. 16. 11. 1. Tim. 2. 15 * For those paines wil trie her faith Note Gen. 2. 22. A note of Adams sleepe Gen. 2. 21. 1. Cor. 15. 22. 45. Eph. 5. 14. Ioh. 14. 6. A note of Adams sleepe Gen. 27. 3. A note of Adams rib Gen. 2. 22. Eph. 5. 23. The Fathers obseruation Pro. 14. 14. Thus Adam doth Gen. 2. Gen. 29. 20. Three causes of mariage Gen. 2. 7. Gen. 1. 28. Why mariage is called Matrimony This is signified in Deu. 23. 1. Prou. 5. 18. Mal. 2. 15. The second cause 1. Cor. 7. 8. Papists stewes 2. Sa. 16. 22 Mal. 2. 15. Deu. 17. 17. 1. Tim. 3. 2. Gen. 4. 23. Mat. 9. 5. Prou. 2. 16. Gen. 36. 25. Fornicators like the diuell Mat. 13. 22. Psa 128. 4. Gen. 1. 28. Bastards Iudg. 11. 1. They might be saued but they had the marke of the curse Leu. 20. 10. Deu. 22. 22. Maried fornicators Mariage of Ministers 1. Cor. 7. 9. Heb. 13. 4. 1. Cor. 7. 1. Tim. 3. 2. 1. Cor. 7. 6. 1. Cor. 7. 17. Gen. 2. 18. Mat. 19. 11. 1. Tim. 4. 3. Rom. 3. 8. * Be not thou vain and these words will not be offensiue Heb. 13. 4. 1. Cor. 7. 8. Leuit. 12. 4. 5. c. 1. Cor. 7. 5. The third cause Gen. 2. Eccl. 4. 10. Pro. 19. 6. Pro. 27. 10. 1. Sam. 14. 7 A wife is the poore mans riches Prou. 21. 9. 1. Sa. 16. 14 The choise Deut. 1. 23. 4. Two spies for a wife Zach. 5. 7. 1. Reg. 3. 9. Gen. 24. 12. Godly fitte Ephe. 5. 29. Cant. 6. 8. Psal 45. 9. 1. Sa. 16. 7. 1. Cor. 13. 13. A fit wife The ceremonie is not approued but the inuention declared 1. Sa. 2. 35. The saying of a godly man Gen. 2. 18. 2. Cor. 6. 14. Gen. 2. 22. Phil. 4. 3. Ezec. 16. 44 Fiue rules in the choise of a good wife Psal. 11. 26 Pro. 10. 7. Mar. 14. 9. Luke 6. 26. Iohn 15. 19 Iohn 8. 46. Luke 16. Eccle 8. 7. Esay 3. 9. Acts 3. 2. Gen. 24. 65. To Adam first and to Moses after Maids must speake 〈…〉 Mat. 12. 34 Mat. 12. 36 Pro. 18. 7. Pro. 17. 23. Eccl. 12. 10. Pro 19. 15. Nu. 19. 15. Luk. 16. 19. Mar. 1. 6. 2. King 1. 8. 1 The. 5. 22 Rom. 12. 2. 1. Reg. 12. 8. Pro. 1. 11. Psal 6. 8. Gen. 24. 50. Parents consent in Mariage Exod. 20. Gen. 2. 22. Exod. 22. Num. 30. 6. Deut. 7. 3. 1. Cor. 7. 38. Iob. 1. 3. 10. Gen. 29. 18. 1 Sam. 18. 17. â— Gen 28. 6. Gen. 34. 9. Gen. 24. 51. 52. 53. Iudg. 14 2. Mariage with Papists c. Gen. 24. 3. Exo. 34. 16. Gen. 28. 1. Mal. 2. 11. Ezra 9. 12. Gen. 34. 14. The similitude holds in their saying not in their meaning for they spake truely but they ment
Christe not onelie the benefites of Christ but Christ although not in a popish manner yet we are so ioined vnto him as though wee were but one bodie with him As the spouse dooth not marrie with the landes and goods but with the man himselfe and being partaker of him is made partaker of them so the faithfull doe not onelie marrie with Christes benefites but with Christ himselfe and being partakers of him they are made partakers of his benefites for Christ may not be deuided from his benefites no more then the Sunne from his light It is said The Father gaue vs his Sonne and so the sonne giueth vs himselfe For as the Breade is a signe of his bodie so the giuing of the Bread is a signe of the giuing of his bodie Thus he lieth before vs like a Pellicane which letteth her yoong ones sucke her blood so that wee may say the Lord inuited vs to supper and hee himselfe was our meate But if you aske howe this is I must aunswere It is a mysterie but if I coulde tell it it were no mysterie Yet as it is sayd when three men walked in the midst of the furnace One like the sonne of God walked amongst them So when the faithful receiue the Bread and Wine one like the sonne of God seemeth to come vnto them which fils them with peace and ioy and grace that they maruell what it was which they receiued besides bread and wine For example thou makest a bargaine with thy neighbour for house or land and receyuest in earnest a peece of golde that which thou receiuest is but a peece of golde but now it is a signe of thy bargaine and if thou keepe not touch with him happily it will claspe thee for all that thou art woorth so that which thou receiuest is bread but this bread is a signe of another matter which passeth bread Againe thou hast an obligation in thy hand and I aske thee what hast thou there and thou sayest I haue here an hundred pounds why say I there is nothing but paper inke and waxe Oh but by this sayest thou I wil recouer an hundreth pounds and that is as good So beloued this is as good that vnder these signes you receiue the vertue of Christs body and blood by faith as if you did eate his bodie and drinke his blood indeede which is horrible to thinke that any should deuour their God thinking thereby to worship him neuer any heretike nor Idolater conceiued so grosly of their god before the Papist We reade of a people which did eate men but neuer of any people which did eat their God All the Apostles say that it was needfull that Christ should take our flesh but no Apostle sayth that it is needfull that we should take Christes flesh for all the blessinges of Christ are apprehended by faith nothing is fit to apprehend him whome wee see not but fayth and therefore one of their owne pillars sayd Beleeue and thou hast eaten Faith dooth more in religion then the mouth or else we might say with the woman Blessed are the breasts which gaue thee sucke and so none should be blessed but Marie but Marie was not blessed because Christ was in her bodie but because Christ was in her heart and least this should seeme incredible vnto you because Marie is called blessed among women when Christ heard the women say Blessed are the breasts which gaue thee sucke he replied vnto her Blessed are they which heare the word of God and keepe it these are my brethren and sisters and mother sayth Christ as though the rest were no kin to him in heauen though they were kin in earth Thus if Christ were in thy body and thou shouldest say as this woman Blessed is the bodie that hath thee in it nay would Christ say Blessed is the heart that hath me in it If Marie were no whit better for hauing Christ in her armes nor for hauing her in her bodie howe much better art thou for hauing him in thy bellie where thou canst not see him Must the sunne needs come to vs or else cannot his heate and light profite vs nay it dooth vs more good because it is so farre off so this Sunne is gone from vs that hee might giue more light vnto vs which made him saie It is good for you that I go from you therefore away with this carnall eating of spirituall things Manie daughters haue done vertuously but thou saith Salomon surpassest them all So manie heretikes haue spoken absurdlie but this surpasseth them all that Christ must be applied like phisicke as though his blood could not profite vs vnlesse we did drinke it and swallow it as a potion Is this the Papists vnion with Christ Is this the manner whereby wee are made one flesh with Christ to eate his flesh nay when hee tooke our flesh vnto him and was made man then we were vnited to him in the flesh and not now Christ tooke our flesh we take not his flesh but beleeue that he tooke ours therefore if you would know whether Christs bodie be in the sacrament I say vnto you as Christ said vnto Thomas touch feele and see In visible things God hath appointed our eyes to be iudges for as the spirite discerneth spirituall obiects so sense discerneth of sensible obiects As Christ taught Thomas to iudge of his bodie so may we and so should they therefore if you cannot see his body nor feele his body you may gather by Christes saying to Thomas that hee would not haue you beleeue that it is his body for my bodie saith Christ may be seene and felt And thus Transubstantiation is found a liar Nowe if you aske mee why Christ calleth the signe by the name of the thing it selfe I aske thee againe Mayst thou say when thou seest the picture of the Queene this is the Queene and when thou seest the picture of a Lyon this is a Lyon and may not Christ say when he seeth a thing like his bodie This is my bodie I shewed you before that euery Sacrament is called by the name of the thing which it dooth signifie and therefore why should we stumble at this more then the rest The reason why the signes haue the name of the things is to strike a deeper reuerēce in vs to receiue this sacrament of Christ reuerētly sincerely and holily as if Christ were there preset in body and blood himselfe And surely as hee which defaceth the Queenes seale is conuicted of contempt and treason to her owne person so he which prophaneth these seales of Christ doth not worship Christ but despise him and that contempt shall be required of him as if hee had contemned Christ himselfe This is the reason why Christ calleth the signes of his bodie his bodie to make vs take this Sacrament reuerently because we are apt to contemne it as the Iewes did their Manna It followeth
Doe this in remembrance of me that is these signes shall bee a remembrance of my death when you breake the bread you shall remember the wounding of my body and when you drinke the wine you shall remember the sheading of my blood If wee doe this is remembraunce of Christs bodie which was broken like the bread it is an argument that his bodie is not there because remembrance is not of thinges present but of things absent we remember not but wee see that which is before vs. This might put the Papists in remembrance that Christ is not sacrificed now when we do but remember his sacrifice this is not Christes sacrifice but a remembrance of his sacrifice he was sacrificed before and now it is applied lest his sacrifice should be in vaine This was done once reallie when he offered himselfe vpon the crosse therefore that offering was called a sacrifice because he was sacrificed indeed but this offering is called a Sacrament because it is but a signe of his sacrifice If Christ in this Sacrament were offered indeede then it should bee called a sacrifice as his once offering was but because it is but a remembrance of his sacrifice therefore it is called a Sacrament This is not a sacrifice of Christ but a sacrifice of our selues Lest we shoulde take it to bee a sacrifice of Christ Christ himselfe calleth it a remembrance of his sacrifice Do this in my remembrance Here is our worke as Christ hath done so must we doe so we minister and so you receiue wee can giue you nothing but that which we haue receiued from him as Paul saith Therefore if Christ did not giue his mortall bodie which stood before them and could not profite them nor his glorified bodie which was not glorified then and when it was glorified ascended vp vnto heauen and there abideth how can these iugling Priests make their God againe which made them They can no more turne wine into blood bread into flesh than they can commaund a gnat to become a camell for it is a greater worke to make God than to make the world Therefore as Christ saith When they tell you here is Christ and there is Christ beleeue them not So when they tell you that Christ is in heauen and that Christ is in earth in this place and that place beleeue them not for Elias ascension was a figure of Christes ascension when Elias was ascended yet some sought for his bodie vpon earth so though Christ be ascended yet manie seeke his bodie vpon earth but as they could not finde Elias bodie so these cannot finde Christes bodie although they haue sought three hundred yeares But if his bodie were vpon earth as they say should we handle it and touch it now it is glorified After his resurrection he sayd vnto Marie Touch me not because his bodie was glorified that is not to bee touched with fingers any more but with faith Therefore we reade of none which touched his bodie after it was risen but onely Thomas to settle his faith Thus you see wee neede to suborne no witnesses for euerie word in this Text which they alleadge for Transubstantiation doth make agaynst Transubstantiation whereby if Antichrist doth signifie those which are against Christ you see who may be called Antichrist There is no question in Poperie except Purgatorie the Popes publican and tasker about which the Papistes are at such ciuill warres among themselues as about this Transubstantiation They cannot tell when the chaunge beginneth nor what manner of change it is nor how long the change continueth some hang one way and some another like the Midianites which fought one against another And no maruell though their consciences stagger about it for to shew you the right father of it it was one of the dreames of Innocentius the third in the yeare of our Lorde 1215. so manie yeares passed before Transubstantiation was named and then a Pope set it first on foote so it came out of Rome the grandame of all heresies and for want of scriptures hath bene defended with fire and sword and swallowed mo Martyrs than all the gulfs of the Papall sea beside Now when the doctrines of men goe for scriptures you shal see how many errors rush into the Church for graunt but this to Pope Innocentius as the Papists do that the bread and wine are chaunged into Christes bodie First it wil follow that Christs body is not ascended vp to heauen because it remaineth vpon earth and so one of the articles of our faith shalbe falsified which saith He is ascended into heauen or if he be ascended and descended againe another article will be falsified which saith That hee sitteth at the right hand of his father that is as Peter saith he abideth in heauen Secondly it will follow that Christ hath not a true bodie but a fantasticall bodie because it may bee in manie places at one time for if his bodie be in the Sacrament he must needes haue so many bodies as there bee Sacraments nay hee must haue so many bodies as there be bittes in euerie Sacrament Thirdly it will follow that his bodie is diuided from his soule and consequentlie is a dead bodie because the bread is onely changed into his bodie and not into his soule Fourthly it will follow that the wicked and prophane reprobate may receiue Christ as well as the godlie because they haue a mouth to eate as well as the best Fiftly it will followe that Christes Sacrifice once for all was not sufficient because we must sacrifice him againe and breake his bodie and shed his blood as the Iewes crucified him vpon the Crosse Sixtly it will follow that the bread being turned into the bodie of our Redeemer hath a part of our redemption as well as Christ Seuenthly it wil follow that Christ did eate his owne bodie for all the fathers saie that hee did eate the same Bread which he gaue to his Disciples Lastly it will follow that a Massing Priest shalbe the creator of his Creator because hee makes him which made him All these absurdities are hatched of Transubstantiation Thus when men deuise Articles of their owne while they strike vppon the anuill the sparkes flie in their face and they are like the man which began to build and could not finish it When I see the Papist in so many absurdities for entertaing one errour me thinks hee seemeth like a Collier which is grymed with his owne coales Therefore as in maners we should thinke of of Peters saying Whether is it meete to obey God or men So in doctrines we should thinke whether it be meete to beleeue God or men Thus haue you heard the Author of this Sacrament The Lord Iesus the time when it was instituted in the night that he was betraied the manner how it was instituted after thankesgiuing the end why it was instituted for a remembrance of his death
large within but narrowe without so they which are within the Church haue greater light than they which are without They sit like Pharaoh in the darkenes of Egypt when the other dwell like Israel in the light of Goshen Knowledge is easie to him which loueth knowledge sayth Salomon but the scorner seeketh knowledge and findeth it not saith Salomon Pro. 14. The spiritual man saith Paul searcheth the deepe things of God but The naturall man saith Paul perceiueth not the things of GOD. Thou hast reuealed these things to babes saith Christ but thou hast hid them from the wise of the world If any man will doe Gods will he saith Christ shall vnderstand the doctrine but to the obstinate Iewes Christ saith you cannot vnderstand my talke My sheepe heare my voice saith Christ but to the wicked Christ saith you cannot heare my words Beleeuest thou for this saith he to Nathaniel thou shalt see greater things than these but If ye beleeue not sayth Esay ye shall not vnderstand That these Scriptures might bee fulfilled you see that as sin is called blindnes 2. Chro. 6. 18. so sinners are called blind Esay 56. 10. and may be called Strangers in Israel Vntill we be borne again we are like Nichodemus which knew not what it was to bee borne againe Iohn 3. Vntill we become zealous our selues we are like Festus which thought zeale madnes Act. 26. Vntill we be humble our selues we are like Michol which mocked Dauid for his humilitie 1. Sam. 6. 16. It was true then and it is true now and it will bee true alwayes which Paul obserueth 1 Corin. 1. 18. that to some religion shall seem foolishnesse The reason of all this Paul layeth downe in a word If ye aske why the wicked cannot vnderstand heauenly things he sayth Because they are spiritually discerned 1 Corin 2. 14. therefore how should he discerne them that hath not the spirite For this cause wisedome is not said to bee iustified of any but of her owne Children Mat. 11. 19. neither doth Christ say that any sheepe heare his voyce but his owne sheepe My sheepe sayth hee Iohn 12. 27 heare my voyce they followe their shepheard they heare his voyce they vnderstand his Lawe they iudge of his iudgements they haue the measure of his Wordes all is open and plaine and manifest and cleare vnto them they search deeper and iudge righter and know sooner and though they haue no learning yet they haue better iudgements than the learned wheras the other that labour and study without God walke in a labyrinth fall into doubts while they seeke resolutions When a wicked man reads the Scriptures he seeth no difference betweene the worde of God and the wordes of men like Cleopas which talked with Christ knew not Christ When he speakes of Religion he flutters like a young bird which cannot flye because her wings are not growen when he prayeth his prayer is like a childes grace that vnderstandeth not one word that he saith hee which hath but a shew of holines hath but a shewe of wisedome a little knowledge is in his head but there is no knowledge in his heart An euill man may knowe some thing and speake something of his reading hearing as Iob saith There is a spirit in man that is euery man hath a kind of knowledge but the inspiration of the Lord giueth vnderstanding as though the sinners vnderstanding did not deserue to be called vnderstanding If the wicked man speake any thing that is good hee speakes by roate but hee which speakes not out of the abundance of his hart is soone drawne drie The preaching of the Word doth not become him it is harsh and vnkind in his mouth as though it came out of a wrong bowe or like vnto a shittle which flittereth from the hand of a child he is in the pulpit as the guest at the banquet which wāted his wedding garment he speakes not like one which hath authoritie but as one that hath no authoritie and alwaies his conscience sounds vnto him What hast thou to do to take my word in thy mouth seeing thou hatest to be reformed Therefore bee renued that ye may knowe what the will of GOD is this is the Abce and Primmer and Grammar the first lesson and last lesson of a Christian to knowe the good and perfect and acceptable will of God which must make vs good and perfect and acceptable our selues the will of God is alwaies good and acceptable perfect howsoeuer it seeme to vs though it condemne vs of euill yet it is good though we see not how it is perfect yet it is perfect nay it is so perfect that we cannot see the perfection of it as the Sunne is so bright that wee cannot behold the brightnes of it first it seemes good vnto a man before it bee acceptable when it is acceptable then it seemes perfect and as Gods will doth seeme to vs so we doe seeme to him if his will cannot seeme good and acceptable and perfect to vs much lesse may our will seeme good or acceptable or perfect vnto him for this is our goodnesse to acknowledge his goodnesse If it be such a contentment to knowe the will of GOD what shall keepe vs from the knowledge of it shall sinne which is the worst thing in the world Because we will not renue our mindes therefore we are ignorant of so many things which we would knowe and vntill we be willing to followe the word wee shall neuer throughly vnderstand it but buzze and grope at it like Owles which prie at the sunne out of a barne Oh! what a benefite had Salomon lost if he had lost his wisedome which God gaue him as great a benefite doest thou loose if thou loose the knowledge of Gods will for from the day that a man cannot discerne the will of Sathan from the will of Christ euerie Heresie seemeth trueth euery euill seemes good and this hath been the beginning of al errors in the Church because men did not loue the trueth therefore God would not reueale his trueth vnto them therefore I conclude as I began Be ye chaunged by the renuing of your mindes that ye may proue what is the good will of God and acceptable and perfect Now a word of the Sacrament there is an infant to be receiued into the Church which putteth vs in minde of the promise which we made vnto God when we were receiued into the Church our selues This Sacrament was instituted by Christ when he was baptized of Iohn in the riuer of Iordan and it succeedeth Circumcision as the Communiō was ordained in stead of the Passeouer so soone as we are borne we are baptized In the name of the Father the Sonne and the holie Ghost to signifie that we owe a duetie vnto God from the day that wee come into the world In this Baptisme our bodies are washed with water to signifie how