teache it to be a cognizaunce or badge of our Religion whereby wee bee separated and distincte from Turkes Jewes and all other Miscreantes and by the vse thereof confesse before God and the worlde that wee are of the number of them that looke to bee saued by the death of Christ And therefore sayeth Saint Paule Yee cannot drinke of the Cuppe of the Lord and of the cuppe of deuils Thirdlye wee teach it to hee a Seale added to the laste wyll of Christ to assure vs of all those legacies that in the same hee hath bequeathed vnto vs and principally that hys bodye was gyuen to death for vs and his blood shedde for the remission of our sinnes Fourthlye wee teache that it is a linke of vnitie among our selues and a spirituall ingraffing of vs into the mysticall bodye of Christ so that as the braunches haue lyfe and mayntenaunce from theyr roote and stocke so haue wee from Christ Lastlye wee teache that it is a spirituall and heauenly Feast and banquet◠wherein the sonne of God Christ Jesu offereth to the faythful hartes of Christians the heauenly foode of hys moste precious body and blood they therein receiue the same effectuallye truely indeede and not in sygne onelye for wee doe from our heartes detest that opinion that Christes body and blood is receaued in the Sacrament onely figuratiuely For S Paul sayth Panis quē frāgimus nonne comunicatio est corporis Christi poculus benedictionis cui benedicimus nonne comunicatio sanguinis eius est i. The breade whiche wee breake is it not the partakyng of the body of Christ and the cuppe of blefsing whiche wee blesse is it not the partaking of the blood of Christ Wee beleeue therfore teach that the faithfull Christians are made partakers of the bodye and blood of Christ indeede and of all the benefites procured vnto mankind by the same And yet wee meane not this carnally and grossely so that the Reall and naturall bodye of Christe vnder the shape of a rounde peece of breade or his blood vnder the forme of Wine entreth into our mouth and descendeth into the naturall partes of our bodye God forbyd As wee say with Christ He that eateth not his bodie nor drinketh hys blood hath no life in him So we say with Cyprian Non acuimus dentes ad mordendum sed panem sanctum fide syncera frangimus i. Wee sharpen not the teeth to byte but wee breake the holy bread with sincere faith And with August we say Quid paras dentcm ventrem crede manducasti i. Why preparest thou thy teeth and thy bellie Beleue thou hast eaten Faith then is y ◠mouth wherby we receiue Christ so digest him into y ◠stomacke of our soules That which Christ did generally vpon the crosse to y ◠whole world y ◠do we thinke to euery man perticularly with no lesse good effect through faith to be applyed in the Lordes Supper So farre bee wee from teaching it to bee a signe or figure onely Let vs nowe continue in the comparison consider how the church of Rome doth vse this sacrament But Lord God what a sea should I enter into if I should take vpō me fully to declare their abuse of this reuerend Mysterie I will not I cannot thys time wil not serue for it yea diuers sermons wil not serue to deliuer it Who knoweth not y ◠this onely matter hath occupyed the tongnes and pennes of all the learned of Europe I will therefore rehearse vnto you onely the titles of the abuses reseruyng the full discourse to some other tymes Christ instituted a Supper or holy Feast they make it a priuate repast In a feast there is both the Feast maker and the guestes but in theyr priuate Masse one supplyeth the person both of the Feast maker and of the guest Christ Instituted a Sacramente of thankesgeuyng as hee sayeth Doe thys in remembraunce of mee They make it a Sacrifice propitiatorie for the quick and for the dead hauing not one syllable of Gods worde for it Christ gaue breade they say there is no breade Christ gaue Wine they saye the substaunce of Wine is cleane vanished awaye Christ said Drinke yee all of thys nay saye they none but Priestes maye drinke of it Christ sayde when hee gaue breade This is my bodye and when he gaue Wyne This is my blood They saye when the aue or the other is gyuen that it is both the bodye and bloud I omitte that they mixed diuers corrupte doctrines and vnfruitful and daungerous Ceremonies I omitte that they made it a common Marchandize to buy soules out of Purgatorie Finally I omitte that they haue made of this heauenly mysterie a perpetuall matter of Idolatrie by leading the people in theyr Eleuations to worshippe the creature in steede of the Creator If I shoulde enter to declare how they haue wrested and wroong the words of Christes Institution it myght seeme to all men that haue the feare of God verye marueilous but this that I haue spoken may suffice Seeyng therfore they haue not the ryghte vse of the Sacramentes accordyng to the Institution of Christ they cannot challenge vnto them the second Note or marke of the true Churche of God but that the same remayneth rather wyth vs then with them Yea wyll some say but they haue one token wherevppon the olde learned Fathers dyd seeme more to stay their consciences than al y ◠residue that you haue spoken of that is Continuall succession of Bishops for y ◠space of 1500. yeeres Irenaeus Tertullian Augustine c. and other when truth was in controuersie heretikes challenged the name of y ◠Church did flie to this as a principall anker whereby to stay them and their doctrine I graunt deerely beloued that it is true in same respect they did so But I praye you who were they agaynst whom they so reasoned Forsooth Marcion Valentinian and other lyke Heretikes which did refuse reiect almost the whole Scriptures both of y ◠olde newe Testament And such few bookes as they admitted they had corrupted by adding chaunging and by pulling out that these learned Fathers were there by forced to appeale to the Succession of the Apostolicall Churches as well for the triall of the auctenticall Scriptures alway frō the Apostles age left among them as also for the iustifying of that doctrine which they taught out of the Scriptures and had bene alway obserued in the same That it was thus Tertul. himselfe witnesseth Ista haeresis sayth he non recipit quasdam scripturas si quas recipit adiectionibus detractionibus ad dispositionem instituti sui interuertit si recipit non recipit integras c. i. This Heresie doth not admitte certain Scriptures and those that it receiueth by additions and detractions it wresteth to her purpose as it receiueth certain so it receueth them not wholly c.
the soule and body togeather so hath the soule a meanes by foode and sustenaunce to continue GOD and the soule togeather and so to preserue lyfe and putte away the death thereof The bodye when it wanteth this sustenaunce is sayde to hunger and to thirst so the Soule when it feeleth lacke of that Heauenlye and Spirituall foode whereby the lyfe therof is continued it is not in proper speeche but Figuratiuelye sayde to hunger and to thyrste that is earnestly to long and desyre to bee made partaker of that Foode by the Vertue whereof onely God and it is ioyned and preserued togeather This blessed foode is Christe himselfe and none other eyther thing or person for by him onelye are wee reconciled vnto GOD and kepte in vnitie wyth him vnto eternall lyfe and withoute him wee by sinne remayne separated from GOD and so in Death eternal vnlesse Christe doe ioyne vs vnto him He that hath the Sonne of GOD sayth Iohn hath life he that hath not the sonne of GOD hath not life By this comparison I trust you maye see why Christe is called the meate and drinke of Christians that is of the likenesse that hee hath with bodily foode and sustenaunce that keepeth in life and preserueth the Soule and the bodye togeather Wee haue nowe further to consyder not onelye that Christe is the foode of oure Soules and why hee is so called but also howe hee is made the Foode of oure soule I am sayth Christe that bread of Lyfe that came from Heauen that is hadde hee not beene GOD as well as Manne hee coulde not haue beene the Meate of our Soules We must ascende higher therefore then to the humanitie of Christe or to his Naturall bodye and blood and conceaue that it is the bodye and blood of the Sonne of God and hee too God eternall with the Father or else he coulde not haue wrought the Mysterye of our Redemption There be certayne necessary causes very profytable and cōfortable to remēber why Christ must be both god man First it was necessary he should bee GOD that hee might know the will of God and reueale the same vnto vs For we of our selues cannot see God and his will but wee knowe as S. Iohn sayth That the sonne of God came to giue vs a mynde to know him that is true Another cause is that the price of our redemption mighte be equiualent and of like worthinesse as the offence was in the sighte of GOD which could not haue bene vnlesse that person that was the sonne of God had dyed for vs. For neyther Golde nor Siluer nor anye other pretious thing could redeeme vs but the blood of the immaculate and vndefyled Lambe Christ Jesus Furthermore if hee had not bene God he coulde not haue ouercome Death and y ◠Deuill vnder whose captiuitie we were holden and there fore The Sonne of GOD appeared that he might dissolue the Workes of the Deuill Vnlesse hee hadde bene verye God hee coulde not haue giuen vs power to bee made the Sonnes of God and Heires of eternall lyfe He could not haue bene Our eternall Bishop and perpetually sitte on the right hande of God to be intercessoure for vs. He could not haue bene present at all times and in all places to gather his church to direct the harts of the faithfull to heare their prayers and to remitte their sinne He could not haue rayned the dead to life abolishe Death exercise iudgement and giue eternall life vnto the Faythfull that loue his comming There be reasons also why Christe must be very manne and as hee came from Heauen as GOD so in Earth to take fleshe of the Blessed Virgine like vnto oures Sinne onely excepted First that the Justice of GOD requyred that as Manne offended and brake his Lawe and Commaundemente so manne also shoulde satisfye fullye for the same that his righteousnesse mighte iustlye bee imputed to other Secoulye that the appoynted Messias and Sauiour mighte fustaine that punishment which by gods sentence was due for sinne that is death but god alone could not haue dyed Thirdly that we myght haue the surer comfort and confidence in our necessitie to appeale to the throne of his Maiestie seeing he being our hygh Byshop was verie man as wee are and partaker of our infirmities Fourthlye that we myght more certainly be assured of our Resurrection as also that we both in soule and body should enioy eternal life in heauen seeyng Christ our sauiour hauing the same fleshe that we haue hath raised it from death and caried it w t him into heauen there as our head keeping possession for vs vntill the time that wee as members of hys mysticall body shall be ioyned to hym For where the head is there the members must be as Christ himselfe sayeth Where I am there my Ministers shall be Furthermore it was necessarie that Christ should be man that we myght haue the more confidence by him in our necessitie to appeale to the throne of Gods mercy knowing that we haue such an high Byshop as being in manhood like vnto vs hath sense of our infirmitie and hath beene tempted euen as we are For the humanitie of Christ is as it were the Conduite pipe by which onely the liuing waters of Gods mercie floweth vnto vs. Lastly Christ was man that we myght be the more assured of our Resurrection from the dead and possession of eternall lyfe not in soule onely but in body also seeing this our sauiour hauing the lyke fleshe vnto ours in all thinges Sinne onely excepted hath raised vp the same fleshe from death and caried it with him to heauen there to keepe possession of that eternall kingdome for vs. Especially considering that he by the price of his blood hath taken away the guilt of sinne from our mortall bodyes Thus in part you vnderstand howe Christ became the true liuely foode of Christian people that is because by the vnestimable wisedome and mercy of God he was prepared to bee in person God and man All kinde of nourishment hath some proportion of lykenesse with that bodye which it nourisheth and so Christ the naturall sonne of God became man also that by that likenesse he might be apt and fitte nourishmēt to preferre vs to eternall lyfe But this meate must be yet further prepared or else it woulde not serue our turne in feeding of vs. Christ therefore was prepared and made apte meat for vs to eate vpon the Aulter of the Crosse where his body was broken and his blood shedde and he offered himselfe to God the father a ful perfect sacrifice for our sinne and afterward raised the same his body from death to life y ◠it might be very true sustenaunce to euerlasting life aptly and truely in all respectes prepared to that end Forsomuch as you haue now heard y t Christ is the onely foode of life why he is so called howe he was prepared so to be we
S. Aug. that I haue heare layde downe and by many other like that I might alleage I truste all suche as feare God and will iudge indifferently may perceiue that this is no new doctrine which at this time I taught touching the likenesse of the Jewes religion and Sacramentes to ours now in time of the Gospell Herevnto I must add this note by the way If the Israelites vnder the old law did in their sacramēts eat y ◠same spirituall meat drink y ◠same spiritual drink y ◠we do in ours that is Christ that effecally and to saluation before Christes natural body blood were borne and come really into the worlde it maye euydently leade vs also to vnderstande what manner of eating and drinking it is that we also should vse in our sacramēts to saluation that is a spirituall eating and drinking of Christ and not such a grosse carnall and reall eating as the Church of Rome now striueth for But of this I haue to speake in the nexte part Therefore here I will make an ende c. ¶ The seconde Sermon vpon this part of the Text. 1. Cor. 10. 3. c. All did eate of the same spirituall meate and all did drinke of the same spirituall drinke For they dranke of the spirituall Rocke and the Rocke was Christe NOt only S. Paule in this place but the spirite of God in sunderye other Places of the Scriptures teacheth vs that Christe only is the blessed and Heauenlye foode of oure soules wherewith we are fed and nourished to eternall life Of this meate and drinke Esay prophecied many yeares before Christ came in fleshe Oh sayd he come all ye that be thirstie come to the waters and yee that haue no siluer come buy and eate come I say bye wine and milke without money wherfore do you lay out siluer for that which is no fode bestow your labor for that which cannot satisfye you harken dilligently vnto me eat that which is good c. In which words he caled the hungry thirstie consciences of gods people to that heauenly foode of Christ which in his gospel is laid before the faithfull by it to be fedde to eternall life and reproueth them for seeking other foode besyde Christ because indeed there is none that can satisfie them but onelye hee This doth Christ himself seeme to expound in this maner in the gospel when he sayth If any man thirst let him come to me and drinke But most euident in John the sixte hee declareth himselfe to be the onely foode of oure soules of which we must feede vnto saluation For vppon the occasyon of the Jewes following him with a carnall affection to haue their bodyes fedde by myracle as before he had done he sharply reproueth that affection in them willeth thē to labour and trauatle not for the meat that perisheth but for the meate y t shold endure to euerlasting life which the sonne of man should giue vnto them And after Moises gaue you not bread from heauen but my father giueth you the true bread from heauen For the bread of God is he who cōmeth down from heauen to giue life vnto the world And after a few words he sayth plainely I am the bread of life he that commeth to me shal not hunger and he that beleueth in me shall neuer thirst And againe I am the bread of life your fathers did eat Manna in the wildernesse and are dead This is the bread of life which commeth downe from heauen of which he that eateth should not die I am the liuing bread that came downe from heauen if any man eate of this bread hee shall liue for euer and the bread which I wil giue is my fleshe which I will giue for the life of the worlde c. Except ye eate of the fleshe of the son of man drink his blood you haue no life in you Whosoeuer eateth my fleshe and drinketh my blood hath eternall life c I will raise him vp at the last day For my flesh is meate in deede and my blood is drinke in deede c. Seing then it is very euident that Christ is the meate and drinke of all true Christians it behoueth vs next to learne why Christ is called meate and drinke for we may not groselye vnderstand it as y ◠Capernaites did that it is a Meat wherwith our bodies are to be nourished as with other natural foode God forbid For Christ himselfe a little after sayth The words that I haue spoken are spirite and life Gyuing vs thereby to vuderstande that hee is oure spiritual meate and his wordes spiritually to be vnderstanded This speech then that Christ is meate an drinke vnto Christians is not a naturall and proper kinde of speaking but metaphoricall and figuratiue transferred from the bodye to the soule from a worldlye meaning to a spirituall Seuce Which the better to perceaue you must remēber that man consisteth not of body only but of soule also And as y t body hath his life and death so the soule hath her life and death And as the body hath certayn means to keepe of death and for the time to mayntayne lyfe so hath the soule meanes to preserue the life thereof and to put awaye death The lif of the body is the ioyning of the soule and the bodye togither and the death thereof is the separation of the soule from the bodye The meanes to preserue the life of the bodye that is to continue the bodye and soule togeather is foode and sustenaunce meate and drinke for we daylye and howerly doe consume and the substance of our bodies wasteth by the pores of oure skinne so that when Nature feeleth wante of Substaunce to supplye the wasting of the body then it is sayde in proper speeche to hunger or to thirst that is to desyre and couette that thing whereby the waute of naturall Substaunce and moysture maye be supplyed least the Instrumentes of the soule shoulde bee made feeble and so the soule departe and the body dye Nowe looke what the soule is to the hedye that is GOD vnto the soule As the lyfe of the bodye is the ioyning of the soule to the bodye for wythout the Soule there is no life so the life of the Soule is the ioyning of GOD and the Soule togeather and the death of the Soule is the separation of GOD from the soule for without GOD the soule hath no lyfe And yet you maye not thinke that the Soule dyeth after that sorte that the bodye doeth by ceassyng to haue a beeing or a continuaunce but it dreth a spirituall death by separation of God from it so that the tyme that it is and hath a beeing withoute God is nothing but a moste horrible tormente and more greeuous then a thousande bodilye deathes Nowe further as the body hath a certayne meanes by foode and Sustenaunce to preserue life that is
must next consider how this blessed meat is truely rightly eaten both in the sacraments without the vse of of Sacramentes This question hath vexed all Christendom nowe for the space of certaine yeres hath exercised the pennes and tongues almost of all learned men of this age with great vehemencie on eche side But surely if they would with single mindes without heat of contention truely consider howe the fruite and benefite of this heauenly foode is receaued this controuersie might bee easily ended and many a troubled conscience quieted which now almost only are by this meanes stayed from embracing the trueth of the Gospell They doe not so greatly mislike the other parts of our doctrine but this sticketh in their consciences that wee denie the body and blood of Christ really and carnally eaten and drunken in the Sacrament Wherefore I hartely desire al such for the time to laye aside that settled perswasion wherewith their mindes hitherto hath beene so holden that they could not abide to heare any thing of the contrarie and with indifferent and charitable mindes carefully to consider that which in parte I haue and now hereafter shall speake touchyng this matter First therefore you must call to your remembraunce that Christes bodye is not carnall meate and drinke for our bodyes but spirituall meat and drinke for our soules and for that cause S. Paul in this place so calleth it saying That the olde Fathers did eate of the same spirituall meate and drinke of the same spiritual drinke And yet I must needes confesse that this spirituall meate is profitable not to the soule onely but to the body also For Christ dyed for preseruation both of soule and bodye But this benefite of nourishment is not first receaued of the bodye and throughe it passeth to the soule for that were monstrous but beeyng first receaued of the soule it profiteth the bodye For as Christ sayth That which entreth into the bodily mouth defyleth not the man but that commeth out of the mouth from the corrupte hearte and mynde So contrariwyse not that good thing that entreth by the bodye dothe profyte the soule but that which entered first by the soule and is receaued by it profyteth also the bodye For the body and bloud of Christ beeyng in deede the true foode of lyfe when it is spiritually eaten by the soule through the operation of the holye Ghost maketh vs apte to Resurrection and in due tyme transformeth our mortall bodyes to the lykenesse of his glorious bodye If the spirite of him that raised Christ from death dwell in vs he that raised Christ from the dead shall also quicken our mortall bodies because that his spirit through Christ dwelleth in vs. The better to vnderstand what it is to eate this spirituall foode and how it is truely effectually receaued to eternall lyfe I must put you in minde of the comparison that before I vsed betweene the body and the soule As the bodye is sayde to eate when it receaueth that sustenaunce wherewith the hunger thereof is stayed and satisfied and as it is sayde to drinke when it receaueth that liquour wherewith the thirst is quenched euen so our soule is sayde to eate and to drinke when it receaueth that heauenly and blessed foode of Christ Jesus crncifyed wherewith the hungry and thirstie appetite thereof that is the vehement desire of the fauour of God and saluation is fully satisfyed and appeased As there commeth no benefit to the body of meat drinke vnlesse it bee eaten and drunken so the bodye and blood of Christ crucified doth not helpe vs anye thing if it bee not worthily and truely receaued The body receaueth hys foode by the mouth of the body the soule receaueth hirs by the mouth of the soule As it is not sufficient to hunger and thirst nor to receaue sustenaunce vnlesse there be a naturall strength in our bodyes to receaue concoct and digest the same so there must be in our soules that strength that may surely receaue Christ and wrappe him or embrace him in the bowels of our heart that he may thereby as it were be turned into vs and wee into him but that strength is not in our selues but is giuen of God We must therefore haue it from him from whom all good giftes proceede that is From the father of lyghtes And this gift wherewith Christ is truely and effectually receaued is nothing but faith For by fayth we receaue Christ and assure our selues in our hartes that wee are partakers of that redemption which by his death he hath procured for vs and with that firme perswasion lay him vp in the bowels of our heartes that in all our temptations and troubles we may feede vpon him and gather strength and comfort in the assuraunee of Gods fauour purchazed by him so that so often as our heartes bee shaken with mistrust and feare this faith doth comforte and releeue vs agayne Nowe that faith is the mouth and meanes whereby onely wee receaue and eate Christ to saluation I will let you vnderstand it both by Christes owne wordes in S. Iohn and by the iudgement of diuers learned and auncient Fathers For Christ vseth these wordes indifferently and as of one force and signification To beleeue in him To eate him To drinke him To come vnto him and doth attribute to eche of these y â— same effectes To beleeue in Christ is the proper worde to eate Christ or to come vnto him are Metaphores and figuratiue speeches but all of one force I am the bread of life saith Christ he that commeth to me shall not hunger and he that beleeueth in me shall neuer thirst Marke diligently deerely beloued what Christ sayth He that commeth to me shall not hunger therfore to come vnto Christ is to eat Christ And againe he saith He that beleeueth in mee shall neuer thirst therfore to beleeue in Christ is to drinke Christ To eat and to drinke are meanes to take away hunger and thirst but to come vnto Christ to beleeue in him as Christ himselfe saith doth take away hunger and thirst therefore to come vnto him and to beleeue in him is to eate him and to drinke him An other out of the same place is this Christ attributeth the same effectes and fruits to them which beleeue in him that he doth to them that eate his bodie and drinke his blood therefore by eating and drinking he meaneth nothing but beleeuing His wordes bee these Iohn 6. verse 54. He that eateth my fleshe and drinketh my blood hath eternall life and I will raise him vp at the last daye Note the effectes that he gyueth to eatyng his fleshe and drinking his blood that is to haue euerlasting lyfe and bee raysed at the last daye In the. 40. verse of the same Chapter hee sayeth This is the wyll of my father that sent mee that euerie one that seeth the sonne and beleeueth on him should haue eternall life I
of common weales as haue not the true sence of God and of his prouidence For they condemn the doctrine of the Gospell as sedicious and daungerous to common weales and states of Princes neither do they thinke it a matter to be suffered that Preachers should note and openly reprooue the faults of Princes Magistrates and great personages For saye they what other thing is this then to shake the state of gouernment and to sound a Trompet of discord sedition and rebellion These men do not acquaynt theÌ„selues with the vse of Gods prouidence whoe euer from time to time hath sente his Prophets other MesseÌ„gers to reproue y â— faults both of Princes and people that swerue from his law and reuolt from his true worship The thirde sort of Aduersaries are Hipocrites Monks Freers and such as put saluation in the outward obseruations of mens deuises and deuised holynesse beside the word of God for they crie that the doctrine of the Gospell doth ouerthrow the lawes of God The holy ordinances of Fathers doth hinder good workes and take awaye all deuotiâ—n To answere all the forged cauils and slaunderous obiections that all these men deuise to make vs ashamed of the Gospell were a matter at this time vnpossible But I will touch such as cheefely they stand vpon and most are though te to shake the consciences of them that haue any seÌ„se of god The first sort are hipocrits iusticiaries which being puffed vp with confidence in their owne strength thinke eyther whallye or in a great parte by theire owne Vertues and good workes to obtayne Gods fauoure and euerlasting lyfe Suche in tymes paste were the Phariseyes among the Jewes and such in these dayes are Monkes Freers and others in the Churche of Roome which pretende misliking of the Gospell because it teacheth that al men naturally are sinners and the children of wrath and that they haue grace and free remissyon of sinnes by fayth only condemning in it selfe all mannes iustice and worthinesse and declaring that wee haue no iustice but that wee haue in Christe Jesu These men because they stande muche in theire owne lykinges and greatly seeke their owne glorye are passinglye muche greeued to haue that Doctrine published whereby their strength and powers are diminished their wisedome defaced their iustice before God condemned and grace and forgiuenesse taughte to bee attayned by Gods free mercy without any respecte of worthinesse or deserte in our selues This Doctrine say they is an ennimie to all good life This Doctrine discourageth from indeuour of honestie and godlinesse This Doctrine openeth a wyde gappe to all Dishonestie and Dissolutenesse For whâ—e will bende himselfe to Godlynesse when hee is taughte that hee is not hable to doe any thing Whoe wyll not tumble headlonge into Vyce when hee vnderstandeth forgiuenesse to bee so readye Who will bridle his affections and punishe himselfe by fasting praying and other godlye excercises when hee seeth there is so easye and lighte a waye to Heauen by Grace and Fayth onely Therefore say they no maruayle though wee be ashamed of this gospell and mislyke the Professoures of it But dearely beloued this is no new reproch slaunder Fathered vppon the gospell and Heauenlye Doctryne of our Saluation You knowe these prowde and selfeliking Pharisies vpbrayded euen Christe himselfe that hee preached Gods free grace to Publicanes and Sinners You knowe that they sayde to Saynte Paule setting foorth the same Doctryne Why then lette vs do ill that grace maye abounde seeing Gods grace is so ready let vs still wallow in naughtinesse that it may shewe it selfe more plentifully Wherefore agaynste this temptation Christian men shoulde arme themselues at this daye and not thinke that wee teache anye newe Doctrine but the same that Chrâ—ste and S. Paule hath layde out before vs. For when wee vtterlye condemne manne in himselfe and pronounce him to bee the chylde of wrath and damnation what other thinge doe wee then that Saint Paule in the fyrste parte of his Epistle to the Romaynes at large declareth whyle he wrappeth all menne as well Jewes as Gentiles in the guilte of sinne and in the indignation of GOD And in generall wordes concludeth Omnes peccauerunt destituuntur gloria Dei iustificantur autem gratis per illius gratiam per redemptionem que est in Christo. All haue sinned and are depriued of the glory of God and are iustified freelye by grace thorowe the redemption that is in Christ Jesus And agayne Conclusit deus omnia sub peccato vt omnium miseretur God hath coÌ„cluded al thinges vnder sinne that he might haue mercye vppon all And this meaneth hee not onelye of the grosse outwarde actes but of the verye inwarde gilte and corruption of their nature as in many other places hee sheweth Vt per vnum homineÌ„ peccatuÌ„ intraâ—it in munduÌ„ ê‘ peccatuÌ„ mors it a in oÌ„nes homines mors ê‘uasit quia omnes peccauimus Regnauit mors ab adam vsque aâ— Mosen etiam in eos qui non peccauerunt ad similitudinem transgressionis Adam As by one man sin entered into the world and deth by sinne so deth went ouer al men for so much as al men haue sinned But Death reigned from Adam to Moyses euen ouer them also that sinned not after the like manner of transgression of Adam And to the Cor. In Adam omnes moriuntur In Adam all dye In these places he speaketh not only of y â— death of y â— body but of y â— death of the soule Eramus natura filij irae quemadmodum et ceâ—eri We were by nature the childreÌ„ of wrath as wel as other Whereby it appeareth that all men in themselues are the Children of wrath and damnation shutte from the Kingdome of Heauen Therefore Christ in Iohn 3 chapt sayth vnlesse a man bee borne agayne from aboue he cannot see the Kingdome of God In which wordes it is euident that our firste byrth in Adam is vtterly corrupt and subiecte to sinne So lamenteth Iob also Who can mak that cleane which is conceaued of vncleane seede So lamenteth Dauid his owne corruption Beholde I was borne in iniquitie and in sinne hath my mother conceiued mee Upon which wordes sayth Ambrose Merito Dauid flebiliter deplorauit ipsa inquinamenta naturae quod priâ—s incipit in homine macula quaÌ„ vita Vpon iust cause did Dauid with teares bewaile the imperfections that we haue in nature for bicause corruptioÌ„ doth first begin in vs before that we haue life Seing then our nature is so corrupted seing as God himself saith our hart is bent only to ill euen from our youth how can any goodnes proceede from vs as of our selues howe canne wee challenge power to fulfill Gods lawe and by our good doinges to be reconciled vnto him Without mee sayeth Christe you can do nothing And I am not able sayth Paule to thinke a good thoughte as of
it must not adde diminish alter or change or otherwise by wrested interpretatioÌ„ draw it to another meaning then the Analogie of our fayth and the conference of one place with another place of it in it self may warrant And therefore it is strangely written of Hossius that if a man haue the Interpretation of the Sea of Roome vppon anye place of the Scriptures though he knowe not nor cannot vnderstande howe it can possibly agree with the wordes of Scripture yet is it sayeth hee the moste certaine worde of GOD. Yea they say that the interpretation of the scripture Varyeth with the practise of the Church so that as that changeth the interpretation of the Scripture chaungeth also Of this Vsurpation of authoritie ouer the worde of GOD and of this discrediting of the scriptures it commeth not onelye that they make in manye places Interpretations repugnant to the Text as when they interprete Datur for Offertur and Facite for Sacrificate But also that the moste parte of their Doctrines are contrarye to the expresse wordes of GOD and the Analogie of oure fayth As by example of a fewe you shall take the measure of the residue As for interpretations when Christ sayth in the matter of the Sacrament This is my body that is say they this is Transubstantiated or hath the substance of it turned into my Body contrary to all writers and the nature of al tongues expounding est the Verbe substantiue is by Transubstantiatur Let them shew eyther any auncient Father yea or anye latine writer that euer did the like and let them take the victorie Agayne where Christ sayth This is my body that is Giuen for you that is say they that is Offered for you So that that which he meÌ„t to be giuen to death vpon the crosse as al good christians vnderstand the place they to mayntayne their Sacrifice of the Masse drawe it to this that Christ then presently in the time of the Ministration offered his body to God the Father in waye of a Sacrifice And so for to mayntayne a deuise of their owne they doe robbe the people of God of that sweete promise and comfortable legacie wherein Christe in his last will assureth them that his body shoulde be giuen to Death for their redemtion In like manner when christ sayth Do this in remembraunce of me that is say they Sacrifice this in my remembraunce Wherein with as great absurditie as before they doe peruerte the meaning of Christ For where his purpose was to giue a warrante to all christian people to vse and celebrate this Sacrament in remembraunce of his death they bring it to bee spoken to Priestes only wringing them vtterly contrary to that exposition of Christes wordes whiche S. Paule maketh 1. Cor 11. saying So often as you eate this bread and drinke this Cuppe you shewe the Lordes death vntill he come Nowe as touching their Doctrines repugnaunte to Gods word you shall â—â—te these few examples in steede of many mo The Scripture teacheth that we haue redemption and iustification by fayth in Christes blood onelye without the helpe of our owne Vertues and good workes For S. Paule saith Therefore we gather that a man is iustified by faith without the deedes of the lawe And to the Ephe. 2. Ye are iustified by grace and that not of your selues it is the gift of God not of works least any man should boast And yet if wee beleeue not that our workes doe helpe vs to our iustification and remission of sinnes the Churche of Rome will condemne vs as Heretikes The scriptures teach vs that Christ By once offering himselfe on the Crosse made perfect all them that are sanctified For so saith S. Paule to the Hebr. And yet by the Churche of Rome are they horrible heretikes that say there is not daylye sacrifice propitiatorie for our sinnes in their Masse The scriptures teach vs y t Christ is ascended into heauen and sitteth on the right hande of God the Father and from thence and no place else he shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead yet contrarie to this article of our faith and contrarie to the nature of Christes humanitie if wee beleeue not that Christ euen in his fleshe is still in earth with vs yea and that in a. 1000. places at once we must be pronouÌ„ced detestable heretikes The scripture saith in the vse of the Lordes Supper Bibite ex hoc omnes Drinke ye all of this The Churche of Rome saith it is heresie to affirme that y e lay people should drinke of the Lordes Cuppe The scriptures say Thou shalt make thee no grauen image nor thou shalte not bow downe to worship it The Church of Rome saith it is godlye to haue the churche full of Images to kneele downe before them to set vp candels to them and with incense to honour them The scripture saith In the Church it is better to speake fiue wordes vnderstanded to edifie than to speake tenne thousande in a tongue not vnderstanded yet you knowe the churche of Rome hath defined it that it is more fruitfull and godly to haue all the diuine seruice in a straunge and vnknowen tongue Wherefore howe truely they can claime to haue this first marke of Christes churche I doubte not but those consciences that haue the feare of God can easily perceiue As for the sacraments it is not onely sufficient to haue them but to haue those that Christ appoynted and to vse them accordyng to hys institution Saint Ambrose sayth verie notablye Qui aliter presumunt accipere quam Christus instituit deuotus esse non potest i. Hee that presumeth to receaue it he meaneth the sacrament of the bodye and bloud of Christ after another sorte then Christ hath ordained can not be accounted to be truely deuoute But howe they haue altered the Sacraments both in number and in the right vse of them no man almost can bee ignoraunt Where the Scriptures mention but two they haue appointed seuen I will not now stand vpon the number of sacramentes I will speake only of those which both parts agree to be sacraments Baptisme the Lordes Supper First as touching Baptisme we teache not onely as some falsely father vppon vs that it is signum Initiale a Signe wherby we be first consecrated Christians but wee adde also that we by faith and the operation of the holy Ghost doe put on Christ as a garment that is that wee haue him so fastened and appropriated to vs that he is ours and wee his and that he hydeth and couereth our nakednesse according as S. Paule saith As many as are Baptized haue put on Christ We beleeue and teache that Baptisme is to Christians the Fountaine of life whereby our sinnes are washed away So saith S. Peter Baptizetâ—r vnusquisque vestrum in nomine Jesu in remissionem peccatoruÌ„ i. Let euerie one of you
teache that the substaunce of Breade and wyne is cleane vanished and consumed awaye so that there remayneth no Bread nor Wyne in the Sacrament and that is in effecte to make it no sacrament For as I haue tolde you before there canne bee no Sacramente without an externall Elemente to bee the outewarde signe thereof But what externall signe canne there bee when â—â—â—y withoute substaunce and accidents and qualities nourishe the substaunce of oure bodyes Or if they cannot howe maye they represente vnto vs that as they nourishe oure bodyes so Christe his blood nourisheth our soules yea rather they teach the contrary that as qualities doâ— not nourishe the substaunce of ourâ— body so doth not Christs body nourish our soules Wherfore al good Christians haue to deteste that blasphemous Doctrine broughte in by the Church of Rome which as I haue sayde taketh awaye the right nature and proportion of a sacrament By this that I haue sayd already you maye perceiue that there is some further ende then the vse of the signes in the Sacramentes and that the Externall Elementes are not ordayâ—ed for themselues but for some â—ther purpose In the olde time the sacramentes and Ceremonies were profytable for the bodilye nourishmente as the water gushing ouâ—e of the Rocke Manna and the Paschall Lambe but in oure sacramentes God smallye consydereth our bodies but principallye and whollye the â—eleefe ease and comforte of our soules Therefore as in the olde Testament so now much more in the sacraments is to be consydered some spirituall internall thing to the vnderstanding wherof the lykenesse of the external signes doe leade vs as in baptisme our regeneration and new byrth and the washing away of our sinnes by the death pâ—ssion of Christ In the Lords supper the heauenly foode of our soules with the bodye that was broken his blood that was shead vpon the Crosse Wherfore good christiaÌ„s in receiuing y â— sacrament must not haue so much regard to the signe as to the spirituall thing it selfe for which y â— outward token was oâ—dayned So doeth the Councell of Nice exhorte vs Lette vs not bende oure cogitation baâ—ely to Bread and Wine layde before vs but lifting vp our mind through faith let vs behold the Lambe of god taking away the sins of the world to be on that table c. And Chrisost hom 7. 1. ad Cor. The heathen person when he heaâ—eth of baptisme perswadeth himselfe that it is water only but I do not simply see that I doe see but also the cleansing of my soule by the spirite of God He thinketh my body onelye to be washed but I beleeue that my soule is cleansed and made holy And Aug. That which you see is bread and the cuppe as your eyes declare vnto you but as touching that wherwith your faith is to be instructed the bread is to you the body of Christ the wine his blood Wherfore the especiall principall part of the sacrament is the spiritual and internall thing as in baptisme as I haue sayd regeneration and sanctification and in the Lords supper y â— body and blood of Christ And here dearâ—lye beloued I muste put you in mind that they which teache this doe not saye that the sacramentes are bare signs and tokens as the aduersaries of the Gospell doe slaunder vs. Our doctrine of the Sacraments is farre more fruitfull and comfortable then theirs is For we teach and beleeue that these spirituall effectes are as certainely wrought by the holy ghost in the sacramentes as we see that the externall elementes haue their operation in the course of nature For the sacramentes are as the deedes and Seales of almighty god whereby he doth in deede and verily not only by signification but effectually conueighe vnto vs the possession of his spirituall blessinges and yet doâ— wee not maynetayne the carnall and Reall presence of Christe his body and blood within the compasse of the Sacramente so that it shoulde enter into the â—oundnesse of the mouth and descende into the naturall partes of our body That grosse opinyon I leaue to the schole of Roome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I fâ—â—d it not in Christes institution nor in the sâ—hole of the holy Ghoste that is the Scripture of God As a prince in his letters patentes vnder his greate Seale giueth to a man happily a thousand pouâ—de Lande by the yeare so that the partye hauing that deede may assure himselfe that he hath full right and possessyon thereof and as surely as it were possible he haue the Lâ—â—de iâ— sâ—â—f in his â—â—â—de yet can he not be so sencelesse and foolishe to thinke that he hath the very substaunce of the Lande in the Boâ—e wherein the deede is So doeth Christe in the Sacrament louingly 〈◊〉 to the faythfull hart the possession of his body and blood with all the benefits by the same procured to mankinde that he may iuâ—â—lye sayâ— that theâ— be his and by the â—â—liueth and is nourished to eternall life yet he may not be so foolish to thinke that he hath not the fruit of it vnlesse it goe reallye and Carnallye into his body For Christes body blood are meat drink for our soule not for our body to be nourished by as it is by breade and Wyne 〈…〉 The thirde part of the sacramente is that which giueth strength and effecte to the residue that is to say the word of Christes institution promise which is as it were the soule and life of the sacramente For whereto serueth a seale to a blanke wherein nothing is written by whiche wee maye clayme anye Benefyte whereto serueth an externall signe if we haue not a promise to attayne a spirituall thing And no mans hande or writing will serue to make perfecte this deede It muste bee Gods onlye For he hath only the giuing of such things wherefore it must be Gods word that must assure vs hereof Well sayd Aug. Let the word come to the element and it maketh the Sacrament And agayne How commeth it to passe that water toucheth the body clenfeth the hart 〈…〉 t by the power of the word and that not because it is spoken but because it is beleued And how can a man beleeue that which he â—eaâ—etlâ— not nor vnderstandeth â—ereby â—â—â— may consider â—how 〈◊〉 yoâ— haue bene deceaued by them which haue 〈…〉 ed the sacramentes vnto you in a straunge and vnknowne tongue that you vnderstoode not These comfortable wordes 〈…〉 Lordes cuppe This is my blood which is shead for you and for maâ—y for â—â—â—â—ssion of â—â—â—nes with playnâ— Saâ—â—â—â—ege haue they kept from you and 〈◊〉 you not only of the proâ—â—se contayned in the words but also of one part of the sacrament for they inimsâ—red it vnto you of the layâ—ie alway vnder one kynâ—e y â— â—â— as they say vnder y â— forme of bread onelye whiche greate 〈◊〉 to after both the wordes â—â—â— partes of the Sacramentes is 〈◊〉
onely for the redemption of the whole worlde generally but for hys also particularly and that he vndoubtedly is partaker of that blessed worke of our redemption When wee heare these woordes Doe this in remembrance of me our faith is assured y t it is Christs commaundement that wee shoulde vse this Sacrament to call to our remembraunce the benefite of our faluation by the death of Christ and in hart and minde at al times but then especially to shew our selues truely thankefull to him for the same When our sight beholdeth vpon the Table the bread and wyne by Christes ordinaunce broken and powred out for vs to vse the Fayth is moued this to thinke As surely and truely as my bodily eyes behould vpon the table of the Lord the Creatures of bread and wine as the outward parte of his sacramente and see the same broken and poured out for mee so assuredly doe I with the eye of my faith beholde the body and blood of Christ broken and shead for me vpon the Alter of the Crosse and the same my Sauiour sitting now on the right hand of god the father with the same body and blood now gloryfyed wherewith vpon the Crosse he payd the price of my redemption WheÌ„ we see the Minister offering to vs the bread and the cup and wee receaue the same in our hande and by our sence feele them inwardly in our hartes our fayth is mooned to haue this cogitacion As truely as our Sauioure Christe vpon the Crosse by his body broken and his blood sheade wrought our redemption and offered the benefite thereof to all that would beleeue generally so truelye am I assured that now in the vse of this holy Sacrament by his minister he offereth the same to me particularly to be applied to my selfe And as surely as my hande receaueth the outwarde creatures so surelye by my fayth doe I receyue Christ himselfe and in my hart feele him and with my spirituall armes imbrace him as the onely price and meanes of my saluation When we eate of the holy breade and drinke of the reuerend cuppe and by our cast haue sence of the sweetenesse of them and fele them passe downe into our stomache there to rest that they may be according to their nature meanes to nourishe and strengthen our bodie to continue it in lyfe the fayth is stirred vp by these sences thus to thinke Euen as certainly as my taste feeleth the sweetenesse of Breade and wyne and thereby perceiue in deede that their operacion is to nourish and strengthen my body and to quicken my naturall spirites which without suche nourishmente would perishe euen so the taste of my faith and sence of my hart doth feele the sweetenesse of Christe his body and blood broken and shead for mee and all mankinde vppon the Crosse and perceiue it thereby to be the onely foode of my soule without which I shoulde perishe both soule and bodye Eternallye And as certainlye as I feele with bodilye sence that the Breade and Wyne passeth into my Stomache and there according to their proportion feede strengthen and quicken my Naturall bodye and Spirites so assuredlye doe I with my inwarde and Spirituall sence perceiue the bodye and blood of Christe and the whole benefite of his death and passioÌ„ to passe into the stomache of my soule and bosome of my hart there through the strength of a true ChristiaÌ„ faith to be laid vp wrought and digested as that onelye nourishmente that keepeth the life of the soule and preserueth mee both soule and bodye to eternall life They that will Christianlye and charitablely and in the feare of GOD weighe and consyder these thinges I truste will not thinke eyther that wee make lighte accoumpte of the Externall Sacramente or in oure Doctrine teache a syngle and sleighte manner of eating of Christ by fayth as the fauourers of the church of Rome doe charge vs. And I appeale to the Consciences of all them that followe theire Doctrine whether euer they were taughte to take suche sweete instruction and comfort in the vse of that blessed Sacrament or no. These good Fruites of that Sacramente are muche furthered and increased by sunderye other Godlye cogitations which the Scriptures teache true Christians to vse in the administration of it The worde of GOD teacheth that the vse of the externall Sacramentes is a manner of confession whereby men acknowledge themselues before GOD and the World that they are Christians Therefore the faythfull receauer when hee commeth to the Sacrament thinketh this with himselfe I by comming to this place proteste before GOD and his Angels and before all the Creatures of Heauen and earth that in my harte I deteste the Religion of Jewes Turkes Infidels Heretiques and all other that denye saluation to come by the death of Christe and I acknowledge my selfe vnfaygnedlye to bee of the number of them that hope to haue the fauoure of GOD and to bee saued by the merite and passion of Christe onelye The worde of GOD teacheth that Sacramentes are as it were Seales to confyrme the truth of Gods promises and to strength our fayth Therefore by this seale of the Lords Supper wee assure oure selues that wee are partakers of all that Legacie which Christ our Sauyour in his last will bequeathed to vs that is that his bodye was broken vpon the Crosse for our redemption and his blood sheadde for the remission of oure Sinnes The Scriptures teache that in the vse of the sacramentes through Fayth wee bee vnited vnto Christ and ingraffed into his Mysticall body so that wee liue nowe onelye by him and whatsoeuer is his by the truth of his promise is oures also The worde of God teacheth that the Sacrament of the Lordes supper is a linke of vnitye that knitteth vs together as members of one Mysticall bodye and therefore that wee oughte to bee ioyned in mutuall loue and charitie among our selues and that it is a foule reproch both to Christe oure head and to the whole body if we hate hurte or hinder one another For by the vse therof we confesse y â— we are all members of one bodye all Seruantes of one Mayster all Children of one Father all Subiectes vnder one Lorde and King all Partakers of one redemption all Heires of one Heritage and Gifte of Eternall Lyfe And in so manye Lâ—â—â—es of Vnitye to be at discorde among ourselues is in Gods iudgemente an heauy testimouie agaynst vs in the day of his wrath Finally the word of God teacheth vs that the Sacrament of the Lordes supper is our heauenlye Feaste in whiche the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the worlde is offered vnto vs spiritually to feede vppon in our fayth that by him as I haue before declared we maye be nourished strengthened and preserued to eternall life and therfore that we ought to bee verye carefull so coprepare oureselues that we may be worthy Guestes for that blessed table Wherefore
I thinke it necessary in a worde or two to teach you how Christians should prepare themselues as worthy guestes to come to this holy Table But before I come to that I will fyrste aunswere an euell and peruerse Doctrine broughte into the Church by the Sea of Roome and the Preachers and teachers thereof directlye both agaynste Christes owne wordes and agaynst the doctrine of the auncient fathers that is that very wicked meÌ„ and horrible sinners as Iudas and other doe eate in the sacrament the very Reall and naturall body of Christe as fully as Peter or any other Saint of God or other faythfull Christian hath done or doth This Doctrine as it is reprochefull to the body and blood of Christ so it is plainly against y t which Christ himself teacheth in Iohn For there Christ sayth thus He that eateth my flesh drinketh my blood abideth in me and I in him As the liuing Father sent me and I liue by the Father so hee that eateth me shall liue by me I adde But the wicked naugty persons abide not in christ nor liue by him therfore sinfull and wicked faythlesse persons doe not eate Christ nor drinke his blod In the same place Christ sayeth further Whosoeuer eateth my fleshe and drinketh my blood hath eternall life c. I adde here likewise But the wicked haue not eternall life by christ nor shall bee raysed to life but to eternall damnation therefore it is a false and a wicked Doctrine that Iudas and such other naughtie persons doe eate the very true reall and Naturall bodye of christ for if they did they shold theÌ„ be partakers of those benefits which christ truth it self promiseth to theÌ„ y t eat him Though this their doctrine to any godly man may seeme absurde in it selfe and Christ his wordes against it be plain ynough and will not easylye admitte any glose yet if the aunciente Fathers also teache not herein as wee doe let vs be thought to deuise it of oure selues Origin sayeth this These thinges haue I spoken of the typicall and fyguratiue body Much also may be spokeÌ„ of the word himselfe which became fleshe whome whosoeuer shall eate shall surely liue for euer and he addeth Whome no euill man can eate For if it could be that he which coÌ„tinueth euill did eate the word that became flesh seing that he is the word bread of life it would neuer haue ben writteÌ„ whosoeuer eateth the bread shall liue for euer Hitherto Orig. And S. Aug. He that discordeth froÌ„ Christ eateth not his flesh nor drinketh his blood but he receaueth the Sacrament of so holy a thing to the iudgement of damnation against himselfe And y â— same father vpoÌ„ S. Joh. The Apostles sayth he did eat the bred that was the Lord but Iudas did eate the breade of the Lord against the Lord. But most plainly he sayth in an other place The sacrameÌ„t of the vnity of the body blod of Christ is receiued at the Lords table of some to life of some to destruction But the thing it selfe whereof it is a sacrament is life to euery man and death to none whosoeuer shall be partaker of it And in the same place To eate that meate and to drink that drinke is to dwel in Christ to haue christ dwelling in him And by that it followeth that he which dwelleth not in Christ nor hath christ dwelling in him vndoubtedly doth not spiritually eat his flesh nor drink his blood although carnally visibly he presse with his teeth the sacrament of the body blood of Christ c. Although I might alleage a nuÌ„ber of other places to y t same purpose yet because these fathers vndoubtedly did know the fayth Doctrine of the church in their time this may be sufficient to such as haue not a minde willingly to abyde in errour Seing none be partakers of that heauenly foode laid forth at that holy table but such as worthily come to receaue the same it behoueth all good Christians as before I haue sayde to learne how to prepare themselues to the worthy receiuing thereof And how that may be done S. Paule in generall words brecfely sheweth Let a man sayeth hee prooue himselfe and so let him eate of this bread and drink of this Cuppe The meanes therefore to come worthilye is to proue and trie our selues whether those thinges bee in vs which the worthy Guestes of that Table should haue First therefore we must looke vnfainedlye into our selues whether we haue an appetite or desyre to eate of y t blessed foode For a loathing stomache neuer perfectly digesteth any meat y t it receaueth but turneth it to the hurt of the body This Appetite or desire cannot be in vs vnlesse it be wrought by the sharpe sauce of seuere repentance for our sinnes which we shall the better prepare if wee examine our selues by the perfect rule of Gods iustice in his law consider how farre we are from the same and what danger hangeth ouer our heads for the wante thereof God sayth in his law Thou shalt loue the Lord thy god with al thy hart with all thy foule with all thy minde with all thy strength and thy Neighbour as thy selfe That is wee should loue we should hate we should feare we shold hope for nothing but in God and to his glory we should thinke or muse vpon nothing in our minde and vnderstanding but that may make to the honour and glory of god We should imploye all the powers of our bodye and of our worldelye giftes to the same ende wee shoulde doe nothing to anye other man which we woulde not willinglye bee contented should be tone vnto vs. If wee examine our selues by this rule we shal see we be so farre from that we should be that â—â—nosâ— we haue not one branche thereof in vs whiche will more euidently appeare if wee will trie our selues by euery particular commaundemente rightely and truely vnderstanded Seing then we be so farre from the iustice of Gods lawe the curse thereof must needes be due vnto vs for God sayth Cursed is he whosoeuer keepeth not all thinges written in the booke of his lawe In this manner if wee examine our selues sincerely we shall throughly know what wee are in the sight of God as well by the corruption of oure nature as by the course of our euill and naughtie lyfe wee shall haue sence of our own sinne wee shall hate and detest it wee shall from the bottome of oure hartes be sory for it with trembling mindes we shal feare the heauie iudgement of God against vs and so will there be stirred vp in vs that Godly appetite and greedye desyre to eate of that spirituall meate whiche onelye can satisfye our troubled conscience and cure our repentaunt and broken hattes c. But though the appetite and desyre bee neuer so great in vayne he commeth to any table that hath no mouth to eate nor strength
from the face of the earth of his infinite goodnesse and wisedome he deuised the sonne of God the seconde person in Trinitie should descend from Heauen and take flesh of the blessed virgine that so being in one person both very God very man he might be a most fit Mediator to work recoÌ„ciliatioÌ„ betwene God and man The cause therefore why Christe came in flesh was to worke the saluation of mankinde For so saith S. Paule It is a sure saying worthie of all men to be beleeued that Christ came into the world to saue sinners And Christ himselfe sayth that he came to saue that which was lost The generall worke of our redemption hath certayne principall branches whiche are cheefe Articles of oure Fayth and groundes of all Christian religion Firste that he might be the reconciler and attonement maker betweene God and vs as S. Paule witnesseth 2. Cor. 5. All things are of God which reconciled vs vnto himself in Christ Iesus And immediately God was in Christ recoÌ„ciling the world to himselfe And to the Colosâ— It pleased him to reconcile all things vnto himselfe by Christ appeasing by the blood of his Crosse all thinges whiche are either in heauen or in earth God therefore appoynted him for euer to be our high Bishop our Mediator our Aduocate our Intercessor which should coÌ„tinualy appeare before the face of God for vs and make him fauourable to sinners that we might haue accesse to God by him by his intercession and merite obtayne mercy and grace in oure necessities these be the wordes of the scripture And hee is not onely our Mediatour and Aduocate but Our onelye Mediatour and Aduocate One God and one Mediatour of God and man the man Christ Iesus We haue an Aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sinnes It is hee that ascended vp to heauen and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Vt interpellat pro nobis That he may bee an Intercessour for vs. The 2. cause of Christs comming into flesh is that he might be our redeemer from the tyrannye of the Deuill and the purchazer of remission of sinnes The Sonne of god appeared to this ende to dissolue the workes of the Deuill And agayne Yee are redeemed not with golde and siluer but with the blood of the immaculate Lambe Christ Iesus And agayne Beholde the LaÌ„be of god that taketh away the sinnes of the world And S. Paule In whome wee haue redemption and by his blood remission of our sinnes We must not onlye beleeue that he is our Redeemer but our Only Redeemer and the Only Purchazer of the full remission of our sinnes For Non est aliud nomen c. That is There is no other name vnder Heaué wherin we shold be saued but only by the name of Christ Iesus And S. Iohn The blood of christ hath washed vs froÌ„ al sinne And S. Paule He gaue himself for vs. that he might redeme vs froÌ„ all iniquitie The 3. cause of Christes incarnatioÌ„ y â— 2. office of his eternal Priesthood is to offer a ful perfit sacrifice to appease y â— wrath of God to satisfie his iustice y t not according to y â— order of Aaron which by imperfectioÌ„ did nede a Succession but according to y â— order of Melchizedek y â— for euer Thou art a Priest sayth God for euer according to the order of Melchizedek Therefore it cannot bee borne â—â— christian religion that Christ should haue any succession in Priesthood to sacrifyce after him For by one oblation he made perfect all that be sanctified And agayne Christ was once offered for the extinguishing of the sinnes of many And agayne Hauing offered one Sacrifice for sinne he sitteth perpetually at the right hand of God And sundry times else where the Epistle to the Hebrues affirmeth Christ Semel That is to say once to haue sacrificed himselfe The fourth cause of his Incarnation and the thyrde office of his eternall Priesthood is that he might be the only Prophet Maister Teacher and instructer of his people fully to open to them the knowledge of God and the true way of Saluation God sayth Moyses shall raise from among you a Prophet like vnto me him do you heare according to all thinges that he shall say vnto you And God the father himself at the baptizing of Christ did with the visible presence of the holy Ghost consecrate him Maister and teacher of his church which only was to be heard This is my dearely beloued Sonne in whome I am well pleased him doe you heare The same Consecration was confyrmed in the Mounte at the transfiguration of Christ And Esay the Prophet in the 55. chapter or rather God by Esay sayth I haue giuen him as a witnesse vnto people preceptorem Gentibus And a Maister and instructour of all nations And therefore Christ himselfe forbiddeth his Apostles to be called Maisters for sayth hee Ye haue but one Maister which is Christ The fyfte cause of Christ his comming in flesh is that he might be the Lorde of Lordes and King of Kinges the onlye head ruler gouernour and defender of his vniuersall Church ouer al the partes of the worlde according to the Prophecie of Dauid Psal 2. Yet haue I annoynted my King vpon my holy hill of Syon to whome for his inheritance he gaue all the Nations of y â— world and for his possession the vttermost bounds of the earth And the Angell at his Conception sayde He shall raigne in the house of Iacob for euer and there shall be none ende of his kingdome And Ephesians 1. He hath put all thinges vnder his feete and hath appointed him aboue al things head of his Church And Coloss 1. He is the head of his body the Church which is the beginning the first of them that rise from death Vt sit in omnibus primas tenens i. That in all thinges hee might haue the preheminence And Ephe. 5. The Husband is the head of the wife as Christ is head of the Church But the wife may haue no more heades but her husband vnlesse she will be a wedlock breakeâ— and so the Church can haue no other heade But Christ vnlesse she doe in the face of the whole world forsake hir owne Spouse who hath betrothed her to him alone He is the only Sonne whiche alone gouerneth the house of GOD his father In all these Branches I adde this worde Onely because Christ onelye is alone that that he is oure onely Mediatour our onely redeemer and purchazer of remission of Sinnes our onelye high Prieste to sacrifice for vs oure onlye Maister and Teacher that instrueteth vs our onely head and gouernour that guideth and defendeth vs. And herevnto I am mooued not onelye with expresse wordes of the scriptures but also with consideration