And we finde by lamentable experience in Iudas that he bringing vnto this table though neuer so much shew of pietie knowledge honestie and goodnes yet for that he came as an hollow hearted hypocrite in a purpose to goe on with the treason that for wages he had vndertaken the Deuill immediately vpon his beeing there entred into him and so he neuer ceased vntill he had accomplished his wicked purpose and after by desperate murdering of himselfe had shewed himselfe to be the childe of perdition as we may read most plainely in the storie of the Gospell Iohn 13.27 c. Howe therefore with anie reason may we thinke that we can come vnto the Lordes table there by receiuing of this Sacrament to growe in vnion and communion with Christ and yet be in such palpable ignorance and darkenesse and in such loue with errour and iniquitie as very many that come thither both by their liues before after shew themselues to be If the sonne and heire of our Prince at any time though but in his swathing cloathes should be offered vnto vs to holde in our armes whatsoeuer we had in our handes we woulde readilie let fall to doe that seruice and so to be honoured how much more to put on the Lord Iesus the onely begotten Sonne of God the King of all kinges yea to receiue him into our verie selues to be one with vs should we hastily cast away and lay aside the world the flesh and the deuill and all the wicked lustes and fruites of these If Dauid therefore Psal 24.9 in spirite foreseeing that the Arke which was but a signe and figure of Gods presence amongst the Iewes shoulde one day be brought in by the doores of the Temple to be placed therein before the Temple beganne to be built did crie as he did Lift vp your heades ye gates and lift vp your selues ye euerlasting doers and the king of glorie shall come in let me vpon iuster and greater occasion cry and call vpon euerie one that woulde that Christ shoulde enter into them receiuing this Sacrament lift vp your heartes and be lift vp your selues from all the fruites of the fleshe that this King of glorie may enter in indeede Paule for the sectes and factions and namely for their eating and drinking in the Idoll Temples of meate sacrificed vnto them howsoeuer otherwise they seemed to detest idolatrie and for their lacke of loue that they shewed towardes the poore in their loue-feastes in not tarrying for them gaue the Corinthians to vnderstand that they did so vnworthily eate of this bread and drinke of this cup that they made themselues guiltie of the bodie and blood of Christ are and dranke their owne damnation and that many slept and were weake amongst them as by conference of the tenth and eleuenth chapters together of the first Epistle written vnto them it appeareth How can we then but tremble at the consideration of Gods iudgementes due vnto vs for our vnworthie partaking hereof there beeing such contentions and varieties of opinions amongst some of vs as there bee and besides such a number of other farre grosser sinnes amongst vs then these of the Corinthians were Let vs therefore take Paules remedie that is iudge our selues for this and doe no more so that so we may escape the iudgement of the Lorde 1. Cor. 11.31.32 Yet I would not haue you take me so It is oft to be receiued as though my drift or meaning herein were eyther quite to discourage you from comming or at least to driue you not to come but verie seldome for feare of vnworthy comming For I am not ignorant that Paules saying As often as ye shall eate this breade and drinke this cup ye shewe the Lordes death vntill he come 1. Cor. 11.26 sheweth that it standes very well with the will and pleasure of God that men should often be partakers thereof And therefore it is well knowne it was the fashion of the Primitiue Church vsually euerie Sabbaoth day to communicate And there are great reasons which he that would be accounted a Christian indeede and so to haue faith and knowledge fit for this businesse should not dare to refuse to receiue when he may For to be inuited vnto this table â—o be bid to the mariage of the Kings Sonne the refusall to come whereunto vpon what minde or pretence soeuer we finde so dangerous Math. 22. that both destruction heere and perpetuall exclusion on shutting from the mariage feast is threatned them Vers 7. c. And euerie one may see it is to refuse a most notable meanes to strengthen our faith wherof the strongest in faith stand neede or at least it is plainely to bewray our selues to be such as for want of charitie or for some other grieuous sinne that we know by our selues we think not our selues fit to come So to see our sinnes and to iudge our selues for the same is not altogether to be condemned But yet dearely beloued you must vnderstand that if withall we be heartilie sorie for these our sinnes and purpose vnfainedly amendment and are willing according to the nature and qualitie of our sinnes to giue vnfained testimonie thereof eyther particularly and priuately if that be enough or more publikly if the case so require that is no sufficient reason to keepe vs from this table For the more we see our wants and imperfections yea our faultes and sinnes if withall we rightly repent therof hauing knowledge faith in Christ Iesus right sound though weake and imperfect yet it is verie fit and necessarie that we come to this table so to grow on in all these For it is prepared for hungrie and thirstie soules after Christ and not for proud Pharisies that are puft vp with a conceit of their owne righteousnesse and worthinesse The impenitent and vnbeleeners eate not nor drinke the bodie and blood of Christ at al Indeede they that are destitute of all sound knowledge and faith and shew it by their continuing and going on in errour and impietie and hypocrites that haue none of the things they should haue but in shew are simplie vnworthie to be admitted and they whensoeuer they come make themselues guiltie of the bodie and blood of Christ for refusing it or not hauing wherewith or whereby totake it and so eate the bread drinke of the cup to their damnation And my speach tendes therefore eyther to prouoke such to be repentant and to become new creatures in Christ Iesus or else vntill indeed and trueth by examining of themselues they finde themselues to be in the faith so therby in Christ Iesus lamenting their miserable state and condition there whiles to abstaine For as the couenant belongs not to such whiles they are such so no more doth the feale of the couenant For them therefore by comming to snatch at the seale hauing nothing to doe with the couenant they as much as in them lies prophane the couenant and the author
was ratified and so standeth by the shedding of that bloode to all beleeuers in him But indeed though they would seeme to be men that make wonderfull great conscience of the letter and wordes as though it were sacriledge to goe one iot from the sound thereof yet any man that lookes but with halfe an eye vpon either of their interpretations which they stand vpon to grounde their kinde of reall presence by shall soone perceiue that they are nothing the men they make shewe for For is it all one eyther to say together with this is my bodie and bloode or vnder the accidentes heereof is my bodie and blood and to say This is my bodie and bloode And yet thus when al is done Christes wordes must sounde or else neither will there or can there be either the Lutherans Consubstantiation or the popish Transubstantiation brought in therby to vphold their fond reall presence by Sure I am neyther any Dictionarie or Grammer in the worlde will allow them thus to expounde this worde Is. Were it not better for them with vs to retaine the word and also with vs so to expound it or vnderstand it as not onelie vsually alwaies it is in all other Sacramentall phrases but also commonly alwaies when it is placed betweene two thinges of so diuers natures as bread and wine and bodie and bloode be The rather yet to prouoke them so to doe let them but consider whether their newe found sense therof or this of ours vnderstanding it as placed for it signifieth representeth and sealeth vnto you my bodie broken and blood shed to be yours to eternall life stand better but with these wordes of Christ Doe this in remembrance of me Luke 22.19 1. Cor. 11.24 especially so taken as it is cleare Paule tooke them when thereof he inferreth 1. Cor. 11.26 as oft as ye shall eate this bread and drinke this cup ye shew the Lords death till he come For according to our doctrine by these words thus vnderstood Christ would teach vs that this Sacrament was instituted by him of purpose to keepe in our memories his death and passion and by the vse whereof wee might vntill his comming againe to iudgment professe and nourish our faith in his body then broken and blood shed for vs. Here is nothing sounding in the meane time towardes any corporall presence of his to the outward elements or mouthes of the receiuers whosoeuer but these words In remembrance of me and Till he come againe sounde plainly to the cotrarie For what need a thing to be done in remembrance of one bodily present or how can a thing with any good sence be said to be done but till one come that yet he being verily present in body is done We read Act. 1.11 that shortly after the institution of this Sacrament he visibly ascended into heauen the Apostles seing him so to doe with their eyes and there we read also that the Angels told them that even so likewise he shoulde come againe when he comes from thence reading also as we doe and haue alreadie noted once or twise that the heauens must containe him vntill the restitution of all things Act. 3.21 and that his comming from thence is plainely called his second cōming Heb. 9.28 how can we but thinke that Christ as well meant to forwarne vs of these fellowes that by their Consubstantiation or Transubstantiation say vnto vs lo heere is Christ with this piece of bread or vnder the accidents therof loe take him into thy verie mouth as of those that point vnto vs wrong Christes heere or there when he said if any should say vnto you speaking of such as should so doe after he had left the world was gone vnto his Father Loe heere is Christ or there is Christ beleeue him not And how is it possible that we should beleeue these places of Scripture to be true and hold stil them notwithstanding that Christ is really and in his full bodie present in euery communicants mouth May we thinke with Peter that the heauens doe and shall containe him still and that yet vpon this occasion he is alwaies thus heere And that beeing so how can it be that his comming from thence at the last daie shall be but his second comming or that it is true when he comes from thence he shall come visibly no such thing hauing euer beene seene heere I knowe they will say all these places are to be vnderstood of his visible body and that they speake of his inuisible bodie Yea but then we replie where euer learned they either in Scripture or in any ancient Father that euer he had any such inuisible bodie or howe can they euer make it sinke into any mans head that hath rightlie learned in the Scriptures to know Christes manhood that at one and selfe same time he shoulde haue a visible bodie and an inuisible yea one in the heauens to come inuisiblie againe when he pleaseth and yet the same both there and this heere also multiplied into so many inuisible bodies as there be receiuers mouthes If this be not with the olde rotten doting and long agoe condemned Marcion to make a meere phantasme of the bodie of Christ let any man iudge But once for all by this sworde of the Spirit to pierce this monstrous conceipt of theirs to the verie heart and so to leaue it for dead seeing they stande so much vpon the letter and wordes of the text I would haue them once againe to marke and remember that Saint Paule that saith therein That which he receiued of the Lord he deliuered hath vpon his credite told vs that the Lord speaking of the bread called it not simplie and nakedly his bodie but his bodie broken and they all agree in one that he called the other his blood shed If therefore they will sticke to the wordes of the text and yet haue a reall presence as they teach of his verie bodie and blood by vertue of the wordes thereof they see most plainely then it must be of his bodie broken and of his blood shed Vnlesse therefore nowe they can finde vs an inuisible bodie broken and blood inuisible shed of his for the mouth of euerie receiuer they neither say or doe any thing to the purpose according to the text But I hope they are not so farre gone but they know that it is now a thousand and fiue hundred yeares agoe and more since he had eyther his bodie broken or blood shed and that when they were so he died so that he dies no more as we reade Rom. 6.9 And therefore euen heereby the most simple may see that though they could shew that his bodie aliue or glorified could be inuisible infinite and so multipliable as their doctrine importes which yet they can neuer doe that yet all this were nothing to the reall presence of the bodie and blood of Christ in respect of that estate of his when the one was broken and the other shed for the
the price thereof not according to the worthinesse thereof but according to mens purses will euer seeke to get heauen And further seeing that the lawe is the lawe of God who for that he made vs able at the first to keepe it may by good right still call for the keeping of it at our handes though before he call for it he knoweth now that such is our corruption of the one side and the perfection of it of the other side that we can not keepe it thereby we are to learne to fall downe before him and with the teares of our soules to confesse our debt that therin he demaundeth indeede to be due debt vnto him in regard of the state wherein he created vs but that by our owne fault we are growne now vtterly vnable to pay it and therefore that there is nowe no other way for vs to escape the danger of his infinite iustice but by flying to the throne of his mercy in his sonne Christ Iesus O if we would breake vp the fallowe landes of our heartes as we are counselled to doe Iere. 4.4 by causing this sharpe plowe of the law to make deepe forrowes in it For then so much good feede of the gospell as is woulde not daily be spilt and lost vpon vs for that our heartes for lacke heereof are either like the high way or like to stony or thorny ground But finding that the hardnesse of our hearts is such that this plough alone wil not pearce deep inough to breake them vp let vs adde thereunto the weight of Gods threatned iudgementes against the transgressours of the lawe Entering into which meditation we shall finde first generally Gods curse denounced against all those that doe not obserue and keepe all the words of the law Deut. 27.26 And to goe no further then to that Chapter and the next in particular we shall finde so manie most fearefull iudgementes threatened to all transgressours of the lawe as that thereby wee may easelie perceiue that to all transgressours thereof the Lorde would haue vs to vnderstande that infinite and most intollerable are the plagues both in this life and that which is to come that be threatned and due And in verie reason we must needes see it must bee so for sinne or transgression of the lawe beeing as it is an offence against the almightie and so a meanes directlie to deserue the seueritie of his iustice to be shewed against the same who is so simple but he must needes see that all miseries in this life and eternall death and damnation in the life to come are but iusty threatned against all that breake the law Nowe these thinges thus beeing may we thinke that those beeing both due and threatned that the infinite iustice of GOD is such that it will not inflict or execute the same when or vpon whome he list To what end tende all the fearefull examples of Gods vengeance executed vppon men that wee reade of in the scriptures and in other bookes and daily seeby experience but to teach vs that God is not a bare threatner but that he both can and wil be as seuere as his threatnings come vnto if there be not a iust and sufficient stop to stay the fiercenesse of his iust wrath from breaking out against all the generation of mankind Yf al this will not serue to make vs haue broken and contrite heartes for our sinnes and so to hunger and thirst after Christ let vs further yet behold the vglinesse of our sinnes and the extreeme danger that we were in by the meanes of them in this that God hath not spared his onely begotten sonne to giue him to vs to be borne and to liue and die for vs as he did For heerein as the loue and bountifulnesse of our God towardes man hath most gloriously appeared as Paule noteth Titus 3.4 so therein and thereof we may say with the Psalmist that mercy and iustice haue most notably mette and kist each other Psal 85.10 for doubtlesse such was the loue of the father towardes the sonne that if in his wisedome any other phisition or any other meanes could or woulde haue serued to haue recouered and cured vs of our sinnes he woulde neuer haue so farre debased his sonne as beeing God to appoint him to become man and in his manhoode to haue endured liuing and dying for vs that which he did O then in that the office of a sauiour was committed vnto him in that he taking vppon him to goe through therewith as he did beeing as he was in person not man onely but God also yet found it so heauie and difficult a thing we haue most iust cause to see and beholde that it is a thing of the greatest difficulty that may be to satisfie the iust wrath of God for sinne In him we knowe there was no sinne and in his mouth there was no guile Esay 53.9 1. Pet. 2.22 for such an high priest it became vs to haue that was seperate from sumers and needed not as the priestes of the olde Testament first to offer for his owne sinnes and then for the peoples Hebr. 7.26.27 And yet in that he bare our infirmities he was surely driuen to carrie our sorrowes insomuch that he was debased as he was and wounded and broken as he was for our transgressions and iniquities Esay 53.3.4.5 In that therefore his pure and holy manhoode though it had personally vnited vnto it a Godhead to enable it to goe thorow with that which it had to doe and suffer going vnder the burthen but of our sinnes was driuen into those bloodie sweates and agonies that it was in the garden Luke 22 44. and both there and after vpon the crosse before he coulde say all is finished Iohn 19.30 to say Father if it be possible let this cup passe from me my soule is heauie vnto death Math. 26.39 and 38. and my God my God why hast thou forsaken mee Mathewe 27.40 it was made manifest vnto the whole worlde that infinite is the seueritie of Gods iustice against fin that none but such an one was euer able to haue borne the burden thereof and to haue gotte from vnder it againe to triumphe ouer it as he hath proued that he did by his most glorious and comfortable resurrection and ascention into heauen after his death and passion when thus the iustice of GOD and his wrath against sinne was manifested in his suffering thorowe astonishmente thereat from the sixte howre vnto the ninthe there was darknesse ouer the whole earth the vaile of the temple rente from the toppe to the bottome the earth did quake and the stones were clouen and the graues did open themselues Math 27 45.51 52. if these then and all the former laide togither will not or cannot so astonishe or amaze vs at the sight of our sinnes and of all Gods wrath due vnto vs and most surely ready we cannot tell how soone to destroy vs if it be not stayed by this
to deliuer vs from the curse of the law And if the forgiuenes of our sinnes that we looke for at Gods hand stretch not thus far how could they be said to be made as white as snowe or woole Isay 1.18 when they are forgiuen or how could it be said of God when he forgiues thē that he would remember them no more as it is 31.34 Heb. 10.17 Yea that then he castes them al into the bottom of the sea as he promiseth he wil Math 7.19 And yet as necessarie comfortable and certaine as you see this doctrine to be the papists can not find in their harts to let vs goe away with it thus wholie and freely For first they directly hold that sins falne into after baptisme haue a number of fountaines of water to wash them in and meanes to purge the owners thereof besides Christ Iesus and his merits Their sacrament of pennance which they holde to consiste of contrition confession and satisfaction and the priestes absolution thereupon in this case must serue vs as a second planke after shipwracke to fly vnto and to escape the danger of the tempestuous seas of Gods wrath by and if this will not serue then Masses satisfactorie workes done by mans owne selfe and others extraine vnction and lastly the enduring of the paines of purgatory and the mediation of Saints and Angels all laid together shal help them quite to be discharged from those sinnes and the punishments yet by them to be suffered for them from which they durst not for all this euidence that I haue brought looke fully to be deliuered by the precious blood of Christ Iesus And yet they cannot be ignorant that as in the institution of the sacrament of his body and blood he calde the cup the newe testament in his blood which shoulde be shed for the remission of sinnes Mat. 26.28 that so when it was shed to that end and therefore he euen readie to die that to shewe that by that death of his all meritorious suffering satisfying for sinne had an end he said consummatum est that is it is finished Io 19.30 And that therfore in the epistle to the Hebrwes the absolute sufficiencie of the sacrifice offered by Christ to purchasse vs full and perfect redemption and saluation by the remission of our sinnes once for all by his owne person is so aduouched as though the holie Ghost therein of purpose directed the writer to preuent and to confute all these deuises who may not see The stone that they woulde seeme especially to stumble at and whereby to fall into these conceites is that which we reade 2. Sam. 12. that notwithstanding vpon Danids repentance he tolde him that God had forgiuen him his sinne and put it away verse 13. yet he not onelie denounceth a iudgment against him vpon occasion of that his sinne but also it after followeth and is shewed howe it was in deed executed vpon him For here vpon when other shiftes faile them to countenance their antichristian ecclipsing and defacing the full and stee remission of sinnes ye of all our sinnes originall and actuall before baptisme and after that any way are remissible they imagine yet they may hold thisfast that howsoeuer by and in him we may haue remission of the sins them selues and release of the eternall punishmentes due therefore that yet there may and doeth remaine some temporary to be abid or satisfied for by our selues or other of our good friendes either here in this life or in purgatory in the life to come But alas who seeth not that the ground which they haue from hence is to weake and sandy to build such a huge heape of satisfactory workes and sufferings vpon as here vpon to rob Christ and to aduatire and enrich them selues they woulde faine builde For though this and the like dealing of GOD with his seruantes proue that God may and doth for iust causes known vnto himselfe take occasion by their sinnes to chastise them and to correct them for the same though he haue before forgiuen them their sinnes and neuer meane that they shall therefore be condemned yet neither this nor all the like examples euer can proue that by the enduring of or satisfying for these any way or by any bodie Gods meaning euer was that they shoulde perfect the worke of the remission of their sinnes For doubtlesse his sonne hauing vndertaken the purchasing of this for vs at his handes and there lacking in him neither skill nor power nor affection to go through with the worke which he had taken in hand without doing of him to manifest and open wrong in robbing of him in taking from him that which is his due we must fully be persuaded that for our sinnes he hath so fully satisfied his heauenly father that he will thinke we doe him greate iniurie and much staine his iustice if by any other doing or suffering we shoulde offer him any other price or paiment againe therefore Such punishments therefore either threatned by God or afflicted vpon his children after in Christ their sinnes are forgiuen them they are his fatherly chastisments to teach them the better to see the vilenesse and grieuousnesse of sinne and serue both them and other as Gods sanctified meanes to warne them to take more heed of sinne thereafter and to mortifie them therevnto but in no sort must wee be so foolish as with these kinde of men to imagine that they must either be endured or otherwise bought out by our owne satisfactions or of others to make perfect or to consummate the full remission of our sinnes By these deuises they set their priests and prelats a loft in the consciences of men as though they could absolue them and discharge them from that from which all the blood shed of Christ Iesus though neuer so well beleeued in hath not yet quitte them and so by their deuise of purgatorie and their manner of releeuing of soules there by their pardons masses and dirges c and by doing of these and by their absolution extraine vnction and their taking vpon them to offer Christ againe to his father for them as though his owne offering of him selfe coulde not serue the turne they haue wonderfully enriched themselues What other reasons soeuer they may pretend hereof if these were not the reasons indeede that set them and helde them in this way they had long agoe or would quicly be glad with vs to preach and to beleeue ful remission of all sinnes both in respect of the guiltinesse and punishment also by and thorow the onely sufferings and satisfaction done by Christ For what reason in the worlde can cause them but once to thinke that Christ hath borne the burthen of our sins but so in his owne bodie vpon the tree that he should when he had done returne the same againe vpon vs in some forte to beare and to suffer for Or if they woulde needes holde this to be thus howe can they tell howe much
Testament wherein by beeing dipped in or sprinkled vpon with water in the name of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost we are assured that God the Father can and will in the blood and by the blood of his Sonne by the mighty working of the holy Ghost wash away our sins and so receiue vs and incorporate vs into his Church that we shal be his new borne children and inabled to be holy because he is holy We administer it to infants because it succeedeth Circumcision which was by Gods ordinance appointed to be ministred to the infants of the Iewes when they were but eight daies old Ge. 17.12 because Christ said Suffer little children to come vnto me for of such is the kingdom of heauen Mat. 19.13 because we read that the Apostles baptised whole households as Act. 16.33 amongest which sometimes it is most likelie there were some infantes and lastly because we finde that God promised not onelie to be the God of Abraham but also of his feede after him Gen. 17.7 and that Saint Paule most plainely teacheth that if one of the parents be beleeuing then is the seede holy 1. Cor. 7.14 And therefore it beeing administred to such and in water and in that manner that it is by Christs ordinance the nature of water beeing as we knowe it to bee we may and ought to learne all these lessons that we are all borne and conceiued in sinne and therewith so defiled that we stand need of washing that this washing and cleanseing is to be had at God the Fathers hands through Iesus Christ by the working of the holie Ghost and no where else that God both can and will thus wash and cleanse vs and that therefore this Trinitie in vnitie is onely to be beleeued in and trusted vnto for the matter of our saluation and to be honoured in all thankfulnesse for the same by our ceasing from sinne and doing of that which is good Whereupon we see that they that would lead vs after we haue once beene thus baptised to put our faith and confidence for any part of our forgiuenes of sinnes or saluation eyther in any other person or thing as the cōmon fashion is amongst papistes doubtlesse they would haue vs to reuolt from that faith wherein we were baptised and whereunto therby we haue most solemnly bound our selues Heereby also we may perceiue that though Baptisme it selfe be but once to be ministred for the reason before shewed yet as oft as euer eyther we finde our sinnes readie to shake our faith or otherwise to trouble vs by meditation thereof we are thus to haue our recourse againe vnto it to the strengthening both of our faith and to the weakning of the power of sinne howsoeuer the papistes would perswade vs that it serueth onely to assure vs of remission of sinnes before because we may be sure that God is alwaies readie if we can beleeue in him to performe vnto vs whatsoeuer he hath offered vnto vs therein Which doubtlesse is the remission of all our sinnes before or after we beleeuing and repenting thereof Or else if onely thereby were offered forgiuenesse of sinnes before it then surely the Church would haue deferred it to the last or later then eyther it hath or yet doth And as for the other Sacrament Of the other Sacrament if we doe with any diligence but consider that which we finde set downe thereof Mat. 26.26 c. Mar. 14.22 c. Luk. 22.19 c. 1. Cor. 11.23 c. we shall there finde whatsoeuer appertaineth eyther generally to a Sacrament or particularly vnto it most plainely and effectually expressed For there it is euident that Christ instituted it and commanded his ministers to administer it vntill his comming againe that he ordained very bread and wine to be the outward visible elements and his bodie broken for his and his blood shed for the remission of their sinnes to be the things by the other figured signified and represented yea thereby both offered and truely deliuered and communicated to the right and worthy receiuer And therefore to assure thē of as much he called the bread broken distributed his body broken the wine powred forth giuen thē in the cup his blood of the new Testament shed for many to the remission of their sins We therefore by warrant from hence do define this To be a Sacrament of the new Testament instituted by Christ and to administred by his ordinance and to be receiued according to the same of his faithfull people consisting not onely of bread broken wine powred out into the cup to be distributed receiued of al worthy commers thereunto in remembrance of his death and passion and as vndoubted tokens by his institution though not of their own nature both that his body was broken and his blood shed for all his in general and also particularly for the full redemption and saluation of euery right receiuer hereof but also of the very broken body and bloodshed of Christ for our saluation therewith all as certainely offred to be fed on to eternall life and fed on indeed by euery worthy communicant though by spirituall meanes as the other are offered vnto them taken and fed on by the instruments of the bodie Whereupon most earnestly we exhort euery one that would worthily come vnto this table and so be partakers indeed to their comfort of this Sacrament with Saint Paule in any case to trie and examine themselues first and to iudge themselues least for want of so doing they be heere iudged of the Lord by eating of this breade and drinking of this cup vnworthily to haue made themselues guiltie of his bodie and bloode and so to eate and drinke their own damnation For though we holde breade and wine heerein still to retaine their former substance and essence because euen by the expresse wordes of the institution in the places before quoated so much is euident and the common nature of a Sacrament requireth the continuance of the outwarde element in his former nature that so it may carrie the better and apterresemblance of the thing whose name it beareth yet we know and most willingly confesse with all antiquitie that thereof heere by vertue of Christes institution which doth and shal remaine in force stil to the worlds end alwaies to effect the same in bread and wine according to his ordinance set aside and vsed to this purpose there is a verie great change and alteration But that is but in name vse and estimation For whereas before they were but called bread and wine and serued but to the common vse of the nourishing and cheering of the bodie and therefore so onely were to be esteemed heerein they beare the names of the verie bodie and bloode of Christ and they serue as the Lordes good meanes to lead and strengthen our faith to feede therupon indeed to our saluation The vse thereof and therefore we esteeme of them herein not as they are
that we vnderstand not that as spoken of the essence or being of the holy Ghost least we fall into the herisie of the Nacedonians who denied the Godheade of the holy Ghost for so he hath beene from euerlasting according to our catholike faith God coetarnall and coequall with the Father and the Sonne And therefore the Psalmist speakeing so therof saith by the word of God were the heanens made and by the spirit of his mouth all the powers thereof Psal 33. Vers 6. And therefore our Creede Baptisme binde vs aswell to beleeue in the holy Ghost as in GOD the Father or in GOD the Sonne And when Christ was baptized as Math. testifieth that there was a voice hearde from Heauen from the Father This is my welbeloued Sonne in whome I am well pleased so hee saith that Iohn Baptist saw the Spirite of GOD descending like a Doue and lighting vpon him Math. 3. Vers 16. 17. Iohn therefore must be vnderstood to speake thus not of the essence or being of the holic Ghost but of the giftes and graces thereof in some further measure than as yet when Christ made this promise they had beene ordinarily giuen vnto them that beleeued in him And I saide aduisedly and of purpose thus for it is most cleare and euident that before this all the Saintes and seruantes of GOD that beleeued in GOD feared him and beleeued in him had the Spirit of God and the giftes and graces thereof in good measure without which they could not haue done so as they did so to do being as it is the speciall worke of the holy Ghost as it is knowne well inough to be And of Simeon doe we not reade in plaine tearmes before this that the holy Ghost was vpon him and that a reuelation was giuen him of the holy Ghost that hee should not see death before he had seene the Lord Christ and that he came by the motion of the spirit into the Temple c. Luke 2.25 c And in deede by yeelding his reason of his speach as he doth saying for Iesus was not yet glorified he giueth vs to vnderstand that his speach is to be but vnderstood by way of comparison and not simply And thus both August in his 32. Tract vpon Iohn and Chrysostome in his 50. Homile vpon this place before me expound it For Augustine there after that he had shewed that Christes wordes can neither be vnderstood of the essence of the holy Ghost which hath beene with the Father from euerlasting nor yet simply of the giftes thereof for that many both in the old Testament and new as there he declareth had good measure thereof his determination is that modus futurus erat dationis huius qui emnino antea non apparuerat that is that yet there should be a manner of giuing thereof which was ueuer seene before whereof this is spoken saith hee And the other in the foresaide place of his most plainly expoundeth the Riuers of water of life largiorem spiritus gratiam more large grace of the Spirit than was giuen before And therefore also both of them there shewe that by the Belly we are to vnderstand the heart and conscience of the inward man answerable to the inwarde drinke and thirst spoken of here by Christ And so often in the olde Testament the Prophets hauing an eye to the wonderfull measure of Gods grace and plentifulnes of Gods spirit that should be powredour vpon the Church the Messias being come though in very deede they speake but by comparison and so of necessitie must be vnderstoode for elsewhere very plainly they shewe that the spirit of God was in good measure vpon them selues and vpon others then yet they vtter the promises of God touching his powring out of his Spirit then as though it were a new thing that hee had neuer done before as you may see and beholde in the 44. of Esay and in the 2. of Ioell in the places before alleaged And thus also must Christes owne saying Iohn 16.7 of necessitie be vnderstoode it is expedient for you that I goe away for if I goe not away the Comforter will not come vnto you but if I depart I will send him vnto you for before that it appeareth they beleeued in him to whome he so spake Iohn 6.69 For there Peter in all their names saith we beleeue and know that thou art the Sonne of the liuing God which is a fruite of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 And before his ascention and glorification it was that he breathed vpon them and saide receiue yee the holie Ghost Iohn 20.22 wherefore before in some measure the Comforter was giuen them Indeede after his ascention as we may see he shewed himselfe mindfull of his promise to the full Act. 2. in furnishing them so vpon the sudden with all giftes meete for their calling as that they were filled with the holy Ghost and Spake with other tongues as the Spirit gaue them vtterance If any be now desirous to know why this plentifull and most powrefull furnishing of his with such giftes graces from aboue was reserued to follow as a fruite effect and consequent of his ascention and glorification let him vnderstand that in the infinite wisdome and prouidence of GOD it was that so it might be made manifest vnto his Church to begette in the same a stronge and liuely hope that as by his humiliation and abasemente he had obtained and purchased for it eternall redemption so now by his exaltation and aduancemente he was so setled at the right hande of his Father that he was able to poure downe vpon the same all giftes and graces necessarie to the effectuall applying and sealing the same thereunto So that thenceforth none neede doubte but that he hath gone through with the worke of our redemption and saluation and that as heade and husband ouer his Church he can and will guide decke and surnish the same with all the rich treasures of the graces of GOD which dwell and rest in him as in the fountaine beyonde all measure that of his ouerflowing and infinite fullnes euery member thereof might receiue inough to bring it to perfection in him as most notably Paule teacheth Ephes 4. Vers 9. c. But yet neither Christ nor Iohn heere are so to bee vnderstoode as though this promise of Christ heere were limited and to bee extended noe further than to those vpon whom after his assention in that extraordinary manner he bestowed his spirite the giftes thereof though I cannot but thinke they had an especiall and first eye vnto them as vnto the first fruites of all the rest that shoulde follow For doubtles as Christ requireth all that he spake of before that thirst to come vnto him to drinke and to beleeue in him as saith the Scripture and therefore lookes for all this at the handes of euery true member of his mysticall bodie the church so the thing promised appertaineth and is common to them all