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
of y â— Preachers of the Gospell in it Wherefore vndoubtedly this was no small temptation in those dayes especially in the Citie of Rome which then was Ladie and Empresse of the world stoode much vpon their estimation of wisedome honour thought it reproche for them to admit so base a state of saluatioÌ„ as appeared to be in Christ Jesu But of this very pretily saith S. Hilarie de trinit 5. O stulta muÌ„di sapientia opprobrium Christi non intelligens dei virtuteÌ„ esse stultitiaÌ„ fidei non sentiens esse dei sapientiaÌ„ y t is O foolishnes of the wisdome of this world which seeth not that that which it imagineth to be reproch to Christ is euen the most mightie excellent power of God which also perceiueth not that that which it termeth foolishnesse in the beleefe which is in Christ to be euen the great wisdome of God Wherfore S. Paul armed w t the spirit of God to y e great coÌ„fort of al ChristiaÌ„s saith as I haue read vnto you I am not ashamed of the Gospell c. Whatsoeuer you doe esteeme it to be how reprochfull soeuer the world doth account it although the Epicures do deride it although y â— wise politike worldlings do inueigh agaiust it although y e Jewes be offended although y â— Atheistes scorne it although fantasticall hipocrites do detest it sure I am y â— in it selfe it is y e mightie power of God to saluation of all y â— beleeue faithfully embrace it Howe y â— mightie power of god doth shew it self in subduing y â— enimies of our saluatioÌ„ the good Christian man doth perceiue who hath learned out of the scriptures to how great enimies mans nature was subiect in thraldome Sinne SathaÌ„ hell death and damnation had vs in captiuitie from y e tyranie of al which we are deliuered by Christ Jesu crucified First he ouercame sinne wheÌ„ being y â— sonne of God in y e shape of reprochful maÌ„ as an innocent lambe deseruing no punishment yet suffring most cruel punishmeÌ„t bitter death gaue him selfe a full perfect sacrifice for our sinne And wheÌ„ sinne was by his death passion destroyed death was in y e same victorie disarmed maimed For Sin as S. Paul saith is the sting of death And wheÌ„ death had lost his sting was conquered in Christs resurrectioÌ„ froÌ„ death SataÌ„ also lost his streÌ„gth power which rested only on theÌ„ which therough sin were in dauÌ„ger to death for StipeÌ„diuÌ„ peccati mors The reward of sin is death Finally bicause hell onely deuoureth them y t through sin death are slaues to SathaÌ„ it followeth y t when y e other three were by him so mightily vanquished hell also w t all y â— daunger therof was subdued we deliuered froÌ„ all their tyrannie as y â— reuerend father Zacharie saith Prestitit iusiuranduÌ„ quod iurauit c. The Lord God of Israel hath performed the othe which he sware to our Father AbrahaÌ„ that he would giue vs that we being deliuered c. Now as by his death resurrectieÌ„ he hath mightily conquered our enimies so hath he by his asâ—â—ntioÌ„ gloriously triumphed ouer theÌ„ And therefore S. Paule sayth very wel out of the Psalme Cum ascendisset in altuÌ„ captiuam duxit captiuitateÌ„ c. When he had ascended vp on high he led captiuitie captiue We then may now say triumphantly with S. Paule Oh Death where is thy Sting Oh Hell where is thy Victorie Though Sinne and Death rage neuer so like Tyrauntes though Sathan roare neuer so like a Lyon though Hell gape neuer so greedily sure we are they cannot preuayle againste vs that haue victory ouer them in Christ Jesu It is God that iustifieth who is it then that condemneth it is Christ that died yea or rather which is risen again from death and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father as our perpetuall Intercessour Who then can hurt vs Who can pull vs from the fauour of GOD not Life not Death not Sinne not Hell not Sathan not any power or principalitie They are all in Christe Jesu confounded This is that mightie power of the Gospell that S. Paule sayth doth bring Saluation to all beleeuers and whereof he protesteth that he is not ashamed of it But God did shew his mighty power to saluation of mankinde not only in the price of our redemption it self but also in the publishing and preaching of it by his Apostles Ministers For to it he annexed such force of his holy spirite that it had greater strength and authoritie than all the eloquence than all the Wisedome than all the learning than all the policie and power of the world For notwithstanding that the preaching of the Gospell was resisted by all these worldly giftes and powers yet had it meruailous successe and did wonderfully increase Demosthenes Pericles Cicero for their eloquence Solon Aristides Caro for their wisedome Plato Socrates Aristotle for their learning Alexander Pyrrhus Pompey for their manhood were of power were of great fame and able to do muche in the world But the best of all these had much a doe euen a fewe yeares to keepe their owne Citizens their own countreymen their own subiects in obedience and to cause them to giue place to good and wholesome counsayle and to obey orders prouided for their owne commoditie Yea euery one of them almost to their own confusion proued of how small force their wisedome their eloquence their power was and with the ende of their liues lefte their common weales well neare vtterly decayed and vndone But contrarywise marke I pray you in the Apostles of Christe and consider the maruellous power of Gods working For they hauing as you know their beginning of the Jewes nothing commended or sette foorth with any of those giftes and ornamentes that men so greatly doe esteeme wente foorth into the world preaching the disdayned Gospell of Christ crucified and by the simple doctrine thereof did in fewe yeares for the state of religion change the face of the whole world notwithstanding that the Empyre of Rome other mightie principalities did to the vttermost of their power resist it and the reformation that by the Apostles in this manner was begon continued and spread it selfe mightily and maruellously euen agaynst the assaultes of most cruell and tyrannicall persecutions vnder Nero Domitian Traian Adrian Antony Dioclesian and many mo And vntil such time as by the secrete iudgement of God the power of Antechrist began to spread it selfe against it as well in Asia vnder Mahomet as in Europe vnder the Pope Neuer any Empyre or Kingdome was so largely spread as the Kingdome of the Gospell neuer any principalitie so mightilye proceeded and went forward maugre the malice of all enimies as it hath done And so doth Tertullian witnesse agaynst the Iewes speaking of the Kingdome
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
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.
notwithstanding in that tyme GOD did sende his Prophets and there was a true Church of God in Iuda In the Kingdome of Israell Ieroboam deposed the true Teachers of the Lawe and placed other prophane and vnlearned Priestes in their roomes yea hee made Temples with Caluish Idols new Alters wholy a new worshipping of God so that in Israell appeared no external token of the church of God And yet certainly it cannot be denied but God euen then had his Church in Israell whiche to repayre and mayntayne he did at sundry times send his Prophets Preachers but how they were vsed and estemed the scriptures doe well declare Achab the most wicked of al other who to the wickednesse of Ieroboam added the detestable idolatrie of Baal and so cleane defaced the true worshipping that Elias that good Prophet begā now to loà th that people in whom appeared no token of Gods true worshippinge therefore fledde into a Caue And when GOD asked him what hee didde there Oh Iorde sayde he thy people haue forsaken thy couenaunt they haue pulled downe thyne Aulters they haue killed thy Prophets so that I only am lefte and yet they seeke to haue my soule also What shewe had the Churche of God then when Elias thought there had beene no moe but hym selfe And yet God aunswered that he had left vnto him euen in Israel a populous Church of 7000. that neuer bowed their knee to the Image of Baal This may be a full answere to them that feare if we shoulde not acknowledge the Churche of Rome to be the true Catholike Church that Christ should haue no Church at all Yes vndoubtedly in the greatest tyrannie and corruption of the Churche of Rome God reserued to himselfe a great and populous Church and companie of good people that neuer were distained with the wickednesse of that Sea and sought to worship God truely according to his holy worde althoughe in some finall errours they were caryed away with the blindnesse of the time And this could I confirme by very Notable examples yet remaining in histories if the time would serue As I haue sayd of the time of the Prophetes so may I say of Christes time and his Apostles The Jewes were then esteemed the people of God they had among them the lawe of God they vsed sacrifices appointed by God yet did they put Christ to death yet dyd they persecute his Apostles yet dyd they endeuour to extinguish both the name of Christ and also his religion Wherefore looke what Defence or what comforte of conscience the Prophets of GOD in olde time had Christ himselfe at his comming and his Apostles afterwarde myghte haue agaynst the Bishoppes and Priestes of the Jewes alleaging that they were the Churche of GOD that they had the temple of God that at their mouthes shoulde bee fette the interpretation of the law of God The same defence I say the same comfort strength of conscience may We haue against those at these dayes that assault our cōsciences w t the Title of y ◠church of Rome saying that they are y ◠Catholike church that they haue the true doctrine of God y t they haue authoritie to interprete the scriptures and word of God and thereby seeke to make vs ashamed of the Gospel now preached c. The end of the second Sermon ¶ The third Sermon Non me pudet Euangelij j. I am not ashamed of the Gospell of Christ for c. I Wil now come to those that seeke to make mē ashamed of y ◠Gospell by saying that y ◠professors thereof are in life dissolute licentious y ◠they are in common Weales troublesome seditious y ◠they are in their doctrine disagreeing contentious with such other quarrels rising of malice rather then anye good truth As touching the first point I will be the shorter becanse I haue so much spoken of y ◠thing before as y ◠whatsoeuer by frailtie happeneth among y ◠protestantes sure I am our greatest aduersaries cannot iustly say or surmise that our doctrine in it selfe maintaineth any such dissolutenes of life I confesse vnto them y ◠there be diuers y t turne the grace libertie of y ◠Gospel to a licentiousnes of lyfe by their examples cause men to suspect y t our doctrine as hurtful to good manners an enimie to vertuous liuing This is so plaine I will not denie it It is so euill I can not defend it It is so grieuous I may not dissemble it Yea I graunt furthermore y ◠among the best professors of y ◠Gospel I see not that perfectnes that should be but somtimes euill and hurtfull examples our fault I confesse is the greater and with heauie hartes we may acknowledge it to be true But what of all this Is that cause sufficient to feare mē frō our Doctrine is that ynough to cause men to be ashamed of y ◠Gospell God forbyd The like vndoubtedly were in Christes time the like were in the Apostles time Yea among the .xii. there was one wicked Iudas and yet thoughe some were euill all were not so Christ himself was reproued as a drunkarde or glutton the Apostles were called seditious the fathers were noted to disagree among themselues What meane those vehement exhortations y t S. Paule vsed to moue men to puritie innocencie of life What meaneth y ◠terrible threatnings against wicked and vitious liuers Doe they not euidently declare that godlynes innocencie was more cōtemned wickednes naughtines more embraced then dyd become y ◠true professors of y ◠Gospel And yet could not mē at y t time take iust cause to bee ashamed of the Gospell But this is not a litle to be maruailed at y ◠the same persons that pretend themselues to be so greatly offended eyther w t the licentiousnesse of the false Gospellers or with the frailtie of them that truely professe it can winke with both eyes and without offence suffer in the Cleargie of Rome shamlesse Simonie incōtinence druukennes Diceplaying hunting Nicromancie ambition vriberie crueltie couetousnes extortion and open iniurie I know comparison is odious by example of other I learne that to make offers in this place is daūgerous Yet notw tstanding this offer will I make that if all the aduersaries of the Gospell be hable vpon any credible proofe more than their owne sclaunderous libells to shewe so many horrible examples of all kinde of wicked vices in the professors of the Gospell that haue bene since God restored to the worlde the trueth of his worde as I will shewe them by testimonie of theyr owne Histories and other probable writers to haue bene in the sea of Rome it selfe that among their most holy Fathers and heades of their church then I say I wyll openly confesse that theyr lyfe and doctrine is better then ours But if they cannot shame it is for them anye longer
is true in vs or at the least they haue no likely pretence in truth to saye the contrarye On the contrarye parte the Doctrines of the Churche of Roome are either manifestlye repugnaunte to this confession in sunderye thinges or greatly imparing or disgracing the same Therefore their Preachers are false Prophets and not of God for not only doth he denie Iesus to be Christe that grosely in flat wordes so sayth or he that playnly denieth christ to be the sonne of God as Cerinthius other auncient heretikes did but he also that couertly vndirectly by false doctrines worketh the same by teaching other men to seke other Sauiors Mediators Intercessors maisters and directours to saluatioÌ„ besyde him that sayth I am the way the truth the life or which by instructing them otherwise in Christs SacrameÌ„ts other ordinaÌ„ces theÌ„ he himself hath coÌ„maÌ„ded appointed For profe y t the church of Roome doth this first let this Doctrine bee examined whereby they teach that the very Reall and Naturall body of Christ is in a thousand places at once that is in so many places as there are Ostes consecrated This Doctrine impeacheth the principall Article of oure fayth that christ of y â— blessed Virgine tooke flesh and had a very true and naturall body as we haue Sinne onelye excepted It is the property of God only to be in manye places at once As Christes body is now after his asseÌ„tion glorifyed and is transformed to a greater bewty brightnesse so yet it remaineth a very true substantiall bodye And to teach that the body of Christ is in manye places or euery where as his Deitie is doeth make an open gappe to the Heresie of Abbot Eutiches which taught y t Christe his humanitie was swallowed vp with y t Maiestie of hys Godhead and so became a diuine thing Furthermore for y t proofe of their errors in this Article let their doctrine be examined of the Popes Suâ—remacie wherby it is taught that he is the vniuersall Bishop generall Lord Maister and Gouernour of the whole catholike church that he hath authoritie to pardon sinnes to deliuer Soules out of Purgatory to destribute the merites of Christ of his Saints to dispence w t the ordinances of Christ to alter y t institucioÌ„ and vse of his instruments to coyne newe Articles of oure Faith of necessitie to be beleeued cleane without any Authoritie of Gods word all which things are only in duetye and in truth to be attributed to Christe and to none other as before I haue declared The second Article of doctrine is why Christe came in fleshe and what benefite mankinde hath by it When as Gods iust wrath against sinne committed by our fyrst parentes was so greeuous that no Creature in Heauen or in earth was able in anye parte to appease the same by the vnestymable goodnesse of GOD his onlye and dearely beloued sonne became a sacrifice to appease his wrath and displeasure and to reconcile vs to his Father and by his death passion and resurrection procured for vs recoÌ„ciliatioÌ„ with his father remissioÌ„ of sinne righteousnes before god and eternall life in heauen These be the Fruites and benefites that we haue by Christs coÌ„ming in fleshe Here agayne we haue to call to our remembrance the note that is before spoken of touching the highnes and exellencie of the meane of our saluation For if the same in part or in all could haue bene wrought by any other creatures in Heauen or earth the wisedome of God would neuer haue giuen his sonne to death to procure the same benefites for vs. But that he might declare how odious and displeasaunt Sinne was to God he let vs by this meanes vnderstande that the offence thereof could not be taken away nor mankinde to him bee reconciled but onelye by the blood of the immaculate Lambe Christ Jesus his son Good Christians must then assuredly perswade themselues that they haue reconciliation with God remission of sinne iustification before God sanctification of the holy Ghost and the heritage of eternall life by the excellencye and fulnesse of Christ his death and passyon only only I say and by nothing else For as I haue sayde Christ is the only full and perfect meane of our saluation as the whole course of the Scripture teacheth vs. Esay the Prophet many yeares before Christ came in fleshe signified thus much and cryeth to all them that hunger and thyrst after saluation that they should come and receaue it plentifully and freelye of the mercy of God in Christe and blameth them for seeking for saluation and the satisfying of their hungry and thirstie soules by any other meanes then y â— O sayth he all ye that thyrst come to the waters and ye that haue no siluer come buy and eate come I say bie Wine Milke without money Wherefore do you lay out your siluer for that that is no bread bestow your labor for that which doth not satisfye you hearken dilligently vnto me and eate that which is good and let your soules delight in fatnesse incline your eares and come vnto me heare and your soule shall liue c. By these wordes I haue sayde the Prophet calleth vs to receaue the comfortable water and sustenaunce of the Gospell which offereth full saluation and satisfying of our hungry soules freelye by Christ and sharpely rebuketh them that leauing christ seeke after other meanes by which in deede their hungrie desyre of Remission and Saluation in anye parte cannot be satisfyed and for that cause hee sayeth Theire Syluer is bestowed and theire Laboure spente in vayne Christ himself may seeme to expounde this prophecye and apply vnto himselfe in playne wordes that whiche the prophet heare speaketh in a figuratiue borrowed speech for he sayth Whosoeuer thirsteth let him come to mee and drinke And agayne Al ye that trauaile be heauy loden come vnto me and I will refreshe you The Apostles do fully in their doctrine iustifye y â— same Peter sayth There is no saluation in any other c. Neyther is there any other name giueÌ„ vnder heaueÌ„ wherby you shalbe saued c. And S. Paule It pleased the Father that in him should all fulnesse dwel and by him to reconcile all thinges to himselfe and to set at peace through the blood of his Crosse both the thinges in earth and the thinges in Heauen And again in the same Epist In whome are hidde all the Treasures of wisedome knowledge c. in him dwelleth all the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily you are complete in him which is the head of all pricipalitie Marke that he sayth We are complete in him and therfore neede we no other meanes of saluation And this our sweete Apostles S. John who teacheth vs this triall of spirits sayth The blood of Christe Iesus the sonne of God doth cleanse vs from all sinne The same Apostle maye seeme not onelye
to haue written hys Epystle but his whale Gospell also to this ende only and principallye that Christyans shoulde vnderstand that Christ only and no other thing or person is the meanes to bring to the people of God remissyon of sinne Justification Redemption and all the Benefites and parts of our saluation For in that gospell Christ is declared to be the Lambe of god that taketh awaye the sin of the world The fulnes of Gods grace of whose fulnesse all we take part The brasen Serpent that only healeth the sting of the olde Serpent Sathan The Fountaine of liuing water of which he that drinketh shall neuer thyrste The bred of life which he that eateth shal neuer die The true foode and drink of our soules of which hee y ◠eateth drinketh shall be sure to haue eternall life The Lighte of the world which only scattereth disperceth the clowds of ignorance and errour maketh vs to see the truth of God and right way of Saluation The good Sheapheard that giueth his lyfe for the benefite of his Sheepe The onlye Doare whereby we enter into the Church of GOD and so into eternall Lyfe The very Waye Truth and Lyfe without which Waye there is no walking to Heauen but wādring by wrong pathes vnto the Diuell without which Truth there is nothing but falshood and errour withoute which Life there is nothing but death eternal The true Vine by which only as branches we sucke the sweete and liuing iuyce of Gods holy spirite and without which wee are hable to doe nothing The onelye giuer of the blessed comforter that doth worke the peace of our Consciences and direct vs into all truth c. What good christian hart waying these things doth not thereof conceaue vnestimable comfort and more quietnesse of conscience then in all the heapes of mens deuises which they haue imagined to purchase vs the fauour of GOD and remission of sinne Yea what faithfull minde after the vnderstanding and imbracing of this sweete Doctrine doeth not deteste as blasphemous and wicked all suche as directe vs to any other meane of Saluation then the bloode of Christe onlye Wherefore the people of GOD muste bee well assured by this seconde rule of Saint Iohn that not onely they are false Prophets Wolues and of the spirit of Antechrist that in grosse tearmes denie Christ to haue come in fleshe but they also whiche will seeme constantlye to confesse this Article to bee moste true and yet in verye deede colourably and as it were vnder sheepes cloathing denie impugne and disgrace the causes Fruite Profite and effectes thereof by attributyng the same to other things than vnto the Death and merites of Christ only Now whether the Teachers of the Church of Roome doe this or no let such as haue the feare of god and care of their saluation vnfaynedly consyder They teach that Christe is not our onlye Mediatour and intercessoure vnto GOD or if they say so in wordes in effecte they denye it when they affyrme that wee haue infinite other that is all the Sayntes in heauen that be our Mediatours and Intercessoures for vs to directe our praiers to thē or by them They teach that Christs death is not a full satisfaction for the whole sinnes of the World or if in wordes they will saye so in Trueth they denye it when they affyrme that Christe his bodye was offered vppon the Crosse for the debte of Originall Sinne only and that for oure other daylye Offences it is offered in the Sacrifice of the Masse Or when they affyrme as Gabriell Biell doeth That althoughe Christe his Passion be the principall Merite for which grace is gyuen and the Kingdome of Heauen is opened yet it is neuer the only and whole meritorious cause thereof because there euer concurreth with the merite of Christe some worke or merite of him that receiueth the grace They teach that we haue not remission of sins the fauor of god only by christ but partly by the merites of Saynts partly by our fasting Almes deeedes and other good workes partly by pardons by Pilgrimages by Masses by building of churches erecting of chaunteries by holy water and such other thinges Wherefore I may conclude euen by this rule by whiche S. Iohn directeth vs to trie y ◠spirits of preachers whether they be of God or no y t the teachers maintainers of the Doctrine of the Churche of Rome are not suche as Christian men ought to beleeue and giue credite vnto but rather to beware of them and take heede that they bee not seduced by them The thyrde poynte of Doctrine is how we may be partakers of Christe comming in fleshe and how the benefites thereof are truely and rightly applied vnto vs. A doctrine surely no lesse needeful then the two former for in vayne to no purpose in respect of vs doth Christ come in flesh and suffer death if the benefits therof be not applied to vs and we made partakers of the same Now what this Mean is S. Ioh. in the same Epist doth euidently declare vnto vs saying Let that remain in you that you haue herd frō the begining For if that remain in you that you haue heard at the beginning you also shall abide in the son in the father What it is to abide in that which they heard in the beginning he afterward playnely expoundeth that is constantly with sure fayth to beleeue y ◠premises of God in his Gospel assuring vs of Saluation in Christes Sonne For this he writeth Euery one that is borne of God ouercōmeth the world this is the victory that ouercōmeth the world euē our faith Who is he that ouercommeth the world but he that beleueth that Iesus Christ is the sonne of god And after He that beleueth in the son of god hath the witnes in himself he that beleueth not god hath made him a liar becaus he beleued not in the witnes of God which he testified of his son And this is the record that God hath giuen vnto vs eternal life and this life is in his sonne In these words we haue first that saluatiō eternall life is y e gift of God not a thing of vs deserued Secōdly y ◠God the Father by his witnes promise doth assure vs that we shall be partakers therof for the merite of Christe his Sonne only This life sayeth hee is in his Sonne Lastlye that the meanes to be made partakers hereof is assuredlye to beleeue the truth of GOD promissing this in his sonne or else by infidelitie wee make God a lyer and leese out partes of his promise Christ himselfe also beareth witnesse of the same Meanes to apprehend our saluation So God loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten sonne that whosoeuer doth beleeue in him should not perishe but haue eternall life c. And agayne He that beleeueth in him is not condemned but he
of God vnfruitefull â—â—ggetrees making shewe of Christianitie with the faire greene leaues of hearing Gods worde commyng to the Church vsing of the Sacramentes talking oftentimes of the Scriptures c. But the sound and true fruites of godly conuersation we shew not For if we remaine such vnprofitable trees we shall be cut downe cast into the fire and haue our partes with hypocrites where shall bee weeping and gnashing of teeth c. The next note of this text is that when God punisheth and plagueth wicked naughtie men for doing contrarie to his will it is not done onely for them vppon whom the particular punishments light but for the example of other also in al ages times These things saith S. Paul are examples for vs c. And afterward All these things came to them as ensamples were written to admonishe vâ— vpon whom the endes of the world are come The better to vnderstande this I will first declare vnto you two pointes the one that all things that come to man coâ—e not by fortune by chaunce or by natural course onely but by y â— certaine prouidence appointment of God secondly for what causes God most commoÌ„ly sendeth such plagues vpoÌ„ men And then will I adde y â— conclusion y â— Christians must make applicatioÌ„ of such examples to themselues and how y â— is to be done As God of his vnestimable goodnes made the world all that therein is for the benefite commoditie of maÌ„ that he might vse all the inferiour creatures to Gods glory so doth the same Lord maker by his almightie power infinite wisedome continue preserue y â— same My father yet still worketh faieth Christ and I worke By him onely we moue liue haue our being as Saint Paul saith as Dauid in sundry Psalmes witâ—esseth wheÌ„ thou hidest thy face they are troubled wheÌ„ thou takest away their breth they die are turned into their dust wheÌ„ thou lettest thy breath go foâ—th they shal be made thou shalt renew the face of the earth That wee call and esteeme nature is nothing but the very â—inger of God working in his creatures much more the alteration of natural courses things done extraordinarily As god made clouds at y â— beginning to water y â— earth so doth he preserue them by his mightie power holdeth them houering in y â— aire y â— they fal not downe immoderatly to drowne y â— earth but shedde theÌ„selues temperatly by drops sweet showers to season y â— same Wherefore wheÌ„ raine falleth excessiuely to hurt y â— earth or hinder mankinde as it did in the time of Noah or wheÌ„ the clouds be cleane dried vp that there is no raine at al as it fell out in y â— time of Achab it is most euident to be y â— worke of God according to his iustice punishing y â— breaking of his law vnthankfulnesse of his people So likewise as God made y â— aire so it is he y â— for lyke causes keepeth it in seasonable maner somtime moist somtime dry somtime weate sometime colde somtime wholesome somtime infectious dauÌ„gerous whervpoÌ„ followeth sicknes death of men murrens of cattle c. In like maner I might speake of y â— earth y â— water y â— Sonne y â— Moone residue of the starres planets In all euerie of which as it is the finger of God that keepeth theÌ„ in their natural order so it is his power y â— doth alter chaunge the same for causes to his wisdome knoweÌ„ bringeth out such effects as be hurtfull rather then beneficiall vnto man Therfore wheÌ„ we see infections sicknesses disseases deathes murraines losse of corn or hay destructioÌ„ of cattle great fluds burnings blastings a noÌ„ber of such like we must looke further then into y â— course of nature vnderstand y â— there is a God an ouerruler of nature y â— doth those things This is not true only in these things y â— appertaine to nature but in those also y â— be done by the will of man or as we say prophanely by chaunce or fortune For in deede there is no chaÌ„ce or fortune And therfore y â— good father Aug. doth renouÌ„ce those heathenish names repeâ—ted that euer he vsed theÌ„ That which we call fortune is nothing but y â— hand of God working by causes for causes that we knowe not ChauÌ„ce or fortune are gods deuised by man made by our ignorance of y â— true almighty euerlasting God Are not two sparrowes solde for a farthing one of them falleth not to the ground without your father yea all the heires of your head are nuÌ„bred feare you not therefore you are more worth then many sparrowes The sense of these words is y â— the prouidence of God erteÌ„deth it selfe to al creatures so y â— there is nothing so base or simple eyther w tout man or w tin him which he neglecteth or is ignorant of Of those things that be without man nothing almost is of lesse value or lesse esteemed than a poore sillie sparrow yet one of them falleth not to the grounde without our heauenly Father Of such things as appertaine to maÌ„ nothing is of lesse price than a heare yet one of theÌ„ perisheth not but by Gods prouidence This doctrine maketh greatly to the aduauncement of the true knowledge of God For it teacheth vs as I haue sayd before not onely that he is y â— maker of heauen earth of all y â— creatures in them contained but also that he doth gouerne and dispose them all preserue them that they may continue so long as to his blessed will shall seeme conuenient The scriptures in sundry places witnesse the same both in the course of his doing in sundrye Histories of Ioseph of Iob of Saule of Dauid and in particuler testimonles of sundrye Godly men and holy Prophets but noue more euidently and zealously than Dauid in many Psalmes but principally in the 104. 107. Vnto which places I referre the Godly hearer for this time would not serue if I sholh but meanely declare vnto you the wholesome instructions and assured comfortes that are to be gathered both by the examples and particular testimonies Christ in the words before recited extendeth the carefull prouidence of God to Sparrowes and to the heares of oure heades to the end no man should thinke or imagine that it is onelye a generall prouidence as many doe in these days which as they dare not deny that the world is gouerned by the wisedome and power of God so they thinke it an absurde thing to teach that God is occupied about all particular Creatures and specially them that be of the meanest sort Therefore they expound chose wordes that Christe vseth here or the scripture in other places to be spoken by Hiperbole that is a manner of