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
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
these manye hundred yeeres and by that meanes it is come to passe that the Texte of the Scriptures is nowe better vnderstanded than euer it was in anye age That sundrie poyntes of doctrine bee refourmed without which men can not possiblye haue anye true sense of Christianitie as the doctrine of Originall Sinne of the Lavve and the Gospell of Repentaunce of Faythe of Hope and Charitie whiche before were maruaylouslye corrupted and wrapped in darkenesse and errour Principally the wholesome doctrine of the grace and merite of Christ of Remission of Sinnes of eternall lyfe receyued by fayth in Christ and Sealed and confirmed by his Sacramentes doth in these dayes bryng vnestimable comforte to troubled consciences as well at all other tymes as chiefely at the houre of death when Sathan most seeketh to shake mennes consciences wyth desperation The sence hereof the godlesse Epicures and secure Hypocrites haue not but suche as feare God and haue any touche of conscience conceiue exceeding comforte thereby Men in these dayes also are better instructed to praye and call vppon the name of God and indeede doe the same more sincerely because they vnderstande what they speake whereas before when they were taught to praye in a straunge tongue it coulde not possibly bee that their heartes and lyppes coulde goe together which of al other was a most myserable seducing of the people and as it were a mocking of God and his seruice and a singular instrument of the Diuell to keepe the people in errour and blindnesse Lastlye as I haue fayde reformation of manners and lyfe in verye many hath beene wrought and I doubt not but a great deale of euyll in these myserable and corrupte latter dayes restrayned by the sincere Preachyng of the Gospell and earnest callyng of men to repentance whiche otherwyse surelye according to the infection of this tyme woulde haue broken out to greates corruption of mannes lyfe These fruites and a number suche lyke althoughe the aduersaryâ—â— wyll not acknowledge I trust suche as feare GOD and wyll but indifferently iudge of thinges can not choose but perceaue and wyth comforte confesse to bee true Thus haue you hearde that externall shewe of honest lyfe ordinarie callyng and succession the Tytle and Name of the Catholike Churche the vse and workyng of Myracles bee in deede the clothing of Christes true sheepe but yet that rauening Wolues oftentymes hyde themselues vnder them to deceaue Gods people You haue hearde that the fruites whereby false Prophetes are discerned and knowen is corruption of doctrine and teaching of errours and lyes And you haue hearde it euidentlye proued as well by the testimonie of Saint Iohn as other partes of the Scripture that those fruites haue beene in the Churche of Rome and not among vs whiche submit all our doctrines to the touchstone of Gods holye worde Lastly you haue hearde by comparison that the good fruites of godly life and detesting of sinne hath more prospered among the professors of the Gospell than among the patrones of the Churche of Rome The Lorde graunt vs the grace of his holye spirite that to his glorie vice and wickednesse may dayly bee more repressed and vertue and honestie more aduaunced ⸪ Amen ¶ Certaine Sermons made vppon this Text. 1. Cor. 10. 1. c. Moreouer brethren I would not that you should be ignorant that al our fathers were vnder the cloude and all passed through the Sea and were all Baptized vnto Moses in the cloude and in the Sea and did all eate of the same spirituall meate and all drunke of the same spirituall drinke for they dranke of the spirituall Rocke that followed them and the Rocke was Christ But with manye of them God was not pleased c. SAint Paul dearely beloued from the beginnyng of this Epistle blamed the Corinthians for sundry faultes and corruptions among them As that they had factions and dissentions one parte against another that they more esteemed in their Preachers eloquence of speeche then the simplicitie of Christ crucified that they made small accompt of him in coÌ„parison of some other corrupt teachers that they suffered incest among them vnpunished that they resorted to Idolatrous feasts with the heathen and did eate of those things that were offered to Diuels contrary to the sinceritie of true Christians Now because men are very prone to flatter their owne mindes by vaine pretences and to feede themselues in euill doing he preuenteth an obiection or excuse y â— happily they might make for themselues For they might haue said Sir we beare y â— name of Christ and bee Christians wee haue his Gospell among vs and vse hys Sacramentes whereby his merite is sealed in vs. Therefore wee are sure that wee are in the fauour of God and that his displeasure and plague shal not lyght vpon vs. c. To this S. Paule aunswereth that this trust and secure confidence in the profession of Christianitie and vse of the Sacramentes is but vayne vnlesse they approue make good their fayth and outward profession of Christ wyth the exercise of honest lyfe and Godly conuersation This he confyrmeth by comparison of the Israelites The people of Israell sayth S. Paule were the chosen people of God they had his law and Ceremonies among them yea they had promise of saluation by the same blessed sede that we haue they did vse in effect the same Sacramentes that we doe they were baptised in the Cloude and in the Sea they did eate of the same spirituall meate that we doe they did drinke of the same spirituall drinke that we drinke of for the Rock that they dranke of was Christe And yet many of them by Gods heauy hand perished in the Wildernesse And if you looke into the cause you shall fynde it to be nothing else but for y â— they were inclinable proane to the corruption of Idolatrie that they were giuen to fornication and vncleannesse that they tempted Christe and munnured against God and committed other like naughtinesse against the will of God c. Seing it is so you may be sure that God is no changeling but will deale in the same manner with you nowe as he did with his people before time Now for so much as S. Paules reason doth principallie stand vpon the vse of the Sacramentes and that the people in those dayes were more skilfull and better taughte the effecte nature and strength of a Sacrament theÌ„ in this time they be through slacknesse of teaching and way wardnesse in learning before I come to that which S. Paule principallye respecteth in this place I thinke it necessary for your better instruction fyrst to speake generally of Sacraments and to shew what a Sacrament is of what partes it standeth for what causes they are ordayned and what fruite maye be taken of them Secondly because he sayth The Rocke was Christ and that they did eate and drinke of the same Christ I will declare what manner of speethe this is and shew why Chist
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
to foules of the ayre to take it away and to deuoure it The foules that eate vp the seede of gods word in the high way are the Deuill his Impes Ministers of his own begetting breding which be in number infinite but I will speake only of two or three which I may iustly compare to the rauenous filthie Harpies which y â— Poets speake of The first is Worldly Securitie the secoÌ„d godlesse Gentilitie the third Obstinate Papistrie Worldly Securitie lulleth men asleepe in the delights and cogitatioÌ„s of worldly pleasure so y t they caÌ„not fruitfully heare either y t sweete songes of Gods mercifull prouidence alluring theÌ„ to repentance or the dreadfull threatninges of his iudgements fearing them from euill doing But still they lye as it were be 〈…〉 ed and senceles in a dull heauye slumber much like vnto theÌ„ y t be taken with y e drousie sicknesse called Lethargus Speake crie vnto them as loud as you wil they heare nothing nor will shew any tokeÌ„ that they are aliue if you prick them with a pinne they will open their eyes and looke sternely a little while but by and by they are aslecpe agayne and lye as they weredead Euen so they whose hartes be ouer whelmed with Securitie if a man preach Gods word vnto them be it neuer so godly or earnestly done it nothing moueth them but if you prick them a little or pearse them to the quicke in any matter perticularly touching themselues they will looke vp somwhat stearnelye for the time as though they were angrie with you but by and by they are asleepe agayne and shew no sence of any good counsayle that you haue giuen them If we cry generally to all that professe Christianitie and principally to this Realme of Englande that God of his exceeding goodnesse in these latter perilous dayes hath beyonde all our expectations almost myraculouslye restored to vs the truth of his Gospell not that we should continue in sinne and wickednes to the defacing of his glory but that wee being lightned with the brightnesse thereof should learne that Christ Jesus our sauiour hath payd the price of our redemption deliuered vs froÌ„ the captiuitie of sinne sathan death and hel that We might walke before him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life If we tell them y t by their baptisme they couenanted with God to forsake the Deuil al his workes that they are baptized into the death of Christ y t as they bee partakers of his death so also should they bee partakers of his cosurrectioÌ„ to the end that as Christ is risen from death so also we shold rise from y â— death of siun to newnes of life If we preach vnto theÌ„ neuer so ofteÌ„ y t by the benefite of Christ his Passion we are made the heires of God w t him and the children of light therfore y t we should walk as is worthy our vocation not to be partakers of y â— workes of darknes and passe our time in surfeting in banqueting in dronkennes in chaÌ„bring wantonnesse in â—oÌ„tention strife Emulation but y t we should put on Christ Jesus not satisfye y â— lusts of the flesh to the lyking thereof If we say y t we are by our profession Citizens of heauen of the housholde of God for that cause that our conuersation should be Heauenly w t manifest declaratioÌ„ of y â— conteÌ„pt of this miserable world the transitory vanities therof yet I saye though we preach this often though we still cal vpon theÌ„ Security so lulleth theÌ„ on sleepe that they cannot heare these sweete and Godly exhortaâ—â—â—s Yeâ— though we change out copye and ringe in their eares the terrible threatninges of God and declare that this lamentable vnthankefulnesse in receauing the Doctrine and light of his truth muste needes prouoke Gods iustice most greeuously to plague vs when we in this manner crie out vnto them it will not waken them We tel them often that God must be the same God toward vs as he was toward his people of the Iewes that he must shew the same Justice to England that he didde to Hierusalem Vnto Hierusalem Christ with lameÌ„table mind sayd Oh Hierusalem Hierusalem which killest the Prophets and stonest theÌ„ to death which are sent to thee how often woulde I haue gathered thy Children vnder my winges as the Henne gathereth her Chickens yee would not Beholde your habitation shall be lefte vnto you desolate And to England he now sayeth O Englande Englande how often times haue I called thee how sundrie wayes haue I prouoked thee howe aboundantlye haue I powred out my benefites and blessinges vppon thee howe earnestlye haue I by the mouth of my Preachers clocked and cried to thee as an Henne doeth to her Chickens that thou mightest awake out of thy securitie and by repentaunce returne vnder the shadowe of my wings there to be safe from al the gredy Kites Eagles that houer ready to pray vpon thee yet thou wilt not therefore thy house shal come to confusion I will take the light of my Gospell from thee and giue it to a people that shall shew the fruites thereof Thy eninimies yea thy auncient enimies shall raigne ouer thee and kepe thee in subiection The glory and renown of thy kingdome shall fall and decay and thy people shall come to desolation and al because thou wilt not know the mercifull day of thy visitation so often and so sundery times offered vnto thee These wordes mighte shake stonie Rockes and cause them to tremble and yet they wil not moue English harts nor wake them out of their Securitie â—o although GOD let them see with their eyes y t the worldly hope of their Securitie hangeth by a twine thread I meane y â— fraile life of a tender Ladie after which they theÌ„selues caÌ„ looke for nothing but heapes of mischiefe and miserie and so much the sooner for that by Gods iust iudgement they nourishe in their owne boosoms the instrument of their confusion The Lord open our eyes mollifie our hartes y t wee may in time see and feele his mercie affected towarde vs and chase out of our mindes this foule Harpie Securitie that deuoureth the seede of Gods blessed word and will not suffer it to bring forth fruite among vs. Another birde is as ougly and lothsome as this doth as much harme which is Heathenish Gentilitie which raigneth in the hartes of godlesse persons Atheistes and Epicures which passe neither for heauen nor hell nor for God nor the Diuell but thinke those things to bee no better than Poeticall fables or at the least Bugges by policie deuised to feare Babes Therefore they iest scoffe at all Religion and make themselues merie with talke of Preachers For they passe not which end goe forwarde or whether Christ or Antichrist preuaile so that they maye singe with
that they might bee saued And therefore God shall sende them strong delusions to beleeue lyes c. Thys warnyng principally toucheth vs vppon whome the latter endes of the worlde hath lyghted that wee shoulde carefullye take heede that by Wonders and Myracles and Apparition of Spirites wee bee not Seduced eyther to beleeue errour or to refuse the trueth of the Gospell offered vnto vs. Christ gyueth vs a speciall chargeâ— Beware saith he I haue tolde you of it before hand Therefore if you doe not harken vnto him but yeelde your selues by suche meanes to be caryed into Superstition Errour and Idolatrie the daunger shall bee the greater And Saint Paule addeth a terrible threatning Because they receyued not the loue of trueth God shal sende them stronge delusions that they may beleeue lyes that all they myghte bee damned whiche beleeued not the trueth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse Let them looke therefore carefully to themselues which by suche Myracles are Induced or confyrmed to beleeue the corrupte errours of Pilgrimages and worshypping of Images of praying to Sainctes departed of Purgatorie of Masses and Trentalles of praying and offering for the synnes of the Deade and suche other infinite errours as hath beene brought into the Churche by Monkes Fryers and other false Teachers of the Churche of Rome It is a wonder to see the Heapes of such Myracles as of late yeeres haue beene put in writyng by Vincentius and a number of other like authors so that to such as feare God there is scant any greater Token that Antichrist is come and hath set a long time in the Church then this is That their doctrines are altogether confirmed rather by such Myracles Apparition of spirites then by the scriptures and word of God When the riche glutton as it is mentioned in the Euangelist desired of Abraham that one myght rise from death to life and warne hys brethren that they came not to that place of torment where he was Abraham aunswered They haue Moyses and the Prophetes if they will not beleeue them they will not beleeue though one rise from death to life Wherby the â—â—lye Ghost doth Signifie that after the true doctrine of Christes Gospel first published was throughly confirmed and bâ—yng generally receaued was put in writing and so remaineth as a perfect Testimonie of the worke of our redemption that the prouidence of God towarde the latter ende of the world woulde vse no moe Myracles least hee should thereby seeme rather to Discredite the truth of his written word than by such meanes conserue them For whosoeuer wil not beleeue the doctrine of truth confirmed by the expresse and euident worde of God will not beleeue y t same though they sawe a. 1000. myracles Take example hereof by y â— Jewes who continually called for Signes and Wonders but when they had seene many they neuer the sooner Beleeued but sclaunded the doinges of Christ and sayd that he and his Apostles wrought by the power of Beelzebub c. Christians therefore must learne some Rule wherby they may iudge false and deceitefull Myracles done by the power of the Diuell from them that bee done directly by the Worde of God in his Saintes And this rule is the ende wherevnto myracles doe tende Godly myracles bee alwayes shewed by God to confirme the Diuine nature and office of Christ in the worke of our redemption and that he is the true and onely Messias and Sauiour or to iustifie and proue the doctrine of the Gospel to bee good According as Christ sayth in the last of S. Marke Goe yee into the whole worlde and preache the Gospell to euerye creature he that shall beleeue and bee Baptised shall bee saued but he that wyll not beleeue shall bee damned and these tokens shall followe them that beleeue In my name they shall cast out Diuells and shall speake with newe tongues and shall take away Serpentes and if they drinke any euill thing it shall neuer hurte them they shall laye their hand vpon the sicke and they shall recouer c. Those Myracles then that bee done to this ende to direct the people to acknowledge Christ to bee the only ful and perfect redeemer of mankynde and to embrace the doctrine of the Gospell by the holye Scriptures confirmyng the same are good and godly and to bee esteemed true Myracles But contrariwyse if they leade men from Christ and directe them to put their trust of Saluation remission of sinnes in any other name vnder Heauen then Christ Jesu or to beleeue any other doctrine than that which by Gods word is euidently confirmed or to accept any other worshippe of God than by himselfe is appoynted are false Myracles and delusions of the Diuel wrought to deceiue men Let vs therefore beware of these thinges and looke into these myserable delusions wherewith the Diuell and his Ministers haue bewitched the worlde nowe these manye yeeres by Spirites Ghostes Goblines and many vaine Apparitions and faygned Myracles c. ⸪ ¶ The seconde Sermon vppon this part of the Texte Exfructibus eorum cognoscetis eos By their fruites shall ye knovv them IN this place we haue diligentlye to obserue the great difference y t Christ our Sauiour in this louing and Fatherly admonitioÌ„ doth make betwene the clothing the fruits By their fruites you shall know them he saith not by their garmeÌ„ts or outward clothing for wyth that y â— false Prophets vse to colour countenance all their crafts deceiptes of corrupt doctrine Now what these fruites be whereby they are knowne let vs consider by y t similitude or parable y t Christ here vseth Do they saith he gather Grapes of Thornes or figges of Thistles Euery kinde of tree hath fruit by which it is knowne to be good or bad The Apple tree by the Apple the Plumtree by the Plumme c. so euerie trade occupation or state of lyfe hath certaine proper and peculiar workes by which it is discerned either to be good or bad in it selfe or differing from other The Carpenter by right squaring framing of his Tymber the Mason by his buylding c. the Lawyer by his Counsaile the Phisition by his cure is iudged skilfull or ignoraunt euen so is the Preacher or Prophet knoweÌ„ by his doctrine that proceedeth from him which is the peculiar worke and sruite of his trade and occupation In all the olde Testament God doth accuse the false Prophetes to bee euill because they deliuered vnto his people false doctrine corrupt worship contrarie to his holy will and worde Heare not saith God by Ieremie the wordes of the Prophets that prophesie vnto you teach you vanitie They speake the vision of their owne heart and not out of the mouth of the Lord. And agayne Howe long doe the Prophetes delight to prophesie lyes euen prophesying the deceipt of their owne hart And immedately after Therfore beholde I will come against the
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
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
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
of stomache to digeste A true and strong Christian fayth is the mouth of the soule and the power wherewith wee doe receiue and digeste Christ Jesus crucified as the foode of our saluation We must looke therefore to our selues first whether we knowe and vnderstande the mistery of our redemptioÌ„ that is that the vnspeakeable mercy of God sent downe the second person in Trinitie to take flesh of the blessed Virgine to lyne in the shape of a most contemptible man in this worlde and in the ende to haue suffered cruell death for the redemption of mankinde Secondlye whether we feele in our harts a strong perswasioÌ„ that we also through the merciful promises of god are partakers of the same worke of our redemption For a true Christian must not only haue a generall knowledge but also by a fyrme faith hee must haue â— particular application of the same to himselfe Furthermore as it is necessarye to haue both a desyre to eate styrred by a sence and feeling of true repentaunce and also an assured fayth to receiue and digest this wholesom and comfortable medicine of oure soule so because God bestoweth not his mercy by his sonne Christ in vayne or to the end we should still continue in sinne we must further try our selues whether we feele an vnfained desire to rise to a newnesse of life and an earnest study hereafter to ameÌ„d our former faults and to strayn our selues to a Godly and honest conuersation that God in vs maye bee glorified and the mouthes of his Ennemies stopped Lastly wee muste examine oure consciences whether we haue a feruente and great desyre to call to oure remembraunce the vnestimable Benefyte of oure Redemption made by the price of his bodye and blood and to acknowledge and confesse the same vnfaignedlye before GOD and the Worlde and to yeeld vnto him moste hartye thankes for the same and the residue of his benefytes not at this present tyme onelye but euer hereafter vntill the time of his comming This is the Godly and Christian tryall of oure selues which if we vse by the grace of Gods Spirite working in vs wee shall becomme eyther worthye Guestes or muche more fytte then other wayes wee shoulde bee c. Happylye some will thinke that this Admonition is a Terroure and tormente to theire consciences to feare men from comming to this blessed Sacramente rather than an Exhortation or Incouragemente vnto it For if the Daunger bee in it selfe so great as the vnworthye Receauer eateth Damnation to himselfe and the preparation and triall so streighte as you haue made it it were better neuer to come to it For what one is there among a thousande that doth in this manner trye his conscience or if he doe hee must needes feele so great want and imperfection either in sorrow for his sinnes or in sence of Gods wrath or in weakenesse of his Fayth or in the studie of newe lyfe or in the Coldenesse of his charitie or in the feeblenesse to giue thinkes and set forth the glory of God or in all these things that he must needes be ouerwhelmed in conscience and feared to make hymselfe partaker of these holy mysteries But deerely beloued let not this feare shake your consciences nor driue you backe from this blessed table This eâ—amination and tryall must be within the boundes of humaine frailtie and God in this as in all other doynges for Christes sake will vse hys mercie and clemencie For he knoweth our corruptions imperfections and will haue regarde of our infirmities Onely let vs not be secure slacke and negligent but feeling by this triall great want in our selues with lowelye humble and confessing hartes let vs acknowledge the same and say vnto God I am sorie O Lorde for my sinnes but not as the greeuousnesse of them requireth Augment O Lord by thy spirit the sense of thy wrath in me I beleeue and know with other christians that thy sonne hath shed his blood for mee but increase my faith O God and helpe my vnbeliefe I desire to liue according to the calling of a christian but the fleshe and the world maketh this studie cold in me therefore doe thou strengthen me with thy blessed spirit I know it is my bounden duetie to yeelde vnto thee immortall thankes as well for all other thy benefites as principally for the whole worke of our redemption by the death of thy deerely beloued sonne but I feele this zeale to be so faint and feeble that it is nothing according to my duetie and for that cause I lyft vp myne eyes to the throne of thy mercy and humbly desire thee to pardon all my imperfections and to heale all my infirmities The sense and knowledge of my weakenesse may not feare me from this holy cable For this heauenly feast is a medicine for them that bee sicke a comfort to them that be penitent sinners a free and liberall gift to such as bee poore and haue nothing of themselues Christ in this feast is giuen as meate without which we know we must of necessitie perish And he is giueÌ„ as lyfe vnto vs and therfore without him we can haue nothing but death The best worthinesse that wee can bring to these reuerend and holy mysteries is that we confesse our owne vnworthinesse to the end thy mercy may make vs worthy that we despaire in ouâ— selues to the end thy grace may comforte vs that we humble our selues to the end thy goodnesse may raise vs vp that wee acâ—use our selues to the end thy sonne by his merite may iustifie vs. For though of our selues wee are able to doe nothing yet by hym wee shall be able to doe all things c. These or lyke cogitations if wee haue in preparing our selues to that blessed nourishment of our â—oules he that breaketh noâ— a brused â—eede nor putteth out smoking flaxe will noâ— cast aside our infirmitie but mercifully receaue vs. The sorrowfull Father which with care for hys sonne â—ryed vnto Christ I beleeue Lorde but helpe thou myne vnbeliefe thoughe his faith as it myght appeare was very weake yet obtained hys purpose at Christes hanâ— to haue his sonne by myracle healed If our fayth hee but as a grayne of Mustarde seede yet it wyll muche preuayle with Gods mercy The Apostles of Christ which were admitted to his last Supper were notwithstanding weake and touched wyth many infirmites althoughe they were not altogether wicked and faythlesse as Iudas was They beleued in Christ they loued Christ and they loued one an other and yet at the verye table of the Lorde they shewed theyr weakenes Peter not without some reproche of the residue preferred himselfe before them all Though all other sayth he bee offended by thee yet will not I bee offended by thee They ambitiously contended amoÌ„g themselues which of them should bee the greater I wyll not mention that immediately after Supper they through timorousâ—esse fledde from Christ and for