teache that the substaunce of Breade and wyne is cleane vanished and consumed awaye so that there remayneth no Bread nor Wyne in the Sacrament and that is in effecte to make it no sacrament For as I haue tolde you before there canne bee no Sacramente without an externall Elemente to bee the outewarde signe thereof But what externall signe canne there bee when â—â—â—y withoute substaunce and accidents and qualities nourishe the substaunce of oure bodyes Or if they cannot howe maye they represente vnto vs that as they nourishe oure bodyes so Christe his blood nourisheth our soules yea rather they teach the contrary that as qualities doâ— not nourishe the substaunce of ourâ— body so doth not Christs body nourish our soules Wherfore al good Christians haue to deteste that blasphemous Doctrine broughte in by the Church of Rome which as I haue sayde taketh awaye the right nature and proportion of a sacrament By this that I haue sayd already you maye perceiue that there is some further ende then the vse of the signes in the Sacramentes and that the Externall Elementes are not ordayâ—ed for themselues but for some â—ther purpose In the olde time the sacramentes and Ceremonies were profytable for the bodilye nourishmente as the water gushing ouâ—e of the Rocke Manna and the Paschall Lambe but in oure sacramentes God smallye consydereth our bodies but principallye and whollye the â—eleefe ease and comforte of our soules Therefore as in the olde Testament so now much more in the sacraments is to be consydered some spirituall internall thing to the vnderstanding wherof the lykenesse of the external signes doe leade vs as in baptisme our regeneration and new byrth and the washing away of our sinnes by the death pâ—ssion of Christ In the Lords supper the heauenly foode of our soules with the bodye that was broken his blood that was shead vpon the Crosse Wherfore good christiaÌ„s in receiuing y â— sacrament must not haue so much regard to the signe as to the spirituall thing it selfe for which y â— outward token was oâ—dayned So doeth the Councell of Nice exhorte vs Lette vs not bende oure cogitation baâ—ely to Bread and Wine layde before vs but lifting vp our mind through faith let vs behold the Lambe of god taking away the sins of the world to be on that table c. And Chrisost hom 7. 1. ad Cor. The heathen person when he heaâ—eth of baptisme perswadeth himselfe that it is water only but I do not simply see that I doe see but also the cleansing of my soule by the spirite of God He thinketh my body onelye to be washed but I beleeue that my soule is cleansed and made holy And Aug. That which you see is bread and the cuppe as your eyes declare vnto you but as touching that wherwith your faith is to be instructed the bread is to you the body of Christ the wine his blood Wherfore the especiall principall part of the sacrament is the spiritual and internall thing as in baptisme as I haue sayd regeneration and sanctification and in the Lords supper y â— body and blood of Christ And here dearâ—lye beloued I muste put you in mind that they which teache this doe not saye that the sacramentes are bare signs and tokens as the aduersaries of the Gospell doe slaunder vs. Our doctrine of the Sacraments is farre more fruitfull and comfortable then theirs is For we teach and beleeue that these spirituall effectes are as certainely wrought by the holy ghost in the sacramentes as we see that the externall elementes haue their operation in the course of nature For the sacramentes are as the deedes and Seales of almighty god whereby he doth in deede and verily not only by signification but effectually conueighe vnto vs the possession of his spirituall blessinges and yet doâ— wee not maynetayne the carnall and Reall presence of Christe his body and blood within the compasse of the Sacramente so that it shoulde enter into the â—oundnesse of the mouth and descende into the naturall partes of our body That grosse opinyon I leaue to the schole of Roome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I fâ—â—d it not in Christes institution nor in the sâ—hole of the holy Ghoste that is the Scripture of God As a prince in his letters patentes vnder his greate Seale giueth to a man happily a thousand pouâ—de Lande by the yeare so that the partye hauing that deede may assure himselfe that he hath full right and possessyon thereof and as surely as it were possible he haue the Lâ—â—de iâ— sâ—â—f in his â—â—â—de yet can he not be so sencelesse and foolishe to thinke that he hath the very substaunce of the Lande in the Boâ—e wherein the deede is So doeth Christe in the Sacrament louingly 〈◊〉 to the faythfull hart the possession of his body and blood with all the benefits by the same procured to mankinde that he may iuâ—â—lye sayâ— that theâ— be his and by the â—â—liueth and is nourished to eternall life yet he may not be so foolish to thinke that he hath not the fruit of it vnlesse it goe reallye and Carnallye into his body For Christes body blood are meat drink for our soule not for our body to be nourished by as it is by breade and Wyne 〈…〉 The thirde part of the sacramente is that which giueth strength and effecte to the residue that is to say the word of Christes institution promise which is as it were the soule and life of the sacramente For whereto serueth a seale to a blanke wherein nothing is written by whiche wee maye clayme anye Benefyte whereto serueth an externall signe if we haue not a promise to attayne a spirituall thing And no mans hande or writing will serue to make perfecte this deede It muste bee Gods onlye For he hath only the giuing of such things wherefore it must be Gods word that must assure vs hereof Well sayd Aug. Let the word come to the element and it maketh the Sacrament And agayne How commeth it to passe that water toucheth the body clenfeth the hart 〈…〉 t by the power of the word and that not because it is spoken but because it is beleued And how can a man beleeue that which he â—eaâ—etlâ— not nor vnderstandeth â—ereby â—â—â— may consider â—how 〈◊〉 yoâ— haue bene deceaued by them which haue 〈…〉 ed the sacramentes vnto you in a straunge and vnknowne tongue that you vnderstoode not These comfortable wordes 〈…〉 Lordes cuppe This is my blood which is shead for you and for maâ—y for â—â—â—â—ssion of â—â—â—nes with playnâ— Saâ—â—â—â—ege haue they kept from you and 〈◊〉 you not only of the proâ—â—se contayned in the words but also of one part of the sacrament for they inimsâ—red it vnto you of the layâ—ie alway vnder one kynâ—e y â— â—â— as they say vnder y â— forme of bread onelye whiche greate 〈◊〉 to after both the wordes â—â—â— partes of the Sacramentes is 〈◊〉
the soule and body togeather so hath the soule a meanes by foode and sustenaunce to continue GOD and the soule togeather and so to preserue lyfe and putte away the death thereof The bodye when it wanteth this sustenaunce is sayde to hunger and to thirst so the Soule when it feeleth lacke of that Heauenlye and Spirituall foode whereby the lyfe therof is continued it is not in proper speeche but Figuratiuelye sayde to hunger and to thyrste that is earnestly to long and desyre to bee made partaker of that Foode by the Vertue whereof onely God and it is ioyned and preserued togeather This blessed foode is Christe himselfe and none other eyther thing or person for by him onelye are wee reconciled vnto GOD and kepte in vnitie wyth him vnto eternall lyfe and withoute him wee by sinne remayne separated from GOD and so in Death eternal vnlesse Christe doe ioyne vs vnto him He that hath the Sonne of GOD sayth Iohn hath life he that hath not the sonne of GOD hath not life By this comparison I trust you maye see why Christe is called the meate and drinke of Christians that is of the likenesse that hee hath with bodily foode and sustenaunce that keepeth in life and preserueth the Soule and the bodye togeather Wee haue nowe further to consyder not onelye that Christe is the foode of oure Soules and why hee is so called but also howe hee is made the Foode of oure soule I am sayth Christe that bread of Lyfe that came from Heauen that is hadde hee not beene GOD as well as Manne hee coulde not haue beene the Meate of our Soules We must ascende higher therefore then to the humanitie of Christe or to his Naturall bodye and blood and conceaue that it is the bodye and blood of the Sonne of God and hee too God eternall with the Father or else he coulde not haue wrought the Mysterye of our Redemption There be certayne necessary causes very profytable and cōfortable to remēber why Christ must be both god man First it was necessary he should bee GOD that hee might know the will of God and reueale the same vnto vs For we of our selues cannot see God and his will but wee knowe as S. Iohn sayth That the sonne of God came to giue vs a mynde to know him that is true Another cause is that the price of our redemption mighte be equiualent and of like worthinesse as the offence was in the sighte of GOD which could not haue bene vnlesse that person that was the sonne of God had dyed for vs. For neyther Golde nor Siluer nor anye other pretious thing could redeeme vs but the blood of the immaculate and vndefyled Lambe Christ Jesus Furthermore if hee had not bene God he coulde not haue ouercome Death and y ◠Deuill vnder whose captiuitie we were holden and there fore The Sonne of GOD appeared that he might dissolue the Workes of the Deuill Vnlesse hee hadde bene verye God hee coulde not haue giuen vs power to bee made the Sonnes of God and Heires of eternall lyfe He could not haue bene Our eternall Bishop and perpetually sitte on the right hande of God to be intercessoure for vs. He could not haue bene present at all times and in all places to gather his church to direct the harts of the faithfull to heare their prayers and to remitte their sinne He could not haue rayned the dead to life abolishe Death exercise iudgement and giue eternall life vnto the Faythfull that loue his comming There be reasons also why Christe must be very manne and as hee came from Heauen as GOD so in Earth to take fleshe of the Blessed Virgine like vnto oures Sinne onely excepted First that the Justice of GOD requyred that as Manne offended and brake his Lawe and Commaundemente so manne also shoulde satisfye fullye for the same that his righteousnesse mighte iustlye bee imputed to other Secoulye that the appoynted Messias and Sauiour mighte fustaine that punishment which by gods sentence was due for sinne that is death but god alone could not haue dyed Thirdly that we myght haue the surer comfort and confidence in our necessitie to appeale to the throne of his Maiestie seeing he being our hygh Byshop was verie man as wee are and partaker of our infirmities Fourthlye that we myght more certainly be assured of our Resurrection as also that we both in soule and body should enioy eternal life in heauen seeyng Christ our sauiour hauing the same fleshe that we haue hath raised it from death and caried it w t him into heauen there as our head keeping possession for vs vntill the time that wee as members of hys mysticall body shall be ioyned to hym For where the head is there the members must be as Christ himselfe sayeth Where I am there my Ministers shall be Furthermore it was necessarie that Christ should be man that we myght haue the more confidence by him in our necessitie to appeale to the throne of Gods mercy knowing that we haue such an high Byshop as being in manhood like vnto vs hath sense of our infirmitie and hath beene tempted euen as we are For the humanitie of Christ is as it were the Conduite pipe by which onely the liuing waters of Gods mercie floweth vnto vs. Lastly Christ was man that we myght be the more assured of our Resurrection from the dead and possession of eternall lyfe not in soule onely but in body also seeing this our sauiour hauing the lyke fleshe vnto ours in all thinges Sinne onely excepted hath raised vp the same fleshe from death and caried it with him to heauen there to keepe possession of that eternall kingdome for vs. Especially considering that he by the price of his blood hath taken away the guilt of sinne from our mortall bodyes Thus in part you vnderstand howe Christ became the true liuely foode of Christian people that is because by the vnestimable wisedome and mercy of God he was prepared to bee in person God and man All kinde of nourishment hath some proportion of lykenesse with that bodye which it nourisheth and so Christ the naturall sonne of God became man also that by that likenesse he might be apt and fitte nourishmēt to preferre vs to eternall lyfe But this meate must be yet further prepared or else it woulde not serue our turne in feeding of vs. Christ therefore was prepared and made apte meat for vs to eate vpon the Aulter of the Crosse where his body was broken and his blood shedde and he offered himselfe to God the father a ful perfect sacrifice for our sinne and afterward raised the same his body from death to life y ◠it might be very true sustenaunce to euerlasting life aptly and truely in all respectes prepared to that end Forsomuch as you haue now heard y t Christ is the onely foode of life why he is so called howe he was prepared so to be we
S. Aug. that I haue heare layde downe and by many other like that I might alleage I truste all suche as feare God and will iudge indifferently may perceiue that this is no new doctrine which at this time I taught touching the likenesse of the Jewes religion and Sacramentes to ours now in time of the Gospell Herevnto I must add this note by the way If the Israelites vnder the old law did in their sacramēts eat y ◠same spirituall meat drink y ◠same spiritual drink y ◠we do in ours that is Christ that effecally and to saluation before Christes natural body blood were borne and come really into the worlde it maye euydently leade vs also to vnderstande what manner of eating and drinking it is that we also should vse in our sacramēts to saluation that is a spirituall eating and drinking of Christ and not such a grosse carnall and reall eating as the Church of Rome now striueth for But of this I haue to speake in the nexte part Therefore here I will make an ende c. ¶ The seconde Sermon vpon this part of the Text. 1. Cor. 10. 3. c. All did eate of the same spirituall meate and all did drinke of the same spirituall drinke For they dranke of the spirituall Rocke and the Rocke was Christe NOt only S. Paule in this place but the spirite of God in sunderye other Places of the Scriptures teacheth vs that Christe only is the blessed and Heauenlye foode of oure soules wherewith we are fed and nourished to eternall life Of this meate and drinke Esay prophecied many yeares before Christ came in fleshe Oh sayd he come all ye that be thirstie come to the waters and yee that haue no siluer come buy and eate come I say bye wine and milke without money wherfore do you lay out siluer for that which is no fode bestow your labor for that which cannot satisfye you harken dilligently vnto me eat that which is good c. In which words he caled the hungry thirstie consciences of gods people to that heauenly foode of Christ which in his gospel is laid before the faithfull by it to be fedde to eternall life and reproueth them for seeking other foode besyde Christ because indeed there is none that can satisfie them but onelye hee This doth Christ himself seeme to expound in this maner in the gospel when he sayth If any man thirst let him come to me and drinke But most euident in John the sixte hee declareth himselfe to be the onely foode of oure soules of which we must feede vnto saluation For vppon the occasyon of the Jewes following him with a carnall affection to haue their bodyes fedde by myracle as before he had done he sharply reproueth that affection in them willeth thē to labour and trauatle not for the meat that perisheth but for the meate y t shold endure to euerlasting life which the sonne of man should giue vnto them And after Moises gaue you not bread from heauen but my father giueth you the true bread from heauen For the bread of God is he who cōmeth down from heauen to giue life vnto the world And after a few words he sayth plainely I am the bread of life he that commeth to me shal not hunger and he that beleueth in me shall neuer thirst And againe I am the bread of life your fathers did eat Manna in the wildernesse and are dead This is the bread of life which commeth downe from heauen of which he that eateth should not die I am the liuing bread that came downe from heauen if any man eate of this bread hee shall liue for euer and the bread which I wil giue is my fleshe which I will giue for the life of the worlde c. Except ye eate of the fleshe of the son of man drink his blood you haue no life in you Whosoeuer eateth my fleshe and drinketh my blood hath eternall life c I will raise him vp at the last day For my flesh is meate in deede and my blood is drinke in deede c. Seing then it is very euident that Christ is the meate and drinke of all true Christians it behoueth vs next to learne why Christ is called meate and drinke for we may not groselye vnderstand it as y ◠Capernaites did that it is a Meat wherwith our bodies are to be nourished as with other natural foode God forbid For Christ himselfe a little after sayth The words that I haue spoken are spirite and life Gyuing vs thereby to vuderstande that hee is oure spiritual meate and his wordes spiritually to be vnderstanded This speech then that Christ is meate an drinke vnto Christians is not a naturall and proper kinde of speaking but metaphoricall and figuratiue transferred from the bodye to the soule from a worldlye meaning to a spirituall Seuce Which the better to perceaue you must remēber that man consisteth not of body only but of soule also And as y t body hath his life and death so the soule hath her life and death And as the body hath certayn means to keepe of death and for the time to mayntayne lyfe so hath the soule meanes to preserue the life thereof and to put awaye death The lif of the body is the ioyning of the soule and the bodye togither and the death thereof is the separation of the soule from the bodye The meanes to preserue the life of the bodye that is to continue the bodye and soule togeather is foode and sustenaunce meate and drinke for we daylye and howerly doe consume and the substance of our bodies wasteth by the pores of oure skinne so that when Nature feeleth wante of Substaunce to supplye the wasting of the body then it is sayde in proper speeche to hunger or to thirst that is to desyre and couette that thing whereby the waute of naturall Substaunce and moysture maye be supplyed least the Instrumentes of the soule shoulde bee made feeble and so the soule departe and the body dye Nowe looke what the soule is to the hedye that is GOD vnto the soule As the lyfe of the bodye is the ioyning of the soule to the bodye for wythout the Soule there is no life so the life of the Soule is the ioyning of GOD and the Soule togeather and the death of the Soule is the separation of GOD from the soule for without GOD the soule hath no lyfe And yet you maye not thinke that the Soule dyeth after that sorte that the bodye doeth by ceassyng to haue a beeing or a continuaunce but it dreth a spirituall death by separation of God from it so that the tyme that it is and hath a beeing withoute God is nothing but a moste horrible tormente and more greeuous then a thousande bodilye deathes Nowe further as the body hath a certayne meanes by foode and Sustenaunce to preserue life that is
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.
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
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
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