Selected quad for the lemma: heaven_n
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A08832
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The benefit that Christians receiue by Iesus Christ crucified translated out of French into English, by A.G.
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Paleario, Aonio, 1503-1570.; Golding, Arthur, 1536-1606.
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1580
(1580)
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STC 19116; ESTC S926
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54,090
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122
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from eternall death it hath pleased him that his only sonne should suffer death and passion who hath taken vpon himselfe our pouertie to geue vs his riches laid our weakenesse vpon himselfe to stablish vs in his strength become mortall to make vs immortall come down untoo the earth to aduance vs vpp too heauen and become the sonne of man with vs too make vs the children of God with himselfe Who is hee then that shall accuse vs God is he that iustifieth vs and who shall condemne vs Iesus Christe is dead for vs yea and rysen agayne 〈◊〉 vs and sitteth at the right hande of God making intercessioÌ„ for vs. Let vs then D my soule leaue of these teares and sighes THE CIII Psalme 1 MY Soule prayse thou the Lorde and all that is within me praise his holy name 2 My soule prayse thou the Lord forget not all his benefites 3 Which forgiueth al thine iniquitie healeth all thine infirmities 4 Which redéemeth thy life from the graue and crowneth thée with mercy and compassion 5 Which satisfieth thy mouth with good thinges and thy youth is renued like the Eagles 6 The Lorde executeth righteousnessâ— and iudgement to all that are oppressed 7 No made his waies knowne vnto Moses and his workes vntoo the children of Israell 8 The Lord is ful of coÌ„passion and mercy sâ—ow to anger and of great kindnesse 9 We will not alway chide neither kéepâ— his anger for euer 10 He hath not delt with vs after our sins nor rewarded vs according to our iniquities 11 For as high as the heauen is aboue the earth so great is his mercie towarde them that feare him 12 As farre as the East is from the West so far hath he remoued our sinnes from vs. 13 As a father hath compassion on his children so hath the Lord compassion on them that feare him 14 For he knoweth whereof we be made he remembreth that we are but dust 15 The dayes of man are as grasse as a floure of the field so florisheth he 16 For y â— winde goeth ouer it it is gone and the place therof shall know it no more 17 But y â— louing kindnes of y â— Lord endureth for euer euer vpoÌ„ theÌ„ that feare him amp his righteousnes vpon childrens childreÌ„ 18 Unto them y â— keep his couenaÌ„t think vpon his commaundements to doe them 19 The Lord hath prepared his throne in heauen and his kingdome ruleth ouer all 20 Praise the Lord ye his Angels that excel in strength that doe his commandemeÌ„t in obeying the voyce of his woordâ— 21 Praise the Lord al ye his hostes ye his seruants that do his pleasure 22 Praise the Lord all ye his works in al places of his dominion my soule prayse thou the Lorde So hath he had mercy on vs in giuing vs his onely sonne With this faith w t those thaÌ„ksgeuings with these or such other like thoughts must wee receiue the sacrament of the body and bloode of our Lorde Iesus Christ. After this maner is all fearfulnesse driuen out of the soule of the Christian and charity is increased fayth strengthened the conscience quieted the toung neuer ceasseth to prayse God and to yéeld him infinit thanks for so great a benefite This is the vertue efficacie only trust of our soule This is the rocke wherevpon if the conscience be buylded it feareth nother tempest nor the gates of hel nor Gods wrath nor the law nor sinne nor death nor the diuels nor any other thing And forasmuch as the substance of the Lords supper and table consisteth is this diuine sacrament When the Christian is at it he must hold his eyes fastened continually vppon the passion of our gratious Sauiour beholding him on the one side vppon the crosse loden with all our sinnes and God on the other side punishing chastising and whipping his owne onely begotten and Déerebeloued sonne in steade of vs. O happie is that man that shutteth his eyes from al other sights and will neither heare nor sée any other thing than Iesus Christ crucified in whoÌ„ are layde vp and bestowed al the treasures of Gods wisdome and diuine knowledgeâ— Blessed say I is he that féedeth his minde with so heauenly a foode and maketh himselfe drunken in the loue of God with so sweete and singular a liquor But before I make an ende of this matter I will first aduertise the Christian that Sainte Augustine hath ordinarily béene woont too terme this holy Sacrament the bonde of charity and the mystery of vnity And he saith that whosoeuer receiueth the mystery of vnitie regardeth not the bond of peace receiueth not the Sacrament to his owne behooâ—e but as a witnesse agaynst himselfe Therfore we must vnderstaÌ„d y â— the Lorde hath ordeyned this holy sacrameÌ„t not only to make vs sure of y â— forgiueues of our sins but also to inflame vs to peace vnity brotherly charitie For in this Sacrament the Lord doth after such a maner make vs parlakers of his body as he becommeth al one thing w t vs we with him By reasoÌ„ wherof forasmuch as he hath but one body wherof he maketh vs Partakers it is méetâ— that we also shoulde by such partaking becom al one body together amoÌ„g our selues And this vntoÌ„ is represeÌ„ted by the bread of the sacrament which as it is made of many grains mingled kneaded together in such wise as one of them caÌ„ not be discerned froÌ„ another So also must we be toyned together after such a sort so vnited together into one agréement of mind as no diuision may créep in And this doth S. Paule shew vs when he saith Is not the cup of blessing which we blesse the coÌ„munioÌ„ of the blood of Iesus Christ is not the bread y â— we break the coÌ„munion of the body of Iesus Christe whereas we be many yet are we but one bread and one body forsomuch as we be all Partakers of one bread By these thinges we vnderstand that when we receiue his most holy coÌ„munion we must coÌ„sider that we are al of vs ingraffed into Christ are all become members of one selfsame body that is to wit of Iesus Christ in such wise as we caÌ„not offend defame or despise any of our brethren but we must therewithall offend defame and despise our saide head Iesus Christ neyther caÌ„ we be at variance w t any of our brethren but in likewise we must be at oddes with him Also we cannot loue him excepte wee loue him in our brethren Look how much care we haue of our owne bodie so much must we haue of our Christian brethren who are the meÌ„bers of our body And like as no parte of our body féeleth any griefe which spreadeth not it selfe into al the other parts so ought we to determine w t our selues that our brother feleth not any inconuenience which should not moue vs to coÌ„passioÌ„ With such maner of thoughtes must
wee prepare our selues to this holy sacrament quickening vp our spirites with a feruent loue to our neighbourward For what greater spurre caÌ„ we haue to prick vs to loue one another thaÌ„ to sée that Iesus Christ by giuing himself vn too vs not onely allureth vs too geue our selues one to another but also by making himselfe common to vs all maketh vs also to be al one selfesame thing in him In respect wherof we ought to couet procure that in al of vs there may be but one mind one heart one touÌ„g accorded vnited together in thought words déeds And wée must mark wel that as oft as we receiue this holy and woorthy sacrament we binde our selues to all the dueties of charity as not to offende any of our brethren nor too leaue any thing vndone that may be profitable and helpfull in their necessity But if ther come any to this heauenly table of the Lord y â— are diuided at variaÌ„ce w t their brethreÌ„ the same must assure themselues that they eat vnworthily are guilty of the body blood of the Lorde that they eate and drinke their own damnation for that there wanted nothing on their behalfe but y â— the body of Iesus Christ was rent plucked in péeces again whilest they by hatred are diuided froÌ„ their brethren y â— vs to wit froÌ„ the members of Iesus Christ haue not any part w t him and yet neuertheles in receyuing this holy communion pretended to be Iéeuâ— that their whole saluation consisteth in the participation and vnion with Iesus Christ. Then let vs goe my brethreÌ„ to the receiuing of this heauenly bread to celebrate the remembrance of our Lords passion and to strengthen and fortify the belief and assurance of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes with the remembraÌ„ce therof and to quicken vp our minds toungs to praise exalt the infinit goodnes of our God and finally to cherish brotherly loue and to witnes y â— same one to another by â— streight vnioÌ„ w t al of vs haue in the body of our Lord Iesus Christ. Besides prayer and the remembring of Baptisme and the often resorting to the most holy communion there is one other very good remedy against di strust fearfulnes which is no lesse friend to Christian charity namely the remembrance of our predestination and election to eternal life grounded vpoÌ„ the word of God which is the sword of the holy Ghost wherwith we may beate back our enimies Reioyce ye in this saith the Lorde that your names are written in heauen There is no greater ioy in this life nor any thing that more comforteth the ChristiaÌ„ that is afflicted tempted or falne into any sinne than the remembraÌ„ce of predestinatioÌ„ the assuring of our selues that we be of the number of them whose names are written in the book of life w t are chosen to be fashioned like vnto the image of Iesus Christ O how unspeakeable is the comfort of him y â— hath this fayth museth coÌ„tinually in his heare vppon this excéeding swéet predestination wherby he knoweth y â— although he fall often yet notw tstanding God his father who hath foreordeined him too euerlasting life holdeth him vp reacheth out his hand vnto him coÌ„tinually And he saith continually in himselfe if God haue chosen me and predestinated me to the glory of his children who can hinder me If God bee with vs sayth S. Paule who can be against vs Nay rather to the end that the predestination may be accoÌ„plished in vs he hath sent his déere beloued sonne who is a most sure earnest penny pledge vnto vs that wee which haue receiued the grace of the Gospel are Gods children chosen to eternall life This holy PredestinatioÌ„ mainteineth the true christiaÌ„ in a continual spiritual ioy increaseth in him the indeuour of good works and inflameth him with the loue of God and maketh him enimy tothe worlde and to sinne Who is so fierce and hardharted which knowing that God of his mercy hath made him his child from euerlasting will not by by be inflamed to loue God Who is of so vile base courage y â— he will not estéeme al the pleasures al the honors al the riches of the world as filthy myre when he knowes that he hath made him a â—itizen of heauen yea these are they that worship God rightly in spirit truthe receiuing al thinges as well in prosperity as in aduersity at the haÌ„d of God their father â—nd euermore praising and thanking him or all as their good father who is righteâ—us and holy in al his woorks These being inflamed with the loue of God and armed with the knowledge of their Predestinatiâ—n feare neither death nor sinne nor the diuel nor hel neither know they what the wrath of God is for they sée none other thing in God but loue and fatherly kindenesse towardes them And if they fall into any troubles they accept them as tokens of Gods fauour crying out with S. Paule Who is it that shal separate vs from Gods loue shal tribulations shall anguish shall persecution or hunger or nakednes or perill or sword as it is written for thy sake are we killed all the day long and counted as shèep appoynted to the slaughter But in al these things we get y â— vpper haÌ„d through him that hath loued vs. Wherfore it is not for nought that Saint Iohn saith how the true Christians know right wel that they must be saued and glorified that by reasoÌ„ of the same affiance they make themselues holy as Iesus Christ is holy And when S. Paul exhorteth his disciples too a good and holy life he is wont to put them in remembrance of their election and predestination as of a thing of very great force to stirre vp the mindes of the true Christians to the louing of God and too the perfourmance of good woorkes And for the same cause our good Lord Iesus Christ speaketh openly of this holy predestination as one that knew of how great importaunce the knowledge therof is to the edifiyng of his electe But perchaÌ„ce thou wilt say to me I know well that they whose names are written in heauen haue cause to liue in continuall ioy glorifie God both in woord and déede but I know not whether I am of that nuÌ„ber or no therfore I liue in continual feare specially because I know my selfe to be an excéeding weake and frayle sinner from the violence whereof I am not able to defende my selfe but that I am ouercome of it daily And furthermore forasmuche as I sée my selfe continually afflicted and troubled with diuerse temptations mée thinks I do as it were behold with mine eyes y â— wrath of God scourging me To answere to these doubts of thine I say my right déere brother that thou must assure thy selfe that al these are but temptations of the diuel