Was there any loue like to this loue God indeede hath commanded his charitie and loue to vs herein that when wee were very enemies vnto him he would giue his owne Sonne for vs. That wee being men might become as you would say Gods God would become man That we being mortall might become immortall the immortall God would become mortall man That we earthly weretches might be Citizens of Heauen the Lord of Heauen would become as a man would say earthly That we being accursed might be blessed God would be accursed That we by our father Adam being broght out of Paradise into the puddle of al pain might be redeemed and brought into Paradise againe God would be our Father and an Adam thereunto That wée hauing nothing might haue al things God hauing al things would haue nothing That we being vassailes and slaues to all euen to Sathan the Fiend might be Lords of all and of Sathan the Lord of all would become a vassaile and a slaue to vs all and in danger of Sathan Oh loue incomprehensible Who can otherwise thinke now but if the gracious good Lord disdained not to giue his owne Sonne his owne hearts ioy for vs his very enemies before wée thought to begge any such thing at his hands yea before we were who I say can thinke otherwise but that with him hee will giue vs all good things If when we hated him and fled away from him hee sent his Son to séek vs who can thinke otherwise then that now we louing him and lamenting because wee loue him no more but that he wil foreuer loue vs Hee that giueth the more to his enemies will not he giue the lesse to his friends God hath giuen his owne Sonne then which nothing is greater euen to vs his enemies and wée now being become his friends wil ne deny vs faith and pardon of our sins which though they be great yet in comparison they are nothing at all Christ Iesus would giue his owne selfe for vs when we willed if not and will he now deny vs faith if wee will it This will is his earnest that he hath giuen vs truly to looke indeed for the thing willed And looke thou for it in deed for as he hath giuen thée to will so will he giue thee to doe Iesus Christ gaue his life for our euils and by his death hee deliuered vs. O then in that hee liueth now and cannot dye will hee forsake vs his heart bloud was not too deare for vs when we asked it not what can then be now too deare for vs asking it Is he a changeling Is he mutable as man is Can he repent him of his gifts Did he not foresée our falls Payd not he therefore the price Because hee sawe wee should fall sore therefore would he suffer sore Yea if his suffering had not béene enough he would yet once more come againe God the Father I am sure if the death of his Sonne incarnate would not serue would himselfe and the holy Ghost also become incarnate and dye for vs. This death of Christ therefore look on as the very pledge of Gods loue towards thee whosoeuer thou art how déep soeuer thou hast sinned Sée Gods hands are nayled they cannot strike thee his féete also hée cannot run from thée his armes are wide open to embrace thee his head hangs downe to kisse thée his very heart is open so that therin look nay euen spy and thou shalt sée nothing therein but loue loue loue loue to thee hide thee therefore lay thy head there with the Euangelist This is the clift of the Rock wherin Helias stood This is for all aking heads a pillow of downe Anoint thy head with this oyle let this oyntment enbalme thy head and wash thy face Tarry thou on this firme Rocke and I le warrant thee Say with Paul What can separate me from the loue of God Can death can pouertie can sicknesse hunger or any misery perswade thee now that God loueth thee not Nay nothing can separate thee from the loue wherwith God hath loued thee in CHRIST IESVS whom he loueth he loueth to the end So that now where abundance of sin hath bin in thee the more is the aboundance of grace But to what end Certainly that as sinne hath reigned to death as thou seest to the killing of Gods Son so now Grace must reigne to Life to the honouring of Gods Son who is now aliue and cannot dye any more So that they which by faith feele this cannot any more dye to God but to sin whereto they are dead and buried with CHRIST As Christ therefore liueth so doe they and that to God to righteousnesse and holinesse The life which they liue is In fide Filij Dei In the faith of the Sonne of God Whereby you see that now I am slipt into that which I made the third part of penance namely newnesse of life which I could not so haue done if that it were a part of it selfe indeed as it is an effect or fruit of the second part that is of faith or trust in Gods mercy For he that beléeueth that is is certainely perswaded sin to be such a thing that is the cause of all miserie and of it selfe so greatly angreth God that in heauen nor in earth nothing could appease his wrath saue alonely the death and precious bloud-shedding of the Sonne of God in whom is all the delight and pleasure of the Father hee I say that is perswaded thus of his sin the same cannot but in heart abhorre and quake to doe or say yea to thinke any thing willingly which Gods Lawe teacheth him to be sinne Againe he that beleeueth that is is certainly perswaded Gods loue to be so much towards him that where through sinne he was lost and made a fire brand of hell the eternall Father of mercy which is the omni sufficient God and néedeth nothing to vs or of any thing that we can do to deliuer vs out of hell and to bring vs into heauen did send euen his owne most deer Sonne out of his bosome out of heauen into hell as a man would say to bring vs as I sayd from thence into his own bosome and mercy we being his very enemies hee I say that is thus perswaded of Gods loue toward him and of the price of his redemption by the deare bloud of the Lamb immaculate IESVS CHRIST the same man cannot but loue God again and of loue doe that and heartily desire to doe better the which might please God Thinke you that such a one knowing these things by faith wil willingly insist wallow in his wilfull lusts pleasures and fantasies Will such a one as knoweth by faith Christ Iesus to haue giuen his bloud to wash him from his sins play the Sow to nuzle in his puddle of filthy sin and vice againe Nay rather then hee will bee defiled againe by his wilfull sinning he will wash often the feet of his affections watching
fire sayth Dauid so doe the wicked perish at the face or countenance of the Lord. If dearely beloued his face bee so terrible and intolerable for sinners and the wicked what thinke wee his hand is At the face and appearing of Gods anger the earth trembleth but we earth earth yea stones yron flints tremble nothing at all If we will not tremble in hearing woe vnto vs for then shall we bee crashed in pieces in feeling If a Lyon roare the Beasts quake but wee are worse then beasts which quake nothing at the roaring of the Lyon I meane the Lord of Hosts And why because the curse of God hardnesse of heart is already fallen vpon vs or else we could not but lament and tremble for our sins If not for the shame and foulenesse thereof yet at the least for the malediction and curse of God which hangeth ouer vs for our sins Lord be mercifull vnto vs for thy Christs sake and spare vs in thine anger remember thy mercy towards vs Amen And thus much for the third thing to the mooning of vs to sorrow for our sinnes that is for the tagge tyed to Gods Law I meane for the malediction and curse of God But if our hearts be so hard that through these we yet feele no hearty sorrow for our sinnes let vs fourthly set before vs examples past and present olde and new thereby the holy Spirit may be effectuall to worke in his time this worke of sorrowing for our sinne Looke vpon Gods anger for sinne in Adam and Eue for eating a peece of an apple Were not they the dearest creatures of God cast out of Paradise Were not they subiect to mortality trauaile labour c. Was not the earth accursed for their sinnes Doe not we all men in labour women in traueling with childe and all in death mortality and misery euen in this life féele the same And was God so angrie for their sinne and he being the same God will he say nothing to vs for ours alas more horrible then the eating once of one piece of an apple In the time of Noe and Lot Gen. 6. God destroyed the whole world with water and the Cities of Sodom and Gomorra Sebiom and Adamah Gen. 19. with fire and brimstone from heauen for their sinnes namely for their whoredomes pride idlenesse vnmercifulnesse to the poore tyranny c. In which wrath of God euen the very babes birds fowles fishes hearbes trées and grasse perished and thinke we that nothing will be spoken to vs much woorse and more abominable then they For all men may sée if they will that the whoredomes pride vnmercifulnesse tyranny c. of England far passeth in this age any age that euer was before Lots wife looking backe Gen. 19. was turned into a salt stone and will our looking backe againe yea our turning backe a gaine to our wickednesse doe vs no hurt If we were not already more then blinde Béetles we would blush Pharao his heart was hardned so that no miracle could conuert him if ours were any thing soft we would begin to sob Of sixe hundred thousand men Iosua and Caleb only but twaine entred into the Land of promise because they had ten times sinned against the Lord as he himself saith and think we Num. 14. that God wil not sweare in his wrath that we shall neuer enter into his rest which haue sinned so many tenne times as we haue toes fingers yea haires on our heads and beards I feare me and yet wée passe not The man that sware and he that gathered sticks on the Sabboth day Leuit. 24. Num. 15. were stoned to death but we thinke our swearing is no sinne our bribing rioting yea whore-hunting on the Sabboth day pleaseth God or else we would something amend our manners Helias negligence in correcting his sonnes 1. Reg. 5 nipped his necke in two but ours which pamper vp our children like puppets wil put vs to no plunge Helias sonnes for disobeying their fathers admonition brought ouer them Gods vengance and wil our stubbornnesse doe nothing Sauls malice to Dauid Acabs displeasure against Naboth 3. Reg. 21.22 brought there bloud to the ground for dogges to eat yea their children were hanged vp and slaine for this cause 4. Reg. 21. 4. Reg. 10. but we continue in malice enuie and murther as though we were able to wage warre with the Lord. Dauids adulterie w e Bethshabe was visited on the childe borne on Dauids daughter defiled by her brother and on his children one slaying another his wiues defiled by his owne sonne and himselfe driuen out of his Realme in his old age and otherwise also although he most heartily repented his sinne But we are more déere vnto God then Dauid which yet was a man after Gods owne heart or else we could not but fromble and begin to repent The rich glutton who insatiably delighted in gluttony what did it auaile him it brought his soule to hell and haue we any preheminence that God will doe nothing to vs. Achans subtill theft prouoked Gods anger against all Israel and our subtiltie yea open extortion is so fine and politike that we thinke God cannot espie it Gehezi his couetousnesse brought it not the Leprosie vpon him and on all his séed Iudas also hanged himselfe But the couetousnesse of England is of an other cloth and colour Well if it were so the same Taylor will cut it accordingly Anania and Saphira by lying linked to them sudden death but ours now prolongeth our life the longer to last in eternall death The false witnes of the two Iudges against Susanna lighted on their awne heads and so will ours do at length But what goe I about to auouch ancient examples where daily experience doth teach The Sweat the other yeare the Stormes the Winter following will vs to weigh them in the same ballances Men hanging and killing themselues which are alas too rife in all places require vs to register them in the same roules At the least in Children Infants and such like which yet cannot vtter sinne by word or déed we sée Gods anger against sin in punishing them by sicknesse death mis-hap or otherwise so plainly that wee cannot but grone again in that we haue poured out these sinnes in word and déede more aboundantly And here with me a little look on Gods anger yet so fresh that we cannot but smell it although we sloppe our noses neuer so much I pray God we smell it not more fresh hereafter I meane it forsooth for I know you looke for it in our deare late Souereigne Lord the Kings Maiesty You all know he was but a child in yéeres defiled he was not with notorious offences Defiled sayd I nay rather adorned with so many good gifts and wonderful qualities as neuer Prince was from the beginning of the world Should I speake of his wisedome of his ripenesse in iudgement of his learning of his godly zeale heroicall heart
Againe Titus 3. For we our selues also were in times past vnwise disobedient deceiued seruing lusts and diuers pleasures liuing in maliciousnesse and enny full of hate and hating one another But after that the kindnesse and loue of God our Sauiour to manward appeared not by the deeds of righteousnesse which wee wrought but of his mercy hee saued vs by the fountaine of the new birth and with the renewing of the holy Ghost which he shedde on vs aboundantly through Iesus Christ our sauior that we once iustified by his grace shuld be heires of eternal life through hope This is a true saying But I wil make an end for I am too tedious Dearely beloued repent your sins that is bee sorrie for that which is past beleeue in Gods mercy for pardon how deepely soeuer you haue sinned and both purpose and earnestperuse a new life bringing forth worthy and true fruites of Repentance As you haue giuen ouer your members from sin to sin to serue the diuel your tongues to sweare to lye to flatter to scold to iest to scoffe to beastly talk to vaine iangling to boasting c. Your hands to picking groping idlenesse fighting c. Your féete to skipping going to euil to dancing c. Your eares to heare fables lyes vanities and euill things c. So now giue ouer your members to godlines your tongues to speak your eares to heare your eyes to sée your mouthes to taste your hands to work your féet to go about such things as may make to Gods glory sobriety of life and loue to your brethren and that daily more more diligently for in a stay to stand you cannot eyther better or worse you are to day then you were yesterday But better I trust you be and will be if you mark my Theame that is Repent you The which thing that you wold as before I haue humbly besought you euen so now yet once more I do again beseech you and that for the mercies of God in Iesus Christ our Lord Repent you repent you for the kingdome of heauen that is a kingdome full of all riches pleasures mirth beauty swéetnesse and eternall felicity is athand The eye hath not séene the like the eare hath not heard the like the heart of man cannot conceiue the treasures pleasures of this kingdome which is now at hand to such as repent that is to such as are sorry for their sinnes beléeue Gods mercy through Christ and earnestly purpose to leade a new life The God of mercy through Christ his Sonne grant vs his holy Spirit and worke in our hearts this sorrow faith and new life which through his grace I haue spoken of both now and for euer Amen AN Other Sermon made also by the sayd Master IOHN BRADFORD vpon the Lords SVPPER 1. Cor. 10.16 The Cuppe of blessing which we blesse is it not the Communion of the bloud of Christ The bread which we break is it not the Communion of the body of Christ THere are two Sacraments in CHRISTS Church the one of imitatiō that is wherwith we be enrolled as it were in the houshold family of God which Sacrament we call Baptism the other wherwith we be conserued fed kept and nourished to continue in the same family which is called the Lords Supper or the body bloud of our Sauior Iesus Christ broken for our sins and shed for our transgressions Of the former Sacrament that is of Baptisme to speake now I am not purposed because occasion and time serue not so thereto Babtism is in place of Circumcision Christian mens children ought to be baptized Of the second therefore will I speake something by Gods grace if that first you remember this that Baptisme in Christs Church now since Christs death is come in place of Circumcision which was in the same Church afore Christs comming Whereby we may sée that Christian Parents seeme to be no lesse bound to offer their Infants and Babes to be baptized that they may be taken and accounted of vs as members of Christs mysticall body wherunto they are receiued and sealed Gal. 4. then were the Hebewes their children to be taken as pertayning to the couenant and league with God wherwith they were inrolled alonely the circumstance of of the eight day not necessarie to be obserued being now abrogated But to come againe Of the Lords Supper I am purposed presently to to speake through the helpe of God because we are assembled in Christ I hope to celebrate the same Now that the things which I shall speake may be better obserued and caried away of you I will tell you how and in what sort I will speake of it Thrée things would I haue marked as the principals and scopes whereto I will referre all that I shall at this tyme speake thereof They be these Who what wharfore That is to make it more plain Who did institute this thing which we are about to celebrate this is the first The second is What the thing is whch is instituted And the last is Wherefore and to what end it was instituted whereby we shall be taught how to vse it Who did institute this Sacrament For the first Who did institute this Sacrament and Supper You all doe know that things are more estéemed sometime for the dignitie and authority of the person sometime for the wisedome of the person sometime for the power and magnificence of the person sometime for the tender loue kindnes of the person If néed were I could by examples set forth euery one of these but I hope it is not necessary Now then how can the thing which we be about to celebrate but be esteemed of euery one highly in that the author of it doth want no dignity no authority no wisdome no power no magnificence no holinesse no tender loue kindnesse but hath all dignity authoritie wisedome power magnificence c. and all that can be absolutely wished He is God eternall coequall and substantiall with the Father and with the holy Ghost the Image of the substance of God the wisedome of the Father the brightnesse of his glory by whom all things were made are ruled and gouerned Hee is the King of all kings and the Lord of all lords He is the Messias of the world our most deare and louing Brother Sauiour Mediatour Aduocate Intercessour Husband Priest So that the thing which commeth from him cannot but bee esteemed loued and embraced if dignity authority wisdome power glory goodnesse and mercy like vs. Yea if any thing that can bee wished like vs then cannot this which our Lord did institute but like vs and that so much the more by how much it is one of the last things which he did institute and conmaund God open our eies to see these things accordingly so shall wee come with more reuerence to this Table of the Lord which thing hee grant for his mercies sake Amen And thus much for the first who did
very Passion of Christ should be as present beholden with the eyes of Faith For which end Christ our Sauiour did specially institute this Supper saying Doe ye this in remembrance of mee or as Paul saith Shew you the Lords death till he come The Supper of the Lord then is not simply Christs body and blood but Christs body broken and his blood shedde Wherefore broken Wherefore shedde Forsooth that teacheth Christ himselfe saying Broken for you Shed for your sinnes and for the sins of many Here now then we haue occasion in the vse of the Sacrament to call to mind the greatnes and grieuousnesse of sinne which could not be taken away by any other meanes then by the shedding of the most precious bloud and breaking of the most pure body of the only begotten Sonne of GOD Iesus Christ by whome all things were made all things are ruled and gouerned c. Who considering this thing shall not be touched to repent Who in the receiuing of this Sacrament thinking that Christ saith to him Take eate this is my body which is broken for thee This is my blood which is shedde for thy sinnes can but tremble at the grieuousnesse of his sinnes for the which such a price was payd If there were no plague at all else to admonish man of sinne how grieuous a thing it is in Gods sight surely that one were enough But alas how are our hearts bewitched through Sathans subtilties and the custome of sinne that we make sinne a thing of nothing God open our eyes in time and giue vs repentance which wee sée this Sacrament doth as it were enforce vs vnto in the reuerence and true vse of the same Againe in hearing that this which we take and eate is Christs body broken for our sinnes and his bloud shed for our iniquities we are occasioned to call to mind the infinite greatnesse of GODS mercy and truth and of Christs loue towards vs. For what a mercie is this that God would for man beeing lost through his wilfull sinnes be content yea desirous to giue his owne onely Sonne The Image of his substance the brightnesse of his glorie being in his own bosome to be made man for vs that we men by him might be as it were made Gods What a mercie is this that God the Father should so tender vs that he would make this his Sonne being equall with him in diuinitie a mortall man for vs that wee might bee made immortall by him What a kindnesse is this that the Almighty Lord should send to vs his enemies his deare Darling to bee made poore that wee by him might bee made rich What bowels of compassion was this that the omnipotent Creator of Heauen and earth would deliuer his owne onely beloued Sonne for vs creatures to be not onely flesh of our flesh and bone of our bones that we might by him through the holy Ghost be made one with him and so with the Father by communicating the merits of his flesh that is righteousnesse holinesse innocencie and immortalitie but also to bee a slaine Sacrifice for our sinnes to satisfie his iustice to conuert or turne death into life our sinne into righteousnes hell into Heauen misery into felicitie for vs What a mercy is this that GOD will rayse vp this his Sonne CHRIST not onely to iustifie and regenerate vs but also in his person to demonstrate vnto vs our state which wee shall haue for in his comming we shall be like vnto him Oh wonderful mercy of God which would assume this his Christ euen in humane body into the heauens to taken and kéepe their possession for vs to leade our captiuitie captiue to appeare before him alwaies praying for vs to make the throne of Iustice a throne of mercy the seat of glory a seat of grace So that with boldnesse we may come and appeare before God to aske and finde grace in time conuenient Againe what a verity and constant trueth in God is this that he would according to his promise made first to Adam and so to Abraham and others in his time accomplish it by sending his sonne so graciously Who would doubt hereafter of anything that he hath promised And as for Christs loue oh whose heart can be able to thinke of it any thing as if deserueth He being God would become man He being rich would become poore He being Lord of all the world became a seruant to vs all hee being immortall would become mortall miserable and taste of all Gods curses yea euen of hell it selfe for vs. His bloud was nothing too deare his life nothing considered to bring vs from death to life But this his loue néedeth more heartie weighing then many words speaking and therefore I omit and leaue it to your considerations So that in the receiuing of this Supper as I would you would tremble at Gods wrath for sin so would I haue you to couple to that terror and feare true faith by which ye might be assuredly perswaded of Gods mercie towards you and Christs loue though all things else preached the contrary Do euery of you surely think when you heare these words Take eate this is my body broken for your sinnes Drinke this is my bloud shed for your sins That God the eternal Father embracing you Christ calleth clippeth you must louingly making himselfe one with you and you one with him and one with another amongst your selues You ought no lesse to be certaine now that God loueth you pardoneth your sinnes and that Christ is all yours then if you did heare and Angell out of heauen speaking so vnto you And therefore reioyce and be glad and make this Supper Eutharichiam a thankesgiuing as the Fathers named it Be no lesse certaine that Christ and you now are all one then you are certaine the bread and wine is one with your nature and substance after you haue eaten and drunke it Howbeit in this it differeth that you by faith are as it were changed into Christ and not Christ into you as the bread is for by faith he dwelleth in vs and we in him God giue vs faith in the vse of this Sacrament to receiue Christ as he giueth vs hands to receiue the element simbole and visible Sacrament God grant vs not to prepare our féeth and belly as Saint Augustine saith but rather of his mercy he prepare and giue vs true and liuely faith to vse this and all other his ordinances to his glory and our comforts He sweep the houses of our hearts and make them cleane that they may bee worthy Temples and lodgings for the Lord. Amen Wherefore the Sacrament was instituted Now let vs come and looke on the third and last thing namely wherefore the Lords did institute this Sacrament Our nature is very obliuious of GOD and of all his benefits And againe it is very full of dubitation and doubting of GODS loue and of his kindnesse Therefore to the end these two things might be something
reformed and holpen in vs the Lord hath instituted this Sacrament I meane that we might haue in memorie the principall benefite of all benefits that is Christs death and that we might be on all parts assured of Communinon with Christ of al kindenes the greatest that euer God did giue vnto man The former to be the end wherfore Christ did institute this Sacrament he himselfe doeth teach vs saying Doe ye this in remembrance of me The latter the Apostle doeth no lesse set forth in saying The bread which we breake is it not the partaking or Communion of the body of Christ Is not the Cuppe of blessiing which we blesse the partaking or Communion of the bloud of Christ So that it appeareth the end wherefore this Sacrament was instituted was and is for the reformation and helpe of our obliuion of that which we should neuer forget and of our dubitation of that whereof we ought to be most certaine Concerning the former namely of the memorie of Christs death what commoditie it bringeth with it I will purposely for times sake omit Onely a little will I speake of the commodities comming vnto vs by the partakeing CommunioÌ„ we haue with Christ First it teacheth vs that no man can communicate with Christ but the same must néeds communicate with Gods grace and fauor where-through sinnes are forgiuen Therefore this commodity commeth here-through namely that we should be certaine of the remission and pardon of our sinnes The which thing wee may also perceiue by the Cup in that it is called the Cuppe of the new Testament to which Testament is properly attributed on Gods behalfe obliuion or remission of our sinnes First I say therefore the Supper is instituted to this end that hee which worthily receiueth should bee certaine of the remission and pardon of his sinnes and iniquities how many and great soeuer they be How great a benefit this is only they know which haue felt the burthen of sinne which of all heauy things is the most heauy Againe no man can communicate with Christs body and bloud but the same must communicate with his spirit for Christs body is no dead carkasse Now he that communicateth with Christs Spirit coÌ„municateth as with holines righteousnes innocency and immortality and with all the merits of Christs body so doth hee with God and all his glory and with the Church and all the good that euer it or any member of it had hath or shall haue Note though I apply this thus yet I would not that any man should think that Communionem sanctorum in the Creed is not set forth there for the better explication of that which preceedeth it namely what the holy Catholique Church is This is The communion of Saints which we beleeue in our Creede which hath wayting on it Remission of sinnes Resurrection of the flesh and life euerlasting To the end that we should be most assured certain of al these Christ our Sauiour did institute this his Supper and therefore would haue vs to vse it So that there is no man I thinke which seeeth not great cause of giuing thanks to God for this holy Sacrament of the Lord whereby if we worthily receiue it wee ought to bee certaine that all our sinnes whatsoeuer they bee are pardoned cleerely that we are regenerate and borne againe into a liuely hope into an inheritance immortall vndefiled and which can neuer wither away that wee are in the fellowship of God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost that we are Gods Temples at one with God and GOD at one with vs that wee are members of CHRISTS Church and fellowes with the Saints in all felicitie that wee are certaine of immortalitie in soule and body and so of eternall life then which thing what can bee more demanded CHRIST is ours and wee are Christs hee dwelleth in vs and we in him Oh happy eyes that see these thinges And most happy hearts that féele them My deare brethren let vs pray vnto the Lord to open our eyes to see these wonderfull things to giue vs faith to feele them Surely wee ought no lesse to be assured of them now in the worthy receiuing of this Sacrament then wee are assured of the exteriour symboles and Sacraments If an Angel from Heauen should come and tel you these things then would you reioyce and be glad And my deare hearts in the Lord I euen now though most vnworthy am sent of the Lord to tel you no lesse but that you worthily receiuing this Sacrament shall receiue remission of all your sinnes or rather certaintie that they are remitted and that you are euen now Gods Dearlings Temples and fellow inheritors of all the good that euer hee hath Wherefore sée that you giue thankes vnto the Lord for this his great goodnesse and prayse his Name for euer An obiection of vnworthy receiuing Oh saith one I could be glad in very deed and giue thanks from my very heart if that I did worthily receiue this Sacrament But alas I am a very grieuous sinner and I féele in my selfe very little repentance and faith and therefore I am afeard that I am vnworthy The answere To the answering of this obiection I think it necessary to speak something of the worthy receiuing of this Sacrament in as great breuitie and plainenesse as I can The Apostle willeth all men to proue and examine themselues before they eate of the Bread and drinke of the Cup for they that eate and drinke vnworthily eate and drinke their owne damnation Therefore this probation and examination is necessary If men will try their Gold and Siluer whether they bee Copper or no is it not more necessary that men should trie their consciences Now how this should bée the Papists teach amisse in sending vs to their auricular Confession which is impossible The true probation and tryall of a Christ an conscience consisteth altogether in Faith and Repentance Faith hath respect to the Doctrine and Articles of our Beliefe Repentance hath respect to manners and conuersation Concerning the former I meane of Faith wee may see the Apostle teacheth vs 2. Corinthians 11. Concerning the latter for our conuersation those sinnes which are commonly called mortal or deadly are to be remoued These sins are discerned from other sins by the Apostle Rom. 6. in saying Let not sinne raigne and beare sway in your mortall bodies For truely theâ— we sinne deadly when wee giue ouer to sinne and let it haue the bridle of his libertie when wee striue not against it but allow it and consent to it Howbeit if wee striue against it if it displease vs then truly thogh sinne be in vs for wee ought to obey God without all resistance or vnwillingnesse yet our sins be not of those sinnes which separate vs from God but for Christs sake shall not be imputed vnto vs beléeuing Therefore my dearely beloued if that your sinnes doe now displease you if you purpose vnfainedly to bee enemies to sinne in your selues and in others as you may during your whole life if you hope in Christ for pardon if you beleeue according to the holy Scriptures and Articles of the Christian Faith set forth in your Creede if I say you now trust in Gods merey through Christs merits if you repent and earnestly purpose before God to amend your life and to giue ouer your selues to serue the Lord in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of your life although before this present you haue most grieuously sinned I publish vnto you that you are worthy ghests for this Table you shall be welcome to Christ your sinnes shall be pardoned you shall be endued with his Spirit and so with Communion with him and the Father the whole Church of God Christ will dwell in you and you shall dwell in him for euermore Wherefore behaue your selues accordingly with ioyfulnes thanksgiuing Doe you now appeare before the Lord make cleane your houses and open the doores of your hearts by repentance and faith that the Lord of Hostes the King of glory may enter in and for euer hereafter beware of all such things as might displease the eyes of his Maiestie Flie from sinne as from a Loade come away from Popery and all Antichristian Religion be diligent in your vocations be diligent earnest in Prayer hearken to the voyce of God in his Word with reuerence liue worthy your profession Let your light in your life so shine that men may sée your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in heauen As you haue beene darkenesse and followed the works of darknesse so now henceforth bee light in the Lord and haue societie with the works of light Now hath God renewed his couenant with you in Gods sight now are you as cleane and healed from all your sores of sinnes Goe your waies sinne no more lest a worse thing happen vnto you Sée that your houses béeing new swept bée furnished with godlinesse and vertue and beware of idlenesse lest the Deuill come with seuen spirits worse then himselfe and to take his lodging and then your latter end will be worse then the first God our Father for the tender mercie and merits of his Sonne bée mercifull vnto vs forgiue vs all our sinnes and giue vs his holy Spirit to purge cleanse and sanctifie vs that wee may bée holy in his sight through CHRIST and that we now may bee made ready and worthy to receiue this holy Sacrament with the fruits of the same to the full reioycing and strength 〈◊〉 of our hearts in the LORD 〈…〉 to whom bée all honour and glory world without end Amen To GOD be all Praâ—â—â— FINIS
published it is by new imprinting published againe Nothing is added to this Sermon or altered in it only to the Sermon of Repentance is added another Sermon of the Lords Supper which he also made and was neuer printed before And aptly are they ioined together For in perusing of the last thou shalt see how necessarily he draweth the doctrine of Repentance to them al which do with due preparation receiue the holy Sacrament of Christ They are counted the most profitable Teachers which haue good experience by practise in themselues of that which they doe teach to others such as may safely say Brethren be ye followers of me look on them which walke so as ye haue vs for an example Phil. 3.17 And surely such a patterne was M. Bradford in his life time of this doctrine of Repentance for I knew him familiarly and must needes giue to God this prayse for him that among men I haue scarce knowne one like vnto him I did know when and partly how it pleased God by effectuall calling to turne his heart vnto the true knowledge and obedience of the most holy Gospell of Christ our Sauiour Of which God did giue him such an heauenly hold and liuely feeling that as he did then know that many sinnes were forgiuen him so surely hee declared by deeds that he loued much For where he had doth giftes and calling to haue employed himselfe in ciuill and worldly affaires profitably such was his loue of Christ and zeale to the promoting of his glorious Gospel that after that God had touched his heart he changed not onely the course of his former life as the woman did Luke 7. but euen his profession and former study as Paul did Touching the first hee presently sold his Chaynes Rings Brooches Iewels of gold which before he vsed to weare and did bestow the price of this his former vanity in the necessary reliefe of Christs poore members which he could heare of or finde lying sicke or pining in pouerty Touching the second the change of his study and being in the inner Temple in London at the study of the common Lawes hee went to Cambridge to study Diuinity where he heard D. Martin Bucer diligently and was right familiar and deare vnto him In this godly course he did by Gods blessing so profit that that blessed Martir D. Ridley then B. of London did as it were inuite him and his godly companion M. Tho. Horton to become fellows of Penbrooke Hall in Cambridge And afterwards the said D. Ridley called our Bradford to London gaue him a Prebend in Pauls Church lodged him in his owne house there and set him on worke in preaching And besides often preaching at Pauls Crosse and els where in London and sundry places in the country and specially in Lancashire * His natiue country for he was borne at Manchester he preached before K. Edward the sirt in Lent the last yeare of his reigne vpon the 2. Psalm and there in one Sermon shewing the tokens of Gods iudgement at hand for the contempt of the Gospel as that certain Gentlemen vpon the Sabboth day going in a Whirry to Paris Garden to the Bearebaiting were drowned and that a dogge was met at Ludgate carying a piece of dead child in his mouth he with a mighty and Propheticall spirit sayd I summon you all euen euery mothers child of you to the iudgement of God for it is at hand as it followed shortly after in the death of K. Edward In which state and labour of preaching he continued till the cruelty of the Papists cut him off as the history of his life and death compiled by that faithfull seruant of the Lord Iesus M. Iohn Foxe sheweth In all stops and stayes in his laborious calling he was much helped forward by a continuall meditation and practise of repentance faith in Christ in which he was kept by Gods grace notably exercised all the dayes of his life Euen in this meane time hee heard a Sermon which that notable Preacher M. Latimer made before K. Edward the 6. in which bee did earnestly speake of restitution to bee made of things falsly gotten which did so strike Bradford to the heart for one dash of a pen which hee had made without the knowledge of his master as full often I haue heard him confesse with plenty of teares being Clarke to the Treasurer of the Kings Campe beyond the Seas and was to the deceiuing of the King that he could neuer be quiet till by the aduice of the same M. Latimer a restitution was made Which things to bring to passe hee did willingly forbeare and forgoe all the priuate certaine Patrimony which he had in earth Let all bribers and poling Officers learne their lesson here But besides this our Bradford had his daily exercises and practises of repentance His maner was to make to himselfe a Catalogue of all the grosest most enorme sinnes which in his life of ignorance he had committed to lay the same before his eyes when he went to priuate praier that by the sight remembrance of them the better to stir him vp to offer to God the sacrifice of a contrite heart and to pray for pardon and the increase of grace to the detestation of sin and loue of obeying the good will of God His manner was this Hee vsed in the morning to go to the Common prayer in the Colledge where hee was and after that hee vsed to make some prayer with his Pupils in his Chamber But not content with this he then repaired to his own secret praier by himself as one that had not yet praied to his own mind for he was wont to say to his familiars I haue prayed with my selfe Let secure men mark this which pray without touch of brest as the Pharise did and so that they haue sayd an ordinary prayer or heare a common course of prayer without any thing els they thinke they haue prayed wel and as the terme is they haue serued God wel Let vs learne by Bradfords example to pray better that is with the heart and not with the lips alone Quia Deus non vocis sed cordis auditor est as Cyprian sayth that is Because God is the hearer of the heart and not of the voice that is to say not of the voice alone without the heart for that is but lip-labour This conscience of sin and exercise in prayer had Bradford cleane contrary to that cursed custome of those gracelesse men which doe ioy to make large accounts of their lewdnesse and do glory therein so feeding their delights with their liues passed as the dogge returneth to smell of his cast gorge and the horse to his dung such as the Prophet Esay 39. saith They declare their sinnes as Sodome they hide them not woe be to their soules Another of his exercises was his He vsed to make vnto himselfe an Ephemeris or a Iournall in which he vsed to write
Vriah to be killed I haue sinned I haue sinned What shall I do I haue sinned and am worthy of eternall damnation But what sayth God by his Prophet Dominus sayth he transtulit peccatum tuū non morieris The Lord hath taken away thy sinnes thou shalt not dye Oh good God hee sayd but Peccaui I haue sinned but yet frō his heart and not from the lips only as Pharaoh Saul did and incontinently he heareth Thou shalt not dye the Lord hath taken away thy sinnes Or rather hath layd them vpon an other yea translated them vpon the backe of his Sonne Iesus Christ who bare them and not onely them but thine and mine also if that we will now cry but from our hearts Peccauimus We haue sinned good Lord we haue done wickedly enter not into iudgement with vs but be merciful vnto vs after thy great mercie and according to the multitude of thy compassions do away our iniquities c. For indeede God is not the God of Dauid onely Idem Deus omnium Hee is the God of all So that Quicunque inuocauerit nomen Domini salus erit He or shee whosoeuer they bee that call vpon the name of the Lord shall be saued In confirmation whereof this History is written as are also the other wich I haue recited and many mo which I might recite As of Manasses the wicked King which slew Esay the Prophet and wrought very much wickednesse yet the Lord shewed mercy vpon him being in prison as his Prayer doth teach vs. Nebuchadnezzar though for a time he bare Gods anger yet at the length he found mercy The City of Niniuie also found fauour with God as did many other which for breuity I will omit and wil bring forth one or two out of the new Testament that we may see God to be the same God in the new Testament that he was in the old I might tell you of many if I should speak of the Lunatike such as were possessed with Diuels Lame Blind Dumbe Deafe Lepers c. But time wil not suffer me therfore one or two shall serue Mary Magdalen had seuen diuels but yet they were cast out of her and of all others shee was the first that Christ appeared vnto after his resurrection Thomas would not beleeue Christs resurrection though many told him which had seene and felt him by reason wherof a man might haue thought that his sinnes would haue cast him away Except I should see and feele saith hee I will not beleeue Ah wilfull Thomas I wil not saith he But Christ appeared vnto him and would not leese him neither will he thee beloued if with Thomas thou wilt keep company with the Disciples as Thomas did Peters fall was vgly he accursed himselfe if euer he knew Christ and that for feare of a Mayden and this not once but three seueral times and that in the hearing of Christ his Master but yet the third time Christ looked backe and cast on him his eye of grace so that hee went out and wept bitterly And after Christs resurrection not only did the Angels will the woman to tell Peter that Christ was risen but Christ himselfe appeared vnto him seuerally such a good Lord is he The Thief hanging on the Crosse sayd but this Lord when thou commest into thy Kingdome remember me And what answere had he This day sayth Christ thou shalt be with me in Paradise What a comfort is this in that he is now the same Christ to thee and me and to vs all if wee will runne vnto him for hee is the same Christ to day and to morrow vntill he come to iudgement Then indeed he will be inexorable but now is he more ready to giue then to aske If thou crie he heareth thee yea before thou crie Crie therefore Esai 31. Mat. 7. be bold man he is not partiall Call saith he and I wil heare thée Aske and thou shalt haue Séeke and thou shalt finde though not at the first yet at the length If he tarie a while it is but to try thée Nam veniens veniet Heb. 10. non tardabit Hee is comming and will not be long Thus haue you foure meanes which you must vse to the attayning of faith or certaine perswasion of Gods mercy towards you which is the second part of penance namely prayer the free and vniuersall promises of Gods graces the recordation of the benefits of God past and present the examples of Gods mercie Which although they might suffice yet will I put one more to them which all onely of it selfe is full sufficient I meane the death of the Son of God Iesus Christ which if thou set before the eys of thy minde it will confirm thy assurance for it is the great Seale of England as they say yea of all the world for the confirmation of al Patents and perpetuities of the euerlasting life whereunto we are all called If I thought these which I haue before recited were not sufficient to confirme your faith of Gods loue towards such as do repent I would tarie longer herein But because I haue béene both long and also I trust you haue some exercise of concience in this daily or els you are to bsame I wil but touch and goe Consider with your selues what we are misers wretches and enimies to God Consider what God is euen he which hath all power maiestie might glory riches c. perfectly of himselfe and needeth nothing but hath all things Consider what Christ is concerning his Godhead coequal with his Father euen he by whom all things were made he I say by whome all things are ruled and gouerned Concerning his Manhood the onely Dearling of his Father in whome is all his ioy Now Sir what a loue is this that this God which néedeth nothing would giue wholy his owne selfe to thée his enemy wreaking his wrath vpō himself in this his Son as a man may say to spare thee to saue thée to win thée to buye thee to haue thee to enioy thee for euer Because thy sin hath seperated thee from him to the end thou mightest come eftsoones into his company again therin remain hee himselfe became as a man would say a sinner or rather sinne it selfe euen a malediction or curse that wee sinners wee accursed by our sinne might by his oblation or suffering for our sinnes by his curse be deliuered from sinne and from malediction For by sinne he destroyed sinne killing Death Sathan and Sinne by their owne weapons and that for thee and mee man if wee cast it not away bp vnbeleefe Oh wonderfull loue of God Who euer heard of such a loue the Father of Heauen for vs his enemies to giue his owne dearely beloued Sonne Iesus Christ and that not onely to be our Brother to dwell among vs but also to the death of the Crosse for vs Oh wonderfull loue of Christ to vs all that was content and willing to worke this deede for vs.