Christ Iesus our Lorde 2. Thes 1.7 Heb. 11.1 1. Iob. 3.2 Qu. Shall all men be saued by Christ An. No. None but they onely that do in deede beleeue in him For it is written To whom the death of Christ is profitable He that beleeueth in the sonne hath life and he that beleeueth not in the sonne hath not life And he that beleeueth not is damned already because he beleeueth not Iohn 5.24 6.47 Qu. How do we attayne to fayth An. The holy Ghost worketh it in our hearts As Esay testifieth of the Churche Esa 54.13 â—aying they shal be all taught of the Lord. â—ere 31.33 Rom. 12.3 1. Cor. 2. Eph. 2.8 6.23 Phil. 1.29 2. Thes 1.3.3.2 Heb. 2.2 1. Iob. 5.20 Iob. 6.44 45. Qu. By what meanes The necessitie of the words preached An. By hearing the word preached as is written Faith is by hearing Rom. 10.17 and hearing by the worde of God Qu. May not this hearing be as well by reading as by the preaching of the worde An. No. For it is written Howe can they heare without a preacher Rom. 10.14 Gal. 3.2 Qu. May euery one preach that liste An. Rom. 10.15 No. For it is written Howe shall they preach except the Lorde sende them Qu. What testimonie can be had of any whether he be sent of the Lorde in this office for you knowe it is an easie matter to pretende a sending An. Besides an ordinarie calling of the Church wherein he liueth he muste of necessitie haue Vrim and Thumin knowledge and holynes he must be as it is written wise righteous holy temperate holding faste the faythfull worde according to doctrine that he also may be able to exhorte with wholsome doctrine Tit. 1.8 9. and improue them that say against it 1. Tim. 3.2.3 1. Pet. 5.3 Qu. Do you holde it conuenient that euery minister of the worde and Sacramentes be a preacher An. Yea especially For the Lorde is the fulnesse of all wisedome and sendeth only such as by his grace haue to dispatch his message also he sending forth his Apostles saide goe preach the Gospell c. and to shewe the necessitie of preaching he saith to Peter Feede feede feede Acts 20.28 1. Cor. 3.5 1. Cori. 4.1 2. Cor. 3.6 Ephe. 3.7 Col. 1.7.1 Tim. 4.6.1 Per. 5.2 Qu. Do you thinke it needefull to haue in euerie congregation a minister that is apte to teach An. Yea most needefull for it is written wher there is no preaching the people perishe Also the Apostles in the wisdome of the holie ghost beyonde which we may not presume ordeined suche in euerie Church Acts. 14.23 Tit. 1.5 and Paul appointed Titus to do the like Qu. Do you not think it sufficient that the people do heare the worde preached once in a year or in their life Though they haue no continuall preacher to labour in the worde amongst them An. No in no case For as the body can not liue with such nourishment The greate necessitie of preaching ministers muche lesse the soule without continuall comfort from the worde of God our only spirituall foode and there be dayly profitings in Gods Church wherto the Lords ministers must carefully attende To this effect speaketh Paule to Titus Tit. 1.5 saying For this cause left I thee at Creta that thou shouldest continue to redresse the thinges that remayne c. Also no house is buylt so soone as the first stone of the foundation is layde and S. Paule sheweth the ende for whiche the Lorde doth giue his faythfull seruantes his ministers into his Church namely not onely for the gathering togeather and for the worke of the ministerie but also for the buylding vp the Lords Saints the edification of the body of Christ Ephe. 4.12 14.15 that we might be no more children caried about with euery winde of doctrine but that we mighte grow vp into him which is the head that is Christe Qu. Seeing you thinke it a matter so greatly needefull that there be in euery congregation continually a godly minister apte to teache let me I pray you heart your iudgement by the word of God what is required of the people concerning them and the worde which they bring vnto theÌ„ is it in their choyce whether they wyll heare their preachers and any whitte account of them or no An. No. The peoples duety to their pastours For as no Prince or maister can beare the reiecting of his Ambassador or seruaunt sent foorth in speciall message though to his equals so neither can or will the Lorde beare the like at our hands who be his vassals And to this effect The Lords ministers must be receiued that his faythfull seruauntes his ministers might be comforted agaynst the vnthankfulnesse of the world and to set the people out of doubt how he would haue them taken he sayth He that receiueth you receiueth me Mat. 10.40 and he that receiueth me receiueth hym that sent me Also he addeth Luc. 10.16 He that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me And to put vs out of doubt in what sort he would haue vs to receiue his seruauntes sent to vs for our suche singuler profite as the saluation of our whole soule and body They must be heard and obeyed he doth testifie vnto vs in his worde first that we must heare and obey them Secondly that we must nourish them and thirdly that we must esteeme of them and lastly that we must pray for them For the first he sayth by the Apostle S. Paule 2. Cor. 2.9 For this cause did I write that I might know the proofe of you whether you would be obedient in all things 2. Thes 3.4 14. Heb. 13.17 For the second They must be nourished prouided for Gal. 6.6 it is thus written Let him that is taught in the worde make him that hath taught him partaker of al his goods And also we beseeche you brethren that you know them that labour among you and are ouer you in the Lorde and admonishe you that you haue them in singuler loue for their works sake c. 1. Tim. 5.18 1. Cor. 9.7 8 9. 1. Thess 5.12 13. They must be esteemed 1. Tim. 5.17 For the thirde it is written thus The Elders that rule well are worthy of double honour specially they which labour in the worde and doctrine 3. Iob. 8. And for the laste it is written thus They must be prayed for of the faithfull Col. 4.3 Continue in prayer and watche in the same with thankes giuing praying also for vs that God may open vnto vs the doore of vtteraunce to speake the mysterie of Christe c. that I may vtter it as I ought to speake c. And also Brethren pray for vs 2. Thes 3.1 that the worde of the Lorde may haue free passage and be glorified c. Ephes 6.19 Qu. I pray you how are they accounted of
be that thinke that whereas Christ then speaketh of his bodie he meaneth not his natural bodie but his mistical body An. There can be nothing more absurde there foolish then that for we our selues are the misticall body whereof Christe is the head and therfore nothing can be spoken more without sence then that we shold be commaunded to eate the misticall body of Christ which was giuen for vs that is that we should eat our selues giuen for our selues Also what shall be saide when wee come to speake of the blood for the Church is not called the misticall blood of Christ That blinde imagination therefore euerthroweth it selfe Qu. Doth not the eating of the very body and drinking of the very bloud of Christ which you speake of proue his bodie to be phantasticall that is not a true bodie in deede but a bodie by immagination because that many doe eat it An. In eating the body of Christe wee must distinguish betweene the spirituall eating which the Church of God vseth in fayth and the carnall eating whiche they that holde transubstantiation and consubstantiation do imagine Qu. Christ saith The wordes that I speake are spirit and life the flesh profiteth nothing it is the spirit the quickeneth How say you then that we must eat the very body of Christ and drinke his bloode An. The fleshe of Christe profiteth not beeing eaten carnally or with the mouth which kinde of eating the Capernites did and the Papistes doe fancie who because they behelde nothing in Christe more then in other men they were to be admonished that the flesh of Christe was and is to be eaten spiritually by fayth and not to be receiued with the teeth And further the worde eating is not properly but by translation and proportion of speech VVhat 's mēt by this worde eat in the institution and vse of the Lords supper applied to the spiritual receiuing and by a sacramentall kind of speakking whereby that which is proper to the signes is transferred to the thing signified Therefore when we speake of spirituall eating we are to vnderstand that this worde eating signifieth nothing else but by faith to apprehēd or to ioyne it vnto our selues There be two euilles about the Sacrament carefully to be auoided and we are also taught that wisdom by the holy ghost For least we shoulde with the Papistes thinke Christs body present Transubstantration c. and contempt in or with the breade really naturally carnally to be receiued with our bodely mothes where there is no other presence of Christes body then spirituallie to faith in many places he keepeth stil the name of bread And least we shold make to light of it 1. Cor. 10. 1. Cor. 11. accounpting it but a bare signe and no better then common breade The holy Ghoste calleth it Chrstes body Qu. Then you seeme to desire the the Sacraments of the Lord shoulde be vsed with al due reuerence do you not An. In any wise and such as feare and loue the Lord will I am sure willinglie condiscend thereto And to that end I wish that the Sacrament of the Lordes supper shoulde be esteemed and called of Christians after Christes words as diuers of the fathers esteemed the Sacramentes after Christes words and not after the outward appearaunce as in the supper the breade Christes bodie and the wine Christs blood rather then other waies Not the I thereby meane any other presence of Christs body then a presence of grace a presence to faith a presence spiritually not carnally really and naturally as the papists do meane for in such sorte Christes body is onely in heauen whither our faith ascendeth in the vse of the Sacramente and receiueth whole Christe accordinglie Qu. Yea but to call the Sacramente on that sort is to giue occasion of Idolatrie to the people whiche will take the outwarde signes which they see simply for Christes body as we haue too muche experience already Therefore I take it it were better and lesse daungerous to call it bread An. In deede great idolatrie is committed in and about this Sacrament therfore men ought to be as beedefull as they can to auoyde occasioning it or doing any thing that may cōfirme it But in as much as the holy Ghost is wiser then men and did foresee the euils that might be and yet notwithstanding doth cal it Christes body I thinke we should do euill to take vpon vs to reforme his speach Mat. 26.26 If ministers did their duties in catechising and preaching then doubtles to cal the Sacrament Christes body and to esteeme it accordingly could not giue occasion to Idolatry Therfore wo to them that preach not Qu. But to call the Sacrament Christes body to make none other presence then by grace or spiritually to faith which is of things hoped for and which appeare not to the bodily senses is to make no presence at all or to make him none otherwayes present then he is in his word when it is preached and therefore what neede we to receiue the Sacrament seeing that by the doctrine a mā may receiue him dayly in the fieldes as well and as muche as in the Church in the vse of the sacrament An. In deede neither the Scripture nor christian fayth will giue vs leaue to make or alowe any carnall naturall corporall or any such grosse presence of Christes body for it is in heauen and as the scripture doth witnesse the heauens must haue it till his comming to iudgement Except we would deny the humanitie of Christ and the trueth of mans nature in hun The presence therefore which we beleeue confesse is such a presence as reason knoweth not and the worlde can not learne nor any that looketh in this matter with our naturall eyes The worlde knovveth not the Lordes vvaies or heareth with other eares then with the eares and seeth with the eyes of fayth Whiche fayth though it be of things hoped for and so of things absent to the corporall senses yet this absence is not an absence in deede but to reason and the olde man the nature of fayth beeing a possession of things hoped for as appeareth Heb. 11.1 Therefore to grauut a presence to fayth is not to make no presence at all but to suche as know no righte christian fayth Also the same meate is offered in the words of the Scripture which is offered in the Sacrament so that no lesse is Christes body offered by the Scriptures then by the Sacraments but hereof may no man gather that therefore it needeth not to receiue the Sacrament or to affirme that a man may as much by him selfe meditating the mord in the field receiue Christes body as in the church in the right vse of the Sacrament For Christ ordeined nothing in vayne or superfluously and he sayth Take and eate this and he ordeineth nothing whereof we haue not neede Agayne The Lordes vvaies be righteous though in the fields a mā may receiue Chrisles
before the Lorde which do not these dueties for I thinke you shall easily finde many which professe the Gospell and yet do neuer one of them but rather the contrarie So that the very Papistes and Infidels receiue more readily obey more willingly prouide for more sufficiently esteme more highly and do all other things more carefully as our experience doth approue too true for their popish sacrificers idolaters and diuell worshippers then these doe the true seruauntes and ministers of Iesus Christ An. In the Lordes presence they be found to deceiue them selues The state of such as neglect ther dutie to the Lordes messengers Mat. 7.21 whose religion is but in vayne words for that the Lord liueth not in them as in deede he doth not where his glory and kingdome is not cared for Of whom the mouth of the Lorde hath spoken that they shall neuer enter into the kingdome of heauen and they deserue to perish in extreme famine that eyther reiect or so lightly account of the spâ—rituall foode of their soules reached vnto them of the Lorde by the handes of hys Church and ministers and their iudgement sleepeth not for the Lorde him selfe â—arth Who soeuer shall not receiue you nor heare your wordes when you departe out of that house or out of that citie shake of the dust of your feete Mat. 10.14 15. Truely I say vnto you it shall be easier for them of the lande of Sodom and Gomortha in the day of iudgement then for that Citie Luc. 10.11 14 15. Qu. Many thinke them selues in best case when they haue a minister that cannot labour in preaching the worde of the Lord amongest them what do you think of their estate An. Men miserably blinde and see it not First their estate is most wretched for that as blinde men without guide they wander in darknesse for without the word there is no light in our waies Psa 119.105 Thy worde is a lanterne to my feete and a lighte vnto my pathes and also both the one and the other be vnder the iudgement of God Mat. 15.14 The estate of the people that haue an vnpreaching minister If the blinde lead the blind doth they not both fall into the ditche Qu. Then it semeth that you tye the saluation of the people of necessitie the to preaching of the Gospell An. It is moste true for without the preaching of the Gospell there is no ordinarie meane to attaine to faith Rom. 10.14 â—7 faith commeth by hearing the worde of God preached Without faith we cannot atteine to Christ Ioh. 6.40 He that seeth the sonne and beleeueth in him hath euerlasting life c. With out Christ is no way to pacifie the fathers wrath Mat. 3.17 This is my beloued sonne in whom I am well pleased heare him And if the fathers wrath bee not pacified there is no hope of life Psa 2.12 if his wrath be kindled yea but a little we shall perish in the way The necessitie of preaching the Gospell which men make light of So that I conclude that without the preaching of the Gospell it is not possible to be saued Qu. Do you include infants fooles and deaf folkes within this necessity An. No The wisdome of Gods spirit doth leade vs in the streight wayes of the Lorde nor binde the Lorde vnto the meane but in all chinges confesse him to be free but I say that for others the Lord hath giuen vs no ordinarie meane but the preaching of his Gospell Mat. 28.19 Goe preache the Gospell to all creatures who soeuer beleeueth and is baptised shall bee saued c. Mar. 16.13 Qu. There be that thinke that if a man haue learning Selfeliking ignorance and reason that is corrupt blindes many a one especially in the sciences tonges he can not be ignorant of the way of life and so will often reason for others and persuade them selues the one say such bee learned they muste needes knowe the truth The wisdom of carnall men is against God The Lorde when he wil doth vse the meane but he is not bounde to it and the other contemne preaching as if they were too wise for it An. Albeit it pleaseth the Lorde to vse the ciuill knowledge whereof you speake for the furtherance of his gospel when one where he seeth it conuenient yet is it no sure consequent that where these thinges he there also is the sure knowledge of the Lordes truth for in Ephesus were many excellentlie learned in ciuill knowledge As Pithagoras Parmenides Zeno Democritus such like Ephes 1.13 and yet wholie ignoraunt of the way of the Lorde and Saint Paule proueth their faith in Christ to haue commed only from the preaching of the Gospell thorough the power of the spirite of Christe saying In whom ye also trusted after that you heard the worde of truth euen the gospel of your saluation Qu. Then as I take it also you would that in teaching there should onely be vsed the testimonie of the worde it selfe The maner of such as seeke more to please their cares then to profite their soule And yet many that goe for wise men do looke that the preachers should feede them with prophane stories and sayings of men Also some like to spende much time in fables and other needlesse matter Howe thinke you of it An. I graunt you that such things may carry a wilie shew to the carnall man but in all these and a thousand moe of like sort standeth not the faith of Gods chosen for it onely resteth in the word of trueth which Saint Paul testifieth in this respect Esai 55.11 to be the Gospell and when these be at the last yet want the warrant of the spirite to testifie for them that they be the word of truth Againe the Lord blesseth his own meane whose gospel hath a blessing in it selfe and neuer returneth emptie which all these earthly out showes want though in some sort the auouching of some haue their vse namely to confute them that trust in theÌ„ Act. 17.28 Tit. 5.1.12 2. Tim 4.2 as S. Paul doth in the like also they are commanded to preach the worde Mat. 28.20 1. Pet. 4.11 Iho. 9.10 Qu. I see then that the onely way to iustifie vs before God is through fayth in Iesus Christ which you proue that God worketh in our hearts by the preaching of his Gospell But by what meanes I pray you is this iustifying fayth continued and increased in vs An. By the selfe same preaching of the worde For as it is written As new borne babes 1. Pet. 2.2 desire the sincere milke of the word that you may grow thereby 1. Pet. 2.5 1. Cor. 3.2 Heb. 5.13 14. Also the holy Sacramentes are ordeined for vs of the Lord to this end The Lorde by his word and Sacramentes sheweth hys singuler care for the sauegarde of his Church Gal. 3.27 namely to confirme the promises of his Gospell vnto
vs and to confirme our fayth in the same As appeareth All ye which are baptized into Iesus Christ haue put on Christ Act. 2.38 And Ioh. 6.51 I am the liuing bread which came downe from heauen if any man eate of this bread he shall liue for euer c. Qu. Are there no necessarie helpes vnto these for the increase and confirmation of our fayth An. Yes and those that can not be wanting without great preiudice to the Church of God namely true earnest and often prayer and discipline according to the worde As for the first it is sayde Aske and haue and whatsoeuer you aske of the father in my name he will giue it you And for the seconde it is written thus Cor. 5 3 4 5. I verily as absent in body but present in spiriie haue determined already as though I were present the he that hath thus done this thing when you are gathered togeather and my spirite in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ that suche a one I say by the power of our Lorde Iesus Christ be deliuered to Satan for the destruction of the fleshe that the spirite may be saued in the day of the Lorde Iesus Qu. What is a Sacrament An. A Sacrament what it is An outward signe ordeined of God for the greater assurance and strength of our fayth beeing vnto vs sure pledges of those venesites of our saluation which we receiue in Christ to be ours For it is written Gen. 17.11 Ye shall circumcize the foreskinne of your fleshe and it shall be a signe of the couenaunt betweene me and you Exo. 12.3 4 5 6. Rom. 4.11 Qu. How many Sacraments be there in the church of Christ An. Two baptisme the Lords supper as appeareth Brethren I would not haue you ignorant the al your fathers were vnder the cloude and al passed through the sea were al baptised vnto Moses in the cloude and in the sea 1. Cor. 10.1 2 3 4. and did all eate of the same spirituall meate and did all drinke of the same spiritual drink for they dranke of the spirituall rock that followed them and the rocke was Christe Qu. Who shall minister the Sacraments An. He in whose mouth the Lorde hath put his worde for the people as it is written Go teach al nations baptising them in the name of the father and the sonne and the holy ghost Christ gaue this commaundement neither to midwiues as they call them or any other women or to priuate men but to those whom he had chosen his Apostles and had giuen them warrant habilitie to teach Mat. 28.19 The Sacraments ministred where the worde is preached whereby appeareth that the word preached and Sacraments must go together Act. 10.47 Act. 16.32.33 Qu. Where must it be ministred An. Where the worde is preached and because this Sacrament comprehendeth an holy and solemne introduction or admittance into the Church of God Priuate places be not fit for publique actioÌ„s Mat. 28.19 and is a testimonie of our heauenlie deliuerance it is not lawfull to minister it but in the asseÌ„bly of the faithful as appeareth in that is said Go preach and baptize c. and. Mar. 16.15.16 Qu. To the strengthning of our faith how many thinges do we principally learne by baptisme An. Especially two First as water washeth away the filthines of the flesh so the bloode of Christe doth wash away sin from my soule as is written Mar. 1.4 Iohn did baptise in the wilderues preach the baptism of amendment of life for remission of sinns Secondly I am taught to rise to newnesse of life For it is written we are buried then with him by baptisme into his death Rom. 6.4 that like as Christ was raised vp from the dead by the glory of his father so we also should walke in newnesse of life Qu. Wherein is the faith strenthened in the vse of the Lordes supper An. First as by the hande and mouthe my bodie receiueth bread and wine so by faith my soule feedeth of the body and blod of Christ Iesus said vnto them Ioh. 6.35 I am that bread of lyfe he that commeth to me shall not hunger and he that beleeueth in mee shall neuer thirste Secondly all the benefites of Christes passion and his righteousnes are as surely sealed to be mine as I am sure my body hath receiued the bread and wine and as if I my selfe had wrought them For it is written He was deliuered to death for our sinnes Rom. 4.25 and is risen agayne for our iustification Qu. Who shal be admitted to the Lords Supper An. A Christian choyse in admitting to the Lords Supper Only they that can do those things that are required of them that be partakers thereof Qu. Children fooles madde folks and the ignorant must not be admitted for they can not doe this What must they doe that be partakers thereof An. Examine them selues as it is written Let a man examine himselfe and so let him eate c. Qu. Must euery one that receiueth the Lordes Supper of necessitie examine him selfe An. 1. Cor. 11.28 Hee must of necessitie or else hee shall bee guilty of a moste horrible sinne Qu Of what sinne shall he bee guiltie An. Vnworthy receiuers equall with the murthereâ—s of Christ 1. Cor. 11.27 Of the death of Christe and shall be equall with those murtherers that slew him for it is written Who soeuer shall eat this breade and drinke the cup of the Lorde vnworthilie shall bee guilty of the bodie and bloode of the Lorde Qu. What is the rewarde of that sinne An. Gods standing vengeance eternall death for it is written he that eateth and drinketh vnwortily 1. Cor. 11. eareth and drinketh his owne damnation Qu. Seing the necessitie of this examination is so great as may appeare by the iudgements of God for the want of it Ignorant ministers carelesse people shift sinne betvvixt them which yet is greatly to bee feared that very fewe do rightly consider of How many thinges muste they especially seeke for in them selues that do communicate An. Three Three things to be especially considered in examination Namely their estate before God their right knowledge concerning the Sacrament and their estate towards their brethren or before the Church Qu. In seeking their estate before God what must they doe An. First seeke their estate by nature according to the lawe rightly vnderstoode where they shall finde themselues in the wrath of God as S. Paule testifieth to the Ephesians saying Ephes 2.3 We were by nature the children of wrath as well as others Qu. Whereto serueth this in searching their estate before God In all our actions vve musâ—â— especially caâ—e for the glory of God An. First for the glory of God whiche is not duly considered where our condemnation is not knowen For it is written Who careth for the Phisition that is not sicke VVe must not
body by faith in the meditation of the worde yet I deny that a man doth ordinarilic receiue Christes bodie by the onelie meditation of his death or hearing of his worde with so much sight by such senses be assurance whereof our infirmitie hath great need as by the receiuing of the sacrament not the Christ is not so much present in his worde preached as hee is in or with his Sacrament but because there bee mo windows open for Christ to enter into vs in the par ticipation of the Sacrament then by his worde preached or hearde For in the word Christ entereth into our hearts only by the eares and through hearing but in the sacrament is sealed the promises of God in the experience of all our sences Rom. 4.11 Qu. Then you say that the Sacrament rightlie receiued is Christes bodie and bloud do you not An. Yea I say yet further that it is Christes bodie broken which ioyned with eating doth set another difference betwene vs and the papists for that we affirme that it is not the bodie of Christe before it be eate of the faithfull Eating goeth before the testimonie that it is his body for Christ saide take eat this is my bodie so that eating doth go before which if they had knowne and considered it would easily haue put an end to all their vile and vaine questions aboute their hoste as they call it rotting in the pix and of a mouse or such like eating it Also the breaking of the bodie of Christe shedding of his bloude which the scripture witnesseth giueth vs to see the present breaking thereof and the exceeding horror of Gods iust wrath againste our sinnes The horror of Gods wrath for sinne is much more then the most can be perswaded of which could neuer be pacified or cur sinnes done away but by this meanes namely by the breaking of the bodie and shebding of the bloude of our Lorde and alone sauiour Iesus Christ Qu. What benefites haue we by receiuing the communion An. First by worthy receiuing this Sacrament we abide in Christ and Christe in vs. Also we atteine an heauenly and celestial life in assurance to be cuer with the Lorde in the lande of the liuing for it is written he that eateth my fleshe Ion. 6.41 and drinketh my blood hath cuerlasting life and I wil raise him vp at the last day And also we receiuing the Lorde Iesus Christe by faith with all the benefites of his death wee receiue in a certeine assurance the remission of our sinnes and eternall life Qu. Thus be thousands of the blinde multitude persvvaded vvhiche dreame to them selues they shall be vvell though they neuer haue more religion then a horse Is it not sufficient to holde that we are made partakers of Christes benefites though we haue in the mean time no communion or fellowshippe with the body of Christ An. That is no lesse absurde then if I shoulde say that one liueth by that meate which he did neuer eate or recouer health by that medicine which he did neuer taste Qu. Now concerning the thirde matter aboute the Sacramente in examination which as you said was the end for which it was ordeined of the Lorde and so to bee receiued of vs I pray you wherefore was it ordeined and to what end shall a christiā receiue it An. The end is Gods glory the profite of his Church To preuide for his owne glorie and the profite of his Church remedying two great and continuall euils in vs namely forgetfulnesse of Gods benefites doubtfulnesse of Gods fauoure towardes vs and also to shewe forth our profession before the Church and and in the face of the enimie First that we might be holden in continuall mindfulnesse of Gods benefites The Lordes supper doth put vs in minde of the death of Ghrist The cheefe and principall of all other is heare presented to vs namely the death of Christ the alone and deare sonne of God and to this end Christe saith Doe this in remembrance of me And to assure vs of the vnfaigned loue of God towards vs what can be more effectuall then to be in the fellowship of bys owne sonne in whom the loue that he beareth towards vs is without ende or measure I. Cor. 11.25 It doth assure vs of his loue for his mercy endureth for euer and of this loue of God towards vs we are assured in the Sacrament as it is written The bread which we breake is it not the communion of the body of Christe Is not the cuppe of blessing which we blesse the partaking of the bloud of Christ So as we are set in mindfulnesse of that which we should neuer forget so also are we put in assuraunce of that whereof we maye not doubt Qu. The Papists say that a man ought not to be sure of his saluation by Christe A doctrine fit for papistes but not for the Lords people howe thinke you of it An. No maruel though they teach men to doubt alwayes of their saluation the ground of whose teaching is their owne gayne For once let the trueth take place that Christians be by the worde and spirite of Christ assured of their saluation by him The Papistes God is his ovvne belly then downe goes their Priesthood their pardons their trentals their dirgies their chaunteries their sencing their singing their Masses and prayers for the dead with what soeuer of like sort for take away the gaine and all these will quickly lye in the duste But we are wartanted by the word of the Lord that the Lords children oughte to bee sure of their saluation by Christ Rom. 11.1 In deede carnall men that measure all by reason see not howe But the Prophet Esay sayth Esa 26. With my body shall they rise and S. Paule sayth They shall haue rest with vs. 2. Thes 1. Also it is written His spirite doth certifie our spirite that we are the sonnes of God Now if we be sure that we are Gods sonnes we are also sure of Gods grace and fauour and so consequently of our saluation Qu. Is there no other ende of this Institution An. Yes That he which worthily receiueth should be certayne of the remission of al his sinnes how many or great loeuer they be and so labour to aduaunce the prayse of God for his mercy but howe great this kindnes of the Lorde is They beste knowe vvhat sinne is that feele the vveight of it they onely know who haue felt the burthen of sinne which of all woes in this life is the greatest and of all burthens the most heauy Agayne no man can cōmunicate with Christes body bloud but the same must communicate with his spirice He that hath not the spirite of Christ is none of his he that hath his spirite hath proofe of his effects for Christes body is no dead carkas Nowe he that communicateth with Christes spirite is made partaker of
confesse him to one which they wil not grant therfore they do but ingle with the Lordes trueth Qu. Then you will take nothing from any mans warrant No warrant is fase but the Loras namely the Papistes without proofe of the worde of God rightlie vndersteode An. No for leauing thē their friendes w e their vnwritten verities Ioh. 4.25.5 39 16.13 Their chopping changing of the worde Deut. 5.2.12.32 Their holding them miufficient to deeide controuersies Psa 19.7 Luk. 16.20 Therfore keeping them from the people Psal 95.10 Iohn 17.3 Their imagination of the Scriptures darknesse Psal 19.7 Some of the dregges of the Popes Church Their vayne boasting of the Churches authoritie agaynst the worde of God Iero. 7.8 1. Tim. 3.15 Their false opiniō of works Iob. 9.3 Rom. 3.10 Their presumptuous opinion of the Popes supremacie Mat. 1.28.19 Iohn 20.23 Luc. 22.26 1. Pet. 5.1 2 3. Their eare confession Psal 25.7 Their Purgatorie Mat. 25.26 Psal 51.3 4. Their praying for the dead their Masses and trentals and dirgies 2. Sam. 12.21 Luc. 19.26 Their praying to Samtes Iere. 17.5 Rom. 10.14 Their olde customes and following of forefathers Mat. 15.2 3.12.30 Their Latin seruice Mat. 7.6 7 8. Their Images Exod. 20.4 Their transubstantiation Mark 16.19 Luc. 24.16 Act. 1.9 10 11. Their vnpreaching priesthood 1. Tim. 3.2 Act. 20.28 1. Pet. 4.1 The diuersities of meates for conscience sake and a thousand mo abhominatiōs Mat. 6.11 Rom. 14.14 2. Tim. 4.3 4. We rest our selues wholly safely in the alone word of God as vpon a most trustie witnesse of all trueth that fayleth not for it is written Heauen and earth shall perishe Mat. 24.35 but not one sote of the worde of the Lorde shall fayle Qu. I woulde be moste glad to participate with the Church of God in the vse of this Saccament so oft as they come together to that ende but I see it is a thing most worthy such reuerent consideration as is commanded vnto vs in the word I see the horror of my sinnes so great The best consciences are soonest feared vvith sinne fecle in my selfe so litle repentance and fayth that I feare I am vnworthy to receiue it An. In deede to the worthy receiuing of the Lords supper suche examination of euery one in his owne conscience as the Apostle requireth is very needfull But as for sinne which is in euery one by nature which also of it selfe is deadly euen from the greatest to the least we are to discerne our estate in that case not by the sinne but by the partie as we are taught in the Rom. 6. where he willeth that sinne do not reign in vs which it doth in euery child of man till the spirite of Christ be giueu vnto vs by the preaching of the Gospell As it is written A strong man armed keeping the house all that he possesseth be in peace till a stronger then he come c. Then our sinnes bee deadely VVho sinne deadly when they haue the reigne and dominion in vs And sinne reigneth when we giue ouer to sinne when we striue not agayust it VVhen sinne hath the masterie it flayeth the man but alowe of it and consent vnto it If you yeelde your selues to obey his seruauntes you are to whom you obey whether it be of sinne vnto death or of obevieuce vnto righteousnes And this power of sinne thus raigning doth testifie that the grace of Gods spirit is wanting But if we striue against our sinne if our eye be single that is our minde vpright striuing into the waye of the Lord without hypocrisie or dissimulation though sinne be in vs yet our sinnes are not of force to separate vs from God nor are any such things as shall euer condemne vs but for Christes sake whose peculier spirite hath wrought in vs this misliking of sinne as ignoraunce want of feeling of the Lords kindnes and whatsoeuer of like sort with a longing alter the wayes of the Lorde they are forgiuen vs and shall neuer be layde to our charge because we beleeue in Christ For the distance betweene heauen and earth is not so great as is the difference betweene sinne beeing in vs Rom. 7.20 and sinne raigning in vs as maye appeare in that it is sayde Gal. 5.17 If therefore your sinnes do displease you These fruites of Christes spirit assureth vs of the grace of Christ if you purpose to be an enimie to sinne in your selfe and others if you purpose to walke al your life in the true feare of God and in the light of his worde if you beleeue in Christ Iesus for pardon of your sinnes and stay your selfe vpon his promises I testifie vnto you that you shall be a moste welcome guest to this table of the Lorde Christ hath already sealed in you that you are deare in his sight he hath giuen you of his spirite They that are least in their owne sighte are moste dear vvith the Lord. and you shall haue fellowship with him and with the father by him and with the whole Church of God Christe will dwell in you and you shall dwell in him for euer therefore measure not the Lords mercies by reason which is corrupted but let fayth holde fast his promises and be ioyfull in the Lorde and from the grounde of a pure heart giue all prayle to him to whom all prayse is due for euermore Qu. Not the deed but the maner of doing is al. How many sortes be there of them which receiue not the Sacrament An. There be two sortes namely those that will not and those that can not Qu. What is the estate of both An. The estate of the one namely those that can not is not daungerous for the necessitie of the Sacramentes extendeth not so farre as to exclude them from eternall life which can not enioy the vse therof and those that haue faith which giueth them title and right to eternall life and power to discerne rightly of the Sacramentes though they haue not the means to be partakers of the Sacraments shall not be depriued nor excluded from saluation Their estate i◠not daungerous vvhiche vvould and can not Also as this estate is not dangerous so the condition of such as will not namely of those which contemne the Lords mysteries is damnable For it is vndoubtedly an act of infidelitie and worthy of damnation Their estate is damnable that can and vvill not for this and all wickednes proceedeth from vnbeliefe For it is written Take heede brethren that there be not in any of you an euill heart and vnfaithfull Heb. 3.12 to departe away from the liuing God c. Frō which estate of men the Lorde keepe all that be his for euer Amen FINIS ¶ A most godly and comfortable letter written by by maister Edvvard Deering to a Christian gentlevvoman beeing in heauinesse of spirite very needefull and by the grace of Christ helpfull to suche as be in
A Preparation into the waye of lyfe vvith a direction into the right vse of the Lords Supper Gathered by VVilliam Hopkinson Preacher of the worde of God Printed at London by Robert Walde-graue for Iohn Harrison the yonger and Thomas Manne 1581. ¶ To the right Honorable Syr Henry Sidney Lorde President of her Maiesties Counsel in the Marches of VVales Knight of the moste noble order of the Garter and of her Maiesties most honorable priuie Counsell VV. H. wisheth plentie of those blessings which haue promises of this life and the life to come SEing that it is the duetie of euery true Christian Righte Honorable from the highest to the lowest according to the measure of the grace that he hath receyued of the Lord to reache out him selfe vvith continuall attendance to profite euery his felowe neighbour especially in the charge ouer vvhiche the Lorde hath set him for the tyme so labouring in him selfe to exceede the measure of the moste vvho make muche of lyfe vvithout consideration vvherefore they liue I haue held my selfe bounden by all meanes that I might to endeuour the regarde of those ouer vvhom the Lorde by your Honour hath set me And seeing that not onely the iudgement of reason but continuall experience doth teache vs that to make a scholler learned in the tongues the readyest vvay is to begin vvith the letters or vvell profited in any Science to set first a sure foundation in the principles of the same I haue helde it the moste ready entraunce to make the Lordes trueth familiar to his people especially them of vvhom I haue speciall knowledge and ouer vvhom peculiar charge to laye the groundworke as sure as I might namely in leading them in the light of the Lords vvorde to the true sight of them selues in two respectes that is vvhat they are by nature and vvhat by grace vvherof if eyther be vvanting in the knowledge of Christians the Lorde looseth in respect of him his due glory and the people their saluation As if the first be not knowen men receiue the Lordes promises in securitie as vvhich number at this day seemeth to be great and if the second be not had mens hearts are surprised in the vvaye of death And as he that buyldeth without a foundation layde shall buylde in the ayrc so this steddie groundworke surely founded vvell beat vpon shall giue an easie entraunce to further buylding by the vvord of doctrine and faith that the Lordes Saintes by this meanes maye through his grace not onely be gathered as the Apostle sayth but that through the vvorke of the ministery they may be built vp into him vvhich is the head euen Christ Iesus And for this cause I haue as I might gathered these directions by the Lords vvorde for a perpetuall testimony to remayne vvith thē a consent to suche as turne to the Lorde and for a vvitnesse to the rest But especially next vnto this foundation layde haue I laboured to leade them into the right vse of the Lords Supper a speciall confirmation of Gods promises in Christ to our cōfort a matter also miserably neglected and lightly accounted of to the lamentable ruine and downefall of many thousande soules for the Lordes iudgementes stande inuiolably vvhose vvorkes doth testifie that they are iustly in daunger of his endles indignation vvho prophane his misteries in vnworthines of vvhat condition or sort soeuer they be for vvith him is no respect of persons In both vvhich I haue ioyned the desire of mine owne discharge vvith the peoples safetie and gathered the summe of both into suche a forme as may best agree vvith their experience not as refusing or lightly accouting of the labors of such godly brethren as haue much profited the Lords people in the lyke vvay but as casting in two mytes vvith the poore VVidow to the Lotds vvorke vvhich as it vvas specially ment for mine owne charge so haue I yeelded to the perswasion of certayne godly friendes to communicate the same vvith the Church of God by suffering it to be published in print both for the comfort of the godly the Lorde blessing it and testifie to the Papistes the Lordes enimies that though the varietie of speach be diuers yet that vvee holde firmely one and the selfe same grounde and substance of trueth and that there is not amongst vs at all any oddes or varietie of doctrine vvhatsoeuer they and their lyke shame not vniustly to say agaynst vs. But in this case considering that it must vndergoe the viewe aswell of foes as fauourers that as I am assured of fauourable acceptation amongst the godly yet as the sunne neuer vvanteth light the fyre heate or the srostie vvynter coldnes so haue there euer bene and vvyll be plentie of such vvho in steade of vvell deseruing do please them selues vvith vniust reproching of others labours In this respect as that I might content my selfe in accepting gladly any iust occasion to leaue some testimonie of a right thankfull heart for your Honours fauours many wayes vouchsafed me vvhereby I holde my selfe in the Lorde continually bounde to your Honorable house in all that I maye and in consideration vvherof vvhen other meanes be vvanting wherby to testifie the same I shall not cease I truste right humbly to commende your estate vnto the Lorde vvho hath promised to heare the iuste prayers of his seruauntes for the vvorthines of his Christ So haue I bene bolde to present the same vnto your Honour such as it is the rather hauing iust cause to perswade my selfe of your honorable acceptation and protection of vvhatsoeuer may profite the Church of God I haue also together deliuered to the print for the care I haue of my brethrens health a most notable and christian cōfortable letter vvritten by that notable member of the Church of God in his time M. Edward Dering to a godly christiā gētlewomā by which through the Lordes blessing I must needes confesse to haue gayned muche comfort as also mine hartie desire and hope is that others shall So that vvhile the vncleane and impure Atheistes frozen harted Papistes temporisers carnall Gospellers and infidels shall suppe out the measure of Gods iudgementes to the bottome vve vvell vvarranted in our Christian estate soundly directed in the right vse of the Lordes mysteries by the vvorde preserued in the extremities of sinne and in all lightned to the right application of the grace of Christ shall vvith inuincible constancie runne out the course that is set before vs and patiently vvayte for our deliueraunce euen the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ of vvhom it is vvritten that he shall appeare the seconde time vvithout sinne to saluation to them that vvayte for him VVhich that vve maye continually do our good God and Father graunt vnto vs by the speciall direction of his holy spirite of sanctification and grace and powre plentifully vpon your Honour those blessings vvhich speciallye concerne the aduauncement of his glory your Honours safetie both in body and
shrinke to looke into our sinnes seeme they neuer so horrible sith the sight of them serueth to shew vnto vs more plainly the greatnesse of the loue of God towards vs in Christe Secondly for their owne greater comfort for the more they see their condemnation by nature so muche more appeareth the loue of God to haue abounded towardes them in their deliueraunce by grace in Christ As it is written So God loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten sonne Qu. Then as you would haue the children of God to looke diligently into their naturall condemnation that is by the law which adiudgeth euery one guyltie of eternall death that continueth not in such absolute and pure obedience as the lawe requireth so you would not that they shoulde staye there An. VVe beholde our sinnes but the better to see the grace of Christ No in no case for then were there no hope of deliuerance for vntil we atteine to him that hath conquered the lawe the law still reigneth ouer vs vnto death as it is written whatsoeuer the lawe saith it saith it to them that are vnder the law c. which no Christian is for Christ is not vnder the lawe Qu. Wherein standeth the deliuerance of Gods chosen from his condemnation that is by the lawe An. Not in the works of the Lawe nor in any childe of man but onely in the free grace of God through Iesus Christe as it is written Rom. 7.24.25 Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliuer mee from this body of death I thank God through Iesus Christ our Lorde Qu. What is the meane of our attayning to this righteousnes of Christ An. Faith in him as it is written This is the will of him that sent me Ioh. 6.40 that whosoeuer seeth the sonne and beleeueth in him hath euerlasting life c. Qu. I remember you said that this faith was the peculier worke of the spirite of Christ and his ordinarie meane to be only the preaching of the Gospell but I pray you wherevpon must this fayth be stayde or grounded for a house without a fountation will not long continue An. Vpon the free promises of Christ A conscience feared with the sighte of Gods iudgementes for sinne muste not deal with the conditionall promises Qu. Why say you free promises An. Because in the gospel are promises with condition of our doing or perfourming which appertaine to the Lawe Qu. What is the triall whether we haue this faith or no for as it is easy to say that we haue it so are there verie fewe or none that do not say so An. We must by the effects learne to knowe the cause whiche woorketh them The tree is knowen by his fruites This iustifiyng faith is a peculier worke of the Spirite of Christe who lurketh noâ— but reneweth the heart as Christe testified to Nichodemus Ioh. 3.3 saying Except a man be borne againe he can not see the kingdome of God He worketh in vs first He doth not rightly hate others sinnes that loues his owne Rom. 7.23 an hatred and detestation of sinne in all men but especially in our selues As it is written I see an other law in my members rebelling against the lawe of my minde c. Secondly it maketh vs to haue our whole delight and ioye The Lordes vvayes are grieuous to our corruption Rom. 5.1 2. in those thinges which be agreeable to the will of God as it is written being iustified by faith we haue peace with God thorough Iesus Christ our Lorde by whome also we haue accesse into this grace wherein we stande and reioice vnder the hope of the glorie of God c. Thirdly it frameth our liues in obedience to the word as There is no condemnation to them which are in Christe Iesus which walke not after the fleshe Rom. 8.1 but after the spirite And fourthly it worketh effectually in Their imaginations are vayne vvho holde their hope in huggermugger and professe it not in the sight of men Ioh. 15.5 vs that we expresse the same in our liues and conuersations as it is written I am the vine and ye the vranches he that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth muche fruite c. Mat. 7.18 Iames. 2.17 Qu. Now concerning the seconde parte of this examination whiche apperteineth the supper it selfe I pray you what is the Lordes supper An. The Lordes Supper vvhat it is It is a ceremonie instituted by Christ to confirme and manifest our society and communion in his body and blood vntill he come to indgement as appeareth He tooke bread and when he had giuen thankes he brake it and gaue to them saying This is my body whiche is giuen for you doe this in remembrance of me Mat. 26.26 27 28. Likewise also he tooke the cup saying This cup is the new testament in my bloude which is shed for you c. Mar. 14.27 And as oft as thou shalt eate this bread and drinke of this cup thou shall shewe the Lords death till he come 1. Cor. 11.26 Qu. Howe many thinges are to be considered in the supper An. The author the water and the end Qu. Who is the authour of it An. The Lorde Iesus Christ him self as appeareth Mat. 26.26 Mat 14.27 Luk. 22. c. Qu. What thinges are wee taughte by that knowledge namely that Christ is the author of it An. By the maiesty and wisoome of the author is signified vnto vs the excellencie and necessity of the thing Qu. Where must it be ministred An. In the assembly of the faithfull where the word is preached for it is a publike action or deamed for the Churche as may appeare 1. Cor. 11.17.18.20 Now in this that I declare I praye you not that you come together not with profite but with hurt Also when you come together into one place c. Qu. How manie persons are to be considered in this action An. Two The pastor and the people Qu. What is to bee considered of both An. In the pastor or minister is required not onely that he be able but that he do preach the worde of the Lorde before vnto the people Mat. 26.24 for Christ first preached to them of his death and the indgement of God vpon the wicked c. And the Apostles also did the like as appeareth Act. 2.42 and Act. 20.7 Also in the people that they examine them selues For when Christ spake vnto them of the wicked fact of Iudas euery one entred into his selfe and sayd Master is it I Mat. 26.25 Qu. What is needefull for euery one that is willing to receyue the Sacrament aright to consider of An. When in examining him selfe he come to consider of the thing and so to deale with the worde of the Lorde he is especiall to beware of wrong meaning VVrong taking the vvorde is cause of much mischiefe and false gloses of the worde wherein as we
shall so escape two daungerous extremities about this Sacrament so are we well warned by a sorowfull experience of Adam as may appeare Gen. 2.17 Gen. 3.3 4 5. Qu. Whiche are the two extremities that may by this herdefull auoyding of false and wrong meaning of the worde be escaped An. Transubstantiation of the Papists and suche like and the vile contempt that Epicures Atheistes carnall Gospellers and many ignoraunt do to it Qu. In many places to this day for want of the Lords good meanes to make the worde familiar to them and to bring the people in obedience to be instructed in the wayes of the Lorde you shall heare many say Those that feare the Lord see the trueth of this to their greefe that they looke to receiue Christ by the act of receiuing the outward signes and some be yet so ignoraunt that if you aske them what they thinke so to receiue they will answere Their maker I praye you what thinke you of it An. Rom. 8.9 First you know it is written that who so hath not the spirite of Christ is none of his So that he that bringeth not Christ or rather is not brought of Christ to the Sacrament may rather assure him selfe of the diuell and damnation then to apply Christ and his merites to him by the acte without faith Mat. 26.47 48. as maye well be seene in Iudas c. Qu. What say you to the state of suche poore soules as first be ignoraunt of all these secondly haue no ordinatie meane of further knowledge and thirdly be straightly tyed vpon much bodily perill to receiue it by a day And what holde you best for them to do An. First if the Lorde haue set their aboade where his countenaunce which is comfortably shewed by the Gospell preached and Sacramentes rightly miuistred is not to be leene wherein alone standeth their knowledge and fayth they are to secke to the Arke where it is 2. Sam. 6.11 euen to Obed Edoms house and to heare what the Lorde sayth to them all excuses set apart Psal 27.8 Seeke ye my face And cōcerning the rest it is good not to runne into the daunger threatned of the Lord nor to touch the way that leadeth to so great perill before they shall haue learned the Lords trueth Qu. Whereas you sayde that this Sacrament must be ministred where the word is preached and shewed cause why I pray you what if some one that lyeth at the poynt of death should desire that the minister should come to deliuer him this Sacrament and hath there one or two of his neighbours or others that will receyue it with him for companie because there must be moe then one yet that the Papistes thinke will serue do you not thinke it good that he haue it An. What I thinke it matereth not much except my thoughtes be stayed vppon the worde of God rightly vnderstood The beste thoughts of the heart of man are vaine if they vvant the vvarrant of Gods vvorde Prou. 2.1 For all the thoughtes of the heart of man are vayne and will casily vanishe as the winde except they be strengthned by the Lords truth which sithe it alone must direct vs in all our actions muche more in these of so great importance For it is written My sonne if thou wilt receiue my wordes and hide my commaundementes within thee c. Then shalt thou vnderstande righteousnes Pro. 2.9 iudgement equitie and euerie good path 1. Cor. 11.31 Rom. 14.23 but as for the matter of your demande it shoulde seeme that whosoeuer in such sorte desireth the Sacrament dothe neither rightly consider him selfe the thing he desireth nor the ende why it was ordeined and therefore needeth more instruction and information of the Lorde then the thing it selfe And thus to minister the Sacrament causeth many times the poore sicke partie to put his hope and confidence in the externall fact and receyuing of the Sacrament and neuer to thinke him selfe sufficiently prepared to death but when he hath receiued the externall signe Also no parte of the Pascall Lambe was brought to the sicke in the eating whereof and celebrating of the Passecuer was onely regarded the Lordes ordinance wherevnto was nothing added or lefte out and it was not done of any in prinate but when the people did it together As it is written Exod. 2.6 All the multitude of the congregation shall keepe it at euen c. Num. 9.4.5 Qu. I pray you what is the cause why you woulde the sacraments not onely to be ministred where the word is preached but when the word is preached An. First that we may holde proportiō with the Lordes people in celebrating the the Passeouer Exod. 12.6 Num. 9.5 4. who held them selues strait ly to al that which they had receiued of the Lorde Also to glorifie the Lorde in yeelding obedience to his worde Who said go preach and baptise Mat. 28.19 Mat. 26.20 and in the institution of this sacrament he him selfe did the like Mark. 14.18 Luke 22.14 Iohn 13.21 Also the sacramentes are to the church of Christe as seales of his promise and what profiteth a seale without it be annexed to a grant Qu. Doe you not thinke it suffiseth in this behalfe if the worde be preached halfe a yeare or more or lesse before and not at the same time for whereas you spake of the seale to be onely in his vse when it is ioyned to the promise you know that men make grantes and seale them afterwards An. Your reason of the vsages of men which make graunts and seale them afterward if it proue any thing it should seeme to proue this that the promise may better be for a time without the seal then the seal without the promise yet you knowe that no man will seale a grant but at the time of sealing he will heare the grant and the meaning of euerie particular made plaine to all that haue interest or right in that action Also the Apostles who shoulde be our best president in this case next to the Lord himselfe helde them selues straightlie to that which they had receiued of the Lord and haue not sundred those thinges which the Lord hath ioined together as it is written Act. 20.7 The disciples being gathered together to breake bread Paul preached vnto them c. Acts. 2.41 Acts. 8.12 Acts. 9.17.18 Act. 10.34 Act. 16.15.32.33 Qu. What inconuenience suppose you may follow of the Sacramentes ministred without the worde preached An. Contempt of the Lorde and an opipion of iustifying in the act which is common with papists and vnbeleeuers and for the moste parte those that be ignorant Qu. The papists say that in the Sacrament of the Lords supper after the words of confirmation as they call them be spoken there remaineth no more bread but the verie bodie of Christ A perillous proofe of wrong meaning to the vvorde reallie and naturallie and they say they haue the worde to proue it namelie
the wordes of our Sauiour Christ to his disciples saying This is my body What thinke you of it An. The Papistes and vnbeleeuers in saying that these words of our Sauiour are of power to chaunge the nature of the bread in the very pronunciation to make the body of Christ forget them selues and in the enteraunce of their cause commit a foule ouersight For Christ in saying this is my body proueth it to be his body in suche sort as he ment it before the wordes be spoken and sayth not that after the words spoken it should be his body which they must confesse or els they wil be found to misname the thing and call bread fleshe whiche I thinke they will not laye vnto Christes charge who said it is my body not it shall be my body or is made my body by the words that I speake Qu. In deede as you say the words do playnly import that it is his body before in such sort as he ment it in whose mouth is no guile This is my body Eut I pray you may this their false iugling be made to appeare by the worde in any suche sorte as their nakednesse may be seene to the simple For as strumpets and brothels oft-times pretende great shewe of honestie so doe the Papistes and their friendes pretende great matter for the mainteinaunce of this and set a notable face on it and I perceiue that sith they meane still to dwell in the dregges of Romish idolatrie it doth muche stande them vpon to lye apace for the holding vp of this cursed vntruth For it is the chiefest prop of all the rest for away with that downe goes their priesthoode who they say haue greate skill and singuler dexteritie to make the Lords body when they lifte An. There be sufficient proofes in the worde the best witnesse to all them that haue not hardned their hearts and faces against the truth as appeareth that the Papistes haue for it may be truely auouched of them that is written The deafe adder stoppeth her eare and will not heare the voyce of the charmer charme he neuer so wisely And albeit I haue small hope to profite them to amendement yet for their sakes that may be snared with their subtilties and to helpe them to one witnes more of the Lords vndoubted trueth to their deeper iudgement I will here set downe a fewe wherein I trust their falsehood shall somewhat be seene to all that are not blind of purpose First Transubstantiation proueth an impossibilitie the transubstantiation which they so straine after teacheth an impossible thing namely the breaking of the body of Christ for they say it is the very naturall body and the worde addeth breaking vnto it So that if it be as they seme not vniustly to say the very naturall body of Christ then is Christes body and bones broken in the celebration of the Supper so that he is worse vsed amongst his dearest friends then he was at the handes of his greatest enimies For the Scripture witnesseth that they brake not a bone of him Io 19.33 36 Also this breaking that the Apostle speaketh of doth proue it to be bread after the words spoken for breaking hath respect to a substance for no accident can be broken but there we see the accidents of the bread as the shewe and taste and the Apostle addeth breaking Therefore it must needes be the same after that it was before namely bread Secondly it ouerthroweth the trueth of Christes body for to say that the bread is become the very naturall body of Christe that was borne of the virgin is to say that he is in the fleshe in many places at once and it mainteineth the error of Martion It proueth Christes body to be phantasticali which sayd that Christ had but a phantastical body and also the error of Entiches which cōfounded the two natures in Christ Thirdly it destroyeth our fayth as may appeare by that definition of fayth giuen by the holy Ghost Heb. 11.1 It destroyeth our fayth Faith is the ground of things that are hoped for and the euidence of things which are not seene But if there be the naturall body of Christ vnder the forme of bread as they say then it can not be denied but we see it for they saye it is not bread that we see but the body of Christ The Papistes vnder a 〈◊〉 shew of 〈◊〉 deliuer death therefore this teacheth that we can haue no fayth in this action and if we do it not in fayth all that we do therein is sinne as it is written Whatsoeuer is not of fayth is sinne Fourthly It is contrary to the vvorde of God it is contrary to the worde of God in other places and giueth a priuate sence to that place which S. Peter sayth the word of God can not beace for he sayth that there is no priuate interpretation in the worde And it is restefied in the worde Act. 3. that the heauens must receiue him vntill the time of there storing of all things And Christ him selfe sayth If they shal say vnto you Lo here is Christ or there is Christ beleeue them not Fifthly It is agaynst the articles of our fayth it discenteth from the articles of our fayth which say He assended into heauen and sitteth on the right hande of God the father from whence he shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead Sixtly it destroseth the institution of the Lordes supper It denieth the continuance of the Lords Supper which was commanded to be continued and vsed vntill the Lord him selfe should come If nowe therefore he be really present in the bodye of his flesh then must the supper cease And lastlie It is agaynst the trueth of the vvorde of God Mat. 26.20 it ouerthroweth the trueth of Christes wordes for he bid them doe it in remembrance of him now a remembrance and the thing remembred be not one so that if Christ be really and corporally present in the Sacrament the remembraunce is ceased for the thing remembrance presenteth it selfe Also if the wordes and the thing mente by the wordes be one then is the cup and not the wine in the cup the testamente in Christs bloud Luc. 22.20 for it is written This cup is the newe testament in my bloud which is shed for you Iohn 13.18 Also if the bread be turned into the naturall body of Christ Thus they iustifie the vvicked and condemne the innocent then the wicked eat his flesh and drinke his bloud but the wicked doe not eat the flesh of Christ or drinke his bloude therefore it is not transubstantiate Qu. Why the wicked do eat the fleshe of Christe do they not An. No for then should they haue eternal life as it is written Iohn 6.54 Who so eateth my flesh drinketh my blood hath euerlasting life c. Also it is bread after the wordes be spoken Qu. Now proue you that
An. The Apostle calleth it breade both before and after 1. Cor. 11.27 and therefore not the naturall bodie of Christ Qu. They will say he calleth it breade after because it was before as Symon the leaper and Naaman were called leapers when they were clensed because they had bene leprouse Exod. 7.12 And Moses his rodde being turned into a serpent was called stil a rod. An. In these was a plaine shewe to the senses that they were changed but in this it is not so but especiallie the Apostle puttes it oute of doubt adding breaking to it whiche can not agree with the bodie of Christe Also if the breade and wine be transubstantiate and tourned into the body and blood of Christe then was it transubstantiate at his last supper but it was not transubstantiation at his last supper therefore there is no such change of the breade and wine as they immagine Qu. Why was it not transubstantiate at his last supper An. No for then shoulde Christes naturall body which sate at the table haue bene also at one instant in their mouthes so that it must needes haue followed that he either had two bodies or else that his bodie was phantasticall and not a true bodie whiche can be but in one place at ouce Qu. But they will say that a glorified bodie may be euerie where and therefore both at the table and in their mouthes at one instant An. Besides that to say that Christ glorified bodye may bee euery where is to speake an intollerable vntrueth for the holie Ghost saith concerning his body which he tooke of the virgin he assended into heauen sitteth on the right hand of God and from thence shall he come c. so if his bodie was not glorified till he rose againe which I trust they will grant then was it not glorified at his last supper and consequently not at the table in their mouths by their owne reason Also Christ is testified to be like his brethren in all thinges Heb. 2.17 whereby we are put in some experience in that his body was like ours in all thinges except sinne and our bodies will not bee forced into suche a straight withall their coniuringes as to be closed in a peece of bread that Christs body is not changed in such sorte as they imagine Qu. What say you to the ministring of the Lords Supper vnder one kind and of keping the Lords cuppe from the people An. Christ did minister it in both Once decline from the worde and ther is no stay in falling whose institution it is not lawfull for any man to alter Qu. Some say that the Churche vpon good consideration may alter what they will and as they see cause in Rites Ceremontes and Sacramentes Christes Church is his spouse and is obedient to the vvorde but the church of Rome is a strumpet and will rule the vvorde An. The Institution of this Sacramēt standeth vpon the order example and commaundement of Christ for first be deuided the bread seuerally from the cup and the cup seuerally from the bread Secondly in this he gaue vs example to doe the same vnto the ende of the worlde Thirdly besides this order taken and example left he added also an expresse commaundement saying Do this drinke ye all of this Agaynst this order example and commaundement of the Gospell no Churche nor counsell of man or Angell hath any power or authoritie to chaunge or alter for it is written Gal. 1.8 9. If any bring vnto you any other doctrine besides that which you haue receiued holde him accursed Qu. They say further why may not the Church as well alter the forme of this Sacrament as the Apostles did the forme of Baptisme where S. Peter sayth Let euery one be baptized in the name of Iesus Christe Acts. 2.38 c. An. That Scripture nor any other proueth that the Apostles vsed this forme of baptising I baptise thee in the name of Christ but they vsed many times this maner of speache to be baptised in the name of Christ not as expressing thereby the formable words of baptising but as meaning that they would haue them to become members of Christ and to be baptised as Christians entring into his baptisme and not onely into the baptisme of Iohn and therfore although the Apostles thus spake yet notwithstanding when they baptised any them selues they vsed doubtlesse the forme prescribed of Christ and none other Qu. What doe the faythfull receiue in the Lordes Supper then more then onely bread and wine An. For our resolution in this Contemners of the Lordes misteries prophane his trueth we must haue respect vnto the minde of Christe which is best knowen by his words who sayth This is my body Which words of Christ be most true and least we should be like vnto strumpets which onely looke to the gystes and neuer regarde the minde of the giuer in a certayne assuraunce of the vndoubted truth of the words of the Lord I couclude that as to the outwarde senses it is bread and wine so to the soule beeing receiued in fayth it is the body and bloud of Christ Baptisme is not onely a signe of washing away of our sinnes but is in a spirituall maner a very washing and cleasing from sinne Ananias sayde to Paule Arise and washe away thy sinnes Acts. 22.16 So the supper is called a pertaking of the Lords body and not a signe of the pertaking of the Lords body Qu. Sithe the body of Christ is in heauen as the worde doth witnesse and we in the earth as experience doth proue howe can we communicate with his body and bloud An. Reason is a beast in Gods causes In deede to our carnall reason it is an absurde thing and therefore the Papistes vnbeleeuers measuring the Lords wayes by their corruption on the one side haue blindly imagined their transubstantiation and the Epicures and such like in the like measure thinke of the Lordes mysteries prophanely as namely in this that in the Lords Supper is onely bare bread and wine Contrary to both which I conclude that supernaturally and spiritually by faith holding fast the truth of the Lords promise we communicate with and are made pertakers of the body and bloud of Christ And albeit in deede the body of Christ is so farre from our eies and senses and therefore from the place where we celebrate the Supper concerning his bodily presence as heauen is from the earth in so muche as this action is heauenly and our fayth ascendeth thither that it maye most effectuall apprehende Christ in this respect whosoeuer doth not graunt that the fleshe of Christ is most effectually present in the Supper maketh boyde the Supper of the Lorde for Christ sayth This is my body which is giuen for you Mat. 26.26 This is my bloud which is shed for you Mar. 14.22 Luc. 22. 1. Cor. 10. which words can not be restrayned to the effects Qu. There
Christes righteousnes holynes innocencie and immortalitie and of all the merites of Christ and his whole glory For it is written The glory which thou gauest me I haue giuen them He also is made partaker with the Church and all the good that euer it or any member of it had hath or shall haue for there is in it a communion and fellowshippe of Saintes which we beleue and which hath wayting on it alwayes the forgiuenes of sinnes the rising agayne and eternall lyfe with God Qu. In examining our selues The third matter in examination what els must we looke for An. Our estate before the Churche The state of the faythfull before the Church wherein is required not onely that we forgiue from our hearts those that haue offended vs that we may haue an experience within our selues of Christes spirit and so glorifie God in our heartes by assurance of his mercy in forgiuing vs and accepting of vs in Christ As it is written Forgeue and you shall be forgiuen Math. 6. But also we muste seeke to be reconciled to them whom we haue offended As it is written Mat. 5.23 If thou offrest thy gyft vpon the alter and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought agaynst thee leaue there thy gifte and go and be reconciled first to thy brother and then come and offer thy gifte and this must not only be done of vs before we come to the Sacrament but also concerning prayer to the Lorde For it is written When you pray say thus Our father c Forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse agaynst vs. Qu. But were it not better firste to doe these thinges that concerne Gods glory then to seeke reconcilement afterwardes for is not this to prefer to offices of charity before the worship of God and to set the the second table which cencerneth our brethren before the first which concerneth the Lorde him selfe An. As the heart of man is prone into the way of offence euen from the wombe and hath not any inclination of it selfe into the way of the Lord The naturall man hath an cuill heart so they in vain pretend to haue receiued eternall blessings from him by his spirite where there is not in some measure these the like fruites of the same spirite And the Lorde taxeth them as false pretenders to worship God which proudly coÌ„temn their brethren whoÌ„ they haue offeÌ„ded And vnder one kinde he setteth downe the outward exercises of the diuine worship wherby men ofteÌ„ times do more couÌ„terfet lines theÌ„ truly testify it which is the property of al hipocrits as it is seen in the pharasie Qu. The papistes in steede of all this say goe to the prieste and tell him all thy sinnes then come at Easter and receiue c. do you thinke it well An. No nothing of vs ought to bee accounted well done that is not done to the gloric of God Qu. Why they will say they doe it to the glorie of God and how can you prooue the contrarie An. There is no good thing vvithout the light of the vvorde Nothing can be done to the gloric of God without obedience There is no obedience without the worde so that I conclude nothing can bee done to the glory of God without the testemony of the worde But these vile immaginations be not only without the worde which were enough to throw them withall their good put poses intents down to the diuel in iudgment but that they may holde their interest in a deeper and more horrible vengeance they are directly agaynst the manifect testimonies of the worde of the Lorde First they will haue the people to confesse their sinnes to them The Scripture willeth vs to confesse our sinnes to the Lorde onely Dauid sayth Remember not Lorde the sinnes of my youth Psal 25.7 Psa 51.3 4. c. And agayne Agaynst thee O Lorde haue I sinned Also Luke teacheth vs by the example of the lost sonne to confesle our sinnes to the Lorde The Publicane sayde Luc. 15.1 Luc. 18.18 Lorde be mercifull to me a sinner And where the Priestes say they must confesse all the Prophet Dauid sayth Who can tell howe ofte hee offendeth Psal 19.12 Also where as they say they can forgiue sinnes Sooner sayde then proued they shew their fust condemnation namely that the diuell and sinne reigneth in them For if they can forgiue sinnes then Christ dyed in vayne But let God be euerlastingly true and the diuell and all Papistes lyers I euen I am he sayth the Lord that put away thine iniquities for mine owne sake Esa 43.23 and will no more remember thy sinnes Psal 3.8 Also whereas they alow the Sacrament to the people onely at Easter they do in that as in the rest for as they robbe the Lorde of his honour and put an holines in the time so all the other times of the yere wherein the Lorde sayth to the whole Church in respect of the Supper beeing a publike action Take ye eaâ—e ye the Papists say let the Priest eate it alone and let all the people gase looke on But be the Lords trueth neuer so playne ageynst this kind of superstitious receyuing the Lords Sacraments yet such force hath these deuises of the diuell to holde the vngodly in condemnation that you shall see many in many places and they not the least euen at this day The Popes friends which professe to ferue the Lord by seasons come once a yere to the Sacrament more for feare of the lawe then for loue to the Lord. who at Easter will come very deuoutly and all the yere after neuer a whit in whom the foule stenche of the diuels excrementes in these and the like practises of popery hath so forestalled their senses that there is no place in them for the sweete fauour of the worde of lyfe whose condemnation sleepeth not And for so muche as these and their Popish teachers hold vp an other doctrine then Christ hath taught vs we are warranted by the Apostle to holde them accursed Qu. What say you to the place of Saint Iames which thy alleage for eare confesseon Iames. 5.16 where he saith confesse your sinnes one to another An. Saint Iames in the wisedome of the holie Ghoste prouideth for the comfort of Gods chosen in the distresse of spirite thorough the conscience of sinne in which case he adutseth the Lords people to imparte them such greefe with some such of their brethren as in the wisedome of Gods spirite according to the folowwip of his hee may iustly hope both for such counsell in the warrantise of the word as his soul needeth and also may be strengthened by his feruent prayers to the Lord and so the words following proue for he saith Confesse your sinnes one to another and pray one for another that ye may be healed c. Also if this gaue any strength to eare confession then must the prieste
any measure in the like heauinesse JT is true good maistres H. which the Spirite hath spoken and wee seele it by experience that by many tribulations wee must enter into the kingdom of heauē This is a common decree whiche God hath sanctified to be a let for all his children So the author and finisher of our faith Iesus Christe himselfe was made perfect Into his similitude we are also predestinate that we should first die with him then be partakers of his glorie Let vs not therefore refuse that condition of life in whiche we haue the fellowship of al the Saints of God But rather confesse with the holy Apostle that blessed is the man who endureth temptation But because al afflictions are bitter for the present time when the minde is shaken with sorrowe it is then moste easily throwne downe of the enimie let vs learne wisely what our troubles are and be prepa red of remedie in the day of triall All our afflictions are ether according to the fleshe in hunger cold nakednes shame contēpt slander c. or according to the spirite in lamentations mournings which the world knoweth not The first euilles are easilie borne for they are all but vanitie and in vanity ther shall dye if we see no fauour in the sight of the Sun that shire not heare acceptable vnto vs when we haue paide the debt we owe vnto death the Lord then wil deliuer vs from al the iniuries of men But in this behalfe let me confirme my selfe God hath set you free from such afflictions your goodes are vnto you in a liberal portion your life made happie with a louing husband your calling acceptable vnder a gratious and good maistresse In whose sight you haue found fauour In this estate you shall feele no trouble therefore I let it passe The other affliction whithe is the spiritte and whiche can not bee resisted with anye earthlie blessing looke for it assuredly for it will come vnto you the you may suffer with Christ and reign with him in glorie These troubles they come many waies euē accordingly as God doth leade vs into life First we are commanded to learne and knowe the worde of God against this looke for many tentations the enimy will try which way to plucke that out of our hearts out of the worde we must learn a pretious faith hold that vmnouable before God against this what tentations are betweene heauen and earth you shall feele your portion if any thing possible can discourage you with faith you must ioine a liuelie hope which is a longing apprehensiō of gods glory in this also Satan wil pretermit nothing to quēch your affectiō the it may be dead to darken your mind the you may see nothing with out these you can not possiblie liue vnto these you can not possblie come but firste you shall feele what is the strength of sinne And yet notwithstanding faint not the Lion hath ouer come which is of the tribe of Iuda The force of the Serpent shall bruse our heele but it shall not take away from vs the head peece of saluation Learn therefore first the word of God this is the seede of regeneration by which we are made new creatures this is the bread of spirituall nourishment by which wee are growne vp into eternall life This is the weapon of our warfare by which we may wounde and driue away our enimies This is the scepter of our glo rious kingdome by which we do knowe the God doth reign in vs. Take this vnto you the shield of your defence the strengthe of your age the wisedome of your hearte and the safetie of your life cōmended vnto you in the word of Christ Search the Scriptures and seale it in your heart with a good persuasion that it is the word of God of life and he hath grauen in it an expresse image of eternall trueth Let it dwell plentifully within you and your hart is armed with a most strong defence all enimies shall fall before it the wisedome of the wise shall be brought to nought and the counsaile of the prudent shal be made foolishnes the waies of the aduersaries shall be scattered and the scorners seate shall be thrown down so true it is that the Lord hath spoken Blessed is the man whose delight is in the law of the Lorde and whose meditation is in it day night Let vs then bring downe the hawtinesse of our minds and receiue with meekenesse the word grafted in vs whiche can saue our soules To this desire of vnderstanding when God hath brought vs then let vs pray to be deliuered from tentation take heed we be not spoiled of so great a treasure we haue three especial enemies in this behalfe of which S. Paule biddeth vs al beware the one is Philosophy that is a vain curious searching of Gods misteries or measuring thinges reuealed according to our vnderstanding with which tentations whilest our fathers were ouercome they became foolish in their own imaginations and changed the glory of God into the likenes of a corruptible man making images praying to angelles immagining of soules like little children deuising purgatorie rea soning of Gods wiseddme aboue our capacitie As if we be predestinate we may liue as wee list if we are commanded to worke if our daies are numbred why seeke we any safetie to our life If the Angels do keep vs in all our waies that we shall not hurt our foote against a stone why feare we any falling these phantasies and worse then these disquiet our mindes and fight within vs against our humble obedience to the worde of God which all when we haue ouercome and said with the Prophet secrete things are for the Lorde but thinges reuealed for vs and our children yet we haue no peace A second enimie riseth vp greater then the first which S. Paul calleth the traditions of men for the heart of man which drinketh in error as the grounde doth drinke water is very obstinately bound with old customes and long continuaunce measuring trueth which is pure holy onely by time which is corrupt and euil not only this but nature also hath inflamed our affections to loue to muche our fathers waies to like their opinions to esteeme their iudgements to prayse their doings to commend their rage to talk of their names til throgh many entisemēts we are at last bewitched our wisdome is stollen away and trueth is taken from vs by this meanes all corruptions which haue ouerflowed the earth haue still wide roomes in the hearts of many the Popes supremacie latine seruice praier for the dead Masses diriges pardons pilgrimages sensing all poperie with the Authors of it Popes Cardinals Monks Friers all which haue neither trueth nor shadow of truth not one word of them in al the gospel of Christ only old custome hath bred it in our benes an opinion of our fathers hath printed it in our brests
we wil not cast it out but the Lorde be thanked who hath had mercie vppon vs to make hold fast the word of truth what soeuer our fathers haue vainely taught vs And yet we are not in securitie But a third enimie is in the hart of man that the word of God may not haue his perfect honor and that is an opinion conceiued of earthly thinges planting of holines in corruptile creatures As in meates drinkes daies garmentes conditions of life places times Cerimonies neither hearing our Sauiour Christ that God is a spirite and onelie he is to be worshipped in spirite and trueth neither his Apostle Paule that the element of that world commend vs not vnto God for neither if we eate are wee euer the worse neither if we eate not are we euer the better These many and great tentations stand against vs assoone as wee woulde giue our selues to the word of God which is the beginning of a christian life Trowe you that in the continuance of our course and iorney before we come at our sauiour Christ shall we not be sifted and tried to see what is within vs. And you good mystresse H. to apply this to your selfe tell me howe you haue learned Christe hath his gospell bene peaceable in you from the first day til now without all contradiction was your minde neuer puffed vp in vaine imaginations did the traditions and persuasions of men neuer shake your thought haue you not ben tēpted w e opinions of creatures as though some wer more holy some more prophane I knowe as you long after Christ desire his trueth in single heart so his grace you haue not without sharp bitter trials and the more freely the word of God shall possesse your soule and fill your hart full with all desire of it the more you shall feele what fight is againste it looke for the like in all your life and when you approche to the true feare of God prepare youre hearte to the strongest assault The word of God thus made knowen vnto vs and when we follow it with all our soule that we maye haue a liuely fayth to reioyce at the promises of God to feare at his threatning and feele a full perswasion of a certayne performance of all his words O Lorde what is the malice of Satan and though many temptations are against vs the long prosperities of the wicked in which they triūph whiles the goodnes of God prouoketh thē still to repentaunce the bitter sighing of the godly in which they mourne vnder many crosses whiles God maketh their fayth precious before him these haue rooted quite out of the hearts of the vngodly the fayth and truth which they owe vnto God so that agaynst all his iudgementes they haue opened their mouths and said aloude Where is the promise of his cōming and against all his mercies they haue proclaymed warre and sayde they will not haue Christ to reigne ouer them But these temtations Christ hath ouercome in vs and giuen vs his spirite in which we know assuredly that the Lord reigneth neither slacketh he his comming as many accounte slacknes but he will come and his glory shall be knownen And yet we are not in peace but Satan wil sift vs another way He will lay our sinnes before vs to make vs feare that the promises of God belong not vnto vs and this of all temptations is the greatest yet we feare not for what belongeth to all our sinnes which Christe hath not borne sorowe sicknes death hel condemnation were they not in his body and are they not all crucified vppon the Crosse Is he not risen from them and hath he not broken the chaynes of death and so is ascended vnto glory If this be my feare because I am a sinner rather let me reioyce for Christ hath takē my sinnes vpon him and hath buried them deeper then the bottome of the sea he hath ledde it openly in triumph and nayled it vppon the crosse from henceforth and for euermore It hath no strength whosoeuer secme to colour it as redde as scarlet or make it like purple it is still nothing and casteth but a vayue terror before our eyes we will neuer deny this but freely confesse it that we be miserable sinners and not worthy to lifte vp our eyes to heauen but who will lay our sinnes to our charge now god hath iustified vs Or what sinne can rest vpon vs now Christ hath washed them away That which once was in fight with Christ and he hath ouercome it who shall set to his hande the seconde time to make the victorie perfect This is true and euerlasting trueth hath sealed it vp that sinne is abolished for euer and euer howsoeuer we feare or tremble or be faynt harted yet before the Lorde with whom our life is hid there is no perill no daunger no fcare but peace and righteousnes without ende Let our sinnes be neuer so great neither we nor our sinnes can chaunge the new testament that God is mercifull to our sinnes and will blot out all our transgressions therefore this care is paste that our sinnes be many the more they are the greater is his mercy who hath forgiuen them And this is the token which God hath giuen vs that we are his because we are greeued with our sinnes for our Sauiour Christe ouercame sinne with paynes sufferings which belong vnto it and this is the badge of our redemption to be made like him in afflictions we haue sinne and abhorre it it woundeth vs with feare it setteth before vs condemnation we haue a sence and feeling of Gods anger agaynst it and hell gnaweth vpon our soules because of transgression O blessed state and treasure of gladnes this was the image of Christ when he ouercame sinne a marke of my redemption in my owne flesh that I should not faynt As the sunne maketh the day and the night darknes so this affliction of sinne is the badge and cognisaunce of our certayne forgiuenes And herein see the goodnes of God which turneth all things to the best to those that loue him Through feare of sinne the diuell fighteth agaynst vs without feare of sinne we could neuer haue boldnes through anguish of heart the diuell woulde ouerwheline vs with sorrowe without anguish of heart we coulde neuer haue ioye In feeling Gods anger the diuel would make vs to dispayre without feeling his threatning and trembling before him we could neuer haue strength of fayth that his mercies are for euer In all sufferings I am like to Christ they are the markes of mine addoption that I am hys childe do we not heare the Lord him selfe doth speake If we be without correction then are we bastardes and not sonnes and to shewe what our correction shall be he sayth in another place If we be planted with him into the similitude of his death then shall we also be partakers of his resurrection Who hath heard so great salnation as this Euery weapon
wherewith the enimie striketh the same armeth vs to greater saluation and euery wounde that we do receiue the same confirmeth vs to a suter life Then before as I sayde care not for sinne for that is abolished so here I may adde Care not for hell for the nearer we feele it the further we are from it Let them feare sinne that feele it not and let them be afrayde of condemnation that knowe not what it is vpon whom destruction shall come sodenly as an armed man Our eyes haue be kept waking and we haue seene our sinnes our harts haue fainted before the anger of the Lorde and wee haue not despised his heauenly calling therefore in the daye of trouble we shall haue rest In this perswasion we will liue and dye and if our soules should melt for feare within vs although the Lord should kill vs yet would we trust in him Abraham beleeued in the Lorde and it was imputed vnto him for righteousnes against hope he beleeued vnder hope and if our hoye seemed to be takeÌ„ from vs yet would we patiently wayte the Lordes leasure vutill we saue our hope agayne that at the least our fayth might haue agayne the glorye and trueth of full assuraunce An other thing we must labour in and in an other thing we shall haue temptation and that is that we may see what is the glorie of God and immortall life herein lette vs meditate in our beddes and thinke on this in our secret places in the middest of companies let these cogitatioÌ„s be often in our heartes and in all places let these be out mâ—ses when we shall apprehende with all the seruauntes of God what is the height the bredth the length the depth we shall know that the glory is great of immortalitie and he is onely to be belecued who shall shine in honour when this vanitie is ouerpast His strength is great that layde the foundations of the worlde and bys brightnes exceeding that made the Sunne and the Moone His treasure and ritches are aboue measure who hath giuen princes their golde siluer and other precious stones for the honour of man he in deed is of excellent maiesty who is king of kings Lord of Lords his power is aboue all who maketh sicknesse his messengers and death his minister till he shal abolish them both for his mercies are vnspeakable that forgineth vs all our sinnes his goodnes is great who hath had regard to the children of men From nothing be brought vs into life he kept vs from the graue he wil restore vs make vs see his glory When I would think on this my soule is compassed with dulnes of flesh that I cannot see the fulnes of his fauour When I would consider in my heart what is his grace darknes ouershaddoweth mine vnderstaning all my thoughts do vanish in his immortality WheÌ„ I would speak of al his louing kindnes my toung cleaueth to the roote of my mouth and my words stick fast within my lippes But this one thing in al mine infirmities I can perceiue that his glorie is exceeding great whose glorie I can not comprehend the life is long appointed vnto man where his heart and minde can see no end If al the world were a flowing water and euery yeare one drop shoulde be deminished the Sea should be all made dry and the bottomes of the deepe shoulde appeare before he shall ceasse to liue whome God hath raised from the dead and this breadth widenesse betweene heauen and earth if it shoulde be filled vp and cuerie yeare but one handful of earth added to the work yet sooner should the great distance be closed vp the emptie places made full then he shall cease from ioy and gladnes who shal stand in the resurrection of the iust This is the glorie that hath neither spot nor blemishe before which me thincketh not only princesse the glory of the world but the Sun and Moone all the hostes of heauen are nothing else but meere vanitie for death shaddoweth the glorie of man though hee spread his branches neuer so farre yet the graue closeth vp in little roome the ambitious heart which before was enlarged from East to West And the heauens that are high free from death yet are holden vnder the tyranny of enuious and consuming time in which they shall be changed onely the Lorde is in honour and maiestie who hath set eternity rounde aboute him cast out time vnto confusion Oh Lorde where are their eyes that say not this or their hearts that see and regard it not who hath be witched them in the countenances of meÌ„ to carry the hearts of beasts and to forget the latter ende The Lord turne them the run astray the they may know see wher is their glorie but the teÌ„ptations haue ouertaken them which are against our hope when the Lord shall deliuer them from euil they shal giue thee thankes and reioice with vs that they also haue eyes to see And blessed are you good mystres H. and God hath visited you in an acceptable time whose heart he hath touched with feare whose affections he hath filled with hunger and thirst that you should mourn for the redemption that is in Christe and be pleased with nothing but with the grace of his countenance This is a schoolmystres to bring you vnto him a bond to tye you fast that you shal not be seperate And accomplishe I beseeche you this good worke of his grace till you loue the Lorde withall your heart and till you can say with the blessed Apostle I desire to be desolued and to be with Christ For this purpose we are chastised of the Lorde and when our faith is tried at the last it shall be made strong that w e it wee may quench al the firie darts of Sattan and in righteousnes and peace and ioy of the holy Ghost runne the course that is set before vs till in a blessed issue of happy daies with a good spirite wee maye say boldly Lorde nowe lettest thou thy seruaunte departe in peace whiche I beseeche GOD the father of our Lord Iesus Christ the God of mercâ— and Father of all consolation graunte vnto you Amen Pray pray pray pray this is your best seruice wheresoeuer your duetie is most bounde