these three or doe it in the name of any one of the three persons onely ye lose the essentiall form of Baptisme In the Lords Supper if yee leaue out the least ceremonie ye lose the essential form and so it is not a Sacrament I speak of the essentiall forme in respect of the Papists who keepe the essentiall forme in Baptisme though they haue brought in trifles of their owne and mixt with it yet in respect they keepe the substantiall forme it is not necessary that they who were baptized vnder them be rebaptized Indeed if the vertue of regeneration flowed from the person it were something but in respect Christ hath this to giue to whom when he pleaseth the essentiall forme being kept it is not necessary that this Sacrament be reiterated Now what are the faults in the person that peruerts the Sacrament The fault may be either in the person of the giuer or in the person of the receiuer I speake not of those common faults which are common to all but of such faultes as disable the person of the giuer to be a distributer of the Sacrament taketh the office from him so when the person of the giuer is this way disabled no question it is not a Sacrament Then again in the person of the Receiuer the faults may be if their childreÌ„ be not in the couenant but out of it they get not the SacrameÌ„t Indeed if the Parents afterward com to the couenant the children thogh they be gotteÌ„ out of the couenant may be receiued Euen so in the L. Supper if a man be laden with any burthen of sin without any purpose to repent hee ought not to receiue it So then if ye come without a purpose to repent ye lose the vse of the Sacrament it is onely this purpose to repent that maketh me who receiue the Sacrament to get the fruit effect therof therefore euery one who goeth to that Sacrament must looke what purpose he hath in his hart Hast thou a purpose to murder to continue in adultery or to commit any other vile sin that is in thy hart and art not resolued to repent In shewing thee to be without repentance thou shewest thy selfe to be without faith and consequently thou commest vnto thy condemnation not to thy saluation take heed then what your purpose is for if with a dissolute life yee haue a dissolute purpose yee come vnto your euerlasting perdition I had thought to haue entred particularly into the handling of this Sacrament CoÌ„clusion with an exhortation but because the time is past and some of you I doubt not are to communicate onely this Remember that yee addresse not your selues to that Table except ye finde your harts in some sort prepared The first degree of preparation standeth in contrition in sorowing for sinne in a feeling of your sins wherein ye haue â—ffended so gracious a God If ye be able as that woman was by the tears of a contrite hart to wash the feete of Christ humbly to kiss his feete and to get hold of the foote of Christ though yee dare not presume so high as to get him whole ye are in a good case but if thou want all these and hast them not in some measure thou wantest all the degrees of preparation therefore let none come to this Table except hee haue these in some measure But vvhere there is a displeasure for sinne a purpose to doe better an earnest sobbing and sighing to get the thing that thou wantest in that soule where God hath placed this desire of Christ it is the vvorke of Gods spirit Christ will enter there And therfore though that soule be farre from the thing that it should be at let him not refuse to goe to the Lords Table but let him go with a profession of his owne infirmitie weakenesse and with a desire of the thing that he wants Euery one of you that findeth himselfe this way disposed let him goe in Gods name to the Lords Table and the Lord worke this in euery one of your harts that this ministerie may be effectuall in euery one of you at this time and that in the righteous merits of Iesus Christ To whom with the Father the holy Ghost be all honour praise glorie both now and for euer Amen THE SECOND Sermon vpon the Lords Supper in particular 1. Cor. 11.23 For I haue receiued of the Lord that which I also haue deliuered vnto you to vvit that the Lord Iesus in the night that hee vvas betrayed tooke bread c. WE ended the consideration of the Sacraments in generall in our last Exercise welbeloued in Christ Iesus now it remaines that we proceed to the consideration of this Sacrament of the Lords Supper in particular Of the Supper of the Lord in particular And that yee may the better attaine vnto the knowledge and consideration of the great varietie of matter that is coÌ„tained in this Sacrament of the Lods Supper I shall endeuour Heads to be intreated of as God shall giue me grace to set downe certaine things for the easier vnderstanding of it And first of all I vvill let you see what names are giuen vnto this Sacrament in the Bible and I will shew you some names that are giuen to this Sacrament by the Ancients Next I will let you vnderstand for what chiefe ends respects this Sacrament was instituted and appointed by Christ Iesus Thirdly I will come to the things that are contained in the Sacrament how these things are coupled how they are deliuered and how they are receiued And last of all I will answere certaine obiections which may be obiected to the contrary of this doctrine and as God shall giue me grace I will refute them and so end this present exercise Now First head generall we finde sundry names giuen vnto the Sacrament of the Lords Supper in the booke of God and euery name carries a speciall reason with it Of the names giueÌ„ vnto this Sacrament both in the Bible and by the ancients Wee finde this Sacrament called the body and bloud of Christ This name is giuen vnto it no doubt because it is a heauenly spiritual nouriture it containes a nouriture of the soule that is able to nourish and traine vp the soule to a life spiritual to that life euerlasting for this cause it is called the body bloud of Christ It is called also the Supper of the Lord to put a difference betwixt it a profane supper for this is the Lords Supper a holy supper not a profane or common supper a supper appointed for the increase of holiness for the food of the soule in holiness to feede the soule vnto life euerlasting Not a supper appointed for the belly for he had ended that Supper that was appointed for the belly or euer he began this supper which was appointed for the soule A supper no doubt hauing respect to the circuÌ„stance of
bloud chiefely is the thing signified in the Sacrament of Baptisme and why because that by his bloud hee washeth away the filth of our soules because that by the vertue of his bloud he quickneth vs in our soules with a heauenly life because that by the power of his bloud hee ingrafteth and incorporateth vs in his owne body For that Sacrament is a testimonie of the remission of our sinnes that is of the cleanenesse of our consciences that our consciences by that bloud are washed inwardly It testifieth also our new birth that wee are begotten spiritually to a heauenly life It testifieth also the ioyning of vs in the body of Christ As it is a testimony so it is a seale it not onely testifieth but sealeth it vp in our harts and maketh vs in our harts to feele the taste of that heauenly life begun in vs that wee are translated from death in the which wee were conceiued and ingrafted in the body of Christ Marke then Christ in his bloud as hee is the washing of our regeneration is the thing signified in Baptisme In this Sacrament of the Lords Supper againe this same Christ is the thing signified in another respect to wit in this respect that his body and bloud serue to nourish my soule to life euerlasting for this Sacrament is no other thing but the image of our spirituall nourishment GOD testifying how our foules are fed nourished to that heauenly life by the image of a corporal nourishmeÌ„t So in diuerse respects the same thing that is Chr. Iesus is signified in Baptisme and is signified in the Lords Supper In this Sacrament the fruits of Christes death whereof I spake the vertue of his sacrifice the vertue of his passion I call not these fruits vertues only the thing signified in the Sacrament of the L Supper but rather I call the thing signified that substance that person out of the which substance this vertue these fruits do flow and proceed I grant and it is most certain that by the lawfull vse participation of the Sacrament thou art partaker of all these fruites yet these fruites are not the first and chiefe thing whereof thou art partaker in this Sacrament but of force thou must get another thing first It is true that no man can be partaker of the substance of Christ but the same soule must be also partaker of the fruites that flowe from his substance yet notwithstanding thou must discerne betwixt the substance and the fruites that flowe from the substance and thou must be partaker of the substance in the first roome then in the next place thou must bee partaker of the fruites that flowe from his substance To make this cleere in Baptisme the fruites of Baptisme are remission of our sinnes mortification the killing of sinne and the sealing vp of our adoption to life euerlasting The substance out of the which these fruite doe flowe is the bloud of Christ Ye must heere of force discerne between the bloud vvhich is the substance and betweene remission of sinnes washing and regeneration which are the fruites that flow from this bloud so in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper the fruits of that Sacrament are the growth oâ— faith the increase in holiness The thing signified is the substance that is the body bloud of Christ is the substance out of which this growth in faith and holinesse doth proceed Now see ye not this That you must discerne betweene the substance and the fruites and must place the substance in the first place So that the substance of Christ that is Christ himselfe is the thing signified in this Sacrament For your owne experience will make this plaine vnto you Before your stomack be filled with any foode yee must eate the substance of the food first before you be filled with bread yee must eate the substance of the bread first before your drouth bee quenched with any drinke yee must of necessitie drinke the substance of the drinke first Euen so after this maner before the hunger of your soules be satisfied the thirst thereof quenched yee must eate the flesh of Christ and drinke his bloud first and that by faith So consider the one by the other looke to what vse bread and vvine serue to thy body to the same vse the body and bloud of Christ serue to thy soule and he that appointed the one to serue for thy body the same God appointed the other to serue for thy soule So looke how impossible it is for thee to be fedde with that foode that neuer commeth into thy mouth or to recouer health by those drugges which neuer were applyed it is as impossible for thee to be fed by the body of Christ to get thy health by the bloud of Christ except thou first eate his bodie and drinke his bloud Then yee see that the thing signified in the Lords Supper is not the fruites so much as the body and bloud and Christ Iesus which is the fountaine and substance from which these fruites doe flowe and proceed Then I say suppose Christ The thing signified in both the SacrameÌ„ts is one the signes are not one who is the thing signified remaine alwaies one and the same in both the Sacraments yet the signes whereby this one Christ is signified in the Sacraments are not one nor of an â—quall number For in Baptisme the thing that representeth Christ is Water In the Lords Supper the things that represent Christ are Bread and Wine Water is appointed to represent Christ in Baptisme because it is meetest to represent our vvashing with the bloud of Christ for what is fitter to wash with then water so there is nothing meeter to wash the soule then the bloud of Christ In this Sacrament he hath appointed Bread and Wine why Because there is nothing more meet to nourish the body then bread and vvine so the Lord hath not chosen these signes without a reason As the signes in the Sacrament are not alwaies one so the same in both are not of one number for in Baptisme wee haue but one element in this Sacrament wee haue two elements Now what is the reason of this diuersitie that the Lord in the one Sacrament Why in Baptisme there is but one signe and in the Lords Supper two hath appointed two signes and in the other but one signe I will shew you the reason He hath appointed onely one signe in Baptisme to wit Water because Water is sufficient enough for the whole If Water had not been sufficient to represent the thing signified hee would haue appointed another signe but in respect that water doâ—â— the turne and representeth fully the washing of our soules by the bloud of Christ what need then haue we of any other sign Now in this Sacrament one signe will not suffice but there must be two And vvhy Wine cannot be sufficient alone neyther can Bread be sufficient alone for he that hath Bread onely and
yee must bee borne in the bodie of Christ his spirit must quicken you This is called the quickning and liuing spirit of Christ by Iohn And so soone as this spirit cometh what doth it It chaseth away darknesse out of the vnderstanding whereas before I knewe not God now I see him not onely generally that he is a God but that he is my God in Christ what more doth the holy spirit It opneth the heart as well as the minde and what doth it there Those things whereon I bestowed the affection of my heart and imployed the loue of my soule are by the working of the holy spirit made gall to mee he makes then venome to mee and to bee as deadly hated of mee as poyson Hee worketh such an inward disposition in my soule that hee makes mee to turne and flie from those things whereon I imployed my loue before and to imploy it vpon God This is a great perfection Alwayes in some measure he makes mee to loue God better then anie other thing Hee changeth the affections and inclinations of my soule he changeth the faculties and qualities of my soule And though our hearts minde be made new yet the substance of them is not changed but onely the faculties and qualities are changed in respect of the which change wee are called new creatures except you be found newe creatures Conclusion with an exhortation yee are not in Christ Now to come to the poynt This secret Coniunction is brought to passe by faith and by the holy spirit by faith wee lay hold on the bodie and bloud of Christ And though wee bee as farre distant as heauen and earth are the spirit serues vs as a ladder to conioyne vs with Christ As the ladder of Iacob which reached from the ground to the heauen to the selfe same vse serueth the spirit of God to conioyne the bodie of Christ with my soule Then obserue the whole in a word what makes you to haue anie right or title to Christ Nothing but the spirit Nothing but faith What should bee your studie then Seeke by all meanes possible to gett faith That as Peter Acts the 15.9 sayeth your hearts and consciences may be sanctified by faith And if you endeuour not as well to get faith in your hearts as in your mindes your faith auaileth not What auaileth the faith that fleeteth in the fantasie and brings a naked knowledge without the opening of the heart and consent of the will So there must be an opening of thy hart and consent of thy will to doe that thing that God commandeth or else thy faith availeth not Then striue to get faith in your hearts and mindes and doing so yee doe the duties of Christians This is not done without the diligent hearing of the word and diligent receiuing of the Sacrament Then be diligent in these exercises and be diligent in prayer Praying in the holy Ghost that hee would nourish your soules inwardlie with the body and bloud of Christ That hee would increase faith in your hearts and mindes and make it to grow vp more and more daily vntill you come to the full fruition of that blessed immortality Vnto the which the Lord of his mercie bring vs and that for the righteous merits of Christ Iesus To whome with the Father and the holy Ghost bee all honour praise and glorie both now and euer Amen THE THIRD Sermon vpon the Lords Supper 1. Cor. 11.23 For I haue receiued of the Lord that which I also haue deliuered vnto you to wit that the Lord Iesus in the night that hee was betraied tooke bread c. WE haue heard wel-beloued in Christ Iesus in our last exercise what names were giuen to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper as well in the Scriptures as by the Auncientes of the Latine and East Churches wee hearde the chiefe ends wherefore and wherevnto this holy Sacrament was at first instituted wee heard the things that were contained in this Sacrament what they were how they are coupled how they are deliuered and how they are receiued wee heard also some obiections that might bee obiected to the contrarie of this doctrine wee heard them propounded and as God gaue the grace refuted wee heard how the faythfull soule is said to eate Christs bodie and drinke Christs blood Wee heard the manner how Christ is or canne bee receiued of vs And we concluded in this poynt That Christ Iesus the Sauiour of mankinde our Sauiour cannot bee perceiued nor yet receiued but by a spirituall way apprehension Neyther the flesh of Christ nor the bloud of Christ nor Christ himselfe can bee perceiued but by the eye of fayth can bee receiued but by the mouth of faith nor can be layd hold on but by the hand of fayth Now faith is a spiritual thing for fayth is the gift of God poured downe into the heartes and mindes of men and women wrought in the soule of euery one and that by the mightie working and operation of the holy spirit So the onely waie to laie holde on Christ being by faith and faith of it owne nature beeing spiritual it followeth therefore that there is no waie to lay hold on Christ but a spirituall way there is not a hand to fasten on Christ but aspirituall hand there is not a mouth to digest Christ but a spirituall mouth The Scriptures samiliarly by all these tearmes describe the nature and efficacie of faith How we are said to eate the flesh and drinke the blood of Christ Wee are said to eate the flesh of Christ by faith and to drink his bloud by faith in this Sacrament chiefely in doing of two things First in calling to our remembrance the bitter death and passiof Christ the blood that hee shedde vpon the crosse the Supper which he instituted in remembrance of him before he went to the Crosse The commandement which hee gaue Doe this in remembrance of me I say wee eate his flesh and drinke his bloode spiritually First in this poynt in recording and remembring faithfully how hee died for vs how his blood was shedde vpon the crosse This is the first poynt a point that cannot be remembred truly except it be wrought by the mightie power of the holy spirit The second poynt of the spirituall eating standeth in this That I and euerie one of you beleeue firmly that he died for mee in particular That his bloud was shedde on the crosse for a full remission and redemption of me and my sinnes The cheefe and principall poynt of the eating of Christ his flesh and drinking of his blood standeth in beleeuing firmely that that flesh was deliuered to death for my sinnes that that blood of his was shedde for the remission of my sinnes and except euerie soule come neere to himselfe and firmely consent and agree and bee perswaded that Christ died for him that soule can not be saued that soule cannot eate the flesh nor drinke the blood of Christ Then the
Christ which was locally present with the rest of his disciples was not glorified yet the body which hee exhibited in the bread was glorified They might as well haue held their peace and say nothing For marke the words of the text as they are written Luke 22.19 where it is said And he tooke the bread and when hee had giuen thankes hee brake it and gaue to them saying This is my bodie which is giuen for you and Saint Paul 1. Cor. 11.24 hath these words Take eate this is my bodie which is broken for you This relatiue which is relatiue to the bodie which was exhibited in the bread for according to their owne confession those words are pronounced vpon the bread directed vnto it But that same bodie was giuen and broken for vs that is to say crucified and broken with anguish and dolors Then I reason after this sort To be crucified and broken with anguish and dolors canne no waies agree and conuene with a glorified bodie But the bodie that Christ exhibited in the bread is said of the Euangelists to be crucified and broken for vs Ergo that bodie was not glorified Now last of all they are not yet content but say Christ can make the bread his bodie And therefore his bodie is really present That Christ can make the bread his bodie wee grant for Christ being God canne doe whatsoeuer hee will onely let them shewe That Christ will make of reall bread his reall flesh and then this controuersie will ende Christ indeede makes the bread his bodie not really but Sacramentally For Christ hath not a bodie made of bread his bodie was made once of the pure substance of his blessed Mother Another bodie then this or oftner made then once hath hee none wherefore all doctrine that teacheth Christs body to be made of bread is impious hereticall The Papists doctrine of reall presence teacheth That Christs bodie in the Sacrament is made of bread by changing the bread into his bodie through consecration wherefore we may boldly and and truly conclude That their doctrine of reall presence is both wicked heretical Now to cōclude this head I beseech them seeing that reason fails thē That they fight not against God for maintenance of a lie how old soeuer it bee for the diuel is olde enough yet he could neuer change his nature But let them rather glorifie God in cōfessing these speeches to be Sacramēetal Then what is the reason ground wherefore the Papists pull downe the substance of the body of Christ and the blood of Christ and make the verie substance to be corporallie The reason that moues the Papists to thinke that Chr. bodie cannot be present in the Sacrament except it be really carnally and substantially present reallie and substantially in the Sacrament The reason is this Because they cannot see by their naturall iudgement nor can vnderstand by their natural wit the truth of this to wit how Christs flesh and blood can bee present in the Sacrament except hee bee present to their corporall hand to their corporall mouth and stomacke If they had the light to informe them That Christ might bee present in the Sacrament and not to the hand to the mouth or stomack they would neuer thinke of such a monstrous presence as they imagine to be there But beeing destitute of the spirituall light they follow their naturall reasons make a natural Obseruation carnal presēce So that ye haue this lesson to note from hence There is no man that hath not the spirit of God to vnderstand this word This is my bodie but out of question hee will doe as the Papists doe that is hee will vnderstand it carnally And so they mis-knowing the right meaning of it it is no maruaile though they and we differ in this matter For will you aske of a Papist first if the true bodie of Christ be there or if the true flesh and blood of Christ be there hee will say it is there The diuerse opinions concerning the presence of the bodie of Christ in the Sacrament will you aske him wherein hee will say in and vnder the accidents of the bread wine vnder the hew and roundnes of the bread will you aske him againe by what instrument it is receiued Hee will tell you by the mouth and stomacke of the bodie So this is their grosse vnderstanding of the bodie and blood of Christ Will you aske of the Vbiquiter if the true bodie of Christ be present hee will say it is will you aske if it it be in with or vnder the bread hee will answere it is in the bread contentiuè that is the bread containes it will you aske him to what instrument it is offered hee will answere that the bodie of Christ is offered to the mouth of our bodie and that the blood of Christ is offered to the mouth of our bodie as the Papists doe Will you knowe of vs how Christ Iesus his true bodie and blood is present wee will say that they are spiritually present really present that is present in the Lords Supper and not in the bread wee will not say that his true flesh is present to the hand or to the mouth of our bodies But we say it is spiritually present that is present vnto thy spirit and faythfull soule yea euen as present inwardlie vnto thy soule as the bread and wine are present vnto thy bodie outwardly Will you aske then if the bodie and blood of Christ Iesus bee present in the Lords Supper Wee answere in a word They are present but not in the bread and wine nor in the accidents nor substance of bread and wine And wee make Christ to be present in this Sacrament because hee is present to my soule to my spirit and fayth Also we make him present in the Lords Supper because I haue him in his promise This is my bodie which promise is present to my fayth and the nature of fayth is to make things that are absent in themselues yet present And therefore seeing he is both present by fayth in his promise present by the vertue of his holy spirit who can say but that hee is present in this Sacrament But yet the word would be explained How a thing is said to be present and absent what we mean by the word present how a thing is said to be present absent And knowing this yee shall finde all the matter easie I say things are said to be present as they are perceiued by anie outward or inward sense as they are perceiued by any of the senses so are they present the further they be perceiued the further present and by what sense any thing is perceiued to that sense it is present As if it bee outwardly perceiued by an outward sense that thing is outwardly present As for example if it be perceiued by the outward sight of the eye by the outward hearing of the eare
nourish the soule is that part that it should nourish therefore to the soule it is deliuered Yea that bread that wine are no more really deliuered to the body to the hand of the body then the flesh of Christ is deliuered to the soule and to the hand and mouth of the soule vvhich is faith therefore craue no more a carnall deliuerie nor thinke not vpon a carnall receiuing Thou must not thinke that eyther GOD giueth the flesh of Christ to the mouth of the bodie or that thou by the mouth of thy bodie receiuest the flesh of Christ For yee must vnderstand this principle in the Scriptures of GOD our soules cannot be ioyned with the flesh of Christ nor the flesh of Christ cannot be ioyned vvith our soules but by a spirituall band Not by a carnall band of bloud and alliance not by the touching of his flesh with our flesh but hee is conioyned with vs by a spirituall band that is by the power and vertue of his holy Spirit And therefore the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 12.13 That by the meanes of his holy spirit all wee who are faithfull men and vvomen are baptized into one body of Christ That is wee are conioyned and fastened with one Christ by the meanes saith he of one spirit not by a carnall band or any grosse coniunction but onely by the band of the holy spirit That same holy spirit that is in him is in euery one of vs in some measure and in respect one spirit is in him and in vs therefore wee are accounted all to be one body and to bee members of one spirituall and mysticall body And in the same verse the Apostle saith Wee are all made to drink into one and the selfe same spirit that is we are made to drink of the bloud of Christ And this bloud is no other thing but the quickning vertue and power that floweth from Christ and from the merits of his death we are made all to drinke of that bloud when wee drinke of the liuely power and vertue that floweth out of that bloud So there is not a band that can couple my soule with the flesh of Christ but onelie a spirituall band and a spirituall vnion And therefore it is that the Apostle 1. Cor. 6.17 saith Hee that is ioyned vnto the Lord is one spirit And Iohn saith That vvhich is borne of the spirit is spirit So it is onely by the participation of the holy spirit that we are conioyned with the flesh and bloud of Christ Iesus That carnall band vvhether it bee the band of bloud vvhich runnes throrough one race or the carnall touching of flesh vvith flesh that carnall band I say vvas neuer esteemed of by Christ In the time that hee was conuersant heere vpon earth hee respected nothing that band for as hee vvitnessed himselfe by his owne vvords hee neuer had that carnall band in any kinde of reuerence or estimation in respect of the spirituall band But as for the spirituall band whereby we are coupled with him by one spirit hee euer esteemed of this band in the time that he was conuersant on earth in his word he hath left the praise and commendations of the same To let you see how lightly he esteemed of the carnall band of bloud and alliance which wee esteeme so much yee may see in the eight of Luke 20.21 for there they comming to him say Master thy Mother and thy Brethren stand vvithout and vvould see thee ye shall heare his answere vnto them how little he esteemed of that carnall band in the 21. verse in a manner denying that band hee saith My Mother and my Brethren are those which heare the vvord of God and doe it As if he would haue said It is not that carnall band that I esteeme it is not that carnall coniunction that I reuerence it is the spirituall coniunction by the participation of the holie Spirit vvhereby wee are mooued to heare the word of God to giue reuerence to it and to obey it This carnall band was neuer profitable as that in the 8. of Luke doth plainly testifie for if the touching of Christes flesh had been profitable the multitude wherof mention is made in that chapter that thrusted and preased him had beene the better by their carnall touching But so it is that there was neuer any of them the better by their carnall touching therfore the carnall touching profiteth nothing Saith not Christ himselfe Iohn 6.63 to drawe them from that sinister confidence they had in his flesh onely My flesh profiteth nothing It is the spirit that quickneth To touch him by the holie Spirit and by faith in thy soule this touching by faith hath euer been profitable and wee haue a plaine example of it in the same chapter Euen so the poore vvoman that had long been diseased vvith a bloudie issue the space of twelue yeeres and had vvasted and consumed the greatest part of her substance in seeking remedie shee found no helpe by the naturall and bodily Physition at the last by vertue of the holie Spirit working faith in her heart shee vnderstands and conceiues that shee is able to recouer the health of her bodie and the health of her soule from Christ Iesus vvho came to saue both body and soule And vpon this perswasion which shee had in her hart that Christ could cure both body and soule shee came vnto him and as the Text saith shee preased thorough the multitude to come to him and when she was come it is not said that she touched his flesh with her hand in case the Papists would ascribe the vertue which came out of him to her carnall touching but it is said that she touched onely the hemme of his garment with her hand and with faith vvhich is the hand of the soule shee touched her Sauiour God and man And to let you vnderstand that shee touched him by saith hee saith to her at the last Goe thy way thy faith hath saued thee Shee touched him not so soon by faith but incontment there came a power out of him which power and vertue shee felt by the effect of it in her soule and our Sauiour felt it vvhen it went from him The effect vvhereby shee felt it was the health of her soule and the effect wherby he felt it was the going from him And so soone as hee felt it goe from him he saith Who is it that hath touched mee Peter who was euer most suddaine answereth and saith Thou art thronged and thrusted by the multitude and yet thou askest Who hath touched thee Our Sauiour answers againe It is not that touching that I speake of it is another kinde of touching There is one hath touched me who hath drawn a vertue and power out of mee the multitude takes no vertue from me The poore woman thinking she had done amisse and perceiuing that she could not be hid came trembling and said I haue done it Hee answered her at the last
visible and palpable I proue my Proposition by Christ his owne words taken out of Luke 24.39 In the which place to perswade the Apostles of the verity of his body and to proue euidently that it was not fantasticall heevseth the argument taken from these tvvo qualities and he commands his Apostles to feele and see giuing them thereby to vnderstand that as these two senses are the most certaine of all the rest so are they most able to discerne whether hee was a body or a spirit As if he would haue said If I be visible and palpable ye may be out of doubt that I haue a true body For as the Poet saith which Tertullian citeth also to this same purpose Tangere enim et tangi nisi corpus nulla potestres By these arguments it may be euidently seen how this Transubstantiation may no way stand with the verity of the bodie of Chr. Iesus And as it fights with the flesh of Christ Iesus so it repugnes directly the articles of our faith For in our Beliefe we professe Second sort of argumeÌ„t that Christ ascended out of this earth to the heauen where hee sits at the right hand of the Father vvhere hee gouerns and directs all things in heauen and earth from the which place he is to come at the last day to iudge the world This article teacheth vs that hee hath changed his dwelling vvhich hee had amongst vs on the earth and is ascended into the heauens where he sits at the right hand of his Father and shall remaine there according to the testimony of Peter which I cited out of the Acts 3.21 vntill the last day If hee sit at his Fathers right hand and be to remaine in heauen vntill the last day theÌ„ is he not corporally in the bread But the article of our Beliefe saith That he sitteth at the right hand of his Father and Peter saith in that place that the heauens must containe him vntill the last day Therefore this Transubstantiation is directly against the articles of our Beliefe the manifest place of the Scripture Thirdly it is opposite vnto the end Third sort of argumeÌ„t wherefore this Sacrament was instituted this is most euident for the end of the Sacrament is spirituall as the effect that floweth thereof is spiritual and the instrument whereby this spirituall food is applyed to vs is also spiritual But from a naturall and corporall presence a spirituall effect can neuer flowe therefore the corporall and naturall presence of the body and bloud of Christ Iesus repugnes directly the end of this Sacrament for the corporall presence must haue a corporall eating of this eating followeth a digestion in the stomacke and the thing that is digested in the stomack is neuer able to feed my soule to life eternall So this corporall presence must euer tend to a corporall end which is directly contrarie vnto the end wherefore this Sacrament was instituted Further Other arguments vnto the same effect if the bread were transubstantiate it should become the thing signified if it become the thing signified this Sacrament should want a signe and so it should not be a Sacrament for euery Sacrament as yee haue heard is a signe Now to say that the accidents of true bread as the colour and the roundnesse of it that they may serue as signes that is more then folly for between the signe and the thing signified there must be a conformity but there is no conformity between the accidents and the body and bloud of Christ Iesus For if that were so the accidents behoued to nourish vs corporally as the body and bloud of Christ Iesus is appointed to nourish vs spiritually Againe if the bread become the body and bloud of Christ Iesus it should follow that he had a body without bloud for hee hath instituted another signe besides to represent his bloud Also if there had been such a wonderfull thing as they speak of in this Sacrament there would haue been plaine mention made thereof in the Scripture for God himselfe works neuer a notable worke but he declares it either openly or more secretly in the Scripture that thereby hee may be glorified in his wonderfull works As yee may read in the Euangelist â—ohn 2.8 where the vvater was changed into wine Gene. 2.22 where the rib of Adam was changed into Heua Exodus 7.10 where Aarons rodde was turned into a Serpent there ye see that changing is manifestly expressed Therefore I say if there had bin such a monstrous change in these elemeÌ„ts of the Supper as they affirm the Scripture would not haue concealed it but expressed it but in respect there is no meÌ„tion made of this change in the Script therfore there is no such change in this action Further if there were such a change as they say either it is before these words of consecration be spoken or followes after the same words be spoken If the change be before the words of the coÌ„secration be spoken the consecration is superfluous their Proposition is false if the change be after the words be spoken This bread is my body their Proposition is false also because the word bread is spoken before the last syllable of their fiue words is pronounced These and infinite moe absurdities follow of this doctrine And yet they obstinately perseuer and vrge vs with the letter affirming that the words of Christ are so plaine that they admit no figure They would haue spoken more aduisedly if they had sought counsell of Augustine to haue discerned between a figuratiue speech and a proper speech for he in his third booke and 16. chapter of Christian doctrine speakes after this sort If the speech saith hee seeme to commaund a vvickedness or mischeife on to forbid any happinesse or any vvelfare it is not proper it is then figuratiue And he adds for an example a place out of Iohn 6.53 Except saith our Sauiour ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his bloud yee haue no life in you Whereunto Augustine addeth This speech saith he sesmeth to coÌ„maund a mischiefe therefore it is a figuratiue speech vvhereby wee are commanded to coÌ„municate with the sufferings of Christ Iesus and with gladnes to keepe in perpetuall memory that the flesh of the Lord was crucified and wounded for vs. For otherwise it were more horrible as the same Augustine maketh mention in the second booke against the Aduersaries of the lavv to eate the flesh of Christ Iesus really then to murther him and more horrible to drinke his bloud then to shed his bloud Yet notwithstanding they are not ashamed still to hold maintaine that those words ought to be taken properly So that it appeareth that of very malice for contradiction sake to the end onely that they may withstand the truth they will not acknowledge this to be a sacrameÌ„tall speech For they are compelled will they nill they in other speeches of the like sort to acknowledge a
THE MYSTERIE OF THE LORDS SVPPER CLEERELY MANIFESTED IN FIVE SERMONS Two of Preparation and Three of the Sacrament it selfe BY A REVEREND AND FAITHfull Preacher of Gods word IOHN 6.54.63 Whosoeuer eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternall life and I will raise him vp at the last day It is the Spirit that quickeneth the flesh profiteth nothing the words that I speake vnto you are spirit and life AT LONDON Imprinted for Thomas Man 1614. THE PRINTER TO THE READER I Present here vnto thy viewe good reader a learned and godly treatise wherein the Doctrine of the Lords supper is both plainely and fully handled A worke which heretofore hath beene in diuers mens hands yet not without some inconuenience for being at first borne in another soyle then our owne it was written in a language though but the same with ours in substance yet by reason of the peculiar dialect or propriety so often varying and more then sufficient to make them that are not throughly acquainted with the difference to mistake euen things that to our vnderstanding are much more familiar then the holy mysteries of our saluation The consideratiō of which incommodity did moue a worthy and truly religious Gentleman M. S. Michell to take the paines to peruse and polishe so good a worke to the end to publish it that so it might be profitable to all But hauing scarse finished and prepared it for the presse it pleased God to take him to himselfe before he could see a finall end of this and many other his religious and honest endeauors yet least the Church should haue lost so precious a Iewell his zeale of good doing continuing vnto the end he committed the execution of this so godly a desire to the speciall care of one of his good and trusty friends who being faithfull in the trust committed vnto him is a principal meanes that now it commeth safely to thy hands receiue it therefore and esteeme it as the most godly and iudicious haue euer done the best and most profitable treatise that euer hath bin published of this subiect and cease not to thanke God for raising vp so many meanes to procure thy good whose sole end in all their labours is Gods glory and the furthering of thy true happinesse Farewell Thine in Christ Iesus F. B. The first Sermon vpon the Sacraments in generall 1. Corin. 11.23 For I haue receiued of the Lord that which I also haue deliuered vnto you to wit that the Lord Iesus in the night that he was betrayed tooke Bread c. THere is nothing in this world nor out of this world more to be wished of euery one of you more to be craued and sought of euery one of you then to bee conioyned with Christ Iesus then once to be made one with the God of glory Christ Iesus This heauenly and celestiall coniunction is purchased and brought about by two speciall meanes It is brought about by meanes of the word and preaching of the Gospell and it is brought about by the meanes of the Sacraments and ministration thereof The word leadeth vs to Christ by the eare the Sacraments lead vs to Christ by the eye Two senses of all the rest which God hath chosen as most meet for this purpose to instruct vs and bring vs vnto Christ For that doctrine must be most effectuall mouing that wakeneth and stirreth vp most of the outward senses that doctrine that wakeneth not onely the eare but the eye the taste the feeling and all the rest of the outward senses must moue the heart most must be most effectuall and pearcing in the soule But so it is that this doctrine of the Sacraments moues stirres vp and wakens most of the outward senses therfore it must bee if wee come well prepared vnto it most effectuall to stirre vp the inward senses of the dull heart But there is a thing that yee must euer remember there is no doctrine neither of the simple word nor yet of the Sacraments if Christ abstract his holy spirit that is able to moue therefore when euer yee come to heare the doctrine whether it be of the Sacraments or of the simple word craue of God that hee would be present by his holy spirit or otherwise all the doctrine in the earth will not awaile you Alwaies this doctrine of the Sacraments stirres vp and wakens most of the outward senses and therefore there is no question but it is an effectuall and potent instrument to waken prepare and stirre vp our hearts Then to let you see what the word Sacrament meaneth The diuerse taking of the word Sacrament and to remoue the ambiguitie of it it is certaine and out of all question that the Latine Diuines who were most ancient did interpret the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the word Sacrament and they vsed the Greeke word not onely to signifie the whole action of the Supper of the Lord and the whole action of Baptisme but they vsed the word Mystery to signifie whatsoeuer is darke and bid in it selfe and not frequented in the common vse of men as after this manner the Apostle calleth the vocation of the Gentiles a mysterie Ephes 3.9 Ephes 5.32 This coniunction which is begun heere betwixt vs and Christ is called a Mysterie and the Latine Interpreters call it a Sacrament and to be short ye will not finde in the booke of God a word more frequent then the word Mysterie But as for the word Sacrament wherby they interpret the Greeke word we finde not this word by the same Diuines to be taken so largely neither is it takē so largely in any part of the booke of God Alwayes the word Sacrament is very ambiguous in it selfe and there ariseth about the ambiguitie of this word many controuersies which are not yet ceased nor will not cease while the world lasteth whereas if they had kept the Apostles words and called them as the Apostle calleth them Signes and Seales all this digladiation strife and contention appearingly had not fallen out but where men will be wiser then God and giue names to things without warrant from God vpon the wit of man which is but meere folly all this stirre falleth out Well then to come vnto the purpose The ancient Diuines tooke the word Sacrament as we may perceiue in a fourefold manner Sometime they tooke it for the whole action that is the whole ministery of the Elements sometime they tooke it not for the whole action but for the outward things that are vsed in the action of Baptisme and of the Supper as they tooke it for the vvater and sprinkling of it for the Bread and Wine breaking distributing and eating thereof Thirdly againe they tooke it not for the whole outward things that are vsed in the action but onely for the materiall and earthly things the Elements as for Bread and Wine in the Supper and water in Baptisme And after this sort saith Augustine the wicked eate
vvill come in your minde and it vvill signifie vnto you that that is the Kings picture So if the signe of the Sacrament did no further all pictures should bee Sacraments but in respect the Sacrament exhibites and deliuers the thing that it signifieth to the soule and hart so soone as the signe is deliuered to the mouth for this cause especially it is called a signe There is no picture of the King that will deliuer the King vnto you there is no other Image that will exhibite the thing wherof it is the Image therefore there is no Image can be a Sacrament Then in respect the Lord hath appointed the Sacraments as hands to deliuer and exhibite the thing signified for this deliuery and exhibition chiefely they are called signes As the word of the Gospel is a mighty potent instrument to our euerlasting saluation so the Sacrament is a potent instrument appointed by GOD to deliuer vs to Christ Iesus to our euerlasting saluation For this spirituall meat is dressed and giuen vp to vs in spirituall dishes that is in the ministery of the word and in the ministery of the Sacraments And suppose this ministery be externall yet the Lord is said to deliuer spirituall and heauenlie things by these externall things Why Because hee hath appointed them as instruments whereby he will deliuer his owne Sonne vnto vs. For this is certain that none hath power to deliuer Christ Iesus vnto vs except God and his holy spirit and therefore to speake properly there is none can deliuer Christ but God by his owne spirit hee is deliuered by the ministery of the holy Spirit it is the holy Spirit that seales him vp in our harts and confirmes vs more and more in him as the Apostle giues him this stile 2. Cor. 1.22 To speak properly there is none hath power to deliuer Christ but GOD the Father or himselfe There is none hath power to deliuer the Mediator but his owne spirit yet it hath pleased GOD to vse some instruments and means wherby hee will deliuer Christ Iesus vnto vs. The meanes are these the ministery of the vvord and the ministery of the Sacraments and in respect he vseth these as meanes to deliuer Christ they are said to deliuer him But heere yee haue to distinguish between the principall efficient deliuerer and the instrumentall efficient which is the word and the Sacramēts keeping this distinction both these are true GOD by his word and GOD by his spirit deliuereth Christ Iesus vnto you Then I say I cal thē signes because God hath made them potent instruments to deliuer that same thing which they signifie Now I goe to the thing signified and I call the thing signified by the signes in the Sacrament What is the thing signified in the Sacrament that which Irenaeus that old Writer calleth the heauenly spirituall thing to wit whole Christ with his whole gifts benefites and graces applyed giuen to my soule Then I call not the thing signified by the signes of Bread and Wine the benefits of Christ the graces of Christ or the vertue that floweth out of Christ onely but I call the thing signified together with the benefites and vertues flowing from him the very substance of Christ himselfe from which this vertue dooth flowe The substance with the vertues gifts and graces that flowe from the substance is the thing signified heere As for the vertue and graces that flow from Christ it is not possible that thou canst be partaker of the vertue that floweth from his substance except thou be first partaker of the substance it selfe For how is it possible that I can be partaker of the iuyce that floweth out of any substance except I be partaker of the substance it selfe first Is it possible that my stomach can bee refreshed with that meat the substance vvhereof came neuer in my mouth Is it possible my drouth can be slackned with that drinke that passed neuer downe my throat Is it possible that I can sucke any vertue out of anie thing except I gette the substance first So it is impossible that I can get the iuyce vertue that floweth out of Christ except I get the substance that is himselfe first So I call not the thing signified the grace vertue that floweth from Christ onelie nor Christ himselfe and his substance without his vertue graces onely but ioyntly the substance with the graces whole Christ God and man without separation of his natures without distinguishing of his substance from his graces I call the thing signified by the signes in the Sacrament for why if no more be signified by the Bread but the flesh and body of Christ onely and no more be signified by the Wine but the bloud of Christ onely thou canst not say that the body of Christ is Christ it is but a part of Christ thou canst not say that the blood of Christ is whole Christ it is but a part of him and a peece of thy Sauiour saued thee not a part of thy Sauiour wrought not the worke of thy saluation and so suppose thou get a peece of him in the Sacrament that part will doe thee no good To the end therefore that this Sacrament may nourish thee to life euerlasting thou must get in it thy whole Sauiour whole Christ God and man with his whole graces and benefites without separation of his substance from his graces or of the one nature from the other And how get I him Not by my mouth It is a vaine thing to think that wee will get God by our mouth but we get him by faith As hee is a spirit so I eate him by faith and belieue in my soule not by the teeth of my mouth that is a vaine thing Be it that thou mightest eate the flesh of Christ with thy teeth this were a cruel maner of doing yet thou maist not eate the God-head with thy teeth this is a gross fashion of speaking Then if euer yee get good of the Sacrament ye must get whole Christ and there is not any instrument whereby to lay hold on him but by faith onely therefore come with a faithfull hart O but yee will aske mee and by appearance the definition layd downe of the thing signified giues a ground to it If the flesh of Christ Question and the bloud of Christ bee a part of the thing signified how can I call his flesh a spirituall thing and Christ in respect of his flesh a heauenly thing Yee will not say that the substance of Christes flesh is spirituall or that the substance of his bloud is spirituall vvherefore then call ye it an heauenly and spiritual thing I wil tell you The flesh of Christ is called a spirituall thing and Christ is called spirituall in respect of his flesh not that his flesh is become a spirit or that the substance of his flesh is become spirituall No it remaineth true flesh and the substance of it is one as it
forgiue sinnes Now it is onely GOD that may forgiue sinnes and therfore it is not possible that the ministery of the heauenly thing can be in the power of any man Example we haue in Iohn the Baptist Math. 3.11 Saith he not The ministery that I haue is of the element I am commaunded to minister the element of water onely but as for the ministerie of the fire and of the spirit Christ hath reserued it vnto himself Therefore looke not to get the spirit at mans hands but at the hands of Christ himselfe onely and without this inward ministery the outward ministery is not worth a straw For my outward ministerie yea suppose it were the ministerie of an Angell and suppose Christ were present in the flesh to minister vnto you these outward things except hee conioyne the inward ministerie of his spirit therewith it availes nothing it may well be as a process against you against the day of that generall assembly but to your saluation it will neuer profit you Therefore this yee ought alwaies to pray for that the Lord would water your harts by his holy spirit as he watereth your eares by the hearing of his vvord Then there are two offerers the Minister offers the signe Christ Iesus offers himselfe the thing signified The three persons one GOD offers the Mediatour or the Mediatour offers himselfe and that by the power and vertue of his owne Spirit As there are two offerers The sign the thing signified are offered in two actions by two instruments after two manners two persons that offer and giue the Sacrament and thing signified by the Sacrament so these two are offered and giuen in two actions Christ vvho is the heauenly thing is offered and giuen vnto you by an inward secret and spirituall action which is not subiect to the outward eye The signe againe is offered and giuen in an outward action after a corporall and visible manner As there are two sorts of actions so there are two sorts of instruments vvhere-unto the signe and the thing signified are offered for the thing singified that is Christ is neuer offered to the mouth of my body the bloud of Christ the flesh of Christ whole Christ or the spirit of Christ is not offered neither in the word nor in the Sacrament to the mouth of my body Let the Aduersaries finde me that in any part of the Bible that there is any other manner of receiuing Christ then by faith and let them haue the victorie So there is not an instrument as I told you neither hand not mouth to receiue Christ but faith onely As Christ vvho is the thing signified is receiued by the hand mouth of faith so the signe which signifieth Christ is receiued by our ovvne naturall mouth hand ye haue a mouth in your heads and in your bodies as proper to receiue the signe as faith is to receiue Christ So the signe and the thing signified are offered and giuen not to one instrument but to two the one to the mouth of the body the other to the mouth of the soule Now marke by what way these things are offered and giuen by the same vvay they are receiued as the signe is corporal and naturally offered to a corporall instrument so is it receiued after a corporall naturall manner for thou must take the Bread Wine either by thy hand or by thy mouth The thing signified is not takē after a corporall manner but after a secret and spirituall manner and as it is offered so it is taken There can be nothing cleerer then this the one is taken after a naturall manner the other after a secret spirituall manner So in this last part ye haue these things to marke to distinguish betweene the outward action and the inward between the signe and the thing signified and to keepe a proportion and analogie between the inward and the outward actions ye may surely perswade your selues that if ye be faithfull Christ is as busie working inwardly in your soules as the Minister is working outwardly towards your bodies looke how busie the Minister is in breaking that Bread in pouring out that Wine in giuing that Bread and Wine vnto thee as busie is Christ in breaking his owne body to thee and in giuing thee iuyce of his owne body after a spirituall and an inuisible manner So keepe this distinction and yee may assure your selues that by faith Christ is as well occupied towards your soules to nourish them as the Minister is outwardly towards your bodies Keepe this and yee haue the whole Sacrament Then from this discourse and deduction you may learn a double matter wherof the Sacrament consisteth It standeth on two sorts of materials that is of an earthly matter and of an heauenly matter the signe and the thing signified And as there is a double matter in the Sacrament so the Sacrament must be handled after a double manner by an outward action and an inward action keep the distinction in these things betweene the signe and the thing signified and ye shall not easily slip in the vnderstanding of the Sacrament This beeing said concerning the generall consideration of the Elements for all this yet appertaineth vnto the Elements it resteth that we speake some-what concerning the vvord Of the other part of the Sacrament which is the word which I call the other part of the Sacrament I meane vnderstand by the vvord where-unto the clements are annexed that thing vvhich quickneth this whole action which serueth as it were a soule and giueth life vnto the whole action For by the word and appointment of Christ in the vvord the Minister knoweth vvhat is his part the hearer knoweth what is his part and euery one is prepared how to deliuer and how to receiue the Minister how hee should deliuer and the hearer how hee shold receiue So the Institution of Christ is the quickning of the whole action for all the action is warranted from the institution set downe in his word In the institutiō of Christ there are two things chiefly to be considered a Commaund and a Promise The Commaund is this where he saith Take eate The Commaund requireth obedience There is a Promise also in the institution and it is contained in these words This is my body The Promise craueth faith as the Commaund craueth obedience so the Promise craueth beliefe Therefore come not vnto the Sacrament except ye bring both faith and obedience with you If thou come not with a heart minding to obey Christ at the least more then thou wast wont to doe thou commest vnto thine ovvne damnation And if thou bringest a hart voyd of faith thou commest vnto thine owne damnation So let euery one that commeth vnto the Sacrament bring with him a hart minding to doe better that is to obey belieue Christ better then he did in time past Except ye bring these two in some measure come not vnto the Sacrament for whatsoeuer
time by reason it was instituted in the article of that time when they vsed to suppe It is called also in the Bible The Table of the Lord. It is not called the Altar of the Lord but the Apostle calleth it a Table to sit at and not an Altar to stand at a Table to take and receiue at not an Altar to offer at It is called also the Communion and participation of the body and bloud of Christ we haue these names giuen vnto it beside some others in the Scriptures of God The Ancients of the Latine of the Greeke Churches gaue it sundry names for sundry respects They called it a publique action and this vvas a very generall name Some-times they called it a Thanksgiuing Some-times they called it a banquet of loue and sometimes they gaue it one name and sometimes another And at the last in the declining estate of the Latine Church in the falling estate of the Romane Church this Sacrament began to be peruerted and with this decay there came in a peruerse name and they called it the Masse They trouble themselues much concerning the deriuation of this name sometime they seeke it from an Hebrew original sometime from a Greeke and sometime from a Latine originall but it is plaine that the vvord is deriued from the Latine and it is a word which might haue been tollerable when it was first instituted for no doubt the Sacrament at the first institution of this word was not then wholly peruerted but now in processe of time corruption hath preuatied so farre that it hath turned the Sacrament into a sacrifice and where we should take from the hand of GOD in Christ they make vs to giue This is plaine Idolatry and therefore vvhereas the vvord vvas tollerable before now it ought not to be tollerable any way it ought not to be suffered And certainly if wee had eaten and drunke as oft the body bloud of Christ in our soules as wee haue eaten that bread and drunke that wine which are the signes of his body and bloud we would not haue suffered this word of the Masse much lesse the very action of it to be so rise in this Countrey But because we haue but played the counterfaits and defrauded our soules of the body and bloud of Christ and tooke onely the outward Sacrament therefore it is that our zeale decayeth therfore it is that our knowledge and light decayeth and for want of zeale loue and knowledge the word of the Masse is becom customable vnto you and not onely the word but the very action I will not runne out heerin I onely tell you what commeth of the abuse of the hearing of the vvord vvhat iudgements follow vpon the abuse of the receiuing of the Sacraments Now Secōd head generall Of the ends why this Sacrament was instituted I come to the ends wherefore the Sacrament was appointed This Sacrament was instituted in the signes of Bread and Wine and was appointed chiefely for this end to represent our spirituall nouriture the full and perfect nouriture of our soules that as he who hath Bread Wine lacketh nothing for the full nourishment of his body so hee or that soule vvhich hath the participation of the body and bloud of Christ wanteth nothing for the full and perfect nourishment of the soule To represent this full and perfect nourishment the signes of bread and vvine in the Sacrament were set downe and instituted The second end wherfore this Sacrament was instituted is this That we might testifie to the world and to the Princes of the world who are enemies to our profession that we might openly avow and testifie vnto them our Religion and our manner of worshipping in the which we avow and worship Christ and that wee might also testifie our loue towards his members our bretheren this is the second end vvherefore it was instituted The third end wherfore it was instituted is this to serue for our speciall comfort and consolation to serue as a soueraine medicine for all our spirituall diseases as wee finde our selues either readie to fall or prouoked to fall by the diuell the flesh or the world or after that we haue fallen and are put to flight by the diuell and would faine flee away from God GOD of his mercie and of his infinite pitie and bottomlesse compassion hath set vp this Sacrament as a signe on an high hill whereby it may be seene on euery side farre and neere to call all them againe that haue run shamefully away and hee clucks to them as a Henne doth to her chickens to gather them vnder the wings of his infinite mercie The fourth end vvherefore this Sacrament was instituted is this that in this action wee might thanke him for his benefites and render to him hartie thanks that he hath come downe so familiarly to vs bowed the heauens as it were and giuen vs the body and bloud of his owne Sonne that wee might render vnto him harty thanks and so sanctifie his benefits vnto vs for this thanksgiuing this Sacrament was also instituted Thus far concerning the ends briefely Now Third head generall I come to the things contayned in this Sacrament Yee see with your eyes there are corporall things visible things as the Bread and Wine There are againe hid from the eye of your body but present to the eye of your minde spirituall things heauenly and invvard things both these are in the Sacrament The corporal visible outward things are the things which are appointed Of the things contained in this Sacrament outward and inward wherin sundry heads are intreated to signifie the spirituall heauenly and inward things And why Nothing without a reason These corporall signes are appointed to signifie the spirituall things because we are corporall we are earthly bodies we haue our soule lodging within a carnal body in a tabernacle of clay a grosse tabernacle which cannot be wakened nor moued except by the things that are like to it selfe It cannot be induced to the consideration of heauenly things except by gross temporall and corporall things If we had been of the nature of the thing signified that as the thing signified is spirituall and heauenly so wee had been spirituall and heauenly we had not needed a corporall thing so if the thing signified had been as wee are corporall earthly and visible we had not needed a signe to lead vs to cōsider of it But because the thing signified is spirituall and we are corporall therfore to bring vs vnto the sight of these spirituall things he vseth a corporall means and an outward signe This is the reason wherefore these corporall signes are appointed to signifie the spirituall thing The spirituall thing in both the Sacraments is one and the selfe same Christ Iesus signified in both the Sacraments yet in diuerse respects he is the thing signified in Baptisme and hee is the thing signified in the Lords Supper This Christ Iesus in his
and said Depart in peace thy faith hath saued thee Thy faith hath drawn out a vertue power from me that hath made both thy soule body whole So that this touching of Christ hath euer been profitable is and shall be profitable like as the touching of Christ with the corporall hand hath neuer beene is not nor euer shall be profitable And why Christ is not appointed to be a carnall head to be set vpon the necks of our bodies that he may doe the office of a carnall head therunto to furnish naturall motion senses to our bodies No the Scriptures call not Christ a natural head but the Scriptures call him a spirituall head to be set on the neck of our soules that is to be cōioyned with our soules that out of him into our soules may distill holy motions heauenly senses and that there may flowe out of him to vs a spiritual heauenly life Then the Scriptures call him a spiritu-head as they call vs a spirituall body and as the life which wee get from him is spirituall so all our coniunction with him is spirituall And in respect he worketh that same operation in my soule vvhich the carnall head doth in my body therefore hee is called a spirituall head therefore hee is called the head of his Church because hee furnisheth her vvith spirituall motion and senses vvhich is the life of the Church So to be short there is nothing in this coniunction carnall there is nothing grosse in it there is nothing that may be compassed by our naturall iudgement vnderstanding And therefore whosoeuer would attaine to any small in-sight of this spiritual coniunction between Christ and vs of necessity hee must humble himselfe and earnestly pray for the spirit otherwise it is not possible to get any vnderstanding no not the least perseuerance how the flesh of Christ and vve are conioyned except we haue some light giuen vs by the spirit that is except our harts be wakened by the mighty working of the spirit of Christ this shall remaine as a dead and closed letter vnto vs. So Exhortation yee are to craue that the Lord in his mercie would waken you illuminate your vnderstandings and make you to haue a spirituall light to discerne of these spirituall things Next ye must study and be carefull to remoue all vaine cogitations and earthly fantasies when yee come to heare so high a matter yee must cast off all filthy thoughts ill motions and cares of the world and yee must shake off all things that clogge your harts Thirdly yee must come with a purpose to heare the vvord to giue diligent care to the word and with a sanctified hart to receiue it vvith a purpose to growe and increase in holiness as well in body as in soule all the dayes of your life And comming with this purpose no question the holy Spirit shall reueale those things to you which yee want And though this word passe and bring no great commodity for the present yet the holy Spirit heereafter shall reueale to thee the truth of that which thou hast now heard Then this is the end of all Bee present in your harts and mindes and let your soules be emptied of all the cares of the vvorld that they may receiue that comfort which is offered in the hearing of the word Now I come to the defining of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper The definition of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper I call this Sacrament A holy Seale annexed to the couenant of grace and mercy in Christ A seale to be ministred publiquely alwaies according to the holy institution of Christ Iesus that by the lawful ministery therof the Sacramentall vnion betweene the signes and the thing signified may stand and this vnion standing Christ Iesus who is the thing signified is as truely deliuered to the increase of our spirituall nourishment as the signes are giuen deliuered to the body for our temporall nourishment Now let vs examine the words parts of this definition Why this Sacrament is called a Seale First of all I call this Sacrament a Seale because this Sacrament serueth to the same vse to our soules that a common seale doth to a common Euidence As the seale which is annexed to the Euidence confirmes and seales vp the truth contained in the Euidence so this Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ confirmeth and sealeth vp the truth of mercy and grace contayned in the couenant of mercy and grace for this respect it is called a seale It is called A holy Seale Why Why it is called a holy Seale Because it is taken from the profane vse whereunto that bread serued before and that bread is applyed to a holy vse There is a power giuen to that bread to signifie the precious body of Christ Iesus to represent the nourishing and feeding of our soules And in respect it serueth now in the Sacrament to so holy an vse therefore I call it an holie seale This is not my word it is the Apostles Rom. 4.11 where hee giueth the Sacrament the same name and calleth it a seale And further if the wisdom of Christ in his Apostle had been followed and if men had not inuented new names of their own for this Sacrament but contented satisfied themselues with the names which God hath giuen by his Apostle that Chr. himself hath giuen to this Sacramēt I am assured none of these controuersies debares which neuer will cease had fallen out but where men wil go about to be wiser thē God go beyond God in deuising names which he neuer gaue vpon mens own inuentions such debates haue faln out A lesson by the vvay that no flesh presume to be wiser then GOD but let them stoupe and keepe the names which God hath giuen to this Sacrament Thirdly Why the seale is said to be annexed to the couenant I say annexed to the Couenant annexed and hung to the Charter because it cannot be called a seale properly except it be hung to an Euidence What it is by nature the same it remaineth and no more if it be not annexed to some Euidence it is onely the hanging of it to the Euidence that maketh men account it a seale not beeing esteemed except it be hanged to the Euidence Euen so it is heere if this Sacrament be not ministred and ioyned to the preached vvord to the preaching of the couenant of mercie and grace it cannot be a seale but what it is by nature it is no more As by nature it is but a common peece of bread so it is no more if it be not annexed to the preaching of the word and ministred therewith as Christ hath commaunded Therfore I say the seale must be annexed and hanged to the Euidence to the preaching of the word for the confirming of the Euidence otherwise it is not a seale But it is not so with the Euidence vvhich is the word of
dumbe element and therefore these wordes cannot bee directed to the elements Thirdly looke to the end wherfore this Sacrament vvas appointed Is it not to lead vs to Christ Is it not to nourish my faith in Christ Is it not to nourish me in a constant perswasion of the Lords mercy in Christ Was this Sacrament appointed to make the elements Gods No for if ye marke Gods purpose in this institution yee shall finde that Christ hath not ordained this institution to nobilitate the Elements to fauour and respect the Elements which were Bread and Wine yesterday to be Gods to day Wee on the contrary say plainely that the institution of Christ respecteth not the elements to alter their nature Indeed it is appointed to alter vs to change vs and to make vs more and more spirituall and to sanctifie the elements to our vse But the speciall end is this To make vs holie and more more to growe vp in a sure faith in Christ and not to alter the Elements nor to make them gods And therefore by all these three Arguments it is euident that the words ought not to be directed to the Elements but to the people and faithfull Communicants Now to come to an end There is one thing Conclusion with an exhortatiō without the which wee cannot profit let vs discourse neuer so long vpon the right vnderstanding of the Sacrament Ye see now how all that is spoken concerning the Sacrament is grounded and dependeth vpon faith Let a man haue faith be it neuer so little hee shall get some hold of Christ and some insight in the vnderstanding of this Sacrament but wanting faith though a man endeuour himselfe to make the Sacraments neuer so sensible it is not possible that hee can gette any hold of Christ or any insight of him For without faith we cannot be Christians we can neither get a sight of God nor feele God in Christ without faith Faith is the onely thing that translates our soules out of that death and damnation vvherein vvee vvere conceiued and borne and planteth life in vs. So the vvhole studie and endeuour of a Christian should tend to this To craue that the Lord in his mercie vvould illuminate his minde vvith the eye of faith and that hee would kindle in his heart a loue of faith and vvorke in his hart a thirst and desire of the obiect of faith more and more to thirst and hunger for the foode of faith that nourishes vs to life eternall Without this faith hovv-soeuer the naturall man vnderstanding naturally would flatter himselfe surely there is no blessednesse but all his life is more then terrible misery For what-soeuer it be that flatters and pleaseth thee now be it a thought or motion of the minde or an action of the body that pleaseth thee now without faith the same very motion cogitation or action shall torment thee heereafter So vvithout faith it is not possible to please GOD and vvhatsoeuer pleaseth not GOD is done to torment thee Therefore craue mercie for whatsoeuer motion cogitation or action vvherein thou hast offended GOD or for the same God shall offend and torment thee And to eschevv the offence of God there is no meanes but by true faith therefore the studie of a Christian should be to grow in faith Now by hearing of the vvord thou gettest faith and by receiuing this Sacrament thou obtainest the increase of faith and hauing faith the receiuing of the Sacrament shall be fruitfull but vvithout faith thou eatest thineowne condemnation Then the whole study of a Christian is to get faith and this faith cannot be obtained with idlenesse but by earnest prayer therefore let euery one of vs fall downe and craue earnestly this faith and the increase of it whereby we may be worthy Receiuers of this blessed Sacrament and that for the righteous merits of Christ Iesus To whom with the Father and the holy Spirit be all honour praise and glory both now and euer Amen THE FOVRTH Sermon vpon the preparation to the Lords Supper 1. Cor. 11.28 Let euery man therefore examine himselfe and so let him eate of this Bread and drinke of this Cup. THough the doctrine of our triall and due examination well-beloued in Christ Iesus ought to goe before the doctrine and receiuing of the Sacrament yet notwithstanding seeing that preparation is alwaies at all times as well necessary for the hearing of the simple word as for the receiuing of the visible Sacrament for no man can heare the word of God fruitfully except in some measure he prepare his soule and prepare the eares of his hart how to hear therefore the doctrine of preparation and due examination must come in it ovvne place and be very necessary for cuery one of you The Apostle in the words vvhich we haue read deliuereth his counsaile and giueth his aduise and not onely giues his aduise but giues his admonition and commaund That we should not come to the Table of the Lord That we should not come to the hearing of the word rashly but that euery one of vs should come to this holy worke with reuerence that wee should prepare and sanctifie our selues in some measure And seeing we go vnto the King of heauens Table it becomes vs to put on our best array In a word hee deliuereth the whole doctrine and matter of this preparation when he saith Let euery man and let euery woman try and examine themselues As if he would say Let euery one of you try and examine your soules That is try the estate of your owne harts and condition of your owne consciences Marke and behold in vvhat estate you heart is with GOD and in what estate your conscience is with your neighbour He bids not your neighbour to try you hee bids not your companion to try your hart but he biddes your selfe in person to try your owne conscience hee biddes your selfe try your owne hart because none can be certaine of the estate of your hart or of the condition of your conscience but your selfe Now he excludes not others from the tryall of you neither for it is lawfull for the Pastor to try you but others cannot try you so narrowly as ye your selues may for no man can know so much of mee as I know of my selfe No man can be certaine of the estate of your hart and condition of your conscience yet you your selues may be certaine of it As for others men may iudge of your hart and conscience according to your works and effects and except your works effects bee very wicked and altogether vitious we are bound in conscience to iudge charitably of your harts and consciences Therefore there is none so meet to try the spirit of a man to try the hart or conscience of a man as is the man himselfe Now The heads to be intreated in this Sermons that this tryall may be the better made ye haue first to vnderstand what it is that ye
vvhether so-euer the soule goeth to the same place shall the conscience repaire and looke in vvhat estate thy conscience is when thou departest out of this life in the selfe same estate shall it meet thee in the great Day So that if thy conscience was a tormentor to thee at the time of thy death if thou gette it not then pacified it shall be also a tormentor to thee in that generall Iudgement Therefore this matter vvould bee vvell vveighed and euerie one of you should studie to haue a good conscience that vvhen the soule is seuered from the body leauing your conscience at rest and peace with God it may be restored vnto you meet you againe with as great peace and quietnes Thus farre concerning conscience what it is I beseech the liuing Lord so to sanctifie your memories that ye may keep these things and that euery one of these things may be so imprinted in your harts that ye may be mindful of them all your liues The second thing that we are to speake of is this We are to consider wherfore we should try our consciences for what causes we should examine our own soules and cōsciences I wil declare the reasons briefly It behooueth euery one of you to try your conscience Why Because the Lord will make his residence in no other part of the soule but in the conscience Hee hath appointed his dwelling to be in the hart of man and in the will and conscience of man and therefore it becomes you to make his dwelling place cleane to take heeed vnto your harts Next though the Lord of heauen made not his residence there yet in respect the eye of GOD is an all-seeing eye and able to pearce throgh the very thicknesse of mans flesh how darke and grosse soeuer it be and to enter into the very secret corners of thy conscience for vnto the all-seeing eye of GOD the most secret corner of the conscience is as cleare and manifest as any outward or bodily thing in the earth can be to the outward eye of the body In respect therefore that this eye is so pearcing and that hee casts his eye onely vpon our harts it behooueth vs to try our harts Thirdly hee is the Lord of the conscience There is no Monarch on earth that hath any soueraigntie or lordshippe ouer the conscience onely the GOD of heauen onely Christ Iesus King of heauen and earth is Lord of the conscience hee hath power onely to saue and lose Therefore vvhen thou commest to this Sacrament of the Lords Table thou oughtest carefully to looke vnto thy conscience to try and examine the state of it Last of all vvhich is a chiefe reason It behooueth thee to prooue thy conscience because the welfare and health of thy soule dependeth vpon thy conscience If thy conscience that is within thy soule be well if it be at peace and rest thy soule is vvell if thy conscience be in a good estate thy soule must needs be in a good estate if thy conscience bee in good health of necessity thy soule must be in good health for the good health happinesse of the soule dependes vpon a good conscience therefore it concerneth euery one of you to try well your consciences There vvas neuer any lavv made or deuised that forbade vs to haue a care of our healths it is lawfull for vs to seeke such things as may procure and preserue it but the health of thy soule standeth in the health of thy conscience and in preseruing thereof therefore by all lawes thou oughtest to attend thy conscience If thou keepe thy conscience wel thy soule is in health and if thy soule be in health let troubles come what will vpon thy bodie thou wilt indure them all but if thy soule be diseased with an euill conscience thou shalt not be able to beare out the least trouble that shall come vnto thy bodie vvhereas if the conscience were at rest and in good health that trouble could not happen vnto thy bodie but the strength of a good conscience vvould beare it out Then haue yee not reason and more then reason to take heed to your consciences to try and examine your consciences in vvhat estate and disposition they stand Now Certaine lessons to be learned by which a man may preserue health in his soule cōscience because it is a fruitlesse thing to tell you that health is necessarie and not to shew the vvay how this health may be obtayned and preserued therfore to keep your consciences in quiet good health I will giue you these few lessons First of all bee sure that yee retaine stedfast a perswasion of the mercie of GOD in Christ Iesus examine vvhen thou lyest downe and examine when thou risest vp in what estate thou art with God whether thou maist looke for mercy at his hands or not Art thou perswaded of mercy Assure thy selfe thy conscience is in a good estate thou hast health in thy soule for by the keeping of faith the conscience is preserued as saith the Apostle 1. Tim. 1.19 Keepe this perswasion preserue it vvhole and sound hurt it not bring not thy soule into doubting stay not nor hinder thy perswasion if thou desire to keep health in thy soule for if thou doubt or any way diminish thy perswasion and assurance assuredlie thy assurance cannot so soon be hindered nor diminished but at that very instant shall follow the diminishing of the health of thy soule yea it cannot be but in that very article of time shall follow the hurt of thy conscience for faith will not dwell but in a whole conscience Therefore at what time thou doost any thing against thy conscience at that very time thou losest a degree of thy perswasion of the mercy of God and vntill such time as thou fall downe at the feet of Christ and obtaine mercie for that wicked deed purchase peace at his hands and repaire thy persvvasion thou shalt euer doubt of mercie and vvant health in thy conscience Then this is the first lesson to keepe health in your soules To be perswaded of mercie The second lesson to keepe a good conscience or to keepe health in thy soule is this Yee must flie eschew and forbeare vvhatsoeuer may trouble the health of your soule whatsoeuer may trouble the quietnesse peaceable estate of your conscience cast it out forbeare it and eschew it This generall is good But let vs see vvhat it is that troubles the quiet estate of the conscience Onely sinne nothing but an euill nature Therefore vvee must of necessitie to keepe health in our soules forbeare and eschew sinne we must flie and auoyde sin It is not possible that ye can both keepe a good conscience and serue the affections of your hart therefore to keepe peace health in thy soule thou must take leaue of thy lusts thou must renounce the lusts and affections of thy hart and thou must not doe as thou wast wont
peace towards God through our Lord Iesus Christ saith the Apostle Rom. 5.1 Now then this point commeth in That yee are to proue your selues whether ye be in the faith or not as the Apostle saith 2. Cor. 13.5 Proue your selues vvhether ye are in the faith Examine if your soules be seasoned with this faith for if ye haue not faith in Christ Christ is not in you and if Christ be not in you yee are in an euill state ye are in the estate of the reprobate and damned So euery one ought to looke carefully and see if he haue a beliefe in the bloud of Christ or not whether hee belieue to obtaine mercy by his merits and sanctification by his bloud or not For if thou haue no measure of this faith thou hast no measure of peace with GOD by reason our peace with God is ingendered and groweth dailie more and more by true faith in Christ Novv this faith vvhere it is true where it is liuely and couples the heart vvith GOD as I haue alreadie said it must breake foorth in voord and deede it can by no meanes bee held in but it vvill break forth It must breake out in word in glorifying the God of heauen who hath forgiuen vs our sinnes it must break forth in word by giuing a notable confession of those sinnes wherein vvee haue offended him It must breake out in deed in doing good works to testifie to the world that thing which is within thy hart to testifie to the world that thou who hast this faith art a new man that by thy good example of life and conuersation thou maist edify thy brethren the simple ones of the Church of God and that by thy holie life thou maist drawe sinners to repentance that they seeing thy good light may bee compelled to glorifie GOD in thee Then in the first poynt of triall let vs looke to these three to the hart to the mouth to the hand Take heed that there be a harmonie betwixt these three for if the hart be inwardly coupled with God there is no doubt but the mouth vvill outvvardlie glorifie him and if thy hart and mouth bee renevved and bee one of necessitie thou wilt expresse it in thy conuersation There must bee an agreement betwixt the heart and the hand thy conuersation must bee changed with the heart and be holy honest and godly as the heart is So that if thy conuersation be good it is a sure token that thou art at one with God but if thy conuersatiō bee not good speake what thou wilt thy heart is but defiled this true and liuelie faith hath no place in it Then wouldest thou know when thou art at one with God When thy conuersation thy heart and thy mouth say all one thing then without question thou hast the worke of fayth wrought by the holy spirit in thy heart which maketh thee to bee at peace with God This is the first poynt wherein yee should trie your selues The next point is loue yee must trie whether ye be in loue and charitie with your neighbours or not for as thou art not coupled with God but by the hand of faith so thou art not coupled with thy neighbour nor ioyned with any member of Christ in this world but by the hand of loue amitie and charitie Take away loue thou art not a member of this bodie for loue is the maister sinnowe and couples all these members of Christs bodie together and makes them to growe vp in a spiritual and mysticall vnitie loue is the onely marke whereby the children of Christ and members of Christs bodie are knowen from the rest of the world loue is that holy oyle that refresheth our soules makes vs like vnto God and the more we growe in loue the more God by his spirit dwelleth in vs for God is loue So that except in some measure loue towards thy neighbour dwel in thy heart thou canst haue no societie with thy neighbour and far lesse with God If the manners of men were examined by this rule wee should finde a multitude of godlesse people in this countrie who haue their hearts raging with malice one against another and where the diuell and the malicious spirite dwell there is no place for the holy spirit And although the Lord hath gone about by all meanes possible early and late to instruct them and to infuse into them this pretious loue and amitie towards God their neighbour and so to alter their conditions Yet they will not suffer themselues to be wakened vntil the great vengeance and malediction of God fal vpon them This loue this honest and godly conuersation floweth alwaies from the roote of fayth So that if thy heart haue faith in any measure be it neuer so little in that same measure thou must haue loue towards thy neighbour this loue is neuer idle but is vttering it selfe in one effect or other And in respect that faith is the ground whereupon all the rest dependes and in respect that this fayth is such a Iewell as without the which it is not possible for any of you to please God without which all your deedes are abhomination before him without the which you are in the greatest miserie w th miserie is so much the more terrible in that you are ignorant of it Is it not good reason that ye know and vnderstand how this faith is first wroght thē nourisht in your souls by the holy spirit that seeing how it is created the māner how it is brought about ye may examine your cōsciences see whether ye be in the faith or not My purpose was to haue insisted longer on this matter then this time will suffer Now therefore as time wil permit and GOD shall giue grace I will let you vnderstand how the H. spirit imployes his trauaile in the heart minde of man what paines the holy Ghost taketh in creating and forming this Iewell of fayth in your soules Yet before I enter this work to let you see the trauailes of the spirit of God in working of this fayth in your hearts It is necessarie and more then necessarie that yee vnderstand first your owne miserie and infirmitie and that yee knowe how the Lord was induced to recouer you out of your old estate and to recreate you who were lost by the fall of your father Adam Then to consider of this matter more deepely I offer to your remembrances this ground That man vniuersally and euery one particularly being corrupted being lost and that by our first fathers fall for if there were no more but that same first faulte and sinne of his wee are all of vs iustly condemned to a double death both of bodie and soule for euer Man thus vniuersally and particularly being vtterly lost without any hope at all of recouery left in his soule without any sense of the recouery of that fromer estate or repairing of that Image which hee had lost through sinne long
But alas our lothsomnesse and disdaine is growen to such an height that truly I am moued to belieue firmly that the Lord hath concluded that we shal not enter into his rest that onely for the great contempt of his mercy and grace which is now so richly offred For why God can not deale otherwise with vs then hee dealt with our fore-fathers the Israelites for the negligence of his vvord vvhich was but then obscurely preached for then it was farre from the incarnation of Christ and the farther that it was from his incarnation the vvord was euer the more obscurely preached vnder darke types and shadowes Yet notvvithstanding the Fathers that heard that word preached and belieued it not they perished all in the Wildernesse except two as ye haue sometime heard out of this place And if they for the contempt of so dark a light perished much more must yee that are their children perish for the contempt of the sunne of righteousnes who is risen so plainely and shineth so cleerely now in the preaching of the Gospell except the Lord in his mercy preuent you and except ye preuent his Iudgements by earnest seeking and except ye seeke a feeling and seeke inward senses that ye may see feele the grace that is offered craue againe that he will sanctifie your harts by repentance that yee may repent you of your sinnes and lead an honest a godly conuersation in all time to come that both body and soule may be saued in the great day of the Lord. The Lord worke this in your soules that ye may seeke mercie and seeking mercy yee may obtaine mercy and in mercy ye may lay hold on Christ and that for his righteous merits To whom with the Father and the holie Ghost be all honour praise and glorie both now and euer Amen THE FIFT AND last Sermon vpon the preparation to the Lords Supper 1. Cor. 11.28 Let euery man therefore examine himselfe and so let him eate of this Bread and drinke of this Cup c. IN the doctrine of our triall and due examination the Apostle as ye haue heard vvel-beloued in Christ Iesus gaue vs a speciall commaund that euery one of vs should try and examine narrowly our selues that is that euery man should condiscend and enter into his owne conscience try and examine the estate of his own conscience in what estate he findes it with God and in what estate he findes it with his neighbour Hee inioynes this triall to our selues and coÌ„mands that euery one of vs should take pains vpon the true examination of our consciences Hee inioynes this work to vs why Because no man knoweth so much of me as I doe my selfe because no man can be sure of the estate of my conscience but I my selfe because no man can so diligently nor so profitably try my conscience as I my selfe Therefore chiefely it behooueth euery man and woman before they enter to the hearing of the word before they giue their eare to the vvord or their mouth to the Sacrament it behoueth them to try and examine their owne consciences Not that the Apostle vvould seclude the triall of other men for as it is lawfull for mee to try my selfe so no doubt it is lawfull for my Pastor to try mee It is lawfull for other men that haue a care ouer mee to try and examine me but no man can doe this so profitably to mee as I my selfe And though wee had neuer so many tryers and examiners all is nothing if wee try not our selues So whether there be a second or a third tryer and examiner let our selues be one and the first And no doubt the Apostles minde was this To let vs see clearlie that hee that commeth to that Table and hath not that knowledge â—or is not of that ability to try him-selfe is a profane commer coÌ„meth vncleanly and therefore must needs come to his owne destruction Let euery man therefore growe in knowledge growe in vnderstanding growe in the spirit that hee may be the more able to try and examine his owne conscience To the end that ye may goe forward proceed in the worke of this triall with the better speed and with the better fruits in this examination we laid down this order First of all I shewed what that is which we call a conscience and what is meant thereby Next I declared for what causes yee should put your consciences to this triall and narrow examination And thirdlie so farre as time suffered I entred into the points wherein euery one of you should try and examine your owne consciences As for conscience that yee may call that definition to your memory I will resume it shortlie We call a conscience a certain feeling in the hart resembling the righteous Iudgement of GOD following vpon a deed done by vs flowing froÌ„ a knowledge in the mind A feeling accompanied with a motion in the hart a motion either of feare or ioy trembling or reioycing I leaue the opening vp of these parts to your memories and I pray God that they may be well sanctified I come next to the causes wherefore euerie one of you should bee carefull in trying and examining your owne consciences The first cause is because the Lord of heauen hath his eye continually vpon the conscience the eye of God is neuer from the conscience and heart of man as I proued to you by diuerse places Next because this God hath chosen his lodging and hath set downe his throne to make his residence in the conscience Therefore that hee may dwell in cleanenesse yee ought to haue a regard to his dwelling place Thirdly he is the Lord yea the only Lord of this conscience who hath power onely to controle who only hath power to saue or to cast away therefore that it may doe good seruice to thy owne Lord thou oughtest to take heed to thy conscience And last of all in respect that the health of thy soule standeth in the estate of thy conscience and if thy soule be in good health thy bodie cannot bee ill Therefore in respect that the soule and bodie depend vpon the estate of the conscience euery one of you should carefully looke to your consciences I will not amplifie this but leaue it to your memories how the health of the soule and welfare of the soule should be kept Next I come in the third and last place to the points in the which euerie one of you should trie and examine your consciences And as yee may remember I set downe two points wherein ye ought to put your consciences in triall First to know whether your consciences were at peace with God or not Secondly whether your consciences were in loue in charitie and in amitie with your neighbour or not In these two points cheefly yee must trie and examine your selues To know whether ye bee at peace with God or not ye must first trie whether yee be in the faith or not as the Apostle
your hearts and consciences for the holy Spirit hath his chiefe residence in your hearts I will declare vnto you the first effect that euer the holy spirit bringeth forth in the heart in framing it in mollifying it and in bowing it vnto the obedience of God You shall knowe the working of the holy spirit by this effect namely if your mindes see and behold what is ill see and behold what is good perceiue and discerne your owne miserie and your sinnes which haue brought this miserie vpon you and withall perceiue and beholde the riches of the mercie of God in Christ Iesus If as your mindes see these two your hearts be reformed prepared to loue the sight of them and as you see in your mindes the mercy of God and that in Christ if yee haue hearts to desire mercy if ye haue a thirsting and earnest desire to be partakers of mercy where this desire and thirst is there the holy spirit is hee hath no doubt opened the heart On the other side if as thou seest mercie thou seest thy miserie if as thy mind seeth thy miserie it seeth also the fountaine from whence thy miserie floweth to wit from thine owne sinnes if then thy hart also hate this the holy spirit is there if as thou seest sinne which is the cause of thy miserie with the eye which is giuen thee in the minde thou hatest this sinne with thy heart no question the holy spirit is there And as thou hatest it if also thou sorrowe for it for it is not enough to hate it if thou lament not the committing of it and with a godly sorrowe deplore it the holy spirit is there And thirdly if with thy lamenting thou hast a care and a study to eschew that sin for what auailes it to lament if like a dogge returning to his vomit thou fall into that same gulfe againe Therefore where there is an hatred of sinne a sorrow for sinne a care and a studie to eschewe sinne no question the holy spirit hath opened the heart and is working out that pretious instrument Obserue all this in a word all the operation of the holy spirit and working in the hart and by this examine thine heart See and perceiue if the holy spirit hath entred so farre in thee to worke in that hard heart of thine an earnest and a diligent studie a carefull solicitude continually to bee reconciled with the great God whom thou hast offended Is there such a thing as a thirst as a desire to bee at amitie with him whom thou hast offended to bee reconciled with the God of heauen whom thou hast offended by thy manifold transgressions where this care and study of reconciliation is if this care and study of reconciliation bee in the heart there is no doubt but the heart that thirsteth for this reconciliation is heartily content not onely to renounce sinne to renounce all the impieties that separated thee froÌ„ God but the heart that is indued with this thirst wil be hartily content to renounce it selfe to cast downe it selfe as stubborne as it was before to cast downe it selfe at the feete of the mightie God and be wholly content at all times after to be ruled by his holy will Not to follow it owne lust it owne will and appetite as it did before but to resigne it selfe wholly into the handes of the mightie God to bee ruled by his will at his pleasure and to obey his commaundes And except yee finde this disposition in your owne hearts To acquite your selues to renounce your selues it is a vaine thing for you to say that yee haue a thirst to bee reconciled So the greater thirst of reconciliation that we haue the more that the care study ther of groweth the greater that the apprehension of my miserie of the deep gulfes and very hels whereunto my soule is subiect increaseth in my soule the more earnest would would I be to bee reconciled And to bee reconciled I would not stand for the renouncing of the lusts of my heart but I wold renounce my hart the obedience of the wil desire why Because I see I must die for euer except the Lord reconcile himself with me I see the huge deepes and oceans of all miserie into the which I shall â—al in the ende except in mercie the Lord reconcile himselfe with me To eschewe these miseries and inconueniences is there any question but the hart that hath any sense and is touched with them will most willingly endeuour to acquite it selfe Againe seeing the Lord hath taken paines to deliuer mee out of that deepe miserie in the which I had drowned my selfe and hath purchased my redemption by so deere a price not with golde nor with siluer or any drosse on the earth but by such a wonderfull means by such a pretious price and rich ransome Looking to the greatnesse of our misery and to the greatnes of the price whereby hee hath redeemed vs What heart is it but would willingly renounce it selfe to get a part of that redemption and to be deliuered out of that hell wherein wee are presently and wherein wee shall be in a greater measure heereafter except wee bee reconciled So then with this there is ioyned a diâ—position in the heart whereby the heart is willing in some measure to renounce it selfe This lesson is often taught vs by our Sauiour Christ wee must both take vp the crosse and renounce our selues also before that wee canne follow him The more that this thirst groweth in the heart the more this renouncing of our selues groweth in the heart the more that this thirst decayeth and is diminished in the heart the more wee cleaue to the world the more wee loue the flesh and the more are wee ruled and guided by them So eyther wee must nourish a thirst of righteousnesse a hunger of life euerlasting a thirst of mercie a hunger after that iustice that is in Christ or it is not possible that in any measure wee can bee his disciples Now to proceede The heart that after this manner is prepared that with a thirst to bee reconciled is resolued also to renounce it selfe This heart in the which there remaineth so earnest a thirst is neuer frustrate of the expectation is neuer disappointed But as the Lord hath imprinted in it an earnest studie to be reconciled and to lay hold on Christ So in his mereie hee grants vnto that heart the possession of mercie hee puts that heart in some measure in possession of mercy which it seeketh in possession of Christ Iesus himselfe whom it seeketh The which apprehension which it hath of Chr. the heart sensiblie feeleth and apprehendeth in that peace which hee giueth to the conscience So that the conscience which was terrified exceedingly gnawen and distracted before by the approching of this peace of Christ with his graces incontinent it is quieted and pacified there commeth a calmenesse and soundnesse into the heart and all troubles
to doe thou must not be giuen to the seruice of thine affections and of thine appetite to put them in execution as thou hast formerly done But in-case thine affections or lust commaund thee to doe any thing what is thy part Thou must try how far this may stand with the good will of God and how far that affection which commaunds thee may agree with the law of God Is there such a harmonie as that that thing which thine affection commaunds thee may stand with Gods law and holy will Then no question it is a sanctified affection thou maist put it in execution But after this tryall if thou finde thine affections to be exorbitant out of rule carying thee from God against his law beware of it resist it put it not in execution for if thou fulfill the will of thine affections what pleasure can it bring with it It may well bring a flattering pleasure in the entrie but it closeth euer with a bitter remorse in the end Then to eschew this bitter remorse should yee not all try your affections Yee must examine and try them by the square of Gods lavv yee must see how farre they agree with his law and how fatre they dissent from it so farre as they are dissonant from that law let euery man deny himselfe renounce his affections and so this triall beeing taken in this manner by thy selfe it sanctifieth thine affections maketh Christ to lodge in thy soule maketh thy conscience to be at rest And the holy Spirit this way maketh both bodie and soule to bee in good health and to reioyce Then flie from sinne This is the second lesson The third lesson is this Studie to doe well Wouldest thou keepe health in thy soule Study to do better and better continually At the least haue a purpose in thy soule hart to doe better daily which is the last lesson Seeing that when we studie to do best that the iust man that is the most holy man falleth so often as 7. times a day yea rather 70. times seauen times what is thy part in these slips and snares Though thou fal as thou canst not eschew to fall lie not still there sleepe not there where thou hast faln it is a shame to sleepe there therefore arise againe And hovv shouldest thou rise By lifting vp thy soule and running to the Fountaine of grace and mercy by repayring to Christ Iesus to obtaine mercy for thy soule and to craue that hee would send out of himselfe that measure of peace that may put thy conscience at rest restore thy soule to health So lie not where thou fallest but incontinent arise craue mercy and in obtayning mercy thou shalt repaire thy fal thou shalt amend thy life by repētance by repentance thou shalt get peace thou shalt haue thy conscience at rest and get health to thy soule Now keep this rule if thou desirest to keepe thy soule in health look that thou sleep not in sinne as Dauid did lie not still vvhen thou art faln and so fall from one sinne to another as from adultery to murther from murther to the next c. As commonly if a man sleepe in sin and rise not in time one sin wil draw on another for there is no sin alone but alwaies the greater and more heynous that the sinne is it hath the greater and worse sinnes wayting on it Therefore when yee fall delay not to arise but repaire to the fountaine of mercie and seeke grace in time runne to prayer run to the Church of God wheresoeuer it be whether in the fielde or in the towne runne to Christ Iesus and craue mercy of him that yee may haue peace in your consciences and so by these meanes euery one of you shall preserue health in your soules By these meanes ye shall learne what difference is betwixt this liuing word of mercy and grace which sounds in our religion and that slaying letter that kills the soule of euery one that heares it I meane that Idolatrous doctrine of that dumbe Mass I mention this vnto you because I see that many in these dayes are fallen to it and the Lord is beginning to abstract his grace and mercy from this Country for the contempt of this quickning vvord which hath so cleerely sounded heere which our country-men for the greatest part running headlong to the diuell in a dumbe guise trauaile vtterly to banish Is not this a miserable thing that so fevv of you haue eyes to consider and discerne of the time of peace mercy and grace which is so aboundantly offred The Lord of his mercy giue you eyes in time Thus far concerning the reasons wherefore euery one of you should try and examine your owne consciences and this triall ought not to be for a day or for a yeere but it ought to be euery day and euery yeere of thy whole life For that conscience that should rest for euer with the liuing God that conscience which must euer behold the face of the Sonne of God it cannot be ouer-well cleansed wee cannot looke ouer-narrowly to it The more curious we be in searching out of this conscience we are the better occupied I speak of our own consciences I speak not of our neighbours Thirdly I come to the points In what points wee should examine our consciences wherein euery one of you should try and examine your selues Euery one of you ought to try examine your cōsciences in two things First whether thou be at peace with God who is the Lord of heauen or not Next examine thy conscience whether thou art in loue amity with thy neighbor or not Wouldest thou know whether thy conscience be at vnity peace with God or not Thou shalt know it this way The God of heauen can haue no societie nor company with that soule which is alwaies vncleane that is euery way defiled no hee cannot Now I speake not so precisely that I make a soule to be fully sanctified perfectly holy in this life no in this life there are wonderfull iniquities grosse sinnes great faults where-with euen the righteous are defiled but this is my meaning There is no soule can be at any peace with God or wherewith the Lord can haue any societie but in some measure it must bee sanctified and made holy For God cannot make residence in a soule that is alwaies as a slinking dunghill and therfore of force in some measure it must be sanctified there must be so much made cleane in one corner or other of that soule wherin the Lord of heauen by his holy Spirit may make his residence Now let vs see wherby the soule is sanctified Peter Act. 15.9 saith That the soule of man is purified by faith that the hart of man is purged by faith So faith openeth and purgeth the hart By faith in Chr. Iesus and in the merits of his bloud we haue peace with God Beeing iustified by faith we haue