place I vnderstande that it is all one not to iudge the bodye of the Lorde and to eate it vnworthelye Wherefore they which lacke faith be voyde of charitie without all religion and lyke hogges caste in them selues to this Supper such as these make no difference of the Lordes Supper Therefore seyng they beleue not that that body is theyr lyfe whensoeuer they do present them selues in the Church to receaue this Sacrament they do blaspheme do greate iniurye to the body of Christ they spoyle it of all dignitie and receauyng it after this sorte they be false betrayers of theyr Lord. Euen so these that be in discorde with theyr neyghbours the whiche do so hate them that they can not abyde the syght of them whan they do come together in company to celebrate the holy supper and to shewe that they be knytte together with theyr brother in the bande of charitie such do blaspheme God deuide the mistical bodi of Iesu Christ and teare in sunder the holye Churche by peece and peece Therefore worthely are they to be blamed be betrayers of the body of Chryst I say not onely that they bee betrayers of the Churche whiche is the mistical bodye of Chryste But I saye they be betraiers of theyr Lord no lesse then Iudas and the Iewes whiche crucified hym Eatyng after thys sort vnworthely thei do receaue their own damynation for vsynge thys Sacrament without fayth as the hypocrites do they do confesse that with theyr mouth whiche they beleue not in their harte And to be present at thys table is no other thinge but an abiuration whiche is done in euery false religion It is a confession that we beleue to bee saued onely by the death of Iesu Chryste The hypocrite then doth condemne hym selfe doth pronounce sentence in hys owne condemnation and prouoketh the anger of GOD vppon hys owne head When a man doth not putte hys whole confydence in Christ he can not loue hys neyghbour with that Christian loue wherewith thys Sacrament doth bynde hym Then a wycked person is cutte of from his neyghbours and so he hath no parte at all in the Churche nor yet maye vse thys Sacrament but faynedly For when he outwardelye sheweth hym selfe at this holy Table he confesseth to be transfourmed into hys neyghbour neuerthelesse in hys harte he is replenyshed with hatred For this cause Paule willed that a man should make triall of himself before he dyd eate of thys bread drynke of this cuppe The whiche wordes I do vnderstande after thys sorte that euerye one ought it theyr proper conscience and with stedfast fayth beleue that Iesus Christ onely is theyr redemer and the satisfier for all theyr sinnes Also they ought to declare the death of Christ that is with tong openly to confesse that the whiche he beleueth in hys hart Thys is to confesse Christ alone to be our Sauiour in daungers troubles and all persecutioÌ„s of Antichrist When a Christian hath tasted of thys fayth and confession it is necessary before he receaue thys Sacrament that he consider in his owne conscience whether he be redy to geue hym selfe wholy to the seruyce and benefyt of hys neighbour as Christ hath done who is made the seruaunt of the whole Churche whether he be also desyrous to helpe to defende and to gouerne his neighbour because he is of the fleshe of his owne body Thys is that preparation the which he ought to haue that myndeth to eate the supper of the Lorde This is that examination wherof Paul speaketh that he ought to make that wyll eate of thys breade and drinke of this cuppe He that hath not this fayth and this charitie lette him not goo to this supper of the Lorde because yf that anye suche who is voyde of faith and charitie doth present hym selfe to thys table he is worthi of more blame and becometh a betrayer of the body of Chryst Let vs nowe consider what difference there is bet wixt this fyrst and common fayth of the hypocrites and of thys seconde Christian faith This first fayth wylleth that we shoulde eate this supper because it is so ordayned and because the body of Chryste is receaued But because the wicked and reprobate and the Dyuell may haue thys fayth therefore the hipocrite doth not eate worthely the supper of the Lorde Let vs then leaue of thys â—â—â—â—…on hipocrisie and beynge â—rmed with fayth and charitie â–ª â—…et vs eate thys bread and drynke thys cup together with the other faythful chaunginge our selues into our neyghbours by charitie beinge replenished with all humilitie of whiche we haue at this present a rare example of oure master Christ which is written by S. Iohn after this sort Before the feast dai of the passouer Iesus vnderstandynge that his houre was come that he muste depart out of this life to hys father hauynge loued hys that were in the world for euer and euer he loued theÌ„ When supper was done and the deuil had moued y e hart of Iudas of Symon Iscarioth which betraied hym Iesus knowing that his father had geuen into hys handes all thinges and that he came from GOD and that he must go to God he ryse from supper put of his garmentes tooke a towell girde himselfe after that put water into a basen and beganne to washe the feete of hys Disciples and to wype them with the to well where with he was gyrt The Euangelyst dott describe the cause wherfore the father sent Iesu Christ into the worlde that by the meanes oâ— the crosse he muste retourne to hys father Our merites then nor our good workes bee not oâ— suche pleasauntnesse that theâ— haue caused the sonne of god to descende into the earth But thâ— great earnest loue that he barâ—… hath moued the heauenlye father to geue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hys benifites in hys beloued Câ—â—â—d In this is made manyfest thâ— loue of God toward vs In thaâ— he sen◠〈◊〉 only begotten sonne i◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—rlde that we should lyâ—â—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him In this doth apâ—â—…â—ys loue not that we loâ—◠〈◊〉 but that he loued vs â–ª and sent his sonne a propiciation for our synnes The sonne hath folowed the loue of the father therefore such as were at the first beloued they were dere and fauoured for euer and euer Our Lorde fayleth not in his loue albeit his Disciples ran away denyed hym For al this he departed not froÌ„ one iote of his good wyl y e all men myght knowe that God is true man is but a lyer It is a small mencion that Iohn maketh of this supper because it was already throughli described of the other Euangelistes Now had the deuyll moued the harte of Iudas Iscarioth that betrayed hym And Iesus vnderstandyng y e his father had layd this burden vppon his shoulders te lâ—ue al beleuers by the meanes of the crosse he therfore gaue into his handes the euerlastynge good thinges that is lyfe righteousnesse remissioÌ„ of
⧠The xliiii Sermon of M. Gialio of Milane touchyng the Lordes supper Dedicated to the worshypfull mystres Anne Carowe The .xliiii. Sermon of Master Giulio of Milane touchyng the Lordes Supper SAthan in all tymes hath deuised howe he might by subtiltie defyle and deface with al kind of superstition the Lordes supper In the time of Saint Paul God did smite and sharpely punishe the Churche of the Corinthians because they dyd euyll vse this Sacrament In our tymes because we wyll not recoūt the errours of all worldes be brought in sundry kyndes of supersticious hipocrisies about the vsage of this Supper All whiche I wyll not nowe name in perticuler for spendynge of tyme. I wyll onely intreate of that which is of most force that we may learne after what sorte we ought to present our selues to this holy table Some wryters moued by these wordes of S. Paule He that cateth vnworthelye of this breade and this wyne cateth his owne iudgement they haue takē in hand to declare how a man may worthely vse this Sacrament And after much debating they haue thus resolued them selues that a mā hath than worthely eaten this bread whē he is in the state of grace And passing on a little further they haue expounded said that a man is than in state of grace when he is purged and clensed of all mortall and veniall sinnes In this sort they resolue them selues because their studye is to vnderstande after what sort synnes be purged howe a man may come into the state of grace The writers of these dayes be of diuers iudgementes touchyng this matter Some say that through contricion confession and satisfaction of workes a man is purged from all sinne and doth deserue the state of grace But when a mā doth diligently search what is this meritorious worke of this great goodnes thei do very yll agree vpon the matter For some say that this satisfactorye worke is fastyng accompanyed with teares and prayer Other adde this and say that our praiers must be done with sackcloth and other chastisementes of the fleshe Others do saye that not only these workes be necessarye to deserue the state of grace but also there muste be almose the whiche doth clense a man from sinne The furder we be seperated frō the pure time of the Apostles so much greater is the nomber of satisfactions and the thyng is so augmented that mens consciences be brought into feare error and desperation and in them selues so confounded that they knowe not where to fynde the beginning Wherfore a man is neuer certayne to do these satisfactory workes so perfectlye that he may deserue to be in the state of grace No more there is no conscience of anye lyuynge man be he neuer so holye that cā assure himself to be without sinne yf he shall beholde his merite and the dignitie of his own workes Let vs then leaue of such encomberaunce of conscience and for the eatyng of the Lordes supper let vs folow the facion that was vsed by the Apostles Paule doeth not bring our mindes to this desperation and doubtfulnesse when he doth exhorte the Churche of the Corinthians to vse worthelye this Supper But this he saith that than do we worthely vse this sacrament when we do acknowlege our selues to be vnworthye and laye open our sinnes before Iesus Christ that he through his mercye woulde make vs worthye That we shoulde also dispayre of our selues all our workes for that we myght receaue comforte in hym that we shuld humble our selues that in Christ we myght be exalted that we shoulde acknowledge our selues sinners that in Christe Iesu we myght be iustified therfore we mai not thynke to come to this Sacramēt boyde of sinne nether that wee be worthye to deserue so great a benefit But let vs thus thinke that we being poore do go to a liberall geuer that beyng sicke we go to a gentle phisitian And beyng sinners doo runne to our sauiour Thus the dignitie wherof Paul speaketh that is in this Supper is perfourmed by fayth at those tymes when we beleue that all the merites of Christ be oures And that we behaue our selues in loue towards our neygbours as this daye shalbe declared This error that I haue nowe spoken of is one of the most notable errours y t is in the church conserning y e vsage of the lordes Supper The seconde error is this the which hath ben and is continuallye preached that vnder breade and wine is conteyned the body bloud of Christe Iesu These preachers scoolemasters of mens consciences do only occupy them selues to perswade two thynges to the people The first that in this sacramēt is the body and bloud of Christ The other that all Christians ought with great desyre to receaue this Sacrament because thei do receiue the body bloud of Iesu Christ And these reuerend fathers say that men may search no further because that all matters of faith ought to be beleued simplye But to what ende a man ought to vse this Sacrament and what commoditie a Christian getteth by it these our reuerēde fathers haue not so muche as touched one worde to comfort suche consciences as be in trouble These fathers do not consider that this theyr fayth may be in the deuyl and in all his members It is no hard thing to perswade this theyr article to the people For yf thei beleue that Iesus Christ is rysen from death that by a miracle he entred the gate beyng shut into the house where the Apostles were gathered together without any hurt to his body also if they beleue manye other miracles that was done of the Lord whyle he lyued here vpon earth By the same reason it is an easy mater to perswade the Christian people y t in bread and wine there is the body and bloud of Iesu Christ This this were a small matter whervpon to stay but we must search somthing further These spirituall masters thynke to haue done theyr offyce whensoeuer they haue perswaded this to the people that in the sacrament is the bodye of Iesu Christe and that they be bounde to receaue it We be come nowe to this passe lette a man aske a Christian yf he wyll communicate he wylī aunswere yea And if you aske him wherfore he wyll do so he aunswereth because the Churche hath so ordeyned But yf we shoulde consyder the matter somthyng more deepelye and searche for what pourpose and to what end this was ordeined he wyll aunswer to receaue the body and bloud of Christ Iesu And they thynke to knowe enough whē they can after this sort geue accompt of theyr conscience But as I haue already sayde yf this thing be no otherwayes considered this fayth is nothing because euery naughtye person can haue this faith And he that can geue no better accompte of his fayth then is commenly done nowe a dayes lette hym take heede to receaue this sacrament To admit vnto the supper those persōs thus euyll
enstructed is as a manne should admit a brute beast to an holy banquet to the great ignominie of Iesu Christe and confusion of the church It is then erpedient that the Christian be otherwaies instructed and that he knowe what thing this Sacrament is and for what ende the Lorde hath ordeyned it for what cause also the church doth vse it what profite the faithful do receaue by it and manye other thinges which be necessary to vnderstande as this daye is made manifest I say the minister ought to vse in this Sacrament the selfe same meanes as is vsed in baptisme whē a child is baptised or yet any other person growen in yeres The whiche partie when he goeth to be baptised it is not sufficient to desire to be vnited to the church that he beleueth suerlye that this washyng is baptisme and that this sacrament is ordeined of God No nor it is no sufficient cause that the partie doeth desyre to be baptised because this belief may be both in good and euyll But the principall point that the minister doth desire to know of him that is baptised is this Whether he doth forsake the deuyll with all his works and that he that is baptised do confesse so to do openly That done the minister doth aske yf he beleue in the father in the sonne and in the holye ghost In which demaunde the mynyster doth searche out the fayth of him that receaueth the Sacrament of which faith the Church must be assured Therefore it is nedeful that euery one that is baptised shuld know to geue accompte of theyr fayth in the face of the congregation Howe muche more then oughte this to be done in the Sacrament of the Lordes supper the which is only ministred to such as be of sufficient yeres that be able to vnderstande the word preached Therfore when any man shal first communicate it is erpedient to heare his confession vppon this article For by that confession the Churche maye iudge yf suche a person bee a fitte vessell to receaue suche a Sacramente that by this meanes there maye bee a difference of Iudas and other brutysshe creatures There is then to be wysshed some other fayth muche dyfferynge from this of the Hypocrytes the whiche thynke they haue done enough whē they haue perfourmed that worke because it is so ordeyned Were it not a great folly yf one of rype yeres should be baptised and yf he were asked wherfore art thou baptised could make no other aunswere but that he is baptysed because it is so ordeyned And hauynge no other staye wherevnto the Christian fayth should staye vppon should not such one be almost iudged and taken for a dissimuled Christian Seing than y e Sacramentes be witnesses of our fayth it is needefull that they whiche wyll present them selues to this table be well instructed to geue accomptes of theyr fayth Therfore it is conuement that suche shoulde be eramined of the minister of the Churche First the minister doth aske the Christiā what is this sacramēt The faithful doth answere that this sacrament is an assuraunce and gage left of Iesu Christe in his church for that none should doubt but that his body is dead for vs that hys bloud is shed for the remission of our sinnes Then the minister shal aske him what he intendeth to do when he doth present him selfe to this supper The faithfull doth aunswere I do beleue to receaue al the merites of Iesus Christ and to receaue them in suche sorte that they bee no more Christes but that they bee myne in no lesse force then yf I with my owne proper bodye had merited the kingdome of heauen Then the minister doth thys aske and say what assuraunce hast thou to assure thy selfe after this sort of the workes of thy Lorde The faythfull doth aunswere I do thys assure my selfe vppon the wordes that Iesu Chryst spake in his last supper when he said take and eate this is my body thys is the cuppe of the newe Testamente in my bloud the whiche shalbe shed for you Agayne the minister doth aske after what maner doest thou thynke to eate thys bodye and drinke this bloud The faithful doth aunswere I do beleue to eate it spiritually in suche sort as the gospell vnder the signes of bread and wyne doth offer my fayth doth receaue The minister doth aske wherefore doest thou not thynke to eate the carnal body of Christ The faithful doth aunswere because it is the spirite that geueth me life the fleshe profiteth nothynge For this cause sayeth the Christian am I come hyther vnto the company of the faythfull for to receaue this sacrament because I beleue that the bodye of my Lorde is dead for me that hys bloud is shed for my redemptiō therfore my fayth is confirmed comforted by this sacrament The minister doth demaunde what profit commoditie receueth thy soule of thys holy supper The faithful doth answere the commoditie that I receaue therby is y e I am made a membre of Christe who is the head of the Churche And I do transfourme my selfe into my neighbour so y e I become one soule one hart one wil w t him With these other lyke instructions ought the Christian people to be instructed when they doe fyrst present them selues to thys holye supper Thys Sacramente is a witnesse of our fayth and also an open confession of the same For when we do frequent it we do declare the death of the Lord. The minister of the churh ought to admyt none to thys supper who were not very well instructed and also openly had made confession of these thynges And whē thys faith is not all thinges be decayed and of no force Let vs now then consider what difference is betwixt the fyrst fayth this seconde Thou beleuest by thy fyrst fayth that in this sacrament is the bodye and bloud of Iesu Christ What profit hast thou by this beliefe The deuil and any wicked person may haue this faith and yet for all that shall not be saued Thou beleuest that to vse this sacramēt is a good worke The deuyll beleueth also knoweth that it is a good woorke so y e this common faith maketh man no better then the deuyll or any other naughtie person Therfore it is requisite to haue some other fayth But so sone as the true lyuely fayth springeth in our hartes and speaketh to our conscience it sayeth Ah from henceforth be mery seinge Christ is wholy thine in all respectes because that in this supper thou doest receaue all hys merites he hath supped vp in his bloud all thy sinnes Confesse therefore from henceforth openly in thys Sacrament the death of thy Lord because he is present in all thy doinges This seconde fayth farre passeth the fyrst the which maketh thee no better then the Deuyll no nor than any hipocrite But this second christian faith doth geue vnto thee al that treasure enclosed and promysed in these wordes