A Preparation into the waye of lyfe vvith a direction into the right vse of the Lords Supper Gathered by VVilliam Hopkinson Preacher of the worde of God Printed at London by Robert Walde-graue for Iohn Harrison the yonger and Thomas Manne 1581. ¶ To the right Honorable Syr Henry Sidney Lorde President of her Maiesties Counsel in the Marches of VVales Knight of the moste noble order of the Garter and of her Maiesties most honorable priuie Counsell VV. H. wisheth plentie of those blessings which haue promises of this life and the life to come SEing that it is the duetie of euery true Christian Righte Honorable from the highest to the lowest according to the measure of the grace that he hath receyued of the Lord to reache out him selfe vvith continuall attendance to profite euery his felowe neighbour especially in the charge ouer vvhiche the Lorde hath set him for the tyme so labouring in him selfe to exceede the measure of the moste vvho make muche of lyfe vvithout consideration vvherefore they liue I haue held my selfe bounden by all meanes that I might to endeuour the regarde of those ouer vvhom the Lorde by your Honour hath set me And seeing that not onely the iudgement of reason but continuall experience doth teache vs that to make a scholler learned in the tongues the readyest vvay is to begin vvith the letters or vvell profited in any Science to set first a sure foundation in the principles of the same I haue helde it the moste ready entraunce to make the Lordes trueth familiar to his people especially them of vvhom I haue speciall knowledge and ouer vvhom peculiar charge to laye the groundworke as sure as I might namely in leading them in the light of the Lords vvorde to the true sight of them selues in two respectes that is vvhat they are by nature and vvhat by grace vvherof if eyther be vvanting in the knowledge of Christians the Lorde looseth in respect of him his due glory and the people their saluation As if the first be not knowen men receiue the Lordes promises in securitie as vvhich number at this day seemeth to be great and if the second be not had mens hearts are surprised in the vvaye of death And as he that buyldeth without a foundation layde shall buylde in the ayrc so this steddie groundworke surely founded vvell beat vpon shall giue an easie entraunce to further buylding by the vvord of doctrine and faith that the Lordes Saintes by this meanes maye through his grace not onely be gathered as the Apostle sayth but that through the vvorke of the ministery they may be built vp into him vvhich is the head euen Christ Iesus And for this cause I haue as I might gathered these directions by the Lords vvorde for a perpetuall testimony to remayne vvith thē a consent to suche as turne to the Lorde and for a vvitnesse to the rest But especially next vnto this foundation layde haue I laboured to leade them into the right vse of the Lords Supper a speciall confirmation of Gods promises in Christ to our cōfort a matter also miserably neglected and lightly accounted of to the lamentable ruine and downefall of many thousande soules for the Lordes iudgementes stande inuiolably vvhose vvorkes doth testifie that they are iustly in daunger of his endles indignation vvho prophane his misteries in vnworthines of vvhat condition or sort soeuer they be for vvith him is no respect of persons In both vvhich I haue ioyned the desire of mine owne discharge vvith the peoples safetie and gathered the summe of both into suche a forme as may best agree vvith their experience not as refusing or lightly accouting of the labors of such godly brethren as haue much profited the Lords people in the lyke vvay but as casting in two mytes vvith the poore VVidow to the Lotds vvorke vvhich as it vvas specially ment for mine owne charge so haue I yeelded to the perswasion of certayne godly friendes to communicate the same vvith the Church of God by suffering it to be published in print both for the comfort of the godly the Lorde blessing it and testifie to the Papistes the Lordes enimies that though the varietie of speach be diuers yet that vvee holde firmely one and the selfe same grounde and substance of trueth and that there is not amongst vs at all any oddes or varietie of doctrine vvhatsoeuer they and their lyke shame not vniustly to say agaynst vs. But in this case considering that it must vndergoe the viewe aswell of foes as fauourers that as I am assured of fauourable acceptation amongst the godly yet as the sunne neuer vvanteth light the fyre heate or the srostie vvynter coldnes so haue there euer bene and vvyll be plentie of such vvho in steade of vvell deseruing do please them selues vvith vniust reproching of others labours In this respect as that I might content my selfe in accepting gladly any iust occasion to leaue some testimonie of a right thankfull heart for your Honours fauours many wayes vouchsafed me vvhereby I holde my selfe in the Lorde continually bounde to your Honorable house in all that I maye and in consideration vvherof vvhen other meanes be vvanting wherby to testifie the same I shall not cease I truste right humbly to commende your estate vnto the Lorde vvho hath promised to heare the iuste prayers of his seruauntes for the vvorthines of his Christ So haue I bene bolde to present the same vnto your Honour such as it is the rather hauing iust cause to perswade my selfe of your honorable acceptation and protection of vvhatsoeuer may profite the Church of God I haue also together deliuered to the print for the care I haue of my brethrens health a most notable and christian cōfortable letter vvritten by that notable member of the Church of God in his time M. Edward Dering to a godly christiā gētlewomā by which through the Lordes blessing I must needes confesse to haue gayned muche comfort as also mine hartie desire and hope is that others shall So that vvhile the vncleane and impure Atheistes frozen harted Papistes temporisers carnall Gospellers and infidels shall suppe out the measure of Gods iudgementes to the bottome vve vvell vvarranted in our Christian estate soundly directed in the right vse of the Lordes mysteries by the vvorde preserued in the extremities of sinne and in all lightned to the right application of the grace of Christ shall vvith inuincible constancie runne out the course that is set before vs and patiently vvayte for our deliueraunce euen the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ of vvhom it is vvritten that he shall appeare the seconde time vvithout sinne to saluation to them that vvayte for him VVhich that vve maye continually do our good God and Father graunt vnto vs by the speciall direction of his holy spirite of sanctification and grace and powre plentifully vpon your Honour those blessings vvhich speciallye concerne the aduauncement of his glory your Honours safetie both in body and
Christ Iesus our Lorde 2. Thes 1.7 Heb. 11.1 1. Iob. 3.2 Qu. Shall all men be saued by Christ An. No. None but they onely that do in deede beleeue in him For it is written To whom the death of Christ is profitable He that beleeueth in the sonne hath life and he that beleeueth not in the sonne hath not life And he that beleeueth not is damned already because he beleeueth not Iohn 5.24 6.47 Qu. How do we attayne to fayth An. The holy Ghost worketh it in our hearts As Esay testifieth of the Churche Esa 54.13 â—aying they shal be all taught of the Lord. â—ere 31.33 Rom. 12.3 1. Cor. 2. Eph. 2.8 6.23 Phil. 1.29 2. Thes 1.3.3.2 Heb. 2.2 1. Iob. 5.20 Iob. 6.44 45. Qu. By what meanes The necessitie of the words preached An. By hearing the word preached as is written Faith is by hearing Rom. 10.17 and hearing by the worde of God Qu. May not this hearing be as well by reading as by the preaching of the worde An. No. For it is written Howe can they heare without a preacher Rom. 10.14 Gal. 3.2 Qu. May euery one preach that liste An. Rom. 10.15 No. For it is written Howe shall they preach except the Lorde sende them Qu. What testimonie can be had of any whether he be sent of the Lorde in this office for you knowe it is an easie matter to pretende a sending An. Besides an ordinarie calling of the Church wherein he liueth he muste of necessitie haue Vrim and Thumin knowledge and holynes he must be as it is written wise righteous holy temperate holding faste the faythfull worde according to doctrine that he also may be able to exhorte with wholsome doctrine Tit. 1.8 9. and improue them that say against it 1. Tim. 3.2.3 1. Pet. 5.3 Qu. Do you holde it conuenient that euery minister of the worde and Sacramentes be a preacher An. Yea especially For the Lorde is the fulnesse of all wisedome and sendeth only such as by his grace haue to dispatch his message also he sending forth his Apostles saide goe preach the Gospell c. and to shewe the necessitie of preaching he saith to Peter Feede feede feede Acts 20.28 1. Cor. 3.5 1. Cori. 4.1 2. Cor. 3.6 Ephe. 3.7 Col. 1.7.1 Tim. 4.6.1 Per. 5.2 Qu. Do you thinke it needefull to haue in euerie congregation a minister that is apte to teach An. Yea most needefull for it is written wher there is no preaching the people perishe Also the Apostles in the wisdome of the holie ghost beyonde which we may not presume ordeined suche in euerie Church Acts. 14.23 Tit. 1.5 and Paul appointed Titus to do the like Qu. Do you not think it sufficient that the people do heare the worde preached once in a year or in their life Though they haue no continuall preacher to labour in the worde amongst them An. No in no case For as the body can not liue with such nourishment The greate necessitie of preaching ministers muche lesse the soule without continuall comfort from the worde of God our only spirituall foode and there be dayly profitings in Gods Church wherto the Lords ministers must carefully attende To this effect speaketh Paule to Titus Tit. 1.5 saying For this cause left I thee at Creta that thou shouldest continue to redresse the thinges that remayne c. Also no house is buylt so soone as the first stone of the foundation is layde and S. Paule sheweth the ende for whiche the Lorde doth giue his faythfull seruantes his ministers into his Church namely not onely for the gathering togeather and for the worke of the ministerie but also for the buylding vp the Lords Saints the edification of the body of Christ Ephe. 4.12 14.15 that we might be no more children caried about with euery winde of doctrine but that we mighte grow vp into him which is the head that is Christe Qu. Seeing you thinke it a matter so greatly needefull that there be in euery congregation continually a godly minister apte to teache let me I pray you heart your iudgement by the word of God what is required of the people concerning them and the worde which they bring vnto theÌ„ is it in their choyce whether they wyll heare their preachers and any whitte account of them or no An. No. The peoples duety to their pastours For as no Prince or maister can beare the reiecting of his Ambassador or seruaunt sent foorth in speciall message though to his equals so neither can or will the Lorde beare the like at our hands who be his vassals And to this effect The Lords ministers must be receiued that his faythfull seruauntes his ministers might be comforted agaynst the vnthankfulnesse of the world and to set the people out of doubt how he would haue them taken he sayth He that receiueth you receiueth me Mat. 10.40 and he that receiueth me receiueth hym that sent me Also he addeth Luc. 10.16 He that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me And to put vs out of doubt in what sort he would haue vs to receiue his seruauntes sent to vs for our suche singuler profite as the saluation of our whole soule and body They must be heard and obeyed he doth testifie vnto vs in his worde first that we must heare and obey them Secondly that we must nourish them and thirdly that we must esteeme of them and lastly that we must pray for them For the first he sayth by the Apostle S. Paule 2. Cor. 2.9 For this cause did I write that I might know the proofe of you whether you would be obedient in all things 2. Thes 3.4 14. Heb. 13.17 For the second They must be nourished prouided for Gal. 6.6 it is thus written Let him that is taught in the worde make him that hath taught him partaker of al his goods And also we beseeche you brethren that you know them that labour among you and are ouer you in the Lorde and admonishe you that you haue them in singuler loue for their works sake c. 1. Tim. 5.18 1. Cor. 9.7 8 9. 1. Thess 5.12 13. They must be esteemed 1. Tim. 5.17 For the thirde it is written thus The Elders that rule well are worthy of double honour specially they which labour in the worde and doctrine 3. Iob. 8. And for the laste it is written thus They must be prayed for of the faithfull Col. 4.3 Continue in prayer and watche in the same with thankes giuing praying also for vs that God may open vnto vs the doore of vtteraunce to speake the mysterie of Christe c. that I may vtter it as I ought to speake c. And also Brethren pray for vs 2. Thes 3.1 that the worde of the Lorde may haue free passage and be glorified c. Ephes 6.19 Qu. I pray you how are they accounted of
An. The Apostle calleth it breade both before and after 1. Cor. 11.27 and therefore not the naturall bodie of Christ Qu. They will say he calleth it breade after because it was before as Symon the leaper and Naaman were called leapers when they were clensed because they had bene leprouse Exod. 7.12 And Moses his rodde being turned into a serpent was called stil a rod. An. In these was a plaine shewe to the senses that they were changed but in this it is not so but especiallie the Apostle puttes it oute of doubt adding breaking to it whiche can not agree with the bodie of Christe Also if the breade and wine be transubstantiate and tourned into the body and blood of Christe then was it transubstantiate at his last supper but it was not transubstantiation at his last supper therefore there is no such change of the breade and wine as they immagine Qu. Why was it not transubstantiate at his last supper An. No for then shoulde Christes naturall body which sate at the table haue bene also at one instant in their mouthes so that it must needes haue followed that he either had two bodies or else that his bodie was phantasticall and not a true bodie whiche can be but in one place at ouce Qu. But they will say that a glorified bodie may be euerie where and therefore both at the table and in their mouthes at one instant An. Besides that to say that Christ glorified bodye may bee euery where is to speake an intollerable vntrueth for the holie Ghost saith concerning his body which he tooke of the virgin he assended into heauen sitteth on the right hand of God and from thence shall he come c. so if his bodie was not glorified till he rose againe which I trust they will grant then was it not glorified at his last supper and consequently not at the table in their mouths by their owne reason Also Christ is testified to be like his brethren in all thinges Heb. 2.17 whereby we are put in some experience in that his body was like ours in all thinges except sinne and our bodies will not bee forced into suche a straight withall their coniuringes as to be closed in a peece of bread that Christs body is not changed in such sorte as they imagine Qu. What say you to the ministring of the Lords Supper vnder one kind and of keping the Lords cuppe from the people An. Christ did minister it in both Once decline from the worde and ther is no stay in falling whose institution it is not lawfull for any man to alter Qu. Some say that the Churche vpon good consideration may alter what they will and as they see cause in Rites Ceremontes and Sacramentes Christes Church is his spouse and is obedient to the vvorde but the church of Rome is a strumpet and will rule the vvorde An. The Institution of this Sacramēt standeth vpon the order example and commaundement of Christ for first be deuided the bread seuerally from the cup and the cup seuerally from the bread Secondly in this he gaue vs example to doe the same vnto the ende of the worlde Thirdly besides this order taken and example left he added also an expresse commaundement saying Do this drinke ye all of this Agaynst this order example and commaundement of the Gospell no Churche nor counsell of man or Angell hath any power or authoritie to chaunge or alter for it is written Gal. 1.8 9. If any bring vnto you any other doctrine besides that which you haue receiued holde him accursed Qu. They say further why may not the Church as well alter the forme of this Sacrament as the Apostles did the forme of Baptisme where S. Peter sayth Let euery one be baptized in the name of Iesus Christe Acts. 2.38 c. An. That Scripture nor any other proueth that the Apostles vsed this forme of baptising I baptise thee in the name of Christ but they vsed many times this maner of speache to be baptised in the name of Christ not as expressing thereby the formable words of baptising but as meaning that they would haue them to become members of Christ and to be baptised as Christians entring into his baptisme and not onely into the baptisme of Iohn and therfore although the Apostles thus spake yet notwithstanding when they baptised any them selues they vsed doubtlesse the forme prescribed of Christ and none other Qu. What doe the faythfull receiue in the Lordes Supper then more then onely bread and wine An. For our resolution in this Contemners of the Lordes misteries prophane his trueth we must haue respect vnto the minde of Christe which is best knowen by his words who sayth This is my body Which words of Christ be most true and least we should be like vnto strumpets which onely looke to the gystes and neuer regarde the minde of the giuer in a certayne assuraunce of the vndoubted truth of the words of the Lord I couclude that as to the outwarde senses it is bread and wine so to the soule beeing receiued in fayth it is the body and bloud of Christ Baptisme is not onely a signe of washing away of our sinnes but is in a spirituall maner a very washing and cleasing from sinne Ananias sayde to Paule Arise and washe away thy sinnes Acts. 22.16 So the supper is called a pertaking of the Lords body and not a signe of the pertaking of the Lords body Qu. Sithe the body of Christ is in heauen as the worde doth witnesse and we in the earth as experience doth proue howe can we communicate with his body and bloud An. Reason is a beast in Gods causes In deede to our carnall reason it is an absurde thing and therefore the Papistes vnbeleeuers measuring the Lords wayes by their corruption on the one side haue blindly imagined their transubstantiation and the Epicures and such like in the like measure thinke of the Lordes mysteries prophanely as namely in this that in the Lords Supper is onely bare bread and wine Contrary to both which I conclude that supernaturally and spiritually by faith holding fast the truth of the Lords promise we communicate with and are made pertakers of the body and bloud of Christ And albeit in deede the body of Christ is so farre from our eies and senses and therefore from the place where we celebrate the Supper concerning his bodily presence as heauen is from the earth in so muche as this action is heauenly and our fayth ascendeth thither that it maye most effectuall apprehende Christ in this respect whosoeuer doth not graunt that the fleshe of Christ is most effectually present in the Supper maketh boyde the Supper of the Lorde for Christ sayth This is my body which is giuen for you Mat. 26.26 This is my bloud which is shed for you Mar. 14.22 Luc. 22. 1. Cor. 10. which words can not be restrayned to the effects Qu. There