the Sacrament wee granting in all things héerein vnto them and they in like manner vnto vs. And therefore the lying lippes which both belye the Doctors as thogh they granted a carnall and reall presence of Christs body naturally and corporally after the Papists declaration and meaning and which belie vs also as though we denied all presence of Christ and so made it but a bare signe These lying lips the Lord will destroy if they repent not and with vs beleeue and teach the truth that the Sacrament is the foode of the Soule a matter of faith and therefore spiritually and by faith to be talked of and vnderstanded which faith they want and therfore they erre so grossely in that they would haue such a presence of Christ as is contrary to all the Scriptures and to our Christian Religion whereby commeth no such commodity to the receiuer as by the Spirituall presence which wee teach and according to Gods word doe affirme For wee teach these benefits to be had by the worthy receiuing the Sacrament namely that wee abide in Christ and Christ in vs. Againe that we obtaine by it a celestiall life or a life with God moreouer that by Faith and in Spirit wee receiue not onely Christs body and blood but also whole Christ God and man Besides these we grant that by the worthy receiuing of this Sacrament we receiue remission of our sinnes and confirmation of the new Testament Last of all by worthy receiuing wee get all increase of incorporation with Christ and amongst our selues which be his members then which things what more can be desired Alas that men consider nothing at all how that the coupling of CHRISTS body and blood to the Sacrament is a spirituall thing and therefore there néeds no such carnall presence as the Papists imagine Who will deny a mans Wife to be with her Husband one body and one flesh although he be at London and shee at Yorke But the Papists are carnall men guided by carnall reason onely or else would they know how that the holy Ghost because of our infirmitie vseth metaphorically the words of abiding dwelling eating and drinking of Christ that the vnspeakeable coniunction of Christ with vs might something bee knowne God open their eyes to see it And thus much for this Now to that part of the obiection which sayth that wee teach CHRIST to bee no otherwise present in the Sacrament then in his word I would that the Obiectors would well consider what a presence of CHRIST is in his word I remember that Saint Augustine writeth how that Christs body is receiued sometime visible and sometime inuisible The visible receit he calleth that which is by the Sacrament the inuisible receite hee calleth that which by the exercise of our faith with our selues we receiue And saint Hierom in the third booke vpon Ecclesiastes affirmeth that we are fed with the body of Christ and we drinke his blood not only in mystery but also in knowledg of Scripture Wherin he plainly sheweth that the same meat is offered in the words of the Scriptures which is offered in the Sacrament so that no lesse is Christs body and bloud offered by the Scriptures then by the Sacraments Vpon the 147. Psalme hee writeth also that though these words He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood may bee vnderstood in mysterie yet he saith it is more true to take Christs body and his blood for the word of the Scriptures and the doctrine of God Yea vpon the same Psalme he saith plainely that Christs flesh and bloud is powred into our eares by hearing the word and therfore great is the perill if we yeeld to other cogitations whilst we heare it And therefore I thinke Saint Augustine saith that it is no lesse perill to heare Gods word negligently then so to vse the Sacrament But hereof may no man gather that therefore it néedeth not to receiue the Sacrament or to affirme that a man may as much by himselfe meditating the word in the field receiue Christs body as in the Church in the right vse of the Sacrament For Christ ordainth nothing in vaine or superstitiously hee ordaineth nothing whereof wee haue not neede Although his authority is such that without any questioning his ordinances are to be obeyed Againe though in the field a man may receiue Christs body by Faith in the meditation of the word yet deny I that a man doth ordinarily receiue Christs body by the only meditation of Christs death or hearing of his word with so much sight and by such sensible assurance whereof God knoweth our infirmitie hath no small need as by the receit of the Sacrament not that Christ is not so much present in his word preached as hee is in or with his Sacrament but because there are in the perception of the Sacrament more windowes open for Christ to enter into vs then by his word preached or heard For there I meane in the word he hath an entrance into our hearts but onely by the eares through the voice and sound of the words but heerein the Sacrament he hath an entrance by all our senses by our eyes by our nose by our taste and by our handling also And therefore the Sacrament full well may be called seeable sensible tasteable and touchable words As therefore when many windowes be opened in an house the more light may come in then when there is but one opened euen so by the perception of the Sacraments a Christian mans conscience hath more helpe to receiue Christ then simply by the word preached heard or meditated And therefore mee thinketh the Apostle full well calleth the Sacraments obsignations or sealings of Gods promise Read Romans the fourth of Circumcision And thus much for the answere of the obiection aforesayd Now to returne from whence wee came namely to the consideration of the second thing what the Sacrament is I haue told you that it is not simply Bread and Wine but rather Christs body so called of Christ and so to be called and esteemed of vs. But heere let vs marke what body and what blood Christ called it Christs presence in the Supper The Papists still babble This is my body This is my blood But what body it is what blood it is they shew not Looke therefore my dearely beloued on Christs owne words and you shall see that CHRIST calleth it his body broken and his blood shedde Marke I say tha Christ calleth it his body which is broken his blood which is shed presently and not which was broken or shall be broken which was shed or shall be shed as the Greeke Texts do plainely shew thereby teaching vs that as God would haue the Passeouer called not which was the Passeouer or shall be the Passeouer but plainely the Passeouer to the end that in the vse of it the passing ouer of the striking Angell should be set before their eyes as present so in the celebration of the Lords Supper the
reformed and holpen in vs the Lord hath instituted this Sacrament I meane that we might haue in memorie the principall benefite of all benefits that is Christs death and that we might be on all parts assured of Communinon with Christ of al kindenes the greatest that euer God did giue vnto man The former to be the end wherfore Christ did institute this Sacrament he himselfe doeth teach vs saying Doe ye this in remembrance of me The latter the Apostle doeth no lesse set forth in saying The bread which we breake is it not the partaking or Communion of the body of Christ Is not the Cuppe of blessiing which we blesse the partaking or Communion of the bloud of Christ So that it appeareth the end wherefore this Sacrament was instituted was and is for the reformation and helpe of our obliuion of that which we should neuer forget and of our dubitation of that whereof we ought to be most certaine Concerning the former namely of the memorie of Christs death what commoditie it bringeth with it I will purposely for times sake omit Onely a little will I speake of the commodities comming vnto vs by the partakeing CommunioÌ„ we haue with Christ First it teacheth vs that no man can communicate with Christ but the same must néeds communicate with Gods grace and fauor where-through sinnes are forgiuen Therefore this commodity commeth here-through namely that we should be certaine of the remission and pardon of our sinnes The which thing wee may also perceiue by the Cup in that it is called the Cuppe of the new Testament to which Testament is properly attributed on Gods behalfe obliuion or remission of our sinnes First I say therefore the Supper is instituted to this end that hee which worthily receiueth should bee certaine of the remission and pardon of his sinnes and iniquities how many and great soeuer they be How great a benefit this is only they know which haue felt the burthen of sinne which of all heauy things is the most heauy Againe no man can communicate with Christs body and bloud but the same must communicate with his spirit for Christs body is no dead carkasse Now he that communicateth with Christs Spirit coÌ„municateth as with holines righteousnes innocency and immortality and with all the merits of Christs body so doth hee with God and all his glory and with the Church and all the good that euer it or any member of it had hath or shall haue Note though I apply this thus yet I would not that any man should think that Communionem sanctorum in the Creed is not set forth there for the better explication of that which preceedeth it namely what the holy Catholique Church is This is The communion of Saints which we beleeue in our Creede which hath wayting on it Remission of sinnes Resurrection of the flesh and life euerlasting To the end that we should be most assured certain of al these Christ our Sauiour did institute this his Supper and therefore would haue vs to vse it So that there is no man I thinke which seeeth not great cause of giuing thanks to God for this holy Sacrament of the Lord whereby if we worthily receiue it wee ought to bee certaine that all our sinnes whatsoeuer they bee are pardoned cleerely that we are regenerate and borne againe into a liuely hope into an inheritance immortall vndefiled and which can neuer wither away that wee are in the fellowship of God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost that we are Gods Temples at one with God and GOD at one with vs that wee are members of CHRISTS Church and fellowes with the Saints in all felicitie that wee are certaine of immortalitie in soule and body and so of eternall life then which thing what can bee more demanded CHRIST is ours and wee are Christs hee dwelleth in vs and we in him Oh happy eyes that see these thinges And most happy hearts that féele them My deare brethren let vs pray vnto the Lord to open our eyes to see these wonderfull things to giue vs faith to feele them Surely wee ought no lesse to be assured of them now in the worthy receiuing of this Sacrament then wee are assured of the exteriour symboles and Sacraments If an Angel from Heauen should come and tel you these things then would you reioyce and be glad And my deare hearts in the Lord I euen now though most vnworthy am sent of the Lord to tel you no lesse but that you worthily receiuing this Sacrament shall receiue remission of all your sinnes or rather certaintie that they are remitted and that you are euen now Gods Dearlings Temples and fellow inheritors of all the good that euer hee hath Wherefore sée that you giue thankes vnto the Lord for this his great goodnesse and prayse his Name for euer An obiection of vnworthy receiuing Oh saith one I could be glad in very deed and giue thanks from my very heart if that I did worthily receiue this Sacrament But alas I am a very grieuous sinner and I féele in my selfe very little repentance and faith and therefore I am afeard that I am vnworthy The answere To the answering of this obiection I think it necessary to speak something of the worthy receiuing of this Sacrament in as great breuitie and plainenesse as I can The Apostle willeth all men to proue and examine themselues before they eate of the Bread and drinke of the Cup for they that eate and drinke vnworthily eate and drinke their owne damnation Therefore this probation and examination is necessary If men will try their Gold and Siluer whether they bee Copper or no is it not more necessary that men should trie their consciences Now how this should bée the Papists teach amisse in sending vs to their auricular Confession which is impossible The true probation and tryall of a Christ an conscience consisteth altogether in Faith and Repentance Faith hath respect to the Doctrine and Articles of our Beliefe Repentance hath respect to manners and conuersation Concerning the former I meane of Faith wee may see the Apostle teacheth vs 2. Corinthians 11. Concerning the latter for our conuersation those sinnes which are commonly called mortal or deadly are to be remoued These sins are discerned from other sins by the Apostle Rom. 6. in saying Let not sinne raigne and beare sway in your mortall bodies For truely theâ— we sinne deadly when wee giue ouer to sinne and let it haue the bridle of his libertie when wee striue not against it but allow it and consent to it Howbeit if wee striue against it if it displease vs then truly thogh sinne be in vs for wee ought to obey God without all resistance or vnwillingnesse yet our sins be not of those sinnes which separate vs from God but for Christs sake shall not be imputed vnto vs beléeuing Therefore my dearely beloued if that your sinnes doe now displease you if you purpose vnfainedly to bee enemies to sinne in your selues and in others as you may during your whole life if you hope in Christ for pardon if you beleeue according to the holy Scriptures and Articles of the Christian Faith set forth in your Creede if I say you now trust in Gods merey through Christs merits if you repent and earnestly purpose before God to amend your life and to giue ouer your selues to serue the Lord in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of your life although before this present you haue most grieuously sinned I publish vnto you that you are worthy ghests for this Table you shall be welcome to Christ your sinnes shall be pardoned you shall be endued with his Spirit and so with Communion with him and the Father the whole Church of God Christ will dwell in you and you shall dwell in him for euermore Wherefore behaue your selues accordingly with ioyfulnes thanksgiuing Doe you now appeare before the Lord make cleane your houses and open the doores of your hearts by repentance and faith that the Lord of Hostes the King of glory may enter in and for euer hereafter beware of all such things as might displease the eyes of his Maiestie Flie from sinne as from a Loade come away from Popery and all Antichristian Religion be diligent in your vocations be diligent earnest in Prayer hearken to the voyce of God in his Word with reuerence liue worthy your profession Let your light in your life so shine that men may sée your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in heauen As you haue beene darkenesse and followed the works of darknesse so now henceforth bee light in the Lord and haue societie with the works of light Now hath God renewed his couenant with you in Gods sight now are you as cleane and healed from all your sores of sinnes Goe your waies sinne no more lest a worse thing happen vnto you Sée that your houses béeing new swept bée furnished with godlinesse and vertue and beware of idlenesse lest the Deuill come with seuen spirits worse then himselfe and to take his lodging and then your latter end will be worse then the first God our Father for the tender mercie and merits of his Sonne bée mercifull vnto vs forgiue vs all our sinnes and giue vs his holy Spirit to purge cleanse and sanctifie vs that wee may bée holy in his sight through CHRIST and that we now may bee made ready and worthy to receiue this holy Sacrament with the fruits of the same to the full reioycing and strength 〈◊〉 of our hearts in the LORD 〈…〉 to whom bée all honour and glory world without end Amen To GOD be all Praâ—â—â— FINIS
that I haue commanded you say that you be but vnprofitable seruants Put nothing to my word sayth God Apoc. 22 Deu. 4.1 Yes works of supererogation yea superabomination say they Whatsoeuer things are true saith the Apostle S. Paul whatsoeuer things are honest whatsoeuer things are iust whatsoeuer things are pure whatsoeuer things pertaine to loue whatsoeuer things are of good report if there be any vertue or if there be any praise haue you them in your mind and doe them and the God of peace shall be with you Beloued this lesson wel regarded would pull vs from popish Satisfactory works which do deface Christs treasures and Satisfaction In heauen and in earth was there none found that could satisfie Gods anger for our sins or get heauen for man but only the Son of God IESVS CHRIST the Lyon of the Tribe of Iuda who by his bloud hath wrought the worke of Satisfaction and he only is worthy all honour glory and prayse for hee hath opened the booke with the seuen Seales Dearely beloued therefore abhorre this abomination euen to thinke that there is any other satisfaction to God-ward for sin then Christs bloud only Blasphemy it is and that horrible to think otherwise The bloud of Christ purifieth sayth Saint Iohn from all sinne And therefore hee is called the Lambe slaine from the beginning of the world because there was neuer sinne forgiuen of God nor shall bee from the beginning vntill the end of the world but onely through Christs death Prate the Pope and his Prelates as please them with their Pardons Purgatorie Purgations Placeboes Trentalles Diriges workes of Supererogation Superabomination c. I am hee saith the Lord which putteth away thine offences Esay 45. and that for mine owne sake and will no more remember thine iniquities Put me in remembrance for we will reason together and tell me what thou hast for thee to make thee righteous Thy first Father offended sore c. 1. Iohn 2. And thus writeth Saint Iohn If any man sinne wee haue an Aduocate sayth he with the Father euen Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation or satisfaction for our sinnes As in the fourth Chapter hee saith That God hath sent his Sonne to bee a propitiation or satisfaction for our sinnes According to that which Paul writeth where hee calleth Christ a mercifull and faithful Priest to purge the peoples sinnes Heb. 2. So that blinde Bussards and peruerse Papists they be which yet will prate our merits or works to satisfie for our sinnes in part or in whole before Baptisme or after For to omitte the testimonies I brought out of Iohn and Paul which the blinde cannot but see I pray you remember the text out of Esay which euen now I rehearsed being spoken to such as were then the people of God and had bin a long time but yet were fallen into grieuous sinnes after their adoption into the number of Gods children It is for mine owne sake saith God that I put away thy sinnes Where is your parting of the stake now If it be for Gods owne sake if Christ bee the propitiation then recant except you wil become Idolaters making your workes God and Christ Say as Dauid teacheth Not to vs Lord not to vs but to thy name be the glory And it is to be noted that God doth tast in their feeth euen the sinne of their first father lest they should think that yet perchance for the righteousnesse and goodnesse of their good fathers their sinnes might bee the sooner pardoned and so God accept their workes If they had taken Satisfaction for that which is done to the Congregation publikely by some notable punishment as in the Primitiue Church was vsed to open offendors sparkles whereof and some traces yet remaine when such as haue sinned in adultery go about the Church with a Taper in their shirts Or if they had made Satisfaction for restitution to man ward of such goods as wrongfully are gotten the which true penance cannot be without Or if by Satisfaction they had meant a new life to make amendes to the Congregation thereby as by their euill life they did offend the Congregation in which sence the Apostle séemeth to take that which he writeth in 2. Cor. 7 where the old Interpreter calleth Apologian Satisfaction which rather signifieth a defence or answering againe If I say they had taken Satisfaction any of these wayes then they had done well so that the Satisfaction to God had béene left all onely to Christ Againe If they had made Confession either for that which is to God priuatly either for that which is to the Congregation publiquely either for that which is a frée consultation with some one learned in Gods booke and appointed thereunto as first it was vsed and I wish were now vsed amongst vs either for that which is a reconciliation of one to another it had béene some thing yea if they had made it for faith because it is a true demonstration of faith as in Paul wée may sée when hee calleth Christ the Captaine of our Confession Rom. 1. that is of our faith and so Confessors were called in the Primitiue Church such as manfully did witnes their faith with the peril of their liues if I say they had taken it thus then had they done right well And so Contrition if they had left out their subtill distinction betwéene it and Atttirion by this word iust or full making it a hearty sorrow for their sinnes then wee would neuer haue cryed out against them therfore For wee say penance hath thrée parts Contrition if you vnderstand it for a hearty sorrowing for sin Confession if you vnderstand it for faith of frée pardon in Gods mercy by Iesus Christ Satisfaction if you vnderstand it not to God-wards for that onely to Christ must be left alone but to man ward in restitution of goods wrōgfully or fraudulently gotten of name hindred by our slaunders and in newnesse of life although as I sayd before anon will shew more plainly by Gods grace that this last is no part of penane in deed but a plaine effect or fruit of true penance I might here bring in examples of their penance how perilous it is to be embraced but let the example of their graund Sire Iudas serue in whome we sée all the parts of their pennance as they describe it and yet notwithstanding he was damned He was sorie enough as the effect shewed he had their contrition fully out of the which he confessed his fault saying I haue betrayed innocent blood and thereunto he made satisfaction restoring the money he had receiued But yet all was but lost he hanged vp himselfe his bowels burst out and he remained a child of perdition for euer I would wish that this example of Iudas in whom ye see the parts of their penance contrition confession and satisfaction would moue them to penance and to describe it a little better making
in this Faith is so farre from the reach of mans free-will that to reason it is plaine foolishnesse Therefore thou must first goe to God whose gift it is thou must I say get thee to the Father of mercy whose worke it is that as he hath brought thee down by Contrition and humbled thee so hee would giue thee faith raise shee vp and exalt thee On this manner therefore with the Apostles and the poore man in the Gospell that cryed Lord encrease our faith Lord helpe my vnbeliefe pray thou and say O mercifull God and deare Father of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ in whom as thou art well pleased so hast thou commanded vs to heare him forasmuch as he often biddeth vs to aske of thee 2. Tim. 2. and therto promiseth that thou wilt heare vs and grant vs that which in his name we shall aske of thee loe gracious Father I am bold to begge of thy mercy through thy Sonne IESVS CHRIST one sparkle of true faith and certaine perswasion of thy goodnesse and loue towards me in Christ wherethrough I being assured of the pardon of all my sinnes by the mercies of Christ thy Son may be thankfull to thee loue thee and serue thee in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of my life On this sort I say or otherwise as God shall moue thee pray thou first of al and look for thy request at Gods hand without any doubting though forth-with thou féelest not the same for oftentimes we haue things of GOD giuen vs long before we féele them as we would doe Now vnto this prayer vse thou these meanes following After prayer for faith which I would should be first secondly because the same springeth out of the hearing no of Masses Mattins Cannons Councels Doctours Decrées but out of the hearing of Gods word get thée Gods word but not that part which serueth specially to Contrition that is the Law but the other part which serueth specially to consolation and certaine perswasions of Gods loue towards thée that is the Gospell or publication of Gods mercie in Christ I meane the free promises But here thou must know that there are two kinds of promises one which is properly of the Lawe another of the Gospell In the promises of the Law we may indeed behold Gods mercie but so that it hangeth vpon the condition of our worthinesse as if thou loue the Lord with all thy heart c. thou shalt finde mercy This kinde of promise though it declare vnto vs Gods loue which promiseth where he néedeth not yet vnto him that féeleth not Christ which is the end of the Law they are so farre frnm comforting that vtterly with the Law they bring man to great despaire so greatly we are corrupt for none so loueth God as he ought to doe From these therfore get thee to the other promises of the Gospell in which we may see such plenty and franke liberality of Gods goodnes that we cannot but be much comforted though we haue very deeply sinned For these promises of the Gospell doe not hang on the condition of our worthinesse as the promises of the Law do but they depend and hang on Gods truth that as God is true so they cannot but be performed to al them which lay hold on them by faith I had almost said which cast them not away by vnbeliefe Marke in them therefore two things namely that as well they are free promises without any condition of our worthinesse as also that they are vniuersall offered to all all I say which are not so stubborne as to kéepe still their hands whereby they should receiue this almes in their bosoms by vnbeliefe As concerning Infants and children you know I now speak not but concerning such as be of years of discretion And now you looke that I should giue you a taste of these promises which are both frée and vniuersall except none but such as except themselues Well you shall haue one or two for a say In the 3. of Iohn saith our Sauiour So God the Father loued the world that he would giue his Dearling his own only Sonne that al that beleeue in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life Loe sir he saith not that some might haue life but all saith he And what all All that loue him with all their hearts all that haue liued a godly life Nay all that beléeue in him Althogh thou hast liued a most wicked and horible life if now thou beleeue in him thou shalt be saued Is not this sweet grace Againe saith Christ Come vnto me all yee that labour and are laden and I will refresh you Let vs a litle looke one this letter Come vnto me Who should come Lords Priests Holy men Monkes Friers Yea Coblers tinkers whores theeues murtherers also if they lament their sinnes Come vnto me saith he all ye that labour and are laden that is which are afrayd of your sinnes And what wilt thou do Lord And I will refresh you saith he Oh what a thing is this And I will refresh you Wot you who spake this He that neuer told lye He is the truth there was neuer guile found in his mouth and now wil he be vntrue to thee good brother which art sorie for thy grieuous sinnes No forsooth heauen and earth shal passe and perish but his word shall neuer fayle Saint Paul saith God would haue all men saued Loe he excepteth none And to Titus The grace of God bringeth saluation to all men As from Adam all haue recieued sin to damnation so by Christ all haue grace offered to saluation if they reiect not the same I speak not now of Infants I say nor I neede not enter into the matter of Predestination In preaching of repentance I would gather where I could with Christ As surely as I liue sayth God I wil not the death of a sinner Art thou a sinner Yea Loe God sweareth he will not thy death How canst thou now perish Consider with thy selfe what profit thou shouldst haue to beleeue this to be true to others if not to thy selfe also Sathan doth so Rather consider with Peter that the promise of saluation pertaineth not only to them which are nie that is to such as are fallen a little but also to all to whom the Lord hath called bee they neuer so farre off Loe now by mee the Lord calleth thee thou man thou woman that art very farre off The promise therefore pertaineth to thee needs must thou be saued except thou with Sathan say God is false And if thou do so God is faithful cannot deny himselfe as thou shalt feele by his plagues in hell for so dishonouring God to think that he is not true Will he be found false now The matter hangeth not on thy worthinesse but it hangeth on Gods truth Clap hold on it and I warrant thee CHRIST is the propitiation for our sins yea for the sins of the whole world beleeue this man I
know thou beleeuest it say therefore in thy heart still Domine audage mihi fidem Lord encrease my faith Lord help my vnbeliefe Blessed are they which see not by reason this but yet beleeue Beloued wee must hope aboue hope as Abraham did And thus much for a taste of the promises which are euery where not only in the new Testament but also in the Old Reade the last end of Leuiticus 26. The Prophet Esay 30. Where he saith God tarrieth looking for thee to shew thee mercy Also the 40. and so forth to the 60. Reade also 2. Kings 24. Psal 33. Ioel 2. c. Howbeit if all this will not serue if yet thou féelest no faith no certaine perswasion of Gods loue then prepare thy selfe vnto praier and diligent considering of the frée and vniuersall promises of the Gospell Thirdly set before thée those blessings which heretofore and at that present God hath giuen thée Consider how hee hath made thée a man or a woman which might haue made thée a Toade or a Dog And why did he this Verily because he loued thée And thinkest thou if hee loued thée when thou wast not to make thée such a one as he most graciously hath will he not now loue thee being his handy worke Doth he hate any thing that he made Is there vnablenesse with him Doth he loue for a day and so farewell No beloued God loueth to the end his mercy endureth for euer Say therfore with Iob. Operi manuum tuarum porrige dexteram that is To the worke of thy hands put thy helping hand Againe hath hee not made thee a Christian man or woman where if he would hee might haue made thee a Turke or Pagan This thou know'st he did of loue And doost thou thinke his loue is lessened if thou lament thy sin Is his hand shortned for helping thee Can a woman forget the child of her wombe and though she should yet will not I forget thee saith the Lord. Hee hath giuen thee limbes to see heare go c. He hath giuen thee wit reason discretion c. Hee hath long spared thee and born with thee when thou neuer purposedst to repent and now thou repenting will he not giue thee mercy Wherfore doth he grant thee to liue at this present to heare him to speake this and mee to speake this but of loue to vs all Oh therefore let vs pray him that he would add to this that wee might beleeue these loue tokens that he loueth vs and indeed he will do it Lord open our eies in thy gifts to see thy gracious goodnesse Amen But to tarry in this I will not Let euery man consider Gods benefites past and present publike and priuate spirituall and corporall to the confirming of his faith concerning the promises of the Gospel for the pardon of his sinnes I will now go about to shew you a fourth meane to confirme your faith in this euen by examples Of these there are in the Scriptures very many as also daily experience doth diuersly teach the same if we were diligent to obserue things accordingly wherfore I will be more briefe herein hauing respect to time which stealeth fast away Adam in Paradise transgressed grieuously as the painefull punishment which we all as yet féele prooueth if nothing else Though by reason of his sin he displeased God sore and ran away frō God for he would haue hid himselfe yea he would haue made God the causer of his sin in that he gaue him such a Mate so far was he from asking mercy yet all this notwithstanding GOD turned his fierce wrath neither vpon him nor Eue which also required not mercy but vpon the Serpent Sathan promising vnto them a séed Iesus Christ by whom they at the length should be deliuered In token whereof though they were cast out of Paradise for their nurture to serue in sorrow which would not serue in ioy yet hée made them apparell to couer their nakednes a visible Sacrament and token of his inuisible loue and grace concerning their soules If God was so mercifull to Adam which so sore brake his commandement and rather blamed God then asked mercy thinkest thou O man that he will not bee mercifull to thée which blamest thy selfe and desirest pardon To Cain hee offered mercy if hee would haue asked it What hast thou done saith God The voice of thy brothers bloud cryeth vnto me out of the earth O merciful Lord should Cain haue sayd I confesse it But alas he did not so and therefore said God Now that is In that thou desirest not mercy Now I say be thou accursed c. Loe to the reprobate he offered mercy and will he deny it thee which art his child Noah did he not sin and was drunk Good Lot also both in Sodome dissembled a little with the Angels prolonging the time and out of Sodome he fel very foule as did Iudas and the Patriarks against Ioseph but yet I ween they found mercy Moses Myriam Aaron though they stumbled a little yet receiued they mercy yea the people in the wildernes often sinned and displeased God so that he was purposed to haue destroyed them Let me alone saith he to Moses that I may destroy them But Moses did not let him alone for he prayed still for them and therfore God spared them If the people were spared through Moses prayer they not praying with him but rather worshipping their golden Calfe eating drinking and making iolly good cheere Beloued why shouldest thou doubt whether GOD will bee mercifull to thee hauing as indeede thou hast one much better then Moses to pray for thee and with thee euen Iesus Christ who sitteth on the right hand of his Father and prayeth for vs being no lesse faithfull in his fathers house the Church then Moses was in the Synagogue Dauid that good King had a foule foile when hee committed whoredom with his faithfull seruants wife Bethsheba wherunto he added also a mischieuous murther causing her husband his most faithfull Souldier Vria to bee slaine with an honest company of his most valiant men of warre and that with the sword of the vncircumcised In this sinne though a great while he lay asleep as many do now a dayes God giue them good waking thinking that by the Sacrifices he offered all was well God was content yet at length when the Prophet by a Parable opened the offence and brought Dauid in remembrance of his owne sin in such sort that he gaue iudgement against himselfe then quaked he his Sacrifices had no more taken away his sinnes then our Sir Iohns Trentals and wagging of his fingers ouer the heads of such as lye asleep in their sinnes out of the which when they are awaked they will see that it is neither Masse nor Mattins blessing nor cursing will serue then I say he cryed out saying Peccaui Domine I haue sinned sayth hee against my Lord and good God which hath done so much for me I caused indeed
Was there any loue like to this loue God indeede hath commanded his charitie and loue to vs herein that when wee were very enemies vnto him he would giue his owne Sonne for vs. That wee being men might become as you would say Gods God would become man That we being mortall might become immortall the immortall God would become mortall man That we earthly weretches might be Citizens of Heauen the Lord of Heauen would become as a man would say earthly That we being accursed might be blessed God would be accursed That we by our father Adam being broght out of Paradise into the puddle of al pain might be redeemed and brought into Paradise againe God would be our Father and an Adam thereunto That wée hauing nothing might haue al things God hauing al things would haue nothing That we being vassailes and slaues to all euen to Sathan the Fiend might be Lords of all and of Sathan the Lord of all would become a vassaile and a slaue to vs all and in danger of Sathan Oh loue incomprehensible Who can otherwise thinke now but if the gracious good Lord disdained not to giue his owne Sonne his owne hearts ioy for vs his very enemies before wée thought to begge any such thing at his hands yea before we were who I say can thinke otherwise but that with him hee will giue vs all good things If when we hated him and fled away from him hee sent his Son to séek vs who can thinke otherwise then that now we louing him and lamenting because wee loue him no more but that he wil foreuer loue vs Hee that giueth the more to his enemies will not he giue the lesse to his friends God hath giuen his owne Sonne then which nothing is greater euen to vs his enemies and wée now being become his friends wil ne deny vs faith and pardon of our sins which though they be great yet in comparison they are nothing at all Christ Iesus would giue his owne selfe for vs when we willed if not and will he now deny vs faith if wee will it This will is his earnest that he hath giuen vs truly to looke indeed for the thing willed And looke thou for it in deed for as he hath giuen thée to will so will he giue thee to doe Iesus Christ gaue his life for our euils and by his death hee deliuered vs. O then in that hee liueth now and cannot dye will hee forsake vs his heart bloud was not too deare for vs when we asked it not what can then be now too deare for vs asking it Is he a changeling Is he mutable as man is Can he repent him of his gifts Did he not foresée our falls Payd not he therefore the price Because hee sawe wee should fall sore therefore would he suffer sore Yea if his suffering had not béene enough he would yet once more come againe God the Father I am sure if the death of his Sonne incarnate would not serue would himselfe and the holy Ghost also become incarnate and dye for vs. This death of Christ therefore look on as the very pledge of Gods loue towards thee whosoeuer thou art how déep soeuer thou hast sinned Sée Gods hands are nayled they cannot strike thee his féete also hée cannot run from thée his armes are wide open to embrace thee his head hangs downe to kisse thée his very heart is open so that therin look nay euen spy and thou shalt sée nothing therein but loue loue loue loue to thee hide thee therefore lay thy head there with the Euangelist This is the clift of the Rock wherin Helias stood This is for all aking heads a pillow of downe Anoint thy head with this oyle let this oyntment enbalme thy head and wash thy face Tarry thou on this firme Rocke and I le warrant thee Say with Paul What can separate me from the loue of God Can death can pouertie can sicknesse hunger or any misery perswade thee now that God loueth thee not Nay nothing can separate thee from the loue wherwith God hath loued thee in CHRIST IESVS whom he loueth he loueth to the end So that now where abundance of sin hath bin in thee the more is the aboundance of grace But to what end Certainly that as sinne hath reigned to death as thou seest to the killing of Gods Son so now Grace must reigne to Life to the honouring of Gods Son who is now aliue and cannot dye any more So that they which by faith feele this cannot any more dye to God but to sin whereto they are dead and buried with CHRIST As Christ therefore liueth so doe they and that to God to righteousnesse and holinesse The life which they liue is In fide Filij Dei In the faith of the Sonne of God Whereby you see that now I am slipt into that which I made the third part of penance namely newnesse of life which I could not so haue done if that it were a part of it selfe indeed as it is an effect or fruit of the second part that is of faith or trust in Gods mercy For he that beléeueth that is is certainely perswaded sin to be such a thing that is the cause of all miserie and of it selfe so greatly angreth God that in heauen nor in earth nothing could appease his wrath saue alonely the death and precious bloud-shedding of the Sonne of God in whom is all the delight and pleasure of the Father hee I say that is perswaded thus of his sin the same cannot but in heart abhorre and quake to doe or say yea to thinke any thing willingly which Gods Lawe teacheth him to be sinne Againe he that beleeueth that is is certainly perswaded Gods loue to be so much towards him that where through sinne he was lost and made a fire brand of hell the eternall Father of mercy which is the omni sufficient God and néedeth nothing to vs or of any thing that we can do to deliuer vs out of hell and to bring vs into heauen did send euen his owne most deer Sonne out of his bosome out of heauen into hell as a man would say to bring vs as I sayd from thence into his own bosome and mercy we being his very enemies hee I say that is thus perswaded of Gods loue toward him and of the price of his redemption by the deare bloud of the Lamb immaculate IESVS CHRIST the same man cannot but loue God again and of loue doe that and heartily desire to doe better the which might please God Thinke you that such a one knowing these things by faith wil willingly insist wallow in his wilfull lusts pleasures and fantasies Will such a one as knoweth by faith Christ Iesus to haue giuen his bloud to wash him from his sins play the Sow to nuzle in his puddle of filthy sin and vice againe Nay rather then hee will bee defiled againe by his wilfull sinning he will wash often the feet of his affections watching
ouer the vice stil sticking in him which as a spring continually sendeth out poison enogh to drowne and defile him if the sweet water of CHRISTS passion in Gods sight did not wash it and his bloud satisfie the rigor of Gods iustice due for the same This bloud of Christ shed for our sinnes is so deare in the sight of him that beleeueth that he will abhorre in his heart to stamp it and tread it vnder his feet He knoweth now by his beliefe that it is too much that hitherto he hath set too little by it and is ashamed thereof Therefore for the residue of his life he purposeth to take better heed to himselfe then before he did Because he seeth by his faith the grieuousnes of Gods anger the foulnesse of sinne the greatnesse of Gods mercy and of Christs loue towards him hee will now bee heedy to pray vnto God to giue him his grace accordingly that as with his eyes and tongue hands feet c. hee hath displeased God doing his own wil euen so now with the same eyes tong c. he may displease his owne selfe and doe Gods will Willingly will hee not doe that which might renew the death of the Son of God He knoweth he hath too much sinne vnwillingly in him so that thereto he will not adde willing offences This willing witting offending and sinning whosoeuer doth flatter himselfe therein doth euidently demonstrate and shew that he neuer yet indeed tasted of Christ truly He was neuer truely perswaded or beleeued how foul a thing sin is how grieuous a thing Gods anger is how ioyfull and precious a thing Gods mercie in Christ is how exceeding broad wide high and deep Christs loue is Perchance he can talk and preach of faith but yet truly in part he neuer felt it For if he did once feel this rauishing Consolation indeed then would he be so far from continuing in sin willingly and wittingly that wholly heartily hee would giue ouer himselfe to that which is contrary I meane to a new life renewing his youth euen as the Eagle doth For as we being in the seruitude of sin demonstrate our seruice by giuing ouer our members to the obeying of sin from iniquity to iniquity euen so we being made free from sin by faith in Iesus Christ and endued with Gods Spirit a Spirit of liberty must needes demonstrate this freedome and libertie by giuing ouer our members to the obedience of the Spirit by the which we are lead and guided from vertue to vertue and all kind of holinesse As the vnbeleeuers declare their vnbelief by the working of the euill spirit in them outwardly the fruits of the flesh euen so the beleeuers declare their faith by the working of Gods Spirit in thē outwardly the fruits of the spirit For as the Diuell is not dead in those which are his but worketh still to their damnation so is not God dead in them which be his but worketh still to their saluation The which working is not the cause of the one or the other being in any but onely a demonstration a signe a fruit of the same As the Apple is not the cause of the Apple tree out a fruit of it Thus then you see briefly that newnesse of life is not in deed a part of penance but a fruit of it a demonstration of the iustifying faith a signe of Gods good Spirit possessing the heart of the penitent as the old life is a fruit of impenitency a demonstration of a lip-faith or vnbeliefe a signe of Sathans spirit possessing the heart of the impenitent which al those be that be not penitent For meane I know none He that is not penitent the same is impenitent he that is not gouerned by Gods Spirit the same is gouerned by Sathans spirit For all that be Christians are gouerned with the Spirit of Christ which spirit hath his fruites All other that be not Christs are the Diuels He that gathereth not with Christ scattereth abroad Therefore my dearely beloued I beseech you to consider this and deceiue not your selues If you bee not Christs then pertain you to the diuel of which things the fruits of the flesh doth assure you as whoredome adultery vncleannesse wantonnesse Idolatry witchcraft enuy strife contention wrath sedition murther drunkennesse gluttony blasphemy slothfulnesse idlenesse vaine talking slandering c. If such like fruite as these grow out of the trees of your hearts surely surely the Diuell is at Inne with you you are his birds whom when he hath well fed he will broach you and eat you chaw you and champ you world without end in eternall woe and misery But I am otherwise perswaded of you all I trust you bee all CHRIST IESVS his people and his children yea and his brethren by faith As ye see your sins in Gods Law and tremble and sigh sorrow and sob for the same euen so you see his great mercies in his Gospell and free promises therfore are glad merry and ioyfull for that you are accepted into Gods fauour haue your sins pardoned and are endued with the good spirit of God euen the Seale and signe MANVEL of your election in Christ Iesus euen before the beginning of the World The which Spirit for that hee is the Spirit of life giuen to you to worke in you with you and by you here in this life satisfaction and holinesse whereunto you are called that yee might bee holy euen as your heauenly Father is holy I beseech you al by admonition and warning of you that you would stirre vp the giftes of God giuen to you generally particularly to the edifying of his Church that is I pray you that you would not molest the good Spirit of God by rebelling against it when it prouoketh and calleth you to goe on forwards that the which is holy might yet be more holy he which is righteous might be more righteous as the euill spirit moueth and stirreth vp the filthy to be yet more filthy the couetous to be more couetous the wicked to be more wicked Declare you now your repentance by workes of repentance Bring forth fruits and worthy fruits Let your sorrowing for your euils demonstrate it selfe departing from the euils you haue vsed Let your certaintie of pardon of your sinnes through Christ and your ioy in him be demonstrated by persuing of the good things which Gods word teacheth you You are now in Christ Iesus Gods workmanship to doe good works which God hath prepared for you to walke in For the grace of God that bringeth saluation vnto all men hath appeared and teacheth vs that we should denie vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and that we should liue soberly righteously and godly in this present world looking for that blessed hope and glorious appearing of the mighty God and of our Sauiour Iesus Christ which gaue himselfe for vs to redeeme vs from all vnrighteousnesse and to purge vs a peculiar people vnto himself feruently giuen vnto good works
very Passion of Christ should be as present beholden with the eyes of Faith For which end Christ our Sauiour did specially institute this Supper saying Doe ye this in remembrance of mee or as Paul saith Shew you the Lords death till he come The Supper of the Lord then is not simply Christs body and blood but Christs body broken and his blood shedde Wherefore broken Wherefore shedde Forsooth that teacheth Christ himselfe saying Broken for you Shed for your sinnes and for the sins of many Here now then we haue occasion in the vse of the Sacrament to call to mind the greatnes and grieuousnesse of sinne which could not be taken away by any other meanes then by the shedding of the most precious bloud and breaking of the most pure body of the only begotten Sonne of GOD Iesus Christ by whome all things were made all things are ruled and gouerned c. Who considering this thing shall not be touched to repent Who in the receiuing of this Sacrament thinking that Christ saith to him Take eate this is my body which is broken for thee This is my blood which is shedde for thy sinnes can but tremble at the grieuousnesse of his sinnes for the which such a price was payd If there were no plague at all else to admonish man of sinne how grieuous a thing it is in Gods sight surely that one were enough But alas how are our hearts bewitched through Sathans subtilties and the custome of sinne that we make sinne a thing of nothing God open our eyes in time and giue vs repentance which wee sée this Sacrament doth as it were enforce vs vnto in the reuerence and true vse of the same Againe in hearing that this which we take and eate is Christs body broken for our sinnes and his bloud shed for our iniquities we are occasioned to call to mind the infinite greatnesse of GODS mercy and truth and of Christs loue towards vs. For what a mercie is this that God would for man beeing lost through his wilfull sinnes be content yea desirous to giue his owne onely Sonne The Image of his substance the brightnesse of his glorie being in his own bosome to be made man for vs that we men by him might be as it were made Gods What a mercie is this that God the Father should so tender vs that he would make this his Sonne being equall with him in diuinitie a mortall man for vs that wee might bee made immortall by him What a kindnesse is this that the Almighty Lord should send to vs his enemies his deare Darling to bee made poore that wee by him might bee made rich What bowels of compassion was this that the omnipotent Creator of Heauen and earth would deliuer his owne onely beloued Sonne for vs creatures to be not onely flesh of our flesh and bone of our bones that we might by him through the holy Ghost be made one with him and so with the Father by communicating the merits of his flesh that is righteousnesse holinesse innocencie and immortalitie but also to bee a slaine Sacrifice for our sinnes to satisfie his iustice to conuert or turne death into life our sinne into righteousnes hell into Heauen misery into felicitie for vs What a mercy is this that GOD will rayse vp this his Sonne CHRIST not onely to iustifie and regenerate vs but also in his person to demonstrate vnto vs our state which wee shall haue for in his comming we shall be like vnto him Oh wonderful mercy of God which would assume this his Christ euen in humane body into the heauens to taken and kéepe their possession for vs to leade our captiuitie captiue to appeare before him alwaies praying for vs to make the throne of Iustice a throne of mercy the seat of glory a seat of grace So that with boldnesse we may come and appeare before God to aske and finde grace in time conuenient Againe what a verity and constant trueth in God is this that he would according to his promise made first to Adam and so to Abraham and others in his time accomplish it by sending his sonne so graciously Who would doubt hereafter of anything that he hath promised And as for Christs loue oh whose heart can be able to thinke of it any thing as if deserueth He being God would become man He being rich would become poore He being Lord of all the world became a seruant to vs all hee being immortall would become mortall miserable and taste of all Gods curses yea euen of hell it selfe for vs. His bloud was nothing too deare his life nothing considered to bring vs from death to life But this his loue néedeth more heartie weighing then many words speaking and therefore I omit and leaue it to your considerations So that in the receiuing of this Supper as I would you would tremble at Gods wrath for sin so would I haue you to couple to that terror and feare true faith by which ye might be assuredly perswaded of Gods mercie towards you and Christs loue though all things else preached the contrary Do euery of you surely think when you heare these words Take eate this is my body broken for your sinnes Drinke this is my bloud shed for your sins That God the eternal Father embracing you Christ calleth clippeth you must louingly making himselfe one with you and you one with him and one with another amongst your selues You ought no lesse to be certaine now that God loueth you pardoneth your sinnes and that Christ is all yours then if you did heare and Angell out of heauen speaking so vnto you And therefore reioyce and be glad and make this Supper Eutharichiam a thankesgiuing as the Fathers named it Be no lesse certaine that Christ and you now are all one then you are certaine the bread and wine is one with your nature and substance after you haue eaten and drunke it Howbeit in this it differeth that you by faith are as it were changed into Christ and not Christ into you as the bread is for by faith he dwelleth in vs and we in him God giue vs faith in the vse of this Sacrament to receiue Christ as he giueth vs hands to receiue the element simbole and visible Sacrament God grant vs not to prepare our féeth and belly as Saint Augustine saith but rather of his mercy he prepare and giue vs true and liuely faith to vse this and all other his ordinances to his glory and our comforts He sweep the houses of our hearts and make them cleane that they may bee worthy Temples and lodgings for the Lord. Amen Wherefore the Sacrament was instituted Now let vs come and looke on the third and last thing namely wherefore the Lords did institute this Sacrament Our nature is very obliuious of GOD and of all his benefits And againe it is very full of dubitation and doubting of GODS loue and of his kindnesse Therefore to the end these two things might be something