in the Eucharist and euen at the same time the deuill entred into him can it bee conuenient or possible to thinke that Iesus Christ and the deuill entred into one body together and remained together One thing I thinke is very conuenient that in euery Sacrament as also at the sacrifice it is necessary that the thing which they administer to the people and that they offer to God bee consecrated but in the Eucharist of the Roman Church there is nothing of consecrate which is administred to the people nor which is offered to God for is this the bread which is consecrated No way for they say it is no more bread Is it the body of Iesus Christ it is not for Iesus Christ cannot bee consecrated but it is he that consecrateth vs. Are these the accidents of bread which are consecrated that they call formes that is to say the roundnesse the colour and taste of the bread It is not neither for these things are not offered to God in sacrifice neither are they giuen to the people for to sanctifie them But behold one Sacrament and one sacrifice where there is nothing consecrated where he doth make a Consecration but they cannot say what it is that is consecrated All this abuse commeth by the fault of some Priests who could if they would make vs all agree very easily in one way For all confesse that Iesus Christ hath instituted the holy Sacrament as it ought to bee and that there is nothing to say against it If then the Pope would reduce the Holy Supper into the same forme wherein Iesus Christ instituted it in speaking as hee did and doing as hee did without further dispute we should all agree and so wee should all come to be of one assembly vnanimously to glorifie God By this meanes diuine seruice should bee done in the vulgar tongue there should be no more priuate Masses All should communicate vnder both kindes there should be no more adoration of the Hoast nor any eleuation of the sacrifice the Priests bending ouer the Altar should not pray to God for saluation through the merit of Saints whose bones and reliques are hidden vnder the Altar But contenting our selues with the prescribed simplicity of Iesus Christ wee should reiect these additions which disfigure this Sacrament vnder the shadow of adorning it God giue vs grace to see this happy time and to that end dispose of the hearts of Princes and people for the loue of IESVS CHRIST our LORD Amen FINIS COMFORTABLE INSTRVCTIONS for the SICKE By Peter Moulin Minister in the Reformed Church at PARIS LONDON Printed by T.S. for Thomas Pauier and are to be sold at his shop in Iuie lane 1623. Short and Familiar Instructions to comfort the SICKE When the sicknesse appeareth not to be mortall For the comfort of the party one may thus beginne SIR it behooueth you first to acknowledge that this sickenesse is not fallen vpon you by chance but by the wise conduct and prouidence of Almightie God our Creator and Father who so disposeth of prosperitie and aduersity health and sicknesse vpon his children that he neuer sendeth either the one or the other but to his owne glory and the parties good and saluation As the Apostle Saint Paul saith Rom. 8.27 Wee know that all things worke together for good to them that loue God He purposely speaketh of afflictions wherein sicknesses are ranked Those people loue God who are first loued of him and as the Apostle saith called according to his owne determinated purpose That you are of this number you haue occasion to take assurance by the faith which hee hath giuen you in making you beleeue that he is your Father and Sauiour in his Welbeloued Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord by which you receiue the spirit of adoption which is that that witnesseth with our spirit that we are the children of God Heires and co-heires with Christ Rom. 8.11.16.17 You must also take assurance by the sanctification of his holy spirit by which he hath brought you into his obedience For those that are led by the spirit of God are the children of God But to those which are such the Apostle Saint Paul saith that euery thing workes together for good afflictions sicknesses euen death it selfe all that they haue is turned by the grace of God to their owne profit and great good and for the aduancement furtherance of their saluation Three principall fruits God maketh vs gather of our maladies and afflictions The first is the amendement of our life which awaketh vs out of our sinnes For both in health and prosperity it is too ordinary to flatter and cherish our selues in sinne by reason of our great corruption in Nature which maketh vs inclined to all euill and vnprofitable to any good it is therefore necessarie to looke about vs and become more sensible of our sinnes to retire our selues and to be displeased with them which is made by the meanes of sicknesses and other aduersities of this life occasioned by sinne and very often purposely sent from God to chastise and correct vs and in that this good Father of Heauen sheweth how much he loueth vs hindering our vndoing and confusion in our inordinate life like a good Father that very well loueth his Children hee chastiseth and correcteth vs to hinder and draw vs backe againe lest we should be lost as Saint Paul saith in the 1. of the Corin. 32. Verse When we are afflicted we are taught by the Lord to the end we should not be condemned with the world and in another place he saith Heb. 12. Ver. 6.7 and 11. That the Lord chastiseth him he loueth and beateth euery childe whom he auoweth If you endure Chastisement God presenteth himselfe vnto vs as to his Children For who is the childe that the Father correcteth not and although that all discipline in the instant seeme not to be of ioy but of sadnesse neuerthelesse it brings a peaceable fruit of righteousnesse to those that thereby are exercised It behooueth vs therefore first of all to gather this excellent fruit of our sicknesses to feele the innumerable number of our sinnes and offences wherof we are culpable before God to aske pardon of him in all humility and repentance and to make a holy protestation to liue better hereafter and to walke in his obedience and feare by the grace of God and the conduct of his holy Spirit which we ought to aske with ardent prayers and with an assured faith to be heard according to his promises And so we may say with Dauid that excellent seruant of God Psal 119. Ver. 6â— 92. Before I was afflicted I went astray but now I haue kept thy word It is good for mee that I haue beene afflicted that I might learne thy statutes Now we may behold the sicknesses of our Bodies how they come to be by Gods grace wholsome medicines for our soules The second good which sicknesses bring vs is to vnloose and pull away
c. And forasmuch O Lord as without faith we cannot be agreeable or acceptable vnto thee we beseech thee so to increase it in this thy seruant and in vs all that he may come to the last breath of life and we with him to perseuere therein and to be alwayes disposed to render a pure confession with heart and mouth as wee now present our selues vnto thee saying I beleeue in God c. This is his faith O Lord and ours giue vs grace to liue and dye herein through Iesus Christ our Lord who in vnity of the Holy Spirit liueth and raigneth with thee eternally Amen When there is apparencie that the sickenesse is mortall follow this forme Sir It behoueth you to bee of good courage in the middle of your affliction which it pleaseth God still to continue vpon your body and be assured that he hath neither sent or continued it but for the good and saluation of your soule to teach you by this meanes to vnderstand your selfe as being a poore sinner more and more to detest your sinnes contemne the world to lift you vp to God and to inuocate and call vpon him with much more feruour with assurance to be heard following his holy promises and to obtaine of him Christian Constancy which is most necessary for you in this tryall The assurance of the mercy of God in Iesus Christ the true ground of all Consolation That which ought most to comfort you and with courage and patience to strengthen you is the assurance which you ought alwayes to take that God for the loue of his welbeloued Sonne our Lord Iesus hath imbraced you into his loue and free fauour hath pardoned your offences hath adopted you and receiued you amongst the number of his children to make you inherite the Kingdome of Heauen by vertue of the purchase which Iesus Christ hath made for you by the merit of his death such an assurance will make you alwayes certaine that nothing can happen vnto you whether it be in life or death which can be any other then the fauour and blessing of your Heauenly Father and so consequently are aides and meanes ordayned by his wise prouidence to conduct you to the blessed life This assurance commeth from Faith It is true that this assurance wee cannot take of our selues it is our good God that giueth it when by the vertue of his holy Spirit and holy Word he createth in our hearts a true and a liuely faith with the which we receiue and wee appropriate the promises of his grace which he hath ordayned vs in the preaching of the gospel Which promises in effect are That God hath so loued the world that he hath giuen his onely Sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue life euerlasting Ioh. 3.16 If God then hath giuen you the grace to beleeue in his only Son to embrace him for your Redeemer and Sauiour as we gather hitherto by the profession you haue made and still continueth in the Church you may take from thence a holy assurance that God according to the infallible truth of his Word hath receiued you into his loue that you shall not perish but haue euerlasting life Now being so what can you feare Rom. 8.30.31 If God be with vs who can be against vs Hee who hath not spared his owne Sonne but deliuered him vp for vs all how shall hee not with him also freely giue vs all things Hee hath giuen you the most that is his Sonne hee will not euerthelesse deny you any thing else that can be necessary for to keepe you from all sort of euill corporall and spirituall as well in life as in death Faith applyeth to all the faithfull the promises of the Gospell This application whereof I haue spoken which you must make to your selfe from the promises of the Gospel to gather such a holy assurance it is necessarily required by Faith For to beleeue in Iesus Christ it is not enough to beleeue in grosse that there is a Iesus Christ and who beleeueth in him hath eternall life neither is it enough to beleeue that the promises of the Gospell are altogether true the Diuell beleeueth so much yet notwithstanding hee hath no true beleeuing faith But to beleeue in Iesus Christ is when the faithfull beleeueth that there is saluation in Iesus Christ for him which the Diuell cannot beleeue And the true iustifying faith whereby the iust liueth chiefely consisteth in that that we apply and appropriate vnto our selues euery one in his own particular the promises of saluation that euery one in his owne behalfe may say that which St. Paul saith in the person of euery one of the faithfull Gal. 2.20 I liue in the faith of the Sonne of God who hath loued me and giuen himselfe for me and in the 2 Tim. 1.2 I know whom I haue beleeued and I am perswaded that he is able to keepe that which I haue committed vnto him against that day and Rom. 8.37.38 I am assured that neither death nor life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature can separate vs from the loue of God which he hath shewed vs in Iesus Christ our Lord. This faith doth not bring vs a simple opinion or coniecture of our saluation but a certaine knowledge following that which Saint Iohn saith 5.14 Wee know that we are translated from death to life And Iohn 10. We know that we are of God and I haue saith he 1 Ioh. 5.13 written these things to you which beleeue in the Name of the Sonne of God to the end that you should know that you haue eternall life This faith freely lets vs goe to the treasure of Gods grace Heb. 4.10 With assurance as hee saith in the 10.22 euen with a true heart and a full assurance of faith as Saint Paul saith Ephes 3.12 that by Iesus Christ we haue boldnesse and accesse in our beleefe by the faith which wee haue in him This faith is called Hebrewes 11.1 the substance of things hoped for that is to say that maketh things beleeued and hoped subsist in our soules neither more nor lesse then if we were already in the very Actuall possession and inioying This Faith maketh vs finde peace and rest in our soules and consciences chasing away the feares and terrours which sinne would set before vs with the apprehension of Gods iudgements following that which Saint Paul saith Rom. 5. Verse 1. That being iustified by faith we haue peace with God through Iesus Christ our Lord by the which also wee haue beene led by Faith to this grace wherein we hold our selues fast and glorifye our selues in the hope of the glory of God The gift of perseuerance assured to the Faithfull Moreouer these passages propound vnto vs this holy assurance of Faith not onely for the present but also to come and containeth a promise which God giueth vs to perseuere in this Faith euen to the
pardon of all those that might haue beene offended by you Patient Yes Now Sir it behooueth vs to addresse our prayer to God to the end that he will be pleased to fortifie you in faith which hee hath giuen you and to make his graces more and more abound in you and it is your part to humble your selfe with vs before him and to lift vp your heart to him to implore his Mercy from the bottome of your Heart A Prayer for the sicke when there is any signe of death O Lord our God Mercifull Father we are very vnworthy to lift vp our eyes vnto thee our sins and wicked deedes are so many wherewith wee are so polluted before thy face neither is this out of the confidence of our owne worth to be thus bolde to present our selues at the feete of thy diuine Maiesty but in the assurance of the great Compassions and perfect obedience which thy welbeloued Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord hath made for vs with the righteousnesse whereof wee beseech thee couer vs with thy grace to the end wee may be by his fauour made agreeable and reconciled vnto thee But wee beseech thee O good God particularly vouchsafe thy great mercy to this thy poore seruant so feeble mightily deiected vnder thy powerfull hand poore sinner remaining vnder the weight and rigour of thy high Iustice if thou doest not extend thy great clemency towards him Giue him grace good Lord to enter more and more into a serious examination and acknowledgement of his faults to conceiue that true detestation which alwayes bringeth forth true repentance and set him forward intirely to renounce himselfe and his owne way to haue all his refuge in thee and in thy bounty In the meane while receiue him gratiously O Lord shew him the face of a father and assure and comfort him Say to his soule Soule I am he that can warrant thee Dispose of his heart patiently to receiue with Action of graces this Fatherly correction which thou hast sent him and to put himselfe wholly into thy hands to submit himselfe peaceably vnder all that thou shalt please to lay vpon him by thy holy prouidence Lord thou knowest better then he himselfe or any of vs what is most conuenient whether he shall liue or die If thy good pleasure be that hee shall liue let it be that he may onely liue to thee in such sort that hauing profited well by thy chastisements he may learne to loue thee honour and serue thee all the dayes of his life in thy Church perpetually studying to bring sorth fruits of piety and holinesse worthy of thy Gospel and conuenient for a childe of such a Father so that in him thou maist be glorified and his neighbours edified But contrarily of the other part it be thy pleasure to take him out of this miserable world assure him that it shall be to put him into the possession of thy Heauenly kingdome which thou hast prepared before the foundations of the world and which thy Sonne hath purchased by the merit of his death To this end O Father of light from whom proceedeth euery good gift that thou wilt be pleased to giue him a true and a liuely faith with the which he may search find and apprehend the propitiation for his sinnes and the true righteousnes in the obedience of thy welbeloued Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord who hath suffered for our sinnes and risen againe for our iustification and ascended into Heauen to take possession in our Name and by this meanes giueth vs accesse and entrance which sinne had banished vs from Imprint in his heart a full assurance of all these thy graces to the end that by this meanes he may peaceably repose himselfe in thy mercy and happily ouercome all the snares and temptations which Sathan and his owne flesh would put before him to trouble the clearnesse of his faith and tranquility of his conscience That his sinnes then may not make him despaire because thy Iustice hath been so well payed not with gold or siluer but with the pretious blood of thy Christ as of the Lambe without spot or blemish Let not death affright him seeing sinne is abolished and destroyed in him which is the sting of death who now is disarmed and without all power that his spirit being separated from the body by this corporall death it shall be to come triumphantly to thee and deliuered from the captiuity of sinne to the end to taste of the enioying the most happy life which he neuer tasted in this world but by hope leauing his body in the earth but not for euer but to be refined transformed in time conuenient made conformable to the glorious body of his Redeemer by the benefit of his resurrection So Sathan shall no more astonish him but by sinne and death which he hath vtterly lost all power in ouer our visited Brother Assuring him in the end that this accuser can intend nothing against him before the Throne of thy iustice seeing hee is absolued iustified by thy grace there is no iudge that can condemne him That thou wilt also be pleased O good God to be likewise mercifull to all other sicke soules comfort and fortifie them according as thou knowest them needfull and aboue all giue them grace alwayes to embrace with a true and liuely faith thy mercy in Iesus Christ wherein they may euer be comforted Good Lord vouchsafe vnto vs all this grace that this example may profite and teach vs to renounce the world and our selues to imploy that time we haue here below to meditate thy wisedome walke carefully in thy feare retyre our hearts from the vanities of this life to raise them vp to attend and meditate vpon the Heauenly life and to this end to be alwayes prepared to appeare before thee with assurance to be gathered and receiued into thy mercy for the loue of thy welbeloued Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord In whose name we beseech thee O Father of mercy heere vs in these things and in all other things which thou knowest better to be necessary for thy poore seruant and for vs then we doe our selues as we doe now request thee in that prayer which thou hast commanded vs to present our selues before thee Our Father which art in Heauen c. Lord giue vs a good increase of Faith which thou hast planted in the heart of this thy childe and seruant defend him as with a Buckler by the which he may extinguish all the fiery darts of the Diuell and make him perseuere constantly therin vntill the very last breath of his life and that hee may alwaies at the least in his heart render vnto thee a pure and Christian confession as we now present with heart and mouth I beleeue in God the Father Almighty c. This is his Faith O Lord and ours giue vs grace to liue and dye in it through Iesus Christ thy Sonne our Lord who in the vnitie of the Holy Spirit
to prosper they must impute all to the blessing of God and not to their owne industry and sufficiency Besides they must looke well about them and not apply themselues to the proud distaste of their Auditors who in this Age desire eloquence more then solidity who would haue words without matter and sawces without meate who would haue their eares tickled and not their consciences pricked like vnto a wicked Porter who will not let an honest man enter in at the gate because he is not well apparelled In the meane while this is not the way to profit in the Word of God Doe you thinke with the flowers of eloquence you can perswade a man to suffer Martyrdome or with figures faire words you can comfort a man at the houre of death Is not the Gospell the medicine of our soules What auaileth it for the Phisitian to be eloquent if his medicine be wholesome Is not the Gospell the letter of grace and abolition of our crime then what matter is it in what termes it be written seeing that it bringeth vs out of captiuitie God in the Olde Testament commanded that his Altar should bee built with vnpollished stones to testifie that he loued simplicity in his seruice be assured of it that hee that hath most profited in a Sermon is not he that saith This man spoke very well but he that saith Oh I haue led an euill life how farre am I from the rules that this man hath propounded It is not he that wayeth periods of speeches but hee that soundeth his own conscience Those that ruminated were marked for cleane beasts you shall be cleane and agreeable sacrifices to God if you ruminate and meditate in your selues the Word of God I am certainely perswaded that all my Brethren and Companions in the worke of the LORD would wish with me that we were without words so you were without vices and that wee were despised so God might be glorified If they would haue efficacie in their Sermons they must speake with a holy boldnesse as God speaking by their mouth that they flatter not sinners but in good earnest make them feele their sinnes without exception of persons or flattering the great ones A rich man is taught no otherwise then a poore Selfe-same medicines serue for little and great Euen so it is in spirituall medicines Sermons without reprehensions are like Swords without points or Lampes where Oyle is powred in without enlightening of them To feare to touch the sinner lest hee should offend him is a cruell respect like vnto him that feareth to saue a man that is in drowning lest hee should hurt his arme or pull some of his haire away These wholesome effects of the Word of God are not without faith without which the Word cannot take roote or fructifie in our soules as the Apostle in the fourth to the Hebrewes saith that hearing of the Word hath not profited them because it was not mingled with faith Whereof St. Paul also after he hath saide that the Gospell is the power of God addeth to euery beleeuer This faith is not an historicall faith as that is of the Church of Rome which onely beleeueth in generall that all that which is contained in the word of God is true but it is a faith which hath knowledge added to beliefe which besides the generall knowledge applyeth the word of God in particular not onely saying that Iesus Christ dyed for sinners but also addeth with Saint Paul the second to the Galat. Iesus Christ hath loued me and hath giuen his soule for me Neither is it an inforced or circumuenting faith by the which they beleeue what the Church beleeueth or what the Curate beleeueth without knowing what they ought to beleeue neither wherefore this beliefe of the Church is the better One cannot beleeue by Aduocate neither is a man saued by the beliefe of another He that is perswaded that another can beleeue for him is in danger that another shall be in Paradise for him Habacucke telleth vs The iust shall liue by faith then he cannot liue by the faith of another Also it is not a faith of Miracles whereof the greatnesse of a graine of Mustard-seede can transport mountaines but the greatnesse of a Mountaine of this faith cannot remoue a soule out of hell into heauen which chaseth into another wicked spirits but cannot chase from it selfe wicked desires which healeth corporall maladies in another but cannot heale his owne soule from spirituall maladies but it is a faith which receiueth the promises of Iesus Christ with ioy which imbraceth him as good newes sent from Heauen who applyeth himselfe to the words which the Apostle said to the blinde Man that Iesus called be of good courage the Master calleth thee it is a faith that disburdeneth his sinnes vpon Iesus Christ which giueth repose and peace to the conscience which beholdeth the Booke of the Gospell with the same eye that a faithfull husband beholdeth his contract in marriage or a good Sonne that beholds the will of his Father who by it is incited to loue God and to glorifie him in workes and words iust in his actions humble in prosperity patient in aduersitie charitable to the Church burning in zeale of the house of God For without these things faith is a name without a thing a shadow without a Body and in stead of a beliefe a confusion and spirituall lethargie without this faith wee cannot please God Heb. 11. without this faith wee make God a lyar as doubting of the truth of his promises without this faith wee expose our selues naked to the temptations of the aduersary for it is a Buckler to beate backe the fiery darts of Sathan Be not yee then amazed that the blessings of Iesus Christ are sufficient for all yet neuerthelesse all cannot be saued because that all haue not faith for misbeliefe reiecteth the remedies which God presenteth and ouerthroweth the medicine This faith ought to be nourished and fortified by prayer by the hearing of the word of God by holy companies by all sort of good workes and although after all that infirmitie remaineth in you feare not your saluation with a trembling hand giue not ouer taking of Almes All those which beheld the brasen Serpent had not their sights equally good and neuerthelesse were equally healed God requireth not of vs a perfect faith but true without hypocrisie and which indeauoureth to fortifie it selfe and saith as the father of him that was possessed I beleeue Lord but helpe my infirmitie God which hath put these Treasures in a Vessell of earth which perfecteth his grace in our infirmitie in time of necessitie sustaineth our feeblenesse aboue all at the houre of death there he drieth vp the drops of bloud he saith to the faithfull soule feare not Christ Iesus is besides thee which sheweth thee a Crowne The faith of the faithfull cannot be confounded like the Nodes of Compasses in the middest of the sea remaine vnmoueable amidst the Tempest
gotten vp The infirme scandalize our prophane humour and impute our vices to Religion but God grant you long to preserue this peace and prosperity and preserue your King vnder whose wise conduct you liue quietly But you must vnderstand that the security of the Kings life is the piety and innocency of his subiects and the meanes long to preserue that grace which God hath giuen you is not to abuse it but to mannage the time and the Commodity which God hath giuen you which he hath not giuen to neighbour Nations but hath rather set before your eyes as it were for example of seruitude and obscure ignorance whereupon Sathan hath powred out a filthy smoake euen out of the pits of the Abisme whilest that in our owne Countrey shineth the clearnesse of the truth of the Gospell to the end that by this comparison you may learne to glorifie God and not to abuse and corrupt his blessings with ingratitude Out of all this you are to learne two poynts First what the Gospell of Christ is and next what it is to be ashamed of the Gospell Now let vs learne the third which is the resolution of Saint Paul by which he glorifieth himselfe in the reproch of the Gospell and contemneth the misprise of men saying I am not ashamed c. which is the exhortation he maketh to his disciple Timothy Be not ashamed of the testimony of the Lord Iesus but participate of the afflictions of the Gospell according to the power of God This holy Apostle knew what the hatred of the world was against the Gospell Hee knew the Egyptians naturally hated the Pastors as Ioseph said to his Brethren He esteemed it no shame to doe that which Dauid did which is to feed the flocke of his Father principally those which Iesus Christ hath bought with his bloud and glorified himselfe to be Heralde of the Ministery of reconciliation ambassadour for Christ and declarer of peace betweene God and men 2 Cor. 5. and as Saint Paul saint after Isaiah Rom. 10. Oh how faire are the feete of those which declare peace which say to Sion thy kingdome come He was not ashamed to beare that burthen which hee himselfe had carried For euen as a King maketh a company of Knights of his owne order of which order he himselfe is the principall So Iesus Christ hath instituted the Ministery of the Gospell of which order he himselfe is the chiefe hath vouchsafed to participate of the same charge Hee was not ashamed to publish to men the Diuine Mysteries which the Angels themselues admired and were diligent to behold with admiration euen to the very bottome as Saint Peter saith hauing regard to the structure of the Arke of allyance called the Eternall whereupon the Propitiator was placed as a figure of Iesus Christ our propitiation also there were put two Cherubins hauing their heads curled and their eyes blinded towards the propitiatory for to figure out vnto vs the attention of the Euangelicall spirits and to admire the mysteries of our Redemption in Iesus Christ whereupon we need not be dismayed if in the first of Samuel the Bethsemites hauing taken away the propitiatory for to looke within the Arke that is to say to approch to God without Iesus CHRIST were consumed with wounds and mortality To be short our Apostle was not ashamed to declare the mystery of our Reconciliation which is aboue all other mysteries euen surpassing the worke of the creation For if it be an admirable thing that the Creator hath made the creature it is also a thing much more admirable that the Creator was made a creature And as for the goods which God hath giuen vs so much difference is there betweene the earthly and celestiall Paradise betweene the Tree of life and betweene Iesus Christ betweene those foure Riuers which runne by the Garden of Eden and these other foure which proceede from Iesus Christ which Saint Paul numbreth vnto vs that he hath been made for vs Wisedome Iustice Sanctification and Redemption So much difference is there betweene the goods which wee haue lost in Adam and those which wee haue offered vnto vs in Iesus Christ In such sort that I dare say this fall of Adam hath beene happy for Gods children and that there was happinesse in this vnhappinesse and if we had not fallen into death we should not haue come to so happy a life But the principall reason why the Apostle glorifieth himselfe to be a messenger of the Gospell is that which he expresseth in this Text that it is the power of God to saluation to all beleeuers that is to say because it is the sauing vertue of God by which hee saueth all beleeuers For the Gospel is the meanes which serueth to purifie mens harts Now you are cleane through the Word of God which I haue spoken vnto you Ioh. 15. As the Spettle comming out of mans mouth makes Serpents dye so that which commeth out of the mouth of faithfull Pastors maketh wicked desires dye which are a legion of domesticall spirits that hold correspondency with the Diuell It is by the Word of God which God toucheth the hearts of the repentant and imprinteth Faith in them For Faith is by hearing and hearing by the Word of God It is a powerfull means which by a sweet violence and by a necessity vnconstrained directeth the hearts and draweth them into the way of saluation by reason of the efficacy whereof he is called the arme of the Lord because God by this meanes handleth the soules and pulleth them out of the power of Sathan leading them into the way of saluation The Apostle in the fourth to the Hebrewes compareth it to a two edged sword because of the double vertue Ieremy calleth it a fire and a Trowell which breaketh the stones for it warmeth the hearts with zeale and tameth the hardnesse thereof For as God writ with his finger the Law in stone so he engraueth his Gospell in our hard and rebellious hearts by the efficacy of his holy Spirit which is the finger of God Which I speake of the rather fearing that some should thinke by their eloquence to giue efficacy to the Word of God Beleeue it not in any sort for that vertue commeth vnto him and to euery man also euen from the Spirit of God which giueth it efficacy without the which the Word of God is but a dead letter a tinkling sound in the ayre We beat your eares but God toucheth your hearts we cast the seed but God sendeth the raine and maketh the Sunne of benediction light vpon him He which planteth and hee which watereth is nothing but hee that giueth the increase Who was euer more eloquent then Isay and his quality also seemed to enforce attention for hee was of the blood-royall neuerthelesse he complaineth that he laboured in vaine and none would beleeue in his preaching to the end that those whom God employeth in this worke if they would haue their labour
can value with any price Let our pietie shine cleerely for the instruction of our families and not shew our selues carelesse but carefull to make them know the riches of saluation with the means how it must be attained otherwise we are no better than the executioners of their soules worse than bruit beasts who but for a while care for their young ones or like those that sacrificed their children to Baal I say if we consent that they be nourished with the milke and venome of spirituall whoredome we doe as much as we can to make them one day participate of the malediction of the eternall euen as if we had vowed to be instruments to deliuer them vp into the hands of Satan which we do testifie if against our knowledge and conscience we nourish them not vp in the waies of the Lord. Let vs apply our whole studie to that after a sort doing as God hath committed to our charge for their holy conuersation to publish to euery one the truth of our profession as a thing that we make most esteeme of I pray you where is he that is borne of a noble familie who is not iealous to be acknowledged for one of that race What Lord will not set out his Titles and will not weare his Armes euen in the best places for to be most beheld although it be but of small continuance and little better than pure vanitie yet can it hold no comparison with this Title so high aboue all so full of glory the top of all Honour this Title I say of the childe and seruant of God coheire with Christ dignities O the most Noble and magnificent which make Monarks happie not for a while but eternally in regard whereof all other things be they neuer so pretious which are vnder Heauen are much lesse than nothing euen most vnhappy if this other be not adioyned vnto it and moreouer if the noble man of the family in his Armes will not suffer to take away or adde any thing lest the world should detract from his dignitie how much more should we be carefull to commit any thing that is not conuenient who are truly the children and seruants of God and in contempt of the world enforce our selues to walke in integritie and striue to be so esteemed which if we doe not how can we be esteemed to be in the grace and fauour of Heauen let vs not then be ashamed of the truth of Christs Gospell which is the vertue of God to saluation vnto all beleeuers for alas if it be so that we are become so bruit and bestiall that to possesse the world or for feare of it we will dissemble the knowledge that is in vs the Sonne of God himselfe saith vnto vs Luke 9.26 euen as we haue denied him before men he will also denie vs before his Father and there will be ashamed of vs and very iustly Let vs then hold the confession of our hope without varying for any thing according as S. Paul teacheth vs That that which is present and to come height depth pouertie nakednesse persecution affliction nor death nor life shall not separate vs from the loue of Christ alwaies prepared in euery place and before all to render a reason to euery one of the hope that is in vs and as truly faithfull let vs take our neighbours by the hand and say let vs goe vp to the Mountaine of Sion into the house of the God of Iacob and there will he teach vs his waies and let vs one stirre vp another to Charitie and good Workes without swaruing from the companie of the faithfull for S. Paul saith If we willingly sin after we haue receiued the knowledge of the truth there is no more sacrifice for sinne but a terrible looking for iudgement and a furie of fire which shall deuoure the aduersaries Representing vnto vs that if any haue misprised the Law of Moses he was without all mercie put to death from thence then conclude how much greater torment doe they deserue who haue the bloud of IESVS CHRIST in no reuerence or holinesse by which they haue beene sanctified doing this iniurie euen to the spirit of grace afterwards that this commeth to be knowne the custom is to depriue such odious people of great mens fauours which maketh all faire designes proue abortiue this is no true nor faire proceeding but rather an incouragement still to continue in their wicked waies Here must the place be of the wrastling behold the Combat but before we enter the lists let vs know our enemies they are the World and the Flesh shall we aske of our enemies conuenient things to destroy them No that would be worse than to cast flaxe into the fire to quench it For to defend our selues from the first assault let vs ranke our selues like Daniel Sidrack Misack and Abednego let vs march their pace and we shall serue our selues with the like Armes of Martyrs which they did hauing our reines girt with the girdle of Truth cloathed with the brest-plate of Righteousnesse and our feete with the preparation of the Gospell of peace in euery thing taking the buckler of Faith the helmet of Saluation and the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God renouncing our selues to follow IESVS CHRIST as euery true Christian ought so shall we passe a greater conflict than this we haue at this present if we meete it and shall remaine conquerers as they haue done which haue not only knowne but also followed the will of the Eternall and not the sensualitie of the Flesh of the World a gift of God which he giueth to all that aske it of him with confidence knowing that the Almightie curseth the man that putteth his trust in Man and in the flesh of the arme for the greatest is but vanitie and lies and whosoeuer should weigh al the great ones of the earth against nothing yet should they all be found more light than nothing But they haue not waited for saluation from any other soueraigne but reposed wholly in him Doe we not see that there neuer was any Monarch in the world that displeased God but presently was reduced to nothing doe we want any proofes that God euer failed in his promises neither hath it beene euer knowne but the wrath of God followed him that trusted in his owne arme and power were it neuer so powerfull let vs at last renounce it for he that hath nothing but earthly force hath none at all Let vs therefore follow the counsell of Dauid and put our trust alwaies in God for he is good and will giue vs all that is conuenient mightie in power and truth and vnmoueable in all his promises for to bring euery thing to passe therfore let vs all say with him God is my force and my hope neither is there any other helpe but from him Psalme 28. Thou that fearest thy Honours and fearest that the goods of the earth will leaue thee which when they haue done so
transubstantiated into his bodie And S. Matthew in the 26. chapter 29. Iesus Christ hauing giuen the cup to his Disciples said vnto them Henceforth I will not drinke of the fruit of this vine hee drunke then the fruit of the vine and not of the bloud For although that there had beene two cups yet S. Matthew speaketh but of one and calleth not the fruit of the vine the wine of one cup he speaketh nothing of it Also wee finde the Apostle S. Paul in the 1 Cor. 2.16 saith three times We eat of this bread and drinke of this cup so we see it is still bread that they did eat The same Apostle in the same chapter and 16. verse saith The bread which we eat is the communion of the bodie of Christ he saith The bread which wee breake it is then bread when it is broken in the Sacrament yet it is not broken but after the consecration So in the 20. of the Acts 17. the Disciples are assembled to breake the bread It was bread then they broke amongst them and not flesh Iesus Christ saith in the 12. of S. Iohn 8. You shall alwayes haue the poore but you cannot haue me alwaies And in the 16. ver 18. I leaue the world and goe to my Father And in the 10. I am no more of the world This sentence should bee false if we should haue Iesus Christ shut vp within a peece of bread if hee were yet remaining in the world For he saith You shall not haue mee alwayes Now may one answer that we haue Iesus Christ no more visibly which is nothing to the purpose for to haue Iesus Christ inuisibly is alwayes to haue Iesus Christ Hee should bee a lier that should say hee had no money because his money was hid or hee that should say hee had no soule because it is inuisible And it is a strange libertie which the Doctors of the Roman Church take for to make these texts of no value they interpret them figuratiuely and for to shunne a naturall and vsuall figure in speaking of the Sacraments they introduce a dozen of vnusuall figures without example The action intirely whole of Iesus Christ and of his Disciples maketh for vs for the Apostles sate at the Table without any kinde of adoration which should haue been a very great irreuerence in them to eat Iesus Christ and to sacrifice him to God without making any adoration which is so much more remarkable because the Apostles neuer gaue assistance in such an action and also because it was the first institution of this Sacrament which is giuen for a patterne to the end to make them hereafter conformable Also we see not that Iesus Christ maketh any eleuation of the Host hee presenteth nothing to God but only to his Disciples To conclude in euery action Iesus Christ doth the contrary to that which is done in the Masse The text of the Masse maketh for vs wherin the Priest after the Consecration asketh of God that hee take this offering as acceptable as euer the Sacrifice of Abel was acceptable vnto him a prayer that was good before Transubstantiation was beleeued But in these daies is it not a great offence to God to entreat him to accept the Sacrifice of his Sonne as acceptable as a beast offered by Abel And which is more the Priest desireth of God that the Offring which he holdeth may be acceptable through Iesus Christ he beleeueth not then that hee holdeth Iesus Christ And to take away all doubt the Priest long after the Consecration looketh vpon the Hoast and the Cup standing vpon the Altar and saith that these are goods which God hath alwaies created which he viuifieth and sanctifieth through Iesus Christ All this may he say of bread and wine but not one of these words can agree with the body of Iesus Christ for can the bodie of Iesus Christ be called goods in the plurall Doth God create alwaies Iesus Christ Doth God alwaies viuifie Iesus Christ seeing that Iesus Christ himselfe saith that he himselfe is life Doth God create Iesus Christ by Iesus Christ Truly if these things should be spoken openly before the people in the vulgar tongue they would be much offended that is the reason why they say their Seruice in an vnknowne tongue against the example of Iesus Christ and against the saying of Saint Paul 1 Cor. 14. The Priest and the Reader speake to a people in a tongue they vnderstand not The sixt of Saint Iohn maketh also for the truth which wee defend for although there is nothing spoken of the holy Sacrament of the Eucharist which was not then instituted yet notwithstanding he speaketh there of the Communion of the Body of Iesus Christ wherof Iesus Christ speaketh in a manner that he manifestly sheweth he speaketh of a manducation which is not by the mouth for he speaketh of a manducation without the which no man can be saued saying If you doe not eat my flesh you shall not liue So you see hee speaketh not of a manducation by the mouth without the which so many persons are saued as the good theefe crucified with Iesus Christ holy Iohn Baptist and infinite others Also our Lord speakes of a manducation which how many soeuer participate thereof haue eternall life for he saith He that eateth his flesh hath life eternall he speaketh not then of the eating the Sacramēt with the mouth which many haue done and yet escaped not damnation witnesse Iudas and many moe Hypocrites But wee may not so conclude nor say thereupon of those that eat the flesh of Iesus Christ worthily For wee finde in S. Paul 1 Cor. 2. that some eat the bread vnworthily but we shall not finde that the flesh of Iesus Christ can be eaten vnworthily and indeed seeing that to eat the flesh of Iesus Christ to drinke his bloud is to beleeue in his incarnation and in his death who knowes not that one cannot possibly beleeue in Iesus Christ vnworthily seeing in the beleefe of Iesus Christ consisteth our dignitie But to eat and drinke is to be vnderstood to beleeue the Doctors and Canons of the Church of Rome say with vs and the holy Scripture is full of such manner of speaking and Iesus Christ in the same place saith That whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall neuer thirst to the end we may know that this Thirst is quenched in beleeuing and not in drinking with the mouth And a little after hauing said Who beleeueth in me shall haue eternal life thence he inferreth that he is the bread of life and aduertiseth vs that these words of eating and drinking are spirit and life for if they bee not taken spiritually they cannot viuifie Thereupon wee ought not to feare if Transubstantiation be taken away the Sacrament should become contemptible For Baptisme is not become contemptible but is more honoured in the Church of Rome than the Eucharist and is esteemed a thousand thousand times more albeit the water be
end Otherwise where should be this assurance which the Apostle speaketh of of not being able to be separated from the loue of God in Iesus Christ Where should be this subsistance of things hoped for How should wee haue in our soules a solid peace with God How should wee finde our selues firme in this grace How can we glorifie our selues in the hope of the glory of God Such is then the incomprehensible bounty of this heauenly Father that he beginneth not in vs the worke of our saluation for to leaue it imperfect according as Saint Paul saith to the Philippians and in their persons speaketh also to all truely faithfull Phil. 1.6 I am assured that hee that hath begunne this good worke in you will perfect it euen to the comming of Iesus Christ As also he saith in another place Rom. 11.29 That the gifts and calling of God are without Repentance that is to say hee gaine sayeth not nor euer goeth from his word Against the obiection that this assurance of Faith should be a presumption It may not be that this certainty of Faith be blamed in vs and to be thought rashnesse and presumption for on the contrary it should be thought an extreame rashnesse and presumption if wee should not beleeue such excellent promises of our God And it is Humility and Obedience to receiue and rest vpon it with reuerence For it is said that he which hath receiued the Testimony of God hath sealed that God is veritable Iohn 3.33 that is to say subscribed and giuen approbation to the truth of God which he demonstrateth in the accomplishment of his promises and it is said on the contrary in the 1 of Iohn 5.10.11 That hee that beleeueth not God hee hath made him a lyar For hee hath not beleeued in the testimony which God hath witnessed of his owne Sonne and this is the testimony that God hath giuen vs eternall life and this life is in his Sonne Two things might make vs rash and bolde in this assurance which we take of our saluation the one is if wee should build vpon the merit of our workes Rom. 3.20 For no flesh shall be iustified before God by the workes of the law and all those that seeke to be iustified thereby are vnder malediction so saith Saint Paul 3.10.2 It is not by our owne righteousnesse which is nothing whereupon wee build such an assurance but vpon the righteousnesse of him whom God hath made to be sinne for vs 2 Cor. 5.21 that is to say a sacrifice for sinne to the end that wee might be made the righteousnesse of God in him and by the obedience of whom we are made iust in exchange of our disobedience in Adam which made vs all sinners Rom. 5.19 The other point which might make vs bolde in this behalfe that if wee should presume to purchase such a knowledge of our saluation by the subtilty of our spirits as it is said that the Naturall man conceiueth not the things of God 1 Cor. 2.14 But certainly we make account to haue receiued as the same Apostle 1 Cor. 2.12 Not the spirit of this world but the spirit which is of God to the end that wee should know the things which haue beene giuen vs from God Also hee saith in the same place 1 Cor. 2.9.10 That these things which are altogether incomprehensible God hath reuealed them by his holy spirit Finally hee addeth 1 Cor. 1.16 That by this meanes wee holde the intention of Christ But by this spirit of God are all those conducted which are the Children of God which the same Apostle saith Rom. 8.14 And hee is called The spirit of adoption and by him we cry Abba Father Gal. 4.6 that is to say wee cry and call vpon God as our Father And also it is This same spirit saith Saint Paul Rom. 8.11.16 which giueth testimony with our spirit that we are the Children of God In like sort the Apostle to the Ephesians saith 1.13.14 That when we belieue in the Gospell we are sealed with the holy spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance vntill the redemption of the purchased possession vnto the praise of his glory by which wee learne that the testimony of the Holy Ghost receiued into our hearts with Faith is like vnto a seale which the holy Spirit imprinteth in our hearts to assure vs of the promises of God and to assure vs that we are his Children and as men vse in the Market giuing of earnest that is to say a part of the price agreed for as well to beginne the payment as to make the bargaine irreuocable and assured that it may be kept firme Euen so the Holy Ghost which through Faith begetteth peace and ioy in our hearts is giuen vs for earnest of the Kingdome of Heauen Rom. 14.17 to the end to assure vs by this beginning of spirituall goods which God hath promised to his children that hee holdeth vs for his owne purchased possession to the praise of his glory and that without euer reuoking his promises hee will at last gather vs to the full fruition of the Inheritance in Heauen It is needfull if it be possible to draw from the mouth of the sicke person confession of his sinnes of his Repentance and his Faith if hee haue not the vse of his Tongue but of his vnderstanding it is necessary for him to answere by some signe Now Sir it behoueth you to take good courage and willingly to apply this holy doctrine for the comfort of your soule this doctrine hath been declared vnto you by the preaching of the Gospell in the Church of God whereof you haue beene a member it hath also beene confirmed vnto you by the vse of the Sacrament with whom you haue communicated Haue you not receiued it with Faith Patient I haue Also doe you not beleeue that God is not onely your Creator but sinne hauing lost you hee is your Sauiour in Iesus Christ Patient Yes Doe you not acknowledge that you are a poore and miserable sinner that if he should reckon with you according to your sinnes of necessitie he should make you perish in death and eternall damnation Patient Yes Are you not very heartily sorry and grieued so to haue offended and doe you repent your selfe euen with your whole heart Patient Yes Doe you not renounce all opinion and trust in our owne Righteousnesse for to repose your selfe intirely and your hope in the mercy of God by which he iustifieth and saueth vs in his blessed Sonne Iesus Christ Patient Yes Doe you not beleeue that he hath receiued you into his mercie that he is pleased and appeased with you and hath in grace reconciled you vnto him in the fauour and through the obedience and merit of the same Iesus Christ his Sonne who you firmely beleeue died for your sinnes and is risen for your iustification Patient Yes Now I beseech God to confirm increase you more more in this faith following the which