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
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
hope or trust of Gods frée mercy a piece thereof or else with Iudas they will marre all Perchance these words contrition confession and satisfaction were vsed as I haue expounded them at the first But in that we sée so much daunger and hurt by vsing them without expositions either let vs ioyne to them open expositions alwaies or else let vs not vse them at all but say as I write that penance is a hearty sorrow for our sinnes a good hope or trust of pardon through Christ which is not without an earnest purpose to amend or a new life This penance is the thing whereto all the Scripture calleth vs. This penance doe I now call you all vnto this must bée continually in vs and not for a Lent season as we haue thought this must increase dayly more and more in vs without this we cannot be saued Search therefore your hearts all all swearers blasphemers lyers flatterers lewd or idle talkers iesters bribers coueteous persons drunkards gluttons whoremongers théeues murtherers slanderers idle liuers negligent in their vocation c. All such and all other as lament not their sinnes as hope not in Gods mercy for pardon and purpose not heartily to amend to leaue their swearing drunkennes whoredome couetousnesse idlenesse c. All such I say shall not or cannot enter into Gods kingdome but hel fire is prepared for them wéeping and gnashing of téeth wherunto alas I feare me very many will needs goe in that very many will be as they haue bin let vs euen to the wearing of our tongue to the stumpes preach and pray neuer so much to the contrary and that euen in the bowels of Iesus Christ as now I beséech you all all and euery mothers child to repent and lament your sinne to trust in Gods mercie and to amend your liues Now me thinkes ye are somewhat astonied whereby I gather that presently you desire this Repentance that is this sorrow good hope and newnesse of life The which that you may the rather attaine and get to your comforts as I haue gone about to be a meane to stirre vp in you by Gods grace this desire of Repentance so through the same grace of God will I goe about now to shew you how you may haue your desire in this hehalfe And first concerning this part namely sorrow for our sinnes and hearty lamenting of the same For this if you desire the hauing of it you must beware that you thinke not that of your selues or of your owne free will by any meanes you can get it You may easily deceiue your selues and mocke your selues thinking more of your selues then is séemely All good things and not peeces of good things but all good things saith Saint Iames Iam. 1. come from God the Father of light If therefore penance be good as it is good then the parts of it be good 1. Reg. 2. From God therefore doe they come and not of our free will It is the Lord that mortifieth that bringeth downe that humbleth saith the Scripture in sundry places Ierem. 31. After thou haddest stricken my thigh saith Ieremie I was ashamed Loe he saith After thou haddest stricken me and therefore prayeth he euen in the last words almost he writeth Turne vs Lam. 5. O Lord and we shall be turned The which thing Dauid vsed very often Wherfore first of all if thou wouldest haue part of penance as for the whole Acts 22. 2. Tim. 2. because it is Gods gift so for this part go thou vnto God and make some little praier as thou canst vnto his mercy for the same in this or like sort MErciful Father of our Sauiour Iesus Christ because I haue sinned and done wickedly yet through thy goodnesse haue receiued a desire of repentance whereto this thy long sufferance doth draw my hard heart I beseech thee for thy mercies sake in Christ to worke the same repentance in me and by thy Spirit Power and Grace so to humble mortify and feare my conscience for my sinnes to saluation that in thy good time thou maist comfort and quicken me againe thorough Iesus Christ thy deerely beloued Sonne AMEN After this sort I say or otherwise as thou thinkest good if thou wilt haue this first part Contrition or sorrow for thy sins do thou begge it of God through Christ And when thou hast asked it as I haue laboured to driue thee from trusting in thy selfe so now I goe about to moue thee from flattering of thy selfe from sluggishnesse and negligence to be diligent to vse these meanes following Vnto prayer which I would thou shouldest first vse as thou canst secondly get thee Gods Law as a glasse to toot in for in it and by it cōmeth the true knowledge of sinne without which knowledge there can bee no sorrow For how can a man sorrow for his sinnes which knoweth not his sinnes As when a man is sicke the first steppe to health is to know his sicknesse euen so to saluation the first steppe is to know thy damnation due for thy many sinnes The Law of God therefore must be gotten and carefully looked in we must looke in it spiritually and not corporally or carnally as the outward word or letter doth declare and vtter and so our Sauiour teacheth vs in Mathew expounding the sixt and seuenth Commandements not onely after the outward déed but also after the heart making there the anger of the heart a kind of murther lusting after another mans wife a kinde of adultery And this is one of the differences betwéene Gods Law and mans law that of this mans law I meane I am not contemnable so long as I obserue outwardly the same But Gods Law goeth to the roote and to the heart condemning mee for the inward motion although outwardly I liue most holily As for example If I kill no man though in my heart I hate mans law condemneth me not but otherwise doth Gods Law And why for it seeth the root whence the euill doth spring If hatred were taken out of the heart then loftinesse in lookes detraction in tongue and murther by hand could neuer ensue If lusting were out of the heart curiosity in countenance wantonnesse in words loathsome boldnes in body would not appeare In that therefore this outward euill springs out of the inward corruption seeing Gods Law also is a law of liberty as sayth Saint Iames Iam. 2. Rom. 7. and spirituall as saith Saint Paul perfectly and spiritually it is to be vnderstood if wee will truely come to the knowledge of our sinnes For of this inward corruption reason knoweth little or nothing I had not knowen saith Paul that lusting which to reason and to them which are guided only by reason is thought but a trifle I had not knowen saith he this lusting to haue been sinne if the Law had not said Non concupisces Thou shalt not lust To the knowledge therefore of our sinne without which wee cannot repent or be sorrie for
our sin let vs secondly get vs Gods Law as a glasse to look in and that not only literally outwardly or partly but also spiritually inwardly and throughly Let vs consider the heart and so shall wee see the foule spots wee are stayned withall at least inwardly whereby we the rather may be moued to hearty sorrow and sighing For as S. Austine sayth it is a glasse which feareth no body but euen looke what a one thou art so it painteth thee out In the Lawe wee see it is a foule spot not to loue the Lord our God with all I say our heart soule power might and strength and that continually In the Law it is a foule spot not onely to make to our selues any grauen Image or fimilitude to bowe thereto c. but also not to frame our selues wholly after the Image wherto we are made not to bowe to it or worship it In the Law we see that it is a foule spot not onely to take Gods name in vaine but also not earnestly heartily and euen continually to call vpon his name onely to giue thankes vnto him onely to beléeue to publish and liue in his holy word In Gods Law we see it is a foule spot to our soules not onely to be an open prophaner of the Sabboth day but also not to rest from our owne words and workes that the Lord might both speak and work in vs and by vs not to heare his holy word not to communicate his Sacraments not to giue occasion to others to holinesse by our example in godly workes and reuerent esteeming of the Ministery of his Word In Gods Lawe wee see it a foule spot to our soules not onely to bee an open disobeyer of our Parents Magistrates Masters and such as bee in any authority ouer vs but also not to honour such euen in our hearts not to giue thankes to God for them not to pray for them to ayde to helpe or reliue them to beare with their infirmities c. In Gods Law wee sée it is a foule spot in our soules not onely to bee a manqueller in hatred malice proud lookes brags back-biting railing or bodily slaughter but also not to loue our neighbours yea our enemies euen in our hearts and to declare the same in all our gestures words and works In Gods law wee sée sée it a foule spot to our soules not onely to bee a whoremōger in lusting in our harts in wanton looking in vncleane and wanton talking in actuall doing vnhonestly with our neighbours wife daughter seruant c. But also not to be chaste sober temperate in heart lookes tongue apparell déeds and to helpe others thereunto accordingly c. In God Law wee see it is a foule spot to our soules not onely in heart to couet in looke or word to flatter lye colour c. in deed to take away any thing which pertaineth to another but also in heart countenance word and deede not to keepe saue and defend that which pertaineth to thy neighbour as thou wouldest thine owne In Gods Law we may see it a foule spot not onely to lye and beare false witnes against any man but also not to haue as great a care ouer thy neighbours name as ouer thine owne Sinne in Gods Law it is we may see and a foule spot not onely to consent to euill lust or carnall desires but euen the very natural or carnal lusts and desires themselues for so I may call them nature it selfe being now so corrupted are sinne and selfe-loue and many such like By reason wherof I thinke there is none that looketh well therein but though he be blamelesse to the world faire to the shew yet certainly inwardly his face is foule arrayed and so shameful saucy mangy pocky and scabbed that hee cannot but be sorry at the contemplation thereof and that so much more by how much hee continueth to looke in this glasse accordingly And thus much concerning the second meane to the stirring vp of sorrow for our sinne that next vnto praier we should looke in Gods low spiritually The which looking if we vse with prayer as I sayd let vs not doubt but at the length Gods Spirit wil work as now to such as beleeue for to the vnbeleeuers all is in vaine their eyes are stark blind they can sée nothing to such as beleeue I say I trust something is done euen already But if neither by prayer nor by diligent looking into Gods lawe spiritually as yet thy hard vnbeleeuing heart feeleth no sorrow nor lamenting for thy sinne Thirdly look vpon the tagge tyed to Gods Law for to mans law there is a tag tyed that is a penalty and that no small one but such a one as cannot but make vs to cast our currish tailes between our legges if wee beleeue it for all is in vaine if wee be faithlesse not to beleeue before we feele This tagge is Gods Malediction or curse Maledictus omnis sayth it qui non permanet in omnibus quae seripta sunt io libro legis vt faciat eam Loe accursed saith he is all no exception all sayth God which continueth not in all things for hee that is guilty of one is guilty of the whole sayth S. Iames in all things therefore saith the holy Ghost which are written in the booke of the Lawe to doe them He sayth not to heare them to talke of them to dispute of them but to do them Who is hee now that doth these Rara Auis few such Byrds yea none at all For all are gone out of the way though not outwardly by word or deed yet inwardly at the least by default and wanting of that which is required so that a child of one nights age is not pure but by reason of birth sinne in danger of Gods Malediction then much more wee which alasse haue drunken in iniquity as it were water as Iob sayth But yet we quake not Tell me now good brother why do you so lightly consider Gods curse that for your sinnes past you are so carelesse as though you had made a couenant with death and damnation as the wicked did in Esays time what is Gods curse At the Popes curse with booke bell and canlde O! how trembled we which heard it although the same was not directed vnto vs but vnto others For this Gods curse which is incomparable more fell and importable and is directed to vs yea hanging ouer vs all by reason of our sinnes alas how carelesse are wee O faithlesse hard hearts O Iezabels ghests rocked and layd asleepe in her bed O wicked wretches which being come into the depth of sinne doe contemne the same O sorrowlesse sinners and shamelesse shrinking harlots Is not the anger of a King death and is the anger of the King of all kings a matter to be so lightly regarded as we do regard it which for our finnes are so wretchlesse that wee slugge and sleepe it out As ware melteth away at the heate of the
to haue euerlasting life that eate him which the wicked haue not although they eate the Sacrament He that eateth of this bread saith Christ shall liue for euermore Therefore they eate not Christs body but as Paul saith they eate in iudgement and damnation which beléeue it is an other manner of thing then Christs body This doth S. Augustine affirm saying None do eate Christs body which is not in the body of Christ that is as hée expoundeth it in whom Christ dwelleth not and he in Christ Which thing the wicked doe not because they want faith and the holy Spirit which be the meanes whereby Christ is receiued To the things which I haue brought hereforth to improue transsubstantiation I could bring in the Fathers to confirme the same which succeeded contnually many hundred yeares after Christ Also I could shew that Transsubstantiation is but a new doctrine not established before Sathan which was tyed for a thousand yeeres was letten loose Also I could shew that euer hitherto since it was established in all times it hath been resisted and spoken against Yea before this doctrine the Church was nothing so endowed with goods lands and possessions as it hath béen since It hath brought no small gaine no small honour no small ease to the Cleargie and therefore no maruaile though they striue and fight for it It is their Maozim it is their Helena God destroy it with the breath of his mouth as shortly hee will for his names sake Amen If time would serue I could and would here tell you of the absurdities which come by this doctrine but for times sake I must omit it Onely for Gods sake see this that this their doctrine of Transsubstantiation is an vntrueth already I haue proued and forget not that it is the whole stay of all Popery and the pillar of their Priesthood whereby Christs Priesthood Sacrifice Ministery and Truth is letted yea peruerted and vtterly ouerthrowne God our Father in the bloud of his Sonne IESVS CHRIST open the eyes and mindes of all our Magistrates all other that beare the name of CHRIST to see to it in time to Gods glory and their owne saluation Amen Now to returne to the second matter what the Sacrament is you see that to the senses and reason of man it is bread and wine Which is most true as by the Scriptures and otherwise I haue already proued and therefore away with Transsubstantiation But here lest we should make it no Sacrament for a Sacrament consisteth of two things and least a man should by this gather that we make it none other thing but bare bread and a naked signe and so rayle at their pleasure on vs saying How can a man be guilty of the body bloud of Christ by vnworthy receiuing it if it bee but bare bread and so forth For this purpose I will now speake a little more hereabout by Gods grace to stop your mouthes and so to stirre vp your good hearts more to the worthy estimation and preception of this holy mystery When a louing friend giueth to thée a thing or sendeth to thee a token as for an example a napkin or such like I thinke thou doest not as thou shouldest doe if that with the thing thou considerest not the mind of thy friēd that sendeth or giueth the thing and according thereunto estéemest and receiuest it And so of this bread thinke I that if thou doe not rather consider the minde of thy louer Christ then the thing which thou seest yea if thou do not altogether consider Christs mind thou dealest vnhonestly and Strumpetlike with him For it is the property of Strumpets to consider the things giuen and sent them rather then the loue and mind of the giuer and sender whereas the true louers doe not consider in any point the things giuen or sent but the minde of the party So we if we be true louers of Christ must not consider harely the outward thing which we sée and our senses perceiue but rather altogether wee must and should sée and consider the minde of Christ and hereafter and accordingly to it to esteeme the Sacrament But how shall we know the minde of Christ Surely as a mans minde is best knowne by his word so by Christs word shal we know his mind Now his words be manifest and most plaine This saith he is my body therefore accordingly should wee esteeme take and receiue it If hee had spoken nothing or if hee had spoken doubtfully then might wee haue been in some doubt But in that hee speaketh so plainly saying This is my body Who can may or dare bee so bolde as to doubt of it Hee is the trueth and cannot lye he is omnipotent and can do all things therefore it is his body This I beléeue this I confesse and pray you all heartily to beware of these and such like words that it is but a signe or figure of his body Except ye will discerne betwixt signes which signifie only and signes which also do represent confirme and seale vp or as a man may say giue with their signification As for an example An Iuy bush is a signe of Wine to be sold the budding of Aarons Rodde did signifie Aarons Priesthood allowed of the Lord the reseruation of Moses Rod did signifie the rebellion of the children of Israel the stones taken out of Iordan Gedeons fléece of woole c. Such as these be signes significatiue and shew no gift But in the other signs which some cal exhibitiue is there not only a signification of the thing but also a declaration of a gift is in a certaine manner a giuing also As Baptisme not onely signifieth the cleansing of the conscience from sinne by the merits of CHRISTS bloud but also is a very cleansing from sinne And therefore it was sayd to Paul that he should arise and wash away his sins and not that he should arise and take onely a signe of washing away his sinnes In the Lords Supper the bread is called a partaking of the Lords body and not only a bare signe of the Lords body This I speak not as though the elements of these Sacraments were Transsubstantiate which I haue already impugned eyther as though Christs body were in bread or wine or that they were tyed to the elements otherwise then Sacramentally and spiritually either that the bread and wine may not and must not be called Sacramentall and externall signes but that they might be discerned from significatiue and bare signes only and he taken for signes exhibitiue and representiue By this meanes a Christian conscience will call and estéeme the bread of the Lord as the body of Christ For it will neuer estéeme the Sacraments of Christ after their exterior apearance but after the words of Christ Whereof it commeth that the Fathers as Chrysostome and others doe speake with so ful a mouth when they speake of the Sacrament for their respect was to Christs words If the Schoole-men which followed had the
same spirit which they had then wold they neuer haue consented to Transsubstantiation For with great admiration some of the Fathers doe say that the bread is changed or turned into the body of Christ and the wine into his bloud meaning it of a mutation or change not corporall but spirituall figuratine Sacramentall or mysticall For now it is no common bread nor common wine beeing ordained to serue for the food of the soul The Schoole-men haue vnderstood it as the Papists now speake of a substantiall changing as though it were no great miracle that common bread should now be assumed into that dignity that it should bee called Christs body and serue for a celestiall foode and be made a Sacrament of his body and bloud As before therefore I haue spoken Christs presence in the Supper I would wish that this Sacrament should bee esteemed and called of vs Christian men after Christs words namely the bread Christs body and the wine Christs bloud rather then otherwise Not that I meane any other presence of Christs body then a presence of grace a preseruer to Faith a presence spiritually and not corporally really naturally and carnally as the Papists doe meane For in such sort Christs body is onely in heauen on the right hand of God the Father almighty whether our faith in the vse of the Sacrament ascendeth and receiueth whole Christ accordingly Yea but one will say that to cal the Sacrament on that sort An obiection is to giue an occasion of Idolatry to the people which wil take the Sacrament which they see simply for Christs body as by experience wee are well taught and therefore it were better to cal it bread and so lesse harme should be especially in this age To this obiection I answere An answer that indéed great Idolatry is committed to and about this Sacrament and therefore men ought as much as they can to avoyd from occasion or confirming it But in as much as the holy Ghost is wiser then man and had foresight of the euils that might be and yet notwithstanding doth call it Christs bodie I thinke we should do euill if we should take vpon vs to reforme his spéech If Ministers did their dueties in Catechizing and Preaching then doubtlesse to call the Sacrament Christs body and to estéeme it accordingly could not giue occasion to Idolatrie and confirme it Therefore Woe vnto them that preach not There be two euils about the Sacraments which to auoyde the holy Ghost hath taught vs. For least we should with the Papists think Christs body present in or with the bread really naturally and corporally to be receiued which our bodily mouth where there is no other presence of Christs body then spirituall and to the faith in many places he kéepeth still the name of bread as in the Epistle to the Corinthians the tenth and eleuenth Chapters And least we shold make to light of it making it but a bare signe and no better then common bread the holy Ghost calleth it Christs body whose spéech I wish we would follow and that not onely as well to auoyde the euill which is now a dayes most to be feared concerning the Sacrament I meane of contemning it as also for that no faithfull man commeth to the Sacrament to receiue bread simply but rather yea altogether to communicate with Christs body and bloud For else to eate drink as Paul saith they haue houses of their owne The contempt of the Sacrament in the dayes of King Edward hath caused these plagues vpon vs presently the Lord bee mercifull vnto vs. Amen And thus much for the obiection of calling the Sacrament by the name of Christs body Another obiection of Christs presence in the Sacrament What saith one to call the Sacrament Christs body and to make none other presence then by grace or spiritually to faith which is of things hoped for and of things which to the bodily senses do not appeare is to make no presence at all or to make him none otherwise present then he is in his word when it is preached and therefore what néede we to receiue the Sacrament in as much as by this doctrine a man may receiue him dayly in the fielde as well and as much as in the Church in the celebration and vse of the Sacrament So this obiection I first answere that indeede neither the Scripture nor Christian Faith wil giue vs leaue to make any carnall reall naturall corporall or any such grosse presence of Christs naturall body in the Sacrament For it is in Heauen and the Heauens must haue it as saith Peter till Christs comming to iudgment except wee would denie the humanity of Christ and the verity of mans nature in him The presence therefore which we beléeue and confesse is such a presence as reason knoweth not and the world cannot learne nor any that looketh in this matter with other eyes or heareth with other eares then with the eares and eyes of the Spirit and of Faith Which Faith though it be of things hoped for and so of things absent to the corporall senses yet this absence is not an absence indéede but to reason and the old man the nature of Faith being a possession of things hoped for Therefore to grant a presence to Faith is not to make no presence at all but to such as know not Faith And this the Fathers taught affirming Christ to be present by grace and therefore not only a signification but also an exhibition and giuing of the Grace of CHRISTS body that is of life and of the seede of immortality as Cyprian writeth Wae eate Life and drinke Life faith Saint AVGVSTINE We féele a presence of the Lord by Grace or in Grace saith Chrystome We receiue the celestiall foode that commeth from aboue saith Athanasius We receiue the propertie of the naturall coniunction Athanasius Hylarius and knitting together saith Hillarius We receiue the nature of the flesh the blessing that giueth life in bread and Wine saith Cyrillus Cyrillus And else where he sayth that with the bread and Wine we eate the vertue of Christs proper flesh life grace and the propertie of the body of the onely begotten sonne of God which thing he himselfe expoundeth to be life Basilius Basilius saith that we by the Sacrament receiue the mysticall Aduent of Christs grace and the very vertue of his very nature Ambrosius Ambrose saith that we receiue the Sacrament of the true body Epiphanius Epiphanius saith we receiue the body or grace And Hierome saith that we receiue spirituall flesh Hieronimu which he calleth other flesh then that which was crucified Chrisostome saith Chrisostomus that wee receiue influence of grace and the Grace of the holy Ghost Saint Augustine saith that we receiue grace and veritie the inuisible grace and holinesse of the members of Christs body All the which sayings of the Fathers doe confirme this our faith and doctrine of