more force to induce men to corrupt themselues as the ancient custome of our fathers and Predecessors Secondly looking vpō the Nations who were their neare borderers how they were addicted to this natural deprauity as corruptions do stretch spread thēselues easily vpon others it is not to bee doubted but that this sinne likewise was rife amongst the Iewes for it is certaine that the people in the East partes of the world did not obserue marriage with such religion as did become men of honest conuersation See then where S. Paul goeth about to teach vs that if it be a villainous and dishonest part in a ciuill person to be so intemperate as he wil not cōtent himseife with one wife according to the commandement of God how much more is that not only inconuenient but abhominable in him which should instruct others in the doctrine of saluation In that it is required of a Pastor that he should be watchfull VVhat watchfulnesse is required of a Pastor we may learne that euen as they vnto whome anie charge is committed in this life if they mind to bring it to good perfection they must ordinarily watch ouer the same both day and night Pastors haue without all comparison the greatest and most troublesome calling they ought then to bee more diligent and watchful if they purpose sincerely and in the puritie of the conscience to discharge their dutie Emperours Potentates gouernours of countreyes and prouinces which are without ceasing to manage graue serious affaires for the keeping in order of theyr subiects and preseruation of theyr estate both in peace and warre and at all times they must not bee a sleepe but haue theyr eyes alwaies open on the one side and on the other and more at one time then at another according to the occurrancies of theyr weightie businesse In warre souldiours do carefully keepe their watch and ward although there be no likelihood of daunger and this is a vsuall custome which they keep amongst them but when the enemie falleth vpon them they are more awaked then before in steed of laying watch passing ouer the matter slightly thē they bend all their force against him beeing constrained therunto by an vrgent necessitie Lette vs apply this to our purpose Ministers haue to deale with matters of greater importance then those which the great Lords of the world doo enterprise for theyr affayres bee of the earth those of Pastors are of heauen it behooueth them therfore to be more watchfull diligent Souldiours do watch for their life which they hold at greater price then any other thing they endeuor by al diligēce to preserue the same But Pastors hauing the charge of soules which are by many degrees more precious then the life of the body so they ought more to watch but about what ouer the soules which are giuen to them in charge ouer the flocke of Iesus Christ that they may bee nourished and fedde with the true and heauenly foode that they may bee kept in the right way and that they watch I say that they may more and more bee confirmed in the word of God which is the true foode of the soule and the true guide to direct vs to eternall life And also that they bee carefull that the leane diseased sheepe bee made fatte and healed and that the Woolues Dogs and Foxes do not bite them pinch them nor catch rhem within theyr clawes And seeing that the Diuell which is the true Woolfe and Lion who alwayes without ceasing pusheth at the faythfull and that Heretikes Scismatikes and especially worldly and corrupt men be like Serpents who doo spie out continually running more swiftly at one time then another that they may doo hurt turning and winding themselues the more easilie to seduce them the Pastor then must consider that it behooueth him to bee more diligent to watch then in a calme and peaceable time When the couragious man of warre which gouerneth a besieged Towne seeth a great breach to bee made and that the enemie will make an assault hee dooth more carefully looke about him to giue the enemie the repulse In like manner when Sathan and his deputies dooth besiege the flocke of Christ with furious assaults they ought to shewe then themselues more valiant and prepared To this ende Saint Paul calleth Timothie a Souldiour Thou sayth hee Timotheus endurest trauaile as a good souldiour of Iesus Christ Wherefore if a minister in steede of being diligent becommeth sloathfull and cold in his dutie through his negligence and loosenes the sheep committed vnto him go astray or are lost let him propose to himselfe what hee shall answere before God c. For the definite sentence is giuen of God himselfe and is written in the prophesie of Ezechiel in those words which the spirite of God pronounceth by the mouth of his Prophet VVhen the watchman seeth that is the Pastor the sword come vppon a land that is Eze. 3. 13 the wrath of God and that the watchman bloweth not the Trumpet and the people bee not warned if the sword come and take any person from among them hee is taken away for his iniquitie but his bloud will I require at the watchmans hand Behold a sentence which is like a thunderbolt vppon the head of the Gouernours of the Church if they fayle in their dutie by which they ought the more to bee stirred vppe by how much the punishment threatned against them is great that if they discharge theyr dutie as they ought they shall procure the greater blessing vppon themselues and vppon all theyr flocke otherwise they shall bee brought into daunger if they shall neglect and despise theyr charge Lette it bee then concluded that if it bee commaunded to euery faithfull man to watch diligently that hee bee not taken and intrapped by the nettes and snares of Sathan by the crafty wiles of the world c. By a farre greater reason the Minister who is set ouer others ought diligently to watch Math. 24 25.14 Rom 13. 1 Cor. 15 1 Thess 5 2 Pet. 4 VVhat the sobrietie of a Minister ought to be Moreouer sobrietie is required by S. Paul of a Pastor let vs see what is vnderstoode by this word Sober Some do interpret the same prudent and of sound vnderstanding The more simple and true interpretation is that the Pastor should be sober in eating and drinking And it is to be noted by the way that this sobrietie is not a meritorious worke to obtaine remission of sinnes and the grace of God as the Idolaters do esteeme of their sobrietie not such a kinde a sobrietie of which mention is made in the Iudges Iudg. 13 Numb 4 and in Numbers where we reade that those that vowed to obserue the lawe of the Nazarites did abstaine from wine and all strong drink c. Neither that sobrietie of the Recabites of which mention is made in Ieremie who also dranke no wine by reason of a vow which
pressed with this necessitie and was nourished by rauens and at an other time by the widow of Sarepta Also those hundred prophets 1 King 17 which were nourished by Obadiah in the caue with bread water To coÌ„clude when they are lastly cruelly massacred 1 King 18 as wicked men They are also subiect to many other afflictions which were too long to recite of which we haue plentifull examples We read that the Prophets of the Lord were destroyed by Iezabell of which Elias complaineth 1 King 1â— 19 Math. 5.26 Luk. 13 1 Thes 2 The prophet Vrias of whom mentioÌ„ is made in the 26. of Ieremie was he not slain by king Ioachim hearing the words which he prophesied in the name of the Lord against the Citie Ierusalem Did not Iohn the Baptist loose his head because he reprooued Herod of his incest as it is written in Math Iames the Brother of Iohn Math. 14 was slaine by the sworde of King Herod that is Herod Agrippa the sonne of Aristobulus the which Aristobulus was the sonne of that Herod which put to death the infants of Bethleem And Saint Steuen the first Martyr It is impossible to exercise the office of a Minister if we do not renounce the world was he not stoned to death because hee did liuely reprooue the Iewes of theyr rebellion hardnesse of heart Idolatries and many other sinnes which they hadde committed and did daylye continewe in committing the same I leaue it nowe to all that bee of sounde iudgement to thinke whither it be a great cause of bitternesse of the heart and incredible trouble for a man to exercise this most noble excellent calling that is in the world and to receiue for his rewarde such biting scoffes contempts outrages iniuries and intollerable reproches And briefly to be exposed to so many cruell and violent deathes It is altogither impossible to beare all these things if he do not renouÌ„ce the worlde and dedicate himselfe wholely to the seruice of God whom he must alwaies looke vnto and not to stand vppon the estimation of men The Prophets are called in the scriptures MeÌ„ of god the light of the world the salt of the earth the Ministers of reconciliation And amongst worldly men they are esteemed also prophets but false Prophets seducers Impes of Sathan the darkenesse of the world the corruption of the earth seditious disturbers of the peace quietnesse of the common wealth They are adorned in the word of God with the titles of Angels and also they are called Gods and of men of this world they are accounted wicked and vncleane spirits euen diuels It was said that Iesus Christ cast out deuils by Belzebub the chiefe of the diuels If this was spoken of our Sauiour Iesus Christ A comparison between the honour of God giuen in his word to his Pastors the dishonor vnto which they are subiect by the world much lesse ought his Disciples to be ashamed if they bee honoured with the same or the like Epithites But as Iesus Christ hath ouercome the world and consequently all the waies of contempt violence and crueltie and finally hath valiantly tryumphed ouer them all his Disciples also especially faithfull Pastors which are his chiefe seruants ought to followe the steppes of theyr maister beeing made partakers of that notable victory which he hath gotten after that they haue manfully fought the coÌ„bat The coÌ„â—ort which Ministers must take holde of in the middest of their miserie This is the comfort which they ought at al times to propound before theÌ„ in the midst of their miseries and afflictions for that will bring vnto them more contentment and ioy then the malice and wickednesse can cause trouble This is that coÌ„fort which they alwayes feele in their conscience which will make sweet the bitternesse of their sorrowes which they endure in this world And doo they feele this comfort when they cast their sight vppon the infallible promises of God which doo assure them to beare more then these euen to the ende of all those hard trauels and miseryes which they must patiently ouercome And particularly when they doo beholde those wonderfull workes which God hath done by the administration of their ministrie and when they do consider what god hath done in times past by the ministry of the Prophets and Apostles whose successors they are in the administration of their charge they may the better be knowne of what account they are towardes God to the ende they may be the better confirmed in theyr vocation by the consideration of those maruellous effectes by which God would authorize theyr ministrie Wherefore it shall bee verie good heere to make a breefe recitall and discourse of those notable exploits which God hath done and yet doth when it pleaseth him by his seruants in their charge to the end that this may bring a double folde profite first vnto them for their singular comfort which they ought to oppose agaynst all those trials with which the worlde do molest them secondly to the end that manie amongest the people which makes no great account of them may bee mooued to esteeme them as it appertaineth to their dutie CHAP. X. VVherein is declared the wonderfull force and power which God hath discouered when it hath pleased him by them which haue preached his worde the better to commend their ministrie WEe say then that God dooth honour so much the charge of prophesie which hee dooth execute by them that are called thereunto by reason of many miracles which are wrought by them after a strange maner that they may astonish the whole world whether it be in war or peace whether it be in sicknesse or health whether it be in famine or plentie or at any other time God I say doth worke miracles by theÌ„ in the waters in the earth in the ayre amongest men which dwell vpon the earth yea and in the heauens themselues and finally the Scripture sheweth that theyr prayers haue mounted vppe vnto God they haue kept him backe from dooing that which hee was determined to doo let vs speake of these thinges in order First In war nothing ouerthroweth the purposes of the enemie so much as the praier of the seruaÌ„ts of God in warte then when the children of God are verie much oppressed by their enemies who doo conspire together to ouerthrowe them altogether there was no better counsaile giuen to make frustrate their purposes and to bring to naught theyr wicked and bloodie enterprises but when such prayed vnto GOD earnestlie agaynst them This is that which Dauid the great king and Prophet did when he was assaulted by his owne sonne Absolon after such a subtill and craftie manner that there was no outwarde appearaunce of escape but hee must needes haue beene vtterlie vndone had not God prouided for him for fearing greatlie the counsell of Achitophel which was esteemed at that time as a diuine Oracle hee praied vnto God after a vehement
A PREPARATION TO THE MOST HOlie Ministerie Wherein is set downe the true meanes to be well prepared to the same by an exact description and consideration of the necessitie excellencie difficultie and great profit therof with the maruellous effects of the same Also a liuely exhortation to all youth to giue themselues to the studie therof and a confutation of the obiections which may be brought in any sort to touch the same Verie profitable and necessarie in these our times aswell for those that addict themselues to the Ministry as for all other for whose instruction it was ordained Diuided into two Bookes Written in French by Peter Gerard and translated into English by N. B. Esay 52. Rom. 10. Nahum I. Howe bewtifull are the feete of them which bring glad tydings of peace and bringeth glad tydings of good things and preach saluation Imprinted at London by Thomas Creed for Thomas Man dwelling in Paternoster row at the signe of the Talbot 1598. TO THE RIGHT HONOrable Sir VVilliam Periam Knight Lord chiefe Baron of her Maiesties Exchequer all happinesse RIght honorable Not many yeares since your louing acceptance of the translation of a French treatise hath imboldened me to do the like againe to Dedicate this small worke vnto your L. For my purpose is neuer to change for any other Patrone of my labours seeing that vnto you of right they do belong I had thought to haue published some other thing of mine owne breeding but that this French man pulled me backe and vrged me to teach him to speak the English tongue Being somewhat capable hee was not long in learning the same If hee speaketh not so eloquently as many of our Orators vse to doo the fault is to bee imputed to his bad schoolemaister But in my opinion he speaketh although plainly yet profitable things and necessarie for our estate Let the work commend the author and at your leysure I hope your L. Will vouchsafe him the reading Thus committing your L. my good Lady your wife your kinde Brother your vertuous and godly chidren my worshipfull friendes vnto God his most mercifull protection I humbly take my leaue Your L. in all dutie to be commaunded Nicholas Becket To his louing Brethren the Pastors and Ministers of Deuon and Cornwall and all other Christian readers grace and peace MY louing brethren if this smal treatise shal happen to come into your hands I pray you giue it entertainment make it familiar vnto you by often reading the same Although you haue in your studies many excellent works of this argument Hyperius Erasmus Hemmingius Daneus and our good countreyman Maister Perkins c. Yet you shall finde here many things that are more sutable to vs countrey Diuines which haue pastorall charges For I know not how it commeth to passe that many haue long labored in their Ministrie and yet haue little or nothing profited their auditorie Many causes there are of this nonproficiencie in some ignorance in others negligence and the iust iudgement of God vppon the people who because they doo not hunger and thirst after righteousnes Math. 5. Acts 16. Act. 17. nor attend vnto the preaching of the word as Lydia the purple-seller did vnto Paul nor search the scriptures with the noblemen of Berea therfore their harts are blinded with the Israelites and they contemne and despise Christ with the proude Pharisies Ioh. â— But in my conceit this is not the least hinderaunce to the prosperitie of the Church when as the Pastors and Ministers of the same haue no respect neither how they liue neither how they teach Here therfore is plotformed vnto vs what the life and what the doctrine of Ministers ought to be here is set downe a plain and easie method of diuining the word of God aright Dan. 12. If we then bee desirous to shine as the brightnes of the firmament and to be as the stars for euer and euer let vs teach others by our life and doctrine and endeuor to turn many vnto righteousnesse Let vs not preach our selues but Christ crucified not for filthie lucre but of a readie mind seeking only the glorie of God and the conuersion of the souls of our brethren that we may vnfainedly protest with S. Paul 1. Cor. 2. My word my preaching stood not in the intising speech of mans wisedom but in plaine euidence of the spirit and of power that your fayth should not bee in the wisedome of men but in the power of God Thus beseeching the Lord for his mercie sake to blesse vs and comfort vs in this our troublesome and painefull calling and to giue vs grace to take heed to our selues Act. 20. and to al the flocke whereof the holie ghost hath made vs ouerseers to feed the Church of God which hee hath purchased with his owne bloud In all dutiful loue I take my leaue Your louing Brother and fellow-labourer in the Lord. N. B. A PREPAration to the holy Ministrie very profitable and necessarie as well for those that desire the same as for all the faithfull for whose instruction it is ordained CHAP. I. Because the office of the Pastors is to be employed in the correction of vice it is expedient to shew that vice was neuer so rife as it is now how to correct the same in some sort there is nothing so necessarie as the ministry WHen God is iustly prouoked to encounter with the vices and sinnes of men hee throweth for his darts into the earth warre famine and plague which are three of the most principal executions of his wrath then euerie one naturally doth endeuour to defend and preserue his life from the violence and furie of them But they which haue their hearts and bowels more liuely touched with straunge and fearefull punishments of warre great and lamentable miseries of famine with other sorrowfull and extreame calamities of the plague or of any other thing they I say are not only content to escape from the imminent dangers which doth inuiron all those which dwell in those places or countreyes vpon which God hath discharged most furiously such afflictions but being moued with heartie and merciful affections towards others do desire to drawe them likewise out of the same in such sort that good polititians and and most faithfull louers of the common-wealth haue forced themselues by theyr wit and counselles to stay the streame of cruell and bloudy warre others beeing touched with the same humanitie haue bin vrged to comfort the poore needy in the time of famine haue deuised all meanes possible by which they might in any sort be nourished and maintained The Phisitians and others which tooke vppon them to cure diseases and to preserue their neighbours in healâ—h when they see the aire so infectious and corrupted that there is engendred thereby so strong a contagion so apt and swift to infect that in a short time many thousandes of persons of all sects and ages are extinct and killed that
This memorie is so necessarie for a Preacher that if he be destitute therof he cannot execute his charge but with very great difficulties because that assoon as he hath learned any thing to recite vnto the people or to serue him for some other vse if he forget it a little after he must alwaies begin againe and so hardly come to any great knowledge Cicero in his I. It is a hard thing to be a preacher without memorie booke de Orat. speaking of an Orator saith one notable thing that is to say Memorie is the treasure-house of all things the which if she keep not as a good gardeÌ„ al that which we haue read lerned deuised imagined inuented vnderstaÌ„ding al things which shuld be in orators which shuld be most excellent shuld by by perish We may very well say the same of a preacher who after that he hath long sweat at his studie and exercised in his charge manie yeares if he hath a slipperie memorie it is certaine that he caÌ„ do no more good for if it shal happen for him to speake publikely or priuately or oftentimes to answer vnto questioÌ„s when his aduise or counsell is asked or to bee made acquainted with matters of weight of great men or to bee demanded the text of scripture if he caÌ„not alledge the same to serue his turne many inconueniences may follow therof And if at any time one be constrained vpon a necessitie to recite something in hast he shall speake so obscurely that the hearers shal not vnderstand him to what end he speaketh it may so fall out that he shal not vnderstand himselfe because he hath learned those things as it were perforce hauing no leisure to meditate vpon theÌ„ to digest theÌ„ althogh at home peradueÌ„ture he hath meditated vpoÌ„ theÌ„ neuerthelesse because the oftentimes he is coÌ„strained to trauell hither thither that he hath not his books at coÌ„mand the surest way is to haue them fast lockt in the memorie because wheÌ„ they are caried there as it were in a deske as well in the high way as in the house as well by night as by day they may be beateÌ„ chewed and considered vpon and by coÌ„tinuall meditations those things may be ripened or seasoned which shal be found too rawe By this then an incredible profit groweth to the preacher that amongst many other things he may expound the word of God soundly Hee that hath a good memorie may soundly easily preach the worde of God and plainly according to the capacitie of euery one for hauing in the treasure of his memorie manie graue things it is an easie matter for him to choose those which hee shall perceiue by the ballance of his iudgment to be profitable and fit for the instruction of euery one This then is to be reckoned one of the greatest and most soueraigne gifts of God that may be for seeing that in the church of God there be of all sorts of men both subtil grosse simple others of some meane conceit others of verie litle reach the greatest dexteritie of spirit that can be in a preacher is so to apply himselfe to euery ones capacitie as that they may be instructed And moreouer the more that a preacher can frame himself to be familiar plaine to euery one the more fitte he is to discharge that function and which is more he shall bee esteemed the more learned Although many be of a coÌ„trarie iudgment who do not esteem knowledge according to facilitie but rather by I knowe not what reports of some who esteeme many to be learned men which haue only the knowledge of some nuÌ„bers who neuerthelesse are reckoned men of vnderstanding by opinion rather then by truth and by those which are not fit and allowed iudges in these things One of the greatest Philosophers who speaking of such kind of men hath vsed a most notable similitude A very apt similitude that as the common people in Magicall arts do maruell at those things whereof they vndeâ—stand not the reason by which the sorcerers do many absurd things so many saith hee wonders at that stile or phrase of speaking of which they haue no vnderstanding And in truth what man of iudgement wil account him a learned man who is so obscure in his discourse that he may be iustly carped at And those also which do think to cauil shall not know well themselues with what they should find fault who I say will account theÌ„ for learned men seeing that they are learned only for themselues These bee they of whom it is said in a common prouerbe that their sciences are hidden Muses but such as are of no account because that such men hauing some good gifts of God neuerthelesse if others cannot be the better for them they cannot be properly esteemed for the greatest learned men because that knowledge is not to be counted knowledge when a man keepes it to himselfe alone and cannot impart it to others But when a maÌ„ hath knowledge which doth many good and that he can easily coÌ„municate the same he is fitly to be termed a learned man And it is very wel said by an heathen Poet the it is nothing to know any thing for it self vnlesse another knoweth that which thou knowest as though he wold say that otherwise it is not to be esteemed for knowledge But seeing that the marke and principall end of all knowledge is to instruct and to edifie it followeth that the more a maÌ„ in vttering his knowledge doth teach and benefit others the more learned he is and ought so to be accounted Wherefore let vs conclude this point that a Preacher should not onely endeuour to stirre vp his minde and polish his tongue with faire words gentle The more plainly a man writes or speakes the more learned is he to be accounted and delectable but also and principally to fill his breast with the knowledge of many good and profitable things For if there be nothing but a filed and polished tongue to vtteâ— many wordes although they bee well placed they doo not much profit For euen as the spirit of a man eyther he that readeth or heâ— that hearkeneth to another that speaketh iâ— not much mooued by words filed one within another if no matter of substance be mingled therewith so the spirit of a man cannot much be mooued by a floud of vnprofitable words in which no matter of importaunce is conteined In such sort that Cicero hath very welâ— said that it is a meere folly to speak with proprietie and ornaments without sententious words and to speake sententiously without order and disposition of words it is childish Finally let vs adde that a preacher being sufficiently furnished both wi h words knowledge of many good things he shal attain vnto an easie kind of teaching hauing attained the same he shal discharge his calling with great profite as euerie one may easily perceiue by his praying in which
of the body are ioyned with the head Sathan I say hath caused that at this day by this sacrament al Christendome is disunited diuided torne in peeces which is a lamentable thing to heare more pittifull to behold and this commeth to passe by the iust iudgement of God for the vnthankfulnes of christians But what is to be done as sathan hath bin and is very diligent to corrupt the true sense of this institution so we also shuld be as diligent to search out the true vnderstaÌ„ding that we may ouercome him because that it is a thing more then reasonable that the faythfull should be assured of â—heir saluation The application of the exord with a breefe exposition of the text that the diuell shuld not haue power to withstand them And because that these be the cheefe words This is my bodie this is my bloud by which the diuel hath blinded the vnderstanding of many so that they could not conceiue the true meaning it is our dutie to seeke out the true vnderstanding with a docible and patient spirit Let vs note in the first place that the Euangelists Saint Paul saying here That Iesus Christ hauing taken the bread that he eate it with his Disciples that he brake it and gaue it to his Disciples saying Take eate c. that in these words there is the institution of the supper the which was instituted the night before he suffered after supper and after that hee celebrated the eating of the passouer This institution dooth containe three principall poynts the first is the signes and the ceremonies the second their signification the third the agreement that they haue the one with the other As coÌ„cerning the signes there are but two the bread and the wine which doo represent the bodie and bloud of Iesus Christ because they haue the selfesame vertue to nourish our soules as the common bread and wine which wee doo ordinarily vse for our necessitie hath a proper power to nourish our bodyes For this cause Iesus Christ calleth himselfe in many places The bread of life not to speake properly that that bread which is distributed into the Supper is the bread of life of it selfe for it differeth nothing neither the wine also from that which wee doo ordinarily vse but this bread and this wine doo nourish our soules because they are ordained of God to this effect There are two signes to signifie that in him is a full perfect spiritual nourishmeÌ„t that is to say â—l that is requisite for our saluation also the better to make vs call to mind his death and â—assion because that the wine which signifiâ—th his bloud shed is so liuely represented in â—hat before our eyes Let vs come to the ceâ—emonies which be double wherof one doth â—oncern him that doth administer the Supper â—he other him which doth coÌ„municate Touâ—hing him that doth administer it is his part to â—â—ke the bread to break as pastors do ordiâ—arily which doth signifie that the body of â—esus Christ was broken with infinite sorrows â—â—d horrible agonies to deliuer vs froÌ„ euerlaâ—â—ng death as he himselfe declared when he â—â—id This is my bodie broken afterward preâ—ted the bread and the cup of wine to beare â—â—tnes that God for his part doth preseÌ„t vnâ—â— vs Iesus Christ and with him al his graces â—â—d spirituall riches and for his part dooth â—â—we neare by this Supper to commuâ—â—ate himselfe vnto vs. The ceremonie 〈◊〉 to take the bread and the wine which are â—esented vnto vs and to eate and to drink â—â—ter the institution of the supper wee must â—â—me to these words Take eate drink this is 〈◊〉 bodie and my bloud doo this it remembrance â—â—s and to vnderstand them more cleareâ—â— we may obserue that they doo containe a commandement a promise The coÌ„maâ—demeÌ„t is expressed in these words Take eatâ— drink do this in remembrance of me when 〈◊〉 is said This is my body this is my bloud there 〈◊〉 the promise All which words do signifie aâ— much as if Christ should haue said this breaâ— and this wine doth so represent my body anâ—â— my bloud that you which do partake these vâ—sible signes I do assure you that you particâ—pate that which they doo represent that is 〈◊〉 say my body and my bloud that this is thâ—â— true interpretation of the wordes of Iesâ—â— Christ it is manifest by other testimonies 〈◊〉 the scripture this shall be the second poiâ—â— of this Sermon But before we beginne 〈◊〉 confirm by them our interpretation A confutation of the reasons of the Papists we mâ—â— first examine whether the papistes haue â—â—ny reason or no to vnderstand their transuâ—stantiatioÌ„ And this is as they say wheÌ„ Chrâ—â—â— said This is my body this is my bloud that thâ— word is doth signifie to transubstantiate aâ—â— to conuert by consequent that the breâ—â— and the wine were transubstantiated into 〈◊〉 body and into his bloud First wee answer that this word is which is a verb substaÌ„tiâ—â— doth not signifie in any place of the scriptuâ—â— to conuert and transubstantiate and that iâ— shuld so signifie many absurdities would fâ—â—low as we might produce many places whâ—â— verie strange absurdities would be perceiuâ—â— wheâ—her it is said in Gen. that Ioseph interpreting the â—â—came of Pharaoh which was that he had seen 〈◊〉 fat kine and 7. leane It is there set down 〈◊〉 at the 7. leane kine are 7. yeares of barrenâ—sse and the 7. fat kine 7. yeares of plentie 〈◊〉 wee should take according to the letter 〈◊〉 is word are which is the same word which â—eere vsed we must needs conclude that â—â—ese seuen kine were indeed and really seuen â—â—res which should be a strange absurditie â—nd when it is said in Saint Iohn that Iesus â—â—rist is a vine and his father the husâ—â—nd-man wee must conclude that Ieâ—â—â— Christ is conuerted into a vine and â—OD into an hushand-man that is subâ—â—ntially and essentially which were an â—â—rrible thing to heare and more hard to â—â—eeue And because some may obiect that 〈◊〉 kinde of speech is sette downe to â—â—e the similitudes and they bee indeede â—â—ilitudes and not a sacramentall manâ—â— of speaking wee could produce manie â—de of speeches which are sacramentall 〈◊〉 one shall suffice Saint Paul sayth That fathers did all eate the same spirituall meate 〈◊〉 did all drinke the same spirituall drinke 〈◊〉 they dranke of the spirituall Rocks that â—â—wed them and hee addeth and the Rock◠〈◊〉 Christ This worde was is so to bee â—â—n as in this place if then this bee well considered what man is there of sounâ— iudgement that will vnderstand by this mâ—ner of speaking that this Rocke was troâ— substantiated indeed and really into Chriâ—â— as he must of necessity vnderstand if this â—pinion of the papists be true Let vs concluâ— then that these wordes properly cannâ—â— beare this signication for if Iesus Châ—â—â—â— would haue signified so much hee wouâ—â— rather haue
sayde this shall bee maâ—â— my body or turned into my body Aâ— if these wordes should bee vnderstood wiâ—â—out a figure as the Papistes woulde haue they shoulde signifie rather that his boâ—â— and his bloud should bee turned iâ— the Bread and Wine and not that 〈◊〉 Bread and the Wine shoulde bee turâ—â— into the substaunce of the body of Chrâ—â—â— because wee finde some such like thâ—â— in the Scripture as wee may reade in â—nesis Gen. 19. where it is sayde That Lot his Vâ— was turned into a Piller of Salt and 〈◊〉 piller of salt was to be seene wherâ— to Lots Wife was turned So that it 〈◊〉 bee sayde after this sort This Pilleâ— Salt is the Wife of Lot to note that 〈◊〉 his Wife was turned into that Piller 〈◊〉 they that doo heare these wordes 〈◊〉 vnderstande it so For these worâ— The Pillar of Sale cannot signifie the 〈◊〉 thing properly therefore a proper signification must needes bee founde out So in like manner when it is heere sayde This is my bodie this is my bloud these wordes cannot any way beare this signification that wee should vnderstande by them a reall conuersion into the bodie and bloud of Christ Moreouer these wordes of transubstantiation doo bring with them three absurdityes The first is that if the bread and wine shoulde bee turned into the body and bloud of Iesus Christ there should bee no signe in the Supper and so there should bee no sacrament which cannot bee without a visible signe The seconde is that the bloud of Iesus Christ shoulde bee separated from his bodie which is also absurde and impossible The thirde that Iesus Christ shoulde haue a bodie infinite and by consequent hee shoulde not bee true man nor truely ascended into heauen which shoulde ouerthrowe the principall Articles of our fayth And t is to no purpose to obiect heere that hee hath a gloryfied body by which hee may bee at one time in diuers places together for this replie is vayne because hee hadde no such bodie when as hee instituted the Supper and besides his glorification did not any way diminish the nature of a true bodie but onely did make him infinite as an auncient Doctor hath verie well sayde And wherefore it is sayde in the Acts of the Apostles That the heauens should containe him vntill the daie of iudgement when hee shall visiblie descende as he was seene to ascende The fourth is that infidels and hypocrites comming to the Lords Supper shoulde truely participate the bodie and bloud of Christ and so it must needes follow that GOD and the diuell should bee lodged togither And besides these absurdities which doo beate downe transubstantiation experience it selfe is against it Wee may perceiue the bread and wine to consume away beeing long time kept for this dooth shewe most plainely that the substance of them is not chaunged As also these wordes beeing well vnderstood doo ouerthrowe transubstantiation so they doo likewise confute theyr Cousin germane which is Consubstantiation that is those which doo affirme that the body of Iesus Christ beeing euerie where it must needes bee in the Breade of the Lordes Supper that it is eyther aboue or belowe or at one side or within as his bloud is in the VVine The wordes of Iesus Christ cannot likewise beare this sence For if they will so vnderstand them Iesus Christ must haue said My bodie shall bee with this bread and my bloud with this wine Moreouer this shoulde bee to fall to a fleshlye and carnall eating which cause vs to fall into the three last absurdities of transubstantiation When Iesus Christ saith to the Capernaites who did imagine a carnall eating because hee had said That vnlesse one eate his Flesh and drinke his bloud that he cannot haue eternall life He saide vnto them in the Verse three score and three expounding himselfe It is the spirit that quickneth the flesh profiteth nothing the wordes that I speake vn-you are spirit and life Is not this place cleare inough to shew that hese woordes must be vnderstoode spiritually and not carnallye And although that there hee speaketh not of a sacramentall eating but of that which is made by the woorde of GOD which is receiued by faith notwithstanding it maye verye well imparte thus much because it is the same kinde of eating in substaunce so that whatsoeuer is spoken of the one doth belong also to the other and seeing that question is made of the nourishment of the soule which is spirituall and that the foode thereof is spirituall it must necessarily follow that the eating must be also spirituall and not grosse and carnall And to be so it cannot otherwise be but that the bread and wine shoulde be nothing else but signes onely of the body and bloud of Christ and that they do alwaies remaine bread and wine after the wordes of coÌ„secration and after the partaking thereof As it is easie by Saint Paule 1 Cor. 10. where hee saith The cuppe of blessing which we blesse is it not the communion of the bloud of Christ The bread which we breake is it not the communion of the body of Christ It is not said that the cup of blessing which one blesseth is the bloud of Christ really that the bread which we break is the proper and substantiall body of Christ but that it is the communion of the one and of the other by the which words he declareth plainly that the bread and the wine doth alwaies remaine bread and wine but they are certaine and infallible pledges of that coÌ„munion which we haue in the body of Christ See also that the bread the wine are nothing but signes of the body and of the bloud of Christ yet neuerthelesse we do participate of the same as trulie as if we shuld eat his flesh and drinke his bloud after a carnall manner Let vs adde that this interpretation which is the second point we haue to handle causeth no inconuenience and that by the same those foure absurdities which are recited before are auoided for by the same the signes remaine in their owne nature the bloode of Iesus Christ is not separated from his bodie his humainitie is not diminished neyther the truth of his ascension and sitting at the right hand of his Father And further The Amplifying of the second part wicked men shall not partake of the body of Christ and of his blood But what will bee obiected if this bee the true meaning of Christ how is it declared by more manifest words and lesse doubtfull One answereth that this promise cannot be made by a more briefe kinde of speeche and more significant For if hee had saide This is the pledge and the signe of my body there shuld not haue been a promise as there is vnlesse he had vsed more words as if hee shoulde haue saide I assure you that this bread and this Wine doth so represent vnto you my body and my bloud that as often as you do
partake of these visible things you shall trulie communicate of that which is signified vnto you And so it must needes haue come to passe that Christ must haue doone as flatterers that goe about to perswade any man vse many woordes and arguments but there is no force manye times in theyr speeche as commonly it happeneth to those that being desirous to make others beleeue something they haue copie of words but little matter Contrariwise serious and graue things doo require ordinarily fewe words but very significant and full of force and maiestie we see for the most part that Kings and Princes speaking of any matter of importaunce to them that are about them oftentimes they vse but one woorde which they do print in their minde as though it were some oracle from heauen they doo ponder and imagine to finde out that which he would say that if they vsed many wordes they would not so easily be carried away and they which hearde them would not be so attentiue to consider them Namely this is perceiued in great men when as they make promises to their familiars for beeing so made in fewe wordes they haue more grace and waight So Iesus Christ in this place speaking to his Disciples to communicate with them his body and his bloud which was a thing of great importance he spake in fewe words This is my body and my bloud that is to say which signifieth my body and my bloud And this was also for the benifit of the Disciples for they hauing vnderstoode these words of their Maister they might thinke themselues what their maister meant when he said This is my body For when he spake these words vnto them they were a long time at the table eating and drinking with him he neuer spake any such thing so that they might cōclude with themselues that by these words he would signifie some great matter so that this thing beeing well considered his Disciples might bee the more wakened by these fewe wordes full of waight and maiestie diligently to ponder them as if hee had vsed many wordes Although already this matter is sufficiently manifested yet wee will make it more euident by these reasons following First that spirit of God hath vsed the like speeche as he hath done heere in the promise of all the sacraments of the old testamēt that is in giuing the name of the thing signified and inuisible vnto the exteriour signe As we reade in Genesis Gen. 17 that God beeing willing to assure Abraham his posteritie that Circumcision was a certaine signe vnto them that he had receiued them into his couenant hee calleth Circumcision his couenant Exod. 12. in fewe words The like saith Moses of the Sacrament of the Paschall Lambe calling it the Lords passeouer for to signifie vnto the Iewes that they should be assured of the continuall fauour of God hauing giuen them a taste of his incomprehensible bountie when he sent his destroying Angell who slewe all the first borne as well of men as of beastes in all the houses of Egypt and passed ouer the children of Israel without dooing them any hurt whereof that ceremony of the Paschall Lambe was to them a sacrament To these kindes of speaking we may ioyne that which S. Paul vseth 2 Cor. 10 where he saith That our Fathers haue eat the same meat and drunk the same drinke in the wildernesse which we haue done because that the rocke out of which issued the water which they dranke was Christ for this manner of speeche is altogither like this But lette vs diligently obserue that this maner of speaking This is my body wherof here question is made is likewise so vsed in our cōmō tongue as for example If a king sheweth fauour vnto a male factor giuing vnto him the letters of his fauour sealed with his owne seale it is said cōmonly to the malefactor beholde thy pardon yet neuerthelesse those letters which are giuen him are not his pardō but a certain infallible signe of his pardon So in this sacrament we see the like for they are called seales of the word of God As Saint Paule doth beare witnesse of Circumcision Rom. 4 which he calleth to the Romaines The seale of the righteousnesse of faith It seemeth that it was impossible to vse any plainer kinde of speech to vnderstand Christs meaning without any conceit of carnal eating and humain drinking as though we were deuourers of men like those kinde of people called Anthropophagi and Cyclopes But we may cause a greater light to shine to our selues when we are certainly assured that we do partake the body and bloud of Christ by saith which is the proper instrument which God hath giuē vs to eat his body and drinke his bloud that is that we constantly beleeue that we cōmunicate trulie with his body and that our consciences are thereof so well assured The meane how we doe partake the body and blood of Christ in the supper that wee neede not to doubt Therfore one of the Fathers hath said that when we come to this sacramēt that we must not prepare our teeth nor our mouth but that we must beleeue thē we haue eatē Iesus Chrst for this cause faith as some of the auncient doctors affirm is the eie by which we see Christ the hand by which we take hold of him the arme by which we do imbrace him and are vnited vnto him And euē as whē we see any thing with our eies that we are assured that we see it whē we hold any thing in our hāds we doubt not but that we hold it whē we eat any meat drink any drink we feele the same in our mouth in our tast so ought we to be assured that we do cōmunicate with the body of Christ with his bloud yea we may say we are more certain thereof because our outward sēces are oftētimes deceiued the eie thinketh to see a thing the which it seeth not or it is some other thing thē the eie taketh it to be the eare taketh one soūd for another that palyet swalloweth down some meat although it be somewhat bitter findeth it to be sweete if it be good and wholesome it thinketh it to be euil if it be venemous it doth not perceiue it so it falleth out in the other sences which are deceiued in euery thing But faith beeing true and sincere cannot bee so deceiued So that a Christian may conclude that he is more assured by the instrument of faith to perticipate the body bloud of Iesus Christ in the sacrament then by the sight of his eyes hearing of his eares touching of his handes or tasting with his mouth And finally if wee should set down that which is commonly obiected in this place that is howe this can bee done and that Iesus Christ is aloft in heauen and we belowe vpon the earth yet neuerthelesse that he should giue vnto vs his body and his
orators which handle matters which may better agree with such kinde of speaking then with the sacred diuinitie It is true also that he must not be scrupulous as some which would not haue vs to vse any gesture at all nor to delight the hearer in any thing As an honest profitable gesture becoÌ„meth the Preacher so an immodestie vnseemely he must abstaine from it For if the hearer bee delighted with the preacher vsing an honest gesture taketh a singular pleasure in hearing him that may also very much edifie if he heareth with desire and froÌ„ this delight there may proceed also some frute that he may receiue which taketh such pleasure in hearing so that for this cause wee may apply our selues somewhat to delight the audience But hee must take heede of one fault into which hee maye fall especially in regard of his voice that is How the voyce may be abused in making it to resound and to giue an Eccho that nothing is heard but the sound and litle instruction is gathered of all that is pronounced by such a pleasant and delightfull voice For it is a thing not onely vndecent but also very vitious to pronounce a light and vaine thing with a graue voice as though it were a matter worthy great commendation as to speake of graue and serious matters with a resounding and delectable voice Hee may fall into this extremitie when being puffed vppe with I knowe not what opinion of himselfe and of his sufficiencie doth despise study speaking that which commeth into his minde thinking that he hath sufficiently preached although hee neuer much thought vppon that which he spake Such be like some amongst the Philosophers who doo not onely boast to knowe any thing but that they can answer readily to euery demaund without needing any preparation or meditation but as the behauiour of these men hath iustly bin thought rediculous of many of the sounder Philosophers the custome of Preachers which goe about to make the like vaunt of their vanitie is more worthy to be laughed at and blamed because it is almost a thing impossible to speake well of an high and serious matter a long time The preacher must neuer preach without study 1 Orat. and to edification without thinking vpon the same before hand Cicero saith that it is profitable sometime to speak on the suddain but it is more profitable when one is prepared thereunto because there cannot be much ioyce in that which is without premeditation Demosthenes hath better met with this fault He that preacheth the word negligeÌ„tly he procureth the curse of God but he that performeth his dutie with diligence and a good conscience he getteth the blessing of God saying He is a very bad man that will speak or that goeth to speake seriously of waightie matters without being prepared If this bee true as it is into what discredit may the diuine Preacher fall who dareth without hauing thought vpon the matter before go into the Pulpit to declare not the word of a King nor of an earthly Monarch but of the liuing God Then ihinke with thy selfe what a mischiefe thou fallest into when thou art guiltie of this fault Thou hast not to doo with men but with God whose person thou doest represent If thou beest negligent in his seruice dooest thou not thinke with thy selfe that GOD which hath so honoured thee and exalted thee so high as to be his Ambassador or messenger will not be greeuously offended with thee Thinkst thou not that Iesus Christ who was willing to dy for thee for those sheep that hee hath committed vnto thee that he will not punish thee for thy flouthfulnesse if thou disdainest this so honourable a charge Againe dost thou not imagin that such idlenesse is detestable to the Angelles who watcheth continually for the preseruation of the faithfull And further will not thine own conscience bee a thousand witnesses which will cruelly torment thee and accuse thee before God of thy negligeÌ„ce carelesnesse of the small zeale which thou bearest towards the glory of God But consider on the contrary side if thou beest feruent in studie to deuide the woord of God with most edification that ordinarily thou dost not declare the same without preparation and that the people which come by heapes to thy sermons do returne coÌ„tent satisfied God Iesus Christ who seeth thy trauaile thy diligeÌ„ce thy zeale for the saluation of the faithful will abundantly blesse thee the Angels will reioyce thine own conscience will yeeld vnto thee a singular coÌ„tentatioÌ„ wil bring vnto thee souereign coÌ„fort and will alwaies set thee in the rest tranquilitie of the soule All this with many other reasons may prick thee forward to the performing of thy dutie not to go forward in thy calling negligently But behold also one point which likewise may prouoke thee more chearfully to perform thy duty that seeing that it may so happen that thou shalt preach before a great multitude if thou beest wel prepared then thou maiest more edifie then thou haste done many yeares before eyther by writing or otherwise and therfore thou must take heed that thou doost not let slip so good an occasion To conclude this matter we may obserue that seeing that it is a great paine as Cicero saith in his first book de Natura deo to speake alone before a multitude of men then when euery one haâ—keneth and that there is almost none which doth not more marke the faultes of the preacher The preacher must desire of God the spirit of discretion when he goeth to expound Gods word then that which is wel spoken and if any good lesson be giuen it quickly slippeth out of the minde of the hearers It concerneth vs seriously to aduise to speake with feare great discretion of the spirit and before wee begin we must remember to beg the same grace at Gods hand with ardent and deuout prayer CHAP. VI. Of the manner of disputing IT is high time nowe to come to the secoÌ„d part of the ministerie that is To conuince the aduersaries with sound doctrine Vnder this part we comprehend the disputations coÌ„fereÌ„ces of learned men especially of diuines for seeing that all exercises ought to be ordained as they are in many places to frame theÌ„selues to coÌ„uince those who do resist the truth wee may very fitly containe such disputations and conferences vnder the forme of reasoning But we vnderstand not by these conferences and disputations onely those that are vsed certaine houres in the vniuersities or other where which are not common to euery one but we vnderstand also and principally those which ought to be vsed oftentimes betwixt them which doo apply themselues to some studie eyther in familiar discourses in the house or in walking abroad or in sum vpon such occations as may be offered Wee say that such conferences are necessary because they are a good meanes to make others acquainted with
Kings went to Elizeus to enquire of him concerning the word of the Lord. Elizeus sayde vnto them Thus saith the Lord ye shall neither see winde nor rayne yet the vally shall be filled with water that ye may drinke both ye and your cattle and your beastes And in the morning the vallies and the ditches were filled with water And what more if question be made of the ayer which is another Element hath not god made it manifest that he can vse it when hee pleaseth to execute after a wonderfull manner the iust iudgements of God his Maister The ayre obeyed the word of the Lord vttered by his seruant The tenne plagues wherewith Pharaoh was stroken doth beare hereof sufficient witnesse First when hee turned by the rod of Moses the waters into bloud Secondly when hee filled with frogges all the flouds riuers and ponds which were in the countrey of Egypt In the third place when he sent lice fourthly when he sent noysome flies Fifthly when he sent the murrein of Beastes Sixtly the plague of botches and sores Seuenthly the hayle by which Pharaoh was constrained to confesse his sinne Eightly the grassehoppers Ninthly darkenesse Tenthly the death of the first borne both of man and beast Lette vs see whether their power doth not stretch vnto the two other Elements that is to the fire and the earth by what authenticque testimonies may we proue the same Concerning fire we reade that when King Ahaziah fell sicke he sent two captains with fiftie mē of armes one after another vnto Elias they in a brauerie cōmanding the prophet to speak with the King 2 King 1 Elias answered them If I be a man of God let fire come downe from Heauen and deuour thee and thy fiftie So fire came downe from heauen and deuoured him and his fiftie And if question bee made whether the earth hath serued them wee want not examples hereof where we may see Num. 16 that at their word the earth opened Korah Dathan and Abiram and one hundred and fiftie men who rebelled against Moses were swallowed vp aliue and all that they had when the earth cloaue asunder at the word of Moyses when he spake after this maner to the congregation which were assembled about the Tabernacle If these men dye the common death of all men or if they bee visited after the visitation of all men the Lord hath not sent me But if the Lord make a newe thing the earth open her mouth and swallow them vp with all that they haue and they goe downe quicke vnto the pit then you shall vnderstand that these men haue prouoked the Lord. This example sheweth that the earth denieth not her obedience vnto them no more then the other elements when God will stir vp the force that is in them What can we say besides this seeing that the Pastors in theyr charges are of more force then the Elements What thing is there so strong and fearefull that doth not yeelde at theyr woordes Lyons Beares which are cruell Beastes Lyons Bears and other wild beasts do yeeld to the word of the seruants of God 2 King ◠cannot bee exempted for in part these beastes haue serued the Prophets and seruants of God for the execution of the iudgements of God The beares do beare witnesse who serued Elisha to deuour the fortie and two children which called him Ball pate Ball pate others haue beene ouercome as it were in combate by the seruants of God as mention is made in the 1. Sam. 1 Sam. 17 of Dauid who vanquished a beare and a lyon Daniel Dan. 6 being cast into the Lyons denne for to be deuoured of them by his prayers he stopped their mouthes We reade in the Acts how that a viper leaped out of the fire vpon the hand of Saint Paule and did him no hurt But some will obiect that there is death Act. 28 which is not at their commaundement for shee cannot bee made to to yeelde It is also said in the common prouerbe That there is a remedie for all things except death We answere that neither this is exempted And in truth it is a most notable point that as the worde of the seruants of God is more strong then the life of men so it is also stronger then death it selfe that euen as God whē he willeth by the worde of his seruants he killeth men so also by the same word hee rayseth them vp from death Behold foure examples that doth make proofe hereof and here we may not that seeing that this thing is very hard to be beleeued God hath not left one example alone or two in his worde but euen foure that hee might make it the better knowne what force he giueth to his Prophets when he pleaseth 1 King 17 Elias restored the son of the woman of Sarepta from death to life 2. Elisha recouered his hostesse son 3. 2. King 4 Acts 9 Tabitha a great almes giuer was restored by Saint Peter 4. A young man called Eutichus falling from an high loft beeing dead Acts 20 was restored to life by Saint Paule If wee shoulde go further wee might alledge that the Diuels which ruleth ouer death are not exempted For they are easilie ouercome by the vertue of this worde pronounced by their mouth And wee may see a notable example in Saint Paule Acts 16 whom a certaine maide when he was at Philippi in Macedonia commonlie followed who had the spirite of diuination at whom Paul being greeued hee turned about to the spirit and said I commaund thee in the name of Iesus Christ that thou come out of her and he came out the same houre This was an effect of that power which was giuen by Iesus Christ to the Apostles Mat. 10. Mat. 10 to cast out vncleane spirits and to cure all kinde of diseases Is it possible to deuise any thing by those which haue the ripest wits which is more strong then the voice of the good Pastors and Prophets We haue proued that there is nothing neither in earth nor in the aire nor in hell it selfe which is not constrained to yeelde and submit it selfe vnto the power of their worde Nothing remaineth then but that wee must needs affirme that God onely is almightie and yet he is of such goodnesse that he suffereth himselfe to be ouercome somtime by the word prayer of his seruants in such sort that hauing determined to punish destroy thē that haue prouoked him he hath bin kept backe and vanquished by their praiers as though hee were more weake and his seruants the conquerors as though they were the stronger This is very true Exod. 23 as we may see plainly by an example We reade that the people of the Iewes seeing Moses to stay too long before hee returned vnto them from the mount Sinai where hee receiued the tables of the law written by the finger of God they caused a Calfe of golde to bee made