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
the streetes houses and dunghilles are oftentimes so spread with the bodyes of the dead that order cannot be taken for their buriall They do not onely prepare ordinarie receipts and remedies counterpoysons playsters and common antidots but they doo deuise all other cordiall Medicines that they can For extreme diseases extreame medicines must be inuented to helpe those poore soules and deliuer them from the force of this mortall venome This is that which at this day all true and faithfull Christians should doo and diligently obserue in this our age which is so depraued and cōpounded of all sorts of vices that it is not possible to adde more vnto it to wit that euerie one according to his calling should deuise all the strongest and most soueraigne remedies which hee may to correct the disorders and troublesome confusions in which the whole earth is buried and to apply them to the diseases with which all as well great as small are infected to cure thē altogether or at least to mittigate them in any sort And this is so much the more necessarie because nowe sinnes and wickednesse of the people are more great and horrible then the ages heretofore When Esay Ieremy Ezechiel and the other prophets would reprehend the malice and impenitencie of men in their time they were wont to reckon vppe particularly those transgressions and sinnes which at that time bore the sway to the end that they might make them ashamed which too freely did cōmit the same and afteward hauing as it were touched them to the quicke and euen pearced their inwarde soule they caused them to vnderstand that with all their heart they desired their conuersion and reformation vnto the which they so seriously did exhort them Amongst all the notable places in which this may bee most clearely perceiued that of the prophet Micheas is one in the seuenth Chapter of his Prophesie Mich. 7 where most lamentably complaining of the corruptions which then raigned he bringeth in God speaking after this manner VVoe is me for I am as the summer gatherings and as the grapes of the vintage there is no cluster to eate my soule desired the first ripe fruits The which wordes signifieth as much as if he shuld say I thirst after righteousnesse and am desirous to see some good man amongst the Israelites euen as one passing by being thirsty doth desire to finde some clusters of grapes or some frute but all is consumed as it commeth to passe in a drie and bad season Afterwarde he addeth The good man is perished out of the earth and there is none righteous among men they all lie in waite for bloud euerie man hunteth his brother with a net The best of them is as a bryer and the most righteous of them sharper then a thorne hedge c. And continuing that speech it may very well be gathered as well by those words which wee haue recited as by those that follow that euerie one should turne from his crooked way and returne to the performance of his dutie If we will spend but a little time to consider this description of vices and compare them with the sins of our age wee shall finde that our age doth farre exceede for so much as not onely the fulfilling of all the filthinesse of sinne of which the Prophet dooth so much complaine may be seene amongst vs but it doth so superabound that in auncient times feare and shame which are two strong bridles to retaine men in some sort in their dutie or at the least to make them ashamed of their faults at this day are broken and take no more place but that which is worse they are by an incredible wickednesse of men turned into a kinde of disordered licentiousnesse that euerie one is so past shame that he committeth sinne with a certaine pleasure and delight of the heart in such manner that he thinketh it not to be euill Darkenesse is counted light black white and at this day there is no vice nor vertue but that which men hardned and inuetrate in all kind of iniquitie do esteeme to be vice or vertue For vertue godlines the feare of god charity and such like are so disguised varnished by the sottish opinions foolish speech of worldly men that they are reckoned to be vice hypocrisie dissimulation and algether contrarie vnto that which they are indeede in themselues and the same vices couetousnesse ambition enuie stealth robberie blasphemie rapes whoredomes murder sedition mutinie and many others are so gallantly set forth with outward masks and paintings that they passe at this day for vertues woorthie of perpetuall commendation in such sort that euen as when wee see in the woods or forrest Beares Lions Wolfes they put vs in a great feare but when wee see them embossed or portraied out vpon a wall or vpon a gate we take a certaine pleasure to behold them Frogs serpents snailes c. are lothsome and displeasant vnto vs whē we see them creepe vpon the grounde to leape vpon and to crie after vs but when we see them liuelie drawne vppon a fayre table or wrought with the needle vppon some carpet distinguished in one place with white silke in another place with greene red violet or crimson Or when we see there these venomous creatures set foorth with such varietie of colours wee take maruailous delight to beholde them and we do admire at the same Such is the behauiour of the most parte of the inhabitants of the earth who although there be nothing more deformed and monstrous then vice of his owne nature nothing which may make men more to tremble for feare if her filthinesse might be seene as it is nothing is to bee founde more filthie more noysome or inferiour nothing more pestilent and contagious then her poyson of which the Kings Princes and Potentates of the earth Kingdomes Countryes all Prouinces are empoysoned and all persons of what tongue people nation so euer they bee are so bewitehed that wee may verie well say that it is as it were an outragious stream that hath drowned the whole world Howe manie may be found at this day so filthie in their corruption Ruffians Whoremongers Bawdes and a number other of the same stampe who by theyr sugred words by their honyed discourses and by a deceitful tongue full of sophisticall glosings doo make men thinke and beleeue that wicked vices which draw vpon men the curse of God vntil it casteth them downe headlong into the gulfe of hell are not sinnes but pleasant pastimes and recreations And that they which follow not other mens steppes who maketh conscience of their wayes and wil not prostitute themselues and wallow as swine in the dirtie puddle of the corruptions of this world are counted foolish and ridiculous in such sort that we may in our word fitly call our age a cleansing sinke of all filthinesse vncleannesse of the times passed what then is to bee done Verily euerie one must endeuour that as
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
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
bloud To this we answere that God can do it by his word which is incomprehensible but to the ende it shall not seeme so straunge to our carnall vnderstanding Notable similitudes shewing clearely how we doo partake the body of Christ we would vse a familiar similitude to make the same more euident The first shall be takeÌ„ from the sunne the which as it doth communicate by his beames and reuerborations his force and efficacie vnto them that liue heere belowe although it be a dead creature as the Philosophers affirme by a farre greater reason Iesus Christ the Creator the sonne of righteousnesse beeing on high in Heauen at the right hand of his father he can more easily communicate his bodie and his bloud in the Supper by an infinite vertue and an incomprehensible power of his spirite because vnto him it is no matter of any difficultie to ioyne things togither that are farre distant as those that are neare The other similitude although it be weake yet it may serue to vnderstand this mysterie for it is a hard thing to finde out those things which are strong inough to signifie in any sort this incomprehensible secret it shall bee taken from a great and high Tree which from the center of the earth reacheth as it were vnto the heauens as mention is made of such a tree which Nabuchadnezar saw in his dreame seeing that the life and the vertue which dooth maintaine all the branches and leaues in this tree be in the roote which although it be hidden in the earth yet it dooth easily nourish and giueth a growing life vnto the highest boughes although they bee farre from the roote wherein is the spring and fountaine of life if I say this creature without life can doo this easily why should wee not beleeue that Iesus Christ the Creator and conseruer of all things can communicate vnto vs his substance to nourish our selues without comming downe from heauen by his spirit seeing that hee hath promised the same and hee maketh vs to feele it by experience when it pleaseth him Wherefore wee may infallibly conclude that Iesus Christ nourisheth and quickneth our soules and watereth them by his bloud in this holy sacrament so certainely that wee neede not any thing to doubt if so bee that we haue fayth which beeing formed in vs by the spirit of God doth engender in vs so much the more great perswasions as it is great and plentifull in vs so that if wee suffer our selues alwayes to bee led by this spirite wee shall feele more and more his presence in this holy Sacrament prouided also that wee doo disburden our selues of all carnall opinions Eor if wee be replenished with them and suffer our selues to bee gouerned by them it is to be feared least that wee loose his presence altogether and as wee may say with extreame greefe and sorrow that many seeking the same with theyr owne carnall phantasie haue miserably lost the same and haue found the presence of the diuell For all contentions of words iniuries cruel and bloudy wars which are stirred vp and kindled and which meÌ„ do practise one against another to spoyle themselues altogether are nothing else but the blasts of Sathan who beeing present in the middest of them doth prick them forward to â—â—ch mischiefs And in truth if Iesus Christ Conclusion which is nothing else but loue and goodnes â—oth raigne by his spirit wee shal perceiue aâ—ongst christians another kind of vnion and â—oniunction then vsually is to be found but â—â—at violent pride bitternes which is in the â—ottome of our heart beeing the principall â—use lette vs earnestly pray vnto God to â—arge vs cleane that being voyd thereof we â—ay vnite ioyne our selues by this holy saâ—ament with peace concord and beeing us straightly tyed and coupled wee may 〈◊〉 together with one heart and will giue hoâ—ur and prayse vnto him as to our Maister â—ing and Lord to whom bee all glorie and â—â—iestie both now and euer Amen We may iudge by this kind of preaching â—w profitable it is by the reading of these â—o sermons in which al the foresaid method â—ontained For although in this last we do 〈◊〉 alleadge examples as in the first we did â—ecause the matter is diuers and we cannot 〈◊〉 fitly because no poynt of any vertue aâ—th vnto which we might exhort the peoâ—â— nor of any vice from which we shuld disâ—de them but it was a poynt of doctrine â—â—ch is so high and difficult to vnderstand 〈◊〉 it requireth many reasons to make it â—ine as wee haue done in this place It is true that when one will illustrate any poynt of doctrine hee must vse examples as the scripture speaking of iustification of faith dooth propose the examble of Abraham easily to make the same to bee vnderstood but this is altogither in a diuers thing then this whereof wee haue spoken as euerie man may gather of himselfe that I neede not aduertise the reader to take heed of confounding these things together Let vs go on forwarde with our matter and let vs obserue that to keepe that method before spoken of with most fruit it is good to obserue heere two poyntes The first is that to handle high matters and full oâ— weight as some bee more then other iâ— is expedient to prepare the people tâ— hearken vnto the same attentiuely anâ— to doo the same Wee may vse an insinuation both in the beginning and also oftentimes in the middest of the Sermon as if onâ— should say hearken lende your eares aâ—tend and you shall heare a maruailous thing a matter that concernes you and that wiâ— bring incredible comfort vnto you or somâ— such like speech And in this wee shall immitate the Prophets which haue oftentimâ— vsed it as Moses Esay and others whâ— being desirous to stirre vppe the dulnesâ— of the people they haue called the heâ—uen and the earth to witnesse of that which they haue spoken crying out vnto them to heare the voyce of GOD to the end that by these meanes they might make men ashamed if they hearkened not vnto the word of God For it is as much as if they would haue sayde that if the heauen and the earth do yeeld obedience vnto the word of GOD The Preacher must deuise all meanes that he can to perswade the people which are creatures without life that may confounde men with shame which are liuing creatures if they doo not readily submitte themselues vnto his sacred word and euen so preachers must vse these and the like kinde of speeches when they shall see it necessarie The second is that in expounding serious matters especially before the people to vse also graue words and significant liuely expressing that which wee doo expounde For experience dooth shewe that a man hath no grace at all when hee expoundeth an high matter with light and base wordes not expressing sufficiently the force and vertue of those thinges which hee handleth as
of the spirit which is the true ioy I mean the vnderstanding of the holy scripture the meditations of the same the reuelation of the great secrets of God Rom. 24. Gal. 5. this is the ioy of the holy ghost of which Saint Paul speaketh and mention is made in all the worde of GOD. This is the ioy with which the Angels are satisfied and reioyce with all the elect and faythfull that may bee the which is ioy with out cōparison what can any desire that is greater and why shoulde any bee lesse affectionate A confutation of the obiection of those that be carefull to the studie of the Ministrie if that hee bee but depriued of those pleasures which are prophane and vnlawfull Finally if another shall say that hee is kept backe from dedicating of himselfe vnto the Ministrie because that Ministers are subiect vnto infinite daungers we aunswere that this is the replie of a coward and of a faint-hearted man wee may oppose against this that princes gentlemen souldiers marchants Chrysostome vpon the second of Mathew and euerie condition of men doo not liue more safely The higher that Princes are exalted the more they are assailed with feare and continuall dangers Alwaies saith Chrisostome a great state is subiect to great feare as the bowes of trees the higher that they are the more are they shaken with euery little puffe of wind that bloweth so those that are exalted vnto the top of the greatest honors are often times troubled do imagine their estate almost desperate not onely by euerie small report of bad newes that may bee brought vnto them but also they are oftentimes in daily feare of them which are appointed for the protection of their person The gentleman is no lesse assured neither in peace nor war In peace it is most certain that he must suffer and indure many paines and troubles in conuersing with them with whom hee hath any thing to doo and this likewise is common to euerie condition of man In warre amongst the torments of mind which he may haue if it may be called the torment of the minde hee must bee readie to finde out his Prince and to obey in all things that it pleaseth him to commaunde him To be briefe he must not stay at his own house for otherwise hee may bee counted a carter or one that keepeth the chimnie corner or els he may fall into some other mark of infamie The estate of the souldiour is nothing better for hee is compassed with so many dangers that euerie houre hee shall putte his life in hazard seeing that hee must sometime go to the assault sometime to the skirmish sometime to the battaile sometime to the breach and many other encounters which death many times follows hard at the heeles The Marchant liueth not more safely but with more feare and trembling How dooth hee quake for feare many times when hee goeth vppe and downe to fayres is hee not constrained to passe through woods and forrests It seemeth vnto him that he alwaies beholdeth theeues and robbers after his taile to rob him of his treasure and sometime to cut his throate and that not without cause because he cōmonly spieth out such in his way Is he in greater securitie vppon the sea The pyrats and other spies lye alwaies in wait to catch him without making any mention of the tempests and stormye weather vnto which they are continually exposed and are not far from death but euen the breadth of two ynches as one of the philosophers hath said To be briefe euery man of what art or misterie so euer hee be is he not subiect to many hazards yea vnto more then the ministers are because that they commonly staying with theyr flocke according to their calling are in more safetie then those that trauaile hither and thither But if it so fall out that they be in daunger when they are with their flocke in the middest or nigh to the aduersaries of the truth there is none of their faithfull hearers but that will vse all the meanes they can yea and vēter their liues for the preseruation of theyr person as we haue seene many times in France and in other places that many haue bin preserued by these means When they are in the army their vocation is to preach to aduise to admonish and principally to be neare vnto thē which do cōmand not to go rū at al encoūters as captains souldiers other must do according to their duty cōsequētly they are not inuironed with so many dangers as other men are Further propose vnto thy self that if they indure any afflictions or tormēts of the minde that it is for the honor of God And consider that if Princes Noble men Artizans do suffer voluntarily an infinit marterdome one for ambition the other for couetousnesse an other I know not for what vanities much more none ought to feare or to doubt at all to bee troubled or to suffer shipwracke euen of life it selfe for the aduancement of the glory of God and for the saluation of his brethren which are things so rare and so precious that the sonne of God doubted not to shed his bloud for thē What ioy and cōfort may come vnto them by these sufferings for which the Apostles and other of the faithfull reioyced so much What man is so eloquent that can expresse this in words But for thy souereigne comfort set before thee that he whom thou seruest is strong mightie for to defend thee against any thing that may happen who is thy rocke thy buckler thy Tower and who will neuer forsake thee in time of need God saith by his Prophet Zach. 2 That he that toucheth the faithfull toucheth the apple of his eie Hee speaketh this of all the faithfull in generall how much more then doth hee vnderstand the Pastors whome he hath ordained to be guides vnto others In mans body there is nothing that we do so charily regarde as the apple of the eye because that is the guide of the other members If then the Pastors bee the apples of the eies of God that is those whom he loueth and keepeth as his onely treasure who doubteth but that he hath more care in preseruing them then wee haue in keeping our sight To conclude if any man opposeth whatsoeuer he can or what hee may deuise or inuent as obstacles and hinderaunces to disswade any from the loue of the ministerie of the word of God we know also that there are sufficient aunswers to confute him and which are of more force by the grace of God to inflame them that haue any heart at all if they can vnderstand them that no reasons can be alleaged to discourage them Wherfore let vs beseech the Lorde God with an ardent heart and deuout minde that whereas the ministerie is a diuine and spirituall thing and men by nature sensuall and giuen vnto the world that it would please him by vertue of the holy Ghost to roote out of diuers mens hearts these carnall and wordly affections and plant and as it were imprint in them a holy desire of applying themselues most earnestly vnto this holy vocation that he would vouchsafe to inflame our hearts more and more with the fire of his holy spirit and so forme and fashion them that they shall not neede any further helpe Finally that he would direct and guide them that they may be able to finish and accomplish theyr courses in such sort that the efficacie and power thereof may redounde vnto the restoring of many Kingdomes vnto Christ yea euen vnto the renewing of the face of the whole earth the whole being done for the singular comfort of the faithful and principally for the aduancement of Gods glory to whome bee all honour praise and glory both now and euermore Amen FINIS