It followeth This is my bodie Here is the fruite of his thankes before hee prayed that the bread and wine might be blessed they were blessed As Isaacks blessing shewed it selfe vpon Iacob whom he blessed so Christ his blessing appeared straight vpon these mysteries for it could not be said before This is my bodie because it was meere bread but now it may be called his bodie because his blessing hath infused that vertue into it that it dooth not onely represent his bodie but conuey his bodie and himselfe vnto vs. The efficacie of this blessing is in this Sacrament euer since sanctifying it vnto vs as well as it did to the Apostles euen as Christs praier staied Peters faith after Christ was dead Now ye haue heard the meaning of these words He tooke bread and blessed it and brake it and gaue it you shall see with what a mysticall resemblance they vnite Christ and vs First as Christ in the Supper tooke bread to feede vs so in his birth he tooke our flesh to saue vs. Secondly as Christ when he had taken the bread blessed the bread to make it a spirituall food so Christ when he had taken our flesh powred foorth most rich and precious graces into it to make it food of life vnto vs. Thirdly as Christ when hee had blessed the bread brake the bread so Christ when hee had filled his bodie with most precious graces brake it vp like a rich treasure house his handes by the nayles his backe by the stripes his head by the thornes his side by the speare that out of euerie hole a riuer of grace and goodnesse might issue flow forth vnto vs. Lastly as Christ gaue the bread when he had broken it so Christ by a liuely faith communicateth his bodie after he hath crucified it Hereby wee are taught that when we see the Minister take the bread to feed vs we must conceiue that Christ being God from euerlasting tooke our flesh to saue vs. When we see the Minister blesse the bread to a holie vse we must conceiue that Christ by vniting the Godhead vnto it sanctified his flesh for our redemption When wee see the Minister breake the bread to sustaine our bodies we must conceiue that Christ in his death brake his bodie to refresh our soules When wee see the Minister giue the bread to our handes we must conceiue that Christ as truly offereth himself to our faith to be receiued of vs. Because vpon these wordes the Papists ground their Transubstantiation that is that the bread is changed into Christs flesh the wine is turned into Christes blood whereby we eate the same bodie which dyed vpon the Crosse drinke the same blood which issued out of his side That you may see the blindnes of this Popish dreame I would haue you but marke euerie word of this scripture how they make against transubstantiation that ye may see them slaine like Goliah with their owne sworde Euen as God made Caiphas speak against himself so the scriptures which heretikes alledge do make against thēselues like the Baalites which wounded their owne flesh I may liken their allegations to Satans when he tempted Christ in the wildernesse he alleadged but one sentence of scripture for himselfe and that Psalme out of which hee borrowed it made so plaine against him that he was faine to picke here a word and there a word and leaue out that which went before and skip in the middest and omit that which came after or else hee had marred his cause the scripture is so holie and pure and true that no word nor sillable thereof can make for the diuell or for sinners or for heretikes yet as the diuell alledged scripture though it made not for him but agaynst him so doe the Libertines and Epicures and heretickes as though they had learned at his schoole Now there is no sentence of the scripture which the wiser Papists alleadge boldly for their Transubstantiation but this that Christ sayd This is my bodie by which they may proue as well that Christ is a doore because he saith I am the doore or a vine because he saith I am a vine for his sayings are like Figuratiue speeches must not be construed literally but this is heretikes fashion If you mark you shall see throughout that all the testimonies which the Papists alledge for their heresies are either tropes or figures or allegories or parables or allusions or darke speeches which when they presume to expound allegoricallie or literallie without conference of other scriptures then they wander and straie from the marke or else it is impossible that the truth should maintaine error that is that the scripture should speake for heresie if it were not peruerted therefore wee see that Eue neuer erred vntill she corrupted the text Now we will enter the lystes with our aduersaries and see whether these wordes doe proue that the bread and wine are turned into Christs bodie Paul saith Iesus tooke bread well then yet it is bread when he had taken it then he blessed it what did he blesse the bread which hee tooke well then yet it is bread when he had blessed it then he brake it what did he breake the bread which hee blessed well then yet it is bread when hee had broken it then hee gaue it what did hee giue the bread which he brake well then yet it is bread when he had giuen it they did eate it what did they eate the bread which hee gaue them well then yet it is bread when they did eat it then he sayd This is my bodie what did hee call his bodie the bread which they did eat well then yet it is bread If it be bread all this while when hee did take it and blesse it and brake it and gaue it and they did eate it when is it turned into his bodie here they stand like the Sadduces as mute as fishes Now that ye may see that not we only say it is bread and wine after the consecration in the 27. verse Christ himselfe doth cal it bread and wine after he had giuen it as hee did before And in Marke he saith I will drinke no more of the fruit of the vine Here Christ saith that it was the fruit of the vine which hee drank but his blood is not the fruit of vines but wine therefore wine was his drinke and not blood Beside if you would heare Paul expound Christ hee sheweth that all our Fathers had the same substance of Christ in their Sacraments that we haue in ours for hee sayth They all did eate the same spirituall meate and al drinke the same spiritual drinke Straight hee saith that this meat and this drinke was Christ Marke that he sayth not onely They did eat the same meat that we eate but he saith that this meat was Christ and not onely so but
and the discouerie of Transubstantiation one of the last heresies which Babylon hatched Now they which haue bene Patrons of it before should doe like the father and mother of an idolater that is laie the first hand vpon him to shorten his life Thus I end Thinke what account ye shall giue of that ye haue heard The end of the first Sermon A TREATISE OF THE Lords Supper THE SECOND SERMON 1. Cor. 11. 25. 26. 27. 28. 25 After the same manner also hee tooke the Cuppe when he had supped saying This Cup is the New Testament in my blood this doe as oft as yee drinke it in remembrance of me 26 For as often as yee shall eate this bread and drinke this Cuppe yee shewe the Lords death till he come 27 Wherefore whosoeuer shall eate this bread and drinke the Cuppe of the Lord vnworthily shall be guiltie of the bodie and blood of the Lord. 28 Let a man therefore examine himselfe and so let him eate of this bread and drinke of this Cuppe HEere I am to speake of the second seruice as it were at the Lordes table and of that preparation which is lyke the Wedding garment that euerie man must bring to this BaÌ„quet These words are diuersly repeated of the Euangelists Here it is sayd This Cup is the New Testament in my blood In Mathew in Mark it is said This Cup is my blood of the new Testament This is the first meÌ„tion which Christ makes of a Testament as though now his promises deserued the name of a Testament because the seale is set vnto them which before this Sacrament was not sealed but like a bare writing without a singet This word Testament dooth implie a promise and therefore teacheth vs that the Sacrament dooth confirme and strengthen and nourish our faith because it sealeth the promise which we should beleeue Here is to be noted that Christ doth not onely speake of a Testament but hee calleth it a New Testament which words neuer met together before as though the Law were for the olde man to mortifie him and the Gospel for the new man to comfort him againe or as if the olde Testament had so washt her face and chaunged her apparell at Christes comming that one would not thinke it the same but a newe Testament because euen now she was shadowed with a thousand Ceremonies and now they are gone from her like a mist at the Sunne rising As Christ calleth Loue A new Commandement because hee renewed it like a Law worne out of memorie so he calleth the promise of saluation a New Testament because as it was renewed to Sem and after renewed to Abraham and after renewed to Dauid so now hee renewed it againe which should bee alway new and fresh vnto vs. Euery Testament is confirmed with blood the olde Testament was confirmed by the blood of Goates and Bullockes and Rammes but the new Testament is confirmed by the blood of Christ My blood saith Christ is the blood of the new Testament nay This Cup saith Christ is the new Testament You may see then that they may gather as well out of Christs words that the Cup is the new Testament as that the Wine is his blood for Christ sayth This Cup is the new Testament as well as he saith this Wine is my blood or this bread is my bodie Beside when Christ speakes of a new Testament he implieth that the old Testament is fulfilled the sacrifices and Ceremonies of the Lawe did signifie Christ before hee came therefore they are fulfilled in his comming no moe Sacrifices no mo Ceremonies for the truth is come Sacrifices and Ceremonies are honorablie buried with the Priesthood of Aaron let them rest it is not lawfull to violate the sepulchers of the dead and take their bodies out of the earth as the witch would raise Samuel out of his graue Therefore they which retaine ceremonies which should be abrogated reliques of Iudaisme or reliques of Papisme may be said to violate the sepulchers of the dead and disturbe the deceâ—sed like the Witch which presumed to raise Samuel out of his graue This Testament is called a Testament in blood because the Testament and Will of a man is confirmed when the man is dead so Christ confirmed his testament by his death Moses saith that life is in the blood so the blood of Christ is the life of this Testament If Christes blood had not bene shed this testament made vnto vs had bene vnprofitable as the Testament of a Father is vnto his sonne if the father should not die but liue therfore the Apostle saith without shedding of blood there is no remission of sinnes Therefore the Testament or Couenaunt of the remission of our sinnes is called the Testament in blood the blood of Christ is the seale of the Testament which wee haue to shew vnto God for the remission of our sins and the two Sacraments are a seale of that blood to witnesse that it was shed Againe this is a matter regarded in testaments and Willes to the Testament of him that is dead no man addeth or detracteth but as the testator made it so it standeth without alteration so should this testament of Christ and this sacrament of Christ no man should alter it now hee is dead for hee which addeth or detracteth hath a curse in Gods booke Therefore Christ when he instituted this Sacrament commaunded Doo this that is doo as I doo least they should swarue one whit from his owne manner yet how many gaudes haue the Papists added to it that he which had heard Christ say Doe this in remembraunce of me and should see how they handle the matter in their Masse coulde see nothing to remember Christ by but a vayle to hide Christ from him Therefore this Commaundement was repeated againe when hee gaue the Wine Doe this c. As hee commaunded them to eate the Bread in remembraunce of him so hee commaundeth them to drinke the wine in remembraunce of him nay hee speakes more precisely of the wine then of the bread for hee saith of the wine Drinke you all of this which hee saith not of the breade Surely Christ did foresee that some proud heretikes would doe otherwise after him euen as it is come to passe for the Papist doth break this Commandement of Christ as flatly as Saul brake the commaundement of Samuell Samuell commanded him to kill the fat and the leane Saul killed the leane but not the fat so Christ commaundeth to receiue bread and wine they teach to receiue breade but not wine Christ sayth Drinke you all of this they say drink not al of this Christ gaue the bread and wine to all they giue the bread to all and the wine to some their Priests receiue all but the people must content themselues with halfe the Priest eates and drinkes but the people must not drinke for spilling on their cloathes Is
them which breake the lawes of men but to suffer and suffer and euer to suffer all that the diuels would heape vpon vs. Then came the mercie of God for Christ which shedde his bloud like an vmpire betweene God and vs and saide as Esay saide to Hezechia Thou shalt not dye but liue loose him let him goe for hee is mine So we were staied like the widdowes sonne when he was carried to his graue This is the benefite of Christes death and this Sacrament is the remembrance of it and therefore whensoeuer we receiue it this addition commeth with it which is shed for the remission of sinnes our fault was so hainous and greeuous that no ransome could counteruaile it vnlesse God himselfe had suffered for vs. Being in this extremitie neither man nor angel offered his life for vs but the prince himselfe which should haue crucified vs came to be crucified of vs for vs y t we might say with stedfast faith I beleeue the remission of sinnes not the satisfaction of sinnes but the remission of sinnes Marke this distinction against Popish merites of workes or penance Christ hath satisfied and not we we are remitted and not Christ therefore we say in our confession I beleeue the remission of sinnes which I may call the mercifull Article because it is the quintessence and sweetnesse of all the twelue Therefore who but Antichrist durst depraue it If there be a satisfaction for our sinnes by our works or by our pilgrimages or by our masses or by our penance let Christ neuer be called a forgiuer but an exchanger like the Pope which selleth his pardons Wretched creatures which will not receiue the Lord when he comes to their doore Christ saith Take for nothing and they say no we will not take but buy Vile base miserable men disdaine to take grace of God without satisfaction but they will cope with the Lord and giue him so many pilgrimages fast so many daies heare so many masses and paie so manie workes for it vntill they haue done as much good as they haue done euill Our sinnes are infinite and God is infinit but our works are finite in number and measure how can they answere then to that which exceedeth number and measure Therefore be content with Iosephs brethren to take your money againe and say that you haue corne for nothing that is you are saued for nothing or else when you say I beleeue the remission of sinnes you lie vnto God because you doo not beleeue the remission of sinnes but satisfaction for sinnes like the Papists It followeth As often as yee shall eate this bread and drinke this cuppe yee shall shewe the Lords death till he come Here are three inuincible arguments against Popish transubstantiation like the three witnesses vnder which euerie word doth stand First we are sayd to eate bread then it is not flesh but bread Secondly we are saide to shew the Lordes death then it is but a shewe or representation of his death Thirdly it is said vntill hee come if hee be to come then he is not come if he be come how can we say vntill hee come The effect of this verse was shewed in these wordes Doe this in remembrance of me For to say Doe this in remembrance of me and to say So oft as you doe this you shew my death is much at one so that if you call this Sacrament a shewe of Christes death as it is called here then it is not Christ or if you call it a remembraunce of Christ as it is called there yet it is not Christ but a shewe or remembrance of Christ but this is such a shew and remembrance that the next verse saith Whosoeuer receiueth it vnworthily is guiltie of the bodie and bloud of Christ Will yee know who receiueth vnworthely In the nine and twentith verse Paul saith he discerneth not the Lords bodie that is which putteth no difference betweene this bread and other but eateth like a childe the meate which hee knoweth not and after the bread seemeth stones to him and the wine poyson because his conscience telleth him I haue receiued vnwoorthelie before I could say like Dauid My hart is prepared My sheepe saith Christ know my voyce as they discerne Christs wordes so they discerne Christes bodie and therefore so often as they come to the Lordes table they seeme to come into the Lords presence there they greete and kisse and embrace one another with affections which none can know but they that feele like Iohn which leaped in the wombe so soone as Christ came neare him Will yee know beside what it is to bee guiltie of the bodie and blood of Christ euen as Iudas was guiltie for betraying him and Pilate for deliuering him and the Iewes for crucifying him so they are guiltie which receiue this Sacrament vnworthily as Pilate and Caiphas and Iudas were If they be guiltie of Christs death they are guiltie of theyr owne death too as if they had committed two murthers and therefore Paul saith after that many of the Corinthians dyed onely for the vnwoorthie receiuing of this Sacrament As the Worde is the sauour of death to them which receiue it vnworthelie so the Sacrament is the sauour of death to them which receiue it vnworthelie it neuer goeth into their mouth but they are traitors ipso facto may say to Hell this day haue I taken possession of thee because I am guiltie of Christes blood Therefore it followeth immediatlie Let a man examine himselfe before hee eate of this bread or drinke of this wine as if he should say If he which receiueth this Sacrament vnworthely bee guiltie of Christes death like Iudas which hanged himselfe if these signes be receiued to saluation or damnation like the Word the next lesson is to examine your selues before you receiue lest you receiue like the sonne of perdition which swallowed the bread and the Diuell together Therefore Let a man examine himselfe and so let him eate that is let him examine first and receiue after for if wee should receiue the bread of the earth reuerentlie how should we receiue the bread of heauen When Iehonadab came to Iehu his chariot hee sayd Is thy heart vpright as my heart is toward thee So when wee come to the Lordes table hee would haue our hearts vpright to him as his heart is to vs for who feasteth his enemies and mockers The golden Ring sitteth highest at our table but the Wedding garment sitteth highest at this table It is safer eating with vnwashen handes than with an vnwashen heart The Iewes were taught to choose the Lambe of the Passe-ouer on the tenth daye of the first moneth in which moneth they came out of Egypt and on the fourteenth daye after they were taught to eate him so they had foure daies respite betweene the choosing and the killing to prepare
to shew that Christ is not a corporall meate as the Papists say he sayth hee is a spirituall meate as we say therefore you see that wee doe not eate him corporally no more then our Fathers but that as they did eate him spiritually so do wee for spirituall meate must be eaten spiritually as corporall meate is eaten corporally Agayne for the signes to bee turned into the thing signified by them is vtterly against the nature of a Sacrament and makes it no Sacrament because there is no signe for euerie Sacrament doth consist of a signe and a thing signified the signe is euer an earthlie thing and that which it signifieth is a heauenly thing This shall appeare in al examples As in Paradise there was a very Tree for the signe and Christ the thing signified by it in Circumcision there was a cutting off of the skinne and the cutting off of sinne in the Passe-ouer there was a Lambe Christ in the Sabboth there was a day of rest and eternall rest in the sacrifices there was an offering of some beast and the offering of Christ in the Sanctuarie there was the holie place and heauen in the Propitiatorie there was the golden couering and Christ our couer in the Wildernesse there was a Rocke yeelding water and Christ yeelding his blood in the Apparition there was a Doue and the holy Ghost in the Manna there was bread and Christ in Baptisme there is verie water which washeth vs and Christs blood washing vs so in the Supper of Christ there is verie bread and Wine for the signe and the bodie and blood of Christ for the thing signified or else this Sacrament is against the nature of all other sacraments Againe there must bee a proportion betweene the Passe-ouer and the Lords Supper because this was figured by the other Nowe the Iewes had in their Passe-ouer Breade and Wine and a Lambe So our sauiour Christ instituting his last Supper left Bread and Wine and a Lambe the which name is giuen to himselfe because hee came like a Lambe and died like a Lambe Againe if Christs verie bodie were offered in the sacramēt then it were not a sacrament but a sacrifice which two differ as much as giuing and taking for in a sacrifice we giue and in a sacrament wee receiue and therefore wee say our sacrifice and Christs sacrament Againe euery sacrifice was offered vpon the Altar Now marke the wisedome of the holy-Ghost least we should take this for a Sacrifice hee neuer names Altar when hee speakes of it but The Table of the Lord. Therefore it is no doubt but the diuell hath kept the name of Altar that we might think it a sacrifice Againe if the bread were Christes flesh and the wine his blood as these two are separate one from the other so Christs flesh should be separate from his blood but his bodie is not deuided for then it were a dead bodie Againe that which remaineth doth nourish the bodie relish in the mouth as it did before which could not be but that it is the same food which it was before Againe I would aske whose are this whitenesse and hardnesse and roundnes and coldnesse None of them say that it is the whitenesse and hardnesse and roundnesse and coldnesse of Christs body therefore it must needes bee the whitenesse and hardnesse and roundnesse and coldnesse of the bread or else qualities should stand without substances which is as if one should tell you of a house without a foundation Againe as Christ dwelleth in vs so hee is eaten of vs but hee dwelleth in vs onely by faith Ephe. 3. 17. Therfore he is eaten only by faith Agayne none can bee saued without the communion of the body of Christ but if all should communicate with it corporally then neither infants nor any of our fathers the patriarkes or the prophets should be saued because they receiued it not so Againe Christ sayth not This wine but This cup and therefore by their conclusion not onely the wine should bee turned into blood but the cup too Againe Paul saith They which receiue vnwoorthilie receiue their owne damnation But if it were the flesh of Christ they should rather receiue saluation then damnation because Christ saith Hee that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath life euerlasting Iohn 6. 54. Againe if they would heare an Angell from heauen when Christs bodie was glorified an Angell sayd to the woman Hee is risen and is not here Mat. 28. as if he should say his body is but in one place at once or else he might haue bene there though he was risen Againe why doe they say in receiuing this Sacrament euer since the primitiue Church Lift vp your hearts if they haue al in their mouthes To end this cōtrouersie here wee may say as the Disciples said to Christ Whither shall we go from thee I meane wee neede not to go to any other expositor of Christ then Christ himselfe therefore marke what he saith at first when Christ said that he was the bread of life that al which wold liue must eate him they murmured vntill he expoūded his words how did he expound his words Thus Hee that commeth vnto mee hath eaten and he that beleeueth in mee hath drunke After when hee instituted this Sacramēt in like words they murmured not which they would as before if hee had not resolued thē before that to eat his body and to drinke his blood was nothing but to come to him and beleeue in him After hee had said so they murmured not because they did see some reason in it as it is plainlie said This is my bodie so it is plainlie saide These words are spirite that is they must be vnderstood spirituallie and not literallie But if it be flesh indeed why doe they not satisfie the simple people how they may eate this flesh in Lent when they forbid them to eate any flesh they must needs eate it doubtfully and he which doubteth saith Iames receiueth nothing therefore hee which eateth the masse receiueth nothing I did not alleage the Fathers in my Sermon but if any suspend his assent till they bring in their verdit let him heare thē make confession of their beleefe Augustine saith the Lord doubted not to say This is my bodie when hee gaue onely a signe or Sacrament of his bodie Tertullian saith This is my bodie that is a signe of my bodie Ambrose saith the bread and wine remain still the same thing that they were Theodoret sayth after the consecration the mysticall signs doe not cast off their own nature but abide still in their first substance and forme Origene sayth the bread that is sanctified with the word of God as touching the materiall substance thereof goeth into the bellie and foorth againe like other meats Irenaeus saith that it hath two things in it one
beleeueth in the Sonne shall be saued This is not a Cup and yet as though the Cup were the new Testament it selfe it is called the new Testament because it signifieth the new Testament so the bread and wine are called Christes body because they signifie Christs bodie They which knewe that the Lambe is not the Passe-ouer though Christ called it the Passe ouer that Circumcision is not the Couenant though God calleth it the Couenant that Baptisme is not Regeneration though it be called Regeneration that the Cuppe is not the newe Testament though Christ called it the newe Testament could they not as well vnderstand that the bread wine were not Christs bodie though Christ called them his bodie As they vnderstood these speeches so they vnderstood this speech therefore they which say that the bread and wine are Christes bodie because Christ saith This is my bodie may as well say that the Lambe is the Passe-ouer because Christ calleth it the Passe-ouer that Baptisme is Regeneration because Paule calleth it Regeneration that the Cup is the new Testament because Christ calleth it the newe Testament If euerie Sacrament was called by the thing which it signified and yet neuer anie Sacrament was taken for the thing it selfe what reason haue they to take this Sacrament for the thing it selfe more than all the rest It is the consent of all Writers that a Sacrament is a signe therefore not the thing signified no more than the bush at the doore is the wine in the seller If I call the Prince a Phoenix the Vniuersitie a Fountaine the Court a Peacocke the Cittie a Sea the Countrey an Hermite why can the Papistes vnderstand mee and not vnderstand Christ What a darke and straunge and intricate and incredible speech had this bene for them to vnderstand groslie and literallie Would they thinke that they did eate Christs bodie when his bodie stood before them and he had told them before that his bodie was like their bodie Nay this would haue required moe wordes and made them come againe with Master what is the meaning for they were not so instructed yet before the resurrection to beleeue euerie thing without questioning if it were contrarie to sense and reason but as they asked who had giuen him anie meate when he said that he had meate they could see none so they would haue asked what meate is this which we see not How can euery one of vs eat his body yet he hath but one bodie that body is whole when we eat it Loe he standeth before vs saith that his body is like vnto ours yet he takes bread breaks it giues it vnto vs to eat when we eate it This is my body yet his body standeth before vs stil If his body be like ours as he saith how can it be eaten be there for ours cannot Thus they wold haue questioned if they had not bene vsed to such phrases but as they could vnderstand him when he called himself a stone a rock a doore a window a vine so they pickt out his meaning when hee sayd that bread was his bodie for hee had told them before that hee was the bread of eternall life Now the bread of eternall life is not eaten with teeth for the bodie cannot eate spiritually no more then the soule can eate corporally and therefore hee is such a bread as is eaten with faith and so himselfe saith in the Gospell of Iohn Marke this eating by faith and all the strife is ended Flesh and blood indeede neede not faith to chew them for the teeth can chew them well inough Therefore if the bread and wine were the bodie of Christ then we neede not faith to eate it but all which haue teeth might eate Christs bodie yea the Myce might eate it as well as men for they eate the same bread that wee doe as well after it is consecrated as before If this be not inough to batter the ruines of this vpstart Heresie I will come to Interrogatories and see whether they haue learned it by roate or by reason If they grounde their Transubstantiation vpon these wordes of Christ This is my bodie which hee spake to his Disciples I aske them whether they receiue that bodie which was mortall or that bodie which is glorified because one of these bodies they must needes receiue either his mortall bodie or his glorified bodie If they say that it is his mortall bodie the mortall bodie will not profite them for you see that mortall foode is but for this mortal life neither hath Christ a mortall bodie now to communicate vnto them because it is changed to an immortall bodie therefore they cannot receiue the mortall bodie because Christ hath not a mortall bodie to giue vnto them If they saye that they receiue his glorified bodie then they must flie from this Text for at that time Christ had not any glorified bodie When this Sacrament was instituted and Christ sayde This is my bodie his bodie was not glorified because the Sacrament was instituted before his death and his body was glorified after his resurrection Therefore if they receiue the same body which the Apostles receiued as they say they doe they cannot receiue a glorified bodie because then Christ had not a glorified bodie to communicate vnto them Thus the rockes and sandes are of both sides them they receiue a bodie neither mortall nor immortall if Christ hath any such body iudge you Here they stande like a foole which cannot tell on his tale Nabuchadnezzar dreamed a dreame and knew not what it meant Beside I aske them to whom Christ spake when he said This is my bodie Marke sayth hee spake to them that is to his Disciples well then if these wordes This is my bodie were not spoken to the signes but to the persons not to the bread and wine but to the Receiuers as the words which follow Doe this in remembrance of mee if these wordes were not spoken to the bread and wine then it is plaine that they doe not change the nature of the Bread and Wine If the nature of them be not altered then the substance remaineth and then wee receiue no other substance with them because two substances can not be in one place What then is there nothing in the sacrament but bread and wine like a hungry nunscion Nay wee say not that the sacrament is nothing but a bare signe or that you receiue no more then you see for Christ saith that it is his body and Paul saith that it is the communion of Christs body and blood Therefore there is more in sacramentall Bread then in common bread though the nature be not changed yet the vse is chaunged it dooth not onely nourish the body as it did before but also it bringeth a Breade with it which nourisheth the soule for as sure as wee receiue breade so sure wee receiue
Institution and vse of the Lords supper First Paul sheweth the author of it the Lord Iesus then the time when it was instituted in the night that he was betraied then the manner how he did institute it he tooke bread when he had giuen thanks he brake it and gaue vnto his disciples c. then the end why hee did institute it for a remembrance of his death Touching the Author he which is signified by it was the author of it The Lord Iesus hath bid vs to supper I am not woorthie saith Iohn to loose his shoo so wee are not worthie to wait at his trencher and yet hee will haue vs sit at his table To him belongeth the power to ordaine Sacraments in his Church because he fulfilled the Sacraments of the Law When Christ came the Passeouer creased because he is our Passeouer that is the Lambe by whose blood wee are saued When Christ came Circumcision ceased because he is our circumcision that is the purifier and cleanser of our sinnes Now these two Sacraments are fulfilled he hath appointed two other Sacraments for them in stead of the pascall Lambe which the Iewes did eat hee hath giuen vs another Lambe to eate which Iohn calleth the Lambe of God that is himselfe vpon whome all doe feede whosoeuer doe receiue this Sacrament with an assured faith that Christ died to possesse them of life The breaking of the bread dooth signifie the wounding of the bodie the pouring out of the wine doth signifie the shedding of his blood The eating of the bread and drinking of the wine doth signifie that his flesh and blood doe nourish in vs life eternall as the bread and wine doe nourish the life present In stead of Circumcision which began at Abraham he hath ordeined Baptisme which began at Iohn a more liuely representation of the true circumcision of the heart because it representeth vnto vs the blood of Christ which washeth our soules as the water in baptisme washeth our bodies Touching the time In the night saith Paul therefore this Sacrament is called the Lordes Supper because it was instituted at night when they vsed to sup But what night Euen that night saith Paule when he was betraied that night which he should haue cursed as Iob did the day of his birth if hee had suffered against his will that night when he should haue thought to destroy men as men conspired to destroy him That night saith Paul this Sacrament of grace and peace and life began Euen that night when we betraied him Many nights did he spend in watching and praying for vs and is there a night now for vs to kill and betraie him That was a darke night when men went about to put out the Sunne which brought them light Who can but wonder to see how Christ and they for whom Christ came were occupied at one time when they deuised mischiefe against him and sought all meanes to destroy him then hee consulted how to saue them and instituted the same night this blessed sacrament to conuey all his graces blessings vnto them Euen that night when they betraied him The reason why this action was deferred vntill night is because that was the time appointed by the Law to eate the Passe-ouer which was like a predecessor of this Sacrament The reason why he deferred it vntil his last night was because the Passe-ouer could not be ended before the fulnesse of time and the true Paschall Lambe were come to be slaine in stead of the other Therefore how fitlie did Christ end the Passe-ouer which was a signe of his suffering so presently before his suffering And beside how sweetly did he confirme his Disciples faith when as they should see that the next day performed before their eyes which ouer night both in the Passe-ouer and in the Sacrament was so liuely resembled vnto them If anie man from this doe gather that we ought to eate the Lordes Supper at night as Christ did he must vnderstand that we haue not the same cause to doe so which Christ had because of the Passe-ouer And therefore the Church which hath discretion of times and places hath altered both the time and the place vsing the Temples in sted of the chamber and the morning in sted of the euening for indifferent things are ruled by order and decency Touching the manner He tooke bread and when hee had giuen thankes hee brake it and gaue it vnto them Hee would not eate it nor breake it before he had giuen thankes to God What neede he which was God giue thankes to God but to shewe vs what wee should doe when we eate our selues In all things giue thanks saith Paul whereby we declare that all things come from God but the wicked beleeue easier that God doeth take then that hee doth giue and therefore they neuer praie hartily vnto him for anie thing nor feelingly thanke him for it For which the Lord complaineth saying I haue loued you yet ye say wherein hast thou loued vs Shewing that we are worse then the oxe which knoweth his feeder And if wee acknowledge all things from God yet wee doe like Lot Is it not a little one saith he when he craued to go vnto Zoar as though it were not much which he asked so we mince extenuate the giftes of God before we receiue them and after like them which haue a grace for dinner and none for breakfast as though they had their dinners from God and breakfasts of their owne Our example did not so although it was but bread which hee receiued yet hee was more thankfull for bread then many which burie the foules and fishes and beastes in their bellie for if a count of all were kept for one that praieth Giue vs this day our daily bread a hundred take their bread and meat and sleep too which neuer pray for it After hee had giuen thankes hee brake it and gaue vnto them and saide Take eate for when he had giuen thankes to God then it was sanctified and blessed and lawfull to eate So when thou seruest God then it is lawfull for thee to vse Gods blessinges then thou maiest eate and drinke as Christ did but not before for these thinges were created to serue them which serue God if thou doest not serue him for them thou encrochest vpon Gods blessinges and stealest his creatures which are no more thine then thou art his for the good God created all things for good men as the diuels possessions are reserued for euill men Therefore as Christ would not breake the bread before hee had giuen thankes to the founder so know that there is some thing to be done before thou receiue anie benefite of GOD and presume not to vse his creatures with more libertie than his sonne did which did not eate without giuing thankes nor rise againe without singing a Psalme
earthly and the other heauenly Cyril saith our Sacraments auouch not the eating of a man Cyprian saith the Lord calleth bread made of many graines his bodie and called wine made of many grapes his blood Athanasius sayth Christ made mention of his ascension into heauē that he might withdraw his Disciples from corporall and fleshly eating Chrysostome sayth God giueth vs things spirituall vnder things visible and naturall And againe being sanctified it is deliuered from the name of bread and is exalted to the name of the Lords body although the nature of the bread still remaine And because they beleeue that the Pope cannot erre Pope Gelasius setteth too his hand and sayth with the rest Neyther the substaunce of the bread nor nature of the wine cease to be more then they were before Tell vs Papist do not these Fathers speake as plaine as we Canst thou auouch Transubstantiation more flatlie then they denie it How had this heresie bene chased if the diuel had hatched it in their time Thus the Scriptures on the one side and the Fathers on the other side did so trouble three Archpapists Biel Tonstal and Fisher that Gabriel Biel sayth how the bodie of Christ is in the Sacrament is not found in the Canon of the Bible Tonstall saith It had bene better to leaue euerie man to his owne coniecture as they were before the Councell of Laterane than to bring in such a question Fisher saith No man can proue by the words of the Gospell that any Priest in these dayes dooth consecrate the verie bodie and blood of Christ Here is fulfilled Out of thine owne mouth I will condemne thee But we will not carrie the matter so because a Iudge must haue two eares therefore now let them speake Because they cannot tell how the bread wine should bee turned into flesh and blood and yet appeare bread and wine still they say it is a myracle but how doe they prooue it If they contende it is a myracle they must shewe vs a signe for euerie myracle may be seene like all the myracles of Moses and Christ and the Apostles and therefore a myracle is called a signe because it may be seene like a signe and the word signifieth a wonder And the Iewes crauing a myracle sayd Shew vs a myracle as though they were taught to iudge of myracles by sight All which doth shew that a myracle may be seene but here no myracle is seene Againe a myracle especially in the time of the Gospell is an extraordinarie thing but they make this an ordinarie thing for if the bread and wine be turned into flesh blood then myracles are as common as Sacraments and so because they haue Masse euerie day they should worke myracles euerie day Lastly this seemeth strange that Augustin whom they so much honour gathered all the myracles which are written in the scripture and yet amongst all speaks not of this therefore then it was counted no myracle but Paule speakes of lying myracles and this is one of them If they say that Christ can turne bread and wine into his bodie and therefore hee doth First they must proue that he wil for they can doe many things themselues which they doe not because they will not therefore it is an old answere that from Can to Will no Argument followeth The Leper did not say vnto Christ If thou cāst thou wilt but If thou wilt thou canst But the question which they think cannot be answered like their inuincible Nauies is this If the bread be not his bodie why doth he call it his bodie Resolue this knot and all is cleare Marke then and we will loose it as well as we can He saith This is my bodie as he saith after which is broken for you Why his bodie was not broken before he suffered how did he say then which is broken before it was broken There is no sense of it but this the bread was broken and signified that his body should be broken Now as the breaking of the bread did signifie the breaking of his bodie so the bread must needes signifie his bodie but as his bodie was not broken indeede when the bread was broken so the bread could not be his bodie indeed for then his body should haue bin broken when the bread was broken Yet let them obiect what they can If say they the bread and wine bee not changed into his bodie and blood why doth hee speake so darkly hee might haue spoken plainer I answere though this seeme darke to Papists yet it was not darke to the Apostles they vnderstood his meaning well inough and all the rest for 1215. yeares after Christ before Transubstantiation was spoken of If the Apostles had not vnderstood his meaning they would not sticke to aske him as their manner was vntill they were acquainted with Christs phrase whensoeuer they doubted vpon any of his speeches they were wont to come vnto him and say Master what is the meaning but they were vsed to such phrases for it was Christes manner to teach by similitudes shewing one thing by another which is the plainest manner of teaching and most vsed in holie scripture especially in the types and shadowes of this Sacrament For example Christ calleth the Lambe the Passeouer in place whereof this Sacrament succeeded and therefore presentlie after they had eaten the Passe-ouer Christ instituted this Sacrament to be vsed for it Christ I say called the Lambe the Passe-ouer and yet the Passe-ouer was this an angel passed ouer the houses of the Israelites and stroke the Egyptians this was not a Lambe and yet because the Lambe was a signe of this Passe-ouer as the bread and wine is of Christes bodie therefore Christ called the Lambe the Passeouer as hee calleth the bread and wine his bodie Againe Circumcision is called the Couenant and yet Circumcision was nothing but the cutting away of a skinne but the Couenant is In Abrahams seede all Nations shall be blessed I will be their God and they shall be my people I will defend and saue them they shall serue and worship me This is not Circumcision and yet as though circumcision were the couenant it selfe it is called the couenant because it signifieth the Couenant so bread and wine are called Christes bodie because they signifie Christs bodie Againe Baptisme is called Regeneration and yet Baptisme is a dipping of our bodies in water but regeneration is the renuing of the minde to the image wherein it was created This is not Baptisme and yet as though Baptisme were Regeneration it selfe it is called Regeneration because it signifieth Regeneration so the bread and wine are called Christs bodie because they signifie Christs bodie Againe the Cup is called the new Testament and yet the Cup is but a peece of mettall filled with wine but the new Testament is He which
Christe not onelie the benefites of Christ but Christ although not in a popish manner yet we are so ioined vnto him as though wee were but one bodie with him As the spouse dooth not marrie with the landes and goods but with the man himselfe and being partaker of him is made partaker of them so the faithfull doe not onelie marrie with Christes benefites but with Christ himselfe and being partakers of him they are made partakers of his benefites for Christ may not be deuided from his benefites no more then the Sunne from his light It is said The Father gaue vs his Sonne and so the sonne giueth vs himselfe For as the Breade is a signe of his bodie so the giuing of the Bread is a signe of the giuing of his bodie Thus he lieth before vs like a Pellicane which letteth her yoong ones sucke her blood so that wee may say the Lord inuited vs to supper and hee himselfe was our meate But if you aske howe this is I must aunswere It is a mysterie but if I coulde tell it it were no mysterie Yet as it is sayd when three men walked in the midst of the furnace One like the sonne of God walked amongst them So when the faithful receiue the Bread and Wine one like the sonne of God seemeth to come vnto them which fils them with peace and ioy and grace that they maruell what it was which they receiued besides bread and wine For example thou makest a bargaine with thy neighbour for house or land and receyuest in earnest a peece of golde that which thou receiuest is but a peece of golde but now it is a signe of thy bargaine and if thou keepe not touch with him happily it will claspe thee for all that thou art woorth so that which thou receiuest is bread but this bread is a signe of another matter which passeth bread Againe thou hast an obligation in thy hand and I aske thee what hast thou there and thou sayest I haue here an hundred pounds why say I there is nothing but paper inke and waxe Oh but by this sayest thou I wil recouer an hundreth pounds and that is as good So beloued this is as good that vnder these signes you receiue the vertue of Christs body and blood by faith as if you did eate his bodie and drinke his blood indeede which is horrible to thinke that any should deuour their God thinking thereby to worship him neuer any heretike nor Idolater conceiued so grosly of their god before the Papist We reade of a people which did eate men but neuer of any people which did eat their God All the Apostles say that it was needfull that Christ should take our flesh but no Apostle sayth that it is needfull that we should take Christes flesh for all the blessinges of Christ are apprehended by faith nothing is fit to apprehend him whome wee see not but fayth and therefore one of their owne pillars sayd Beleeue and thou hast eaten Faith dooth more in religion then the mouth or else we might say with the woman Blessed are the breasts which gaue thee sucke and so none should be blessed but Marie but Marie was not blessed because Christ was in her bodie but because Christ was in her heart and least this should seeme incredible vnto you because Marie is called blessed among women when Christ heard the women say Blessed are the breasts which gaue thee sucke he replied vnto her Blessed are they which heare the word of God and keepe it these are my brethren and sisters and mother sayth Christ as though the rest were no kin to him in heauen though they were kin in earth Thus if Christ were in thy body and thou shouldest say as this woman Blessed is the bodie that hath thee in it nay would Christ say Blessed is the heart that hath me in it If Marie were no whit better for hauing Christ in her armes nor for hauing her in her bodie howe much better art thou for hauing him in thy bellie where thou canst not see him Must the sunne needs come to vs or else cannot his heate and light profite vs nay it dooth vs more good because it is so farre off so this Sunne is gone from vs that hee might giue more light vnto vs which made him saie It is good for you that I go from you therefore away with this carnall eating of spirituall things Manie daughters haue done vertuously but thou saith Salomon surpassest them all So manie heretikes haue spoken absurdlie but this surpasseth them all that Christ must be applied like phisicke as though his blood could not profite vs vnlesse we did drinke it and swallow it as a potion Is this the Papists vnion with Christ Is this the manner whereby wee are made one flesh with Christ to eate his flesh nay when hee tooke our flesh vnto him and was made man then we were vnited to him in the flesh and not now Christ tooke our flesh we take not his flesh but beleeue that he tooke ours therefore if you would know whether Christs bodie be in the sacrament I say vnto you as Christ said vnto Thomas touch feele and see In visible things God hath appointed our eyes to be iudges for as the spirite discerneth spirituall obiects so sense discerneth of sensible obiects As Christ taught Thomas to iudge of his bodie so may we and so should they therefore if you cannot see his body nor feele his body you may gather by Christes saying to Thomas that hee would not haue you beleeue that it is his body for my bodie saith Christ may be seene and felt And thus Transubstantiation is found a liar Nowe if you aske mee why Christ calleth the signe by the name of the thing it selfe I aske thee againe Mayst thou say when thou seest the picture of the Queene this is the Queene and when thou seest the picture of a Lyon this is a Lyon and may not Christ say when he seeth a thing like his bodie This is my bodie I shewed you before that euery Sacrament is called by the name of the thing which it dooth signifie and therefore why should we stumble at this more then the rest The reason why the signes haue the name of the things is to strike a deeper reuerēce in vs to receiue this sacrament of Christ reuerētly sincerely and holily as if Christ were there preset in body and blood himselfe And surely as hee which defaceth the Queenes seale is conuicted of contempt and treason to her owne person so he which prophaneth these seales of Christ doth not worship Christ but despise him and that contempt shall be required of him as if hee had contemned Christ himselfe This is the reason why Christ calleth the signes of his bodie his bodie to make vs take this Sacrament reuerently because we are apt to contemne it as the Iewes did their Manna It followeth
Doe this in remembrance of me that is these signes shall bee a remembrance of my death when you breake the bread you shall remember the wounding of my body and when you drinke the wine you shall remember the sheading of my blood If wee doe this is remembraunce of Christs bodie which was broken like the bread it is an argument that his bodie is not there because remembrance is not of thinges present but of things absent we remember not but wee see that which is before vs. This might put the Papists in remembrance that Christ is not sacrificed now when we do but remember his sacrifice this is not Christes sacrifice but a remembrance of his sacrifice he was sacrificed before and now it is applied lest his sacrifice should be in vaine This was done once reallie when he offered himselfe vpon the crosse therefore that offering was called a sacrifice because he was sacrificed indeed but this offering is called a Sacrament because it is but a signe of his sacrifice If Christ in this Sacrament were offered indeede then it should bee called a sacrifice as his once offering was but because it is but a remembrance of his sacrifice therefore it is called a Sacrament This is not a sacrifice of Christ but a sacrifice of our selues Lest we shoulde take it to bee a sacrifice of Christ Christ himselfe calleth it a remembrance of his sacrifice Do this in my remembrance Here is our worke as Christ hath done so must we doe so we minister and so you receiue wee can giue you nothing but that which we haue receiued from him as Paul saith Therefore if Christ did not giue his mortall bodie which stood before them and could not profite them nor his glorified bodie which was not glorified then and when it was glorified ascended vp vnto heauen and there abideth how can these iugling Priests make their God againe which made them They can no more turne wine into blood bread into flesh than they can commaund a gnat to become a camell for it is a greater worke to make God than to make the world Therefore as Christ saith When they tell you here is Christ and there is Christ beleeue them not So when they tell you that Christ is in heauen and that Christ is in earth in this place and that place beleeue them not for Elias ascension was a figure of Christes ascension when Elias was ascended yet some sought for his bodie vpon earth so though Christ be ascended yet manie seeke his bodie vpon earth but as they could not finde Elias bodie so these cannot finde Christes bodie although they haue sought three hundred yeares But if his bodie were vpon earth as they say should we handle it and touch it now it is glorified After his resurrection he sayd vnto Marie Touch me not because his bodie was glorified that is not to bee touched with fingers any more but with faith Therefore we reade of none which touched his bodie after it was risen but onely Thomas to settle his faith Thus you see wee neede to suborne no witnesses for euerie word in this Text which they alleadge for Transubstantiation doth make agaynst Transubstantiation whereby if Antichrist doth signifie those which are against Christ you see who may be called Antichrist There is no question in Poperie except Purgatorie the Popes publican and tasker about which the Papistes are at such ciuill warres among themselues as about this Transubstantiation They cannot tell when the chaunge beginneth nor what manner of change it is nor how long the change continueth some hang one way and some another like the Midianites which fought one against another And no maruell though their consciences stagger about it for to shew you the right father of it it was one of the dreames of Innocentius the third in the yeare of our Lorde 1215. so manie yeares passed before Transubstantiation was named and then a Pope set it first on foote so it came out of Rome the grandame of all heresies and for want of scriptures hath bene defended with fire and sword and swallowed mo Martyrs than all the gulfs of the Papall sea beside Now when the doctrines of men goe for scriptures you shal see how many errors rush into the Church for graunt but this to Pope Innocentius as the Papists do that the bread and wine are chaunged into Christes bodie First it wil follow that Christs body is not ascended vp to heauen because it remaineth vpon earth and so one of the articles of our faith shalbe falsified which saith He is ascended into heauen or if he be ascended and descended againe another article will be falsified which saith That hee sitteth at the right hand of his father that is as Peter saith he abideth in heauen Secondly it will follow that Christ hath not a true bodie but a fantasticall bodie because it may bee in manie places at one time for if his bodie be in the Sacrament he must needes haue so many bodies as there bee Sacraments nay hee must haue so many bodies as there be bittes in euerie Sacrament Thirdly it will follow that his bodie is diuided from his soule and consequentlie is a dead bodie because the bread is onely changed into his bodie and not into his soule Fourthly it will follow that the wicked and prophane reprobate may receiue Christ as well as the godlie because they haue a mouth to eate as well as the best Fiftly it will followe that Christes Sacrifice once for all was not sufficient because we must sacrifice him againe and breake his bodie and shed his blood as the Iewes crucified him vpon the Crosse Sixtly it will follow that the bread being turned into the bodie of our Redeemer hath a part of our redemption as well as Christ Seuenthly it wil follow that Christ did eate his owne bodie for all the fathers saie that hee did eate the same Bread which he gaue to his Disciples Lastly it will follow that a Massing Priest shalbe the creator of his Creator because hee makes him which made him All these absurdities are hatched of Transubstantiation Thus when men deuise Articles of their owne while they strike vppon the anuill the sparkes flie in their face and they are like the man which began to build and could not finish it When I see the Papist in so many absurdities for entertaing one errour me thinks hee seemeth like a Collier which is grymed with his owne coales Therefore as in maners we should thinke of of Peters saying Whether is it meete to obey God or men So in doctrines we should thinke whether it be meete to beleeue God or men Thus haue you heard the Author of this Sacrament The Lord Iesus the time when it was instituted in the night that he was betraied the manner how it was instituted after thankesgiuing the end why it was instituted for a remembrance of his death
Hee which cannot say with Dauid My heart meditateth a good matter cannot follow with Dauid My tongue is the penne of a ready Writer This is the equitie of God they which are vnwilling to obey are not thought worthy to knowe for what should he doe with his talent which will not vse it He which forbiddes vs to cast pearles before swine doth stay his own hand from casting knowledge to the vngodly they may know so much as shall condemne them but they neuer knowe what will saue them When Christ heard Peter saie Thou art the Sonne of the liuing God Christ answered Flesh and blood hath not taught thee this shewing that carnall men haue not this knowledge This is the word of which Christ saith All men doe not receiue it It is true that the Spirite breatheth where it will but it will breath vpon none but her louers Wisedome is like the daughter of God which hee marrieth to none but to him which loues her and sues for her As Dauid could not vnderstand why the wicked prospered vntill he entered into the sanctuary of GOD and as Aaron might not enter the Sanctuary where GOD did answere vntill he had sanctified himselfe so if we will vnderstand mysteries and heare God himselfe speake wee must put off our sinnes as Moses put off his shooes or else we shall be like images which haue eares can not heare When Paul heard mysteries hee was rapt into the third heauen when GOD would talke with his Church hee saith I will take her aside into the wildernes and then I will speake friendly vnto her so when wee will learne Diuinitie we must goe aside from the world and sequester our sinnes lift vp our mindes aboue the earth or els it will not stay with vs. As the spirit went from Saul when he sinned so when knowledge hath saluted the wicked she bids them farewell like vnto a Martin which will not builde but in faire houses It is said in Iohn 14. 15. When Iesus went to eate the Passeouer hee came to a chamber which was trimmed so the chamber that receiued God the hart which should lodge knowledge must bee trimmed and all the sinfull corners swept or else as Samuell would not come to Saul so Wisedome will not come to that hoste There is an harbinger which goeth alway before the knowledge of God to prepare the house this is loue the bond of perfection They which haue loue saith Iohn knowe GOD but they which haue not loue know not God though they haue neuer so much knowledge beside Vnto good Nathaniell Christ saide Thou shalt see greater things than these but vnto the obstinat Iewes he saide Seeing you shall not see like Hagar which had the wel before her and did not see the water He which cannot saie with Paul We haue the spirit of Christ cannot say with Paul We haue knowledge Holie men were alwayes interpreters of Gods word because a godly minde easeliest pearceth into Gods meaning according to that The pure in heart shall see God and that in Iohn 7. 17. If any man will doe Gods will he shall vnderstand the Doctrine whether it bee of God or no and that in Psalm 111. 19. They which keepe thy precepts haue a good vnderstanding that in 1. Cor. 2. 15. The spirituall man vnderstandeth al things And therfore the feare of the Lord is not onely called the beginning of wisedome but in Pro. 2. 5. it is taken for wisdome it selfe As when Christ taught in the Temple they asked Howe knoweth this man the Scriptures seeing hee neuer learned them So it is a wonder what learning some men haue which haue no learning like Priscilla and Aquilla poore tent-makers which were able to schoole Apollos that great Clerke a man renowmed for his learning What can we say to this but as Christ saide Father so it pleased thee as when Iacob came so soone with the venison and his Father asked him how he came by it so sodainly Iacob answered because the Lord thy God brought it sodaynly to mine hand so the holy righteous men cannot giue any reason why they conceaue the words of God so easily and the wicked doe conceaue them so hardly but that GOD brings the meaning sodainly to their hearts as we read in Luk. 24. 45. When the Disciples were setled in the profession of Christ it is said that Christ opened their vnderstanding and made them vnderstand the Scriptures so sodainly came their knowledge So we read in Prouerbs 1. 23. Wisedome promiseth to the righteous If you will turne at my correction I will powre out my hart vnto you and make you vnderstand my words A Schoolemaster might say to his schollers I will powre out mine hart vnto you but he cannot say as God saith I will make you vnderstand mine heart Therefore if the Queene of Sheba thought the seruants of Salomon happie because they heard his wisdome how happie was Salomon himselfe that serued God which gaue him wisdome Come vnto me saith Christ all ye which are wearie and I will refresh you As Christ hath no comfort but for the wearie so hee hath no wisedome but for the righteous They are his brethren and sisters and father and mother There is a kinde of familiaritie betweene GOD and the righteous that hee makes them of his counsaile as Salomon saith Prouerbes 3. 32. His secrets is with the righteous and Psalme 25. 14. His secrets are reuealed vnto them that feare the Lord. They are like Iohn the beloued Disciple which leaned in his bosome like Moses to whom he shewed himselfe like Simeon that embraced him in his armes like the three disciples which went vp to the Mount to see his glorie So we reade of Abraham Gen. 18. 17. Shall I hide it from Abraham saith God As though this were an offence in God if he should tel the righteous no more then he tels the wicked therefore because Abraham was a good man he told him more than he shewed all the rest As Adams knowledge was perfect so long as his righteousnes was vntainted so the neerer we come to that righteousnes againe the more things come to our knowledge according to that Prouerbes 28. They that seeke the Lord vnderstand al things Such an heart God hath giuen to his seruants like a touchstone or a lampe to goe before them to examine all thinges as they goe in this darke wildernesse least they should take error for trueth euill for good or their owne wil for the wil of God that they which hate euill might be preserued from euill as Dauid was from the bloud of Nabal Nowe because none but the righteous haue this lamp before them you see what a difference there is betweene the knowledge of the godly and the knowledge of the wicked As the windowes of the Temple were
day It would haue troubled them to watch so long for a good cause but it was fit that the worke of darknes shoulde be done in draknes therefore Christ saith This is the houre of darknesse the houre of darkenes and the power of darknes and the worke of darknes met together When they should rest malice would not suffer them to rest but they became like Owles which watch in the night and cannot sleepe Heere was fulfilled Salomons saying They cannot sleepe before they haue done euill so eagre wee are vpon reuenge more than anie thing else They say that hee cannot stay which rideth vpon the Diuell for malice draweth him and furie spurres him Therefore Zacheus went not so hastely to receiue Christ as his enemies hast to destroy him Nay rather I may say to destroy themselues For as they prayed at Christes death so it came vpon them They sayed his bloud be vpon vs and vpon our children so his bloud is vpon them and vpon their children which haue beene Vagabonds ouer the earth euer since and haue no countrie of their owne for if they be cursed which do the Lords busines negligently they must be cursed too which doe the Diuels busines diligently If men were so hastie in executing Iustice as they were in executing malice so many mē should not be vndone by sutes of Lawe for in one day they could apprehend accuse and examine and condemne and execute him which was Innocent but hee which is iust cānot be quit in one terme nor two nay if he haue right in a yeare it is counted quick dispatch and hee is glad that hee met with such a speedie Lawyer How then when they take a bad cause in hand and prolong it too which keeps their Clients in suspence from day to day and from weeke to weeke in great charge and sinne together I would to GOD that some did not sit in counsaile against good Christiās as these Priests did against Christ but GOD in his mercie dooth daily confounde and bring to nothing the accursed counsailes of the wicked Antichrist and all his rebellious confederates So when the wicked tooke counsaile together wickednesse was the ende of their counsayles for there is nothing woorse to the vngodlie than to meete together for before they meete their wickednes is a little hid like the poyson in a Serpent but when they meete together one setteth on another and the poyson breakes forth into vile speeches and detestable workes and vngodly practises as we see in Tauernes and such like assemblies as this For now they are met together they haue conspired amongst themselues to accuse vnto the Gouernour the most innocent man in the world as if he were the worst man liuing they abused him and mocked him and reuiled him and buffeted him before they brought him to the Gouernor which sheweth that they woulde haue killed him too if they durst without the Gouernour but sin is craftie and therefore they obserue the order of lawe and forme of iudgement lest they should be takē in the snare which they made for him First because Pilate had the authoritie ouer iudgements of death and not they Therefore they are inforced to seeke vnto his iudgement seat to saue themselues from blame and to be deliuered out of trouble if they did vsurpe any thing vpon the Magistrates Office Then because they might not runne vnto the gouernour before daye without suspition of tumult they staide vntill it was morning but so soone as they coulde come they came post hast for the Sunne did no sooner peepe but euen at the verie breake of day they were all readie to flocke vnto the Iudge against him This they did without knowledge but God directed euery thing vnto a right end For it was meete that the Sonne of GOD shoulde bee cleered in a solemne manner by an earthlie Iudge to shewe how wee shalbe cleered by the heauenlie Iudge and therefore as it appeareth in the seuen and twentieth Chapter and foure and twentieth verse of Saint Mathewes Gospell Pilate saide that he found no euill in him before he gaue sentence against him which sheweth that he died not for his owne sinnes but for our sinnes and therefore though they went to the Iudge to saue thēselues from blame yet God sent them to the Iudge that his worde might be fulfilled Lastly this Pilate was a Roman gouernour which ruled for Caesar as Zacheus was a Romane collectour which gathered for Caesar For at that time the Romanes had brought much of the worlde vnto their subiection as since that time they haue brought much of the worlde vnto Idolatry and therefore God would haue his sonne to be iudged by the Romane policie and to be condemned by a Romane Iudge and to be slaine with a Romane death as it were ioyning the Iewes and the Romans in impietie together to shewe that these two Nations shoulde be the odioust people vnto him in all the worlde and how his seruaunts should be crucified there where hee was crucified himselfe for as the Romanes then did crucifie Christ vpon a Crosse so they crucifie him nowe vpon their Altar and resemble the Dragon which when he could not preuaile against Michaell himselfe then hee fought against the woman and her seed that is the Church and her children which are slaine in Rome as the Prophets were in Ierusalem Thus Rome began with the heade and ends with the members So much of the Priests and the Scribes and the Pharisies and the elders Pilate what they did against Christ of whome was fullfilled Dauids praier Lord turne the counsell of Achitophell vnto follie So their counsell was turned vnto follie For as Paule reuiued when he was stoned so Christ rose againe when he was buried to shewe that there is no counsell against God and therefore let all our counsels be for God Now we come to Iudas to aggreuate this tragicall counsell The Euangelist annexeth vnto it the desperate end of the cursedst mā that euer was Three things are speciallie noted of this Traitor his death the cause of his death the confession which hee made before his death His death in the fift verse Hee went hanged himself The cause of his death in the 3. verse For that hee had betrayed his Lord now did see him condemned had no ioy of the money which was giuen vnto him for his Treason His confession in the thirde verse I haue sinned betraying innocent bloude I will speake of euerie worde as they lie for your memorie Therefore first of his Treason When Iudas the traytor before hee was called Iudas the Apostle now he is called Iudas the traitor to distingish him from other of that name lest anie of his name shoulde be defamed for him a brand is set in his forehead like the letter Tau or Caines marke to make him hatefull like a rogue which is burned in the eare so Esau was called Edom which signifieth Redde
from it So much for our food now we come to the qualitie of our foode It must be sincere Sincere both in his sauor and also in effect and operation for as in nourishing our bodie naturally our blood cannot be good if our diet be vnholsome so in feeding our soules spiritually neither our hearts nor affections nor our words nor our workes can be good vnlesse the milke bee wholsome whereupon we feed and therefore as our Sauiour bâ—ds vs take heede what we heare so the Apostle to the like effect giues a caueat to take heede vpon what we feede for there is a pure and fresh doctrine in Ier. 1. 7. and there is a sower and leauened doctrine in Matth. 16. 6. There is a new wine of the Gospel in Matth. 9. 17. there is mixed wine in the cup of Fornicators in Reu. 17. 4. There are wholsome wordes in 2. Tim. 1. 13. and there are corrupt and vnwholsome words Ephes 4. 29. There is a doctrine of God Ioh. 7. 16. and there is a doctrine of Diuels 1. Tim. 4. 1. There is an edifying and a building worde and there is a fretting and a cankred word 2. Tim. 2. 17. As the Prophets children cryed out death in the pot so some places may say death in our foode and hereof it is that we are so often for warned in Scripture to beware of the leauen of the Scribes and Pharisies to take heede of the Prophets which come to vs in sheepes cloathing to beware that no man seduce vs through Philosophie to trie the spirites whether they be of God or no as we must taste our foode before wee digest it to trie our gold before wee treasure it Christ tasted the vineger but would not drinke so when wee taste false doctrine we must reiect it There are many greedy of milke but it is Dragons milke they take great paines to learne but it is to learne the language of Ashdod not the language of Canaan they run to heare but to heare fables and vntruthes Nimrod was as paineful in building of Babel as Salomon in rearing the holy temple Micah entertained a Leuit consecrated his siluer but to an idolatrous worship The Israelites melted their eare-rings but to erect a calfe Iezabel fed a great rout of trencher chaplains but to honor Baal Many desire to haue milke but they wil haue it from dragons poysoned and therefore we are here warned to desire the sincere milke c. For the Lord will not haue the wine of his word to be mingled and mashed with the water of humane inuentions He that hath my word let him speake faithfully what is the chaffe to the Wheat God would not haue one fielde sowed with two kindes of graine to shew vs that hee would not haue one heart filled with two kindes of doctrine Dagon could not stand with the Lords Arke no more can Christs trueth holde any fellowship with the word of error and therefore as the ministers must beware that they make not merchandise of the word of God so must the people also that they drink not any milke but that which is sincere And here ye ought my beloued more carefully to behaue your selues as yee see the diuell more subtilly to assault you and vnder the cloake of zeale and reformation to bring into the Lordes sanctuarie most wicked prophanation As a man will be more warie to trie euery peece of gold when he sees many counterfeit and Flemish angels to flie abroad so when yee see many sortes of doctrine crawling daily like Locusts out of the bottomles pit yee must bee more diligent to taste and trie which is sound and sincere It followeth That ye may grow by it Here is the end of our hearing That we may grow in grace and increase in the faith of righteousnes for the faithfull are called the trees of righteousnes because they must bee alwaies springing liuing stones because they must growe in the building good seruants which must trade and traffique the Lords talents to increase fruitfull branches which must be purged pruned by the hande of the heauenly husbandman Isaac must not alwaies hang on Saraes breast but must be weaned so we must not alwaies be children but grow vp and increase and profite more and more As the star neuer ceased till it came ouer Christ so we must neuer rest walking till wee come to GOD. If we haue faith we must proceede from faith to fayth if we haue loue we must increase and abide in loue if we haue zeale we must endeuour to be consumed with zeale if wee be liberall to the distressed saints of GOD wee must double our liberalitie as Elkana gaue Annah a double portion If we read the Scriptures we must go on and continue in prayer if we giue almes we must step on one foote further and giue them with cheerefulnes and thus as the Eagle continually soareth till she come to the highest so must we still increase till we come to perfection Let vs be led forward vnto perfection as if a faithfull man were like a ship vnder sayle neuer anchoring till he arriue at heauen The greater is our sinne which heare and heare but are neuer the more reformed for our hearing like Pharaohs ill fauored kine which deuoured the fat kine but remained as il fauoured as they were before so many of vs when we haue lugged the breast almost drie after twentie or thirty yeares feeding are as skregged and leane as we were before No man almost among vs is more zealous no maÌ„ more faithfull no man more constant for the truth no man more feruent in religion no man more sanctified no man more diligent in practising nor lesse vitious now then he was one hundred sermons a goe as if wee were night black-rauens which cannot bee washed with all the sope of the Gospel Though wee haue long heard and stil desire to heare yet we doe not grow by our hearing wee are verie dwarfes in Christ scant able to goe little in faith little in loue little in patience little in obedience little in zeal like Zacheus so little that wee cannot see Christ This is an vndoubted euidence that we haue not fleshly but stony hearts which though they bee washed yet they cannot be watred with the sweete showers of the Gospell For is there not in euery tauerne and in euery shop and in euery house and in euery hall as much couetousnes as much briberie as much cosening as much wantonnes as much maliciousnes after this long shine of the word as ther was before Are we not now as slothfull in Gods seruice as dissolute in the practise of Christian dueties as dishonest in our dealing between man and man as proud in our attire as light in our behauiour as hypocritical abroad as sinnefull at home as we were before And what is the reason hereof but that we come to the fountayn rather to
to euery good as we are to euill Teach vs to remember our sinnes that thou maiest forget them and let our sorrowe here preuent the sorrowe to come Wee were made like thee let not flesh and bloud turne the image of God to the image of Satan our foes are thy foes let not thine enemies preuaile against thee to take vs from thee but make thy word vnto vs like the starre which led vnto Christ make thy benefites like the pillar which brought to the land of promise make thy crosse like the messenger which compelled guests vnto the banquet that wee may walke before men like examples and alway looke vpon thy sonne how he would speake and doe before we speake or do any thing Keepe vs in that feare of thy Maiestie that we may make conscience of all that we doe and that wee may count no sinne small but leaue our lying and swearing and surfetting and coueting and boasting and flanting and inordinate gaming and wanton sporting because they drawe vs to other sinnes and are forbidden as straightly as other Let not our hearts at any time be so dazled but that in all temptations we may discerne between good and euill between right and wrong between trueth and errour and that we may iudge of all things as they are and not as they seeme to bee let our mindes bee alwaies so occupied that wee may learne some thing of euerie thing and vse all those creatures as meanes and helpes prepared for vs to serue thee Let our affections growe so towarde one another that wee may loue thee asmuch for the prosperitie of other as if it were our owne let our faith and loue and prayer be alway so readie to goe vnto thee for our helpe that in sicknes we may finde patience in prison wee may finde ioy in pouertie wee may find contentment and in all troubles we may finde hope Turne all our ioyes to the ioye of the holy Ghost and all our peace to the peace of conscience and all our feares to the feare of sin that we may loue righteousnesse with as great good will as euer we loued wickednes and goe before other in thankfulnes towards thee as farre as thou goest in mercie towards vs before them taking all that thou sendest as a gift and leauing our pleasures before they leaue vs that our time to come may be a repentance of the time past thinking alway of the ioyes of heauen the paines of hell our owne death and the death of thy sonne for vs. Yet Lord let vs speake once again like Abraham one thing more we will beg at thy hands our resolutions are variable we can not performe our promises to thee therefore settle vs in a constant forme of obedience that we may serue thee from this houre with those dueties which the world the diuell and the flesh woulde haue vs deferre vntill the point of death Lord we are vnworthie to aske any thing for our selues yet thy fauor hath preferred vs to be petitioners for other Therefore wee beseech thee to heare vs for them and them for vs and thy sonne for all Blesse the vniuersall Church with truth with peace and thy holie Discipline Strengthen all them which suffer for thy cause and let them see the spirite of comfort comming towardes them as thy Angels came to thy sonne when he was hungrie Be mercifull vnto all those which lie in anguish of conscience for remorse of their sinnes as thou hast made them examples so teach vs to take example by them that wee may looke vpon thy Gospel to keepe vs from despaire and vpon thy lawe to keep vs from presumption Prosper the armies which fight thy battailes and shew a difference betweene thy seruantes and thy enemies as thou didst betweene the Israelits and the Aegyptians that they which serue thee not may come to thy seruice seeing that no God dooth blesse besides thee Make vs thankefull for our peace whome thou hast set at libertie while thou hast laid our dangers vpon others which mightest haue laide their dangers vpon vs And teach vs to build thy Church in our rest as Salomon builte thy temple in his peace Haue mercie vpon this sinfull Lande which is sicke of long prosperitie Let not thy blessings rise vp against vs but indue vs with grace as thou hast with riches that wee may goe before other nations in religion as wee goe before them in plentie giue vs such harts as thy seruants should haue that thy will may be our will that thy Law may be our Lawe and that we may seeke our kingdome in thy kingdome Giue vnto our Prince a Princely heart vnto our counsellers the spirit of counsel vnto our Iudges the spirite of Iudgement vnto our Ministers the spirite of doctrine vnto our people the spirite of obedience that wee may all retaine that communion here that we may enioy the communion of Saints hereafter Blesse this familie with thy grace and peace that the Rulers thereof may gouerne according to thy word that the seruants obey like the seruants of God and that wee may all be loued of thee Now Lorde wee haue commenced our suite our vnderstanding is weake and our memorie short and wee vnworthie to pray vnto thee more vnworthie to receiue the things which we praye for Therefore we commend our prayers and our selues vnto thy mercie in the name of thy beloued son our louing Sauiour whose righteousnesse pleadeth for our vnrighteousnes Our father which art in heauen c. ruption as though wee were made to sinne indeede or in worde or in thought wee haue broken all thy Commandements that wee might see what good is in euill which hath lefte nothing but guilt and shame and expectation of iudgement while we might haue had peace of conscience ioye of heart and all the graces which come with the holie spirite Some haue been wonne by the word but we would not suffer it to change vs some haue been reformed by thy crosse but wee woulde not suffer it to purge vs some haue been mooued by thy benefites but wee would not suffer them to perswade vs nay we haue giuen consent to the Diuell that wee will abuse all thy gifts so fast as they come and therefore thy blessings make vs proude thy riches couetous thy peace wanton thy meates intemperate thy mercie secure and all thy benefites are weapons to rebell against thee that if thou looke into our hearts thou maist saye our Religion is hypocrisie our zeale enuie our wisedome pollicie our peace securitie our life rebellion our deuotion ends with our prayers and wee liue as though wee had no soules to saue What shall wee answer for that which our conscience condemnes Wee are one daye neerer to death since we rose when we shall giue account how euery day hath been spent and how we haue got those things which other will consume when we are gone And if thou shouldest aske vs now what lust asswaged what affection qualified