S. Aug. that I haue heare layde downe and by many other like that I might alleage I truste all suche as feare God and will iudge indifferently may perceiue that this is no new doctrine which at this time I taught touching the likenesse of the Jewes religion and Sacramentes to ours now in time of the Gospell Herevnto I must add this note by the way If the Israelites vnder the old law did in their sacramēts eat y ◠same spirituall meat drink y ◠same spiritual drink y ◠we do in ours that is Christ that effecally and to saluation before Christes natural body blood were borne and come really into the worlde it maye euydently leade vs also to vnderstande what manner of eating and drinking it is that we also should vse in our sacramēts to saluation that is a spirituall eating and drinking of Christ and not such a grosse carnall and reall eating as the Church of Rome now striueth for But of this I haue to speake in the nexte part Therefore here I will make an ende c. ¶ The seconde Sermon vpon this part of the Text. 1. Cor. 10. 3. c. All did eate of the same spirituall meate and all did drinke of the same spirituall drinke For they dranke of the spirituall Rocke and the Rocke was Christe NOt only S. Paule in this place but the spirite of God in sunderye other Places of the Scriptures teacheth vs that Christe only is the blessed and Heauenlye foode of oure soules wherewith we are fed and nourished to eternall life Of this meate and drinke Esay prophecied many yeares before Christ came in fleshe Oh sayd he come all ye that be thirstie come to the waters and yee that haue no siluer come buy and eate come I say bye wine and milke without money wherfore do you lay out siluer for that which is no fode bestow your labor for that which cannot satisfye you harken dilligently vnto me eat that which is good c. In which words he caled the hungry thirstie consciences of gods people to that heauenly foode of Christ which in his gospel is laid before the faithfull by it to be fedde to eternall life and reproueth them for seeking other foode besyde Christ because indeed there is none that can satisfie them but onelye hee This doth Christ himself seeme to expound in this maner in the gospel when he sayth If any man thirst let him come to me and drinke But most euident in John the sixte hee declareth himselfe to be the onely foode of oure soules of which we must feede vnto saluation For vppon the occasyon of the Jewes following him with a carnall affection to haue their bodyes fedde by myracle as before he had done he sharply reproueth that affection in them willeth thē to labour and trauatle not for the meat that perisheth but for the meate y t shold endure to euerlasting life which the sonne of man should giue vnto them And after Moises gaue you not bread from heauen but my father giueth you the true bread from heauen For the bread of God is he who cōmeth down from heauen to giue life vnto the world And after a few words he sayth plainely I am the bread of life he that commeth to me shal not hunger and he that beleueth in me shall neuer thirst And againe I am the bread of life your fathers did eat Manna in the wildernesse and are dead This is the bread of life which commeth downe from heauen of which he that eateth should not die I am the liuing bread that came downe from heauen if any man eate of this bread hee shall liue for euer and the bread which I wil giue is my fleshe which I will giue for the life of the worlde c. Except ye eate of the fleshe of the son of man drink his blood you haue no life in you Whosoeuer eateth my fleshe and drinketh my blood hath eternall life c I will raise him vp at the last day For my flesh is meate in deede and my blood is drinke in deede c. Seing then it is very euident that Christ is the meate and drinke of all true Christians it behoueth vs next to learne why Christ is called meate and drinke for we may not groselye vnderstand it as y ◠Capernaites did that it is a Meat wherwith our bodies are to be nourished as with other natural foode God forbid For Christ himselfe a little after sayth The words that I haue spoken are spirite and life Gyuing vs thereby to vuderstande that hee is oure spiritual meate and his wordes spiritually to be vnderstanded This speech then that Christ is meate an drinke vnto Christians is not a naturall and proper kinde of speaking but metaphoricall and figuratiue transferred from the bodye to the soule from a worldlye meaning to a spirituall Seuce Which the better to perceaue you must remēber that man consisteth not of body only but of soule also And as y t body hath his life and death so the soule hath her life and death And as the body hath certayn means to keepe of death and for the time to mayntayne lyfe so hath the soule meanes to preserue the life thereof and to put awaye death The lif of the body is the ioyning of the soule and the bodye togither and the death thereof is the separation of the soule from the bodye The meanes to preserue the life of the bodye that is to continue the bodye and soule togeather is foode and sustenaunce meate and drinke for we daylye and howerly doe consume and the substance of our bodies wasteth by the pores of oure skinne so that when Nature feeleth wante of Substaunce to supplye the wasting of the body then it is sayde in proper speeche to hunger or to thirst that is to desyre and couette that thing whereby the waute of naturall Substaunce and moysture maye be supplyed least the Instrumentes of the soule shoulde bee made feeble and so the soule departe and the body dye Nowe looke what the soule is to the hedye that is GOD vnto the soule As the lyfe of the bodye is the ioyning of the soule to the bodye for wythout the Soule there is no life so the life of the Soule is the ioyning of GOD and the Soule togeather and the death of the Soule is the separation of GOD from the soule for without GOD the soule hath no lyfe And yet you maye not thinke that the Soule dyeth after that sorte that the bodye doeth by ceassyng to haue a beeing or a continuaunce but it dreth a spirituall death by separation of God from it so that the tyme that it is and hath a beeing withoute God is nothing but a moste horrible tormente and more greeuous then a thousande bodilye deathes Nowe further as the body hath a certayne meanes by foode and Sustenaunce to preserue life that is
must next consider how this blessed meat is truely rightly eaten both in the sacraments without the vse of of Sacramentes This question hath vexed all Christendom nowe for the space of certaine yeres hath exercised the pennes and tongues almost of all learned men of this age with great vehemencie on eche side But surely if they would with single mindes without heat of contention truely consider howe the fruite and benefite of this heauenly foode is receaued this controuersie might bee easily ended and many a troubled conscience quieted which now almost only are by this meanes stayed from embracing the trueth of the Gospell They doe not so greatly mislike the other parts of our doctrine but this sticketh in their consciences that wee denie the body and blood of Christ really and carnally eaten and drunken in the Sacrament Wherefore I hartely desire al such for the time to laye aside that settled perswasion wherewith their mindes hitherto hath beene so holden that they could not abide to heare any thing of the contrarie and with indifferent and charitable mindes carefully to consider that which in parte I haue and now hereafter shall speake touchyng this matter First therefore you must call to your remembraunce that Christes bodye is not carnall meate and drinke for our bodyes but spirituall meat and drinke for our soules and for that cause S. Paul in this place so calleth it saying That the olde Fathers did eate of the same spirituall meate and drinke of the same spiritual drinke And yet I must needes confesse that this spirituall meate is profitable not to the soule onely but to the body also For Christ dyed for preseruation both of soule and bodye But this benefite of nourishment is not first receaued of the bodye and throughe it passeth to the soule for that were monstrous but beeyng first receaued of the soule it profiteth the bodye For as Christ sayth That which entreth into the bodily mouth defyleth not the man but that commeth out of the mouth from the corrupte hearte and mynde So contrariwyse not that good thing that entreth by the bodye dothe profyte the soule but that which entered first by the soule and is receaued by it profyteth also the bodye For the body and bloud of Christ beeyng in deede the true foode of lyfe when it is spiritually eaten by the soule through the operation of the holye Ghost maketh vs apte to Resurrection and in due tyme transformeth our mortall bodyes to the lykenesse of his glorious bodye If the spirite of him that raised Christ from death dwell in vs he that raised Christ from the dead shall also quicken our mortall bodies because that his spirit through Christ dwelleth in vs. The better to vnderstand what it is to eate this spirituall foode and how it is truely effectually receaued to eternall lyfe I must put you in minde of the comparison that before I vsed betweene the body and the soule As the bodye is sayde to eate when it receaueth that sustenaunce wherewith the hunger thereof is stayed and satisfied and as it is sayde to drinke when it receaueth that liquour wherewith the thirst is quenched euen so our soule is sayde to eate and to drinke when it receaueth that heauenly and blessed foode of Christ Jesus crncifyed wherewith the hungry and thirstie appetite thereof that is the vehement desire of the fauour of God and saluation is fully satisfyed and appeased As there commeth no benefit to the body of meat drinke vnlesse it bee eaten and drunken so the bodye and blood of Christ crucified doth not helpe vs anye thing if it bee not worthily and truely receaued The body receaueth hys foode by the mouth of the body the soule receaueth hirs by the mouth of the soule As it is not sufficient to hunger and thirst nor to receaue sustenaunce vnlesse there be a naturall strength in our bodyes to receaue concoct and digest the same so there must be in our soules that strength that may surely receaue Christ and wrappe him or embrace him in the bowels of our heart that he may thereby as it were be turned into vs and wee into him but that strength is not in our selues but is giuen of God We must therefore haue it from him from whom all good giftes proceede that is From the father of lyghtes And this gift wherewith Christ is truely and effectually receaued is nothing but faith For by fayth we receaue Christ and assure our selues in our hartes that wee are partakers of that redemption which by his death he hath procured for vs and with that firme perswasion lay him vp in the bowels of our heartes that in all our temptations and troubles we may feede vpon him and gather strength and comfort in the assuraunee of Gods fauour purchazed by him so that so often as our heartes bee shaken with mistrust and feare this faith doth comforte and releeue vs agayne Nowe that faith is the mouth and meanes whereby onely wee receaue and eate Christ to saluation I will let you vnderstand it both by Christes owne wordes in S. Iohn and by the iudgement of diuers learned and auncient Fathers For Christ vseth these wordes indifferently and as of one force and signification To beleeue in him To eate him To drinke him To come vnto him and doth attribute to eche of these y â— same effectes To beleeue in Christ is the proper worde to eate Christ or to come vnto him are Metaphores and figuratiue speeches but all of one force I am the bread of life saith Christ he that commeth to me shall not hunger and he that beleeueth in me shall neuer thirst Marke diligently deerely beloued what Christ sayth He that commeth to me shall not hunger therfore to come vnto Christ is to eat Christ And againe he saith He that beleeueth in mee shall neuer thirst therfore to beleeue in Christ is to drinke Christ To eat and to drinke are meanes to take away hunger and thirst but to come vnto Christ to beleeue in him as Christ himselfe saith doth take away hunger and thirst therefore to come vnto him and to beleeue in him is to eate him and to drinke him An other out of the same place is this Christ attributeth the same effectes and fruits to them which beleeue in him that he doth to them that eate his bodie and drinke his blood therefore by eating and drinking he meaneth nothing but beleeuing His wordes bee these Iohn 6. verse 54. He that eateth my fleshe and drinketh my blood hath eternall life and I will raise him vp at the last daye Note the effectes that he gyueth to eatyng his fleshe and drinking his blood that is to haue euerlasting lyfe and bee raysed at the last daye In the. 40. verse of the same Chapter hee sayeth This is the wyll of my father that sent mee that euerie one that seeth the sonne and beleeueth on him should haue eternall life I
I thinke it necessary in a worde or two to teach you how Christians should prepare themselues as worthy guestes to come to this holy Table But before I come to that I will fyrste aunswere an euell and peruerse Doctrine broughte into the Church by the Sea of Roome and the Preachers and teachers thereof directlye both agaynste Christes owne wordes and agaynst the doctrine of the auncient fathers that is that very wicked meÌ„ and horrible sinners as Iudas and other doe eate in the sacrament the very Reall and naturall body of Christe as fully as Peter or any other Saint of God or other faythfull Christian hath done or doth This Doctrine as it is reprochefull to the body and blood of Christ so it is plainly against y t which Christ himself teacheth in Iohn For there Christ sayth thus He that eateth my flesh drinketh my blood abideth in me and I in him As the liuing Father sent me and I liue by the Father so hee that eateth me shall liue by me I adde But the wicked naugty persons abide not in christ nor liue by him therfore sinfull and wicked faythlesse persons doe not eate Christ nor drinke his blod In the same place Christ sayeth further Whosoeuer eateth my fleshe and drinketh my blood hath eternall life c. I adde here likewise But the wicked haue not eternall life by christ nor shall bee raysed to life but to eternall damnation therefore it is a false and a wicked Doctrine that Iudas and such other naughtie persons doe eate the very true reall and Naturall bodye of christ for if they did they shold theÌ„ be partakers of those benefits which christ truth it self promiseth to theÌ„ y t eat him Though this their doctrine to any godly man may seeme absurde in it selfe and Christ his wordes against it be plain ynough and will not easylye admitte any glose yet if the aunciente Fathers also teache not herein as wee doe let vs be thought to deuise it of oure selues Origin sayeth this These thinges haue I spoken of the typicall and fyguratiue body Much also may be spokeÌ„ of the word himselfe which became fleshe whome whosoeuer shall eate shall surely liue for euer and he addeth Whome no euill man can eate For if it could be that he which coÌ„tinueth euill did eate the word that became flesh seing that he is the word bread of life it would neuer haue ben writteÌ„ whosoeuer eateth the bread shall liue for euer Hitherto Orig. And S. Aug. He that discordeth froÌ„ Christ eateth not his flesh nor drinketh his blood but he receaueth the Sacrament of so holy a thing to the iudgement of damnation against himselfe And y â— same father vpoÌ„ S. Joh. The Apostles sayth he did eat the bred that was the Lord but Iudas did eate the breade of the Lord against the Lord. But most plainly he sayth in an other place The sacrameÌ„t of the vnity of the body blod of Christ is receiued at the Lords table of some to life of some to destruction But the thing it selfe whereof it is a sacrament is life to euery man and death to none whosoeuer shall be partaker of it And in the same place To eate that meate and to drink that drinke is to dwel in Christ to haue christ dwelling in him And by that it followeth that he which dwelleth not in Christ nor hath christ dwelling in him vndoubtedly doth not spiritually eat his flesh nor drink his blood although carnally visibly he presse with his teeth the sacrament of the body blood of Christ c. Although I might alleage a nuÌ„ber of other places to y t same purpose yet because these fathers vndoubtedly did know the fayth Doctrine of the church in their time this may be sufficient to such as haue not a minde willingly to abyde in errour Seing none be partakers of that heauenly foode laid forth at that holy table but such as worthily come to receaue the same it behoueth all good Christians as before I haue sayde to learne how to prepare themselues to the worthy receiuing thereof And how that may be done S. Paule in generall words brecfely sheweth Let a man sayeth hee prooue himselfe and so let him eate of this bread and drink of this Cuppe The meanes therefore to come worthilye is to proue and trie our selues whether those thinges bee in vs which the worthy Guestes of that Table should haue First therefore we must looke vnfainedlye into our selues whether we haue an appetite or desyre to eate of y t blessed foode For a loathing stomache neuer perfectly digesteth any meat y t it receaueth but turneth it to the hurt of the body This Appetite or desire cannot be in vs vnlesse it be wrought by the sharpe sauce of seuere repentance for our sinnes which we shall the better prepare if wee examine our selues by the perfect rule of Gods iustice in his law consider how farre we are from the same and what danger hangeth ouer our heads for the wante thereof God sayth in his law Thou shalt loue the Lord thy god with al thy hart with all thy foule with all thy minde with all thy strength and thy Neighbour as thy selfe That is wee should loue we should hate we should feare we shold hope for nothing but in God and to his glory we should thinke or muse vpon nothing in our minde and vnderstanding but that may make to the honour and glory of god We should imploye all the powers of our bodye and of our worldelye giftes to the same ende wee shoulde doe nothing to anye other man which we woulde not willinglye bee contented should be tone vnto vs. If wee examine our selues by this rule we shal see we be so farre from that we should be that â—â—nosâ— we haue not one branche thereof in vs whiche will more euidently appeare if wee will trie our selues by euery particular commaundemente rightely and truely vnderstanded Seing then we be so farre from the iustice of Gods lawe the curse thereof must needes be due vnto vs for God sayth Cursed is he whosoeuer keepeth not all thinges written in the booke of his lawe In this manner if wee examine our selues sincerely we shall throughly know what wee are in the sight of God as well by the corruption of oure nature as by the course of our euill and naughtie lyfe wee shall haue sence of our own sinne wee shall hate and detest it wee shall from the bottome of oure hartes be sory for it with trembling mindes we shal feare the heauie iudgement of God against vs and so will there be stirred vp in vs that Godly appetite and greedye desyre to eate of that spirituall meate whiche onelye can satisfye our troubled conscience and cure our repentaunt and broken hattes c. But though the appetite and desyre bee neuer so great in vayne he commeth to any table that hath no mouth to eate nor strength
to haue written hys Epystle but his whale Gospell also to this ende only and principallye that Christyans shoulde vnderstand that Christ only and no other thing or person is the meanes to bring to the people of God remissyon of sinne Justification Redemption and all the Benefites and parts of our saluation For in that gospell Christ is declared to be the Lambe of god that taketh awaye the sin of the world The fulnes of Gods grace of whose fulnesse all we take part The brasen Serpent that only healeth the sting of the olde Serpent Sathan The Fountaine of liuing water of which he that drinketh shall neuer thyrste The bred of life which he that eateth shal neuer die The true foode and drink of our soules of which hee y ◠eateth drinketh shall be sure to haue eternall life The Lighte of the world which only scattereth disperceth the clowds of ignorance and errour maketh vs to see the truth of God and right way of Saluation The good Sheapheard that giueth his lyfe for the benefite of his Sheepe The onlye Doare whereby we enter into the Church of GOD and so into eternall Lyfe The very Waye Truth and Lyfe without which Waye there is no walking to Heauen but wādring by wrong pathes vnto the Diuell without which Truth there is nothing but falshood and errour withoute which Life there is nothing but death eternal The true Vine by which only as branches we sucke the sweete and liuing iuyce of Gods holy spirite and without which wee are hable to doe nothing The onelye giuer of the blessed comforter that doth worke the peace of our Consciences and direct vs into all truth c. What good christian hart waying these things doth not thereof conceaue vnestimable comfort and more quietnesse of conscience then in all the heapes of mens deuises which they haue imagined to purchase vs the fauour of GOD and remission of sinne Yea what faithfull minde after the vnderstanding and imbracing of this sweete Doctrine doeth not deteste as blasphemous and wicked all suche as directe vs to any other meane of Saluation then the bloode of Christe onlye Wherefore the people of GOD muste bee well assured by this seconde rule of Saint Iohn that not onely they are false Prophets Wolues and of the spirit of Antechrist that in grosse tearmes denie Christ to haue come in fleshe but they also whiche will seeme constantlye to confesse this Article to bee moste true and yet in verye deede colourably and as it were vnder sheepes cloathing denie impugne and disgrace the causes Fruite Profite and effectes thereof by attributyng the same to other things than vnto the Death and merites of Christ only Now whether the Teachers of the Church of Roome doe this or no let such as haue the feare of god and care of their saluation vnfaynedly consyder They teach that Christe is not our onlye Mediatour and intercessoure vnto GOD or if they say so in wordes in effecte they denye it when they affyrme that wee haue infinite other that is all the Sayntes in heauen that be our Mediatours and Intercessoures for vs to directe our praiers to thē or by them They teach that Christs death is not a full satisfaction for the whole sinnes of the World or if in wordes they will saye so in Trueth they denye it when they affyrme that Christe his bodye was offered vppon the Crosse for the debte of Originall Sinne only and that for oure other daylye Offences it is offered in the Sacrifice of the Masse Or when they affyrme as Gabriell Biell doeth That althoughe Christe his Passion be the principall Merite for which grace is gyuen and the Kingdome of Heauen is opened yet it is neuer the only and whole meritorious cause thereof because there euer concurreth with the merite of Christe some worke or merite of him that receiueth the grace They teach that we haue not remission of sins the fauor of god only by christ but partly by the merites of Saynts partly by our fasting Almes deeedes and other good workes partly by pardons by Pilgrimages by Masses by building of churches erecting of chaunteries by holy water and such other thinges Wherefore I may conclude euen by this rule by whiche S. Iohn directeth vs to trie y ◠spirits of preachers whether they be of God or no y t the teachers maintainers of the Doctrine of the Churche of Rome are not suche as Christian men ought to beleeue and giue credite vnto but rather to beware of them and take heede that they bee not seduced by them The thyrde poynte of Doctrine is how we may be partakers of Christe comming in fleshe and how the benefites thereof are truely and rightly applied vnto vs. A doctrine surely no lesse needeful then the two former for in vayne to no purpose in respect of vs doth Christ come in flesh and suffer death if the benefits therof be not applied to vs and we made partakers of the same Now what this Mean is S. Ioh. in the same Epist doth euidently declare vnto vs saying Let that remain in you that you haue herd frō the begining For if that remain in you that you haue heard at the beginning you also shall abide in the son in the father What it is to abide in that which they heard in the beginning he afterward playnely expoundeth that is constantly with sure fayth to beleeue y ◠premises of God in his Gospel assuring vs of Saluation in Christes Sonne For this he writeth Euery one that is borne of God ouercōmeth the world this is the victory that ouercōmeth the world euē our faith Who is he that ouercommeth the world but he that beleueth that Iesus Christ is the sonne of god And after He that beleueth in the son of god hath the witnes in himself he that beleueth not god hath made him a liar becaus he beleued not in the witnes of God which he testified of his son And this is the record that God hath giuen vnto vs eternal life and this life is in his sonne In these words we haue first that saluatiō eternall life is y e gift of God not a thing of vs deserued Secōdly y ◠God the Father by his witnes promise doth assure vs that we shall be partakers therof for the merite of Christe his Sonne only This life sayeth hee is in his Sonne Lastlye that the meanes to be made partakers hereof is assuredlye to beleeue the truth of GOD promissing this in his sonne or else by infidelitie wee make God a lyer and leese out partes of his promise Christ himselfe also beareth witnesse of the same Meanes to apprehend our saluation So God loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten sonne that whosoeuer doth beleeue in him should not perishe but haue eternall life c. And agayne He that beleeueth in him is not condemned but he
of stomache to digeste A true and strong Christian fayth is the mouth of the soule and the power wherewith wee doe receiue and digeste Christ Jesus crucified as the foode of our saluation We must looke therefore to our selues first whether we knowe and vnderstande the mistery of our redemptioÌ„ that is that the vnspeakeable mercy of God sent downe the second person in Trinitie to take flesh of the blessed Virgine to lyne in the shape of a most contemptible man in this worlde and in the ende to haue suffered cruell death for the redemption of mankinde Secondlye whether we feele in our harts a strong perswasioÌ„ that we also through the merciful promises of god are partakers of the same worke of our redemption For a true Christian must not only haue a generall knowledge but also by a fyrme faith hee must haue â— particular application of the same to himselfe Furthermore as it is necessarye to haue both a desyre to eate styrred by a sence and feeling of true repentaunce and also an assured fayth to receiue and digest this wholesom and comfortable medicine of oure soule so because God bestoweth not his mercy by his sonne Christ in vayne or to the end we should still continue in sinne we must further try our selues whether we feele an vnfained desire to rise to a newnesse of life and an earnest study hereafter to ameÌ„d our former faults and to strayn our selues to a Godly and honest conuersation that God in vs maye bee glorified and the mouthes of his Ennemies stopped Lastly wee muste examine oure consciences whether we haue a feruente and great desyre to call to oure remembraunce the vnestimable Benefyte of oure Redemption made by the price of his bodye and blood and to acknowledge and confesse the same vnfaignedlye before GOD and the Worlde and to yeeld vnto him moste hartye thankes for the same and the residue of his benefytes not at this present tyme onelye but euer hereafter vntill the time of his comming This is the Godly and Christian tryall of oure selues which if we vse by the grace of Gods Spirite working in vs wee shall becomme eyther worthye Guestes or muche more fytte then other wayes wee shoulde bee c. Happylye some will thinke that this Admonition is a Terroure and tormente to theire consciences to feare men from comming to this blessed Sacramente rather than an Exhortation or Incouragemente vnto it For if the Daunger bee in it selfe so great as the vnworthye Receauer eateth Damnation to himselfe and the preparation and triall so streighte as you haue made it it were better neuer to come to it For what one is there among a thousande that doth in this manner trye his conscience or if he doe hee must needes feele so great want and imperfection either in sorrow for his sinnes or in sence of Gods wrath or in weakenesse of his Fayth or in the studie of newe lyfe or in the Coldenesse of his charitie or in the feeblenesse to giue thinkes and set forth the glory of God or in all these things that he must needes be ouerwhelmed in conscience and feared to make hymselfe partaker of these holy mysteries But deerely beloued let not this feare shake your consciences nor driue you backe from this blessed table This eâ—amination and tryall must be within the boundes of humaine frailtie and God in this as in all other doynges for Christes sake will vse hys mercie and clemencie For he knoweth our corruptions imperfections and will haue regarde of our infirmities Onely let vs not be secure slacke and negligent but feeling by this triall great want in our selues with lowelye humble and confessing hartes let vs acknowledge the same and say vnto God I am sorie O Lorde for my sinnes but not as the greeuousnesse of them requireth Augment O Lord by thy spirit the sense of thy wrath in me I beleeue and know with other christians that thy sonne hath shed his blood for mee but increase my faith O God and helpe my vnbeliefe I desire to liue according to the calling of a christian but the fleshe and the world maketh this studie cold in me therefore doe thou strengthen me with thy blessed spirit I know it is my bounden duetie to yeelde vnto thee immortall thankes as well for all other thy benefites as principally for the whole worke of our redemption by the death of thy deerely beloued sonne but I feele this zeale to be so faint and feeble that it is nothing according to my duetie and for that cause I lyft vp myne eyes to the throne of thy mercy and humbly desire thee to pardon all my imperfections and to heale all my infirmities The sense and knowledge of my weakenesse may not feare me from this holy cable For this heauenly feast is a medicine for them that bee sicke a comfort to them that be penitent sinners a free and liberall gift to such as bee poore and haue nothing of themselues Christ in this feast is giuen as meate without which we know we must of necessitie perish And he is giueÌ„ as lyfe vnto vs and therfore without him we can haue nothing but death The best worthinesse that wee can bring to these reuerend and holy mysteries is that we confesse our owne vnworthinesse to the end thy mercy may make vs worthy that we despaire in ouâ— selues to the end thy grace may comforte vs that we humble our selues to the end thy goodnesse may raise vs vp that wee acâ—use our selues to the end thy sonne by his merite may iustifie vs. For though of our selues wee are able to doe nothing yet by hym wee shall be able to doe all things c. These or lyke cogitations if wee haue in preparing our selues to that blessed nourishment of our â—oules he that breaketh noâ— a brused â—eede nor putteth out smoking flaxe will noâ— cast aside our infirmitie but mercifully receaue vs. The sorrowfull Father which with care for hys sonne â—ryed vnto Christ I beleeue Lorde but helpe thou myne vnbeliefe thoughe his faith as it myght appeare was very weake yet obtained hys purpose at Christes hanâ— to haue his sonne by myracle healed If our fayth hee but as a grayne of Mustarde seede yet it wyll muche preuayle with Gods mercy The Apostles of Christ which were admitted to his last Supper were notwithstanding weake and touched wyth many infirmites althoughe they were not altogether wicked and faythlesse as Iudas was They beleued in Christ they loued Christ and they loued one an other and yet at the verye table of the Lorde they shewed theyr weakenes Peter not without some reproche of the residue preferred himselfe before them all Though all other sayth he bee offended by thee yet will not I bee offended by thee They ambitiously contended amoÌ„g themselues which of them should bee the greater I wyll not mention that immediately after Supper they through timorousâ—esse fledde from Christ and for
this people euen the fruite of their owne imaginations because they haue not taken heede vnto my wordes nor vnto my law but haue cast it of And in the last Chap. of the. 7. of the Chronicles it is thus written The Lord God of their fathers hath sent vnto them by his Messengers rising vp earely and sending for he had compassion on his people and of his habitation but they mocked the Messengers of God and misused his Prophetes vntill the wrath of the Lord rose against his people and till there was no remedie for he brought vpon them the King of the Chaldees who slewe their yong men with the sworde c. God of his great goodnes hath sundry times sent into this land his Messengers and Preachers of his Gospell and principally these twentie yeeres last past in which time the sounde of Gods holy worde hath continually roong in the eares of men yet was the loue of the Gospell neuer so colde as euen at this day nor the hartes of English men so ready to reuolt from it It is lamentable to vnderstande howe in all partes of the Realme those Papistes whiche before time appeared to be somewhat afrayde and sought by all meanes to hyde themselues doe now openly shew themselues and desire to be knowne to be as they are What their hope or expectation is the Lord knoweth but surely it is full time that hir Maiestie and hir most Honourable Counsell as they feare God and loue his truth doe speedily looke vnto it otherwise vndoubtedly the inconuenience will be greater than by authoritie will be easily stayde The care hereof I leaue to them whome God hath sette in place of Gouernement only I thought it my duetye being appoynted a watchman in the Church of God to sounde the Trumpet in this place and to giue warning that the bloud of them that perish be not required at my hande and withall moste humbly and hartilye praye vnto almighty God that with the grace of his holy spirite he will so direct strengthen the minds of them whose principall charge this is that that may be done which moste tendeth to the glory of God and maintenance of his truth and to the good state and preseruation of this our naturall Countrey Amen ¶ The speciall contentes of this Booke of Sermons reduced into a necessarie Table of Common places A. Acknowledge THe way to acknowledge God in man Folio 192. Meanes to make those acknowlege a God which do altogither deny him Folio 191 Whoso can not acknowledge God in him selfe can not be sayd to be a man Folio 193 Properties which can not but be known in God if we doe acknowledge him but only in his creatures Folio 193 Afflictions ¶ That afflictions doe no whitte discredit the power of the Gospell Folio 7 Howe the godlie doe stay them selues in afflictions so that they may not fal froÌ„ Christ c. Folio 200 Afflictions are layde vpon the righteous to trie them withall Folio 174. 175. 176. B. Baptisme ¶ Fruitful doctrines of the Protestantes concerning Baptisme Folio 30. 31 Papisticall vntruthes and abuses concerning Baptisme Folio 31 Benefite ¶ How we are to apply the benefit of the comming of Christ in the flesh euery man to himselfe Folio 92. 93 The Church of Rome impugneth the doctrine of applying the benefites of Christs merits by faith c. Folio 94. 95. 96 C. Calling ¶ Ordinarie authoritie or calling is no iust proofe of true Doctrine Folio 74 The Prophetes extraordinarily set vp by God to reprooue the abuses of their ordinarie calling Folio 75 Vnder the clothing of ordinarie calling the wolfe is descried and how Folio 76 Christ. ¶ Christ only is our aduocate and mediatour Folio 231 Christ only is our redeemer Folio 231 Christ only is our priest to sacrifize for vs which he hath done once for all Folio 232 Christ is our only instructour Folio 232 Christ is the only hed of the Church Folio 233 Why Christ of necessitie was to be both God and Man c. Folio 140 Why Christ shoulde necessarily bee man 140. Folio 141 Christ hath no partakers in any of his offices Folio 233 Suche as doe but a little close with the worlde are and stande in daunger of treason to Christ. Folio 200. 201 The Papists wil haue Christ to be a demi Sauiour Folio 237. 238. 239. c. Church ¶ Christe compareth the Church to husbandrie Folio 177 Why the Spirite of God compareth the Church to husbandrie Folio 178 The name of the Church abused by the Wolues Folio 77 The inuisible Church consisting of the elect Folio 20 Of the visible Church and the descriptioÌ„ of the same Folio 20 The Church of Christ is tyed to no place Fol. Folio 21 The number of the Church may be smal Fol. Folio 21 None are openly of the Church but such as are called thereto by Gods worde Fol. Folio 21 The corrupt liues and foule vices of the fathers of the Church of Rome detected c. Folio 98 Faith doth ingraffe vs into the Church Fol. Folio 21 The Church of Rome a Monster hauing three heads at once Folio 102 The Church of Rome hath not in it the tokens of the true Church Folio 23 What Church is most likely to haue false interpretations Folio 39 The markes of the Church Folio 22 23 The increase of the Church by Martyrdome shewed in a similitude Folio 182 Of dissolutenesse of life in the Churche of Rome c. Folio 47 The Papistes obiect the visible state of their Churche to proue it the true Church Folio 42 Gods true Churche may bee and yet not appeare generally visible Folio 43 That may seeme to vs the true Churche which is not Folio 43 Examples prouing a Churche and yet not visible c. Folio 43. 44. 45 The inuisible state of the Churche since the Apostles dothe not prooue the Church to be no true Church Folio 45 Comming ¶ What it is to denie Christes Comming in the flesh and that in two sorts Folio 235 Papistes and not Protestants denye Christes Comming in the fleshe and how Folio 235 The causes of Christes Comming in the flesh Folio 230 The generall and particular causes of Christes Comming in the flesh Folio 230 The faithfull Iewes did eate and drinke spiritually the Body and Bloud of Christ before hys reall Comming in the flesh c. â—35 A place ymagined where the dead did rest before the Comming of Christ Folio 132 Common weales All Common weales are not to be tyed to one forme of gouernement Folio 218 To be disturbers of Common weales c. is no new slander nor now first obiected against gods true ministers Folio 219 Contempt Considerations concerning Christ which maketh mans carnall reason to haue him in Contempt Folio 2 The more excellent that meÌ„ are in carnall reason onely the more is theys Contempt of Christ Folio 2 Contempt of Godlynesse of life can not stande with the acknowledging of a God Folio 191 The Contempt of
in the externall signes respect of time In Ps 73. CoÌ„ Faust. lib. 19. cap 14. De doct Christ. in Jo. in psal Note August Tract in Joh. 26. The faythfull Jewes did eate and drinke spiritually the body blood of Christ before his reall comming in the flesh and soe doe we that ar borne beleeue since his incarnation the conclsion thereupon Christ the food of our soules Esay 55. 1. Joh. 7. 37. Io. 6. 26. c. Ioh. 6. 32. c. Ioh. 6. 35. Ioh. 6. 48. c. Io. 6. 53. â— Ioh. 6. 63. How the body and blood of Christ are said to hes meate and drinke Acomparison betwixte the body and the soule What the soule is to the body that is God to the soule 1. Io. 5. 12. How Christ was prepared to be the food of our soules Io. 6. 35. Why Christ of necessitie was to be both god and man firste why he shold be god 1. Jo. 5. 20. 1. Jo. 3. 5. Joh. 1. 12. Heb. 7. Ro. 8. 34. Why Christ world necessarily be man Joh. 12. 26. Heb. 4. 15. Now Christ his body and blood is truly rightlye to be eaten drunken as well in the Sacraments as without them Against the carnal eating drinking of Christs body and blood Mat. 15. 11 Rom. 8. 11. Iac. 1. 17. Fayth the mouth of the soule whereby Christe is eaten Ioh. 6. 29. 33. 35. What to eate Christ is what to drinke his blood is Ver. 4â— Tract in Ioh. 26. Trast 25 De coenae Domini The force of fayth Ioh. 6. 54. The eating of Christ by fayth is no derogation to the dignity of the Sacramente and profite theâ— of Luc. 23. 4â— Acts. 10. In the vse of the Sacrament is a double eating to be noted Our senses in the vse of the Sacrament are helpers to our better receauing of the same Hearinge Ma. 26. 26 Ro. 10. 17. Luc. 22. 19. Seeing Feeling Tasting Sacraments are badges by which we Christians are knowne from idolaters Sacraments are the seales wherby gods promises are confirmed vnto vs. Sacraments vnite vs to Christe Sacraments are to linke vs togeather in brotherly vnitie Blasphemus doctriue of wicked mens eating of the body of christ â—efelled Joh. 6. 56. Joh. 6. 54. In Mat. 15. De Trini lib. 4. Tract 59. PaneÌ„ dnÌ„â— PaneÌ„ dnÌ„i Tract 26. How we ought to prepare our selues to the worthy receauing of the lords supper 1. Co. 11. 18. How we are to make trial of our selues before we come to the lords table Deut. 6. 5. Deu. 27. 26 1 2 3 Obiection Answeare Psal 103. 14. A breife praier for communicants Mar. 9. 24 Ma. 26. 33. Mar. 9. 33. Heb. 1â— 22. Mat. 7. 21. It is not sufficient to saluation to be idle professors of god but also doers of godly deedes Iam. 1. 22. c. Luc. 11. 28. Mat. 7. 24. Maâ— 11. 13. Wicked mâ—n are plagued of god for their owne sinnes to our â—â—â—ngle Nothing beâ—â—ideth man by fortune but al thingâ— by gods direction Joh. 5. 17. Act. 17. 28. Psal 104. 29. Nature what it is Gen. 7. 3. Reg. 17. Retract Fortune what it is Mat. 10. 29 God the Creatour disposer and preserner of all The absurd opinion of theÌ„ confuted that imagined god to gouerne great thinges and matters only without prouiding any whitt for things of leue value God is not the author of sinne Euerie act is to be measured good or bad by the intent of the actor Jer. 7. 13. Esai 10. 5. God vseth naughtie instruments to the working of good What the causes ate that moue god to plague men The punishment of sin Leu. 26. 40 Jos 24. 20. Deutro 21. Leu. 26. 14. c. punishmenes sent from god for examâ—ples sake Luc. 13. 2. Psal 543. 2. â—um 11. 4. Num. 25. â—â— Num. 16. 3. Esai 36. 37. Afflictions are laid vpon the righteous to trie them withal Eccl. 27. 5. Prou. 17. 3. Judi 8. 21. Job 1. 21. Heb. 12. 6. Rom. 5. 3. 1 2 3 4 Christ compareth the church to husbandry especially in pasturing vintage and tillage Psal 23. 1â— Psal 95. â— Joh. 10. 11 Joh. 15. 1. Esa 5. 1. c. Mat. 21. 33 Joh. 4. 35. Mat. 9. 37 Why the Spirit of god doth compare the church to husbandrie as beforesaide Interpretation of this parable of the seede sower Preachers are authoriâ—ed by god in their calling 1. Cor. 4. 1. What â—â—â—matâ—â—â— ought to be had of prechers 1. The. 2. 13. Gal. 4. 14. 2. The. 4. 8 Luc. 10. 16. How those are to be thought of who lightlie regard-either preachinge or preachers 1. Pet. 1. 23. That the worde of god is resembled to seede and why Esa 40. 6. The power of the words of god in it selfe and in the estimation of the worlde Rom. 1. 16. What gods worde woorketh in the hearâ—â—s 1. Cor. 1. 23. Verse 27. How gods worde preuaileth euen against mans wisdome and cunning Example of the Apostles time Example of later and of these present times Pâ—â—â— â— â— The imaginations praâ—tises meanes of the wicked to withstand gods worde Psal 2. 4. The increase of the church by Martâ—rdom 〈…〉 d in a similitude What increase only coâ—â—â—â—eth by Marâ—â—â—dom 2. The. 2. 8. An obiection made against the credit of the gospell and the preachers of it because it is likened to seede Esa 55. 10. Answere Some preachers had but barren successe and yet was theire doctrine â—â—â—â—he The like to be saide of Christ and his Apostles The cause of barren successe is all one to the present preachers as was to the prophets Christ and his apostles and yet is not their successe the lesse How greeuous it is for preachers to offende Why preachers offences are not to be made more greeuous then they are The true cause why the worde preached doth not allway bringe forth fruite The godly do alway take pro 〈…〉 of the preaching of the worde The first kinde of grounde Three sorts of foules vvhich doe eate vp the seede of gods vvorde in the heigh â—vaies Of worldly securitie The inconuenience of pre achingiâ— generalitie Luc. 1. 74. 75. Rom. 6. 3. 1. Pet. 3. 7. Rom. 8. 17. Eph. 2. 19. Mat. 23. 37 How god calleth Engto repentance and without repentance what is like to befall it Of heathenish Gentilitie and the mischiffe by it Sap. 2. 5. c. How they are to be accounted of that deride preachers 2. Pet. 3. 1. c. Mocâ—es against god his iudgmentes Ier. 5. 1â— How to trie crulye who do beleauâ— there is a god and who not Contempt of godlinesse of life can nor stand with the acknowledging of a god We cannot acknowledg a god but that with all he must punishâ— sinne Against those that denie god altogeather Rom. 1. 20. Meanes to make those acknowledge a god which â—â— altogetheâ— deny him The saying of the Heathens that al things stand according to the course of Nature is to be vnderstod of god