to be our spirituall food k Ioh. 6.32 33 35 48 50 51. and sustenance In the third Exhortation it is said The benefit is great if with a true penitent heart and lively faith we receive that holy Sacrament for then wee l Iohn 6.63 56. spiritually eate the flesh of Christ and drinke his blood then we dwell in Christ and Christ m Iohn 14.23 2 Cor. 6.16 in us we bee n 1 Cor. 6.17 1 Cor. 10.16 17 1 Cor. 12 13. one with Christ and Christ with us And afterward it is said Above all things ye must give most humble and hearty thankes to God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost for the redemption of the world by the death and passion of our Saviour Christ both God and man who did humble himselfe even to the death upon the Crosse for us miserable sinners which lay in darkenesse and shadow of death that hee might make us the children of God and exalt us to everlasting life And to the end that we should alway remember the exceeding great love of our Master and onely Saviour Iesus Christ thus dying for us and the innumerable benefits which by his precious blood-shedding hee hath obtained to us hee hath instituted and ordained holy mysteries as pledges of his love and continuall o 1 Cor. 11.24 25 26. remembrance of his death to our great and endlesse comfort And in the Prayer to be read afore the receiving it is said Almighty God our heavenly Father which of thy tender mercy didst give thy onely Son Iesus Christ to suffer death vpon the Crosse for our redemption who made there by his one oblation of himselfe once offered a full perfect and sufficient sacrifice oblation and satisfaction for the sinnes of the whole world and did institute and in his holy Gospell command us to continue a perpetuall memory of that his precious death untill his comming againe c. And in the second Prayer after the receiving it is said Thou dost assure us thereby of thy favour and goodnesse towards us and that wee bee very members incorporate in thy mysticall p Eph. 1. 22 23. 1 Cor. 12.12.27 body which is the blessed company of all faithfull people and be also heires through hope of thy everlasting Kingdome by the merits of the most precious death and passion of thy deare Sonne In the * T. 2. p. 192. Homily of the resurrection it is said Thou hast received him if in true faith and repentance of heart thou hast received him If in purpose of amendment thou hast received him for an everlasting gage or pledge of thy salvation Thou hast received his body which was once broken and his blood which was shed for the remission of thy sinne Thou hast received his body to have within thee the Father the Son and the holy Ghost for to dwell with thee to endow thee with grace to strengthen thee against thine enemies and to comfort thee with their presence Thou hast received his body to endow thee with everlasting righteousnes to assure thee with everlasting blisse and life of thy soule For with Christ by true faith art thou quickned againe saith Saint Paul from death of sin to life of grace and in hope translated from corporall and everlasting death to the everlasting life of glory in heaven q Phil. 3.20 where now thy conversation should be and thy heart and desire set In the * T. 2. p. 197. Homily concerning the Sacrament it is most divinely delivered That our Lord and Saviour thought it not sufficient to purchase for us his Fathers favour againe which is that deepe fountaine of all goodnesse and eternall life but also invented the wayes most wisely whereby they might redound to our commodity and profit Amongst the which meanes is the publike celebration of the memory of his precious death at the Lords Table Which although it seeme of small vertue to some yet being rightly done by the faithfull it doth not onely helpe their weaknesse who be by their poisoned nature readier to remember injuries than benefits but strengtheneth and comforteth their inward man with peace and gladnesse and maketh them thankfull to their Redeemer with diligent care and godly conversation And as of old time God decreed his wondrous benefits of the deliverance of his people to be kept in memory by the eating of the Passeover See chap. 17. with his rites and ceremonies so our loving Saviour hath ordained and established the remembrance of his great mercy expressed in his Passion in the institution of his heavenly supper In the same * p. 199. Homily it is also said We must be sure to hold that in the supper of the Lord there is no vaine ceremony no bare signe no untrue figure of a thing absent but as the Scripture saith the r 1 Cor. 10.21 table of the Lord the bread cup of the Lord the memory of Christ the ſ 1 Cor. 11.25 26. annuntiation of his death yea the communion of the body and blood of the Lord in a marveilous incorporation which by the operation of the Holy Ghost the very t 1 Iohn 3.24 bond of our conjunctiō with Christ is through faith wrought in the soules of the faithfull whereby not onely their soules live to eternall life but they surely trust to win their bodies a resurrection to immortality The true understanding of this fruition union which is betwixt the body the head betwixt the true beleevers and Christ the ancient Catholike Fathers both perceiving themselves and commending to their people were not afraid to call this supper some of them the salve of immortality and soveraigne preservative against death Other a deificall communion other the u Rev. 3.20 sweet dainties of our Saviour the pledge of eternall health the defence of faith the hope of the resurrection Other the food of immortality the healthfull grace and the conservatorie to everlasting life And in the same first part of the * p. 200. Homily it is also said Thus much more the faithfull see heare and know the favourable mercies of God sealed the satisfaction by Christ towards us confirmed and the remission of sinne established Here they may feele wrought the tranquility of conscience the increase of faith the strengthening of hope the large spreading abroad of brotherly kindnesse with many other sundry graces of God The tast whereof they cannot attaine unto who be drowned in the deepe durty lake of blindnesse and ignorance From the which O beloved u Ier. 4.14 Isay 1.16 Psal 119.9 Psal 26.6 wash your selves with the living waters of Gods Word whence you may perceive and know both the spirituall food of this costly supper and the happy trustings and effects that the same doth bring with it And then after it is said It is well knowne that the meate we seeke for in this supper is spirituall food the nourishment of our soule a heavenly reflection
and not earthly an invisible meat and not bodily a ghostly substance and not carnall c. By the advice of the * p. 201. Councill of Nicene wee ought to lift up our minds by faith and leaving these inferior and earthly things there seeke it where the Sunne of righteousnesse ever shineth Take then this lesson O thou that art desirous of this table of Emissenus a godly father that when thou goest up to the reverend Communion to bee satisfied with spirituall meats thou looke up with faith upon the holy body and blood of thy God thou marvell with reverence thou touch it with the mind thou receive it with the hand of thy heart and thou take it fully with thy inward man What the use is which we are to make of the Sacrament Concerning the use which we are to make of receiving the Sacrament it is signified in the prayer to bee read after the Prefaces in the Communion-service where it is said Grant us therefore gracious Lord so to eate the flesh of thy deare Sonne Iesus Christ and to drinke his blood that our sinfull bodies may bee made cleane by his body and our soules washed through his most precious blood and that we may evermore w Iohn 6.56 Iohn 14.23 dwell in him and he in us And it is also signified in the second prayer after the receiving where it is said We now most humbly beseech thee O heavenly Father so to assist us with thy grace that we may continue in that holy x Act. 2.42.46 Heb. 10.25 Col. 2.19 Eph. 2.19 fellowship and doe all such good workes as thou hast y Eph. 2.10 That the Sacrament is to be received often-times prepared for us to walke in through Iesus Christ our Lord. Concerning the oftennesse of the receiving of the Sacrament it is said in the rubricke afore the Service for the Communion of the sicke That Curats are to exhort their parishioners to the oft receiving in the Church of the holy Communion of the body and blood of our Saviour Christ which if they doe they shall have no cause in their sudden visitation to bee unquiet for lacke of the same It is said in the rubricke at the end of the Matrimony-service The new maried persons the same day of their mariage must receive the holy Communion And in the end of the Churching-service it is said in the rubricke The woman that commeth to give her thankes must offer accustomed offerings and if there be a Communion it is convenient that she receive the holy Communion It is said in the rubricke at the end of the Communion-Service That in Cathedrall and Collegiat Churches where be many Priests and Deacons they shall all receive the Communion with the Minister every z Acts 10.7 Sunday at the least except they have a reasonable cause to the contrary And in the end of that rubricke it is said Every Parishioner shall communicate at the least three times in the yeare of which Easter to bee one c. Also when any receive any order of the Ministery they are then to communicate as it is prescribed in the booke of ordering Bishops Priests and Deacons It is written in Genesis a Gen. 14.18 19. That Melchisedec King of Salem brought forth bread and wine and hee was the Priest of the most high God And hee blessed Abraham c. Saint Paul saith to the Corinthians b 1 Cor. 10.1 2 3 4. Our Fathers were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea And did all eate the same spirituall meat and did all drinke the same spirituall drinke For they dranke of that spirituall rocke that followed them and that rocke was Christ Wisedome saith in the Proverbes c Pro. 9.5 Come eate of my bread and drink of the wine which I have mingled Saint Matthew recordeth that as Iesus and his Disciples were eating the Passeover Iesus tooke d Matth. 26.26 27 28. bread and blessed it and brake it gave it to the disciples and said Take eate this is my body And he tooke the cup and gave thankes and gave it to them saying Drinke ye all of it for this is my blood of the new testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins Saint Iohn writeth that Iesus afore had said unto the Iewes c Ioh. 6.53 54 55 56.63 Verily verily I say unto you Except ye eate the flesh of the son of man and drink his blood ye have no life in you Who so eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternall life and I will raise him up at the last day For my flesh is meat indeed and my blood is drink indeed He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in mee and I in him It is the spirit that quickneth the flesh profiteth nothing the words that I speake unto you they are spirit and they are life It is written in the Acts f Acts 2.42 That the disciples continued stedfast in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayers Saint Paul saith to the Corinthians g 1 Cor. 10.16 17. The cup of blessing which we blesse is it not the Communion of the blood of Christ The bread which we break is it not the Communion of the body of Christ For we being many are one bread and one body for we are all partakers of one bread Also he saith h 1 Cor. 12.13 We have all been made to drinke into one spirit And further he delivereth i 1 Cor. 11.26 As often as ye eate this bread and drinke this cup ye doe shew the Lords death till he come CHAP. 56. Of preparing ones selfe for to receive worthily the holy Sacrament IT is said in the third Exhortation to be read afore the Communion The danger is great if we receive the holy Sacrament unworthily for then we bee guilty of the body and blood of Christ our Saviour wee eate and drinke our owne damnation not considering the Lords body we kindle Gods wrath against us wee provoke him to k 1 Cor. 11.30 plague us with diuers diseases and sundry kindes of death Therefore if any of you be a blasphemer of God an hinderer or l 1 Cor. 5.11 slanderer of his Word an adulterer or be in m 1 Iohn 3.15 Mat. 5.23 24 25. malice or envy or in any other griveous crime bewaile your sinnes c. Iudge therefore your selves brethren that ye be not judged of the Lord. Repent you truly for your sinnes past have a lively and stedfast faith in Christ our Saviour Amend your lives and be in perfect charitie with all men so shall yee be meet partakers of those holy mysteries Therefore it is to be said unto them that come to receive the holy Communion in the last words of exhortation afore the generall Confession be made You that doe truly and earnestly repent you or your sinnes and be in love and
charity with your neighbours and intend to lead a new life following the Commandements of God and walking from henceforth in his holy wayes draw neare and take this holy Sacrament to your comfort In the Catechisme it is said There is required of them which come to the Lords Supper to examine themselves whether they repent thē truly of their former sins stedfastly purposing to lead a new life have a lively faith in Gods mercy through Christ with a thankefull remembrance of his death and bee in charity with all men In the first part of the * T. 2 p. 198. Homily concerning the Sacrament it is said We must addresse our selves to frequent this Table in reverent and comely manner lest as physicke provided for the body being misused more hurteth then profiteth so this comfortable medicine of the soule undecently received tendeth to our greater harm and sorrow We must certainly know that three things be requisite in him which would seemely as becommeth such high mysteries resort to the Lords table That is first a right and worthy estimation and understanding of this mysterie Secondly to come in a sure faith And thirdly to have newnesse or purenesse of life to succeed the receiving of the same In the second part of the * P. 202. Homily concerning the Sacrament it is said We may learne by eating of the typicall Lambe whereunto no man was admitted but he that was a Iew that was n Ex. 12.48 circumcised that was before sanctified Yea Saint Paul testifieth that although the people were partakers of the Sacraments under Moses yet for that some of them were still worshippers of Images Whoremongers Tempters of Christ murmurers and coveting after evill things God o 1 Cor. 10.5 6 11. overthrew those in the wildernesse and that for our example that is that we Christians should take heed we resort unto our Sacraments with holinesse of life not trusting in the p Mat 15.8.9 Ier. 7.3 4 5 9 10 c. Mat. 3.8 9 10. outward receiving of them and infected with corrupt and uncharitable manners For this sentence of God must alwayes bee justified q Mat. 12.7 Hos 6.7 1 Sam. 15.22 23. I will have mercy and not sacrifice Wherefore saith Basil it behooveth him that commeth to the body and blood of Christ in commemoration of him that dyed and rose againe not onely to be pure from all r 2 Cor. 7.1 filthinesse of the flesh and spirit lest hee eate and drinke his owne condemnation but also to ſ 1 Cor. 11.26.24 shew out evidently a memory of him that died and rose againe for us in this point that yee be t Rom. 6.11.8 mortified to sinne and the world to live now unto God in Christ Iesu our Lord. It is * P. 203. afterward delivered most divinely also Furthermore for newnesse of life it is to bee noted that S. Paul writeth that we being many are one u 1 Cor. 10.17 bread and one body for all be partakers of one bread Declaring thereby not onely our communion with Christ but that w Eph. 4.16 unity also wherein they that eate at this Table should be knit together For by dissention vaine glorie ambition strife envying contempt hatred or malice they should not be x 1 Cor. 11.18 dissevered but so y Eph. 2.21 22. 1 Pet 2.5 Col. 2.2.5.19 joyned by the bond of love in one mysticall body as the Cornes of that bread in one Loafe In respect of which strait knot of Charity the true Christians in the Primitive Church called this Supper Love As if they should say none ought to sit downe there that were out of love and charity who bare grudge and vengeance in his heart who also did not professe his kind affectiō by some charitable z Acts 20.7 with 1 Cor 16 2. reliefe for some part of the congregation And this was their practice O heavenly banquet then so used O godly ghests who so esteemed this feast And so along unto the end of the Homily the preparation required unto the receiving of the Communion is declared in most Heavenly manner Read the whole second Exhortation which is appointed to bee read afore the Communion and therein the preparation is most plainly expressed also Read also the Thanksgiving which is appointed to bee sung after receiving the Lords Supper set after the Psalmes in meeter and therein the preparing is withall signified Saint Paul saith Whosoever shall eate this bread and drinke this cup of the Lord a 1 Cor. 11.27 28 29 30 31. unworthily shall bee guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himselfe and so let him eate of that bread and drinke of that Cup. For hee that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to himselfe not discerning the Lords body For this cause many are weake and sickly among you and many sleepe For if we would judge our selves we should not be judged CHAP. 57. Of kneeling in the act of receiving the Sacrament IN the Rubricke afore the words used in ministring the Communion it is signified That both Ministers and people are to take the Sacrament kneeling The reason is because it is now received in prayer The minister delivering the Sacrament saith The body of our Lord Iesus Christ which was given for thee preserve thy body and soule into everlasting life The blood of our Lord Iesus Christ which was shed for thee preserve thy body and soule into everlasting life Are not these sayings words of prayer And ought not the b 1 Cor. 11 4 5 1 Kings 8.62 1 Cor. 14.16 heart of the receiver to pray with the Minister praying And is not c Ps 95.6 See Chap. 68. kneeling the fittest gesture for prayer It is said in the last Exhortation to be read before the Communion Make your humble confession to Almighty God meekely kneeling upon your knees And in no Rubrick of the Communion-Service are people required to change that gesture but rather to continue it untill they bee let depart with the blessing Charity saith S. Paul doth not behave it selfe d 1 Cor. 13.5 unseemely Againe hee saith e 1 Cor. 14.40 Let all things be done decently in order Is it seemly decent or orderly that people both before and after the receiving of the Sacrament should continue kneeling and in the very act of receiving should stand or sit especially whereas it is now taken with and in Prayer Christ first gave the Sacrament after Supper and so Christians in the Primitive Church celebrated it in the evening and f 1 Cor. 11.20 21 22 33 34. after Supper but now the Church for many ages hath changed the time and hath ordained it to be taken in the morning If the Church our Mother hath so great power and authority as to change the time of taking and to ordaine it to bee taken not after meat but afore dinner and in praying hath she
thereby and giving him hearty thankes therefore he doth eate and drinke the body and blood of our Saviour Christ profitably to his soules health although he doe not receive the Sacrament with his mouth Our Mother the Church who according to her godly wisedome was the first causer of Temples to be built in this Land and the first appointer of the Parishes unto them hath ordained the Temples to be the ordinary places for receiving the holy Sacrament But in cases of necessitie when people cannot with any conveniency come or be brought into the Temple her Divine Wisdome hath appointed such to receive in their private house The Passeover which was even of like signification as the Communion is was kept in q Exod. 12.3 4. Mat. 26.18 private houses So in the Primitive Church it is said The Disciples came together into a r Act. 20.7 8 9. Jta Syrus interpretatus est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 At Arabs optime ad frangen dum vel distribuendum corpus Messiae house for to breake bread that is to * celebrate the Communion Christ saith ſ Mat. 18.20 Where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them Saint Paul said to the Romanes Greet the Church which is in the t Rom. 16.5 house of Aquila and Priscilla These Scriptures are here alleaged for to illustrate the lawfulnesse of receiving the Communion in private house according as the law of the Church alloweth but not in any otherwise And that Christs body and blood is profitably unto the soules health received sometimes without the Sacrament whē as the Sacrament cannot conveniently bee received that delivery of Christ declareth where he saith Except ye u Ioh. 6.53 54 55 56 57 47. eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his blood ye have no life in you Who so eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternall life c. He that beleeveth on me hath everlasting life Behold saith Christ I stand at the doore and knocke If any man heare my voyce and open the doore I will come into him and will sup with him and w Rev. 3.20 he with me But the holy Sacrament is in no wise to be neglected but with all due reverence to be received when as it may conveniently and lawfully bee ministred because it is Gods ordinary meanes whereby his people spiritually eate the flesh of Christ and drinke his blood CHAP. 67. Of Buriall of the dead IN the Rubricke before the Service thereof it is said The Priest meeting the corpes at the Church stile shall say or else the Priest and Clerkes shall sing and so goe either into the Church or towards the grave I am the x Iohn 11.25 26. resurrection and the life saith the Lord He that c. Vpon Christs words concerning Mary the sister of Lazarus that she was come afore hand to annoynt his body to the burying Tremellius a Iew by Nation but a Christian by profession in religion and famous in the Church of God for his translation of the Scriptures forth of Hebrew Chaldean and Syriacke relateth out of * Vide Tremellianam Annotationem ad Mar. 14.6 Iudaicall Antiquity That it was the manner of the Iewes among sundry Ceremonies and Services used about the dead as annoynting washing wrapping in linnen laying it on a Beere c. before they committed the body to the ground first to utter certaine sentences written by their Ancestors or Elders to bee said at this occasion in which funerall Service Gods Iustice is commended and mans sinnes aggravated by which they deserved death and God is beseeched so to exercise his Iustice that he would not forget that he is Mercy also And the Corpes being interred some things also are said as unto the Mourners for their consolation This saith hee was a custome in Israel which in time past was the peculiar people of God and a godly custome not much unlike is now in Englād used at a buriall unto the magnifying of Gods Iustice the condemning of mans sinne the meeke beseeching of Gods mercy through Iesus Christ and the comforting of the sorrowfull upon the occasion And to performe such funerall Service is it not onely proper to the Ministery which is the ordinary y Ios 9.14 mouth of God unto the people and of the people unto God Christ saith It becommeth us to fulfill all z Mat. 3.1 5. righteousnesse The Apostle saith a Phil. 4.8 Whatsoever things are of good report if they be of any vertue or praise they are to be thought upon and observed b 1 Cor. 14.40 All things are to be done decently and in order Ancient orders and customes ordained by the weighty deliberation of forefathers which may be used without any superstition and doe tend onely unto piety and humanity are according as the Church concerning them prescribeth with all conscionable care to be retained performed Yea the Church now greatly esteemeth deliveries of Antiquity as it may appeare where it is said in the Service for Consecration of Bishops That the Archbishop sitting in a Chair shal say this to him that is to be Consecrated Brother forasmuch as holy Scripture A Prayer of Chrysostome is a part of the Letany In the Homilies there are sayings of all the Fathers alleaged with much respect and the old Canons commandeth c. S. Ambrose his song is a part of the Morning Divine Service the Confession of faith composed by Athanasius and the Nicene Creed are therein likewise Read the 34. Article of Religion CHAP. 68. Of the reverence to bee done unto Almighty God in his Worship HOly Church in her Prayer for the whole state of Christs Church militant here in earth prescribeth unto us for to say And to all thy people give thine heavenly grace and specially to this congregation here present that with meeke heart and due reverence they may heare and receive thy holy word In the first part of the * T. 2. p. 1. Homily concerning the right use of the Church or Temple of God and of the reverence due unto the same it is said Where there appeareth at these dayes great slacknesse and negligence of a great sort of people in resorting to the Church there to serve God their heavenly Father according to their most bounden duty as also much uncomely and unreverent behaviour of many persons in the same when they bee there assembled and thereby may just feare arise of the wrath of God and his dreadfull plagues hanging over our heads for our grievous offences in this behalfe among other many and great sinnes which wee daily and hourely commit before the Lord. In the second part of the said * P. 8. Homily the Church saith And indeed concerning the people and multitude the Temple is prepared for them to be hearers rather than speakers considering that aswell the word of God is there read or taught whereunto they are bound
99. Of sundry of Gods blessings upon obedient people in this present life IN the first part of the * T. 2. p. 5. Homily concerning the right use of the Church it is said If we would with diligence resort to the house of the Lord together to serve the Lord with one accord and u Zeph. 3.9 consent in all holinesse and righteousnesse before him wee have promises of benefits both heavenly and worldly Wheresoever two or three be gathered in my name saith our Saviour Christ there am I in the w Mat. 18.20 middest of them And what can bee more blessed than to have our Saviour Christ x Psal 16.11.6.5 Ezech. 48.35 among us In the second part of the * T. 2. p. 93.94 Homily of Fasting it is said Godwhich heard y 1 King 21.29 Ahab and the z Ionah 3.10 Ninevites and spared them will also heare our prayers and spare us so that we after their example will unfainedly turne unto him yea he will blesse us with his heavenly benedictions the time that we have to tary in this world and after the race of this mortall life he will bring us to his a Mat. 7.21 heavenly Kingdome In the second part of the * T. 2. p. 212. Homily for Whitsunday it is said Our Saviour Christ departing out of the world unto his Father promised his disciples to send downe another Comforter that should b Iohn 14.16 continue with them for ever and direct them into c Iohn 16.13 all truth The blessing pronounced at the end of Evening-Service namely d 2 Cor. 13.14 The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost be with us all evermore Is it not a great comfort to a soule for to enjoy all the same Saint Iohn accounted the fellowship with Gods Spirit the Sūmum bonum the supreame happinesse in this world where hee saith z Pet. 1.11 to the little children in Christ That which we have seene and heard declare we unto you that ye also may have fellowship with us and truely our e 1 Ioh. 1.1 2 3 fellowship is with the Father and with his Sonne Iesus Christ And these things write wee unto you that your joy may be full In the * T. 2. p. 193. Homily of the Resurrection it is signified That untill the generall resurrection in the last day whiles wee now are in this world Gods holy spirit may be had within our hearts as a f 2 Cor. 1.22 seale and g Eph. 1.13.14 Rom 8.15 16.23 pledge of our everlasting inheritance Yea saith that sacred * T. 2. p. 192 Homily unto every true member of Christ Thou hast received Christs body to have within thee the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost for to h Ioh. 14.23 2 Cor. 6.16 dwell with thee for to endow thee with grace to strength thee against thine enemies and to comfort thee with their presence And againe Christ now entred within us how dare we be so bold to renounce the presence of the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost for where one is there is God i Col. 3.11 Ephes 4.6 1 Cor. 3.16 17. and 6.19 all whole in Majesty together with all his power wisdome and goodnesse and feare not I say the danger and perill of so traiterous a defiance and departure In the first * T. 2. p. 180. Homily of the Passion it is said God give us all grace to follow Christs k 1 Pet. 2.21 1 Iohn 2.6 examples in peace in charity in patience and sufferance that wee now may have him our ghest to enter and dwell within us so as we may be in full surety having such a pledge of our salvation If we have him and his favour we may be sure that we have the favour of God l Mat. 3.17 by his meanes In the third Exhortation afore the Communion it is said If with a true penitent heart and lively faith wee receive that holy Sacrament then we m Iohn 6.63.36 spiritually eate the flesh of Christ and drink his blood then we dwell in Christ and Christ in us we be n 1 Cor. 6.17 one with Christ and Christ with us In the * T. 2. p. 195. Homily of the Resurrection it is said Apply your selves good friends to live in Christ that Christ may still live o Gal. 2. 2 Cor. 4.10.11 in you whose favour and assistance if ye have then p Iohn 3.36 and 6.47 1 Iohn 5.20 have you everlasting life already within you then can nothing q Rom. 8.31 hurt you Whatsoever is hitherto done and committed Christ ye see hath offered you pardon and clearly received you to his favour againe in full surety whereof yee have him now inhabiting and r Rom. 8.9 10 11. Gal 4.6 1 Iohn 3.24 dwelling within you In the first part of Whitsunday * T. 2 p. 209. Homily it is said The Holy Ghost doth not thinke it sufficient inwardly to work the spirituall and new birth of man unlesse he doe also ſ 1 Cor. 3.16 dwell and abide in him In the first part of the * T. 1. p. 60. Homily against the feare of Death it is signified That a true Christian is the very t Ephes 5.30 member of Christ the u 1 Cor. 3.17 Temple of the Holy Ghost the w Rom. 8.14 15 16. Sonne of God and the very x Rom. 8.17 Iam. 2.5 inheritour of the everlasting Kingdome of Heaven Most memorable is that sentence of the Holy Ghost delivered by Saint Paul unto Timothy Godlinesse is profitable unto all things having promise of the life that y 1 Tim. 4.8 now is and of that which is to come David saith The Lord will give strength unto his people The Lord will blesse his people with z Psal 29.11 peace Wisedome saith in the booke of the Proverbs Whoso hearkeneth unto me shal dwell a Prov. 1.33 safely and shall be quiet from feare of evill And Solomon also saith b Prov. 3.16 17 18. Length of dayes is in her right hand and in her left hand riches and honour She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her Isaiah saith Since the beginning of the world men have not heard nor perceived by the eare neither hath the eye seene O God besides thee what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him Thou c Isa 64.4 5. meetest him that rejoyceth and worketh righteousnesse those that remember thee in thy wayes Peter saith The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous and his eares are d 1 Pet. 3.12 open unto their prayers Hanani the Seer said The eyes of the Lord runne too and fro throughout the whole earth to shew himselfe strong in the e 2 Chro. 16.9 behalfe of him whose heart is perfect towards him David saith The Lord is
otherwise it is of no strength at all whilest the Testatour liueth Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without bloud It was therefore necessary that the patternes of things in the heauens should be purified with these but the heauenly things themselues with better sacrifices than these And in another place the same Apostle sayth m Heb. 2.9.10 We see Iesus who was made a little lower than the Angels for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honour that he by the grace of God should taste death for euery man For it became him for whom are all things and by whom are all things in bringing many sonnes vnto glory to make the Captaine of their saluation perfect through sufferings For as much then as the children are partakers of flesh and bloud he also himselfe likewise tooke part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the diuell And Christ signified the same vnto the two men going to Emmaus saying n Luke 24 26. Ought not Christ to haue suffered these things and to enter into his glory The Prophets o Psal 2â— Dauid p Isa 53. Isaiah and q Dan. 9.24.25.26 Daniel foretold expresly of his death And r 2. Esdras 7.29 Esdras hath mentioned the same CHAP. 23. Of the resurrection and ascension of Iesus Christ IN the * T. 2. p. 189. Homily of the Resurrection of our Sauior Iesus Christ it is sayd So great surely is the matter of this Article and of so great waight and importance that it was thought worthy to keepe our Sauior still on earth forty dayes after he was risen from death to life to the confirmation and establishment thereof in the hearts of his Disciples Saint Paul sayth to the Corinthians Å¿ 1. Cor 15 14.1â— If Christ be not risen then is our preaching vaine and your faith is also vaine yea and wee are found false witnesses of God because we haue testified of God that he hath raised vp Christ And if Christ be not raised your faith is vaine yee are yet in your sinnes The Church deliuereth also in the aforesayd * P. 191. 192. Homily It had not beene enough to be deliuered by his death from sinne except by his Resurrection wee had bene t Rom. 4.25 endowed with righteousnesse And it should not auaile vs to be deliuered from death except he had risen againe to open for vs the gates of Heauen to enter into life euerlasting He died to destroy the rule of the Diuell in vs and he rose againe to send downe his holy Spirit to rule in our hearts to endow vs with perfect righteousnesse The second Antheme to be sayd on Easter day is u 1. Cor. 15.20.21 Christ is risen againe the first fruites of them that sleepe For seeing that by man came death by man also commeth the resurrection of the dead For as by Adam all men doe dye so by Christ all men shall bee restored to life Therefore sayth the Church in the Preface to be read on Easter day Chiefly are we bound to praise thee for the glorious Resurrection of thy Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord for he is the very w 1. Cor. 5.7 Paschall Lambe which was offered for vs and hath x Ioh. 1.29 taken away the sinne of the world who by his y 1. Cor. 15.54.55 death hath destroyed death and by his rising to life againe hath restored to vs life z 1. Thes 4.14 Iohn 5 24.28.29 Rom. 8.11 Ioh. 6.33 1. Cor. 15.23 euerlasting Also by his rising againe he was manifested to be God as it is written And declared to be the Sonne of God with power according to the Spirit of Holinesse a Rom. 1.4 by the Resurrection from the dead Reade diligently the Homily of the Resurrection wherein the Doctrine thereof and the vse which we are to make of it is in most Diuine manner deliuered Now concerning Christs Ascension it is signified in the * T. 2. p. 189. Homily of the Resurrection That he ascended vp to his Father into the heauens there to receiue the b Ioh. 20.17 Iohn 17.5 1. Iâ—eâ— 3.22 glory of his most triumphant conquest and victory And in the Preface to be read vpon the Ascension day it is sayd that Iesus Christ our Lord after his most glorious Resurrection manifestly appeared to all his Apostles and in their c Acts 1.9.10.11 sight ascended vp into Heauen to prepare a place for vs that where he is thither might we also ascend and reigne with him in glory That Christ was glorified being ascended into Heauen Dauid declareth saying d Psal 68.18 Thou hast ascended on high thou hast led captiuity captiue thou hast receiued gifts for men yea for the rebellious also that the Lord might dwell among them Saint Paul sayth e Heb. 12.2 That Christ for the ioy which was set before him endured the Crosse despising the shame and is set downe at the right hand of the Throne of God That hee also ascended to f Iohn 14.2.3 prepare in Heauen a place for his true Disciples hee testifieth by his VVordes saying In my Fathers House are many Mansions if it were not so I would haue told you I goe to prepare a place for you And if I goe and prepare a place for you I will come againe and receiue you vnto my selfe that where I g Iohn 17.24 Iohn 12.26 am there yee may bee also The Apostle to the Hebrewes writting concerning the Ascension sayth also h Hebr. 9.24 Christ is not entred into the Holy places made with hands which are figures of the true but into Heauen it selfe now to appeare in the presence of God for vs. And to the Ephesians hee sayth i Ephe. 4.10 Hee that descended is the same also that ascended vp farre aboue all Heauens that he might fill all things CHAP. 24. Of the comming downe of the Holy Ghost HOly Church in most Diuine manner in the Sacred Letany mentioneth together all the great things done and suffered by Christ for Mankinde teaching vs to pray that by all and euery of them we in particular may be deliuered saying By the Mystery of thy Holy Incarnation by the Holy Natiuity and Circumcision by the Baptisme Fasting and Temptation Good Lord deliuer vs. By thine Agony and Bloody Sweate by thy Crosse and passion by thy precious death and buriall by thy glorious Resurrection and Ascension and by the comming of the Holy Ghost Good Lord deliuer vs. Wherein we are taught to consider that the comming of the Holy Ghost is a matter pertaining to our deliuerance or saluation and now here to be meditated on In the Preface to be read on Whitsunday it is sayd That according to the most true promise of Iesus Christ our Lord the Holy Ghost came downe this day from Heauen with a suddaine great sound as it had beene a mightie wind in