it must not adde diminish alter or change or otherwise by wrested interpretatioÌ„ draw it to another meaning then the Analogie of our fayth and the conference of one place with another place of it in it self may warrant And therefore it is strangely written of Hossius that if a man haue the Interpretation of the Sea of Roome vppon anye place of the Scriptures though he knowe not nor cannot vnderstande howe it can possibly agree with the wordes of Scripture yet is it sayeth hee the moste certaine worde of GOD. Yea they say that the interpretation of the scripture Varyeth with the practise of the Church so that as that changeth the interpretation of the Scripture chaungeth also Of this Vsurpation of authoritie ouer the worde of GOD and of this discrediting of the scriptures it commeth not onelye that they make in manye places Interpretations repugnant to the Text as when they interprete Datur for Offertur and Facite for Sacrificate But also that the moste parte of their Doctrines are contrarye to the expresse wordes of GOD and the Analogie of oure fayth As by example of a fewe you shall take the measure of the residue As for interpretations when Christ sayth in the matter of the Sacrament This is my body that is say they this is Transubstantiated or hath the substance of it turned into my Body contrary to all writers and the nature of al tongues expounding est the Verbe substantiue is by Transubstantiatur Let them shew eyther any auncient Father yea or anye latine writer that euer did the like and let them take the victorie Agayne where Christ sayth This is my body that is Giuen for you that is say they that is Offered for you So that that which he meÌ„t to be giuen to death vpon the crosse as al good christians vnderstand the place they to mayntayne their Sacrifice of the Masse drawe it to this that Christ then presently in the time of the Ministration offered his body to God the Father in waye of a Sacrifice And so for to mayntayne a deuise of their owne they doe robbe the people of God of that sweete promise and comfortable legacie wherein Christe in his last will assureth them that his body shoulde be giuen to Death for their redemtion In like manner when christ sayth Do this in remembraunce of me that is say they Sacrifice this in my remembraunce Wherein with as great absurditie as before they doe peruerte the meaning of Christ For where his purpose was to giue a warrante to all christian people to vse and celebrate this Sacrament in remembraunce of his death they bring it to bee spoken to Priestes only wringing them vtterly contrary to that exposition of Christes wordes whiche S. Paule maketh 1. Cor 11. saying So often as you eate this bread and drinke this Cuppe you shewe the Lordes death vntill he come Nowe as touching their Doctrines repugnaunte to Gods word you shall â—â—te these few examples in steede of many mo The Scripture teacheth that we haue redemption and iustification by fayth in Christes blood onelye without the helpe of our owne Vertues and good workes For S. Paule saith Therefore we gather that a man is iustified by faith without the deedes of the lawe And to the Ephe. 2. Ye are iustified by grace and that not of your selues it is the gift of God not of works least any man should boast And yet if wee beleeue not that our workes doe helpe vs to our iustification and remission of sinnes the Churche of Rome will condemne vs as Heretikes The scriptures teach vs that Christ By once offering himselfe on the Crosse made perfect all them that are sanctified For so saith S. Paule to the Hebr. And yet by the Churche of Rome are they horrible heretikes that say there is not daylye sacrifice propitiatorie for our sinnes in their Masse The scriptures teach vs y t Christ is ascended into heauen and sitteth on the right hande of God the Father and from thence and no place else he shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead yet contrarie to this article of our faith and contrarie to the nature of Christes humanitie if wee beleeue not that Christ euen in his fleshe is still in earth with vs yea and that in a. 1000. places at once we must be pronouÌ„ced detestable heretikes The scripture saith in the vse of the Lordes Supper Bibite ex hoc omnes Drinke ye all of this The Churche of Rome saith it is heresie to affirme that y e lay people should drinke of the Lordes Cuppe The scriptures say Thou shalt make thee no grauen image nor thou shalte not bow downe to worship it The Church of Rome saith it is godlye to haue the churche full of Images to kneele downe before them to set vp candels to them and with incense to honour them The scripture saith In the Church it is better to speake fiue wordes vnderstanded to edifie than to speake tenne thousande in a tongue not vnderstanded yet you knowe the churche of Rome hath defined it that it is more fruitfull and godly to haue all the diuine seruice in a straunge and vnknowen tongue Wherefore howe truely they can claime to haue this first marke of Christes churche I doubte not but those consciences that haue the feare of God can easily perceiue As for the sacraments it is not onely sufficient to haue them but to haue those that Christ appoynted and to vse them accordyng to hys institution Saint Ambrose sayth verie notablye Qui aliter presumunt accipere quam Christus instituit deuotus esse non potest i. Hee that presumeth to receaue it he meaneth the sacrament of the bodye and bloud of Christ after another sorte then Christ hath ordained can not be accounted to be truely deuoute But howe they haue altered the Sacraments both in number and in the right vse of them no man almost can bee ignoraunt Where the Scriptures mention but two they haue appointed seuen I will not now stand vpon the number of sacramentes I will speake only of those which both parts agree to be sacraments Baptisme the Lordes Supper First as touching Baptisme we teache not onely as some falsely father vppon vs that it is signum Initiale a Signe wherby we be first consecrated Christians but wee adde also that we by faith and the operation of the holy Ghost doe put on Christ as a garment that is that wee haue him so fastened and appropriated to vs that he is ours and wee his and that he hydeth and couereth our nakednesse according as S. Paule saith As many as are Baptized haue put on Christ We beleeue and teache that Baptisme is to Christians the Fountaine of life whereby our sinnes are washed away So saith S. Peter Baptizetâ—r vnusquisque vestrum in nomine Jesu in remissionem peccatoruÌ„ i. Let euerie one of you
of Christ and alleaging out of the Psalme the words of God the Father Fortitudines regum disrumpaÌ„ aperiara ante illuÌ„ portas ciuitates non claudentur illi Whereby he noteth that no power of Prince or citie should be able to resist the Gospel of Christ But this conquest of the Gospell was alway by suffering and not by force or resisting as S. Augustine sayth de agone Christi Cap. 12. Ecclesia catholica per totum orbem diffâ—sa magis magisque roborata est non resisteÌ„do sed perfereÌ„do And another Father sayth Sanguis martiruÌ„ semen Euangelij The blood of martirs is the seede of the Gospell And Hieron ad theoph saith Patiendo coÌ„tumelias Christi fundata Ecclefia est persecutionibus creuit martyriis coronata est By suffering all kinde of reprochfull dealing which was giuen forth and doue against Christ the Church of God hath had the more great and large beginninges by persecutions hath it increased and with martyrdome it is crowned In all places haue the Apostles and other Preachers of y e Gospel sound many bitter enimies which being armed as well with publique authoritie as priuate malice greedily desyred sought how to destroy them to confound their doctrine In all places were heard terrible threatninges and proclamations of Emperours the glistering swordes of cruell Tormentours were alwayes in their eyes Imprisonmentes Bondes Fetters Roddes Whippes Rackes and a thousand kindes of cruell tormentes daylye prepared and diuised agaynst them The very name of a Christian was sufficient to bring them to punishmente and death They were accused that they did agaynste the lawes of the Romaines that they spake agaynste their God and olde religions that they were authours of seditions rebellion and all mischiefe And commonly the beginning of all accusations was thus They whiche trouble the whole world are come vnto vs also Yet did the teaching of the Doctrine of our Saluation by the mightie power of Gods spirit breake through and ouercome all these difficulties And the Gospell not onely conquered and vanquished all aduersarie powers but spread it selfe in fewe yeares thorowe the whole worlde As Saint Augustine sayth de Ciuit. dei li. 22. Ligabantur includebantur câ—debantur torquebantur multiplicabantur i. They were bounde they were imprisoned they were whipped they were tormeÌ„ted racked and yet for all this they multiplied and increased The same power of God euen in these latter dayes hath wonderfully shewed it selfe in Furthering his Gospell For when the heauenly doctrine of our saluation in Christ Jesu was so buried in the darkenesse of schoole learning that no man tasted the sweetenesse of it when Gods holye word lay ouerwhelmed in dust and was not read almost of any when the comfortable vse of the sacrameÌ„ts was defaced with wicked superstition Idolatrie when the whole state of religion was turned to an outward shewe of gestures signes and ceremonies When Antechrist in al his pompe sate in the Church of Christ as sayth S. Paule Auaunting himself aboue all that was called God and made Princes and Emperoures to kisse his feete when it was euen death almost to thinke of the restoring of Gods trueh euen then I saye by the ministerye of one simple man at the firste agaynst the clamoures of monkes and Freers against the scorning of the bishops agaynste the power of the Pope against the assistance of temporall princes against al torments by fyre by fagot by sword by imprisonment God hath so published spred his Gospell as now all countreyes of Europe are partakers of it Wherefore they are dul of sence sâ—antly to be accounted good christians which in these latter dayes are so offended with the troubles and dangers that vsuallye followe the Gospell that they doe not in the meane time see and consider how the mighty power of God doth beare rule euen among the middest of his enimies and doth worke safetye for his church and Gospell euen in those common weales and vnder those kings and Princes which are not onelye farre from the faythfull imbracing of his truth but euidentlye shewe themselues to bee the professed aduersaries thereof euen to the vttermoste of their power If any bee of that opinion that hee therefore thinke the Gospell to bee weake and contemptible because it is continually excercised with the crosse of affliction and trouble of the worlde in that his iudgemente hee is greatly deceiued For therein principally it appeareth that it is preserued by some diuine power Neither is it like the vnfortunate state of worldly kingdoms and principalities which seeme to rest vpon the power and policy of men For commonly such doe fall to ruine and decay when they appeare to be settled and in greatest glorye For the truth hereof consider the examples of all the Kingdoms and Empyres that euer were the Asstrians the Persians the Grecians the Romaines c. But contrariwise the Gospell and Kingdome of Christ doth then most prosper and preuayle when all endeuours and powers of Princes are set against it The euident proofe whereof I haue let you vnderstande before as well by example of the primatiue Church as of these latter dayes God doth then most shewe his power when all mans strength and helpe moste fayleth as sayth Tertullian out of the Psalme I will breake the power of Kinges I will open the gates before him and Citties shall not be shut against him There is no wisedome there is no power there is no counsayle agaynste the Lorde Though people frette and fume though Princes rage though they consult and assemble themselues togither yet it shall alwayes be true that followeth He that â—itteth in Heauen shall laugh them to scorne the Lord shall haue them in derision and shall scatter all their deuises and breake all their power For the Gospell is the mighty power of God to saluation to all them that beleeue c. Non me pudet Euangelij I am not ashamed of the Gospell THe Gospell hath many enimies many that cauill at it and find great faults therwith to the end that men shold be ashamed eyther to professe it or after profession to stande constantly in it Firste there are Epicures and godlesse persons that thinke al this whole matter of Faith and Religion for certayne purposes to be deuised and fayned of men and therefore they maruayle at vs that we bee so earnest and carefull therein and offer our selues to so great daunger for it Whatsoeuer is spoken of God of the Deuill of Heauen or of Hell these pleasant companyons deryde and scorne and thinke it of no more weight then a poeticall fable And therefore they grunte with the Pigges of Epicures stie and say Let vs eate let vs drinke and make good cheare for shortly we shall die and after death remaineth no pleasure An other sort of the Aduersaries of the Gospel are the wise politique men of the world and such gouernors
entelye to bee noted in them and greatly to be 〈…〉 When we speake therefore of the sacrament we must speake as it is in it selfe by the force of Gods worde consisting of all three partes and not as the baldnesse of men or the weakenesse and imperfection of oure fayth maye make it â—â—w vs. Nowe let vs consider the causes and endes for which Christes pleasure was to ordaine Sacramentes in hys Church that we may thereby also in part learne what fruit and benefite wee take by them The first cause is partly our owne infirmitie and weakenesse beyng dull and slowe in the vnderstanding of heauenly things partly the great goodnesse and loue of God that woulde vouchsafe to attemper himselfe to our simple capacitie and seeke meanes by outward things to ease and helpe the same For this cause in the Scripture doth he so often vse parables and similitudes of those things that are within the compasse of our vnderstaÌ„ding by those the sooner to induce vs to the knowledge of his heauenly doctrines This cause the auncient and learned Fathers did acknowledge in their writinges The Lord saith Chrisostome geueth vs not any thing that is sensible but insensible things The outward things are sensible but all thinges are to bee vnderstanded in the minde In Baptisme water is sensible but our regeneration and renewing is perceiued in the minde For if thou wert spirituall and without a body he would haue giuen all these things to thee naked bare but because with thy minde there is ioyned a grosse body in things sensible he declareth vnto thee things by thy minde to be vnderstanded Like wordes almost hath Dionysius in Caelost Hier. Because of carnall persons saith Augustine visible Sacramentes were instituted to the end that by things that be seene with your eyes your minde may be transformed to those things that be vnderstanded Our vnderstanding is weake and dull our memorie is fraile and fickle and soone forgetteth the benefite of God Both these our unperfections God by his Sacramentes helpeth our vnderstanding is â—ed by the similitude and lykenesse of the external signes as before I haue noted Our Seuces also are by the erercise of the Sacramentes stirred vp to be instrumentes to helpe one mynde and weake faith Our remembraunce also by the same 〈◊〉 is marueilouslyâ— strengthened And therefore a seconde cause or ende of a Sacrament is that it maye bee to vs a blessed exercise whereby wee call to remembraunce the benefite of our redemption in Christ and yeelde to him most hartie thankes and praise for the same according as Christ teacheth vs in the institution of his laste Supper Doe this in remembraunce of mee And Saint Paule so often as you eate of this bread and drinke of this cuppe you shall set forthe the death of the Lorde vntill his comming c. They therefore which come to receaue the Sacrament and neuer thinke of this nor call to theyr remembraunce to prayse God for this vnestimable benefite but thinke that the outwarde vse of the Sacrament is sufficient are among the number of them that receyue vnworthily and make lyttle accompt of Christes benefite procured for vs. A thyrde cause and ende of a Sacrament is that wee by the practice and vse thereof myght bee traded to the obedieuce of Gods holye wyll and commaundementes thoughe the thinges seeme to our selues neuer so simple and meanâ— and also that thereby wee myght openly before God and the worlde protest and acknowledge that we are his people and of the number of them that looke to be saued preserued defended by the benefite of Christ onely So that the open vse of the sacramentes is a parte of that confession wherevnto S. Paule attributeth saluation when he sayeth If thou confesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and beleeue in thy hart that God raised him from the dead thou shalt bee saued for by the heart wee beleeue to righteousnesse and by the mouth confession is made to saluation In the vse of the sacramentes wee confesse both by mouthe anâ— testimonie of all the partes of our bodye that Christ Iesus is our Lorde and sauiour A fourthe cause and ende of the Sacramentes is that they myght bee as bandes and linkes of loue vnitie and concorde among our selues Therefore Saint Paule when hee exhorted to vnitie and loue among other thinges a 〈…〉 th Wee haue one faith one Baptisme And agayne in another place Wee are one bodye as manye as bee partakers of one lofe For this cause doth Saint Augustine call the Sacrament of the Supper Sacramentum vnitatis i. A Sacrament of vnitie and teacheth vs as before I haue saide that as a loafe of breade is made of manye graynes and a Cuppe of Wyne of many Grapes so wee thoughe manye in number are made members of one mysticall bodye of Christ Iesu A foule thing it is to see the seruauntes of one Maister that weare one cognizaunce or liuerie to fall out among themselues it can not bee without some reproche of their Maister All Christian men weare one cognizaunce and badge for the Sacraments are the marks of Christes sheepe Therfore not to loue agree together is a reproch wrought to our Lord and Maister Wherby in a maner we protest to the world that we be not seruaunts of his familie For in this sayeth he shall men knowe you to be my Disciples if you loue one another as I haue loued you Hereof doth the right vse and vnderstanding of the Sacrameutes very notably put vs in remembraunce For it teacheth vs that in Baptune wee are all newe borne children of God and graffed into one bodie and in the Lordes supper fedde and nourished with one heauenly foode of the body and blood of Christ and therefore that we should with faithfull and vnfained loue hartelie embrace one the other as the children of one father the members of one body and the seruauntes of one Maister fed at one table and nourished with one foode to eternal life Let them therfore looke with what consciences they come vnto the Sacramentes y â— reserue bytter rancour malice in their hartes let them consider what heauy testimony they giue against theÌ„selues before God his Angels The last cause end of a sacrament y â— I meane nowe to speake of is that by those as by blessed instrumentes of the holye Ghostes working hee myght imparte vnto vs and bestowe vppon vs hys vnestimable Graces and benefytes together wyth all the fruites of our redemption in Christ Jesu For as his worde is so are his Sacraments instrumentes and Meanes by the working of his holy spirite to bring vnto vs the whole benefite of our saluation And here againe because of our sclauÌ„derous aduersaries I must put you in remeÌ„braunce that we which teache thus teache not as it is fathered vpon vs that the Sacramentes are but bare signes For you heare vs
the Pigges of Epicures stie Edamus bibamus c. â— Let vs eate let vs drinke and be merie for to morow we shall die and after death is no pleasure nor paine Marke I pray you howe wisedome vttereth their cogitations and maketh them to speake in this wise Our time is as a shadow that passeth away after our end there is no returning come therefore and let vs enioye the pleasures that are present and let vs fill our selues with costly vvine and ointments and let vs cheerefully vse the dâ—eatures as in youthe and let not the flower of life passe by vs. Let vs all be partakers of our wantonnesse let vs leane some token of our pleasure in euerie place For that is our portion and this is our lot Let us oppresse the poore that is righteous oh let vs not spare the widowe nor reuerence the white heares of the aged Let our streÌ„gth be the law of vnrighteousnes Let vs defraude the righteous and godly for he is not for our profit he is contrary to our doings he checketh vs for offending against the law blameth vs as transgressors of discipline Out of this schoole they came that iest at Preachers be angrie with them for inueighing against the vanities of this life putting them in minde of God and of heauen for they thinke that to bee a bitter saying to their pleasant life For there is none so heathenish but God sometime sendeth to his minde a gnawing corsie remorse of conscience to trouble him Out of this schole came those scorners which S. Peter prophesied shuld rise in the latter dayes liue after their owne lust when they should be taught by Preachers that y â— worlde shoulde haue an ende they be brought before the iudgement seat of God to aunswere for their wickednes would with derision and mocking say Oh where is the promise of the Lordes comming to iudgement and of the end of the world for since the fathers died all things continue a like froÌ„ the beginning of the creation Of the same sort are they that Esay speaketh of When they be tolde that God will punishe plague them not in the world to come but in this world also with some notable examples of hys iustice as he did to Sodom and Gomorra and others c Oh say they in derision Let God make speede let him hasteÌ„ his worke that we may see it and let the counsell of the holy one of Israel drawe neare and come that wee may knowe it Or at least they speake as they doe in Ieremie that denie the Lorde God and say Tushe it is not hee those plagues of sworde and famine shall not come vppon vs It is vaine that the Preachers teache these myseries and plagues shal fall vpon themselues I would to God there were not too many of this sorte in Englande whose like contempteous voyce did ring in many mennes eares beside the great number of them that secretely saye in their heart There is no God and openly shew the same in the whole course of their life For if they beleeued there were a God they would neuer so reprochfully and so obstinately reiect cast aside the word of the eternall and euer liuing God I aske these godlesse Epicures whether they thinke there is a God or no If they will saye Yea why then the same must be a iust God for without iustice there can be no Godhead and if he be a iust god then he must detest hate sinne and accordingly punishe it For it is the part of iustice to giue to euery one that he deserueth reward to the good punishment to the wicked and by this can they not in iustice escape his punishment due to their lewdnesse If they will say with their Maister Epicure that there is a God but he regardeth not the affaires of the world the doings of meÌ„ that must then be either because he cannot or because he will not By the one he sheweth himselfe an impotent God and therefore no God by the other a negligent or a malicious God and for that also no God For such passions and imperfections can not lyght into the nature of a Deitie or Godhead If they will flatly thinke or saye There is no God I must speake vnto them as S. Paule doth to lyke heathenish harts mindes and I must will them to open their blinde eyes and behold the goodly beautifull and maruailous frame and workemanship of the world the Suâ—â—e the Moone the Starres the Planets the goodly order the constant course y â— wonderfull effectes the notable varietie of times and seasons to the benefite of mans life I must byd them looke into the ayre and consider what it is that holdeth vp that huge heape of Cloudes houering without any proppe or staye and in conuenient time so sweetely sheeding downe themselues to moist season the earth which if they should fall downe at once woulde ouerwhelme and drowne the whole earth I must further wyst theÌ„ to consider y t since the naturall place of water is to be aboue the earth as verye reason and their owne heathenish Philosophers teache who or what it is that holdeth the Sea within a banke of sande that it doth not breake ouer to surrounde the earth and occupie his owne place Or what it is that causeh the dead and dirtie earth to bring for the so beautifull flowers so faire greene grasse so exceedyng varietie of Beastes Hearbes Trees Fruites Metalls and all other things either breeding in the bowells of the earth or shewing themselues vppon the vtter face thereof Who it is that created them or gaue them a beginning that preserueth and continueth them in their kindes that maketh them at some seasons of the yeere to die at another to spring and growe againe Thou wilt say happily all these things be by a certaine course of nature and the ordinarie effectes thereof Why and what is that which thou callest nature Is she a goddesse or is she a Creature Hath she a beginning of hir selfe or hath she hir beginning of an other Seneca an Heathen Philosopher could say Nature is nothing but God working in these thinges that wee call naturall But if thou be worthy the name of a man looke into thine owne body which is called Microcosmos A little world because of marueilous workemanship thereof weigh how it commeth to passe that in thy mothers womb two or three droppes of licour shoulde frame it selfe to skinne to fleshe to bones to sinewes â—o veines to arteties to the principall partes of thy liuing body the braine the harte the stomacke the lyuer the splene the guttes and others howe the spirites bee ingendred in the braine the hart the lyuer which bee the instrumentes whereby thy soule worketh life and mouing â—â—rishing increasing and growing sense will and vnderstanding Consider the other outward partes of thy body and
of y â— Preachers of the Gospell in it Wherefore vndoubtedly this was no small temptation in those dayes especially in the Citie of Rome which then was Ladie and Empresse of the world stoode much vpon their estimation of wisedome honour thought it reproche for them to admit so base a state of saluatioÌ„ as appeared to be in Christ Jesu But of this very pretily saith S. Hilarie de trinit 5. O stulta muÌ„di sapientia opprobrium Christi non intelligens dei virtuteÌ„ esse stultitiaÌ„ fidei non sentiens esse dei sapientiaÌ„ y t is O foolishnes of the wisdome of this world which seeth not that that which it imagineth to be reproch to Christ is euen the most mightie excellent power of God which also perceiueth not that that which it termeth foolishnesse in the beleefe which is in Christ to be euen the great wisdome of God Wherfore S. Paul armed w t the spirit of God to y e great coÌ„fort of al ChristiaÌ„s saith as I haue read vnto you I am not ashamed of the Gospell c. Whatsoeuer you doe esteeme it to be how reprochfull soeuer the world doth account it although the Epicures do deride it although y â— wise politike worldlings do inueigh agaiust it although y e Jewes be offended although y â— Atheistes scorne it although fantasticall hipocrites do detest it sure I am y â— in it selfe it is y e mightie power of God to saluation of all y â— beleeue faithfully embrace it Howe y â— mightie power of god doth shew it self in subduing y â— enimies of our saluatioÌ„ the good Christian man doth perceiue who hath learned out of the scriptures to how great enimies mans nature was subiect in thraldome Sinne SathaÌ„ hell death and damnation had vs in captiuitie from y e tyranie of al which we are deliuered by Christ Jesu crucified First he ouercame sinne wheÌ„ being y â— sonne of God in y e shape of reprochful maÌ„ as an innocent lambe deseruing no punishment yet suffring most cruel punishmeÌ„t bitter death gaue him selfe a full perfect sacrifice for our sinne And wheÌ„ sinne was by his death passion destroyed death was in y e same victorie disarmed maimed For Sin as S. Paul saith is the sting of death And wheÌ„ death had lost his sting was conquered in Christs resurrectioÌ„ froÌ„ death SataÌ„ also lost his streÌ„gth power which rested only on theÌ„ which therough sin were in dauÌ„ger to death for StipeÌ„diuÌ„ peccati mors The reward of sin is death Finally bicause hell onely deuoureth them y t through sin death are slaues to SathaÌ„ it followeth y t when y e other three were by him so mightily vanquished hell also w t all y â— daunger therof was subdued we deliuered froÌ„ all their tyrannie as y â— reuerend father Zacharie saith Prestitit iusiuranduÌ„ quod iurauit c. The Lord God of Israel hath performed the othe which he sware to our Father AbrahaÌ„ that he would giue vs that we being deliuered c. Now as by his death resurrectieÌ„ he hath mightily conquered our enimies so hath he by his asâ—â—ntioÌ„ gloriously triumphed ouer theÌ„ And therefore S. Paule sayth very wel out of the Psalme Cum ascendisset in altuÌ„ captiuam duxit captiuitateÌ„ c. When he had ascended vp on high he led captiuitie captiue We then may now say triumphantly with S. Paule Oh Death where is thy Sting Oh Hell where is thy Victorie Though Sinne and Death rage neuer so like Tyrauntes though Sathan roare neuer so like a Lyon though Hell gape neuer so greedily sure we are they cannot preuayle againste vs that haue victory ouer them in Christ Jesu It is God that iustifieth who is it then that condemneth it is Christ that died yea or rather which is risen again from death and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father as our perpetuall Intercessour Who then can hurt vs Who can pull vs from the fauour of GOD not Life not Death not Sinne not Hell not Sathan not any power or principalitie They are all in Christe Jesu confounded This is that mightie power of the Gospell that S. Paule sayth doth bring Saluation to all beleeuers and whereof he protesteth that he is not ashamed of it But God did shew his mighty power to saluation of mankinde not only in the price of our redemption it self but also in the publishing and preaching of it by his Apostles Ministers For to it he annexed such force of his holy spirite that it had greater strength and authoritie than all the eloquence than all the Wisedome than all the learning than all the policie and power of the world For notwithstanding that the preaching of the Gospell was resisted by all these worldly giftes and powers yet had it meruailous successe and did wonderfully increase Demosthenes Pericles Cicero for their eloquence Solon Aristides Caro for their wisedome Plato Socrates Aristotle for their learning Alexander Pyrrhus Pompey for their manhood were of power were of great fame and able to do muche in the world But the best of all these had much a doe euen a fewe yeares to keepe their owne Citizens their own countreymen their own subiects in obedience and to cause them to giue place to good and wholesome counsayle and to obey orders prouided for their owne commoditie Yea euery one of them almost to their own confusion proued of how small force their wisedome their eloquence their power was and with the ende of their liues lefte their common weales well neare vtterly decayed and vndone But contrarywise marke I pray you in the Apostles of Christe and consider the maruellous power of Gods working For they hauing as you know their beginning of the Jewes nothing commended or sette foorth with any of those giftes and ornamentes that men so greatly doe esteeme wente foorth into the world preaching the disdayned Gospell of Christ crucified and by the simple doctrine thereof did in fewe yeares for the state of religion change the face of the whole world notwithstanding that the Empyre of Rome other mightie principalities did to the vttermost of their power resist it and the reformation that by the Apostles in this manner was begon continued and spread it selfe mightily and maruellously euen agaynst the assaultes of most cruell and tyrannicall persecutions vnder Nero Domitian Traian Adrian Antony Dioclesian and many mo And vntil such time as by the secrete iudgement of God the power of Antechrist began to spread it selfe against it as well in Asia vnder Mahomet as in Europe vnder the Pope Neuer any Empyre or Kingdome was so largely spread as the Kingdome of the Gospell neuer any principalitie so mightilye proceeded and went forward maugre the malice of all enimies as it hath done And so doth Tertullian witnesse agaynst the Iewes speaking of the Kingdome
be Baptized in the name of Iesu for the remission of sinnes And Ananias vnto S. Paul Arise and be Baptized and washe avvaye thy sinnes Yet doe we not attribute the operation hereof to the water or outward element but to the might of Gods word y e power of y e holy Ghost working by faith as S. Aug. saith Quomodo fit quod aqua corpus tangat cor abluat nisi faciente verbo noÌ„ quia dicitur sed quia creditur i. How commeth it to passe that water toucheth the body washeth the soule but by the working of the word not because it is spokeÌ„ but because it is beleued Where it is to be noted y t it is not y â— sound of y e words vttered in y t way of a charme by y e minister but the words beleeued in y â— harts of y â— faithful y t maketh y â— promise of Christ effect of y e SacrameÌ„t to be fruitful to y â— receiuer We beleue moreouer teach y t the sacrament of Baptisme is as it were y e wombe of y e church of Christ where we are newe borne become of y â— childreÌ„ of wrath y e children of God are prepared by this our second birth to enter into the kingdome of God Vnlesse you be borne again saith Christ by water the holy ghost you caÌ„ not enter into the kingdome of God And saint Paul saith Not by the works of righteousnes that wee did but according to his mercye hath he saued vs thorough the fouÌ„taine of regeneratioÌ„ innouation of the holy ghost We beleeue also teach as touching this sacrament y t not onely we but our seede also hath by it the benefite of saluatioÌ„ therfore doe we defend y â— Baptizing of our childreÌ„ against y e wicked heresie of the Anabaptists They which consider these things simply with a charitable christiaÌ„ minde I trust wil cleare vs of y t odious report wherwith our aduersaries slaunderously do burden vs as though we contemned y e sacraments sleightly taught the fruits benefites of them Now on y â— contrarie part let vs consider how corruptly the Churche of Rome teacheth as touching this sacrament and how horribly they haue abused it First they teache that Baptisme dothe conferre grace and washe away our sinnes Ex opere operaeto that is Euen by the verie vvashing only of the vvater thoughe there be no good motion of faith or beleife in the hearte of him that is Baptized This is the common opâ—â—â—â—â— of all the Scholemen And Gabriel Biel sayth Siâ— quod prâ—ter exhibitionem signi foris exhibiti non requiritur â—oâ—â—â— motus interior ex suscipiente i. So that beside the giuing of the outward signe there is no good motioÌ„ inwardly required of him vvhich receiueth it What shall I say of the prophane and wicked abusing of Christes sacrament to the baptizing of Bells the curing of sicknesse and the driuing away of spirites and Diuels with the water thereof This I may not omitte that in using this one outward sacrament of Christ by water they practised fiue or sixe of their owne ordinaunce without any warrant of Gods worde at al blasphemously attributing vnto them the like effectes that in trueth are gyuen to Christes institution and to no other First they adde salte with this interpretation Vt sapientia conditus foetore iniquitatis careat vltra non putrescat vermibus vitiorum i. That he being seasoned with salt may not haue the filthie sent of iniquitie nor any more by rottennesse abound with wormes of vice and wickednesse Next is Breathing Vt exuffletur pellatur malignus Spiritus â— That the wicked spirit may be blowne and thrust out of the partie Thirdly the sacrament of Spittle Vt tactu supernae sapientia aures aperiantur ad verbum dei audiendum naris ad discernendum odoreÌ„ vita That both the eares may be opened to heare the word of God and the nose to sent the sauour of life Moreouer Annointing of the breast Vt muniatur aduersus hostem ne noxia persuadere possit that he may be fenced from the enemie that he may no more perswade him to doe those things that be hurtfull Also Annointing of the shoulders that he may receiue strength and might to beare the burden of the Lorde Likewise Annointing on the crowne of the head that by hauing his portion of the spirit of God he may worthily be called a ChristiaÌ„ be made the heire of eternall life by holy vnctioÌ„ c. What christian heart can heare these things without great griefe and horrour Who can suffer y â— the effectuall graces of Christes word and sacraments and the operation of the holy Ghost in the heartes of the receauers shall with horrible blasphemyes be attributed to the vaine ordinaunce of man without any promise or assuraunce of Gods worde To take from vs the rottermesse of sinne to expell out of vs the wicked spirit to opeÌ„ our eares fruitfully to heare Gods word to giue vs sense of the Sauiour of lyfe to defend vs from the wicked assaultes of Sathan to strengthen vs in bearing the burthen of the Lorde to make vs the heyres of eternall lyfe are the myghtie and most gracious workes of the holy Ghost throughe the merite of Christ our sauiour and not of Salt not of Breathing not of Spittle not of Annoynting c. And they are to bee gyuen and applyed to vs eyther by the worde of GOD or by those Sacramentes by hym ordayned and not by the Deuises of men I wyll now passe to the next Sacrament As touching the Lordes Supper I say with S. Paule That vve haue receiued of the Lord that doe we deliuer to the people of God We vse Christes single Institution without any addition diminutioÌ„ or alteration We vse it as a feast or supper as it is termed in the Scripture We take bread we take the cuppe we drinke we set forthe the beathe of Christ the vse and effect of the Sacrament wee declare to be this And I desire all good Christians to obserue and note our doctrine that they may well vnderstand that wee teach not so sleightly or contemptibly of this Sacrament as our aduersaries would haue men to beleeue that we doe For in deede wee teach beleeue that it is one of the sweetest and moste excellent comfortes that Christe at hys departure lefte vnto hys people Yea I dare saye that that Christian which with a single and charitable hearte shall vnderstande our doctrine wyl conceiue more fruite thereof than euer he dyd whyle the doctrine of the Churche of Rome preuayled in hys heart First wee teache that it is a reuerent and blessed memoriall of the deathe of Christ in celebrating whereof we shewe our selues thankefull for hys great and vnestimable benefytes towardes vs accordyng to these wordes Doe this in remembraunce of mee Secondlye we
onely for the redemption of the whole worlde generally but for hys also particularly and that he vndoubtedly is partaker of that blessed worke of our redemption When wee heare these woordes Doe this in remembrance of me our faith is assured y t it is Christs commaundement that wee shoulde vse this Sacrament to call to our remembraunce the benefite of our faluation by the death of Christ and in hart and minde at al times but then especially to shew our selues truely thankefull to him for the same When our sight beholdeth vpon the Table the bread and wyne by Christes ordinaunce broken and powred out for vs to vse the Fayth is moued this to thinke As surely and truely as my bodily eyes behould vpon the table of the Lord the Creatures of bread and wine as the outward parte of his sacramente and see the same broken and poured out for mee so assuredly doe I with the eye of my faith beholde the body and blood of Christ broken and shead for me vpon the Alter of the Crosse and the same my Sauiour sitting now on the right hand of god the father with the same body and blood now gloryfyed wherewith vpon the Crosse he payd the price of my redemption WheÌ„ we see the Minister offering to vs the bread and the cup and wee receaue the same in our hande and by our sence feele them inwardly in our hartes our fayth is mooned to haue this cogitacion As truely as our Sauioure Christe vpon the Crosse by his body broken and his blood sheade wrought our redemption and offered the benefite thereof to all that would beleeue generally so truelye am I assured that now in the vse of this holy Sacrament by his minister he offereth the same to me particularly to be applied to my selfe And as surely as my hande receaueth the outwarde creatures so surelye by my fayth doe I receyue Christ himselfe and in my hart feele him and with my spirituall armes imbrace him as the onely price and meanes of my saluation When we eate of the holy breade and drinke of the reuerend cuppe and by our cast haue sence of the sweetenesse of them and fele them passe downe into our stomache there to rest that they may be according to their nature meanes to nourishe and strengthen our bodie to continue it in lyfe the fayth is stirred vp by these sences thus to thinke Euen as certainly as my taste feeleth the sweetenesse of Breade and wyne and thereby perceiue in deede that their operacion is to nourish and strengthen my body and to quicken my naturall spirites which without suche nourishmente would perishe euen so the taste of my faith and sence of my hart doth feele the sweetenesse of Christe his body and blood broken and shead for mee and all mankinde vppon the Crosse and perceiue it thereby to be the onely foode of my soule without which I shoulde perishe both soule and bodye Eternallye And as certainlye as I feele with bodilye sence that the Breade and Wyne passeth into my Stomache and there according to their proportion feede strengthen and quicken my Naturall bodye and Spirites so assuredlye doe I with my inwarde and Spirituall sence perceiue the bodye and blood of Christe and the whole benefite of his death and passioÌ„ to passe into the stomache of my soule and bosome of my hart there through the strength of a true ChristiaÌ„ faith to be laid vp wrought and digested as that onelye nourishmente that keepeth the life of the soule and preserueth mee both soule and bodye to eternall life They that will Christianlye and charitablely and in the feare of GOD weighe and consyder these thinges I truste will not thinke eyther that wee make lighte accoumpte of the Externall Sacramente or in oure Doctrine teache a syngle and sleighte manner of eating of Christ by fayth as the fauourers of the church of Rome doe charge vs. And I appeale to the Consciences of all them that followe theire Doctrine whether euer they were taughte to take suche sweete instruction and comfort in the vse of that blessed Sacrament or no. These good Fruites of that Sacramente are muche furthered and increased by sunderye other Godlye cogitations which the Scriptures teache true Christians to vse in the administration of it The worde of GOD teacheth that the vse of the externall Sacramentes is a manner of confession whereby men acknowledge themselues before GOD and the World that they are Christians Therefore the faythfull receauer when hee commeth to the Sacrament thinketh this with himselfe I by comming to this place proteste before GOD and his Angels and before all the Creatures of Heauen and earth that in my harte I deteste the Religion of Jewes Turkes Infidels Heretiques and all other that denye saluation to come by the death of Christe and I acknowledge my selfe vnfaygnedlye to bee of the number of them that hope to haue the fauoure of GOD and to bee saued by the merite and passion of Christe onelye The worde of GOD teacheth that Sacramentes are as it were Seales to confyrme the truth of Gods promises and to strength our fayth Therefore by this seale of the Lords Supper wee assure oure selues that wee are partakers of all that Legacie which Christ our Sauyour in his last will bequeathed to vs that is that his bodye was broken vpon the Crosse for our redemption and his blood sheadde for the remission of oure Sinnes The Scriptures teache that in the vse of the sacramentes through Fayth wee bee vnited vnto Christ and ingraffed into his Mysticall body so that wee liue nowe onelye by him and whatsoeuer is his by the truth of his promise is oures also The worde of God teacheth that the Sacrament of the Lordes supper is a linke of vnitye that knitteth vs together as members of one Mysticall bodye and therefore that wee oughte to bee ioyned in mutuall loue and charitie among our selues and that it is a foule reproch both to Christe oure head and to the whole body if we hate hurte or hinder one another For by the vse therof we confesse y â— we are all members of one bodye all Seruantes of one Mayster all Children of one Father all Subiectes vnder one Lorde and King all Partakers of one redemption all Heires of one Heritage and Gifte of Eternall Lyfe And in so manye Lâ—â—â—es of Vnitye to be at discorde among ourselues is in Gods iudgemente an heauy testimouie agaynst vs in the day of his wrath Finally the word of God teacheth vs that the Sacrament of the Lordes supper is our heauenlye Feaste in whiche the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the worlde is offered vnto vs spiritually to feede vppon in our fayth that by him as I haue before declared we maye be nourished strengthened and preserued to eternall life and therfore that we ought to bee verye carefull so coprepare oureselues that we may be worthy Guestes for that blessed table Wherefore
receaue the worde and shewe themselues to be delighted therewith and breake out to earnest praises thereof and shewe them selues with such cheerefulnesse to embrace the doctrine of Gods trueth as they moue great hope to all men that it wyll take successe to great benefite But in the ende if any vehement temptatioÌ„ either of worldly trouble or otherwise happeÌ„ to them they waxe faynte and begin to chaunge and lastlye cleane reuolte and vtterlye forsake that truth whiche with great hope in the beginning they had receaued And of these many afterward become enimies and persecutoures of the Gospell And what I pray you may be the cause hereof Surelye this They lacked Earth and moysture to feede the seede that is they had not the true knowledge of Christ nor of his Kingdome nor a right and Christian fayth â—reo in them by the spirite of God but on 〈…〉 e opinyon conceaued in their own mindes whiche 〈…〉 e were possessed with a carnall delighte of worldelye pompes and pleasures and therefore when the Doctrine of the free mercy of God by faith in Christ only pardoning and forgiuing our sinnes is preached and when they heare superstition in fasting praying other such things sharply reproued and men exhorted to Christian libertie they imbrace this Doctrine very greedily and all because they thinke vnder pretence of Christian libertie to shake of the yoke of Discipline and obedience in Christian exercises and to vse the cloake of Gods mercy to couer a loose and licencious life in the meane time studying nothing but how they may vse the countenaunce of the Gospell to get Riches honour friendship and worldly peace and quietnesse But as I haue before sayd when the stormes of aduersity and heate of persecution riseth whereof they must be partakers if they will bee constante in the Gospell and when they heare their wicked and vngodlye doinges by Preachers sharpely reproued and begin to vnderstand that neyther christian libertie can be any warrant of licentiousnes nor Goddes mercye a Cloake to continue in wickednesse they flye from the word of GOD and betake themselues wholy to the world Such receauers of y e word were many of the Jewes which dreamed that Christe came as an earthly Prince or Conquerour that shoulde deliuer them from the tyramâ—y of the Romaines and make them Lords of the world And therefore at the beginning they flocked to him in great number and shewed such liking of him his doctrine that the Pharisies and high Priestes were afrayd to deale with him as otherwise they wold haue done But when they saw him once taken and in the hands of his enimies they reuolted shewed themselues to mislike w t him in the end cried Crucifige as frankely as y â— residue were coÌ„teÌ„ted to haue Barrabas let go christ to be put to vniust cruell death I would to God there were not to many of this sort in England at this day which now shew theÌ„selues to be hoat and eger gospellers either because they hope to haue some part of y â— spoile of Bishops lands or ecclesiastical liuings or for some such other worldly respect but wheÌ„ the heate of affliction shal come for our vnthankfulnesse continually crieth for it before the seate of Gods iustice then I say I pray god they shew but halfe that constancie good liking of the gospell y â— becommeth a true Christian And y t which maketh me other to feare theÌ„ is that w t this earnest pretended zeale I see little amendment of life or none at all ioyned The remedy against this mischiefe and the means to amend this stony ground to breede more melow earth in their harts is truely sincerely to learn what the kingdome of Christ is what they must looke for by y e professioÌ„ therof in the world For so shal they easily put away that worldly perswasion y t maketh them to reuolt from the Gospell Christ himselfe confesseth y â— his kingdome is not of this world yea y e world Christ are cleane coÌ„trary for y e prince of this world is enimy to Christ The enmity was proclaimed by god himself in Paradise I will set enmitie betweene thee the woman betweene thy seede and hers and her seede shall breake thy head and thou shalt bruise his heele Therfore so soone as Christ the seede of y â— womaÌ„ had once put his head into y â— world was born of y â— blessed virgine at Nazareth the Deuill raised his seede y â— wicked tyrant Herode to persecute christ and to seeke his death And so hath he coÌ„tinued euer since in al times seasons to persecute Christ in his meÌ„bers This Christ did not hide from his Disciples true followers but sundrye times told theÌ„ therof before haÌ„d y t wheÌ„ it came to pas they might not be offeÌ„ded Behold saith he I send you as shepe amoÌ„g the midst of Wolues be wise therfore as serpents simple as Doues c. And a little after You shalbe hated of al men for my names sake Here you may vnderstaÌ„d what intertainment true Christians must looke for in this world that is hatred disdaine cruelty such curtesy as sheepe find among Wolues The cause hereof he setteth forth more largely in S. Ioh. If the world saith christ hate you you knowe it hated me before you If you were of the world the world wold loue that is his own but because you are not of the world but I haue chosen you out of the world therfore the world hateth you RemeÌ„ber the word that I said vnto you the seruaÌ„t is not greater theÌ„ his maister if they haue persecuted me they will persecute you also Christ in another place reseÌ„bleth his people to a House builded vpoÌ„ a Rock the raine fell the flouds came the winds blew beat vpoÌ„ that house and it fel not because it was builded vpoÌ„ a Rock By y e rain y â— flouds y â— winds beating vpoÌ„ y â— house is ment y e storms of afflictioÌ„ trouble persecutioÌ„ other vehemeÌ„t â—eÌ„tacioÌ„s y â— y e deuill y e world raiseth to assaulte y â— coÌ„scieÌ„ces of christiaÌ„s But their harts are not shakeÌ„ ther w t but staÌ„d coÌ„stantly in y â— truth because y t fouÌ„datioÌ„ of their conscieÌ„ce is sincerely grouÌ„ded vpoÌ„ y â— Rock christ Jesus By this it may appeare y t y â— kingdome of christ is not earthly but a spiritual kingdome by y â— power of y â— holy ghost raigning flourishing in y â— harts of meÌ„ setting it self against y â— works of y â— deuil of y â— world for y t cause loketh for none other thing at y â— worlds hand theÌ„ misery trouble Wherfore the first poynt of a true professour of Christ his gospel is so far as maÌ„s frailty caÌ„ suffer to renouÌ„ce y e world all