ende For it is not mete that we should be so greedy desirous of our own profite that we should preferre the same before the glory of god Therefore so often as we pray it is not meete that we forget that Notwithstandinge there is this differēce betwen these twoo kindes of praier which we haue rehersed that whā we pray as cōcerning the kingdom of god the hallowing of his name we must eleuate our minde and sences wholly vp to heauen that the regarde of our self being set aparte our praier may assende vnto God onely after that wée may descend to our selues and we maye ioyne the care of our health profyte to the first petitions whiche only parteine to god And although remission of sinnes ought to be preferred before our fode so far as the soule excelleth the body Christ notwithstanding made his beginning of breade the staies helpes of an earthly life that by such a rudiment enterance he might leade vs farther ▪ we do not aske therefore our dayly breade before we be reconciled vnto God as though we estemed our earthly body more then the health of our sowle but our mindes must assēde to heauen from the earth as it were by steppes and degrees For when as God dothe humble hym selfe to norysshe oure bodies no doubte there is then a greatter will in him to norysshe our spirituall life The greatnesse therfore of his mercy in this poynt dothe erecte our truste a greate deale hyer M. But where as we call it our breade we may not so vnderstande it as though it were oures by right and due vnto vs as debte but that it is necessary for vs and appoynted vnto vs by that prouidence of our lyfe by the whiche he feedeth all thynges of his goodnesse And geueth it vnto vs freely because wee shoulde not wante The fieldes are to be tylled and plowed wee muste sweate also in gatherynge in the fruytes of the earthe and euerye man muste laboure accordynge to his callynge and yet this letteth not but that wee are fedde by the free lyberalitie and gifte of God without the whiche man dothe but drawe water in a syue yea his laboure is in vayne But wee are taughte that what so euer semeth to be gotten of vs by oure owne laboure and industry is acceptable to hym Some wil haue this bread to be supersubstācial or superessētial as though Chryste spake not of corporall foode but theyr reason is vayne and repugnaunte to godlynes For who knoweth not that it is the order of the Scripture in many places by the taste of earthly thynges to brynge vs to the knowledge of heauenly thinges So that where as Chryste here speaketh of corporall foode we may therby gather that elles his talke were mutilate and not parfecte for in many places we are commaunded to caste all our cares vpon God and he most lyberally promiseth on the other part that we shal wante no maner of thynge Therefore in the exacte rule of prayinge it is necessary that somewhat be commaunded as concernynge the innumerable necessyties of this present lyfe This daye By this it should apere that he woulde haue vs care but from daye to daye And in dede there is no doubt but that he woulde by these wordes restrain and moderate the desire care of earthly foode with the which we are many times without al measure brought to distrust M. In this name of breade the Hebricians comprehend all kinde of foode As we may reade in the wordes of Elizeus Set breade water before thē that they may eate and drink go to their maister And he prepared a great refection for thē that is to say greate aboundaunce of meate C. But here in this place it is takē more amplely For we desire not onely foode to be geuen vnto vs by the hande of God but also what soeuer is necessary for our life So that now the sēce meaning of this praier is plaine First we are cōmanded to pray that god wil defend sustein this life which he hath geuē vs in this world and because it wanteth many aydes and helpes that he wold minister vnto vs what so euer he knoweth to be necessary Geue vs. M. When we say geue vs we cōfesse chiefely that all the sustentation of our lif cōmeth of god that it is he alone which fedeth al thinges thē we acknowledge it to be the fre gift of god in somuch that except he geue the same al the labour industry of mā is but vaine This day C. This aduerbe as we said before was added to bridell restraine the excedinge care of men because his beneficence euery moment depēdeth ouer vs So that we ought to be cōtent that he wil fede vs from one daye to a nother Notwithstanding here a questiō may be demāded Question for so muche as it is certayne that Chryste gaue this rule of praier generally in cōmon to al the godly among the whiche nomber some are very riche which haue abondance store of vittailes now howe doth Christ cōmaunde them to aske their dayly bread when they haue in store plēty of vittailes for a whole yere The answere to this obiection is easie For wee are taught by these words that except the lord do dayly fede vs the store of vittails is nothing Admit that corne wine other necessaries do abound yet except they be protected with the benediction blessyng of God sodeinely they cōsume away or at least the vse of them is taken frō vs or els the naturall force strength of noryshing is taken frō them that in the middest of our store plenty we are in miserable penury wherfore it is no meruaile if Christ cōmaunded the poore the riche alike to seke for their dayly breade norishement at the handes of god C. But no man can pray hartely but he whiche hath learned with S. Paule to be content in euery estate to below to excede to be hungrye and to haue plenty and not to deceiue hym selfe with the false truste of his aboundaunce and plenty 12 And forgeue vs our dettes as we forgeue our detters And forgeue vs. C. Here we must call to mynde that which we spake euen now that Christ in directing the praiers of his seruantes had not regarde to the order therof For when as it is writtē that our sinnes ar like vnto a stained cloth which seperate vs frō god as a cloude by the reason wherof he seeth vs not it is necessary that we begin our praiers of remission of sins because that being graūted we haue hope to procede farther But in twoo petitiōs Christ comprehended all those thynges whiche parteine to the healthe of the sowle to the spiritual life euen as these twoo are the speciall pillers of the couenaunte of God by the whiche our whole saluation doth stand that he doth offer vnto vs frée reconciliation not imputing our sinnes
Other some there are whiche do so securely flatter thē selues that thei dare boldly chalenge to them selues before God perfecte righteousnes And another sorte there are whiche do good not for the study of that which is righte neither for the glory of God but only to get vnto them selues same renowme and the opinion of sanctimony to be counted iuste perfecte and holy These laste sorte of hypocrites be they whome Christe here toucheth who whē they do their good workes to no good end put on them another persone or shew that they may appeare vnto the worlde holy and true worshippers of God. in their Synagoges M. Here these Synagoges are thought of certaine to be conuenient places of resorte erected in the streates or market place To others it semeth to be an ecclesiastical place of resort wherunto the people came to beare the worde of god By these notes shew tokens of Hypocrisie that which he now addeth may be vnderstode when he saith To be praysed of men Neither can there be shewed any other reason why they gaue their almes openly with the sounde of a trompet rather then in secrete priuely Bu. And in our tyme also the couetousnes of priestes and the arrogancy of the people hath deuised a way and meane by the whiche liberalitie may be openly celebrated in the church For if any mā had violently handled the innocent and done him iniury if any man had defrauded his brother in bargaining all his life tyme yea if any man had oppressed the poore at length geuen to the church goodes tenementes or landes whereby the same might be inriched suche a founder suche an excellent and liberall benefactor shold haue bene as liberally dealte withall againe For leaste so greate beneficence shoulde quite be ouerwhelmed with the waues of obliuion a daye at the yeares ende was celebrated for euer in the which out of the holy chayre both the name the family and liberalitie of the geuer shold with all commendations be recited euen as though he had bene a saint on earthe Furthermore for his prayse his funerall verses were song yea and all the belles in the stepell were ronge Beside this his armes are set on the churche walles and all his famouse dedes with solemnitie are blowen into the eares of all men These solemnities hath the couetousnes of soule priestes alowed and this worldly pompe and vanitie hathe the foolyshe pryde of the people imbraced But harken to what dothe the Lorde here pronounce against these thynges and suche as delighte in them Verely I saye vnto you they haue their revvarde Bu. As who should saye they looke in vayne for a rewarde whiche are after that sorte lyberall For in their well doinge they had not respecte vnto God and his glorye but to them selues and the prayse of men whiche was their shoote anker He saythe not here they haue a rewarde but they haue their rewarde As if he should haue sayde It is enough for them to beare a countenaunc of holynes and pietie and therby to get vnto them selues a vayne rumour or fame whiche vanisheth away and being therewith contente looke for nothynge els at the handes of God. 3 But thou when thou geuest thyne almesse let not thy lefte hand knowe what thy right hande doth But thou vvhen thou geuest M. After he had admonished taught vs what we oughte to eschewe auoyde he telleth vs what we muste do and prescribeth a waye cleane contrary to that whiche the hypocrites do namely that as the hypocrites deale their almes in the sight of men only for vayne glory to haue name fame so we whē we do good to our neighbours beinge contente with the wyll of our father muste mot regarde publique rumours but must be desirours to haue all thinges done secretly C. For by this saying Let not thy lefte hand knovve vvhat thy rygt hand doth he meaneth that we ought to be contented with the onely testimonie of God and so to staye our selues vpon his wyll that we ought not to be caried away with any vanitie M. He saythe not let not thy neighbour knowe howe muche thou geueste in thy almes but let not thy lefte hande knowe what thy righte dothe As who should saye See that thou seke not to get the myndes and commendations of the people when thou geuest thyne almes euen as thou wouldest hyde it from thy left hande whiche is a worker and an ayde of goodnes if it had any intelligence to knowe what to whome howe muche and howe often thou didest geue Bu. Let therefore thy almes be farre from arrogancie and pryde and worship God with a pure vncorrupted cōsciēce 4 That thy almes may be in secrete and thy father which seeth in secrete shall rewarde the openly That thy almes may be in secrete M. As if he should haue sayd As the hypocrites geue their almes openly so let thyne be geuen in secreate and seke for nothing lesse thē the syght of men to prayse the same Obiection C. Notwithstandinge this place dothe seme to be contrary to other sentences of scripture wherein we are commaunded to edifie our brethren by our good ensample But if we marke consider the purpose of Christ we shall easely be satisfied He commaundeth his disciples to do good workes with so pure a mynde that they be voyde of all ambition not regardinge who beholdeth their dedes but rather to haue respecte to the nede and necessitie of the receiuer And onely to contente them selfe with the prayse of god This simplicitie truly doth nothing at all hynder the study and care of edifiynge by good example And if we remember that whiche he spake a litle before he did not precisely forbidde to do good before men but rather did condemne oftentation and boasting Bu. The almes therefore is geuen in secrete when the minde is without the desyre of praise and ambition and when we seke not for vayne glory but the prayse of God although we geue to the poore in the sighte of men And thy father vvhiche seeth in secrete Here priuelye he toucheth the foolishenes of men in that they thinke their labour lost and their worke as nothing excepte it be behelde of many wytnesses and lokers ◅n Therfore he saith that God hath no nede of light to knowe those thinges that are well done because al thinges that are hid in darkenes are manifeste and playne vnto hym There is no cause then why we shoulde thinke that to be loste whiche is not done in the presence of men because God hath his abiding in darkenes as well as in the lighte As the Prophete Dauid witnesseth saying Whether shall I go then from thy presence if I clyme vp into heauen thou arte there if I go down into hel thou arte there also and so forth Also to confute this fonde opiniō of men let them consider what the scripture saith Man loketh on the outwarde apperance but God beholdeth the harte
tourneth at length to theyr owne destruction Pylate said vnto Christ knowest thou not that I haue power to crucifie thee and power also to loose thee When as neuerthelesse he coulde do no thynge without the permission of God of whom he receyued that power which he abused as it is there sayd Although therefore in vayne the wycked do boaste them selues as thoughe the lyues of the godly were in theyr handes although God stayeth and brideleth their rage and madnesse so often as it seemeth good vnto hym yet notwithstandynge they are sayde to kyll by his sufferaunce because often tymes he permytteth them to execute theyr tyranny But are not able to kill the sovvle M Now he reasoneth of the impotencie and vnablenesse of tyrantes the whiche howe soo euer they rage and swell can do harme to nothynge sauinge to the bodye because the sowle is not in theyr handes neyther can they kyll the same Wherefore Luke more plainelye expresseth the same sayinge And after that haue no more that they can doo By the whiche wordes Christ teacheth his Apostells to contemne and despyse the crueltie of tyrantes the which although it be shewed to the extremytie yet can it not hurte a godly man as touching his euerlastinge healthe Although the wycked by the permission of God kill the body it makethe no matter they do but fynishe that which Nature had begon for if they as instrumentes had not done it nature it selfe wolde in short time haue done the same For what is he that shall escape deathe But rather feare him vvhiche is M. Nowe by a collation of the deuine power of god he proueth playnely that the crueltie of menne oughte to be despysed As if hee shoulde saye If ye feare those whiche by some meanes maye hurte and ponyshe why rather do ye not feare him which is able to hurte in euery respect which hath power not onely to kill the body but also the soule and to cast them both into hell It is a small matter to kill the body because it shall be restored againe For the tyrant hath not destroyed hym when he hath killed the bodye of a man Hee hath dyminished nothinge of oure saluation which hath taken away this life whiche at the lengthe al men must forsake whether they will or no at the good pleasure of god But he which hath made both the body the soule he it is onely whiche can kill not only the body but also the soule and that euerlastingely into hell Hym therfore if thou be wyse feare alone the whiche if thou feare in deede then shalte thou contemne set at naught al worldly tyrantes also C. But when as these two mēbers in one knot do agre certaine ignorant vnskilful men take this part seuerally amis affirming the men ought not to be feared For Christe setteth the vertuouse and holy feare of God against the peruerse feare of men whiche withdraweth vs frō the right perfecte waye VVhiche is able to destroy M. Of tirantes he saide simplely they kill the body but of God he said which can kill bothe soule body Moreouer he addeth into hell as if he should haue said If you stand so much in feare of tirants which hate you that you despise the cōmandemēt of God your heuenly father beware least you seking to saue this carnall lyfe lose not onely the same but the eternall life also For your father beinge prouoked to anger is able to cast bothe soule body into hell Luke hath After he hath killed he is able to destroy cast into hell M. These thynges S. Paule considered when he saide If I preache the Gospell I haue nothinge to reioyce of for necessitie is put vnto me But wo is it vnto mee if I preache not the Gospell To be shorte the experyence of al tymes teacheth vs how necessary this exhortation is to the mynisters of Chryste and generally to all the godly For there was neuer any tyme in the which men did not exalt them selues violently against God and soughte not to destroye the Gospell 29 Are not two littell sparrowes sold for a farthing And one of them shal not fal to the groūd without your father Are not tvvo litel sparrovves A. This dependeth of that whiche went before B. For Christ by this reasō armeth his Apostels against the persecution of the world that nothing can happen vnto them without the wil of their heauēly father who suffereth not vile birdes in cōparison to light vpon the ground without his wil. C. By the whiche wordes Christ declareth that tirantes althoughe they rage neuer soo much yet that they haue no power vpon the body without his wil to whō al thinges in heauen and in earthe are subiecte Therfore they do very fōdly which feare the crueltie tyrany of men as thoughe they were not vnder the protectiō of god So that in perills this is the second consolation vnto vs that for so much as god is the keper of our lyfe we maye safelye rest and commit our selues to his prouidence yea we do vnto him iniury if we commit not our life vnto him because he doth vouchesafe to take charge and care of the same M. And to the ende Christ might euidently proue that which he goeth about to perswade he vseth very fete examples notwithstanding such as haue nede of a speciall faith C. For he extendeth the prouidence of God generally to all creatures that of the more to the lesse he myght declare vs to be saued defended and protected by his tuition There is nothynge of lesse pryce and estimation amonge vs then sparrowes For men in tymes paste haue soulde twoo sparrowes for a farthing And as Luke saith fyue for two farthings and yet notwithstandinge God is redy to defende them that no harm happen vnto thē by chance Wyll he nowe thyncke you neglecte the life of man whiche hath such a care ouer sparrowes no be ye wel assured Christ settethe not here before you the exaumples of the Patriarkes or Prophetes in the whiche he myghte declare the prouidence of God wonderfully Neither doth he make mentyon of the stronge and sauage beaste but of the leaste of the most common and cheapest fowle namelye of the lyttell sparrowe Neyther dothe hee onely brynge in the sparrowe but also the price of the same whiche is small that one alone bearethe no value or price and therfore he is faine to couple two of them together the price whereof was but a farthynge then the which in money there could be no smaller value And one of them lyghteth not to the grounde This is the Hebrew phrase and is vsed in stede of shal not perishe And it is spoken for this cause for that byrdes when they die of theyr owne accorde or when they dye beinge shot or kylled by any meanes do fall to the earthe deade where as otherwyse they flee alofte M. He saythe not generally they fall not
manner of seking Christe that is let not our myndes reste in the earthe but let them ascende vpwarde to the heauenly glory in the which he dwelleth For the body of Christe doth not put on an incorruptible life that it might laye asyde his proper nature Whereupon it followeth that it is ended But nowe he is ascendeth aboue the heauens least any grosse imaginatiō should tie vs to the earth And certainly if this mistery be heauēly there is nothing more out of order than to bring downe Christe into the earth whiche doth rather call vs vp vnto him If a man aske a Papiste whether he worship the bread or the shewe and colour of bread he wyll strongly deny that he doth not worship the bread but notwithstāding when they go about to worship Christ they tourne them selues to the bread thei tourne them selues I saye vnto it not with the eies only and the whole body but with the cogitation of the mynde also But what other thinges in this than mere Idolatry For truly this partaking of the body of the Lorde whiche is offered vnto vs in the supper doth require neither the locall presēce neither the cōming down of Christ neither his infinite being in euery place neither any such thing For seing the supper is a heauēly actiō it is no absurditie to say the Christ abiding in heauē is receiued of vs Because in that he geueth him self vnto vs it is done by the secrete power of the holy ghoste the which power cannot only gather together thinges far a sonder by distance of places but also brynge them into one The bunde therefore of this coniunctions is the spirite of the Lorde by the knitting together wherof we are coupled is as it were a conducte pype by the which whatsoeuer Christe hath is deriued and brought vnto vs For if we see that the Sunne shining with his beames vpon the earth doth strike and pearce through the same and after a sorte cōneieth his substāce vnto it to bring forth to nourishe quickē the creatures therof why should the shining beames of the spirit of Christe be inferior to conueye the communion of his fleshe and bloud into vs Wherefore the Scripture speaking of our participation with Christe dothe referre the whole force thereof vnto the spirit notwithstanding let this place of S. Paule among many suffice to proue that Christe dwelleth no otherwyse in vs than by his spirite when he saith But ye are not in the fleshe but in the spirite if so be that the spirit of God dwell in you By the which notwithstanding he doth not take awaye that communion of the bodye and bloud of the which mencion is now made but teacheth that it commeth by the spirit only that we possesse and haue Christe within vs. To the ende therefore we may be capeable of this communiō we must lifte vp our myndes to heauen Here therefore he helpeth our faithe after that all our fleshly sences fayle When mencion is here made of faythe we must not vnderstande it to be euery opinion grounded vpon the inuenciōs of men as many very fondly doe What thē Thou seest bread but nothing els but thou hearest that it is a token pledge of the body of Christe doubt not but that the same whiche the wordes do sounde shal be fulfilled of the Lorde namely that the body whiche thou seest not shal be vnto thee spirituall nourishement Thirdly as we said before we must note the kinde of eating for we must not dreame or immagin that there is a naturall passing made of his substance into our soules but his fleshe is eaten of vs when we receaue life of him For we muste note the analogy or similitude of the bread with the fleshe by the which we are taught that our soules are no lesse fed with the very fleshe of Christ than our bodies are nourished with the vigore and strēgth of bread Therefore the fleshe of Christ is a spirituall foode because it quickeneth vs And it doth therefore quicken because the holy ghoste doth power the lyfe into vs whiche resteth in the same And although it be one thinge to eate the fleshe of Christe and an other thing to beleue in him yet notwithstāding we must knowe that we can eate Christe no otherwyse than by fayth because the very eating is the effecte of faythe M. This semeth incredible that we should be fed with the fleshe of Christe which is so farre from vs But let vs remember that the woorke of the holy ghoste is secrete and wonderful in so muche that the capacitie and vnderstanding of man is not able to measure or comprehende the same and in the meane tyme let vs put away al grosse immaginations whiche staye vs in the bread Leaue vnto Christe the true nature of his fleshe neither extende thou his body by false imagination through heauen and earthe as though it were infinite racke him not with thy fained inuēcions neither worship thou him in this or that place accordinge to thy carnall vnderstanding suffer his glory to abyde in heauen and ascende thou thyther that thereby he may participate hym selfe vnto thee These fewe wordes will satisfie the discrete and modest as for the curious let them seke els where to fulfill their gredy desier S. Luke S. Paule adde these wordes VVhiche is geuen for you Doe this in remembraunce of me C. But Mathewe and Marke omitte it which not withstāding was not superfluous For therfore the fleshe of Christe is nowe bread vnto vs because in it saluation was once gotten for vs And as the crucified fleshe of Christe doth profite no man but suche as eate the same by faithe euen so in lyke manner the eating should be colde of no waighte but only in respect of the sacrifice once offered Therefore whosoeuer desireth to haue the the fleshe of Christ nourishemēt vnto him let him consider the same offered vppon the crosse howe that it was the price of our reconciliation payde vnto god For the Supper is a glasse whiche setteth Christe crucified before our eyes in so muche that no mā can receiue the supper profitably with frute but he which imbraceth Christe crucified But the saying before mencioned Do this in remembraunce of me doth pertayne to both partes that is to say to the bread and to the cup. For he woulde haue the whole action of the Supper to be a remembraūce of hym to helpe our infirmitie Otherwyse if we coulde remember sufficiently the death of Christe sacramentes were to no purpose for they are helpes of our infirmitie But what remēbrāce Christ would haue celebrated in his supper wee may reade in the foremencioned S. Paule And whereas many doe gather hereupon that Christe is therfore absent from the supper because it is onely a memory of one that is absent they do very well gather rightly For Christe is not sene visibly with the eyes as the signe is whiche in figuring him stirreth vp our
infirmity I do therefore bouldlye call it sorrowe and heauines that he suffered because I preach the Crosse For hee toke not vppon him oure fleshe in cooller and shewe but in deede Hee ought therefore to suffer griefe that hee myghte ouercome sorrowe not that hee mighte exclude it Neyther haue they so muche prayse of fortitude whiche beinge wounded feele not the same as they that suffer the griefe of the wounde Thus farre S. Ambrose They truly which Immagine the sonne of God to be free from these passions they do not acknowledge him to be a man trulye and effectuallye Yea when it is sayde that the deuyne power of Christe beinge hid as it were rested for a time that hee mighte fullfill the partes of a mediator in sufferinge it is so farre from absurditye that otherwyse hee coulde not fulfill the misterye of oure saluation Yet notwithstandinge the infirmitye whiche Christe toke vppon him oughte to be distinguished from oure infirmitye because it is farre differinge from that whiche is in vs. For in vs affection is not voyde of fault because all of them do exceede a meane and righte temperature But Christ was so troubled wyth sorrowe and feare that notwithstandinge hee murmered not agaynst God but sayde Father if it be possible let this Cuppe passe from mee Neuerthelesse not that I will but that thou wilt be done So that hee framed himselfe accordinge to the true rule of temperaunce For it is no marueyle hee beinge pure and holy free from all spotte if that pure affections flowed from him althoughe they were witnesses of humaine infirmitye and if from the nature of man there dothe sprynge nothinge but that which is filthye and full of puddle Let vs therefore note this difference that Christe in feare and sorrow was weake without anye spot of sinne and that all oure affections because they gushe and burste forth in excesse are vicious B. Wee muste acknowledge then that he was true and perfecte man and that hee did saye by a cooller that hee was sorrye and troubled C. But nowe wee muste note the kinde of affections with the which Christe was tempted Mathewe sayeth that hee was affected with sorrowe and heauynes Luke sayth that hee was in an agonye and Marke sayth that hee was abasshed But howe came it to passe that hee was sorrowfull heauye fearefull and abasshed but onely because in his death hee conceyued some thinge more sorrowfull horrible than the seperation of the soule and bodye And trulye hee suffered death not onely that hee mighte assende from the earth into Heauen but rather that hee taking vpon himselfe the curse to the which we were subiecte mighte delyuer vs from the same Hee feared not death therefore simplelye as it is a departure oute of this world but because hee had before his eyes the fearefull Iudgemente of GOD the Iudge himselfe beinge armed with incomprehensible vengeance and the huge heape of our sinnes which were layed vpon him oppressinge him Wherefore it is no maruayle if the horrible gulphe of destruction do sharpelye vexe him with feare and sorrowe M. Here therefore is set before vs a hye preste whiche can haue compassion vppon our infirmities which was tempted in all pointes like as wee are but yet without sinne to whom let vs go bouldly as vnto the seate of grace that wee may obtayne mercye and finde grace to helpe in time of neede This place also bringeth consolation vnto vs teachinge vs not to thincke that wee displease God when wee are throwne downe with the feare of death Christ doubted not to complaine of the horror of death which he suffered in praying to the father The which thinge also we may reade in the Psalmes to be done oftentimes of Dauid Wee are also forbidden that wee doe not iudge by and by or contemne those whiche are discouraged by the feare of deathe as though they had euill consciences and that also wee do not iustify those which dye with a boulde courage 38. Then saide Iesus vnto them My soule is heauy vnto the death Tarrye ye here and watche with mee My soule is heauy vnto the death M. Christe was full of sorrowe before hee did praye C. But hee maketh these three Dysciples priuy of his death that they mighte be partakers of the same passiō not because their weakenes was hiddē from him but because they might afterward be the more ashamed of their dulnes in vnderstandinge And this kinde of speach doth expresse a deadly woūd of sorrow as if he had sayd that throughe sorrow hee was out of hart and halfe dead So Ionas aunswered the Lord and sayd I am angery euen vnto the death Wee therfore geeue this note ▪ because certaine of the olde wryters handelinge this place folishly affyrme that the soule of Christ was not heauy in the death but to the death Againe this so greate sorrowe and heauines of the minde was not contrarye to the will of the father for the father woulde not haue hym suffer without sorrowe and griefe It was the wyll of the father that Hierusalem shoulde be besieged yet notwithstandinge Christ bewayled the same insomuche that hee wepte Tarrye ye here and vvatche vvith mee M. Such is the disposition of the wicked that they desyer to haue those whom they take to be their frendes to mourne and sorrowe with them euen as if thou wouldest not beare a heauy burthen alone but wouldest lay part thereof vpon other mens shoulders which in deede is some helpe to the afflicted It should seeme that Christ beinge thus affected desyered to haue these three Dysciples before anye other to watche with him that is in prayinge and sighinge to labour wyth him And least any man shoulde thincke the Christ was voyde of this affection let him note this thing which the Prophete sayth I loked for some to haue pittye on mee but there was no man neither founde I any to comforte mee This was yet a farther declaration and more euident argument of the humaine infirmity that was in Christe As if he should haue sayd Lend me your hand Althoughe hee were oute of daunger yet it behoued him to sustayne these thinges Wherefore seinge wee see these thinges in Christ let vs not despyse the prayers of our brethren hee hath vndoubted victory ouer death yet notwithstandinge hee sayth Watche with mee How be it wee may gather that Christe did not require these Dysciples to watche with him so much for himselfe as for their owne sakes as if they had bene in the like daunger that they mighte not be ouercome with the temptacion to come Luke sayth that hee added And pray least ye enter into temptacion that which wee will expounde in the one and fortye verse followinge 39. And hee wente a little farther and fell flat on his face and prayed saying O my father if it be possible let this cuppe passe from mee neuerthelesse not as I will but as thou wilt And hee vvente a little farther M. Hee went asyde as
may keepe them also and shewe them in dede And lo I am vvith you alvvaye It was a hard office whiche hee committed vnto them to beare the whiche good were able in no pointe And it is likely that the Dysciples were not a little terrefyed by the consideration of it C. Therefore hee doth incourage them with the truste of his heauenlye ayde promisinge vnto them his presence euerye where at all times throughout the whole worlde his helpe and grace also euen to the ende and finishinge of their embassage For before hee promised that he woulde be with them hee declared that hee was the kinge both of Heauen and earth whiche with his hand and power gouerneth all things Therefore in this word I there is a great Emphasis and force contayned as if he had sayde that if the Apostles would discharge their dutye bouldly they must not haue respect what they themselues were able to do but must leaue to his inuincible power vnder whose banner they fight Bu. As if he should say So longe as you do these thinges the world wil be against you as it hath bene againste mee For my spirite agreeth not with the spirite of this worlde and my doctrine is altogether contrary to their affections which loue those thinges that are of this world So that with many tumultes men will ryse againste you but there is no cause why ye should dispayre althoughe ye be not noble but simple weake and few in nomber I haue ouercome the world you by my helpe and my example shall ouercome By my power not by your owne shall yee ouercome what soeuer seemeth feareful to you in this world And although I will cary vp shortlye this body into Heauen which thinge is good for you that it be so yet not withstandinge I will neuer forsake you for after that I shall cease to be with you in body then more effectually wil I be with you in spirite C. Therefore the maner of presence which the Lord promiseth to his Dysciples ought spiritually to be vnderstode because it is not needefull that hee shoulde descende from Heauen to helpe vs because hee canne helpe vs by the grace of his spirit as it were stretching his hande from Heauen Euen vnto the ende of the vvorld These wordes do declare that this was spoken not to the Apostles onelye because the Lorde doth promise his helpe to continue not to the ende of one age onelye but also to the consumation of the worlde His wordes therefore are in effect as if hee should saye How weake soeuer the mynisters of the Gospell be and what neede soeuer of thinges necessary they suffer I wyll be their ayde and defender insomuch that they shall haue the victory ouer all the conflictes of the worlde M. The order of the Historye doth require that wee adde those thinges which the Euangeliste Luke writeth as concerning the Assencion of Christ in the latter ende of his Gospell and in the Actes of the Apostles He sayth therefore And hee led them out into Bethanye C. Because Mathewe had greatlye exalted the kingdom of Christ aboue the whole world hee maketh no mencion of his Assention into Heauen Marke maketh mencion of the Assention but where and how he assended hee speaketh nothinge at all But Luke very plainly setteth forth this matter for hee sayth that Christe led his disciples forth into Bethany that he might assende from the mounte Oliuet into his heauenly throne R. For the Euangeliste Luke saythe in an other place that when the Lorde was assended the Apostels retourned to Hierusalem from the mount Oliuet C. As hee woulde not be seene of all men after his resurrection as wytnesseth Peter so hee would not haue all men to be wytnesses of his assention into heauen because he would haue this mistery of the fayth to be knowen rather by the preaching of the Gospell thā to be seene with the eyes R. But what talke the Apostles had with Christe in the mounte S. Luke wryteth in these wordes saying Lorde wilte thou at this tyme restore the kyngdome of Israell But he said vnto them It is not for you to knowe the tymes and seasons whiche the father hathe put in his owne power It followeth in Marke and Luke So vvhen the Lorde had spokē vnto them he lifted vp his handes and blessed them C. And so he taught them that to blesse which office was committed to the priests vnder the lawe did truely and properly be long vnto him Seing therefore he was the onely authour of all blessing yet to the end his grace might bee the more familiar hee would haue the priests from the beginning to blesse in his name as mediatours So Melchisedech blessed Abraham And for this matter there is a lawe geuen whiche lasteth for euer To the same ende pertaineth that which is written in the Psalmes where it is said We haue wyshed you good lucke ye that be of the house of the Lorde And the Apostle saith that it is a signe of excellency to blesse others For the lesse sayth he is blessed of the greater Nowe when Christ the true Melchisedech and the euerlasting prieste declared him selfe it was necessary that the same whiche was shadowed in the figures of the lawe should be fulfilled euen as the Apostell Paule also teacheth that wee are blessed of God the father in him that we may bee ryche in all celestiall benefites Therefore he once blessed the Apostels solemly that the faythfull might come vnto hym if they desyred to be partakers of the grace of god So that he lifting vp his handes and blessing them and theyr ministery declareth by a certain signe that he wysheth vs well that we might receyue consolation by this blessing so longe as the Gospell is preached It followeth And it came to passe as he blessed them he departed from them and was taken vp an hie and a cloude receiued him out of their sight into heauē After Christe had done all those things which were appointed to him of his father and whiche pertayned to our saluation it was not nedefull that he should be any longer conuersaunt in earth He therefore being taken vp into heauen hath taken out of our sight the presence of his body not that he seasseth to be present with the faithfull whiche as yet are pylgrymes on the earth but that he might gouerne heauen earth with a more present power The heauens are sayde to be the seate of God who notwithstanding fulfilleth all thinges The heauen therefore into the with our Lord is ascended is the inuisible glory of the father where the sonne of man whiche was before so contemned and reiected of his enemies reigneth for euer in power glory hauinge all thinges subiect vnto hym and fulfilling all thinges in his electe by his holy spirit And wee obtayne two specallye fruites by this assention For in that hee ascended into heauen for oure sakes hee hath opened
his body But there are two kyndes of men whiche contende with vs in this matter The Papistes being deluded with their transsubstantiation do deny the bread to be sene because the shewe therof doth only remayne without the subiecte but S. Paule confuteth their fantasy affirming that the bread whiche we breake is the communication of Christes body Furthermore the very nature it selfe of a Sacrament dothe abhorre their fonde imaginatioÌ„ the which can not stande perfecte except the outward signe be true For whereby shall we learne that our soules are fedde with the fleshe of Christe if the true bread bee not set before our eyes but a vayne phantasy For the body of Christe is not here geuen vnto vs simplely but to eate the colour of bread doth not nourishe but the substance Moreouer what will they say as coÌ„cerning the other signe For Christ saith not This is my bloud but This cuppe Therefore according to their fantasy not only the wyne but the matter also whereof the cuppe was made must of necessitie be transsubstantiated into bloud Nowe where as our EuaÌ„geliste hathe I wyll not drynke hereafter of this frute of the vyne he plainly thereby declareth that it was wyne whiche Christe gaue to drynke and not his bloud Therefore euery waye the grose ignorance of the Papistes is confuted M. And where as they saie that they gathered this their traÌ„ssubstantiation out of the wrytinges of the fathers peraduenture it is true that they gathered it but if thei did so it was by false interpretatioÌ„ miscoÌ„struing of their works that they did it For the fathers in some of their wrytinges saye that the breade with great admiration wonder is chaunged in to the body the wyne into the bloude of Christe Now these gatherers vnderstoode theÌ„ of the mutacion chaunging of the substance whereas the fathers touched not the same but vnderstode that the terrestrial coÌ„dition vse of bread was so chauÌ„ged into a heauenly that it was now to the faithful man not terrene or earthly bread neither in that vse that earthly bread remaineth but that it passeth into the body of Christe into celestiall nourishement The which chaunge might be called conditionall not substantiall And because it is a thing wonderfull in dede they sayd truely that the bread and wyne after a woÌ„derfull manner was chauÌ„ged into the body and bloud of Christe For who would not marueile that the terrene bread shoulde be taken and chaunged into suche dignytie that it maye bee called the body of Christe Who would not meruaile that the grosse elemeÌ„t of water should be chaunged into the lauer of regeneratioÌ„ and that it is geuen in washing the body to haue the purifying of the soule the wyping away of sinne A. And this is that coÌ„secration of the which we spake before C. And there are other some whiche reiecte the figure and lyke mad men receyue the same by and by againe The bread accordinge to their iudgement is truely and properly called the body Neither do they lyke of transsubstantiatioÌ„ because it is altogether voide of reason But when they are asked if the bread and wyne he Christe they aunswere that the bread is therefore called his body because it is receiued vnder the breade and with the bread in the Supper But truely by this aunswere we maye gather that the name of body is improperly transferred to the bread whereof it is the signe And it is marueile seing that these men can say that Christe spake thus in respect of the Sacramentall vnion that they marke not what they say For what is the sacramental vnioÌ„ of the thing of the signe Is it not so called because the lord fulfilleth that which he promiseth by the secrete power of his holy spirit Wherefore these maisters of learning are no lesse ridiculous thaÌ„ the Papists Hetherto we haue expouÌ„ded the wordes of the Lorde Now let vs se how the body of Christ is geuen vnto vs Some declare that it is geueÌ„ vnto vs wheÌ„ we are made partakers of all the blessinges which Christ hath gotten vnto vs as in his body wheÌ„ by faith we imbrace Christ crucified raysed froÌ„ death for vs and that by that meanes we are made partakers effectually of all his blessinges Other some much better say that we do then receiue the blessing benefites of Christes when we obtaine Christe him selfe For we do obtaine him not onely when we beleue that he was made a sacrifice for vs but also wheÌ„ he dwelleth in vs when he is one with vs when we are his members of his fleshe of his bones when we growe if we may so speake into life substance with him Furthermore we heare what the woordes may signifie for Christe doth not only offer vnto vs the benefite of his resurrection but his very body in the whiche he suffered rose againe Therfore the body of Christ is truly geuen vnto vs in the supper that it may be the foode of life vnto our soules that is to saye our soules are fed with the substaunce of Christes body that we may truly be made one with him or els whiche is as muche in effecte the quickening force out of the flesh of Christ is powred into vs by the spirite although it be farre from vs not mixed with vs Therefore a voyde or vayne signe is not set before vs but they are truly made partakers of the fleshe bloud of the Lord whiche by faith receiue this promise For the Lorde should commaunde his disciples to eate bread in vaine affirming it to be his body except the effecte were added to the figure Neither is this questioÌ„ haÌ„dled amoÌ„g vs whether Christe doe geue vnto vs hym selfe truely or figuratiuely onely For although we beholde there nothinge but the bread yet notwithstanding he doth not frustrate or mocke vs which taketh vpon him to fede our soules with his fleshe The true eatynge therefore of the fleshe of Christ is not set forth by a signe onely but also is offered in very dede But it is good for vs here to obserue throâ—… thinges namely that the spirituall matter be not ioyned amisse with the signe SecoÌ„dly that Christe be not sought in earth or vnder earthly elemeÌ„tes Thirdly that no other eatiâ—â— be inuenâ—…ed or imagined thaÌ„ that which by the secrete power of Christe inspireth life into vs because we doe not obtaine him but by faithe only First of all as we sayde let there remayne a difference betwene the signe the thing signified except we will peruerte all thinges For there shall remaine no profite of the sacrameÌ„t except it leade vs from the beholding the earthly element to the heauenly mistery Whefore whosoeuer doth not discerne the bodye of Christe from the bread and the wyne from the bloud he shal neuer vnderstaÌ„d what the supper meaneth or wherefore the faithfull doe vse these outwarde signes Secondly let vs followe the lawefull