enstructed is as a manne should admit a brute beast to an holy banquet to the great ignominie of Iesu Christe and confusion of the church It is then erpedient that the Christian be otherwaies instructed and that he knowe what thing this Sacrament is and for what ende the Lorde hath ordeyned it for what cause also the church doth vse it what profite the faithful do receaue by it and manye other thinges which be necessary to vnderstande as this daye is made manifest I say the minister ought to vse in this Sacrament the selfe same meanes as is vsed in baptisme whē a child is baptised or yet any other person growen in yeres The whiche partie when he goeth to be baptised it is not sufficient to desire to be vnited to the church that he beleueth suerlye that this washyng is baptisme and that this sacrament is ordeined of God No nor it is no sufficient cause that the partie doeth desyre to be baptised because this belief may be both in good and euyll But the principall point that the minister doth desire to know of him that is baptised is this Whether he doth forsake the deuyll with all his works and that he that is baptised do confesse so to do openly That done the minister doth aske yf he beleue in the father in the sonne and in the holye ghost In which demaunde the mynyster doth searche out the fayth of him that receaueth the Sacrament of which faith the Church must be assured Therefore it is nedeful that euery one that is baptised shuld know to geue accompte of theyr fayth in the face of the congregation Howe muche more then oughte this to be done in the Sacrament of the Lordes supper the which is only ministred to such as be of sufficient yeres that be able to vnderstande the word preached Therfore when any man shal first communicate it is erpedient to heare his confession vppon this article For by that confession the Churche maye iudge yf suche a person bee a fitte vessell to receaue suche a Sacramente that by this meanes there maye bee a difference of Iudas and other brutysshe creatures There is then to be wysshed some other fayth muche dyfferynge from this of the Hypocrytes the whiche thynke they haue done enough whē they haue perfourmed that worke because it is so ordeyned Were it not a great folly yf one of rype yeres should be baptised and yf he were asked wherfore art thou baptised could make no other aunswere but that he is baptysed because it is so ordeyned And hauynge no other staye wherevnto the Christian fayth should staye vppon should not such one be almost iudged and taken for a dissimuled Christian Seing than y e Sacramentes be witnesses of our fayth it is needefull that they whiche wyll present them selues to this table be well instructed to geue accomptes of theyr fayth Therfore it is conuement that suche shoulde be eramined of the minister of the Churche First the minister doth aske the Christiā what is this sacramēt The faithful doth answere that this sacrament is an assuraunce and gage left of Iesu Christe in his church for that none should doubt but that his body is dead for vs that hys bloud is shed for the remission of our sinnes Then the minister shal aske him what he intendeth to do when he doth present him selfe to this supper The faithfull doth aunswere I do beleue to receaue al the merites of Iesus Christ and to receaue them in suche sorte that they bee no more Christes but that they bee myne in no lesse force then yf I with my owne proper bodye had merited the kingdome of heauen Then the minister doth thys aske and say what assuraunce hast thou to assure thy selfe after this sort of the workes of thy Lorde The faythfull doth aunswere I do thys assure my selfe vppon the wordes that Iesu Chryst spake in his last supper when he said take and eate this is my body thys is the cuppe of the newe Testamente in my bloud the whiche shalbe shed for you Agayne the minister doth aske after what maner doest thou thynke to eate thys bodye and drinke this bloud The faithful doth aunswere I do beleue to eate it spiritually in suche sort as the gospell vnder the signes of bread and wyne doth offer my fayth doth receaue The minister doth aske wherefore doest thou not thynke to eate the carnal body of Christ The faithful doth aunswere because it is the spirite that geueth me life the fleshe profiteth nothynge For this cause sayeth the Christian am I come hyther vnto the company of the faythfull for to receaue this sacrament because I beleue that the bodye of my Lorde is dead for me that hys bloud is shed for my redemptiō therfore my fayth is confirmed comforted by this sacrament The minister doth demaunde what profit commoditie receueth thy soule of thys holy supper The faithful doth answere the commoditie that I receaue therby is y e I am made a membre of Christe who is the head of the Churche And I do transfourme my selfe into my neighbour so y e I become one soule one hart one wil w t him With these other lyke instructions ought the Christian people to be instructed when they doe fyrst present them selues to thys holye supper Thys Sacramente is a witnesse of our fayth and also an open confession of the same For when we do frequent it we do declare the death of the Lord. The minister of the churh ought to admyt none to thys supper who were not very well instructed and also openly had made confession of these thynges And whē thys faith is not all thinges be decayed and of no force Let vs now then consider what difference is betwixt the fyrst fayth this seconde Thou beleuest by thy fyrst fayth that in this sacrament is the bodye and bloud of Iesu Christ What profit hast thou by this beliefe The deuil and any wicked person may haue this faith and yet for all that shall not be saued Thou beleuest that to vse this sacramēt is a good worke The deuyll beleueth also knoweth that it is a good woorke so y e this common faith maketh man no better then the deuyll or any other naughtie person Therfore it is requisite to haue some other fayth But so sone as the true lyuely fayth springeth in our hartes and speaketh to our conscience it sayeth Ah from henceforth be mery seinge Christ is wholy thine in all respectes because that in this supper thou doest receaue all hys merites he hath supped vp in his bloud all thy sinnes Confesse therefore from henceforth openly in thys Sacrament the death of thy Lord because he is present in all thy doinges This seconde fayth farre passeth the fyrst the which maketh thee no better then the Deuyll no nor than any hipocrite But this second christian faith doth geue vnto thee al that treasure enclosed and promysed in these wordes
place I vnderstande that it is all one not to iudge the bodye of the Lorde and to eate it vnworthelye Wherefore they which lacke faith be voyde of charitie without all religion and lyke hogges caste in them selues to this Supper such as these make no difference of the Lordes Supper Therefore seyng they beleue not that that body is theyr lyfe whensoeuer they do present them selues in the Church to receaue this Sacrament they do blaspheme do greate iniurye to the body of Christ they spoyle it of all dignitie and receauyng it after this sorte they be false betrayers of theyr Lord. Euen so these that be in discorde with theyr neyghbours the whiche do so hate them that they can not abyde the syght of them whan they do come together in company to celebrate the holy supper and to shewe that they be knytte together with theyr brother in the bande of charitie such do blaspheme God deuide the mistical bodi of Iesu Christ and teare in sunder the holye Churche by peece and peece Therefore worthely are they to be blamed be betrayers of the body of Chryst I say not onely that they bee betrayers of the Churche whiche is the mistical bodye of Chryste But I saye they be betraiers of theyr Lord no lesse then Iudas and the Iewes whiche crucified hym Eatyng after thys sort vnworthely thei do receaue their own damynation for vsynge thys Sacrament without fayth as the hypocrites do they do confesse that with theyr mouth whiche they beleue not in their harte And to be present at thys table is no other thinge but an abiuration whiche is done in euery false religion It is a confession that we beleue to bee saued onely by the death of Iesu Chryste The hypocrite then doth condemne hym selfe doth pronounce sentence in hys owne condemnation and prouoketh the anger of GOD vppon hys owne head When a man doth not putte hys whole confydence in Christ he can not loue hys neyghbour with that Christian loue wherewith thys Sacrament doth bynde hym Then a wycked person is cutte of from his neyghbours and so he hath no parte at all in the Churche nor yet maye vse thys Sacrament but faynedly For when he outwardelye sheweth hym selfe at this holy Table he confesseth to be transfourmed into hys neyghbour neuerthelesse in hys harte he is replenyshed with hatred For this cause Paule willed that a man should make triall of himself before he dyd eate of thys bread drynke of this cuppe The whiche wordes I do vnderstande after thys sorte that euerye one ought it theyr proper conscience and with stedfast fayth beleue that Iesus Christ onely is theyr redemer and the satisfier for all theyr sinnes Also they ought to declare the death of Christ that is with tong openly to confesse that the whiche he beleueth in hys hart Thys is to confesse Christ alone to be our Sauiour in daungers troubles and all persecutioÌ„s of Antichrist When a Christian hath tasted of thys fayth and confession it is necessary before he receaue thys Sacrament that he consider in his owne conscience whether he be redy to geue hym selfe wholy to the seruyce and benefyt of hys neighbour as Christ hath done who is made the seruaunt of the whole Churche whether he be also desyrous to helpe to defende and to gouerne his neighbour because he is of the fleshe of his owne body Thys is that preparation the which he ought to haue that myndeth to eate the supper of the Lorde This is that examination wherof Paul speaketh that he ought to make that wyll eate of thys breade and drinke of this cuppe He that hath not this fayth and this charitie lette him not goo to this supper of the Lorde because yf that anye suche who is voyde of faith and charitie doth present hym selfe to thys table he is worthi of more blame and becometh a betrayer of the body of Chryst Let vs nowe consider what difference there is bet wixt this fyrst and common fayth of the hypocrites and of thys seconde Christian faith This first fayth wylleth that we shoulde eate this supper because it is so ordayned and because the body of Chryste is receaued But because the wicked and reprobate and the Dyuell may haue thys fayth therefore the hipocrite doth not eate worthely the supper of the Lorde Let vs then leaue of thys â—â—â—â—…on hipocrisie and beynge â—rmed with fayth and charitie â–ª â—…et vs eate thys bread and drynke thys cup together with the other faythful chaunginge our selues into our neyghbours by charitie beinge replenished with all humilitie of whiche we haue at this present a rare example of oure master Christ which is written by S. Iohn after this sort Before the feast dai of the passouer Iesus vnderstandynge that his houre was come that he muste depart out of this life to hys father hauynge loued hys that were in the world for euer and euer he loued theÌ„ When supper was done and the deuil had moued y e hart of Iudas of Symon Iscarioth which betraied hym Iesus knowing that his father had geuen into hys handes all thinges and that he came from GOD and that he must go to God he ryse from supper put of his garmentes tooke a towell girde himselfe after that put water into a basen and beganne to washe the feete of hys Disciples and to wype them with the to well where with he was gyrt The Euangelyst dott describe the cause wherfore the father sent Iesu Christ into the worlde that by the meanes oâ— the crosse he muste retourne to hys father Our merites then nor our good workes bee not oâ— suche pleasauntnesse that theâ— haue caused the sonne of god to descende into the earth But thâ— great earnest loue that he barâ—… hath moued the heauenlye father to geue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hys benifites in hys beloued Câ—â—â—d In this is made manyfest thâ— loue of God toward vs In thaâ— he sen◠〈◊〉 only begotten sonne i◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—rlde that we should lyâ—â—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him In this doth apâ—â—…â—ys loue not that we loâ—◠〈◊〉 but that he loued vs â–ª and sent his sonne a propiciation for our synnes The sonne hath folowed the loue of the father therefore such as were at the first beloued they were dere and fauoured for euer and euer Our Lorde fayleth not in his loue albeit his Disciples ran away denyed hym For al this he departed not froÌ„ one iote of his good wyl y e all men myght knowe that God is true man is but a lyer It is a small mencion that Iohn maketh of this supper because it was already throughli described of the other Euangelistes Now had the deuyll moued the harte of Iudas Iscarioth that betrayed hym And Iesus vnderstandyng y e his father had layd this burden vppon his shoulders te lâ—ue al beleuers by the meanes of the crosse he therfore gaue into his handes the euerlastynge good thinges that is lyfe righteousnesse remissioÌ„ of
sinnes he alth redemption iudgement and resurrection All these good thinges were geuen into the handes of Christe because he hath purchased them hath gotten the by the crosse This is the wyl of my father that hath sente me that I shoulde not lose one of those that he hath geuen me that euerye one that seeth the sonne beleueth in him maye haue lyfe euerlastynge When Christ shoulde be exalted aboue the heauens he would first huÌ„ble him self in washyng his disciples feete geuing this for an example that first in this mortall life we ought to be humble if in the other lyfe we wyll be glorious with Iesu Christe I praye and besech you brethren that euery one of you consider with deepe consideration this fact of humilitie of our Lord to the ende that we shoulde know that he came to this extreme basenesse to eralt vs. What maner of persoÌ„s were they O master whose feete thou washed it was theyrs who betrayed thee denyed thee forsoke thee in thy daunger fled away when thou stodest in moste nede of them Wherfore we ought to consider in this washynge of feete the marueylous humilitie of oure master and the feruent loue he bare towardes his enemies It was the maner in those dayes to washe straungers feete when they were bydden to any mans house therfore the Lorde rebuked the Pharisey which washed not his feete Paule would not receaue a wydow to the seruice of the Churche yf first she were not knowen to be humble and of a godly lyfe And the Apostle myndyng to declare this humilitie sayde It is erpedient that a wydowe shoulde haue wâ—â—â—ed the feete of Saintes For if any do huÌ„ble them selues after this sorte as to be content with so meane an office as to washe the feete of Saintes to serue such as haue sores and infirmities this is an euidente signe of a loue that is vnfayned He came vnto Peter Peter sayd Lorde shalt thou washe my feet Iesus aunswered and said What I do thou knoweste not but thou shalt know hereafter The wordes of Peter beyng considered as they be in apparent do declare great modestie whiche in the worlde is worthy of prayse Yt is a signe of ciuilitie not to suffer without great nede to be serued of a mans better But Christ in this that he dyd hadde occasioÌ„ wherfore he willed that Peter should beare that seruice although it were base Therfore sayd Christe thou shalte knowe hereafter Peter why I do this At this aunswere ought Peter to haue submitted hym selfe suffered his feete to be washed to haue declared a ciuill wisedome Therfore it may be sayd that in Peter doth appeare the superstitious hypocrisie of our carnall nature Peter made a conscience and feared to declare so smal reuerence to his master to suffer him to washe his feete But after forgettyng all religion treadyng vnderfeet both the loue and reuerence to his deare master with an othe forsoke hym when he ought to haue coÌ„fessed hym Chryst hath saide he that wyll not confesse me before men I wyll not confesse him in the presence of my father Peter made smal accompt of the commauÌ„dement of God denyed his master makyng lytle conscience to swere falsely with â—â—â—te shame and ignominie to Iesu Christ yet he after made a conscience and thought it sinne to suffer his master to wasshe his feete Thus doth our naturall hipocrisie it reuerenceth Christ and wyll honour hym where is no nede And agaynst his commauÌ„dement he wyll after make small accompt of that true religion wherwith god wyl be serued and worshipped Our reasoÌ„ knoweth not the cause of Gods workes nor yet can not knowe them if the spirite of the Lorde do not make manifest these secretes Therfore Peter not knowyng but as man stroue with his master and sayd thou shalt neuer wasshe my feete Peter doth not only declare hym selfe coâ—â—â—â—…tious but yf we consider thâ—â—…nswere we shall fynde Peter a great blasphemer The master had sayde before to his disciples that it was not without cause that he wasshed theyr feete Therfore Peter being obstinate resisting that he shuld not washe his feete at all shewed him selfe to be wiser then his master And the auÌ„swere of Peter hath this vnderstandynge Albeit thou art my master yet for all that thou shalte pardon me for in this doyng thou declareu thy selfe to haue smal experience touching wordly thinges I know by experience it is not decent the seruaunt woulde be serued of his master so that thy fact master doth gaynesaye the polytyke order of the world And this that I do is done politikely In Peter is declared a zele of the honour of God but this deuotion was not grouÌ„ded in the word of God Lette vs see what aunswere the wisdome of God doth make to Peter If I shall not wasshe thy feete thou shalt haue no parte with me Christ contendeth not with Peter for that he shuld not be wilfull and wyse in his owne conceite What shall we saye to the aunswere of our Lord ah is it so great a matter to washe feet was not Iudas feete wasshed yet he had no part with Christ it is verye true his feete were washed but not after that sorte as Christ doth heare declare in this Gospell The aunswere of Christ is this Peter hath not wel vnderstand my office nor yet vnderstandeth not home nedeful my seruyce is to all the whole worlde O thou fantastical man why doest thou beleue y t I am a Messias a carnall king a monarche of all the worlde to whom all nations should be subiect thou thinkest to serue this Messias but Peter thou arte deceaued For if I do not fyrst serue thee thou shalte neuer serue me yf I do not fyrst saue thee thou shalt neuer come to be saued if I do not fyrst shed my bloud for thee yf I do not first wash thy sinnes thou shalt neuer be saued nor yet haue ani porcion with me These wordes of Iesu Christ yf I washe not thy fete thou shalt haue no portion with me Albeit they bee few and appeare simply yet for al that if we coÌ„sider them depely we shall fynde that they destroy all false and cloked religion Although there bee many amongest the Iewes which lyue honestly yet for all that they be not saued in the bloud of christ nor yet haue they no part with him The Turkes albeit they say they serue god aboue glory that they haue the true religion and shewe with outwarde ceremonies a cloked holynes yet they obtayne not remission of their sinnes because they be not washed in y e bloud of Christ Our hipocrites although they doe manye good workes yet because they thynke to be washed in theyr owne merites and not in the bloud of Christ Therfore such hipocrites haue no portion with Christ at al. But let vs returne to Peter who said O lord not only my fete but my hands and head also At the first Peter was very