that beleeueth not is condemned alreadie because he dothe not beleeue in the name of the sonne of God And in the 6. Chapter This is the will of my Father that sent mee that he that seeth the Sonne beleeueth in him should haue eternall life The full consent of the Prophets doth iustifie this Meane of our saluatioÌ„ For as Peter sayth To this all the Prophetes beare witnesse that through his name all they which beleeue in him shal receaue remission of sinnes The whole Church of Christ beareth witnesse to this which in all hir generall councells doth teach euerie true Christian to say I beleeue that Iesus Christ descended from heauen for vs and for our saluation that he was made man borne suffered died rose againe and was receaued into Heauen c. And all to this end that by this Sauiour we myght haue remission of sinne Resurrection of the fleshe and euerlasting lyfe All these things doth y t EuaÌ„gelist S. Iohn affirme in one little sentence These thinges are written that you may beleeue that Iesus Christ is the sonne of God and that in beleeuing ye might haue life through his name By these wordes wee are taught why the Gospell is written and preached to men that is that they should beleeue and iustifie God in his promise to be true Secondly that by beleeuing they should haue the fruites of Christes comming in the flesh and therefore faith and beleefe is the Meanes to apply Christ and his benefites vnto vs. Thirdly that wee haue life and saluation onely by the meere mercie of God in Christ and not by any merite of ourselues or other meÌ„ or by the dignitie and worthinesse of our selues or our doinges whatsoeuer going before or comming after This benefite therefore to applye Christes merites and fruites of hys Passion vnto vs can not in any wyse bee imputed to any other workes or vertues bee they neuer so excellent but to fayth onely and that not for the dignitye of faythe neyther but for this cause onely for that faythe resperteth no other thyng but doth rest and staye it selfe vppon the sure and vnfallible promyse of God grounded and founded on the grace and merite of Christ This promyse doth faythe apprehende as I haue sayde and doth assure hymselfe to bee partaker of it because God is true and can not deceaue And thoughe our faythe sometyme bee weake and not so strong as it shoulde bee yet wee maye not dispayre for this our weakenesse and infirmitie but wee must comforte our selues wyth thys sweete promyse that he which paydr the price of our saluation as the Prophete witnesseth Doth not breake the brused reede nor extinguishe smookyng Flaxe Onely let vs saye wyth him in the Gospell I beleeue but O Lorde helpe myne vnbeliefe And with the Apostles O Lorde increase our Faith For as Christ saith If wee haue fayth no more than a graine of mustarde seede we shall by it worke great things This doctrine of apprehending the benefites of our saluation and applying the fruites of Christes Incarnation death passion by faith onely The patrons and teachers of the Church of Rome haue most impugued Their voyces thereof ring in euery mans cares their bookes and writings agaynst the same lye open to all mens eyes so that no man can doubt of it wherein their obstinate blindnesse doth more than in all other things too plainly appeare For whereas they bee great braggers of the generall consent of the Vniuersall Church and by countenance of it will seeme to maintaine their other errours and corrupt doctrine yet they reiect this doctrine that is witnessed by God the Father confirmed by the Sonne established in the hartes of the faithful by the holy Ghost testified by all the Prophetes and Apostles and acknowledged by the generall Consent of the whole Church in their beliefe and ratified by the subscription of a great number of the auncient Fathers and Catholike writers yet I say they of the Church of Rome doe impugne it and speake altogether most reprochefully of faith and wrongfully challeng the Preachers of the Gospell that by this doctrine of our Justification and saluatition by faith onely in the merite of Christes Passion they doe disproue good workes and leaue open a gappe to wickednesse and Loosenesse of lyfe Which commeth to passe because they will not vnderstand what true ChristiaÌ„ faith is nor why faith is sayd to iustifie vs before God that is because it apprehendeth the mercie of God in his promyse assuring vs that we shall haue remission of sinne saluation and eternall life through the merite of Christes Passion onely I neede not therfore to put you in minde what conclusion maye bee inferred vppon the premises against the teachers of the Church of Rome that is that not the Preachers and professors of the Gospell which teach this Article to the full but they rather of the Churche of Rome are the false Prophets that are couered with sheepes clothing because the fruites of their doctrine do plainely proue them to be such By this that I haue hitherto spoken you may perceiue that wee doe not striue with the Churche of Rome nor separate our selues from it for trifles and toyes of no weyght and value but for matters of great importaunce touchyng the principall Articles of Christian faythe and the true meanes of our Saluation For although Sathan in these dayes dothe not so commonlye rayse vp hys Instrumentes to impugne the Trinitie the two natures of Christe or the Diuinitie of the holye Ghost as he did in the Primitiue Churche yet he is not Idle but craftely turnyng himself into an Angel of light by such as not onely professe themselues to be Christians but take vppon them to bee the principall patrones and directors of Christian faith he disgraceth and extenuateth the dignitie and perfection of Christes merite and passion he peruerteth the office of the holy Ghost he abuseth the name authoritie of the Catholike Church and setteth vp an other Church he altereth the principall doctrine of our beliefe touching fayth in our Lord Jesus Christ and transferreth and almost bringeth to nothing the trueth of our iustification and the ende of our fayth He chaungeth the Sacramentes and bringing in a new sacrifycing worship altereth the Institutions and ordinaunces of Christ fâ—aâ—ly and plainely layde downe in his worde Wherfore dearely beloued I earnestly require all such as haue care of their saluation to remember Christes admonition that he gyueth in this place when he saith Beware of false Prophetes that come to you in sheepes clothing c. The first way to beware of them is with earnest and hartie Prayer to call vppon God that by his gracious benefit and lyghtning of our heartes by his spirit wee may know the false Prophetes and by his prouidence he wil preserue vs from them and sende out into his haruest faithfull and true labourers and that he will by his goodnesse
Certaine Sermons vvherin is contained the Defense of the Gospell nowe preached against such Cauils and false accusations as are obiected both against the Doctrine it selfe and the Preachers and Professors thereof by the friendes and fauourers of the Church of Rome * ∗ * ∗ * Preached of late by Thomas by Gods sufferance Byshop of Lincolne Imprinted at LondoÌ„ by Ralphe Newbery dwelling in Fleet street Anno Domini 1580. To the Godly disposed Reader BEhold louing Reader the great goodnesse prouidence of God towards thee These sweetâ— SermoÌ„s not for the ElequeÌ„ce which this ReuereÌ„d Father chaleÌ„geth but for the inestimable coÌ„fort to all the Godly as sweet sounding TruÌ„pets in respect therof may well be called 12. friendly AlaraÌ„s to cal sommoÌ„ thee to the knowledge of thy selfe and thy state and to make ready thy Weapons here sorted out for thee against the common enimye of all quietnesse the bloody Papist These sweete warninges I say had well nigh slipped thy hands had not Gods mercifull prouidence prouided thee a remedy therefore vsed the meanes of certaine zealous and Godly Ministers earnestlye to craue and begge that they mighte be openlye knowne and published for thy greater benefite and that they might be as Mithridaticum or Triacle in euery mans house a redy remedy for three sortes of poisoned infections now abrode First for the obstinate Papist neuer in greater expectation for his loÌ„g desired purpose than eueÌ„ now Secondly for the senceles Epicure or secure Worldling drowned in the cogitatioÌ„s of this world in a deepe profouÌ„d sleepe of vanity foreseing no peril fearing no danger but crying al is wel al is wel peace peace is at warre with theÌ„ that tel of any danger Lastly for the counterfeit Gospeller who bearing the name of a shepe is in deede a rauening Wolfe lookes but for oportunity to ioyn with thy cheefe aduersarie to tel thee in vauÌ„ting wise that he was neuer other but one of Machiuels order a deepe dissembler but be thou of good comfort feare not stay thy selfe vpon gods prouidence behold here inclosed a present remedye for thee take it vse it imbrace it bee thankefull for it and farevvell in the Lorde Vale. T. N. ¶ Sermons contayned in this Boke and in what leafe to finde them 1 The first Sermon vpon the 16. Verse Rom. 1. Fol. 1. 2 The second Sermon vpon the same Verse Fol. 19. 3 The third Sermon vpon the same Verse Fol. 46. 4 The first Sermon vpon the 15. Ver. Math. 7. Fol. 67. 5 The second SermoÌ„ vpon the 16. Ver. Mat. 7. Fol. 82. 6 The third Sermon vpon the 16. Ver. Mat. 7. Fol. 98. 7 The first SermoÌ„ vpon the 1. Ver. 1. Cor. 10. Fol. 116. 8 The secoÌ„d SermoÌ„ vpoÌ„ the 3. Ver. 1. Cor. 10. Fol. 136. 9 The third Sermon vpoÌ„ the 5. Ver. 1. Cor. 10. Fo. 159. 10 The first Sermon vpon the 3. Ver. Math. 13. Fo. 177. 11 The secoÌ„d SermoÌ„ vpon the 5. Ver. Mat. 13. Fol. 196. 12 A Sermon vpon the 46. Ver. Ioh. 8. Fol. 207. Faultes escaped in the Printing of this Boke  Faultes  Correction Leafe Line  Percipitati  praecipitati 13 9.  capitaine  captiue 15 7.  Saniour  sauoâ—â— 33 3.  poculus  poculum 34 27. For charisima reade charisma 38 3.  goly  godly 73 5.  do  â—o 97 15.  alio  also 122 27.  Nasareth  Bethlem 198 34.  vvith triall  vvithout triall 228 15.  7. of Chro.  2. of Chro. 240 25. In these Folios For 16. 19. for 56. 58. for 48. 84. for 192. 194. for 193. 195. for 186. 198. for 206. 224. for 225. 223. ¶ Three Sermons made vppon this Text. Rom. 1. 16. Non me pudet Euangelij est enim potentia Deiad salutem omni credenti c. That is I am not ashamed of the Gospell of Christ for it is the povver of God to saluation to euery one that beleue et c. THis sentence that I haue redde Dearelye beloued contayneth fewe wordes great and ample matter and is of that sort which Rhetoricians call Enthemematicae comprehending both parts of a breefe Argument the Antecedent and Conclusion As if S. Paule had sayd The Gospell of Christ is the mightie power of God Therefore I am not ashamed of it And these two partes of this short Argument I meane with Gods assistaunce at this time to speake of First how the Gospell is the mightye power of God to saluation and secondly that for that cause we should not be ashamed of it whatsoeuer carnall wisedome would otherwise perswade vs either that the wickednesse of this world or of the Diuill would intice vs and seduce vs. As touching the former parte In what estimation the world had the Gospell of Christ in S. Paule his time himselfe in the first to the Cor. doth very well declare where he sayth that to the Iewes it was a great offence and to the wise and learned Grecians very folly and madnesse Both partes were offended not only with the Doctrine but with the base estate of Christes owne person who as you know in countenance of the world was but meane and simple Ioseph taken for his Father being but a poore Carpenter himselfe scantly hauing an house to put his head in keping company with the contemned sort of Publicans sinners In the ende being put to moste vile and reprocheful death And therefore euen in the time of Augustine and Chrisostome We reade that if a gentleman or noble person had bene turned to the Gospel his kin and aliance would come vnto him and say What Tu credis crucifixo Art thou not ashamed to hope for saluatioÌ„ in him that being put to extreme punishment was not able to saue himselfe And as they were then offended in y â— person of Christ so in y â— doctrine also they thought it great folly y â— learned wise meÌ„ should beleeue those things that by reason they were not able to conceiue as y â— one person should be both God and man y t the sonne of God should die y t he being man dead should rise againe to life y t to attaine iustice before God they must vtterly renouÌ„ce their own iustice good works acknowledge themselues to be most heinous sinners that they must abandon the world all the pleasures thereof y t they must for Christes sake for go their wife their childreÌ„ their goods all that they had finally y t they should mortifie their fleshe take their crosse by ignominie reproche persecution follow Christ This seemed to them not onely a shame and a folly but an extreme madnesse also And therefore they had the professors of the Gospell in no estimation but accounted them fooles and doating persons The greater more famous that the place citie was the greater more greeuous was the contempt
to haue written hys Epystle but his whale Gospell also to this ende only and principallye that Christyans shoulde vnderstand that Christ only and no other thing or person is the meanes to bring to the people of God remissyon of sinne Justification Redemption and all the Benefites and parts of our saluation For in that gospell Christ is declared to be the Lambe of god that taketh awaye the sin of the world The fulnes of Gods grace of whose fulnesse all we take part The brasen Serpent that only healeth the sting of the olde Serpent Sathan The Fountaine of liuing water of which he that drinketh shall neuer thyrste The bred of life which he that eateth shal neuer die The true foode and drink of our soules of which hee y ◠eateth drinketh shall be sure to haue eternall life The Lighte of the world which only scattereth disperceth the clowds of ignorance and errour maketh vs to see the truth of God and right way of Saluation The good Sheapheard that giueth his lyfe for the benefite of his Sheepe The onlye Doare whereby we enter into the Church of GOD and so into eternall Lyfe The very Waye Truth and Lyfe without which Waye there is no walking to Heauen but wādring by wrong pathes vnto the Diuell without which Truth there is nothing but falshood and errour withoute which Life there is nothing but death eternal The true Vine by which only as branches we sucke the sweete and liuing iuyce of Gods holy spirite and without which wee are hable to doe nothing The onelye giuer of the blessed comforter that doth worke the peace of our Consciences and direct vs into all truth c. What good christian hart waying these things doth not thereof conceaue vnestimable comfort and more quietnesse of conscience then in all the heapes of mens deuises which they haue imagined to purchase vs the fauour of GOD and remission of sinne Yea what faithfull minde after the vnderstanding and imbracing of this sweete Doctrine doeth not deteste as blasphemous and wicked all suche as directe vs to any other meane of Saluation then the bloode of Christe onlye Wherefore the people of GOD muste bee well assured by this seconde rule of Saint Iohn that not onely they are false Prophets Wolues and of the spirit of Antechrist that in grosse tearmes denie Christ to haue come in fleshe but they also whiche will seeme constantlye to confesse this Article to bee moste true and yet in verye deede colourably and as it were vnder sheepes cloathing denie impugne and disgrace the causes Fruite Profite and effectes thereof by attributyng the same to other things than vnto the Death and merites of Christ only Now whether the Teachers of the Church of Roome doe this or no let such as haue the feare of god and care of their saluation vnfaynedly consyder They teach that Christe is not our onlye Mediatour and intercessoure vnto GOD or if they say so in wordes in effecte they denye it when they affyrme that wee haue infinite other that is all the Sayntes in heauen that be our Mediatours and Intercessoures for vs to directe our praiers to thē or by them They teach that Christs death is not a full satisfaction for the whole sinnes of the World or if in wordes they will saye so in Trueth they denye it when they affyrme that Christe his bodye was offered vppon the Crosse for the debte of Originall Sinne only and that for oure other daylye Offences it is offered in the Sacrifice of the Masse Or when they affyrme as Gabriell Biell doeth That althoughe Christe his Passion be the principall Merite for which grace is gyuen and the Kingdome of Heauen is opened yet it is neuer the only and whole meritorious cause thereof because there euer concurreth with the merite of Christe some worke or merite of him that receiueth the grace They teach that we haue not remission of sins the fauor of god only by christ but partly by the merites of Saynts partly by our fasting Almes deeedes and other good workes partly by pardons by Pilgrimages by Masses by building of churches erecting of chaunteries by holy water and such other thinges Wherefore I may conclude euen by this rule by whiche S. Iohn directeth vs to trie y ◠spirits of preachers whether they be of God or no y t the teachers maintainers of the Doctrine of the Churche of Rome are not suche as Christian men ought to beleeue and giue credite vnto but rather to beware of them and take heede that they bee not seduced by them The thyrde poynte of Doctrine is how we may be partakers of Christe comming in fleshe and how the benefites thereof are truely and rightly applied vnto vs. A doctrine surely no lesse needeful then the two former for in vayne to no purpose in respect of vs doth Christ come in flesh and suffer death if the benefits therof be not applied to vs and we made partakers of the same Now what this Mean is S. Ioh. in the same Epist doth euidently declare vnto vs saying Let that remain in you that you haue herd frō the begining For if that remain in you that you haue heard at the beginning you also shall abide in the son in the father What it is to abide in that which they heard in the beginning he afterward playnely expoundeth that is constantly with sure fayth to beleeue y ◠premises of God in his Gospel assuring vs of Saluation in Christes Sonne For this he writeth Euery one that is borne of God ouercōmeth the world this is the victory that ouercōmeth the world euē our faith Who is he that ouercommeth the world but he that beleueth that Iesus Christ is the sonne of god And after He that beleueth in the son of god hath the witnes in himself he that beleueth not god hath made him a liar becaus he beleued not in the witnes of God which he testified of his son And this is the record that God hath giuen vnto vs eternal life and this life is in his sonne In these words we haue first that saluatiō eternall life is y e gift of God not a thing of vs deserued Secōdly y ◠God the Father by his witnes promise doth assure vs that we shall be partakers therof for the merite of Christe his Sonne only This life sayeth hee is in his Sonne Lastlye that the meanes to be made partakers hereof is assuredlye to beleeue the truth of GOD promissing this in his sonne or else by infidelitie wee make God a lyer and leese out partes of his promise Christ himselfe also beareth witnesse of the same Meanes to apprehend our saluation So God loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten sonne that whosoeuer doth beleeue in him should not perishe but haue eternall life c. And agayne He that beleeueth in him is not condemned but he
must next consider how this blessed meat is truely rightly eaten both in the sacraments without the vse of of Sacramentes This question hath vexed all Christendom nowe for the space of certaine yeres hath exercised the pennes and tongues almost of all learned men of this age with great vehemencie on eche side But surely if they would with single mindes without heat of contention truely consider howe the fruite and benefite of this heauenly foode is receaued this controuersie might bee easily ended and many a troubled conscience quieted which now almost only are by this meanes stayed from embracing the trueth of the Gospell They doe not so greatly mislike the other parts of our doctrine but this sticketh in their consciences that wee denie the body and blood of Christ really and carnally eaten and drunken in the Sacrament Wherefore I hartely desire al such for the time to laye aside that settled perswasion wherewith their mindes hitherto hath beene so holden that they could not abide to heare any thing of the contrarie and with indifferent and charitable mindes carefully to consider that which in parte I haue and now hereafter shall speake touchyng this matter First therefore you must call to your remembraunce that Christes bodye is not carnall meate and drinke for our bodyes but spirituall meat and drinke for our soules and for that cause S. Paul in this place so calleth it saying That the olde Fathers did eate of the same spirituall meate and drinke of the same spiritual drinke And yet I must needes confesse that this spirituall meate is profitable not to the soule onely but to the body also For Christ dyed for preseruation both of soule and bodye But this benefite of nourishment is not first receaued of the bodye and throughe it passeth to the soule for that were monstrous but beeyng first receaued of the soule it profiteth the bodye For as Christ sayth That which entreth into the bodily mouth defyleth not the man but that commeth out of the mouth from the corrupte hearte and mynde So contrariwyse not that good thing that entreth by the bodye dothe profyte the soule but that which entered first by the soule and is receaued by it profyteth also the bodye For the body and bloud of Christ beeyng in deede the true foode of lyfe when it is spiritually eaten by the soule through the operation of the holye Ghost maketh vs apte to Resurrection and in due tyme transformeth our mortall bodyes to the lykenesse of his glorious bodye If the spirite of him that raised Christ from death dwell in vs he that raised Christ from the dead shall also quicken our mortall bodies because that his spirit through Christ dwelleth in vs. The better to vnderstand what it is to eate this spirituall foode and how it is truely effectually receaued to eternall lyfe I must put you in minde of the comparison that before I vsed betweene the body and the soule As the bodye is sayde to eate when it receaueth that sustenaunce wherewith the hunger thereof is stayed and satisfied and as it is sayde to drinke when it receaueth that liquour wherewith the thirst is quenched euen so our soule is sayde to eate and to drinke when it receaueth that heauenly and blessed foode of Christ Jesus crncifyed wherewith the hungry and thirstie appetite thereof that is the vehement desire of the fauour of God and saluation is fully satisfyed and appeased As there commeth no benefit to the body of meat drinke vnlesse it bee eaten and drunken so the bodye and blood of Christ crucified doth not helpe vs anye thing if it bee not worthily and truely receaued The body receaueth hys foode by the mouth of the body the soule receaueth hirs by the mouth of the soule As it is not sufficient to hunger and thirst nor to receaue sustenaunce vnlesse there be a naturall strength in our bodyes to receaue concoct and digest the same so there must be in our soules that strength that may surely receaue Christ and wrappe him or embrace him in the bowels of our heart that he may thereby as it were be turned into vs and wee into him but that strength is not in our selues but is giuen of God We must therefore haue it from him from whom all good giftes proceede that is From the father of lyghtes And this gift wherewith Christ is truely and effectually receaued is nothing but faith For by fayth we receaue Christ and assure our selues in our hartes that wee are partakers of that redemption which by his death he hath procured for vs and with that firme perswasion lay him vp in the bowels of our heartes that in all our temptations and troubles we may feede vpon him and gather strength and comfort in the assuraunee of Gods fauour purchazed by him so that so often as our heartes bee shaken with mistrust and feare this faith doth comforte and releeue vs agayne Nowe that faith is the mouth and meanes whereby onely wee receaue and eate Christ to saluation I will let you vnderstand it both by Christes owne wordes in S. Iohn and by the iudgement of diuers learned and auncient Fathers For Christ vseth these wordes indifferently and as of one force and signification To beleeue in him To eate him To drinke him To come vnto him and doth attribute to eche of these y â— same effectes To beleeue in Christ is the proper worde to eate Christ or to come vnto him are Metaphores and figuratiue speeches but all of one force I am the bread of life saith Christ he that commeth to me shall not hunger and he that beleeueth in me shall neuer thirst Marke diligently deerely beloued what Christ sayth He that commeth to me shall not hunger therfore to come vnto Christ is to eat Christ And againe he saith He that beleeueth in mee shall neuer thirst therfore to beleeue in Christ is to drinke Christ To eat and to drinke are meanes to take away hunger and thirst but to come vnto Christ to beleeue in him as Christ himselfe saith doth take away hunger and thirst therefore to come vnto him and to beleeue in him is to eate him and to drinke him An other out of the same place is this Christ attributeth the same effectes and fruits to them which beleeue in him that he doth to them that eate his bodie and drinke his blood therefore by eating and drinking he meaneth nothing but beleeuing His wordes bee these Iohn 6. verse 54. He that eateth my fleshe and drinketh my blood hath eternall life and I will raise him vp at the last daye Note the effectes that he gyueth to eatyng his fleshe and drinking his blood that is to haue euerlasting lyfe and bee raysed at the last daye In the. 40. verse of the same Chapter hee sayeth This is the wyll of my father that sent mee that euerie one that seeth the sonne and beleeueth on him should haue eternall life I
will raise him vp at the last daye Who seeth not heere that Christ attributeth the same force to beleeuing that in the other verse he did to eating and drinking and therfore vseth y â— wordes indifferently as beyng of one meaning I myght stay vpon many other places wherein the holy Ghost wytnesseth that we haue eternall life by beleeuing in Christ as in the same place He that trusteth in me hath eternal life but the matter is needelesse and the time will not suffer me Therefore by Christes owne wordes to beleeue in Christ is to eat Christ That you may not thinke this is a new deuise proceeding from my selfe or from the Preachers of thys tyme hearken you what S. Augustine sayeth This is the bread that came from heauen that if any doe eate of it he shoulde not die but that stretcheth to the Vertue of the Sacrament not to the visible Sacrament He that eateth within not he that eateth without he that eateth with the hart and not he that presseth it with his teeth Marke I pray you y â— he attributeth the true effectuall eating not to the pressing with the teeth and bodyly mouthe but to the inward eating with the hart and what is that but by faith and beleeuing spiritually to eate him and so he expoundeth himselfe in an other place This it is therefore fayeth he to eate that foode that perisheth not but remaineth to eternall lyfe What preparest thou thy tooth and thy belly beleeue and thou hast eaten And againe To beleeue in hym that is it to eate the bread of lyfe Cyprian also to the same purpose writeth These things so often as wee doe wee sharpen not our teeth to byte but with sincere fayth wee breake and diuide that holye breade Some happily thinke that this spirituall eating by faith is but a â—leight matter and of no great weyght and so the teachers of the Churche of Rome woulde perswade men but they consider not the great vertue power and strength of Faith By Fayth wee knowe Christ and the true meane of our saluation by hym By Faith wee bee graffed into Christ as braunches into the roote and stocke so that wee lyue now by him and by his spirit as the braunches doe by the Iuice that commeth from the bodye of the tree By Fayth wee bee so vnited vnto Christ that we may iustly saye whatsoeuer is hys is ours also by fayth we are made the chyldren of God and heyres of eternall lyfe By fayth wee haue peace wyth God and are assured of hys fauour in the myddest of all our troubles by fayth wee dare boldly approche to the throne of Gods mercie This might and strength of fayth they feele not that thinke it so simple a matter to eate Christ by fayth Christ witnesseth That by eating him by faith and beliefe we haue saluation and eternall lyfe and that hee will raise vs at the last daye Wherefore I woulde knowe of them what other eating there is beside thys whereby wee maye assure our selues of Saluation Truely the Scriptures mention none And that carnall eating for which the Churche of Rome striueth is suche as they themselues confesse that Iudas and all wicked persons may vse and bee damned Nowe I appeale to the consciences of them that feare GOD and will not willyngly runne into errour whether wee or they deale with the people of God more sincerely They without any euident proofe of the Scriptures contende as I haue sayde for that reall and bodily eating with which damnation maye bee ioyned wee endeuour to perswade men that manner of spirituall eatyng by faythe throughe which by the testimonie of the whole Scriptures wee shall be assured of eternall lyfe and with which damnation can not bee ioyned Some perchaunce wyll saye vnto mee or wyll thinke with themselues in their mynde If this doctrine bee true then are Sacramentes needelesse For wee may eate Christ by fayth spiritually in such sort as you haue sayd without any vse of the Lordes supper and therefore it maye seeme superfluous God forbydde that the most perfect Christians and of strongest fayth should once thinke Sacramentes to bee superfluous and needelesse They bee the blessed and holy ordinaunces of Christ by his mercy and goodnesse appoynted for our great helpe and benefite as I haue in the former Sermon declared And yet I must confesse to the great comforte of many godlye persons that the faythfull Christian maye and doth often feede vpon Christ to saluation beside the vse of the Sacrament For the spirituall grace and benefites which as I haue sayd before is the principall parte of a Sacrament is not of necessitie alwaye so tyed to the outwarde signes that without them God can not or doth not sometime bestowe the same I doubte not but the Theefe vppon the Crosse without vse of the Sacrament dyd eate the bodye and blood of Christ in such sort that he was the same day w t him in Paradise We see in the Actes of the Apostles that Cornelius and hys company was sealed with the spirite of GOD before the receauing of the outward Sacrament in such sort that if he had then immediatly departed out of this life he should haue gone to heauen which coulde not bee vnlesse he had spiritually by fayth eaten the true foode of euerlasting life that is Christ Jesus crucifyed which he fed vppon most assuredly whyle he heard Saint Peter preach Christ There were in tyme of the Primitiue Churche great numbers of godly Martyrs saued which neuer outwardly receaued the Sacrament of the Lordes supper and yet fruitfully and effectually did eat Christ by faith And so doe many at this daye which either by sicknesse or by imprisonment or by any other lyke cause of necessitie are tyed from the outwarde vse of the Sacraments Yet as I haue fayde God forbyd that we shoulde thinke the Sacrament of the Lordes supper superfluous but rather exceeding profitable In the vse of y t Sacrament there is a double eating of which one helpeth the other †As manne consisteth of two partes bodie and soule so the bodye feedeth vppon the outwarde elementes of bread and wyfe but the soule feedeth in deede and truely vpon Jesus Christ crucified The outward eating by y â— instrumeÌ„ts of our body causeth al our senses our hearing our seeing our feeling our tasting to helpe our inwarde eating by faith by the same quickeneth stirreth strengtheneth increaseth our faith y t we may eate y t body and blood of Christ more effectually fruitfully For when the faithful christian heareth the wordes of Christes institution sounde in his eares This is my body that is giuen for you this is my blood that is shed for the remission of your sinnes it stirreth vppe his faith for faith is by hearing to lay strong howfast vppon this promise in his hart doth assure himselfe that Christ dyed and shed his blood not
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
to pretende that cause to bee ashamed of the Gospell I woulde the time woulde nowe suffer mee to giue you a taste of that I haue nowe spoken I should then note vnto you the exceeding contention ambition and briberie that a many of them vsed about the yeere of our Lorde 900. after of whom Platina in the life of Benet 4. saith thus Vbi cum ipsis opibus lasciuire caepit Ecclesia nullo principe coercente clericorum flagitia ipsa peccāds licentia haec monstra peperit à quibus illa fedes per ambitionem largitionem occupata est i. When as the Church through riches began to waxe wanton and that no Prince then corrected the great offences of the clergie euen then did libertie to sinne bring foorthe these monsters who nowe by Ambition and Briberie doe holde that Sea And againe in the lyfe of Siluester 2. Eo tum pontificatus deuenerat vt qui largitione ambitione non dico vitae sanctitate doctrina plus possit is tantummodo bonis reiectis dignitatis gradum obtineret quem morem vtmam nostra tempora non retinerent sed hoc parum est peiorá nisi Deus auertat visuri sumus i. To that state then had the Popedome come that he which by briberie and ambition I doe not say holynesse of lyfe and sounde doctrine myght doe most He onely obtained that place of dignitie those which were good being then reiected whiche manner and custome I woulde to God that our times did not continue still Yet this is but a smal matter and worse things then this shall wee see if God turne them not awaye I shouldem oreouer describe vnto you the outragious cruelty of them that could not be contēted to Depose their aduersaries But to cut of their noses to put out their eies to take thē out of their graues thē to cut off their heads and fingers to cast them as dogges without buriall into y ◠ryuer Tyber To famishe them to death to hang them vp an whole day by the heare of their heades with such other practises more like y ◠successors of Phalaris then of Peter For testimonie of these thinges looke Platina in the lyfe of Stephane 6. Sergius 3. Iohn 14. Boniface 7. Calixte 2. And beside Platina Carsulanus Vincentius and Stella Venetus who among other of that time writeth thus Onis virtus tam in capite quam in membris ex hominum ignauia consumpta est i. All kind of vertue aswell in the head as in the other mēbers is by mens great slouthfulnesse and securitie vtterly consumed and gone I should beside this set out vnto you y ◠wicked detestable Sorcerie Nicromancie and poisoning practized about the yeere of our Lord. 1000. long after by Siluester 2. and a meany of his schollers and successors set forthe by Benno a Cardinall in the life of Hilde Brand after called Gregory 7. Which treatise he that wyll reade shall see suche horrible matter as I am sure no Prophane Historie mentioneth of any Heathen or Pagan that euer was I shoulde declare vnto you the monstrous and vnspeakeable Iniuries wrought vnto moste worthie and Noble Emperours by Gregorie the seuenth Adrian the fourth Gregorie the. 9. Clement the sixth diuers other which are so descriued and painted forth by the Abbot of Vrsperge lyuing about that tyme and by Hier. Marius as it woulde cause their owne friendes to detest them Last of all I shoulde laye open vnto you such a bottomlesse gulfe of couetousnesse and Extortion as all the wealth and treasure of Christendome could neuer to this daye satisfie and content Of which the Abbot of Vrsperge in his Chronicle sayth thus Gaude mater nostra Roma quoniam aperiuntur tibi cataracta thesaurorū in terra vt ad te confluant riui aggeres nūmorum in magna copia Jocundare super adiutrice tua discordia qua erupit de puteo infernalis Abyssi vt accumulentur tibi multa pecuniarum praemia Habes quod sitisti decanta canticum quia per malitiā hominū non per`piam religionem orbem vicisti Bee glad our mother Rome because all the Thesauries of the earthe are opened vvyde vnto thee that to the maye come streames and heapes of money in great and large aboundance Sport thou thy selfe with thy fellow helper discorde whiche hath broken forthe out of the bottomelesse pitte of Hell that there might bee heaped vp vnto thee many rewardes of mony Now hast thou that thou diddest thirst for sing thou out a loude for by the wickednesse of men and not by anye good Religion haste thou ouercome all the whole worlde But the time that is appoynted for mee woulde not be sufficient in this manner onely to recken vp theyr mysdoinges muche lesse at the full to set forthe the examples of them And yet forsooth it is those men and their mayntayners that at this daye doe finde so great faulte with the lyues of them that professe the Gospell and woulde for that cause haue men to be ashamed of it Muche lyke is the quarrell of them that saye the doctrine of the Gospell dothe disquiet common Weales and cause Sedition and ciuill warres This is the complaynte of them commonly that woulde incite Princes and Noble personages and Magistrates to hate the Gospell and to perfecute the Preachers of it And this theyr complaynt doe they amplifye and make lykely by the example of those stirres that haue beene of late yeeres in Germanie in Fraunce in Scotlande in Flaunders in Englande As thoughe forsoothe there had neuer beene rebellion and stirre before the late preaching of the Gospell As though common Weales had neuer bene turmoiled and troubled before thys daye But this Realme of England may be a very good example of the contrarie wherein scantly one king hath passed his raygne without rebellion made by one or other What a troublous Realme was this in the time of king Henry the second when the Wife after other trouble did set vp the Sonne against the father What horrible and grieuous rebellions were their in Henry the thirds raigne whē after the Slaughter of many thousandes the king himselfe was taken prisoner and forced to yeelde to the decrees of his subiectes What shall I say of Edward 2. when by the pride of the Spensers the Qneeue hir selfe warred against hir husband And that I may not continue altogether in examples of rebellion by Noble persons This Citie of London and the Maiors thereof can bee good witnesses what trouble there was raysed in this Realme in the tyme of Kichard the seconde by Iacke Strawe Tom Millarde Watte Tyler and such other iolly persons I passe ouer Henrie the fourthe and the pitifull raygne of Henrie the sixth And euen in the quiet time of Henrie 7. howe manye attemptes of Rebellion were there by the counterfaited Sonne of the Duke of Clarence by Perkin Warbecke and other
that they might bee saued And therefore God shall sende them strong delusions to beleeue lyes c. Thys warnyng principally toucheth vs vppon whome the latter endes of the worlde hath lyghted that wee shoulde carefullye take heede that by Wonders and Myracles and Apparition of Spirites wee bee not Seduced eyther to beleeue errour or to refuse the trueth of the Gospell offered vnto vs. Christ gyueth vs a speciall chargeâ— Beware saith he I haue tolde you of it before hand Therefore if you doe not harken vnto him but yeelde your selues by suche meanes to be caryed into Superstition Errour and Idolatrie the daunger shall bee the greater And Saint Paule addeth a terrible threatning Because they receyued not the loue of trueth God shal sende them stronge delusions that they may beleeue lyes that all they myghte bee damned whiche beleeued not the trueth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse Let them looke therefore carefully to themselues which by suche Myracles are Induced or confyrmed to beleeue the corrupte errours of Pilgrimages and worshypping of Images of praying to Sainctes departed of Purgatorie of Masses and Trentalles of praying and offering for the synnes of the Deade and suche other infinite errours as hath beene brought into the Churche by Monkes Fryers and other false Teachers of the Churche of Rome It is a wonder to see the Heapes of such Myracles as of late yeeres haue beene put in writyng by Vincentius and a number of other like authors so that to such as feare God there is scant any greater Token that Antichrist is come and hath set a long time in the Church then this is That their doctrines are altogether confirmed rather by such Myracles Apparition of spirites then by the scriptures and word of God When the riche glutton as it is mentioned in the Euangelist desired of Abraham that one myght rise from death to life and warne hys brethren that they came not to that place of torment where he was Abraham aunswered They haue Moyses and the Prophetes if they will not beleeue them they will not beleeue though one rise from death to life Wherby the â—â—lye Ghost doth Signifie that after the true doctrine of Christes Gospel first published was throughly confirmed and bâ—yng generally receaued was put in writing and so remaineth as a perfect Testimonie of the worke of our redemption that the prouidence of God towarde the latter ende of the world woulde vse no moe Myracles least hee should thereby seeme rather to Discredite the truth of his written word than by such meanes conserue them For whosoeuer wil not beleeue the doctrine of truth confirmed by the expresse and euident worde of God will not beleeue y t same though they sawe a. 1000. myracles Take example hereof by y â— Jewes who continually called for Signes and Wonders but when they had seene many they neuer the sooner Beleeued but sclaunded the doinges of Christ and sayd that he and his Apostles wrought by the power of Beelzebub c. Christians therefore must learne some Rule wherby they may iudge false and deceitefull Myracles done by the power of the Diuell from them that bee done directly by the Worde of God in his Saintes And this rule is the ende wherevnto myracles doe tende Godly myracles bee alwayes shewed by God to confirme the Diuine nature and office of Christ in the worke of our redemption and that he is the true and onely Messias and Sauiour or to iustifie and proue the doctrine of the Gospel to bee good According as Christ sayth in the last of S. Marke Goe yee into the whole worlde and preache the Gospell to euerye creature he that shall beleeue and bee Baptised shall bee saued but he that wyll not beleeue shall bee damned and these tokens shall followe them that beleeue In my name they shall cast out Diuells and shall speake with newe tongues and shall take away Serpentes and if they drinke any euill thing it shall neuer hurte them they shall laye their hand vpon the sicke and they shall recouer c. Those Myracles then that bee done to this ende to direct the people to acknowledge Christ to bee the only ful and perfect redeemer of mankynde and to embrace the doctrine of the Gospell by the holye Scriptures confirmyng the same are good and godly and to bee esteemed true Myracles But contrariwyse if they leade men from Christ and directe them to put their trust of Saluation remission of sinnes in any other name vnder Heauen then Christ Jesu or to beleeue any other doctrine than that which by Gods word is euidently confirmed or to accept any other worshippe of God than by himselfe is appoynted are false Myracles and delusions of the Diuel wrought to deceiue men Let vs therefore beware of these thinges and looke into these myserable delusions wherewith the Diuell and his Ministers haue bewitched the worlde nowe these manye yeeres by Spirites Ghostes Goblines and many vaine Apparitions and faygned Myracles c. ⸪ ¶ The seconde Sermon vppon this part of the Texte Exfructibus eorum cognoscetis eos By their fruites shall ye knovv them IN this place we haue diligentlye to obserue the great difference y t Christ our Sauiour in this louing and Fatherly admonitioÌ„ doth make betwene the clothing the fruits By their fruites you shall know them he saith not by their garmeÌ„ts or outward clothing for wyth that y â— false Prophets vse to colour countenance all their crafts deceiptes of corrupt doctrine Now what these fruites be whereby they are knowne let vs consider by y t similitude or parable y t Christ here vseth Do they saith he gather Grapes of Thornes or figges of Thistles Euery kinde of tree hath fruit by which it is knowne to be good or bad The Apple tree by the Apple the Plumtree by the Plumme c. so euerie trade occupation or state of lyfe hath certaine proper and peculiar workes by which it is discerned either to be good or bad in it selfe or differing from other The Carpenter by right squaring framing of his Tymber the Mason by his buylding c. the Lawyer by his Counsaile the Phisition by his cure is iudged skilfull or ignoraunt euen so is the Preacher or Prophet knoweÌ„ by his doctrine that proceedeth from him which is the peculiar worke and sruite of his trade and occupation In all the olde Testament God doth accuse the false Prophetes to bee euill because they deliuered vnto his people false doctrine corrupt worship contrarie to his holy will and worde Heare not saith God by Ieremie the wordes of the Prophets that prophesie vnto you teach you vanitie They speake the vision of their owne heart and not out of the mouth of the Lord. And agayne Howe long doe the Prophetes delight to prophesie lyes euen prophesying the deceipt of their owne hart And immedately after Therfore beholde I will come against the
teache that the substaunce of Breade and wyne is cleane vanished and consumed awaye so that there remayneth no Bread nor Wyne in the Sacrament and that is in effecte to make it no sacrament For as I haue tolde you before there canne bee no Sacramente without an externall Elemente to bee the outewarde signe thereof But what externall signe canne there bee when â—â—â—y withoute substaunce and accidents and qualities nourishe the substaunce of oure bodyes Or if they cannot howe maye they represente vnto vs that as they nourishe oure bodyes so Christe his blood nourisheth our soules yea rather they teach the contrary that as qualities doâ— not nourishe the substaunce of ourâ— body so doth not Christs body nourish our soules Wherfore al good Christians haue to deteste that blasphemous Doctrine broughte in by the Church of Rome which as I haue sayde taketh awaye the right nature and proportion of a sacrament By this that I haue sayd already you maye perceiue that there is some further ende then the vse of the signes in the Sacramentes and that the Externall Elementes are not ordayâ—ed for themselues but for some â—ther purpose In the olde time the sacramentes and Ceremonies were profytable for the bodilye nourishmente as the water gushing ouâ—e of the Rocke Manna and the Paschall Lambe but in oure sacramentes God smallye consydereth our bodies but principallye and whollye the â—eleefe ease and comforte of our soules Therefore as in the olde Testament so now much more in the sacraments is to be consydered some spirituall internall thing to the vnderstanding wherof the lykenesse of the external signes doe leade vs as in baptisme our regeneration and new byrth and the washing away of our sinnes by the death pâ—ssion of Christ In the Lords supper the heauenly foode of our soules with the bodye that was broken his blood that was shead vpon the Crosse Wherfore good christiaÌ„s in receiuing y â— sacrament must not haue so much regard to the signe as to the spirituall thing it selfe for which y â— outward token was oâ—dayned So doeth the Councell of Nice exhorte vs Lette vs not bende oure cogitation baâ—ely to Bread and Wine layde before vs but lifting vp our mind through faith let vs behold the Lambe of god taking away the sins of the world to be on that table c. And Chrisost hom 7. 1. ad Cor. The heathen person when he heaâ—eth of baptisme perswadeth himselfe that it is water only but I do not simply see that I doe see but also the cleansing of my soule by the spirite of God He thinketh my body onelye to be washed but I beleeue that my soule is cleansed and made holy And Aug. That which you see is bread and the cuppe as your eyes declare vnto you but as touching that wherwith your faith is to be instructed the bread is to you the body of Christ the wine his blood Wherfore the especiall principall part of the sacrament is the spiritual and internall thing as in baptisme as I haue sayd regeneration and sanctification and in the Lords supper y â— body and blood of Christ And here dearâ—lye beloued I muste put you in mind that they which teache this doe not saye that the sacramentes are bare signs and tokens as the aduersaries of the Gospell doe slaunder vs. Our doctrine of the Sacraments is farre more fruitfull and comfortable then theirs is For we teach and beleeue that these spirituall effectes are as certainely wrought by the holy ghost in the sacramentes as we see that the externall elementes haue their operation in the course of nature For the sacramentes are as the deedes and Seales of almighty god whereby he doth in deede and verily not only by signification but effectually conueighe vnto vs the possession of his spirituall blessinges and yet doâ— wee not maynetayne the carnall and Reall presence of Christe his body and blood within the compasse of the Sacramente so that it shoulde enter into the â—oundnesse of the mouth and descende into the naturall partes of our body That grosse opinyon I leaue to the schole of Roome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I fâ—â—d it not in Christes institution nor in the sâ—hole of the holy Ghoste that is the Scripture of God As a prince in his letters patentes vnder his greate Seale giueth to a man happily a thousand pouâ—de Lande by the yeare so that the partye hauing that deede may assure himselfe that he hath full right and possessyon thereof and as surely as it were possible he haue the Lâ—â—de iâ— sâ—â—f in his â—â—â—de yet can he not be so sencelesse and foolishe to thinke that he hath the very substaunce of the Lande in the Boâ—e wherein the deede is So doeth Christe in the Sacrament louingly 〈◊〉 to the faythfull hart the possession of his body and blood with all the benefits by the same procured to mankinde that he may iuâ—â—lye sayâ— that theâ— be his and by the â—â—liueth and is nourished to eternall life yet he may not be so foolish to thinke that he hath not the fruit of it vnlesse it goe reallye and Carnallye into his body For Christes body blood are meat drink for our soule not for our body to be nourished by as it is by breade and Wyne 〈…〉 The thirde part of the sacramente is that which giueth strength and effecte to the residue that is to say the word of Christes institution promise which is as it were the soule and life of the sacramente For whereto serueth a seale to a blanke wherein nothing is written by whiche wee maye clayme anye Benefyte whereto serueth an externall signe if we haue not a promise to attayne a spirituall thing And no mans hande or writing will serue to make perfecte this deede It muste bee Gods onlye For he hath only the giuing of such things wherefore it must be Gods word that must assure vs hereof Well sayd Aug. Let the word come to the element and it maketh the Sacrament And agayne How commeth it to passe that water toucheth the body clenfeth the hart 〈…〉 t by the power of the word and that not because it is spoken but because it is beleued And how can a man beleeue that which he â—eaâ—etlâ— not nor vnderstandeth â—ereby â—â—â— may consider â—how 〈◊〉 yoâ— haue bene deceaued by them which haue 〈…〉 ed the sacramentes vnto you in a straunge and vnknowne tongue that you vnderstoode not These comfortable wordes 〈…〉 Lordes cuppe This is my blood which is shead for you and for maâ—y for â—â—â—â—ssion of â—â—â—nes with playnâ— Saâ—â—â—â—ege haue they kept from you and 〈◊〉 you not only of the proâ—â—se contayned in the words but also of one part of the sacrament for they inimsâ—red it vnto you of the layâ—ie alway vnder one kynâ—e y â— â—â— as they say vnder y â— forme of bread onelye whiche greate 〈◊〉 to after both the wordes â—â—â— partes of the Sacramentes is 〈◊〉
I thinke it necessary in a worde or two to teach you how Christians should prepare themselues as worthy guestes to come to this holy Table But before I come to that I will fyrste aunswere an euell and peruerse Doctrine broughte into the Church by the Sea of Roome and the Preachers and teachers thereof directlye both agaynste Christes owne wordes and agaynst the doctrine of the auncient fathers that is that very wicked meÌ„ and horrible sinners as Iudas and other doe eate in the sacrament the very Reall and naturall body of Christe as fully as Peter or any other Saint of God or other faythfull Christian hath done or doth This Doctrine as it is reprochefull to the body and blood of Christ so it is plainly against y t which Christ himself teacheth in Iohn For there Christ sayth thus He that eateth my flesh drinketh my blood abideth in me and I in him As the liuing Father sent me and I liue by the Father so hee that eateth me shall liue by me I adde But the wicked naugty persons abide not in christ nor liue by him therfore sinfull and wicked faythlesse persons doe not eate Christ nor drinke his blod In the same place Christ sayeth further Whosoeuer eateth my fleshe and drinketh my blood hath eternall life c. I adde here likewise But the wicked haue not eternall life by christ nor shall bee raysed to life but to eternall damnation therefore it is a false and a wicked Doctrine that Iudas and such other naughtie persons doe eate the very true reall and Naturall bodye of christ for if they did they shold theÌ„ be partakers of those benefits which christ truth it self promiseth to theÌ„ y t eat him Though this their doctrine to any godly man may seeme absurde in it selfe and Christ his wordes against it be plain ynough and will not easylye admitte any glose yet if the aunciente Fathers also teache not herein as wee doe let vs be thought to deuise it of oure selues Origin sayeth this These thinges haue I spoken of the typicall and fyguratiue body Much also may be spokeÌ„ of the word himselfe which became fleshe whome whosoeuer shall eate shall surely liue for euer and he addeth Whome no euill man can eate For if it could be that he which coÌ„tinueth euill did eate the word that became flesh seing that he is the word bread of life it would neuer haue ben writteÌ„ whosoeuer eateth the bread shall liue for euer Hitherto Orig. And S. Aug. He that discordeth froÌ„ Christ eateth not his flesh nor drinketh his blood but he receaueth the Sacrament of so holy a thing to the iudgement of damnation against himselfe And y â— same father vpoÌ„ S. Joh. The Apostles sayth he did eat the bred that was the Lord but Iudas did eate the breade of the Lord against the Lord. But most plainly he sayth in an other place The sacrameÌ„t of the vnity of the body blod of Christ is receiued at the Lords table of some to life of some to destruction But the thing it selfe whereof it is a sacrament is life to euery man and death to none whosoeuer shall be partaker of it And in the same place To eate that meate and to drink that drinke is to dwel in Christ to haue christ dwelling in him And by that it followeth that he which dwelleth not in Christ nor hath christ dwelling in him vndoubtedly doth not spiritually eat his flesh nor drink his blood although carnally visibly he presse with his teeth the sacrament of the body blood of Christ c. Although I might alleage a nuÌ„ber of other places to y t same purpose yet because these fathers vndoubtedly did know the fayth Doctrine of the church in their time this may be sufficient to such as haue not a minde willingly to abyde in errour Seing none be partakers of that heauenly foode laid forth at that holy table but such as worthily come to receaue the same it behoueth all good Christians as before I haue sayde to learne how to prepare themselues to the worthy receiuing thereof And how that may be done S. Paule in generall words brecfely sheweth Let a man sayeth hee prooue himselfe and so let him eate of this bread and drink of this Cuppe The meanes therefore to come worthilye is to proue and trie our selues whether those thinges bee in vs which the worthy Guestes of that Table should haue First therefore we must looke vnfainedlye into our selues whether we haue an appetite or desyre to eate of y t blessed foode For a loathing stomache neuer perfectly digesteth any meat y t it receaueth but turneth it to the hurt of the body This Appetite or desire cannot be in vs vnlesse it be wrought by the sharpe sauce of seuere repentance for our sinnes which we shall the better prepare if wee examine our selues by the perfect rule of Gods iustice in his law consider how farre we are from the same and what danger hangeth ouer our heads for the wante thereof God sayth in his law Thou shalt loue the Lord thy god with al thy hart with all thy foule with all thy minde with all thy strength and thy Neighbour as thy selfe That is wee should loue we should hate we should feare we shold hope for nothing but in God and to his glory we should thinke or muse vpon nothing in our minde and vnderstanding but that may make to the honour and glory of god We should imploye all the powers of our bodye and of our worldelye giftes to the same ende wee shoulde doe nothing to anye other man which we woulde not willinglye bee contented should be tone vnto vs. If wee examine our selues by this rule we shal see we be so farre from that we should be that â—â—nosâ— we haue not one branche thereof in vs whiche will more euidently appeare if wee will trie our selues by euery particular commaundemente rightely and truely vnderstanded Seing then we be so farre from the iustice of Gods lawe the curse thereof must needes be due vnto vs for God sayth Cursed is he whosoeuer keepeth not all thinges written in the booke of his lawe In this manner if wee examine our selues sincerely we shall throughly know what wee are in the sight of God as well by the corruption of oure nature as by the course of our euill and naughtie lyfe wee shall haue sence of our own sinne wee shall hate and detest it wee shall from the bottome of oure hartes be sory for it with trembling mindes we shal feare the heauie iudgement of God against vs and so will there be stirred vp in vs that Godly appetite and greedye desyre to eate of that spirituall meate whiche onelye can satisfye our troubled conscience and cure our repentaunt and broken hattes c. But though the appetite and desyre bee neuer so great in vayne he commeth to any table that hath no mouth to eate nor strength
Whereby we are by the mouth of God instructed as well that suche plagues and miseries come as before I haue sayde by the prouidence and appointment of God as also that they are vsually cast vpon men for sinne and wickednesse and for reuolting from his holy will and true worship vnto superstition Idolatrie But here we must haue in mind y t which S. Paule meaneth in this place that God sheweth not his particular punishmentes only because of them whose persons they touch but by their example call other home also that be gone astray And in deede happye is he that came learne to take heede by other mens perill before y â— scourge light vpon himselfe Our corrupt nature vnderstanding that God is a iust God and will punish sinne when wee see any notable plague or misery sent to a man by and by with great rigour we condemne him as a uery euil man though in dede we neuer knew euill by him And because God doth not in like manner touch vs we flatter our selues and perswade our owne mindes that God fauoureth vs and is delighted in our manner of life though it be happily farre worse thaÌ„ the other and so do we fede our selues in vanity and continew in wickednesse But S. Paule in this place and Christ ◠〈…〉 Lake teacheth vs another manner of Lesson WheÌ„n certaine tolde Christ of them whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifice Why sayth Christe thinke you that these Galileans aboue all other were greatest sinners because they suffered such punishment Nay I saye vnto you vnlesse you all repent you shall in like manner perishe Or thinke you that those 18. that perished by fall of the Tower of Siloah were of all other in Hierusalem the greatest sinners Nay I say vnto you vnlesse ye repent ye shall al in like manner perish Here first we are taught that not only they vpoÌ„ whom the externall punishment lighteth are sinners but all other euen y â— very child that is this day borne if Gods iustice consider him in himselfe much more suche as in continuaunce of their life haue heaped on sinne daily by wicked thoughts naughtie wordes and eâ—ill doinges and therefore if God should deale with all according to his iustice it shoulde fall to all other as well as to them This did good and godly men vnderstande as Dauid wheÌ„ he sayd Enter not into iudgemente with thy seruant O Lord for if thou obserue our iniquities who shalbe able to abide it And therefore Christ our sauiour teacheth vs dayly to say Forgiue vs our trespasses c. There is no maÌ„ but he trespasseth deserueth Gods punishmeÌ„t whiche thing if christians would according to duety consider vndoubtedly they should be moued both more fauourablye to â—â—ge of other meÌ„ when they see their punishments to be afrayd also of theÌ„selues For this they should certaynly in godly meditation thinke w t themselues Seing that al meÌ„ are sinners if God did not mean by example of such punishments to stirr vp other he would secretly punish theÌ„ nat to openly shew his wrath Therfore by sight of such examples we must not only be moued to praise God to extolle his iustice for punishing iniquity but euter depely into our selues also searche our own consciences liues doings whether there be not as great or greateâ— cause in vs to pul the iust wrath plague of god vpoÌ„ our 〈…〉 if we in time repent not and turne to him for mercie â—lms must we learne to applie to our instruction not onely such examâ—ples of Gods iustice as in oure life time wee see agaynste wicked notorious sinners but other also y t are recorded in y â— holy scriptures For whatsoeuer things are written they are writteÌ„ for our instructioÌ„ y â— they may be exaÌ„ples for vs vpon whâ—â— y â— lattes ends of the world are fallen It is written Num. 11. That the childreÌ„ of Israell whom god by Moises deliuered out of Egipt lusted wickedly against GOD saying Who shall giue vs flesh to eate we remember the fishe that we did eate in Aegipt the CucuÌ„bers Popons the Leekes the Oynons the Garlike but now our soule is dried away we can see nothing but this MaÌ„ua They did not only luthe gods good blessing towarde them but also longed and lusted after theire owne grosse feeding in Aegipt Therefore God satisfyed their desyre and fed them with Duailes a whole Moneth together but their own lust was their destruction and white the meate was yet in their mouthes the wrathe of God came vpon them and destroyed a greate number of them This shoulde be one Example for vs that wee doe not in like manner loathe the sweete and dayntye Foode of the Gospell and Doctrine of our Saluation by Christ which God myraculouslye hath restored vnto vs that with murmuring hartes luste lewdoly after Oyniâ—â—s garlike and other stuicking and grosse feéding wherewith wee were fedd in Aegipt vnder Antechrist I meane Masses PardoÌ„s Purgatory Pilgrimages and such like corrupt foode of our soules that may make vs to sauour ill in the fighte of the Lord. For if we do God wil deale with vs as he did with them hee win make our ownt â—â—st to he our confusion the meanes to pull his iust wrath vppon vs. It maye be that heé will satisfye our vnthankefull desyre but it will be in such sort that they which long most greedily for it wil soonest be weary of it feele the punishment thereof most bitterlye It is written Num. 25. That the people defyles themselues with wkoredom with the daughters of Moab and y â— for the same wicked offence 24000. were slayne and because the cheefe Ringleaders of that lewdenesse y â— gaue example to the other were Nohle persons and the héades and Peeres of the people god commaunded Moises for the more terroure of other to hang them vp agaynst the Sâ—â— And shall wee thinke in these dayes when Adulterye and whoredome ouerwhelnieth the eaâ—th and is of all sorts almost esteemed a small offence or none at all that god will suffer the same vnpunished No surely thoughe hys long sufferaunte to allure vs to repentaâ—â—ce beareth of for the time the execution of his present wrath when it commeth it will be the greater It is written Nume 16. That Corah Dathan Abyram with their confederates murmured against Moses Aaron the Magistrate Minister by gods speciall prouidence appointed to deliuer his people to guide theÌ„ through the wildernesse they sayd Ye take to much vpon you why do you lift your selues aboue the congregation is it a small thing that thou hast brought vs out of a Land flowing with Milke and Hony to kill vs in the Wildernesse excepte thou make thy selfe Lord and Gouernoure ouer vs also c. But God declared how greeuous and vnpleasaunte a thing it is in his sight for people to rebel or murmure against their samfull
make smalle accompt of them The last reason is that God our heauenly father knoweth that wee haue neede of those things and therefore for the tender and fatherly care that he hath ouer vs his children he will not suffer vs to want so much as shall be necessarie conuenient for vs. Wherefore we ought to bend our whole studie to seeke the kingdome of God and the glory thereof and leaue the cares of this world and the immoderate desire of earthly ryches least the same pull from vs and extinguish in vs the happie desire of hearing the worde and so through the deceiptfulnesse of Riches the word of God bee vtterly choked in vs and we of faire blossomes become vnfruitefull hearers and vnfit members for the kingdome of heauen c. ¶ A Sermon made vpon this text John 8. 46. Quis ex vobis arguit me de peccato Si veritatem dico vobis quare non creditis mihi Which of you can rebuke me of sinne and if I say the truth why doe yee not beleeue mee WHen I was assigned to this place and pervsed the Text of the Gospell for this day seeing the first verse thereof to bee these wordes which nowe I haue recited vnto you I could not but thinke it to bee some part of Gods gracious prouidence there-by to put mee in minde giue mee full occasion to speake of those things which in conscience I thinke most necessarie at this time and in this place to bee vttered These wordes deerely beloued are a parte of that notable conference which was betweene our Sauiour Christ and the Jewes Ioh 8. Wherein both of them are so earnest in defence of their part as hardly the lyke is to be found in the whole historie of the Euangelistes The Jewes in defence of their Synagogue denie Christ to bee the light of the world that shoulde open the true way of saluation to men but affirme that he was an aâ—bitious and vaine glorious man bearing witnesse of himselfe for his owne credites sake yea they say he is a Samaritane a worker with diuells a blasphemer of God and therefore lastly take vp stones and draue him by violence out of the place A verye ryght paterne of the enemyes of Christ and hys Church On the other part Christ in deede mooued wyth the true zeale of Gods house after hee had declared that hee was the lyght of the worlde which hee that followed should not walke in darkenesse but see the truth of euerla sting life he euidently proueth that the Jewes were not as they pretended to bee the right seede of Abraham for then they would doe the workes of Abraham nor the children of God for then they would haue receaued him who was sent vnto them from God but earnestly affirmeth that they are of the seede and ofspring of Sathan the father of lying and vntrothe and therefore euen by very corruption of nature they could not abyde the truth Then Christes knowing that they woulde obiect against him that they denied not his doctrine because it was the truth as he charged them but because he was an euill man and a seducer of the people and not like a person that should deliuer the truth vnto the people of God Therefore Christ to preuent this obiection wherewith they went about to deface and discredite his doctrine speaketh in such sorte as ye haue heard Quis ex vobis c. Which of you can rebuke me of sinne c. In which wordes you see Christ doth two things First he standeth to the integritie of his cause euen as well in the vpright dealing in his office as in Innocencie of lyfe Secondly he iustifieth the truth of his doctrine and therefore requireth them to beleeue it if they will shewe themselues to be of God in deede This dealing of Christ all Christians generally but especially Byshops Preachers and all such as are called to the ministerie of the word ought to set before their eyes as a right paterne of their doyngs if they will be the true Ministers of Jesus Christ And these two things I meane w t Gods assistaunce to speake of at this time and in this order First I will declare what the office of a Preacher or Minister is by his calling and what daunger hangeth ouer them if they doe it not Secondly because men may deale wyth good consciences and yet be subiect to great infamie and sclaunders for euen Christ in this place notwithstanding his integritie heard of hys aduersaryes Nonne bene dicimus quod Samaritanus es daemonium habes c. i. Say we not well that thou arte a Samaritaine and hast the Diuell Therefore I will let you vnderstande what blame they deserue and what daunger they are in that falsely vncharitably defame the Ministers Preachers of Gods worde and truth of purpose to discredite their doctrine Thirdly I will prooue that the doctrine of the Gospell which we haue preached in this land these 20. yeeres and more which vnder hir Maiesties gracious protection authoritie of hir lawes hath bene established is the truth and no truth of doctrine but that and therefore y t it ought to be beleeued receaued and without exception to bee confirmed of all them that be of God As touching the first S. Paul saith Sic nos aestimet homo c. Let a man so esteeme vs as the Ministers of Christ the bestowers of his mysteries The mysteries of God are the true doctrine of saluation in Christ Jesu and al the other benefites and commodities of his holy word mentioned by S. Paule to Timothie A good Bishop therefore and a right Preacher must out of y â— holy scriptures teach true doctrine sincerely he must confute error superstition idolatrie zealously he must exhort to vertue earnestly he must without respect of persons reproue vice and wickednesse boldly and freely he must comfort the afflicted conscience sweetely and gratiously This is the charge that God layeth vpon vs in his word very earnestly with greeuous daunger if we doe it not In Esay God speaketh in thys wyse Get thee vp into the high mountaine thou that teachest in Syon thou that preachest the Gospell in Hierusalem lyfte vp thy voyce with strength lyfte vp thy voyce I saye and feare not tell the Cities that the Lorde their God commeth You heare that wee are commaunded to tell the Cities that is the particular Churches of Christ that the Lord their God commeth to visite them eyther in mercy offering them his worde and callyng them to repentaunce or in iustice to punish them for the contempt of his worde and want of repentaunce And this wee must doe not in secrete corners but in the face of the worlde for wee must stande vppon the toppe of the Mountaine that we may bee seene and shewe our selues not ashamed of the Gospell We must not doe it slackly but zealously lyfting vp our voyce with strength