more opposite to S. Paule he assureth vs that such bad Christians can never fal to such Apostasie as S. Paule speaketh of they can never vtterly leese faith never leese the spirite and then it is no matter of impossibilitie as S. Paule thought but rather a matter of great facilitie for a man to recover or keepe fast that vvhich he never lost And this being spoken by the vvay returne vve vnto our former lesson vvhich he vvilled vs to lock vp in our harts as a most worthy comfort and let vs consider vvhether it be not such a rule of desperate losenes and al iniquitie as Epicuâ—e him self if he vvere living or Luther or Lucian could never have deuised a more pernicious If thow at any one time in thy life saith M. B. have loved God or God loved thee in vvhat soever dissolution of life thow fal after assure thy selfe before thow dye god vvil restore thee to that former grace This is to say if a man once in al his life have â—ad a good thought a good motion in his hart to serve god love him live he how he please commit he vvhat sinne and iniquitie he list he is sure never to be damned he is sure eternally to be saved For let vs ioyne together the parts of his doctrine here by him dispersed in 2. or 3. places First VVho soever hath faith or ever had faith is surely elect and certain of his salvation For faith is the gift of God and it is geven only to the elect Item vvhosoever at any tyme hath had a desire to pray that desire vvas vvrought by the holy spirite and is a sure argument of faith So is it if a man haue bene true of his vvord if he be or some times vvas no hipocrite but spake as he meant if in hart he be or have bene pitifully affected towards the afflicted if he love his neighbour if his conversation be honest if he can be content to forgeue iniuries or at any time have bene thus qualified c. al and every of these be sure and certain arguments of a right faith and consequently of one that is elect and sure of salvation I â—ay to this one more lesson of this preacher that faith onâ—e had is never lost The gifts and callings of god saith he arâ— without repentance Therefore faith onâ—e geven can not be reuoked again The Lord wil not repent him of his gift but the sawle which he hath loved ains he wil love perpetually This is able to send thowsands of Protestants to the devil such Protestants I meane as think to be iustified by only faith For vvith faith this man geveth them sure vvarrant that they shal reteyne it eternally if ever they had it or by any of these markes perceived it in any measure though never so smale to have lodged in their harts Now for other Protestants such as dare not venture so far vpon onâ—y faith but thinke charitie necessarie also such as are the civil Lutherans Adiaphorists Melancthonists many cold Catholiks that come perhaps to M. B. his sermons to set them to helward after the rest he geveth like assurance that if since they vvere borne they euer felt in their harts any grace of God any love any charitie any such operation of his holy spirite to those also god shal restore the same assuredly before their dying day and hold them in it For as he loued them ains so wil he loue them ay For the gifts of the lord are without repentance and the sawle which he loved ains he wil love perpetually VVhich good vvholesome evangelical doctrine because vve are vvilled to lock vp in our harts and remember it faithfully I vvil for my better memorie bring it to a sillogisme of vvhich let this stand for the first or maior proposition VVhat soeuer man God ever loued and indued vvith faith at any time in al his life that man is elect him god wil love perpetually and so he is sure of heaven and out of al danger of hel vvhat soever his life be This proposition is plainly evidently and at large avowed and iustified by M. B. VVherevnto let vs adde for the second proposition or minor this But vvhosoeuer once in his life ether loved God or his neighbour or trusted in Christs passion or liued honestly or spake as he thought or â—orgaue an iniury done to him or vvas mercifully affected to the poore c. or by like reason had any other such vertuous inclination was quiet and peaceable or patient mild modest continent chast or vvise and prudent or valiant or fearing God yea or had â—t any time but one good thought vvhich doubtles doth proceed from God is signe of his love in some degree as vvel as the premisses this man vvas at such time beloued of God and had faith vvhereof these vvere sâ—re and certaine arguments This proposition is also at large and in very plaine termes avowed by M. B. Hereof it folovveth that every man vvho once in 40. yeres hath felt any good motion in any of these graces or the like how soever he bestow his life afterwards he is sure of salvation he is sure and certaine that he can never be damned The like argument may be made for the hauing of charitie and if it be perhaps lost as by this mans doctrine it can not be charitie being a gift of God no lesse then faith and therefore once geveÌ„ is geuen irreâ—â—cably as vvel as faith for that gods gifts are without repentance for recouerie of it againe and the partie vvho once had it shal surely dye possessed of it gods loue being towards his creature perpetual as vvel in the one as in the other And vvhat Christian or perhaps Turke or Tartar by this Theologie may not assure him selfe of heaven For vvho liveth vnder the Sunne but some times in his life hath some one or other of these good motions Some of vvhich the very light of nature and natural conscience stirreth vp in al men at one time or other For this also to go no farther is part of M. B. his preaching Our conscience is borne with vs is natural to vs is left in the sowle of every man and woman And as there are some spoonkes of light left in nature so there is a conscience left in it And if there were no more that same light that is left in thy nature shal be anâ—ugh to condemne thee because this very light of nature teacheth vs that God is to be loved our neighbour that vve should not play the hipocrites but speake as vve meane vve should live honestly succour the afflicted c. For neglect vvhereof our conscience condemneth vs before the iudgement seate of God vvhether we be Christians or not Christians as M. B. truly confesseth And many of the forenamed duties are not only knowen but also practised and done of many
meane wit or sense of Christianitie ever wrote or affirmed that Gods vvord could not be heard fruitfully but of such men as vvere first indued with the love of god and then vvith the love of their neighbour in and for god and had such other vertuous dispositions as here yow require in your communicants Doth not the vvhole course and scope of the new testament shew infinit dissimilitude betwene the vvord of God and this sacrament of God in this respect vvithal resel this your to grosse folie VVhereas the sacrament in the verie place by yow read to your auditors if ye read truly is peculiarly appointed for the good and holy those that have tried and examined vvel them selves contrariwise is not the vvord of God by Gods like ordinance indifferent as vvel to the vnholy as holy to the bad as to the good as vvel to correct the one as to preserve the other to illuminate the faithles as to continue the light kindled in the faithful Do not the vvritings and preachings of Christ and his Apostles confirme this â— Preached they not alike to Iew Gentil to Idolaters to Pagans to sacrilegious persons of al sorts blind for their faith and abominable for their life vvhereof many knew not God much lesse loved him and so could not love their neighbour for him And yet this preaching doubtles vvas vvithout al sinne ether in the Apostles vvho thus preached indifferently to al or in the disciples vvere they Iewes or Gentils vvho heard them In the first primitiue church vvhich vvas immediatly planted by the Apostles preaching of the vvord vvas stil publike vniversal to Heathen no lesse them Christiâ— after for the space of 400. yeres the same maner of preaching the vvord continued vvith expresse order taken by the church by hundreds of bisâ—hops in very general Synodes that nether Pagan nor Iew nor heretike should be excluded from the presence and communication thereof from hearing the word of god vvhen as by precise order both of the Apostles and their successors pastors and rulers of the church al not only heathen Iewes heretikes but also novices in the Christian faith so long as they vvere vnbaptized vvere diligently excluded from being present at or seing the administration of the holy sacrament So that most salse it is like preparation to be required for receiuing the vvord and the sacrament and so to say cleane dasheth and destroyeth both these last sermons induceth the plain opposite of that this maÌ„ vvould seeme to persuade For if no other preparation be necessarie for the sacrameÌ„t then for the simple vvorde it being most cleare and certain that Christ his Apostles al auncient Bisshops vvithout any sinne or offence of any part ether of the preacher or of the heater preached the vvord to Ievves Gentils idolaters vsurers adulterers publicans men and vvomen living in al sinne of body and sowle hereof the deduction is manifest that by like reason the sacrament vvithout sinne of ether part may be delivered and received of Iewes of Gentils of Idolaters of adulterers of vsurers of slannderers of men never so sinful and vvicked VVith vvhich qualities albeit perhaps the elect bretherne of Calvins institution be commonly indued vvho vsually as M. B. vvitnesseth fal in to such grosse sinnes not only seven times but even seventie times seven times that is almost five hundred times every day yet thus to instruct and teach them and namely at such tyme and place was a very vnfit vvay of preparation to vvorthy receiving of the sacrament for vvhich by this doctrine any preparation suffiseth to vvhich they can never come vnworthely nor receive it to their condemnation no more then Marie Magdalen the sinful vvoman or other publicans vsurers and sinners received the vvord of Christ or his Apostles to their condemnation And this may stand for an evideÌ„t exaÌ„ple of a more general repugnaÌ„ce vvherein pretending honour to the sacrament he most dishonoreth it and vvhile at large he persuadeth great care of preparation he shortly but pithily dissuadeth the same causeth his auditors to neglect castavvay al such care Now to end this matter let vs consider one other like general example vvherein he vniversally both gainsaieth him self marreth al his deuout preaching and setteth his auditors in the high vvay to al audacitie licence libertie and fleshly securitie Towards the end of his secoÌ„d sermoÌ„ thus he armeth them against al tentatioÌ„s and teacheth them how they shal find repose in their conscience be their sinnes never so great their contempt of God and despising of his commaundements never so notorious and horrible and their owne conscience never so vehemently accusing them thereof VVhen saith he the devil thy owne life and conscience accuseth thee and beareth witnes against thee go backe ouer again to thy bygane experience cast over thy memorie and remember if god at any time in any sort hath loved thee if ever thow felt the love and favour of god in thy hart c. Remember on this and repose thy assurance on this that as he loved thee ains he wil love the ay and wil assuredly restore thee to that love or thow dye The hart that felt ains the loue of god shal feele it again And looke what gift or grace or what taist of the power of the world to come that euer the lord gave to his creatures in this life to that same degree of mercy he shal restore his creature or ever it depart this life This lesson he vvilleth his audience to locke vp in their harts remember on it faithfully as a most vvorthy comfort and me â—icament for their conscience I vvil not spend time in reâ—uting this strauâ—ge doctrine nether how it contrarieth the scripture of the Apostles and Euangelists in a number of places And yet I may no let passe briefly to vvarne the â—eader that not only in the thing and substance of the matter but also in the very forme of vvords and maner of phrase most vvickedly yea like a flat Apostata enemy of the Apostles al Apostolical doctrine he directly opposeth him self to the Apostle For vvhereas S. Paule saith that such Christians as have once bene made partakers of gods graces and gifts and have taisted the word of god and power of the world â—â— come vvhen such men become Apostataes and fal from God it is impossible for them to recover their former estate and grace M. B. running ful but against the Apostle saith in the same vvords phrase that such as have once receiued the grace gift of the holy ghost or taisted the power of the world to come fal they never so desperatly in to vvhat dissolution of body and sowle soeuer most certain and sure it is that before their death they shal recover be restored to the same grace degree of mercy againe Yea vvhich is far more vvonderful and far
of al languages and al Ecclesiastical and holy vvriters bearing equally both senses most assured it is that it signifieth so in that place of S. Paule as hath bene proued And from this vse of scripture al holy fathers both Greeke and Latin al auncient Liturgies and our common Masse-booke vvithout any such imaginarie scruple of sitting name the place of our Christian sacrifice at some times an altar at some other times a table albeit for ech name the church can yelde a more special and seueral reason for that it is first an altar to offer and propine to god and afterwards a table to take and receiue for our ovvne benefite Both vvhich S. Austin very divinely conioyneth together thus Mensa quam sacerdos noui testamenti exhibet de corpore sanguine suo c. The table which our sauiour the high priest of the new testament prouideth of his body and blud is that sacrifice which hath succeded in place of al sacrifices which in the old testament were offered in shadow and figure of this to come for that in place of al those manifold sacrifices and offerings his body is now first offered to god then delivered to the communicants VVhere vve see S. Austin an other maner of Theologe then M. B. not to oppose an altar and a table offering and receiuing as though one destroyed the other but to couple and conioyne them as coherent one to the other declaring plainly that in the church Catholike there is an altar for the honour of god there is also a table for the commoditie and consolation of Christians first to do sacrifice to god next for Christians to participate of the same sacrifice And that from the Apostolical age vsage the first primitiue Christians evermore vsed altars to sacrifice on vve find recorded by the most auncient Christian vvriters vvhose monumēts are yet extant as namely S. Martialis S. Denis Areopagita Origen Tertullian and S. Cyprian to omit al later fathers as Eusebius Optatus S. Hierom S. Ambrose S. Gregorie Nazianzene S. Chrysostom S. Austin by al vvhich it is most cleere that then altars vvere every vvhere buylt in Christian churches to this very vse of offering sacrifice to God So that M. B. collection from a table to inferre denyal of sacrifice to improue standing and iustifie sitting is very vveake to say the least prophane as vvhich proceedeth from one vvho seemeth to measure and define the table of gods church by the order vvhich him self his vvife and domesticals vse at their ovvne table besides it conteyneth a certaine scorne and disgrace of the English Comunion in which although they haue nought els but a bourd or table as it is there called yet al sitting is quit barred and the bretherne which communicate are commaunded to kneele humbly on their knees and the minister him self some time to stand some time to kneele but neuer to sitte ¶ Amongest the auncient fathers 4. names he findeth attributed to the sacramēt They called it saith he a publike action this was a very general name 2. Sometimes they called it a thankesgeuing 3. sometimes a banquet of loue and 4. at the last in the declining estate of the Latin kirke in the falling estate of the Romane kirke it began to be perverted with this decay there comes in a perverse name and they called it the Masse This last word he most of al dislikes and vvhy for that by processe of tyme corruption hath prevailed so far that it hath turned over our sacramēt in to a sacrifice and where we should take fro the hand of god in Christ they make vs to geue This is plaine idolatrie And therefore where the word was tolerable before now it is no ways tolerable To speake a litle of these 4. names although the sacrifice be a publike action yet vvhere the fathers vsed to cal it so as by a particular name is hard to find In the church of Christ catechizing before baptisme baptisme it self is hath bene vsed as a publike action so hath the geving of orders and making priests confirmation preaching and diuers other sacraments and ecclesiastical offices yea in some respect these haue bene far more publike actions then the sacrament for that many vnchristened vvere publikely admitted to catechismes preachings vvhich vvere carefully excluded frō being present at the celebration of the sacrifice or sacrament both in the Greeke also Latin church And therefore this name is il applied by M. B. In deed the Greekes called it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vvhich vvord among prophane vvritiers signifying any publike ministerie or office by the Apostles and aunciēt fathers vvas restreyned to the publike Christian sacrifice that is to the masse as hath bene more at large declared before Priests of the new testament celebrate the mystical liturgie or sacrifice mysticam liturgiam vel sacrificium peragunt saith Theodoretus And the Greeke fathers in this sort made the vvorde liturgie as proper to the sacrifice in the Greeke church as the very vvord masse signifieth the same sacrifice in the latin church vvhen as in the meane season al those forenamed sacraments and other functions vvere publike actions and yet not liturgies The terme banquet of loue is somvvhat more straunge as I thinke more seldom vsed True it is the sacrament is a banquet of love as vvhereby vve are moved first to loue god and then one an other as likevvise it is a banquet of faith of peace of mildnes of patience of modestie of sobrietie of chastitie of al vertues vvhich gods holy spirite especially by meanes of this blessed sacrifice vvorketh in the receivers But yet to say it vvas so named by the auncient fathers is somvvhat avvry And I suppose M. B. by his banquet of love so to speake like a Protestant or rather after the old fashion the banquet of charitie meaneth the church feastes called charities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereof I haue spoken before VVhich banquets of charitie albeit they vvere charitably made for relief of the poore and that about the time of ministring the holy sacrament yet the fathers vse not by that name to expresle this sacrament The name of Eucharist Thankes-geving is far more common Mary M. B. must note what the fathers meant thereby not as the Zuinglian Protestants would perswade the simple as though it were nothing but a verbal thankes-geuing to the Lord for Christs passion resurrection vvith a remembrance thereof by eating bread and drinking vvine or beere but they called it so for that in the church sacrifice principally most effectually thankes are gevē to god for his infinite benefites according as S. Austin vvriteth VVhat is a more holy sacrifice of praise thē is geving thākes to god And wherefore are more thākes to be gevē then for his grace which we haue receiued by Christ Iesu our lord Quod totū
not possibly be ioyned any falsitie as is manifest no more then god can be false in his word or promise But that Luther Calvin Beza M. B. and every Protestant is elect hath remission of his sinnes is iustified this is not only false in the iudgement of every Catholike but also of the most learned Protestants Of every Catholike because he knoweth by gods word that out of the Catholike church ministerie of the same is no remission of sinnes as the forme of our Creed teacheth vs Calvin him self graunteth By the very order of the Apostolical Creed we learne faith Calvin that perpetual rentission of sinnes resteth in the Church because in the Creed so soone as the church is named by and by ensueth remissioÌ„ of sinnes And this benefit is so proper to the church that we can not otherwise enjoy it except we remaine in vnitie of the church out of whose lap no man may hope for remission of sinnes or salvation as witnesseth Esai 37. 32. Ioel. 2. 32. Exechâ—el 13. 9. Psalm 106. 4. VVhereas then no kind of Protestaut remaineth in the Catholike Church but is departed thence vnto several particular congregations some after Luther some after Calvin some after Rotman some after other Sect-masters therefore in the iudgement of al Catholikes confirmed also by the testimonie of Calvin and authoritie of scriptures it is very salse and vnpossible that any Protestant remayning in his sect should have remission of his sinnes and be iustified It is false also for a great part in the opinion of M. B. of Calvin and the Calvinists item of Luther and the Lutherans them selves For albeit Luther the first father and inuentor of this faith reckeneth it perhaps as sure as any article of his faith that he and al his scholers the Lutherans have remission of their sinnes yet he beleeveth not so nor can beleeue so of Zuinglius and the Zuinglians nor yet of Calvin and the Calvinists al vvhich heaâ—â—ounteth for deâ—â—stable heretikes as iâ— or vvorse then Turkes For so â—â— is vvel knowen that he evermore â—â—â—l his dying day wrote exclamed against them And the like thought Zuinglius and Calvin vvith their brood of Luther his sectaries as in part hath bene signified before VVherefore this special faith and persuasion being common to every sect of Protestants Trinitarians Arrians Anabaptists Zuinglians especially to the Lutherans who vvere first possessed of it vvhereas yet M. B. if he folow Calvin must needs graunt that these sectaries divided from his CalviniaÌ„ church notwithstaÌ„ding their special faith have not remissioÌ„ of their sinnes are not iustified are not elect hereof he may learne most certainly that this false faith conteyning certain and manifest falsitie is not the faith which S. Paule calleth a substance or substancial ground as which hath in deed no substance or ground or firmenes in it but is a mere fansie a mere toy imagination taken vp by every lightbrayned heretike common to al alike by which al alike have remission of their sinnes in particular one as much as an other that is never a vvhit at al. And therefore if the chief principal eating of Christs flesh drinking his blud stand in this special faith â— he telleth vs then his chief principal eating of Christs flesh is nothing For in thus eating he eateth nothing but lyes and heresies and feedeth on them vvhich is not very good nurriture for his sowle and â—udas vvhen he sold Christ did eate Christs flesh as spiritually as any such beleeving Protestants vvhen they eate Christs flesh by such a false faith ¶ Agreably to this foundation vvhich he layeth thereoÌ„ to build the rest of this sermoÌ„ he proceedeth heaping together a nuÌ„ber of most absurd propositioÌ„s which might rather become a Iew then a ChristiaÌ„ if some Protestants bearing the name of ChristiaÌ„s were not as il as Iewes For he so runneth on in extolling his spiritual dealing with Christ by this wicked presumptuous faith so to cal it that he vvholy overthroweth the mysterie of Christâ— incarnation living and doing here in the world For see how he goeth on The carnal band whether it be the band of blud running thorough a race or the catrnal tuitchinâ— of flesh with flesh that carnal band was never esteemed of Christ in the time be â—â—â— conversant here in earth he made nothing of that band VVhat vvicked speech is this Doth God by the very singer of nature besides his writteâ— vvoâ—d vvherein we are willed to honor our father and mother imprint in the hart of every good child a reverence honor regard and estimation of his parents and had our Sauiour Christ Iesus no reverence of that carnal band vvhich him self specially commended â— VVhat scripture reacheth thus VVhere learneth M. B. this doctrine Doubtles no vvhere For albeit in the gospel wheâ— some malitiously went about to interrupt Christs preaching by mentioning his mother and bretherne he preferred the doing of his office and service of his father and preaching of his vvord and saving of sowles before carnal kinred then importunely and to evil purpose obiected shewing that we should ever preserâ—e gods service before humain respect and divine spiritual and heavenly blessings before vvordly and fleshly curtesie or civilities yet to inferre thereof that Christ esteemed not the carnal band that he reverenced not carnal coniunction that â—â—â— maner â—e denied that band this is a vvicked illation out of Christs vvord and as wel might he have inferred vvith Marcion and Manicheus out of this same place that Christ was not carnally borne of the virgin his mother but phantastically and as the English Protestants of the familie of Love teach that Christ was borne of the virgin Marie no otherwise then he is borne of their flesh and such illatioÌ„ or coÌ„sequence drawen from those words by Marcion Manicheus and these English gospellers is as right as his If M. B. had done as some times the good auncient fathers do that is preferred the spiritual cognation before the carnal because the one is vniversal the other particular the one good and availeable of it self the other not so except it be ioyned vvith the spiritual the one the right vvay to salvation ordeyned by Christ who living and preaching tended to plant in al men such spititual coniunction vvhereas the carnal cognation vvas not ordeyned as a meane to iustifie any though in it and by carnal cognation Christ vvas made man vvhereby iustification redemption salvation is vvrought in al if thus M. B. had compared them and preferred the one his preaching had not bene amisse But simply and rudely to disgrace and disanul the one as though it vvere of no moment or commendation in the scriptures this is vvicked heretical inexcusable Christ as the gospel treacheth lived vvith the virgin his mother Ioseph his supposed father erat subditus
and such like it may be answered in his behalf that to require of him or any other of his profession to make their doctrine ech part agreable to other in places so far distant is vnreasonable and against the tenor and qualitie of their gospel vvhich euermore varieth and altereth VVhich libertie also M. B. closely insinuateth and chalengeth to him self in these Sermons vvilling his auditors in the second of them to take this for the present vntil he have more insight in these matters and it appeareth his insight vvas more in the 4. and 5. Seâ—mons then it vvas in the third I omit also vvhich yet is very markable and diligently to be noted that for al these blind contrarie assertions he stil alleageth scripture as vvel for one part as the other That faith is lost by evil life he proveth by scripture That faith is never lost by any meanes he proveth at large and more abundantly by scripture That faith is a substantial ground an assurance and certaine pâ—rsuasion without al doubting he proveth by S. Paul That faith may stand vvith doubting looke to the Apostle saith M. B. the Apostle saith we always are in doubt but we despaire not For vvhich text refeiring it to faith as he doth that we always are in doubt of our faith or any part thereof vve may looke for it in the Apostle til our eyes be out and never find it That the holy ghost can not abide and remayne in a sinful sowle is proved by scripture That the holy ghost never departeth from the elect commit they sinnes never so fowle and filthy for this also he alleageth scripture and so forth for the rest that faith is ever vvorking wel by charitie sometimes not vvorking wel c. scriptures especially S. Paul is ever at hand to iustifie al. ¶ But the most absurd and grosse contrarietie is that he maketh the very frame body of his discourse plaine repuguant to his beginning ending he setteth as it vvere the head feet of a horse to the body of a man as though he vvould protest him self to be of the number of those of vvhoÌ„ the Apostle speaketh They covet to be taken for doctors of the law and preachers of the gospel vvhereas they vnderstand nether what things they speake nor whereof they affirme For what is his discourse in these 2. Sermons touching preparation Forsooth that to the vvorthy receiving of the Lords supper is required preparation vvhich conteynes many parts that the communicant have true faith in Christ love God love his neighbour pray be merciful bring forth good fruits glorisie God in vvord and deed be sorie for sinne coÌ„mitted â—heretofore diligently eschew it for the tyme to come hate sinne and also have sorow for it For it is not inough to hate it if thow lament not the committing of it and with a godly sorow deplore it vvherein he speaketh like a Papist or Catholike not like a Gospelling Protestant this being flat against the common vvriting of his maisters Luther Calvin Musculus Melanchton Beza c. yea against his owne Scottish communion booke For it was one of Luthers capital articles condemned by the Romane See and after stubbornely mainteined by him and his sectaries as an article most true Christian and godly plane manifeste Christianissimus that such contrition and lamenting for sinne as here M. B. commendeth maketh one an hipocrite yea a greater and more grevous sinner before God facit hypocritam imo magis peccatorem and the Scottish communion booke speaking of this verie point saith that the Lord requireth no other worthines on our part lut that we vrfaynedly ackowlege our naughtines and imperfection briefly and in summe the person that vvould vvorthely receive the supper must trie his conscience in these 2. points first to know whether it beat peace with God secondly whether it be in love charitie and amitie with his neighbour This preparation vvhich thus in these last Sermons he most prosequuteth may seeme both to incite his auditors to great holynes and to make others suppose that he hath a verie divine and high opinion of their supper to the receiving vvhereof such great preparation is required But vvilt thow see good reader al this overthrowen in one sentence Marke his first proposition in the first page of these last Sermons wherein he avoweth preparation to be always at al times as wel necessarie for hearing the siwple word as for receiving the visible sacrament and like preparatioÌ„ requisite for the one as for the other For so he foloweth on vvith his discourse The Apostle in the words that we have read 1. Cor. 11. v. 28. gives his commaund that we should not come to the table of the Lord we should not come to the hearing of the word rashly but with reverence we should prepare and sanctifie our selves in some measure VVith the same conclusion he shutteth vp both these sermons thus speaking in the last leaf Thus ye see in what points every of yâ—w ought to be prepared Ye man be indâ—ed with loue â—aith if ye haue these in any smal measure go baldly to the hearing of the word and receiving of the sacrament VVhy Siâ—is this the vvay to make your auditors to amend them selves their life and maners or to engender iâ— them reverence towards the supper to tel them that like preparation is required for hearing the simple vvord as for receiving the sacrament To leâ— rest for a vvhile the grosse absurditie and vile consequence vvhich dependeth hereon lâ—â— vs first learne vvhere yow find this kind of Theologie Yow answere The Apostle in the words which yow have read to your auditors 1. Cor. 11. ver 28. interpones his counsel and geves advise and not only that but also geves his admonition and commaund that we should not come to the table of the lord we should not come to the hearing of the word rashly but with reverence c. Let vs consider the text in the Apostle The place by yow quoted is this according to the translation of Calvin and Beza Let every one try him self and so eate of that bread and drinke of that cup. For who so eateth and drinketh vnworthely eateth and drinketh to himself damnation for that he discerneth not the lords body VVhere find yow here that a man must come vvith such reverence as yow tel vs of to heare the word Yea vvhere find yow the vvord mentioned at al ether in that verse or in the vvhole chapter VVhat grosse impietie corruption is this to publish so vvicked vnreasonable pestilent doctrine then to father it on the blessed Apostle and namely in this place vvhere it is most repugnant to the vvhole drift of the Apostles atgumeÌ„t VVhat one I vvil not say of the Apostles or primitive fathers and auncient Doctors but vvhat man indued vvith any meane learning
they had a good motion to god ward if ever they did any good then had they faith and then are they surely elect they are sure to be saved vvhat man vvil take needles toyle to procure by painful and vnprofitable vvorks that vvhereof he is sure already VVhere it is preached for right Euangelical that a man once endued vvith faith is afterwards by no sinne by no filthines of life never vtterly forsaken of Gods holy spirite a most filthie and blasphemous doctrine is never out of Gods love favour for whom God â—ins loued he loueth perpetually wil scholers thus instructed stand in feare and horrour of sinne vvith vvhich they may satisfie their carnal delites yet hold fast stil Gods favour to and remayne indued vvith his holy spirite VVhere only faith is commended as sufficient to instification vvere it not madnes to suppose that the vulgar multitude vvil do vvorks of supererogation vvil by superfluous and vnnecessarie vvorks do shame to the blud of Christ vvil do that vvhich no vâ—ayes profiâ—eth themâ— vvithout vvhich they are assured of heavâ— of which if they did as many as did S. Peter and S. Paule yet they are persuaded that such works though never so many never so excellent are nothing regarded before God but rather in them they offend his divine maiestie against whom they sinne even when they study to do best Briefly where men are persuaded in that one point that having once had faith or any signe thereof that is to say any good motioÌ„ in their harts they are surely electe surely possessed of the holy ghost and so that they shal never be altogether forsaken of him sal they to murther to adulterie range they in any kind of sinne never so long they shal finally die the seruants of God and without fail inherite eternal ioy who is so blunt and blind as not to see that infinit presumption to commit sinne infinite securitie to wallow and tumble in sinne perpetual neglect to leave sinne or satisfie for sinne must necessarily ensue of such meretâ—icious doctrine more fit for a common bordel then for an honest howse though this man bring at forth as a special ievvel perle of his EuaÌ„gelical doctrine to honor his new kirk congregation withal If we proceed from works to faith which among Christians is first to be waighed as being the ground and foundation of al good works this faith is so wasted by these mens new gospellizing that scarce any peece of it remayneth â—ound in his integritie For let vs put for true that one article which being by Luther and Calvin by Lutherans and Calvinists advaunced as the hart and life of theiâ— Gospel M. B. also magnifieth as the specifike differeÌ„ce betwene his Scottish Gospellers and al Papists yea al â—ects of the world vz. that he with his bretherne by meanes of their firme fast peâ—suasion which is their definition of faith have their sinnes certainly remitted â—oâ—â—em they are in the number of Gods elect and stil endued vvith his spirite This one opinion vvhat a garboile what a spoile and vvast maketh it in Christian religion For first to many heretikes and schismatikes out of the church not only Catholike but also Calvinian to Lutherans Zuinglians Anabaptists Trinitarians SuenkfeldiaÌ„s Memnonists c. al and singular endued vvith this persuasion or presumption no lesse then are the Caluinists to these and a number of like it geueth remission of sinnes eternal life vvhich is against the articles of our Câ—eed and general principles of Christianitie Secondly it abolisheth the vse of the keyes vvhich Christ so expressely gave to his church to S. Peter and the Apostles VVhose sinnes yow remit they are remitted to S. Peter VVhat thow losest in earth shal be losed in hearen Against vvhich these good fellowes by that specisike difference of their only faith iustifying them can and do remit their owne sinnes though never so grosse and damnable vvhich they howrely commit vvithout help of the Apostles open heaven gates to them selves vvhether S. Peter vvil or no. Of seuen sacraments vvhich hetherto the church hath enioyed five being already by this new gospel abolished both in name and vse and two only remayning in name baptisme and the Eucharist to vvhat purpose serve they Are they not in like sort made altogether voyde and frustrate by this solifidian persuasion For doth baptisme remit sinnes vvhich is his office Nothing lesse But sinnes are remitted by this persuasion as the Caluinists teach vs not by the sacrament of baptisme The Eucharist doth it give vnto Christians the communion of Christs body and blud No. VVe eate that only by this appprehension by this solifidian conceit and persuasioÌ„ besides vvhich the sacramâ—nt yeldeth nothing but the communion of a bit of bread and a sip of vvine or ale twentie of vvhich communions altogether as good spiritual a maÌ„ may buy in the market for 2 or 3. half pence But the scripture every vvhere teacheth men to pray to God continually night and day to geve almes to vvatch to fast to do al good vvorkes that they may purchase more grace of God and obteyne from him fuller remission of their sinnes and confirme their election to life eternal and this piâ—â—ie perhaps is much amplified by this vvonderful faith Nay it is vtterly destroyed vvith the rest For before any such prayer may be made there is presupposed faith in the bretherne faith infallibly includeth remission of sinnes therefore to pray for that of vvhich by faith they are assured already is like as if vve should pray for the incarnation of Christ vvhich is already past accomplished Besides that it is against the doctrine of their gospel to thinke that ether Gods favour and grace dependeth on mans vvorks vvhich are never good but alvvaies sinful and impuâ—e or that works caÌ„ any way better or make more perfit and absolute remission of sinnes vvhich is altogether annexed and fastned only to a strong persuasion and constant faith And how can that person feare God vvho is taught evermore to beleeve as an article of his faith that God is loving friendly and most benevolent to him that vvhatsoever he doth God never hateth him never taketh his holy spirit froÌ„ him but loveth him perpetually and therefore before hand hath set him free and secure from al daunger of hel hath geven him a sure placard and vvarrant of his saluation For these and a number of like absurdities both against faith and good life issuing out of this Lutheran and Caluinian doctrine Melancthon that peerles and imcomparable maâ— and most florishing in al kind of vertue and learning as the Protestants account him a chief author of this new gospel albeit in his youth he much holpe forward this special faith vvith the dependences thereof yet in his age he woÌ„derfully abhorred detested