the tooting in Gods glas the tag therto wyl not burst open thy blockish hart yet I trow the tosâ—ing to and fro of these examples and specially of oue late Kyng and this troublesome time wyll tumble some teares our of thyne hart if thou styll pray for gods spirit accordingly For who art thou thinke alwayes wyth thy selfe that God should spare thee more then them whose examples thou hast heard What friends hast thou Were not of these Kings Prophets Apostels learned and come of holy stockes I deceiue my selfe think thou with thy selfe if I beleue that God being the same God y he was wyl spare me whose wickednes is no sesse but much more then some of theirs He hateth synne now as much as euer he did The longer he spareth the greater vengeance â—il fal the deper he draweth his dow the sorer wil the shaft pearce But if yet thy hart be so hardened that all this geare wyll not moue thee surely thou art in a very euil estate and remedy now know I none What said I none know I none Yes there is one which is suresby as they say to serue if any thyng wyl serue You looke to know what this is Forsoth the passion and death of Iesus Chriâ—â— You know the cause why Christ became man and suffered as he suffered was the sins of his people that he might saue them froÌ„ the same Consider the greatnes of the sore I mean syn by the greatnes of the Surgion and of the salue Who was the Surgion No Angel no Saint no Archangel no power no creature in heauen nor in earth but onely he by whom althings wer made all thinges are ruled also euen Gods own dearling onely beloued sonne becomming man. Oh what a great thing is thys that could not be done by the Angels ArchaÌ„gels Potestates powers or al the creatures of God without his own sonne who yet must needes be thrust out of heauen as a man would say to take our nature become man Here haue ye the Surgion great was the cure that thys mighty Lord tooke in hand Now what was the salue For soth deare geare of many compositions I cannot recite al but rather must leaue it to your harty conâ—idetations Three and thirty yeares was he curyng our sore He sought it earnestly by fasting watching praying c. The same night that he was betrayed I reade how busy he was about a plaster in the garden when he liing sâ—at on the ground praying with teares that of bloud not a few but so manye as dyd flow down on the ground againe criing on this sort Father saith he if it be possible let this cup depart frâ— me that is if it be possyble that els the syns of mankinde can be taken a way graunt that it may be so Thou heardest Moises criyng for the idolaters Thou hear dest Lot for the Zoarites Samuel Dauid and many other for the Israelites and deare father I onely am thine own soâ—ne as thou hast said in whom thou art well pleased wylt thou not heare me I haue by the space of three thirty yeres done alwayes thy wyl I haue so humbled my selfe that I would become an abiect a mongest men to obey thee Therfore deare father if it be possible graunt my request saue maÌ„kind now without any further labour salues or plasters But yet sayth he not as I wyll but as thou wylt But sir what herd he Though he swet bloud water in making his plaster for our sore of syn yet it framed not Twyse he cryed without comfort yea though to comfort him God sent an Angel we yet know y this plaster was not allowed for sufficient vntyll hereunto Christ Iesus was betrayed forsaken of all his Disciples for worne of his dearly beloued bound lyke a theefe belyed on buffered whipped scourged crowned with thornes derided crucified racked nayled hanged vp betwene two theeues cursed and rayled vpon mocked in misery and had geuen vp the ghost then bowed dowue the head of Christ that is God the Father which is the head of Christ then alowed he the plaster to be sufficient good for the healing of our sore which is syn Now would God abide our breth because the stinck that is damuation or giltynes was taken away by the sweete sauer of the breth of thys Lamâ—e thus offered once for al. So that here dearely beloued we as in a glasse may see to the broosyng of our blockyshe hard hartes Gods great iudgement and anger agaynst synne The Lord of Lords the King of Kings the brightnes of Gods glory the sonne of God the dearling of his Father in whom he is wel pleased haÌ„geth betwene two theues crying for thee me and for vs al My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Oh hard harts that we haue which make tuts for syn Looke on this toote in the very hart of Christ pâ—arced with a speare wherein thou maiest see and reade Gods horrible anger for synne Woe to thy hard hart that pearred it And thus much for the first part of repentaunce I meane for the meanes of working contricion First vse prayer then looke on Gods law thirdly see his curse fourthly set examples of his anger before thee and last of all set before thee the death of Christ From this and prayer cease not tyl thou fecle some harty sorrow for thy syn The which wheÌ„ thou feelest then labour for the other part that is fayth on this sort As first in contrition I wylled shee not to trust to thy free wyll for the assayning of it so doo I wyll thee in thys Fayth is so far from the reach of mans free wyl that to reason it is plaine foolishnes Therfore thou must first go to God whose gyft it is thou must I say get thee to the father of mercy whose worke it is that as he hath brought thee downe by contrition and humbled thee so he would geue thee fayth raise thee vp and exalt thee On this maner therefore with the Apostles and the pore man in the Gospell that cryed Lord encrease our fayth Lord helpe my vnbeliefe pray thou and say O mercyfull God and deare Father of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ in whom as thou art wel pleased so hast thou commauÌ„ded vs to heare him for asmuch as he often byddeth vs to aske of thee and thereto promiseth that thou wylt heare vs and grauÌ„t vs that which in his name we shall aske of ther loe gracious Father I am bold to beg of thy mercy thorow thy sonne Iesus Christ one sparckle of true faith and certaine perswasioÌ„ of thy goodnes loue towardes me in Christ wherethrough I beyng assured of the pardon of al my syns by the mercies of Christ thy sonne may be thankfull to thee loue thee and serue thee in holynes and righteousnes al the daies of my lyte On this sort I say or otherwise as God shalmoue thee pray
Bradford a Preacher and an example of that repentance which he dyd preach Ionas preached to Niniue repentance and al Niniue the King Princes people old and yong repented To England Bradford dyd peeache and yet doth preach repentaunce and surely England hath now much more cause to repent then it had when Bradford lyued preached repentance For all states sortes of parsons in England are now more corrupt shen they were then Let therefore now Bradfordes sermon his lyfe his death moue thée O England to repent al thy peryll I wish warne that as in Niniuie so in England al from the highest to the lowest do vnfainedly repent They which are of the Lourt they which are of the Church they whiâ—a are of the Citye they which are of the cuntrey Princes Prelates and people let all and euery one repent and depart from that euyll which he hath in hand and turne wholy to the Lorde And I do humbly beséech thy Maiesty oh glorious Lord Iesus which diddest come to blesse Israell turniug euery one of them from their synnes to worke now by thy spirite in our hartes the same sound repentance which the holynes dyd preache to men when thou saydest Repent for the kingdome of God is at hand This worke in vs O gracious God our Sauionr Amen And uow Reader I leaue thée to the reading and practising of that repentance which Bradford heare teacheth ¶ TO THE CHRIstian Reader Iohn Bradforde wysheth the true knowlsdge and peace of Iesus Christ our alone and omni sufficient Sauiour GReat and heauy is Gods anger against vs as the most greeuous plague of the death of our late King a Prince of all that euer was sitheÌ„ Christs ascension into heaueÌ„ in any Region peereles now fallen vpoÌ„ vs doth prognosticate For when Gods iudgement hath begun with his Childe this our deare dearlyng let other men thinke as they can I surely cannot be perswaded otherwise but that a greeuous and bitter cup of Gods vengeaneis ready to be poured out for ve English men to drinke of The whelpe God hath beaten to fray the bandeg Iudgement is begun at Gode house In Gods mercy to himwardes he is taken away that his eyes should not sée the miseries which we shall feele He was to good to tary with vs so wicked so froward so peruers so obstinate so malicious so hipocriticall fo couetous vncleane vntrue proude and carnall a generation I wyll not go about to paynt vs out in our colours All the world which neuer saw England by hearesay seeeth England God by his plagues and vengeaunce I feare me wyll paynt vs out and point vs out We haue so mocked with him and his Gospel that we shall féele it is no bourding with him ¶ Of long tyme we haue couered our couetousnes and carnalitie vnder the cloke of his Gospell so that all men shal see vs to our shame when he shall take his Gospel away geue it to a people y wil bring forth y fruites of it then shal we appeare as we be To let his Gospel tary with vs he cannot for we despise it contemne it are giuâ—ted with it We disdaine his Manna it is but a vile meate thinke we We would be againe in Egypt and sâ—t by the greasy steshpots to eute againe our Garlike Onions and Léekes â—ithens Gods Gospell came amongest vs we say now he had neuer plenty therefore againe let vs go and woyrship the Queene of heauen Chyldren begynne to gather stickes the Fathers kindle the fire and the women make the cakes to offer to the Quéene of heauen to prouoke the Lord to anger The earth cannot abide now the wordes Sermons of Anios the cause of all rebelliou is Amos his preaching It is Paule and his felowes that makes all out of order Sumnia the Gospel is now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the out cast eursse of the Realme so are the Preachers therefore out of the doores with them So that I say God cannot let his Gospell tary with vs but must néedes take it away to do vs some pleasure therein for so shall we thinke for a tyme as the Sodomitanes thought when Lot departed froÌ„ them as the olâ— world thought when Noe crept into his Arke as the Ierosolomitanes thought wheÌ„ the Apostels went thence to Pâ—â—tis Then wâ—r they mery then was at pastime When Moises was absent then went they to eating and drinking and rose againe â—â— play Then was all peace all was wel nothing amysse But alas sodainlye came the floud and drowned them Gods wrath wared hote against them Then was weale away mourning and woe then was crying out wringing of hands renting of clothes sobbing and fighyng for the miseries fallen out of the which they could not scape But oh ye mourners and cryers out ye renters of clothes why mourne ye What is the cause of your misery The Gospell is gone Gods word is little preached you were not disquieted with it Noe troubleth you not Lot is departed the Apostels are gone What uow is the cause of these your miseries Wyl you at the length confesse it is your syunes Nay now it is to late God called vpon you and you would not heare him therfore yell and cry out nowe for he wyll not heare you You bowed your eares from hearing of Gods law therefore your praier is execrable But to come againe to vs Englishmen I feare me I say for our vnthaukfulues sake for our impietie and wyeednes as God hath taken away our King so wyll he take away his Gospel yea so we would haue it then should all be well thinke many Well if he take that away for a tyme perchaunce we shall be qutel but at length we shall féele the want to our wee at length he wyll haue at vs as at Sodeme at Ierusalem and other places And now he beginneth to brue such a bruing wherin one of vs is lyke to destroy an other and so make an open gappe for forren enemies to deuour vs and destroy vs The father is agaynst the sonne the brother against the brother and Lord with what conscience Oh be thou mercyfull vnto vs and in thine anger remember thy mercy suffer thy selfe to be intreated be reconciled vnto vs nay reconcile vs vnto thée Oh thou God of iustice iudge iustly oh thou Sonne of God which camest to destroy the works of Satan destroy hys furours nowe smoking and almost set on fyre in this Realme We haue syuned we haue synned and therefore art thou angry O be not angry for euer Geue vs peace peace peace in the Lord set vs to wâ—â— against synne against Satan against our carnall desires and geue vs the victory this way Thys victorye we obtayne by faith This faith is not without repentaunce as her Gentlemau Ussher before her Before her I say in disceruing true fayth from false faith â—yp faith Englishmens faith for els if
before we were who I say can thinke otherwyse but that with him he wyl geue vs al good thinges If when we hated him â—led away from him he sent his sonne to seeke vs who can thinke otherwise then that now we louing him and lamenting because we loue him no more but that he wyl for euer loue vs He that geueth the more to his enemies wil not he geue the lesse trow you to his friends God hath geuen his own sonne then which thing nothing is greater to vs hys enemies we now being becom his friendes wyll he deny vs fayth pardon of our sins which though they be great yet in comparison they are nothing at al Christ Iesus would geue his own selfe for vs when we willed it not wyll he now deny vs faith if we wyll it This wyl is hys earnest that he hath giuen vs truly to looke in deede for the thing wylled And looke thou for it in deede for as he hath geuen thee to wyl so wil he geue thee to do Iesus Christ gaue his lyfe for our euyls by his death delyuered vs Oh then in that he liueth now and cannot dye wyll he forsake vs â–ª His hart bloud was not to deare for vs when we asked it not what can then bee now to deare for vs asking it Is he a chaungeling Is he inutable as maÌ„ is Can he repent him of his gifâ—es Dyd he not foresee our falles Payd not he therefore the price Because he saw we should fal sore therefore would he suffer sore Yea if his suffering had not bene inough he would yet once more come again God the father I am sure if the death of his sonne incarnate would not serue wold himselfe the holy ghost also becom incarnate dye for vs This death of Christ therfore looke on as the very pledge of Gods loue towards thee whosoeuer thou art how deepe soeuer thou hast sinned See Gods hands are nailed they cannot strike thee hys feete also he cannot run troÌ„ thee his armes are wyde open to embrace thee his head hangs down so kysse thee his very hart is opeÌ„ so that therin see toâ—te looke spy peâ—pe and thou shalt see nothing therin but loue loue loue loue to thee hyde thee therfore lay thy head there with the Euangelist This is the clyft of the rocke wherein Helias stoode This is the pillow of down for all akyng heades Anoynt thy head wyth this oyle let this oyntment enbaulme thy head wash thy face Tary thou here cock sure thou art I warrant thee Say with Paul what can separate me from the loue of God Can death can pouerty sycknes hunger or any misery perswade thee now that God loueth thee not Nay nothing can separate thee from the loue wher wyth God hath loued thee in Christ Iesus whom he ioueth he loueth to the end So that â—ow where aboundaunce of syn hath â—en in thee the more is the aboudance of grace But to what end â–ª Forsoth that as syn hath raigued to death as theâ— seesâ— to the kylling of Gods sonne so now grace must raigne to lyfe to the honouring of Gods sonne who is now a lyue and cannot dye any more So that they which by â—ayth feele this caÌ„not any more dye to God â—â—t o syn whereto they are dead and buried with Christ As Christ therefore liueth so do they and that to God to righteousâ—â—s and holynes The life which they lyue is In fide filii bei in the faith of the sonne of God Wherby you see that now I am slipt into that which I made the third part of penance namely newnes of lyfe which I could not so haue done if that it were a part of it selfe in deede as it is au effect or fruit of the second part that is of fayth or trust in Gods mercy For hee that beleueth that is is certainly perswaded synne to be such a thing that it is the cause of al misery and of it self so greatly angereth God that in heauen nor in earth nothing could appease his wrath saue alonely the death and precious bloud sheddyng of the sonne of God in whom is all the delight and pleasure of the father he I say that is perswaded thus of syn the same caÌ„not but in hart abhor quake to do or say yea to thinke any thing willingly which Gods law teacheth him to be syn Agayne he that beleueth that is is certainly perswaded Gods loue to be so much to wards him that where through syn he was lost made a firebraÌ„d of hell the eternal father of mercy which is the omnisufficient God nedeth nothing to vs or of anithing that we can do to deliuer vs out of hel and to bring vs into heauen dyd send euen hys owne most deare sonne out of hys bosome out of heauen into hel as a man would say to bring vs as I sayd from theÌ„ce into his own bosom mercy we being hys very enemies he I say that is thus perswaded of Gods loue towards hym of the price of his redemptioÌ„ by the deare bloud of the Lambe imaculate Iesus Christ the same man cannot but loue God againe of loue do that hartely desire to do better the which myght please god Trow you that such a one knowing this geare by faith wil willingly walter wallow in his wilful lusts pleasures faÌ„tasies Wyll such a one as knoweth by faith Christ Iesus iâ— haue geuen his bloud to wash hym from hys syns play the Sow to walter in his puddle of filthy syn vyce againe Nay rather then he wil be defiled againâ— â–ª by wilful synning he wil wash often the feete of his affections watching ouer y vice styll sticking in hym which as a spring continuallye sendeth out poison inough to drown defile him if the sweete water of Christes passioÌ„ in Gods syght did not wash it his bloud satisfy the rigour of Gods iustice due for the same Thys bloud of Christ shed for our sins is so deare in the sight of him that beleueth that he wyâ—l abhorre in his hart to stampe it tread it vnder his feete He knoweth now by his beliefe that it is to much that he therto hee hath set to little by it and is ashamed therof Therefore for the residue of hys lyfe he purposeth to take better beede to himselfe then before he did Because he seeth by hys faith the greuousnes of Gods anger the foulnes of syn the greatnes of Gods mercy of Christes loue towardes him he wyll now be heedye to pray to God to geue hym his grace accordingly that as with his eyes toung handes feete c. he hath displeased God doing his own wyl euen so now with the same eyes toung eares handes feete c. he may displease his own selfe and do Gods wyll Willingly wyll hee not doo that which myght renue the death of the sonne of God He
c your eares to heare fables lyes fanities euil things c so now geue ouer your members to godlynes your touÌ„gs to speake your eares to heare your eyes to see your mouthes to last your hands to worke your feete to go about such thiuges as maye make to gods glory sobrieâ—y of life loue to your brethreÌ„ that daily more and more diligently for in a stay to stand you cannot either better or worse you are to day then you wer yesterday But better I trust you be wil be if you marke wel my theme that is Repent you The which thing that you would do as before I haue huÌ„bly besought yon eueÌ„ so now yet once more I do agayn besech you that for the tender mercies of God in Christ Iesus our Lord Repent you repent you for the kingdom of heauen that is a kingdom ful oâ—al ritches pleasures myrth beauty swetenes eternall felicitie is at hand The eye hath not sene the like the eare hath not heard the like the hart of man cannot conceiue the treasures pleasures of this kingdoÌ„ which now is at hand to such as repent that is to such as are sory for theyr sins beleue Gods mercy through Christ earnestly purpose to leade a new life The God of mercy through Christ his soÌ„ne graunt vs his holy spirit work in our hartes this sorow fayth new life which through his grace I haue spoken of both now for euer Amen ¶ An other Sermon made also by the sayd Maister Iohn Bradford vpon the Supper of the Lord. THere are two Sacramentes in Christes Church the one of initiation that is wherewith we be enraled as it were in to the houshold family of God which Sacrament we call Baptisme the other wherwith we be conserued fed kept nourished to continue in the same Familye which is called the Lords supper or the body and bloud of our Sauiour Iesus Christ broken for our syns and shed for our trausgressions Of the former Sacrament that is of Baptisme to speake now I am not purposed because occasioÌ„ and tyme serue not so therto Of the second therfore wyl I speake somthing by Gods grace if that first you remeÌ„ber this that Baptisme in Christs Church now sithen Christes death is come in place of CircumcisioÌ„ which was in the same church afore Christs comming Whereby we may see that Christian Parents seéme to bee no losse bound to offer theyr Infants and Sabes to be baptised that they may be takeÌ„ and accoÌ„pted of vs as meÌ„bers of Christes mistical body wherunto thei are receiued and sealed then wer the Hebrues their children to be taken as pertayning to the coue naunt league with God wherin they were enroled alonely the circumstance of the eight day not necessarye to be obserued being now abrogated But to come agayne of the Lords Supper I am purposed presently to speake through the helpe of God because we are assembled in Christ I hope to celebrate the same Now that the things which I shall speake may be better obserued and caryed away of you I wyl tell you how in what sort I wyll speake of it Three thynges would I haue marked as the principals and scopes wherto I wyl referre al that I shal at this time speake therof They be these Who what and wherefore That is to make it more plaine who dyd institute this thing which we are about to celebrate this is the first The second is what y thing is which is instituted And the last is wherfore and to what end it was instituted whereby we shall be taught how to vse it For the fyrst who did institute thys Sacrament and Supper you all do know that things are more esteemed sometyme for the dignity and authority of the person sometime for the wisedom of the person sometyme for the power and magnificence of the persou and sometime for the tender loue and kyndnes of the person If neede were I could by examples set forth euery one of these but I hope it is not necessarye Now then how can the thyng which we be about to celebrate but be estemed of euery one highlye in that the Auth or of it doth want no dignity no authority no wysedome no power no magnificence no holmes no tender loue and kindnes but hath al dignity authority wisdome power magnificence holynes tender lone mercy glory and all that can be wished absolutely He is God eteruall coequall and substantiall wyth the Father with the holy Ghost the image of the substance of God the wysedome of the Father the brightnes of hys glory by whom all things were made are ruled and gouerned He is the Kyng of all Kyngs and the Lord of all Lords He is the Messias of the world our most deare and louing brother Sauiour Mediatour Aduocate Intercessor Husbaud Priest So that the thyng which commeth from hym caÌ„not but be estemed loued and embraced if dignity authority wisdom power glory goodnes mercy lyke vs Yea if auy thing that can be wyshed lyke vs theu cannot thys whych our Lord dyd institute but like vs and that so much the more by how much it is oue of the last things which he did institute commaunde God open our eyes to see these thynges accordingly so shall we come with more reuerence to thys Table of the Lord which thing he graunt for hys mercies sake Amen And thus much for the fyrst who dyd institute thys Sacrament Now to the second what the Sacrament is If we shall aske our eies our nose our mouth our taste our handes and the reason of man they wyll all make a consonant answer that it is bread wyne And verelye herein they speake the truth and lye not as by many thyngs may be proued although the Papists prate their pleasure to the coutrary And here my dearely beloued I thynke I shal not be either tedious or vnprofitable vnto you if that I tary a litle in shewing this verity that the substance of bread and wine remaine in the Sacrament after the wordes of consecration as they call them be spoken Wherby we may learne how shameles beastes they be whych would enforce men to beleue traÌ„substaÌ„tiation which is an errour wherupon in a maner dependeth all popery For it is the stay of theyr Priesthood whych is neyther after the order of Aaron nor after the order of Melchisedech but after the order of Baal whych thing is somthyng seene by theyr number For the false prophets Priestes of Baal were alwayes many moe in number when the wycked were in authority then the true Priestes and Prophetes of the Lord as the holy histories of the Bible do teach Reade the third of the Kings the. 18 chap. That in the supper of the Lord or in the Sacrament of Christes body which the Papists call the sacrameÌ„t of the Aulter as though that were Christes Sacrament which thing they
would make this hys sonne being coequal with him in diuinity a mortall man for vs that we might be made immortal by him What a kindnes is thys that the almighty Lord should send to vs his enemies hys deare darlyng to be made poore that we by him might be made ritch What bowels of compassiō was this that the omnipotent Creator of heauen and earth would delyuer his own onely beloued sonne for vs creatures to be not onely flesh of our flesh and bone of our bones that we myght by hym through the holy Ghost be made one with him and so wyth the Father by communicatyng the merites of his flesh that is righteousnes holynes innocency and immortality but also to be a stayne sacrifice for our syns to satisfy his iustice to conuert or turue death in to lyfe our syn into righteousnes hell into heauen misery into felicitye for vs What a mercy is this that God wyll rayse vp this his sonne Christ not onely to iustify and regenerate vs but also in his person to demōstrate vnto vs our state which we shall haue ▪ for in hys comming we shall be lyke vnto hym Oh wonderfull mercy of God whych would assume this his Christ euen in humane body into the heauens to take and keepe ther possession for vs to leade our captiuity captiue to appeare before hym alwayes praying for vs to make the throne of Iustice a throne of mercy the seate of glory a seate of grace so that with boldnes we may come and appeare before God to aske and finde grace in tyme conuenient Againe what a verity and constant truth in God is thys that he would accordyng to hys promise made fyrst to Adam and so to Abraham and others in his time accomplish it by sending his sonne so graciously Who would doubt hereafter of any thing that he hath promised And as for Christes loue oh whose hart can be able to thinke of it any thing as it deserueth He beyng God wold become mā he beyng ritch would become poore he beyng Lord of all the world became a seruaunt to vs all he being immortall would become mortall myserable and fast of all Gods curses yea euen of hell it seife for vs His bloud was nothyng to deare hys lyfe he nothing considered to bryng vs from death to lyfe But thys hys loue needeth more harty waying then many wordes speaking and therefore I omit and leaue it to your considerations So that in the receiuing of this supper as I would you wold tremble at Gods wrath for syn so would I haue you to couple to that terrour and feare true fayth by which ye myght be assured lye perswaded of Gods mercy towardes you Christes loue though al thinges els preached the contrary Do euery of you surely thinke when you heare these wordes Take eate this is my body broken for your synnes Drinke this is my bloud shed for your syns that God the eternal father embracing you Christ calleth and cleppeth you most louingly makyng himselfe one with you and you one wyth hym and one wyth another amongest your selues You ought no lesse to be certayne now that God loueth you pardoneth your syns and that Christ is all yours then if you dyd heare an Angell out of heauen speakyng so vnto you And therefore reioyce and be glad and make thys Supper Eutharichiam a thankes geuing as the Fathers named it Be no lesse certaine that Christ and you now are all one then you are certayne the bread and wyne is one wyth your nature and substaunce after you haue eaten and dronken it Howbeit in thys it differeth that you by fayth are as it were chaunged into Christ and not Christ into you as the bread is for by fayth he dwelleth in vs we in hym God geue vs fayth in the vse of this Sacrament to receyue Christ as he geueth vs handes to receiue the element symbole and visible Sacrament God graunt vs not to prepare our teeth and belly as S Augustine sayth but rather of his mercy he prepare and geue vs true and lyuely fayth to vse thys and all other his ordinances to his glory our comfortes He sweepe the houses of our hartes make them cleane that they may be a woorthy harborough and lodging for the lord Amen Now let vs come and looke on the third and last thing namely wherefore the Lord did institute this Sacrament Our nature is very obliuious of God and of all his benefites And agayne it is very full of dubitation and doubting of Gods loue of his kyndnes Therefore to the end these two thinges might be something reformed and holpen in vs the Lord hath institute this Sacrament I meane that wee myght haue in memory the principal benefites of all benefites that is Christes death that we might be on all partes assured of communion with Christ of all kyndnes the greatest that euer God dyd geue vnto man The former to be the end wherfore Christ did institute this Sacrament he him selfe doth teache vs saying Do ye this in remembraunce of me The latter the Apostle doth uo iesse set forth in saying The bread whih we brake is it not the partaking or communion of the body of Christ Is not the cup of blessyng which we blesse the partaking or cōmunion of the bloud of Christ So that it appeareth the end wherefore this Sacrament was instituted was and is for the reformacion and helpe of our obliuion of that which wee should neuer forget and of our dubitation of that wherof we ought to be most certayne Concerning the former namely of the memory of Christes deare what cōmodity it bringeth with it I wyl purposely for times sake omit Onely a lirle wyll I speake of the commodities cōming vnto vs by the partaking and communion we haue with Christ First it teacheth vs that no man can cōmunicate wyth Chryst but the same must needes communicate with Gods grace fauour wher thorow syns are forgeuen Ther fore this cōmoditye cōmeth here-thorow namely that we should ve certaine of the remission pardon of our synnes The which thing we may also perceue by the cup in that it is called the cup of the new Testament to whych Testament is properly attributed on Gods behalfe obliuion or remission of our syns First I say therefore the supper is instituted to this ende that he which worthely receiueth should be certaine of the remission pardon of hys syns and iniquities how many and great soeuer they be Now great a benefit this is onely they know which haue felt the burthē of syn which of all heauy thinges is the most heauye Agayne no man can cōmunicate with Christes body and bloud but the same must communicate with his spirite for Christes body is no dead carcase Now he that cōmunicateth with Christes spirit cōmunicateth as with holynes righteousnes innocency immortalitie and wyth all the merites of Christes body so doth he with God and all his glory
swearing dronkennes whoredome couetousnes idlenes c. all such I say shal not nor cannot enter into Gods kingdome but hell fire is prepared for them weeping and gnashing of teeth whereunto alas I feare me very many wyll needes go in that very many wil be as they haue bene let vs euen to the wearing of our toung to the stumps preach and pray neuer so much to the contrary and that euen in the bowels of Iesus Christ as now I besech you all all all and euery mothers childe to repent and lament your synne to trust in Gods mercy and to amende your lyues Now me thinkes ye are somewhat astonied wherby I gather that presently you desire this repentāce that is this sorow good hope and newnes of lyfe The which that you may the rather attaine and get to your comforts as I haue gone about to bee a meane to stir vp in you by Gods grace this desire of repentance so through the same grace of God wyl I go about now to shew you how you may haue your desire in this behalfe And first concerning this part namely sorow for your syns and harty lamenting of the same For this if you desire the hauing of it you must beware y you thinke not that of your selues or of your own freewyl by any meanes you can get it You maye easelye deceiue your selues and mock your selues thincking more of your selues then is seemely All good thinges and not peeces of good thinges but al good things saith S. Iames come from God the father of light If therefore penance be good as it is good then the partes of it be good Frō God therfore do they come and not of our free wyll It is the Lord that mortifieth that bringeth down that humbleth saith the scriptur in sundry places After thou haddest stricken my thigh saith Ieremy I was ashamed Loe he sayth after thou hadst stricken me and therfore praieth he euen in the last words almost he writen Turne vs Lord and we shall be turned The which thing Dauid vseth verye often Wherfore first of al if thou wouldest haue this part of penance as for the whole because it is Gods gift so for this part go thou vnto God make some litle praier as thou canst vnto his mercy for the same in this or like sort Mercifull father of our Sauiour Iesus Christ bicause I haue synned and done wickedly thorow thy goodnes haue receiued a desire of repentance wherto this thy long sufferaunce doth draw my hard hart I beseche thee for thy mercies sake in CHRIST to worke the same repentance in me and by thy spirit power grace so to humble mortify and teare my concsience for my syns to saluatiō that in thy good time thou mayest comfort and quicken me again through Iesus Christ thy dearely beloued Sonne Amen After this sort I say or otherwyse as thou thinckest good if thou wilt haue this first part contrition or sorow for thy sins do the beg it of God thorow Christ And when thou hast asked it as I haue laboured to driue thee from trusting in thy selfe so now I go about to moue thee from flattering of thy self from sluggishnes and negligence to be diligent to vse these meanes folowing Unto prayer which I would thou shouldest fyrst vse as thou canst secondly get thee Gods law as a glas to toote in for in it and by it commeth the true knowledge of synne without whych knowledge there can bee no sorrow For how can a man sorow for his synnes which knoweth not hys synnes As when a man is sycke the fyrst step to health is to know his sycknes euen so to saluation the first step is to know thy damnation due for thy synnes The law of God therfore must be gotten and wel tooted in that is we must looke in it spiritually not corporally or carnally as the outward word or letter doth declare and vtter and so our Sauiour teacheth vs in Mathew expounding the sixt seuenth commaūdements not onely after the outward deede but also after the hart making there the anger of the hart a kynde of murther lusting after an other mans wyfe a kinde of adultery And this is one of the differences betwene Gods law and mās lawe that of this mans law I meane I am not contemnable so long as I obserue outwardli the same But gods law goeth to the roote to the hart condemning me for the inwarde motion allthough outwardlye I lyue most holyly As for example If I kil no mā though in my hart I hate mans law condemneth me not but otherwyse doth Gods lawe And why for it seeth the fountain whence the euil doth spring If hatred were taken out of the hart then loftynes in lookes detraction in toūg and murther by hand could neuer ensue If lusting wer out of the hart curiosity in countenaunce wantonnes in wordes baudy boldnes in body would not appeare In that therfore this outward euyll springes out of the inward corruption seyng Gods law also is a law of liberty as sayth saynt Iames and spirituall as saith s Paule perfectly spiritually it is to be vnderstand if we wyll truly come to the knowledge of our syns For of this inward corruption reason knoweth but litle or nothing I had not knowen sayth Paul that lusting which to reason and to them which are guided only by reasō is thought but a triste I had not knowen sayth he this lusting to haue ben syn if the lawe had not sayd Non concupisces Thou shalt not lust To the knowledge therefore of our syn without which we cannot repent or be sory for our syn let vs secondly get vs Gods law as a glasse to toote in and that not onely literally outwardly or partly but also spiritually inwardly and throughly Let vs consider the hart and so shal we see the foule spots we are stayned withal at lest inwardly wherby we the rather may be mooued to harty sorow and sighing For as s Austen saith it is a glasse which feareth no body but euen looke what a one thou art so it paynteth thee out In the law we see it is a foule spot not to loue the lord our God withal all I say our hart soule power might and strength and that continually In the law it is a foule spot not onely to make to our selues anye grauen Image or similitude to bowe thereto c. but also not to frame our selues wholy after the image whereto we are made not to bow to it to worship it In the law we see that it is a foule spot not onely to take Gods name in vayne but also not earnestly hartely and euen continually to call vpon his name onely to geue thankes vnto him to beleue to publish and lyue his holy word In Gods lawe we see it is a foule spot to our soules not onely to bee an open prophaner of the Saboth day but also not to rest
made Is there vnablenes with him Doth he loue for a day and so farewel No forsoth he loueth to the end his mercy endureth for euer Say therfore with Iob Operi manum tuarum porrige dexteram that is To the woorke of thy handes put thy helping hand Againe hath he not made thee a Christian man or womaÌ„ wher if he would he might haue made thee a Turke or Paynâ—â— Thys thou knowest he did of loue And doest thou thinke his loue is lessoned if thou lament thy synne Is his hand shortened for helping thee Can a woman forget the chylde of her wombe and though she should do it yet wyll not I forget thee saith the Lord He hath geuen thee lyms to see heare go c He hath geuen thee 〈◊〉 râ—ason discretion c. Hee hath long spared thee and borne with thee when thou neuer purposedst to repent and now then repenting wyll he not geue thee mercy Wherefore doth he geue thee to lyue at thys present to heare me to speake this and me to speake this but of loue to vs all Oh therfore let vs pray him that he would adde to this that we might beleue these loue tokens that hee loueth vs and in deede he wyll do it Lord open our eyes in thy giftes to see thy gratious goodnes Amen But to cary in this I wyll not Let euery man consider Gods benefites past and present publyke and priuate spiritual and corporall to the confirming of hys fayth concerning the promises of the Gospell for the pardon of hys synnes I wyll now go about to shew you a fourth meane to confirme your fayth in thys geare euen by examples Of these ther are in the scriptures very many as also dayly experiencâ— both diuersly teach the same if we were diligent to obserue things accordingly wherfore I wyl be more briefe herein hauyng respect to time which stealeth fast away Adam in Paradise transgressed greuously as the painfull punishment which we al as yet do feele proueth if nothing els Though by reason of hys syn he displeased God sore and ran away from God for he would haue hid him selfe yea hee would haue made God the causâ—â— of his syn in that he gaue him such a â—ate â—o farre was he from asking mercy yet all â—hys notwithstanding God turned his fâ—arâ—â— wrath neyther vpon him nor Eue which also required not mercy but vpon the the serpent Sathan promising vnto them a seene Iesus Christ by whom they at the length shuld â—e deliuered In token whereof though they were cast out of Paradise for their nurture so serue in sorow which would not serue in ioy yet he made them apparel to couer their bodies a visible Sacrament and token of his inuisible loue and grace concerning their soules If God was so merciful to Adam which so fore brake his coÌ„maundement rather blamed God then asked mercy trow est thou oh man that he wyll not be merciful to thee which blamest thy selfe and desirest pardon To Cain he offered mercy if he would haue asked it VVhat haâ—t thou done sayth God The voice of thy brothers bloud cryeth vnto me out of the earth Oh mercifuâ— Lord should Cain haue sayd I confesse it â–ª But alas he dyd not so and therfore said God Now that is in that thou desyrest not mercy now I say be thou accursed c. Loto the reprobate he offered mercy and will he denye it thee which art his child Noah did not he syn and was dronke Good Lot also both in Sodome dissembled a little with the Angels prolonging the time and out of Sodom he fell verye foule as did Iudas and the Patriarches against Ioseph but yet I weene they fouÌ„d mercy Moyses Myriam Aaron though they stumbled a litle yet receaued they mercy yea the people in the wyldernes often synned displeased God so that he was purposed to haue destroyed them Let me alone sayth he to Moyses that I may destroy them but Moyses dyd not let him alone for he praied styll for them and therefore God spared them If the people were spared through Moyses prayer they not praying with hym but rather woorshipping their golden calse eatyng drinking making â—olly good there why shouldest thou doubt whether God wil be merciful to thee hauing as in dede thou hast one much better then Moses to pray for thee and with thee euen Iesus Christ who sytteth on the â—ight hand of his father prayeth for vs being no lesse faythful in his fathers house the Church then Moyses was in the Synagoge Dauid y good Kyng had a foule foyle when he coÌ„mitted whordome with his faythful seruants wife Bethsabe wherunto he added also a mischeuous murther causing her husbaÌ„d his most faithful soldiour Ury to be slaine with an honest company oâ— his most valiant men of war that with the sweard of the vâ—circumcised In this his syn though a great while he lay a sleepe as many do nowe a dayes God geue them good waking thinking y by the sacrifices he offered all was wel God was content yea at length when the Prophet by aparable had opened the poke brought him in remembrance of his own synne in such sort that he gaue iudgement against himself then quaked he his sacriâ—ices had no more taken away his syns then our syr Iohns â—rentals and wag ging of his fiâ—gers ouer the heads of such as lye asleepe in their sins out of the which when they are awaked they wyl wel see that it is neyther Masse nor Mattinsâ— blessâ—ng nor crossyng wyll serue â—â—en I say he cryed out saying Peccaui Domino I haue synned layth he against my Lord good God which hath don so much for me I caused in deede Ury to bee killed I haue synned I haue sinned What shal I do I haue sinned and am worthy of eternall damnation But what saith God by his Prophet Dominus sayth he transtulit peccatum tuuÌ„ non morieris The Lord hath taken away thy syns thou shalt not dye Oh good God he ayd but Peccaui I haue synned out yet from his hart and not from the lyps onely as Pharao and Saule did incontineÌ„tly he heâ—reth Thou shalt not dye the Lord hath taken away thy fyns or rather hath layd theÌ„ vpon an other yea translated theÌ„ vpon the back of his sonne Iesus Christ who bare them not only them but thine myne also if that we wyl now cry but from our harts Peccauimus we haue sinned good Lord we haue done wyckedly enter not into iudgement wyth vs but be mercyful vnto vs after thy great mercy and according to the multitude of thy compassions do away our iniquities c. â—or in deede God is not the God of Dauid onely Idem deus omnium he is the God of all So that Quicuuque inuocauerit nomen domini saluus erit He or she whosoeuer they be that call vpon the name of the Lord shal be saued In confirmation
with the Church all the good that euer it or any member of it had hath or shall haue This is the coÌ„munion of Sainctus which we beleue in our Creede which hath wayting on it remission of synnes resurrection of the flesh and lyfe enerlasting To the end that we should be most assured and certayne of all these Christ our Sauiour did institute this his Supper therfore would haue vs to vse it So that there is no man I trow which seeth not great cause of geuing thankes to God for this holy Sacrament of the Lord wherby if we worthely receine it we ought to be certayne that all our syns what soeuer they be are pardoned clearly that we are regenerate and borne agayne into a liuely hope into an inheritaunce immortall vnderiled and which can neuer wither away that bee are in the fellow shyp of God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost that we are Gods Tenples at one with God and God at one with vs that we are meÌ„bers of Christes Church and felowes with the Sainctes in all felicity that we are certayne of immortalitie in soule and body so of eternall lyfe then whych thyng what can be more demaunded Christ is ours and we are Christes he dwelleth in vs and we in him Oh happy eyes that see these things and most happy hartes that feele them My deare brethren let vs pray vnto the Lord to open our eyes to see these woÌ„derfull thinges to geue vs fayth to feele them Surely we ought no lesse to bee assured of them now in the worthy receiuyng of this Sacrament then we are assured of the exteriour symboles and Sacramentes If an Angell from heauen should come and tell you these things then would you reioyce be glad And my deare hartes in the Lord I euen now though most vnwyrthy am sent of the Lord to tel you no lesse but that you worthely receiuing this Sacrament shall receiue remission of all your syns or rather certainety that they are remitted and that you are euen now Gods darlinges Temples and fellow inheritours of al the good that euer he hath Wherefore see that you geue thankes vnto the Lorde for this his great goodnes prayse hys name for euer Oh sayth one I cold be glad in very deede and geue thankes from my very hart if that I dyd worthely receiue thys sacrament But alas I am a very greuous synner I feele in my selfe very little repentance and fayth and therefore I am a frayde that I am vnworthy To the answering of thys obiection I thinke it necessarye to speake somthing of the worthy receiuing in this Sacrament in as great breuity and playnes as I can The Apostle wylleth al men to proue and examine themselues before they eate of the bread and drinke of the cup for they that eate and drinke vnworthely eate and drinke damnation Therefore this probacion and examination is necessary If men wyll try their golde and syluer whether they be coper or no is it not more necessaryâ— that men should trye their consciences Nowe howe this should be the Papists teach amysse in sendyng vs to their auriculer confession which is impos sible The true probacion and tryall of a Christian conâ—cience consisteth altogether in faith and repentance Faith hath respect to the doctrine and articles of our beliefe repentance hath respect to maners conuersation Concerning the former I meane of faith we may see the Apostle teacheth vs. 2. Corint 11. Concerning the latter for our conuersation those syns which are called commonly mortall or deadly are to be remoued These syns are discerned from other syns by the Apostle Rom. 6. in saying Let not syn raygne and beare aswynge in your mortall bodies For truly then wee synne deadly when we geue ouer to synne and let it haue the bridle at his liberty when we striue not agaynstie but allow it and consent to it How be it if we striue against it if it displease vs then trulye though synne be in vs for we ought to obey God without all resistaunce or vnwillyngnes yet our syns be not of those syns which seperate vs from God but for Christes sake shall not be imputed vnto vs beleuing Therfore my dearely beloued if that your synnes doo now displease you if you purpose vnfaynedly to be enemies to iyn in your selues and in others as you may during your whole lyfe if you hope in Christ for pardon if you beleue according to the holy scriptures and articles of the ChristiaÌ„ fayth set forth in your Creede if I say you nowe trust in Gods mercy through Christes merites if you repent and earnestly purpose vefore God to amende your lyfe and to geue ouer yourselues to serue the Lord in holynes and righteousnes al the daies of your life although before this present you haue most greuously synned I publish vnto you that you are worthy gestes for this table you shall be welcome to Christ your syns shall be pardoned you shall be endned with hys spirit and so with communion with hym and the Father the whole Church of God Christ wyll dwell in you you shall dwell in hym for euermore Wherefore behaue your selues accordinglye wyth ioyfulnes and thankes geuing Do you nowe appeare before the Lord make cleane your houses open the dores of your hartes by repentance and faith that the Lord of hostes the kyng of glory may enter in and for euer hereafter beware of all suche thynges as myght displease the eyes of hys Maiesty Flie from syn as from a Toade come away from popery and all Antichristian religion be diligent in your vocations be diligent earnest in prayer harken to the voyce of God in hys word with reuerence lyue worthys your profession Let your lyght in your lyfe so shine that men may see your good workes and glorify your father which is in heauen As you haue beene darkenes followed the works of darknes so now henceforth be light in the Lord haue society with the workes of light Now hath God renueâ— hys couenaunt with you in Gods sight now are you as cleane and healed froÌ„ all your sores of synnes Go your wayes syn no more lest a worse thing happen vnto you See that your house beyng new swept be furnished with godlines and vertue and beware of idlenes lest the deuil come with seuen spirits worse then himselfe and so take his lodging and then your latter end wyll be worse then the first God our Father for the tender mercy and merites of hys soune be mercyful vnto vs forgeue vs al our syns and geue vs his holy spirit to purge cleanse sanetify vs that we may bee holye in hys sight through Christ that we now may be made ready worthy to receiue thys holy Sacrament with the fruits of the same to the full reioyning strengthening of our harts in the lord To whom be all honour glory world without ende Amen To God be all praise for euer â—il 3. 17. Luke 7. Hebr. 11. Iere. 44. Iere. 7. Amos. 7. Acte 17. Gene. 19. Gene. 6. Exod 2 Math. 4. Deut 6. 2 Math. 22 Mark. 20 Lâ—ke 10. Iohn 3. Math. 6. Lâ—ke 17. Aoc. 22. Deu. 4. 1. Esay 45. 1. Iohn 2. Hebr. 2. Rom. 1. Iames. 1. 1. Reg. 2. Iere. 31. Lamen 5 Acte 11. 2. Tim. 2. Iame. 2. Roma 7. Rom. 7. Iob. 15. Apoâ— â— 2. Tim. 2. Gene. 6. Genes 19. Genes 9 Iosua Caleb Num. 14. Leuit. 24 Num. 15. 1. Reg. 5. 3. Regu 21. 22. 4. Reg. 21. 4. Reg. 10. Gene. 6. Genes 19. Genes 19 Iosua Caleb Num. 14. Leuit. 24 Num. 15. Tim. 2. 1. Reg. â— 3. Regâ— 21. 2â— 4. Reg. â—â— 4. Reg. 10. Gene 9 Genes â–ª â—9 Genes â—9 Iosua Caleb Num. 14. Leuit. 24 Num. 15. Tim. 2. 1. Reg. â— 3. Regâ— 21 22. 4. Reg. 21 â–ª 4. Râ—g â—â— Esay 3â— Math. 7. Hebr. 10. Gene. 9 Genes 19 Genes 19 Leuit. 24 Tâ—â— â— Reg. â— Esay 3u Math. 7. Hebr. 10. Num â–ª 14 Two Sacramentes in christes church Baptisme is in place of circumcision Christian mens chudreÌ„ ought to be baprised Galat 4. who dyd institute this Sacrament 2 what the SacrameÌ„t is Upon traÌ„substantiation all popery almost is buylded The Sacrament of the popysh Masse is not the crament of christes body The first reason against traÌ„substantiation An aunswer to the Papistes cauill for the foresayd reason Math. 26 Exod. 7. The â—â—coÌ„d reason against traÌ„substan Math. 19 Mark. 14 Luke 22. 1. Cori. 11. The third reason against traÌ„substantiacion 1. Cor. 10. The iiij reason against trâ—substantiation The fyft reason Ireneus Augustinus Chrysostomus The syxt reason against traÌ„substantiation â—ipriax in Sermone de Chrysmat Augustinus ad Bonifacium The vij 〈…〉 Calat 3. An aunswer to the Papistes cauill for y foresayd reason The .viij. reason The nidth reason Christes presence in the supper An obiection â—n answer An other obiection of Christs presence in the Sacrament Athanasius Hylarius Cyrillus Basilius Ambrosius Epiphanius Hieronimus Chrysostomus Augustinus Christes presence in the supper wherfore the Sacrament was instituted ☞ Note though I apply thys thus yet I woulde not that any men shuld think that coÌ„munioneÌ„ saÌ„ctorum in the Creede is not set foorth there for the better explication of that which preceedeth it namelye what the holy catholike Church iâ— An obiection of â—nworthy receiuyng The aunswar Imprinted at London by Iohn Awdeley and Iohn Wyght The .xxx. of September Anno Domini 1574.