A fruitfull Sermon of Repentance, made by the constant Martyr of Christ, Master Iohn Brad­ford. 1553.

THe life wee haue at this present, is the gift of God, in whome wee liue, mooue, and are, and therefore hee is called Iehoua. For the which life, as we should be thankefull, so we may not in any wise vse it after our owne fan­tasie, but to the ende for the which it is gi­uen and lent vs, that is: to the setting forth of Gods prayse and glory, by repentance, conuersion, and obedience, to his good will and holy lawes, whereunto his long suffe­ring doeth, (as it were) euen drawe vs, if our heartes by impenitencie were not har­dened. And therefore our life in the scrip­ture is called a walking, for that as the bo­dy dayly draweth more and more néere his ende, that is the earth: euen so our soule draweth dayly more and more néere vnto death, that is, saluation, or damnation, heauen or hell.

Of which thing, in that we are most care­lesse, and very fooles, (for we alas, are the [Page] same to day, wee were yesterday, and not better or néerer to God, but rather néerer to hell, Sathan, & perdition, béeing couetous, idle, carnall, secure, negligent, proude, &c.) I thinke my labour cannot bée better be­stowed, then with the Baptist, Christ Ie­sus, & his Apostles, to harpe on this string, which of all other is most necessarie, and that in these dayes most specially. What string is that, sayth one? Forsooth, bro­ther, the string of Repentance, the which Christ our Sauiour did vse, first in his Mi­nisterie, & as his Minister at this present I will vse vnto you all: Mat. 4. Repent, for the kingdome of heauen is at hand.

This sentence thus pronounced, & prea­ched by our Sauiour Iesus Christ, as it doth commaund vs to repent, so to the doo­ing of the same, it sheweth vs a sufficient cause to stirre vs vp thereunto, namely for that, The kingdome of heauen (which is a kingdome of all ioy, peace, riches, power and pleasure) is at hand, to all such as doe so, that is, as doe repent: So that the mea­ning hereof is, as though our Sauiour might thus speake presently: Syrs, for that I sée you all walking the wrong way, euen to Sathan, and vnto hell fire, by fol­lowing [Page] the kingdome of Sathan, which now is coloured vnder the vaine pleasures of this life, and foolishnesse of the flesh most subtilly, to your vtter vndooing & destructi­on: beholde, and marke well what I say vnto you: The kingdome of heauen, that is, an other manner of ioy and felicitie, honour, and riches, power and pleasure, then you now perceiue, or enioy, is euen at hand, and at your backes, as if you will turne againe, that is, Repent you, you shal most truely and pleasantly féele, sée, and in­herite. Turne againe therefore, I say, that is, Repent, for this ioy I speake of, euen, The kingdome of Heauen is at hand.

Héere we may note, first the corruption of our nature, in that to this commaunde­ment, Repent you, he addeth a cause, For the kingdome of Heauen is at hand: For by reason of the corruption & sturdines of our nature, God vnto al his cōmaundements. commonly eyther addeth some promise to prouoke vs to obedience, or else some such sufficient cause, as cannot but tickle vs vp to hearty labouring for y ^e doing of y ^e same: as here to the commandement of doing pe­nance, he addeth this Aetimologe or cause, saying: For the kingdō of heauen is at hand.

[Page]Againe, in that hée ioyneth to the commaundement the cause, saying: For the kingdome of heauen is at hand. We may learne that of the kingdome of heauen, none (to whom the ministerie of preaching doth appertaine) can be partaker, but such as re­pent and doe penaunce. Therefore déerely beloued, if you regard the kingdome of hea­uen, in that you cannot enter therein, ex­cept you repent: I beseech you all of euery estate, as you would your owne weale, to repent and doe penaunce. The which thing that ye may doe, I will doe my best now, to helpe you by Gods grace.

But first, because wee cannot well tell what repentance is, through ignoraunce, and for lacke of knowledge, and false tea­ching: I will (to begin with all) shew you what repentance is. Repentance, or pe­nance is no English woorde, but wée bor­row it of the Latinists, to whom penance is a forethinking in English, in Greeke, a béeing wise afterwards, in Hebrew, a con­uersion or turning, the which conuersion or turning, in that it cannot be true & hearty, vnto God especially, without some good hope or trust of pardon, for that which is already done and past: I may well in this [Page] sort define it, namely, that penance is a sorrowing or forethinking of our sinnes [...]ast, an earnest purpose to amend, or tur­ning to God with a trust of pardon.

This definition may bee deuided into three partes: First, a sorrowing for our [...]innes: Secondly, a trust of pardon, which otherwise may bée called, a perswasion of Gods mercie by the merites of Christ, for [...]he forgiuenesse of our sinnes: And third­ly, a purpose to amend, or conuersion to a new life. The which third or last part, can not be called properly a parte, for it is but an effect of penance, as towards the ende yee shall sée by Gods grace. But least such as séeke for occasion to speake euill, should haue any occasion though they tary not out the end of this Sermon: I therefore deuide penance into the thrée foresayde partes: of sorrowing for our sinne, of good hope or trust of pardon▪ and of a new life. Thus you now sée▪ what penance is: a sorrowing for sinne, a purpose to amend, with a good hope or trust of pardon.

This penance not onely differeth from that which men commonly haue taken to bee penance, in saying and dooing our en­ioyned Lady Psalters, seuen Psalmes, fa­stings, [Page] Pilgrimages, Almes déedes, and such like thinges, but all from that which the more learned haue declared, to consist of thrée parts, namely, Contrition, Con­fession, and Satisfaction.

Contrition, they call a iust and a ful sor­row for their sinne. For this word, iust and full, is one of the differences, betwéene con­trition and attrition.

Confession, they call a numbring of all their sinnes in the eare of their ghostly Fa­ther: for as (say they) a Iudge cannot ab­solue without knowledge of the cause or matter, so cannot the Priest or ghostly fa­ther absolue from other sinnes, then those which he doth heare.

Satisfaction, they call amends making vnto God for their sinnes, by their vndue workes, Opera indebita, Workes more then they néed to doe, as they tearme them▪ This is their penaunce which they preach, write, and allow. But how true this geare is, how it agréeeth with Gods worde, how it is to bee allowed, taught, preached, and written, let vs a little consider. If a man repent not, vntill hee haue a iust and full sorrowing for his sinnes (dearely beloued) when shall he repent? For in as much as [Page] hell fire, and the punishment of the deuils, is a iust punishment for sinne: In as much as in all sinne, there is a contempt of God, which is all goodnes, and therefore there is a desert of all ylnesse: alas, who can beare or féele this iust sorrow, this full sorrow for our sinnes, this their contrition, which they [...]e so discerne from their attrition? Shall [...]ot man by this doctrine, rather despaire, [...]hen come by repentance? If a man repent [...]ot vntil he haue made confession of all his sinnes in the eare of his ghostly father: if [...] man cannot haue absolution of his sinnes [...]ntill his sinnes bee told by tale and num­ [...]er in the Priestes eare (in that, as Da­uid sayth) none can vnderstand, much [...]esse then vtter all his sinnes, Delicta quis intelligit? Who can vnderstand his sinnes? In that Dauid of himselfe complayneth else where, how that his sinnes are ouer­flowed his head, and as a heauy burthen doe oppresse him, alasse, shall not a man by this doctrine, bee vtterly driuen from re­pentance? Though they haue gone about, something to make plaister for their sores of confession or attrition, to asswage this geare, bidding a man to hope well of his contrition, though it bée not so full as [Page] is required, and of his confession, though h [...] haue not numbred all his sinnes, if so be [...] that he doe so much as in him lyeth: deerely beloued, in that there is none, but that herein he is guiltie (for who doth as much as he may) trow ye that this plaister is no like salte for sore eyes? Yes vndoubtedly▪ when they haue done all they can, for the appeasing of consciences in these pointes, this is the summe, that we yet should hope well, but yet so hope, that we must stand in a mammering and doubting, whether our sinnes be forgiuen. For to beléeue, Remissio­nem peccatorum, that is: To be certaine of forgiuenesse of sinnes, as our Créede tea­cheth vs, they count it a presumption. O abomination, and that not onely herein▪ but in all their penance, as they paint it.

As concerning satisfaction by their Ope­ra indebita, Vndue workes, that is: by such woorkes as they néed not to doe, but of their owne voluntarinesse and wilfulnesse (wil­fulnesse in déede) who séeeth not monste­rous abomination, blasphemy, and euen open fighting against God? For if satis­faction can bée done by man, then Christ dyed in vaine, for him that so satisfieth, and so reigneth he in vaine, so is he a Bishop & a [Page] Priest in vaine. Gods Law requireth loue to God with all our heart, soule, power, Deu. 6.2 Mat 22 Mar. 20. Lu. 10. might and strength: to that there is nothing can be done to Godward, which is not con­ [...]yned in this commaundement: nothing can be done, ouer and aboue this. Againe, Iohn. 3. Christ requireth to manwarde, That wee should loue one another, as hee loued vs: [...]nd trowe we, that wee can doe any good [...]ing to our neighbour ward, which is not [...]rein comprized?

Yea, let them tell me, when they do any [...]hing so in the loue of God, & their neigh­ [...]our, but that they had néede to crie: Re­ [...]itte nobis debita nostra, Mat. 6. Forgiue vs our [...]nnes. So farre are we off from satisfying. [...]oth not Christ say: When you haue done [...]ll things that I haue commanded you, say, Lu. 17. [...]hat you bee but vnprofitable seruauntes? Put nothing to my worde, sayth God. Yes, Apoc. 22 Deu. 4.1 [...]oorkes of Supererogation, (yea, super­ [...]bomination) say they. Whatsoeuer things [...]re true (sayth the Apostle S. Paul) whatso­euer things are honest, whatsoeuer thinges [...]re iust, whatsoeuer things are pure, what­ [...]oeuer things pertaine to loue, whatsoe­ [...]er thinges are of good reporte, if there be any vertue, or if there be any prayse: haue [...] [Page] For to omit the testimonies I brought out of Iohn and Paul, which the blinde cannot but sée: I pray you remember the text out of Esai, which euen now I rehearsed, being spoken to such as were then the people of God, and had bin a long time, but yet were fallen into grieuous sinnes, after their a­doption into the number of Gods children. It is for mine owne sake (sayth God) that I put away thy sinnes. Where is your par­ting of the stake nowe? If it bee for Gods owne sake, if Christ bée the propitiation [...] then recant, except you will become Idola­ters, making your works God and Christ. Say as Dauid teacheth: Not to vs Lorde, not to vs, but to thy name be the glory.

And it is to be noted, that God doth cast in their téeth, euen the sinne of their first father, least they shoulde thinke that yet perchaunce, for the righteousnesse & good­nesse of their good fathers, their sinnes might bée the sooner pardoned, and so God accept their workes.

If they had taken Satisfaction, for that which is done to the Congregation pub­liquely, by some notable punishment, as in the Primitiue Church, was vsed to open offenders, sparkles whereof, and some tra­ces [Page] yet remayne, when such as haue sinned in adulterie, goe about the Church with a Taper in their shirtes: Or if they had made Satisfaction for restitution to man­ward, of such goods as wrongfully are gotten, the which true penance cannot bée without: Or if by Satisfaction, they had meant a new life, to make amendes to the Congregation thereby, as by their euill life they did offend the Congregation, in which sence the Apostle séemeth to take that which he writeth in 2. Corin. 7. where the old Interpreter calleth Apologian, Sa­tisfaction, which rather signifieth a defence or answering againe. If I say, they had takē Satisfaction any of these wayes, then they had done well, so that the Satisfaction to God had béene left all onely to Christ.

Againe, if they had made Confession, eyther for that which is to God priuately, eyther for that which is to the Congrega­tion publiquely, eyther for that which is a frée consultation with some one learned in Gods booke, and appointed thereunto, as first it was vsed, and I wish were now v­sed amongst vs, either for y ^e which is a re­conciliation of one to another, it had béene some thing: yea, if they had made it for [Page] faith, because it is a true demonstration of faith: [...]om. 1. as in Paul we may sée, when hée cal­leth Christ the Captaine of our Confession, that is, of our faith (and so Confessors were called in the Primitiue Church) such as manfully did witnes their faith with the pe­ril of their liues: if, I say, they had taken it thus, then had they done right well.

And so Contrition, if they had left out their subtill distinction, betwéene it and at­trition, by this word iust or full, making it a heartie sorrow for their sinnes, then wée would neuer haue cryed out against them therefore. For we say, penance hath thrée parts, Contrition, if you vnderstand it for a hearty sorrowing for sinne, Confession, if you vnderstand it for faith, of frée pardon in Gods mercie, by Iesus Christ, and Sa­tisfaction, if you vnderstand it not to God­wards (for that onely to Christ must be left alone) but to manward in restitution of goods wr [...]ngfully or fraudulently got­ten, of name hindred by our slaunders, and in newnesse of life: although, as I sayd be­fore, and anon will shew more plainely by Gods grace, that this last is no part of pe­nance in déed, but a playne effect or fruit of true penanes.

[Page]I might héere bring in examples of their penance, how perilous it is to bee embra­ced: but let the example of their graund Sire Iudas serue, in whome we sée all the parts of their penance, as they describe it, and yet notwithstanding hee was damned. He was sorie enough, as the effect shewed: hee had their contrition fully, out of the which he confessed his fault, saying: I haue betrayed innocent blood: and thereunto hée made satisfaction, restoring the money hee had receyued. But yet all was but lost, hée hanged vp himselfe, his bowels burst out, and he remaineth a child of perdition for e­uer. I would wish that this example of Iu­das, in whom yée sée the parts of their pe­nance, contrition, confession, and satisfacti­on, would mooue them to penance, and to describe it a little better, making hope or trust of Gods frée mercie a piece thereof, or else with Iudas they will marre all.

Perchance these words, contrition, con­fession, and satisfaction, were vsed as I haue expounded them at the first. But in that wee sée so much daunger and hurt by vsing them without expositions, eyther let vs ioyne to them open expositions alwayes, or else let vs not vse them at all, but say [Page] as I write, that penance is a hearty sor­row for our sinnes, a good hope or trust of pardon through Christ, which is not with­out an earnest purpose to amend, or a new life. This penance is the thing, whereto all the Scripture calleth vs. This penance doe I now call you all vnto: this must bée continually in vs, and not for a Lent sea­son, as we haue thought: this must increase dayly more and more in vs: without this we cannot be saued.

Search therefore your heartes all, all swearers, blasphemers, lyers, flatterers, baudy, or idle talkers, iesters, bribers, co­uetous persons, drunkardes, gluttons, whoremongers, théeues, murtherers, slan­derers, idle liuers, negligent in their voca­tion, &c. All such, and all other as lament not their sinnes, as hope not in Gods mer­cie for pardon, and purpose not heartily to amend, to leaue their swearing, drunken­nes, whoredome, couetousnesse, idlenes, &c. All such, I say, shall not or cannot enter in­to Gods kingdome, but hell fire is prepa­red for them, wéeping, and gnashing of téeth: whereunto, alas, I feare me, very ma­ny will néeds goe, in that very many will be as they haue bin, let vs euen to the wea­ring [Page] of our tongue to the stumpes, preach and pray neuer so much to the contrary, and that euen in y ^e bowels of Iesus Christ: as now I beseech you all, all, all, and euery mothers child, to repent and lament your sinne, to trust in Gods mercie, and to a­mend your liues.

Now me thinks, ye are somewhat asto­nied: whereby I gather, that presently you desire this Repentance, that is: this sor­row, good hope, and newnesse of life. The which that you may the rather attaine, and get to your comforts, as I haue gone about to be a meane to stirre vp in you (by Gods grace) this desire of Repentance, so through the same grace of God, will I goe about now to shew you, how you may haue your desire in this behalfe.

And first, concerning this part, namely, sorrow for your sinnes, and hearty lamen­ting of the same: For this, if you desire the hauing of it, you must beware, that you thinke not, that of your selues, or of your owne frée will, by any means you can get it. You may easily deceiue your selues, and mocke your selues, thinking more of your selues then is séemely. All good things, and not péeces of good things, but all good [Page] things, [...]im. 1. sayth Saint Iames, come from God the Father of light. If therefore penance be good (as it is good) then the parts of it be good. Reg. 2. From God therefore do they come, and not of our frée will. It is the Lord that mortifieth, that bringeth downe, that hum­bleth, [...]erem. 31 saith the Scripture in sundry places: After thou haddest stricken my thigh (saith Ieremie) I was ashamed. Loe, he sayth, After thou haddest stricken me: & therefore pray­eth hee, euen in the last words almost, hée writeth: Turne vs, O Lord, and we shall be turned. [...]am. 5. The which thing Dauid vseth ve­ry often. Wherefore first of all, if thou wouldest haue this part of penance, as for the whole, Act. 12. Tim. 2 because it is Gods gift, so for this part goe thou vnto God, & make some little prayer, as thou canst, vnto his mercy, for the same, in this or like sort.

Merciful Father of our Sauiour Iesus Christ, because I haue sinned & done wic­kedly, and through thy goodnesse haue re­ceyued a desire of Repentance, whereto this thy long sufferance doth draw my hard heart, I beséech thée for thy mercies sake in Christ, to worke the same Repentance in me, and by thy spirite, power, and grace so to humble, mortifie, and feare my consci­ence [Page] for my sinnes to saluation, that in thy good time thou mayst comfort and quicken me againe, through Iesus Christ thy déere­ly beloued Sonne. Amen.

After this sort, I say, or otherwise, as thou thinkest good, if thou wilt haue this first part, Contrition, or sorrow for thy sins, do thou beg it of God through Christ. And when thou hast asked it, as I haue la­boured to driue thée frō trusting in thy selfe, so now I go about to moue thée from flat­tering of thy selfe, from sluggishnes & negli­gence, to be diligent to vse these meanes following. Vnto prayer, which I would thou shouldest first vse as thou canst: second­ly, get thée Gods Law as a glasse to toot in: for in it, and by it, commeth the true know­ledge of sinne, without which knowledge, there can be no sorrow. For how can a man sorrow for his sins, which knoweth not his sinnes? As when a man is sicke, the first step to health, is to know his sicknesse: euen so to saluation, the first step, is to know thy dam­nation due for thy sinnes.

The Law of God therefore must be got­ten and well tooted in: that is, we must looke in it spiritually, & not corporally, or carnal­ly, as the outward word or letter dooth de­clare [Page] and vtter: and so our Sauiour tea­cheth vs in Matthew, expounding the sixte and seuenth commandements, not onely after the outward déede, but also after the heart, making the [...]e the anger of the heart, a kind of murther, lusting after an other mans wife, a kind of adulterie.

And this is one of the differences be­twéene Gods Law and mans law, that of this (mans law I meane) I am not con­temnable, so long as I obserue outwardly the same. But Gods Law goeth to the roof and to the heart, condemning mee for the inward motion, although outwardly I liue most holily. As for example: If I kill no man, though in my heart I hate, mans law condemneth mee not: but otherwise doth Gods law. And why? for it seeeth the fountaine whence the euil doth spring. If hatred were taken out of the heart, then loftinesse in looks, detraction in tongue, and murther by hand, could neuer ensue. If lusting were out of the heart, curiositie in countenance, wantonnesse in words, bau­dy boldnesse in body would not appeare.

In that therefore this outward euill springs out of the inward corruption: sée­ing Gods Law also is a Law of libertie, [Page] as saith saint Iames: and spirituall, Iam. 2. Rom. 7. as saith [...]aint Paul: perfectly and spiritually it is to [...]e vnderstood, if we will truely come to the [...]nowledge of our sinnes. For of this [...]nward corruption, reason knoweth but [...]ittle or nothing. I had not knowen (saith Paul) that lusting (which to reason, Rom. 7. and [...]o them which are guided onely by reason, [...]s thought but a trifle:) I had not knowen (sayth he) this lusting to haue béene sinne, [...]f the Law had not sayd, Non concupisces, Thou shalt not lust.

To the knowledge therefore of our sinne (without which we cannot repent, or bée sorte for our sinne,) 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, & through­ly. Let vs consider the heart, and so shall we sée the foule spots we are stained with­all, at least inwardly, whereby we the ra­ther may bee moued to hearty sorrow and sighing. For as Saint Austine sayth, it is a glasse which feareth no body, but euen looke what a one thou art, so it painteth thée out.

In the Law wee sée it is a foule spotte, not to loue the Lord our God, with all (I [Page] say) our heart, soule, power, might and strength, and that continually.

In the Law it is a foule spot, not onely to make to our selues any grauen Image or similitude, to bowe thereto, &c. but also no [...] to frame our selues wholy after the Image whereto we are made, not to bowe to it, to worship it.

In the Law we sée that it is a foule spot, not onely to take Gods name in vaine, but also not earnestly, heartily, and euen con­tinually to call vpon his name onely, to giue thanks vnto him onely, to beléeue, to publish, and liue in his holy word.

In Gods Law wee sée it is a foule spot to our soules, not onely to bée an open pro­phaner of the Sabboth day, but also not to rest from our owne woords and works, that the Lorde might both speake and woorke in vs and by vs, not to heare his holy woord, not to communicate his Sacra­ments, not to giue occasion to others to ho­linesse, by our example in godly works, and reuerent estéeming of the ministerie of his woord.

In Gods Law we sée it is a foule spot to our soules, not onely to be an open disobey­er of our Parents, Magistrates, Masters, [Page] and such as bee in any authoritie ouer vs, [...]at also not to honour such euen in our [...]earts, not to giue thankes to GOD for [...]em, not to pray for them, to ayd, to helpe, [...] relieue them, to beare with their infir­ [...]ities, &c.

In Gods Law we sée it is a foule spot in [...]ur soules, not onely to be a manqueller in [...]atred, malice, proud looks, brags, backe­ [...]iting, rayling, or bodily slaughter: but al­ [...]o not to loue our neighbours, yea, our ene­mies, euen in our hearts, and to declare [...]he same in all our gestures, woords, and works.

In Gods law we sée it a foule spot to our soules, not onely to bee a whoremonger in lusting, in our hearts, in wanton looking, in vncleane and wanton talking, in actuall dooing vnhonestly with our neighbours wife, daughter, seruant, &c. But also not to be chast, sober, temperate in heart, lookes, tongue, apparel, déeds, and to helpe others thereunto accordingly, &c.

In Gods Law wee sée it is a foule spot to our soules, not onely in heart, to couet, in looke or woord to flatter, lye, colour, &c. in déede to take away any thing which pertayneth to an other: but also in [Page] heart, countenance, word and déede, not t [...] kéepe▪ saue, and defend that which pe [...] taineth to thy neighbour, as thou woulde [...] thine owne.

In Gods Law, wee may sée it a foul [...] spot, not onely to lie or beare false witness [...] against any man, but also not to haue as great care ouer thy neighbours name, as o­uer thine owne.

Sinne in Gods Law, it is we may sée, and a foule spot, not onely to consent to e­uill lust, or carnall desires, but euen the ve­ry naturall or carnall lustes, and desires themselues, for so I may call them: nature it selfe, being now so corrupted, are sinne, and selfe-loue, and many such like. By reason whereof, I trow there is none that tooteth wel therein, but though he be blame­lesse to the world, and faire to the shew, yet certainly, inwardly his face is foule aray­ed, and so shamefull, saucie, mangie, pockie and scabbed, that he cannot but be sorie at the contemplation thereof, & that so much more by how much he continueth to looke in this glasse accordingly.

And thus much concerning the second meane to the stirring vp of sorrow for our sinne, that next vnto prayer, wée should [Page] [...]ofe in Gods law spiritually. The which [...]ting, if we vse with prayer, as I sayd, [...]et vs not doubt, but at the length Gods [...]irite will worke, as now to such as be­ [...]eue, for to the vnbeléeuers all is in vaine, their eyes are starke blind, they can see [...]othing) to such as beléeue (I say) I trust [...]eme thing is done euen already. But if [...]eyther by prayer, nor by tooting in Gods [...]aw spiritually, as yet thy hard vnbelee­ [...]ing heart féeleth no sorrow, nor lamen­ [...]ing for thy sinne: Thirdly, looke vpon the [...]ag tyed to Gods Law: for to mans law [...]here is a tag tyed, that is, a penaltie, and that no small one, but such a one, as cannot but make vs to cast our currish tayles be­twéene our legs, if we beléeue it, for all is in vaine, if we be faithlesse, not to beléeue before we féele.

This tag is Gods malediction or curse. Maledictus omnis (sayth it) qui non permanet in omnibus quae scripta sunt in libro legis, vt faciat eam. Loe, accursed (sayth he) is all, no exception, all, sayth God, which conti­nueth not in all things (for he that is guil­tie of one, is guiltie of the whole, sayth S. Iames:) in all things therefore, (sayth the holy Ghost) which are written in the booke [Page] of the law to doe them. Hee sayth not, to heare them, to talke of them, to dispute of them, but, to doe them.

Who is he now that dooeth these? Rara anis, few such Byrds, yea, none at all. For all are gone out of the way, though not out­wardly by word or déed, yet inwardly at the least by default, and wanting of that which is required: so that a child of one nights age is not pure, but (by reason of birth-sinne) in danger of Gods malediction: then much more wee, which alasse, haue drunken in iniquitie, as it were water, as Iob sayth: But yet alas we quake not.

Tell me now, good brother, why do you so lightly consider Gods curse, that for your sinnes past, you are so carelesse, as though you had made a couenant with death and damnation, as the wicked did in Esayes time? What is Gods curse? At the Popes curse with booke, bell, and candle, O, how trembled wee, which heard it, but onely though the same was not directed vnto vs, but vnto others? For this Gods curse, which is incomparable, more sell and im­portable, and is directed to vs, yea, hanging ouer vs, all by reason of our sinnes: alas, how carelesse are wee? O faithlesse hard [Page] hearts. O Iezabels ghests, rocked and layd asléepe in her bedde. O wicked wret­ches, which béeing come into the depth of sinne, doe contemne the same. O sorrow­lesse sinners, and shamelesse shrinking har­lottes.

Is not the anger of a King death? and is the anger of the King of all Kings, a matter to be so lightly regarded as wee doe regard it, which for our sinnes are so retchlesse, that we slugge and sléepe it out? As waxe melteth away at the heate of the fire (sayth Dauid) so doe the wicked pe­rish at the face or countenance of the Lord.

If, déerely beloued, his face bee so ter­rible and intolerable for sinners, and the wicked: what trow wée his hand is? At the face and appearing of Gods anger, the earth trembleth: but we earth, earth, yea, stones, yron, flints, tremble nothing at all. If wee will not tremble in hearing, woe vnto vs, for then shall we bee crashed in pieces in féeling. If a Lyon roare, the beastes quake: but wee are worse then beasts, which quake nothing at the roring of the Lyon, I meane y ^e Lord of hosts. And why? because the curse of God, hardnes of heart, is already fallen vpon vs, or else we [Page] could not but lament and tremble for our sinnes: If not for the shame and foulenes thereof, yet at the least, for the malediction and curse of God, which hangeth ouer vs for our sinnes.

Lorde bee mercifull vnto vs for thy Christs sake, and spare vs, in thine anger remember thy mercies towards vs: A­men.

And thus much for the third thing to the moouing of vs to sorrow for our sinnes, that is, for the tag tyed to Gods Law, I meane, for the malediction & curse of God. But if our hearts bee so hard, that through these, wee yet féele not heartie sorrow for our sinnes: let vs fourthly set before vs examples past and present, olde and new, thereby the holy spirite may be effectual to worke in his time this woorke of sorrow­ing for our sinne.

Looke vpon Gods anger for sinne in A­dam and Eue, for eating a péece of an apple. Were not they, the déerest creatures of God, cast out of Paradise? Were not they subiect to mortalitie, trauaile, labour, &c. Was not the earth accursed for their sins? Doe not we all, men in labour, women in traueiling with child, and all in death, [Page] mortalitie and miserie, euen in this life feele the same? And was God so angrie for their sinne, and hee béeing the same God, will he say nothing to vs for ours (alas) more horrible then the eating once of one piece of an apple?

In the time of Noe and Lot, God de­stroyed the whole world with water, Gen. 6. and the Cities of Sodom and Gomorra, Gen. 19 Sebo­im and Adamah, with fire and brimstone from heauen for their sinnes, namely, for their whoredoms, pride, idlenesse, vnmer­cifulnes to the poore, tyranny, &c. In which wrath of God, euen the very babes, birds, fowles, fishes, hearbes, trées, and grasse perished: and thinke we that nothing will be spoken to vs, much woorse and more a­bominable then they? For all men may sée, if they will, that the whoredomes, pride, vnmercifulnesse, tyranny, &c. of England, farre passeth in this age, any age that euer was before. Lots wife looking backe, Gen. 19 was turned into a salt stone: and will our loo­king backe againe, yea, our running backe againe to our wickednesse, doe vs no hurt? If we were not already more then blinde Béetles, we would blush. Pharao, his heart was hardned so, that no miracle could con­uert [Page] him: if ours were any thing soft, we would begin to sob.

[...]ua and [...]aleb.Of sixe hundred thousand men, all onely but twaine entred into y ^e Land of promise, because they had ten tymes sinned against the Lord, as hee himselfe sayth: and trow we, [...]um. 14 that God wil not sweare in his wrath, that wee shall neuer enter into his rest, which haue sinned so many ten times, as wée haue toes & fingers, yea, haires on our heads and beards (I feare me) and yet we passe not.

[...]euit. 24 [...]um. 15The man that sware, and he that gathe­red sticks on the Sabboth day, were sto­ned to death: but wee thinke our swearing is no sinne, our bribing, rioting, yea, whorehunting on the Sabboth day, plea­seth God, or else wee would something a­mend our maners.

Reg. 5. Helias negligence in correcting his sonnes, nipped his necke in two: but ours which pamper vp our children like pup­pets, will put vs to no plunge? Helias sonnes for disobeying their fathers admo­nition, brought ouer them Gods venge­ance: and wil our stubburnesse doe nothing?

[...]. Reg. [...]1.22. Sauls malice to Dauid, Acabs displea­sure against Naboth, brought their bloud [Page] to the ground for dogs to eate, yea, their children were hanged vp and slaine for this geare: but wee continue in malice, enuie, 4 Reg. 4. Re. 1 and murther, as though wee were able to wage warre with the Lord.

Dauids adulterie with Bethsabe, was vi­sited on y ^e child borne, on Dauids daughter, defiled by her brother, and on his children, one slaying another, his wiues defiled by his owne sonne, and himselfe driuen out of his Realme in his old age, and otherwise also, although he most heartily repented his sinne: But wee are more déere vnto God then Dauid, which yet was a man after Gods owne heart, or else we could not but tremble, and begin to repent.

The rich gluttons gay paunch filling: what did it? it brought him to hell: and haue we a placcard, that God will doe no­thing to vs?

Achans subtill theft prouoked Gods an­ger against all Israel: and our subtiltie, yea, open extortion, is so fine and politike, that God can not espie it.

Gehezi his couetousnesse, brought it not the Leprosie vpon him, and on all his séed? Iudas also hanged himselfe. But the coue­tousnesse of England is of another cloth & [Page] colour. Well, if it were so, the same Tal­lor will cut it accordingly.

Anania and Saphira by lying, linked to them sudden death: but ours now prolon­geth our life the longer, to last in eternall death.

The false witnes of the two Iudges a­gainst Susanna, lighted on their own pates: and so will ours doe at length.

But what goe I about to auouch anci­ent examples, where dayly experience doth teach? The Sweate the other yéere, the stormes the Winter following, will vs to weigh them in the same balances. The hanging and killing of men themselues, which are (alas) too rife in all places, re­quire vs to register thē in the same roules. At the least in Children, Infants, and such like, which yet cannot vtter sinne by word or déed, wée sée Gods anger against sinne, in punishing them by sicknesse, death, mis­happe or otherwise, so plainly, that we can­not but grone and grunt againe, in that we haue gushed out this geare more aboun­dantly in word and déed.

And héere with me a little looke on Gods anger, yet so fresh, that we cannot but smel it, although wee stoppe our noses neuer so [Page] much, I pray God we smell it not more fresh hereafter, I meane it forsooth (for I know you looke for it) in our déere late So­ueraigne Lord the Kings Maiestie. You al know he was but a Child in yéeres, defiled he was not with notorious offences: De­filed, quoth he? nay, rather adorned with so many good gifts, and wonderfull qualities, as neuer Prince was from the beginning of the world. Should I speake of his wisedome, of his ripenesse in iudgement, of his learning, of his godly zeale, heroical heart, fatherly care for his Commons, nurcely solicitude for Religion? &c. Nay, so many things are to bee spoken in com­mendation of Gods excéeding graces in this Child: that, as Salust writeth of Car­thage, I had rather speake nothing, then too litle, in that, too much is too little. This gift God gaue vnto vs English men, be­fore all Nations vnder the Sunne, and that of his excéeding loue towards vs. But alas, and welaway: for our vnthankeful­nes sake, for our sinnes sake, for our carna­litie and prophane liuing, Gods anger hath touched, not onely the body, but also the mind of our King, by a long sicknesse, and at length hath taken him away by death, [Page] death, cruell death, fearefull death. O, if Gods iudgement be begun on him, which as he was the chiefest, so I thinke the ho­lyest, and godlyest in the Realme of Eng­land, (alas) what will it be on vs, whose sinnes are ouergrowne so our heads, that they are climed vp into heauē? I pray yo [...], my good brethren, know that Gods anger for our sin towards vs, cannot but be great, yea, too fell, in that we sée it was so great, that our good King could not beare it. What followed to Iewrie, after the death of Iosias? God saue England, and giue vs repentance: my heart will not suffer me to tarie longer héerein: I trow this will thrust out some teares of repentance.

If therefore to prayer for Gods feare, the tooting in Gods glasse, and the tag thereto will not burst open thy blockish heart, yet, I trow, the tossing to and fro of these ex­amples, and specially of our late King, and this troublesome time, will tumble some teares out of thine heart, if thou still pray for Gods spirit accordingly. For who art thou (thinke alwayes with thy selfe) that GOD should spare thée, more then them whose examples thou hast heard? What friends hast thou? Were not of these [Page] Kings, Prophets, Apostles, learned, and come of holy stocks? I deceiue my selfe, (thinke thou with thy selfe) if I beléeue that God, béeing the same God that he was, wil spare me, whose wickednesse is no lesse, but much more then some of theirs. Hee hateth sinne now, as much as euer hee did. The longer hee spareth, the greater vengeance will fall: the déeper hee draweth his Bow, the sorer will the shaft pierce.

But if yet thy heart be so hardened, that all this geare will not mooue thée, surely thou art in a very euill estate, and remedie now I know none. What, said I, none? Know I none? Yes, there is one, which is suresby, as they say, to serue, if any thing will serue. You looke to know what this is. Forsooth, the Passion and death of Iesus Christ. You know, the cause why Christ became man, and suffered as he suf­fered, was the sinnes of his people, that he might saue them from the same. Consider the greatnesse of the sore, I meane sinne, by the greatnes of the Surgion, and the salue. Who was the Surgion? No Angell, no Saint, no Archangell, no power, no crea­ture in heauen nor in earth: but onely hée, by whom all things were made, all things [Page] are ruled also, euen Gods owne deare­ling, and onely beloued Sonne, becom­ming man.

Oh what a great thing is this, that could not be done by the Angelles, Archangelles, Potentates, Powers, or all the creatures of God, without his owne Sonne? who yet must néeds be thrust out of heauen, as a man would say, to take our nature, and become man. Heere haue yee the Surgi­on: great was the cure, that this mightie Lord tooke in hand.

Now, what was the salue? Forsooth, déere geare, and of many compositions: I cannot recite all, but rather must leaue it to your hearty considerations. Thrée and thirtie yéeres was he curing our sore. Hée sought it earnestly by fasting, watching, praying &c. The same night that hee was betrayed, I reade how busie he was about a plaister in the garden, when he lying flat on the ground, praying with teares, and that of bloud not a few, but so many as did flow downe on the ground againe, crying on this sort: Father, (sayth hée) if it bee possible, let this cup depart from me. That is, If it be possible, that else the sinnes of mankind can be taken away, graunt that it [Page] may be so. Thou heardest Moses crying for the Idolaters: Thou heardest Lot for the Zoarites: Samuel, Dauid, and many other for the Israelites: And déere Father, I one­ly am thine owne sonne, as thou hast said, in whom thou art well pleased: wilt thou not heare me? I haue by the space of three and thirtie yeeres, done alwayes thy will: I haue so humbled my selfe, that I would become an abiect amongst men, to obey thée. Therefore (déere Father) if it be pos­sible, graunt my request, saue mankind, now without any further labour, salues, or plaisters. But yet (sayth he) not as I wil, but as thou wilt.

But Sir, what heard hée? Though hée sweat bloud & water, in making his plai­ster for our sore of sinne, yet it framed not. Twise hee cryed without comfort: yea, though to comfort him, God sent an Angel, wee yet know, that this plaister was not allowed for sufficient, vntill hereunto, Christ Iesus was betrayed, forsaken of al his Disciples, forsworne of his déerely be­loued, bound like a Théefe, belyed on, buf­feted, whipped, scourged, crowned with thornes, derided, crucified, racked, nayled, hanged vp betwéene two théeues, cursed [Page] and rayled vpon, mocked in miserie, and had giuen vp the ghost: then bowed downe the head of Christ, that is, God the Fa­ther, which is the head of Christ: then al­lowed he the plaister, to bée sufficient and good for the healing of our sore, which is sinne. Now would God abide our breath, because the stinke, that is, damnation or guiltinesse, was taken away by the swéet sauour of the breath of this Lambe, thus offered once for all.

So that héere, déerely beloued, wée as in a glasse may sée, to the brusing of our bloc­kish hard hearts, Gods great iudgement and anger against sin. The Lord of lords, the King of kings, Gen. 6. Gen. 19. the brightnesse of Gods glory, the Sonne of God, the Deareling of his Father, in whom he is well pleased, hangeth betwéene two théeues, crying for thée and mée, and for vs all: My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken mee? Oh hard hearts that wée haue, which make tuttes for sinne. Looke on this: toote in the very heart of Christ pearced with a speare, wherein thou mayst sée, and reade Gods horrible anger for sinne. Woe to thy hard heart that pierced it.

And thus much for the first part of Re­pentance, [Page] I meane, for the meanes of wor­king contrition. First, vse prayer: then [...]ooke on Gods Law: thirdly, sée his curse: Gen. 19. fourthly, set examples of his anger before thée: and last of all, set before thée the death of Christ.

From this and prayer cease not, till thou féele some heartie sorrow for thy sinne. The which when thou féelest, then labour for the other part, that is, faith, on this sort.

As first, in Contrition I willed thée not to trust to thy frée will, for the attayning of it: so doe I will thée in this. Faith is so farre from the reach of mans frée will, that to reason it is plaine foolishnes. There­fore, thou must first goe to God, whose gift it is: thou must, I say, get thée to the Fa­ther of mercie, whose worke it is, that as he hath brought thée downe by Contrition, and humbled thée, so hee would giue thée faith, rayse thée vp, and exalt thée.

On this maner therefore, with the A­postles, and the poore man in the Gospell, that cryed: Lord encrease our faith: Lord helpe my vnbeleefe, pray thou and say: O mercifull God and deare Father of our Lord & Sauiour Iesus Christ, in whom as [Page] thou art well pleased, so hast thou comman­ded vs to heare him, for as much as hee of­ten biddeth vs to aske of thée, 2. Tim. 2 and thereto promiseth that thou wilt heare vs, and graunt vs that which in his name we shall aske of thée: loe, gracious Father, I am bold to begge of thy mercie, through thy Sonne Iesus Christ, one sparkle of true faith, and certaine perswasion of thy good­nesse & loue towards me in Christ, where­through I béeing assured of the pardon of all my sinnes, by the mercies of Christ thy sonne, may be thankefull to thée, loue thée, and serue thée in holinesse and righteousnes all the dayes of my life.

On this sort I say, or otherwise as God shall mooue thée, pray thou first of all, and looke for thy request at Gods hand, with­out any doubting, though foorthwith thou féelest not the same: for oftentimes wee haue things of GOD giuen vs, long be­fore we féele them as we would doe. Now vnto this prayer, vse thou these meanes following.

After prayer for faith, which I would should be first, secondly, because the same springeth out of the hearing, not of Masses, Mattins, Cannons, Councels, Doctours, [Page] Decrées, but out of the hearing of Gods [...]oord, get thée Gods woord, but not that [...]art which serueth, specially to Contriti­on, that is the Law: but the other part, which serueth specially to consolation and certaine perswasion of Gods loue towards thée, that is, the Gospell or publication of Gods mercie in Christ, I meane the frée promises.

But héere thou must know, that there are two kinds of promises: one, which is properly of the Lawe: another, which is properly of the Gospel. In the promises of the Law, wee may indéed behold Gods mercie, but so, that it hangeth vpon the condition of our worthines, as, if thou loue the Lord with all thy heart, &c. thou shalt find mercy. This kind of promises, though it declare vnto vs Gods loue, which promiseth where he néedeth not: yet vnto him that féeleth not Christ, which is the end of the Law, they are so farre from com­forting, that vtterly with the Law they bring man to great despaire: so greatly we are corrupt, for none so loueth God as hée ought to doe. From these therefore get thée to the other promises of the Gospell, in which we may sée such plentie and francke [Page] liberalitie of Gods goodnesse, that wee can not but be much comforted, though we haue very déepely sinned. For these promises of the Gospell doe not hang on the conditi­on of our worthinesse, as the promises of the Law doe: but they depend and hang on Gods trueth, that as God is true, so they cannot but be performed to all them which lay holde on them by faith, I had almost said, which cast thē not away by vnbeliefe.

Marke in them therefore two things, namely, that as wel they are frée promises, without any condition of our worthinesse: as also, that they are vniuersall, offered to all, all (I say) which are not so stubburne, as to kéepe still their hands, whereby they should receyue this almes in their bosoms, by vnbeliefe. As concerning Infants and children, you know I now speake not, but concerning such as be of yéeres of discreti­on. And now you looke that I should giue you a taste of these promises, which are both frée and vniuersall, except none but such as except themselues. Well, you shal haue one or two for a say.

In the 3. of Iohn, sayth our Sauiour: So God the Father loued the world, that hee would giue his dearling, his owne onely [Page] Sonne, that all that beleeue in him should [...]ot perish, but haue euerlasting life. Loe, [...]r, hee saith not, that some might haue life: [...]ut all, sayth he. And what all? All y ^t loue [...]im with all their hearts? all y ^t haue liued a [...]odly life? Nay, all that beléeue in him. Al­ [...]hough thou hast liued a most wicked & hor­ [...]ible life: if now thou beléeue in him, thou [...]halt be saued. Is not this swéet geare?

Againe sayth Christ: Come vnto me, all [...]ee that labour and are laden, and I will re­ [...]esh you. Let vs a litle looke on this letter: Come vnto me. Who should come? Lords, Priests, Holy men, Monkes, Friers? Yea, [...]oblers, Tinkers, whores, théeues, mur­ [...]herers also, if they lament their sinnes. Come vnto me (sayth he) all ye that labour [...]nd are laden, that is, which are afrayd of [...]our sinnes. And what wilt thou do, Lord? And I wil refresh you (sayth he.)

O, what a thing is this: And I will re­ [...]esh you? Wot you who spake this? Hée [...]hat neuer told lye: He is the trueth, there [...]as neuer guile found in his mouth: and [...]ow wil he be vntrue to thée, good brother, [...]hich art sorie for thy grieuous sinnes? No [...]rsooth: heauen and earth shal passe and pe­ [...]ish, but his word shall neuer fayle.

[Page]Saint Paul sayth, God would haue al men saued: Loe, he excepteth none. And to Titus: The grace of God bringeth salua­tion to all men. As from Adam al haue receiued sinne to damnation: so by Christ all haue grace offered to saluation, if they reiect not the same. I speake not now of Infants, I say: nor I néed not to enter in­to the matter of Predestination. In prea­ching of repentance, I would gather where I could with Christ.

As surely as I liue, (sayth God) I wil not the death of a sinner. Art thou a sinner? Yea. Loe, God sweareth, hée will not thy death. How canst thou now perish? Con­sider with thy selfe what profite thou shoul­dest haue to beléeue this to bee true to o­thers, if not, to thy selfe also: Sathan doth so. Rather consider with Peter, that the promise of saluation perteineth not onely to them which are nie, that is, to such as are fallen a little: but also to all, to whō the Lord hath called, be they neuer so farre off.

Loe, now by mee the Lord calleth thée, thou man, thou woman, that art very farre off. The promise therefore pertayneth to thée: néeds must thou be saued, except thou with Sathan say, God is false: And yet if [Page] thou doe so, God is faithfull, and can not denie himselfe: as thou shalt féele by his plagues in hell, for so dishonouring God, to thinke that hée is not true. Will hée bée found false now? The matter hangeth not on thy worthines, but it hangeth on Gods trueth. Clap hold on it, and I warrant thée, Christ is the propitiation for our sins, yea, for the sinnes of the whole world: be­léeue this, man: I know thou beléeuest it: say therefore in thy heart still, Domine au­dage mihi fidem: Lord encrease my fayth: Lord helpe my vnbeleefe. Blessed are they which sée not (by reason) this geare, but yet beléeue. Hope, man, past all hope, as Abraham did.

And thus much for a taste of these pro­mises, which are euery where, not onely in the new Testament, but also in the old. Reade the last end of Leuiticus 26. The Prophet Esay 30. Where hee saith: God tarrieth looking for thee, to shew thee mer­cie. Also the 40. and so foorth to the 60. Reade also y ^e 2. Reg. 24. Psa. 33. Ioel. 2. &c.

Howbeit, if this geare will not serue, i [...] yet thou féelest no faith, no certaine per­swasion of Gods loue: then vnto prayer and diligent considering of the frée and [Page] vniuersall promises of the Gospell: Third­ly, set before thée those benefits which God hath to foregiuen thée, and presently giueth thée. Consider how hee hath made thée a man or a woman, which might haue made thée a Toade, or a Dog. And why did hée this? Verily, because he loued thée. And trowest thou, that if hee loued thée when thou wast not, to make thée such a one, as he most graciously hath made thée: will he not now loue thée, béeing his handy worke? Doth he hate any thing that he made? Is there vnablenesse with him? Doth he loue for a day, and so farewell? No forsooth, he loueth to the end, his mercie endureth for euer. Say therefore with Iob: Operi manuum tuarum, porrige dexteram, that is: To the worke of thy hands, put thy helping hand.

Againe, hath hée not made thée a Chri­stian man or woman, where if hee would, hée might haue made thée a Turke or Pay­nim? This thou knowest hee did of loue. And doost thou thinke his loue is lessened, if thou lament thy sinne? Is his hand shorte­ned for helping thee? Can a woman for­get the child of her wombe? And though shee should doe it, yet will not I forget thée, [Page] sayth the Lord. He hath giuen thée lyms, to sée, heare, goe, &c. He hath giuen thée wit, reason, discretion, &c. Hee hath long spared thée, and borne with thée, when thou neuer purposedst to repent: and now thou repenting, will hee not giue thee mercie? Wherefore doth hee graunt thée to liue at this present, to heare him to speake this, and mee to speake this: but of loue to vs all? Oh, therefore let vs pray him, that he would adde to this, that wee might be­léeue these loue tokens, that hee loueth vs, and indéed hee wil doe it. Lord, open our eyes, in thy gifts, to sée thy gracious good­nesse. Amen.

But to tarie in this I will not. Let e­uery man consider Gods benefites, past and present, publike and priuate, spirituall and corporal, to the confirming of his faith, con­cerning the promises of the Gospell, for the pardon of his sinnes.

I wil now go about to shew you a fourth meane to confirme your faith in this geare, euen by examples. Of these there are in the Scriptures very many, as also dayly ex­perience doth diuersly teach the same, if wee were diligent to obserue things accor­dingly: [Page] wherefore I will bee more briefe héerein, hauing respect to time, which stea­leth fast away.

Adam in Paradise transgressed grie­uously, as the painfull punishment, which we all as yet doe féele, prooueth, if nothing else. Though by reason of his sinne, he dis­pleased God sore, and ran away from God, (for hée would haue hid himselfe, yea, hée would haue made GOD the causer of his sinne, in that he gaue him such a mate, so farre was he from asking mercie) yet all this notwithstanding, God turned his fierce wrath, neither vpon him nor Eue, which also required not mercie, but vpon the Serpent Sathan: promising vnto them a séed, Iesus Christ, by whom they at the length should be deliuered. In tokē where­of, though they were cast out of Paradise for their nurture, to serue in sorrow, which would not serue in ioy, yet hee made them apparell to couer their bodies: a visible Sa­crament, and token of his inuisible loue and grace, concerning their soules. If God was so mercifull to Adam, which so sore brake his commandement, and rather bla­med God, then asked mercie: trowest thou, O man, that hee will not bee mercifull to [Page] thée, which blamest thy selfe, and desirest pardon?

To Cain hee offered mercie, if he would haue asked it. What hast thou done, sayth God? The voyce of thy brothers bloud, crieth vnto me out of the earth. O merci­full Lorde (should Cain haue sayd) I con­fesse it: But alas, hee did not so, and there­fore sayd God: Now, that is, In that thou desirest not mercie: Now, I say, be thou ac­cursed &c. Loe, to the Reprobate he offe­red mercie, and will he deny it thée, which art his Child?

Noah, did he not sinne and was drunke? Good Lot also, both in Sodome dissembled a litle with the Angelles, prolonging the time: and out of Sodome, he fell very foule: as did Iudas, and the Patriarches against Ioseph, but yet I wéene they found mercie. Moses, Myriam, Aaron, though they stum­bled a litle, yet receyued they mercie: yea, the people in the wildernesse often sinned and displeased God, so that hee was purpo­sed to haue destroyed them. Let mee alone (sayth hee to Moses) that I may destroy them. But Moses did not let him alone, for he prayed still for them, and therefore God spared them. If the people were spared [Page] through Moses prayer, they not praying with him, but rather worshipping their golden Calfe, eating, drinking, and making [...]olly good cheere: why shouldest thou doubt whether God will be mercifull to thee? ha­uing, as in deede thou hast, one much bet­ter then Moses to pray for thee, and with thee, euen Iesus Christ who sitteth on the right hand of his Father, and prayeth for vs, beeing no lesse faithfull in his Fathers house, the Church, then Moses was in the Synagogue. Dauid that good King had a foule foyle, when hee committed whore­dome with his faithfull seruants wife, Bethsabe: whereunto hee added also a mis­chieuous murther, causing her husband, his most faithful Souldier Vrie to bee slaine, with an honest company of his most vali­ant men of warre, and that with the sword of the vncircumcised.

In this his sinne, though a great while he lay asléepe, (as many doe now a dayes, God giue them good waking) thinking that by the Sacrifices he offered, all was well, God was content: yet at length, when the Prophet by a Parable, had opened the poke, and brought him in remembrance of his owne sinne, in such sort, that hee gaue [Page] iudgement against himselfe: then quaked he, his Sacrifices had no more taken away his sinnes, then our Sir Iohns Trentals, and wagging of his fingers ouer the heads of such as lye asléepe in their sinnes (out of the which when they are awaked, they wil well sée, that it is neyther Masse nor Mat­tins, blessing nor cursing will serue,) then I say, he cryed out, saying: Peccaui, Domine: I haue sinned, sayth hee, against my Lord and good God, which hath done so much for mée. I caused indéed Vrie to bee killed, I haue sinned, I haue sinned. What shall I doe? I haue sinned, and am worthy of eter­nall damnation. But what sayth God by his Prophet: Dominus (sayth he) transtuli [...] peccatum tuum, non morieris: The Lord hath taken away thy sinnes, thou shalt not die. Oh good God, he sayd, but, Peccaui, I haue sinned: but yet from his heart, and not from the lippes onely, as Pharao and Saul did, and incontinently hee heareth: Thou shalt not die, the Lord hath taken away thy sinnes: Or rather hath layd them vpon an other, yea, translated them vpon the backe of his sonne Iesus Christ, who bare them, and not onely them, but thine and mine al­so, if that wee will now crie but from our [Page] hearts, Peccauimus: Wee haue sinned, good Lord, wee haue done wickedly, enter not into iudgement with vs, but bee mercifull vnto vs after thy great mercie, and accor­ding to the multitude of thy compassions, doe away our iniquities, &c. For indéed, God is not the God of Dauid onely: Idem Deus omnium, He is the God of all: So that, Quicunque inuocauerit nomen Domini, saluus erit. He or shée, whosoeuer they bee that call vpon the name of the Lord, shal be saued. In confirmation whereof, this Hi­storie is writtē, as are also the other which I haue recited, & many mo which I might recite. As of Manasles the wicked king, which flew Esai the Prophet, and wrought very much wickednesse: yet the Lord shew­ed mercie vpon him béeing in prison, as his Prayer doth teach vs. Nabuchodonozor, though for a time he bare Gods anger, yet at the length he found mercie. The Citie of Niniue also found fauour with God, as did many other, which I will omit for times sake, and will bring forth one or two out of the new Testament, that wee may sée God to be the same God in the new Testament, that he was in the old.

I might tell you of many, if I should [Page] speake of the Lunatike, such as were pos­sessed with Deuils, Lame, Blind, Dumbe, Deafe, Lepers, &c. But time will not suffer me: one or two therefore shall serue. Marie Magdalen had seuen deuils, but yet they were cast out of her: and of all others, shée was the first that Christ appeared vnto, af­ter his resurrection. Thomas would not be­léeue Christs resurrection, though many told him, which had séene and felt him: by reason whereof, a man might haue thought that his sinnes would haue cast him away. Except I should see and feele (saith hee) I will not beleeue. Ah wilfull Thomas: I wil not, sayth hee. But Christ appeared vnto him, and would not léese him, as hée will not doe thée, good brother, if that with Tho­mas thou wilt kéepe company with the Dis­ciples, as Thomas did. Peters fall was vg­ly, hée accursed himselfe, if euer hée knew Christ, and that for feare of a Gyrle, and this not once, but euen thrée diuers times, and that in the hearing of Christ his Ma­ster: but yet the third time Christ looked backe, & cast on him his eye of grace, so that hee went out and wept bitterly. And after Christs resurrection, not onely did the An­gels will the woman to tell Peter, that [Page] Christ was risen, but Christ himselfe ap­peared vnto him seuerally: such a good Lord is he.

The Théefe hanging on the Crosse, sayd but this: Lorde, when thou commest into thy Kingdome, remember mee: And what answere had hee? This day (sayth Christ) shalt thou be with me in Paradise. What a comfort is this, in that he is now the same Christ to thée and mee, and to vs all, if wee will runne vnto him? for hee is the same Christ to day and to morrow, vntill hee come to iudgement. Then indéed, hee will be inexorable: but now is he more ready to giue, then thou to aske. If thou crie, hee heareth thee, yea before thou crie.

Crie therefore, bee bold, man, hee is not partiall. [...]ai. 31. [...]et. 7. Call, sayth hée, and I will heare thée: Aske and thou shalt haue: Séeke, and thou shalt finde: though not at the first, yet at the length. If he tarie a while, it is but to trie thee. [...]b. 10. Nam veniens veniet, & non tardabit: Hee is comming, and will not be long.

Thus haue you foure meanes, which you must vse to the attayning of faith, or cer­taine perswasion of Gods mercie towards you, which is the second part of penance, [Page] namely, prayer, the free and vniuersall pro­mises of Gods graces, the recordation of the benefits of God, past and present, the ex­amples of Gods mercie. Which although they might suffice, yet will I put one more to them, which all onely of it selfe, is full sufficient: I meane, the death of the Sonne of God, Iesus Christ: which if thou set be­fore the eyes of thy mind, it will confirme thy placcard: for it is the great Seale of England, as they say, yea, of all the world, for the confirmation of all patents and per­petuities of the euerlasting life, whereunto we are all called.

If I thought these, which I haue before recited, were not sufficient to cōfirme your faith, of Gods loue towards such as do re­pent, I would tarie longer herein. But be­cause I haue béene both long, and also I trust, you haue some exercise of conscience in this daily (or els you are too blame) I wil but touch & goe. Consider with your selues what we are, misers, wretches & enemies to God. Consider what God is, euen hée, which hath all power, maiestie, might, glo­ry, riches, &c. perfectly of himselfe, & needeth nothing, but hath all things. Consider what Christ is: concerning his Godhead, coequal [Page] with his Father, euen hee by whom all things were made, are ruled and gouer­ned: concerning his manhood, the onely Dearling of his Father, in whom is all his ioy. Now Sir, what a loue is this? that this God which néedeth nothing, would giue wholy his owne selfe to thée his ene­mie, wreaking his wrath vpon him selfe, in this his Sonne: as a man may say, to spare thée, to saue thée, to winne thée, to buie thée, to haue thée, to enioy thée for euer. Because thy sinne hath separated thée from him, to the end thou mightest come eftsoones into his company againe, and therein re­maine: hee himselfe became, as a man would say, a sinner, or rather sinne it selfe, euen a malediction or curse: that wée sin­ners, wee accursed by our sinne, might by his oblation or offering for our sinnes, by his curse, be deliuered from sinne, and from malediction. For by sinne, hee destroyed sinne, killing Death, Sathan, and Sinne, by their owne weapons, and that for thée and mee (man) if wee cast it not away by vnbeleefe. Oh wonderfull loue of God. Who euer heard of such a loue? the Fa­ther of Heauen for vs his enemies, to giue his owne deare Sonne, Iesus Christ, and [Page] that not onely to bee our Brother, to dwell among vs, but also, to the death of the Crosse for vs? Oh wonderfull loue of Christ to vs all, that was content and willing to worke this feate for vs. Was there any loue like to this loue?

God in déede hath commended his chari­tie and loue to vs heerein, that when wee were very enemies vnto him, hee would giue his owne Sonne for vs. That wee béeing men, might become, as you would say, Gods, God would become man. That wee beeing mortall, might become immor­tall, the immortall God would become mortall man. That we earthly wretches might be Citizens of Heauen, the Lord of Heauen would become, as a man would say, earthly. That wee beeing accursed, might be blessed, God would bee accursed. That wee, by our father Adam, beeing brought out of Paradise, into the puddle of all paine, might be redeemed, and brought into Paradise againe, God would bee our Father, and an Adam thereunto. That we hauing nothing, might haue all things, God hauing all things, would haue no thing. That wee beeing vassailes, and slaues to all, euen to Sathan the Fiend. [Page] might be Lords of all, and of Sathan: the Lord of all would become a vassaile, and a slaue to vs all, and in danger of Sathan. Oh loue incomprehensible. Who can o­therwise thinke now, but if the gracious good Lorde disdayned not to giue his owne Sonne, his owne hearts ioy, for vs his ve­ry enemies, before wée thought to begge a­ny such thing at his hands, yea, before we were? who, I say, can thinke otherwise, but that with him, hee will giue vs all good things? If when we hated him, and fled away from him, he sent his Sonne to séeke vs: who can thinke otherwise, then that now wee louing him, and lamenting, be­cause we loue him no more, but that he wil for euer loue vs? He that giueth the more to his enemies, wil not hée giue the lesse, trow you, to his friends? God hath giuen his owne Sonne, then which thing nothing is greater, to vs his enemies: and wee now béeing become his friends, will he deny vs faith, and pardon of our sins? which though they bee great, yet in comparison they are nothing at all. Christ Iesus would giue his owne selfe for vs, when wee willed it not: and will he now deny vs faith, if we will it? This will is his earnest, that hee [Page] hath giuen vs truely to looke indéed, for the thing willed. And looke thou for it in déed: for as he hath giuen thee to will, so will he giue thée to doe.

Iesus Christ gaue his life for our euils, and by his death he deliuered vs. O then, in that hee liueth now, and can not die, will he forsake vs? His heart bloud was not too deare for vs, when we asked it not: what can then bee now too deare for vs, asking it? Is he a changeling? Is he mutable as man is? Can hee repent him of his gifts? Did he not foresée our falles? Payd not he therefore the price? Because hee saw wee should fall sore, therefore would hee suffer sore. Yea, if his suffering had not béene e­nough, he would yet once more come again. God the Father, I am sure, if the death of his Sonne incarnate, would not serue, would himselfe and the holy Ghost also be­come incarnate and die for vs.

This death of Christ therefore looke on, as the very pledge of Gods loue towards thée, whosoeuer thou art, how deepe soeuer thou hast sinned. See, Gods hands are nay­led, they cannot strike thee: his feete also, he cannot runne from thee: his armes are wide open to embrace thee: his head hangs [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] downe to kisse thee, his very heart is open, so that therein see, toote, looke, spie, peepe, and thou shalt see nothing therein, but loue, loue, loue, loue to thee: hyde thee therefore, lay thy head there with the Euangelist.

This is the clift of the Rocke wherein Helias stood. This is the pillow of downe for all aking heads.

Anoint thy head with this oyle: let this oyntment enbaulme thy head, and wash thy face.

Tarie thou heere, and cocke sure thou art, I warrant thee. Say with Paul, What can separate me from the loue of God? Can death, can pouertie, sickenesse, hunger or any miserie, perswade thee now, that God loueth thee not? Nay, nothing can separate thee from the loue wherewith God hath lo­ued thee in Christ Iesus: whom he loueth, he loueth to the end. So that now where aboundance of sinne hath beene in thee, the more is the aboundance of grace. But to what end? Forsooth, that as sinne hath raigned to death, as thou séeest, to the kil­ling of Gods Sonne: so now Grace must raigne to Life, to the honouring of Gods Sonne, who is now aliue, and can not die any more.

[Page]So that they which by faith féele this, cannot any more die to God, but to sinne, whereto they are dead and buried with Christ.

As Christ therefore liueth, so doe they, and that to God, to righteousnesse and holi­nesse. The life which they liue, is In fide Filii Dei: In the faith of the Sonne of God. Whereby you sée, that now I am slipt into that, which I made the third part of pe­nance, namely, newnesse of life, which I could not so haue done, if that it were a part of it selfe indéed, as it is an effect or fruit of the second part, that is, of faith, or trust in Gods mercie. For he that beléeueth, that is, is certainely perswaded, sinne to be such a thing, that it is the cause of all miserie, and of it selfe so greatly angereth God, that in heauen nor in earth, nothing could ap­pease his wrath, saue alonely the death and precious bloodshedding of the Sonne of GOD, in whom is all the delight and pleasure of the Father: hee, I say, that is perswaded thus of sinne, the same can­not but in heart abhorre and quake, to doe or say, yea, to thinke any thing willing­ly, which Gods Law teacheth him to bee sinne.

[Page]Againe, hee that beléeueth, that is, is certainely perswaded, Gods loue to bée so much towards him, that where through sinne he was lost, and made a firebrand of hell, the eternall father of mercy, which is the omni-sufficient God, & néedeth nothing to vs, or of any thing that we can doe, to de­liuer vs out of hell, and to bring vs into heauen, did send euen his owne most déere Sonne out of his bosome, out of heauen into hell, as a man would say, to bring vs, as I said, from thence into his owne bo­some and mercie, wee béeing his very ene­mies: hee, I say, that is thus perswaded of Gods loue towards him, and of the price of his redemption, by the deare bloud of the Lambe immaculate, Iesus Christ, the same man cannot but loue God againe, and of loue doe that, and heartily desire to doe better, the which might please God.

Trow you, that such a one, knowing this geare by faith, will willingly welter and wallow in his wilfull lusts, pleasures and fantasies? Will such a one, as knoweth by faith, Christ Iesus to haue giuen his bloud to wash him from his sinnes, play the Sow, to welter in his puddle of filthie sinne and vice againe? Nay, rather then [Page] he will be defiled againe by wilful sinning, he will wash often the féet of his affections, watching ouer the vice still sticking in him, which as a spring, continually sendeth out poyson enough, to drowne and defile him, if the swéete water of Christes passion in Gods sight, did not wash it, and his bloud satisfie the rigour of Gods iustice, due for the same.

This bloud of Christ shed for our sinnes, is so deare in the sight of him that beléeueth, that he will abhorre in his heart, to stampe it, and tread it vnder his féete. He know­eth now by his beléefe, that it is too much, that hitherto he hath set too little by it, and is ashamed thereof. Therefore, for the residue of his life, hée purposeth to take better héed to himselfe, then before hee did. Because hée séeeth by his faith, the grie­uousnesse of GODS anger, the foule­nesse of sinne, the greatnesse of Gods mer­cie, and of Christs loue towards him, hée will now bee héedie to pray to GOD to giue him his grace accordingly, that as with his eyes, tongue, hands, féet, &c. hée hath displeased God, doing his owne will: euen so now with the same eyes, tongue, eares, hands, féete, &c. hee may displease [Page] his owne selfe, and doe Gods will: Wil­lingly will he not doe that which might re­new the death of the Sonne of God. Hée knoweth he hath too much sinne, vnwilling­ly in him, so that thereto hee will not adde willing offences.

This willing and witting offending and sinning, whosoeuer doth flatter himselfe therein, doth euidently demonstrate and shew, that hee neuer yet indéed tasted of Christ truely. Hee was neuer truely per­swaded, or beléeued, how foule a thing sinne is, how grieuous a thing Gods anger is, how ioyfull and precious a thing, Gods mercie in Christ is, how excéeding broad, wide, hie and déepe, Christs loue is: Per­chance he can write, prate, talke, and preach of this geare: but yet he in part by faith, ne­uer felt this geare.

For if hee did once féele this geare in­déed, then would he bée so farre from con­tinuing in sinne, willingly and wittingly, that wholy and heartily hee would giue o­uer himselfe to that which is contrary, I meane, anew to life, renewing his youth, euen as the Eagle doth.

For as we, béeing in the seruitude of sin, demonstrate our seruice, by giuing ouer our [Page] members to the obeying of sinne, from ini­quitie to iniquitie: euen so, we béeing made frée from sinne, by faith in Iesus Christ, and endued with Gods spirit, a spirit of li­bertie, must néeds demonstrate this frée­dome and libertie, by giuing ouer our mem­bers to the obedience of the spirit: by the which we are lead and guided from vertue to vertue, and all kind of holines. As the vnbeléeuers declare their vnbeléefe, by the woorking of the euill spirit in them, out­wardly the fruits of the flesh: euen so the beléeuers declare their faith, by the wor­king of Gods good spirit in them outward­ly the fruits of the spirit. For as the De­uill is not dead in those which are his, but worketh still to their damnation: so is not God dead in them which bee his, but wor­keth still to their saluation. The which working is not the cause of the one or the o­ther béeing in any, but onely a demonstra­tion, a signe, a fruit of the same: As the Apple is not the cause of the Apple tree, but a fruit of it.

Thus then you sée briefly, that newnes of life, is not in déed a part of penance, but a fruit of it, a demonstration of the iustify­ing faith, a signe of Gods good spirit pos­sessing [Page] the heart of the penitent: as the old life is a fruite of impenitencie, a demon­stration of a lip-faith, or vnbeliefe, a signe of Sathans spirit, possessing the heart of the impenitent, which all those be, that bee not penitent.

For meane I know none: He that is not penitent, the same is impenitent: hee that is not gouerned by Gods spirit, the same is gouerned by Sathans spirit. For all that bée Christians, are gouerned with the spi­rit of Christ, which spirit hath his fruits. All other that bee not Christs, are the De­uils. Hee that gathereth not with Christ, scattereth abroad.

Therefore, dearely beloued, I beséech you to consider this geare, and deceyue not your selues. If you bee not Christs, then pertayne you to the Deuill: of which thing the fruits of the flesh doth assure you, as whoredome, adulterie, vncleannesse, wan­tonnesse, Idolatry, witchcraft, enuy, strife, contention, wrath, sedition, murther, drunkennesse, gluttony, blasphemy, sloth­fulnesse, idlenesse, bawdy talking, slaunde­ring, &c. If these Apples grow out of the Apple trées of your hearts, surely, surely, the Deuill is at Inne with you, you are his [Page] birds: whom when he hath well fed, he wil broache you and eate you, chaw you and champe you, world without end, in eternall woe and miserie. But I am otherwise per­swaded of you all. I trust you bee all Christ Iesus his people and children, yea, brethren, and by faith.

As ye see your sinnes in Gods Law, and tremble, sigh, sorrow and sob for the same: euen so you sée his great mercies in his Gos­pell and frée promises, and therefore are glad, merrie and ioyfull, for that you are accepted into Gods fauour, haue your sins pardoned, and are endued with the good spirit of God, euen the seale and signe Ma­nuel of your election in Christ before the beginning of the world.

The which spirit, for that he is the spi­rit of life, giuen to you, to worke in you, with you, and by you héere in this life, satis­faction and holinesse, whereunto you are called, that yée might be holy, euen as your heauenly Father is holy: I beséech you all by admonition and warning of you, that you would stirre vp the gifts of God, giuen to you generally and particularly, to the edifying of his Church: that is, I pray you, that you would not molest the good [Page] spirit of God, by rebelling against it, when it prouoketh and calleth you to goe on for­wards, that the which is holy, might yet be more holy, hee which is righteous, might bee more righteous, as the euill spirit mo­ueth and stirreth vp the filthy to be yet more filthy, the couetous, to be more couetous, the wicked, to be more wicked.

Declare you now your repentance, by works of repentance. Bring forth fruits, and worthy fruits.

Let your sorrowing for your euils, de­monstrate it selfe, departing from the e­uils you haue vsed.

Let your certaintie of pardon of your sinnes through Christ, and your ioy in him bee demonstrated, by pursuing of the good things which Gods word teacheth you. You are now in Christ Iesus, Gods work­manship, to doe good works which God hath prepared for you to walke in.

For the grace of God that bringeth sal­uation vnto all men, hath appeared, and tea­cheth vs, that wee should deny vngodli­nesse and worldly lusts, and that we should liue soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world, looking for that blessed hope and glorious appearing of the mighty God, [Page] and of our Sauiour Iesus Christ, which gaue himselfe for vs, to redéeme vs from al vnrighteousnesse, and to purge vs a peculi­ar people vnto himselfe, feruently giuen vn­to good works.

Againe, Titus 3. For we ourselues al­so were in times past vnwise, disobedient, deceiued, seruing lusts, and diuers plea­sures, liuing in maliciousnesse and enuy, full of hate, and hating one another. But after that the kindnesse and loue of God our Sauiour to manward appeared, not by the déeds of righteousnesse which wee wrought, but of his mercie he saued vs by the fountaine of the new birth, and with the renewing of the holy Ghost, which he shedde on vs aboundantly through Iesus Christ our sauiour, y ^t wee once iustified by his grace, should be heires of eternall life through hope. This is a true saying. But I will make an end, for I am too tedious.

Dearely beloued, repent your sinnes, that is, be sorie for that which is past, be­léeue in Gods mercie for pardon, how déepely soeuer you haue sinned, and both purpose and earnestly peruse a new life, bringing forth worthy and true fruits of repentance. As you haue giuen ouer your [Page] members from sinne to sinne, to serue the Deuill, your tongues to sweare, to lie, to flatter, to scold, to iest, to scoffe, to baudie talke, to vaine iangling, to boasting, &c. Your hands to picking, groping, idlenesse, fighting, &c. Your féete to skipping, going to euill, to dancing, &c. Your eares to heare fables, lyes, vanities, and euill things, &c. So now, giue ouer your members to godli­nesse, your tongues to speake, your eares to heare, your eyes to sée, your mouthes to taste, your hands to worke, your féete to go about such things as may make to Gods glory, sobrietie of life, and loue to your bre­thren, and that dayly more and more, dili­gently: for in a stay to stand you cannot, ey­ther better or worse you are to day, then you were yesterday. But better I trust you bee, and will be, if you marke well my Theame, that is, Repent you. The which thing that you would doe, as before I haue humbly besought you: euen so now yet once more I doe againe beseech you, and that for the mercies of God in Christ Iesus our Lord: Repent you, repent you, for the kingdome of heauen (that is, a kingdome full of all riches, pleasures, mirth, beautie, swéetnesse, and eternall felicitie) is at hand. [Page] The eye hath not séene the like, the eare hath not heard the like, the heart of man cannot conceyue the treasures and plea­sures of this kingdome, which now is at hand to such as repent, that is, to such as are sorie for their sinnes, beléeue Gods mer­cie through Christ, and earnestly purpose to leade a new life. The God of mercie, through Christ his Sonne, graunt vs his holy spirit, and woorke in our hearts this sorrow, faith, and new life, which through his grace I haue spo­ken of, both now and for euer. Amen.

An other Sermon, made also by the said master Iohn Bradford, vpon the Lords Supper.

THere are two Sa­craments in Christes Church: Two Sacra­ments in Christs Church. the one of imi­tation, that is, where­with we be inrolled, as it were, in the houshold and familie of God, which Sacrament, we call Baptisme: the other, wherewith we be conserued, fed, kept and nourished, to con­tinue in the same familie, which is called the Lords Supper, or the body and bloud of our Sauiour Iesus Christ, broken for our sinnes, and shed for our transgressions.

Of the former Sacrament, that is, of Baptisme, to speake now I am not pur­posed, because occasion and time serue not so thereto. Of the second therefore, Baptism is in place of Circum­cision. Christi­an mens children ought to be bap­tized. will I speake something by Gods grace, if that first you remember this, that Baptisme in Christs Church, now, sithens Christs death, is come in place of Circumcision, which was in the same Church afore Christs comming. Whereby wee may sée, that Christian Parents séeme to bee no [Page] lesse bound to offer their Infants & Babes to be baptized, that they may be taken and accounted of vs, as members of Christs mysticall body, whereunto they are recei­ued and sealed: Gal. 4. then were the Hebrues their children to bee taken as pertayning to the couenant and league with God, where­with they were inrolled, alonely the cir­cumstance of the eight day, not necessarie to be obserued, béeing now abrogated.

But to come againe, of the Lords Sup­per, I am purposed presently to speake, through the helpe of God, because wee are assembled in Christ (I hope) to celebrate the same.

Now, that the things which I shall speake, may bee better obserued, and cari­ed away of you, I will tell you how, and in what sort I will speake of it. Thrée things would I haue marked, as the prin­cipals and scopes, whereto I wil referre all that I shall at this time speake thereof. They be these: Who, what, and wherefore. That is, (to make it more plaine) Who did institute this thing which we are about to celebrate, this is the first.

The second is, What the thing is, which is instituted.

[Page]And the last is, Wherefore, and to what end it was instituted: whereby we shall be taught how to vse it.

For the first, Who did institute this Sa­crament and Supper. You all doe know, Who did insti­tute this Sacra­ment. that things are more estéemed sometime for the dignitie and authoritie of the person, sometime for the wisedome of the person, sometime for the power and magnificence of the person, and sometime for the tender loue and kindnesse of the person. If néed were, I could by examples set forth euery one of these, but I hope it is not necessa­ry. Now then, how can the thing which wée bée about to celebrate, but bée estée­med of euery one highly, in that the Author of it doth want no dignitie, no authoritie, no wisdome, no power, no magnificence, no holinesse, no tender loue and kind­nesse? but hath all dignitie, authoritie, wisedome, power, magnificence, holines, tender loue, mercie, glory, and all that can be wished absolutely.

Hee is GOD eternall, coequall, and substantiall, with the Father, and with the holy Ghost, the Image of the sub­stance of GOD, the wisedome of the Father, the brightnesse of his glorie, [Page] by whome all things were made, are ru­led and gouerned. He is the King of all Kings, and the Lord of all Lords. He is the Messias of the world, our most deare and louing brother, Sauiour, Mediatour, Aduocate, Intercessour, Husband, Priest. So that the thing which commeth from him, cannot but bee estéemed, loued, and embraced, if dignitie, authoritie, wisdome, power, glory, goodnes, and mercie like vs. Yea, if any thing that can bee wished, like vs, then cannot this which our Lord did in­stitute, but like vs, and that so much the more, by how much it is one of the last things which hee did institute & command. God open our eyes, to sée these things ac­cordingly: so shall we come with more re­uerence to this Table of the Lord: which thing hee graunt for his mercies sake. Amen.

And thus much for the first, who did in­stitute this Sacrament.

2 Nowe to the second, What the Sacra­ment is. What the Sa­crament [...]s. If we shall aske our eyes, our nose, our mouth, our taste, our hands, and the reason of man: they will all make a consonant answere, that it is bread and wine. And verely, héerein they speake [Page] the trueth and lye not, as by many things may bee proued, although the papists prate their pleasure to the contrary.

And here, my dearely beloued, I thinke I shall not bee either tedious or vnpro­fitable vnto you, if that I tary a litle in shewing this veritie, that the substaunce of bread and wine remaine in the Sacra­ment, after the wordes of consecration (as they call them) be spoken. Whereby we may learne howe shamelesse beastes they bee, Vpon transub­stantia­tion, all poperie almost i [...] builded. which would enforce men to beleeue Transubstantiation, which is an errour, whereupon in a manner dependeth all Poperie. For it is the stay of their Priest­hood, which is neither after the order of Aaron, nor after y ^e order of Melchisedech: but after the order of Baal, which thing is something séene by their number. For the false Prophets and Priestes of Baal were alwaies many moe in number, when the wicked were in authoritie, then the true Priests and Prophets of the Lorde, as the holy Hystories of the Bible doe teach. Reade the third of the Kings, the 18. Chap.

That in the Supper of the Lorde, The Sa­crament of the popish Masse not the Sacra­ment of Christs body. or in the Sacrament of Christes body (which [Page] the Papists call the Sacrament of the Al­tar) as though that were Christs Sacra­ment, which thing they can neuer prooue: For it béeing peruerted, and vsed to a con­trary end, as of sacrificing propitiatorily, for the sinnes of the quicke and of the dead, of Idolatrie, by adoring or worshipping it by godly honour, &c. is no more Christs Sacrament, but an horrible prophanation of it, and therefore as Christ called Gods Temple, which was called an house of prayer, for the abusing and prophaning of it by the Priests, a denne of Théeues: so this which the Papists call the Sacrament of the Altar, full truely may wee call an a­bominable Idoll: And therefore I would all men should know that the Sacrament of the Altar, as the Papists now doe abuse it, omitting certayne substantial points of the Lords institution, and putting in the stead thereof their owne dregs & dreames, is not the Sacrament of Christs body, nor the Lords Supper: whereof when wee speake reuerently, as our duetie is wée would not that men should thinke wee speake it of the popish Masse: (that I say) in the Supper of the Lord, or in the Sacra­ment of Christs body, there remaineth the [Page] substance of bread and Wine, as our sen­ses and reasons doe teach, these many things also doe teach the same.

First, The firs [...] reason a­gainst Trans­substan­tiation. the holy Ghost doth plainely tell vs, by calling it often bread, after the words of Consecration, as 1. Corinthi­ans 10. Is not the bread which we breake, a partaking of the body of Christ, sayth Paul?

Loe, plainely he saith: The bread which we breake, Not onely calling it bread, but adding thereto breaking, which cannot be attributed, eyther to Christs body, where­of no bone was broken, eyther to any ac­cident, but must needs bee of a substance, which substance if it bee not Christs body, cannot be but bread.

As in the 11. Chapter, foure times hee plainely calleth it: Hee that eateth of this bread: Hee that receiueth this bread, &c. And in the Acts of the Apostles we reade, how that (in speaking of the Commu­nion) They mette together to breake bread, &c. So that it is plaine, that the substance of Bread and Wine doe re­mayne in the Supper, after the woords of Consecration: As also may appeare plainely by Christs owne words, which [Page] calleth that which hée gaue them in the cuppe, Wine, or the fruite of the Vine, as both Matthew & Marke doe write. Where­by we sée that there is no Transsubstanti­ation of the Wine: and therefore may we also sée, that there is no Transsubstantiati­on of the bread.

An aun­swere to the Pa­pists ca­ [...]ill for [...]he fore­said rea­son. Mat. 26 Exod. 7.As for the Papists cauilling, howe that it hath the name of bread, because it was bread: as Simon the Leper, was called still Leprous, though he was healed: or as Moses Rod, being turned into a Ser­pent, was called a Rodde still, it prooueth nothing. For there was in the one a plaine sight, and the senses certified that Simon was no Leper: and in the other plaine mention, that the Rod was turned into a Serpent. But concerning the Sa­crament, neyther the senses sée any other thing then bread, neyther is there any mention made of turning. And therefore their cauill is plainly séene to be but a ca­uill, The se­cōd rea­son a­gainst Trans­substan­tiation. and of no force. But to come againe, to bring moe reasons against Transsub­stantiation.

Secondly, that the substance of bread remayneth still, the very text doeth teach. For the Euangelists, and the Apostle [Page] Saint Paul doe witnesse, Mat. 26 Mar. 14 Luke 22 1. Cor. 11 that Christ gaue that to his disciples, and called it his body which hee tooke, on which hee gaue thanks, and which hee brake: but he tooke bread, gaue thanks on bread, and broke bread, Ergo, he gaue bread, and called bread his body, as he called the Cuppe, the new Testament.

So that it followeth by this, that there is no Transubstantiation. And this reason I my selfe haue promised in writing, to prooue by the authoritie of the Fathers, namely, Ireneus. Tertullian, Origine, Ci­prian, Epiphanius, Hieronimus, Augusti­nus, Theodorete, Cirill, Bede, if so bee I may haue the vse of my bookes.

Thirdly, that in the Sacrament, there is no Transubstantiation of the bread, The third reason against Trans­substan­tiation 1. Cor. 1 [...] by this reason I doe prooue: Like as by our sauiour Christ, the Spirit of trueth spake of the bread, This is my body: So sayth the same spirit of trueth, of the same bread, That wee many, are one body, and one bread, &c.

So that as it appeareth, the Sacrament not to bee in the Church, by Transubstan­tiation, euen so is it not Christs naturall body, by Transubstantiation.

[Page] The fourth reason [...]gainst [...]ransub­ [...]tanti­ [...]tion.Fourthly, I prooue that there is no Transsubstantiation by Luke and Pauls wordes, spoken ouer the Cuppe. For no lesse are they effectuall to Transsubstanti­ate the Cup: then their words spoken of the bread, are operatorious and mighty to Transsubstantiate the bread. For as they say of the bread, This is my body, so say they of the Cup, This Cup is the new Te­stament: Which thing is absurde to bee spoken or thought, eyther of the Cup, or of the thing in the Cup by Transsubstantia­tion. Yea, rather in saying these wordes, This Cup is the new Testament: wee are taught by their coupling this worde, Cup, to the demonstratiue, This, how we should in these wordes, This is my body, knowe that this word, This, doeth there demon­strate bread.

The fift reason.Fiftly, that the substance of bread re­maineth in the Sacrament, as the reasons before brought foorth do prooue, so doth the definition of a Sacrament. For the Fathers doe affirme it, Ireneus. Augu­stinus. Chriso­stomus. to consist of an earthly thing, and of an heauenly thing, of the word, and of the element, of sensible things, and of things which bee perceiued by the minde. But Trāssubstantiation ta­keth [Page] cleane away y ^e earthly thing, the ele­ment, the sensible thing, and so maketh it no Sacrament. And therefore the defini­tion of a Sacrament full well teatheth, that bread which is the earthly thing, the sensible thing, and the element remaineth still, as saint Augustine saith: The worde commeth to the element, (he sayth not, ta­keth away the element,) and so it is made a Sacrament.

Sixtly, the nature, The sixt rea­son a­gainst Trans­substan­tiation. Cyprian in Ser­mone de Chris­mat. Augu­stinus a Bonifa­cium. and propertie of a Sacrament, teacheth this also which I haue affirmed. For as Cyprian writeth, that Sacraments beare the names of the things which they signifie: so doeth saint Augustine teach, that if Sacraments haue not some signification with the things where of they be Sacramentes, then are they no Sacraments.

Now, in the Lordes supper this simili­tude is first in nourishing, y ^t as bread nou­risheth the body: so Christs body broken, feedeth the soule, Secondly, in bringing to­gether many into one, that as in y ^e Sacra­ment, many graines of Corne are made one bread: many Grapes are made one lyquour and Wine: so the multitude which worthily receiue the Sacrament, [Page] are made one body with Christ and his Church. Last of all, in one vnlikely like­linesse or similitude, that as bread eaten, turneth into our nature: so we rightly, ea­ting the Sacrament by faith, turne into the nature of Christ.

So that it is plaine to them that wil sée, that to take the substance of bread away, is cleane against the nature and propertie of a Sacrament.

I will speake nothing how that this their doctrine of Transubstantiation, be­side the manifold absurdities it hath in it, (which to rehearse I omit) it vtterly ouer­throweth the vse of the Sacrament, and is cleane cōtrary to the end wherefore it was instituted, & so is no longer a Sacrament, but an Idoll, and is the cause of much Ido­latrie, conuerting the peoples hearts from an heauenly conuersation, to an earthly, and turning the Communion, into a pri­uate action, and a matter of gazing and pi­ping, of adoring and worshipping the worke of mens hands, for the liuing God, which dwelleth not in Temples made with mens hands, much lesse, lyeth he in Pixes and Chests, whose true worshippe is in spirit and veritie, which God graunt [Page] vs all to render vnto him continually. A­men.

The Sacrament of Baptisme doth al­so teach vs, The se­uenth reason against transub­stantia­tion. that as the substance of the wa­ter remaineth there: so in the Lords Sup­per, remaineth the substance of bread after consecration. For as by Baptisme we are engraffed into Christ, so by the Supper we are fedde with Christ. These two Sacra­ments, the Apostle gladly coupleth toge­ther, 1. Cor. 10. and 1. Cor. 12. Wee are baptized into one body (sayth hee) and haue drunke all of one spirit: meaning it by the Cuppe, as Chrysostome and other great learned men doe well interprete it. As therefore in Baptisme is giuen vnto vs the holy Ghost, and pardon of our sinnes, which yet lie not lurking in the water: so in the Lords Supper, is giuen vnto vs the Communion of Christs bodie and bloud, that is, grace, forgiuenesse of sinnes, inno­cencie, life, immortalitie, without any Transubstantiation, or including of the same in the bread. By Baptisme, Gal. 3. the old man is put off, and the new man put on, yea, Christ is put on, but without Tran­substantiating the water. And euen so it is in the Lords Supper. Wee by fayth spiri­tually [Page] in our soules doe féed on Christs bo­dy broken, do eate his flesh and drinke his blood: doe dwell in him, and he in vs, but without Transsubstantiation.

An an­swer to the Pa­pists ca­uill for the fore­said rea­son.As for the cauill they make, that we are baptized into one body, meaning thereby the mysticall body, & not the naturall body of Christ, whereby they would enforce that wee are fed with the naturall body of Christ, but wée are not ingraffed into it, but into the mysticall body, and so put a­way the reason aforesaid. As for this ca­uill, I say, wee may soone auoyde it, if so bee that we will consider how that Christ, which is the head of the mysticall body, is not separate from the body, and therefore to be ingraffed to the mysticall body, is to bée ingraffed into the naturall bodie of Christ, to bée a member of his flesh, and bones of his bones: as Pope Leo full wel doeth witnesse, in saying, that Corpus rege­nerati fit caro crucifixi: The body (sayth hée) of the regenerate, is made the flesh of Christ crucified. And héereto I could adde some reasons for y ^e excellency of Baptisme. I tro [...]e it bée more to bee gotten, then to be nourished. As for the excellent miracle of the patefaction of the Trinitie, and the [Page] descending of the holy Ghost in Baptisme in [...]visible forme, the like whereto was not seene in the Lordes Supper: I will omitte to speake of [...]urther, then that I would you should knowe howe it were no mastery, to set foorth the excellencie of this Sacrament, as well as of the Sup­per.

It is a plaine signe of Antichrist, The eight reason. to de­ny the substance of bread and wine to bée in the Lordes Supper after consecration: For in so dooing and graunting Transsub­stantiation, the propertie of the humane nature of Christ is denied. For it is not of the humane nature, but of the diuine nature, to bée in many places at once As Didymus, De spiritu sancto, doeth prooue thereby the diuinitie of the holy Ghost.

Now grant Transsubstantiation, and then Christes naturall body must needes bee in many places, which is nothing else but to confound the two natures in Christ, or to deny Christs humane nature, which is the selfe same that Saint Iohn saith, to deny Christ to be come in the flesh. And this who so doeth, by the testimonie of Saint Iohn, is an Antichrist in his so do­ing, whatsoeuer otherwise he doe prate. [Page] Reade Saint Augustine in his Epistle to Dardanus, and his 50. and 30. Treatise vp­on Saint Iohn, and easily you shall sée how that Christs body must néeds bee in one place. Oportet in vno loco esse: But his trueth is in all places.

The ninth reason.If there bee no substance of bread in the Sacrament, but Transubstantiation, then Christs bodie is receyued of the vngodly, and eaten with their téeth, which is not onely against S. Augustine (calling this spéech, Except you eate the flesh of the sonne of man, &c. A figuratiue spéech:) but also against the plaine Scriptures, which affirme them to dwell in Christ, and Christ in them, and they to haue euerlasting life that eate him, which the wicked haue not, although they eate the Sacrament. Hee that eateth of this bread, (sayth Christ) shall liue for euermore. Therefore they eate not Christs bodie, but (as Paul saith) they eate in iudgement and damnation, which I trow be an other manner of thing then Christs body.

And this doth saint Augustine affirme, saying: None do eat Christs body, which is not in the body of Christ, that is, (as he ex­poūdeth it) in whō Christ dwelleth not, & he [Page] in Christ. Which thing the wicked doe not, because they want faith and the holy Spirite, which be the meanes whereby Christ is receiued.

To the things which I haue brought héerefoorth, to improue Transubstantia­tion, I could bring in the Fathers to con­firme the same, which succeeded continu­ally many hundreth yéeres after Christ. Also I could shew that Transubstantia­tion is but a newe doctrine, not establi­shed, before Sathan (which was tyed for a thousand yéeres) was letten loose. Also I could shewe, that euer hitherto, since it was established, in all times it hath bene resisted and spoken against. Yea, before this doctrine, the Church was nothing so endowed with goods, landes, and possessi­ons, as it hath béene since. It hath brought no small gaine, no small honour, no small ease to the Cleargie: and therefore no mar­uaile though they striue and fight for it.

It is their Maozim, it is their Helena. GOD destroy it with the breath of his mouth, as shortly he will for his names sake. Amen.

If time would serue, I could and would heere tell you of the absurdities which [Page] come by this doctrine: but for times sake I must omit it. Onely for Gods sake see this, that this their doctrine of Transsub­stantiation is an vntrueth, already I haue proued, and forget not, that it is the whole stay of all Poperie, and the pillar of their Priesthood: whereby Christs Priesthood, Sacrifice, Ministerie, & Trueth is letted, yea, peruerted, and vtterly ouerthrowne.

GOD our Father, in the blood of his Sonne Christ, open the eyes and minds of all our Magistrates, all other that beare the name of Christ, to sée to it in time, to GODS glory, and their owne saluati­on. Amen.

Now to returne to the second matter, what the Sacrament is, you sée that to the senses and reason of man, it is bread and wine: Which is most true, as by the scrip­tures, and otherwise I haue already pro­ued: and therefore away with Transsub­stantiation.

But héere, least wee should make it no Sacrament, for a Sacrament consisteth of two things: and least a man should by this gather, that wee make it none other thing but bare bread, and a naked signe, and so rayle at their pleasure on vs, saying, How [Page] can a man be guiltie of the body and blood of Christ, by vnworthy receiuing of it, if it be but bare bread, & so forth? For this pur­pose I will now speake a litle more héerea­bout, by GODS grace, to stoppe their mouthes, and to stirre vp your good hearts, more to the worthy estimation and percep­tion of this holy mysterie.

When a louing friend giueth to thée a thing, or sendeth to thee a token (as for an example, a napkin, or such like) I thinke thou doest not as thou shouldest do, if that with the thing thou considerest not the mind of thy friend that sendeth or giueth the thing, and according thereunto estée­mest and receyuest it.

And so of this bread thinke I, that if thou doe not rather consider the mind of thy louer Christ, then the thing which thou séeest: yea, if thou doe not altogether con­sider Christs mind, thou dealest vnho­nestly, and strumpetlike with him. For it is the propertie of strumpets, to consi­der the things giuen and sent them, rather then the loue and mind of the giue [...] & sen­der: whereas the true louers doe not con­sider in any poynt, the things giuen or sent, but the mind of the partie.

[Page]So wee, if we bee true louers of Christ, must not consider barely the outwarde thing which we see, and our senses per­ceiue, but rather altogether we must and should sée & consider the minde of Christ, and héereafter and accordingly to it to e­stéeme the Sacrament.

But how shall we know the minde of Christ? Forsooth, as a mans minde is best knowen by his word: so by Christs worde shall we know his minde.

Now his words bee manifest, and most plaine: This (saith he) is my body: there­fore accordingly should we estéeme, take, and receiue it. If he had spoken nothing, or if he had spoken doubtfully, then might we haue béene in some doubt. But in that he speaketh so plainely, saying, This is my body: who can, may, or dare be so bolde as to doubt of it? He is the trueth and can not lye, hee is omnipotent and can doe all things: therefore it is his body. This I beleeue, this I confesse, and pray you all heartily to beware of these and such like wordes, that it is but a signe or a figure of his body: Except yee will dis­cerne betwixt signes which signifie one­ly, and signes which also doe represent, [Page] confirme and seale vp (or as a man may say) giue with their signification. As for an example: An Iuie bush, is a signe of Wine to be sold: the budding of Aarons Rod, did signifie Aarons Priesthood, allow­ed of the Lord: the reseruation of Moses Rod, did signifie the rebellion of the chil­dren of Israel: the stones taken out of Ior­dane, Gedeons fléece of wooll, &c. Such as these, be signes significatiue, and shew no gift. But in the other signes, which some call exhibitiue, is there not onely a signifi­cation of the thing, but also a declaration of a gift, yea, in a certaine manner, a giuing also: As Baptisme signifieth not onely the cleansing of the conscience from sinne, by the merits of Christs blood, but also is a very cleansing from sinne. And therefore it was sayd to Paul, that he should arise and wash away his sinnes, and not that hee should arise and take onely a signe of wash­ing away his sinnes. In the Lords Sup­per, the bread is called a partaking of the Lords body, and not onely a bare signe of the Lords body.

This I speake not, as though the ele­ments of these Sacraments (were Trans­substantiate) which I haue already im­pugned [Page] eyther, as though Christs body were in bread or wine, eyther were tyed to the elements, otherwise then Sacra­mentally, and spiritually, eyther that the bread and wine may not, and must not bee called Sacramentall, and externall signes: but that they might be discerned from sig­nificatiue and bare signes onely, and bee taken for signes exhibitiue, and represen­tiue. By this meanes a Christian consci­ence will call and estéeme the bread of the Lord, as the body of Christ. For it will neuer estéeme the Sacraments of Christ after their exterior appearance, but after the words of Christ.

Whereof it commeth, that the Fathers, as Chrysostome and others doe speake with so full a mouth, when they speake of the Sacrament: for their respect was to Christs words. If the Schoolemen which followed, had the same spirit which they had, then would they neuer haue consen­ted to Transsubstantiation. For with great admiration some of the Fathers doe say, that the bread is changed or turned in­to the body of Christ, and the wine into his blood: meaning it of a mutation or change, [Page] not corporall, but spirituall, figuratiue, Sacramentall, or mystical. For now it is no common bread, nor common wine, bée­ing ordained to serue for the foode of the soule. The Schoolemen haue vnderstood it, as the Papists now preach of a sub­stantiall changing, as though it were no great miracle, that common bread should now bee assumed into that dignitie, that it should be called Christs body, and serue for a celestiall foode, and be made a Sacrament of his body and blood.

As before therefore I haue spoken, Christs presence i [...] the S [...]pper. I would wish that this Sacrament should be estéemed & called of vs Christian men, after Christs words, namely, Christs bo­dy, and the wine Christs blood, rather then otherwise. Not that I meane any other presence of Christs body, then a presence of grace, a preseruer to Faith, a presence spiritually, and not corporally, really, na­turally, and carnally, as the Papists doe meane. For in such sort Christs body is onely in heauen, on the right hand of God the Father almightie, whither our faith in the vse of the Sacrament, ascendeth and receyueth whole Christ accordingly.

[Page] [...]n ob­ [...]ction.Yea, but one will say, that to call the Sacrament on that sort, is to giue an occa­sion of Idolatrie to the people, which will take the Sacrament which they see, sim­ply for Christs bodie, as by experience wée are well taught: and therefore it were bet­ter to call it bread, and so lesse harme should be, especially in this age.

An an­ [...]were.To this obiection I answer, that indéed great Idolatrie is committed to, and about this Sacrament, and therefore men ought, as much as they can, to auoyd from occasio­ning or confirming it.

But in as much as the holy Ghost is wi­ser then man, and had foresight of the euils that might bee, and yet notwithstanding, doth call it Christs bodie: I thinke wee should doe euill, if we should take vpon vs to reforme his spéech.

If Ministers did their dueties in Cate­chizing and Preaching, then doubtlesse, to call the Sacrament Christs body, and to estéeme it accordingly, could not giue occa­sion to Idolatrie, and confirme it.

Therefore woe vnto them that preach not.

There bee two euils about the Sacra­ments, [Page] which to auoyde, the holy Ghost hath taught vs For least we should with the Papistes, thinke Christes body pre­sent in, or with the bread really, natural­ly, and corporally to be receiued with our bodily mouth (where there is no other presence of Christes body then spirituall, and to the faith) in many places he kéepeth still the name of bread, as in the Epistle to the Corinthians, the tenth and eleuenth Chapters. And least we should make too light of it, making it but a bare signe, and no better then common bread, the holy Ghost calleth it Christes body, whose spéech I wish we would followe, and that not onely as well to auoyde the euill which is now a dayes most to be feared, concer­ning the Sacrament, I meane, of contem­ning it, as also for that no faithfull man commeth to the Sacrament to receiue bread simply, but rather, yea, altogether to communicate with Christes body and blood. For else to eate and drinke (as Paul saith) they haue houses of their owne.

The contempt of the Sacrament, in the dayes of King Edward, hath caused these plagues vpon vs presently, the Lorde bee [Page] mercifull vnto vs. Amen. And thus much for the obiection, of calling the Sacrament by the name of Christes bo­dy.

Ano­ [...]her ob­ [...]ection of Christs presence in the Sacra­ment.What (saith one?) to cal the Sacrament Christs body, and to make none other presence then by grace, or spiritually to faith, which is of things hoped for, and of things which to the bodily sences doe not appeare, is to make no presence at all, or to make him none otherwise present, then hee is in his worde when it is preached: and therefore what neede wée to receiue the Sacrament, in as much as by this doctrine, a man may receiue him dayly in the fielde, as well and as much as in the Church, in the celebration and vse of the Sacrament?

To this obiection, I first answere, that in deede, neither the Scripture nor Christian Faith will giue vs leaue to make any carnall, reall, naturall corpo­rall, or any such grosse presence of Christs naturall body in the Sacrament.

For it is in Heauen, and the Heauens must haue it (as sayeth Pete [...]) till Christes comming to iudgement, except [Page] wée would denie the humanitie of Christ, and the veritie of mans nature in him. The presence therefore which wee beléeue and confesse, is such a presence, as reason knoweth not, and the world cannot learn, nor any that looketh in this matter with other eyes, or heareth with other eares, thē with the eares and eyes of the Spirit, and of Faith.

Which Faith, though it bee of things hoped for, and so of things absent to the corporall sences, yet this absence, is not an absence in déede, but to reason, and the olde man, the nature of Faith beeing a possession of things hoped for. There­fore, to graunt a presence to Faith, is not to make no presence at all, but to such as know not Faith. And this the Fathers taught, affirming Christ to bée present by grace, and therefore not one­ly a signification, but also an exhibition and giuing of the Grace of Christes body, that is, of life, and of the séede of im­mortalitie, as Cyprian writeth. Wée eate life, and drinke life, sayth Saint Au­gustine. We féele a presence of the Lord by Grace, or in Grace, sayth Chrysostome. [Page] We receiue the celestiall foode, that com­meth from aboue, Athana­ [...]us. Hyla­ [...]ius. saith Athanasius. We receiue the propertie of the naturall con­iunction, and knitting together, sayth Hil­larius. Wee receiue the nature of the flesh, the blessing that giueth life in bread and Wine, Cyrillus. sayth Cyrillus. And elsewhere hee sayth, that with the bread and Wine, we eate the vertue of Christs proper flesh, life, grace, & the propertie of the body of the onely begotten sonne of God, which thing he himselfe expoundeth to be life. Basilius. Basilius sayth, that we by the Sacrament receiue the mysticall Aduent of Christ, grace, and the very vertue of his very nature. Ambro­ [...]ius. Epipha­nius. Hiero­nimus. Chriso­stomus. Am­brose saith, that we receiue the Sacrament of the true body. Epiphanius sayth, we re­ceiue the body or grace. And Hierome sayth, that wee receiue spirituall flesh, which hee calleth other flesh, then that which was crucified. Chrisostome saith, that wee receiue influence of grace, and the grace of the holy Ghost. Saint Au­gustine sayth, Augu­stinus. that we receiue grace and veritie, the inuisible grace and holinesse of the members of Christes body. All the which sayings of the Fathers, doe con­firme [Page] this our faith and doctrine of the Sacrament, wee granting in all things héerein vnto them, and they in like man­ner vnto vs. And therefore the lying lyppes, which both belye the Doctours, as though they graunted a carnall and reall presence of Christes body, natural­ly and corporally after the Papistes de­claration and meaning: and which be­lye vs also, as though wee denied all pre­sence of Christ, and so made it but a bare signe.

These lying lips the Lord will destroy, if they repent not, and with vs beléeue, and teach the trueth, that the Sacrament is the foode of the Soule a matter of faith, & there­fore spiritually and by faith, to be talked of and vnderstanded: which faith they want, & therefore they erre so grosely, in that they would haue such a presence of Christ, as is contrary to all the Scriptures, and to our Christian Religion: whereby com­meth no such commoditie to the receiuer, as by the Spirituall presence which wée teach, and according to GODS word do affirme.

For we teach these benefites to bee had [Page] by the woorthy receiuing the Sacrament, namely, that wée abide in Christ, and Christ in vs. Againe, that wee attaine by it a celestiall life, or a life with GOD: moreouer, that by Faith and in Spirite, wée receiue not onely Christes body and blood, but also whole Christ, GOD and man. Besides these, wée graunt, that by the woorthy receiuing of this Sacra­ment, we receiue remission of our sinnes, and confirmation of the new Testament. Last of all, by woorthy receiuing, wée get an increase of incorporation with Christ, and amongst our selues which bée his members: then which things, what more can be desired? Alas, that men con­sider nothing at all, howe that the coup­ling of Christes body and blood to the Sa­crament, is a spirituall thing, and there­fore there néedes no such carnall presence as the Papistes imagine. Who will deny a mans Wife, to be with her Hus­band, one body and one flesh, although he be at London, and shée at Yorke? But the Papistes are carnall men, guided by carnall reason onely, or else would they knowe howe that the holy Ghost, be­cause [Page] of our infirmitie, vseth metaphori­cally the wordes of abyding, dwelling, eating and drinking of Christ, that the vnspeakeable coniunction of Christ with vs, might something be knowen. GOD open their eyes to see it. And thus much for this.

Now to that part of the obiectiō, which sayth, that wee teach Christ to bee none o­therwise present in the Sacrament, then in his worde: I would that the obiectors would well consider, what a presence of Christ is in his worde. I remember that saint Augustine writeth, how that Christs body is receiued sometime visible, and sometime inuisible

The visible receite, hee calleth that which is by the Sacrament: the inuisible receite hee calleth that which by the exer­cise of our faith, with our selues, wee re­ceiue. And saint Herome, in the third booke vpon Ecclesiastes affirmeth that wee are fed with the body of Christ, and we drinke his blood, not onely in mysterie, but also in knowledge of holy Scripture. Where­in hee plainely sheweth, that the same meate is offered in the words of the Scrip­tures, [Page] which is offered in the Sacrament, so that no lesse is Christes body and blood offered by the Scriptures, then by the Sacramentes. Vpon the 147. Psalme, he writeth also, that though these wordes: He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood: may bee vnderstoode in mysterie, yet he sayth, it is more true to take Christs body and his blood, for the worde of the Scriptures, and the doctrine of God. Yea, vpon the same Psalme hee sayeth plainely, that Christes flesh and blood is powred into our eares, by hearing the worde, and therefore great is the perill, if we yeeld to other cogitations whylste wee heare it. And therefore, I trow, Saint Augustine sayth, that it is no lesse perill to heare GODS word negligently, then so to vse the Sacrament. But héere of may no man gather, that therefore it néedeth not to re­ceiue the Sacrament, or to affirme that a man may as much by himselfe, medita­ting the word in the fielde, receiue Christs body, as in the Church, in the right vse of the Sacrament. For Christ ordai­neth nothing in vaine, or superstitiously, hee ordaineth nothing whereof wee haue [Page] not néede: Although his authoritie is such, that without any questioning, his ordinan­ces are to be obeyed.

Againe, though in the field a man may receyue Christs body by faith, in the medi­tation of the word, yet deny I that a man doth ordinarily receiue Christs bodie, by the onely meditation of Christs death, or hearing of his word, with so much sight, and by such sensible assurance (whereof GOD knoweth our infirmitie hath no small néed) as by the receite of the Sacra­ment, not that Christ is not so much pre­sent in his word preached, as hee is in, or with his Sacrament: but because there are in the perception of the Sacrament, more windowes open for Christ to enter into vs, then by his woord preached or heard. For there, I meane in the word, he hath an entrance into our hearts, but one­ly by the eares, through the voice and sound of the words: but heere in the Sacrament, he hath an entrance by all our senses, by our eies, by our nose, by our taste, and by our handling also.

And therefore the Sacrament full well may bee called, séeable, sensible, [Page] tasteable, and touchable words. As there­fore, when many windowes be opened in an house, the more light may come in then when [...]here is but one opened: euen so, by the perception of the Sacraments, a Chri­stian mans conscience hath more helpe to receiue Christ, then simply by the woord preached, heard, or meditated.

And therefore mee thinketh, the Apostle full well calleth the Sacraments, obsigna­tions, or sealings of Gods promise. Read Rom. the 4. of Circumcision. And thus much for the answere to the obiection afore­sayd.

Now to returne from whence wée came, namely, to the consideration of the second thing, what the Sacrament is: I haue told you, that it is not simply bread and wine, but rather Christs body, so called of Christ, and so to be called and estéemed of vs▪ But héere let vs marke what body, and what blood Christ called it.

[...]hrists [...]esence the [...]pper.The Papists still babble: This is my body, This is my blood. But what body it is, what blood it is, they shew not.

Looke therefore my dearely beloued, on Chr [...]sts owne words, and you shal see, that [Page] Christ calleth it his body broken, and his blood shedde. Marke, I say, that Christ calleth it his body which is broken, his blood which is shedde presently, and not which was broken, or shall bee broken, which was shedde, or shall be shedde, as the Greeke Texts doe plainely shew: thereby teaching vs, that as God would haue the Passeouer called, not which was the Passeouer, or which shall be the Passeouer, but plainely the Passeouer, to the end that in the vse of it, the passing ouer of the stri­king Angell, should be set before their eyes as present: so in the celebration of the Lords Supper, the very Passion of Christ should be as present, beholden with the eies of faith.

For which end, Christ our Sauiour did specially institute this Supper, saying: Doe ye this in remembrance of mee: or as Paul sayth: Shew you the Lords death till hee come.

The Supper of the Lord then, is not simply Christs body and blood, but Christs body broken, and his bloud shed. Where­fore broken? Wherefore shedde? Forsooth, [Page] that teacheth Christ himselfe, saying: Bro­ken for you, Shed for your sinnes, and for the sinnes of many. Héere now then wee haue occasion in the vse of the Sacrament, to call to mind the greatnesse and grieuous­nesse of sinne, which could not be taken a­way by any other meanes, then by the shed­ding of the most precious blood, and brea­king of the most pure body, of the onely begotten sonne of GOD, Iesus Christ, by whom all things were made, all things are ruled and gouerned, &c.

Who considering this geare, shall not bee touched to repent? Who in receite of this Sacrament, thinking that Christ saith to him: Take, eate, this is my body, which is broken for thee: This is my blood which is shedde for thy sinnes: Can but tremble at the grieuousnesse of his sinnes, for the which such a price was payd? If there were no plague at all else, to admo­nish man of sinne, how grieuous a thing it is in Gods sight, surely that one were e­nough. But alas, how are our hearts be­witched through Sathans subtilties, and the custome of sinne, that wee make sinne, a thing of nothing? God open our eyes [Page] in time, and giue vs repentance, which we sée this Sacrament doth, as it were, en­force vs vnto, in the reuerence and true vse of the same.

Againe, in hearing that this which wee take and eate, is Christs body broken for our sinnes, and his bloud shedde for our iniquities, wée are occasioned to call to mind the infinite greatnes of Gods mercie and trueth, and of Christs loue towards vs. For what a mercie is this, that God would for man, béeing lost through his wilfull sinnes, be content, yea, desirous to giue his owne onely Sonne, The Image of his substance, the brightnesse of his glorie, béeing in his owne bosome, to bée made man for vs, that wee men by him, might be, as it were, made Gods? What a mercie is this, that GOD the Father should so tender vs, that hee would make this his Sonne, béeing equall with him in diuinitie, a mortall man for vs, that wée might be made immortall by him? What a kindnesse is this, that the almightie Lord should send to vs his enemies, his deare darling to bee made poore, that wee by him might be made rich? What bowels of com­passion [Page] was this, that the omnipotent Cre­ator of Heauen and earth, would deliuer his owne onely beloued Sonne for vs crea­tures, to be not onely flesh of our flesh, and bone of our bones, that wee might by him through the holy Ghost, be made one with him, and so with the Father, by communi­cating the merits of his flesh, that is, righ­teousnesse, holinesse, innocencie, and im­mortalitie: but also to be a slaine Sacrifice for our sinnes, to satisfie his iustice, to con­uert or turne death into life, our sinne into righteousnesse, hell into Heauen, miserie into felicitie for vs? What a mercie is this, that GOD will rayse vp this his sonne Christ, not onely to iustifie and regenerate vs? but also in his person, to demonstrate vnto vs our state, which we shall haue: for in his comming we shall be like vnto him.

Oh wonderfull mercie of God, which would assume this his Christ, euen in hu­mane body, into the heauens, to take and keepe there possession for vs, to leade our captiuitie captiue, to appeare before him alwaies praying for vs, to make the throne of Iustice a throne of mercy, the seat of glory a seat of grace, so that with boldnesse [Page] we may come and appeare before God, to aske and find grace, in time conuenient. A­gaine, what a veritie and constant trueth in God, is this, that he would, according to his promise made first 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 Christs loue, oh, whose heart can bee able to thinke of it any thing as it deserueth? He being God, would become man: hée being rich, would become poore: he being Lord of all the world, became a seruant to vs all: hée beeing immortall, would become mortall, miserable, and taste of all Gods curses, yea, euen of hell it selfe for vs. His blood was nothing too deare, his life hee nothing considered, to bring vs from death to life.

But this his loue néedeth more heartie weighing, then many words speaking: and therefore I omit and leaue it to your consi­derations. So that in the receiuing of this Supper, as I would, you would tremble at Gods wrath for sinne: so would I haue you to couple to that terrour and feare, [Page] true faith, by which ye might be assuredly perswaded of Gods mercie towards you, and Christs loue, though all things else preached the contrary.

Doe euery of you surely thinke, when you heare these words, Take, eate, this is my body, broken for your sinnes: Drinke, this is my blood shedde for your sinnes: That God the eternall Father embracing you, Christ calleth and cleppeth you most louingly, making himselfe one with you, and you one with him, and one with ano­ther amongst your selues.

You ought no lesse to bee certaine now that God loueth you, pardoneth your sins, and that Christ is all yours, then if you did heare an Angell out of heauen speaking so vnto you. And therefore reioyce and bee glad, and make this Supper Eutharichi­am, a thankesgiuing, as the Fathers na­med it. Be no lesse certaine, that Christ and you now are all one, then you are certaine, the bread and wine is one with your na­ture and substance, after you haue eaten and drunke it. Howbeit, in this it differeth, that you by faith are, as it were, changed into Christ, and not Christ into you, as [Page] the bread is: for by faith he dwelleth in vs, and we in him. God giue vs faith in the vse of this Sacrament, to receiue Christ, as hee giueth vs handes to receiue the ele­ment, simbole, and visible Sacrament. God grant vs not to prepare our téeth and belly (as Saint Augustine saith) but rather of his mercie, hee prepare and giue vs true and liuely faith, to vse this and all other his ordinances to his glory and our com­forts. He sweepe the houses of our hearts, and make them cleane, that they may bée a worthy harborough and lodging for the Lord. Amen.

Now let vs come and looke on the third and last thing, namely, Where­fore the Sacra­ment was in­stituted. wherfore the Lord did institute this Sacrament. Our na­ture is very obliuious of GOD, and of all his benefits. And againe, it is very full of dubitation and doubting of GODS loue, and of his kindnesse. Therefore to the ende these two things might bee some­thing reformed and holpen in vs, the Lorde hath instituted this Sacrament: I meane, that wee might haue in memorie the principall benefite of all benefits, that is, Christes death, and that wee might bee [Page] on all parts assured of Communion with Christ, of all kindenesse, the greatest that euer God did giue vnto man. The former to bée the ende, wherefore Christ did in­stitute this Sacrament, hee himselfe doeth teach vs, saying: Doe yee this in remem­brance of me. The latter, the Apostle doeth no lesse set foorth, in saying: The bread which we breake, is it not the parta­king, or Cōmunion of the body of Christ? Is not the Cuppe of blessing, which wee blesse, the partaking or Communion of the blood of Christ? So that it appeareth, the ende wherefore this Sacrament was instituted, was and is, for the reforma­tion and help of our obliuion, of that which we should neuer forget, and of our dubita­tion of that whereof we ought to bee most certaine.

Concerning the former, namely, of the memorie of Christs death, what commodi­tie it bringeth with it, I will purpesely for times sake omit. Onely a little will I speake of the commodities comming vnto vs, by the partaking and Communion wée haue with Christ. First, it teacheth vs, that no mā can communicate with Christ, but the same must néedes communicate [Page] with Gods grace & fauour, where through sinnes are forgiuen. Therefore, this com­moditie commeth herethrough, namely, that we should be certaine of the remission and pardon of our sinnes. The which thing we may also perceiue by the Cup, in that it is called the Cup of the newe Te­stament: to which Testament is properly attributed on God behalfe, obliuion or re­mission of our sinnes. First, I say, therfore, the Supper is instituted to this end, that he which worthily receiueth, should bee cer­taine of the remission and pardon of his sinnes and iniquities, how many and great soeuer they be. Howe great a benefite this is, onely they knowe, which haue felt the burthē of sinne, which of al heauy things, is the most heauy. Againe, no man can com­municate with Christes body and blood, but the same must communicate with his spirit, for Christs body is no dead carcase. Now he that cōmunicateth with Christs Spirite, communicateth as with holines, righteousnesse, innocencie, and immorta­litie, and with all the merites of Christes body: so doeth hee with GOD and all his glorie, and with the Church, and all [Page] the good that euer it or any member of it had, Note, though I apply this thus: yet I would not that any man should thinke, that Com­munionem sancto­rum, in the Creed, is not set foorth there for the bet­ter expli­cation of that which precee­deth it, namely, what the holy Catholique Church is. hath, or shall haue: This is, The Communion of Saints, which we beleeue in our Creede, which hath wayting on it, Remission of sinnes, Resurrection of the flesh, and life euerlasting.

To the ende that we should be most as­sured and certaine of all these, Christ our Sauiour did institute this his Supper, and therefore would haue vs to vse it. So that there is no man, I trowe, which see­eth not great cause of giuing thankes to God, for this holy Sacrament of the Lord, whereby if wée worthily receiue it, wée ought to bée certaine, that all our sinnes whatsoeuer they bée, are pardoned cleare­ly: that wée are regenerate and borne againe into a liuely hope, into an inhe­ritance, immortall, vndefiled, and which can neuer wither away: that wee are in the fellowship of GOD the Father, the Sonne, and the holy Ghost: that wée are Gods Temples, at one with God, & God at one with vs: that wée are members of Christes Church, and fellowes with the Saintes in all felicitie: that wee are cer­taine of immortalitie, in soule and body, [Page] and so of eternall life: then which thing, what can bée more demaunded? Christ is ours, and we are Christes, he dwelleth in vs, and wée in him. Oh happy eyes that sée these things, and most happy heartes that feele them. My deare brethren, let vs pray vnto the Lord, to open our eyes to sée these wonderfull things, to giue vs faith to féele them. Surely we ought no lesse to bee assured of them, nowe in the worthy receiuing of this Sacrament: then wée are assured of the exteriour symboles and Sacraments. If an Angell from Heauen should come and tell you these things, then would you reioyce and bée glad. And my deare hearts in the Lorde, I, euen nowe, though most vnworthy, am sent of the Lorde to tell you no lesse, but that you worthily receiuing this Sacra­ment, shall receiue remission of all your sinnes, or rather certainetie that they are remitted, and that you are euen now Gods darlings, Temples, and fellow inheritours of all the good that euer he hath. Where­fore sée that you giue thanks vnto the Lord for this his great goodnesse, and prayse his Name for euer.

[Page] [...]n ob­ [...]ection [...]f vn­ [...]orthy [...]ecei­ [...]ing.Oh, sayth one, I could be glad in very déed, and giue thanks from my very heart, if that I did worthily receiue this Sacra­mēt. But (alas) I am a very grieuous sin­ner, and I feele in my selfe very little re­pentance and faith, and therefore I am a­fraid that I am vnworthy.

The an­ [...]were.To the answering of this obiection, I thinke it necessarie to speake some thing of the woorthy receiuing of this Sacra­ment, in as great breuitie & playnnesse as I can. The Apostle willeth all men to prooue and examine themselues, before they eate of the bread, and drinke of the Cup: for they that eate and drinke vn­woorthily, eate and drinke damnation.

Therefore this probation and examina­tion is necessarie. If men will try their golde and siluer, whether they bee copper or no: is it not more necessarie, that men should trie their consciences? Now, howe this should bée, the Papists teach amisse, in sending vs to their auricular Confessi­on, which is impossible. The true pro­bation, and tryall of a Christian consci­ence, consisteth altogether in Faith and repentance. Faith hath respect to the [Page] doctrine and Articles of our Beliefe: repen­tance hath respect to maners and conuersa­tion. Concerning the former, I meane of Faith, we may sée the Apostle teacheth vs. 2. Corinthians 11. Concerning the latter for our conuersation, those sinnes which are commonly called mortall, or deadly, are to be remooued. These sinnes are discerned from other sinnes, by the Apostle, Rom. 6. in saying: Let not sinne reigne and beare a swindge in you in your mortall bodies. For truely, then wée sinne deadly, when wée giue ouer to sinne, and let it haue the bridle at his libertie, when wée striue not against it, but allowe it, and consent to it. Howbeit, if we striue against it, if it dis­please vs, then truely, though sinne bée in vs (for we ought to obey GOD without al resistance, or vnwillingnesse) yet our sinnes bee not of those sinnes, which separate vs from God, but for Christs sake shall not bée imputed vnto vs beléeuing.

Therefore, my dearely belooued, if that your sinnes doe now displease you, if you purpose vnfeinedly to bee enemies to sinne in your selues and in others, as you may, during your whole life, if you [Page] hope in Christ for pardon, if you beléeue according to the holy Scriptures and Ar­ticles of the Christian Faith, set foorth in your Creede: if I say, you now trust in GODS mercy through Christs merits, if you repent, and earnestly purpose be­fore God to amend your life, and to giue ouer your selues to serue the Lorde in ho­linesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of your life, although before this present, you haue most grieuously sinned; I publish vnto you, that you are woorthy ghests for this Table, you shall be welcome to Christ, your sinnes shall be pardoned, you shall be endued with his spirit, and so with Com­munion with him and the Father, and the whole Church of God, Christ will dwell in you, and you shall dwell in him for euer­more.

Wherefore, behaue your selues accor­dingly, with ioyfulnes and thankesgiuing. Doe you nowe appeare before the Lorde: make cleane your houses, & open the doores of your hearts by repentance & faith, that the Lord of Hostes, the King of glory, may enter in: and for euer héereafter beware of all such things, as might displease the [Page] eyes of his Maiestie. Flie from sinne, as from a Toade, come away from Poperie, and all Antichristian Religion, be diligent in your vocations, be diligent and earnest in prayer, harken to the voyce of God in his word with reuerence, liue worthy your profession. Let your light in your life so shine, that men may see your good works, and glorifie your Father which is in hea­uen. As you haue béene darkenesse, and followed the works of darkenesse, so now hence forth bee light in the Lord, and haue societie with the woorks of light. Now hath God renewed his couenant with you, in Gods sight now are you as cleane, and healed from all your sores of sinnes. Goe your wayes, sinne no more, least a worse thing happen vnto you. Sée that your hou­ses béeing new swept, bee furnished with godlinesse and vertue, and beware of idle­nesse, least the Deuill come with seuen spi­rits worse then himselfe, and so take his lodging, and then your latter end will bee worse then the first.

God our Father, for the tender mercie and merits of his sonne, bee mercifull vn­to vs, forgiue vs all our sinnes, and giue [Page] vs his holy spirit, to purge, cleanse, and sanctifie vs, that wee may bee holy in his sight through Christ, and that we now may be made ready, and worthie to receyue this holy Sacrament, with the fruits of the same, to the full reioycing & strengthening of our hearts in the Lord. To whom be all honour and glory, world without ende. Amen.

To God be all prayse for euer.